Life Discovery Series

The 144,000

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Jim Reinking

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Series Code: LDS

Program Code: LDS000013


00:34 I'm taking you back,
00:36 because you know there is this template
00:38 this underlying biblical theme of the Bible
00:41 that really pulls all of the great themes
00:44 of the Bible together.
00:46 And so as we have come
00:48 to a prophetic sequence this weekend
00:51 I want to remind you
00:53 of some of the important aspects of this.
00:55 Going back to the very beginning of time
00:58 we are reminded that God in the beginning
01:01 had this wonderful plan for this planet of ours.
01:05 And He put everything in a order
01:07 as He created it six days He did it,
01:10 and when it was done He declared it was very good.
01:15 Not just good, it was very good.
01:17 And when God says something is very good
01:19 let me say-- tell you is perfect.
01:22 And it was a paradise that God intended for us to inhabit.
01:27 He intended for us to live out our lives,
01:31 well, really for eternity in this place
01:34 in which everything was good
01:35 but obviously something went wrong, didn't it,
01:38 because that's not the kind of place
01:39 that we are living in today and we know that it all began
01:42 where as fantastic we've seen it all began there in heaven.
01:47 All that trouble all of the that rebelliousness
01:51 and all of the consequence of sin
01:54 that we see being played out upon this planet
01:56 actually began there in God's presence
01:59 among the angels of God in heaven.
02:01 And remember how many of them according to the Bible
02:03 join Lucifer and his angels of rebellion?
02:07 How many of the angels? A third.
02:10 We know that from Revelation Chapter 12
02:12 and they didn't prevail.
02:14 Where did they end up going?
02:17 Right here to this planet.
02:20 They were cast down to the earth.
02:22 But remember initially
02:24 they only had access at what point,
02:27 what place? Yes, I hear it.
02:31 I hear it, at the tree--
02:32 at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
02:35 That was the only place
02:37 and that's where it would have remained.
02:39 I think that at some point God
02:40 well, said okay, it's over.
02:43 You know, but it was there faithful decision was made
02:47 by Adam and Eve and so we as human race
02:51 came in position of this knowledge of evil
02:53 something that God never intended.
02:56 He never intended for us to know or to feel,
02:59 to hear, to see the kind of things
03:01 that we see in such a broken world
03:04 that we live in today.
03:06 God had this problem and of course God stepped in,
03:09 He didn't have to He could have walked away
03:13 but God stepped in because He couldn't let us go.
03:17 He loved us and He provided a way out
03:21 and there's a Calvary
03:22 that we find our way out of the mess, right.
03:26 It's at Calvary, its everything,
03:28 it is central and so as I shared with you before
03:34 you know, it all begin at the tree of knowledge
03:36 of good and evil that faithful decision,
03:38 there is another decision to be made at another tree.
03:42 The tree where Jesus--
03:45 the tree on which Jesus was crucified the cross of Calvary.
03:48 And then what else have we being studying?
03:50 Well, this weekend we discovered
03:52 that Jesus in heaven is now our heavenly intercessor.
03:55 He is our high priest.
03:58 Our subject last night, and this morning
04:00 as we were into the 2,300 day prophecy and if you miss it,
04:05 we are just gonna have to get that information
04:07 into your hands but it was talking about--
04:11 we were talking about biblically
04:12 what Jesus has been doing
04:15 and how is all going to be rapped up.
04:19 This morning we discovered its gonna be all rapped up
04:22 in the judgment of God's people
04:25 and then of course, we have studied it,
04:28 this is exciting part of it as we look to prophecy
04:31 and that is that Jesus is coming back in power
04:34 and glory for His people.
04:36 And we picked up on that theme again this morning, didn't we?
04:39 You know, when Jesus is finished with His heavenly intercessor
04:41 He is gonna come back in power and glory
04:44 and then He is going to make a new heaven
04:47 and new earth, doesn't He?
04:49 Paradise is going to be restored
04:52 and every theme of the Bible fits into this template.
04:57 We keep that in details to it.
05:00 But it fits and it really makes the Bible much more sensible
05:03 when we understand the template.
05:05 So one of the thing I would point out
05:09 and I know I have done this before
05:10 but because there is some miss understanding
05:13 about prophecy we have to realize
05:16 as we are in this prophetic sequences as we are this weekend
05:20 that there is a direct connection
05:23 between the gospel and the prophetic things
05:27 that we find in the Bible.
05:29 I remind you that as Jesus was coming down
05:32 to those last few days,
05:34 just before His crucifixion
05:36 that last week before His crucifixion
05:38 Jesus made some of the most startling
05:41 and articulated some of the most important prophecies
05:44 that we have in the Bible.
05:45 We got in Matthew 24 then 21
05:47 other passage there in the gospels.
05:50 So it is fascinated me that as Jesus was facing Calvary,
05:56 He actually was looking forward down to the end.
06:02 And my friend, what Jesus did for us at Calvary
06:05 guarantees there is an end
06:07 to the mess that we are in, right?
06:09 And He guarantees this wonderful future,
06:13 this is the end point of the prophecies
06:15 the wonderful future
06:17 that Jesus purchased for us at Calvary.
06:19 So there are prophetic implications
06:21 that are all wrapped up in the gospel
06:24 and to not take note of the prophetic implications
06:28 is to get an important aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
06:35 And of course our study tonight on 144,000
06:38 once again takes us
06:40 to the fascinating apocalyptic book of Revelation
06:44 as we consider the significance
06:47 of this very unique group in Bible prophecy.
06:50 Take your Bibles and turn with me
06:51 to Revelation Chapter 7 is found
06:54 in the New Testament at about page 192
06:57 depending what edition you happen to have in your hand.
07:01 Revelation Chapter 7 and I'm gonna introduce it here
07:05 with the first four verse that we have here.
07:07 Revelation 7 and beginning with verse 1
07:13 where we find it says "After this I saw four angels
07:18 standing at the four corners of the earth,
07:20 holding back the four winds of the earth,
07:22 so that no wind would blow on the earth
07:25 or on the sea or on any tree."
07:29 And immediately we take now very consistently
07:31 with what we found in our study the Book of Revelation
07:34 that we find images that are prophetic
07:37 and that are symbolic in nature, right?
