The Bible tells us,
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"In the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says to,
"Receive with meekness
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the implanted Word,
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which is able to save your souls
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and to be diligent to present
yourself approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is
Preparation for the End Time.
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Hi, I am CA Murray,
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and welcome to
3ABN's Sabbath School Panel.
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This is our weekly
walk through the Word of God
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studying the
Sabbath School Lesson,
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the Adult Bible Study Guide
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for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And this quarter,
we have been dealing
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with Preparation
for the End Times.
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If these times
ever say anything to us,
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we know that we are
in the time of the end.
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And that there is
not much time left
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for this world history.
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Christ is
coming very, very soon,
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and as the people,
we need to be prepared.
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We need to know what to do,
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we need to know what is coming,
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we need to know how
to serve God faithfully
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until we see Jesus
face-to-blessed face.
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And that's what
this lesson is all about.
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The study this particular
week is the seal or the mark,
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the seal of God or
the mark of the beast.
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And this is a
very intense study.
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And you will
find that the messages
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of the three
angels get more earnest,
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but they also get a little more,
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can I say, eclectical,
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a little more
difficult to understand.
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We talk about Babylon,
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we talk about
the seal, the mark.
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So we are going to sort
of wade through this material
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and try to make it as
clear as we possibly can.
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My fellow
travelers, fellow students
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of the Word,
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Shelley Quinn, Mollie
Steenson, Jill Morikone,
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and Mr. Danny Shelton,
good to have you all here.
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Thank you. Good to be here.
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Hopefully, you can join us.
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And you will stay
with us for the entire hour
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because there is a lot to say.
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Now let me say this also before
I give you the web address
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for the Adult Bible Study Guide.
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We found in our
studying and looking together
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that there is a
lot of repetition.
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I think that is for
a number of reasons.
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Number one, the three
angels' messages are contiguous.
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One angel does not land
when the other one takes off.
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All three are
flying at the same time.
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And so the messages are
not separate from each other.
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They actually
build one upon the other.
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So you will
find a lot of overlap
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in the
discussion of those messages
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and in the
un-packaging of the Word.
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Some people call it
the three angels' message,
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as one continuous
message with three segments.
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Others look at it
as three messages.
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But they are not
separate, they are not distinct
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from one another,
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they certainly do
build upon each other.
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So If I say something
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and the lady,
Shelley Quinn, repeats it,
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it's because that's
how it's supposed to be.
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So do not fear that.
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In fact, that's really how
we un-package these messages.
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Now should you want
to join along with us,
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may I encourage you to
go to ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That is the Adult
Bible Study Guide,
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if you're a guy,
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think of anti-lock
braking system on your car,
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ABSG.Adventist.org.
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And you can download
the Sabbath School Lesson,
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the study guide, and
have it for yourself.
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Or should you wish,
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and we encourage you to do this,
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find the local
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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and ask them for a copy of
the Adult Bible Study Guide.
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First of all,
they'd be happy to do it,
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they'd be happy to
welcome you to their fellowship.
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And then stick
around a little bit,
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don't just get
the guide and go home.
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Stay for
worship, you'll enjoy it.
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You'll find new friends,
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and you'll find a new
experience in the Lord.
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So let me
encourage you to do that.
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Brother Danny, would
you pray for us please
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before we launch
out in our lesson?
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I will. I will.
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Heavenly Father, thank
You for this opportunity
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to come together
and to study Your Word.
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And what a blessing it is,
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and, Lord, we're praying
for each of our viewers today,
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mentally,
physically, spiritually,
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and as we come before
You on this holy Sabbath,
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we're grateful that
You have taken the time
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to be with us on
the special, blessed,
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and sanctified day
that You have given us
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to dwell among Your people.
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Now we pray for
anointing the Holy Spirit,
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not only on what we say,
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but to things that
we maybe didn't say
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that You would
work upon the hearts
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and the minds of the
viewers and the listeners
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that they would hear
Your Word directly from You.
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We ask in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen and amen.
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The memory text for today
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comes to us
from Revelation 15:3.
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It is not that long.
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"Great and
marvelous are thy works.
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Lord God Almighty
Just and True are Thy ways.
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Thou king of Saints."
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I recall singing in
the choir many years ago,
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there was a song
called Great and Marvelous,
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a wonderful song
that we used to sing.
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The lesson says, and
I want to just repair
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to the lesson for just a moment.
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One of the most telling signs
of God's true last-day people
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is their proclamation of
the third angel's message,
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which warns against
receiving the mark of the beast.
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Now the second
angel gave us information
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to the effect
that Babylon is fallen.
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And there was a call to
come out of that system.
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Now we see the ramifications
of staying in that system,
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of not following the warning
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as given by the second angel.
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I'm going to read
just this little bit
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at the bottom of the page.
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"We should not be surprised
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at the proliferation of
confusing ideas in Babylon.
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After all, its
name means "confusion"
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the lesson says.
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"But God's remnant people
need a clear understanding
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of this topic in
order to proclaim
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the third angel's
message with power."
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So this week, we'll
try to understand better,
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and my fellow
travelers, students, learners,
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we'll un-package a lot of this,
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what the mark of the
beast is and how to avoid it
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by receiving the seal of God.
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Let me say this quickly,
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one of the ways
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to avoid receiving
the mark of the beast,
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one of the ways to
avoid being in error
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is to follow very closely
what the Word of God says.
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Amen. That's right.
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If the Bible says turn left,
guess what you ought to do?
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Turn left. You
ought to turn left.
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And you ought to
turn left immediately.
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If the Bible says turn
right, then turn right.
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If your church does not teach
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the keeping of
the Ten Commandments,
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if it in any way or on anywise
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highlights some
and pushes down others,
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if it promotes some
to the neglect of others,
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then you're
probably in a situation
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that is not going to
help you towards salvation,
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because the Ten
Commandments are not like,
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what we used to
call, a Chinese menu.
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You don't get to choose
something from column A,
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something from column B.
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You take all 10.
It's like a chain.
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If my car breaks down,
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and, Brother
Danny, you come to tow me,
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if that chain breaks
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at number four,
link number four,
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you still can't help me.
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If it breaks at link
number 10, you cannot help me.
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That chain needs to be intact.
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And so the Ten Commandments
need to be kept intact,
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and if, you know, a quick way,
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if you read
something in the Word of God,
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that is a clear command
from God, and the church says
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that it's
unimportant or unnecessary
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or we don't need to study that
or we don't need to do that.
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Then I believe you
begin to need to look around
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and try to find a church
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that teaches the
truth, the whole truth,
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and nothing but the truth.
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Then you can assure yourself
that you are not in Babylon.
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Because Babylon
is a confused system,
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it takes some from
here, some from there,
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some from here, some from there.
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That's what the Lord
is calling us out of,
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so that our
worship is pure and clean
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and whole and Bible-based,
and then that will help you
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on the road to glory.
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As we said before,
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the three angels'
messages are a unit.
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They are all
three working together.
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And we need to keep
angel number one's message,
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angel number two's message,
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the message of
angel number three,
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which we will
concentrate on today
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and in this week's study.
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On Sunday,
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we look at God's sign
identifying His people.
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And let me say this,
God has always had a sign
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to identify His people.
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There's always been something
that God has used as insignia,
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as an ensign to
let the world know
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that these are people of God.
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In the Old
Testament, there were two.
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And the lesson
bespeaks those two.
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"When the Lord called Abraham,
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the ordinance of
circumcision was instituted
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as a sign of a relationship
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between God and His people."
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And that relationship continued,
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it was suspended
in the wilderness.
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Circumcision was
stopped for a while,
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and then it was reinstituted
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when they came
into the Promised Land.
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But when we come
to the New Testament,
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we are given an understanding
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that
circumcision as a sign per se
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is not as important
as a circumcised heart.
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As a heart that
has been dedicated
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and yielded to the Lord.
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Paul writes this,
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"For he is not a Jew
who is one outwardly,
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nor a circumcision that
which is outward in the flesh.
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But he is a Jew
who is one inwardly,
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and circumcision
is that of the heart.
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In the spirit,
not in the letter,
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whose praise is not
for men but from God."
00:10:02.46\00:10:06.33
So the important
thing in the New Testament
00:10:06.37\00:10:08.30
is that your
heart be circumcised,
00:10:08.34\00:10:10.51
that your heart be yielded
00:10:10.57\00:10:11.91
to the power of the Holy Spirit,
00:10:11.94\00:10:16.71
and the power of
God in your life.
00:10:16.75\00:10:21.38
It's like, you know,
you have a wedding ring.
00:10:21.42\00:10:26.15
Now some people
say that's a sign
00:10:26.19\00:10:27.89
that you're married.
00:10:27.92\00:10:29.26
But I used to work at a company
00:10:29.29\00:10:31.79
in the summer times for a while,
00:10:31.83\00:10:33.29
and there were a lot of women
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who were wearing wedding rings
there who were not married.
00:10:34.73\00:10:38.40
I asked one such lady,
00:10:38.43\00:10:39.77
"I just wear this to
keep the guys off of me."
00:10:39.80\00:10:42.70
She said, "I just
want to keep that.
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I don't want to date anybody,
00:10:44.17\00:10:45.57
and I want to
concentrate on my career.
00:10:45.61\00:10:47.84
I'm in college, I'm
doing a bunch of things."
00:10:47.88\00:10:50.31
The sign of marriage
really is your marriage license.
00:10:50.38\00:10:52.88
That proves that you're married.
00:10:52.91\00:10:55.42
So circumcision,
like church membership
00:10:55.45\00:10:59.35
doesn't really necessarily
mean that you're in the Lord.
00:10:59.39\00:11:02.32
The Holy Spirit in your
heart and following Jesus,
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that proves that
you're into the Lord.
00:11:05.29\00:11:07.20
Your love for God
00:11:07.23\00:11:08.53
and that love for
God that shows itself
00:11:08.56\00:11:10.33
and reveals itself in
your treatment of your fellows
00:11:10.37\00:11:13.07
for whom Christ has died.
00:11:13.10\00:11:14.60
So the
circumcision of the heart,
00:11:14.64\00:11:16.67
the surrendered
heart to the Holy Spirit
00:11:16.71\00:11:18.27
is the really the
New Testament's sign
00:11:18.31\00:11:20.64
of a fulfilled
relationship with the Lord.
00:11:20.68\00:11:25.45
Amen.
00:11:25.48\00:11:26.82
The second sign of our
relationship with the Lord,
00:11:26.88\00:11:32.29
interestingly
enough, is the Sabbath.
00:11:32.32\00:11:34.59
Amen.
00:11:34.62\00:11:35.96
It's the Sabbath.
00:11:35.99\00:11:37.33
Exodus 31:13 tells
us that it is a sign
00:11:37.39\00:11:40.96
that the Lord sanctifies.
00:11:41.00\00:11:43.50
And I am sure we're
going to hear that again.
