Participants: Stephen Bohr
Series Code: ASTPP
Program Code: ASTPP000011
|
00:15 Well we are on a roll at Anchor Bible school.
00:20 We're moving along real fine. 00:22 We are dealing with principle number seven. 00:26 And so I hope that everything that we've been studying 00:30 has been a blessing, and that it's going to help us 00:33 in our personal study of Scripture. 00:35 Now in the next hour we are going to study the topic titled, 00:39 The Sun God and the Number 666. 00:44 We're going to do a comparison between Daniel 3 00:47 and Revelation 13. 00:49 And we're going to see that Jesus is not only a 00:52 spiritual deliverer from sin, but at the end of time 00:56 Jesus will have to be a deliverer, a physical 01:00 literal deliverer, from death. 01:02 Because God's people will be under the sentence of death. 01:07 So we're going to follow this material very closely. 01:10 And I know that you all have this material. 01:13 So let's go to it. 01:15 The Sun God and the Number 666. 01:22 Now we all know about the dream that King Nebuchadnezzar 01:27 received in Daniel chapter 2. 01:30 He received the dream of the golden head, 01:32 of the breast and arms of silver, the belly of bronze, 01:35 the legs of iron, the feet of iron and clay; 01:37 the stone that hit the feet and broke the image 01:40 into smithereens; and then the stone became a great mountain. 01:44 In this dream, God was showing Nebuchadnezzar 01:48 the future, not only of his kingdom, He was showing him 01:51 the future of the world, basically. 01:54 And when God did this, Nebuchadnezzar was not 01:58 a happy camper. 01:59 Because he believed that Babylon was going to exist forever. 02:03 And so by the advice of his religious advisors, 02:07 he decided that he would build an image just like the one 02:11 that he had seen in his dream, but with one difference. 02:14 And that is, that instead of having different metals, 02:18 the image would be totally and completely of gold. 02:21 And so he built this gigantic image that is referred to 02:26 in Daniel chapter 3. 02:28 It was a direct act of rebellion on the part of Nebuchadnezzar. 02:33 He was saying, "You say that my kingdom is only going to 02:36 be the head of gold. 02:37 Well I have news for you. 02:38 My kingdom is all of gold, and it will exist forever." 02:43 The two chapters are linked by certain words. 02:47 The word, "gold," is used in both of these chapters. 02:51 The word, "image," is identical in both chapters. 02:54 And the expression, "set up," that is used in both of these 02:59 chapters is identical as well. 03:02 You remember that in chapter 2, God said that He would set up 03:06 a kingdom that would never be destroyed. 03:08 So Nebuchadnezzar sets up this gigantic image 03:10 saying that it's not going to be in that way. 03:13 Now the first thing that we want to take a look at 03:16 is the Old Testament type. 03:18 The Old Testament story becomes the foundation for 03:22 the New Testament application. 03:24 Just like we've been studying. 03:26 You know, we took a look at the rock, 03:29 and we took a look at the manna. 03:31 And we noticed that these Old Testament types are fulfilled 03:34 on a broader scale in the New Testament. 03:37 The same is true with the story of Daniel chapter 3. 03:41 What was the ruling power in Daniel chapter 3? 03:45 It was Babylon. 03:47 You can notice this in Daniel 3 verse 1. 03:49 I'm not going to read all of the verses because 03:51 we don't have the time to do so. 03:53 And God's people at this time were captive in Babylon. 03:58 This is known as, The Seventy Year Captivity. 04:00 Have you ever head of The Seventy Year Captivity? 04:02 So the ruling power is Babylon, and God's people are in 04:06 captivity in Babylon. 04:08 You can read that in Jeremiah 51 and verse 45. 04:12 Now we all know that Nebuchadnezzar 04:14 for a while lived like a beast, didn't he. 04:16 He thought he was a beast, he acted like a beast, 04:19 and he ate grass like an ox. 04:22 You know, he became a vegan. 04:26 And perhaps that, you know, he became a vegan, 04:29 and that helped give him clarity of thought. 04:31 Because he came out of that at the end of the seven years. 04:34 I'm not making any theological application to that, by the way. 04:37 But he went and he acted like a beast. 04:42 And he grew big nails. 04:44 And his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, 04:47 the Bible says. 04:48 And he thought that he was a beast. 04:50 And then Nebuchadnezzar, the beast so to speak, 04:55 raised up what? 04:56 He raised up an image. 04:59 And he commanded everyone to worship the image 05:02 that he had raised up. 05:04 And he said, "Anyone who does not worship this image 05:08 that I have raised up here in Babylon 05:11 will be..." What? 05:12 "...will be killed." 05:15 Now let's study a little bit about this particular image 05:19 in Daniel chapter 3. 05:21 If what Herodotus, the Greek historian, has to say is true, 05:29 the image weighed 800 talents of gold. 05:34 Which would be equivalent to 30 tons of gold. 05:37 That is a lot of gold. 05:39 Now there's a few details that we need to take into account 05:43 when we discuss the dimensions and the 05:46 composition of this image. 05:48 First of all, we know that the sexagesimal system 05:52 of numeration originated in Babylon. 05:54 You say, "What is the sexagesimal system?" 05:58 It's the system based on the number 6. 06:01 You know, like for example we have 60 seconds. 06:04 We have 60 minutes. 06:05 We have 24 hours. 06:07 We have 360 days. 06:09 We have 360 degrees that reflect the circle, 06:13 the entire circle of space. 06:15 All of that sexagesimal system comes from ancient Babylon. 06:20 Now, the Babylonians divided the universe into 06:26 360 degrees of space. 06:31 And they divided the year into 360 days. 06:37 So in other words, the whole circle of space 06:40 was 360 degrees. 06:42 And the whole cycle of time of the year was 360 days. 06:47 Now it's interesting that the Babylonians, what they did, 06:51 is that they would place one god of their pantheon to rule 06:56 over ten degrees of space and over ten days of time. 07:00 And so the 36 gods of the pantheon each ruled 07:04 over ten days and ten degrees. 07:06 And of course, 36 times 10 is what? 07:10 Is 360. 07:12 So these gods basically ruled over all time 07:16 and over all space. 07:19 Now the sum total of the numbers 1 through 36 07:23 is very interesting. 07:25 If you add 1 plus 2 plus 3 plus 4 plus 5, 07:29 all the way up to the number 36, the result is 666. 07:36 And so when the Babylonians placed one god to rule 07:41 over ten degrees of space and over ten days of time, 07:44 and all 36 gods ruled over all space and all time, 07:48 the summary number in which all of the 36 gods 07:53 were contained was the number 666. 07:58 Now there was one god that was not included among the 36. 