Well, hello everybody again.
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It's good to see you all
here for session number two
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of this series.
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We're talking about the
great controversy between
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good and evil, and how
God solves this problem
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through the Sanctuary service.
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Now before we begin
our study this evening,
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which is titled,
God's Judgment Process,
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we do want to ask for the
Lord's special presence with us.
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And so I invite you to bow
your heads with me as we pray.
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Father in heaven, we
thank You for bringing us
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to this place once again.
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I thank You for all of
those who have taken time
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from their busy schedule to come
and be at this meeting tonight.
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And we ask that You will be
with us through the presence
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of Your Holy Spirit, that
You might give us understanding,
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and that we might know that
You are taking all the necessary
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steps to vindicate Your
character once and for all
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forever before the universe.
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And we thank You
for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus, amen.
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In our last study together,
we were reading some verses
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that indicate that all
of the universe is observing
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the problem of
evil as it develops,
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not only in this
world, but in heaven as well.
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And so I want to begin
with one of those text that
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we studied yesterday.
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1 Corinthians 4:9
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And it's very unusual
that I would read a text
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from the New
International Version.
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I'm actually a
New King James guy.
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But the translation in the
NIV, I believe, captures best
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the meaning of this text so
that it's very understandable.
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And so in 1 Corinthians
4:9, the apostle Paul writes...
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So notice, Paul is saying that
the apostles are on display.
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The word, "display," here
is the word, "apodeiknumi,"
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which means, to
demonstrate, to expose to view,
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or to exhibit.
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In other words, there's some
aspect in which the apostles
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are being exhibited.
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So notice once again...
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So he's using the illustration
of what was done in Rome
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by taking criminals to
the Colosseum to have them
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fight with wild beasts
while the spectators watch
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what was happening.
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And so basically the
apostle Paul is saying,
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"Us apostles are being
taken to the arena as a display
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or as a demonstration."
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And then he continues writing...
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The word, "spectacle," is
the Greek word, "theatron,"
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from where we get
the word, "theater."
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In other words, this is a
drama that is taking place.
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And it's being
observed by witnesses.
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And the apostles are on
display before these witnesses.
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Now I want to read particularly
the last part of this verse.
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It says, "We have
been made a spectacle..."
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That is, a theater.
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"...to the whole universe..."
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The word there that is
used is the word, "cosmos."
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"...to angels
as well as to men."
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So notice, the
apostles were on display.
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This was a theatrical,
a real theatrical display,
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that was being viewed,
or testified to, by men
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as well as by angels.
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In other words,
heaven and earth are both
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observing and
watching what is happening here
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on this earth.
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And then we read 1 Peter 1:12,
where it's speaking about the
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message that was given to
the Old Testament prophets.
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And I read there from 1
Peter 1:12, "To them..."
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That is, to the
prophets of the Old Testament.
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So in other words, the apostles
wrote, not for their time
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primarily, they wrote for
our time because what they
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wrote about is
fulfilled in our time.
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And notice the
last part of the verse.
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So basically, the plan of
salvation which was described
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by the prophets, which
is fulfilled in our time,
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had to do with things that
angels desire to look into.
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Angels are studying the plan
of salvation, in other words.
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Let's notice a few other
verses that show that not only
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this world, but heaven
is involved in witnessing
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the great controversy that is
transpiring here on this earth.
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Notice Colossians 1:19-20.
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Colossians 1:19-20
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It says there, "For it pleased
the Father that in Him..."
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That is, in Jesus.
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"...all the fullness
should dwell, and by Him..."
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That is, by Jesus.
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"...to reconcile all
things to Himself, by Him..."
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That is, by Jesus.
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So notice, the cross not only
reconciles the earth with God,
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but it also reconciles what?
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It reconciles heaven with God.
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Because heaven catches a glimpse
of what the character of God
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is truly like.
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Notice Luke 15:10.
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Heaven is very closely
linked with planet earth.
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Heaven is watching what
is happening on planet earth.
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They're involved
in the situation here.
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Notice Luke 15:10.
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Speaking about
the angels, it says...
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Jesus is speaking, by the way.
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So when a sinner
repents on earth, does that have
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implications or
repercussions in heaven?
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It most certainly does.
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Because Jesus said that
there is joy in the presence
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of the angels when
one sinner repents.
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Notice Luke 12:8.
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Time and again we have this
theme that heaven is involved
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in this controversy on earth.
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They are not only involved
as witnesses, but they are
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actively involved as well.
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Luke 12:8
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And we'll also read verse 9.
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Jesus is speaking once again.
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So notice, our names are being
confessed before the angels.
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The angels are observing
our cases, in other words,
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in the judgment.
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Notice Revelation 3:5.
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Revelation 3:5 once again
speaks about God presenting
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our name before the angels.
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It reads there...
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Once again, Jesus is speaking.
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There it is again.
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Notice, the angels
are involved with what's
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happening on this earth.
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Notice also Ephesians 3:8-11.
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This is a rather long
passage, but it has very many
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important points.
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This is how it reads.
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"To me..." That is, to Paul.
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Notice he's saying,
"I'm preaching so that
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everyone can see."
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Can see what?
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Let's continue.
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Now notice that the
manifold wisdom of God
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needs to be demonstrated.
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Notice to whom it
needs to be demonstrated to.
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It's demonstrated "...by
the church to the principalities
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and powers..." Where?
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"...in heavenly places..."
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So once again you have
the idea that the church is to
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make known the plan of
salvation, not only on this
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earth, but to the
principalities and powers
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in heavenly places.
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That's referring, not only to
the angels, but it's referring
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to the inhabitants
of other worlds as well.
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Notice Romans...
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Well, before we go to Romans,
let's go to Psalm 51:1-4.
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And then we'll go to Romans 3:4.
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There's a
little difference here.
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Romans 3:4 quotes Psalm
51, but in the quotation,
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it changes it a little bit.
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You know, if I was to ask you,
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"In the judgment, who
is it that is judged?"
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you probably would say, "Well,
we are the ones who are judged.
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God judges us."
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But there's another sense
in which during the judgment
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it is God who is being judged.
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Now notice what we
find in Psalm 51:1-4.
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Of course, this is the
penitential psalm of David
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after he committed
adultery with Bathsheba
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and after he had her husband
killed in the battle front.
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It says there...
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Does God say that we
are all sinners, yes or no?
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The Bible says
that we are all sinners.
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God says that
we are all sinners.
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Now if we openly
confess that we are sinners,
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is God judging us correctly?
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Absolutely.
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But what if we should
say that we're not sinners.
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Well, then we run
into certain problems.
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Now notice how Romans 3:4 quotes
these verses from Psalm 51.
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It says there...
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This is Romans 3:4.
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That is, those who say
that they haven't sinned.
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Now speaking about God.
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Did you catch that?
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In Psalm it says, "You will be
found guiltless when You judge."
00:12:21.07\00:12:24.97
But when it's quoted
by Paul in Romans 3:4,
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he says that, "You
might be found..." What?
00:12:28.58\00:12:32.38
"...that You might be
found just when You are judged."
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And so basically, in the
judgment God is judging us.
00:12:36.82\00:12:40.46
But in the process of
judging us, God Himself
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is being judged by
the universe to see if God
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is pronouncing a
righteous and a true judgment.
00:12:47.90\00:12:52.10
Perhaps the clearest indication
that we have in the Bible
00:12:52.37\00:12:55.77
of this connection
between heaven and earth,
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of this involvement
of heaven with earth,
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is in the story of Job.
00:13:01.98\00:13:03.78
I wish I had a
couple of hours just to talk
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about the story of Job.
00:13:05.61\00:13:06.95
But we don't have the time to do
it, so let me just synthesize.
00:13:07.22\00:13:10.09
In Job 1 it says that the
sons of God come to present
00:13:10.95\00:13:14.69
themselves before the Lord.
00:13:14.72\00:13:16.26
And among them comes Satan.
00:13:16.29\00:13:19.13
And then God says to Satan,
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"Have you
considered My servant Job?
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He is a blameless
man, he eschews evil,
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and he's righteous even though
he lives in your territory."
00:13:28.17\00:13:31.81
I'm paraphrasing what God says.
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And Satan says, "Oh, well
of course he's faithful to You.
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Because You favor him."
00:13:37.95\00:13:41.28
You remember one of
the arguments that Lucifer
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used in heaven?
00:13:43.72\00:13:45.05
"Oh yeah, You have favorites.
Your Son is Your favorite.
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Yeah, You take
Him under Your wing.
00:13:47.36\00:13:49.02
You don't let anybody else in."
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And so the devil
says, or Satan says to God,
00:13:50.76\00:13:54.66
"Well, you know, of
course he serves You.
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Because You do
everything good to him,
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while You don't do good
things to everybody else.
