I'm glad you're back! 00:00:40.60\00:00:42.00 And if this is your first time joining us 00:00:42.20\00:00:44.11 for Three Cosmic Messages, a series on Bible prophecy 00:00:44.31\00:00:49.34 specifically focusing on the book of Revelation, 00:00:49.54\00:00:51.61 thank you for joining us. 00:00:52.01\00:00:53.88 During this series we have been taking a journey... 00:00:54.08\00:00:56.79 a journey through three messages in the book of Revelation 00:00:56.99\00:01:02.09 that are urgent and vital for this generation. 00:01:02.29\00:01:05.89 We've pointed out that these messages are carried 00:01:06.19\00:01:10.07 symbolically by three angels in the middle of heaven. 00:01:10.27\00:01:14.14 We've studied and explored the first of these angels' 00:01:14.64\00:01:18.01 messages, and in this presen- tation we're going to study 00:01:18.21\00:01:21.34 the second angel's message. 00:01:21.54\00:01:23.45 So let's pray. Father in heaven, 00:01:23.85\00:01:25.78 thank you so much that you have not left this world 00:01:25.98\00:01:29.45 without a message to prepare it for Your return. 00:01:29.65\00:01:33.46 And we sense that as we study these vital messages 00:01:34.22\00:01:39.16 that Your Spirit has been with us. 00:01:39.36\00:01:41.46 We ask that the Holy Spirit would come, 00:01:41.86\00:01:44.37 illuminate our minds, open our hearts, 00:01:44.77\00:01:47.87 and help us make eternal de- cisions. In Christ's name, Amen. 00:01:48.07\00:01:53.17 My title in this presentation is: 00:01:54.18\00:01:57.55 The book of Revelation is a book of contrasts. 00:02:01.02\00:02:05.35 There is the dragon and the beast. Two leaders. 00:02:05.55\00:02:10.13 There are two signs: the seal of God 00:02:10.73\00:02:13.63 and the mark of the beast. 00:02:13.83\00:02:15.73 There are two harvests: the harvest of golden grain - 00:02:15.93\00:02:19.33 the saved - and the harvest of gory grapes - the lost. 00:02:19.53\00:02:22.97 There are two cities: Jerusalem from above 00:02:23.37\00:02:26.41 and Babylon from beneath. 00:02:26.61\00:02:28.44 There are two spirits: the Holy Spirit 00:02:28.84\00:02:32.21 inspiring God's people and spirits of demons. 00:02:32.41\00:02:36.15 There are two types of miracles: 00:02:36.55\00:02:38.49 genuine, authentic miracles that come from God 00:02:38.69\00:02:42.36 and false miracles that come from Satan. 00:02:42.56\00:02:45.49 There are two times of trouble in the book of Revelation. 00:02:46.19\00:02:49.10 There is the little small time of trouble 00:02:49.50\00:02:53.34 before the close of human pro- bation when the 7 last plagues 00:02:53.54\00:02:58.04 come and then there is that great time of trouble. 00:02:58.24\00:03:00.88 So throughout the book of Revelation 00:03:01.28\00:03:03.08 there are multiple contrasts. 00:03:03.48\00:03:06.78 One of those major contrasts in the book of Revelation 00:03:06.98\00:03:09.78 is the description of two women. 00:03:10.29\00:03:13.59 We find that in Revelation 12 and Revelation 17. 00:03:13.99\00:03:19.66 First you have the woman in white. 00:03:20.50\00:03:22.70 In Revelation 12 verse 1 00:03:23.10\00:03:25.20 this woman in white is described. 00:03:25.40\00:03:28.70 "Now a great sign appeared in heaven. 00:03:29.10\00:03:32.07 A woman clothed with the sun 00:03:32.74\00:03:35.01 with the moon under her feet 00:03:35.21\00:03:37.01 and on her head a garland of twelve stars. " 00:03:37.21\00:03:40.02 Verse 2: "Then being with Child 00:03:40.22\00:03:42.55 she cried out in labor in pain to give birth. " 00:03:42.75\00:03:46.59 Now notice: this woman in white is standing 00:03:46.99\00:03:50.66 on the moon. The moon reflects the light of the sun... 00:03:50.86\00:03:54.60 representing the Old Testament. 00:03:55.00\00:03:57.47 You remember what Jesus said in John 5 verse 39? 00:03:57.63\00:04:01.04 He's speaking about the Old Testament prophecies. 00:04:01.44\00:04:04.37 He said: "These are they that testify of Me. " 00:04:04.57\00:04:09.61 So the entire Old Testament was a lesser light 00:04:10.28\00:04:14.95 like the moon shining to testify of Christ. 00:04:15.15\00:04:18.32 Now the other thing you notice about this woman 00:04:18.82\00:04:21.72 is that she has a garland of 12 stars on her head. 00:04:21.92\00:04:25.53 That is to say that she is going to be guided 00:04:25.93\00:04:28.63 by the twelve apostles. 00:04:28.83\00:04:30.17 The other thing you notice is that she's pregnant. 00:04:30.53\00:04:33.03 She's with Child. 00:04:33.23\00:04:34.97 Christ is to be born, the Messiah of the NT church. 00:04:35.17\00:04:40.31 But one of the predominant symbols here 00:04:40.51\00:04:43.08 is that she's dressed in white. 00:04:43.28\00:04:45.01 What does that represent? 00:04:45.21\00:04:46.61 AND what does a woman represent in Bible prophecy? 00:04:47.12\00:04:52.12 When you look at the Bible 00:04:52.52\00:04:54.16 going back as far as to the Old Testament 00:04:54.56\00:04:57.36 So God likens His church, 00:05:09.87\00:05:13.11 He likens His people to a beautiful woman 00:05:13.31\00:05:17.55 adorned in white 00:05:17.71\00:05:19.68 having pure true doctrine. 00:05:19.88\00:05:22.75 So do you get the picture in Revelation 12:1? 00:05:22.95\00:05:25.55 A woman is emerging 00:05:25.95\00:05:28.36 from the Old Testament era. 00:05:28.76\00:05:31.23 She is with Child. 00:05:31.43\00:05:32.89 The New Testament church is to come forth... 00:05:33.09\00:05:35.16 Christ, the Child, the Messiah of that church. 00:05:35.36\00:05:38.20 She's guided by 12 apostles. 00:05:38.40\00:05:41.67 The woman in white in Rev. 12 00:05:41.87\00:05:44.67 is described as faithful to Jesus. 00:05:45.07\00:05:48.44 She's undefiled with false doctrine. 00:05:48.84\00:05:52.15 She is clothed with the righteousness of Christ. 00:05:52.35\00:05:56.18 The Bible describes the faithful followers of Jesus, 00:05:57.12\00:06:01.59 the offspring of this woman that would appear at end-time 00:06:01.79\00:06:07.40 in Revelation 12 verse 17. 00:06:07.60\00:06:09.53 You know, in the New Testament Ephesians 5 the Bible talks 00:06:19.67\00:06:22.31 about the woman as the bride of Christ. 00:06:22.51\00:06:26.45 So down through the generations 00:06:40.33\00:06:42.90 God has always had a faithful group who followed Him. 00:06:43.20\00:06:47.77 Committed to Christ they have obeyed Christ. 00:06:48.40\00:06:51.77 So in Rev. chapter 12 you have the royal line of believers. 00:06:51.97\00:06:57.35 You have the heritage of this woman. 00:06:57.75\00:07:00.62 You have the offspring of this woman: 00:07:00.82\00:07:03.28 faithful believers committed to Christ 00:07:03.69\00:07:06.92 saved by grace 00:07:07.12\00:07:09.62 obeying Christ because they have been in love 00:07:09.82\00:07:13.26 with their Savior. The scene, though, changes. 