Well, hello everybody.
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Welcome back.
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We continue our study
on, The Secrets of Pentecost.
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And this is lecture
number four in this series.
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And the title today is,
Matthias, Wrong or Right Choice?
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Before we get into our
study, however, we want to
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do what we do every time.
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And that is, to bow
our heads reverently to ask
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for the Lord's
presence as we open His Word.
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So let's bow and
pray to the Lord.
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Father in heaven, we come
before Your throne this evening
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thanking You for Your many
blessings that You pour out
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upon us each day.
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We thank You for life
and health and strength,
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and for Your holy
Word which is a sure guide
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in a world that is co confused.
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And we ask that as we
study this topic tonight
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that Your Holy
Spirit will be with us,
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that You will enlighten
us, that you will help us
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to understand how
much Jesus loves us
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and how much He
wants us to be with Him.
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And we thank You, Father,
for the privilege of approaching
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Your throne in prayer.
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And we know that You have
inclined Your ear to hear us.
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Because we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus, amen.
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As we begin our study
today, I would like to review
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the chronology of
the last days of Christ
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upon this earth.
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And when I say, the last
days, we're going to begin
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with the beginning
of His earthly ministry.
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You know, He lived
many years before He began
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His earthly
ministry, which lasted about
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three and a half years.
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So we're going to begin were
Jesus began His public ministry;
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three and a half years
that Jesus lived on this earth
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before He actually went
through His events in Gethsemane
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and on the cross.
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Now why did Jesus
come to live in our midst
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for three and a half years
before He went to the cross?
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The reason is very simple.
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The Sanctuary
actually begins in the camp
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where those who
need the Sanctuary live.
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And Jesus came to live in
our midst because He had to
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live a perfect life to offer
the law the perfection that
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the law requires.
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None of us can
offer the law perfection.
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And so because we can't
offer the law perfection,
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we needed Jesus to come to
this earth and to live the life
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that the law requires from us.
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So the work of Jesus
during three and a half years,
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He faced all of the
devil's temptations,
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He never gave in to
temptation even once
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in thought or in action,
and He developed perfection
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in our place.
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But it wasn't sufficient
for Jesus to live the life
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that we should live.
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It was also necessary that
somebody die carrying our sins.
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Because the
wages of sin is death.
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And so after living His perfect
life, at the end of His life
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the Lord Jesus went into
the court of the Sanctuary,
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the altar of sacrifice,
and He died for our sins.
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All of the sins of the
world were placed upon Him,
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and He died in place of all.
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So in the camp,
He lives for all.
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At the altar, He dies for all.
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And then the next piece
of furniture that we have
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in the Sanctuary is the laver.
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And the laver represents
the resurrection of Christ.
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In other words,
the camp is His life,
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the altar of
sacrifice is His death,
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the laver would
represent His resurrection.
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And of course, He ministered
for three and a half years.
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At the end of the
three and a half years
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on a Friday He
died on the cross,
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was buried, remained
in the tomb on the Sabbath
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according to the commandment,
and then early on the first day
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of the week Jesus
resurrected from the dead.
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And then after Jesus
resurrected from the dead,
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He spent 40 days on this earth
before He ascended to heaven.
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And why would Jesus stay
upon this earth for 40 days
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after His resurrection?
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Why didn't He go and
stay in heaven once for all
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when He resurrected?
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The reason is
explained in Acts 1:3.
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Acts 1:3 gives two reasons
why Jesus remained on this earth
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for 40 days before His
final ascension to heaven.
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It says there in Acts 1:3...
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So the first reason
is to appear to many
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to give them proof
that He had resurrected.
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And then the second reason
is at the end of the verse.
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In other words,
Jesus had some instructions
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that He still needed
to give His disciples.
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And those instructions
involved, first of all,
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explaining the prophecies
about His death and resurrection
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that the
disciples had misunderstood.
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And then also He explained
to them prophecies that were
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going to be fulfilled in
Him on the day of Pentecost.
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So during those 40 days,
basically Jesus taught them
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the things pertaining
to the kingdom of God.
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He taught them the
meaning of the prophecies that
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had been fulfilled in
Him, and the prophecies that
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would be fulfilled in
Him on the day of Pentecost.
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And then after the 40
days, the Lord Jesus gathered
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with His disciples on the Mount
of Olives east of Jerusalem
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to ascend to heaven.
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And we find that
record in Acts 1:9-11.
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Acts 1:9-11, and I
want to read that passage.
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"...two men..."
Which are angels.
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And then Jesus
disappeared from their sight.
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Now the question is,
why did Jesus go to heaven?
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Why didn't He just end
sin after He died on the cross
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and He resurrected?
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Why was it necessary
for Jesus to go to heaven
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upon His ascension?
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Jesus Himself
gave us the reason.
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In John 14:1-3, a passage that
is very well known by all of us,
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Jesus was in the upper
room with His disciples.
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And I know that you can
repeat this from memory.
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This is the
marvelous promise about the
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second coming of Christ.
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And I'm going to read
it because it explains why
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Jesus went to heaven
at the end of the 40 days
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and why He's still there.
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What is Jesus doing in heaven?
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It says there in John 14:1-3...
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Now you know, there's this
idea that Jesus went to heaven
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to build mansions for us.
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Well, I have no doubts that,
you know, Jesus is building some
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real nice mansions for us.
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But the fact is that
this text doesn't say that He
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was going to build
mansions in the future.
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He says, "In My Father's
house are many mansions."
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In other words, when
Jesus spoke these words,
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the mansions were already there.
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Are you understanding my point?
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Now notice what
He continues saying.
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Now usually we've understood
this to mean that Jesus
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is going to prepare a
beautiful home for us in heaven,
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you know, and He's
going to plant trees,
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and He's just going to make
everything beautiful for us.
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And I'm not denying that might
have something to do with it,
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but Jesus doesn't need
2000 years to plant trees
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and to make a place beautiful.
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After all, He made a
beautiful world in six days.
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There's something more
here than just preparing
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a beautiful place.
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It says here, "I go to
prepare a place for you..."
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Now if we read
the book of Hebrews,
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and also the book of Revelation,
as well as certain portions of
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the book of Acts, particularly
Acts chapter 1 and chapter 2,
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we'll see that Jesus went to
heaven to prepare a place for us
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by the work that He performs
in the heavenly Sanctuary.
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In other words, Jesus, after
His death and His resurrection
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in the court, still had to
fulfill the function in the
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Holy Place, and later on
He had to fulfill the work
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of the Most Holy Place.
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So Jesus prepares the
place in heaven for us
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by the work that He
does in the Holy Place
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and in the Most Holy
Place of the Sanctuary
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Unless He
performs those two works,
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Jesus can't come again.
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It's part and parcel
of the plan of salvation.
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And so Jesus ascended to
heaven to prepare a place for us
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by the work that He
performs in the Holy Place
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and in the Most Holy
Place of the heavenly Sanctuary.
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Now after Jesus ascended
to heaven, the disciples
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returned from the Mount
of Olives to the upper room,
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and they prepared for the
reception of the Holy Spirit.
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Because Jesus had promised
that the Holy Spirit would
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be poured out ten
days after His ascension.
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And we notice that in the
upper room the preparation
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involved a deep
prayer experience.
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It involved studying the
prophecies such as they had
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never studied them before.
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It involved ironing out
all of their differences
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and being emptied of self,
placing all of their possessions
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on the altar of sacrifice
so that they could be used
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in the preaching of the gospel.
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And in this way, they prepared
themselves for the outpouring
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of the Holy Spirit
which was going to take place
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ten days after the
ascension of Christ.
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So we know what the disciples
did during those ten days.
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They prayed like never before,
they studied the prophecies,
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they were emptied of self.
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They ironed out the differences
that they had among themselves.
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They took their possessions
and they presented them
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on the altar of sacrifice
for the preaching of the gospel.
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In other words, they were
not centered in themselves.
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Now they were
centered in Christ.
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But the big question is this:
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What happened with
Jesus during those ten days?
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We know that He ascended at
the beginning of those ten days
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after the 40 days on earth.
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But what was
happening to Jesus in heaven
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during those ten days?
