Participants: Pr. Stephen Bohr
Series Code: RT
Program Code: RT000005
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00:04 3ABN presents The Robe with Stephen Bohr.
00:12 Sadly we have come down to the very last night of our 00:17 sitting together, and it has been a very wonderful time. 00:22 Back in the early days of our church 00:24 the church really struggled with a number of the things that 00:27 we've been talking about during these last several meetings. 00:29 We had developed a theology that said: "If you just 00:33 work hard enough... if you just try hard enough, 00:37 you can keep the commandments of God through sheer will 00:41 and effort. " And so Ellen White said we had gotten into 00:45 producing a preaching style that was dry and lifeless 00:49 and worse, Christless... that was based on man's own efforts. 00:54 Then as early as 1882 the light began to shine 00:59 and men and women realized that our salvation - 01:02 our righteousness - is in Christ Jesus. 01:05 That the power comes not from fighting 01:08 but from surrendering... from surrendering to God. 01:12 And so it is fitting... these things that Pastor Bohr 01:15 has been taking us through these last several sessions 01:18 to reaffirm and re-understand... 01:21 to understand anew that the secret today as always 01:26 is surrender... a surrendered life to Jesus Christ 01:29 and Christ working in and through us 01:32 to produce a Christ-like life. 01:34 We've had a good time together have we not? 01:36 Amen! And we expect no less this night 01:38 as our friend, our pastor, leads us into the Word 01:42 and teaches us those things that God would have us to know. 01:45 We are thankful that he made his way all the way from 01:48 Fresno, California. His schedule is quite busy. 01:51 He is a well-respected and well-loved speaker 01:54 and preacher of the Word. 01:56 And we know that is so because several of you have come 01:58 from various states in the union just to hear him and to join us 02:02 and to be with us. And we are so happy for your presence here 02:05 in this audience and for our audience around the world. 02:08 Join me now as we ask God's blessing 02:11 upon this night's service. 02:14 Gracious Father, we do praise You and thank You 02:17 for Your Word... which is a lamp unto our feet, 02:21 a light unto our path. 02:24 We are thankful, dear Lord, for Jesus 02:27 and for the call that brought each of us from darkness 02:30 to light, from error to truth. 02:33 And we thank You for those ministers and preachers 02:36 of the Word who have dedicated their heart, their hand, 02:40 their time, their talent, and their mind 02:43 to the study of the Word of God. 02:45 And so tonight we ask in the name of Jesus 02:49 that You would be yet again with Your manservant. 02:52 That You would let him down - as it were - 02:55 into the storehouse of Your Word. 02:57 Fill Him with Your Spirit 02:59 then give us open and receptive hearts and minds 03:03 that we may hear the Word. But more than that, 03:05 help us, Lord, to do that which we know to be right 03:09 for it is in the doing that we are made like Christ Jesus. 03:13 Bless this sitting again tonight. 03:15 Be the honored guest and spokesman. 03:18 And we thank You in Jesus' name, Amen and Amen. 03:22 God bless you. 03:33 Good evening. Good evening! 03:35 It's good to see all of you back. 03:38 Amen! I was wondering after this morning. 03:42 But praise the Lord that you came back this evening 03:45 to study our last topic which is: Without the Robe. 03:51 And even though C.A. has prayed 03:55 I would like to have a short prayer 03:58 to ask the Lord to be with us. Father, 04:00 once again we draw close to Your throne 04:02 knowing that human wisdom is inadequate to understand 04:07 the great things of God. 04:09 For this reason we come before Your throne 04:12 and we ask for divine wisdom 04:15 that we might trace Your Word as You would have us do it. 04:19 That we might rightly divide the Word of Truth. 04:22 We thank you, Lord, for the promise of Your presence 04:25 because we ask it in the name of Jesus, Amen. 04:29 Amen. 04:31 In Revelation chapter 16 we have a description 04:37 of the seven last plagues 04:40 that God will pour out upon planet earth. 04:45 These are seven devastating afflictions 04:51 that God is going to send upon a world 04:54 that is rebellious and has insisted 04:57 on trampling on God's holy law. 05:01 Now in the message concerning the sixth plague 05:07 we have a very interesting warning which is interjected 05:13 in the sixth plague. 05:16 Revelation chapter 16 and verse 15 05:21 gives us this warning 05:24 right in the middle of the message about the 6th plague. 05:29 Here Jesus is speaking and He says this: 05:54 Do you see the connection with Genesis chapter 2 and 3? 05:59 Do you see the connection with what we have been studying 06:02 in the last four topics that we dealt with? 06:05 Now obviously this warning is not for those who 06:09 live in the time of the sixth plague 06:11 because during the plagues probation has closed. 06:13 So what Jesus is saying is the sixth plague is going to come. 06:18 And make sure that when that time comes 06:20 beforehand you have watched and you have kept your garments 06:25 so that you don't walk naked and they see your shame. 06:29 In other words, even though this is found in the context 06:32 of the sixth plague, it's a warning that is given 06:34 during probationary time telling people 06:37 "Make sure when the sixth plague is poured out 06:39 that you're on the right side. " 06:42 Now in the book of Revelation we find another verse 06:48 that is similar in many ways to this one in Revelation 16:15. 