Participants:
Series Code: UBP
Program Code: UBP000005S
|
00:01 Have you ever had someone tell you to remember something?
00:04 That usually means they think that you will forget it? 00:08 Would you find it hard to believe 00:09 that most of the world has forgotten something 00:11 that God Himself told us to remember? 00:14 Would you believe that if we remembered 00:17 it would be the key to our overworked, 00:19 overstressed, and overanxious society? 00:22 I will be sharing what God said to remember 00:25 on Unlocking Bible Prophecies, 00:28 The rise of an international pandemic. 00:29 Breaking news about the Coronavirus. 00:31 Polarizing global politics. 00:33 The mismanagement and corruption. 00:34 Increasingly destructive natural disasters. 00:37 Bushfires in Australia are a warning 00:39 of what may be to come around the world. 00:41 What does it all mean? What does the future hold? 00:47 Join international speaker Cami Oetman 00:50 on a journey for answers in Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 00:54 In her travels around the world, 00:55 she's come face to face with real life struggles, 00:58 but in the midst of them, she's found miracles of hope. 01:02 Join Cami Oetman for Unlocking Bible Prophecies 01:06 as she shares how Bible prophecy 01:08 is being fulfilled faster than ever before. 01:18 Hi, I'm Cami. Welcome back, friends. 01:21 Have you been blessed by Unlocking Bible Prophecies? 01:24 I hope you have. 01:25 Make sure to tell your friends about these presentations. 01:29 Unlocking Bible Prophecies is a continuing series 01:31 that covers the greatest prophecies of the Bible. 01:34 Make sure to visit awr.org/bible 01:40 to find wonderful resources to grow spiritually 01:43 as well as to watch all the archived programs. 01:47 In the last presentation, 01:48 we learned that God's way the law is timeless 01:52 and it's actually His character. 01:54 God wrote the Ten Commandment law, 01:56 so we could enjoy an abundant life. 01:59 He wants us to share in His character. 02:03 What's really interesting to me 02:04 is that there are thousands of man-made laws in the world. 02:08 But God in His infinite wisdom 02:11 has summarized His law in only Ten Commandments. 02:15 We can see that many of our modern law codes 02:18 are based in God's laws. 02:20 Would you be surprised that one of the commandments 02:22 has been almost entirely forgotten? 02:25 Yesterday's presentation 02:27 The Way supplied the foundation for tonight's topic. 02:32 My video crew and I visited a remote village in Madagascar 02:35 to document Mama Cisit's shocking journey, 02:38 what she learned what you will learn tonight. 02:41 Stay tuned, that story is coming up. 02:44 I want to remind you 02:45 that you can click on the link below 02:47 to chat with our online Bible instructors, 02:50 sign up for our online Bible school 02:53 or submit a prayer request 02:55 because we would love to pray for you. 02:58 Let's pray now as we study The Authentic Seal. 03:03 Heavenly Father, King of the universe, 03:05 king of our hearts. 03:07 Lord, thank You so much for giving us Your Word, 03:10 to guide us through this dark world 03:13 so that we would have You as our lighthouse, Lord. 03:18 As we study the authentic seal, 03:20 it is important for us to have clear minds 03:22 so that we can grasp your truth, Lord. 03:24 Lead us in such a way. 03:26 Have every listener be imbued with the Holy Spirit right now, 03:31 as we want to know You more 03:33 and fall deeper in love with You today. 03:35 In Jesus' precious powerful name, amen. 03:40 Now, I feel impressed to share with you 03:43 that my intention for standing before you 03:45 is to share only truth straight from the Bible. 03:49 Now some of these truths may be new to you, 03:52 as they once were to me, but stick with me, friend. 03:55 I promise you that I'm speaking from a heart out of love 03:58 for honesty and integrity. 04:01 Each topic builds upon the last 04:03 and as we are making our way to some shocking Bible subjects 04:06 know that the truth may hurt or be uncomfortable, 04:10 but it never betrays or leads you astray. 04:13 You need to see the answers from your Bible 04:15 to make informed decisions. 04:18 Also, we will be going through many scriptures tonight, 04:20 and for the sake of time, 04:22 we will only show portions of a few of the longer texts. 04:25 So I encourage you to look up each text for yourself 04:29 after this program is initially streamed, 04:31 you can go back pause the video and read each verse in full. 04:37 I want you to meet Shrek the sheep. 04:40 He became famous a while back. 04:43 Shrek had wandered away from a shepherd and got lost. 04:46 For six years he was hiding in caves for taking cover 04:52 and survived there alone. 04:54 And during this isolation 04:55 his wool grew and grew to an extra 60 pounds, 05:02 that's 27 kilograms of extra wool on him. 05:06 Most sheep have a fleece of about 10 pounds 05:09 or four and a half kilograms. 05:11 Shrek was so burdened and weighted down 05:14 as he carried six times 05:16 the regular weight of his fleece, 05:18 which Shrek didn't know 05:20 is that the shepherd never gave up 05:22 searching for him. 05:24 The day came when he found and rescued his lost sheep. 05:28 It took just moments to shave off 05:31 the extra burden of wool 05:33 that Shrek had accumulated for those six years. 05:36 Friends, in Matthew 11:28-30, 05:40 Jesus says, "Come to Me, 05:42 all you who labor and are heavy laden, 05:45 and I will give you rest. 05:47 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, 05:51 for I am gentle and lowly in heart, 05:53 and you will find rest for your souls. 05:56 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." 06:00 Friends, let's be unburdened tonight 06:04 by our shepherd Jesus, as His truth sets us free. 06:09 Let's remember our theme. 