Well, welcome again to
this very important series,
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which you can see the title is,
The Great Cosmic Controversy.
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And the subtitle is,
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How God Clears His
Name From All False Charges.
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This is lecture
number nine in this series.
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And today we are going to
study about the time of trouble,
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which comes after
the close of probation.
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However, before we
do, we want to ask for
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the Lord's special blessing.
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And so I invite you to bow your
heads reverently as we pray.
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Father in heaven, we
come before Your awesome
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and glorious throne, knowing
that when we come in faith
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You hear our
prayers and You answer them.
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Father, we ask for divine
wisdom as we open Your word.
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We realize that human
wisdom is insufficient to grasp
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all of the great
things from Your holy Word.
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And so we need divine aid.
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So be with us through the
ministry of Your Holy Spirit
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and Your angels.
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And I ask, Lord, that
You will bless each one,
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not only of those
who are present here,
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but those who are
watching the live streaming,
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those who will watch
this presentation on YouTube,
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on television, on
DVD, or any other media.
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We thank You, Father,
for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus.
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Amen.
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In our last study, we studied
about the close of probation
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and the cessation of
the ministry of Jesus Christ
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as our High Priest
in the Most Holy Place
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of the heavenly Sanctuary.
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We noticed briefly
in our last presentation
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that when probation closes,
the time of trouble begins.
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Now the time of
trouble is mentioned
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many times in Scripture.
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And in our presentation today,
we are going to take a look
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at several different
presentations in the Bible
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concerning the time of trouble.
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Now some people say, "Well, why
talk about the time of trouble?
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Because God's people are going
to be raptured away to heaven
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before the time of trouble."
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In fact, there's this
theory among Christians that
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the rapture will take
place seven years before the
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glorious coming of Jesus.
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Believers will be
whisked away to heaven.
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And then the poor Jews, as
if they haven't suffered enough,
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along with those
who are left behind,
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are going to suffer this
terrible time of trouble,
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this time of Jacob's trouble.
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And they use a text like,
for example, 1 Thessalonians 5:9
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where it says that God
has not appointed us to wrath,
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but to salvation.
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And I agree, God has
not appointed us to wrath.
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The wrath that falls
during the time of trouble
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falls upon the wicked.
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The righteous will be here,
but the wicked will be the ones
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that will suffer as a result
of the plagues and the events
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that take place
during the time of trouble.
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Now we also studied
in a previous lecture
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that when Jesus finishes
His work in the Most Holy Place
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of the heavenly Sanctuary,
after He has judged all of the
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dead who believed in Jesus
and all of those who are alive,
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the kingdom of Jesus
will be made up at that point.
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In other words, everyone
who belongs to His kingdom
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will be clearly
revealed before the universe.
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And then God's people
will be ready to go through
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the time of trouble that we're
going to discuss this afternoon.
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Now I'd like to mention
four common denominators
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in all of the
different scenarios that we're
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going to take a look
at in our lecture today.
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Number one, we're going to
notice that in every context
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God's people go
through the tribulation.
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They go through
the time of trouble.
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They are not taken out
before the time of trouble.
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They go through
the time of trouble.
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Secondly, the faith and
patience of God's people
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is severely tested
during this period.
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They must exercise
patience or perseverance.
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In the third place, they will
go through a period of anguish.
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They will not despair,
but there will be anguish.
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And finally, at the conclusion
of the time of trouble,
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God's people will be delivered.
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Now I'd like to
begin our discussion of
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the time of trouble,
which begins as soon as
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probation closes, by
turning to Daniel 12:1.
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I invite you to
go there with me.
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Daniel 12:1
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We have looked at this verse
before, but I want us to notice
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four details that we find
that I consider very important
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when we study this subject
in this particular verse.
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Let me give you a little bit of
context before I mention those
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four main points of Daniel 12:1.
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Daniel 12:1 has a
context, a previous context.
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In verses 44 and 45
of chapter 11, we find
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the king of the north
coming against God's people.
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Now you're probably wondering,
who is the king of the north?
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Well in Scripture the last power
that will oppress God's people
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is referred to
in different names.
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For example, it's the
clay in the feet of the
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image of Daniel 2.
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It's the little
horn of Daniel 7 and 8.
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It's the beast of Revelation 13.
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It's the man of sin
of 2 Thessalonians 2.
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It's the abomination of
desolation in Matthew 24.
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It is the harlot
in Revelation 17.
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It is the
Antichrist in 1 John 2.
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In other words, all of
these names are names that refer
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to the same power from
different perspectives.
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In Daniel 11, the
last enemy of God's people,
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which we believe to
represent the papacy,
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is referred to as
the king of the north.
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And verse 44 of Daniel 11 tells
us that the king of the north
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will go out to
destroy and annihilate many.
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In other words, he will
give a death decree against
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God's faithful people
after the close of probation.
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I want you to
notice Daniel 12:1,
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the four points
that I want to underline.
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It says, "At that time..."
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That is, when the
king of the north comes
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with the intention of
destroying God's people.
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Now Michael is
another name for Jesus.
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It means, who is like God.
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Now what does,
"standing up," mean?
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We studied in our last lecture
that the standing up of Michael
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refers to the time
when Jesus begins to reign.
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Because His kingdom is made up.
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In other words, the
standing up of Michael
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is the close of probation.
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We studied that
carefully in our last lecture.
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So it says, at that time
when the king of the north
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goes out to destroy God's
people, Michael shall stand up.
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That means that
probation will close.
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And notice what characteristic
this great Prince has.
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And now notice what's going to
happen after probation closes.
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"...and there
shall be a..." What?
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"...a time of trouble..."
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Does the time of trouble
come after probation closes?
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Absolutely.
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So I want you to remember
that expression, once again,
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"...there shall be a time
of trouble, such as never was
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since there was a
nation, even to that time..."
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And then notice what's
going to happen at the end
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of the time of trouble.
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It says, "...and at
that time your people
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shall be..." What?
"...shall be delivered..."
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I want you to
remember that word.
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It's a key word.
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What is that
book? We studied this.
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The book is the Book of Life.
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And what does the book contain?
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Names.
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So let me ask you, if
those who are in the book
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are delivered, must God
have retained their names
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in the book during the judgment?
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Of course.
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And so the four points
I want us to notice is,
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first of all, standing up
is the close of probation.
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Secondly, after probation
closes, there's going to be
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a severe time of trouble.
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In the third place, God's people
are going to be delivered.
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And in the fourth
place, those who are delivered
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are the ones whose
names are written where?
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In the book.
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Now this
language, "time of trouble,"
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actually comes from another
experience in the Old Testament.
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It comes from Genesis 32.
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Now Genesis 32, we're only
going to look at the highlights
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of this chapter.
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Have you ever heard of
the time of Jacob's trouble?
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Have you ever
wondered why it's called,
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the time of Jacob's trouble?
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Because that's what the
time of trouble is called.
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It's because the time
of trouble in Daniel 12:1
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from which God's people
are delivered from the wrath
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of the king of the north
is similar to an experience
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that Jacob went
through in Genesis 32.
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Now let me just
review the story.
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In Genesis 32, Jacob was
returning home after being
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exiled for 20 years.
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On his way home he
received news that his brother
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was coming with 400 armed
men to attack and to destroy him
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and his family.
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And of course, he and
his family were defenseless.
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They had no weapons.
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And so the Bible tells us
that Jacob goes by himself
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and he begins pouring out
his heart in prayer to God.
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And he says to the
Lord, "My brother is coming
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and he has the
intention of destroying us.
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I fear him.
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Please, Lord,
intervene and deliver me from
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the wrath of my brother."
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Does this sound similar to
what we read in Daniel 12:1?
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The king of the north
coming against God's people?
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Absolutely.
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Furthermore, Jacob
wanted an assurance from God
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that the sin that he had
committed 20 years earlier
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by stealing his brother's
birthright, and also by lying
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to his father, had
been forgiven by God.
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Now God had already told
him that He had forgiven it.
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Because God gave him
the dream of the ladder.
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At the point God was saying,
"Hey, there still is communion
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between heaven and earth.
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You don't have to worry."
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But Jacob could
not forgive himself.
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Isn't that true of us many
times, that God forgives us
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because He says He forgives us,
and many times we're not able
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to forgive ourselves?
