Welcome to 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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We're so glad you're joining
us because we do this for you.
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We're studying this
Quarter: Three Cosmic Messages
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and we're on Lesson 5 today
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which is the good
news of the judgment.
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If you've yet have gotten
your Adult Bible Study Guide,
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you can go to
3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com
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download it and join us.
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Get your
Bible... a pen and a paper
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and come study with us.
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Music...
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Shelley: Oh, we're so
glad you are joining us
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for 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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We are studying Lesson 5
of our Adult Bible Study Guide
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which is the
Three Cosmic Messages
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found in
Revelation 14:6 through 12.
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Today, we are looking at
the good news of the judgment.
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Did you know there was
good news about the judgment?
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I'm Shelley Quinn...
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let me
introduce your 3ABN family
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who is sitting at the table.
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Ryan Day, we're
glad you're here.
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Ryan: It's always a blessing
to be a part of the 3ABN
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Sabbath School Panel.
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I have Monday's Lesson entitled:
God's Mercy and Judgment.
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Shelley: And
Brother John Dinzey.
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Dinzey: It's a
blessing to be here.
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This is another powerful lesson.
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I have Tuesday: A
Magnificent Scene.
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Shelley: It's
going to be wonderful...
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Pastor James Rafferty.
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Rafferty: Good
to be here, Shelley,
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I have Wednesday's
Lesson which is entitled:
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A Glimpse of Heaven.
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Shelley: Oh wonderful!
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And my sister in
Christ, Jill Morikone.
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Jill: Thank you, Shelley,
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I have
Thursday: Jesus is Worthy.
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Shelley: You know,
each one of these lessons
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have been incredible
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and Ryan, I'm going
to ask you if you will,
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to ask God's blessing
on our discussion today.
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Ryan: Absolutely,
"Father in heaven,
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as we take a trip
into your throne room...
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as we try to
understand this judgment topic,
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Lord, we dare not take upon
this subject on our own merits
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or upon our own
ideas or thoughts.
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Lord, we ask for the Holy Spirit
to be poured out right now
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on each and every one of us,
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that we approach
this humbly with accuracy
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according to your Word
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and according to the
leadership of the Holy Spirit,
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we turn this time over to you
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and we ask this in
Jesus' holy name, amen. "
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Shelley: Amen... amen.
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The good news of judgment,
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let's begin
with Revelation 14:7,
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I know we covered
this in our last lesson,
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but we're going to take today...
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we're going to
explore the deeper themes
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of the judgment.
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So, Revelation 14:7,
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the first angel who has
already announced the gospel
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to be taken around the world,
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says with a loud voice,
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"Fear God and give glory to Him,
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for the hour of
His judgment has come;
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and worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
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the sea and the
springs of water. "
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So, as we look at judgment
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in relation to
the great controversy
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and everything that's going
on and raging in the universe,
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we know that there is an
inevitable judgment to come.
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You know Paul in Acts 24:25,
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he was talking with Felix
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and reasoning about
God's love and righteousness
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and the judgment to come.
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What did Felix do?
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"Oh well, go away,
I'll think about this
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and maybe come back
to it at a later day. "
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But here's what I just
wanted to impress again
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and I know we're
saying this every time,
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because it is so true.
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God's nature is unselfish love.
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It is centered on
others... His love.
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He operates not by
the power of control
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but by the power of love.
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That is how His
government operates
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and you know what?
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He established
boundaries for human behavior.
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What parent loves a child
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and doesn't establish
good healthy boundaries?
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So, what God did with His
law... His Ten Commandments,
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which I think of His...
as His Charter of Rights
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for His government of love.
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He put boundaries
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that protects our
relationship with Him
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and gives Him the due that is...
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is due Him...
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due that's due Him...
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Panel: Laughter.
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Shelley: And He
put these boundaries
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around our behavior
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so it would protect
the rights of all humans.
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To ignore His
boundaries is to act lawless
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as if, He has no law
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and 1st John 3:4 said,
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"sin is lawlessness. "
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So, God is just...
what does that mean?
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when we say, "God is just. "
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We know He is... He is love,
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we know He's
light and righteous...
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but what does
it mean to be just?
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It means to be
absolutely good...
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to be fair-minded,
virtuous, impartial,
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honest,
incorruptible, trustworthy
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and righteous.
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God is a God of justice.
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He is consistent
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in the Old Testament and the New
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and that might
surprise you if you've never...
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sometimes, people read His
warnings in the Old Testament
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and think, "Ooooh!
God was being so harsh. "
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No, He was... He's
always been a God of judgment
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because justice
requires judgment.
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Ecclesiastes 12:14 says,
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"God is going to bring
every work into judgment,
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including every secret thing,
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whether good or evil. "
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Paul says in Romans 14:12,
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"Each one of us... " he says,
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"shall give an
account of himself to God. "
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Justice requires
judgment and what is judgment?
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It is a legal transaction
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that demands our heavenly Father
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is either going to levy
one of two possible verdicts.
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To go into judgment means first,
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there are two ways
that this can turn out.
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One: you can be condemned.
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An accused person
that's found guilty...
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God declares them guilty
and worthy of punishment.
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Or, the much preferable
way is to be justified
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and that is a legal transaction
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where God looks at us
and by righteousness...
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through righteousness
by faith in Christ Jesus,
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He pronounces an
acquittal of the charges
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because He sees
no forensic evidence
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that when we are in Christ,
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it blots out that
record of our sins
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and He makes the
official declaration
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that we're innocent.
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In 1st Timothy 2:3 and 4,
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Paul tells... he's
writing to Timothy,
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and he says, "God our Savior,
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desires all men to be saved
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and to come to the
knowledge of the truth. "
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And then we see God's
words in Ezekiel 33:11,
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and God says, "As I
live, says the Lord God,
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I have no pleasure in
the death of the wicked,
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but that the wicked
would turn from his way... "
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turn... repent...
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be converted...
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"and live. Turn,
turn from your evil ways!
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For why should you die?"
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You know, God in Christ
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sacrificed Himself
to pay sin's penalty.
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He became... He
suffered and He died.
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Why?
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To uphold the
righteous law of God.
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If God was going to do away
with His Charter of Rights...
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with His Ten Commandments,
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then, Christ died in vain.
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Ryan: That's right.
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Shelley: So, He
became our substitute
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because we're
guilty of breaking the law.
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He was sinless and
He makes it possible
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as Paul writes in Romans 3:26,
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that God can remain just
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because He came down
and showed it can be done
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but He's also the justifier
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of the one who
has faith in Jesus.
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So, God's love and His holiness
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demand justice.
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We all want justice
when a wrong is done,
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don't we?
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God's love
demands mercy and grace
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and someone has
said this clever quote,
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I love it...
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Justice is
receiving what we deserve.
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Mercy is not
receiving what we deserve.
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But grace is receiving
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what we
absolutely don't deserve.
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None of us deserve
God's grace but I'm so glad
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that He is a God of grace.
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When we are in Christ,
the good news of the judgment
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is that we don't
have to fear the judgment.
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Let's look at Daniel
chapter 7 and verse 22,
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Daniel 7:22, boy!
I've got to hurry,
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"until the Ancient of Days came"
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He's watching...
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"until the Ancient of Days came,
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and a judgment was made
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in favor of the
saints of the Most High,
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and the time came for the
saints to possess the kingdom. "
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What is the significance
of the judgment hour?
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Sunday's Lesson... I'm going
to read what Mark Finley wrote.
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"The Bible's
last book, Revelation,
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focuses on the culmination
of the age-long controversy
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between good and evil.
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Lucifer, a rebel angel,
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challenged the justice,
fairness, and wisdom of God.
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He claimed that God
was unfair and unjust
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in a way that He
administered the universe.
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And Revelation's final judgment
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is at the very
center of this conflict
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over the character of God. "
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So, let's return...
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we're going to re-read
the first angel's message,
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Revelation 14:6 through 7,
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John is in vision, he says,
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"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
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having the everlasting gospel
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to preach to those
who dwell on the earth...
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to every nation,
tongue, tribe and people... "
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so the everlasting
gospel is the foundation...
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righteousness by faith
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is the foundation of
the three angels' message
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and then he says, "Fear
God and give glory to Him
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for the hour of His
judgment has come. "
00:12:07.06\00:12:09.99
We're living in the
judgment hour right now.
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He says, "Worship Him
who made heaven, and earth,
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and the sea, and
the springs of water. "
00:12:16.80\00:12:20.07
Do you realize
the everlasting gospel
00:12:20.10\00:12:23.37
and judgment are inseparable?
00:12:23.41\00:12:26.07
They're intertwined
and it's good news for us
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because if you're in Christ...
judgment reveals God's grace,
00:12:29.24\00:12:34.12
His mercy, and His justice.
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It reveals His power to deliver
00:12:37.92\00:12:41.56
and it speaks of His
moral code of love...
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the Ten Commandments.
00:12:46.33\00:12:47.66
Mark Finley said,
"In the Great Controversy
00:12:47.70\00:12:49.96
between good and
evil in the universe,
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God answered Satan's
charges on the cross,
00:12:52.73\00:12:55.40
but in the judgment,
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He reveals that He has
done everything possible
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to save us and
lead us to the cross. "
00:13:02.01\00:13:05.15
I want to read what David wrote.
00:13:05.18\00:13:08.25
This is his psalm of repentance.
00:13:08.28\00:13:11.32
Psalm 51:1 through 4,
00:13:11.35\00:13:13.82
He says, "Have
mercy on me, O God,
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.92
according to
Your lovingkindness;
00:13:15.99\00:13:17.99
according to the multitude
of Your tender mercies,
00:13:18.03\00:13:20.86
blot out my transgressions.
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Wash me
thoroughly from my iniquity,
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cleanse me from my sin.
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For I acknowledge
my transgressions,
00:13:29.37\00:13:32.54
and my sin is always before me.
00:13:32.57\00:13:35.21
Against You, You
only, have I sinned,
00:13:35.24\00:13:37.91
and done this
evil in Your sight...
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that you may be
found just when You speak,
00:13:40.62\00:13:43.75
and blameless when you judge. "
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When you confess
your sin as David did,
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God is faithful and just
to forgive you of your sin
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and He will cleanse you
00:13:53.56\00:13:55.86
of all unrighteousness.
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Panel: Amen.
00:13:58.17\00:13:59.50
Shelley: Judgment simply reveals
if we've responded to God's love
00:13:59.53\00:14:05.27
and the wooing
of the Holy Spirit.
00:14:05.34\00:14:07.34
Ryan: Hmmm...
amen, very well put,
00:14:07.38\00:14:09.31
thank you,
Shelley, so much for that.
00:14:09.34\00:14:11.18
My name is Ryan Day
and I have Monday's Lesson
00:14:11.21\00:14:13.35
entitled: God's
Mercy and Judgment
00:14:13.38\00:14:16.22
and, as always,
Pastor Mark Finley
00:14:16.25\00:14:19.05
in his beautiful
gift of being able to...
00:14:19.09\00:14:22.39
to write and express
the gospel so clearly,
00:14:22.42\00:14:24.66
he writes in the Lesson,
00:14:24.69\00:14:26.03
he says: The cross and judgment
00:14:26.06\00:14:27.63
both reveal that God
is just and merciful.
