Hello and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I'm Jill Morikone and we
are so excited that you have
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been with us through the journey
of the Book of Revelation.
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We are on the very
last lesson; lesson #13,
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"I Make All Things NEW"
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And I want to encourage
you, I know we're at the very
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last lesson, but it's still
not too late, you can download
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your own copy of the Quarterly,
"The Book of Revelation"
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by going to: ABSG.Adventist.org
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That stands for Adult
Bible Study Guide.Adventist.org
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and you can follow along
with us or maybe next quarter
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would be up too and you
can download the first copy of
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next quarter and get
ready for next week as well.
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I want to introduce
our panel at this time...
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To my left is Pastor John
Lomacang, it's a privilege
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to have you here...
Good to be here always!
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Sitting to the left of
you is my sis, Shelley Quinn,
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and thank you so much for
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being here too,
Shelley. Oh, I love it!
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Sitting to your left is
our president and founder,
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Danny Shelton - it is always
a privilege, Danny when you can
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be on Sabbath School Panel...
Thank you, it's good to be here.
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And then Ryan Day, who is no
longer the new kid on the block,
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we love doing Sabbath
School Panel with you as well.
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Amen, it's good to be here.
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Before we go any further in
our study of the word of God,
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we always like to open up
with prayer and Pastor John,
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would you pray for us? Sure.
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Loving Father... We have
week- to-week called on Your
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Holy Spirit to be our guide
and, Father, today, we pray
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that the prayer that You
have encased in Revelation
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we pray that today we
will hear what the Spirit
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has to say.
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Guide our minds and even
the listeners and the viewers
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that tune into this program,
may the whole message of
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Revelation bring us
back to the central figure,
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the person of
Christ Jesus today.
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Bless each one of us in our
presentation and may all the
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glory and honor go to You.
We ask in Christ's name... Amen
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Amen! Amen! Thank you so much.
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Revelation is
really a love story.
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It's about God the Father
and Jesus, the Holy Spirit,
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the Godhead who
are the Bridegroom,
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who love their bride which
is the church, the pure church
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represented all
throughout Revelation.
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But we have a third
player; there's the Bridegroom
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and the bride... and
then there's the enemy, Satan,
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and as you read the
entire Book of Revelation,
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you see God's efforts to
save His bride, to cause efforts
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to transform them and to
call people to be His bride.
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Then you see the bride making
decisions - am I going to make
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a choice to follow or
am I going to make a choice
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to be married to
the bridegroom or not?
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And then you see Satan
getting his hands in there
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and working in that situation.
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We know we started Revelation
with the seven churches
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and that time period from
AD 31, the apostolic period
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all the way through
the time of present day,
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the time of the end.
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Of course, we discussed
the seven seals which really
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follows the very
same time period.
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And the fifth seal in
particular, the saints
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who were martyred said,
"How long O Lord are we going
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to suffer under that
persecution from the enemy."
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We went into the seven
trumpets and that follows
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the same basic time
period... these are redemptive
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judgments of God - the
Bridegroom for His bride,
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"Please come back to Me,
repent and return to Me."
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Then of course, we had that
little narrative in the middle,
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Revelation 12 and 13,
with the beast and the dragon
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and some history there
and then we come to the
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seven last plagues
that are poured out.
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Now these are just at the very
end of time, after intercession
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has ceased and these
are judgments poured out
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without mercy.
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They're not redemptive
because everyone at this point
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has already made a
choice, either for or against
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the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Of course last week, we
talked about the fall of Babylon
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in Revelation 18 and
that was an incredible study.
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This week, we pick up
with "I Make All Things New,"
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and this is probably my
favorite part of the entire
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Book of Revelation
because it ends with the second
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coming of Christ, the
Holy City, the New Jerusalem,
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and the new
heaven and the new earth.
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So let's pick up with Revelation
19, we're going to read
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actually the first nine
verses and then we'll unpack it.
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That's my portion on
Sunday, "The Wedding Supper
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of the Lamb," hence
the reference to the bride
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and the Bridegroom, "The
Wedding Supper of the Lamb."
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Now at the beginning of this in
Revelation 19, all of heaven is
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exulting that
Babylon had been finally
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defeated in Revelation 18.
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After these things,
(this was after that final fall
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of Babylon), I heard a
loud voice of a great multitude
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in heaven saying, "Alleluia,
salvation and glory and honor,
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and power belong to the Lord
our God for true and righteous
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are His judgments.
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He has judged the great
harlot who corrupted the earth
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with her fornication.
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He has avenged on her the blood
of His servants shed by her."
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Again they said, "Alleluia,
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her smoke rises
up forever and ever."
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And the 24 elders and the
four living creatures fell down
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and worshipped God who
sat on the throne saying,
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"Amen, Alleluia." Then
a voice came from throne
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saying, "Praise our
God, all you His servants and
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those who fear Him,
both small and great!"
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Now all of this section here
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reminds me of
Revelation 4 and 5,
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you know that enthronement
of the Lamb there by the right
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and of the Father after
AD 31 and Christ's ascension,
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and there's such a praise and
worship for what God has done.
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Verse 6... "I heard, as
it were, the voice of a great
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multitude, as the sound
of many waters and as the
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sound of mighty thunderings,
saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord
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God Omnipotent reigns.
Let us be glad and rejoice
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and give Him glory for
the marriage of the Lamb has
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come and His wife
has made herself ready."
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And to her it was granted
to be arrayed in fine linen,
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clean and bright, for the
fine linen is the righteous acts
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of the saints."
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So what I'm going to focus on
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here is first the
proposal, that is the Bridegroom
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to the bride, then we'll
see the preparation on the
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Bridegroom's part
- that's the promise;
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then we'll see the
preparation on the bride's
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part and that is the provision.
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So we're going to do
the proposal, the promise,
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and then the provision.
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So the proposal talks about
Christ and His bride, right?
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And they're ready for the
marriage supper of the Lamb.
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Now before you get married,
you gotta have a proposal.
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At least any good
woman wants a proposal!
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You want the proposal from who,
you know, you're going to marry.
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In Jewish tradition,
when a couple was engaged,
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they called it "betrothed."
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The groom paid the dowry
and, at that point, they were
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considered legally
married, even though they didn't
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live together - they were still
considered legally married.
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The bridegroom went to
prepare a place for the bride.
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The bride got
ready to be married.
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On the cross, Christ paid
the dowry for you and for me.
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On the cross, He paid
the dowry... and we can't
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live together yet because we are
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separated from here to heaven.
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But the Groom went,
that's Christ, to prepare
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a place for us, the bride. Amen!
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And our job, right now,
is to prepare to be married
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to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
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That's the proposal.
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So let's look at the
preparation that the Bridegroom,
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that's the Lord Jesus Christ,
is doing for us right now.
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We know He's preparing a
place for us in heaven now,
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and that's in John 14,
you know where I'm going. Yep.
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John 14:1-3... Now this
took place right after John 13
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is the last supper, remember
the foot-washing experience
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and Jesus had talked to His
disciples about going to the
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cross - of course they don't
understand it; but there's a
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lot of hurt and confusion
and they don't know what's
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going on and He gives this
beautiful, beautiful promise...
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John 14:1-3... "Let
not your heart be troubled,
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you believe in God, believe
also in Me. In My Father's house
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are many mansions. If it were
not so, I would have told you.
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I go to prepare a place
for you and if I go and prepare
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a place for you, I will
come again and receive you
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to Myself that where I
am, there you may be also."
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So He's saying, "I'm going
and I know it's hurting you,
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but let Me tell you
this, I am going to prepare
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a place for you, My
bride and I will come again."
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Let's look at the provision.
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This is the
preparation on the bride's part.
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Now you notice in verse 8,
we're back to Revelation 19:8.
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"To her it was granted to
be arrayed in fine linen, clean
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and bright for the fine linen is
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the righteous
acts of the saint."
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Now the word for "clean"
in the Greek means "pure,
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unstained, guiltless, innocent."
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Many times we talk,
within the Seventh-day Adventist
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Church, that there
are two different garments
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that we could put on,
but I'm going to submit
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to you today that
there's actually three garments
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and the third garment is
what is being talked about
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here in Revelation 19.
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So the first garment is
the self-righteousness of man,
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and we know all about
that garment because I've tried
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to walk and live in that garment
and it doesn't work very well.
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We know Isaiah 64:6
says... "All our righteousness
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is as filthy rags."
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The self-righteousness
of man always falls short
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of the perfect
standard of the law.
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It can never achieve
salvation, we know that.
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Philippians 3:9... "And
be found in Him, not having
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my own righteousness,
which is from the law,
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but that which is
through faith in Christ,
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the righteousness
which is from God by faith."
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Now there, there
are two righteousness'
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talked about, right?
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First is my own righteousness
which isn't worth anything,
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and the second is the
righteousness from God
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by faith - that is
the second garment.
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So the first one is
my own self-righteousness
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which is worth nothing.
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The second garment is the
imputed righteousness of Christ.
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Genesis 15:6 is the
same as Romans 4:3...
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Abraham believed God
and it was accounted to him
00:11:02.19\00:11:06.90
for righteousness.
00:11:06.93\00:11:09.30
Now we know that's
that righteousness by faith.
00:11:09.33\00:11:12.10
It was accounted to
him... in Greek it means
00:11:12.13\00:11:14.24
to recon, to
consider or to impute.
00:11:14.27\00:11:16.91
So this is the imputed
righteousness of Christ.
00:11:16.97\00:11:20.34
This is when you accept
the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord
00:11:20.38\00:11:22.54
of your life at that moment.
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And Zechariah 3 talks
about when Joshua stood there,
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the filthy garments of your
sin are taken off and Christ
00:11:29.12\00:11:33.56
clothed you with His
righteous white robe.
00:11:33.62\00:11:37.29
So when the Father looks
at us, He doesn't see our sins
00:11:37.33\00:11:40.16
and our
mistakes and any of that.
00:11:40.20\00:11:41.90
That's covered
with the blood of Jesus.
00:11:41.93\00:11:43.50
He sees the perfect
righteousness of His Son.
00:11:43.53\00:11:47.27
2 Corinthians 5:21 talks
about the double imputation.
00:11:47.30\00:11:51.97
He made Him - God
made Jesus who knew no sin,
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to become sin for us.
00:11:55.28\00:11:57.11
So He took our sin, as it
were, was imputed to Him, right?