07:40 It's talking about winds blowing,
07:42 angels at the four corners of the earth.
07:45 You know, that's a picture we have verse 2,
07:48 "And I saw another angel ascending
07:50 from the rising of the sun,
07:51 having the seal of the living God
07:54 and he cried out with a loud voice
07:55 to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm
07:58 the earth and the sea and saying,
08:00 'Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees
08:03 until we have sealed the bond-servants
08:05 of our God on their foreheads.'
08:08 And I heard the number of those who were sealed,
08:11 one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed
08:13 from every tribe of the sons of Israel."
08:17 So we really are into interested in knowing
08:19 what is this really all about?
08:21 What is this the wind that is being held back
08:23 by these angelic forces?
08:25 What is that all about?
08:27 And what is this matter of the sealing,
08:30 the angelic beings are holding back the winds
08:33 until the one hundred forty-four thousand
08:37 are sealed in their forehead.
08:41 Now, in contrast to this matter of the sealing
08:44 that we will be examining tonight apart,
08:47 tomorrow night we come to the Mark of the Beast
08:49 we will find in contrast
08:53 that those who sell themselves out to the final apostasy
08:57 are going to be marked,
09:00 marked in their forehead and in their hand.
09:04 Now, that's my subject tomorrow night
09:05 so I'm not say any more than that
09:07 other than the point out
09:09 that there are going to be two only two groups
09:12 when it comes down to the end.
09:15 Those who receive the seal of God in their forehead
09:18 and those who receive the Mark of the Beast.
09:22 And-- but anyway what is this talking about
09:26 when it talks about again this angelic beings
09:28 holding back the four winds on the earth.
09:31 Well, again the language is prophetic.
09:34 It is the language that relates very specifically
09:36 to the tribulation and you know,
09:38 as you are been with us
09:39 we really haven't talked at all up
09:41 to this point about the tribulation
09:42 and how this all fits into end time.
09:45 I'm kind of surprised some of you haven't asked me
09:47 that question, how about the tribulation?
09:50 How about the antichrist?
09:51 Of course, the antichrist is tomorrow night
09:53 though I have a little segment on it tonight.
09:56 But its really talking about the tribulation
09:59 and in the Book of Daniel by the way,
10:02 we have a reference to tribulation in Daniel 12:1
10:07 it describes it as the time of trouble.
10:10 Sometimes it's described as Jacob's trouble.
10:14 And in Daniel 7:2 we find a reference
10:17 to the time of tribulation it's called--
10:20 it's in reference to the winds of strife
10:23 is what the Bible tells us.
10:25 So we have a period of tribulation
10:30 and yet remember-- remember that song
10:32 "The Darkest Hour Comes Just Before Dawn."
10:40 You kind of remember that-- that's not biblical but that--
10:42 that's something important, doesn't it?
10:44 Darkest hour just before dawn.
10:46 Now, the question is
10:48 who is it that's going to be sealed?
10:50 I mean all of this is being held back,
10:52 the time of tribulation is not gonna happen
10:55 until the sealing work is done.
10:57 So who is it that's gonna be sealed?
10:59 And as you look through the chapter
11:00 it talks about the various tribes of the Israel
11:03 and so many are sealed from this tribe
11:04 et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
11:07 And one of the questions that we must ask ourselves
11:09 it's from the Book of revelation in particular,
11:11 is this literal?
11:13 Is it literally talking about Israel
11:18 or is something else going on?
11:21 Now, again what do we know about the Book of revelation?
11:24 We know that we find
11:26 prophetic symbolisms embodied in the Book of Revelation.
11:30 And could there be something prophetically
11:33 and symbolic indicated here in reference to the sealing
11:38 of the various tribes of Israel.
11:42 Which brings up an interesting question,
11:44 it's a vital question.
11:47 So what is God's--
11:49 God's purpose for the Jews in the end time?
11:53 Is there a purpose for the Jews in the end time?
11:56 And I'm here to show you tonight
11:57 that God has a purpose for the Jews in the end time.
12:03 It may not be quite what some would tell us.
12:06 Let's look at Exodus 19 the Old Testament page 55,
12:10 page 55 Exodus 19
12:13 and we are gonna be looking at verses 5 and 6.
12:16 For you see there are some interpreters of the Bible
12:19 that would represent that all of the covenant promises
12:22 given to ancient Israel were given unconditionally.
12:25 They are irrevocable is the word that is often used
12:29 and so that is a question that we must examine is it so.
12:33 I mean, their fate has been sealed, has it been sealed?
12:38 They cannot fail.
12:40 Well, as we come to Exodus 19
12:42 we do remember that the children of Israel
12:45 have been brought out of the Egyptian bondage,
12:47 they are Sinai as God has taken His people to Himself
12:52 as He is organizing them as His people.
12:54 And notice what we find here Exodus 19
12:56 as I said in beginning we are looking at verse 5,
13:00 it says "Now then," as God is speaking
13:03 "Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice
13:06 and keep My covenant,
13:08 then you shall be My own possession
13:10 among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine,
13:13 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests
13:15 and a holy nation.
13:17 These are the words
13:18 that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."
13:21 It is a significant statement
13:23 that regards to the status of God's people
13:26 in the Old Testament.
13:28 And the question is, is the promise
13:32 by which they were established as His people is it irrevocable,
13:37 is it unconditional?
13:39 Take a look at the passage
13:41 and you tell me what do you find there?
13:45 There is that two letter word "If"
13:49 back there in verse 5 the worst part of it.
13:51 Now then "if."
13:54 you know a lot rises and falls on the word if
13:59 and what are the conditions of this condition
14:01 or what are the conditions if what?
14:05 Well, let's list them.
14:06 Number one that we find,
14:07 If you obey my voice, God says.
14:14 Now, some people little bit uncomfortable
14:16 with this idea of obedience
14:18 and this idea that we may be actually accountable to God
14:23 but remember we're accountable to one that really loves us
14:26 and has our interest and wants to save us.
14:29 So, you know,
14:31 that are to color our understanding
14:32 of accountability but never the less
14:35 because we have the power of choice.
14:37 There is this matter of accountability?
14:40 If you obey my voice
14:41 what's the other one that you see?
