Hello, friends,
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welcome again to
Sabbath School Study Hour
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here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to welcome those
joining us across the country
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and around the world
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on the various
social media outlets
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as well as our online members,
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who are tuning
faithfully every week
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to study the lesson with us.
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I'd also like to welcome
our regular church members
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as well as those who
are visiting with us today.
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Thank you for being here.
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We have such an important lesson
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that we're going
to be looking at,
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one of my favorite passages
in the Book of Revelation,
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it's Revelation Chapter 7,
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talking about those
who have the seal of God
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in their foreheads.
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Well, that's a good
lead into our subject
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for this entire quarter,
it's on the Book of Revelation.
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Those of you
have been attending,
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you know, we've been studying
through our lesson quarterly.
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Today we find
ourselves on lesson number six,
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and it's in entitled
"The Sealed People of God,"
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really the core of our study
is from Revelation Chapter 7.
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Pastor Doug is
going to be sharing
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some very important
information about that
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here in just a few moments.
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But before we get
started on our lesson,
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I'd like to remind our
friends who are joining us
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of our free offer today.
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We have a book entitled
"Who Will Sing the Song?
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Understanding the 144,000,"
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a book written by Pastor Doug,
and this is our free offer.
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To anyone who are watching,
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if you'd like to
receive a copy of this book,
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the number to
call is 866-788-3966,
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and you can ask for
offer number 172, 1-7-2
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or if you'd like,
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you can receive this
book in a digital form
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by texting the following code,
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"SH119" to the number 40544.
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You will then receive a link
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as to where you
can download the book,
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Who Will Sing the Song?
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And I think you'll find
it a very interesting study,
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and indeed it does go
along with our study today.
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Well, before we get
to our lesson study,
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let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
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Dear Father, once
again we are grateful
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that we're able
to gather together
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and study this
very important book
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and very important topic
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we find in the
last book of the Bible.
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Father, the most
important question
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that anyone can ask is,
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"How can I have the seal of God?
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How can I can be amongst those
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who are found
ready when Jesus comes?"
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So we do pray that
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Your Holy Spirit
will guide our hearts,
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our minds as we study together.
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In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
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Our lesson today is going to
be brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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Good morning.
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Hey, Jëan, you want to
teach the lesson with me?
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Well.
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What were you going to
do, you gonna sit down?
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This is his favorite subject.
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You want to grab a
Bible. I'll grab a Bible.
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If you want to
teach, get a Bible,
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let's do it together.
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He didn't knew I was going
to do that, isn't that mean?
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I just know one of
his favorite subjects
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is Revelation,
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and we never know
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how the stars
are going to line up
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with who's going
to teach what dates,
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it has to do with travel,
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and I know that he's
just kind of thinking,
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"Oh, man, I want to
help teach this lesson."
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Okay, let's do it together,
let's see what happens.
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We may never do this again.
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We'll try it out.
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Welcome everybody to
Sabbath School Study Hour,
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and our lesson
today is lesson number 6.
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Now, I know this
sounds confusing,
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it's lesson 6 on
Chapter 7 of Revelation.
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And so God willing,
we're going to try to cover
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all of
Revelation Chapter 7 today.
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Now I need help
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because this is
144,000, the seal of God,
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and the great multitude,
and the song of Moses,
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very important
material in this one lesson.
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Now we've got a memory verse,
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and the memory verse
comes from Revelation 14:7,
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and this is from the
New King James Version.
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I hope you'll say
this with me, you're ready?
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"These are the ones who
come out of a great tribulation,
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and washed their robes,
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and made them white in
the blood of the lamb."
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Now, you know,
what I thought I do
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as we try to teach this
lesson is why don't we go ahead,
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you look at Revelation 14,
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why don't you read
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up until the great multitude
in Revelation 7 verse...
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I'm sorry, Revelation 7:1.
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Absolutely, I'll be happy to.
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All right,
Pastor Doug, here we go.
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As I've said, we
haven't rehearsed this,
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so we don't know
what's going to happen,
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neither do you,
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but we're happy to talk about
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one of our
favorite parts of the Bible.
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So Revelation Chapter 7,
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I hope you have
your Bibles with you,
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going to spend a lot of
time right in this passage.
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And let me read the
first part of Chapter 7
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dealing with 144,000,
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and that goes all the
way through to about verse 9.
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So I'm gonna start
in verse 1, it says,
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"After these
things I saw four angels
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standing on the four
corners of the earth,
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holding the four
winds of the earth,
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that the wind should
not blow on the earth,
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on the sea, or on any tree.
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Then I saw another
angel ascending from the east,
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having the seal
of the living God.
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And he cried with a
loud voice to the four angels
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to whom it was granted to
harm the earth and the sea,
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saying, 'Do not harm the
earth, the sea, or the trees
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till we have
sealed the servants of God
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on their foreheads.'
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And I heard the number
of those who were sealed.
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One hundred and
forty-four thousand
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of all the tribes of
the children of Israel,
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they were sealed.'"
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Maybe we should stop here.
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I just look it
all, we've got in there,
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and probably out to do a
little expository teaching
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right here at this point.
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All right, first of all,
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we studied the
seven seals last week,
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but we only got to six.
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So we haven't got to
the seventh seal yet.
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Before the
seventh seal is opened,
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you've got Chapter 7, Chapter 8,
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you actually have the
opening of the seventh seal.
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So when he says
after these things,
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after what things?
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After this, the sixth seal.
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So we know when in
history this is happening,
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down near the end of time,
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there's a
sealing that takes place
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before the
seventh seal is opened.
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And when the
seventh seal is open,
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all kinds of things break loose,
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and it's a sign
of the second coming.
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Now when it says
these four angels
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at the four
corners of the earth,
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what does that represent?
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Well, you're talking about four.
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In the Bible, you
know, the numbers have
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prophetic significance.
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Some people wonder,
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he's just talking
about the earth being flat,
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it's like a square,
and there's four corners,
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and there's an angel
assigned to each corner
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holding the corner of the earth.
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No, it simply means the
four points of the compass,
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north, south, east and west.
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So when it talks
about the four angels
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holding the four
corners of the earth
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or standing at the
four corners of the earth,
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it's really just
describing these angels
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holding back these winds
of fury from the north, south,
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east, and west.
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So God is still holding
back this full wind of strife
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that is about to come
until the sealing occurs
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amongst God's people.
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It's a storm that...
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By the way,
there's another verse
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if you ever want to
understand Revelation,
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compare
scripture with scripture.
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Matthew 24, when Jesus
talks about His coming,
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"He will send His angels
with the sound of a trumpet,
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and they will gather together
his elect from the four winds."
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You find both winds,
angels, and four in the seals
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we're studying right now.
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From the four winds of heaven,
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from one end of
heaven to the other.
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It's just talking
about from around the world,
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they'll be gathered.
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Now it says that
there's not supposed to...
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They're not to release
the winds to blow upon earth,
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tree, water.
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Sounds like
name of a rock group.
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But there it's
talking about the environment,
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nations were trees.
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What is water
represent in Revelation?
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Multitudes and
nations, kindred some times.
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You remember that
verse? Revelation 17.
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Revelation 17, it
tells us what these things.
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So they're holding back a storm
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that is going to
blow upon the earth
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that's going to
affect the environment,
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it's going to
affect the nations,
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it's going to affect the people.
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It's a great time of trouble,
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but before that time
of trouble is released,
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and by the way,
when you get into,
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you know, the seven plagues,
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you really see the
epitome of this time of trouble.
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Before it's released,
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something has to
happen that we read about.
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Angels are supposed to...
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A seal is to be
place on the believers.
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So there's a lot of discussion
about what is this seal?
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Now...
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Pastor Doug, can I
add one point here.
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Yeah, please,
why... I want you to.
00:08:47.16\00:08:48.29
Just to kind of
give the setting here.
00:08:48.32\00:08:51.26
Pastor Doug mentioned
that Revelation Chapter 7
00:08:51.29\00:08:54.23
is in the midst of the
sixth and the seventh seal,
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but there is an
important question
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that's asked in the sixth seal
that leads into the 144,000.
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And you find in
Revelation Chapter 6,
00:09:04.24\00:09:06.47
just to back up a little
bit, just to give the context,
00:09:06.51\00:09:08.48
verse 15 says,
00:09:08.51\00:09:09.48
"And the kings of the
earth, and the great men,
00:09:09.51\00:09:11.01
the rich men, the
commanders, the mighty men,
00:09:11.05\00:09:12.68
every slave, every free
man, hid themselves in the caves
00:09:12.71\00:09:16.05
and in the rocks
of the mountains,
00:09:16.08\00:09:17.49
and they said to the
mountains and the rocks,
00:09:17.52\00:09:19.39
'Fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him
00:09:19.42\00:09:21.66
who sits upon the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb!
00:09:21.69\00:09:24.83
For the great day
of His wrath has come,
00:09:24.86\00:09:26.96
and who shall able to stand?'"
00:09:27.00\00:09:28.30
So the sixth seal brings you
00:09:28.33\00:09:29.50
right up to the
second coming of Jesus.
00:09:29.53\00:09:31.53
But a question is
asked, the question is,
00:09:31.57\00:09:33.80
the day of His wrath has come,
00:09:33.84\00:09:35.40
talking about the
second coming of Jesus.
00:09:35.44\00:09:36.77
The question is,
00:09:36.81\00:09:37.81
who's going to be able
to stand when Jesus comes?
00:09:37.84\00:09:41.71
And then John
hits the pause button,
00:09:41.74\00:09:44.45
backs up just a little bit
to talk about a group of people
00:09:44.48\00:09:47.85
that are able to
stand when Jesus comes,
00:09:47.88\00:09:50.75
and he gives a characteristic
of this group of people
00:09:50.79\00:09:52.85
and says,
00:09:52.89\00:09:53.96
"Oh, they have the seal
of God in their foreheads."
00:09:53.99\00:09:56.19
Amen.
00:09:56.22\00:09:57.46
And then on the next
seal, the eighth seal,
00:09:57.49\00:09:59.19
you actually have the
second coming of Christ.
00:09:59.23\00:10:01.53
So this is kind of
an important connection,
00:10:01.56\00:10:03.10
Chapter 8.
00:10:03.13\00:10:04.20
I mean Chapter 8,
seventh seal. Seventh seal.
00:10:04.23\00:10:06.23
Yeah. So then we're...
00:10:06.27\00:10:07.44
Now let's talk for a second
about what is the seal of God.
00:10:07.47\00:10:11.27
And if you look in
Isaiah 8:16, he says,
00:10:11.31\00:10:15.51
"Bind up the testimony,
00:10:15.54\00:10:17.65
seal the law
among My disciples."
00:10:17.68\00:10:20.98
So somewhere in the law of
God, you find the seal of God.
00:10:21.02\00:10:25.15
Now I always like to take people
00:10:25.19\00:10:26.86
on just the visual
of this for a second.
00:10:26.89\00:10:31.06
If I were to say,
00:10:31.09\00:10:32.16
we went on a trip to
the Holy Land this year,
00:10:32.19\00:10:34.60
where did we go?
00:10:34.63\00:10:37.00
Israel.
00:10:37.03\00:10:38.10
And then if I tell you
while we were in the Holy Land,
00:10:38.13\00:10:41.47
we went to the holy
mount, where's that?
00:10:41.50\00:10:45.77
Temple Mount, Mount of Olives,
it's actually Mount Moriah,
00:10:45.81\00:10:49.64
which is the
Temple Mount, Mount Zion,
00:10:49.68\00:10:51.38
it's sometimes called.
00:10:51.41\00:10:52.65
And on the Temple Mount,
you've got the holy city.
00:10:52.68\00:10:55.22
What city am I talking about?
00:10:55.25\00:10:57.39
Jerusalem.
00:10:57.42\00:10:58.95
And in the holy city,
you've got the holy temple.
00:10:58.99\00:11:03.53
And in the holy temple,
you've got the holy place.
00:11:03.56\00:11:07.66
And just beyond the
holy place, you have what?
00:11:07.66\00:11:10.27
The Holy of Holies,
and the most holy place.
00:11:10.30\00:11:13.10
Now notice how often
the word holy appears here.
