The Bible tells us, "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,
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"Receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
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which is able to save your souls
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and to be diligent
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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
"The Book of Revelation.
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Hello and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School panel.
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I'm Jill Morikone,
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and we are so excited
that you have joined us
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for a study of the
Book of Revelation.
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We are on lesson number 6,
"The Sealed People of God."
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We just came
out of the six seals
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and it's almost as if
John takes an interlude
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when we get to Revelation 7,
at the end of the sixth seal,
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before we even break
open the seventh seal,
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we do this little interlude,
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and I'm excited
about our study today.
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I want to encourage
you to go to the website
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if you would like
your very own copy
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of the quarterly.
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That's ABSG.Adventist.org,
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that stands for Adult
Bible Study Guide.Adventist.org
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or you can always visit
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your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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let them know that 3ABN sent you
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and they would be
happy to give you a quarterly
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and you could join a
discussion group yourself.
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I want to introduce
our panel at this time.
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To my left is Pastor Ryan
Day, and my sis, Shelley Quinn,
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and another sis,
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we're so glad to have you
here, Yvonne Lewis-Shelton,
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and then Pastor John Lomacang,
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our pastor here at the church.
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It's a privilege to
open up the Word of God
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with each one of
you and thank you
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for the time you
put into studying,
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and preparing,
and praying over it,
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and I know the Lord is
going to bless this lesson
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in a special way.
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Before we go any further,
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we want to go to
the Lord in prayer.
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And, Yvonne, would you
pray for us here today?
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Father God, we just
thank You so very much
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for the privilege
of opening up Your Word
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and learning more
about the Revelation
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of our blessed
Savior, Jesus Christ.
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So we just ask
for Your presence,
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the presence of Your Holy Spirit
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to anoint every
word that's said,
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and to be in our midst.
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You are welcome in this
place, in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen! Amen.
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Remember in our discussion
last week of the fifth seal,
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I know, Ryan, you
had that, and they said,
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"How long O Lord," how
long until the persecuted,
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those who have been
martyred for their faith,
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how long until God stands
up and does something about it.
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And we see the beginning
of that in the sixth seal
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that God is ready
to deal with those
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who have harmed His people.
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The sixth seal brings us
all the way up until the moment
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just before the
second coming of Christ
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we see that.
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I want to pick that up,
actually, in Revelation 6:17,
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the last verse of Revelation 6,
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and then we're going to
jump in to Revelation 7.
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Revelation 6:17, it says,
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"The great day of
His wrath has come
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and who is able to stand?"
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Remember the wicked in the verse
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before were saying,
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"Fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him."
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They want to hide in the caves
and the rocks because they say,
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"Who can stand?"
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So Revelation 7 is the
answer to that question,
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who can stand the sealed of God.
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And that's what we're
going to talk about here today.
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So let's look, I have Sunday
is "Restraining the Winds."
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I have the first couple
of verses of Revelation 7.
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Revelation 7 begins
with the four angels
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who are holding
back, as it were,
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the four winds of strife
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until the servants
of God can be sealed.
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They are holding
back the four winds.
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Now in the Bible,
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the four winds is mentioned
several different times
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in the Bible.
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In Daniel 7, the four
winds can churn the Great Sea.
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In Daniel 11, the
four winds can uproot
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and scatter powerful empires.
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In Jeremiah 49,
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the four winds are
deployed against the nation,
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the nation of Elam
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and they scatter
people in every direction.
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Many times, the four
winds come to bring judgment,
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but the angels are
holding back those winds
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of judgment and destruction
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until the people
of God can be sealed.
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So let's read
that, Revelation 7:1,
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"After these things
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I saw four angels
standing at the four corners
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of the earth,
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holding the four
winds of the earth,
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that the wind should
not blow on the earth,
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on the sea, or on any tree.
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Then I saw
another angel ascending
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from the east having,
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there's our word, the
seal of the living God.
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And he cried with a
loud voice to the four angels
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to whom it was granted to
harm the earth and the sea,
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saying, 'Do not harm the earth,
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the sea or the
trees till we have sealed
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the servants of our
God on their foreheads.' "
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So we're talking
today about the seal.
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What is the seal?
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I want to talk about
the purpose of the seal,
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and preparation for the seal
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because if we're
going to be able to stand
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and the only way we
can stand is to be sealed,
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I want to know
how I can be sealed
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because that's important!
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We want to look at the
purpose and the preparation,
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but before we do that,
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I just want to
touch on one thing,
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there's actually
two different sealings
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mentioned in the word of God.
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There's a sealing, I call
it, "The seal of salvation."
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We're going to talk about
that in Ephesians Chapter 1.
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After we accept
the Lord Jesus Christ
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and make Him Lord of
our life, what happens?
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We are sealed
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with the Holy Spirit of promise,
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so we'll look at that.
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The second seal is
the seal of protection.
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This seal takes
place here in Revelation 7,
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and we see it
again in Revelation 14
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at the end of time,
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and this is the
seal of protection.
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It's also from the Holy Spirit.
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We cannot have
the seal of protection
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unless we've had
the seal of salvation.
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One has to precede the other.
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There's one more
passage we're going to look
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at before we get
into the purpose.
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Turn with me to
Ezekiel Chapter 9,
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this is kind of
a parallel passage
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and it talks about the sealing.
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So turn with me
to Ezekiel Chapter 9,
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we're going to
pick this up in verse 3,
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Ezekiel 9:3,
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"Now the glory of the
God of Israel had gone up
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from the cherub,
where it had been,
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to the threshold of the temple.
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And He called to the
man clothed with linen,"
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now being clothed with
linen is the dress of what?
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Priests or of
angels, clothed with linen,
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"who had the
writer's inkhorn at his side,"
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like he's a scribe,
"and the Lord said to him,
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'Go through the
midst of the city,
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through the midst of Jerusalem,
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and put a" what word is that?
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Mark!
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"A mark, put a mark on
the foreheads of the men
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who sigh and cry over
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all the abominations
that are done within it.' "
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Now the word
for "mark" in Hebrew
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is actually the last
letter of the Hebrew alphabet
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and it's a symbol of
the last or remaining ones
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or we could say the remnant.
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We see that in Revelation
where the remnant are sealed.
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So those are sealed
who are sighing and crying
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over the abominations
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that are done within it.
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To the others, He
said in my hearing,
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"Go after them
through the city and kill,
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do not let your eye
spare, nor have any pity.
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Utterly slay old and young men,
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maidens and little
children and women,
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but do not come near
anyone on whom is the mark,
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and begin at My sanctuary."
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1 Peter 4:17 says,
"Judgment begins" where?
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"At the house of God,
begin at My sanctuary."
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This reminds me almost as if,
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remember the children of Israel,
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the night before the Passover
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and here's the
sign on the doorpost,
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you know, indicating to pass by.
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So this seal,
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this mark saves
them from the destruction
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that is to come.
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So let's look at the purpose
and preparation for the seal.
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The purpose of the seal, I
think it has three purposes.
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First, it's
identification and ownership.
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It shows who we belong to.
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Second, it's allegiance.
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It shows who we serve.
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And third, it's protection.
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So let's look at,
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the seal is
identification and ownership.
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It identifies the
owner or organization.
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Think about Haman, he
took the king's signet ring,
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and what did it show?
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That he had authority,
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it showed that he was
acting on behalf of who?
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The king.
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Animals are branded
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showing that
someone else owns them.
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Think about 3ABN, we
have a corporate seal,
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and on our
important official documents
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we put the seal
because it shows,
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this comes from
3ABN, this belongs to 3ABN.
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Now there's a seal
that the Lord gives us
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that shows we belong to Christ.
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Ephesians 1:13,
this is the first seal,
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the seal of salvation.
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Ephesians 1:13, "In
Him you also trusted,
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after you heard
the word of truth,
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the gospel of your salvation,
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in whom also, having believed,
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you were sealed
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with the Holy
Spirit of promise."
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When we believe and
accept Christ by faith,
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the Holy Spirit
marks us, as it were,
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as belonging to Jesus.
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Again,
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in 2 Timothy 2:19,
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it says, "Nevertheless,
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the solid
foundation of God stands,
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having this seal,"
there's our word again,
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"the Lord knows who are His."
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So the seal identifies
that we belong to Christ.
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Number 2, the
seal gives authority
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among other people.
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If you use the
king's signet ring,
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or you use 3ABN's seal,
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it comes with the
full backing of the person
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who gave the seal.
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Ephesians 1:14, we
just read verse 13,
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but the very next verse says,
00:10:01.33\00:10:03.73
"Who is the
guarantee of our inheritance,"
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who is that?
00:10:05.13\00:10:06.47
"The Holy
Spirit is the guarantee
00:10:06.50\00:10:07.84
of our inheritance
00:10:07.87\00:10:09.20
until the redemption of
the purchased possession,
00:10:09.24\00:10:12.11
to the praise of His glory."
00:10:12.14\00:10:14.88
He is the
guarantee of our inheritance.
00:10:14.91\00:10:16.71
The word in Greek, "guarantee,"
00:10:16.75\00:10:18.08
is in earnest,
00:10:18.11\00:10:19.61
like you would
pay earnest money,
00:10:19.65\00:10:21.78
if you were making a
down payment on a house
00:10:21.82\00:10:24.25
or a partial payment, and to me,
00:10:24.29\00:10:26.52
it's the Holy Spirit
saying, "I've got you.
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I've got you.
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You are mine
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and I will complete
this process in your life.
00:10:31.79\00:10:35.93
I will bring you to that place
00:10:35.96\00:10:37.83
where you can stand at the end
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without any sin in your life
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because I'm the one
who does that work in you."
00:10:41.64\00:10:45.11
Amen!
00:10:45.14\00:10:46.47
The seal shows our
allegiance whom we serve.
00:10:46.51\00:10:51.28
It says in Revelation 7:4,
00:10:51.31\00:10:54.75
"I heard the number of those
00:10:54.78\00:10:56.12
who were sealed, 144,000."
00:10:56.15\00:10:58.45
So the sealed are the 144,000.
00:10:58.49\00:11:01.52
Now in Revelation 14:1, it says,
00:11:01.56\00:11:04.56
"John looked and saw the
Lamb on the Mount of Zion,
00:11:04.59\00:11:07.10
with Him 144,000,
00:11:07.13\00:11:08.70
who had the Father's
name in their forehead."
00:11:08.73\00:11:11.27
So if the sealed are the 144,000
00:11:11.30\00:11:14.87
and the 144,000
have the Father's name
00:11:14.90\00:11:16.97
in their forehead,
00:11:17.01\00:11:18.34
that means the
sealed represent the Father.
00:11:18.37\00:11:21.31
The sealed obey,
serve and follow the Father.
00:11:21.34\00:11:25.31
They have given Him
their full allegiance.
00:11:25.35\00:11:28.88
Finally, the final test
00:11:28.92\00:11:31.22
will be over the
keeping of God's commandments,
00:11:31.25\00:11:33.92
we know especially
the fourth commandment.
00:11:33.96\00:11:36.12
The Sabbath was a sign of
God's people in biblical time.
00:11:36.16\00:11:40.66
At the end of time, it's
a sign of loyalty, worship,
00:11:40.70\00:11:45.13
whom will we worship?
