Greetings once
again, my friends,
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here in the beautiful
Islands of Hawaii on Oahu,
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specifically, we
are glad to be with you
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with Secrets Unsealed.
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And we're looking
at a series of messages
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entitled "Silencing Satan."
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We're looking
at how God responds
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to the wickedness that
began in the heart of Lucifer
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and where we are
now in that process.
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Now in our first messages,
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we looked at the origin of evil
was in the heart of Lucifer,
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in the very
heart of heaven itself,
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and there was a war in heaven,
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he was casted to
earth and we've seen how.
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The reason why
Christ had to cast him out
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instead of blotting him out
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so that other people
could see what was in his heart.
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And Christ came
to be the evidence
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of the truth about God
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in response to the lies
of Satan, and in Calvary
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the righteousness
of God was revealed.
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And we're told that
the last link of sympathy
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between Satan and the
heavenly world was broken
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when they saw the sacrifice
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and selfless
love of Jesus Christ.
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Furthermore, we went on to show
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that the fall of Satan
was not just a one-time event,
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but it had multiple stages,
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four, in fact, distinct phases.
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First, we had the
initial casting out,
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in Revelation 12:7-9,
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then we have the casting out
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from the
sympathies of heavenly beings
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which Christ
accomplished at the cross
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and as we described
in Revelation 12:10,
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and then we saw the
response of the redeemed
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those who God intended to save
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because His plan is
more than just destruction,
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it's the salvation of mankind,
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says, "And they overcame
him by the blood of the Lamb,
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and by the word
of their testimony."
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And they did
not love their lives
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even unto death.
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So we've seen God
move in these three steps,
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and there's still
that great final day
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when Satan will be destroyed
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and that's going to be
the focus of our study.
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At this time,
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we'll be looking at
the day the devil dies.
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But as we always do and must do,
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let's begin with
a word of prayer.
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Dear Heavenly
Father, thank You so much,
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that You give us
not only this life
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but the hope
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and assurance of
eternal life in Jesus Christ.
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And now, Lord,
as we prepare to go
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and be with Jesus,
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we would ask
that You would make us
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like Jesus.
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We would have not
only a transaction,
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but a transformation.
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And by knowledge
of Your Word today,
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help us,
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for we pray it
all in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Now, I want you to
take your Bibles out,
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since I know that
you have them with you,
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take them out
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and let's go to a rather obscure
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book of the Bible,
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Nahum 1:9.
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In the Book of Nahum,
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we find what I believe
is God's biggest promise.
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And I know that
sounds like a lie.
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You remember John
Chapter 14, where Jesus said,
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"Let not your heart be troubled,
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you believe in God,
believe also in Me."
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And He promised to come again
and take us to live with Him,
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that's a big promise.
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John 3:16
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is perhaps the most well-known
passage in all of the Bible,
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that God so loved the world that
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whoever believes in
Him can have eternal life,
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that's a big promise.
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But in Nahum 1:9,
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I believe there's a promise
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that's even of
greater consequence
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than those promises.
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Now I know it
seems a little silly
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to rank the promises of God,
but in this small little book,
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we find one of
God's biggest promises.
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Nahum 1:9,
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a question is
asked rhetorically,
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"What do you
conspire against the Lord?
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He will make an utter end of it.
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Affliction will not rise up
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a second time."
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God makes the promise that
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when this great
controversy is over,
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there will never be a sequel.
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Amen.
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That once Satan is
destroyed and once sin is ended,
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it will never rise again.
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Now, that is a
fantastic promise.
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But let's ask this question.
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How can God make such a promise?
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Now again you could
say, "Well, He is God,
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He can make
whatever promises He wanted."
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Of course, that's true,
but let's think it through.
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There was a time when
Satan was just Lucifer,
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the covering cherub in
heaven and there was no sin,
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and he sinned.
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And there was a time
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when Adam and Eve
were brought forth
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from the hand of the
creator in perfection,
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and they sinned.
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So how can God
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given the experience
of both angels and men
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make such a bold prediction
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that affliction
will never rise again?
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Well, I suppose there's
only so many options He could.
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First of all,
change how we operate
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so that we can't
make choices anymore,
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so there's no
risk of sin anymore.
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Well, friends, if
He could change us
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into mindless automatons,
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then the question,
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why didn't He do
that years before,
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why have we gone
through all of this disease,
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and destruction, and
famine, and plague, and death?
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Why didn't He do that before?
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And furthermore,
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if we were all mindless robots
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just obeying
without rational part
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or choice of
volition of our own,
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then would that
even really be love?
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Of course not.
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You can program
the computer to say,
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"I love you," ten times a day,
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but does that really
mean it really loves you?
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No.
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That's not how that works.
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So God must keep
intact our freedom of choice,
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yet He somehow guarantees
that no one will ever choose
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to rebel again.
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We're going to start
looking at this more closely
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in this message and
in the message to come.
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Well, we're going to look
at the day the devil dies.
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The destruction of Satan
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as we start to inform ourselves
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about this particular truth.
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First of all, we
need to do a study
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of the second coming of Jesus
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and the events immediately
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preceding and
following Christ's return.
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For that, let's do a Bible study
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if you don't mind.
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2 Peter 3.
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We're going to go
to the New Testament,
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that little Book of 2 Peter 3,
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and we're gonna see the
experience of the wicked
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when Christ returns.
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It is not a pretty
picture that scripture paints.
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2 Peter 3,
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starting with verse 3,
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it says here,
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"Knowing this first
that in the last day,
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scoffers will come,
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that scoffers will
come in the last days,
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walking according to
their own lusts, and saying,
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"Where is the
promise of His coming?
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For since the
fathers fell asleep,
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all things continue as they were
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from the
beginning of creation.'"
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But then he adds, "For this
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they willfully forget..."
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Now I'm not at the age
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where I want to forget anything,
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and praise the Lord,
I'm not forgetting too much,
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but I don't know of
anybody who chooses to forget.
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But apparently, there are those
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who know something
they don't want to know,
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so they willfully
forget, and what is it?
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"They willfully forget
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that by the Word of God
the heavens were of old,
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and the earth standing
out of water and in the water,
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by which the world
that then existed perished,
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being flooded with water.
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But the heavens and the earth
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which are now
preserved by the same word
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are reserved for fire
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until the day of judgment
and perdition of ungodly men."
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So notice that
these wicked scoffers
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who taunt the
coming of Christ do so
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because they know
that when He comes,
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they are done.
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It is their destruction.
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The wicked, whenever it comes
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to the return of Jesus,
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don't look forward to
it as their great hope.
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They want to
willfully forget it.
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Revelation Chapter 6,
let's look at another example.
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Revelation Chapter 6,
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we'll begin with verse 14.
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Revelation Chapter 6,
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notice the description of
the experience of the wicked
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at the return of
Jesus recorded here
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in Revelation 6:14,
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"Then the sky receded
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as a scroll
when it is rolled up,
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and every mountain and island
was moved out of its place.
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And the kings of the earth,
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the great men, the rich men,
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the commanders, the mighty men,
every slave and every free man,
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hid themselves in the caves
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and in the rocks
of the mountains,
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and said to the
mountains and rocks,
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'Fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him
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who sits on the throne and
from the wrath of the Lamb!
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For the great day
of His wrath has come,
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and who is able to stand?'"
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So what is
response to the wicked
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when the
revelation of Jesus Christ
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is on the eastern sky?
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They run not to Him,
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but from Him to the
rocks and the mountains
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crying out fall
on us and hide us
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from the face of Him
who sits on the throne,
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and from the wrath of the Lamb.
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Do they look
forward with the great joy
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to the coming of Jesus?
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No.
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They want to forget it,
they want to push it away.
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They are afraid of it.
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In fact, in some of the most
graphic language in the Bible,
00:09:29.40\00:09:31.83
Revelation Chapter 19
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describes this
experience of the wicked
00:09:37.11\00:09:42.68
at the return of Jesus.
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Revelation 19:11,
00:09:44.08\00:09:47.82
"Now I saw heaven opened,
and behold, a white horse.
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And He who sat on him
was called Faithful and True,
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and in righteousness
He judges and makes war.
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His eyes were
like a flame of fire,
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and on His head
were many crowns.
00:09:57.26\00:09:59.26
He had a name written that
no one knew except Himself.
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He was clothed with
a robe dipped in blood,
00:10:02.20\00:10:04.20
and His name is
called The Word of God."
00:10:04.23\00:10:06.84
Friends, there's only
one person in the Bible
00:10:06.87\00:10:08.50
who's ever
called the Word of God,
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and who is that?
00:10:09.90\00:10:11.24
Jesus Christ, right?
00:10:11.27\00:10:12.77
Verse 14, "And
the armies in heaven,
00:10:12.81\00:10:15.08
clothed in fine
linen white and clean,
00:10:15.11\00:10:17.05
followed Him on white horses.
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Now out of His
mouth goes a sharp sword,
00:10:19.41\00:10:21.25
that with it He
should strike the nations.
00:10:21.28\00:10:23.25
And He Himself will
rule them with a rod of iron.
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He Himself treads the
winepress of the fierceness
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and wrath of Almighty God.
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And He has on His robe
and His thigh a name written,
00:10:29.69\00:10:32.73
King of Kings
and Lord of Lords."
00:10:32.76\00:10:37.50
Now this is a description
of the return of Jesus
00:10:37.53\00:10:42.70
and the
destruction of the wicked.
00:10:42.74\00:10:44.17
In fact, watch how...
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If you were to read
through the rest of the verses,
00:10:45.57\00:10:47.14
the destruction is total.
00:10:47.18\00:10:51.51
In fact, by the
end of the chapter,
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it says in verse 21,
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"And the rest were
killed with the sword
00:10:54.42\00:10:56.89
which proceeded
from the mouth of Him
00:10:56.92\00:10:58.42
who sat on the horse.
00:10:58.45\00:11:00.19
And all the birds were
filled with their flesh."
00:11:00.22\00:11:05.43
The wicked here are not
only fleeing from Jesus,
00:11:05.46\00:11:10.00
but they are destroyed
00:11:10.03\00:11:12.07
with the
brightness of His coming,
00:11:12.10\00:11:13.44
with the sword that
proceeds from His mouth.
00:11:13.47\00:11:16.94
And it's sad
00:11:19.97\00:11:22.78
as the destruction of the wicked
00:11:22.81\00:11:24.51
that we've just
seen described is...
00:11:24.55\00:11:29.38
You could at least say...
00:11:29.42\00:11:33.19
Well, at least
when Jesus returns,
00:11:33.22\00:11:36.46
the whole matter is finished.
00:11:36.49\00:11:40.93
Or is it?
