Participants:
Series Code: HCAU
Program Code: HCAU180005A
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00:01 Music...
00:30 Hello Friends, and welcome the Avondale Memorial Church 00:33 where we have been enjoying 00:35 Homecoming 2018 for 3ABN Australia, 00:38 have you been blessed, can you say, "Amen"? 00:40 Audience: Amen. 00:41 We have been so blessed here haven't we honey? 00:43 Every message has been a blessing 00:46 and I'm always learning something in every message. 00:48 God is so good. 00:50 And this message is going to be brought to us by Dr. Hal Lindsay 00:54 Allan Lindsay... did I say Hal Lindsay? 00:58 Please do not associate the two 01:02 because Dr. Allan Lindsay is not Hal Lindsay. 01:05 Dr. Allan Lindsay has a special place in our heart, doesn't he? 01:09 You know, through the years we've come to Australia 01:12 and when we had a chance to meet him, 01:14 we were first stunned to know that he has been the voice of... 01:18 "Keepers of the Flame. " 01:19 Keepers of the Flame... 01:21 work of showing the pioneer and the Adventist history 01:25 through the years, 01:26 that has blessed our hearts in tremendous ways 01:28 but Dr. Allan Lindsay was a Lecturer 01:30 at Avondale College for 30 years 01:32 he was teaching pastors and teachers in Adventist history 01:37 but that's not the only thing that's true about him, 01:39 what else is true? 01:40 Now he has a wonderful wife Deirdre... 01:42 he's been married for 61 years... 01:46 four children... ten grandchildren... 01:49 and two great-grandchildren... 01:51 what a blessing. 01:53 And just recently we went to the Ellen White Estates here 01:56 in Cooranbong... thank you for remembering that 02:00 and it was such a blessing to have that tour again 02:04 and he would affectionately call you... 02:06 now your name is Angela but what would he call you? 02:08 Angie... 02:09 and it is so... I pulled him aside, I said, 02:13 "Dr. Lindsay, you said that so affectionately. " 02:15 He said, "I'm sorry, John, should I not say that?" 02:17 I said, "No, it's okay, 02:18 I don't mind if you call my wife 'Angie' 02:20 you said that so wonderfully" 02:22 but also, he is the Historian Advisor 02:24 or the Historical Advisor for the... 02:27 for the beautiful narrative movie that had come out 02:31 not many years ago, called, "Tell the World. " 02:33 That was absolutely wonderful 02:36 and for the last 10 years he's been the Director 02:40 of the Ellen White Research Center. 02:43 That's right. 02:44 And this... this presentation Dr. Allan Lindsay is going to be 02:49 speaking about knowing God through the great... 02:51 I'll say it the way they say it in Australia... 02:53 the great con... con... contro versy. 02:56 Audience: Controversy. 02:58 It's the controversy, right? 02:59 but Australians say, Contra... versy... 03:01 Audience: No. 03:02 They said, "No... " 03:04 Okay, well, forgive us for that, 03:05 we're Americans, we don't know any better. 03:07 But knowing God through the great controversy... 03:11 and we're going to be blessed 03:12 but before Dr. Lindsay comes, 03:15 we're going to have some wonderful music from Tim Parton 03:17 and he's going to set the atmosphere 03:20 and also Ryan Day is going to be singing 03:23 and Ryan is one of the newest additions to 3ABN 03:26 and you'll know how God is blessing our hearts 03:29 as he comes to bless yours 03:31 through this wonderful song that Ryan is going to bring 03:34 and Tim is going to play. 03:35 Piano... 03:43 more piano... 03:48 The love of God 03:53 is greater far 03:58 Than tongue or pen 04:03 can ever tell; 04:08 It goes beyond 04:12 the highest star, 04:17 And reaches to 04:22 the lowest hell; 04:27 The guilty pair, 04:32 bowed down with care, 04:36 God gave His Son 04:42 to win; 04:46 His erring child 04:51 He reconciled, 04:55 And pardoned from 05:00 his sin. 05:04 Oh, love of God, 05:10 how rich and pure! 05:15 How measureless 05:20 and strong! 05:24 It shall forever more endure... 05:33 The saints' and angels' 05:41 song. 05:44 Piano... 05:46 Could we with ink 05:52 the ocean fill, 05:57 And were the skies 06:03 of parchment made, 06:07 Were every stalk 06:11 on earth a quill, 06:16 And every man 06:20 a scribe by trade; 06:25 To write the love 06:30 of God above 06:34 Would drain the ocean dry; 06:43 Nor could the scroll 06:48 contain the whole, 06:53 Though stretched from sky 06:58 to sky. 07:04 Oh love of God 07:10 how rich and pure! 07:15 How measureless 07:20 and strong! 