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But anyway, he wants the
assurance that that sin has
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been forgiven so that
he can claim God's promise
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to protect him and his family.
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And as he's there pouring
his heart out in prayer to God,
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suddenly an individual comes
and he thinks it's an enemy.
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Perhaps he thought
that it was his brother.
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And he starts struggling and
fighting with this individual.
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And the struggle
goes on all night.
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And finally, in the morning
when the sun was just beginning
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to rise, Jacob realizes that
he's not fighting with a common
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ordinary human being.
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He realizes that he's struggling
with the angel of the covenant,
00:12:00.42\00:12:06.42
with the angel of the Lord,
that is nonetheless than whom?
00:12:06.45\00:12:10.63
Than Jesus Christ Himself.
00:12:10.66\00:12:12.79
And we're going to see in
a moment that that's true.
00:12:12.83\00:12:14.73
Because in the Old
Testament, Jesus is called
00:12:14.83\00:12:16.77
the Angel of the Lord.
00:12:16.80\00:12:18.13
He's the Messenger of
the Father to planet earth.
00:12:18.17\00:12:20.94
And so Jacob thinks
that it's the enemy.
00:12:21.20\00:12:23.24
But then he discovers,
when this Being touches his hip
00:12:23.27\00:12:27.78
and it becomes disjointed,
he says, "You know, this is not
00:12:27.81\00:12:30.75
a human being that
I'm struggling with."
00:12:30.78\00:12:32.45
He realizes that it's
the Angel of the covenant.
00:12:32.48\00:12:35.18
And so he grabs onto Him and he
says, with agony in his heart,
00:12:35.38\00:12:39.95
"I will not let You
go until You bless me,
00:12:40.06\00:12:43.12
and You give me the assurance
that my sin is forgiven,
00:12:43.16\00:12:45.49
that You're going to
protect me and my family."
00:12:45.69\00:12:48.40
And the Angel,
Jesus, says, "Let Me go,
00:12:48.56\00:12:51.53
because the sun is coming up."
00:12:51.57\00:12:52.90
And Jacob says, "I am
not going to let You go
00:12:52.93\00:12:56.74
for anything in the
world until You bless me."
00:12:56.77\00:12:59.64
And then the Bible tells
us that the Angel of the Lord
00:13:00.24\00:13:05.15
blessed Jacob there.
00:13:05.35\00:13:07.32
And not only did He bless
him, He delivered him from
00:13:07.88\00:13:12.22
the wrath of his brother.
00:13:12.25\00:13:13.59
Because when his
brother came against him,
00:13:13.62\00:13:15.52
his brother did not attack him.
00:13:15.79\00:13:17.76
They actually ended up in peace.
00:13:17.89\00:13:21.20
And the Bible tells us
that there God changed his name.
00:13:21.36\00:13:26.00
In the Bible, the name
represents the character.
00:13:26.37\00:13:28.94
You see, the
character of Jacob had changed.
00:13:29.17\00:13:31.97
His name
originally means, supplanter.
00:13:32.14\00:13:35.44
"Jacob," means, someone who
steals the position of another.
00:13:35.48\00:13:38.68
But when he struggled with
the Angel, and he was blessed,
00:13:38.85\00:13:42.58
the Angel said, "You
will no longer be called,
00:13:43.05\00:13:45.55
Jacob; supplanter.
00:13:45.59\00:13:47.12
Your name will now be
called, Israel, because you have
00:13:47.22\00:13:51.19
struggled with God and with
men, and you have prevailed."
00:13:51.23\00:13:55.26
I want to read the verses that
describe this glorious event
00:13:55.86\00:13:59.90
in Genesis 32:24-30.
00:14:00.00\00:14:03.64
Let's notice how the Bible
describes this wrestling match
00:14:04.04\00:14:09.68
between Jacob and the
Angel of the covenant.
00:14:09.78\00:14:13.01
Notice, he must have
been in excruciating pain.
00:14:31.50\00:14:34.14
And yet, he still
struggles on and he still
00:14:34.60\00:14:37.47
hangs on for dear life.
00:14:37.51\00:14:39.04
Verse 26, this is the
Angel of the covenant...
00:14:39.41\00:14:43.11
"Israel," means,
prince of God, by the way.
00:15:01.53\00:15:03.67
"You've gained the
victory," in other words.
00:15:12.44\00:15:14.48
He wants to know
the Angel's name.
00:15:18.25\00:15:19.98
Let me ask you, can
human beings really bless?
00:15:26.82\00:15:29.02
Who's the only
one who can bless?
00:15:29.06\00:15:30.66
God is the only
one who can bless.
00:15:31.13\00:15:33.09
We say, "God
bless you," don't we?
00:15:33.29\00:15:35.36
Now notice what it
continues saying here in verse,
00:15:35.60\00:15:39.30
once again, let's
begin at verse 29...
00:15:39.87\00:15:41.60
Who had he been struggling with?
00:16:02.72\00:16:04.56
With God.
00:16:05.63\00:16:07.10
He called it, Peniel.
00:16:07.56\00:16:09.70
Which means, face of God.
00:16:10.57\00:16:12.70
In other words, the person
that he was struggling with,
00:16:12.73\00:16:15.90
that he was asking
for the blessing from
00:16:16.17\00:16:18.41
and protection from
and deliverance from,
00:16:18.44\00:16:21.61
was none less than
Jesus Christ Himself.
00:16:21.78\00:16:25.85
Now Jeremiah 30
picks up on this.
00:16:26.31\00:16:30.05
Jeremiah 30 beginning
with verse 5 through verse 9
00:16:30.52\00:16:35.16
picks up on this
experience of Jacob.
00:16:35.56\00:16:37.86
But at this point now
it's being applied to Israel,
00:16:37.89\00:16:41.66
God's people in
the Old Testament.
00:16:41.70\00:16:43.23
You see, Israel was led
into Babylonian captivity.
00:16:43.26\00:16:46.30
You remember this, right?
00:16:46.33\00:16:47.67
Did they suffer, did they
go through terrible anguish
00:16:47.70\00:16:51.01
when they were
captive in Babylon?
00:16:51.04\00:16:52.64
Absolutely.
00:16:52.67\00:16:54.01
Did they want to be
delivered from Babylon?
00:16:54.04\00:16:56.01
Of course they did.
00:16:56.04\00:16:57.38
Just like the
experience of Jacob.
00:16:57.41\00:16:59.11
They had fallen into
the hands of the enemies.
00:16:59.21\00:17:01.45
They cried out to
God for deliverance.
00:17:01.48\00:17:03.89
It was a terrible
time of trouble just like
00:17:04.22\00:17:06.86
Jacob had experienced.
00:17:06.89\00:17:08.59
Now let's read Jeremiah 30:5.
00:17:08.62\00:17:12.16
This is where the expression,
00:17:12.19\00:17:13.80
"time of Jacob's
trouble," comes from.
00:17:13.83\00:17:16.26
This is talking about Jacob's
brother coming against him.
00:17:24.81\00:17:28.71
Is this a painful experience
that he's going through?
00:17:34.65\00:17:37.05
It's like going
through childbirth,
00:17:37.09\00:17:39.22
is what Jeremiah is saying.
00:17:39.25\00:17:41.82
This is describing the terrible
time of anguish and trouble
00:17:51.60\00:17:54.60
that God's people will go
through at the end of time
00:17:54.64\00:17:56.94
when they are being
oppressed by spiritual Babylon
00:17:57.04\00:18:01.68
on a worldwide scale.
00:18:01.71\00:18:03.04
Notice verse 7...
00:18:03.24\00:18:04.58
Do you remember we read
in Daniel 12:1, it says that
00:18:10.09\00:18:13.12
this is a time of trouble such
as never has been seen before?
00:18:13.15\00:18:15.69
Notice it says here, once
again, it says in verse 7...
00:18:16.06\00:18:20.86
Was he going to
be delivered? Yes.
00:18:30.81\00:18:32.64
When it says, "David," it's
not talking about literal David.
00:18:52.03\00:18:54.73
Because Jeremiah wrote
long after David was dead.
00:18:54.76\00:18:57.77
So it's talking
about the Son of David.
00:18:58.13\00:19:00.47
It's talking about Jesus
Christ reigning over His people.