00:13:59.30\00:14:01.87
But if You allowed me to
touch him, he would blaspheme
00:14:01.90\00:14:05.01
You to Your face."
00:14:05.04\00:14:06.37
Now we need to
understand that all the
00:14:06.68\00:14:08.18
sons of God are present there.
00:14:08.21\00:14:09.64
The representatives
of the worlds are there
00:14:09.68\00:14:12.41
in the heavenly council.
00:14:12.45\00:14:13.85
Now God could have said
to Satan, "Nah, you're lying.
00:14:14.22\00:14:17.65
Don't believe
what's he's saying."
00:14:18.02\00:14:19.55
God could have said
that, but the heavenly beings
00:14:19.65\00:14:22.02
would have thought,
"Hmm, what is God afraid of."
00:14:22.06\00:14:24.49
And so God says to Satan, "Oh,
so you say that he serves Me
00:14:25.03\00:14:28.60
for the loaves and the fishes?
00:14:28.63\00:14:29.96
I'll let you do
anything you want to him,
00:14:30.03\00:14:32.10
only don't touch him."
00:14:32.13\00:14:33.77
And so we know the story.
00:14:33.97\00:14:35.34
The devil goes out and he
afflicts Job by making him
00:14:35.54\00:14:39.27
lose everything that he
has; children, servants, beasts.
00:14:39.31\00:14:44.05
Everything that
he owned he lost.
00:14:44.61\00:14:47.58
And instead of blaspheming
God, Job says, "God gave and
00:14:47.88\00:14:52.52
God has taken away.
00:14:52.55\00:14:53.89
Blessed be the
name of the Lord."
00:14:53.92\00:14:55.82
And so how is God looking
before the heavenly council?
00:14:55.92\00:14:58.46
God is seen to be truthful.
00:14:58.63\00:15:00.40
And Job is seen to be faithful
to God because he loves God.
00:15:00.93\00:15:04.77
Not because of the
loaves and the fishes.
00:15:04.80\00:15:06.70
And so you have a second
council meeting in heaven.
00:15:06.97\00:15:09.74
And once again, the sons of God
who had left the first meeting,
00:15:09.77\00:15:12.94
it says that they come
again to the presence of God.
00:15:12.97\00:15:15.68
And God says to Satan,
"Have you seen My servant Job,
00:15:15.88\00:15:19.31
that he's still faithful
to Me in spite of the fact
00:15:19.35\00:15:21.75
that you turned Me against him?"
00:15:21.78\00:15:23.22
And the devil says, "Of course.
00:15:23.32\00:15:25.35
Because You only let me
take stuff away from him,
00:15:25.39\00:15:27.89
but You didn't let me touch him.
00:15:27.92\00:15:29.62
If You let me touch him,
00:15:29.82\00:15:31.39
he would
blaspheme You to Your face."
00:15:31.43\00:15:33.63
And so God could have said,
"No, no, the trial is over.
00:15:33.90\00:15:37.57
He's never going to do that."
00:15:37.67\00:15:39.40
He could have said that.
00:15:39.43\00:15:40.77
The heavenly
beings would have thought,
00:15:40.80\00:15:42.14
"Hmm, we wonder what
God is really afraid of.
00:15:42.17\00:15:45.87
You know, He's not letting Satan
do it because He's afraid that
00:15:45.91\00:15:49.01
Job might apostatize."
00:15:49.04\00:15:50.65
And so God says to Satan, "Okay,
you can do anything you want.
00:15:50.68\00:15:55.75
You can touch him
any way that you want,
00:15:55.78\00:15:57.95
only I forbid
you to take his life.
00:15:58.15\00:16:00.06
Because if you take his
life, then the trial is over."
00:16:00.09\00:16:03.49
And so Satan goes out and
he afflicts Job with boils
00:16:03.69\00:16:06.70
from the top of his head
to the bottom of his feet.
00:16:06.73\00:16:10.10
And then he loses
the support of his wife.
00:16:10.30\00:16:12.23
His wife says,
"Curse God and die."
00:16:12.27\00:16:14.60
And his three
friends come to console him.
00:16:14.70\00:16:17.24
And even his three
friends turn to be his accusers.
00:16:17.27\00:16:21.14
And then Job feels that
God Himself has forsaken him,
00:16:21.28\00:16:24.05
because he cries out to
God and God apparently does not
00:16:24.08\00:16:27.45
listen to what he's saying.
00:16:27.48\00:16:28.82
He's lost
everything except his life.
00:16:28.85\00:16:31.42
And yet Job
remained faithful to God.
00:16:31.72\00:16:35.49
God was shown true
before the heavenly council.
00:16:35.62\00:16:38.89
And Satan was shown to be wrong.
00:16:38.93\00:16:40.96
Are you following me or not?
00:16:41.00\00:16:42.33
And so we find in this
story this controversy between
00:16:42.40\00:16:46.50
heaven and earth, and
how God is made to look good
00:16:46.53\00:16:51.21
when His people
are faithful to Him
00:16:51.27\00:16:53.51
even in the worst circumstances.
00:16:53.54\00:16:55.94
Now what we're going to study...
00:16:56.71\00:16:58.28
That was just the
conclusion of our last study.
00:16:58.31\00:17:00.75
And now we are going to enter
into our study on the judgment,
00:17:00.85\00:17:06.65
the judgment process.
00:17:06.69\00:17:08.49
I'd like to begin by
sharing with you a list
00:17:08.86\00:17:12.26
of the beings in the
universe that are involved
00:17:12.59\00:17:15.90
in this controversy.
00:17:16.10\00:17:17.67
First of all, God is involved.
00:17:18.13\00:17:20.24
God is the accused.
00:17:20.44\00:17:22.50
In the story of Job,
it's not Job that is accused.
00:17:22.70\00:17:25.64
God is accused of favoring Job.
00:17:26.17\00:17:28.51
And so we need to
understand that in the Bible,
00:17:28.74\00:17:31.21
the devil, yes he's the
accuser of the brethren,
00:17:31.38\00:17:34.42
but primarily the
devil is accusing God.
00:17:34.62\00:17:37.32
And so the accused in
the whole great controversy
00:17:37.65\00:17:40.69
is God Himself.
00:17:40.72\00:17:42.16
Now another group
that is involved in this
00:17:42.62\00:17:45.26
great controversy are the
heavenly beings who remained
00:17:45.29\00:17:49.40
faithful to God.
00:17:49.43\00:17:50.77
And I've mentioned
that those heavenly beings
00:17:51.17\00:17:53.27
who remained faithful to God
are, first of all, the angels
00:17:53.30\00:17:57.97
that did not give in
to Satan's temptations.
00:17:58.07\00:18:00.54
And secondly,
the representatives
00:18:00.71\00:18:03.04
or the inhabitants of all
of the worlds of the universe.
00:18:03.08\00:18:06.68
So there is a group of heavenly
beings that are faithful to God.
00:18:06.82\00:18:11.29
They're involved in
the great controversy
00:18:11.32\00:18:13.32
because they're observing
how the great controversy
00:18:13.36\00:18:16.22
develops and how God is
going to resolve this problem.
00:18:16.26\00:18:20.63
Now there's also a
group of earthly beings
00:18:20.90\00:18:23.70
who are faithful to God.
00:18:23.73\00:18:25.07
The earthly beings are
composed of the righteous
00:18:25.47\00:18:28.80
who died before the
second coming of Christ
00:18:28.84\00:18:31.41
and the righteous who
will be alive when Jesus comes.
00:18:31.64\00:18:35.44
And so among the righteous
you have the dead in Christ
00:18:35.71\00:18:39.05
who die before Jesus
comes, and you have the living
00:18:39.08\00:18:41.98
righteous who will be alive
and remain when Jesus comes.
00:18:42.02\00:18:46.02
Then you also have a
group of heavenly beings
00:18:46.35\00:18:49.19
that are unfaithful; which
is the devil and his angels.
00:18:49.29\00:18:53.83
They're heavenly beings;
they were cast to the earth,
00:18:54.03\00:18:56.23
but they still had
their origin in heaven.
00:18:56.26\00:18:58.23
They also are involved
in the great controversy.
00:18:58.40\00:19:01.90
And finally, you have a
group of human beings on earth
00:19:02.17\00:19:06.17
that are also unfaithful to God.
00:19:06.31\00:19:09.28
So basically
summarizing, God is the accused.
00:19:09.54\00:19:13.18
There's a group of heavenly
beings who are faithful to God;
00:19:13.31\00:19:16.79
the angels and the
inhabitants of the worlds.
00:19:16.82\00:19:19.59
There's a group of earthly
beings who are faithful to God.
00:19:19.69\00:19:22.89
Those who died in
Christ and those who are alive
00:19:22.92\00:19:24.96
when Jesus comes.
00:19:24.99\00:19:26.33
You have a group of
heavenly beings that were
00:19:26.36\00:19:28.36
unfaithful to God.