08:02 He was the great god above all gods. 08:06 His name was Marduk. 08:09 And his number was 666. 08:12 Because he was the ruler over all of the gods. 08:15 And through them he was ruler over all time 08:18 and over all space. 08:21 Now the Babylonian priestly system had an interesting 08:25 way of expressing this idea of Marduk, whose number is 666, 08:31 ruling over the 36 gods; each ruling over ten degrees of space 08:36 and ten days of time, representing the fact 08:39 that they ruled over all space and over all time. 08:43 The priests of Babylon used amulets or medallions 08:49 on a chain around their necks. 08:51 And I have pictures of these that I can show you. 08:54 The medallions were made of pure gold. 08:57 Because gold is the color of the sun. 09:00 In fact, the ancients called gold, the dew of the sun. 09:04 Because in a pre-scientific society, they believed 09:07 that gold had dripped down from the sun. 09:11 It's no coincidence that in Isaiah 14 verse 4 09:15 Babylon is called the golden kingdom, 09:19 and that in Daniel 2 the symbol for Babylon is gold. 09:24 Because gold is the color of Babylon. 09:28 And the sun god is the god Marduk, whose number is 666, 09:33 and he is the summary number of the numbers 1 through 36. 09:38 He rules over all the pantheon that rules over all space 09:42 and over all time. 09:44 Now it's interesting to notice that these amulets were round. 09:48 What shape is the sun? 09:50 The sun is round. 09:52 And they were made of gold, which is the color of the sun. 09:55 Now in the middle of these amulets there was a square, 10:01 a large square. 10:02 And inside that large square were 36 smaller squares 10:07 with the numbers 1 through 36, never repeated, within those 10:13 smaller squares within that large square. 10:18 In other words, you have the 36 gods of the pantheon 10:22 in Babylon represented by this square with 36 smaller squares 10:27 in the middle or inside that larger square. 10:32 The interesting thing is that underneath this large square 10:37 with the 36 squares, frequently you find 10:42 the number 666, which is the summary number 10:47 of all of the 36 numbers that appear in the squares. 10:50 Now if you look at the obverse side of the medallion, 10:54 because it not only had one side, it had also some 10:58 information on the obverse side or on the opposite side, 11:02 many times what you find is a raging lion with wings. 11:08 And the raging lion, of course, is yellow. 11:11 And his mane forms the rays of the sun. 11:16 Have you ever seen a lion when he's infuriated? 11:19 His mane stands up and his face looks like the sun. 11:24 And so it's interesting that in 11:26 Daniel chapter 7 you have a lion. 11:28 And what does the lion have? 11:30 The lion has wings. 11:32 And so Daniel is speaking within the context that he lives in. 11:37 Nebuchadnezzar would have easily identified with what 11:40 Daniel was presenting from the dream that he had. 11:45 Now there's more information too. 11:47 And that is, that the sign of the zodiac... 11:52 Which by the way, the signs of the zodiac 11:54 come from ancient Babylon. 11:56 The sign of the zodiac that rules over the hottest period 12:00 of the year is Leo the lion, from July 23 to August 22. 12:07 Very interesting. 12:08 Why would you have Leo the lion governing during this period? 12:12 Simply because it is the hottest period of the year. 12:16 It's when the sun shines the brightest. 12:20 Is there any relationship between the sun 12:22 and ancient Babylon? 12:24 You better believe there is. 12:25 Now, the Romans acquired much of their religious system 12:32 from ancient Babylon. 12:33 But they established a different number system. 12:37 They established that all of the numbers would be 12:40 written with six specific letters of the alphabet. 12:45 And you say, "No, there's actually seven." 12:47 There's an I, there's a V, there's an X, there's an L, 12:53 there's a D, and there's an M. 12:56 There's a C, that's a hundred, yes. 12:57 And then there's an M. 12:59 But the M did not exist in the original numerical system. 13:03 It was added during the middle ages. 13:06 The way in which it was written before that was that they would 13:09 place two D's side by side. 13:12 In other words, the Romans only established a number system 13:16 with six characters from the alphabet. 13:21 And lo and behold, if you add those six numbers, 13:25 1 plus 5 plus 10 plus 50 plus 100 plus 500, 13:30 the total is 666. 13:36 So basically what I'm saying is that this image that 13:39 Nebuchadnezzar raised up of pure gold, 13:43 whose dimensions is 60 by 6... 13:48 Do you know how much 60 by 6 is? 13:51 360. 13:53 Was actually a solar symbol in ancient Babylon. 13:57 It was an image in honor of Marduk, the sun god. 14:00 So whoever worshipped the image would be worshipping what? 14:04 Would be worshipping the sun god, whose number is 666. 14:11 Now what was the primary issue involved in this conflict 14:16 in the valley of Dura? 14:19 Clearly, the issue has to do with what? 14:22 With worship. 14:23 That is the central issue. 14:25 It has to do with worship. 14:27 In fact, the word, "worship," in Daniel chapter 3 14:29 is used ten times. 14:32 And you have it in your material. 14:33 It's used in verses 5 through 7, verses 10 through 12, 14:37 verse 14, verse 15, verse 18, and verse 28. 14:41 Almost ad nauseam is the word, "worship," used 14:44 in the chapters, repeated over and over again. 14:47 Because the issue is over worship. 14:49 Will you worship the image, who represents the sun god, 14:55 whose number is 666, or will you worship 14:59 God the Creator. 15:00 That is the big issue in the valley of Dura. 15:04 Is the law of God also involved? 15:07 Of course it is. 15:08 Which table of the law is particularly involved here? 15:12 It is the first table of the law. 15:14 Would it be having other gods before God if the young men 15:18 had bowed to worship the image? 15:20 Of course. 15:21 Does the second commandment forbid them from 15:24 worshipping idols? 15:25 Absolutely. 15:26 Does the fourth commandment say only to honor the Creator? 15:30 Absolutely. 15:31 This trial had to do with the first table of the law. 15:34 It had to do with worship. 15:36 It had to do with the commandments of God 15:39 verses the commandments of men. 15:42 Now is the Sabbath involved indirectly? 15:45 Of course it is. 15:46 We worship the Creator, we worship God 15:49 because He's what? 15:50 The Creator. 15:51 And what is the sign of the Creator? 15:54 The sign of the Creator is the holy Sabbath. 15:57 So the primary issue is an issue of worship. 16:01 And also an issue having to do with whether the commandments 16:04 of God would be obeyed or the commandments of men; 16:08 the commandment that was given by the king. 16:11 Was there a union of church and state 16:14 in the valley of Dura? 16:16 Yes there was. 16:17 Let's go to Daniel chapter 3, we will read a few of these verses. 