00:19:00.50\00:19:03.44
Let me ask you, does this
describe the time of trouble
00:19:03.74\00:19:06.44
that God's people
are going to go through,
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.34
according to Daniel 12:1?
00:19:08.44\00:19:10.91
Is it going to be a time
of severe anguish and pain,
00:19:11.08\00:19:14.98
and crying out to God, and
prayer to have the assurance
00:19:15.02\00:19:19.15
of the forgiveness of
sins, and to have the assurance
00:19:19.19\00:19:21.99
that God is going
to keep His covenant
00:19:22.02\00:19:24.03
and He's going to
protect His people
00:19:24.06\00:19:25.59
from being
annihilated from the earth?
00:19:25.63\00:19:27.30
Absolutely.
00:19:27.40\00:19:28.73
Now there's another place
in Scripture that describes
00:19:29.16\00:19:31.43
this time of trouble.
00:19:31.47\00:19:32.80
And similar terminology
is used in this passage
00:19:33.17\00:19:36.50
as is used in Daniel 12:1.
00:19:36.54\00:19:39.51
I'm referring to Matthew 24
and we'll read verses 21 and 22
00:19:39.91\00:19:45.45
where you have
the time of trouble.
00:19:45.55\00:19:47.35
And then we're going
to read verses 29 to 31,
00:19:47.55\00:19:50.15
which is the deliverance
from the time of trouble.
00:19:50.19\00:19:52.49
Notice Matthew 24:21-22.
00:19:52.72\00:19:55.22
You're aware of what
Matthew 24 contains, right?
00:19:55.26\00:19:57.86
Matthew 24 is Christ's sermon
about the signs of the end.
00:19:58.69\00:20:02.60
Now it applies in a limited
way to events that led up
00:20:03.00\00:20:06.60
to the destruction in
Jerusalem in the year 70.
00:20:06.63\00:20:09.00
But it has a double application.
00:20:09.37\00:20:11.37
It has an application
also to end time events
00:20:11.47\00:20:14.04
on a broader scale.
00:20:14.08\00:20:15.44
Notice verses 21 and 22.
00:20:15.68\00:20:18.28
Does that sound
similar to Daniel 12:1?
00:20:30.39\00:20:33.23
Absolutely.
00:20:33.40\00:20:34.73
This is the worst
time of trouble in the
00:20:34.76\00:20:36.80
history of the world, is
what is being described here.
00:20:36.83\00:20:39.80
It is so bad, notice verse 22...
00:20:39.83\00:20:42.50
I want you to remember
that expression, "the elect."
00:20:50.95\00:20:54.22
Are the elect going to go
through this time of trouble?
00:20:54.42\00:20:57.05
Yes.
00:20:57.09\00:20:58.42
Are God's people
going to go through a severe
00:21:02.79\00:21:04.83
time of trouble,
according to this?
00:21:04.86\00:21:06.63
The great
tribulation? Absolutely.
00:21:06.83\00:21:09.10
Are they going to be delivered?
00:21:09.26\00:21:11.57
Yes they are.
00:21:11.77\00:21:13.10
Notice verse 29. Here
we have the deliverance.
00:21:13.13\00:21:15.84
See, this is
after the tribulation.
00:21:19.87\00:21:21.88
The powers of the
heavens are the sun, the moon,
00:21:32.75\00:21:34.86
and the stars.
00:21:34.89\00:21:36.22
They will be moved out of
their places, according to,
00:21:36.26\00:21:38.93
Early Writings, page
41, by the voice of God.
00:21:38.96\00:21:42.16
How powerful is the
voice of God that when God
00:21:42.36\00:21:44.77
utters His
voice, "It is finished.
00:21:44.80\00:21:46.90
I'm going to deliver My people,"
the sun, moon, and stars
00:21:46.94\00:21:49.84
are moved out of their
places in such a way that during
00:21:49.87\00:21:52.51
the millennium the whole
planet will be in darkness
00:21:52.54\00:21:54.58
because there will
be no sun or moon here?
00:21:54.61\00:21:56.54
They will go who know
where in the universe.
00:21:57.18\00:22:00.08
God, after the millennium, will
put them in their proper place.
00:22:00.18\00:22:03.15
We're going to talk
about that in our last lecture.
00:22:03.49\00:22:06.32
And so notice it says...
00:22:06.35\00:22:07.69
Here it is again. "His elect..."
00:22:37.75\00:22:39.62
Did they go through
the time of trouble? Yes.
00:22:39.65\00:22:41.92
"He will gather
together His elect..."
00:22:41.96\00:22:44.09
Is deliverance going
to come for God's people
00:22:48.23\00:22:51.03
who go through
the time of trouble?
00:22:51.07\00:22:52.80
Is God going to keep His word?
00:22:53.07\00:22:55.20
He most certainly is.
00:22:55.24\00:22:56.57
Is it going to be,
however, a difficult time?
00:22:56.60\00:22:58.64
A time of anguish? A
time of very much difficulty?
00:22:58.67\00:23:01.98
Absolutely.
00:23:02.14\00:23:03.48
Now I'm going to
digress just for a moment.
00:23:03.65\00:23:06.18
And you're going to see
where we're going with this.
00:23:06.21\00:23:08.08
The Constitution of the
United States has a very
00:23:09.75\00:23:14.29
famous amendment.
00:23:14.32\00:23:15.66
Probably the most
famous amendment is the First
00:23:15.69\00:23:17.93
Amendment to the Constitution
of the United States.
00:23:17.96\00:23:20.70
It has three clauses.
00:23:21.20\00:23:22.83
The first clause clearly
states that Congress cannot
00:23:23.30\00:23:27.94
make any law that establishes
a religious observance.
00:23:27.97\00:23:31.21
The second clause clearly
states that Congress cannot
00:23:31.94\00:23:36.88
make any law forbidding
your right to free exercise
00:23:36.91\00:23:40.52
of your religion.
00:23:40.55\00:23:41.88
And the third clause
of the First Amendment
00:23:41.98\00:23:44.59
guarantees civil rights.
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.19
The right to assemble peaceably,
the right to ask the government
00:23:48.09\00:23:52.49
to redress grievances,
the freedom of speech,
00:23:52.53\00:23:56.20
freedom of the press, etc.
00:23:56.23\00:23:57.83
So the first two clauses have
to do with freedom of religion.
00:23:58.10\00:24:01.04
The last clause has
to do with civil rights.
00:24:01.14\00:24:05.17
Now let me read
the First Amendment.
00:24:05.37\00:24:06.91
And you're going to see
where we're going with this.
00:24:06.94\00:24:08.38
This might appear
like, you know, it's kind of
00:24:08.41\00:24:10.58
digressing from the
subject, but it's not really.
00:24:10.61\00:24:13.18
What we're doing is setting the
stage for what we're going to
00:24:13.38\00:24:16.15
look at next, which
is Daniel 3 and Daniel 6.
00:24:16.18\00:24:19.65
Notice the First
Amendment says...
00:24:20.16\00:24:21.86
Would a Sunday law
be unconstitutional?
00:24:33.37\00:24:36.17
Would a law mandating Sunday
observance be unconstitutional?
00:24:37.01\00:24:41.11
Would that be
establishing religion? Yes.
00:24:41.14\00:24:43.28
Would an anti-Sabbath
law be also denial of the
00:24:43.51\00:24:48.95
free exercise of religion? Yes.
00:24:48.98\00:24:50.85
So would a Sunday law
and an anti-Sabbath law
00:24:50.95\00:24:54.32
be unconstitutional?
00:24:54.36\00:24:55.79
Clearly it would
be unconstitutional.
00:24:56.22\00:24:58.29
Now notice how the
First Amendment ends.
00:24:58.86\00:25:02.16
Now I brought this to the fore
because we're going to continue
00:25:14.34\00:25:16.91
studying about
the time of trouble.
00:25:16.95\00:25:18.65
And we need to understand two
stories in the book of Daniel
00:25:18.75\00:25:22.18
that illustrate the importance
of these three clauses
00:25:22.22\00:25:26.99
of the First
Amendment to the Constitution
00:25:27.09\00:25:29.19
of the United States.
00:25:29.22\00:25:30.56
Let's notice,
first of all, Daniel 3.
00:25:30.59\00:25:33.96
And we're not going to
study the whole chapter.
