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Series Code: SSH
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00:04 My name is Diana Dixon.
00:06 I'm a professional truck driver. 00:07 In August of 4th, 2011, 00:10 I stopped to help in an accident. 00:12 Diana Dixon also tried to help. 00:14 She parked her semi, 00:15 jumped out and headed toward the pickup. 00:18 That's when she saw vehicles barreling toward her 00:20 so she reacted 00:22 by jumping off 475 to a road below. 00:25 Well, pickup, it's clipped a semi 00:27 and I stopped to help 00:28 and I saw in the mirror so I walked back. 00:30 Gentleman told me, he says hey, 00:31 you know, everything's okay, they called 911. 00:33 And I looked over at the pickup 00:35 and there was a black pickup over there. 00:36 And he was okay. 00:37 At about that time I don't know how far I walked 00:40 but I walked far enough and a semi hit him 00:44 and it imploded. 00:46 I knew it was gonna hit me. 00:47 I had 30 seconds to decide and I decided to jump. 00:51 Yeah, I jumped off the bridge. 00:53 My back is broke. 00:56 Where are you at? 00:57 I don't know. 00:59 Fractured my pelvis in 24 places. 01:01 Five broken ribs, C5 neck fracture. 01:05 I had a collapsed lung, I had a lacerated bladder, 01:08 I was bleeding internally, 01:10 I had no marks on the outside of me at all, 01:12 but a scrape on my arm and scraped the concrete. 01:14 From the chest down, I was on fire. 01:17 I was a dispatcher for a year after the accident, 01:20 and I went back, finished my degree. 01:23 And I went to Pittsburgh. 01:25 Threw a backpack over my back. 01:27 Walked like all the other students. 01:29 I ran a marathon 01:31 and since then 01:32 I've been back to truck driving. 01:34 There was a gentleman I worked with, 01:36 and one day he was walking in and he walked up to my desk 01:39 and I was reading my Bible 01:40 and he says, "Are you a believer?" 01:43 And I said, "Yes." 01:44 And he gave me some Amazing Facts study guides 01:48 and it just, 01:49 it was an eye opening experience for me. 01:51 I mean, I started reading them 01:52 and I had a bunch of questions to ask him, 01:54 so I got online, 01:55 and I got on Amazing Facts web page, 01:59 and I just founded information just that I'd never know. 02:04 I went back to work as a truck driver, 02:05 because that was my ministry. 02:07 It was my ministry before the accident, 02:09 and I was driving down the road, 02:11 and I just needed a connection and I was flipping through 02:14 and somehow I ended up on YouTube. 02:17 And next thing I know, Amazing Facts, 02:19 one of those things would come up there 02:21 and I listened to it. 02:22 I'm driving down the road, I got 11 hours of driving. 02:26 So I listened to one, I listened to another one, 02:29 and the more I listened to him 02:30 everything that I thought in my heart... 02:33 I just click on one of these YouTube's 02:34 and there he was giving me the answer. 02:36 I walked in a Seventh-day Adventist Church 02:38 for the first time and I felt at home. 02:41 I was baptized in the Seventh-day 02:42 Adventist Church, 02:44 because I found the truth that I just was searching for 02:48 and I've been praying about. 02:49 Amazing Facts 02:51 has been such an inspiration and important 02:54 for my coming back into ministry, 02:57 that I want to be able to give back to anyone 02:59 that I can, 03:00 and Amazing Facts is the backbone of my ministry. 03:05 My name is Diana Dixon. 03:07 Thank you for changing my life. 03:51 Good morning, friends. 03:52 Welcome again to Sabbath School Study Hour, 03:55 here at the Granite bay Seventh-day Adventist Church 03:57 in Sacramento, California. 03:59 We'd like to welcome those who are joining us online, 04:02 our online members and also the friends 04:04 who are joining us across the country 04:06 and around the world. 04:08 And glad that you've tuned in to continue our study 04:10 in the Book of Revelation. 04:12 I like to welcome our regular church members 04:14 and our visitors here in person 04:15 that have come to study together. 04:17 Very important lesson, as you know, 04:19 our whole quarter is focused on the Book of Revelation. 04:22 Today, our study is lesson number nine, 04:26 that's entitled "Satan and His Allies," 04:28 and we're gonna be getting to that here 04:29 in just a few moments, 04:31 principally, looking at Revelation Chapter 13. 04:34 But before we get to that, 04:35 we do have a free offer 04:37 that goes along with our study today. 04:39 Very interesting topic. 04:40 It's entitled "The Beast, the Dragon and the Woman." 04:44 And this our free offer for anyone who would like it. 04:46 If you'd like to receive a hard copy of the book, 04:49 you need to call the number 866-788-3966 04:54 and you can ask for our offer for today, 04:57 "The Beast, the Dragon and the Woman." 04:59 And if you'd like to receive a digital copy of the book, 05:03 what you need to do is text the code "SH107" 05:08 to the number 40544, 05:12 and we'll give you a link and you go to the link 05:14 and you'll be able to download the book 05:15 "The Beast, the Dragon and the Woman." 05:18 But before we get to our study, 05:19 let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. 05:22 Dear Father, once again, 05:23 we are grateful for the opportunity 05:25 to open up Your Word and study 05:26 this very important passage 05:28 in Revelation Chapter 13. 05:30 Father, we want to ask in a special way 05:32 that You would send Your Spirit 05:34 to guide our hearts and our minds, 05:35 bring us into a clear understanding 05:37 of this very important subject relevant for the last days. 05:42 So we ask Your blessing upon our time today 05:44 in Jesus' name, amen. 05:47 Our lesson today is gonna be brought to us 05:49 by Pastor Doug. 05:54 Thank you, Pastor Ross, and good morning, everybody. 05:57 Want to welcome again, our friends that are watching, 06:00 via satellite or live on the internet, 06:03 and we have some online members 06:06 from different parts of the world. 06:07 We welcome you as well. 06:09 I also listened to your prayers as I embark on teaching 06:11 our subject today because normally 06:15 we're covering in Revelation 13. 06:17 Most evangelists, 06:20 they take one hour to talk about the first beast. 06:24 Then they take another hour 06:25 to talk about America and prophecy, 06:27 the second beast. 06:29 Then they take a third hour to talk about 06:31 the mark of the beast. 06:32 But our lesson writers have asked us to do it 06:34 in one 45 minutes section. 06:37 So what I've done today is a little different 06:39 from what I normally do, I've never done this before, 06:42 but I've taken everything I've got on Revelation 13, 06:45 I've put it into one PowerPoint presentation 06:48 from all the different evangelistic programs. 06:50 I had to cut a few slides out 06:53 and so I'm gonna talk quickly. 06:57 Because I'm afraid that I won't be getting 06:59 all the way through the lesson, 07:00 I thought it would be good for us to at least 07:01 open our Bibles to Revelation 13, 07:04 and we're gonna be reading that chapter together. 07:07 Now we have a memory verse in the lesson. 07:08 And the memory verse comes to us 07:11 from Revelation 12:17. 07:14 I know the lesson is on Chapter 13, 07:16 but memory verse is from Revelation 12:17, 07:19 I think most of us know that and it says, 07:23 "The dragon was enraged with the woman, 07:26 and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, 07:30 who keep the commandments of God 07:33 and have the testimony of Jesus." 07:35 That is the New King James Version. 07:38 Now, go with me to Revelation 13. 07:41 It's interesting, there's 17 verses in Revelation 12. 07:44 There's 18 verses in Revelation 13. 07:46 We're going to just read them all. 07:47 So stay with me. 07:48 I'll do my best to read this without comment. 