Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Father in heaven, what a joy
it is to be in Your presence.
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There's no better place
to be than in Your presence.
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And there's nothing
more important to study
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in this time of
history than Your holy word
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because we know
that it's a sure guide
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in a world that
is totally confused.
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We ask, Father, that as we study
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today about The
Final Abomination,
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that your Holy
Spirit will be with us
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guiding our thoughts.
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Not only guiding our
thoughts but softening hearts.
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I not only ask for
those who are gathered here,
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but also for those who are
watching on worldwide broadcast.
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I ask, Lord, that You
will open their hearts as well.
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And we thank You for the
promise of Your presence.
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Where two or three are
gathered in the name of Jesus,
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Jesus will be there.
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And we claim that
promise in His holy name. Amen.
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As I mentioned in my prayer
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the title of our study today
is "The Final Abomination."
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And basically,
what we're going to do
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is compare the
condition of Israel
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before the
destruction of Jerusalem,
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in the year 586 BC
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with the final
destruction of the world
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shortly before the second coming
of Jesus in power and glory
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because the sign
of the Son of Man
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is gonna be seen in the heavens,
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and there's gonna be
earthquakes and calamities
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before Jesus actually
arrives on planet earth.
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So let's go back
to the Old Testament
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to the story of Israel
before the Babylonian captivity.
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And there are several
details that we're gonna study
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that I want you to remember
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because we're
gonna come back to them
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in the second half
of our study together.
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We're going to go to
the Book of Revelation
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and we're going to
see a striking parallel
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between what was
and what will be.
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Now what we're gonna be studying
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is about God's professed people.
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We're not gonna be studying
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about the pagans
that surrounded Israel.
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Everything that we are
going to study are things
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that were happening
among the people of God.
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This is what makes
what we're gonna study
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all the more
striking because Israel
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was in a gigantic apostasy.
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Now I'd like to begin
by turning in my Bible
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and I invite
you to turn in yours
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to the Book of Jeremiah 31:32.
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Jeremiah 31:32.
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Here we're going
to find God describing
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what took place at Mount Sinai.
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In fact,
Jeremiah is gonna tell us,
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he's quoting God that God
married Israel at Mount Sinai.
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In other words, the
covenant between God and Israel
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at Sinai was a
marriage ceremony.
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And God wanted Israel
to belong only to Him.
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Notice Jeremiah 31:32.
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God is speaking about
making a new covenant,
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not like the one at Sinai.
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"Not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers
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in the day that I
took them by the hand
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to lead them out
of the land of Egypt,"
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notice, "My
covenant which they broke,
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though I was a" what?
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"Though I was a husband
to them, says the Lord."
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So you see God was the husband
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and Israel was his wife.
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And they got
married at Mount Sinai.
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That was the covenant.
It was a marriage covenant.
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And God wanted
Israel to conserve herself
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only for Him
and for no one else.
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But we find in
the Book of Ezekiel,
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a sad description of
the condition of Israel
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shortly before the
Babylonian captivity.
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In fact, the condition of
Israel was one of apostasy
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for approximately 800
years after Mount Sinai,
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one apostasy
right after another.
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Now I want you to
notice Ezekiel 16:1, 2.
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We're going to
read a lot of text
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from Ezekiel 16 and Ezekiel 23
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not exclusively but
many we will read from there.
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Ezekiel 16:1, 2 and
I want you to remember
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a key word in these verses.
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It says there in 16:1
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"Again the word of
the Lord came to me,
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saying, 'Son of man,
cause Jerusalem to know her,'"
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what? "Abominations."
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Is that a keyword that we
find in Matthew Chapter 24
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that speaks about the
destruction of Jerusalem?
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Most certainly.
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And so God is saying to Ezekiel,
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"I'm gonna show
you the abominations
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that are taking
place among My people."
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He's not
describing what is happening
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among the
Philistines, or the Babylonians,
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or the Egyptians,
or any other nation.
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These are His professed people
whom He married at Mount Sinai.
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Now the greatest abomination
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that was being
committed was sun worship.
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If you read Ezekiel Chapter 8,
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you're gonna notice
that Ezekiel describes
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several abominations that
were taking place in Jerusalem.
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Actually, God is describing
these abominations to Ezekiel.
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And God shows
Ezekiel an abomination.
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And Ezekiel says,
"Well, that's pretty bad."
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God says, "You
haven't seen anything yet.
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I'm gonna show you a greater
abomination than this one."
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So then God shows
Ezekiel another abomination
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that's taking place
among God's own people,
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even in the temple.
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And Ezekiel says,
"That's terrible."
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God says, "You
haven't seen anything yet.
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I'm gonna show
you an abomination
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that's worse than that."
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And so then God shows
Ezekiel another abomination
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that's taking
place among His people.
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And Ezekiel says,
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"There can't be
anything worse than that."
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And God says, "You
haven't seen anything yet.
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I'm gonna show
you an abomination
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that is worse than that."
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And at the very,
very top of the list
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is this abomination that's
described in Ezekiel 8:15, 16.
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It says there,
"Then He said to me,
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'Have you seen
this, O son of man?
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Turn again, you will see
greater abominations than these.
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So He brought me into the
inner court of the Lord's house,
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and there, at the door
of the temple of the Lord,
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between the porch and the altar,
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were about
twenty-five men with their backs
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toward the temple of the Lord
and their faces toward the east,
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and they were worshiping
the sun toward the east.'"
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That is the last
abomination in the list.
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That is the
greatest of all abominations
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that Israel is
committing, worshiping the sun,
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with their backs to the Lord.
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Now I want you to notice
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what Israel is
called in Ezekiel 16:15.
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You know, this is
an incredible language
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that God uses
here in Ezekiel 16.
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You really need to
read the whole chapter.
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Notice Ezekiel 16:15, two
keywords that we find here.
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"But you trusted
in your own beauty,"
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God is speaking of His
people "played the" what?
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There is a keyword.
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"Played the harlot
because of your fame,
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and poured out your harlotry."
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By the way, the
King James Version
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translates this word
"harlotry," fornications.
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We need to
remember that because really
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the word "harlotry" means
adulteries or fornications.
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So God says, "But you
trusted in your own beauty,
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played the harlot
because of your fame,
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and poured out your fornications
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on everyone passing
by who would have it."
00:09:04.86\00:09:09.34
Primarily, the fornication
that was being committed
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was with the
surrounding nations.
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In other words,
Israel was mixing
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with the surrounding nations and
adopting their pagan practices.
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Notice Ezekiel 16:28-30.
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Ezekiel 16:28-30
describes this fornication
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between Israel and the
kings that surrounded Israel
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and the assimilation
of these pagan practices.
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It says there
beginning in verse 28.
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"You also played the
harlot with the Assyrians,
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because you were insatiable.
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Indeed you played
the harlot with them
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and still were not satisfied.
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Moreover you
multiplied your acts of harlotry
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as far as the land
of the trader, Chaldea,
00:10:02.75\00:10:08.01
and even then you
were not satisfied.
00:10:08.04\00:10:11.10
'How degenerate is your
heart!' says the Lord God,
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'seeing you do all these things,
the deed of a brazen harlot.'"
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Isn't that strong
language that God uses
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to describe His own people?
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You see, they had forsaken
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their love
relationship with their husband.
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And they were
going after the nations
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and after the
gods of the nations.
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They were
assimilating the pagan practices
00:10:35.34\00:10:38.12
of the surrounding nations.
00:10:38.15\00:10:40.23
And, therefore, God describes
00:10:40.26\00:10:42.18
what they're
doing as fornications,
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as harlotry and
calls His people a harlot.
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Now I want you to
notice how Israel was garbed
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according to
the Book of Ezekiel.
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Notice Ezekiel 16:17.
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And please remember
all of these details
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because we're gonna come back
to them again. Ezekiel 16:17.
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It says here, God
speaking about His people.
00:11:09.22\00:11:12.84
"You have also taken
your beautiful jewelry
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from My gold and My silver,"
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remember that, they've taken
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the gold and the
silver which belonged to God.
00:11:21.98\00:11:25.10
"Which I had given
you, and made for yourself
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male images and
played the harlot with them."
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Notice also Ezekiel
23:40. Ezekiel 23:40.
00:11:36.24\00:11:43.34
It speaks about
Israel garbing herself.
00:11:43.37\00:11:46.26
Of course, this
is symbolic language.
00:11:46.29\00:11:48.68
Israel is represented
as an apostate woman.
00:11:48.71\00:11:52.66
Notice what we
find in Ezekiel 23:40.
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"Furthermore you sent
for men to come from afar,
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to whom a messenger was
sent, and there they came.
00:12:01.67\00:12:06.65
And you washed yourself
for them, painted your eyes,
00:12:06.68\00:12:11.76
and adorned
yourself with ornaments."
00:12:11.79\00:12:15.99
In other words, Israel was
decked with gold and silver
00:12:16.02\00:12:21.11
and precious stones
that God had created
00:12:21.14\00:12:24.86
for His glory not for her glory.
00:12:24.89\00:12:29.02
Notice also Ezekiel 16:32
00:12:29.05\00:12:33.16
where Israel is described
as "God's unfaithful wife."
