Participants: John Dinzey (Host), Christopher Hudson
Series Code: FDOF
Program Code: FDOF000023A
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00:19 Hello and welcome to Foundation of Our Faith.
00:21 We are happy that you are here with us. 00:24 Those of us that are here 00:26 in the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, 00:28 welcome. 00:29 And those of you joining us 00:30 from wherever you may be in the world, 00:32 you are welcome as well. 00:34 And in these times you can say from anywhere in the world, 00:38 because even by internet 00:40 people are watching Dare to Dream. 00:43 And this Foundation of Our Faith program 00:45 is based on the Holy Scriptures as you can see behind me 00:50 a depiction of the Bible 00:52 and also as you saw the open of the program. 00:55 So we encourage you to have your Bible with you, 00:59 in whatever form you may have it. 01:00 As we mentioned another time, 01:02 you have it even electronically on devices nowadays. 01:05 And so whatever means you may have available, 01:08 open it up and follow along as much as you can. 01:12 And if you are able to get a pen and paper to write down 01:15 the scriptures that you will hear, 01:18 it is recommended 01:19 because our speaker has the capacity to-- 01:23 He's been blessed to memorize scripture 01:26 so he would just recite them of the top of his head 01:29 as it comes. 01:31 So we encourage you to do that. 01:33 Our speaker by the way is the director 01:35 and speaker of Four Runner Chronicles 01:38 that you can see on the Dare to Dream network 01:42 and we encourage you to watch. 01:44 He is presenting a four part series. 01:47 This is number three. 01:49 And so far in the series we have seen 01:51 the "Stars and the Fig Tree, the Judgment of the Whore." 01:57 On this opportunity we will hear the message 01:59 "Return of the Dragon." 02:02 Return of the Dragon. 02:04 One last topic remains after this one 02:06 and it's entitled "Calm Before the Crisis." 02:10 Calm Before the Crisis. 02:12 We are blessed today to have sister and Dr. Yvonne Lewis. 02:19 She will be presenting the message and song. 02:22 That message is entitled, "My Help Cometh From the Lord." 02:28 Very shortly 02:29 she will be singing this message and song. 02:32 Before that, we like to invite you to stand 02:34 and let us pray together and ask for the Lord's blessing 02:38 on our speaker, our singer 02:40 and everyone that can hear our voices. 02:44 Let us pray. 02:46 Our loving heavenly Father, we rejoice to know 02:51 that we can come before You at anytime of the day, 02:54 Lord, and You are attentive to our prayers. 02:57 We thank you, Lord, 02:59 for what You are going to do for us during this hour. 03:03 We pray that You will bless Dr. Yvonne Lewis 03:07 with the voice that will reach the hearts with your message. 03:14 We pray also that you will be with our speaker. 03:16 Bless him also with the Holy Spirit 03:18 that he may speak Your words 03:20 direct from your throne of grace. 03:22 And we thank you for it 03:24 and we pray for a blessing upon everyone here 03:27 and everyone around the world that has joined us. 03:30 We ask You for these things in the lovely name of Jesus. 03:35 Amen. Amen. Amen. 03:37 Thank you. You may be seated. 03:38 I leave you with Dr. Yvonne Lewis. 04:02 I will lift up mine eyes to the hills 04:08 From whence cometh my help 04:12 My help cometh from the Lord 04:17 The Lord which made Heaven and Earth 04:23 He said 04:25 He will not suffer thy foot 04:29 Thy foot to be moved 04:33 The Lord which keepeth thee 04:38 He will not slumber nor sleep 04:43 Oh, the Lord is thy keeper 04:49 The Lord is thy shade 04:53 Upon thy right hand 04:58 Upon thy right hand 05:04 And the sun shall not smite thee by day 05:11 Nor the moon by night 05:14 He shall preserve thy soul 05:20 Even forever more 05:28 My help 05:33 My help 05:38 My help 05:42 All of my help 05:45 Cometh from the Lord 05:56 I will lift up mine eyes to the hills 06:02 From whence cometh my help 06:06 My help cometh from the Lord 06:11 The Lord which made Heaven and Earth 06:17 He said 06:20 He will not suffer thy foot 06:23 Thy foot to be moved 06:27 The Lord which keepeth thee 06:32 He will not slumber nor sleep 06:38 Oh, the Lord is thy keeper 06:43 The Lord is thy shade 06:48 Upon thy right hand 06:53 Upon thy right hand 06:58 And the sun shall not smite thee by day 07:05 Nor the moon by night 07:09 For he shall preserve thy soul 07:14 Even forever more 07:22 My help 07:27 My help 07:32 My help 07:36 All of my help 07:39 Cometh from the Lord 07:47 Oh 07:51 Oh, the Lord is thy keeper 07:55 The Lord is thy shade 08:00 Upon thy right hand 08:05 Upon thy right hand 08:11 And the sun shall not smite thee by day 08:17 Nor the moon by night 08:21 For he shall preserve thy soul 08:27 Even forever more 08:35 My help 08:40 My help 08:45 My help 08:49 All of my help 08:52 Cometh from the Lord 08:57 My help 09:01 My help 09:06 My help 09:10 All of my help 09:12 Cometh from the Lord 09:20 From the Lord. 09:38 All right. Happy Sabbath. 09:40 It's a blessing to be here with you. 09:43 And I'm not going to spend too much time talking right now 09:45 because there's so much 09:47 that we need to look at in the word of God, amen. 09:49 And so as it is my tradition, I want to invite you all 09:51 to have a word of prayer with me. 09:54 And I counsel everyone here, 09:55 everyone that's watching on television 09:57 please earnestly ask for the Spirit of God 10:00 to speak to your heart. 10:01 Without the Holy Spirit, 10:03 we cannot understand the word of God. 10:04 Without the Holy Spirit, 10:05 we don't have the power to do the will of God. 10:08 And so I'm inviting you to pray with me 10:10 to ask for the presence of the Lord 10:11 to be our instructor 10:12 as we open up His Holy scriptures. 10:14 So let us pray. 10:17 Father in heaven, I thank You so much 10:19 for the blessing of the Holy Sabbath rest. 10:23 And I thank You for your Son Jesus Christ 10:25 that You sent down into this world 10:30 that we might be partakers of thy divine nature. 10:34 And I thank you for Your grace and for Your mercy. 10:38 You're worthy to be praised, Father. 10:41 I kneel here before You and I come 10:42 with all of my brothers and sisters 10:44 before thy throne in faith and I'm asking 10:47 that You would just cleanse our hearts 10:49 of all sin and send your Holy Spirit, 10:52 the Spirit of truth to guide and direct us into all truth. 10:56 Lord, I claim Your promise. 10:58 You said, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, 11:00 and I will show thee great and mighty things, 11:02 which thou knowest not." 11:04 Lord, please illuminate our minds. 11:07 Open up our understanding. 11:09 Send your angels that excel in strength, 11:12 that stand in Your presence, may they be here with us, 11:16 may they declare the message to us. 11:18 And, Lord, you know my weakness and my frailty at this time. 11:22 Cleanse me of all pride and self trust 11:24 and self righteousness, 11:26 just use me as a conduit for Your name sake. 11:28 Thank you, Father. 