[intense orchestral music]
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- Well, welcome back
for our afternoon session.
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Today is Friday! Hardly
seems possible that time
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has flown by so fast,
right? Time flies when
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you're having a good
time. Now, we are going
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to study this afternoon
the chapter titled, "Measure
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the Temple of God".
That's chapter 11, and it begins
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on page 267 of your
study notes. So, page
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267, "Measure the
Temple of God". Before we do,
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we want to begin- we
begin morning and afternoon
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with prayer, so
let's bow our heads for
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prayer. Father in heaven,
we come before Your throne,
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boldly, because we
come in the name of Jesus.
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We ask that You will
be present with us as we
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study this very
important subject regarding the
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measuring of the
temple in heaven. Help us to
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understand what it
means to us personally. Let us
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prepare, Lord, for
what is soon to explode upon
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the world's scene?
Thank you for being with us
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and for hearing
our prayer. We ask it
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in Jesus' name. Amen.
[Amen.] So, let's read
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Revelation chapter 11
and verse 1. This will
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be our verse of
study. "Then I was given a
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reed like a
measuring rod." So, we have in
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this verse a measuring
rod. "And the angel stood,
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saying, 'Rise and
measure the temple of God, the
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altar, and those who
worship there.'" So we
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have a command here
to measure the temple,
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the altar, and
those who worship there.
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Now, the word 'to
rise' in this verse is the
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imperative mood. The
'imperative mood' means
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that it is a
command. That is to say, the
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angel commands John to
rise. Now, why does the
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angel command John
with the word 'rise' in this
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verse? Well, the
New Testament uses this
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word to describe
sick people-that someone
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raises up by taking them
by the hand. In the context
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of Revelation chapter
10, we remember that John's
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stomach got sick after
he ate the little book.
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So presumably, the
angel commanded him to get
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up from his sickbed
to measure the temple.
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Now, the book of Revelation
has several instances where
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the chapter division
is in the wrong place.
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I wish I had time to
show you several examples,
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but we don't have
time to do that. We should
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see Revelation 11:1 as
the concluding verse of
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Revelation 10 rather
than the introductory
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verse to chapter
11. So, what you need to
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do is you need to move
Revelation 11:1 back to
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chapter 10. It
would be the conclusion of
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chapter 10. And you
say, "Well, why is this?" Let
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me read you from
Joseph Azize who wrote good
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commentary on Revelation.
Of course, he doesn't
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have all of the Seventh-day
Adventist light, but he
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has a lot of good insights.
He wrote this: "The connection
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between what concludes
the one," that is, Revelation
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10, "and what begins
the other," Revelation
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11:1, "appears to be
as close as it well could
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be, seeing that the
angel who before addressed
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John still
continues here to address him.
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And the new injunction,
'Rise and measure,' is
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but a sequel to his
previous injunction,
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'Thou must prophesy
again.'" Are you understanding
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this statement? So
he's saying that, really,
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Revelation 11:1 is a
continuation of Revelation
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chapter 10, so this
would be the last verse of
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Revelation 10. So let's
ask some questions about
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Revelation 11:1-better
stated, Revelation 10:12.
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To which temple does
Revelation 11:1 refer?
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Is this the
heavenly temple that needs to
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be measured, or a rebuilt
earthly Jerusalem temple?
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Second, what does
it mean to measure the
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temple, the altar, and
those who worship there
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at the altar? What does
the measuring rod represent,
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and which altar is
being spoken of here? Is it
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the altar of sacrifice
in the court, or the altar
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of incense in the
Holy Place? And then of
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course, the question
is why was it necessary
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to measure the altar
of incense if the altar
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IS the altar of incense?
So let's go to the first
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question: To which temple
does Revelation 11:1 refer?
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The fundamental mistake
that the Millerites made
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is that they
believed that the temple to be
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cleansed was the
earth- the sanctuary was the
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earth. And this, in
spite of the fact that there's
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not one verse in the
Bible that tells us that
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the earth is the sanctuary;
it was simply an assumption
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on their part.
Clearly, the temple referred to
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here is where? The
heavenly sanctuary. The Romans
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destroyed the earthly
temple in the year 70.
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It no longer exists.
When that sixth trumpet
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sounded between
1798 and 1844, was there
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any Jewish temple?
No! There was no Jewish
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temple. So this cannot
be referring to measuring
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the literal earthly
Jerusalem temple. Furthermore,
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the book of Hebrews
makes it abundantly clear that
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the earthly
sanctuary and its services were
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shadows of the
heavenly. When Jesus died, the
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temple veil was
rent from top to bottom.
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God was announcing
that the ceremonial system
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had reached its
goal and end. No need for
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a literal temple
anymore. Jesus now ministers
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where?-He's the reality;
He's that which projected
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the shadow, if you please-
He ministers in the heavenly
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sanctuary, where He did
not enter with the blood
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of bulls and goats,
but He entered with His
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own precious blood
there to intercede for us.
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Moreover, the book
of Hebrews states that
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the heavenly things
must be cleansed with blood
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of better sacrifices
than the earthly. Notice
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Hebrews 8:1-2 that
tells us clearly where Jesus
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ministers today. "Now
this is the main point of the
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things we are
saying: We have such a High
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Priest who is seated at
the right hand of the throne
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of the Majesty in the heavens,
a Minister of the sanctuary
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and of the true tabernacle
which the Lord erected,
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and not man." So what is
the true temple or tabernacle?
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It is the heavenly sanctuary,
and no longer do we have
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a series of priests
that die; we have a Priest,
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a High Priest that
lives forever, according to
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the book of Hebrews.
Now, must the heavenly
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things also be cleansed
like the earthly sanctuary
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needed to be
cleansed? Notice Hebrews 9:23.
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"Therefore, it was necessary
that the copies"... What are
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the copies? That's
the earthly system. "That
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the copies of the
things in the heavens," that's
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the reality, "should
be purified." So, notice-
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"Therefore it was necessary
that the copies of the things
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in the heavens should
be purified with these,
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but the heavenly
things," needed to be cleansed
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with what? With
better sacrifices than these.
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So does the heavenly
sanctuary need cleansing,
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as well? It most
certainly does. If the earthly
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sanctuary needed
cleansing, that means that the
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heavenly sanctuary, the
reality also needs cleansing.
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Now, there are two
words for 'temple' in the New
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Testament. The first
is the word 'hieron',
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and the second is
the word 'naos'. The book
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of Revelation never
uses the word 'hieron' that
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generally refers to
the entire temple complex.
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In other words, it includes
the court, the Holy Place,
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and the Most Holy
Place. However, the word 'naos'
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is used 16 times in
the book of Revelation; and
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in every instance,
the word 'naos' refers to
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the Most Holy Place of
the heavenly sanctuary.
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An example of this is
found in Revelation 11:19.
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Here, the word
'naos' is used. It gives us
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the idea of where the
naos is. It says there,
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"Then the temple,"
not the hieron, the total
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temple complex, but the
temple, the naos, "of God
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was opened in
heaven." Now, if it was opened
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before this, it must
have been closed. And what is
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seen when the temple
is opened? Where is this
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temple? "And the ark of
His covenant was seen in
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His," naos. "In His
temple." So, what does the word
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'temple' here refer
to? It refers to the Most
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Holy Place. How do we
know that? Because the
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Ark of the Covenant
was in the Most Holy Place.
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And then, notice
the phenomena that come
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when the temple in heaven
is opened. By the way, what
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is in the temple? The
ark. And what is inside the
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ark? The law! Now,
notice the phenomena in nature
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that occur when the
temple is opened and the ark is
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seen, and by implication,
the tables of the law.
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We are told in
Exodus chapter 19-this is on
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the next page-Exodus
19:16-20. The phenomena
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that take place
when the Ten Commandments
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were given on Mount
Sinai. But let's read, first of
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all, the last part
of Revelation 11:19.
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"Then the temple of
God was opened in heaven,
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and the ark of His covenant
was seen in His temple."
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And now notice, "And
there were lightnings,
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noises,
thunderings, an earthquake, and
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great hail." By the
way, this is not simply hail
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composed of H2O; this
is fiery hail. Now, the
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phenomena that accompanied
the opening of the temple
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are reminiscent of
the phenomena that existed
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when God revealed His
law on Mt. Sinai. In 1844,
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the Day of Atonement,
the ark of His covenant
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was opened - and what
was seen there? The law
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in the ark! And the
center of the law is
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what? The Sabbath.
Shortly after the opening of the
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Most Holy Place, what
did the pioneers discover?
00:12:34.22\00:12:37.45
They discovered that
the law was still binding,
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and that the Sabbath
was still binding, because
00:12:41.42\00:12:43.83
the Sabbath is in
the center of the law.