00:11:45.17\00:11:46.53
And the Sabbath is a
test, is a sign of that.
00:11:46.57\00:11:50.74
There's a great
quote in the lesson
00:11:50.77\00:11:52.24
from Last Day Events, page 220,
00:11:52.27\00:11:55.11
"That the seal of God
is not a visible mark,
00:11:55.14\00:11:57.58
it is a settling into the truth
00:11:57.61\00:12:00.92
both
intellectually and spiritually
00:12:00.95\00:12:04.02
so that we cannot be moved.
00:12:04.09\00:12:05.99
So who shall be able to stand?
00:12:06.02\00:12:07.36
We will not be
shaken, we will not be moved,
00:12:07.39\00:12:10.43
in the winds of
doctrine, in the deception,
00:12:10.46\00:12:12.79
in those final climatic
events because we are sealed.
00:12:12.83\00:12:16.63
It gives us protection.
00:12:16.67\00:12:18.27
Protection
against the four winds.
00:12:18.30\00:12:20.40
Protection against the
great day of His wrath.
00:12:20.44\00:12:24.31
So the purpose of the seal:
00:12:24.34\00:12:25.67
It identifies that
we belong to Christ,
00:12:25.71\00:12:27.74
we're sealed the first time,
00:12:27.78\00:12:29.11
the seal of salvation
00:12:29.14\00:12:30.71
when the Holy
Spirit gives that to us.
00:12:30.75\00:12:33.21
Then we're sealed
again at the end of time.
00:12:33.25\00:12:37.55
This is a seal
giving us authority.
00:12:37.59\00:12:39.75
It's a seal that
shows our allegiance
00:12:39.79\00:12:41.59
and that we have
committed ourselves
00:12:41.62\00:12:43.16
fully to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:12:43.19\00:12:44.99
It's a seal with protection
against what's to come.
00:12:45.03\00:12:48.43
And finally, the
preparation for the seal.
00:12:48.46\00:12:51.63
The end times will be a time
of extreme testing of trial,
00:12:51.67\00:12:55.24
of temptation,
and spiritual warfare,
00:12:55.27\00:12:57.17
of battles from
within and without,
00:12:57.24\00:12:59.24
battles with selfishness,
stubbornness, and sin,
00:12:59.27\00:13:02.24
winds of doctrine that
are going to be blowing,
00:13:02.28\00:13:04.91
immorality will be rampant,
deception will be everywhere.
00:13:04.95\00:13:08.45
If it is even possible,
00:13:08.48\00:13:09.88
the very elect will be deceived.
00:13:09.92\00:13:12.89
God's commandments,
00:13:12.92\00:13:14.26
especially the fourth
one will be under attack.
00:13:14.29\00:13:17.63
So what does God want us to do?
00:13:17.66\00:13:18.99
Open up your
heart to Him right now.
00:13:19.03\00:13:22.00
Accept Him as Lord
and Savior of your life.
00:13:22.03\00:13:26.27
Receive the seal
of the Holy Spirit.
00:13:26.30\00:13:28.34
When you accept Him, you
receive that first sealing,
00:13:28.37\00:13:31.01
the seal of salvation.
00:13:31.04\00:13:32.74
And then choose
to study His Word,
00:13:32.77\00:13:35.58
choose to walk in obedience
to all of His commandments
00:13:35.61\00:13:40.68
and He will seal
you that final time
00:13:40.72\00:13:43.08
just before the
close of probation
00:13:43.12\00:13:45.49
and Jesus comes.
00:13:45.52\00:13:46.86
Ryan? Amen.
00:13:46.92\00:13:48.26
Praise the Lord! Thank you,
00:13:48.29\00:13:49.62
you set that up very
well for this passage
00:13:49.66\00:13:52.73
that I'm going to take on now
00:13:52.76\00:13:54.30
which is actually discussing
00:13:54.30\00:13:55.66
the mysterious
number of this 144,000.
00:13:55.70\00:13:59.30
When I traveled on
the road for many years
00:13:59.33\00:14:02.67
with Amazing Facts
Ministry doing evangelism,
00:14:02.70\00:14:05.24
this is probably one of
the most asked questions
00:14:05.27\00:14:07.64
I got which was in
reference to the 144,000.
00:14:07.68\00:14:10.55
Is it a literal number?
00:14:10.58\00:14:12.18
Is it a symbolic number?
00:14:12.21\00:14:13.55
Who are these people who
are sealed, this 144,000?
00:14:13.62\00:14:17.32
So we want to cover that,
00:14:17.39\00:14:18.72
we want to look at
that at this moment.
00:14:18.75\00:14:20.49
And, you know,
this particular passage
00:14:20.56\00:14:22.09
is the perfect
example of this symbolism
00:14:22.12\00:14:25.73
that we're talking about
00:14:25.76\00:14:27.10
because while there's
tons of symbolism we know,
00:14:27.13\00:14:29.56
all throughout the
Book of Revelation,
00:14:29.60\00:14:31.23
perhaps in no other
passage than this one here
00:14:31.27\00:14:33.40
is put on display
better than Revelation 7.
00:14:33.44\00:14:37.27
For instance, right
there at the top, verse 1,
00:14:37.31\00:14:38.87
"After these things,
00:14:38.91\00:14:40.24
I saw four angels standing
00:14:40.28\00:14:41.61
in the four corners of the earth
00:14:41.64\00:14:42.98
holding back the
four winds of the earth."
00:14:43.01\00:14:44.35
If you get that
picture in your mind,
00:14:44.38\00:14:45.75
I mean, it's not like we
can go to four different corners
00:14:45.78\00:14:48.88
of the earth, and
see angels sitting there
00:14:48.92\00:14:50.45
holding back these
massive strong winds,
00:14:50.49\00:14:52.85
we know that that is symbolic,
00:14:52.89\00:14:54.42
obviously, for God is,
00:14:54.46\00:14:57.09
He is allowing His angels,
00:14:57.13\00:14:58.46
He is allowing His
kingdom to hold back the strife,
00:14:58.49\00:15:01.13
the major time of trouble
that will come upon this planet
00:15:01.16\00:15:04.07
in the last days
00:15:04.10\00:15:05.43
after the sealing of His people.
00:15:05.47\00:15:07.47
And so what I want to look at,
I want to start with verse 4.
00:15:07.54\00:15:10.84
Boy, I have a lot
to work with here.
00:15:10.91\00:15:12.57
Hint, hint!
00:15:12.61\00:15:14.91
But we're going to do
our best to get through this.
00:15:14.94\00:15:19.11
Revelation 7:4-8, and
I'm going to read through it,
00:15:19.15\00:15:23.69
and then we're going
to go back and backtrack
00:15:23.72\00:15:25.15
and try to make
some sense of this.
00:15:25.19\00:15:28.29
Verse 4 says,
00:15:28.32\00:15:29.66
"And I heard the number
of those who were sealed,
00:15:29.69\00:15:33.50
144,000 of all the
tribes of the children of Israel
00:15:33.53\00:15:38.20
were sealed.
00:15:38.23\00:15:39.57
And then verses 5-8 here
lists those particular tribes.
00:15:39.60\00:15:43.37
And, you know, many
people would overlook this list.
00:15:43.41\00:15:46.31
They would go
right over it and think,
00:15:46.34\00:15:47.68
"Aw, I'm not interested
in these 12 different tribes
00:15:47.71\00:15:50.45
but if you don't read
them, you don't study them,
00:15:50.51\00:15:52.55
you might miss something.
00:15:52.58\00:15:53.98
Let's read through this
because there's the reason
00:15:54.02\00:15:56.22
why God put this in
this particular revelation.
00:15:56.25\00:15:59.65
"Of the tribe of
Judah, 12,000 were sealed,
00:15:59.69\00:16:03.79
of the tribe of
Reuben 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:03.86\00:16:07.03
of the tribe of
Gad, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:07.03\00:16:09.70
of the tribe of
Asher, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:09.73\00:16:12.90
of the tribe of Naphtali,"
00:16:12.93\00:16:14.90
I'm guessing
that's how you say it,
00:16:14.94\00:16:16.34
"Naphtali," all
right, "12,000 were sealed,
00:16:16.37\00:16:19.74
of the tribe of
Manasseh, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:19.77\00:16:22.88
of the tribe of
Simeon, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:22.91\00:16:27.42
of the tribe of
Levi, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:27.45\00:16:30.19
of the tribe of, " I'm
guessing that Issachar,
00:16:30.22\00:16:33.05
"Issachar, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:33.09\00:16:35.42
of the tribe of
Zebulun, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:35.46\00:16:39.53
of the tribe of
Joseph, 12,000 were sealed,
00:16:39.56\00:16:42.16
of the tribe of
Benjamin, 12,000 were sealed."
00:16:42.20\00:16:46.70
Now the question is,
00:16:46.74\00:16:48.07
is this a literal 144,000
00:16:48.10\00:16:51.87
or is it a symbolic number?
00:16:51.91\00:16:54.78
Let's look at this first,
first notice a few things,
00:16:54.81\00:16:57.01
I'm just going to reread
00:16:57.05\00:16:58.38
the first part of
this passage in verse 4.
00:16:58.41\00:17:00.98
"And I heard the
number of who were sealed,
00:17:01.02\00:17:03.18
144,000
00:17:03.22\00:17:04.72
all the tribes of
the children of Israel
00:17:04.75\00:17:06.59
were sealed."
00:17:06.62\00:17:07.96
So I made a note
here, notice this,
00:17:07.99\00:17:09.32
144,000 represent
those who are able to stand
00:17:09.36\00:17:13.73
through the
events portrayed in 6:17,
00:17:13.76\00:17:16.97
and for those of you, she
just read it earlier, 6:17,
00:17:17.00\00:17:20.34
end of the sixth seal,
00:17:20.37\00:17:21.70
"For the great day
of His wrath has come,"
00:17:21.74\00:17:23.27
speaking of
Christ Jesus, that Lamb,
00:17:23.30\00:17:25.21
"and who shall
be able to stand?"
00:17:25.24\00:17:28.21
These people are able to stand
00:17:28.24\00:17:30.05
because they know Christ.
00:17:30.08\00:17:32.78
They have the
seal of the living God
00:17:32.81\00:17:35.82
and I know that
in the near future,
00:17:35.85\00:17:37.19
we will have an entire message
00:17:37.22\00:17:39.32
in which we
identify what this seal is
00:17:39.35\00:17:42.56
and are protected at the time
of the universal destruction
00:17:42.59\00:17:45.39
as were those
who possess the mark
00:17:45.43\00:17:47.76
in Ezekiel's
vision which you read
00:17:47.83\00:17:49.16
in just a few moments ago.
00:17:49.20\00:17:50.53
So God has a mark
00:17:50.57\00:17:51.90
and we're going to
read in the future,
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.30
the devil has a mark.
00:17:53.34\00:17:54.67
He has a mark only
because God has a mark.
00:17:54.70\00:17:56.04
He counterfeits
always the original.
00:17:56.07\00:17:59.27
But notice this,
and I made this note.
00:17:59.31\00:18:00.71
Twelve is a
significant number in the Bible
00:18:00.74\00:18:04.41
because there were
12 tribes in Israel
00:18:04.45\00:18:07.45
and 12 apostles.