14:44 Number two, If you keep my covenant.
14:46 There are two conditions
14:48 that are indicated right here in Exodus 19
14:51 as it relates to the people of God
14:53 in the Old Testament.
14:55 And so we have to ask ourselves the question
14:58 were they faithful to the covenant?
15:01 Were did they obey the voice of the Lord their God?
15:04 And we have been through this impart
15:06 as we were in end of Daniel Chapter 9
15:09 and I told you take a look at 2 Chronicles,
15:13 take a look at 1 and 2 kings
15:14 the historical books of record of ancient Israel
15:19 and it really does seem like they were more in rebellion
15:22 than they were in a state of faithfulness to God, right?
15:27 That seems to be the same record of it.
15:30 So did they obey the voice of Lord their God?
15:32 Well, remember as what Jesus said in John 1:11
15:35 it says of Jesus, "He came unto His own"
15:39 who were His own? He came to His people.
15:44 And remember we have been studying it
15:46 just recently again.
15:47 We have in the Old Testament
15:49 all of these messianic prophecies.
15:51 We just went through Daniel 9
15:53 and those messianic prophecies
15:55 that predicted the coming of Jesus, right?
15:58 We just went through that.
15:59 Again this morning we went through
16:02 the 70 weeks that been decreased for your people
16:05 to make an end to sin, to make a--
16:07 you know, to make atonement.
16:10 All of those sins wrapped up in the coming of Jesus
16:14 a period of probation that was given to them.
16:17 And so He came to His own.
16:19 I mean it had been predicted.
16:22 It was foundational to the covenant promises
16:25 that were given to the people of God
16:26 in the Old Testament and sadly it says,
16:29 "And His own received Him not."
16:35 And if they didn't receive Him it means they rejected Him.
16:38 Now, that's a general realization
16:40 because there were many that did embrace Him
16:43 as Lord and Savior
16:44 but as a whole the nation rejected Him
16:49 and what is the consequence you tell me for individual for
16:53 or any nation who rejects the Lord of life.
16:58 What's the consequence?
17:01 It's the rejection of salvation.
17:04 Can God save anybody
17:07 that has rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
17:10 They made it impossibility.
17:12 I tell you God is not-- its not God been obituary,
17:16 we have a choice and we have a decision in this
17:19 and sad to say that's,
17:21 that's what we find here in John 1:11 they--
17:23 He came to His own and rejected them not.
17:25 Take a look at Matthew 23 the New Testament page 20.
17:30 Page 20, Matthew 23 and beginning with verse 31.
17:35 And Jesus is coming down to the end of His ministry
17:38 as we come here to Matthew 23.
17:41 His death, His crucifixion and death is just before Him.
17:45 The leadership of the nation evolved in this conspiracy
17:50 to eradicate to get rid of Him
17:53 and my friend all that love could
17:55 do they still had harden their hearts against Him
17:58 and Jesus did not leave them unwarned
18:01 to the consequences that would follow.
18:07 So here we are Matthew 23 and beginning with verse 31
18:11 where He says, so you--
18:14 and He is speaking to scribes and Pharisees.
18:17 You can see that back in verse 29.
18:19 "So you testify against yourselves,
18:22 that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets."
18:26 Jesus said.
18:28 And then verse 32
18:30 "Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers."
18:34 I mean this is pretty strong isn't it?
18:39 You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets,
18:42 what was that all about?
18:44 And remember we studied the context in Daniel 9
18:49 as Daniel is confessing the sins of His people.
18:52 Remember I call it the rebelliousness.
18:56 Their unwillingness to listen to take council
19:00 and they rejected
19:02 at certain periods of time in their history.
19:04 They rejected the testimony of the prophets
19:07 and historically we know that there were periods
19:09 in which they actually were out to eradicate the prophets,
19:12 they murdered them.
19:14 For instance at the time of-- of King Ahab and Jezebel
19:18 they have been hunting down the prophets
19:20 to eliminate them.
19:22 They didn't want the prophetic voice
19:23 to be heard among God's people.
19:26 And then there is something-- something about verse 32,
19:28 it says, "Fill up" there is something about filling up,
19:32 "The measure of the guilt of your fathers."
19:35 Something in the rejection of Jesus Christ
19:38 was involved for them
19:39 in filling up the measure of the guilt.
19:41 And again we are reminded of the centuries
19:44 in which God waited
19:46 and sort of deal with them patiently.
19:49 Remember what courage we took out of the patience of God
19:51 and dealing with His people in the Old Testament.
19:55 And to be reminded that God has dealt patiently with you
19:59 and He has dealt patiently with me
20:02 and He has done it--
20:03 His patience comes out of tremendous love
20:07 and a tremendous longing in the heart of God
20:10 that we might be saved.
20:12 And when God sends us these messages to the prophets
20:15 and we find these messages of God's word
20:17 and yes, sometimes they cut across the natural--
20:20 the grain of our natural inclination
20:22 just that will happen because
20:24 we have been corrupted by this knowledge of evil, right.
20:27 And it may not always you know,
20:30 its not always just feeling good sometimes
20:33 you know, the honesty the Spirit of God convicting us
20:38 that we are sinners, we are lost,
20:39 we are in darkness without Him
20:42 is really the bases on which
20:44 we discover how great our need really is of the Savior
20:51 and by His grace we come and respond.
20:54 But we have a choice, they had a choice
20:57 and they made the wrong choice, didn't they?
20:59 And then its verse 33, Jesus said,
21:02 "You serpents, You brood of vipers,
21:04 how will you escape the sentence of hell?"
21:08 They weren't listening,
21:09 all that love could do they were not listening.
21:12 They had been hardening their hearts
21:14 and Jesus was seeking to rest their attention.
21:21 He was seeking to reach them,
21:23 He was sharing with them the consequences
21:26 of what their actions were leading them.
21:30 He didn't leave them unwarned.
21:33 He deeply loved them, didn't He?
21:36 He deeply love them
21:38 but He knew what was going to happen.
21:40 Verse 34, He says,
21:42 "Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets
21:44 and wise men and scribes
21:45 some of them you will kill and crucify,
21:48 some of them you will scourge in your synagogues,
21:51 and persecute from city to city.
