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Jean Ross: Hello, friends.
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Welcome again to Sabbath School
Study Hour, coming here from the
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Amazing Facts offices
in Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to welcome all of those
joining us online and on the
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various television
networks across the country and,
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literally, around the
world with social media.
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And talking about social media,
we're going to try and take some
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Bible questions.
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So if you're watching live and
you'd like to post a question,
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we're going to try and answer
as many of them as we can during
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our study this morning.
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You can do so at the Doug
Batchelor Facebook page or, I
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believe, at the
Amazing Facts Facebook page.
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So in the comments you
can just ask a question.
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They're going to send it to me
and we're going to try and take
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as many questions as possible.
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Our lesson today is lesson
number 12 in the series that we
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are doing,
"Making Friends for God."
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Just a very exciting and
important study coming from the
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very heart of the
book of Revelation.
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But before we get to our study
this morning, we've got some
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special music that we're going
to be rolling in at this time.
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¤¤¤
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¤ Someone is praying for you ¤
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¤ Someone is praying for you ¤
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¤ So when it
seems you're all alone ¤
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¤ And your heart
will break in two ¤
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¤ Remember someone
is praying for you ¤
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¤ Have the clouds round you ¤
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¤ Gathered in the
midst of the storm ¤
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¤ Is your ship
tossed and battered ¤
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¤ Are you weary and worn ¤
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¤ Don't lose hope:
someone's praying for you ¤
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¤ This very day ¤
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¤ And peace be still
is already on the way ¤
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¤ Someone is praying for you ¤
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¤ Someone is praying for you ¤
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¤ So when it
seems you're all alone ¤
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¤ And your heart
will break in two ¤
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¤ Remember someone
is praying for you ¤
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¤ When it seems
that you've prayed ¤
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¤ 'Til your
strength is all gone ¤
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¤ And your tears
fall like raindrops ¤
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¤ All the day long ¤
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¤ He cares and He knows
just how much you can bear ¤
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¤ He'll speak your
name to someone in prayer ¤
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¤ Someone is praying for you ¤
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¤ Someone is praying for you ¤
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¤ So when it
seems you're all alone ¤
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¤ And your heart
will break in two ¤
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¤ Remember someone
is praying for you ¤
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¤ Remember someone
is praying for you ¤
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Jean: Thank you, Sylvia and
Marcellus, for bringing us that
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beautiful musical number.
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We also want to mention to our
friends who are joining us, we
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do have a free offer.
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It's one of the classic
books written by Joe Crews.
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It's entitled "Three Steps to
Heaven," and we'll be happy to
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send this out to
anyone in North America.
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The number to call is
866-788-3966 and just ask for
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free offer number 102.
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Again, that number is
866-788-3966, offer 102.
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You can get a digital copy
of the book by texting the code
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"SH068" to the number 40544
and we'll send you a link where
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you'll be able to download
and read that free offer.
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Again, we want to thank all
of those who are joining us here
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in--right here in California
and also those joining us across
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the country.
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Well, Pastor Doug, before we get
to our lesson, a very important
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lesson, let's start
with a word of prayer.
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Doug Batchelor: Amen.
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Jean: Dear Father in heaven,
we thank You once again that
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we're able to take some time
to open up Your Word and study a
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very important message,
in particular to Your remnant
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church in these last days.
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And so, Father, we ask for the
Holy Spirit to come and be with
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us here as we open up the
Word and be with those who are
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joining us across the country,
around the world, in Jesus'
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name, amen.
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Doug: Amen.
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Well, Pastor Ross, we
have a great lesson today.
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We're going through, almost done
with, our lesson talking about
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"Making Friends for God."
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In fact, this is lesson 12.
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In two weeks, we're going to
be introducing our new lesson
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on education.
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We'll probably hold one up
for you next week so you can see
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that and start getting ramped up
for the next quarter's lessons.
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But today, we're talking about
"A Message Worth Sharing," and
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there's a memory verse.
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And the memory verse comes
from the three angels' messages.
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This is Revelation 14, verse
6 and 7, which says: "And I saw
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another angel flying in
the midst of heaven, having the
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everlasting gospel to preach to
those who dwell on the earth--to
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every nation, tribe, tongue,
and people--saying with a loud
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voice, 'Fear God and give glory
to Him, for the hour of His
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judgment has come; and worship
Him who made heaven and earth,
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the sea and springs of water.'"
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Now, in this message, in this
lesson, we're really focusing on
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what is the message that we're
to be sharing with our friends?
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Is there something distinct or
unique about the message now as
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opposed to other
times in history?
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Now, there's a verse in the
Bible under the first section
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here where it talks about
Peter's present truth message.
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I want you to key in, especially
on those words "present truth."
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Let me read this to you from
2 Peter 1, verse 12: "For this
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reason I will not be negligent
to remind you always of these
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things, though you know
and are established in the
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present truth."
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Now, truth is absolute.
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Truth doesn't change.
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At different points in history,
there are different truths that
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should be emphasized, that are
more present or relevant for a
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particular time.
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An example: a prophetic
message was given to Noah.
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The message of Noah was really,
you know, to build the ark, get
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on the boat, and survive.
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But when Moses came along,
the message was not "Get on
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the boat."
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Moses was given a message
and it said, "Get out of Egypt.
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Follow me.
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We're going through the Red Sea.
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We're getting out of Egypt.
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We're heading
towards the Promised Land."
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That was a special
focus of that message.
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And then again, the message
of Joshua was, "We are going to
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subdue and conquer
the Promised Land."
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And this was the message in
how to establish in that land.
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That was the
message for that time.
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And so, and the message
when John the Baptist came was,
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"Behold the kingdom
of heaven is at hand."
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What did Christ say?
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"The kingdom of
heaven is at hand."
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That was the present truth.
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So here we are now, living
at the threshold of eternity.
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We're in the last days.
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What is the
present truth for us?
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Is our message today
"There's a flood coming"?
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No, God said He's never going to
destroy the world with a flood.
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It's not we need to flee
Egypt for the Promised Land,
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spiritually maybe.
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But the present truth really is
contained in the three angels'
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messages and that'll end up
being probably where we spend
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most of our time
today, Pastor Ross.
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Jean: And you know, Pastor
Doug, when it's talking about a
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present truth message, it's
often connected with the Coming
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of Christ.
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You have the present truth
that John the Baptist preached.
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It was a preparation for
the First Coming of Jesus, the
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Messiah, who came to redeem the
world of sin and now we have a
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present truth also connected
with the Coming of Christ.
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This is the Second Coming of
Christ, the establishment of a
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kingdom that is to last forever.
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So it is a message that
is connected with judgment.
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It's a message that
calls for reformation.
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It's a message that calls people
back to the teachings of Christ,
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the teachings of the Bible.
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So a present truth message
is not a passive message.
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It's an active message.
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It calls you to do something,
just like Noah, he called people
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into the ark, so the present
truth message is a calling to
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come out of religious Babylon
into the truths of the remnant.
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It's an active,
powerful revival message.
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Doug: Absolutely, now there's
a passage here in the book of
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Amos chapter 3, verse 7, where
it says: "Surely the Lord God
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does nothing, unless He reveals
His secret to His servants
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the prophets."
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And so whenever you see God
doing anything significant in
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history, when they came out of
Egypt he had a prophet, Moses.
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Before the Babylonian
captivity, he had a couple of
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primary prophets.
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He had Jeremiah, Ezekiel.
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Well, Jeremiah and then you
had Isaiah, after the fall of
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Babylon, then you
ended up having Ezekiel.
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Before Jesus' First
Coming, John the Baptist.
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In the days before the flood,
before coming judgment, you
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had Noah.
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So whenever God is about
to do something that is very
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significant, there's a
message and usually he sends a
00:11:09.20\00:11:11.57
prophetic message.
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Of the 12 apostles, probably
only one of the apostles would
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be called an
apocalyptic prophet.
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Now when you think of the
prophecies in the Old Testament,
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you've got the major
and the minor prophets.
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The prophecies of Isaiah,
they're often messianic but
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they're not so apocalyptic
as Ezekiel was or Daniel
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or Zechariah.
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And in the New Testament, the
apostle John would be in that
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category where he's really
giving messages in--from heaven
00:11:37.99\00:11:42.40
in symbolic language that were
preparing people for a great
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work of God.
00:11:46.23\00:11:48.80
Jean: Now, we do have some
Bible questions that are coming
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in, Pastor Doug.
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We have quite a few.
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I want to thank you again.
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If you have a Bible question,
you can just post it on the Doug
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Batchelor Facebook page.
00:11:58.28\00:12:00.05
Here's a question connected
with the Second Coming.
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It says: "Why does the Bible say
that only God the Father knows
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the time when Jesus will
return and not Jesus Himself?
00:12:04.59\00:12:09.16
Doug: Yeah, in Matthew 24
when Jesus said, "No man knows
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the day or the hour but the
Father only, not even the Son,"
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Christ is not saying that
He does not now know that time.
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Jesus, in His humanity, he laid
aside many aspects of divinity
00:12:19.17\00:12:24.41
so that He could live as a human
among people and you think about
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it, how would Jesus have
even understood that date?
00:12:28.71\00:12:32.71
I mean, if the Lord's Coming was
the year 2050, I'm just making
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that up.
00:12:35.75\00:12:37.75
Don't write that down.
00:12:37.79\00:12:39.62
How would He communicate that?
00:12:39.65\00:12:41.69
They didn't even
keep dates that time.
00:12:41.72\00:12:43.89
They dated everything by the
reign of different priests and
00:12:43.93\00:12:46.16
kings back then.
00:12:46.19\00:12:48.43
And so when Jesus said, "The Son
doesn't know either," He didn't
00:12:48.46\00:12:51.03
need to know and it wouldn't
have made any sense for anyone
00:12:51.07\00:12:52.93
for Him to share
it at that point.
00:12:52.97\00:12:55.97
But now He's at the right
hand of the Father, Christ is
00:12:56.00\00:12:58.71
all-knowing, He's omniscient.
00:12:58.74\00:13:00.84
The Father is not holding a
little piece of paper in heaven
00:13:00.88\00:13:03.14
where He's got the day and hour
of Jesus' Coming and saying,
00:13:03.18\00:13:05.61
"Sorry, but I can't
share this with You," you know.
00:13:05.65\00:13:08.18
Jesus knows now.
00:13:08.22\00:13:10.12
But on earth He did not know.
00:13:10.15\00:13:12.15
Jean: We have another
question, Pastor Doug, that's
00:13:12.19\00:13:13.82
come from Victoria and
is somewhat connected to the
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.46
Second Coming.
00:13:15.49\00:13:17.56
Practical question says:
"My husband has passed away
00:13:17.59\00:13:19.33
last week."