11:30 These things I pray in Jesus' name. 11:32 Amen. 11:34 I'm gonna invite you to open your Bibles 11:35 to the Book of Ecclesiastes 3:15. 11:39 And in Ecclesiastes 3:15 11:42 we looked at this the very first time 11:43 we came together during this series. 11:45 There's a very important prophetic principle 11:48 that I would all, that I desire for all of us 11:50 to just take time to consider 11:52 before we get deeply into our message 11:55 for this morning. 11:57 The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:15, 12:00 "That which had been is now." 12:03 And that which is to be had already been 12:05 and God require it that which is past. 12:09 In other words, the things that have taken place in the past, 12:11 they are taking place right now in our present day society. 12:14 And the things that will transpire 12:15 in the very near future, 12:17 they have at least in principle taking place in the past, 12:20 therefore God requires us, He commands us 12:23 to have a knowledge of historic events, 12:25 especially those that have impacted His people 12:27 throughout antiquity 12:28 so that we can better understand 12:30 what's going on right now 12:31 and what is going to unfold in the very near future. 12:34 With that in mind, I want you to open your Bibles with me 12:36 to the Book of Matthew Chapter 24. 12:37 Most of us here are familiar with Matthew Chapter 24. 12:41 Jesus is responding 12:42 to the enquiry of His disciples concerning, 12:44 when will be the destruction of Jerusalem, 12:46 the signs foreshadowing His second coming 12:49 and the end of the world. 12:50 And we know that Jesus makes mention of many things 12:53 in verse 70. 12:54 He talks about how nation will rise up against nation, 12:56 kingdom against kingdom. 12:58 How there will be famines and pestilences 12:59 and earthquakes in diverse places. 13:00 In verse 80 it says "All these are the beginnings of sorrows." 13:04 The Bible says something that Jesus said very interesting. 13:08 It's found in Matthew Chapter 24 13:12 and we're going to look at verse 15. 13:14 Matthew 24:15. 13:17 We're told there, "And when you shall see 13:21 the abomination of desolation, 13:23 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, 13:26 stand in the holy place, whoso readeth, 13:28 let him understand. 13:30 Then let them that be in Judaea flee into the mountains." 13:33 When you therefore see the abomination of desolation, 13:36 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, 13:38 stand in the holy place, whoso readeth, 13:40 let him understand. 13:42 Then let them that be in Judaea flee into the mountains. 13:45 Now when you're looking at this you may say, 13:47 abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. 13:50 If you are not familiar with this passage of scripture, 13:52 it may be a bit hard for you to comprehend 13:55 what's being presented to us here. 13:56 But in the Book of Luke, if you open your Bibles there. 13:58 In Luke Chapter 21, we're gonna begin at verse 20. 14:01 Luke gives a statement, 14:03 or rather relays to us a statement 14:07 concerning this very same timeframe 14:10 in which Jesus was relaying to His disciples 14:14 what will be the signs of His coming 14:15 in the end of world 14:16 and the destruction of Jerusalem. 14:18 He says this in Luke 21:20. 14:21 He says, "And when ye shall see Jerusalem 14:23 compassed with armies, 14:26 then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 14:29 Then let them that be in Judaea flee into the mountains." 14:33 Now it's clear that what we're looking at here 14:35 in Luke 21:20 and also in Matthew 24:15, 14:42 they are the exact same instances. 14:44 Both times we see these events 14:46 in which Christ counsels His people 14:48 to flee into the mountains. 14:49 Do you see that? It's very clear. 14:52 Therefore, whatever this abomination of desolation is, 14:55 it must be directly associated with these armies 15:00 that are going to compass Jerusalem. 15:03 These armies are evidently the power 15:06 that are going to be responsible for the desolating 15:08 or the destruction of Jerusalem. 15:11 And when they see these armies compassing Jerusalem, 15:13 then those that are in Judaea should flee into the mountains. 15:16 Now the question is, 15:18 what armies would compass Jerusalem? 15:20 Now, I want you to just apply your mind 15:22 to the scripture right now, 15:24 as if you've never read this before. 15:25 What armies will be responsible for compassing Jerusalem? 15:29 How will we find this information? 15:30 It's clear. It's right there in Mathew 24:15. 15:33 The word of God says, "And when you shall see 15:35 the abomination of desolation, 15:37 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, 15:38 stand in the holy place, whoso readeth, 15:40 let him understand." 15:42 One thing is clear, 15:43 whatever this abomination of desolation is, 15:46 it was spoken up by Daniel the prophet. 15:48 So if we go to the writings of Daniel, 15:50 we'll be able to find out 15:52 what armies were responsible for compassing Jerusalem. 15:54 Open your Bibles to the Book of Daniel Chapter 9. 15:57 In Daniel Chapter 9, 15:58 there's a very important prophetic time period 16:01 that's presented to us 16:03 concerning a probationary frame of time 16:06 that God has given to the children of Israel 16:10 to accomplish a specific work. 16:11 But I want you to see what the Bible says 16:13 here in Daniel Chapter 9 16:14 and I'm going to look at verse 26. 16:16 It says, "And after threescore and two weeks 16:19 shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself, 16:22 and the people of the prince that shall come 16:25 shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; 16:27 and the end thereof shall be with a flood, 16:29 and unto the end of the war desolations are determined." 16:34 Now if you are not familiar with this, 16:36 this may be elusive to you once again. 16:38 Threescore and two weeks Messiah shall be cut off. 16:40 What is this all talking about? 16:42 Well, if you look at verse 23. Let's start 25. 16:45 Let's just start from right there, 16:46 it makes it very interesting. 16:47 "Know therefore and understand, 16:49 that from the going forth of the commandment 16:50 to restore and to build Jerusalem 16:51 unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, 16:53 threescore and two weeks: 16:55 the city, the street shall be built again, 16:57 and the wall, even in troublous times." 17:00 So this, this prophetic time period, 17:04 this 69 weeks here. 17:07 The first seven weeks 17:09 are appointed unto the children of Israel. 17:10 They are supposed to accomplish a work. 17:12 The rebuilding and the restoration 17:14 of Jerusalem, the restoration of its civil power. 17:16 There will be a decree that will be made 17:18 and from that time period 17:20 they would have seven weeks to accomplish this work. 17:22 And we found out the other day 17:23 as we were studying the Word of God together 17:24 that in prophetic time a day is equal to a year. 17:28 We see this in the Book 17:31 and in Ezekiel 4:6. 