21:55 So that upon you may fall the guilt of all"
21:58 man this important statement
22:00 "The guilt of the righteous blood shed on earth,
22:02 from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,
22:06 the son of Berechiah,
22:07 whom you murdered between the temple and the altar."
22:10 How could it be guilt to all the innocent blood
22:12 ever spilled on this planet?
22:17 My friend, in being guilty of the blood of the son of God
22:21 who remember is the life giver as our Creator.
22:26 There was a very real sense
22:27 that they were guilty of all the innocent blood
22:32 that had ever been split.
22:34 Verse 36, "Truly I say to you,
22:36 all these things will come upon this generation."
22:42 And then we get a real glimpse
22:44 of what was going on in the heart of Jesus
22:46 as we come to verse 37,
22:49 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets
22:52 and stones those who are sent to her!
22:56 How often I wanted"
22:59 oh, that deep see the desire in the heart of Jesus.
23:02 "How I wanted to gather your children together,
23:06 the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
23:10 and you were unwilling."
23:14 Jesus was heart broken.
23:17 He knew the storm that was gathering upon His people.
23:21 He knew what was going to happen
23:23 as we study just in Daniel 9.
23:28 You know, after the 69 weeks
23:30 the Messiah would be cut off and have nothing and the people,
23:32 the prince who is to come and destroy the city
23:34 and the sanctuary wars are determined--
23:37 determined desolations is what was predicted.
23:43 Jesus knew what was going to happen.
23:46 He was heart broken of what was gonna happen
23:48 to His people that were in transcend
23:50 and with this wonderful beautiful message of His coming
23:55 and when it happened they rejected Him.
23:59 I hope that doesn't happen to one of us
24:02 knowing something that the depths of God's love
24:05 was that we would harden our hearts in rebelliousness
24:08 as they did He longed, He longed to gather them,
24:13 He longed to shelter them from the gathering storm.
24:17 And My friend, there is a storm coming,
24:20 the tribulation is before us.
24:23 We don't know again you know,
24:25 this matter of time that you know
24:27 we are in this financial crisis
24:29 that's storm enough right now for some of us, right?
24:32 We just want to survive, we want to get through it
24:35 and you know, there are millions
24:37 who are losing jobs and losing homes
24:40 and let me tell you they are going
24:41 through their times of tribulation.
24:43 And let me tell you God is not this interested in
24:48 what's happening in people's lives.
24:51 Is He?
24:52 He is not this interested
24:53 in what's happening in your life.
24:56 You know, I have never seen this
24:58 because I didn't grow up on the farm now Gale,
25:01 I don't know if you know this about Gale,
25:03 Gale grew up on the farm.
25:04 So Gale, you probably saw this a few times
25:06 but I remember I was holding a series up there
25:08 in the little town of Idaho which is north of Spokane.
25:12 This is back in the 90's and once in the afternoon
25:15 I was out visiting folk that have been coming to the meetings
25:18 when I'm in the country side
25:19 to visit this one family the summer shining
25:22 it was really spring, it was a wonder day.
25:26 And it was fairly warm and so they invited us
25:29 to sit down in the lounge chairs
25:31 that were outside and so we were engaged
25:33 in a very positive conversation enjoying the sunshine
25:36 and somebody said, there must--
25:39 there must be a hawk or something up there
25:41 because they pointed out over to the--
25:43 the chicken coop.
25:45 They said, do you see the hen?
25:48 There was this hen with her wings spread out
25:50 and you can see the behinds of all those little chicks.
25:55 And so somebody have seen that
25:57 and said there must be a bird of prey up there hawk
26:00 or something and they were these tall evergreen trees.
26:04 I mean, 40,50 feet whatever they are they were very tall
26:07 and so we were all looking up and trying to see it
26:11 and finally saw it was just a speck,
26:14 just a speck just kind of you know like a bird prey
26:18 that just going around
26:20 and some how that mother hen picked up,
26:24 you know, just sense that danger
26:28 and she called for her chicks.
26:30 I don't know how did they do that Gale, do you know?
26:34 I don't know fluffing to that
26:36 but she was calling for her chicks
26:38 and they came running and there she was--
26:41 she was willing to give up her life
26:43 for those baby chicks of hers.
26:46 I mean that's pretty tender picture
26:48 that Jesus was using to show His love
26:52 and His concern for those who are heading
26:55 into as I said this awful storm that was before them.
26:59 And then we come to verse 38, where Jesus said,
27:02 "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate."
27:08 Point that some of the saddest words
27:09 written in scripture.
27:11 The word in the Old Testament
27:12 the word Ichabod that is the glory has departed.
27:16 And what does that mean
27:17 your house is been left desolated.
27:19 What house? The house of Israel.
27:22 Sadly to say it's desolated
27:24 because they rejected the Lord of glory
27:28 and they rejected life itself in rejecting Jesus.
27:32 Now, yet I say God has a purpose
27:36 for the Jews in the end times
27:37 so don't run too far ahead of me
27:39 as we are putting this together.
27:41 Let's take a look at Galatians 3
27:42 the New Testament page 148, 148 Galatians 3
27:49 and we are going to being with verses 6 and 7.
27:54 The question is under the New Testament
27:58 that is under the new covenant who is that--
28:00 that comprises the people of God
28:03 which would be relevant to this question
28:05 of who is it talking about here in Revelation Chapter 7.
28:09 And notice here in Galatians,
28:11 first of all we take note of the fact
28:12 that it was the Apostle Paul
28:13 that was writing to the churches
28:17 in the region of Galatia that was located in Asia Minor.
28:21 So this is a cluster of churches
28:23 and these were gentile churches
28:26 largely comprise of gentile believers
28:30 on unguardedly they were Jewish believers
28:32 that were in fellowship I think that's apparent
28:35 as you follow though the writing of the Apostle Paul.
28:38 And Paul is addressing this issue
28:41 of who is it that comprises the people of God
28:44 under the new covenant in the New Testament.
28:46 For He says, Galatians 3:6
28:48 "Even so Abraham believed God,
28:51 and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
28:55 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of" what?
29:01 "Of faith who are the sons of Abraham."
29:05 Over Romans, Paul makes the point not everybody
29:09 who can literally trace their ancestry back to Abraham
29:16 or the son's of Abraham.