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That is the primary
question that we want to answer
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in our study today.
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What was happening with
Jesus during the ten days
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between the ascension and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
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on the day of Pentecost?
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Now let's begin our
study specifically by seeing
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who was present
there in the upper room.
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Acts 1:13 explains by name
those who were present there.
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Now what strikes
you about this list?
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Well, it's
actually quite simple.
00:12:14.43\00:12:16.83
You only have eleven apostles.
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And we know that
Jesus established twelve.
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So immediately the
question among those who were
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in the upper room, not so much
the apostles, but others who
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were present, is what happened
to apostle number twelve?
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What happened with him?
00:12:32.01\00:12:33.35
If there were twelve,
why are there only eleven?
00:12:33.38\00:12:35.62
And so Peter now feels
like he has to stand up
00:12:35.78\00:12:38.59
and he has to explain why
there are only eleven apostles.
00:12:38.62\00:12:42.62
And in Acts 1:18-19,
Peter explains what happened
00:12:42.82\00:12:48.03
to apostle number twelve.
00:12:48.06\00:12:49.56
And he expresses it this way.
00:12:49.60\00:12:51.27
Speaking of Judas.
00:12:56.77\00:12:58.11
So basically Peter is
saying, you know, Judas fell
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a long distance, and
when he hit the ground,
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you know, his belly exploded
and his entrails came out.
00:13:21.00\00:13:24.13
Now when we examine this
story in Acts about the end
00:13:24.17\00:13:28.07
of Judas, and we look at
the story in the gospels,
00:13:28.10\00:13:30.87
there is an
apparent contradiction.
00:13:31.07\00:13:33.38
I say, apparent, because
there is no contradiction.
00:13:33.48\00:13:36.01
In the gospels, it says that
Judas went and hung himself.
00:13:36.24\00:13:39.55
And here in Acts it says
that he fell a long distance
00:13:39.91\00:13:42.88
and his belly exploded
and his entrails came out.
00:13:42.92\00:13:45.12
So how do you
reconcile these two stories,
00:13:45.15\00:13:47.89
the story in the gospels and
the story in the book of Acts?
00:13:47.92\00:13:50.73
The answer is provided in a
beautiful way by Ellen White.
00:13:51.03\00:13:55.16
In the book, Desire of
Ages, page 722, she explains
00:13:55.36\00:13:59.47
and she actually
relates these two stories
00:13:59.50\00:14:02.90
so that they don't
contradict themselves,
00:14:02.94\00:14:04.87
but they actually
compliment one another.
00:14:04.91\00:14:07.11
I want to read that
statement, Desire of Ages, 722.
00:14:07.31\00:14:10.45
It's speaking about the
procession to the cross.
00:14:11.21\00:14:13.82
So what a beautiful way of
reconciling these two stories.
00:14:52.12\00:14:55.66
Judas did hang
himself, but the rope with which
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he hung himself broke.
00:14:59.19\00:15:01.06
And because it was a very high
branch, he fell a long distance
00:15:01.16\00:15:04.97
and his belly exploded
and his entrails came out.
00:15:05.00\00:15:08.04
There's no contradiction.
00:15:08.07\00:15:09.50
The two stories
compliment one another.
00:15:09.54\00:15:12.21
And so Peter now says to
those who are gathered together,
00:15:12.57\00:15:15.21
"We need to name a
successor for Judas."
00:15:15.31\00:15:20.35
Now for many, many years I
wondered why it was so urgent
00:15:20.62\00:15:25.32
and important for them to
elect a successor for Judas
00:15:25.35\00:15:29.16
before the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.36
Because this is
happening in Acts chapter 1,
00:15:31.39\00:15:33.86
and the Holy Spirit is not
poured out until Acts chapter 2.
00:15:34.20\00:15:37.17
So I wondered, why was
it so important for them to
00:15:37.20\00:15:40.04
dedicate a period of time to
electing a successor for Judas
00:15:40.07\00:15:44.37
before the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:15:44.41\00:15:46.81
on the day of Pentecost?
00:15:46.84\00:15:48.18
Why would this be the
first item of business?
00:15:48.21\00:15:51.18
Well, the fact is that Peter
explained that the reason why
00:15:51.71\00:15:56.08
they needed to name a successor
is because prophecy required it.
00:15:56.12\00:16:01.02
You see, Jesus had
explained prophecy to Peter
00:16:01.12\00:16:04.49
and to the apostles.
00:16:04.53\00:16:05.86
Peter now knew
which prophecies to quote
00:16:05.89\00:16:09.50
to prove that what
they were going to do
00:16:09.53\00:16:11.30
was in harmony with the
prophecies of the Old Testament.
00:16:11.47\00:16:14.47
Notice Acts 1:16 and
then we'll jump to verse 20,
00:16:14.67\00:16:18.61
because we already
noticed what comes in between.
00:16:18.64\00:16:20.94
The apostle Peter
mentioned two prophecies
00:16:21.84\00:16:24.15
from the Old Testament
that were fulfilled in Judas.
00:16:24.18\00:16:26.98
Notice what it says in verse 16.
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.18
Here, Peter is
speaking to those who are
00:16:29.65\00:16:31.29
gathered in the upper room.
00:16:31.32\00:16:32.65
There's about
one-hundred and twenty.
00:16:32.69\00:16:34.02
"Men and brethren..."
00:16:34.06\00:16:35.56
And then we go to verse
20 because we've already
00:16:47.37\00:16:49.50
studied about the end
of Judas in verses 17-19.
00:16:49.54\00:16:52.47
Verse 20...
00:16:52.57\00:16:53.91
So now Peter is going to
give proof from Scripture
00:16:58.05\00:17:01.78
that what they're about
to do is in harmony with
00:17:01.98\00:17:04.42
what God has announced.
00:17:04.45\00:17:05.99
He's quoting Psalm 69:25.
00:17:14.73\00:17:18.37
In other words, Judas was
not going to return to his home.
00:17:18.83\00:17:22.90
His home was going
to remain desolate.
00:17:22.94\00:17:26.07
So the first prophecy
is found in Psalm 69:25.
00:17:26.11\00:17:29.31
"Let his dwelling
place be desolate,
00:17:29.41\00:17:31.65
and let on one live in it..."
00:17:31.85\00:17:33.65
And then the apostle
Peter quotes Psalm 109:7-8
00:17:33.85\00:17:39.29
by saying, "...and, 'Let
another take his office.'"
00:17:39.72\00:17:44.79
So in other words,
somebody else had to take
00:17:45.13\00:17:47.06
the office of Judas.
00:17:47.10\00:17:48.43
There had to be
apostle number twelve.
00:17:48.70\00:17:51.73
And so Peter is saying,
"Prophecy mandates that we
00:17:51.97\00:17:56.37
elect a successor
in place of Judas."
00:17:56.40\00:17:59.84
Now, there's this myth
that has been passed along
00:18:00.28\00:18:04.75
from generation to generation
00:18:04.78\00:18:06.51
in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:18:06.78\00:18:08.72
And that is, that it was God's
plan that the successor of Judas
00:18:09.02\00:18:14.39
not be Matthias who
is actually elected,
00:18:14.49\00:18:17.46
but that it was God's plan that
the successor be Saul of Tarsus,
00:18:17.49\00:18:22.80
who later became
the great apostle Paul.
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.60
And so they say, you
know, what happened is
00:18:26.03\00:18:28.04
that the apostles, you know,
they rushed to name a successor
00:18:28.07\00:18:31.41
before God wanted them
to and they made a mistake.
00:18:31.61\00:18:34.88
They elected Matthias,
and God wanted Saul of Tarsus,
00:18:34.98\00:18:40.25
or Paul, to be the
successor of Judas.
00:18:40.28\00:18:42.95
Now allow me to say
that this is pure myth.
00:18:43.35\00:18:46.09
This is pure speculation.
00:18:46.25\00:18:48.16
It is an assumption
that is not based on fact.
00:18:48.46\00:18:51.86
I'm going to give you now
four reasons why the apostle
00:18:52.19\00:18:56.06
that they chose
was God's choice.
