Participants: John Stanton & John Dinzey
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL110012
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00:01 Hello friends, grab your Bible
00:03 and a friend and sit back as we explore 00:04 God's word together on this edition of House Calls. 00:23 Welcome back to House Calls. 00:24 We're glad you decided to join us for this program. 00:27 We believe a very special program, 00:29 we're gonna cover a topic today 00:30 that seems to be a hot topic out there in the world, 00:32 and we're excited about getting to that. 00:35 But before we do anything, let me introduce myself 00:37 and my guest today, my co-host. 00:40 My name is Pastor John Stanton with me is, 00:42 Pastor Johnny Dinzey. 00:43 Johnny, thank you for joining us. 00:45 Well, thank you for the privilege to be here 00:46 and studying God's word. 00:48 Amen, amen. 00:49 Thank you and we hope that you're excited 00:51 about studying God's word as well. 00:52 And before we dive into any of that, 00:54 we want to make sure we come before the Lord in prayer. 00:57 So, Johnny, would you lead us there? 00:58 Sure, let us pray together. 01:01 Our loving Heavenly Father, 01:02 we want to thank you that we can have 01:05 the liberty to open the scriptures and to study. 01:08 And we thank you Lord for the promise 01:10 that you help us understand. 01:12 We pray that you'll indeed through Your Holy Spirit 01:15 help us to understand, guide us into all truth, 01:18 we ask you Father, in Jesus name, amen. 01:20 Amen, amen. 01:22 Thank you, Johnny. 01:24 We have our question and answer time. 01:26 I know that a lot of our viewers, 01:28 our listeners look forward to hearing these questions 01:31 and we do our best to answer them 01:33 according to God's word, 01:35 that's a very important thing. 01:37 And we want to encourage you to continue 01:38 to send in those questions, 01:40 whether they're by regular mail 01:41 and the post-office or by email. 01:44 We want to give you our email address 01:46 in case you need to know that, 01:47 it's housecalls@3abn.org, housecalls@3abn.org 01:54 we will make sure that we take those questions 01:56 and also do our best to answer them. 01:59 Thank you very much for contributing to the program. 02:01 And we've some good contributions, 02:02 some good questions today. 02:04 Johnny, why don't you start us out with, 02:05 with one of those. 02:07 Very well, let's pick one here that, 02:11 they're all good ones, you know. 02:12 Yeah. Some of them are real good and deep. 02:15 Well, we have one here from Steven. 02:18 And it says here, some women in our church are teaching 02:22 that if we pray for unbelieving loved ones 02:26 and do not doubt they will be saved. 02:29 How would this work without God bending 02:33 the unbelieving person's free will. 02:36 We all have unbelieving loved ones 02:39 and want them in heaven with every fiber 02:41 of our beings and we know that it is God's will 02:45 that all are saved but unfortunately 02:50 and so there's dot, dot, dot. 02:51 What are your thoughts teaching on this issue? 02:53 So he says but unfortunately 02:54 but didn't continue that thought. 02:58 So, the question is, unfortunately, 03:01 you know, God wants them all to be saved, 03:03 but unfortunately not all will be saved. 03:04 Will be saved, yes. 03:06 So, there are many scriptures that we can point to, 03:08 in this one, we, he made reference 03:10 to First Peter chapter 3 verse 9. 03:15 I didn't look that one up, but and it says there, 03:17 that God is not willing 03:19 that any should perish but that all... 03:22 Should come to repentance. 03:23 Should come to repentance. 03:24 So, this scripture itself helps us to understand 03:28 that people must repent, 03:30 they must have an understanding 03:32 that they're sinners and that they need salvation 03:35 and that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. 03:39 And so, John 3:16 says 03:42 "For God so loved the world 03:45 that He gave His only begotten son. 03:47 That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish 03:50 but have everlasting life. 03:52 So the person must believe to be saved. 03:58 I must commend these people 04:00 that are praying for the loved ones. 04:02 And they should continue to pray for the loved ones. 04:05 But our God is not going to save anyone 04:08 without the person making 04:09 an individual choice for salvation. 04:12 And so God will not bend their will. 04:15 God is not willing that any should perish, 04:17 but they all proceed to repentance. 04:20 And God through the Holy Spirit 04:22 is trying to lead these people to repentance. 04:26 But they must make a decision. 04:28 For themselves, for salvation, 04:31 if they don't they cannot be saved. 04:33 There are many scriptures again that we can point to. 04:36 And so here's, Hebrew's chapter 10 verse 39, 04:41 we will look that one up. 04:43 Hebrew's chapter 10 verse 39, 04:48 I don't know if you have that one, 04:49 I do have. I'm reading it. 04:51 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition; 04:55 but of those who believed to the saving of the soul. 04:58 So, here we have our scripture that helps us to, 05:01 to see that they're even some that choose to be saved 05:05 but then draw back to perdition. 05:08 In other words, they go back to a lifestyle of sin. 05:12 A life of sin and therefore they go back to perdition. 05:16 So the person must make a choice. 05:20 They must choose salvation. 05:21 Continue to pray for them that they'll soften 05:24 their hearts and they accept God's gift of salvation. 05:30 That's what something we can pray for, 05:31 pray for their hearts to be soften 05:33 and so that they can accept 05:35 God leading them to repentance. 05:37 Pray for them that they'll repent. 05:39 Pray that they'll choose salvation 05:41 but God is not gonna force anyone to be saved. 05:44 He wants all to be saved, but not all will choose that. 05:47 Yeah, and I think that, you know, 05:48 by praying for individuals, 05:49 it opens up an avenue where God can work 05:52 in a way that he maybe would not work 05:54 or could not work prior to us asking for His help. 05:58 And so we pray for our loved ones, 06:00 for individuals, friends, family members. 06:03 We're asking that God intervene 06:05 and do something... 06:07 To get their attention. To get their attention. 06:09 And sometimes that involves 06:10 a very difficult set of circumstances 06:13 they must go through, 06:14 but God will put them through that. 06:15 I like to think of it in terms of God will make it 06:18 difficult for them to not be saved. 06:21 In other words, God will work in a way 06:24 because of prayer, that moves them 06:28 to the point of decision but still they must decide. 06:32 God will not overrule their will. 06:34 They must choose to be saved. 06:36 But God will do everything He can 06:38 to make sure that they are. 06:39 Yes. Amen, amen. Praise the Lord. 06:41 Here's a question that we had a few times before. 06:44 I don't know if we really answered it before. 06:48 We received it a few times, 06:49 but here I'm gonna go ahead and dive into this. 06:52 And I won't spend a lot of time on it. 06:54 But it's a question in relation 06:55 to Daniel chapter 12 and there are a couple, 07:01 actually they are three time prophecies 07:04 that are appearing, that appear in Daniel chapter 12. 