Participants: Pr. Stephen Bohr
Series Code: SMTF
Program Code: SMTF000014
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00:35 Shall we bow our heads for prayer?
00:39 Father in heaven, 00:41 what a privilege it is to be here today 00:43 to study Your word. 00:45 And, Father, we ask that as we open Your book 00:50 that it will not return on to You, Lord. 00:53 But that it might be planted in our minds and in our hearts 00:57 so that in the times ahead, 01:00 we will be available to retrieve 01:02 that which has been placed in our minds and in our hearts. 01:06 And Your words 01:07 might be a strengthening experience for us 01:10 in the time of troubles such as never has been seen 01:13 in the history of the world. 01:15 And so we ask for Your guidance and Your presence 01:18 and we thank you for hearing our prayer, 01:20 for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus, amen. 01:25 I want to begin our study today by reading 01:28 from the Gospel of Matthew 24:15. 01:33 Matthew 24:15. 01:37 We've studied this verse before, 01:39 but now we want to take another look at it 01:42 from a different perspective. 01:44 It says there, 01:46 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' 01:53 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" 01:58 whoever reads, let him understand, 02:01 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." 02:06 "When you see the 'abomination of desolation' 02:10 spoken of by Daniel the prophet." 02:14 Now as we've noted previously in our studies, 02:17 the Gospel of Luke speaks about the abomination of desolation 02:23 with different terminology. 02:26 It does not express it 02:27 as the abomination of desolation. 02:30 It uses a different expression. 02:35 Now I would like to go to Luke 21:20. 02:39 If you go with me there to Luke 21:20, 02:45 you're going to find the same concept 02:49 but in radically different terminology. 02:52 It says there, 02:54 "But when you see Jerusalem," what? 02:59 "Surrounded by armies know then that its" what? 03:05 "That its desolation is near." 03:08 So what is the abomination of desolation 03:11 which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet? 03:14 It has to do with Jerusalem been what? 03:19 Been surrounded with armies. 03:23 So the abomination of desolation is related to Jerusalem 03:27 been surrounded by armies. 03:30 Now we're gonna notice in our study today 03:33 that there are two Jerusalems and there are two Romes. 03:39 One is literal Jerusalem 03:42 which has been spoken of in Luke 21:20. 03:47 The other Jerusalem is spiritual Jerusalem 03:52 also known as the Christian Church. 03:56 There are also two Romes. 03:58 There is the literal Empire of Rome 04:01 which destroyed literal Jerusalem in the year 70. 04:06 But there is also, we're gonna notice in our study of prophecy, 04:09 a spiritual Rome, which represents a church 04:15 that trampled upon the saints 04:18 and trampled upon the sanctuary of God. 04:21 So as we begin I want us to notice 04:23 that there are two Jerusalems. 04:25 There are two Israels and there are two Romes. 04:28 Now I'd like to invite you to turn in your Bibles with me 04:31 to Luke 21 and we want to read verse 24 04:36 the first part of the verse. Luke 21:24. 04:42 We just read about Jerusalem been surrounded by armies. 04:46 Now this portion of verse 24 is gonna describe 04:49 the actual destruction and desolation of Jerusalem. 04:54 It says there, speaking about the literal Jews 04:57 "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, 05:03 and be led away captive into all nations." 05:08 So we find that Jerusalem is surrounded by armies 05:12 and then we're told that 05:14 they will fall by the edge of the sword, 05:17 and they will be led away captive into all nations. 05:22 By the way, Jesus described this event vividly 05:27 in several places in the gospels. 05:30 And I would like to read two of those references 05:33 where Jesus speaks about the destruction 05:35 of literal Jerusalem by literal Rome. 05:40 Notice Luke 19:41-44. 05:44 Luke 19:41-44. 05:49 Here Jesus is nearing the city of Jerusalem 05:52 and notice the words that He pronounces. 05:56 It says "As He drew near, 05:59 He saw the city and wept over it." 06:03 Was He really weeping for the city 06:05 or was He weeping for the people in the city? 06:07 He was weeping for the people. 06:09 I want you to notice here that Jerusalem is personified. 06:13 Do you understand what I mean by personified? 06:15 Jerusalem is treated as if it was a person. 06:19 In other words, it's the people that Jesus is focusing on 06:22 when He speaks of Jerusalem. 06:24 Notice verse 42 saying, "If you" that is Jerusalem 06:30 "had known even you, especially in this your day," 06:35 notice He's still speaking about the city 06:37 "the things that make for your peace." 06:40 That is Jerusalem's peace. 06:42 "But now they are hidden from your eyes." 06:45 He's still speaking about Jerusalem. 06:47 Verse 43 "For the days will come upon you" 06:51 still speaking about Jerusalem. 06:53 "When your enemies will build an embankment around you," 06:57 that is Jerusalem "surround you 07:01 and close you in on every side and level you 07:05 and your children within you to the ground, 07:08 and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, 07:12 because you did not know the time of your visitation." 07:17 Now obviously the literal city of Jerusalem is not conscious 07:22 and therefore it would not know 07:24 or not know the time of the visitation of the Messiah. 07:27 Clearly, Jerusalem is referring to those who claim to serve God. 07:34 It's referring to the people 07:36 that live in the city of Jerusalem. 07:39 Notice also Matthew 23:37-39. 07:45 Matthew 23:37-39. 07:49 Here Jesus once again 07:50 personifies the city of Jerusalem. 07:53 He's speaking about the city, 07:54 yes, but it's primarily the inhabitants of the city 07:57 those who claim to serve the true God. 08:01 Jesus says there, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 08:06 the one who kills the prophets." 08:08 Let me ask you did the city itself kill the prophets? 08:11 Of course not. It was the people. 