I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and
welcome to 3ABN Today.
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My name is John Lomacang,
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thank you for taking
the time to tune in today.
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If you are new to our network,
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remember this channel
we believe is God ordained
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to keep people ready or
help others to get ready
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for the coming of the Lord.
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And we surely do
appreciate your prayers
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and your financial support.
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Today we have a very exciting
and informative program.
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I would refer to it as the
book that has never been sealed,
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the Book of Revelation.
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And we have two guests today
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that are going to I believe,
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be used of the Lord to highlight
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and focus on how
important this book
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and the Bible is for those
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who are looking forward
to the coming of the Lord,
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and wanna live lives
in harmony with His will.
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And so I'm gonna just go ahead
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and directly dive
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into
introducing our guest today.
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To my immediate right
is Dr. Ranko Stefanovic,
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I'm gonna reach out
and shake your hand.
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Good to see you,
got my good friend.
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John, it's a great
pleasure to be here.
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Yes, we're good friends.
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You say don't continue
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or refer to you as
Dr. Stefanovic, but Ranko.
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We're all brothers and sisters.
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Exactly.
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Praise the Lord and to
the far right Ronald Knott,
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the Director of
Andrews University Press.
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Good to have you here
today. Thank you very much.
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It's a great
pleasure to be here.
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Yes, and we sure
appreciate all the work
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that Andrews continues to do
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to get good solid material
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not only for the layman,
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but also for the pastors
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because that's a university
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that's continually molding minds
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on a daily basis
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to be teachers in so
many different areas,
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and theology
definitely is one I appreciate.
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Thank you so
much for being here.
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Thank you very much.
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Well, just once again,
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for those who are watching
and listening to the program,
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they may have never met you.
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And so, Dr. Stefanovic,
just go ahead and start.
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I want you to give
us an understanding
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what you do, and just give
us an overview of who you are?
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I'm Professor of
the New Testament
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at the Seventh-day
Adventist Theological Seminary,
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Andrews University.
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That's actually
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my full time call.
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In addition,
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I travel a lot.
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I made the
presentation on all continents,
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in more than 35 countries.
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And that's
actually my primary job
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that I'm doing at
Andrews University.
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Okay, and good to have you here.
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And I'll share some more things
that you've done more recently.
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It's a pleasure
to be with you here.
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Yes.
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And, Ronald Knott,
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I just introduce you
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as Director of
Andrews University Press,
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but just broaden that for me?
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Yes, I have the
privilege of being responsible
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for the university's
academic publishing authority,
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academic publishing house.
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Andrews University Press
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is the primary
academic publishing house
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to serve the Seventh-day
Adventist Church worldwide.
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Several other Adventist
colleges and universities
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around the world
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have small academic
publishing operations,
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but Andrews University Press
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has been in that
business for nearly 50 years.
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And our
responsibility is to publish
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the best in scholarship,
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both for the
professional education
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of our ministry,
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and specifically also to help
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bring that
scholarship very directly
00:04:22.89\00:04:25.96
to the rest of us.
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And so we have the
privilege of doing that.
00:04:27.96\00:04:30.27
And for those of you
watching the program,
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you might see in front
of me a retinue of books,
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a sampler
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of what's been produced
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at the Andrews
University's Press.
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One you have the
Andrews Study Bible,
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but there's another one
that's gonna be coming out.
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Yes, actually,
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the Andrews Study Bible
was originally released in 2010
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in the New King James Version,
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and soon it will be appearing
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in the New
International Version as well,
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the two
different and most popular
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English
translations of the Bible,
00:05:01.73\00:05:03.87
but with the benefit of
all of the scholarly input
00:05:03.90\00:05:07.80
as separated study notes
at the bottom of the page
00:05:07.84\00:05:11.01
clearly distinguished
from the Bible text
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that help us understand
what that text is about.
00:05:12.97\00:05:16.95
And so we're very pleased
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that we will have it out
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in those two
English translations.
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And to the
immediate right of that book
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are two
Revelation of Jesus Christ
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and Plain Revelation.
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Ranko, I like to
have you speak to that.
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What's the
difference between these two,
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the Revelation of Jesus Christ
and then Plain Revelation?
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Revelation of Jesus Christ
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actually was
originally published
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in 2002.
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And it was written that
way to be verse by verse
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commentary on the
whole Book of Revelation.
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And the purpose is
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if the person studies
the Book of Revelation
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and comes to
some difficult text,
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so can go straight.
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For instance,
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Revelation 16:10,
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the person goes
to the commentary,
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go finds Revelation 16:10,
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and can get the
exegetical analysis
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of that passage to understand.
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But the commentary
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was well accepted by
Seventh-day Adventists,
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and also by other Christians
of different denominations.
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But we had so many requests
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for a book
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that was not the commentary,
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that would cover the
whole Book of Revelation,
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but not
necessarily verse by verse,
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but chapter by chapter
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to explain all
those different symbols
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and provide the insight
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into the text of
the Book of Revelation.
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So that finally the
text becomes clear to us.
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And I'm so glad
that we were able
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to actually realize the dream
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and this book Plain Revelation
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I believe, Brother
Knott, can tell us more.
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It's older, well
accepted by many, many people
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and help many people
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in understanding of the
text of the Book of Revelation.
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I am so glad I got my copy,
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I got a Kindle.
00:07:14.66\00:07:16.00
You could also
download this on Kindle.
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It's not only
available in hardback,
00:07:17.90\00:07:19.53
but also Kindle download,
00:07:19.57\00:07:21.27
which, depending on
where you're watching
00:07:21.30\00:07:23.14
the program from,
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you can get one right away
00:07:24.54\00:07:25.87
if you may be in
a different country,
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where you might say,
00:07:27.31\00:07:28.64
"Well, how long would
it take to get there?"
00:07:28.68\00:07:30.38
Just go to Kindle
and download a copy.
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Before you sent me this version,
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I was reading it on Kindle
00:07:35.28\00:07:36.79
and I was so excited along
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with the Sabbath School Panel.
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I'll talk about
that in a moment.
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When we did this
study on Revelation,
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and what an exciting study it is
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Plain Revelation,
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and also the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
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Both books are
very, very similar,
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almost identical,
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but one is more
of a verse by verse
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study of the Book of Revelation,
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something that a pastor
would really appreciate.
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I like the word
you used exegetical.
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It expounds on
what the scripture says
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and helps the study
of the symbols come out.
00:08:02.84\00:08:05.28
I would just add a few
things about that book.
00:08:05.31\00:08:08.48
The book is intended
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to be a good tool
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for personal study of
the Book the Revelation.
00:08:12.62\00:08:14.79
So for instance,
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a person would like
to go in systematic way
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to study the Book of Revelation.
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So the book I
believe, it's a great tool,
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chapter by chapter study
of the Book of Revelation.
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Also, the book is
intended to be a good tool
00:08:25.97\00:08:28.60
for group studies.
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Wonderful.
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When I travel,
I encourage people
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that organized group
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in five, six,
seven people together.
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And they go...
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Before they meet together,
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they go and study one chapter
of the Book of Revelation.
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The book can help them to
understand some difficult,
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you know,
00:08:49.16\00:08:50.53
symbols or words of
the Book of Revelation.
00:08:50.56\00:08:52.93
So they meet together,
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then they can
share their insights.
00:08:54.43\00:08:56.56
But also as you mentioned,
00:08:56.60\00:08:57.93
the book is also
intended to be good tool
00:08:57.97\00:09:00.74
to pastors who
would like to have
00:09:00.77\00:09:03.14
a series of presentations
on the Book of Revelation.
00:09:03.17\00:09:06.44
By the way,
00:09:06.47\00:09:07.81
that book follows
00:09:07.84\00:09:09.18
what we did here at 3ABN,
00:09:09.21\00:09:11.21
where we taped 26
00:09:11.25\00:09:13.15
one hour programs on
the Book of Revelation.
00:09:13.18\00:09:15.88
So the book
follows a similar pattern
00:09:15.92\00:09:19.32
so that pastors really
can have a good series,
00:09:19.35\00:09:22.59
26 presentations of
the Book of Revelation,
00:09:22.62\00:09:25.16
and everything is already there.
00:09:25.19\00:09:26.80
Of course, everybody has
to do homework by himself.
00:09:26.83\00:09:29.50
Well, let's try.
00:09:29.53\00:09:30.87
Reading, I mean,
reading is one thing,
00:09:30.90\00:09:32.23
but making a solid foundation,
00:09:32.27\00:09:34.57
one of the most
important things.
00:09:34.60\00:09:37.01
But let me throw
this question to you
00:09:37.04\00:09:38.74
because there's so
many understandings
00:09:38.77\00:09:40.21
of the Book of Revelation.
00:09:40.28\00:09:41.88
How can we prevent
00:09:41.91\00:09:43.95
veering off course to
private interpretation?
00:09:43.98\00:09:48.75
I would like to say something
00:09:48.78\00:09:50.19
that will come as
a surprise to many.
00:09:50.22\00:09:53.22
When we started
the Book of Revelation,
00:09:53.25\00:09:55.36
we have the best commentary
00:09:55.39\00:09:58.59
that we can rely
on that commentary,
00:09:58.63\00:10:01.50
that commentary is infallible.
00:10:01.53\00:10:05.20
And if we
follow that commentary,
00:10:05.23\00:10:07.54
we cannot be far away
00:10:07.57\00:10:09.14
from the meaning of the text.
00:10:09.17\00:10:11.17
And I know not
what the viewers think
00:10:11.21\00:10:13.17
that I'm talking about,
00:10:13.21\00:10:14.54
actually, this
is that commentary
00:10:14.58\00:10:16.34
that I would like
00:10:16.38\00:10:17.71
to introduce to the viewers.
00:10:17.75\00:10:19.08
That's right.
00:10:19.11\00:10:20.45
This is the
commentary that God gave to us.
00:10:20.52\00:10:22.72
If we follow that commentary,
00:10:22.75\00:10:25.99
we cannot be far away
from the meaning of the text.
00:10:26.02\00:10:29.46
As one spiritual author said
00:10:29.49\00:10:32.39
in the Book of Revelation,
00:10:32.43\00:10:34.10
all the books of the Bible meet.
00:10:34.13\00:10:37.97
So we had the Bible
begins with the Book of Genesis,
00:10:38.00\00:10:41.67
and the book of Revelation
actually concludes the Bible.
00:10:41.70\00:10:45.77
Everything what God intended,
00:10:45.81\00:10:47.38
what God planned
that is described
00:10:47.41\00:10:49.61
in the Book of Genesis
00:10:49.64\00:10:51.08
that was lost with
the entrance of sin.