00:11:40.96\00:11:43.80
Because if we stay in
the Book of Revelation,
00:11:43.83\00:11:45.47
just go to the very next verse,
00:11:45.50\00:11:47.17
Revelation 20:1, it says,
00:11:47.20\00:11:52.07
"Then I saw an angel
coming down from heaven,
00:11:52.11\00:11:55.64
having the key to
the bottomless pit
00:11:55.68\00:11:57.48
and a great chain in his hand."
00:11:57.51\00:12:00.05
Verse 2,
00:12:00.08\00:12:01.55
"He laid hold of the
dragon, that serpent of old,
00:12:01.58\00:12:04.55
who is the Devil and Satan,
00:12:04.59\00:12:06.99
and bound him for
a thousand years."
00:12:07.02\00:12:11.49
Now wait a minute,
00:12:11.53\00:12:12.86
all the wicked were destroyed
at the coming of Jesus.
00:12:12.89\00:12:15.40
We've seen this in passage
after passage after passage.
00:12:15.43\00:12:18.03
Well, I should say
almost all the wicked,
00:12:18.07\00:12:19.83
there's at least one
00:12:19.87\00:12:21.90
and presumably his
angel host with him,
00:12:21.94\00:12:23.91
who survives the second coming.
00:12:23.94\00:12:27.08
And that is Satan himself.
00:12:27.11\00:12:31.25
And when the angel comes down
00:12:31.28\00:12:34.02
with that great chain,
00:12:34.05\00:12:35.38
he doesn't lay
hold to choke him,
00:12:35.42\00:12:36.75
or to whip him, or to beat him,
00:12:36.79\00:12:38.12
it's just to bind
him for a thousand years.
00:12:38.15\00:12:42.12
Verse 3,
00:12:42.16\00:12:43.49
"And he cast him
into the bottomless pit,
00:12:43.53\00:12:44.93
and shut him up,
and set a seal on him,
00:12:44.96\00:12:47.16
so that he should
deceive the nations
00:12:47.20\00:12:48.53
no more till the
thousand years were finished.
00:12:48.56\00:12:52.87
But after these things,
00:12:52.90\00:12:54.24
he must be released
for a little while."
00:12:54.27\00:12:58.37
What in the world is going on?
00:12:58.41\00:13:00.78
You mean to tell me that
00:13:00.81\00:13:02.14
Satan lives
through the second coming?
00:13:02.18\00:13:06.61
That the antichrist
power that all the wicked,
00:13:06.65\00:13:08.78
the mighty men, the great,
all of them are destroyed,
00:13:08.82\00:13:11.12
but Satan,
00:13:11.15\00:13:12.49
the instigator of
all wickedness remains.
00:13:12.52\00:13:17.49
Why is Satan, and again
00:13:17.53\00:13:20.26
I assume along
with his evil angels,
00:13:20.30\00:13:21.90
the only wicked to
survive the second coming.
00:13:21.93\00:13:25.93
I mean, think about it.
00:13:25.97\00:13:27.30
As we walked through the series,
00:13:27.34\00:13:28.67
if unfallen angels
and redeemed humanity
00:13:28.70\00:13:33.07
have finally rejected Satan,
00:13:33.11\00:13:37.71
why give him
anymore time to live?
00:13:37.75\00:13:42.12
Is he inherently
immortal? Can he not be killed?
00:13:42.15\00:13:45.69
Of course not.
00:13:49.52\00:13:51.23
There must be an answer.
00:13:51.26\00:13:52.96
Satan's continued existence
beyond the second coming
00:13:52.99\00:13:56.80
only makes sense
00:13:56.83\00:13:58.80
when we understand God's process
00:13:58.83\00:14:01.40
for judging the world.
00:14:01.44\00:14:04.51
Let's go back now
to the Old Testament,
00:14:04.54\00:14:06.04
the Book of Ecclesiastes.
00:14:06.07\00:14:10.08
In the Book of Ecclesiastes,
00:14:10.11\00:14:13.45
we read about
the judgment of God.
00:14:13.48\00:14:16.02
Ecclesiastes Chapter 12,
00:14:19.32\00:14:20.89
the wisest man ever to
live in verses 13 and 14,
00:14:23.96\00:14:27.06
the very conclusion
of his reflections here,
00:14:27.10\00:14:32.43
says these words,
00:14:32.47\00:14:34.00
"Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter:
00:14:34.04\00:14:39.47
Fear God
00:14:39.51\00:14:40.84
and keep His commandments,
00:14:40.88\00:14:42.31
for this is man's all."
00:14:42.34\00:14:45.35
By the way, that's
a fantastic summary
00:14:45.38\00:14:47.38
of our Christian duty.
00:14:47.42\00:14:48.95
Everything God
requires of us is very simply,
00:14:48.98\00:14:51.45
fear or love God, and
keep His commandments.
00:14:51.49\00:14:55.26
This is man's all.
00:14:55.29\00:14:56.79
Then he answered in verse 14,
00:14:56.83\00:14:58.36
"For God will bring
every work into," what?
00:14:58.39\00:15:02.26
"Judgment,
including every secret thing,
00:15:02.30\00:15:05.63
whether good or evil."
00:15:05.67\00:15:09.34
So as far back as
the Old Testament times,
00:15:09.37\00:15:12.67
there was this understanding
00:15:12.71\00:15:14.04
that there is a judgment to come
00:15:14.08\00:15:15.88
where God will assess
00:15:15.91\00:15:19.08
the choices, the
actions, the motives,
00:15:19.11\00:15:21.55
the character of His creatures.
00:15:21.58\00:15:25.69
In the New
Testament, in the Book of Acts,
00:15:25.72\00:15:28.96
we see the same thing refer to,
00:15:28.99\00:15:30.76
Acts Chapter 30,
00:15:30.79\00:15:33.66
I mean, Acts 17:30,
00:15:33.70\00:15:36.23
be a long time
looking for Acts Chapter 30.
00:15:36.26\00:15:38.57
Acts Chapter 17,
00:15:38.60\00:15:41.84
as the Apostle Paul was
speaking to the Athenians
00:15:41.87\00:15:44.31
there at the Areopagus,
00:15:44.34\00:15:46.98
reasoning with
them these thinkers,
00:15:47.01\00:15:48.74
these philosophers,
00:15:48.78\00:15:50.35
he explains to them why
his message is so timely?
00:15:50.38\00:15:56.12
Acts 17:30,
00:15:56.15\00:15:57.82
"Truly, these times of ignorance
00:15:57.85\00:16:00.36
God overlooked,
00:16:00.39\00:16:01.72
but now commands all
men everywhere to repent,
00:16:01.76\00:16:05.56
because He has appointed a day
00:16:05.59\00:16:08.36
on which He will judge the world
00:16:08.40\00:16:10.77
in righteousness
00:16:10.80\00:16:12.13
by the Man who He has ordained.
00:16:12.17\00:16:14.07
He has given
assurance of this to all
00:16:14.10\00:16:15.94
by raising Him from the dead."
00:16:15.97\00:16:18.44
Now think about this.
00:16:18.47\00:16:20.04
The Book of Acts is written
00:16:20.08\00:16:21.54
after Jesus died on the cross
00:16:21.58\00:16:23.61
and after He rested in the tomb,
00:16:23.65\00:16:25.51
and after He arose,
00:16:25.55\00:16:26.88
and after He
ascended into heaven,
00:16:26.92\00:16:29.18
and yet the Apostle
Paul is still looking
00:16:29.22\00:16:31.85
to this great day of judgment
as something in the future,
00:16:31.89\00:16:35.16
is he not?
00:16:35.19\00:16:36.52
Ecclesiastes talk
about it in the future,
00:16:36.56\00:16:38.23
but it even goes beyond
the first coming of Jesus.
00:16:38.26\00:16:40.66
The Apostle Paul
says, "He will judge."
00:16:40.70\00:16:42.96
In fact he says,
"There is a day as though
00:16:43.00\00:16:45.13
God has a calendar event
for this work of judgment."
00:16:45.17\00:16:48.87
There is a day when
He will judge the world
00:16:48.90\00:16:50.87
in righteousness by the men
00:16:50.91\00:16:53.07
whom He has ordained.
00:16:53.11\00:16:55.48
Let's go back to
the Old Testament,
00:16:55.51\00:16:56.85
Book of Daniel,
00:16:56.88\00:16:58.21
see if we can nail this
down a little bit more clearly,
00:16:58.25\00:17:00.82
as Daniel was prophesying
00:17:00.85\00:17:02.68
about the end time events
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.19
of this world.
00:17:08.22\00:17:09.62
Daniel Chapter 7
we are going to now,
00:17:09.66\00:17:12.09
and we'll start with verse 9.
00:17:16.00\00:17:18.40
Daniel Chapter 7, of
course, if you recall,
00:17:18.43\00:17:21.30
the Book of Daniel describes
the history of the world
00:17:21.34\00:17:24.34
starting the time of Babylon,
00:17:24.37\00:17:26.34
in Chapter 2, it's Babylon,
00:17:26.37\00:17:27.71
Medo-Persia, Greece, and
Rome as the parts of that image.
00:17:27.74\00:17:31.01
In Daniel
Chapter 7, it's the lion,
00:17:31.05\00:17:33.42
the bear, the leopard,
and this terrible beast,
00:17:33.45\00:17:35.62
but there's the same sequence,
00:17:35.65\00:17:36.99
Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome,
00:17:37.02\00:17:38.85
then divided Rome and the papal,
00:17:38.89\00:17:40.86
little horn of Rome
00:17:40.89\00:17:42.22
and right after
it describes that
00:17:42.26\00:17:43.59
little horn power.
00:17:43.63\00:17:46.06
It says in verse 9,
00:17:46.09\00:17:47.43
"I watched till
thrones were put in place,
00:17:47.46\00:17:50.17
and the Ancient
of days Was seated,
00:17:50.20\00:17:53.67
His garment was white as snow,
00:17:53.70\00:17:55.50
and the hair of His
head was like pure wool.
00:17:55.54\00:17:57.67
His throne was a fiery flame,
its wheels a burning fire.
00:17:57.71\00:18:01.58
A stream issued and
came forth from before Him.
00:18:01.61\00:18:04.11
A thousand
thousands ministered to Him,
00:18:04.15\00:18:06.28
ten thousand times,
00:18:06.31\00:18:07.65
ten thousands stood before Him.
00:18:07.68\00:18:09.02
The court was seated,
and the books were opened."
00:18:09.05\00:18:12.12
Clearly, this is a
reference to this great judgment
00:18:12.15\00:18:15.22
that it had been
so long predicted.