07:53 "Then I stood upon the sand of the sea. 07:56 And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea 07:59 having seven heads and ten horns, 08:02 and on his horns, ten crowns, 08:05 and on his heads names of blasphemy. 08:08 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, 08:11 and his feet were like the feet of a bear, 08:14 and his mouth was like the mouth of a lion. 08:17 The dragon gave him his power, 08:18 his throne, and great authority. 08:21 And I saw one of the heads 08:22 as it had been mortally wounded, 08:24 and its deadly wound was healed, 08:27 and all the world marveled and followed the beast. 08:30 So they worshiped the dragon, 08:31 who gave authority to the beast, 08:33 and they worshiped the beast, saying, 08:35 'Who is like the beast? 08:36 And who is able to make war with him?' 08:39 And he was given a mouth speaking great things 08:41 and blasphemies, 08:43 and he was given authority to continue for 42 months. 08:46 And then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God 08:49 to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, 08:52 and those who dwell in heaven. 08:54 And it was granted to him to make war with the saints 08:56 and to overcome them. 08:58 And authority was given him over every tribe, 09:01 tongue, and nation. 09:03 And all who dwell upon the earth 09:04 will worship him, 09:05 whose names have not been written 09:07 in the Book of Life of the Lamb 09:09 slain from the foundation of the world. 09:12 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 09:14 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity, 09:17 and he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. 09:21 Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 09:25 Then I saw another beast come up from out of the earth, 09:28 and he had two horns like a lamb, 09:30 and he spoke like a dragon. 09:32 And he exercises all the authority 09:34 of the first beast in his presence, 09:36 and causes the earth and those who dwell in it 09:38 to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. 09:42 He performs great signs, 09:44 so that he even makes fire come down 09:46 from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 09:49 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth 09:51 by those signs which he was granted to do 09:53 in the sight of the beast, 09:55 telling those who dwell on the earth 09:57 to make an image to the beast 09:58 who was wounded by the sword and lived. 10:01 And he was granted power to give breath 10:03 to the image of the beast, 10:04 that the image of the beast should both speak 10:06 and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast 10:09 to be killed. 10:11 And he causes all, both small and great, 10:13 rich and poor, free and slave, 10:15 to receive a mark 10:16 on their right hand or on their foreheads, 10:18 and that no one might buy or sell 10:20 except the one who has the mark or the name of the beast, 10:23 or the number of his name. 10:25 Here is wisdom. 10:26 Let him who has understanding calculate 10:29 the number of the beast, 10:31 for it is the number of a man: And his number is 666." 10:36 So I've got a presentation, I only have 120 slides, 10:41 and we're gonna try to cover 10:44 the beast from the sea, this is what's in your lesson, 10:47 the activities of the sea beast, 10:49 the beast arising out of the earth, 10:51 the image of the beast and the mark of the beast. 10:54 So let's pray that God will make the sun stand still 10:59 and let's see how far we can get. 11:01 Okay, so Satan and his allies is the title of our lesson. 11:04 First, we're gonna address our attention 11:06 to the beast from the sea. 11:08 Now, I'm gonna tell you right away. 11:10 If you don't already know what, 11:12 all of the great reformers and Protestants 11:14 believed about this, 11:16 I thought, I'll go ahead and tell you what they believe. 11:18 Then we'll back up and share the reasons. 11:20 Now, if this is the first time you're hearing this, 11:22 I hope you put on your seatbelt. 11:24 But I thought I should let you know 11:26 that many of the reformers beginning with John Wycliffe, 11:30 by the way, who was a Catholic priest. 11:33 He said, "We suppose that the Antichrist, 11:36 the head of all these evil men is the Pope of Rome." 11:39 Foxes Book of Martyrs. 11:41 John Huss, also a Catholic priest said, 11:44 "The pope is the true Antichrist, 11:46 of whom it is written, 11:47 that he sits in the temple of God, 11:49 among the people where Christ is worshiped." 11:52 And you got Martin Luther, 11:53 another Catholic priest who said, 11:56 "The vicar is in the place of an absent chief, 11:59 what is such a vicar but Antichrist. 12:02 I know, and am certain that the papacy 12:05 is the kingdom of Babylon." 12:07 Same power that we're talking about here. 12:10 And I should probably pause here 12:11 and just mention that 12:13 in Daniel 7, you got a beast with ten horns. 12:17 In Revelation 12, you get the ten horns, 12:20 Revelation 13, Revelation 17, 12:22 we're all talking about the same beast, 12:24 Antichrist power here. 12:26 They recognize that he just referred 12:27 to Revelation 17, 12:29 but it's the same beast. 12:31 John Knox, Catholic priest, 12:33 he said "Yea, we doubt not to prove 12:35 the kingdom of the pope 12:37 to be the kingdom and power of Antichrist." 12:39 So I just wanted to show you that through Catholic history, 12:42 they saw that their own institution 12:44 was fulfilling the prophecies of Revelation and Daniel. 12:49 Here's Charles Spurgeon, more modern preacher, 12:53 "Behold upon her forehead the name, 12:55 Mystery, Babylon the Great, 12:56 the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. 12:59 The Church of Rome and her teachings 13:01 are a vast mountain of rubbish covering the Truth of God!" 13:05 That's pretty strong. 13:06 From the book, A Great Cloud Of Witnesses. 13:09 They write, "Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, 13:13 Cranmer, it's Thomas Cranmer, in the 17th century, Bunyan, 13:17 who wrote pilgrim's progress, 13:19 the translators of the King James Bible, 13:21 the men who published the Westminster 13:23 and Baptist confession of faith, 13:27 Sir Isaac Newton, John Wesley, 13:29 George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, 13:31 and more recently Spurgeon, 13:33 Bishop J.C. Ryle, Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, 13:36 these men among countless others, 13:39 all saw the office of the Papacy 13:41 as the Antichrist." 13:43 So as you study Revelation 13, 13:45 all of these scholars I just mentioned, 13:47 unanimously believed the first beast 13:50 in Revelation 13 was the papacy. 13:52 So don't say, Pastor Doug, 13:54 why are you doing hate speech here? 13:57 You'll have to accuse all of the Protestant leaders 13:59 and many Catholics leaders, of the same thing. 14:02 So that's what they believe. 14:03 Now let's look and find out if it fits. 14:05 Revelation 13:1, 14:07 "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, 14:09 and I saw a beast rise up out of the sea." 14:12 So he has seven heads and ten horns, 14:15 and upon his horns ten crowns, 14:17 and upon his heads the names of blasphemy." 14:20 So there's some blasphemy, 14:21 disrespect of God that's happening here. 14:24 It says, "This beast arises from the sea. 14:27 What does the sea or the water symbolize? 14:30 You go to the Bible to get the explanation. 14:33 Revelation 17:15, the angel told John," 14:36 The waters that you saw are peoples, 14:38 and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." 14:41 So this beast power comes up 14:43 from the midst of densely populated area, 14:47 the center of civilization, and indeed, Rome, 14:50 which was ruling the world at the time 14:52 Revelation was written, 14:53 was stationed literally in a peninsula 14:55 in the middle of the seas, 14:57 literally as well as figuratively 14:59 in the middle of an empire of people, 15:02 densely populated for the time. 15:04 I'll say more on that in a moment. 