00:19:28.40\00:19:29.73
That is Satan and his angels.
00:19:29.76\00:19:32.30
And finally, you have
a group of earthly beings
00:19:32.43\00:19:35.00
that are unfaithful to God;
which are those who chose sin
00:19:35.10\00:19:40.21
and rejected Jesus
Christ as their Savior.
00:19:40.24\00:19:43.65
Now the purpose of the judgment
is to clear up the issues
00:19:44.15\00:19:50.09
of the great controversy
before each one of these groups.
00:19:50.12\00:19:54.32
In other words, when
each one of these groups
00:19:54.59\00:19:57.03
is persuaded and convinced
that God was just and loving
00:19:57.23\00:20:01.86
in the way in
which He dealt with sin,
00:20:01.90\00:20:04.10
only then will God be able
to destroy sin and sinners.
00:20:04.37\00:20:09.30
Every single
group must be convinced.
00:20:09.34\00:20:12.11
The heavenly beings who
remained faithful to God,
00:20:12.14\00:20:14.78
the earthly beings who
remained faithful to God,
00:20:14.98\00:20:17.75
the heavenly beings
who were unfaithful to God,
00:20:17.95\00:20:20.45
and the earthly beings
who were unfaithful to God.
00:20:20.48\00:20:23.28
When all of these
groups have been persuaded,
00:20:23.32\00:20:26.32
then God can bring the
great controversy to an end
00:20:26.52\00:20:31.13
and He can cleanse the
universe from sin and sinners.
00:20:31.16\00:20:35.46
Now, there are three
stages of the judgment process.
00:20:36.20\00:20:41.00
You know, if you asked a
common ordinary Christian
00:20:41.97\00:20:45.84
from any church when
the judgment takes place,
00:20:45.87\00:20:49.71
most likely they would tell you
that the judgment takes place
00:20:50.05\00:20:54.05
when Jesus comes.
00:20:54.25\00:20:55.82
And they get this, for example,
from the creed where it says
00:20:56.08\00:20:59.12
that Jesus will come to
judge the living and the dead.
00:20:59.15\00:21:02.26
So for them, the
judgment is when Jesus comes
00:21:02.42\00:21:05.16
for the second time.
00:21:05.19\00:21:06.53
But even before that,
they don't realize it,
00:21:06.56\00:21:09.53
but they believe that the
judgment is when a person dies.
00:21:09.76\00:21:12.70
Because most churches
teach that when a person dies,
00:21:13.13\00:21:15.44
if they were good
they're whisked off to heaven.
00:21:15.47\00:21:18.01
And if they were
wicked, they're sent to hell.
00:21:18.47\00:21:21.74
So basically they were judged at
a certain moment when they died.
00:21:21.84\00:21:25.21
But they also say, "Well,
you know, the final judgment
00:21:25.71\00:21:28.85
is going to be
when Jesus comes again."
00:21:28.88\00:21:31.52
And then the
righteous will be saved,
00:21:31.55\00:21:33.96
and the wicked then
will be confined to hell,
00:21:33.99\00:21:36.36
not only from death
till the coming of Jesus,
00:21:36.39\00:21:39.19
but forever and ever.
00:21:39.23\00:21:40.56
That's basically their
concept of the judgment.
00:21:40.60\00:21:42.56
But the Bible describes
the judgment, not as an event.
00:21:43.23\00:21:47.20
The judgment is a process.
00:21:47.67\00:21:50.51
We need to understand that
the judgment is not an event,
00:21:50.54\00:21:53.38
the judgment is a process.
00:21:53.71\00:21:56.38
A process that, we're
going to study, began in 1844
00:21:56.58\00:22:00.08
and does not end until
the wicked are destroyed
00:22:00.52\00:22:04.55
after the millennium.
00:22:04.75\00:22:06.25
So in other words, for
hundreds and hundreds of years
00:22:06.65\00:22:10.66
the judgment takes
place, and the judgment occurs
00:22:10.69\00:22:14.00
in three successive stages.
00:22:14.03\00:22:17.70
Now you say, what are
the three successive stages?
00:22:17.73\00:22:21.34
We're going to study
those in a few moments,
00:22:22.10\00:22:24.24
but I also would like
to mention something else
00:22:24.27\00:22:27.01
to set the stage for
what we're going to discuss.
00:22:27.04\00:22:29.58
Not only does the judgment
take place in three successive
00:22:30.01\00:22:34.05
historical stages, but
each stage of the judgment
00:22:34.08\00:22:38.22
consists of three steps.
00:22:38.25\00:22:40.16
Each of those three
stages consists of three steps.
00:22:40.89\00:22:44.89
Now you say, what
are the three steps?
00:22:44.93\00:22:46.93
You know, the human
system of jurisprudence
00:22:47.26\00:22:51.53
is built on God's
method of judgment.
00:22:51.80\00:22:55.50
You say, how is that?
00:22:55.90\00:22:57.24
The first step of
each stage of the judgment
00:22:57.91\00:23:01.84
is an investigation of the case.
00:23:02.04\00:23:04.95
Let me ask you, in earthly
tribunals when a judgment
00:23:06.38\00:23:10.29
is going to take place,
is the case examined first?
00:23:10.32\00:23:13.72
Is the evidence presented first?
00:23:13.76\00:23:16.22
Absolutely.
00:23:16.26\00:23:17.59
You have an
examination of the evidence,
00:23:17.63\00:23:19.39
an
investigation of the evidence.
00:23:19.43\00:23:21.00
That is the first
step of the judgment.
00:23:21.16\00:23:23.97
The second step of the judgment
is, after the case has been
00:23:24.63\00:23:28.34
evaluated,
examined, investigated,
00:23:28.37\00:23:31.84
and it's been discovered
whether the person is innocent
00:23:32.11\00:23:35.11
or guilty, then the
sentence is pronounced.
00:23:35.14\00:23:39.51
That's the second
step of the judgment.
00:23:39.85\00:23:42.25
And then once the
sentence is pronounced,
00:23:42.68\00:23:45.85
the time comes for the
third step; which is the
00:23:45.89\00:23:49.29
execution of the sentence.
00:23:49.32\00:23:51.79
Are you following me or not?
00:23:51.89\00:23:53.23
Is that the way our
system of justice works
00:23:53.70\00:23:55.86
in the United States?
00:23:55.90\00:23:57.23
Absolutely.
00:23:57.27\00:23:58.60
Democratic
countries operate that way.
00:23:58.63\00:24:00.57
There's an investigation
of the case to determine
00:24:00.60\00:24:03.30
whether the person
is innocent or guilty.
00:24:03.34\00:24:05.11
Then you have the
sentence based on the
00:24:05.54\00:24:07.84
examination of the evidence.
00:24:07.88\00:24:09.28
And finally you have the
execution or the implementation
00:24:09.38\00:24:13.45
of the sentence that was
given based on the evidence.
00:24:13.48\00:24:17.19
So what I want us to remember
now, as we're going to get into
00:24:17.22\00:24:20.99
a study of the stages, is there
are three successive historical
00:24:21.02\00:24:25.29
stages to the judgment.
00:24:25.33\00:24:27.06
And each of those stages
follows these three steps.
00:24:27.26\00:24:31.30
Investigation, sentence,
and execution of the sentence.
00:24:31.40\00:24:36.40
Now, the first phase of
the judgment takes place
00:24:36.97\00:24:42.68
before the
second coming of Christ.
00:24:43.14\00:24:46.68
In fact, now we are living
in the time of the judgment.
00:24:46.98\00:24:51.35
Now you say, what is the purpose
of this stage of the judgment?
00:24:51.75\00:24:55.32
The purpose of this stage...
00:24:55.72\00:24:57.16
And by the way, later on in
this series we're going to study
00:24:57.19\00:24:59.53
this in much more detail.
00:24:59.56\00:25:00.90
Today we're looking at the
global picture so that later
00:25:01.00\00:25:04.03
we'll be able to fit all of the
pieces into the global picture.
00:25:04.07\00:25:07.34
But what is the purpose
of this stage of the judgment
00:25:07.70\00:25:10.97
before the
second coming of Christ?
00:25:11.01\00:25:12.87
The purpose is to
persuade the heavenly beings
00:25:13.27\00:25:17.35
that God acted correctly
in every case that is examined
00:25:17.38\00:25:23.02
of those who profess Jesus
Christ as their Savior and Lord.
00:25:23.05\00:25:26.52
You see, among
those who profess Jesus,
00:25:26.86\00:25:29.56
are there individuals
who are true believers
00:25:29.76\00:25:32.19
and others who are
not true believers?
00:25:32.23\00:25:34.70
Of course.
00:25:34.86\00:25:36.20
Do you have true
and false virgins?
00:25:36.23\00:25:40.77
You have five
wise and five what?