00:07:13.46\00:07:16.97 But as time goes on 00:07:22.04\00:07:24.61 that scene changes. 00:07:24.81\00:07:27.58 And although God has always had a people faithful to Him 00:07:27.78\00:07:32.45 the devil has always been working. 00:07:32.85\00:07:35.28 The devil's been working to bring in deception. 00:07:35.48\00:07:37.52 The devil's been working to bring in false doctrine. 00:07:37.72\00:07:39.95 The devil has been working to distort the truth of God. 00:07:40.36\00:07:43.29 A contrast of two women: 00:07:44.09\00:07:46.13 the woman of Rev. 12 dressed in white; 00:07:46.53\00:07:50.00 the woman in Revelation chapter 17. 00:07:50.20\00:07:53.60 These three angels describe this conflict between 00:07:54.00\00:07:58.31 these two women... this crisis between these two women. 00:07:58.51\00:08:02.81 This has to do with the fountain of truth 00:08:03.31\00:08:06.65 and the fountain of error. 00:08:06.85\00:08:08.18 It has to do with two religious streams: 00:08:08.22\00:08:10.82 the woman dressed in white rep- resenting the true pure church 00:08:11.02\00:08:14.32 in Revelation 12; the woman in scarlet in Rev. 17 00:08:14.52\00:08:18.83 representing the fountain of error. 00:08:19.03\00:08:21.96 Revelation chapter 14 verse 8: that second angel's message, 00:08:22.16\00:08:26.07 describes this second woman dressed in scarlet 00:08:26.37\00:08:30.41 as Babylon. And it says: 00:08:30.91\00:08:33.17 Three angels fly in mid heaven. 00:08:44.95\00:08:47.32 The first angel's message: "I saw another angel 00:08:47.72\00:08:50.46 flying in the middle of heaven 00:08:50.66\00:08:51.99 having the everlasting gospel... " 00:08:52.03\00:08:53.70 The woman dressed in white: the pure, true church 00:08:53.90\00:08:56.83 preaching the gospel, 00:08:57.03\00:08:58.37 "to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. " 00:08:58.47\00:09:00.44 The woman dressed in white; the angel's message 00:09:00.64\00:09:02.97 saying with a loud voice to the entire world. 00:09:03.17\00:09:06.94 "Fear God. " That's obey God. 00:09:07.14\00:09:08.91 "Give glory to Him" in your lifestyle 00:09:09.31\00:09:11.55 because we're living in a unique time of earth's history. 00:09:11.75\00:09:14.25 "The hour of His judgment is come" 00:09:14.45\00:09:16.08 and "worship the Creator. " So the first angel's message 00:09:16.48\00:09:19.99 calls us to true worship, to be followers of the woman in white, 00:09:20.19\00:09:24.79 in Revelation chapter 12, and be part of those 00:09:24.99\00:09:28.33 who have faith in Christ and the faith of Christ 00:09:28.53\00:09:31.57 living in their hearts and keep the commandments of God. 00:09:31.77\00:09:34.47 The message of the second angel is to flee 00:09:34.97\00:09:39.74 from the woman in scarlet titled as the false Babylon: 00:09:39.94\00:09:46.01 a religion of confusion and humanism. 00:09:46.21\00:09:49.75 "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" is the second angel's message. 00:09:50.15\00:09:54.16 And that's a warning. Now Revelation 17 00:09:54.36\00:09:57.36 picks up on that second angel's message. 00:09:57.76\00:10:01.70 Now when you look at this term "Babylon" in the Bible 00:10:01.90\00:10:05.53 and when Revelation 14:8 says: "Babylon is fallen... " 00:10:05.73\00:10:09.20 is that possibly speaking of ancient Babylon? 00:10:09.40\00:10:13.54 Ancient Babylon ruled the world from 605 BC 00:10:13.74\00:10:18.01 to 539 BC. 00:10:18.21\00:10:20.35 The Babylonians were overtaken and overthrown by 00:10:20.75\00:10:24.22 the Medes and the Persians there in 539 BC. 00:10:24.42\00:10:28.46 When John writes he writes 600 years after that 00:10:28.66\00:10:33.70 at the end of the first century. 00:10:33.90\00:10:35.70 So Babylon has already fallen. 00:10:35.90\00:10:38.03 John is speaking not about literal Babylon 00:10:38.43\00:10:41.17 the literal city but he's speaking about a force 00:10:41.37\00:10:44.67 that would be called spiritual Babylon. 00:10:44.87\00:10:47.28 Let's unfold that. 00:10:47.48\00:10:49.08 Let's unpack that. 00:10:49.28\00:10:50.61 What is spiritual Babylon? 00:10:50.75\00:10:53.28 Revelation's prediction of the fall of Babylon 00:10:53.48\00:10:56.82 cannot possibly be referring to the ruins of the ancient 00:10:57.02\00:11:01.32 city of Babylon on the Euphrates River 00:11:01.52\00:11:03.63 in modern-day Iraq. 00:11:03.83\00:11:05.19 That had long been destroyed as I mentioned 600 years before. 00:11:05.39\00:11:10.33 In the prophecies of Revelation Babylon represents 00:11:10.93\00:11:14.87 a false religious system. 00:11:15.07\00:11:17.87 This Babylon of Rev. 14:8- 00:11:18.27\00:11:21.48 this false religious system - 00:11:21.68\00:11:24.05 would have similar character- istics in its very philosophy 00:11:24.25\00:11:28.75 and teachings to ancient Babylon. 00:11:28.95\00:11:31.82 We find this further developed 00:11:32.22\00:11:34.79 in a woman in scarlet and purple 00:11:34.99\00:11:38.53 riding on a scarlet-colored beast 00:11:38.73\00:11:41.00 in Revelation the 17th chapter. 00:11:41.20\00:11:43.80 Now this is an amazing... an absolutely amazing description. 00:11:44.00\00:11:48.70 It is an absolutely amazing revelation 00:11:49.10\00:11:52.47 to us in this generation 00:11:52.67\00:11:55.28 of truth as it stands in contrast to falsehood. 00:11:55.48\00:12:00.68 These messages called the three angels' messages 00:12:01.08\00:12:06.05 and this message of the second angel 00:12:06.25\00:12:08.49 is a message of vital absolute importance 00:12:08.69\00:12:12.39 for this generation. Let's go to Revelation 17 verse 2. 00:12:12.59\00:12:16.67 Now what are the seven bowls? 00:12:24.07\00:12:25.77 The seven bowls are the seven bowls of God's judgments 00:12:25.97\00:12:28.38 upon the world... the seven last plagues. 00:12:28.58\00:12:30.48 Before those plagues an event takes place. 00:12:30.98\00:12:33.08 Here this woman is not the faithful bride of Christ. 00:12:47.40\00:12:50.27 This is certainly not the woman of Revelation chapter 12 00:12:50.67\00:12:54.50 with the pure, undefiled garments. 00:12:54.70\00:12:57.07 She, according to Scripture, is a harlot. 00:12:57.27\00:12:59.94 She has left her true lover... Christ. 00:13:00.14\00:13:03.04 Who has she committed fornication with? 00:13:03.24\00:13:05.61 She "sits on many waters. " What does that mean? 00:13:05.81\00:13:08.48 It says then: 00:13:08.68\00:13:10.02 So here in this picture 00:13:16.73\00:13:19.49 symbolically there is a woman 00:13:19.69\00:13:22.83 scantily dressed in scarlet 00:13:23.03\00:13:26.13 or ornamented with jewels 00:13:26.33\00:13:29.10 riding on a scarlet-colored beast. 