06:11 If it's in the Bible, I believe it. 06:14 If it disagrees with the Bible, then it's not for me. 06:19 Would you be surprised to learn 06:20 that God has a special sign, seal, or mark 06:24 that He places upon His people? 06:26 Would you be shocked to learn 06:28 that unless a person has this mark at Jesus return, 06:32 he cannot enter the kingdom of God? 06:35 I want us to start by looking in the last book of the Bible 06:38 where we will unlock an end-time prophecy. 06:40 In Revelation 7:1-3, 06:43 a mighty angel has commanded 06:45 that the final winds of war and destruction, 06:48 not unleash upon us 06:50 until something very important has been completed. 06:54 What is that important something? 06:56 Let's read Revelation 7:1-3. 07:01 "After these things I saw four angels 07:03 standing at the four corners of the earth, 07:06 holding the four winds of the earth, 07:08 that the wind should not blow on the earth, 07:11 or the sea or any tree." 07:13 In symbolic language, winds represent war, 07:16 strife, and destruction. 07:18 Verse 2, 07:20 "Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, 07:22 having the seal of the living God. 07:26 And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels 07:29 to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea. 07:32 Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees 07:34 till we have sealed the servants of our God 07:38 in their foreheads." 07:40 Okay. 07:41 The angel is saying that God will not permit 07:44 destruction to come upon the earth 07:46 until His people have all received His seal. 07:50 How far and wide 07:52 will this serious message be presented? 07:54 That includes the truth 07:55 about God's seal, sign, or mark? 07:59 Let's look in Revelation 14:6, 08:02 "Then I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, 08:06 having the everlasting gospel 08:08 to preach to those who dwell on the earth, 08:10 to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people." 08:15 What a colossal task. 08:17 But Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-19, 08:20 "All authority has been given to me. 08:23 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." 08:28 The terms sign, seal, and mark 08:31 are used interchangeably in Scripture, 08:33 all representing the same thing. 08:36 Now here are a few examples of just this. 08:39 Romans 4:11 08:41 says the sign, a seal of the righteous of the faith. 08:46 Another example, Ezekiel 9:4, 08:48 put a mark on the foreheads. 08:51 Revelation 7:2-3, 08:54 speaks about a seal of the living God 08:57 and sealed the servants. 09:00 So what is a seal? 09:02 How is it sometimes used in a figurative manner? 09:06 Ephesians 1:13 says, 09:09 "After you heard the word of truth, 09:11 the gospel of your salvation, 09:13 having believed you were sealed 09:15 with the Holy Spirit of promise." 09:19 Ephesians 4:30, 09:21 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 09:23 by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." 09:28 Okay, friends, now in the Bible 09:30 two figurative uses of the seal are made. 09:33 First, a seal may stand 09:35 for truth or requirement of God. 09:38 Second, a seal may indicate God's ownership and approval. 09:44 In ancient times, a seal is used to signify ownership 09:47 to indicate genuine intent and to show authenticity. 09:52 God's seal which He places on the foreheads 09:54 of His true followers indicates we belong to Him. 09:58 We are genuine, trusted, authentic followers of Christ. 10:03 Placing his seal on the forehead implies 10:06 that the one sealed has a total commitment to God 10:09 and His will to the principles of His government 10:14 not because of any tradition or custom 10:16 and not just for show. 10:19 Matthew 7:20, 10:20 "For by their fruits, you will know them." 10:24 Our action show who we truly belong to 10:28 and who we really worship. 10:30 What three things does a government seal contain? 10:33 Okay. 10:35 Government seals are used to officially identify 10:38 national laws and authorize legal documents, 10:42 such a seal must give the lawgiver's name. 10:46 So the name of its presiding officer, 10:48 the title that would be like President, 10:51 Prime minister, King, 10:53 and the territory over which he presides. 10:57 What is God's seal in His holy law? 11:00 Let's go to the Ten Commandments 11:02 in Exodus 20:8-11. 11:05 "The seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God. 11:09 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth." 11:14 The fourth commandment 11:16 is the seal of God's Ten Commandment laws. 11:19 Let's look at why. 11:21 Because it has God's name, says the Lord thy God, 11:26 God's title or office as Creator 11:29 because He made, and 11:32 thirdly it has God's territory, heaven and earth. 11:37 The fourth commandment declares an unmistakable language, 11:40 the authority that backs the Ten Commandments, 11:43 the authority of our Creator, and the government of God. 11:48 Revelation is clear, we worship God 11:50 because He's our Creator and our Redeemer. 11:54 Revelation 4:10-11 shows us just that. 11:58 "Worship Him who lives forever and ever. 12:01 You are worthy, O Lord, 12:03 to receive glory, honor, and power, 12:06 for You created all things, 12:08 and by Your will they exist and were created." 12:12 Then in Revelation 5:9, it says, 12:14 "You are worthy, for you were slain, 12:17 and have redeemed us to God by Your blood." 12:20 So what right does God have 12:22 to ask us to worship Him His way? 12:25 The fact that He is our Creator. 12:29 And what has God provided for His people 12:31 as a sign, seal or mark of His creating 12:33 and redeeming power? 12:36 Let's have Him tell us. 12:37 Exodus 31:16-17, 12:41 God says, "Keep the Sabbath, 12:43 to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, 12:47 for a perpetual covenant." 12:49 That means ongoing promise. 