07:08 And two of them are in this question from Daniel 12 07:12 or Daniel 12 verses 10 to 13, 07:15 but I'm gonna back things up to Daniel 12 verse, 07:20 let's see 5, okay. 07:24 First of all, let me give you the question. 07:26 It's from HB, thank you, HB. 07:28 He says, please explain what is meant 07:30 by these times stated in Daniel 12:10-13. 07:35 Well, let's begin with verse 5 to get the context 07:37 and see that they're in fact in Daniel 12, 07:39 three time periods. 07:41 Then I, Daniel, looked, 07:42 and there stood two others, 07:44 one on this river bank 07:45 and one on the other river bank, where one stood. 07:50 And one said to the man clothed in linen, 07:53 who was above the waters of the river, 07:55 "How long shall the fulfillment 07:56 of these wonders be?" 07:59 You know we're getting Johnny here to the end 08:01 or conclusion of the book of the Daniel. 08:03 And they're many wonders that are given in Daniel, 08:06 once you start to get to Daniel 7. 08:08 And then you progress into 8 and 9 and 10 and 11, 08:11 you have a repeating enlarging in detail, 08:13 you have additional detail piled upon a basic structure, 08:17 which in a previous program we talked about historicism. 08:20 Historical time line, 08:21 it has a beginning point and an ending point. 08:24 And each of these chapters brings you 08:27 to a different time period or reveals in detail 08:31 different events that occur on that time line. 08:33 A prophetic time line. 08:35 And so we have here that these how long, 08:38 the question is how long shall the fulfillment 08:40 of these wonders be, 08:42 which is all those spoken of from these chapters 08:45 previously or at least given here to four. 08:47 So then you get to verse 7 it says, 08:49 then I heard the man clothed in linen, 08:52 who is above the waters of the river. 08:54 When he held up his right hand 08:55 and his left hand to heaven. 08:57 And swore by him a list forever 08:59 that I shall be for a time, times and half a time. 09:03 And when the power of the holy people 09:05 has been completely shattered 09:07 all these things shall be finished. 09:09 So this word, time, times and half a times, 09:13 appears in Daniel 7, it also appears, 09:16 appears in a different way referred to as 42 months, 09:20 1260 days or years, in the book of Revelation. 09:26 All of them refer to a 1260 year period of time, 09:30 which involves persecution by this little horn power 09:35 that finally ends by it receiving a deadly wound, 09:40 which is described then in Revelation chapter 13. 09:45 And so this deadly wound is suffered 09:48 or it's experienced by this persecuting power 09:53 that results in or that concludes 09:55 the shattering of the people. 09:58 And it's after that time where it's finished 10:01 that all these things spoken of here 10:03 will be finished it says, Johnny. 10:05 So, the time line here is 1260 years at the end 10:09 the people's power that kind of shattered, they're broken 10:12 But yet this persecution power 10:14 receives a deadly wound 10:15 Yes. Its power is broken 10:17 and then the thing's finally spoken of as 10:19 in the latter day things in Daniel are finished. 10:23 And we can go to Daniel also to Revelation to find out 10:26 how the end time. 10:28 How those latter days play out. 10:30 But from here we transition into another kind 10:35 of a reference to the time period. 10:37 In fact, there are two time periods. 10:39 Look in verse 10, 10:40 which is where our question comes from. 10:42 Many shall be purified, and made white, and refined; 10:45 but the wicked shall do wickedly 10:47 and none of the wicked shall understand; 10:49 but the wise shall understand. 10:51 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away 10:55 and the abomination of desolation is set up. 10:58 There shall be 1290 days. 11:01 Notice, not 1260 days but 1290 days. 11:07 Blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1335 days. 11:12 There is another time added there. 11:15 But you go your way till the end for you shall rest 11:18 and will arise to your inheritance 11:20 at the end of days. 11:22 Now, first of all, let's bring some context 11:23 to this before we talk about these days. 11:26 Number one, there is only one latter days. 11:30 That's right. These days then cannot refer 11:33 to an extension of the last days, 11:36 because the latter days culminate 11:38 in the return of Christ. Amen. 11:40 This time period must be in relation to the 1260 11:44 previously spoken of. 11:47 But add to that, some elements, 11:49 some details that refer to the bringing 11:52 of us to the latter days. 11:54 So, I don't see contextually here an extension 11:57 of these time periods being added on to the latter days. 12:02 These time periods are reference to the time period 12:09 already spoken of, the 1260. 12:10 And undeniably I believe connected to that. 12:12 So, as we look at this, then we understand 12:15 previously and I know that, you know, 12:17 we don't have time for all the studies, 12:18 but those of you who do understand. 12:19 That 1260 year period refers 12:22 to a time from 538 to 1798, 12:27 begins with the time that the first, 12:30 one of the first major Pope's 12:32 that were inserted in Rome, Vigilius took power in 538, 12:37 ruled up then through the church of Rome 12:40 all the way up to 1798. 12:42 Which in fact was when that power received 12:45 its deadly wound and lost control 12:48 and power over God's people, 12:50 over religious matters 12:51 and political matters for that time. 12:53 Of course, we know that Revelation tells us 12:55 that the deadly wound finally heals and it comes back. 12:57 But suffice it to say that this 1260 13:00 is this persecuting period of time 13:03 where this power is in place. 13:06 Then as it goes on, you find that these other two days 13:09 are referred to, one is 1290, 13:12 the question is, does 1290 13:15 add on to the 1260 13:18 or does it add or at the end 13:21 or does it add to the beginning of the 1260. 13:25 Well, you know, in studying this we find, 13:29 at least I believe that it adds to the beginning of it. 13:31 And there is a reason for that, 13:33 because around the time of 508, 13:36 which would be another 30 years prior to 538, 13:40 there was a significant event in propelling 13:44 the political and religious aspect of Rome into power. 13:49 And let me just read something for you 13:51 that was put together, I put together 13:54 from a paper here not too long ago 13:56 and it might provide a better clarification, 13:59 just to kind of read this, 14:00 rather then kind of stumble through it 14:02 or mumble through it. 14:04 What happened in 508? 14:06 In 496, a few years before, Clovis, 14:09 King of the Franks, became a Roman Catholic. 14:13 This put him in direct conflict with other, 14:15 the other Germanic tribes that fight against 14:18 the Roman Empire of that day. 14:20 They were Ariens and opposed to the Pope violently. 14:24 On his issues and his stands with regards to Christ. 14:27 In spite of this, Clovis defeated the Visigoths 14:30 and became the first civil power to officially 14:33 support the growing Church of Rome. 14:36 Notice the church had been growing there 14:37 for a couple of hundred years beginning 14:39 with Constantine who declared his Christian faith 14:42 and then really propelled Christianity 14:45 to the forefront within Rome as the hot religion 14:49 of the day so to speak. 14:51 And so, here then we find that this growing 14:54 church of Rome is propelled then by Clovis 14:57 in his defeating of the Visigoths 14:59 who opposed the Roman empire. 