00:18:07.48\00:18:08.82
Twelve is kind of a
representation of leadership,
00:18:08.85\00:18:11.15
and so we see that 12
has a special meaning,
00:18:11.19\00:18:13.49
but what about this 144,000?
00:18:13.52\00:18:15.56
Is it symbolic
or is it spiritual,
00:18:15.59\00:18:17.99
is it literal?
00:18:18.03\00:18:19.66
Well, I believe that
there's enough evidence
00:18:19.69\00:18:21.46
to show that this
is a symbolic number.
00:18:21.50\00:18:23.23
Amen.
00:18:23.26\00:18:24.60
First of all,
you will notice that
00:18:24.63\00:18:25.97
it mentions these
12 specific tribes.
00:18:26.00\00:18:29.14
Do those 12 tribes exist today?
00:18:29.17\00:18:30.91
No.
00:18:30.94\00:18:32.27
Where are they, if they are?
00:18:32.31\00:18:33.68
Obviously those 12 tribes
do not exist today in our time,
00:18:33.71\00:18:36.85
so there's some symbolism
being communicated here.
00:18:36.88\00:18:39.08
Also if you notice,
00:18:39.11\00:18:40.45
and I'll probably come back
to this in just a few moments,
00:18:40.52\00:18:42.25
but if you compare
the actual list here
00:18:42.28\00:18:46.09
mentioned in
Revelation Chapter 7,
00:18:46.12\00:18:48.06
to the original list
provided in the Book of Numbers
00:18:48.09\00:18:50.63
and in the Book of Ezekiel,
00:18:50.66\00:18:51.99
you will see that it's
not the exact same list.
00:18:52.03\00:18:54.56
There's actually
two that are omitted
00:18:54.56\00:18:56.77
from this list in
Revelation that are included
00:18:56.83\00:18:59.50
in the list in
Ezekiel and in Numbers.
00:18:59.53\00:19:02.47
We'll come back to
that in just a few moments.
00:19:02.50\00:19:07.21
Romans 2:28-29
00:19:07.24\00:19:10.91
and the reason why
I'm referencing this
00:19:10.98\00:19:13.15
is to further prove the fact
00:19:13.18\00:19:14.68
that Paul has
already established to us
00:19:14.72\00:19:17.79
and for us that we are Jews
00:19:17.82\00:19:21.29
if we are Christ's.
00:19:21.32\00:19:22.79
If we have joined ourselves
together with Jesus Christ,
00:19:22.82\00:19:27.23
we are part of
that seed of Abraham.
00:19:27.30\00:19:28.73
Notice Romans 2:28-29,
00:19:28.76\00:19:32.13
"For He is not a Jew
who is one outwardly,
00:19:32.17\00:19:35.87
nor is circumcision that
which is outward in the flesh,
00:19:35.90\00:19:39.21
but he is a Jew
who is one inwardly,
00:19:39.24\00:19:43.04
and circumcision
is that of the heart,
00:19:43.08\00:19:45.11
in the Spirit, not in the letter
00:19:45.15\00:19:47.72
whose praise is not
from men but from God."
00:19:47.75\00:19:51.19
Now that's powerful!
00:19:51.22\00:19:52.82
So this particular list
here, these 12 different tribes,
00:19:52.85\00:19:56.93
most people when they
think of the tribes of Israel,
00:19:56.96\00:19:58.83
they think of the Jewish
people or the Hebrew people.
00:19:58.86\00:20:01.33
But we know that
here in the last days,
00:20:01.36\00:20:03.10
that line of
distinction has been destroyed
00:20:03.13\00:20:05.93
in a sense that
once we come to Christ
00:20:05.97\00:20:07.97
as the Bible is
inspired and told us,
00:20:08.00\00:20:10.11
we obviously know
that we are Christ's
00:20:10.17\00:20:11.74
when we adjoin ourselves to Him.
00:20:11.77\00:20:13.11
So we know, automatically,
00:20:13.14\00:20:14.48
that's more proof
that this number here,
00:20:14.51\00:20:16.01
this 144,000, it
is a symbolic number,
00:20:16.04\00:20:19.21
a representation of
God's people right here
00:20:19.25\00:20:22.18
in the last days.
00:20:22.22\00:20:23.55
Every single one of
us have an opportunity
00:20:23.59\00:20:25.19
to be part of that 144,000.
00:20:25.22\00:20:27.12
It's a personal choice!
00:20:27.16\00:20:28.49
It is a personal
choice of the gospel.
00:20:28.52\00:20:31.36
For he is not...
I already read that.
00:20:31.39\00:20:32.83
Notice Psalm
91:5-10. Let's go here.
00:20:32.86\00:20:34.96
Psalm 91:5-10,
00:20:35.00\00:20:37.10
there's a beautiful
promise for all of us
00:20:37.13\00:20:39.60
who join ourself in Christ
00:20:39.63\00:20:41.20
and make that preparation
to be a part of this 144,000.
00:20:41.24\00:20:45.57
Psalm 91, I'm
going to read verses 5-10
00:20:45.61\00:20:48.34
for the sake of time,
00:20:48.38\00:20:49.71
although I would encourage
you to read the entire chapter,
00:20:49.74\00:20:51.91
it's a beautiful chapter.
00:20:51.95\00:20:53.35
Psalm 91 beginning with verse 5,
00:20:53.38\00:20:56.35
notice what it says,
00:20:56.38\00:20:57.82
"You shall not be
afraid of the terror by night,
00:20:57.85\00:21:00.76
nor of the arrow
that flies by day,
00:21:00.79\00:21:05.06
nor of the pestilence
that walks in darkness,
00:21:05.09\00:21:07.50
nor of the destruction
that lays waste at noonday.
00:21:07.50\00:21:11.07
A thousand may
fall at your side,
00:21:11.10\00:21:12.87
and 10, 000 at your right hand,
but it shall not come near you.
00:21:12.90\00:21:17.47
Only with your
eyes shall you look
00:21:17.51\00:21:19.14
and see the
reward of the wicked.
00:21:19.17\00:21:22.38
Because you have made
the Lord," here it is,
00:21:22.41\00:21:24.78
"Who is my refuge,
00:21:24.81\00:21:26.88
even the Most High,
your dwelling place,
00:21:26.92\00:21:29.48
no evil shall befall you,
00:21:29.52\00:21:31.49
nor shall any plague
come near your dwelling."
00:21:31.52\00:21:34.69
We mentioned
that time of trouble
00:21:34.72\00:21:36.22
that will happen
at the end of time
00:21:36.26\00:21:38.86
after the sealing,
00:21:38.89\00:21:40.26
we're talking about the
sealing of God's people,
00:21:40.30\00:21:42.03
the special group of 144,000,
00:21:42.06\00:21:44.37
these people will be saved.
00:21:44.40\00:21:45.87
That's right.
00:21:45.90\00:21:47.27
These people are promised,
right here in Psalm 91,
00:21:47.30\00:21:49.00
that they will not be touched
because they had made the Lord
00:21:49.04\00:21:51.91
their Savior, they had
made the Lord their God.
00:21:51.94\00:21:54.54
Let's look at Revelation 7:5,
00:21:54.58\00:21:58.31
and we're going to
actually continue on through
00:21:58.35\00:22:00.22
because I have a little time,
00:22:00.25\00:22:01.58
but I want to show you
something here really quickly
00:22:01.62\00:22:03.49
about these
individual tribe names.
00:22:03.52\00:22:05.65
Each one of these tribe
names mean something, okay?
00:22:05.69\00:22:08.56
There's a message in each
one of these tribe names, okay.
00:22:08.59\00:22:11.69
Check this out.
00:22:11.73\00:22:13.19
Judah, do you
know what Judah means?
00:22:13.23\00:22:15.60
It means, "I
will praise the Lord."
00:22:15.63\00:22:17.57
All right.
00:22:17.60\00:22:18.93
Notice the next
one on the list here
00:22:18.97\00:22:20.30
in Revelation 7,
00:22:20.34\00:22:21.67
Ruben means, "He
has looked on me."
00:22:21.70\00:22:24.51
Gad, he means,
"Given good fortune."
00:22:24.54\00:22:28.74
Asher means, "Happy am I."
00:22:28.78\00:22:31.58
Okay notice,
there's just something here
00:22:31.61\00:22:32.95
that's beautiful.
00:22:32.98\00:22:34.32
Naphtali means,
"For my wrestling."
00:22:34.35\00:22:37.89
Manasseh means, "God
is making me forget."
00:22:37.92\00:22:42.46
Simeon means, "God hears me."
00:22:42.49\00:22:45.46
Levi means, "And
is joined to me."
00:22:45.49\00:22:49.86
Issachar means,
"He has purchased me."
00:22:49.90\00:22:54.77
Zebulun means, "A dwelling."
00:22:54.80\00:22:57.91
Joseph means,
"God shall add to me."
00:22:57.94\00:23:01.18
And Benjamin means,
"The son of his right hand."
00:23:01.21\00:23:04.75
Now I just want to quickly
00:23:04.78\00:23:06.18
because I have a
few seconds here.
00:23:06.21\00:23:07.72
So you'll notice if you
look at the original list
00:23:07.75\00:23:09.72
in Revelation Chapter 7 here,
00:23:09.75\00:23:12.09
you'll notice that the
tribe of Dan is removed
00:23:12.12\00:23:14.79
and the reason
why that's the case
00:23:14.82\00:23:16.16
is the tribe of
Dan fell into apostasy.
00:23:16.19\00:23:18.13
Now if you look
at the original list
00:23:18.16\00:23:19.49
in Genesis 49,
00:23:19.53\00:23:21.33
while the tribe
of Dan is mentioned,
00:23:21.36\00:23:23.00
you'll notice in this list,
00:23:23.03\00:23:24.37
it's not because it
was replaced by Manasseh,
00:23:24.40\00:23:26.70
so all of the
other original are there,
00:23:26.74\00:23:29.27
and I think that's
a pretty cool thing.
00:23:29.30\00:23:31.34
I didn't notice that before.
00:23:31.37\00:23:32.91
But I also want to
just, really quickly,
00:23:32.94\00:23:34.28
read this last
little thing, very quickly.
00:23:34.31\00:23:36.14
If you sum up all of
what each name means,
00:23:36.18\00:23:39.85
Asher, Naphtali, all
of the 12 tribes' names,
00:23:39.88\00:23:41.65
notice what message you get
00:23:41.68\00:23:43.25
when you sum up what
all of their names mean.
00:23:43.28\00:23:46.12
"I will praise the Lord,
00:23:46.15\00:23:47.56
He has looked on me
and given good fortune,
00:23:47.62\00:23:50.59
happy am I for my wrestling,
00:23:50.63\00:23:53.86
God is making me forget,
00:23:53.90\00:23:57.20
God hears me
and is joined to me,
00:23:57.23\00:23:59.30
He has purchased me a dwelling,
00:23:59.33\00:24:01.57
God shall add to me
the son of His right hand."
00:24:01.60\00:24:05.37
That's powerful, there's like
a nice little encrypted message
00:24:05.41\00:24:07.58
right there, it's wonderful.
00:24:07.61\00:24:08.94
Amen!