17:34 So when we're looking at seven weeks, 17:35 you know, you have seven days in a week, 17:37 multiply seven times seven you have 49. 17:40 So it's not 49 days, but 49 literal years. 17:44 Forty nine years that people of Israel would have 17:48 to accomplish this work of the rebuilding of Jerusalem 17:52 and the full just restoration of its civil power. 17:54 And the decree went forth many of you know 17:56 in the year 457 BC by a Persian king 17:59 by the name of Artaxerxes that gave them 18:04 the command to go for to restore 18:07 and to rebuild Jerusalem. 18:10 They accomplish this work by the year 408 BC. 18:15 From that point 18:17 we're having threescore and two weeks 18:19 before we see Messiah rebuild on the scene. 18:21 Messiah we know it's Jesus Christ. 18:24 A score is 20, so three scores is three times 20, 18:27 you have 60, 62 weeks. 18:30 In 62 weeks from 408 BC 18:33 we would see the Messiah come on the scene. 18:35 If you were to subtract 434 18:39 because that's what you're gonna get 18:40 if you multiply seven times 62 you get 434. 18:44 If you were to subtract 434 from 408 18:47 it will give you negative 26, 18:48 but we're counting years, right, we're counting years. 18:50 There's no such thing as a negative year 18:52 or a zero year. 18:53 So it brings us to the year 27 AD. 18:56 27 AD was when Jesus Christ was baptized 18:59 in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, 19:01 the Holy Spirit came down upon Him as a dove, amen. 19:04 So when we're looking at the Book of Daniel 9:26 19:08 and I just wanted to be as simple as possible here. 19:10 Verse 26, when it says that after threescore and two weeks 19:12 shall Messiah be cut off. 19:14 It's saying, after 27 AD, the Messiah will be cut off. 19:18 Now, when was the Messiah cut off? 19:20 What event mark the cutting off of the Messiah? 19:23 Let's find. Let's find. Let's find. 19:25 Let's just look at Isaiah, Isaiah Chapter 53. 19:28 Isaiah Chapter 53 and let's look at verse 8. 19:31 Isaiah, the 53rd Chapter 19:33 and we're gonna look at verse 8. 19:34 It's says something here 19:36 concerning the cutting off of the Messiah. 19:39 It says "He was taken from prison and from judgment, 19:42 who shall declare his generation? 19:44 For he was cut off out of the land of the living: 19:47 for the transgression of my people was he stricken." 19:51 This is directly speaking of the crucifixion of the Messiah. 19:57 So after threescore and two weeks 19:59 Messiah will be cut off or after 27 AD 20:02 Jesus Christ will be crucified on the cross 20:05 for the sins of His people. 20:07 But then the Bible makes a very important statement 20:09 and I don't want you to miss this. 20:11 It says, "And the people of the prince 20:13 that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, 20:17 and the end thereof shall be with a flood, 20:19 and unto the end of the war desolations are determined." 20:22 So around the time 20:24 when Jesus Christ was getting ready 20:25 to be crucified on the cross, 20:26 which we know was in the year 31 AD. 20:29 There was a people that would come shortly thereafter-- 20:36 But it makes a very important statement there, 20:38 "The people of the prince that shall come." 20:41 Who is this prince that was going to come around the time 20:44 when Jesus Christ was being crucified on the cross? 20:47 Open your Bibles to the Book of John. 20:49 So I just want you to see 20:51 all these things clearly from the Bible. 20:52 And I want to deal with all of these my new details 20:54 because if we don't, 20:55 then we will not be able to clearly see 20:58 how we will see a repetition of these events 21:00 in our present day. 21:02 In the Book of John Chapter 14, 21:03 as Jesus now is making His final preparations 21:06 to go to the cross 21:07 and He's giving counsel to His disciples, 21:09 words of encouragement. 21:10 He makes the statement, 21:12 John Chapter 14 looking at verse 30. 21:13 The Bible says this. Jesus says this. 21:15 "Hereafter I will not talk with thee much" Why? 21:19 "For the prince of this world cometh, 21:23 and he hath nothing in me." 21:24 So around the time 21:26 when Messiah was getting ready to be cut off, he says, 21:28 I'm not going to continue to talk too much with you 21:30 because the prince of this world cometh, 21:32 and he hath nothing in me. 21:34 Who is the prince of this world, 21:35 ladies and gentlemen? 21:37 The prince of the world 21:38 is none other than the devil and Satan himself. 21:41 Now is there a people in the Bible 21:44 that were directly connected to the devil and Satan? 21:47 Open your Bibles to the Book of Revelation Chapter 12. 21:49 In Revelation Chapter 12, we're gonna begin at verse 9. 21:52 The Bible gives us another symbolic title 21:55 for the devil and Satan, the prince of this world. 21:59 Revelation 12:9, the Bible says, 22:01 "And the great dragon was cast out, 22:03 that old serpent called the devil and Satan, 22:05 which deceiveth the whole world: 22:07 he was cast out into the earth, 22:08 and his angels were cast out with him." 22:11 The Bible also identifies that devil as the dragon. 22:17 And as we look at Revelation Chapter 12, 22:19 we're going to find out that there were people 22:20 directly connected to the dragon. 22:23 In Revelation 12:3, 22:24 the word of God makes this statement. 22:27 Revelation 12 22:29 and I'm looking beginning at the third verse. 22:33 "And there appeared another wonder in heaven, 22:35 and behold a great red dragon, 22:36 having seven heads and ten horns-- 22:40 and upon his heads seven crowns." 22:43 Word of God goes on to say, "And his tail drew 22:45 the third part of the stars of heaven, 22:46 and they cast them to the earth: 22:48 and the dragon stood before the woman 22:50 which was ready to be delivered, 22:51 to devour her child as soon as he was born." 22:56 And the woman brought forth a man child, 22:58 which was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: 23:00 and he was caught up unto God, and to his throne." 23:03 So here we have the scene of the devil, 23:05 the dragon standing before this woman, 23:08 ready to devour this child 23:10 that was going to be born unto this woman 23:11 as soon as this man child was born. 23:17 Now before we go on to address the activities of the dragon, 23:19 we need to address the symbol of the woman. 23:21 We looked at this the other night, 23:23 that a woman in Bible prophecy is symbol of God's people, 23:25 His church. 23:26 Jeremiah 6:2 makes it very clear. 23:28 "I have likened the daughter of Zion unto a comely 23:31 and delicate woman." 23:33 Then in the Book of Isaiah 51:16, 23:35 the Bible goes on to say 23:37 at the very end of that scripture. 23:38 "Say unto Zion thou art my people." 23:42 So Zion is the people of God 23:44 and God likens the daughter of Zion. 23:46 He likens His people 23:47 unto a comely and delicate woman. 