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00:34 Hello, friends,
00:36 welcome again to Sabbath School Study Hour 00:38 here at the Granite Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:40 in Sacramento, California. 00:42 I'd like to welcome those joining us across the country 00:45 and around the world 00:46 on the various social media outlets 00:48 as well as our online members, 00:50 who are tuning faithfully every week 00:52 to study the lesson with us. 00:54 I'd also like to welcome our regular church members 00:57 as well as those who are visiting with us today. 00:59 Thank you for being here. 01:00 We have such an important lesson 01:02 that we're going to be looking at, 01:03 one of my favorite passages in the Book of Revelation, 01:07 it's Revelation Chapter 7, 01:09 talking about those who have the seal of God 01:11 in their foreheads. 01:12 Well, that's a good lead into our subject 01:14 for this entire quarter, it's on the Book of Revelation. 01:17 Those of you have been attending, 01:19 you know, we've been studying through our lesson quarterly. 01:22 Today we find ourselves on lesson number six, 01:25 and it's in entitled "The Sealed People of God," 01:29 really the core of our study is from Revelation Chapter 7. 01:32 Pastor Doug is going to be sharing 01:34 some very important information about that 01:35 here in just a few moments. 01:37 But before we get started on our lesson, 01:39 I'd like to remind our friends who are joining us 01:41 of our free offer today. 01:43 We have a book entitled "Who Will Sing the Song? 01:45 Understanding the 144,000," 01:48 a book written by Pastor Doug, and this is our free offer. 01:51 To anyone who are watching, 01:52 if you'd like to receive a copy of this book, 01:54 the number to call is 866-788-3966, 01:58 and you can ask for offer number 172, 1-7-2 02:03 or if you'd like, 02:04 you can receive this book in a digital form 02:07 by texting the following code, 02:09 "SH119" to the number 40544. 02:15 You will then receive a link 02:16 as to where you can download the book, 02:18 Who Will Sing the Song? 02:20 And I think you'll find it a very interesting study, 02:23 and indeed it does go along with our study today. 02:26 Well, before we get to our lesson study, 02:28 let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. 02:31 Dear Father, once again we are grateful 02:32 that we're able to gather together 02:33 and study this very important book 02:35 and very important topic 02:37 we find in the last book of the Bible. 02:39 Father, the most important question 02:40 that anyone can ask is, 02:41 "How can I have the seal of God? 02:44 How can I can be amongst those 02:46 who are found ready when Jesus comes?" 02:48 So we do pray that 02:49 Your Holy Spirit will guide our hearts, 02:51 our minds as we study together. 02:53 In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. 02:56 Our lesson today is going to be brought to us by Pastor Doug. 03:01 Good morning. 03:02 Hey, Jëan, you want to teach the lesson with me? 03:06 Well. 03:07 What were you going to do, you gonna sit down? 03:09 This is his favorite subject. 03:11 You want to grab a Bible. I'll grab a Bible. 03:13 If you want to teach, get a Bible, 03:14 let's do it together. 03:16 He didn't knew I was going to do that, isn't that mean? 03:19 I just know one of his favorite subjects 03:20 is Revelation, 03:21 and we never know 03:23 how the stars are going to line up 03:24 with who's going to teach what dates, 03:26 it has to do with travel, 03:27 and I know that he's just kind of thinking, 03:29 "Oh, man, I want to help teach this lesson." 03:31 Okay, let's do it together, let's see what happens. 03:33 We may never do this again. 03:35 We'll try it out. 03:37 Welcome everybody to Sabbath School Study Hour, 03:40 and our lesson today is lesson number 6. 03:42 Now, I know this sounds confusing, 03:43 it's lesson 6 on Chapter 7 of Revelation. 03:47 And so God willing, we're going to try to cover 03:49 all of Revelation Chapter 7 today. 03:51 Now I need help 03:52 because this is 144,000, the seal of God, 03:58 and the great multitude, and the song of Moses, 04:01 very important material in this one lesson. 04:05 Now we've got a memory verse, 04:07 and the memory verse comes from Revelation 14:7, 04:10 and this is from the New King James Version. 04:13 I hope you'll say this with me, you're ready? 04:16 "These are the ones who come out of a great tribulation, 04:21 and washed their robes, 04:23 and made them white in the blood of the lamb." 04:28 Now, you know, what I thought I do 04:29 as we try to teach this lesson is why don't we go ahead, 04:32 you look at Revelation 14, 04:34 why don't you read 04:35 up until the great multitude in Revelation 7 verse... 04:39 I'm sorry, Revelation 7:1. 04:41 Absolutely, I'll be happy to. 04:43 All right, Pastor Doug, here we go. 04:45 As I've said, we haven't rehearsed this, 04:47 so we don't know what's going to happen, 04:48 neither do you, 04:50 but we're happy to talk about 04:51 one of our favorite parts of the Bible. 04:53 So Revelation Chapter 7, 04:54 I hope you have your Bibles with you, 04:56 going to spend a lot of time right in this passage. 04:58 And let me read the first part of Chapter 7 05:02 dealing with 144,000, 05:03 and that goes all the way through to about verse 9. 05:07 So I'm gonna start in verse 1, it says, 05:08 "After these things I saw four angels 05:11 standing on the four corners of the earth, 05:13 holding the four winds of the earth, 05:15 that the wind should not blow on the earth, 05:17 on the sea, or on any tree. 05:20 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, 05:23 having the seal of the living God. 05:25 And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels 05:27 to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 05:29 saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees 05:34 till we have sealed the servants of God 05:37 on their foreheads.' 05:39 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. 05:41 One hundred and forty-four thousand 05:43 of all the tribes of the children of Israel, 05:45 they were sealed.'" 05:46 Maybe we should stop here. 05:48 I just look it all, we've got in there, 05:50 and probably out to do a little expository teaching 05:53 right here at this point. 05:55 All right, first of all, 05:57 we studied the seven seals last week, 05:59 but we only got to six. 06:01 So we haven't got to the seventh seal yet. 06:04 Before the seventh seal is opened, 06:06 you've got Chapter 7, Chapter 8, 06:09 you actually have the opening of the seventh seal. 06:12 So when he says after these things, 06:15 after what things? 06:17 After this, the sixth seal. 06:18 So we know when in history this is happening, 06:21 down near the end of time, 06:22 there's a sealing that takes place 06:25 before the seventh seal is opened. 06:27 And when the seventh seal is open, 06:28 all kinds of things break loose, 06:30 and it's a sign of the second coming. 06:33 Now when it says these four angels 06:35 at the four corners of the earth, 06:37 what does that represent? 06:38 Well, you're talking about four. 06:40 In the Bible, you know, the numbers have 06:41 prophetic significance. 06:43 Some people wonder, 06:44 he's just talking about the earth being flat, 06:46 it's like a square, and there's four corners, 06:48 and there's an angel assigned to each corner 06:50 holding the corner of the earth. 06:51 No, it simply means the four points of the compass, 06:54 north, south, east and west. 06:56 So when it talks about the four angels 06:58 holding the four corners of the earth 07:00 or standing at the four corners of the earth, 07:02 it's really just describing these angels 07:04 holding back these winds of fury from the north, south, 07:07 east, and west. 07:08 So God is still holding back this full wind of strife 07:12 that is about to come until the sealing occurs 07:15 amongst God's people. 