00:18:15.26\00:18:19.03
Now if you skip
down to verse 13,
00:18:19.06\00:18:22.86
you would think, oh, this
is at the coming of Jesus,
00:18:22.90\00:18:24.63
this is when this happens,
00:18:24.67\00:18:26.00
but notice what
the Bible tells us.
00:18:26.03\00:18:28.17
Daniel continues
there in Daniel 7:13,
00:18:28.20\00:18:31.14
"I was watching
in the night visions,
00:18:31.17\00:18:32.97
and behold,
00:18:33.01\00:18:34.34
one like the Son of Man,
00:18:34.38\00:18:35.71
coming with the
clouds of heaven!"
00:18:35.74\00:18:37.38
And at first
blush, you're like, ah-ah,
00:18:37.41\00:18:38.75
there it is, Jesus
returns to the earth.
00:18:38.78\00:18:41.42
But no!
00:18:41.45\00:18:42.78
"Coming with the
clouds of heaven,
00:18:42.82\00:18:44.15
and they brought
Him near before Him."
00:18:44.19\00:18:48.02
Now what did Paul said
that God would judge the world
00:18:48.06\00:18:50.63
through the Man He has ordained,
00:18:50.66\00:18:52.36
which is Jesus Christ.
00:18:52.39\00:18:54.16
Well, like we saw here in Daniel
00:18:54.20\00:18:55.60
that judgment seems set up
00:18:55.63\00:18:57.20
where the court is
seated and the books are open,
00:18:57.23\00:18:59.00
and now the Son of Man
00:18:59.03\00:19:01.00
is being brought
into that judgment hall,
00:19:01.04\00:19:04.67
'cause we read here,
00:19:04.71\00:19:06.04
"Behold, one coming
like the Son of Man,
00:19:06.07\00:19:07.44
coming with the
clouds of heaven!"
00:19:07.48\00:19:08.81
But where is He coming to?
00:19:08.84\00:19:11.01
And they brought
Him near before Him.
00:19:11.05\00:19:14.38
This is not a
reference to Jesus coming back.
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.55
Here it's Him
00:19:16.58\00:19:17.92
moving into the work
of judgment in heaven.
00:19:17.95\00:19:23.12
Then verse 14 says,
00:19:23.16\00:19:25.09
"Then to Him was given dominion,
00:19:25.13\00:19:27.30
and glory, and a kingdom,
00:19:27.33\00:19:29.10
that all peoples, nations,
and languages should serve Him.
00:19:29.13\00:19:31.70
His dominion is an
everlasting dominion,
00:19:31.73\00:19:33.80
which shall not pass
away, and His kingdom
00:19:33.84\00:19:36.50
the one which
shall not be destroyed."
00:19:36.54\00:19:38.51
So before Christ
receives His kingdom,
00:19:38.54\00:19:40.51
before He returns to this earth,
00:19:40.54\00:19:42.38
He goes into the
presence of the Father
00:19:42.41\00:19:43.98
to do that work of judgment.
00:19:44.01\00:19:45.81
My point is simply this.
00:19:45.85\00:19:47.52
The Bible has long
anticipated a final judgment
00:19:47.55\00:19:51.92
even after the cross of Christ,
00:19:51.95\00:19:55.52
but notice it does occur
before the return of Jesus.
00:19:55.56\00:19:59.59
Okay?
00:19:59.63\00:20:00.96
So the judgment of this
world happens after Calvary
00:20:01.00\00:20:04.07
but before the second coming.
00:20:04.10\00:20:07.27
Revelation Chapter 22,
00:20:07.30\00:20:08.64
I think most simply
describes it this way.
00:20:08.67\00:20:11.44
Revelation Chapter
22, the very last book,
00:20:11.47\00:20:14.01
the very last
chapter of the Bible
00:20:14.04\00:20:16.08
speaks about this issue,
00:20:16.11\00:20:18.35
starting with verse 11.
00:20:18.38\00:20:20.42
And I want you to notice
the sequence very clearly,
00:20:20.45\00:20:23.12
the judgment
precedes the return of Jesus.
00:20:23.15\00:20:27.22
Revelation 22:11,
00:20:27.26\00:20:30.63
the declaration is heard.
00:20:30.66\00:20:32.19
"He who is unjust,
00:20:32.23\00:20:34.33
let him be unjust
still, he who is filthy,
00:20:34.36\00:20:37.67
let him be filthy still,
00:20:37.70\00:20:40.04
he who is righteous,
00:20:40.07\00:20:41.40
let him be righteous
still, he who is holy,
00:20:41.44\00:20:44.01
let him be holy still."
00:20:44.04\00:20:45.61
Notice, there is the distinction
00:20:45.64\00:20:46.98
between the righteous,
and the wicked, the holy,
00:20:47.01\00:20:49.04
and the filthy that is made.
00:20:49.08\00:20:52.05
Then in verse 12,
00:20:52.08\00:20:53.42
we read, "And
behold, I am coming," when?
00:20:53.45\00:20:56.85
"Quickly."
00:20:56.89\00:20:58.22
So clearly, the distinction
00:20:58.25\00:21:00.29
between the
righteous and the wicked
00:21:00.32\00:21:02.36
is made prior
to Christ's return.
00:21:02.39\00:21:04.96
Is that clear?
00:21:04.99\00:21:06.59
"And behold, I
am coming quickly,
00:21:06.63\00:21:08.23
and My reward is with Me,
00:21:08.26\00:21:10.47
to give to every one
according to his work."
00:21:10.50\00:21:14.30
So Christ is already
determined through that judgment
00:21:14.34\00:21:17.47
that God has
ordained be done through Him,
00:21:17.51\00:21:19.54
who is righteous
and who is wicked.
00:21:19.57\00:21:22.44
Let's put it this way.
00:21:22.48\00:21:23.81
Christ determines
00:21:23.85\00:21:25.18
who is saved and who is lost
00:21:25.21\00:21:26.55
during the
judgment that takes place
00:21:26.58\00:21:28.15
before He returns, yes?
00:21:28.18\00:21:31.95
Now,
00:21:31.99\00:21:33.36
in this what we call pre-advents
00:21:33.39\00:21:36.46
or prior to the coming of Jesus,
00:21:36.49\00:21:38.03
this pre-advent judgment,
00:21:38.06\00:21:40.33
the verdict of
every case is rendered
00:21:40.36\00:21:44.00
by Jesus Christ Himself.
00:21:44.03\00:21:48.04
He doesn't bring you and me,
00:21:48.07\00:21:49.57
He doesn't bring us
into the deliberations
00:21:49.60\00:21:52.37
of who should be saved and lost.
00:21:52.41\00:21:54.18
Praise the Lord.
00:21:54.21\00:21:55.54
You don't determine
whether I'm in or out.
00:21:55.58\00:21:57.91
That's on Jesus
Christ and Him alone.
00:21:57.95\00:21:59.85
Amen?
00:21:59.88\00:22:01.22
Praise the Lord.
00:22:01.25\00:22:03.55
And when Jesus
returns, of course,
00:22:03.59\00:22:05.09
we know from
those familiar passages
00:22:05.12\00:22:06.55
like 1 Thessalonians
Chapter 4, let's go there.
00:22:06.59\00:22:09.66
What is the
experience of the righteous
00:22:09.69\00:22:11.53
when Jesus returns?
00:22:11.56\00:22:13.43
Unlike the wicked
who run from Christ,
00:22:13.46\00:22:16.87
the righteous have a
whole different experience.
00:22:16.90\00:22:20.64
Starting with the verse 15,
00:22:20.67\00:22:23.20
"For this we say to
you by the Word of the Lord
00:22:23.24\00:22:24.87
that we who are alive and remain
00:22:24.91\00:22:26.47
until the coming of the
Lord will be by no means
00:22:26.51\00:22:28.88
precede those who are asleep.
00:22:28.91\00:22:30.65
And He describes the
second coming this way,
00:22:30.68\00:22:32.71
"For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven
00:22:32.75\00:22:35.58
with a shout,
00:22:35.62\00:22:36.95
with the voice of an archangel,
00:22:36.99\00:22:38.32
and with the trumpet of God.
00:22:38.35\00:22:39.79
And the dead in
Christ will rise first.
00:22:39.82\00:22:42.09
Then we who are alive and remain
00:22:42.12\00:22:43.89
shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds
00:22:43.93\00:22:46.03
to meet the Lord in the air.
00:22:46.06\00:22:47.83
And thus, we shall
always be with the Lord."
00:22:47.86\00:22:50.67
Therefore, comfort one
another with these words.
00:22:50.70\00:22:54.17
So when the
righteous experiences
00:22:54.20\00:22:55.90
second coming of
Jesus, they don't run from it,
00:22:55.94\00:22:57.71
they, in fact, gravitate to it.
00:22:57.74\00:22:59.44
They are lifted
up from this earth
00:22:59.47\00:23:01.18
to join the resurrected saints
in the air with Jesus Christ
00:23:01.21\00:23:04.51
to ever be with
Him forever more.
00:23:04.55\00:23:06.48
Of course, at the same time,
00:23:09.98\00:23:12.25
while the righteous
are being gathered into,
00:23:12.29\00:23:14.86
if you want to
say Christ's barn,
00:23:14.89\00:23:17.46
the wicked are
bundled together for the burn.
00:23:17.49\00:23:21.96
We saw that in
Mathew Chapter 13.
00:23:22.00\00:23:23.63
Go back there again.
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.00
Let's make sure we see
this parable once again,
00:23:25.03\00:23:27.67
Mathew Chapter 13.
00:23:27.70\00:23:30.61
Notice what
Jesus says in verse 30,
00:23:30.64\00:23:32.97
"Let both grow
together until," what event?
00:23:33.01\00:23:36.44
"The harvest,"
which is a reference
00:23:36.48\00:23:37.95
to the second coming of Jesus.
00:23:37.98\00:23:41.05
"Until the harvest,
and at the time of harvest
00:23:41.08\00:23:43.28
I will say to the reapers,
00:23:43.32\00:23:44.85
first, gather
together the tares,
00:23:44.89\00:23:46.82
and bind them in
bundles to burn them..."
00:23:46.86\00:23:49.72
Now it's here, by the way,
00:23:49.76\00:23:51.09
that I think we should
make an interesting point.
00:23:51.13\00:23:53.03
It just doesn't say burn them.
00:23:53.06\00:23:54.90
It says, "Bind
them to be burned,"
00:23:54.93\00:23:58.47
right?
00:23:58.50\00:23:59.83
Do you see that distinction?
00:23:59.87\00:24:01.90
"Bind them to be burned,
00:24:01.94\00:24:06.27
but gather the
wheat into my barn."