00:12:43.89\00:12:46.13
Now, what were the
phenomena that we read
00:12:47.16\00:12:49.23
when the Ark of the
Testament is seen in
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the Most Holy
Place? Lightnings, noises,
00:12:51.77\00:12:54.44
thunderings, an earthquake,
and great hail. Now, let's
00:12:54.57\00:12:57.14
go to Exodus 19 to see
if this has any relationship
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with when God
revealed the Ten Commandments.
00:13:00.58\00:13:03.78
It says there in
Exodus 19:16, "Then it came
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to pass on the
third day, in the morning,
00:13:07.88\00:13:10.25
that there were thunderings
and lightnings, and a thick
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cloud on the
mountain; and the sound of the
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trumpet was very loud."
What was it that announced
00:13:20.36\00:13:22.66
the Day of Atonement?
The trumpet, right? So,
00:13:22.80\00:13:26.90
it says, "And the
trumpet was very loud, so that
00:13:26.97\00:13:29.27
all the people who
were in the camp trembled.
00:13:29.34\00:13:32.27
And Moses brought the
people out of the camp
00:13:32.87\00:13:34.61
to meet with God, and
they stood at the foot
00:13:34.71\00:13:37.31
of the mountain. Now
Mount Sinai was completely
00:13:37.41\00:13:40.68
in smoke, because the
Lord had descended upon
00:13:40.75\00:13:43.69
it in fire." That's equivalent
to the hail. "Its smoke
00:13:43.79\00:13:48.39
ascended like the smoke
of a furnace," and is there
00:13:48.46\00:13:51.83
an earthquake, also?
"And the whole mountain
00:13:51.93\00:13:54.86
quaked greatly. And
when the blast of the trumpet
00:13:56.26\00:13:59.93
sounded long and became
louder and louder, Moses
00:14:00.04\00:14:02.84
spoke, and God
answered him by voice." So do we
00:14:02.90\00:14:06.88
have very similar
phenomena when God revealed the
00:14:06.98\00:14:09.78
Ten Commandments as when
the Most Holy Place is opened
00:14:09.88\00:14:13.01
and the Ark of the Covenant
is seen? Yes. What is gonna
00:14:13.08\00:14:16.32
be revealed to the
world now? The law. And what
00:14:16.45\00:14:20.02
are we judged by? we
are judged by the perfect
00:14:20.16\00:14:23.29
law of liberty.
Now, Revelation 15:5-8
00:14:23.43\00:14:29.53
refers to the naos as
the temple of the tabernacle.
00:14:31.07\00:14:35.74
So the tabernacle is one
thing, but the tabernacle
00:14:36.87\00:14:42.44
has a temple. The tabernacle
is the total complex -
00:14:42.54\00:14:45.88
the Holy and Most
Holy. What would the temple
00:14:46.28\00:14:48.72
of a tabernacle be?
It's the naos, which already
00:14:48.78\00:14:53.05
has been identified
as the Most Holy Place.
00:14:53.15\00:14:56.79
Let's read
Revelation 15:5-8. "After these
00:14:56.89\00:15:00.73
things, I looked,
and behold, the temple of
00:15:00.83\00:15:03.47
the tabernacle"-that
is the word 'naos', the
00:15:03.53\00:15:06.97
temple of the tabernacle-
"of the testimony in heaven
00:15:07.14\00:15:10.64
was opened, and," out of
the naos, "out of the temple
00:15:10.77\00:15:14.74
came the seven angels
having the seven plagues,
00:15:15.44\00:15:18.75
clothed in pure
[bright] linen, and having their
00:15:18.85\00:15:20.58
chests girded with
golden bands. Then one of the
00:15:20.68\00:15:23.79
four living creatures
gave to the seven angels
00:15:23.89\00:15:25.95
seven golden bowls
full of the wrath of God"-
00:15:26.05\00:15:29.62
so at this moment, is
probation closed? Yes-
00:15:29.72\00:15:32.96
"who lives forever and
ever. The temple"... That's
00:15:33.46\00:15:37.17
the word naos. It's
used several times here;
00:15:37.27\00:15:39.50
it's speaking about the
Most Holy Place. Where does
00:15:39.60\00:15:41.67
Jesus conclude His
work? In the sanctuary-in the
00:15:41.77\00:15:45.37
Most Holy Place.
"The temple," or the naos,
00:15:45.47\00:15:48.24
"was filled with
smoke from the glory of God
00:15:48.34\00:15:51.28
and from His
power," and now comes a very
00:15:51.38\00:15:53.35
interesting detail,
"and no one was able to enter
00:15:53.45\00:15:56.82
the temple," or the
naos, "till the seven plagues
00:15:56.92\00:16:00.19
of the seven angels
were completed." Why is no
00:16:00.32\00:16:02.72
one ever able to
enter the temple from this
00:16:02.86\00:16:06.13
point on? Can we
enter the temple in heaven
00:16:06.23\00:16:09.80
now? [Yes.] Can we
come boldly to the temple
00:16:09.90\00:16:12.63
in heaven now? So
we take a rocket and go
00:16:12.73\00:16:16.40
up there. [laughter]
No! How do we enter the
00:16:16.54\00:16:19.64
temple now? We
enter the temple by faith-
00:16:19.71\00:16:23.08
in our mind, right? And
so, no one able to enter
00:16:23.18\00:16:27.82
the temple means
that probation has closed.
00:16:27.92\00:16:30.49
Nobody can enter the
temple to claim Jesus
00:16:30.59\00:16:34.02
as the Intercessor.
Now, here's another question:
00:16:34.16\00:16:38.99
How can earthlings
worship in heaven? However, the
00:16:40.33\00:16:44.87
question that immediately
comes to mind is this:
00:16:44.93\00:16:49.17
How can God's
people be worshiping in the
00:16:49.84\00:16:52.64
heavenly temple in 1844
during the sixth trumpet
00:16:52.74\00:16:57.38
while they are
still living on the earth?
00:16:58.41\00:17:00.52
Does it say,
"Measure the temple and those
00:17:01.92\00:17:03.52
who worship there"?
Yes. So where are God's
00:17:03.62\00:17:06.55
people worshiping in the
sixth trumpet? Revelation
00:17:06.69\00:17:09.09
10? They're worshiping
in the heavenly temple.
00:17:09.19\00:17:11.76
You say, "Now, wait a-
how could they be worshiping
00:17:12.46\00:17:13.90
in the heavenly
temple if they're on earth in
00:17:14.00\00:17:15.76
1844?" Well, let's
continue. The answer
00:17:15.86\00:17:18.60
is actually quite
simple. On the Old Testament
00:17:18.70\00:17:22.47
Day of Atonement,
while the High Priest was
00:17:22.57\00:17:24.71
cleansing the sanctuary
from the sins of Israel,
00:17:24.84\00:17:27.91
what did the people do?
The people were required
00:17:28.54\00:17:31.98
to gather outside,
afflict their souls, fast, and
00:17:32.08\00:17:40.82
be in tune with
what was happening in the
00:17:40.92\00:17:43.83
Most Holy Place
by the High Priest.
00:17:43.93\00:17:46.33
So, they entered
there by faith. The people
00:17:47.00\00:17:51.13
gathered, fasted, abstained
from work, and afflicted
00:17:51.20\00:17:56.04
their souls. Now,
here comes an important
00:17:56.14\00:17:58.34
detail. In the Old
Testament sanctuary, the court
00:17:58.44\00:18:03.51
was open to the
view of the congregation.
00:18:03.61\00:18:06.45
Is that correct?
Could the congregation see
00:18:06.55\00:18:08.68
what was happening in
the court? Yes. But the
00:18:08.78\00:18:11.95
inside of the tent
itself was not open to their
00:18:12.05\00:18:16.32
view. Correct? Who
only could enter there? The
00:18:16.42\00:18:21.13
priest. The people
had to follow the work of
00:18:21.23\00:18:23.97
the priest by faith,
based on the description
00:18:24.07\00:18:28.57
of the sanctuary that
they could read in the
00:18:28.67\00:18:31.21
book of Exodus. The
court represents the earthly
00:18:31.31\00:18:35.94
work of Christ, because
there, you have the altar
00:18:36.04\00:18:39.35
of sacrifice, which
represents His, what?
00:18:39.48\00:18:42.02
What does the altar of
sacrifice where the animals
00:18:42.98\00:18:45.15
were placed? His
death. What does the laver
00:18:45.25\00:18:48.62
represent? The
burial and resurrection of
00:18:48.72\00:18:52.79
Christ. It's like baptism
- buried, and resurrected.
00:18:52.89\00:18:56.97
Where did Jesus
perform these works of death
00:18:57.53\00:19:00.57
and resurrection? He
did on earth. Could people
00:19:00.64\00:19:03.51
see what He did on
earth, those who lives at that
00:19:03.57\00:19:05.87
time? Absolutely - yes.
It was open to their eyes.
00:19:05.94\00:19:09.91
But could the disciples
follow Jesus physically
00:19:10.05\00:19:14.75
into the Holy Place when
He began His intercession
00:19:14.85\00:19:17.72
there? Absolutely not.