00:11:57.18\00:12:00.75
He took my sin that we might
become the righteousness of
00:12:00.82\00:12:05.02
God in Him.
00:12:05.05\00:12:06.62
He gave us his righteousness,
now that's the second garment.
00:12:06.65\00:12:10.96
The third garment is the
garment we see right here.
00:12:10.99\00:12:15.80
In Revelation 19:8, it
says, "The fine linen is the
00:12:15.83\00:12:20.20
righteous acts of the saints."
00:12:20.24\00:12:22.00
The word in Greek,
"dikalomar" is the word used for
00:12:22.04\00:12:26.24
righteousness all the way
through Scripture, but it ends
00:12:26.27\00:12:29.34
with "mar" indicating that it's
a living concrete expression of
00:12:29.38\00:12:33.31
righteousness...
What am I getting at?
00:12:33.38\00:12:34.78
This is not the imputed
righteousness of Christ,
00:12:34.82\00:12:37.89
this is the imparted
righteousness of Christ.
00:12:37.95\00:12:40.99
That is Colossians
1:27... "This is Christ
00:12:41.02\00:12:44.09
in you, the hope of glory."
00:12:44.13\00:12:45.89
This is not the
garment we just put on,
00:12:45.93\00:12:47.83
and that is beautiful, and
at that point we are saved,
00:12:47.86\00:12:51.37
we are justified.
00:12:51.40\00:12:52.73
This means we have
allowed the Lord Jesus Christ
00:12:52.77\00:12:55.40
to walk into our heart;
to transform us from the
00:12:55.44\00:13:00.08
inside out.
00:13:00.11\00:13:01.44
Romans 6:6-7, "... Knowing
this, our old man is crucified
00:13:01.48\00:13:05.41
with Him, the body of
sin would be done away with,
00:13:05.45\00:13:07.75
we should no
longer be slaves of sin.
00:13:07.78\00:13:09.38
For he who has died
has been freed from sin."
00:13:09.42\00:13:12.45
So when we die to the
old man of sin, Christ comes
00:13:12.49\00:13:15.32
in and He dwells
with us. That's right.
00:13:15.36\00:13:18.16
Galatians 2:20... "I have
been crucified with Christ.
00:13:18.19\00:13:20.50
It is no longer I who lives,
but Christ who lives in me."
00:13:20.53\00:13:24.33
And the life that I now
live by faith in the Son of God
00:13:24.37\00:13:27.10
who loved me and
gave Himself for me."
00:13:27.14\00:13:30.71
That's how the fruits
of the spirit are evident
00:13:30.77\00:13:34.04
in the life of
the bride of Christ.
00:13:34.08\00:13:37.21
So during this time as the
bride prepares for the marriage
00:13:37.25\00:13:41.15
supper of the Lamb,
Christ has already given us
00:13:41.18\00:13:43.95
the imputed righteousness
and He has justified us,
00:13:43.99\00:13:46.82
but during this time,
our job is to submit to Him,
00:13:46.86\00:13:49.99
to allow Him to dwell in
us so He can impart to us
00:13:50.03\00:13:54.36
his righteous
white robe. Pastor John.
00:13:54.40\00:13:57.83
Amen! Wow! Jill, you
always get that fire started!
00:13:57.87\00:14:02.00
You know what's so beautiful
about what we're covering
00:14:02.74\00:14:04.71
here... "I make all things new."
00:14:04.74\00:14:06.71
We have covered so
much in this lesson that
00:14:06.78\00:14:10.08
we just can't wait
for things to be new!
00:14:10.15\00:14:12.48
I mean, we've walked
through some scenes that have
00:14:12.51\00:14:15.95
almost left the smell of smoke
on us... when we've stepped
00:14:15.98\00:14:19.82
into the Battle of Armageddon;
when we've stood there in the
00:14:19.85\00:14:22.02
scene and watched the
things unfold around us;
00:14:22.06\00:14:24.26
we have been in the
dark places of the Dark Ages;
00:14:24.33\00:14:27.50
we have seen the catacombs;
we've seen the persecution
00:14:27.50\00:14:30.03
of the saints; we've
heard them cry out for justice,
00:14:30.07\00:14:33.13
and now the Lord
is about to deliver.
00:14:33.17\00:14:35.64
That's what so beautiful
about this, you see there's a
00:14:35.67\00:14:38.41
point at which the Lord
says, "Enough," and the "enough"
00:14:38.44\00:14:42.61
is not because He is
angry but because He loves His
00:14:42.64\00:14:45.45
bride so much, He
cannot stand another moment
00:14:45.48\00:14:49.72
without His bride.
00:14:49.75\00:14:51.72
The New Jerusalem is going to be
00:14:51.75\00:14:53.19
beautiful and Ryan
is going to talk about
00:14:53.22\00:14:54.76
that, I'm not going
to even mess with that.
00:14:54.79\00:14:56.29
But when Revelation 19
pulls us in, it pulls us into a
00:14:56.32\00:15:01.83
scene and I just
want to add something...
00:15:01.86\00:15:04.47
You know, you introduced us
to this and since I have this
00:15:04.50\00:15:07.04
section, I want to kind
of put two things together.
00:15:07.07\00:15:09.17
There are two suppers,
two suppers! I like that!
00:15:09.20\00:15:15.14
Two suppers - look at
Revelation 19:9... Two suppers.
00:15:15.18\00:15:19.51
You talked about
this, you mentioned this...
00:15:19.55\00:15:21.72
It says... "Then He said to
me, "Write: Blessed are those
00:15:21.75\00:15:25.32
who are called to the
marriage supper of the Lamb,
00:15:25.35\00:15:28.19
and He said to me, "These
are the true sayings of God."
00:15:28.22\00:15:32.89
But now I'm going to
deal with the other one...
00:15:32.93\00:15:34.60
Revelation 19:17-18...
"Then I saw an angel standing
00:15:34.63\00:15:39.13
in the sun and he cried
with a loud voice saying to all
00:15:39.17\00:15:43.10
the birds that fly
in the midst of heaven,
00:15:43.14\00:15:46.31
"Come and gather together
for the supper of the great God,
00:15:46.34\00:15:50.41
that you may eat the flesh
of kings, the flesh of captains,
00:15:50.45\00:15:53.42
the flesh of mighty
men, the flesh of horses,
00:15:53.48\00:15:56.12
and of those who sit on them,
and the flesh of all people
00:15:56.15\00:15:59.35
free and slave
both small and great."
00:15:59.55\00:16:02.02
In one case, we get
to eat, in another case,
00:16:02.06\00:16:04.89
we are eaten.
00:16:04.93\00:16:06.83
Now this is a sad picture.
00:16:06.86\00:16:08.60
As amazing as the connection is,
I want to sit down and partake
00:16:08.63\00:16:14.14
of heaven's menu - I don't
want to be on the menu! Amen.
00:16:14.17\00:16:18.51
Can we all agree
on that? Laughter...
00:16:18.54\00:16:20.48
I don't want to be on the menu!
00:16:20.51\00:16:22.51
I want to sit down
and eat of heaven's menu,
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.41
is that okay Jill? Absolutely.
00:16:25.45\00:16:27.85
That invitation is a powerful
invitation, but as you pointed
00:16:27.88\00:16:32.09
out and I want to
just reiterate this
00:16:32.12\00:16:33.46
in the transition...
00:16:33.49\00:16:35.22
We cannot come into the
marriage supper without the
00:16:35.26\00:16:38.86
garment of His
righteousness. That's right.
00:16:38.89\00:16:40.80
So if you remember
anything about Revelation,
00:16:40.83\00:16:43.13
Revelation is Jesus'
determination to sustain
00:16:43.16\00:16:47.20
His righteousness in the
midst of a perverse and wicked
00:16:47.24\00:16:51.04
generation.
00:16:51.07\00:16:52.41
He wants the light of
His glory to be shining
00:16:52.44\00:16:55.01
through His
church, and you know what?
00:16:55.04\00:16:57.11
There are some people
that say, (I heard years ago),
00:16:57.15\00:17:00.35
"Well, we say people
die and go to heaven."
00:17:00.38\00:17:02.25
You know, only
those who want to be there
00:17:02.28\00:17:04.65
are going to go there
because heaven will be torment
00:17:04.69\00:17:08.16
to those who have
not accepted Christ.
00:17:08.19\00:17:09.99
Why would I want to be where
I have not even desired to be?
00:17:10.06\00:17:14.60
So this idea that everybody
goes to heaven, you know, I
00:17:14.63\00:17:17.80
hear at funerals - "They're
in heaven; they're in heaven;
00:17:17.83\00:17:19.80
they're in heaven; they're
in heaven; they're in heaven,
00:17:19.83\00:17:21.20
and we look at their lives and
they lived such wicked lives.
00:17:21.24\00:17:23.51
Even though we're not
the judge, we're thinking...
00:17:23.54\00:17:25.81
"All you have to do
to get to heaven is die!"
00:17:25.84\00:17:28.71
No, you've got
to live righteously.
00:17:28.74\00:17:31.15
The Bible says in
Titus, I believe it is...
00:17:31.18\00:17:33.11
"The grace of God that
bringeth salvation has appeared
00:17:33.15\00:17:36.69
to all men, teaching
them that denying ungodliness,
00:17:36.72\00:17:41.02
we should live
soberly godly and righteously
00:17:41.06\00:17:44.13
in this present age,
looking for and hastening
00:17:44.16\00:17:46.70
the coming of our Lord."
00:17:46.73\00:17:48.03
So the whole preparation
to be at the table to eat,
00:17:48.06\00:17:52.20
rather than on
the table to be eaten,
00:17:52.23\00:17:55.00
is that we must accept
the righteousness of Christ.
00:17:55.04\00:17:58.71
But look at this military
scene, it's amazing to me.
00:17:58.74\00:18:02.68
Revelation 19:11... "Now I
saw heaven open and behold,
00:18:02.71\00:18:08.15
a white horse..." This is
where Jesus has already taken
00:18:08.18\00:18:11.25
off His priestly
garments, now He's putting on
00:18:11.29\00:18:14.59
His military garments,
and if you've looked at any
00:18:14.62\00:18:18.66
of the battles of
history in the Bible, throughout
00:18:18.69\00:18:21.50
antiquity, Alexander the Great;
the great Babylonian armies;
00:18:21.53\00:18:24.93
the Egyptian armies;
these armies were arrayed with
00:18:24.97\00:18:27.97
some of the most amazing
weaponry, but the only weaponry
00:18:28.00\00:18:33.41
that is needed in
God's army is His word! Amen!