00:12:33.19\00:12:38.59
It says there, "You
are an adulterous wife,
00:12:38.62\00:12:44.22
who takes strangers
instead of her husband."
00:12:44.25\00:12:50.02
Do you see that there's
fornication going on here?
00:12:50.05\00:12:53.41
You see, they are assimilating
00:12:53.44\00:12:54.98
the practices of
the nation's paganism
00:12:55.01\00:12:58.13
including the
worship of the sun.
00:12:58.16\00:13:00.40
And they have these
illicit relationships
00:13:00.43\00:13:02.83
with the kings
of that time period.
00:13:02.86\00:13:06.53
Also, we're told
00:13:06.56\00:13:11.34
that Israel was
trampling on the sanctuary
00:13:11.37\00:13:15.39
and they were trampling
upon God's holy Sabbath.
00:13:15.42\00:13:20.64
By the way, in
case you're wondering,
00:13:20.67\00:13:22.43
the Book of Ezekiel was written
approximately the year 597 BC.
00:13:22.46\00:13:29.00
This is several years
before Jerusalem was destroyed.
00:13:29.03\00:13:32.66
So everything we're
reading from Ezekiel
00:13:32.69\00:13:34.72
is describing the
condition of Israel
00:13:34.75\00:13:36.82
before the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:13:36.85\00:13:39.21
We're not taking
anything out of context.
00:13:39.24\00:13:41.18
God is simply describing
what was taking place.
00:13:41.21\00:13:44.56
Notice Ezekiel 23:28,
00:13:44.59\00:13:47.45
"Trampling on the
sanctuary and on the Sabbath.
00:13:47.48\00:13:50.77
Moreover they
have done this to Me.
00:13:50.80\00:13:54.12
They have defiled My
sanctuary on the same day
00:13:54.15\00:13:58.92
and profaned My Sabbaths."
00:13:58.95\00:14:03.12
So you notice that they're
trampling on the sanctuary
00:14:03.15\00:14:05.52
and they're profaning
the Sabbath of the Lord.
00:14:05.55\00:14:09.87
By the way,
Israel was also shedding
00:14:09.90\00:14:13.19
innocent blood in her midst.
00:14:13.22\00:14:15.91
She had become a
persecutor against those
00:14:15.94\00:14:19.33
who did not agree
with her apostate religion.
00:14:19.36\00:14:23.44
Notice Ezekiel
16:38, Ezekiel 16:38
00:14:23.47\00:14:29.64
and I'm reading this text from
the New International Version
00:14:29.67\00:14:32.42
because it's slightly clearer
than the New King James Version.
00:14:32.45\00:14:36.17
It says there,
"I will sentence you
00:14:36.20\00:14:40.45
to the punishment of
women who commit adultery
00:14:40.48\00:14:44.35
and who do"
what? "Who shed blood.
00:14:44.38\00:14:48.87
I will bring upon
you the blood vengeance
00:14:48.90\00:14:52.19
of my wrath and jealous anger."
00:14:52.22\00:14:56.53
And so Israel was guilty
00:14:56.56\00:14:59.02
of shedding the
blood of the innocent.
00:14:59.05\00:15:02.10
In fact, Jesus referred to this
00:15:02.13\00:15:04.08
in Matthew
Chapter 23 where He says,
00:15:04.11\00:15:06.59
"How many of the prophets
00:15:06.62\00:15:08.94
and the holy men of
old did you not kill?"
00:15:08.97\00:15:12.39
Jesus was
speaking about this period,
00:15:12.42\00:15:15.48
before the Babylonian captivity.
00:15:15.51\00:15:17.95
He also referred to it in
the parable, you remember,
00:15:17.98\00:15:21.03
of the vineyard that
we already studied where,
00:15:21.06\00:15:23.97
you know, messengers
were sent, they were killed.
00:15:24.00\00:15:27.70
Further messengers were sent
00:15:27.73\00:15:29.26
after the
captivity, they were killed.
00:15:29.29\00:15:31.79
Finally, God sent
His Son and He said,
00:15:31.82\00:15:35.21
"They'll respect my son,
but they killed Him also."
00:15:35.24\00:15:38.52
In other words,
Israel was guilty
00:15:38.55\00:15:40.68
of the blood of
God's faithful people.
00:15:40.71\00:15:44.79
And how did the people
look upon this apostasy?
00:15:44.82\00:15:48.30
Who was really to
blame for this apostasy?
00:15:48.33\00:15:51.80
It was the
leaders, but the people
00:15:51.83\00:15:54.56
were very well
satisfied with it.
00:15:54.59\00:15:56.89
By the way, Jeremiah also wrote
00:15:56.92\00:15:59.29
right before the
Babylonian captivity.
00:15:59.32\00:16:01.58
Notice Jeremiah
5:31. Jeremiah 5:31.
00:16:01.61\00:16:07.43
We read this in another context
00:16:07.46\00:16:09.36
in a previous lecture,
but let's read it again.
00:16:09.39\00:16:12.22
It says there,
00:16:12.25\00:16:14.31
"The prophets prophesy
falsely, and the priests,"
00:16:14.34\00:16:21.64
they would be called
ministers by the way, today.
00:16:21.67\00:16:24.19
"And the priests
rule by their own power."
00:16:24.22\00:16:28.91
And then the sad
part of the verse says,
00:16:28.94\00:16:31.44
"And My people
love to have it so."
00:16:31.47\00:16:36.95
So the religious
leaders were actually
00:16:36.98\00:16:39.26
to blame for the
apostasy of the people.
00:16:39.29\00:16:42.22
But the people also had blamed
00:16:42.25\00:16:44.20
because they love to have it so.
00:16:44.23\00:16:46.83
They didn't mind. Now because
Israel was in this apostasy,
00:16:46.86\00:16:51.59
she had broken her
wedding vows, God said,
00:16:51.62\00:16:55.24
"I am going to pour
out upon you My wrath."
00:16:55.27\00:17:00.83
Notice Ezekiel 23:32.
00:17:00.86\00:17:04.42
Ezekiel 23:32, God
is speaking about Israel
00:17:04.45\00:17:09.20
drinking the cup of
His wrath. It says there,
00:17:09.23\00:17:13.80
"You have walked in the
way of your sister, therefore,"
00:17:13.83\00:17:18.38
it's speaking about
Samaria by the way here.
00:17:18.41\00:17:20.66
The sister of Judah was Samaria.
00:17:20.69\00:17:23.41
And Samaria had already
been destroyed at this point.
00:17:23.44\00:17:26.49
"You have walked in
the way of your sister.
00:17:26.52\00:17:29.24
Therefore, I will
put her cup in your hand.
00:17:29.27\00:17:33.87
"Thus says the Lord God,
00:17:33.90\00:17:35.75
'You shall drink
of your sister's cup,
00:17:35.78\00:17:39.40
the deep and wide one.
00:17:39.43\00:17:42.10
You shall be laughed to
scorn and held in derision.
00:17:42.13\00:17:48.13
It contains much.'"
00:17:48.16\00:17:50.73
Notice that
they were gonna drink
00:17:50.76\00:17:52.20
the cup of the wrath of
God because of their apostasy.
00:17:52.23\00:17:57.28
And God promised
that the destruction
00:17:57.31\00:17:59.21
was going to come from
the four corners of the earth.
00:17:59.24\00:18:02.07
That's important.
Notice Ezekiel Chapter 7
00:18:02.10\00:18:05.02
and we're gonna read a
rather extensive passage here.
00:18:05.05\00:18:08.06
Ezekiel 7:1-8,
where God is describing
00:18:08.09\00:18:12.20
what's going to
happen to Jerusalem
00:18:12.23\00:18:14.41
because of her apostasy.
00:18:14.44\00:18:16.54
It says there in Ezekiel 7:1,
00:18:16.57\00:18:21.09
"Moreover the word
of the Lord came to me,
00:18:21.12\00:18:24.09
saying, 'And you, son of man,
00:18:24.12\00:18:27.76
thus says the Lord God to
the land of Israel, an end!
00:18:27.79\00:18:33.00
The end has come upon the
four corners of the land.'"
00:18:33.03\00:18:37.63
I want you to
remember that expression.
00:18:37.66\00:18:39.37
The end is coming upon what?
The four corners of the land.
00:18:39.40\00:18:44.56
"Now the end has come upon you,
00:18:44.59\00:18:46.91
and I will send
My anger against you.
00:18:46.94\00:18:48.89
I will judge you
according to your ways,
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.73
and I will repay
you for all your,"
00:18:51.76\00:18:54.68
there's the
keyword, "abominations."
00:18:54.71\00:18:57.33
My eye will not spare
you, nor will I have pity.
00:18:57.36\00:19:00.59
But I will repay
your ways, and your,"
00:19:00.62\00:19:04.03
there is the keyword again,
00:19:04.06\00:19:05.43
"abominations,
will be in your midst.
00:19:05.46\00:19:08.01
Then you shall
know that I am the Lord.
