Welcome to the last
session on Friday afternoon.
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Not the last session on Friday,
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because I just
want to remind you
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that we have a
meeting this evening at seven
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from seven to eight.
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You remember that, right?
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Yes.
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Okay, I had told you
that we're going to begin
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our study of the
sixth trumpet this evening.
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However, I changed my mind.
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We're going to deal
with Chapter 15 now.
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And then we're going to
do Chapter 16 this evening,
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which is examining the
subjects of the kingdom,
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it all has to do
with measuring the temple
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with the investigative judgment,
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taking over the kingdom, etc.
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And I want that point
to be absolutely clear.
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And so we'll do number 15 now.
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And this evening, we
will do Chapter number 16,
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which is the study of
the parable of Matthew 22.
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All right, are you ready?
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Yes.
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Very good.
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The title of Chapter
number 15 is the marriage,
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the marriage supper,
and possessing the kingdom.
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So first of all,
let's take a look
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at the wedding
customs in biblical times.
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First of all, you
have the betrothal.
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What do we call that these days?
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We call it the engagement
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between the bride and the groom.
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This event of the
engagement took place
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at the home of
the bride's father
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where the groom paid the dowry.
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Okay, so the
groom had to pay a dowry
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to get the father's girl,
you know, had to pay something,
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that was the custom back then,
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it might be a cow
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or it might be
a horse, you know.
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Sometimes it was
gold, sometimes silver.
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But anyway,
that's the first point.
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The second point
is that then the groom
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would return to
his father's house
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to prepare the home,
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where he would
live with his bride
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after the wedding,
or after the marriage,
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then during the
period of preparation,
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the bride would
remain in her father's house,
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preparing for the wedding.
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So the groom would
go to prepare a place,
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and the bride would be preparing
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for the place
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if you please, does
this sound familiar?
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Kind of like John 14:1-3, right?
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Then, when the place
and the bride were ready,
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the bridegroom would
return to the bride's house
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to take her to
his father's house
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where the wedding
ceremony would take place.
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Then, by the way,
before the wedding took place,
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it was necessary to
examine the garments
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of the invited guests.
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Because if they didn't
have the special garment
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that was sent out ahead of time,
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which would be the
invitation card today.
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Be nice if they
gave you a whole garment
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to invite you to a
wedding, wouldn't it?
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Especially if
it's a nice garment.
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But anyway, there
was an examination
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of the garments by
the father of the groom,
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to make sure that
everybody that was there
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present for the wedding
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was officially
invited to the wedding.
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And then, of course,
the wedding would take place
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in the wedding chamber.
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And finally after that came,
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and this is a
point that's not there,
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but you can add it,
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the reception or the
banquet after the wedding.
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By the way, the
wedding was a short event,
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but the party
lasted a long time.
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So that is basically a summary
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of wedding customs in Scripture.
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And, of course, in the
Parable of the Ten Virgins
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you also have bridesmaids
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that if the wedding
takes place at night,
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then you know they light
the way to the wedding chamber.
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So let's take a look
at what the Scripture say
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about the wedding customs.
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We're on page 330
of our study notes.
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We're all acquainted
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with the Parable of
the Ten Virgins, right?
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Jesus instructed His
individual followers,
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now listen carefully,
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He instructed His
individual followers
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to be ready to go with Him
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into the
wedding chamber as what?
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As invited guests,
that's an important point.
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In other words,
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the bridesmaids
are not the bride.
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Are they?
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They actually light
the way to the place
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where the wedding
is going to take place.
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That's a very important point
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that in the
Parable of the Ten Virgins,
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the individual followers
are ready to go with him
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to the wedding chamber,
and they are not the bride.
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They are invited
guests to the wedding.
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And we're going to
find what that means.
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The second place in Scripture
that we need to take a look at
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for wedding
customs is Matthew 22:1-14.
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And we're going
to study this parable
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in detail in our
session this evening.
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The groom's father
sent out an invitation
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to the wedding,
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with a special
garment for each guest
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who was invited to the wedding.
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Once in the wedding chamber,
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once all of the guests
were in the wedding chamber,
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the father then
would come out and examine
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the garment of the guests
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to see if they had
a right to be there
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present for the wedding.
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Once again, I want you to notice
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that those who
have the wedding garment
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are not the bride.
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Those who have
the wedding garment
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are the guests to the wedding.
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They are not the bride.
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Is this clear?
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We're going to study this more,
as I mentioned this evening.
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Those that did not
had the wedding garment,
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what happened with them?
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They were cast out
of the wedding chamber
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into outer darkness,
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where they would
wail and gnash their teeth
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for not having
been able to remain
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in the wedding hall.
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And we're going to
examine some of these verses
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a little bit later
on in this presentation.
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Once the father of the groom
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had examined the
garments of the guests,
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and the unworthy guests
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had been cast out
of the wedding chamber
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into outer darkness,
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then the wedding took place.
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In other words,
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once the
separation had been made
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between those
who were worthy to be
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in the wedding chamber
and those who were not,
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at that moment the door closes.
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And when the door closes,
then you have the wedding.
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Are you following me or not?
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Now in Revelation 19:9,
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let's read Revelation 19:9.
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We'll come back to it
a little bit later also.
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Revelation 19:9 says,
"Then he said to me, 'Write,
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Blessed are those who are called
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to the marriage
supper of the Lamb!'
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And he said to me,
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'These are the
true saints of God.'"
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So once again,
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an angel pronounces
a blessing upon whom?
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The bride?
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No, he doesn't pronounce
a blessing upon the bride,
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although
undoubtedly she's blessed.
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Who is the
blessing pronounced upon?
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Those who are in the kingdom...
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King James, the
New King James says
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blessed are those who are called
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to the marriage supper,
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but really, it is
those who are what?
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Invited to the wedding supper.
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So an angel
pronounces a blessing
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upon the invited guests,
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to the marriage
supper of the Lamb.
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The bride, which is
the church as a whole.
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There's a little nuance
here that is very important.
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Who is the bride?
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The entire church,
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all of those who
have been proved worthy
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to be followers of Jesus.
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So the bride,
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the church as a whole was ready,
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clothed in fine
linen, bright and pure,
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which are the
righteous deeds of the saints.
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And this is an indication
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that they were
judged by their what?
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By their works, that
were written in the books.
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They know, wait a
minute, Pastor Bohr,
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you say that a
person is going to be
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judged by their works?
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Yes.
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Well, isn't that
salvation by works?
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No.
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You see, we are saved
by grace through faith.
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But we are judged by works
according to the New Testament,
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because our works show
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if our faith is genuine.
00:10:05.57\00:10:09.00
Words are cheap, in other words.
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So this group is
judged by their works.
00:10:13.48\00:10:18.51
Notice verse 8,
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"And to her was granted
to be arrayed in fine linen,
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clean and bright,
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for the fine linen
is the righteous acts
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of the," what?
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"The righteous
acts of the saints."
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Then you have Luke 12:35-37.
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We're going to come back to
all of these texts later on.
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And we're going to
give a composite picture,
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but I just want you to
have in mind the texts for now.
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The Bible makes it clear
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that the wedding
takes place where?
00:10:44.11\00:10:47.08
In heaven after Jesus returns.
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Are you there?
00:10:54.22\00:10:56.32
It's been a long day.
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The wedding takes place where?
00:10:59.69\00:11:02.29
In heaven
00:11:02.32\00:11:03.83
before Jesus
returns the second time.
00:11:03.86\00:11:08.93
However, many modern versions,
00:11:08.96\00:11:12.67
for example,
the NIV and the ESV,
00:11:12.70\00:11:15.00
which is the
English Standard Version,
00:11:15.04\00:11:17.41
give us the impression
that Jesus will come to earth
00:11:17.44\00:11:20.94
to gather His people
00:11:20.98\00:11:22.81
after the
marriage feast has ended.
00:11:22.84\00:11:25.51
Is that true?
00:11:29.72\00:11:31.05
Jesus is going to come
and get His bride when,
00:11:31.09\00:11:36.42
according to this, the feast,
the wedding feast is ended,
00:11:36.46\00:11:39.23
the reception has ended.
00:11:39.26\00:11:42.06
Well, then the
bride missed the feast.
00:11:42.10\00:11:44.03
The bride missed the reception.
00:11:44.07\00:11:47.37
These translations are confusing
00:11:47.40\00:11:50.67
because other
texts clearly affirm
00:11:50.71\00:11:52.74
that Jesus will
literally sit with His people
00:11:52.77\00:11:58.01
at the supper
table in His Kingdom,
00:11:58.05\00:12:00.55
after He has come for them.
00:12:00.58\00:12:04.05
Correct.
00:12:04.09\00:12:05.55
Let's read Matthew 8:11 and 12.
00:12:05.59\00:12:09.46
Matthew 8:11 and 12.
00:12:09.49\00:12:13.53
There it's very clear.
00:12:13.56\00:12:16.13
Says,
00:12:16.16\00:12:17.93
"And I say to you
that many will come
00:12:17.97\00:12:19.90
from east and west,
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.70
and sit down with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
00:12:21.74\00:12:23.94
in the kingdom of heaven.
00:12:23.97\00:12:27.58
But the sons of the
kingdom will be cast out
00:12:27.61\00:12:30.08
into outer darkness.
00:12:30.11\00:12:31.85
There will be," what?
00:12:31.88\00:12:33.21
"Weeping and gnashing of teeth."
00:12:33.25\00:12:35.22
So are we going
to sit at the table
00:12:35.25\00:12:39.15
with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
00:12:39.19\00:12:41.52
Yes, we are.
00:12:41.56\00:12:43.96
So the question is this.