00:11:43.53\00:11:45.00
I'm looking at
Danny smiling down there
00:11:45.03\00:11:46.70
because he is going to hit it,
00:11:46.77\00:11:48.80
I think Jill is
going to hit it too.
00:11:48.84\00:11:50.24
But it is, among
other things, a sign
00:11:50.27\00:11:53.31
that the Lord
sanctifies His people.
00:11:53.34\00:11:56.68
It's a visible sign.
00:11:56.71\00:11:58.75
I was looking at something
00:11:58.78\00:12:00.22
the other day,
they were talking about
00:12:00.25\00:12:01.58
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church,
00:12:01.62\00:12:02.95
and they were saying,
"The most visible sign
00:12:02.98\00:12:04.32
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:12:04.35\00:12:05.69
is that they keep
Saturday for Sunday."
00:12:05.72\00:12:09.39
I read that, and I
remember my neighbor said,
00:12:09.42\00:12:11.96
"Explain to me why you
keep Saturday for Sunday."
00:12:11.99\00:12:14.46
And it gave me a
chance to give him
00:12:14.50\00:12:15.83
a good long Bible study.
00:12:15.86\00:12:17.60
And I let him know
that Saturday came first,
00:12:17.63\00:12:19.70
Saturday is the
moral of creation.
00:12:19.73\00:12:21.50
Saturday is the one that
is identified in the Bible.
00:12:21.54\00:12:23.51
But it is a sign
that God sanctifies.
00:12:23.57\00:12:27.14
Can you imagine,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:12:27.18\00:12:30.81
what the world would be like
00:12:30.85\00:12:32.75
if all of us kept
the Ten Commandments?
00:12:32.78\00:12:35.08
Amen.
00:12:35.12\00:12:36.89
If everybody on planet
earth kept the Ten Commandments,
00:12:36.95\00:12:40.02
what a wonderful
world it would be.
00:12:40.06\00:12:42.26
If everybody on planet
earth kept the Sabbath,
00:12:42.29\00:12:44.59
what would it be like
if the world's activity
00:12:44.63\00:12:48.16
stopped every seventh day
and everybody went to church,
00:12:48.20\00:12:53.07
and everybody
worshipped the Lord,
00:12:53.10\00:12:55.27
and everybody praise God.
00:12:55.30\00:12:56.84
What a world it would be. Amen.
00:12:56.87\00:12:58.77
Yeah, there would be no atheists
00:12:58.81\00:13:00.21
I believe, there would
be no rampant secularism.
00:13:00.28\00:13:03.55
There certainly
wouldn't be the kind of sins.
00:13:03.58\00:13:06.48
Think of the things
that would not happen.
00:13:06.51\00:13:07.92
We wouldn't have
to lock our doors,
00:13:07.95\00:13:10.29
we wouldn't have to be
afraid to go out at night.
00:13:10.32\00:13:15.29
There would be no diseases
that are sexually transmitted
00:13:15.32\00:13:19.73
because
everybody would be sleeping
00:13:19.76\00:13:21.06
in their own bed
with their own spouse,
00:13:21.10\00:13:22.56
and, you know, we don't
talk about that kind of stuff.
00:13:22.60\00:13:24.33
What a world it would
be if we just all kept
00:13:24.37\00:13:28.10
the Ten Commandments of God,
00:13:28.14\00:13:30.57
what a wonderful
world it would be.
00:13:30.61\00:13:32.27
And so the Sabbath is a sign.
00:13:32.31\00:13:35.18
Old Testament and New Testament,
00:13:35.21\00:13:36.75
of course, we have now
the ordinance of baptism
00:13:36.81\00:13:42.72
as a New Testament sign of
a preexisting relationship.
00:13:42.75\00:13:49.69
I was thinking about that
00:13:49.72\00:13:51.06
because in many
insurance policies,
00:13:51.09\00:13:53.09
if you have a
preexisting condition,
00:13:53.13\00:13:56.60
they don't want you,
but Christ does want you.
00:13:56.63\00:14:00.07
When you get baptized,
00:14:00.14\00:14:01.47
it is a sign of a
preexisting condition.
00:14:01.50\00:14:03.61
It means you already have a
loving relationship with God,
00:14:03.64\00:14:05.91
and baptism is
just showing the world
00:14:05.94\00:14:08.11
that that
relationship already exists.
00:14:08.14\00:14:10.05
So what is
negative in the earthly
00:14:10.08\00:14:12.75
is positive in the spiritual
00:14:12.78\00:14:15.05
because the Lord wants a
preexisting relationship.
00:14:15.08\00:14:16.99
He wants a
preexisting condition,
00:14:17.02\00:14:18.72
and that is a surrendered heart
00:14:18.75\00:14:20.46
to the will and way of the Lord.
00:14:20.49\00:14:23.53
So the Sabbath is a sign,
00:14:23.56\00:14:24.93
it goes all the
way back to creation.
00:14:24.96\00:14:27.23
And Mark 2:27-28,
00:14:27.30\00:14:33.00
"The Lord is the
Lord of the Sabbath,
00:14:33.03\00:14:35.64
and the Sabbath was
not just for the Jews,
00:14:35.67\00:14:38.31
it was for all mankind."
00:14:38.34\00:14:40.68
And by the grace of
God, as we keep the Sabbath,
00:14:40.74\00:14:43.41
you know, when
you go to the Sabbath,
00:14:43.45\00:14:45.51
through the Sabbath,
00:14:45.55\00:14:46.88
don't you just feel
better on the Sabbath day?
00:14:46.92\00:14:49.05
Even your life is just
better, you take that one day
00:14:49.08\00:14:51.49
to spend a little
time with the Lord,
00:14:51.52\00:14:52.89
the Lord promises to meet you.
00:14:52.92\00:14:54.62
And at the end of the day,
you just feel better about it.
00:14:54.66\00:14:57.29
It is a sign, it helps
in the sanctifying process
00:14:57.33\00:15:00.63
because I get one day in seven
00:15:00.66\00:15:03.30
to turn down the
volume of the world
00:15:03.37\00:15:06.00
and focus on the things of God.
00:15:06.03\00:15:08.77
And it gives me
a spiritual high,
00:15:08.80\00:15:10.97
and it gives me
strength to take another step
00:15:11.01\00:15:13.24
along that road
that leads to glory.
00:15:13.27\00:15:14.98
And so we praise the
Lord for these two signs,
00:15:15.01\00:15:18.55
baptism and the Sabbath
00:15:18.58\00:15:21.15
which will be with us
until we see Jesus face-to-face.
00:15:21.18\00:15:24.59
Amen. Yeah.
00:15:24.62\00:15:25.95
And it fortifies
us to walk with Him.
00:15:25.99\00:15:28.96
Amen and amen. Shelley Quinn...
00:15:28.99\00:15:30.33
Well, I have...
00:15:30.36\00:15:31.96
Thank you very much for that.
00:15:31.99\00:15:33.83
And my lesson is on Monday,
the Beast in False Worship.
00:15:33.90\00:15:38.47
So if you would open
your Bible to Revelation 13,
00:15:38.50\00:15:43.10
what we're going to look at is,
00:15:43.14\00:15:45.11
first is how
important is it to avoid
00:15:45.14\00:15:48.18
the mark of the beast.
00:15:48.21\00:15:50.51
There's going to be
two classes of people
00:15:50.55\00:15:52.91
who are alive at the
time of Christ's return.
00:15:52.95\00:15:56.48
The first class
will be the people
00:15:56.52\00:15:59.39
who have
received the seal of God
00:15:59.42\00:16:02.56
and the other
class will be those
00:16:02.59\00:16:04.79
who have received
the mark of the beast.
00:16:04.83\00:16:07.13
So Revelation 13:17,
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.56
speaking of that
mark of the beast,
00:16:09.60\00:16:11.77
it says, "That no
one may buy or sell
00:16:11.80\00:16:14.74
except the one who has the mark
00:16:14.77\00:16:18.01
or the name of the beast
or the number of his name."
00:16:18.04\00:16:23.18
This mark is
trying to force compliance
00:16:23.21\00:16:27.95
to the demands of the beast.
00:16:27.98\00:16:29.95
So without this mark,
00:16:29.98\00:16:32.09
then you are not going
to be able to buy or sell.
00:16:32.12\00:16:35.76
So look at Revelation 14:9-10,
00:16:35.79\00:16:39.76
what happens to those
who've received the mark?
00:16:39.79\00:16:43.33
"A third angel followed
them saying with a loud voice,
00:16:43.37\00:16:47.04
'If anyone worships
the beast and his image
00:16:47.10\00:16:50.57
and receives his mark on
his forehead or his hand,
00:16:50.61\00:16:53.64
he himself shall also drink
the wine of the wrath of God,
00:16:53.68\00:16:57.98
which is poured
out full strength
00:16:58.01\00:17:00.35
into the cup of his indignation.
00:17:00.38\00:17:02.75
He shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone
00:17:02.78\00:17:06.15
in the presence
of the holy angels
00:17:06.19\00:17:08.89
and in the
presence of the Lamb.'"
00:17:08.92\00:17:12.56
Now, we don't want
the wine of the wrath,
00:17:12.59\00:17:15.30
do we of God's wrath?
00:17:15.33\00:17:17.47
Let's look at Revelation 16 too,
00:17:17.50\00:17:19.13
because this is
the first installment
00:17:19.17\00:17:22.37
of the wrath of God,
00:17:22.40\00:17:23.74
and this is what's
going to happen to people
00:17:23.81\00:17:25.87
who have the mark of the beast.
00:17:25.91\00:17:28.41
Revelation 16:2, "So
the first angel went out
00:17:28.44\00:17:33.28
and poured out his
bowl upon the earth,
00:17:33.31\00:17:36.22
and a foul and
loathsome soar came upon the men
00:17:36.25\00:17:40.06
who had the mark of the beast
and who worshipped his image."
00:17:40.09\00:17:44.69
Those who received
the mark of the beast
00:17:44.73\00:17:46.49
did not heed the
third angel's message.
00:17:46.53\00:17:48.70
They did not heed the
angel who comes a little later
00:17:48.73\00:17:52.27
in Revelation 18 who says,
Come out of her, my people."
00:17:52.30\00:17:55.54
And so what happens is
00:17:55.57\00:17:57.71
they received
God's undiluted wrath
00:17:57.74\00:18:01.01
as he pours out
the seven last plagues,
00:18:01.04\00:18:03.38
and eventually, we
know that they are cast
00:18:03.41\00:18:05.55
into the lake of the fire.
00:18:05.58\00:18:07.25
So turning now to 2
Thessalonians 2:9-10,
00:18:07.28\00:18:13.29
this to me is...