12:52 "It is a sign between Me 12:53 and the children of Israel forever: 12:56 for in six days, the Lord made the heavens and earth, 13:00 and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed." 13:04 Ezekiel 20:12, 13:05 says, "Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, 13:09 to be a sign between them and Me, 13:14 that they might know 13:15 that I am the Lord who sanctifies them." 13:19 God Himself made the Sabbath a sign 13:23 of His creating redeeming power. 13:26 When I keep it holy, 13:27 I demonstrate my acceptance of Him 13:30 as my Creator and Savior. 13:33 Where does the great angel of Revelation 7 say the sign 13:37 or seal of God will be placed on a person? 13:40 Let's look. 13:41 Revelation 7:3 13:43 says, "Sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 13:49 Is this a literal stamp in our flesh? 13:52 Romans 7:25, "I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! 13:57 So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, 14:02 but with the flesh, the law of sin." 14:06 Friends, the forehead represents the mind, 14:10 the crown of the brain. 14:12 One thing that separates us from the rest of creation 14:16 is the ability to choose and discern 14:19 between right and wrong. 14:22 That is our morality. 14:25 The only part of the brain that controls discernment 14:27 is the frontal lobe or the prefrontal cortex. 14:31 This area is responsible for the executive functions. 14:36 It is a center for thinking, reasoning, 14:39 judgment, behavior, and emotions. 14:42 The frontal lobe is so important 14:45 that the Lord says 14:46 that it is the center of worship. 14:51 Our ability to be informed, to understand, 14:54 and to make choices come solely from this area of our brain. 15:00 When we consent to keep God's Sabbath, 15:03 we are mat marked or signed in our minds, 15:08 which is represented by the forehead. 15:12 Just think of it. 15:13 Angels are holding back the fury of Satan 15:17 until God's people have accepted his sign. 15:21 What mercy. 15:23 This is happening now, friends. 15:25 People are learning about the Bible Sabbath 15:28 and deciding to accept it. 15:30 When did God make the Sabbath? 15:32 Genesis 2:1-4, 15:35 "When in the day that the Lord God made 15:38 the earth and the heavens." 15:40 After the six days of creation, 15:42 God made the Sabbath on the seventh day, Saturday. 15:46 From what did God make the Sabbath? 15:49 Exodus 20:10, 15:51 "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." 15:56 God made the Sabbath from a 24-hour day, 16:00 the seventh day, it is made of time, 16:03 and time is what it takes to develop a warm, 16:07 loving friendship with your Lord. 16:10 He offers me 24 hours a week of His priceless time, 16:15 so He and I can become close friends. 16:18 It's just like a marriage. 16:19 It cannot succeed 16:21 unless the partners spend time together, 16:24 neither will my love relationship with the Lord 16:27 succeed unless I make our time spent together a priority. 16:32 The devil hates the Sabbath truth 16:35 because you cannot be saved 16:36 without a relationship with God, 16:39 knowing and loving the Lord. 16:42 You see, all relationships are built 16:44 within the context of time. 16:48 What happens to a marriage 16:49 when a husband and wife stop spending quality time? 16:52 It begins to fall apart. 16:55 We need to make time 16:56 to communicate with each other to stay close. 17:00 The devil wants to keep us so busy 17:02 working and stressed out so we do not make time for God. 17:07 Why did God choose the element of time 17:10 to focus our minds on Him? 17:13 He created us for fellowship with Him, 17:16 which requires time. 17:17 For God so loved the world that He gave us His Son 17:21 for 33 and a half years. 17:23 So we would have face-to-face time with Him 17:26 on this earth. 17:28 Nothing is more meaningful 17:29 than a unit of time spent together. 17:32 God did three things at creation 17:35 that made the seventh day special. 17:37 Genesis 2:2-3, "And on the seventh day, 17:42 God ended His work which He had done, 17:44 and He rested on the seventh day 17:47 from all His work which He had done. 17:50 Then God blessed the seventh day 17:53 and sanctified it." 17:55 Sanctify means to set apart for a sacred use. 18:00 This literal 24-hour period 18:02 was made holy by the God of the universe, 18:05 from the very beginning of time itself. 18:08 When God blesses something, for how long is it blessed? 18:12 A year, a decade, a century? 18:16 1 Chronicles 17:27 gives us the answer, 18:20 "That it may continue before You for forever, 18:24 for You have blessed it, O Lord, 18:26 and it shall be blessed forever." 18:30 For whom did God make the Sabbath? 18:33 Mark 2:27. Jesus said, 18:36 "The Sabbath was made for man 18:39 and not man for the Sabbath." 18:43 If you think about it, 18:44 man was created on the sixth day 18:47 and the Sabbath was made for man 18:50 on the next day, the seventh. 18:53 Was the Sabbath made for only Jews? 18:56 When God made the Sabbath, there was no Jew or Gentile, 19:00 only mankind. 19:03 God made the Sabbath for Adam and all his descendants. 19:07 That includes you and me. 19:10 Let's look at how God's commandments existed 19:13 before Moses on Mount Sinai. 19:16 We find in Exodus 16 19:18 the Israelites have escaped Egypt 19:20 and are now wandering in the wilderness. 19:23 There's no easy access to food. 19:25 So they cry out to God 19:27 to help them please they're hungry. 19:30 In return, God promises in Exodus 16:4 19:35 to provide them with manna or sweet bread from heaven, 19:39 which they are to gather six days 19:42 but in verse 5 says God instructs 19:45 that on the sixth day 19:46 which is called preparation day in the Bible, 19:48 they are to gather twice as much manna. 19:51 Later in verses 25-26, 19:54 God warns there will be no manna 19:56 found in the fields on the seventh day, 19:59 which is the Sabbath. 20:01 And verse 30 tells us why. 20:03 They kept the seventh day holy by resting from any work. 20:09 The manna shows us today 20:11 that God's people knew to keep the Sabbath holy 20:15 before the commandments were given on Mount Sinai. 