29:18 The point that he is making the sons of Abraham--
29:21 sons and daughters of Abraham are those
29:23 who participate in the faith of Abraham, right.
29:28 That's the point He is making.
29:30 And so anyway, and then we come to verse 16,
29:35 He says, "Now the promises"
29:36 and He is talking about the covenant promises
29:38 by which the people God were established
29:40 in the Old Testament.
29:42 "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham
29:44 and to his seed.
29:45 He does not say, 'And to seeds,'
29:47 as referring to many, but rather to one,"
29:50 is singular in other words,
29:51 "and to your seed, that is, Christ."
29:54 So the promises were spoken to Abraham
29:58 and among the promises given to Abraham is that
30:02 the Messiah the Savior would come, right.
30:08 Okay, and it is by end
30:11 so the promises given to Abraham
30:14 becomes ours through faith in Christ.
30:18 For the promises were given to Abraham and to His seed.
30:23 You catching that?
30:25 This is significant-- significant verse.
30:27 And so that's why we find
30:29 as we drop down here to the end of the chapter
30:31 and that would be verse 27
30:33 through 29 Paul continues by saying
30:37 "For all of you who were baptized
30:40 into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
30:43 King James says, "You put on the Lord Jesus Christ."
30:46 And verse 28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek,
30:49 there is neither slave nor free man,
30:51 there is neither male nor female
30:53 for you are all one in" whom?
30:56 "In Christ Jesus."
30:58 There is neither Jew nor Greek.
31:01 No longer these artificial designations
31:04 I belong to the people of God you are just--
31:07 you know, you are not much better
31:09 than a dog being a gentile,
31:11 you know, Jews thinking back in that period of time.
31:16 As Paul says in Ephesians 2
31:18 the dividing wall in Jesus has been toured down.
31:21 That wall that separate Jews and gentiles.
31:24 And actually there was a war there at the temple
31:26 beyond what your gentile dare not go into the temple
31:33 and that wall has been removed in Jesus.
31:36 So there is neither nor gentile
31:39 the ground level before the cross
31:42 the ground is level at the cross you see.
31:46 None have a special standing before God.
31:51 And He makes this point in Romans
31:52 we all have sinned Jew and gentiles haven't we?
31:57 We all are in the need
31:59 of the saving grace of Jesus is His point.
32:04 So we are all in one--
32:06 we are all one in Christ Jesus verse 28
32:10 as we read and verse 29
32:11 "And if you belong to Christ,
32:14 then you are Abraham's descendants,
32:17 and heirs according to promise."
32:21 So if you my friend, belong to Jesus Christ
32:25 and that happens by faith
32:27 then you are descendant of Abraham.
32:31 You are spiritual descendent of Abraham
32:34 and you have become an heir.
32:37 Have you ever been an heir?
32:40 Okay, we are in the heir of the promises
32:45 that we are given to Abraham.
32:46 We will inherit them.
32:48 You see, there are those
32:50 and I'm spending a little bit time on this
32:51 I do realize but this is an essential question.
32:54 There are those who in effect are saying
32:57 there are two covenants in the end time.
32:59 There is a new covenant for the church
33:01 there is the old covenant for the Jews.
33:04 And God will yet because of covenant promises
33:07 irrevocable God will yet fulfill
33:09 all that the covenant promises to ancient--
33:11 ancient Israel in the end time for the Jews.
33:15 But my friend, it is clear as we study the Bible
33:18 there are not two covenants at all.
33:22 There are not two peoples and two covenants.
33:24 There is one people in Jesus Christ
33:26 under one covenant and that covenant
33:29 is the new covenant in the blood of Jesus, right.
33:34 In fact, when Jesus in the upper room
33:37 He said this is-- this represents
33:38 the blood of the new covenant and the New Testament.
33:43 You tell me how many gentiles were sitting at that table?
33:49 Not a one, not at this point.
33:53 They were all, you know,
33:54 every one of His disciples were Jews
33:57 and so the new covenant
33:58 was not just given to the church
34:00 that is to the gentile believer it encompass
34:04 both Jews and gentile alike the new covenant.
34:10 And my friend that's the covenant
34:11 that God is going to recognize
34:14 and accept in the end time for all peoples.
34:18 The old covenant came to an end.
34:22 So how does it relate to Revelation Chapter 7?
34:25 Well, I'm representing
34:28 that we will find in the Book of Revelation
34:30 Chapter 7 is prophetic and symbolic.
34:34 It is not literally talking about ancient Israel
34:37 or about the Jews in the end time.
34:42 It is talking about spiritual Israel,
34:46 a spiritual people that are going to be sealed
34:51 that's what it's talking about.
34:52 That is an issue as we come to it,
34:54 what is the name this name Israel
34:58 and where did it come from?
34:59 Anyway and we trace it
35:00 in the Old Testament it goes back to Jacob.
35:02 Remember there was this blood feud
35:04 between Esau and Jacob over the birth right
35:08 and Jacob stole it
35:10 and his mother said to him
35:11 you better get out of town, head down to Laban
35:14 because your brother is so angry he is out,
35:16 he is gonna-- he is gonna kill you.
35:18 As soon as your father is dead he is gonna slay you.
35:21 And so Jacob was fleeing
35:23 and He spent oh, man He began how many years
35:27 they spend out over 20 years
35:28 any way with His uncle Laban
35:31 and God righteously blessed him, remember this?
35:35 You know, a tribe is forming
35:39 and he had great riches and wealth
35:41 and he decided it was time to head home.
35:45 And so he gathered up all-- he had a sneak away
35:47 because Laban was not gonna let him do this
35:49 you know, a little bit of the story
35:51 Laban was not gonna let him go that easily
35:53 but-- so he had to sneak out of town
35:55 and he has headed out
35:56 and they cross over the brook of river Jabbok.
36:00 The report comes to Jacob at that point
36:03 that Esau is coming
36:05 and he has got 400 mountain soldiers
36:09 and they are going to meet the next day
36:12 and he remembers the hatred of his brother Esau
36:15 and fear gripped his heart.
36:18 So he got his family over the Jabbok
36:20 and then he will cross in the darkness of the night
36:22 he was in intense prayer.