16:20 Daniel chapter 3, and let's read verse 2. 16:24 Daniel 3 and verse 2. 16:25 This is the king, and he's making a religious decree. 16:29 It says there, "And King Nebuchadnezzar 16:31 sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, 16:35 the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, 16:38 the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces..." 16:42 Are these all political positions? 16:44 Yes they are. 16:45 "...to come to the dedication of the image which 16:48 King Nebuchadnezzar had set up." 16:51 So all of the administrators of the kingdom of Babylon 16:55 are called to the dedication of this image 16:59 and to worship this image. 17:00 And incidentally, they're presented in order of 17:02 rank in this verse. 17:04 We don't have time to go into all of the ranks of 17:08 civil officials in Babylon. 17:11 But they're all in order. 17:12 So this is a case of the civil power enforcing 17:16 a religious decree or establishing religion. 17:20 To refuse to worship was considered treason 17:23 against the civil power. 17:25 Daniel 3 and 6 are illustrations, 17:29 this is important, of the establishment 17:32 and free exercise clauses of the first amendment 17:34 to the Constitution of the United States. 17:37 You say, "How is that?" 17:39 Let me ask you, was Nebuchadnezzar the king? 17:41 Yes. 17:42 Was he establishing a religious observance? 17:46 Yes, he was establishing religion. 17:48 And everybody had to worship the way he said. 17:51 What does the first clause of the first amendment have to say? 17:54 "Congress shall make no law respecting the 17:57 establishment of religion..." 17:59 But Daniel 6, which we're not going to study, 18:02 Daniel and the lion's den, that command by the king 18:06 violated the second clause of the first amendment. 18:10 "...nor forbidding the free exercise thereof." 18:13 Because in Daniel 6, the king is not establishing religion. 18:16 He's forbidding the free exercise of religion, 18:19 saying you can't pray in this certain way. 18:21 And so you see in these stories of Daniel 3 18:24 what happens when the United States will violate 18:29 the first amendment by establishing religious 18:31 observances and by forbidding the free exercise of religion. 18:35 People will then lose the third clause, 18:37 which is full civil rights. 18:40 So let's go back here then. 18:41 There was a union of church and state. 18:44 Was this decree universal, as far as that time was concerned? 18:49 Absolutely. 18:51 Notice what we find in verse 4. 18:53 Daniel chapter 3 and verse 4. 18:55 "Then a herald cried aloud, 'To you it is commanded...'" 18:59 Notice the terminology. 19:00 "...O peoples, nations, and languages, 19:05 that at the time you hear the sound of the 19:08 horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony 19:11 with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship 19:15 the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up." 19:18 So you'll notice here that the decree of worship was universal. 19:22 It included all the political leaders and it included 19:25 the multitudes, the nations, and the tongues. 19:28 Does that sound familiar when you connect it with 19:30 Revelation, that terminology? 19:32 Absolutely. 19:34 Did music play a vital role in this conflict 19:39 in the valley of Dura? 19:41 Do you think music is going to have any role to play 19:43 in the end time as well? 19:45 We're going to make an application of all this. 19:47 We're just studying the historical type now. 19:50 Now was a death decree given against those 19:53 who did not worship the image of the beast, so to speak? 19:58 There was a death decree. 20:00 In fact notice Daniel chapter 3, Daniel chapter 3 and verse 6. 20:05 Here it comes through very clearly. 20:07 "And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast 20:11 immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." 20:16 And that is repeated in verse 11, in verse 15, 20:19 and in verse 19 once again. 20:21 There was a death decree against those who did not worship the 20:25 image in honor of the sun god, whose number is 666. 20:30 Was there a faithful but insignificant remnant 20:33 who refused to worship? 20:35 Were they in the majority? 20:37 No, they were in the minority. 20:39 Notice verse 12, Daniel chapter 3 verse 12. 20:43 "There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs 20:47 of the province of Babylon; 20:48 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 20:50 These men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. 20:53 They do not serve your gods..." 20:56 Ah, so was this image set up in honor of the gods of Babylon? 21:02 Absolutely. 21:03 "They do not serve your gods or..." What? 21:05 "...or worship the gold image which you have set up." 21:09 There was a faithful remnant. 21:12 And of course, they were the only ones resisting the 21:16 supremacy of Nebuchadnezzar. 21:18 If they could be wiped from the face of the earth, 21:21 the triumph of Nebuchadnezzar would be complete. 21:26 Now who were the instigators? 21:28 Who were the instigators who accused the three young men 21:32 to the civil power? 21:34 It was the religious leaders of Babylon that accused 21:37 them to the king. 21:38 Notice Daniel chapter 3 and verses 9 through 12. 21:43 Daniel chapter 3 verse 9. 21:46 It says, "They spoke and said..." 21:47 And these are the wise men of Babylon, so called. 21:51 "They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, 21:54 'O king, live forever. 21:55 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears 21:57 the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, 22:00 in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down 22:02 and worship the gold image; and whoever does not 22:05 fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a 22:08 burning fiery furnace. 22:09 There are certain Jews whom you set over the affairs 22:12 of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, 22:14 and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid 22:17 due regard to you. 22:18 They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image 22:21 which you have set up.'" 22:23 So who are the accusers of the remnant? 22:26 The religious leaders. 22:28 In other words, the church is appealing to the state 22:31 and saying, "You have to eradicate 22:33 these three young men." 22:35 Now was there a shaking in the valley of Dura? 22:38 Do you think those were the only three Jews there? 22:42 Absolutely not. 22:43 When Nebuchadnezzar took Daniel and his three friends captive 22:47 to Babylon, he left King Zedekiah to rule in Jerusalem. 22:52 You remember that? 22:53 He left Zedekiah to rule in Jerusalem. 22:56 Now we know something very interesting. 