00:10:51.11\00:10:54.32
Actually, the Book of Revelation
00:10:54.35\00:10:55.92
is telling us that
00:10:55.95\00:10:57.29
because of what Jesus
did on the cross of Calvary
00:10:57.32\00:11:00.19
will be once again regained
00:11:00.26\00:11:01.96
when God creates a new heaven
00:11:01.99\00:11:03.83
and the new earth.
00:11:03.86\00:11:05.19
This is actually
00:11:05.23\00:11:06.56
what the Book of
Revelation is all about.
00:11:06.59\00:11:08.76
So when we're talking
about the Book of Revelation,
00:11:08.80\00:11:11.30
we have to understand something
00:11:11.33\00:11:13.07
that is obvious
00:11:13.10\00:11:14.44
to any new reader of this book.
00:11:14.47\00:11:16.20
Book of Revelation is written
in the symbolic language.
00:11:16.24\00:11:18.87
That's right.
00:11:18.91\00:11:20.28
And this is what
creates the difficulty.
00:11:20.31\00:11:23.01
In addition to that,
00:11:23.04\00:11:24.48
from our point of
time in which we live,
00:11:24.51\00:11:27.52
the many things in
the Book of Revelation
00:11:27.55\00:11:29.48
that we call the prophecies
00:11:29.52\00:11:31.35
that are yet to be
fulfilled in the future.
00:11:31.39\00:11:33.79
Right.
00:11:33.86\00:11:35.56
And that's what
we are struggling.
00:11:35.59\00:11:38.06
When you're
dealing with the symbols,
00:11:38.09\00:11:39.63
you know, the
difficulty is how to understand
00:11:39.66\00:11:42.76
that symbol is,
00:11:42.80\00:11:44.70
and we're trying our
best to understand it.
00:11:44.73\00:11:47.47
In addition,
00:11:47.54\00:11:48.87
how those prophecies
00:11:48.90\00:11:50.24
that were written in
the symbolic language
00:11:50.27\00:11:52.14
will finally be realized?
00:11:52.17\00:11:54.94
We are struggling
00:11:54.98\00:11:56.31
and sometimes when we are coming
00:11:56.34\00:11:57.68
to some texts of
the Book of Revelation,
00:11:57.71\00:12:00.52
there're difficulties.
00:12:00.55\00:12:01.88
We are struggling,
00:12:01.92\00:12:03.25
people are doing their best
00:12:03.28\00:12:04.62
to understand the
meaning of that text.
00:12:04.65\00:12:07.66
And sometimes people disagree.
00:12:07.69\00:12:09.79
And that's why we
have to respect each other.
00:12:09.82\00:12:13.50
The main problem
is sometimes people
00:12:13.53\00:12:15.23
go to newspapers
00:12:15.26\00:12:16.60
and sometimes
contemporary events,
00:12:16.67\00:12:18.93
somehow they appear
00:12:18.97\00:12:21.77
as they are there in the text
00:12:21.80\00:12:23.84
and tomorrow
those events are over,
00:12:23.91\00:12:25.71
another events come, people go,
00:12:25.74\00:12:28.51
you know, again in
depth sensationalist approach,
00:12:28.54\00:12:32.11
become excited
about what is going on
00:12:32.15\00:12:34.12
in the world, etcetera.
00:12:34.15\00:12:35.92
But we really have
to look into the text,
00:12:35.95\00:12:38.85
and try to find out
00:12:38.89\00:12:40.96
about what God's intention
00:12:40.99\00:12:42.82
was when He gave those
visions to John the Revelator
00:12:42.86\00:12:46.46
when he was on the Patmos,
00:12:46.49\00:12:47.90
and then John
recorded in this book
00:12:47.93\00:12:50.10
that we call the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:12:50.17\00:12:52.70
Right.
00:12:52.73\00:12:54.07
So what you're saying
is the Bible interprets
00:12:54.14\00:12:55.94
Revelation, not events.
00:12:55.97\00:12:57.81
This is an infallible formula.
00:12:57.84\00:12:59.17
All other books
is our best efforts
00:12:59.21\00:13:02.18
as human beings.
00:13:02.21\00:13:03.85
We believe in the
guidance of the Holy Spirit
00:13:03.88\00:13:06.01
that God is helping us.
00:13:06.05\00:13:07.62
We are doing our best
to understand that text
00:13:07.65\00:13:10.82
and I really believe
00:13:10.89\00:13:12.55
that today we have
fantastic understanding
00:13:12.59\00:13:15.99
of the Book of Revelation.
00:13:16.02\00:13:17.53
But there are some things
in the Book of Revelation,
00:13:17.56\00:13:20.00
we are struggling
00:13:20.03\00:13:21.36
and probably we'll be struggling
00:13:21.40\00:13:23.87
until the time
of that fulfillment,
00:13:23.90\00:13:25.60
and maybe even
until the very, very time
00:13:25.63\00:13:28.44
of the second coming of Christ.
00:13:28.47\00:13:30.01
And that's why
we need each other.
00:13:30.04\00:13:31.71
We need to study together.
00:13:31.74\00:13:33.38
We have to listen to each other.
00:13:33.41\00:13:36.11
But above all,
00:13:36.14\00:13:37.55
every study of the
Book of Revelation,
00:13:37.58\00:13:39.68
we must begin
00:13:39.71\00:13:41.05
with a prayer
asking God for the guidance
00:13:41.08\00:13:43.15
because I believe the same God
00:13:43.18\00:13:45.29
who inspired John the Revelator
00:13:45.32\00:13:46.96
and gave him those visions
00:13:46.99\00:13:48.49
can also help us in order to get
00:13:48.52\00:13:50.66
that deep insight
00:13:50.73\00:13:52.06
into the meaning of the text
00:13:52.09\00:13:53.43
of the Book of Revelation.
00:13:53.50\00:13:54.83
And so when Mr. Knott or Ronald,
00:13:54.86\00:13:59.03
I'll call you Ronald,
00:13:59.07\00:14:00.64
whenever you receive a book
00:14:00.67\00:14:02.67
and you know it's
gone through these channels
00:14:02.70\00:14:04.57
in the annals
00:14:04.61\00:14:06.31
of the ecclesiastical
crunch of Andrews,
00:14:06.34\00:14:11.65
the minds that have sat down,
00:14:11.68\00:14:13.21
the reason I'm
approaching this...
00:14:13.25\00:14:14.65
The reason I asked that question
00:14:14.68\00:14:16.18
is because sometimes peoples
00:14:16.22\00:14:17.85
often take an
oversimplified attitude
00:14:17.89\00:14:20.99
about a book
that's been written,
00:14:21.02\00:14:22.36
they say, "Well, I
don't really believe that
00:14:22.39\00:14:23.83
it came from
Andrews University."
00:14:23.86\00:14:25.19
And, you know,
these are just men.
00:14:25.23\00:14:27.03
But what I wanna emphasize
00:14:27.10\00:14:28.53
is when a book
finally makes it to press,
00:14:28.56\00:14:32.73
like Plain Revelation,
00:14:32.77\00:14:35.64
the Revelation of Jesus Christ,
00:14:35.67\00:14:37.01
and the other books
that you have listed here,
00:14:37.04\00:14:38.51
which we'll
highlight in just a moment.
00:14:38.54\00:14:40.61
Quite a bit of
preparation have gone into that,
00:14:40.68\00:14:42.88
quite a bit of preparation,
00:14:42.91\00:14:44.25
it's not just the
opinions of a single individual.
00:14:44.28\00:14:46.92
Absolutely. But
just tell us about that.
00:14:46.95\00:14:48.75
How does that all come together?
00:14:48.78\00:14:50.12
As with any publishing house,
00:14:50.19\00:14:51.52
in particularly with an
academic publishing house,
00:14:51.55\00:14:53.56
there is, of course,
a peer review process,
00:14:53.59\00:14:56.59
in which when a
manuscript is proposed
00:14:56.62\00:14:59.19
and he's went
through this as well,
00:14:59.23\00:15:01.23
rigorously, it is shared
00:15:01.26\00:15:03.06
with many faithful
Bible scholars, and pastors,
00:15:03.10\00:15:06.50
and teachers who
give their input.
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.94
And the consensus
00:15:08.97\00:15:10.81
of what this manuscript
00:15:10.84\00:15:13.78
in this case his commentary
00:15:13.81\00:15:15.94
or his Plain Revelation book
will contribute to the church,
00:15:15.98\00:15:18.75
how it will be
helpful, how it is faithful.
00:15:18.78\00:15:21.15
And all of that advises
00:15:21.18\00:15:23.12
the Andrews
University Press Board,
00:15:23.15\00:15:26.22
which is chaired
00:15:26.25\00:15:27.59
by the president
of Andrews University.
00:15:27.66\00:15:29.62
And they consider
those peer reviews
00:15:29.66\00:15:32.16
and make a decision and
then they direct the staff,
00:15:32.19\00:15:35.06
myself and my colleagues
to see that it gets done,
00:15:35.10\00:15:37.77
And then there's a
lot more work to do,
00:15:37.80\00:15:39.13
where we work with the author
00:15:39.17\00:15:40.57
in preparing it
00:15:40.64\00:15:41.97
and it's a tremendous engagement
00:15:42.00\00:15:46.04
with what we want to be as true
00:15:46.07\00:15:49.34
as we possibly know
00:15:49.38\00:15:50.95
how under the
blessing of the Holy Spirit
00:15:50.98\00:15:52.65
to produce for the
benefit of the world church.
00:15:52.68\00:15:55.28
I would like to add here.
00:15:55.32\00:15:57.29
So many times
people are confused,
00:15:57.32\00:15:59.62
there is a book,
00:15:59.65\00:16:01.16
and there is the person
00:16:01.19\00:16:02.52
that is the name of
the person who wrote book.
00:16:02.56\00:16:04.56
And the people say,
00:16:04.59\00:16:06.80
this is just an
opinion of one person,
00:16:06.83\00:16:08.63
of course, it's the
result of our human,
00:16:08.66\00:16:11.07
you know, best effort
to understand the text,
00:16:11.10\00:16:14.07
there is a lot involved there.
00:16:14.14\00:16:16.07
But when the
manuscript is submitted,
00:16:16.10\00:16:19.47
then it is given to a
certain number of individuals
00:16:19.51\00:16:23.04
who also invested a lot of time
00:16:23.08\00:16:25.58
inside of the biblical text.
00:16:25.61\00:16:27.15
For instance, in this
case, the Book of Revelation,
00:16:27.22\00:16:29.72
they read
carefully and after that,
00:16:29.75\00:16:32.45
they sent their
reactions, their comments
00:16:32.49\00:16:35.56
which is sent
back to the author.