00:12:43.99\00:12:46.09
When is the marriage supper
00:12:46.13\00:12:48.86
and does it take
place before Jesus comes
00:12:48.90\00:12:52.80
for His own or after?
00:12:52.83\00:12:57.44
Well, we have to
look at all of Scripture
00:12:57.47\00:13:00.71
in order to get a clear
picture of the chronology.
00:13:00.74\00:13:05.58
You remember we
looked at Daniel 7:13 and 14.
00:13:05.61\00:13:11.59
Let's go back there again.
00:13:11.62\00:13:13.22
Daniel 7:13 and 14.
00:13:13.25\00:13:18.93
This is after the
work of the little horn.
00:13:18.96\00:13:22.36
So it's after the year,
sometime after the year 1798.
00:13:22.40\00:13:27.07
And after you have the
lion, the bear the leopard,
00:13:27.10\00:13:30.47
the dragon beast, the ten horns,
00:13:30.51\00:13:32.27
a little horn
which ends in 1798.
00:13:32.31\00:13:35.24
So sometime after 1798,
00:13:35.28\00:13:37.21
which Daniel 8 tells us is 1844,
00:13:37.25\00:13:40.68
according to what
we've already studied.
00:13:40.72\00:13:43.25
Something happens.
00:13:43.28\00:13:45.05
And instead of
going to verse 13 and 14,
00:13:45.09\00:13:47.22
let's go first
of all to verse 9,
00:13:47.26\00:13:49.22
"I watched till
thrones were put in place,
00:13:49.26\00:13:51.56
And the Ancient
of Days was seated,
00:13:51.59\00:13:53.33
His garment was white as snow,
00:13:53.36\00:13:54.76
and the hair of His
head was like pure wool.
00:13:54.80\00:13:57.17
His throne was a fiery flame,
its wheels a burning fire,
00:13:57.20\00:14:00.74
a fiery stream issued
and came from before Him.
00:14:00.77\00:14:03.34
A thousand
thousands ministered to Him:
00:14:03.37\00:14:05.57
ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him.
00:14:05.61\00:14:08.84
The court was seated
and the books were open."
00:14:08.88\00:14:11.21
So what is going to begin here?
00:14:11.25\00:14:13.48
The judgment.
00:14:13.52\00:14:15.12
So is the judgment
sometime after 1798?
00:14:15.15\00:14:18.49
Sure, because Daniel 7
is in chronological order.
00:14:18.52\00:14:22.22
Lion, bear, leopard, dragon
beast, ten horns, little horn,
00:14:22.26\00:14:26.49
and then the judgment.
00:14:26.53\00:14:29.66
So why does the Father
sit and open the books,
00:14:29.70\00:14:36.17
who is going to be examined?
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.67
All of those who
profess the name of Jesus.
00:14:38.71\00:14:41.88
Now notice verses 13 and 14,
00:14:41.91\00:14:45.21
so the father moves
into the most holy place.
00:14:45.25\00:14:49.58
And then you'll notice
that Jesus follows Him.
00:14:49.62\00:14:54.02
"I was watching
in the night visions,
00:14:54.06\00:14:55.39
and behold,
00:14:55.42\00:14:56.76
one like the
Son of Man, coming,"
00:14:56.79\00:15:00.20
who's the Son of Man?
00:15:00.23\00:15:01.56
"Jesus,
00:15:01.60\00:15:02.93
"coming with the
clouds of heaven,
00:15:02.96\00:15:04.30
coming to, " where?
00:15:04.33\00:15:05.67
"With the clouds of heaven."
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.04
See the Millerites,
00:15:07.07\00:15:08.40
they didn't read this carefully.
00:15:08.44\00:15:09.77
They thought that this referred
to the Second Coming of Christ.
00:15:09.80\00:15:12.91
But it says,
00:15:12.94\00:15:14.28
"Coming with the
clouds of heaven,
00:15:14.31\00:15:15.64
and he came to," where?
00:15:15.68\00:15:17.41
"To the Ancient of Days."
00:15:17.45\00:15:19.61
Where was the Ancient of
Days, on earth or in heaven?
00:15:19.65\00:15:22.22
In heaven.
00:15:22.25\00:15:23.59
"And they brought
Him near before Him."
00:15:23.62\00:15:25.32
So why does Jesus now
come to where the Father sat
00:15:25.35\00:15:28.56
and the books are
opened for the judgment?
00:15:28.59\00:15:30.43
What is the purpose of
the opening of the books
00:15:30.46\00:15:32.73
for the judgment?
00:15:32.76\00:15:34.60
Verse 14 says,
"Then to Him," to whom?
00:15:34.63\00:15:38.60
"To Jesus, was
given," who gave it?
00:15:38.63\00:15:40.97
The father.
00:15:41.00\00:15:42.34
"Dominion and
glory and a," what?
00:15:42.37\00:15:44.47
"Kingdom."
00:15:44.51\00:15:45.84
What does Jesus go
before the Father for?
00:15:45.87\00:15:48.41
To get the kingdom
00:15:48.44\00:15:50.35
which is, by the way,
00:15:50.38\00:15:51.71
the same thing as
marrying His bride.
00:15:51.75\00:15:53.75
Two different metaphors.
00:15:53.78\00:15:56.82
Verse 14,
00:15:56.85\00:15:58.29
"Then to Him was given
dominion and glory and a," what?
00:15:58.32\00:16:04.06
"Kingdom, that
all peoples, nations,
00:16:04.09\00:16:06.66
and languages should serve Him.
00:16:06.70\00:16:08.93
His dominion is an
everlasting dominion,
00:16:08.96\00:16:10.97
which shall not pass away,
00:16:11.00\00:16:12.33
and His kingdom
00:16:12.37\00:16:13.70
the one which
shall not be destroyed."
00:16:13.74\00:16:17.31
Where does the Son of
Man receive the kingdom?
00:16:17.34\00:16:22.34
In heaven, is that clear?
00:16:22.38\00:16:26.11
Crystal clear.
00:16:26.15\00:16:28.05
He goes to the Father in
heaven to receive the kingdom.
00:16:28.08\00:16:31.89
In other words,
to marry His bride.
00:16:31.92\00:16:35.59
And what is His bride?
00:16:35.62\00:16:38.06
The totality of the faithful
00:16:38.09\00:16:40.73
that have been proved faithful
in the investigative judgment.
00:16:40.76\00:16:44.10
Now, Luke 19 helps
us understand Daniel 7.
00:16:44.13\00:16:48.74
Luke 19:11 and 12,
00:16:48.77\00:16:54.98
"Now as they heard these things,
00:16:55.01\00:16:57.71
He spoke another parable,
because He was near Jerusalem
00:16:57.75\00:17:01.42
and because they thought
00:17:01.45\00:17:02.78
the kingdom of God
will appear, " when?
00:17:02.82\00:17:05.72
Does that sound
like the Millerites?
00:17:05.75\00:17:09.42
The kingdom is coming now.
00:17:09.46\00:17:13.23
But now He's going
to dash their hopes.
00:17:13.26\00:17:17.23
"Therefore, He said,
00:17:17.27\00:17:18.60
'A certain noble man
went into a far country,"
00:17:18.63\00:17:23.24
where's the far country?
00:17:23.27\00:17:25.74
Heaven.
00:17:25.77\00:17:27.64
Who is the noble man?
00:17:27.68\00:17:29.94
Jesus.
00:17:29.98\00:17:31.51
So the noble man Jesus
went into a far country,
00:17:31.55\00:17:35.58
that's heaven, and
what was what purpose?
00:17:35.62\00:17:39.09
"To receive for
Himself a," what?
00:17:39.12\00:17:42.89
"A kingdom and return."
00:17:42.92\00:17:44.96
So when does He
receive the kingdom?
00:17:48.80\00:17:51.13
When He comes and
actually takes it?
00:17:51.17\00:17:53.47
No.
00:17:53.50\00:17:54.94
He receives the
kingdom and then He what?
00:17:54.97\00:17:58.47
And then He comes, does
that square with Daniel 7?
00:17:58.51\00:18:02.64
He goes to the Ancient of Days,
00:18:02.68\00:18:04.58
the Ancient of
Days gives Him what?
00:18:04.61\00:18:07.15
Gives Him the kingdom.
00:18:07.18\00:18:09.85
Now because the Lamb's
bride is the New Jerusalem,
00:18:09.88\00:18:14.19
the capital and
symbol of his kingdom,
00:18:14.22\00:18:18.23
we can know for sure
00:18:18.26\00:18:19.59
that the receiving of
the kingdom from His Father
00:18:19.63\00:18:22.33
and marrying His bride
00:18:22.36\00:18:24.30
are two complementary
ways of saying the same thing.
00:18:24.33\00:18:31.14
Are you with me?
00:18:31.17\00:18:33.38
Jesus marries His bride,
and receives the kingdom when?
00:18:33.41\00:18:40.15
Before His Second Coming.
00:18:40.18\00:18:43.65
Ellen White makes
this perceptive statement,
00:18:43.69\00:18:47.26
Early Writings page 280.
00:18:47.29\00:18:50.73
The context is
when probation closes.
00:18:50.76\00:18:54.63
What happens
when probation closes?
00:18:54.66\00:18:56.36
Every case had been
decided for life or death.
00:18:56.40\00:19:02.34
So has humanity been
separated into two groups?
00:19:02.37\00:19:05.71
Yes.
00:19:05.74\00:19:07.08
What separates
humanity into two groups?
00:19:07.11\00:19:11.41
The judgment.