36:26 And as He was in prayer
36:28 the Bible describes it-- it was in Genesis 32
36:31 He finds himself in a,
36:34 you know, in the grass he thinks its his enemy
36:38 and he is fighting for his life in the darkness.
36:40 He doesn't know who it is
36:41 but he is struggling for all that is worth
36:45 and so only as the day is about ready to break
36:47 and he sees he break off,
36:49 you know, this begin whoever it was
36:51 is trying to break off the engagement
36:55 that he discovered the divine nature of the being
36:58 that he was wresting with because it was God.
37:05 That sounds a little fantastic to us, doesn't it?
37:08 But he was wresting with God.
37:12 And so Jacob finally said
37:13 I'm not gonna let you go until you bless me.
37:16 And so God blessed Him.
37:17 Genesis 32:28 "And he said,
37:20 'Your name'" this is the blessing
37:21 "Your name shall no longer be Jacob"
37:24 you realize when we get up in heaven
37:25 we are gonna get a new name all of us?
37:29 Okay, let's start it with Jacob.
37:31 "Your name shall no longer be Jacob
37:33 but Israel, for you have striven with God
37:36 and with men and have prevailed."
37:40 The name Israel means over comer or prevailer.
37:46 And my friend that is the prophetic symbolism
37:49 that we find in Revelation 7
37:50 in reference to all of God's people
37:53 in the end time filled by the grace of Jesus
37:56 they are going to be prevailers,
37:58 they are going to be over comers.
38:03 Jesus gained the victory
38:05 that victory is guaranteed to each one of us by faith.
38:09 That's what he has promised us
38:11 and so that is the significance
38:14 about Israel being-- being sealed.
38:18 They are the over comers
38:20 and I think I will prove it
38:23 to you even more directly than that.
38:26 But we must view this matter of the number.
38:28 What do we do with 144,000?
38:30 What is it literally a number?
38:32 My friend, again the Book of Revelation
38:34 is prophetic in is symbolic
38:36 and I'm not going to be diagrammatic about this
38:38 but this is what I think.
38:39 This is what I think.
38:40 The number 144,000 is build upon this number right here
38:45 is the number 12
38:46 it is called a kingdom number in Bible prophecy.
38:49 The number 12 is consistently associated
38:51 with God's covenant people from the 12
38:55 from the 12 tribes of Israel
38:58 we have the people of God in the Old Testament
39:02 from the 12 patriots the 12 tribes
39:04 and the New Testament from the 12 apostles,
39:07 we have the establishment of the Christian church.
39:10 Next Friday night as we get to the subject
39:12 the time of the end we will back into Revelation 12
39:16 we find this pure version
39:17 will end with a crown of 12 stars
39:21 it represents God's covenant people in the end time.
39:24 It's associated with God's people.
39:27 And you are not gonna find the math here
39:28 but basically what happens here
39:30 to magnify the significance of this number
39:33 they multiplied it by itself as we get the 144
39:37 and a further emphasize a significance of this number
39:40 is multiplied by 1000
39:41 that's where we get the 144,000.
39:43 Again I'm not gonna diagrammatic about it
39:45 but I believe-- I believe that's basically
39:48 how the number is put together prophetically.
39:52 Let's take a look at Revelation Chapter 7,
39:54 let's get back to it the New Testament page 192
39:58 as we are talking about this number
40:01 and let's look at verse 9 and 10.
40:05 Revelation 7,
40:08 and if you lost your place like
40:10 I did just turn right on back there
40:12 and here we are as we pick it up in verse 9
40:16 and we have the description.
40:17 You got the structure here Revelation 7
40:20 the first half of the chapter
40:24 they are facing tribulation,
40:26 it's been held back until they are sealed.
40:29 That's what we have.
40:30 And then we come to verse 9 the scene changes.
40:34 In verse 9 this is what we find it says,
40:35 "And after these things I looked"
40:38 John says, "And behold, a great multitude
40:41 which no one could count,
40:45 from every nation and all tribes
40:47 and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne
40:50 and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes,
40:52 and palm branches were in their hands."
40:55 Where are they standing?
40:58 Before the throne.
40:59 So where is this taking place?
41:01 There in heaven.
41:03 And verse 10, "They cry out with a loud voice, saying,
41:06 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne,
41:08 and to the Lamb.'"
41:10 They are rejoicing, they are rejoicing just like
41:15 we are gonna rejoice, right.
41:20 Because it's over. It's done.
41:25 But then we come down to verse 13 it says,
41:27 "Then one of the elders answered, saying to me,
41:29 'These who are clothed in the white robes,
41:31 who are they, and where have they come from?'"
41:33 The white robes look back in verse 9.
41:37 The white robes are those who--
41:40 this great multitude which no one could count.
41:44 They are the ones that are clothed in white robes.
41:46 So John is wanting to know who are they.
41:51 And notice the response in verse 14,
41:53 and John says, "I said to him, 'My lord, you know.'
41:56 And he said to me,
41:57 'These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation,
42:01 and they have washed their robes
42:03 and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.''
42:05 The robes actually represent our characters.
42:09 So who is that are there standing victorious
42:13 before the throne of God?
42:16 It is those who went threw the great tribulation.
42:19 And who is it that goes through the great tribulation?
42:23 Put it together, the ones who are facing tribulation,
42:27 the first half of the chapter.
42:29 It is those who are sealed
42:32 that are going to go through the tribulation, right.
42:36 Absolutely.
42:39 And that's a structure that we have in Revelation 7.
42:42 First half they are facing the people of God
42:45 are facing tribulation the later half
42:48 they stand victorious a great multitude
42:51 of every nation was to say every nation,
42:53 tribes and peoples and tongues.
42:56 They stand victorious they are one and the same.
42:59 Well, I would share with you
43:00 that this is not talking first of all literally
43:03 of Israel its talking about a spiritual people
43:07 and the number is not literal
43:09 because they couldn't be counted.
43:12 But let's take a look at 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4,
43:16 the New Testament page 161.
43:18 Now some of you-- I must--
43:20 I may be really walked,
43:22 you are thinking just a little bit here tonight
43:26 to share with you that the people of God
43:29 in the end time are going to go through the tribulation
43:33 when we have been told no
43:35 the church is not going to go through the tribulation.