00:16:35.59\00:16:40.10
And I understand
00:16:40.13\00:16:41.46
when my comment
on the Revelation,
00:16:41.50\00:16:43.60
when I received it,
00:16:43.67\00:16:45.00
it took me about
seven, eight months,
00:16:45.03\00:16:47.14
through all those comments.
00:16:47.17\00:16:48.87
So once the book is published,
00:16:48.90\00:16:51.21
it's not just a view of
a particular individual,
00:16:51.24\00:16:55.28
in this case, the
author who wrote the book,
00:16:55.31\00:16:57.65
it's somehow a
result of consensus
00:16:57.68\00:17:00.82
that is reached
that this is really
00:17:00.85\00:17:03.52
what the interpretation
00:17:03.59\00:17:05.52
of the Book of
Revelation is all about.
00:17:05.55\00:17:07.06
Yeah, I'm gonna give
00:17:07.09\00:17:08.42
an
oversimplified reinterpretation
00:17:08.46\00:17:09.79
of what you said or
interpretation of that.
00:17:09.82\00:17:11.76
It's like the
pilot in an airplane.
00:17:11.79\00:17:13.60
He may be in the pilot seat,
00:17:13.63\00:17:15.36
but there's a navigator,
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.07
there's the GPS,
there's the instruments,
00:17:17.10\00:17:19.53
there's the control tower,
00:17:19.57\00:17:21.30
and all the people
00:17:21.34\00:17:22.67
that it took to
prepare that plane
00:17:22.70\00:17:24.04
before he can even
get off the ground,
00:17:24.11\00:17:25.44
he has to get ground
clearance, fuel, all the input,
00:17:25.47\00:17:29.41
and we give the
pilot all the praise
00:17:29.44\00:17:31.31
but without the crew,
00:17:31.35\00:17:32.85
without all the continuous,
00:17:32.88\00:17:35.58
from tower to tower,
00:17:35.62\00:17:37.29
shifting from state to state,
00:17:37.32\00:17:38.65
when they leave Colorado,
00:17:38.69\00:17:40.06
they go to the next state
00:17:40.09\00:17:41.42
and then that control
tower, the next state,
00:17:41.46\00:17:42.79
and then approach,
and takeoff, and landing,
00:17:42.82\00:17:44.99
it's so much but the
pilot gets all the praise.
00:17:45.03\00:17:47.10
There's much more involved.
00:17:47.13\00:17:48.46
But the pilot gets the
praise where he gets the blame.
00:17:48.50\00:17:50.27
Well, I must say
I have never heard
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.27
that analogy
applied to publishing
00:17:52.30\00:17:54.37
and particularly academic
publishing, but I love it.
00:17:54.40\00:17:57.51
It's a great
analysis. Quite a bit involved.
00:17:57.54\00:18:00.38
I would like to say something,
00:18:00.41\00:18:02.24
and usually we
don't talk about that.
00:18:02.28\00:18:04.75
I would tell the viewers
00:18:04.78\00:18:06.28
to be very careful
of self-published books.
00:18:06.31\00:18:10.22
Today, everybody can take $500
00:18:10.29\00:18:13.99
and go and publish
00:18:14.06\00:18:15.49
one, two, three, four
hundred books and distribute.
00:18:15.52\00:18:20.96
Nobody ever had opportunity
to read that manuscript,
00:18:21.00\00:18:24.73
to give the insights.
00:18:24.77\00:18:26.77
Of course, we're not
saying don't read those books.
00:18:26.84\00:18:30.11
There are many good things
00:18:30.14\00:18:31.51
that individuals can express
00:18:31.54\00:18:33.88
but when we are
talking really about,
00:18:33.91\00:18:36.08
about the meaning
that we want to understand,
00:18:36.11\00:18:38.78
it's very important that
we go and consult the books
00:18:38.81\00:18:42.85
that went through
the peer review process,
00:18:42.88\00:18:45.92
that somehow a kind of consensus
00:18:45.95\00:18:48.86
was reached
about what is put there
00:18:48.89\00:18:51.43
or what is found in the book.
00:18:51.46\00:18:52.79
And what's so
important about that
00:18:52.83\00:18:54.20
is we're warned about
this phrase new light.
00:18:54.23\00:18:57.63
So I've been a pastor
00:18:57.67\00:18:59.33
and going on 32 years
00:18:59.37\00:19:00.74
and that phrase new
light has been a blessing
00:19:00.77\00:19:03.61
and a curse at
the very same time,
00:19:03.64\00:19:05.37
depending on
whose interpretation
00:19:05.41\00:19:07.48
is behind that phrase new light.
00:19:07.51\00:19:09.74
And even Ellen White
encourages us anytime
00:19:09.78\00:19:12.75
that anybody
claims to have new light
00:19:12.78\00:19:15.15
submitted to the brothers,
00:19:15.18\00:19:16.69
and the Bible says,
00:19:16.72\00:19:18.05
"There's safety in a
multitude of counselors."
00:19:18.09\00:19:21.99
And I think that's
what you're saying here
00:19:22.02\00:19:23.83
because, you know,
anybody could write a book
00:19:23.86\00:19:25.26
and put it out.
00:19:25.29\00:19:26.63
And I've done so, I did
a little small pamphlet,
00:19:26.70\00:19:29.23
you know, just a 45 page booklet
00:19:29.26\00:19:30.60
on the three angels' messages.
00:19:30.67\00:19:32.10
But before that went
out, I put it through the,
00:19:32.13\00:19:34.24
you know, is this correct?
00:19:34.27\00:19:36.17
No, do the change
00:19:36.20\00:19:37.61
so that we can do two things.
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.51
One, we don't want to damage
the credibility of the Bible.
00:19:39.54\00:19:44.05
Sure.
00:19:44.08\00:19:45.41
Secondly, we wanna
represent Jesus Christ.
00:19:45.45\00:19:47.25
And I don't
think that any author,
00:19:47.32\00:19:49.15
I would say this,
00:19:49.18\00:19:50.52
I don't believe that many people
00:19:50.59\00:19:51.92
approach their writing
with that attitude in mind.
00:19:51.95\00:19:54.46
But when there is
no accountability,
00:19:54.49\00:19:56.22
and that's what I
hear you're saying.
00:19:56.26\00:19:57.63
And we believe
00:19:57.66\00:19:58.99
that God really spoke
00:19:59.03\00:20:00.90
through more than one person,
00:20:00.93\00:20:02.93
more people are involved.
00:20:02.96\00:20:04.80
And I remember so many times
00:20:04.83\00:20:07.14
when, you know,
some issues came.
00:20:07.17\00:20:10.11
And I said,
00:20:10.14\00:20:11.74
I invested so much time in that,
00:20:11.77\00:20:14.18
but now those three four
individuals disagree with me.
00:20:14.21\00:20:16.95
But if three four
other people disagree or say,
00:20:16.98\00:20:20.12
"Hey, be careful
with regard to that,
00:20:20.15\00:20:22.42
we should take it seriously."
00:20:22.45\00:20:24.29
And I say,
00:20:24.32\00:20:26.22
"I have to involve more time,
00:20:26.25\00:20:28.19
I have really to
see what is in the text.
00:20:28.22\00:20:32.23
So it's very, very
important to keep that in mind.
00:20:32.26\00:20:35.30
And sometimes
this is the main issue
00:20:35.33\00:20:37.57
with regard to the controversies
00:20:37.60\00:20:39.10
that we have regarding
the Book of Revelation.
00:20:39.13\00:20:41.20
That's right,
'cause not everybody agrees
00:20:41.24\00:20:42.57
on everything, that's the key.
00:20:42.60\00:20:43.94
We have to give
room for understanding,
00:20:44.01\00:20:46.21
and room for growth,
and then there's some people
00:20:46.24\00:20:47.84
that may say, "I
never considered that."
00:20:47.88\00:20:51.58
So look into it.
00:20:51.61\00:20:52.95
And before you reject something,
00:20:52.98\00:20:54.32
study it and let the Bible
00:20:54.35\00:20:55.98
be the comparative guide.
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.12
But I wanna just say,
00:20:58.15\00:20:59.49
"I appreciate so much,
00:20:59.52\00:21:00.96
putting the Sabbath
School lesson together,
00:21:00.99\00:21:04.46
talk about that process
00:21:04.49\00:21:06.09
because that
study that we did the,
00:21:06.13\00:21:08.73
one of the quarters we
had on the Book of Revelation,
00:21:08.76\00:21:11.53
I know that you did your best
00:21:11.57\00:21:13.00
and we conversed
00:21:13.03\00:21:14.40
to put it in
such a small lesson.
00:21:14.44\00:21:17.11
It's like, what do I
leave out, what do I put in,
00:21:17.14\00:21:19.24
talk about that?
00:21:19.27\00:21:20.61
Yeah.
00:21:20.68\00:21:22.01
One of the
challenge just that we had,
00:21:22.04\00:21:24.45
when I was asked to write
the Sabbath School Quarterly
00:21:24.48\00:21:27.02
was to put the whole book
00:21:27.05\00:21:29.65
into one quarter, three months.
00:21:29.68\00:21:33.25
I didn't understand
00:21:33.29\00:21:34.62
how many
difficulties I would have.
00:21:34.66\00:21:36.12
And we noticed
00:21:36.16\00:21:37.53
the last Sabbath
School lesson four chapters
00:21:37.56\00:21:42.63
we had to put in one week.
00:21:42.66\00:21:45.17
It was very, very challenging
00:21:45.20\00:21:46.84
but the processes is,
00:21:46.87\00:21:48.27
you are asked to write
Sabbath School quarterly,
00:21:48.30\00:21:50.21
you write, then you sent
00:21:50.24\00:21:52.04
to the Sabbath
School Department there,
00:21:52.07\00:21:54.38
and it goes to the committee.
00:21:54.41\00:21:57.71
The people there,
they carefully read
00:21:57.75\00:22:00.32
the whole manuscript
everything was submitted,
00:22:00.35\00:22:03.05
they give their
suggestions, etcetera.
00:22:03.08\00:22:05.89
And once when it is done,
00:22:05.92\00:22:08.42
then the manuscript
is given to the editor,
00:22:08.46\00:22:10.93
especially for us.
00:22:10.96\00:22:13.06
English is not my
primary language, etcetera.
00:22:13.09\00:22:15.90
So there are many
things to edit, editors,
00:22:15.93\00:22:18.40
they know how to
put it in smooth way,
00:22:18.43\00:22:20.97
Once it is done,
00:22:21.00\00:22:22.90
then it goes to
another committee,
00:22:22.94\00:22:25.17
and I was told that
that committee consists
00:22:25.21\00:22:28.04
of 250 members.