22:58 I don't know this for absolute certain, but we do know this, 23:01 that King Zedekiah, in 594 BC, made a trip to Babylon. 23:08 It is inconceivable that Zedekiah would not have 23:11 gone to the dedication of the image, because everyone 23:14 was required to be present there. 23:16 Is it just possible that the trip in 594 BC was for the 23:21 dedication of the image? 23:23 There's a possibility. 23:24 Furthermore, there were other Hebrew worthies 23:26 that were taken to Babylon. 23:28 They were taught in the schools of Babylon, 23:29 and they had positions in the kingdom, didn't they? 23:32 Where were they in the time of crisis? 23:35 Undoubtedly, they bowed before the image 23:38 that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 23:40 There were only three faithful young men. 23:44 Now Nebuchadnezzar attempted to entice and intimidate 23:49 the remnant who kept the commandments of God 23:52 and worshipped only Him. 23:53 And the king took three steps, if you read the story. 23:57 First of all, he tried to get the men to worship the image 24:01 by fascination. 24:04 That is the impressive worship scene. 24:06 You can imagine what it must have been like. 24:09 Do you know how much 60 times 6 is? 24:13 I mean, that's a huge image. 24:17 And so everybody is there to worship this image. 24:20 And all of the dignitaries are there. 24:22 And it's just an impressive scene with a band, 24:26 with the best music. 24:29 And so the devil, through Nebuchadnezzar, 24:32 tries to fascinate the young men into worshipping the image. 24:36 The second thing that he uses is intimidation and threats. 24:40 He says, "If you don't worship this image, 24:42 you can be thrown into the fiery furnace." 24:45 And when intimidation did not work, 24:48 what was the final solution? 24:50 The final solution was to execute them. 24:54 So he uses three methods. 24:55 First of all, fascination by the glory of the scene. 24:58 Secondly, intimidation and threats. 25:00 And in the third place, throwing them into the fiery furnace 25:04 to eradicate them. 25:06 Ellen White makes an insightful remark 25:10 about Nebuchadnezzar's body language 25:12 when the young men said that they were not going to worship. 25:15 She states that after the king threatened to throw the 25:18 young men into the furnace, "with hand stretched upward 25:23 in defiance, he boastfully declared, 25:26 'And what God shall be able to deliver you 25:29 from my hands?'" 25:32 In fact, she says that his face looked like the face 25:35 of a demon. 25:38 And you have these three young men alone 25:41 in the valley of Dura saying, "We will not worship. 25:45 We will not break God's holy commandments." 25:50 Wow, loyal to God, because they had a covenant 25:53 relationship with Jesus. 25:56 Here the covenant, "I will be their God, 25:59 and they shall be My people." 26:00 That's the covenant formula. 26:02 And so when Nebuchadnezzar threatens them, 26:04 and he tries to fascinate them with the scene, 26:08 we find that the three young men have an answer for the king. 26:10 It's found in verses 16 through 18. 26:13 Verses 16 through 18. 26:16 "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered 26:18 and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, 26:21 we have no need to answer you in this matter. 26:24 If that is the case, our God whom we serve 26:28 is able to deliver us..." 26:30 That word, "deliver," is a key word in the book of Daniel. 26:33 Do you know it only appears in Daniel 3, and Daniel 6, 26:36 and in Daniel 11. 26:39 Which means that they are connected. 26:42 And so verse 17 says, "If that is the case, our God 26:45 whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning 26:48 fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand. 26:51 But if not..." 26:53 Do they serve God for the loaves and the fishes? 26:56 No. 26:57 They're willing to serve Him even if God 26:59 doesn't come through. 27:00 "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not 27:05 serve your gods..." 27:06 See, the image was a sign that they were 27:08 serving the gods of Babylon. 27:10 And the great god was the sun god Marduk. 27:13 "...nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." 27:18 Period. 27:20 What was the reaction of the king? 27:23 Hmmm, notice verse 19. 27:25 "Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury..." 27:28 Does that sound familiar? 27:30 "Then the dragon was..." What? 27:32 "...enraged with the woman, and went to make war 27:35 with the remnant of her seed." 27:37 So it says, "Then Nebuchadnezzar was 27:38 full of fury, and the expression on his face..." What? 27:43 "...on his face changed toward Shadrach, 27:47 Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 27:48 He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times 27:52 more than it was usually heated." 27:55 And you have this statement by Ellen White 27:57 in, Bible Commentary, volume 4, page 1169, 28:01 where she says, "Satanic attributes made his countenance 28:05 appear as the countenance of a demon." 28:10 Wow, that's amazing. 28:13 You see, the problem is, Nebuchadnezzar 28:14 made the same mistake that Pharaoh made at the Red Sea. 28:18 He assumed that he was fighting these three young men 28:22 when he was really fighting against the Lord. 28:25 Pharaoh didn't realize that by fighting against Israel 28:27 he was fighting against the Lord of Israel 28:29 in the person of His people. 28:32 This is why Moses had said at the edge of the Red Sea, 28:35 "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." 28:39 In fighting the people of the Lord, the king was fighting 28:43 against the Lord of the people. 28:47 Did a time of trouble ensue for the three young men? 28:50 Ooh, terrible time of trouble. 28:53 The young men faced the beast, his image, and the civil rulers 28:59 without flinching. 29:01 I'm sure that it was a severe test for them to think 29:04 about being thrown into the fiery furnace. 29:08 And yet, their loyalty to God was stronger than life itself. 29:14 And of course, we just read that the king 29:16 heated the furnace seven times hotter than ever before. 29:20 And by the way, I don't think Nebuchadnezzar 29:22 had a thermometer. 29:24 I don't think thermometers existed back then. 29:26 What it means, the number seven, means that he heated the 29:29 kiln as hot as it would be. 29:32 To its maximum heat, in other words. 29:36 Did the young men go through the tribulation? 29:39 They most certainly did. 29:40 In fact, Ellen White says that they claimed the promise 29:42 of Isaiah 43 verse 2, of going through the fire 29:45 and not being burned. 29:47 They claimed that promise that already existed at that time. 29:50 And so now you come to the climax of the story. 29:53 You know, in our Sabbath school we say, 29:54 "We need to dare to be a Daniel." 