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Shawn Brummund: Hello, and
welcome to another edition of
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the "Sabbath School Study Hour."
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It is so good to be able to have
you join us here again in the
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Granite Bay Hilltop Seventh-Day
Adventist Church in the Greater
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Sacramento area of California.
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It is a privilege to be able to
invite all those who are with us
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with our local church family
here in our new sanctuary, and
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it is always a pleasure to
be able to have those who are
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watching live on Amazing Facts
TV as well as the different
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social media outlets and
then, of course, our different
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satellite
stations in the future.
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So it is nice to have each
and every one of you join us.
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We know that you will be blessed
as we study a very--another very
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important topic from the Bible,
which is the covenant sign.
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So we're going to be looking at
lesson number nine for those of
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you who are running for your
quarterly and asking yourself,
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"Where are we this week again?"
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And so we want to turn to lesson
number nine, which is entitled
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"The Covenant Sign."
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We've been studying the promise
of God's everlasting covenant,
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and we're seeing that theme and
thread that threads all the way
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from the first covenant with
Adam and Eve all the way to our
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day and age here today.
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So don't miss it.
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Stay tuned with us
as we continue to study.
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We also have a free gift offer
that we have for you here today
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as we'd like to offer each and
every edition, and today's free
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offer is entitled "The Lost Day
of History" and this is directly
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tied to the subject that
we're looking at today in the
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quarterly as well.
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And so if you don't have a copy
of this, you've never studied
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through this study
guide--it's one of my favorites.
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It's certainly very enriching,
answers many of the most common
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thinking questions
that many people have.
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And you can just go ahead
and dial the toll-free number
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which is 866-788-3966,
and that's 866-STUDY-MORE.
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Now, when you call into that,
if you're in continental USA or
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Canada, then you can just
ask for offer number 113 and the
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agent that answers that
will be happy to be able
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to get that to you.
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And then of course we have a
digital copy that is available
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to those who are in the United
States as well, and you just
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dial 40544 and you want to
plug in there in the message box
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"SH082," and that
will direct you to the link
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on the internet that will give
you that free download copy.
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So please take
advantage of that.
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And before we invite our
teacher, Pastor Luccas, up to
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teach the lesson study,
we're going to invite our singer
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as--Jolene as she sings
for us and leads us in worship.
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Let's worship from our
hearts even here this morning.
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¤¤¤
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¤ There is a
name I love to hear, ¤
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¤ I love to sing its worth. ¤
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¤ It sounds like
music in my ear, ¤
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¤ the sweetest name on earth. ¤
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¤ O how I love
Jesus. O how I love Jesus. ¤
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¤ O how I love Jesus
because He first loved me. ¤
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¤ It tells me of
a Savior's love, ¤
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¤ who died to set me free. ¤
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¤ It tells me of
His precious blood, ¤
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¤ the sinner's perfect plea. ¤
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¤ O how I love
Jesus. O how I love Jesus. ¤
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¤ O how I love Jesus
because He first loved me. ¤
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¤ It tells of one whose loving
heart can feel my deepest woe, ¤
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¤ who in each sorrow bears a
part that none can bear below. ¤
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¤ O how I love
Jesus. O how I love Jesus. ¤
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¤ O how I love Jesus ¤
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¤ because He first loved me. ¤
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Shawn: I invite you to pray.
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Father in heaven, as we open
Your Word, we thank You for the
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privilege of being able
to--again to invest in a
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knowledge of what You have
revealed to mankind concerning
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this important Bible topic.
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We want to pray that You will
fulfill Your promise to give us
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the Holy Spirit and that we
might be able to truly know that
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You are the one that is guiding
our minds, opening our hearts
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and understanding to the things
that You would have us know.
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And so please we ask for that.
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We claim that promise even now.
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We pray for Your blessing upon
our teacher, Pastor Luccas, as
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he brings the truth--the word of
truth to us again this morning.
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We thank You for listening, God.
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In Jesus's name, amen.
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Luccas Rodor: It is so
good to see you, to be here.
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My wife and I have been--we
were on vacation for the
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past two weeks.
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We were in Brazil.
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And--well, it's always good to
see family and to be with them.
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It was my
brother-in-law's wedding.
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And it had been pushed off
already because of COVID, but
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this time, thank God, there was
a window in the whole situation
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and we were able to be
there and to see family and
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have such a good time.
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But I'll tell you that it's
also good to be home, isn't it?
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It's always good to
be home, there's no place
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like home, right?
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Our study for today is
a really beautiful study.
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It's one of the central
studies of what it means to be a
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Seventh-Day Adventist.
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After all, we do have
a reference for this in
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our name, in the
name of our church.
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We are the
Seventh-Day Adventists.
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So there's an emphasis on the
seventh day Sabbath, and there's
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an emphasis on the Advent.
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And so it's just so good to
be here and to be able to talk
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about this subject that is such
a--it's a subject that we do
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talk a lot about, but at the
same time it's always good to be
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able to go deeper.
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And so welcome to the
local church that's here.
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It's good to see you.
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Welcome to you watching
from anywhere in the world.
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Wherever you may be, be that
here in the United States or
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around the world, it's so good
to be able to relate to you that
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way and to be able to
share the Word with you.
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Pastor Shawn just prayed, but
I would like to offer up another
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word of prayer so that we can
begin--so that I can begin on
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the right foot, so let's pray.
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Dear Father, thank You so
much for Your love for us.
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Thank You so much
for Your guidance.
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Thank You for the wisdom that
comes from Scripture and from
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the Bible, Lord, and thank
You so much because You have
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provided discernment
for us so that we can too
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understand more about You.
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Lord, we know that we've been
studying about the covenant.
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So allow us to understand
the sign of the covenant in the
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context of that deal that You've
made to rescue us from the
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tragedy of sin.
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I ask You for these things and
I ask You for these following
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moments in the name of
Jesus Your son and our Lord,
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our Savior, and our best friend.
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In his name, amen and amen.
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So, you know, the joy of
my ministry is giving Bible
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studies, all right?
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The joy of my ministry
is giving Bible studies.
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There are things that
I do in my job that I do
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because it's my job, all right?
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I think that that goes
for everyone--for anyone.
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There are things that you do in
your job because it's your job,
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but there are other things--I
don't know about you, but there
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are things in my job that I
do because I purely love it.
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You wouldn't have to pay me
to do it, and part of that is
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giving Bible studies.
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You put me anywhere in the
world, I will try to find a
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Bible study, I love it.
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And through giving
Bible studies, this subject is
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one of the central,
it's one of the main ones.
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It's one of the distinguishing
realities because while there
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are other denominations that
do keep the Sabbath, they don't
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keep the Sabbath in the same
way as us or sometimes not even
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because of the
same reasons as us.
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And so it's always a central
part of that Bible study to talk
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about the Sabbath, and what it
means for us, and what it means
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to us, and how we
do observe this day.
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Now, as we get into the
actual lesson--and I do want to
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make something clear.
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The Sabbath school lesson study
where you have a teacher that
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comes out and that teaches
the lesson, the purpose of that
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teacher, if he's doing a good
job, is to bring more than what
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the student
learned in the lesson.
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I was a chaplain and a Bible
teacher for a few years, and the
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reality is that I would give
homework but I wouldn't feel
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that my objective
would have been complete if I
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had not gone beyond the
homework, if I hadn't gone
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deeper into what I was teaching.
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So it's the duty of the student
to study the lesson, and then
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the duty of the teacher
to go beyond that, that which
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was brought in the lesson.
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Otherwise, I'm just repeating
what you already studied, right?
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So here when you have someone up
front teaching a Sabbath school
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lesson, the objective is to go
deeper and to go beyond what is
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already in the lesson.
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So that's why you'll see that
sometimes I will go beyond, I
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will mention some things that
you didn't really get from the
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lesson itself but that actually
tried to go a little bit deeper,
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and the reason for that is
because I want to give you more.
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I like setting
more and I want to give
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more than was already there.
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So that's why you'll see that
sometimes there are some things
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that weren't there in the lesson
itself but are an addition.
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In any case, friends,
the narrative that we find in
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Genesis, the
narrative creation, right?
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You'll find that in the
book of creation--in the Book of
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Genesis, we'll have the first
attribute of God is that God is
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a creator,
right, God is a maker.
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I mean, that's the
first thing that you find out
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about God in the Bible: in
the beginning, God did what?
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God made.
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He created, and it's--what's
interesting is that the verb
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used over there for create is a
verb that is attributed and used
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only when God creates--only
for when God creates.
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And so the first attribute about
God is that he is a creator God.
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And the narrative of creation
that we find in the first two
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chapters of the Bible,
what does it culminate in?
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That week of
creation, how does it culminate,
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how does it end, what is
the last part of that week?
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It's the Sabbath.
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It culminates with the day
of rest, and the Sabbath is that
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seventh day of creation.
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All right, the Sabbath--what we
know as Sabbath in the context
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of Genesis is that
seventh day of creation.
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But remember that while it is
the seventh day of creation, how
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long had humans been alive for?
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One day.
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Humans had just been created.
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So while this is the seventh day
of the creation week, it's the
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first day of existence for the
human family, the first day that
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they had been alive.
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They had not
worked yet, had they?
00:11:36.59\00:11:39.63
How could they have?
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So how would they rest?
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And that just brings a little
innuendo, a little detail in
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what it means to
keep the Sabbath.