07:23 It shall forevermore endure... 07:33 The saints' and angels' song... 07:43 The saints' and angels' 07:49 angels' 07:56 song... 08:02 song. 08:05 Amen. 08:10 Pause... 08:15 more pause... 08:23 Good morning everybody. 08:24 Wow! I hope your heart's been touched by that song. 08:29 Wonderful song... wonderful words 08:32 and that's the theme 08:33 of what I want to share with you this morning. 08:35 You know, I was looking at the brochure 08:38 that I'm sure you've received, 08:40 I'm looking at the photographs of the people 08:42 that are in the back page and I... 08:45 I guess you must have noticed there's only one with gray hair. 08:49 Audience: Laughter. 08:52 All the others look surprisingly young don't they? 08:56 One of them actually is a student of mine 08:58 but I won't identify him 09:00 but when I look at these photos and think of this gray hair, 09:05 I was reminded of a text I read recently 09:08 in the book of Leviticus chapter 19. 09:12 It's an interesting chapter 09:13 because it talks about a lot of things 09:15 that God expected of His people 09:17 and told them about things that they should do... 09:20 keep the Sabbath... it says, 09:22 and also to not regard mediums 09:25 and then I came across verse 32 where it says, 09:29 "You shall rise before the gray-headed, 09:34 and honor the presence of an old man. " 09:35 Now, the King James says, I think, "a hoary head" 09:40 and a hoary head is always... 09:42 well, I've always been wondering what a hoary head was 09:44 but then I looked at the dictionary 09:46 and was discouraged to find that it said, 09:48 "Old and gray-headed. " 09:50 Audience: Laughter. 09:52 But I'm so grateful 09:54 and I thank 3ABN for the privilege of sharing 09:57 a wonderful topic with you this morning 09:59 and I just want you to bow your heads in a word of prayer. 10:02 "Dear loving Father, 10:06 as we contemplate this tremendous theme this morning, 10:10 help us to see the love of God that has been manifested 10:15 in every part of this great controversy... down through time 10:20 open up our hearts to the Holy Spirit, 10:22 speak through this very poor agent this morning 10:27 as we uplift Jesus and His love for each one of us 10:31 is my prayer in His wonderful name, amen. " 10:36 During this weekend, our minds and our hearts 10:39 are being directed to a very wonderful text, 10:42 the text that reminds us 10:44 from the High Priestly prayer of Jesus 10:47 just before He died 10:48 that this is life eternal 10:51 that they might know you... the only true God 10:55 and Jesus Christ whom You have sent 10:59 and in each presentation of this weekend 11:02 there is a topic or a theme that will help us, 11:06 that's its aim... to help us to get to know God better. 11:10 David Jeremiah, a New York Times best-selling author 11:14 has recently published a book, "The God You May Not Know" 11:18 and in his introduction, he writes these words, 11:21 some say, "The greatest question in life is 'Does God exist?' 11:27 I say, the greatest question is, 11:31 'Do I know the God who does exist?' 11:34 Do I know about Him and do I know Him personally 11:39 personally...?" 11:41 Can I suggest to you this morning dear friends 11:43 that that last question is the most important 11:46 because I can know a lot about someone 11:49 and not know them at all personally. 11:52 I know a lot about the Queen, 11:54 I have lived longer than she has reigned, 11:58 but I can't say that I know her personally. 12:02 Now, this is the problem 12:04 of those people that Jesus speaks about 12:07 in Matthew chapter 7... 12:10 it's the end of the sermon on the mount 12:12 and I know you've heard these words 12:14 but I want you to think of the significance this morning 12:17 in Matthew 7 verse 21 to 23, 12:20 where Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 12:23 Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; 12:27 but He who does the will of my Father in heaven. 12:30 Many will say to me in that day, 12:33 Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? 