00:13:19.36\00:13:21.33
We want to encourage her and
pray for Victoria, but she asks,
00:13:21.36\00:13:24.73
"Can he see what I'm doing now?
00:13:24.77\00:13:26.84
Is he watching over me?"
00:13:26.87\00:13:29.14
Doug: Well, you know, the
Bible's very clear: "The living
00:13:29.17\00:13:31.61
know they'll die," and
this is Ecclesiastes chapter 9.
00:13:31.64\00:13:34.11
"The living know
they'll die, but the dead don't
00:13:34.14\00:13:35.61
know anything."
00:13:35.64\00:13:38.25
And the Bible tells us that
they're sleeping a dreamless
00:13:38.28\00:13:41.48
sleep until the Resurrection.
00:13:41.52\00:13:44.65
And so there are about 12
resurrections in the Bible, all
00:13:44.69\00:13:48.09
the New Testament, and in no
case do those resurrected ever
00:13:48.12\00:13:52.29
comment on any consciousness
or witnessing anything here on
00:13:52.33\00:13:56.00
earth during their death.
00:13:56.03\00:13:59.53
So the idea of spiritualism
is that, you know, the dead
00:13:59.57\00:14:01.94
are--they go right to their
rewards before the Resurrection
00:14:01.97\00:14:04.47
or the Judgment and they're
watching what's happening on
00:14:04.51\00:14:06.94
earth or they're guiding
and--or they're, you know,
00:14:06.98\00:14:11.75
meddling somehow.
00:14:11.78\00:14:14.12
Bible doesn't teach that.
00:14:14.15\00:14:15.78
Bible says that they're asleep.
00:14:15.82\00:14:17.85
The dead do not praise the Lord.
00:14:17.89\00:14:19.79
When Christ comes, 1
Thessalonians 4, that's when
00:14:19.82\00:14:21.32
the dead in Christ rise.
00:14:21.36\00:14:23.32
Paul said, "We don't sorrow as
others which have no hope but we
00:14:23.36\00:14:25.79
know that those who sleep
in Jesus will come back to life
00:14:25.83\00:14:29.83
when the Lord returns."
00:14:29.86\00:14:31.90
Jean: And those are
encouraging words for anyone
00:14:31.93\00:14:33.34
that has lost a loved one.
00:14:33.37\00:14:35.30
We're looking forward to
that reunion morning when Jesus
00:14:35.34\00:14:36.71
comes again.
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.97
Now, Pastor Doug, in our lesson,
it's talking about 2 Peter
00:14:39.01\00:14:40.71
chapter 1, verse 16, and
Peter says, "We didn't follow
00:14:40.74\00:14:43.71
cunningly devised fables when
we made known unto you the power
00:14:43.75\00:14:47.08
and the Coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:14:47.12\00:14:50.15
So we have the
certainty of the Second Coming.
00:14:50.19\00:14:52.35
It was a great theme that we
find the apostles speaking of.
00:14:52.39\00:14:55.09
It's throughout
the New Testament.
00:14:55.12\00:14:57.53
But we also see prophecies in
the Old Testament talking about
00:14:57.56\00:15:00.16
the assurance of the Second
Coming of Christ, coming with
00:15:00.20\00:15:02.86
power and glory to establish
a kingdom here on this earth.
00:15:02.90\00:15:06.43
So when we talk about the
Second Coming and that's closely
00:15:06.47\00:15:08.54
connected with the three angels'
messages, Revelation 14, central
00:15:08.57\00:15:11.67
is that--to that is the truth,
the fact, of the glorious Second
00:15:11.71\00:15:16.04
Coming of Christ.
00:15:16.08\00:15:18.48
It's not a
cunningly devised fable.
00:15:18.51\00:15:20.68
People might say, "Well, you
know, we've been talking about
00:15:20.72\00:15:22.65
the Second Coming for all of
these years, can we still trust
00:15:22.68\00:15:24.99
that the Bible
says Jesus will come?"
00:15:25.02\00:15:27.06
Well, I think one of the ways
that our faith can grow is when
00:15:27.09\00:15:29.36
we see the signs that Jesus
foretold being fulfilled all
00:15:29.39\00:15:33.23
around us in the world.
00:15:33.26\00:15:35.36
Here we're sitting in our studio
at Amazing Facts, doing "Sabbath
00:15:35.40\00:15:37.73
School Study Hour."
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.14
We're not in front of our
regular congregation because I
00:15:40.17\00:15:42.40
think, in one way, we see one
of the signs of an increase of
00:15:42.44\00:15:46.34
pestilence and diseases before
Jesus' Coming and we're right
00:15:46.37\00:15:50.01
in the midst of this
pandemic which is a disease.
00:15:50.05\00:15:53.68
So just around us in the world
today, we can see signs of the
00:15:53.72\00:15:56.15
Coming of
Christ being fulfilled.
00:15:56.18\00:15:58.79
Doug: Absolutely, and this
verse that you were sharing when
00:15:58.82\00:16:01.26
Peter said, "We did not make
known to you cunningly devised
00:16:01.29\00:16:03.89
fables but we were eye
witnesses," Peter's referring to
00:16:03.93\00:16:07.76
an experience where Jesus said
to the disciples, "There are
00:16:07.83\00:16:11.50
some of you standing here who
will not taste of death 'til you
00:16:11.53\00:16:13.90
see the kingdom of God come."
00:16:13.94\00:16:17.57
And you read in the book,
"Desire of Ages," when they
00:16:17.61\00:16:19.91
went up the book--went up the
Mount of Transfiguration, and
00:16:19.94\00:16:22.84
they saw Moses and Elijah and
Christ glorified and heard the
00:16:22.88\00:16:25.41
voice of the Father, this
was a miniature picture of the
00:16:25.45\00:16:29.35
Second Coming.
00:16:29.38\00:16:31.79
So Peter's saying, "We saw what
the Second Coming's going to
00:16:31.82\00:16:33.66
look like.
00:16:33.69\00:16:35.49
We saw Him in His glory," and
so that they could bear witness
00:16:35.52\00:16:37.26
of that.
00:16:37.29\00:16:39.16
And Christ said, "Don't talk
about that until I rise from the
00:16:39.19\00:16:41.10
dead and you can remind them."
00:16:41.13\00:16:43.13
Then he goes on, He says in
the same verse, said, "For He
00:16:43.16\00:16:45.73
received from God the Father
honor and glory when such a
00:16:45.77\00:16:49.30
voice came to Him from the
Excellent Glory: 'This is My
00:16:49.34\00:16:52.04
beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.'
00:16:52.07\00:16:54.48
We heard this voice
which came from heaven.
00:16:54.51\00:16:57.75
We were with Him on the holy
Mount and we have a prophetic
00:16:57.78\00:17:00.68
word confirmed, which you
do well that you take heed as a
00:17:00.72\00:17:04.25
light that shines in a dark
place, until the day dawn and
00:17:04.29\00:17:07.02
the morning star arises in your
heart; knowing that no prophecy
00:17:07.06\00:17:10.86
of Scripture is of any private
interpretation, for prophecy
00:17:10.89\00:17:14.83
never came by the will of man,
but holy men of God spoke as
00:17:14.86\00:17:18.40
they were moved
by the Holy Spirit."
00:17:18.43\00:17:21.30
So he's pointing
back to this experience.
00:17:21.34\00:17:23.67
He says, "Even more vivid
and more powerful and dependable
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.91
than what we
envisioned is the Word of God."
00:17:25.94\00:17:28.88
So Word of God's more powerful
than any vision or dream a
00:17:28.91\00:17:31.68
person might have.
00:17:31.71\00:17:33.95
He said, "We know He's coming."
00:17:33.98\00:17:35.35
Jean: And central to this
present truth that we're talking
00:17:35.38\00:17:37.92
about is the message of Jesus.
00:17:37.95\00:17:40.49
If somebody's preaching a
present truth message but it
00:17:40.52\00:17:42.59
leaves Jesus in the
back, that's not present truth.
00:17:42.62\00:17:46.66
Matter of fact, we find in
Revelation chapter 1, verse 1, a
00:17:46.70\00:17:48.56
book that is filled with symbols
and imagery, the very first
00:17:48.60\00:17:51.17
verse of Revelation 1:1 says
it's the revelation of Jesus
00:17:51.20\00:17:54.90
Christ which God gave to Him
to show unto His servants things
00:17:54.94\00:17:58.61
that must shortly take place and
He sent and signified it by His
00:17:58.64\00:18:02.48
angel unto His servant John."
00:18:02.51\00:18:04.91
Right at the very beginning,
this is a revealing of Jesus.
00:18:04.95\00:18:07.25
Now, that phrase could
probably be understood two ways.
00:18:07.28\00:18:09.42
The one is that Jesus is the one
revealing something but it could
00:18:09.45\00:18:12.89
also be understood and correctly
that that which is revealed
00:18:12.92\00:18:17.06
is Jesus.
00:18:17.09\00:18:18.96
The revelation of Jesus,
it's the revelation of Jesus.
00:18:18.99\00:18:22.20
So both ways, you can understand
that as the prophecies contained
00:18:22.23\00:18:25.50
in the book of Revelation reveal
to us what Jesus does and what
00:18:25.53\00:18:28.84
His work is in man's salvation,
that culminates in this great
00:18:28.87\00:18:33.41
Second Coming theme that
you find throughout the book
00:18:33.44\00:18:36.11
of Revelation.
00:18:36.14\00:18:38.45
Doug: So it's facts about
Jesus and it's facts of who He
00:18:38.48\00:18:41.08
is that's--it's--really, the
book of Revelation is a--it's
00:18:41.12\00:18:47.62
almost three-dimensional image
of the gospel and Christ working
00:18:47.66\00:18:50.66
through history Himself.
00:18:50.69\00:18:53.19
Jean: So we have Jesus found
throughout Revelation and then,
00:18:53.23\00:18:55.50
of course, the plan of
redemption is found throughout
00:18:55.53\00:18:57.90
the book of Revelation and you
find that in the next few verses
00:18:57.93\00:19:00.60
in Revelation chapter 1.
00:19:00.64\00:19:02.74
It's interesting in Revelation
1, Pastor Doug, you've got
00:19:02.77\00:19:04.94
greetings that John who wrote
the book from God the Father and
00:19:04.97\00:19:08.98
then typically, if you're
reading the Gospels, you have a
00:19:09.01\00:19:11.95
greeting from the Father
followed by the Son and then the
00:19:11.98\00:19:14.88
Holy Spirit.
00:19:14.92\00:19:16.32
But here in Revelation
chapter 1, John writes it a
00:19:16.35\00:19:17.72
little different.
00:19:17.75\00:19:20.02
He says, "Greetings from--grace
and peace from God the Father,"
00:19:20.06\00:19:22.76
and then he says, "From the
Spirit," and then he takes quite
00:19:22.79\00:19:26.49
a bit longer to
talk about the Son.