00:13:29.30\00:13:32.24 What does this woman represent? 00:13:32.64\00:13:35.01 Not the true church, certainly, but a fallen church system. 00:13:35.21\00:13:39.28 It says: "Then one of the seven angels who had 7 bowls 00:13:39.48\00:13:42.62 came and talked with me... " And she sits where? 00:13:42.82\00:13:45.09 We're going to see the judgment of the great harlot. 00:13:45.29\00:13:46.82 Where does she sit? "On many waters. " 00:13:47.02\00:13:48.36 In the Bible it also says: "The kings of the earth 00:13:48.62\00:13:51.76 committed fornication with her. " 00:13:51.96\00:13:53.29 What does this symbolism mean? 00:13:53.63\00:13:55.86 What's the significance of this symbolism? 00:13:56.06\00:13:59.37 Well, what about waters? Revelation 17:15: 00:13:59.57\00:14:03.77 So you have a false religious system 00:14:10.78\00:14:14.25 that dominates over multiple peoples. 00:14:14.45\00:14:18.42 We do not have to guess at the meaning of Bible prophecy. 00:14:18.62\00:14:22.89 God, who has given prophecy, 00:14:23.09\00:14:25.73 reveals that meaning. He unfolds the symbol of prophecy. 00:14:25.93\00:14:30.70 So in the Bible the harlot woman, the fallen religious 00:14:30.90\00:14:35.37 system, has left her true lover Jesus and she dominates 00:14:35.57\00:14:39.94 over many peoples of the world. 00:14:40.14\00:14:42.28 She commits fornication. 00:14:42.48\00:14:44.75 Who does she commit fornication with? 00:14:44.95\00:14:46.92 The kings of the earth. 00:14:47.32\00:14:48.65 And so that's why the Scripture says 00:14:48.75\00:14:50.85 that you have this fallen religious system, 00:14:51.05\00:14:54.19 this woman, riding upon the beast. 00:14:54.39\00:14:58.33 That beast power represents a political system. 00:14:58.53\00:15:02.03 In the Bible according to Daniel 7:17 00:15:02.23\00:15:06.80 the beast represents kings or verse 23 kingdoms. 00:15:07.00\00:15:11.11 And so you have the church riding on the state 00:15:11.31\00:15:15.54 or church and state united. 00:15:15.74\00:15:18.51 Now if history tells us anything 00:15:18.71\00:15:21.32 it tells us that when church and state unite 00:15:21.52\00:15:24.92 there is often oppression and persecution 00:15:25.12\00:15:29.06 on those who fail to go along with that church/state union. 00:15:29.26\00:15:34.03 There is the restric- tion of religious liberty. 00:15:34.23\00:15:37.77 What is fornication? 00:15:37.97\00:15:39.60 So the people of God - the church of Jesus Christ, 00:15:43.00\00:15:47.78 the bride of Christ - 00:15:47.98\00:15:50.15 is united to her true lover Jesus Christ 00:15:50.35\00:15:54.38 and gets her direction from Him. 00:15:54.58\00:15:57.59 The fallen church system 00:15:57.95\00:16:01.32 is united to the state and looks not to Jesus 00:16:01.52\00:16:05.86 for its authority or power 00:16:06.06\00:16:08.20 but looks to the state for its power. 00:16:08.40\00:16:11.63 She finds Him as her true head. 00:16:15.24\00:16:19.81 The true authority for the church comes from Jesus. 00:16:30.09\00:16:34.72 The true power for the church comes from Jesus. 00:16:34.92\00:16:38.76 The true strength of the church comes from Jesus. 00:16:39.16\00:16:42.53 But when the church - the fallen church - 00:16:42.73\00:16:45.67 looks to the state for its power 00:16:45.87\00:16:48.17 looks to government authorities for its power 00:16:48.37\00:16:51.14 it loses its spiritual power and it becomes Babylon. 00:16:51.34\00:16:56.64 It becomes a fallen church system. 00:16:56.85\00:17:00.28 Now the founders of the United States 00:17:00.48\00:17:03.32 and the founders of all democratic governments 00:17:03.52\00:17:07.62 have written into their constitution 00:17:07.82\00:17:10.76 that important doctrine of the separation of church and state. 00:17:10.96\00:17:16.36 For example, the first amendment to the Constitution 00:17:17.50\00:17:21.10 that our founders here in America recognized 00:17:21.30\00:17:23.87 was so important reads this way: 00:17:24.07\00:17:26.84 They were very very clear 00:17:38.12\00:17:41.72 that there should be no government interference 00:17:41.92\00:17:46.46 in the individual liberties to express 00:17:46.66\00:17:51.43 religious belief. 00:17:51.63\00:17:53.57 The founders of our nation were very clear on this point. 00:17:53.77\00:17:57.71 In fact, in the writings of George Washington 00:17:57.91\00:18:01.01 in one of his speeches and messages to Congress I read: 00:18:01.21\00:18:04.81 When the founders of the United States 00:18:22.53\00:18:26.57 left the Old World 00:18:26.77\00:18:28.44 one of the prime reasons they left Europe 00:18:28.64\00:18:31.67 was because church and state united. 00:18:31.87\00:18:35.24 State churches dominated Europe, 00:18:35.44\00:18:38.45 and as they did the rights of the minority 00:18:38.65\00:18:42.18 to express their religious values were curtailed 00:18:42.38\00:18:46.72 and the minorities often were persecuted. 00:18:46.92\00:18:49.66 So the founders of America 00:18:49.86\00:18:52.06 came to this nation because they longed for religious freedom. 00:18:52.56\00:18:57.57 They longed to be in a land where they could worship 00:18:57.93\00:19:00.90 in harmony with the dictates of their conscience. 00:19:01.10\00:19:03.84 And thank God for that freedom. 00:19:04.04\00:19:06.07 But Revelation predicts that a time will come 00:19:06.57\00:19:10.11 when religious liberty will erode again. 00:19:10.31\00:19:13.98 It predicts that this fallen church system 00:19:14.18\00:19:18.82 riding upon the beast power of the state 00:19:19.02\00:19:22.32 will withdraw religious liberty and that religious laws 00:19:22.52\00:19:27.13 will be passed to coerce, enforce worship again. 00:19:27.33\00:19:31.53 What did he mean by that expression? 00:19:36.91\00:19:39.37 He meant precisely this: 00:19:39.57\00:19:41.71 that the church should not superimpose its will upon the 00:19:41.91\00:19:47.45 state and legislate worship. 00:19:47.65\00:19:50.05 And the state should not superimpose its laws 00:19:50.25\00:19:54.36 upon its citizenry to enforce religious decrees. 00:19:54.56\00:19:59.13 That every human being, whether we accept what another 00:19:59.33\00:20:03.26 believes or not, should have that freedom, 00:20:03.47\00:20:06.27 that choice, that opportunity 00:20:06.47\00:20:09.17 to make decisions in harmony with their conscience. 00:20:09.37\00:20:12.61 We see in Revelation 14:8 in the second angel's message: 00:20:13.01\00:20:18.55 "Babylon is fallen! Is fallen! " 00:20:18.75\00:20:20.58 we see a description of a church/state union 00:20:20.78\00:20:25.09 that is united to enforce its religious laws. 00:20:25.49\00:20:30.53 Now notice what Scripture says going on to describe this 00:20:30.73\00:20:34.53 Babylon, this woman of Revelation chapter 17, 00:20:34.73\00:20:38.70 dressed in purple and scarlet riding on the beast. 