20:18 Found four chapters later in Exodus 20. 20:22 You see, by then, it was a reminder, 20:25 God wrote on tables of stone, 20:27 not in the sand or on a piece of paper, 20:30 His law is to endure forever. 20:33 Exodus 20:8, 20:35 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." 20:39 This is the only commandment 20:41 that begins with a word remember, 20:44 because God knew people would forget. 20:48 The question arises, then, 20:50 what could possibly cause man 20:52 to forget God's original command 20:54 to keep the seventh day holy? 20:57 God foresaw that the archenemy 20:59 would mess with His commandments, 21:02 as we studied last night, 21:04 and He foresaw the need to bring us back to His ways. 21:10 We need to know whether the Ten Commandments 21:12 which mandate Sabbath keeping have ever been changed. 21:16 When Jesus was accused of doing away with God's law, 21:20 He made it very clear. 21:22 In Luke 16:17, 21:24 "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass 21:29 than for one tittle or detail of the law to fail." 21:33 God's law and His commandments are the same thing. 21:37 Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus said, 21:40 "Do not think that I came to destroy the law 21:44 or the prophets. 21:45 I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill." 21:49 Meaning, to uphold the law. 21:51 Romans 13:10 references many of the commandments 21:55 in these New Testament verses, summing them up with, 21:59 love is the fulfillment of the law. 22:03 Note that in the New Testament, 22:05 it tells us what day Jesus and Paul kept holy. 22:10 I want to know that. 22:11 Let's look, Luke 4:16, 22:13 "So He, speaking of Jesus, came to Nazareth, 22:17 where He had been brought up. 22:19 And as His custom was, 22:21 He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, 22:26 and stood up to read." 22:28 Jesus kept the Sabbath day holy. 22:31 Let's look at Acts 17:2, then Paul. 22:34 Now Paul comes after Jesus has died 22:37 and rose again and ascended to heaven. 22:39 And here Paul tells us what he's doing. 22:42 "Paul, as his custom was, went into them, 22:46 and for three Sabbaths 22:47 reasoned with them from the Scriptures." 22:50 Acts 18:4, 22:51 "And he Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, 22:57 and persuaded both Jews and Greeks." 23:01 You see the Sabbath is for everyone 23:03 and Paul was keeping it himself. 23:06 Does it surprise you to learn 23:08 that Jesus and His followers even after Christ's death, 23:11 kept the Sabbath, God's seventh day holy. 23:15 Whenever in doubt, with what to do, 23:18 do what Jesus did. 23:21 Jesus is our example, in all things, 23:24 including Sabbath keeping. 23:28 1 Peter 2:21 reads, 23:31 "Because Christ also suffered for us, 23:34 leaving us an example, 23:37 that you should follow His steps." 23:40 To learn that Jesus kept the Sabbath 23:42 affects me personally 23:44 because I want to follow Him as He is my Lord and Savior, 23:49 so if He kept the Sabbath, so will I. 23:53 The Christian Gentiles also kept the Sabbath. 23:56 In Acts 13:42-44, it tells us, 23:59 "So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, 24:02 the Gentiles begged 24:04 that these words might be preached to them 24:06 the next Sabbath. 24:08 Paul and Barnabas persuaded them 24:10 to continue in the grace of God. 24:12 And on the next Sabbath, 24:15 almost the whole city came together 24:17 to hear the Word of God." 24:20 Keep in mind these scriptures are after Jesus died, 24:23 rose from the grave, and ascended to heaven. 24:26 It is vital for us to understand 24:28 how the Bible identifies these three days. 24:33 The order of events over these three days 24:35 goes like this. 24:37 Friday, which is the sixth day of the week, 24:41 was the day Christ died, 24:43 which is called 24:44 the preparation day in the Bible. 24:46 The next day would be the seventh day of the week. 24:51 The Bible calls the Sabbath. 24:54 Jesus rested on in the tomb on Saturday, 24:59 the Sabbath, and then the next day, 25:02 which would be the first day of the week, 25:04 Jesus rose from the grave. 25:06 Scripture called Sunday, the first day. 25:10 The identity of the Sabbath is clear. 25:13 Sabbath is the seventh day of the weekly cycle 25:17 or the day we call Saturday. 25:21 Many Christians have said, 25:23 but we worship on Sunday in honor of the resurrection. 25:28 Well, Christ has given us a symbol of the resurrection. 25:32 Yes, that is true. 25:34 What does Jesus say 25:35 is a celebration of His resurrection? 25:38 Romans 6:3-4, 25:41 "Or do you not know that as many of us 25:43 as were baptized into Christ Jesus 25:46 were baptized into His death? 25:49 Therefore we were buried with Him 25:51 through baptism into death, 25:54 that just as Christ was raised from the dead 25:56 by the glory of the Father, 25:58 even so we also should walk in the newness of life." 26:04 So just as Jesus died, 26:06 was buried, and was resurrected, 26:09 we do that by being baptized, friends. 26:13 We come up from the watery grave, 26:15 to live the new life. 26:17 Baptism is the New Testament symbol 26:20 of the resurrection. 26:23 There is no doubt 26:24 that Christ's resurrection was an important event. 26:28 And so is His birth, His baptism, 26:32 His crucifixion, His ascension? 26:35 Would it be logical for Jesus to change a Sabbath day 26:38 at each important event in His life? 26:42 It is curious then 26:45 why so many Christians worship on the first day of the week? 26:49 Here's evidence that Jesus did not plan 26:52 to change the Sabbath 26:53 at the time of His resurrection. 26:55 One day, Jesus gathered His disciples together 26:58 and discussed the coming destruction 27:00 of Jerusalem. 27:01 Matthew 24:20, Jesus says, 27:04 "And pray that your flight may not be in winter 27:07 or on the Sabbath." 