00:19:26.53\00:19:29.20
And that's the
passage here in verse 4.
00:19:29.23\00:19:31.63
It says, "John, to the seven
churches which are in Asia,
00:19:31.67\00:19:34.14
Grace and peace from Him who
is, who was and who is to come,"
00:19:34.17\00:19:36.71
that would be God the Father,
"and from the seven Spirits
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.44
before His throne," that
would be the Holy Spirit.
00:19:39.47\00:19:42.48
Then it says: "And from Jesus
Christ, the faithful witness,"
00:19:42.51\00:19:45.81
and then he goes on to talk
about Jesus, "the firstborn from
00:19:45.85\00:19:48.62
the dead, the ruler
over the kings of the earth.
00:19:48.65\00:19:51.15
To Him who loved us, washed us
from our sins in His own blood,
00:19:51.19\00:19:55.09
and has made us kings and
priests unto God and His Father,
00:19:55.12\00:19:58.36
to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever."
00:19:58.39\00:20:01.43
So I find it interesting that
the apostle John, we believe the
00:20:01.46\00:20:04.40
youngest of the 12, he wrote
the book of Revelation somewhere
00:20:04.43\00:20:07.50
around the early AD 90 and, of
course, he was on the Island of
00:20:07.54\00:20:10.54
Patmos, but it seems as though
John really came to appreciate
00:20:10.57\00:20:14.91
and understand the love
of Christ in a very real way.
00:20:14.94\00:20:17.98
John can't just pass over
by briefly mentioning Jesus.
00:20:18.01\00:20:22.15
He's going to have to
talk about what Jesus has done.
00:20:22.18\00:20:24.85
And so you have that beautiful
introduction about Christ who's
00:20:24.89\00:20:26.86
washed us and cleansed us, made
us priests and kings and it's
00:20:26.89\00:20:30.66
just a great, great verse there.
00:20:30.69\00:20:33.03
Doug: Yeah, I think the
apostle John uses the word
00:20:33.06\00:20:35.80
love 50 times in his
gospel and the letters.
00:20:35.83\00:20:41.20
So he's--that's why they
call him the apostle of love.
00:20:41.24\00:20:44.41
You know, we might need to move
on to the second section here
00:20:44.44\00:20:46.34
because I know when we get into
the three angels' message we're
00:20:46.37\00:20:48.54
going to have a lot and
you may have another question
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.11
coming soon.
00:20:50.15\00:20:52.58
Oh, by the way, you
know, I see our next section is
00:20:52.61\00:20:54.68
"Revelation's End-Time Focus."
00:20:54.72\00:20:57.12
I just remembered, Amazing Facts
is going to be doing a special
00:20:57.15\00:21:00.59
Revelation presentation that
will be coming live, probably
00:21:00.62\00:21:05.86
just a few weeks after
this broadcast, and it's called
00:21:05.89\00:21:09.00
"Revelation Now."
00:21:09.03\00:21:11.57
And every church for free can
get involved in doing evangelism
00:21:11.60\00:21:13.94
and sharing.
00:21:13.97\00:21:15.97
Whole lesson has been
about "Making Friends for God."
00:21:16.00\00:21:18.04
We're going to give you a chance
to do that at the conclusion of
00:21:18.07\00:21:20.11
the lesson.
00:21:20.14\00:21:22.34
So from October 23, through
November 14, we're going to be
00:21:22.38\00:21:25.01
sending out live from these
facilities, an evangelistic
00:21:25.05\00:21:28.08
program that you can
invite your friends to.
00:21:28.12\00:21:30.89
You can meet in your home, you
can meet in your churches for
00:21:30.92\00:21:33.69
those where the
churches are free to meet.
00:21:33.72\00:21:36.59
You can even have online Zoom
meetings or YouTube groups, and
00:21:36.62\00:21:41.13
just go to revelationnow.com.
00:21:41.16\00:21:44.23
It's a very easy title.
00:21:44.27\00:21:45.87
"Revelation Now."
00:21:45.90\00:21:47.64
Revelation is happening now.
00:21:47.67\00:21:49.60
So it's called revelationnow.com
and join us in this event.
00:21:49.64\00:21:52.44
A free program and
everybody can participate.
00:21:52.47\00:21:55.54
Oh, okay, so back
to the first section.
00:21:55.58\00:21:58.01
That was my commercial.
00:21:58.05\00:21:59.75
First section here is talking
about "Revelation's End-Time
00:21:59.78\00:22:02.25
Focus."
00:22:02.28\00:22:04.32
It seems as you go through the
major prophecies in Revelation,
00:22:04.35\00:22:06.59
you got the seven churches,
seven seals, seven trumpets,
00:22:06.62\00:22:09.86
seven plagues, each one of those
concludes by talking about Jesus
00:22:09.89\00:22:14.66
is going to be the ultimate
King and Savior and His Coming.
00:22:14.73\00:22:20.10
Talks about His Kingship and His
Coming, right there in the very
00:22:20.14\00:22:22.87
first section.
00:22:22.90\00:22:24.94
Pastor Ross, do you
want to read Revelation 1:7?
00:22:24.97\00:22:27.58
Jean: It's a great verse
of hope and encouragement.
00:22:27.61\00:22:29.51
It says: "Behold He," Jesus, "is
coming with clouds, and every
00:22:29.54\00:22:32.05
eye will see Him,
even those who pierced Him.
00:22:32.08\00:22:35.15
And all the tribes of the earth
shall mourn because of Him.
00:22:35.18\00:22:38.49
Even so, Amen."
00:22:38.52\00:22:40.76
So in Revelation chapter 1, the
very first chapter in the book,
00:22:40.79\00:22:43.96
we're introduced to the
Second Coming of Christ.
00:22:43.99\00:22:47.76
Doug: Yup, then you'll
have after that, you've got
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.66
Revelation chapter 2 and 3.
00:22:49.70\00:22:52.07
You've got the seven
messages to the seven churches.
00:22:52.10\00:22:54.87
And then in Revelation 3:20
Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at
00:22:54.90\00:22:58.27
the door and knock.
00:22:58.31\00:23:00.98
If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door I will come into
00:23:01.01\00:23:03.11
him and dine with
him and he with Me."
00:23:03.14\00:23:06.92
And so He's standing at the
door and declaring Himself to be
00:23:06.95\00:23:08.95
the Amen.
00:23:08.98\00:23:11.49
There's also an emphasis on
the culmination of the plan of
00:23:11.52\00:23:13.79
salvation in those passages.
00:23:13.82\00:23:16.86
And then, Pastor,
"following the seven seals."
00:23:16.89\00:23:19.29
Jean: Yes, we've got
the seven seals again.
00:23:19.33\00:23:21.73
It culminates in this promise
of the Second Coming and earth
00:23:21.76\00:23:23.30
made new.
00:23:23.33\00:23:25.30
This is verse--chapter 7, verse
15 says: "Therefore they are
00:23:25.33\00:23:27.97
before the throne of God, and
will serve Him day and night in
00:23:28.00\00:23:30.14
His temple.
00:23:30.17\00:23:32.41
And He who sits upon the
throne will dwell amongst them.
00:23:32.44\00:23:34.68
And they shall neither hunger
anymore nor thirst anymore; the
00:23:34.71\00:23:37.31
sun shall not strike them, nor
any heat; for the Lamb is in the
00:23:37.35\00:23:41.22
midst of them--in the midst
of the throne will shepherd them
00:23:41.25\00:23:45.05
and lead them to
living fountains of waters."
00:23:45.09\00:23:48.22
Here's this wonderful promise:
"And God shall wipe away every
00:23:48.26\00:23:50.89
tear from their eyes."
00:23:50.93\00:23:54.03
So at the end of the seven
seals, again, it culminates in
00:23:54.10\00:23:57.10
the Second Coming of Christ
and all things being made new.
00:23:57.13\00:24:00.24
Doug: Yeah, it talks about
the throne of Christ and that He
00:24:00.27\00:24:03.34
is with us and it just all these
conflicts that come out, the
00:24:03.37\00:24:06.37
different aspects, whether it's
the seven trumpets or the seven
00:24:06.41\00:24:09.88
seals or the seven churches
or the seven plagues, it always
00:24:09.91\00:24:13.48
comforts at the end saying
that Jesus wins in the end.
00:24:13.52\00:24:17.49
Then you've got the
seven trumpets and you read in
00:24:17.52\00:24:19.95
Revelation 15 then, "The seventh
angel sounded: And there were
00:24:19.99\00:24:23.83
loud voices in heaven, saying,
'The kingdoms of this world have
00:24:23.86\00:24:27.93
become the kingdoms of our Lord
and of His Christ, and He will
00:24:27.96\00:24:32.50
reign forever and ever!'"
00:24:32.53\00:24:36.04
And then we've got those
sections in Revelation chapter
00:24:36.07\00:24:38.77
13 and 14 talks about
this war against the saints.
00:24:38.81\00:24:41.98
Actually, Revelation 12, 13, and
14 talks about the dragon makes
00:24:42.01\00:24:45.61
war against a woman and then
you get the mark of the beast in
00:24:45.65\00:24:48.82
chapter 13, and in chapter
14 you've got the judgments.
00:24:48.85\00:24:52.89
We're going to spend more
time there in just a moment.
00:24:52.92\00:24:55.76
And there we've got another
promise about the Second Coming.
00:24:55.79\00:24:58.63
Jean: Right after the
proclamation of the three
00:24:58.66\00:25:00.36
angels' messages, you
have Revelation 14:14: "Then I
00:25:00.40\00:25:03.10
looked, and behold, a white
cloud, and one who sat upon the
00:25:03.13\00:25:05.87
cloud like unto the Son of Man,
having upon His head a golden
00:25:05.90\00:25:08.70
crown, and in His
hand a sharp sickle."
00:25:08.74\00:25:12.11
So again, we have a picture
of the Second Coming of Christ
00:25:12.14\00:25:15.64
immediately following the
proclamation of this present
00:25:15.68\00:25:18.35
truth message for the last days.
00:25:18.38\00:25:21.82
Doug: That's right.
00:25:21.85\00:25:24.15
"Coming in the clouds," there.
00:25:24.19\00:25:25.95
And then you have several
sections in Revelation 16, 17,
00:25:25.99\00:25:27.82
18, 19, talks about the work
of Babylon in the fall and this
00:25:27.86\00:25:33.36
culminates then, when you
get to chapter 19: "I saw heaven
00:25:33.40\00:25:36.60
opened, and
behold, a white horse."
00:25:36.63\00:25:39.40
And this is a
conquering Christ who's coming.
00:25:39.43\00:25:42.77
"He who sat upon him is Faithful
and True, and in righteousness
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.37
He makes war and He judges."