00:11:13.13\00:11:15.47
In the Holy Land,
00:11:15.50\00:11:16.77
you get the holy city,
you get the holy mount,
00:11:16.81\00:11:18.27
you get the holy
temple, you get the holy place,
00:11:18.31\00:11:19.84
get the Holy of Holies,
00:11:19.87\00:11:21.08
and in the Holy of
Holies is the holy ark,
00:11:21.11\00:11:24.98
and in the holy
ark is the holy law,
00:11:25.01\00:11:28.25
and in the holy law,
00:11:28.28\00:11:29.32
you find the word holy one time.
00:11:29.35\00:11:32.59
Do you know where?
00:11:32.62\00:11:34.59
Fourth Commandment,
isn't that interesting?
00:11:34.62\00:11:37.36
And God's purpose,
the plan of salvation
00:11:37.39\00:11:39.33
is to make us holy.
00:11:39.36\00:11:42.46
And so the seal of God
is in the middle of His law.
00:11:42.50\00:11:46.74
It's the only commandment
where you find the word holy,
00:11:46.77\00:11:49.70
and it's something else.
00:11:49.74\00:11:51.64
What are the
characteristics of a seal?
00:11:51.67\00:11:53.71
Well, seal, if it's
going to have any value,
00:11:53.74\00:11:55.94
it has to have the name
00:11:55.98\00:11:57.55
of whoever has the
authority of that seal,
00:11:57.58\00:11:59.71
so often it would
have the name of the king,
00:11:59.75\00:12:02.12
it would have the
territory that the king governs,
00:12:02.15\00:12:05.09
it'll also then
have some kind of title
00:12:05.12\00:12:08.06
connected with the king.
00:12:08.09\00:12:09.62
Well, you might say the king,
00:12:09.66\00:12:10.96
the monarch of
whatever place it might be,
00:12:10.99\00:12:13.16
gives the territory,
and it gives his title.
00:12:13.19\00:12:15.73
So dominion, who it is,
00:12:15.76\00:12:17.80
and title of
three characteristics
00:12:17.83\00:12:19.70
that you depict
defining the seal.
00:12:19.73\00:12:21.44
When Darius put
his seal on the stone
00:12:21.47\00:12:24.87
when Daniel was
put in the lion's den,
00:12:24.91\00:12:26.41
that seal said,
Darius, that's his name, King,
00:12:26.44\00:12:30.65
it's his title,
Medo-Persia, territory.
00:12:30.68\00:12:33.75
When Pilate put a
seal on the tomb of Jesus,
00:12:33.78\00:12:36.69
it said Pontius Pilate,
it's his name, governor, Judea.
00:12:36.72\00:12:41.86
And so, where in the law of
God do we find the seal of God?
00:12:41.89\00:12:46.43
You know, what part of
the fourth commandment?
00:12:46.46\00:12:50.33
Where it says, "For
in six days, the Lord,"
00:12:50.37\00:12:54.64
Jehovah, it's His name,
"created," that's His office,
00:12:54.67\00:12:59.31
He is the creator and
sustainer of all things,
00:12:59.34\00:13:02.11
"of the heaven and
the earth," His territory.
00:13:02.14\00:13:04.75
So in the middle
of the law of God,
00:13:04.78\00:13:06.21
you find the words holy,
and you find the seal of God,
00:13:06.25\00:13:09.28
the components of a seal.
00:13:09.32\00:13:11.75
And the Sabbath
is really different
00:13:11.79\00:13:13.29
because all the
other commandments,
00:13:13.32\00:13:14.49
it says, "Don't
worship other gods,
00:13:14.52\00:13:16.73
and don't take the
name of the Lord God."
00:13:16.76\00:13:18.53
But it's not until
you get to the Sabbath,
00:13:18.56\00:13:20.36
it describes who this God is.
00:13:20.40\00:13:22.70
The Sabbath Commandment.
00:13:22.73\00:13:24.23
Now, of course, the Sabbath
00:13:24.27\00:13:25.30
being an outward
sign of the seal,
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.34
it's more than just a day,
00:13:27.37\00:13:29.07
although the day
is very important,
00:13:29.10\00:13:30.71
especially at the end of time.
00:13:30.74\00:13:32.37
But like any of
the Ten Commandments,
00:13:32.41\00:13:33.88
it has to do
something with the heart,
00:13:33.91\00:13:35.48
you know, the
new covenant promise
00:13:35.51\00:13:37.21
that God makes with
those who believe in Him,
00:13:37.25\00:13:39.65
that He'll write
His law on their hearts
00:13:39.68\00:13:41.88
and in their minds.
00:13:41.92\00:13:43.49
So to have the seal of God
00:13:43.52\00:13:44.72
is more than just an output
observance of a particular day,
00:13:44.75\00:13:48.12
but it is to have
that law of the creator
00:13:48.16\00:13:51.63
written in our
hearts and our minds.
00:13:51.66\00:13:54.13
It has to do
something with our character,
00:13:54.20\00:13:55.93
with our belief, with our faith.
00:13:55.96\00:13:57.40
Amen.
00:13:57.43\00:13:58.77
Now, in just a moment,
00:13:58.80\00:14:00.80
I'm going to let
someone read a verse.
00:14:00.84\00:14:02.27
Hoftis, I think
you'll have this next one
00:14:02.30\00:14:03.81
talking a little
bit about this seal.
00:14:03.84\00:14:06.21
First of all, when you think
about something in the forehead
00:14:06.24\00:14:08.91
or in the hand in
Revelation, do you think
00:14:08.94\00:14:10.51
of something good or bad?
00:14:10.55\00:14:13.31
Lot of people, if I say
you're going to get something
00:14:13.35\00:14:15.25
before the end of the world,
someone's going to offer you
00:14:15.28\00:14:18.05
a mark in your
forehead, do you want it?
00:14:18.09\00:14:21.12
And people say, no.
00:14:21.16\00:14:23.32
But all the same type
of mark in their forehead.
00:14:23.36\00:14:26.66
Everybody's
marked in the forehead
00:14:26.70\00:14:28.13
or the hand in Revelation.
00:14:28.16\00:14:30.03
There's a good mark you
read about in Ezekiel 9.
00:14:30.07\00:14:34.14
If you read this
vision in Ezekiel 9,
00:14:34.17\00:14:36.00
only those who received
the mark from this angel
00:14:36.04\00:14:38.87
live through the
terrible judgment
00:14:38.91\00:14:42.51
that goes through the land.
00:14:42.54\00:14:45.11
And so
everybody wants that mark.
00:14:45.15\00:14:47.88
Keep in mind also,
00:14:47.92\00:14:49.12
the mark of the beast talks
about the hand or the forehead.
00:14:49.15\00:14:52.29
If you look in Deuteronomy
00:14:52.32\00:14:53.56
when the Ten
Commandments are given,
00:14:53.59\00:14:54.99
Deuteronomy Chapter
5, then go to Chapter 6
00:14:55.02\00:14:57.83
where God says,
00:14:57.86\00:14:58.86
"Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God is one,
00:14:58.89\00:15:00.53
thou shall love the Lord
with all your heart, mind,
00:15:00.56\00:15:02.26
soul, and strength."
00:15:02.30\00:15:03.53
And He says, "These
words, I command you to stay."
00:15:03.57\00:15:05.53
That's the Ten Commandments,
shall be in your heart.
00:15:05.57\00:15:08.24
Clearly is symbol, right?
00:15:08.27\00:15:10.54
Teach them to your
children diligently,
00:15:10.57\00:15:12.97
put them on the
doorpost of your house.
00:15:13.01\00:15:14.68
Then He says, "Bind
them for a sign on your hand,
00:15:14.71\00:15:18.98
put them as front
what's between your eyes
00:15:19.01\00:15:22.48
that the Lord's law
may be in your heart."
00:15:22.52\00:15:24.45
And so it says, if basically,
00:15:24.49\00:15:26.89
if you don't have the law
of the Lord in your heart,
00:15:26.92\00:15:29.26
and your hand, and your
head, that means your actions,
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.49
your thoughts, your affections,
00:15:32.53\00:15:34.10
you'll have the mark of
the beast in the last days.
00:15:34.13\00:15:35.83
You either have
one or the other.
00:15:35.86\00:15:37.97
If you're not with
Him, you're against Him.
00:15:38.00\00:15:41.34
Is the Sabbath a sign?
00:15:41.37\00:15:42.40
Go ahead, read for us, please.
00:15:42.44\00:15:43.64
I think it's Ezekiel 20:20.
00:15:43.67\00:15:46.04
Ezekiel 20:20,
"Hallow My Sabbaths,
00:15:46.07\00:15:50.08
and they will be a
sign between Me and you,
00:15:50.11\00:15:53.75
that you may know that
I am the Lord your God."
00:15:53.78\00:15:57.39
I'm going to read
a companion verse,
00:15:57.42\00:15:58.89
it's a verse 12
of the same Chapter,
00:15:58.92\00:16:00.72
Chapter 20 of Ezekiel.
00:16:00.76\00:16:02.42
"Moreover, I
gave them My Sabbath
00:16:02.46\00:16:04.13
to be a sign
between Me and them."
00:16:04.16\00:16:07.60
The word sign, insignia, seal
00:16:07.60\00:16:10.40
are
interchangeable in the Bible.
00:16:10.43\00:16:12.87
And so it says, the
Sabbath is a sign, it's a seal.
00:16:12.90\00:16:16.04
And so it shows
what God you worship
00:16:16.07\00:16:18.11
and why you worship
Him, because He's a creator.
00:16:18.14\00:16:21.74
So go ahead.
00:16:21.78\00:16:23.18
Something else related
to the mark and the seal,
00:16:23.21\00:16:25.11
of course, as Pastor Doug
00:16:25.15\00:16:26.18
mentioned in the
Book of Revelation
00:16:26.21\00:16:27.22
at the end of time,
00:16:27.25\00:16:28.58
everybody alive on the
earth, when Jesus comes,
00:16:28.62\00:16:32.12
will be marked.
00:16:32.15\00:16:33.52
They'll either
have the seal of God
00:16:33.56\00:16:35.26
or they will have
the mark of the beast.
00:16:35.29\00:16:37.06
And, of course, in Ezekiel 9,
00:16:37.09\00:16:38.89
that seal is also
referred to as a mark
00:16:38.93\00:16:41.10
that is placed in the forehead,
00:16:41.13\00:16:42.83
so it can be
used interchangeably.
00:16:42.86\00:16:44.50
Something else
interesting about the word mark
00:16:44.53\00:16:46.63
in the original Greek,
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.07
it comes from
the word kharakter,
00:16:48.10\00:16:50.67
we get the
English word character
00:16:50.71\00:16:52.94
from the word kharakter.
00:16:52.97\00:16:55.21
So it's kind of
interesting that the seal
00:16:55.24\00:16:57.25
or this mark at the end of time
00:16:57.28\00:16:59.35
has something to
do with the character,
00:16:59.38\00:17:01.48
has something to
do with the heart
00:17:01.52\00:17:03.22
because the new covenant
promises to write God's law
00:17:03.25\00:17:06.29
in the heart.
00:17:06.32\00:17:07.39
Whereas those that
have the mark of the beast,
00:17:07.42\00:17:09.36
they have just the opposite
of God's law in their heart,
00:17:09.39\00:17:12.43
they have the law
of the beast power.
00:17:12.46\00:17:14.73
So the two groups are
bought to view in the last days.
00:17:14.73\00:17:17.93
All right, now
we're going to venture
00:17:17.97\00:17:19.33
on some interesting ground,
00:17:19.37\00:17:21.57
maybe even a
little controversial.
00:17:21.60\00:17:23.57
And before I get
into the 144,000,
00:17:23.61\00:17:28.18
I want to read a quote
from First Selected Messages.
00:17:28.21\00:17:30.98
A lot of people
argue about this,
00:17:31.01\00:17:32.45
we get a lot of questions,
00:17:32.48\00:17:33.48
and there's a lot
of disagreement on it.
00:17:33.52\00:17:35.98
"It is not His will
00:17:36.02\00:17:37.85
that they shall get into
controversy over questions
00:17:37.89\00:17:40.59
which will not
help them spiritually
00:17:40.62\00:17:42.26
such as who is to
compose the 144,000.
00:17:42.29\00:17:47.73
This, those who
are elect of God,
00:17:47.76\00:17:49.50
will in the short time
know without question."