06:54 I'm referring to Revelation chapter 3 and verse 18. 06:59 It's the message of the faithful and true witness 07:02 to the church of Laodicea. 07:04 Let me ask you: what is the Laodicean church? 07:07 I don't say it proudly... 07:09 it represents the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 07:13 And you know the word Laodicea means 07:16 a people of judgment or... judging the people. 07:20 It's the church that exists at the end of time 07:22 during the judgment. 07:24 And I want you to notice the warning that Jesus gives 07:28 to this church. It's very similar to what we read 07:31 in Revelation 16 verse 15. 07:33 It says... here Jesus is speaking once again: 07:45 The gold is faith that works by love. 07:48 We talked about that already. 07:50 And notice what else: 08:06 Notice that the same warning that is given in the context of 08:10 the sixth plague is given to the Laodicean church. 08:14 And the Laodicean church is us. 08:15 So let me ask you: who is in danger 08:18 of being found naked so that people will see their shame? 08:23 It is the members of the Laodicean church 08:27 particularly and especially the church of Laodicea... 08:32 our church. 08:35 Now you notice here that it says 08:37 that Jesus is coming as a thief. 08:41 And we need to watch and we need to keep our garments... 08:46 the same thing He says to the Laodicean church. 08:49 Now the question is: what is this coming of the thief? 08:55 What does that mean? 08:57 Well, I'd like to invite you to go with me 09:00 to Matthew chapter 24 and verses 37 to 39. 09:05 Did you know that the coming of Jesus 09:11 is going to take place in two stages? 09:16 Now I saw some heads go up when I said that. 09:19 Pastor, are you a believer in the rapture of the church? 09:24 Absolutely not. 09:25 But the coming of Jesus has two stages... 09:29 two points of time. 09:31 Let's read Matthew 24:37-39. 09:36 And there's a very important little word: the word "until" 09:39 that is used twice. 09:43 It says there... and Jesus is speaking: 09:54 So what is being compared? The days of Noah 09:57 with the what? With the coming of the Son of Man. 10:00 Now let's read the description that follows. Verse 38: 10:11 And now comes the first until... 10:19 The first until marks the moment when Noah and his family 10:22 enter the ark. And now notice verse 39: 10:29 In other words, those who were outside the ark 10:31 did not know... 10:33 "until the flood came and took them all away. " 10:36 Now notice this: 10:44 Two times the word "until" is used. 10:48 One to mark the moment where the door closed 10:51 and another to mark the moment when it began to rain. 10:55 In between the people did not know that they were lost. 11:03 Now in order to understand this - and it says that 11:06 the coming of the Son of Man will be similar to this. 11:09 It's repeated twice. 11:11 So it must be that there are two "untils" 11:14 also related to the second coming of Jesus Christ. 11:18 Now in order to fully understand this 11:20 we have to go back to the story of the flood. 11:23 Because Jesus says: "As it was back then 11:26 so will it also be at the coming of the Son of Man. " 11:30 And so let's go back to the flood story 11:33 and let's take a look at several details that we find 11:37 in this story that is found primarily 11:40 in Genesis 6 through 8. 11:42 The first thing that I want us to notice is 11:47 the wickedness that existed in the world at that time. 11:51 It was a wicked world. 11:54 Genesis chapter 6 and verse 5 tells us: 12:11 Notice... notice the expressions: every intent, 12:14 only evil, and continually. 12:18 As a result, the Bible tells us that the earth was 12:22 filled with violence. 12:23 Notice verse 11: 12:42 And so the first thing we want to notice 12:44 is that immediately before the flood 12:47 the world had reached a state of corruption 12:51 without parallel up to that time in the history of the world. 12:56 Now the question is: how did this happen? 12:59 How did it happen that practically the entire world 13:03 was wicked and corrupt and filled with violence? 13:08 Genesis 6 tells us what it was that caused this condition 13:13 of the world. You see, it was actually 13:16 the blending of the sons of God 13:20 with the daughters of men. 13:23 And by the way, in context 13:25 the sons of God are those in the genealogy of Seth. 13:29 That's Genesis 5... the chapter immediately before. 13:33 The daughters of men are the descendants of Cain. 13:36 There are three women mentioned by name 13:39 in the genealogy of Cain, and all of them were wicked 13:43 according to the Bible record. 13:45 And so in Genesis 4 you have the women that are mentioned 13:48 in the genealogy of Cain. 13:50 In Genesis 5 you have the descendants of Seth: 13:53 the holy line. And then Genesis 6 verse 1 13:56 sons of God and daughters of men. 13:59 In other words, it was the joining together 14:02 or the linking of the righteous with the unrighteous 14:06 that demoralized the world 14:07 and led to the wickedness of the world. 14:10 Jesus said: "You are the salt of the earth. " 14:12 But the problem is that there was very little salt 14:15 to salt the earth. 14:17 The salt had almost disappeared 14:20 because those who were followers of God 14:25 had lost their identity 14:27 by intermingling with the worldlings. 14:31 I want you to notice how this is emphasized 14:33 twice in Genesis 6:1-5. 