00:25:45.41\00:25:48.14
And it gives you several visions
there or pictures that give us
00:25:48.18\00:25:51.65
allegories of Christ
coming and conquering Babylon in
00:25:51.68\00:25:57.02
that section.
00:25:57.05\00:25:59.42
And then, of course, the Bible
culminates, Pastor Ross, if you
00:25:59.45\00:26:01.32
want to read Revelation
22 at the conclusion of
00:26:01.36\00:26:02.92
the Millennium.
00:26:02.96\00:26:05.06
Jean: A wonderful
promise that says: "Behold I
00:26:05.09\00:26:07.23
come quickly.
00:26:07.23\00:26:09.06
Blessed is he who keeps
the words of the prophecy of
00:26:09.10\00:26:10.53
this book."
00:26:10.57\00:26:12.73
And if you have one of those
Bibles that have the red letter
00:26:12.77\00:26:14.47
edition, you'll notice
that Revelation 22, verse 7, is
00:26:14.50\00:26:16.87
written in red; these
are the words of Jesus.
00:26:16.91\00:26:19.67
The Bible sort of wraps up not
only the book of Revelation but
00:26:19.71\00:26:22.34
the whole Bible, wraps up
with the promise, "I am coming
00:26:22.38\00:26:25.25
quickly," the great hope of
the Christian: the Second Coming
00:26:25.28\00:26:27.68
of Christ.
00:26:27.72\00:26:29.52
Doug: The book of Revelation,
you can see, is bookend.
00:26:29.55\00:26:32.25
You've got chapter 1, He
says, "I'm coming," chapter 22:
00:26:32.29\00:26:35.79
"I'm coming."
00:26:35.82\00:26:37.99
And so it is certainly a central
theme and now we're going to go
00:26:38.03\00:26:40.53
to the core of
that in the very middle.
00:26:40.56\00:26:45.60
The authors call it the
epicenter of Revelation in
00:26:45.63\00:26:48.27
chapter 14.
00:26:48.30\00:26:50.74
Jean: Now, maybe, Pastor
Doug, just before we dive into
00:26:50.77\00:26:52.74
the three angels' messages, I
know we're keeping an eye on the
00:26:52.77\00:26:54.58
clock, we want to make sure we
have time for that, we do have
00:26:54.61\00:26:56.48
some questions that's come in
and so let's try and put a few
00:26:56.51\00:26:58.55
of them in here.
00:26:58.58\00:27:00.95
One connected somewhat with the
Second Coming is the theme of
00:27:00.98\00:27:04.55
the 144,000 and this
question is fairly simple.
00:27:04.59\00:27:07.99
It says: "Who are the 144,000?"
00:27:08.02\00:27:12.06
And you read about them
in Revelation chapter 7.
00:27:12.09\00:27:15.13
Doug: Yeah, that's good, and
it does tie in with our lesson
00:27:15.16\00:27:17.47
because you read in chapter 7
and chapter 14, it talks about
00:27:17.50\00:27:19.37
the 144,000.
00:27:19.40\00:27:21.94
And it says they have
their Father's name written in
00:27:21.97\00:27:23.30
their forehead.
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.21
Who are they?
00:27:25.24\00:27:27.31
Are there only 144,000
saved in the last days?
00:27:27.34\00:27:29.98
No, I don't think so.
00:27:30.01\00:27:32.08
The 144,000 is 12 times 12,000,
and when you look at the number
00:27:32.11\00:27:37.02
12 in the Gospels, remember you
understand Revelation based on
00:27:37.05\00:27:40.82
reading other
passages in the Bible.
00:27:40.86\00:27:43.89
Twelve is the symbol
for God's leadership.
00:27:43.93\00:27:46.96
You have 12 judges in the
Old Testament, 12 patriarchs.
00:27:47.00\00:27:50.40
The sons of Jacob
were the 12 tribes.
00:27:50.43\00:27:53.54
You've got the 12
apostles in the New Testament.
00:27:53.57\00:27:56.50
And it's basically telling
us that God is going to pour out
00:27:56.54\00:27:58.97
His Spirit on this special group
in the last days, not just 12
00:27:59.01\00:28:02.78
apostles that are going to
the lost sheep of the tribe of
00:28:02.81\00:28:05.05
Israel, but it's 12 times 12,000
that's going to the whole world.
00:28:05.08\00:28:09.88
And through the influence
of these 144,000, it says they
00:28:09.92\00:28:13.99
follow the Lamb wherever He goes
just like the apostles followed
00:28:14.02\00:28:16.52
Jesus wherever He went.
00:28:16.56\00:28:18.56
Says in their
mouth there's no guile.
00:28:18.59\00:28:20.66
Jesus said to one of the
apostles, Nathanael, "Behold an
00:28:20.70\00:28:22.76
Israelite in whom
there is no guile."
00:28:22.80\00:28:24.97
You look at the definitions
of the 144,000 and it meets the
00:28:25.00\00:28:28.00
definitions of the apostles who
then do this great work and in
00:28:28.04\00:28:31.94
Revelation chapter 7 it says:
"And there's a great multitude
00:28:31.97\00:28:36.14
that no man can number converted
through the influence of
00:28:36.18\00:28:39.95
the 144,000."
00:28:39.98\00:28:42.92
Jean: Okay, another question
connected with that and the
00:28:42.95\00:28:44.95
question the person asked--is
asking is: "Do you think that
00:28:44.99\00:28:47.32
God'll send another prophet
in the last days or before the
00:28:47.36\00:28:51.53
Second Coming of Christ?"
00:28:51.56\00:28:54.20
Doug: Yeah, I think so.
00:28:54.23\00:28:56.03
I don't know who that'll be but
the Bible tells us in the last
00:28:56.06\00:28:58.43
days: "I'll pour out
My Spirit on all flesh.
00:28:58.47\00:29:00.67
Your sons and
daughters will prophesy."
00:29:00.70\00:29:02.67
And it's--you can read in
the last prophecy in Malachi:
00:29:02.70\00:29:07.64
"Behold, I send you
Elijah the prophet."
00:29:07.68\00:29:10.68
Now Jesus said, "Elijah has
come," and "Elijah will come."
00:29:10.71\00:29:14.08
Elijah has come in John the
Baptist and He said Elijah will
00:29:14.12\00:29:17.02
come, meaning future tense, you
read in Malachi, and it says:
00:29:17.05\00:29:20.99
"He will turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the
00:29:21.02\00:29:23.36
children to the fathers," and
it says, "before the great and
00:29:23.39\00:29:26.09
terrible day of the Lord, lest
I come and smite the earth with
00:29:26.13\00:29:29.23
a curse."
00:29:29.26\00:29:31.47
So I believe we need to be open
to all the gifts of the Spirit
00:29:31.50\00:29:33.64
right up to the end.
00:29:33.67\00:29:35.74
Jean: Another question we
have connected with Revelation
00:29:35.77\00:29:37.94
and maybe this will be the last
one, Pastor Doug, before we dive
00:29:37.97\00:29:40.11
into Revelation 14.
00:29:40.14\00:29:42.34
It says: "Who are the two
witnesses that you read about in
00:29:42.38\00:29:44.55
Revelation 11?"
00:29:44.58\00:29:46.92
Doug: Yeah, good question.
00:29:46.95\00:29:49.18
And, you know, the last prophecy
in the Old Testament says:
00:29:49.22\00:29:52.82
"Remember the law of Moses.
00:29:52.85\00:29:55.36
Behold, I send you Elijah."
00:29:55.39\00:29:57.99
And then when you get to the
New Testament, Jesus goes up the
00:29:58.03\00:30:00.30
mountain with Peter,
James, and John, and Moses and
00:30:00.33\00:30:03.70
Elijah appear.
00:30:03.73\00:30:06.50
Moses represents the law,
Elijah represents the prophets.
00:30:06.53\00:30:10.04
They are two principal
characters that represent the
00:30:10.07\00:30:12.77
epitome of the Word of God.
00:30:12.81\00:30:15.44
Moses, of course, was a great
law-giver, a lot of the Bible
00:30:15.48\00:30:17.58
comes from Moses, and Elijah was
the greatest of the prophets in
00:30:17.61\00:30:21.75
that he actually was translated
along with--he and Enoch.
00:30:21.78\00:30:27.69
And so, they represent the law
and the prophets, the New and
00:30:27.72\00:30:30.59
the Old Testament, the Word of
God is often in a dual nature.
00:30:30.63\00:30:34.10
Ten Commandments on
two tables of stone.
00:30:34.13\00:30:36.70
The Word of God is
called a sword with two edges, a
00:30:36.73\00:30:39.53
double-edged sword.
00:30:39.57\00:30:41.94
And so, those two witnesses are
the Word of God that was at a
00:30:41.97\00:30:46.61
certain point in history
the devil makes a real effort to
00:30:46.64\00:30:49.44
annihilate and eliminate
and eradicate the Scriptures.
00:30:49.48\00:30:53.85
But at the end of that time,
they are exalted up to heaven.
00:30:53.88\00:30:58.42
And so, I don't have time to
go through the whole chapter but
00:30:58.45\00:31:01.32
it's the Word of God.
00:31:01.36\00:31:02.72
Jean: You know, we do
have a book, Pastor Doug.
00:31:02.76\00:31:04.56
It's entitled,
"The Two Witnesses."
00:31:04.59\00:31:06.43
It's one of our sermon books and
it's available to anyone to read
00:31:06.46\00:31:08.56
for free at the
Amazing Facts website.
00:31:08.60\00:31:11.73
Just go to amazingfacts.com
and our free library.
00:31:11.77\00:31:15.00
Look up "The Two Witnesses"
and I think you'll be blessed by
00:31:15.04\00:31:17.07
that book.
00:31:17.11\00:31:18.91
Well, Pastor Doug, diving in,
in Revelation chapter 14, maybe
00:31:18.94\00:31:21.58
before we get into the heart of
the three angels' messages, just
00:31:21.61\00:31:23.78
to get a little context to the
chapter, there's really three
00:31:23.81\00:31:27.12
parts to Revelation chapter 14.
00:31:27.15\00:31:29.55
You've got from verse 1 through
5 which talks about the 144,000.
00:31:29.58\00:31:33.92
The heading there is "The
Lamb and the 144,000," so it
00:31:33.96\00:31:36.99
describes those victorious who
have gotten the victory over the
00:31:37.03\00:31:40.60
beast's power and they're
pictured in heaven but then it
00:31:40.63\00:31:44.60
backs up a little bit and it
describes a message that this
00:31:44.63\00:31:48.20
group is taking to the world
and that's the three angels'
00:31:48.24\00:31:51.27
messages and you find that in
verse 6 through to verse 13 and
00:31:51.31\00:31:56.11
then starting in verse 14 you
have what we call the Harvest of
00:31:56.14\00:31:59.11
the Earth and it's really a
symbolic picture of the Second
00:31:59.15\00:32:01.98
Coming of Christ.