43:39 And may be that's troubling
43:41 and I find some people
43:42 have been really comforted by this idea.
43:44 Well, I don't have to worry about it
43:46 you know and the church is going to be swept away
43:47 before this all happens.
43:49 You know, I'm gonna be out of the here.
43:51 Is it so?
43:52 Well, I made my case for Revelation Chapter 7
43:57 but I would add 2 Thessalonians 2,
44:00 Paul says, "Now we request you, brethren,
44:02 with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
44:05 and our gathering together with Him"
44:07 I really like this language are gathering together.
44:10 We are gonna go to home to heaven together,
44:12 they will forget that.
44:14 It's gonna be wonderful as an unbroken family.
44:17 It says, "That you not be quickly shaken
44:21 from your composure or be disturbed either
44:23 by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us,"
44:29 as if from us, "to the effect
44:31 that the day of the Lord has come."
44:34 The day of the Lord is reference to the coming of Jesus
44:36 and evidently there were and they were deceivers
44:40 who were suggesting they were communicating
44:42 with the church in Thessaloniki they were--
44:45 they were presenting these aberrant views
44:48 about the coming of Jesus
44:49 as if He had already come
44:51 that's why Paul is addressing the issue
44:55 as if He had already come
44:57 which itself implies that may be they were
45:00 may be teaching us spiritual coming
45:02 or it has some potentially
45:05 some interesting parallels to this idea of a secret coming,
45:11 a closed rapture.
45:13 Doesn't it?
45:15 And that's why again clarity in regards
45:18 to what the Bible teaches about the end time
45:20 and about the coming of Jesus is so absolutely necessary.
45:25 So he is dealing with this issue don't let you--
45:27 don't get caught up in these things.
45:29 And then He makes this argument why it couldn't have happened.
45:31 He says "Let no one" verse 3
45:33 "In any way deceive you, for it will not come"
45:36 speaking of the day of our Lord the coming of Jesus.
45:39 "It will not come unless the apostasy comes first."
45:45 Apostasy, what is that talking about?
45:48 Who is that talking about?
45:50 And what does that mean?
45:52 It literally means a falling away.
45:57 It could not be talking about the ungodly
46:00 for they have not taken a position to fall away from.
46:05 "And the man of lawlessness is revealed,
46:07 the son of destruction, who opposes
46:10 and exalts himself above every so-called God
46:12 or object of worship,
46:14 so that he takes his seat in the temple of God,
46:16 displaying himself as being God."
46:18 And who is that talking about?
46:20 That is talking about the antichrist.
46:23 And so Paul is arguing,
46:26 Jesus couldn't have come the apostasy hasn't happened
46:29 and the antichrist has not yet appeared.
46:33 Which means before Jesus comes
46:36 both will happen and significantly
46:39 the antichrist will be reviled in the end time
46:42 before the coming of Jesus
46:43 not after as some are suggesting.
46:46 Are you with me?
46:49 And by teaching, it means
46:52 that at the antichrist comes first
46:54 so does the tribulation not after.
46:59 This is when the seven last plagues
47:01 fall upon this final display of the evil
47:05 and apostasy in the end time.
47:08 In Revelation 16:19 it says,
47:10 and Babylon it's talking about the apostate system.
47:13 It's the beast in Revelation 13
47:15 that we are coming to tomorrow night.
47:17 "And Babylon the great was remembered before God,
47:20 to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath."
47:24 Somebody up there better be upset about the horrible things
47:28 that are begin played out upon this planet,
47:31 the tragic things that are happening.
47:36 In Daniel 12:1,2
47:39 lets look at the study of the tribulation again
47:41 it's called the time of trouble here.
47:43 It says, "And there will be a time of trouble,
47:45 such as there never was since there was a nation
47:48 even to that same time and at that time thy people,
47:53 shall be delivered"
47:55 notice the promise, shall be delivered.
47:58 It goes on to say "Everyone
47:59 that shall be found written in the book."
48:02 And remember we are studying
48:03 about the book of life this morning.
48:06 Everyone whose names were written
48:07 in the book of life is going to be delivered
48:10 when the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
48:14 comes back in power
48:15 and glory to claim His people for
48:17 His very own to establish His everlasting kingdom.
48:21 And my friend, when at the darkest hour tribulation
48:24 engulfs this planet
48:26 we know our redemption was lie.
48:30 Our time in deliverance is at hand.
48:34 And it goes on to say "And many of them
48:35 that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake."
48:39 That's talking about the resurrection
48:41 which takes place at the coming of Jesus
48:44 so we've got the time of trouble the tribulation
48:47 then deliverance at the coming of Jesus
48:52 when the people of God who are asleep,
48:55 who are dead will be resurrected is what the Bible indicates.
49:00 So again the tribulation takes places
49:02 just before the resurrection before, the coming of Jesus.
49:04 Now, let's look at this matter of sealing.
49:07 I say the most important
49:08 for the last part of the presentation.
49:11 So let's go back to remind us--
49:12 let's remind ourselves of the language
49:14 back at verses 2 and 3
49:16 as we are in Revelation 7 again, where it says,
49:18 "I saw another angel ascending from the east,
49:22 having the seal of the living God.
49:24 And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels
49:27 to whom it was given to hurt the earth
49:29 and the sea saying,
49:30 'Hurt not the earth or the sea, nor the trees,
49:34 till we have sealed the servants
49:36 of our God in their foreheads.'"
49:40 We got this picture the sealing angel
49:42 coming from the direction of the east.
49:45 Language is prophetic
49:46 but anyway tremendous powerful things
49:48 come from the direction of the east as we will see.
49:51 So the sealing angel comes from the direction of the east.
49:55 Someone else follows soon from the east
50:00 the sealing angel and by now who it is?
50:05 Jesus.
50:07 Matthew 24:27,
50:08 "For just as the lightning comes from the east
50:11 and flashes even to the west,
50:13 so shall the coming of the Son of Man be."
50:17 So the sealing work among God's people
50:20 precedes the coming of Jesus
50:23 and prepares God's people for the coming of Jesus.
50:28 So who is that sealed?
50:30 Well, the people of God.