15:06 You go to verse 2, 15:08 "Now the beast I saw was like a leopard, 15:11 his feet were like the feet of a bear, 15:13 his mouth like the mouth of a lion." 15:15 So what does the beast represent 15:17 in Bible prophecy? 15:18 You know, people say, 15:19 "That's not very nice to call the Catholic Church a beast." 15:23 Well, all the nations were called in, 15:25 the powers were called beast, it's not being derogatory. 15:28 We think of America, we think of the American eagle. 15:32 China's typically the dragon and Russia is the what? 15:36 The bear. 15:37 Countries have always used mascots and beasts 15:39 to identify them. 15:40 Starts with the Bible. 15:42 So you can look here, it says in Daniel 7:17, 15:45 "These great beasts which are four, 15:47 are four kings. 15:49 The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom." 15:52 So when it talks about beasts, 15:53 we're not talking about a monster. 15:54 We're talking about 15:56 religious political powers that rule." 16:00 The ram," Daniel 8:20, 16:02 "which you saw having the two horns, 16:03 they are the kings of Media and Persia. 16:06 And the male goat is the king of Greece." 16:08 And so they represented different kingdoms. 16:10 This is established early in the Bible. 16:13 Now, you'll notice if you read Daniel 7, 16:16 it talks about a lion, and a bear, and a leopard, 16:19 and a dragon. 16:21 Now, what do we find in Revelation 13? 16:23 This beast is a conglomerate 16:26 of a leopard, a lion, a bear, 16:30 and the dragon is giving him his seat, 16:32 his power and great authority. 16:33 So what happens here with the Roman power 16:36 that rises up out of the sea 16:38 is sort of got pieces of all these other empires. 16:43 So who is the first beast? 16:44 Right, one that rises from the sea. 16:45 Rome fits that definition. 16:47 It gets its power seat and authority from the dragon. 16:52 It's a worldwide power, it's guilty of blasphemy, 16:55 rules for 42 months, gets a deadly wound that heals, 16:58 persecutes God's saints and left one out, 17:01 has a mysterious number 666. 17:03 So I already showed you the papacy arose 17:05 from the center of civilization. 17:08 Who gives the beast his power and position? 17:11 Revelation 13:2, 17:12 "The dragon gave him his power, his seat, 17:14 and great authority." 17:16 Now if you look in Revelation 12, 17:18 the devil is the dragon, 17:20 trying to kill Jesus as a baby when He's born, 17:22 through the Roman power, through the crucifixion, 17:25 it's the Roman kingdom ruled by Caesars, 17:29 what you'd call pagan Rome, but pagan Rome began to fail. 17:33 First pagan Rome tried to destroy Christianity 17:35 but instead it grew, 17:37 was ultimately legalized by Constantine 17:40 and Constantinople was later set up 17:42 in honor of Constantine. 17:45 Between the time of Constantine about 500 years AD, 17:50 Constantine was 320 AD, 17:53 the church suddenly became a political institution 17:57 and it went through a great deal of change 17:59 and you can read here in history, 18:00 "The transfer of the emperor's residents 18:03 to Constantinople." 18:05 The reason they did that as the barbarians 18:06 were beginning around 446, 18:09 they're coming down from the north 18:10 and attacking Rome. 18:12 They said, we're gonna move our capital 18:14 of the Roman Empire from Rome to Constantinople. 18:17 "The transfer of the emperor's residence 18:19 to Constantinople was a sad blow 18:21 to the prestige of Rome, 18:23 and at the time one might have predicted 18:24 her speedy decline. 18:26 But the development of the church, 18:28 and the growing authority 18:29 of the Bishop of Rome or the pope, 18:32 gave her a new lease on life, 18:34 and made her again the capital, 18:35 this time the religious capital 18:37 of the civilized world." 18:39 "To the succession of the Caesars 18:41 came the succession of the pontiffs in Rome. 18:44 When Constantine left Rome, 18:45 he gave his seat to the pontiff." 18:48 And so what happened was, they quite literally, 18:51 pagan Rome gave its seat, 18:53 power, and authority to papal Rome. 18:55 Even gave the pope an army. 18:57 We'll talk more about that. 18:59 So he receives his power, his seat, 19:01 and authority from the Roman Empire. 19:04 Fits this definition exactly. 19:08 How far reaching is the influence of the beast? 19:11 It says in Revelation 13:3, "And all the world wondered." 19:14 It's a universal influence. 19:16 "Authority is given him over every tribe, 19:19 tongue, and nation." 19:21 The word Catholic means universal, 19:23 nothing wrong with the word Catholic. 19:25 Did you know that 19:26 the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Catholic Church? 19:30 That just means... 19:31 Oh, that's gonna get some letters. 19:34 That just means that it is a global church. 19:38 But what makes the Catholic Church different, 19:40 is it's not just a church or denomination, 19:43 it is a religious, a political power. 19:46 The Vatican is an independent country 19:48 on about 109 acres 19:50 where ambassadors go from around the world. 19:54 And the pope certainly has international influence. 19:57 And everywhere he goes, 19:58 he's able to get into play governments. 20:01 He just came back from meeting with government leaders 20:03 in Dubai. 20:05 The United Nations has never assembled 20:07 and met to talk to the leader of the Methodist 20:10 or the Episcopalians Church of England, 20:13 they wouldn't assemble to listen to Billy Graham. 20:16 But they do assemble to listen to the pope 20:18 because he is a political power. 20:20 And power was given unto him to continue 42 months. 20:23 So there's a time period here where it would have almost 20:26 uninterrupted authority. 20:28 Now when does this time period begin? 20:30 Forty-two months. 20:31 A day in prophecy is what? 20:34 A year and that's of course from Ezekiel 4:6 20:36 and other versus 20:38 tells us when interpreting these large Bible prophecies, 20:41 it's typically a day for a year. 20:43 So if you go 42 months Jewish calendar, 20:47 that's 42 times 30 which is 1260 years, 20:52 it's the same thing as three and a half years 20:54 or 40 or yeah, 42 months, 20:57 three and a half years 1260 days, 20:59 a time, a time of the dividing of time. 21:01 It's the same, same time period. 21:04 538 is when this time period begins 21:06 and the reason is, 21:07 that's when the pope really got his political power. 21:12 "The legally recognized supremacy of the pope 21:14 began in 538 AD 21:17 when there went into effect a decree of Emperor Justinian, 21:19 making the bishop of Rome the head over all the churches, 21:23 and the definer of doctrines and corrector of heretics." 21:26 This is not written by our church. 21:28 "Vigilius ascended the papal chair in 538 AD 21:31 under the military protection of Belisarius." 21:34 And that's history of the Christian Church. 21:36 538 is when basically, the emperor left Rome, 21:40 he gave the pope an army said, 21:43 you're large in charge and they began to exercise 21:47 not just religious but political authority. 21:50 And they were able to correct heretics 21:52 and use force to make people believe. 21:54 That started in 538, 21:56 for then 1260 years they have, 22:01 that's way over Europe. 22:03 That's why whenever you play chess, 22:05 if you play chess there by the king and the queen 22:08 on either side is the bishop 22:09 because in every court of Europe 22:11 there were representatives of the church approving 22:14 or disapproving of the enactments 22:16 and pronouncements of the king. 22:18 They had an emissary from the Vatican, 22:21 telling them what they could and couldn't do. 22:23 But then that came to an end. 22:25 Now we're in Revelation 13:3, 22:27 "I saw one of his heads as it was wounded to death, 22:30 and his deadly wound was healed, 22:33 and all the world wondered after the beast." 