Let's bow our heads for prayer.
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Our Father and our
God, what a joy it is to
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be in Your presence.
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We thank You, Father, for
being such a wonderful God.
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And we thank You because
You've given us Your Holy Word,
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which is a sure guide in a
world that is confused and seems
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to be going nowhere.
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We ask, Lord, for the
presence of Your Holy Spirit.
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Give us clarity of thought,
and give us willing hearts
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to receive the word
that You have for us today.
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And we thank You for hearing
our prayer, for we ask it in the
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precious name of Jesus, Amen.
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During our last studies together
we've spoken about the identity
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of Babylon, and then we
spoke about the wine of Babylon,
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and today we are
going to speak about the
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fornication of Babylon.
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As you remember, in our last
lecture we studied about the
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identity of Babylon; actually
in the last two lectures.
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And we noticed that the harlot
of Revelation 17 represents
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a church, represents a
Christian church that has gone
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astray from Jesus Christ.
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And according to the Bible,
this church has become a harlot.
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Now today we're going to study
about the fornication of this
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harlot with the
kings of the earth.
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And I'd like to invite you to
turn in your Bibles with me to
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Revelation 17:1, 2, where this
fornication between the harlot,
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this apostate church, and the
kings of the earth is described.
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It says there:
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Now comes the key phrase.
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So you'll notice here it
says that the kings of the earth
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have committed
fornication with this harlot,
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which represents
an apostate church.
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Now there's another
passage in Revelation which
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describes this same scene.
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Revelation
18:1-3, Revelation 18:1-3.
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Which we have
noticed is false doctrine.
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We've studied that carefully
in Scripture. So it says:
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So basically in these two
passages that we began with
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today, we noticed that in the
end time there is going to be
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a coalition, or a
union between a harlot church
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and the kings of the earth.
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In other words the church
is going to be involved in some
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manner with the
political systems of the world.
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Now this would mean then
that there are two kingdoms.
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Because there's
first of all the church,
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represented by the
harlot, and the civil rulers,
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represented by the kings.
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Now I want us to notice in
Matthew 22:15-21 that Jesus
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recognized two kingdoms.
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Matthew 22:15-21. It says there:
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In other words, you
don't make a difference between
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one human being and another.
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Now they're really
faking admiring Jesus,
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as we're going
to notice. Verse 17.
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That was a difficult question.
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Because if Jesus
answered yes, He was in trouble,
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and if He answered no,
He was in trouble as well.
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You see, if He answered yes
the Jews would be against Him,
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because the Jews did not
like paying taxes to the Romans.
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But if He answered no then
He would be guilty of sedition
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against the Roman government,
because Rome demanded
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that people pay taxes.
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And so no matter how He
answered, if He answered yes
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or no, He was going to
get into trouble. Verse 18.
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Which was the
main coin at that time.
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In other words, whose
picture is on the coin,
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and whose name is
on this coin? Verse 21.
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How many kingdoms
did Jesus recognize?
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He recognized two kingdoms.
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The first kingdom is
the kingdom of Caesar,
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and the second is the
kingdom of God; two kingdoms.
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As we began our
study this evening we also
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noticed two kingdoms.
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There's the harlot, which
represents an apostate church,
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and there's also
the kings of the earth.
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But I'm going to show you
that really the reason why this
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church became a harlot is
because instead of remaining
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married to Jesus Christ, she
entered illicit relationships
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with the kings of the earth.
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So Jesus recognized the
existence of two kingdoms.
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But now we need to ask
the question, What do we owe
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to the kingdom of
Caesar, which, by the way,
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is the civil government?
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And what do we owe to God?
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There's something
that we owe to to Caesar,
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or to the political
power, and there's something
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that we owe to
God, or to the church.
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The question is,
What do we owe to each?
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Go with me to Deuteronomy
4:13, and lets take a close look
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at this. Deuteronomy 4:13.
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It's speaking here about the
giving of the ten commandments,
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and it says this:
So He... That is God.
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How many tablets of stone were
the ten commandments written on?
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two tablets of stone.
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Now let me ask you,
Could God have written the
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ten commandments on one tablet
of stone if He had wanted to?
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Of course. Could He have written
the ten commandments on three
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tablets of stone? Absolutely.
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Why did He write
the ten commandments on
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two tablets of stone?
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Simply, we're going to
notice, because the first four
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commandments have to do with
our responsibility towards God,
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whereas the last six
commandments have to do with
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our responsibility with
our fellow human beings.
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In other words the first
four commandments point out our
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duty, our vertical duty with
God, and the last six point out
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our horizontal relationship
with our fellow human beings.
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Now let's notice that.
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Deuteronomy 6:4, 5, Deuteronomy
6:4, 5. It says there:
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So you'll notice here a very
important declaration by God,
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We shall love the Lord
our God with all our heart,
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with all our soul,
and with all our strength.
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Now let's go to Leviticus
19:18, Leviticus 19:18.
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It says there:
speaking about our
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relationship with our neighbor:
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So how many great commandments
do we have in the Old Testament?
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1. Love supreme
for whom? for God.
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And secondly, loving
our what? our neighbor.
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Which table of the law
describes our love for God?
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the first four. Which
table of the law describes our
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relationship with our fellow
human beings? the last six.
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Now let's go to what
Jesus had to say about this,
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because Jesus
confirms what I'm saying.
00:10:20.18\00:10:22.15
Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew
22, beginning with verse 34.
00:10:22.18\00:10:28.76
By the way, he's
not a secular lawyer.
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He is an expert in the writings
of Moses, in the law of Moses.
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So it says:
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Did we read that in the
Old Testament somewhere? Yes.
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We read it in
Deuteronomy 6, right?
00:11:01.86\00:11:04.13
So that's the first and great
commandment. Notice verse 38.
00:11:04.16\00:11:06.93
So you'll notice that the law of
God was structured in such a way
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that you have our duty
towards God and our duty
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towards our fellow man.
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But let me ask you, Does the
civil government have the right
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to enforce the
second table of the law?
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Does the civil government
have a right to punish those
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individuals who steal? Yes.
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Does it have the right to punish
those individuals who kill? Yes.
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Does it have a right to
punish those who beat up
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on their parents? Yes.
00:11:48.94\00:11:50.84
Does it have a right to
prosecute those who speak
00:11:50.87\00:11:54.68
false witness
against somebody else,
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and ruins their
reputation? Absolutely.
00:11:56.58\00:11:59.15
In other words, the second
table of the law is the realm
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of the civil government.
00:12:03.28\00:12:04.62
But the first table of the law,
the civil government can have
00:12:04.65\00:12:07.79
nothing to do with, because
it has to do with our duty
00:12:07.82\00:12:11.23
and responsibility
and worship towards God.
00:12:11.26\00:12:14.30
In other words, the civil
government has been established
00:12:14.30\00:12:16.93
to preserve the civil order.
00:12:16.97\00:12:18.53
The first four
commandments are off limits
00:12:18.57\00:12:21.30
for the civil government.
00:12:21.34\00:12:22.67
Now it's
interesting that Jesus Christ...
00:12:22.70\00:12:25.54
And now we're going to go
to speak a little about Jesus,
00:12:25.57\00:12:28.48
because His experience is
actually going to be repeated
00:12:28.51\00:12:32.18
in His people
at the end of time.
00:12:32.21\00:12:34.02
It's interesting that Jesus
was never accused by the Jews
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of breaking the last six
commandments of God's law.
00:12:38.45\00:12:41.89
Jesus was never
accused of disobeying the
00:12:41.92\00:12:46.59
civil laws of Rome.
00:12:46.66\00:12:47.96
All of the accusations that
the Jews launched against Jesus
00:12:48.00\00:12:52.27
were things that had to do
with the first table of the law.
00:12:52.30\00:12:58.44
You say, Where
does the Bible say that?