00:11:48.84\00:11:50.91
The human family on their first
Sabbath, they weren't tired yet.
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They hadn't worked yet.
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The Sabbath was a day for them
to--in the presence of their
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creator, in the presence of the
maker, in the presence of the
00:12:01.35\00:12:04.35
architect to
establish their priorities as to
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what was truly important.
00:12:08.26\00:12:10.06
The first act of
mankind was what?
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To rest.
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That was their first act.
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It was to rest in the presence
of God and to learn from Him
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what the purpose of
their existence was.
00:12:20.80\00:12:23.54
Have you stopped
to think about that?
00:12:23.57\00:12:25.44
Their first act, their first
Sabbath was God providing a
00:12:25.47\00:12:29.51
manual or providing an
explanation as to why they had
00:12:29.54\00:12:33.82
just been created; and God
was explaining what they were
00:12:33.85\00:12:36.52
created for, why
they had been created.
00:12:36.55\00:12:39.29
Another important
point to remember is that God
00:12:39.32\00:12:41.82
wasn't tired either.
00:12:41.86\00:12:43.46
Does God get tired?
00:12:43.49\00:12:45.66
What does the Book of Isaiah
chapter 40, verse 28 says?
00:12:45.69\00:12:48.76
It says that the eternal one,
He neither faints nor is weary.
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God doesn't get tired.
00:12:54.04\00:12:56.14
God doesn't need physical rest.
00:12:56.17\00:12:58.11
God doesn't need
rest. He doesn't get tired.
00:12:58.14\00:13:00.11
How could you tire
out the untireable one?
00:13:00.14\00:13:03.45
Now, in the new earth--and
here we're just seeing a lot of
00:13:03.48\00:13:06.28
little facts about the Sabbath.
00:13:06.31\00:13:08.02
The human family, they
were given the day of rest in a
00:13:08.05\00:13:10.19
moment where they
weren't even tired yet.
00:13:10.22\00:13:11.95
God doesn't get tired and yet
he rested on the seventh day.
00:13:11.99\00:13:14.92
In the new earth the day of rest
will continue to be observed
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.99
according to Isaiah 66:23;
but the question is, will the
00:13:18.03\00:13:21.63
inhabitants in the new
earth, will they be tired?
00:13:21.66\00:13:26.23
Doesn't the very Book of Isaiah
chapter 40 say that he will give
00:13:26.27\00:13:29.57
wings to the youth, they will
run and not be weary, they will
00:13:29.60\00:13:33.11
walk and not be tired?
00:13:33.14\00:13:35.58
So how would the inhabitants
of the new earth be tired?
00:13:35.61\00:13:37.88
What would they
need the Sabbath for?
00:13:37.91\00:13:39.38
What kind of rest are we
talking about here if these
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inhabitants don't get tired?
00:13:41.75\00:13:43.35
Friends, the purpose of this
rest is to celebrate redemption.
00:13:43.39\00:13:50.06
After the fall, after the
entrance of sin, humans became
00:13:50.09\00:13:53.70
slaves to the incessant rat race
of modern life and its feverish
00:13:53.73\00:14:00.57
consumerist activism.
00:14:00.60\00:14:03.14
That's why the Bible
focuses on teaching us the
00:14:03.17\00:14:05.97
basic questions about existence.
00:14:06.01\00:14:07.38
What are the basic
questions about existence?
00:14:07.41\00:14:10.31
What do--what is a
religion, have you ever
00:14:10.35\00:14:11.81
asked yourself that?
00:14:11.85\00:14:13.18
You know, the word
religion today, it's a
00:14:13.21\00:14:14.62
really charged-up word.
00:14:14.65\00:14:16.89
It's really--you know, it's
become something of a hindrance
00:14:16.92\00:14:22.82
to a lot of people
when understanding God
00:14:22.86\00:14:24.49
and spirituality.
00:14:24.53\00:14:27.13
What is religion?
00:14:27.20\00:14:28.66
The word religion itself
is the word religare, and
00:14:28.70\00:14:32.10
it means to reconnect.
00:14:32.13\00:14:34.40
That's what the word
religion literally means.
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.40
It means to reconnect.
00:14:36.44\00:14:37.74
It's a search.
00:14:37.77\00:14:39.27
It's a quest to reconnect
with something that was lost.
00:14:39.31\00:14:43.24
But when you look at the
structure of any religion, it is
00:14:43.28\00:14:46.25
an attempt to answer three great
questions: where did we come
00:14:46.28\00:14:49.78
from, what are we doing
here, and where are we going.
00:14:49.82\00:14:53.62
It has to do with origin, with
purpose, and with destination.
00:14:53.66\00:14:58.26
And so the Sabbath is
God providing us time to
00:14:58.29\00:15:02.36
understand these realities.
00:15:02.40\00:15:05.20
That's why the Bible focuses
on teaching the basic questions
00:15:05.23\00:15:07.87
about existence, origin,
purpose, and destination.
00:15:07.90\00:15:11.61
And that's what we get into
the first subject of this week's
00:15:11.64\00:15:13.71
lesson, which is
the subject of origins.
00:15:13.74\00:15:16.44
The Bible is related
with the creation of life on
00:15:16.48\00:15:20.58
this planet, and the first
days of creation have to do with
00:15:20.62\00:15:23.42
space and with mass, right?
00:15:23.45\00:15:26.15
If you analyze those first 6
days, God is creating things in
00:15:26.19\00:15:30.16
the realm of space,
in the realm of mass.
00:15:30.19\00:15:33.29
He creates light.
00:15:33.33\00:15:35.10
We know that light has mass.
00:15:35.13\00:15:36.60
He creates water. He
creates the atmosphere.
00:15:36.63\00:15:38.80
He creates trees, and earth, and
animals, and fruits, and seeds,
00:15:38.83\00:15:42.90
and plants, and--everything.
00:15:42.94\00:15:45.47
God creates first in the realm
of mass, in the realm of space.
00:15:45.51\00:15:51.01
But the week doesn't end
with space or with mass or with
00:15:51.05\00:15:55.02
things, the week of
creation ends with time--
00:15:55.05\00:15:59.85
an emphasis on time.
00:15:59.89\00:16:03.26
In the structure of creation,
time is divided between ordinary
00:16:03.29\00:16:06.73
time from the first to the
sixth day of creation; and with
00:16:06.76\00:16:10.50
special time, the
seventh day of creation.
00:16:10.53\00:16:13.80
Ordinary time flows into special
time, reminding us that humans
00:16:13.84\00:16:19.14
do not find their purpose in the
routinely things of life but in
00:16:19.17\00:16:25.51
the presence of God, of the
creator who alone can realign us
00:16:25.55\00:16:30.19
to our original purpose.
00:16:30.22\00:16:31.79
After all, He Himself made us.
00:16:31.82\00:16:34.72
And then we can truly
discern what is important.
00:16:34.76\00:16:37.33
Friends, if we don't--if we only
live in the realm of ordinary
00:16:37.36\00:16:41.06
time, it becomes very difficult
to discern between what is truly
00:16:41.10\00:16:44.27
important in life
and what is mundane.
00:16:44.30\00:16:48.04
Ordinary time in our life must
by necessity flow into special
00:16:48.07\00:16:52.21
time for us to
understand why we are alive.
00:16:52.24\00:16:56.48
In the
structure of creation, man
00:16:56.51\00:16:59.61
was not primarily created in the
function of things of space, or
00:16:59.65\00:17:04.29
in the things of mass,
or for things simplified.
00:17:04.32\00:17:08.82
No, humans find
their final and their
00:17:08.86\00:17:11.83
most complete purpose
in the presence of the
00:17:11.86\00:17:14.50
creator, in the
presence of God, in the time
00:17:14.56\00:17:19.10
reserved and
designated for this purpose.
00:17:19.13\00:17:22.24
Friends, the establishment of
the day of rest has nothing to
00:17:22.27\00:17:25.04
do primarily with the nation of
Israel, and we're going to talk
00:17:25.07\00:17:28.04
a little bit more about
that because we know that Israel
00:17:28.08\00:17:30.35
disfigured what the
Sabbath should have meant.
00:17:30.38\00:17:33.28
Do you know how many laws
existed about the Sabbath when
00:17:33.31\00:17:35.82
Jesus came around?
00:17:35.85\00:17:38.02
One thousand five
hundred and twenty-one laws just
00:17:38.05\00:17:41.49
about the Sabbath.
00:17:41.52\00:17:42.89
Thirty-nine times thirty-nine.
00:17:42.92\00:17:45.56
Half of those with
their multiples; half of those
00:17:45.59\00:17:49.13
positive laws and half of those
negative laws, what you could do
00:17:49.16\00:17:52.70
and what you could not do.
00:17:52.73\00:17:54.14
One thousand five
hundred and twenty-one laws.
00:17:54.17\00:17:56.00
Isn't it sad, isn't it
depressing how humans have this
00:17:56.04\00:17:59.84
tendency of taking these signs
that come from God; the signs of
00:17:59.87\00:18:03.88
freedom, of redemption, of
liberation, and we transform
00:18:03.91\00:18:07.75
them in this--into this
whole thing that boxes us in?
00:18:07.78\00:18:13.46
The Sabbath was given as a means
to understand God's redemptive
00:18:13.49\00:18:17.76
work for humans.
