Hello friends, we
want to welcome you
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to Sabbath School Study Hour
here at the Granite Bay Church.
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And today, we have
a very special lesson,
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we're going through
preparation for the end times,
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and the lesson today
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is actually dealing
with Jesus in Revelation,
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and our teacher is
going to get to that
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in just a few minutes,
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but before we do,
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we want to
welcome our singers out.
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We're going to
praise God with song,
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and then we're going to
be getting into the study.
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We're going to sing about
Christ coming, hymn number 213,
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Jesus Is Coming Again.
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And if that is your
hope and your dream,
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I invite you to just sing along,
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we're going to
sing all four verses
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of Jesus Is Coming Again.
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You know, as we look
around us, those words are true.
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And I am so
looking forward to that day
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when Jesus comes and
takes us away from all of this.
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Until then, I
pray that all of us
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remain faithful to His cause.
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At this time, Pastor Doug will
bring us our opening prayer.
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Thank you to our singers.
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Welcome once again, friends.
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I want to also
welcome those who are watching
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via one of the
internet outlets, Facebook
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or some other mechanism.
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And now if you have questions
about the lesson today,
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you know, Pastor Ross and I
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both wanted to
teach the lesson today
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about Jesus in Revelation,
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and we arm wrestled and he won.
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It is just one of
the most splendid themes,
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so you may have some questions
about Jesus in Revelation,
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if you have
questions about that,
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send them in somewhere around
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three quarters of the
way through the lesson,
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we'll be going over that.
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And we also have a free offer
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that goes along
with our study today.
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They're going to put that up
on the screen for me right now.
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We're going to be
giving out the DVD
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from the
Landmarks of Prophecy series
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called Return of the King.
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And so, if you want
a free copy of that,
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that's our offer 841,
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it's called Return of the King
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from the Landmarks
of Prophecy series.
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At this time, we're going
to begin with a word of prayer,
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and I'll invite
Pastor Ross to come up
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and to share our lesson with us.
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Loving Father,
we want to thank You
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that Jesus is revealed
in this Book of Revelation.
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And as we talk about
the theme of preparing
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for the final days,
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Lord, we just pray
that our minds will be open
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to hear Your voice speak,
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that the Holy Spirit
will just give us clarity,
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and we pray that we can be
inspired to be more like Jesus
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as a result, in
His name we pray.
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Amen.
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Welcome again to Sabbath School.
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It's always a joy to
see you here week after week
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and also our friends
who are joining us online.
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Especially, we want to
greet our online members.
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We are delighted that you're
part of the church family here,
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even though you
can't be here in person,
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you can tune in every
week and study along with us.
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As Pastor Doug mentioned,
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we've got a fantastic
series of lessons this quarter
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that I'm very excited about.
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It's dealing
with end time events.
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It's just so happens, one of
my favorite books in the Bible
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is last book in
the New Testament,
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of course, the
Book of Revelation.
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Today, we're gonna
spend quite a bit of time
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looking at some
rather important passages
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in Revelation that highlight
Jesus and His ministry.
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Sort of on a side note,
one of my other favorite books
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in the New Testament
is the Book of Hebrews,
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which also highlights Jesus
and His high priestly ministry
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in the heavenly sanctuary.
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We probably won't have time
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to get into too much
of that this morning.
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But we are going to
spend quite a bit of time
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looking at Revelation.
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The theme for our lesson today
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is Jesus and the
Book of Revelation.
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And we have a memory
text, it's Revelation 3:21,
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I'm going to read this
straight out of our lesson,
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it says, "To
him," Jesus speaking,
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"To him who overcomes,
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I will grant to sit
with Me on My throne,
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as I also overcame and sat down
with My Father on His throne."
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So there is a promise
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that Jesus gives to
the Church of Laodicea,
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that is the seventh church
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and he says to
those who overcome,
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they're going to be able to
sit down with Me on My throne.
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And whose throne
is Jesus seated on?
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His Father's throne.
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It's probably one of
the greatest promises of all
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that you can find in
the Book of Revelation,
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a promise to those who overcome.
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Now, as you know, chapter
2 and chapter 3 of Revelation
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are letters to
the seven churches,
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each of those seven churches
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represent seven
phases of the Christian era.
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And to each
church, Jesus gives rebuke,
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He gives words of encouragement,
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and He also gives promise.
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Incidentally,
there's only two churches
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that don't receive
any word of rebuke,
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that's the Church of
Smyrna, the persecuted church,
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and the Church of Philadelphia,
the church of brotherly love.
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But it is interesting when
you look at all of the promises
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that Jesus offers
to those who overcome.
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To the church of Ephesus,
that was the first church,
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Jesus said, "To
those who overcome,
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they get to eat
from the tree of life."
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To the Church of Smyrna,
that was the persecuted church,
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especially around 300 to 313 AD,
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10 years of supreme persecution
during the time of Diocletian.
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There is a promise
that Jesus gives to those
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who are persecuted, He says,
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"Those who overcome will not
be hurt by the second death."
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To the church of Pergamos,
Jesus gives the promise,
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"If you overcome, you
will eat of the hidden manna."
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It also says, "I'll give you
a white stone and a new name."
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So three things
promised to those who overcome
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during the time period
of the church at Pergamos.
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To the church of Thyatira,
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interesting
promise Jesus gives here,
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"To those who overcome,
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they have power
over the nations."
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Of course, they're going to
sit with Christ on His throne,
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they will be
power over the nations.
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He will also give
them the morning star.
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Who do you suppose
the morning star is?
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That's Jesus.
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So Jesus is going to give
Himself to those who overcome.
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To the church of
Sardis, the promise is,
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"You will be
clothed in white garments."
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To the church of Philadelphia,
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the promise is,
"To those overcome,
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they will be a pillar
in the temple of God."
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Meaning, they will
always be in the presence of God
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and they will also
receive a new name.
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And then our memory verse
to the church of Laodicea,
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probably one of the greatest
promises to the seven churches,
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"I will grant you to
sit with Me on My throne,
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even as I am seated
on the Father's throne."
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So there are some of
the promises that Jesus
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gives with reference
to those who overcome.
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Now on Sabbath afternoon,
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the focus of this
lesson as we mentioned
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is Jesus and the
Book of Revelation.
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We have an opening statement
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I'd like to
read from the lesson.
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Revelation is all
about Jesus, about He who is,
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about He who was,
and He who is to come.
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It's about what Jesus is
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and what Jesus
will do for His people,
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especially as it
relates to the end of time.
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Any focus on last day events
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must keep Jesus front
and center of necessity,
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which is exactly what
the Book of Revelation does.
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This week's lesson,
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we'll look at Jesus in
the Book of Revelation.
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So I suppose a good
place to start in our study
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of the Book of
Revelation and Jesus
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is the very
beginning, Revelation 1.
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If you have your Bibles,
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you can turn to
that Revelation 1,
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and we're gonna read
the first three verses here.
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Revelation 1, and I'm going
to read the first three verses.
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Revelation 1:1,
00:10:09.54\00:10:13.71
and it begins with these words.
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And by the way who
wrote the Book of Revelation?
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It was John.
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When was the Book
of Revelation written?
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And where was John
when the book was written?
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He was on the Island of Patmos,
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we'll look at
that little later on.
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As best we can tell, the dating
for the Book of Revelation
00:10:27.39\00:10:29.99
is somewhere around early AD 90.
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By this time, the
other apostles were all dead.
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John, being the youngest
of the apostles outlived them.
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He was ministering at
the church in Ephesus.
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And by the way,
that's the church
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that is first
addressed in Revelation 2,
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the late church of Ephesus.
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It's believed that
he was pastoring there
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in the church of Ephesus.
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And then he was ended
up on the Island of Patmos,
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because he refused to
worship at the Emperor's shrine,
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I'll tell you a
little bit more about that,
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but I'm getting ahead of myself.
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So here, John is on
the Island of Patmos,
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it's somewhere around 90 AD.
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And this is what he has to say
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as he receives these
visions about end times.
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Revelation 1:1, "The
Revelation of Jesus Christ
00:11:09.73\00:11:14.00
which God gave unto Him
to show to his servants,
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things that must
shortly take place,
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and He sent and signified it
00:11:19.91\00:11:21.24
by His angel to
His servant, John."
00:11:21.24\00:11:22.91
Notice the phrase
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The Revelation of Jesus Christ."
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The word
revelation means revealing.
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And it's kind of an interesting
way it's worded there.
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It could be understood
as the Revelation of Jesus,
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meaning Jesus is the
one doing the revealing.
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Jesus is showing us something,
the Revelation of Jesus,
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but it could also be understood
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as that which is
revealed is Jesus.
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Can you see it both ways?
00:11:51.44\00:11:53.54
The word there
"Revelation" comes from the idea
00:11:53.54\00:11:56.88
of lifting the lid
on a basket or a pot
00:11:56.88\00:12:01.12
for the purpose to
reveal the contexts
00:12:01.12\00:12:03.75
or whatever is inside.
00:12:03.75\00:12:05.62
Now, that's kind of the
root meaning of the word.
00:12:05.62\00:12:07.76
So when it says, it's the
Revelation of Jesus Christ,
00:12:07.76\00:12:10.19
it's as if Jesus is
lifting the lid on a basket
00:12:10.19\00:12:13.70
to reveal something inside,
00:12:13.70\00:12:15.90
but that which is
revealed inside is Jesus.
00:12:15.90\00:12:20.00
You understand?
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.24
It's the Revelation of Jesus,
00:12:21.24\00:12:22.90
Jesus is revealing Himself
and His acts through history.
00:12:22.90\00:12:26.74
Then the verse
goes on and it says,
00:12:26.74\00:12:28.31
"Which God gave unto
Him to show to His servants,
00:12:28.31\00:12:31.11
things that must
shortly take place.
00:12:31.11\00:12:33.18
And He sent and signified by
an angel to his servant John."
00:12:33.18\00:12:35.95
So God, the Father
00:12:35.95\00:12:37.02
is the fountain
head of all truth.
00:12:37.02\00:12:38.89
Jesus receives this
truth from the Father,
00:12:38.89\00:12:42.12
He then sends it by
an hand of an angel,
00:12:42.12\00:12:45.19
sends it by an angel to John,
who is on the Island of Patmos.
00:12:45.19\00:12:49.30
John writes down
everything that he sees,
00:12:49.30\00:12:51.83
everything that he hears,
00:12:51.83\00:12:53.07
as well as what the
Spirit reveals to him,
00:12:53.07\00:12:54.70
the testimony of Jesus.
00:12:54.70\00:12:56.10
So the Book of Revelation
is a firsthand account
00:12:56.10\00:12:59.37
of what John is
revealed in vision.
00:12:59.37\00:13:02.64
That which God gave to Jesus,
00:13:02.64\00:13:04.25
Jesus sent by the angel
00:13:04.25\00:13:05.58
and John wrote it down for us.
00:13:05.58\00:13:07.48
If you look in
verse 2, when John says,
00:13:07.48\00:13:09.92
"Who bore witness
to the word of God,"
00:13:09.92\00:13:12.22
speaking of the prophet,
00:13:12.22\00:13:13.56
he wrote down
everything that he heard,
00:13:13.56\00:13:16.26
"and the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:13:16.26\00:13:19.36
Now, we need to let
the Bible interpret itself.
00:13:19.36\00:13:21.06
What is the testimony of Jesus?
00:13:21.06\00:13:23.23
Revelation 19:10 says,
00:13:23.23\00:13:25.47
"The testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy."
00:13:25.47\00:13:29.00
So John was a prophet.
00:13:29.00\00:13:30.41
The Holy Spirit was
revealing things to him.
00:13:30.41\00:13:32.84
He wrote down what he heard,
00:13:32.84\00:13:33.98
he wrote down what the
Spirit revealed to him,
00:13:33.98\00:13:36.61
and then it says, "He wrote down
00:13:36.61\00:13:37.91
everything that he
saw," that's verse 2.