00:14:27.66\00:14:31.37
The broken law demands
the death of the sinner.
00:14:31.40\00:14:34.77
Justice declares, "The
wages of sin is death. "
00:14:34.80\00:14:38.07
Mercy responds,
00:14:38.11\00:14:40.11
"The gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord. "
00:14:40.14\00:14:44.25
Romans 6:23.
00:14:44.28\00:14:45.61
If God's law could be
changed or abolished...
00:14:45.65\00:14:47.88
this is the point,
Shelley had made earlier,
00:14:47.92\00:14:50.32
"If God's law could
be changed or abolished,
00:14:50.35\00:14:52.69
it would be totally
unnecessary for Jesus to die.
00:14:52.72\00:14:55.96
Christ's death establishes
the eternal nature of the law,
00:14:55.99\00:15:00.43
and the law is the
basis of judgment. "
00:15:00.50\00:15:03.30
And, you know, many people
have questioned that before...
00:15:03.33\00:15:05.33
you know, what are we judged by?
00:15:05.37\00:15:07.07
The Bible makes it very clear
Romans chapter 2 and verse 12,
00:15:07.10\00:15:10.61
the Bible says here, "For as
many as have sinned without law
00:15:10.64\00:15:14.08
will also perish without law,
00:15:14.14\00:15:15.48
and as many as
have sinned in the law
00:15:15.51\00:15:18.15
will be judged by the law. "
00:15:18.18\00:15:20.72
So, yes, we are
indeed judged by the law
00:15:20.75\00:15:23.35
but the lesson
brings out and asks us,
00:15:23.39\00:15:25.79
"But how are we judged
and by what are we judged?"
00:15:25.82\00:15:29.16
Obviously, it takes
a little step further
00:15:29.19\00:15:31.79
in bringing us to Revelation
chapter 20 and verse 12
00:15:31.83\00:15:34.93
where obviously, we're seeing
00:15:34.96\00:15:36.46
those final
scenes taking place there
00:15:36.50\00:15:38.67
at the end of the 1,000 years
when it's all said and done
00:15:38.70\00:15:41.80
and this old world is
beginning to pass away
00:15:41.84\00:15:44.37
on the brink of God creating
a new heaven and a new earth.
00:15:44.44\00:15:47.44
But it says right there,
00:15:47.48\00:15:48.81
Revelation
chapter 20 and verse 12,
00:15:48.84\00:15:50.71
it says, "And I saw
the dead, small and great,
00:15:50.75\00:15:53.88
standing before God,
00:15:53.92\00:15:55.58
the books were opened.
00:15:55.62\00:15:57.25
And another book was opened,
00:15:57.29\00:15:58.79
which is the Book of Life.
00:15:58.82\00:16:00.29
And the dead were judged
according to their works,
00:16:00.32\00:16:04.59
by the things which
were written in the books. "
00:16:04.63\00:16:08.06
I've always found that
to be fascinating because
00:16:08.10\00:16:11.47
you read the book of Revelation
00:16:11.50\00:16:13.57
and, you know,
the book Revelation
00:16:13.60\00:16:15.34
of course,
starts out wonderfully
00:16:15.37\00:16:17.04
in taking us
through the different ages
00:16:17.07\00:16:20.54
from the... from
the Apostolic Age
00:16:20.58\00:16:23.38
all the way to our current time
00:16:23.41\00:16:25.01
and it's interesting
that to every single church,
00:16:25.05\00:16:27.48
Jesus says to them,
00:16:27.52\00:16:28.95
"Not I know your faith... "
00:16:28.98\00:16:30.85
you know, it's interesting
00:16:30.89\00:16:32.45
because we think of
Ephesians chapter 2,
00:16:32.49\00:16:33.92
which I want to read
in just a few moments,
00:16:33.96\00:16:35.66
you know, because...
well, let's read it now,
00:16:35.69\00:16:37.36
Ephesians chapter 2
verses 8 through 10,
00:16:37.39\00:16:38.93
people think of this
text and it's a powerful text,
00:16:38.96\00:16:41.50
there's a powerful truth in it
00:16:41.53\00:16:42.86
but we have to understand
from a balanced perspective
00:16:42.90\00:16:45.33
what relationship does
works play in our salvation?
00:16:45.37\00:16:47.90
Many people's
answer to that question is,
00:16:47.94\00:16:49.84
works plays no role.
00:16:49.90\00:16:51.24
We're not saved by works,
00:16:51.27\00:16:52.61
therefore, works
has no importance at all
00:16:52.64\00:16:54.91
in the
relationship of... of salvation
00:16:54.94\00:16:57.25
or in our
salvational walk with God.
00:16:57.28\00:16:59.25
Ephesians chapter
2 verses 8 and 10,
00:16:59.31\00:17:01.25
this is that powerful
text which declares to us
00:17:01.28\00:17:04.02
"For by grace, you have
been saved through faith... "
00:17:04.05\00:17:06.76
okay... so, by
grace through faith,
00:17:06.79\00:17:10.26
"and not of yourselves;
00:17:10.29\00:17:11.76
it is the gift of God,
00:17:11.79\00:17:13.23
not of works, lest
anyone should boast. "
00:17:13.26\00:17:15.96
That's a powerful truth.
00:17:16.00\00:17:17.33
Praise God that
we're not saved by works.
00:17:17.37\00:17:19.10
It goes on to say though,
00:17:19.13\00:17:20.64
"For we are His workmanship,
00:17:20.70\00:17:22.20
created in Christ
Jesus for good works... "
00:17:22.24\00:17:25.57
which is the response
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.18
of being saved by
grace through faith,
00:17:27.21\00:17:28.61
"which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them. "
00:17:28.64\00:17:32.48
Many people say because
we're not saved by works
00:17:32.51\00:17:35.08
and we're saved by
grace through faith,
00:17:35.12\00:17:37.15
for the "works"
plays no role at all,
00:17:37.19\00:17:39.12
and it's interesting that you
go back to those seven churches,
00:17:39.15\00:17:42.49
Jesus could have said,
"You know, I know your faith,
00:17:42.52\00:17:44.33
I know your faith...
00:17:44.36\00:17:45.69
I know your faith,
00:17:45.73\00:17:47.06
I know your faith.
00:17:47.10\00:17:48.43
But He says each and every time,
00:17:48.46\00:17:49.80
"I know your works... "
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.17
"Wait a second, Jesus, if
we're not saved by our works
00:17:51.20\00:17:52.90
we're saved by
grace through faith,
00:17:52.93\00:17:54.30
then, why in the world would you
be concerned about our works?"
00:17:54.34\00:17:56.71
Well, that's the question
that Mark Finley is asking
00:17:56.74\00:17:58.84
in this particular lesson here,
00:17:58.87\00:18:00.21
is what
relationship does "works" play
00:18:00.24\00:18:02.24
in our salvation?
00:18:02.28\00:18:03.61
We just learned in
Ephesians, while we're not saved
00:18:03.65\00:18:05.45
by our works and we are indeed
saved by grace through faith,
00:18:05.48\00:18:08.62
we are created for good works
00:18:08.65\00:18:10.52
and, of course, as we read,
I think, in a previous lesson,
00:18:10.55\00:18:12.79
we are told in
Romans chapter 1 verse 5,
00:18:12.85\00:18:15.42
that it is... it is obviously...
00:18:15.46\00:18:17.33
through the grace...
00:18:17.36\00:18:19.39
through the grace
that we're received by God,
00:18:19.43\00:18:22.03
it is for obedience that
we've received that grace,
00:18:22.06\00:18:24.27
in other words,
00:18:24.33\00:18:25.67
the response for the grace
that we have been saved by,
00:18:25.70\00:18:27.70
through the faith
that we have expressed,
00:18:27.74\00:18:29.40
genuinely in Christ Jesus,
00:18:29.44\00:18:31.51
the... the
natural results of that...
00:18:31.57\00:18:33.84
the... the testimony that tells
the genuineness of that faith
00:18:33.88\00:18:37.68
is indeed our works.
00:18:37.71\00:18:39.45
This is exactly what James is
expressing in James chapter 2,
00:18:39.51\00:18:43.02
and I've some of
my brethren in church
00:18:43.05\00:18:44.95
that have told me before,
"Well, James chapter 2...
00:18:44.99\00:18:47.36
Ephesians 2...
00:18:47.39\00:18:48.72
well, the James
contradicts Paul. "
00:18:48.76\00:18:50.09
No, it doesn't.
00:18:50.13\00:18:51.46
If you read James chapter 2,
00:18:51.49\00:18:52.83
you'll see that he's
simply just adding to
00:18:52.86\00:18:54.20
and further clarifying
00:18:54.23\00:18:55.56
the relationship of
grace and works here
00:18:55.60\00:18:57.87
so, James chapter 2, I'm
not going to read it all,
00:18:57.90\00:18:59.53
but I'm going to
start reading in verse 14,
00:18:59.57\00:19:01.10
and notice what it says here,
00:19:01.14\00:19:02.47
this is James 2
beginning in verse 14,
00:19:02.50\00:19:04.64
it says, "What does
it profit my brethren,
00:19:04.67\00:19:07.21
if someone says he has
faith but does not have works?"
00:19:07.24\00:19:10.85
In other words,
he's simply asking
00:19:10.88\00:19:12.48
again, not trying to
trash the concept of faith,
00:19:12.51\00:19:14.58
he's simply saying,
"There's people out there
00:19:14.62\00:19:16.69
that say, 'Oh, I
believe in God...
00:19:16.72\00:19:18.05
I already have
faith in the Lord,
00:19:18.09\00:19:19.42
I have faith
that He's my Savior,
00:19:19.45\00:19:20.79
I have faith that He
died for me on the cross,
00:19:20.82\00:19:22.29
I have faith in
what He has done for me,
00:19:22.32\00:19:24.59
and that's all that I need. '"
00:19:24.63\00:19:25.96
And so, he says, "But
if you don't have works,
00:19:25.99\00:19:28.10
what does it profit you?
00:19:28.16\00:19:29.53
Can faith save him?"
00:19:29.56\00:19:30.90
Can just your declaration alone
00:19:30.93\00:19:32.77
or your... your... your
words that you believe in Him,
00:19:32.80\00:19:35.40
maybe your mental
acceptance that Christ indeed
00:19:35.44\00:19:38.34
is who He says He is
00:19:38.37\00:19:39.71
or He has done what
He says He has done?
00:19:39.74\00:19:41.28
Is that enough to save him?
00:19:41.31\00:19:43.18
Notice what he goes on to
say in verses 15 and onward,
00:19:43.21\00:19:45.21
he said, "If a
brother or sister is naked
00:19:45.25\00:19:47.75
and destitute of daily food,
00:19:47.78\00:19:49.72
and one of you says to them,
00:19:49.75\00:19:51.55
'Depart in peace,
be warmed and filled,'
00:19:51.59\00:19:54.02
but you do not
give them the things
00:19:54.06\00:19:56.49
which are needed for the body,
00:19:56.52\00:19:57.86
what does it profit?