12:38 cast out demons in your name? 12:40 and done many wonders in your name? 12:42 and done many wonders in your name? 12:44 And then, I will declare to them, 12:48 I never knew you: 12:51 depart from me, ye who work iniquity. " 12:56 Dear friends, that... that verse 12:59 has always been a challenge to me. 13:01 here is Jesus speaking to people 13:04 who venerated His name... 13:06 it's the last generation... just before Jesus comes 13:10 and these people are not pagans, 13:12 they're not Atheists, 13:14 they are people who have venerated the name of Jesus, 13:17 but why did Jesus say to them, "I never knew you?" 13:21 In spite of being busy, 13:23 evidently, in the activities of life in His name, 13:27 they didn't take the time or the effort 13:30 to get to know God. 13:33 It wasn't a top priority in their lives. 13:36 I'm sure if you had asked these people, 13:39 "Do you believe in Jesus?" 13:41 the answer will be, "Yes" 13:43 but the Bible tells me that the devils believe and tremble. 13:48 evidently dear friends, we can be busy 13:52 in doing the Lord's work... 13:54 casting out demons in the name of Jesus, 13:57 preaching in the name of Jesus 13:59 and yet not know God. 14:03 Pause. 14:06 I want to say this this morning, 14:07 in spite of the fact 14:09 there is nothing more important in life 14:12 and can I just say that again, dear friends, 14:14 there is nothing more important in life 14:16 than your getting to know God and His Son Jesus Christ 14:22 for our eternal destiny is at stake. 14:26 How important then is the study of our theme for this weekend? 14:30 The topic that I have been given within that theme 14:34 is getting to know the God revealed 14:37 in the great controversy between Christ and Satan. 14:42 But first can I explain why I am going to use some quotations 14:47 that I'm going to put on the screen this morning, 14:49 it's true that the major theme of the Bible 14:52 is the story of the great controversy 14:55 between Christ and Satan 14:56 and the unfolding of the plan of salvation 15:00 but as a church, we believe that in 1844 15:03 God gave to a young 17-year-old girl, 15:06 Ellen Harmon, as she was at that time, 15:09 the Gift of Prophecy 15:10 and that a major role of her voluminous writings 15:14 that she would produce over the next 70 years, 15:17 were not given to replace the Bible... 15:21 I want to underscore that in your thinking this morning 15:23 but they were given to uplift the Bible... 15:27 to magnify the Bible... 15:29 to point you and me to its continual study 15:33 because that alone will help us to get to know God 15:38 and therefore, I would expect if the major theme of the Bible 15:42 is the story of the great controversy, 15:44 it would be the major theme of her counsel 15:47 and I have found that to be true. 15:49 Out of the 2,000 visions that God gave to Ellen White, 15:54 the one given on Sunday afternoon March the 14th 1858 15:59 was the most comprehensive 16:01 and we call it, "The Great Controversy Vision. " 16:04 At the end of that vision, 16:06 she was instructed to write out what she had seen 16:09 but she was warned that the devil would attack her 16:12 because of the content of that vision 16:16 and I believe dear friends, it's significant 16:20 that of the 2,000 visions that she received, 16:24 this one... The Great Controversy Vision 16:26 was the only one in which Satan tried to kill her 16:30 soon after she received the vision. 16:32 I want you to think about that... 16:35 the reality of this controversy 16:37 in which all of us are engaged... 16:39 tried to kill her to prevent her from writing out the book 16:44 outlining the great controversy between Satan and Jesus. 16:49 Many visions of course followed that first vision 16:53 and finally she produced five volumes 16:56 which incidentally were called, 16:58 "The Conflict of the Ages Series. " 17:00 Five volumes... "Patriarchs and Prophets" 17:03 dealing with the first half of the Old Testament. 17:06 "Prophets and Kings... " the 2nd half of the Old Testament. 17:09 The book "Desire of Ages" centering on the life of Jesus. 17:13 Then "Acts of the Apostles" 17:14 the beginnings of the Christian Church 17:16 and finally, the book, "The Great Controversy" 17:19 going from the destruction of Jerusalem in the first century 17:23 down to the creation of the new earth... 