15:01 France then has been refereed to at times 15:04 as being the oldest daughter of the Roman Catholic Church 15:07 as a political power. All right. 15:11 Franks became France. 15:13 Now, going on, then Clovis came to tour in 508 15:18 to hold a celebration of his victory, 15:20 that is the victory over the Visigoths. 15:23 It was there that he met Byzantine envoys, 15:27 who by to decree him an honorary consul. 15:30 The joining of the civil and the religious powers 15:32 at that time was an important step in establishing 15:36 the abomination of desolation, 15:38 which refers to the false teaching of the papacy 15:42 and their practice of uniting the powers 15:44 of the church with the state. 15:47 With amazing irony, and this is the amazing part 15:50 the same state, France that first supported 15:54 the papacy and gave it its power, 15:56 its political power and oomph. 15:58 Turned out to be the same power that inflicted 16:01 the deadly wound 1290 years later. 16:06 So, you have here then this reference 16:08 to 1290 being the beginning of that power rising to, 16:13 into politics and into statehood really, 16:17 existing for 1290 years and then suffering 16:20 the deadly wound by of course, the captivity 16:22 to Belisarius sending his General Berthier. 16:28 General Berthier. Take the Pope captive in 1798. 16:31 Thus, really destroying and inflicting 16:34 that deadly wound on the papacy. 16:36 So, that's how where you have the 1290, 16:38 when it goes in then into the 1335, 16:41 I don't believe it backs up anymore. 16:42 But it adds to the end of that which would take us 16:44 to 1843, of course 1843 is a significant time, 16:48 a significant year in Adventist history 16:51 at least we understand the Millerite Movement 16:53 really rising to the level of seeing the 2300 days 16:57 kind of concluding and thinking of course 17:00 that it was Christ returning to the earth that time. 17:02 But instead it was Christ's ministry changing 17:04 in the heavenly sanctuary to the most holy place. 17:08 So, we see those events in its culmination. 17:10 So theirs your period, if you maintain historicism 17:13 as a rule of thumb in interpreting scripture, 17:16 that's the conclusion that you must arrive 17:18 at in looking at 1260, 1290 and 1335. 17:23 That's about as best as I can do in a very quick time, 17:25 there's so much there more to cover 17:26 that we can spend time on. 17:27 But Johnny, that's about as much as 17:30 we've time for today. 17:31 You want to add anything to that, that you... 17:32 Well, there are some individuals that are looking 17:35 at these 1260,1290, 1335 17:38 and I want to go to what they call 17:40 a literal application of the days. 17:42 But the context of the passage 17:45 there doesn't give that license to do that. 17:48 And so you have to ask yourself 17:50 if you're gonna do that, where do you stop? 17:53 Where do you draw the limit as to what time 17:57 prophecies no longer have, 18:00 or in other words what other time prophecies 18:02 can you apply a literal application 18:04 You have to take the 2300 days 18:07 and use that as a literal timing 18:10 and you really can't do that. 18:12 You know, I appreciate you bringing that up too. 18:13 Because there is something else that is often done 18:16 when people try to take this and put it literally, 18:20 apply it literally at the end of time. 18:21 Instead of, in the context of historicism in using 18:24 the day-year principle. 18:27 If you're talking about time, time prophecies, 18:31 there is only one... Historicism only allows 18:35 one time period for prophetic day 18:38 equals year time period. 18:39 So, if you're talking about 1260 days, 18:41 1260 years actually, there is only one time prophecy. 18:45 Now if that time then, you know, some would say, 18:51 well, because the time period has ended 18:54 that we can freely then reapply it. 18:57 If you do that, you actually minimize 18:59 or eliminate the original time prophecies 19:02 in the context of historicism. 19:04 And you're really taking more of a futuristic 19:07 approach to the application of these passages. 19:10 Now, where I would believe that there are things 19:13 within time prophecies, of events pre-say, 19:16 snapshots or pictures of events that occur. 19:19 They will repeat, you'll find that 19:22 they're repeating of certain events. 19:24 But time prophecies don't repeat, 19:27 at least we don't have evidence 19:29 within historicism at least, that time prophecies repeat. 19:31 And unless you want to get rid of the historicism model 19:34 and go with futurism, which of course 19:35 we find that frequently. 19:37 But, but, within the context of the events that occur, 19:42 yeah we could see a fulfillment 19:44 of a certain event or at least an application 19:46 of a certain that has application over here. 19:49 We find that even Sister White 19:51 use that in a certain sense, 19:53 applying a couple cases or couple of things 19:55 within prophecies to a couple of different time periods. 19:58 She talked about the, 20:01 the different churches in Revelation of seven churches. 20:05 She referred to those that were the time element, 20:07 but she also applied certain pieces of those 20:09 to our own nature. 20:11 Our own acts as a church today. 20:14 So, she does that more in a devotional sense 20:16 then she does really in an interpretation 20:19 of prophetic sense. But anyway, 20:22 I just throw that out there for things 20:23 that you might consider. 20:25 And I hope that does some, 20:26 provides some help at least 20:27 with these three time periods. 20:30 Very good, I have another question here 20:32 that comes from... 20:37 Elaine, I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly. 20:40 And it says, dear John and John, 20:42 and even though Pastor Lomacang is not here, 20:44 we're still John and John... 20:45 We're still John and John. 20:46 Says I'm studying about revival and was directed 20:49 to James 5:14-17 and I would like to know 20:55 what the prayer of faith is in James 5:15. 20:59 It says the prayer of faith will save the sick 21:01 and the Lord will raise him up. 21:04 Thank you and may God 21:05 continued to bless you and House Calls. 21:08 Okay, very good, the question is, 21:11 what is that prayer of faith? 21:13 It... actually I think I would like to read the context 21:19 of the passage if I may. 21:22 And we're talking about the book of James chapter 5, 21:26 talking about a time when, 21:28 if somebody is sick. 21:30 It says here, beginning in verse 13. 21:33 Is any among you afflicted? 21:35 Let them pray. 21:37 Is any married? Let them sing songs. 21:39 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders 21:42 of the church and let them pray over him anointing him 21:46 with oil in the name of the Lord. 21:48 And their prayer of faith shall save the sick, 21:50 and the Lord will raise him up. 21:52 And if he have committed sins, 21:55 they shall be forgiving him. 21:58 And so what is that prayer of faith? 22:00 We must say that it is simply that prayer of faith 22:03 relying upon the Almighty God to bring healing 22:07 to the person that is sick. 22:09 Now, of course, we have to take into some 22:11 consideration some principles that the person must, 22:18 Isaiah said, their sins will also be forgiven. 