00:25:40.80\00:25:43.10
Foolish.
00:25:43.24\00:25:44.57
They all have a lamp.
00:25:44.61\00:25:45.94
They all have the Bible.
00:25:45.97\00:25:47.31
And a certain measure of the
oil, which is the Holy Spirit.
00:25:47.34\00:25:49.81
And yet, one group
are counterfeit believers.
00:25:49.98\00:25:52.45
In the church, is there wheat
and also tares in the church?
00:25:53.05\00:25:57.09
Absolutely.
00:25:57.12\00:25:58.45
Are there those
people who say, "Lord, Lord,"
00:25:58.52\00:26:01.79
but Jesus says,
"I don't know you"?
00:26:01.92\00:26:03.83
Are there people who
have the form of godliness
00:26:04.33\00:26:07.30
but don't have the power
of godliness in their lives?
00:26:07.33\00:26:10.30
Are there even ministers
that disguise themselves
00:26:10.63\00:26:13.54
as ministers of righteousness
when they're not really
00:26:13.57\00:26:16.44
ministers of righteousness?
00:26:16.47\00:26:17.97
Are there good and
bad fish in the church
00:26:18.24\00:26:21.24
that the fishermen bring into
the boat, or into the church?
00:26:21.28\00:26:24.05
Absolutely.
00:26:24.08\00:26:25.41
Are there true and
counterfeit believers
00:26:25.65\00:26:28.02
in the wedding chamber?
00:26:28.05\00:26:29.78
You know the
parable of Matthew 22.
00:26:30.09\00:26:32.72
And so not everybody
who professes the name of
00:26:33.09\00:26:35.82
Jesus Christ is a true believer.
00:26:35.86\00:26:38.16
And so God is going to open
up the records of all of those
00:26:38.43\00:26:42.80
who profess the
name of Jesus Christ.
00:26:42.83\00:26:44.87
The judgment before the
second coming is only of those
00:26:45.17\00:26:48.80
who claimed Jesus
Christ as Savior and as Lord;
00:26:48.84\00:26:53.07
to sift between the
genuine and the counterfeit.
00:26:53.11\00:26:56.41
Are you following me or not?
00:26:56.44\00:26:57.81
And the purpose is that the
heavenly beings will see that
00:26:58.18\00:27:01.35
God acted correctly
in every single case
00:27:01.38\00:27:05.19
and that God has a
right to bring those who are
00:27:05.22\00:27:08.36
faithful believers to
heaven with Him when He comes
00:27:08.39\00:27:11.73
for the second time.
00:27:11.76\00:27:13.09
In other words, does a
judgment have to take place
00:27:13.16\00:27:16.00
before Jesus comes to determine
who Jesus can take to heaven?
00:27:16.03\00:27:19.73
Of course.
00:27:19.77\00:27:21.10
There has to be investigation,
a sentence, and then when Jesus
00:27:21.14\00:27:24.21
comes He executes the
sentence or He gives the reward.
00:27:24.24\00:27:28.11
Are you following me or not?
00:27:28.14\00:27:29.48
And so the purpose of
the judgment before the
00:27:29.61\00:27:32.38
second coming of Jesus is
to separate true believers
00:27:32.41\00:27:36.25
from counterfeit believers
in the view of the heavenly jury
00:27:36.28\00:27:39.75
so that Jesus, when He comes
to take the genuine believers,
00:27:39.79\00:27:44.56
the whole universe will
say, "You brought the ones here
00:27:44.66\00:27:48.20
who really were
worthy to be brought here."
00:27:48.23\00:27:50.83
The purpose of the
second stage of the judgment
00:27:51.50\00:27:54.07
we will look at after
we examine some verses
00:27:54.10\00:27:57.14
about the pre-advent
investigative judgment.
00:27:57.31\00:28:00.78
Now let's notice several text
in the Bible that describe this
00:28:00.98\00:28:05.78
stage of the judgment before
the second coming of Jesus.
00:28:05.95\00:28:09.12
Go with me to Daniel 7.
00:28:09.38\00:28:11.22
We'll read verses 9 and 10,
00:28:11.72\00:28:13.22
and then we'll
read verses 13 and 14.
00:28:13.25\00:28:16.69
Now you know Daniel 7
describes a series of beasts
00:28:17.69\00:28:20.70
that represent
historical stages.
00:28:20.73\00:28:23.06
First of all, you
have a lion that represents
00:28:23.26\00:28:25.70
the kingdom of Babylon.
00:28:25.73\00:28:27.07
Then you have a bear,
which is the Medes and Persians.
00:28:27.14\00:28:30.01
Then you have a leopard,
which represents Greece.
00:28:30.04\00:28:32.34
Then you have a dragon
beast that represents Rome.
00:28:32.47\00:28:35.08
Then the dragon
beast sprouts ten horns.
00:28:35.44\00:28:37.81
And that represents the
divisions of the Roman Empire.
00:28:37.98\00:28:40.98
Then among the ten
horns rises a little horn.
00:28:41.18\00:28:43.92
That's Papal Rome
that rules for 1260 years.
00:28:44.02\00:28:48.79
At the end of the 1260
years, you have the verses
00:28:49.22\00:28:54.06
that we're going to read now.
00:28:54.10\00:28:55.60
Verse 9...
00:28:55.76\00:28:57.10
Who is the Ancient of Days?
00:29:03.17\00:29:04.81
It's God the Father.
00:29:05.31\00:29:06.64
Where does God the Father live?
00:29:06.68\00:29:08.01
We pray, "Our Father,
which art everywhere?"
00:29:08.54\00:29:10.98
No, that's not the way we pray.
00:29:11.01\00:29:12.35
"Our Father,
which art..." Where?
00:29:12.41\00:29:13.75
"...in heaven." The
Father dwells in heaven.
00:29:13.88\00:29:15.98
Remember that.
00:29:16.02\00:29:17.35
Now if He was seated, He
wasn't seated there before.
00:29:20.79\00:29:24.39
Are you following me or not?
00:29:24.43\00:29:25.76
Who are those, the ten
thousand times ten thousand?
00:29:44.31\00:29:47.02
The angels. Where
do the angels live?
00:29:47.28\00:29:48.88
In heaven.
00:29:48.92\00:29:50.25
They're in the
presence of the Father.
00:29:50.29\00:29:51.62
And then notice what it says.
00:29:51.95\00:29:53.52
So what is going to
begin at this point?
00:29:57.76\00:30:00.00
The heavenly judgment.
00:30:00.36\00:30:02.36
It's going to
take place in heaven.
00:30:02.40\00:30:04.13
And it takes place
after the year 1798.
00:30:04.37\00:30:08.10
Because this comes after
the dominion of the little horn.
00:30:08.14\00:30:11.17
Now Daniel 7 doesn't
give us the exact date.
00:30:11.64\00:30:14.11
We're going to study
that a little bit later on,
00:30:14.38\00:30:16.41
but it is after 1798.
00:30:16.44\00:30:19.35
Now, let's go in our
Bibles to verses 13 and 14.
00:30:19.75\00:30:24.82
See, the Father moves, He
sits, and the judgment begins.
00:30:24.85\00:30:29.22
And then immediately after,
notice what happens in verse 13.
00:30:29.32\00:30:34.53
Who is that, the
Son of Man? Jesus.
00:30:39.33\00:30:41.80
What are the clouds?
00:30:44.64\00:30:45.97
The angels.
00:30:46.01\00:30:47.34
Now the Millerites said, "Oh,
this is the second coming of
00:30:49.61\00:30:52.91
Jesus." No it's not the second
coming of Jesus, because it
00:30:52.95\00:30:55.35
doesn't say here that the
Son of Man comes to the earth.
00:30:55.38\00:30:57.79
Where does He go?
00:30:57.82\00:30:59.15
He goes to the
judgment chamber in heaven.
00:31:03.06\00:31:06.29
Now why did Jesus go there?
00:31:11.00\00:31:12.77
Why did Jesus go there
to where the Father was?
00:31:12.80\00:31:16.24
And the Father sits to begin the
judgment, the books are opened.
00:31:16.50\00:31:20.34
Why does Jesus go there?
00:31:20.38\00:31:21.91
Notice verse 14.
00:31:22.04\00:31:23.65
"Then to Him..."
That is, to Jesus.
00:31:24.11\00:31:26.41
So what does Jesus go
there for? To receive what?
00:31:32.05\00:31:34.62
The kingdom. To
receive the kingdom.
00:31:34.72\00:31:37.13
Now what is Christ's kingdom?
00:31:59.35\00:32:00.82
We usually have the tendency
to think that the kingdom
00:32:01.15\00:32:04.55
is a geographical territory.
00:32:04.69\00:32:06.76
You know, for
example, the United Kingdom.
00:32:07.72\00:32:11.09
We think that's Ireland,
and Scotland, and England.