00:19:08.04\00:19:12.33
Thus says the Lord God,
00:19:12.36\00:19:13.83
'A disaster, a
singular disaster,
00:19:13.86\00:19:16.35
behold, it has come.
00:19:16.38\00:19:18.13
An end has come.
The end has come.
00:19:18.16\00:19:20.80
It has dawned for
you. Behold, it has come.
00:19:20.83\00:19:24.53
Doom has come to you,
you who dwell in the land.
00:19:24.56\00:19:27.47
The time has come, a
day of trouble is near,
00:19:27.50\00:19:30.16
and not of
rejoicing in the mountains.
00:19:30.19\00:19:32.68
Now upon you I will
soon pour out My fury,
00:19:32.71\00:19:36.63
and spend My anger upon you.
00:19:36.66\00:19:38.80
I will judge you
according to your ways.
00:19:38.83\00:19:40.83
I will repay you for
all your abominations."
00:19:40.86\00:19:45.30
There's the word again.
00:19:45.33\00:19:46.79
Interesting, three
times in this passage
00:19:46.82\00:19:49.67
God says that the
judgment is going to come
00:19:49.70\00:19:52.76
because of
Israel's abominations.
00:19:52.79\00:19:56.31
And we notice that the
destruction is gonna come
00:19:56.34\00:19:59.02
upon the four
corners of the land.
00:19:59.05\00:20:03.06
Very, very important details
00:20:03.09\00:20:04.94
for what we're gonna
look at in a few moments.
00:20:04.97\00:20:08.02
But before the
destruction would come,
00:20:08.05\00:20:10.64
something had to be done.
00:20:10.67\00:20:14.20
There needed to be a
sealing before the destruction
00:20:14.23\00:20:18.79
because not
everyone was practicing
00:20:18.82\00:20:21.32
the abominations in the city.
00:20:21.35\00:20:23.33
There was a faithful remnant.
00:20:23.36\00:20:25.21
And so God needed to
separate the faithful remnant
00:20:25.24\00:20:28.44
from the unfaithful
before the destruction came
00:20:28.47\00:20:31.54
so that He could
preserve His people
00:20:31.57\00:20:34.18
in the midst of destruction.
00:20:34.21\00:20:36.23
Is this exactly what happened
at the time of the flood?
00:20:36.26\00:20:39.74
When God closed the
door, did He seal that door?
00:20:39.77\00:20:43.26
And God's people were safe
and sound from the destruction
00:20:43.29\00:20:47.20
and from the anger of
their enemies? Absolutely.
00:20:47.23\00:20:50.64
And in Ezekiel, not everyone is
committing these abominations,
00:20:50.67\00:20:54.75
so God is gonna say,
"Before the destruction comes
00:20:54.78\00:20:57.09
upon the four
corners of the land,
00:20:57.12\00:20:59.16
I'm going to seal my faithful
people on their foreheads."
00:20:59.19\00:21:04.87
Does that ring a bell?
00:21:04.90\00:21:06.71
Notice Ezekiel
9:1-6. Ezekiel 9:1-6.
00:21:06.74\00:21:13.83
"Then He called
out in my hearing
00:21:13.86\00:21:15.68
with a loud voice, saying,
00:21:15.71\00:21:18.25
'Let those who have
charge over the city draw near,
00:21:18.28\00:21:21.87
each with a deadly
weapon in his hand.'"
00:21:21.90\00:21:25.09
This is speaking
about the angels.
00:21:25.12\00:21:27.35
"And suddenly six men came
00:21:27.38\00:21:29.52
from the
direction of the upper gate,
00:21:29.55\00:21:31.47
which faces north, each
with his battle-axe in his hand.
00:21:31.50\00:21:36.33
One man among them
was clothed with linen."
00:21:36.36\00:21:39.09
By the way,
this is Jesus Christ.
00:21:39.12\00:21:41.01
"And had a writer's
inkhorn at his side.
00:21:41.04\00:21:44.35
They went in and stood
beside the bronze altar.
00:21:44.38\00:21:48.53
Now the glory of the
God of Israel had gone up
00:21:48.56\00:21:50.85
from the cherub,
where it had been,
00:21:50.88\00:21:53.38
to the threshold of the temple.
00:21:53.41\00:21:55.65
And He called to the
man clothed with linen,
00:21:55.68\00:21:58.53
who had the
writer's inkhorn at his side,
00:21:58.56\00:22:01.29
and the Lord said to him,
00:22:01.32\00:22:03.40
'Go through the
midst of the city,'"
00:22:03.43\00:22:05.78
which city? Is this
dealing with the pagans?
00:22:05.81\00:22:10.76
Is this sealing taking place?
00:22:10.79\00:22:12.35
Is it sealing God's people
and not sealing the pagans?
00:22:12.38\00:22:16.92
No, it's dealing with
the sealing of God's people
00:22:16.95\00:22:21.34
that are among people
who claim to be God's people.
00:22:21.37\00:22:25.16
Are you following me?
00:22:25.19\00:22:26.64
Notice, "Go through
the midst of the city,
00:22:26.67\00:22:29.59
through the midst of Jerusalem,
00:22:29.62\00:22:32.36
and put a mark on
the foreheads of the men
00:22:32.39\00:22:38.79
who sigh and cry over
all the," there is again,
00:22:38.82\00:22:44.62
"the abominations
that are done within it.
00:22:44.65\00:22:50.51
So to the others
He said in my hearing,
00:22:50.54\00:22:53.55
'Go after him
through the city and kill.
00:22:53.58\00:22:57.13
Do not let your eye
spare, nor have any pity.
00:22:57.16\00:23:01.71
Utterly slay old and young men,
00:23:01.74\00:23:03.82
maidens and little
children and women,
00:23:03.85\00:23:08.11
but do not come near
anyone on whom is the mark.
00:23:08.14\00:23:14.84
And begin at My sanctuary.'
00:23:14.87\00:23:18.54
So they began with the elders
who were before the temple."
00:23:18.57\00:23:22.69
Who did the angel begin with?
00:23:22.72\00:23:26.30
They began with the leaders,
00:23:26.33\00:23:29.95
the spiritual
leaders of the people
00:23:29.98\00:23:32.30
that ministered
in the sanctuary.
00:23:32.33\00:23:34.24
Those individuals
that had mislead Israel.
00:23:34.27\00:23:36.67
And, of course,
Israel loved to have it so.
00:23:36.70\00:23:41.05
Now it's interesting to notice
00:23:41.08\00:23:42.45
that God had told
Israel through Jeremiah,
00:23:42.48\00:23:46.24
that if they kept the Sabbath,
Jerusalem would never fall.
00:23:46.27\00:23:50.41
It's said very clearly
in Jeremiah Chapter 17.
00:23:50.44\00:23:53.95
But He also warned them
00:23:53.98\00:23:55.58
that if they did not
keep His holy Sabbath,
00:23:55.61\00:23:58.32
Jerusalem would be destroyed.
00:23:58.35\00:24:01.19
Notice Jeremiah
17:27. Jeremiah 17:27.
00:24:01.22\00:24:09.19
Here God is speaking
about Israel and He says this
00:24:09.22\00:24:15.02
"But if you will not heed
Me to hallow the Sabbath day,
00:24:15.05\00:24:21.42
such as not carrying a burden
00:24:21.45\00:24:23.23
when entering the gates of
Jerusalem on the Sabbath day,
00:24:23.26\00:24:27.52
then I will kindle
a fire in its gates,
00:24:27.55\00:24:31.85
and it shall devour
the palaces of Jerusalem,
00:24:31.88\00:24:35.40
and it shall not be quenched."
00:24:35.43\00:24:39.82
Was the destruction
of Jerusalem directly
00:24:39.85\00:24:42.49
due to Sabbath desecration,
according to Jeremiah?
00:24:42.52\00:24:46.02
Among other things, yes,
00:24:46.05\00:24:47.81
but this was one
of the main reasons.
00:24:47.84\00:24:50.35
And a little
earlier in this chapter,
00:24:50.38\00:24:52.14
God says, "If
you keep my Sabbath,
00:24:52.17\00:24:55.31
the gates of
Jerusalem will remain open
00:24:55.34\00:24:57.75
and this city will remain
forever," is what God said.
00:24:57.78\00:25:02.41
In fact, in Ezekiel 20:12,
00:25:02.44\00:25:05.34
we find God saying to Israel
00:25:05.37\00:25:08.08
that He gave them
the Sabbath as a sign
00:25:08.11\00:25:12.09
that He is the God
who sanctified them
00:25:12.12\00:25:15.20
and that He was their true God.
00:25:15.23\00:25:17.47
Notice Ezekiel 20:12,
00:25:17.50\00:25:20.66
"Moreover I also
gave them My Sabbaths
00:25:20.69\00:25:25.12
to be a sign
between them and Me."
00:25:25.15\00:25:29.45
What was the sign? The Sabbath.
00:25:29.48\00:25:33.10
"That they might know
00:25:33.13\00:25:34.55
that I am the Lord
who sanctifies them."
00:25:34.58\00:25:39.24
So God gave the
Sabbath as the sign
00:25:39.27\00:25:42.34
between Him and His
people. And He said,
00:25:42.37\00:25:45.10
"Keep my Sabbath and
Jerusalem shall stand forever."