22:20 God confesses sins that are, I mean, 22:23 God forgives sins that are confessed was I meant to say. 22:27 So, there must be repentance 22:29 in the life of the individual, 22:30 because we have to look at some of the diseases 22:32 that we have are, are that are prevalent in society 22:36 are caused by our own doing. 22:39 You know, I have to use this example, 22:41 it's a very common one. 22:43 People that smoke may eventually 22:45 get lung disease or cancer. 22:47 And so to say I'm going to continue smoking 22:50 but you pray that I'll be healed is a contradiction, 22:54 to say God healed me from this lung disease 22:56 that I caused myself by smoking. 22:59 You know, to say God healed me from this 23:01 and I'm not giving up my smoke. Right. 23:03 So, you know, there are some principles to follow. 23:05 And that's why Jesus when he healed some people, 23:08 he said to them, go and sin no more, 23:12 less a worse thing come upon you. Yeah. 23:15 And so there are these principles. 23:17 And so, I would like to also read in Mark chapter 11, 23:20 I'm sorry I've mentioned Mark chapter 11, yes, 23:22 Mark chapter 11, and Mark chapter 11, 23:27 and I'm going to read a couple of verses here 23:31 and that has this same topic here. 23:38 Mark chapter 11 verse 23 and 24. 23:41 For verily, actually it's Jesus talking as you see 23:44 reference in verse 22. For verily I say unto you, 23:47 that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 23:50 Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, 23:53 and shall not doubt in his heart, 23:56 but shall believe that those things which he has said 23:59 shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24:03 Therefore I say unto you, 24:04 what things so ever ye desire when ye pray 24:08 believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 24:13 And so there is the prayer of faith. 24:15 Believe in the mighty power of God, to heal the sick. 24:20 And so, there's one more here in the same book of Mark 24:24 that I would like to take a look at, 24:26 there was a point in time that somebody 24:30 brought a sick young person to the disciples and said, 24:34 you know, he's, he has a devil, 24:36 can you heal him? And the disciples tried, 24:39 they prayed, they did things they had done before. 24:42 They prayed as before, they have faith. 24:45 But somehow it was not happening, 24:48 no healing was taking place. 24:50 So, the father was discouraged by the time 24:54 that Jesus appears on the screen. 24:57 He was in the mountain praying, 24:59 and so in verse 21 of Mark chapter 9 he says... 25:06 Well I should read before so we can get a picture of this. 25:11 And he answered and said... 25:14 I should read even before that, 25:16 anyway verse 20, I'll start there. 25:18 And they brought him unto him, and when he saw him, 25:20 straightway the spirit tare him. 25:23 And he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 25:25 And he asked his father, How long time is it ago 25:28 since this came unto him? And he said, of a child. 25:32 So this is a long time. Yeah. 25:35 And often time, it has cast him into the fire 25:38 and into the waters, to destroy him, 25:41 but if thou can do anything, 25:44 have compassion on us, and help us. 25:46 So, he was already in the doubting stage. 25:48 He's already seen the disciples try 25:50 and they could not do it. Right. 25:52 So now he says, and if you can do anything, help us. 25:56 And Jesus said something powerful, verse 23. 26:00 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, 26:05 in other words don't doubt, all things are possible to him 26:08 that believeth and straight way the father 26:10 of the child cried out, and said with tears, 26:13 Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. 26:18 And so in verse 25, when Jesus saw that the people 26:22 came running together, he rebuked the false spirit, 26:24 saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, 26:27 I charged thee, come out of him, 26:28 and enter him no more into him. 26:32 And of course, praise the Lord, verse 26. 26:36 And the spirit cried and rent him soar 26:38 and came out of him. 26:39 And he was as one dead, 26:40 insomuch that many said, He is dead. 26:43 But Jesus took him by the hand, 26:44 and lifted him up, and he arose. 26:46 So, Jesus performed this mighty miracle 26:48 and eventually as you keep reading, 26:49 the disciples asked Lord, 26:51 why couldn't we cast them out? 26:54 And Jesus said, because of your unbelief. Right 26:57 And so there are these cases, because of unbelief. 27:00 And so Jesus said however, 27:03 this type of demon only comes out but by prayer 27:08 and fasting. So there's this aspect of complete devotion 27:13 to God that even you deprive yourself of who's, 27:16 so there's fasting involved here. 27:18 And so we should not demand from the Lord healing. 27:21 We should not, Lord, I command you, you know, 27:25 you ask the Lord. This is what he said, 27:28 ask and you receive. 27:29 This was a command and he says, 27:31 ask and you shall receive. 27:33 And so that's why many people when they're praying says, 27:34 Lord, if you will bring, you know, this blessing. 27:39 And, you know, often times to what, 27:41 well every time in the Lord's instance, 27:43 his desire was to heal them spiritually 27:45 before physically. And often times, 27:49 the physical healing does not come. 27:53 And maybe I should qualify that too, 27:55 often times it doesn't come, 27:56 maybe some cases because there is not faith mixed. 27:57 But other times because there is faith 28:00 but God's answer is no, to the physical. Right. 28:04 But there's a spirituall healing that takes place. 28:06 Yes, amen. So, these are things 28:08 that we need to leave in God's hands 28:09 and allow him to determine, but we must still have faith. 28:13 Yes. That he will do what's best in the life 28:15 of that individual. And that God is in charge 28:18 as we lift him up in prayer, in our faith. 28:20 Amen. Yeah, amen. 28:22 Well, thank you again so much for sending 28:23 in your questions. We've covered 28:24 some real good ones today. 28:26 And we want to encourage you again to continue 28:29 to send your questions in to House Calls 28:31 at 3ABN.org. housecalls@3abn.org, 28:36 that's our email address and then if you want to send 28:38 them by regular mail, you can send them through 28:41 your post-office to 3ABN and then mark 28:44 that C/O House Calls and it will get right to us. 28:47 Thank you so much for participating 28:49 in the program today. 28:50 And we pray also for your continued participation. 28:54 Johnny, as we get into this topic today, 28:56 the topic of the second and third coming of Christ. 29:02 Some people might stand up and take notice, 29:04 third coming, what are we talking about here? 29:08 The Bible talks about that you know how that Christ 29:11 has promised to come back and we'll use 29:14 John chapter 14:1, 2, 3 as a spring board text, 29:18 to talk about Christ's return. 29:19 Because he did in fact promise 29:21 that he would come again. 29:23 But there are some things in that verse that I think 29:25 we can take from it and then link with 29:28 Revelation chapters 19 and 20 to help us understand 29:32 the sequence of events that will occur the end of times 29:35 surrounding his return. 29:37 And you see I believe that he in fact doesn't come back 29:40 just one more time in the second coming. 29:43 But he will come back in a third time. 29:45 And what will happen at that point in time as well. 29:48 So, let's go first to John chapter 14 29:55 and I'm gonna read for you here, 29:59 verses one through 3, John 14:1-3. 