00:18:17.79\00:18:22.70
Some modern religious
interpreters use this argument,
00:18:22.73\00:18:26.53
that the Sabbath
was created for Israel.
00:18:26.57\00:18:28.94
They use this argument as a
way to do away with the sacred
00:18:28.97\00:18:31.77
origin of the day of rest and
all of its implications for the
00:18:31.81\00:18:35.71
life that God originally
intended for us; but, friends,
00:18:35.74\00:18:41.12
the Sabbath is God's invitation
to rest, to rest, and today more
00:18:41.15\00:18:49.09
than in any other moment
of history that is needed.
00:18:49.12\00:18:55.80
In the modern day and age,
we need to learn how to rest.
00:18:55.83\00:19:02.10
Three Hebrew words are
intrinsically connected to the
00:19:02.14\00:19:05.21
Sabbath that make our
understanding of this day of
00:19:05.24\00:19:08.61
rest different from any other
day, from all the other days of
00:19:08.64\00:19:11.71
the weekly calendar, and we'll
find this in Genesis chapter 2.
00:19:11.75\00:19:15.25
Right on the first--the first
word that describes what God did
00:19:15.28\00:19:18.02
on the Sabbath, it
says that he rested.
00:19:18.05\00:19:20.39
And by resting, what
was God doing by resting?
00:19:20.42\00:19:23.49
He was setting an example, a
precedent for us to understand a
00:19:23.53\00:19:28.50
little bit better.
00:19:28.53\00:19:30.60
God is the standard by
which we understand the
00:19:30.63\00:19:33.30
nature of this rest.
00:19:33.34\00:19:34.77
By resting, He signaled that His
plan of creation was complete.
00:19:34.80\00:19:38.21
After all, what did
He say when He was done?
00:19:38.24\00:19:40.38
He observed
everything, and how was it?
00:19:40.41\00:19:42.74
It was very good.
00:19:42.78\00:19:45.78
It was good.
00:19:45.81\00:19:48.02
God's creation of this world was
exactly, precisely what He had
00:19:48.05\00:19:51.82
originally planned and intended.
00:19:51.85\00:19:53.69
That's why He saw that it
was really very, very good.
00:19:53.72\00:19:57.83
There was nothing left to do.
00:19:57.86\00:19:59.56
He could stop. He could halt.
00:19:59.59\00:20:01.40
The work was--halt.
The work was complete.
00:20:01.43\00:20:03.77
It was done. It was finished.
00:20:03.80\00:20:05.53
Friends, we do not rest
because our work is complete.
00:20:05.57\00:20:10.34
After all, our imperfection
is a great obstacle for that.
00:20:10.37\00:20:15.48
Our works are never as
complete as God's works.
00:20:15.51\00:20:20.52
We rest because
God's work is complete.
00:20:20.55\00:20:22.85
We rest in His work.
00:20:22.88\00:20:25.79
On that first day--on that
Friday--on that first Friday,
00:20:25.82\00:20:30.49
God had said that
His work of creating was
00:20:30.53\00:20:32.59
complete and so He rested.
00:20:32.63\00:20:35.00
And you'll remember that on that
fateful Friday on Calvary, Jesus
00:20:35.03\00:20:38.33
said that his work of
redemption was complete when he
00:20:38.37\00:20:41.54
cried out, "It is finished."
00:20:41.57\00:20:43.17
Do you see on the sixth
day of creation it was finished
00:20:43.20\00:20:46.07
and it was very good?
00:20:46.11\00:20:48.08
On that Friday on Calvary,
he also said it is finished, and
00:20:48.11\00:20:52.75
the work was very good.
00:20:52.78\00:20:58.95
He then lowers
his head on that day.
00:20:58.99\00:21:03.19
He rested on the Sabbath.
00:21:03.22\00:21:06.23
He who kept his life in his--who
kept the Sabbath in life, he
00:21:06.26\00:21:11.03
also kept it in death,
and He invites us to also rest
00:21:11.07\00:21:14.20
in His complete work.
00:21:14.24\00:21:16.44
Perfectly
complete, we can also rest.
00:21:16.47\00:21:20.11
The second Hebrew word that
we'll find--and here I'm not
00:21:20.14\00:21:22.34
really going to go through the
words because that really won't
00:21:22.38\00:21:24.38
matter, but the second
description that we find after
00:21:24.41\00:21:27.62
God rested is
that He then blessed.
00:21:27.65\00:21:30.09
And, friends, the blessing of
God found in the Bible is one of
00:21:30.12\00:21:33.69
the richest concepts
of the Old Testament.
00:21:33.72\00:21:37.13
The blessing of God, what
that bless means--what that
00:21:37.16\00:21:39.86
blessing means is one
of the richest concepts
00:21:39.89\00:21:42.13
found in the
entire Old Testament.
00:21:42.16\00:21:44.07
Proverbs chapter 10, verse
22 says that the blessing of the
00:21:44.10\00:21:46.97
Lord makes one rich, and
He adds no sorrow with it.
00:21:47.00\00:21:50.54
Friends, the Sabbath
represents a powerful
00:21:50.57\00:21:53.94
potential of blessings.
00:21:53.98\00:21:56.41
Why potential?
00:21:56.44\00:21:58.08
Because I have to accept it.
00:21:58.11\00:21:59.58
I have to learn to truly rest.
00:21:59.61\00:22:03.55
What truly blesses the
disfigured and the impoverished
00:22:03.59\00:22:07.59
time-consumed life
is not merely sleep.
00:22:07.62\00:22:11.66
After all, have you--has anyone
here ever tried to go--you know,
00:22:11.69\00:22:14.10
you'll go to bed one night and
you'll wake up in the morning
00:22:14.13\00:22:16.63
and it seems as though
you're more tired than when
00:22:16.67\00:22:18.87
you went to sleep, has that
ever happened to someone here?
00:22:18.90\00:22:21.87
Yeah. Right?
00:22:21.90\00:22:23.20
You go to bed, and when you
wake up--you can sleep for maybe
00:22:23.24\00:22:26.64
eight, ten hours.
00:22:26.68\00:22:28.51
Sometimes it seems as
though you're "tireder."
00:22:28.54\00:22:31.61
I know I just
came up with a word.
00:22:31.65\00:22:33.05
You're more tired than
when you went to sleep.
00:22:33.08\00:22:36.79
It--the rest here, it doesn't
have to do with that, and it
00:22:36.82\00:22:40.29
doesn't have to do primarily
even with an expensive or a
00:22:40.32\00:22:43.66
lavish vacation at some
tropical human paradise.
00:22:43.69\00:22:48.10
That's not what
we're talking about here.
00:22:48.13\00:22:49.63
No, friends, true
rest in the Bible,
00:22:49.66\00:22:52.23
the true Sabbath
has to do with God's
00:22:52.27\00:22:54.30
blessing, which according to
this proverb that we just read
00:22:54.34\00:22:57.54
enriches and adds no sorrow.
00:22:57.57\00:23:02.28
In contrast to space,
which we see as a symbol of
00:23:02.31\00:23:06.58
human works, all right?
00:23:06.61\00:23:07.98
As in contrast to what we do on
the six weeks, human works, the
00:23:08.02\00:23:13.46
Sabbath comes to us as a
symbol of God's divine grace,
00:23:13.49\00:23:18.43
a temple in time.
00:23:18.46\00:23:23.47
The Sabbath is a temple in time.
00:23:23.50\00:23:26.80
Anyone anywhere has
access to this temple.
00:23:26.84\00:23:31.84
No one is excluded.
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.61
No one is denied entrance.
00:23:34.64\00:23:37.88
Sabbath is a temple in time
available, accessible to anyone.
00:23:37.91\00:23:44.52
It comes to us independently
of our works, which are always
00:23:44.55\00:23:47.96
conditioned by
the reality of sin.
00:23:47.99\00:23:50.76
Every week we breathe this
breath of God that brings true
00:23:50.79\00:23:54.76
rest, true refreshment,
true renewal, and that's what it
00:23:54.83\00:23:59.37
means to accept the
blessing that is the Sabbath.
00:23:59.40\00:24:02.87
God rested. God blessed.
00:24:02.90\00:24:05.14
And what is the
third thing that God does?
00:24:05.17\00:24:07.91
He sanctifies.
00:24:07.94\00:24:10.68
The Sabbath was sanctified by
God, and what this means is that
00:24:10.71\00:24:13.25
God is the one that
sanctifies us--it, friends.
00:24:13.28\00:24:16.69
It's not us. God
sanctified the Sabbath.
00:24:16.72\00:24:19.52
It wasn't you.
00:24:19.55\00:24:22.79
He separated it.
00:24:22.82\00:24:24.23
He sanctified it
to be a blessing.
00:24:24.26\00:24:26.93
And if understood correctly--and
please if you forget everything
00:24:26.96\00:24:29.60
in this lesson, remember this.
00:24:29.63\00:24:32.47
If understood correctly, it's
not us who keep the Sabbath.
00:24:32.50\00:24:38.57
It is the Sabbath that keeps us,
keeps us from all the insanity
00:24:38.61\00:24:45.15
and insensibility of
life that is determined by the
00:24:45.18\00:24:48.22
laws of the market, of
consumerism, of materialism,
00:24:48.25\00:24:51.65
of greed, of competition.
00:24:51.69\00:24:53.66
The Sabbath keeps us.