00:17:49.53\00:17:52.00
And soon enough, we'll
know the answer to this,
00:17:52.03\00:17:53.77
but there's a lot of
discussion about this.
00:17:53.80\00:17:55.87
So I'm going to
read, if it's okay,
00:17:55.90\00:17:57.34
verse 5-8, just
where it names 144,000.
00:17:57.37\00:18:01.81
It says, "Of the tribe,"
00:18:01.84\00:18:02.78
it says there are
12,000 from these 12 tribes.
00:18:02.81\00:18:05.31
"Of the tribe of Judah
twelve thousand were sealed,
00:18:05.35\00:18:07.72
of the tribe of Reuben
twelve thousand were sealed,
00:18:07.75\00:18:09.95
of the tribe of Gad
twelve thousand were sealed,"
00:18:09.98\00:18:13.19
Asher, Naphtali,
Manasseh, Simeon, Levi,
00:18:13.22\00:18:16.73
Issachar,
Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin,
00:18:16.76\00:18:19.09
12,000 were sealed, right?
00:18:19.13\00:18:20.53
I don't want to be redundant.
00:18:20.56\00:18:22.80
You know, some tribe's missing.
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.73
We still got 12 here,
00:18:25.77\00:18:27.10
but how do we have 12
00:18:27.14\00:18:28.17
and you've got a
couple that are missing.
00:18:28.20\00:18:29.70
What's missing?
00:18:29.74\00:18:31.64
Ephraim is not
here, and Dan is not here.
00:18:31.67\00:18:35.31
That doesn't sound nice
00:18:35.34\00:18:37.08
that they would be
left out of 144,000.
00:18:37.11\00:18:40.22
Are these literal Israelites?
00:18:40.25\00:18:43.92
We don't think so
for a number of reasons.
00:18:43.95\00:18:46.15
One is if you read your Bible
back in the days on Hezekiah,
00:18:46.19\00:18:50.43
the 10 northern tribes
00:18:50.46\00:18:51.56
were conquered by the Assyrians,
00:18:51.59\00:18:53.86
they were
scattered through Assyria,
00:18:53.90\00:18:55.80
a lot of them intermarried,
00:18:55.83\00:18:57.03
some came back and later
were known as Samaritans,
00:18:57.07\00:18:59.67
sort of a hybrid, Assyrian Jews,
00:18:59.70\00:19:04.37
and it's very difficult
for you to find anybody
00:19:04.41\00:19:08.34
that has got all the
DNA of Issachar, Simeon,
00:19:08.38\00:19:12.01
Zebulun in the world today.
00:19:12.05\00:19:14.68
They've been
intermarried, and dispersed
00:19:14.72\00:19:17.65
all around the Far East.
00:19:17.69\00:19:20.42
So we really doubt
that it's talking about
00:19:20.46\00:19:23.36
literally 12,000
from these tribes.
00:19:23.39\00:19:26.66
When Jesus
picked the 12 apostles,
00:19:26.70\00:19:28.86
did He pick one from each tribe?
00:19:28.90\00:19:31.77
No, most of the 12 apostles
were from either Benjamin,
00:19:31.80\00:19:35.54
Judah, or Levi.
00:19:35.57\00:19:37.67
You got Matthew,
what was his middle name?
00:19:37.71\00:19:40.21
Matthew Levi,
probably from Levi.
00:19:40.24\00:19:42.41
Saul says, I'm from
the tribe of Benjamin.
00:19:42.44\00:19:45.55
And Judas Iscariot,
00:19:45.58\00:19:47.72
probably from
the tribe of Judah,
00:19:47.75\00:19:48.85
and most of them were
probably from the tribe of Judah
00:19:48.88\00:19:50.95
because that's who
lived in the southern kingdom.
00:19:50.99\00:19:53.49
And so it's not
talking about literal Jews
00:19:53.52\00:19:58.26
when it talks about the 144,000.
00:19:58.29\00:20:00.96
I got more, but
I'll let you jump in.
00:20:01.00\00:20:02.80
Yeah, you might be wondering,
00:20:02.83\00:20:03.97
well, if we have
two of the tribes
00:20:04.00\00:20:05.23
taken out of the 12,
which is Dan and Ephraim,
00:20:05.27\00:20:08.14
how do we end up with 12 tribes?
00:20:08.17\00:20:10.17
Well, you remember that Joseph
00:20:10.21\00:20:11.71
didn't inherit a
territory of land
00:20:11.74\00:20:15.14
under the name of Joseph,
00:20:15.18\00:20:16.34
but Joseph's territory
00:20:16.38\00:20:17.58
was actually divided
up amongst his two sons.
00:20:17.61\00:20:20.22
So he had more territory.
00:20:20.25\00:20:22.25
But in the list given
here in Revelation Chapter 7,
00:20:22.28\00:20:24.99
you'll notice that Joseph
is mentioned and his sons,
00:20:25.02\00:20:27.72
and then you have
Levi that's added,
00:20:27.76\00:20:30.06
that makes up your 12.
00:20:30.09\00:20:31.53
Levi didn't inherit a territory
00:20:31.56\00:20:33.50
when Israel
occupied the Promised Land,
00:20:33.53\00:20:35.73
they were dispersed
amongst the other tribes.
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.83
So there's great significance
to the order of the names
00:20:37.87\00:20:40.60
and the names chosen
that make up this list
00:20:40.64\00:20:43.24
that we have in Revelation 7.
00:20:43.27\00:20:45.31
Now one theory
about why Ephraim and Dan
00:20:45.34\00:20:48.61
is left out is
Ephraim was basically
00:20:48.64\00:20:52.75
That's the name...
00:20:52.78\00:20:54.08
that was used
for all the 10 tribes
00:20:54.12\00:20:55.35
in the north,
00:20:55.38\00:20:56.42
often referred to as Ephraim
00:20:56.45\00:20:57.52
because it was
the biggest tribe.
00:20:57.55\00:20:58.59
Southern kingdom is
usually referred to as Judah,
00:20:58.62\00:21:00.62
that's where we
get the word Jew,
00:21:00.66\00:21:02.06
it was the biggest tribe.
00:21:02.09\00:21:03.79
The Bible says,
00:21:03.83\00:21:04.89
"Ephraim is joined to her idols.
00:21:04.93\00:21:07.30
Let her alone."
00:21:07.30\00:21:09.33
Ephraim had turned to idolatry,
00:21:09.36\00:21:11.40
that's why they
were carried off.
00:21:11.43\00:21:12.97
They never were
allowed to freely return
00:21:13.00\00:21:15.70
like the children of
Judah came back from Babylon.
00:21:15.74\00:21:18.91
And Dan, the
word Dan means judge.
00:21:18.94\00:21:22.54
It talks about Dan
is a viper in the way.
00:21:22.58\00:21:25.11
And so those two names,
00:21:25.15\00:21:26.92
the symbolism of those two names
00:21:26.95\00:21:28.72
had to be left
out of the redeemed
00:21:28.75\00:21:31.32
because of what they meant.
00:21:31.35\00:21:32.95
But when you put
all the names together,
00:21:32.99\00:21:34.39
it says something.
00:21:34.42\00:21:36.16
Would you like me to
read it to you real quick?
00:21:36.19\00:21:38.56
And this is in the free book
that we're making available,
00:21:38.59\00:21:41.26
who are the 144,000?
00:21:41.30\00:21:43.80
Now, if you want to
know what the names mean,
00:21:43.83\00:21:46.30
you don't have to just have
00:21:46.33\00:21:48.10
a special Bible name dictionary.
00:21:48.14\00:21:51.77
In the Bible it tells
you, when Rachel and Leah
00:21:51.81\00:21:54.48
are having the 12 boys,
them and their handmaids,
00:21:54.51\00:21:57.38
every time a boy is born,
00:21:57.41\00:21:58.51
they make a statement
based on what their names
00:21:58.55\00:22:00.72
mean if they tell you.
00:22:00.75\00:22:02.42
If you take the
statements that define the names
00:22:02.45\00:22:05.05
that are given,
00:22:05.09\00:22:06.22
the way they appear
in Revelation Chapter 7,
00:22:06.25\00:22:09.06
it tells the story of salvation.
00:22:09.09\00:22:11.63
Now one thing I
want you to also know,
00:22:11.66\00:22:13.63
there is no other
list of the 12 tribes
00:22:13.66\00:22:15.70
in the order that you
find in Revelation Chapter 7,
00:22:15.73\00:22:18.83
which also makes you suspect
it's telling us something.
00:22:18.87\00:22:22.27
Every other...
00:22:22.30\00:22:23.37
Why is Judah first?
00:22:23.41\00:22:24.51
Reuben was the firstborn.
00:22:24.54\00:22:26.21
It's a mixed up list.
00:22:26.24\00:22:28.41
So here's what it says
when you just line them up.
00:22:28.44\00:22:31.08
If you were to say the names
in Hebrew and the definitions,
00:22:31.11\00:22:34.42
what is it saying?
00:22:34.45\00:22:36.52
"Now I will praise the Lord."
00:22:36.55\00:22:38.25
The word Judah
means praise the Lord.
00:22:38.29\00:22:40.46
"I will praise the Lord,
00:22:40.49\00:22:42.02
for the Lord has
looked on my affliction,
00:22:42.06\00:22:43.96
and granted me good fortune.
00:22:43.99\00:22:45.83
I am happy because
with my great wrestling
00:22:45.86\00:22:48.36
I have wrestled and prevailed.
00:22:48.40\00:22:50.27
Thus God has made me
forget all of my toil
00:22:50.30\00:22:53.44
because the Lord has
heard that I am not loved.
00:22:53.47\00:22:56.24
He has joined or married to me.
00:22:56.27\00:22:58.51
God has given
me my compensation,
00:22:58.54\00:23:00.88
my hire by dwelling with me,
00:23:00.91\00:23:03.45
and the Lord will add to
me the son of his right hand."
00:23:03.48\00:23:07.02
It's a beautiful soliloquy
of the plan of salvation,
00:23:07.05\00:23:11.72
and the wrestlings and
deliverance of the church
00:23:11.75\00:23:14.19
in the names of the 144,000.
00:23:14.22\00:23:17.19
It's very interesting
00:23:17.23\00:23:18.26
when you look at the
meaning of those names
00:23:18.29\00:23:19.76
that describes God's people
00:23:19.79\00:23:21.63
going through a
time of wrestling,
00:23:21.66\00:23:23.67
God will hear their
cry, He will deliver them,
00:23:23.70\00:23:26.94
He will prepare for
them a dwelling place,
00:23:26.97\00:23:29.04
He will add the
son of His right hand.
00:23:29.07\00:23:30.94
It's really describing
00:23:30.97\00:23:31.97
not only the
experience of the church,
00:23:32.01\00:23:34.11
but in a special sense,
00:23:34.14\00:23:35.34
it's describing the
experience of God's people
00:23:35.38\00:23:37.38
in the last days.
00:23:37.41\00:23:39.11
Do God's people go
through a time of wrestling
00:23:39.15\00:23:41.28
before Jesus comes,
00:23:41.32\00:23:42.35
where their faith
is tested and tried?
00:23:42.38\00:23:44.19
Yes.
00:23:44.22\00:23:45.25
Sometimes refers to that
as Jacob's time of trouble.
00:23:45.29\00:23:47.89
Does God hear their prayer? Yes.
00:23:47.92\00:23:49.72
Does He come to
their deliverance?
00:23:49.76\00:23:51.29
Yes, Jesus
comes the second time.
00:23:51.33\00:23:53.56
Is Jesus preparing a
dwelling place for them
00:23:53.60\00:23:55.83
in His Father's house?
00:23:55.86\00:23:57.07
Yes, John
Chapter 14 tells us that.
00:23:57.10\00:23:59.23
So when you look at
the meaning of the names,
00:23:59.27\00:24:01.37
there's so many
wonderful lessons
00:24:01.40\00:24:03.61
describing the
experience of God's people.
00:24:03.64\00:24:06.01
Amen.
00:24:06.04\00:24:07.08
All right, now here's a question
00:24:07.11\00:24:08.68
everyone wants to know, 144,000
special group in the last days
00:24:08.71\00:24:13.18
after the time
of the sixth seal,
00:24:13.21\00:24:15.12
is it a literal number?
00:24:15.15\00:24:17.82
Well, what I say
now, I say by permission,
00:24:17.85\00:24:19.62
and not by commandment.