17:25 what five wonderful volumes to have 17:29 and practically all the quotations I will give you, 17:32 I am taking from those inspired accounts 17:35 of this Great Controversy 17:36 but I notice in preparing for this morning, 17:39 that in the last of those volumes, 17:41 in the book "Great Controversy" 17:43 she makes the comment that throughout eternity... 17:46 think about this... throughout eternity 17:48 where our love and our reverence and our happiness 17:52 will continue to increase... why? 17:54 Because we will learn more and more revelations 17:57 of the character of the God of the great controversy 18:01 and it's my prayer this morning dear friends 18:04 that as we contemplate getting to know God 18:06 through the great controversy 18:09 that you will be drawn to love Him all the more. 18:12 I'm going to speak about three aspects 18:15 of this great controversy... 18:17 how do you choose... what aspects do you deal with 18:19 in a story that's lasted for 1,000s of years? 18:22 But first of all, I want you to think about 18:25 the character of God challenged. 18:28 As we think about the beginnings of this great controversy, 18:32 you know, the bible begins with a text, 18:34 "In the beginning... " what? 18:36 God created... 18:38 but what kind of a God created? 18:40 I asked that question because the Deists now... 18:44 Deism was a philosophy that particularly was promoted 18:47 during the French Revolution 18:49 but it's based upon the Latin word for God... "Deus" 18:53 and a Deist has a certain picture of God 18:56 and many people have adopted this view. 18:58 What is it? 19:00 They believe in a God who created the world, yes, 19:03 but then placed it under Law and withdrew from the world... 19:07 showed no more interest in the world or its inhabitants 19:11 a bit like an absentee landlord 19:14 and if you're a Deist, there is no Bible 19:17 because why would this God 19:18 who's gone to the edge of the universe 19:21 with no more interest in the affairs of this world... 19:23 why would he write a book for that... 19:25 people of that... who inhabit that little planet? 19:28 There's no Savior... 19:29 why would He bother to visit this world 19:32 when He lives so far away with no more interest in... 19:36 in the things of this earth? 19:37 There's no prayer... 19:39 you can't talk to a God who's that far away 19:42 who's no longer interested in you... 19:44 there's no resurrection. 19:46 But oh, dear friends, 19:48 that's not the character of the God revealed in the events 19:52 that even preceded the creation of the world 19:55 and that are most shockingly described 19:59 in the book of Revelation 20:00 and I go to that amazing chapter, 20:03 chapter 12 of Revelation and I read in verse 7 20:06 and war broke out... where? 20:09 in heaven of all places 20:11 not on earth though filled with wars... 20:14 this is a war in heaven... 20:17 where all is peace and harmony 20:20 and beauty and perfection where love reigns... 20:24 war in heaven... 20:26 and that war all started, I would remind you this morning, 20:30 next to God's throne where God governed the universe 20:34 because I read in Revelation chapter 12 and going on 20:39 in chapter... in verse 7... 20:41 "Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; 20:46 and the dragon fought and his angels, 20:48 and they did not prevail; 20:50 nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer, 20:53 so the great dragon was cast out, 20:55 that serpent of old, 20:56 called the devil, and Satan... " 20:58 in those simple words, what tremendous events are covered 21:02 Michael on one side and His angels... 21:05 now, let me just very quickly affirm 21:09 that Michael, I believe, is another name for Jesus, 21:11 it's only used in Scripture 21:14 whenever Jesus is in contact with Satan 21:16 which is interesting. 21:18 But Michael, the name... who is like God... 21:20 a threatening name... 21:23 when in conflict with Satan directly Himself. 21:26 Michael is called the Archangel and people have said, 21:29 "Well, that means, He must be an angel. " 21:32 No, my friends, because the word "Archangel" 21:34 "archaggelos" in the Greek means Leader of the angels. 21:38 Chief of the angels, and that's why Revelation says, 21:42 "Michael and His angels 21:43 fought against the dragon and his angels" 21:46 identified here in verse 9 very clearly as Satan 21:51 the adversary 21:53 previously with the name, Lucifer. 