07:16 It's a storm that... 07:18 By the way, there's another verse 07:19 if you ever want to understand Revelation, 07:21 compare scripture with scripture. 07:23 Matthew 24, when Jesus talks about His coming, 07:26 "He will send His angels with the sound of a trumpet, 07:28 and they will gather together his elect from the four winds." 07:32 You find both winds, angels, and four in the seals 07:37 we're studying right now. 07:38 From the four winds of heaven, 07:39 from one end of heaven to the other. 07:40 It's just talking about from around the world, 07:42 they'll be gathered. 07:44 Now it says that there's not supposed to... 07:47 They're not to release the winds to blow upon earth, 07:51 tree, water. 07:54 Sounds like name of a rock group. 07:56 But there it's talking about the environment, 08:00 nations were trees. 08:03 What is water represent in Revelation? 08:05 Multitudes and nations, kindred some times. 08:08 You remember that verse? Revelation 17. 08:10 Revelation 17, it tells us what these things. 08:13 So they're holding back a storm 08:15 that is going to blow upon the earth 08:17 that's going to affect the environment, 08:18 it's going to affect the nations, 08:20 it's going to affect the people. 08:21 It's a great time of trouble, 08:22 but before that time of trouble is released, 08:25 and by the way, when you get into, 08:27 you know, the seven plagues, 08:28 you really see the epitome of this time of trouble. 08:31 Before it's released, 08:32 something has to happen that we read about. 08:35 Angels are supposed to... 08:36 A seal is to be place on the believers. 08:41 So there's a lot of discussion about what is this seal? 08:44 Now... 08:45 Pastor Doug, can I add one point here. 08:47 Yeah, please, why... I want you to. 08:48 Just to kind of give the setting here. 08:51 Pastor Doug mentioned that Revelation Chapter 7 08:54 is in the midst of the sixth and the seventh seal, 08:57 but there is an important question 08:58 that's asked in the sixth seal that leads into the 144,000. 09:04 And you find in Revelation Chapter 6, 09:06 just to back up a little bit, just to give the context, 09:08 verse 15 says, 09:09 "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, 09:11 the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, 09:12 every slave, every free man, hid themselves in the caves 09:16 and in the rocks of the mountains, 09:17 and they said to the mountains and the rocks, 09:19 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him 09:21 who sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 09:24 For the great day of His wrath has come, 09:27 and who shall able to stand?'" 09:28 So the sixth seal brings you 09:29 right up to the second coming of Jesus. 09:31 But a question is asked, the question is, 09:33 the day of His wrath has come, 09:35 talking about the second coming of Jesus. 09:36 The question is, 09:37 who's going to be able to stand when Jesus comes? 09:41 And then John hits the pause button, 09:44 backs up just a little bit to talk about a group of people 09:47 that are able to stand when Jesus comes, 09:50 and he gives a characteristic of this group of people 09:52 and says, 09:53 "Oh, they have the seal of God in their foreheads." 09:56 Amen. 09:57 And then on the next seal, the eighth seal, 09:59 you actually have the second coming of Christ. 10:01 So this is kind of an important connection, 10:03 Chapter 8. 10:04 I mean Chapter 8, seventh seal. Seventh seal. 10:06 Yeah. So then we're... 10:07 Now let's talk for a second about what is the seal of God. 10:11 And if you look in Isaiah 8:16, he says, 10:15 "Bind up the testimony, 10:17 seal the law among My disciples." 10:21 So somewhere in the law of God, you find the seal of God. 10:25 Now I always like to take people 10:26 on just the visual of this for a second. 10:31 If I were to say, 10:32 we went on a trip to the Holy Land this year, 10:34 where did we go? 10:37 Israel. 10:38 And then if I tell you while we were in the Holy Land, 10:41 we went to the holy mount, where's that? 10:45 Temple Mount, Mount of Olives, it's actually Mount Moriah, 10:49 which is the Temple Mount, Mount Zion, 10:51 it's sometimes called. 10:52 And on the Temple Mount, you've got the holy city. 10:55 What city am I talking about? 10:57 Jerusalem. 10:58 And in the holy city, you've got the holy temple. 11:03 And in the holy temple, you've got the holy place. 11:07 And just beyond the holy place, you have what? 11:10 The Holy of Holies, and the most holy place. 11:13 Now notice how often the word holy appears here. 11:15 In the Holy Land, 11:16 you get the holy city, you get the holy mount, 11:18 you get the holy temple, you get the holy place, 11:19 get the Holy of Holies, 11:21 and in the Holy of Holies is the holy ark, 11:25 and in the holy ark is the holy law, 11:28 and in the holy law, 11:29 you find the word holy one time. 11:32 Do you know where? 11:34 Fourth Commandment, isn't that interesting? 11:37 And God's purpose, the plan of salvation 11:39 is to make us holy. 11:42 And so the seal of God is in the middle of His law. 11:46 It's the only commandment where you find the word holy, 11:49 and it's something else. 11:51 What are the characteristics of a seal? 11:53 Well, seal, if it's going to have any value, 11:55 it has to have the name 11:57 of whoever has the authority of that seal, 11:59 so often it would have the name of the king, 12:02 it would have the territory that the king governs, 12:05 it'll also then have some kind of title 12:08 connected with the king. 12:09 Well, you might say the king, 12:10 the monarch of whatever place it might be, 12:13 gives the territory, and it gives his title. 12:15 So dominion, who it is, 12:17 and title of three characteristics 12:19 that you depict defining the seal. 12:21 When Darius put his seal on the stone 12:24 when Daniel was put in the lion's den, 12:26 that seal said, Darius, that's his name, King, 12:30 it's his title, Medo-Persia, territory. 12:33 When Pilate put a seal on the tomb of Jesus, 12:36 it said Pontius Pilate, it's his name, governor, Judea. 12:41 And so, where in the law of God do we find the seal of God? 12:46 You know, what part of the fourth commandment? 12:50 Where it says, "For in six days, the Lord," 12:54 Jehovah, it's His name, "created," that's His office, 12:59 He is the creator and sustainer of all things, 13:02 "of the heaven and the earth," His territory. 13:04 So in the middle of the law of God, 13:06 you find the words holy, and you find the seal of God, 13:09 the components of a seal. 13:11 And the Sabbath is really different 13:13 because all the other commandments, 13:14 it says, "Don't worship other gods, 13:16 and don't take the name of the Lord God." 13:18 But it's not until you get to the Sabbath, 13:20 it describes who this God is. 13:22 The Sabbath Commandment. 13:24 Now, of course, the Sabbath 13:25 being an outward sign of the seal, 13:27 it's more than just a day, 13:29 although the day is very important, 13:30 especially at the end of time. 13:32 But like any of the Ten Commandments, 13:33 it has to do something with the heart, 13:35 you know, the new covenant promise 13:37 that God makes with those who believe in Him, 13:39 that He'll write His law on their hearts 13:41 and in their minds. 13:43 So to have the seal of God 13:44 is more than just an output observance of a particular day, 13:48 but it is to have that law of the creator 13:51 written in our hearts and our minds. 13:54 It has to do something with our character, 13:55 with our belief, with our faith. 13:57 Amen. 13:58 Now, in just a moment, 14:00 I'm going to let someone read a verse. 14:02 Hoftis, I think you'll have this next one 14:03 talking a little bit about this seal. 14:06 First of all, when you think about something in the forehead 14:08 or in the hand in Revelation, do you think 14:10 of something good or bad? 14:13 Lot of people, if I say you're going to get something 14:15 before the end of the world, someone's going to offer you 14:18 a mark in your forehead, do you want it? 14:21 And people say, no. 14:23 But all the same type of mark in their forehead. 