00:24:06.31\00:24:08.58
The wheat go
directly into the barn
00:24:08.61\00:24:10.15
with Jesus Christ,
00:24:10.18\00:24:11.51
but the wicked are
bundled to be burned.
00:24:11.55\00:24:16.42
Now that's interesting.
00:24:16.45\00:24:17.79
And again, we come back to...
00:24:20.62\00:24:23.16
If the righteous resurrect
00:24:23.19\00:24:26.23
and ascend with
Jesus at His coming,
00:24:26.26\00:24:28.36
and the wicked run
away and are destroyed,
00:24:28.40\00:24:30.40
and gathered
together in the grave
00:24:30.43\00:24:33.34
for their ultimate destruction.
00:24:33.37\00:24:34.70
Then we come
back to our question,
00:24:37.67\00:24:39.01
why allow Satan
to keep living for,
00:24:39.04\00:24:42.34
according to Revelation
20, another thousand years?
00:24:42.38\00:24:46.38
In fact, let's go
back to that Revelation 20,
00:24:50.95\00:24:52.65
which is going to be
00:24:52.69\00:24:54.72
a key passage in this message.
00:24:54.76\00:24:57.83
Notice what it
says again about him
00:24:57.86\00:24:59.19
for that thousand
years, it doesn't just say,
00:24:59.23\00:25:00.90
for a thousand years
and then he'll be destroyed.
00:25:00.93\00:25:05.23
In fact, it says
something entirely different.
00:25:05.27\00:25:07.77
It says so that he
should deceive the nations,"
00:25:07.80\00:25:09.74
we're in verse 3,
00:25:09.77\00:25:11.67
"should deceive
the nations no more
00:25:11.71\00:25:13.17
till the thousand
years were finished.
00:25:13.21\00:25:15.34
But after these
things he must be released
00:25:15.38\00:25:18.51
for a little while."
00:25:18.55\00:25:22.32
Apparently, and
as we keep reading,
00:25:22.35\00:25:25.22
we can find this out.
00:25:25.25\00:25:26.76
The wicked will live again.
00:25:30.56\00:25:32.63
Now why is it so clear
00:25:35.66\00:25:37.00
that Satan can
deceive the nations no more
00:25:37.03\00:25:39.07
when he's bound to the
earth for the thousand years?
00:25:39.10\00:25:42.37
Because all of the righteous
are with Christ in heaven,
00:25:42.40\00:25:45.07
they're not even there,
00:25:45.11\00:25:46.44
and all the
wicked have been gathered
00:25:46.47\00:25:47.81
in to the grave
00:25:47.84\00:25:49.98
peremptory to their destruction.
00:25:50.01\00:25:53.05
So all human life is gone
00:25:53.08\00:25:57.29
either in death or ascension.
00:25:57.32\00:26:00.76
So for thousand years,
he has no one to tempt,
00:26:00.79\00:26:02.69
but apparently at the
end of the thousand years,
00:26:02.72\00:26:05.66
he will be released
00:26:05.69\00:26:07.03
from that chain
of circumstances.
00:26:07.06\00:26:09.86
And notice as we
keep reading here in 20:4,
00:26:09.90\00:26:12.93
"And I saw thrones,
and they sat on them,
00:26:12.97\00:26:15.57
and judgment was
committed to them."
00:26:19.07\00:26:24.95
Now wait a minute.
00:26:24.98\00:26:26.78
Is this a
judgment that takes place
00:26:26.82\00:26:28.68
after Jesus returns?
00:26:28.72\00:26:31.92
Yes.
00:26:31.95\00:26:33.29
Yes, it is.
00:26:33.32\00:26:35.12
Let's keep reading.
00:26:35.16\00:26:38.13
"Then I saw the souls of those
00:26:38.16\00:26:39.49
who had been beheaded
for their witness to Jesus,
00:26:39.53\00:26:41.30
and for the Word of God,
00:26:41.33\00:26:42.66
who had not worshipped
the beast or his image,
00:26:42.70\00:26:44.67
and had not received his mark
00:26:44.70\00:26:46.13
on their forehead
or in their hands,
00:26:46.17\00:26:48.14
and they lived and
reigned with Christ
00:26:48.17\00:26:49.87
for a thousand years."
00:26:49.90\00:26:51.24
So during the thousand years,
00:26:51.27\00:26:52.61
those redeemed are
going to be entrusted
00:26:52.64\00:26:55.38
with His work of judgment,
00:26:55.41\00:26:56.75
and will come back to
that what in the world!
00:26:56.78\00:26:59.18
But look at verse 5,
"But the rest of the dead,
00:26:59.21\00:27:02.28
that is the wicked,
00:27:02.32\00:27:03.95
did not live again
00:27:03.99\00:27:05.42
until the thousand
years were finished."
00:27:05.45\00:27:09.52
Clearly, the wicked
00:27:09.56\00:27:10.89
who are dead will
live again at the end
00:27:10.93\00:27:13.16
of the thousand years.
00:27:13.19\00:27:16.77
He describes,
00:27:16.80\00:27:18.13
this is the first resurrection
speaking of those redeemed
00:27:18.17\00:27:21.00
who are seated with Christ
00:27:21.04\00:27:24.21
calls that the
first resurrection.
00:27:24.24\00:27:25.84
Verse 6, "Blessed and holy is he
00:27:25.87\00:27:27.78
who has part in
the first resurrection,
00:27:27.81\00:27:30.75
over such the
second death has no power,
00:27:30.78\00:27:34.02
but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ,
00:27:34.05\00:27:36.05
and shall reign with
him a thousand years."
00:27:36.08\00:27:38.49
Are you telling
me that God is going
00:27:38.52\00:27:40.36
to resurrect the wicked
00:27:40.39\00:27:42.36
at the end of the thousand years
00:27:42.39\00:27:44.46
just to kill them again?
00:27:44.49\00:27:46.19
Well!
00:27:49.26\00:27:51.30
Yeah.
00:27:51.33\00:27:54.87
This whole time
we've been seeing
00:27:54.90\00:27:56.24
how tender,
00:27:56.27\00:27:57.61
and merciful, and compassionate,
00:27:57.64\00:27:58.97
and longsuffering,
00:27:59.01\00:28:00.34
and gracious the Lord is
00:28:00.38\00:28:02.51
to allow this
whole process to go on.
00:28:02.54\00:28:05.15
Why at the end
does it end like this?
00:28:05.18\00:28:07.98
How does this
millennium in anyway
00:28:11.02\00:28:13.96
demonstrate God's
character of love and justice.
00:28:13.99\00:28:18.96
Let's keep studying.
00:28:18.99\00:28:20.33
You know this idea of...
00:28:23.77\00:28:25.40
Look back in Revelation
20:4, remember it says,
00:28:25.43\00:28:27.87
"And I saw thrones
and they sat on then."
00:28:27.90\00:28:30.11
Who are the "they"
that Christ pulls up a seat,
00:28:30.14\00:28:32.71
a throne in heaven for
00:28:32.74\00:28:34.41
at the beginning
of the thousand years
00:28:34.44\00:28:36.91
or after Christ's return?
00:28:36.95\00:28:39.71
It says, "And judgment
was committed to them."
00:28:39.75\00:28:42.12
Who are "they" in them?
00:28:42.15\00:28:44.15
Well, it said,
verse, the next sentence,
00:28:44.19\00:28:46.35
"Then I saw the souls of those
00:28:46.39\00:28:47.79
who had been beheaded
for their witness to Jesus
00:28:47.82\00:28:49.52
and for the Word of God,
00:28:49.56\00:28:50.89
who had not worshipped
the beast or his image,
00:28:50.93\00:28:53.46
and had not receive his mark
00:28:53.50\00:28:54.90
on their forehead
or on their hands,
00:28:54.93\00:28:56.56
and they lived and
reigned with Christ
00:28:56.60\00:28:59.33
for a thousand years."
00:28:59.37\00:29:01.00
So clearly, this is a group
of the redeemed, is it not?
00:29:01.04\00:29:04.34
These are people
who have been brought
00:29:04.37\00:29:05.74
out of that tribulation
00:29:05.77\00:29:07.11
who will remain faithful to God,
00:29:07.14\00:29:09.11
and the saved, the
elect, this redeemed group
00:29:09.14\00:29:13.11
are now entrusted by Christ
00:29:13.15\00:29:16.45
with the work of judgment.
00:29:16.48\00:29:20.39
Now wait a minute.
00:29:20.42\00:29:21.76
Didn't we say that
00:29:21.79\00:29:23.12
the verdict of every case
was rendered by Christ alone
00:29:23.16\00:29:25.26
before He comes?
00:29:25.29\00:29:26.63
Yes.
00:29:26.66\00:29:28.96
Then what is this
judgment all about?
00:29:29.00\00:29:32.47
Well, first of all,
it'll be helpful to know
00:29:32.50\00:29:33.97
that this is not the
only place in the Bible
00:29:34.00\00:29:35.47
that speaks of this judgment.
00:29:35.50\00:29:37.84
Let's go back and see
what the Paul Apostle says.
00:29:37.87\00:29:39.67
Go to 1 Corinthians 4.
00:29:39.71\00:29:43.51
1 Corinthians Chapter 4,
00:29:43.55\00:29:45.35
speaking to the
brothers and sisters
00:29:52.19\00:29:53.72
there in Corinth
00:29:53.76\00:29:55.09
and taking about
this work of judgment,
00:29:55.12\00:29:58.59
we find 1 Corinthians Chapter 4,
00:29:58.63\00:30:02.23
where he says this
almost odd statement.
00:30:02.26\00:30:06.50
He says,
"Therefore judge," how much?
00:30:06.53\00:30:09.64
"Nothing."
00:30:09.67\00:30:11.31
And if only he'd stopped
there with us, that's right,
00:30:11.34\00:30:12.97
we should not judge anything.
00:30:13.01\00:30:15.01
That's not what
he's saying, he says,
00:30:15.04\00:30:16.38
"Judge nothing
before the time..."
00:30:16.41\00:30:21.65
Whoa! Wait a minute.
00:30:21.68\00:30:23.82
Notice he's not
talking to Jesus Christ,
00:30:23.85\00:30:25.99
he's talking to the
brothers and sisters in Corinth,
00:30:26.02\00:30:28.66
the Church of God on the earth,
00:30:28.69\00:30:30.56
he's saying "Judge
nothing before the time."
00:30:30.59\00:30:35.06
And what time is that?
00:30:35.10\00:30:36.43
He says it,
00:30:36.46\00:30:37.97
"until," what event?
00:30:38.00\00:30:39.97
"The Lord comes."