00:18:33.48\00:18:39.38
You see why the word of God?
00:18:41.32\00:18:43.02
The word of God was the
weapon that the Old Testament
00:18:43.05\00:18:46.86
church continued
to find victory in.
00:18:46.89\00:18:50.23
They continued
to go to God's word.
00:18:50.26\00:18:51.69
The New
Testament Church continued
00:18:51.73\00:18:53.40
to refer to God's word.
00:18:53.43\00:18:54.73
Jesus, in His onslaught,
when the devil came to Him,
00:18:54.76\00:18:57.77
He said, "It is written,"
the word, and the only way that
00:18:57.80\00:19:00.87
we're going to make it
through the final battle,
00:19:00.90\00:19:02.84
I love the way Ellen White
says this... "Only those who
00:19:02.87\00:19:05.24
are fortified by
the word of God..."
00:19:05.27\00:19:07.71
Fortify doesn't mean you
snack on the word of God.
00:19:07.74\00:19:10.68
It means you
eat the word of God.
00:19:10.71\00:19:12.65
It means you feast
on the word of God!
00:19:12.68\00:19:14.75
It means the word of
God is your meditation.
00:19:14.78\00:19:17.62
David said it this way,
"Thy word have I done... what?
00:19:17.65\00:19:20.22
"Hid in my heart," and
you've got to hide it there
00:19:20.29\00:19:22.79
because in Amos
there's a famine coming.
00:19:22.82\00:19:25.19
The devil knows - the
reason why he tries to keep us
00:19:25.23\00:19:28.46
away from the word, it
is the only preparation.
00:19:28.50\00:19:31.83
You could have the righteousness
of Christ, but if you're not
00:19:31.87\00:19:34.34
being fed by the Word of
God, you have no offensive
00:19:34.37\00:19:37.64
weapon in the final
battle against truth and error.
00:19:37.67\00:19:40.91
Look at the
array, it's beautiful!
00:19:40.98\00:19:42.78
It says in verse 11... "I
saw heaven open and behold,
00:19:42.81\00:19:45.45
a white horse and He who
sat on him was called... what?
00:19:45.48\00:19:48.15
"Faithful and true."
00:19:48.18\00:19:49.85
My Redeemer is
faithful and true! Amen!
00:19:49.88\00:19:52.19
"And in righteousness,
He judges and makes war."
00:19:52.22\00:19:54.89
This is not the war of anger,
this is war to annihilate sin.
00:19:54.92\00:19:57.83
Now I want to
make that very clear...
00:19:57.86\00:19:59.43
Some people think that
God hates sinners... NO!
00:19:59.46\00:20:02.76
"For God sent not His son into
the world to condemn the world,
00:20:02.80\00:20:05.27
but that the world,
through Him might be saved."
00:20:05.30\00:20:06.74
We're already condemned.
00:20:06.80\00:20:08.14
He didn't send Jesus
on a condemnation mission,
00:20:08.17\00:20:10.67
He sent Him on a rescue mission.
00:20:10.71\00:20:13.07
He sent Him not to condemn
us, we're already condemned.
00:20:13.11\00:20:15.81
That's why He said to
the woman caught in adultery,
00:20:15.84\00:20:17.51
"Neither do I condemn
thee, go and sin no more."
00:20:17.55\00:20:20.82
"Where are your accusers?"
00:20:20.88\00:20:22.52
Well, that's going
to be asked there again.
00:20:22.55\00:20:25.99
Where are YOUR accusers?
00:20:26.02\00:20:27.72
And then when we stand in
this setting... "Where are
00:20:27.76\00:20:30.83
your accusers,"
they won't be there
00:20:30.89\00:20:33.66
because the accuser of
our brethren who accused us
00:20:33.70\00:20:36.06
before God day and
night has been cast down.
00:20:36.10\00:20:38.13
Amen to that? Amen!
00:20:38.17\00:20:39.50
So the Lord is now
coming to eradicate sin and the
00:20:39.53\00:20:43.17
unfortunate part of that
is those who refuse to be
00:20:43.20\00:20:47.01
covered by His
garment of righteousness,
00:20:47.04\00:20:49.14
no longer have a
garment of protection.
00:20:49.18\00:20:51.71
You know, when I saw, years
ago, the mad cow disease...
00:20:51.75\00:20:54.52
remember that - mad cow disease?
00:20:54.55\00:20:55.88
I heard some of the
stories of farmers... they wept!
00:20:55.92\00:21:00.16
As they used their bulldozers
and their tractor equipment
00:21:00.19\00:21:04.13
to compile their livestock,
their goats, their sheep,
00:21:04.16\00:21:07.40
their cattle -
they said they wept!
00:21:07.50\00:21:09.40
Because they said they almost
named some of their cattle
00:21:09.43\00:21:12.70
when they run to them
in the mornings to get fed
00:21:12.73\00:21:15.04
and they thought...
00:21:15.07\00:21:16.60
They said, "We didn't kill our
cattle because we hated them,
00:21:16.67\00:21:20.14
or our sheep or our
goats, but we didn't want their
00:21:20.18\00:21:23.11
contamination to spread."
00:21:23.14\00:21:25.51
And in the heaven that
is being prepared for us,
00:21:25.55\00:21:29.32
the New Jerusalem and
in the earth made new,
00:21:29.35\00:21:31.89
affliction will not
rise up a second time.
00:21:31.92\00:21:35.06
So if you ever hear somebody
say, "There's a possibility
00:21:35.09\00:21:38.49
that sin will rise up a
second time," that's heresy,
00:21:38.53\00:21:42.20
false doctrine and it's
completely against the potent
00:21:42.23\00:21:46.00
character and the
righteousness of Jesus. Amen!
00:21:46.03\00:21:48.80
It won't rise up again.
00:21:48.84\00:21:50.27
The Bible says in verse 12,
"His eyes were like the flame
00:21:50.34\00:21:52.47
of fire and on His head
were many crowns and He had a
00:21:52.51\00:21:55.98
name written that no
one knew except Himself.
00:21:56.01\00:21:58.61
He was clothed with a
robe dipped in blood and His
00:21:58.65\00:22:01.35
name is called,
"The Word of God."
00:22:01.38\00:22:03.89
"And the armies in
heaven, clothed in fine linen,
00:22:03.92\00:22:06.22
white and clean,
followed Him on white horses.
00:22:06.25\00:22:08.92
Now out of His mouth goes
a sharp sword that with it
00:22:08.96\00:22:13.73
He should strike the nations
and He, Himself, will rule them
00:22:13.80\00:22:17.87
with a rod of iron.
00:22:17.90\00:22:19.23
He, Himself, treads the
winepress of the fierceness of
00:22:19.27\00:22:22.77
the wrath of Almighty God."
00:22:22.80\00:22:24.51
Verse 16... "And He has
on His robe and on His thigh
00:22:24.54\00:22:29.78
a name written, "King of Kings
and... what? Lord of Lords."
00:22:29.81\00:22:34.75
You know what's so beautiful
about this scene - is Revelation
00:22:34.78\00:22:38.09
1 Thessalonians, Matthew,
they all unite on this beautiful
00:22:38.39\00:22:44.36
scene of the closing
work of the great controversy.
00:22:44.39\00:22:48.73
I cannot think, when I
read this, I can't think that
00:22:48.76\00:22:52.60
Jesus is angry on His course.
00:22:52.63\00:22:54.97
I think He is more
excited than we are! Amen!
00:22:55.00\00:22:58.01
Because He has pleaded His
blood for His people throughout
00:22:58.04\00:23:02.34
millennia - He has
pleaded in behalf of
00:23:02.38\00:23:07.05
those who are going astray.
00:23:07.12\00:23:08.45
He wants to save us
more than anything and now
00:23:08.48\00:23:11.59
He's coming to get us.
00:23:11.62\00:23:13.29
And I could see the
constellations, the stars,
00:23:13.36\00:23:16.02
the planets, all
moving out of their way,
00:23:16.06\00:23:18.29
and I believe the
thundering of the earth...
00:23:18.33\00:23:20.50
I believe the reason why
islands are going to be moving,
00:23:20.53\00:23:22.66
and the mountains are to
be shaken, is if the mountains
00:23:22.70\00:23:25.40
were shaken at the approach of
one angel, at the resurrection
00:23:25.43\00:23:29.47
of Jesus - if one angel caused
an earthquake, come on now...
00:23:29.50\00:23:33.54
Ten-thousand times 10,000
and thousands of thousands,
00:23:33.58\00:23:38.18
this planet - if it were
not for divine intervention,
00:23:38.21\00:23:42.05
would be shaken
out of its course.
00:23:42.08\00:23:43.65
Every island, every mountain
shall be moved but the beauty
00:23:43.69\00:23:47.42
of it is - while the
wicked are running in...
00:23:47.46\00:23:50.96
the righteous are
running out! That's right!
00:23:50.99\00:23:54.03
Saying, "Lo, this is
our God, we have waited
00:23:54.10\00:23:58.13
for Him and He will save us."
00:23:58.20\00:23:59.73
"Lo, this is our
Lord, we shall be glad
00:23:59.77\00:24:03.30
and rejoice in His salvation."
00:24:03.34\00:24:04.97
I'm looking forward to the
end of the Battle of Armageddon.
00:24:05.04\00:24:08.81
Amen! Amen! What a
powerful study, Pastor John.
00:24:08.84\00:24:11.28
Thank you so much, I'm so
glad Jesus is coming again!
00:24:11.31\00:24:14.68
We're going to take a
break and we'll be right back.
00:24:14.72\00:24:17.42
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Welcome back, we're in the
midst of an incredible study
00:24:54.02\00:24:56.42
at the end of the
Book of Revelation,
00:24:56.46\00:24:58.66
and Shelley, pick it
up with the "Millennium."
00:24:58.69\00:25:00.56
Yes I do and I am
so excited about that.
00:25:00.63\00:25:02.83
Revelation 20 talks
about a thousand-year period,
00:25:02.86\00:25:07.44
and the word "millennium"
is not actually in the Bible,
00:25:07.47\00:25:11.27
but the word "millennium"
means "a thousand years."
00:25:11.31\00:25:15.11
So this Revelation 20,
thousand years generally
00:25:15.14\00:25:18.68
it's referred to as "the
millennium" and it is one of the
00:25:19.55\00:25:22.78
most important end
time events that there are.