00:24:19.65\00:24:21.79
I'm inclined to think it is.
00:24:21.82\00:24:23.36
I might be in the
minority, I might be wrong.
00:24:23.39\00:24:25.69
It's happened once before.
00:24:25.73\00:24:27.66
But let me tell
you my reasons, okay?
00:24:27.66\00:24:30.67
Remember, we don't
want to fight about 144,000.
00:24:30.70\00:24:34.94
After the 144,000 are named,
00:24:34.97\00:24:37.57
it says then there's a
group that cannot be numbered.
00:24:37.61\00:24:40.54
There's no specific
number, it's imprecise,
00:24:40.58\00:24:42.71
a great multitude,
00:24:42.74\00:24:44.21
but it gives a precise
number for the 144,000.
00:24:44.25\00:24:47.88
Are other numbers in Revelation,
00:24:47.92\00:24:49.95
do they have real value?
00:24:49.98\00:24:51.85
Does the New
Jerusalem really have 12 gates
00:24:51.89\00:24:55.42
or is that symbolic?
00:24:55.46\00:24:56.62
Does it really
have 12 foundations?
00:24:56.66\00:24:58.39
Most people I
read, they believe it.
00:24:58.43\00:25:01.50
Are there really
12 kinds of fruit
00:25:01.53\00:25:03.63
12 times a year?
00:25:03.67\00:25:04.83
I never have anyone
hear argue with that.
00:25:04.87\00:25:07.47
When they talk about
00:25:07.50\00:25:08.54
the dimensions of
the New Jerusalem,
00:25:08.57\00:25:10.04
12,000 furlongs
or 1500 miles around.
00:25:10.07\00:25:12.77
All the evangelist I know, say,
00:25:12.81\00:25:14.11
"Those are
literal, the dimensions."
00:25:14.14\00:25:16.71
And so when it
talks about the 10 heads,
00:25:16.75\00:25:21.95
or the 10
crowns and the 7 heads.
00:25:21.98\00:25:24.09
Do we really count that
number of heads and crowns?
00:25:24.12\00:25:26.29
And they have a meaning,
the numbers have a value?
00:25:26.32\00:25:28.49
Yes, so I think
we got to be careful
00:25:28.52\00:25:30.33
about the
sweeping aside the number.
00:25:30.36\00:25:32.89
Let me give you
something else to think about.
00:25:32.93\00:25:35.80
Why did Jesus pick 12 apostles?
00:25:35.83\00:25:39.27
Couldn't He have picked 9, 14,
00:25:39.30\00:25:42.20
why, after Judas
committed suicide,
00:25:42.24\00:25:46.57
you read Acts Chapter 1,
00:25:46.61\00:25:48.31
before the Holy
Spirit was poured out.
00:25:48.34\00:25:51.28
It says, "They entered
into the upper room..."
00:25:51.31\00:25:52.85
I'm in Acts 1:13,
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.82
someone's going to
read for me Acts 1:17
00:25:54.85\00:25:56.75
in just a minute.
00:25:56.79\00:25:58.39
"They entered
into the upper room
00:25:58.42\00:25:59.72
where they were staying,"
00:25:59.75\00:26:00.86
Peter, James, John, notice here,
00:26:00.89\00:26:02.32
"Peter, James, John,
Andrew, Philip, Thomas,
00:26:02.36\00:26:04.53
Bartholomew, Matthew, James,
00:26:04.56\00:26:06.03
the son of Alphaeus,
00:26:06.06\00:26:07.03
Simon the Zealot,
Judas, the son of James.
00:26:07.10\00:26:09.06
I just counted 11.
00:26:09.10\00:26:10.93
It specifically says
there's 120 in the upper room,
00:26:10.97\00:26:13.57
but it names 11 apostles,
00:26:13.60\00:26:16.30
and there's
something obviously missing.
00:26:16.34\00:26:18.47
Peter stands up and says,
00:26:18.51\00:26:19.54
"Judas died
according to the prophecies."
00:26:19.57\00:26:22.41
The prophecy said,
00:26:22.44\00:26:23.51
"Let someone else take
his Bishop prick," his office.
00:26:23.55\00:26:27.28
They cast lots.
00:26:27.32\00:26:29.22
And why don't you go
ahead and read Acts 1:17?
00:26:29.25\00:26:32.69
Acts 1:17, "For he
was numbered with us
00:26:32.72\00:26:36.09
and obtained a
part in this ministry."
00:26:36.12\00:26:38.43
Judas had been
numbered with them,
00:26:38.46\00:26:41.90
there was a
number, he picked 12.
00:26:41.93\00:26:45.10
So they cast lots,
it says in verse 26,
00:26:45.13\00:26:47.40
"The lot fell on Matthias.
00:26:47.44\00:26:49.04
He was numbered
with the eleven,"
00:26:49.07\00:26:51.67
equaling the number, what?
00:26:51.71\00:26:53.74
Twelve.
00:26:53.78\00:26:54.81
What happens in the next verse
00:26:54.84\00:26:55.88
after they replace Judas?
00:26:55.91\00:26:58.68
There's a mighty shaking
00:26:58.71\00:27:00.18
when the Holy
Spirit is poured out.
00:27:00.22\00:27:02.12
Do we believe that
00:27:02.15\00:27:03.22
there's going to be
a special outpouring
00:27:03.25\00:27:04.79
of the Holy
Spirit in the last days
00:27:04.82\00:27:06.19
in connection with 144,000?
00:27:06.22\00:27:09.16
Yeah, I don't believe
144,000 are the only ones saved.
00:27:09.19\00:27:13.33
You know what?
00:27:13.36\00:27:14.36
If you got about
00:27:14.36\00:27:15.80
8 billion people
in the world today,
00:27:15.83\00:27:17.53
and only 144,000 are saved,
00:27:17.57\00:27:19.93
your chances of being saved
00:27:19.97\00:27:21.27
are
approximately 1 out of 55,000.
00:27:21.30\00:27:25.27
So it would be pretty
remote for any of you here,
00:27:25.31\00:27:29.28
statistically speaking.
00:27:29.31\00:27:32.01
So I don't think they
will be only one saved.
00:27:32.05\00:27:35.88
I think the 144,000 is
describing a special group.
00:27:35.92\00:27:40.79
Very quickly, when
Jesus came the first time,
00:27:40.82\00:27:44.09
He called a special
group that followed Him
00:27:44.13\00:27:47.10
in a special way of 12,
00:27:47.13\00:27:50.23
and their job was
to prepare the world
00:27:50.27\00:27:52.40
for Christ's first coming.
00:27:52.43\00:27:54.77
They especially spoke
00:27:54.80\00:27:56.20
to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel.
00:27:56.24\00:27:58.11
Jesus said,
00:27:58.14\00:27:59.17
"Do not go into
the way of gentiles,"
00:27:59.21\00:28:00.41
until three and a
half years after His death,
00:28:00.44\00:28:02.54
"Go first to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel."
00:28:02.58\00:28:05.05
You have 12 apostles
to go to a smaller group.
00:28:05.08\00:28:08.45
Before He comes a second
time, He's got 12 times 12,000,
00:28:08.48\00:28:12.25
the 144,000 have a
special relationship
00:28:12.29\00:28:15.76
like the apostles with
Jesus, that's my argument.
00:28:15.79\00:28:18.73
I got more about it,
but I'll let you jump in.
00:28:18.76\00:28:19.89
Well, just to add
a little bit to that.
00:28:19.93\00:28:21.23
Often
associated with the 144,000
00:28:21.26\00:28:23.50
is a worldwide
proclamation of a message.
00:28:23.53\00:28:26.53
Revelation Chapter 14,
00:28:26.57\00:28:27.80
we find the
three angels' messages,
00:28:27.84\00:28:29.37
they got every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:28:29.40\00:28:31.74
Well, just before you
read the three angels' messages
00:28:31.77\00:28:34.18
in Revelation
Chapter 14 beginning verse 6,
00:28:34.21\00:28:37.38
the first five verses,
00:28:37.41\00:28:39.81
if you have your Bibles,
00:28:39.85\00:28:40.85
you can look at
it, Revelation 14.
00:28:40.88\00:28:42.85
It talks about
a group of people,
00:28:42.88\00:28:45.32
and it's the 144,000.
00:28:45.35\00:28:47.52
This group of
people in a special way
00:28:47.56\00:28:49.82
take the three angels'
messages in the last days
00:28:49.86\00:28:53.13
to the whole world.
00:28:53.16\00:28:54.23
If you look in Revelation 14:1,
00:28:54.30\00:28:55.76
it says, "Then I
looked, and behold a Lamb
00:28:55.80\00:28:57.17
standing on Mount Zion,
00:28:57.20\00:28:59.03
and with Him one hundred
and forty-four thousand,"
00:28:59.07\00:29:01.44
same group that we
read about in Revelation 7,
00:29:01.47\00:29:03.84
"Having the Father's name
written on their foreheads."
00:29:03.87\00:29:06.68
Well, that gives us a clue
00:29:06.71\00:29:07.74
as to what the
seal of God contains.
00:29:07.78\00:29:10.51
It contains the
name of the Father
00:29:10.55\00:29:12.71
or the character of the
Father revealed in obedience
00:29:12.75\00:29:15.52
to His commandments,
00:29:15.55\00:29:16.79
that's where the
Sabbath plays a part.
00:29:16.82\00:29:18.99
Then it talks on
about a great voice,
00:29:19.02\00:29:20.72
and that was singing and so on.
00:29:20.76\00:29:22.16
Then it gives you
some added descriptions.
00:29:22.19\00:29:24.36
Verse 3, "They sang
as it were a new song
00:29:24.39\00:29:26.39
before the throne,
00:29:26.43\00:29:27.46
before the four living creatures
00:29:27.50\00:29:28.53
and the elders,
00:29:28.56\00:29:29.50
no one could learn
that song except 144,000,
00:29:29.53\00:29:32.67
they were
redeemed from the earth."
00:29:32.70\00:29:35.54
So it gives you the idea
that this group of people,
00:29:35.57\00:29:37.77
they were alive
when Jesus comes.
00:29:37.81\00:29:39.97
They're redeemed or
taken from the earth,
00:29:40.01\00:29:42.81
and that it describes
their faith, and their purity,
00:29:42.84\00:29:45.88
and their
steadfast obedience to God,
00:29:45.91\00:29:48.22
then you have the
three angels' messages.
00:29:48.25\00:29:50.15
So it's interesting
to note that 144,000
00:29:50.19\00:29:52.29
are connected
with the proclamation
00:29:52.32\00:29:54.09
of the three angels' messages.
00:29:54.12\00:29:56.09
Amen.
00:29:56.12\00:29:57.16
Just a...
00:29:57.19\00:29:58.23
Whenever you want
to understand a number
00:29:58.26\00:29:59.79
or something in
Revelation, where do you go?
00:29:59.83\00:30:02.33
Old Testament.
00:30:02.36\00:30:03.40
I've been
saying this every week.
00:30:03.43\00:30:05.40
Why 144,000?
00:30:05.43\00:30:08.20
If you look in
1 Chronicles 25:7,
00:30:08.24\00:30:11.61
it talks about a special
group that is trained in music
00:30:11.64\00:30:15.24
in the worship of the temple.
00:30:15.28\00:30:17.01
"The number of them
along with their brothers
00:30:17.05\00:30:18.75
who were trained
in singing to the Lord
00:30:18.78\00:30:20.78
were skillful was 288."
00:30:20.82\00:30:23.82
What's half of 288?
00:30:23.85\00:30:26.76
A hundred and forty-four.
00:30:26.79\00:30:28.02
All right,
that's in the worship.
00:30:28.06\00:30:29.96
Now go in 1 Chronicles
27:15, it tells about...
00:30:29.99\00:30:34.73
You have to be very patient
00:30:34.76\00:30:35.86
as you read through these groups
00:30:35.90\00:30:37.13
of 12 with 12,000 soldiers.
00:30:37.17\00:30:40.94
"The twelfth captain
for the twelfth month
00:30:40.97\00:30:42.57
was Heldai the Netophathite,
00:30:42.60\00:30:44.77
of Othniel, in his division
were twenty-four thousand."
00:30:44.81\00:30:48.88
So you got
24,000 times 12 is 288.
00:30:48.91\00:30:53.88
What's half of 288?