00:22:28.08\00:22:30.85
Wow!
00:22:30.88\00:22:32.45
Everybody reads carefully.
00:22:32.48\00:22:35.28
And once the consensus is done,
00:22:35.32\00:22:39.45
there is the final editing.
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.46
And then it is
sent to the field,
00:22:41.49\00:22:44.13
okay, to the translators
to prepare the manuscript
00:22:44.16\00:22:47.76
in different languages.
00:22:47.80\00:22:49.13
And to me, the
process is probably
00:22:49.16\00:22:51.00
about four or five years.
00:22:51.03\00:22:52.40
I submitted my
Sabbath School lesson,
00:22:52.43\00:22:54.04
I think, in 2014,
00:22:54.07\00:22:57.04
it was a long ago.
00:22:57.11\00:22:58.44
So when Sabbath
School Quarterly came,
00:22:58.47\00:22:59.81
it was not simply the
opinion of Stefanovic,
00:22:59.84\00:23:04.38
it's a consensus reach
00:23:04.41\00:23:07.32
of the worldwide church
00:23:07.35\00:23:08.78
that is actually put there
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.19
in the Sabbath School Quarterly.
00:23:10.22\00:23:11.55
And I would like
to add something,
00:23:11.59\00:23:14.32
there is an
attitude among the Christians
00:23:14.36\00:23:16.83
when we read
something and disagrees
00:23:16.86\00:23:19.59
with what I have
believed for many, many years
00:23:19.63\00:23:23.30
that I believe
two extreme attitudes
00:23:23.37\00:23:26.10
that are equally dangerous.
00:23:26.13\00:23:27.67
One is, "Oh boy,
00:23:27.70\00:23:29.17
everything what is written,
00:23:29.20\00:23:30.54
I'd embrace it."
00:23:30.61\00:23:32.04
And there is a tendency
when another view comes,
00:23:32.07\00:23:33.98
I will embrace it again.
00:23:34.01\00:23:35.88
But
00:23:35.91\00:23:38.95
another extreme is,
"Everything what I read,
00:23:38.98\00:23:43.59
I want to show
how much I disagree."
00:23:43.62\00:23:45.85
Right.
00:23:45.89\00:23:47.26
What is the right attitude?
00:23:47.29\00:23:48.62
When we read something,
00:23:48.66\00:23:49.99
and even disagrees
what I had believed
00:23:50.03\00:23:52.89
for many years is, "Okay,
00:23:52.93\00:23:55.00
well, I never
thought about that."
00:23:55.03\00:23:56.97
Now there is a call for prayer,
00:23:57.00\00:23:59.37
Lord, now help me
00:23:59.40\00:24:00.74
and now I had to invest
time to study for myself,
00:24:00.77\00:24:04.01
which is actually
the principle established
00:24:04.04\00:24:05.84
in the Bible.
00:24:05.87\00:24:07.21
When we get to some new light,
00:24:07.28\00:24:09.31
we really have with God's help,
00:24:09.34\00:24:11.51
asking the Holy
Spirit will come, to go,
00:24:11.55\00:24:14.35
and to invest my personal time,
00:24:14.38\00:24:17.09
to have my personal involvement
in study of these texts,
00:24:17.12\00:24:22.09
and then really
have my own approach
00:24:22.12\00:24:24.99
toward the
understanding of these texts.
00:24:25.03\00:24:27.30
But then you have
those two extreme approaches,
00:24:27.33\00:24:29.60
I believe,
equally, equally wrong.
00:24:29.63\00:24:32.00
That's right.
00:24:32.03\00:24:33.37
I believe everything
or I criticize everything.
00:24:33.44\00:24:36.27
And that has been
part of the Achilles' heel
00:24:36.30\00:24:39.14
in a church where
there's so much knowledge.
00:24:39.17\00:24:40.88
I know you've seen...
00:24:40.91\00:24:42.24
How many books has
Andrews University Press
00:24:42.28\00:24:44.88
put out in the past years?
00:24:44.91\00:24:47.02
In the past year, we do
about five or six books a year
00:24:47.05\00:24:50.49
in general because
academic publishing
00:24:50.52\00:24:52.75
is very intense,
00:24:52.79\00:24:54.56
and it also
operates with a small staff
00:24:54.59\00:25:00.10
and so we do five
to six books a year,
00:25:00.13\00:25:03.50
most of these came
out within one year's time
00:25:03.57\00:25:05.60
except for his
commentary in the study Bible.
00:25:05.63\00:25:08.07
So that's about
what we do in a year.
00:25:08.10\00:25:10.71
And the reason I
asked that question,
00:25:10.74\00:25:12.67
there's a difference
between Academic Press
00:25:12.71\00:25:14.91
and just the press in general
00:25:14.94\00:25:16.78
because let's just use
Pacific Press as an example,
00:25:16.85\00:25:19.78
many general life stories,
many situational stories,
00:25:19.81\00:25:24.29
stories that are written
about a person's autobiography,
00:25:24.32\00:25:27.92
or, you know, the
last storm that happened,
00:25:27.96\00:25:30.36
what do you do after the storm?
00:25:30.43\00:25:32.09
Those are books that are
just continually coming on
00:25:32.13\00:25:34.66
and they're just fine
off the shelf just like that.
00:25:34.70\00:25:36.87
And those are good materials,
but those are situational,
00:25:36.90\00:25:39.57
they change.
00:25:39.60\00:25:40.94
But one of the
reasons with Academic Press
00:25:40.97\00:25:42.64
and I wanna
highlight this again.
00:25:42.67\00:25:44.04
When you put these books
out like the Plain Revelation
00:25:44.11\00:25:46.54
when this book comes out,
00:25:46.57\00:25:48.18
it has a longevity to it.
00:25:48.21\00:25:50.75
It has to have the
forward looking reality that,
00:25:50.78\00:25:54.42
"Okay, this book,
00:25:54.45\00:25:56.42
most likely will survive me
00:25:56.45\00:25:58.55
and in 30 years from now
if the world is still here,
00:25:58.59\00:26:01.59
what will people be considering
00:26:01.62\00:26:03.32
about the content of this book?"
00:26:03.36\00:26:05.19
When you write,
00:26:05.23\00:26:07.03
how does that approach
00:26:07.10\00:26:08.83
affect the way you
approach your study?
00:26:08.86\00:26:12.10
Actually, that book was written
00:26:12.13\00:26:15.94
not to be scholarly.
00:26:15.97\00:26:17.31
Right.
00:26:17.34\00:26:18.67
You know sometimes
00:26:18.71\00:26:20.08
scholarship is perceived going
above the heads of the people
00:26:20.11\00:26:24.05
you know, it's
technical language,
00:26:24.08\00:26:25.91
we try not to use
technical language.
00:26:25.95\00:26:27.78
Right, not for this one.
00:26:27.82\00:26:29.15
Not for this one. Not this one.
00:26:29.18\00:26:30.79
Even this one.
00:26:30.82\00:26:32.65
What I'm glad
about this commentary,
00:26:32.69\00:26:35.96
scholars that they read it,
00:26:35.99\00:26:38.33
that commentary is
found in major libraries,
00:26:38.36\00:26:40.50
United States and Europe,
00:26:40.53\00:26:43.20
but still
ordinary people read it,
00:26:43.23\00:26:45.70
and they see the depth
00:26:45.73\00:26:47.27
they are so much
enriched by starting with.
00:26:47.34\00:26:49.47
Well, and part of that, Ranko,
00:26:49.50\00:26:50.94
because you had
a brilliant idea,
00:26:50.97\00:26:53.41
my perspective of
how to organize it
00:26:53.48\00:26:56.01
because you have
very detailed exposition
00:26:56.04\00:26:59.95
in a sec after looking
at a passage of scripture,
00:27:00.02\00:27:03.32
you have very
detailed exposition
00:27:03.39\00:27:04.99
which can be called...
00:27:05.02\00:27:06.35
In small font. In
small fonts, yeah.
00:27:06.39\00:27:07.72
Smaller font which
could be considered
00:27:07.76\00:27:09.09
the scholars' notes,
00:27:09.12\00:27:10.46
and then you have
more general exposition
00:27:10.53\00:27:12.79
for the rest of us.
00:27:12.83\00:27:14.20
So in one volume,
you have both aspects
00:27:14.23\00:27:17.30
that make it
very useful both ways.
00:27:17.37\00:27:18.90
And so that's why
it can be a bridge.
00:27:18.93\00:27:20.74
Well, that's in the
Revelation of Jesus.
00:27:20.77\00:27:22.87
And I'm so glad that actually,
00:27:22.90\00:27:24.74
that commentary
has reached a record.
00:27:24.77\00:27:27.81
In this, this whole country,
00:27:27.84\00:27:29.51
almost there is no
church that I ever traveled
00:27:29.54\00:27:31.81
that people do not come
00:27:31.85\00:27:33.18
with copies of the commentaries,
00:27:33.21\00:27:34.65
it's well accepted.
00:27:34.68\00:27:36.02
But there was a need for a book,
00:27:36.05\00:27:39.05
you know, this
commentary is very hard
00:27:39.09\00:27:40.99
to translate in
different languages,
00:27:41.02\00:27:43.73
especially in certain languages,
00:27:43.76\00:27:46.06
there is no
readership, you know,
00:27:46.09\00:27:48.83
great number of people
who buy the commentary.
00:27:48.86\00:27:51.90
So there was a need for a book,
00:27:51.93\00:27:55.04
smaller one, less pages,
00:27:55.07\00:27:57.51
there could be even though
less technical than this one,
00:27:57.54\00:28:00.91
which will appeal to the people
00:28:00.98\00:28:03.58
who do not have
theological education,
00:28:03.65\00:28:05.98
but they are informed people,
00:28:06.01\00:28:07.65
they study the Bible
00:28:07.68\00:28:09.15
and that commentary
was written actually,
00:28:09.18\00:28:12.32
to provide help to the
people in better understanding
00:28:12.35\00:28:16.32
of the Book of Revelation,
00:28:16.36\00:28:17.76
without subtly
00:28:17.79\00:28:19.53
to be involved in
biblical languages
00:28:19.56\00:28:21.46
or technical languages etcetera.
00:28:21.50\00:28:24.00
And I believe
we succeeded enough
00:28:24.07\00:28:25.57
with regard to that.
00:28:25.60\00:28:26.94
Praise the Lord.
00:28:26.97\00:28:28.30
And I'd like to
encourage the viewers,
00:28:28.34\00:28:29.67
Sabbath School
Quarterly, you know,
00:28:29.70\00:28:32.37
we started, but now,
00:28:32.41\00:28:35.01
we want to continue to study
00:28:35.04\00:28:36.61
and I believe that this book
00:28:36.64\00:28:38.18
can be a great
tool in helping us.