00:12:58.47\00:13:00.98
Well, go with me to Mark 2:7.
00:13:01.01\00:13:03.85
Mark 2:7 is describing a
paralytic, and Jesus says some
00:13:03.88\00:13:08.18
very controversial things.
00:13:08.22\00:13:10.19
He says to this man,
Your sins are forgiven.
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.12
And notice what
His enemies said.
00:13:12.15\00:13:14.69
Let me ask you, What table
of the law does that accusation
00:13:25.27\00:13:28.77
have to do
with? the first table.
00:13:28.80\00:13:31.04
Because they're saying
that He's making Himself what?
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God by forgiving sins.
00:13:33.44\00:13:35.34
Notice John 10:33.
00:13:35.38\00:13:38.61
At this point Jesus had
said, I and My Father are One.
00:13:38.65\00:13:43.65
And they understood very well
that Jesus was saying that He
00:13:43.69\00:13:46.72
was One with His
Father in a special sense;
00:13:46.76\00:13:48.89
in the sense that He was God.
00:13:48.92\00:13:50.39
Notice John 10:33.
00:13:50.43\00:13:52.39
Because they picked
up stones to stone Him.
00:13:57.20\00:13:59.10
There it is again, He's
being accused of violating
00:14:06.98\00:14:09.84
the first table of the law.
00:14:10.45\00:14:11.78
Notice John 9:16, John 9:16.
00:14:11.81\00:14:17.09
Here He's going to be accused
of breaking the Holy Sabbath.
00:14:17.12\00:14:21.12
Let me ask you, On which
table of the law is the Sabbath?
00:14:21.16\00:14:24.39
It's on the
first table of the law.
00:14:24.43\00:14:26.19
It's a duty that we
owe whom? that we owe God.
00:14:26.23\00:14:29.90
It says in John 9:16,
Jesus has healed a blind man.
00:14:29.93\00:14:34.87
By the way, were
they right or wrong?
00:14:45.95\00:14:48.02
They were wrong. He
did keep the Sabbath.
00:14:48.05\00:14:50.05
He just didn't keep the
Sabbath according to all
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their rules and regulations.
00:14:52.15\00:14:53.52
He kept the Biblical Sabbath,
not the Sabbath of the Rabbi's.
00:14:53.56\00:14:57.09
Also John 5:16, 18, where
Jesus has healed a man who was
00:14:57.13\00:15:05.07
paralyzed, a paralytic.
00:15:05.10\00:15:07.07
Notice they
accused Him once again of
00:15:07.14\00:15:09.50
violating the Sabbath. Verse 16.
00:15:09.54\00:15:12.27
Verse 17. But Jesus answered
them, My Father has been working
00:15:19.48\00:15:23.82
until now, and I
have been working.
00:15:23.89\00:15:26.32
At least in their minds.
00:15:32.53\00:15:33.90
See, once again
everything has to do with the
00:15:42.10\00:15:44.64
first table of the law.
00:15:44.67\00:15:46.11
One final reference from the
gospels, and there are others,
00:15:46.14\00:15:50.31
but I've only chosen a few,
where Jesus is accused of taking
00:15:50.35\00:15:54.45
God's name in vain.
00:15:54.48\00:15:55.98
On which table
of the law is that?
00:15:56.02\00:15:57.69
That's the first
table of the law.
00:15:57.72\00:15:59.69
It's the third commandment:
You shall not take the name
00:15:59.72\00:16:01.82
of the Lord your God in vain.
00:16:01.86\00:16:03.19
Notice John 8:58, 59.
00:16:03.22\00:16:06.43
Who was Jesus claiming to be?
00:16:15.90\00:16:18.67
Remember at the burning bush
Moses asked, What is Your name
00:16:18.71\00:16:22.34
when I go to Israel?
00:16:22.38\00:16:23.75
I AM that I AM
has sent Me unto you.
00:16:23.78\00:16:28.65
Did the Jews understand that
Jesus was taking the name of God
00:16:28.68\00:16:33.59
and applying it to Himself?
00:16:33.66\00:16:34.99
They most certainly did,
because it says in verse 59,
00:16:35.02\00:16:37.89
So we find in God's
holy law two tables.
00:16:48.70\00:16:53.64
The first table
describes our duty towards God.
00:16:53.68\00:16:57.71
The second table describes
our duty towards our fellow man.
00:16:57.75\00:17:01.48
The first table
belongs exclusively to God.
00:17:01.52\00:17:05.82
In other words, the
civil power has nothing to do
00:17:05.85\00:17:09.26
with the first table.
00:17:09.29\00:17:10.66
It has much to do with
the second table in order to
00:17:10.69\00:17:13.73
preserve the civil order.
00:17:13.76\00:17:15.93
Now do you know that the
Devil constantly was trying to
00:17:15.96\00:17:19.27
encourage Jesus to take over
the literal political kingdom.
00:17:19.30\00:17:24.21
But Jesus didn't come for that.
00:17:24.24\00:17:26.34
In fact, notice Matthew 4:10.
00:17:26.37\00:17:29.81
The Devil wanted Jesus, instead
of being king of the spiritual
00:17:29.84\00:17:33.35
kingdom, he wanted Jesus to
take over the political system.
00:17:33.42\00:17:37.22
And he wanted Him to
overthrow the Romans.
00:17:37.29\00:17:39.79
Notice Matthew 4:10.
00:17:39.82\00:17:42.66
What was the
Devil offering Jesus?
00:18:01.44\00:18:03.58
all the kingdoms of the world.
00:18:03.61\00:18:05.81
Was this talking about
the kingdom of the church?
00:18:05.85\00:18:07.88
All of the spiritual
kingdoms of the world? No.
00:18:07.92\00:18:10.62
It's speaking about taking
over the political kingdom,
00:18:10.65\00:18:13.42
the civil system of the world.
00:18:13.49\00:18:15.59
By the way, this
happened constantly during
00:18:15.62\00:18:18.06
the ministry of Jesus.
00:18:18.09\00:18:19.43
Notice John 6:15, John 6:15.
00:18:19.46\00:18:24.50
This is after
Jesus fed the 5000.
00:18:24.53\00:18:27.44
The people were very impressed.
00:18:27.47\00:18:29.07
And it says: Therefore when
Jesus perceived that they were
00:18:29.10\00:18:33.04
about to come and take Him
by force to make Him king...
00:18:33.07\00:18:38.51
What kind of king?
00:18:38.55\00:18:39.88
A king of the church,
or the king of the state?
00:18:39.91\00:18:43.79
The king of the state,
of the political system.
00:18:43.82\00:18:46.52
What did Jesus do when they
wanted to take Him by force?
00:18:46.55\00:18:50.33
He departed again to the
mountain by Himself alone.
00:18:50.36\00:18:53.43
By the way the disciples have
this mentality of Jesus also
00:18:53.50\00:18:56.83
destroying everybody
and taking over the kingdom.
00:18:56.87\00:18:59.07
One time there were some
villages of the Samaritans
00:18:59.10\00:19:03.54
that did not want to
allow Jesus to pass through them
00:19:03.57\00:19:05.74
on His way to Jerusalem.
00:19:05.77\00:19:07.41
And so His disciples
said, two of them anyway,
00:19:07.44\00:19:12.05
the sons of thunder, they said,
Do You want us to call down fire
00:19:12.08\00:19:16.08
from heaven and
burn those people up?
00:19:16.12\00:19:18.55
And notice what Jesus
said in Luke 9:55, 56.
00:19:18.59\00:19:22.52
Jesus rebuked them for even
considering the possibility of
00:19:37.21\00:19:41.91
using force against those
cities, or those towns that had
00:19:41.94\00:19:47.12
refused to allow
Jesus to go through them.
00:19:47.15\00:19:50.02
Do you know why? Because Jesus
did not come here to this world
00:19:50.09\00:19:53.86
to set up a
literal political kingdom.