00:30:53.92\00:30:56.72
So you get 288,000 men.
00:30:56.75\00:30:59.49
The Jews used to divide
their year in two parts,
00:30:59.52\00:31:01.99
they had the spring festivals
and the fall festivals.
00:31:02.02\00:31:04.86
You had 144,000
for half the year,
00:31:04.89\00:31:07.56
and 144,000 for the
other half the year.
00:31:07.60\00:31:10.43
So if you're a Jew and
you hear the number 144,000,
00:31:10.47\00:31:13.34
you're not shocked by that.
00:31:13.37\00:31:14.64
Those were the
divisions of those who lead
00:31:14.67\00:31:16.64
in worship and war
in the Old Testament.
00:31:16.67\00:31:19.31
Those numbers were very common.
00:31:19.34\00:31:22.48
Anyway, there's more about that.
00:31:22.51\00:31:25.68
Let me just give
you some other things
00:31:25.71\00:31:27.38
we can think about
00:31:27.42\00:31:28.45
when we're
talking about the 144,000.
00:31:28.48\00:31:30.35
It says that...
00:31:33.76\00:31:34.82
Pastor Ross was
reading in Revelation 14,
00:31:34.86\00:31:37.29
you get a few more clues.
00:31:37.33\00:31:39.23
It says, "These are the
ones who follow the Lamb
00:31:39.26\00:31:41.23
wherever He goes."
00:31:41.26\00:31:43.00
What do we find as we
learn about the 144,000?
00:31:43.03\00:31:47.14
You look in Revelation
14:4, that's where it says,
00:31:47.17\00:31:50.41
"They follow the
Lamb wherever He goes."
00:31:50.44\00:31:52.57
Look in Matthew,
00:31:52.61\00:31:53.68
someone's going
to read Matthew 4:19.
00:31:53.71\00:31:56.31
I'll have you read
that, but before you read it,
00:31:56.34\00:31:57.81
I'm going to read 1 John 1:40,
00:31:57.85\00:32:01.55
"Then one of the two heard
John speak, and followed him."
00:32:01.58\00:32:04.79
It was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother.
00:32:04.82\00:32:07.99
You go to John 1:43,
00:32:08.02\00:32:09.72
"The following day
Jesus wanted to go to Galilee,
00:32:09.76\00:32:12.73
and He found Philip,
and He said, 'Follow Me.'
00:32:12.76\00:32:15.20
Jesus walks to Matthew
Levi, He says, 'Follow Me.'"
00:32:15.23\00:32:19.93
All right, go ahead
and read your verse for us.
00:32:19.97\00:32:22.00
Matthew 4:19, 20.
00:32:22.04\00:32:24.94
"Then He said to them,
00:32:24.97\00:32:26.41
'Follow me, and I'll
make you fishers of men.'
00:32:26.44\00:32:29.01
They immediately left their nets
00:32:29.04\00:32:30.68
and followed Him.'"
00:32:30.71\00:32:32.18
So it's talking about
a special group that...
00:32:32.21\00:32:34.55
Did all of the disciples
and multitude follow Jesus
00:32:34.58\00:32:37.29
through all of His teaching?
00:32:37.32\00:32:38.55
No, but were there 12
that followed Him all the time.
00:32:38.59\00:32:42.09
When He was
sleeping in the olive trees,
00:32:42.12\00:32:43.53
they were there.
00:32:43.56\00:32:44.69
When He was hanging out at
house of Martha and Lazarus,
00:32:44.73\00:32:47.50
they were there.
00:32:47.50\00:32:48.60
The apostles were the ones
00:32:48.63\00:32:50.27
who followed Him
wherever He went,
00:32:50.30\00:32:51.57
and that's why I
think the 144,000.
00:32:51.60\00:32:53.84
It says, "They
are without guile."
00:32:53.87\00:32:56.07
Who knows what guile means?
00:32:56.10\00:32:58.21
It means honesty.
00:32:58.24\00:32:59.27
They're not
without, guile is deceit,
00:32:59.31\00:33:01.01
they are without
guile, they are honest.
00:33:01.04\00:33:03.48
What did Jesus say
to one of the apostles
00:33:03.51\00:33:05.08
named Nathaniel?
00:33:05.11\00:33:06.85
Behold, an Israelite
00:33:06.88\00:33:08.05
in whom there is
no guile is honest."
00:33:08.08\00:33:11.29
It says, they sing a song.
00:33:11.32\00:33:13.39
Did Jesus sing at any time,
00:33:13.42\00:33:16.02
does it ever
record that Jesus sang?
00:33:16.06\00:33:19.16
One time, at The Last Supper,
00:33:19.19\00:33:21.56
after they ate The
Last Supper with the 12.
00:33:21.60\00:33:24.47
Well, Judas had left
at this point, they sang.
00:33:24.50\00:33:27.54
He sang a song just with them.
00:33:27.57\00:33:30.14
And so, and, of course,
00:33:30.17\00:33:31.27
it's related to the
song of Moses and the Lamb.
00:33:31.31\00:33:34.18
Shall we go
ahead and read the part
00:33:34.21\00:33:35.34
about the big multitude.
00:33:35.38\00:33:36.44
We may have more to
say about the 144,000
00:33:36.48\00:33:38.65
because they're
connected and that starts
00:33:38.68\00:33:39.88
with verse 9, I think.
00:33:39.91\00:33:42.58
So Revelation 7:9,
after describing 144,000,
00:33:42.62\00:33:46.52
then John writes,
"After these things I looked,
00:33:46.55\00:33:49.56
and behold, a great multitude
which no one could number,
00:33:49.59\00:33:53.33
of all nations,
tribes, people, tongues,
00:33:53.36\00:33:56.53
standing before the
throne and before the Lamb,
00:33:56.56\00:33:59.03
clothed with white robes,
00:33:59.07\00:34:00.94
and palm
branches in their hands,
00:34:00.97\00:34:03.74
and crying out
with a loud voice,
00:34:03.77\00:34:06.24
saying,
'Salvation belongs to our God
00:34:06.27\00:34:08.24
who sits upon the
throne, and to the Lamb!'
00:34:08.28\00:34:11.38
And the angels
stood around the throne
00:34:11.41\00:34:13.08
and the elders and
the four living creatures,
00:34:13.11\00:34:14.75
and they fell on their
faces before the throne
00:34:14.78\00:34:16.55
and they worshiped
God, saying, 'Amen!
00:34:16.58\00:34:18.75
Blessing and glory and wisdom,
and thanksgiving and honor
00:34:18.79\00:34:21.69
and power and might,
00:34:21.72\00:34:23.06
be to our God
forever and ever.'"
00:34:23.09\00:34:24.59
Did you count all
of those blessings
00:34:24.63\00:34:26.36
that are pronounced upon God?
00:34:26.39\00:34:27.40
Seven.
00:34:27.46\00:34:28.46
Seven-fold blessing right there.
00:34:28.50\00:34:30.80
Do you want to stop there?
00:34:30.83\00:34:33.07
Well, you know, we
almost need to read on
00:34:33.10\00:34:34.50
'cause then John
asks who are these?
00:34:34.54\00:34:36.81
Verse 13 says,
00:34:36.84\00:34:37.81
"Then one of the elders
answered, saying to me,"
00:34:37.84\00:34:40.71
John in vision,
00:34:40.74\00:34:42.01
"Who are these
arrayed in white robes,
00:34:42.04\00:34:44.31
where did they come from?'
00:34:44.35\00:34:45.78
And I said to
him, 'Sir, you know.'"
00:34:45.81\00:34:48.05
That's a good answer if
you don't know the answer.
00:34:48.08\00:34:50.42
So you know.
00:34:50.45\00:34:51.75
"So he said to me,
'These are the ones
00:34:51.79\00:34:53.39
who have come out
of great tribulation,
00:34:53.42\00:34:55.56
and have washed their
robes and made them white
00:34:55.59\00:34:57.53
in the blood of the Lamb.
00:34:57.56\00:34:58.93
Therefore they are
before the throne of God,
00:34:58.96\00:35:01.03
and serve Him day
and night in His temple.
00:35:01.06\00:35:03.67
And He who sits on the
throne will dwell amongst them.
00:35:03.70\00:35:06.84
They shall neither hunger
anymore nor thirst anymore,
00:35:06.87\00:35:10.01
the sun shall not strike
them, nor any heat, for the Lamb
00:35:10.04\00:35:13.61
who is in the
midst of the throne
00:35:13.64\00:35:14.84
shall shepherd them
00:35:14.88\00:35:16.21
and lead them to
living fountains of waters.
00:35:16.24\00:35:19.15
And God will wipe away
every tear from their eye.'"
00:35:19.18\00:35:22.52
Wow.
00:35:22.55\00:35:23.65
Do you know how much is in
this one little passage here,
00:35:23.69\00:35:25.65
it's talking about the
last chapters of Revelation,
00:35:25.69\00:35:27.66
God will dwell with them,
00:35:27.69\00:35:29.59
He'll wipe away
every tear from their eyes,
00:35:29.62\00:35:31.49
you'll find in Revelation 21.
00:35:31.53\00:35:33.56
They're in His temple,
they serve Him day and night,
00:35:33.60\00:35:36.56
says they'll
never hungry anymore,
00:35:36.60\00:35:38.13
it says He's going to feed them,
00:35:38.17\00:35:39.27
they'll sit down
and sup with Him.
00:35:39.30\00:35:41.64
It says, the sun
will not strike them.
00:35:41.67\00:35:43.44
You remember, when
the children of Israel
00:35:43.47\00:35:44.77
went through the wilderness,
00:35:44.81\00:35:45.87
God gave them a pillar of cloud
00:35:45.91\00:35:47.91
to protect them from
being smitten by the sun by day.
00:35:47.94\00:35:51.28
All the promises
of God to His people
00:35:51.31\00:35:53.38
are sort of
encompassed in this passage.
00:35:53.42\00:35:56.32
And some of the
most beautiful praise,
00:35:56.35\00:35:58.52
blessings are uttered
by this great multitude,
00:35:58.55\00:36:02.06
and I'm sure the 144,000.
00:36:02.09\00:36:04.33
So it says these are the ones
that came out of tribulation.
00:36:04.36\00:36:09.00
When is the
greatest tribulation?
00:36:09.03\00:36:13.34
You go to Daniel Chapter 12,
00:36:13.37\00:36:14.94
"At that time
Michael will stand up,
00:36:14.97\00:36:16.54
the great prince,
00:36:16.57\00:36:17.57
that stands for the
children of My people,
00:36:17.61\00:36:19.54
and there will
be a time of trouble
00:36:19.57\00:36:21.28
such as there never has been
00:36:21.31\00:36:22.78
since there was a nation
even unto the same time."
00:36:22.81\00:36:25.11
Jesus quotes that in Matthew 24,
00:36:25.15\00:36:27.88
and at that time that
people will be delivered.
00:36:27.92\00:36:30.49
Some have
wondered if the 144,000
00:36:30.52\00:36:34.16
is a special group
00:36:34.19\00:36:35.26
that is called and
filled with the Spirit
00:36:35.29\00:36:36.99
in the last phase of the church.
00:36:37.03\00:36:39.16
Some of them may
have already passed away.
00:36:39.19\00:36:41.03
They do the work
00:36:41.06\00:36:42.06
where they
specially follow the Lord.
00:36:42.10\00:36:44.03
They have the
special relationship
00:36:44.07\00:36:45.50
and calling of proclamation,
00:36:45.53\00:36:47.94
and they're preparing the
world for the second coming.
00:36:47.97\00:36:50.04
As a result of their ministry,
00:36:50.07\00:36:51.77
a great multitude is
converted which gives us hope,
00:36:51.81\00:36:55.08
that means it's not just 144,000
00:36:55.11\00:36:57.65
that will be saved,
00:36:57.68\00:36:58.88
but there's many others
saved beyond that group.
00:36:58.91\00:37:01.78
And...
00:37:01.82\00:37:03.42
But it also may, you know,
00:37:03.45\00:37:04.52
be pointing to
the saved of all ages
00:37:04.55\00:37:08.29
because not only was there
00:37:08.32\00:37:10.43
a, you know, when
Jesus in Matthew 24 says,
00:37:10.46\00:37:12.89
there's a great time of trouble,
00:37:12.93\00:37:14.30
He's actually identifying
three times of trouble.