So how could they follow
00:19:17.85\00:19:21.16
His work and come
boldly to the throne of grace?
00:19:21.22\00:19:24.83
Only by following
Jesus' work in heaven by faith.
00:19:25.36\00:19:30.77
Are you with me? "There
is a work of measuring the
00:19:32.17\00:19:35.40
temple in heaven"-that's
examining the books
00:19:35.50\00:19:37.87
of record there-"and a
parallel work of measuring
00:19:37.97\00:19:41.51
the spiritual
temple on earth, which are
00:19:41.61\00:19:44.05
the actual worshipers
in the church on earth.
00:19:44.11\00:19:46.92
Actually, in a
certain sense, those who have
00:19:47.82\00:19:50.72
claimed Jesus as
Savior and Lord are written
00:19:50.82\00:19:54.06
in heaven." So are
we, in a certain sense, in
00:19:55.66\00:19:57.66
heaven? Is God
keeping a record of our lives
00:19:57.79\00:19:59.36
in heaven? [Yes.]
So, in a certain sense,
00:19:59.49\00:20:02.03
we're there, through
our records, "because God
00:20:02.13\00:20:05.40
keeps a precise transcript
of their lives. The book
00:20:05.47\00:20:09.44
of Hebrews depicts
those who enter the heavenly
00:20:09.54\00:20:11.87
temple by faith as worshiping
in the heavenly temple,
00:20:11.97\00:20:17.78
though they actually
live on earth." Let's read
00:20:18.28\00:20:21.12
Hebrews 4:14-16 so you
can see that people can
00:20:21.22\00:20:24.85
be on earth but
they can also come boldly
00:20:24.95\00:20:27.12
to the throne of grace
in heaven. It says there,
00:20:27.22\00:20:30.26
"Seeing, then, that we
have a great High Priest
00:20:30.83\00:20:33.23
who has passed through
the heavens, Jesus, the
00:20:33.90\00:20:36.90
Son of God, let us
hold fast our confession,
00:20:37.00\00:20:40.20
for we do not have a High
Priest who cannot sympathize
00:20:40.74\00:20:44.21
with our weaknesses."
Where does that High
00:20:44.34\00:20:45.94
Priest serve? We
already notice in Hebrews 8:1-2
00:20:46.04\00:20:50.25
that He serves in
the heavenly sanctuary.
00:20:50.35\00:20:53.08
"For we do not have a
High Priest who cannot
00:20:53.45\00:20:55.18
sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in
00:20:55.25\00:20:57.79
all points tempted as
we are, yet without sin."
00:20:57.89\00:21:02.19
What does it say,
then? "Let us therefore come
00:21:02.72\00:21:06.23
boldly to the
throne of grace," where?
00:21:06.33\00:21:10.60
Where was Jesus enthroned?
Revelation 3:21 says He
00:21:11.47\00:21:16.04
was enthroned with
His Father on His throne.
00:21:16.14\00:21:18.81
Where is the
Father's throne? In heaven.
00:21:18.91\00:21:21.44
So it says, "Let us
therefore come boldly
00:21:21.84\00:21:23.88
to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy
00:21:23.98\00:21:27.15
and find grace to help
in time of need." Thus, the
00:21:27.25\00:21:33.36
Apostle Paul could
speak of the temple of God
00:21:33.46\00:21:36.93
as representing the
church on earth, while the book
00:21:37.03\00:21:40.80
of Revelation
describes it as the place where
00:21:40.93\00:21:44.83
Christ ministers in
heaven. So, let's take
00:21:44.93\00:21:48.17
a look, then, at
this issue of the temple
00:21:48.27\00:21:50.41
of God, and let's do
it from the perspective
00:21:50.51\00:21:54.81
of the antichrist.
The apostle Paul describes
00:21:54.91\00:21:58.15
the coming
antichrist as one who would sit
00:21:58.28\00:22:01.55
in the temple of
God, claiming to be God.
00:22:01.65\00:22:06.99
So, that means that
the pope went to NASA-
00:22:08.09\00:22:11.86
I'm being facetious
to make a point-and he
00:22:13.29\00:22:16.36
got on one of the endeavor...
...space craft, and he went
00:22:16.46\00:22:25.47
directly and took all
off of his throne, and
00:22:25.57\00:22:28.78
sat there. No!
Let's read 2 Thessalonians
00:22:28.88\00:22:32.61
2:4. "Who opposes"-
speaking about the antichrist.
00:22:32.71\00:22:36.18
"Who opposes and exalts
himself above all that is
00:22:36.28\00:22:38.69
called God or that
is worshiped so that he
00:22:38.82\00:22:41.46
sits as God in the
temple of God, showing himself
00:22:41.56\00:22:47.00
that he is God." Is
the expression "temple of
00:22:47.43\00:22:51.77
God" in 2 Thessalonians
2 a reference to a literal
00:22:51.87\00:22:54.94
rebuilt Jerusalem temple?
Obviously not! The temple
00:22:55.37\00:22:59.94
of God is where? In
heaven. So, it's impossible for
00:23:00.04\00:23:04.31
the pope to sit in God's
seat, or on God's throne,
00:23:04.38\00:23:09.32
in that temple.
The antichrist does not
00:23:09.42\00:23:12.22
sit in the
heavenly temple, but rather
00:23:12.32\00:23:14.96
in the earthly
one. What is the earthly
00:23:15.06\00:23:17.23
one? The church, which
is the earthly reflection
00:23:17.33\00:23:21.23
of the heavenly
temple. Matthew 21:12-13 speaks
00:23:21.66\00:23:27.60
about the final
time that Jesus entered
00:23:27.70\00:23:30.21
the temple. He
actually entered several times
00:23:30.31\00:23:32.14
in the last few days
of His life. We're told
00:23:32.47\00:23:36.04
about the Jewish temple
at that time - the following:
00:23:36.14\00:23:38.88
Matthew 21:12-13;
this is the conclusion of a
00:23:39.41\00:23:42.15
triumphal entry. "Then
Jesus went into the temple
00:23:42.28\00:23:45.89
of God." Was it still
a temple of God? [Yes.]
00:23:46.02\00:23:48.86
Yes. "And drove out
all those who bought and
00:23:48.96\00:23:52.09
sold in the temple,
and overturned the tables
00:23:52.19\00:23:55.10
of the money changers
and the seats of those
00:23:55.16\00:23:57.27
who sold doves. And He
said to them, 'It is written,
00:23:57.37\00:24:01.04
"My house shall be
called a house of prayer," but
00:24:01.47\00:24:04.91
you have made it a
"den of thieves."'" So, what
00:24:05.04\00:24:07.84
did Jesus call the
temple of God? He said, "It's
00:24:07.91\00:24:10.78
My house." So, was it
still His house when He
00:24:10.85\00:24:14.78
entered there at
the end of His ministry?
00:24:14.88\00:24:17.09
Absolutely! But
then, Jesus pronounced the
00:24:17.65\00:24:20.26
woes on the
scribes and Pharisees. And
00:24:20.36\00:24:23.12
when He ended His
woes upon the scribes and
00:24:23.22\00:24:26.59
Pharisees, the Bible
says that He left the
00:24:26.70\00:24:29.96
temple, and He pronounced
these words in Matthew
00:24:30.07\00:24:33.03
23:38, "See! Your house
is left unto you desolate."
00:24:33.13\00:24:38.81
Do you see the
change? When He went into the
00:24:38.91\00:24:41.38
temple, He said,
"It's My house. It's the
00:24:41.48\00:24:44.68
temple of God." When
He left, He said, "Your
00:24:44.78\00:24:48.18
house is left unto
you desolate." Clearly,
00:24:48.28\00:24:52.09
the Jewish temple was
no longer God's temple
00:24:52.22\00:24:54.39
after Jesus left.
When the apostle Paul used
00:24:54.92\00:24:58.09
the word 'temple'-He
uses 'naos', by the way-
00:24:58.16\00:25:00.83
he always applied it
spiritually to the Christian
00:25:01.33\00:25:04.23
Church, and never to
the literal Jerusalem
00:25:04.33\00:25:07.64
temple. You can look
up the verses here. Every
00:25:07.77\00:25:10.51
time that Paul
mentions the word 'temple', it
00:25:10.61\00:25:13.54
is always the
church. The New Testament
00:25:13.64\00:25:16.75
contains two Greek words
that are translated 'temple'.
00:25:16.88\00:25:20.58
One is 'hieron',
which is the entire temple
00:25:21.42\00:25:25.95
complex, and the
other is 'naos'. The apostle
00:25:26.09\00:25:29.56
Paul never used the
word 'naos' to refer to the
00:25:29.66\00:25:32.39
Jewish temple.
Without exception, he used the
00:25:32.49\00:25:35.46
word 'naos' as a reference
to the spiritual temple,
00:25:35.60\00:25:39.47
the Christian Church.