00:18:56.10\00:18:58.43
And then towards the end of
our study I'm going to give you
00:18:58.47\00:19:00.94
the most important
reason, reason number five.
00:19:01.10\00:19:03.34
But for now, we're
going to give four reasons
00:19:03.37\00:19:05.64
why Matthias was
the right choice.
00:19:05.67\00:19:08.98
Notice reason number one.
00:19:09.38\00:19:11.01
The Bible tells us
what qualities the successor
00:19:11.05\00:19:13.92
needed to have.
00:19:14.02\00:19:15.35
I'm reading from Acts 1:21-22,
and you're going to tell me
00:19:15.45\00:19:20.26
if Saul of Tarsus fits
with the specifications.
00:19:20.29\00:19:24.33
It says there...
00:19:24.53\00:19:25.86
Let me ask you, does Saul of
Tarsus meet that specification
00:19:46.21\00:19:49.72
of being with the apostles from
the times of John the Baptist
00:19:49.75\00:19:53.36
till the ascension of Christ?
00:19:53.39\00:19:54.76
He does not.
00:19:54.79\00:19:56.12
He was converted
three and a half years
00:19:56.16\00:19:58.19
after the ascension of Christ.
00:19:58.23\00:20:00.10
And so he does not
meet this specification.
00:20:00.60\00:20:03.60
And so we know that Paul
was definitely not God's choice.
00:20:04.00\00:20:07.87
The second reason is
that Acts 1:24-26 tells us
00:20:08.30\00:20:12.41
that they
followed the right process.
00:20:12.44\00:20:14.31
Notice what it says
there beginning in verse 24.
00:20:14.74\00:20:17.55
So notice it says that
they prayed that the Lord
00:20:41.34\00:20:44.24
would show them
whom the Lord had chosen.
00:20:44.27\00:20:48.01
They met the specification
that God established;
00:20:48.21\00:20:51.31
to pray for guidance and
wisdom to elect the right man.
00:20:51.35\00:20:55.05
Now Ellen White, this
is reason number three,
00:20:55.65\00:20:57.62
the confirmation from
the spirit of prophecy,
00:20:57.65\00:20:59.72
is that the Holy Spirit
was the one who chose Matthias.
00:21:00.16\00:21:03.19
Notice this statement that
we find in, Spirit of Prophecy,
00:21:03.53\00:21:06.19
volume 3, and page 264.
00:21:06.23\00:21:09.86
This is categorical.
00:21:10.97\00:21:13.10
She says there...
00:21:13.13\00:21:14.47
Were they careful
in their judgment.
00:21:32.62\00:21:34.42
Yes they were.
00:21:34.59\00:21:35.92
Did they distrust
their own ability to decide?
00:21:35.96\00:21:38.73
Yes they did.
00:21:38.83\00:21:40.16
Notice what she
continues saying.
00:21:40.20\00:21:41.60
So did they make a mistake?
00:21:57.41\00:21:59.35
Was the Holy Spirit
wrong in the selection?
00:21:59.75\00:22:02.68
Absolutely not.
00:22:02.72\00:22:04.05
The Holy Spirit made the
choice, according to this.
00:22:04.09\00:22:07.16
Now the fourth
reason is very clear.
00:22:07.46\00:22:09.96
And that is, that the
person who was suppose to take
00:22:09.99\00:22:13.63
the place of
Stephen was Saul of Tarsus.
00:22:13.66\00:22:17.13
In other words,
Saul of Tarsus was not to
00:22:17.17\00:22:18.73
take the place of Judas.
00:22:18.77\00:22:20.60
He was suppose to
take the place of Stephen
00:22:20.64\00:22:22.77
whom he was
involved in martyrizing.
00:22:22.80\00:22:25.04
Notice, Acts of
the Apostles, page 102,
00:22:25.07\00:22:27.78
where that is made clear.
00:22:27.81\00:22:29.21
Ellen White says...
00:22:29.68\00:22:31.01
So who was Saul of
Tarsus suppose to replace?
00:22:44.39\00:22:47.30
Not Judas, but Stephen.
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.76
He was chosen
to replace Stephen.
00:22:49.80\00:22:52.07
But we still need
to ask the question.
00:22:52.53\00:22:54.17
You say, "Okay, Pastor
Bohr, we accept the fact that,
00:22:54.20\00:22:57.34
first of all, prophecy predicted
that Judas wasn't going to
00:22:57.37\00:23:01.04
return to his house.
00:23:01.08\00:23:02.41
His house would remain desolate.
00:23:02.44\00:23:03.78
And prophecy predicted that
somebody had to take his office.
00:23:03.85\00:23:07.28
But why did this have to happen
before the day of Pentecost?
00:23:07.35\00:23:10.95
Why couldn't they wait until
the Holy Spirit was poured out,
00:23:11.19\00:23:13.99
and then of course
they would have more wisdom
00:23:14.02\00:23:15.56
because they would
have the Holy Spirit
00:23:15.59\00:23:17.03
to elect the successor then?"
00:23:17.06\00:23:18.79
Why name the successor before
the Holy Spirit was poured out
00:23:18.83\00:23:23.53
on the day of Pentecost?
00:23:23.57\00:23:25.03
The reason, folks, has
to do with the significance
00:23:25.63\00:23:29.34
of the number
twelve in Scripture.
00:23:29.37\00:23:31.81
Now when you
examine Acts chapter 1,
00:23:32.14\00:23:34.58
you find a very
interesting expression.
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.18
It says that Judas was
numbered with the apostles.
00:23:37.21\00:23:42.08
He was numbered
with the apostles.
00:23:42.12\00:23:44.09
And then when Matthias
was elected, it says that
00:23:44.35\00:23:46.82
he was numbered
with the apostles.
00:23:46.86\00:23:48.82
In other words,
there's something significant
00:23:48.86\00:23:51.13
about the number twelve.
00:23:51.16\00:23:53.93
There had to be twelve.
00:23:53.96\00:23:55.40
And so the question
is, what is so significant
00:23:55.43\00:23:58.13
about the number twelve
that would require us to have
00:23:58.17\00:24:02.10
twelve apostles
and not merely eleven?
00:24:02.14\00:24:05.07
The answer to this question
is found in Revelation 12:1,
00:24:05.54\00:24:09.51
and several other verses that we
are going to take a look at now.
00:24:09.54\00:24:12.41
Revelation 12:1 says this...
00:24:12.68\00:24:16.22
Or a crown of twelve stars.
00:24:29.03\00:24:31.40
So we have a woman, and this
woman has a crown on her head
00:24:31.60\00:24:36.10
and the crown has twelve stars.
00:24:36.14\00:24:38.17
So the question is, what
does the woman represent?
00:24:38.37\00:24:42.01
Well, we know that in
Bible prophecy a woman
00:24:43.04\00:24:45.65
represents what?
00:24:45.68\00:24:47.08
Represents the church.
00:24:47.42\00:24:49.08
Represents
God's faithful people.
00:24:49.12\00:24:51.39
Now let's prove that
from the Bible itself.
00:24:51.72\00:24:54.32
Go with me to Daniel
7:25, and then we're going to
00:24:54.52\00:24:58.76
compare with
that Revelation 12:14.
00:24:58.79\00:25:02.10
Daniel 7:25, first of
all, and Revelation 12:14.
00:25:02.36\00:25:07.64
These are two
parallel prophecies.
00:25:07.67\00:25:10.71
Notice Daniel 7:25.
00:25:11.11\00:25:14.68
It's speaking
about the little horn.
00:25:14.78\00:25:16.71
Of course, we know
the little horn represents
00:25:16.75\00:25:18.55
the Roman Catholic Papacy.
00:25:18.58\00:25:20.28
And so it says...
00:25:20.32\00:25:21.65
Notice these details.
00:25:25.79\00:25:27.12
So whom does the
little horn persecute?
00:25:30.29\00:25:32.29
It persecutes the
saints of the Most High.
00:25:32.89\00:25:35.43
And then it continues saying...
00:25:35.73\00:25:37.33
So let's summarize
what this verse contains.
00:25:46.14\00:25:48.74
First of all, it says that the
little horn, point number one,
00:25:48.98\00:25:52.85
would persecute whom?