00:37:14.36\00:37:17.57
You've heard a dual prophecy?
00:37:17.60\00:37:19.30
That's a triple prophecy.
00:37:19.33\00:37:21.27
Jesus talking
about a time of trouble
00:37:21.30\00:37:22.84
that came on the Jewish
nation in A.D. 70, right?
00:37:22.87\00:37:26.54
In Matthew 24,
00:37:26.57\00:37:27.68
He's talking about
the time of trouble
00:37:27.71\00:37:29.01
of the Dark Ages
from 538 to 1798.
00:37:29.04\00:37:32.68
And I'm sure,
00:37:32.71\00:37:33.68
He's also alluding to
the great time of trouble
00:37:33.72\00:37:35.88
before He that endures
to the end will be saved,
00:37:35.92\00:37:39.05
when He sends His angels
00:37:39.09\00:37:40.36
and they gather
together His elect.
00:37:40.39\00:37:42.89
Something else
interesting to note
00:37:42.92\00:37:44.06
about the great multitude
00:37:44.09\00:37:45.33
where you have the
description given in verse 9,
00:37:45.36\00:37:47.96
that says, "And these
come from every nation,
00:37:48.00\00:37:50.33
kindred tongue, people."
00:37:50.37\00:37:52.33
It's interesting to note
that the first angel's message
00:37:52.37\00:37:54.40
in Revelation 14
00:37:54.44\00:37:55.94
is a message that
goes to every nation,
00:37:55.97\00:37:57.87
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:37:57.91\00:37:59.47
Here we see the results
of the evangelistic work
00:37:59.51\00:38:02.24
that's done in taking the
gospel to the whole world.
00:38:02.28\00:38:05.55
The result of that
is a great multitude
00:38:05.58\00:38:07.95
that no one can number
00:38:07.98\00:38:09.35
standing before
the throne of God.
00:38:09.38\00:38:11.35
This is the redeemed.
00:38:11.39\00:38:12.49
As Pastor Doug mentioned,
00:38:12.52\00:38:13.72
not only is it
limited to those who are alive
00:38:13.76\00:38:16.66
when Jesus comes,
00:38:16.69\00:38:17.76
but it can refer to all
the redeemed throughout ages
00:38:17.79\00:38:20.30
who have been resurrected
00:38:20.33\00:38:21.80
when Jesus
comes the second time.
00:38:21.83\00:38:23.80
So just this final
glorious gathering in heaven
00:38:23.83\00:38:27.27
before the throne of God,
praising Him for salvation.
00:38:27.30\00:38:31.17
Now, how many of you
want to be one of the 144,000?
00:38:31.21\00:38:35.34
You think you do.
00:38:35.38\00:38:37.71
You want to be at least
part of the great multitude?
00:38:37.75\00:38:39.81
Amen.
00:38:39.85\00:38:41.58
You might be thinking,
00:38:41.62\00:38:42.65
"Well, I can't be
one of the 144,000,
00:38:42.68\00:38:44.25
I'm not Jewish enough."
00:38:44.29\00:38:45.69
And it says
they're from the 12 tribes.
00:38:45.72\00:38:47.72
Let me just remind you of
some verses on that subject.
00:38:47.76\00:38:51.33
In Galatians 3:29,
00:38:51.36\00:38:54.13
"If you are Christ,
then you are Abraham's seed
00:38:54.20\00:38:58.17
and heirs
according to the promise."
00:38:58.20\00:39:00.90
You can look in Romans 2:29,
00:39:00.94\00:39:03.77
"For he is not a Jew who is
one outwardly nor a circumcision
00:39:03.81\00:39:08.48
that which is
outward in the flesh,
00:39:08.51\00:39:09.78
but he is a Jew
who is one inwardly."
00:39:09.81\00:39:12.88
And go to Romans 9:6,
00:39:12.91\00:39:15.88
"But it is not the word
of God has taken no effect.
00:39:15.92\00:39:18.85
For they are not all
Israel who are of Israel."
00:39:18.89\00:39:23.16
There's a lot of spiritual Jews.
00:39:23.19\00:39:25.29
Did Rahab become a Jew?
00:39:25.33\00:39:27.76
Is she in Jesus' family tree?
00:39:27.83\00:39:30.03
Did Ruth become a Jew?
00:39:30.07\00:39:32.33
And Tamar, matter of fact,
00:39:32.37\00:39:33.97
when you look in
Matthew Chapter 1,
00:39:34.00\00:39:35.87
one thing you learn
00:39:35.90\00:39:37.57
from looking at
the genealogy of Jesus
00:39:37.61\00:39:39.64
is there were some other people
00:39:39.67\00:39:42.04
that somehow got
into His family tree.
00:39:42.08\00:39:44.21
Couple more verses.
00:39:44.25\00:39:46.15
Jesus said to the Jews,
"Do not think to say..."
00:39:46.18\00:39:49.12
I think it is John the Baptist,
00:39:49.15\00:39:50.69
"Do not think to
say to yourselves,
00:39:50.72\00:39:52.52
we have Abraham as our father,
00:39:52.55\00:39:54.29
for I say to you that God
is able to raise up children
00:39:54.32\00:39:57.36
to Abraham from these stones."
00:39:57.39\00:40:00.26
In fact, as the
gospel went to the Gentiles,
00:40:00.30\00:40:04.63
the Gentiles that accepted Jesus
00:40:04.67\00:40:06.77
were grafted into
the stock of Israel,
00:40:06.80\00:40:10.14
and they become at
least spiritual Jews.
00:40:10.17\00:40:12.97
So whosoever will
now can take claim
00:40:13.01\00:40:17.01
to all the
promises made to Abraham
00:40:17.05\00:40:18.51
and become at
least the spiritual Jew,
00:40:18.55\00:40:20.28
you could be one of the 144,000.
00:40:20.32\00:40:23.55
Something else to add
about this group of people,
00:40:23.59\00:40:25.32
I always find it
interesting in verse.
00:40:25.35\00:40:27.16
Oh, I think it's
16 verse of Chapter 7,
00:40:27.19\00:40:30.66
talking about this group.
00:40:30.69\00:40:31.96
It says, "They
won't hunger anymore,
00:40:31.99\00:40:34.30
neither thirst anymore,
00:40:34.36\00:40:36.16
the sun shall not
strike them nor any heat."
00:40:36.20\00:40:39.13
That's interesting
00:40:39.17\00:40:40.20
why specifically it
talks about this intense heat.
00:40:40.24\00:40:43.20
It's interesting to note
that one of the last plagues,
00:40:43.24\00:40:45.61
one of the seven plagues
that come is intense heat
00:40:45.64\00:40:48.78
just before Jesus comes.
00:40:48.81\00:40:50.35
So here is a group of people
that quite possibly are alive
00:40:50.38\00:40:53.38
when Jesus comes,
they've been faithful.
00:40:53.42\00:40:55.75
Now God takes
care of His people,
00:40:55.78\00:40:57.42
even when the plagues
come, He protects them.
00:40:57.45\00:40:59.45
It doesn't mean
that you won't experience
00:40:59.49\00:41:01.12
any of the heat
in one of the place.
00:41:01.16\00:41:03.93
But here when Jesus comes,
they are delivered from that,
00:41:03.96\00:41:06.43
they are rescued,
00:41:06.46\00:41:07.50
they are saved
through this time of trouble.
00:41:07.50\00:41:10.43
Sometimes people ask us,
00:41:10.47\00:41:11.67
we have called in
the radio program,
00:41:11.70\00:41:13.60
"Are the righteous saved
before the time of trouble
00:41:13.64\00:41:16.60
or they're saved
after the time of trouble?"
00:41:16.64\00:41:19.34
If you look in the
Bible at God's people
00:41:19.37\00:41:21.88
at the time of
trouble, often you find them
00:41:21.91\00:41:23.75
going through
the time of trouble,
00:41:23.78\00:41:25.41
but God sustains
them, protects them,
00:41:25.45\00:41:27.82
and brings them
out like Shadrach,
00:41:27.85\00:41:29.48
Meshach, and Abednego.
00:41:29.52\00:41:30.55
They went through
the fiery furnace,
00:41:30.59\00:41:32.69
but God brought them out.
00:41:32.72\00:41:34.16
Daniel went
through the lion's den,
00:41:34.19\00:41:36.19
but God brought them out.
00:41:36.22\00:41:37.73
So God's people
in the last days,
00:41:37.76\00:41:39.49
they are here on the earth.
00:41:39.53\00:41:41.03
When probation closes
and the place begin to fall,
00:41:41.06\00:41:43.70
God protects
them, sustains them,
00:41:43.73\00:41:45.83
and brings them out.
00:41:45.87\00:41:47.10
And that's the
promise that we have there
00:41:47.14\00:41:48.67
in Revelation Chapter 7.
00:41:48.70\00:41:49.84
Amen.
00:41:49.87\00:41:50.91
The great time of trouble
is the seven last plagues.
00:41:50.94\00:41:54.54
That's the wrath of
God being poured out.
00:41:54.58\00:41:58.21
Were the children
of Israel in Egypt
00:41:58.25\00:42:00.82
when the ten
plagues fell on Egypt?
00:42:00.85\00:42:03.45
They were.
00:42:03.49\00:42:04.52
In other words,
some people wonder
00:42:04.55\00:42:05.52
why ten plagues in
Egypt, why seven in Revelation?
00:42:05.55\00:42:07.79
And we got another
lesson coming on that.
00:42:07.82\00:42:09.86
It's interesting.
00:42:09.89\00:42:11.13
The children of Israel
suffered with the Egyptians
00:42:11.16\00:42:13.13
for the first three plagues,
00:42:13.16\00:42:14.83
but they were protected
00:42:14.83\00:42:15.90
through the last
seven of those ten.
00:42:15.93\00:42:18.63
Isn't that interesting?
00:42:18.67\00:42:20.60
But He saved them
through the plagues,
00:42:20.64\00:42:23.41
and God will save us
through that final time.
00:42:23.44\00:42:26.54
Now something that comes up
00:42:26.57\00:42:27.61
when you're
studying the 144,000,
00:42:27.64\00:42:29.28
as Pastor Ross mentioned,
00:42:29.31\00:42:30.31
they reappear in
Chapter 14 of Revelation.
00:42:30.35\00:42:33.28
It says, they have
special white robes,
00:42:33.31\00:42:35.05
a great multitude is
clothed in white robes.
00:42:35.08\00:42:36.95
What do the robes represent?
00:42:36.99\00:42:39.42
Revelation 3, let
the Bible explain itself,
00:42:39.45\00:42:42.56
verse 5, "He that
overcomes the same
00:42:42.59\00:42:45.19
will be clothed
in white raiment,
00:42:45.23\00:42:47.10
and I will not blot his
name out of the book of life."
00:42:47.13\00:42:49.86
Revelation 19:8,
00:42:49.90\00:42:51.67
"And to her was granted
that she should be arrayed
00:42:51.70\00:42:54.17
in fine linen, clean and
white, for the fine linen
00:42:54.20\00:42:57.61
is the righteousness of saints."
00:42:57.64\00:43:00.28
It means that they've
got this righteousness.
00:43:00.31\00:43:02.54
And then there's one
other interesting statement
00:43:02.58\00:43:04.45
it makes, it says,
00:43:04.48\00:43:05.55
"A hundred and forty-four
thousand are virgins."
00:43:05.58\00:43:07.72
And I actually know churches
00:43:07.75\00:43:09.15
that teach that God's
people in the last days
00:43:09.18\00:43:10.95
should practice
celibacy and not get married
00:43:10.99\00:43:14.02
because of that verse.
00:43:14.06\00:43:15.29
Is that what
that's talking about?
00:43:15.32\00:43:17.46
That'd be a problem.
00:43:17.49\00:43:18.53
First of all,
00:43:18.56\00:43:19.76
because that word virgin there,
it's feminine in the Greek.
00:43:19.79\00:43:23.06
Why would it say that
regarding these 12 tribes?
00:43:23.10\00:43:27.90
It has nothing to do
with abstaining from marriage,
00:43:27.94\00:43:32.24
or anything wrong with marriage,
00:43:32.27\00:43:34.58
or intimacy in marriage.