00:20:38.90\00:20:42.00 Notice what it says... Revelation 17:2: 00:20:42.20\00:20:45.77 In the Bible wine is a symbol of doctrine, 00:20:51.65\00:20:56.52 and wine here is a symbol of false doctrine. 00:20:56.72\00:21:00.72 In the gospels it talks about the cup of salvation. 00:21:01.12\00:21:04.96 Jesus offers freely the pure juice of the grape, 00:21:05.16\00:21:09.13 the wine of salvation. 00:21:09.33\00:21:11.90 You know, in the Bible Jesus says 00:21:12.10\00:21:13.50 "I'll not drink... " in the communion service... 00:21:13.70\00:21:15.90 "of the wine again with you... " 00:21:16.10\00:21:18.91 that's the pure juice of the grape... 00:21:19.11\00:21:20.54 in other words, representing His blood... 00:21:20.74\00:21:22.54 But here is the wine of fornication. 00:21:22.94\00:21:25.48 Here is a religious system 00:21:25.88\00:21:28.45 that challenges the very authority of Christ 00:21:28.65\00:21:32.49 and puts man in the very place of Christ. 00:21:32.69\00:21:36.19 The wine of false doctrine; the intoxication 00:21:36.59\00:21:40.76 of the teachings of Babylon... 00:21:40.96\00:21:42.93 So the teachings of ancient Babylon 00:21:43.13\00:21:45.83 where human beings are exalted above the dominion 00:21:46.03\00:21:50.67 of Christ, where the authority of man 00:21:50.87\00:21:53.07 and the opinion of man takes the place of the opinion 00:21:53.27\00:21:55.64 of Christ. And when the doctrines of man are substituted 00:21:55.84\00:21:59.48 for the teachings of Scripture. 00:21:59.68\00:22:01.05 This indeed is represented in the wine of Babylon. 00:22:01.25\00:22:04.79 The fallen church passes around her wine cup 00:22:04.99\00:22:07.82 of erroneous doctrine and the world becomes intoxicated 00:22:08.02\00:22:11.96 with false religious ideas. 00:22:12.16\00:22:13.90 On one occasion I was speaking to a group 00:22:14.30\00:22:18.10 in a large meeting outside the city of Chicago. 00:22:18.30\00:22:21.04 And as I was speaking I was talking about the wine 00:22:21.44\00:22:23.77 of Babylon, and there as I was talking about the wine 00:22:23.97\00:22:26.51 of Babylon I said: "Wine affects the 00:22:26.71\00:22:29.31 conscience... it affects the forebrain. 00:22:29.51\00:22:31.48 When you drink excessively you can't think. 00:22:31.68\00:22:34.42 You become intoxicated. " 00:22:34.62\00:22:36.32 And as I was saying that a drunk man had walked into the 00:22:36.52\00:22:40.29 meeting... and I was a young man at the time. 00:22:40.49\00:22:42.02 He's sitting in the back row and he was half asleep. 00:22:42.22\00:22:44.96 When I started talking about wine confuses the thinking 00:22:45.16\00:22:47.76 and wine distorts your process of understanding 00:22:47.96\00:22:53.07 and it defiles your conscience 00:22:53.27\00:22:54.60 the guy stands up. You know, he's half drunk. 00:22:54.70\00:22:56.67 He begins waving: "That's enough young man. 00:22:56.87\00:23:00.01 That's enough young man. " 00:23:00.21\00:23:01.88 Well, you know, it is true 00:23:02.08\00:23:04.45 that wine does affect deeply the brain. 00:23:04.85\00:23:07.38 And the wine of false doctrine 00:23:07.58\00:23:10.45 distorts our thinking so no longer does the truth 00:23:10.65\00:23:15.16 of God's Word penetrate our hearts. 00:23:15.36\00:23:18.13 You know, Jesus said in John 17 verse 17 00:23:18.33\00:23:21.53 "Sanctify them through Thy Word; 00:23:21.93\00:23:24.83 Thy Word is truth. " 00:23:25.03\00:23:26.57 It is the Word of God, the wine of the gospel, 00:23:26.97\00:23:30.94 the pure juice of God's Word 00:23:31.14\00:23:33.91 that sobers us up so that we don't become drunk 00:23:34.11\00:23:37.88 with the false doctrines indeed of Babylon. 00:23:38.08\00:23:42.58 Notice: the woman is full of names of blasphemy: 00:23:57.73\00:24:00.30 doctrines contrary to the Biblical doctrines of truth. 00:24:00.70\00:24:04.07 You see, politicians - the Bible talks about - in the last days 00:24:04.47\00:24:07.81 eager to retain their positions 00:24:08.01\00:24:09.84 yield to the influence of the majority 00:24:10.05\00:24:12.11 who have drunk the wine of Babylon's false doctrines. 00:24:12.31\00:24:14.82 Once again, there is this union of church and state. 00:24:15.02\00:24:17.85 Once again religious decrees are enforced 00:24:18.25\00:24:20.82 and superimposed upon the minority. 00:24:21.02\00:24:23.96 Once again persecution comes. 00:24:24.16\00:24:26.56 In Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown: it's an old Bible commentary 00:24:26.76\00:24:30.30 that I happened to read volume 4 on Revelation 17:3 00:24:30.50\00:24:33.50 it makes this amazing comment: 00:24:33.70\00:24:35.70 Just before the final judgment 00:24:58.16\00:25:00.76 just before the coming of Christ 00:25:00.96\00:25:02.96 there is a church ripe for judgment 00:25:03.16\00:25:05.80 because the doctrines of God's Word have been compromised. 00:25:06.00\00:25:09.30 The doctrines of the Bible have been substituted 00:25:09.50\00:25:12.37 for the traditions of man. 00:25:12.57\00:25:14.98 Human tradition has replaced the clear, plain 00:25:15.18\00:25:19.78 truth of Scripture 00:25:19.98\00:25:21.35 and the church becomes ripe for judgment. 00:25:21.55\00:25:24.05 God says: "Babylon is fallen! Is fallen! 00:25:24.25\00:25:27.62 Come out of her My people. " 00:25:27.82\00:25:29.52 God is appealing in the second angel 00:25:29.92\00:25:32.89 for His people, drunk with the wine of Babylon, 00:25:33.09\00:25:37.03 to make a step to come out of Babylon. 00:25:37.23\00:25:39.87 The woman, notice, is arrayed in purple and scarlet. 00:25:40.07\00:25:42.84 So the colors of this fallen religious system, 00:25:43.04\00:25:47.01 this system that is the mother church 00:25:47.21\00:25:50.35 that has many daughters: 00:25:50.55\00:25:51.88 She is lavish with her ornamentation. 00:25:57.75\00:26:00.86 She is dressed in purple and scarlet. 00:26:01.06\00:26:03.83 She has in her hand a golden cup full of abomination. 00:26:04.03\00:26:06.83 You know, the golden cup... 00:26:07.23\00:26:09.46 The Bible talks about the cup of salvation. 00:26:09.66\00:26:12.13 But this cup, although it appears to have salvation, 00:26:12.33\00:26:15.57 does not. It's full of abominations of false doctrine. 00:26:15.77\00:26:20.61 She's united with the state. 00:26:20.81\00:26:23.01 Her colors are purple and scarlet. 00:26:23.21\00:26:25.71 Do you know any religious system 00:26:25.91\00:26:28.88 whose colors are purple and scarlet 00:26:29.38\00:26:33.32 who is the great mother church? 