08:14 Are the people called Jerusalem here? 08:16 Yes, they are. 08:17 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 08:19 the one who kills the prophets 08:22 and stones those who are sent to her. 08:25 How often I wanted to gather your children together, 08:29 as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. 08:33 But you were not willing. 08:36 See, your house is left unto you" what? "Desolate." 08:41 There is one of the keywords. 08:42 Abomination of what? Desolation. 08:45 "Your house is left unto you desolate for I say unto you, 08:49 you shall see me no more till you say, 08:53 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'" 08:58 Now there is another prophecy in the Old Testament 09:01 that speaks about this destruction of Jerusalem. 09:05 It's found in Daniel Chapter 9 09:08 and actually the quotation 09:13 comes from Daniel Chapter 9. 09:16 So what we're doing 09:17 is we're looking for the source 09:21 "When you see the 'abomination of desolation,' 09:23 which was spoken of by" whom? 09:25 "By Daniel the prophet, then those who are in Judea, 09:30 flee to the mountains." 09:31 Now we're going back to the source of the prophecy 09:34 about the abomination of desolation. 09:37 Notice Daniel Chapter 9 09:39 and we're gonna read verses 26 and 27. 09:42 This is speaking about the destruction of Jerusalem 09:45 in the year 70, 09:47 the destruction of literal Jerusalem in the year 70. 09:52 Notice it says here speaking about the 70 weeks 09:55 "And after the 62 weeks Messiah shall be cut off." 10:00 Who is this Messiah? It's Jesus. 10:03 "Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself, 10:07 and the people of the prince who is to come" 10:12 shall do what? "Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, 10:18 the end of it shall be with a flood, 10:22 and till the end of the war 10:24 desolations" are what? "Determined." 10:27 There is the keyword, desolations. 10:30 And you'll notice also that here the Romans come 10:33 and they destroy the city and the sanctuary. 10:37 Is this speaking about literal Jerusalem? 10:40 It most certainly is. 10:41 What was the nation that destroyed literal Jerusalem? 10:45 It was literal Rome. 10:48 It was the Roman Empire. 10:50 Now notice verse 27, 10:52 "Then He shall confirm a covenant" this is the Messiah. 10:56 "The Messiah shall confirm a covenant 10:58 with many for one week. 10:59 This is week number 70 of the 70 weeks. 11:02 But in the middle of the week 11:04 he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering." 11:07 Referring to the death of Jesus Christ. 11:10 And now notice the last part of the verse. 11:13 "And on the wing" of what? "Abominations." 11:17 There is one of the keywords in Matthew 24:15. 11:21 It says "And on the wing of abominations shall be one" 11:24 who makes what? 11:26 There is the other word 11:27 "shall make desolate even until the consummation, 11:30 which is determined is poured out upon" the what? 11:35 "Upon the desolate." 11:39 So let me ask you was the prophecy of Daniel Chapter 9 11:42 fulfilled with the destruction of literal Jerusalem 11:46 by the literal Empire of Rome? 11:49 Absolutely, certainly, yes. 11:52 And Luke underlines the fact when he says 11:55 when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies 11:59 then you can know that its desolation is near. 12:02 And the surrounding of Jerusalem by armies was the abomination 12:07 if you compare with Matthew 24:15. 12:12 But now what I want to show you 12:14 is that there is a second Jerusalem, 12:17 and there is a second Rome. 12:20 The second Jerusalem is not literal Jerusalem 12:22 because literal Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 70. 12:26 This Jerusalem is one that exists 12:30 after the destruction of literal Jerusalem. 12:33 And there is also another Rome. 12:36 It is not literal Rome, it is symbolic Rome. 12:40 And symbolic Rome is also going to come 12:43 and is going to decimate 12:45 and is going to desolate spiritual Jerusalem 12:48 which represents the church. 12:52 Now go with me to Luke Chapter 21:24 12:57 the last half of the verse that we did read before. 13:00 See we read the first half of the verse, 13:01 which speaks about "The literal Jewish falling by the sword 13:05 and being carried away captive to all nations." 13:07 But then that ends with the period. 13:09 And then notice what the second half 13:11 of the verse has to say 13:13 and what I want you to notice 13:14 is that there are four keywords or expressions 13:18 that we need to underline here. 13:20 Four keywords or expressions. 13:23 It says there, "And Jerusalem," 13:27 there is one, one keyword Jerusalem 13:32 "will be" second keyword what? 13:36 "Trampled" don't forget that. 13:39 "Jerusalem will be trampled" by whom? 13:43 Point number three by gentiles, indefinitely forever? No. 13:51 "It says by Gentiles until the" 13:55 point number four "the times of the gentiles 13:59 are" what? "Fulfilled." 14:00 By the way, that word fulfilled means 14:02 until the times of the Gentiles are complete. 14:05 In other words, until the times of the Gentiles comes to an end, 14:10 until this complete period is fulfilled is what it's saying. 14:14 So four key elements that we find here 14:17 in Luke 21:24 the last part. 14:21 We have Jerusalem. 14:22 We have a trampling underfoot. 14:24 We have Gentiles who are the ones who trample 14:28 and we have the times of the Gentiles 14:32 been eventually completed, four key elements. 14:37 Now we want to go to Revelation Chapter 11. 14:40 Go with me to Revelation Chapter 11 14:43 and you're gonna see a striking similarity here 14:46 with what we just read from the Gospel of Luke 21:24 14:53 the second part of the verse. 14:55 Revelation 11:1-4. 14:59 By the way, this is taking place 15:01 during the period of the six trumpet 15:03 which means that it must be taking place 15:06 very well advanced into the history of Christianity. 15:11 It says there in verse 1, 15:12 "Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. 15:16 And the angel stood, saying, 15:20 'Rise and measure the temple of God, 15:24 the altar, and those who worship there.'" 15:28 And now notice the keywords, verse 2, 15:30 "But leave out of the court which is outside the temple, 15:36 and do not measure it." 15:38 In other words don't measure the court of the temple 15:41 just the temple itself and those who worship in it. 15:44 Don't measure the court. 