00:18:13.32\00:18:15.09
You know I like to
get to the bottom line,
00:18:15.12\00:18:17.59
and when you think
about why would people receive
00:18:17.66\00:18:21.16
the mark in their
forehead and in their mind
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.06
or in their
hand, in their actions,
00:18:23.10\00:18:25.90
this is the bottom line to
me is 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10,
00:18:25.93\00:18:31.17
"The coming of the lawless one
00:18:31.21\00:18:32.64
is according to
the work of Satan
00:18:32.67\00:18:34.28
with all power,
signs, and lying wonders,
00:18:34.31\00:18:37.48
and with all
unrighteous deception
00:18:37.55\00:18:39.48
among those who perish."
00:18:39.51\00:18:40.98
Why? Why did they perish?
00:18:41.02\00:18:43.42
Why did they receive this mark?
00:18:43.49\00:18:45.49
"Because they did not
receive the love of the truth,
00:18:45.52\00:18:49.42
they might be saved."
00:18:49.46\00:18:51.39
So let's contrast now,
00:18:51.43\00:18:54.00
those who refuse
the mark of the beast.
00:18:54.00\00:18:56.56
And we'll go to
Revelation 14:12,
00:18:56.63\00:18:59.63
and this is many
00:18:59.67\00:19:03.17
if you're in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:19:03.20\00:19:04.84
I think most of you
can repeat this with me.
00:19:04.87\00:19:07.54
But I want you to look at this,
00:19:07.61\00:19:09.08
if you're in
another denomination
00:19:09.11\00:19:10.58
or you don't know the Lord,
00:19:10.61\00:19:11.95
look at
Revelation 14:12, it says,
00:19:11.98\00:19:14.88
"Here is the
patience of the saints,"
00:19:14.92\00:19:17.25
these are God's people,
00:19:17.32\00:19:19.65
and now it describes the saints.
00:19:19.69\00:19:21.86
"Here are those who keep
00:19:21.89\00:19:24.66
the commandments of God
and the faith of Jesus."
00:19:24.69\00:19:30.50
Now that word patience
in the Greek is ypomoni,
00:19:30.57\00:19:34.30
which means the steadfast
endurance to God's Word,
00:19:34.34\00:19:39.17
under threat of
boycott, under threat of death,
00:19:39.21\00:19:42.94
they're having this terrible
struggle with the beast,
00:19:42.98\00:19:46.18
and plus you've got
all these lying wonders
00:19:46.21\00:19:50.19
that make it look
like God is in it.
00:19:50.22\00:19:52.02
But God's faithful people
00:19:52.05\00:19:54.06
will steadfastly
endure it to the end,
00:19:54.09\00:19:56.96
as they endure and
obey in the faith of Jesus.
00:19:57.03\00:20:01.06
And they're standing
on the solid foundation
00:20:01.10\00:20:03.73
of God's unchangeable
nature and His character.
00:20:03.77\00:20:07.90
So they're comforted, and
I find this, I know you do,
00:20:07.94\00:20:11.11
we are comforted just by
God's constant presence with us.
00:20:11.14\00:20:16.71
Now flip over a
chapter to Revelation 15:2-3,
00:20:16.75\00:20:23.45
and here, John says
in Revelation 15:2-3,
00:20:23.49\00:20:27.66
"I saw something like a
sea of glass mingled with fire,
00:20:27.69\00:20:32.89
and those who have the
victory over the beast,
00:20:32.93\00:20:37.33
over his image and over his mark
00:20:37.40\00:20:40.40
and over the
number of his name..."
00:20:40.47\00:20:42.97
So they've not received it,
00:20:43.00\00:20:45.01
they've had a victory over that,
00:20:45.04\00:20:47.41
"they're standing
on the sea of glass,
00:20:47.44\00:20:50.48
having harps of God."
00:20:50.51\00:20:52.01
What are they doing?
00:20:52.05\00:20:53.38
They are triumphantly singing,
00:20:53.45\00:20:56.35
"Praise to God and to the Lamb."
00:20:56.38\00:20:59.25
So he says, "They
sing the song of Moses,
00:20:59.29\00:21:02.49
a servant of God, and
the song of the Lamb saying,
00:21:02.52\00:21:05.83
'Great and
marvelous are Your works,
00:21:05.86\00:21:08.30
Lord God Almighty.
00:21:08.33\00:21:10.13
Just and true are Your
ways, O King of the saints.'"
00:21:10.17\00:21:14.84
So they're standing
on this solid foundation.
00:21:14.87\00:21:19.64
Paul wrote to Timothy
in 2 Timothy 2:19 and said,
00:21:19.67\00:21:23.31
"Nevertheless the solid
foundation of God stands
00:21:23.35\00:21:26.48
having this seal, 'The
Lord knows who are His,
00:21:26.51\00:21:31.19
and let everyone who knows
00:21:31.22\00:21:33.36
the name of Christ
depart from inequity."
00:21:33.42\00:21:36.39
So those who did
not receive the mark,
00:21:36.42\00:21:39.09
God knows they are His.
00:21:39.13\00:21:40.93
They departed from inequity.
00:21:40.96\00:21:42.86
They are not
transgressing His law.
00:21:42.90\00:21:45.57
So what is this mark
that no one wants to receive?
00:21:45.60\00:21:48.57
I know Jill's going to
speak to this a little further,
00:21:48.60\00:21:50.64
but just to
understand this false worship.
00:21:50.67\00:21:54.48
Revelation 14:9-10, "A
third angel followed them,
00:21:54.51\00:21:59.21
saying with a loud voice,
'If anyone worships the beast
00:21:59.25\00:22:03.39
and his image
and receives his mark
00:22:03.42\00:22:05.39
on his forehead or on his hand,
00:22:05.42\00:22:07.29
he himself shall also drink
of the wine of the wrath of God
00:22:07.36\00:22:10.96
which is poured
out full strength
00:22:10.99\00:22:12.33
in the cup of his indignation.
00:22:12.36\00:22:14.10
He shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone
00:22:14.20\00:22:17.13
in the presence
of the holy angels
00:22:17.17\00:22:19.13
and in the
presence of the Lamb.'"
00:22:19.17\00:22:21.14
So we see that this mark
has to do with false worship.
00:22:21.17\00:22:25.11
Worshipping the beast,
00:22:25.14\00:22:27.04
it's clearly
connected to worship.
00:22:27.08\00:22:30.21
And Satan has always wanted
00:22:30.25\00:22:32.75
the worship that
only belonged to God.
00:22:32.78\00:22:34.12
We see that in
Isaiah 14 when he says,
00:22:34.18\00:22:37.19
"I will be lifted up.
00:22:37.25\00:22:38.59
I will be exalted above God."
00:22:38.62\00:22:40.82
In Ezekiel 28, when it says,
00:22:40.86\00:22:43.89
"Oh, Satan, your
heart was lifted up,"
00:22:43.93\00:22:47.73
and in Matthew 4,
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.43
when he is tempting
Jesus in the wilderness,
00:22:49.46\00:22:53.17
and he says to
him, "All these things
00:22:53.20\00:22:55.40
I will give you
if you'll fall down
00:22:55.44\00:22:57.64
and worship me."
00:22:57.67\00:22:59.11
So Satan's always
been after this worship.
00:22:59.14\00:23:02.44
And he sets up this
false system of worship
00:23:02.48\00:23:05.41
that's an alternative to
keeping God's commandments,
00:23:05.45\00:23:09.32
particularly the
worshipping of the Creator.
00:23:09.35\00:23:13.96
By keeping the
Sabbath commandment,
00:23:13.99\00:23:16.59
the Revelation 13,
the beast from the sea
00:23:16.62\00:23:19.86
is the same as
the beast in Daniel 7.
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.33
So let's look at
that real quickly.
00:23:22.36\00:23:24.13
Daniel 7:25, the same beast,
00:23:24.17\00:23:28.94
"He shall speak pompous
words against the Most High,
00:23:28.97\00:23:31.97
he shall persecute the
saints of the Most High,
00:23:32.01\00:23:34.71
and shall intend to
change times and laws,
00:23:34.74\00:23:39.05
then the saint shall be
given into his hand for a time
00:23:39.08\00:23:42.42
and times and half a time."
00:23:42.45\00:23:44.55
There's only one
law that God wrote
00:23:44.59\00:23:50.49
with His own finger on
stone that deals with time,
00:23:50.53\00:23:53.90
and that is the
Fourth Commandment
00:23:53.96\00:23:56.80
about the seventh day Sabbath.
00:23:56.83\00:23:59.23
Only the Sabbath
points to God as Creator
00:23:59.27\00:24:02.00
because right in the commandment
00:24:02.04\00:24:04.84
is this language that
He made heaven and earth,
00:24:04.87\00:24:07.38
the sea and all that is in them,
00:24:07.41\00:24:10.25
and He rested
on the seventh day.
00:24:10.28\00:24:12.98
In Revelation 13 and
14, there are seven verses
00:24:13.01\00:24:18.32
that refer to worship.
00:24:18.35\00:24:20.36
Six of them
refer to false worship.
00:24:20.39\00:24:23.22
Only one refers
to the true worship,
00:24:23.26\00:24:27.00
and that is the first angel's
message of Revelation 14:7,
00:24:27.03\00:24:31.03
"Saying with a loud voice,
00:24:31.07\00:24:32.70
'Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:24:32.73\00:24:34.10
for the hour of His judgment
has come and worship Him
00:24:34.14\00:24:37.37
who made the
heaven and the earth
00:24:37.41\00:24:39.57
and the springs of water."
00:24:39.61\00:24:42.34
Same Sabbath language,
00:24:42.38\00:24:44.95
and immediately after the
third angel's description,
00:24:44.98\00:24:50.05
the fate of those who engage
in this false worship is told,
00:24:50.09\00:24:56.09
what's going to happen to them?
00:24:56.12\00:24:57.89
They're going to
experience the wrath of God,
00:24:57.93\00:25:00.33
but true
worshippers are described
00:25:00.36\00:25:02.53
in Revelation 14:12,
00:25:02.56\00:25:04.43
"Here's the
patience of the saints,
00:25:04.47\00:25:06.17
here are those who
keep God's commandments
00:25:06.20\00:25:09.30
and the faith of Jesus."
00:25:09.34\00:25:11.27
Amen. Amen. Thank
you, Sister Shelley.
00:25:11.31\00:25:14.28
I've got
Tuesday, the seal of God,
00:25:14.31\00:25:17.88
and in looking
at what a seal is,
00:25:17.91\00:25:21.95
it's like a signature.
00:25:21.98\00:25:23.92
It's used to
validate a document.
00:25:23.99\00:25:26.59
In ancient
times, it was a stamp,
00:25:26.62\00:25:29.69
pressed on the soft wax or clay
00:25:29.72\00:25:33.19
to show
authenticity of ownership.
00:25:33.23\00:25:35.63
Now remember, I am
going to be looking
00:25:35.66\00:25:38.03
at the seal of God,
00:25:38.07\00:25:39.40
so thinking of a seal,
let this sink into your mind.