00:24:53.69\00:24:59.46
The Sabbath is a
divine invitation to rest
00:24:59.49\00:25:01.30
from the rat race.
00:25:01.33\00:25:05.00
And, friends, like I said
before, that is needed now more
00:25:05.03\00:25:07.34
than any other
time in a time where we
00:25:07.37\00:25:10.81
are constantly accessible.
00:25:10.84\00:25:13.74
The beauty of the modern world
is that it gave us access to so
00:25:13.78\00:25:16.44
many things, but the terror
of it is that it gave so many
00:25:16.48\00:25:20.98
things access to us as well.
00:25:21.02\00:25:25.29
And the Sabbath is that rift,
that temple in time when we turn
00:25:25.32\00:25:30.89
off our computers, our phones,
suspend our businesses, close
00:25:30.93\00:25:33.93
our textbooks; and we are
declaring by that that our life
00:25:33.96\00:25:37.13
does not depend primarily of our
effort, or of our bank account,
00:25:37.17\00:25:42.10
or of our academic
prestige, our intelligence.
00:25:42.14\00:25:44.64
That's not what
life is based upon.
00:25:44.67\00:25:47.24
Our life is in the hands that
never quiver in their protection
00:25:47.28\00:25:52.25
and their care of human needs.
00:25:52.28\00:25:55.95
The second broad
subject here of the lesson is
00:25:55.98\00:25:59.65
the Sabbath before Sinai.
00:25:59.69\00:26:01.32
You know, as a nation, Israel
gains its identity in--or after
00:26:01.36\00:26:06.03
the exodus from Egypt, and there
are many reasons found in the
00:26:06.06\00:26:09.30
Bible to point that the seventh
day Sabbath precedes the nation
00:26:09.33\00:26:12.83
of Israel or the independence
of Israel as a nation.
00:26:12.87\00:26:16.91
It first appears to us in the
biblical narrative during the
00:26:16.94\00:26:20.34
creation, and that right there
indicates its universality.
00:26:20.38\00:26:25.18
What was created in
that week of creation?
00:26:25.21\00:26:28.52
Everything, everything
was created, and the Sabbath
00:26:28.55\00:26:32.35
appears as a culmination
of that week of creation.
00:26:32.39\00:26:34.82
Why would the Sabbath be
something only for one people if
00:26:34.86\00:26:37.69
it was given at a moment
where everything was made?
00:26:37.73\00:26:42.36
That right there tells us a lot.
00:26:42.40\00:26:46.53
The Sabbath was established
for the universal human.
00:26:46.57\00:26:51.41
Jesus indicates precisely this
when in Mark chapter 2, verse 27
00:26:51.44\00:26:54.94
he says the
Sabbath was made for who?
00:26:54.98\00:26:58.01
The Sabbath was made for man,
and not the man for the Sabbath.
00:26:58.05\00:27:01.95
Historically, Adventists have
extracted arguments from the
00:27:01.98\00:27:05.02
narrative of God's provision of
manna, and you'll remember this
00:27:05.05\00:27:08.56
from the Book of Exodus, to
strengthen the crucial thesis
00:27:08.59\00:27:11.39
that the Sabbath
precedes Israel and the law
00:27:11.43\00:27:14.30
given on Mount Sinai.
00:27:14.36\00:27:16.16
Before the Sinai, before Exodus
chapter 20, the Sabbath was
00:27:16.20\00:27:20.74
already recognized as the
day of rest as we see in verse--
00:27:20.77\00:27:24.64
in chapter 16.
00:27:24.67\00:27:25.97
What happens in chapter 16?
00:27:26.01\00:27:27.84
God is giving them, the children
of Israel, the laws regarding
00:27:27.88\00:27:30.68
the manna, and this is
before the Ten Commandments,
00:27:30.71\00:27:33.95
this is before Mount Sinai.
00:27:33.98\00:27:35.48
God is giving them the laws
according to how--or regarding
00:27:35.52\00:27:38.89
how they would take the manna or
how they would gather the manna.
00:27:38.92\00:27:44.03
And there are a lot of
aspects here that are very
00:27:44.06\00:27:45.53
relevant to this sort of study.
00:27:45.56\00:27:47.36
For example, the sixth
day was already known as
00:27:47.40\00:27:49.93
the day of what?
00:27:49.96\00:27:51.93
The day of preparation.
00:27:51.97\00:27:54.37
It was already known
as the day of preparation.
00:27:54.40\00:27:56.50
How could it have been known as
a day of preparation if the case
00:27:56.54\00:28:00.21
of the Sabbath being given
only on Mount Sinai were true?
00:28:00.24\00:28:04.65
How--why would they
have a day of preparation?
00:28:04.68\00:28:07.28
And I'll tell you
something, this is also a
00:28:07.32\00:28:08.85
very important
reality in our life today.
00:28:08.88\00:28:11.15
I grew up--I'm a preacher's kid.
00:28:11.19\00:28:16.73
And I remember fondly, very
fondly growing up, that Friday
00:28:16.76\00:28:21.13
would come and it was
the day of chores, right?
00:28:21.16\00:28:24.87
The first part of the day--and
I didn't really like my chores.
00:28:24.90\00:28:26.94
I had to clean the
bathroom. That was my chore.
00:28:26.97\00:28:29.10
And to pick up after
the dog in the backyard.
00:28:29.14\00:28:33.01
I didn't like that
chore very much either.
00:28:33.04\00:28:35.01
Stinky chore.
00:28:35.04\00:28:37.15
But I did love
the end of that day.
00:28:37.18\00:28:39.75
We would always
have a different meal.
00:28:39.78\00:28:42.02
The family would come together.
00:28:42.05\00:28:44.22
We would sing. We had worship.
00:28:44.25\00:28:46.49
We would do a vespers.
00:28:46.52\00:28:49.72
I miss that with the family
in that case when I was a kid.
00:28:49.76\00:28:53.09
I do the same thing
with my wife nowadays.
00:28:53.13\00:28:57.43
The day of preparation,
it was already a known thing.
00:28:57.47\00:29:01.27
The Sabbath as the day of rest
or the seventh day of the week
00:29:01.30\00:29:04.51
was following the day
of preparation, which was
00:29:04.54\00:29:07.64
known as the day of preparation.
00:29:07.68\00:29:09.14
You'll find this,
again, in Exodus 16, before the
00:29:09.18\00:29:12.51
Ten Commandments are given.
00:29:12.55\00:29:13.98
The Sabbath, friends,
find its origin in God.
00:29:14.02\00:29:16.95
What are the two institutions
that we find that precede the
00:29:16.99\00:29:19.62
entrance of sin in the world?
00:29:19.65\00:29:21.86
The Sabbath and marriage, holy
matrimony; the two institutions
00:29:21.89\00:29:26.90
that today you'll find
precisely so much attack
00:29:26.93\00:29:32.20
and animosity against.
00:29:32.23\00:29:35.70
On that day--on the day of
rest, no work was to be done and
00:29:35.74\00:29:38.51
that's why it was
known as the day of rest.
00:29:38.54\00:29:41.38
A double portion of food, of the
manna was to be collected on the
00:29:41.41\00:29:44.41
sixth day--the
day of preparation.
00:29:44.45\00:29:47.05
And what's interesting is that
miraculously the portion that
00:29:47.08\00:29:50.72
was collected, if it were any
other day; if it were a Monday
00:29:50.75\00:29:55.36
and you wanted to get
food for the whole week so you
00:29:55.39\00:29:57.86
couldn't--you didn't have to
wake up early the next day to go
00:29:57.89\00:30:01.10
collect, if you wanted to do
that, you couldn't because the
00:30:01.13\00:30:03.63
food would
deteriorate, get rotten.
00:30:03.67\00:30:07.50
But miraculously on Friday
when the double portion was
00:30:07.54\00:30:10.91
collected, the food
did not deteriorate.
00:30:10.94\00:30:13.51
What is God saying by that?
00:30:13.54\00:30:15.54
"Rest. Don't
wake up that early."
00:30:15.58\00:30:18.88
Some people need to learn that.
00:30:18.91\00:30:21.78
Just kidding. I'm
not a morning bird.
00:30:21.82\00:30:24.29
I do have to get up early,
but I don't get up early happy.
00:30:24.32\00:30:28.12
So--but on that day, I
understand this is God's saying:
00:30:28.16\00:30:30.96
"You can--a little bit more.
00:30:30.99\00:30:33.43
Stay in bed."
00:30:33.46\00:30:36.00
The Sabbath is
a test of loyalty.
00:30:36.03\00:30:38.40
That's an--that's also a
very big biblical teaching.
00:30:38.43\00:30:41.07
The gathering of the manna was
done during the six days of the
00:30:41.10\00:30:43.64
week, but not on that Sabbath.
00:30:43.67\00:30:45.37
On that day recognized as the
day of the Lord, the Sabbath of
00:30:45.41\00:30:48.24
the Lord, the manna
was not even available.
00:30:48.28\00:30:51.98
Exodus 16:25-26, you'll see.
00:30:52.01\00:30:54.48
It wasn't available for
them to go out and take it.
00:30:54.52\00:30:57.55
Observe that the Sabbath is the
seventh day of the week without
00:30:57.59\00:31:00.59
any possibility of confusion.
00:31:00.62\00:31:03.63
Any. Where do weeks come from?
00:31:03.66\00:31:06.16
I mean, if you look
at, for example, a year.