00:32:02.02\00:32:04.15
There are two harvests:
the harvest of the wheat
00:32:04.19\00:32:06.09
representing the righteous;
the harvest of the grapes
00:32:06.12\00:32:08.16
representing the wicked.
00:32:08.19\00:32:10.33
So the message that goes to
all the world to prepare for the
00:32:10.36\00:32:12.99
harvest is the three
angels' messages that we find in
00:32:13.03\00:32:16.26
Revelation chapter 14.
00:32:16.30\00:32:19.00
Doug: Yeah, absolutely.
00:32:19.03\00:32:21.04
And so, you know, there
is a quote from the book
00:32:21.07\00:32:22.84
"Evangelism," that's
in the lesson I thought we
00:32:22.87\00:32:24.47
should share.
00:32:24.51\00:32:26.07
It says: "In a special sense,
Seventh-day Adventists have been
00:32:26.11\00:32:28.48
set in the world as
watchmen and lightbearers.
00:32:28.51\00:32:31.08
To them has been
entrusted the last warning for a
00:32:31.11\00:32:33.15
perishing world.
00:32:33.18\00:32:35.15
On them is shining wonderful
light from the Word of God.
00:32:35.18\00:32:37.72
They've been given the work
of the most solemn import: the
00:32:37.75\00:32:40.82
proclamation of the
first, second, and third
00:32:40.86\00:32:43.69
angels' messages.
00:32:43.73\00:32:45.29
There is no other work of so
great importance and they are to
00:32:45.33\00:32:49.33
allow nothing else to
absorb their attention."
00:32:49.36\00:32:52.33
So these are the messages
that go to the world and then in
00:32:52.37\00:32:55.74
chapter 14, verse 14, it says:
"Then you see Jesus coming."
00:32:55.77\00:32:59.84
And so, we need to take a look
carefully at what is the present
00:32:59.87\00:33:03.88
truth message for us to be
giving to the world right now.
00:33:03.91\00:33:07.52
Jean: It begins in verse 6
so if you have your Bibles and
00:33:07.55\00:33:09.42
you're following along with us,
we'll just read through these
00:33:09.45\00:33:11.92
verses and talk about them.
00:33:11.95\00:33:14.69
Revelation chapter 14, beginning
verse 6, says: "Then I saw
00:33:14.72\00:33:17.53
another angel flying in
the midst of heaven, having the
00:33:17.56\00:33:20.36
everlasting gospel to preach
to those that dwell upon the
00:33:20.40\00:33:23.06
earth--to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:33:23.10\00:33:27.64
So just a few things we
want to highlight in this verse.
00:33:27.67\00:33:30.27
First of all, we see an angel
flying in the midst of heaven.
00:33:30.31\00:33:33.34
The word "angel" in the Greek
is angelos which literally means
00:33:33.38\00:33:36.41
messenger and, for sure, they
could represent angelic beings
00:33:36.44\00:33:40.35
as we think of angels.
00:33:40.38\00:33:42.72
But it can also represent
someone who has a God-given
00:33:42.75\00:33:46.05
message to take to the world.
00:33:46.09\00:33:48.59
So in a very real sense, these
three angels represent God's
00:33:48.62\00:33:52.16
people in the last days who have
this message that has to go to
00:33:52.19\00:33:55.80
every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:33:55.83\00:33:58.67
Why to all the world?
00:33:58.70\00:34:00.64
Well, because the next part
of the chapter talks about the
00:34:00.67\00:34:02.70
Second Coming of Christ and
that's going to affect every
00:34:02.74\00:34:04.91
nation, kindred,
tongue, and people.
00:34:04.94\00:34:07.01
So a message of warning needs
to go to all the world and,
00:34:07.04\00:34:10.58
connected with that, you
have the everlasting gospel.
00:34:10.61\00:34:14.18
The centrality of the three
angels' message is the fact that
00:34:14.22\00:34:17.02
Jesus saves.
00:34:17.05\00:34:19.05
He can save to the uttermost
those who come to Him by faith.
00:34:19.09\00:34:21.96
So the--right at the very intro
to the three angels' messages
00:34:21.99\00:34:25.03
you have the everlasting gospel
being preached to all the world
00:34:25.06\00:34:28.03
and I think this verse, Pastor
Doug, has really helped motivate
00:34:28.06\00:34:31.37
the expansion of mission
work that we see going on around
00:34:31.40\00:34:33.77
the world.
00:34:33.80\00:34:35.94
Not only people traveling
to different places around, you
00:34:35.97\00:34:38.31
know, the globe, preaching the
gospel, but just printing the
00:34:38.34\00:34:41.28
Bibles in different languages.
00:34:41.31\00:34:43.98
I know here at Amazing Facts, we
have our statement of focus or
00:34:44.01\00:34:49.55
our belief statement or our
mission, I should say, mission
00:34:49.58\00:34:52.85
statement, that's what it is.
00:34:52.89\00:34:55.12
And our mission statement
actually comes right from the
00:34:55.16\00:34:57.29
three angels' messages that's
taking the gospel to every
00:34:57.33\00:35:00.40
nation, kindred,
tongue, and people.
00:35:00.43\00:35:03.16
Doug: Yup, and so when we
talk about these angels, first,
00:35:03.20\00:35:05.63
second, and third angel, I
believe they're all flying in
00:35:05.67\00:35:08.20
the midst of heaven, and we're
not talking about people looking
00:35:08.24\00:35:11.81
up someday and seeing
an apparition in the sky.
00:35:11.84\00:35:14.81
Revelation is a symbolic book.
00:35:14.84\00:35:17.51
But I do think it's interesting
that in the last days the
00:35:17.55\00:35:20.18
message is going with great
light and it's going with great
00:35:20.22\00:35:23.28
speed, with
technology that is very new.
00:35:23.32\00:35:28.62
Through radio waves, the message
is going through the heavens.
00:35:28.66\00:35:32.89
Through satellite transmissions,
through fiber-optic cables, the
00:35:32.93\00:35:36.06
message is going through pulses
of light around the world.
00:35:36.10\00:35:40.50
And so it is going at the
speed of flight, you might say.
00:35:40.54\00:35:45.14
Where before, it seemed like
it had to crawl, the message is
00:35:45.17\00:35:47.74
really flying now.
00:35:47.78\00:35:50.05
Jean: And the first angel's
message begins in verse 7 and
00:35:50.08\00:35:53.72
for some of us I
think we know this by heart.
00:35:53.75\00:35:56.95
It says: "Saying with a
loud voice, 'Fear God, give Him
00:35:56.99\00:36:00.16
glory, for the hour of His
judgment has come; and worship
00:36:00.19\00:36:04.03
Him that made the heavens, the
earth, the sea, and the springs
00:36:04.06\00:36:07.40
of water.'"
00:36:07.40\00:36:09.66
So a couple of things
that we see in the first
00:36:09.70\00:36:11.77
angel's message.
00:36:11.80\00:36:13.30
First of all, Pastor Doug,
it says he's speaking with a
00:36:13.34\00:36:14.80
loud voice.
00:36:14.84\00:36:16.34
The message
needs to go everywhere.
00:36:16.37\00:36:18.31
People need to hear this message
and it's a call to fear God and
00:36:18.34\00:36:21.34
give Him glory.
00:36:21.38\00:36:23.31
Now, sometimes people wonder
about that phrase, "Fear God."
00:36:23.35\00:36:25.58
They think, "Well, doesn't the
Bible say: 'Perfect love casts
00:36:25.61\00:36:27.45
out fear'?"
00:36:27.48\00:36:29.22
Should we be afraid of God?
00:36:29.25\00:36:31.42
Doug: No, you know, I
just want to jump back.
00:36:31.45\00:36:33.42
That word "loud voice" if
you've ever heard the expression
00:36:33.46\00:36:35.32
"megaphone," megaphone,
the Greek word is very similar
00:36:35.36\00:36:38.96
there, talking about megaphonos.
00:36:38.99\00:36:42.30
It means it's
an amplified voice.
00:36:42.33\00:36:45.47
Now, on your question about
fearing God, yeah, there is a
00:36:45.50\00:36:48.50
time for us to fear God.
00:36:48.54\00:36:50.97
Let's look at it.
00:36:51.01\00:36:52.94
Ecclesiastes 12, verse 13 says:
"Let us hear the conclusion of
00:36:52.97\00:36:55.18
the whole matter.
00:36:55.21\00:36:57.51
Fear God and keep His
commandments for this is the
00:36:57.55\00:36:59.45
whole duty of man."
00:36:59.48\00:37:01.28
So part of fearing God would be
keeping His commandments so that
00:37:01.32\00:37:03.39
would be all ten.
00:37:03.42\00:37:05.55
So part of this message is
remembering to keep all ten
00:37:05.59\00:37:07.39
commandments and, of course, one
of those would be--that's often
00:37:07.42\00:37:12.53
neglected, would be the Sabbath
and notice in the last part of
00:37:12.56\00:37:15.50
this first message it
says: "Worship Him that made the
00:37:15.53\00:37:18.97
heaven and the earth and
the seas and the fountains
00:37:19.00\00:37:21.40
of water."
00:37:21.44\00:37:23.51
Right there in the Sabbath
commandment: "Six days the Lord
00:37:23.54\00:37:25.24
made the heaven and the earth
and the seas and the fountains
00:37:25.27\00:37:26.91
of waters."
00:37:26.94\00:37:28.78
So you have an excerpt from the
fourth commandment right there
00:37:28.81\00:37:31.91
in the three angels' messages.
00:37:31.95\00:37:36.25
Jean: And you also find that
the message really divided up
00:37:36.28\00:37:38.82
into three parts.
00:37:38.85\00:37:41.02
It's fearing and giving glory to
God, it's talking about the hour
00:37:41.06\00:37:43.26
of His judgment, and
then worshiping the Creator.
00:37:43.29\00:37:47.13
Now, when you talk about the
hour of God's judgment, it's in
00:37:47.20\00:37:50.00
the present tense.
00:37:50.03\00:37:51.77
It says: "The hour of
His judgment has come."
00:37:51.80\00:37:54.17
In other places in the Old
Testament or even in the New
00:37:54.20\00:37:56.24
Testament, we read about
a coming judgment yet in the
00:37:56.27\00:37:59.04
future, but here in Revelation
14 we find that it's present
00:37:59.07\00:38:02.64
tense and it's a special
judgment message that goes to
00:38:02.68\00:38:05.61
all the world just before we
enter into these final moments
00:38:05.65\00:38:10.09
or history of the world and
we find that--we call that the
00:38:10.12\00:38:14.49
investigative judgment
or the pre-advent judgment.