29:58 We should dare to be like Shadrach, Meshach, 30:01 and Abed-Nego. 30:02 And I'm not saying that's bad. 30:03 But you know what? 30:04 We make the heroes out of those who are not the heroes. 30:09 Because if it had not been for Jesus, 30:12 they would have been cooked. 30:15 The hero of this story are not the three young men. 30:19 The hero of this story is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. 30:25 He delivers, not only from the spiritual malady of sin, 30:29 He will deliver His people from literal death 30:32 in the time of trouble when the wicked come 30:34 against God's people. 30:36 Notice Daniel chapter 3. 30:39 Daniel chapter 3, and let's read beginning with verse 15. 30:45 Daniel chapter 3, we already read verse 15. 30:49 Let's go down to verse, let's see, verse 21. 30:54 "Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, 30:58 their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast 31:02 into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 31:05 Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, 31:08 and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed 31:13 those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego." 31:16 In other words, those who threw them in were slain by the fire. 31:19 "And these three men; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, 31:22 fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace." 31:28 And now comes the climax of the story. 31:31 "Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; 31:34 and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, 31:38 'Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?' 31:44 They answered and said to the king, 'True, O king.' 31:47 'Look,' he answered, 'I see four men loose...'" 31:51 See, the ropes had been burnt. 31:54 The only thing that was burnt. 31:56 "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; 32:01 and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth 32:04 is like the Son of God." 32:08 Some people say, "How did Nebuchadnezzar know 32:09 what the Son of God looked like?" 32:11 Ellen White says it's because Daniel had explained to him 32:14 before what He looked like. 32:16 So he knew what the Son of God looked like. 32:18 And by the way, at this point Jesus was the Angel of the Lord. 32:23 Let's notice verse 25. 32:24 You'll see it very clearly. 32:26 It says, "the Son of God," in verse 25, but notice verse 28. 32:30 It says, "Nebuchadnezzar spoke saying, 32:32 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, 32:34 who sent His Angel 32:37 and delivered His servants who trusted in Him.'" 32:40 So who was it, the Son of God or the Angel? 32:42 The Son of God is the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament. 32:49 He is Michael the Archangel, if you please. 32:53 And so they were delivered. 32:54 Now, there's a key word in Daniel chapter 3. 32:56 It's used four times. 32:58 It's the word, "deliver." 33:00 It's used in verse 15, verse 17, verse 28, and verse 29. 33:06 It is a key word. 33:08 Who is able to deliver? 33:10 Jesus is able to deliver from this crisis that took place 33:16 in the valley of Dura. 33:17 Now the question is, is this the end of the story? 33:21 Absolutely not. 33:23 This story is going to be repeated on a global scale. 33:27 Notice the principles of interpretation 33:29 at the bottom of your page. 33:31 Literal Israel was literally captive in literal Babylon. 33:34 The literal king behaved like a literal beast, 33:37 set up a literal image, commanding everyone 33:39 literally to bow and worship. 33:40 Literal Jews refused to literally bow. 33:43 And therefore, they were thrown into a literal fiery furnace, 33:46 and are delivered from the literal flames. 33:50 This story will be repeated once more, but on a what? 33:55 But on a global scale. 33:59 Now let's make the application. 34:02 What will be the power, according to the book 34:04 of Revelation, that will be ruling the world 34:06 before Jesus comes? 34:08 It is Babylon. 34:11 The harlot is called Babylon. 34:13 And she's seated on many waters; on the multitudes, nations, 34:16 tongues, and peoples. 34:17 You can read it in Revelation 17 verses 1 and 2, 34:21 and also verse 5. 34:24 Will God's people once again be captive in Babylon? 34:28 Absolutely. 34:30 Will there be a call for them to come out 34:32 just like in the Old Testament? 34:34 Absolutely. 34:35 Revelation chapter 18 verse 4, "Come out of her, My people, 34:39 that you do not partake in her sins 34:41 or receive her plagues." 34:44 Will there be a global power who is called the beast 34:47 in Revelation 13? 34:49 See, I'm not even reading the verses because 34:51 you know these verses. 34:53 Revelation chapter 13 verses 1 and 2 34:55 speak about a beast that comes from the sea. 34:58 Will this beast have an image made of itself? 35:02 Absolutely. 35:03 It's known as the image of the beast. 35:06 Will it have a mark that has some relationship to the sun? 35:11 Will this mark be imposed by force like in the Old Testament? 35:16 Absolutely. 35:17 The mark of the beast is clearly opposite to the seal of God. 35:21 When the seventh day Sabbath becomes the final test 35:24 for the world, the seal of God will be the observance of the 35:28 Sabbath, and the mark of the beast will be the observance 35:31 of Sunday. 35:32 Does this involve worship? 35:34 Yes. 35:35 If you keep the Sabbath, it is a sign that 35:38 you worship God the Creator. 35:40 If you worship on Sunday, it's a sign that you are 35:43 worshipping the power that claimed to create Sunday 35:47 as a day of worship. 35:48 So it's not the issue of one day verses another, 35:51 it's the issue of who you are honoring through the day 35:55 that you are keeping. 35:57 You are either keeping Sabbath as a sign that 35:59 you worship the true God, or you're keeping Sunday 36:02 in honor of the power that claims to have changed 36:06 God's law from Sabbath to Sunday. 36:10 In contrast to those who worship the beast and his image 36:13 will be those who worship the Creator. 36:15 This is the reason why Revelation 14 verse 7 36:18 calls upon the world to worship the Creator. 36:21 See, the first angel's message says worship the Creator, 36:24 and the third angel's message says don't worship the beast. 36:28 And worshipping the Creator involves Sabbath observance. 36:31 Because we worship the Creator. 36:33 And the sign of the Creator is the Sabbath. 36:36 Notice the connection that Ellen White made 36:38 between these two stories. 36:40 Volume 14 of Manuscript Releases, page 91. 36:43 She says, "An idol sabbath has been set up..." 36:49 Why is it an idol sabbath? 36:52 Because it was created by man for worship. 36:55 Anything that man makes for worship is an idol. 36:59 It can be a day or it can be an object. 37:02 So she says, "An idol sabbath has been set up 37:04 as the golden image was set up in the plains of Dura." 37:07 There she's making the typological connection. 