14:36 Notice verse 1: 14:51 So you find this intermingling of the sons of God with 14:55 the daughters of men. And then notice what God says in verse 3: 14:58 "And the Lord said: 'My Spirit shall not strive with men 15:02 forever for he is indeed flesh 15:05 yet his days shall be 120 years. ' " 15:08 In other words, God says, because of the intermingling: 15:11 "My Spirit is not going to strive with men forever. " 15:15 And then I want you to notice that in verse 4 15:17 it comes back to the theme of the intermingling 15:20 with the sons of God and the daughters of men: 15:22 the righteous with the unrighteous. 15:24 And it says in verse 4: 15:39 The same expression that's used in Genesis 11 15:42 when the builders of the Tower of Babel said: 15:45 "Let us make ourselves a name. " 15:47 In other words, they had the same wickedness 15:50 as the builders of the Tower of Babel. 15:52 And then notice, once again verse 5 comes back to the idea 15:55 after talking about the intermingling of the righteous 15:58 with the wicked, it says in verse 5: 16:00 "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man 16:04 was great in the earth and that every intent 16:07 of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. " 16:12 Twice in this passage we are told that the condition of 16:15 the earth and its corruption and its violence was 16:19 due to the fact that God's followers 16:23 intermingled with the worldlings 16:27 and as a result the world became corrupt. 16:30 But not everyone was corrupt. 16:34 God had a small remnant... 16:38 and a very small remnant at that. 16:41 There must have been millions of people in this world 16:44 before the flood. Imagine, 1,656 years 16:50 had passed between creation and the flood. 16:52 Men lived to be almost 1,000 years old. 16:56 How many kids can a 1,000-year-old man have? 16:59 That's impressive! 17:01 Ellen White says there was no scarcity of natural resources. 17:05 Disease was practically unknown. 17:08 And God had said: "Multiply 17:12 and proliferate and fill the earth. " 17:14 There must have been millions of people 17:18 because it says that the earth was filled with violence. 17:22 And yet God had a remnant. 17:25 And of course that remnant was Noah. 17:28 Let's read about Noah in Genesis chapter 6. 17:32 Genesis chapter 6 and let's read verse 9 17:36 and then we'll read chapter 7 and verse 1. 17:39 It says: "This is the genealogy of Noah. 17:42 Noah was a just man... " 17:52 And then notice chapter 7 and verse 1: 18:06 Do you think that righteousness had anything to do 18:08 with his behavior? 18:10 Do you think that this was just the imputed righteousness 18:14 and he lived just like everyone else in the world? 18:16 Absolutely not! 18:19 It says he walked with God. 18:21 We're told not only did he walk with God 18:23 but he was a just man. 18:25 He was perfect and he was righteous. 18:27 In other words, God had a faithful remnant 18:30 in the midst of a wicked world. 18:32 And God called Noah - that faithful remnant - 18:37 to proclaim or to preach a message to the world. 18:43 Now connected with the message was a period of probation: 18:47 120 years. 18:50 God told Noah: "My probation is not unlimited. 18:54 It's going to be a limited period of time, 18:57 and during this time I want you to preach righteousness. " 19:02 And by the way, Noah is called 19:04 in II Peter chapter 2 and verse 5 19:07 a "preacher of righteousness. " 19:10 He was righteous and he preached the need for righteousness. 19:14 Not only the righteousness that Christ imputes 19:17 but the righteousness that is seen as a result in the life: 19:22 the likeness to Jesus Christ. 19:24 He was different than the world. 19:27 But Noah not only preached. 19:31 Noah proved that his faith was genuine by his works. 19:37 His faith was a faith that worked! 19:40 He not only spoke the message with his lips... 19:43 he showed that he believed his message by his works. 19:46 It was a faith that worked. 19:49 And how did he work? 19:51 He worked by getting the hammers and by getting the nails 19:55 and by cutting the lumber and building an ark on dry land 20:01 when it had never rained. That would take a lot of faith 20:06 to do what God said in spite of the fact 20:09 that it appeared to be scientifically impossible. 20:13 So Noah preached, and he had a faith that worked. 20:16 He was righteous and he walked with God. 20:19 He was perfect in all his ways according to scripture. 20:22 And by the way, his message was accompanied by the power 20:26 of the Holy Spirit because the text says 20:29 "My Spirit shall not always contend with man 20:33 but it's going to contend for 120 years. " 20:37 And so the message of Noah was accompanied by the power 20:41 of the Holy Spirit, 20:42 and he preaches during this period of probation. 20:45 He has a faith that is active and works. 20:47 He shows that what he believes is true. 20:50 By the way, the message of Noah was also a message 20:54 of judgment. Do you know that that word contend 20:59 in Genesis 6 and verse 3 21:03 most of the times that it is used in the Old Testament 21:06 it is translated judge or judgment. 21:11 In other words, when Noah was preaching his message 21:15 through the power of the Holy Spirit, people were making 21:18 decisions to be on one side or on the other side... 21:24 and that's a message of judgment. 21:27 A message that separates the righteous from the unrighteous. 21:31 And so we find several elements that are connected with 21:36 this remnant. A period of probation. 