00:19:11.45\00:19:13.52
While Jesus had been ministering
00:19:13.55\00:19:15.22
in the sanctuary,
00:19:15.25\00:19:17.02
the judgment had been
going on for the righteous dead,
00:19:17.05\00:19:22.66
and then for the
righteous living.
00:19:22.69\00:19:25.73
So when probation
closes has everybody,
00:19:25.76\00:19:28.23
whoever claimed the
name of Jesus been judged?
00:19:28.26\00:19:31.67
Yes.
00:19:31.70\00:19:34.24
Now notice, Christ
had received His what?
00:19:34.27\00:19:40.41
His kingdom, where?
00:19:40.44\00:19:44.01
In heaven.
00:19:44.05\00:19:46.55
Because it says here,
00:19:46.58\00:19:48.85
while Jesus had been ministering
00:19:48.88\00:19:50.49
in the
sanctuary, which sanctuary?
00:19:50.52\00:19:53.15
In heaven,
00:19:53.19\00:19:54.52
the judgment had been
going on for the righteous dead
00:19:54.56\00:19:56.76
and then for the
righteous living.
00:19:56.79\00:19:58.13
Where does that
judgment take place?
00:19:58.16\00:20:00.60
In heaven,
00:20:00.63\00:20:02.03
and what did He, what
did He receive in heaven?
00:20:02.06\00:20:04.53
Christ had received His what?
00:20:04.57\00:20:06.94
His kingdom,
00:20:06.97\00:20:08.50
having made the
atonement for His people
00:20:08.54\00:20:10.97
and blotted out their sins.
00:20:11.01\00:20:13.91
Now notice what the kingdom is.
00:20:13.94\00:20:16.44
The subjects of the
kingdom were made up.
00:20:16.48\00:20:21.02
See, the kingdom is not
just something nebulous,
00:20:21.05\00:20:24.02
it's not a
thing, it's the people.
00:20:24.05\00:20:27.72
That is the kingdom.
00:20:27.76\00:20:30.36
And now notice what she says,
00:20:30.39\00:20:32.29
"The king, the subjects
of the kingdom are made up.
00:20:32.33\00:20:35.43
The marriage of the
Lamb was consummated."
00:20:35.46\00:20:39.63
So when he receives the kingdom,
00:20:39.67\00:20:41.07
is that when the
wedding takes place?
00:20:41.10\00:20:43.57
Yes.
00:20:43.61\00:20:46.44
And the kingdom,
00:20:46.47\00:20:48.18
and the
greatness of the kingdom,
00:20:48.21\00:20:49.88
under the whole heaven,
00:20:49.91\00:20:51.68
was given to Jesus
and the heirs of salvation
00:20:51.71\00:20:55.25
and Jesus was to
reign as King of kings,
00:20:55.28\00:20:59.45
and Lord of lords.
00:20:59.49\00:21:03.09
Then at the bottom of page 331,
00:21:03.12\00:21:06.49
in 2 Corinthians 11:2,
00:21:06.53\00:21:10.70
Paul stated that he had what?
00:21:10.73\00:21:13.57
That he had engaged the church
to Christ as a pure bride.
00:21:13.60\00:21:19.41
So when Jesus
comes here, He what?
00:21:19.44\00:21:21.98
You have the engagement.
00:21:22.01\00:21:25.68
And in Ephesians 5:25-27,
00:21:25.71\00:21:29.22
Paul wrote that Christ died
00:21:29.25\00:21:30.95
to make it
possible for the church,
00:21:30.99\00:21:34.09
or the bride,
eventually to be what?
00:21:34.12\00:21:38.23
Without spot
and without blemish.
00:21:38.26\00:21:43.57
Now we've
examined the key verses.
00:21:43.60\00:21:47.14
So now we want to look
at the composite picture,
00:21:47.17\00:21:49.70
how all of these
verses fit together?
00:21:49.74\00:21:54.18
So let's go to page 332.
00:21:54.21\00:21:57.58
Page 332.
00:21:57.61\00:22:01.98
In 1844,
00:22:02.02\00:22:04.25
Jesus came to the
Father to begin the process
00:22:04.29\00:22:08.22
that would
eventually make it possible
00:22:08.26\00:22:10.23
for Him to receive the kingdom,
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.66
or to marry His bride,
00:22:12.69\00:22:14.86
which is the church as a whole.
00:22:14.90\00:22:17.40
So in 1844, what
did Jesus begin to do?
00:22:17.43\00:22:21.07
He began to show
00:22:21.10\00:22:22.44
who are the
subjects of His kingdom,
00:22:22.47\00:22:24.81
who belongs to His bride.
00:22:24.84\00:22:27.38
See, the bride is
His corporate people.
00:22:27.41\00:22:29.84
The kingdom is
His corporate people.
00:22:29.88\00:22:32.85
The guests are the
individuals of the people.
00:22:32.88\00:22:38.59
Since 1844, what
has been happening?
00:22:38.62\00:22:41.69
The king has been examining
the garments of each person.
00:22:41.72\00:22:46.39
What do garments represent?
00:22:46.43\00:22:49.60
They represent
character, righteousness, right?
00:22:49.63\00:22:53.70
So what is the
purpose of the judgment?
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.40
To examine if people have
the righteousness of Christ.
00:22:55.44\00:22:59.51
So since 1844,
00:22:59.54\00:23:00.88
the king has been examining
the garments of each person,
00:23:00.91\00:23:04.51
individually,
00:23:04.55\00:23:06.38
who has claimed Jesus as Savior.
00:23:06.41\00:23:09.15
These persons as
individuals are what?
00:23:09.18\00:23:14.36
The invited
guests to the wedding.
00:23:14.39\00:23:17.26
However, the people as a whole,
00:23:17.29\00:23:20.70
the faithful
church in its entirety
00:23:20.73\00:23:24.47
are Christ's
betrothed bride or kingdom.
00:23:24.50\00:23:27.27
Is this point clear?
00:23:27.30\00:23:30.24
It's important
00:23:30.27\00:23:32.14
because in the
Parable of the Ten Virgins,
00:23:32.17\00:23:35.14
do you have
guests to the wedding?
00:23:35.18\00:23:38.21
Yes.
00:23:38.25\00:23:39.98
Did Jesus marry the guests?
00:23:40.02\00:23:43.42
No, the guests are
invited to the wedding.
00:23:43.45\00:23:46.42
But who is Jesus going to marry?
00:23:46.45\00:23:49.12
The totality of the church.
00:23:49.16\00:23:52.56
Now notice this statement
00:23:52.59\00:23:53.93
from Christ's
Object Lessons, page 307.
00:23:53.96\00:23:57.50
The parable of
the wedding garment
00:23:57.53\00:23:59.30
opens before us a lesson
of the highest consequence.
00:23:59.33\00:24:03.67
By the marriage
is represented what?
00:24:03.71\00:24:06.24
The union of
humanity with divinity.
00:24:06.27\00:24:10.21
That's a corporate group.
00:24:10.25\00:24:13.65
The wedding garment
represents the character
00:24:13.68\00:24:16.99
which all must possess,
00:24:17.02\00:24:19.45
who shall be accounted
fit guests to the wedding.
00:24:19.49\00:24:24.26
Are the guests
different than the bride?
00:24:24.29\00:24:27.80
Yes,
00:24:27.83\00:24:29.16
but are the guests
individually part of the bride?
00:24:29.20\00:24:33.23
You really don't
usually think this way,
00:24:36.81\00:24:38.14
but this is the way
it's presented in the Bible.
00:24:38.17\00:24:41.28
Now, not
everyone who has claimed
00:24:41.31\00:24:44.18
Jesus as Savior has
been true and faithful.
00:24:44.21\00:24:48.22
The purpose of the
judgment is to separate
00:24:52.09\00:24:54.26
the genuine
from the counterfeit.
00:24:54.29\00:24:56.93
Let me ask you this.
00:24:56.96\00:24:58.29
In the church, are
there good and bad fish?
00:24:58.33\00:25:00.76
Yes, some, some
smell by their actions,
00:25:04.33\00:25:09.84
by their works.
00:25:09.87\00:25:12.07
You remember Jesus told
the Parable of the Fish,
00:25:12.11\00:25:15.78
it's in Matthew Chapter 13.
00:25:15.81\00:25:18.91
And there are
several symbols in this.
00:25:18.95\00:25:21.35
First of all,
there's the fishermen.
00:25:21.38\00:25:23.32
Who are the fishermen.
00:25:23.35\00:25:25.79
Or as the
politically correct say,
00:25:25.82\00:25:27.96
who are the anglers?
00:25:27.99\00:25:29.36
Who are the fishermen?
00:25:33.96\00:25:36.26
We are.
00:25:36.30\00:25:38.97
What is the net?
00:25:39.00\00:25:40.94
The gospel.
00:25:40.97\00:25:42.30
What does it mean
to throw out the net?
00:25:42.34\00:25:45.11
You're preaching
the gospel, right?
00:25:45.14\00:25:48.84
What is represented by the fish?
00:25:48.88\00:25:53.35
People.
00:25:53.38\00:25:54.72
And what about the sea,
00:25:54.75\00:25:56.62
the place where the
fish swim, the world.
00:25:56.65\00:25:58.79
And what does
the boat represent?
00:26:02.12\00:26:06.43
The church.
00:26:06.46\00:26:09.43
So the fishermen they
go, and they throw the net,
00:26:09.46\00:26:13.90
and when they bring in the
net, it has only good fish.
00:26:13.94\00:26:17.41
I wish I could say so.
00:26:21.34\00:26:23.48
But that's not true.