23:50 This woman in Revelation Chapter 12 23:52 that we're looking at is a symbol of the people 23:54 of God. 23:55 And according to Revelation 12:4, 23:57 "The dragon stood before the people of God 24:00 to devour a man child that will be born 24:02 unto the people of God 24:04 as soon as this man child was born." 24:06 Now, do we know of a man child that was born 24:08 unto the people of God? 24:10 It's clear, it's in the Book of Isaiah 9:6. 24:13 You all know the scripture. 24:15 "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: 24:18 and the government shall be upon his shoulders: 24:20 and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, 24:22 The mighty God, The everlasting Father, 24:25 The Prince of Peace." 24:27 Who we're talking about here? 24:29 None other than Jesus Christ. 24:32 So the word of God is telling us 24:33 that at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ, 24:36 the dragon stood up to devour Him, 24:39 to destroy Him, to annihilate Him 24:40 as soon as He was born. 24:43 Bible says this dragon had seven heads and ten horns, 24:46 and seven crowns upon his heads. 24:48 Now is there a verse of scripture from Genesis 24:50 to Revelation that you will find 24:51 the devil as a dragon with seven heads, 24:53 ten horns, seven crowns upon his heads 24:55 standing in the manger, 24:56 waiting before Mary with his jaws open, 24:59 ready to consume Jesus 25:00 as soon as He came out of her womb? 25:02 There's no such scripture in the Bible. 25:03 Genesis to Revelation, you can look as much as you want, 25:05 you won't find anything like that. 25:07 But Matthew Chapter 2-- 25:08 Let's look at Matthew Chapter 2 beginning at verse 1. 25:10 We are trying to find out who these armies were 25:13 that would surround Jerusalem. 25:14 This is very important that we go through all of this, 25:16 because, brothers and sisters, 25:17 we're getting ready to see a repeat of this history. 25:21 In the Book of Matthew Chapter 2, 25:23 beginning at verse 1, the Bible says this. 25:26 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem 25:30 in the days of Herod the king, 25:32 behold, wise men came from the east to" where? 25:36 "To Jerusalem." 25:38 So when Jesus was being born in Bethlehem, 25:40 Herod was ruling 25:42 and Herod was ruling under the authority 25:46 that was given unto him by the Pagan Roman Empire. 25:52 Now I want you to see what the Bible says 25:53 concerning the activities of Herod 25:55 at the time of Jesus' birth. 25:57 Look at Matthew Chapter 2, 25:59 we're gonna look at verse 13 now. 26:00 "And when they were departed," Speaking of the wise men-- 26:02 "Behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, 26:05 saying, Arise, 26:06 and take the young child and his mother, 26:07 and flee into Egypt," Why? 26:09 "And be thou there 26:10 until I bring thee word: for Herod 26:12 will seek the young child to destroy him." 26:15 Looking at verse 16 now. 26:17 "Then Herod, 26:18 when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, 26:20 was exceeding wroth," He was exceeding wroth-- 26:24 "And sent forth, and slew all the children 26:26 that were in Judaea, from two years old and under, 26:29 according to the time 26:31 which he had diligently inquired of the wise men." 26:35 Do you see what the Bible is telling us right here? 26:37 When Jesus was born, there was a decree sent forth 26:41 that sent out the armies of Pagan Rome 26:44 throughout the land 26:45 to try and wipeout the life of the Messiah 26:47 at the time of His birth. 26:49 The armies of Pagan Rome in Revelation 12:4 26:54 are being spoken off 26:56 as the actions of the dragon himself. 26:59 You see the armies of Pagan Rome 27:01 were being used by the dragon, 27:03 the devil to accomplish his work. 27:04 These were the people of the prince. 27:08 It was Rome that surrounded Jerusalem, 27:11 history teaches us that. 27:14 And I want you to see something. 27:15 Go back with me in the Bible Daniel Chapter 9. 27:17 Daniel Chapter 9 is so important 27:18 that we look at all of these details, 27:20 it's very important. 27:21 Daniel Chapter 9, 27:22 we're looking at verse 26 once again. 27:24 It says, "And after threescore and two weeks 27:25 shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: 27:28 and the people of the prince that shall come 27:30 shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; 27:34 and the end thereof shall be with a flood, 27:36 and unto the end of the war desolations are determined." 27:39 The word end there doesn't mean the conclusion. 27:41 It means the beginning of the process 27:42 will be with the flood. 27:43 The beginning of the process of the desolation 27:45 or the destruction of Jerusalem will be with a flood. 27:49 What is this flood? 27:51 The Bible gives us clear information 27:52 about what this flood is in the Book of Psalms 18:4. 27:55 David makes it very interesting statement concerning the flood. 27:59 Psalms, the 18th Chapter, 28:01 we're going to look at verse 4 now. 28:03 This is what? 28:04 The prophet and the king, David had to say 28:07 that is so relevant to us right now. 28:10 He says, "The sorrows of death compassed me, 28:13 and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid." 28:19 What are these floods? 28:20 These floods are a symbol of ungodly men. 28:23 Ungodly men that would move forward 28:25 in a violent fashion, just like water 28:27 when it's moving with all of its force. 28:30 If you ever think of ungodly men, 28:32 you definitely can think of the Pagan Roman armies. 28:34 Heathen ungodly men. 28:38 It says, when those floods of ungodly men will come, 28:41 it would make them afraid. 28:43 Very interesting. 28:44 It doesn't just mean that it would cause them to fear, 28:46 but they would fear because they would know 28:48 that a time of trouble was coming upon them. 28:52 So what are we looking at here? 28:54 I want you to go back with me, Matthew Chapter 24. 28:56 Matthew Chapter 24. 28:58 we're gonna look at a few things. 28:59 Matthew Chapter 24, look at verse 15 with me. 29:02 Matthew Chapter 24, looking at verse 15. 29:05 And when you therefore shall see 29:07 the abomination of desolation 29:09 spoken of by Daniel the prophet. 29:10 Okay. 29:12 We know that desolating power that is the armies of Rome. 29:16 Now according to Matthew 24:15, 29:20 when the armies of Rome would come, 29:21 they would have some abominations 29:22 in their possession. 29:24 When we saw the abominations of the armies of Rome 29:28 standing in the holy place, 29:32 then those that are in Judaea should flee into the mountains. 29:36 And when the armies of Rome would come 29:38 according to Luke 21:20, they would compass Jerusalem. 29:44 Now, ladies and gentlemen, I just need to ask you 29:46 a couple of questions. 29:48 If I compass you, 29:49 does that mean I'm outside or inside? 29:52 If I'm compassing you, I have to be outside, 29:54 am I right? 29:55 So the armies of Rome would be outside of Jerusalem. 30:00 But the Bible says that, 30:02 they would set up their abominations 30:03 in the holy place. 