14:26 Everybody's marked in the forehead 14:28 or the hand in Revelation. 14:30 There's a good mark you read about in Ezekiel 9. 14:34 If you read this vision in Ezekiel 9, 14:36 only those who received the mark from this angel 14:38 live through the terrible judgment 14:42 that goes through the land. 14:45 And so everybody wants that mark. 14:47 Keep in mind also, 14:49 the mark of the beast talks about the hand or the forehead. 14:52 If you look in Deuteronomy 14:53 when the Ten Commandments are given, 14:55 Deuteronomy Chapter 5, then go to Chapter 6 14:57 where God says, 14:58 "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one, 15:00 thou shall love the Lord with all your heart, mind, 15:02 soul, and strength." 15:03 And He says, "These words, I command you to stay." 15:05 That's the Ten Commandments, shall be in your heart. 15:08 Clearly is symbol, right? 15:10 Teach them to your children diligently, 15:13 put them on the doorpost of your house. 15:14 Then He says, "Bind them for a sign on your hand, 15:19 put them as front what's between your eyes 15:22 that the Lord's law may be in your heart." 15:24 And so it says, if basically, 15:26 if you don't have the law of the Lord in your heart, 15:29 and your hand, and your head, that means your actions, 15:32 your thoughts, your affections, 15:34 you'll have the mark of the beast in the last days. 15:35 You either have one or the other. 15:38 If you're not with Him, you're against Him. 15:41 Is the Sabbath a sign? 15:42 Go ahead, read for us, please. 15:43 I think it's Ezekiel 20:20. 15:46 Ezekiel 20:20, "Hallow My Sabbaths, 15:50 and they will be a sign between Me and you, 15:53 that you may know that I am the Lord your God." 15:57 I'm going to read a companion verse, 15:58 it's a verse 12 of the same Chapter, 16:00 Chapter 20 of Ezekiel. 16:02 "Moreover, I gave them My Sabbath 16:04 to be a sign between Me and them." 16:07 The word sign, insignia, seal 16:10 are interchangeable in the Bible. 16:12 And so it says, the Sabbath is a sign, it's a seal. 16:16 And so it shows what God you worship 16:18 and why you worship Him, because He's a creator. 16:21 So go ahead. 16:23 Something else related to the mark and the seal, 16:25 of course, as Pastor Doug 16:26 mentioned in the Book of Revelation 16:27 at the end of time, 16:28 everybody alive on the earth, when Jesus comes, 16:32 will be marked. 16:33 They'll either have the seal of God 16:35 or they will have the mark of the beast. 16:37 And, of course, in Ezekiel 9, 16:38 that seal is also referred to as a mark 16:41 that is placed in the forehead, 16:42 so it can be used interchangeably. 16:44 Something else interesting about the word mark 16:46 in the original Greek, 16:48 it comes from the word kharakter, 16:50 we get the English word character 16:52 from the word kharakter. 16:55 So it's kind of interesting that the seal 16:57 or this mark at the end of time 16:59 has something to do with the character, 17:01 has something to do with the heart 17:03 because the new covenant promises to write God's law 17:06 in the heart. 17:07 Whereas those that have the mark of the beast, 17:09 they have just the opposite of God's law in their heart, 17:12 they have the law of the beast power. 17:14 So the two groups are bought to view in the last days. 17:17 All right, now we're going to venture 17:19 on some interesting ground, 17:21 maybe even a little controversial. 17:23 And before I get into the 144,000, 17:28 I want to read a quote from First Selected Messages. 17:31 A lot of people argue about this, 17:32 we get a lot of questions, 17:33 and there's a lot of disagreement on it. 17:36 "It is not His will 17:37 that they shall get into controversy over questions 17:40 which will not help them spiritually 17:42 such as who is to compose the 144,000. 17:47 This, those who are elect of God, 17:49 will in the short time know without question." 17:52 And soon enough, we'll know the answer to this, 17:53 but there's a lot of discussion about this. 17:55 So I'm going to read, if it's okay, 17:57 verse 5-8, just where it names 144,000. 18:01 It says, "Of the tribe," 18:02 it says there are 12,000 from these 12 tribes. 18:05 "Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed, 18:07 of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed, 18:09 of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed," 18:13 Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, 18:16 Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, 18:19 12,000 were sealed, right? 18:20 I don't want to be redundant. 18:22 You know, some tribe's missing. 18:25 We still got 12 here, 18:27 but how do we have 12 18:28 and you've got a couple that are missing. 18:29 What's missing? 18:31 Ephraim is not here, and Dan is not here. 18:35 That doesn't sound nice 18:37 that they would be left out of 144,000. 18:40 Are these literal Israelites? 18:43 We don't think so for a number of reasons. 18:46 One is if you read your Bible back in the days on Hezekiah, 18:50 the 10 northern tribes 18:51 were conquered by the Assyrians, 18:53 they were scattered through Assyria, 18:55 a lot of them intermarried, 18:57 some came back and later were known as Samaritans, 18:59 sort of a hybrid, Assyrian Jews, 19:04 and it's very difficult for you to find anybody 19:08 that has got all the DNA of Issachar, Simeon, 19:12 Zebulun in the world today. 19:14 They've been intermarried, and dispersed 19:17 all around the Far East. 19:20 So we really doubt that it's talking about 19:23 literally 12,000 from these tribes. 19:26 When Jesus picked the 12 apostles, 19:28 did He pick one from each tribe? 19:31 No, most of the 12 apostles were from either Benjamin, 19:35 Judah, or Levi. 19:37 You got Matthew, what was his middle name? 19:40 Matthew Levi, probably from Levi. 19:42 Saul says, I'm from the tribe of Benjamin. 19:45 And Judas Iscariot, 19:47 probably from the tribe of Judah, 19:48 and most of them were probably from the tribe of Judah 19:50 because that's who lived in the southern kingdom. 19:53 And so it's not talking about literal Jews 19:58 when it talks about the 144,000. 20:01 I got more, but I'll let you jump in. 20:02 Yeah, you might be wondering, 20:04 well, if we have two of the tribes 20:05 taken out of the 12, which is Dan and Ephraim, 20:08 how do we end up with 12 tribes? 20:10 Well, you remember that Joseph 20:11 didn't inherit a territory of land 20:15 under the name of Joseph, 20:16 but Joseph's territory 20:17 was actually divided up amongst his two sons. 20:20 So he had more territory. 20:22 But in the list given here in Revelation Chapter 7, 20:25 you'll notice that Joseph is mentioned and his sons, 20:27 and then you have Levi that's added, 20:30 that makes up your 12. 20:31 Levi didn't inherit a territory 20:33 when Israel occupied the Promised Land, 20:35 they were dispersed amongst the other tribes. 20:37 So there's great significance to the order of the names 20:40 and the names chosen that make up this list 20:43 that we have in Revelation 7. 20:45 Now one theory about why Ephraim and Dan 20:48 is left out is Ephraim was basically 20:52 That's the name... 20:54 that was used for all the 10 tribes 20:55 in the north, 20:56 often referred to as Ephraim 20:57 because it was the biggest tribe. 20:58 Southern kingdom is usually referred to as Judah, 21:00 that's where we get the word Jew, 21:02 it was the biggest tribe. 21:03 The Bible says, 21:04 "Ephraim is joined to her idols. 21:07 Let her alone." 21:09 Ephraim had turned to idolatry, 21:11 that's why they were carried off. 21:13 They never were allowed to freely return 21:15 like the children of Judah came back from Babylon. 21:18 And Dan, the word Dan means judge. 21:22 It talks about Dan is a viper in the way. 21:25 And so those two names, 21:26 the symbolism of those two names 21:28 had to be left out of the redeemed 21:31 because of what they meant. 