00:13:37.91\00:13:41.15
And then looking at verse 3,
00:13:41.15\00:13:42.82
it says,
"Blessed is he that reads
00:13:42.82\00:13:45.42
and those that hear
the words of this prophecy,
00:13:45.42\00:13:49.72
and keep those things
which are written there in,
00:13:49.72\00:13:52.69
for the time is near."
00:13:52.69\00:13:53.80
So the Book of Revelation
00:13:53.80\00:13:54.83
covers the entire
Christian time period,
00:13:54.83\00:13:57.23
from the time of the apostles,
00:13:57.23\00:13:58.43
all the way down to
the church of Laodicea.
00:13:58.43\00:14:00.50
The church today talks
about the second coming,
00:14:00.50\00:14:03.44
talks about the 1,000
years of the millennium,
00:14:03.44\00:14:06.04
and then it talks about
the earth being recreated,
00:14:06.04\00:14:08.48
and that's in Revelation 21.
00:14:08.48\00:14:10.58
So Revelation covers
the whole Christian era.
00:14:10.58\00:14:14.65
One of the three
things that people need to do
00:14:14.65\00:14:18.42
according to verse 3
in order to be blessed.
00:14:18.42\00:14:21.86
John says, blessed
are those who do what?
00:14:21.86\00:14:24.66
Who read the book.
00:14:24.66\00:14:25.79
And then what else?
00:14:25.79\00:14:27.13
Those who hear the book.
00:14:27.13\00:14:28.23
And what's the third thing?
00:14:28.23\00:14:29.96
Keep those things
that are written therein.
00:14:29.96\00:14:32.50
Now, the way the Book
of Revelation came to us,
00:14:32.50\00:14:35.27
John was a prisoner
on the Island of Patmos,
00:14:35.27\00:14:37.61
who received these visions,
00:14:37.61\00:14:39.07
he wrote them
down in a letter form,
00:14:39.07\00:14:42.11
and then he sent this
letter to the church of Ephesus.
00:14:42.11\00:14:45.51
You can just imagine,
00:14:45.51\00:14:47.48
word gets out to the
members of the church of Ephesus
00:14:47.48\00:14:50.02
that a letter has
just arrived in the mail
00:14:50.02\00:14:52.99
from their beloved John.
00:14:52.99\00:14:55.56
Of course, they knew that
he was in the Island of Patmos.
00:14:55.56\00:14:59.13
They hadn't seen him,
00:14:59.13\00:15:00.26
they hadn't heard
from him for a long time,
00:15:00.26\00:15:02.13
and suddenly a
letter arrives in the mail
00:15:02.13\00:15:04.70
and it's
written by John himself.
00:15:04.70\00:15:06.40
Could you
imagine the excitement?
00:15:06.40\00:15:08.04
That Sabbath
gathered there in the church,
00:15:08.04\00:15:10.34
in the church of Ephesus.
00:15:10.34\00:15:11.41
And one of the
elders gets up and he says,
00:15:11.41\00:15:13.44
"We've got a
letter that's just come
00:15:13.44\00:15:15.18
from our beloved Apostle John."
00:15:15.18\00:15:17.41
And he opens up
the Book of Revelation,
00:15:17.41\00:15:19.18
and probably in one reading,
00:15:19.18\00:15:21.68
he reads
through the entire book.
00:15:21.68\00:15:23.89
And everybody sits and listens.
00:15:23.89\00:15:25.65
And maybe they read it
again for a couple of weeks.
00:15:25.65\00:15:28.66
So John says,
"Blessed is he that reads,
00:15:28.66\00:15:32.03
blessed are those who hear,"
00:15:32.03\00:15:34.46
that would be those
in the congregation,
00:15:34.46\00:15:36.46
and then "blessed
are those who do."
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.63
So after the letter was
read to the church of Ephesus,
00:15:38.63\00:15:41.27
there were a few
scholars in the church,
00:15:41.27\00:15:43.24
and they
carefully copied everything
00:15:43.24\00:15:45.47
that John had
written in his letter,
00:15:45.47\00:15:47.88
then they would keep the copy,
00:15:47.88\00:15:49.58
and they had mailed the original
00:15:49.58\00:15:51.11
to the next church,
00:15:51.11\00:15:52.58
the church of Smyrna.
00:15:52.58\00:15:53.98
And the same thing
would happen in Smyrna.
00:15:53.98\00:15:55.75
An elder would
get up in the church,
00:15:55.75\00:15:57.15
he would read
the letter from John,
00:15:57.15\00:15:59.39
they would
carefully copy it by hand,
00:15:59.39\00:16:02.12
and then the letter would
be sent to the next church,
00:16:02.12\00:16:04.16
and the next
church, and the next church.
00:16:04.16\00:16:05.83
Each church would make copies,
00:16:05.83\00:16:07.86
and that's why we have
many different manuscripts
00:16:07.86\00:16:10.93
and copies of not only
the Book of Revelation,
00:16:10.93\00:16:12.87
but many of the
letters that Paul wrote,
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.00
they dealt with
it in the same way.
00:16:15.00\00:16:16.77
It would be read in the church,
and then carefully copied,
00:16:16.77\00:16:19.01
and then it would be sent on.
00:16:19.01\00:16:20.14
So we don't have any of
the original manuscripts,
00:16:20.14\00:16:22.48
but there are
many copies available,
00:16:22.48\00:16:25.58
at least portions of
New Testament letters
00:16:25.58\00:16:28.52
that are available today.
00:16:28.52\00:16:29.75
And the more archaeologists dig,
00:16:29.75\00:16:32.09
the more they find
these different manuscripts.
00:16:32.09\00:16:34.86
So there's quite a
few of them out there.
00:16:34.86\00:16:36.76
All right, so
there is a blessing
00:16:36.76\00:16:37.79
upon those who
read, those who hear,
00:16:37.79\00:16:39.66
and most importantly
those who keep the things
00:16:39.66\00:16:43.16
that are written therein.
00:16:43.16\00:16:45.00
Okay, a little
bit more background
00:16:45.00\00:16:46.53
to the Book of Revelation
00:16:46.53\00:16:47.60
as it relates
to revealing Jesus.
00:16:47.60\00:16:49.54
There is a
structure that we find
00:16:49.54\00:16:51.11
both in the books of
Daniel and Revelation,
00:16:51.11\00:16:53.14
they are both prophetic books,
00:16:53.14\00:16:54.84
and they have a
similar structure.
00:16:54.84\00:16:57.55
One of the common
structures that we find
00:16:57.55\00:17:00.08
is the books are divided up
00:17:00.08\00:17:01.42
roughly into a
historical section
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.95
and then an
eschatological section
00:17:03.95\00:17:06.35
or end time events section.
00:17:06.35\00:17:08.89
You find that in
the Book of Daniel,
00:17:08.89\00:17:10.69
there's some
stories and some history,
00:17:10.69\00:17:12.69
but then you also have the
vision portion of the book,
00:17:12.69\00:17:15.33
and that's true also
with the Book of Revelation.
00:17:15.33\00:17:17.73
Now, I'm gonna have
somebody read for just,
00:17:17.73\00:17:20.14
in just a moment,
1 Corinthians 10:11.
00:17:20.14\00:17:23.07
Do you have a microphone there?
00:17:23.07\00:17:24.21
You've got the mic,
00:17:24.21\00:17:25.21
okay, I'll have you
read that in just a minute.
00:17:25.21\00:17:27.01
But before we get to that,
00:17:27.01\00:17:28.08
roughly the Book of
Revelation is divided up,
00:17:28.08\00:17:30.28
the first section or
first half of the book,
00:17:30.28\00:17:33.21
from about chapter 1
through to chapter 11
00:17:33.21\00:17:36.72
deals more with
history or historical events
00:17:36.72\00:17:40.86
during the Christian era.
00:17:40.86\00:17:42.36
And then starting in
chapter 13 through to 22,
00:17:42.36\00:17:47.60
it's dealing more
with end time events,
00:17:47.60\00:17:50.17
or really issues
relating to our time.
00:17:50.17\00:17:52.93
You'll find chapter 12,
which we're going to spend
00:17:52.93\00:17:54.90
a little time
studying here in more detail
00:17:54.90\00:17:56.94
is summary of the
historical portion
00:17:56.94\00:18:01.28
of the Book of Revelation.
00:18:01.28\00:18:02.41
Now, there are
exceptions to that.
00:18:02.41\00:18:04.08
You'll see some verses scattered
00:18:04.08\00:18:05.55
in the first part of the book
00:18:05.55\00:18:06.58
that really relate to
events taking place today.
00:18:06.58\00:18:09.65
For example, you
have the sixth seal
00:18:09.65\00:18:11.49
which is in Revelation 6,
00:18:11.49\00:18:14.09
and you have the seventh seal,
00:18:14.09\00:18:15.46
which is silence in heaven
00:18:15.46\00:18:16.76
about the space of half an hour,
00:18:16.76\00:18:18.03
that's in Revelation 8,
00:18:18.03\00:18:19.59
that's really referring to
the second coming of Christ.
00:18:19.59\00:18:21.76
The sixth seal also brings you
00:18:21.76\00:18:23.20
right up to the
second coming of Christ,
00:18:23.20\00:18:24.70
but for the most part,
from chapter 1 through to 11
00:18:24.70\00:18:27.84
deals more with
the historical events,
00:18:27.84\00:18:29.80
chapter 13 onwards deals more
00:18:29.80\00:18:31.74
with the future
events or current events
00:18:31.74\00:18:34.41
that we're living in
00:18:34.41\00:18:35.48
and things that must take place.
00:18:35.48\00:18:36.71
But why do we have this history
00:18:36.71\00:18:38.65
in the books of
Daniel and Revelation?
00:18:38.65\00:18:40.12
Let's take a look
at 1 Corinthians 10:11.
00:18:40.12\00:18:43.89
"Now all these things
happened to them as examples,
00:18:43.89\00:18:47.66
and they were
written for our admonition,
00:18:47.66\00:18:50.09
upon whom the ends
of the ages have come."
00:18:50.09\00:18:52.79
Thank you.
00:18:52.79\00:18:53.96
So according to Paul
there in 1 Corinthians,
00:18:53.96\00:18:56.13
these historical accounts
00:18:56.13\00:18:57.53
that we have both
in the Old Testament
00:18:57.53\00:18:59.33
and also in
these prophetic books
00:18:59.33\00:19:01.34
were written for what purpose?
00:19:01.34\00:19:03.61
They were written as examples.
00:19:03.61\00:19:05.67
Examples that we can learn from
00:19:05.67\00:19:07.41
and
specifically who are the ones
00:19:07.41\00:19:09.61
who ought to learn
from these examples?
00:19:09.61\00:19:11.75
Those who are living
near the end of time,
00:19:11.75\00:19:13.65
upon whom the
end of the ages come.
00:19:13.65\00:19:16.02
So they are valuable lessons
00:19:16.02\00:19:17.55
that we can learn from
this historical portions,
00:19:17.55\00:19:19.89
the books of
Daniel and Revelation,
00:19:19.89\00:19:21.26
and, of course, many of
these historical portions
00:19:21.26\00:19:23.63
of the Old Testament,
New Testament as well.
00:19:23.63\00:19:25.96
They are there as an example.
00:19:25.96\00:19:27.66
Now as I mentioned
that transition chapter
00:19:27.66\00:19:29.83
between the
historical portion of Revelation
00:19:29.83\00:19:32.50
and then the
eschatological portion
00:19:32.50\00:19:34.70
is really Revelation 12.
00:19:34.70\00:19:36.57
And in our lesson,
they actually encourage us
00:19:36.57\00:19:38.84
to look at the entire chapter.
00:19:38.84\00:19:40.84
Well, it just so happens
00:19:40.84\00:19:41.98
that this is one of
my favorite chapters
00:19:41.98\00:19:44.78
in the Book of Revelation.
00:19:44.78\00:19:45.81
So we'll take a few
moments to look at it,
00:19:45.81\00:19:47.48
because it covers the
great controversy theme
00:19:47.48\00:19:50.55
throughout the Christian era.
00:19:50.55\00:19:51.72
So, hopefully you've
got your Bibles in hand.