00:24:08.98\00:24:10.31
Thank you so much Ryan,
00:24:10.35\00:24:11.68
what an incredible
study of the 144,000.
00:24:11.71\00:24:14.22
We're going to
take a short break,
00:24:14.25\00:24:15.58
we'll be right back.
00:24:15.62\00:24:16.95
Ever wish you could watch
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Welcome back as
we continue our study
00:24:54.36\00:24:56.42
of Revelation Chapter 7.
00:24:56.46\00:24:58.09
We're going to pick it up
with Tuesday, Shelley's day,
00:24:58.13\00:25:00.56
"The Great Multitude."
00:25:00.63\00:25:01.93
Oh, thank you both for
your excellent studies.
00:25:01.96\00:25:05.00
I will begin in Revelation 7:9,
00:25:05.03\00:25:09.17
and the Bible says this,
00:25:09.20\00:25:11.84
"After these things
I looked, and behold,
00:25:11.87\00:25:14.84
a great multitude
00:25:14.88\00:25:17.38
which no one could
number of all nations,
00:25:17.45\00:25:20.32
tribes, peoples, and tongues."
00:25:20.35\00:25:23.59
John first heard a number
and that number was 144,000,
00:25:23.62\00:25:29.02
and this is the
church militant on earth
00:25:29.06\00:25:32.09
because they're
suffering persecution
00:25:32.13\00:25:34.36
and martyrdom
and they were sealed,
00:25:34.40\00:25:37.17
why?
00:25:37.23\00:25:38.57
Because they
obeyed the covenant,
00:25:38.60\00:25:42.04
they're preserved
00:25:42.07\00:25:43.71
not by being
delivered from death,
00:25:43.77\00:25:47.88
but delivered from
the conquest of death,
00:25:47.91\00:25:51.31
if you think about that
00:25:51.35\00:25:52.68
because they prevailed
over the persecution and death
00:25:52.71\00:25:56.75
because of the
word of their testimony,
00:25:56.79\00:25:58.89
and the blood of the Lamb.
00:25:58.92\00:26:00.89
Now, he heard
that number, 144,000,
00:26:00.92\00:26:04.39
then he says,
00:26:04.43\00:26:06.06
he turns and sees
this great multitude
00:26:06.09\00:26:09.90
and you'll see
throughout Revelation,
00:26:09.93\00:26:12.30
John hears, he turns and sees,
00:26:12.33\00:26:14.77
he hears, he turns and sees.
00:26:14.80\00:26:17.41
So this is the
church triumphant,
00:26:17.44\00:26:20.18
the redeemed who
have arrived in heaven
00:26:20.21\00:26:22.68
after the second
advent of Christ,
00:26:22.71\00:26:25.48
and they're standing
before the throne of the Lamb,
00:26:25.51\00:26:27.68
they're eternally
saved, every nation, tongue,
00:26:27.72\00:26:31.12
tribe, and people,
00:26:31.15\00:26:33.36
the worldwide universal
church is represented here.
00:26:33.39\00:26:36.62
So it mentions,
this is interesting,
00:26:36.66\00:26:39.53
that the 144,000 are sealed,
00:26:39.56\00:26:43.43
but it doesn't mention
00:26:43.47\00:26:44.80
that the great
multitude is sealed
00:26:44.83\00:26:46.70
and that's most likely
00:26:46.74\00:26:48.07
because they are the same group.
00:26:48.10\00:26:51.47
So they've already
been sealed here on earth,
00:26:51.51\00:26:54.94
now they're
receiving their inheritance.
00:26:54.98\00:26:57.21
Let's look at verse 9.
00:26:57.25\00:26:59.71
"And they are
standing before the throne
00:26:59.75\00:27:02.48
and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes,
00:27:02.52\00:27:05.92
with palm
branches in their hands."
00:27:05.95\00:27:08.62
What does the
white robe represent?
00:27:08.66\00:27:10.96
The
righteousness of Jesus Christ
00:27:10.99\00:27:13.43
and you'll remember
at His triumphal entry,
00:27:13.46\00:27:16.70
they had the palm branches
00:27:16.77\00:27:18.60
that they were
waving and laying down.
00:27:18.63\00:27:20.67
This was a sign of victory,
00:27:20.74\00:27:22.87
so what we're seeing
here both the white robes
00:27:22.90\00:27:27.71
and the palm branches
are signs of victory and joy.
00:27:27.74\00:27:31.31
In Revelation 7:10,
00:27:31.35\00:27:33.55
"And they were crying
out with a loud voice saying,
00:27:33.62\00:27:37.29
'Salvation belongs to our God
00:27:37.32\00:27:39.72
who sits on the
throne, and to the Lamb.' "
00:27:39.75\00:27:43.22
And it's interesting
00:27:43.26\00:27:44.59
because this crying
out is a present tense,
00:27:44.63\00:27:49.50
so it is an unceasing adoration
for salvation by grace.
00:27:49.53\00:27:56.47
Amen. Salvation
belongs to the Lamb.
00:27:56.50\00:27:59.21
And then Revelation 7:11,
00:27:59.24\00:28:02.11
"All the angels
stood around the throne
00:28:02.14\00:28:04.35
and the elders and
the four living creatures,
00:28:04.38\00:28:07.55
and they fell on their
faces before the throne
00:28:07.58\00:28:10.22
and worshiped God saying: 'Amen!
00:28:10.25\00:28:12.62
Blessing and glory and wisdom,
00:28:12.65\00:28:15.79
thanksgiving and
honor and power and might,
00:28:15.82\00:28:19.59
be to our God
forever and ever.' "
00:28:19.63\00:28:22.90
The angels, and the elders,
00:28:22.93\00:28:25.20
and the four living
creatures are joining in,
00:28:25.23\00:28:28.60
rejoicing in the
salvation of humanity
00:28:28.64\00:28:32.01
in a symphony of praise to God.
00:28:32.04\00:28:35.01
I just wanted to read
to you, Ephesians 1:9-10,
00:28:35.04\00:28:38.58
it says that
00:28:38.61\00:28:39.95
"God having made known to
us the mystery of His will,
00:28:40.02\00:28:43.08
according to His good pleasure
which He purposed in Himself,
00:28:43.12\00:28:47.56
that in the dispensation
of the fullness of the times
00:28:47.59\00:28:51.23
He might gather together
in one all things in Christ,
00:28:51.26\00:28:56.67
both which are in
heaven and which are on earth."
00:28:56.73\00:29:00.27
And that's what
you see happening here.
00:29:00.30\00:29:01.64
Amen.
00:29:01.67\00:29:03.00
And you know, I love
this seven-fold doxology here.
00:29:03.04\00:29:07.94
It says, "Blessing,
glory, wisdom, thanksgiving,
00:29:07.98\00:29:11.88
honor, power, might,
00:29:11.91\00:29:14.28
be to our God forever and ever."
00:29:14.35\00:29:17.15
Seven is the
number of perfection,
00:29:17.22\00:29:19.39
so what we're seeing here
00:29:19.42\00:29:21.52
is it's talking about
the infinite perfection
00:29:21.56\00:29:24.96
of Jesus Christ
and His worthiness,
00:29:24.99\00:29:27.86
but it does not by any means
00:29:27.93\00:29:30.37
exhaust the
list that's possible.
00:29:30.40\00:29:32.87
And that's
similar to Revelation 5:12
00:29:32.90\00:29:35.27
that you had read before, Jill.
00:29:35.30\00:29:38.21
So he's saying,
when it says that it is,
00:29:38.24\00:29:41.21
be to our God,
00:29:41.24\00:29:43.88
this isn't just
limiting it to God the Father,
00:29:43.95\00:29:47.85
this is now
Christ the Holy Spirit
00:29:47.88\00:29:50.99
and God the Father,
00:29:51.02\00:29:52.35
it's inclusive of
the entire Godhead.
00:29:52.39\00:29:54.59
Revelation 7:13,
00:29:54.62\00:29:57.13
"Then one of
the elders answered,
00:29:57.16\00:29:58.96
saying to me,
00:29:58.99\00:30:00.40
"Who are these
arrayed in white robes,
00:30:00.43\00:30:03.43
and where did they come from?"
00:30:03.47\00:30:05.50
And I said to
him, "Sir, you know."
00:30:05.53\00:30:08.47
Now, I think the fact
00:30:08.50\00:30:10.77
that the elder
asked John their identity,
00:30:10.81\00:30:15.58
means that he most likely
knew who their identity was.
00:30:15.61\00:30:21.12
He recognized and understood.
00:30:21.15\00:30:25.45
These are the covenant
keepers from earth, right?
00:30:25.49\00:30:28.99
So he didn't
offer his own opinion,
00:30:29.02\00:30:31.83
rather as one who is
still under probation,
00:30:31.86\00:30:35.20
he just gave a respectful reply,
00:30:35.23\00:30:37.73
"Sir, you know."
00:30:37.77\00:30:39.33
And then verse 14, he
says, "So he said to me,
00:30:39.37\00:30:43.54
'These are the ones
00:30:43.57\00:30:44.94
who came out of
the great tribulation,
00:30:44.97\00:30:47.74
and washed their robes,
00:30:47.78\00:30:49.38
and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb.' "
00:30:49.41\00:30:53.25
From the dark
background of persecution,
00:30:53.28\00:30:57.95
the church has suffered
intense persecution beginning
00:30:57.99\00:31:02.46
in John's day and
throughout the Middle Ages
00:31:02.49\00:31:05.13
and even we'll see in
the greatest tribulation
00:31:05.16\00:31:09.00
toward the end of the earth.
00:31:09.03\00:31:10.67
And in my opinion,
00:31:10.73\00:31:14.30
I will say this humbly,
00:31:14.34\00:31:16.44
I think tribulation here
is probably the tribulation
00:31:16.47\00:31:20.28
of all the church history,
not just talking about the end.
00:31:20.34\00:31:24.25
But we see this great multitude
00:31:24.28\00:31:27.58
and it's mentioned again,
00:31:27.62\00:31:28.95
the great
multitude, in Revelation 19:1.
00:31:28.98\00:31:31.69
It says, "I heard a loud
voice of a great multitude
00:31:31.72\00:31:34.26
in heaven saying, "Hallelujah!
00:31:34.29\00:31:36.69
Salvation and
glory and honor and power
00:31:36.73\00:31:39.03
belong to the Lord our God."
00:31:39.06\00:31:40.56
So again in Revelation 19:6,
00:31:40.60\00:31:44.20
"The voice of the
great multitude saying,
00:31:44.23\00:31:47.07
"Alleluia, for the
Lord God Omnipotent reigns.
00:31:47.10\00:31:51.14
Let us be glad and rejoice
00:31:51.17\00:31:53.51
and give glory for the
marriage of the Lamb has come,
00:31:53.54\00:31:57.48
and His wife has
made herself ready."
00:31:57.51\00:32:00.82
So this crowd in heaven
is composed of all those
00:32:00.85\00:32:04.35
who have
remained faithful to God
00:32:04.39\00:32:07.36
from the beginning of time
and throughout all generations.
00:32:07.39\00:32:12.43
You know, no true
believer ever needs to worry
00:32:12.46\00:32:16.03
about being
excluded from this group
00:32:16.06\00:32:19.37
because we are all included.