00:19:57.89\00:19:59.23
Thus also faith by itself,
00:19:59.26\00:20:01.26
if it does not
have works, is dead. "
00:20:01.30\00:20:03.13
In other words, you've heard
these people a lot of times,
00:20:03.16\00:20:05.00
sometimes we...
00:20:05.03\00:20:06.37
and I'm just going to
kind of level with this here
00:20:06.40\00:20:07.74
for a moment,
00:20:07.80\00:20:09.14
sometimes, we
destroy our witness
00:20:09.17\00:20:11.01
and, therefore, the
genuineness of our faith
00:20:11.07\00:20:13.51
really comes forward whether
it's genuine or not genuine.
00:20:13.58\00:20:15.94
If someone comes to us and says,
00:20:15.98\00:20:17.41
"Hey, you know, I
really need help in this area
00:20:17.45\00:20:19.05
or this help and
it's something we can do
00:20:19.08\00:20:21.18
but we say, "Ooooooh,
brothers, and sisters,
00:20:21.25\00:20:23.32
I'll pray for you... "
00:20:23.35\00:20:24.69
you know... "The Lord
will take care of you,
00:20:24.72\00:20:26.05
you'll be in my prayers... "
00:20:26.09\00:20:27.42
but oftentimes, you know,
God has given us the ability
00:20:27.46\00:20:29.69
to, perhaps, help
our brothers and sisters
00:20:29.72\00:20:31.96
and put forward in those works
00:20:31.99\00:20:34.06
to show forth the genuineness
of the faith that we do have
00:20:34.10\00:20:37.47
in Jesus Christ.
00:20:37.50\00:20:38.83
It goes on to say in verse 18,
00:20:38.87\00:20:40.57
"But someone will say,
00:20:40.60\00:20:41.94
'You have faith,
and I have works. '
00:20:41.97\00:20:43.77
Show me your faith
without your works,
00:20:43.81\00:20:45.31
and I will show you
my faith by my works. "
00:20:45.34\00:20:48.34
Verse 23 now, it says,
00:20:48.38\00:20:50.51
"And the Scripture
was fulfilled which says,
00:20:50.55\00:20:52.21
'Abraham believed God,
00:20:52.25\00:20:53.58
and it was accounted to
him, for righteousness. '"
00:20:53.62\00:20:56.58
But did Abraham just
simply make a mental exception,
00:20:56.62\00:20:59.75
acceptance of God?
00:20:59.79\00:21:01.12
"Oh yes, Lord, I know
You're speaking to me,
00:21:01.16\00:21:02.69
I know You've
told me You're my God
00:21:02.72\00:21:04.29
but that's all I need. "
00:21:04.33\00:21:05.69
No, no, no... it goes on to say,
00:21:05.73\00:21:07.23
"And he was
called the friend of God.
00:21:07.26\00:21:09.56
You see then that this
man is justified by works,
00:21:09.63\00:21:12.07
and not by faith alone. "
00:21:12.13\00:21:13.47
Abraham put forward...
he put forward his works
00:21:13.50\00:21:16.27
that showed the
genuineness of his faith
00:21:16.30\00:21:18.37
and his acceptance of
God as the one true God.
00:21:18.41\00:21:21.08
Verse 25, it says, "Likewise,
was not Rahab the harlot
00:21:21.11\00:21:24.98
also justified by works
when she received the messengers
00:21:25.01\00:21:28.78
and sent them out another way?
00:21:28.82\00:21:30.42
For as the body
without the spirit is dead,
00:21:30.45\00:21:33.19
so faith without
works is dead also. "
00:21:33.22\00:21:36.86
And so, you know, people...
00:21:36.89\00:21:38.36
some people have this mentality
00:21:38.39\00:21:39.83
that, "You know what?
00:21:39.86\00:21:41.20
Do... do nothing because Christ
has already done it all. "
00:21:41.23\00:21:43.93
I've heard people say this,
"I don't have to do anything...
00:21:43.97\00:21:46.70
I don't have to do any work
00:21:46.74\00:21:48.07
because I'm not
saved by my works,
00:21:48.10\00:21:49.44
Christ has done it all
for me... that's all I need
00:21:49.47\00:21:51.64
and I just need to
believe that and accept that. "
00:21:51.67\00:21:54.11
And while that is a
major portion I think of...
00:21:54.14\00:21:56.54
of our faith and
our understanding
00:21:56.58\00:21:58.41
and who God is and
what He has done for us,
00:21:58.48\00:22:00.42
is accepting for sure
00:22:00.45\00:22:01.78
that we can do
nothing in and of ourselves
00:22:01.85\00:22:03.85
to gain salvation...
00:22:03.89\00:22:05.22
that we cannot add
anything to the work of Christ,
00:22:05.25\00:22:07.56
and the work of the cross
and the plan of redemption
00:22:07.59\00:22:10.13
that only Jesus could fulfill.
00:22:10.19\00:22:12.06
Yes, when we truly believe that
00:22:12.09\00:22:13.90
and we truly
believe in Christ Jesus,
00:22:13.93\00:22:15.63
the lesson is simply
highlighting and emphasizing the
00:22:15.66\00:22:18.77
fact that each and every one of
us... if we say that we are in
00:22:18.80\00:22:22.17
Christ, we should
do something about it
00:22:22.20\00:22:23.97
that it plays a healthy role.
00:22:24.01\00:22:25.77
I remember years ago,
00:22:25.81\00:22:27.18
I was... I just
learned... not just learned
00:22:27.21\00:22:29.41
but I had been studying
the truth of the Sabbath
00:22:29.44\00:22:30.91
for many months
00:22:30.95\00:22:32.28
and... and I was so
excited about this new truth
00:22:32.31\00:22:34.92
that I had learned
00:22:34.98\00:22:36.32
and I decided...
00:22:36.35\00:22:37.69
I should go back to some
of my Sunday-keeping pastors
00:22:37.72\00:22:39.05
and ministers and
Sunday School teachers...
00:22:39.09\00:22:41.09
so, I went back to
one of my most respected
00:22:41.12\00:22:43.09
Sunday-School teachers in...
in the Sunday-keeping church,
00:22:43.12\00:22:45.86
and I remember telling
him the story and how...
00:22:45.89\00:22:48.23
how I've learned this new
information of the Sabbath,
00:22:48.26\00:22:50.67
and I was sharing it with him,
00:22:50.70\00:22:52.30
and this is a guy I
greatly respected...
00:22:52.33\00:22:54.20
so kind, so calm, so
loving all the time, you know,
00:22:54.24\00:22:57.77
he's just one of those
guys you could just go to
00:22:57.81\00:22:59.81
and talk to and
just open up to...
00:22:59.84\00:23:01.71
just a wonderful guy
00:23:01.74\00:23:03.08
but as I began to share with him
00:23:03.11\00:23:04.45
what the Bible
teaches about the Sabbath,
00:23:04.48\00:23:06.41
this brother's attitude changed
and he responded to me...
00:23:06.45\00:23:09.28
"You've got a
veil over your eyes...
00:23:09.32\00:23:11.15
you've got a
cloak over your eyes...
00:23:11.19\00:23:12.95
depart from me, Satan,
trying to put me under works. "
00:23:12.99\00:23:15.92
Panel: Hmmm...
00:23:15.96\00:23:17.29
Ryan: Again, the idea that...
"I don't have to do anything...
00:23:17.33\00:23:19.89
you're trying to
put me under the law...
00:23:19.93\00:23:21.93
you're... you're putting them
under the works of the law... "
00:23:21.96\00:23:23.93
when in reality, I
wasn't communicating
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.90
that we're saved by the Sabbath,
00:23:25.93\00:23:27.54
we're saved by works...
00:23:27.57\00:23:28.90
but that yet because I am saved,
00:23:28.94\00:23:30.27
I want to keep His commandments
00:23:30.31\00:23:31.84
because I love Him.
00:23:31.87\00:23:33.21
And, of course, this is
what the lesson brings out.
00:23:33.24\00:23:34.94
It says, "Our good works
empowered by the Holy Spirit,
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.18
does not save us
00:23:37.21\00:23:38.68
but they do testify
that our faith is genuine.
00:23:38.71\00:23:41.88
God's final judgment
strips away all pretense...
00:23:41.92\00:23:45.05
all hypocrisy...
00:23:45.09\00:23:46.42
all falsehood...
00:23:46.45\00:23:47.79
and pierces into the
very depth of our being. "
00:23:47.82\00:23:51.16
I want to finish
with this quote here.
00:23:51.19\00:23:52.59
I don't know if I'll be able
to have time to read it all,
00:23:52.63\00:23:54.53
but this comes from
Testimonies for the Church,
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.46
volume 5, page 471 and 472.
00:23:56.50\00:23:59.63
It says "The fact that
they acknowledged the...
00:23:59.67\00:24:02.20
The fact that the
acknowledged people of God
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.44
are represented as
standing before the Lord
00:24:04.47\00:24:06.98
in filthy garments
should lead to humility
00:24:07.01\00:24:09.44
and deep searching of heart
00:24:09.48\00:24:11.01
on the part of all
who profess His name.
00:24:11.05\00:24:13.62
Those who are indeed
purifying their souls
00:24:13.68\00:24:16.22
by obeying the truth
00:24:16.25\00:24:17.59
will have a most
humble opinion of themselves.
00:24:17.62\00:24:19.82
The more closely they view the
spotless character of Christ,
00:24:19.85\00:24:23.22
the stronger
will be their desire
00:24:23.26\00:24:25.66
to be conformed to His image,
00:24:25.69\00:24:28.03
and the less they will
see of purity or holiness
00:24:28.06\00:24:30.70
in themselves.
00:24:30.73\00:24:32.07
But while we should
realize our sinful condition,
00:24:32.10\00:24:34.20
we are to rely upon
Christ as our righteousness,
00:24:34.24\00:24:36.97
our sanctification,
and our redemption.
00:24:37.01\00:24:39.44
We cannot answer the
charges of Satan against us.
00:24:39.47\00:24:42.21
Christ alone can make an
effectual plea in our behalf.
00:24:42.24\00:24:45.21
He is able to
silence the accuser
00:24:45.25\00:24:47.45
with arguments
founded not upon our merits,
00:24:47.48\00:24:50.12
but on His own. "
00:24:50.15\00:24:51.72
Panel: Hmmm... amen.
00:24:51.75\00:24:53.25
Shelley: Amen, praise the Lord.
00:24:53.29\00:24:54.62
We are going to
take a short break
00:24:54.66\00:24:55.99
and we'll be right back.
00:24:56.02\00:24:57.86
Music...
00:24:57.89\00:25:02.76
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Shelley: And now we
go to Pastor John Dinzey
00:25:31.96\00:25:36.00
who is going to tell us
about: A Magnificent Scene.
00:25:36.03\00:25:39.27
Dinzey: Thank you so much.
00:25:39.30\00:25:40.64
Yes, this is
Tuesday's portion of the Lesson:
00:25:40.67\00:25:42.80
A Magnificent Scene.
00:25:42.84\00:25:44.91
And when I started
looking at this lesson, I said,
00:25:44.97\00:25:47.11
"You know, there's...
there's good material here
00:25:47.14\00:25:49.24
but is there something else?"