00:26:23.51\00:26:24.85
You know, when I was a kid,
00:26:24.88\00:26:26.21
my parents used to
take us on vacation
00:26:26.25\00:26:29.45
to what used to be a
pristine island state
00:26:29.48\00:26:32.42
in Venezuela, the
island of Margarita.
00:26:32.45\00:26:36.86
And one thing that
we would love to do
00:26:36.89\00:26:38.73
was to go to a certain beach
00:26:38.76\00:26:42.63
to see the fishermen come in
00:26:42.66\00:26:44.07
at about 4
o'clock in the morning.
00:26:44.10\00:26:47.64
They would bring in their nets
00:26:47.67\00:26:50.21
and they had
00:26:50.24\00:26:51.57
all sorts of
marine animal in the nets.
00:26:51.61\00:26:54.44
They had little
sharks, they had starfish,
00:26:54.48\00:26:57.38
they had a fish that
they called the frog,
00:26:57.41\00:27:03.85
sapo in Spanish.
00:27:03.89\00:27:06.65
It was this fish
that had a kind of brown
00:27:06.69\00:27:09.62
with black spots,
00:27:09.66\00:27:10.99
it had a huge head
with whiskers ends.
00:27:11.03\00:27:13.56
And it was like,
00:27:13.60\00:27:14.93
kind of like a
catfish that had the little,
00:27:14.96\00:27:17.83
you know, the little prickers,
00:27:17.87\00:27:20.30
you know that will
actually sting you.
00:27:20.34\00:27:24.41
And it had a real, real slender,
00:27:24.44\00:27:26.68
short body just
look like a pollywog,
00:27:26.71\00:27:30.25
only a great big one.
00:27:30.28\00:27:32.28
And so they brought in
00:27:32.31\00:27:33.65
all different
kinds of marine animals.
00:27:33.68\00:27:35.65
And then when
they got to the shore,
00:27:35.68\00:27:37.59
they had baskets,
00:27:37.62\00:27:39.39
and they would put the
good fish in one basket
00:27:39.42\00:27:42.52
to take the market
and the other fish,
00:27:42.56\00:27:45.09
they would put it in
in baskets to discard.
00:27:45.13\00:27:49.63
So let me ask you,
00:27:49.66\00:27:51.00
does the church
have good and bad fish?
00:27:51.03\00:27:53.54
So what has to happen?
00:27:53.57\00:27:55.77
God is going to take all
the bad fish to heaven too?
00:27:55.80\00:27:58.67
No.
00:27:58.71\00:28:00.14
There has to be a
work of separation.
00:28:00.18\00:28:01.88
What is that? The judgment.
00:28:01.91\00:28:05.91
Let me ask you,
00:28:05.95\00:28:07.28
does the church have
good and foolish virgins,
00:28:07.32\00:28:09.45
wise and foolish virgins?
00:28:09.48\00:28:11.59
Do the foolish virgins
claim to serve the Lord?
00:28:11.62\00:28:14.19
Do they claim
to belong to Jesus?
00:28:14.22\00:28:16.62
Yes, they have lamps.
00:28:16.66\00:28:19.19
And they're waiting for,
00:28:19.23\00:28:20.56
they're waiting
for the groom to come.
00:28:20.60\00:28:24.53
But five are foolish.
00:28:24.57\00:28:26.80
In the church is
their wheat and tares?
00:28:26.84\00:28:31.11
Do the tares claim to
have a right to be there?
00:28:31.14\00:28:34.14
Do they look like the wheat?
00:28:34.18\00:28:36.38
Yes.
00:28:36.41\00:28:38.65
Is the church filled with people
00:28:38.68\00:28:40.08
who have the form of godliness,
00:28:40.12\00:28:42.92
but don't have true godliness?
00:28:42.95\00:28:45.35
Absolutely.
00:28:45.39\00:28:47.59
Are there in the church
those who say, Lord, Lord,
00:28:47.62\00:28:52.16
didn't we prophesy in Your name?
00:28:52.19\00:28:54.66
Didn't we cast out
demons in Your name?
00:28:54.70\00:28:57.40
Did we do all kinds
of miracles in Your name?
00:28:57.43\00:28:59.67
And Jesus is going to say,
00:28:59.70\00:29:01.04
"Yeah, come right in here."
00:29:01.07\00:29:03.37
No, He's going to say,
00:29:03.41\00:29:06.14
"I don't know you?"
00:29:06.17\00:29:08.21
Did they claim to follow Him?
00:29:08.24\00:29:10.48
Yes. I don't know you.
00:29:10.51\00:29:12.55
Depart from Me, you
workers of iniquity.
00:29:12.58\00:29:16.52
See the works have
something to do with this.
00:29:16.55\00:29:18.62
Depart from Me, you
workers of iniquity.
00:29:18.65\00:29:24.76
So what does
Jesus do in the judgment
00:29:24.79\00:29:27.16
before the Second Coming?
00:29:27.20\00:29:28.60
The purpose of the judgment
is to reveal to the universe
00:29:28.63\00:29:31.93
who He has a
right to take to heaven.
00:29:31.97\00:29:36.44
Why doesn't He judge
the wicked at the same time?
00:29:36.47\00:29:38.87
Very simple,
00:29:38.91\00:29:40.24
because He has to determine
who He can take to heaven
00:29:40.28\00:29:42.41
because when He comes,
He's going to take them.
00:29:42.44\00:29:45.45
So before that He has to show
00:29:45.48\00:29:46.82
that He has a
right to take them.
00:29:46.85\00:29:48.95
He doesn't have
to judge the wicked
00:29:48.98\00:29:50.32
because they're
going to be left behind.
00:29:50.35\00:29:52.62
They can be taken care of later.
00:29:52.65\00:29:56.02
Are you with me?
00:29:56.06\00:29:58.49
So let's go to the
middle of the page.
00:29:58.53\00:30:01.33
Not everyone who has
claimed Jesus as Savior
00:30:01.36\00:30:04.57
has been true and faithful.
00:30:04.60\00:30:06.97
Those who are found
without a wedding garment
00:30:07.00\00:30:08.97
in the judgment
00:30:09.00\00:30:10.34
will be removed
from the Book of Life.
00:30:10.37\00:30:14.84
And when the last
case has been examined,
00:30:14.88\00:30:18.15
the bride or the
kingdom is purged,
00:30:18.18\00:30:20.98
pure and faithful,
00:30:21.02\00:30:23.79
and ready for what?
00:30:23.82\00:30:26.05
Ready for the wedding.
00:30:26.09\00:30:28.12
The bride, the
church in its entirety
00:30:28.16\00:30:31.29
has now made herself what?
00:30:31.33\00:30:33.83
Ready for Him,
and Jesus will what?
00:30:33.86\00:30:37.87
Marry her, which
is the same as what?
00:30:37.90\00:30:41.17
Taking over the kingdom.
00:30:41.20\00:30:42.94
The moment
00:30:42.97\00:30:44.31
that Jesus receives
the kingdom, what happens?
00:30:44.34\00:30:47.81
The door of the
wedding chamber is shut.
00:30:47.84\00:30:53.42
In the Parable
of the Ten Virgins,
00:30:53.45\00:30:54.78
the shut door
00:30:54.82\00:30:56.15
is not the
Second Coming of Christ.
00:30:56.18\00:30:58.29
Because after the door shuts,
00:30:58.32\00:30:59.79
the foolish virgin
still have a chance
00:30:59.82\00:31:01.42
to go and try and get
oil but they can't find it.
00:31:01.46\00:31:03.99
This is the time of trouble.
00:31:04.03\00:31:05.46
Probation has closed.
00:31:05.49\00:31:07.13
Ellen White says that,
00:31:07.16\00:31:08.50
that during the time of trouble,
00:31:08.53\00:31:09.86
some people will
confess their sins with agony.
00:31:09.90\00:31:13.90
All to no avail.
00:31:13.94\00:31:17.11
So the chamber is shut
00:31:17.14\00:31:18.97
and any guests who arrive late
00:31:19.01\00:31:21.41
are found
unprepared and unworthy.
00:31:21.44\00:31:24.08
And those who are
in the wedding chamber
00:31:24.11\00:31:25.71
without the wedding
garment will be cast out.
00:31:25.75\00:31:30.72
Now after the wedding
in heaven is finished,
00:31:30.75\00:31:33.52
what's going to take place?
00:31:33.56\00:31:35.66
We've looked at
this, the chronology.
00:31:35.69\00:31:38.23
A terrible time of
trouble ensues for the bride.
00:31:38.26\00:31:44.37
It looks like
00:31:44.40\00:31:47.24
the wicked are going
to destroy the bride.
00:31:47.27\00:31:52.81
Does Jesus take this personally?
00:31:52.84\00:31:56.64
Said, "Don't mess with My wife."
00:31:56.68\00:32:00.75
And so what is Jesus going to do
00:32:00.78\00:32:02.22
at the end of
the time of trouble?
00:32:02.25\00:32:04.42
He's going to come
to deliver His people.
00:32:04.45\00:32:09.99
Correct.
00:32:10.03\00:32:11.76
He's going to
return to the earth
00:32:11.79\00:32:14.16
to rescue her from
certain annihilation.
00:32:14.20\00:32:19.30
And then what is
Jesus going to do?
00:32:19.33\00:32:21.90
He's going to gather
His kingdom or His bride,
00:32:21.94\00:32:25.77
which He has married
in absentia in heaven.
00:32:25.81\00:32:31.31
He takes them to where?
00:32:31.35\00:32:34.02
To the Father's house.
00:32:34.05\00:32:36.35
And you know,
00:32:36.38\00:32:37.72
I think
sometimes we misunderstand
00:32:37.75\00:32:39.95
John 14:1-3.