21:38 During that period of probation Noah is to preach. 21:42 He shows that he believes his message by his works. 21:45 The message is accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit. 21:49 And his message is a message of judgment that will polarize 21:53 the world into two groups. 21:56 And so Noah preaches the message and he builds the ark 21:59 showing that he believes what he's preaching. 22:01 Then you can imagine Noah standing at the door of the ark. 22:07 The animals have come in. 22:11 By the way, the animals had more sense than the people. 22:14 The people had fallen below animal level 22:18 because the animals listened to the voice of God 22:22 and human beings did not. 22:24 They had fallen below sub-human level... 22:27 the animals. So Noah stands at the door of the ark. 22:31 He says: "Folks, this is it. 22:33 My preaching ends today 22:36 and the door is going to close 22:40 and you are all going to be lost. 22:44 Come into the ark! " 22:46 And all they did was make fun of Noah 22:49 and laugh at him and mock his message. 22:53 So Noah went into the ark, and I want you to notice 22:56 what was the next thing that happened. 22:59 Genesis chapter 7 and verse 16. 23:03 Genesis chapter 7 and verse 16. 23:07 It says there: 23:23 Who shut the door? 23:26 God shut the door! 23:28 Was that the closing of the door of probation? 23:31 It most certainly was the closing 23:33 of the door of probation. 23:35 And by the way, God placed His seal on that door. 23:38 Is there a sealing at the end of time 23:41 of God's faithful people? Notice Patriarchs and Prophets 23:44 page 98 speaking about the closing of the door... 23:48 Ellen White in this magnificent book Patriarchs and Prophets - 23:52 it's one of my favorite books in the Spirit of Prophecy, 23:54 just loaded with valuable information: 24:15 Two groups that came as a result of the message of Noah: 24:20 a judgment separation had taken place. 24:23 And then she says: 24:34 And of course the moment that the door closed 24:38 it started to rain. 24:41 Oh good, you're still awake after a long day. 24:45 Absolutely not! 24:47 Notice Genesis chapter 7 and verse 10. 24:50 Genesis chapter 7 and verse 10. It says: 25:01 In other words, the door closed. Seven days went by 25:05 and then destruction came. Rain came from heaven 25:09 and the great fountains of the deep were broken open... 25:13 below and from above. 25:17 Do you think that this was a time of trial for Noah 25:20 for Noah and his family? 25:24 Imagine. A day goes by... no rain. 25:26 Two days... no rain. 25:29 Three days, no... Four? No rain. 25:31 Five... no rain. Six... no rain. 25:33 Do you think that maybe the devil had tried to plant 25:37 in the mind of Noah: "Well, you know, maybe 25:40 I was wrong. 25:42 Maybe I was deluded. " 25:44 Do you think the faith of Noah and his family was tested? 25:48 It most certainly was. 25:49 And how do you think the people outside behaved 25:52 with each passing day? 25:54 They became more and more violent 25:56 and they mocked stronger every day. 25:59 Allow me to read you here from Patriarchs and Prophets 26:02 page 98 and 99: 26:32 And on page 99 she says: 26:46 And so inside... faith tested. 26:49 And outside... more and more mocking. 26:55 Is something similar going to happen in connection with 26:59 the second coming of Jesus? 27:02 Ellen White continues in Patriarchs and Prophets 99... 27:05 By the way, whenever I quote Ellen White it's always 27:07 to confirm something that we found in scripture. 27:09 It's never to give additional light that is not found 27:13 in the Bible. If you look hard enough 27:15 you'll find that what Ellen White says IS in the Bible. 27:18 But we have to search for it. 27:21 Sometimes it's not on the surface. 27:23 Now listen to the comparison she continues making: 27:26 "So when Christ shall cease His intercession 27:31 for guilty men... " When Christ shall what? 27:34 "Cease His intercession for guilty men 27:36 before His coming in the clouds of heaven 27:40 the door of mercy will be shut. 27:44 Then divine grace will no longer restrain the wicked 27:48 and Satan will have full control 27:52 of those who have rejected mercy. " 27:54 Was that true before the flood? Absolutely. 27:57 "They will endeavor to destroy God's people, 28:00 but as Noah was shut into the ark 28:04 so the righteous will be shielded by divine power. " 28:09 Amen! You see the parallel? 28:12 So let me ask you: when were the people before the flood lost? 28:15 When the door closed or when it started to rain? 28:19 They were lost when the door closed. 28:21 A period of time went by - 28:22 we could call it a period of tribulation because 28:25 the wicked every day got more violent 28:28 and the righteous... their faith was tested - 28:31 and then, after that period of trial, rain came from heaven 28:36 and water came from under the earth. 28:38 The Bible says that the windows of heaven were opened 28:41 and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. 28:45 By the way, do you know that in the New Testament 28:47 there are two words that are translated flood? 28:50 One word is the word potamos 28:53 which is used for example in the parable of the man who 28:55 built his house on the rock and the man who built 28:57 his house on the sand. 28:59 Also it's the word for flood that is used in Revelation 29:02 chapter 12 where the flood tries to drown the woman 29:05 who is fleeing to the wilderness. 29:07 That's the word potamos. 