00:19:53.89\00:19:56.83
Jesus came to this world
to build up His spiritual
00:19:56.86\00:20:00.40
kingdom of the church.
00:20:00.43\00:20:01.90
You say, How do we know that?
00:20:01.93\00:20:04.47
Go with me to Luke
17:20, 21, Luke 17:20, 21.
00:20:04.50\00:20:10.61
You see, for Jesus the kingdom
is not something that comes
00:20:10.67\00:20:13.54
with a great show of force.
00:20:13.58\00:20:15.68
The kingdom is not
established by taking over
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.18
the political system; by
taking over the civil power.
00:20:18.21\00:20:20.78
Jesus was tempted to
do that all of the time.
00:20:20.82\00:20:23.65
Jesus knew that the
kingdom was something that
00:20:23.69\00:20:26.42
needed to happen inside.
00:20:26.45\00:20:28.16
Notice Luke 17:20, 21.
00:20:28.19\00:20:31.73
And, of course, they
meant the political civil power.
00:20:36.33\00:20:39.43
And that is with a
great big outward show.
00:20:45.41\00:20:47.58
Let me ask you, If you
want a ball of dough to grow,
00:20:58.49\00:21:04.06
what do you do? Do
you put the leaven inside,
00:21:04.13\00:21:07.10
or do you sprinkle
the leaven outside?
00:21:07.13\00:21:09.40
Of course you put it
inside, and then the dough grows
00:21:09.43\00:21:14.60
from inside out, right?
00:21:14.64\00:21:16.54
Let me ask you, Did Jesus
plan to establish His kingdom by
00:21:16.57\00:21:21.08
force of arms; by taking over
the civil power of the world?
00:21:21.11\00:21:24.78
Absolutely not! He knew that He
had to implant His Spirit in the
00:21:24.81\00:21:29.12
hearts of people through
the preaching of God's Word.
00:21:29.15\00:21:31.92
And then, by implanting the
principles of His kingdom in the
00:21:31.95\00:21:36.99
heart, the kingdom
would then what? would grow,
00:21:37.03\00:21:40.56
spiritually speaking.
00:21:40.60\00:21:42.20
Now I would like us to go to the
end of the ministry of Jesus.
00:21:42.23\00:21:48.27
Go with me to John 11:47-49.
00:21:48.30\00:21:51.84
We set the bases now for
some very important things that
00:21:51.87\00:21:54.38
we're going to study regarding
the final days of Jesus
00:21:54.41\00:21:57.21
before His crucifixion.
00:21:57.28\00:21:59.21
John 11:47, 49. The
Jewish council gathered together
00:21:59.25\00:22:06.29
because Jesus had
resurrected Lazarus,
00:22:06.32\00:22:09.19
and everybody
was following Jesus.
00:22:09.22\00:22:11.23
They were
impressed by His teaching.
00:22:11.26\00:22:12.69
So they said, We have to
do something about this man,
00:22:12.73\00:22:16.00
because pretty soon
the whole nation is going
00:22:16.03\00:22:18.03
to be following Him.
00:22:18.07\00:22:19.40
So they
gathered in this council.
00:22:19.43\00:22:22.70
In the Sanhedrin, there were
70 members in the Sanhedrin.
00:22:22.74\00:22:26.34
And notice how
the story develops.
00:22:26.37\00:22:28.58
And now notice their fear.
00:22:43.06\00:22:44.39
What are they saying?
00:22:51.47\00:22:53.37
They're saying, Listen, we
have to eliminate public enemy
00:22:53.40\00:22:57.44
number one or else the Romans
are going to destroy our nation.
00:22:57.47\00:23:01.18
Our nation is
going to cease to exist.
00:23:01.21\00:23:02.98
Interesting! Did
their nation fall? Yes.
00:23:03.01\00:23:10.09
It fell by what they did.
00:23:10.12\00:23:12.75
We're going to notice. Verse 49.
00:23:12.79\00:23:14.56
In other words, Caiaphas was
saying, This man needs to die
00:23:28.27\00:23:31.91
to save the nation.
00:23:31.94\00:23:33.27
He just didn't understand
the sense in which the death
00:23:33.34\00:23:36.24
of Jesus was going
to save the nation.
00:23:36.28\00:23:38.08
He thought that the nation
was going to be saved literally,
00:23:38.11\00:23:41.18
politically by destroying Jesus.
00:23:41.22\00:23:44.09
What he didn't know is
that Jesus, by His death,
00:23:44.15\00:23:46.92
was going to
save the human race.
00:23:46.96\00:23:48.96
How?
spiritually, not politically.
00:23:48.99\00:23:51.89
Because Jesus came to
establish His spiritual kingdom.
00:23:51.93\00:23:55.23
He did not come to
take over the political
00:23:55.26\00:23:58.10
system of the world.
00:23:58.13\00:23:59.60
A little bit later on Peter,
actually Jesus was in the garden
00:23:59.63\00:24:05.84
of Gethsemane.
They came to arrest Him.
00:24:05.87\00:24:07.98
Now I want you to
notice what Peter did.
00:24:08.01\00:24:10.15
And remember this because we're
going to come back to it in
00:24:10.18\00:24:12.75
the next three or four
lectures. Matthew 26:50-52.
00:24:12.78\00:24:17.82
Now we're going to talk about
the final days of Jesus before
00:24:17.85\00:24:22.06
His ascension to
heaven. Matthew 26:50.
00:24:22.09\00:24:25.06
By the way,
this is Simone Peter.
00:24:35.57\00:24:37.11
And he wasn't aiming at the ear.
00:24:37.17\00:24:38.54
He was aiming at the head.
00:24:38.57\00:24:39.91
But he was a
fisherman not a soldier.
00:24:39.94\00:24:41.38
And so it says
that he cut off his ear.
00:24:41.41\00:24:45.58
Now notice what Jesus said.
00:24:45.61\00:24:47.52
What did Jesus say?
00:24:47.58\00:24:49.42
Good, well done Peter!
00:24:49.45\00:24:51.22
Defend My kingdom.
Use the sword, kill em!
00:24:51.25\00:24:54.46
Is that what He said? No!
00:24:54.49\00:24:57.09
Did He say to the
other disciples, You cowards!
00:24:57.13\00:25:00.36
Why don't you join Peter in
fighting for My kingdom? No.
00:25:00.43\00:25:03.87
Notice verse 52.
These are the key words
00:25:03.90\00:25:07.34
I want you to remember.
00:25:07.37\00:25:08.70
Put your what?
00:25:13.91\00:25:15.24
He who kills with
the sword must be what?
00:25:25.72\00:25:28.99
must be killed with the sword.
00:25:29.02\00:25:31.33
Those words are in Revelation
13:10, and we still study them
00:25:31.36\00:25:35.00
in the next couple of lectures.
00:25:35.03\00:25:37.13
And so do you know
what they did with Jesus?
00:25:37.17\00:25:39.83
They arrested Him in
the garden of Gethsemane,
00:25:39.87\00:25:41.64
and then they took
Him to the Sanhedrin.
00:25:41.67\00:25:46.44
In other words He
had His religious trial.
00:25:46.47\00:25:50.21
Notice Matthew
26:57, Matthew 26:57.
00:25:50.25\00:25:56.52
Let me ask you, Was His
trial a religious trial,
00:26:08.23\00:26:10.80
or was His trial
a political trial?
00:26:10.87\00:26:12.90
His trial, first of
all, was a religious trial.
00:26:12.93\00:26:17.24
And, by the way, it
was a travesty in justice.
00:26:17.31\00:26:20.28
Let me mention some of the
things that they did which were
00:26:20.31\00:26:23.75
against Jewish law.
00:26:23.78\00:26:25.11
That was
forbidden by Jewish law.