00:32:19.40\00:32:22.14
And when it
says that their robes
00:32:22.17\00:32:24.01
were made white in
the blood of the Lamb,
00:32:24.07\00:32:26.94
this is referring
00:32:26.98\00:32:28.31
to the
redemptive works of Christ.
00:32:28.34\00:32:30.81
"They washed their robes"
00:32:30.85\00:32:32.78
is an undeniable reference
00:32:32.81\00:32:36.25
to the conversion of the saints
00:32:36.28\00:32:38.19
and their obedience
00:32:38.22\00:32:43.12
to the gospel.
00:32:43.16\00:32:44.49
So even though salvation
is by grace, through faith,
00:32:44.53\00:32:48.33
obedience is how
we wash our robes,
00:32:48.36\00:32:51.60
you know?
00:32:51.63\00:32:52.97
This is something that
we need to think about.
00:32:53.00\00:32:55.04
He, Christ,
00:32:55.07\00:32:56.57
provides the
means of redemption,
00:32:56.64\00:32:59.41
but it requires people
00:32:59.44\00:33:01.71
to appropriate
the blessings of it
00:33:01.74\00:33:04.58
through obedience.
00:33:04.61\00:33:06.35
There's many, many
New Testament passages
00:33:06.38\00:33:09.35
that stress the human
response to salvation.
00:33:09.38\00:33:14.69
So here is praise
being offered to the Lord.
00:33:14.72\00:33:19.39
It's interesting,
there's no mention
00:33:19.43\00:33:21.00
of what they had
done in obedience,
00:33:21.03\00:33:23.43
it's only the blood of the Lamb
00:33:23.47\00:33:25.50
because salvation
from the penalty of sin,
00:33:25.53\00:33:28.40
it doesn't matter,
you can obey from now
00:33:28.44\00:33:30.87
till the cows come in,
00:33:30.91\00:33:32.67
and you know what?
00:33:32.71\00:33:34.04
That obedience
isn't going to save you.
00:33:34.08\00:33:35.41
That's right.
00:33:35.44\00:33:36.81
It is only the blood of the Lamb
00:33:36.85\00:33:38.88
that can remove
the stain of sin.
00:33:38.91\00:33:41.52
White symbolizes His
perfection and His righteousness
00:33:41.55\00:33:46.02
that is imputed to us.
00:33:46.05\00:33:47.96
So let me read this
to you real quickly.
00:33:47.99\00:33:49.92
This comes from the...
00:33:49.99\00:33:54.46
What was the
comments in the quarterly?
00:33:54.46\00:33:56.80
"John sees the great multitude,
00:33:56.83\00:33:58.63
those who came out
of the great tribulation
00:33:58.67\00:34:00.64
and washed their robes
00:34:00.67\00:34:02.10
and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb.
00:34:02.14\00:34:04.54
And this is the
special group of people
00:34:04.57\00:34:06.57
who no matter what
despite their struggles
00:34:06.61\00:34:09.64
that they went through,
00:34:09.68\00:34:11.45
they had stayed
faithful to Jesus,
00:34:11.48\00:34:14.22
a faithfulness that symbolized
by their being covered
00:34:14.25\00:34:17.65
in their robes of His
perfect righteousness.
00:34:17.69\00:34:20.16
And this great theme of
salvation by grace appears,
00:34:20.19\00:34:23.66
no matter who these people are,
00:34:23.73\00:34:26.13
whether they are
a literal 144,000
00:34:26.16\00:34:29.23
that are saved
at the end of time,
00:34:29.26\00:34:31.17
or if it's everybody,
00:34:31.20\00:34:33.44
their only claim to
salvation and eternal life
00:34:33.50\00:34:36.67
on the new earth
00:34:36.71\00:34:38.04
is because of the
blood of Jesus Christ."
00:34:38.07\00:34:41.28
Amen! Amen!
00:34:41.31\00:34:43.71
Thank you, Shelley,
that is so beautiful.
00:34:43.75\00:34:45.71
You know, we have so
much to be grateful for
00:34:45.75\00:34:49.22
and to be thankful
for the blood of Jesus
00:34:49.25\00:34:51.65
which washes away
00:34:51.69\00:34:53.66
our sins and His
righteousness, not our own.
00:34:53.72\00:34:57.39
Amen.
00:34:57.43\00:34:58.76
My lesson is Wednesday's lesson
00:34:58.79\00:35:01.10
and it's "Those
Who Follow the Lamb."
00:35:01.13\00:35:03.70
And let's take a
look at Revelation 14.
00:35:03.77\00:35:09.77
I need to tell you,
00:35:09.80\00:35:11.14
I have the privilege
of studying Revelation
00:35:11.17\00:35:15.54
on a program called, "Salvation
and Symbols and Signs."
00:35:15.58\00:35:18.28
A very popular program!
00:35:18.31\00:35:19.65
Yes, praise the Lord
and I would be remiss
00:35:19.68\00:35:21.35
if I did not mention that,
00:35:21.38\00:35:23.28
and if you want
00:35:23.32\00:35:24.69
a more in-depth
study of Revelation,
00:35:24.72\00:35:26.96
because it's hard
to get everything in,
00:35:26.99\00:35:28.59
in 10 minutes.
00:35:28.62\00:35:30.33
You can go and watch on YouTube,
00:35:30.36\00:35:33.73
YouTube.com/D2DNetworkTV.
00:35:33.80\00:35:38.23
And we have study
guides available as well,
00:35:38.27\00:35:40.80
salvationsymbols.tv.
00:35:40.84\00:35:42.97
So I needed to
mention that real quickly.
00:35:43.00\00:35:44.57
So let's turn to Revelation 14
00:35:44.61\00:35:48.08
and let's talk about
those who follow the Lamb.
00:35:48.11\00:35:53.42
Let's read verses 1-5,
00:35:53.48\00:35:55.12
"Then I looked
00:35:55.15\00:35:56.48
and behold a Lamb
standing on Mount Zion,
00:35:56.52\00:35:59.05
and with Him 144,000,
00:35:59.09\00:36:02.09
having His Father's name
written on their foreheads.
00:36:02.12\00:36:05.86
And I heard a voice from heaven,
00:36:05.89\00:36:07.23
like the voice of many waters,
00:36:07.23\00:36:09.36
and like the
voice of loud thunder.
00:36:09.40\00:36:11.33
And I heard the
sound of harpists
00:36:11.37\00:36:13.20
playing their harps.
00:36:13.23\00:36:14.70
They sang as it were a
new song before the throne,
00:36:14.74\00:36:18.64
before the four living
creatures, and the elders,
00:36:18.67\00:36:20.98
and no one could learn
that song except the 144,000
00:36:21.01\00:36:26.61
who were
redeemed from the earth.
00:36:26.65\00:36:28.92
These are the ones
00:36:28.95\00:36:30.29
who were not defiled with women,
00:36:30.32\00:36:31.92
for they are virgins.
00:36:31.95\00:36:33.36
These are the ones
00:36:33.39\00:36:34.72
who follow the
Lamb wherever He goes.
00:36:34.76\00:36:37.13
These were
redeemed from among men,
00:36:37.16\00:36:39.76
being firstfruits
to God and to the Lamb.
00:36:39.79\00:36:42.73
And in their mouth
was found no deceit,
00:36:42.76\00:36:45.33
for they are without
fault before the throne of God."
00:36:45.37\00:36:49.14
So let's look at some
of the characteristics
00:36:49.17\00:36:52.01
of those who follow the Lamb
00:36:52.04\00:36:54.64
and what was different
00:36:54.68\00:36:57.21
about this particular group.
00:36:57.25\00:37:01.85
First of all,
they sang a new song
00:37:01.88\00:37:04.82
that no one could
sing except the 144,000.
00:37:04.85\00:37:09.49
This new song,
00:37:09.52\00:37:11.29
them singing a new song,
00:37:11.33\00:37:12.66
this represents an
experience that they had
00:37:12.69\00:37:15.76
that was
different from anybody else,
00:37:15.80\00:37:18.20
no one else could sing this song
00:37:18.23\00:37:20.24
because the 144,000,
00:37:20.27\00:37:23.20
the redeemed of the Lord
00:37:23.24\00:37:25.57
had their own
experience, a unique experience.
00:37:25.61\00:37:28.81
Isaiah 51:11 says,
00:37:28.84\00:37:31.18
"So the redeemed of
the Lord shall return
00:37:31.21\00:37:34.02
and come to Zion with singing,
00:37:34.05\00:37:36.38
with everlasting
joy on their heads.
00:37:36.42\00:37:39.05
They shall
obtain joy and gladness,
00:37:39.09\00:37:41.49
sorrow and
sighing shall flee away."
00:37:41.52\00:37:43.93
Amen.
00:37:43.96\00:37:45.29
So the redeemed of the Lord
00:37:45.33\00:37:46.70
shall return to
Zion with singing.
00:37:46.73\00:37:48.73
The 144,000 are the
redeemed of the Lord
00:37:48.76\00:37:52.43
and therefore, again,
00:37:52.47\00:37:54.00
not a literal number
00:37:54.04\00:37:55.37
because it's the
redeemed from all ages
00:37:55.40\00:37:57.81
that are on Mount Zion
standing there with the Lamb.
00:37:57.84\00:38:02.04
You know, it's interesting to me
00:38:02.08\00:38:03.51
that we had, in Revelation 13,
00:38:03.58\00:38:06.85
we had these two beasts,
00:38:06.88\00:38:08.82
one coming up from the sea,
one coming up from the earth.
00:38:08.85\00:38:12.69
The one coming up
from the earth spoke...
00:38:12.72\00:38:16.49
It looked like a lamb, it
had two horns like a lamb,
00:38:16.52\00:38:18.89
but spoke like a dragon.
00:38:18.93\00:38:21.36
It seemed lamblike,
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.30
it seemed harmless
00:38:23.37\00:38:25.70
but in Revelation 14,
00:38:25.73\00:38:27.44
we actually have the Lamb,
00:38:27.47\00:38:29.84
the Lamb of God
who was being followed,
00:38:29.87\00:38:35.54
the sheep was
actually the shepherd,
00:38:35.58\00:38:37.55
right?
00:38:37.58\00:38:38.91
So Lamb,
00:38:38.95\00:38:40.32
we're following the Lamb of God
00:38:40.35\00:38:42.62
who had redeemed
us with His blood.
00:38:42.65\00:38:47.96
There's a lot of
symbolic language here,
00:38:47.99\00:38:51.49
so in verse 4,
00:38:51.53\00:38:52.86
it says, "They were
not defiled with women."
00:38:52.89\00:38:55.53
Now the Bible alludes to women
00:38:55.56\00:39:01.07
as it pertains to spirituality,
00:39:01.10\00:39:02.87
so there is the pure church,
00:39:02.90\00:39:05.77
the woman represents the church,
00:39:05.81\00:39:07.84
the pure church as
represented in Revelation 12:1
00:39:07.88\00:39:12.31
or the harlot as
represented in Revelation 17:5.
00:39:12.35\00:39:18.45
2 Corinthians 11:2 says,
00:39:18.49\00:39:21.42
"For I am jealous for
you with godly jealously,
00:39:21.46\00:39:24.53
for I have
betrothed you to one husband,
00:39:24.56\00:39:27.13
that I might present you
as a chaste virgin to Christ."