30:05 Now when you think of a holy place, 30:06 what do you think of? 30:07 Think of a sanctuary, think of a temple. 30:10 But where was the temple located, 30:11 outside or inside? 30:13 It was inside. 30:15 So wherever these abominations were set up, 30:18 they weren't inside, 30:19 but they had to be in a holy place 30:21 and that holy place had to be outside. 30:24 What was this holy place? 30:26 Remember they were compassing Jerusalem. 30:28 Open your Bibles quickly, Zechariah 8:3. 30:30 The Bible makes everything so plain. 30:33 Zechariah 8:3. 30:34 This is what God had to say about Jerusalem in Mount Zion. 30:37 "Thus saith the Lord, I am returned unto Zion, 30:40 and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: 30:43 and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, 30:45 the mountain of the Lord of hosts his holy mountain." 30:50 What did God called Jerusalem and Zion? 30:52 He called it as holy mountain or the land was holy. 30:58 So when they came with their abominations 31:02 and it's clear for us to understand 31:03 what abominations they are 31:05 because we know what armies we're dealing with right now. 31:07 Because when the armies of Pagan Rome went to battle, 31:09 they always carried with them their standards 31:12 that had the dragon on him, 31:13 on top of the flag that had the dragon, 31:15 they would have their little idols. 31:18 When they came with their standards 31:20 like any army would do. 31:21 They put their flag down and they are saying, 31:23 "It is in the name of our god we come to conquer you, 31:26 to subjugate you." 31:29 And when they came and they laid siege on Jerusalem, 31:32 they would set up their embattlements, 31:34 they would dig trenches, they were prepared for war, 31:36 but they didn't just go into the city 31:37 and began cutting and slashing. 31:38 You see they stood ready for combat, 31:41 but they surrounded the city and they would always have 31:43 at least three months to three years worth of food 31:45 because that's how long they might have to actually be 31:48 outside of the city. 31:50 Because every city had at least three months 31:52 to three years worth of food 31:53 just in case some army laid siege on them. 31:57 Now I want you to think about this 31:58 because it's so important for us to understand, 31:59 what is getting ready to happen? 32:01 Think about this. 32:02 You are inside of Jerusalem 32:04 and you can see dust kicking up in the distance, 32:07 you can hear the marching of armies 32:11 and it's very clear 32:13 that an army is getting ready to lay siege on your city. 32:16 What is your first mode of action? 32:20 Shut the gates. Shut the gates. 32:25 I mean that's the first thing you want to do. 32:26 Shut the gates. Is that clear? 32:30 But, brothers and sisters, think about this now. 32:33 So they are shutting the gates 32:35 and these armies are now surrounding, what city? 32:38 Jerusalem. 32:39 Do you remember what God called Jerusalem in Zechariah 8:3? 32:43 He called Jerusalem, the city of truth. 32:47 Do you want to know why God called Jerusalem 32:49 the city of truth? 32:51 The Bible says something interesting 32:52 about truth in his Book of Psalms, 32:53 Psalms 119:151 I believe it is. 32:57 Psalms 119:151. 32:59 Just open your Bible there with me quickly. 33:01 Psalms 119, we're going to look at verse 151. 33:07 Why did God called Jerusalem the city of truth? 33:11 Psalms 119, we're looking at verse 151. 33:13 The Bible says this. 33:15 "Thou art near, O Lord, 33:17 and all thy commandments are truth." 33:22 This is the reason why God called Jerusalem 33:24 the city of truth. 33:25 It's because the inhabitants of Jerusalem 33:28 possessed this truth. 33:30 The inhabitants of Jerusalem were commandment keepers. 33:35 Think with me. 33:37 So the armies of Pagan Rome, they come 33:39 and they surround Jerusalem, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 33:43 the commandment keepers. 33:44 They shut the gates to protect themselves. 33:47 But now what's going on? 33:49 They no longer have the freedom to go in and come out 33:54 or go out and come in. 33:57 So as a result, the freedoms and liberties 34:02 that the commandment keepers once enjoyed 34:05 is now jeopardized. 34:09 The liberties and the freedoms of the commandment keepers 34:12 are now jeopardized. 34:15 And I want you to think about this. 34:16 Once they shut the gates, what else does this mean? 34:19 You know in the Book of Nehemiah, 34:20 it's very interesting. 34:21 Nehemiah, he was a reformer of his time. 34:25 One of his great reforms was Sabbath reform for Jerusalem. 34:28 Men were coming into Jerusalem, selling their goods 34:31 and he didn't want that. 34:32 He put them outside of the city because he did not want them 34:35 to fall in God's holy Sabbath day. 34:37 I want you to see what the Bible says 34:38 here in Nehemiah 13:19. 34:41 What happened when Nehemiah closed the gates 34:43 of the city Jerusalem on the Sabbath? 34:45 Nehemiah 13:19, the word of God says this. 34:48 "And it came to pass, 34:50 that when the gates of Jerusalem 34:51 began to be dark before the Sabbath, 34:53 I commanded that the gates should be shut, 34:55 and charged that they should not be opened 34:57 till after the Sabbath: 34:59 and some of my servants set I at the gates, 35:01 that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath. 35:04 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of ware lodged 35:10 without Jerusalem once or twice." 35:13 So this is what happened. 35:14 They shut the gates 35:16 and the merchants and the sellers, 35:17 they couldn't come in to Jerusalem. 35:20 So when the gates of Jerusalem were shut, 35:23 the people that were inside of Jerusalem, 35:26 the commandment keepers 35:27 were restricted from buying and selling. 35:33 Do you see what happened when the armies of Pagan Rome 35:35 surrounded Jerusalem? 35:37 The liberties and the freedoms that the commandment keepers 35:41 once enjoyed, now jeopardized. 35:43 They no longer can buy nor sell. 35:48 I wonder if anything like that is getting ready to happen. 35:53 Brothers and sisters, the word of God makes it clear 35:56 that these things are getting ready to happen once again. 36:00 The armies of the dragon, they are coming back again. 36:05 You see the Bible says something very interesting. 36:07 And I want you to know that 36:08 God's commandment keeping people, 36:09 we will be under sieged by the dragon 36:11 once again in these last days. 36:13 Says it right there, Revelation 12:17. 36:15 Look it in your Bibles. 36:17 It says, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, 36:20 and went forth to make war with the remnant of her seed, 36:25 which keep the commandments of God, 36:27 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 36:29 The dragon is going to go forward 36:31 once again to make war 36:33 with God's commandment keeping people. 36:36 But from which direction is the dragon coming this time? 36:39 It can't be Pagan Rome. 36:41 I don't think we're worried about Caesar. 