00:43:34.61\00:43:36.08
They should be pure morally,
00:43:36.11\00:43:38.25
but are there
women in Revelation 17,
00:43:38.28\00:43:41.75
Babylon and her
daughters that are impure,
00:43:41.78\00:43:44.39
they are defiled
with false teachings.
00:43:44.42\00:43:47.52
The 144,000 are virgins,
in that they are not defiled
00:43:47.56\00:43:52.26
with the false
teachings of Babylon.
00:43:52.29\00:43:56.03
You know, it's
always amazing to me
00:43:56.06\00:43:57.10
that you have people
like Rahab, and Tamar,
00:43:57.13\00:43:59.43
and Mary
Magdalene that were women
00:43:59.47\00:44:02.37
that had bad reputations,
00:44:02.40\00:44:04.41
but they become respected saints
00:44:04.44\00:44:07.21
through Christ,
they become pure.
00:44:07.24\00:44:10.08
And so the
144,000 are like that.
00:44:10.11\00:44:12.98
You'll also find a description
of 144,000 in Revelation 14,
00:44:13.01\00:44:16.25
it says, "In their
mouth was found no deceit,
00:44:16.28\00:44:19.45
for they're without fault
before the throne of God."
00:44:19.49\00:44:22.39
We might wonder, "Well,
00:44:22.42\00:44:23.63
that seems to exclude
us, for all have sinned
00:44:23.66\00:44:26.06
and come short of
the glory of God."
00:44:26.09\00:44:27.73
No, if you read it
there in the Greek,
00:44:27.76\00:44:29.16
it says, they were
found without fault
00:44:29.20\00:44:31.43
before the throne of God.
00:44:31.47\00:44:32.70
Just talking about a
specific moment in time,
00:44:32.73\00:44:34.87
it doesn't mean
they've never sinned,
00:44:34.90\00:44:36.47
but it means they've come
to God in genuine repentance,
00:44:36.50\00:44:39.61
they have been forgiven,
00:44:39.64\00:44:40.64
their sins have
been blotted out,
00:44:40.68\00:44:42.41
they are found
righteous before God
00:44:42.44\00:44:44.71
without any fault, meaning
Christ has paid for our sins.
00:44:44.75\00:44:48.22
Our past is gone,
00:44:48.25\00:44:49.98
we stand pure
and holy before God.
00:44:50.02\00:44:52.15
That's encouraging.
00:44:52.19\00:44:53.19
Every one of us, by
God's grace can be faithful
00:44:53.22\00:44:56.59
right up till the very end.
00:44:56.62\00:44:58.93
Yeah, and they're
declared righteous
00:44:58.96\00:45:00.46
in that judgment.
00:45:00.50\00:45:01.50
And something else
you learn about them
00:45:01.53\00:45:03.20
is there is a special sequence.
00:45:03.23\00:45:06.13
It says in verse 4,
Chapter 14 of Revelation,
00:45:06.17\00:45:08.80
still talking about the 144,000.
00:45:08.84\00:45:10.94
I don't know
what we're going to do
00:45:10.97\00:45:12.37
when we finally
get to Chapter 14,
00:45:12.41\00:45:13.74
we've taught it all now.
00:45:13.78\00:45:15.38
Well, it all goes
together, who are the 144,000?
00:45:15.41\00:45:18.18
It says, "These were
redeemed from among men
00:45:18.21\00:45:20.78
being the firstfruits
to God and the Lamb."
00:45:20.82\00:45:25.02
Who were the first
followers of Jesus?
00:45:25.05\00:45:28.66
Wasn't that the 12...
00:45:28.69\00:45:29.72
Right after His baptism,
00:45:29.76\00:45:31.33
the 12 apostles
began to gather around Him.
00:45:31.36\00:45:34.20
And again,
they're some of the first
00:45:34.23\00:45:36.23
that stepped forward, and
they come to follow Jesus,
00:45:36.26\00:45:38.47
and they become disciples.
00:45:38.50\00:45:39.90
So I see the 144,000 is
sort of a last day example
00:45:39.93\00:45:45.77
of doing a work of
apostles in proclamation.
00:45:45.81\00:45:50.65
They've got a
special relationship
00:45:50.68\00:45:51.95
with the Lord.
00:45:51.98\00:45:53.21
And are they the only ones
that received the Holy Spirit?
00:45:53.25\00:45:57.09
At Pentecost,
00:45:57.12\00:45:58.95
when the Holy
Spirit's poured out,
00:45:58.99\00:46:00.12
Acts Chapter 2, who
is in the upper room?
00:46:00.16\00:46:05.63
Twelve apostles, and who else?
00:46:05.66\00:46:08.16
Hundred and twenty, total.
00:46:08.20\00:46:09.56
It's 10 times
more than just the 12.
00:46:09.60\00:46:12.40
So a great multitude
00:46:12.43\00:46:13.70
is then filled
with the Holy Spirit,
00:46:13.74\00:46:16.17
and how many are
baptized that day?
00:46:16.20\00:46:18.61
Three thousand, the first time,
five thousand later, right?
00:46:18.64\00:46:22.84
Under the influence
of those that were filled
00:46:22.88\00:46:25.68
with the Holy Spirit.
00:46:25.71\00:46:26.75
So it's not just the 144,000
00:46:26.78\00:46:28.78
that are filled
with the Holy Spirit
00:46:28.82\00:46:29.88
in the last days.
00:46:29.92\00:46:31.39
And so are we going to see
00:46:31.42\00:46:33.05
people going
around in the last days
00:46:33.09\00:46:34.49
wearing tags
like marathon runners
00:46:34.52\00:46:37.19
wearing numbers and they'll say,
00:46:37.23\00:46:38.86
"I'm number
142,000 of the 144,000."
00:46:38.89\00:46:43.20
I don't know that
they'll even know that they are,
00:46:43.23\00:46:46.17
but God's going
to know who they are.
00:46:46.20\00:46:49.14
I think we should be
rather leery of somebody
00:46:49.17\00:46:51.81
who's boasting that
they are part of 144,000.
00:46:51.84\00:46:54.88
It almost gives the
impression that they think
00:46:54.91\00:46:56.54
they're better than
anyone else or everyone else.
00:46:56.58\00:46:58.91
No, God's the one who knows.
00:46:58.95\00:47:01.15
We want to be faithful to
Him and allow Him to use us
00:47:01.18\00:47:03.45
in whatever ways
He deems fit, right?
00:47:03.49\00:47:06.25
Oh, Lord, if You want
me to preach to the world,
00:47:06.29\00:47:08.02
I'll preach to the world.
00:47:08.06\00:47:09.09
If You want me to
preach to my family,
00:47:09.12\00:47:11.59
I'll preach to my family,
00:47:11.63\00:47:12.83
whatever it is
You want me to do,
00:47:12.86\00:47:14.46
I want to be
faithful to You. Amen.
00:47:14.46\00:47:16.60
I think one of the
most important things
00:47:16.63\00:47:18.13
we can learn from the 144,000,
00:47:18.17\00:47:20.87
it says, "They follow
the Lamb wherever He goes."
00:47:20.90\00:47:24.91
That means when
He goes to the cross,
00:47:24.94\00:47:27.68
what does Jesus say?
00:47:27.71\00:47:29.24
"Whoever would come
after Me, He would follow Me,
00:47:29.28\00:47:31.88
and must deny yourself
daily, take up your cross,
00:47:31.91\00:47:34.98
and follow Me."
00:47:35.02\00:47:36.38
Did many of the
disciples lay down their...
00:47:36.42\00:47:38.79
The apostles lay
down their lives?
00:47:38.82\00:47:41.36
Of the 11, Judas
took his ownlife,
00:47:41.39\00:47:44.66
but ten of the
others, according to history,
00:47:44.69\00:47:47.50
we don't know every detail,
00:47:47.50\00:47:49.46
but according to
what we know from history,
00:47:49.50\00:47:50.93
and some of it is from,
00:47:50.97\00:47:54.04
you know, legends,
you might even say.
00:47:54.07\00:47:57.91
They all sacrificed their lives.
00:47:57.94\00:48:00.21
John is the only
one who died of old age,
00:48:00.24\00:48:02.18
and they tried to kill him,
they put him in boiling oil.
00:48:02.21\00:48:05.15
So they were willing
to follow their lives.
00:48:05.18\00:48:06.95
They counted not
their lives dear unto them,
00:48:06.98\00:48:11.22
but they were willing
to lay down their lives.
00:48:11.25\00:48:12.65
What's different
about the 144,000
00:48:12.69\00:48:15.06
is I think that
God preserves them
00:48:15.09\00:48:17.69
just as He did
to the Apostle John,
00:48:17.73\00:48:19.79
and they survive
00:48:19.83\00:48:21.06
the final onslaught of
the devil in the last days.
00:48:21.10\00:48:25.07
Any closing thoughts?
00:48:25.10\00:48:26.67
You know, if
we're going to follow
00:48:26.70\00:48:27.70
the Lamb throughout the
vastness of the universe
00:48:27.74\00:48:30.11
after Jesus comes,
00:48:30.14\00:48:31.81
we need to start
following the Lamb right now.
00:48:31.84\00:48:34.11
Amen.
00:48:34.14\00:48:35.18
And we can follow the
Lamb in our own private lives,
00:48:35.21\00:48:37.78
in our hearts, in our
families, in the church,
00:48:37.81\00:48:41.32
we can make that
commitment to follow the Lamb
00:48:41.35\00:48:43.22
wherever He goes.
00:48:43.25\00:48:44.32
Amen. Well, that was fun.
00:48:44.35\00:48:46.42
I just...
00:48:46.45\00:48:47.52
For those who are watching,
00:48:47.56\00:48:48.62
I didn't give
Pastor Ross any warning,
00:48:48.66\00:48:50.23
I just asked him to
come up and teach with me.
00:48:50.26\00:48:51.76
He did pretty
good, don't you think?
00:48:51.79\00:48:53.19
I knew he knew this.
00:48:53.23\00:48:54.93
I figured we had
matching suits today,
00:48:54.93\00:48:56.50
we could teach together.
00:48:56.53\00:48:58.20
We might do this again sometime,
00:48:58.23\00:48:59.57
that was fun.
00:48:59.60\00:49:00.67
For our friends who
are watching, don't forget,
00:49:00.70\00:49:02.47
we do have a book
that really goes into
00:49:02.50\00:49:04.54
more detail of the very
thing we're talking about,
00:49:04.57\00:49:07.01
and it's called
Who Will Sing the Song?
00:49:07.04\00:49:09.14
Really who are the 144,000?
00:49:09.18\00:49:11.71
You want a free copy,
00:49:11.75\00:49:12.91
all you have to do
is call 866-788-3966,
00:49:12.95\00:49:17.69
that's 866-Study-More,
00:49:17.72\00:49:20.22
and ask for offer number 172.
00:49:20.26\00:49:22.09
You can actually go
to download it right now,
00:49:22.12\00:49:24.46
all you have to do is text.
00:49:24.49\00:49:25.56
Here's what you do.
00:49:25.59\00:49:26.66
You text, "SH119"
00:49:26.70\00:49:29.73
and you text that to 40544,
00:49:29.76\00:49:33.84
and you'll be able to download
a copy of this right now
00:49:33.87\00:49:36.30
and read it for yourself.
00:49:36.34\00:49:37.57
Thank you so much
for studying with us.
00:49:37.61\00:49:39.27
God willing, we'll continue
to study the Book of Revelation
00:49:39.31\00:49:42.04
next week.
00:49:42.08\00:49:44.11
Don't forget to request
00:49:44.15\00:49:45.38
today's life
changing free resource.
00:49:45.41\00:49:47.72
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:49:47.75\00:49:49.92
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00:49:49.95\00:49:52.49
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To get your digital
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00:49:53.82\00:49:56.56
simply text the
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00:49:58.56\00:50:00.63
or visit the web
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00:50:00.66\00:50:03.37
And be sure to select
that digital download option
00:50:03.40\00:50:05.77
on the request page.
00:50:05.80\00:50:07.00
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word
00:50:07.04\00:50:10.24
with Amazing Facts
00:50:10.27\00:50:11.57
wherever and whenever you want,
00:50:11.61\00:50:13.51
and most important
to share it with others.
00:50:13.54\00:50:16.38
If you wish, you
could get a new start.