Now, here's an interesting
00:25:40.30\00:25:43.84
detail. The book of
Acts refers to the Jewish
00:25:43.94\00:25:48.38
temple 25 times. So
if you go to the book of
00:25:48.48\00:25:50.85
Acts, you look up the word
'temple', and 25 times, the
00:25:50.91\00:25:54.58
word 'temple' appears...
but it is never called-
00:25:54.72\00:25:57.75
the Jewish temple-is never
called 'naos'; it is always
00:25:57.89\00:26:00.52
called 'hieron'. Furthermore,
none of the Epistles
00:26:00.62\00:26:05.49
uses the word 'naos'
to refer to the literal
00:26:06.43\00:26:10.00
Jewish temple. Paul
explained to the Ephesians
00:26:10.60\00:26:14.40
what he meant by
the word 'temple'. Now,
00:26:14.90\00:26:17.74
let's notice this: Ephesians
2:19-22. "Now, therefore,
00:26:17.84\00:26:23.21
you are no longer strangers
and foreigners, but fellow
00:26:24.45\00:26:27.82
citizens with the saints
and members of the household
00:26:27.92\00:26:30.69
of God, having been built
on the foundation of the,"
00:26:30.79\00:26:34.66
what? [Apostles.] Are
those literal foundations?
00:26:34.76\00:26:39.53
No, they're
people. "Having been built
00:26:40.10\00:26:42.60
on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets"...
00:26:42.70\00:26:45.23
Does this temple
have a chief cornerstone?
00:26:45.87\00:26:48.07
[Yes.] Yes! Who's the
cornerstone? "Jesus Christ
00:26:48.20\00:26:52.74
Himself being the
chief cornerstone, in whom
00:26:52.84\00:26:56.14
the whole," what? Is
this a literal building, or a
00:26:56.28\00:26:59.85
spiritual building?
[Spiritual.] Well, the
00:26:59.95\00:27:02.32
foundations are
apostles and prophets
00:27:02.42\00:27:04.75
and Christ! Obviously,
they're not literal stones.
00:27:04.85\00:27:07.16
So it says, "In whom
the whole building, being
00:27:07.99\00:27:12.16
fitted together, grows
into a holy," what? Ohh,
00:27:12.26\00:27:15.80
it's a holy temple in
the Lord! And then it says,
00:27:15.93\00:27:18.83
"In whom you also are
being built together."
00:27:19.40\00:27:22.34
So who are the
stones that are built on the
00:27:22.47\00:27:24.91
cornerstone and on those
other stones, the foundation
00:27:25.01\00:27:28.38
stones? The believers!
Because it says, "In whom
00:27:28.48\00:27:32.91
you also are being
built together for a dwelling
00:27:32.98\00:27:36.75
place of God in the
Spirit." Let me ask you: In the
00:27:37.29\00:27:39.85
Old Testament, could
people literally see the
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.69
Shekinah? Could they
see the cloud of glory
00:27:41.76\00:27:44.73
that they? on the
sanctuary? Who is the
00:27:44.79\00:27:47.30
Shekinah now? In the
spiritual temple? The
00:27:47.40\00:27:52.53
Holy Spirit, because He
says, "...are being built
00:27:52.63\00:27:56.57
together for a dwelling
place of God in the Spirit."
00:27:56.67\00:27:59.94
So what kind of temple
are we talking about? We're
00:28:00.58\00:28:03.18
talking about the spiritual
earthly temple, which is
00:28:03.28\00:28:06.41
the Church, which is
the reflection of the
00:28:06.55\00:28:10.49
literal heavenly
temple. So in this passage, the
00:28:10.59\00:28:14.59
apostle Paul clearly
explains that the temple
00:28:14.72\00:28:17.53
is a spiritual house
composed of spiritual
00:28:17.66\00:28:20.73
materials. The foundations
of the temple are the
00:28:20.83\00:28:24.17
apostles and
prophets, the chief cornerstone
00:28:24.27\00:28:26.43
is Jesus, the stones
built upon the foundations
00:28:26.53\00:28:30.21
are the believers,
and the Shekinah is the
00:28:30.37\00:28:33.38
invisible Holy
Spirit. In conclusion, then,
00:28:33.48\00:28:37.75
the man of sin who
sits in the temple of God
00:28:38.38\00:28:40.88
must sit within
where? The Christian Church.
00:28:41.45\00:28:46.76
Yes or no? Yes! We
can clearly see the link
00:28:47.52\00:28:54.86
between the little
horn and the man of sin by
00:28:54.96\00:28:57.60
the fact that the
little horn, or the beast of
00:28:57.73\00:28:59.77
Revelation 13, speaks
what? Blasphemies against
00:28:59.83\00:29:03.04
the Most High, and
demands worship. Now, here's an
00:29:03.14\00:29:06.84
interesting little
tidbit. It is hardly coincidence
00:29:06.94\00:29:10.75
that Pope Benedict
XVI, as well as Francis I-
00:29:11.65\00:29:16.22
see, I wrote this
before Francis I was pope-at
00:29:16.58\00:29:20.42
the conclusion of the
week for Christian unity
00:29:20.52\00:29:23.22
in St. Paul's,
outside the wall-this is the
00:29:24.13\00:29:26.29
cathedral outside
the walls of the Vatican-
00:29:26.39\00:29:28.80
sat on a great,
white throne; and on each
00:29:29.76\00:29:34.14
side of the throne was a cherub.
00:29:34.24\00:29:36.20
What does that
bring to mind? By the way,
00:29:41.68\00:29:44.78
I do mention Francis-
I added this afterwards.
00:29:44.88\00:29:47.05
Interesting. Notice Psalm
80:1. Who is it that dwells
00:29:47.65\00:29:54.46
between the cherubim?
It says in Psalm 80:1,
00:29:54.56\00:30:02.43
"Give ear, O shepherd
of Israel, you who lead
00:30:03.77\00:30:07.14
Joseph like a flock,
you who dwell between
00:30:07.24\00:30:10.57
the cherubim, shine
forth." And what color is God's
00:30:10.67\00:30:16.04
throne? White. What imagery
are you getting from this?
00:30:16.14\00:30:22.08
That Francis and John
Paul II claimed to occupy
00:30:23.05\00:30:28.72
the throne between the
cherubim. That is what?
00:30:28.82\00:30:32.76
[Blasphemy.] Blasphemy.
That's right. Now, what
00:30:32.86\00:30:36.87
does it mean to measure?
So are you understanding
00:30:36.97\00:30:39.57
this so far? [Yes.]
What does it mean to measure?
00:30:39.70\00:30:42.20
The act of measuring
is a symbolic expression
00:30:43.10\00:30:47.04
of judging. The word
'measure' in Greek here
00:30:47.51\00:30:52.48
in Revelation 11 is
['métron']. What word do we get
00:30:52.61\00:30:57.19
from [métron]? Meter.
Is that a measurement?
00:30:57.29\00:31:00.92
Yes. Now, let's go
to the next page. Couple
00:31:02.02\00:31:05.83
of examples of how
the Bible uses the concept
00:31:05.93\00:31:08.96
of measuring. God is
gonna measure Jerusalem
00:31:09.06\00:31:13.20
here. He says, "I
will stretch over Jerusalem
00:31:13.54\00:31:18.77
the measuring line of
Samaria, and the plummet"...
00:31:18.87\00:31:23.28
That's also an implement
to measure. "The plummet
00:31:23.41\00:31:26.05
of the house of
Ahab. I will wipe Jerusalem
00:31:26.18\00:31:30.79
as one wipes a dish,
wiping it and turning
00:31:30.89\00:31:34.06
it upside down." So God
is gonna judge Jerusalem;
00:31:34.16\00:31:36.93
He's gonna measure Jerusalem.
He's gonna judge Jerusalem.
00:31:37.03\00:31:40.06
Then, there's the text
that I read previously.
00:31:40.96\00:31:43.13
This is Matthew chapter
7, and we'll read verses
00:31:44.20\00:31:46.90
1 and 2. "Judge not
that you be not judged, for
00:31:47.04\00:31:53.21
with what judgment you
judge, you will be judged;
00:31:53.24\00:31:57.45
and with the measure
you use, it will be measured
00:31:58.08\00:32:01.88
back to you." Let me ask
you: Is judging and measuring-
00:32:02.02\00:32:05.32
are those concepts synonymous
in this verse? Absolutely!
00:32:05.42\00:32:09.72
Ellen White concurs
in the next statement,
00:32:10.19\00:32:14.30
Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol. 7,
00:32:14.40\00:32:16.46
pg. 972, "The grand
judgment is taking place
00:32:16.56\00:32:21.04
and has been going on
for some time. Now, the
00:32:22.04\00:32:25.57
Lord says"... Is she
gonna quote Revelation 11:1?