00:28:38.21\00:28:40.95
Keep in mind,
this is the commentary.
00:28:40.98\00:28:42.38
Right.
00:28:42.42\00:28:43.79
This is indispensable, okay.
00:28:43.82\00:28:45.15
But these can be
an additional tool
00:28:45.19\00:28:47.16
that can help us,
00:28:47.19\00:28:48.52
you know, to
better to understand
00:28:48.56\00:28:49.89
the text of Revelation.
00:28:49.92\00:28:51.26
Plain Revelation, you've got it,
00:28:51.29\00:28:52.63
as I mentioned before,
00:28:52.66\00:28:54.00
I have a Kindle copy,
and I have a hard copy.
00:28:54.03\00:28:56.13
This is great for highlighting,
00:28:56.16\00:28:58.03
I could
highlight my Kindle, too,
00:28:58.07\00:28:59.50
when I travel, I'll take
my Kindle version with me,
00:28:59.53\00:29:01.94
but if I'm on the road,
00:29:01.97\00:29:03.30
going to talk about
anything in Revelation,
00:29:03.34\00:29:04.67
I have this copy also with me.
00:29:04.71\00:29:06.04
And it's a wonderful book,
00:29:06.07\00:29:07.41
I've looked through it
00:29:07.48\00:29:08.81
and the way it's
organized as I...
00:29:08.84\00:29:10.85
Ronald, you talked about
this, the way it's organized,
00:29:10.88\00:29:12.95
it has a flow to it.
00:29:12.98\00:29:15.08
I've looked at books written
in the past on Revelation,
00:29:15.12\00:29:17.75
some of them have a flow to it,
00:29:17.79\00:29:19.12
but you get stuck
00:29:19.15\00:29:20.49
because there's so
many side notes to it,
00:29:20.56\00:29:21.96
whereas Plain Revelation
00:29:21.99\00:29:23.93
makes it a book
that you can read
00:29:23.96\00:29:25.36
from one event to the other,
00:29:25.39\00:29:28.63
like main title,
00:29:28.66\00:29:30.17
who are the 144,000,
00:29:30.20\00:29:31.67
the seven trumpets
part one, part two,
00:29:31.70\00:29:33.84
and it breaks down.
00:29:33.87\00:29:35.20
And what I like also
about it is there is a respect
00:29:35.24\00:29:40.98
that's in each of the topics
00:29:41.01\00:29:43.04
you approach, a lot of time...
00:29:43.08\00:29:44.75
Or disagreement.
00:29:44.78\00:29:46.45
A lot of times people could say,
00:29:46.48\00:29:49.18
"So and so said,
00:29:49.22\00:29:50.59
but here's what I think."
00:29:50.62\00:29:51.95
And you don't have that
attitude when you write.
00:29:51.99\00:29:53.56
You write in the sense of,
00:29:53.59\00:29:55.22
"Here's what the Bible says,
00:29:55.26\00:29:56.66
let us look at
what the text says."
00:29:56.73\00:30:00.96
And actually,
maybe this is the time
00:30:01.00\00:30:02.56
that we just make one statement.
00:30:02.60\00:30:04.90
One of the criticism
that I have received,
00:30:04.93\00:30:07.97
and believe me today,
Sabbath School Quarterly.
00:30:08.00\00:30:11.41
Every day, I don't know
how many emails I received.
00:30:11.44\00:30:13.61
And I apologize to everyone
00:30:13.68\00:30:15.41
that I was not able
to respond to the email
00:30:15.44\00:30:17.55
so many it was humanly speaking,
00:30:17.58\00:30:20.02
impossible to
respond to all emails.
00:30:20.05\00:30:22.42
But so many people say,
00:30:22.45\00:30:23.79
"Why are you not
much more dogmatic
00:30:23.82\00:30:27.29
making
statement, this is a truth."
00:30:27.36\00:30:29.22
The problem is, as we
stated just a few moments ago,
00:30:29.26\00:30:33.06
there are some difficult things
in the Book of Revelation.
00:30:33.09\00:30:35.66
And there is disagreement,
00:30:35.70\00:30:37.57
there're two or
three different opinions.
00:30:37.60\00:30:39.80
So the book try
to show respect also
00:30:39.83\00:30:42.94
for other views that are there.
00:30:42.97\00:30:45.74
It's telling us
that there is a need
00:30:45.77\00:30:48.18
for much deeper study,
00:30:48.21\00:30:49.88
more work should be done
00:30:49.91\00:30:51.41
in understanding
of some biblical text.
00:30:51.45\00:30:53.52
And that's actually the purpose
of the book is not to reject,
00:30:53.55\00:30:56.82
you know, other
views is telling us
00:30:56.89\00:30:58.85
this is what we understand today
00:30:58.89\00:31:01.59
that is the meaning of the text.
00:31:01.62\00:31:04.23
And this is
interpretation that is supported
00:31:04.26\00:31:07.10
by the contextual
evidences of the book.
00:31:07.13\00:31:10.37
At the same
time, we don't despise,
00:31:10.40\00:31:12.63
we don't reject, you know,
00:31:12.67\00:31:15.24
those views that really
disagree what was presented.
00:31:15.27\00:31:19.31
I liked earlier what
you said about the Bible,
00:31:19.34\00:31:24.05
is the commentary on Revelation.
00:31:24.08\00:31:25.55
So, if I'm
understanding correctly,
00:31:25.58\00:31:27.55
when you say that
00:31:27.62\00:31:28.95
or when you're
preparing to write a commentary
00:31:28.98\00:31:30.89
on Revelation,
00:31:30.92\00:31:32.25
you are not writing a
commentary on Revelation
00:31:32.29\00:31:34.26
so much as you are explaining
00:31:34.29\00:31:36.86
what the Bible's commentary
is on the Book of Revelation.
00:31:36.93\00:31:40.70
And that's a beautiful point.
00:31:40.73\00:31:42.40
You know, not
everybody has a time
00:31:42.43\00:31:44.33
to spend hours and hours
00:31:44.37\00:31:46.17
trying to
understand about biblical text,
00:31:46.20\00:31:48.20
but God has put some people
for instance, like myself,
00:31:48.24\00:31:52.04
gave us an
opportunity to spend hours
00:31:52.07\00:31:55.51
and hours every
day studying this book,
00:31:55.54\00:31:58.65
trying to bring to light.
00:31:58.68\00:32:00.55
For instance, the
Old Testament references
00:32:00.62\00:32:03.02
that help us
understand particular texts.
00:32:03.05\00:32:05.12
So we who are busy,
00:32:05.15\00:32:07.66
you know, in our
everyday' s life,
00:32:07.69\00:32:10.23
but we somehow have
some tools, some help,
00:32:10.26\00:32:13.19
you know, in our better
understanding of this book,
00:32:13.23\00:32:15.50
as we are studying
the Book of Revelation.
00:32:15.53\00:32:17.60
Revelation,
00:32:17.63\00:32:18.97
if you were to summarize
the book in a short statement,
00:32:19.00\00:32:20.97
what is Revelation all about?
00:32:21.00\00:32:24.31
Just briefly state it? Yes.
00:32:24.34\00:32:27.41
If I'm here, and
I want to find out,
00:32:27.48\00:32:29.71
for instance, just
using some solution,
00:32:29.74\00:32:32.21
the history of 3ABN.
00:32:32.25\00:32:33.92
If such book
exists, I don't know exists.
00:32:33.95\00:32:36.25
And I go to the bookstore,
00:32:36.28\00:32:37.72
what is the
title that I'm looking
00:32:37.75\00:32:39.55
in order to find
about the history of 3ABN.
00:32:39.59\00:32:42.02
The title should be like that,
history of 3ABN Broadcasting.
00:32:42.06\00:32:48.63
Okay, the title always tell us
00:32:48.66\00:32:51.67
what we're supposed
to find in the book.
00:32:51.70\00:32:53.84
What is the title of
the last book of the Bible,
00:32:53.87\00:32:56.74
it says, the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:32:56.81\00:32:59.04
The title is telling us
00:32:59.07\00:33:00.61
what we are
supposed to find in the book.
00:33:00.68\00:33:04.41
This book,
00:33:04.45\00:33:05.85
the primary focus of
this book is on Jesus Christ.
00:33:05.88\00:33:09.35
Yes.
00:33:09.38\00:33:10.72
Revelation 1 is telling us
00:33:10.79\00:33:12.72
that the purpose of
the book is to tell us
00:33:12.75\00:33:14.89
what will happen in the future.
00:33:14.92\00:33:17.06
But not simply to satisfy
our curiosity about the future,
00:33:17.13\00:33:21.13
but to tell us when
that future takes place,
00:33:21.16\00:33:24.47
we can always count
on the promise of Jesus,
00:33:24.50\00:33:27.64
what He said, what He promised,
00:33:27.67\00:33:29.80
that He will be with His people,
00:33:29.84\00:33:32.17
always, until
the time of the end.
00:33:32.21\00:33:34.48
And I believe, John,
00:33:34.51\00:33:35.84
we're living at
the time of the end.
00:33:35.88\00:33:37.38
The promise of Jesus is
still valid for all of us today.
00:33:37.45\00:33:40.82
So what would the danger
be Revelation without Jesus?
00:33:40.85\00:33:43.89
Let's talk about
that. Very good question.
00:33:43.92\00:33:46.65
We're not studying
the Book of Revelation,
00:33:46.69\00:33:48.59
we are studying
what we want to find
00:33:48.62\00:33:51.33
in the Book of Revelation.
00:33:51.36\00:33:53.53
By the way,
00:33:53.60\00:33:54.93
any topic on the
Book of Revelation
00:33:54.96\00:33:57.63
that we try to understand,
and we read, and we explore,
00:33:57.67\00:34:00.77
if this is not
focused on Christ,
00:34:00.84\00:34:03.54
we are starting our
ideas about the Book of
00:34:03.61\00:34:07.01
Revelation which is
completely in opposition
00:34:07.08\00:34:08.98
to the intent of the book.
00:34:09.01\00:34:10.35
Keep in mind, the
title is telling us
00:34:10.38\00:34:12.48
what we are
supposed to find in the book.
00:34:12.51\00:34:14.95
And, Ronald, on that very note,
00:34:14.98\00:34:18.42
Plain Revelation,
00:34:18.45\00:34:19.95
when you open the
Book of Revelation,
00:34:19.99\00:34:22.52
as you pointed, so
that comparison was amazing.