00:38:14.52\00:38:17.79
A special work of judgment that
goes to all, that Christ does
00:38:17.83\00:38:20.93
before the Second Coming.
00:38:20.96\00:38:23.20
And, Pastor Doug, according to
this, we are living in that time
00:38:23.23\00:38:25.80
of judgment, even now.
00:38:25.83\00:38:28.14
Thus the urgency in worshiping
God as the Creator, remembering
00:38:28.17\00:38:30.67
the Ten Commandments, the
Sabbath, which is a sign of His
00:38:30.71\00:38:33.78
creative power,
and give God glory.
00:38:33.81\00:38:36.78
The Bible says when you eat or
drink or whatever you do, do it
00:38:36.81\00:38:39.78
to the glory of God.
00:38:39.81\00:38:42.28
Doug: Right, and so, yeah,
this message is something that
00:38:42.32\00:38:45.35
is to be taken to the whole
world, giving glory to God, and
00:38:45.39\00:38:49.82
the Bible tells us that judgment
must begin at the house of God.
00:38:49.86\00:38:55.00
Now, if we know that Christ
is coming and rewards are being
00:38:55.03\00:38:57.80
distributed--He
says, "Behold, I come.
00:38:57.83\00:39:00.77
My reward is with Me
to give to every man."
00:39:00.80\00:39:03.41
That means if He's coming
and He's giving rewards when He
00:39:03.44\00:39:05.24
comes, some aspect of judgment
must take place before He comes.
00:39:05.27\00:39:09.68
And that would be this
time in which we're living now.
00:39:09.71\00:39:14.28
Jean: Now, the next angel's
message and we could say a lot
00:39:14.32\00:39:16.65
more about this but time won't
allow, but the next angel's
00:39:16.69\00:39:19.72
message you find in verse 8
and it says: "And another angel
00:39:19.75\00:39:23.19
followed, saying, 'Babylon
is fallen, is fallen, that great
00:39:23.22\00:39:26.33
city, because she has made all
nations drink the wine of the
00:39:26.36\00:39:29.36
wrath of her fornication.'"
00:39:29.40\00:39:31.80
Now, the first thing I want to
point out here is you notice the
00:39:31.83\00:39:34.07
first angel's message in
Revelation chapter 7--Revelation
00:39:34.10\00:39:37.14
14:7, it says: "The angel has
a loud voice" and you find the
00:39:37.17\00:39:41.48
third angel's message which
is in verse 9 and he has a loud
00:39:41.51\00:39:46.21
voice, but the second angel's
message in verse 8, it simply
00:39:46.25\00:39:50.39
says: "The angel says,
'Babylon is fallen, is fallen.'"
00:39:50.42\00:39:55.79
Now, what's interesting about
that is you find a repeat of the
00:39:55.82\00:39:58.23
second angel's message
in Revelation chapter 18.
00:39:58.26\00:40:01.60
Pretty much the same message,
a few more details are added.
00:40:01.63\00:40:04.73
But in Revelation 18, we call
this the fourth angel, he is
00:40:04.77\00:40:07.77
preaching with a "mighty strong
voice, 'Babylon is fallen,
00:40:07.80\00:40:12.17
is fallen.'"
00:40:12.21\00:40:14.18
Now, when we're talking about
Babylon, it's interesting to
00:40:14.21\00:40:16.04
note the Bible is sometimes
described as a history--the Old
00:40:16.08\00:40:18.55
Testament as a history of two
cities: one would be the city of
00:40:18.58\00:40:22.02
God, Jerusalem, and the other
would be the city of falsehood
00:40:22.05\00:40:26.96
and error, described as Babylon.
00:40:26.99\00:40:30.16
And in the history of Israel you
find Israel being taken captive
00:40:30.19\00:40:32.83
by Babylon but then a call, a
message, for the Jews after the
00:40:32.86\00:40:36.93
seven years of Babylonian
captivity, to come out of
00:40:36.97\00:40:39.43
Babylon and come
back to Jerusalem.
00:40:39.47\00:40:42.10
And so that sign of Babylon
represents religious confusion.
00:40:42.14\00:40:45.94
In prophecy it represents the
confusion of false doctrine and
00:40:45.97\00:40:49.61
teaching in the last days.
00:40:49.64\00:40:52.01
God is calling His people to
come out of religious confusion,
00:40:52.05\00:40:55.65
make their stand upon
the truths of His Word.
00:40:55.68\00:40:58.42
Babylon was also connected
with pagan practices and pagan
00:40:58.45\00:41:01.36
traditions that were
claiming to have truth.
00:41:01.39\00:41:05.29
And so in the last days we find
churches that have adopted pagan
00:41:05.33\00:41:08.53
practices and they claim to have
the truth but God is calling His
00:41:08.56\00:41:12.17
people to come out
of these institutions.
00:41:12.20\00:41:16.10
Doug: Yeah, and it goes back
even before Abraham because, you
00:41:16.14\00:41:18.87
know, way back in the tower of
Babel it tells us that they were
00:41:18.91\00:41:22.64
making a name for themself.
00:41:22.68\00:41:24.65
It was a city
that God had cursed.
00:41:24.68\00:41:27.48
Nimrod went to build his first
city which the beginning of it
00:41:27.52\00:41:29.72
was Babylon or Babel.
00:41:29.75\00:41:32.12
And when Abraham came out,
he came out of the idolatry that
00:41:32.15\00:41:35.19
had begun there.
00:41:35.22\00:41:37.63
He brought his wife out of
Babylon, into the Promised Land.
00:41:37.66\00:41:40.36
Then later, Isaac brought
his wife, Rebekah, out of
00:41:40.40\00:41:43.10
Mesopotamia into
the Promised Land.
00:41:43.13\00:41:45.90
Then Jacob went back to Heron,
Mesopotamia, across Euphrates,
00:41:45.93\00:41:49.54
to bring his wife--wives out of
Babylon into the Promised Land.
00:41:49.57\00:41:53.74
And then you have, after
the Babylonian captivity, God is
00:41:53.78\00:41:55.88
calling His bride out of Babylon
back to the Promised Land.
00:41:55.91\00:42:00.52
That's all symbolic of what's
happening in the last days.
00:42:00.55\00:42:04.32
The world is filled with
idolatry and God has His sheep
00:42:04.35\00:42:08.16
and He's calling them out of
Babylon into the Promised Land
00:42:08.19\00:42:11.76
'cause He says, "Babylon is
fallen," and those that don't
00:42:11.79\00:42:14.03
come out, they'll
receive of the plagues.
00:42:14.10\00:42:17.13
Now, in this case, it's the
seven last plagues that end up
00:42:17.17\00:42:19.93
falling on Babylon and, you
know, so it's a life and death
00:42:19.97\00:42:23.84
question about
getting out of Babylon.
00:42:23.87\00:42:26.61
He calls them His people.
00:42:26.64\00:42:29.64
So especially just before the
Second Coming there's going to
00:42:29.68\00:42:32.18
be, I think, a very powerful
message for sincere Christians
00:42:32.21\00:42:35.72
from many different
denominations to come back to
00:42:35.75\00:42:38.59
scriptural truth and be part
of this remnant movement in the
00:42:38.62\00:42:42.19
last days.
00:42:42.22\00:42:44.73
Jean: Jesus said, "Other
sheep I have that are not of
00:42:44.76\00:42:46.49
this fold," He said, "they will
hear My voice and they will come
00:42:46.53\00:42:49.20
and then it will be
one fold and one Shepherd."
00:42:49.23\00:42:51.93
In Revelation chapter 18 after
the message is given by the
00:42:51.97\00:42:54.57
fourth angel, "Babylon is
fallen, is fallen," and then it
00:42:54.60\00:42:57.41
goes on: "And I heard another
voice from heaven saying, 'Come
00:42:57.44\00:43:00.54
out of her, My people.'"
00:43:00.58\00:43:03.18
So who do you suppose
that voice from heaven is?
00:43:03.21\00:43:05.58
Well, it will be
the voice of Jesus.
00:43:05.61\00:43:07.45
Jesus said, "I have sheep that
are not of this fold but they
00:43:07.48\00:43:09.65
will hear My voice
and they will come."
00:43:09.68\00:43:11.79
And so there's this gathering
together in the last days of
00:43:11.82\00:43:13.86
those who are seeking truth.
00:43:13.89\00:43:16.09
Those who are wanting to
worship God according to the
00:43:16.12\00:43:18.53
commandments, they come out
of this religious confusion, and
00:43:18.56\00:43:21.46
they make their stand with God's
commandment-keeping people.
00:43:21.50\00:43:24.50
Doug: Now, why does it
say, "Babylon fallen, fallen"?
00:43:24.53\00:43:27.67
Jean: Why does
it repeat it twice?
00:43:27.70\00:43:29.94
Well, if you look at the word,
at least what Babylon is in the
00:43:29.97\00:43:31.97
Bible, you find that Revelation
17 says there is a woman, her
00:43:32.01\00:43:36.14
name is Babylon,
and she has daughters.
00:43:36.18\00:43:38.95
Her daughters would share those
same traditions as the mother
00:43:38.98\00:43:42.42
and we have a fall of the mother
church, being the Roman church,
00:43:42.45\00:43:46.55
but we also have a fall of her
daughter churches, being those
00:43:46.59\00:43:49.79
protestant churches that are
still holding to the truths and
00:43:49.82\00:43:52.86
the traditions of
the mother church.
00:43:52.89\00:43:55.86
And so there is a falling of the
mother, there is a falling of
00:43:55.90\00:43:59.03
the daughters.
00:43:59.07\00:44:01.00
And when this message goes out,
which we believe is happening
00:44:01.04\00:44:03.07
even now, many of the protestant
churches, they receive some of
00:44:03.10\00:44:06.81
the truth but they still clung
to some of the false doctrines
00:44:06.84\00:44:09.81
and teachings.
00:44:09.84\00:44:11.81
God is calling His people to
come all the way out of error,
00:44:11.85\00:44:14.02
make their stand
with Bible truth.
00:44:14.05\00:44:17.09
Doug: Amen, you know, we
probably ought to get people
00:44:17.12\00:44:19.45
into the third angel's message
now because I see we've got
00:44:19.49\00:44:21.96
limited time and
it's a big subject.
00:44:21.99\00:44:24.56
So would you like to read that?
00:44:24.59\00:44:26.26
Jean: Yes, you'll find
that starting here in verse 9.
00:44:26.29\00:44:28.93
It says: "A third angel followed
them, saying with a loud voice,
00:44:28.96\00:44:30.97
'If anyone worships the beast
and his image, and receives his
00:44:31.00\00:44:33.90
mark in the forehead or on
the hand, he himself shall also
00:44:33.94\00:44:37.31
drink the wine of the wrath
of God, which is poured out full
00:44:37.34\00:44:40.34
strength into the
cup of His indignation.