00:32:39.99\00:32:41.86
You know, we
usually think of Jesus
00:32:41.89\00:32:44.03
making a real
beautiful place for us to live.
00:32:44.06\00:32:46.93
And I'm not
denying that that could be,
00:32:46.96\00:32:49.50
that could
definitely be something
00:32:49.53\00:32:51.03
that Jesus is going to do.
00:32:51.07\00:32:53.74
But there's a deeper
lesson here in John 14:1-3.
00:32:53.77\00:32:57.07
Jesus says,
00:32:57.11\00:32:58.44
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:32:58.47\00:32:59.97
You believe in God,
believe also in Me."
00:33:00.01\00:33:02.04
In my Father's
house are many mansions,
00:33:02.08\00:33:05.71
better
translation is many rooms.
00:33:05.75\00:33:08.68
So is He
expecting a lot of people?
00:33:08.72\00:33:10.59
Yeah.
00:33:10.62\00:33:11.95
If it were not so,
I would have told you,
00:33:11.99\00:33:14.06
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:33:14.09\00:33:18.06
Notice that He
didn't go to make mansions
00:33:18.09\00:33:21.16
because Jesus said,
00:33:21.20\00:33:22.53
"In My Father's
house are many mansions."
00:33:22.56\00:33:25.63
Now not that
we're not going to live
00:33:25.67\00:33:27.00
in mansion,
00:33:27.04\00:33:28.37
we're going to live in
some nice mansions there,
00:33:28.40\00:33:30.34
much better than
what we have here.
00:33:30.37\00:33:34.11
So then He says,
00:33:34.14\00:33:35.48
I got to
prepare a place for you.
00:33:35.51\00:33:37.98
How does Jesus
prepare the place for us?
00:33:38.01\00:33:40.82
Primarily by His
work in the sanctuary,
00:33:40.85\00:33:43.15
by His intercession
and the work of judgment.
00:33:43.18\00:33:46.05
And if I go and
prepare a place for you,
00:33:46.09\00:33:48.22
I will what?
00:33:48.26\00:33:49.59
I will come again
00:33:49.62\00:33:51.86
and receive you to
Myself that where I am,
00:33:51.89\00:33:54.40
there you may be also.
00:33:54.43\00:33:55.76
So then He takes His bride home
00:33:55.80\00:33:58.23
and that what is the
last point that we have?
00:33:58.27\00:34:01.34
Then you have the party.
00:34:01.37\00:34:05.74
Then you have the reception.
00:34:05.77\00:34:08.84
Let's notice,
Adventist Home, page 503.
00:34:08.88\00:34:13.75
Ellen White
corroborates this perspective.
00:34:13.78\00:34:16.25
The mind of Jesus...
00:34:16.28\00:34:17.79
To the mind of Jesus,
00:34:17.82\00:34:19.72
the gladness of the
wedding festivities,
00:34:19.75\00:34:22.72
pointed forward to
the rejoicing of that day
00:34:22.76\00:34:26.80
when he shall what?
00:34:26.83\00:34:28.73
Bring home His bride to where?
00:34:28.76\00:34:32.63
To the Father's house,
00:34:32.67\00:34:34.40
and the redeemed
with the Redeemer
00:34:34.44\00:34:36.67
shall sit down
00:34:36.71\00:34:38.11
to the marriage
supper of the Lamb.
00:34:38.14\00:34:43.11
Now, Luke 12:35-37,
very important passage.
00:34:43.14\00:34:49.82
Here Jesus is
speaking to His disciples.
00:34:49.85\00:34:53.82
And He says,
00:34:53.86\00:34:55.19
"Let your waist be
girded and your lamps burning."
00:34:55.22\00:35:00.23
What does this
make you think of,
00:35:00.26\00:35:01.70
be girded and lamps burning?
00:35:01.73\00:35:03.90
The Parable of the
Ten Virgins, right?
00:35:03.93\00:35:07.17
Who is He speaking to?
00:35:07.20\00:35:09.40
His disciples.
00:35:09.44\00:35:11.57
And you yourselves be like
men who wait for the master,
00:35:11.61\00:35:15.78
when He will
return from the wedding.
00:35:15.81\00:35:19.61
What is He
saying to His disciples?
00:35:19.65\00:35:21.28
Gird yourselves,
have your lamps burning,
00:35:21.32\00:35:23.75
for when I what?
00:35:23.79\00:35:25.32
Return from the wedding.
00:35:25.35\00:35:26.76
So where does the
wedding take place?
00:35:26.79\00:35:28.99
In heaven.
00:35:29.02\00:35:32.36
That when He comes and knocks,
00:35:32.39\00:35:34.30
they may open
to Him immediately.
00:35:34.33\00:35:37.30
Blessed are those servants
whom the master when He what?
00:35:37.33\00:35:41.20
When He comes
will find watching.
00:35:41.24\00:35:44.31
So where are God's
people going to be watching?
00:35:44.34\00:35:46.14
On earth.
00:35:46.17\00:35:49.11
And where does the
Master marry His bride?
00:35:49.14\00:35:51.98
In heaven.
00:35:52.01\00:35:53.68
And then comes the reception.
00:35:53.72\00:35:55.92
Assuredly I say to you,
00:35:55.95\00:35:57.65
that He will gird himself
00:35:57.69\00:35:59.69
and have them sit down to eat,
00:35:59.72\00:36:02.22
and He will come and serve them.
00:36:02.26\00:36:04.39
Imagine that,
Jesus becomes the waiter.
00:36:04.43\00:36:09.06
And we become the clients.
00:36:09.10\00:36:11.93
Only we don't have to pay.
00:36:11.97\00:36:14.74
Notice this beautiful
statement from Ellen White
00:36:14.77\00:36:17.51
on what the
reception is going to be like.
00:36:17.54\00:36:19.14
Councils to the Church, page 36.
00:36:19.17\00:36:21.91
"Soon we heard His
lovely voice again,
00:36:21.94\00:36:24.31
saying, 'Come My people,
00:36:24.35\00:36:28.15
you have come out
of Great Tribulation,
00:36:28.18\00:36:31.42
and done My
will, suffered for Me.
00:36:31.45\00:36:35.22
Come into the supper,
00:36:35.26\00:36:38.03
for I will gird
Myself and serve you.'"
00:36:38.06\00:36:41.20
We shouted,
00:36:41.23\00:36:42.56
seeing this
envision as if she's there.
00:36:42.60\00:36:45.83
We shouted hallelujah, glory
00:36:45.87\00:36:49.17
and entered into the city.
00:36:49.20\00:36:52.07
I saw a table of pure silver,
00:36:52.11\00:36:55.84
it was many miles in length,
00:36:55.88\00:36:58.65
yet our eyes
could extend over it.
00:36:58.68\00:37:03.05
And now she saw all
California products.
00:37:03.08\00:37:06.15
I saw the fruit
of the tree of life.
00:37:09.79\00:37:11.86
Well, that's not a
California product.
00:37:11.89\00:37:14.50
The manna, the almonds,
00:37:14.53\00:37:17.60
figs, pomegranates, grapes,
00:37:17.63\00:37:22.00
and for those of you who
like mangoes and papayas,
00:37:22.04\00:37:24.87
she says I saw them,
00:37:24.91\00:37:26.31
she says and many
other kinds of fruit.
00:37:26.34\00:37:29.11
That's what it's
going to be like.
00:37:32.45\00:37:34.98
And Jesus is going
to come and serve us.
00:37:35.02\00:37:38.72
No potato chips.
00:37:38.75\00:37:40.09
A vegan diet.
00:37:45.29\00:37:46.63
Now we need to solve a
problem that we have here.
00:37:49.96\00:37:55.17
We're going to read first of all
00:37:55.20\00:37:56.54
from the New King James Version,
00:37:56.57\00:37:58.81
Luke 12:35-37.
00:37:58.84\00:38:00.88
And you're going
to immediately see,
00:38:00.91\00:38:02.71
when we compare the NIV
that we have a problem here.
00:38:02.74\00:38:06.98
It says there in the
New King James version
00:38:07.02\00:38:09.38
of Luke 12:35-37,
00:38:09.42\00:38:11.25
"Let your waist be
girded and your lamps burning,
00:38:11.29\00:38:13.96
and you yourselves be like
men who wait for their master,
00:38:13.99\00:38:17.16
when he will
return from the," what?
00:38:17.19\00:38:19.86
"From the wedding,
00:38:19.89\00:38:22.90
that when he comes and knocks
00:38:22.93\00:38:24.60
they may open
to him immediately.
00:38:24.63\00:38:27.60
Blessed are those
servants whom the master,
00:38:27.64\00:38:30.01
when he comes,
will find watching.
00:38:30.04\00:38:32.17
Assuredly I say to you
00:38:32.21\00:38:33.68
that he will gird himself
00:38:33.71\00:38:35.31
and have them sit down to eat,
00:38:35.34\00:38:37.25
and will come and serve them."
00:38:37.28\00:38:40.05
So in the passage in
the New King James Version,
00:38:40.08\00:38:43.39
He returns from the what?
00:38:43.42\00:38:45.72
From the wedding.
00:38:45.75\00:38:47.42
But now notice what,
00:38:47.46\00:38:48.79
how the NIV has
it and by the way,
00:38:48.82\00:38:50.53
many other
modern versions as well.
00:38:50.56\00:38:53.40
"Be dressed,
00:38:53.43\00:38:54.90
ready for service
00:38:54.93\00:38:57.20
and keep your lamps burning
00:38:57.23\00:38:59.50
like men
waiting for their master
00:38:59.53\00:39:02.64
to return from a
wedding banquet."