00:34:22.56\00:34:26.53
It should tell you
in the very beginning,
00:34:26.56\00:34:28.20
what to expect,
00:34:28.23\00:34:29.66
you know, if I walk into
the terminal of an airport,
00:34:29.70\00:34:32.90
I don't just pick a
plane and get on it,
00:34:32.93\00:34:34.47
I first look for my airline,
I then check my flight number,
00:34:34.50\00:34:39.57
I then check my destination,
00:34:39.61\00:34:41.91
only then are the
specifics important.
00:34:41.94\00:34:44.08
But I have to start
with that generalization.
00:34:44.15\00:34:46.21
First of all, I'm
going to an airport, why?
00:34:46.25\00:34:48.05
Not to play basketball.
00:34:48.08\00:34:49.72
I'm going to an airport to
get to another destination.
00:34:49.75\00:34:52.09
In the Book of Revelation,
00:34:52.12\00:34:53.46
when you begin with
the focus on Christ,
00:34:53.49\00:34:55.99
and you keep
the focus on Christ,
00:34:56.02\00:34:58.23
then the picture comes together.
00:34:58.26\00:34:59.59
You may have heard the
story, and you may have used it
00:34:59.63\00:35:01.20
before about the father
00:35:01.23\00:35:02.93
whose son kept interrupting him
00:35:02.96\00:35:05.20
while he was trying
to study in his office.
00:35:05.23\00:35:06.63
And he said, "How
could I keep him busy?
00:35:06.67\00:35:08.10
So he tore up a
piece of paper, and says,
00:35:08.14\00:35:09.90
"Go put this back together."
00:35:09.94\00:35:11.27
And the son came
back in two minutes.
00:35:11.31\00:35:14.34
He said, "How did
you do that so quickly?"
00:35:14.38\00:35:17.08
He said, "On the other side
of it was a picture of Jesus,
00:35:17.15\00:35:20.45
when I put his face
together, it was easy."
00:35:20.52\00:35:23.15
And when we put
the picture of Jesus,
00:35:23.18\00:35:25.39
square and center in
our study of Revelation,
00:35:25.42\00:35:28.16
then the book starts
to reveal who Christ is.
00:35:28.19\00:35:31.09
So all the beasts,
00:35:31.13\00:35:32.46
all the kingdoms
rising and falling,
00:35:32.49\00:35:34.23
are all of systematic unfolding
of the person of Christ
00:35:34.30\00:35:38.70
throughout human history.
00:35:38.73\00:35:40.07
And they are all in the book.
00:35:40.14\00:35:41.84
We have to understand
that the Book of Revelation
00:35:41.87\00:35:45.07
is one of the
books of the Bible.
00:35:45.11\00:35:47.58
And the whole Bible is not
written simply to inform us
00:35:47.61\00:35:50.15
about the future will bring.
00:35:50.18\00:35:51.51
Right.
00:35:51.55\00:35:52.88
There are many people
00:35:52.91\00:35:54.25
who may be today can
understand a little bit
00:35:54.32\00:35:56.99
about the future will bring,
00:35:57.02\00:35:58.42
but they will
be lost completely.
00:35:58.45\00:36:00.16
The purpose of the book is
that understanding of the future
00:36:00.19\00:36:03.43
will bring can make us
today to be better Christians,
00:36:03.46\00:36:06.70
to make me to be better husband,
00:36:06.73\00:36:08.66
to be better father,
to be better neighbor,
00:36:08.70\00:36:12.37
to be whatever, to
be better Christians,
00:36:12.40\00:36:16.27
that really I can represent
Jesus Christ and His life.
00:36:16.30\00:36:19.44
I didn't understand the
Sabbath School Quarterly,
00:36:19.47\00:36:21.74
how one sentence
will provoke discussion,
00:36:21.78\00:36:23.95
positive
discussions among people,
00:36:23.98\00:36:25.35
and I said that the purpose
of the Book of Revelation
00:36:25.38\00:36:28.42
is to provide us with
the strength for today,
00:36:28.45\00:36:32.15
and to provide us with
the hope for the future.
00:36:32.19\00:36:34.99
Sometimes, you
know, we Christians,
00:36:35.02\00:36:36.39
we just look into the future,
00:36:36.42\00:36:37.83
but we don't know
how to live today.
00:36:37.86\00:36:39.79
And that's what the purpose
of the Book of Revelation is,
00:36:39.83\00:36:42.53
is to make the balance
between what today we are,
00:36:42.56\00:36:47.04
what we can have today,
00:36:47.07\00:36:49.20
and also to
provide us with that hope
00:36:49.24\00:36:51.41
that this life is not all,
00:36:51.44\00:36:53.38
that we have the future
00:36:53.41\00:36:54.74
that actually God
holds in His hands.
00:36:54.78\00:36:57.35
So it's not...
00:36:57.38\00:36:58.71
The Bible doesn't say
called His name Immanuel,
00:36:58.75\00:37:00.92
God will be
with us, God with us.
00:37:00.95\00:37:03.92
That's right, that present.
00:37:03.99\00:37:05.32
And so it's not
just about information,
00:37:05.35\00:37:06.76
but it's about transformation.
00:37:06.79\00:37:08.96
Okay, I like
that. I appreciate that.
00:37:08.99\00:37:10.73
Not an original
statement by any means.
00:37:10.76\00:37:12.99
But there are
some comments here.
00:37:13.03\00:37:15.96
And as you
pointed out, the emails
00:37:16.00\00:37:17.50
that you had to respond
to, I could only imagine.
00:37:17.57\00:37:20.54
It was. And I'm so glad.
00:37:20.57\00:37:23.07
Actually, do you know
my devotional that I had,
00:37:23.10\00:37:26.11
I will take the
Bible and to study
00:37:26.14\00:37:28.24
and simply open my computer,
00:37:28.28\00:37:30.05
and read the
comments that people made.
00:37:30.08\00:37:31.78
When I have a person said,
00:37:31.81\00:37:34.92
I could study the Book
of Revelation for 70 years.
00:37:34.95\00:37:37.75
And finally, I made the
message that touches my life.
00:37:37.79\00:37:42.06
I'm falling in
love with Jesus Christ.
00:37:42.09\00:37:44.49
I said, "Lord, yes."
00:37:44.53\00:37:46.16
Because
everything what we are doing,
00:37:46.19\00:37:48.40
it's not simply to sit
00:37:48.43\00:37:49.76
and to have an academic
exercise into something.
00:37:49.80\00:37:52.70
We want to see each
other in God's kingdom.
00:37:52.73\00:37:55.24
I believe every
page that we are at,
00:37:55.27\00:37:57.01
even this
program that we are doing
00:37:57.04\00:37:58.74
is hoping that it will impact,
00:37:58.77\00:38:02.61
that it will make
an impact on somebody.
00:38:02.64\00:38:04.45
So that one day when we
find ourselves in God's kingdom,
00:38:04.48\00:38:07.32
we can look at
each other and say,
00:38:07.35\00:38:09.12
"Thank you, thank you."
00:38:09.15\00:38:10.69
Maybe even that short
statement that you made,
00:38:10.72\00:38:13.29
impact my life
and because of that
00:38:13.36\00:38:14.92
I'm today in God's kingdom.
00:38:14.96\00:38:16.29
We're fellow
citizens in a common journey.
00:38:16.32\00:38:17.99
Exactly.
00:38:18.03\00:38:19.36
There is one of
those comments, it says,
00:38:19.39\00:38:20.73
"Dear Professor Stefanovic,
I am a former seminary student,
00:38:20.80\00:38:23.40
I finished in 2008.
00:38:23.47\00:38:25.27
I just wanted to
say I am so Grateful
00:38:25.30\00:38:29.34
that God used you
00:38:29.37\00:38:30.71
to write the Sabbath
School Quarterly and Revelation.
00:38:30.74\00:38:32.91
I'm learning so much
00:38:32.94\00:38:34.28
and understanding the Book
of Revelation with a clarity
00:38:34.31\00:38:36.61
I've never had even
after taking the class
00:38:36.64\00:38:39.78
while at the seminary.
00:38:39.81\00:38:41.92
You have made it
so easy to understand,
00:38:41.95\00:38:44.22
and I get
underline bold, italics,
00:38:44.29\00:38:46.76
excited every time I
study the daily lesson.
00:38:46.79\00:38:49.29
May the Lord bless you richly,
00:38:49.32\00:38:51.13
for your diligent work
in writing this quarterly,
00:38:51.16\00:38:53.40
stay faithful until He comes.
00:38:53.43\00:38:55.83
And that's from a chaplain
that was at Andrews University
00:38:55.86\00:38:58.87
that graduated in theology.
00:38:58.90\00:39:00.77
And that's just one
of the many comments.
00:39:00.84\00:39:02.57
Another one
short and to the point.
00:39:02.60\00:39:04.24
"Thank you for authoring
the lesson on Revelation.
00:39:04.31\00:39:07.11
We need these truths presently."
00:39:07.18\00:39:09.84
You know, one of
the things I've done,
00:39:09.88\00:39:11.58
Ronald and Ranko, is
00:39:11.61\00:39:14.75
I've had this
practice of keeping
00:39:14.78\00:39:16.89
Sabbath School lessons,
00:39:16.92\00:39:18.25
the earliest one I have is 1976,
00:39:18.29\00:39:21.79
which was a study on
end time events, 1976.
00:39:21.82\00:39:27.00
Now, to be candid, I
haven't kept them all.
00:39:27.03\00:39:30.00
But I've chosen
through the years,
00:39:30.07\00:39:31.70
these lessons that I just,
00:39:31.73\00:39:33.20
I could never
dispense of this one,
00:39:33.23\00:39:35.34
and this is one of those.
00:39:35.37\00:39:36.71
Praise God.
00:39:36.74\00:39:38.07
When was the last time that
the Sabbath School Quarterly
00:39:38.11\00:39:42.48
dealt with the
Book of Revelation
00:39:42.51\00:39:44.15
as the Book of
Revelation, Ranko?
00:39:44.18\00:39:46.15
Maybe your question
only has much broad meaning
00:39:46.18\00:39:51.69
than just what
the question implied.
00:39:51.72\00:39:54.82
Last time we studied
Sabbath School Quarter
00:39:54.86\00:39:57.26
on the Book of
Revelation, 29 years ago,
00:39:57.33\00:40:02.46
in 1989.
00:40:02.50\00:40:05.30
And maybe this created problem,
00:40:05.33\00:40:06.94
I simply I'm
talking now to the viewers
00:40:06.97\00:40:10.01
because the church never
publicly provided a series
00:40:10.04\00:40:14.84
on the Book of Revelation,
so that we understand
00:40:14.88\00:40:17.45
what Seventh-day
Adventists really have to say
00:40:17.48\00:40:21.85
about the Book of Revelation.