00:25:34.40\00:25:36.16
It's impossible in the
time constraints that we have.
00:25:36.36\00:25:38.83
We'd have to take a
couple of hours just to study
00:25:38.87\00:25:41.10
every detail in this chapter.
00:25:41.14\00:25:42.84
But we're talking
about the time of trouble
00:25:42.87\00:25:45.17
that God's
people will go through.
00:25:45.21\00:25:46.78
Let me ask you, in
Daniel 3 is the issue worship?
00:25:47.61\00:25:53.05
Yes. It is, isn't it?
00:25:54.32\00:25:56.38
Is the issue God's holy law?
00:25:56.95\00:25:59.29
Yes.
00:25:59.89\00:26:01.22
The first commandment says,
00:26:01.26\00:26:02.59
"Thou shalt have
not other..." What?
00:26:02.62\00:26:04.16
"...gods before Me."
00:26:04.56\00:26:05.89
And the second commandment says,
don't bow down before any idol.
00:26:05.93\00:26:10.97
So would it be a
violation of God's commandments,
00:26:11.43\00:26:14.17
particularly the
first table of the law,
00:26:14.20\00:26:16.17
if the three young men
had bowed before the image?
00:26:16.34\00:26:18.91
Yes.
00:26:19.17\00:26:20.51
Now listen carefully,
this story of Daniel 3
00:26:20.54\00:26:23.14
is going to be
picked up in Revelation 13.
00:26:23.18\00:26:25.35
Only, in the Old Testament
this was literal Babylon.
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.95
At the end of time,
Babylon is a worldwide system.
00:26:29.35\00:26:33.66
Are you following me?
00:26:34.52\00:26:35.86
In Revelation 13,
does it mention a beast?
00:26:36.22\00:26:41.10
Yes.
00:26:41.90\00:26:43.23
Does the beast make an image?
00:26:43.47\00:26:45.40
Yes.
00:26:46.60\00:26:47.94
Does the beast command
everyone to worship the image?
00:26:48.10\00:26:51.74
Does the text say that
whoever doesn't worship
00:26:53.04\00:26:55.78
the image will be killed?
00:26:55.81\00:26:57.21
Where does that come from?
00:26:58.05\00:26:59.38
It comes from Daniel 3.
00:26:59.71\00:27:01.15
Only, in the book of
Revelation it's a global crisis.
00:27:01.68\00:27:04.95
Whereas in the Old
Testament it's a local crisis
00:27:05.35\00:27:08.12
that illustrates a much greater
crisis at the end of time.
00:27:08.16\00:27:12.46
So the issue is God's law.
00:27:12.49\00:27:14.50
The issue is worship.
00:27:14.60\00:27:16.56
Now let's notice a few verses.
00:27:16.60\00:27:18.20
Incidentally, there
are only three chapters
00:27:18.53\00:27:20.57
in the book of Daniel
that use the word, "deliver."
00:27:20.60\00:27:23.64
Daniel 12:1 is
one of those chapters.
00:27:24.47\00:27:28.24
The only other two chapters
in Daniel that use the word,
00:27:28.71\00:27:31.55
"deliver," is
Daniel 3 and Daniel 6.
00:27:31.58\00:27:35.88
And in a little while
we're going to get to Daniel 6.
00:27:36.22\00:27:38.52
Let's go to Daniel 3:15.
00:27:38.55\00:27:40.19
We'll just look at the
text primarily that use
00:27:40.22\00:27:42.56
the word, "deliver."
00:27:42.59\00:27:43.93
Do you remember that
word was in Daniel 12:1?
00:27:43.96\00:27:46.29
"At that time, your
people shall be..." What?
00:27:46.33\00:27:47.93
"...delivered."
Delivered from whom?
00:27:48.03\00:27:50.07
From the wrath of the
king of the north, right?
00:27:50.27\00:27:52.37
Notice verse 15.
00:27:52.70\00:27:54.17
Here Nebuchadnezzar
is speaking, and he says
00:27:54.27\00:27:56.27
to the three young men...
00:27:56.47\00:27:57.81
Notice it has
to do with worship.
00:27:59.31\00:28:00.78
And now notice the question?
00:28:06.85\00:28:08.18
"What god is going to
deliver you from my hands?"
00:28:13.92\00:28:16.62
Well, the young
men have an answer.
00:28:17.06\00:28:18.66
Daniel 3:16-18
00:28:19.06\00:28:22.16
Were they obedient to God?
00:28:35.34\00:28:36.91
Were they loyal to God?
00:28:37.65\00:28:38.98
Were they willing to
give up their life for God?
00:28:39.48\00:28:41.45
Yes. So it says...
00:28:41.72\00:28:43.25
Oh, there's the key word again.
00:28:49.12\00:28:50.83
"...is able to deliver us..."
00:28:50.86\00:28:53.09
Notice again, once
again the word, "deliver."
00:28:56.90\00:28:58.93
But they're not presumptuous.
00:29:02.30\00:29:03.64
They're not saying,
"God, You've got to do it."
00:29:04.14\00:29:06.07
No.
00:29:06.11\00:29:07.44
They say, "God is
going to deliver us.
00:29:07.48\00:29:08.81
But if He doesn't,
we're still servants of God,
00:29:08.84\00:29:10.65
and we're still loyal to Him."
00:29:10.68\00:29:12.21
Verse 18...
00:29:12.65\00:29:13.98
And the Bible says
that Nebuchadnezzar
00:29:23.36\00:29:25.09
was filled with wrath
and he gave a death decree
00:29:25.13\00:29:28.40
to heat the oven seven
times hotter than ever before.
00:29:28.43\00:29:31.90
And something
spectacular happened.
00:29:32.90\00:29:34.70
Who arose to deliver them?
00:29:34.74\00:29:36.40
Who delivers in Daniel 12:1?
00:29:37.44\00:29:40.48
Michael; who is like God.
00:29:41.14\00:29:43.65
Who is Michael?
00:29:43.98\00:29:45.31
Chapter 3 tells us who He is.
00:29:45.38\00:29:47.12
Notice verse 25.
00:29:47.15\00:29:48.48
The king looks in the
furnace and he says...
00:29:49.28\00:29:51.25
Some versions say, "like
one of the sons of the gods."
00:30:03.80\00:30:06.63
No, no, no, no.
00:30:06.67\00:30:08.00
Daniel had
explained to Nebuchadnezzar
00:30:08.27\00:30:11.11
what the Son of God looks like.
00:30:11.14\00:30:12.54
And so Nebuchadnezzar knew
that the Person in the furnace
00:30:12.84\00:30:16.34
was none less than Michael.
00:30:16.44\00:30:18.55
It was none less than the Person
who will deliver God's people
00:30:18.65\00:30:23.05
at the end of time.
00:30:23.08\00:30:24.42
And then notice how the
king uses the word, "deliver,"
00:30:24.65\00:30:28.06
in verses 28 and 29.
00:30:28.09\00:30:31.29
At the conclusion of this
story we have these words...
00:30:31.33\00:30:35.20
Notice that the word,
"Angel," is capitalized.
00:30:43.27\00:30:46.44
This is not a common angel.
00:30:46.47\00:30:47.98
"...sent His Angel..."
And what's the next word?
00:30:48.28\00:30:50.78
Is this a matter of faith?
00:30:58.49\00:30:59.92
Is faith trust?
00:31:00.92\00:31:02.32
Why were they
delivered? Because they what?
00:31:02.86\00:31:04.86
Because they trusted.
00:31:05.06\00:31:06.39
Is this righteousness by faith?
00:31:06.43\00:31:07.76
Certainly.
00:31:08.03\00:31:09.36
So is Daniel 3
about deliverance?
00:31:38.53\00:31:40.86
Did these young men go
through the tribulation?
00:31:41.66\00:31:44.43
Could God have saved
them without having to
00:31:45.13\00:31:47.24
go through the tribulation?
00:31:47.27\00:31:48.60
So you ask, "Why did God allow
them to go through this trial?"
00:31:48.70\00:31:51.57
We'll come to that at
the end of our presentation.
00:31:51.61\00:31:54.14
There are two reasons
why God allows His people to
00:31:54.18\00:31:57.05
go through tribulation.
00:31:57.08\00:31:58.41
Do you think that they
experienced anguish, perhaps?