00:39:27.13\00:39:31.43
Again, symbolic language
depicting Christ's relationship
00:39:31.47\00:39:35.50
with His people.
00:39:35.54\00:39:36.91
So here we have, when it says,
00:39:36.94\00:39:39.84
they were not
defiled with women,
00:39:39.87\00:39:41.41
they are virgins,
00:39:41.44\00:39:42.78
it merely means that
they had not apostasized,
00:39:42.81\00:39:46.21
they were belonging to Christ,
00:39:46.25\00:39:49.65
to the Lamb.
00:39:49.68\00:39:51.59
Now,
00:39:51.62\00:39:53.19
if this were literal,
00:39:53.22\00:39:54.92
it would mean that the
144,000 were just 144,000,
00:39:54.96\00:39:59.63
it would mean that
they were men, just men,
00:39:59.66\00:40:02.73
and it would mean
that they had never had
00:40:02.76\00:40:04.60
any kind of experience
with women, they were virgins.
00:40:04.63\00:40:08.10
So we know that this is,
again, symbolic language,
00:40:08.14\00:40:11.74
and it's
showing the relationship
00:40:11.77\00:40:15.68
between Christ and His church.
00:40:15.71\00:40:18.45
To be a virgin
spiritually and symbolically
00:40:18.48\00:40:21.35
is to be among those
who are led by the Spirit,
00:40:21.38\00:40:24.35
who are not
deceived by the false christ,
00:40:24.39\00:40:27.32
by Satan and his false prophets.
00:40:27.36\00:40:29.52
It's a spiritual
comparison that indicates
00:40:29.56\00:40:32.39
the faithfulness of the 144,000.
00:40:32.43\00:40:36.23
So they weren't contaminated
00:40:36.26\00:40:37.60
by the false doctrines
of the harlot of Babylon.
00:40:37.63\00:40:42.80
Also, it says here in verse 4,
00:40:42.84\00:40:46.24
"They followed the
Lamb wherever He goes."
00:40:46.27\00:40:49.04
That means they have
unquestioning loyalty,
00:40:49.08\00:40:51.91
that means they
have followed Him,
00:40:51.95\00:40:53.85
they will go through thick
and thin following the Lamb
00:40:53.88\00:40:57.59
because He's their Savior
because He is their Deliverer.
00:40:57.62\00:41:02.99
Jesus said, in John 10:27,
00:41:03.02\00:41:06.90
"My sheep hear My voice,
00:41:06.93\00:41:08.80
and I know them,
and they follow Me."
00:41:08.83\00:41:11.60
So the Lamb
actually also represents
00:41:11.63\00:41:14.00
the incarnation of God.
00:41:14.04\00:41:18.54
In verse 4, also it says,
00:41:18.57\00:41:20.14
"They are
redeemed from among men
00:41:20.18\00:41:21.84
being the firstfruits
to God and of the Lamb."
00:41:21.88\00:41:24.88
Now what, in ancient Israel,
00:41:24.91\00:41:27.42
the firstfruits
were the harvest,
00:41:27.48\00:41:30.25
the best of the best.
00:41:30.29\00:41:32.12
The harvested fruits
00:41:32.15\00:41:33.66
that were given to
God as an offering,
00:41:33.72\00:41:36.26
the firstfruits
were your best fruit.
00:41:36.29\00:41:39.09
Then the second
fruits, you know,
00:41:39.13\00:41:40.66
the firstfruits were
taken into the temple,
00:41:40.70\00:41:43.06
then the second
fruits you ate yourself.
00:41:43.10\00:41:46.40
So the 144,000,
00:41:46.43\00:41:50.74
it's saying are the firstfruits.
00:41:50.77\00:41:53.51
They are firstfruits
to God and to the Lamb.
00:41:53.54\00:41:57.18
Jeremiah 2:3 says,
00:41:57.21\00:41:59.11
"Israel was
holiness to the Lord,
00:41:59.15\00:42:01.58
the firstfruits
of His increase."
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.95
James 1:18 says,
"Of His own will,
00:42:04.99\00:42:07.72
He brought us forth
by the word of truth
00:42:07.76\00:42:10.93
that we might be a
kind of firstfruits
00:42:10.96\00:42:13.80
of His creatures."
00:42:13.83\00:42:15.13
We are the
firstfruits and what does it say
00:42:15.16\00:42:17.57
in Revelation 14:14?
00:42:17.60\00:42:19.73
"Then I looked and
behold a white cloud,
00:42:19.77\00:42:22.07
and on the cloud sat
One like the Son of Man,
00:42:22.10\00:42:25.47
having on His
head a golden crown,
00:42:25.51\00:42:27.64
and in His hand a sharp sickle."
00:42:27.68\00:42:30.01
What's He going to
do with that sickle?
00:42:30.05\00:42:31.61
He is harvesting the
firstfruits, come on now!
00:42:31.65\00:42:36.05
We are going to be
saved by Jesus Christ.
00:42:36.08\00:42:39.25
He's coming with that sickle
to harvest the firstfruits.
00:42:39.29\00:42:43.69
And that's us, we are, we
are the redeemed of the Lord
00:42:43.73\00:42:48.66
because we have
given our hearts to Jesus
00:42:48.70\00:42:51.73
and so He is going
to take us with Him.
00:42:51.77\00:42:55.60
So I have just a
few more minutes,
00:42:55.64\00:42:57.54
I want to talk about how...
00:42:57.57\00:43:01.91
Well, first of all,
the last characteristic is,
00:43:01.94\00:43:05.31
"they have no guile,"
and we need to cover that.
00:43:05.35\00:43:07.52
"No deceit or falsehood,
for they are faultless
00:43:07.55\00:43:10.69
before the throne of God."
00:43:10.72\00:43:12.72
The 144,000 is not a
group that's faultless
00:43:12.75\00:43:17.23
because of themselves.
00:43:17.26\00:43:18.59
That's right!
00:43:18.63\00:43:20.60
It says that in Jude 24, "He is,
00:43:20.63\00:43:25.50
Christ is able to
keep us from falling
00:43:25.53\00:43:27.87
and to present us faultless
00:43:27.90\00:43:30.57
before the presence of His glory
00:43:30.61\00:43:32.94
with exceeding joy."
00:43:32.97\00:43:34.31
So we are not
standing there faultless
00:43:34.34\00:43:37.21
because of something on our own,
00:43:37.25\00:43:40.02
we have the blood of Jesus
00:43:40.08\00:43:42.92
and the power of the Holy Spirit
00:43:42.95\00:43:44.75
to make us victorious over sin.
00:43:44.79\00:43:46.35
Amen.
00:43:46.39\00:43:47.72
We don't want to fall
into spiritual fornication.
00:43:47.76\00:43:50.79
What is that?
00:43:50.83\00:43:52.16
It's disloyalty and
unfaithfulness to God.
00:43:52.19\00:43:55.46
What are some ways
that we can be unfaithful?
00:43:55.50\00:43:57.83
Disregarding His laws.
00:43:57.87\00:43:59.80
The law of God is a
transcript of His character
00:43:59.83\00:44:02.67
and so when we
disregard His laws,
00:44:02.70\00:44:05.04
we're disregarding God.
00:44:05.07\00:44:07.08
See Deuteronomy 28:20,
00:44:07.11\00:44:09.68
and I'll just have
you read that on your own
00:44:09.71\00:44:11.88
because I don't
have that much time.
00:44:11.91\00:44:13.25
I wish I did.
00:44:13.28\00:44:14.62
The next one is,
00:44:14.65\00:44:15.98
when we don't give
God proper time and focus.
00:44:16.02\00:44:19.25
Jeremiah 18:15 says,
00:44:19.29\00:44:21.29
"Because My
people have forgotten Me,
00:44:21.32\00:44:23.53
they burned
incense to worthless idols,
00:44:23.56\00:44:25.76
and they caused themselves
00:44:25.79\00:44:27.40
to stumble in their
ways from ancient paths,
00:44:27.50\00:44:31.13
to walk in pathways
and not on a highway."
00:44:31.17\00:44:34.47
So, when we don't
give God His proper time,
00:44:34.50\00:44:38.87
we're disregarding Him.
00:44:38.91\00:44:40.78
We also can allow relationships
and problems to interfere
00:44:40.84\00:44:43.71
with our relationship with God.
00:44:43.75\00:44:46.28
It's good.
00:44:46.31\00:44:47.65
God has given us a way,
00:44:47.68\00:44:49.72
we are to walk in
it, and we can be,
00:44:49.75\00:44:52.49
by His grace, the
redeemed of the Lord.
00:44:52.52\00:44:55.32
Amen! Amen!
00:44:55.36\00:44:57.29
This lesson is getting
just deeper and deeper,
00:44:57.33\00:44:59.59
and deeper and deeper,
00:44:59.63\00:45:01.00
and that's
beautiful because Revelation,
00:45:01.03\00:45:02.90
you have to dive into it
00:45:02.93\00:45:05.53
to be able to find
out the substance to it.
00:45:05.57\00:45:10.04
I said that most of Christianity
00:45:10.11\00:45:13.07
might enjoy waterskiing,
00:45:13.11\00:45:14.84
well here, we
like deep sea diving.
00:45:14.88\00:45:17.71
And so that's the
way Revelation demands
00:45:17.75\00:45:20.02
that you put on oxygen
00:45:20.05\00:45:21.72
because you cannot go
under the surface and survive
00:45:21.75\00:45:23.92
without the Holy
Spirit guiding your mind.
00:45:23.99\00:45:26.22
Thank you, all of you,
for laying the foundation.
00:45:26.25\00:45:28.09
And sis, Yvonne,
00:45:28.12\00:45:33.29
you've touched on
some of the things
00:45:33.33\00:45:34.73
that are also in my lesson
00:45:34.73\00:45:36.23
for "Salvation to
Our God unto the Lamb."
00:45:36.26\00:45:39.10
A couple of things
I want to point out
00:45:39.13\00:45:40.90
because there's so
many beautiful parallels
00:45:40.94\00:45:43.04
brought out in this study.
00:45:43.07\00:45:44.41
I mean, they're just everywhere,
00:45:44.44\00:45:47.04
you can't get away from them.
00:45:47.08\00:45:50.11
We talk about
Revelation Chapter 7,
00:45:50.15\00:45:53.18
where the 144,000 are introduced
00:45:53.21\00:45:56.52
and then we see the multitude
that no one could number.
00:45:56.55\00:45:59.15
The 144,000 representing those
00:45:59.19\00:46:02.52
who had no guile in their mouth,
00:46:02.56\00:46:04.46
and then you have the
number which no man can number
00:46:04.49\00:46:07.13
that came out of
the great tribulation.
00:46:07.13\00:46:09.00
When you look at that,
00:46:09.03\00:46:10.57
you see some amazing parallels,
00:46:10.60\00:46:12.20
then you find the question
you have to ask yourself is,
00:46:12.23\00:46:15.34
"What made them come out
of the great tribulation?"
00:46:15.37\00:46:18.04
Well, what made
them come out at all?
00:46:18.07\00:46:20.71
A call, Revelation 18,
"Come out of her My people."