00:32:11.56\00:32:14.90
But in the Bible when it
speaks about the kingdom,
00:32:15.50\00:32:18.07
it is really referring to
the subjects of the kingdom,
00:32:18.23\00:32:21.17
the people that
belong to the kingdom.
00:32:21.20\00:32:23.81
Now is it necessary for an
investigation in the judgment
00:32:24.47\00:32:28.68
to be made to show who is
a member of Christ's kingdom?
00:32:28.71\00:32:32.88
Absolutely.
00:32:33.11\00:32:34.45
And so Jesus goes
to the Ancient of Days
00:32:34.48\00:32:36.72
so that it can be revealed
who are subjects of His kingdom.
00:32:37.02\00:32:40.46
And when the judgment is
over, His kingdom is made up.
00:32:40.49\00:32:44.36
Because it's been determined who
the subjects of His kingdom are.
00:32:44.73\00:32:49.46
Now let's go also
to Revelation 14:6-7.
00:32:49.66\00:32:52.70
We're talking about
the first step of the
00:32:52.80\00:32:56.17
first phase of the judgment.
00:32:56.20\00:32:57.54
The investigative stage.
00:32:57.57\00:32:59.21
Notice Revelation 14:6-7.
00:32:59.37\00:33:02.44
This is the
first angel's message.
00:33:03.08\00:33:05.18
You know, in Revelation
you have three messages,
00:33:05.21\00:33:07.48
which are God's last
messages to the world.
00:33:07.58\00:33:09.88
And this is the
first of the three.
00:33:10.29\00:33:12.35
It says there in
Revelation 14:6-7...
00:33:12.39\00:33:15.09
Question, while
the gospel is preached
00:33:27.37\00:33:31.11
can people still be saved?
00:33:31.14\00:33:32.54
That's kind of a dumb question.
00:33:33.27\00:33:34.61
But I ask a dumb
question to make a point.
00:33:35.34\00:33:37.48
Of course.
00:33:37.51\00:33:38.85
If the gospel is preached
to every nation, kindred,
00:33:38.88\00:33:40.75
tongue, and people,
people can still be saved.
00:33:40.78\00:33:43.08
Right? The door of
mercy has not closed.
00:33:43.12\00:33:45.72
But now notice what
verse 7 continues saying.
00:33:45.82\00:33:48.42
It says in verse 7,
"...saying with a loud voice,
00:33:49.19\00:33:52.76
'Fear God and give glory to Him,
for the hour of His judgment
00:33:52.96\00:33:57.83
will come.'"
00:33:57.87\00:33:59.37
That you very much.
00:34:00.00\00:34:01.34
In the Greek, it is an aorist.
00:34:01.74\00:34:03.91
That is a past tense.
00:34:04.34\00:34:06.34
In other words, the
first angel is saying,
00:34:06.78\00:34:09.64
"The hour of His
judgment has come."
00:34:09.68\00:34:12.81
Does the judgment
then begin while the gospel
00:34:12.91\00:34:15.12
is being preached?
00:34:15.15\00:34:16.48
Very clearly, the
gospel is preached.
00:34:16.52\00:34:18.82
And the judgment begins while
the gospel is being preached.
00:34:18.85\00:34:22.36
So must the judgment, the
investigative stage anyway,
00:34:22.39\00:34:25.93
be before the
second coming of Christ?
00:34:26.09\00:34:28.50
Absolutely.
00:34:28.66\00:34:30.00
Now I want you to
notice also the moment when the
00:34:30.07\00:34:32.73
sentence is pronounced.
00:34:32.77\00:34:34.10
After the
judgment comes to an end...
00:34:34.14\00:34:35.57
This is the investigative
stage, the first step
00:34:35.60\00:34:38.17
of the first
phase of the judgment.
00:34:38.21\00:34:40.78
As soon as it's finished,
a pronouncement is made.
00:34:40.88\00:34:44.25
It's found in Revelation 22:11.
00:34:44.28\00:34:47.18
This is the sentence.
00:34:47.22\00:34:48.82
Revelation 22:11.
00:34:48.92\00:34:51.89
It says there...
00:34:52.12\00:34:53.46
Does that sound pretty final?
00:35:14.24\00:35:15.94
Pretty much.
00:35:16.54\00:35:17.88
Because it's describing
the close of probation
00:35:17.91\00:35:21.25
after each case has been
examined and investigated.
00:35:21.28\00:35:25.52
And the kingdom of Christ
is made up because Christ has
00:35:25.55\00:35:28.69
revealed before the heavenly
universe who is His true child,
00:35:28.72\00:35:32.56
who is a genuine believer.
00:35:32.66\00:35:34.66
Now after this in the very
next verse, we have the time
00:35:35.50\00:35:39.23
when the sentence is executed or
when the sentence is rewarded.
00:35:39.27\00:35:45.01
Notice Revelation 22:12.
00:35:45.27\00:35:48.24
Jesus says...
00:35:49.04\00:35:50.38
What does Jesus
bring when He comes?
00:35:55.82\00:35:57.69
His what?
00:35:57.72\00:35:59.05
Now if Jesus brings the
reward, must He have determined
00:35:59.09\00:36:01.96
in the judgment before
what the reward is going to be?
00:36:01.99\00:36:04.69
Of course. Absolutely.
00:36:05.16\00:36:07.00
And so here you have the
implementation or the execution
00:36:07.23\00:36:10.87
of the verdict that
was given in the judgment.
00:36:10.90\00:36:14.70
So here you have the
first phase of the judgment.
00:36:27.95\00:36:31.25
It's before the second coming.
00:36:31.52\00:36:32.92
It is to judge the righteous.
00:36:33.76\00:36:35.76
For Christ to make up
His kingdom and reveal to the
00:36:35.79\00:36:38.09
heavenly universe who is
worthy of being taken to heaven
00:36:38.13\00:36:41.23
when Jesus comes.
00:36:41.26\00:36:42.60
Then you have the sentence,
00:36:42.86\00:36:44.57
where every case
has been decided.
00:36:44.60\00:36:46.67
And then Jesus comes to give
the reward based on the sentence
00:36:46.70\00:36:50.47
that was given, which is
based on the investigation
00:36:50.51\00:36:53.34
that was made.
00:36:53.38\00:36:54.71
It follows the same
system of jurisprudence of
00:36:54.74\00:36:57.45
the United States and many
other democratic countries.
00:36:57.68\00:37:01.18
We copied it from God, actually.
00:37:01.22\00:37:03.72
Now, there's a second
stage of the judgment.
00:37:04.09\00:37:08.09
The second stage takes
place during the thousand years.
00:37:08.39\00:37:12.83
Now during the thousand years,
this is after the second coming,
00:37:13.19\00:37:16.33
during the thousand years
the righteous will be in heaven.
00:37:16.73\00:37:21.17
Because Jesus is going to come
to take them to heaven, right?
00:37:21.20\00:37:23.67
The Bible tells us, Jesus
says, "In My Father's house
00:37:23.77\00:37:26.47
are many mansions.
00:37:26.51\00:37:27.84
If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:37:27.88\00:37:29.31
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:37:29.34\00:37:31.28
And if I go to prepare a
place for you, I will come again
00:37:31.31\00:37:34.52
and receive you to Myself."
00:37:34.55\00:37:35.88
So when Jesus
comes the second time,
00:37:36.02\00:37:37.82
He takes His people to heaven.
00:37:38.09\00:37:39.82
He takes the saints to heaven.
00:37:39.85\00:37:41.19
Those who have been
proven worthy in the judgment
00:37:41.22\00:37:44.29
to be taken there.
00:37:44.49\00:37:45.89
And then in heaven
God's people will be involved
00:37:46.19\00:37:50.90
in a process of judgment.
00:37:50.93\00:37:52.33
Now for who's benefit is
this stage of the judgment?
00:37:52.37\00:37:55.40
It's for the
benefit of the righteous.
00:37:56.00\00:37:58.04
You see, are there going to be a
lot of people missing in heaven
00:37:58.54\00:38:00.88
that the righteous
felt should be there?
00:38:00.91\00:38:03.04
That had pretty moral lives?
00:38:03.41\00:38:05.65
And they're wondering,
"Hey, why isn't so and so here?
00:38:05.68\00:38:08.92
That person was so nice.
00:38:09.25\00:38:10.95
He never spoke an evil word."
00:38:11.39\00:38:13.19
You know?
00:38:13.22\00:38:14.56
And Jesus is going
to open up the records
00:38:14.59\00:38:17.19
to the saints who
went to heaven with Him,
00:38:17.33\00:38:20.36
and He's going to show
to them how He was righteous
00:38:20.40\00:38:23.53
and true, gave every
opportunity to all of those
00:38:23.57\00:38:27.10
who stayed behind to be saved,
00:38:27.14\00:38:29.80
and that they
rejected salvation.