22:36 So you go down 1260 years and exactly 1260 years 22:41 after 538 in 1798 22:44 Napoleon was now storming across Europe, 22:47 and the murder of a Frenchman in Rome 22:50 gave the French an excuse to occupy 22:54 what they call the Eternal City. 22:56 "In 1798 he Berthier, made his entrance into Rome, 23:00 he abolished the papal government." 23:02 Again this is not written, this is Encyclopedia Americana. 23:05 "Abolished the papal government 23:06 and established a secular one." 23:08 That remained that way for over 100 years. 23:11 And Revelation 13:10 says, 23:14 "He that leads into captivity will go into captivity: 23:17 he that kills with a sword must be killed with the sword." 23:19 Berthier arrested the pope, 23:21 carried him into captivity in Valence, 23:23 and he died there. 23:26 So now we've established who the sea beast is, 23:29 what were some of the activities 23:30 of the sea beast. 23:32 Well, what comes out of the mouth of the beast? 23:34 Revelation 13:6, 23:36 "He opens his mouth in," what? 23:38 "Blasphemy against God to blaspheme His name, 23:42 his tabernacle, and then they dwell in heaven." 23:45 Blasphemy, there are two biblical definitions. 23:47 One is claiming the power to forgive sins. 23:49 When Jesus said, He could forgive sins, 23:51 they said, "You speak blasphemy." 23:54 Claiming to be God, when Jesus said, "I am God." 23:56 They said, "You are speaking blasphemy." 23:58 Does the Catholic Church claim to have the power 24:01 to forgive sins and do they claim 24:02 the prerogatives of God? 24:04 Here's a quote from Pope Leo XIII, 24:07 "We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." 24:12 That, most Protestants would see as blasphemy. 24:16 Again, Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical letter, 24:19 "The supreme teacher in the church 24:21 is the Roman pontiff. 24:23 Union of minds, therefore requires complete submission 24:26 and obedience to the Roman pontiff, 24:28 as to God Himself." 24:30 Bible says, the apostle said, we are not God. 24:33 On April 30, 1922, Pope Pius XI said, 24:37 "You know that I am the Holy Father, 24:38 the representative of God on the earth, 24:40 the Vicar of Christ, 24:42 which means I am God on the earth." 24:45 That's a man. 24:46 Does that kind of make you gasp a little? 24:48 It's a man putting himself in the place of God. 24:50 And what about forgiveness of sins, 24:51 do that they claim that? 24:53 According to the book of the priests, 24:55 "God Himself is obliged to abide by the judgment 24:58 of His priests, 24:59 and either not to pardon or to pardon, 25:01 according as they refuse or give absolution." 25:04 God has to abide by what they say. 25:05 The sentence of the priest's proceeds, 25:07 it goes first and God subscribes to it. 25:10 God must forgive or not forgive, 25:11 the priest has the power, and God goes along with it. 25:15 The Bible says God and God only can forgive sin. 25:19 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 25:21 it tells us that "He would oppose 25:22 and exalt himself above all 25:24 that is called God or that is worshiped, 25:26 so that he sits in as God in the temple of God, 25:29 showing himself that he is God." 25:30 There's actually a photograph 25:32 were pope sit on a special throne 25:34 in the Vatican. 25:35 And they're flanked by angels like the Ark of the Covenant. 25:38 You know what's between the angels 25:39 and the Ark of the Covenant? 25:41 As in the holy place 25:43 and that's supposed to be the mercy seat, 25:45 the Shekinah presence of God, 25:47 so here the pope is sitting 25:48 right where the Shekinah presence of God 25:50 is supposed to be 25:51 and in the temple, in the holy place. 25:53 So the Holy of holy is actually so, 25:55 I always thought that was sort of an outrageous picture 25:59 for a man to be in that position. 26:01 What does the beast do to the saints? 26:03 Talking about the activities of the sea beast, 26:06 "It was given him to make war with the saints 26:08 and to overcome them." 26:10 I think we all know that the Roman Catholic Church 26:12 was a persecuting power, 26:14 other churches have persecuted too. 26:16 Even here in America, 26:17 we did a little bit of our own persecuting, 26:19 but nobody really has matched 26:21 what happened during the Inquisition 26:23 and the time period of the 1260 years. 26:27 It's estimated between 20 and 50 million 26:30 Christians and Jews were killed during that time. 26:35 British historian William Edward Lecky wrote, 26:37 "That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood 26:40 than any other institution 26:41 that has ever existed among mankind, 26:44 will be questioned by no Protestant 26:45 who has a competent knowledge of history." 26:48 That's History of Rise of the Spirit of Rationalism 26:50 in Europe. 26:51 What happened to the beast after the 42 months? 26:54 "I saw one of his heads as it was wounded to death, 26:57 but the deadly wound is healed." 26:59 We saw when they received a wound 27:01 when the Napoleon's general arrested the pope, 27:04 they lost their secular power. 27:07 But it says, "That wound would heal." 27:09 And this is something that happened. 27:11 These are actual photograph of the paper from 1928. 27:15 "The Roman question tonight was a thing of the past, 27:18 the Vatican was at peace with Italy 27:20 in affixing the autographs to the Memorable document 27:23 healing the wound." 27:25 San Francisco Chronicle, I'm sorry, I said 1928. 27:28 1929 is when this happened. 27:31 And so that was the beginning of the healing. 27:33 But, you know, it's continuing to heal 27:35 because some of the language Pope Francis 27:38 often uses now 27:39 is there has been a wound in the church. 27:41 He says it frequently, 27:42 I've got quotes assembled 27:44 between Protestants and Catholics 27:46 that needs to be healed. 27:47 He always actually incorporates that very language. 27:50 So now we're going to the section 27:52 on the beast rising up out of the earth, 27:55 under Tuesday in your lesson. 27:57 Most believe this represents United States. 28:00 "Another beast coming up out of the earth, 28:02 he had two horns like a lamb," 28:04 In Revelation, a lamb, good or bad? 28:06 A lamb is Christ, good. 28:08 Remember we see a Lamb slain in Chapter 4, 28:10 it's Jesus. 28:12 Dragon, good or bad? 28:14 And so here you got something, it starts out like a lamb, 28:17 ends up speaking like a dragon. 28:20 America began with great religious freedom 28:23 and Christianity grew, 28:24 more missionaries were sent from the United States 28:26 than any other place in the world 28:29 and became a haven for people to come. 28:32 Why is the US 28:33 and North America more specifically, 28:36 "If waters represent a populated area, 28:39 the earth must represent 28:40 a comparatively unpopulated area. 28:43 In 1650..." 28:44 I'm picking a date 28:45 where there was a census before 1798. 28:48 "In 1650, there were about 6 million 28:50 native Americans living in the entire North America, 28:52 Canada and the US." 28:54 Very, very few people per square mile. 28:57 While at the same time just in Europe, 28:59 there were 90 million people 29:01 to help you see the disparity that's out. 29:03 That's not even counting the Middle East, and Turkey, 29:06 just Europe, 90 million people. 29:08 So well over 100 million people in Europe, 29:10 6 million 29:11 in the whole North American continent. 29:13 And so it was relatively unpopulated. 29:18 And look at how quickly that changed, 29:20 you know, there was like 130 million people 29:22 living in North America by 1850. 29:25 It just exploded. 29:27 "And he exerciseth all the power 29:29 of the first beast before him, 29:30 and he caused the earth and them to dwell therein 29:33 to worship the first beast, 29:35 whose deadly wound was healed." 29:37 So something's gonna happen where the US now, 29:41 who was formed, 29:43 fleeing the religious persecution 29:45 in Europe is now gonna turn around 29:47 and there's gonna be some friendship 29:50 and coming together again. 