00:19:51.72\00:19:54.09
And we're gonna take a
look at, just a quick overview
00:19:54.09\00:19:57.39
so to speak of Revelation 12.
00:19:57.39\00:20:01.06
Beginning in verse 1, it says,
00:20:01.06\00:20:02.23
"Now a great sign
appeared in heaven,"
00:20:02.23\00:20:04.27
Revelation12:1, "a
woman clothed with the sun,
00:20:04.27\00:20:08.60
with the moon under her feet,
00:20:08.60\00:20:10.21
and on her head a garland
or crown of twelve stars."
00:20:10.21\00:20:13.11
In Bible prophecy,
what does a woman represent?
00:20:13.11\00:20:15.61
It represents a church.
00:20:15.61\00:20:16.85
A pure woman
represents the true church,
00:20:16.85\00:20:18.78
an impure woman, as
you find in Revelation 17,
00:20:18.78\00:20:21.82
represents a corrupt
church or a fallen church.
00:20:21.82\00:20:25.72
Here, this is the
description of the true church.
00:20:25.72\00:20:28.96
The woman is
clothed with the sun.
00:20:28.96\00:20:31.03
The Bible tells us
in the Old Testament
00:20:31.03\00:20:32.73
that the sun, S-U-N shall
arise with healing in his wings.
00:20:32.73\00:20:37.40
Who is the sun, a symbol of?
00:20:37.40\00:20:40.17
Jesus, the Son of God.
00:20:40.17\00:20:42.30
It says that she's
standing upon the moon
00:20:42.30\00:20:45.24
and she has a crown of 12 stars.
00:20:45.24\00:20:46.94
Where does the
moon get its light?
00:20:46.94\00:20:49.54
It gets its light from the sun.
00:20:49.54\00:20:51.35
So the moon reflects the sun.
00:20:51.35\00:20:53.78
Who does the sun represent?
00:20:53.78\00:20:55.58
It represents Jesus.
00:20:55.58\00:20:56.95
Where can we find the
clearest reflection of Jesus
00:20:56.95\00:21:00.29
and His teachings today?
00:21:00.29\00:21:02.49
In the Word of God, right?
00:21:02.49\00:21:04.73
In the Word of God.
00:21:04.73\00:21:05.83
Jesus says, "It's the scriptures
00:21:05.83\00:21:07.30
that testify of Him."
00:21:07.30\00:21:09.33
So what needs to be the
foundation of the church
00:21:09.33\00:21:12.20
in the last days.
00:21:12.20\00:21:13.87
She stands upon the moon,
00:21:13.87\00:21:15.80
what needs to be our foundation?
00:21:15.80\00:21:17.64
The Word of God.
00:21:17.64\00:21:19.97
Does that make sense?
00:21:19.97\00:21:22.11
Is it important for
Christians in the last days
00:21:22.11\00:21:25.45
to know and be rooted
00:21:25.45\00:21:27.82
and grounded in
what the Bible says?
00:21:27.82\00:21:32.15
Jesus said in the last days,
00:21:32.15\00:21:33.52
the devil's deceptions
will be so well crafted
00:21:33.52\00:21:36.32
that he will
deceive if possible, who?
00:21:36.32\00:21:39.13
Even the very elect.
00:21:39.13\00:21:40.20
Who is the devil
going after anyway?
00:21:40.20\00:21:42.30
He is not going after the
lost, he's already got them.
00:21:42.30\00:21:45.73
But the ones that the
devil wants to deceive
00:21:45.73\00:21:47.30
in particular
are those whose names
00:21:47.30\00:21:49.24
are written in the
Lamb's Book of life.
00:21:49.24\00:21:51.47
He wants them
to believe his lies
00:21:51.47\00:21:53.78
and let go of their faith in God
00:21:53.78\00:21:55.74
and be deceived.
00:21:55.74\00:21:57.15
That's why knowing the word,
00:21:57.15\00:21:59.91
keeping the commandments of God,
00:21:59.91\00:22:01.85
being rooted and grounded
in the scriptures is critical,
00:22:01.85\00:22:05.45
especially in the last days.
00:22:05.45\00:22:07.12
So here we have a church
00:22:07.12\00:22:08.16
described as
standing upon the moon,
00:22:08.16\00:22:10.33
she is grounded
upon the Word of God.
00:22:10.33\00:22:12.66
She has a crown of 12 stars.
00:22:12.66\00:22:14.66
Numbers in Bible
prophecy are significant.
00:22:14.66\00:22:16.63
The number 12
represents the church.
00:22:16.63\00:22:18.63
You have the 12
tribes of the Old Testament,
00:22:18.63\00:22:20.54
you have the 12
apostles of the New Testament.
00:22:20.54\00:22:23.04
Very quickly on a side note,
00:22:23.04\00:22:24.31
the number one in Bible prophecy
00:22:24.31\00:22:25.81
represents unity of purpose.
00:22:25.81\00:22:27.84
The number two
represents the Word of God,
00:22:27.84\00:22:30.21
the law and the
prophets, the two witnesses,
00:22:30.21\00:22:32.21
the two-edged sword.
00:22:32.21\00:22:33.31
The number three represents
00:22:33.31\00:22:34.55
the Godhead, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:22:34.55\00:22:37.12
The number four
represents the earth,
00:22:37.12\00:22:40.19
the four points of the compass,
north, south, east, and west,
00:22:40.19\00:22:42.89
otherwise known as
the four winds of heaven.
00:22:42.89\00:22:45.43
The number five
represents doctrinal teaching,
00:22:45.43\00:22:47.66
the first five books of
Moses represents doctrine
00:22:47.66\00:22:50.63
or teaching the Pentateuch.
00:22:50.63\00:22:52.37
The number six is man's number.
00:22:52.37\00:22:54.24
Man was created on
the sixth day of the week.
00:22:54.24\00:22:58.27
What is the number of
the mark of the beast?
00:22:58.27\00:23:01.04
666.
00:23:01.04\00:23:02.14
How many 6's? Three.
00:23:02.14\00:23:04.45
It's man's attempt
to usurp God's position.
00:23:04.45\00:23:08.05
Incidentally, the false
Trinity in Revelation 16
00:23:08.05\00:23:10.55
tells us is the
dragon, the beast,
00:23:10.55\00:23:13.02
and the false prophet.
00:23:13.02\00:23:14.69
The dragon tries to take
the place of God, the Father.
00:23:14.69\00:23:16.89
The beast power tries to
usurp the position of Jesus,
00:23:16.89\00:23:20.33
and the false
prophet tries to usurp
00:23:20.33\00:23:22.06
the position of the Holy Spirit.
00:23:22.06\00:23:23.93
Of course, the number seven
in the Bible represents what?
00:23:23.93\00:23:27.17
Perfection or
completion, that's God's number.
00:23:27.17\00:23:30.01
And I better hurry up,
00:23:30.01\00:23:31.14
we're never gonna get to
our passage if I keep going.
00:23:31.14\00:23:34.14
Verse 3, it says, "Another
sign appeared in heaven,
00:23:34.14\00:23:37.31
behold, a great fiery red dragon
00:23:37.31\00:23:40.12
having seven
heads and ten horns,
00:23:40.12\00:23:41.82
and seven
diadems upon its head."
00:23:41.82\00:23:43.49
So we don't have time to
get into the details here,
00:23:43.49\00:23:45.82
but verse 4 says,
00:23:45.82\00:23:46.99
"His tail drew a third
of the stars of heaven,
00:23:46.99\00:23:49.46
threw them to the earth.
00:23:49.46\00:23:50.53
The dragon
stood before the woman
00:23:50.53\00:23:51.86
that was ready to give birth,
00:23:51.86\00:23:52.96
to devour her child
as soon as it was born."
00:23:52.96\00:23:55.93
Who does the dragon represent?
00:23:55.93\00:23:57.87
We don't have to guess
as to who the dragon is.
00:23:57.87\00:23:59.83
Matter of fact,
Revelation 12 tells us verse 9,
00:23:59.83\00:24:03.30
"So the great
dragon was cast out,
00:24:03.30\00:24:05.51
that old serpent of old
called the Devil and Satan.
00:24:05.51\00:24:08.18
So the devil is there
ready to devour this child
00:24:08.18\00:24:11.15
that is born to the
woman as soon as he is born.
00:24:11.15\00:24:14.95
It was the devil working
through Herod or pagan Rome
00:24:14.95\00:24:17.99
to try and destroy
Jesus as soon as He was born.
00:24:17.99\00:24:21.46
Verse 5 says, "She
brought forth a male child,
00:24:21.46\00:24:23.73
who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron,"
00:24:23.73\00:24:25.76
we'll talk about that later,
00:24:25.76\00:24:27.13
"and the child was caught
up to God and to His throne.
00:24:27.13\00:24:29.50
That's referencing
after the resurrection,
00:24:29.50\00:24:31.30
Jesus ascended up to heaven.
00:24:31.30\00:24:33.84
But after Christ
ascends to heaven, verse 6 says,
00:24:33.84\00:24:37.07
"Then the woman
fled into the wilderness,
00:24:37.07\00:24:40.01
where she had a
place prepared by God,
00:24:40.01\00:24:41.88
that they should feed
her there 1,260 days."
00:24:41.88\00:24:45.88
And we have in Revelation 12
00:24:45.88\00:24:47.78
and in some
other passages as well,
00:24:47.78\00:24:49.55
a wilderness time period.
00:24:49.55\00:24:51.49
The wilderness time period
described here is 1,260 days.
00:24:51.49\00:24:55.52
One prophetic
day is equal to what?
00:24:55.52\00:24:57.89
One literal year.
00:24:57.89\00:24:58.93
So for 1,260 years,
00:24:58.93\00:25:01.53
the true church
of God was in hiding,
00:25:01.53\00:25:03.83
it was in the wilderness.
00:25:03.83\00:25:05.60
That time period began
00:25:05.60\00:25:07.60
when after Christianity
was legalized around 313.
00:25:07.60\00:25:12.41
There were a number of
pagan teachings and doctrines
00:25:12.41\00:25:14.74
that made its way
into the Christian Church,
00:25:14.74\00:25:17.05
538 is when the bishop of Rome,
otherwise known as the pope,
00:25:17.05\00:25:21.48
received civil authority
to so called correct heretics,
00:25:21.48\00:25:25.85
meaning he could persecute
00:25:25.85\00:25:27.36
those who refused to
acknowledge papal supremacy.
00:25:27.36\00:25:30.43
The true followers of God
who didn't want to bow the knee
00:25:30.43\00:25:33.13
and kiss the ring of the pope,
they fled into the wilderness.
00:25:33.13\00:25:36.63
A well known group
00:25:36.63\00:25:37.70
or the
Waldenses in the mountains
00:25:37.70\00:25:39.17
of northern
Italy for about 1200,
00:25:39.17\00:25:41.47
well exactly, 1,260 years,
00:25:41.47\00:25:43.41
from 538 through until
1798 that God's true church
00:25:43.41\00:25:49.78
was more so in hiding.
00:25:49.78\00:25:51.48
Now, near the end of
that 1260 year time period
00:25:51.48\00:25:54.22
persecution had slowed down
00:25:54.22\00:25:56.35
in some of the
nations of Europe,
00:25:56.35\00:25:58.45
but still it was a
time period of persecution
00:25:58.45\00:26:01.46
for the true followers of God,
00:26:01.46\00:26:03.29
that's that 1,260 days or
years that you read about there.
00:26:03.29\00:26:07.23
Now, the question
that comes up then is,
00:26:07.23\00:26:09.46
why is this dragon
so angry with the woman?
00:26:09.46\00:26:11.83
Why does he try and destroy
her child, representing Jesus?
00:26:11.83\00:26:15.60
And the question
needs to be answered.
00:26:15.60\00:26:17.51
What's the reason
for this conflict?
00:26:17.51\00:26:19.97
Well, the reason
is given in verse 7,
00:26:19.97\00:26:22.31
it kind of
jumps us back in time,
00:26:22.31\00:26:24.05
way back before the
creation of the earth.