15:47 Notice what he continues saying "For it has been given to" whom? 15:52 Is that one of the keywords in Luke Chapter 21? Yes. 15:56 "It has been given to the Gentiles. 15:58 And they will" what? "Tread." 16:03 Is that trample? Yes, it is. 16:05 It's a cinnamon-- synonym. 16:07 "And they will tread" what? 16:10 "All the holy city" and what is the holy city? Jerusalem. 16:14 Was that in Luke Chapter 21? Yes. 16:17 "They will tread the holy city underfoot 16:22 for 42 months." 16:27 Let me ask you what is the times of the Gentiles? Tell me. 16:34 In the light of the comparison, the parallel is precise, 16:38 what are the times of the Gentiles? 16:41 It is a period of what? 42 months. 16:48 I see some of you a little bit glassy eyed. 16:51 So I'm gonna go over this point again 16:53 because it's extremely important. 16:56 It says once again, 16:59 "For it has been given to the Gentiles" 17:00 there is one point. 17:02 "And they will tread" that is the Gentiles would tread. 17:05 That's point number two." 17:06 The holy city" that's point number three. 17:09 "Underfoot for 42 months." 17:13 But in-- actually in Luke 21:24 17:17 it said that "The Gentiles would trample upon Jerusalem" 17:21 for how long? For the times of the Gentiles. 17:24 So the times of the Gentiles are how long? 17:26 42 months. Exactly. 17:29 Now not only do we have a period of 42 months, 17:35 but it is expressed differently as well. 17:38 In the very next verse in Revelation 11:3, 17:43 this period of 42 months 17:45 is spoken of with different terminology. 17:48 Notice verse 3, 17:49 "And I will give power to my two witnesses." 17:54 What are the two witnesses? 17:55 The two witnesses are the Old and the New Testaments. 17:58 See, every time the Bible is referred to, 18:00 it has to do with twos. 18:01 It is a two-edged sword. 18:04 It has the Old and the New Testament. 18:07 Here it's spoken of as two witnesses. 18:09 The Bible says it's two olive trees. 18:12 There is two because there's one Bible composed of two parts, 18:15 the Old and the New Testament. 18:17 And by the way, the Scriptures give witness to Jesus. 18:19 They are they which testify of Jesus. 18:22 And so it says "And I will give power to my two witnesses, 18:25 and they will prophesy" how long? 18:29 "One thousand two hundred and sixty" what? 18:34 "Sixty days." 18:36 Now I want to read you a statement here 18:38 that actually I got from a book 18:42 which is an excellent commentary on Daniel Chapter 11, 18:45 the author is Louis Were. 18:48 And it's from his Book 18:50 "The King of the North at Jerusalem" page 75. 18:53 This is the principle that is gonna guide us 18:55 in what we're gonna study in the next few minutes. 18:58 He says this, "When passing over into the Christian era," 19:04 from the Jewish to the Christian era 19:07 "there is an automatic transition 19:11 from literal to Spiritual Babylon, 19:14 from literal to Spiritual Jerusalem, 19:18 from literal lands of Israel and Babylon 19:21 to their Spiritual anti-types." 19:25 So in another words, in the Old Testament, 19:27 you're dealing with literal Jerusalem. 19:29 You're dealing with literal Babylon. 19:30 You're dealing with the literal holy land. 19:33 But in the Christian era, you are dealing 19:36 with Spiritual Babylon worldwide. 19:39 You are dealing with Spiritual Jerusalem 19:41 which is the church and you are dealing with a Spiritual land 19:45 which is the whole world where God's people are to be found. 19:50 Now I would like us to go to another prophecy 19:53 that is related to this prophecy of Revelation Chapter 11. 19:57 Is it clear in your mind 19:59 that the 42 months are the same as the 1,260 days? 20:03 One verse right after the other? 20:05 And during that period, 20:06 the two witnesses are gonna testify 20:08 are gonna give their witness 20:10 while the holy city is being trampled by the gentiles, 20:14 for how long? For 42 months. 20:17 Now let me ask you, how long is 42 months? 20:21 Well, the biblical month has 30 days. 20:25 So what you have to do 20:27 is you multiply 42 months times 30 days per month. 20:32 So you multiply 30 times 42 20:35 and what total does that give you? 20:37 It gives you 1,260 days. 20:41 That shows that 42 months and 1,260 days 20:45 represent the same period 20:47 while the holy city is being trampled upon-- 20:49 by the way the holy city at this point is which Jerusalem? 20:52 It is Spiritual Jerusalem, 20:54 while it's being trampled by the Gentiles, 20:57 while it's being trampled by spiritual Rome, 21:00 if you please, the two witnesses 21:02 are going to give their testimony 21:04 but they're not going to be able to do it openly. 21:07 They're going to do it in what? Sackcloth. 21:09 By the way, sackcloth is black. 21:12 In other words, they are going to, 21:14 they are going to present their testimony 21:16 at half mask, if you please. 21:18 They're not gonna be able to openly do it during this period. 21:22 And yet they are going to present their testimony. 21:26 Now we need to go 21:27 to the Old Testament roots 21:29 of the prophecy of Revelation 11: 2, 3. 21:34 We want to go to Daniel Chapter 7 21:37 and we're gonna take a few moments 21:39 to establish the historical framework 21:43 of where we are to expect this period of 42 months 21:47 or 1,260 days. 21:50 Just reviewing Daniel 7, we don't have time 21:53 to get into all of the details 21:54 but most of you probably already know 21:56 the meaning of the symbols of Daniel 7. We have a lion. 21:59 What kingdom does the lion represent? Babylon. 22:03 Then we have a bear. 22:04 What kingdom does the bear represent? Medo-Persia. 22:07 Then we have a leopard. 22:08 What period of history does the leopard represent? Greece. 22:13 Then we have a terrible dragon like beast. 22:15 It's the nondescript terrible beast. 22:17 And that fourth beast represents what kingdom? 22:20 It represents Rome. Which Rome? 22:23 Is that the same Rome that destroyed Jerusalem? 22:26 Absolutely, it's Pagan Rome. 22:28 It's the Empire of Rome. 22:30 But then that dragon beast sprouts what? Ten horns. 22:35 And those 10 horns represent the 10 divisions 22:38 into which the Roman Empire was divided 22:42 when the Roman Empire fell. 22:43 By the way, this takes place in the year 476. 