00:26:33.52\00:26:36.09 Now friends, it's not our intent in this lecture series 00:26:37.09\00:26:41.06 to unnecessarily point fingers at 00:26:41.90\00:26:45.17 or condemn any religious organization. 00:26:45.37\00:26:48.00 In every church there are people who are committed to Christ. 00:26:48.20\00:26:52.67 But it is our responsibility under God 00:26:53.07\00:26:56.58 to open His Word, to share the truth of His Word. 00:26:56.98\00:27:01.45 And when God gives clear identifying characteristics 00:27:01.65\00:27:06.15 of a fallen church system 00:27:06.55\00:27:10.16 that becomes the great mother church of our world 00:27:10.36\00:27:13.93 and He clearly identifies that in the Bible 00:27:14.13\00:27:17.63 it becomes our responsibility whether it's popular or not, 00:27:17.83\00:27:22.90 whether it's the majority's opinion or not, 00:27:23.10\00:27:25.77 to graciously share that. 00:27:25.97\00:27:28.71 And so we do not condemn individuals... 00:27:28.91\00:27:31.85 we simply share what the Bible says. 00:27:32.05\00:27:35.38 Now there's an amazing statement made by Eusebius 00:27:35.88\00:27:40.46 on the life of Constantine. 00:27:40.66\00:27:42.69 Eusebius is one of the great historians 00:27:42.89\00:27:46.29 of the early centuries. 00:27:46.49\00:27:49.06 And as church and state united in the 4th and 5th centuries 00:27:49.26\00:27:55.50 Eusebius makes this observation. 00:27:55.70\00:27:58.67 In other words, the pagan cults 00:28:12.22\00:28:14.56 very very often... VERY often... 00:28:14.76\00:28:18.69 would use the garments, and very often purple and scarlet. 00:28:18.89\00:28:22.73 And as the result of that 00:28:23.13\00:28:25.27 these were brought into Christianity... brought into 00:28:25.47\00:28:29.80 the Roman church in the early centuries. 00:28:30.01\00:28:32.81 So what have we discovered so far? 00:28:47.09\00:28:49.79 We have discovered that Babylon is represented by the 00:28:49.99\00:28:54.63 figure of a woman. A woman represents the church. 00:28:54.83\00:28:58.33 A pure woman represents the true church; 00:28:58.53\00:29:00.84 a fallen woman represents the harlot church 00:29:01.04\00:29:04.94 or a church that's left Christ. 00:29:05.14\00:29:07.01 We've discovered that this fallen religious system 00:29:07.21\00:29:12.05 the fallen church known as Babylon 00:29:12.25\00:29:16.89 rides upon a scarlet-colored beast. 00:29:17.09\00:29:19.85 We've noticed that this fallen religious system 00:29:20.06\00:29:22.49 is united with the state. 00:29:22.69\00:29:25.06 Commits fornication; leaves her true lover. 00:29:25.26\00:29:27.50 So there's a union of church and state. 00:29:27.70\00:29:29.46 We've noticed as well that she has a wine cup 00:29:29.86\00:29:32.97 that she passes around of fallen doctrine or false doctrine. 00:29:33.17\00:29:38.21 We've noticed that her colors are purple and scarlet. 00:29:38.61\00:29:42.08 We've noticed as well now in this prediction 00:29:42.28\00:29:46.01 that her capitol would be on a city of seven hills. 00:29:46.21\00:29:50.99 There are a number of cities in the world that have 7 hills. 00:29:52.05\00:29:55.49 But if you look at every aspect of this description 00:29:55.89\00:30:00.50 there is only one that fits this particular description 00:30:00.70\00:30:05.43 in the context of Revelation chapter 17. 00:30:05.63\00:30:08.80 Prof. Ernest Martin, when he's talking about the prominence 00:30:09.00\00:30:13.24 of Rome and the Roman Empire 00:30:13.44\00:30:14.78 and he's talking about the prominence of the Roman church 00:30:14.88\00:30:17.38 makes this amazing... this incredible statement: 00:30:17.58\00:30:20.32 So Prof. Ernest Martin describing the history of Rome 00:30:34.73\00:30:38.70 and the Roman Empire talks about the fact 00:30:38.90\00:30:41.60 that there was a belief in the ancient world 00:30:41.80\00:30:44.81 that when you have your capitol on a seven-hilled city 00:30:45.01\00:30:49.08 that that in itself put that city into prominence. 00:30:50.01\00:30:54.58 He goes on. He says: 00:30:54.78\00:30:56.48 So Prof. Martin points out that the city of Rome 00:31:14.34\00:31:19.81 indeed has unusual prominence in those early years. 00:31:20.11\00:31:26.01 Now, there's something on this woman's head 00:31:26.21\00:31:28.62 that gives us the entire clue to the identification of the woman. 00:31:28.82\00:31:32.99 This great woman has 00:31:42.06\00:31:46.13 a name on her forehead. 00:31:46.33\00:31:48.10 What is that name on her forehead? 00:31:48.30\00:31:50.51 Do you see what that name is? 00:31:50.71\00:31:52.41 MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT. 00:31:52.61\00:31:54.64 That is leading us back to Old Testament Babylon 00:31:54.84\00:31:58.95 so that we can understand New Testament Babylon 00:31:59.35\00:32:03.18 in Revelation. So we can understand spiritual Babylon. 00:32:03.39\00:32:06.52 We need to go back and say: "What was the essential 00:32:06.92\00:32:10.63 philosophy of Old Testament Babylon? " 00:32:10.83\00:32:13.83 What was at its heart? What was at its foundation? 00:32:14.03\00:32:16.36 So let's go back. 00:32:16.56\00:32:18.10 You know, Santayana - the historian - once said: 00:32:18.30\00:32:21.14 So we need to go back and look at Old Testament Babylon. 00:32:25.31\00:32:27.61 And an appeal to remember... remember what Old Testament 00:32:27.81\00:32:32.81 Babylon was like so you can understand 00:32:33.01\00:32:34.48 New Testament Babylon. 00:32:34.68\00:32:36.02 You remember, in ancient Babylon one thing you notice 00:32:36.08\00:32:38.49 very clearly is God gave to Daniel a great vision 00:32:38.69\00:32:42.12 of the history of the world 00:32:42.32\00:32:43.99 and an interpretation of the vision that Nebuchadnezzar had. 00:32:44.19\00:32:47.46 Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. 00:32:47.66\00:32:49.03 Nebuchadnezzar, though, wanted to rule the world 00:32:49.23\00:32:51.23 so although God gave to Nebuchadnezzar an image 00:32:51.43\00:32:55.00 with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, 00:32:55.20\00:32:57.31 thighs of brass, legs of iron, toes of the image of clay. 00:32:57.51\00:33:01.31 That was in Daniel the 2nd chapter 00:33:01.51\00:33:03.61 representing the great nations that would rule the world: 00:33:04.01\00:33:06.75 Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. 00:33:06.95\00:33:09.28 The break-up of the Roman Empire then the coming of Christ. 00:33:09.68\00:33:12.09 But Nebuchadnezzar, contrary in an opposition 00:33:12.49\00:33:16.93 to that vision... Notice here on the screen: 00:33:17.13\00:33:19.76 he makes an image all of gold. 00:33:19.96\00:33:24.60 Totally absolutely of gold. 00:33:24.80\00:33:27.74 And he passes a decree 00:33:28.14\00:33:30.44 that everybody must worship that image. 