27:09 Why? 27:10 What sense would it make for Jesus 27:12 to say to His disciples, 27:14 pray that your flight not be on the Sabbath? 27:16 If they were not going to be keeping the Sabbath, 27:19 it wouldn't have made any sense at all. 27:21 Why did He say that? 27:23 You see, if they were all worshiping 27:25 on the Sabbath together in one place, 27:27 and the Roman armies attack the city, 27:30 what would have happened? 27:31 The Roman armies would have destroyed them. 27:34 Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD 27:37 years after Jesus had already ascended to heaven. 27:41 From the beginning, God used the Sabbath 27:44 as a covenant with His people. 27:46 Let's think about that. 27:48 How many people must there be to form a covenant or contract? 27:52 Two. 27:54 Can just one of the parties change the contract? 27:57 No. 27:58 Can we then change our covenant with God 28:01 without His acknowledgment? 28:04 Let me illustrate this. 28:05 The word sanctify meaning set apart 28:08 is used when pertaining to the Sabbath and marriage, 28:12 when one woman is set apart or sanctified for one man. 28:16 Let's imagine a wedding ceremony right now. 28:19 The handsome groom is thrilled 28:21 as he's about to marry his beautiful bride. 28:25 The woman he's chosen to marry has six sisters. 28:29 After the ceremony, he's eagerly waiting in the car 28:32 excited to go on their honeymoon. 28:34 One of her sisters opens the car door 28:36 and slips in beside him and says, let's go. 28:40 He looks at her amazing response. 28:42 I didn't marry you. I married your sister. 28:46 Her reply is, what difference does it make? 28:49 I'm one in seven. 28:51 Friends, does it make any difference? 28:54 Yes, to the married couple, it certainly does. 28:57 There was only one who is sanctified, 28:59 one who is chosen. 29:01 One woman the groom set apart for himself. 29:04 All seven women were not the same. 29:07 Just like not all days are the same are created equal. 29:12 Let's not be confused and misunderstand 29:14 the one special day amongst the seven. 29:17 In our society, the term Lord's Day 29:20 has become attached 29:21 to the first day of the week, Sunday. 29:24 Because when some read Revelation 1:10, 29:27 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day." 29:29 There are many assumptions made. 29:32 This verse does not say the first day of the week 29:35 is the Lord's Day. 29:36 Human beings may try to define the Lord's Day, 29:40 but Jesus knows best. 29:41 Let's allow Him to define His own day. 29:44 Matthew 12:8, 29:46 "For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." 29:50 Mark 2:28, 29:52 "For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." 29:56 Luke 6:5, 29:58 "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." 30:03 Isaiah 58:13, 30:05 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, 30:08 from doing your pleasure on My Holy day, 30:12 the holy day of the Lord." 30:14 We can clearly see that the Lord's Day is the Sabbath, 30:18 Saturday the seventh day. 30:22 More than 100 ancient and modern languages 30:24 named the seventh day of the week Sabbath. 30:28 Here are just a few, 30:29 in Arabic: Sabet, Spanish: Sabado, 30:34 Ukrainian: Subota. 30:37 No matter where you are on the planet, 30:39 the different languages spell it out 30:42 that Sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day of the week. 30:46 According to such trustworthy sources 30:48 as the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England, 30:52 and the United States Naval Observatory, 30:54 the weekly cycle has never changed. 30:58 Also, let's think about our planet's solar system. 31:02 We measure our year cycle by the earth orbiting the sun. 31:07 The month is by the moon orbiting the earth. 31:12 The day is by the earth, 31:14 turning on its axis every 24 hours, 31:19 but where do we get the seven-day week from? 31:24 Bible creation. 31:27 God created the evening and the morning 31:29 for each day and saw that it was good. 31:33 A 24-hour day is in the Bible 31:36 is measured from evening to evening, 31:39 which means from sundown to sundown. 31:42 So let's be clear. 31:44 When does the Sabbath begin and end? 31:47 Mark defines the word evening in Mark 1:32, 31:53 "At evening when the sun had set, sunset." 31:58 Leviticus 23:32, "From evening to evening, 32:02 you shall celebrate your Sabbath." 32:06 We see that Sabbath begins at sunset, 32:09 Friday, sunset. 32:12 Genesis 1:5, "And God called the light Day, 32:16 and the darkness He called Night. 32:18 So evening and morning were the first day." 32:22 When speaking about a 24-hour period or day, 32:24 the evening is always counted before the morning. 32:28 So Sabbath is celebrated 32:30 from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. 32:35 For those of you who may not think 32:37 that Ten Commandments are in the New Testament, 32:39 they're there. 32:41 In the following texts, 32:42 we can see that Jesus and His followers 32:44 continue to teach the commandments 32:46 in the New Testament. 32:48 Note that the Sabbath commandment 32:49 is mentioned the most 32:50 because He wants us to remember its importance. 32:54 The first commandment is found in Matthew 4:10. 32:57 The second commandment is in 1 John and Acts. 33:01 The third commandment is in 1 Timothy. 33:04 And you can see 33:05 that the fourth commandment is in Matthew, 33:08 Mark, Hebrews, Colossians. 33:12 Friends, remember 33:14 that later you can come back to this slide. 33:16 Pause the screen 33:17 and read each one of these texts in full please, 33:20 on your own time in your own Bible. 33:23 Are God's commandments called the 10 suggestions, 33:26 the 10 recommendations, or how about the 10 good ideas? 33:31 It is not enough to have good intentions, friends, 33:33 it is not enough to do what you think is right, 33:36 or what the minister tells you is right. 33:38 Your soul salvation is at stake 33:41 and you should search the scriptures for yourself. 