00:25:49.28\00:25:50.81
It's like, I was
missing something
00:25:50.85\00:25:52.45
and I praise the Lord that
prayer brought out something
00:25:52.51\00:25:55.88
that I was really blessed by.
00:25:55.95\00:25:57.29
So, I want to
share that with you.
00:25:57.32\00:25:59.02
Here, the Lesson
begins with the...
00:25:59.05\00:26:00.86
this thought... the prophetic
books of Daniel and Revelation
00:26:00.89\00:26:03.63
are companion volumes
00:26:03.69\00:26:05.03
and Daniel was shown a
history of the world kingdoms
00:26:05.06\00:26:10.30
that would appear
upon the scene of history
00:26:10.33\00:26:13.20
and be a kingdom that was
controlling other kingdoms.
00:26:13.23\00:26:17.01
He saw Babylon, Medo-Persia,
00:26:17.04\00:26:20.01
Greece... Rome...
00:26:20.04\00:26:21.38
and the break up of the Roman
Empire... he saw these things,
00:26:21.41\00:26:24.11
the Lord showed
these things to him
00:26:24.15\00:26:25.61
and the 1,260 years depicted
in Daniel chapter 7 verse 25.
00:26:25.65\00:26:30.22
But the attention of
Daniel is drawn to a scene
00:26:30.25\00:26:35.46
that is truly magnificent...
00:26:35.52\00:26:36.96
it can blow your
mind as you consider
00:26:36.99\00:26:39.33
what is taking place here
00:26:39.36\00:26:41.26
and this is
quite... quite a blessing.
00:26:41.30\00:26:44.53
So, we go to
Daniel chapter 7 verse 9
00:26:44.57\00:26:46.50
and take this in...
00:26:46.53\00:26:48.84
consider what is
going on here, it says,
00:26:48.87\00:26:52.24
"I watched till
thrones were put in place,
00:26:52.27\00:26:55.58
and the Ancient
of Days was seated;
00:26:55.64\00:26:58.35
His garment was white as snow,
00:26:58.38\00:27:00.32
and the hair of His
head was like pure wool.
00:27:00.35\00:27:03.79
His throne was a fiery flame,
00:27:03.85\00:27:06.29
its wheels a burning fire. "
00:27:06.32\00:27:08.69
This is a picture
of the Ancient of Days
00:27:08.72\00:27:11.73
God the Father... pure holiness
00:27:11.76\00:27:14.76
and we have read
in the New Testament
00:27:14.80\00:27:17.57
that he says that He
dwells light unapproachable,
00:27:17.63\00:27:20.37
pure holiness of God the Father.
00:27:20.40\00:27:23.51
Psalm 90 verses 1 and 2 says,
00:27:23.54\00:27:26.57
"Lord, You have
been our dwelling place
00:27:26.61\00:27:29.68
in all generations.
00:27:29.71\00:27:31.05
Before the
mountains were brought forth,
00:27:31.08\00:27:33.21
or ever You had formed
the earth and the world,
00:27:33.25\00:27:37.62
even from
everlasting to everlasting,
00:27:37.65\00:27:41.32
You are God. "
00:27:41.36\00:27:43.59
This is God the Father
that appears upon the scene
00:27:43.63\00:27:48.00
and the throne
is set in place...
00:27:48.06\00:27:49.40
in other words...
moved to this place.
00:27:49.43\00:27:52.03
So, here in the book
Great Controversy, 1888 version,
00:27:52.07\00:27:56.94
of page 479, it says,
00:27:56.97\00:27:59.11
"It is He the
source of all being,
00:27:59.14\00:28:01.18
and the fountain of all law,
00:28:01.24\00:28:02.71
that is to
preside in the judgment.
00:28:02.74\00:28:05.41
And holy angels as
ministers and witnesses,
00:28:05.48\00:28:09.15
in number 'ten
thousand times ten thousand,
00:28:09.18\00:28:12.85
and thousands of thousands,'
00:28:12.89\00:28:15.02
attend this great tribunal. "
00:28:15.06\00:28:17.16
How many is that?
10,000 times 10,000...
00:28:17.19\00:28:20.43
that's 100 million... but
it says 1,000s of 1,000s...
00:28:20.46\00:28:24.37
this is a magnificent scene
00:28:24.43\00:28:27.10
but, you know,
this is a tribunal.
00:28:27.14\00:28:30.67
This is a judgment
that is taking place
00:28:30.71\00:28:32.77
as we're going
to see in a moment.
00:28:32.81\00:28:34.44
I have been in
Court Rooms before
00:28:34.48\00:28:36.04
and you're sitting there
00:28:36.08\00:28:37.41
and all of a sudden,
somebody stands and says,
00:28:37.45\00:28:39.88
"All rise... the
Honorable Judge Johnson... "
00:28:39.91\00:28:42.15
or whatever his name
is... "is presiding... "
00:28:42.18\00:28:44.25
and everybody stands up
and there is this silence
00:28:44.29\00:28:46.25
and this moment of... "Oh, oh,
judgment is about to start. "
00:28:46.29\00:28:49.96
And this is
what's taking place here
00:28:49.99\00:28:51.59
and it is a judgment
that is taking place...
00:28:51.63\00:28:54.86
we're talking about
good news of the judgment
00:28:54.90\00:28:58.90
and as you see, it...
it says that the saints
00:28:58.93\00:29:02.90
possess the kingdom.
00:29:02.94\00:29:04.27
This is good news that
we're talking about here.
00:29:04.31\00:29:06.47
So... but we're talking...
00:29:06.54\00:29:08.18
when I was in this court room,
00:29:08.21\00:29:09.78
I was like, "Wow! this
is the judge, everybody"
00:29:09.81\00:29:12.11
and, you know,
people that are accused,
00:29:12.15\00:29:13.92
I don't know what
they dressed before
00:29:13.95\00:29:15.68
but most of them are dressed,
00:29:15.72\00:29:17.05
guys... in a nice
suit and tie there
00:29:17.09\00:29:19.22
and they shave and everything
00:29:19.25\00:29:21.09
and the ladies...
they're dressed very well.
00:29:21.12\00:29:22.79
They don't come
when they are worse...
00:29:22.82\00:29:24.26
they try to look nice
00:29:24.29\00:29:25.73
especially if
they're about to be judged
00:29:25.79\00:29:27.43
because I don't
know what people think.
00:29:27.46\00:29:28.86
It's... "Well, maybe if I dress
well, they'll treat me better. "
00:29:28.90\00:29:31.23
I don't know what
people are thinking but
00:29:31.27\00:29:32.73
in this Court Scene,
00:29:32.80\00:29:34.74
it is the angels
that are witnesses.
00:29:34.77\00:29:37.07
We do not appear.
00:29:37.11\00:29:38.44
This is what they call
the pre-Advent judgment.
00:29:38.47\00:29:40.54
The judgment before
Jesus returns to the earth.
00:29:40.58\00:29:42.84
And so, Daniel 7 verse 13 says,
00:29:42.88\00:29:45.91
"I was watching in
the night visions... "
00:29:45.95\00:29:49.25
this is a vision...
00:29:49.28\00:29:50.62
"and behold, One
like the Son of Man,
00:29:50.65\00:29:53.19
coming with the
clouds of heaven!
00:29:53.22\00:29:56.22
He came to the Ancient of Days,
00:29:56.26\00:29:59.19
and they brought
Him near before Him. "
00:29:59.23\00:30:03.16
Now, this is
Jesus the Son of Man
00:30:03.23\00:30:06.94
is brought before the
Father, the Ancient of Days.
00:30:06.97\00:30:09.84
What a scene this is!
00:30:09.87\00:30:11.57
But, you know, I have to back
up sometimes when I'm praying
00:30:11.61\00:30:15.21
and studying...
00:30:15.24\00:30:16.58
when I'm studying
and looking at verses
00:30:16.61\00:30:18.41
and looking here and there,
00:30:18.45\00:30:19.78
sometimes I say, "I
have to stand up... "
00:30:19.81\00:30:21.18
I walk around a little
bit... talking with the Lord,
00:30:21.22\00:30:23.18
and... and, you
know, sometimes these...
00:30:23.22\00:30:26.12
the Lord's like...
He opens the window
00:30:26.15\00:30:28.52
and I want to
tell you, this is...
00:30:28.56\00:30:30.86
this is the book of
Daniel we're reading,
00:30:30.89\00:30:32.63
the book of what?
The book of Daniel
00:30:32.66\00:30:34.23
is not the book of Revelation.
00:30:34.26\00:30:35.90
The Book of Revelation...
00:30:35.96\00:30:37.30
when the book of
Revelation takes place,
00:30:37.33\00:30:39.33
Jesus had already
come to this earth...
00:30:39.37\00:30:41.60
Jesus had already
faced temptation...
00:30:41.64\00:30:43.77
tried every
single day by the devil,
00:30:43.81\00:30:45.91
wasn't just three...
00:30:45.94\00:30:47.28
every single day,
the devil was after Him
00:30:47.31\00:30:49.11
but he was victorious.
00:30:49.14\00:30:50.65
He was tempted on all
points and He was victorious.
00:30:50.68\00:30:55.85
And, let's go
ahead and read that here
00:30:55.88\00:30:58.92
in Hebrews chapter 4
verses 14 through 16,
00:30:58.95\00:31:01.96
"Seeing then that we
have a great High Priest
00:31:01.99\00:31:04.79
who has passed
through the heavens,
00:31:04.83\00:31:06.56
Jesus the Son of God,
00:31:06.59\00:31:07.93
let us hold fast our confession.
00:31:07.96\00:31:12.17
Let us hold fast...
00:31:12.20\00:31:14.04
For we do not have a High Priest
00:31:14.07\00:31:15.40
who cannot
sympathize with our weaknesses,
00:31:15.44\00:31:17.91
but was in all
points tempted as we are,
00:31:17.94\00:31:20.48
yet without sin. "
00:31:20.51\00:31:21.84
Notice again... notice here,
00:31:21.88\00:31:23.48
"Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace,
00:31:23.55\00:31:26.78
that we may obtain... " what?
00:31:26.82\00:31:28.15
"mercy and find grace
to help in time of need. "
00:31:28.18\00:31:31.85
This is good news
so what Daniel saw
00:31:31.89\00:31:34.82
was something that
was going to take place
00:31:34.86\00:31:37.93
in the future.
00:31:37.96\00:31:39.49
He was privileged
to see the Son of Man.
00:31:39.53\00:31:42.63
This is a picture of
Jesus after facing temptation,
00:31:42.66\00:31:45.77
after being
victorious... He is there.
00:31:45.83\00:31:48.47
He has the right to be there.
00:31:48.50\00:31:50.94
He is worthy to be
there before the Father,
00:31:50.97\00:31:54.18
to present the
cases and present us
00:31:54.21\00:31:57.91
because you see,
the Bible reveals to us
00:31:57.95\00:32:01.48
that Jesus is our Advocate.
00:32:01.52\00:32:04.29
1st John chapter 2 verse 1 says,
00:32:04.32\00:32:07.06
"My little children,
00:32:07.09\00:32:08.42
these things I write unto you,
00:32:08.46\00:32:10.43
so that you may not sin.