00:44:40.38\00:44:43.35
He shall be tormented with fire
and brimstone in the presence of
00:44:43.38\00:44:46.05
the holy angels, in
the presence of the Lamb.'"
00:44:46.08\00:44:49.28
And verse 11 says: "'And the
smoke of their torment ascends
00:44:49.32\00:44:51.19
up forever and ever; and they
have no rest day or night, who
00:44:51.22\00:44:54.16
worship the beast and his image,
whoever receives the mark of
00:44:54.19\00:44:56.99
his name.'"
00:44:57.03\00:44:59.16
Verse 12: "Here is the
patience," or endurance, "of the
00:44:59.19\00:45:01.43
saints; here are those who keep
the commandments of God and they
00:45:01.46\00:45:04.57
have the faith of Jesus."
00:45:04.60\00:45:06.97
So probably the most fearful
warning, Pastor Doug, that you
00:45:07.00\00:45:09.37
can find anywhere in the
Bible is this, right here.
00:45:09.40\00:45:13.21
It says: "Don't worship the
beast, don't receive his mark.
00:45:13.24\00:45:17.11
If you choose to worship the
beast, you will experience the
00:45:17.15\00:45:21.05
wrath of God."
00:45:21.08\00:45:23.75
The wrath of God is the seven
last plagues that we read about
00:45:23.79\00:45:25.75
in Revelation.
00:45:25.79\00:45:27.76
Doug: Yeah, this is the most
serious warning that you find in
00:45:27.79\00:45:29.79
Scripture is "Do not worship the
beast and his image," but, you
00:45:29.82\00:45:35.03
know, it says that those that
worship the beast have no rest
00:45:35.06\00:45:38.20
and they're contrasted with the
ones who do have rest and the
00:45:38.23\00:45:44.41
Sabbath being a sign of that.
00:45:44.44\00:45:47.08
And then it also contrasts them,
in the end here it says that
00:45:47.11\00:45:50.55
you've got, on one hand, those
who worship the beast and the
00:45:50.58\00:45:53.31
other hand, who worship Christ.
00:45:53.35\00:45:56.35
These are the ones who keep the
commandments of God and have the
00:45:56.38\00:45:59.05
faith not just in
Jesus, the faith of Jesus.
00:45:59.09\00:46:02.36
And so it's contrasting those
who come out of Babylon, that
00:46:02.39\00:46:07.30
worship the Lord, receive
the seal of God, with those who
00:46:07.36\00:46:10.33
worship the beast and
receive the mark of the beast.
00:46:10.37\00:46:13.54
So people need to know what the
mark of the beast and the seal
00:46:13.57\00:46:15.60
of God is because if you
get that wrong, it's the most
00:46:15.64\00:46:18.34
serious consequences the
Bible outlines anywhere in
00:46:18.37\00:46:20.58
this passage.
00:46:20.61\00:46:22.88
Jean: And the key to
understanding what the mark of
00:46:22.91\00:46:24.55
the beast is, is in verse
12 where it says: "The true
00:46:24.58\00:46:28.28
worshipers will keep
the commandments of God."
00:46:28.32\00:46:31.45
So something related to the
beast or worshiping the beast
00:46:31.49\00:46:33.69
would violate at least one
or more of God's commandments.
00:46:33.72\00:46:38.19
So here you find the mark
of the beast as being manmade
00:46:38.23\00:46:40.76
commandments or manmade
traditions and you have the true
00:46:40.80\00:46:43.90
worshipers who
keep God's commandments.
00:46:43.93\00:46:46.87
So the key issue at the end
of time, Pastor Doug, revolves
00:46:46.90\00:46:48.74
around worship.
00:46:48.77\00:46:50.47
Who do we worship?
00:46:50.51\00:46:52.11
Do we worship God and
keep His commandments?
00:46:52.14\00:46:54.04
Or do we worship this religious
power in the last days by
00:46:54.08\00:46:57.11
choosing to obey its
commandments which are contrary
00:46:57.15\00:47:02.18
to God's commandments?
00:47:02.22\00:47:03.99
That becomes the key
issue in the last days.
00:47:04.02\00:47:06.52
Doug: And you see this
same thing is highlighted in
00:47:06.55\00:47:08.99
Revelation chapter 12 at the end
where it says in verse 17: "The
00:47:09.02\00:47:12.79
dragon was wroth with the woman
and he goes to make war with the
00:47:12.83\00:47:16.06
remnant of her seed that keep
the commandments of God and have
00:47:16.10\00:47:20.27
the testimony of Jesus."
00:47:20.30\00:47:22.57
And then you go to the
very last book in Revelation,
00:47:22.60\00:47:24.24
chapter 22:14.
00:47:24.27\00:47:26.91
It says: "Blessed are those that
do His commandments that they
00:47:26.94\00:47:29.31
might have a right to the tree
of life and enter through the
00:47:29.34\00:47:31.55
gates of the city."
00:47:31.58\00:47:33.65
And so this is a special
emphasis that you find that
00:47:33.68\00:47:36.12
separates the two groups.
00:47:36.15\00:47:38.05
Jean: So the key issue that
we find in the three angels'
00:47:38.09\00:47:40.19
message is who
are we worshiping?
00:47:40.22\00:47:42.42
Are we going to worship God and
keep His commandments or are we
00:47:42.46\00:47:44.43
going to worship
this manmade power?
00:47:44.46\00:47:46.63
I think the point that we want
to take from here is not every
00:47:46.66\00:47:48.96
church in the last days, not
every building that has a cross
00:47:49.00\00:47:52.13
on its roof, is
necessarily God's true church.
00:47:52.17\00:47:55.54
There is a remnant.
00:47:55.57\00:47:57.47
Now, God might have true
people in all of these different
00:47:57.51\00:47:59.87
churches but the institution or
the organization, if it has left
00:47:59.91\00:48:03.28
the commandments of God, if it's
substituted manmade traditions
00:48:03.31\00:48:06.88
for a "Thus saith the Lord,"
now God is calling His people to
00:48:06.92\00:48:11.52
come out of this confusion,
make their stand with the
00:48:11.55\00:48:14.66
commandment-keepers.
00:48:14.69\00:48:17.03
So it's a message
that's calling for action.
00:48:17.06\00:48:19.39
It's a message that calls
for revival in the last days.
00:48:19.43\00:48:22.86
Doug: Yeah, and as you
mentioned earlier, Jesus is
00:48:22.90\00:48:25.27
saying, "I've got other
sheep that are not of this fold.
00:48:25.30\00:48:28.00
They will hear My
voice," through His Word, this
00:48:28.04\00:48:29.94
proclamation, "and they'll come
out and there'll be one fold,
00:48:29.97\00:48:34.24
one Shepherd."
00:48:34.28\00:48:36.24
In order for them to be part
of His fold, they've got to come
00:48:36.28\00:48:38.11
out of the other folds.
00:48:38.15\00:48:40.45
And so this is a special message
and then the daughters of
00:48:40.48\00:48:43.32
Babylon, so they're the
second group that falls.
00:48:43.35\00:48:45.72
You've got the mother falls,
you have the daughter falls.
00:48:45.75\00:48:48.52
And in the Old Testament, you've
got the tower of Babylon fell,
00:48:48.56\00:48:52.49
the kingdom of Babylon fell, and
so Babylon's going to fall and
00:48:52.53\00:48:56.00
not rise again, friends.
00:48:56.03\00:48:58.50
You want to make sure you
read in Isaiah 13 that prophecy.
00:48:58.53\00:49:01.50
Babylon, ancient Babylon's,
never going to be rebuilt.
00:49:01.54\00:49:04.67
But the--Jerusalem has
been rebuilt 27 times and,
00:49:04.71\00:49:08.14
ultimately, Jesus is going to
rebuild a new Jerusalem and He
00:49:08.18\00:49:10.88
wants you in that city.
00:49:10.91\00:49:12.95
Now, we've got a closing offer.
00:49:12.98\00:49:14.32
Jean: Yes, we want to remind
our friends about our free offer
00:49:14.35\00:49:15.92
today, it's a book entitled,
"Three Steps to Heaven."
00:49:15.95\00:49:18.62
And we're excited to send this
to anyone who calls and asks.
00:49:18.65\00:49:20.96
The number is 866-788-3966 and
you ask for offer number 102.
00:49:20.99\00:49:25.59
Again, that
number is 866-788-3966.
00:49:25.63\00:49:29.83
Or you can get a digital
download by just texting the
00:49:29.86\00:49:32.57
code "SH068" to
the number 40544.
00:49:32.60\00:49:39.87
Until we get to study
again next week, God bless.
00:49:39.91\00:49:42.98
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Is this what the end
of the world looks like?
00:50:24.65\00:50:27.39
Doug: Hi, friends, this
is Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:50:27.42\00:50:29.99
You know, the Bible talks about
a global crisis at the end of
00:50:30.03\00:50:32.33
time, and the book of Revelation
clearly describes what's ahead.
00:50:32.36\00:50:37.17
I'd like to invite you to watch
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Gary: Early in 1980 all the
baby boomers were turning 21 and
00:51:00.36\00:51:03.83
the nightclub scenes
were exploding and I started a
00:51:03.86\00:51:06.19
entertainment lighting company.
00:51:06.23\00:51:08.80
female: I was the president
and there were six divisions.
00:51:08.83\00:51:11.43
Doing the raves in the
'80s and '90s, you know, in some
00:51:11.47\00:51:13.70
warehouse where you're setting
up lighting and fog and, you
00:51:13.74\00:51:16.60
know, who knows
what's going on in there and
00:51:16.64\00:51:19.37
nightclub--nightclub
installations.
00:51:19.41\00:51:22.01
I loved it and it was who I was.
00:51:22.04\00:51:25.01
Gary: Bought a new house out
of town and we moved about two
00:51:25.05\00:51:27.25
or three times.
00:51:27.28\00:51:29.28
But we were always
going into different churches.
00:51:29.32\00:51:31.55
We were in a Lutheran church
and then we were in a Methodist
00:51:31.59\00:51:33.32
church, I think we were in three
different Baptist churches.
00:51:33.36\00:51:36.32
My wife was raised Catholic.
00:51:36.36\00:51:38.26
I was raised Methodist.
00:51:38.29\00:51:40.16
Currently, I've been out reading
all the Hal Lindsey books and
00:51:40.20\00:51:42.36
watching all the "Left Behind"
movies and so I really wanted to
00:51:42.40\00:51:44.70
understand what the book
of Revelation was all about.
00:51:44.73\00:51:47.34
But nothing really
ever made sense to me.
00:51:47.37\00:51:49.60
female: One day, Pastor Lloyd
Logan came knocking and he had
00:51:49.64\00:51:52.84
that '99 flyer.