00:25:45.13\00:25:50.39
But instead we read that Israel
trampled upon the Sabbath.
00:25:50.42\00:25:54.86
And as a result, instead
of worshiping the Creator,
00:25:54.89\00:25:58.59
they worshiped the sun
with their faces to the east,
00:25:58.62\00:26:03.16
and with their
backs to the Lord.
00:26:03.19\00:26:05.08
You see, to worship the sun
00:26:05.11\00:26:07.02
is to turn your
back to the Lord,
00:26:07.05\00:26:09.48
according to what
Ezekiel has to say.
00:26:09.51\00:26:12.61
Now it's interesting
to notice how God said
00:26:12.64\00:26:15.12
Israel was gonna come to an end
00:26:15.15\00:26:16.90
at the Babylonia captivity.
00:26:16.93\00:26:18.95
Notice Ezekiel
16:39. Ezekiel 16:39.
00:26:18.98\00:26:26.37
What we're told
is that the kings
00:26:26.40\00:26:29.24
with which Israel fornicated,
00:26:29.27\00:26:31.44
were gonna be the very
ones who would turn against her,
00:26:31.47\00:26:34.70
and they would make her naked,
00:26:34.73\00:26:36.50
and they would
burn her with fire,
00:26:36.53\00:26:38.57
and they would destroy her,
00:26:38.60\00:26:40.10
the very kings that she was
committing fornication with.
00:26:40.13\00:26:44.68
Notice Ezekiel 16:39.
00:26:44.71\00:26:48.74
God says, "I will also
give you into their hand."
00:26:48.77\00:26:53.53
That is into the
hand of the kings.
00:26:53.56\00:26:55.25
"And they shall
throw down your shrines
00:26:55.28\00:26:58.18
and break down your high places.
00:26:58.21\00:27:00.83
They shall also
strip you of your clothes,
00:27:00.86\00:27:04.91
take your beautiful jewelry,
00:27:04.94\00:27:07.36
and leave you naked and bare.
00:27:07.39\00:27:13.51
Does that kind of ring a bell?
00:27:13.54\00:27:15.95
Is there anything in Revelation
about the kings of the earth
00:27:15.98\00:27:19.08
turning against the
harlot and making her naked
00:27:19.11\00:27:22.90
and burning her
with fire? Absolutely.
00:27:22.93\00:27:26.76
Now we've noticed
the Old Testament story.
00:27:26.79\00:27:29.49
Now we need to
go to the end time
00:27:29.52\00:27:32.26
because we're
discussing The Final Abomination
00:27:32.29\00:27:34.76
in the light of what
happened in connection
00:27:34.79\00:27:37.29
with the first
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:27:37.32\00:27:41.30
I want us to go now
00:27:41.33\00:27:42.70
to the Book of Revelation
12:1. Revelation 12:1.
00:27:42.73\00:27:50.18
Here the church of
Jesus is described as a woman
00:27:50.21\00:27:54.82
who is clothed with the sun
and the moon is under her feet.
00:27:54.85\00:27:58.65
Notice what it says there.
00:27:58.68\00:28:00.59
"Now a great sign
appeared in heaven,
00:28:00.62\00:28:03.30
a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,"
00:28:03.33\00:28:09.16
and then it says, that she has
00:28:09.19\00:28:10.56
"on her head a crown,"
with what? "With twelve stars."
00:28:10.59\00:28:15.55
What does this woman represent?
00:28:15.58\00:28:18.21
At this point, she represents
the Old Testament church
00:28:18.24\00:28:21.31
because she's with child
00:28:21.34\00:28:22.71
and the child
hasn't been born yet.
00:28:22.74\00:28:24.26
And the child is Jesus.
00:28:24.29\00:28:25.98
Obviously, you can't have
00:28:26.01\00:28:27.38
the New Testament
church before Jesus is born.
00:28:27.41\00:28:29.77
So at this stage we have
00:28:29.80\00:28:31.63
the Old Testament church
from which Jesus was born.
00:28:31.66\00:28:35.03
But in verse 6, the
church has transitioned
00:28:35.06\00:28:38.90
from the Old Testament church
to the New Testament church.
00:28:38.93\00:28:42.52
Notice after Jesus ascends
to heaven, according to verse 6.
00:28:42.55\00:28:46.57
"Then the woman
fled into the wilderness,
00:28:46.60\00:28:49.97
where she has a
place prepared by God,
00:28:50.00\00:28:52.76
that they should feed her there
00:28:52.79\00:28:54.68
one thousand two
hundred and sixty days."
00:28:54.71\00:28:58.93
This is the period
of papal oppression.
00:28:58.96\00:29:01.55
This is the period which
we know as the dark ages.
00:29:01.58\00:29:04.66
When the woman or the
church had to flee to the desert
00:29:04.69\00:29:08.76
to escape being
destroyed and blotted out
00:29:08.79\00:29:12.47
from the face of the earth.
00:29:12.50\00:29:14.06
So the woman here
represents the church.
00:29:14.09\00:29:17.11
In fact, in Ephesians
5:25 if you go there with me.
00:29:17.14\00:29:21.87
Ephesians 5:25, God
describes His relationship
00:29:21.90\00:29:26.11
with His people with
the symbol of marriage.
00:29:26.14\00:29:29.09
Notice Ephesians 5:25.
00:29:29.12\00:29:34.82
"Husbands, love your wives,
00:29:34.85\00:29:38.33
just as Christ
also loved the church
00:29:38.36\00:29:42.42
and gave Himself for her."
00:29:42.45\00:29:45.49
Do you see the comparison here?
00:29:45.52\00:29:47.04
Husbands are to
love their wives,
00:29:47.07\00:29:50.15
even as Jesus the husband
loved what? Loved the church.
00:29:50.18\00:29:55.10
So once again the relationship
between Jesus and His church
00:29:55.13\00:29:59.10
is illustrated by marriage
00:29:59.13\00:30:01.95
just like in the
Old Testament story.
00:30:01.98\00:30:05.77
However, the Book of
Revelation speaks of the fact
00:30:05.80\00:30:09.28
that apart from a small remnant,
00:30:09.31\00:30:12.23
the church at the end of time
00:30:12.26\00:30:14.43
is gonna be in
the same condition
00:30:14.46\00:30:16.12
that it was before Babylon
came to destroy Jerusalem.
00:30:16.15\00:30:21.26
Notice Revelation
Chapter 17. Revelation 17:1.
00:30:21.29\00:30:27.56
And you tell me if
this is similar terminology
00:30:27.59\00:30:30.31
to what we've already studied.
00:30:30.34\00:30:31.71
Revelation 17:1, "Then
one of the seven angels
00:30:31.74\00:30:38.11
who had the seven bowls
came and talked with me,
00:30:38.14\00:30:41.88
saying to me, 'Come,
00:30:41.91\00:30:43.75
I will show you
the judgment of the--'"
00:30:43.78\00:30:48.42
Excuse me, what
does it say next?
00:30:48.45\00:30:51.13
"Of the great harlot
who sits on many waters."
00:30:51.16\00:30:56.75
What is this woman
called? The great, what? Harlot.
00:30:56.78\00:31:01.05
Well, I suppose
that this great harlot
00:31:01.08\00:31:05.82
has to represent the Muslims.
00:31:05.85\00:31:11.27
Well, it probably
represents the Hindus then.
00:31:11.30\00:31:16.13
How about the Buddhists?
00:31:16.16\00:31:18.44
No, what does
this harlot represent?
00:31:18.47\00:31:22.33
It represents
the church of Christ
00:31:22.36\00:31:25.53
that has become what? Corrupted.
00:31:25.56\00:31:30.21
We're gonna notice
a series of parallels
00:31:30.24\00:31:32.05
that makes that unmistakable.
00:31:32.08\00:31:34.00
That this is talking
about the Christian church
00:31:34.03\00:31:36.03
in the end time
that has become a harlot
00:31:36.06\00:31:40.21
for the same reasons
that Israel became a harlot.
00:31:40.24\00:31:44.66
Notice
Revelation 17:1, once again,
00:31:44.69\00:31:47.84
another detail that we
need to take a look at.
00:31:47.87\00:31:49.63
Not only is this
woman called a great harlot,
00:31:49.66\00:31:53.54
but we're told
that she sits where?
00:31:53.57\00:31:56.21
On many waters. It says,
"Then one of the seven angels
00:31:56.24\00:31:58.91
who had the seven bowls
came and talked with me,
00:31:58.94\00:32:00.83
saying to me, 'Come,
00:32:00.86\00:32:02.23
I will show you the
judgment of the great harlot
00:32:02.26\00:32:04.34
who sits on many waters.'"
00:32:04.37\00:32:07.25
Now what does the
act of sitting mean?
00:32:07.28\00:32:09.59
The act of sitting
means that she what?
00:32:09.62\00:32:12.19
She rules over the many waters.
00:32:12.22\00:32:15.89
Sitting is an act of rulership.
00:32:15.92\00:32:19.12
Now what do the
waters represent?