00:25:39.43\00:25:43.47
A seal carries
the full weightiness
00:25:43.51\00:25:47.24
of the authority of
the person who seals it.
00:25:47.28\00:25:51.38
Now when we at 3ABN sign
a very important document,
00:25:51.41\00:25:56.25
often it requires our
signature to be sealed
00:25:56.28\00:25:59.95
with the corporate seal.
00:26:00.09\00:26:01.62
That's right.
00:26:01.66\00:26:02.99
When a document has been sealed,
00:26:03.02\00:26:05.69
it holds up in a
court of law as official.
00:26:05.73\00:26:10.00
Although it may be my
name that's on the document,
00:26:10.07\00:26:14.57
my name that is being sealed,
once my name has been sealed,
00:26:14.60\00:26:20.18
it now carries
the full weightiness
00:26:20.21\00:26:23.85
of Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
00:26:23.88\00:26:25.91
That's what a seal does.
00:26:25.95\00:26:28.18
When something is
sealed, the matter is settled
00:26:28.22\00:26:32.39
and the one doing the sealing
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.99
places his full power and
protection behind the seal.
00:26:35.02\00:26:40.73
Now I want you to look
00:26:40.80\00:26:42.20
at Ephesians 1:13-14,
00:26:42.23\00:26:47.00
that's Ephesians 1:13 and 14.
00:26:47.04\00:26:51.21
Because this seal of God,
Danny, it's very important,
00:26:51.24\00:26:55.18
we must have the seal of God.
00:26:55.21\00:26:57.68
The Scripture says, "In
Him, you also trusted..."
00:26:57.71\00:27:01.62
Now who is it
that we have trust in?
00:27:01.65\00:27:04.32
The Lord Jesus Christ.
00:27:04.35\00:27:06.22
"After you heard
the word of truth,
00:27:06.25\00:27:08.06
the gospel of your salvation,
00:27:08.09\00:27:10.79
in whom also, having believed,
00:27:10.86\00:27:14.73
you were sealed
00:27:14.76\00:27:16.87
with the Holy Spirit of promise,
00:27:16.90\00:27:18.97
who is the
guarantee of our inheritance
00:27:19.00\00:27:22.00
until the redemption of
the purchased possession
00:27:22.04\00:27:25.97
to the praise of His glory."
00:27:26.01\00:27:27.38
You know what
this is telling us?
00:27:27.41\00:27:29.64
It's telling us
that we have been sealed.
00:27:29.68\00:27:33.92
What are we sealed with?
00:27:33.95\00:27:35.28
What does this say
we are sealed with?
00:27:35.32\00:27:37.52
It's the Holy Spirit of promise.
00:27:37.59\00:27:40.59
When is the Holy
Spirit of promise given?
00:27:40.66\00:27:44.33
The Holy Spirit,
that sealing, is given
00:27:44.36\00:27:48.23
when we make Jesus
Christ the Lord of our life.
00:27:48.26\00:27:51.07
Now I want to
read this scripture,
00:27:51.10\00:27:53.30
Ephesians 1:13-14 to you
out of the Amplified Bible.
00:27:53.34\00:27:58.41
And the scripture says,
00:27:58.44\00:27:59.77
"In Him, you also have
heard the word of truth,
00:27:59.81\00:28:03.58
the glad tidings, the
gospel of your salvation
00:28:03.61\00:28:07.05
and have believed in
00:28:07.08\00:28:08.58
and adhered to
and relied on Him,
00:28:08.62\00:28:11.42
that's on the Lord
Jesus Christ were stamped
00:28:11.45\00:28:15.62
with the seal of the
long-promised Holy Spirit."
00:28:15.66\00:28:18.56
Hey, we've been
stamped with a seal.
00:28:18.59\00:28:21.16
Just like in the olden days,
00:28:21.20\00:28:22.90
they stamped and
sealed something.
00:28:22.93\00:28:25.50
We've been stamped,
and we've been sealed
00:28:25.53\00:28:27.94
with the Holy Spirit of promise.
00:28:27.97\00:28:29.67
That spirit is the
guarantee of our inheritance,
00:28:29.70\00:28:33.58
the first fruits, the
pledge, the foretaste,
00:28:33.61\00:28:36.24
the down
payment of our heritage.
00:28:36.28\00:28:39.28
In anticipation of
its full redemption
00:28:39.31\00:28:43.59
and our acquiring
00:28:43.62\00:28:45.85
complete possession of it
to the praise of His glory.
00:28:45.89\00:28:49.62
So we have been sealed by
the Holy Spirit of promise
00:28:49.66\00:28:54.30
unto the day of redemption.
00:28:54.36\00:28:57.13
Ephesians 4:30 says,
00:28:57.17\00:28:59.10
"And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God
00:28:59.13\00:29:02.70
by whom you were sealed
for the day of redemption."
00:29:02.74\00:29:06.84
The seal of God
00:29:06.91\00:29:08.54
is a sign of God's ownership
and protection of His people.
00:29:08.58\00:29:13.75
That's what that said.
00:29:13.78\00:29:15.78
Now I want to say this,
00:29:15.82\00:29:17.75
the seal of God is
an inward protection.
00:29:17.79\00:29:23.26
But for everything
that we have that is inward
00:29:23.29\00:29:28.46
by the spirit.
00:29:28.50\00:29:29.83
The Holy Spirit of
promise has sealed us.
00:29:29.86\00:29:31.80
Remember when the
children of Israel
00:29:31.83\00:29:35.04
were in the land of
Egypt, and the night before
00:29:35.07\00:29:39.54
they were to come
out of the land of Egypt,
00:29:39.57\00:29:42.51
what did they have to do?
00:29:42.54\00:29:43.98
Remember that?
00:29:44.05\00:29:45.38
The Lord, every house had a lamb
00:29:45.41\00:29:48.38
and what were they
to do with that lamb?
00:29:48.42\00:29:50.69
They were to
sacrifice that lamb,
00:29:50.72\00:29:53.49
and they were to take its
blood and apply that blood
00:29:53.56\00:29:56.93
to the doorposts and
the lintels of their home.
00:29:56.96\00:29:59.89
And what would happen?
00:29:59.93\00:30:01.23
When the death
angel passed over,
00:30:01.26\00:30:03.87
if the blood was
applied to that house,
00:30:03.93\00:30:07.10
then what would happen?
00:30:07.14\00:30:08.47
The death angel would pass over.
00:30:08.50\00:30:10.37
The death angel
was looking for blood.
00:30:10.41\00:30:12.91
Well, in this day...
00:30:12.94\00:30:14.28
And if the blood wasn't applied,
00:30:14.31\00:30:16.81
then death would
come to the eldest child.
00:30:16.85\00:30:19.31
Well, in this day and
time, when we make Jesus Christ
00:30:19.35\00:30:23.59
the Lord of our life,
00:30:23.65\00:30:24.99
the blood of the lamb
is applied to the doorposts
00:30:25.02\00:30:27.42
and the lintels of our hearts.
00:30:27.46\00:30:29.99
So when the death
angel passes over,
00:30:30.03\00:30:32.13
he is still
looking for the same thing.
00:30:32.16\00:30:34.03
He is looking for
blood, and the blood covers us.
00:30:34.10\00:30:36.83
The sealing of God
00:30:36.90\00:30:38.33
by the Holy Spirit
of promise is inward.
00:30:38.37\00:30:41.54
But for everything
that is done inward,
00:30:41.57\00:30:44.47
our obedience is
the outward expression
00:30:44.51\00:30:49.18
of what has
happened to us inwardly.
00:30:49.21\00:30:51.91
And just as there is
the inward sealing of God,
00:30:51.95\00:30:55.95
there is an outward expression
00:30:55.98\00:30:58.82
showing that we
are the sealed of God.
00:30:58.85\00:31:03.09
Okay, we're sealed
unto the day of redemption.
00:31:03.12\00:31:07.10
The seal of God
shows God's ownership
00:31:07.13\00:31:12.40
and protection of us.
00:31:12.43\00:31:14.60
Now, there was a period
in history when God's people,
00:31:14.64\00:31:19.34
His true church
were cruelly persecuted.
00:31:19.37\00:31:23.71
That period is called?
00:31:23.75\00:31:25.65
The Dark Ages. The Dark Ages.
00:31:25.68\00:31:27.22
Untold millions of Christians
were destroyed for their faith.
00:31:27.28\00:31:32.72
The destroyer worked
through a false religious system
00:31:32.75\00:31:38.19
to initiate the
crime of the ages,
00:31:38.23\00:31:41.20
a crime against what?
00:31:41.23\00:31:43.70
The law of God.
The Ten Commandments.
00:31:43.73\00:31:46.70
And most particularly,
the Fourth Commandment,
00:31:46.77\00:31:49.97
the Sabbath day.
00:31:50.04\00:31:51.61
Now, according to
the Book of Revelation,
00:31:51.64\00:31:55.08
is history about
to repeat itself?
00:31:55.11\00:31:57.08
Yes.
00:31:57.11\00:31:58.45
We mentioned this quite often.
00:31:58.48\00:32:00.12
History is about
to repeat itself.
00:32:00.15\00:32:03.05
God's people, the true church
00:32:03.08\00:32:06.22
will again suffer
great persecution.
00:32:06.25\00:32:09.86
That's why it's
so vitally important
00:32:09.89\00:32:12.66
that this seal of
God is securely in place.
00:32:12.69\00:32:15.70
The sealing that is
placed on us by the Holy Spirit,
00:32:15.73\00:32:20.80
when we accept,
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:32:20.84\00:32:23.20
gives us some divine protection.
00:32:23.24\00:32:26.11
First, it's assurance
00:32:26.14\00:32:28.78
and security of our eternity.
00:32:28.81\00:32:32.45
Remember, the scripture says,
00:32:32.48\00:32:34.18
"The Holy Spirit
seals us until," what?
00:32:34.22\00:32:38.85
"Until redemption."
Until is a time-space word.
00:32:38.89\00:32:42.89
So if we are sealed until,
there is no breaking of it,
00:32:42.92\00:32:47.40
it is until.
00:32:47.46\00:32:48.76
Until redemption.
What is redemption?
00:32:48.80\00:32:51.10
That's the return of the Lord
Jesus Christ when He takes us,
00:32:51.13\00:32:55.97
and we are forever
in the presence of God
00:32:56.00\00:32:59.01
in the very portals of heaven.
00:32:59.04\00:33:00.88
We are sealed.
00:33:00.91\00:33:02.48
There is safety,
there is security in that.
00:33:02.51\00:33:05.88
It places the sealing of God,
00:33:05.91\00:33:08.55
places on us His name,
00:33:08.58\00:33:12.29
His authority and His power.
00:33:12.32\00:33:14.96
Though we may face
uncertain persecution,
00:33:14.99\00:33:19.59
we are able to say
with the Apostle Paul.