33:44 However strong maybe your convictions, 33:47 however confident you may be 33:48 that the minister knows what is truth, 33:51 this is not your foundation. 33:53 The Bible provides us a sure path 33:57 always pointing us to heaven. 34:00 What more can God do to emphasize the permanence 34:03 of His holy Sabbath day? 34:04 He spoke it with His voice. 34:06 He wrote it with His finger 34:08 and sent His own beloved Son Jesus 34:11 as our example to live by. 34:13 The disciples taught it 34:15 and we will keep it on the New Earth 34:18 throughout all of eternity. 34:21 We're told that in Isaiah 66:20-23, 34:25 "For as the new heaven and the new earth, 34:28 which I will make shall remain before Me, 34:30 says the Lord, 34:32 and from one Sabbath to another, 34:34 all flesh will come to worship before Me, 34:38 says the Lord." 34:40 I can't wait for that day. 34:42 The plan has always been to return to the garden, 34:45 God's original blueprint design. 34:48 What should be my motivation 34:50 for obedience to God's commands? 34:53 My love for the Lord 34:55 because Jesus says in John 14:15, 34:59 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." 35:02 If my obedience is not motivated by love, 35:06 then it becomes heavy drudgery, 35:08 resulting in legalism. 35:13 Keeping God's holy Sabbath day is a weekly reminder 35:16 of our roots as children of the Great Creator God. 35:22 As we previously studied 35:23 the three angels' messages in Revelation, 35:25 we saw the warning is to prepare a special people 35:29 who will be loyal and obedient to the commandments of God 35:33 and to be ready when Jesus returns. 35:36 These are the people who will have God's sign 35:39 or seal His Sabbath in their foreheads. 35:42 They have made their decision. 35:45 They choose Jesus, no matter what comes. 35:48 These people keep all the commandments of God 35:52 and have the faith of Jesus. 35:54 They love the truth so much 35:56 that they do whatever it takes to keep God's day holy. 36:00 There's a beautiful example of this love and dedication 36:04 that my crew and I filmed in Madagascar. 36:08 Mama Cisit and her husband left their Sunday church 36:12 when problems arose. 36:13 And one day her husband was listening 36:15 to Adventist World Radio program 36:18 when he heard the broadcaster 36:19 talk about the seventh day Sabbath. 36:22 This puzzled and intrigued him 36:24 because he had not heard this before. 36:27 The announcement was made that this same program 36:29 would rebroadcast later that evening. 36:33 He immediately searched for his wife 36:35 to tell her what he had heard. 36:37 Together, they listened intently 36:39 to the rebroadcast taking careful notes. 36:43 Convicted by the Bible texts they heard, 36:45 they began traveling from village to village 36:48 to find a church, which kept the Bible Sabbath. 36:51 Finally, someone suggested they go to the big city, 36:55 45 miles away, that's 72 kilometers. 37:00 They walked there. 37:04 After walking for days, 37:06 they found a Seventh-day Adventist Church, 37:08 and were delighted to worship with other Sabbath keepers 37:12 for the very first time. 37:14 The pastor informed them of a church 37:16 that was closer to their village, 37:18 but it was over a mountain range, 37:21 and it took two days to walk there. 37:24 They made this exhausting hike many times 37:27 and then decided to have church at home instead, 37:31 even though their neighbors made fun of them. 37:35 Because of the love for truth 37:36 and determination to follow what the Bible says, 37:40 Mama Cisit and her husband have now built three churches 37:44 in order to hold all the new believers. 37:48 The importance of this commandment 37:49 cannot be overemphasized friends. 37:52 If people had kept this commandment 37:54 throughout the centuries 37:55 there will be not one single evolutionist, 37:59 idolater, or pagan today. 38:02 We are living in the most solemn period 38:04 of this world's history. 38:06 The destiny of earth's teeming multitudes 38:09 is about to be decided. 38:11 Do you want the seal of the living God? 38:14 Our salvation depends on the course we choose today. 38:19 Choose you this day whom you will serve 38:22 because both God and the enemy wants your worship. 38:27 Satan seeks to destroy you 38:30 and Jesus wants to save you. 38:34 A little boy in Florida ran outside to go swimming 38:37 in the large canal behind his house. 38:40 His smiling mother was watching out her kitchen window. 38:44 Suddenly, the look on her face changed to panic. 38:47 Evidently, a very large alligator 38:50 had moved into the canal. 38:52 It slipped into the water 38:53 and began moving towards her son. 38:56 She ran outside screaming alligator swim back now. 39:02 The boy immediately turned around 39:04 but just as he was nearing the shore, 39:06 the alligator's jaws latched on to his legs 39:10 and begin to pull him back into the water. 39:13 Once gator's have a good grip, they drown their victims. 39:18 Mom grabbed her son's hands just as he was slipping away 39:21 and she began a tug of war with this Leviathan. 39:24 He was pulling one way and she was pulling together. 39:28 She screamed as she was knocked down 39:29 by the forces of wrestling, 39:31 but then she would get her footing again 39:33 and keep fighting for their lives. 39:35 The boy screamed in agony as the gator tried to pull him 39:39 into a death roll. 39:41 The neighboring farmer heard their screams. 39:44 He grabbed his rifle took aim and shot the alligator dead. 39:48 The boy was then hospitalized with torn-up legs 39:51 and hundreds of stitches. 39:53 On the day of his release 39:55 the local reporters gathered to interview the boy. 39:59 Show the camera your scars son, as they pointed to his legs. 40:04 The little boy smiled back and said no. 40:07 Look here at my arms at these scars. 