30:04 Let not your heart be troubled, 30:06 you believe in God, believe also in me, Jesus said. 30:11 In my Father's house are many mansions, 30:14 if it were not so, I would have told you, 30:17 I go to do what? 30:18 I go to prepare a place for you. 30:22 And if I go and prepare a place for you, 30:25 I will come again, and receive you to myself, 30:30 that where I am, that is where I've prepared 30:33 a place for you, there you may be also. 30:38 And now when we look at this first, 30:40 this passage here. There's one thing that we need 30:43 to see first as undeniable, that this is so compelling 30:49 that we don't get it mixed up with regard 30:51 to his second coming. And that is, number one, 30:54 Jesus is leaving his disciples to go to heaven 30:58 and prepare a place for them, 31:00 in other words he is gonna do things up there, 31:03 to get stuff ready for them to come and live with him. 31:07 Amen. And this is similar to the wedding 31:11 of a bride and groom that occurred back then. 31:14 He in many ways, he referred to the bride and bridegroom 31:18 and the wedding that took place back then culturally, 31:21 as a picture of what he will do for his bride 31:26 at the end of time, when he comes to get her, 31:28 to pick her up. And that, 31:30 what would happen is that the bridegroom would go 31:33 and unite with his bride, bring her back to a place 31:37 that he had prepared for both of them to live. 31:40 There was no him going to live with her in her house. 31:44 It was her coming back with him to live in his house. 31:47 So, this is what Jesus is saying here. 31:49 Jesus is saying, I'm preparing a place for you, 31:51 don't worry, I'll come again receive you to me 31:55 and then take you with me to where 31:56 I prepare this place for you in heaven. Amen. 31:58 So, the first place Jesus goes at his second coming, 32:01 when he comes back, to take the saints to live with him. 32:05 He is, that he unites with him and goes back to heaven 32:08 to live with them in heaven, 32:10 a place that he has prepared for them. Amen. 32:13 So, that's kind of a springboard 32:14 that's the foundation of the Second Coming. 32:17 This is the prophecy that Jesus gave 32:18 that we can just hold on to with hope, 32:21 with conviction, with determination that, 32:23 that event is very, very soon. 32:25 That we'll see Jesus coming back in the clouds 32:27 of his angels to take us home with him. 32:30 And he is gonna unite of course, 32:31 First Thessalonians 4, he is gonna meet us in the air. 32:35 Those who were alive on this earth at this time 32:37 will meet him on the air. 32:38 Those who were in the grave that are his saints 32:40 will be called out of the grave, 32:42 to meet us with us together the Lord 32:45 in the air to then go back with him. 32:48 This is a really tremendous 32:50 to even consider these things. 32:53 Because every promise that the Lord makes, 32:56 he's willing and going to fulfill. Amen. 33:00 And so this promise that Jesus made was meant 33:02 to encourage the disciples, you know, 33:04 they were discouraged, that's why he says, 33:06 let not your heart be troubled. 33:07 And so he is trying to encourage us 33:10 and often times you see in the scriptures 33:11 when an angel appears to someone 33:14 and they're afraid, he says, be not afraid. 33:18 Right. So, here he is saying, 33:19 don't be troubled. Calm the fears first. Yes. 33:22 And then give them the ... And give them the...Blessing. 33:24 Yes. And so the blessing is that he will return. 33:27 And when Jesus is taken up to heaven, 33:33 in Acts chapter 1, the disciples were looking at him 33:39 going up to heaven, going up to heaven, 33:42 amazed, you know. 33:44 And I imagined that they were thinking 33:46 of all those times they spent together with him and wow! 33:49 I'm sure were a little sad too. 33:51 A little sad but, you know, 33:52 to realize we walked with him. 33:55 We didn't really understand everything. 33:57 But now he is going up to heaven and they must have 34:00 marveled at that moment in time. 34:01 And the angels come and to kind of just help 34:06 them at this moment. 34:08 And he says, ye men of Galilee, 34:09 why standing ye gazing up in to heavens? 34:11 This same Jesus which you saw taken up 34:14 into heaven shall in like manner return. 34:17 Right, in the same way 34:18 In the same way. So, again encouragement 34:22 you know he is going but he is coming back. 34:24 That's right. you know and this the passage 34:27 that I mentioned here from First Thessalonians 34:29 is often misread. And I think it's misread, 34:31 because the rapture, the secret rapture theory 34:34 has become, has muddied the waters about Christ return. 34:38 So much so that I think we misread scripture 34:43 to try and read into it the secret rapture. 34:46 When in fact it's actually establishing 34:47 or proving Christ's literal visible, 34:50 audible return in the clouds of glory, 34:53 clouds of angels as well to receive his sins. 34:57 And so when I read in First Thessalonians, chapter 4 35:02 verse 14 it says 35:03 if we believe that Jesus died and rose again. 35:06 Even so God will bring with him 35:08 those who sleep in Jesus and then of course, 35:11 it talks about the Lord descending with a shout 35:14 with a voice of an archangel with a trumpet of God, 35:17 loud, audible, visible, you can see him. 35:20 The trumpet of God blowing. 35:22 This is a significant event, 35:24 its precipitated or at least it's... 35:26 the qualifiers made in verse 14 that God 35:29 will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. 35:31 It's almost said the reverse, that God is bringing 35:34 those who have died and have appeared in heaven 35:36 back with him when he comes. 35:38 But in fact he was saying the opposite, 35:39 it's saying that he will bring with him from the earth.. 35:42 That's right. Those who are alive 35:44 and remain and those who were in the graves 35:46 resurrected back with him into heaven to live with him. 35:50 This is very clear, you know, there in even verse 13, 35:54 because it says, but I would not have you to be 35:57 ignorant brethren, 35:58 concerning them which are asleep. 36:01 Yes. In other words those who have died. 36:03 Right. That ye sorrow not even as others 36:06 which have no hope. 36:07 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, 36:10 even so, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus 36:16 will God bring with him. 36:18 So the same thing that happened with Jesus 36:21 died and rose again, 36:23 the saints are gonna rise again 36:24 and he will bring with him. 36:26 That's a good point, I never really 36:27 read it exactly like that. 36:28 But there's a qualify there, it's connected. 36:30 It's connected and so then it begins 36:33 to describe how it will happen. 36:34 The dead in Christ will rise first 36:36 and they're not gonna just stay there. 36:38 They're not forgotten. God is not gonna forget them. 36:39 He is not only gonna take those that are alive, 36:42 he is gonna take them also with him. 36:43 He is gonna bring them to heaven with him. 36:45 Yes. And so It's just beautiful. 36:47 Yes, it's all culminations to of this promise now 36:50 we started with in John chapter 14:1, 2, 3. 36:54 Christ preparing a place, coming back to get us, 36:56 and taking us to heaven with him 36:58 to live in that place that he has prepared for us. 37:01 Amen. Now, with that context 37:04 what I liked to do is turn to Revelation chapter 19 37:09 and first of all, read about the appearing of Christ. 