00:32:19.15\00:32:21.46
Notice Revelation 17:15.
00:32:21.49\00:32:24.80
Revelation 17:15,
"Then he said to me,
00:32:24.83\00:32:30.38
'The waters which you
saw, where the harlot sits,
00:32:30.41\00:32:35.20
are peoples, multitudes,
nations, and tongues.'"
00:32:35.23\00:32:41.24
Let me ask you, is
this harlot church,
00:32:41.27\00:32:44.59
a universal church
at the end of time?
00:32:44.62\00:32:47.64
Yes, because she has
dominion over every nation,
00:32:47.67\00:32:53.11
kindred, tongue, and what?
00:32:53.14\00:32:56.12
And people. And, by the way,
00:32:56.15\00:32:57.77
do you know that in
the Book of Revelation,
00:32:57.80\00:32:59.57
God has a message to
counteract her rulership?
00:32:59.60\00:33:02.70
He also sends a message
to people of every nation,
00:33:02.73\00:33:06.68
kindred, tongue, and people
to warn them about the system.
00:33:06.71\00:33:11.23
Notice Revelation
14:6, 7. Revelation 14:6, 7.
00:33:11.26\00:33:18.24
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:33:18.27\00:33:21.11
having the
everlasting gospel to preach
00:33:21.14\00:33:23.16
to those who dwell on the earth,
00:33:23.19\00:33:24.65
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people,
00:33:24.68\00:33:27.29
saying with a loud voice,
00:33:27.32\00:33:29.07
"Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:33:29.10\00:33:31.22
for the hour of
His judgment has come.
00:33:31.25\00:33:33.46
And worship Him who
made heaven the earth,
00:33:33.49\00:33:36.53
the sea and the
springs of water."
00:33:36.56\00:33:40.38
Is this a universal message?
00:33:40.41\00:33:42.57
Does it go to the
same group of people
00:33:42.60\00:33:44.32
over which the harlot rules?
00:33:44.35\00:33:46.04
Yes, the same
terminology every nation,
00:33:46.07\00:33:49.04
tribe, tongue, and people.
00:33:49.07\00:33:52.29
And so you this--
you have this universal,
00:33:52.32\00:33:54.74
this worldwide apostate church
00:33:54.77\00:33:57.43
represented by a
woman who is a harlot.
00:33:57.46\00:34:00.06
She sits upon the
multitudes of the world.
00:34:00.09\00:34:03.61
In other words, she's in
every country of the world
00:34:03.64\00:34:06.44
and she commits a particular sin
which is very offensive to God
00:34:06.47\00:34:10.33
because the
church is to be married
00:34:10.36\00:34:11.89
only to whom? To Jesus.
00:34:11.92\00:34:14.46
The church is only to
carry out the will of Jesus
00:34:14.49\00:34:18.08
through the power of Jesus.
00:34:18.11\00:34:19.82
The church is not
supposed to get the state
00:34:19.85\00:34:22.47
to do the biddings of God.
00:34:22.50\00:34:24.44
The church is
supposed to have Jesus
00:34:24.47\00:34:26.55
perform the mission of
the church not the state.
00:34:26.58\00:34:29.72
Notice Revelation 17:2,
00:34:29.75\00:34:32.74
one of the
problems with this harlot.
00:34:32.77\00:34:35.65
It says there in verse 2
speaking about the harlot,
00:34:35.68\00:34:39.99
"With whom the kings of
the earth committed--" What?
00:34:40.02\00:34:47.94
Did we find that word
before in Ezekiel? Yes.
00:34:47.97\00:34:53.33
"With whom the
kings of the earth
00:34:53.36\00:34:55.11
committed fornication, and
the inhabitants of the earth
00:34:55.14\00:34:59.67
were made drunk
with the wine of her,"
00:34:59.70\00:35:02.57
there it is again, "with
the wine of her fornication."
00:35:02.60\00:35:07.40
Is this church in the end time
00:35:07.43\00:35:09.07
also going to
fornicate with the kings,
00:35:09.10\00:35:11.31
the political
powers of the earth?
00:35:11.34\00:35:13.60
Is she going to assimilate many
of the religious pagan practices
00:35:13.63\00:35:18.17
that are out there among
all of the nations? Absolutely.
00:35:18.20\00:35:22.73
Now I want you to notice
00:35:22.76\00:35:24.13
another interesting
detail about this harlot.
00:35:24.16\00:35:26.90
Revelation
17:5. Revelation 17:5.
00:35:26.93\00:35:31.39
She's not the only
harlot. She has companions.
00:35:31.42\00:35:36.52
Notice Revelation
17:5, "On her forehead
00:35:36.55\00:35:41.01
a name was written
mystery, Babylon the great."
00:35:41.04\00:35:46.16
Notice this. "The
mother of harlots."
00:35:46.19\00:35:50.88
How many of you know a mother
that's never had children?
00:35:50.91\00:35:56.69
I know women who
have never had children,
00:35:56.72\00:35:58.82
but I don't know the first
mother that never had a child.
00:35:58.85\00:36:02.61
Now if this is
the mother of harlots,
00:36:02.64\00:36:05.31
it must mean that she has what?
00:36:05.34\00:36:08.13
Daughters that were born to
her that share her fornication
00:36:08.16\00:36:14.18
and that want to fornicate
with the kings of the earth.
00:36:14.21\00:36:17.16
Want to get involved,
00:36:17.19\00:36:18.56
in other words, in
the political process.
00:36:18.59\00:36:21.35
Notice the last
part of the verse.
00:36:21.38\00:36:23.83
"And on her forehead a
name was written mystery,
00:36:23.86\00:36:26.29
Babylon the great, the
mother of harlots and of the?"
00:36:26.32\00:36:31.71
There is the word again
00:36:31.74\00:36:33.11
"of the
abominations of the earth."
00:36:33.14\00:36:38.74
By the way,
00:36:38.77\00:36:41.51
amplifies about
these abominations.
00:36:41.54\00:36:44.46
Notice what we find,
00:36:44.49\00:36:46.29
"And on her forehead a
name was written mystery,
00:36:46.32\00:36:48.37
Babylon the great,
the mother of harlots
00:36:48.40\00:36:50.36
and of the
abominations of the earth."
00:36:50.39\00:36:52.64
And if you read verse 4,
00:36:52.67\00:36:54.04
you're gonna notice
that these abominations
00:36:54.07\00:36:55.99
are found in a cup.
00:36:56.02\00:37:00.05
And what is that
the cup contains?
00:37:00.08\00:37:03.20
The cup contains wine.
00:37:03.23\00:37:05.27
So the wine is
composed of her abominations.
00:37:05.30\00:37:10.77
Now you say
00:37:10.80\00:37:12.17
what are the abominations
of the end time Babylon?
00:37:12.20\00:37:14.48
We don't have time to
read all of the verses
00:37:14.51\00:37:16.06
so I'm just gonna
share them with you.
00:37:16.09\00:37:19.59
In the Bible,
"idolatry" is called
00:37:19.62\00:37:22.47
an abomination to
the Lord, many times.
00:37:22.50\00:37:25.57
For example,
Deuteronomy 7:25 and 26
00:37:25.60\00:37:28.22
speaks of idolatry as
an abomination to God.
00:37:28.25\00:37:30.94
So any church
that would have idols
00:37:30.97\00:37:33.24
before which people bow
would fit within this category.
00:37:33.27\00:37:38.30
Another thing that is
spoken of as abomination
00:37:38.33\00:37:41.17
is claiming to be able
to speak with the dead.
00:37:41.20\00:37:45.65
So it has to be
a church that says
00:37:45.68\00:37:47.08
that you can
communicate with the dead,
00:37:47.11\00:37:50.95
even if it means in prayer.
00:37:50.98\00:37:54.22
Have you ever heard
of praying to the saints?
00:37:54.25\00:37:57.03
Praying to Mary. Absolutely.
00:37:57.06\00:38:01.78
Now Deuteronomy
18:9-12 forbids the idea
00:38:01.81\00:38:05.91
of communicating with the dead
00:38:05.94\00:38:07.31
because the Bible says
that the dead know nothing.
00:38:07.34\00:38:12.56
So it has be a
worldwide church that is--
00:38:12.59\00:38:16.05
that believes that
the dead are not dead.
00:38:16.08\00:38:18.78
That they actually
survive at the moment of death.
00:38:18.81\00:38:21.91
A church that
practices idolatry.
00:38:21.94\00:38:24.65
Also, in Proverbs 28:9,
00:38:24.68\00:38:28.12
we are told that
those who turn away
00:38:28.15\00:38:31.03
their ear from hearing the law,
00:38:31.06\00:38:34.42
their prayer is an
abomination to God.
00:38:34.45\00:38:37.08
So to try and get rid of
God's law is an abomination.
00:38:37.11\00:38:42.00
By the way, also the
Bible says that fornication,
00:38:42.03\00:38:46.18
spiritual
fornication is an abomination,
00:38:46.21\00:38:50.12
according to Jeremiah 13:26, 27.