00:32:10.46\00:32:12.16
And if anyone sins,
00:32:12.19\00:32:14.03
we have an
Advocate with the Father;
00:32:14.06\00:32:16.36
Jesus Christ the righteous.
00:32:16.43\00:32:18.50
And He Himself is the
propitiation for our sins,
00:32:18.53\00:32:21.57
and not for ours only but
also for the whole world. "
00:32:21.60\00:32:24.47
Daniel is seeing
Jesus in this condition
00:32:24.51\00:32:29.38
that He has been our
propitiation for our sins,
00:32:29.41\00:32:32.31
He has been the Lamb
of God that was slain
00:32:32.38\00:32:35.22
and died on the cross...
00:32:35.25\00:32:37.09
He is there worthy to
be there, He is worthy
00:32:37.12\00:32:41.06
and you'll find out in a moment,
00:32:41.09\00:32:42.69
Revelation chapter 5,
you're going to hear about that,
00:32:42.72\00:32:44.49
that the Lamb is
worthy... worthy is the Lamb.
00:32:44.53\00:32:48.76
That beautiful song in the
Hallelujah Chorus that says,
00:32:48.80\00:32:51.63
"Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain... "
00:32:51.67\00:32:54.30
I don't know if
you've heard that song before
00:32:54.34\00:32:55.67
but it's... it's magnificent
00:32:55.70\00:32:57.04
and this is a magnificent
scene that we're seeing here
00:32:57.07\00:32:59.84
and Daniel was
able to see this...
00:32:59.87\00:33:03.38
I don't know if he took
in all that he was watching
00:33:03.41\00:33:06.11
because it's really magnificent.
00:33:06.15\00:33:07.85
This is our Savior Jesus Christ
appearing before the Father
00:33:07.88\00:33:11.29
to represent you and me.
00:33:11.32\00:33:13.72
And so, my little
children, as it says here,
00:33:13.76\00:33:17.79
he's writing these
things so that you and I see it,
00:33:17.83\00:33:20.20
we have to fear God
and keep His commandments.
00:33:20.23\00:33:23.77
We have to fear
God and glorify Him
00:33:23.80\00:33:28.40
because the hour of
His judgment is come.
00:33:28.47\00:33:31.21
I want to read this to you from
the Great Controversy page 489,
00:33:31.24\00:33:35.11
because this is
important... important to know.
00:33:35.14\00:33:38.18
This... it says, "The
intercession of Christ,
00:33:38.21\00:33:41.25
on man's behalf in
the sanctuary above
00:33:41.28\00:33:44.35
is as essential to
the plan of salvation
00:33:44.39\00:33:47.46
as was His death upon the cross.
00:33:47.49\00:33:50.13
By His death He began that work
00:33:50.16\00:33:52.43
which after His resurrection
00:33:52.46\00:33:54.66
He ascended to
complete in heaven.
00:33:54.70\00:33:57.27
We must, by faith,
enter within the veil,
00:33:57.30\00:34:00.40
'whither the
forerunner is for us entered. '"
00:34:00.44\00:34:03.47
Hebrews chapter 6 verse 20.
00:34:03.51\00:34:05.01
"There the light from the
cross of Calvary is reflected.
00:34:05.07\00:34:08.48
There we may
gain a clearer insight
00:34:08.51\00:34:11.15
into the
mysteries of redemption.
00:34:11.18\00:34:13.52
The salvation of
man is accomplished
00:34:13.55\00:34:16.55
at an infinite
expense to heaven;
00:34:16.58\00:34:19.55
the sacrifice made is
equal to the broadest demands
00:34:19.59\00:34:23.79
of the broken law.
00:34:23.83\00:34:25.16
Jesus has opened the
way to the Father's throne,
00:34:25.19\00:34:29.10
and through His mediation
00:34:29.13\00:34:31.63
the sincere desire of
all who come to Him in faith
00:34:31.67\00:34:35.60
may be presented before God. "
00:34:35.64\00:34:38.34
And this is what
we're seeing here.
00:34:38.37\00:34:40.81
This is what Daniel was
seeing... what a privilege!
00:34:40.84\00:34:43.88
He saw all the
way into the year 1844
00:34:43.91\00:34:47.22
when Jesus
Christ and the Father go
00:34:47.28\00:34:50.52
from the Holy Place
to the Most Holy Place
00:34:50.55\00:34:53.49
and judgment began
in the year 1844...
00:34:53.52\00:34:55.46
you're going to
hear more about that
00:34:55.49\00:34:57.39
as we continue in these lessons.
00:34:57.43\00:34:58.79
We need to pay close attention
to what we are studying here
00:34:58.86\00:35:03.13
because our eyes
are going to be opened
00:35:03.16\00:35:05.40
and we're going to realize
that we have a wonderful God
00:35:05.43\00:35:07.77
a wonderful Savior
00:35:07.80\00:35:09.37
who loved us
enough to die for us
00:35:09.40\00:35:12.01
and willing to represent me...
00:35:12.04\00:35:15.21
you... before
the Father and say,
00:35:15.24\00:35:18.38
"I died for him...
00:35:18.41\00:35:19.75
he has asked for
forgiveness of his sins
00:35:19.78\00:35:22.85
and I claim him as my child. "
00:35:22.88\00:35:26.05
This is a
marvelous thing to consider.
00:35:26.09\00:35:28.29
This is what Daniel is saying,
00:35:28.32\00:35:30.96
wow... we... our time is gone...
00:35:30.99\00:35:34.10
but consider the
great mercy of God
00:35:34.13\00:35:37.17
and the great love of God...
00:35:37.20\00:35:38.97
here is a magnificent scene...
00:35:39.03\00:35:40.74
continue to look into it because
there are wonderful things
00:35:40.77\00:35:43.24
to see here.
00:35:43.27\00:35:44.61
Panel: Amen... amen.
00:35:44.64\00:35:45.97
Rafferty: Amen, what a powerful,
beautiful message that we have,
00:35:46.01\00:35:48.31
thank you John for sharing
that and Ryan and Shelley.
00:35:48.34\00:35:51.45
My name is James Rafferty
and I have Wednesday's Lesson
00:35:51.48\00:35:54.55
and it is
entitled: A Glimpse of Heaven
00:35:54.58\00:35:57.09
and we're going to move
right into Revelation chapter 4.
00:35:57.12\00:35:59.95
The Quarterly takes us
to Revelation chapter 4
00:36:00.02\00:36:01.72
where John beholds
an open door in heaven
00:36:01.76\00:36:04.26
and receives an
invitation, "Come up here,
00:36:04.29\00:36:06.76
and I will show you things which
must take place after this. "
00:36:06.80\00:36:10.23
Revelation 4 verse 1.
00:36:10.27\00:36:11.90
So, Jesus invited the apostle
to look through the open door
00:36:11.93\00:36:16.30
into heaven's
sanctuary to view eternal scenes
00:36:16.34\00:36:20.11
in the great controversy
between good and evil.
00:36:20.14\00:36:23.58
The Quarterly goes on to say,
00:36:23.61\00:36:24.95
"We, too, can look through
that open door with John"
00:36:24.98\00:36:28.65
and Johnny... we can
look through that open door.
00:36:28.68\00:36:32.35
I love that.
00:36:32.39\00:36:33.72
God gives us
these glimpses, right?
00:36:33.76\00:36:35.09
He gives us these...
these visions, if you will,
00:36:35.12\00:36:37.09
as we... as we wrestle
with Him, as we pray with Him,
00:36:37.13\00:36:39.46
as we walk with Him,
00:36:39.49\00:36:40.83
as we talk with Him,
00:36:40.86\00:36:42.20
God opens our minds
00:36:42.23\00:36:43.57
and that's what He
was doing with John
00:36:43.60\00:36:44.93
in the Isle of Patmos.
00:36:44.97\00:36:46.30
That's what He was doing with...
with Johnny this last week
00:36:46.33\00:36:47.67
and we too can receive a glimpse
of the eternal plan of salvation
00:36:47.70\00:36:51.84
and that's what
we're about to witness.
00:36:51.87\00:36:53.21
The Quarterly goes on to say
00:36:53.24\00:36:54.81
right here in
Revelation chapter 4.
00:36:54.84\00:36:56.88
Now, when we read
Revelation chapter 4,
00:36:56.91\00:36:58.91
2 through 4,
00:36:58.95\00:37:00.28
we see some similarities between
the judgment scene in Revelation
00:37:00.32\00:37:02.88
or excuse me in Daniel 7.
00:37:02.92\00:37:04.82
The Quarterly goes on to say,
00:37:04.85\00:37:06.72
"However, there
are some differences.
00:37:06.76\00:37:09.02
There are elders there
but there are no books.
00:37:09.06\00:37:12.89
There are no elders in Daniel 7.
00:37:12.93\00:37:15.03
In fact, what's
truly interesting is
00:37:15.06\00:37:17.80
every scene...
throne scene in the Bible
00:37:17.83\00:37:20.54
is minus the elders.
00:37:20.57\00:37:22.27
In Daniel chapter 7...
in Ezekiel chapter 1...
00:37:22.30\00:37:26.07
in Isaiah chapter 6...
00:37:26.11\00:37:27.88
you have a lot of similarities
in all of these chapters
00:37:27.91\00:37:31.08
the throne-room
scene is there...
00:37:31.11\00:37:32.61
the angelic beings...
four angelic beings are there
00:37:32.65\00:37:36.12
singing "Holy, holy, holy... "
00:37:36.15\00:37:37.52
but there are no elders.
00:37:37.59\00:37:40.59
So, this is an
incredible vision...
00:37:40.62\00:37:42.99
incredible picture
into the plan of salvation
00:37:43.02\00:37:45.16
because guess what?
00:37:45.19\00:37:46.53
Post-Christ resurrection,
as we enter into this...
00:37:46.56\00:37:49.93
this new prophetic
cycle in Revelation chapter...
00:37:49.96\00:37:53.64
chapters 4 and
5... the seven seals,
00:37:53.67\00:37:56.20
we're going to actually see
00:37:56.24\00:37:58.31
what the slain
Lamb has accomplished.
00:37:58.34\00:38:00.61
He has enabled there to
be elders in heaven, now,
00:38:00.64\00:38:05.01
who are these elders?
00:38:05.08\00:38:06.41
That's the question
that the Quarterly asked
00:38:06.45\00:38:07.78
but we'll get to
that in just a second.
00:38:07.82\00:38:09.15
So, there's no judgment set...
00:38:09.18\00:38:11.75
there are no books opened
in Revelation chapters 4 and 5,
00:38:11.79\00:38:15.36
actually, there is a
book in Revelation 5,
00:38:15.42\00:38:17.56
Jill's going to
share that with us
00:38:17.63\00:38:18.96
that book though is sealed.
00:38:18.99\00:38:20.33
So, a little bit
different scenario here,
00:38:20.36\00:38:22.46
we're getting an
introduction here
00:38:22.53\00:38:24.33
to something amazing.
00:38:24.37\00:38:26.53
This... this glimpse into
heaven is going to show us
00:38:26.60\00:38:31.21
a picture of God's grace.
00:38:31.24\00:38:33.14
How? Well.. the
throne-room scene,
00:38:33.17\00:38:35.54
we have God the Father sitting,
the Quarterly goes on to say,
00:38:35.58\00:38:38.58
surrounded by the
heavenly beings...