00:33:30.64\00:33:33.78 So if we learned anything from Babylon, 00:33:34.18\00:33:36.44 we learned that in ancient Babylon 00:33:36.64\00:33:39.18 church and state united. 00:33:39.38\00:33:42.55 In ancient Babylon decrees were enforced 00:33:42.95\00:33:47.66 to lead men and women - the followers of Christ - 00:33:48.06\00:33:51.56 contrary to the Word of God to bow down to that image 00:33:51.76\00:33:55.66 in violation of the second commandment. 00:33:55.86\00:33:58.13 We learned that. We also learned 00:33:58.33\00:34:00.64 that human beings and their opinions 00:34:00.84\00:34:04.41 as leaders were exalted above God. 00:34:04.61\00:34:07.04 There's an appeal that God gives us. 00:34:07.44\00:34:09.91 And as we'll see as we continue our studies 00:34:16.05\00:34:20.06 here in Revelation chapter 14 00:34:20.26\00:34:23.02 when we come to two studies on the mark of the beast 00:34:23.22\00:34:25.59 that once again a death decree will be enforced. 00:34:25.79\00:34:29.06 But let's go back to ancient Babylon, and try to discover 00:34:29.26\00:34:32.20 what is at its very heart. 00:34:32.40\00:34:34.67 Remember in Revelation 17:5 00:34:34.87\00:34:38.17 that there is something written on the forehead 00:34:38.37\00:34:42.54 of this fallen church system: 00:34:42.74\00:34:45.25 BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS. 00:34:45.75\00:34:49.05 A fallen church system whose doctrines would go to the world. 00:34:49.25\00:34:53.36 A fallen church system 00:34:53.56\00:34:56.32 that would have many daughter churches as well. 00:34:56.52\00:34:59.83 Revelation reveals the past. It leads us back to ancient 00:35:00.80\00:35:05.70 Babylon so we can understand something about this 00:35:05.90\00:35:09.54 second angel's message: "Babylon is falling" 00:35:09.74\00:35:12.31 so we can flee Babylon, leave the intoxication 00:35:12.71\00:35:17.25 of the wine of Babylon, and come to the truth of God's Word. 00:35:17.45\00:35:22.55 What does it mean MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT? 00:35:22.75\00:35:24.82 Let's go back to ancient Babylon and see in this presentation 00:35:25.02\00:35:27.96 if we can learn a little about ancient Babylon. 00:35:28.16\00:35:30.63 Literal Babylon had fallen; 00:35:31.03\00:35:33.53 spiritual Babylon rises. 00:35:33.73\00:35:35.56 But we learned some great lessons. 00:35:35.76\00:35:37.53 What are some of Babylon's falsehoods in ancient Babylon 00:35:37.73\00:35:41.90 that we can then understand would be super imported 00:35:42.10\00:35:47.34 into the Christian church today? 00:35:47.54\00:35:48.88 That's the real central issue. 00:35:53.52\00:35:55.08 In ancient Babylon human opinion was exalted above God's Word. 00:35:55.48\00:36:00.12 Remember in Genesis 11:19 we have the origin 00:36:00.32\00:36:04.49 of Babylon. It says: 00:36:04.69\00:36:06.19 So right after the flood 00:36:12.80\00:36:14.84 human beings in disobedience to God, 00:36:15.24\00:36:19.17 human beings in disbelief of God's Word, 00:36:19.37\00:36:22.58 human beings in defiance of God's Word 00:36:22.78\00:36:26.38 built a temple... a temple that rose to heaven 00:36:26.58\00:36:31.15 because they thought "If there's another flood coming 00:36:31.35\00:36:33.49 we don't want to be destroyed. " 00:36:33.69\00:36:35.02 So this tower of Babel was the very foundation 00:36:35.12\00:36:39.09 of the city of Babylon. 00:36:39.29\00:36:41.83 This tower of Babel was a monument to humanism. 00:36:42.03\00:36:45.37 It was a monument to human ideas. 00:36:45.57\00:36:48.27 It was a monument to human teachings. 00:36:48.47\00:36:50.54 It was a monument to human philosophy. 00:36:50.74\00:36:52.64 So in the last days of earth's history 00:37:00.72\00:37:03.08 church and state unite. 00:37:03.28\00:37:04.62 They say: "You cannot buy or sell unless you follow 00:37:04.79\00:37:07.66 the beast power. " Babylon, the woman with her false 00:37:07.86\00:37:11.93 doctrine, unites with the state. 00:37:12.13\00:37:13.90 But here there are a group of people that say: 00:37:14.10\00:37:17.07 "We believe in the Word of Christ. 00:37:17.27\00:37:20.04 The Word of Christ is predominant in our lives. 00:37:20.24\00:37:22.77 We will live by God's Word 00:37:22.97\00:37:24.34 and we believe in the promise of His protection. 00:37:24.54\00:37:27.74 We turn from human plans and ideas. " 00:37:27.94\00:37:30.85 You know, notice the first four letters 00:37:31.05\00:37:33.31 of the word Babylon. What are they? 00:37:33.52\00:37:35.25 B - A - B - Y. 00:37:35.55\00:37:38.79 Baby. Why do you call baby a baby? 00:37:38.99\00:37:41.56 You call a baby a baby because it has what? 00:37:41.76\00:37:44.09 Confused speech. 00:37:44.29\00:37:45.69 So Babylon has confused values. 00:37:45.89\00:37:49.20 When you think of Babylon think of confusion. 00:37:49.40\00:37:53.34 When religion becomes confused truth becomes distorted 00:37:53.54\00:37:58.17 and human opinions are elevated above God's Word. 00:37:58.57\00:38:02.68 When that happens it's nothing more than babbling or Babylon. 00:38:02.88\00:38:07.32 So in Babylon there is the distortion of truth. 00:38:07.52\00:38:11.15 In Babylon, human opinion is exalted above God's Word. 00:38:11.35\00:38:16.29 When somebody says: "Well I know that's what God's Word 00:38:16.49\00:38:20.46 teaches but that's not what I think. " 00:38:20.66\00:38:23.13 "I know what God's Word teaches 00:38:23.33\00:38:24.73 but that's not what my pastor says. " 00:38:24.93\00:38:26.80 "I know what God's Word teaches 00:38:27.00\00:38:28.60 but that's not what my church teaches. " 00:38:28.80\00:38:30.74 When we go for human opinion... 00:38:30.94\00:38:33.27 And look, let me take that a step further. 00:38:33.48\00:38:35.88 When in the name of scholarship even - 00:38:36.28\00:38:41.32 and I thank God for godly scholars - 00:38:41.52\00:38:43.65 but when in the name of scholarship 00:38:43.85\00:38:46.35 we superimpose our will upon the teaching 00:38:46.55\00:38:50.16 of God's Word we become confused in our understanding. 00:38:50.36\00:38:55.03 That creates more confusion than it does light. 00:38:55.23\00:38:58.10 God speaks in His Word. What is Babylon? 00:38:58.30\00:39:01.34 And here a wise man puts it this way: 00:39:18.45\00:39:23.59 Proverbs chapter 23 and verse 23. 00:39:23.79\00:39:30.07 And the wise man speaks to this generation 00:39:30.47\00:39:33.84 and his words come echoing and re-echoing 00:39:34.04\00:39:37.04 down the centuries of time. 00:39:37.24\00:39:39.37 Proverbs 23:23 he says: 00:39:39.57\00:39:42.71 "Buy the truth and sell it not. 00:39:42.91\00:39:46.51 Also wisdom and instruction and understanding. " 00:39:46.72\00:39:49.35 "Buy the truth and sell it not. " 00:39:49.75\00:39:51.65 What is the fundamental problem with Babylon? 