00:33:19.63\00:33:22.13
Now this is 2 Timothy 1:12.
00:33:22.16\00:33:25.57
Here is what the
Apostle Paul says,
00:33:25.60\00:33:28.27
"For I know, in
whom I have believed,
00:33:28.30\00:33:32.84
and I am persuaded
that he is able to keep
00:33:32.87\00:33:38.08
what I have committed
to him until that day."
00:33:38.11\00:33:41.58
We commit our lives to Him,
00:33:41.62\00:33:43.45
and we have
this total assurance.
00:33:43.49\00:33:46.32
Why do we have
this total assurance?
00:33:46.35\00:33:48.56
Because we have
the sealing of God
00:33:48.59\00:33:51.33
placed upon our lives.
00:33:51.36\00:33:52.93
I like Romans 8:35,
00:33:52.96\00:33:58.10
this scripture
is just a scripture
00:33:58.13\00:34:01.07
that always
gives me great courage
00:34:01.10\00:34:03.61
is Romans 8:35-39,
00:34:03.64\00:34:08.68
"Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ?
00:34:08.71\00:34:11.71
Shall tribulation, or distress,
00:34:11.75\00:34:13.62
or we going through
great tribulation, distress,
00:34:13.65\00:34:16.25
or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness,
00:34:16.28\00:34:19.12
or peril, or sword?
00:34:19.15\00:34:20.59
No, in all these things
00:34:20.66\00:34:21.99
we are more than conquerors
through Him that loved us.
00:34:22.02\00:34:25.73
For I am persuaded, Paul says,
that neither death nor life,
00:34:25.76\00:34:29.50
nor angels nor
principalities nor powers,
00:34:29.53\00:34:32.03
nor things present
nor things to come,
00:34:32.07\00:34:34.47
nor height nor depth,
nor any other creature
00:34:34.50\00:34:37.37
shall be able to separate us
00:34:37.41\00:34:39.14
from the love of God
00:34:39.17\00:34:40.54
which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:34:40.58\00:34:42.28
That is because we
have that sealing of God,
00:34:42.31\00:34:45.68
the seal that is our
protection that says,
00:34:45.71\00:34:49.05
this one belongs to God,
00:34:49.08\00:34:50.65
and nobody can
snatch him out of our hands.
00:34:50.69\00:34:55.52
Now here's the truth.
00:34:55.56\00:34:57.49
There is the seal of God,
00:34:57.53\00:34:59.03
but there is a counterfeit seal,
00:34:59.06\00:35:01.13
and, Sister Jill,
you're going to tell us
00:35:01.16\00:35:03.20
about that counterfeit seal.
00:35:03.23\00:35:04.57
Absolutely. Oh,
Mollie, thank you so much.
00:35:04.60\00:35:07.44
What an incredible blessing,
the privilege that we have
00:35:07.47\00:35:10.51
of being able to be
sealed by the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:35:10.54\00:35:13.98
sealed until the
day of redemption.
00:35:14.01\00:35:15.54
So just a privilege to be
sons and daughters of the King.
00:35:15.58\00:35:19.35
And we do not have to
receive the mark of the beast.
00:35:19.38\00:35:22.75
That's why in Revelation 14
00:35:22.78\00:35:24.65
with the three angels' messages,
00:35:24.69\00:35:26.29
the message is to
be given so strongly
00:35:26.32\00:35:28.39
because God does not
want anybody to be lost.
00:35:28.42\00:35:31.66
But He wants
everyone to come to salvation,
00:35:31.69\00:35:34.66
everyone to come to repentance,
00:35:34.73\00:35:36.77
everyone to receive that seal.
00:35:36.83\00:35:38.60
I have Wednesday,
the mark of the beast
00:35:38.63\00:35:41.27
and I know,
Shelley, you did a great job
00:35:41.30\00:35:42.94
talking about the mark,
00:35:42.97\00:35:44.31
so what I share will
cover some of the same,
00:35:44.34\00:35:46.44
and then hopefully
build on that a bit as well.
00:35:46.47\00:35:48.94
We know all the
way throughout history
00:35:48.98\00:35:51.01
from the very beginning,
00:35:51.05\00:35:52.38
there have been
two classes of people.
00:35:52.41\00:35:54.62
Now sometimes it's a
little hard to determine
00:35:54.65\00:35:57.15
who those people are,
00:35:57.19\00:35:58.59
and what class
different people are in,
00:35:58.62\00:36:01.02
because sometimes we
might be a little deceptive on,
00:36:01.06\00:36:04.69
you know, who we
are standing under,
00:36:04.73\00:36:06.23
Christ or Satan.
00:36:06.26\00:36:07.60
But the truth of the matter
is, there is only two classes.
00:36:07.66\00:36:09.90
There is no middle ground.
00:36:09.93\00:36:12.40
I think of the Parable
of the Wheat and the Tares.
00:36:12.43\00:36:15.47
Matthew 13, we
find that parable.
00:36:15.50\00:36:17.87
And remember, the
man had planted wheat,
00:36:17.91\00:36:21.51
and then the enemy came
at night and he sowed tares,
00:36:21.54\00:36:24.38
and the servants said,
"Let us root up those tares."
00:36:24.41\00:36:27.52
And the master said,
"No, let them grow together
00:36:27.55\00:36:30.39
until the harvest."
00:36:30.42\00:36:31.85
Shelley, you referenced
this in Revelation 14.
00:36:31.89\00:36:35.42
Let's turn there, Revelation 14,
00:36:35.46\00:36:37.36
this is just after the three
angels' messages is presented.
00:36:37.43\00:36:41.86
We see the great reaping taking
place right at the end of time.
00:36:41.90\00:36:47.10
This is Revelation 14,
and the wheat as it where,
00:36:47.14\00:36:50.91
the righteous are
harvested in verses 14-16,
00:36:50.94\00:36:54.54
where the son of man
thrust in his sickle,
00:36:54.58\00:36:57.65
and the righteous are harvested.
00:36:57.68\00:37:00.25
The righteous are reaped,
00:37:00.28\00:37:02.38
and then we see the
ultimate destruction,
00:37:02.42\00:37:04.99
the end of the wicked.
00:37:05.02\00:37:06.35
In my Bible it talks
about it as the grapes of wrath.
00:37:06.39\00:37:09.72
But it talks about the angel
reaping that group of people,
00:37:09.76\00:37:13.53
and their end is not the same
as the end of the righteous.
00:37:13.56\00:37:17.80
So we see from the very
beginning, Cain and Abel,
00:37:17.83\00:37:20.64
two classes of people,
00:37:20.67\00:37:22.00
and at the end of time
00:37:22.04\00:37:23.37
there would be two
classes of people again,
00:37:23.41\00:37:26.24
and it will be apparent
at the very end of time.
00:37:26.27\00:37:30.05
Who worships the Creator God?
00:37:30.08\00:37:32.18
Who observes all
Ten Commandments?
00:37:32.21\00:37:35.22
As we have each
read Revelation 14:12,
00:37:35.25\00:37:38.79
"The patience of the
saints, those who keep
00:37:38.82\00:37:40.56
the commandments of
God, and have the faith,
00:37:40.59\00:37:42.79
the testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:37:42.82\00:37:44.33
It would be
apparent, those who keep
00:37:44.36\00:37:46.39
all ten of the commandments,
00:37:46.43\00:37:48.03
and those who have
the mark of the beast,
00:37:48.06\00:37:50.73
and do not keep all
ten of God's commandments.
00:37:50.77\00:37:55.27
So let's take a look at this.
00:37:55.30\00:37:57.27
We're going to go
to Revelation 13:15,
00:37:57.31\00:38:01.61
and we know Revelation
13:11 talks about another beast.
00:38:01.64\00:38:06.21
This is the lamblike
beast coming up out of the earth
00:38:06.25\00:38:09.05
symbolizing a
sparsely populated area.
00:38:09.08\00:38:13.05
And we have talked about
this on our previous lesson,
00:38:13.09\00:38:16.29
that this represents the
United States of America.
00:38:16.32\00:38:19.59
And United States of America
00:38:19.63\00:38:22.13
causes people to
worship the first beast,
00:38:22.16\00:38:24.83
the sea beast, and we
have already established
00:38:24.87\00:38:26.74
this on previous lessons that,
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.10
that is the papacy,
00:38:28.14\00:38:29.90
not the people who are
00:38:29.94\00:38:31.91
in the Roman
Catholic Church system,
00:38:31.94\00:38:33.71
I want to be very clear on that.
00:38:33.78\00:38:35.21
God has people
everywhere, and in every church
00:38:35.24\00:38:38.18
and He is calling
people out of those churches
00:38:38.21\00:38:40.72
to worship Him and
keep His Ten Commandments.
00:38:40.75\00:38:43.28
But we are talking
about this system as a whole.
00:38:43.32\00:38:46.42
And so in Revelation
13:15, "He was granted power,"
00:38:46.45\00:38:50.53
this is America,
00:38:50.56\00:38:51.89
"to give breath to
the image of the beast,
00:38:51.93\00:38:54.00
that the image of the beast
should both speak and cause
00:38:54.00\00:38:56.46
as many as would not worship
00:38:56.50\00:38:58.10
the image of the
beast to be killed."
00:38:58.13\00:39:00.30
Now, this reminds me of Daniel 3
00:39:00.37\00:39:02.84
and we have talked about
that on the previous lesson.
00:39:02.87\00:39:05.64
Remember,
Nebuchadnezzar established
00:39:05.67\00:39:07.54
a counterfeit image, as it were,
00:39:07.61\00:39:10.18
a entire image of gold
and commanded the people,
00:39:10.21\00:39:15.05
you need to fall down, everyone,
00:39:15.08\00:39:17.35
and you need to
worship this counterfeit image.
00:39:17.42\00:39:21.26
The central issue for
God's faithful followers
00:39:21.29\00:39:23.99
in that time of
trouble, at the time of Daniel,
00:39:24.06\00:39:26.59
what's true and false worship.
00:39:26.63\00:39:28.76
And at the end of
time, the central issue is,
00:39:28.80\00:39:32.40
will we worship the Creator
God and honor His Sabbath,
00:39:32.43\00:39:36.37
or will we worship
the mark of the beast?
00:39:36.40\00:39:39.77
Will we worship the
beast and his image?
00:39:39.81\00:39:42.71
Will we keep Sunday
as the holy day instead?
00:39:42.74\00:39:47.32
Revelation 13:16,
let's read the next verse.
00:39:47.35\00:39:49.88
"He causes all,
both small and great..."
00:39:49.92\00:39:52.52
This is America.
00:39:52.55\00:39:53.89
"He calls us all small
and great, rich and poor,
00:39:53.96\00:39:55.96
free and slave, to receive
a mark in their right hand,
00:39:55.99\00:39:59.06
or on their foreheads.
00:39:59.09\00:40:00.60
No one may buy or sell,
except one who has the mark,
00:40:00.63\00:40:03.20
or the name of the beast,
or the number of his name."