00:25:22.82\00:25:26.29
Now there are some Christians
who teach that Christ is going
00:25:26.32\00:25:30.66
to be on the earth and
the righteous and the wicked
00:25:30.73\00:25:33.19
are going to live side-by-side
during this thousand years...
00:25:33.23\00:25:36.33
There's absolutely no evidence
for this in the New Testament.
00:25:36.36\00:25:39.87
As-a-matter-of-fact,
Jesus said that He is going
00:25:39.90\00:25:43.47
to send His angels and the
righteous and the wicked are
00:25:43.51\00:25:45.87
going to be separated just
like the sheep and the goats
00:25:45.91\00:25:49.18
are separated
at the end of time.
00:25:49.21\00:25:51.21
So we just saw, Revelation 19,
Jesus is riding out of heaven
00:25:51.25\00:25:55.35
on a horse and He is
coming to rescue His people.
00:25:55.38\00:25:59.29
He is coming to put an end to
sin and to defeat His enemies,
00:25:59.32\00:26:04.76
and the wicked are slain
at the second coming and their
00:26:04.79\00:26:09.33
corpses are lying all
over the earth - we saw that in
00:26:09.36\00:26:12.93
Revelation 19:18-
when it says that the birds
00:26:12.97\00:26:16.57
of the air are going to
eat the flesh of the kings
00:26:16.60\00:26:20.41
and the generals and the
mighty men - all the flesh of
00:26:20.48\00:26:23.75
all the people free
and slave, small and great.
00:26:23.78\00:26:27.42
So the second coming, when
Jesus comes again the wicked are
00:26:27.45\00:26:33.49
slain, but what
happens? 1 Thessalonians 4:16...
00:26:33.56\00:26:37.26
What happens to the righteous?
00:26:37.33\00:26:38.93
It says that He is going to
come with the sound of a mighty
00:26:38.96\00:26:43.03
trumpet and that the dead
in Christ shall rise first,
00:26:43.06\00:26:48.24
and then we who are alive and
remain are going to be caught up
00:26:48.27\00:26:51.31
into the air and so shall
we always be with the Lord.
00:26:51.34\00:26:54.44
So the righteous, whether the
righteous dead or the righteous
00:26:54.48\00:26:58.85
living are caught up and, you
know, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54,
00:26:58.88\00:27:04.95
explains this is when we put on
immortality - when the sound of
00:27:04.99\00:27:11.16
that last trump.
00:27:11.19\00:27:12.69
So what we find then is
immediately following Christ's
00:27:12.73\00:27:18.37
second return, we find
this millennium period and the
00:27:18.40\00:27:23.20
thousand years begins
after the return of Christ.
00:27:23.24\00:27:27.68
Let's look at Revelation 20:1-3.
00:27:27.71\00:27:31.08
Revelation 20:1-3...
"Then I saw an angel coming down
00:27:31.11\00:27:35.82
from heaven having the
key to the bottomless pit,
00:27:35.85\00:27:38.32
and a great chain in his hand.
00:27:38.35\00:27:40.46
He laid hold of the
dragon, that serpent of old,
00:27:40.49\00:27:43.26
who is the Devil and
Satan, and he bound him for a
00:27:43.29\00:27:46.29
thousand years and he cast him
into the bottomless pit and shut
00:27:46.33\00:27:50.37
him up and set a seal on him
so that he should not deceive
00:27:50.43\00:27:54.10
the nations anymore until a
thousand years were finished.
00:27:54.14\00:27:57.74
But after these
things he (Satan) must be
00:27:57.81\00:28:01.51
released for a little while."
00:28:01.54\00:28:03.58
Interesting - bottomless pit,
word in Greek is "the abussos."
00:28:03.61\00:28:08.58
And this is the abyss,
it's the same word that is used
00:28:08.62\00:28:13.25
in Genesis 1:2 when it's
talking about the creation
00:28:13.29\00:28:16.86
of the earth when it
says that the world was void
00:28:16.89\00:28:20.46
and without form - so when
Christ returns we know that
00:28:20.53\00:28:24.67
in Revelation 6 and Revelation
16, it describes this horrible
00:28:24.70\00:28:29.47
earthquake and when Christ
returns, He kills everybody,
00:28:29.50\00:28:33.68
the whole world
is just in chaos...
00:28:33.71\00:28:36.85
So what we find here is the
prophecy of Jeremiah 4:23-26
00:28:36.88\00:28:43.39
has been fulfilled
- let me read that.
00:28:43.42\00:28:46.02
Jeremiah 4:23-26... "I
beheld the earth and indeed it
00:28:46.05\00:28:51.76
was without form and void.
00:28:51.79\00:28:54.20
And the heavens,
they had no light.
00:28:54.20\00:28:56.13
I beheld the mountains
and indeed, they trembled.
00:28:56.16\00:28:58.37
And all the hills
moved back and forth.
00:28:58.40\00:29:01.34
I beheld, and indeed there
was no man, and all the birds
00:29:01.37\00:29:06.27
of the heavens had fled.
00:29:06.31\00:29:07.64
I beheld, and indeed the
fruitful land was a wilderness,
00:29:07.68\00:29:11.78
and all its cities were broken
down at the presence of the Lord
00:29:11.81\00:29:16.82
by His fierce anger."
00:29:16.85\00:29:18.45
So after Christ returns,
here is the chaos that we
00:29:18.49\00:29:23.99
see on earth and when it
talks about Satan being bound
00:29:24.06\00:29:30.40
for the thousand years, he
is chained by circumstances.
00:29:30.47\00:29:35.94
The earth has been depopulated
the wicked are all slain;
00:29:35.97\00:29:40.68
the righteous are all
going up to heaven with Him.
00:29:40.71\00:29:43.48
So Satan and his
unholy alliance are just here
00:29:43.55\00:29:47.32
on earth -
there's nobody to tempt!
00:29:47.35\00:29:49.42
This is symbolic that he
is chained by circumstances.
00:29:49.45\00:29:54.66
Now, when it says then that...
let me go on with verse 4.
00:29:54.69\00:30:00.20
"And I saw thrones (he is
telling us what's on earth,
00:30:00.23\00:30:05.00
but now he's putting his
focus in heaven), I saw thrones
00:30:05.03\00:30:09.00
and they sat on them and
judgment was committed to
00:30:09.04\00:30:12.04
them. Then I saw the
souls of those who had been
00:30:12.07\00:30:15.14
beheaded for
their witness to Jesus
00:30:15.18\00:30:17.01
and for the word of
God, who had not worshipped
00:30:17.05\00:30:20.48
the beast or his image.
00:30:20.52\00:30:22.12
They had not received his
mark on their foreheads or on
00:30:22.15\00:30:25.22
their hands and they
lived and reigned with Christ
00:30:25.25\00:30:29.86
for a thousand
years. That's right.
00:30:29.89\00:30:31.89
But the rest of the dead,
(those wicked who were slain),
00:30:31.93\00:30:37.00
did not live again until the
thousand years were finished."
00:30:37.03\00:30:43.20
This, who is in heaven,
this is the first resurrection,
00:30:43.24\00:30:47.51
and then he says, "Blessed
and holy is he who has part
00:30:47.54\00:30:53.25
in the first resurrection."
00:30:53.28\00:30:55.58
Jesus taught two general
resurrections; in John 5:28-29,
00:30:55.62\00:31:00.86
He says, "Do not marvel at
this, the day is coming when
00:31:00.89\00:31:04.33
when all who are in their
graves will hear My voice;
00:31:04.36\00:31:08.96
some will come up to the
resurrection of righteousness;
00:31:09.00\00:31:12.33
some to the
resurrection of condemnation."
00:31:12.37\00:31:15.34
So there's a thousand
years between these two
00:31:15.37\00:31:18.81
and that is the
millennium period.
00:31:18.84\00:31:21.34
So let's look at Revelation
again - I just want to repeat
00:31:21.38\00:31:25.35
verse 6, it says...
"Blessed and holy is he who has
00:31:25.38\00:31:30.75
part in the first resurrection
over such the second
00:31:30.79\00:31:35.72
death has no power, but
they shall be priests of God
00:31:35.76\00:31:40.26
and of Christ
and they shall reign
00:31:40.30\00:31:41.93
with Him for a thousand years."
00:31:41.96\00:31:44.77
So here we see in verses
4 and 6 of Revelation 20,
00:31:44.80\00:31:49.37
what are the
righteous doing in heaven?
00:31:49.40\00:31:51.47
They are reigning with Christ
through this thousand years.
00:31:51.51\00:31:54.54
You know, what's going to
happen - throughout history
00:31:54.58\00:31:58.61
Satan has maligned
the character of God.
00:31:58.65\00:32:02.05
He has told all of these lies.
00:32:02.08\00:32:03.69
What's going to
happen when we get up there;
00:32:03.72\00:32:06.22
the books are going to
be opened and we're going to
00:32:06.25\00:32:09.59
have the opportunity,
the redeemed will be looking
00:32:09.62\00:32:13.09
at the records of history.
00:32:13.13\00:32:14.93
We'll understand - I mean,
don't you have some questions
00:32:14.93\00:32:18.30
for God... "Why did
You let this happen, God?"
00:32:18.33\00:32:20.70
We're going to understand how
God led us throughout our lives,
00:32:20.74\00:32:25.24
and when we look at those
records, we would have had it
00:32:25.27\00:32:28.54
in no other way, but we'll
also understand why some people
00:32:28.58\00:32:32.35
are there that we are surprised
to see there and why some
00:32:32.38\00:32:35.68
that we expected to
be there didn't make it.
00:32:35.72\00:32:37.85
So we'll see the fairness
of God's decisions and all
00:32:37.89\00:32:41.42
the questions of His
justice will be settled forever,
00:32:41.46\00:32:45.23
and once that's settled, the
redeemed are ready to witness
00:32:45.26\00:32:51.00
the administration of God's
justice in His final judgment.
00:32:51.03\00:32:54.27
So Revelation 20:7-15
says, "When the thousand years
00:32:54.30\00:32:59.77
have expired, Satan will
be released from his prison
00:32:59.81\00:33:04.68
and will go out to deceive
the nations which are in the
00:33:04.71\00:33:08.15
four corners of the earth,
Gog and Magog, to gather them
00:33:08.18\00:33:12.12
together to battle, whose number
is as the sand of the sea."