00:31:58.45\00:32:01.48
I think probably they did.
00:32:01.92\00:32:03.72
Did God intervene to
deliver them from their enemies?
00:32:04.05\00:32:07.82
Absolutely. Common
denominator, once again.
00:32:07.86\00:32:10.39
They were not
whisked away in a rapture.
00:32:10.43\00:32:12.89
They went
through the tribulation,
00:32:12.93\00:32:14.53
but they delivered
from the tribulation.
00:32:14.56\00:32:17.30
Incidentally,
they overcame by faith.
00:32:17.63\00:32:20.47
Notice, Hebrews
11:33-34 reminisces about
00:32:21.07\00:32:25.94
this experience.
00:32:25.97\00:32:27.31
Here, I believe the
apostle Paul who is writing
00:32:28.01\00:32:31.15
the book of Hebrews...
00:32:31.18\00:32:32.51
"...stopped the
mouths of lions..."
00:32:52.40\00:32:54.80
Through faith.
Did you notice that?
00:32:55.20\00:32:56.91
"...quenched the
violence of..." What?
00:32:58.87\00:33:01.41
"...the violence of fire..."
00:33:01.61\00:33:03.18
So how did these
young men overcome?
00:33:03.85\00:33:06.88
They overcame by faith.
00:33:06.98\00:33:09.75
By trust.
00:33:10.25\00:33:11.59
By loyalty to their God.
00:33:12.15\00:33:14.82
Now let me ask you,
was the king establishing
00:33:15.46\00:33:19.49
religion in Daniel 3?
00:33:19.53\00:33:21.06
Was he establishing
a religious observance?
00:33:21.10\00:33:23.16
Did he have a right to do that?
00:33:23.70\00:33:25.20
Did the civil power
have a right to establish
00:33:25.70\00:33:28.20
an observance
that required worship?
00:33:28.24\00:33:31.04
No, because
worship we owe to whom?
00:33:31.07\00:33:33.04
Not to Caesar, not
to the king, but to God.
00:33:33.41\00:33:37.35
Now in other words,
Daniel 3 illustrates
00:33:37.65\00:33:41.12
the deplorable thing that
happens when the civil power
00:33:41.52\00:33:48.49
establishes religion.
00:33:48.52\00:33:50.53
But now let's look at another
chapter in Daniel that shows
00:33:51.09\00:33:53.76
what happens when the
civil power forbids the
00:33:53.80\00:33:57.43
free exercise of religion.
00:33:57.47\00:33:59.30
See, that's why I
brought the first two clauses
00:33:59.33\00:34:02.10
of the First Amendment.
00:34:02.14\00:34:03.47
When those two
clauses are violated,
00:34:04.04\00:34:05.77
do you lose your civil rights?
00:34:05.81\00:34:07.38
See, they're all linked.
00:34:07.94\00:34:09.31
If the first two
clauses of the First Amendment
00:34:09.54\00:34:13.55
are violated, the result is you
lose your civil rights as well.
00:34:13.58\00:34:17.62
Now notice the story
that we find in Daniel 6.
00:34:17.85\00:34:21.12
Is the story in Daniel
6, does that have anything
00:34:21.59\00:34:24.09
to do with worship?
00:34:24.13\00:34:25.46
Yes. It's talking about prayer.
00:34:25.59\00:34:27.80
Is prayer a service
that we render to God?
00:34:28.10\00:34:30.90
Yes. Do you know what
Daniel was accused of?
00:34:31.17\00:34:33.97
It also has to
do with God's law.
00:34:34.00\00:34:35.80
Notice Daniel 6:5.
00:34:36.07\00:34:38.57
We'll read just a few
statements here from Daniel 6.
00:34:38.61\00:34:41.74
Daniel 6:5, the enemies
of Daniel have this to say...
00:34:41.78\00:34:46.35
Because he was an
exemplary citizen.
00:34:51.62\00:34:55.09
In other words, he
kept the laws of the nation
00:34:55.19\00:34:58.36
as long as they did not infringe
on his religious rights.
00:34:58.46\00:35:01.30
Was this a controversy
over worship and the law of God?
00:35:11.11\00:35:14.41
Yes.
00:35:14.51\00:35:15.84
Is that going to be
the end time controversy?
00:35:15.88\00:35:17.65
Yes.
00:35:18.25\00:35:19.58
Worship and
keeping God's commandments,
00:35:19.75\00:35:23.02
the book of Revelation
says, will be the issues
00:35:23.05\00:35:25.02
at the end of time.
00:35:25.05\00:35:26.39
Now I want you to
notice how the king's decree
00:35:26.72\00:35:30.13
is actually forbidding
the free exercise of religion.
00:35:30.79\00:35:34.30
Notice Daniel 6:7-9.
00:35:34.53\00:35:38.83
They're talking to the king.
00:35:46.37\00:35:47.71
That would be
okay to say, "any man."
00:35:56.05\00:35:57.85
And the laws of the Medes and
Persians could not be changed.
00:36:12.13\00:36:16.57
So did it appear that
Daniel was doomed to die?
00:36:16.94\00:36:21.24
Absolutely.
00:36:21.28\00:36:22.61
Because this law
could not be changed.
00:36:22.64\00:36:25.05
The law of Medes and
Persians could not be changed.
00:36:25.08\00:36:27.68
So let me ask you, by
saying that Daniel could not
00:36:27.92\00:36:31.22
pray to his God for 30
days, is that a violation
00:36:31.25\00:36:36.86
of the free exercise of religion
telling him that he can't pray?
00:36:37.06\00:36:40.23
Of course.
00:36:40.26\00:36:41.60
It's the other side of
this issue of religious freedom.
00:36:41.63\00:36:45.70
So what I'm saying is
that Daniel 3 illustrates
00:36:45.87\00:36:48.44
what happens when the civil
power establishes religion,
00:36:48.47\00:36:51.81
and Daniel 6 illustrates what
happens when the civil power
00:36:52.01\00:36:55.21
forbids the free
exercise of religion.
00:36:55.41\00:36:58.08
Which the right to
pray is one of those rights.
00:36:58.11\00:37:01.52
Notice Daniel 6:10.
00:37:01.78\00:37:04.29
Did Daniel still worship God the
way that he was accustom to do?
00:37:04.32\00:37:07.56
Did he open his windows?
00:37:07.96\00:37:09.36
Of course he did.
00:37:09.39\00:37:10.73
It says in verse 10...
00:37:10.76\00:37:12.09
His religious
habits did not change.
00:37:28.24\00:37:30.28
He said, "The king cannot
give a decree forbidding my
00:37:30.31\00:37:33.48
free exercise of religion."
00:37:33.52\00:37:35.25
Are you following me?
00:37:35.28\00:37:36.62
What happened as a
result of forbidding
00:37:36.72\00:37:38.49
the free exercise of religion?
00:37:38.52\00:37:39.85
Did persecution come?
00:37:39.89\00:37:41.22
You see, what's going to
happen in the United States
00:37:41.52\00:37:43.83
is that these two
clauses of the First Amendment
00:37:43.86\00:37:47.10
are going to be violated.
00:37:47.13\00:37:48.46
And the result of
that will be what?
00:37:48.56\00:37:51.33
Will be persecution.
00:37:51.43\00:37:52.77
The time of
trouble for God's people.
00:37:52.80\00:37:54.90
Now I want to read a rather
extensive passage from Daniel 6.
00:37:55.14\00:37:59.07
Because the word, "deliver,"
is used repeatedly here
00:37:59.17\00:38:01.84
in Daniel 6,
beginning with verse 14.
00:38:01.88\00:38:04.98
That is, when the satraps
took the report that Daniel
00:38:08.32\00:38:12.79
was praying to his God.
00:38:12.89\00:38:14.56
There's the key word again.
00:38:23.40\00:38:24.73
Could the king deliver him?
00:38:29.74\00:38:31.07
No.
00:38:31.47\00:38:32.81
It continues
saying in verse 16...
00:38:32.94\00:38:34.54
See, once again,
the word, "deliver."
00:39:14.32\00:39:16.02
Do you suppose it's
the same angel of Daniel 3?
00:39:22.36\00:39:25.19
By the way, do you
know that in Daniel 3:28,
00:39:25.76\00:39:28.76
it says that it was an
angel that delivered the
00:39:29.00\00:39:31.23
three young men
from the fiery furnace?