00:26:24.05\00:26:26.82
It says, way back
when, we don't know for sure
00:26:26.82\00:26:28.75
when this happened,
00:26:28.75\00:26:29.78
but we know it
was before creation.
00:26:29.78\00:26:31.55
It says, "War
broke out in heaven,"
00:26:31.55\00:26:34.42
War starts in heaven.
00:26:34.42\00:26:36.12
"Michael and His
angels fought with the dragon,
00:26:36.12\00:26:38.56
and the dragon and
his angels fought."
00:26:38.56\00:26:41.63
Now the dragon is Satan,
00:26:41.63\00:26:43.00
Michael is the
prophetic name of Christ.
00:26:43.00\00:26:46.33
In Jude, Michael is
referred to as the archangel.
00:26:46.33\00:26:48.77
Some people think,
"Well, wait a minute,
00:26:48.77\00:26:49.90
how can you say
Michael is Christ
00:26:49.90\00:26:51.57
when it's said
to be an archangel?"
00:26:51.57\00:26:53.81
The word "Archangel" means
00:26:53.81\00:26:55.24
covering cherub
or covering angel.
00:26:55.24\00:26:57.78
It's the messenger,
it's the one in charge,
00:26:57.78\00:27:00.68
it is the general of the angels.
00:27:00.68\00:27:03.52
Arch-angel doesn't
mean He's an angel,
00:27:03.52\00:27:06.25
but He's above the angels,
He's commander of the angels,
00:27:06.25\00:27:08.79
He's in charge of the angels.
00:27:08.79\00:27:11.36
Jesus is the one in
charge of the angels,
00:27:11.36\00:27:13.70
He's not an angel.
00:27:13.70\00:27:15.06
So what's interesting to note
00:27:15.06\00:27:16.23
that when Jesus
comes the second time,
00:27:16.23\00:27:19.17
His voice raises the dead.
00:27:19.17\00:27:22.67
And you read in Thessalonians
00:27:22.67\00:27:24.54
that when Jesus
comes, or Corinthians rather,
00:27:24.54\00:27:26.34
when Jesus comes
again with the shout,
00:27:26.34\00:27:28.61
with the voice of the archangel
and the trumpet of God,
00:27:28.61\00:27:31.41
and the dead in
Christ shall rise first.
00:27:31.41\00:27:33.78
So Jesus says the
voice that raises the dead
00:27:33.78\00:27:36.08
is the voice of the Son of man.
00:27:36.08\00:27:37.89
And Paul says in Corinthians
00:27:37.89\00:27:39.35
that the voice
that raises the dead
00:27:39.35\00:27:40.96
is the voice of the archangel,
00:27:40.96\00:27:42.92
and Jude tells us the name
of the archangel is Michael.
00:27:42.92\00:27:45.96
So if you put all of
those verses together,
00:27:45.96\00:27:47.73
Michael is the symbolic
name or prophetic name of Jesus.
00:27:47.73\00:27:51.80
So Jesus, the leader of
the heavenly host of angels,
00:27:51.80\00:27:54.40
the good angels are at
war with the Dragon, Satan,
00:27:54.40\00:27:57.24
and those angels
that sided with him.
00:27:57.24\00:27:59.37
And by the way, I skipped
over that a little earlier,
00:27:59.37\00:28:01.48
it says in verse 4
that the dragon's tail
00:28:01.48\00:28:05.38
drew a third of
the stars of heaven.
00:28:05.38\00:28:07.42
According to Revelation
1, stars represent angels.
00:28:07.42\00:28:11.45
The devil was able to deceive
00:28:11.45\00:28:12.89
a third of the angels of heaven
00:28:12.89\00:28:14.59
to join his
rebellion against God.
00:28:14.59\00:28:17.13
It's also interesting
that it uses the word tail.
00:28:17.13\00:28:19.93
How did the devil
get all of the angels?
00:28:19.93\00:28:22.70
Used his tail.
00:28:22.70\00:28:23.80
What does that tail
represent in the Old Testament?
00:28:23.80\00:28:26.77
It represents lies and deceit.
00:28:26.77\00:28:29.34
False prophets
in the Old Testament
00:28:29.34\00:28:31.64
are said to be as the
tail or tail of the scorpion.
00:28:31.64\00:28:35.51
So here the devil
through lies and deceit,
00:28:35.51\00:28:37.61
he's able to deceive
a third of the angels
00:28:37.61\00:28:39.98
to join his
rebellion against God.
00:28:39.98\00:28:41.72
All right, so this
war breaks out in heaven.
00:28:41.72\00:28:43.95
The devil eventually
loses the war, verse 8,
00:28:43.95\00:28:46.42
and he is cast out of heaven.
00:28:46.42\00:28:49.49
Verse 10, "Then I heard a
loud voice in heaven saying,
00:28:49.49\00:28:52.36
"Now salvation, and strength,
and the kingdom of our God,
00:28:52.36\00:28:54.83
and the power of
His Christ has come,
00:28:54.83\00:28:56.70
for the accuser of our brethren,
00:28:56.70\00:28:59.20
who accused them
before our God day and night,
00:28:59.20\00:29:01.07
has been cast down."
00:29:01.07\00:29:02.97
Now, there are two
things I want you to note.
00:29:02.97\00:29:04.71
Early in the chapter,
00:29:04.71\00:29:05.87
the devil is cast out of heaven,
00:29:05.87\00:29:08.78
here in verse 10, it
says the devil is cast down.
00:29:08.78\00:29:12.48
The casting out
and the casting down
00:29:12.48\00:29:14.78
does not occur at the same time.
00:29:14.78\00:29:17.29
The devil is cast down
when Jesus dies on the cross,
00:29:17.29\00:29:21.42
when it says
salvation is now come,
00:29:21.42\00:29:23.79
then it was very evident.
00:29:23.79\00:29:25.46
After Adam gave his
allegiance to the devil
00:29:25.46\00:29:28.16
instead of his allegiance to God
00:29:28.16\00:29:29.53
way back in the Garden of Eden,
00:29:29.53\00:29:30.93
the devil claimed the earth
00:29:30.93\00:29:32.07
as his dominion, as his kingdom.
00:29:32.07\00:29:33.90
He claimed to be the
representative of the earth.
00:29:33.90\00:29:36.47
That's why you
read in the Book of Job,
00:29:36.47\00:29:38.51
there is a
gathering of the sons of God,
00:29:38.51\00:29:40.84
these representatives
of the unfallen worlds,
00:29:40.84\00:29:43.11
and Satan shows up,
00:29:43.11\00:29:44.75
and God said,
"Where did you come from?"
00:29:44.75\00:29:46.01
And he says, "Oh, walking
up and down on the earth,
00:29:46.01\00:29:48.15
walking through my kingdom."
00:29:48.15\00:29:50.12
And God says,
"Well, if you notice
00:29:50.12\00:29:51.35
there's somebody in your kingdom
00:29:51.35\00:29:52.49
that really
belongs in My kingdom."
00:29:52.49\00:29:54.46
And Satan gets all upset.
00:29:54.46\00:29:56.19
He says, "Well, the
reason Job worships you
00:29:56.19\00:29:58.09
is because of
all of the blessings
00:29:58.09\00:29:59.19
You've given upon him."
00:29:59.19\00:30:00.26
So the devil
claims the earth as his.
00:30:00.26\00:30:02.50
Jesus even acknowledged that
00:30:02.50\00:30:03.97
and said the prince of
this world, referencing Jesus,
00:30:03.97\00:30:07.17
but when Jesus
died on the cross,
00:30:07.17\00:30:09.87
he became our second Adam.
00:30:09.87\00:30:12.51
He now is the
representative for us in heaven.
00:30:12.51\00:30:16.64
He is our
advocate with the Father,
00:30:16.64\00:30:18.21
He is now our high priest.
00:30:18.21\00:30:19.75
So in that sense,
the devil is cast down.
00:30:19.75\00:30:22.72
He is losing his dominion,
00:30:22.72\00:30:24.22
the kingdoms of this earth
00:30:24.22\00:30:25.49
are soon to become the kingdoms
of our Lord and of His Christ.
00:30:25.49\00:30:28.66
Verse 11, speaking
of those who overcome,
00:30:28.66\00:30:31.26
"They overcame him by
the blood of the Lamb,
00:30:31.26\00:30:33.50
by the word of their testimony,
00:30:33.50\00:30:34.93
and they did not love
their lives unto death."
00:30:34.93\00:30:38.07
Then verse 12 says,
"Rejoice, O heavens,
00:30:38.07\00:30:40.24
and you that dwell in them!
00:30:40.24\00:30:41.44
Woe to the inhabitants
of the earth and the sea!
00:30:41.44\00:30:43.54
For the devil has come down
unto you, having great wrath."
00:30:43.54\00:30:46.61
Notice the last
part of verse 12,
00:30:46.61\00:30:48.34
"because he knows
he has," but a what?
00:30:48.34\00:30:51.28
"Short time."
00:30:51.28\00:30:52.88
The devil is
running out of time,
00:30:52.88\00:30:54.12
and like a maddened criminal,
00:30:54.12\00:30:55.62
he's doing everything he
can to bring pain and sorrow
00:30:55.62\00:30:59.42
to as many people on the earth,
00:30:59.42\00:31:00.96
especially the followers of God.
00:31:00.96\00:31:04.43
And he knows his
time is running out,
00:31:04.43\00:31:05.83
he's doubling his efforts
to bring chaos, and violence,
00:31:05.83\00:31:08.60
and disaster
here upon the earth.
00:31:08.60\00:31:12.27
All right, verse
13 then, it says,
00:31:12.27\00:31:14.74
the woman or "When
the dragon saw that
00:31:14.74\00:31:17.17
he had been cast
down to the earth,"
00:31:17.17\00:31:18.71
that occurs at the crucifixion,
00:31:18.71\00:31:20.68
cast to the earth,
"he persecutes the woman,"
00:31:20.68\00:31:23.81
that's the church "that
gave birth to the male child."
00:31:23.81\00:31:27.12
It's the New
Testament time period.
00:31:27.12\00:31:28.55
Verse 14, "But the
woman is given two wings
00:31:28.55\00:31:31.09
of a great eagle that she
might fly into the wilderness,"
00:31:31.09\00:31:33.59
that is that
1,260 year time period,
00:31:33.59\00:31:36.26
"where she should be
nourished by the Word of God
00:31:36.26\00:31:39.53
for a time times
and a half a time."
00:31:39.53\00:31:41.90
Now the word "time" in
the Bible means a year.
00:31:41.90\00:31:44.27
There are 360
days in a Hebrew year,
00:31:44.27\00:31:47.37
so if you do the math,
00:31:47.37\00:31:48.47
you got 360 plus 360
times 2 plus half of 360,
00:31:48.47\00:31:53.31
it works out to 1,260 days,
00:31:53.31\00:31:55.94
exact same time period that
we had spoken about earlier,
00:31:55.94\00:31:59.18
538 through until 1798.
00:31:59.18\00:32:02.88
You know, in the
Bible, the original,
00:32:02.88\00:32:04.75
it didn't have sort
of exclamation marks.
00:32:04.75\00:32:07.59
So how did the Bible writers
emphasize something important?
00:32:07.59\00:32:10.99
They couldn't
underline it either,
00:32:10.99\00:32:12.93
they repeated it.
00:32:12.93\00:32:14.63
That's why Jesus says,
"Verily, verily I say unto you."
00:32:14.63\00:32:19.43
Why does He repeat it?
00:32:19.43\00:32:20.57
Because it's very important,
He wants you to take note,
00:32:20.57\00:32:23.64
exclamation point, all right.
00:32:23.64\00:32:25.81
So John repeats
this time period,
00:32:25.81\00:32:28.34
because it's
important time period,
00:32:28.34\00:32:30.05
we call this the
wilderness time period.
00:32:30.05\00:32:33.11
And then it goes on verse 15,
00:32:33.11\00:32:34.68
"So the serpent
spewed water out of his mouth
00:32:34.68\00:32:36.85
as of a great
flood after the woman
00:32:36.85\00:32:39.15
that he might cause it to
be carried away by the flood.