00:39:52.05\00:39:55.89 Babylon has sold out truth for popularity. 00:39:56.09\00:40:01.66 It sold out truth for convenience. 00:40:01.86\00:40:04.60 Its teachings have amalgamated the teachings 00:40:04.80\00:40:09.04 of paganism and brought them subtly into the church. 00:40:09.44\00:40:15.38 The books of Daniel and Revelation are complementary 00:40:15.58\00:40:19.21 books, and when Daniel talks about Babylon 00:40:19.41\00:40:24.12 he is providing lessons and a foundation 00:40:24.32\00:40:27.59 to understand Revelation. You go back to Daniel 4:30. 00:40:27.79\00:40:32.19 What's the heart of Babylon? 00:40:32.39\00:40:33.73 So Babylon is a system of truth that unites church and state. 00:40:44.71\00:40:51.08 I said a system of truth. They THINK it is truth. 00:40:51.28\00:40:56.02 It's really a system of error 00:40:56.22\00:40:57.92 where the true church is based on the teachings of God's Word 00:40:58.12\00:41:03.96 on the authority of Jesus Christ. 00:41:04.16\00:41:07.10 On the other hand, Jesus said in Matthew 16:18: 00:41:19.97\00:41:23.71 Thank God Jesus has a church 00:41:30.75\00:41:35.02 as described in Revelation chapter 12 verses 1 and 2. 00:41:35.22\00:41:39.23 The woman in white: pure, undefiled doctrine. 00:41:39.43\00:41:43.06 As described in Revelation 12:17 the dragon is wroth, 00:41:43.26\00:41:46.74 angry with the woman - the true church. 00:41:46.94\00:41:48.74 Goes to make war; passes a death decree. 00:41:48.94\00:41:52.37 Under the fallen church system church and state unite. 00:41:52.57\00:41:55.31 No man can buy or sell. 00:41:55.51\00:41:57.11 But there God's people stand firm. 00:41:57.31\00:41:59.58 The dragon - Satan - is angry with the true church, 00:41:59.78\00:42:01.78 goes to make war with the remnant of her seed... 00:42:01.98\00:42:03.82 the rest of her offspring 00:42:04.02\00:42:05.35 that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. 00:42:05.52\00:42:08.56 Saved by grace, charmed by His love, redeemed by the cross 00:42:08.76\00:42:13.23 they live obedient lives and they keep the very commandments 00:42:13.43\00:42:17.33 of God. The church built by Jesus will triumph at the end. 00:42:17.53\00:42:21.20 And so the choice really is will we live in harmony 00:42:21.40\00:42:24.54 with Jesus' instructions... His commands? 00:42:24.84\00:42:28.64 Will we be part of the church built by Jesus 00:42:28.84\00:42:32.25 or part of a man-made system of religion 00:42:32.45\00:42:35.38 that has confused religious values? 00:42:35.58\00:42:38.12 There are some people today who have the idea 00:42:49.13\00:42:52.23 "Well, I don't want anything to do with authority. " 00:42:52.43\00:42:54.90 "Sure... I don't want to be part of the false system 00:42:55.30\00:42:57.87 but I want nothing to do with authority. " 00:42:58.07\00:42:59.84 "I don't want to be part of any man-made system, the church. " 00:43:00.24\00:43:03.14 The truth of the matter is Jesus doesn't want you to be 00:43:03.35\00:43:05.78 part of any man-made system. 00:43:05.98\00:43:07.32 But the church of Christ on earth is not a man-made system 00:43:07.45\00:43:10.82 because according to Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 00:43:11.02\00:43:14.22 Jesus says: "I'll build My church! " 00:43:14.42\00:43:15.89 And according to Colossians 1 00:43:16.09\00:43:18.23 Christ is the Head of the church. 00:43:18.43\00:43:20.40 So the alternative is not leav- ing Babylon and being out here 00:43:20.80\00:43:24.83 wandering in some kind of nether nether world. 00:43:25.03\00:43:27.67 It is rather accepting Christ's appeal, 00:43:27.87\00:43:29.97 being part of the body of Christ, 00:43:30.17\00:43:32.37 and being part of the church that He has established. 00:43:32.57\00:43:36.04 The question is: will I follow a human leader 00:43:51.43\00:43:55.56 or human leaders or will I accept Jesus Christ 00:43:55.76\00:43:59.17 as my only Leader? 00:43:59.37\00:44:01.10 Jesus Christ, as the divine Head of His church. 00:44:01.30\00:44:05.24 You know, in Daniel chapter 3 verses 4 and 5 00:44:05.44\00:44:10.25 when Nebuchadnezzar set up that golden image 00:44:10.55\00:44:13.42 and I mentioned it a little bit earlier but I want to 00:44:13.62\00:44:15.65 develop that thought he said: 00:44:15.85\00:44:17.65 Notice: not "to you it is suggested. " 00:44:20.46\00:44:23.06 There was a human command. 00:44:25.93\00:44:27.86 Notice the issue that took place in Daniel chapter 3. 00:44:35.07\00:44:40.44 The issue was the union of church and state under Babylon. 00:44:41.08\00:44:46.38 The issue that took place in Daniel chapter 3 00:44:46.58\00:44:49.85 was a king who created an image 00:44:50.25\00:44:53.76 that was a counterfeit to the image of Daniel chapter 2. 00:44:53.96\00:44:58.33 The issue in Daniel chapter 3 00:44:58.86\00:45:01.40 very clearly in this image 00:45:01.60\00:45:04.77 was one of worship. 00:45:04.97\00:45:06.87 A church/state union under Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon 00:45:07.07\00:45:12.01 passed a decree contrary to the second commandment 00:45:12.21\00:45:16.64 that says: "Thou shalt not make of thee any graven image. " 00:45:16.85\00:45:19.68 "Thou shalt not bow down thy- self to them or worship them. " 00:45:19.88\00:45:23.15 This decree was passed to command false worship. 00:45:23.55\00:45:28.19 So in the last days of earth's history 00:45:28.59\00:45:31.73 based on Revelation 14 00:45:31.93\00:45:34.96 based on Revelation 17 00:45:35.16\00:45:37.23 based on Revelation 13 00:45:37.43\00:45:39.47 there'll be something very precisely the same. 00:45:39.67\00:45:43.47 Church and state again will unite. 00:45:43.87\00:45:46.37 The fallen church will pass around the wine cup 00:45:46.78\00:45:50.35 of its false doctrine. 00:45:50.55\00:45:52.21 The world will be enamored and intoxicated 00:45:52.61\00:45:55.52 with those false doctrines. 00:45:55.72\00:45:57.25 In a time of economic, political, and social chaos 00:45:57.45\00:46:01.59 there'll be an attempt to bring the world together. 00:46:01.79\00:46:04.96 There'll be a forced religious decree 00:46:05.16\00:46:08.33 and decrees that forbid man to buy or sell, 00:46:08.53\00:46:12.63 ultimately a death decree under the auspices 00:46:12.83\00:46:15.57 of this false union known as the antichrist. 00:46:15.77\00:46:18.24 When that indeed takes place 00:46:18.64\00:46:21.34 there will be compelled worship. 