37:10 "And as Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, 37:12 issued a decree that all who would not bow down 37:16 and worship this image should be killed, so a proclamation 37:19 will be made that all who will not reverence the 37:22 Sunday institution will be punished with 37:26 imprisonment and..." What? 37:28 "...with imprisonment and death." 37:30 Does the beast bear any relationship to the number 666? 37:37 You know that the number of the beast is 666. 37:41 And so there you have a relationship, a connection, 37:44 of the number in Daniel 3 with the number 37:47 in Revelation chapter 13. 37:49 Now somebody might say, "Pastor, is it really the same to worship 37:52 the sun as it is to worship on the day of the sun?" 37:57 And I answer, "In principle, yes it's the same." 38:00 Let me put it this way. 38:02 Who created the sun? 38:08 God did. 38:10 Did He create it for worship? 38:12 So what happens if you convert it into an object of worship? 38:15 What is that called? 38:17 Idolatry. 38:18 Who created the first day of the week? 38:21 Did He create it for worship? 38:22 So what happens if you make it a day of worship? 38:25 That's idolatry. 38:27 It doesn't matter whether it's an object or a day. 38:30 Anything that man makes for worship that God did not 38:34 create for worship is idolatry. 38:36 And so that's why Ellen White can call Sunday 38:40 the idol sabbath, and she can connect it to the golden image 38:44 in the valley of Dura. 38:46 Ellen White, in volume 7 of the Bible Commentary, page 976, 38:51 says, "History will be repeated. 38:53 False religion will be exalted. 38:55 The first day of the week, a common working day, 38:59 possessing no sanctity whatever, will be set up as was the 39:04 image at Babylon. 39:06 All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded 39:09 to worship this spurious sabbath. 39:11 This is Satan's plan to make of no account 39:14 the day instituted by God and given to the world 39:17 as a memorial of creation." 39:19 Is the conflict at the end of time a conflict over worship? 39:24 You read Revelation 13, folks, read Revelation 13 39:28 the entire chapter, time and again 39:30 the word, "worship," appears. 39:32 Revelation 13 verse 4, verse 8, verse 12, verse 15, 39:37 and then chapter 14 verse 7 and verse 9 refer to worship. 39:41 The end time conflict will be over worship. 39:44 Will it also involve the commandments of God? 39:47 Yes, because when you deal with worship, 39:49 you're dealing with the commandments. 39:51 Because the first four commandments 39:52 have to do with worship. 39:54 That's why Revelation chapter 12 and verse 17 says that, 39:58 "The dragon was enraged with the woman 40:00 and went to make war with the remnant of her seed." 40:03 And why is the dragon enraged? 40:05 Because there's a group that what? 40:07 That keep the commandments of God. 40:11 Will there be a union of church and state at the end of time? 40:14 Babylon with the civil powers. Yes. 40:17 The harlot fornicates with the kings of the earth. 40:20 And the harlot's name is Babylon. 40:22 Notice this statement from, Great Controversy, page 607. 40:26 "The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, 40:31 and in this work papists and Protestants unite. 40:36 As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more 40:39 bold and decided, the law will be invoked against 40:43 commandment keepers. 40:45 They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, 40:48 and some will be offered positions of influence, 40:51 and other rewards and advantages, as inducements 40:55 to renounce their faith. 40:57 But their steadfast answer is, 'Show us from the word of God 41:01 our error;' the same plea that was made by 41:04 Luther under similar circumstances." 41:08 Great Controversy, page 592, she also states, 41:12 "The dignitaries of church and and state will unite 41:15 to bribe, persuade, or compel..." 41:17 Remember what Nebuchadnezzar did? 41:19 "...all classes to honor the Sunday. 41:22 The lack of divine authority will be supplied 41:25 by oppressive enactments. 41:28 Political corruption is destroying love of justice 41:30 and regard for truth; and even in free America, 41:34 rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, 41:38 will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing 41:42 Sunday observance. 41:43 Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, 41:47 will no longer be respected. 41:50 In the soon coming conflict we shall see exemplified 41:54 the prophet's words, 'The dragon was wroth with the woman, 41:57 and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 42:00 which keep the commandments of God, and have the 42:02 testimony of Jesus Christ.'" 42:05 Will there be a union of church and state? 42:07 Yes, Revelation 17 says so, and the spirit of prophecy 42:11 confirms this in the book, Great Controversy. 42:14 Will a death decree be uttered against God's people? 42:18 Yes. 42:19 Revelation chapter 13 and verse 15. 42:22 Revelation chapter 13 and verse 15 42:25 refers to this death decree. 42:28 Whoever does not worship the image will be killed. 42:30 It says there in verse 15 of Revelation 13, 42:33 "He was granted power to give breath to the image 42:36 of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak 42:40 and cause as many as would not worship the image 42:44 of the beast to be..." What? 42:46 "...to be killed." 42:47 Was there a death decree in the Old Testament against 42:49 those who did not worship the image of the beast? Yes. 42:52 Is that going to happen at the end of time? Yes. 42:54 Is it going to be a literal image, a great big statue? No. 42:58 Is this going to be a literal beast, like Nebuchadnezzar 43:00 acted like a literal beast? 43:02 Is it going to be a literal furnace, a kiln? 43:04 Absolutely not. 43:06 In the end time, it's fulfilled spiritually and globally. 43:10 In other words, the valley of Dura is universalized, 43:14 it is globalized, in the end time. 43:16 The remnant is not only three individuals, 43:18 it will be a whole people gathered all over the world. 43:22 Notice Great Controversy, page 615. 43:26 This is an argument based on John 11:51. 43:28 Do you remember when Caiaphas said it's necessary 43:31 for one man to die and not that the nation perish? 43:34 Ellen White says that argument is going to be used again 43:37 to save the United States of America from disappearing. 43:41 She says, "This argument will appear conclusive; 43:44 and a decree will finally be issued against those 43:47 who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, 43:49 denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment 43:53 and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, 43:56 to put them to death. 