21:32 But when you put all the names together, 21:34 it says something. 21:36 Would you like me to read it to you real quick? 21:38 And this is in the free book that we're making available, 21:41 who are the 144,000? 21:43 Now, if you want to know what the names mean, 21:46 you don't have to just have 21:48 a special Bible name dictionary. 21:51 In the Bible it tells you, when Rachel and Leah 21:54 are having the 12 boys, them and their handmaids, 21:57 every time a boy is born, 21:58 they make a statement based on what their names 22:00 mean if they tell you. 22:02 If you take the statements that define the names 22:05 that are given, 22:06 the way they appear in Revelation Chapter 7, 22:09 it tells the story of salvation. 22:11 Now one thing I want you to also know, 22:13 there is no other list of the 12 tribes 22:15 in the order that you find in Revelation Chapter 7, 22:18 which also makes you suspect it's telling us something. 22:22 Every other... 22:23 Why is Judah first? 22:24 Reuben was the firstborn. 22:26 It's a mixed up list. 22:28 So here's what it says when you just line them up. 22:31 If you were to say the names in Hebrew and the definitions, 22:34 what is it saying? 22:36 "Now I will praise the Lord." 22:38 The word Judah means praise the Lord. 22:40 "I will praise the Lord, 22:42 for the Lord has looked on my affliction, 22:43 and granted me good fortune. 22:45 I am happy because with my great wrestling 22:48 I have wrestled and prevailed. 22:50 Thus God has made me forget all of my toil 22:53 because the Lord has heard that I am not loved. 22:56 He has joined or married to me. 22:58 God has given me my compensation, 23:00 my hire by dwelling with me, 23:03 and the Lord will add to me the son of his right hand." 23:07 It's a beautiful soliloquy of the plan of salvation, 23:11 and the wrestlings and deliverance of the church 23:14 in the names of the 144,000. 23:17 It's very interesting 23:18 when you look at the meaning of those names 23:19 that describes God's people 23:21 going through a time of wrestling, 23:23 God will hear their cry, He will deliver them, 23:26 He will prepare for them a dwelling place, 23:29 He will add the son of His right hand. 23:30 It's really describing 23:32 not only the experience of the church, 23:34 but in a special sense, 23:35 it's describing the experience of God's people 23:37 in the last days. 23:39 Do God's people go through a time of wrestling 23:41 before Jesus comes, 23:42 where their faith is tested and tried? 23:44 Yes. 23:45 Sometimes refers to that as Jacob's time of trouble. 23:47 Does God hear their prayer? Yes. 23:49 Does He come to their deliverance? 23:51 Yes, Jesus comes the second time. 23:53 Is Jesus preparing a dwelling place for them 23:55 in His Father's house? 23:57 Yes, John Chapter 14 tells us that. 23:59 So when you look at the meaning of the names, 24:01 there's so many wonderful lessons 24:03 describing the experience of God's people. 24:06 Amen. 24:07 All right, now here's a question 24:08 everyone wants to know, 144,000 special group in the last days 24:13 after the time of the sixth seal, 24:15 is it a literal number? 24:17 Well, what I say now, I say by permission, 24:19 and not by commandment. 24:21 I'm inclined to think it is. 24:23 I might be in the minority, I might be wrong. 24:25 It's happened once before. 24:27 But let me tell you my reasons, okay? 24:30 Remember, we don't want to fight about 144,000. 24:34 After the 144,000 are named, 24:37 it says then there's a group that cannot be numbered. 24:40 There's no specific number, it's imprecise, 24:42 a great multitude, 24:44 but it gives a precise number for the 144,000. 24:47 Are other numbers in Revelation, 24:49 do they have real value? 24:51 Does the New Jerusalem really have 12 gates 24:55 or is that symbolic? 24:56 Does it really have 12 foundations? 24:58 Most people I read, they believe it. 25:01 Are there really 12 kinds of fruit 25:03 12 times a year? 25:04 I never have anyone hear argue with that. 25:07 When they talk about 25:08 the dimensions of the New Jerusalem, 25:10 12,000 furlongs or 1500 miles around. 25:12 All the evangelist I know, say, 25:14 "Those are literal, the dimensions." 25:16 And so when it talks about the 10 heads, 25:21 or the 10 crowns and the 7 heads. 25:24 Do we really count that number of heads and crowns? 25:26 And they have a meaning, the numbers have a value? 25:28 Yes, so I think we got to be careful 25:30 about the sweeping aside the number. 25:32 Let me give you something else to think about. 25:35 Why did Jesus pick 12 apostles? 25:39 Couldn't He have picked 9, 14, 25:42 why, after Judas committed suicide, 25:46 you read Acts Chapter 1, 25:48 before the Holy Spirit was poured out. 25:51 It says, "They entered into the upper room..." 25:52 I'm in Acts 1:13, 25:54 someone's going to read for me Acts 1:17 25:56 in just a minute. 25:58 "They entered into the upper room 25:59 where they were staying," 26:00 Peter, James, John, notice here, 26:02 "Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, 26:04 Bartholomew, Matthew, James, 26:06 the son of Alphaeus, 26:07 Simon the Zealot, Judas, the son of James. 26:09 I just counted 11. 26:10 It specifically says there's 120 in the upper room, 26:13 but it names 11 apostles, 26:16 and there's something obviously missing. 26:18 Peter stands up and says, 26:19 "Judas died according to the prophecies." 26:22 The prophecy said, 26:23 "Let someone else take his Bishop prick," his office. 26:27 They cast lots. 26:29 And why don't you go ahead and read Acts 1:17? 26:32 Acts 1:17, "For he was numbered with us 26:36 and obtained a part in this ministry." 26:38 Judas had been numbered with them, 26:41 there was a number, he picked 12. 26:45 So they cast lots, it says in verse 26, 26:47 "The lot fell on Matthias. 26:49 He was numbered with the eleven," 26:51 equaling the number, what? 26:53 Twelve. 26:54 What happens in the next verse 26:55 after they replace Judas? 26:58 There's a mighty shaking 27:00 when the Holy Spirit is poured out. 27:02 Do we believe that 27:03 there's going to be a special outpouring 27:04 of the Holy Spirit in the last days 27:06 in connection with 144,000? 27:09 Yeah, I don't believe 144,000 are the only ones saved. 27:13 You know what? 27:14 If you got about 27:15 8 billion people in the world today, 27:17 and only 144,000 are saved, 27:19 your chances of being saved 27:21 are approximately 1 out of 55,000. 27:25 So it would be pretty remote for any of you here, 27:29 statistically speaking. 27:32 So I don't think they will be only one saved. 27:35 I think the 144,000 is describing a special group. 27:40 Very quickly, when Jesus came the first time, 27:44 He called a special group that followed Him 27:47 in a special way of 12, 27:50 and their job was to prepare the world 27:52 for Christ's first coming. 27:54 They especially spoke 27:56 to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 27:58 Jesus said, 27:59 "Do not go into the way of gentiles," 28:00 until three and a half years after His death, 28:02 "Go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 28:05 You have 12 apostles to go to a smaller group. 28:08 Before He comes a second time, He's got 12 times 12,000, 28:12 the 144,000 have a special relationship 28:15 like the apostles with Jesus, that's my argument. 28:18 I got more about it, but I'll let you jump in. 28:19 Well, just to add a little bit to that. 28:21 Often associated with the 144,000 28:23 is a worldwide proclamation of a message. 28:26 Revelation Chapter 14, 28:27 we find the three angels' messages, 28:29 they got every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 28:31 Well, just before you read the three angels' messages 28:34 in Revelation Chapter 14 beginning verse 6, 28:37 the first five verses, 28:39 if you have your Bibles, 28:40 you can look at it, Revelation 14. 