00:39:02.67\00:39:06.21
Are you seeing the problem?
00:39:06.24\00:39:08.64
So that when he
comes and knocks,
00:39:08.68\00:39:10.55
they can immediately
open the door for him.
00:39:10.58\00:39:13.55
It will be good
for those servants
00:39:13.58\00:39:15.38
whose master finds
them watching when he comes.
00:39:15.42\00:39:18.42
I tell you the truth, he
will dress himself to serve.
00:39:18.45\00:39:22.16
We'll have them
recline at the table
00:39:22.19\00:39:24.66
and we'll come and wait on them.
00:39:24.69\00:39:27.93
Are you seeing the issue?
00:39:27.96\00:39:30.27
It will be
noticed that in the NIV
00:39:30.30\00:39:33.00
and many other
contemporary versions,
00:39:33.03\00:39:35.44
Jesus returns to the earth
00:39:35.47\00:39:38.81
from the
heavenly wedding banquet
00:39:38.84\00:39:43.14
to gather His waiting people.
00:39:43.18\00:39:45.08
In other words,
00:39:45.11\00:39:46.45
the wedding banquet
takes place before Jesus
00:39:46.48\00:39:49.05
comes to take
His people to heaven,
00:39:49.08\00:39:50.99
according to the NIV.
00:39:51.02\00:39:53.09
However, in the
New King James Version,
00:39:53.12\00:39:55.19
Jesus returns from the wedding,
00:39:55.22\00:39:58.13
not the banquet
to gather His people.
00:39:58.16\00:40:01.60
Which
translation makes more sense
00:40:01.63\00:40:04.07
and fits best with
all the biblical evidence?
00:40:04.10\00:40:07.10
Now we're going to do a
little bit of a word study.
00:40:07.14\00:40:11.14
In Greek, the
words used for marriage,
00:40:11.17\00:40:15.91
which are gamos and gamoe
00:40:15.94\00:40:18.68
include both the
wedding and the wedding feast.
00:40:18.71\00:40:23.08
So a New Testament Greek,
when it uses gamos and gamoe,
00:40:23.12\00:40:26.45
it includes both, the
wedding and the feast.
00:40:26.49\00:40:30.63
In our times, we make a what?
00:40:30.66\00:40:33.76
A mark distinction
00:40:33.80\00:40:35.13
between the
wedding and the reception.
00:40:35.16\00:40:37.13
I personally enjoy
the reception most.
00:40:37.17\00:40:40.20
There's lots of good food.
00:40:40.24\00:40:43.44
However, in biblical times,
00:40:43.47\00:40:46.24
the covenant vow
took very little time.
00:40:46.27\00:40:50.48
While the feast was a
major community event,
00:40:50.51\00:40:53.62
that would last hours,
00:40:53.65\00:40:55.78
and even days and
in some cases weeks.
00:40:55.82\00:40:59.35
Thus, the wedding was
simply a brief ceremony
00:40:59.39\00:41:02.59
with a celebration
00:41:02.62\00:41:03.96
that was a big feast afterwards.
00:41:03.99\00:41:07.83
The Greek language,
this is an important point,
00:41:07.86\00:41:10.07
the Greek language
did not have a word
00:41:10.10\00:41:11.93
that distinguishes
00:41:11.97\00:41:14.00
between the
wedding and the feast
00:41:14.04\00:41:15.84
as we do today.
00:41:15.87\00:41:17.87
Today we say wedding and what?
00:41:17.91\00:41:19.87
Reception.
00:41:19.91\00:41:21.24
The Greek did not have a word
00:41:21.28\00:41:23.24
that
distinguishes between these two,
00:41:23.28\00:41:26.01
because people perceive
00:41:26.05\00:41:27.52
both to be phases
of the same event.
00:41:27.55\00:41:31.95
Although the Greeks
did not have a common word
00:41:31.99\00:41:34.62
for the vow or the wedding,
00:41:34.66\00:41:36.93
as distinguished from the feast,
00:41:36.96\00:41:39.66
they did have a
word for the feast alone,
00:41:39.69\00:41:43.53
when that is what
they wish to emphasize.
00:41:43.57\00:41:46.80
So there was one
for the feast alone.
00:41:46.84\00:41:50.34
That word appears
in Revelation 19:9,
00:41:50.37\00:41:53.98
where the saints
are invited to the what?
00:41:54.01\00:41:57.15
To the wedding feast.
00:41:57.18\00:42:00.02
Therefore the
process is as follows.
00:42:00.05\00:42:02.98
Jesus will marry His kingdom,
00:42:03.02\00:42:05.89
or His or receive
His kingdom rather
00:42:05.92\00:42:08.59
and marry His church where?
00:42:08.62\00:42:10.83
In heaven.
00:42:10.86\00:42:12.19
This is what portion
of the marriage ceremony?
00:42:12.23\00:42:14.96
It is the vow, or
the marriage itself.
00:42:15.00\00:42:19.00
Jesus will then return
from the wedding in heaven
00:42:19.03\00:42:22.50
to take His waiting people
00:42:22.54\00:42:26.07
on earth to the
heavenly feast or reception.
00:42:26.11\00:42:32.18
This is making sense.
00:42:32.21\00:42:34.98
Let's read the note.
00:42:35.02\00:42:37.19
The bride is the
church or kingdom as a whole,
00:42:37.22\00:42:40.56
while the church members
as individuals are the guests.
00:42:40.59\00:42:44.69
We'll notice this in
our study this evening.
00:42:44.73\00:42:47.33
The bride or kingdom is what?
00:42:47.36\00:42:51.33
The New Jerusalem.
00:42:51.37\00:42:52.70
So Jesus is going to
marry brick and mortar.
00:42:52.73\00:42:55.14
What did we say about Jerusalem?
00:43:01.11\00:43:03.11
Jesus said, "Oh,
Jerusalem! Jerusalem!"
00:43:03.14\00:43:06.05
Who kills the prophets?
00:43:06.08\00:43:08.45
So brick and
mortar killed Jesus.
00:43:08.48\00:43:10.49
I'm being
facetious to make a point.
00:43:10.52\00:43:13.39
What is Jerusalem?
00:43:13.42\00:43:15.36
It's not primarily the city,
the physical city, but what?
00:43:15.39\00:43:19.33
The people.
00:43:19.36\00:43:21.70
So the bride or
kingdom is the New Jerusalem,
00:43:21.73\00:43:25.60
the symbol
00:43:25.63\00:43:26.97
of Christ's
entire human kingdom.
00:43:27.00\00:43:30.07
Individual members of the
city are not the city itself,
00:43:30.11\00:43:33.54
but the residents
who have homes there.
00:43:33.58\00:43:38.61
Ellen White
understood this very clearly.
00:43:38.65\00:43:41.38
Notice Early
Writings, 279 and 280.
00:43:41.42\00:43:46.29
"I saw angels
hurrying to and fro in heaven,
00:43:46.32\00:43:50.66
an angel with the
writers in corn by his side,
00:43:50.69\00:43:53.73
returned from the earth
00:43:53.76\00:43:55.30
and reported to Jesus
that His work was done,
00:43:55.33\00:43:58.17
and the saints were
numbered and sealed.
00:43:58.20\00:44:02.37
Then I saw Jesus
who had been ministering
00:44:02.40\00:44:04.31
before the ark
00:44:04.34\00:44:05.67
containing the Ten Commandments.
00:44:05.71\00:44:07.04
What does He do?
00:44:07.08\00:44:09.64
Is that the second part
of the introductory vision?
00:44:09.68\00:44:12.81
Number that, the very,
the first couple of lectures
00:44:12.85\00:44:15.95
we dealt with the
introductory vision
00:44:15.98\00:44:17.85
that says,
00:44:17.89\00:44:19.22
first the censer is interceding
00:44:19.25\00:44:20.72
and then the
censer is slowing down.
00:44:20.76\00:44:23.46
So she says that He saw,
00:44:23.49\00:44:26.93
she saw Him
throw down the censer.
00:44:26.96\00:44:29.56
He raised His hands,
00:44:29.60\00:44:31.17
and with a loud voice said what?
00:44:31.20\00:44:32.83
It is done. What does that mean?
00:44:32.87\00:44:35.10
Probation is closed.
00:44:35.14\00:44:36.84
Then all the angelic
hosts laid off their crowns
00:44:36.87\00:44:39.34
as Jesus made the
solemn declaration,
00:44:39.37\00:44:42.24
'He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still.'"
00:44:42.28\00:44:46.01
Does that sound pretty final?
00:44:46.05\00:44:49.85
"He which is filthy,
let him be filthy still."
00:44:49.88\00:44:53.09
In other words,
00:44:53.12\00:44:54.46
there's no chance
here not to get clean.
00:44:54.49\00:44:57.13
"And he that is righteous,
00:44:57.16\00:44:58.49
let him be righteous still
00:44:58.53\00:45:00.76
and he that is holy,
let him be holy still."
00:45:00.80\00:45:04.83
What does that describe?
00:45:04.87\00:45:07.40
The close of probation.
00:45:07.44\00:45:09.87
Now, we already read
00:45:09.90\00:45:11.41
the quotation in Early Writings,
00:45:11.44\00:45:13.14
279 and 280.
00:45:13.17\00:45:16.61
Let's read it again.
00:45:16.64\00:45:18.41
Because there're some
very important points.
00:45:18.45\00:45:20.95
Every case had been
decided for life or death,
00:45:20.98\00:45:24.85
while Jesus had been ministering
00:45:24.89\00:45:26.45
in the sanctuary...
00:45:26.49\00:45:28.62
Is probation open
00:45:28.66\00:45:29.99
when He's
ministering in the sanctuary?