00:33:12.15\00:33:17.56
So here Satan was confined
by circumstances, but that
00:33:17.63\00:33:22.40
second resurrection
when the wicked come up,
00:33:22.43\00:33:25.13
he's got somebody
to tempt again, right?
00:33:25.17\00:33:28.20
So at the close of the
millennium, if you want to say
00:33:28.24\00:33:32.47
Satan is released from his
prison because now he's got
00:33:32.51\00:33:36.34
some people he
can deceive further.
00:33:36.38\00:33:39.35
And it says, "They went up
on the breadth of the earth
00:33:39.38\00:33:41.52
and surrounded the camp of
the saints and the beloved city.
00:33:41.55\00:33:44.45
And fire came down from God out
of heaven and devoured them."
00:33:44.49\00:33:48.06
In Revelation 21:2, John
says, "He sees the holy city,
00:33:48.09\00:33:53.16
the New Jerusalem,
coming down to earth..."
00:33:53.19\00:33:56.06
So we're seeing
something here that's kind of a
00:33:56.10\00:33:58.73
simultaneous act that the
second resurrection happens;
00:33:58.77\00:34:03.10
the New Jerusalem is
down on earth and Satan is now
00:34:03.14\00:34:06.47
tempting them and leading
them in this final rebellion.
00:34:06.51\00:34:10.38
Verse 10 of Revelation 20...
"The devil who deceived them
00:34:10.45\00:34:14.32
was cast into the lake of
fire and brimstone where the
00:34:14.35\00:34:17.75
beast and the false prophet are.
00:34:17.79\00:34:19.82
Then I saw a great white
throne and Him who sat on it
00:34:19.85\00:34:23.46
from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away.
00:34:23.53\00:34:26.73
And there was no
place found for them.
00:34:26.80\00:34:29.40
And I saw the dead,
small and great standing
00:34:29.43\00:34:31.83
before God, and
books were opened."
00:34:31.87\00:34:34.90
This is the
final judgment scene.
00:34:34.94\00:34:37.81
The reason they are raised at
the end of the thousand years,
00:34:37.84\00:34:41.84
the millennium, is so that
they can be judged for their
00:34:41.88\00:34:46.15
evil deeds and
condemned once and for all.
00:34:46.18\00:34:49.65
And in verse 14... "Then
Death and Hades were cast
00:34:49.68\00:34:53.25
into the lake of fire.
00:34:53.32\00:34:54.66
This is the second death.
00:34:54.69\00:34:56.09
Anyone whose name is not
found in the Book of Life
00:34:56.12\00:34:59.76
was cast into the lake of fire.
00:34:59.79\00:35:02.53
Amen! Wow, this is
an incredible topic,
00:35:02.56\00:35:06.00
and for me, talking about heaven
is one of my very favorite
00:35:06.03\00:35:09.64
topics ever!
00:35:09.67\00:35:11.01
Today we're going to
find out a little bit.
00:35:11.04\00:35:12.64
Mine is: "A New
Heaven and a New Earth"
00:35:12.67\00:35:14.28
Well, you can understand
why we need a new earth,
00:35:14.31\00:35:16.98
but why do we need a new heaven?
00:35:17.05\00:35:18.51
What does that mean, a
new heaven and a new earth?
00:35:18.55\00:35:21.22
But when you think about
the story of man, it's not very
00:35:21.25\00:35:24.95
good, without a
Savior there's nothing.
00:35:24.99\00:35:27.46
In fact, Job says it best in
14, he says, "Man that is born
00:35:27.49\00:35:31.46
of woman is of few
days and full of trouble.
00:35:31.49\00:35:33.63
He cometh forth like a flower
and is cut low and fleeth also
00:35:33.70\00:35:37.27
as a shadow and continueth not
until the heavens be no more."
00:35:37.33\00:35:41.64
That's kind of a short
description of a short life
00:35:41.67\00:35:45.77
with nothing at the end of it.
00:35:45.81\00:35:48.18
But praise God, that
as Christians we have hope
00:35:48.21\00:35:52.51
of life everlasting
through a resurrected Savior.
00:35:52.55\00:35:56.75
I mean, to me,
that's great news.
00:35:56.79\00:35:58.65
And where do I base that?
00:35:58.69\00:36:00.09
John 3:16... "For God so
loved the world that He gave His
00:36:00.12\00:36:03.46
only begotten Son that
whosoever believeth in Him,
00:36:03.49\00:36:07.76
should not perish but
have everlasting life."
00:36:07.76\00:36:11.50
Now that came from Jesus
Himself, so we have to be
00:36:11.53\00:36:14.84
excited about that - so this
is not fictitious, this is real,
00:36:14.87\00:36:19.41
heaven is real, so it's
all about choices today.
00:36:20.08\00:36:24.28
And so what I want
to talk about is...
00:36:24.31\00:36:26.95
Well Jill, you read a
Scripture too and when I think
00:36:27.45\00:36:29.82
about heaven I
always think about my dad.
00:36:29.85\00:36:33.46
My dad who is now
resting in Jesus - he had a few
00:36:33.49\00:36:36.22
favorite Scriptures and
one of those was John 14...
00:36:36.26\00:36:39.19
"Let not your heart
be troubled, ye believe
00:36:39.23\00:36:41.40
in God, ye believe also in Me.
00:36:41.46\00:36:42.96
In My Father's house
are many mansions... "
00:36:43.00\00:36:44.50
that you just read a while ago.
00:36:44.53\00:36:46.07
I mean, beautiful Scripture,
so we want to think about
00:36:46.10\00:36:49.60
that every day.
00:36:49.64\00:36:51.07
Ellen White says, We
should contemplate the goodness
00:36:51.11\00:36:54.14
of God for a while
because when you think of the
00:36:54.18\00:36:56.71
love versus what a lot
of people see - is this God
00:36:56.75\00:37:01.22
who is in heaven;
He's distant; you have no
00:37:01.25\00:37:04.22
relationship and He's
looking down with condemnation,
00:37:04.25\00:37:06.79
writing everything bad,
when you all are telling us...
00:37:06.82\00:37:09.72
"No, that's not true,
God, John, is a God of love."
00:37:09.76\00:37:12.49
You said that He wants to
enjoy His creation for eternity.
00:37:12.53\00:37:19.23
And what an absolute blessing
that we can be a part of it.
00:37:19.27\00:37:22.64
Jesus promises His followers
that, "Yes, when this life
00:37:22.67\00:37:26.24
is over, it's not the
end, it's the beginning."
00:37:26.27\00:37:28.81
I've put some notes here.
00:37:28.84\00:37:30.25
When Jesus comes back to
planet Earth at the second
00:37:30.28\00:37:32.58
coming, life for the Christian
starts an incredible journey
00:37:32.61\00:37:37.02
that will never end.
00:37:37.09\00:37:38.42
1 Corinthians 2:9
paints a beautiful picture.
00:37:38.45\00:37:41.49
It says... "Eye had not
seen, (another one of my dad's
00:37:41.52\00:37:44.73
favorite Scriptures),
nor ear heard, neither has it
00:37:44.76\00:37:47.40
entered into the heart
of man the things that God
00:37:47.40\00:37:50.53
has prepared for
those who love Him."
00:37:50.57\00:37:52.47
Isn't that an amazing Scripture?
00:37:52.50\00:37:54.37
I mean, you can't help but
get all excited and you get
00:37:54.40\00:37:57.17
pumped up when you say it,
but after sin is eradicated,
00:37:57.21\00:38:00.04
the earth will be
transformed into the
00:38:00.11\00:38:02.58
home of the redeemed.
00:38:02.61\00:38:03.98
But the question here
today, we want to answer,
00:38:04.01\00:38:06.38
is where will this be?
00:38:06.41\00:38:07.75
We have no idea.
00:38:07.78\00:38:09.12
People think, right now, hell
is going on somewhere in the
00:38:09.15\00:38:11.85
middle of the earth and
heaven is out here somewhere,
00:38:11.89\00:38:14.42
and we don't even
know and we're finding out
00:38:14.46\00:38:16.96
there's more than one heaven!
00:38:16.99\00:38:18.96
So that's important
because some of the Scriptures,
00:38:18.99\00:38:21.56
Revelation 21:1-2
says... "And I saw a new heaven
00:38:21.60\00:38:24.60
and a new earth for the
first heaven and the first earth
00:38:24.63\00:38:27.80
were passed away, and
there was no more sea.
00:38:27.84\00:38:30.61
And I, John, saw... what?
The holy city, New Jerusalem
00:38:30.64\00:38:35.01
coming down from God
out of heaven prepared
00:38:35.04\00:38:37.85
as a bride is
adorned for her husband."
00:38:37.88\00:38:40.52
I'm going to go to
another Scripture quickly here.
00:38:40.55\00:38:42.65
2 Peter 3:10-13... "But
the day of the Lord will come
00:38:42.68\00:38:47.92
as a thief in the
night in which the heavens
00:38:47.96\00:38:50.36
shall pass away with a great
noise and the elements shall
00:38:50.43\00:38:53.29
melt with fervent heat.
00:38:53.33\00:38:54.73
The earth also and the
works that are therein shall be
00:38:54.76\00:38:57.77
... what? Burned up.
00:38:57.80\00:38:59.60
Seeing then that all
these things shall be dissolved,
00:38:59.63\00:39:02.40
what manner of
persons aught ye to be in all
00:39:02.44\00:39:05.47
holy conversation and godliness.
00:39:05.51\00:39:07.51
Looking for and
hastening unto the coming
00:39:07.54\00:39:10.58
of the day of the Lord,
wherein the heavens shall be
00:39:10.61\00:39:13.21
on fire shall be
dissolved, (that's interesting),
00:39:13.25\00:39:17.02
and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat."
00:39:17.05\00:39:20.39
Nevertheless we, according
to His promise, look for the
00:39:20.42\00:39:23.66
new heavens and the new
earth, (here we go again),
00:39:23.69\00:39:26.09
the new heavens
and the new earth,
00:39:26.13\00:39:28.16
wherein dwelleth righteousness."
00:39:28.20\00:39:30.27
So what does the Scripture
really mean when it says...
00:39:30.30\00:39:33.07
"The heavens and
the earth passed away."
00:39:33.10\00:39:36.91
Well, we should talk
about it a little bit.
00:39:36.94\00:39:38.87
And let's go to Revelation 20,
I'm doing a lot of scriptures
00:39:38.91\00:39:43.08
because it's pretty
well self-explanatory,
00:39:43.11\00:39:45.58
then we'll talk
about it a little bit.