28:42 It talks about a group of people, 28:45 and it's the 144,000. 28:47 This group of people in a special way 28:49 take the three angels' messages in the last days 28:53 to the whole world. 28:54 If you look in Revelation 14:1, 28:55 it says, "Then I looked, and behold a Lamb 28:57 standing on Mount Zion, 28:59 and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand," 29:01 same group that we read about in Revelation 7, 29:03 "Having the Father's name written on their foreheads." 29:06 Well, that gives us a clue 29:07 as to what the seal of God contains. 29:10 It contains the name of the Father 29:12 or the character of the Father revealed in obedience 29:15 to His commandments, 29:16 that's where the Sabbath plays a part. 29:19 Then it talks on about a great voice, 29:20 and that was singing and so on. 29:22 Then it gives you some added descriptions. 29:24 Verse 3, "They sang as it were a new song 29:26 before the throne, 29:27 before the four living creatures 29:28 and the elders, 29:29 no one could learn that song except 144,000, 29:32 they were redeemed from the earth." 29:35 So it gives you the idea that this group of people, 29:37 they were alive when Jesus comes. 29:40 They're redeemed or taken from the earth, 29:42 and that it describes their faith, and their purity, 29:45 and their steadfast obedience to God, 29:48 then you have the three angels' messages. 29:50 So it's interesting to note that 144,000 29:52 are connected with the proclamation 29:54 of the three angels' messages. 29:56 Amen. 29:57 Just a... 29:58 Whenever you want to understand a number 29:59 or something in Revelation, where do you go? 30:02 Old Testament. 30:03 I've been saying this every week. 30:05 Why 144,000? 30:08 If you look in 1 Chronicles 25:7, 30:11 it talks about a special group that is trained in music 30:15 in the worship of the temple. 30:17 "The number of them along with their brothers 30:18 who were trained in singing to the Lord 30:20 were skillful was 288." 30:23 What's half of 288? 30:26 A hundred and forty-four. 30:28 All right, that's in the worship. 30:29 Now go in 1 Chronicles 27:15, it tells about... 30:34 You have to be very patient 30:35 as you read through these groups 30:37 of 12 with 12,000 soldiers. 30:40 "The twelfth captain for the twelfth month 30:42 was Heldai the Netophathite, 30:44 of Othniel, in his division were twenty-four thousand." 30:48 So you got 24,000 times 12 is 288. 30:53 What's half of 288? 30:56 So you get 288,000 men. 30:59 The Jews used to divide their year in two parts, 31:02 they had the spring festivals and the fall festivals. 31:04 You had 144,000 for half the year, 31:07 and 144,000 for the other half the year. 31:10 So if you're a Jew and you hear the number 144,000, 31:13 you're not shocked by that. 31:14 Those were the divisions of those who lead 31:16 in worship and war in the Old Testament. 31:19 Those numbers were very common. 31:22 Anyway, there's more about that. 31:25 Let me just give you some other things 31:27 we can think about 31:28 when we're talking about the 144,000. 31:33 It says that... 31:34 Pastor Ross was reading in Revelation 14, 31:37 you get a few more clues. 31:39 It says, "These are the ones who follow the Lamb 31:41 wherever He goes." 31:43 What do we find as we learn about the 144,000? 31:47 You look in Revelation 14:4, that's where it says, 31:50 "They follow the Lamb wherever He goes." 31:52 Look in Matthew, 31:53 someone's going to read Matthew 4:19. 31:56 I'll have you read that, but before you read it, 31:57 I'm going to read 1 John 1:40, 32:01 "Then one of the two heard John speak, and followed him." 32:04 It was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 32:08 You go to John 1:43, 32:09 "The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, 32:12 and He found Philip, and He said, 'Follow Me.' 32:15 Jesus walks to Matthew Levi, He says, 'Follow Me.'" 32:19 All right, go ahead and read your verse for us. 32:22 Matthew 4:19, 20. 32:24 "Then He said to them, 32:26 'Follow me, and I'll make you fishers of men.' 32:29 They immediately left their nets 32:30 and followed Him.'" 32:32 So it's talking about a special group that... 32:34 Did all of the disciples and multitude follow Jesus 32:37 through all of His teaching? 32:38 No, but were there 12 that followed Him all the time. 32:42 When He was sleeping in the olive trees, 32:43 they were there. 32:44 When He was hanging out at house of Martha and Lazarus, 32:47 they were there. 32:48 The apostles were the ones 32:50 who followed Him wherever He went, 32:51 and that's why I think the 144,000. 32:53 It says, "They are without guile." 32:56 Who knows what guile means? 32:58 It means honesty. 32:59 They're not without, guile is deceit, 33:01 they are without guile, they are honest. 33:03 What did Jesus say to one of the apostles 33:05 named Nathaniel? 33:06 Behold, an Israelite 33:08 in whom there is no guile is honest." 33:11 It says, they sing a song. 33:13 Did Jesus sing at any time, 33:16 does it ever record that Jesus sang? 33:19 One time, at The Last Supper, 33:21 after they ate The Last Supper with the 12. 33:24 Well, Judas had left at this point, they sang. 33:27 He sang a song just with them. 33:30 And so, and, of course, 33:31 it's related to the song of Moses and the Lamb. 33:34 Shall we go ahead and read the part 33:35 about the big multitude. 33:36 We may have more to say about the 144,000 33:38 because they're connected and that starts 33:39 with verse 9, I think. 33:42 So Revelation 7:9, after describing 144,000, 33:46 then John writes, "After these things I looked, 33:49 and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, 33:53 of all nations, tribes, people, tongues, 33:56 standing before the throne and before the Lamb, 33:59 clothed with white robes, 34:00 and palm branches in their hands, 34:03 and crying out with a loud voice, 34:06 saying, 'Salvation belongs to our God 34:08 who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!' 34:11 And the angels stood around the throne 34:13 and the elders and the four living creatures, 34:14 and they fell on their faces before the throne 34:16 and they worshiped God, saying, 'Amen! 34:18 Blessing and glory and wisdom, and thanksgiving and honor 34:21 and power and might, 34:23 be to our God forever and ever.'" 34:24 Did you count all of those blessings 34:26 that are pronounced upon God? 34:27 Seven. 34:28 Seven-fold blessing right there. 34:30 Do you want to stop there? 34:33 Well, you know, we almost need to read on 34:34 'cause then John asks who are these? 34:36 Verse 13 says, 34:37 "Then one of the elders answered, saying to me," 34:40 John in vision, 34:42 "Who are these arrayed in white robes, 34:44 where did they come from?' 34:45 And I said to him, 'Sir, you know.'" 34:48 That's a good answer if you don't know the answer. 34:50 So you know. 34:51 "So he said to me, 'These are the ones 34:53 who have come out of great tribulation, 34:55 and have washed their robes and made them white 34:57 in the blood of the Lamb. 34:58 Therefore they are before the throne of God, 35:01 and serve Him day and night in His temple. 35:03 And He who sits on the throne will dwell amongst them. 35:06 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore, 35:10 the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat, for the Lamb 35:13 who is in the midst of the throne 35:14 shall shepherd them 35:16 and lead them to living fountains of waters. 35:19 And God will wipe away every tear from their eye.'" 35:22 Wow. 35:23 Do you know how much is in this one little passage here, 35:25 it's talking about the last chapters of Revelation, 35:27 God will dwell with them, 35:29 He'll wipe away every tear from their eyes, 35:31 you'll find in Revelation 21. 