00:46:20.78\00:46:24.88
The question is,
"Who made the call?"
00:46:24.91\00:46:27.42
Somebody had to make the call.
00:46:27.45\00:46:29.52
Those who were sealed before...
00:46:29.55\00:46:32.92
Because the tribulation,
00:46:32.95\00:46:34.29
we talked about
the great tribulation,
00:46:34.32\00:46:35.76
the 1,260 year tribulation,
00:46:35.79\00:46:37.63
but there's going
to be one later on,
00:46:37.66\00:46:40.00
a time of trouble
00:46:40.03\00:46:41.33
such as never was ever
since there was a nation.
00:46:41.36\00:46:44.13
And the Lord is going
to, as Isaiah 60 says,
00:46:44.17\00:46:48.57
"Arise, shine for
your light has come!"
00:46:48.60\00:46:50.57
Look at that very quickly.
00:46:50.61\00:46:51.94
This is the preparation
00:46:51.97\00:46:53.68
for the bringing
out of that multitude
00:46:53.74\00:46:55.74
that no one
could number and then,
00:46:55.78\00:46:58.91
and there's a quotation here
00:46:58.95\00:47:00.35
that Ellen White
brings out, it's amazing.
00:47:00.38\00:47:02.08
What did I say, Isaiah? 60.
00:47:02.12\00:47:03.82
Isaiah 60. Okay I'm there.
00:47:03.85\00:47:06.39
Look at Isaiah 60,
00:47:06.42\00:47:07.76
because there's a
gathering that has to take place
00:47:07.79\00:47:10.09
but the
gathering cannot take place
00:47:10.16\00:47:13.63
in the absence of a
light that calls them out.
00:47:13.66\00:47:16.43
Isaiah 60, "Arise,
shine, for your light has come,
00:47:16.46\00:47:19.87
and the glory of the
Lord is risen upon you."
00:47:19.90\00:47:22.40
What's the
message of Revelation 14?
00:47:22.44\00:47:24.01
"Fear God and...?
Give glory to Him."
00:47:24.04\00:47:26.41
So the glory has
to be seen somewhere!
00:47:26.44\00:47:29.11
The glory will be seen
among those with no guile,
00:47:29.14\00:47:31.45
those who are not
defiled with other teachings.
00:47:31.48\00:47:35.18
That means they
were never defiled,
00:47:35.22\00:47:36.99
so they have held
on to the pure gospel,
00:47:37.02\00:47:39.85
they were not defiled.
00:47:39.89\00:47:41.29
But the ones that came
out of the great tribulation,
00:47:41.32\00:47:43.73
they had to come out
from this former defilement
00:47:43.76\00:47:46.39
as the call of
Revelation 18 makes it clear.
00:47:46.43\00:47:48.83
Look at this, it's going to
be put together in this verse,
00:47:48.86\00:47:51.30
"For behold the
darkness shall cover the earth
00:47:51.33\00:47:53.03
and deep darkness or
gross darkness the people.
00:47:53.07\00:47:57.07
But the Lord will arise over you
00:47:57.11\00:47:58.44
and His glory will be seen
upon you, the glory again."
00:47:58.47\00:48:02.38
The Gentiles
shall come to your light
00:48:02.41\00:48:05.85
and kings to the
brightness of your rising.
00:48:05.88\00:48:08.65
Lift up your eyes
all around and see:
00:48:08.68\00:48:11.39
They all gather
together, they come to you,
00:48:11.42\00:48:15.96
Your sons shall come from afar,
00:48:15.99\00:48:18.53
and your daughters
shall be nursed at your side."
00:48:18.56\00:48:21.33
And if you look about,
it goes on further talking
00:48:21.36\00:48:22.90
about the
wealth of the Gentiles,
00:48:22.93\00:48:24.37
but if you look at
what's happening here,
00:48:24.40\00:48:25.73
there's a gathering coming
00:48:25.77\00:48:27.47
because the
Gentiles see something
00:48:27.54\00:48:29.77
they hadn't seen before.
00:48:29.80\00:48:31.14
They see the
brightness of the arising,
00:48:31.17\00:48:33.21
the glory of God
is risen upon you,
00:48:33.24\00:48:35.28
fear God and give glory to Him."
00:48:35.31\00:48:37.25
When this time comes,
00:48:37.28\00:48:38.85
and the reason why
the Lord is holding back,
00:48:38.88\00:48:41.62
the reason why you
go to Revelation 7,
00:48:41.65\00:48:44.09
He says,
00:48:44.12\00:48:45.45
"Don't let anything harm
the earth, the sea or the trees
00:48:45.49\00:48:47.46
until I've sealed the servants."
00:48:47.49\00:48:49.06
After the servants are sealed,
00:48:49.09\00:48:50.56
which are
described as the 144,000,
00:48:50.63\00:48:52.93
then he turns and says,
00:48:52.96\00:48:54.46
"Well then, if that's
144,000, who are they?"
00:48:54.46\00:48:58.40
These are the ones that came
out of the great tribulation.
00:48:58.43\00:49:00.67
They can only come out if
a call to come out is made.
00:49:00.70\00:49:04.34
"Come out of her My people."
00:49:04.37\00:49:06.17
And as we're sitting
here and we're talking to you.
00:49:06.21\00:49:08.44
Our church is made up of
people that have come out.
00:49:08.48\00:49:11.81
I mean, Ryan, Shelley,
00:49:11.85\00:49:14.78
and well, Jill and I and Yvonne
00:49:14.82\00:49:16.28
were in this
movement most of our lives,
00:49:16.32\00:49:18.89
but we've had to
come out of other things.
00:49:18.92\00:49:20.82
Absolutely. Okay?
00:49:20.89\00:49:22.22
But when the
Lord gives a message
00:49:22.26\00:49:23.59
that maintains its purity
00:49:23.63\00:49:24.96
and you embrace
it and hold on to it,
00:49:24.99\00:49:26.83
He says, "Okay, I could
use you because in your mouth
00:49:26.86\00:49:28.80
is nothing that's going
to destroy the mentality
00:49:28.83\00:49:31.67
or the connection with My word,
00:49:31.70\00:49:33.03
there's no guile found there.
00:49:33.07\00:49:34.70
That means it's
truth and not only that,
00:49:34.74\00:49:37.21
you are not
defiled with other women,
00:49:37.24\00:49:39.11
so your theology is not mixed up
00:49:39.14\00:49:41.88
because nobody else
00:49:41.91\00:49:43.24
from other places
has thrown a wrench
00:49:43.28\00:49:45.71
into what I've given
you that's completely pure.
00:49:45.75\00:49:48.05
That's why they're
referred to as Israel,
00:49:48.08\00:49:50.29
to whom Paul made
the very statement,
00:49:50.32\00:49:53.96
he says,
00:49:53.99\00:49:55.59
"It was necessary
00:49:55.62\00:49:57.03
that the Word of God
should be given to you first,
00:49:57.06\00:50:00.60
but seeing that
you judge yourselves
00:50:00.63\00:50:02.20
unworthy of everlasting life,
lo, we turn to the Gentiles!"
00:50:02.23\00:50:06.74
The comparison clearly there.
00:50:06.80\00:50:08.60
Paul and Barnabas
are rebuking Israel
00:50:08.64\00:50:10.57
to whom the
message was given first,
00:50:10.61\00:50:12.84
when they rejected them.
00:50:12.87\00:50:14.24
They're separate
from the Gentiles,
00:50:14.28\00:50:15.68
they always knew it.
00:50:15.71\00:50:17.31
They knew there were 12 tribes,
00:50:17.35\00:50:18.68
they always knew they
were not the Gentiles.
00:50:18.71\00:50:20.12
The Gentiles now become
00:50:20.18\00:50:21.58
the multitude that
no one could number
00:50:21.62\00:50:23.35
that Paul says,
"Since you don't want it,
00:50:23.39\00:50:25.59
we're turning to the Gentiles."
00:50:25.62\00:50:27.06
And then number 12,
Old Testament, 12 tribes,
00:50:27.12\00:50:29.49
then 12
disciples and the apostles,
00:50:29.52\00:50:32.33
they're
separate from that number
00:50:32.36\00:50:33.70
that they're calling out,
but they're calling them out
00:50:33.76\00:50:36.26
because they have something
that that number doesn't have.
00:50:36.30\00:50:39.50
And Ellen White makes
this statement, she says,
00:50:39.53\00:50:40.97
during this time of trouble,
00:50:41.00\00:50:43.54
she says, when the...
00:50:43.57\00:50:44.91
At the commencement
of the time of trouble,
00:50:44.94\00:50:46.37
she talks about
the commencement of it.
00:50:46.41\00:50:48.28
She says, and I'm paraphrasing.
00:50:48.31\00:50:50.51
There were those among
other ranks that came out,
00:50:50.58\00:50:53.18
joined our ranks
00:50:53.21\00:50:54.55
and endured the
persecution with us.
00:50:54.58\00:50:56.62
So you find this
gathering and you'll be clear
00:50:56.65\00:50:58.82
when you go to
Revelation 14, you'll see,
00:50:58.85\00:51:01.62
look at the
cadence in Revelation 14.
00:51:01.66\00:51:06.33
You see the
144,000 are reintroduced
00:51:06.36\00:51:09.50
in Revelation 14:1-5
00:51:09.53\00:51:14.47
and they are the
firstfruits meaning
00:51:14.50\00:51:16.17
they're not the only
fruits, but they're the first.
00:51:16.20\00:51:19.51
There are some more fruits
00:51:19.54\00:51:20.94
and when the harvest
comes down to 14, it says,
00:51:20.98\00:51:25.18
"Thrust in your sickle and reap,
00:51:25.21\00:51:27.98
I behold a white cloud
00:51:28.02\00:51:29.35
and He who sat on the cloud
00:51:29.38\00:51:30.75
having on His
head the golden crown
00:51:30.79\00:51:34.22
and in His hand a sharp sickle."
00:51:34.26\00:51:36.26
And then you go
further to verse 15,
00:51:36.29\00:51:38.66
you see in verse 15, it says,
00:51:38.69\00:51:40.50
"Thrust in your sickle and reap,
00:51:40.56\00:51:42.13
for the time has
come for You to reap,
00:51:42.16\00:51:44.23
for the harvest of the earth..."
00:51:44.27\00:51:47.37
This one came
from the firstfruits,
00:51:47.40\00:51:49.47
but now He says,
00:51:49.50\00:51:50.84
"The harvest of the
earth is ready, gather them in.
00:51:50.87\00:51:54.24
So He who sat on the cloud
00:51:54.28\00:51:55.64
thrust in His
sickle on the earth
00:51:55.68\00:51:57.91
and the earth was reaped."
00:51:57.95\00:51:59.75
And so what
happens is, you clearly...
00:51:59.78\00:52:01.92
That reaping now comes
out of that great multitude
00:52:01.95\00:52:05.32
that's being pulled in.
00:52:05.35\00:52:06.79
But what are
they being pulled in
00:52:06.86\00:52:08.19
and that's the
focus of the lesson,
00:52:08.22\00:52:09.56
what's pulling them in?
00:52:09.59\00:52:10.93
And, Shelley, I love
the way you set this up
00:52:10.96\00:52:12.29
in one of our prior studies.