29:52 Some of you remember this historic report 29:57 that was given on how behind the scenes 29:59 Ronald Reagan, President of the United States 30:01 work with Pope John Paul II, 30:03 my father actually met him once, 30:06 to assist Poland 30:08 in overthrowing communism. 30:09 That's what really started the domino effect 30:12 until Yeltsin got up on the tank, 30:14 and he declared that communism was over. 30:17 And everything changed after that. 30:19 They've even got a statue of Reagan 30:21 and the pope walking together there in Poland of bronze 30:25 because they know that was a historic confederacy 30:28 of the US and Catholicism 30:30 really helping to lead out 30:31 in setting up a new form of the world 30:36 or new world order, you might say. 30:38 And this is a classic photograph. 30:40 Here's Pope John Paul II at his funeral. 30:42 But what's really scary is, 30:44 here you've got three US presidents 30:47 who all were technically Protestants 30:49 kneeling before the Pope in the Vatican. 30:52 I thought, wow. 30:54 Anyway, and every president since then has, 30:57 you know, they visit with the pope. 30:58 And you'll notice the president 30:59 usually will first go see the pope, 31:01 then the pope will come 31:03 and visit the President of the United States. 31:05 It really was remarkable 31:07 just near the end of Obama's presidency 31:09 when the pope came to United States, 31:13 and he went to all the historic places 31:16 that where our government has its office. 31:20 You know, the first capital for US was in New York. 31:22 Pope went there, went to do, had a unified service. 31:25 Went to the 911 Memorial, 31:27 Philadelphia is where government was formed, 31:28 he went there. 31:29 Washington D.C. he went there, 31:32 and just said, you know, 31:33 record crowds met with Congress, 31:35 all met with the pope 31:36 went to the United Nations in one visit 31:39 and there's nothing left out. 31:41 And that was a rather, I think historic meeting. 31:44 "His deadly wound was healed." And what happens? 31:47 "All the world wonders." 31:49 And people have thought well, but, you know, 31:53 Islam is the second largest religion in the world, 31:55 how are you going to get over that? 31:56 Well, just this week, for the first time, 31:58 he did a mass in an Islamic country, 32:01 last week in Dubai. 32:05 "The papacy has gained worldwide influence, 32:07 prestige and prominence." 32:09 Now we're going to jump to the part 32:10 about an image of the beast in Revelation Chapter 13. 32:14 According to the prophecy, 32:15 what dramatic change will take place in America? 32:19 It says, "He starts out like a lamb, 32:20 but he ends up speaking like a dragon." 32:23 America has had the two horns of the lamb, 32:28 where we have a government without a king, 32:31 and a church without a pope. 32:33 We are a very religious country, 32:35 but there's no head of the church, 32:37 and we have political freedom 32:39 but our presidents have limited terms. 32:41 We have no king, 32:43 and it's made us a very unique government. 32:44 And, you know, since the formation of America, 32:47 which largely was due to Roger Williams, 32:50 under the leading of the Lord 32:52 separating the church and the state. 32:54 Doesn't mean that you have a government 32:55 that is separate from religion, which is what's happening. 32:58 Now they're pushing morality of the government 33:01 but it means that you don't have 33:02 a state government. 33:05 Since that time, 33:06 most of the governments of the world 33:08 have adopted the same form of government. 33:10 Isn't that interesting? 33:13 So how does the nation speak? 33:15 It speaks through its laws or its legislative body. 33:20 For over 100 years, 33:21 the Supreme Court of the United States 33:24 was all Protestant. 33:25 Our founding fathers, 33:26 some were deist, most were Christians. 33:29 They believe we should have 33:30 a separation of church and state, 33:31 but they were very religious, mostly Protestant people 33:35 who embraced the Protestant values. 33:37 Today on our Supreme Court 33:40 there's not a single Protestant, 33:42 even with the most recent last two appointments. 33:46 This is just something 33:47 you can find online the makeup of the Supreme Court, 33:50 you have all Roman Catholics, 33:54 one Episcopalian, Gorsuch who was raised Roman Catholic 33:59 but Episcopalian is really the English version of that. 34:02 And three were Jews, 34:05 there are no more Protestants now. 34:07 This is the body that will legislate and speak 34:10 for the laws of the country. 34:11 May all be wonderful people. 34:13 I'm just saying, I think that's an interesting development. 34:17 "It causeth the earth and them 34:18 that dwell therein to worship the first beast, 34:20 whose deadly wound was healed." 34:23 So something is going to be a catalyst in the world. 34:26 I also think it's interesting that 34:27 now we have the first Jesuit pope in the history, 34:30 and the Jesuits perform specifically 34:33 to fight against Protestantism. 34:36 And I don't know 34:38 what the catalyst is going to be. 34:39 It could be a natural disaster, a war, 34:41 it could be a financial disaster, 34:42 all three at one time. 34:43 One could lead to the other, 34:45 it's going to have people become very religious 34:46 very quickly. 34:48 Then you see that during 911, 34:50 how many remember how full the churches were, 34:52 right after that. 34:54 People can become very religious. 34:55 People are willing to sacrifice their freedoms 34:58 when they're frightened. 35:00 And I think you're going to see something 35:02 that will be the catalyst to America saying, 35:05 we need a religious leader 35:07 who is going to be the most likely candidate. 35:10 Even with all of the problems the Catholic Church has, 35:13 they've got very low ratings right now 35:17 with some of the sexual scandals 35:19 but the Pope Francis as an individual 35:21 has a very high rating. 35:24 He's actually dealing with some of these things. 35:27 It says, "Telling those who dwell on the earth 35:28 to make an image to the beast 35:30 who was wounded by the sword and lived." 35:32 Now, I just always thought this was interesting. 35:34 Here you've got the US Capitol then you get the Vatican. 35:37 An image is a likeness 35:39 and you know, right in front of the Vatican, 35:41 you've got a very large Egyptian obelisk, 35:45 sort of a pagan sundial. 35:47 What do you have right in front of the Capitol building? 35:49 The largest Egyptian obelisk in the world, 35:52 it's the Washington Monument. 35:54 I remember when you could still go to the top of that. 35:57 Now we're going to go to the section 35:58 on the mark of the beast. 35:59 So, on the last thing 36:00 about making an image to the beast, 36:03 it's telling us that something is going to happen 36:06 that the United States 36:08 is going to set up a government 36:11 that will actually be a persecuting, 36:14 a religious political power that will persecute, 36:17 tell people how to worship. 36:19 Now, right now, 36:20 it might be hard to see how could that develop? 36:22 It seems like we're becoming so secular. 36:25 But what you see happening historically, 36:27 is there are great swings that happen 36:30 when a pendulum goes too far in one direction, 36:33 it seldom comes back to the center, 36:35 and then swings 36:36 almost all the way the other direction. 36:39 Right now America is becoming so very secular, 36:42 where the government is, you know, just absurd laws, 36:47 everything from the same sex restrooms to, 36:51 you know, just taking God out of everything, 36:54 that I think, there's going to be an uprising. 36:56 Even though 65, 70% of America is Christian. 37:00 85% of America is religious. 