00:25:53.52\00:25:55.38
The saints of the Most High.
00:25:55.75\00:25:57.32
For how long?
00:25:57.35\00:25:58.69
Time, times, and
the dividing of time.
00:25:58.72\00:26:01.22
Now let's go to
Revelation 12:14.
00:26:01.49\00:26:04.26
Remember, we're
trying to interpret what
00:26:04.49\00:26:06.06
the woman represents.
00:26:06.09\00:26:07.43
Revelation 12:14.
00:26:07.46\00:26:10.27
This is a parallel
prophecy, but it's expressed
00:26:10.47\00:26:13.44
somewhat differently.
00:26:13.47\00:26:15.00
It says here...
00:26:15.30\00:26:16.64
So who is the persecutor
here in Revelation 12?
00:26:24.48\00:26:27.35
It's the dragon
who is persecuting.
00:26:28.05\00:26:29.98
And who is he persecuting?
00:26:30.19\00:26:31.65
He's persecuting the woman.
00:26:32.32\00:26:33.72
Now let's continue reading.
00:26:33.76\00:26:35.09
It that the same time
period as Daniel 7:25?
00:26:48.90\00:26:51.97
Yes it is. Now
let's make the parallel.
00:26:52.21\00:26:54.08
In Daniel 7, the little
horn persecutes the saints
00:26:54.48\00:26:58.41
for time, times, and
the dividing of time.
00:26:58.61\00:27:00.85
In Revelation 12, the
dragon persecutes the woman
00:27:01.25\00:27:05.69
for time, times, and
the dividing of time.
00:27:05.72\00:27:08.16
So let me ask you, what
does the woman represent
00:27:08.19\00:27:10.26
when you compare these two text?
00:27:10.29\00:27:11.89
The woman represents
the saints of the Most High.
00:27:12.39\00:27:15.10
It represents
God's faithful people.
00:27:15.13\00:27:17.83
Are you following me or not?
00:27:17.87\00:27:19.20
So in Revelation 12,
this woman represents
00:27:19.27\00:27:22.90
God's faithful people.
00:27:22.94\00:27:25.67
But now we need to ask
a very important question.
00:27:26.17\00:27:28.64
You know, God has had a
people, a faithful people,
00:27:29.14\00:27:31.95
in the Old Testament as well as
in the New Testament, hasn't He?
00:27:31.98\00:27:35.32
He's had a church
in the Old Testament,
00:27:35.48\00:27:37.42
and He's had a
church in the New Testament.
00:27:37.45\00:27:39.19
So the question
here is, is this woman,
00:27:39.62\00:27:43.12
is this faithful
people that is spoken of here
00:27:43.96\00:27:46.36
in Revelation 12:1 God's
people from the Old Testament,
00:27:46.39\00:27:50.93
God's faithful people
from the Old Testament,
00:27:50.97\00:27:53.03
or it is God's people
from the New Testament,
00:27:53.07\00:27:55.87
the faithful from
the New Testament?
00:27:55.90\00:27:57.61
Which stage are we
talking about here?
00:27:57.64\00:28:00.11
Well the fact is,
folks, there's no doubt that in
00:28:00.71\00:28:03.61
Revelation 12:1 the woman
is representing God's people,
00:28:03.65\00:28:09.65
God's faithful people,
in the Old Testament period.
00:28:09.68\00:28:12.42
And you say, "How do
you know that the woman
00:28:12.85\00:28:14.89
represents God's saints,
or God's faithful people,
00:28:14.92\00:28:18.23
from the Old
Testament in Revelation 12:1?"
00:28:18.26\00:28:20.76
The answer is very simple.
00:28:21.03\00:28:22.50
In the next verse
it says that the woman
00:28:22.83\00:28:25.07
has a male child in her womb.
00:28:25.10\00:28:27.34
And the child has
not been born yet.
00:28:27.67\00:28:29.84
Who is that child that
was in the womb of the woman?
00:28:30.37\00:28:32.91
It's Jesus Christ, right?
00:28:33.84\00:28:36.01
So if Jesus
hadn't been born yet,
00:28:36.11\00:28:38.85
this is so obvious, if
Jesus had not been born yet
00:28:40.08\00:28:43.49
when the woman is
seen, is that talking about
00:28:43.52\00:28:46.62
the New Testament church?
00:28:46.65\00:28:48.02
How can you have a
New Testament church
00:28:48.29\00:28:49.89
if Jesus has not been born yet?
00:28:49.92\00:28:51.43
Are you following me or not?
00:28:51.46\00:28:52.79
Now, here's a dumb question.
00:28:52.99\00:28:55.33
Who exists first,
the woman or the child?
00:28:56.06\00:28:58.53
The woman, of course.
00:29:00.10\00:29:01.44
Did the Old Testament church
exist before Jesus was born?
00:29:01.47\00:29:04.81
Yes. This woman already
existed before Jesus was born
00:29:05.14\00:29:09.11
because she has Jesus in
her womb, and then He's born.
00:29:09.14\00:29:11.88
But I want you to notice
something very important.
00:29:12.51\00:29:14.68
The woman
represents, in Revelation 12:1,
00:29:15.28\00:29:17.92
it represents the
Old Testament church
00:29:17.95\00:29:20.19
from which Jesus comes.
00:29:20.29\00:29:21.66
Because Jesus is the
descendant of Abraham
00:29:21.69\00:29:24.13
and He's the
descendant of David.
00:29:24.16\00:29:25.49
He comes from the holy
line of the Old Testament.
00:29:25.53\00:29:27.93
So Jesus is born from the
faithful Old Testament church.
00:29:27.96\00:29:31.63
But then you notice in
this prophecy that the woman
00:29:31.93\00:29:35.04
then flees to the wilderness
after the Child is born.
00:29:35.07\00:29:38.44
And she flees for 1260 years.
00:29:38.77\00:29:41.84
Let me ask you, what
stage of the church is that
00:29:41.94\00:29:44.25
after the Child is born?
00:29:44.28\00:29:45.65
That's the New Testament church.
00:29:46.01\00:29:47.78
So in other words, you have...
00:29:47.82\00:29:49.18
How many
churches does Jesus have?
00:29:49.28\00:29:51.15
You know, today there
are many that are teaching,
00:29:51.62\00:29:53.89
most interpreters of prophecy,
not in the Adventist church
00:29:54.09\00:29:57.46
but outside the
church, they say, you know,
00:29:57.49\00:29:59.43
"God has two
peoples: He has literal Israel
00:29:59.46\00:30:01.66
and then He has the church.
00:30:01.70\00:30:03.03
And two different plans.
00:30:03.06\00:30:04.40
You know, He's going
to rapture the church
00:30:04.43\00:30:05.77
to heaven, and the Jews
are going to be left behind.
00:30:05.80\00:30:07.60
He has two
mutually separable peoples."
00:30:07.64\00:30:09.80
Revelation 12 makes it very
clear that this is not the case.
00:30:10.04\00:30:13.24
Revelation 12 tells us
that God has one woman.
00:30:13.81\00:30:16.88
From Old and New
Testament period.
00:30:17.71\00:30:20.38
From before the Child is born
and after the Child is born.
00:30:20.65\00:30:24.15
God has only one
people throughout the course
00:30:24.19\00:30:26.69
of all of history.
00:30:26.72\00:30:28.42
And so this woman in
Revelation 12:1 represents
00:30:29.02\00:30:33.63
the Old Testament church
before the Child is born.
00:30:33.86\00:30:37.53
Now we need to
understand what the twelve stars
00:30:38.07\00:30:40.34
on the crown of
the woman represents.
00:30:40.37\00:30:42.10
So if this represents
God's Old Testament people
00:30:42.30\00:30:45.07
in Revelation 12:1, and of
course later on it represents
00:30:45.41\00:30:48.91
the New Testament church,
then what do the twelve stars
00:30:48.94\00:30:52.21
on her crown represent.
00:30:52.25\00:30:53.95
Well we have to go
back to Genesis 37:9-10.
00:30:54.25\00:30:58.32
Genesis 37:9-10
00:30:58.35\00:31:01.96
This is one of the
dreams that Joseph had.