00:45:30.03\00:45:31.59
Yes.
00:45:31.63\00:45:32.96
What had Jesus been doing?
00:45:32.99\00:45:34.33
The judgment had been going
on, for the righteous dead,
00:45:34.36\00:45:37.73
and then for whom?
00:45:37.77\00:45:39.23
For the righteous living.
00:45:39.27\00:45:41.50
Christ had received His what?
00:45:41.54\00:45:44.57
So when does Jesus
receive the kingdom?
00:45:44.61\00:45:46.17
When every case
has been decided.
00:45:46.21\00:45:49.38
So Christ had
received His kingdom,
00:45:49.41\00:45:51.48
having made the
atonement for His people
00:45:51.51\00:45:53.31
and blotted out their sins.
00:45:53.35\00:45:55.72
The subjects of His
kingdom were made up.
00:45:55.75\00:45:57.92
In other words,
His bride is now what?
00:45:57.95\00:46:00.16
Complete.
00:46:00.19\00:46:02.26
The marriage of the
Lamb was consummated,
00:46:02.29\00:46:05.16
and the kingdom
00:46:05.19\00:46:06.53
and the greatness of the kingdom
00:46:06.56\00:46:07.90
under the whole heaven,
00:46:07.93\00:46:09.53
so notice the
kingdom is given to Him,
00:46:09.56\00:46:11.83
was given to Jesus
00:46:11.87\00:46:14.04
and the heirs of salvation
00:46:14.07\00:46:16.34
and Jesus was to reign
00:46:16.37\00:46:17.84
as King of kings
and Lord of lords.
00:46:17.87\00:46:22.61
Now, in another statement,
this is a rather long one,
00:46:22.64\00:46:25.85
Great Controversy 426 and 427.
00:46:25.88\00:46:29.75
The marriage represents
the reception by Christ
00:46:29.78\00:46:32.92
of His kingdom.
00:46:32.95\00:46:35.26
Remember, I said
that the marriage
00:46:35.29\00:46:36.62
and receiving the
kingdom is the same thing?
00:46:36.66\00:46:39.59
Different
metaphors, but the same lesson.
00:46:39.63\00:46:42.86
The marriage represents
the reception by Christ
00:46:42.90\00:46:45.47
of His kingdom,
00:46:45.50\00:46:46.94
the holy city of
the New Jerusalem,
00:46:46.97\00:46:48.90
which is the capital
00:46:48.94\00:46:50.27
and
representative of the kingdom
00:46:50.31\00:46:52.07
is called what?
00:46:52.11\00:46:53.44
The bride, the lamb's wife
said the angel to join, come,
00:46:53.48\00:46:57.58
either I will
show thee the bride,
00:46:57.61\00:46:59.45
the lamb's wife.
00:46:59.48\00:47:00.85
It's the city with
the people in it, folks.
00:47:00.88\00:47:03.72
He carried me
away in the spirit,
00:47:03.75\00:47:05.25
says the prophet and
showed me that great city,
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.39
the holy Jerusalem,
00:47:07.42\00:47:08.76
descending all
of heaven from God.
00:47:08.79\00:47:11.09
Clearly then,
00:47:11.13\00:47:12.46
the bride
represents the holy city.
00:47:12.49\00:47:15.03
And the virgins that go
out to meet the bridegroom
00:47:15.06\00:47:17.97
are a symbol of the what?
00:47:18.00\00:47:20.54
Of the church,
more specifically,
00:47:20.57\00:47:23.34
the individuals in the church.
00:47:23.37\00:47:25.14
Notice, in the Revelation,
00:47:25.17\00:47:27.88
the people of God
are said to be the what?
00:47:27.91\00:47:30.71
The guests at
the marriage supper.
00:47:30.75\00:47:33.95
If guests,
00:47:33.98\00:47:35.48
they cannot be
represented also as the what?
00:47:35.52\00:47:39.09
As the bride.
00:47:39.12\00:47:41.19
So what is the bride?
00:47:41.22\00:47:43.69
All of them.
00:47:43.73\00:47:45.33
Who are the guests?
00:47:45.36\00:47:47.30
The individuals.
00:47:47.33\00:47:48.93
She continues,
00:47:48.96\00:47:50.30
"Christ as stated
by the prophet Daniel,
00:47:50.33\00:47:52.53
will receive
00:47:52.57\00:47:53.90
from the Ancient
of Days in heaven,
00:47:53.94\00:47:55.27
dominion and
glory and a kingdom.
00:47:55.30\00:47:57.37
He'll receive the New Jerusalem,
00:47:57.41\00:47:58.97
the capital of His kingdom,
00:47:59.01\00:48:00.68
prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband,
00:48:00.71\00:48:04.05
having received the kingdom,
00:48:04.08\00:48:06.68
what is the kingdom?
00:48:06.72\00:48:08.78
His people, having
received the kingdom,
00:48:08.82\00:48:11.92
He will come in His glory
00:48:11.95\00:48:14.32
as King of kings
and Lord of lords,
00:48:14.36\00:48:16.42
for the
redemption of His people,
00:48:16.46\00:48:18.99
who are to sit
down with Abraham,
00:48:19.03\00:48:21.50
and Isaac, and Jacob at
His table in His kingdom
00:48:21.53\00:48:25.43
to partake of
the marriage supper
00:48:25.47\00:48:28.00
of the Lamb.
00:48:28.04\00:48:30.67
The proclamation,
behold, the bridegroom cometh.
00:48:30.71\00:48:33.84
In the summer of 1844,
00:48:33.88\00:48:36.01
led thousands to expect
00:48:36.04\00:48:38.61
the immediate
advent of the Lord.
00:48:38.65\00:48:41.25
At the appointed
time, what happened?
00:48:41.28\00:48:44.25
The bridegroom came.
00:48:44.29\00:48:47.02
What happened in 1844?
00:48:47.06\00:48:49.32
The bridegroom
came, came to where?
00:48:49.36\00:48:51.76
Is this Daniel 7?
00:48:55.06\00:48:58.23
Where did Jesus go in Daniel 7?
00:48:58.27\00:49:00.50
The father moves to
the Most Holy Place,
00:49:00.54\00:49:02.70
sits the judgment
seat, the books open,
00:49:02.74\00:49:06.04
then the cloud goes
back, picks up Jesus,
00:49:06.07\00:49:08.64
and Jesus comes to
where the Father is, right?
00:49:08.68\00:49:11.55
So what she's saying here is,
00:49:11.58\00:49:14.28
at the appointed
time the bridegroom came,
00:49:14.32\00:49:17.42
not to what?
00:49:17.45\00:49:19.09
Not to the earth,
as the people expected,
00:49:19.12\00:49:22.49
but to the
Ancient of Days where?
00:49:22.52\00:49:25.76
In heaven, to the marriage,
the reception of His kingdom.
00:49:25.79\00:49:31.87
So is the marriage
00:49:31.90\00:49:33.23
and the reception of the kingdom
00:49:33.27\00:49:34.60
the same thing?
00:49:34.64\00:49:35.97
Yes.
00:49:36.00\00:49:37.44
They that were ready
00:49:37.47\00:49:38.87
went in with
Him to the marriage.
00:49:38.91\00:49:40.58
Now wait a minute,
00:49:40.61\00:49:41.94
how could we go in
with Him to the marriage?
00:49:41.98\00:49:45.31
As guests because
we're written up there.
00:49:45.35\00:49:49.55
We're not there in person.
00:49:49.58\00:49:51.99
We're written in the book.
00:49:52.02\00:49:54.72
So once again,
00:49:54.76\00:49:56.09
they that were
ready went in with Him
00:49:56.12\00:49:57.46
to the marriage
and the door was shut.
00:49:57.49\00:50:01.60
She makes it so clear.
00:50:01.63\00:50:03.53
Where did she get all this from?
00:50:03.57\00:50:05.53
Lucky guess?
00:50:05.57\00:50:07.37
No, she was a Bible student,
she was inspired, folks.
00:50:07.40\00:50:12.77
They were not to
be present in person
00:50:12.81\00:50:15.34
at the marriage,
00:50:15.38\00:50:17.31
for it takes place in heaven
while they are upon the earth.
00:50:17.35\00:50:21.82
The followers of Christ
are to wait for their Lord,
00:50:21.85\00:50:25.19
when He will
return from the wedding.
00:50:25.22\00:50:28.16
However, they are
to understand His work
00:50:28.19\00:50:32.49
and follow Him how?
00:50:32.53\00:50:34.30
By faith, as He
goes in before God.
00:50:34.33\00:50:37.87
It is in this sense
00:50:37.90\00:50:39.67
that they are said
to go into the marriage.
00:50:39.70\00:50:43.91
Powerful
00:50:43.94\00:50:46.11
and perfectly in harmony
with all of the Bible verses
00:50:46.14\00:50:49.34
that we have noticed.
00:50:49.38\00:50:52.18
Absolutely clear.
00:50:52.21\00:50:53.55
And this evening,
we're going to study
00:50:53.58\00:50:55.12
Matthew Chapter 22.
00:50:55.15\00:50:57.62
And we're going to see
that this is the scenario.
00:50:57.65\00:51:01.06
Now I want you to
notice the last statement,
00:51:01.09\00:51:03.53
Desire of Ages, page 151.
00:51:03.56\00:51:07.33
"In both the Old
and the New Testament,
00:51:07.36\00:51:10.57
the marriage relation
is employed to represent
00:51:10.60\00:51:14.60
the tender and sacred union
00:51:14.64\00:51:16.71
that exists between
Christ and His people.