40:12 He was so proud of the marks on his arms. 40:16 These scars are there 40:18 because my mama would not let go of me. 40:23 Friends, the alligator wants to destroy you. 40:27 The devil wants to put his mark on you, 40:30 but Jesus will hang on to you at the tightest of grip. 40:35 Do not let go of Him 40:36 because He will not let go of you. 40:39 He wants to seal you as His forever. 40:44 Jesus is our Savior 40:46 and He will gladly keep His scars 40:49 from fighting for you. 40:52 How many of you want to receive God's mark, 40:55 His Sabbath seal on you to be saved? 41:00 Let's pray together. 41:03 Heavenly Father, thank You 41:05 for never letting go of our hands. 41:09 While we struggled to not get caught 41:11 in the devil's death roll. 41:13 We ask You to have mercy on our hearts tonight. 41:17 Your name is worthy to be praised precious Jesus, 41:22 for the scars in Your hands are there because of me. 41:27 Thank You for this added truth 41:29 of the Sabbath shining through the keyhole 41:32 as we unlock Bible prophecies together. 41:36 May we have Your seal in our hearts 41:39 and our minds to save us forever and ever 41:44 in Jesus' precious, most powerful name. 41:47 Amen. 41:51 Friends, have you decided to remember the Sabbath day 41:56 to keep it holy? 41:58 Is it your desire 41:59 to be a commandment keeping Christian? 42:03 Now that we've seen that the Sabbath 42:04 is the authentic seal of God. 42:08 You may be wondering then, 42:09 why does so many worship on a different day? 42:13 Tomorrow night, you may be shocked 42:15 to find out the reason. 42:18 Thank you so much for watching. 42:21 God bless you 42:22 and please join us again tomorrow 42:24 for the counterfeit on Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 42:29 Choose God's way. 42:31 Good night, friends. 42:34 As a special bonus for our 3ABN viewers, 42:37 we wanted to share stories of God's incredible miracles 42:40 before we end this program. 42:42 Thank you for your prayers and support 42:44 of Adventist World Radio. 42:46 Everyday lives like these are being changed for eternity. 42:57 Consisting of nearly 7000 islands 43:00 and home to the largest city on earth, 43:02 Japan is a nation 43:04 full of rich history and culture. 43:14 Come with me as I discover how Adventist World Radio 43:17 is making a difference right here in Japan. 43:19 This is AWR 360. 43:39 As I explore the city, 43:40 I am amazed by not only its huge population 43:44 but also its affluence. 43:46 Of this nation's 127 million people, 43:50 an estimated 91% of the population 43:53 considers themselves Shinto or Buddhist, 43:55 even if they rarely visit the temple. 44:01 As little as 2% claim 44:03 some form of Christianity and among them, 44:06 the Seventh-day Adventist Church 44:08 has a membership of only 14,000. 44:14 And the sobering reality is that as of late, 44:17 this number has been declining, not growing. 44:21 AWR has committed to using our resources 44:24 to help bring revival to Japan 44:26 and then stories like Pastor Obara's 44:29 that give us great courage and hope along the way. 44:33 My father Esou grew up in the northern part of Japan. 44:37 His family were farmers, 44:39 but my dad got tired of the country life 44:41 and moved to Tokyo when he was 20. 44:44 He got a good paying job, 44:45 but unfortunately spent all this money 44:48 on cigarettes and alcohol. 44:51 Smoking and drinking took its toll on Esou's body 44:55 and soon he found himself sick and in the hospital. 44:59 There was nothing to do, 45:01 but lay in bed and listen to the radio. 45:06 My father loved listening to Japanese pop music, 45:09 but one day when he was tuning his radio, 45:12 he heard a different kind of music. 45:14 It was strange music, 45:16 and it drew him in and he wanted to hear more. 45:21 After being released from the hospital, 45:23 Esou continued listening to this new station, 45:26 and soon he heard 45:28 about an upcoming evangelistic meeting 45:30 at a nearby Adventist Church. 45:33 My father faithfully attended those meetings 45:36 and at the end of that series, 45:38 my father made a decision to be baptized. 45:42 His new commitment to Jesus 45:44 would force Esou to make some significant sacrifices. 45:48 Japanese highly value work 45:50 and taking Sabbath off was not an option. 45:54 Either my father could keep the Sabbath 45:56 or keep his job but not both. 45:59 He chose the Sabbath. 46:01 But sadly, this brought shame 46:02 and embarrassment to his family. 46:05 They could not understand his new diet, way of life, 46:08 and why he would quit his job. 46:11 Esou stuck to his new convictions 46:13 in the face of adversity though, 46:16 and the Lord honored him for it. 46:20 Soon, Esou was offered a job 46:22 as a janitor at the Adventist Hospital, 46:24 which he gladly accepted. 46:26 After further training, Esou went from janitor 46:29 to working in the physical therapy department, 46:32 a job he thoroughly enjoyed until his retirement. 46:37 My father loved to tell people about Jesus 46:39 and through his influence 46:41 led more than 20 different patients to Christ 46:44 during his years working at the hospital. 46:47 He had a positive influence on many lives, 46:49 including my own. 46:53 If it wasn't for my dad 46:54 and the Lord working through Adventist World Radio, 46:57 I definitely would not be a pastor 47:00 or especially a conference president 47:02 here in Japan today. 47:08 Isn't it amazing how the Lord works? 47:11 He took Obara's father who was a young drunkard, 47:13 and through the Holy Spirit and AWR, 47:16 now his son is helping to lead the work here in Japan. 47:21 A few months ago, Pastor Obara preached 47:24 his very first evangelistic series 47:26 in partnership with AWR 47:28 on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. 47:31 He joined in baptizing over 1,400 precious souls. 47:37 Because of this experience, 47:38 Obara along with many other pastors and laymen 47:41 are excited to see how God will impact Japan. 