00:32:39.15\00:32:41.92
But the earth helped the woman,
the earth opened up its mouth,
00:32:41.92\00:32:44.39
and swallowed up the flood
00:32:44.39\00:32:45.63
which the dragon
spewed out of his mouth."
00:32:45.63\00:32:48.73
Now, water in Bible prophecy
according to Revelation 17
00:32:48.73\00:32:51.43
represents
multitudes, and nations,
00:32:51.43\00:32:52.90
and kindreds, and tongues,
00:32:52.90\00:32:54.17
so the devil is now working
00:32:54.17\00:32:55.44
through the various
nations of Western Europe
00:32:55.44\00:32:58.01
to try and persecute
those who are holding on
00:32:58.01\00:33:00.41
to the truths of the scripture.
00:33:00.41\00:33:03.61
But there is a
place of safety, it says,
00:33:03.61\00:33:05.21
the earth helps the woman.
00:33:05.21\00:33:07.62
What nation around 1798
00:33:07.62\00:33:09.88
as the first beast
power of Revelation 13
00:33:09.88\00:33:13.92
receives its deadly wound?
00:33:13.92\00:33:15.42
One of the lamb like beast,
according to Revelation 13
00:33:15.42\00:33:18.23
was arising on the scene
00:33:18.23\00:33:19.69
from a sparsely
populated area of the globe,
00:33:19.69\00:33:23.33
The United States of America.
00:33:23.33\00:33:25.40
And those who first settled
00:33:25.40\00:33:27.07
in the United States of America,
00:33:27.07\00:33:28.37
for the most part, came
seeking religious freedom.
00:33:28.37\00:33:32.77
They wanted to
escape the persecution
00:33:32.77\00:33:34.61
that came through the
church and the states of Europe,
00:33:34.61\00:33:37.98
and they came to a
country where they could worship
00:33:37.98\00:33:39.81
according to the
dictates of their conscience.
00:33:39.81\00:33:42.32
So that's a reference
right there in Revelation 12
00:33:42.32\00:33:44.99
to the United States as
being a place of freedom
00:33:44.99\00:33:48.22
at the end of that
1,260 year time period.
00:33:48.22\00:33:50.46
Although there is a change
according to Revelation 13.
00:33:50.46\00:33:52.76
All right, last verse, verse 17.
00:33:52.76\00:33:55.56
It says, "And the dragon,"
00:33:55.56\00:33:56.70
Satan, "was
enraged with the woman,"
00:33:56.70\00:33:58.37
the church, "and
he goes to make war
00:33:58.37\00:34:01.17
with the remnant
of her off spring
00:34:01.17\00:34:03.67
those who do," what?
00:34:03.67\00:34:04.97
What are the two characteristics
00:34:04.97\00:34:06.24
listed there in verse 17?
00:34:06.24\00:34:08.54
They keep the commandments
of God, and what else?
00:34:08.54\00:34:11.61
They have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:34:11.61\00:34:13.48
Now, remember, John is said
to have the testimony of Jesus.
00:34:13.48\00:34:16.65
Did John the Apostle
have the spirit of prophecy?
00:34:16.65\00:34:19.42
Yes, he was a prophet.
00:34:19.42\00:34:21.72
He saw dreams, he had
dreams, he saw visions,
00:34:21.72\00:34:24.79
he heard the Word of God.
00:34:24.79\00:34:26.63
Revelation 19:10 says,
00:34:26.63\00:34:28.80
"The testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy."
00:34:28.80\00:34:31.30
So in the last days, God has
a special gift for His church.
00:34:31.30\00:34:35.37
Through the ministry
of the spirit of prophecy
00:34:35.37\00:34:38.27
to help, guide the
church in the last days.
00:34:38.27\00:34:40.98
It doesn't take
away from the scriptures,
00:34:40.98\00:34:43.41
matter of fact,
any prophet must be
00:34:43.41\00:34:45.35
tested by the scriptures.
00:34:45.35\00:34:47.62
The scripture is
the ultimate authority.
00:34:47.62\00:34:49.58
But through the
gift of prophecy,
00:34:49.58\00:34:50.89
God helps guide us
00:34:50.89\00:34:52.49
and gives more
specific instruction
00:34:52.49\00:34:54.96
as to how to
navigate the challenges
00:34:54.96\00:34:57.69
that we face in our lives today.
00:34:57.69\00:34:59.83
So in a very special way,
00:34:59.83\00:35:00.96
God has blessed
the remnant church
00:35:00.96\00:35:02.93
in the last days
through the gift of prophecy.
00:35:02.93\00:35:07.74
Okay, we're going to take
a look at Monday's lesson,
00:35:07.74\00:35:11.31
and it's
entitled, "Images of Jesus".
00:35:11.31\00:35:14.28
I'm gonna have somebody
read Revelation 1:18 here
00:35:14.28\00:35:16.78
in just a few moments.
00:35:16.78\00:35:19.35
Revelation 1:4, 5, I'm
gonna read this quickly
00:35:19.35\00:35:22.45
and then we'll
have Revelation 1:18.
00:35:22.45\00:35:24.85
"John to the seven
churches which are in Asia:
00:35:24.85\00:35:26.79
Grace to you and peace from Him
00:35:26.79\00:35:28.36
who is, who was
and who is to come,
00:35:28.36\00:35:30.79
and from the seven Spirits
that are before His throne."
00:35:30.79\00:35:33.93
Now when it says he who is,
who was, and who is to come,
00:35:33.93\00:35:36.63
who is that referencing?
00:35:36.63\00:35:39.30
Jesus claims the title
00:35:39.30\00:35:41.97
as the one who is, who
was and who is to come.
00:35:41.97\00:35:44.37
But it is also a
title that is used
00:35:44.37\00:35:46.88
with reference
to God, the Father.
00:35:46.88\00:35:49.04
Typically, in the Bible
00:35:49.04\00:35:50.31
when you have a
reference of the Godhead,
00:35:50.31\00:35:52.28
the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit,
00:35:52.28\00:35:53.48
it's almost always
listed in this order,
00:35:53.48\00:35:55.62
God, the Father first,
00:35:55.62\00:35:57.55
then Jesus,
then the Holy Spirit.
00:35:57.55\00:36:00.16
Almost always in that order.
00:36:00.16\00:36:02.39
However, here in Revelation 1,
the order is slightly changed.
00:36:02.39\00:36:07.03
It begins by
addressing the one who is,
00:36:07.03\00:36:09.03
who was and who is to
come, that's God, the Father,
00:36:09.03\00:36:11.60
but then it skips Jesus
and it goes to the Holy Spirit
00:36:11.60\00:36:15.00
and it says, "The seven Spirits
which are before His throne."
00:36:15.00\00:36:18.87
Now you might be
wondering what does that mean
00:36:18.87\00:36:20.28
the seven Spirits
before the throne?
00:36:20.28\00:36:22.61
Are there seven Holy Spirits
or is it just one Holy Spirit?
00:36:22.61\00:36:26.35
Well, there is one Holy Spirit,
but there are seven attributes
00:36:26.35\00:36:29.92
of the Holy Spirit that we find,
00:36:29.92\00:36:31.45
revealed in the Old Testament.
00:36:31.45\00:36:33.32
And if you want
the verse for that,
00:36:33.32\00:36:34.79
that's Isaiah 11:2,
00:36:34.79\00:36:37.96
where it speaks of
the spirit of the Lord,
00:36:37.96\00:36:40.26
the spirit of wisdom,
the spirit of understanding,
00:36:40.26\00:36:42.50
the spirit of
counsel, the spirit of might,
00:36:42.50\00:36:44.33
the spirit of knowledge,
00:36:44.33\00:36:45.47
and the spirit of
the fear of the Lord.
00:36:45.47\00:36:47.17
Seven attributes
of the Holy Spirit.
00:36:47.17\00:36:49.87
So this greeting
comes from God, the Father,
00:36:49.87\00:36:51.97
and then from the Holy
Spirit, and John reserves Jesus,
00:36:51.97\00:36:56.44
the third one to talk about,
00:36:56.44\00:36:57.91
because he has a lot more
he wants to say about Jesus,
00:36:57.91\00:37:00.72
so He brings greetings
from the Father, the Holy Spirit
00:37:00.72\00:37:03.02
and then he gets into Jesus.
00:37:03.02\00:37:04.32
Look at verse 5,
and from Jesus Christ,
00:37:04.32\00:37:08.16
Now, John is
referred to in the gospels
00:37:08.16\00:37:10.03
as the disciple
that Jesus loved.
00:37:10.03\00:37:12.83
He was the youngest of the 12,
00:37:12.83\00:37:14.03
and it seemed like
his heart was more open
00:37:14.03\00:37:18.40
to the teachings of Jesus
00:37:18.40\00:37:19.90
and to receiving
the love of Jesus
00:37:19.90\00:37:21.87
than maybe some of the
other disciples and Christians,
00:37:21.87\00:37:24.54
he just had this
deep love for Christ.
00:37:24.54\00:37:27.34
He really appreciated
it in a tremendous way
00:37:27.34\00:37:29.68
what Jesus had
done for him personally.
00:37:29.68\00:37:32.41
And we got some of the most
beautiful passages in scripture
00:37:32.41\00:37:36.69
dealing with the love
of God are penned by John.
00:37:36.69\00:37:39.39
John 3:16, "For God
so loved the world..."
00:37:39.39\00:37:43.32
And John tells us that we
need to love as God loves us.
00:37:43.32\00:37:47.73
He tells the church
members, love one another.
00:37:47.73\00:37:50.73
It says he's the
firstborn of the dead.
00:37:50.73\00:37:53.20
Now, was Jesus the
first to be resurrected
00:37:53.20\00:37:57.34
and taken to heaven?
00:37:57.34\00:38:00.04
Do you have an
account of the Old Testament
00:38:00.04\00:38:01.41
of anyone who was resurrected
00:38:01.41\00:38:02.94
and then taken to heaven?
00:38:02.94\00:38:05.48
We do, Moses.
00:38:05.48\00:38:07.28
There are also accounts of those
00:38:07.28\00:38:08.65
who are resurrected,
but then they end up dying.
00:38:08.65\00:38:10.45
Jesus resurrected
Lazarus and others,
00:38:10.45\00:38:12.59
but they died and they are
waiting for the resurrection.
00:38:12.59\00:38:14.72
We do an account of
Moses quoting the Book of Jude
00:38:14.72\00:38:16.99
who died and then
he was resurrected
00:38:16.99\00:38:18.06
and taken to heaven.
00:38:18.06\00:38:19.16
So he probably was resurrected
in his immortal state,
00:38:19.16\00:38:21.50
in the immortal
body, like Jesus,
00:38:21.50\00:38:23.26
when Jesus rose from the tomb.
00:38:23.26\00:38:24.87
But when it says,
he is the firstborn
00:38:24.87\00:38:26.37
from the dead,
00:38:26.37\00:38:27.47
it is not so much referencing
the sequence of time,
00:38:27.47\00:38:31.57
meaning Jesus is the
first to be resurrected
00:38:31.57\00:38:33.58
and ascend to heaven,
00:38:33.58\00:38:34.81
rather it is emphasizing
the importance of His position,
00:38:34.81\00:38:39.58
because Jesus
rose from the dead,
00:38:39.58\00:38:42.05
we have hope of a resurrection,
does that make sense?
00:38:42.05\00:38:45.32
So Jesus is first in position.
00:38:45.32\00:38:48.96
He is first in opening the way
for others to be resurrected,
00:38:48.96\00:38:52.93
so that's what
it mean when it says
00:38:52.93\00:38:54.20
that He is the
firstborn from the dead.
00:38:54.20\00:38:55.86
Ruler of the kings of the earth,
00:38:55.86\00:38:57.43
that, of course,
happens in its fullness
00:38:57.43\00:38:59.00
when Jesus comes again.