00:26:28.78\00:26:30.59
That was
forbidden by Jewish law.
00:26:33.36\00:26:35.12
That was a
violation of Jewish law.
00:26:41.16\00:26:42.83
He had right to counsel.
00:26:42.86\00:26:45.57
They did not give
Him the right to counsel.
00:26:45.60\00:26:47.54
That was a
violation of Jewish law.
00:26:47.60\00:26:49.30
That was a
violation of Jewish law.
00:26:53.54\00:26:55.81
In fact the trial, according
to Jewish law had to be public,
00:26:55.84\00:27:01.02
and they made it private.
00:27:01.05\00:27:02.62
And furthermore it was forbidden
by Jewish law to have any trial
00:27:02.65\00:27:09.02
or any sentencing on
Saturday, or a feast day.
00:27:09.06\00:27:13.63
And they violated that.
00:27:13.66\00:27:15.13
In other words, it
was a travesty in justice.
00:27:15.16\00:27:18.33
What the Sanhedrin, what
the Church did when Jesus was
00:27:18.37\00:27:22.27
taken before the
religious leaders.
00:27:22.30\00:27:24.54
Now let's notice a
little bit about this trial.
00:27:24.57\00:27:28.04
Matthew 26:59, 26:59.
00:27:28.08\00:27:32.28
Now the Chief Priest...
00:27:32.31\00:27:34.02
By the way, another regulation
of the Jews was that they had
00:27:34.05\00:27:36.55
to have impartial judges.
00:27:36.58\00:27:38.02
Notice what it says here: Now
the chief priest, the elders,
00:27:38.05\00:27:41.52
and all the council
sought false testimony...
00:27:41.56\00:27:44.03
See, what they're doing is
an inquisition, aren't they?
00:28:02.41\00:28:04.68
I know you're probably not
used to using that word in this
00:28:05.91\00:28:09.32
context, but
they're doing an inquiry.
00:28:09.35\00:28:11.75
That's what the word inquisition
means. Notice verse 62.
00:28:11.79\00:28:16.26
And when Jesus said those words,
immediately they pronounced
00:28:45.02\00:28:48.59
the death sentence.
00:28:48.66\00:28:50.03
Let me ask you, Who
pronounced the death sentence?
00:28:50.06\00:28:51.39
Was it the civil power or
was it the religious power?
00:28:51.43\00:28:54.10
It was the religious power.
00:28:54.10\00:28:55.63
The inquisition was made
in the church governing body.
00:28:55.66\00:29:00.20
And the sentence of
death was dictated in the
00:29:00.27\00:29:03.17
church governing body.
00:29:03.20\00:29:04.54
I want you to remember these
details because we're going to
00:29:04.57\00:29:06.37
come back to them when
we talk about the beast,
00:29:06.41\00:29:08.84
and when we talk
about the land beast.
00:29:08.88\00:29:10.48
Notice what we find in Matthew
26:66, after they did the
00:29:10.51\00:29:15.72
inquisition, after
they did the inquiry.
00:29:15.75\00:29:17.85
It says: Then the high
priest tore his clothes saying,
00:29:17.89\00:29:21.69
He has spoken blasphemy.
00:29:21.72\00:29:23.86
What further need do
we have of witnesses?
00:29:23.89\00:29:26.73
Look, now you have
heard His blasphemy.
00:29:26.76\00:29:29.60
Who pronounced
the death sentence,
00:29:35.40\00:29:37.01
the state or the church?
00:29:37.04\00:29:38.37
The church
pronounced the death sentence.
00:29:38.41\00:29:40.71
They were the ones
who did the inquisition.
00:29:40.78\00:29:42.64
They were the ones who led
Jesus to incriminate Himself.
00:29:42.68\00:29:47.02
But the problem is that
the church of that day and age
00:29:47.05\00:29:49.82
could not execute
the death penalty.
00:29:49.85\00:29:51.72
They pronounced the
sentence, but the church
00:29:51.75\00:29:54.52
as a church, could not do it.
00:29:54.56\00:29:55.96
So what did they do?
00:29:55.99\00:29:57.53
They took Jesus to the
political ruler of Rome.
00:29:57.56\00:30:02.26
Notice Matthew
27:1, 2, Matthew 27:1, 2.
00:30:02.30\00:30:08.64
Now was Pilate the civil
ruler, or religious ruler?
00:30:25.69\00:30:29.09
He was the civil ruler.
00:30:29.12\00:30:30.83
Could the church execute the
death penalty on Jesus without
00:30:30.89\00:30:34.23
the help of the
state? Absolutely not!
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.26
They needed the
help of the civil power.
00:30:36.30\00:30:38.57
Now when they take
him to Jesus, notice
00:30:38.60\00:30:41.64
John 18:30, John 18:29, 30.
00:30:41.67\00:30:47.24
Pilot then went out to them
and said, What accusation do you
00:30:47.54\00:30:52.28
bring against this man?
00:30:52.31\00:30:53.65
He's an evildoer. Let me ask
you, Had He violated any of the
00:31:00.26\00:31:03.53
civil laws of Rome?
00:31:03.56\00:31:04.89
He had not violated any of
the civil laws of the state.
00:31:04.93\00:31:08.56
In fact, do you know that Pilate
had the separation of church
00:31:08.60\00:31:12.67
and state much clearer
than even the Jews did?
00:31:12.70\00:31:15.80
Notice John 18:31. Then Pilate
said to them, You take Him and
00:31:15.84\00:31:22.68
judge Him according to your law.
00:31:22.71\00:31:24.75
How many laws
did Pilate recognize?
00:31:24.78\00:31:26.55
How many? two! He says, I got
my law, which is the civil code
00:31:26.58\00:31:33.72
of Rome, but you take this
man and you judge Him by what?
00:31:33.76\00:31:36.89
by your law,
which is religious law.
00:31:36.93\00:31:39.59
In other words, Pilate
is recognizing that there
00:31:39.63\00:31:41.76
are how many
kingdoms? two kingdoms.
00:31:41.80\00:31:43.70
His has a law, which is
civil law, and they have a law,
00:31:43.73\00:31:47.60
which is religious law.
00:31:47.64\00:31:48.97
Because they've
accused Jesus of transgressing
00:31:49.00\00:31:51.24
the first table of the law.
00:31:51.27\00:31:52.61
But you see the Jews, they
wanted to put Him to death.
00:31:52.64\00:31:56.54
And they needed the
help of the state in order
00:31:56.58\00:31:58.58
to put Him to death.
00:31:58.61\00:31:59.95
This is what the
Bible call fornication;
00:32:00.05\00:32:01.72
when the church uses the
state to slay those who are not
00:32:01.75\00:32:07.39
in harmony with her teachings.
00:32:07.46\00:32:08.99
Notice John 18:31.
00:32:09.02\00:32:12.96
We need your
help, Pontius Pilate,
00:32:21.94\00:32:25.24
to put this man to death.
00:32:25.31\00:32:27.34
Notice Luke 23:2. It says, And
they began to accuse Him saying,
00:32:27.38\00:32:35.18
We found this fellow perverting
the nation, and forbidding to
00:32:35.22\00:32:40.12
pay taxes to Caesar,
and saying that He Himself
00:32:40.16\00:32:43.79
is Christ, a king.
00:32:43.83\00:32:45.29
Let me ask you, Was this
an accusation that would have
00:32:45.33\00:32:48.03
raised the ears
of Pontius Pilate?
00:32:48.06\00:32:50.63
Oh, absolutely! They'd
say, You knew this man who
00:32:50.70\00:32:53.00
wanted to be a king.
00:32:53.03\00:32:54.37
And he said, We're
not supposed to pay taxes,
00:32:54.40\00:32:56.64
which is an open blatant
lie, because we already read
00:32:56.67\00:32:59.27
that Jesus said, Render unto
Caesar that which is Caesar's.