00:31:02.89\00:31:04.89
If you remember, Joseph
was called, the dreamer.
00:31:04.93\00:31:07.60
He had many dreams
that aggravated his brothers
00:31:07.80\00:31:10.70
when he was still at home.
00:31:10.80\00:31:12.47
And I want you to notice that
we have sun, moon, and stars
00:31:12.57\00:31:15.90
in one of his dreams.
00:31:15.94\00:31:17.27
It says in Genesis 37:9,
"Then he," that is Joseph...
00:31:17.31\00:31:22.08
Do we have sun, moon,
and stars in Revelation 12?
00:31:32.25\00:31:35.02
Yes we do.
00:31:35.19\00:31:36.52
So this is
reminiscent of Revelation 12:1.
00:31:36.56\00:31:40.50
It says...
00:31:40.53\00:31:41.86
You say, "Ah, but
that's not twelve stars.
00:31:44.87\00:31:47.04
That's eleven stars."
00:31:47.07\00:31:48.40
Yes it is eleven stars,
but who is star number twelve?
00:31:48.44\00:31:50.87
Star number twelve is Joseph.
00:31:51.47\00:31:53.51
How many sons did Jacob have?
00:31:54.08\00:31:55.84
Jacob had twelve.
00:31:56.34\00:31:57.75
So you have eleven
stars bowing to Joseph
00:31:57.85\00:32:00.68
who is star number twelve.
00:32:00.72\00:32:02.25
And so notice it
continues saying...
00:32:02.55\00:32:04.72
So the twelve stars represent
the twelve sons of Jacob,
00:32:23.74\00:32:27.84
which were the founders
of the Old Testament church.
00:32:27.88\00:32:31.25
Notice Genesis 49:28.
00:32:32.11\00:32:35.35
Let me ask you, did those
twelve young men then multiply
00:32:35.38\00:32:38.35
and become a great nation?
00:32:38.39\00:32:39.72
Twelve tribes?
00:32:39.75\00:32:41.09
From twelve individuals
they multiplied and they became
00:32:41.12\00:32:45.73
a great nation.
00:32:45.76\00:32:47.10
That's very important.
00:32:47.43\00:32:48.80
Notice Genesis 49:28.
00:32:48.83\00:32:51.67
After Jacob has given the
characteristics of all his sons,
00:32:51.87\00:32:55.20
then we have this explanation.
00:32:55.60\00:32:57.51
And so you find here
that the twelve founders
00:33:08.85\00:33:12.12
of the Old Testament church
were the twelve sons of Jacob.
00:33:12.15\00:33:15.42
Twelve individuals that
then multiplied and formed
00:33:15.52\00:33:19.46
a great nation.
00:33:19.49\00:33:21.00
Now let me ask you, how many
apostles did Jesus establish?
00:33:21.46\00:33:25.63
Jesus
established twelve apostles.
00:33:26.90\00:33:29.14
Now why would He
establish twelve apostles?
00:33:29.37\00:33:31.24
Do you think that
Jesus said, "Now let me see,
00:33:31.27\00:33:33.51
what number can I choose here?
00:33:33.61\00:33:35.41
Seven would be
good. That's perfection.
00:33:35.44\00:33:38.31
Four; that's universality.
00:33:38.68\00:33:42.58
No I don't like that.
00:33:42.62\00:33:43.95
Three; the number
of the Godhead? No.
00:33:43.99\00:33:45.62
I think I'll choose twelve."
00:33:45.82\00:33:47.39
You think that's what led Jesus
to choose the number twelve?
00:33:47.42\00:33:50.03
Of course not.
00:33:50.23\00:33:51.56
He was choosing the
number twelve because
00:33:51.59\00:33:53.90
the New Testament
church is a continuation of
00:33:53.93\00:33:56.46
the Old Testament church.
00:33:56.50\00:33:57.83
Just like we saw
in Revelation 12,
00:33:57.87\00:33:59.20
there's one woman.
00:33:59.23\00:34:00.57
One woman
composed of two stages.
00:34:00.64\00:34:02.70
And so the number twelve
represents the twelve founders
00:34:03.17\00:34:05.61
of the Old Testament church,
but that church is continued
00:34:05.64\00:34:08.64
by twelve founders of
the New Testament church.
00:34:08.68\00:34:11.18
Notice Mark 3:14-19.
00:34:11.31\00:34:15.08
Mark 3:14-19
00:34:15.35\00:34:19.02
So Jesus
appointed twelve apostles
00:34:55.19\00:34:58.89
because the twelve apostles
were going to be the founders
00:34:59.09\00:35:01.63
of the New Testament church.
00:35:01.66\00:35:03.77
Now Ellen White, whom
I've always found to be very
00:35:04.53\00:35:08.34
enlightening, a woman who
had only two and a half years
00:35:08.37\00:35:11.77
of primary
education, understood very well
00:35:11.81\00:35:14.94
the importance of the number
twelve and how the number twelve
00:35:15.38\00:35:18.11
represents the founds
of the Old Testament church
00:35:18.15\00:35:21.18
and the founders of
the New Testament church.
00:35:21.38\00:35:23.55
One church
composed of two stages.
00:35:23.59\00:35:25.85
Notice what she says in
the book, Acts of the Apostles,
00:35:25.89\00:35:28.39
page 19.
00:35:28.59\00:35:30.23
Is that clear?
Absolutely crystal clear.
00:35:44.67\00:35:46.88
Once again...
00:35:46.91\00:35:48.24
Now let me ask you, did
those twelve then multiply,
00:35:57.59\00:36:00.59
through their preaching,
and become a great church
00:36:00.62\00:36:03.09
or a great nation, so to speak?
00:36:03.12\00:36:04.83
Absolutely.
00:36:04.86\00:36:06.19
And so the New Testament
church is a continuation of the
00:36:06.23\00:36:09.70
Old Testament church.
00:36:09.73\00:36:11.07
And I want to
underline once again, you know,
00:36:11.43\00:36:13.87
there's a
theology today of prophecy
00:36:13.90\00:36:16.91
which is called
dispensationalism
00:36:16.94\00:36:18.81
that radically distinguishes
literal Israel from the church.
00:36:18.94\00:36:23.18
The fact is, Revelation 12
makes it impossible to separate
00:36:23.68\00:36:26.78
literal Israel from the church.
00:36:26.82\00:36:28.38
Because there's only
one woman that represents
00:36:28.78\00:36:32.09
both stages of the church.
00:36:32.19\00:36:34.22
The same woman that
has the Child is the woman
00:36:34.56\00:36:37.56
that then flees to the
wilderness for 1260 years.
00:36:37.59\00:36:41.60
One church
composed of two stages.
00:36:41.70\00:36:44.50
The founders of the
Old Testament church:
00:36:44.60\00:36:46.77
twelve
representatives; sons of Jacob.
00:36:46.80\00:36:49.27
The founders of the
New Testament church:
00:36:49.30\00:36:51.27
twelve apostles.
00:36:51.31\00:36:52.64
Twelve individuals then multiply
and become a great nation;
00:36:52.67\00:36:55.48
twelve individuals then
multiply and become a global
00:36:55.78\00:36:59.48
or worldwide church.
00:36:59.51\00:37:01.38
Now we must ask the question,
come back to our question again,
00:37:01.78\00:37:05.19
why did they feel such an
urgency of naming a successor
00:37:05.69\00:37:10.66
in place of Judas
before the day of Pentecost?
00:37:10.69\00:37:13.80
You say, "Okay,
prophecy said that they
00:37:13.83\00:37:15.83
had to elect a successor.
00:37:15.86\00:37:17.20
We accept that.
00:37:17.23\00:37:18.57
But why did the
election have to take place
00:37:18.60\00:37:21.00
before the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:37:21.04\00:37:23.34
at the day of Pentecost?"
00:37:23.71\00:37:25.37
The answer to that question
has to do with what happened
00:37:25.71\00:37:29.58
to Jesus during the ten
days between the ascension
00:37:29.61\00:37:32.98
and the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.