00:31:06.19\00:31:08.66
What is a year?
00:31:08.70\00:31:10.03
One year is the rotation of
planet earth around the sun.
00:31:10.07\00:31:13.50
What is a month?
00:31:13.54\00:31:15.44
The lunar cycle.
00:31:15.47\00:31:18.74
What's a day?
00:31:18.77\00:31:20.68
The earth rotating
around its own axle.
00:31:20.71\00:31:23.45
What's a week?
00:31:23.48\00:31:26.15
There is nothing in
nature that gives us
00:31:26.18\00:31:28.75
the seven-day cycle.
00:31:28.78\00:31:32.15
And be that as it may, as far
as you go back in human history,
00:31:32.19\00:31:35.72
you will always
find the weekly cycle.
00:31:35.76\00:31:38.43
As far back as you
go, you'll find the week.
00:31:38.46\00:31:40.36
Where did that come from?
00:31:40.40\00:31:41.96
Some people will say that
it does follow the order of the
00:31:42.00\00:31:44.50
South Pacific
seahorse menstruation cycle.
00:31:44.53\00:31:48.47
I believe that that's a reach.
00:31:48.50\00:31:52.94
Where does the week come from?
00:31:52.97\00:31:55.44
There is no
possibility of confusion.
00:31:55.48\00:31:57.68
Exodus chapter 16, verse
29 says, "See for the Lord has
00:31:57.71\00:32:01.42
given you the Sabbath.
00:32:01.45\00:32:02.98
Therefore he gives you on the
sixth day bread for two days.
00:32:03.02\00:32:06.25
Let every man
remain in his place.
00:32:06.29\00:32:08.92
Let no man go out of his
place on the seventh day."
00:32:08.96\00:32:13.16
As we continue the study of this
broad subject in the Bible in
00:32:13.19\00:32:16.33
the context of the covenant, we
come to Tuesday's lesson, which
00:32:16.36\00:32:19.47
is entitled "Covenant Sign."
00:32:19.50\00:32:21.44
Friends, the Sabbath is
designated as a sign in the
00:32:21.47\00:32:24.47
Bible four times specifically;
and in the biblical mentality, a
00:32:24.51\00:32:30.78
sign is a symbol, an
instrument that points toward
00:32:30.81\00:32:34.48
a reality that is
bigger than itself.
00:32:34.52\00:32:36.72
It's an exterior mark, a type,
a parable with the intention of
00:32:36.75\00:32:41.19
communicating a distinct
message, a sign of a covenant in
00:32:41.22\00:32:45.79
this situation.
00:32:45.83\00:32:47.46
The Sabbath points us
towards Christ, who is the
00:32:47.50\00:32:50.67
true rest, He is the true rest.
00:32:50.70\00:32:53.07
If you remove the Sabbath
from Jesus, you will not have
00:32:53.10\00:32:56.14
any rest there.
00:32:56.17\00:32:58.11
Jesus is our true rest.
00:32:58.14\00:33:00.88
Matthew 11:28 through 30 says,
"Come to me, all you who labor
00:33:00.91\00:33:04.15
and are heavy laden, and I
will give you," what, "rest.
00:33:04.18\00:33:08.48
Take my yoke upon you and learn
from me for I am gentle and
00:33:08.52\00:33:12.12
lowly in heart and you will find
rest for your souls, for my yoke
00:33:12.15\00:33:16.49
is easy and my burden is light."
00:33:16.52\00:33:20.63
And so this way the Sabbath in
any way separate from Christ is
00:33:20.66\00:33:24.40
pure nonsense,
biblical ignorance.
00:33:24.43\00:33:28.40
What's more, the
Sabbath can much less be
00:33:28.44\00:33:30.77
used as a mark or a
sign of salvation by works.
00:33:30.81\00:33:34.04
In this case,
salvation by Sabbath-keeping.
00:33:34.08\00:33:37.15
There is no salvation by
Sabbath-keeping, friends.
00:33:37.18\00:33:39.68
That's not how it works.
00:33:39.71\00:33:41.28
Hebrews chapter 4 makes
a reference to us entering
00:33:41.32\00:33:44.22
God's rest by faith,
and that was something
00:33:44.25\00:33:48.79
lacking in the Israel of old.
00:33:48.82\00:33:50.83
You remember the 1,521 laws?
00:33:50.86\00:33:55.56
They had entered the
resting--they had entered the
00:33:55.60\00:33:57.80
rest of the Promised Land led by
their leader Joshua, who in that
00:33:57.83\00:34:02.27
context was a type for Christ.
00:34:02.30\00:34:04.81
They knew the day of rest,
but they failed to recognize and
00:34:04.84\00:34:08.58
accept the true rest that was by
faith in Jesus, whom they knew
00:34:08.61\00:34:13.42
as the Messiah, the one to come.
00:34:13.45\00:34:15.82
Friends, our true
rest only comes from Him.
00:34:15.85\00:34:20.66
The Sabbath is present in
Scripture as being a sign of
00:34:20.69\00:34:24.26
also knowledge and
sanctification, knowledge
00:34:24.29\00:34:28.16
and sanctification.
00:34:28.20\00:34:29.53
These are two very important
concepts to understand--
00:34:29.56\00:34:32.17
to be understood.
00:34:32.20\00:34:33.50
Knowledge in the
Bible--you'll remember
00:34:33.54\00:34:34.84
that in the Book of
Ecclesiastes and in the Book
00:34:34.87\00:34:36.47
of Proverbs
especially, you'll hear wisdom
00:34:36.50\00:34:40.44
crying out in the
streets, you remember that?
00:34:40.48\00:34:42.78
Wisdom crying
out in the streets.
00:34:42.81\00:34:46.85
Knowledge in the Bible is more
than mere intellectual assent or
00:34:46.88\00:34:50.29
intellectual knowledge.
00:34:50.32\00:34:51.82
What does Hosea 4:6 say?
00:34:51.85\00:34:53.66
"My people are
destroyed by," what?
00:34:53.69\00:34:56.42
A lack of knowledge.
00:34:56.46\00:34:57.76
But this text is not making
a reference or not referencing
00:34:57.79\00:35:00.96
mere academic or intellectual
knowledge because according to
00:35:00.96\00:35:04.97
Jesus--in John chapter 17, verse
3 it says, "And this is eternal
00:35:05.00\00:35:09.30
life, that they may," what?
00:35:09.34\00:35:11.87
"Know you, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ
00:35:11.91\00:35:16.01
whom You have sent."
00:35:16.04\00:35:18.05
In addition to bringing eternal
life, the knowledge that we find
00:35:18.08\00:35:22.25
here is a liberating, for John
chapter 8, verse 32 also says
00:35:22.28\00:35:26.29
that you shall know
the truth and the truth
00:35:26.32\00:35:30.03
shall set you free.
00:35:30.06\00:35:32.56
And so we understand that
this knowledge of God in us both
00:35:32.59\00:35:36.67
justifies and sanctifies.
00:35:36.70\00:35:40.47
According to John Calvin, one of
the great Protestant reformers,
00:35:40.50\00:35:44.31
he said that God does not or
maybe even cannot justify those
00:35:44.34\00:35:52.08
who He cannot sanctify.
00:35:52.11\00:35:54.48
God does not justify
those who He cannot sanctify.
00:35:54.52\00:35:59.52
Some may think that
justification is what God does
00:35:59.55\00:36:01.96
for us and that sanctification
is what we do for God, but that
00:36:01.99\00:36:07.40
is absolutely incorrect.
00:36:07.40\00:36:11.67
Justification is what God does
for us, while sanctification is
00:36:11.70\00:36:16.00
also what God does for us
through the Holy Spirit but in
00:36:16.04\00:36:19.07
this case in us.
00:36:19.11\00:36:21.01
Justification is what God does
for you, sanctification is what
00:36:21.04\00:36:23.98
God does in you.
00:36:24.01\00:36:27.18
By justification, God redeemed
us from the bondage of--He
00:36:27.22\00:36:31.82
redeemed the Israelites from the
bondage of Egypt, and He redeems
00:36:31.85\00:36:35.96
us from the bondage
of Babylon, from sin.
00:36:35.99\00:36:40.23
You remember that Exodus
chapter 20, verse 8 and 11 say,
00:36:40.26\00:36:42.86
"Remember the Sabbath day to
keep it holy; for in six days
00:36:42.90\00:36:45.43
the Lord made the heavens and
the earth and the sea and all
00:36:45.47\00:36:48.00
that is in them, and He
rested on the seventh day.
00:36:48.04\00:36:50.54
Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and hallowed it."
00:36:50.57\00:36:53.41
You'll find that the
Decalogue is referenced again.
00:36:53.44\00:36:56.58
It's repeated again somewhere
else; who remembers where?
00:36:56.61\00:36:58.98
It's Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy
chapter 5, and they are exactly
00:36:59.01\00:37:05.75
alike word for
word with one exception.
00:37:05.79\00:37:09.36
There's a different emphasis
in the Decalogue found in
00:37:09.39\00:37:12.26
Deuteronomy chapter 5.
00:37:12.29\00:37:16.67
It says, "Observe the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:37:16.70\00:37:19.07
Remember that you were a slave
in the land of Egypt and the
00:37:19.10\00:37:21.97
Lord your God brought you out
from there by a mighty hand and
00:37:22.00\00:37:25.24
by an outstretched arm.