00:32:25.67\00:32:29.41
Yes! "Now, the Lord
says, 'Measure the temple and
00:32:29.48\00:32:32.61
the worshipers
thereof. Remember, when you are
00:32:32.71\00:32:36.08
walking the streets
about your business, God is
00:32:36.22\00:32:38.95
measuring you.'"
What does that mean? He's
00:32:40.29\00:32:41.96
what? Judging you!
"When you are attending your
00:32:42.09\00:32:46.56
household duties, when
you engage in conversation,
00:32:46.66\00:32:49.36
God is measuring
you. Remember that your
00:32:49.76\00:32:52.93
words and actions are
being daguerreotyped"-that's an
00:32:53.07\00:32:55.50
old word for 'photographed'-
"in the books of heaven
00:32:55.60\00:32:58.97
as the face is
reproduced by the artist on the
00:32:59.57\00:33:02.38
polished plate."
Ellen White once described
00:33:02.48\00:33:04.61
a judgmental woman, and
this is kind of humorous.
00:33:04.71\00:33:08.32
"You can be a
blessing," she says to her. "You
00:33:09.32\00:33:12.52
can help such as need
help, but you must lay
00:33:12.62\00:33:16.69
down your measuring
tape," [laughs] "for that is not
00:33:16.79\00:33:20.43
for you to use. One who
is unerring in judgment,
00:33:20.56\00:33:24.43
who understands the
weaknesses of fallen
00:33:24.93\00:33:27.44
corrupt natures,
holds the standard Himself.
00:33:27.57\00:33:30.57
He weighs in the balances
of the sanctuary, and His
00:33:31.54\00:33:35.34
just measure we shall
accept." She's commenting
00:33:35.44\00:33:40.35
on, "Judge not that ye
be not judged." So what
00:33:40.48\00:33:44.25
does it mean to
measure? It means to judge. Let
00:33:44.39\00:33:47.99
me ask you - back to
Revelation chapter 10.
00:33:48.09\00:33:51.73
After John eats the
book- it's sweet in the mouth
00:33:52.16\00:33:55.00
and bitter in the
stomach- he's told, "You must
00:33:55.06\00:33:57.47
prophesy again,"
and then he's told, "You
00:33:57.57\00:33:59.73
must measure the
temple." What does that mean?
00:33:59.83\00:34:02.10
That the judgment
was going to begin - the
00:34:02.24\00:34:06.78
work of judging was
going to begin. By the way,
00:34:06.88\00:34:09.41
what is the tape measure
in the judgment? [laughs]
00:34:09.51\00:34:13.05
Notice this statem-
two statements, actually-
00:34:13.15\00:34:15.28
Signs of the
Times, December 29, 1887.
00:34:15.38\00:34:18.39
"When the judgment
is set and the books
00:34:19.55\00:34:22.42
opened, your life
and mine will be measured
00:34:22.52\00:34:25.23
by the law of the
Most High." And then vol. 7
00:34:26.36\00:34:29.66
of the Testimonies,
pg. 219, "Every case is
00:34:29.76\00:34:33.90
coming in review before
God; He is measuring the
00:34:34.00\00:34:39.21
temple and the worshipers
therein." Is that a reference
00:34:39.31\00:34:44.48
to Revelation 11:1?
[Yes.] Yes. So let me ask you:
00:34:44.58\00:34:48.58
Is Revelation 11:1
really a part of the conclusion
00:34:50.22\00:34:55.72
of Revelation chapter
10? Very, very clearly.
00:34:55.86\00:34:58.26
Let's read the next
statement on page 275.
00:34:58.83\00:35:01.66
"The Lord has provided
His church with capabilities
00:35:02.16\00:35:06.07
and blessings, that
they may present to the world
00:35:06.17\00:35:09.40
an image of His own
sufficiency, and that
00:35:09.50\00:35:12.34
His church may be complete in
Him - a continual representation
00:35:12.44\00:35:16.34
of another, even the
eternal world, of laws
00:35:16.44\00:35:20.25
that are higher than
earthly laws. The church
00:35:20.35\00:35:23.32
is to be a temple." So
is the church a temple?
00:35:23.45\00:35:28.42
[Yes.] So, Jesus is
measuring in heaven,
00:35:28.62\00:35:32.79
because He's looking
at our heavenly records.
00:35:32.93\00:35:34.86
But whose heavenly
records are they? Ours on earth.
00:35:36.60\00:35:39.97
So He's measuring our
lives, who live on earth,
00:35:40.87\00:35:43.24
in the heavenly
temple. So it continues. "His
00:35:43.64\00:35:46.57
church is to be a
temple built after the divine
00:35:46.64\00:35:49.41
similitude, and the
angelic architect has
00:35:49.51\00:35:53.62
brought his golden measuring
rod from heaven." So he's
00:35:53.72\00:35:58.59
measuring in
heaven, but he's measuring
00:35:58.69\00:36:00.29
those who live on
earth. "That every stone may
00:36:00.39\00:36:03.86
be hewed and squared
by the divine measurement,
00:36:03.99\00:36:07.43
and polished to shine
as an emblem of heaven,
00:36:07.53\00:36:10.13
radiating in all directions
the bright, clear beams
00:36:10.73\00:36:13.94
of the Sun of Righteousness."
That's why James stated
00:36:14.44\00:36:19.01
that we will all be
judged by the perfect
00:36:19.11\00:36:22.58
law of liberty.
So, Ellen White and the
00:36:22.68\00:36:26.41
Bible are in
harmony. We must understand
00:36:26.51\00:36:30.95
the idea of measuring
the heavenly temple in
00:36:31.52\00:36:34.59
Revelation 11:1 in the
context of the preceding
00:36:34.66\00:36:38.03
chapter, where we
find a description of the
00:36:38.16\00:36:40.90
little book
episode. What is the central
00:36:41.00\00:36:43.20
theme of the little
book episode? The 2,300 days
00:36:43.33\00:36:46.57
and the beginning of
what? Of the judgment! So do you
00:36:46.67\00:36:49.90
have to understand the
measuring of the temple
00:36:50.04\00:36:51.77
in the light of
that? Of course! As we have
00:36:51.84\00:36:54.98
seen, a message of judgment
came out of the little book,
00:36:55.08\00:36:58.95
beginning at the
time of the end - that is,
00:36:59.75\00:37:01.45
post 1798 - which John
devoured and proclaimed.
00:37:01.52\00:37:06.45
As John devoured
the message... Was sweet
00:37:07.36\00:37:10.13
in his mouth, but
the aftermath was bitter.
00:37:10.23\00:37:15.10
Thus, somehow, the message
of judgment that came out
00:37:15.73\00:37:19.13
of the little book
would be at first sweet, and
00:37:19.27\00:37:23.00
then bitter. After the
bittersweet experience,
00:37:23.07\00:37:26.17
the angel told John
to prophesy again from
00:37:26.24\00:37:30.88
the little book, and
the message had to do with
00:37:31.01\00:37:34.85
measuring of the
temple. So did we get the idea
00:37:34.95\00:37:38.72
that after 1844, Jesus
began the work of judgment
00:37:39.72\00:37:44.09
in the heavenly
sanctuary? We get that from the
00:37:44.19\00:37:46.29
writings of Ellen
White, right? Wrong! [laughs]
00:37:46.43\00:37:51.33
We get it from the conclusion
of Revelation 10, in Revelation
00:37:52.13\00:37:55.40
11:1... We're told so
very clearly, aren't we?
00:37:55.54\00:37:59.07
Now, let's go to the
altar. The altar here-
00:37:59.74\00:38:03.45
because the
worshipers worship in the temple
00:38:04.05\00:38:06.11
at the altar-the
altar here must be the one
00:38:06.21\00:38:10.75
in the Holy Place,
and not the one in the
00:38:10.85\00:38:12.69
court. You say, "Why?"
Well, because the angel
00:38:12.79\00:38:15.42
instructed John not
to measure the court. So
00:38:15.56\00:38:19.13
it can't be the
altar in the court, 'cause
00:38:19.23\00:38:21.76
he was told not to
measure it. Jesus died, so to
00:38:21.86\00:38:25.03
speak, at the altar
in the court in the first
00:38:25.13\00:38:28.24
century. But the measurement
of this altar began during
00:38:28.34\00:38:33.01
the sixth trumpet,
near the close of time. Are
00:38:33.07\00:38:35.61
you understanding the
difference between the
00:38:35.71\00:38:37.21
two altars? Kenneth
Strand- this is a very
00:38:37.31\00:38:41.12
important tidbit.
Kenneth Strand has shown in his
00:38:41.22\00:38:44.99
incisive article
that the background to
00:38:45.09\00:38:48.62
Revelation 11:1 is
the Day of Atonement of
00:38:48.76\00:38:51.93
Leviticus 16. This is
a really good article.