00:38:50.15\00:38:54.57
According to Luke 16:16,
00:38:54.60\00:38:57.09
thinking that you can
be saved by your works
00:38:57.12\00:39:00.25
is an abomination to God.
00:39:00.28\00:39:01.85
So any church that says that
you have to go on pilgrimages
00:39:01.88\00:39:04.93
or you have to pay indulgences
00:39:04.96\00:39:06.34
or you have to do this
and you have to do that
00:39:06.37\00:39:08.24
in order to not
suffer eternal damnation,
00:39:08.27\00:39:14.49
is violating the
fact that Jesus said
00:39:14.52\00:39:16.34
that he who says that he
can be saved by his works,
00:39:16.37\00:39:19.06
this is an abomination.
00:39:19.09\00:39:20.83
Deuteronomy 14:3
says that when people say
00:39:20.86\00:39:25.78
that you can eat any old thing,
00:39:25.81\00:39:27.39
even the foods
that God has forbidden,
00:39:27.42\00:39:30.04
that is an abomination to God,
00:39:30.07\00:39:31.94
eating things
that God has forbidden.
00:39:31.97\00:39:34.74
Shedding innocent
blood is an abomination
00:39:34.77\00:39:38.30
according to Ezekiel 22:2.
00:39:38.33\00:39:41.01
And of course, the
greatest abomination
00:39:41.04\00:39:43.13
that we already
studied is worshiping what?
00:39:43.16\00:39:48.18
Worshipping the sun.
00:39:48.21\00:39:52.42
So we have to look
for a worldwide church
00:39:52.45\00:39:54.44
that fits within
all of these categories.
00:39:54.47\00:39:57.33
These are the abominations
that are in the cup.
00:39:57.36\00:39:59.88
The abominations are the wine.
00:39:59.91\00:40:01.69
And what does this
universal church do?
00:40:01.72\00:40:04.76
It gives its wine to
whom? To all of the nations.
00:40:04.79\00:40:10.24
In other words, it gives her
00:40:10.27\00:40:12.32
false teachings
to all other nations.
00:40:12.35\00:40:15.45
She gives wine to
the kings of earth
00:40:15.48\00:40:18.27
and to the
inhabitants of the earth.
00:40:18.30\00:40:20.04
And as a result,
they become drunk.
00:40:20.07\00:40:24.19
Have any of you ever tried
00:40:24.22\00:40:25.59
to give a Bible
study to a drunkard?
00:40:25.62\00:40:27.42
I tried once.
00:40:31.28\00:40:33.47
I haven't tried again because
their mind can't comprehend,
00:40:33.50\00:40:37.69
can't comprehend
what you're talking about.
00:40:37.72\00:40:40.57
Now apply that spiritually.
00:40:40.60\00:40:42.71
You know, when I talk to
people about the Sabbath,
00:40:42.74\00:40:44.39
I show it clear
as day in Scripture.
00:40:44.42\00:40:47.31
They say, "Well, that's
not what my preacher says.
00:40:47.34\00:40:50.02
Or why does
everybody then keep Sunday?
00:40:50.05\00:40:52.15
Can everybody be wrong?
00:40:52.18\00:40:54.09
Well, didn't Jesus resurrect
on the first day of the week?"
00:40:54.12\00:40:56.56
You have all of these arguments.
00:40:56.59\00:40:58.02
Rational
arguments that they use.
00:40:58.05\00:41:02.49
Are any of these
arguments biblical?
00:41:02.52\00:41:05.06
They're not biblical.
00:41:05.09\00:41:06.96
And yet no matter how
much Scripture you present,
00:41:06.99\00:41:11.24
they fall on deaf ears.
00:41:11.27\00:41:13.26
The reason why is
because they are drunk
00:41:13.29\00:41:16.11
with the wine of Babylon.
00:41:16.14\00:41:18.30
And trying to get the
truth into their minds
00:41:18.33\00:41:20.87
that are drunk
with the wine of Babylon
00:41:20.90\00:41:23.01
is a very difficult thing.
00:41:23.04\00:41:26.69
Now I want you to notice
00:41:26.72\00:41:28.09
how this harlot is
garbed in Revelation 17.
00:41:28.12\00:41:32.15
Notice verse 4 "The woman was
arrayed in purple and scarlet."
00:41:32.18\00:41:39.74
See those two interesting
colors purple and scarlet.
00:41:39.77\00:41:44.75
Did any of you watch the
funeral of John Paul the II?
00:41:44.78\00:41:49.26
How could you
have not watched it?
00:41:49.29\00:41:52.14
It's the only thing
that was on for 2 weeks.
00:41:52.17\00:41:55.41
Did you see how the leaders
of the Roman Catholic Church
00:41:55.44\00:41:58.24
were garbed in purple and what?
00:41:58.27\00:42:01.94
Scarlet and notice,
"And adorned with" what?
00:42:01.97\00:42:06.73
"Gold and precious
stones and pearls."
00:42:06.76\00:42:12.22
Does that sound
like Ezekiel? Certainly.
00:42:12.25\00:42:16.26
And it says here,
"Having in her hand
00:42:16.29\00:42:19.33
a golden cup
full of abominations
00:42:19.36\00:42:23.48
and the filthiness
of her fornication."
00:42:23.51\00:42:27.39
Let me ask you, are the hands
of this woman stained in blood?
00:42:27.42\00:42:32.93
Yes, they are.
00:42:32.96\00:42:34.33
Notice Revelation
17:6. Revelation 17:6.
00:42:34.36\00:42:39.61
It says there, "I saw the woman,
00:42:39.64\00:42:43.18
drunk with the
blood of the saints
00:42:43.21\00:42:46.99
and with the blood
of the martyrs of Jesus.
00:42:47.02\00:42:50.57
And when I saw her, I
marveled with great amazement."
00:42:50.60\00:42:56.37
Is there any
doubt as to which church
00:42:56.40\00:43:00.08
this is pointing to when we
look at the characteristics?
00:43:00.11\00:43:04.65
Absolutely not.
Daughters were born from her.
00:43:04.68\00:43:08.90
She's decked
with gold and silver.
00:43:08.93\00:43:11.57
She uses purple and scarlet.
00:43:11.60\00:43:15.01
She gives her false
teachings to the world.
00:43:15.04\00:43:20.00
There's just too
many characteristics
00:43:20.03\00:43:21.95
to not be able to
identify this system
00:43:21.98\00:43:25.29
which is spoken
of in Bible prophecy.
00:43:25.32\00:43:28.07
And yet it is a church
that claims to be what?
00:43:28.10\00:43:31.77
Claims to be Christian.
00:43:31.80\00:43:33.73
And yet it is full of
abominations and fornications
00:43:33.76\00:43:37.93
and illicit relationships
with the kings of the earth.
00:43:37.96\00:43:42.77
Therefore God said,
00:43:42.80\00:43:44.49
"I am going to come
and I'm going to destroy."
00:43:44.52\00:43:48.50
Notice Revelation
6:14-17. Revelation 6:14-17.
00:43:48.53\00:43:55.14
It's speaking about
the coming of Jesus.
00:43:55.17\00:43:56.69
It says, "Then the sky receded
00:43:56.72\00:43:58.28
as a scroll
when it is rolled up,
00:43:58.31\00:44:00.65
and every mountain and island
was moved out of its place.
00:44:00.68\00:44:03.37
And the kings of the
earth, the great men,
00:44:03.40\00:44:05.49
the rich men, the commanders,
00:44:05.52\00:44:06.89
the mighty men, every
slave and every free man,
00:44:06.92\00:44:09.81
hid themselves in the caves and
in the rocks of the mountains,
00:44:09.84\00:44:13.37
and said to the
mountains and rocks,
00:44:13.40\00:44:15.75
"Fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him
00:44:15.78\00:44:18.55
who sits on the throne and
from the wrath of the Lamb.
00:44:18.58\00:44:21.65
For the great day
of His wrath has come,
00:44:21.68\00:44:23.83
and who is able to stand?"
00:44:23.86\00:44:27.82
So there's destruction coming.
00:44:27.85\00:44:30.08
But before destruction
comes, what is God going to do?
00:44:30.11\00:44:35.62
What did He do in
the Book of Ezekiel?
00:44:35.65\00:44:38.38
He separated His people by
placing a seal on their what?
00:44:38.41\00:44:44.16
On their foreheads
because they sighed and cried
00:44:44.19\00:44:48.04
because of the abominations
they were being committed
00:44:48.07\00:44:51.02
among God's professed people.
00:44:51.05\00:44:54.00
Notice that immediately after
this picture of destruction
00:44:54.03\00:44:57.30
that I just read
from Revelation 6,
00:44:57.33\00:45:00.30
you have the sealing.
00:45:00.33\00:45:03.15
Notice Revelation 7:1-3.
00:45:03.18\00:45:06.90
Revelation 7:1-3.
00:45:06.93\00:45:11.60
"After these
things I saw four angels
00:45:11.63\00:45:14.05
standing at the four
corners of the earth."
00:45:14.08\00:45:15.91
Does that ring a bell,
the four corners of the earth?
00:45:15.94\00:45:19.04
See when the
angels release the winds
00:45:19.07\00:45:20.90
from the four
corners what comes?