00:39:31.27\00:39:33.34
So the Son of God was
the Angel of the Lord.
00:39:34.64\00:39:37.14
Notice once again verse 22.
00:39:37.64\00:39:39.17
In other words,
"I've obeyed the civil laws
00:39:49.78\00:39:51.89
and I obeyed God's law."
00:39:51.92\00:39:53.72
He trusted his God.
00:40:10.97\00:40:12.31
Is this righteousness by faith?
00:40:12.34\00:40:13.68
It most certainly is.
00:40:13.81\00:40:15.14
Verse 25...
00:40:15.18\00:40:16.51
Is deliverance the key
thought in this passage?
00:40:54.85\00:40:58.15
Is most certainly is.
00:40:58.19\00:40:59.52
Is this an illustration of
Daniel 12:1 when God's people
00:40:59.55\00:41:03.59
will be delivered
from the time of trouble?
00:41:03.63\00:41:05.83
Did Daniel go
through the time of trouble
00:41:06.46\00:41:08.43
or was he raptured away?
00:41:08.46\00:41:09.86
Do you think his
faith was tested?
00:41:10.67\00:41:12.87
You say, "Well, the
lions weren't hungry."
00:41:13.07\00:41:14.97
They weren't?
00:41:15.07\00:41:16.40
The Bible says that the ones who
planned the plot were thrown in.
00:41:16.71\00:41:20.28
And before they hit the ground,
00:41:20.31\00:41:21.68
the lions were
having a real banquet
00:41:21.88\00:41:24.75
of the princes
that planned this plot.
00:41:25.25\00:41:27.28
So once again, God
intervenes to deliver His people
00:41:27.88\00:41:31.99
in the midst of the
crisis when they're crying out
00:41:32.29\00:41:35.16
in anguish to God.
00:41:35.19\00:41:36.62
Now let's take another
story that we find in the Bible
00:41:37.33\00:41:40.60
that illustrates this period.
00:41:40.63\00:41:42.36
Luke 18:1-8
00:41:42.66\00:41:45.03
This is a
parable that Jesus told.
00:41:45.07\00:41:47.00
And we have to really
put our foot on the gas,
00:41:47.30\00:41:51.31
because time just goes by
so fast and we have so many of
00:41:51.34\00:41:54.44
these passages in Scripture
that describe this period.
00:41:54.48\00:41:58.61
This is the story of a widow.
00:41:58.78\00:42:03.75
And I'm going to go through
the parable and I'm going to
00:42:03.85\00:42:05.95
add explanations as we go along.
00:42:05.99\00:42:07.56
Luke 18:1
00:42:07.59\00:42:09.19
In other words, "Don't give up."
00:42:14.86\00:42:16.20
So you notice that, first
of all, according to this,
00:42:28.78\00:42:31.71
there is a widow.
00:42:31.75\00:42:33.11
What does a woman
represent in prophecy?
00:42:33.88\00:42:36.02
A church.
00:42:36.35\00:42:37.69
What kind of woman is this?
00:42:37.72\00:42:39.05
A widow.
00:42:39.12\00:42:40.46
She's destitute of
every human support.
00:42:40.49\00:42:42.26
She doesn't have anything
to support her in this world.
00:42:42.46\00:42:46.73
Does that represent the
church at the end of time
00:42:47.40\00:42:50.00
that has lost
basically everything?
00:42:50.03\00:42:51.73
Of course.
00:42:51.77\00:42:53.10
So you have a widow.
00:42:53.13\00:42:54.50
In the second
place, you have a judge.
00:42:54.60\00:42:57.67
And in the third
place, you have an adversary.
00:42:57.97\00:43:01.18
The adversary has
taken away from the widow
00:43:01.68\00:43:03.91
everything she has.
00:43:03.95\00:43:05.28
Probably, those who
have studied the parable
00:43:05.45\00:43:07.58
believe that her husband
had incurred a large debt
00:43:07.75\00:43:10.39
and the adversary had
taken everything that he had
00:43:10.59\00:43:13.02
and had left her
basically in the street
00:43:13.05\00:43:15.02
without anywhere to go.
00:43:15.06\00:43:16.39
And so now notice what it says.
00:43:16.86\00:43:18.63
Verse 3...
00:43:20.23\00:43:21.56
"...and she came
to him, saying..."
00:43:22.56\00:43:23.90
The word, "came," is
not properly translated.
00:43:23.93\00:43:27.10
It means that
she kept on coming.
00:43:27.30\00:43:28.87
It's a progressive tense.
00:43:28.90\00:43:30.34
We'll see that in a minute.
00:43:30.37\00:43:31.71
So it says...
00:43:31.74\00:43:33.07
Is there a delay?
00:43:42.12\00:43:43.45
Yeah.
00:43:43.52\00:43:44.85
In all these
stories, there's a delay.
00:43:44.89\00:43:46.39
God doesn't answer immediately.
00:43:46.42\00:43:48.16
He allows Daniel to go through
00:43:48.62\00:43:50.56
the experience
of the lion's den.
00:43:50.59\00:43:51.93
He allows the three young men
to go through the fiery furnace.
00:43:51.96\00:43:54.86
He allows God's people
to go through tribulation.
00:43:55.20\00:43:57.63
He does not
deliver them immediately.
00:43:57.67\00:43:59.90
So notice once again verse 4...
00:44:00.20\00:44:02.07
Ah, so now we know that it
wasn't just that she came once.
00:44:12.05\00:44:15.18
She continued coming.
00:44:15.22\00:44:17.02
And then Jesus gives
what the parable represents.
00:44:18.42\00:44:21.42
Do you know what period
this parable is talking about?
00:44:21.72\00:44:24.19
It's really talking about
00:44:25.36\00:44:26.73
the time of
trouble at the end of time.
00:44:26.93\00:44:28.63
And you say, "How
do you know that?"
00:44:28.66\00:44:30.00
Because if you look at what
comes immediately before the
00:44:30.27\00:44:32.80
parable at the end of
chapter 17, Jesus has been
00:44:32.83\00:44:36.81
saying, "As it was
in the days of Noah,
00:44:36.84\00:44:39.24
so also will it be at the
coming of the Son of Man."
00:44:39.27\00:44:41.34
"As it was in the days of
lot, so also will it be at
00:44:41.48\00:44:44.68
the coming of the Son of Man."
00:44:44.71\00:44:46.05
And the parable ends by saying,
"When the Son of Man comes,
00:44:46.08\00:44:49.28
will He find
faith in the earth?"
00:44:49.32\00:44:50.85
So between two passages that
speak about the second coming,
00:44:50.99\00:44:54.06
you have this parable.
00:44:54.16\00:44:55.62
So it's dealing with
the end time, specifically.
00:44:55.82\00:44:59.29
Now what is
represented by the judge?
00:44:59.79\00:45:01.96
The judge represents God.
00:45:02.06\00:45:03.87
Who does the widow represent?
00:45:04.93\00:45:06.80
She represents the elect.
00:45:07.00\00:45:09.10
Do you remember that we talked
about the elect in Matthew 24?
00:45:09.14\00:45:12.31
Are those the ones who go
through the time of trouble
00:45:12.34\00:45:14.28
and are going to cry out?
00:45:14.54\00:45:15.88
Yes.
00:45:15.91\00:45:17.25
We're going to notice that
the widow represents the elect.
00:45:17.28\00:45:19.48
Who would the adversary
be that takes everything
00:45:19.51\00:45:22.68
away from the church?
00:45:22.72\00:45:24.05
The devil.
00:45:24.29\00:45:25.62
In fact, the word, "adversary,"
here in Greek is, "antídikon."
00:45:25.65\00:45:29.66
It's used in 1 Peter 5:8
where it says, "Your adversary,
00:45:30.36\00:45:34.36
the devil, goes
about as a roaring lion
00:45:34.40\00:45:36.70
seeking whom he may devour."
00:45:36.73\00:45:38.63
So the antídikon,
the adversary here,
00:45:38.87\00:45:42.70
that takes everything away from
the church at the end of time
00:45:42.74\00:45:45.81
and leads the church to
cry out, "Lord, deliver us,"
00:45:45.91\00:45:49.58
represents Satan.