00:40:03.23\00:40:06.43
Now it's interesting to me
00:40:06.47\00:40:07.80
the mark is in the
hand or the forehead.
00:40:07.84\00:40:10.07
Now in the
forehead would indicate
00:40:10.11\00:40:12.11
that you believe,
you subscribe to that,
00:40:12.14\00:40:14.94
and you have a
mental ascent to that.
00:40:14.98\00:40:17.11
Now in the hand,
to me that just means
00:40:17.15\00:40:19.38
you may not even believe in it
00:40:19.41\00:40:21.95
but you're doing it
out of peer pressure.
00:40:21.98\00:40:24.59
You're doing it
because you're afraid.
00:40:24.62\00:40:26.55
You're doing it
because you just think,
00:40:26.59\00:40:28.49
oh, this is what I need to do.
00:40:28.52\00:40:30.96
So the seal of God
is only in the forehead,
00:40:30.99\00:40:33.86
meaning God only wants people
who serve Him out of love.
00:40:33.90\00:40:38.27
People who make a
choice to follow Him
00:40:38.30\00:40:41.00
and keep His Ten Commandments,
including the fourth one,
00:40:41.04\00:40:44.44
the seventh day Sabbath.
00:40:44.47\00:40:46.04
But the mark of the beast,
00:40:46.07\00:40:47.41
it doesn't have to
just be in the forehead.
00:40:47.44\00:40:48.88
It can be in
the hand symbolizing
00:40:48.91\00:40:51.11
we can worship on Sunday
00:40:51.15\00:40:52.95
just because
everyone else does it,
00:40:52.98\00:40:55.25
because we feel
pressured to do that.
00:40:55.28\00:40:58.22
Now, Shelley, you
talked about the little horn
00:40:58.25\00:41:00.16
in Daniel 7:25, so
we won't cover that.
00:41:00.19\00:41:03.12
But the little horn being
the same power as the papacy.
00:41:03.16\00:41:06.03
The same power as the sea beast.
00:41:06.06\00:41:08.50
And the little
horn speaks blasphemy.
00:41:08.53\00:41:12.47
We know that,
in Revelation 13:5,
00:41:12.50\00:41:15.10
the sea beast, it talks about,
00:41:15.14\00:41:16.97
he was given a mouth speaking
00:41:17.01\00:41:18.34
great things and blasphemies.
00:41:18.37\00:41:21.11
Luke 5:21, "Any man who claims
00:41:21.14\00:41:24.11
he has power to forgive
sins commits blasphemy."
00:41:24.15\00:41:28.32
We also see in John 10:33,
the Bible defines blasphemy
00:41:28.35\00:41:32.65
as the man making
himself equal to God.
00:41:32.69\00:41:36.42
The pope has
claimed to be God on earth.
00:41:36.46\00:41:40.06
The law that the papacy
has openly claimed to change,
00:41:40.10\00:41:44.37
is the fourth commandment,
00:41:44.40\00:41:45.73
from Sabbath to Sunday worship.
00:41:45.77\00:41:48.50
They have not changed the law.
00:41:48.54\00:41:50.27
They have
pretended to change the law.
00:41:50.34\00:41:54.11
So what is the mark?
00:41:54.14\00:41:55.48
This is from
Evangelism, page 234,
00:41:55.51\00:41:57.88
"The mark of the beast
00:41:57.91\00:41:59.25
is the keeping of
the papal Sabbath."
00:41:59.28\00:42:01.65
Simple, the mark of the
beast is Sunday worship.
00:42:01.68\00:42:04.79
This is from H. F. Thomas,
00:42:04.82\00:42:06.96
he is a Chancellor
for Cardinal Gibbons,
00:42:06.99\00:42:09.49
it's the letter
dated November 11, 1895.
00:42:09.52\00:42:13.09
Of course, the change from
Sabbath to Sunday was her act,
00:42:13.13\00:42:16.83
meaning the
Roman Catholic Church.
00:42:16.87\00:42:18.67
And the act is a mark
of her ecclesiastical power
00:42:18.70\00:42:23.07
and authority in
religious matters.
00:42:23.10\00:42:25.27
And this is from
the Catholic Record
00:42:25.31\00:42:27.04
of London, Ontario.
00:42:27.08\00:42:28.41
September 1, 1923,
00:42:28.44\00:42:30.35
"Sunday is our
mark of authority."
00:42:30.41\00:42:34.28
The church is above the
Bible, and this transference
00:42:34.32\00:42:39.42
of Sabbath observance
is proof of that fact.
00:42:39.45\00:42:41.89
So I want to look in
the closing time I have
00:42:41.92\00:42:44.03
at five lessons
that we can learn
00:42:44.09\00:42:47.10
from the mark of the beast.
00:42:47.13\00:42:48.46
Number one, choose
today to serve Jesus.
00:42:48.50\00:42:51.87
Never put off to tomorrow
00:42:51.90\00:42:54.07
a decision that
you can make today.
00:42:54.10\00:42:57.04
Make a decision for Christ.
00:42:57.07\00:42:58.47
Make a decision for His Word.
00:42:58.51\00:43:00.78
Make a decision for the truths
00:43:00.81\00:43:02.44
revealed in His Word.
00:43:02.48\00:43:03.85
Hebrews 3:15,
00:43:03.88\00:43:05.21
"Today if you
will hear his voice,
00:43:05.25\00:43:07.52
do not harden your heart."
00:43:07.55\00:43:10.59
Number two, walk in obedience,
00:43:10.62\00:43:13.39
regardless of the consequences.
00:43:13.46\00:43:16.36
We might be
spared the fiery furnace
00:43:16.39\00:43:18.73
or we might have to walk into
the hottest part of the fire.
00:43:18.76\00:43:22.13
Regardless of the future,
00:43:22.16\00:43:23.53
regardless of the consequences,
00:43:23.57\00:43:26.10
regardless of
the immediate result,
00:43:26.13\00:43:28.24
walk in obedience.
00:43:28.27\00:43:30.17
Of course, we
know the end result
00:43:30.21\00:43:31.54
would be eternal life,
00:43:31.57\00:43:32.91
so we don't have
to worry about that.
00:43:32.94\00:43:34.28
But regardless of
the immediate result,
00:43:34.31\00:43:35.91
walk in obedience.
00:43:35.94\00:43:39.21
We're only required
to walk in obedience
00:43:39.25\00:43:41.12
to the truths we have learnt.
00:43:41.15\00:43:42.72
You know in times of ignorance,
00:43:42.75\00:43:44.19
God can wink at that.
00:43:44.25\00:43:46.09
But if, right
now you are listening
00:43:46.12\00:43:48.22
to this lesson,
and you have knowledge
00:43:48.26\00:43:50.49
now of the Sabbath truth.
00:43:50.53\00:43:52.69
Knowledge now that the
seventh day is the Sabbath,
00:43:52.73\00:43:56.53
then God holds you accountable
00:43:56.60\00:43:59.37
for the truth
you have been given.
00:43:59.40\00:44:02.10
Number three,
learn to value eternity.
00:44:02.14\00:44:05.37
Life is only temporary,
eternity is what matters.
00:44:05.41\00:44:08.78
Live, walk and work
with eternity in view.
00:44:08.81\00:44:12.91
All of our choices, all
of what occupies our time,
00:44:12.95\00:44:17.19
everything we care
about should be filtered
00:44:17.22\00:44:19.72
through
knowledge of the hereafter.
00:44:19.75\00:44:22.29
Number four,
decide who your master is.
00:44:22.32\00:44:24.36
Mount Caramel.
00:44:24.39\00:44:25.73
How long ought you
be between two opinions?
00:44:25.76\00:44:27.76
If the Lord be
God, then follow Him.
00:44:27.76\00:44:30.27
It is about worship, who
we give our allegiance to.
00:44:30.33\00:44:33.50
So choose to serve
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:44:33.54\00:44:35.94
and worship on His
seventh day Sabbath.
00:44:35.97\00:44:37.94
And finally, number five.
00:44:37.97\00:44:39.91
Never say you were forced.
00:44:39.94\00:44:43.08
We were all given the
opportunity to make a decision.
00:44:43.11\00:44:47.38
We are never forced
00:44:47.42\00:44:49.32
to accept the mark of the beast.
00:44:49.35\00:44:50.85
We can be harassed,
we can be tormented,
00:44:50.89\00:44:52.89
we can be persecuted,
00:44:52.92\00:44:54.26
we can be
threatened or even killed,
00:44:54.29\00:44:56.09
but we are never forced
00:44:56.12\00:44:57.76
to accept the
false worship on Sunday.
00:44:57.79\00:45:01.06
Many factors lead to
that acceptance in the hand.
00:45:01.10\00:45:03.57
Maybe fear, a desire
to fit in, deception,
00:45:03.60\00:45:06.63
but what God is
calling each one of us
00:45:06.67\00:45:08.90
to right now is to
make a decision to worship
00:45:08.94\00:45:12.24
and honor the Lord alone.
00:45:12.27\00:45:15.24
Amen, that's beautiful.
00:45:15.28\00:45:16.85
So what we've been,
00:45:16.88\00:45:18.21
the thread that's going through,
00:45:18.25\00:45:19.81
through this whole study
00:45:19.85\00:45:21.18
and for the
last number of weeks,
00:45:21.22\00:45:22.85
is about worship.
00:45:22.88\00:45:24.22
Amen. It's not about a day.
00:45:24.29\00:45:25.75
So for people who
have been for many years
00:45:25.79\00:45:28.62
will say, as CA said,
00:45:28.66\00:45:30.03
you know why do you
keep Saturday for Sunday?
00:45:30.06\00:45:33.16
All of this, and people say
00:45:33.19\00:45:34.50
what difference does a day make?
00:45:34.56\00:45:37.17
It's not about a
day, it's about something.
00:45:37.23\00:45:39.03
And the lessons
are so beautiful.
00:45:39.07\00:45:40.90
And thank you each one
for bringing out these points.
00:45:40.94\00:45:44.74
And so mine is
the Sabbath as a seal.
00:45:44.77\00:45:47.44
We talked about the seal of God,
00:45:47.48\00:45:48.88
so we're kind of
overlapping some.
00:45:48.91\00:45:51.41
But the Sabbath
as the seal of God.
00:45:51.45\00:45:54.18
And since the Ten Commandments
00:45:54.22\00:45:56.05
are a transcript of
God's own character,
00:45:56.08\00:45:58.79
it makes sense,
00:45:58.82\00:46:00.22
He would put His seal
within those Ten Commandments.
00:46:00.29\00:46:03.66
Right? Yes. Absolutely.
00:46:03.69\00:46:05.03
Now, God has a
number of characteristics,
00:46:05.06\00:46:07.23
Jill, what are some of those?
00:46:07.23\00:46:08.76
God is
omniscient, He is all-knowing.