43:59 Romanism in the Old World and apostate Protestantism 44:02 in the New will pursue a similar course toward those 44:05 who honor all the divine precepts." 44:08 She also says on page 604 of, Great Controversy, 44:11 "Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. 44:14 The powers of earth, uniting to war against the 44:17 commandments of God, will decree that, 'all, both small 44:20 and great, rich and poor, free and bond,' 44:22 shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance 44:26 of the false sabbath. 44:27 All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, 44:32 and it will finally be declared that they 44:35 are deserving of death." 44:37 Will this be a universal decree? 44:40 It most certainly will be a universal decree. 44:43 It says it will go to the whole earth, to the entire world. 44:46 "The whole world wondered after the beast," 44:49 is what Revelation chapter 13 says. 44:52 In fact, Great Controversy, 615, confirms what we find in 44:57 Revelation 13 and verses 15 and 16. 45:00 Ellen White says, "As the Sabbath has become the 45:02 special point of controversy throughout Christendom, 45:05 and religious and secular authorities have combined 45:08 to enforce the observance of the Sunday, 45:10 the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield 45:14 to the popular demand will make them objects 45:17 of universal execration." 45:19 Universal execration. 45:22 In fact, Ellen White says that when the United States 45:25 imposes a Sunday law, every country on the globe 45:29 will be led to follow its example. 45:32 Every country on the globe will be led to follow its example. 45:36 Don't ask me how it's going to happen, 45:38 but it is going to happen. 45:39 We can be absolutely certain of that. 45:41 How it's going to happen in the Muslim countries, 45:44 well God knows. 45:46 You know, how was the Berlin wall going to fall? 45:49 Nobody even believed that it could happen. 45:51 And it happened overnight almost. 45:54 So the final movements will be rapid ones. 45:56 And these things will occur. 45:59 Will music and external display play a significant 46:02 role in the end time? 46:04 Absolutely. 46:05 Notice this statement that Ellen White makes 46:08 concerning the music of the Roman Catholic Church. 46:11 Did you watch the funeral of John Paul II? 46:14 You could not help but be awed. 46:17 In fact, I heard somebody call on the radio, a talk show host, 46:20 and said, "Man, when I see this on television, 46:24 all this majestic music and the vestments and everything," 46:26 he said, "I'm a Protestant, but I'm going to become a Catholic." 46:31 Great Controversy, 566 through 567. 46:34 Because notice what Ellen White says about Roman Catholicism. 46:37 It's not something that is unattractive. 46:41 It has ceremonial, it has pomp and circumstance. 46:44 It's attractive. 46:46 Listen to what she says. 46:48 "Many Protestants suppose that the Catholic religion 46:50 is unattractive and that its worship is a dull, 46:54 meaningless round of ceremony. 46:57 Here they mistake. 46:58 While Romanism is based upon deception, it is not 47:02 a coarse and clumsy imposture. 47:05 The religious service of the Roman Church is a 47:08 most impressive ceremonial. 47:10 Its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses 47:14 of the people and silence the voice of reason 47:17 and of conscience. 47:19 The eye is charmed. 47:21 Magnificent churches, imposing processions, golden altars, 47:25 jeweled shrines, choice paintings, and exquisite 47:28 sculpture appeal to the love of beauty. 47:31 The ear also is captivated. 47:33 The music is unsurpassed. 47:34 The rich notes of the deep-toned organ, blending with the 47:38 melody of many voices as it swells through the lofty domes 47:42 and pillared aisles of her grand cathedrals, cannot fail 47:46 to impress the mind with awe and reverence. 47:50 The outward splendor, pomp, and ceremony, that only mocks 47:54 the longings of the sin-sick soul, is an evidence 47:57 of inward corruption. 47:59 The religion of Christ needs not such attractions 48:01 to recommend it. 48:02 In the light shining from the cross, true Christianity 48:06 appears so pure and lovely that no external decorations 48:11 can enhance its worth. 48:12 It is the beauty of holiness, a meek and quiet spirit, 48:15 which is of value with God." 48:21 So are people going to be wowed by the spectacular beauty 48:27 and pomp of a system, just like in the valley of Dura 48:30 with the music and with the external things? 48:33 Absolutely. 48:34 Now you know, Ellen White once visited the cathedral in Milan. 48:38 I was just there last year. 48:40 I was very interested to visit the cathedral, it's incredible. 48:43 It took about 600 years to build. 48:46 It's just unbelievably beautiful. 48:48 And Ellen White wanted to visit it, and she did visit it. 48:51 And she wrote that she was very impressed by it. 48:55 But then she summarized her experience by saying 48:58 that it was just one vast pile of extravagance. 49:03 So at first she was impressed. 49:05 But at the end, she says it's just one vast pile 49:08 of extravagance. 49:10 Will God have a faithful remnant that will stand 49:14 in this crisis in the end time? 49:16 Absolutely. 49:17 "Here is the patience of the saints; 49:20 here are they who keep the commandments of God 49:23 and the faith of Jesus." 49:26 In fact, in Revelation chapter 15, 49:29 if you go with me there, Revelation chapter 15 49:32 and verses 2 through 4, you're going to find a group that is 49:35 victorious over the beast, his image, and his mark, 49:38 and the number of his name. 49:39 It says in verse 2, "And I saw something like a sea of glass 49:43 mingled with fire, and those who have the..." What? 49:46 "...the victory over the beast, over his image, 49:49 and over his mark, and over the number of his name, 49:52 standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 49:56 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, 49:58 and the song of the Lamb, saying, 50:02 'Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! 50:05 Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! 50:08 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? 50:11 For You alone are holy. 50:13 For all nations shall come and worship before You, 50:15 for Your judgments have been manifested.'" 50:18 So God will have a group that is victorious over the beast, 50:21 over his image, over his mark, and over the number of his name. 50:26 Praise the Lord for that. 50:30 Will there be a shaking at the end of time? 50:33 Will most of God's people, when crunch time comes, 50:36 bow before the image of the beast? 50:39 Absolutely. 