36:43 Caesar is long gone in the grave, wasn't he? 36:46 Look at Revelation Chapter 13. 36:48 Revelation Chapter 13, please turn your Bibles 36:50 there with me quickly. 36:51 Revelation 13:11, the Bible says this. 36:55 "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, 36:57 and he had two horns like a lamb, 36:59 and he spake like a dragon." 37:03 Now, the Bible tells us in the Book of Daniel 7:2. 37:09 In Daniel 7:17 and Daniel 7:23, 37:13 that a beast in Bible prophecy 37:15 is a symbol of a kingdom or political power. 37:17 If you are not familiar, I'll just share with you. 37:19 Daniel 7:17 says, "These great beasts, 37:22 which are four, are four kings, 37:24 which shall arise out of the earth." 37:25 Verse 23 of Daniel Chapter 7 says, 37:27 "Thus he said, The fourth beast 37:30 shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth." 37:32 So a beast in Bible prophecy is a symbol of a kingdom, 37:35 a political power. 37:37 But I want you to look at Daniel 7:2 and 3 with me. 37:40 Because there's two points that I want to highlight about 37:43 these beasts in Daniel Chapter 7. 37:45 In Daniel 7:2 the Bible says, "Daniel spake and said, 37:48 I saw in my vision by the night, 37:49 and, behold, the four winds of the heaven 37:52 strove upon the great sea. 37:53 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, 37:55 diverse one from another." 37:57 So these beasts, these prophetic beasts, 38:00 these kingdoms, these political powers, 38:02 they are spoken of as coming up out of the waters 38:04 in Daniel 7:2 and 3. 38:08 The waters in the Book of Revelation 17:15 38:11 are a symbol of kindreds, 38:14 multitudes, nations and tongues. 38:17 So we're looking at political powers, 38:19 kingdoms that would rise into prominence 38:21 in a very highly populated place on planet earth. 38:24 But in Revelation 13:7 we're looking at a beast, 38:28 a political power rising up, not out of water, 38:31 but out of the earth. 38:33 This is the direct opposite of the siege. 38:34 Do you get my point right now? 38:36 So if the waters are a symbol of a highly populated area, 38:38 then the earth is a symbol 38:40 of a very sparsely populated place on planet earth. 38:45 And as this beast, this political power 38:46 rise into prominence and would have 38:48 two horns like a lamb. 38:51 The lamb primarily stands as a symbol 38:53 of Jesus Christ in the word of God. 38:55 The word of God makes it clear 38:56 in the Book of Matthew Chapter 1. 38:59 Matter of fact John, I look that one better. 39:00 John 1:29. 39:03 Where John said, "Behold the Lamb of God," 39:05 speaking of Jesus Christ 39:07 "which taketh away the sin of the world." 39:09 The lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ. 39:12 Letting us know that when this nation 39:14 in Revelation 13:11, 39:16 would be rising into prominence 39:18 in a very sparsely populated place on planet earth, 39:20 we call it the new world. 39:22 When it came into existence, 39:24 it will profess itself to be a Christian nation, 39:27 a nation that will promote the principles of Jesus Christ. 39:30 Word of God said, it would have two horns like a lamb. 39:32 Horns in the Bible are a symbol of power. 39:35 In the Book of Habakkuk 3:4, the word of God tells us this. 39:38 Speaking of Jesus once again, it says, 39:40 "His brightness was as the light; 39:41 he had horns coming out of his hand: 39:43 and there in was the hiding of his power." 39:46 Horns in the bible are symbol of power. 39:50 So this nation as it rose into prominence, 39:53 professing itself to be a Christian nation, 39:55 there will be two pillars of strength. 39:56 Powers that will be associated with its government structure 39:59 that would help and implement these Christ like principles 40:03 within the borders of its kingdom. 40:08 You know the Bible speaks of some of the principles 40:09 that are promoted by Jesus Christ, 40:11 the Lamb of God. 40:12 Right there in the Galatians. Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:1. 40:20 It says, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty 40:23 wherewith Christ had made you free, 40:25 and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage." 40:29 Notice that when Jesus Christ comes, 40:31 He brings liberty and He brings freedom. 40:33 The lamb brings liberty and He brings freedom. 40:37 So if we take all of these points together 40:39 and look at this beast, 40:40 this political power in Revelation 13:11, 40:43 we get a very clear picture. 40:45 We're looking at a political power 40:46 that would rise into prominence 40:47 in a very sparsely populated place on planet earth, 40:50 I say it's the new world. 40:51 As it rose, they were professed to be a Christian nation 40:54 that will promote the principles 40:56 of liberty and freedom 40:57 and let's just throw injustice for, 40:59 what nation do you have? 41:01 United States of America. 41:05 This once Christian nation 41:08 that promoted liberty and freedom and justice for all 41:10 the Bible says one day it will speak like a dragon. 41:17 Ladies and gentlemen, the only way 41:18 that a nation can speak 41:20 is through its legislative bodies 41:22 and its judicial officials. 41:24 Its court systems, 41:26 its leaders are going to have to start 41:29 to put in place legislation 41:30 that completely go against its Christian values. 41:36 They are going to have to start subverting 41:38 the principles of our constitution 41:42 that helped to promote liberty and freedom 41:44 and justice for all as Christ will promote them. 41:49 And we can know 41:50 whenever the nation begins to speak as a dragon, 41:52 it will accomplish the design of the dragon. 41:55 Make war with God's commandment keeping people. 41:59 Ladies and gentlemen, let's be frank. 42:02 On June 26 of this year 42:06 when the highest court of the land, 42:07 the Supreme Court of the United States of America 42:10 pass legislation, not pass legislation. 42:15 They didn't pass legislation. 42:18 When they ruled on the same sex issue 42:22 and now made this legal all across the board 42:26 in the United States of America, 42:27 what happened? 42:31 Who is the author of marriage? God. 42:35 So if the Supreme Court made legislation 42:40 that redefine that's what God established 42:43 in the Book of Genesis, we are looking at a court 42:46 that has actually went against the word of God. 42:51 Now you tell me, is that the speech of the dragon? 42:56 And what I find so interesting about this is that they say, 42:58 don't worry about it, it's not a big deal. 43:01 It's not a big deal. 43:02 We're not going to force ministers 43:04 to marry same sex couples. 43:05 And by the way this is not an attack on individuals 43:10 that are struggling with homosexuality. 43:11 And I say struggling because sin is sin. 43:21 We say don't worry. We say don't worry if-- 43:25 We're not gonna make ministers marry same sex couples. 43:28 What I find very interesting 43:30 or some of the statements made by the chief justice, 43:32 Justice Roberts 43:33 in his dissenting remarks on that case. 43:36 He said that the court may have made 43:41 it possible for religious believers 43:44 to continue to advocate their beliefs. 