00:38:52.03\00:38:55.80
"On Yom Kippur," which
is the Day of Atonement,
00:38:56.63\00:38:59.23
"there was an atonement
for," in this order, "the
00:38:59.90\00:39:04.81
priests, the sanctuary, the
altar, and the congregation.
00:39:04.84\00:39:08.38
Revelation mentions
three of these four, leaving
00:39:09.88\00:39:13.18
out the atoning for
the priest." Okay? Jesus
00:39:13.25\00:39:19.25
needs no atonement
or measuring on the Day
00:39:19.75\00:39:22.02
of Atonement.
That's why the priest would
00:39:22.09\00:39:24.03
not be included in Revelation
11:1. In both Leviticus
00:39:24.09\00:39:29.16
16 and Revelation 11:1,
we see the same movement
00:39:29.26\00:39:33.57
from the temple to the
altar to the worshipers.
00:39:34.14\00:39:36.81
So, is Revelation
11:1 dealing with the Day
00:39:37.31\00:39:40.48
of Atonement? Absolutely.
"We must underline once
00:39:40.58\00:39:44.85
again that John
sees those who worship in
00:39:44.95\00:39:47.92
the temple as worshiping
in heaven, although they
00:39:48.02\00:39:51.49
are physically on
earth. This is a common way of
00:39:51.62\00:39:56.42
expressing that God's
people enter boldly into
00:39:56.52\00:40:00.56
the heavenly sanctuary
by faith, while they are
00:40:00.70\00:40:03.37
still living
physically on earth. Until 1844,
00:40:03.43\00:40:07.40
the faith of God's
people entered the Holy Place."
00:40:07.94\00:40:12.44
Is that where Jesus was
ministering? Yes! "After
00:40:12.54\00:40:16.48
1844, their faith
enters the Most Holy Place."
00:40:16.58\00:40:22.35
By the way, does Jesus
continue interceding in
00:40:22.48\00:40:25.05
the Most Holy Place?
[Yes.]...Well, of course.
00:40:25.15\00:40:28.76
What He does, He just
takes on an additional
00:40:29.36\00:40:30.93
function, which is
the judgment. But if Jesus
00:40:31.03\00:40:34.00
had ceased His Holy
Place ministry, everybody
00:40:34.10\00:40:37.00
would be lost after 1844.
So, He continues interceding.
00:40:37.10\00:40:41.14
So, how do people
draw near to the throne of
00:40:42.74\00:40:45.94
grace? That's the big
question. How do people
00:40:46.01\00:40:48.54
draw near to the throne
of grace? We do it through
00:40:48.64\00:40:54.98
prayer. Don't we
come boldly to the throne
00:40:55.08\00:40:58.35
of grace through
prayer? Isn't that the way we
00:40:58.45\00:41:00.99
enter by faith into
the heavenly sanctuary?
00:41:01.12\00:41:03.53
Absolutely! Notice Psalm
141:2. We're dealing with
00:41:03.83\00:41:08.00
this altar, the
Altar of Incense. "Let my
00:41:08.10\00:41:10.77
prayer be set
before you as incense, the
00:41:10.87\00:41:14.80
lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice."
00:41:14.87\00:41:17.54
In Luke 1, we find something
very interesting. Here,
00:41:18.81\00:41:22.11
Zechariahs, the
father of John the Baptist,
00:41:22.21\00:41:24.51
is serving in the
Holy Place in his turn.
00:41:25.01\00:41:28.72
There was 24
courses, or 24 different turns
00:41:28.82\00:41:33.42
that the priest
took to serve in offering
00:41:33.52\00:41:36.62
incense. It says
in verse 8, "So it was
00:41:36.73\00:41:39.79
that while he was
serving as priest before God
00:41:39.86\00:41:42.23
in the order of his
division according to
00:41:42.33\00:41:44.83
the custom of the priesthood,
his lot failed to burn
00:41:44.93\00:41:47.94
incense when he went
into the temple of the
00:41:48.04\00:41:50.67
Lord." So what is Zechariahs
gonna do in the Holy Place?
00:41:50.77\00:41:53.98
He's gonna burn incense,
right? What are the people
00:41:54.28\00:41:56.54
doing outside? Are
they in tune with what's
00:41:56.64\00:41:59.68
happening inside? Yes.
It says, "And the whole
00:41:59.78\00:42:03.25
multitude of the
people was praying outside
00:42:03.35\00:42:05.75
at the hour of
incense." So you have the people
00:42:06.25\00:42:09.46
praying outside, and
Zechariahs is offering
00:42:09.56\00:42:13.96
the incense inside.
Is that pretty much true
00:42:14.03\00:42:17.20
today? We live on
earth, and we enter by faith
00:42:17.33\00:42:20.24
to a place that we
can't see through the incense
00:42:20.34\00:42:23.91
of Christ's merits?
Absolutely. Now, the
00:42:24.01\00:42:26.54
incense doesn't
represent prayer; the incense is
00:42:26.64\00:42:29.54
mingled with
prayer. We talked about this
00:42:29.64\00:42:31.78
previously, several days
ago. Notice Revelation 8:3-4,
00:42:31.91\00:42:35.68
"Then another angel"-
this is the introduction
00:42:36.18\00:42:37.92
to the trumpets-"Then
another angel, having a
00:42:38.05\00:42:40.49
golden censer, came
and stood at the altar."
00:42:40.62\00:42:42.69
Which altar? The
Altar of Incense. "He was
00:42:42.82\00:42:45.59
given much incense,
that he should offer it with
00:42:45.69\00:42:49.50
the prayers of all
the saints upon the golden
00:42:49.60\00:42:52.50
altar, which was
before the throne." So, does
00:42:52.60\00:42:56.20
the incense represent
prayer? No. The prayers
00:42:56.34\00:42:59.77
are mingled with the
incense. And it says,
00:42:59.91\00:43:04.61
"And the smoke of the
incense with the prayers
00:43:04.75\00:43:07.72
of the saints
ascended before God from the
00:43:07.82\00:43:10.82
angel's hand." And
I read this statement
00:43:10.92\00:43:12.82
before, but this is
just absolutely beautiful.
00:43:12.92\00:43:15.22
Ellen White on page 277:
"Christ has pledged Himself
00:43:15.36\00:43:19.89
to be our
Substitute and Surety, and He
00:43:20.03\00:43:24.97
neglects no one. There
is an inexhaustible fund"-
00:43:25.07\00:43:29.74
currency, in other
words- "of perfect obedience,
00:43:31.04\00:43:34.24
accruing from His obedience.
In heaven, His merits,
00:43:34.81\00:43:40.12
His self-denial, and
self-sacrifice are treasured
00:43:40.78\00:43:45.65
up as incense to be
offered with the prayers
00:43:45.75\00:43:48.82
of His people. As the
sinner's sincere, humble
00:43:48.96\00:43:53.73
prayers ascend to"-
where? We're on earth,
00:43:53.83\00:43:57.73
but where are the prayers
going?-"to heaven, Christ
00:43:57.83\00:44:02.07
mingles with them
the merits of His life,
00:44:02.17\00:44:06.07
of perfect
obedience. Our prayers are made
00:44:06.21\00:44:10.25
fragrant by this incense.
However, not all prayers
00:44:10.35\00:44:18.35
are sincere and genuine."
Some prayers are uttered
00:44:18.45\00:44:24.19
with crocodile tears.
Proverbs 28:9. I'm gonna
00:44:24.29\00:44:31.83
read it in the New
King James Version, as well
00:44:31.90\00:44:34.54
as the NIV. The New King
James says, "One who turns
00:44:34.67\00:44:38.34
away his ear from
hearing the law, even his prayer
00:44:38.44\00:44:42.24
is an abomination."
Are there people who turn
00:44:42.34\00:44:44.81
away from the law
of God who pray? Ho-ho,
00:44:44.91\00:44:47.68
and what is their
prayer? An abomination. I like
00:44:47.78\00:44:51.95
the way that the NIV
puts it. "If anyone turns
00:44:52.05\00:44:54.46
a deaf ear to the
law, even his prayers are
00:44:54.56\00:44:58.09
detestable." Notice
Jeremiah 7:16. "Therefore,
00:44:58.16\00:45:03.23
do not pray for this
people," God tells the
00:45:03.37\00:45:05.20
prophet, "nor lift up
a cry or prayer for them,
00:45:05.33\00:45:09.00
nor make intercession to
Me. I will not hear you." Why?
00:45:09.40\00:45:12.87
Because they were in
rebellion! They claimed
00:45:12.97\00:45:14.74
to be God's people,
but they were in rebellion.
00:45:14.84\00:45:17.65
Psalm 66:18-19. "If
I regard iniquity in my
00:45:18.01\00:45:23.65
heart," what would
happen? "The Lord will not hear.
00:45:23.69\00:45:27.82
But certainly God
has heard me." Why? "He
00:45:28.52\00:45:31.69
has attended [to]
the voice of my prayer,"
00:45:31.79\00:45:33.60
because there's no
iniquity in his what? In his
00:45:33.70\00:45:36.70
heart. So are there
prayers that are insincere?