00:39:45.61\00:39:47.35
Revelation 20:11
says... "And I saw a great white
00:39:47.42\00:39:51.22
throne and Him that sat on
it from whose face the earth
00:39:51.25\00:39:55.66
and the heaven
fled away; and there was
00:39:55.69\00:39:58.43
found no place for them."
00:39:58.46\00:40:00.00
Now that's amazing... it
says the heaven and earth
00:40:00.03\00:40:03.13
couldn't face Him - they fled
away when this second coming.
00:40:03.16\00:40:08.44
Now what in the
world does that all mean?
00:40:08.47\00:40:10.07
Let's find out, it's not that
I've put in here - have no fear,
00:40:10.11\00:40:13.48
as those commercials on
television says, "There's more!"
00:40:13.54\00:40:16.81
So this is not the end of
it, we're going to find out.
00:40:16.85\00:40:19.45
The word "new" in the Greek,
I think is "kainos," (that's the
00:40:19.48\00:40:24.99
best I can do with it),
refers to something new in
00:40:25.99\00:40:28.02
quality and not in
origin and in time.
00:40:28.06\00:40:31.29
So now we're starting
to find out what happens
00:40:31.33\00:40:33.80
before the New
Jerusalem comes down to earth,
00:40:33.86\00:40:36.43
it will be purged with fire and
restored to its original state.
00:40:36.46\00:40:40.67
Okay, the fire that destroys
Satan followers will also
00:40:40.70\00:40:45.01
cleanse the earth for
the righteous... think about
00:40:45.04\00:40:48.61
that application.
00:40:48.64\00:40:50.01
So God will restore the
earth to its original beauty,
00:40:50.08\00:40:53.78
making the earth new again.
00:40:53.85\00:40:56.38
We're going to go, I
think it was read already,
00:40:56.42\00:40:58.29
Revelation 21:3-5...
"And I heard a loud voice
00:40:58.32\00:41:01.69
from heaven saying,
"Behold the tabernacle of God is
00:41:01.72\00:41:04.76
with man and He will dwell
with them and they shall be His
00:41:04.79\00:41:07.96
people. God, Himself will
be with them and be their God.
00:41:08.00\00:41:11.70
And God will wipe away
every (listen to this)...
00:41:11.73\00:41:14.44
God will wipe
away how much tears?
00:41:14.47\00:41:16.40
Every tear from their eyes.
00:41:16.44\00:41:18.44
There shall be no
more death, no more sorrow,
00:41:18.47\00:41:22.18
no more crying.
00:41:22.21\00:41:23.61
There shall be no more
pain, for the former things
00:41:23.65\00:41:26.68
have passed away.
00:41:26.72\00:41:28.28
Then He who sat on the
throne said, "Behold, I make
00:41:28.32\00:41:31.52
all things new."
00:41:31.55\00:41:33.32
Is this incredible or what?
00:41:33.36\00:41:34.69
"He said to me,
"Write, for these words
00:41:34.72\00:41:37.49
are true and faithful."
00:41:37.53\00:41:39.39
So we're talking about
these heavens - the former,
00:41:39.43\00:41:41.66
everything passed away,
but I want to talk a little
00:41:41.70\00:41:45.10
bit to you here,
the few minutes I have,
00:41:45.13\00:41:47.40
about how many
heavens there are.
00:41:47.47\00:41:50.44
Well, the Jews saw
three heavens, maybe that's
00:41:50.47\00:41:54.44
what I see too here.
00:41:54.48\00:41:55.81
The Bible writers refer
to three different areas
00:41:55.84\00:41:58.25
when using the word "heaven."
00:41:58.28\00:42:00.12
The first heaven consists
of the earth's atmosphere.
00:42:00.15\00:42:03.42
That's where the clouds
are and the birds are flying,
00:42:03.49\00:42:06.39
and so remember in Genesis
when God created the heaven
00:42:06.42\00:42:09.49
between the waters,
okay, that's the atmosphere.
00:42:09.52\00:42:12.49
You'll also remember, in 2
Peter 2, the apostle writes
00:42:12.53\00:42:16.26
that the heaven shall dissolve.
00:42:16.30\00:42:18.37
So it's talking about the
first heaven - the atmosphere
00:42:18.40\00:42:21.00
around the earth and
not where God dwells.
00:42:21.04\00:42:23.41
The second heaven, then,
is where the sun, the moon,
00:42:23.47\00:42:26.84
and the stars, and the
galaxies all hang suspended
00:42:26.88\00:42:30.71
by God - isn't that amazing!
00:42:30.75\00:42:32.21
They're all just
hanging there suspended.
00:42:32.25\00:42:34.52
Now the third heaven is
the dwelling place of God...
00:42:34.55\00:42:37.55
So when Paul said he
was caught up into the
00:42:37.59\00:42:39.49
third heaven, he's
referring to the paradise,
00:42:39.52\00:42:42.06
the very dwelling place
of God, so when we say...
00:42:42.09\00:42:45.43
"Our Father
which art in heaven,"
00:42:45.46\00:42:47.76
that's the place
that we're talking about.
00:42:47.76\00:42:49.56
So, to me, where is heaven?
00:42:49.60\00:42:51.47
God's home will be
among His people. Amen!
00:42:51.53\00:42:54.64
So it says, "The sorrows of
the world will be passed away
00:42:54.67\00:42:58.64
and will no
longer come to mind."
00:42:58.67\00:43:01.04
There are so many beautiful
Scriptures that we can go on.
00:43:01.08\00:43:03.85
I've got a couple of minutes
left, I'm going to hit a couple.
00:43:03.88\00:43:06.51
This is Isaiah 65:17-19...
"For behold I create new
00:43:06.55\00:43:11.85
heavens and a new
earth; And the former shall not
00:43:11.89\00:43:14.26
be remembered,
nor come into mind.
00:43:14.29\00:43:16.22
But be ye glad and
rejoice forever in that which
00:43:16.26\00:43:19.06
I create; for, behold, I
create Jerusalem a rejoicing,
00:43:19.09\00:43:22.80
and her people a joy.
00:43:22.83\00:43:24.87
And I will rejoice in
Jerusalem, and joy in my
00:43:24.90\00:43:27.84
people; and the voice
of weeping shall be no more
00:43:27.87\00:43:30.77
heard in her, nor the
voice of crying." Amen!
00:43:30.81\00:43:34.48
Some years ago, I was
thinking about heaven, John,
00:43:34.51\00:43:37.78
and I wrote a song entitled,
"Heaven Means Home to Me,"
00:43:37.81\00:43:41.38
and as I thought about
it, it's very interesting
00:43:41.42\00:43:44.29
and you put it into
what we've just been reading,
00:43:44.32\00:43:46.59
the Lord gave me
the words, I know that,
00:43:46.62\00:43:48.36
I couldn't come up with
them, but I said in this song,
00:43:48.39\00:43:51.86
I was sitting around one
evening playing the guitar,
00:43:51.89\00:43:53.86
"I'm longing for a place I've
never been, yet it's a place
00:43:53.90\00:43:57.63
I call home."
00:43:57.67\00:43:59.50
Now that sounds, in the
human mind, the fleshly mind,
00:43:59.53\00:44:04.47
that doesn't make
sense... "I'm long for a place
00:44:04.51\00:44:06.54
I've never been, yet
it's a place that I call home
00:44:06.57\00:44:09.91
where the Lamb is the
light in the midst of the night,
00:44:09.94\00:44:12.98
heaven means home to me."
00:44:13.01\00:44:14.65
So the chorus is:
"Heaven means home to me;
00:44:14.68\00:44:16.69
Where Jesus is;
That's where I want to be.
00:44:16.72\00:44:19.52
No more dying up there;
This old world can't compare;
00:44:19.55\00:44:22.42
That's why heaven
means home to me."
00:44:22.46\00:44:25.06
I had a friend that used to
play music with my dad years ago
00:44:25.09\00:44:28.83
and he wasn't a Christian,
and he always wanted me
00:44:28.86\00:44:32.07
to go out and play in the
clubs with my dad and when
00:44:32.10\00:44:35.67
Melody was young, he
said, "You gotta forget about
00:44:35.70\00:44:38.91
all this stuff, you
could make some good money,"
00:44:38.94\00:44:40.78
and I said, "Jack, you know
00:44:40.84\00:44:42.44
we're Christians
and we don't do that."
00:44:42.48\00:44:44.35
But he said, "Danny,
let me ask you a question...
00:44:44.38\00:44:46.58
I've been wanting to ask
you this for a long time."
00:44:46.61\00:44:48.92
"What if you get to the end
of the road and you find out
00:44:48.95\00:44:53.12
there's no God?
00:44:53.15\00:44:54.49
What if you get to the end of
the road and there's nothing?"
00:44:54.52\00:44:57.59
I said, "Well, two
things I can think of...
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.39
One is, if that's the case,
then I won't know it, right?
00:44:59.43\00:45:04.27
But let me ask
you this question...
00:45:04.30\00:45:06.30
What if you get to the
end of the road and there is a
00:45:06.33\00:45:08.77
heaven and there is a hell,
there is a God and you've not
00:45:08.80\00:45:12.11
prepared to meet Him?"
00:45:12.14\00:45:13.78
So my question today is...
for each and every one of us,
00:45:13.81\00:45:16.95
"Does heaven
really mean home to us?"
00:45:16.98\00:45:19.68
"How much do we love Jesus?"
00:45:19.71\00:45:21.28
Let's submit and
commit our lives to Him today.
00:45:21.32\00:45:24.45
Amen! Amen!
AMEN! Praise the Lord!
00:45:24.49\00:45:27.06
Appreciate you
setting that up for me.
00:45:27.09\00:45:28.42
Well, put on your seatbelts
because I'm going to take you
00:45:28.46\00:45:33.70
on a nice little tour through
this New Jerusalem. Okay!
00:45:33.73\00:45:37.73
And I'm so excited about this,
pray for that clock because
00:45:37.77\00:45:40.90
I don't have enough time
to say all that I want to say.
00:45:40.94\00:45:43.67
Anyways, I want to start
with the verse that we have
00:45:43.71\00:45:46.21
mentioned this entire
time, probably multiple times
00:45:46.24\00:45:49.84
throughout this
particular lesson.
00:45:49.88\00:45:51.51
John 14:1-3, notice
what the Bible says...