00:45:20.93\00:45:22.84
A cataclysm, destruction,
just like it says in Ezekiel.
00:45:22.87\00:45:28.59
It says that they were "Holding
the four winds of the earth,
00:45:28.62\00:45:30.90
that the wind should
not blow on the earth,
00:45:30.93\00:45:32.92
on the sea, or on any tree."
00:45:32.95\00:45:34.54
This is before the destruction.
00:45:34.57\00:45:36.70
"Then I saw another
angel ascending from the east."
00:45:36.73\00:45:39.39
This is the man
clothed in linen by the way.
00:45:39.42\00:45:41.61
"Having the seal
of the living God.
00:45:41.64\00:45:43.76
And He cried with a
loud voice to the four angels
00:45:43.79\00:45:46.57
to whom it was granted to harm
the earth and the sea, saying,
00:45:46.60\00:45:49.35
'Do not harm the earth, the sea,
or the trees till we have sealed
00:45:49.38\00:45:55.06
the servants of our
God in their foreheads.'"
00:45:55.09\00:45:59.86
So is God going to
separate His people
00:45:59.89\00:46:02.49
and seal them before
the destruction comes?
00:46:02.52\00:46:05.17
Absolutely, so that when
the general rule ruin comes,
00:46:05.20\00:46:09.08
they will not be destroyed.
00:46:09.11\00:46:14.07
Now the question
is what is this mark?
00:46:14.10\00:46:17.40
Well, let's
notice Revelation 13:16.
00:46:17.43\00:46:22.21
Revelation 13:16,
I want you to notice
00:46:22.24\00:46:25.39
that the mark of
the beast is in contrast
00:46:25.42\00:46:27.58
to the seal of God.
00:46:27.61\00:46:29.21
Both of them are
placed on the forehead.
00:46:29.24\00:46:31.79
Now notice Revelation 13:16.
00:46:31.82\00:46:35.19
Speaking about the
mark of the beast it says,
00:46:35.22\00:46:37.99
"He causes all,
both small and great,
00:46:38.02\00:46:42.71
rich and poor, free
and slave, to receive,"
00:46:42.74\00:46:48.17
A what?
00:46:48.20\00:46:49.57
"A mark on the right
hand or on their foreheads."
00:46:49.60\00:46:56.96
Now is this in
contrast to the seal
00:46:56.99\00:46:59.26
that God places on the forehead?
00:46:59.29\00:47:00.79
Yes. Notice in Chapter 14:1.
00:47:00.82\00:47:04.11
Right after this verse,
we find the other group.
00:47:04.14\00:47:08.13
It says in Revelation 14:1,
00:47:08.16\00:47:10.53
"Then I looked, and behold,
a Lamb standing on Mount Zion,
00:47:10.56\00:47:15.90
and with Him one
hundred and forty-four thousand,
00:47:15.93\00:47:19.26
having His
Father's name written"
00:47:19.29\00:47:22.25
Where? "Written
on their foreheads."
00:47:22.28\00:47:27.63
So whatever the
mark of the beast is,
00:47:27.66\00:47:29.73
it is in contrast to what?
00:47:29.76\00:47:32.03
To the seal of God
00:47:32.06\00:47:33.43
because they're spoken of
one right after the other.
00:47:33.46\00:47:37.12
Now going back to
the Book of Ezekiel,
00:47:37.15\00:47:40.37
what came
immediately before Ezekiel 9:1
00:47:40.40\00:47:44.83
where the sealing is spoken of?
00:47:44.86\00:47:47.26
You go to the previous
chapter to verse 16 and 17.
00:47:47.29\00:47:51.00
Don't miss this point.
00:47:51.03\00:47:52.86
You go back to the previous
chapter verses 16 and 17
00:47:52.89\00:47:56.54
immediately before the
sealing of God's people
00:47:56.57\00:47:59.17
on their foreheads and
what does it speak about?
00:47:59.20\00:48:02.16
It speaks about the
leaders of God's house
00:48:02.19\00:48:08.60
kneeling and
worshiping the sun to the east
00:48:08.63\00:48:13.15
with their backs to God.
00:48:13.18\00:48:15.54
In other words,
the seal is in contrast
00:48:15.57\00:48:19.07
to the abomination
of worshiping what?
00:48:19.10\00:48:22.19
Of worshiping the sun.
00:48:22.22\00:48:24.60
Now you say,
"Now, wait a minute.
00:48:24.63\00:48:26.15
There is no Christians
today who worship the sun."
00:48:26.18\00:48:31.01
True enough, but
there are Christians
00:48:31.04\00:48:34.46
who worship on
the day of the sun.
00:48:34.49\00:48:37.18
And you say, "Pastor,
it's not the same thing."
00:48:37.21\00:48:39.04
Yes, it is. You
say, "How is that?"
00:48:39.07\00:48:42.62
Well, let me ask you.
00:48:42.65\00:48:44.49
Who made the sun? God did.
00:48:44.52\00:48:47.02
Did He make it for worship?
00:48:47.05\00:48:48.98
So what happens if you make
it into an object of worship?
00:48:49.01\00:48:51.41
What is that called? Idolatry.
00:48:51.44\00:48:54.26
Who made the
first day of the week?
00:48:54.29\00:48:57.13
Did He make it for worship?
00:48:57.16\00:48:59.01
So what happens if you
make it a day of worship?
00:48:59.04\00:49:01.95
It's idolatry.
00:49:01.98\00:49:03.35
It doesn't matter
whether it's an object
00:49:03.38\00:49:05.44
or whether it's a day.
00:49:05.47\00:49:07.21
Whatever man makes for worship
00:49:07.24\00:49:08.96
in place of what God established
for worship is idolatry.
00:49:08.99\00:49:14.41
And so in the Old Testament,
it was the literal sun.
00:49:14.44\00:49:17.31
At the end of time,
as we've studied before,
00:49:17.34\00:49:19.95
the eagle and the
sun of the United States,
00:49:19.98\00:49:22.23
the abomination that we
found in Matthew Chapter 24,
00:49:22.26\00:49:25.20
it's not gonna
be the literal sun
00:49:25.23\00:49:26.92
because the devil is not gonna
convince Christians to kneel
00:49:26.95\00:49:30.38
and worship the
sun towards the east.
00:49:30.41\00:49:32.36
He's more sophisticated.
00:49:32.39\00:49:34.57
By the way, I want you to notice
a very interesting contrast here
00:49:34.60\00:49:38.25
between Revelation
14:7 and Revelation 14:9.
00:49:38.28\00:49:42.00
The final issue
is about worship.
00:49:42.03\00:49:43.77
Notice Revelation 14:7.
00:49:43.80\00:49:45.97
It says, "saying
with a loud voice,
00:49:46.00\00:49:48.90
'Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:49:48.93\00:49:52.19
for the hour of His
judgment has come.'"
00:49:52.22\00:49:55.16
And now notice "and worship Him
00:49:55.19\00:49:59.14
who made heaven and earth,
00:49:59.17\00:50:01.45
the sea, and the
springs of water."
00:50:01.48\00:50:04.28
In other words,
worship God who is the what?
00:50:04.31\00:50:08.52
Who is the creator.
00:50:08.55\00:50:11.19
But in verse 9, God denounces
the worship of the beast.
00:50:11.22\00:50:17.72
Is that in contrast to
the worship of the creator?
00:50:17.75\00:50:20.73
Absolutely. Notice verse 9.
00:50:20.76\00:50:22.88
It says, "Then a
third angel followed them,
00:50:22.91\00:50:24.46
saying with a loud voice,
00:50:24.49\00:50:25.89
'If anyone worships
the beast and his image,
00:50:25.92\00:50:29.74
and receives the mark on
his forehead or on his hand,
00:50:29.77\00:50:32.60
he himself shall also drink
of the wine of the wrath of God,
00:50:32.63\00:50:36.26
which is poured
out full strength
00:50:36.29\00:50:38.79
into the cup of
His indignation."
00:50:38.82\00:50:41.29
Did we read about the
cup in the Old Testament
00:50:41.32\00:50:43.48
that God was
going to empty His cup
00:50:43.51\00:50:45.63
upon His professed people?
00:50:45.66\00:50:47.16
Absolutely.
00:50:47.19\00:50:48.66
So you see the
contrast is between
00:50:48.69\00:50:50.44
worshiping God, the
Creator and worshiping the beast
00:50:50.47\00:50:53.49
and receiving his mark.
00:50:53.52\00:50:55.15
Now what is the mark of
God? What is the sign of God?
00:50:55.18\00:50:58.15
The Sabbath is
His sign or His seal.
00:50:58.18\00:51:01.65
What is the mark of the beast?
00:51:01.68\00:51:03.05
It must be an opposite mark.
00:51:03.08\00:51:06.09
By the way,
have you ever noticed
00:51:06.12\00:51:07.49
that the final
crisis has to do mainly
00:51:07.52\00:51:09.18
with the first
four commandments?
00:51:09.21\00:51:12.91
The beast claims to be God.
00:51:12.94\00:51:15.92
He raises up an image,
the image to the beast.