47:48 The spirit of revival has been sparked, 47:50 and now more than ever before, 47:52 Japan is ready for the final push 47:55 of evangelism before Jesus comes. 47:57 Will you join us in this mission? 47:59 There are two things you can do. 48:02 First, pray. 48:03 Pray for the work here in Japan 48:05 and other difficult to reach places. 48:07 And second, visit awr.org 48:10 where you can help expand the reach of AWR's broadcast 48:13 by your generous donations. 48:16 Thank you for joining us 48:17 and hastening Jesus' soon coming 48:19 by your needed prayers and support. 48:22 Until next time, this is AWR 360. 48:28 Sandwiched in between two giants 48:30 India and China lies a land that is distinct in culture, 48:34 from its crowded streets to its peaceful mountains, 48:38 this is a country that is teeming with color 48:40 and full of exotic flavors, 48:42 yet it is filled with hopeless, poverty-stricken people. 48:50 Steeped in superstition, 48:52 81% of this population is Hindu, 9% Buddhist, 48:57 5% Muslim with sadly only 1% Christian. 49:02 God is at work though 49:04 and light is beginning to pierce the darkness. 49:06 We are in Nepal and this is AWR 360. 49:20 I have come to Nepal to see for myself 49:23 how God is working in the lives of the Nepali people 49:26 through Adventist World Radio. 49:29 Today we are in search of the remote mountain village 49:31 of Sangachok, home to the Chepang people. 49:36 The past 10 hours we have traveled by jeep 49:40 on treacherously steep and windy roads. 49:43 At the town of Manahari, we leave the jeep for a bus. 49:46 This bus takes us up a flooded riverbed. 49:52 It is a strange feeling to see water rushing by 49:55 outside my bus seat window. 49:59 The bus takes us as far as it is able to go 50:02 and now we must walk. 50:04 For over two hours we trek, crossing streams, 50:10 and hiking through terraced fields of corn 50:13 higher and still higher we climb. 50:20 Finally, we reach the village of Sangachok. 50:23 It was with a feeling of amazement 50:25 and relief that I catch my first glimpses 50:28 of these precious people that I have heard so much about 50:32 and come so far to find. 50:36 They lead simple yet rigorous, isolated lives, 50:40 cooking basic meals over open fires, 50:43 living in thatched huts, and daily working in fields 50:46 carved into the mountainside. 50:48 Because many cannot read or write, 50:50 the radio is their primary window 50:53 to the outside world. 50:57 One day, I turned my radio to a station 50:59 I had never heard before 51:01 it's called Ashako Bani or Voice of Hope. 51:03 I listened closely as health, family life, 51:07 and the Christian faith were being discussed. 51:09 As the program ended, 51:11 I quickly took down AWRs contact information. 51:14 Surendra and the pastor at the AWR studio 51:18 began talking on a regular basis, 51:20 sometimes several times a day. 51:22 Surendra began to share 51:24 what he was learning on the radio 51:25 with his fellow villagers and family, 51:27 particularly his father, the community spiritual leader. 51:32 I was once the witch doctor for our village, 51:35 but I realized its limitations when my two sons died. 51:40 I tried everything in my power 51:42 to heal them with my witchcraft. 51:45 Pralad became depressed and discouraged 51:48 until one day a man visited their village 51:51 and taught him about Jesus. 51:53 Ever since then he has been seeking truth 51:55 from God's Word. 51:59 I am so grateful to be out 52:00 from under the spells of witchcraft 52:02 and be freed by Bible truth. 52:05 I thank God every day 52:07 that my son introduced me to Adventist World Radio. 52:22 It has changed my spiritual walk 52:25 to become a Seventh-day Adventist. 52:28 Through Adventist World Radio, God transforms, 52:32 He not only changes the village spiritually, 52:34 God improves all aspects of one's life. 52:39 When we listen to the radio, 52:41 we not only learn about the Bible, 52:43 we also learn about health, cleanliness, 52:46 and family life principles. 52:48 This has been a great blessing to us. 52:50 I now realize that my body is a temple of God. 52:54 He wants me to keep my body clean inside and out, 52:57 as well as my home and surroundings. 53:01 Adventist World Radio 53:03 not only provides the gospel message, 53:05 but the local staff also supplies basic food items 53:08 during particularly difficult times. 53:10 Like the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015. 53:16 Most importantly, today, 53:18 due to your generous donations to AWR's broadcast, 53:22 there is a growing community of believers 53:24 who are eager to be baptized 53:26 and are preparing for Jesus' soon coming. 53:33 Soon so far, we have 31 families, 53:36 including 17 families from our own small village 53:39 who are preparing for baptism 53:41 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 53:50 As we began our descent down the mountain, 53:52 I cannot help but think of Nepal's 29 million people 53:56 scattered among the hills 53:58 and valleys of this beautiful land. 54:00 There are only 5,000 Adventists in Nepal, 54:03 but there are countless others who are longing to know more 54:06 about Jesus if they only had the chance. 54:11 Jesus is coming soon 54:12 and the doors of opportunity are open today 54:15 that soon may close. 54:17 Now is the time to be involved 54:19 in spreading the gospel like never before. 54:23 Nepal desperately needs Bible workers. 54:26 There are so many calls 54:27 coming into the AWR radio stations every day, 54:30 they need our help. 54:32 To support three Bible workers full time 54:35 for their salary, transportation, 54:37 and other necessities is only $1,000 per month. 54:42 That's for three dedicated workers 54:44 sharing the gospel around Nepal. 54:47 Thank you for joining us in hastening the second coming 54:49 by your needed prayers and generous donations. 54:53 Together we are making waves from broadcast to baptism, 54:57 this is AWR 360. |
Revised 2021-12-30