00:45:36.77\00:45:39.50
Are there prayers
that don't go beyond the
00:45:40.44\00:45:42.54
ceiling of the house
where you're praying?
00:45:42.64\00:45:44.77
Absolutely! Now, why
would God have to judge
00:45:45.14\00:45:48.61
His people? Why would God
have to judge all of those
00:45:48.71\00:45:52.01
who pray? Well,
there's a simple reason. Let's
00:45:52.11\00:45:55.95
read from Albert Barnes.
If you can get a commentary
00:45:56.05\00:45:59.75
by Albert Barnes, it
would be very productive.
00:45:59.89\00:46:03.06
He's an old Bible commentator
who really comments on
00:46:03.99\00:46:06.66
the Bible, and
doesn't just give you a bunch
00:46:06.80\00:46:08.86
of pretty stories,
like many commentaries
00:46:08.93\00:46:11.43
these days. Notice,
"There is some apparent
00:46:11.53\00:46:15.20
incongruity." What
does 'incongruity' mean? An
00:46:15.34\00:46:19.34
apparent contradiction
- they don't rhyme, right?
00:46:19.44\00:46:21.54
"There is some apparent
incongruity in directing
00:46:22.24\00:46:26.01
him to measure
those who are engaged in
00:46:26.08\00:46:28.12
worship." Aren't they
all genuine if they're
00:46:28.25\00:46:32.79
involved in worship?
No, no. "But the obvious
00:46:32.89\00:46:35.72
meaning is this: That
he was to take a correct
00:46:35.82\00:46:40.33
estimate of their character,
of what they professed,
00:46:40.43\00:46:44.37
of the reality of
their piety, of their lives,
00:46:45.10\00:46:48.54
and of the general
state of the church considered
00:46:49.24\00:46:51.64
as professedly worshiping
God." That sounds like
00:46:51.77\00:46:55.21
an Adventist! Doesn't
it? In other words, it's a
00:46:55.31\00:46:59.38
process of
separating the genuine from the
00:46:59.48\00:47:02.18
counterfeit! By the
way, where does the judgment
00:47:02.32\00:47:04.92
begin? 1 Peter 4:17.
"For the time has come
00:47:05.05\00:47:12.16
for a judgment to
begin at the house of God;
00:47:12.56\00:47:17.27
and if it begins with
us first"... By the way,
00:47:18.23\00:47:21.54
he's speaking about-
that the judgment, it
00:47:21.60\00:47:24.47
begins with those who
first died. I'm gonna read
00:47:24.54\00:47:26.74
it in a moment. The
apostle Peter at this
00:47:26.81\00:47:31.48
point is basically
knowing that he's probably not
00:47:31.75\00:47:34.82
gonna be alive
when the Lord comes. So,
00:47:34.88\00:47:37.39
"And if it begins with
us first," that is, with
00:47:37.55\00:47:40.69
believers first, "what
will be the end of those who
00:47:40.76\00:47:43.89
do not obey the gospel
of God?" So who is judged
00:47:44.03\00:47:47.60
first? Those who claim
Jesus. Who will be judged
00:47:47.66\00:47:52.37
later? Which he expresses
as, "What will be the end
00:47:52.47\00:47:56.27
of those who do not
obey the gospel of God?"
00:47:56.37\00:47:58.14
Those are judged during
the millennium. Now, what
00:47:58.24\00:48:01.94
is the 'house of God'?
Because it says, "Judgment
00:48:02.04\00:48:04.95
begins at the house
of God." What is that?
00:48:05.05\00:48:07.75
1 Timothy 3:14-15.
Paul explains it himself.
00:48:08.18\00:48:11.35
"These things I
write to you, though I hope
00:48:12.09\00:48:14.92
to come to you
shortly; but if I am delayed, I
00:48:15.02\00:48:19.26
write so that you
may know how you ought to
00:48:19.36\00:48:23.33
conduct yourself in
the house of God, which is
00:48:23.43\00:48:27.47
the church"... What
is the house of God? The
00:48:27.57\00:48:31.74
church. So who is
judged first? The church! Those
00:48:31.84\00:48:35.81
who claimed Jesus
Christ. Notice Ellen White's
00:48:35.91\00:48:39.31
description of this
judgment. Because the
00:48:39.41\00:48:42.32
Apostle Paul says that
the judg- if the judgment
00:48:42.42\00:48:45.35
begins with us first,
is he including himself
00:48:45.45\00:48:47.72
as part of the
church, believers? Absolutely;
00:48:47.82\00:48:50.06
it begins with believers,
and it ends with those
00:48:50.16\00:48:52.86
who do not obey the
gospel of Christ. So
00:48:52.96\00:48:55.96
notice Ellen
White's description. "As the
00:48:56.03\00:48:57.80
books of record are opened
in the judgment, the lives
00:48:57.83\00:49:01.17
of all who have
believed on Jesus come in review
00:49:01.27\00:49:05.24
before God,
beginning with those who first
00:49:05.31\00:49:08.38
lived upon the
earth,"- So that would be whom?
00:49:08.48\00:49:11.38
Adam first-"our Advocate
presents the cases, each
00:49:12.45\00:49:16.52
successive generation"...
So it's done in chronological
00:49:16.62\00:49:19.79
order. Correct? I'm
glad it's not alphabetical;
00:49:19.89\00:49:24.13
my last name begins
with B-but anyway. [laughter]
00:49:24.23\00:49:26.83
"...beginning with
those who first lived upon
00:49:26.93\00:49:28.33
the earth, our
Advocate presents the cases of
00:49:28.46\00:49:31.27
each successive generation,
and closes with," whom?
00:49:31.37\00:49:34.64
That's the sealing
of the 144,000, by the
00:49:35.67\00:49:37.64
way. "...with the
living." How many names are
00:49:37.74\00:49:40.51
mentioned? "Every name
is mentioned, every case
00:49:40.61\00:49:45.41
closely investigated.
Names are accepted."
00:49:46.01\00:49:49.98
Names of whom? Of those
who believed...who claimed
00:49:51.62\00:49:55.29
to believe. "Names are
accepted, names rejected."
00:49:55.39\00:49:58.29
What would be the names
rejected? Did they claim
00:49:58.39\00:50:02.40
to be believers, the
names that are rejected?
00:50:02.50\00:50:04.33
Yes. Why are they rejected?
Because the records show
00:50:04.43\00:50:07.34
that they were counterfeit
believers. She continues.
00:50:07.44\00:50:10.31
"When any have sins
remaining upon the books
00:50:10.91\00:50:13.31
of record, unrepented
of and unforgiven, their
00:50:13.98\00:50:18.85
names will be blotted
out of the Book of Life,
00:50:18.95\00:50:21.62
and the record of their
good deeds will be erased
00:50:22.08\00:50:24.25
from the book of
God's remembrance. Clearly,
00:50:24.85\00:50:29.12
the judgment of Revelation
11:1 describes only those
00:50:29.69\00:50:34.86
who profess to
follow Jesus and worship by
00:50:35.43\00:50:38.03
faith at the altar of
incense in the temple."
00:50:38.13\00:50:41.97
Now, we have an interesting
parable that Jesus told
00:50:43.14\00:50:46.17
which illustrates
what happens with a person
00:50:46.27\00:50:48.74
who cries for mercy
and is not sincere. Can God
00:50:49.61\00:50:54.05
revoke forgiveness? Yes,
He can revoke forgiveness.
00:50:54.15\00:50:57.75
Remember the story of
the two debtors? There
00:50:58.45\00:51:00.86
was one individual
that owed 10,000 talents
00:51:00.99\00:51:03.93
to his lord.
Probably, he had embezzled the
00:51:03.99\00:51:06.19
money. And so, the
lord says, "Come and settle
00:51:06.29\00:51:09.23
accounts with me."
And this debtor, what does
00:51:09.33\00:51:11.90
he say? Oh, he
starts crying; he says, "Oh,
00:51:12.00\00:51:14.40
lord, please,
please..." "I'm gonna throw you
00:51:14.50\00:51:16.47
in prison," is what
his lord says. "Oh, please,
00:51:16.57\00:51:18.51
please, please, give
me time! I'll pay!" And of
00:51:18.61\00:51:22.48
course, the lord
says, "Pay? Are you kidding
00:51:22.58\00:51:24.45
me? 10,000 talents?
[scoffs] You can never
00:51:24.58\00:51:27.65
pay that!" So, he
says, "Throw him into prison!
00:51:27.78\00:51:32.45
Confiscate all his goods!
Take his family with him!"
00:51:32.89\00:51:35.26
And he continues crying,
"Oh, please! Please, please,
00:51:35.79\00:51:37.99
please..." And so, his
lord is moved to mercy.