22:47 And then we're told that among those 10 horns, 22:51 among the divisions of Western Europe 22:53 of what used to be the Roman Empire, rises a what? 22:58 A little horn and this little horn 23:02 does several very interesting things. 23:05 In fact, let's read Daniel 7:25. 23:09 And I especially want to underline the time period 23:12 that is spoken of here. 23:14 It says here speaking about the little horn, 23:18 by the way, is this little horn rising 23:20 after the fall of the Roman Empire 23:22 and the division of the Roman Empire? Absolutely. 23:25 So can this be referring to literal Jerusalem? 23:28 No, because literal Jerusalem at this point was destroyed. 23:32 It was destroyed in the year 70. 23:33 So it can't be referring to literal Jerusalem. 23:37 Notice Daniel 7:25 speaking about the little horn. 23:41 "He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, 23:45 shall persecute the saints of the Most High, 23:49 and shall intend to change times and law." 23:53 And now notice this, 23:55 "Then the saints shall be given 23:58 into his hand," for how long? 24:02 "For a time and times and half a time." 24:09 Now you say that's strange terminology. 24:11 Time, times, and half a time. 24:13 What can that possibly mean? 24:15 Well, the word time represents a year. 24:19 Do you remember that God said that seven times 24:21 we're gonna pass upon Nebuchadnezzar? 24:24 So in Scripture, when you have the word "time" 24:26 in a prophetic context, it's referring to a year. 24:31 So you have time, that's one year singular. 24:35 By the way, in Hebrew, 24:36 when you have a plural without a qualifying number, 24:41 it means two. 24:42 In the Old Testament you can check that out. 24:44 When you have, when you have a plural 24:47 without a qualifying number, it simply means two. 24:49 So time is one. 24:51 Times would mean how long? Two. 24:54 And a half a time obviously would be half a year. 24:57 So how many years do you have here? 24:59 You have three and half times. 25:03 Do you remember that Luke 21 25:05 was speaking about the times of the Gentiles? 25:08 Here was have three and a half what? 25:10 We have three and a half times. 25:13 Now how many days are three and a half times? 25:16 Well, it's actually very simple. 25:18 It's not complicated math. 25:20 All you have to do, 25:22 if the biblical month has 30 days, 25:25 that would mean that the biblical year 25:27 has how many days? 360. 25:30 You say, well, how is that? 25:31 All you do is multiply 30 times 12 and the result is what? 360. 25:37 So the biblical year has 360 days. 25:41 But it's 3½ years. 25:42 So you multiply 3½ years 3.5 times how much? 25:48 Times, no, not times 360. 25:53 You have 3½ years 25:54 and you're gonna multiply 3½ years times 360. 25:59 Yeah, that was right 360. 26:02 Now how much is 3.5 times 360? 26:07 It is 1,260 days. 26:13 So let me ask you are the time, times, and dividing of time 26:18 the 42 months and the 1,260 days the same prophetic period? 26:24 Absolutely, there's no doubt about it. 26:26 So let me ask you this. 26:29 During this period, when this little horn 26:32 is persecuting the saints of the Most High 26:34 and he's trampling upon the truth of God 26:37 speaking blasphemies against God, 26:39 is that the same period that's spoken of in Revelation 11:2, 3, 26:44 where you have the 42 months and the 1,260 days? Absolutely. 26:49 Can this be referring to the literal city of Jerusalem? 26:52 No, because at this point the literal city of Jerusalem 26:55 was already, what? Destroyed. 26:58 The temple in fact during this period was already destroyed. 27:01 Well, let me ask you, 27:03 this little horn was he a Roman power? 27:08 Was this little horn a Roman power? 27:10 A literal Roman power? 27:12 Literal Roman Empire? 27:14 No, absolutely not. 27:16 Let me ask you, where did the 10 horns come up from? 27:19 The head of the dragon. 27:21 What did the dragon represent? 27:23 The Roman Empire. 27:24 Where did the literal horn come up from? 27:27 From the head of the dragon. 27:29 Which means that the little horn must be what? 27:32 Must be Roman. 27:34 So you have a second phase of Rome. 27:37 You have the dragon phase 27:39 and then you have the little horn phase. 27:41 The dragon phase tramples upon the literal city of Jerusalem 27:45 and destroys it in the year 70. 27:47 But the little horn for 1,260 years 27:51 was going to trample upon which Jerusalem? 27:54 He was gonna trample upon spiritual Jerusalem. 27:58 Are you following me or are you not? 28:01 Now we need to go to Daniel Chapter 8 28:03 because Daniel 8 amplifies Daniel 7. 28:06 You see in Daniel Chapter 8 28:08 you also have the same little horn once again. 28:11 But in Daniel 7 the emphasis is upon the law of God 28:15 and the times of God, the saints of God. 28:18 The context of the little horn in Daniel Chapter 8 28:21 is primarily the sanctuary 28:24 and Jesus who serves in that sanctuary. 28:28 Now notice Daniel 8:13. 28:34 This is speaking about the work of the little horn, 28:36 the same little horn of Daniel 7, 28:38 only this is an amplification in Chapter 8. 28:42 It says there in Daniel 8:13. 28:45 See if you can find some key terms here 28:48 that we read from Luke 21. 28:50 "Then I heard a holy one speaking," 28:53 by the way this is taking place in heaven 28:55 "and another holy one said to that certain holy one 28:59 who was speaking, 'How long will the vision be, 29:03 concerning the daily sacrifices,'" 29:06 the word sacrifices shouldn't really be there. 29:08 It's the daily. 29:09 There is no word sacrifices there. 29:12 That's added by the translators. 29:14 By the way, the daily refers to the work of the priest 29:18 in the court and in the holy place. 29:20 See the sacrifice was more offered morning and evening, 29:24 in other words, daily, continually. 29:26 The word daily here means continual. 29:30 The lamps needed to be continually burning. 29:33 The bread needed to continually be there. 29:36 The priest offered incense morning and evening continually. 29:40 In other words, the continual 29:42 that's being spoken of here or the daily has to do 29:45 with the functions of the priest where? In the sanctuary. 29:49 Let me ask you, is this talking about the earthly sanctuary? 