00:32:59.31\00:33:03.11
He said, Pay taxes.
00:33:03.14\00:33:04.71
So this is an outright lie.
00:33:04.75\00:33:06.82
And they're saying this
man said that He's a king.
00:33:06.85\00:33:09.95
But they're twisting His words,
because Jesus had not said
00:33:09.98\00:33:12.52
that He was going to be a
political king, but He was king
00:33:12.55\00:33:15.66
of the kingdom of
grace, of a religious system.
00:33:15.69\00:33:18.83
And so Pilate calls Jesus
in and he wants to have an
00:33:18.86\00:33:22.56
interview with Him.
00:33:22.60\00:33:23.93
He wants to ask
Him if He's a king.
00:33:23.97\00:33:25.30
Notice John 18:36, when
Pilate says, Are you a king?
00:33:25.33\00:33:29.20
How many kingdoms
did Jesus recognize?
00:33:33.27\00:33:35.31
His and what other one?
this world's kingdom. He says:
00:33:35.34\00:33:39.88
In other words, if Mine
was a political kingdom,
00:33:43.99\00:33:46.02
what would His servants do?
00:33:46.05\00:33:47.42
Are you understanding
what's happening here?
00:33:59.00\00:34:00.94
Jesus is
recognizing two kingdoms.
00:34:00.97\00:34:03.44
One is the civil power, and the
other is His spiritual kingdom.
00:34:03.51\00:34:08.78
And He's saying, I came to
represent the spiritual kingdom.
00:34:08.81\00:34:11.95
I did not come to take
over the political system.
00:34:11.98\00:34:15.25
Notice John 18:37.
Pilate, therefore, said to Him,
00:34:15.28\00:34:20.79
Are you a king then?
00:34:20.86\00:34:22.36
Jesus answered, You say
rightly that I'm a king.
00:34:22.39\00:34:25.63
He says, Yeh, you bet I am.
00:34:25.66\00:34:27.00
For this cause I was
born, and for this cause I have
00:34:27.03\00:34:30.73
come into the world; that I
should kill everybody with a
00:34:30.77\00:34:34.74
sword and take over the world.
00:34:34.77\00:34:36.10
That's not what He says!
00:34:36.14\00:34:37.71
What kind of kingdom
did He come to establish?
00:34:37.74\00:34:40.38
He says, I have come into
the world that I should bear
00:34:40.44\00:34:43.75
witness to the
what? to the truth.
00:34:43.81\00:34:46.11
That's something
spiritual, folks.
00:34:46.15\00:34:47.75
Everyone who is of the
truth hears what? My voice.
00:34:47.78\00:34:53.42
And, by the way, do you know
that three times Pontius Pilate
00:34:53.46\00:34:55.76
goes out and he says to
the people, I've examined him.
00:34:55.79\00:34:59.06
I don't find any
crime in this man.
00:34:59.09\00:35:01.26
Did Pilate understand that
Jesus was not saying that He was
00:35:01.30\00:35:05.27
going to be a king to
take over the political system?
00:35:05.30\00:35:07.44
Did he understand that?
00:35:07.47\00:35:08.80
Listen, if he didn't understand
that, he would have had
00:35:08.84\00:35:10.74
Jesus killed right there.
00:35:10.81\00:35:12.14
But he didn't because he knew
that Jesus was not a political
00:35:12.91\00:35:16.41
king like the Jews
accused Him of being.
00:35:16.44\00:35:19.08
In fact three times Pilate
said that Jesus was innocent,
00:35:19.11\00:35:22.42
that he was delivering
to death an innocent man.
00:35:22.45\00:35:25.35
That's a travesty in justice.
00:35:25.39\00:35:27.66
Notice John 18:38.
This is the first time.
00:35:27.69\00:35:31.16
In other words,
this man is innocent.
00:35:41.30\00:35:44.27
Once again in John 19:4.
00:35:44.31\00:35:46.88
That's twice. Notice
John 19:6. Three's a charm.
00:35:55.88\00:36:01.16
Did Pilate openly announce that
Jesus was innocent of violation
00:36:16.71\00:36:22.61
of any law of Rome,
of the civil power? Yes.
00:36:22.64\00:36:25.78
But the Jews said,
This guy violated the
00:36:25.81\00:36:28.55
first table of the law.
00:36:28.58\00:36:29.95
By the way, Jesus had
not, but they're accusing
00:36:29.98\00:36:32.55
Him of doing that.
00:36:32.59\00:36:33.96
And they want to use the
civil power of Rome to destroy
00:36:33.99\00:36:36.86
Jesus because of the
convictions of His conscience,
00:36:36.93\00:36:41.10
because of His religious views.
00:36:41.13\00:36:43.87
In fact, notice John 19:7.
00:36:43.93\00:36:47.60
It might not be yours,
they're saying to Pilate, but...
00:36:50.97\00:36:54.91
And Pilate says, And what
does that have to do with me?
00:37:02.25\00:37:04.75
Making Himself like God; that's
the first table of the law.
00:37:07.19\00:37:09.76
Of course he doesn't
say this, but he says that
00:37:09.79\00:37:11.63
has to do with you, with the
spiritual kingdom, not with me.
00:37:11.66\00:37:14.23
You know, show me that He
killed somebody, or He committed
00:37:14.30\00:37:16.87
adultery, or He stole, or
He dishonored or trampled upon
00:37:16.90\00:37:21.30
His parents, or that
He's guilty of witnessing
00:37:21.34\00:37:24.24
falsely against people.
00:37:24.31\00:37:25.64
Give me one of those
violations of civil law.
00:37:25.67\00:37:27.58
But don't come to me and
say that He made Himself God.
00:37:27.61\00:37:30.45
Because that has
to do with your law.
00:37:30.48\00:37:32.25
It doesn't have to do with mine.
00:37:32.28\00:37:33.62
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:37:33.65\00:37:34.98
Now notice John 19:11.
00:37:35.02\00:37:38.65
Did Pilate and
Jesus both recognize
00:37:38.69\00:37:43.09
that there are two
kingdoms? Absolutely.
00:37:43.16\00:37:45.43
Notice John 19:11, because
Pilate says, Don't you know that
00:37:45.46\00:37:48.33
I could release You
if I wanted to? Notice:
00:37:48.40\00:37:51.13
Why was Pilate ruling in Rome?
00:38:01.54\00:38:05.41
Who placed him there?
00:38:05.45\00:38:07.08
God placed him there.
00:38:07.15\00:38:08.72
Jesus is saying, You
wouldn't have any power unless
00:38:08.75\00:38:11.95
God had placed you there.
00:38:11.99\00:38:13.32
So did Jesus recognize the
legitimacy of the civil power?
00:38:13.39\00:38:16.62
Yes, He did. Did He
recognize the legitimacy also of
00:38:16.66\00:38:20.73
the religious power?
00:38:20.76\00:38:22.06
He most certainly did.
00:38:22.10\00:38:23.43
Now why did Pilate
deliver an innocent man?
00:38:23.47\00:38:26.50
John 19:12 tells us the reason.
00:38:26.53\00:38:29.64
Actually, there are two reasons.
00:38:29.67\00:38:32.71
1. Because he was
afraid of the people.
00:38:32.74\00:38:35.94
And 2. He was afraid of
losing his political position.
00:38:35.98\00:38:39.95
He was afraid that
Caesar would remove him.
00:38:40.02\00:38:43.59
So out of expediency he
delivered an innocent man.
00:38:43.62\00:38:46.96
Notice John 19:12.
00:38:46.99\00:38:48.42
So what are they saying?
00:39:06.07\00:39:08.81
They're saying, Listen,
this man says that He's a king.
00:39:08.84\00:39:11.15
And if you don't
do something about it,
00:39:11.18\00:39:12.88
we're going to tell Caesar,
and Caesar is going to remove
00:39:12.91\00:39:15.65
you from your post.