00:30:40.00\00:30:43.24
So apparently,
there will be a judgment
00:30:43.27\00:30:45.31
that happens,
00:30:45.34\00:30:46.78
at that time,
00:30:46.81\00:30:48.14
when the Lord comes
00:30:48.18\00:30:49.51
that the redeemed from the earth
00:30:49.54\00:30:51.88
will participate in.
00:30:51.91\00:30:55.12
"Therefore judge
nothing before the time,
00:30:55.15\00:30:57.65
until the Lord comes,
00:30:57.69\00:31:00.86
who will both bring to light
the hidden things of darkness
00:31:00.89\00:31:03.36
and reveal the
counsels of the heart.
00:31:03.39\00:31:06.66
Then each one's
praise will come from God."
00:31:06.70\00:31:10.27
Now, why does the Bible tell us
00:31:10.30\00:31:13.03
that we should
not judge one another?
00:31:13.07\00:31:17.67
It's because we don't
have all the information,
00:31:17.71\00:31:21.21
plus we've got some
simple hearts and tendencies
00:31:21.24\00:31:23.41
that would be bad in judgment.
00:31:23.45\00:31:24.78
It's a good idea for us
not to judge one another.
00:31:24.81\00:31:26.51
I can't tell you whether
you're going to heaven or hell.
00:31:26.55\00:31:29.95
I can hope and pray,
00:31:29.98\00:31:31.75
and urge, and plead, and appeal,
00:31:31.79\00:31:33.59
but that's
between you and the Lord,
00:31:33.62\00:31:35.09
and there's things
on the inside of you
00:31:35.12\00:31:36.46
that I will
never have access to,
00:31:36.49\00:31:37.83
I can't read your mind,
I don't know your heart,
00:31:37.86\00:31:39.19
I don't know your true character
00:31:39.23\00:31:40.56
and motives.
00:31:40.60\00:31:41.93
The God of all heaven and earth,
00:31:41.96\00:31:44.67
the Creator of
every intelligent being,
00:31:44.70\00:31:46.37
He not only sees to
you, He sees through you,
00:31:46.40\00:31:48.30
does He not?
00:31:48.34\00:31:50.44
The Bible tells
that the man looks
00:31:50.47\00:31:51.81
at the outward appearance,
but God looks on the where?
00:31:51.84\00:31:54.04
The heart.
00:31:54.08\00:31:55.64
So He is our judge
because He knows the truth.
00:31:55.68\00:32:00.12
But apparently,
there will be a time,
00:32:04.22\00:32:07.86
and that time is
when the Lord comes,
00:32:07.89\00:32:10.16
when He will reveal
00:32:10.19\00:32:12.63
and bring to light the
hidden things of darkness
00:32:12.66\00:32:15.90
and the counsels of the heart.
00:32:15.93\00:32:18.57
Interesting.
00:32:18.60\00:32:20.27
Let's go to 1
Corinthians Chapter 6,
00:32:20.30\00:32:22.10
staying right in the same book,
00:32:22.14\00:32:23.71
the Apostle Paul returns to
this concept of the redeems'
00:32:23.74\00:32:28.54
participation in Christ work
of judgment after He returns.
00:32:28.58\00:32:33.42
1 Corinthians Chapter 6.
00:32:33.45\00:32:36.72
Apparently, they were doing
00:32:36.75\00:32:38.09
some very not so Christian
Christ like things in Corinth
00:32:38.12\00:32:42.09
and he was a little
ashamed of them and aghast,
00:32:42.12\00:32:43.83
and he gave them his counsel.
00:32:43.86\00:32:45.19
He says in verse1, in
1 Corinthian Chapter 6,
00:32:45.23\00:32:48.20
"Dare any of you,
00:32:48.23\00:32:49.70
having a matter against another,
00:32:49.73\00:32:51.57
go to law
before the unrighteous,
00:32:51.60\00:32:53.74
and not before the saints?"
00:32:53.77\00:32:55.47
Apparently, they are
taking each other to court
00:32:55.50\00:32:57.24
and suing each other,
00:32:57.27\00:32:58.61
and having the local magistrates
00:32:58.64\00:33:00.24
in secular courts deal out
00:33:00.28\00:33:02.51
punishment, or justice,
00:33:02.54\00:33:03.88
or reward for things
00:33:03.91\00:33:05.51
that were happening
inside the church family.
00:33:05.55\00:33:07.65
Can you imagine such a thing?
00:33:07.68\00:33:10.49
Paul says, "What are you doing?"
00:33:10.52\00:33:11.85
In fact, in verse 2, he says,
00:33:11.89\00:33:13.22
"Do you not know."
00:33:13.25\00:33:15.02
There's that phrase again,
I love of the Apostle Paul,
00:33:15.06\00:33:16.83
"Do you not know,"
00:33:16.86\00:33:19.16
this should be common
sense for the Christian,
00:33:19.19\00:33:20.93
he says, "Do you not know
00:33:20.96\00:33:23.00
that the saints will judge,"
00:33:23.03\00:33:25.87
what?
00:33:25.90\00:33:27.24
"The world?"
00:33:27.27\00:33:28.60
Wasn't the Apostle Paul
aware of the coming judgment
00:33:33.21\00:33:35.91
where the saints
would be participants?
00:33:35.94\00:33:37.71
Yes.
00:33:37.75\00:33:39.08
He says, "Do you not know
00:33:39.11\00:33:40.45
that the saints
will judge the world?
00:33:40.48\00:33:42.32
And he makes the application,
00:33:42.35\00:33:43.79
"If the world
will be judged by you,
00:33:43.82\00:33:45.39
are you unworthy to
judge the smallest matters?"
00:33:45.42\00:33:48.99
By the way, do
you notice him saying,
00:33:49.02\00:33:50.36
"You should judge
things, just not people."
00:33:50.39\00:33:54.40
My fear a little aside,
00:33:54.43\00:33:57.37
is it in our zeal
to not be judgmental?
00:33:57.40\00:34:00.07
We have lost the
ability to be judicious.
00:34:00.10\00:34:05.94
God expects us to
think through things
00:34:05.97\00:34:08.44
to know right from wrong,
00:34:08.48\00:34:09.81
to inspect the
fruit of something
00:34:09.84\00:34:11.65
and see if it is worthy,
00:34:11.68\00:34:13.98
to have discernment and judicial
00:34:14.02\00:34:15.65
to practice righteous judgment
00:34:15.68\00:34:17.72
because there's a
responsibility coming
00:34:17.75\00:34:21.06
in the life to come.
00:34:21.09\00:34:22.89
He comes back
to this in verse 3,
00:34:22.92\00:34:24.26
"Do you not know
00:34:24.29\00:34:26.70
that we shall judge angels?
00:34:26.73\00:34:31.13
How much more,
00:34:31.17\00:34:32.63
things that
pertain to this life?"
00:34:32.67\00:34:36.37
Clearly, Paul understood
00:34:36.40\00:34:39.47
that there would
be a judgment to come
00:34:39.51\00:34:42.74
in the future life.
00:34:42.78\00:34:44.25
Let's go to the
great Book of Psalms.
00:34:48.45\00:34:50.89
The 149th Psalm,
00:34:50.92\00:34:53.36
right there to the
very end of the book.
00:34:53.39\00:34:55.39
We're going to
read the whole Psalm,
00:35:00.00\00:35:01.80
all nine verses of it.
00:35:01.83\00:35:03.16
But it is my
belief that this passage
00:35:06.13\00:35:10.31
is speaking
00:35:13.44\00:35:16.28
from the
perspective of the redeemed
00:35:16.31\00:35:21.08
during the time of this judgment
00:35:21.12\00:35:25.09
that we've been talking
about, the post-advent judgment,
00:35:25.12\00:35:27.79
the one after Jesus returns.
00:35:27.82\00:35:31.79
Psalm 149, we'll
begin with verse 1,
00:35:31.83\00:35:34.06
and you will
notice a stark contrast,
00:35:34.10\00:35:36.36
two competing
ideas that live together.
00:35:36.40\00:35:40.90
Psalm 149:1, "Praise the Lord!
00:35:40.94\00:35:44.81
Sing to the Lord a new song,
00:35:44.84\00:35:46.54
and His praise in
the assembly of saints.
00:35:46.57\00:35:49.38
Let Israel
rejoice in their Maker,
00:35:49.41\00:35:51.58
let the children of
Zion be joyful in their King.
00:35:51.61\00:35:54.65
Then men let them
praise His name with the dance,
00:35:54.68\00:35:58.09
let them sing praises to
Him with the timbrel and harp.
00:35:58.12\00:36:01.09
For the Lord takes
pleasure in His people,
00:36:01.12\00:36:03.56
He will beautify the
humble with salvation."
00:36:03.59\00:36:07.03
So it's clearly talking
about the praises of those
00:36:07.06\00:36:09.60
who are redeemed and saved.
00:36:09.63\00:36:12.83
It continues in verse 5.
00:36:12.87\00:36:14.44
"Let the saints
be joyful in glory,
00:36:14.47\00:36:17.17
let them sing
aloud on their beds."
00:36:17.21\00:36:19.57
Verse 6,
00:36:19.61\00:36:20.94
"Let the high praises
of God be in their mouth,
00:36:20.98\00:36:23.65
and...
00:36:23.68\00:36:26.11
a two-edged
sword in their hand."
00:36:26.15\00:36:31.09
Now up until verse 6,
everything is about the joy,
00:36:31.12\00:36:33.42
and the singing,
and the praising,
00:36:33.46\00:36:35.02
and everything is
wonderful, then all of a sudden,
00:36:35.06\00:36:36.93
they are
apparently dancing around
00:36:36.96\00:36:38.69
with swords in their hand.
00:36:38.73\00:36:40.13
Why?
00:36:40.16\00:36:41.50
Well, it tells us,
00:36:44.50\00:36:47.80
"To execute
vengeance on the nations,
00:36:47.84\00:36:51.31
and punishments on the peoples.
00:36:51.34\00:36:53.61
To bind their kings with chains,
00:36:59.01\00:37:04.09
and their nobles
with fetters of iron.
00:37:04.12\00:37:08.22
To execute on them
the written judgment,
00:37:08.26\00:37:12.63
this honor have all His saints.
00:37:12.66\00:37:16.26
Praise the Lord."
00:37:16.30\00:37:17.63
Please note,
00:37:22.14\00:37:24.97
the work that they are to do
is not to write the judgment.
00:37:25.01\00:37:29.24
The judgment is
already been written, right?
00:37:29.28\00:37:33.65
But their work is
to execute on them,
00:37:33.68\00:37:36.58
the written judgment.
00:37:36.62\00:37:37.95
The verdict is
already been rendered.
00:37:37.99\00:37:39.92
What now needs to take place
00:37:39.95\00:37:43.43
is the
deliberation over the sentence.