00:51:38.13\00:51:42.10
He says to him, "Guess
what. Because you cried
00:51:43.57\00:51:46.50
out to me for mercy,
your debt is forgiven."
00:51:46.63\00:51:49.84
"I don't have to pay?"
"No. Your debt is forgiven."
00:51:50.94\00:51:54.51
"Ho!" he said. "This
is unbelievable." And
00:51:54.64\00:51:58.38
so he goes out the door,
and he finds someone that
00:51:58.51\00:52:01.18
owes him 100
denarii, the equivalent of 100
00:52:01.28\00:52:05.75
days of work. A significant
amount, but it could be
00:52:05.85\00:52:08.82
paid in installments;
and he sees this guy.
00:52:08.99\00:52:12.86
He says, "Pay me
what you owe me." And this
00:52:12.96\00:52:15.26
individual does the
same with him as he had done
00:52:15.40\00:52:17.53
with his lord. He
says, "Oh, please, give me
00:52:17.63\00:52:20.77
time; I'll pay you."
He says, "I'm not gonna
00:52:20.87\00:52:22.74
give you a single
second," and he grabbed him by
00:52:22.84\00:52:25.07
the neck, and
he was choking him!
00:52:25.17\00:52:26.91
Let me ask you. Why
did he cry out to his lord?
00:52:30.85\00:52:34.25
'Cause he was sorry
that he'd gotten into debt?
00:52:34.85\00:52:36.79
No, because he didn't
wanna suffer the consequences.
00:52:37.32\00:52:40.26
Are you with me? Counterfeit
repentance - crocodile tears,
00:52:42.09\00:52:46.93
if you please. So,
then, the messengers of the
00:52:47.43\00:52:54.10
master, they see that
this is happening, and
00:52:54.24\00:52:57.01
so they go back and they
tell the master what this
00:52:57.11\00:52:59.57
guy did. By the
way, they represent the
00:52:59.64\00:53:01.61
angels who record
our works. And they say,
00:53:01.71\00:53:05.15
"You know what this
guy did that you forgave a
00:53:05.25\00:53:06.75
debt that he could
never pay? He went right out
00:53:06.85\00:53:10.62
the door, he didn't
appreciate what forgiveness
00:53:10.72\00:53:12.65
is all about."
Forgive us our debts, as we
00:53:12.75\00:53:16.02
forgive our debtors!
He went out, and he was
00:53:16.12\00:53:18.06
choking this guy
that only owed him 100
00:53:18.16\00:53:20.43
denarii. And so,
the master says, "Bring
00:53:20.53\00:53:22.76
that guy here." And he
says to him, "If I forgave
00:53:22.86\00:53:27.40
you a debt that you
could never pay, why couldn't
00:53:27.54\00:53:29.67
you forgive a debt
by someone else?" And he
00:53:29.77\00:53:34.14
threw him into prison
with all of his family
00:53:34.24\00:53:36.21
till he paid the
entire debt...and he died in
00:53:36.31\00:53:38.81
prison, I might say,
because there's no way
00:53:38.91\00:53:41.48
that he could pay
it! Was his forgiveness
00:53:41.62\00:53:45.35
revoked? Yes,
because our works show if our
00:53:45.49\00:53:50.76
repentance is
genuine. Are you understanding
00:53:50.89\00:53:54.66
the point? I can't say,
like for example, a person
00:53:54.76\00:54:00.60
who hits his wife,
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" and an
00:54:00.70\00:54:02.97
hour, he's hitting
her again! That's a sign
00:54:03.07\00:54:07.28
that there's not true
repentance. True repentance
00:54:07.38\00:54:10.15
is manifested in a
change of life! You know, when I
00:54:10.25\00:54:14.52
was a kid, sometimes I
fought with my three sisters.
00:54:14.62\00:54:18.59
The Lord didn't
bless me with a brother, so
00:54:18.69\00:54:20.92
I had no one to
defend me. [laughter] So, I
00:54:21.02\00:54:24.63
would fight with my
sisters. And my parents,
00:54:24.76\00:54:26.73
because they were
girls, my dad would say, "Son,
00:54:26.83\00:54:29.93
I'm going to give
you a licking." You know
00:54:31.03\00:54:34.50
what that means,
right? And so he would take
00:54:34.60\00:54:36.94
out his belt. You
know what I would say to
00:54:37.04\00:54:38.51
my dad? "Oh, no, Dad!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
00:54:38.61\00:54:41.04
You think I was
really sorry about fighting
00:54:41.18\00:54:42.58
with my sisters? No
way! [laughter] I was sorry I
00:54:42.68\00:54:45.61
was gonna get punished.
That's false repentance.
00:54:45.68\00:54:49.62
I've learned a lot since
then. [laughs] I get along
00:54:50.99\00:54:54.49
fine with my sisters.
Are you following this?
00:54:54.59\00:54:57.59
Now, let's go to
a summary here. The
00:54:58.59\00:55:02.30
angel descends from heaven,
the physical characteristics
00:55:02.40\00:55:04.90
are described, he comes
down with an open scroll,
00:55:04.97\00:55:07.87
he puts his feet on
dry land and on the sea,
00:55:08.70\00:55:11.04
he roars like a
lion, seven thunders, John
00:55:11.87\00:55:16.14
is told to seal the
message of the thunders,
00:55:16.24\00:55:18.18
not write them down,
the angel then swears
00:55:18.28\00:55:20.68
an oath in the name of
the Creator that time would
00:55:20.78\00:55:23.35
be no longer, the
angel then gives the book to
00:55:23.45\00:55:26.02
John, instructed him
to eat it, and it was
00:55:26.15\00:55:29.59
bitter in the stomach
and sweet in the mouth,
00:55:29.69\00:55:32.36
John then suffers
indigestion, the same angel then
00:55:32.86\00:55:37.40
instructs John to prophesy
again from the little book,
00:55:37.50\00:55:40.70
and then the same angel
tells him to measure the
00:55:41.17\00:55:43.67
temple, then the
mystery of God is finished, and
00:55:43.77\00:55:46.68
then the seventh
trumpet blows. Wow. Why does
00:55:46.78\00:55:52.75
our church exist? To
proclaim this message,
00:55:52.81\00:55:57.02
this distinctive message,
with everything involved
00:55:58.35\00:56:01.26
in the Most Holy Place.
Ellen White wrote, "In a
00:56:01.32\00:56:06.06
special sense,
Seventh-day Adventists have been
00:56:06.13\00:56:08.96
set in the world
as watchmen." That's a
00:56:09.03\00:56:10.90
defensive role isn't
it? A watchman defends,
00:56:10.97\00:56:13.77
doesn't let the enemy
come in. "And light-bearers."
00:56:13.84\00:56:17.24
That's offense. "To
them has been entrusted the
00:56:17.67\00:56:21.11
last warning for a perishing
world. On them is shining
00:56:21.18\00:56:24.91
wonderful light from
the Word of God on us. They
00:56:24.98\00:56:28.62
have been given a work
of the most solemn import:
00:56:28.68\00:56:31.19
the proclamation of the
first, second, and third
00:56:31.72\00:56:34.86
angels' messages.
There is no other work of so
00:56:34.92\00:56:39.79
great importance. They
are to allow nothing else
00:56:39.83\00:56:44.33
to absorb their attention."
What if the church does
00:56:44.83\00:56:48.87
not fulfill its
mission? Here's a quotation that
00:56:49.00\00:56:51.67
isn't read very much.
Last Day Events, pg. 59-60.
00:56:51.77\00:56:57.25
"In the balances of the
sanctuary, the Seventh-day
00:56:57.81\00:57:00.58
Adventist Church is
to be weighed." God not
00:57:00.68\00:57:04.95
only weighs people;
He weighs churches. "She
00:57:05.05\00:57:08.06
will be judged by the
privileges and advantages
00:57:08.16\00:57:10.79
that she has had. If
her spiritual experience
00:57:10.89\00:57:14.10
does not correspond to
the advantages that Christ,
00:57:14.23\00:57:17.57
at infinite cost, has
bestowed on her if the
00:57:18.07\00:57:22.14
blessings conferred
have not qualified her to do
00:57:22.27\00:57:25.71
the work entrusted
to her. On her will be
00:57:25.81\00:57:29.48
pronounced the sentence,
'Found wanting.' By the
00:57:29.58\00:57:34.02
light bestowed, the
opportunities given will
00:57:34.08\00:57:36.85
she be judged." Is the
church doing today what
00:57:37.62\00:57:42.22
it's supposed to be doing?
We are all kinds of destructions
00:57:42.32\00:57:46.06
and fights and questioning
our message and questioning
00:57:46.19\00:57:49.70
our interpretation
of prophecy. If we fail,
00:57:50.50\00:57:53.94
this is what The
Spirit of Prophecy tells us
00:57:55.00\00:57:57.87
will happen.
[intense orchestral music]
00:57:57.97\00:58:02.11