21:56 Lucifer... 21:58 how did a being like Satan find a place 22:03 in the perfection of heaven? 22:05 The book of Ezekiel gives us a great deal of insight into this 22:10 and I'd like you, if you have your Bibles, 22:13 to turn to Ezekiel chapter 28 and notice these words 22:16 as Ezekiel is addressing Satan 22:19 under the symbol of the King of Tyre... 22:22 a very evil king that we know 22:24 but in Ezekiel chapter 28 and we read in verse 12, 22:29 "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre 22:32 and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God... '" 22:34 but listen to the words that follow... 22:36 speaking directly to Lucifer... 22:38 "You were the seal of perfection, 22:41 full of wisdom... perfect in beauty. 22:43 You were in Eden, the garden of God; 22:45 Every precious stone was your covering... " 22:48 then He lists all the beautiful stones 22:50 like diamonds and sapphires and turquoises and emeralds 22:54 that covered this leading angel in heaven. 22:56 "You... " it says, 22:59 "Were prepared for you on the day you were created. 23:02 You were the anointed cherub that covereth... " 23:05 and those words, dear friends, 23:07 remind us of the ark that was placed in the Most Holy Place 23:11 and the two angels that were called "the Covering Cherubim" 23:15 right there next to the throne of God the Shekinah glory. 23:19 Lucifer was that leading... 23:22 one of those two leading angels in heaven 23:24 from the day that he was created 23:26 he stood by God's throne perfect, it says, 23:30 in wisdom and beauty 23:32 and I read there in verse 15, "You were perfect in your ways 23:38 from the day you were created until... " 23:41 and what an "until" it is because it says, 23:44 "Until iniquity was found in you. 23:47 You were perfect in the day you were created... " 23:52 and my friends, what I marvel at here 23:54 is that Jesus was the Creator, the Bible says, 23:57 of all the angels... 23:58 it was Jesus who created Lucifer... 24:00 but think of the significance therefore, of the war in heaven 24:05 when Jesus is on one side 24:08 fighting against that created being... 24:11 that He had created way back before 24:14 and it tells us there in verse 17 24:17 "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; 24:21 you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; 24:25 I cast you to the ground, 24:27 that they might gaze at you... these kings... " 24:29 That's the origin, dear friends, 24:32 right there at the heart of the Government of God, 24:35 war in heaven... 24:36 was God responsible for his iniquity? 24:39 Was He? 24:42 Oh no, my friends, God created... 24:44 Jesus created a perfect being... 24:46 "you were perfect in your ways... 24:48 from the day you were created 24:51 until iniquity was found in him. " 24:54 Dear friends, God never desired evil 24:57 but listen to what I'm about to say, 25:00 that God never desires evil 25:04 but the very allowance of evil testifies of God's love. 25:09 Think about it, why? 25:12 For love requires freedom to exist, 25:14 and for love to exist, 25:16 there must always be the possibility 25:19 of a wrong choice being made. 25:21 John Peckham, in his book, "The Love of God" 25:25 has written this, "God allowed evil 25:28 while passionately despising it 25:32 because to exclude its possibility 25:35 would exclude love, 25:37 central to this great controversy 25:40 and the issues at stake, 25:42 was the power to freely choose 25:44 that God gave to angels and to men 25:46 and to each one of us here in this church this morning. 25:49 I read in the book "The Great Controversy" 25:53 page 493, these words, 25:57 "God desires from all His creatures the service of love... 26:01 homage that springs from an intelligent appreciation 26:06 of His character. 