29:09 But there's a special word that is used for the flood 29:13 in the days of Noah. 29:14 Because some people are saying that this was some local flood 29:17 over in the valley of Mesopotamia. 29:18 Even some Adventists scholars are saying that: 29:21 that this was a local floor, it was not a universal flood. 29:24 Do you know what the word is that is used in the 29:27 New Testament? The word cataclysmos. 29:31 What word in English do we get from cataclysmos? 29:35 The word cataclysm. 29:38 In other words, the flood was a cataclysm. 29:41 It was a global catastrophe 29:44 that wiped the wicked off the face of the earth. 29:50 By the way, the earth returned to a great degree 29:55 to the condition it was in 29:57 at the beginning of creation week. 30:01 Was the planet in darkness? Yes it was. 30:06 Was the planet filled with water? Yes. 30:10 Were all of the wicked wiped out? 30:14 There was no life left on planet earth except for 30:17 Noah and his family. 30:19 Now let me ask you: what happened with the devil 30:22 during the flood? 30:24 He was getting wet! 30:29 Patriarchs and Prophets page 99. 30:31 And I'm going to give you a parallel 30:33 to show that this is Biblical. 30:34 Patriarchs and Prophets 99: 30:51 Can you think of any other period of time when the earth 30:54 will be without form and void as at the beginning of creation 30:58 and in darkness where all of the devil's power base 31:03 will be wiped out and the devil will be compelled 31:07 to remain here? Absolutely! The millennium! 31:10 In other words, in the flood story we have a foreshadowing 31:14 of what? We have a foreshadowing of the millennium 31:18 of Revelation chapter 20 31:19 after the second coming of Jesus Christ in power and glory. 31:26 I would like to go to another passage of scripture 31:28 where you have this same idea. What I want you to notice is 31:31 that God has not called us to prepare 31:34 for the close of... for the second coming of Jesus. 31:37 God has called us to prepare for the close of probation. 31:41 When He says: "Watch, I am coming as a thief... " 31:44 The coming as a thief has two stages. 31:47 The first stage of the coming of the thief 31:50 is when He comes and everybody in the house is sleeping. 31:53 The second stage of the coming of the thief 31:57 is when everyone in the house wakes up in the morning 32:00 and realizes that the thief has already come. 32:05 So it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 32:07 You need to watch and have your garments. 32:10 Take care of your garments for the close of probation 32:15 and in that way you will be ready for the second coming 32:17 of Jesus in power and glory. 32:21 Let's go to the book of Revelation and see this same 32:24 pattern again. Revelation chapter 14 32:28 and verses 6 and 7. 32:30 Does God have a message for the world at the end of time again? 32:34 Is He going to have a remnant to proclaim this message? 32:37 Is it going to be a message of judgment that will separate 32:41 the world into two groups? Absolutely! 32:43 Will it be accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit? 32:46 Absolutely! It's all in Revelation 14. 32:49 Notice verses 6 and 7. 32:52 You can recite this from memory. 33:18 Is this God's end-time message to the world? 33:21 Absolutely. Is it the FINAL message? 33:24 Absolutely, because immediately after the third angel's message 33:28 Jesus is seen on the clouds with a sickle in His hand 33:31 which means that the three messages are the last message 33:35 before Jesus comes when He has the sickle in His hand. 33:39 By the way, do these messages polarize the world 33:41 into two groups? 33:43 Yes! Because immediately after the third angel's message 33:46 we find that the harvest of the earth is what? 33:51 Ripe. And the grapes of the earth are what? Ripe. 33:55 Let me ask you: what is it that ripened the grapes 33:57 and the harvest of the earth? 33:59 The three angels' messages. 34:01 But are these messages accompanied by the power 34:04 of the Holy Spirit and the latter rain? Sure. 34:06 What was it that actually ripened the harvest 34:09 in Biblical times? 34:11 It was the latter rain. 34:12 And so just like in the days of Noah 34:15 we have a message. It's a message of judgment. 34:18 It's accompanied by the Holy Spirit. 34:20 It will polarize the world into two groups: 34:23 those who have the seal of God 34:25 and those who have the mark of the beast. 34:28 And then what will happen when the three angels 34:31 finish proclaiming the message to the world... 34:34 the faithful remnant of God preaching these messages? 34:37 Folks, then probation will close. 34:43 Go with me to the very next chapter... 34:45 Revelation chapter 15 and verses 5 through 8. 34:48 Revelation 15 and verses 5 through 8. 34:51 The three angels' messages have been proclaimed. 34:54 The world has been divided into two groups. 34:56 The Holy Spirit has done His work. 34:58 Probation has closed, and now something happens 35:01 in the heavenly temple. Notice: 35:10 Now what is the tabernacle of the testimony? 35:12 The tabernacle is the total structure 35:15 composed of holy and most holy place. 35:18 But notice that this says "the temple of the tabernacle 35:21 of the testimony. " Now what is the temple of 35:23 the tabernacle of the testimony? 35:25 There are two words for temple in the New Testament. 35:28 One is the Greek word heiron 35:31 which is never used in Revelation. 35:34 The other words is used 15 times in Revelation. 