00:38:59.00\00:39:00.34
And then notice what John says,
00:39:00.34\00:39:01.74
He can't talk about Jesus
00:39:01.74\00:39:03.04
without talking
about the love of Jesus.
00:39:03.04\00:39:05.21
"To Him who loved us
and washed us from our sins
00:39:05.21\00:39:09.54
in His own blood."
00:39:09.54\00:39:10.85
And then he goes
on and talks about
00:39:10.85\00:39:12.05
how Christ has made
us kings and priests,
00:39:12.05\00:39:14.05
and so on and so forth
00:39:14.05\00:39:15.38
a little later in
that same chapter.
00:39:15.38\00:39:17.12
All right, we're gonna read
another verse in Revelation 1
00:39:17.12\00:39:19.89
that describes
Jesus and what He does.
00:39:19.89\00:39:22.79
So let's take a
look at Revelation 1:18.
00:39:22.79\00:39:26.63
"I am He who lives,
and was dead, and behold,
00:39:26.63\00:39:31.00
I am alive forevermore.
00:39:31.00\00:39:33.44
Amen.
00:39:33.44\00:39:34.54
And I have the keys
of Hades and of death."
00:39:34.54\00:39:38.31
Okay, so here Jesus is speaking
00:39:38.31\00:39:40.44
and He says, "I'm
the one that was dead,
00:39:40.44\00:39:42.31
I'm alive, I live forevermore,
00:39:42.31\00:39:44.15
and I have the keys
of Hades and of death."
00:39:44.15\00:39:46.75
The word Hades there
just simply means the grave.
00:39:46.75\00:39:49.92
Now Jesus said in
John 5:25, "Most assuredly,
00:39:49.92\00:39:53.25
I say unto you,
the hour is coming,
00:39:53.25\00:39:55.52
and now is, when
the dead will hear
00:39:55.52\00:39:57.99
the voice of the Son of man
and those who hear will live."
00:39:57.99\00:40:02.60
So Jesus is the
power to open the grave.
00:40:02.60\00:40:05.70
Of course, that's
what's been emphasized,
00:40:05.70\00:40:07.10
especially at that time
00:40:07.10\00:40:09.04
when the church was
facing severe persecution,
00:40:09.04\00:40:11.27
how comforting were
the words that Jesus says,
00:40:11.27\00:40:13.27
"Do not fear those
who can destroy the body.
00:40:13.27\00:40:15.64
I have the keys of the grave.
00:40:15.64\00:40:17.71
I can open the grave."
00:40:17.71\00:40:19.68
And then in Revelation 19:11,
00:40:19.68\00:40:22.48
we have another
passage talking about Jesus,
00:40:22.48\00:40:25.25
describing a few
characteristics of Christ.
00:40:25.25\00:40:29.59
This is now talking about
the second coming of Jesus.
00:40:29.59\00:40:32.16
Revelation 19:11,
"Now I saw heaven opened,
00:40:32.16\00:40:35.16
and behold a white horse,
00:40:35.16\00:40:36.26
and He that set upon it
is called faithful and true."
00:40:36.26\00:40:39.03
Who is the one
seated upon the white horse?
00:40:39.03\00:40:41.20
Jesus.
00:40:41.20\00:40:42.27
What is the
title given to Jesus?
00:40:42.27\00:40:44.21
Faithful and true.
00:40:44.21\00:40:45.87
In what way was
Jesus faithful to a promise
00:40:45.87\00:40:49.48
that He made to His disciples?
00:40:49.48\00:40:51.41
What did Jesus promised
the disciples in John 14:1-3?
00:40:51.41\00:40:56.62
Uh, I heard it.
00:40:56.62\00:40:57.69
Jesus said to the disciples,
00:40:57.69\00:41:00.06
"If you believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:41:00.06\00:41:02.26
In my Father's house
there are many mansions.
00:41:02.26\00:41:05.09
If that were not so
I would have told you,
00:41:05.09\00:41:06.49
'I go to prepare
a place for you'.
00:41:06.49\00:41:09.16
And if I go and
prepare a place for you..."
00:41:09.16\00:41:10.90
What's the rest of the promise?
00:41:10.90\00:41:12.57
"I will come again."
00:41:12.57\00:41:15.04
John was there in person.
00:41:15.04\00:41:16.94
He heard the words of Jesus
00:41:16.94\00:41:19.01
that Jesus was
going to come again.
00:41:19.01\00:41:21.08
Now in Revelation 19,
00:41:21.08\00:41:22.88
Jesus is pictured as
coming again on this white horse
00:41:22.88\00:41:26.05
and He is faithful and true..."
00:41:26.05\00:41:28.02
Faithful to His
promise, Jesus will come again,
00:41:28.02\00:41:31.99
that says, "And in righteousness
00:41:31.99\00:41:33.39
He judges and makes war."
00:41:33.39\00:41:35.86
Verse 12 says, "His eyes
were like a flame of fire
00:41:35.86\00:41:39.23
representing purity, power,
00:41:39.23\00:41:42.26
and upon his head
there were many crowns."
00:41:42.26\00:41:45.90
Something interesting to note.
00:41:45.90\00:41:47.60
You read the description of
Jesus given in Revelation 1.
00:41:47.60\00:41:50.41
I don't think we're going
to have time to get to that
00:41:50.41\00:41:52.11
but that was also in our lesson.
00:41:52.11\00:41:54.58
Jesus described as
wearing the high priest's rob
00:41:54.58\00:41:57.35
and it talks about His
hair being as white as wool.
00:41:57.35\00:42:00.05
Doesn't say anything about
00:42:00.05\00:42:01.58
what Jesus is
wearing on his head,
00:42:01.58\00:42:04.32
but here in Revelation 19,
00:42:04.32\00:42:06.09
when it's talking about
Jesus coming the second time,
00:42:06.09\00:42:09.09
now it is
describing Him wearing a crown.
00:42:09.09\00:42:12.13
Did a priest wear
a crown of royalty?
00:42:12.13\00:42:14.83
No, but a king did.
00:42:14.83\00:42:16.56
So there are different
phases to Christ's ministry.
00:42:16.56\00:42:18.93
When He was on the
earth, He came to bear our sins,
00:42:18.93\00:42:21.10
to die as our sacrifice.
00:42:21.10\00:42:23.04
Jesus now in heaven,
00:42:23.04\00:42:24.31
He's ministering in
the heavenly sanctuary
00:42:24.31\00:42:25.97
as our High Priest.
00:42:25.97\00:42:27.41
Revelation describes Him
00:42:27.41\00:42:28.64
wearing the
high priest's clothe,
00:42:28.64\00:42:30.58
but now in Revelation 19,
00:42:30.58\00:42:32.18
He is coming as our Deliverer,
00:42:32.18\00:42:33.92
coming as King of
kings and Lord of Lords.
00:42:33.92\00:42:37.99
All right, moving on.
00:42:37.99\00:42:39.75
"Many crowns upon his head,
00:42:39.75\00:42:40.99
He had a name written that
no one knew except Himself.
00:42:40.99\00:42:43.59
He was clothed with
a robe dipped in blood
00:42:43.59\00:42:45.79
and His name is
the Word of God."
00:42:45.79\00:42:47.30
No question as to who
we're talking about here.
00:42:47.30\00:42:49.63
It says, "In the
armies of heaven..."
00:42:49.63\00:42:50.93
verse 14,
"clothed in fine linen,
00:42:50.93\00:42:53.03
white and clean,
followed him on white horses.
00:42:53.03\00:42:55.64
Now out of his
mouth goes a sharp sword,
00:42:55.64\00:42:58.91
and with that He
should strike the nations,
00:42:58.91\00:43:01.31
and He himself shall
rule them with a rod of iron.
00:43:01.31\00:43:05.51
He treads the
winepress of the fierceness
00:43:05.51\00:43:07.65
of the wrath of Almighty God."
00:43:07.65\00:43:09.58
I want to say
something about the rod of iron.
00:43:09.58\00:43:11.49
At first reading, it
might give you the impression,
00:43:11.49\00:43:13.09
"Oh, Jesus is just
really, really angry
00:43:13.09\00:43:15.36
and He's coming the second time
to get even with the wicked."
00:43:15.36\00:43:18.36
Not
necessarily, the rod of iron,
00:43:18.36\00:43:20.70
if you want to
understand what that means,
00:43:20.70\00:43:22.20
you need to go back
to the Old Testament.
00:43:22.20\00:43:24.53
David says in Psalms 23,
"Thy rod and thy staff..."
00:43:24.53\00:43:28.90
what do they do?
00:43:28.90\00:43:30.17
"They comfort me."
00:43:30.17\00:43:31.61
Now the
shepherd would have a rod
00:43:31.61\00:43:32.87
and the shepherd
would have a staff,
00:43:32.87\00:43:34.24
primarily the staff
that's the part of the crook
00:43:34.24\00:43:36.41
on the top was
used to guide the sheep.
00:43:36.41\00:43:38.75
So if a little
sheep was wondering
00:43:38.75\00:43:40.22
close to something dangerous,
00:43:40.22\00:43:41.38
the shepherd could
reach out his staff
00:43:41.38\00:43:42.78
and pull the sheep back.
00:43:42.78\00:43:44.52
But if a wolf came to
steal one of the sheep,
00:43:44.52\00:43:47.96
the shepherd
wouldn't worry with his staff,
00:43:47.96\00:43:50.19
he'd pick up his rod
00:43:50.19\00:43:51.89
and the rod was
used to defend the sheep.
00:43:51.89\00:43:55.80
So here Jesus, the good shepherd
00:43:55.80\00:43:57.47
it's described as coming again
00:43:57.47\00:43:58.90
and He's coming
with a rod of iron.
00:43:58.90\00:44:00.47
He's coming to the
defense of His people.
00:44:00.47\00:44:03.10
Why is He coming
to defend His people?
00:44:03.10\00:44:05.54
According to Revelation
13, "Just before Jesus comes,
00:44:05.54\00:44:08.81
there is a
universal death decree
00:44:08.81\00:44:10.81
that is passed
against God's people,
00:44:10.81\00:44:13.48
and God is not
going to stand by ideally
00:44:13.48\00:44:15.68
and allow the devil to
destroy His faithful ones.
00:44:15.68\00:44:18.49
In the last moment, Jesus
comes with the rod of iron
00:44:18.49\00:44:22.42
to deliver His faithful people."
00:44:22.42\00:44:24.86
Are you with me?
00:44:24.86\00:44:26.03
So this rod of iron
isn't just an angry Jesus,
00:44:26.03\00:44:28.66
it is a Jesus standing up
to defend His faithful ones
00:44:28.66\00:44:33.27
that crown to Him day and night.
00:44:33.27\00:44:35.64
It says, "He comes to tread
00:44:35.64\00:44:36.77
the winepress of
the wrath of God."
00:44:36.77\00:44:38.61
This is an interesting
imagery that you have here
00:44:38.61\00:44:41.88
and it comes from Isaiah 63:2-3,
00:44:41.88\00:44:45.78
I'm going to read
this to you, Isaiah 63,
00:44:45.78\00:44:48.62
bear in mind the
imagery talking about His coming
00:44:48.62\00:44:50.52
to tread the
winepress of the wrath of God.
00:44:50.52\00:44:54.49
Verse 2, Isaiah 63:2,
the question is asked,
00:44:54.49\00:44:57.73
"Why is your apparel red..."
00:44:57.73\00:45:00.30
He is talking about the
Messiah Jesus' second coming,
00:45:00.30\00:45:03.10
"Your garments like one
who treads the winepress."
00:45:03.10\00:45:06.77
Then Jesus speaks, "I have
trodden the winepress alone
00:45:06.77\00:45:10.74
and from my people
no one was with me..."
00:45:10.74\00:45:13.24
Jesus defends this, "For I
have trodden them in my anger
00:45:13.24\00:45:16.54
and trample them in my fury,
00:45:16.54\00:45:18.31
their blood is
sprinkled upon my garments
00:45:18.31\00:45:20.95
and I stain my robes."