00:46:21.54\00:46:24.41 But once again God will have a group of people 00:46:24.71\00:46:27.48 that are strengthened by His Spirit, 00:46:27.88\00:46:30.82 that are empowered by His Spirit, 00:46:31.02\00:46:33.52 that stand for Him. 00:46:33.72\00:46:36.16 They stand for the One who hung on the cross for them. 00:46:36.36\00:46:42.03 Filled with His grace, empowered by His Spirit 00:46:42.43\00:46:46.00 they keep His commandments. 00:46:46.20\00:46:47.80 Just as the second commandment was a test question 00:46:48.20\00:46:52.61 in the days of ancient Babylon 00:46:52.81\00:46:54.31 in these last days the issue will be over worshiping 00:46:54.71\00:46:59.08 the Creator or worshiping the beast. 00:46:59.28\00:47:02.15 We're going to unpack this more in future presentations. 00:47:02.35\00:47:05.12 ... and they have the authority to pass decrees 00:47:14.56\00:47:18.53 and to compel men and women to follow those decrees. 00:47:18.73\00:47:23.61 Now let me give you some examples. I'm going to go back 00:47:23.81\00:47:26.71 to some Roman Catholic sources 00:47:26.91\00:47:29.84 and look at the authority 00:47:30.25\00:47:33.21 that the papal power claims that it has. 00:47:33.42\00:47:36.02 Notice this one: 00:47:46.29\00:47:47.63 Or notice this one: 00:48:02.88\00:48:04.21 Or notice this one: 00:48:15.59\00:48:16.93 Notice this statement says that the Pope of Rome 00:48:43.62\00:48:46.96 has the authority to command and compel doctrine. 00:48:47.16\00:48:51.69 So here you have it: Revelation predicts 00:49:04.11\00:49:07.28 union of church and state. It predicts 00:49:07.48\00:49:10.21 that a church power will usurp the authority of Christ. 00:49:10.41\00:49:15.35 And here the church - the Roman church - by its own 00:49:15.55\00:49:18.89 acknowledgement it claims that it has that authority. 00:49:19.09\00:49:23.16 In other words, any earthly power 00:49:42.94\00:49:45.08 that usurps the authority of Christ 00:49:45.28\00:49:47.95 claiming that it can pronounce doctrinal truth 00:49:48.15\00:49:52.95 that power becomes an antichrist power. 00:49:53.15\00:49:56.36 The Westminster Confession originally published in 1647 00:49:56.56\00:50:01.36 states this: 00:50:01.56\00:50:02.90 You see, spiritual Babylon is a power 00:50:25.69\00:50:30.56 that has an earthly head that speaks for God 00:50:30.76\00:50:34.20 in the place of God. 00:50:34.40\00:50:36.36 The image was set up in the plains of Babylon 00:50:36.77\00:50:39.97 and these 3 Hebrew worthies were compelled to bow down 00:50:40.37\00:50:43.74 to the image. 00:50:43.94\00:50:45.27 Spiritual Babylon is a system with a human head. 00:50:55.35\00:50:59.39 Introduces human teaching. 00:50:59.79\00:51:01.62 Brings in idols for its worship services. 00:51:01.82\00:51:04.63 Exactly like took place in ancient Babylon. 00:51:14.64\00:51:17.94 God is calling us back to His Word. 00:51:18.34\00:51:21.21 God is calling us back to the truths of His Word. 00:51:21.41\00:51:23.68 Jesus calls us to worship Him directly... 00:51:52.14\00:51:55.14 not through counterfeit images. 00:51:55.34\00:51:57.71 Not through idols that have hands and feet 00:51:57.91\00:52:02.32 but they do not feel or talk. 00:52:02.52\00:52:04.89 Edwin Goodenough puts it this way. He spoke about religious 00:52:05.09\00:52:10.26 tradition and myth from Harvard University. He says: 00:52:10.46\00:52:13.36 You see what happened? This great historian at Harvard 00:52:29.84\00:52:32.78 says that the fallen church system 00:52:32.98\00:52:35.58 brought into its system, into its religious belief, 00:52:35.78\00:52:39.12 pagan images. But they just changed the names 00:52:39.82\00:52:43.26 to the names of the saints. 00:52:43.46\00:52:44.89 Wow! Absolutely amazing! 00:53:03.91\00:53:07.52 Historian Harvard says images would come into the church 00:53:07.72\00:53:11.89 and they would replace Christ. 00:53:12.29\00:53:14.92 He is the One we worship! 00:53:24.70\00:53:26.87 Jesus invites us to be done with all the traditions 00:53:27.27\00:53:32.37 of men. He invites us to step out from the majority 00:53:32.57\00:53:36.91 and follow Him completely. 00:53:37.11\00:53:39.55 To have nothing between our soul and our Savior. 00:53:39.95\00:53:44.19 Is that the decision you would like to make today? 00:53:44.59\00:53:47.42 Nothing between my soul and my Savior. 00:53:47.82\00:53:51.49 Not of this world's delusive dream. Listen as Charles sings. 00:53:51.89\00:53:56.26 Nothing between 00:54:04.84\00:54:08.41 my soul and my Savior, 00:54:08.61\00:54:13.01 not of this world's 00:54:13.42\00:54:16.69 delusive dream. 00:54:16.99\00:54:21.02 I have renounced 00:54:21.22\00:54:24.16 all sinful pleasure. 00:54:24.36\00:54:28.76 Jesus is mine! 00:54:29.16\00:54:32.30 There's nothing between. 00:54:32.50\00:54:36.64 Nothing between 00:54:36.91\00:54:40.34 my soul and my Savior 00:54:40.54\00:54:44.75 so that His blessed 00:54:45.15\00:54:49.22 face may be seen. 00:54:49.42\00:54:53.42 Nothing preventing 00:54:53.82\00:54:56.76 the least of His favor. 00:54:57.16\00:55:01.46 Keep the way clear! 00:55:01.76\00:55:04.97 Let nothing between. 00:55:05.17\00:55:10.91 There's nothing between 00:55:16.81\00:55:20.62 like worldly pleasure, 00:55:20.82\00:55:24.89 habits of life 00:55:25.29\00:55:28.42 though harmless they seem. 00:55:28.62\00:55:32.43 Must not my heart 00:55:32.89\00:55:35.90 from Him ever sever... 00:55:36.10\00:55:40.30 He is my all! 00:55:40.70\00:55:43.87 There's nothing between. 00:55:44.07\00:55:48.14 Nothing between 00:55:48.34\00:55:51.51 my soul and my Savior 00:55:51.71\00:55:55.95 so that His blessed 00:55:56.15\00:56:00.09 face may be seen. 00:56:00.29\00:56:03.89 Nothing preventing 00:56:04.29\00:56:07.70 the least of His favor. 00:56:07.90\00:56:11.43 Keep the way clear! 00:56:11.83\00:56:15.24 There's nothing between! 00:56:15.44\00:56:20.91 Jesus is appealing to you right now. 00:56:21.11\00:56:24.35 His appeal to you is to step out from all the tradition 00:56:26.35\00:56:31.72 to anchor your life in His Word. 00:56:32.12\00:56:35.69 His appeal to you is to make Christ 00:56:36.52\00:56:41.40 number one in your life. 00:56:42.46\00:56:43.83 As we pray to say: "Jesus, I want nothing between us. " 00:56:45.00\00:56:49.40 Dear Lord, the desire of our hearts 00:56:50.27\00:56:52.87 is to have nothing between us and Christ 00:56:53.07\00:56:55.34 although at times it's challenging and other times 00:56:55.54\00:56:58.25 it's difficult to step out from the majority. 00:56:58.45\00:57:01.32 Deep within our hearts we ask You for that strength 00:57:01.72\00:57:05.42 to follow You now and forever. 00:57:05.62\00:57:08.59 In Christ's name, Amen. 00:57:08.79\00:57:11.16 May Jesus enable you 00:57:12.29\00:57:15.06 to follow Him today and always. 00:57:15.26\00:57:17.73