00:37:25.27\00:37:26.68
Therefore the Lord your
God commanded you to keep the
00:37:26.71\00:37:29.01
Sabbath day."
00:37:29.04\00:37:30.41
In the first you find
a memorial of creation,
00:37:30.45\00:37:35.02
God justifying us
because He is the creator.
00:37:35.05\00:37:37.25
But in the second one you
find the emphasis on what?
00:37:37.29\00:37:40.52
Redemption.
00:37:40.56\00:37:44.06
Through justification, God
delivers us and redeems us from
00:37:44.09\00:37:48.36
the bondage of Babylon, of sin,
but through sanctification He
00:37:48.40\00:37:53.64
keeps us out of
Babylon and out of sin.
00:37:53.67\00:38:01.04
Justification, what God
does for you; sanctification,
00:38:01.08\00:38:04.78
what God does in you.
00:38:04.81\00:38:06.95
The Sabbath is a sign
that declares God as the
00:38:06.98\00:38:09.45
one that sanctifies us.
00:38:09.48\00:38:13.19
In the book, "Testimonies
for the Church" volume six, page
00:38:13.22\00:38:15.56
350, the quote is given that
says, "The Sabbath given to the
00:38:15.59\00:38:19.86
world as a sign of God, as the
creator is also the sign of Him
00:38:19.89\00:38:24.80
as the sanctifier.
00:38:24.83\00:38:26.80
Remember the Sabbath day."
00:38:26.84\00:38:29.77
What does it mean to remember?
00:38:29.80\00:38:32.31
What does he mean, remember?
00:38:32.34\00:38:34.88
In the biblical narrative,
you'll find that remembering
00:38:34.91\00:38:38.11
goes beyond an action of memory.
00:38:38.15\00:38:40.98
It's not just reminiscing.
00:38:41.02\00:38:42.58
It's not just, "Oh,
the Sabbath, I remember it.
00:38:42.62\00:38:45.85
It's in my mind.
It's hard to forget.
00:38:45.89\00:38:47.79
Every seventh
day, boom, boom, boom.
00:38:47.82\00:38:49.42
You know, every
seventh day, it's there."
00:38:49.46\00:38:51.29
Is that what we're
talking about here?
00:38:51.33\00:38:54.20
Observe the situations in
the Bible where God remembers.
00:38:54.23\00:38:57.33
Do you remember situations in
the Bible where God remembers?
00:38:57.37\00:39:00.10
The Bible says that God
remembered Noah on the ark.
00:39:00.14\00:39:03.41
Does that mean that before
that God had forgotten him and
00:39:03.44\00:39:05.04
all of a sudden, "That's right.
00:39:05.07\00:39:06.47
I put some people in
a boat and I sent rain."
00:39:06.51\00:39:09.58
Is that what it
means God remembered Noah?
00:39:09.61\00:39:12.78
When the Bible says--when God
tells Moses, "I have remembered
00:39:12.81\00:39:16.08
My children in Egypt.
00:39:16.12\00:39:17.79
I've heard their cry,"
what does that mean, that
00:39:17.82\00:39:19.99
He had forgotten them?
00:39:20.02\00:39:21.76
No, remembering in
the biblical mentality,
00:39:21.79\00:39:25.43
it defines action.
00:39:25.46\00:39:29.36
When God remembered
Noah, He took action.
00:39:29.40\00:39:33.10
When God remembered the children
of Israel, He took action.
00:39:33.13\00:39:36.60
Remembering in the
biblical narrative means action.
00:39:36.64\00:39:42.34
At the same time, there
are moments where God says
00:39:42.38\00:39:44.35
that He does not remember.
00:39:44.38\00:39:45.81
Does that mean that God forgot?
00:39:45.85\00:39:47.48
Can God forget? No.
00:39:47.52\00:39:51.32
God tells us, for example, that
He will not remember our sins.
00:39:51.35\00:39:54.49
What does that mean?
00:39:54.52\00:39:55.82
What it means is that
He won't take condemnatory
00:39:55.86\00:39:58.79
action against us, action.
00:39:58.83\00:40:02.70
Remembering the Sabbath day to
keep it holy as a sanctified day
00:40:02.73\00:40:07.57
is more than an
action of memory.
00:40:07.60\00:40:10.47
It involves the
totality of life.
00:40:10.51\00:40:15.31
Remember the Sabbath day as the
divine order, and that order is
00:40:15.34\00:40:18.71
given for a reason.
00:40:18.75\00:40:20.32
Technological advances have
created an era of superficial
00:40:20.35\00:40:23.45
relationships in this new
digitized society that we live
00:40:23.49\00:40:27.02
in of Twitter, and Facebook, and
TikTok, and Instagram, and so
00:40:27.06\00:40:32.66
many other platforms that I as
a millennial have absolutely no
00:40:32.69\00:40:36.73
way of keeping track of--that's
the world that we live in.
00:40:36.77\00:40:41.84
And in this new and digitized
society, people live under the
00:40:41.87\00:40:44.97
oppression of rush, of hurry.
00:40:45.01\00:40:48.68
Always in a hurry.
00:40:48.71\00:40:50.11
Tension, anxiety, stress
make our hearts beat faster and
00:40:50.15\00:40:53.48
faster, elevating
our blood pressure.
00:40:53.52\00:40:56.02
Millions of people depend on
pills to face the perplexities
00:40:56.05\00:40:59.15
of the day to day, and millions
more rely on pills to fall
00:40:59.19\00:41:03.26
asleep at night.
00:41:03.29\00:41:05.93
The number of people who
are diagnosed with mental and
00:41:05.96\00:41:08.83
emotional issues is alarming,
and no less serious than the
00:41:08.86\00:41:13.67
physical and emotional maladies
of this insane rush are the
00:41:13.70\00:41:17.27
devastating social consequences
found within families that
00:41:17.31\00:41:20.38
disintegrate due to the
crisis in relationships.
00:41:20.41\00:41:25.21
No one has time
for anyone, it seems.
00:41:25.25\00:41:30.19
More than in any other moment
in history, humans need to
00:41:30.22\00:41:33.52
rediscover the renewing power of
the Sabbath, the time separated
00:41:33.56\00:41:39.69
by God, by the creator for
physical, mental, and spiritual
00:41:39.73\00:41:45.10
rest; special time for
togetherness with the great
00:41:45.13\00:41:53.27
architect, with our family, and
with the people that we love.
00:41:53.31\00:41:58.71
The voice of culture, the voice
of commerce, the market, human
00:41:58.75\00:42:02.25
pursuits with its philosophy and
isms, its wisdom, all attempts
00:42:02.28\00:42:07.39
to convince us
to forget precisely
00:42:07.42\00:42:10.26
what God told us to remember.
00:42:10.29\00:42:13.86
In the book, "Selected
Messages," it's book two, page
00:42:13.90\00:42:16.23
160, we find a
quote that is beautiful.
00:42:16.26\00:42:18.63
It says that by keeping His
Sabbath holy, we are to show
00:42:18.67\00:42:21.54
that we are His people.
00:42:21.57\00:42:22.87
His Word declares the
Sabbath to be a sign by which to
00:42:22.90\00:42:26.57
distinguish the
commandment-keeping people,
00:42:26.61\00:42:28.81
those who keep the law of God
who will be one with Him in the
00:42:28.84\00:42:32.31
great controversy commenced
in heaven between Satan and God.
00:42:32.35\00:42:35.78
And so you see that here
we shift from the logic of the
00:42:35.82\00:42:38.79
Bible given in creation to what
the Bible will signify in the
00:42:38.82\00:42:42.12
end, at the time where we
are living right now and we are
00:42:42.16\00:42:47.13
about to embark on the
end of times, time of the end.
00:42:47.20\00:42:53.67
The law begins with God,
it moves on to people, it
00:42:53.70\00:42:56.91
finishes with things.
00:42:56.94\00:42:58.41
And that is the order of
life: God, people, things.
00:42:58.44\00:43:01.54
Culture tends to invert that
order; beginning with things,
00:43:01.58\00:43:05.31
passing on to
people, and then finally God.
00:43:05.35\00:43:07.75
But this process materializes
everything and in the end we're
00:43:07.78\00:43:11.19
left with nothing but
the idolatry of forms.
00:43:11.22\00:43:13.89
Do you know what the
idolatry of forms is?
00:43:13.92\00:43:16.89
It's when you idolatrize, you
worship something for its form.
00:43:16.93\00:43:22.53
You become a plastic
persona, and in that sense you
00:43:22.56\00:43:26.27
can worship anything.
00:43:26.30\00:43:27.60
The human heart is a fantastic
fabric--or factory of idols.
00:43:27.64\00:43:33.54
The human heart is a
fantastic factory of idols.
00:43:33.58\00:43:37.38
Anything can become
an idol, even church.
00:43:37.41\00:43:44.22
Adventist Christians believe
that fidelity to the fourth
00:43:44.25\00:43:46.76
commandment will play a very
big part in the time of the end.
00:43:46.79\00:43:50.79
Please remember that worship
is the central concept found in
00:43:50.83\00:43:54.63
chapters 13 and 14, which are
the central chapters of the Book
00:43:54.66\00:43:57.70
of Revelation.
00:43:57.73\00:43:59.87
Worship, the verb appears
eight times in this section.
00:43:59.90\00:44:04.34
To worship God or
to worship the beast.