35:33 They're in His temple, they serve Him day and night, 35:36 says they'll never hungry anymore, 35:38 it says He's going to feed them, 35:39 they'll sit down and sup with Him. 35:41 It says, the sun will not strike them. 35:43 You remember, when the children of Israel 35:44 went through the wilderness, 35:45 God gave them a pillar of cloud 35:47 to protect them from being smitten by the sun by day. 35:51 All the promises of God to His people 35:53 are sort of encompassed in this passage. 35:56 And some of the most beautiful praise, 35:58 blessings are uttered by this great multitude, 36:02 and I'm sure the 144,000. 36:04 So it says these are the ones that came out of tribulation. 36:09 When is the greatest tribulation? 36:13 You go to Daniel Chapter 12, 36:14 "At that time Michael will stand up, 36:16 the great prince, 36:17 that stands for the children of My people, 36:19 and there will be a time of trouble 36:21 such as there never has been 36:22 since there was a nation even unto the same time." 36:25 Jesus quotes that in Matthew 24, 36:27 and at that time that people will be delivered. 36:30 Some have wondered if the 144,000 36:34 is a special group 36:35 that is called and filled with the Spirit 36:37 in the last phase of the church. 36:39 Some of them may have already passed away. 36:41 They do the work 36:42 where they specially follow the Lord. 36:44 They have the special relationship 36:45 and calling of proclamation, 36:47 and they're preparing the world for the second coming. 36:50 As a result of their ministry, 36:51 a great multitude is converted which gives us hope, 36:55 that means it's not just 144,000 36:57 that will be saved, 36:58 but there's many others saved beyond that group. 37:01 And... 37:03 But it also may, you know, 37:04 be pointing to the saved of all ages 37:08 because not only was there 37:10 a, you know, when Jesus in Matthew 24 says, 37:12 there's a great time of trouble, 37:14 He's actually identifying three times of trouble. 37:17 You've heard a dual prophecy? 37:19 That's a triple prophecy. 37:21 Jesus talking about a time of trouble 37:22 that came on the Jewish nation in A.D. 70, right? 37:26 In Matthew 24, 37:27 He's talking about the time of trouble 37:29 of the Dark Ages from 538 to 1798. 37:32 And I'm sure, 37:33 He's also alluding to the great time of trouble 37:35 before He that endures to the end will be saved, 37:39 when He sends His angels 37:40 and they gather together His elect. 37:42 Something else interesting to note 37:44 about the great multitude 37:45 where you have the description given in verse 9, 37:48 that says, "And these come from every nation, 37:50 kindred tongue, people." 37:52 It's interesting to note that the first angel's message 37:54 in Revelation 14 37:55 is a message that goes to every nation, 37:57 kindred, tongue, and people. 37:59 Here we see the results of the evangelistic work 38:02 that's done in taking the gospel to the whole world. 38:05 The result of that is a great multitude 38:07 that no one can number 38:09 standing before the throne of God. 38:11 This is the redeemed. 38:12 As Pastor Doug mentioned, 38:13 not only is it limited to those who are alive 38:16 when Jesus comes, 38:17 but it can refer to all the redeemed throughout ages 38:20 who have been resurrected 38:21 when Jesus comes the second time. 38:23 So just this final glorious gathering in heaven 38:27 before the throne of God, praising Him for salvation. 38:31 Now, how many of you want to be one of the 144,000? 38:35 You think you do. 38:37 You want to be at least part of the great multitude? 38:39 Amen. 38:41 You might be thinking, 38:42 "Well, I can't be one of the 144,000, 38:44 I'm not Jewish enough." 38:45 And it says they're from the 12 tribes. 38:47 Let me just remind you of some verses on that subject. 38:51 In Galatians 3:29, 38:54 "If you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed 38:58 and heirs according to the promise." 39:00 You can look in Romans 2:29, 39:03 "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly nor a circumcision 39:08 that which is outward in the flesh, 39:09 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly." 39:12 And go to Romans 9:6, 39:15 "But it is not the word of God has taken no effect. 39:18 For they are not all Israel who are of Israel." 39:23 There's a lot of spiritual Jews. 39:25 Did Rahab become a Jew? 39:27 Is she in Jesus' family tree? 39:30 Did Ruth become a Jew? 39:32 And Tamar, matter of fact, 39:34 when you look in Matthew Chapter 1, 39:35 one thing you learn 39:37 from looking at the genealogy of Jesus 39:39 is there were some other people 39:42 that somehow got into His family tree. 39:44 Couple more verses. 39:46 Jesus said to the Jews, "Do not think to say..." 39:49 I think it is John the Baptist, 39:50 "Do not think to say to yourselves, 39:52 we have Abraham as our father, 39:54 for I say to you that God is able to raise up children 39:57 to Abraham from these stones." 40:00 In fact, as the gospel went to the Gentiles, 40:04 the Gentiles that accepted Jesus 40:06 were grafted into the stock of Israel, 40:10 and they become at least spiritual Jews. 40:13 So whosoever will now can take claim 40:17 to all the promises made to Abraham 40:18 and become at least the spiritual Jew, 40:20 you could be one of the 144,000. 40:23 Something else to add about this group of people, 40:25 I always find it interesting in verse. 40:27 Oh, I think it's 16 verse of Chapter 7, 40:30 talking about this group. 40:31 It says, "They won't hunger anymore, 40:34 neither thirst anymore, 40:36 the sun shall not strike them nor any heat." 40:39 That's interesting 40:40 why specifically it talks about this intense heat. 40:43 It's interesting to note that one of the last plagues, 40:45 one of the seven plagues that come is intense heat 40:48 just before Jesus comes. 40:50 So here is a group of people that quite possibly are alive 40:53 when Jesus comes, they've been faithful. 40:55 Now God takes care of His people, 40:57 even when the plagues come, He protects them. 40:59 It doesn't mean that you won't experience 41:01 any of the heat in one of the place. 41:03 But here when Jesus comes, they are delivered from that, 41:06 they are rescued, 41:07 they are saved through this time of trouble. 41:10 Sometimes people ask us, 41:11 we have called in the radio program, 41:13 "Are the righteous saved before the time of trouble 41:16 or they're saved after the time of trouble?" 41:19 If you look in the Bible at God's people 41:21 at the time of trouble, often you find them 41:23 going through the time of trouble, 41:25 but God sustains them, protects them, 41:27 and brings them out like Shadrach, 41:29 Meshach, and Abednego. 41:30 They went through the fiery furnace, 41:32 but God brought them out. 41:34 Daniel went through the lion's den, 41:36 but God brought them out. 41:37 So God's people in the last days, 41:39 they are here on the earth. 41:41 When probation closes and the place begin to fall, 41:43 God protects them, sustains them, 41:45 and brings them out. 41:47 And that's the promise that we have there 41:48 in Revelation Chapter 7. 41:49 Amen. 41:50 The great time of trouble is the seven last plagues. 41:54 That's the wrath of God being poured out. 41:58 Were the children of Israel in Egypt 42:00 when the ten plagues fell on Egypt? 42:03 They were. 42:04 In other words, some people wonder 42:05 why ten plagues in Egypt, why seven in Revelation? 42:07 And we got another lesson coming on that. 42:09 It's interesting. 42:11 The children of Israel suffered with the Egyptians 42:13 for the first three plagues, 42:14 but they were protected 42:15 through the last seven of those ten. 42:18 Isn't that interesting? 42:20 But He saved them through the plagues, 42:23 and God will save us through that final time. 42:26 Now something that comes up 42:27 when you're studying the 144,000, 42:29 as Pastor Ross mentioned, 42:30 they reappear in Chapter 14 of Revelation. 42:33 It says, they have special white robes, 42:35 a great multitude is clothed in white robes. 42:36 What do the robes represent? 