00:40:21.88\00:40:23.72
So many people in
different parts of the world,
00:40:23.79\00:40:25.99
they're left on their own,
00:40:26.02\00:40:27.46
they don't have all the
information of the book.
00:40:27.49\00:40:29.56
So when finally, after 29 years,
00:40:29.59\00:40:32.46
we got Sabbath School
Quarterly in our hands,
00:40:32.49\00:40:35.33
sometimes we are surprised,
00:40:35.36\00:40:36.77
and that's good
that we are surprised.
00:40:36.80\00:40:38.13
You know, that's good,
00:40:38.17\00:40:39.50
but give us now
more opportunity,
00:40:39.53\00:40:41.70
more opportunity
for a deeper study.
00:40:41.74\00:40:44.47
And actually what I understand,
00:40:44.51\00:40:46.68
we will not have next 25 years
00:40:46.71\00:40:48.94
again to start the Book
of Revelation to understand,
00:40:48.98\00:40:51.28
we will have a
much, much sooner.
00:40:51.31\00:40:53.75
It really
provoked so much desire
00:40:53.82\00:40:57.19
in the hearts of the
people for this book.
00:40:57.22\00:41:00.16
You know, one of
my favorite approaches
00:41:00.19\00:41:01.52
and I want to just
give you an opportunity
00:41:01.56\00:41:03.06
to just to
touch on one of the...
00:41:03.09\00:41:05.19
Go to Revelation Chapter
12 and this is Revelation 12.
00:41:05.23\00:41:08.83
And by the way, I am just not,
00:41:08.86\00:41:11.40
I would defer immediately
to Ranko, Dr. Stefanovic here.
00:41:11.43\00:41:15.87
Revelation 12 is such
a rich, rich, rich book.
00:41:15.90\00:41:21.38
If you were to
break it down into...
00:41:21.41\00:41:23.24
I know the woman,
the war in heaven,
00:41:23.28\00:41:25.08
the war on earth.
00:41:25.11\00:41:26.45
But Revelation 12:10,
00:41:26.48\00:41:30.39
is an amazing transitional
verse in Revelation.
00:41:30.42\00:41:35.16
Hit on that for a
moment because it leads into,
00:41:35.19\00:41:37.86
it goes from the war in heaven.
00:41:37.89\00:41:40.10
And I heard a
presentation you did at Sligo,
00:41:40.13\00:41:43.23
that sermon I was just,
00:41:43.26\00:41:45.13
I was sitting, I
got a copy of it,
00:41:45.17\00:41:47.04
and I played it in my car,
00:41:47.07\00:41:48.57
I looked at it
again on the internet.
00:41:48.60\00:41:51.21
And you ask the question,
00:41:51.24\00:41:53.17
when did the devil know
he had such a short time?
00:41:53.21\00:41:58.35
It was after the
cross. It was after the cross.
00:41:58.38\00:42:03.92
Up to the cross,
00:42:03.99\00:42:05.32
Satan claimed to be the
ruler over the planet earth.
00:42:05.35\00:42:08.49
Actually Jesus
called him three times.
00:42:08.52\00:42:13.33
Prince of this word.
00:42:13.40\00:42:14.73
The Greek word
literal translated
00:42:14.76\00:42:16.16
is the ruler of this world.
00:42:16.20\00:42:17.90
We know when God created Adam,
00:42:17.93\00:42:20.07
Adam was
supposed to be the prince,
00:42:20.14\00:42:21.74
God gave him the dominion.
00:42:21.77\00:42:23.74
But Satan after
his fall in heaven,
00:42:23.81\00:42:26.24
after he was
cast out from heaven,
00:42:26.27\00:42:28.44
actually, he was
looking for the dwelling place.
00:42:28.48\00:42:31.35
In meantime, God
created this planet,
00:42:31.38\00:42:33.75
He came, He
deceived Adam and Eve.
00:42:33.82\00:42:36.79
And it is from Adam,
00:42:36.82\00:42:38.15
He actually took
that that rulership.
00:42:38.19\00:42:41.66
And during the
Old Testament time,
00:42:41.69\00:42:43.43
that's actually
what He was doing.
00:42:43.46\00:42:45.26
He still had access to heaven
00:42:45.29\00:42:48.10
because he was the ruler.
00:42:48.13\00:42:49.46
The Book of Job clearly
is telling us about that.
00:42:49.50\00:42:51.30
Where did you come
from? That's right.
00:42:51.33\00:42:52.70
And unfortunately,
the heavenly beings there,
00:42:52.73\00:42:56.37
they were completely confused,
00:42:56.40\00:42:58.07
hey, Satan had spent with
them good part of eternity,
00:42:58.11\00:43:02.71
so they were
completely confused.
00:43:02.74\00:43:04.48
But it is on the cross,
00:43:04.51\00:43:05.91
that the true nature of
Satan's character was revealed.
00:43:05.95\00:43:10.12
And according to
the New Testament,
00:43:10.19\00:43:12.35
after Jesus ascended
there to the heavenly places,
00:43:12.39\00:43:15.12
there was an event.
00:43:15.16\00:43:16.56
I'd like to urge the viewers
00:43:16.59\00:43:19.79
to go to the Book
of the Desire of Ages,
00:43:19.83\00:43:23.13
and to read the last
five pages of that book.
00:43:23.16\00:43:26.77
Nobody made better
commentary on Revelation 12
00:43:26.84\00:43:30.97
than those last five pages
of the Book of Desire of Ages.
00:43:31.01\00:43:35.48
I read that literally,
I read at least 50 times.
00:43:35.51\00:43:39.61
Every time when I
want to have good worship?
00:43:39.65\00:43:42.45
how to be encouraged,
00:43:42.48\00:43:43.82
I read the last five pages
of the Book of Desire of Ages.
00:43:43.89\00:43:48.32
We see what took
place there in heaven,
00:43:48.36\00:43:50.26
there was an event,
00:43:50.33\00:43:52.03
according to the Book
of Revelation is explained
00:43:52.06\00:43:54.33
as the enthronement of Christ.
00:43:54.36\00:43:55.70
Why?
00:43:55.73\00:43:57.07
Because Jesus on the cross,
00:43:57.10\00:43:59.00
He redeemed everything
what could be lost with Adam.
00:43:59.03\00:44:02.70
But they're in
the heavenly places.
00:44:02.74\00:44:04.57
Jesus was installed
on the heavenly throne
00:44:04.61\00:44:07.91
at the right hand of the Father.
00:44:07.94\00:44:10.25
The Book of Acts Chapter 2,
00:44:10.28\00:44:11.61
the day of Pentecost,
00:44:11.65\00:44:12.98
this is what,
this is all about this.
00:44:13.01\00:44:15.55
At that moment,
00:44:15.58\00:44:16.92
Satan was completely
banned from the heavenly places.
00:44:16.99\00:44:20.99
According to the New Testament,
00:44:21.02\00:44:23.93
these earth has
become his prison place.
00:44:23.96\00:44:28.23
He's still doing his activities.
00:44:28.26\00:44:29.80
Right.
00:44:29.83\00:44:31.17
According to the
Book of Revelation,
00:44:31.20\00:44:32.53
he's enraged,
he's full of anger,
00:44:32.57\00:44:35.30
he knows that he has
only one chance left.
00:44:35.34\00:44:37.61
That chance is called
the Battle of Armageddon.
00:44:37.64\00:44:40.58
But actually the message
of the Book of Revelation is,
00:44:40.61\00:44:43.14
that's my favorite type.
00:44:43.18\00:44:44.68
Every
discussion, the final events,
00:44:44.71\00:44:46.72
I begin with Chapter 12.
00:44:46.75\00:44:48.08
The title of my chapter 12
is Satan is a defeated enemy.
00:44:48.12\00:44:51.89
Amen. Amen.
00:44:51.92\00:44:53.25
He's waiting his end,
and Jesus is in control.
00:44:53.29\00:44:56.19
He defeated Satan at His birth.
00:44:56.22\00:44:58.76
First five verses,
00:44:58.79\00:45:00.20
He defeated Satan at the
cross and after the cross.
00:45:00.23\00:45:03.97
He defeated Satan in the history
00:45:04.00\00:45:06.07
of the Christian church.
00:45:06.10\00:45:07.44
Satan knows that he
has only one chance left.
00:45:07.47\00:45:09.67
And that chance is
called the Battle of Armageddon.
00:45:09.70\00:45:12.47
But the message
of Chapter 12 is,
00:45:12.51\00:45:14.58
don't be afraid of
that enraged enemy,
00:45:14.61\00:45:17.48
he is just a defeated enemy.
00:45:17.55\00:45:19.25
I am the victor,
00:45:19.28\00:45:20.62
I will be with you
always and your only hope
00:45:20.65\00:45:23.25
is that I am with you.
00:45:23.28\00:45:25.05
That's right. I mean...
00:45:25.09\00:45:26.42
If I want to summarize,
00:45:26.45\00:45:27.79
that's really
what the book is about.
00:45:27.82\00:45:29.16
I mean, when
Revelation 12:10 goes and says,
00:45:29.19\00:45:32.63
"And I heard a loud
voice saying in heaven."
00:45:32.66\00:45:35.83
Not just a voice,
this was a proclamation.
00:45:35.86\00:45:38.97
This was an
announcement, an anthem.
00:45:39.00\00:45:42.20
And it takes me
to, so when it says,
00:45:42.24\00:45:44.31
"Now salvation, and strength,
00:45:44.34\00:45:47.28
and the kingdom of our God,
00:45:47.31\00:45:49.04
and the power of
His Christ have come,
00:45:49.08\00:45:50.75
for the accuser of our brethren,
00:45:50.78\00:45:52.98
who accused them before our God
00:45:53.01\00:45:54.45
day and night
has been cast down."
00:45:54.48\00:45:57.59
And the casting out
and the casting down,
00:45:57.62\00:45:59.85
two separate events.
00:45:59.89\00:46:01.59
But the casting down was...
00:46:01.62\00:46:03.43
And they overcame
him, this secure statement.
00:46:03.46\00:46:06.83
And then he has from that point,
00:46:06.90\00:46:08.83
he knows he has a short time.
00:46:08.86\00:46:11.07
That's why when I was listening,
00:46:11.10\00:46:13.44
we've spoken on the
phone a number of times.
00:46:13.47\00:46:16.50
And the other part of Revelation
00:46:16.54\00:46:18.67
that so excites me
00:46:18.71\00:46:20.08
is when Revelation 5:5,
00:46:20.11\00:46:23.08
where the elders says
to John, "Do not weep."
00:46:23.11\00:46:26.92
I mean that just...
00:46:26.95\00:46:29.25
That's emotional to me.