00:45:51.55\00:45:55.72
"Let not your heart be troubled,
(this is Christ speaking,
00:45:55.75\00:45:57.99
a beautiful promise) you believe
in God, believe also in Me.
00:45:58.02\00:46:00.19
In My Father's
house are many mansions.
00:46:01.12\00:46:03.76
If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:46:03.79\00:46:06.33
I go to prepare a place for
you, (now I want you to remember
00:46:06.36\00:46:10.60
those words), I go to
prepare a place for you,
00:46:10.67\00:46:13.17
and if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again
00:46:13.20\00:46:16.30
and receive to Myself that
where I am, (this is the key),
00:46:16.34\00:46:20.41
there you may be also."
00:46:20.48\00:46:22.41
You know, the Bible can be
summed up in just those few
00:46:22.44\00:46:24.61
words if you really
wanted to sum it up.
00:46:24.65\00:46:26.15
God desires to be with His
people and He's been so long
00:46:26.18\00:46:29.82
separated from His
people, I'm waiting for that
00:46:29.85\00:46:32.65
heavenly reunion, Amen? Amen!
00:46:32.69\00:46:34.26
And He has such a
beautiful thing waiting for us,
00:46:34.29\00:46:36.42
I want to take you on a
little tour of the Scripture;
00:46:36.46\00:46:39.59
some of the details pertaining
to this New Jerusalem,
00:46:39.63\00:46:42.30
and the wonderful things
that God has prepared for us.
00:46:42.33\00:46:44.87
I'm going to begin in Revelation
21:9, and really quickly
00:46:44.90\00:46:49.20
while you're finding that...
00:46:49.24\00:46:50.57
You know, I remember reading
a text, I believe it's in
00:46:50.61\00:46:52.87
Hebrews 11, where
it talks about Abraham.
00:46:52.91\00:46:55.91
Now we're talking about
WAY BACK in the day...Abraham,
00:46:55.94\00:46:58.41
but the Bible says, Paul wrote
under the inspiration of the
00:46:58.45\00:47:01.32
Holy Spirit, that Abraham
looked forward to a new city,
00:47:01.35\00:47:05.25
a heavenly city. That's right.
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.62
Well this is that
city - the New Jerusalem.
00:47:07.69\00:47:10.26
I'm going to start in verse
9, notice what the Bible says...
00:47:10.29\00:47:12.59
"Then one of the seven
angels who had the seven bowls
00:47:12.63\00:47:14.83
filled with the seven
last plagues came to me
00:47:14.83\00:47:17.20
and talked with me,
saying, "Come, I will show you
00:47:17.27\00:47:20.14
the bride, the Lamb's
wife." (And then we have this
00:47:20.17\00:47:24.04
beautiful
description of the city.)
00:47:24.11\00:47:25.77
So Revelation 21:10,
we'll continue on down...
00:47:25.81\00:47:28.78
And he carried me away in
the Spirit to a great and high
00:47:28.81\00:47:31.68
mountain, and showed me the
great city, the holy Jerusalem,
00:47:31.71\00:47:35.32
descending out
of heaven from God."
00:47:35.35\00:47:37.95
When I read this text,
I think of when Christ was
00:47:37.99\00:47:41.39
taken to the highest
pinnacle by Satan and Satan
00:47:41.42\00:47:44.79
offered him the
kingdoms of the world, but yet
00:47:44.83\00:47:47.40
we see here, God is offering
us the true kingdom of God.
00:47:47.50\00:47:50.83
He's taking John in
vision to a high mountain.
00:47:50.87\00:47:53.23
He's showing him the
great city, the holy Jerusalem,
00:47:53.30\00:47:55.50
descending out
of heaven from God.
00:47:55.54\00:47:57.47
Notice verse 11... "Having
the glory of God, her light was
00:47:57.51\00:48:01.74
like a most precious
stone, like a jasper stone,
00:48:01.78\00:48:05.31
clear as crystal."
00:48:05.35\00:48:06.68
Now I have to re-mention
what you said earlier...
00:48:06.75\00:48:08.18
I think it was either 1 or 2
Corinthians 2:9, where it says,
00:48:08.22\00:48:12.32
"Eyes have not seen, ears
have not heard, nor has it
00:48:12.35\00:48:15.46
entered into the heart of man
what God has prepared for us."
00:48:15.49\00:48:18.03
You know, I read
through these texts and I try to
00:48:18.06\00:48:19.79
kind of paint in my own mind,
a picture of what it looks like.
00:48:20.83\00:48:24.10
I think of verse 11 here... I
could just imagine as John was
00:48:24.17\00:48:27.04
seeing that New Jerusalem,
come down out of heaven.
00:48:27.07\00:48:31.21
It says it was like
jasper stone, clear as crystal.
00:48:31.24\00:48:34.41
Could you imagine all of the
incredible holy lights that were
00:48:34.44\00:48:37.35
being refracted and
reflected and bouncing just off
00:48:37.38\00:48:40.62
every little thing -
just a marvelous sight.
00:48:40.65\00:48:42.65
In fact, Satan is going to get
to see that because remember,
00:48:42.68\00:48:46.45
he's in darkness for a
thousand years. That's right.
00:48:46.49\00:48:48.59
You could imagine, he's
roaming around in complete
00:48:48.62\00:48:50.83
darkness, probably can't see
his hand in front of his face,
00:48:50.86\00:48:53.53
but yet, at the end
of the thousand years,
00:48:53.60\00:48:55.20
a BIG night light is
turned on and he can just see it
00:48:55.23\00:48:58.13
coming down out
of heaven from God.
00:48:58.17\00:49:00.60
It's going to be incredible
when we get to see this.
00:49:00.67\00:49:03.17
Notice verse 12... "Also,
she had a great and high wall
00:49:03.20\00:49:07.61
with 12 gates and 12
angels at the gates and names
00:49:07.64\00:49:10.78
written on them
which are the names of the
00:49:10.81\00:49:12.95
12 tribes of the
children of Israel.
00:49:12.98\00:49:15.02
So for every tribe of Israel,
there will be, obviously,
00:49:15.05\00:49:19.42
a gate and, of course, you will
notice as we go into verse 13,
00:49:19.45\00:49:23.09
notice what it says... Three
gates on the east, three gates
00:49:23.12\00:49:25.33
on the north,
three gates on the south
00:49:25.36\00:49:27.50
and three gates on the west.
00:49:27.56\00:49:28.86
So this is actually kind of
set up like the camp of Israel.
00:49:28.90\00:49:31.90
If you go back and
study the Old Testament,
00:49:31.93\00:49:33.34
all of the 12 tribes of Israel,
there were camps, and of course,
00:49:33.37\00:49:37.01
the camp was kind of
set up in like a square
00:49:37.04\00:49:39.34
or kind of like a cube.
00:49:39.37\00:49:40.88
The city itself, as you're
about to see, the New Jerusalem
00:49:40.91\00:49:44.15
City is actually a
giant cube. That's right.
00:49:44.18\00:49:47.62
And of course, just kind
of like the camp, not a cube,
00:49:47.65\00:49:49.85
but more of kind of
a square formation...
00:49:49.88\00:49:51.99
There were three tribes
over here, three tribes in the
00:49:52.02\00:49:54.96
north, three tribes in the
south, three tribes in the west,
00:49:54.99\00:49:57.43
and so you will
see that that's exactly
00:49:57.46\00:49:59.19
how these gates are set up.
00:49:59.23\00:50:01.00
Verse 14, I know I'm going
fast, but I'm getting somewhere
00:50:01.06\00:50:04.03
quick because we're
going to get to the good
00:50:04.07\00:50:05.40
stuff, well all of it is good,
00:50:05.43\00:50:06.80
but there's some even
better stuff, I think.
00:50:06.84\00:50:08.17
Now the wall of the city
had 12 foundations and on them
00:50:08.20\00:50:12.81
were the names of the
12 apostles of the Lamb.
00:50:12.84\00:50:14.94
Now that has to be cool, I
can imagine James and John,
00:50:14.98\00:50:17.91
and Bartholomew, and all
of the 12 disciples - they're
00:50:17.95\00:50:20.18
going to get to walk into this
city and they're going to see
00:50:20.22\00:50:22.55
their name
inscribed, like that's powerful!
00:50:22.58\00:50:25.72
But all the 12
foundations, according to the
00:50:25.75\00:50:27.99
12 apostles, that's awesome!
00:50:28.02\00:50:29.36
They, of course,
were the leaders of the
00:50:29.39\00:50:32.23
New Testament
Church, so that's so fitting.
00:50:32.26\00:50:34.23
Notice verse 15... "And he
who talked with me had a golden
00:50:34.30\00:50:37.43
reed to measure the city,
and its gates and its walls."
00:50:37.50\00:50:40.50
Now, in Revelation 11:2,
there's a mentioning of a
00:50:40.57\00:50:45.04
measuring - of
course, the measuring of the
00:50:45.07\00:50:48.34
city there, but notice this
is the measuring of the reward
00:50:50.48\00:50:53.65
of those found
worthy in the judgment.
00:50:53.68\00:50:55.65
So now this is the
reward of those people,
00:50:55.68\00:50:57.89
there's a
measuring reed pulled out;
00:50:57.92\00:50:59.49
God is revealing
to us our reward.
00:50:59.52\00:51:01.72
Notice verse 16... "The
city is laid out as a square.
00:51:01.76\00:51:05.46
Its length is as great as
the breath and the measure
00:51:05.49\00:51:10.23
of the city with the
reed, 12 thousand furlongs,
00:51:10.27\00:51:13.90
and the length,
breath and height are equal."
00:51:13.94\00:51:16.04
Now 12 thousand furlongs, I
did a little bit of research
00:51:16.07\00:51:18.81
on this... that's
equivalent to about 1,378 miles.
00:51:18.84\00:51:24.58
Now, the text
doesn't state whether or not
00:51:24.61\00:51:27.18
it's the circumference or if
it's just the city on one side,
00:51:27.22\00:51:30.65
but if it is the circumference,
each side would be about
00:51:30.69\00:51:33.92
345 miles long. Wow!
00:51:33.96\00:51:37.13
Now I've never been to
New York, I've heard that it's
00:51:37.19\00:51:38.86
called "The Big
Apple," I've never been there.
00:51:38.89\00:51:40.46
I know Pastor John is
from New York and I've heard
00:51:40.50\00:51:42.96
you can get lost in New York.
00:51:43.00\00:51:44.67
I could imagine how big and
marvelous this city is going
00:51:44.70\00:51:47.94
to be - it's incredible.