00:44:04.37\00:44:07.24
Why does the Sabbath play
such a big role in the end?
00:44:07.28\00:44:10.91
And it's for a
few basic reasons.
00:44:10.95\00:44:13.42
First of all, because if
understood correctly, the Bible
00:44:13.45\00:44:15.98
is the ideal
response to the gospel.
00:44:16.02\00:44:19.05
The gospel teaches us that
Christ did for us what we could
00:44:19.09\00:44:21.89
never do for ourselves.
00:44:21.92\00:44:23.56
That's what Romans
chapter 3, verse 21 and 22 say.
00:44:23.59\00:44:26.29
God did for us what we
could never do for ourselves.
00:44:26.33\00:44:29.90
We have nothing left
to add to what He did.
00:44:29.93\00:44:32.53
That's why it appears as
the seventh day in the week of
00:44:32.57\00:44:34.50
creation; God
completed His work.
00:44:34.54\00:44:36.50
There is no way that we
could add to what He did.
00:44:36.54\00:44:38.97
It's impossible.
00:44:39.01\00:44:41.11
The Sabbath is founded upon the
principle of rest, rest after
00:44:41.14\00:44:44.48
the complete work of God; and in
its invitation to rest in what
00:44:44.51\00:44:50.65
He has done, not
on what we can do.
00:44:50.69\00:44:53.69
The first work of any
Christian is to rest in
00:44:53.72\00:44:56.62
what God did for us.
00:44:56.66\00:44:58.03
That's the first work, to
rest in what God did for us.
00:44:58.06\00:45:01.60
Secondly, friends,
the Sabbath establishes an
00:45:01.63\00:45:04.07
ideal test of obedience.
00:45:04.10\00:45:06.47
All other commandments involve a
logical reason for obeying them.
00:45:06.50\00:45:10.94
"Thou shalt not kill." Why?
00:45:10.97\00:45:12.37
Because God is a God of life.
00:45:12.41\00:45:14.34
"Thou shall not steal." Why?
00:45:14.38\00:45:15.68
Because God is a God of
truthfulness, of integrity,
00:45:15.71\00:45:18.11
of fidelity.
00:45:18.15\00:45:21.32
Each one of the Ten
Commandments have a logical
00:45:21.35\00:45:23.49
reasoning to them.
00:45:23.52\00:45:25.12
However, the fourth commandment
is based solely upon the
00:45:25.15\00:45:28.46
authority of God.
00:45:28.49\00:45:30.39
Only. Why not Sunday?
00:45:30.43\00:45:32.46
Why not
Wednesday? Why not Friday?
00:45:32.49\00:45:34.83
Simple: because
God said Sabbath.
00:45:34.83\00:45:37.53
He didn't say anything
else. It's a test of loyalty.
00:45:37.57\00:45:39.83
"Who do I obey, Him or
anyone else, including myself?"
00:45:39.87\00:45:46.54
The commandment of the Sabbath
that way is likened unto the
00:45:46.57\00:45:49.68
tree of the knowledge of
good and evil and that the only
00:45:49.71\00:45:53.28
reason not to eat its
fruit was God's commandment,
00:45:53.31\00:45:57.35
His authority,
it's because He said so.
00:45:57.39\00:46:01.62
And then human voices, even
religious voices, will insist
00:46:01.66\00:46:05.03
that we forget
exactly what God told us--
00:46:05.06\00:46:08.00
commanded us to remember.
00:46:08.03\00:46:10.00
The central element
then will be authority.
00:46:10.03\00:46:12.87
Whose authority
will we recognize?
00:46:12.90\00:46:15.67
After all, who do we worship?
00:46:15.70\00:46:19.41
Finally, friends, the Sabbath
will be the central element of
00:46:19.44\00:46:22.64
the last test because it is
a part of our determination to
00:46:22.68\00:46:26.05
follow Jesus
completely and entirely.
00:46:26.08\00:46:29.68
He kept the Sabbath.
He left us this example.
00:46:29.72\00:46:32.42
And if we desire to follow his
example entirely, we must also
00:46:32.45\00:46:36.12
imitate him in this aspect.
00:46:36.16\00:46:39.59
The insistence on the
observation of the Sabbath will
00:46:39.63\00:46:41.80
seem strange, even
absurd, even for people who
00:46:41.83\00:46:48.04
consider themselves
Christians at that time.
00:46:48.07\00:46:49.77
They will have an extremely hard
time understanding the logic of
00:46:49.80\00:46:53.17
the fourth commandment.
00:46:53.21\00:46:54.88
The enemy will
explore this lack of logic.
00:46:54.91\00:46:58.35
You can be certain of this.
00:46:58.38\00:47:00.15
He will explore this
apparent lack of logic.
00:47:00.18\00:47:05.02
The deception will be so severe
that all evidence of the senses
00:47:05.05\00:47:09.72
will indicate that the
other voices seem to be correct.
00:47:09.76\00:47:12.86
They seem to be right.
00:47:12.89\00:47:14.63
Only those who learn to trust
God, only people who learn to
00:47:14.66\00:47:17.43
recognize His voice as
sheep recognize the voice of the
00:47:17.47\00:47:22.44
shepherd to bow to his authority
will see the reason in the
00:47:22.47\00:47:32.41
apparently
arbitrary test of loyalty.
00:47:32.45\00:47:35.45
Friends, the Sabbath is
rest, and it's a solemn rest.
00:47:35.48\00:47:40.49
It's a solemn recognition
that we are creatures of God.
00:47:40.52\00:47:44.09
We're not units
of economic growth.
00:47:44.13\00:47:46.70
The Sabbath
restores our identity.
00:47:46.73\00:47:49.83
It's a symbol of redemption
from the forces that oppress us.
00:47:49.86\00:47:54.67
It is a day of communion,
of family, and of friends.
00:47:54.70\00:47:58.07
Always remember
that supernatural energy,
00:47:58.11\00:48:02.01
supernatural
energy and vitality,
00:48:02.04\00:48:04.75
what we need to survive in
this world, only comes through
00:48:04.78\00:48:08.42
supernatural rest, and that rest
is found on the temple--in the
00:48:08.45\00:48:13.15
temple in time
called the Sabbath.
00:48:13.19\00:48:16.59
I urge you.
00:48:16.62\00:48:18.13
I know that--look,
I've been here for 31 years.
00:48:18.16\00:48:23.47
I've been an Adventist for
31 years, and it is very easy to
00:48:23.50\00:48:28.17
lose sight on
what the Sabbath is.
00:48:28.20\00:48:30.81
It really is.
00:48:30.84\00:48:32.67
After hundreds,
thousands--thousands?
00:48:32.71\00:48:35.28
I don't know. Hundreds.
00:48:35.31\00:48:36.61
Fifty-two every
year times--I don't know.
00:48:36.64\00:48:39.98
Yeah, thousands. I
don't know, I'm bad at math.
00:48:40.02\00:48:42.75
After so many Sabbaths, it's
easy for you to lose sight and
00:48:42.78\00:48:47.89
lose track of what it should
mean the day that you celebrate
00:48:47.92\00:48:52.46
your relationship
with your best friend.
00:48:52.49\00:48:56.16
May you find that and
discover that daily, weekly.
00:48:56.20\00:49:00.64
Not a once-in-a-lifetime thing,
not as justification at one
00:49:00.67\00:49:03.57
moment, but a
sanctification that is a
00:49:03.61\00:49:05.84
work throughout your life.
00:49:05.87\00:49:08.11
May God use you, may He
bless you, and may He give
00:49:08.14\00:49:10.91
you the true rest.
00:49:10.95\00:49:12.68
God bless you, God
bless you, and God bless you.
00:49:12.71\00:49:15.35
I'd like to finish
with a word of prayer.
00:49:15.38\00:49:17.45
Remember that if you do want
this free gift, you can write
00:49:17.49\00:49:21.92
into--this is for
our online friends.
00:49:21.96\00:49:24.66
Remember that you
can find this online.
00:49:24.69\00:49:26.59
All you have to do is call
866-788-3966, and you will also
00:49:26.63\00:49:32.83
get this--the study guide
which is about the Sabbath,
00:49:32.87\00:49:36.60
"The Lost Day of History."
00:49:36.64\00:49:38.44
Let's pray.
00:49:38.47\00:49:39.77
Dear Father God, thank You so
much for Your love, thank You so
00:49:39.81\00:49:41.74
much for life, and thank
You so much for being our rest.
00:49:41.78\00:49:45.75
Lord, as we rest in You
today, we want to truly find
00:49:45.78\00:49:50.02
supernatural
energy and vitality.
00:49:50.05\00:49:52.75
Lord, it's easy to get lost
in the rat race that is life,
00:49:52.79\00:49:56.56
especially modern life,
but, Lord, teach us weekly
00:49:56.59\00:50:00.56
to rest in You.
00:50:00.60\00:50:04.37
I ask You for the people
that are watching and listening.
00:50:04.40\00:50:07.47
Lord, please inhabit
their lives and be their rest.
00:50:07.50\00:50:10.94
I ask You these
things in the name of Jesus.
00:50:10.97\00:50:12.71
Amen and amen.
00:50:12.74\00:50:16.48
male announcer: Don't
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00:50:16.51\00:50:17.88
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00:50:39.33\00:50:42.57
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00:50:45.81\00:50:49.74
¤¤¤
00:50:51.95\00:51:00.16
Ashley: I grew up
in Northern New Jersey,
00:51:00.19\00:51:02.42
just about 35
minutes out of New York City,
00:51:02.46\00:51:05.73
and I grew up
in a famous family.