43:48 But our first amendment rights 43:51 give us the ability to exercise our religious beliefs. 43:56 Exercise was a word that they ominously left out. 44:01 Are they ruling on this issue? 44:05 Are you getting what I'm saying? 44:06 So they are saying, 44:08 you can still teach what you want to teach, 44:09 believe what you want to believe, 44:10 but you cannot practice it. 44:13 Matter of fact Chief Justice Roberts, 44:16 he made a very startling statement. 44:19 He said, our people of faith 44:20 especially non-profit organizations, 44:23 there's no hope for you. 44:25 You find no comfort in this ruling today, why? 44:27 Let's say for instance you have-- 44:31 A university or an adoption agency, 44:34 faith based. 44:35 And the same sex couple comes to you 44:37 and says, we want same sex, 44:38 we want the marriage student housing at your university 44:40 or we want to adopt a child into our home 44:44 and you refuse them that privilege 44:47 because of this ruling. 44:50 There's no umbrella. 44:52 They can take that organization to the court, 44:57 they can sue, they can win 45:01 and that organization can lose its non-profit status. 45:06 Ladies and gentlemen, let's be frank. 45:11 Do you believe? Is it clear. 45:14 That the religious liberties and freedoms 45:17 of God's people are right now on the chopping block? 45:23 What's even more terrifying to me 45:24 is the fact that the Sabbath 45:29 and marriage are twin institutions. 45:32 They were both established in the Garden of Eden. 45:34 Jesus makes it very clear that they are inseparable. 45:37 In Mark 2:27, He said, 45:39 "The Sabbath was made for man," It was made for our benefit. 45:42 When God made man, He made male and female. 45:44 Did He not? 45:46 The family and the Sabbath are inseparable institutions. 45:51 Matter of fact in the wonderful book 45:53 written by Ellen G. White, "Child Guidance." 45:56 She said that they are-- 45:57 And the union that they share is indissoluble. 46:01 You can not dissolve that union. 46:04 What does that mean to you? 46:06 If you attack marriage, then what are you attacking? 46:10 You are attacking the very nucleus of the family. 46:14 But if you attack the family, then what are you attacking? 46:19 You are automatically attacking the Sabbath. 46:23 And all because we didn't hear them say this, 46:25 we're saying, where we're getting this from? 46:27 Brothers and sisters, the snowball 46:28 is already rolling down the mountain, 46:29 we're getting ready to see the avalanche. 46:34 And it's going to come crashing on many of our heads. 46:38 Because as all these things are going on, 46:41 we're so caught up in the cares of this world 46:43 that we're not realizing that we are looking 46:45 at the final unfolding of prophecy. 46:49 You see when we look in the Book of Revelation, 46:51 it says the revelation of Jesus Christ, 46:53 the revealing of Jesus Christ. 46:55 Where is Jesus right now? 46:57 He's in the courts of heaven doing what? 46:58 Interceding as our great high priest. 47:01 Hebrews 8:1 and 2 makes it very clear. 47:05 Ladies and gentlemen, remember when the high priest 47:06 would go into the sanctuary, you would have something 47:08 on the bottom of his garments, 47:09 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. 47:11 And as He walked in the sanctuary, 47:14 the people could hear him moving. 47:16 I can only imagine as they heard the bells 47:18 getting softer they knew he was there 47:20 in the most holy place doing the work. 47:22 But as they heard the bells getting louder 47:23 they knew He was coming out. 47:25 They knew he was getting ready to make his exit 47:27 out of the sanctuary. 47:29 All those things were symbolic. 47:30 What are the antitypical application for these things? 47:34 It's these prophetic events. 47:36 These prophetic events 47:39 are the clinging of the bells on the high priest garment. 47:43 As we see these things taking place, 47:45 it's letting us know Jesus is getting ready 47:47 to come out of the sanctuary. 47:50 He's almost done with the cleansing. 47:54 He's coming to get His children. 47:56 But we have to stand. 47:59 See, look at this, I want you to go back with me as we close, 48:01 Matthew Chapter 24, Matthew the 24th Chapter. 48:05 Look at it clearly. Look at it closely. 48:07 Matthew Chapter 24. Matthew 24 looking at verse 15. 48:11 We're gonna go to verse 16, but looking at verse 15. 48:14 "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, 48:16 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, 48:18 stand in the holy place, who so readeth, 48:20 let him understand. 48:21 Then let them that be in Judaea..." 48:23 Do what? "Flee into the Mountains." 48:26 Look at the very next verse. 48:29 "Let him which is on the housetop 48:32 not come down to take anything out of his house: 48:34 Neither let him which is in the field 48:36 return back to take his clothes." 48:40 Now this is interesting 48:41 because when the armies of Pagan Rome 48:43 first surrounded Jerusalem it was in the year 66 AD. 48:49 For some unknown reason they fell back and left. 48:55 But four years later in the year 70 AD 48:57 they came back led by Titus 48:59 and this time they didn't leave. 49:03 This time it got so bad 49:05 that the people inside of Jerusalem 49:09 began to eat their own children. 49:13 And when they went inside of that city, 49:15 not one Christian was lost 49:18 because they all heeded the instruction of Christ. 49:21 When you see them cometh at the first, 49:23 if you are on the housetop, don't go back down 49:25 into the house to take anything out. 49:26 If you are in the field don't go back 49:28 into the city to get anything, just go. 49:31 Now Jesus first gave this prophecy in about 31 AD. 49:35 The fulfillment of it came about 35 years later. 49:38 So what should they have been doing for those 35 years? 49:43 Come on, brethren, it's not hard. 49:44 Preparation. What type of preparation? 49:49 You have to prepare. 49:52 I mean how much time would it take somebody to go 49:54 from their housetop into their drawer 49:56 to get their cell phone and run out of the door? 50:01 How much time? It wouldn't take any time. 50:04 But Jesus says when you see the sign, 50:05 don't come off the housetop, 50:07 just jump from rooftop to rooftop, 50:08 jump over the wall, get out of there. 50:12 But do you see the point? 50:14 Our hearts must be so surrendered. 50:18 Our minds must be so committed to obeying the will of God. 50:21 Everything must be on the altar, 50:23 so that when the signs are fulfilling, 50:28 we are ready to move on the word of God. 50:32 And that's daily commitment to serving Jesus Christ. 50:36 Daily commitment. 50:37 It's not just going to happen when the event transpires. 50:41 Oh, when national Sunday law comes, I'm out of here. 50:44 It's not gonna happen like that, brothers and sisters. 