00:38:29.84\00:38:31.57
When this phase of the
judgment ends, God's people
00:38:32.04\00:38:35.24
are going to be convinced
that everyone that is there
00:38:35.28\00:38:38.41
deserves to be there and
everybody that stayed behind
00:38:38.45\00:38:42.02
deserved to stay behind.
00:38:42.05\00:38:44.12
It's to persuade the righteous
that God acted correctly
00:38:44.15\00:38:47.89
in every single case.
00:38:47.92\00:38:49.26
Are you following me?
00:38:49.29\00:38:50.63
Now, let's notice
the stages of this second
00:38:50.66\00:38:54.73
phase of the judgment.
00:38:54.76\00:38:56.10
Go with me to Revelation 20:4.
00:38:56.13\00:38:58.40
Revelation 20:4.
00:38:58.50\00:39:00.40
Here we have the investigation
and the sentencing.
00:39:00.67\00:39:04.64
Notice what it
says there in verse 4.
00:39:04.81\00:39:07.48
So notice that those who
sit on thrones, they're going to
00:39:15.48\00:39:18.55
receive the work of judgment.
00:39:18.65\00:39:20.76
They're going to be
working in a judgment
00:39:20.79\00:39:22.89
during the thousand years.
00:39:22.92\00:39:24.26
So it continues saying...
00:39:24.29\00:39:25.63
Now don't get all hung up
over the souls crying out.
00:39:34.80\00:39:38.44
You know, this is
figurative language.
00:39:38.67\00:39:40.51
This is not literal language.
00:39:40.54\00:39:41.94
The word, "soul,"
in the New Testament
00:39:42.21\00:39:44.05
is also translated, "life."
00:39:44.08\00:39:45.81
In fact, in the Bible
it says that the blood
00:39:46.45\00:39:49.18
of man is his soul.
00:39:49.22\00:39:50.59
The blood is his life.
00:39:50.62\00:39:52.09
Probably the best explanation
for the souls crying out here,
00:39:53.02\00:39:56.32
they're the same
souls that were crying out
00:39:56.59\00:39:58.33
under the fifth seal
in Revelation 6:9-11,
00:39:58.36\00:40:01.06
is the story of Cain and Abel.
00:40:01.16\00:40:02.76
Was an injustice
done in the case of
00:40:03.40\00:40:05.73
the story of Cain and Abel?
00:40:05.77\00:40:07.10
Did the bad guy live
and the good guy die?
00:40:07.57\00:40:11.17
Of course.
00:40:11.27\00:40:12.61
What happened
with the blood of Abel?
00:40:12.64\00:40:13.98
What did the blood of Abel do?
00:40:14.01\00:40:15.41
God said to Cain, "The
blood of your brother Abel
00:40:15.64\00:40:18.68
cries out to Me
from the ground."
00:40:18.71\00:40:20.82
So it's the life of
Abel that is crying out.
00:40:20.85\00:40:23.32
It's not some intangible soul
that's flying off somewhere.
00:40:23.35\00:40:27.66
And so here it
says, once again...
00:40:28.12\00:40:30.23
This is the
righteous. They go to heaven.
00:40:32.46\00:40:34.23
They're going to judge.
00:40:35.70\00:40:37.03
So those who are going to
judge during the thousand years,
00:40:55.22\00:40:57.59
are they going to
be alive and in heaven
00:40:57.62\00:40:58.99
during the thousand years?
00:40:59.02\00:41:00.36
Yes.
00:41:00.39\00:41:01.72
And so you say,
"But Pastor Bohr,
00:41:01.76\00:41:03.09
who are they going to judge?"
00:41:03.12\00:41:05.56
Well, let's read another text
that describes this judgment
00:41:06.06\00:41:09.76
during the thousand years.
00:41:10.03\00:41:11.53
And then the Bible gives us
an answer of who the righteous
00:41:11.57\00:41:15.44
or the saints are
going to be judging
00:41:15.47\00:41:17.24
during the thousand years.
00:41:17.27\00:41:18.61
Notice Revelation 20:11-12.
00:41:18.77\00:41:22.24
Revelation 20:11-12
00:41:22.41\00:41:25.05
Verse 11 is describing
the second coming of Christ.
00:41:26.72\00:41:31.79
We need to understand that.
00:41:31.89\00:41:33.25
Revelation 20:11 is describing
the second coming of Christ.
00:41:33.89\00:41:37.06
And verse 12 is describing the
judgment during the millennium.
00:41:37.53\00:41:41.50
Now let's notice verse 11.
00:41:41.93\00:41:43.57
So notice, heaven
and earth fade away,
00:41:55.74\00:41:58.85
and there's no place for them.
00:41:58.95\00:42:00.95
Now you say, how do
you know that's describing
00:42:01.25\00:42:03.32
the second coming?
00:42:03.35\00:42:04.69
Because this same idea is
repeated in Revelation 6:14-17.
00:42:04.72\00:42:10.03
Let's read that carefully.
00:42:10.06\00:42:11.63
Speaking about the
second coming, it says...
00:42:12.23\00:42:14.20
So you see, the
heavens fade away.
00:42:19.13\00:42:21.44
And then it says...
00:42:21.47\00:42:22.80
There's the key word,
"...out of its place."
00:42:26.88\00:42:28.71
So Revelation
20:11 and Revelation 6:14
00:42:28.81\00:42:34.12
are describing the
second coming of Jesus.
00:42:34.15\00:42:36.69
And then of course it
continues saying in verse 15...
00:42:36.72\00:42:39.05
This is describing the
second coming of Christ, right?
00:42:59.51\00:43:01.78
So is He sitting on a
throne, according to this,
00:43:02.34\00:43:04.65
at the second coming?
00:43:04.68\00:43:06.01
Absolutely.
00:43:06.05\00:43:07.38
It speaks about one who
is seated on the throne.
00:43:07.42\00:43:09.02
Does it say that
the heaven fades away
00:43:09.18\00:43:12.49
as a scroll? Yes.
00:43:12.59\00:43:14.36
Does it say that every mountain
and island on earth disappears?
00:43:14.39\00:43:18.13
Of course.
00:43:18.16\00:43:19.49
And so Revelation
20:11 is describing the
00:43:19.53\00:43:22.23
second coming of Jesus.
00:43:22.26\00:43:23.60
Let's read it again.
00:43:23.63\00:43:24.97
And then notice what comes next.
00:43:34.91\00:43:36.85
What comes next in verse
13 is the millennial judgment
00:43:36.98\00:43:41.88
after the second coming.
00:43:41.92\00:43:43.25
Notice what it says in verse 12.
00:43:43.59\00:43:45.59
"And I saw the dead..."
00:43:45.79\00:43:47.29
Which dead would this be?
00:43:47.32\00:43:48.66
Is this the righteous dead?
00:43:49.26\00:43:50.59
No, because the righteous dead
resurrected when Jesus came.
00:43:50.99\00:43:53.63
So which dead must this be?
00:43:53.83\00:43:55.60
It must be the wicked dead.
00:43:55.90\00:43:57.33
And so it says...
00:43:57.50\00:43:58.83
And you say, "Now
wait a minute, pastor.
00:44:03.14\00:44:04.47
How can dead
people stand before God?"
00:44:04.51\00:44:06.34
Does it say that these are
dead people standing before God?
00:44:08.31\00:44:11.45
Yes, that's what it says.
00:44:11.48\00:44:12.81
It says, "And I saw the dead..."
00:44:12.85\00:44:15.68
So when they're
judged, are they dead?
00:44:25.83\00:44:27.86
When they're judged
are they dead, yes or no?
00:44:28.26\00:44:30.07
Yes, it says, "And
the dead were judged..."
00:44:30.17\00:44:33.07
So how is it that the
dead stand before God?
00:44:36.81\00:44:38.97
We're going to study
this in more detail later on.
00:44:39.01\00:44:41.04
They stand before God
through the record of their life
00:44:41.24\00:44:44.65
in the heavenly books.
00:44:44.68\00:44:46.01
They don't stand
there personally.
00:44:47.05\00:44:49.18
And believe me, we have a whole
lecture where we're going to
00:44:49.62\00:44:52.12
deal with this
aspect of the judgment.
00:44:52.15\00:44:54.62
When it says that
the dead stand before God
00:44:54.72\00:44:57.33
and the dead are
judged during the millennium,
00:44:57.36\00:44:59.69
what it simply is saying
is that God keeps a biography
00:44:59.93\00:45:04.53
of everyone on
earth of their entire life
00:45:04.57\00:45:08.07
in the heavenly records.
00:45:08.17\00:45:09.54
And that is what is examined
during the thousand years.
00:45:09.67\00:45:13.27
The dead, as individuals, are
dead during the thousand years.