00:51:14.57\00:51:16.40
I'd like to live my life
over knowing what I know now,
00:51:16.44\00:51:18.57
I don't want to start over
00:51:18.61\00:51:19.61
and just make all
the same mistakes.
00:51:19.64\00:51:21.11
I want to have my memories,
00:51:21.14\00:51:22.38
so I don't make
the same mistakes.
00:51:22.41\00:51:24.58
But you do get a new beginning,
00:51:24.61\00:51:26.21
you become a new creature,
00:51:26.25\00:51:27.52
that feeling of all
your sins being washed away
00:51:27.55\00:51:29.55
because God promises it.
00:51:29.58\00:51:31.05
Isn't that wonderful concept?
00:51:31.09\00:51:33.12
"I was thirsty,
and you gave me drink.
00:51:33.15\00:51:38.46
In as much as you did it
to one of the least of these,
00:51:42.73\00:51:45.77
My brethren, you did it to me."
00:51:45.80\00:51:49.70
My parents got divorced
when I was three or four,
00:52:02.22\00:52:04.39
and then, I was basically
unchurched most of my life.
00:52:04.42\00:52:07.72
I had a
girlfriend in high school
00:52:07.76\00:52:09.02
telling me that she
had to break up with me
00:52:09.06\00:52:10.63
because I wasn't a Christian.
00:52:10.66\00:52:11.66
I thought that's weird,
00:52:11.69\00:52:12.73
I believe in God,
why would she say that?
00:52:12.76\00:52:14.20
Not realizing I was
living a horrible life
00:52:14.20\00:52:16.36
with foul language,
was mean, and other stuff.
00:52:16.40\00:52:18.83
And that kind of
challenged me initially,
00:52:18.87\00:52:21.97
and then my dad,
9/11 woke him up.
00:52:22.00\00:52:24.11
I think he wasn't
ready to meet his Lord
00:52:24.14\00:52:25.91
though he was a man
00:52:25.94\00:52:27.01
that I valued
and knew he loved me,
00:52:27.04\00:52:28.81
didn't doubt that.
00:52:28.84\00:52:29.98
But he just knew he needed more.
00:52:30.01\00:52:31.28
So he started
watching TV ministries first.
00:52:31.31\00:52:33.85
Baptist preachers, and others,
00:52:33.88\00:52:35.92
and he was kind of intrigued
by what he was learning,
00:52:35.95\00:52:39.52
and so when he turned me
on to this television station,
00:52:39.55\00:52:42.49
first thing that I got
access to was Doug Batchelor's
00:52:42.52\00:52:45.99
Most Amazing Prophecy series
00:52:46.03\00:52:47.40
that he did in
Berrien Springs, Michigan.
00:52:47.40\00:52:49.66
And I remember when
I first watched this,
00:52:49.70\00:52:51.23
my background was
Baptistish of sorts,
00:52:51.27\00:52:54.37
but I remember
00:52:54.40\00:52:55.44
when I first watched the series,
00:52:55.47\00:52:57.41
I remember thinking
I've never heard that before
00:52:57.44\00:52:59.47
about the State of the
Dead, or about the Sabbath,
00:52:59.51\00:53:01.88
or the Commandments, or
the Rapture, other things.
00:53:01.91\00:53:04.65
I remember thinking to myself,
I've never heard that before,
00:53:04.68\00:53:06.85
but that's what the text
says, and that kept happening,
00:53:06.88\00:53:10.32
and I had this experience
of just wondering like,
00:53:10.35\00:53:12.82
"Well, what else
have I believed that isn't
00:53:12.85\00:53:14.89
as it is, you know?"
00:53:14.92\00:53:16.56
And the more I watched,
the more helpful it became.
00:53:16.59\00:53:19.29
But again, he kind of took
00:53:19.33\00:53:20.43
a different
perspective on the messages.
00:53:20.46\00:53:21.93
It was fresh to
me, but I just...
00:53:21.96\00:53:24.27
These things I had
never heard before,
00:53:24.30\00:53:26.40
and I just realized like,
00:53:26.43\00:53:28.70
"There's so much
stuff in the Bible
00:53:28.74\00:53:30.47
that no one's talking about
and that people need to know."
00:53:30.51\00:53:33.74
And so I ended up in
this awkward situation
00:53:33.78\00:53:35.94
that some of my
friends who didn't believe
00:53:35.98\00:53:38.18
what I was coming to believe,
00:53:38.21\00:53:39.75
I didn't know how to
communicate with them,
00:53:39.78\00:53:41.72
and so one of the
things that helped me initially
00:53:41.75\00:53:44.32
was the
sabbathtruth.com website,
00:53:44.35\00:53:47.32
thetruthabouthell.com,
and the truth about death.
00:53:47.36\00:53:50.79
And some of
those resource websites
00:53:50.83\00:53:52.16
that Amazing
Facts had put together,
00:53:52.19\00:53:53.96
that were just
full of resources.
00:53:54.00\00:53:56.06
If I needed an
answer to something
00:53:56.10\00:53:57.60
that someone brought up,
00:53:57.63\00:53:59.00
there would be a 95% chance
00:53:59.03\00:54:01.70
that Amazing Facts
would have something
00:54:01.74\00:54:03.14
that I could use.
00:54:03.17\00:54:04.24
It makes witnessing
even easier in that sense.
00:54:04.27\00:54:07.11
The Amazing Facts
Prophecy Study Bible
00:54:07.14\00:54:08.94
was my first
real Bible that I had
00:54:08.98\00:54:11.81
of a more trusted translation.
00:54:11.85\00:54:13.78
The Bible study
guides were on the back of it
00:54:13.82\00:54:15.58
and lot of other
resources that were helpful.
00:54:15.62\00:54:17.89
If you can hand
a book to somebody
00:54:17.92\00:54:19.79
and you can pick up a
phone and call Amazing Facts,
00:54:19.82\00:54:21.79
you have everything you need.
00:54:21.82\00:54:22.92
And so I was just
printing off stuff
00:54:22.96\00:54:24.16
and handing it to people,
00:54:24.19\00:54:25.23
you know, like, here's
what I'm coming to realize,
00:54:25.26\00:54:27.40
this is true, it's in the Bible.
00:54:27.40\00:54:29.16
And it was a
huge blessing to me,
00:54:29.20\00:54:31.53
and a real help just to kind
of help me to better understand
00:54:31.57\00:54:34.94
what the message was,
00:54:34.97\00:54:36.71
and understand it for myself,
00:54:36.74\00:54:38.04
and have resources to put
00:54:38.07\00:54:39.07
in the hands of
the other people,
00:54:39.11\00:54:40.18
it was invaluable.
00:54:40.21\00:54:41.44
Some time went by, I eventually
went to school of evangelism,
00:54:41.48\00:54:44.25
and was baptized.
00:54:44.28\00:54:45.48
And then I had
this amazing opportunity
00:54:45.51\00:54:47.38
that after being in the ministry
00:54:47.42\00:54:48.98
for about five or six years,
00:54:49.02\00:54:50.55
Doug Batchelor was
going to be the main speaker
00:54:50.59\00:54:52.42
at youth events,
00:54:52.45\00:54:53.42
and I was actually
going to be doing a seminar
00:54:53.46\00:54:55.12
at this youth event.
00:54:55.16\00:54:56.49
And it was just this amazing
kind of full circle experience
00:54:56.52\00:54:58.99
that the first person
00:54:59.03\00:55:00.26
that I came in
contact within Adventism,
00:55:00.30\00:55:02.56
to hear the message
to have it make sense,
00:55:02.60\00:55:04.23
to be able to do
ministry together with him
00:55:04.27\00:55:06.80
in whatever role possible
just meant the world to me,
00:55:06.84\00:55:09.74
and to be able
to tell him my story
00:55:09.77\00:55:11.14
and tell him thank
you was invaluable.
00:55:11.17\00:55:13.51
And so God just
gave me a precious gift
00:55:13.54\00:55:16.64
and afforded an opportunity
and I'll never forget that.
00:55:16.68\00:55:19.31
My name is Dee.
00:55:19.35\00:55:20.58
Thank you for changing my life.
00:55:20.62\00:55:22.75
Port Royal, here in Jamaica
00:55:40.50\00:55:42.40
was once considered the
most wicked city in the world.
00:55:42.44\00:55:45.47
They had more bars and
brothels per square foot
00:55:45.51\00:55:47.98
than any other
place on the planet.
00:55:48.01\00:55:50.05
It was said to be full
of cutthroats and pirates.
00:55:50.08\00:55:52.71
But during this time, the
king of France, Louis XIV,
00:55:52.75\00:55:56.75
he began to
persecute the Protestants
00:55:56.79\00:55:58.79
and the Huguenots in
the kingdom and many fled.
00:55:58.82\00:56:01.59
That's when Lewis
Galdy and his brother Laurent
00:56:01.62\00:56:04.16
came to Port Royal.
00:56:04.19\00:56:07.66
When Lewis Galdy arrived,
00:56:07.66\00:56:09.23
he was absolutely dumbfounded
at the unrestrained immorality,
00:56:09.26\00:56:12.70
violence, and extravagance
that filled Port Royal.
00:56:12.73\00:56:15.80
That's why nobody was surprised
00:56:15.84\00:56:17.77
when the judgment of
God finally happened.
00:56:17.81\00:56:20.18
Just before
noon, in June 7, 1692,
00:56:20.21\00:56:23.21
there was a massive earthquake
00:56:23.24\00:56:24.71
that affected the whole island,
Port Royal in particular.
00:56:24.75\00:56:28.32
Two-thirds of it
slid into the sea.
00:56:28.35\00:56:30.69
Then came a
tsunami, thousands perished.
00:56:30.72\00:56:33.46
Unfortunately, even Lewis Galdy
00:56:33.49\00:56:35.76
was swallowed up
in the earthquake.
00:56:35.79\00:56:37.56
You know, much of
Jamaica is a rock.
00:56:41.16\00:56:43.03
But Port Royal
was built on the sand.
00:56:43.06\00:56:45.40
And so when the
earthquake struck,
00:56:45.43\00:56:47.57
the sand virtually liquified,
swallowing much of the city
00:56:47.60\00:56:50.34
and thousands of people.
00:56:50.37\00:56:52.01
Lewis Galdy was buried alive.
00:56:52.04\00:56:54.34
But while underground,
00:56:54.38\00:56:55.74
he was still
conscious and he prayed.
00:56:55.78\00:56:58.38
He was lying
himself to his fate,
00:56:58.41\00:57:00.15
prayed to the Lord,
00:57:00.18\00:57:01.55
and then another
miracle happened.
00:57:01.58\00:57:03.28
There was an aftershock
with volcanic activity
00:57:03.32\00:57:05.92
that exploded blowing
Lewis Galdy out of the earth,
00:57:05.95\00:57:09.42
hundreds of
yards off into the sea
00:57:09.46\00:57:11.73
where he had a very
pretty hard landing,
00:57:11.76\00:57:13.36
but he was able to
swim until he was rescued.
00:57:13.40\00:57:16.20
Lewis Galdy dedicated
00:57:16.23\00:57:17.57
the remaining 47
years of his life
00:57:17.60\00:57:19.73
to serving Jesus in this island,
00:57:19.77\00:57:21.77
and he's even
buried here still today.
00:57:21.80\00:57:23.57
You know, the Bible tells us,
just before Jesus comes back,
00:57:28.38\00:57:31.01
conditions in the
world will be very much
00:57:31.05\00:57:33.01
like they were in
Sodom and Port Royal.
00:57:33.05\00:57:36.02
There is going to be
a tremendous earthquake
00:57:36.05\00:57:37.62
and even islands
will be swallowed up.
00:57:37.65\00:57:39.72
But God's people
don't need to be afraid.
00:57:39.75\00:57:41.52
The same way
00:57:41.56\00:57:42.59
that the Lord took
care of Lewis Galdy,
00:57:42.62\00:57:44.29
He will take care of you.
00:57:44.33\00:57:45.53
It says in Psalm 91,
00:57:45.56\00:57:46.96
"That you might see a
thousand fall at your side
00:57:47.00\00:57:49.13
or 10,000 at your right hand,
00:57:49.16\00:57:50.93
but only with
your eyes will you see
00:57:50.97\00:57:52.73
and behold the
destruction of the wicked."
00:57:52.77\00:57:54.40
He can protect
you and resurrect you.
00:57:54.44\00:57:56.17