35:37 It's the Greek word naos. 35:39 Fifteen times it's used. 35:41 Every single time that this word is used 35:45 in the book of Revelation 35:46 it is speaking of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. 35:51 It's the same word that is used for example in Revelation 11:19 35:54 where it says that then he saw the temple of God 35:57 opened in heaven and the ark of His testament 36:02 was seen in His naos... or in His temple. 36:05 So where is this taking place? 36:07 This is taking place in the most holy place 36:10 of the heavenly sanctuary. And so it says: 36:20 What is it open for? For people to come in and be saved? 36:23 No. It was opened in Revelation 11:19 36:27 for people to come in and see the ark and see the law 36:30 and understand the Sabbath among other things 36:32 so that people could embrace the message 36:35 and be prepared for the close of probation. 36:37 But now the temple is open for another reason. 36:40 He continues saying... verse 6: 36:43 "And out of the temple... " 36:45 Notice the temple is open not to let people in 36:48 but to let what? The plague angels out. It says: 37:12 Have the plagues been poured out yet at this point? 37:15 Absolutely not! But is the temple service closed 37:19 for people to enter? 37:20 Yes, because the plague angels are going to come out. 37:23 Notice verse 8: 37:38 You have read in the writings of Ellen White where she says 37:40 that God's people during that time 37:42 will have to live without a Mediator. 37:44 Here you have the Biblical proof of what she says. 37:48 Now don't misunderstand me. 37:50 Jesus isn't going to say: "I'm leaving... see you later. " 37:56 Jesus will still be here to protect His people. 38:00 He will be present here with His people 38:03 like He was with Noah and his family. 38:06 But there will no longer be any intercession for sin 38:10 which means that sin at that point will have had to be taken 38:15 care of. Sinners will be cleansed 38:18 and the sanctuary will have also been cleansed. 38:21 Now let me ask you: can we enter the heavenly sanctuary 38:24 today? Of course we can. 38:27 How do we enter there? 38:28 The book of Hebrews says we enter by faith. 38:31 Can we enter into the most holy place 38:33 to sympathize with the work that Jesus is doing there? 38:36 Absolutely. While He cleanses the heavenly sanctuary 38:39 from the record of sin, the Holy Spirit cleanses our lives 38:44 from sin here on earth. 38:46 There's a cleansing of the earthly temple that is parallel 38:49 to the cleansing of the heavenly temple. 38:52 And so, no one is able to enter the temple. 38:56 Nobody is able to enter the most holy place 38:58 because probation has closed. 39:00 Let me ask you: is there something that happens 39:02 after this before the second coming? 39:06 Absolutely. 39:08 What happens after this door is closed to those 39:13 who want to come in? When the angels come out 39:16 what is it that happens? 39:18 The seven last plagues. 39:23 Is that the period of tribulation for the world? 39:26 It most certainly is. 39:28 Are God's people going to be on the earth? 39:30 Yes. Are the wicked going to become more and more 39:33 violent each day? 39:35 Are God's people going to say: 39:36 "Lord, have You forsaken us on this earth? " 39:40 Is the faith of God's people going to be tested 39:42 during this time of tribulation? Yes. 39:44 Are the wicked going to become always more wicked? 39:47 Yes, because they will be under the total control of Satan... 39:50 only God will not allow them to control His people 39:54 because God will be the Protector of His people. 39:57 Let's not scare our young people by saying: 39:59 "You know the door will close 40:00 and Jesus is going to forsake you. " 40:03 After all, Jesus said... You know that text: 40:07 "Lo I am with you always, even unto the close of probation. " 40:12 No, that's not what He says. 40:14 "I am with you always, even unto... " when? 40:17 "Until the end of the world. " 40:19 And so after the temple service closes in the very next chapter 40:22 you have the seven last plagues. 40:24 Is that the period of tribulation when the faith 40:26 of God's people is tested? Absolutely. 40:29 Is that the period when the wicked attempt 40:32 to destroy God's people? Absolutely. 40:35 And then what happens after this? 40:37 Well, in Noah's day it started to rain. 40:39 But in Revelation what happens is that Jesus comes 40:43 with the armies of heaven to rescue His people 40:46 in His second coming. 40:47 That is in Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11 through verse 14. 40:52 Do you see the pattern? 40:53 The preaching of the message. 40:55 The closing of the sanctuary service. 40:58 The period of tribulation, 40:59 and the second coming of Jesus. 41:02 Is there something that happens between the close of probation 41:06 and the second coming of Jesus? Yes. 41:08 Do you know what the devil has done? 41:10 He's tried to convince Christians 41:13 that they're going to be raptured away to heaven 41:15 before the tribulation. 41:18 And the devil has a strategy by doing that. 41:20 He wants people to be found on this earth 41:24 without any shelter. 41:26 He doesn't want people to know that the door of probation 41:29 is going to close before the second coming of Jesus. 41:33 He wants them to believe that they can prepare 41:35 even till the moment that Jesus comes. 41:37 And in fact, he wants Christians to believe 41:41 that they're not even going to be here 41:43 because they're going to be whisked away in the rapture 41:46 to heaven and the tribulation and the plagues 41:49 are going to fall upon the Jews... 41:52 as if they haven't suffered enough. 