00:46:08.80\00:46:11.33
God is omnipotent,
He is all-powerful.
00:46:11.37\00:46:13.77
God is omnipresent,
He is everywhere at once,
00:46:13.84\00:46:16.64
He is eternal.
00:46:16.71\00:46:19.31
And He's all of those,
00:46:19.34\00:46:20.68
but one of His
greatest attributes
00:46:20.71\00:46:22.04
that I am thankful
for is that God is love.
00:46:22.08\00:46:24.75
Amen. Right?
00:46:24.78\00:46:26.11
From the human standpoint,
00:46:26.15\00:46:27.52
we are thankful
that God is love,
00:46:27.55\00:46:28.88
because that He
is love, we have now,
00:46:28.92\00:46:32.59
He has made for us
a plan of salvation.
00:46:32.62\00:46:35.62
And we're able to
come from this humanness
00:46:35.66\00:46:37.86
in this world of sin, and
to be able to live, and rule,
00:46:37.89\00:46:40.83
and reign with Him by simply
00:46:40.90\00:46:42.53
realizing we're
sinners, we come short
00:46:42.56\00:46:44.40
of the glory of
God, confessing our sins.
00:46:44.43\00:46:46.63
He's faithful and just
to forgive us from our sins,
00:46:46.70\00:46:49.04
and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
00:46:49.07\00:46:51.07
But the road that
we're traveling right now,
00:46:51.11\00:46:53.34
Satan is out to
deceive everyone.
00:46:53.38\00:46:55.68
Now we are talking
about those who don't keep
00:46:55.71\00:46:58.31
the commandments of God,
00:46:58.35\00:46:59.68
but I am on a sinner
in just a few minutes
00:46:59.71\00:47:01.12
about those who think
we are keeping the Sabbath
00:47:01.15\00:47:04.72
and see if we really are.
00:47:04.75\00:47:06.79
So God's seal is contained
in the Fourth Commandment,
00:47:06.82\00:47:09.66
some of the
commandments contain God's name.
00:47:09.69\00:47:12.29
But only the Fourth Commandment
00:47:12.33\00:47:14.20
contains God's seal.
00:47:14.23\00:47:15.73
So since we've gone over
this seal a number of times,
00:47:15.76\00:47:18.20
I won't go over
the Fourth Commandment.
00:47:18.23\00:47:20.24
You can read that
yourself but the name,
00:47:20.27\00:47:22.14
the Lord your God, the title,
the Authority, this Creator,
00:47:22.17\00:47:25.57
in six days He made
the heaven and the earth,
00:47:25.61\00:47:27.74
jurisdiction or dominion.
00:47:27.78\00:47:29.11
The heaven, and earth,
00:47:29.14\00:47:30.48
the sea and all that in them is.
00:47:30.55\00:47:32.48
Just like Donald Trump
00:47:32.51\00:47:34.12
is named
President, that's his title,
00:47:34.15\00:47:36.35
United States of
America, his domain.
00:47:36.38\00:47:38.29
So I think we've
established that well,
00:47:38.32\00:47:40.79
but I put why is the
seal of the living God
00:47:40.86\00:47:42.99
placed in the
Fourth Commandment?
00:47:43.02\00:47:45.13
The commandment starts with,
00:47:45.16\00:47:47.60
"Remember the
Sabbath day to do" what?
00:47:47.60\00:47:49.43
Keep it holy. "Keep it holy."
00:47:49.46\00:47:51.67
There is only one way
00:47:51.70\00:47:53.07
we can keep God's Sabbath holy,
00:47:53.10\00:47:55.34
and that is to
keep it in holiness.
00:47:55.37\00:47:58.94
Think about it for a minute.
00:47:58.97\00:48:00.51
People are saying what?
00:48:00.54\00:48:01.88
There's only one way to
keep God's Sabbath holy,
00:48:01.91\00:48:03.98
say we keep the Sabbath,
00:48:04.01\00:48:05.35
many of us
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:48:05.38\00:48:06.72
we keep the Sabbath
but do we keep it holy?
00:48:06.75\00:48:09.65
No wonder the
Jews called Friday,
00:48:09.68\00:48:12.39
the preparation day,
00:48:12.42\00:48:13.79
because really that's
preparing for the Sabbath.
00:48:13.82\00:48:17.36
And we should be doing
that, because we can't come
00:48:17.39\00:48:20.13
with dirty hands to the Sabbath,
00:48:20.16\00:48:22.06
and say we are going
to keep the Sabbath holy.
00:48:22.10\00:48:24.30
The devil hates it
00:48:24.33\00:48:25.67
when we worship
in spirit and truth.
00:48:25.70\00:48:27.34
And the Jewish
nation fell victim, I wrote,
00:48:27.37\00:48:29.50
to Satan and began to
replace the true Sabbath
00:48:29.54\00:48:33.71
worship with legalistic
man-made laws and rules
00:48:33.78\00:48:37.05
that centered on the flesh
00:48:37.08\00:48:39.31
instead of salvation,
accepting the blood of the lamb
00:48:39.35\00:48:42.45
unto Jesus Christ as a
free gift of salvation.
00:48:42.48\00:48:45.85
The Sabbath is the key
to obedience of God's law,
00:48:45.89\00:48:48.59
for it is only
as we obey each one
00:48:48.62\00:48:52.23
of the other nine commandments
can we keep the Sabbath.
00:48:52.26\00:48:55.50
We can't keep the
Sabbath unless we obey
00:48:55.53\00:48:58.57
all of the other
nine commandments.
00:48:58.60\00:49:00.87
So the Sabbath commandment
with its distinct call
00:49:00.90\00:49:04.04
to live a holy life
is the only commandment
00:49:04.07\00:49:06.71
that centers in on
the total character.
00:49:06.74\00:49:09.08
I hadn't really
thought about it,
00:49:09.11\00:49:10.48
I was studying about
it, praying, I said, Lord,
00:49:10.51\00:49:12.11
and it's like, it's the only one
00:49:12.15\00:49:13.48
that really centers in
on our entire character.
00:49:13.55\00:49:17.02
Some of them say
don't kill, don't steal.
00:49:17.05\00:49:18.92
This is a call to holiness
on all of our character.
00:49:18.95\00:49:24.26
So if we are guilty of
adultery during the week,
00:49:24.29\00:49:27.76
we can't keep the Sabbath holy,
00:49:27.76\00:49:29.10
come Sabbath, right?
00:49:29.13\00:49:30.70
If we are guilty of lying
on our neighbors or slander,
00:49:30.77\00:49:33.94
if we're guilty of having
other gods before our God,
00:49:33.97\00:49:37.67
all week long we
forget about God,
00:49:37.71\00:49:39.71
we're watching television
and all these other things.
00:49:39.74\00:49:42.34
Then Sabbath, oh, I'm
gonna keep the Sabbath holy.
00:49:42.38\00:49:45.68
It doesn't
work. It doesn't work.
00:49:45.71\00:49:47.75
It is most appropriate
that God placed His seal
00:49:47.78\00:49:50.19
within the Fourth Commandment,
00:49:50.22\00:49:51.55
for the seal of the living
God is God's perfect character
00:49:51.59\00:49:54.56
replicated within our
hearts and our minds, right?
00:49:54.59\00:49:58.33
That's what it's all about.
00:49:58.36\00:50:00.23
Now for those of us, I
want to talk to those of us
00:50:00.30\00:50:02.43
who are Sabbath keepers.
00:50:02.46\00:50:04.23
And just because we
take off work on Sabbath,
00:50:04.27\00:50:07.80
we say, I don't work on Sabbath.
00:50:07.84\00:50:10.51
I don't care if I lose my job.
00:50:10.57\00:50:11.91
So I'm going to take off,
00:50:11.94\00:50:13.34
I'm going to go
to church on Sabbath.
00:50:13.38\00:50:15.74
That doesn't mean we're
keeping the Sabbath holy.
00:50:15.78\00:50:18.21
Just because I resist
watching secular television
00:50:18.25\00:50:20.72
on Sabbath, Shelley,
00:50:20.78\00:50:22.12
or I refrain
from going to Walmart,
00:50:22.15\00:50:23.95
or mowing my yard.
00:50:23.99\00:50:25.49
That doesn't mean I'm
keeping the Sabbath holy.
00:50:25.52\00:50:27.72
Now, I can keep the Sabbath,
00:50:27.76\00:50:29.86
but it doesn't mean
that I'm keeping it holy.
00:50:29.89\00:50:31.59
For years of my life growing up,
00:50:31.63\00:50:34.63
I kept the Sabbath faithfully
but I never kept it holy.
00:50:34.66\00:50:38.10
There is no difference...
00:50:38.13\00:50:39.50
See the devil doesn't
care which side of the boat
00:50:39.53\00:50:41.17
you fall out of as
long as you fall out.
00:50:41.20\00:50:43.20
So while those of
us in church teaching,
00:50:43.24\00:50:46.54
and telling ourselves,
and pumping ourselves up,
00:50:46.61\00:50:48.64
saying, you know
what, the rest of the world,
00:50:48.68\00:50:51.08
they are out here
following the beast power.
00:50:51.11\00:50:53.35
They're following a day
that God didn't even set aside,
00:50:53.38\00:50:56.48
but we're here today on church,
00:50:56.52\00:50:58.55
we're keeping the Sabbath.
00:50:58.59\00:51:00.66
Well, you're keeping the Sabbath
00:51:00.69\00:51:02.02
but so did the Jews,
00:51:02.06\00:51:03.39
who rejected
Christ, the Jewish nation.
00:51:03.43\00:51:06.43
So what does that really do?
00:51:06.46\00:51:07.83
The devil is out to
steal, kill, and destroy.
00:51:07.86\00:51:10.97
He is out, in fact,
00:51:11.00\00:51:12.33
Revelation says
that he came to deceive,
00:51:12.37\00:51:14.97
and the whole world
wandered after the beast.
00:51:15.00\00:51:17.11
So we cannot be so
secure in the fact that,
00:51:17.17\00:51:20.94
well, we know the truth,
00:51:20.98\00:51:22.31
we understand the
three angels' messages,
00:51:22.34\00:51:24.58
we've got it all down path,
00:51:24.61\00:51:26.78
and every
Sabbath I come to church,
00:51:26.82\00:51:29.68
I am an elder, I am a
deacon, I even go visiting.
00:51:29.72\00:51:32.62
I sing in the nursing
home in the afternoon,
00:51:32.65\00:51:34.59
I do all these things,
you can keep the Sabbath.
00:51:34.62\00:51:37.53
But the question would be today,
00:51:37.59\00:51:39.33
are we keeping it holy?
00:51:39.36\00:51:41.60
You can't keep it holy.
00:51:41.63\00:51:43.73
See James 2:10 says,
00:51:43.80\00:51:45.43
"For whosoever
keep the whole law,
00:51:45.47\00:51:47.74
yet offend in one
point is guilty of all."