37:05 People are getting tired of God 37:07 being pushed out of our daily lives, 37:09 and I think when there's a crisis, 37:12 there's going to be a swing 37:13 that will go the other direction, 37:15 and you're going to see legislation that is religious. 37:18 Now, what did we just see about the court? 37:20 Do we have a religious court? 37:21 Every member of the Supreme Court 37:22 is religious. 37:23 There's no atheist on the Supreme Court. 37:26 So I can see how these things can happen. 37:29 Mark of the beast, number 10. 37:31 What does the second beast of Revelation 13 37:34 force all to receive? 37:37 It says, "He causes all, both small and great, 37:39 rich and poor, free and bond 37:42 to receive a mark in the right hand, 37:44 or in their foreheads, 37:45 that no one might buy or sell, 37:47 unless he receives the mark with the name of the beast 37:51 or the number of his name." 37:52 The first thing I want to establish is, 37:55 people think when they think mark of the beast, 37:57 they're thinking barcode in the hand, 37:59 tattoo in the forehead. 38:01 Does the Bible say the mark of the beast 38:03 is that kind of mark? 38:05 As soon as it says in the forehead and in the hand 38:08 if you're a Jew, your mind should go back 38:10 to the verses in Deuteronomy. 38:11 If you have your Bible, 38:12 you might go to Deuteronomy Chapter 6 for example, 38:16 and there are three places 38:20 that I know in Deuteronomy and Exodus 38:23 where it tells us that that mark is a symbol. 38:27 Deuteronomy 6:6, 38:29 now keep in mind, 38:31 if you have your Bibles open, you'll notice Deuteronomy 5, 38:33 God repeats the Ten Commandments. 38:35 In fact, the word Deuteronomy means a repeating of the law. 38:38 Chapter 5 is where He repeats the Ten Commandments 38:41 that you find in Exodus 20. 38:43 After he repeats the Ten Commandments, 38:45 there's no change in the narrative here, 38:47 it's a continuing discussion by Moses. 38:49 You go to Chapter 6, verse 6, 38:51 "These words I command you today, 38:53 shall be in your heart." 38:54 And I just want to pause. 38:56 When he said the words 38:57 Ten Commandments shall be in your heart, 38:58 did He mean you are to make an incision in the chest 39:01 and put the words in there? 39:02 Or is he using metaphors? 39:05 These words shall be in your heart, 39:07 you shall teach them diligently to your children, 39:10 talk of them, when you sit in your house, 39:11 when you walk by the way, when you lay down, 39:14 when you rise up, 39:15 you shall bind them as a sign on your hand. 39:19 Did He literally want them to tie 39:21 the Ten Commandments on their hand? 39:23 And He says, "They shall be frontlets between your eyes." 39:26 That's the forehead. 39:28 Did He literally want them to tie 39:30 the Ten Commandments on their forehead? 39:31 There are some Jews who believe that. 39:33 You've probably seen Orthodox Jews 39:35 that put their phylacteries on, 39:36 they get little box on their forehead, 39:38 they get a little red leather strap, 39:39 and they take sections of scripture there 39:42 and they even staple them to the door of their house 39:45 so they touch it when they come in. 39:46 Some take it very literally and you know, 39:48 I guess there's no sin in that. 39:49 But what does he mean 39:51 tie it to your hand, 39:53 put it between your own eyes? 39:54 First of all, if you put it 39:55 between your eyes, you can't read it. 39:57 Can you read your forehead? 39:58 So obviously it's a symbol. 40:00 The forehead meant your thoughts. 40:03 Bible says, as a man thinks in his heart. 40:05 Put it on your hand meant your actions. 40:07 It meant the law of God 40:08 must be in your actions or in your forehead. 40:11 So when Revelation says that 40:14 God's people will have the seal of God on their forehead. 40:17 Are all of the saved gonna around having a big stamp 40:19 in their forehead in the last days? 40:21 No, 40:22 mine would be easy to read, 40:23 because I've got a good billboard space but... 40:26 And when it says in Revelation 17 40:28 that the woman's got a paragraph in her forehead, 40:30 Babylon, Mystery Babylon, 40:32 Mother of Harlots and abomination, 40:34 all that written. 40:35 You gonna really see someone like that 40:36 with that in their forehead in the last days? 40:38 No. 40:40 Thy word I've hidden in my heart. 40:42 It's talking about in our actions in your hand. 40:46 Bible says whatever your hand finds to do, 40:48 do it with all your might. 40:49 Your hand doesn't go around by itself, 40:51 finding things to do. 40:52 It's talking about whatever work you do. 40:54 So the mark of the beast 40:55 in the hand and in the forehead, 40:57 these churches that are saying that 40:58 they're going to tap to us, 40:59 and they're gonna inject a computer chip, 41:01 or they're going to put a barcode on, 41:03 it's not what it's talking about. 41:05 Might the political religious power 41:07 use credit cards, and chips, 41:10 and things to control buying and selling? 41:11 Sure, but credit cards are not a sin. 41:15 And if your dog has one of those, 41:17 what do they call them, IFD's under his skin 41:20 so he can be found when he's lost, 41:21 he doesn't have the mark of the beast. 41:24 So people often get hung up on the technology, 41:26 and they miss the spirit of what it's talking about. 41:29 So what is the mark of the beast? 41:31 It's something in the law, 41:34 has something to do with the law. 41:35 The seal of God 41:36 is where you find the word holy and the law of God, 41:39 which is in the fourth commandment 41:41 that has the name of God, the title of God, 41:43 the territory of God, 41:44 that's what's in a seal, name, title, territory. 41:47 The mark of the beast is taking away the seal of God 41:50 and putting a law of the beast in place of the law of God. 41:54 Revelation, well, I'm getting ahead of myself. 41:58 In Daniel Chapter 3, 42:00 when Nebuchadnezzar tells everyone 42:01 to worship the beast, 42:03 to worship the image or be killed. 42:04 Doesn't that sound a lot like what's happening in Revelation, 42:07 those who do not worship the image will be killed? 42:10 The people of God had to make a decision, 42:12 do I obey the law of God 42:14 that says, do not pray to images 42:15 or the law of the religious government Babylon. 42:19 And I'm gonna be killed if I obey the law. 42:22 They were willing to die 42:23 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego rather than disobey, 42:26 God delivered them. 42:28 Daniel Chapter 6, 42:30 government, religious law, king of Persia makes a law, 42:32 you can't pray to anyone but him for 30 days. 42:35 That's a religious, political law. 42:37 The king made a religious law. 42:40 Daniel has to decide, 42:41 do I keep the first commandment 42:43 that says, do not have other gods 42:45 and keep my job, or do I go to the lions 42:48 and stand up for God? 42:50 Daniel chose to obey, God delivered him, 42:52 and his enemies were destroyed. 42:53 Both cases, 42:54 when they threw them in the fiery furnace, 42:56 the soldiers died. 42:58 The ones who put Daniel in the lion's den, they died. 43:02 This is what's going to happen in the last days, 43:03 there's going to be a law 43:06 that is going to require every believer to decide 43:08 law of God or law of man, 43:10 it's going to be one of the Ten Commandments. 43:12 So what is this mysterious mark? 43:15 Says, "His number is six hundred threescore and six." 43:19 Let's identify who this power is. 43:22 In Prompta Bibliotheca, 43:24 according to 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia, 43:26 it's a veritable Encyclopedia of religious knowledge, 43:29 and it will ever remain a precious mine of information. 43:32 This book is quoted frequently 43:34 as an authoritative Catholic source. 43:36 Under the heading PAPA 43:38 his name title there is Vicarius Filii Dei, 43:43 this is in the Catholic Encyclopedia. 