00:38:38.61\00:38:40.02
there's thunder and lightning
00:38:40.05\00:38:41.78
which also is
indicative of His presence,
00:38:41.85\00:38:44.75
but then it says
Revelation 4 verse 4
00:38:44.79\00:38:47.46
that there are 24 elders
present around God's throne.
00:38:47.49\00:38:50.76
Who are these
elders? The Quarterly asks.
00:38:50.79\00:38:54.00
Well, in ancient
Israel there were 24 divisions
00:38:54.03\00:38:57.07
in the Levitical priesthood.
00:38:57.10\00:38:58.53
And these priests represented
the people before God.
00:38:58.57\00:39:01.04
So, they had these 24 divisions
among the Levitical priesthood
00:39:01.07\00:39:04.37
and they would go
in... in their course
00:39:04.41\00:39:06.17
and they would
represent the people before God.
00:39:06.21\00:39:08.98
They would take a
little break, right,
00:39:09.04\00:39:10.38
they take a little vacation...
00:39:10.41\00:39:11.75
go on a little cruise...
take a little downtime,
00:39:11.78\00:39:13.28
write a book... whatever, right?
00:39:13.31\00:39:14.82
And another, you
know, priest would come in
00:39:14.88\00:39:16.99
and they would follow
through with the course
00:39:17.02\00:39:19.05
and that's the way they
shared the work of interceding
00:39:19.09\00:39:22.82
and mediating for God's people.
00:39:22.86\00:39:24.19
These priests
represented people before God
00:39:24.23\00:39:26.39
in 1st Peter 2:9,
the apostle declares that
00:39:26.43\00:39:28.63
in the New Testament, believers
are a "chosen generation"
00:39:28.66\00:39:32.20
"a royal priesthood"
00:39:32.23\00:39:33.80
so, the 24 elders represent
read in the Quarterly here,
00:39:33.84\00:39:37.21
all the redeemed
00:39:37.24\00:39:39.47
that one day will rejoice
around the throne of God.
00:39:39.51\00:39:42.31
They represent
the people resurrected
00:39:42.34\00:39:45.18
at Christ's resurrection
00:39:45.21\00:39:46.61
and who ascended
to heaven with Him.
00:39:46.65\00:39:49.05
Matthew 27 verse 52
00:39:49.08\00:39:51.39
and Ephesians 4:7 and 8
00:39:51.42\00:39:53.66
are the references
given here in the Quarterly.
00:39:53.72\00:39:55.59
Now, this is good news.
00:39:55.62\00:39:58.26
There are redeemed
people from this earth
00:39:58.29\00:40:02.83
around the throne in heaven.
00:40:02.86\00:40:04.37
That's incredible
when you think about it.
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.13
And what's... what's
especially interesting here is
00:40:06.20\00:40:08.87
that these redeemed elders...
00:40:08.90\00:40:10.94
and by the way, that word elder
00:40:10.97\00:40:12.97
is always ever used for a
human being in the Bible...
00:40:13.01\00:40:15.88
in the Old Testament
and the New Testament.
00:40:15.91\00:40:17.25
It's never used for an angel,
00:40:17.28\00:40:18.61
it's never used for
any other kind of being,
00:40:18.65\00:40:19.98
you know, in Job chapter 1
00:40:20.02\00:40:22.32
the sons of God
come before the Lord
00:40:22.35\00:40:24.12
to present themselves...
00:40:24.15\00:40:25.49
they're different
from these elders.
00:40:25.52\00:40:26.86
The word "elder" is
specifically used for humans
00:40:26.89\00:40:30.86
and, of course, for
these redeemed beings
00:40:30.93\00:40:33.96
who are around the
throne and they have white robes
00:40:34.00\00:40:36.67
promised to the
churches who overcome.
00:40:36.70\00:40:39.80
They have crowns...
00:40:39.83\00:40:41.17
promised to the
churches who overcome.
00:40:41.20\00:40:42.74
They are sitting on thrones...
promised to the churches
00:40:42.77\00:40:45.44
specifically, the
church of Laodicea.
00:40:45.47\00:40:47.54
"To him that overcomes,
00:40:47.58\00:40:49.04
I will grant to sit
with Me on My throne. "
00:40:49.08\00:40:51.08
Well, this is a foretaste...
00:40:51.11\00:40:53.21
an earnest of that if you will.
00:40:53.25\00:40:55.28
Christ resurrected with him...
00:40:55.35\00:40:57.32
took captivity
captive with Him to heaven
00:40:57.35\00:40:59.09
and He gave to them a taste
00:40:59.12\00:41:02.59
of what God has
promised to everyone of us
00:41:02.62\00:41:04.63
who overcomes by
the blood of the Lamb.
00:41:04.66\00:41:06.59
"By the word of our testimony,
and loved not our lives
00:41:06.63\00:41:09.46
unto the death. "
00:41:09.50\00:41:10.83
So they are
clothed with white robes
00:41:10.87\00:41:12.20
that signifies the
righteousness of Jesus Christ
00:41:12.23\00:41:13.80
and when we talk
about righteousness,
00:41:13.84\00:41:15.74
it simply means, the
right doing of Jesus.
00:41:15.77\00:41:17.94
The right doing of His life,
00:41:17.97\00:41:19.74
and the right
doing in His death.
00:41:19.77\00:41:21.58
He did everything right...
00:41:21.61\00:41:22.94
we do everything
wrong... He did everything right
00:41:22.98\00:41:24.45
and so, He gives us
everything He did right
00:41:24.48\00:41:26.21
and he takes
everything we did wrong
00:41:26.25\00:41:27.72
in our place
00:41:27.75\00:41:29.08
when we put our trust...
our faith when we accept Him
00:41:29.12\00:41:30.92
as our Savior.
00:41:30.95\00:41:32.29
They have a golden
crown upon their heads
00:41:32.32\00:41:33.82
signifying that
they are victorious
00:41:33.86\00:41:35.42
in the battle with evil.
00:41:35.46\00:41:36.79
They are part of heaven's royal
line of faith-filled believers.
00:41:36.83\00:41:41.10
So, they sit on these thrones
00:41:41.13\00:41:43.03
and it... it's just
directing us to this beautiful
00:41:43.06\00:41:46.27
promise that God has given us
00:41:46.30\00:41:47.64
that him that overcomes,
00:41:47.67\00:41:49.17
I will grant to sit
with Me on my throne,
00:41:49.20\00:41:51.74
even as I overcame
and sat with My Father
00:41:51.77\00:41:54.24
on His throne.
00:41:54.28\00:41:55.61
Panel: Amen.
00:41:55.64\00:41:56.98
Rafferty: So, we see this
picture in Revelation chapter 4.
00:41:57.01\00:41:58.71
We're... we're
stepping into a glimpse
00:41:58.75\00:42:01.18
of what God has promised to all
00:42:01.22\00:42:04.05
of those who put
their faith in Jesus.
00:42:04.09\00:42:06.02
Now, we see this more clearly
as we reveal a little verse,
00:42:06.05\00:42:09.36
I'm going to steal a
little verse from Jill,
00:42:09.39\00:42:11.26
in Revelation
chapter 5, if you don't mind.
00:42:11.29\00:42:13.16
Okay, Revelation chapter 5,
00:42:13.19\00:42:14.73
let's just move down
here in Revelation chapter 5.
00:42:14.76\00:42:17.10
After we see the Lamb...
00:42:17.13\00:42:20.27
Jesus Christ symbolized here
00:42:20.30\00:42:22.77
slain from the
foundation of the world,
00:42:22.80\00:42:24.21
after we see the Lamb,
00:42:24.24\00:42:25.57
it says here in
Revelation chapter 5 verse 8,
00:42:25.61\00:42:27.41
"And when He... the
Lamb... had the book,
00:42:27.44\00:42:29.54
the... the sealed book...
00:42:29.58\00:42:30.95
the four beasts and
the four and twenty elders
00:42:30.98\00:42:33.31
fell down before the Lamb,
00:42:33.35\00:42:34.98
having every one of them harps,
00:42:35.02\00:42:37.39
and golden vials full of odors,
00:42:37.42\00:42:39.25
which are the
prayers of the saints.
00:42:39.29\00:42:41.46
And they sung a
new song, saying,
00:42:41.49\00:42:43.93
'Thou art worthy... '" verse 9,
00:42:43.96\00:42:46.29
"to take the book,
00:42:46.33\00:42:47.66
to open the seals thereof:
00:42:47.70\00:42:49.50
for thou wast slain... "
00:42:49.53\00:42:51.27
and here's the key phrase,
00:42:51.30\00:42:52.97
"and has redeemed
us to God by thy blood
00:42:53.00\00:42:56.24
out of every
kindred, and tongue,
00:42:56.27\00:42:58.34
and people, and nation;
00:42:58.37\00:42:59.94
and... " verse 10,
00:42:59.97\00:43:01.48
"has made us unto our
God kings and priests:
00:43:01.51\00:43:05.21
and we shall
reign on the earth. "
00:43:05.25\00:43:07.88
So, these two verses are
directing us to understand
00:43:07.95\00:43:11.89
what fully who
these 24 elders are.
00:43:11.92\00:43:14.92
And what God is
saying to us basically is,
00:43:14.96\00:43:18.56
"I have included
you in my throne room. "
00:43:18.59\00:43:22.16
You are part of
heaven's council.
00:43:22.20\00:43:25.67
You are
replacing... in a sense...
00:43:25.70\00:43:29.10
those fallen angels.
00:43:29.14\00:43:30.47
When we look at Revelation 4
00:43:30.51\00:43:32.51
and we compare it
with... with Isaiah 6
00:43:32.57\00:43:34.58
and we compare it
with Daniel chapter 7
00:43:34.61\00:43:36.61
and... and Ezekiel,
00:43:36.64\00:43:37.98
we... we have to think about
00:43:38.01\00:43:39.48
the fact that the
angels are always present,
00:43:39.51\00:43:42.75
the angels are always
present in all of these scenes.
00:43:42.78\00:43:45.29
But we know, according
to Revelation chapter 12,
00:43:45.32\00:43:47.86
that there was a war
that started in heaven.
00:43:47.89\00:43:50.36
Sin didn't start on Planet
Earth... it started in heaven
00:43:50.43\00:43:53.13
and in that war, a third
part of the angels were deceived
00:43:53.16\00:43:55.86
and they fell... they
were cast out of heaven
00:43:55.90\00:43:58.70
with Lucifer...
with Satan the devil...
00:43:58.73\00:44:00.67
their leader in rebellion.
00:44:00.70\00:44:02.84
But did you know that
mankind is actually...
00:44:02.87\00:44:06.21
redeemed mankind is
actually going to replace
00:44:06.24\00:44:09.54
those fallen angels.
00:44:09.58\00:44:10.91
Jesus says that in heaven
00:44:10.95\00:44:12.98
there's going to be neither
marrying or giving in marriage
00:44:13.01\00:44:14.85
but we are going to
be like the angels...