29:53 It can't be talking about an earthly sanctuary. Why not? 29:56 Because the earthly temple or sanctuary was destroyed when? 29:59 In the year 70. 30:01 Sabbath doesn't refer to the literal Jewish Temple 30:04 where the daily services took place. 30:06 The question is what temple is this talking about? 30:10 It must be referring to what? 30:12 It must be referring to the Heavenly Temple of God. 30:16 By the way, when Jesus died, 30:20 you remember that the veil of the temple 30:22 was ripped from top to bottom. 30:23 What was God saying? 30:25 He was saying the services of this temple are over. 30:28 And Jesus is saying now I am going to serve 30:31 in what Hebrews calls the true tabernacle, 30:35 the true temple which the Lord built and not man. 30:39 In other words, this work of the little horn 30:41 because Jerusalem had been destroyed, 30:42 there was no temple, must be referring to what? 30:45 It must be referring to spiritual Jerusalem, 30:49 who worships by faith where? 30:51 In the Heavenly Temple as we spoke about in our last lecture. 30:55 So notice what it continues saying, 30:56 "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily, 31:02 and the transgression of desolation, 31:07 the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be," what? 31:12 "Trampled under foot?" 31:15 Is there a time period referred to here? 31:18 How long? Yes. 31:21 Is there a sanctuary and a host 31:24 that has been trampled upon here? 31:26 Yes. 31:28 Is there the word "transgression of desolation"? 31:31 In Matthew it's called, the "abomination of desolation." 31:34 Absolutely. 31:36 So is the period of the little horn, 31:38 the same period of Matthew 24:15. 31:42 Yes, it is. 31:44 But it is a second stage of Rome. 31:48 And it is the second stage of Jerusalem. 31:51 It is dealing with spiritual Jerusalem. 31:53 Are you following me or are you not following me? 31:56 Now you say, now wait a minute, 31:58 it says that the Gentiles will trample upon 32:00 the holy city and upon the temple. 32:03 But the papacy, they claim to be Christians. 32:07 So they weren't Gentiles. 32:10 Well, let's think about that for a minute. 32:13 You remember we studied in our last sermon together, 32:18 that a centurion came to Jesus and he says, 32:22 "My servant is very ill. 32:25 And I was wondering if You might be able to heal him." 32:28 Jesus says, "Okay, let's go." 32:29 He said, "You don't have to come. 32:30 Just speak the word and he will be healed." 32:35 And Jesus says, "Your faith is great. 32:37 It's done." And so he leaves. 32:41 And then Jesus says, "You know what? 32:44 The day is coming when individuals 32:47 like this Gentile here, will come from 32:50 the East and from the West. 32:53 And they will sit with Abraham, Isaac, 32:55 and Jacob at my table in the kingdom, 32:58 whereas the sons of kingdom will be cast out. 33:01 There is the wailing and gnashing of teeth." 33:04 Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus. 33:07 The rich man represents the Pharisees, 33:09 the Jewish leaders. 33:11 Lazarus represents the Gentiles. 33:12 Well, it just so happens that the Gentiles end up 33:15 in Abraham's bosom because they're purely Jews, 33:18 whereas those who rejected the Messiah end up where? 33:22 They end up where they expected the Gentiles to be. 33:24 So could the apostate church be called the Gentiles? 33:29 Absolutely. 33:30 Because they are not true followers of Jesus. 33:34 They are counterfeit followers of Jesus. 33:37 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 33:40 Now we need to go to another couple of prophecies. 33:44 Go with me to Revelation Chapter 13. 33:47 Revelation Chapter 13 33:49 and we're going to read verses 5 through 7. 33:51 We're gonna put the icing on the cake 33:53 so that you see what period this is all talking about. 33:56 Revelation Chapter 13. 33:58 By the way, to give you a little bit of context 34:00 there Revelation 13, the chapter begins-- 34:05 we're not gonna read from the beginning of the chapter, 34:06 but the beginning of the chapter describes four beasts. 34:13 It says that the beast has 34:16 characteristics of four beasts. 34:19 It says in a certain sense 34:22 it had characteristics of a lion. 34:26 It had the feet of a bear. 34:29 It had a body of a leopard. 34:32 And it gave its power to whom? 34:38 The dragon. 34:40 And then the dragon gave his power to the beast. 34:42 So how many beasts do you have mentioned there? 34:45 You actually have the lion, the bear, the leopard, 34:50 the dragon beast, that is, 34:52 Babylon, Mede, Persia, Greece, and Rome. 34:54 And then the dragon beast gives his seat, his power, 34:58 and his authority to the beast. 35:02 Are you seeing the same sequence 35:03 that we found in Daniel Chapter 7? 35:05 Lion, bear, leopard, then you have the dragon beast 35:09 and then after that you have 35:11 the ten horns and the little horn. 35:14 In Revelation Chapter 13, you have the lion, 35:16 the bear, the leopard, the dragon beast, 35:19 and then the dragon beast that has ten horns 35:21 gives his power and his seat and his authority to the beast. 35:25 So in other words, the beast and the little horn 35:28 represent the same power. 35:32 Now with that in mind, let's read 35:34 Revelation Chapter 13 and beginning with verse 5. 35:38 Revelation 13:5. 35:42 Speaking about this beast, 35:44 "And he was given a mouth 35:47 speaking great things and blasphemies." 35:50 Is this what the little horn did in Daniel 7? 35:52 Did we read about the little horn doing this? Yes. 35:56 "And he was given authority to continue," how long? 36:01 How long does the beast continue? 36:03 "Forty-two months." 36:04 How long did the little horn rule? 36:07 The little horn ruled time times and half a time. 36:12 But the beast is the same as the little horn, 36:14 but it says if the beast rules, how long? 36:16 Forty-two months. 36:18 So question is, are the 42 months 36:20 the same period as time times and the dividing of time? 36:24 Very clearly. 36:25 Notice what he continues saying, verse 6, 36:28 "Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, 36:32 to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, 36:36 and those who dwell in Heaven. 36:38 It was given to him to make war 36:41 with the saints and to overcome them." 36:44 Is that also something that the little horn 36:46 did in Daniel Chapter 7? 