00:51:05.76\00:51:08.40
And so, my father played for the
New York Giants for nine years.
00:51:08.43\00:51:12.77
That's how we
ended up where we were.
00:51:12.80\00:51:14.67
He also played for
the San Francisco 49ers,
00:51:14.70\00:51:17.71
and he was in the Pro Bowl.
00:51:17.74\00:51:20.14
He won two Super Bowls.
00:51:20.18\00:51:22.81
And I also had an
older brother who played
00:51:22.84\00:51:26.28
professional baseball, so
I had a lot to live up to.
00:51:26.31\00:51:30.19
Everything we did
was based around sports.
00:51:30.22\00:51:32.72
That was my
life, and I loved it,
00:51:32.75\00:51:34.59
but inside I was--I
struggled daily with insecurity,
00:51:34.62\00:51:39.39
lacking confidence.
00:51:39.43\00:51:41.03
You know, I would look at
myself in the mirror and not--
00:51:41.06\00:51:45.07
and would not see
good things about myself.
00:51:45.10\00:51:47.10
I started to put all
my energy into soccer,
00:51:47.14\00:51:51.21
and I decided that I was
going to go far with that.
00:51:51.24\00:51:58.28
So I ended up
getting a scholarship to play
00:51:58.31\00:52:01.88
in the University of Miami.
00:52:01.92\00:52:04.49
I was being pulled in
these, like, two directions of,
00:52:04.52\00:52:06.76
you know, wanting to
live this party lifestyle
00:52:06.79\00:52:10.23
with my teammates,
and I was so engulfed
00:52:10.26\00:52:14.96
in soccer and school,
but I also had this, like,
00:52:15.00\00:52:18.10
strong yearning
desire to serve God,
00:52:18.13\00:52:22.80
and I was just struggling
to figure out the balance
00:52:22.84\00:52:25.04
and how to do that.
00:52:25.07\00:52:26.47
I was in Sin City, in
Miami, and I couldn't--
00:52:26.51\00:52:30.48
I felt like I was
swimming upstream.
00:52:30.51\00:52:32.78
And I just felt
like I couldn't breathe.
00:52:32.81\00:52:34.92
I had everything
everyone would've wanted.
00:52:34.95\00:52:37.12
I had everything.
00:52:37.15\00:52:38.45
I had a
scholarship to pay for school.
00:52:38.49\00:52:40.12
I was playing a sport.
00:52:40.16\00:52:41.46
I was the captain of my team.
00:52:41.49\00:52:43.32
I was in Miami.
00:52:43.36\00:52:44.89
I was--I had a great family.
00:52:44.93\00:52:48.60
I had a lot of
friends. But where was God?
00:52:48.63\00:52:51.83
It was--all of that is
meaningless unless I had Him.
00:52:51.87\00:52:56.60
And the lifeline that He gave me
was this soft whisper in my ear,
00:52:56.64\00:53:03.91
saying, "Go."
00:53:03.95\00:53:05.35
I just remember, "Go."
00:53:05.38\00:53:06.72
So I decided to go, and
I spent two months in Kenya
00:53:06.75\00:53:09.92
and two months in
Uganda, and God was saving me
00:53:09.95\00:53:13.56
by sending me there.
00:53:13.59\00:53:14.96
It was God's prescription
for my life, for my existence.
00:53:14.99\00:53:18.36
When I returned from
Africa, I went back to school.
00:53:18.39\00:53:21.73
I finished
school, finished soccer.
00:53:21.76\00:53:24.53
I went to the
University of Tennessee
00:53:24.57\00:53:28.94
to get my master's
when I met my husband.
00:53:28.97\00:53:32.37
Our motto in life was we wanted
to live in reckless abandon
00:53:32.41\00:53:35.21
for our Creator
and whatever that was,
00:53:35.24\00:53:38.95
whatever that looked like,
and, you know, we've traveled,
00:53:38.98\00:53:42.25
and we've done mission work,
00:53:42.28\00:53:44.19
but we've mostly
been in Tennessee,
00:53:44.22\00:53:46.19
and when we spent the
summer apart a year after that
00:53:46.22\00:53:51.23
we were married, and
it was the summer of 2015.
00:53:51.26\00:53:54.60
When we came back
together, he's like,
00:53:54.63\00:53:57.73
"I have some things I
want to share with you.
00:53:57.77\00:54:01.00
I want you to listen to this."
00:54:01.04\00:54:03.04
And we were on a
14-hour car ride,
00:54:03.07\00:54:05.81
and he just started
playing this "Prophecy Code"
00:54:05.84\00:54:09.24
all the way back from
2005, and it was so clear,
00:54:09.28\00:54:13.18
and I just was
comprehending it so well.
00:54:13.21\00:54:16.58
You know, after a couple,
like, three or four, I was like,
00:54:16.62\00:54:18.92
"I need a break.
00:54:18.95\00:54:20.26
My mind is going to,
like, explode from all this,
00:54:20.29\00:54:22.89
like, information overload,"
and everything that I thought
00:54:22.92\00:54:25.56
I had known about the
Bible and about Scripture
00:54:25.59\00:54:30.80
is just completely different.
00:54:30.83\00:54:34.30
I was in shock.
00:54:34.34\00:54:36.10
Everything that I was
hearing, it was like Scripture
00:54:36.14\00:54:38.24
is proving Scripture
is proving Scripture.
00:54:38.27\00:54:40.64
My heart was, like, changing
in that car ride because
00:54:40.68\00:54:43.08
it's like learning more about
God than I ever had before.
00:54:43.11\00:54:48.42
After that car ride and
after listening to the whole
00:54:48.45\00:54:50.62
"Prophecy Code," my
life was completely changed.
00:54:50.65\00:54:54.52
He's become more real to us
than He ever had been before,
00:54:54.56\00:54:57.56
and that has pushed us
to disciple and to minister
00:54:57.59\00:55:02.33
to others and share
with them what we know.
00:55:02.36\00:55:07.00
My name is Ashley, and I want to
thank you for changing my life.
00:55:07.04\00:55:11.61
¤¤¤
00:55:11.64\00:55:18.65
announcer: Amazing
Facts change lives.
00:55:22.88\00:55:29.12
Connie: Nobody was
there to defend me.
00:55:31.86\00:55:34.10
Nobody was there to protect me.
00:55:34.13\00:55:36.60
My question was why
did that happen to me, God?
00:55:36.63\00:55:40.10
Why didn't you intervene?
00:55:40.14\00:55:43.30
Once I hit my
teenage years, everything
00:55:43.34\00:55:45.87
just started coming out.
00:55:45.91\00:55:48.01
I felt embarrassed of what had
happened because for so long I
00:55:48.04\00:55:52.31
felt it was my fault.
00:55:52.35\00:55:54.65
There were times that I
prayed, but it was prayers of
00:55:54.68\00:55:57.52
resentment, and anger
and just yelling at God.
00:55:57.55\00:56:02.56
I was so confused, so
depressed and I could not
00:56:02.59\00:56:06.96
bear any more of the pain.
00:56:07.00\00:56:09.10
You know, what's
the point of living?
00:56:09.13\00:56:10.70
It's might as well just die.
00:56:10.73\00:56:15.40
I started cutting myself, but
I heard a small, still voice and
00:56:15.44\00:56:20.98
it said, "Stop.
00:56:21.01\00:56:24.58
Give Me a second chance."
00:56:24.61\00:56:26.65
And right there, I just felt
something completely different.
00:56:26.68\00:56:31.55
I felt a presence there
and I put everything down
00:56:31.59\00:56:36.09
and I went to my
room, I just started crying.
00:56:36.12\00:56:39.73
I realized that me
and God connected so well.
00:56:39.76\00:56:42.76
And I no longer saw Him as just
a God that no longer cared, but
00:56:42.80\00:56:47.30
I actually saw Him as a
Father, and I continued praying.
00:56:47.34\00:56:52.04
One day, I was sleeping, my mom
came to the bed, and she said,
00:56:52.07\00:56:56.71
"Connie, he's
here, he's in town.
00:56:56.75\00:57:00.35
And the Lord impressed me that
you need to face the situation.
00:57:00.38\00:57:05.25
It's time for you to forgive."
00:57:05.29\00:57:07.96
When something so drastic
and so painful has happened,
00:57:07.99\00:57:13.63
forgiveness is very hard
because you're vulnerable,
00:57:13.66\00:57:18.73
you let go of that ego,
that pride that has taken
00:57:18.77\00:57:21.84
over you for so many years.
00:57:21.87\00:57:25.24
I prayed, and when we confronted
the situation, it was the most
00:57:25.27\00:57:29.44
amazing moment, where we
could pray, we could cry,
00:57:29.48\00:57:33.48
and we could forgive.
00:57:33.52\00:57:35.18
And because of that, I'm able to
help others and tell others that
00:57:35.22\00:57:38.95
there is hope and
there's someone that does care.
00:57:38.99\00:57:46.86
announcer: Together, we have
spread the gospel much farther
00:57:50.73\00:57:53.90
than ever before.
00:57:53.94\00:57:55.87
Thank you for your support.
00:57:55.90\00:58:00.41
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00:58:20.03\00:58:35.01