00:51:52.87\00:51:55.68
Lloyd Logan: We were
preparing for an evangelistic
00:51:55.71\00:51:58.55
series and different people were
going different directions with
00:51:58.58\00:52:02.18
handbills to invite
people to the meetings.
00:52:02.22\00:52:06.62
female: I saw that coming at
me, you know, all the colors and
00:52:06.65\00:52:08.99
I thought, "Oh no, this
is some kind of cult thing."
00:52:09.02\00:52:12.46
Lloyd: And she said, "Thank
you very much and I'm not much
00:52:12.49\00:52:14.93
interested myself but my husband
likes that kind of thing."
00:52:14.96\00:52:18.67
female: And Lloyd
said, "Would you give it to
00:52:18.70\00:52:20.30
him please?"
00:52:20.34\00:52:22.47
And I said, "Okay, I will."
00:52:22.50\00:52:24.57
So I took the pamphlet
and I put it on the counter.
00:52:24.61\00:52:26.94
Gary came home
and he walked by it.
00:52:26.98\00:52:29.31
Gary: Ran through the kitchen
to quickly eat and take a shower
00:52:29.34\00:52:31.48
and go back out and work a show.
00:52:31.51\00:52:34.42
female: Two or three days
went by like this and I moved
00:52:34.45\00:52:36.18
that brochure from the counter,
put it on the dining room table,
00:52:36.22\00:52:41.29
put it back on the counter.
00:52:41.32\00:52:43.66
And I actually
threw it in the garbage.
00:52:43.69\00:52:45.36
As I threw it in that garbage
can, I could hear him and see
00:52:45.39\00:52:48.03
his face saying, "Would
you give it to him please?"
00:52:48.06\00:52:52.00
And I actually
took the garbage out.
00:52:52.03\00:52:54.14
Then--and that night, lying in
bed, I kept seeing his face and
00:52:54.17\00:52:56.30
hearing his voice and thinking,
"Oh boy, I've got to get that
00:52:56.34\00:52:59.11
brochure out of the garbage."
00:52:59.14\00:53:02.54
And I took that and I
put it right underneath the
00:53:02.58\00:53:05.78
remote control.
00:53:05.81\00:53:07.78
Bright colors, he'll see it.
00:53:07.82\00:53:09.62
Gary: I finally sat down in
my living room and I picked up
00:53:09.65\00:53:11.35
the remote and I saw that
angel holding out that scroll.
00:53:11.39\00:53:14.72
female: "Whoa, cool.
00:53:14.76\00:53:16.49
What is this?"
00:53:16.52\00:53:18.19
And I was in the kitchen,
cooking, and I thought, "Oh no."
00:53:18.23\00:53:20.90
Gary: And I looked at it and
I turned it over and then I saw
00:53:20.93\00:53:23.23
a little building, a little
church building, and it wasn't
00:53:23.26\00:53:25.90
too far away.
00:53:25.93\00:53:27.50
It was about six houses down
and it said, "Friday night."
00:53:27.54\00:53:30.67
female: And I
certainly wasn't going.
00:53:30.71\00:53:32.71
I mean, it wasn't
my intention to go.
00:53:32.74\00:53:34.71
Gary: I didn't have any shows
going on that night and so I
00:53:34.74\00:53:37.08
thought it was a one-night deal.
00:53:37.11\00:53:39.41
I went and as I heard about
the Millennium, man, I was just
00:53:39.45\00:53:42.12
blown away.
00:53:42.15\00:53:44.05
I didn't want it to end.
00:53:44.09\00:53:45.72
I knew what I was hearing was
all from the Scripture and it
00:53:45.75\00:53:47.76
wasn't based on Hollywood
movies or other books that
00:53:47.79\00:53:49.79
were written.
00:53:49.82\00:53:51.66
They said, "Come again tomorrow
night," and I thought, "Wow,
00:53:51.69\00:53:53.83
great, two nights."
00:53:53.86\00:53:55.40
So I tried to tell my wife
about it and she still wasn't
00:53:55.43\00:53:57.67
interested and then
she decided to come.
00:53:57.70\00:54:00.77
female: I started to hear the
truth, you know, and I started
00:54:00.80\00:54:02.60
to get fed.
00:54:02.64\00:54:04.44
Gary: Every night after the
seminar, they would hand us an
00:54:04.47\00:54:06.78
Amazing Facts study guide.
00:54:06.81\00:54:08.74
I couldn't do those fast enough.
00:54:08.78\00:54:10.58
female: The business kept us
going seven days a week and it
00:54:10.61\00:54:13.08
was night and day.
00:54:13.11\00:54:15.12
Gary: Crews working all
around the clock and so when we
00:54:15.15\00:54:17.52
finally heard the Sabbath
message, you know, so far
00:54:17.55\00:54:20.06
everything's been
true, right from the Bible.
00:54:20.09\00:54:22.56
female: Church on
Saturday, no work.
00:54:22.59\00:54:25.03
Anyway, it all clicked.
00:54:25.06\00:54:27.03
Gary: Both our heads
turned at each other, our jaws
00:54:27.03\00:54:28.36
dropped open.
00:54:28.40\00:54:30.80
female: I said,
"We can't do that."
00:54:30.83\00:54:33.10
Gary: And the first thing
that came out of my mouth was,
00:54:33.13\00:54:35.04
"We have to."
00:54:35.07\00:54:36.50
female: I knew that it would
be a sacrifice and I was in fear
00:54:36.54\00:54:39.74
about it.
00:54:39.77\00:54:41.38
Gary: We didn't know how
we were going to do it but we
00:54:41.41\00:54:43.85
talked to the pastor about it
and the pastor said, "Well, just
00:54:43.88\00:54:46.58
pray about it and
God will open doors."
00:54:46.61\00:54:49.68
female: I didn't want to give
up all the connections I had
00:54:49.72\00:54:51.62
made, all the networking, all
the money, all the investment.
00:54:51.65\00:54:55.22
Gary: We went to the board
and asked them if they would
00:54:55.26\00:54:56.99
consider closing on
Saturday and they agreed to.
00:54:57.03\00:55:00.86
So we closed the storefront on
Saturday but we were still doing
00:55:00.90\00:55:03.43
productions and
that kind of bothered us.
00:55:03.47\00:55:06.57
So a couple of months later,
God opened a door for my wife.
00:55:06.60\00:55:09.60
She exited the company.
00:55:09.64\00:55:11.71
I prayed about it and
God opened a door for me too.
00:55:11.74\00:55:14.34
female: Gary, shortly after,
was offered a job being paid
00:55:14.38\00:55:17.55
more money than he made
as an owner of the company.
00:55:17.58\00:55:21.75
Gary: He said, "I'll give you
a $1000 raise and you will never
00:55:21.78\00:55:24.75
work another weekend."
00:55:24.79\00:55:27.56
female: And we were able to
keep the Sabbath and enjoy the
00:55:27.59\00:55:30.63
wonderful blessings that God
had for us on the Sabbath day.
00:55:30.66\00:55:34.93
Gary: My kids never
again had to say, "Quit talking
00:55:34.93\00:55:36.46
about work."
00:55:36.50\00:55:38.47
After the seminar was over, my
wife and I and my children were
00:55:38.50\00:55:40.44
all baptized in the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:55:40.47\00:55:43.27
Even if I gave up everything,
I knew that God would have
00:55:43.30\00:55:45.57
something better.
00:55:45.61\00:55:47.28
female: I have much more
understanding and there's much
00:55:47.31\00:55:50.21
more depth in my
Christian walk with the Lord.
00:55:50.25\00:55:54.92
Gary: We started an
Amazing Facts Bible School at
00:55:54.95\00:55:56.89
our church.
00:55:56.92\00:55:59.05
It allows anybody to understand
the Scriptures and to understand
00:55:59.09\00:56:01.26
the end-times.
00:56:01.29\00:56:03.06
Church changed my life
dramatically, and I'm very happy
00:56:03.09\00:56:05.26
and excited to be a part of it.
00:56:05.29\00:56:07.40
¤¤¤
00:56:07.46\00:56:11.83
Doug: On several occasions,
scientists have demonstrated
00:56:23.14\00:56:25.61
that people, and even creatures,
can struggle with depression
00:56:25.65\00:56:29.65
when exposed to
continual darkness.
00:56:29.68\00:56:32.32
This can be seen every
year in the winter months in the
00:56:32.35\00:56:34.59
Arctic regions.
00:56:34.62\00:56:37.09
The beautiful village of Rjukan,
Norway, is situated in a deep
00:56:37.13\00:56:40.26
valley where mountains block the
sun's rays for about six months
00:56:40.30\00:56:43.57
every year.
00:56:43.60\00:56:45.53
This, of course, keeps the 3400
residents in a state of shade
00:56:45.57\00:56:48.54
and sometimes depressive
darkness throughout the winter.
00:56:48.57\00:56:52.54
Then the town leaders got a
bright idea, to help illuminate
00:56:52.57\00:56:55.58
their village
during the murky months.
00:56:55.61\00:56:58.45
In October 2013, Rjukan
installed an array of three
00:56:58.48\00:57:02.88
gigantic 550-square-foot mirrors
on a nearby mountain 1000 feet
00:57:02.92\00:57:08.36
above the town.
00:57:08.39\00:57:10.69
The computer-controlled and
solar-powered mirrors track the
00:57:10.73\00:57:14.00
sun through the winter months
and reflect a giant beam of
00:57:14.03\00:57:17.47
sunshine down to the town
square, brightening their lives.
00:57:17.50\00:57:22.10
If you visit Rjukan in the
winter months today, you can
00:57:22.14\00:57:25.27
often see the people gathered
or sitting on benches around the
00:57:25.31\00:57:28.44
town square bathing in
the reflected sunshine.
00:57:28.48\00:57:32.88
Like those mirrors on the
mountain, the Bible says that
00:57:32.91\00:57:35.58
Christians are to reflect the
light of Jesus who is the light
00:57:35.62\00:57:38.25
of the world
into this dark planet.
00:57:38.29\00:57:41.16
Matthew 5:14 says: "You
are the light of the world.
00:57:41.19\00:57:43.93
A city that is set on
a hill cannot be hidden.
00:57:43.96\00:57:47.00
Nor do we light a lamp and
put it under a basket, but on a
00:57:47.03\00:57:49.93
lampstand, and it illuminates
everybody in the house.
00:57:49.96\00:57:54.07
Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good
00:57:54.10\00:57:57.14
works and glorify
your Father in heaven."
00:57:57.17\00:58:00.71
So friends, use today to
brighten the life of someone
00:58:00.74\00:58:03.55
else by reflecting Jesus.
00:58:03.58\00:58:06.78
¤¤¤
00:58:06.82\00:58:10.99
¤¤¤
00:58:12.55\00:58:22.50
¤¤¤
00:58:22.53\00:58:28.97