36:48 Absolutely. 36:49 It says that he wore out the saints of the Most High. 36:51 It also says that the little horn 36:53 spoke blasphemies against God, 36:55 and the sequence is the same. 36:57 In both passages, in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13, 37:01 you have lion, bear, leopard, dragon with ten horns 37:06 and then the dragon with ten horns 37:08 gives its authority to the little horn in Daniel 7, 37:11 but he gives his authority to the beast in Revelation 13. 37:14 And then the little horn rules time times 37:17 and half a time, and the beast rules 42 months. 37:20 So is time times and half a time 37:22 the same period as 42 months? 37:25 Absolutely. 37:26 So we notice that all three 37:28 of these time periods are parallel. 37:32 1,260 days, 42 months and time times 37:37 and half a time are all the same period 37:41 described from different perspectives. 37:45 Now we need to go to one further passage. 37:49 We need to compare Daniel Chapter 7 with Revelation 12. 37:54 Go with me to Revelation Chapter 12, 37:57 and we'll read first of all, verses 13 and 14. 38:03 Revelation 12:13, 14. 38:09 Notice what it says, "Now when the dragon 38:13 saw that he had been cast to the earth, 38:17 he persecuted the woman," what does the woman represent? 38:20 The church. 38:22 "He persecuted the woman 38:24 who gave birth to the male Child. 38:27 But the woman," that is, the church. 38:30 The same as the saints in Daniel 7. 38:32 "But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, 38:36 that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, 38:40 where she is nourished," for how long? 38:45 "For a time and times and half a time, 38:50 from the presence of the serpent." 38:53 Is that the same time period 38:55 as Daniel-- the little horn in Daniel 7? 38:56 Is that the same time period? Yes. 38:58 Are these parallel prophecies? Yes. 39:01 But you'll notice in Daniel 7, 39:02 it says that the little horn persecutes the saints. 39:05 Here it says that the dragon persecutes the woman. 39:07 So what is the woman? The woman are the saints. 39:11 Are you understanding the point? 39:13 So did this system trample the saints of the Most High? 39:16 Did this system trample upon the sanctuary of the Most High? 39:20 Yes, with sanctuary that was not on earth. 39:23 It was the sanctuary in heaven. 39:25 Did this little horn try to take away 39:27 the priestly functions from the prince of the host, 39:29 according to Daniel Chapter 8? Yes. 39:32 Did he try to take away the daily 39:34 from the prince of the host, who is Jesus? 39:35 Absolutely. For how long did he do this? 39:38 1,260 days or years, 42 months or time times and half a time. 39:47 Are we dealing here with spiritual Jerusalem 39:51 or are we dealing with literal Jews? 39:53 We're not dealing with literal Jews. 39:56 We're dealing with the Christian Church. 40:00 And what kind of Rome are we dealing with? 40:02 Are we dealing with the literal Roman Empire? No. 40:05 We're dealing with the spiritual Roman Empire 40:09 that ruled and governed in Europe 40:13 for a period of 1,260 years 40:16 from the year 538 till the year 1798. 40:22 Now let's go to Revelation 12:6, very interesting. 40:25 Revelation 12:6. 40:29 It says here, "Then the woman fled into the wilderness, 40:37 where she has a place prepared by God 40:41 that they should feed her there." 40:44 Is this the same as what we just read 40:45 in verses 13 and 14? 40:48 Let's notice the parallels. 40:51 Is there a woman in both passages? 40:54 Yes. 40:56 Does the woman flee in both passages? 40:58 Yes. 41:00 Does she flee to the wilderness in both passages? 41:03 Yes. 41:04 Is she fed or sustained by God in both passages? 41:08 Absolutely. 41:09 But notice that the time period is expressed differently. 41:12 It says there, "Then the woman 41:14 fled into the wilderness, where she has a place 41:17 prepared by God that they should 41:20 feed her there one thousand two hundred" and what? 41:26 One thousand two hundred and sixty days. 41:32 So is the time times and half a time 41:36 referring to the same period 41:38 as the one thousand two hundred and sixty days? 41:42 Absolutely. 41:44 So are you starting to catch an interesting picture here? 41:48 By the way, how many stages 41:50 of existence was this little horn going to have? 41:54 We've discussed this in the previous lecture. 41:56 How many stages was this little horn 41:59 gonna have in its dominion? 42:01 Well, its first stage was during the 1,260 years, right? 42:05 1798, what happened to the system? 42:08 It was wounded by the sword. 42:10 In other words, the civil power 42:11 as we've studied was taken away from it 42:13 when the Pope was taken captive to France. 42:17 And the civil power of the papacy 42:19 came to an end at that point. 42:20 It could no longer use the governments of the world 42:23 to accomplish its purposes. 42:25 And of course that was it. 42:27 The papacy was never going to rise to power again. 42:30 Was it? Yes, absolutely. 42:35 Revelation Chapter 13 says that this beast 42:39 at the end of its dominion and received what? 42:42 A deadly wound. 42:44 But then we're told that its deadly wound would be, what? 42:48 Would be healed and then it will recover its throne 42:51 and all of the world, would what? 42:53 Would wonder after the beast. 42:58 So are we to expect another 43:00 abomination of desolation by the same power? 43:03 Of course. 43:05 By the way, we've been studying 43:07 in our prayer meeting, the seven seals. 43:10 And under the fifth seal, 43:11 the same two stages are spoken of. 43:14 There's a group of martyrs in the fifth seal. 43:16 They were killed in the previous seal 43:19 during this period of the Middle Ages. 43:21 And they're crying out, "Until Lord-- 43:22 until when Lord do you not judge 43:24 and avenge our blood and on those whoever 43:26 shed our blood on the earth?" 43:29 And the answer comes and says, 43:31 "Don't worry, you got your white robe." 43:34 In other words, your case is secure. 43:36 Just rest a while until the rest of the martyrs is complete, 43:41 until the rest of the martyrs are killed. 43:43 So how many groups of martyrs do you have? 43:46 You have two groups of martyrs. 