00:37:43.46\00:37:47.66
You know, even
in earthly courts,
00:37:47.70\00:37:49.93
judgment takes place
in multiple phases, right?
00:37:49.96\00:37:54.67
When someone goes into the court
00:37:54.70\00:37:56.37
for the first time
00:37:56.40\00:37:57.74
having been accused of
a crime, there's a trial,
00:37:57.77\00:37:59.24
there's an
investigation of the facts
00:37:59.27\00:38:01.38
to find out the
truth and at the end of it,
00:38:01.41\00:38:03.68
a verdict is rendered.
00:38:03.71\00:38:06.11
You have an
investigative judgment,
00:38:06.15\00:38:08.05
and you have a
verdict being rendered
00:38:08.08\00:38:10.75
declaring guilt or innocence.
00:38:10.79\00:38:13.96
Yes?
00:38:13.99\00:38:15.56
Friends, in the spiritual realm,
00:38:15.59\00:38:16.99
this is true as well.
00:38:17.03\00:38:18.36
Christ is our judge
00:38:18.39\00:38:19.73
and He is currently
undergoing this work
00:38:19.76\00:38:23.06
of what we call the
investigative judgment,
00:38:23.10\00:38:25.47
the pre-advent judgment
00:38:25.50\00:38:27.37
determining the
verdict of every case
00:38:27.40\00:38:31.37
brought before Him,
00:38:31.41\00:38:32.77
who is saved and who is lost,
00:38:32.81\00:38:34.38
the unjust or the just,
00:38:34.41\00:38:37.25
the holy or the filthy.
00:38:37.28\00:38:41.38
But then,
00:38:41.42\00:38:45.19
according to
Revelation Chapter 20,
00:38:45.22\00:38:47.76
"He brings the
redeemed into His counsels,
00:38:47.79\00:38:50.73
pulls up a seat of judgment,
a throne to share with Him,
00:38:50.76\00:38:55.46
and the saints
will judge the world."
00:38:55.50\00:38:58.90
And so again I ask you,
00:38:58.93\00:39:00.27
if the verdict is already
been rendered for every case,
00:39:00.30\00:39:04.77
unless we do a little
deductive thinking here.
00:39:04.81\00:39:08.84
If...
00:39:08.88\00:39:10.21
the verdict of every
case is already been rendered,
00:39:14.18\00:39:19.35
and the determination is made
as to who is saved and lost,
00:39:19.39\00:39:21.76
and the evidence is clear
00:39:21.79\00:39:24.93
because the
righteous are the ones
00:39:24.96\00:39:26.93
who have already
been taken to heaven,
00:39:26.96\00:39:28.76
and the wicked are the ones
00:39:28.80\00:39:30.13
who have already
been bound in the grave.
00:39:30.17\00:39:34.47
The question they are wrestling
00:39:34.50\00:39:36.30
is not who is
saved and who is lost?
00:39:36.34\00:39:39.87
Jesus Christ made
that determination,
00:39:39.91\00:39:41.98
rendered the verdict,
00:39:42.01\00:39:43.35
and gave the reward
at His coming, right?
00:39:43.38\00:39:46.38
Either eternal life
00:39:46.41\00:39:47.75
or gathered in the grave.
00:39:47.78\00:39:50.79
So if that's the case,
00:39:50.82\00:39:53.25
the only thing left to do
00:39:53.29\00:39:55.16
is render a
sentence for each case.
00:39:55.19\00:40:00.36
You'll find this passage
in the Great Controversy,
00:40:00.40\00:40:02.40
page 661.
00:40:02.43\00:40:04.27
At this time,
00:40:09.30\00:40:10.64
speaking of a direct commentary
on Revelation Chapter 20
00:40:10.67\00:40:14.14
in that thousand year
millennium time phrase,
00:40:14.18\00:40:17.55
timeframe that
follows the coming of Jesus.
00:40:17.58\00:40:21.62
Again, Great
Controversy, page 661,
00:40:21.65\00:40:24.19
"At this time,
00:40:24.22\00:40:25.82
the righteous reign as
kings and priests unto God.
00:40:25.85\00:40:31.06
John in the
Revelation says, 'I saw thrones,
00:40:31.09\00:40:34.06
and they sat upon them,
00:40:34.10\00:40:35.43
and judgment was
given unto them.'
00:40:35.46\00:40:38.83
'They shall be
priests of God and of Christ,
00:40:38.87\00:40:40.67
and shall reign with
Him a thousand years."
00:40:40.70\00:40:43.51
It is at this time
that, as foretold by Paul,
00:40:43.54\00:40:47.61
'The saints shall
judge the world.'"
00:40:47.64\00:40:50.15
Notice, she's taking
all the same scripture
00:40:50.18\00:40:51.68
we just looked at
and piling together
00:40:51.71\00:40:53.31
doing a Bible study.
00:40:53.35\00:40:56.58
Then she adds the
clarifying explanation.
00:40:56.62\00:41:01.12
"In union with Christ,
00:41:01.16\00:41:03.63
they just the wicked,
00:41:03.66\00:41:08.30
comparing their acts
with the statute book,
00:41:08.33\00:41:12.53
the Bible,
00:41:12.57\00:41:14.17
and deciding every case
00:41:14.20\00:41:16.74
according to the
deeds done in the body."
00:41:16.77\00:41:20.44
Now notice it does not say,
00:41:20.48\00:41:21.81
they're judging
the people to determine
00:41:21.84\00:41:23.18
who is righteous
and who is wicked.
00:41:23.21\00:41:26.15
They're judging the wicked
because they are righteous.
00:41:26.18\00:41:29.42
That determination
has already been made.
00:41:29.45\00:41:32.65
So what there is left to do?
00:41:32.69\00:41:37.06
She adds, "Then the portion
00:41:37.09\00:41:39.53
which the wicked
must suffer is meted out,
00:41:39.56\00:41:42.63
according to their works,
00:41:42.66\00:41:45.17
and it is recorded
against their names
00:41:45.20\00:41:47.47
in the book of death."
00:41:47.50\00:41:48.84
You know,
00:41:53.68\00:41:55.18
when we talk
about the destruction
00:41:55.21\00:41:56.54
of the wicked
00:41:56.58\00:41:57.91
and we sometimes refer
to it as the fire of hell
00:41:57.95\00:41:59.68
or whatever you want to call it,
00:41:59.71\00:42:01.05
the lake of fire, it's fine.
00:42:01.08\00:42:02.42
But we're talking
about the same thing,
00:42:02.45\00:42:03.82
the destruction of the wicked.
00:42:03.85\00:42:05.42
There is one notion
that many, many Christians
00:42:09.82\00:42:12.43
adhere to that praise the
Lord is not found in the Bible,
00:42:12.46\00:42:15.46
and that is that the
wicked suffer interminable,
00:42:15.50\00:42:19.23
unending, unrelenting torture
00:42:19.27\00:42:22.50
for eternity without end.
00:42:22.54\00:42:26.47
They referred to as
the eternal burning hell,
00:42:26.51\00:42:28.58
right?
00:42:28.61\00:42:29.94
That they can
suffer, but can never die,
00:42:29.98\00:42:32.55
that God keeps them
alive just to hurt them.
00:42:32.58\00:42:36.38
That if they sin
for 7 years or 70 years,
00:42:36.42\00:42:38.79
it doesn't matter, they
all get that same eternity
00:42:38.82\00:42:43.66
condemnation.
00:42:43.69\00:42:46.66
And again, I praise the Lord
00:42:46.70\00:42:48.03
that concept is not
found in the Word of God.
00:42:48.06\00:42:50.83
Amen?
00:42:50.87\00:42:52.60
But does that mean
00:42:52.63\00:42:53.97
that everybody is
going to live forever?
00:42:54.00\00:42:55.84
No.
00:42:55.87\00:42:57.21
And sometimes,
00:42:59.91\00:43:01.38
even devoted Bible teachers
00:43:01.41\00:43:05.61
in an effort to
disabuse our minds
00:43:05.65\00:43:08.88
of that incorrect notion
00:43:08.92\00:43:11.72
will infer
another incorrect idea
00:43:11.75\00:43:14.92
and that is that the wicked
00:43:14.96\00:43:16.29
will be immediately destroyed
without any hesitation.
00:43:16.32\00:43:19.46
Shoo, they're gone.
00:43:19.49\00:43:24.13
But that's not what
the Bible teaches either.
00:43:24.17\00:43:26.63
It seems like we have to choose,
00:43:30.07\00:43:31.41
either they will
suffer for eternity
00:43:31.44\00:43:33.58
forever, and ever, and ever
00:43:33.61\00:43:35.01
or they will be
instantaneously evaporated
00:43:35.04\00:43:39.31
with no suffering whatsoever,
00:43:39.35\00:43:43.18
when the truth is
somewhere in between.
00:43:43.22\00:43:46.99
Now, one of the two
things you would think
00:43:47.02\00:43:48.89
that those are
completely opposite views,
00:43:48.92\00:43:50.43
but interestingly enough,
00:43:50.46\00:43:51.79
they have
several things in common.
00:43:51.83\00:43:53.16
Number one,
00:43:53.19\00:43:54.53
neither it's found in scripture.
00:43:54.56\00:43:57.97
Number two,
00:43:58.00\00:44:00.27
is that they have this
one other common problem
00:44:00.30\00:44:04.94
is that they are
both one size fits all.
00:44:04.97\00:44:07.68
That here it doesn't matter
00:44:11.25\00:44:12.58
how heinous of a
crime you have done,
00:44:12.61\00:44:13.95
how wicked of a
life you've lead,
00:44:13.98\00:44:17.02
you get the exact
same punishment as someone,
00:44:17.05\00:44:20.46
you know,
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.66
who's rejected
Christ but wasn't out there
00:44:22.69\00:44:24.63
murdering people, and
raping, and pillaging,
00:44:24.66\00:44:27.80
and all these
other horrendous things.
00:44:27.83\00:44:32.60
I mean, think about it this way.
00:44:32.63\00:44:34.17
If they would say
a 28-year old kid,
00:44:34.20\00:44:35.97
who is rebellious in his heart
00:44:36.00\00:44:37.34
and he was just
mean to everybody,
00:44:37.37\00:44:38.71
and he just had a bad attitude,
00:44:38.74\00:44:40.08
and he just rejected every
prompting of the Holy Spirit,
00:44:40.11\00:44:42.21
and he was just
00:44:42.24\00:44:44.58
tragically killed
in a car accident.
00:44:44.61\00:44:46.58
Does he deserve
the same punishment
00:44:49.75\00:44:51.95
though he is
equally lost as a...
00:44:51.99\00:44:54.79
I don't know, Hitler?