00:51:16.74\00:51:21.08
To the mind of Jesus,
00:51:21.11\00:51:22.44
the gladness of the
wedding festivities,
00:51:22.48\00:51:25.35
pointed forward to
the rejoicing of that day,
00:51:25.38\00:51:29.15
when He shall
bring home His bride
00:51:29.18\00:51:33.46
to the Father's house.
00:51:33.49\00:51:35.72
What event is
that being described?
00:51:35.76\00:51:38.39
The Second Coming, right?
00:51:38.43\00:51:40.33
So notice the key point here.
00:51:40.36\00:51:43.43
To the mind of Jesus,
00:51:43.47\00:51:44.80
the gladness of the
wedding festivities,
00:51:44.83\00:51:46.53
that is the reception,
00:51:46.57\00:51:47.90
pointed forward to
the rejoicing of that day
00:51:47.94\00:51:51.01
when He shall
bring home His bride.
00:51:51.04\00:51:54.81
In other words, His what?
00:51:54.84\00:51:56.88
His kingdom, in its
entirety, to the Father's house,
00:51:56.91\00:52:01.42
and the redeemed,
00:52:01.45\00:52:03.05
and the redeemed
with the redeemer
00:52:03.08\00:52:05.09
shall sit down to
the marriage supper
00:52:05.12\00:52:07.59
of the Lamb.
00:52:07.62\00:52:08.96
He says,
00:52:08.99\00:52:10.33
"As the bridegroom
rejoices over the bride,
00:52:10.36\00:52:12.29
so shall thy God
rejoice over thee.
00:52:12.33\00:52:15.16
Thou shall no more
be termed, forsaken.
00:52:15.20\00:52:18.37
But thou shall be
called my delight,
00:52:18.40\00:52:21.04
for the Lord delighteth in thee.
00:52:21.07\00:52:23.44
He will rejoice
over thee with joy,
00:52:23.47\00:52:25.47
He will rest in His love,
00:52:25.51\00:52:26.94
He will joy over
thee with singing."
00:52:26.98\00:52:29.58
We're going to hear God sing.
00:52:29.61\00:52:32.68
Now, I want to hear that.
00:52:32.71\00:52:35.68
I can assure you
00:52:35.72\00:52:37.05
He does not sing
like Elvis Presley.
00:52:37.09\00:52:38.55
He's not a rapper.
00:52:41.99\00:52:45.13
Ellen White heard the
beautiful music of heaven.
00:52:45.16\00:52:48.83
She said it was melodious
00:52:48.86\00:52:50.27
and harmonious, beautiful.
00:52:50.30\00:52:55.70
Well, let's not
go down that road.
00:52:55.74\00:52:58.77
When the vision of
the heavenly things
00:52:58.81\00:53:02.14
was granted to John the Apostle,
00:53:02.18\00:53:03.78
he wrote,
00:53:03.81\00:53:05.15
"I heard as it were the
voice of a great multitude,
00:53:05.18\00:53:09.12
and as the voice of many waters,
00:53:09.15\00:53:11.42
and as the voice of
mighty thundering saying,
00:53:11.45\00:53:14.09
'Hallelujah,
00:53:14.12\00:53:15.76
for the Lord God
omnipotent reigneth,
00:53:15.79\00:53:18.66
let us be glad,
00:53:18.69\00:53:20.10
and rejoice and
give honor to Him,
00:53:20.13\00:53:23.16
for the marriage
of the Lamb has come,
00:53:23.20\00:53:25.33
and His wife has
made herself ready.
00:53:25.37\00:53:27.97
Blessed are
they which are called
00:53:28.00\00:53:29.97
onto the marriage
supper of the Lamb.'"
00:53:30.01\00:53:35.04
In closing, I remind you
of a parable that Jesus told,
00:53:35.08\00:53:38.81
the Parable of the Lost Sheep.
00:53:38.85\00:53:42.15
Do we usually say
that that parable teaches
00:53:42.18\00:53:45.32
that we're supposed to
00:53:45.35\00:53:46.69
when somebody goes
astray from the church,
00:53:46.72\00:53:48.22
we're supposed
to be good shepherds
00:53:48.26\00:53:49.66
and go and rescue them
00:53:49.69\00:53:51.03
and bring them
back to the church.
00:53:51.06\00:53:53.29
And that has an application.
00:53:53.33\00:53:55.53
But the parable has a
much broader application.
00:53:55.56\00:53:59.00
You'll see, the 99
represent the worlds
00:53:59.03\00:54:02.20
that never sinned,
00:54:02.24\00:54:04.14
safe and secure in
God's heavenly universe.
00:54:04.17\00:54:08.61
The one sheep that went astray
00:54:08.64\00:54:11.21
represents this little world
00:54:11.25\00:54:13.85
in the midst of
the universe of God.
00:54:13.88\00:54:17.22
The act of the shepherd,
00:54:17.25\00:54:19.32
leaving the flock
that is safe in the fold,
00:54:19.35\00:54:23.36
and going to seek for the sheep
00:54:23.39\00:54:25.79
represents Jesus,
00:54:25.83\00:54:27.90
who left the security of heaven
00:54:27.93\00:54:30.77
to rescue the one
lost world, planet earth.
00:54:30.80\00:54:37.24
And usually, you know,
when we tell this parable,
00:54:37.27\00:54:41.34
we say, well, you
know, the shepherd went
00:54:41.38\00:54:43.65
and rescued the sheep.
00:54:43.68\00:54:45.05
Praise the Lord, hallelujah.
00:54:45.08\00:54:47.22
But the best part of the parable
00:54:47.25\00:54:48.92
is the last part of the parable.
00:54:48.95\00:54:51.65
What does the
shepherd then do with the sheep
00:54:51.69\00:54:53.79
after he has rescued it?
00:54:53.82\00:54:56.02
Oh, he now takes the
sheep and he travels where?
00:54:56.06\00:55:02.40
Home, to the security of home.
00:55:02.43\00:55:06.57
And what does he do?
00:55:06.60\00:55:08.27
He sends out
invitations, relatives, friends,
00:55:08.30\00:55:14.24
and he says, folks,
come, I have rescued my sheep,
00:55:14.28\00:55:20.12
the sheep that went astray.
00:55:20.15\00:55:21.65
I've rescued the sheep.
00:55:21.68\00:55:24.59
Who is represented by
the family and friends?
00:55:24.62\00:55:28.32
The entire universe, the
entire heavenly universe,
00:55:28.36\00:55:33.60
the worlds that never sinned,
00:55:33.63\00:55:36.20
the seraphim and the cherubim,
00:55:36.23\00:55:39.60
the angelic
hosts will all be there
00:55:39.63\00:55:43.71
for the celebration
00:55:43.74\00:55:45.87
at the marriage
supper of the Lamb.
00:55:45.91\00:55:49.51
You know, folks,
00:55:49.54\00:55:51.98
maybe we're a
little bit too attached
00:55:52.01\00:55:53.82
to this world and our stuff.
00:55:53.85\00:56:00.32
You know, all we need
here is a place to camp
00:56:00.36\00:56:04.39
until the Savior comes.
00:56:04.43\00:56:07.93
What will it
profit a man and woman,
00:56:07.96\00:56:12.17
let's be politically correct.
00:56:12.20\00:56:15.84
If he gains the whole
world and loses his own soul,
00:56:15.87\00:56:21.38
what will he give as
a reward for his soul?
00:56:21.41\00:56:26.31
Our home is not here.
00:56:26.35\00:56:28.85
We are strangers and
pilgrims on the earth.
00:56:28.88\00:56:33.05
Our home is there.
00:56:33.09\00:56:35.46
Let's not get so
attached to our stuff here,
00:56:35.49\00:56:39.63
to our routine and rat race here
00:56:39.66\00:56:43.70
that we don't have time
to spend with the Lord Jesus
00:56:43.73\00:56:46.94
to strengthen our
relationship with Him
00:56:46.97\00:56:49.80
so that our focus is heaven.
00:56:49.84\00:56:53.48
Incidentally, you've
heard the expression,
00:56:53.51\00:56:56.54
you are so earthly minded.
00:56:56.58\00:57:00.65
What?
00:57:00.68\00:57:02.18
You're so heavenly
minded, you're no earthily good.
00:57:02.22\00:57:06.09
But I turned that around
00:57:06.12\00:57:07.46
and I say you're
so earthly minded,
00:57:07.49\00:57:08.92
you're no heavenly good.
00:57:08.96\00:57:11.33
Because the
opposite is also true.
00:57:11.36\00:57:15.40
The Bible says, our
citizenship is in heaven,
00:57:15.43\00:57:20.10
from where we
expect Jesus to come.
00:57:20.14\00:57:24.17
I don't know about you,
00:57:24.21\00:57:25.54
but I am anxious
for Jesus to come.
00:57:25.57\00:57:27.98
I'm tired of all of
this Coronavirus stuff.
00:57:28.01\00:57:31.98
And it's time for us to go home.
00:57:32.01\00:57:34.95
It's time for
Jesus to finish His work
00:57:34.98\00:57:37.59
in the sanctuary,
00:57:37.62\00:57:39.49
to marry His bride,
00:57:39.52\00:57:41.82
to receive the kingdom
00:57:41.86\00:57:44.36
so that after
the time of trouble,
00:57:44.39\00:57:46.93
we can be rescued by Christ,
00:57:46.96\00:57:49.76
taken to heaven
00:57:49.80\00:57:51.47
to partake
00:57:51.50\00:57:52.83
of that
wonderful marriage supper
00:57:52.87\00:57:55.77
of the Lamb.
00:57:55.80\00:57:57.31
Don't miss out.
00:57:57.34\00:57:58.67