41:56 And so people will be found on this earth 41:59 without any shelter and without any preparation 42:02 because the door of probation will have closed. 42:05 So Jesus says: "Watch! 42:07 I'm coming as a thief. " 42:10 In other words, the door of probation is going to close. 42:13 You don't know when it's going to close, 42:15 so always be ready. 42:18 And if we're not ready, probation will close 42:22 and Jesus Christ will come and we will discover 42:27 that we were not ready. 42:32 Now let's go to one more model that we find in scripture 42:35 that illustrates this same idea of probation closing 42:39 before Jesus comes. 42:41 Are you understanding the two stages? 42:43 Until the day that Noah entered the ark 42:46 and they did not know... that is, those who were outside 42:49 did not know that they were lost... until when? 42:52 Until the flood came. 42:53 But they were lost all during that period of seven days. 42:56 They just didn't know it. 42:57 Now notice what we find in Revelation chapter 22. 43:01 Revelation chapter 22. And we're going to take a look 43:05 at verses 10 through 12. 43:07 Revelation 22 and verses 10 through 12. 43:11 It says there... 43:14 and I want you to notice three points of time here: 43:26 What book is he referring to? 43:28 The book of Revelation. 43:30 So let me ask you: if the book isn't sealed, 43:33 can a message come from the book if it's not sealed? 43:36 Yeah. He's being told: "Don't seal the book 43:38 because a message has to come from the book. " 43:39 You see, when the book is sealed or closed 43:42 nobody can understand it until the book is opened. 43:44 Remember Daniel 12 and verse 4 43:46 where it says "close the words and seal the book 43:49 until the time of the end? " But at the time of the end it's 43:51 opened and now people can understand it. 43:53 So what this is saying is there's a very important message 43:56 that needs to come from where? From Revelation. 43:59 It says: "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book" 44:03 and then it says: 44:04 "for the time is at hand. " 44:08 Now what does that refer to? 44:10 "The time is at hand. " 44:12 "Don't seal the words of the prophecy of this book. 44:14 The time is at hand. " 44:16 What happens when that time comes? 44:18 The very next verse tells us what takes place. 44:22 Verse 11: 44:42 Is there a declaration that is going to be made 44:45 in the heavenly sanctuary that all cases are decided 44:49 for life or for death? Absolutely. 44:52 Will a message come from the book of Revelation after this 44:55 that will benefit sinners so that they can be saved? 44:58 No! 44:59 So when it says: "Don't seal the book - 45:02 the words of the prophecy of this book - 45:04 for the time is at hand: it's saying 45:05 "you better pay attention to what Revelation is saying 45:08 because the time for what is mentioned in verse 11 45:12 is about here 45:14 when all cases will have been decided for life or for death. " 45:17 Now let me ask you something: 45:19 is it very important then to be careful 45:21 about the way we study the book of Revelation? 45:24 See the message that prepares people 45:27 for the close of probation comes from this book. 45:29 Don't seal it! 45:30 Is it a serious matter, for example, to misinterpret 45:35 the trumpets? 45:37 I would say so 45:39 because the trumpets are in Revelation. 45:41 In fact, God gives a dire warning: 45:43 "Don't you teach Revelation until you're absolutely certain 45:47 about what you're teaching 45:48 because you could lead people astray. " 45:51 Notice verses 18 and 19 the dire warning that 45:55 God gives that we need to handle the book of Revelation 45:58 with reverent hands while this book is open 46:01 because the salvation of the human race depends 46:04 on understand what we find in this book. 46:06 Says here: 46:35 And then I want you to notice that the next moment of time 46:39 is the second coming of Jesus. 46:40 Notice verse 12 46:43 of Revelation chapter 22. 46:47 It says in verse 12: 46:48 "And behold, I am" what? 46:51 "coming quickly. " So let me ask you: is the declaration 46:54 "filthy still, holy still, filthy still... " 46:58 is that a declaration that is made before Jesus comes? 47:01 Absolutely... because verse 12 says: 47:06 And what does He bring? He's already decided it before. 47:17 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, 47:21 the First and the Last. " 47:24 Are you catching the picture? 47:26 You know, some people make fun - 47:28 even within the Adventist church - 47:30 you know that Ellen White says that Jesus is going to remove 47:33 His... He's going to remove His priestly garments 47:36 and He's going to put on His kingly garments. 47:38 And they say: "Where is that in the Bible? " 47:41 Well, if we just used a little bit of the brain power 47:44 that God has given us 47:45 and we searched the scriptures we would find it. 47:49 Let me ask you: what function is Jesus fulfilling today? 47:52 What is His function? 47:54 He is serving as High Priest. 47:56 So is He clothed like a High Priest? Absolutely. 48:00 When Jesus comes - according to Revelation 19 - 48:03 how is He clothed? 48:04 So sometime before He must have changed. 48:10 Of course! 48:12 If now He's clothed as a High Priest 48:14 and when He comes He's clothed as a King, 48:17 it must mean that some time before His coming 48:19 He must have what? He must have changed His garments. 48:24 That happens when probation closes. 