00:45:20.95\00:45:23.05
So here, the
destruction of the wicked
00:45:23.05\00:45:24.75
at the second
coming are described
00:45:24.75\00:45:26.39
as grapes thrown
into the winepress.
00:45:26.39\00:45:29.59
Jesus is the one that comes
00:45:29.59\00:45:31.33
to the
deliverance of His people,
00:45:31.33\00:45:33.26
the wicked are destroyed
00:45:33.26\00:45:34.40
with the
brightness of His coming.
00:45:34.40\00:45:36.43
You also find that same imagery
by the way in Revelation 14,
00:45:36.43\00:45:40.04
following the proclamation
of the three angels' messages,
00:45:40.04\00:45:42.67
talks about a
harvest of the earth.
00:45:42.67\00:45:44.51
There is a harvest of wheat
representing the righteous,
00:45:44.51\00:45:47.24
and there is a harvest of grapes
00:45:47.24\00:45:49.08
representing the wicked.
00:45:49.08\00:45:50.35
The grapes are gathered
00:45:50.35\00:45:51.48
and thrown into the great
winepress of the wrath of God.
00:45:51.48\00:45:54.82
Okay.
00:45:54.82\00:45:55.92
We're going to read
one more verse here,
00:45:55.92\00:45:58.49
one more thing verse 16,
00:45:58.49\00:46:00.32
it says, "Then
He has on His robe
00:46:00.32\00:46:01.76
and on His thigh a name written,
00:46:01.76\00:46:03.02
'King of kings
and Lord of lords'"
00:46:03.02\00:46:05.43
as described in the
second coming of Christ
00:46:05.43\00:46:07.30
is coming as a king.
00:46:07.30\00:46:09.53
All right, we have somebody
00:46:09.53\00:46:10.60
that's going to read for us now,
00:46:10.60\00:46:11.70
Revelation 21:6,
00:46:11.70\00:46:14.70
and this is also
referencing Christ
00:46:14.70\00:46:17.54
in the Book of Revelation
00:46:17.54\00:46:18.74
and connected to
some event that He does,
00:46:18.74\00:46:20.71
so Revelation 21:6.
00:46:20.71\00:46:23.11
Revelation 21:6,
00:46:23.11\00:46:25.75
"And He said to me, 'It is done!
00:46:25.75\00:46:28.18
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end.
00:46:28.18\00:46:32.59
I will give up the
fountain of the water of life
00:46:32.59\00:46:35.42
freely to him who thirst.'"
00:46:35.42\00:46:37.56
Thank you very much.
00:46:37.56\00:46:38.99
Notice the words of
Jesus says, "It is done."
00:46:38.99\00:46:43.73
Can you think of
another time in the Bible
00:46:43.73\00:46:45.47
when Jesus said, "It is done?"
00:46:45.47\00:46:48.24
What did Jesus
said on the cross?
00:46:48.24\00:46:50.04
He said, "It is done."
00:46:50.04\00:46:51.11
What was done on the cross?
00:46:51.11\00:46:53.68
The first phase of
Christ ministry for man.
00:46:53.68\00:46:56.98
He was our sacrifice,
00:46:56.98\00:46:58.35
He laid down His life as
a sacrifice for our sins.
00:46:58.35\00:47:01.88
Now, we are at the end of
Christ's priestly ministry,
00:47:01.88\00:47:05.52
you have the second coming,
00:47:05.52\00:47:07.19
it's got the
1,000 year millennium
00:47:07.19\00:47:09.46
and then the earth is made new,
00:47:09.46\00:47:11.36
and again the words
are heard, "It is done."
00:47:11.36\00:47:15.63
Christ has finished His
phase as our high priest.
00:47:15.63\00:47:19.07
He's no longer a
priest but now He is King
00:47:19.07\00:47:21.57
and His Kingdom
lasts forever and ever.
00:47:21.57\00:47:25.04
So it's interesting to
note those words "it is done"
00:47:25.04\00:47:27.24
and you can actually
research that in scripture,
00:47:27.24\00:47:29.48
it's kind of interesting.
00:47:29.48\00:47:30.71
Well, Pastor Doug, I
see we have some questions
00:47:30.71\00:47:33.28
that have come in
from our Facebook audience
00:47:33.28\00:47:35.25
and we're going to try
and take a few of those,
00:47:35.25\00:47:37.25
and if we have any
time left after that,
00:47:37.25\00:47:38.95
we will highlight
a few other points
00:47:38.95\00:47:41.42
mentioned in the lesson.
00:47:41.42\00:47:43.26
So, Pastor Doug, welcome.
00:47:43.26\00:47:44.39
Hi. All right.
00:47:44.39\00:47:46.26
We're going to begin by taking
a look at our first question
00:47:46.26\00:47:48.96
and this is the first
time you've seen the question,
00:47:48.96\00:47:50.70
the first time I am.
00:47:50.70\00:47:51.93
Who are the two witnesses
in the Book of Revelation?
00:47:51.93\00:47:55.34
Very simply, it
represents the Word of God.
00:47:55.34\00:47:57.87
And you read about
this in Revelation 11,
00:47:57.87\00:48:00.94
and it talks about
these two witnesses
00:48:00.94\00:48:03.28
that prophesied 1,260 days.
00:48:03.28\00:48:07.85
Now this is a time period
00:48:07.85\00:48:09.05
that appears three
different ways in Revelation.
00:48:09.05\00:48:12.19
One time it's called the
times, the time and half a time,
00:48:12.19\00:48:15.46
it's called 42 months.
00:48:15.46\00:48:16.93
In fact, you can read about
00:48:16.93\00:48:18.03
the 42 months
in Revelation 11:2,
00:48:18.03\00:48:22.06
it says, "They
will tread the holy city
00:48:22.06\00:48:23.67
underfoot for 42 months."
00:48:23.67\00:48:25.93
And then, you even get
another three and a half days,
00:48:25.93\00:48:29.50
if you go to Revelation 11:11,
00:48:29.50\00:48:31.91
"Now after
three-and-a-half days..."
00:48:31.91\00:48:34.68
42 months, if the
months have 30 days
00:48:34.68\00:48:38.75
is 1,260 days.
00:48:38.75\00:48:41.85
That's the same
time period that you find
00:48:41.85\00:48:44.09
is that great persecution
that goes from 538 to 1798
00:48:44.09\00:48:49.22
when the Word of God
was being suppressed.
00:48:49.22\00:48:51.96
It says, "These two witnesses,
00:48:51.96\00:48:53.96
plagues can go
out of their mouth."
00:48:53.96\00:48:55.50
They are like
the two olive trees,
00:48:55.50\00:48:57.10
they are like
the two candlesticks
00:48:57.10\00:48:58.63
by the throne of God,
and it's representing,
00:48:58.63\00:49:01.54
"Although thy word
is a lamp unto my feet."
00:49:01.54\00:49:03.97
And you can also look two
individuals appear to Jesus
00:49:03.97\00:49:07.68
on the Mount of Transfiguration.
00:49:07.68\00:49:09.64
You find this in Mark 9,
one is Moses, one is Elijah.
00:49:09.64\00:49:14.32
One represents the law and
one represents the prophet.
00:49:14.32\00:49:17.09
They are both
pointing to Jesus and saying,
00:49:17.09\00:49:19.35
"He is the Messiah
that we have spoken of."
00:49:19.35\00:49:22.22
The law and the
prophets all points to Jesus.
00:49:22.22\00:49:24.73
So if you say, "The
New and the Old Testament,
00:49:24.73\00:49:26.53
the law and the prophets,
00:49:26.53\00:49:28.33
commandments are
written on two stones.
00:49:28.33\00:49:31.23
It's a sword with two edges.
00:49:31.23\00:49:34.00
The Word of God,
that's the two witnesses."
00:49:34.00\00:49:36.57
And I don't have time to
get into the whole prophecy
00:49:36.57\00:49:38.37
about France.
00:49:38.37\00:49:39.44
Okay.
00:49:39.44\00:49:40.61
Next question that we have.
00:49:40.61\00:49:41.94
Why does God use
symbols to explain prophecy
00:49:41.94\00:49:45.08
in the Book of Revelation?
00:49:45.08\00:49:46.38
Good question.
00:49:46.38\00:49:47.62
There are several
prophecies in the Bible
00:49:47.62\00:49:50.92
that are apocalyptic
prophecies that use visions.
00:49:50.92\00:49:55.42
Ezekiel,
Zechariah, Daniel, Revelation,
00:49:55.42\00:49:59.73
they are the main
apocalyptic prophecies.
00:49:59.73\00:50:02.90
All of them are given
00:50:02.90\00:50:04.43
when the writers
are in captivity.
00:50:04.43\00:50:07.20
For example, in the
prophecies of Revelation,
00:50:07.20\00:50:10.84
it talks about the fall of Rome.
00:50:10.84\00:50:13.54
Well, that would be
considered treacherous
00:50:13.54\00:50:16.31
if you were to talk about
00:50:16.31\00:50:17.48
the overthrow
of the Roman Empire
00:50:17.48\00:50:19.11
and so, God
protected the prophecies
00:50:19.11\00:50:21.38
by kind of putting them in code.
00:50:21.38\00:50:23.15
Daniel in his prophecies,
doesn't he talk about
00:50:23.15\00:50:25.29
the overthrow of
Babylon and Persia?
00:50:25.29\00:50:27.66
They are given in
sort of a symbolic language
00:50:27.66\00:50:29.86
so the Jews would understand,
00:50:29.86\00:50:31.89
so that it
wasn't seen as treason
00:50:31.89\00:50:34.10
and it preserved it.
00:50:34.10\00:50:36.97
And I think even in Revelation,
00:50:36.97\00:50:38.40
it says, "God
sent and signified it
00:50:38.40\00:50:40.77
to His servant John."
00:50:40.77\00:50:42.50
The word "signify",
it means, to sign-a-fy.
00:50:42.50\00:50:46.57
It's sent in the
symbols and signs
00:50:46.57\00:50:49.58
so that the wise will
understand if they study.
00:50:49.58\00:50:53.11
I also think just to
add to that, Pastor Doug,
00:50:53.11\00:50:55.02
I'm grateful that
Revelation and Daniel
00:50:55.02\00:50:57.22
are written using symbols.
00:50:57.22\00:50:59.69
I find it a whole
lot easier to remember
00:50:59.69\00:51:01.62
symbols or
pictures than just text.
00:51:01.62\00:51:04.69
So in Revelation, it
talks about the dragon,
00:51:04.69\00:51:06.43
I have this picture in my mind
00:51:06.43\00:51:07.76
of what the
dragon could look like,
00:51:07.76\00:51:09.20
or the woman
standing upon the moon
00:51:09.20\00:51:10.80
with a crown of 12 stars,
we have a picture of that.
00:51:10.80\00:51:13.40
The beast rising up
from the earth and the sea.
00:51:13.40\00:51:15.90
I think it's a whole lot easier
00:51:15.90\00:51:17.11
for us to remember
these important principles
00:51:17.11\00:51:19.61
because they're
presented in symbolic imagery.
00:51:19.61\00:51:22.31
Another reason is in order
to understand these symbols,
00:51:22.31\00:51:24.41
you have to go back to
the rest of the scripture.
00:51:24.41\00:51:27.22
So in that way, it protects
from a private interpretation
00:51:27.22\00:51:31.49
of what these things might mean.
00:51:31.49\00:51:32.95
If you really want to
know what the symbol means,
00:51:32.95\00:51:34.92
you have to go back
and study the context
00:51:34.92\00:51:37.13
and see what else in scripture
talks about this symbol,
00:51:37.13\00:51:39.89
so I think it's a
good reason for that.
00:51:39.89\00:51:41.93
Another
question that we have is,
00:51:41.93\00:51:42.93
can someone receive
the mark of the beast now?
00:51:42.93\00:51:47.40
Well, the mark of the beast
becomes especially a problem
00:51:47.40\00:51:51.54
when they make a law
00:51:51.54\00:51:52.87
that is compelling
people to worship the beast
00:51:52.87\00:51:55.21
or they'll be killed.