00:44:54.82\00:44:58.09
Or let's even
raise the ante even more,
00:44:58.13\00:45:00.23
as Satan himself?
00:45:00.26\00:45:04.37
Of course not.
00:45:04.40\00:45:06.10
You don't have to be
even righteous to think that,
00:45:06.13\00:45:08.10
even the most
secular-minded magistrate
00:45:08.14\00:45:10.91
in this world would say,
00:45:10.94\00:45:12.27
"Wait a minute, that's not fair,
00:45:12.31\00:45:13.64
there's got to be some sort
of differentiated culpability,
00:45:13.68\00:45:15.28
there's got to
be some designation,
00:45:15.31\00:45:16.81
there has to be a
hierarchy of sentencing.
00:45:16.85\00:45:19.51
We can't just
give one size fits all
00:45:19.55\00:45:21.22
for the
shoplifter and the murderer,
00:45:21.25\00:45:25.49
there has to be degrees,
00:45:25.52\00:45:26.96
and it has to be
individually apportioned.
00:45:26.99\00:45:29.29
So while, in the end,
00:45:32.83\00:45:34.53
their final destruction
is just as permanent,
00:45:34.56\00:45:37.57
the destroying
is differentiated.
00:45:37.60\00:45:43.20
And the same thing on this side.
00:45:43.24\00:45:46.17
If the destruction of
the wicked is instantaneous
00:45:46.21\00:45:48.44
with no suffering whatsoever,
00:45:48.48\00:45:49.81
so you gonna tell me
that Satan has sinned
00:45:49.84\00:45:51.45
for 6,000 years
00:45:51.48\00:45:52.81
and doesn't have
to suffer at all?
00:45:52.85\00:45:54.18
That's not biblical or fair.
00:45:57.42\00:46:02.26
The only fair system is to have
00:46:02.29\00:46:06.43
an individualized process,
00:46:06.46\00:46:08.50
where every
account is individually,
00:46:08.53\00:46:11.90
distinctively judged
00:46:11.93\00:46:15.24
apart from all others.
00:46:15.27\00:46:16.60
And for some
reason, in God's wisdom,
00:46:20.18\00:46:22.51
for this phase of the judgment,
00:46:22.54\00:46:24.21
He brings the
redeemed to the table,
00:46:24.25\00:46:27.35
and says work with me now.
00:46:27.38\00:46:28.72
He doesn't turn
over the keys and says,
00:46:28.75\00:46:30.09
"I'll be back in
the thousand years,
00:46:30.12\00:46:31.45
whatever you guys come
up with, I'm good with."
00:46:31.49\00:46:32.82
No, no, no.
00:46:32.85\00:46:34.19
It says, "In union with Christ,
00:46:34.22\00:46:36.69
they judge the wicked."
00:46:36.73\00:46:38.06
I believe He does this
to demonstrate His wisdom,
00:46:43.40\00:46:46.97
and His justice, and His love.
00:46:47.00\00:46:49.94
The redeemed are
unique in all of heaven's
00:46:54.71\00:46:57.38
inhabitants at this point
00:46:57.41\00:47:00.65
because they are the only ones
00:47:00.68\00:47:02.18
who have ever been
sinners themselves.
00:47:02.22\00:47:06.55
Gabriel has watched
from the courts of heaven,
00:47:06.59\00:47:09.72
he has seen the
result of rebellion
00:47:09.76\00:47:13.33
in his own
experience there with Lucifer
00:47:13.36\00:47:15.76
and third of the
angels who fell in.
00:47:15.80\00:47:18.43
He witnessed the death
of Christ on the cross,
00:47:18.47\00:47:20.44
but he doesn't know
00:47:20.47\00:47:22.04
what it's like to
have been in that pits
00:47:22.07\00:47:25.31
and been redeemed out.
00:47:25.34\00:47:28.81
And dare I say it, "Even Christ,
00:47:28.84\00:47:33.45
though He was tempted
in all points as we are,"
00:47:33.48\00:47:36.22
what does the scripture say?
00:47:36.25\00:47:37.59
"Yet was without sin."
00:47:37.62\00:47:40.16
Now He became sin for us
and He took upon Him our sin,
00:47:40.19\00:47:44.46
praise God,
00:47:44.49\00:47:46.43
but He never sinned.
00:47:46.46\00:47:48.06
The redeemed are
the only citizens
00:47:51.07\00:47:53.87
of God's kingdom
00:47:53.90\00:47:55.24
who have ever
rebelled and come back home.
00:47:55.27\00:47:59.77
Now why is that important?
00:47:59.81\00:48:01.28
Now, let me tell you something.
00:48:05.31\00:48:06.65
As I mentioned before,
00:48:06.68\00:48:08.02
I have no
intention of being lost.
00:48:08.05\00:48:10.19
Amen.
00:48:10.22\00:48:11.65
I want to be
part of the redeemed
00:48:11.69\00:48:13.22
on that side of it, right?
00:48:13.25\00:48:14.99
But if,
00:48:15.02\00:48:16.93
by some fault of my own,
00:48:16.96\00:48:19.39
I spurn the Lord's redemption
00:48:19.43\00:48:22.76
and find myself awaking
in the wrong resurrection,
00:48:22.80\00:48:26.10
and I have to face
the judgment bar of God
00:48:29.14\00:48:31.44
to receive sentencing.
00:48:31.47\00:48:32.81
I don't want
Gabriel in the deliberations
00:48:36.04\00:48:38.71
'cause he's never
been where I've been.
00:48:42.68\00:48:44.09
Friends, there's only two people
00:48:47.16\00:48:48.49
I want at that judgment bar
00:48:48.52\00:48:50.69
if my name were to come up,
00:48:50.73\00:48:53.16
and that is my
Savior Jesus Christ
00:48:53.19\00:48:57.37
and my own mother.
00:48:57.40\00:48:58.73
Why do I want mom there?
00:49:03.07\00:49:06.91
I want the most
sympathetic sentence
00:49:06.94\00:49:11.75
ever imagined in
the heart of man.
00:49:11.78\00:49:13.88
I imagined it will
go something like this
00:49:20.49\00:49:22.16
and again I could be wrong but,
00:49:22.19\00:49:26.06
that Christ will come
to the redeemed and say,
00:49:26.09\00:49:27.73
"Look, I'm going to
open up the books of heaven,
00:49:27.76\00:49:29.86
the counsels of the heart,
00:49:29.90\00:49:31.23
show you what
was really going on
00:49:31.27\00:49:32.60
inside of each
person who's not here."
00:49:32.63\00:49:35.64
And I want you to think about,
00:49:35.67\00:49:37.41
what would be a fair discipline,
00:49:37.44\00:49:40.38
what would be a fair punishment,
00:49:40.41\00:49:42.38
I should say?
00:49:42.41\00:49:43.75
Discipline's got in a bad rap.
00:49:43.78\00:49:45.11
God always disciplines
00:49:45.15\00:49:46.48
with the idea of
redemption in mind,
00:49:46.51\00:49:48.52
but this isn't
redemptive, this is punitive.
00:49:48.55\00:49:50.79
We have all
these different cases,
00:49:54.22\00:49:56.36
take a look.
00:49:56.39\00:49:57.73
First of all, I
want you to understand
00:49:57.76\00:49:59.09
why they are not there?
00:49:59.13\00:50:00.46
And second of all,
I want you to tell me,
00:50:00.50\00:50:02.23
what would be just,
00:50:02.26\00:50:03.60
what would be fair
in their destruction?
00:50:03.63\00:50:08.24
And I imagined
after deliberations go on,
00:50:08.27\00:50:10.31
for each name Jesus
Christ has a sealed envelope.
00:50:10.34\00:50:15.54
And when the sentence
is rendered for each case,
00:50:15.58\00:50:18.21
He says, "Right
now open the envelope.
00:50:18.25\00:50:21.52
I want you to see
what I chose to give them
00:50:21.55\00:50:24.45
as a punishment."
00:50:24.49\00:50:27.12
And lo and behold,
for each single case,
00:50:27.16\00:50:31.33
what He came up with
00:50:31.36\00:50:32.96
is just as sympathetic
as what we came up with.
00:50:32.99\00:50:37.23
It'll be demonstrated
00:50:37.27\00:50:38.83
that nothing more
could have been done
00:50:38.87\00:50:42.40
to be fairer or more righteous
00:50:42.44\00:50:45.14
in God's own process of judgment
00:50:45.17\00:50:47.18
that He set up as
outlined in His book.
00:50:47.21\00:50:51.31
Removing all doubt,
00:50:51.35\00:50:53.15
as to His fairness and justice,
00:50:53.18\00:50:54.72
Christ invites the redeemed,
00:50:54.75\00:50:56.69
the only inhabitants of heaven
00:50:56.72\00:50:58.32
who can fully
sympathize with the wicked
00:50:58.35\00:51:01.29
into His deliberations about
the destruction of the lost.
00:51:01.32\00:51:05.96
Thus, when we go
back to Revelation 12:20,
00:51:05.99\00:51:11.03
we see these words, verse 7,
00:51:11.07\00:51:13.30
"Now when the
thousand years have expired,
00:51:13.34\00:51:15.80
Satan will be
released from his prison
00:51:15.84\00:51:17.54
and will go out to
deceive the nations
00:51:17.57\00:51:19.17
which are in the
four corners of the earth,
00:51:19.21\00:51:20.61
Gog and Magog,
00:51:20.64\00:51:21.98
to gather them
together for battle,
00:51:22.01\00:51:23.65
whose number is as
the sand of the sea."
00:51:23.68\00:51:26.98
Some of the most
discouraging lines
00:51:27.02\00:51:28.45
in all the scripture,
00:51:28.48\00:51:30.12
whose number is as
the sand of the sea.
00:51:30.15\00:51:32.95
"Then they went up on
the breadth of the earth
00:51:32.99\00:51:34.32
and surrounded
the camp of the saints
00:51:34.36\00:51:35.69
and the beloved city.
00:51:35.72\00:51:37.13
And fire came down
from God out of heaven
00:51:37.16\00:51:38.99
and devoured them."
00:51:39.03\00:51:40.40
"The devil who deceived them
00:51:40.43\00:51:41.76
was cast into lake
of fire and brimstone,
00:51:41.80\00:51:43.26
where the beast and
the false prophet are,
00:51:43.30\00:51:44.80
and they will be tormented day
and night for ever and ever."
00:51:44.83\00:51:47.34
We can talk about that,
00:51:47.37\00:51:48.70
but their
torment is until the end,
00:51:48.74\00:51:50.71
not without end.