00:45:49.91\00:45:52.38
Is there going to be a
delay for God's people?
00:45:53.68\00:45:55.78
Oh yes there is.
00:45:56.25\00:45:57.59
See, this parable is telling
us that God isn't going to
00:45:57.62\00:46:00.89
answer the pleas of
His people immediately.
00:46:00.92\00:46:02.92
There is going to be a delay.
00:46:03.09\00:46:04.46
So verse 6...
00:46:04.49\00:46:05.83
See, the judge represents God.
00:46:12.37\00:46:13.94
Are God's people going
to cry out day and night
00:46:24.25\00:46:26.45
in the time of trouble?
00:46:26.48\00:46:27.82
Yes.
00:46:27.85\00:46:29.18
In other words,
though there is a what?
00:46:32.75\00:46:35.19
Though there is a delay.
00:46:35.29\00:46:37.09
And then comes
the beautiful answer.
00:46:37.13\00:46:38.99
Is He going to find this kind
of faith that the widow had?
00:46:47.44\00:46:51.01
Is He going to find a church
that has this kind of faith
00:46:51.11\00:46:54.34
at the end of time?
00:46:54.38\00:46:55.71
We're going to notice in
Revelation that there will be
00:46:55.74\00:46:58.18
a group that will
have that kind of faith.
00:46:58.48\00:47:01.48
You know, this makes me think
of the experience of Jesus.
00:47:01.98\00:47:05.09
The end time will be
similar to the experience
00:47:06.89\00:47:09.26
that Jesus went through.
00:47:09.29\00:47:10.63
Did Jesus cry out to His
Father if it was possible
00:47:11.63\00:47:14.70
to take away the cup
of His wrath three times?
00:47:14.73\00:47:17.60
Did the Father
answer Him right away?
00:47:18.03\00:47:19.57
No.
00:47:19.93\00:47:21.27
Did Jesus sweat drops
of blood in Gethsemane?
00:47:21.30\00:47:23.87
Did He cry out on the
cross, "My God, My God,
00:47:24.47\00:47:27.38
why have You forsaken Me."
00:47:27.41\00:47:28.78
Yes.
00:47:28.84\00:47:30.18
Did Jesus give up His faith?
00:47:30.21\00:47:31.68
No. He trusted in His Father.
00:47:32.08\00:47:34.48
He felt separated, like
God's people will feel separated
00:47:34.52\00:47:38.25
during the time of trouble.
00:47:38.29\00:47:39.62
But they will claim
the promises of God.
00:47:39.65\00:47:41.62
It's not about feelings,
it's about God's promises.
00:47:41.66\00:47:44.66
Notice Ellen White's description
of how Jesus was the victor.
00:47:44.96\00:47:49.16
Desire of Ages, page 756.
00:47:49.20\00:47:51.57
Now notice how Jesus
remained faithful to His Father.
00:48:04.48\00:48:08.85
In other words,
given up to this point.
00:48:16.32\00:48:18.06
Isn't that marvelous?
00:48:44.62\00:48:46.05
By the way, do you know that
God's people are going to go
00:48:46.29\00:48:48.56
through a similar experience
to the experience of Jesus?
00:48:48.59\00:48:51.39
I want to read this statement
from, Review and Herald,
00:48:52.79\00:48:55.30
April 14, 1896.
00:48:55.33\00:48:58.13
And I read this in
our last presentation,
00:48:58.43\00:49:00.60
but it's
worthwhile reading again.
00:49:00.64\00:49:02.74
Do you know what a
fiend is? It's a demon.
00:49:29.56\00:49:31.83
That's what God's
people have to look forward to.
00:49:54.26\00:49:57.06
But Jesus did not go by
His feelings, by His emotions.
00:49:57.39\00:50:00.80
"Oh, I feel up,"
or, "I feel down."
00:50:00.90\00:50:02.80
No, Jesus trusted the
promises of His Father.
00:50:02.83\00:50:06.03
Just like this widow trusted
that the judge would do justice
00:50:06.57\00:50:11.14
to her if she
continually kept coming.
00:50:11.17\00:50:13.84
Hebrews 5:7
describes the agony of Jesus.
00:50:14.78\00:50:18.21
Now why did God allow
Jesus to go through this?
00:50:31.76\00:50:34.50
Verse 8...
00:50:34.53\00:50:35.86
He learned to depend on
His Father by the things
00:50:43.07\00:50:46.78
that He suffered.
00:50:46.88\00:50:48.21
Well, I also wanted to
talk a little bit about Esther.
00:50:48.68\00:50:52.11
The book of Esther describes
the same type of time of trouble
00:50:52.88\00:50:56.42
and the deliverance of God's
people from the death decree
00:50:57.02\00:51:01.06
that was given in
the days of Esther.
00:51:01.09\00:51:02.59
We won't dwell on that anymore.
00:51:02.62\00:51:04.26
Now let me ask you, is God
going to have at the end of time
00:51:04.29\00:51:08.00
a whole generation
that will have the faith
00:51:08.03\00:51:12.70
that all of these past
heroes had in the midst
00:51:13.40\00:51:15.80
of the tribulation?
00:51:15.84\00:51:17.17
Do you remember the question
that was asked at the end of the
00:51:17.51\00:51:19.71
parable in Luke 18?
00:51:19.74\00:51:21.08
"When the Son of Man
comes, will He find..." What?
00:51:21.11\00:51:23.98
"...faith in the earth?"
00:51:24.01\00:51:25.35
The book of Revelation
says, yes, there will be a
00:51:25.38\00:51:27.35
group that will have faith.
00:51:27.38\00:51:28.72
Notice Revelation 13:10.
00:51:29.25\00:51:31.45
Both of these verses, we're
going to read Revelation 13:10
00:51:31.69\00:51:34.92
and then we're going
to read chapter 14:12.
00:51:34.96\00:51:38.73
14:12 is the conclusion
of the third angel's message.
00:51:39.06\00:51:41.86
It deals with
the end time crisis.
00:51:41.90\00:51:43.37
13:10 is the transition
verse between the persecutions
00:51:43.77\00:51:48.77
by the beast during the 1260
years and the future persecution
00:51:48.80\00:51:52.81
by the beast that
rises from the earth.
00:51:52.84\00:51:54.94
So both of these
statements is in the context
00:51:54.98\00:51:57.91
of the final crisis.
00:51:58.01\00:51:59.78
Notice Revelation 13:10.
00:52:00.02\00:52:02.22
Speaking about
the papacy, it says...
00:52:02.85\00:52:04.52
And then right before
talking about the beast
00:52:12.86\00:52:14.63
that rises from the earth, that
is going to speak like a dragon,
00:52:14.66\00:52:17.20
and is going to
enforce the day of the sun,
00:52:17.27\00:52:22.54
and is going to raise
an image to the beast,
00:52:22.57\00:52:24.47
it says, "Here is the patience
and the faith of the saints."
00:52:24.67\00:52:29.61
That word, "patience,"
can be better translated,
00:52:29.91\00:52:32.41
"the perseverance."
00:52:32.45\00:52:34.12
It's the word, "hupomone."
00:52:34.15\00:52:36.05
I know Melvin loves it
when I say, "hupomone."
00:52:36.08\00:52:38.92
Now Revelation 14:12.
00:52:39.35\00:52:41.12
The conclusion of the
third angel's message.
00:52:41.16\00:52:43.76
Once again, the
perseverance of the saints.
00:52:46.56\00:52:50.87
The faith that Jesus had.
00:52:56.07\00:52:58.67
Now we have one
question that we need to answer
00:52:59.37\00:53:01.64
in the few
minutes that we have left.
00:53:01.84\00:53:03.41
Why would God allow His people
to go through the tribulation?
00:53:04.21\00:53:07.72
What does it have to do
with the great controversy?
00:53:07.75\00:53:09.75
What does it have to
do with God's character?
00:53:09.78\00:53:12.12
The answer is
found in the book of Job.
00:53:13.36\00:53:15.76
In the book of Job
you have the same scenario
00:53:17.16\00:53:19.83
that we've described in
all these other context.
00:53:19.86\00:53:21.80
Did Job go through a
severe time of trouble?
00:53:21.83\00:53:23.97
Did he lose
everything that he had?
00:53:24.50\00:53:26.84
Did he lose his health?