00:44:14.88\00:44:17.05
that we are going to be in...
in Hebrews chapter 2 it says
00:44:17.09\00:44:20.32
that we were made a little
while lower than the angels,
00:44:20.36\00:44:23.56
that we were
going to be actually
00:44:23.59\00:44:25.36
be taking the
place of the angels
00:44:25.39\00:44:27.43
in God's heavenly throne room...
00:44:27.46\00:44:29.43
that we're going
to be participating
00:44:29.46\00:44:31.47
with the angels in that
anthem through all eternity,
00:44:31.50\00:44:35.34
"Holy, holy, holy is
the Lord God of hosts. "
00:44:35.37\00:44:38.31
That we're going to be
part of that grand... well...
00:44:38.34\00:44:41.64
in Revelation chapter
4... I mean, excuse me, Rev...
00:44:41.68\00:44:44.65
yeah, Revelation
chapter 4 it says in verse 8,
00:44:44.68\00:44:47.58
"And the four beasts and...
00:44:47.62\00:44:48.95
with each of them...
each of them having six wings
00:44:48.98\00:44:50.69
full of eyes within and without
00:44:50.72\00:44:52.29
rest not day or night
saying, 'Holy, holy, holy,
00:44:52.32\00:44:55.99
is the Lord God Almighty... "
00:44:56.02\00:44:57.63
in Revelation chapter 5,
00:44:57.66\00:44:59.13
as we continued reading there,
00:44:59.19\00:45:00.96
the angels are around the throne
00:45:01.00\00:45:02.73
and the four
beasts and the 24 elders
00:45:02.76\00:45:06.40
thousand times ten thousands
and thousands of thousands
00:45:06.43\00:45:09.34
and they say with a loud voice
00:45:09.37\00:45:11.24
"Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain. "
00:45:11.27\00:45:14.91
All of heaven is
breaking out in song
00:45:14.94\00:45:18.55
and holy anthem to God
00:45:18.58\00:45:20.08
and we're going to
be part of that group.
00:45:20.12\00:45:21.65
Now, right now, in
church when they have the music,
00:45:21.68\00:45:26.42
the hymns or the music,
00:45:26.45\00:45:27.79
I don't sing with a loud voice.
00:45:27.82\00:45:29.19
I let the people
around me, you know,
00:45:29.22\00:45:31.66
I let them drown my voice...
00:45:31.69\00:45:33.03
I like to sing and the
louder the voices are around me,
00:45:33.06\00:45:35.86
the louder I sing.
00:45:35.90\00:45:37.23
The softer the voices are
around me, the softer I sing.
00:45:37.27\00:45:39.53
But some day, I'm
going to have a voice
00:45:39.57\00:45:41.70
that can be loud and heard
00:45:41.74\00:45:44.07
and in tune... if
you know what I mean.
00:45:44.11\00:45:46.41
Panel: Laughter.
00:45:46.44\00:45:47.78
Rafferty: And this is the
picture that God has for us,
00:45:47.81\00:45:49.14
it's a beautiful
glimpse of heaven
00:45:49.18\00:45:50.51
with this picture
behind us we can stand...
00:45:50.55\00:45:54.02
we can step into the... to
the judgment with boldness.
00:45:54.05\00:45:56.69
Jill: Amen, thank you
so much each one of you.
00:45:56.72\00:46:00.26
What an incredible study!
00:46:00.29\00:46:01.62
Pastor James, that
was a beautiful set up.
00:46:01.66\00:46:03.49
Thank you... I love
to hear you break down
00:46:03.53\00:46:05.63
the book of Revelation
specifically, thank you.
00:46:05.66\00:46:08.50
Revelation 4... of course
that throne-room description,
00:46:08.53\00:46:11.40
I'm Jill Morikone, I
forgot to say my name,
00:46:11.43\00:46:13.60
and we are on Thursday's lesson
00:46:13.64\00:46:16.54
which is: Jesus is Worthy.
00:46:16.57\00:46:19.74
We're looking at
Revelation chapter 5...
00:46:19.77\00:46:22.61
so, we have been
reading Revelation 4 and 5,
00:46:22.64\00:46:25.45
but Revelation chapter 5
00:46:25.48\00:46:26.82
is a specific moment
in salvation history.
00:46:26.85\00:46:30.95
This is specifically A.D. 31,
00:46:30.99\00:46:34.72
right after the
ascension of Jesus
00:46:34.76\00:46:37.63
when He is there in heaven.
00:46:37.66\00:46:39.46
You know, Acts 1:9 through 11,
00:46:39.49\00:46:41.33
gives us the ascension of Jesus
from an earthly perspective.
00:46:41.36\00:46:45.20
We see what the disciples saw.
00:46:45.23\00:46:46.80
We see... as Jesus
was taken from them,
00:46:46.84\00:46:49.54
up into heaven.
00:46:49.57\00:46:50.91
But Revelation chapter 5
kind of pulls the curtain back,
00:46:50.94\00:46:55.24
and we see what took
place in heaven at that moment.
00:46:55.28\00:46:59.78
We see Christ's enthronement
00:46:59.81\00:47:02.48
and inauguration into His
ministry as our King and Priest
00:47:02.52\00:47:07.36
in the heavenly sanctuary.
00:47:07.39\00:47:08.96
Before we get to
the six takeaways
00:47:08.99\00:47:11.36
from Revelation chapter 5,
00:47:11.39\00:47:12.86
before we go there...
00:47:12.89\00:47:14.23
I want to give just a
little bit of history.
00:47:14.26\00:47:15.86
In the Old Testament,
00:47:15.90\00:47:17.33
the Israelite kings were
required at their enthronement,
00:47:17.37\00:47:21.14
to provide for themselves
a scroll of the law...
00:47:21.20\00:47:24.24
the covenant scroll
to read and to obey.
00:47:24.27\00:47:27.24
Later Israelite history...
you look at say, King Joash,
00:47:27.28\00:47:31.41
the scroll was presented
to the newly-crowned king
00:47:31.45\00:47:34.82
as the royal emblem.
00:47:34.85\00:47:37.55
The newly crowned
king would take the scroll,
00:47:37.59\00:47:40.06
sit on the throne
and begin his reign.
00:47:40.09\00:47:43.83
In this role, the Israelite king
00:47:43.86\00:47:46.16
was the covenant mediator.
00:47:46.19\00:47:48.60
He was the guardian of
God's law there in the land.
00:47:48.63\00:47:53.07
When Christ took the scroll,
00:47:53.10\00:47:55.54
we're going to discover
that in Revelation chapter 5.
00:47:55.57\00:47:58.17
"And was seated at
the right hand of God... "
00:47:58.21\00:48:01.18
you see that in Psalm 110.
00:48:01.21\00:48:03.68
He became the
rightful king of the earth.
00:48:03.71\00:48:07.08
What was lost through
Adam, was now regained.
00:48:07.12\00:48:10.65
All authority and
sovereignty is given to Christ.
00:48:10.69\00:48:14.16
Fallen human
beings... that's you and I
00:48:14.19\00:48:17.19
are now given access to God
through the blood of the Lamb.
00:48:17.23\00:48:22.40
Jesus became our High
Priest... our Mediator...
00:48:22.43\00:48:27.07
our Advocate there in heaven.
00:48:27.10\00:48:29.74
And we'll discover
that the Holy Spirit
00:48:29.77\00:48:32.07
went from being present
there in the throne room
00:48:32.11\00:48:35.04
to being disseminated
throughout the earth
00:48:35.08\00:48:38.81
which you can find at
Pentecost in Acts chapter 2.
00:48:38.88\00:48:42.78
So, let's look at
our six takeaways...
00:48:42.82\00:48:44.42
we're in Revelation 5,
we'll pick it up in verse 1.
00:48:44.45\00:48:47.56
"And I saw in
the right hand of Him
00:48:47.59\00:48:49.86
who sat on the throne
00:48:49.89\00:48:51.23
a scroll written
inside and on the back,
00:48:51.26\00:48:55.23
sealed with seven seals. "
00:48:55.26\00:48:58.53
Now, ancient
scrolls were often sealed.
00:48:58.57\00:49:01.37
Why?
00:49:01.40\00:49:02.74
To protect a document
from being tampered with
00:49:02.77\00:49:05.04
and the document
can only be opened
00:49:05.07\00:49:07.94
or the seals only broken
by the authorized person.
00:49:07.98\00:49:12.58
It's interesting that the
scroll is written on the inside
00:49:12.61\00:49:15.78
and on the outside.
00:49:15.82\00:49:17.15
We see this comparison in
Ezekiel, you can read that,
00:49:17.19\00:49:21.12
Ezekiel chapter 2 and 3,
00:49:21.16\00:49:23.09
where the scroll is written on
the inside and on the outside.
00:49:23.12\00:49:26.66
And in Ezekiel 2 verse 10,
00:49:26.70\00:49:29.63
talks about this
scroll and it says,
00:49:29.66\00:49:32.17
"He spread it before me;
00:49:32.20\00:49:34.00
and there was writing on
the inside and on the outside,
00:49:34.04\00:49:37.71
written on it were...
" what are those words?
00:49:37.74\00:49:40.64
"lamentations and
mourning and woe. "
00:49:40.68\00:49:44.31
So, the question is,
"What is this sealed scroll?"
00:49:44.38\00:49:47.78
The scroll that's
sealed with the seven seals?
00:49:47.85\00:49:51.25
It is the record
of human history...
00:49:51.29\00:49:55.39
the record of
lamentation, mourning and woe.
00:49:55.42\00:49:58.63
And why is
the... human history...
00:49:58.66\00:50:00.30
why is the
record mourning and woe?
00:50:00.33\00:50:02.66
Because we're under
the condemnation of sin.
00:50:02.70\00:50:05.83
Because all of us have sinned
00:50:05.87\00:50:07.87
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:50:07.90\00:50:10.74
All of us deserve to die
00:50:10.77\00:50:13.68
and yet, Jesus... the
Lamb of God showed up.
00:50:13.71\00:50:17.18
He is the one...
our destiny was sealed.
00:50:17.21\00:50:20.62
We were under the condemnation
and the curse of the law.
00:50:20.65\00:50:24.29
But Jesus shows up
because He can change that.
00:50:24.32\00:50:28.92
He can open the scroll
because of the blood of the Lamb
00:50:28.96\00:50:33.19
and He can save us.
00:50:33.23\00:50:34.56
He can change our destiny.
00:50:34.60\00:50:37.03
Let's keep
reading, we're in verse 2,
00:50:37.07\00:50:38.50
"I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with a loud voice,
00:50:38.53\00:50:41.57
'Who is worthy...
00:50:41.60\00:50:42.94
who can open the
scroll and loose its seals?'
00:50:42.97\00:50:46.37
No one in heaven or on earth
00:50:46.41\00:50:48.81
or under the earth
00:50:48.84\00:50:50.18
was able to open the
scroll, or to look at it.
00:50:50.21\00:50:52.78
So I wept much,
00:50:52.81\00:50:56.08
because no one was found worthy
00:50:56.12\00:50:59.62
to open and read the
scroll, or to look at it. "
00:50:59.65\00:51:03.12
Whose blood can cover our sins?
00:51:03.16\00:51:05.16
Whose grace can give us
power to live without sin?
00:51:05.19\00:51:10.00
Who is going to be the
Mediator between us and God?