43:47 Again, the title and this is a letter, 43:49 you're gonna have trouble reading 43:50 so I've got it written out for you. 43:52 The title of Vicarius Filii Dei, 43:55 as well as the title of Vicarius Christi 43:57 is very common as the title of the pope. 44:00 This is a professor of history and Christian archaeology 44:04 at the Catholic University in Washington DC. 44:07 Someone wrote a letter to the Sunday Visitor, 44:09 Catholic magazine, 44:10 what are the letters on the pope's crown? 44:12 Now the pope's got many crowns he wears. 44:14 And what do they signify? 44:16 The letter on the pope's crown 44:17 are these: Vicarius Filii Dei: 44:19 Which is Latin for "Vicar, Son of God." 44:22 Now, if you take the official title of the pope, 44:26 you know, how the Jewish priests 44:28 would wear a crown 44:30 and on that crown there's a little miter, 44:32 little placard and it said holiness to the Lord, 44:35 that's what he had. 44:36 The Catholic pope on some of his miters, 44:39 it said Vicarius Filii Dei, 44:40 Vicar for Christ, 44:42 meaning in the place of Christ. 44:44 You take the Roman numerals, 44:45 says the number of his name. 44:47 Now we can't do this with the English alphabet 44:49 because our letters don't have a real numeric value. 44:53 But if you know your Roman numerals, 44:54 you know that they wrote 44:55 with Latin letters, 44:57 and each letter had a value, 44:58 it's very common for them. 45:00 You add up that title, it comes to 666. 45:04 And I see some, 45:05 you can take the picture of that off your screen, 45:06 you can do the math. 45:07 You can look this up online. It's pretty common. 45:11 Now, Pope Francis never wears the miter. 45:14 Here Pope Benedict, 45:15 they say that he liked to dress up in the regalia. 45:17 Here he is with four different miters 45:19 and they've got some that are very expensive, 45:21 and some of the older ones had a placard here. 45:23 You don't see it on the newer ones 45:25 because when the Protestant started saying, 45:27 you know, your placard adds up to 666, 45:29 they stopped wearing that. 45:31 But that's what they used to have on there. 45:34 But in case you question, 45:36 is that really the title of the pope? 45:37 Here's a book by John Paul II, 45:40 and this is page three. 45:41 "Confronted with the pope, one must make the choice. 45:43 The leader of the Catholic Church 45:45 is defined by the faith as the Vicar of Jesus Christ, 45:47 it's Vicarius Filii Dei. 45:49 And is accepted as such by believers. 45:52 The pope is considered the man on earth 45:54 who represents the Son of God, 45:56 who 'takes the place' of the second person 45:58 of the omnipotent God of the Trinity. 46:02 Taking the place of Christ on earth. 46:07 So understanding 666 throughout Revelation, 46:09 the number seven represents 46:11 perfection or completeness. 46:13 The number six represents imperfection. 46:15 It's the number for man, 46:17 in Revelation, sorry, 46:18 in Daniel Chapter 3. 46:19 When Nebuchadnezzar builds the image 46:21 it says, it's 60 cubits by six cubits, 46:25 and one scholar 46:27 Leslie Hardin said, 46:28 "If they don't give you the depth, 46:29 it's going to be the same as the width." 46:31 Which means it was 60 by 6 by 6, 46:36 and they were told to worship that. 46:37 It's the number of man. Man was made on what day? 46:40 Sixth day. 46:42 First time you find seven three times in the Bible. 46:44 Genesis Chapter 2, 46:46 the seventh day, the seventh day, 46:48 the seventh day, 46:49 which leads us to the next part. 46:51 666 symbolizes the union of error, 46:54 the union of the dragon, the beast 46:55 and the false prophet. 46:56 What is the beast's mark of authority? 47:00 The Catholic Catechism says, Question: 47:02 Which is the Sabbath day? 47:04 Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. 47:07 This is in the Catholic Catechism. 47:08 Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? 47:11 Answer: 47:13 We observe Sunday instead of Saturday 47:15 because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity 47:18 from Saturday to Sunday. 47:21 Have you any other way 47:22 approving that church has power 47:23 to institute festivals of precept? 47:25 Notice the answer. 47:27 Had she not such power, 47:29 she could not have done that which all modern religionists, 47:32 most of them, agree with her. 47:34 She could not have substituted the observance of Sunday 47:36 the first day of the week, 47:38 for the observance of Saturday the seventh day of a week, 47:41 a change for which 47:42 there is no Scriptural authority." 47:44 Daniel Chapter 7 said, 47:45 "The beast power would think to change 47:48 times and laws." 47:49 It's exactly what happened. 47:51 That's why in this church we want to be consistent 47:53 Christians keep the day Jesus kept, 47:55 the apostles kept, Moses kept, 47:57 which is the seventh day. 47:59 Man cannot change the law of God. 48:01 The beast power would think to change 48:03 the laws and times. 48:05 By the way, only commandment that is a law 48:07 and the time is the Sabbath. 48:10 So this chapter has got a lot of information there. 48:13 Is the beast a government or a religious power? 48:16 It says, "He causes as many as would not," 48:18 what? 48:19 "Worship," it's involved with worship. 48:22 "The image of the beast should be killed." 48:24 You notice there in Revelation, I'm sorry, Genesis, 48:27 Cain and Abel. 48:28 There at the beginning, 48:30 they're both told to worship the same God, 48:31 they claim to worship the same God. 48:34 Abel does it the way that God said. 48:37 Cain says, "I'm going to alter it 48:39 because I can worship however I want." 48:42 God does not accept Cain's worship. 48:44 Cain then persecutes his brother. 48:46 That same story now repeats itself in the end of time, 48:50 in Revelation 13, 48:52 both claiming to worship the same God, 48:54 one does it his way, 48:55 one does it God's way 48:57 and the wrong one persecutes the right one. 49:00 That's why Jesus died. 49:02 He worshiped God according to truth 49:04 and the religious leaders 49:05 became aggravated by that and killed Him. 49:08 What effective methods will 49:10 this end-time coalition utilize? 49:13 It says in Revelation 13:13, 14, 13 and 14. 49:17 "He does great wonders, 49:18 so that he makes fire come down 49:19 from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 49:22 and he deceives them that dwell on the earth 49:24 by the means of those miracles that he has power to do." 49:27 Revelation 16:14 says, 49:29 "They are the spirits of devils working miracles." 49:31 Christ said, "We need to be careful in the last days 49:34 for there'll be many false christs and false prophets, " 49:36 and in particular 49:38 Satan is going to impersonate Christ. 49:41 The devil himself can be transformed 49:43 into an angel of light, 49:45 as he came to Christ as an angel of light 49:47 in the wilderness, 49:48 he will appear in the last days, 49:50 there'll be signs and wonders, 49:51 some of these counterfeit denominations, 49:53 and churches are going to be doing things 49:55 that are going to deceive people. 49:57 What will prevent God's end-time people 50:00 from being deceived during this time? 50:03 Isaiah 8:20, 50:04 "To the law and the testimony: 50:07 if they speak not according to this word, 50:09 there's no light in them." 50:11 Amen. 50:12 So what's going to keep us safe? 50:14 We've got to make sure we're going by the word of God, 50:16 that we know our Bibles. 50:18 So what is your response today? 50:20 God is calling people out of Babylon 50:22 into the safety of His remnant church. 50:25 He says, those who remain in Babylon, 50:26 this is Revelation 17, 50:28 will partake of her sins. 50:29 The most fearful curses 50:31 in the Bible are found in Revelation, 50:33 on those who worship the beast and its image 50:36 and receive the mark of the beast. 50:38 That's in Revelation Chapter 14. 50:40 So this is a very important subject 50:42 because in the last days, there's only two choices. 50:45 You have the seal of God, 50:47 or you worship the beast 50:49 and have the mark of the beast. 