00:51:50.74\00:51:53.98
But notice they
arise from their grave
00:51:54.01\00:51:56.18
and Satan leads them into battle
00:51:56.21\00:51:57.71
to take on the city of God,
00:51:57.75\00:52:00.12
and it would
appear that immediately
00:52:00.15\00:52:01.48
fire comes down and kills them.
00:52:01.52\00:52:05.79
But here's
something it's interesting
00:52:05.82\00:52:07.16
about the resurrection
of the wicked in that time
00:52:07.19\00:52:09.22
in the universe's history.
00:52:09.26\00:52:10.59
This is the only time
00:52:10.63\00:52:12.23
ever when all of
God's created intelligences,
00:52:12.26\00:52:17.10
both righteous and
wicked will be gathered together
00:52:17.13\00:52:19.93
at the same time,
in the same place.
00:52:19.97\00:52:21.74
It's the only
time it ever happens.
00:52:21.77\00:52:24.87
And the righteous
would have an opportunity
00:52:24.91\00:52:26.68
to see the wisdom
of God's judgments.
00:52:26.71\00:52:30.05
The angels would
have an opportunity.
00:52:30.08\00:52:33.75
The only group of people
00:52:33.78\00:52:35.12
who has not seen
the wisdom of God
00:52:35.15\00:52:38.62
is the wicked themselves.
00:52:38.65\00:52:40.92
And thus we read in verse 11,
00:52:40.96\00:52:42.42
"Then I saw the
great white throne,
00:52:42.46\00:52:44.06
and him who sat on it,
00:52:44.09\00:52:45.43
from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away,
00:52:45.46\00:52:47.00
and there was
found no place for them.
00:52:47.03\00:52:49.43
And I saw the
dead, small and great,
00:52:49.46\00:52:51.00
standing before God,
and books were opened.
00:52:51.03\00:52:53.44
And another book was opened,
which is the Book of Life.
00:52:53.47\00:52:55.67
And the dead were judged
according to their works,"
00:52:55.70\00:52:57.57
over and over,
you see that refrain,
00:52:57.61\00:52:59.31
according to their works,
00:52:59.34\00:53:00.68
it's an individualized
personal judgment.
00:53:00.71\00:53:03.81
"By the things which
were written in the books.
00:53:03.85\00:53:05.85
The sea gave up the
dead who were in it,
00:53:05.88\00:53:07.82
and Death and Hades
delivered up the dead
00:53:07.85\00:53:09.42
who were in them.
00:53:09.45\00:53:10.79
And they were judged,
00:53:10.82\00:53:12.15
each one according to his works.
00:53:12.19\00:53:14.16
Then Death and Hades were
cast into the lake of fire.
00:53:14.19\00:53:16.99
This is the second death."
00:53:17.03\00:53:19.09
And anyone not found
written in the Book of Life
00:53:19.13\00:53:21.20
was cast into the lake of fire.
00:53:21.23\00:53:26.10
The wicked are the only
ones who have yet to see
00:53:26.13\00:53:27.74
the contrast
between Christ and Satan.
00:53:27.77\00:53:30.04
God saw the rebellion in
Satan's heart from day one
00:53:30.07\00:53:32.64
and cast him out of heaven.
00:53:32.67\00:53:34.01
The angel saw the truth
about the character of God
00:53:34.04\00:53:36.95
and the character
of Satan at Calvary,
00:53:36.98\00:53:38.68
and they rejected Satan.
00:53:38.71\00:53:40.18
By God's grace, we the redeemed,
00:53:40.22\00:53:42.08
see in Calvary
the same contrast,
00:53:42.12\00:53:44.59
and we have cast or casting,
00:53:44.62\00:53:47.39
you know, any sympathy for Satan
00:53:47.42\00:53:48.92
that might remain
out of our hearts,
00:53:48.96\00:53:50.73
but even the
wicked need an opportunity
00:53:50.76\00:53:52.39
to see the truth for themselves.
00:53:52.43\00:53:56.03
This isn't another
chance at salvation,
00:53:56.06\00:53:57.83
this is simply
time to understand
00:53:57.87\00:54:00.27
why they are lost.
00:54:00.30\00:54:03.34
The wicked see
00:54:03.37\00:54:05.01
that they would not be satisfied
00:54:05.04\00:54:07.01
living in God's pure kingdom.
00:54:07.04\00:54:08.54
You noticed by the way,
what's the first thing they do
00:54:08.58\00:54:10.31
when they resurrect?
00:54:10.35\00:54:11.68
They charge the city.
00:54:11.71\00:54:13.05
Friends, do you think that
the wicked would like to live
00:54:13.08\00:54:14.72
for eternity in a city of gold?
00:54:14.75\00:54:17.02
Sure.
00:54:17.05\00:54:19.09
They want the kingdom,
00:54:19.12\00:54:21.62
but they don't want the King.
00:54:21.66\00:54:23.49
Friends, it's a
simple deduction,
00:54:29.23\00:54:30.57
but heaven comes with Jesus.
00:54:30.60\00:54:32.43
And they don't love Jesus.
00:54:37.41\00:54:38.74
In the Great Controversy,
00:54:41.84\00:54:43.18
we read these
words from page 670,
00:54:43.21\00:54:45.61
"For thousands of years,
00:54:45.65\00:54:46.98
this chief of
conspiracy has palmed off
00:54:47.02\00:54:48.95
falsehood for truth.
00:54:48.98\00:54:50.62
But the time has now come
00:54:50.65\00:54:51.99
when the rebellion is
to be finally defeated
00:54:52.02\00:54:53.66
and the history and
character of Satan disclosed.
00:54:53.69\00:54:56.49
In his last great
effort to dethrone Christ,
00:54:56.52\00:54:59.16
destroy His people,
00:54:59.19\00:55:00.53
and take
possession of the City of God,
00:55:00.56\00:55:02.36
the archdeceiver
has been fully unmasked.
00:55:02.40\00:55:06.67
Those who have united with him,
00:55:06.70\00:55:08.24
see the total
failure of his cause.
00:55:08.27\00:55:11.51
Christ's followers
and the loyal angels
00:55:11.54\00:55:13.81
behold the full
extent of his machinations
00:55:13.84\00:55:15.84
against the government of God.
00:55:15.88\00:55:17.45
He is the object of
universal abhorrence.
00:55:17.48\00:55:20.35
Satan sees that
his voluntary rebellion
00:55:20.38\00:55:22.95
has unfitted him for heaven.
00:55:22.98\00:55:25.65
He has trained his
powers to war against God
00:55:25.69\00:55:28.89
the purity, peace,
and harmony of heaven
00:55:28.92\00:55:31.49
would be to him supreme torture.
00:55:31.53\00:55:35.73
His accusations
against the mercy
00:55:35.76\00:55:37.53
and justice of
God are now silenced.
00:55:37.57\00:55:42.44
The reproach
which he has endeavored
00:55:42.47\00:55:44.04
to cast upon Jehovah
rests wholly upon himself.
00:55:44.07\00:55:47.04
And now Satan bows down
00:55:47.08\00:55:49.11
and confesses the
justice of his sentence."
00:55:49.14\00:55:52.48
You know the
Bible talks about that
00:55:55.48\00:55:56.82
when every knee
and every tongue,
00:55:56.85\00:55:59.89
every knee shall bow,
and every tongue confess,
00:55:59.92\00:56:02.06
it doesn't say
every righteous' knee,
00:56:02.09\00:56:03.43
it says every knee,
00:56:03.46\00:56:04.83
that includes
the wicked as well.
00:56:04.86\00:56:07.33
And not out of love,
and not out of contrition,
00:56:07.36\00:56:09.36
and not out of
genuine repentance
00:56:09.40\00:56:10.83
but by the sheer
inescapable weight of evidence,
00:56:10.87\00:56:16.57
they will acknowledge
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
00:56:16.60\00:56:21.98
And in that
moment they will say,
00:56:22.01\00:56:25.38
you know what?
"I'd rather not be
00:56:25.41\00:56:29.52
than have to
live and be with you."
00:56:29.55\00:56:31.69
They confess the
justice of their sins,
00:56:39.66\00:56:41.53
they are like, "Yeah,
00:56:41.56\00:56:43.20
that's about right."
00:56:43.23\00:56:46.47
Continue on, we read,
Great Controversy 670,
00:56:46.50\00:56:49.14
"Every question
of truth and error
00:56:49.17\00:56:50.74
in the long-standing controversy
00:56:50.77\00:56:52.11
has now been made plain.
00:56:52.14\00:56:53.68
The results of rebellion,
00:56:53.71\00:56:55.04
the fruits of setting aside
00:56:55.08\00:56:56.48
the divine
statutes, have been laid open
00:56:56.51\00:56:58.08
to view of all
created intelligences.
00:56:58.11\00:57:01.08
The working out of
Satan's rule in contrast
00:57:01.12\00:57:03.22
with the government
of God has been presented
00:57:03.25\00:57:04.79
to the whole universe.
00:57:04.82\00:57:06.19
Satan's own works
have condemned him.
00:57:06.22\00:57:08.89
God's wisdom, His justice,
00:57:08.92\00:57:10.29
and goodness
stand fully vindicated.
00:57:10.33\00:57:12.53
It is seen that all His dealings
00:57:12.56\00:57:14.06
in the great controversy
00:57:14.10\00:57:15.43
have been conducted with respect
00:57:15.46\00:57:16.80
to the eternal
good of His people
00:57:16.83\00:57:18.17
and the good of all the
worlds that He has created.
00:57:18.20\00:57:20.44
The history of sin will stand
to all eternity as a witness
00:57:20.47\00:57:23.10
that with the
existence of God's law
00:57:23.14\00:57:24.87
is bound up the happiness
of all beings He has created.
00:57:24.91\00:57:28.74
With all the facts
00:57:28.78\00:57:30.11
of the great
controversy in view,
00:57:30.15\00:57:31.48
the whole universe,
both loyal and rebellious,
00:57:31.51\00:57:33.95
with one accord declare:
'Just and true are Thy ways,
00:57:33.98\00:57:37.79
Thou King of saints.'"
00:57:37.82\00:57:41.12
Friends, God's going to
take every one to heaven
00:57:41.16\00:57:45.06
who would be happy there.
00:57:45.09\00:57:48.06
That's the burden of this
life, to learn to love Jesus.
00:57:48.10\00:57:51.90
So we're gonna live
with Him for eternity.
00:57:51.93\00:57:54.20
Let's bow our heads.
00:57:54.24\00:57:55.57
Heavenly Father,
00:57:55.60\00:57:56.94
thank You for
Your plan of salvation
00:57:56.97\00:57:59.51
and thank You for Jesus,
for we pray it in Jesus' name.
00:57:59.54\00:58:04.28
Amen.
00:58:04.31\00:58:05.65