50:40 Matthew chapter 24 says that when this crisis comes, 50:44 the love of many will grow cold. 50:47 And many will become scandalized at the name of Jesus, 50:51 and they will forsake the armies of the Lord. 50:56 Now Ellen White, in harmony with the Bible, 50:59 had this to say, she said, "To stand in defense of 51:02 the truth and righteousness when the majority forsakes us..." 51:05 When the what? 51:06 "...when the majority forsakes us, to fight the battles 51:10 of the Lord when champions are few, this will be our test. 51:14 At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness 51:16 of others, courage from their cowardice, 51:19 and loyalty from their treason. 51:21 The nation will be on the side of the great rebel." 51:24 And in the next quotation, she says, "A large class 51:28 who profess faith in the third angel's message..." 51:30 In other words, they were once Adventists, believers. 51:33 "...but has not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, 51:36 abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition." 51:40 Who will be particularly guilty in accusing the people of God? 51:45 It will be the religious leaders. 51:48 Just like in the valley of Dura. 51:50 You say, "Now where does it say that?" 51:52 Well let's read the second statement here that we have 51:54 in our material. 51:55 "As the controversy extends into new fields, 51:58 and the minds of the people are called to God's 52:00 down trodden law, Satan is astir. 52:03 The power attending the message will only madden 52:06 those who oppose it. 52:07 The clergy will put forth almost super human efforts 52:12 to shut away the light, lest it should shine upon their flocks. 52:15 By every means at their command, they will endeavor to suppress 52:19 the discussion of these vital questions." 52:24 Will Satan be filled with rage like Nebuchadnezzar 52:27 was filled with rage? 52:29 Absolutely. 52:30 In fact, if you read Revelation 13 52:33 and verses 3 and 4, a similar question will be asked 52:37 in the end time as was asked in the valley of Dura 52:41 by King Nebuchadnezzar. 52:42 Revelation chapter 13, and I'm going to read verse 3 52:46 and verse 4. 52:47 It says there, "And I saw one of his heads as if it had been 52:50 mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. 52:53 And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 52:55 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; 52:58 and they worshiped the beast, saying..." 53:00 Now here's the same question. 53:01 "Who is like the beast? 53:03 And who is able to make war with him?" 53:07 And what is the answer? 53:09 God says, "I will." 53:13 And of course, God will be victorious. 53:16 Will God's people go through a severe time of trouble? 53:20 Absolutely. 53:21 The worst time of trouble in the history of the world. 53:25 There will not be a time of trouble such as that one. 53:27 There has not been, and there will not be. 53:30 And God's people will go through the furnace of fire. 53:34 Notice what the fiery furnace represents. 53:37 Great Controversy, page 621. 53:40 Great Controversy, 621. 53:42 Ellen White says, speaking about the remnant, 53:45 "Their affliction is great, the flames of the furnace 53:49 seem about to consume them; but the Refiner will bring 53:54 them forth as gold tried in the fire." 53:57 See, she uses the symbolism of the furnace for the 54:00 trial of God's people. 54:02 She says, "God's love for His children during the period 54:05 of their severest trial is as strong and tender as in the 54:08 days of their sunniest prosperity. 54:10 But it is needful for them to be placed..." Where? 54:13 "...in the furnace of fire. 54:16 Their earthliness must be consumed, that the image 54:19 of Christ may be perfectly reflected." 54:24 Folks, Jesus Christ will personally intervene 54:28 to deliver His people. 54:29 "At the time Michael shall stand up, that great Prince 54:33 that stands watch over the children of your people. 54:35 And there will be a time of trouble, such as there 54:38 never was since there was a nation. 54:40 But at that time your people shall be..." 54:42 What? What's the key word? 54:43 "...your people shall be delivered, everyone 54:46 who is found written in the book." 54:48 God will deliver His people. 54:51 Jesus will personally intervene. 54:55 What will God demand? 54:56 God will demand absolute unswerving loyalty. 55:02 And when do we form this loyalty? 55:05 When the crisis comes you say, "Okay, emergency." 55:08 No, it has to be now that we have to form this covenant 55:12 relationship with Christ. 55:14 And we can be sure that if we form a covenant with Jesus, 55:17 Jesus is going to protect us. 55:20 And even if we should die, because some people will die 55:23 in the little time of trouble before the close of probation, 55:26 no sweat. 55:28 Because Jesus is going to resurrect those people 55:30 in a special resurrection. 55:32 So it's just a little moment of rest. 55:34 That's all. 55:35 But Jesus is still going to fulfill His covenant 55:37 with His people. 55:39 He is still going to resurrect them, and they are 55:41 still going to live with Jesus throughout the ceaseless 55:43 ages of eternity. 55:45 Notice this last statement, Prophets and Kings, 55:47 page 512 and 513, as we close. 55:51 "The season of distress before God's people 55:54 will call for a faith that will not falter. 55:58 His children must make it manifest that He is the only 56:03 object of their worship, and that no consideration, 56:07 not even that of life itself, can induce them to make 56:12 the least concession to false worship. 56:15 To the loyal heart the commands of sinful, 56:18 finite men will sink into insignificance 56:21 beside the word of the eternal God. 56:25 Truth will be obeyed though the result be imprisonment, 56:30 or exile, or death." 56:34 That's the kind of faith that God's people are going to need. 56:39 And incidentally, do you know that Ellen White calls 56:41 Sunday, the idol sabbath, time and again 56:44 in her writings. 56:46 Because it is a sabbath made in the shape by man. 56:51 It's not made for worship by God. 56:55 Let me just read one of these statements. 56:57 It's found in ninth Testimonies, 211. 56:59 She says, "The Sabbath question is one that will demand 57:02 great care and wisdom in its presentation. 57:04 Much of the grace and power of God will be needed 57:07 to cast down the idol that has been erected in the shape of 57:11 the false sabbath." 57:12 Interesting. 57:14 It's a man made sabbath for worship. 57:17 That's what makes it idolatry. 57:20 Like the sun was a man made object for worship. 57:23 That is also idolatry. 57:25 It doesn't matter if it's the sun 57:27 or if it's the day of the sun. 57:28 If it's made by man for worship, that is idolatry. 57:32 But God has made His holy Sabbath for His people to keep. 57:37 And it will be the sign of loyalty 57:40 of the people of God to Him. 57:42 And they will say, "We'd rather die than not spend that time 57:45 with our Lord and Savior Jesus." |
Revised 2015-02-25