00:51:47.97\00:51:49.30
Verse 17... "Then he
measured its wall: 140 cubits,
00:51:49.34\00:51:53.81
according to the measure of
a man, that is, of an angel."
00:51:53.84\00:51:56.68
Now a little bit of
research done here...
00:51:56.71\00:52:00.05
The basis of the New Testament
cubit was about 17-1/2 inches.
00:52:00.12\00:52:04.22
And that would mean the
walls are about 210 feet high.
00:52:04.29\00:52:08.89
So this is not your
normal average city.
00:52:08.92\00:52:11.46
This is an incredibly huge city,
and here's what's cool too...
00:52:11.49\00:52:15.33
This is verse 18... "The
construction of its walls
00:52:15.36\00:52:17.77
was as jasper and the city
was pure gold like clear glass.
00:52:17.80\00:52:23.67
So you could imagine,
everything is like translucent
00:52:23.71\00:52:26.37
and clear, and pure, and
it's just amazing the scene
00:52:26.41\00:52:30.55
that you... actually,
I'm reminded of when that
00:52:30.61\00:52:33.72
New Jerusalem City comes down,
all of God's people are on the
00:52:33.78\00:52:36.38
inside - all of the
wicked are on the outside.
00:52:36.42\00:52:39.15
You see that picture
in your mind for a moment.
00:52:39.19\00:52:42.82
You know, the
Bible says we're going to
00:52:43.12\00:52:44.46
behold the
judgment of the wicked.
00:52:44.49\00:52:45.86
You know, I can imagine
people standing on the outside
00:52:45.89\00:52:48.33
wishing that they were
in there for a moment like
00:52:48.36\00:52:50.20
you know what looking people
00:52:50.23\00:52:51.57
in the eyes... "You
know that guy gave me a
00:52:51.60\00:52:52.93
Bible Study, I
should have listened."
00:52:53.00\00:52:54.34
I can't say that that's
exactly how it's going to be,
00:52:54.37\00:52:57.44
but that's the image I get
in my mind... that those who are
00:52:57.47\00:53:00.48
on the outside -
they're going to wish that
00:53:00.51\00:53:01.84
they were on the inside.
00:53:01.88\00:53:03.21
They're going to wish that
they would have given their
00:53:03.24\00:53:04.61
heart to Jesus for all
that God has prepared for us.
00:53:04.65\00:53:07.65
Verse 19... "The foundations
of the walls and of the city
00:53:07.68\00:53:10.62
were adorned with all
kinds of precious stones,
00:53:10.69\00:53:13.22
and, of course, it lists
all of these precious stones,
00:53:13.25\00:53:15.62
and there are 12
different stones, of course,
00:53:15.66\00:53:17.89
and it reminds me of the
breastplate that the high
00:53:17.93\00:53:20.00
priest wore representing
each tribe of Israel.
00:53:20.03\00:53:24.40
And, of course, verse 21...
"The 12 gates were 12 pearls;
00:53:24.43\00:53:29.84
each individual gate was of
one pearl and the street of the
00:53:29.87\00:53:32.94
city was pure gold
like transparent glass.
00:53:32.97\00:53:37.21
I could only imagine
the size of the oyster
00:53:37.25\00:53:41.18
that that thing came out
of or the size of the clam
00:53:41.22\00:53:43.35
that the pearl came out of.
00:53:43.39\00:53:44.99
That's a huge pearl, but
the Bible says that it will be
00:53:45.02\00:53:47.99
made of a single
pearl, each individual gate.
00:53:48.02\00:53:50.79
I want to go on through
to chapter 22 or actually
00:53:50.83\00:53:56.00
read through to the
end of the chapter there.
00:53:56.03\00:53:57.60
"But I saw no temple in
it, for the Lord God Almighty
00:53:57.63\00:54:01.57
and the Lamb are its
temple. That's right.
00:54:01.60\00:54:04.31
And the city had no need
of the sun or of the moon
00:54:04.34\00:54:08.41
to shine in it, for the
glory of God illuminated it.
00:54:08.44\00:54:12.18
The Lamb is its light."
00:54:12.21\00:54:14.35
I mean, we have all this list
here... I want to read it all,
00:54:14.38\00:54:17.72
but it's true... you notice
verse 25... "And the gates
00:54:17.75\00:54:20.76
shall not be shut at all by day,
there shall be no night there."
00:54:20.79\00:54:26.39
No night... it reminds me
of that song... "No more night,
00:54:26.43\00:54:29.90
no more pain... beautiful song.
00:54:29.93\00:54:32.00
There's going to
be no night there.
00:54:32.03\00:54:33.40
The light of the city is
going to be Jesus Christ.
00:54:33.44\00:54:35.50
And I want to skip to verse 27
00:54:35.54\00:54:36.87
because I am
quickly running out of time.
00:54:36.91\00:54:38.84
Notice verse 27 and this
will probably be my last point.
00:54:38.87\00:54:41.84
"But there shall by no means
enter in anything that defiles,
00:54:41.88\00:54:47.22
or causes any abomination
or lie, but only those
00:54:47.28\00:54:50.65
who are written in
the Lamb's Book of Life."
00:54:50.69\00:54:52.69
I just have to say...
the reason why there's
00:54:52.72\00:54:54.99
going to be nothing
enter into the Kingdom of God
00:54:55.02\00:54:57.93
of defilement, no sin
will enter the Kingdom of God.
00:54:57.96\00:55:00.83
If God allowed sinners
into the Kingdom of God,
00:55:01.30\00:55:03.87
they would be miserable;
they wouldn't be happy.
00:55:03.90\00:55:06.63
And you, for sure, wouldn't
be allowed into the city
00:55:06.67\00:55:09.50
because then you would get
sunburn... "son-burn," S-O-N,
00:55:09.54\00:55:14.58
Son-burn because the Bible
says that the light of Jesus is
00:55:14.61\00:55:17.78
constant.
00:55:17.81\00:55:19.15
You know the glory
of God, sin diminishes
00:55:19.18\00:55:21.05
in the presence of God.
00:55:21.08\00:55:22.92
You know, I want to encourage
my brothers and my sisters
00:55:22.95\00:55:25.32
at home, read these chapters.
00:55:25.35\00:55:26.99
Continue to read
through chapter 22 there,
00:55:27.06\00:55:29.29
it is beautiful, you
know, "No more night," there's a
00:55:29.32\00:55:31.83
beautiful pure
river of water that
00:55:31.86\00:55:33.80
proceeds from the throne of God.
00:55:33.83\00:55:35.66
We're going to get to
eat from the Tree of Life.
00:55:35.70\00:55:37.87
I have to believe there's going
to be basketball size avocados
00:55:37.90\00:55:40.50
on that tree!
00:55:40.54\00:55:41.87
All of the wonderful things
that God has prepared for us.
00:55:41.90\00:55:44.41
And so I pray that each
and every one of us will
00:55:44.44\00:55:47.04
humble ourselves,
seek God and may we all be
00:55:47.08\00:55:50.45
in that city
together with Jesus one day.
00:55:50.51\00:55:52.68
Amen! Amen! Thank you
so much Pastor John and
00:55:52.71\00:55:55.52
Shelley, and
Danny, and Pastor Ryan.
00:55:55.55\00:55:57.62
What an incredible study!
00:55:57.65\00:55:59.05
I want to be there and we
hope and pray that you want
00:55:59.09\00:56:03.86
to be there; you want to
be a part of the 144,000;
00:56:03.89\00:56:06.86
you want to be a part of
the sealed who will stand
00:56:06.93\00:56:09.46
on that sea of glass!
00:56:09.50\00:56:11.27
I want to give each one
of you a moment to share
00:56:11.30\00:56:13.03
something in closing here.
00:56:13.07\00:56:14.80
A final invitation, Revelation
22:17... "And the Spirit
00:56:14.84\00:56:19.21
and the bride say,
"Come!" And let him who hears
00:56:19.24\00:56:22.58
say, "Come!" And let
him who thirsts come.
00:56:22.61\00:56:25.98
And whoever desires, let him
take the water of life freely."
00:56:26.01\00:56:30.09
The invitation is open today,
don't squander the invitation.
00:56:30.12\00:56:34.09
This is the moment of
salvation. Amen and Amen!
00:56:34.16\00:56:37.13
I just forgot what my
thought was... listening to you.
00:56:37.16\00:56:39.83
Essentially, when we go to
heaven, we're not going to be
00:56:39.86\00:56:43.67
floating
around, playing harps...
00:56:43.73\00:56:46.47
When Christ returns and
takes the redeemed back,
00:56:46.50\00:56:50.41
we're there for a
thousand years looking at the
00:56:50.47\00:56:54.04
records, then He comes
back, He makes this earth a
00:56:54.08\00:56:59.55
lake of fire and the
second death is when people are
00:56:59.58\00:57:04.12
thrown into that lake
of fire and then we've got
00:57:04.15\00:57:07.62
a city home and a
country home, we'll go out.
00:57:07.69\00:57:10.89
All I have to say is
this earth is a wicked place.
00:57:10.96\00:57:13.43
It's so wicked that
even when Jesus comes back,
00:57:13.46\00:57:16.30
the earth can't stand His
brightness, even the atmosphere,
00:57:16.33\00:57:19.13
the first heaven is all
destroyed because of sin.
00:57:19.17\00:57:22.30
Today it's a matter of choice.
00:57:22.34\00:57:23.81
Who are we going to serve?
00:57:23.84\00:57:25.17
Let's serve Jesus
today. Amen! Amen.
00:57:25.21\00:57:27.51
Ezekiel 33:11, God
says, "I have no pleasure in
00:57:27.58\00:57:30.85
the destruction of the wicked,
but that the wicked will turn
00:57:30.88\00:57:33.92
from their evil
ways and live." Amen!
00:57:33.95\00:57:36.35
"Great Controversy," p.
678... "The great controversy is
00:57:36.38\00:57:39.69
ended. Sin and
sinners are no more."
00:57:39.72\00:57:43.43
The entire universe is clean.
00:57:43.46\00:57:46.33
That is the inheritance of
the saints and just, right now,
00:57:46.36\00:57:50.17
make a choice and
accept Jesus into your heart.
00:57:50.23\00:57:53.50
Next week we begin a brand
new Quarter: "Family Seasons"
00:57:53.54\00:57:56.97
Bye, bye.
00:57:57.01\00:57:58.34