00:51:47.77\00:51:52.14
So today, in kind of
wrapping this part up,
00:51:52.17\00:51:55.04
while we have been talking
about keeping the Sabbath,
00:51:55.08\00:51:59.11
it's important that
we also don't fall in.
00:51:59.15\00:52:02.08
The devil doesn't care,
if we worship another day
00:52:02.12\00:52:05.15
and keep that holy, or
if we just keep the Sabbath
00:52:05.19\00:52:08.52
but don't keep it holy.
00:52:08.56\00:52:10.46
So when we come to God,
00:52:10.53\00:52:11.86
and that's what the
Sabbath is all about.
00:52:11.89\00:52:13.70
the Lord says, "I'm
going to be with you."
00:52:13.73\00:52:15.30
He is not going to be with
us if we're not on our knees,
00:52:15.33\00:52:18.50
and coming to
the foot of the cross
00:52:18.53\00:52:20.44
because sin we
say, twin don't mix.
00:52:20.50\00:52:22.67
Now don't ask me
that where it came from,
00:52:22.70\00:52:24.51
but the twin don't mix.
00:52:24.54\00:52:25.87
Sin and God doesn't mix.
00:52:25.91\00:52:27.74
So when we come
before God, we want to come,
00:52:27.78\00:52:29.94
it says, we should
lift holy hands, right?
00:52:30.01\00:52:32.91
What kind of hands? Holy hands.
00:52:32.95\00:52:34.28
Holy hands towards heaven,
so when the Sabbath comes,
00:52:34.32\00:52:37.45
we want to prepare, and say
00:52:37.49\00:52:38.82
Lord, "I want to make sure that
00:52:38.85\00:52:40.62
I'm right that
You will visit me.
00:52:40.66\00:52:42.32
You will spend
this time with me.
00:52:42.36\00:52:44.69
And please
forgive me for my sins."
00:52:44.73\00:52:48.63
"Forgive me from
what I have done,
00:52:48.66\00:52:50.70
and let me meet you
00:52:50.73\00:52:52.23
when the Sabbath sundown comes
00:52:52.27\00:52:54.90
that we spend this
great time together."
00:52:54.94\00:52:57.14
So it's reflecting, I
do it for my own salvation.
00:52:57.17\00:52:59.54
I don't do it for God,
He doesn't need my praise,
00:52:59.57\00:53:02.71
my worship.
00:53:02.74\00:53:04.08
What I need is to
realize I'm a sinner.
00:53:04.15\00:53:07.68
And every Sabbath
when I take off from work,
00:53:07.72\00:53:10.72
and I come to church,
it's not about going to church,
00:53:10.79\00:53:12.85
it's about
spending time with God,
00:53:12.89\00:53:14.66
as well as going to
church and fellowshipping
00:53:14.69\00:53:16.83
with fellow believers,
but it's for my own salvation
00:53:16.86\00:53:20.90
that I stop
everything from the world
00:53:20.93\00:53:22.73
and say, you know what?
00:53:22.76\00:53:25.47
God is my Creator God.
00:53:25.50\00:53:27.80
It gives me great assurance.
00:53:27.84\00:53:30.77
I go on, sometimes
I've seen these chat-sites
00:53:30.81\00:53:33.34
that are run by
Adventist, and they argue,
00:53:33.38\00:53:35.64
they talk about everything.
00:53:35.68\00:53:37.01
I've seen people go on Facebook,
00:53:37.05\00:53:38.88
some of you all have done it,
00:53:38.91\00:53:40.28
and you want to
argue and defend,
00:53:40.32\00:53:41.75
all week long,
politicians who believe
00:53:41.78\00:53:44.15
in same-sex
marriages and abortion,
00:53:44.19\00:53:45.52
then on Sabbath you go to church
00:53:45.55\00:53:46.92
and say, I'm
keeping the Sabbath.
00:53:46.96\00:53:49.99
You know what I'm saying.
00:53:50.03\00:53:51.36
We shouldn't be defending
any of the politicians, right?
00:53:51.39\00:53:53.76
For, because there's no
side that's really right.
00:53:53.80\00:53:56.30
What we need to
be concentrating on,
00:53:56.33\00:53:57.73
when we have social
media, let's concentrate on
00:53:57.77\00:54:00.34
taking the gospel
into all the world.
00:54:00.37\00:54:02.44
It's good.
00:54:02.47\00:54:03.81
I know my time
is running out here,
00:54:03.84\00:54:05.17
but the Bible's central
theme is the loving gift
00:54:05.21\00:54:08.18
of the seal of the living God.
00:54:08.21\00:54:10.05
That's good. The whole theme.
00:54:10.08\00:54:12.18
Let's look at for a second,
it starts in Genesis 1:1,
00:54:12.21\00:54:15.38
God shows the
seal. What's Genesis 1:1?
00:54:15.42\00:54:17.79
"In the beginning, God..."
00:54:17.82\00:54:19.25
Right?
00:54:19.29\00:54:20.76
"Created the
heavens and the earth."
00:54:20.79\00:54:23.32
So from Genesis to
Revelation, God's seal,
00:54:23.36\00:54:26.70
we are talking about the
seal of God or the Sabbath seal,
00:54:26.73\00:54:29.10
but God's seal is
from Genesis to Revelation.
00:54:29.13\00:54:31.60
It's in Genesis 1:1,
it's in the Ten Commandments
00:54:31.63\00:54:34.47
in the middle, and
it's in Revelation,
00:54:34.50\00:54:36.97
when the seal of God and
the three angels' messages.
00:54:37.01\00:54:39.81
I mean isn't that
amazing? God's love.
00:54:39.84\00:54:41.84
So the theme
throughout the Bible is,
00:54:41.88\00:54:43.61
we don't have to be
satisfied with eternal death,
00:54:43.65\00:54:46.48
but we can know for a certainty
00:54:46.51\00:54:48.82
that we have eternal life
through Jesus Christ, our lord.
00:54:48.85\00:54:52.65
And why?
00:54:52.69\00:54:54.02
Because He's our Lord.
00:54:54.06\00:54:55.39
He's our Savior,
He's our Creator,
00:54:55.42\00:54:57.49
He has a dominion
over the entire universe.
00:54:57.53\00:55:00.13
So we're not
just serving anybody,
00:55:00.16\00:55:01.83
we are serving the great
Creator God of the universe.
00:55:01.86\00:55:04.80
He says,
"Behold, I come quickly,
00:55:04.83\00:55:06.40
and my reward is
with me, to give every man
00:55:06.43\00:55:09.10
according as his work shall be."
00:55:09.14\00:55:10.71
I'm the alpha, and the omega,
the beginning and the end.
00:55:10.74\00:55:14.08
The first and the last.
00:55:14.11\00:55:15.44
"Blessed are they that
keep and do His commandments,
00:55:15.48\00:55:19.61
that they may have
right to the tree of life,
00:55:19.65\00:55:21.95
and enter in into
the gates of this city"
00:55:21.98\00:55:24.79
Amen. Amen.
00:55:24.82\00:55:26.39
So well said, does
anyone have a little bow
00:55:26.42\00:55:28.92
to put on their thought.
00:55:28.96\00:55:30.33
Just a quick thought.
00:55:30.36\00:55:31.69
I have something that the Lord
00:55:31.73\00:55:33.06
just keeps impressing me to say.
00:55:33.09\00:55:34.40
We have clearly identified
the mark of the beast,
00:55:34.46\00:55:36.73
and the mark of the
authority of the beast
00:55:36.77\00:55:38.77
is changing the
Sabbath to Sunday,
00:55:38.80\00:55:41.04
and we've talked
about the seal of God.
00:55:41.07\00:55:43.07
But I just want to make sure,
00:55:43.10\00:55:44.44
that we, that you understand
00:55:44.47\00:55:46.04
no one has the mark
of the beast right now.
00:55:46.07\00:55:49.01
It is not until such time
as that is enforced on people.
00:55:49.04\00:55:54.82
There will be Sunday
laws that are passed,
00:55:54.85\00:55:56.52
that people will have to do this
00:55:56.55\00:55:58.89
or they can't buy or sell.
00:55:58.92\00:56:01.16
So learn God's truth now,
and come out of it, my people.
00:56:01.19\00:56:05.96
Amen. Amen.
00:56:05.99\00:56:07.46
Anyone else?
00:56:07.50\00:56:09.40
Let me go back then to...
00:56:09.43\00:56:11.63
Jill, did you have
something? No, you're good.
00:56:11.67\00:56:13.00
Okay.
00:56:13.03\00:56:14.57
To Revelation 14:12,
"Here is the patience,
00:56:14.60\00:56:19.11
or the endurance of the saints.
00:56:19.14\00:56:21.31
Here are those who
keep the commandments."
00:56:21.34\00:56:24.25
So commandment
keeping is essential.
00:56:24.28\00:56:26.92
"And the Lord signs his
name in the Fourth Commandment,
00:56:26.95\00:56:29.82
and have the faith of Jesus."
00:56:29.85\00:56:31.62
This text was so
important to our early founders,
00:56:31.65\00:56:34.19
that almost, on every
important piece of literature
00:56:34.26\00:56:37.76
that we produced,
that text was always there
00:56:37.79\00:56:40.50
for the first 50 years or
so, that text was always there,
00:56:40.53\00:56:43.57
because it
identified God's people
00:56:43.63\00:56:46.00
as commandment
keepers, as people who kept
00:56:46.03\00:56:49.47
the commandments in the context
00:56:49.50\00:56:51.31
of their faith
relationship with Jesus Christ,
00:56:51.34\00:56:53.74
because you have to have both.
00:56:53.78\00:56:55.81
Commandment keeping
without love and faith in Jesus
00:56:55.84\00:56:57.81
does you no good
because then it's legalism,
00:56:57.85\00:57:00.15
and if you say, you love Him
00:57:00.18\00:57:02.65
and you don't
keep His commandments,
00:57:02.68\00:57:04.25
you're a liar.
00:57:04.32\00:57:05.65
So both have to go together,
00:57:05.69\00:57:07.49
it is the molding
of living for Jesus,
00:57:07.52\00:57:10.66
allowing His life
to be lived in you,
00:57:10.69\00:57:12.99
and lived out through
you, in the faith of Jesus,
00:57:13.03\00:57:16.90
that makes you
an enduring saint.
00:57:16.97\00:57:19.27
And this ability to
endure will be tested more
00:57:19.30\00:57:21.87
and more as we come down
00:57:21.90\00:57:23.54
to the end of
this earth's history.
00:57:23.61\00:57:25.31
We pray and
hope that this lesson
00:57:25.34\00:57:26.78
has been a blessing to
you, it has been to us.
00:57:26.81\00:57:29.11
We'll see you again next week
00:57:29.14\00:57:30.48
for another study in God's Word.
00:57:30.55\00:57:32.51