43:47 You have the martyrs previous to the fifth seal 43:50 and you have the martyrs, future from the fifth seal. 43:54 In other words, the two groups of martyrs 43:57 are represented as those who were persecuted 44:00 by this system in the past and those who will be 44:03 persecuted by this system, when? 44:06 In the future when this system recovers its power. 44:09 So if during the 1,260 years, 44:12 it's set up the abomination of desolation. 44:15 Are we to expect that in the future 44:17 it's going to set up in the United States 44:19 as we've studied, once again the abomination of desolation? 44:23 Absolutely. 44:25 In fact, go with me to another prophecy 44:28 in Revelation Chapter 17. 44:30 Revelation Chapter 17, this is very, very interesting. 44:34 And by the way, Revelation 17 is speaking about 44:37 the second stage of dominion of this system. 44:42 Is it clear to you that this system 44:43 has two stages of dominion, two stages of power? 44:46 Is that clear in your mind? 44:48 So are we to expect two abominations of desolation? 44:50 Actually we're to expect a continuation of the other one 44:53 that was interrupted by the deadly wound. 44:56 Now notice Revelation 17, we're not gonna read 44:59 everything here because we don't have the time. 45:01 But the context is that you have this harlot. 45:06 What is represented by the harlot? 45:07 We studied this. The harlot represents what? 45:11 It represents a woman, represents a church. 45:14 And a harlot is what kind of church. 45:17 It's an apostate church, right? 45:19 Is this a world-wide church? Yeah. 45:22 Because all the kings of the earth 45:24 have committed fornication with her. 45:26 And it says, she sits on many waters. 45:28 She's decked with gold and silver and precious stones. 45:32 She has the wine of her teachings 45:34 that she gives to the nations of the world 45:36 and they drink it and they become drunk. 45:38 That's why they can't grasp or understand the truth. 45:41 I want you to notice Revelation 17:4. 45:46 "The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet." 45:53 In what colors? 45:56 Now isn't that interesting, purple and scarlet? 46:00 Do you know, there's only one color 46:02 that is not used by the Roman Catholic Papacy 46:06 in the garments of its priests? 46:09 And that color is blue. 46:12 You'll never see them using blue. 46:15 What does blue represent in Scripture? 46:18 Blue in Scripture represents Melvin. 46:22 No. Blue represents the law of God. 46:28 So you wouldn't expect them to use blue. 46:32 We get the expression true blue. 46:35 See because the law of God and His word is what? 46:39 Truth. 46:41 So it's says the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet. 46:46 You saw the papal funeral of John Paul II? 46:50 You could see this in luxury of detail. 46:54 "And adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls." 46:58 Is that telling also? That is very, very telling. 47:04 All you have to do is go to the Vatican Museum 47:08 or Roman Catholic Cathedrals. 47:11 The amount of gold and silver and precious stones 47:13 is beyond belief when you go to the Vatican. 47:17 It's incredible. 47:19 I mean, there's billions and billions of dollars 47:23 in the Vatican Museum just in the works of art. 47:25 I mean, there's art everywhere you look. 47:28 So it says, "The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, 47:30 adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, 47:34 having in her hand a golden cup full of." 47:41 Is this the end time application of abominations? 47:44 Yes. 47:46 "Full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 47:53 And on her head a name was written, mystery, 47:58 Babylon the great, the mother of Harlots." 48:02 So does she have daughters? 48:05 Do her daughters do what she wants? 48:08 Yeah. Like mother like daughters. 48:11 Absolutely. 48:12 We don't have time to get into this 48:13 story of the death of John the Baptist. 48:16 There you have an illustration of this, 48:18 end time threefold alliance. 48:20 You have the King Herod, 48:24 you have this apostate harlot woman Herodias. 48:30 And Herodias has a daughter call Salome. 48:33 But you see, Herodias cannot kill John. 48:35 She has no influence over the king directly. 48:38 And so the Bible says that she influences 48:41 her daughter to use the king to kill John. 48:47 Do you know that, that's exactly 48:48 the scenario that the book of Revelation portrays? 48:52 See, the papacy is the wounded power. 48:56 It can't persecute like it did in the past. 48:59 But it wants the death of God's people 49:01 just like it did in the past. 49:03 But right now has a deadly wound. 49:06 Who is going to help its deadly wound heal? 49:10 It is going to be her daughter or her daughters. 49:15 May I ask you, who are the daughters? 49:18 The Protestant denominations. 49:20 Were they born from her in the 16th century? 49:23 They most certainly were. 49:25 Do they share her view of Bible prophecies? 49:29 We studied this. 49:30 There are futurists and there are preterits. 49:32 We notice this in this series. 49:34 Do they keep the same day she does? 49:37 Yes. 49:39 Do they believe that the dead are not dead, like she does? 49:42 Yes. 49:43 Are they trying to unite church and state 49:45 according what we studied, as she did? 49:47 Absolutely. 49:49 They're just like the mother. 49:50 Now that's not to say that there are not 49:52 very many sincere people in the Roman Catholic Church 49:54 and in the Protestant churches. 49:56 Most of God's true people are out there 49:59 but they don't know these things. 50:01 And as Seventh-day Adventist it behooves us 50:04 to present these things to them 50:06 so that they know what the issues are 50:09 and they can come to a right decision for the Lord. 50:12 Because we've noticed that the issue of the Sabbath 50:14 is gonna be central, is it not? 50:16 In the Old Testament the greatest abomination 50:18 that was being committed in Jerusalem 50:20 among those who profess to be God's people, was what? 50:24 Worshipping the sun to the East. 50:27 We notice that in Matthew Chapter 24, 50:30 those who fled, those who escaped, 50:32 what day will they be keeping? 50:34 Pray that your flight be not in the winter, nor what? 50:37 On the Sabbath day. 50:38 They are in contrast to the abomination of desolation. 