50:31 But more specifically who is it that seal
50:34 how are we sealed look at 2 Timothy 2
50:37 the New Testament page 166.
50:41 2 Timothy 2 and we are gonna look at verse 19.
50:47 Chapter 2:19 talking about the seal.
50:51 There we got it.
50:53 It says, Nevertheless,
50:54 the firm foundation of God stands,
50:56 having this seal,
50:58 The Lord knows those who are His,
51:01 and, 'Everyone who names the name
51:02 of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.'"
51:06 So those who receive the seal
51:07 of the living God in the end time
51:09 God in effect of saying I know whom are mine.
51:15 who are sealed for eternity
51:16 those who are in the end time
51:19 if we are alive at that period of time.
51:22 And it says something
51:23 about their experience in Jesus Christ.
51:26 Let every one who names the name of the Lord do what?
51:31 Abstain from wickedness.
51:33 As we have on one hand this fine display of evil
51:37 in the end time in the apostate system
51:40 the beast that is marked in contrast
51:43 to this display of evil
51:45 we have God's people
51:49 who will receive the seal of God.
51:53 They are a burning light
51:56 in the darkness that covers the earth.
51:59 And that light comes from whom?
52:03 Its not sub-generated does it work?
52:07 That light comes from Jesus
52:11 and it is a testament of the life of Jesus
52:15 by which He possesses His people, okay.
52:19 Ephesians 1 the New Testament page 150,
52:27 Ephesians 1:13
52:31 and there are some texts that are just so full
52:34 and this one is as it relates to the sealing Ephesians 1
52:38 and here it is as we come to verse 13
52:40 and notice it begins with two words
52:43 and they are vital
52:45 and those words are "In Him" that is in Jesus.
52:49 And my friend with out being in Jesus
52:53 we will find ourselves out of Jesus
52:56 and we will find ourselves in deep trouble.
53:01 So, it begins with "In Him" in Jesus
53:04 "You also, after listening" listening to what?
53:09 "Listening to the message of truth"
53:13 have you been listening these three weeks?
53:16 We have been studying God's word
53:18 we have been seeking truth
53:20 some of it guidance our hearts
53:22 some of it goes against our natural inclinations
53:25 that's just the nature of truth, right?
53:29 And the genuineness of our experience in Jesus
53:33 is reviled with how we relate to truth
53:37 for Jesus is the truth.
53:41 So we can't be casual about truth
53:43 can we in all of this?
53:46 So after listening to the message of truth.
53:48 That's all that's necessary
53:49 being in Jesus just listening
53:51 just being there in the pews and listening
53:53 that's all that's necessary.
53:54 No, no, no it goes on to say
53:56 "Listening to the message of truth,
53:58 the gospel of your salvation having also believed"
54:03 so it's not enough to hear
54:04 but we must believe and my friend,
54:07 we act on what we believe by the grace of Jesus.
54:10 We will.
54:11 "Having also believed you were sealed"
54:14 again it says, "In Him."
54:16 So how do we receive the seal?
54:18 We receive it in Jesus
54:21 and there is this connection of truth
54:24 that is vital in the sealing process
54:27 for we are sealed in Jesus
54:28 as we respond to the truth that is in Jesus.
54:35 And it says, "You are sealed in Him
54:36 with the Holy Spirit of promise."
54:39 Of course the Holy Spirit will be a part
54:41 of the sealing process, wouldn't it?
54:44 And Jesus said of the Holy Spirit,
54:47 John 16:13
54:49 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes,
54:51 He will guide you into all the truth."
54:56 And my friend, we need all of the truth, don't we?
55:01 Hebrews 8:10 the New Testament page 172
55:06 as we are bring this to a conclusion.
55:10 Hebrews Chapter 8
55:12 let's talk about how the sealing works
55:15 and it relates to the new covenant promise
55:18 that we find right here beginning with verse 10
55:20 where it says "For this is the covenant
55:22 that I will make with the house of Israel
55:25 after those days, says the Lord
55:26 I will put my laws into their minds,
55:29 and I will write them on their hearts.
55:31 And I will be their god, and they shall be my people."
55:36 That's powerful, that happens in Jesus
55:39 and that happens with the mighty power
55:40 of the Holy Spirit.
55:42 The very principles of the law are imprinted
55:47 into our thinking and into our hearts.
55:50 And what is the fundamental principle of the law?
55:53 Romans 13:10 says, law is the fulfillment of the law
55:58 and so is the principles of love
56:01 that are embedded into our thinking.
56:03 Its part of the regeneration experience.
56:06 The new birth experience is taking place.
56:10 You know in anciently when they have a seal,
56:12 I mean they actually had seals
56:13 they would take wax
56:14 it would be in harden condition
56:16 they would have the warming it up
56:17 so its almost semi fluid
56:19 and then they would put that seal into the wax
56:22 and then they were taken out
56:23 there you would see you know
56:25 you will see the seal and then I would harden.
56:28 And my friend, the corresponding experience
56:29 in the hearts of God's people
56:31 in the minds and hearts of God's people
56:33 is our hearts who that have been so harden
56:37 because of sin must be softened.
56:41 Do we see the seal of God
56:44 and how will the heart harden by sin be softened?
56:49 Now friend, there is only one thing that will soften
56:52 a harden heart is the love of Jesus.
56:56 It's the love of God in Jesus
56:59 that does a softening work in us
57:02 and makes us playable in the master's hand
57:05 and in that condition
57:08 the people of God will be sealed.
57:13 Be written into our heats and to our minds
57:16 Revelation 3:10 here is the promise.
57:22 I'm gonna leave with you,
57:24 "Because you have kept the word of My perseverance,
57:28 I will also keep you from the hour of testing,
57:32 that hour which is about to come upon the whole world,
57:34 to test those who dwell on the earth."
57:38 My friend, we again have nothing to fear of Jesus
57:40 because He is going to keep us
57:42 during this time of testing.
57:44 And my friend, it is a time of testing
57:46 and it will demonstrate the power
57:48 of the gospel of Jesus Christ in transforming lives.
57:54 In spite of this final display of evil
57:58 the people of God have been sealed
58:00 and by His grace they will be faithful till the end.


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Revised 2014-12-17