37:14 Down through Revelation chapter 20, 37:17 where we will find that appears the millennium, 37:21 the thousand years 37:23 and then the third appearing of Christ. 37:26 And we'll do this sequentially, 37:27 it is fairly sequential. Yes. 37:29 Not in every aspect but generally as you read 37:32 through this a sequential, a progression of the prophecy 37:36 here in Revelation from chapter 19 through 20. 37:40 And I think it will help us understand what we, 37:41 have you understand what we mean 37:42 by second and third coming. 37:44 Yes. So, maybe we can share 37:45 a little bit here in reading back and forth. 37:48 Why don't I go ahead, I can start with reading 37:49 19:11-16 and then we can talk about this. 37:56 Now, I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; 37:59 and he who sat on him was called Faithful and True, 38:01 and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 38:04 His eyes were like a flame of fire, 38:06 and on his head were many crowns; 38:08 he had his name or a name written 38:11 that no one knew except himself. 38:14 He was clothed with a rope dipped in blood: 38:16 and his name is called The Word of God. 38:19 And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, 38:22 white and clean, followed him on white horses. 38:25 Now, out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, 38:28 that with it he should strike the nations: 38:31 And he himself will rule with them, 38:35 rule with them, oh, excuse me, 38:37 I've keep saying that, 38:39 will rule them with a rod of iron. 38:42 He himself treads the wine press 38:44 of the fierceness and wrath of the Almighty God. 38:47 And he has on his robe and on his a name... 38:49 thigh, his thigh a name written, 38:52 KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 38:55 So, we see here, Johnny, a picture 38:57 of Christ returning on this white horse. 39:01 He is the word of God, he returns us the word, 39:04 emphasizing the importance to read and study the word. 39:06 The word is what judges us in the end ultimately. 39:10 So, he comes as the word, he has on his thigh 39:13 written the name, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS, 39:16 this time he is not coming as a lowly baby in a manger. 39:21 This time he is coming as a King, mighty to conquer. 39:25 And in this respect when he comes to strike the nations, 39:30 he is saying, that he is striking the wicked 39:32 who are alive at that time down. 39:34 That they might rest in the grave so to speak 39:36 or live in the grave so to speak, 39:38 during this time where the saints are taken with him 39:41 to heaven to enjoy life together 39:44 in a place that he has prepared for them. 39:46 Amen, amen. And so just as you described 39:49 in First Thessalonians chapter 4 39:52 the time comes and the time comes 39:56 when Christ must do just I said 39:58 he describes here as you said. 40:00 Just as indeed, time when he came the first time, 40:05 where he says and when the fullness 40:06 of time had come, God send forth his son 40:09 in the likeness of sinful flesh. 40:11 And so now the time comes when the fullness 40:14 of that time comes, that he now comes back 40:17 as just as he promised to the disciples. 40:19 I will come again to receive you unto myself. 40:22 So this is the second coming that we're talking 40:23 about at this point. 40:24 When he does come to strike the nations 40:29 and we have to go to other places, you know, 40:32 as we mentioned before as it line upon line, 40:34 precept upon precept, to see the things that takes place 40:38 and this is one of the places to go 40:41 there are other places, if we back up a little bit 40:44 and go to verse 6, it says now. 40:52 And I heard as it were the voice 40:54 of a great multitude, and as the voice 40:56 of many waters, as the voice of mighty 40:59 thundering saying, Alleluia: for the Lord 41:02 God omnipotent reigneth. 41:05 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor unto him: 41:07 for the marriage of the Lamb is come 41:09 and his wife hath made herself ready. 41:12 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed 41:14 in white linen, and clean and white, 41:15 for the fine linen 41:16 is the righteousness of the saints. 41:19 And he said unto me, Write, Blessed are they 41:21 which are called unto the marriage 41:22 supper of the Lamb. 41:23 And he said unto her, 41:24 these are the true sayings of God. 41:26 So, we have now that the, 41:28 the children of the Lord are ready. 41:30 There's a, the reaping, the havoc now comes. 41:33 Right, right. Of the children of the Lord. 41:36 And as you said the, dead in Christ rise first, 41:37 then those are alive and remain. 41:40 So, there's a reaping that takes place 41:41 at the second coming, but at the same time 41:43 the wicked, what happens to the wicked? 41:45 Right, well the interesting thing too 41:47 is that it describes in First Thessalonians 41:50 that we meet the Lord in the air. 41:51 Yes. So, this time he comes, 41:53 in the Second Coming he does not intend to stay. 41:56 That's right. Okay, this is the key part. 41:59 He has coming to receive them to take them 42:01 where he has prepared a place for them in heaven. 42:04 Which we read later on in Revelation 42:06 is called the New Jerusalem. 42:08 Yes. So, he is taking them to heaven at this point. 42:11 So, during the Second Coming we meet him in the air 42:13 and there is no staying here, we're not here. 42:15 The question is what happens 42:17 I like the question you made. 42:18 What happens to the wicked, 42:19 who perish at the brightness of Christ's 42:22 Second Coming and it, we find a little bit of that 42:25 alluded to in verse 17 onward, 42:29 because verse 17 of chapter 19 says. 42:32 Then I saw an angel standing in the Sun; 42:34 and he cried with a loud voice, 42:36 saying to all the birds that fly in the midst 42:38 of the heaven, midst of heaven, 42:39 come and gather together for the supper of the great God. 42:42 Yes. So, this isn't necessarily 42:45 a literal picture of birds eating the flesh of men. 42:48 But the picture clearly lays out, that is laid out 42:51 before is that similar to vultures gather together 42:57 and dead bodies are open and available 42:59 for them to eat up. 43:00 Yes. That is the picture of what it will look like 43:02 of the wicked at the time that Christ 43:04 comes the second time. 43:07 Verse 18, That you may eat the flesh of kings, 43:10 the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, 43:12 the flesh of horses, and of those who sit on them, 43:15 and the flesh of all people free and slave, 43:17 both small and great. 43:19 And it goes on to talk about the same 43:21 that they're different groups that are included in that, 43:26 in that as well. 43:27 Of those who are not taken to heaven are not taken back 43:30 with Christ to heaven to live in a place 43:32 that he's prepared for them. 43:33 But continue to remain on this earth 43:36 as refuge so to speak on the ground, 43:38 as dead bodies, ready to be eaten by vultures 43:43 or birds of the air, that descend upon them. 43:46 So, that's the picture, not a pretty picture. 43:48 No. But a picture none the less of what the earth 43:51 will look like as Christ takes his saints to heaven 43:55 and leaves the earth for a period of time 43:57 behind in this destroyed awful, ugly state. 