00:53:27.80\00:53:29.34
Did he lose the
support of his wife?
00:53:29.70\00:53:31.44
Did his friends
turn against him?
00:53:31.84\00:53:33.54
Did he lose all
of his possessions?
00:53:33.81\00:53:35.58
Did he lose his children?
00:53:35.68\00:53:37.11
Did he feel like
God had forsaken him?
00:53:37.45\00:53:39.55
Yes. He had nothing to lean on.
00:53:39.75\00:53:41.88
And yet he said, "Though He slay
me, yet I will trust in Him."
00:53:42.38\00:53:46.29
And he said, "I know
that my Redeemer lives."
00:53:46.82\00:53:49.69
He did not go by his
feelings, by what seemed to be,
00:53:49.89\00:53:53.16
by his emotions.
00:53:53.19\00:53:54.53
He says, "I know God."
00:53:54.56\00:53:55.90
Because he had learned to
know God in times of prosperity.
00:53:55.93\00:53:59.30
Now you know the story.
00:53:59.87\00:54:01.44
The Bible tells us
that one day the sons of God
00:54:02.14\00:54:04.11
came to present
themselves before the Lord.
00:54:04.14\00:54:06.17
The sons of God are
the representatives of the
00:54:06.68\00:54:08.64
worlds that never sinned.
00:54:08.68\00:54:10.01
And among them comes Satan.
00:54:10.05\00:54:11.38
Why did Satan come?
00:54:11.41\00:54:12.75
Because Satan had
stolen the position of whom?
00:54:12.78\00:54:15.78
Of Adam.
00:54:15.82\00:54:17.15
So Satan comes
representing planet earth.
00:54:17.19\00:54:18.65
He comes among the sons of God.
00:54:18.69\00:54:20.32
The other sons of God
must also come from other
00:54:20.36\00:54:22.49
planets representing them.
00:54:22.52\00:54:23.96
And so God, you know, says,
"Have you seen My servant Job?
00:54:24.13\00:54:28.20
That he's a
righteous and blameless man.
00:54:28.23\00:54:30.40
Even though he lives in your
territory, he is My servant."
00:54:30.43\00:54:33.23
And the devil
says, "Ah, it's because
00:54:33.27\00:54:35.44
You bless him in everything.
00:54:35.47\00:54:37.67
You know, You don't
give me access to him.
00:54:38.11\00:54:40.64
If You gave me access to him,
You would see that he serves You
00:54:41.48\00:54:44.81
for the loaves and the fishes.
00:54:44.85\00:54:46.45
Not because he loves You.
00:54:46.55\00:54:47.95
He would not be loyal to You.
00:54:48.18\00:54:49.75
He would forsake
You in a minute."
00:54:49.78\00:54:51.49
And by the way, the heavenly
jury is observing, aren't they?
00:54:52.49\00:54:55.46
So what if God
says, "Oh, you're a liar,"
00:54:55.72\00:54:58.89
and He hadn't
done anything about it?
00:54:59.46\00:55:01.13
The heavenly beings
would have wondered,
00:55:01.36\00:55:02.70
"Hmm, what is God scared of?"
00:55:02.73\00:55:04.07
So God says, "Go for it.
00:55:04.10\00:55:06.50
Take anything you
want. Don't touch him.
00:55:07.10\00:55:08.84
Do anything you want."
00:55:09.27\00:55:10.61
The devil goes
and he wipes him out.
00:55:10.64\00:55:12.74
Another meeting
takes place in heaven.
00:55:13.27\00:55:14.84
The sons of God are there again
observing what is happening.
00:55:14.88\00:55:18.25
And you know, by
the way, Job said,
00:55:18.71\00:55:20.65
"God gave and God took away.
00:55:20.68\00:55:22.82
Blessed be the
name of the Lord."
00:55:22.92\00:55:24.32
He did not sin, the Bible says.
00:55:24.35\00:55:26.05
So in the second
meeting, God says,
00:55:26.09\00:55:28.26
"Have you seen My servant
Job, that he's still faithful
00:55:28.29\00:55:31.16
even though you
turned Me against him?"
00:55:31.19\00:55:32.83
And the devil says, "Ah,
You didn't let me touch him.
00:55:33.43\00:55:35.60
See, if You let me touch him,
You would see that he serves You
00:55:36.16\00:55:39.63
not out of love, but for
the loaves and the fishes."
00:55:39.93\00:55:42.90
What if God had
said, "Oh, that's a lie,"
00:55:43.71\00:55:45.81
and hadn't done
anything about it?
00:55:46.04\00:55:47.44
The heavenly
beings would have said,
00:55:47.48\00:55:48.81
"Yeah, God didn't
allow him to touch him."
00:55:48.84\00:55:50.35
So God says, "Go for it.
00:55:50.81\00:55:52.78
Do what ever you want to
him, but you can't kill him."
00:55:53.05\00:55:55.15
Are God's people going to
die during the time of trouble?
00:55:55.42\00:55:57.59
No. Will they be afflicted?
00:55:57.92\00:55:59.95
Will they feel
like everything is lost?
00:56:00.76\00:56:02.92
Yes.
00:56:02.96\00:56:04.29
Will they let
loose of God's hand?
00:56:04.33\00:56:06.13
No they won't.
00:56:06.43\00:56:07.76
They will have
the faith of Jesus,
00:56:07.80\00:56:09.63
and they will have the
perseverance of the saints.
00:56:10.00\00:56:12.33
Are you with me?
00:56:12.37\00:56:13.70
And so God says, "Go for it."
00:56:14.50\00:56:16.64
So he goes and he afflicts
Job with boils from the top of
00:56:16.67\00:56:19.27
his head to the
bottom of his feet
00:56:19.31\00:56:21.14
so that he had to
scratch himself with a potsherd.
00:56:22.14\00:56:24.78
With a piece of pottery.
00:56:24.81\00:56:26.15
And yet, Job did not apostatize.
00:56:27.15\00:56:29.22
He did not let
loose of the hand of God.
00:56:29.32\00:56:32.75
He overcame and
conquered by faith.
00:56:33.12\00:56:35.96
And James 5 praises
Job for his patience
00:56:36.09\00:56:40.40
in the midst of suffering.
00:56:40.43\00:56:42.10
How do you suppose God
looked before the heavenly jury?
00:56:42.76\00:56:46.90
Who was proved right
and who was proved wrong?
00:56:47.44\00:56:50.24
The devil was proved
wrong because it was seen
00:56:50.77\00:56:53.71
that Job served God
simply because he loved Him.
00:56:53.81\00:56:58.35
No matter what might come.
00:56:58.71\00:57:00.58
He did not serve God because
of the benefits and blessings.
00:57:00.78\00:57:03.79
He served God
simply because he loved God
00:57:03.89\00:57:07.02
and he was going to be
loyal to God, even if it meant
00:57:07.06\00:57:10.23
dying to be faithful to God.
00:57:10.43\00:57:12.79
That is what's going to
happen with God's people
00:57:13.53\00:57:16.06
at the end of time.
00:57:16.10\00:57:17.43
They will be the witnesses
before the whole universe.
00:57:17.47\00:57:20.74
The universe will
say, "God is right.
00:57:20.77\00:57:23.20
Satan is wrong.
00:57:23.41\00:57:24.81
Look, these people,
this final generation,
00:57:25.21\00:57:27.44
they are faithful
to God even unto death.
00:57:27.61\00:57:30.21
They have overcome sin
and they're ready for heaven."
00:57:30.25\00:57:33.21
So God has something to prove.
00:57:33.52\00:57:35.02
That's why He
allows His people to go
00:57:35.05\00:57:37.19
through the time of trouble.
00:57:37.22\00:57:38.55
In fact, the time of trouble
is a blessing for them too,
00:57:39.22\00:57:42.09
because it's like going
through the furnace of fire.
00:57:42.19\00:57:45.26
I end by reading one verse.
00:57:45.59\00:57:47.13
Job says in chapter 23:10...
00:57:47.26\00:57:50.43
He knew why he was
being tried, he says...
00:57:50.47\00:57:52.23
So do you understand the
reason for the time of trouble?
00:57:59.27\00:58:02.68
I hope that we've understood
that this time is coming.
00:58:03.21\00:58:06.01
And may God keep us faithful.
00:58:06.28\00:58:08.05