50:50 You either worship God and have his seal, 50:52 or you worship the beast. 50:53 There's no middle ground. 50:54 There's going to be a shaking, 50:55 and everyone will polarize into one of two groups, 50:57 both claim to worship God. 51:00 "I saw as it were a sea of glass..." 51:02 Revelation 15, 51:03 I just wanted to end by giving a little encouragement. 51:05 "Mingled with fire: 51:07 and them that had gotten the victory 51:09 over the beast, 51:10 and over his image, and over his mark, 51:12 and over his number, 51:14 stand on the sea of glass, 51:16 having the harps of God." 51:17 How many of you believe that 51:18 we can get the victory over the beast? 51:19 Amen. 51:20 I want to tell our friends before we run out of time, 51:22 I know I covered a lot very quickly. 51:24 Hey, we got through it. 51:26 That was a miracle. 51:28 That we have an offer that has more information 51:31 that you can get for free. 51:32 It's called "The Beast, the Dragon and the Woman." 51:34 This is one of Joe Crews' best sermon books 51:37 that summarizes what I've been talking about. 51:39 And if you like a copy for one thing you can call 51:41 866-788-3966. 51:45 And that's 866 Study-More. 51:48 If you'd like to download this for free, some watching, 51:51 maybe you want to download it for free right now, 51:53 just text "SH107", 51:57 text that to 40544, you'll get the link 52:01 where you can go and download this book. 52:02 And if you call in, it's offer number 126. 52:05 Hope that you get that. 52:07 God bless you, and God willing 52:09 we'll study His Word together again next week. 52:12 Don't forget to request today's life changing free resource. 52:16 Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, 52:18 you can download a digital copy straight to your computer 52:20 or mobile device. 52:22 To get your digital copy of today's free gift, 52:24 simply text the key word on your screen to 40544, 52:28 or visit the web address shown on your screen, 52:31 and be sure to select a digital download option 52:34 on the request page. 52:35 It's now easier than ever for you to study 52:37 God's Word with Amazing Facts. 52:50 We're here on the beautiful coast 52:52 of the island of Puerto Rico. 52:54 And if you were to travel east 52:55 about 2000 miles, of course, 52:57 you would be out in the middle of the ocean. 52:59 But you'd also be in the middle of a mystical sea 53:01 called the Sargasso Sea. 53:03 It gets its name 53:04 because of this common brown seaweed 53:07 that can be found floating in vast mass. 53:10 The area of the Sargasso Sea 53:13 is about 700 miles wide 53:15 and 2000 miles long. 53:17 Now the seaweed itself is fascinating stuff. 53:20 It was first observed and called 53:21 Gulfweed by Christopher Columbus. 53:23 It gets the name Sargon from the Portuguese. 53:26 Some people use it as herbal remedies. 53:28 But out in the middle of the Sargasso Sea, 53:30 the water is some of the bluest in the world. 53:33 It's there you can see 200 feet deep in places. 53:36 It also has a great biodiversity and ecosystem 53:39 that surrounds the Sargasso Sea. 53:41 For years, scientists wondered 53:43 where the American and the Atlantic eels 53:45 were breeding. 53:46 They knew the adult eel swam down the rivers 53:48 out into the Atlantic, 53:50 but they never could find a place where they reproduced. 53:52 Finally, they discovered it 53:53 was out in the middle of the Sargasso Sea. 53:56 So it's a fascinating place. 53:58 But if you are an ancient sailor, 53:59 you did not want to get stuck there. 54:04 Being caught in the doldrums 54:05 was extremely difficult for the ancient sailors. 54:09 Of course, their boats were driven by wind and sail, 54:12 and they'd be caught in the vast mass of the seaweed 54:14 that would wrap around the rudder, 54:16 barnacles would begin to grow, 54:18 it's an area that is notorious for light and baffling winds, 54:21 and so they'd make no progress. 54:23 They get stuck. 54:24 The men would become extremely dispirited. 54:27 Sometimes violence and even insanity would break out 54:30 as people were trapped in the doldrums. 54:33 But, friends, perhaps sometimes 54:34 you felt that you're trapped in the doldrums. 54:37 You've gone through episodes of depression. 54:39 You feel like you're going in circles, 54:41 life seems stifling. 54:43 You know, the Bible offers good news. 54:44 There is a way out. 54:46 Bible talks about a famous character 54:48 that was trapped in a cycle of depression. 54:51 He was low as you could be. 54:52 Matter of fact, he even had seaweed 54:54 wrapped around his head. 54:55 His name was Jonah. 54:57 But God gave him a way of escape. 54:59 In Jonah 2:3-7, 55:02 we read, 55:03 "For you cast me into the depths, 55:05 into the heart of the seas, 55:07 and the flood surrounded me, 55:09 all of Your billows and Your waves 55:10 passed over me. 55:12 Then I said, 55:13 'I have been cast out of your sight, 55:15 yet I will look again 55:16 towards Your holy temple.' 55:18 The waters surrounded me, 55:19 even to my soul, 55:21 the deep closed around me, 55:22 weeds were wrapped around my head. 55:25 I went down to the moorings of the mountains, 55:27 the earth with its bars closed 55:29 behind me forever, 55:31 yet you brought my life up 55:32 from the pit. 55:34 O Lord, my God. 55:35 'When my soul fainted within me, 55:37 I remember the Lord, 55:39 and my prayer went up to You, 55:40 into Your holy temple.' 55:43 " You know, friends, the way that Jonah got 55:44 out of his discouraging circumstances, 55:47 he turned to God and he prayed. 55:49 And if God could hear Jonah's prayers, 55:50 just think about it. 55:51 He was as far away from God as anybody could be. 55:54 He was in the belly of a sea monster 55:56 in the bottom of the ocean in the dark. 55:58 Yet he turned to God and God heard his prayer. 56:01 You know, these ancient sailors, 56:02 when they were trapped on the deck of a ship for weeks, 56:05 stuck in the doldrums discouraged, 56:07 sometimes they would have a prayer meeting, 56:09 and pray that God would send a breeze 56:11 that would set them free, and get their boats moving. 56:14 They turn to God in prayer 56:15 and often miracles would happen, 56:17 and the wind would flutter in the sails, 56:19 and bring them out of their seaweed prison. 56:21 Friends, maybe you have been stuck in the doldrums. 56:24 Maybe you've been caught in a cycle of depression. 56:27 If God can do it for Jonah, 56:28 if He can do it for the ancient sailors, 56:30 He can do it for you. 56:31 Turn to the Lord in prayer. 56:33 Trust His Spirit to blow through your soul 56:35 and to set you free. 56:44 Did you know Amazing Facts has a free Bible school 56:47 that you can do from the comfort of your own home? 56:49 It includes 27 beautifully illustrated study lessons 56:52 to aid in your study of God's Word. 56:55 Sign up today for this Free Bible Study course 56:57 by calling 1-844-215-7000. 57:01 That's 1-844-215-7000. 57:09 Have you always wanted to be a Bible expert, 57:11 but never knew where to start? 57:13 Are you searching for answers that will bring you joy, 57:16 peace and fulfillment? 57:18 Then you'll love the Amazing Facts 57:20 Storacles of Prophecy Bible study experience. 57:23 Now available in 18 languages, 57:26 featuring 24 easy to read lessons, 57:29 the Storacles are packed with scripture 57:31 and step by step guidance 57:33 that will give you absolute confidence about 57:35 what the Bible actually says about the Second Coming, 57:38 the Rapture, the Antichrist and the Mark of the Beast. 57:42 You'll also get the truth about hell, and the afterlife, 57:45 and practical insight about grace, 57:47 salvation 57:48 and how to truly live like Jesus. 57:51 Even better, it's absolutely free at storacles.org. 57:56 So don't miss out. 57:57 Get started on your Bible study adventure today 58:01 at storacles.org. |
Revised 2019-02-25