44:01 Yes, yes, and you know, and they're many scriptures 44:03 that come to mind in Revelation even, 44:07 when Jesus Christ is coming 44:08 with power and great glory. 44:10 While it is a moment of rejoicing for the saints 44:13 and they, they say oh, here's the Lord, 44:16 he is coming and we waited for him 44:17 and now he has comes to save us. 44:19 The wicked at that point are crying out, 44:22 hide us from the face of him. 44:25 That sits on the throne. 44:26 And so you mentioned a scripture 44:28 that I'm gonna read at this time, 44:30 you just kind of quoted it. 44:31 Sure, sure. I want to give the reference 44:33 to our listeners and viewers 44:35 in Second Thessalonians chapter 2, 44:38 there's a little reference to that 44:39 in First Thessalonians in chapter 1, 44:42 but in Second Thessalonians chapter 2, 44:43 it states just as you quoted it. 44:45 It says verse 7 for the mystery of iniquity 44:48 doth already work. 44:50 Only he who now let us with will let until 44:53 he be taken out of the way. 44:54 And verse 8, And then shall that wicked be revealed, 44:58 whom thou the Lord shall consume 45:00 with the spirit of His mouth, 45:01 and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. 45:04 Even him, who's coming is after the working of Satan, 45:07 with all power and great signs and lying wonders. 45:10 So the wicked are destroyed 45:12 by the brightness of his coming 45:14 and there is that condition 45:15 that they're slain upon the earth. 45:17 That look as, as food for the birds, that you may. 45:22 And the reason that the righteous aren't consumed is 45:25 because they've been given new bodies, 45:27 they've been made from mortal to immortal, 45:30 they've made, been made from corruptible 45:32 or corrupted to in-corrupted. 45:34 First Corinthians chapter 15. 45:35 Absolutely, there's so many texts 45:37 that kind of work into this. 45:40 But I want to transition now then 45:41 to what the earth looks like. 45:43 And Jeremiah does explain this. 45:45 He talks about in Jeremiah chapter 4. 45:48 I beheld the earth in verse 23 I beheld the earth, 45:51 and indeed, it was without form, and void, 45:53 and the heavens, they had no light. 45:55 I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, 45:58 and all the hills moved back and forth. 46:00 I beheld indeed, there was no man, 46:03 and all the birds of the heavens had fled. 46:05 I beheld and indeed, 46:06 the fruitful land was a wilderness, 46:08 and it's cities were broken down at the presence 46:11 of the LORD and by His fierce anger. 46:13 And that's Jeremiah chapter 4. 46:15 Chapter 4 and verses 23 onward. 46:19 It then says the Lord says, the whole land, 46:22 verse 20, shall be, 27, shall be desolate 46:26 and yet I will not do what? 46:28 A full end. I will not make a full end. 46:31 I want to end there, because there's a reason why 46:34 he says I will not make a full end. 46:36 And that's where Revelation chapter 20 comes into play. 46:40 I want to go to 20 because we don't have a lot of time, 46:42 we got about 10 minutes left here 46:44 to kind of cover this thousand year period. 46:47 It's a long time. 46:48 Yeah, the thousand years, Johnny, 46:51 and you've heard this before have often been spoken of 46:54 in the context of Christ coming to earth, 46:59 reigning over the Kings of the earth 47:00 for the thousand years of peace on this earth. 47:04 But that's not wear this thousand years appears 47:07 in the context of Revelation chapter 20. 47:09 So, once you kind us take us into 20 and kind of lead us 47:13 into where the thousand years 47:14 are appearing here if you could. 47:16 Well, it was beautiful the way you began this 47:19 by saying that, you know, John chapter 14, 47:24 when we're talking about this one thousand year period 47:26 and where some people are claiming 47:28 that the thousand years takes place here. 47:32 You beautifully mentioned that John 14 Jesus says, 47:36 I'm going to prepare a place for you. 47:38 But I'm coming again to receive you to myself. 47:42 That where I am heaven there you may be also. 47:46 And then First Thessalonians chapter 4, 47:47 you mentioned that, he does not touch the earth, 47:51 we meet the Lord in the air. 47:53 So if that's taking place there is no room 47:55 for the idea that the thousand years takes place here, 47:59 where the saints are not going to be here, 48:02 they're gonna be with Christ, with the angels, 48:04 in heaven for a thousand years. 48:06 Where it says, he will not make a full end yet. 48:08 And he will not make a full end. 48:10 So, what happens? 48:11 Okay, now we go to Revelation 20 48:13 and it is really, really interesting how God brings, 48:19 make these things clear and I saw verse 1, Revelation 20. 48:23 And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, 48:26 having the key of the bottomless pit 48:27 and a great chain in his hand. 48:29 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, 48:33 which is the devil and Satan, 48:34 and bound him a thousand years. 48:37 And cast him into the bottomless pit, 48:39 and shut him up and set a seal upon him, 48:42 that he should not deceive the nations, 48:45 that he should deceive the nations no more 48:47 till the thousand years should be fulfilled, 48:50 and after that he must be loosed a little season. 48:52 And there is the, not a full end yet. 48:55 You know, the thousand years here comes an angel 48:59 with a chain and so, you know, we look at this chain 49:03 and we say is there a chain powerful enough to bind Satan? 49:07 Well, if God wants to make one he can. 49:09 However we understand this to be a chain of circumstances. 49:13 It says he can deceive the nations no more 49:15 until the thousand years are finished. 49:17 So, for a period of a thousand years he can't deceive, 49:19 he cannot deceive the nations... 49:20 There is the reason for that? 49:21 There is a reason for that, sure there would. 49:23 Yeah, there's a reason because the wicked are dead. 49:26 The wicked are dead. 49:27 They're around the earth, 49:28 he can see them but they're dead. 49:30 And it's not... 49:31 No one can respond to his deceptions anymore. 49:34 That's right, there is no reason to tempt, 49:36 because there is no one to respond to those temptations. 49:39 And the righteous are in heaven, the wicked are dead. 49:41 Now the interesting thing here about 49:43 this is the use of the term, bottomless pit. 49:45 So if you look at the word in the Greek, 49:47 it's abussos, which is where we get the word abyss from. 49:50 The word that will be a comparable word to, 49:54 to that word abussos in Hebrew is the same word 49:58 that we get the deep from 50:00 or avoid from in the Old Testament. 50:04 So when it says that the spirit moved over the water 50:07 of the deep as creation was happening. 50:09 It talked about the spirit moved over a world 50:12 that was without form, 50:14 that was really hadn't taken shape yet. 50:17 And the world will become as such, 50:19 as described by Jeremiah chapter 4. 50:22 Because of the brightness of Christ coming, 50:24 everything is destroyed. 50:25 I mean, the earthquake shakes mountains, 50:26 it destroys them rocks fall, 50:28 buildings collapse, the earth melts. 50:31 Yes. 50:32 I mean, everything is destroyed 50:34 so it becomes the abyss and the habitation of the place 50:38 for Satan and his angels to dwell for a thousand years. 50:41 And it says, you say well why have all this? 50:45 Well it is the time for him to contemplate 50:48 the results of all his work for thousands of years 50:53 he had been causing trouble up on the earth. 