42:39 Revelation 3, let the Bible explain itself, 42:42 verse 5, "He that overcomes the same 42:45 will be clothed in white raiment, 42:47 and I will not blot his name out of the book of life." 42:49 Revelation 19:8, 42:51 "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed 42:54 in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen 42:57 is the righteousness of saints." 43:00 It means that they've got this righteousness. 43:02 And then there's one other interesting statement 43:04 it makes, it says, 43:05 "A hundred and forty-four thousand are virgins." 43:07 And I actually know churches 43:09 that teach that God's people in the last days 43:10 should practice celibacy and not get married 43:14 because of that verse. 43:15 Is that what that's talking about? 43:17 That'd be a problem. 43:18 First of all, 43:19 because that word virgin there, it's feminine in the Greek. 43:23 Why would it say that regarding these 12 tribes? 43:27 It has nothing to do with abstaining from marriage, 43:32 or anything wrong with marriage, 43:34 or intimacy in marriage. 43:36 They should be pure morally, 43:38 but are there women in Revelation 17, 43:41 Babylon and her daughters that are impure, 43:44 they are defiled with false teachings. 43:47 The 144,000 are virgins, in that they are not defiled 43:52 with the false teachings of Babylon. 43:56 You know, it's always amazing to me 43:57 that you have people like Rahab, and Tamar, 43:59 and Mary Magdalene that were women 44:02 that had bad reputations, 44:04 but they become respected saints 44:07 through Christ, they become pure. 44:10 And so the 144,000 are like that. 44:13 You'll also find a description of 144,000 in Revelation 14, 44:16 it says, "In their mouth was found no deceit, 44:19 for they're without fault before the throne of God." 44:22 We might wonder, "Well, 44:23 that seems to exclude us, for all have sinned 44:26 and come short of the glory of God." 44:27 No, if you read it there in the Greek, 44:29 it says, they were found without fault 44:31 before the throne of God. 44:32 Just talking about a specific moment in time, 44:34 it doesn't mean they've never sinned, 44:36 but it means they've come to God in genuine repentance, 44:39 they have been forgiven, 44:40 their sins have been blotted out, 44:42 they are found righteous before God 44:44 without any fault, meaning Christ has paid for our sins. 44:48 Our past is gone, 44:50 we stand pure and holy before God. 44:52 That's encouraging. 44:53 Every one of us, by God's grace can be faithful 44:56 right up till the very end. 44:58 Yeah, and they're declared righteous 45:00 in that judgment. 45:01 And something else you learn about them 45:03 is there is a special sequence. 45:06 It says in verse 4, Chapter 14 of Revelation, 45:08 still talking about the 144,000. 45:10 I don't know what we're going to do 45:12 when we finally get to Chapter 14, 45:13 we've taught it all now. 45:15 Well, it all goes together, who are the 144,000? 45:18 It says, "These were redeemed from among men 45:20 being the firstfruits to God and the Lamb." 45:25 Who were the first followers of Jesus? 45:28 Wasn't that the 12... 45:29 Right after His baptism, 45:31 the 12 apostles began to gather around Him. 45:34 And again, they're some of the first 45:36 that stepped forward, and they come to follow Jesus, 45:38 and they become disciples. 45:39 So I see the 144,000 is sort of a last day example 45:45 of doing a work of apostles in proclamation. 45:50 They've got a special relationship 45:51 with the Lord. 45:53 And are they the only ones that received the Holy Spirit? 45:57 At Pentecost, 45:58 when the Holy Spirit's poured out, 46:00 Acts Chapter 2, who is in the upper room? 46:05 Twelve apostles, and who else? 46:08 Hundred and twenty, total. 46:09 It's 10 times more than just the 12. 46:12 So a great multitude 46:13 is then filled with the Holy Spirit, 46:16 and how many are baptized that day? 46:18 Three thousand, the first time, five thousand later, right? 46:22 Under the influence of those that were filled 46:25 with the Holy Spirit. 46:26 So it's not just the 144,000 46:28 that are filled with the Holy Spirit 46:29 in the last days. 46:31 And so are we going to see 46:33 people going around in the last days 46:34 wearing tags like marathon runners 46:37 wearing numbers and they'll say, 46:38 "I'm number 142,000 of the 144,000." 46:43 I don't know that they'll even know that they are, 46:46 but God's going to know who they are. 46:49 I think we should be rather leery of somebody 46:51 who's boasting that they are part of 144,000. 46:54 It almost gives the impression that they think 46:56 they're better than anyone else or everyone else. 46:58 No, God's the one who knows. 47:01 We want to be faithful to Him and allow Him to use us 47:03 in whatever ways He deems fit, right? 47:06 Oh, Lord, if You want me to preach to the world, 47:08 I'll preach to the world. 47:09 If You want me to preach to my family, 47:11 I'll preach to my family, 47:12 whatever it is You want me to do, 47:14 I want to be faithful to You. Amen. 47:16 I think one of the most important things 47:18 we can learn from the 144,000, 47:20 it says, "They follow the Lamb wherever He goes." 47:24 That means when He goes to the cross, 47:27 what does Jesus say? 47:29 "Whoever would come after Me, He would follow Me, 47:31 and must deny yourself daily, take up your cross, 47:35 and follow Me." 47:36 Did many of the disciples lay down their... 47:38 The apostles lay down their lives? 47:41 Of the 11, Judas took his ownlife, 47:44 but ten of the others, according to history, 47:47 we don't know every detail, 47:49 but according to what we know from history, 47:50 and some of it is from, 47:54 you know, legends, you might even say. 47:57 They all sacrificed their lives. 48:00 John is the only one who died of old age, 48:02 and they tried to kill him, they put him in boiling oil. 48:05 So they were willing to follow their lives. 48:06 They counted not their lives dear unto them, 48:11 but they were willing to lay down their lives. 48:12 What's different about the 144,000 48:15 is I think that God preserves them 48:17 just as He did to the Apostle John, 48:19 and they survive 48:21 the final onslaught of the devil in the last days. 48:25 Any closing thoughts? 48:26 You know, if we're going to follow 48:27 the Lamb throughout the vastness of the universe 48:30 after Jesus comes, 48:31 we need to start following the Lamb right now. 48:34 Amen. 48:35 And we can follow the Lamb in our own private lives, 48:37 in our hearts, in our families, in the church, 48:41 we can make that commitment to follow the Lamb 48:43 wherever He goes. 48:44 Amen. Well, that was fun. 48:46 I just... 48:47 For those who are watching, 48:48 I didn't give Pastor Ross any warning, 48:50 I just asked him to come up and teach with me. 48:51 He did pretty good, don't you think? 48:53 I knew he knew this. 48:54 I figured we had matching suits today, 48:56 we could teach together. 48:58 We might do this again sometime, 48:59 that was fun. 49:00 For our friends who are watching, don't forget, 49:02 we do have a book that really goes into 49:04 more detail of the very thing we're talking about, 49:07 and it's called Who Will Sing the Song? 49:09 Really who are the 144,000? 49:11 You want a free copy, 49:12 all you have to do is call 866-788-3966, 49:17 that's 866-Study-More, 49:20 and ask for offer number 172. 49:22 You can actually go to download it right now, 49:24 all you have to do is text. 49:25 Here's what you do. 49:26 You text, "SH119" 49:29 and you text that to 40544, 49:33 and you'll be able to download a copy of this right now 49:36 and read it for yourself. 49:37 Thank you so much for studying with us. 49:39 God willing, we'll continue to study the Book of Revelation 49:42 next week. 49:44 Don't forget to request 49:45 today's life changing free resource. 49:47 Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, 49:49 you can download a digital copy straight to your computer 49:52 or mobile device. 