00:39:15.68\00:39:17.02
So it was because of fear of
losing his political position
00:39:17.05\00:39:20.19
that he
delivered an innocent man.
00:39:20.22\00:39:23.36
But it was also because
the religious leaders pressured
00:39:23.39\00:39:27.23
the people to ask
for the blood of Jesus,
00:39:27.23\00:39:29.70
and he was afraid
of an insurrection
00:39:29.73\00:39:32.20
and a tumult among the people.
00:39:32.23\00:39:34.34
Notice Matthew 27:20.
00:39:34.37\00:39:36.40
Folks the dangerous figures
in this are not the common
00:39:36.44\00:39:39.87
ordinary church members.
00:39:39.94\00:39:41.31
The dangerous people here
are the religious leaders.
00:39:41.34\00:39:44.25
Notice Matthew 27:20.
00:39:44.28\00:39:47.92
Notice John 19:13-15.
00:40:00.70\00:40:05.23
When Pilate, therefore, heard
that saying, he brought Jesus
00:40:05.27\00:40:09.44
out and sat down in the judgment
seat in a place that is called
00:40:09.47\00:40:13.64
the pavement, but
in Hebrew Gabbatha.
00:40:13.68\00:40:16.04
And now notice this:
00:40:25.19\00:40:27.66
Do you know
what they were doing?
00:40:47.61\00:40:49.61
They were actually divorcing
Jesus Christ as their king.
00:40:49.64\00:40:55.42
By saying that they had no king
but Caesar, they were committing
00:40:55.45\00:41:01.12
a terrible act of
fornication with the king
00:41:01.16\00:41:04.23
to destroy Jesus Christ.
00:41:04.26\00:41:06.13
And, by the way, lest
you wonder about this,
00:41:06.16\00:41:09.26
did Jesus many times
give parables where He spoke
00:41:09.30\00:41:14.44
about His desire to marry the
people in His day? His church?
00:41:14.47\00:41:19.14
Yes. He called John the Baptist
the friend of the bridegroom;
00:41:19.17\00:41:23.81
the matchmaker, if you please.
00:41:23.85\00:41:27.02
In fact He said,
How can you cry when the
00:41:27.08\00:41:29.45
bridegroom is in your midst?
00:41:29.48\00:41:30.85
He spoke of
Himself as the bridegroom.
00:41:30.89\00:41:32.85
He gave the parable of the ten
virgins, which is a marriage.
00:41:32.89\00:41:36.93
He spoke about the king
and his servants, Matthew 22.
00:41:36.99\00:41:40.56
In other words, this was
Jesus trying to woo His people,
00:41:40.60\00:41:44.10
and say, I want to have
a relationship with you.
00:41:44.13\00:41:46.87
I want to be your husband.
00:41:46.97\00:41:48.30
I want you to be my wife.
00:41:48.34\00:41:49.67
And what did they say?
00:41:49.70\00:41:51.04
They said, We will
not have You as king.
00:41:51.07\00:41:53.51
We have no king but
the political system.
00:41:53.54\00:41:56.24
We have no king
but whom? Caesar.
00:41:56.28\00:41:59.35
They were disowning their
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:41:59.41\00:42:02.45
They were breaking
their relationship.
00:42:02.48\00:42:04.22
They were basically
divorcing Jesus Christ.
00:42:04.29\00:42:08.12
And, by the way, when they
did this, this led a national
00:42:08.16\00:42:12.66
apostasy, which
eventually led to national ruin.
00:42:12.69\00:42:16.20
You see, they
thought that by killing Jesus
00:42:16.23\00:42:19.70
they were going
to save their nation.
00:42:19.73\00:42:21.87
But by killing Jesus
they brought destruction
00:42:21.90\00:42:25.54
upon their nation.
00:42:25.57\00:42:26.94
They caused just the opposite
of what they thought they
00:42:26.98\00:42:29.14
were going to cause.
00:42:29.18\00:42:30.51
By taking over the political
system to destroy Jesus,
00:42:30.55\00:42:33.08
they brought about
what they wanted to prevent.
00:42:33.11\00:42:38.19
Notice John 19:41-44,
John 19:41-44, speaking about
00:42:38.22\00:42:43.26
the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:42:43.29\00:42:44.86
Because the Jewish nation had
said, We don't want this man.
00:42:44.89\00:42:48.36
We don't want Him
to be our husband.
00:42:48.40\00:42:50.40
We have a king who is Caesar.
00:42:50.50\00:42:52.17
His blood be upon us, and
upon our children. Notice:
00:42:52.20\00:42:55.47
This is the Romans, by the way.
00:43:12.19\00:43:13.79
The very ones that
they said the Romans will
00:43:13.86\00:43:15.96
take away our nation.
00:43:15.99\00:43:17.33
The Romans did
take away their nation,
00:43:17.36\00:43:18.69
but because they
destroyed Jesus. Verse 43.
00:43:18.73\00:43:22.03
Do you see what
happens when the church
00:43:41.02\00:43:42.62
fornicates with the state?
00:43:42.68\00:43:44.05
The result, automatic
result, is persecution.
00:43:44.09\00:43:48.06
Sooner or later when the church
abandons it's relationship with
00:43:48.09\00:43:53.76
Jesus, it's spiritual mission,
and it tries to get the state
00:43:53.80\00:43:59.33
to do what Jesus
should do, that's fornication,
00:43:59.37\00:44:03.61
and it leads to the
downfall of the church.
00:44:03.64\00:44:06.71
In fact allow me, in the
last few minutes that we have
00:44:06.78\00:44:09.74
together, to talk to you about
the church immediately after
00:44:09.78\00:44:13.85
the day of Pentecost.
00:44:13.92\00:44:15.25
By the way, do you know
that the Bible says that
00:44:15.28\00:44:17.19
there are two swords?
00:44:17.22\00:44:19.12
What's the first
sword? the Bible.
00:44:21.29\00:44:24.53
Notice Ephesians 6:17.
00:44:24.56\00:44:29.36
It says there, the apostle
Paul speaking, Ephesians 6:17,
00:44:29.40\00:44:32.33
And take the
helmet of salvation,
00:44:32.37\00:44:34.27
and the sword of the
Spirit, which is what?
00:44:34.34\00:44:38.04
which is the Word of God.
00:44:38.07\00:44:39.84
What is the sword of
the Spirit? the Word of God.
00:44:39.87\00:44:42.28
Let me ask you, To whom
did Jesus give this sword?
00:44:42.34\00:44:44.68
to the state or to
the church? to the church.
00:44:44.71\00:44:47.38
How does the church use
the sword? by preaching, right?
00:44:47.42\00:44:51.02
If the sword is the Bible, how
does the church use the sword,
00:44:51.09\00:44:55.86
or the Bible? It uses the sword
to preach, and to reach people.
00:44:55.89\00:45:00.73
By the way, did God give
the church power to do that?
00:45:00.86\00:45:03.13
Notice Acts 1:8,
Acts 1:8. Jesus says:
00:45:03.16\00:45:09.60
What mission did
Jesus give to the church?
00:45:25.89\00:45:27.99
He said, Go out with your
swords; take over the political
00:45:28.06\00:45:30.86
system; convert
the world by force.
00:45:30.93\00:45:33.70
Is that what He said? No!
00:45:33.73\00:45:36.00
He said, I'm giving you a sword.
00:45:36.03\00:45:38.03
It's the sword of the
Spirit; it's the Word of God.
00:45:38.07\00:45:40.10
You go out with the Word of God;
preach it, and plant the Spirit
00:45:40.14\00:45:45.74
of Christ where? in the heart.
00:45:45.81\00:45:48.08
And that way My
Spiritual kingdom will grow.