00:37:33.01\00:37:34.78
Do you remember that
Jesus ascended 40 days
00:37:35.08\00:37:37.29
after His resurrection,
and then ten days passed
00:37:37.32\00:37:40.26
before the Holy
Spirit was poured out?
00:37:40.29\00:37:41.89
During those ten days we know
what the apostles were doing.
00:37:42.12\00:37:44.73
They were praying,
they were studying prophecy,
00:37:44.76\00:37:46.80
they were ironing
out their differences.
00:37:46.83\00:37:49.06
They were placing
their possessions at the
00:37:49.30\00:37:51.60
service of the work.
00:37:51.63\00:37:52.97
They were being emptied of self.
00:37:53.00\00:37:54.34
We know what they were doing.
00:37:54.37\00:37:55.70
But what was happening to
Jesus during those ten days?
00:37:55.84\00:37:58.67
Ah, there are a
couple of prophecies
00:37:58.94\00:38:00.74
which are very significant.
00:38:00.78\00:38:02.18
The first of these is
found in Leviticus 8:6-12.
00:38:02.21\00:38:06.85
Leviticus 8:6-12 tells us
that a very impressive ceremony
00:38:06.88\00:38:12.42
took place in heaven
during those ten days.
00:38:12.45\00:38:14.79
Notice what it says
beginning at verse 6.
00:38:15.12\00:38:18.06
This is right
before the temple service
00:38:23.67\00:38:27.17
or the Sanctuary
service is inaugurated
00:38:27.20\00:38:29.14
in the Old Testament.
00:38:29.17\00:38:30.51
Verse 7...
00:38:30.54\00:38:31.87
What is Moses doing
here to Aaron his brother?
00:39:05.91\00:39:09.51
He is clothing him to be what?
00:39:10.18\00:39:12.85
High priest.
00:39:13.15\00:39:14.48
You see, before he could
begin serving as high priest,
00:39:14.52\00:39:17.55
he had to be
clothed as a high priest.
00:39:17.59\00:39:20.99
And Moses is playing
the role of God the Father
00:39:21.16\00:39:24.93
in the ultimate fulfillment.
00:39:25.66\00:39:27.56
Moses is a symbol of the Father,
00:39:27.66\00:39:29.63
and Christ is symbolized
by Aaron the high priest.
00:39:29.66\00:39:33.74
And so it was necessary
for Moses to clothe Aaron
00:39:34.00\00:39:37.41
as the high priest
before he could begin serving
00:39:37.44\00:39:39.54
as the high
priest in the Sanctuary.
00:39:39.57\00:39:41.21
But that's the
first thing that happened.
00:39:41.24\00:39:42.74
There's more.
00:39:42.78\00:39:44.11
Notice what it
continues saying in verse 10.
00:39:44.15\00:39:47.55
So what is he doing?
00:40:05.80\00:40:07.17
He's sanctifying the
place where the high priest
00:40:07.20\00:40:10.01
is going to serve.
00:40:10.04\00:40:11.37
So he's anointing the
place or the Sanctuary
00:40:11.91\00:40:15.24
where the high
priest is going to serve.
00:40:15.28\00:40:16.88
So two things are happening
here in the Old Testament type.
00:40:17.18\00:40:20.82
Number one, Moses is
clothing Aaron with the
00:40:20.85\00:40:24.09
garments of the high priest.
00:40:24.12\00:40:25.45
Then he says, "Well, he's going
to serve in the holy Sanctuary."
00:40:25.55\00:40:28.39
So he sanctifies the Sanctuary
where Aaron is going to serve.
00:40:28.42\00:40:33.43
But then there's
one ceremony that still
00:40:33.46\00:40:35.36
needs to be performed.
00:40:35.40\00:40:36.73
And that's found in verse 12.
00:40:36.77\00:40:38.33
And so the third thing that
is happening here is that Moses
00:40:49.14\00:40:52.21
is anointing Aaron with oil.
00:40:52.25\00:40:56.35
So three things.
00:40:56.62\00:40:57.95
Number one, Moses
clothes Aaron as high priest.
00:40:57.99\00:41:01.49
Number two, he anoints
the Sanctuary where the
00:41:01.59\00:41:04.59
high priest is going to serve.
00:41:04.63\00:41:06.03
And number three, he anoints
the high priest with oil.
00:41:06.06\00:41:10.00
And what does oil represent?
00:41:10.30\00:41:12.03
You know very well that
oil represents the Holy Spirit.
00:41:12.23\00:41:15.47
Now Psalm 133
describes this same occasion
00:41:15.74\00:41:21.38
when Aaron was
anointed with the oil.
00:41:21.41\00:41:23.78
And immediately
when you read Psalm 133,
00:41:24.11\00:41:26.98
you're going to
see the connection
00:41:27.02\00:41:28.35
with the day of Pentecost.
00:41:28.38\00:41:29.72
It's very, very
clear the way it begins.
00:41:29.75\00:41:31.62
Notice Psalm 133, and
this is a very short Psalm.
00:41:31.95\00:41:35.62
It has only three
verses, so we will be able to
00:41:36.46\00:41:38.79
go through it quite quickly.
00:41:38.83\00:41:40.16
It says there...
00:41:40.20\00:41:41.53
What does that bring to mind?
00:41:49.90\00:41:51.47
When the day of
Pentecost had fully come,
00:41:52.04\00:41:54.71
they were all of one accord.
00:41:54.88\00:41:57.78
So this is what you might
call, a Pentecostal psalm.
00:41:58.35\00:42:01.32
It's a psalm about Pentecost.
00:42:01.82\00:42:03.59
And so it says...
00:42:03.89\00:42:05.22
Now here comes the
amplification of the
00:42:12.23\00:42:14.23
anointing of Aaron by Moses.
00:42:14.26\00:42:15.83
Upon where first?
00:42:17.90\00:42:19.80
The head.
00:42:20.20\00:42:21.54
Are we talking about just one,
two, three, four, or five dots?
00:42:21.74\00:42:25.61
No, no, no, no, no.
Notice, it says here...
00:42:25.91\00:42:29.64
So we're talking
about not a few drops.
00:42:35.32\00:42:37.22
We're talking about an
abundance of oil because
00:42:37.25\00:42:39.59
it's running down his beard.
00:42:39.62\00:42:40.99
The beard of whom?
00:42:42.02\00:42:43.36
Ah, this is the
same anointing service.
00:42:43.86\00:42:46.19
"...the beard of Aaron..."
00:42:46.23\00:42:47.66
Oh, notice how abundant it is.
00:42:48.03\00:42:50.17
Boy, this is a lot of oil.
00:42:53.60\00:42:54.94
You know, it's
poured on his head.
00:42:55.67\00:42:57.34
This is not only sprinkled,
it's poured on his head.
00:42:57.37\00:42:59.47
It runs down his beard.
00:42:59.74\00:43:01.34
It's so abundant
that it's running to the
00:43:01.38\00:43:03.45
edges of his garments.
00:43:03.48\00:43:04.98
But it doesn't stop
there. Notice verse 3.
00:43:05.01\00:43:07.48
The oil was so
abundant that it trickled down
00:43:20.26\00:43:23.53
even on the mountains of Zion.
00:43:23.57\00:43:25.33
Let me ask you, who was gathered
on the mountains of Zion?
00:43:25.37\00:43:27.74
The twelve apostles.
00:43:28.84\00:43:30.24
You see, the gift of the
Holy Spirit, before it was given
00:43:31.64\00:43:34.21
to the apostles, it
was given to Christ.
00:43:34.24\00:43:36.64
It was the promise
of the Father to Christ.
00:43:36.95\00:43:39.21
And so the Father gave
the promise of the Holy Spirit
00:43:39.91\00:43:42.78
to Jesus, and
then what did Jesus do?
00:43:42.82\00:43:45.22
Jesus poured out the
promise of the Holy Spirit
00:43:45.59\00:43:48.76
upon His followers.
00:43:48.79\00:43:50.13
And what happened on
the day of Pentecost,
00:43:50.49\00:43:52.43
the tongues of fire
and the mighty rushing wind
00:43:52.53\00:43:55.53
and the fact that they
were speaking in tongues,
00:43:55.73\00:43:58.00
was an earthly announcement
that Jesus had been anointed
00:43:58.20\00:44:02.34
as the High Priest in
the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:44:02.37\00:44:05.44
Now notice Hebrews 8:1-2.