00:51:15.95\00:51:20.81
He has a false prophet
who speaks in the name of God.
00:51:20.84\00:51:24.08
He uses the name of God in vain.
00:51:24.11\00:51:26.96
And he claims to
exercise the power
00:51:26.99\00:51:29.25
and prerogatives of the creator
00:51:29.28\00:51:32.27
because he claims worship
in contrast to the creator.
00:51:32.30\00:51:36.66
Now what is God going
to do with this system
00:51:36.69\00:51:38.91
and those who choose to
remain within the system?
00:51:38.94\00:51:41.96
Notice Revelation
17:16. Revelation 17:16.
00:51:41.99\00:51:49.23
Speaking about the kings,
00:51:49.26\00:51:50.64
the ten horns represent
the kings of the world.
00:51:50.67\00:51:53.35
The number 10
represents global extent.
00:51:53.38\00:51:57.17
I don't have
time to get into that,
00:51:57.20\00:51:58.78
so you have to
accept that by faith.
00:51:58.81\00:52:01.21
And I know that some
of you are gonna e-mail me
00:52:01.24\00:52:03.45
and you're gonna
ask me about that
00:52:03.48\00:52:04.85
and I'm gonna
give you the evidence.
00:52:04.88\00:52:06.37
It says there Revelation 17:16,
00:52:06.40\00:52:09.21
"And the ten horns which you
saw on the beast, these will"
00:52:09.24\00:52:14.68
what? "Hate the harlot."
00:52:14.71\00:52:17.80
Before they loved her, right?
00:52:17.83\00:52:19.80
But what are they gonna do?
00:52:19.83\00:52:21.20
They are going to hate
the harlot and make her what?
00:52:21.23\00:52:26.45
Oh, is that a word
that we found in Matthew?
00:52:26.48\00:52:29.24
The abomination
of what? Desolation.
00:52:29.27\00:52:32.40
They will make
her desolate and what?
00:52:32.43\00:52:35.85
Naked, eat her flesh,
and burn her with what? Fire.
00:52:35.88\00:52:43.81
Is that what
happened with Jerusalem
00:52:43.84\00:52:46.11
when Jerusalem was destroyed
00:52:46.14\00:52:47.51
both the first
and the second time?
00:52:47.54\00:52:49.37
Yes, we have studied this.
00:52:49.40\00:52:52.21
Now, folks, God
is not going to leave
00:52:52.24\00:52:55.12
His sincere
people in this system
00:52:55.15\00:52:58.02
either in the
mother or in her daughters.
00:52:58.05\00:53:01.21
He is calling them out today
just like in the Old Testament,
00:53:01.24\00:53:06.09
God wanted to seal His
people before the destruction
00:53:06.12\00:53:09.07
just like he gave a sign
to those who were in Jerusalem
00:53:09.10\00:53:11.83
so that they could
flee and not be destroyed.
00:53:11.86\00:53:14.46
God today is making a
call by those who sigh and cry
00:53:14.49\00:53:20.43
because of the abominations
00:53:20.46\00:53:21.97
that are taking
place in Christendom.
00:53:22.00\00:53:25.21
Notice Revelation 18:1.
00:53:25.24\00:53:27.99
This is the sighing and
crying part in the end time.
00:53:28.02\00:53:32.29
Notice Revelation 18:1,
00:53:32.32\00:53:34.48
"After these
things I saw another angel
00:53:34.51\00:53:36.63
coming down from
heaven, having great authority,
00:53:36.66\00:53:41.17
and the earth was
illuminated with His glory."
00:53:41.20\00:53:45.36
And notice verse 2,
00:53:45.39\00:53:46.77
"And he cried
mightily with a loud voice."
00:53:46.80\00:53:49.78
Is this the
sighing and the crying
00:53:49.81\00:53:51.47
because of the abominations
that are being committed
00:53:51.50\00:53:53.85
among those who
profess God's people?
00:53:53.88\00:53:55.87
Yes, "Saying, 'Babylon the
great is fallen, is fallen,
00:53:55.90\00:54:01.74
and has become a
dwelling place of demons,
00:54:01.77\00:54:04.11
a prison for every foul spirit,
00:54:04.14\00:54:06.48
and a cage for every
unclean and hated bird.'"
00:54:06.51\00:54:10.73
In other words, Babylon
has been filled with what?
00:54:10.76\00:54:14.71
With demons, with the occult.
00:54:14.74\00:54:18.18
And notice verse
3, several key terms.
00:54:18.21\00:54:22.17
"For all the nations have drunk
00:54:22.20\00:54:25.60
of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication."
00:54:25.63\00:54:27.92
There's the keyword.
00:54:27.95\00:54:29.32
"The kings of the earth had
committed fornication with her,
00:54:29.35\00:54:32.79
and the merchants of
the earth have become rich
00:54:32.82\00:54:35.92
through the
abundance of her luxury."
00:54:35.95\00:54:38.88
And then we have this beautiful
call of Revelation 18:4
00:54:38.91\00:54:43.99
just like there was a
sighing and crying in Jerusalem
00:54:44.02\00:54:46.66
so that God's true people
00:54:46.69\00:54:48.32
would not
participate in the abominations.
00:54:48.35\00:54:51.62
As the sealing was taking place,
there was a sighing and crying
00:54:51.65\00:54:55.02
because of what was happening
00:54:55.05\00:54:56.42
among those who
profess to be God's people.
00:54:56.45\00:54:58.36
At the end time, there's
gonna be a sighing and crying
00:54:58.39\00:55:01.63
because of the
condition of the church
00:55:01.66\00:55:03.41
and God is going to give a call
00:55:03.44\00:55:05.21
to His faithful
people to come out.
00:55:05.24\00:55:07.44
So I guess Christendom
is filled with God's people.
00:55:07.47\00:55:11.64
You know, many people
think that the Adventist Church
00:55:11.67\00:55:13.57
believes that only
Adventists are gonna be saved.
00:55:13.60\00:55:16.83
Far from it, we believe
that most of God's true people
00:55:16.86\00:55:20.38
are outside the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:55:20.41\00:55:22.96
We believe that they belong to
00:55:22.99\00:55:24.62
this universal church
that we've talked about.
00:55:24.65\00:55:26.73
They belong to the
daughters. They are out there.
00:55:26.76\00:55:29.10
They don't know the
truth as it is in Jesus.
00:55:29.13\00:55:32.22
But we believe that when
this message is proclaimed,
00:55:32.25\00:55:35.69
they will heed
the call of Jesus,
00:55:35.72\00:55:37.51
and they will come
out, and not participate
00:55:37.54\00:55:39.82
in the abominations of
this end time religious system.
00:55:39.85\00:55:43.44
Notice Revelation 18:4,
00:55:43.47\00:55:47.73
"And I heard another
voice from heaven saying,
00:55:47.76\00:55:52.50
'Come out of her, my people.'"
00:55:52.53\00:55:57.10
Does God have people there?
00:55:57.13\00:55:58.50
Oh, yes, He
does. Praise the Lord.
00:55:58.53\00:56:00.26
"Come out of her, my people,
lest you share in her sins,
00:56:00.29\00:56:05.02
and lest you
receive of her plagues."
00:56:05.05\00:56:10.71
Is there an amazing parallel
between both of these stories?
00:56:10.74\00:56:14.20
It's unbelievable.
00:56:14.23\00:56:16.50
Now allow me to
finish by saying this,
00:56:16.53\00:56:19.63
the final controversy is
not primarily about 2 days,
00:56:19.66\00:56:26.45
it is about two authorities.
00:56:26.48\00:56:30.35
And the days are the way
in which God tests you to see
00:56:30.38\00:56:34.00
whose authority you accept.
00:56:34.03\00:56:36.68
You see, when you keep
the Sabbath, you're saying,
00:56:36.71\00:56:39.52
"I accept God's authority."
00:56:39.55\00:56:41.43
He says, "Keep the seventh day
Sabbath as a sign of Myself."
00:56:41.46\00:56:45.27
Therefore, I keep the Sabbath.
00:56:45.30\00:56:46.67
In this way, I show that
I accept God's authority."
00:56:46.70\00:56:51.37
However, those who worship
the beast and receive his mark,
00:56:51.40\00:56:54.71
they keep the
first day of the week
00:56:54.74\00:56:56.56
which is the sign of
the authority of the beast
00:56:56.59\00:56:58.99
because the beast is the one
00:56:59.02\00:57:00.41
who changed the day
from Sabbath to Sunday.
00:57:00.44\00:57:03.24
So those who choose to follow
the beast and receive the mark
00:57:03.27\00:57:06.78
are actually accepting
the authority of the beast.
00:57:06.81\00:57:11.43
So the issue of
the days is really
00:57:11.46\00:57:14.03
the issue of which
authority will you accept,
00:57:14.06\00:57:19.63
the authority of God,
00:57:19.66\00:57:21.63
the Creator of the
heavens and the earth,
00:57:21.66\00:57:24.01
or the authority of the beast.
00:57:24.04\00:57:26.64
I pray to God that it
will be the authority of God.
00:57:26.67\00:57:29.66