00:45:48.14\00:45:51.41
You know, you never
find in the book of Acts,
00:45:51.45\00:45:54.28
which is the history
of the earliest church,
00:45:54.32\00:45:57.09
you'll never find in the book of
Acts the disciples taking over
00:45:57.15\00:46:00.89
the Roman government
to fulfill their mission.
00:46:00.92\00:46:02.89
In fact what you notice in
the book of Acts is that God's
00:46:02.92\00:46:08.63
followers are constantly
being persecuted by Rome.
00:46:08.66\00:46:11.60
Do you know why they're
being persecuted by Rome?
00:46:11.63\00:46:15.44
Because the Jews instigated
the civil powers of Rome
00:46:15.47\00:46:19.24
to persecute God's people.
00:46:19.27\00:46:20.88
You see they continued doing,
after Jesus died on the cross,
00:46:20.91\00:46:26.85
they continued doing the
same thing all over again
00:46:26.92\00:46:29.48
throughout the book of Acts.
00:46:29.52\00:46:30.89
Just read the book of Acts.
00:46:30.92\00:46:32.25
Look in the
Concordance for the word Jews.
00:46:32.29\00:46:33.62
And you'll find that every
time that there's persecution
00:46:33.66\00:46:37.43
against the church
it's instigated by the Jews.
00:46:37.46\00:46:39.83
Because they're, once
again, trying to use the civil
00:46:39.86\00:46:42.33
magistrates, the power of
Rome, to snuff out Christianity.
00:46:42.40\00:46:46.70
In fact, let me give you
one example: Acts 12:1-3,
00:46:46.74\00:46:51.57
Acts 12:1-3. It's speaking
about the death of James.
00:46:51.61\00:46:55.38
It's interesting to see
what he was killed with.
00:46:55.41\00:46:57.88
He wasn't killed with
the Bible, by the way.
00:46:57.91\00:47:00.45
He wasn't killed with
the sword of the Spirit.
00:47:00.48\00:47:02.58
It says there in Acts 12:1-3:
Now about that time Herod
00:47:02.62\00:47:08.09
the king stretched out his hand
to harass some from the church.
00:47:08.12\00:47:11.63
Then he killed James the
brother of John with a sword.
00:47:11.66\00:47:16.13
What did he kill him
with? with the sword.
00:47:16.20\00:47:19.33
Why did he do that?
00:47:19.37\00:47:20.74
Verse 3. And
because he saw that it what?
00:47:20.77\00:47:25.21
it pleased the
Jews, he proceeded further
00:47:25.24\00:47:29.64
to seize Peter also.
00:47:29.68\00:47:31.38
Now it was during the
days of unleavened bread.
00:47:31.41\00:47:35.52
You see, all throughout the
book of Acts the apostate Jewish
00:47:35.55\00:47:38.22
church links with the
civil government of Rome to try
00:47:38.25\00:47:42.09
and destroy the church.
00:47:42.12\00:47:44.06
That is what the
Bible calls fornication.
00:47:44.13\00:47:48.36
That's what the
harlot, this apostate church,
00:47:48.40\00:47:52.63
did during the Middle Ages.
00:47:52.67\00:47:54.54
And that's what this
apostate church is going to do
00:47:54.57\00:47:57.17
in the future,
according to Scripture.
00:47:57.21\00:47:59.87
I want to read Romans 13:1-5.
00:47:59.91\00:48:05.51
Do you know that
there is another sword?
00:48:05.55\00:48:06.88
There's two swords.
00:48:06.95\00:48:08.28
The first sword is the sword
of the Spirit, the Word of God.
00:48:08.32\00:48:11.82
And that's used by
whom? by the church, right?
00:48:11.85\00:48:15.79
And how does the church
use it? by what? by preaching.
00:48:15.82\00:48:19.33
But there's another sword, and
that sword is the ability that
00:48:19.39\00:48:24.60
the civil government
has to enforce civil order.
00:48:24.63\00:48:27.87
Not the first table of
the law, but civil order.
00:48:27.94\00:48:30.34
You say, Where does
the Bible say that there's
00:48:30.41\00:48:32.74
another kind of sword?
00:48:32.81\00:48:34.18
Romans 13:1. It's
speaking about Rome.
00:48:34.21\00:48:37.55
Let me ask you, Who appointed
the civil government? God did.
00:48:49.69\00:48:53.40
Did Jesus recognize that?
00:48:53.43\00:48:54.73
He most certainly did.
00:48:54.76\00:48:56.10
What did He appoint
the civil government for?
00:48:56.13\00:48:57.93
to rule in religious things? No.
00:48:57.97\00:49:00.87
To rule in what?
in civil matters.
00:49:00.90\00:49:03.64
To preserve the civil order.
00:49:03.67\00:49:05.24
Verse 2. Therefore
whoever resists the authority,
00:49:05.27\00:49:08.64
that is the civil government,
resists the ordinance of God.
00:49:08.68\00:49:11.71
And those who resist will
bring judgment upon themselves,
00:49:11.75\00:49:14.75
for rulers are not a tare
to good works but to evil.
00:49:14.78\00:49:18.05
In other words, if you
obey the law, no problem.
00:49:18.09\00:49:21.36
Do you want to be
unafraid of the authority?
00:49:21.39\00:49:24.59
Do what is good and you
will have praise from the same.
00:49:24.63\00:49:29.50
Notice that it even says
that the civil power is God's
00:49:31.13\00:49:33.87
minister to you for good.
00:49:33.94\00:49:36.57
That is the civil magistrate.
00:49:39.77\00:49:41.14
Who has the other
sword? the sword of force,
00:49:51.32\00:49:55.72
the literal sword to preserve
the civil order, where you can
00:49:55.76\00:50:00.23
punish violations of civil law?
00:50:00.30\00:50:02.56
It's the state
that has that sword.
00:50:02.60\00:50:04.23
So let me ask you, Does
the church have a sword? Yes.
00:50:04.27\00:50:06.90
Does the state
have a sword? Yes.
00:50:06.94\00:50:08.60
Where do you have the problem?
00:50:08.64\00:50:10.31
When the church uses
the sword of the state.
00:50:10.37\00:50:13.94
That's what the
Bible calls fornication.
00:50:13.98\00:50:17.61
By the way, lest you wonder
whether the civil power has the
00:50:17.65\00:50:20.38
right to actually legislate
the first table of the law,
00:50:20.42\00:50:23.08
let's continue
reading there in verse 6.
00:50:23.12\00:50:25.35
For because of
this you also pay taxes.
00:50:25.39\00:50:27.56
See, because God has placed
them there, you pay taxes.
00:50:27.62\00:50:31.26
Notice the word render;
just the word that Jesus used.
00:50:36.10\00:50:38.87
Owe no one anything
except to love one another.
00:50:47.51\00:50:50.51
For he who loves one
another has fulfilled the law.
00:50:50.58\00:50:53.55
Which table of the law is this
talking about in the context
00:50:53.58\00:50:55.82
of the civil government?
00:50:55.85\00:50:57.22
You love your
what? your neighbor.
00:50:57.25\00:50:58.95
And then if you still
don't understand it, verse 9.
00:50:58.99\00:51:01.49
For the commandment, you
shall not commit adultery,
00:51:01.52\00:51:03.86
you shall not murder, you shall
not steal, you shall not bear
00:51:03.93\00:51:07.30
false witness,
you shall not covet.
00:51:07.40\00:51:08.90
And if there's any
other commandment...
00:51:08.93\00:51:10.43
Are those all commandments
that have to do with the second
00:51:10.47\00:51:12.43
table of the law? Absolutely.
00:51:12.47\00:51:14.27
...are all summed up in this
saying, namely you shall love
00:51:14.34\00:51:17.64
your neighbor as yourself.
00:51:17.67\00:51:19.01
Love does no harm to a neighbor.