00:44:06.11\00:44:09.38
Hebrews 8:1-2
00:44:09.41\00:44:12.25
Here, the apostle Paul
clearly says that when Jesus
00:44:12.81\00:44:14.98
went to heaven, He was
installed as our High Priest.
00:44:15.02\00:44:17.32
This is what he says.
00:44:17.35\00:44:18.69
What do we have in
the heavenly Sanctuary?
00:44:35.14\00:44:37.21
We have a High Priest.
00:44:37.24\00:44:38.57
Would He have had to have
been clothed in order to serve
00:44:38.67\00:44:41.84
as the High Priest?
00:44:41.88\00:44:43.21
Absolutely.
00:44:43.24\00:44:44.58
Would it have been necessary
to anoint the Sanctuary
00:44:44.61\00:44:47.25
where He was going to serve?
00:44:47.28\00:44:48.88
Absolutely.
00:44:48.92\00:44:50.25
Would it have been necessary
for Jesus to have been anointed
00:44:50.29\00:44:53.12
or receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit to then pour it out
00:44:53.15\00:44:56.19
upon His apostles?
00:44:56.22\00:44:57.56
Absolutely.
00:44:57.59\00:44:58.93
Jesus fulfills the
Old Testament type.
00:44:58.96\00:45:01.86
Now you say, "Pastor
Bohr, you still haven't
00:45:02.53\00:45:04.40
answered the question.
00:45:04.43\00:45:06.13
Why was it necessary to
elect a successor for Judas
00:45:06.57\00:45:10.44
before the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:45:10.47\00:45:12.54
on the day of Pentecost?"
00:45:12.57\00:45:13.98
Well, we weren't ready
to understand it before,
00:45:14.08\00:45:16.54
but now we're ready to
understand the reason why.
00:45:16.58\00:45:18.91
It had to happen
before the day of Pentecost.
00:45:18.95\00:45:21.68
There was a specific
reason in Bible prophecy
00:45:22.22\00:45:24.92
why apostle number
twelve had to be elected
00:45:25.22\00:45:28.52
before Jesus was
clothed as a High Priest.
00:45:28.56\00:45:31.63
Go with me to another
prophecy that we find in
00:45:32.16\00:45:35.26
the book of Exodus 28
and we'll read verse 21,
00:45:35.30\00:45:39.57
and then we'll
read verses 29-30.
00:45:39.60\00:45:42.34
Exodus 28:21, and then
we'll jump down to verses 29-30.
00:45:42.54\00:45:46.98
Actually, I want to
encourage you to read verse 21
00:45:47.01\00:45:50.11
all the way down to verse 30.
00:45:50.15\00:45:51.81
But because of the time we
can't read the whole passage.
00:45:51.85\00:45:55.08
It says in verse 21...
00:45:55.12\00:45:56.45
It's talking about the
breastplate of the high priest.
00:45:57.95\00:46:00.19
Remember, he had a breastplate?
00:46:00.22\00:46:02.22
It was a perfect square
on his chest over his heart.
00:46:02.26\00:46:06.49
It says, "And the
stones shall have..."
00:46:06.80\00:46:08.73
So the twelve names are
really symbolic of what?
00:46:24.35\00:46:27.65
Of the twelve
tribes. Of all the people.
00:46:28.12\00:46:29.62
In these twelve representatives
was included all of Israel,
00:46:29.65\00:46:33.92
in other words.
00:46:33.96\00:46:35.29
Now let's go down to verse 29.
00:46:35.32\00:46:36.93
Let me ask you, who deserves to
fall under the judgment of God?
00:47:12.99\00:47:17.10
We do.
00:47:17.53\00:47:18.87
We deserve to fall
under the judgment of God.
00:47:18.90\00:47:20.67
We deserve to be
punished for sin.
00:47:20.70\00:47:23.07
Because we are
the transgressors.
00:47:23.64\00:47:25.71
But the fact that Jesus wears
the breastplate of judgment
00:47:26.68\00:47:30.21
over His heart, notice
it says here that He bears
00:47:30.25\00:47:34.88
the judgment of the children
of Israel over His heart.
00:47:34.98\00:47:38.59
He bears our judgment.
00:47:38.62\00:47:39.95
Which means that when I
sin, and I come to Jesus
00:47:40.52\00:47:43.69
as the High Priest
and I say to Jesus,
00:47:43.73\00:47:45.76
"Lord, I've
sinned. I deserve to die.
00:47:45.99\00:47:49.10
Because the
wages of sin is death.
00:47:49.53\00:47:51.33
But I believe that
You lived the perfect life
00:47:51.57\00:47:53.64
and I believe that
You died in my place.
00:47:53.67\00:47:56.50
Lord Jesus, would
You please accept me?
00:47:56.54\00:47:58.94
I'm repentant,
I'm confessing my sin.
00:47:58.97\00:48:00.94
I trust in Your merits.
00:48:00.98\00:48:02.44
Would You please take
Your life and Your death
00:48:02.48\00:48:04.35
and place them to my account?"
00:48:04.38\00:48:05.71
Jesus will place
them to my account
00:48:05.85\00:48:07.65
and He will look at me
as if I had never sinned,
00:48:07.68\00:48:10.29
because He bears my
judgment upon His heart.
00:48:10.32\00:48:14.29
Notice Isaiah 53:4-5.
00:48:15.36\00:48:17.76
That same expression,
"bear," is used there
00:48:17.79\00:48:20.76
with regards to the Messiah.
00:48:21.36\00:48:23.90
Notice Isaiah 53:4-5.
00:48:23.93\00:48:27.84
It's speaking about
the Messiah and it says...
00:48:28.14\00:48:29.84
What has He
done? He's borne what?
00:48:33.88\00:48:35.54
He's borne.
00:48:35.64\00:48:36.98
That's the same
word, the same Hebrew word.
00:48:37.01\00:48:38.55
Did He bear our
judgment upon Himself?
00:48:45.39\00:48:47.46
Notice verse 5.
00:48:47.49\00:48:48.86
He bears the judgment of
His people upon His heart.
00:49:10.18\00:49:15.25
Isn't that great news?
00:49:16.38\00:49:17.82
That's wonderful news.
00:49:18.35\00:49:19.69
It's music to my ears.
00:49:20.26\00:49:21.86
Now you say, "What
about the number twelve?
00:49:22.32\00:49:24.66
We still haven't answered why
they had to elect a successor
00:49:25.03\00:49:27.73
before the day of Pentecost."
00:49:28.30\00:49:29.63
Let me explain why.
00:49:29.66\00:49:31.00
We've already noticed
that when Jesus went to heaven,
00:49:31.67\00:49:36.10
the Father clothed
Him as the High Priest.
00:49:36.64\00:49:38.77
Is that point clear?
00:49:38.81\00:49:40.14
The Father clothed
Him as the High Priest.
00:49:40.34\00:49:42.28
So must Jesus have a
breastplate over His heart?
00:49:42.38\00:49:45.38
Does Jesus have a
breastplate over His heart?
00:49:45.41\00:49:47.12
How name stones does
the breastplate have?
00:49:47.58\00:49:49.65
Twelve.
00:49:49.95\00:49:51.29
With regards to the New
Testament, what do those
00:49:51.32\00:49:53.46
twelve stones represent?
00:49:53.49\00:49:55.19
They represent
the twelve apostles.
00:49:55.82\00:49:57.93
And who do the
twelve apostles represent?
00:49:57.96\00:50:01.13
All of God's people.
00:50:01.86\00:50:03.33
Just like the twelve founders,
all of God's people are
00:50:03.67\00:50:06.33
represented in the twelve.
00:50:06.37\00:50:07.74
In the twelve apostles, all
of God's people are represented
00:50:08.20\00:50:11.21
in the names of
the twelve apostles
00:50:11.24\00:50:12.77
on the breastplate of
Christ; on the twelve stones.