48:27 You see, God is saying "Watch. " 48:31 "Keep your garments. " 48:33 "Make sure that you have the imputed and imparted 48:36 righteousness of Jesus Christ 48:38 because I'm coming as a thief. 48:40 Probation can come at a time when you don't expect. 48:43 Be ready so that you're ready 48:45 for the second coming of Jesus. " 48:48 Now I'd like to read some texts about those people 48:53 who will be on the right side at the end of time. 48:59 Do you know that what the devil hates 49:01 is a group of people that keep the commandments of God? 49:05 Notice Revelation 12 and verse 17: 49:21 Will God have at the end a commandment-keeping people? 49:24 Will they be obedient to God's commandments? 49:27 Absolutely! Notice Revelation 21 and verse 27. 49:31 This is very interesting. 49:33 Is God going to cleanse a people before Jesus comes? 49:37 Absolutely. 49:39 Revelation 21:27 says: 49:58 Revelation 21:7-8: 50:34 So those inside the city are commandment what? 50:39 Keepers. 50:41 Whereas those who are outside the city 50:43 are commandment what? Commandment breakers. 50:46 Murderers, adulterers, liars, idolaters. 50:50 All of those are violations of the Ten Commandments. 50:53 But notice that they will not only be observers 50:57 of the Ten Commandments 50:59 because they have the law of God on the heart and in the mind. 51:03 This is not some legalism where they say: 51:05 "We're going to keep the Ten Commandments 51:07 in order to be saved. " No! 51:09 They are saved by Jesus; they love Jesus. 51:13 They... they beg for forgiveness of sin. 51:15 They confess their sin. 51:16 They trust in the merits of Jesus. 51:18 And because they appreciate so much what Jesus has done 51:21 now their life reflects it. 51:24 Notice Revelation chapter 3 verse 5: 51:27 "He who overcomes... " We just read 51:31 one text that speaks about overcoming. Now it says: 51:33 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in" what? 51:36 Oh, in white garments. 51:39 See, white garments have to do with overcoming. 51:51 Notice Revelation chapter 19 verses 6 through 8. 51:55 Once again, the emphasis on the garments. 51:56 Those... folks, those who are on Christ's side at the end of time 52:00 they have the robe of Christ's righteousness 52:03 and they keep God's commandments. 52:05 The keeping of the commandments out of love for Jesus 52:08 reveals that they have in their life 52:11 the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 52:13 Revelation 19:6-8 we read this morning: 52:37 See, here's the garment. 52:47 So what is God telling us? 52:51 God is saying: "Make sure you have the robe. " 52:57 "Make sure that you are ready for the close of probation. " 53:01 Allow me in closing to read you a statement 53:05 that we find in volume 2 of the Testimonies pages 190 and 191. 53:11 You know, here Ellen White is quoting Mark chapter 13 53:14 where it says nobody knows the day or the hour 53:16 when He is going to come. 53:17 And you say: "Well, that's talking about the 2nd coming. " 53:19 That's partially true. It's talking about the close 53:23 of probation follow by the second coming of Jesus. 53:27 Notice what she has to say: 53:53 She is quoting Mark 13 verses 33 to 35. 53:57 And notice what she continues saying: 54:10 Now here comes the amazing part. And we've already noticed 54:13 that this is found in scripture. 54:15 The close of probation followed by a time of trial 54:19 and then the second coming. 54:20 She says after stating "we are waiting and watching for the 54:23 return of the Master... " 55:06 As it was in the days of Noah, 55:08 so also will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 55:11 In the days of Noah there was two untils. 55:14 At the second coming of Jesus there will also be two untils: 55:18 the close of probation and the second coming of Jesus. 55:20 And we must be ready for the close of probation. 55:23 Now in closing let me say this: 55:27 there are two closes of probation in scripture. 55:31 The first close of probation is the corporate 55:34 close of probation for the world. 55:37 That's what we've talked about today: the corporate close. 55:41 The close of probation for the whole human race. 55:44 But there's another close of probation which is 55:47 an individual close of probation. 55:50 You say: "What is this individual close of probation? " 55:55 Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 28 55:58 says something very sobering: 56:16 So what happens if we don't come to the point 56:20 of the corporate close of probation for the world 56:24 but we should die today? 56:27 Our probation has what? Closed. 56:33 And there are many Adventists that are looking for the close 56:35 of probation... they're looking for the future. 56:37 Yes, probation is going to close; 56:39 we need to flee for the mountains! 56:41 And we need to do this and we need to do that. 56:44 And they have this crisis mentality. 56:47 But if they should die tonight, probation has already closed. 56:52 And so Jesus says: "Watch! Keep awake... 56:55 for you don't know when the time is. " 56:58 Folks, such as never before we have to pray 57:02 as we never have before. 57:03 We have to study the Bible such as never before. 57:07 And we have to delight in witnessing for Jesus Christ 57:12 such as never before. 57:14 We must delight in coming to church and singing praises 57:18 to Jesus and being in tune with Jesus Christ 57:21 every moment of our life 57:23 because probation might come sooner than what we think. |
Revised 2014-12-17