00:51:55.21\00:51:56.78
And since that law
is not in effect now,
00:51:56.78\00:52:00.18
you can certainly be lost now,
you can turn to the devil now,
00:52:00.18\00:52:05.92
you can be
controlled by evil forces now.
00:52:05.92\00:52:08.69
It has been that way
00:52:08.69\00:52:09.79
from the time of
king to the present.
00:52:09.79\00:52:11.93
But the special mark
of the beast mentioned
00:52:11.93\00:52:13.93
in Revelation says that,
"When no man can buy or sell
00:52:13.93\00:52:18.70
and they're
forced to make a choice,
00:52:18.70\00:52:20.84
and both sides of the issue
00:52:20.84\00:52:22.54
are clearly
presented to humanity,
00:52:22.54\00:52:24.91
and there will come a time
00:52:24.91\00:52:25.97
when the whole
world will be polarized
00:52:25.97\00:52:27.81
into one of two groups.
00:52:27.81\00:52:29.71
One group will
have the mark of God,
00:52:29.71\00:52:31.91
it's kind of scares you
to say it that way, right?
00:52:31.91\00:52:33.88
But it's the seal of God.
00:52:33.88\00:52:35.52
And the other group
has the mark of the beast.
00:52:35.52\00:52:38.22
And so these are the
two contrasting sides
00:52:38.22\00:52:40.69
in the last days.
00:52:40.69\00:52:42.12
You want to add to that?
00:52:42.12\00:52:43.19
No, I think that's
about it for Christians.
00:52:43.19\00:52:45.56
We're going to probably
hold that one until next time,
00:52:45.56\00:52:47.23
that might actually tie
in to one of our next show.
00:52:47.23\00:52:48.26
Thank you Pastor Ross.
00:52:48.26\00:52:49.33
Looking at the clock and
we're running out of time.
00:52:49.33\00:52:50.80
Thank you for your questions,
00:52:50.80\00:52:52.03
our friends on
Facebook have sent that in.
00:52:52.03\00:52:53.77
If you didn't get,
00:52:53.77\00:52:54.80
weren't able to get to
your question this week,
00:52:54.80\00:52:56.34
maybe we can
address that next week
00:52:56.34\00:52:57.94
as we continue our
study on end time events.
00:52:57.94\00:53:00.58
I have three minutes
00:53:00.58\00:53:01.64
and I want to close
with one very important theme
00:53:01.64\00:53:03.88
that our lesson brought out
00:53:03.88\00:53:05.15
that I think it's
important for us to understand.
00:53:05.15\00:53:07.25
The entire Book of Revelation
00:53:07.25\00:53:08.62
is written in the
imagery of the sanctuary,
00:53:08.62\00:53:10.92
you don't want to miss that.
00:53:10.92\00:53:12.29
Revelation 1
begins by describing
00:53:12.29\00:53:14.29
Jesus standing amongst
00:53:14.29\00:53:15.59
the seven-branched candlesticks.
00:53:15.59\00:53:18.03
In the sanctuary,
where would you find
00:53:18.03\00:53:19.69
the seven-branched candlesticks,
00:53:19.69\00:53:21.10
in the Holy or the Most Holy?
00:53:21.10\00:53:22.90
In the Holy place.
00:53:22.90\00:53:24.17
You read a little further
in the Book of Revelation,
00:53:24.17\00:53:26.50
Revelation 11 talks
about the altar of incense,
00:53:26.50\00:53:30.84
talks about the
souls under the altar.
00:53:30.84\00:53:33.31
If you look at the
Book of Revelation,
00:53:33.31\00:53:34.54
it's as if Jesus
is actually moving
00:53:34.54\00:53:37.01
through the heavenly sanctuary.
00:53:37.01\00:53:39.08
Chapter 1 describes
00:53:39.08\00:53:40.12
Jesus standing by the
seven-branched candlestick,
00:53:40.12\00:53:42.42
then as you keep
reading through Revelation,
00:53:42.42\00:53:44.95
it's actually
Revelation 4:1 and 2.
00:53:44.95\00:53:49.82
No, that's not the
one that's talking about.
00:53:49.82\00:53:52.46
Let's see, it's Revelation 6:9,
00:53:52.46\00:53:54.30
it talks about
the altar of incense.
00:53:54.30\00:53:56.67
And then when you
get to Revelation 11:19,
00:53:56.67\00:54:00.24
now Jesus has entered
into the Most Holy place,
00:54:00.24\00:54:03.51
we have the Ark of the
Covenant that's brought to view.
00:54:03.51\00:54:06.47
So it's important if you want
to study the Book of Revelation
00:54:06.47\00:54:08.88
and understand the
Book of Revelation,
00:54:08.88\00:54:10.48
we need to recognize
00:54:10.48\00:54:11.51
the context of the
heavenly sanctuary.
00:54:11.51\00:54:15.42
The courtyard
represents the earth,
00:54:15.42\00:54:17.59
that's where Jesus died.
00:54:17.59\00:54:19.15
When Jesus ascended to heaven,
00:54:19.15\00:54:20.62
He began His ministry
in the first compartment
00:54:20.62\00:54:22.82
of the heavenly sanctuary.
00:54:22.82\00:54:24.23
At the end of the
2,300 days of Daniel 8:14,
00:54:24.23\00:54:26.80
Jesus entered
into His final phase
00:54:26.80\00:54:28.93
as a high priest in heaven,
00:54:28.93\00:54:30.40
that was in the Most
Holy place in Revelation 11,
00:54:30.40\00:54:33.84
when the seventh trumpet sounds
00:54:33.84\00:54:36.24
describes the
Ark of the Covenant
00:54:36.24\00:54:37.84
where Jesus is
following His work
00:54:37.84\00:54:40.41
in the Most Holy place.
00:54:40.41\00:54:42.24
Jesus then stands up and says,
00:54:42.24\00:54:45.18
"He that's holy,
let him be holy still.
00:54:45.18\00:54:47.08
He that's filthy,
let him be filthy still."
00:54:47.08\00:54:49.32
He removes His priestly
robe, puts on His kingly robe
00:54:49.32\00:54:54.22
and then Jesus described
00:54:54.22\00:54:55.69
as coming as King of
kings and Lord of lords.
00:54:55.69\00:54:59.23
So in your study of
the Book of Revelation
00:54:59.23\00:55:00.93
recognize the
imagery that we find there,
00:55:00.93\00:55:03.13
it's sanctuary language,
it's sanctuary imagery.
00:55:03.13\00:55:05.97
We need to go back
and take a look at Hebrews
00:55:05.97\00:55:07.94
that teaches us about
the heavenly sanctuary
00:55:07.94\00:55:10.84
where Jesus, our High
Priest ministers for us.
00:55:10.84\00:55:13.88
All right, well, those are
just a few of the highlights
00:55:13.88\00:55:16.01
that we find in Revelation
with referencing Jesus.
00:55:16.01\00:55:18.55
There's probably a whole
lot more we can say about that.
00:55:18.55\00:55:21.75
I would like to encourage you,
00:55:21.75\00:55:22.75
maybe if you have a
little time this afternoon,
00:55:22.75\00:55:25.15
look in Revelation 1,
00:55:25.15\00:55:26.62
read the entire chapter,
00:55:26.62\00:55:28.49
you'll have
different descriptions of Jesus
00:55:28.49\00:55:30.49
found in those passages.
00:55:30.49\00:55:32.13
You might also want
to spend a little time
00:55:32.13\00:55:33.56
reading through Revelation 19,
00:55:33.56\00:55:36.20
the last part that talks
about the second coming of Jesus
00:55:36.20\00:55:39.67
which describes Him coming
00:55:39.67\00:55:40.80
as King of kings
and Lord of lords.
00:55:40.80\00:55:43.37
And then, again, I
would encourage you to read
00:55:43.37\00:55:44.81
the last portion
of Revelation 14,
00:55:44.81\00:55:48.38
which again talks about
the harvest of the earth
00:55:48.38\00:55:50.61
and Jesus coming the
second time to deliver
00:55:50.61\00:55:53.38
those who have put
their trust in Him.
00:55:53.38\00:55:55.62
So again, I'd like to
thank those who joined us.
00:55:55.62\00:55:58.42
Just a reminder, we
do have a free offer,
00:55:58.42\00:56:00.86
and that free offer if
you like to receive it,
00:56:00.86\00:56:02.82
just call the
number there on the screen.
00:56:02.82\00:56:05.19
It's one of the sermon series
00:56:05.19\00:56:07.30
in the Landmarks
of Bible Prophecy,
00:56:07.30\00:56:09.06
it's offer number 841.
00:56:09.06\00:56:11.17
We will be happy to send
that to anybody in North America
00:56:11.17\00:56:13.67
who calls and asks.
00:56:13.67\00:56:15.20
Friends, one of
the amazing things
00:56:25.51\00:56:26.95
you will often find in
the South Pacific Islands
00:56:26.95\00:56:29.52
like here on Fiji
is the Wiwi plant.
00:56:29.52\00:56:32.45
Now in North America if
you want to build a fence,
00:56:32.45\00:56:34.59
you got to get a fencepost,
00:56:34.59\00:56:35.76
and then you put the
wooden fencepost in the ground,
00:56:35.76\00:56:38.19
and then after few
years they're gonna rot
00:56:38.19\00:56:40.10
and break off unless
they're specially treated.
00:56:40.10\00:56:42.73
But here they got
these trees, the Wiwi tree,
00:56:42.73\00:56:45.53
they can cut them
right out of the woods,
00:56:45.53\00:56:47.30
they'll take a stick,
they'll stick it in the ground.
00:56:47.30\00:56:50.01
And because they have so
much rain and precipitation,
00:56:50.01\00:56:52.74
it begins to sprout and
turns into a living fencepost.
00:56:52.74\00:56:56.01
It makes up its mind
00:56:56.01\00:56:57.08
that it's gonna
flourish wherever you stick it,
00:56:57.08\00:56:59.18
which is a good
lesson for you and me.
00:56:59.18\00:57:01.28
So you might wonder sometimes
00:57:01.28\00:57:03.02
if you've got a purpose in life.
00:57:03.02\00:57:04.75
You might feel like
you are growing sort of
00:57:04.75\00:57:06.19
sporadically in every direction,
00:57:06.19\00:57:07.96
and then along comes this person
00:57:07.96\00:57:09.49
who cuts you down
and carries you off,
00:57:09.49\00:57:12.26
he sticks you in the ground.
00:57:12.26\00:57:14.30
But you look back and
you say, there was a plan,
00:57:14.30\00:57:16.63
there was a purpose.
00:57:16.63\00:57:18.40
God knows how to teach us
00:57:18.40\00:57:19.97
how to prosper
where He plants us.
00:57:19.97\00:57:22.30
You might wonder
why the Lord has put you
00:57:22.30\00:57:24.01
where He has in life.
00:57:24.01\00:57:25.41
But you can put down
roots and you can grow,
00:57:25.41\00:57:27.28
and you can serve a
great purpose for God.
00:57:27.28\00:57:29.78
You know, it's like
God says in Jeremiah 29,
00:57:29.78\00:57:32.61
"I know the plants
that I've got for you
00:57:32.61\00:57:34.18
to give you a future."
00:57:34.18\00:57:35.62
God has a purpose
for your life, friends.
00:57:35.62\00:57:37.55
And He can help
you to prosper and grow
00:57:37.55\00:57:39.72
wherever you're planted.
00:57:39.72\00:57:40.79
Can't get enough
Amazing Facts Bible Study?
00:57:45.73\00:57:48.60
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00:57:48.60\00:57:50.37
to enjoy more
truth-filled programming.
00:57:50.37\00:57:52.97
Visit the Amazing Facts
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00:57:52.97\00:57:58.01
At AFTV.org, you can enjoy
video and audio presentations
00:57:58.01\00:58:03.08
as well as printed material
00:58:03.08\00:58:04.75
all free of charge, 24
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00:58:04.75\00:58:08.88
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00:58:08.88\00:58:11.29
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00:58:11.29\00:58:13.86