00:51:10.03\00:51:14.80
Takeaway Number 1:
00:51:14.84\00:51:16.17
When all seems hopeless,
00:51:16.20\00:51:18.54
your redemption
is ready to come.
00:51:18.57\00:51:21.68
Your trial... what
you're going through
00:51:21.71\00:51:25.88
is not the end.
00:51:25.91\00:51:27.45
When it seems like there
is no help and who is worthy?
00:51:27.48\00:51:30.92
All these angels
and the 24 elders
00:51:30.95\00:51:34.86
and everyone in
heaven... who is worthy?
00:51:34.89\00:51:37.59
Who can do it?
00:51:37.63\00:51:38.96
When it seems all is hopeless,
redemption is ready to come.
00:51:38.99\00:51:42.26
Verse 5, "One of
the elders said to me,
00:51:42.33\00:51:46.03
'Do not weep. Behold, the
Lion of the tribe of Judah,
00:51:46.07\00:51:51.01
the Root of David,
00:51:51.04\00:51:52.97
has prevailed to open the scroll
00:51:53.01\00:51:55.84
and to loose its seven seals. "
00:51:55.88\00:51:58.55
So, Lion of the tribe of
Judah being a Messianic title
00:51:58.58\00:52:01.42
of the root of David...
00:52:01.48\00:52:03.28
Jesus coming from
the line of David.
00:52:03.32\00:52:06.49
Christ came from that line,
00:52:06.52\00:52:08.29
just like the
Old Testament kings.
00:52:08.32\00:52:09.76
Who had authority to rule and
become the covenant mediator?
00:52:09.79\00:52:12.73
Jesus came as our Messiah.
00:52:12.76\00:52:15.90
Takeaway Number 2:
00:52:15.96\00:52:17.30
Jesus is worthy...
Jesus conquered death.
00:52:17.33\00:52:20.87
He lived a perfect life.
00:52:20.90\00:52:23.51
He died as my substitute.
00:52:23.57\00:52:26.11
He fulfilled the
claims of the Law.
00:52:26.14\00:52:29.14
He took my punishment
so that I could go free.
00:52:29.18\00:52:33.88
He resurrected and ascended
00:52:33.92\00:52:36.92
to the place of the
right hand of the Father...
00:52:36.99\00:52:39.25
that's what we see here
in Revelation chapter 5.
00:52:39.29\00:52:42.22
He's ready to take on
that High Priestly role
00:52:42.26\00:52:45.13
as our Mediator.
00:52:45.19\00:52:46.70
Verse 6, we back in
Revelation 5 verse 6,
00:52:46.73\00:52:49.70
"And I looked,
00:52:49.73\00:52:51.07
and behold, in the
midst of the throne
00:52:51.10\00:52:52.93
and of the four
living creatures,
00:52:52.97\00:52:54.30
and in the midst of
the elders, stood a Lamb. "
00:52:54.34\00:52:56.24
Wait a minute... I
thought it was a lion.
00:52:56.27\00:52:58.17
Right? I heard it was a lion.
00:52:58.21\00:53:01.11
"Behold, don't weep,
00:53:01.14\00:53:02.48
the Lion in the Tribe of
Judah the root of David...
00:53:02.51\00:53:04.38
that's who's going
to open the scroll... "
00:53:04.41\00:53:05.81
So, John's
looking... where's the Lion...
00:53:05.85\00:53:07.32
where's the Lion?
00:53:07.35\00:53:08.68
I'm going to be
scared... where's the Lion?
00:53:08.72\00:53:10.05
Wait...
00:53:10.09\00:53:11.42
"a Lamb
00:53:11.45\00:53:12.79
as though it had been slain,
00:53:12.82\00:53:14.72
having seven
horns and seven eyes,
00:53:14.76\00:53:16.73
which are the
seven Spirits of God
00:53:16.76\00:53:18.69
sent out into all the earth. "
00:53:18.73\00:53:21.20
Now, it's interesting to
me this word "Lamb" in Greek,
00:53:21.23\00:53:24.20
you all can correct
me, but I think it means:
00:53:24.23\00:53:26.84
a little Lamb...
00:53:26.87\00:53:28.37
not just the Lamb...
00:53:28.40\00:53:29.74
but a little Lamb.
00:53:29.77\00:53:31.11
This is used 28
times in Revelation
00:53:31.14\00:53:34.78
to refer to the crucified,
risen and glorified Christ.
00:53:34.81\00:53:39.15
This is the Lamb who was slain
00:53:39.18\00:53:41.38
from the
foundation of the world.
00:53:41.42\00:53:43.59
Takeaway Number 3:
00:53:43.62\00:53:44.95
God reveals
Himself to you and me
00:53:44.99\00:53:47.66
in ways that we can
understand and we can embrace.
00:53:47.69\00:53:51.49
You know, I love that
because John's looking
00:53:51.53\00:53:54.00
and I would have been
terrified if I were there
00:53:54.03\00:53:56.26
and see the Lion of
the tribe of Judah...
00:53:56.33\00:53:58.00
but no... he sees the Lamb...
00:53:58.03\00:54:00.44
God reveals Himself to us
00:54:00.47\00:54:02.84
in ways we can
understand and embrace.
00:54:02.87\00:54:05.37
Verse 7, "Then He came... "
00:54:05.41\00:54:07.61
this is Jesus the
Lion of the tribe of Judah,
00:54:07.64\00:54:10.65
the Lamb of God... "He came
00:54:10.68\00:54:12.41
to take the scroll out
of the right hand of Him
00:54:12.45\00:54:15.38
who sat on the throne. "
00:54:15.42\00:54:18.12
This is the inauguration of
Jesus' High-Priestly ministry.
00:54:18.15\00:54:22.79
Judgment and authority
have been assigned to Christ.
00:54:22.82\00:54:27.40
We read verse 8...
00:54:27.43\00:54:29.03
verse 8... they begin to worship
00:54:29.06\00:54:33.03
and all bowed
down before the Lamb.
00:54:33.07\00:54:37.01
Takeaway Number 4:
00:54:37.04\00:54:38.37
Recognize the authority
of the Lamb in your life.
00:54:38.41\00:54:42.51
Heaven surely did.
00:54:42.54\00:54:43.88
They're not saying,
00:54:43.91\00:54:45.25
"I'm not sure I'm
going to surrender to this.
00:54:45.28\00:54:46.61
I'm not sure I'm
going to bow down. "
00:54:46.65\00:54:48.02
No... recognize the authority
of the Lamb in your life.
00:54:48.05\00:54:52.39
Verse 9, "They sang the
new song saying 'You are worthy
00:54:52.42\00:54:56.73
to take the scroll,
and to open its seals;
00:54:56.76\00:54:59.23
You were slain,
00:54:59.26\00:55:00.60
and have redeemed
us to God by Your blood
00:55:00.63\00:55:02.23
out of every tribe and
tongue and peoples and nation. "
00:55:02.26\00:55:05.17
You know,
Revelation 4... worship occurs
00:55:05.20\00:55:09.30
because of creation.
00:55:09.34\00:55:10.91
God is the Creator.
00:55:10.94\00:55:12.44
Revelation 5... worship
occurs because of redemption.
00:55:12.47\00:55:17.48
Jesus the Lamb is our Redeemer.
00:55:17.51\00:55:21.35
Takeaway Number 5:
00:55:21.38\00:55:22.72
Jesus' death reunites
you and I with the Father.
00:55:22.75\00:55:26.69
Sin bridged a great
gulf between us and God.
00:55:26.72\00:55:30.66
But because of Jesus' death,
00:55:30.69\00:55:33.16
we do not have to be
afraid of the coming judgment.
00:55:33.19\00:55:36.23
Revelation 5
verse 9... last verse,
00:55:36.26\00:55:38.83
"And have made us... "
00:55:38.87\00:55:40.64
this is continuing
the anthem of praise.
00:55:40.67\00:55:42.90
Ryan: Verse 10.
00:55:42.94\00:55:44.27
Jill: Thank you, "Have
made us kings and priests"
00:55:44.31\00:55:45.74
thank you...
00:55:45.77\00:55:47.11
"to our God; and we
shall reign on the earth. "
00:55:47.14\00:55:49.84
Takeaway Number 6:
00:55:49.88\00:55:51.38
Jesus' death changes our status.
00:55:51.41\00:55:54.58
We're no longer sinners...
00:55:54.62\00:55:55.95
we're no longer
cowering in fear.
00:55:55.98\00:55:57.99
We are forgiven...
00:55:58.02\00:55:59.35
saved...
transformed by His grace.
00:55:59.39\00:56:02.26
In fact, we have the privilege
of becoming kings and priests.
00:56:02.29\00:56:07.30
I'm so grateful
that Jesus is worthy.
00:56:07.33\00:56:10.70
Panel: Amen... amen.
00:56:10.77\00:56:12.10
Shelley: Amen...
00:56:12.13\00:56:13.47
what a beautiful study
each and every one of you!
00:56:13.50\00:56:16.14
We have just a moment,
00:56:16.17\00:56:17.51
would you like to
make a closing comment.
00:56:17.54\00:56:19.54
Ryan: Sure, Jesus
says repeatedly to us,
00:56:19.57\00:56:21.88
He knows our works
00:56:21.91\00:56:23.24
and I just want to
ask you, my friends,
00:56:23.28\00:56:24.91
what testimony does your
works tell about your faith?
00:56:24.95\00:56:29.08
Dinzey: Amen... there in Daniel
chapter 7 verse 10 it says,
00:56:29.12\00:56:33.15
the books are open
but Jesus Christ...
00:56:33.19\00:56:35.19
when you get to verse 14,
00:56:35.22\00:56:36.83
He is given dominion and power.
00:56:36.86\00:56:38.99
It has an everlasting kingdom
00:56:39.03\00:56:40.80
and you can be a
part of that kingdom.
00:56:40.83\00:56:43.00
Rafferty: Amen, Revelation 4
gives us a glimpse into heaven
00:56:43.03\00:56:45.70
and what do we see there?
00:56:45.73\00:56:47.07
We see 24 elders redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb
00:56:47.10\00:56:49.97
who has prevailed
where we have failed.
00:56:50.01\00:56:52.01
Jill: Amen.
00:56:52.04\00:56:53.38
I love the fact that judgment
is given in favor of the saints.
00:56:53.44\00:56:58.08
What an incredible
promise in these last days!
00:56:58.11\00:57:01.15
Shelley: Amen, and
you know God is righteous.
00:57:01.18\00:57:04.52
His whole purpose of
righteousness by faith
00:57:04.55\00:57:07.82
is to re-create His image in us.
00:57:07.89\00:57:11.49
So, it is important...
00:57:11.53\00:57:13.60
He is going to restore
His righteousness in us.
00:57:13.63\00:57:16.46
Well, you've heard the
good news of the judgment.
00:57:16.53\00:57:19.33
We want you to
join us next week.
00:57:19.37\00:57:22.17
We will be studying:
The Hour of His Judgment.
00:57:22.20\00:57:25.77
We love you
00:57:25.84\00:57:27.18
and we thank you
for studying with us.
00:57:27.21\00:57:29.48
Bye, bye.
00:57:29.54\00:57:30.88