50:46 You're really gonna leave that nice little car you got. 50:51 It comes, okay, but, 50:53 can we just get a few extra things for the children? 50:57 What about the furniture? Can we put that in? 51:02 No, brethren, He said leave. 51:06 What type of mental preparation do we need? 51:10 Listen, the only way we're gonna be prepared 51:11 for that crisis hour, 51:13 is by daily having a relationship with God. 51:18 You see when the employer comes to you and says, 51:21 I need you to work on Sabbath's. 51:23 I need you to work. 51:24 I know you say you can't work past Friday sunset, 51:26 but I need you to work for me. 51:29 I got to have this and you say, you know, what, 51:32 I can't do it because my God tells me. 51:36 "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 51:38 But the seventh day is the Sabbath 51:39 of the Lord thy God," and you say, Lord-- 51:40 I'm sorry, boss, but I can't do it. 51:42 And you lose your job and you go home. 51:45 What's inside the cupboards? 51:48 Maybe little spaghetti. 51:50 You look like you like spaghetti. 51:53 Little rice, may be some bread, couple of fruit. 51:58 You get on your knees, Lord, You know the children, 52:00 You know my wife, but I'm gonna honor You. 52:05 A week passes, not so much spaghetti anymore. 52:09 Rice finished, bread long gone. 52:14 You go to Wednesday night prayer meeting 52:15 and somebody gives you some more spaghetti. 52:18 Here's my point, brother. 52:19 God will always give you something to keep you going on. 52:22 Shows you a little signs, it's okay, Lord. 52:24 No job but I still have food for the children. 52:27 Still have food, still have a roof over our head. 52:31 And you continue to stand fast 52:33 in faith on the word of God that develops within you, 52:38 that develops within you a patience. 52:40 A patience to wait upon the fulfillment 52:43 of the word of God. 52:45 And then when you see God come through for you 52:48 over and over and over again like that, 52:51 when the crisis comes 52:53 and you know it's time to flee and you are running-- 52:57 You are shooting out of the house. 52:59 You see the mountain before you. 53:01 You are running towards the mountain 53:03 and in your head you're saying, 53:05 I don't know where I'm going to sleep tonight, 53:07 I don't know what I'm going to eat tonight, 53:09 I have no idea, but I do know the God that I serve. 53:13 And it's the same God that fed me, 53:15 same God that clothed my children, 53:18 same God that put a roof over my head, 53:19 I will go and He will be with me. 53:24 Brothers and sisters, we have to have this experience. 53:29 Because the situation is real and it's right before us. 53:33 I want to share with you a short testimony, 53:35 it's impressed upon my mind to share with you. 53:37 A few years ago as I worked as a colporteur. 53:40 Amen. 53:43 I began to go to different, 53:46 first day congregation sharing the health message, 53:48 wonderful message that God has blessed us with. 53:51 And I went into this series of buildings, 53:54 one large building 53:55 and, anyway I walked around in there 53:58 and I found an office and I spoke with the secretary. 54:02 And she let me know that I was at the headquarters 54:04 of the ecumenical movement. 54:08 Now, if you don't know what the ecumenical movement is. 54:10 It's this movement to bring all the religious churches 54:14 to get all face together under one umbrella 54:17 and they acknowledge the Pope of Rome 54:21 as the leading authority in this conglomerate. 54:26 And so she told me where I was and then she got on the phone 54:31 and then shortly there after one of the directors came out. 54:35 And I put my hand out to shake his hand, 54:37 he didn't shake my hand, I found that very interesting. 54:39 But nonetheless I told him why I was there 54:41 and as we began to talk 54:44 and we talked a little bit more, 54:45 we talked a little bit more, he stood back and he, he said. 54:51 Where did you go to school? 54:53 And I told him where I went, Dentist Institution. 54:58 And he said, I knew there was something different about you. 54:59 You are Seventh-day Adventist, aren't you? 55:02 I was surprised that he knew of the college. 55:05 I said, yes, sir, I am. 55:07 He paused and he paused for a second, 55:08 then he looked at me again and he says, you know, 55:11 that's preacher I heard was a Seventh-day Adventist. 55:14 He said he really knew his Bible. 55:16 Then he began to talk about 55:17 how this minister knew his Bible. 55:19 Then he paused again and he looked at me 55:21 and he said to me. 55:25 So you know what we're doing here then? 55:27 You know about the Council of Venice, 55:28 you know about the Council of Laodicea, 55:29 you know about 321 AD what Constantine the great did. 55:32 He began to rattle off all the history 55:34 that I would use in the Daniel Revelation seminar 55:36 to clearly outline 55:38 who the antichrist in the Bible prophecy is. 55:41 I was, I was so shocked. 55:42 My mouth was, I could have caught every fly in the room. 55:46 I mean my mouth was open. And then I got a real militant. 55:51 I stood up straight and I said, 55:52 so you know that I know what you u know. 55:56 And he just put his head down and nodded his head. 56:02 And what was so interesting about this meeting 56:04 was the day previous as I was driving in the car 56:07 with my late father 56:08 and we were talking about Bible prophecy, 56:10 he looked at me and he said, Chris, 56:12 I wondered, do you think that these people 56:17 that are a part of bringing Sunday to the forefront, 56:20 if they have any idea what they are doing? 56:26 Brothers and sisters, listen to me. 56:29 We are getting ready to see this union of church and state. 56:33 It's knocking at our door. 56:38 And God wants us to know, it is time to be prepared. 56:43 Because we do not develop character in the crisis, 56:48 we reveal the character that we've developed. 56:52 In my prayer is that this day 56:55 and everyday that God gives us breathe from henceforth, 56:58 we will deny ourselves, pick up our crosses daily 57:02 and follow the Lamb with this wherever He leads us 57:06 because this is our only safety in this crisis hour. 57:10 Let's pray. 57:13 Father in heaven, 57:15 Lord, I thank you that in all of my frailty, 57:20 in all of my sickness 57:21 Your spirit has been here with us 57:23 to help us to understand what is going on. 57:29 The signs are fulfilling all about us. 57:33 It is clear soon from now we shall see Jesus. 57:40 Thank you so much that you have given us the blessed hope. 57:46 But in this hour, 57:48 when our probation is still opened, 57:51 and our names are still left to be brought 57:53 and review before Your throne, 57:57 may we daily commit ourselves holy 58:01 to following the guidance of thy spirit. 58:06 We know by Your grace, we know by Your power, 58:09 we can do all things, Lord. 58:13 And so we place our faith in You and only in You 58:16 because the flesh profits nothing. 58:20 Thank you for hearing our prayers. 58:22 In all these things we ask in Jesus' name. 58:25 Amen. |
Revised 2015-12-10