00:52:12.33\00:52:13.80
When Revelation says,
00:52:13.83\00:52:15.13
"Do not hurt the earth
or the sea or the trees
00:52:15.16\00:52:19.07
until the servants
of God are sealed,"
00:52:19.10\00:52:21.44
it was preluded by,
00:52:21.47\00:52:22.80
"Do not hurt the
oil and the wine."
00:52:22.84\00:52:25.64
Now the reason why...
00:52:25.67\00:52:27.34
Because the oil and the
wine is needed by the 144,000
00:52:27.38\00:52:31.88
to reap the harvest.
00:52:31.91\00:52:34.35
You cannot reap a
harvest without the Holy Spirit
00:52:34.38\00:52:36.79
and you cannot reap the harvest
00:52:36.85\00:52:38.19
without the
message of salvation.
00:52:38.22\00:52:39.55
Amen.
00:52:39.59\00:52:40.92
So don't mess with
the oil and the wine
00:52:40.96\00:52:42.56
because they're
going to need it.
00:52:42.59\00:52:43.93
And so the next
chapter, because Chapter 6,
00:52:43.99\00:52:46.43
don't harm the oil and wine,
00:52:46.46\00:52:47.76
do not harm the oil or the wine,
00:52:47.83\00:52:49.56
do not harm the earth,
the sea or the trees until...
00:52:49.60\00:52:52.70
So that multitude is
going to need that wine,
00:52:52.73\00:52:55.44
the gospel of salvation,
and the oil, the Holy Spirit.
00:52:55.47\00:52:58.87
And when the Spirit of God
falls on them, the latter rain,
00:52:58.91\00:53:02.88
the refreshing from
the presence of the Lord,
00:53:02.91\00:53:05.35
then Revelation 18 comes
in, look at this very quickly.
00:53:05.38\00:53:08.18
And we're going to
go back to this later on
00:53:08.22\00:53:09.55
and bring it out even more.
00:53:09.58\00:53:11.42
But this is why
the gospel message,
00:53:11.45\00:53:13.36
which is the
focal point of this one,
00:53:13.39\00:53:15.66
He says, Revelation
18:1, "And after these,
00:53:15.69\00:53:18.56
I saw another angel
coming down from heaven having
00:53:18.59\00:53:21.40
great authority and
the earth was" what?
00:53:21.43\00:53:23.33
"Illuminated with His glory."
00:53:23.37\00:53:25.57
For the harvest of
the earth to be reaped,
00:53:25.60\00:53:29.20
the earth has to be illuminated
with the glory of God.
00:53:29.24\00:53:32.54
How is the glory of God
illuminated on the earth?
00:53:32.57\00:53:36.08
For the glory of
God is risen upon you.
00:53:36.11\00:53:39.01
The glory of God is
risen upon His people
00:53:39.05\00:53:41.22
and because His people
are all over the world,
00:53:41.25\00:53:44.42
the glory of God illuminates
the earth through His people.
00:53:44.45\00:53:49.09
Thus we get the quotation,
00:53:49.12\00:53:51.53
"When the character of God
00:53:51.56\00:53:52.89
is fully
reproduced in His people."
00:53:52.93\00:53:55.06
So this character is
what's illuminating the earth.
00:53:55.10\00:53:58.43
What is the character revealing?
00:53:58.47\00:54:00.84
The saving message,
00:54:00.87\00:54:02.87
the saving grace of
Christ, the character of Christ.
00:54:02.90\00:54:06.24
It's being revealed so
that the earth now seeing that
00:54:06.27\00:54:10.15
redemption is
extended to the final multitude
00:54:10.18\00:54:14.65
that have not heard it
to this particular point.
00:54:14.68\00:54:17.39
People are embracing it,
they're coming out of Babylon,
00:54:17.42\00:54:19.62
they're coming
from all the places
00:54:19.65\00:54:20.99
where the women
prior, in Revelation 17,
00:54:21.02\00:54:24.33
they were
defiled by those women,
00:54:24.36\00:54:25.69
but now they hear the
truth and they're coming out.
00:54:25.73\00:54:28.16
And then you get the
scene in Revelation 14,
00:54:28.20\00:54:30.03
they're all
standing on the sea of glass
00:54:30.07\00:54:32.80
and they're all proclaiming.
00:54:32.83\00:54:34.20
And listen to this,
"Nearest the throne..."
00:54:34.24\00:54:36.37
This is from
Ellen White's writings,
00:54:36.40\00:54:38.14
"Nearest the throne are those
00:54:38.17\00:54:39.64
who were once zealous
in the cause of Satan,
00:54:39.67\00:54:42.01
but who plucked as
brands from the burning,
00:54:42.04\00:54:44.11
have followed their Savior.
00:54:44.15\00:54:45.48
Next, are those
who perfected character
00:54:45.51\00:54:47.92
in the midst of
falsehood and infidelity,
00:54:47.95\00:54:50.15
who honor the law of God..."
00:54:50.19\00:54:51.99
And it says,
00:54:52.02\00:54:53.36
"Beyond is the great multitude
which no one could number
00:54:53.42\00:54:55.72
of all nations and
kindred and peoples.
00:54:55.76\00:54:57.89
Their warfare is ended,"
all of them together now,
00:54:57.93\00:55:00.53
"their victory is won,
00:55:00.56\00:55:01.93
the palm branches is
a symbol of the triumph,
00:55:01.96\00:55:04.80
the white robe and the emblem
of the righteousness of Christ
00:55:04.83\00:55:07.97
which is now theirs."
00:55:08.00\00:55:09.34
Everybody has the
righteousness of Christ
00:55:09.37\00:55:11.34
which comes through the final
proclamation of the gospel.
00:55:11.37\00:55:13.38
Amen!
00:55:13.41\00:55:14.74
Thank you so much, Pastor John,
00:55:14.78\00:55:16.11
and Yvonne, and
Shelley, and Ryan.
00:55:16.14\00:55:17.68
What an incredible study.
00:55:17.71\00:55:20.02
What a privilege to be a
part of the people of God
00:55:20.05\00:55:22.82
in these last days.
00:55:22.85\00:55:24.35
What a privilege to
be a part of the 144,000,
00:55:24.39\00:55:27.96
and that number is, as
we talked, it's symbolic,
00:55:27.99\00:55:30.99
but it's not elusive,
00:55:31.03\00:55:32.36
it's not like you have
to sit and pine and say,
00:55:32.39\00:55:34.10
"I'll never be
part of the number."
00:55:34.10\00:55:36.00
Every one of us
can have the privilege,
00:55:36.03\00:55:38.97
if we accept Jesus as
Lord and Savior of our lives,
00:55:39.00\00:55:42.50
if we allow His Holy
Spirit into our hearts,
00:55:42.54\00:55:45.64
He is the One
who will change us.
00:55:45.67\00:55:47.64
We have just a few moments left
00:55:47.68\00:55:49.01
and I want to give each
one of you an opportunity
00:55:49.04\00:55:50.81
to share a
thought on your lesson
00:55:50.85\00:55:52.65
or just something
about the lesson in general.
00:55:52.68\00:55:54.52
Absolutely.
00:55:54.55\00:55:55.88
You know, as I'm hearing
all this incredible information
00:55:55.92\00:55:59.55
that is real,
that is legitimate,
00:55:59.59\00:56:01.12
straight from the
Book of Revelation,
00:56:01.16\00:56:02.49
you know,
00:56:02.52\00:56:03.86
it shows me and teaches me that
00:56:03.89\00:56:05.23
none of us have
an excuse to be lost.
00:56:05.26\00:56:07.40
Christ has done everything
00:56:07.46\00:56:08.93
that He can to communicate
His love and His compassion,
00:56:08.96\00:56:13.54
and all that He
has for His children.
00:56:13.57\00:56:15.17
And, you know, my prayer
for myself and for my brothers
00:56:15.20\00:56:17.77
and all of us, is that
we will humble ourselves
00:56:17.81\00:56:20.78
and pray and seek Him now
00:56:20.81\00:56:22.64
that we might be
saved and stand confident
00:56:22.68\00:56:24.98
at His appearing.
00:56:25.01\00:56:26.35
You know, I just
come back to probably
00:56:26.38\00:56:28.48
my favorite scripture
is 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13,
00:56:28.52\00:56:32.95
where Paul prays that
00:56:32.99\00:56:34.52
"We praise that we
will abound in love
00:56:34.56\00:56:38.29
to one another so that..."
00:56:38.33\00:56:41.53
Listen to this.
00:56:41.56\00:56:42.90
"So that God, this is
may God cause you to abound,
00:56:42.93\00:56:46.20
so that He may
establish your hearts
00:56:46.23\00:56:48.10
blameless in holiness
before our God and Father
00:56:48.14\00:56:50.97
at the coming of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ."
00:56:51.01\00:56:53.14
So it is all about, if
we want to be blameless,
00:56:53.17\00:56:58.48
if we want to be
part of the 144,000,
00:56:58.51\00:57:01.35
the great multitude,
00:57:01.38\00:57:03.08
it is all about
opening up our hearts
00:57:03.12\00:57:05.39
to the Lord and saying,
00:57:05.42\00:57:06.79
"Oh Father, pour
Your love into my heart
00:57:06.82\00:57:09.19
by the power of
the Holy Spirit,"
00:57:09.22\00:57:11.19
and love will do no
wrong to its neighbor,
00:57:11.23\00:57:14.13
and love will obey Jesus.
00:57:14.20\00:57:17.07
Amen. Amen.
00:57:17.10\00:57:18.70
We can be part of that 144,000
00:57:18.73\00:57:23.20
if we just need to make a choice
00:57:23.24\00:57:25.74
to choose Jesus, that's it.
00:57:25.77\00:57:27.91
When we choose Him,
00:57:27.94\00:57:29.28
His Holy Spirit will take
over and give us the power
00:57:29.31\00:57:32.58
to have victory over sin
00:57:32.61\00:57:34.25
and one day we
can all stand together
00:57:34.32\00:57:36.58
on that sea of glass and say,
00:57:36.62\00:57:38.12
"Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain."
00:57:38.15\00:57:40.76
Simply put,
00:57:40.79\00:57:42.26
be willing to follow the Lamb
00:57:42.29\00:57:44.36
wherever He leads
00:57:44.39\00:57:46.13
and you'll be on
that sea of glass.
00:57:46.16\00:57:47.73
Amen! Amen!
00:57:47.76\00:57:49.20
I know from the panel here,
00:57:49.23\00:57:51.03
each one of us has made a choice
00:57:51.07\00:57:52.47
that we want to follow
the Lamb wherever He leads
00:57:52.50\00:57:54.74
and I just want
to appeal to you,
00:57:54.77\00:57:56.20
make a choice, today
is the day of salvation.
00:57:56.24\00:58:00.51
Make a choice
today to follow the Lamb
00:58:00.54\00:58:02.34
wherever He goes.
00:58:02.38\00:58:03.71
That's all the
time we have for today.
00:58:03.78\00:58:05.18
Next week, we jump
into a deep subject,
00:58:05.21\00:58:07.35
"The Seven
Trumpets," join us then.
00:58:07.38\00:58:09.68