00:50:12.81\00:50:16.21
But now here's the problem.
00:50:16.58\00:50:17.95
How could Jesus put on the
breastplate with twelve stones
00:50:18.71\00:50:23.12
representing the twelve
apostles if on earth there were
00:50:23.22\00:50:27.06
only eleven apostles?
00:50:27.09\00:50:29.16
Are you following me or not?
00:50:30.56\00:50:31.93
There were only eleven.
00:50:32.59\00:50:33.93
So how could Jesus wear
the breastplate of judgment
00:50:34.23\00:50:37.27
with twelve stones
representing the twelve apostles
00:50:37.30\00:50:40.87
if on earth
there were only eleven?
00:50:40.97\00:50:43.10
It was necessary to
elect apostle number twelve
00:50:43.74\00:50:46.88
so that Jesus
could use the breastplate
00:50:46.91\00:50:49.11
with the twelve
stones over His heart.
00:50:49.14\00:50:51.48
There is a reason for
everything in Scripture.
00:50:51.88\00:50:54.25
You see, they didn't
jump the gun and say,
00:50:54.88\00:50:56.75
"Oh, let's just
elect a successor,"
00:50:56.79\00:50:58.55
and they did it, you know,
rushing and they made a mistake.
00:50:58.59\00:51:01.52
No, no, no, no.
00:51:01.56\00:51:02.89
They did it exactly
when they had to do it.
00:51:02.92\00:51:05.29
Because they knew that
Jesus was going to be clothed
00:51:05.53\00:51:07.86
as the High Priest,
He was going to wear the
00:51:07.90\00:51:09.73
breastplate with twelve stones.
00:51:09.76\00:51:11.57
So they said, "If there's
going to be twelve stones on
00:51:11.60\00:51:13.97
His breastplate, there
has to be twelve apostles
00:51:14.00\00:51:16.87
on the earth."
00:51:16.91\00:51:18.44
Now do you know what Christ's
yearning desire is, folks?
00:51:19.07\00:51:22.21
The yearning desire of Jesus
is to have His people with Him.
00:51:22.34\00:51:26.61
That's why He has the
breastplate over His heart.
00:51:27.98\00:51:31.85
Because He wants
His people with Him.
00:51:32.45\00:51:34.46
You know, that's
the passion of Christ.
00:51:35.19\00:51:36.83
We already read in John 14:1-3,
when Jesus was in the upper room
00:51:37.33\00:51:41.20
He says to His
disciples, you know, that,
00:51:41.23\00:51:43.40
"Where I am,
there you may be also."
00:51:43.43\00:51:45.57
"I want you with Me,"
Jesus said in the upper room.
00:51:46.03\00:51:48.97
That's before He went to
the garden of Gethsemane.
00:51:49.17\00:51:51.41
And then in the
garden of Gethsemane
00:51:52.01\00:51:53.54
Jesus is praying to His Father.
00:51:53.58\00:51:55.31
I want you to
notice John 17:24-25,
00:51:55.78\00:51:58.18
the climax of His prayer in
the garden for His disciples
00:51:58.21\00:52:02.25
and for everyone who
believes in His name.
00:52:02.28\00:52:04.09
He says...
00:52:04.12\00:52:05.45
"Father, I want My own
to be with Me where I am."
00:52:17.70\00:52:22.37
That was His prayer in
the garden of Gethsemane.
00:52:22.80\00:52:26.41
He had already stated it to
His disciples in the upper room.
00:52:26.44\00:52:29.34
And do you know, when
Jesus arrived in heaven...
00:52:29.51\00:52:31.75
We've studied this before.
00:52:31.78\00:52:33.11
The war Hero, the
victorious war Hero.
00:52:33.55\00:52:35.88
Remember, we studied
in lecture number one,
00:52:35.92\00:52:37.52
The Return of the War Hero?
00:52:37.55\00:52:38.89
When He finally
appeared before His Father
00:52:39.12\00:52:41.59
in the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:52:41.96\00:52:43.39
And He told the
angels, "Don't sing
00:52:43.83\00:52:46.13
until I've talked to My Father."
00:52:46.16\00:52:47.96
I want to read the description
in, Desire of Ages, 834.
00:52:48.23\00:52:51.07
What was the passion of Christ?
00:52:51.10\00:52:53.03
Notice...
00:52:53.07\00:52:54.40
This is at His ascension.
00:53:03.35\00:53:04.68
So when He was in the
upper room He said it.
00:53:21.10\00:53:24.13
In His prayer in
the garden He said it.
00:53:24.17\00:53:26.60
When He ascended
to heaven He said it.
00:53:26.84\00:53:29.24
Jesus wants us to be with Him.
00:53:29.44\00:53:31.34
He bears us over His heart.
00:53:31.37\00:53:34.34
In the book, Gospel
Workers, page 34, Ellen White
00:53:34.88\00:53:39.38
gives this
beautiful description of the
00:53:39.41\00:53:41.18
meaning of the breastplate.
00:53:41.22\00:53:42.55
What a beautiful description of
the meaning of the breastplate.
00:54:21.22\00:54:25.03
Now do you know that some
day soon, very soon I believe
00:54:25.59\00:54:29.46
by what we see
happening in the world,
00:54:29.50\00:54:31.13
Jesus is going to return
to take all of His people
00:54:31.97\00:54:34.37
to the New Jerusalem.
00:54:34.40\00:54:35.74
And do you know
that in the New Jerusalem
00:54:36.17\00:54:37.91
will be
represented the two twelves.
00:54:37.94\00:54:40.18
All of His people will be
together in the same city.
00:54:40.68\00:54:42.84
I want you to notice, as we
close, how the number twelve
00:54:43.55\00:54:47.35
is encased in the New Jerusalem.
00:54:47.62\00:54:50.29
There's no such thing as
God having an earthly city
00:54:50.52\00:54:53.22
for the literal Jews and a
heavenly city for the church.
00:54:53.25\00:54:55.96
That just doesn't pan out.
00:54:56.32\00:54:57.86
Scripture
doesn't uphold that view.
00:54:57.96\00:54:59.76
There's going to be one city
with the redeemed from all ages
00:55:00.06\00:55:03.03
in that city with the Lord.
00:55:03.06\00:55:04.60
Notice Revelation 21:12.
00:55:04.87\00:55:07.80
It's speaking here about
the gates of the holy city.
00:55:09.97\00:55:13.01
And it says, "And she," that
is the city, "had a great..."
00:55:14.74\00:55:17.98
Are God's Old Testament
people represented in the city?
00:55:29.89\00:55:32.63
Absolutely.
00:55:32.89\00:55:34.23
What about the
New Testament church?
00:55:34.26\00:55:35.96
Notice Revelation 21:14.
00:55:36.00\00:55:38.83
One city with all of
God's people from the Old
00:55:50.81\00:55:54.78
and from the New Testament.
00:55:54.82\00:55:56.42
Isn't that marvelous, the
day that all of God's people
00:55:56.79\00:55:59.49
will meet together?
00:55:59.52\00:56:00.86
I end by reading, Acts
of the Apostles, page 601.
00:56:00.89\00:56:04.39
What is it that upheld Jesus
while He hung on the cross?
00:56:04.83\00:56:07.76
Why was Jesus willing
to go through with it,
00:56:07.86\00:56:10.33
even at the risk
of being eternally
00:56:10.37\00:56:12.17
separated from His Father?
00:56:12.20\00:56:13.57
Here's the answer.
00:56:13.60\00:56:14.94
In other words, as
Jesus hung on the cross,
00:56:43.70\00:56:45.80
He could hear the voices
of the triumphant people,
00:56:46.07\00:56:49.80
His followers, in the future
who would have been redeemed
00:56:49.90\00:56:54.31
by His blood.
00:56:54.34\00:56:55.68
I pray to God that
when that great day arrives,
00:56:55.98\00:56:59.61
that all of us
will be present there.
00:56:59.65\00:57:02.32
That none of us will be
missing in that great day.
00:57:02.35\00:57:05.52
When all of God's
people from all ages
00:57:05.55\00:57:07.96
will meet together
in the New Jerusalem.
00:57:07.99\00:57:10.96