00:51:19.04\00:51:20.44
Therefore love is the
fulfillment of the law.
00:51:20.48\00:51:22.31
The apostle Paul is saying,
Look, we should obey the civil
00:51:22.34\00:51:25.81
law because it's the civil
law, but we should also obey
00:51:25.85\00:51:29.28
the civil law because of love.
00:51:29.32\00:51:32.35
As Christians we
have two motivations:
00:51:32.39\00:51:34.69
1. Because the
civil law says it.
00:51:34.72\00:51:36.89
It's not because we're
afraid of the civil law.
00:51:36.93\00:51:39.19
But the real reason is because
when you have the law written
00:51:39.23\00:51:41.93
on the heart you're
going to love your neighbor.
00:51:41.96\00:51:43.33
But notice that the government
has to do with the second
00:51:43.40\00:51:47.84
table of the law, and not
with the first table of the law.
00:51:47.87\00:51:52.27
And do you know what?
00:51:52.31\00:51:53.64
Shortly after the story of
the church in the book of Acts,
00:51:53.71\00:51:58.28
the church took a very bad turn.
00:51:58.31\00:52:01.98
Apostasy came into the church.
00:52:02.02\00:52:05.62
We studied this before.
00:52:05.65\00:52:06.99
And the church
merged with the state.
00:52:07.06\00:52:10.76
And the same scenes
that took place in the trial
00:52:10.83\00:52:15.70
and crucifixion of Jesus were
repeated all over again in case,
00:52:15.73\00:52:21.44
after case, after case; the
church using the civil power
00:52:21.47\00:52:25.97
to punish dissenters for their
beliefs, to punish people whose
00:52:26.01\00:52:31.05
conscience contradicted
what the church was doing.
00:52:31.08\00:52:35.48
Now I'd like to bring this
to a close by saying that Pilate
00:52:35.52\00:52:40.22
should never have
delivered an innocent man.
00:52:40.26\00:52:45.66
Some people say, Well,
he was the political ruler.
00:52:45.73\00:52:48.60
He didn't know any better.
00:52:48.63\00:52:50.00
He did know better.
00:52:50.03\00:52:52.33
You say, How do we know that?
00:52:52.37\00:52:55.40
Matthew 27:19, Matthew 27:19.
00:52:55.44\00:52:58.47
While he was sitting
on the judgment seat...
00:52:58.51\00:53:03.24
That is Pilate... his
wife sent to him saying,
00:53:03.28\00:53:07.88
Have nothing to do with that
just man, for I have suffered
00:53:07.92\00:53:13.25
many things today in
a dream because of Him.
00:53:13.36\00:53:16.96
What was the
counsel to the civil ruler?
00:53:17.03\00:53:21.50
Don't touch Him,
because He's a just man.
00:53:21.53\00:53:25.67
He has not violated
any of the laws of Rome.
00:53:25.70\00:53:29.27
And the accusations
against Him are false.
00:53:29.30\00:53:32.81
And yet Pilate, because
the multitudes were clamoring,
00:53:32.84\00:53:39.65
because the religious
leaders said, Come on!
00:53:39.68\00:53:41.52
Ask Pilate to crucify Him.
00:53:41.55\00:53:43.69
And because he was afraid of
losing his political position,
00:53:43.75\00:53:47.22
he delivered an innocent man.
00:53:47.26\00:53:51.16
And he feigned like it wasn't
his fault by washing his hands.
00:53:54.03\00:53:59.60
Notice Matthew 27:24.
00:53:59.63\00:54:04.94
When Pilate saw that he
could not prevail at all,
00:54:04.97\00:54:08.44
but rather that a tumult
was rising, he took water and
00:54:08.51\00:54:14.98
washed his hands before the
multitude saying, I am innocent
00:54:15.02\00:54:20.46
of the blood of this
just person. You see to it.
00:54:20.49\00:54:24.59
Now folks, this is a powerful
testimony to the civil rulers
00:54:24.66\00:54:28.60
of the United States of America.
00:54:28.63\00:54:30.33
Many times the church
wants to get involved in
00:54:31.97\00:54:34.34
the political process.
00:54:34.37\00:54:35.70
And they want the state
to do what the church and the
00:54:35.74\00:54:37.81
Holy Spirit should do
through the Word of God.
00:54:37.87\00:54:39.57
Many Christians
even want to take an oath
00:54:39.61\00:54:43.08
for the political system.
00:54:43.14\00:54:44.48
What that does is it corrupts
the church, and it corrupts
00:54:44.51\00:54:46.15
the state, when you
really stop to think about it.
00:54:46.21\00:54:48.95
And folks if this happens, and
it's going to happen according
00:54:48.98\00:54:55.06
to Bible prophecy.
00:54:55.09\00:54:56.42
The scenes that took
place in Pilate's court,
00:54:56.46\00:55:01.03
are going to be
repeated all over again.
00:55:01.06\00:55:05.10
In fact I'd like to
bring this to an end by going
00:55:05.13\00:55:08.44
to John 16:1-3, where Jesus
predicted that the same things
00:55:08.47\00:55:15.38
that would happen to Him
were going to happen to His
00:55:15.41\00:55:18.01
followers, to His disciples.
00:55:18.05\00:55:19.91
It says there in John 16:1-3,
These things I have spoken
00:55:19.95\00:55:26.86
to you that you should
not be made to stumble.
00:55:26.89\00:55:31.26
They will put you
out of the synagogues.
00:55:31.29\00:55:34.63
Today we call them churches.
00:55:34.66\00:55:36.00
Yes, the time is coming that
whoever kills you will think
00:55:36.03\00:55:43.47
that he offers God service.
00:55:43.51\00:55:46.64
And these things they will
do to you because they have not
00:55:46.68\00:55:51.68
known the Father nor Me.
00:55:51.71\00:55:54.08
Are these scenes going to
be repeated all over again?
00:55:54.12\00:55:58.79
In fact folks, we're going
to find the sad story that they
00:55:58.85\00:56:02.52
were repeated all during
the period that is known as the
00:56:02.56\00:56:06.13
dark ages, or the Middle Ages.
00:56:06.16\00:56:08.46
The identical process that was
followed with Jesus was followed
00:56:08.50\00:56:13.03
by God's professed church during
the Middle Ages that had become
00:56:13.07\00:56:17.61
apostate; that had become a
harlot church, and joined with
00:56:17.64\00:56:22.04
the state, used
the civil power to slay
00:56:22.08\00:56:25.45
the saints of the Most High.
00:56:25.48\00:56:27.62
The Bible tells us
that at the very end of time
00:56:27.65\00:56:30.79
this is going to happen again,
because the last 200 years
00:56:30.82\00:56:34.26
we've had a moratorium
on this type of persecution.
00:56:34.29\00:56:37.43
And we're going to study
the reason why there's been
00:56:37.46\00:56:40.70
a moratorium during the
last couple hundred years.
00:56:40.80\00:56:43.93
There's a specific Biblical
reason, a historical reason.
00:56:43.97\00:56:47.00
But the Bible says that the time
will come when these scenes will
00:56:47.04\00:56:50.61
be repeated again.
00:56:50.67\00:56:52.11
And so we must let people know.
00:56:52.14\00:56:54.41
We must let our politicians
know that they should not
00:56:54.44\00:56:58.35
repeat the same mistake
that was committed by Pilate.
00:56:58.41\00:57:02.92
Because God will not accept
any hand washing as an excuse
00:57:02.95\00:57:07.69
for union of church and
state, and persecution of those
00:57:07.72\00:57:12.43
who are
followers of Jesus Christ.
00:57:12.46\00:57:15.13
So it's my prayer that
we will share these things,
00:57:15.16\00:57:19.10
and that we will
choose to be on God's side,
00:57:19.13\00:57:22.37
and to help His
spiritual kingdom to grow.
00:57:22.40\00:57:25.61