50:56 And now limited to the earth, he can't go anywhere. 51:01 He is bound here, to this place, he can't go anywhere. 51:04 Now he has time to reflect over all the evil that he has done. 51:08 And you know, I want to pause here 51:11 and say something that really just the other day. 51:14 I mean, I'm sure maybe you've thought about this before, 51:17 and maybe you thought about this before. 51:18 But you know, his claim was 51:20 I have a better plan than God's plan. 51:23 I can offer people liberty, 51:25 I can offer freedom from the law of God. 51:30 But here we have on this earth 51:32 the results of his way of leading. 51:35 His way, His kingdom, you know, what do we have? 51:39 We have people killing one and other, 51:41 we have robbery, murder, we have, you know, 51:45 adultery, diseases, this is the result of the way 51:49 Satan wants to rule. 51:51 And so thanks be to God that he put some limits 51:54 on this creature, you know. 51:56 Yeah. 51:58 That he is not able to do more then he does, 52:00 he does enough already. 52:02 But God puts a limit on him, 52:03 so he cannot tempt us above what we can handle. 52:06 Imagine if there was no such limit upon him, 52:09 this world would be unlivable in fact, I can put it that way. 52:13 Yeah, you know, as you go on in this passage 52:16 it gets back to the wicked and what happens. 52:19 When we talks little bit about not only the wicked 52:21 but the righteous in heaven 52:22 and we'll find that here in verses four, 52:24 five and six up through seven actually, where it says. 52:28 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, 52:31 and judgment was committed to them. 52:33 Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded 52:35 for the witness to Jesus and for the word of God, 52:39 who had not worshiped the beast or his image, 52:41 and did not receive the mark 52:42 on their foreheads or on their hands. 52:44 And they lived, and reigned 52:45 with Christ for a thousand years. 52:48 Where are they? Remember Jesus said, 52:50 I'll come so you can be with me where I am, 52:52 they're with Christ. 52:53 But the rest of the dead did not live. 52:57 I'm gonna pause there, the rest of dead did not live 53:01 that is the wicked they are not alive until when? 53:05 The thousand years were finished. 53:08 Beautiful so we have there the righteous 53:11 enjoying eternal life through judging as he says, 53:14 the cases of all those that are not there. 53:19 Why are these people not here? 53:21 And so they're able to look at the books 53:23 and see the reasons why they are not there. 53:26 And at the same time it says that the dead live not again 53:30 until the thousand years were finished. 53:33 And so implying that after the thousand years they will what? 53:35 They will live again. 53:37 And that's why the reference there immediately 53:39 after that to the thousand years 53:40 were finished comes into played. 53:42 This is the first resurrection. 53:44 In other words the beginning of all these things 53:47 that we just talked about, just read about, 53:49 is the first resurrection. 53:52 It's interesting even as Paul is quoted 53:54 in First Thessalonians chapter 4. 53:57 The dead in Christ will rise first. 53:59 I mean, this is idea of two resurrections. 54:02 The saints rise first but the wicked don't live again 54:07 because they rise second. 54:09 And you don't want to be in the group that rises second. 54:11 No, we don't. 54:12 You don't want to be in the second resurrection 54:13 because that is the resurrection 54:16 where Satan has released to tempt again. 54:19 And we read on verse 6, 54:21 Blessed and holy is he who has 54:24 part in the first resurrection. 54:26 Over these, the second death has no power, 54:28 but they will be priests of God and of Christ, 54:31 and shall reign with him a thousand years. 54:33 Beautiful. 54:34 Now when the thousand years have expire 54:36 Satan will be released from his prison 54:38 and will go out to deceive the nations 54:40 which are in the four corners of the earth, 54:42 Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, 54:45 who's number is of the sand of the sea. 54:47 In other words, everyone who has wicked, 54:49 who was ever lived will be rise or raised up at that time, 54:52 tempted by Satan, gathered by Satan 54:55 for the last great battle. 54:57 What will they do? 54:58 Verse 9, go ahead, you read. 55:02 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, 55:04 and encompassed the camp of the saints about, 55:06 and the beloved city: and fire came down 55:09 from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 55:11 The city then, you know, reference here has come down 55:15 already the New Jerusalem, who do you think is in it? 55:18 The saints, because it's called 55:20 the camp of the saints and the beloved city. 55:23 The city has set down now 55:25 on this earth with the saints in it, 55:27 with Christ there with them. 55:29 And as the wicked rush the city, 55:32 mobilized by Satan and his enemy forces. 55:36 Then the fire, it says, 55:38 the lake of the fire comes down out of heaven 55:39 and devours them. 55:41 Thus purging the earth sin, 55:44 the wicked and everything in it, 55:46 setting the platform for the recreation of the earth. 55:49 For the saints to then inhabit it from that point on. 55:52 This is referred to the city coming down 55:55 with Christ and the saints, 55:56 is referred to as the third coming of Jesus. 55:59 To this earth. Amen, amen. 56:00 And so I would like to say here that, you know, 56:04 we have here that Satan picks up his work 56:08 that he was doing before the thousand years. 56:11 There was no repentance, there was no remorse. 56:15 After the thousand years he continues 56:17 with his wicked things. 56:19 And he wants to take the wicked world as if they could, 56:23 to try to take over the city and of course they can't. 56:26 Right. And so, it says here, the second death 56:29 and this is something important to understand. 56:31 Yeah, that's good. 56:32 We all have, if Christ tarries 56:35 and we're not alive when he returns. 56:36 We all must experience the first death. 56:38 And some of our loved ones have experienced the first death. 56:41 We don't want them to experience the second death. 56:43 And the second death is a death 56:46 from which you don't come from, you don't come back from. 56:49 Right. It's a final death. 56:51 And the wages of sin is? Death. 56:54 Only the wicked will experience it to, 56:56 because they're the ones raised to the tempted again 56:58 by Satan and then perished by the lake of fire experience 57:01 and then the second death, 57:03 which is actually really a testimony right there. 57:05 Defeating the fact the fires of hell 57:07 are burning right now with the wicked in it. 57:09 That's right. It's not the case. 57:10 It's not the case. 57:11 It happens at the end after the 57:12 or at the third coming of Christ. 57:15 Well friends, it's been another exciting hour 57:17 and Johnny and I have really 57:18 appreciate you joining us today. 57:19 We hope that the word of God has spoken to your heart 57:22 and it's encouraged you, to make sure that 57:24 you're among the, either the first in the resurrection 57:27 or you're alive or among those who remain to be caught up 57:30 with Jesus when he returns a second time. 57:32 God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17