00:46:29.28\00:46:30.62
John tears expressed the tears
of the whole fallen humanity,
00:46:30.69\00:46:35.32
who are hopeless and helpless.
00:46:35.36\00:46:37.33
They don't know what
the future will bring.
00:46:37.36\00:46:39.06
What do we do? But the
message is, don't weep.
00:46:39.09\00:46:42.46
Actually, John,
can I just? Sure, yes.
00:46:42.50\00:46:45.03
I want to use about 30 seconds.
00:46:45.07\00:46:46.84
I want you to get,
take as much as you want.
00:46:46.87\00:46:48.20
I want to really commend
3ABN for the panel discussions
00:46:48.24\00:46:55.04
that you did,
for those 13 weeks,
00:46:55.08\00:46:58.35
on Sabbath School Quarterly
on the Book of Revelation.
00:46:58.38\00:47:01.55
I watch it regularly.
00:47:01.58\00:47:02.92
Usually I don't watch, I
don't have time for that.
00:47:02.95\00:47:04.75
But Friday evening, my
wife and myself, we watch it.
00:47:04.79\00:47:07.66
You did, all of you, five of you
00:47:07.69\00:47:11.09
actually seven of you,
but always five participated.
00:47:11.13\00:47:14.36
You did a fantastic job.
00:47:14.40\00:47:15.93
And I'd like to encourage
the viewers in addition
00:47:15.96\00:47:18.27
to my book etcetera,
00:47:18.30\00:47:19.87
that they go
back to your archives,
00:47:19.90\00:47:22.14
pick up those programs,
00:47:22.17\00:47:23.51
those panel discussion
on the Book of Revelation,
00:47:23.54\00:47:25.44
and look at again,
you did a fantastic job.
00:47:25.47\00:47:27.71
Praise God.
00:47:27.74\00:47:29.08
I was so happy
really to listen to you.
00:47:29.11\00:47:31.95
And my wife, no,
she looked at me,
00:47:31.98\00:47:33.62
she said, "Why
are you so excited?
00:47:33.65\00:47:35.12
You wrote the
Sabbath School Quarterly.
00:47:35.15\00:47:36.62
But I said they
made it so alive.
00:47:36.69\00:47:38.35
They made it so practical.
00:47:38.39\00:47:39.99
They made so applicable
to the Christian life.
00:47:40.06\00:47:42.36
So I'd like to encourage viewers
00:47:42.39\00:47:44.03
to go back to lesson number one,
00:47:44.06\00:47:46.23
number two, number
three, all to the lesson 13,
00:47:46.26\00:47:48.83
and to watch it again.
00:47:48.86\00:47:50.20
You did a fantastic
job, each one of you.
00:47:50.27\00:47:52.17
To God be the glory.
00:47:52.20\00:47:53.54
I mean, we've had some
conversation on the phone,
00:47:53.57\00:47:55.80
we just rejoice together
and we praise God together.
00:47:55.84\00:47:58.91
And the pictures, I
just gave you two snippets,
00:47:58.94\00:48:00.71
Revelation 12
00:48:00.78\00:48:02.11
and Revelation 4 and 5 that
and the enthronement of Christ.
00:48:02.14\00:48:05.21
What do we do? And where is He?
00:48:05.25\00:48:07.65
He's not in the earth,
00:48:07.68\00:48:09.35
He's not under the
earth, He's not in heaven.
00:48:09.38\00:48:11.55
Where is He? He is on His way.
00:48:11.59\00:48:13.46
And that picture
of Psalm Chapter 24,
00:48:13.49\00:48:16.86
lift up your head O ye gates.
00:48:16.93\00:48:18.76
I tell you I...
00:48:18.79\00:48:20.33
You did that fantastic,
00:48:20.40\00:48:21.73
you made that point so
great in the panel discussion.
00:48:21.76\00:48:24.27
Easily 20 years ago,
00:48:24.30\00:48:25.63
that the Lord revealed
that to me in my studies,
00:48:25.67\00:48:27.74
well, He's not on the earth,
00:48:27.77\00:48:29.10
He's not under the
earth, He's not in heaven.
00:48:29.14\00:48:30.81
Where is He? He's on His way.
00:48:30.84\00:48:33.17
And I tell you, I
want another hour here.
00:48:33.21\00:48:36.48
Although I can't
get it right now,
00:48:36.51\00:48:38.08
we just have a little
bit more than three minutes.
00:48:38.11\00:48:40.22
But Dr. Stefanovic
and Ronald, give us,
00:48:40.25\00:48:43.89
there're more books here
00:48:43.92\00:48:45.25
than just the two on Revelation.
00:48:45.29\00:48:46.89
I wanna highlight some of those
because what I want to do is
00:48:46.96\00:48:49.09
allow our viewers and
listeners to know that
00:48:49.12\00:48:51.53
if you're looking for
some quality material to study,
00:48:51.56\00:48:55.56
Andrews University
Press has a lot to offer.
00:48:55.60\00:48:58.10
Well, thank you very much.
00:48:58.13\00:48:59.73
Obviously, we have been talking
00:48:59.77\00:49:01.10
about Dr.
Stefanovic's commentary,
00:49:01.14\00:49:03.30
his full commentary on
the Book of Revelation,
00:49:03.34\00:49:05.24
verse by verse
approach for both the scholar
00:49:05.27\00:49:07.38
and the lay
reader at the same time
00:49:07.41\00:49:09.54
is simpler volume
on Plain Revelation.
00:49:09.58\00:49:13.08
I mentioned earlier
the Andrews Study Bible
00:49:13.11\00:49:15.25
and we're
pleased as I mentioned,
00:49:15.28\00:49:16.79
again, to be
preparing that to be
00:49:16.82\00:49:19.79
out in the other most
popular English translation
00:49:19.82\00:49:23.36
in the near future.
00:49:23.43\00:49:24.76
And then...
00:49:24.79\00:49:26.80
Contours of Adventist...
00:49:26.83\00:49:28.16
The book
entitled simply Salvation:
00:49:28.20\00:49:30.30
Contours of
Adventist Soteriology.
00:49:30.37\00:49:34.17
Soteriology is
the high octane word
00:49:34.24\00:49:40.61
that simply means the
doctrine of salvation,
00:49:40.68\00:49:43.08
the study of salvation.
00:49:43.11\00:49:44.81
That's in my
library. Well, good.
00:49:44.85\00:49:46.92
And, Ron, I would really
like to encourage viewers.
00:49:46.95\00:49:50.29
If they have any questions
about the issue of salvation
00:49:50.32\00:49:53.76
in the Bible,
00:49:53.79\00:49:55.12
that's the best
book and I can say
00:49:55.16\00:49:56.83
because I did not
write anything in that book.
00:49:56.86\00:49:59.43
So that is not something
that I'm advertising myself.
00:49:59.46\00:50:02.20
That book is a fantastic,
00:50:02.23\00:50:04.17
it's a must tool in the
library of many Christians
00:50:04.20\00:50:08.17
who want to understand
better the issue of salvation
00:50:08.20\00:50:10.11
in the Bible.
00:50:10.14\00:50:11.47
And it was produced
by Ranko's colleagues
00:50:11.51\00:50:13.68
at the Seventh-day
Adventist Theological Seminary.
00:50:13.71\00:50:16.31
Another book
recently Protest & Progress,
00:50:16.34\00:50:19.51
Black Seventh-day
Adventist Leadership
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.52
And The push For
Parity by Dr. Calvin Rock,
00:50:21.55\00:50:24.82
longtime vice-president
of the General Conference,
00:50:24.85\00:50:27.89
and administrator
00:50:27.92\00:50:29.26
with a
tremendous pastoral heart,
00:50:29.29\00:50:31.36
who is able to touch
on some delicate issues
00:50:31.39\00:50:34.30
on both the high points
00:50:34.33\00:50:35.76
and sometimes
the disappointments
00:50:35.80\00:50:37.63
of race relations
in a faith community.
00:50:37.67\00:50:40.77
And he does it with
power, and conviction,
00:50:40.84\00:50:44.21
and grace, and pastoral heart.
00:50:44.24\00:50:47.68
Textbook intended for
students on Jesus of Nazareth
00:50:47.71\00:50:52.68
written by William Johnson,
00:50:52.71\00:50:54.05
former editor of
the Adventist Review.
00:50:54.12\00:50:56.25
And then down there at the end,
00:50:56.28\00:50:58.69
we have the
Inspirational Classics,
00:50:58.72\00:51:03.43
annotated edition of
Ellen White's famous classic,
00:51:03.46\00:51:07.50
Steps to Christ.
00:51:07.53\00:51:08.86
And it's been prepared in
a kind of a deluxe edition
00:51:08.90\00:51:11.93
that is intended
for people to share.
00:51:11.97\00:51:14.94
It's in a format
00:51:14.97\00:51:16.30
that anyone could be proud
00:51:16.34\00:51:17.67
to present that to anyone else
00:51:17.71\00:51:19.04
we have a similar
edition with her book
00:51:19.07\00:51:22.01
on the Parables of
Christ, Christ Object Lessons.
00:51:22.04\00:51:23.95
Wow.
00:51:23.98\00:51:25.31
You know,
00:51:25.35\00:51:26.72
and I want to just also
give you some information
00:51:26.75\00:51:28.42
so that you can get in
touch with Ronald Knott
00:51:28.45\00:51:31.69
or Dr. Ranko Stefanovic.
00:51:31.72\00:51:33.66
And here is the
information that you need.
00:51:33.69\00:51:35.22
Right after this,
00:51:35.26\00:51:36.59
we're gonna a take a short break
00:51:36.62\00:51:37.96
and we'll be back for
a few closing thoughts.
00:51:37.99\00:51:42.33
Andrews University Press
00:51:42.36\00:51:44.00
has the goal of
publishing literature
00:51:44.07\00:51:45.97
that will help students
00:51:46.00\00:51:47.34
and members of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:51:47.37\00:51:49.37
in their walk with Jesus Christ.
00:51:49.40\00:51:51.64
If you would like to find out
more about their publications,
00:51:51.67\00:51:54.71
visit their website,
UniversityPress.Andrews.edu.
00:51:54.74\00:51:59.75
That's
UniversityPress.Andrews.edu.
00:51:59.78\00:52:04.52
You may also call them
at area code (269) 471-6915.
00:52:04.55\00:52:10.63
If you prefer, you
may also write to them
00:52:10.66\00:52:12.86
at Andrews
University Press, 8360,
00:52:12.89\00:52:16.60
West Campus
Drive, Berrien Springs,
00:52:16.67\00:52:18.90
Michigan 49104
00:52:18.93\00:52:21.27