00:45:13.48\00:45:18.21
But they are
before the throne of God
00:45:18.41\00:45:20.48
through the
record of their lives.
00:45:20.68\00:45:22.22
Are you following me or not?
00:45:22.25\00:45:23.59
And by the way,
I'm going to cover this
00:45:23.62\00:45:25.45
with luxury of detail
later on in our series.
00:45:25.49\00:45:29.16
So notice it says that
the dead are judged during
00:45:29.59\00:45:33.90
the thousand years.
00:45:33.93\00:45:35.26
Now the question is,
who are they going to judge?
00:45:35.63\00:45:39.73
Well, here we have
something very interesting.
00:45:40.47\00:45:44.17
A text that many
people don't even look at.
00:45:44.21\00:45:47.04
Adventists do, but
from other churches.
00:45:47.41\00:45:50.08
It's like this text
doesn't really exist
00:45:50.18\00:45:52.61
in the minds of people.
00:45:52.65\00:45:53.98
Notice 1 Corinthians 6:1-3.
00:45:54.02\00:45:56.89
It clearly says who the
saints are going to judge.
00:45:56.92\00:46:00.22
The apostle Paul is
speaking here of lawsuits,
00:46:00.62\00:46:02.62
that we should not
take one another to court.
00:46:02.66\00:46:04.99
And he says this...
00:46:05.26\00:46:06.66
In other words, if you
have a beef with one of the
00:46:14.60\00:46:16.47
church members, are
you going to take that case
00:46:16.50\00:46:19.01
to the worldly courts to
make the church look bad?
00:46:19.04\00:46:21.61
Verse 2...
00:46:22.04\00:46:23.38
What?
00:46:26.95\00:46:28.28
What does, "the world," mean?
00:46:28.38\00:46:29.82
It must be the worldlings.
00:46:30.09\00:46:31.55
It's not talking
about the righteous.
00:46:31.59\00:46:33.32
It's not
talking about the saved.
00:46:33.42\00:46:34.92
Jesus said, "Love not
the world, nor the things
00:46:35.02\00:46:37.93
that are in the world."
00:46:37.96\00:46:39.29
He says that he who makes
himself a friend of the world
00:46:39.69\00:46:43.30
is an enemy of God.
00:46:43.33\00:46:44.67
So the word, "world,"
refers to the unrighteous.
00:46:44.70\00:46:47.10
So the apostle Paul is
saying, "Don't you know that the
00:46:47.34\00:46:49.97
saints are going to
judge the unrighteous?"
00:46:50.01\00:46:52.61
But not only the unrighteous.
00:46:52.84\00:46:54.58
Notice what it
continues saying in verse 2...
00:46:54.61\00:46:57.71
What are the
saints going to judge?
00:47:11.69\00:47:13.46
Not only the ungodly, the world,
but they're going to judge what?
00:47:13.66\00:47:18.00
Angels.
00:47:18.03\00:47:19.37
Which angels would those be?
00:47:19.83\00:47:21.84
The righteous angels?
00:47:21.97\00:47:23.30
Do the righteous
angels need a judgment?
00:47:23.34\00:47:25.07
No.
00:47:25.11\00:47:26.44
It's the wicked
angels who need a judgment.
00:47:26.47\00:47:28.84
And so it says
clearly here that the saints
00:47:28.91\00:47:31.61
will judge the world, the
ungodly, and they will judge
00:47:31.65\00:47:36.08
the fallen angels,
Satan and his angels.
00:47:36.22\00:47:39.55
And by the way, this is exactly
what Revelation 20:4 says.
00:47:39.82\00:47:43.16
It says, "Judgment
was committed to them."
00:47:43.19\00:47:45.99
God's people will judge
during the thousand years.
00:47:46.13\00:47:48.53
Because God wants to
show them that He was right
00:47:48.73\00:47:51.50
in taking those
to heaven that He did
00:47:51.63\00:47:53.84
and in leaving behind
those that He left behind.
00:47:53.87\00:47:57.94
Now there's another step or
another phase to the judgment.
00:47:58.64\00:48:02.44
The third phase of the judgment.
00:48:02.48\00:48:04.21
It takes place
after the thousand years.
00:48:04.41\00:48:07.72
Now let me just say,
you're probably wondering,
00:48:07.92\00:48:10.45
you're saying, "Okay, we
understood the investigation.
00:48:10.49\00:48:14.02
We understood the sentencing.
00:48:14.16\00:48:16.62
But where is the execution
of the sentence of those
00:48:16.66\00:48:19.69
who were judged
during the thousand years?"
00:48:19.73\00:48:21.56
Well, the execution of the
sentence doesn't take place
00:48:21.60\00:48:24.00
until after the thousand years.
00:48:24.03\00:48:25.73
That's when the
wicked are cast where?
00:48:25.87\00:48:28.00
Into the lake of fire
with the devil and his angels.
00:48:28.34\00:48:30.74
That's the execution of the
sentence that is investigated
00:48:30.77\00:48:34.28
and pronounced
during the thousand years.
00:48:34.31\00:48:37.28
But let's talk briefly about
the judgment that takes place
00:48:37.31\00:48:41.32
after the thousand years.
00:48:41.68\00:48:43.95
Now who does God want to
convince of His righteousness
00:48:43.99\00:48:48.56
and of His love in the
judgment that takes place
00:48:48.59\00:48:51.56
after the thousand years?
00:48:51.59\00:48:53.36
Well the purpose of the judgment
after the thousand years
00:48:53.66\00:48:58.23
is to even convince the
wicked and Satan and his angels
00:48:58.53\00:49:03.77
that God was right in
excluding them from heaven.
00:49:03.87\00:49:07.64
In other words, God is going to
prove before the heavenly beings
00:49:08.14\00:49:13.11
that He was right.
00:49:13.15\00:49:14.48
He's going to prove before
the saints that He was right.
00:49:14.52\00:49:16.79
And He's going to prove
to the devil and his angels
00:49:16.99\00:49:19.29
and the wicked
that He was right.
00:49:19.32\00:49:20.82
And only when the whole
universe recognizes that God
00:49:21.06\00:49:25.06
was right in His judgment will
God be able to eradicate sin.
00:49:25.09\00:49:29.23
Because everybody
will be on the same page.
00:49:29.36\00:49:32.77
Are you following me or not?
00:49:33.23\00:49:34.60
What a wonderful God,
who even is going to make it
00:49:34.64\00:49:37.61
necessary for the wicked
and the devil and his angels
00:49:37.71\00:49:41.31
to see the
righteousness of their sentence,
00:49:41.34\00:49:43.95
and how God is love.
00:49:43.98\00:49:46.88
Now let's read several
text that describe the judgment
00:49:46.92\00:49:50.22
after the
second coming of Jesus.
00:49:50.25\00:49:52.49
Go with me to Revelation 20:13.
00:49:52.72\00:49:55.89
Revelation 20:13.
00:49:55.99\00:49:58.76
This is describing what
happens after the millennium.
00:49:59.13\00:50:03.16
So notice, Revelation
20:11 is the second coming.
00:50:03.20\00:50:06.47
Revelation 20:12 is the judgment
during the thousand years
00:50:06.84\00:50:10.74
when the dead stand before God.
00:50:10.77\00:50:12.21
But verse 13
describes the time when the dead
00:50:12.64\00:50:15.51
are going to
resurrect, the wicked dead are
00:50:15.54\00:50:17.25
going to resurrect.
00:50:17.28\00:50:18.61
Notice once
again Revelation 20:13.
00:50:18.65\00:50:21.45
Hades is the grave, by the way.
00:50:26.72\00:50:28.32
What do these expressions
mean, "the sea gave up
00:50:31.99\00:50:35.96
the dead who were in
it," and, "Death and the grave
00:50:36.00\00:50:39.17
delivered up the
dead who were in them"?
00:50:39.60\00:50:41.74
What does it mean, "gave
up," and, "delivered up"?
00:50:41.97\00:50:45.11
It's talking about the what?
00:50:45.31\00:50:46.84
The resurrection of the wicked.
00:50:47.24\00:50:49.38
In a moment I'm going to
read you another parallel verse
00:50:49.84\00:50:51.98
that uses similar language.
00:50:52.01\00:50:54.12
And notice what
it continues saying.
00:50:54.32\00:50:56.28
So is there a
judgment that takes place after
00:51:00.26\00:51:03.09
the resurrection of the wicked?
00:51:03.12\00:51:04.46
Absolutely.
00:51:04.79\00:51:06.13
Very clearly this
verse tells us so.
00:51:06.16\00:51:08.70
It says the sea
gives up the dead in it;
00:51:08.73\00:51:11.07
that's the
resurrection of the wicked.
00:51:11.10\00:51:12.97
Death and the grave deliver
up the dead that were in them.
00:51:13.10\00:51:16.67
And then it says
that once they're raised,
00:51:16.97\00:51:20.08
they are what?