50:43 By the way, did the little horn 50:44 think he could change God's law during the 1,260 years? 50:47 It says so in Daniel 7:25. 50:50 As the Roman Catholic Papacy 50:52 who changed the day of rest from Sabbath to Sunday. 50:55 They'll say, and I have page after page of quotations. 50:59 They said, our church did, 51:02 by the authority that was 51:04 conferred upon us by Jesus Christ, 51:06 we change the day from Saturday to Sunday. 51:11 That's pretty incriminating, if you ask me. 51:14 And then you find here that this harlot is full of abominations. 51:18 The same word that we have 51:20 in relation to Matthew Chapter 24 51:22 and the same word that you find in relation 51:24 to worshipping the sun in the Old Testament. 51:27 There's something about the sun and the Sunday 51:29 which is significant in the sight of God. 51:33 Says in verse 5, "And on her forehead 51:36 a name was written mystery, Babylon, the great, 51:39 the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth." 51:43 Is she gonna persecute the way she did in the past? 51:46 Verse 6, "And I saw the woman 51:49 drunk with the blood of the saints 51:52 and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. 51:57 And when I saw her I marveled with great amazement." 52:03 Do you know what amazed him? 52:05 What amazed John was that the kings of the earth, 52:08 after seeing what she did in the Middles Ages 52:10 would allow her to climb on them again. 52:15 One of the big problems we have in this country 52:16 is people don't know history. 52:20 All people want is leisure and fun. 52:22 Nothing that challenges the intellect. 52:24 You know, everything nice and digested. 52:27 Even in church. 52:28 Even in church, you know, we want to have fun, 52:30 we want to be-- we want to praise the Lord 52:32 and we want to sing and we want to have good time. 52:34 But don't make me think. 52:37 I think all week. 52:38 Don't make me think in church. 52:40 That's what many people say. 52:42 They want to come just to have fun in church. 52:45 Now notice I want to jump down to verse 15. 52:50 I want you to notice. 52:51 We noticed the word abominations, right? 52:54 Abominations, we noticed it. 52:56 Now let's notice the other key word "desolate." 52:58 Verse 15, "Then he said to me, 53:02 'The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, 53:07 are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.'" 53:13 What's gonna happen to this system? 53:16 What's gonna happen to the United States? 53:20 Eventually as we've studied, 53:23 God is gonna write in the ledger of heaven, 53:25 national apostasy. 53:30 By the way, that's abomination. 53:32 The abomination leads to that. 53:37 And national apostasy will lead to what? 53:40 To national ruin, that is the desolation part. 53:45 Abomination is the Sunday Law. 53:48 Desolation is what comes as a result of that. 53:53 So it says, "Then he said to me, 53:54 'The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, 53:57 are peoples, multitudes, nation and tongues.'" 53:59 But now notice something's gonna happen to this system. 54:02 "And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, 54:07 these will," what? 54:11 "Hate the harlot." 54:13 Is the same thing gonna happen 54:14 that's happened in 1798 to this system? 54:17 Was this system hated by France? Oh, yes. 54:20 But you see it was only over in Europe. 54:22 It was a local thing. 54:24 But here it says, "The kings of the whole world." 54:27 Because when she recovers power, 54:29 she's not only gonna recover it in Europe, 54:31 she's gonna recover it globally. 54:33 "The whole world wondered after the beast," 54:35 the Bible says. 54:37 And so it says, "The ten horns 54:39 which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot." 54:45 Is church and state gonna be separated? 54:48 Oh, yeah, just like in the French Revolution. 54:50 Is the sword gonna be taken away from this power? 54:52 Oh, absolutely. 54:54 She's gonna be wounded with the sword again, 54:56 once and for all. 54:57 It says, "These will hate the harlot" 54:59 and now notice this. 55:01 "And make her," what's the next word? 55:06 Is that one of our key words? Absolutely. 55:09 "And will make her desolate and naked, 55:15 and eat her flesh and burn her with fire." 55:22 Let me ask you, was Jerusalem burnt by fire? 55:25 When the Roman's came. Absolutely. 55:29 And so as we conclude this series 55:32 on Matthew Chapter 24, it's amazing 55:34 how all of these prophecies come together, isn't it? 55:38 Matthew 24, Luke 21, the prophecy of Daniel 7, 55:44 the prophecy of Revelation 11, 55:47 the prophecy of Revelation 12, 55:48 the prophecy of Revelation 13, 55:50 the prophecy of Revelation 17, 55:52 all dovetailing together to portray a time 55:56 when the whole world will be in apostasy against God 56:00 with the exception of a small remnant 56:05 whom the Bible says, 56:07 they keep the commandments of God 56:09 and they have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 56:13 They keep all of the commandments 56:15 including the one that was changed by this system. 56:18 And they have the testimony of Jesus 56:20 which is the spirit of prophecy 56:21 because they have a prophet in their midst 56:24 who gives a true scenario of Bible prophecy. 56:28 For example in the book, "The Great Controversy" 56:32 is the only book in the world today 56:33 that I know that's printed, that still presents 56:36 the correct view of Bible prophecy 56:39 as contained in Holy Scripture. 56:42 All of the other Protestant churches 56:45 have become futurist and preterits. 56:48 They have followed the lead of the mother 56:51 and adopted her way of interpreted prophecy 56:53 and they have adopted the day that she has declared 56:57 is the day of worship, the Sunday. 57:00 And so in the end time, the issues will be, 57:03 do you believe God's scenario of Bible prophecy 57:06 or do you believe the beast scenario of Bible prophecy? 57:09 Do you choose to obey the authority of God 57:12 by keeping His holy Sabbath or do you choose to accept 57:16 the authority of the beast in keeping the day 57:18 that He claims to be the day of worship? 57:21 Ultimately the decision is our hands 57:24 whether to obey God or whether we will obey the beast. |
Revised 2014-12-17