49:53 To get your digital copy of today's free gift, 49:56 simply text the keyword on your screen 49:58 to 40544 50:00 or visit the web address shown on your screen. 50:03 And be sure to select that digital download option 50:05 on the request page. 50:07 It's now easier than ever for you to study God's Word 50:10 with Amazing Facts 50:11 wherever and whenever you want, 50:13 and most important to share it with others. 51:14 If you wish, you could get a new start. 51:16 I'd like to live my life over knowing what I know now, 51:18 I don't want to start over 51:19 and just make all the same mistakes. 51:21 I want to have my memories, 51:22 so I don't make the same mistakes. 51:24 But you do get a new beginning, 51:26 you become a new creature, 51:27 that feeling of all your sins being washed away 51:29 because God promises it. 51:31 Isn't that wonderful concept? 51:33 "I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. 51:42 In as much as you did it to one of the least of these, 51:45 My brethren, you did it to me." 52:02 My parents got divorced when I was three or four, 52:04 and then, I was basically unchurched most of my life. 52:07 I had a girlfriend in high school 52:09 telling me that she had to break up with me 52:10 because I wasn't a Christian. 52:11 I thought that's weird, 52:12 I believe in God, why would she say that? 52:14 Not realizing I was living a horrible life 52:16 with foul language, was mean, and other stuff. 52:18 And that kind of challenged me initially, 52:22 and then my dad, 9/11 woke him up. 52:24 I think he wasn't ready to meet his Lord 52:25 though he was a man 52:27 that I valued and knew he loved me, 52:28 didn't doubt that. 52:30 But he just knew he needed more. 52:31 So he started watching TV ministries first. 52:33 Baptist preachers, and others, 52:35 and he was kind of intrigued by what he was learning, 52:39 and so when he turned me on to this television station, 52:42 first thing that I got access to was Doug Batchelor's 52:46 Most Amazing Prophecy series 52:47 that he did in Berrien Springs, Michigan. 52:49 And I remember when I first watched this, 52:51 my background was Baptistish of sorts, 52:54 but I remember 52:55 when I first watched the series, 52:57 I remember thinking I've never heard that before 52:59 about the State of the Dead, or about the Sabbath, 53:01 or the Commandments, or the Rapture, other things. 53:04 I remember thinking to myself, I've never heard that before, 53:06 but that's what the text says, and that kept happening, 53:10 and I had this experience of just wondering like, 53:12 "Well, what else have I believed that isn't 53:14 as it is, you know?" 53:16 And the more I watched, the more helpful it became. 53:19 But again, he kind of took 53:20 a different perspective on the messages. 53:21 It was fresh to me, but I just... 53:24 These things I had never heard before, 53:26 and I just realized like, 53:28 "There's so much stuff in the Bible 53:30 that no one's talking about and that people need to know." 53:33 And so I ended up in this awkward situation 53:35 that some of my friends who didn't believe 53:38 what I was coming to believe, 53:39 I didn't know how to communicate with them, 53:41 and so one of the things that helped me initially 53:44 was the sabbathtruth.com website, 53:47 thetruthabouthell.com, and the truth about death. 53:50 And some of those resource websites 53:52 that Amazing Facts had put together, 53:54 that were just full of resources. 53:56 If I needed an answer to something 53:57 that someone brought up, 53:59 there would be a 95% chance 54:01 that Amazing Facts would have something 54:03 that I could use. 54:04 It makes witnessing even easier in that sense. 54:07 The Amazing Facts Prophecy Study Bible 54:08 was my first real Bible that I had 54:11 of a more trusted translation. 54:13 The Bible study guides were on the back of it 54:15 and lot of other resources that were helpful. 54:17 If you can hand a book to somebody 54:19 and you can pick up a phone and call Amazing Facts, 54:21 you have everything you need. 54:22 And so I was just printing off stuff 54:24 and handing it to people, 54:25 you know, like, here's what I'm coming to realize, 54:27 this is true, it's in the Bible. 54:29 And it was a huge blessing to me, 54:31 and a real help just to kind of help me to better understand 54:34 what the message was, 54:36 and understand it for myself, 54:38 and have resources to put 54:39 in the hands of the other people, 54:40 it was invaluable. 54:41 Some time went by, I eventually went to school of evangelism, 54:44 and was baptized. 54:45 And then I had this amazing opportunity 54:47 that after being in the ministry 54:49 for about five or six years, 54:50 Doug Batchelor was going to be the main speaker 54:52 at youth events, 54:53 and I was actually going to be doing a seminar 54:55 at this youth event. 54:56 And it was just this amazing kind of full circle experience 54:59 that the first person 55:00 that I came in contact within Adventism, 55:02 to hear the message to have it make sense, 55:04 to be able to do ministry together with him 55:06 in whatever role possible just meant the world to me, 55:09 and to be able to tell him my story 55:11 and tell him thank you was invaluable. 55:13 And so God just gave me a precious gift 55:16 and afforded an opportunity and I'll never forget that. 55:19 My name is Dee. 55:20 Thank you for changing my life. 55:40 Port Royal, here in Jamaica 55:42 was once considered the most wicked city in the world. 55:45 They had more bars and brothels per square foot 55:48 than any other place on the planet. 55:50 It was said to be full of cutthroats and pirates. 55:52 But during this time, the king of France, Louis XIV, 55:56 he began to persecute the Protestants 55:58 and the Huguenots in the kingdom and many fled. 56:01 That's when Lewis Galdy and his brother Laurent 56:04 came to Port Royal. 56:07 When Lewis Galdy arrived, 56:09 he was absolutely dumbfounded at the unrestrained immorality, 56:12 violence, and extravagance that filled Port Royal. 56:15 That's why nobody was surprised 56:17 when the judgment of God finally happened. 56:20 Just before noon, in June 7, 1692, 56:23 there was a massive earthquake 56:24 that affected the whole island, Port Royal in particular. 56:28 Two-thirds of it slid into the sea. 56:30 Then came a tsunami, thousands perished. 56:33 Unfortunately, even Lewis Galdy 56:35 was swallowed up in the earthquake. 56:41 You know, much of Jamaica is a rock. 56:43 But Port Royal was built on the sand. 56:45 And so when the earthquake struck, 56:47 the sand virtually liquified, swallowing much of the city 56:50 and thousands of people. 56:52 Lewis Galdy was buried alive. 56:54 But while underground, 56:55 he was still conscious and he prayed. 56:58 He was lying himself to his fate, 57:00 prayed to the Lord, 57:01 and then another miracle happened. 57:03 There was an aftershock with volcanic activity 57:05 that exploded blowing Lewis Galdy out of the earth, 57:09 hundreds of yards off into the sea 57:11 where he had a very pretty hard landing, 57:13 but he was able to swim until he was rescued. 57:16 Lewis Galdy dedicated 57:17 the remaining 47 years of his life 57:19 to serving Jesus in this island, 57:21 and he's even buried here still today. 57:28 You know, the Bible tells us, just before Jesus comes back, 57:31 conditions in the world will be very much 57:33 like they were in Sodom and Port Royal. 57:36 There is going to be a tremendous earthquake 57:37 and even islands will be swallowed up. 57:39 But God's people don't need to be afraid. 57:41 The same way 57:42 that the Lord took care of Lewis Galdy, 57:44 He will take care of you. 57:45 It says in Psalm 91, 57:47 "That you might see a thousand fall at your side 57:49 or 10,000 at your right hand, 57:50 but only with your eyes will you see 57:52 and behold the destruction of the wicked." 57:54 He can protect you and resurrect you. |
Revised 2019-02-06