00:51:20.11\00:51:21.44
They are judged, each
one according to his works.
00:51:21.48\00:51:24.55
They were judged
during the thousand years
00:51:24.58\00:51:26.61
so that the saints
could see why they were lost,
00:51:26.65\00:51:29.05
whereas after the
thousand years they are judged
00:51:29.28\00:51:32.15
while they're alive
so that they can confess
00:51:32.19\00:51:34.86
the justice of their sentence.
00:51:34.89\00:51:36.36
And Satan and his
angels themselves will bow
00:51:36.39\00:51:39.33
and say that God has acted
correctly, God has been right.
00:51:39.36\00:51:43.23
Notice Isaiah 26:19 where this
idiom is used about "giving up."
00:51:43.53\00:51:50.17
Isaiah 26:19 says...
00:51:50.51\00:51:53.68
Who are those who
dwell in the dust?
00:52:04.59\00:52:06.22
It's the dead, right?
00:52:06.42\00:52:07.76
The dead dwell in the dust.
00:52:07.79\00:52:09.12
And then it says...
00:52:09.16\00:52:10.49
You see the
similarity in the terminology
00:52:17.97\00:52:20.20
that we found in
the book of Revelation?
00:52:20.24\00:52:22.10
And so after the
millennium, the Bible tells us
00:52:22.37\00:52:25.67
in Revelation 20:5 that
the rest of the dead resurrect
00:52:25.71\00:52:30.28
after the thousand years.
00:52:30.31\00:52:31.91
And when they resurrect,
they will be able to see,
00:52:32.18\00:52:36.02
there will be an investigation
that will show them
00:52:36.52\00:52:39.25
the righteousness
of their sentence.
00:52:39.29\00:52:41.46
And then they will
kneel and they will
00:52:41.49\00:52:43.26
pronounce their own sentence.
00:52:43.29\00:52:44.63
They will say, "Just and
true are Your ways, O God.
00:52:44.66\00:52:47.46
We deserve to be destroyed.
00:52:47.66\00:52:49.60
You gave us an
opportunity to be saved,
00:52:49.63\00:52:51.93
and we rejected it."
00:52:52.17\00:52:54.37
And then what
is going to happen?
00:52:54.40\00:52:55.97
God is going to execute the
judgment that was determined
00:52:56.07\00:53:00.98
in the investigation and
was shown to these wicked people
00:53:01.01\00:53:06.65
and to the devil and his angels.
00:53:06.68\00:53:08.12
Are you following me or not?
00:53:08.15\00:53:09.48
Now, let's notice the
execution of the sentence
00:53:09.85\00:53:12.69
in Revelation 20:14-15.
00:53:12.72\00:53:15.12
And then we will
notice Revelation 21:8.
00:53:15.49\00:53:18.39
This is the
sentence and the execution,
00:53:18.43\00:53:22.33
the final
execution of the sentence.
00:53:22.36\00:53:24.53
That is, the grave.
00:53:27.54\00:53:28.87
Now let's unpack
that for a moment.
00:53:35.78\00:53:37.85
What is the death that the
wicked are going to suffer?
00:53:38.75\00:53:41.08
What is their
final punishment for sin?
00:53:41.12\00:53:42.85
The second death.
00:53:43.22\00:53:44.59
Can you have a second
death unless you had the first?
00:53:44.62\00:53:46.86
No.
00:53:47.42\00:53:48.76
Let me tell you
what the scenario is.
00:53:49.26\00:53:51.09
Many who live before
the second coming of Christ,
00:53:51.76\00:53:54.16
ungodly, died
right, before Jesus came?
00:53:54.60\00:53:57.03
And then others died
when Jesus came, right?
00:53:57.67\00:54:00.50
So all of the wicked were dead.
00:54:00.54\00:54:02.00
Did they die once?
00:54:03.20\00:54:04.54
Yes. That's their first death.
00:54:05.17\00:54:06.51
Is that their
punishment for sin?
00:54:06.54\00:54:08.11
No. Why couldn't it be?
00:54:08.51\00:54:09.84
Because they have not
seen their day in court.
00:54:10.01\00:54:13.31
See, God is going to
show them in a court of law
00:54:14.18\00:54:16.99
that he was right.
00:54:17.02\00:54:18.35
He would not give them
second death without them saying
00:54:18.52\00:54:22.92
that we deserve it.
00:54:22.96\00:54:24.29
Are you following me or not?
00:54:24.33\00:54:25.66
And so basically what we
find is that God reveals to them
00:54:25.69\00:54:30.50
their cases, and then
they will suffer second death.
00:54:30.53\00:54:35.77
Which means that the first
death was before Jesus came,
00:54:35.80\00:54:38.47
or at the moment of
the second coming of Jesus.
00:54:38.51\00:54:41.38
And the second death is a
death from which there will be
00:54:41.61\00:54:44.81
no resurrection.
00:54:44.91\00:54:46.98
That is the final execution
of the sentence against those
00:54:47.02\00:54:50.62
who rejected Jesus.
00:54:50.65\00:54:52.45
So it says in
verses 14 and 15...
00:54:52.49\00:54:55.12
Now you say,
"Pastor, what was in the books
00:55:07.80\00:55:10.24
that condemned the wicked?"
00:55:10.37\00:55:12.24
Oh we don't have to guess,
because the Bible gives us
00:55:12.44\00:55:14.98
a description of what was found
in the records of the wicked.
00:55:15.01\00:55:18.71
Notice Revelation 21:8.
00:55:18.81\00:55:21.62
Revelation 21:8.
00:55:21.72\00:55:24.55
Is that a list of the things
that are found in the records
00:55:39.40\00:55:43.71
of the wicked?
00:55:43.74\00:55:45.07
Absolutely.
00:55:45.11\00:55:46.44
What's going to
happen with them?
00:55:46.47\00:55:47.81
Based on what is found in
the books, all of these sins,
00:55:47.84\00:55:50.35
of which they did not repent,
they did not confess them,
00:55:50.45\00:55:53.48
and they did not trust
in Jesus as their Savior,
00:55:53.68\00:55:56.89
it says...
00:55:56.92\00:55:58.25
So does this make sense,
what we've studied this evening?
00:56:10.57\00:56:14.00
You see, the
judgment is not an event.
00:56:14.60\00:56:17.94
The judgment is a process.
00:56:18.71\00:56:21.34
A three phase process.
00:56:21.38\00:56:24.21
And each phase is
composed of three steps.
00:56:24.35\00:56:27.72
Investigating the case,
then pronouncing the sentence
00:56:28.28\00:56:33.02
based on the evidence, and
finally executing the sentence
00:56:33.05\00:56:36.99
based on the evidence and the
pronunciation of the sentence.
00:56:37.03\00:56:41.53
In other words, God will
not condemn anyone without
00:56:41.96\00:56:46.53
them having their day in court.
00:56:46.57\00:56:49.17
They will confess before
the universe that God was right.
00:56:49.47\00:56:53.61
God will convince all
of the heavenly universe
00:56:53.94\00:56:56.54
that He was just
and He was loving.
00:56:56.58\00:56:58.75
He will convince the righteous
during the thousand years
00:56:59.01\00:57:01.85
that He was just
and He was loving
00:57:01.88\00:57:04.19
in leaving behind
those who stayed behind
00:57:04.42\00:57:06.96
and in taking to
heaven those whom He took.
00:57:06.99\00:57:09.99
And finally, He will
even convince the devil
00:57:10.33\00:57:13.09
and his angels, and
the wicked themselves,
00:57:13.13\00:57:15.60
that He has dealt justly
with them, that He loved them,
00:57:15.80\00:57:19.33
that He gave them
every opportunity to receive
00:57:19.43\00:57:21.90
Jesus as Savior.
00:57:21.94\00:57:23.27
He gave them every
opportunity to be saved.
00:57:23.41\00:57:26.24
And yet, every opportunity
was slighted and rejected.
00:57:26.47\00:57:31.28
And therefore, Satan and
his angels, and the wicked,
00:57:31.95\00:57:35.72
will pronounce
their own sentence.
00:57:35.75\00:57:38.32
They will say, "Just and
true are Your ways, O God."
00:57:38.35\00:57:42.39
And then, and only then,
will God be able to destroy
00:57:42.62\00:57:46.80
sin and sinners
from the universe.
00:57:46.83\00:57:49.23
Because everybody
is on the same page.
00:57:49.26\00:57:53.40
Don't we have a wonderful God?
00:57:54.30\00:57:55.90
A God who cares
what His creatures think.
00:57:56.24\00:57:59.34
Now don't miss our next study.
00:57:59.54\00:58:00.88
We will be studying
about the entrance of Jesus
00:58:00.91\00:58:03.61
as the Lamb to the
camp of God's people.
00:58:03.85\00:58:07.75