26:07 He takes no pleasure in a forced allegiance, 26:11 and to all He grants... " what? 26:13 "freedom of will, 26:16 that they may render Him voluntary service. " 26:19 But dear friends, the gift of choice 26:22 brings with it a terrible risk 26:24 for it means that some time... somewhere, 26:28 one of those creatures or more 26:32 would take advantage of that choice that was given to them 26:36 and choose the path of iniquity 26:39 and of course the tragedy in Lucifer's life came 26:43 when, at one point in the eternity of the past, 26:48 he indeed did choose that pathway of iniquity 26:52 and what led to it? 26:53 The answer is found very clearly in the book of Isaiah 26:57 and if you have it there, look at Isaiah chapter 14 27:01 because here in Isaiah's book, 27:04 speaking this time, 27:05 not to the king of Tyre, as in Ezekiel, 27:07 but to the king of Babylon, a man... a symbol again 27:11 of all that went against God, He speaks in verse 12, 27:15 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! 27:20 How you are cut down to the ground, 27:22 you who weaken the nations 27:24 for you have said in your heart... " 27:26 here the prophet is revealing what went on 27:29 in that day until iniquity was found in him. 27:32 "you have said in your heart, 27:34 'I will ascend into heaven, 27:36 I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, 27:39 I will sit on the mount of the congregation 27:42 on the farthest sides of the north; 27:44 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, 27:48 I will be like the Most High. ' 27:51 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, 27:56 to the lowest depths of the Pit. " 27:59 Oh, my dear friends, 28:02 here is the beginnings of that great controversy 28:05 this perfect being next to the throne of God 28:09 beginning to think that he was wanting to be 28:13 number one in the universe, 28:14 he wanted to lift his throne 28:16 above the throne of all created beings in heaven, 28:20 he wanted to sit on God's throne and push God away 28:24 because he had a better form of government than God had, 28:27 he was not satisfied by standing by the throne, 28:31 he wanted to sit on the throne, 28:34 and where he thought in his heart, 28:36 "I will be like the Most High... " 28:38 he wasn't saying, "I want to be like God in character" 28:41 "I want to be like God to be worshiped... " 28:45 would you keep that in mind? 28:47 Because over time, he managed to persuade by his lies... 28:53 one-third of the angels in heaven 28:56 to join him in his attacks against God 29:00 and there were three things that he attacked particularly, 29:04 number one, he attacked God's character, 29:06 God had ruled the universe by love since the days of eternity, 29:11 Lucifer claimed that God was a tyrant... 29:13 that he had a better form of government 29:16 to offer to created beings 29:18 where all would have total freedom 29:21 to go and to be and to do what they chose 29:25 but then too, he attacked God's Law 29:29 claiming that angels... perfect angels... 29:32 they don't need a Law to tell them what they should do 29:36 or what they should not do, 29:37 and I read in "Patriarchs and Prophets" 29:41 page 338, 29:43 "From the beginning of the great controversy, 29:47 it has been Satan's purpose to misrepresent God's character, 29:52 and to excite rebellion against His law. " 29:56 But then, thirdly, Satan... 29:59 Lucifer was also particularly envious of Jesus, 30:03 he hated the supremacy and the authority of Christ, 30:06 even though Christ had been the One who had created him 30:10 and given him life 30:12 and because Satan could tell lies, my friends, 30:16 and God couldn't. 30:17 Many angels were beguiled by these deceptions. 30:21 How could God have responded to Lucifer? 30:26 I believe that His response would reveal much 30:30 about the character of this God of the great controversy. 30:33 He could, of course, have destroyed Lucifer. 30:37 That would have crushed the rebellion at the very heart 30:40 but perhaps Lucifer knew things 30:44 since he was the angel standing next to God's throne, 30:48 he knew more about God's dealings 30:51 than any other angel in heaven, 30:53 perhaps he knew something that God doesn't want revealed 30:59 and therefore, He destroys him. 31:01 My dear friends, if God had taken that... 31:05 just made that decision... 31:06 it would have upset the very basic rule in heaven 31:11 of love... not fear 31:15 and the relationship with the other angels at that time 31:19 would have changed from love to fear 31:21 and would have caused... 31:23 have backed up Satan's charge that God was a tyrant 31:27 obliterating anybody who stood in his way 31:30 and of course such a decision would not prevent 31:34 rebellion arising up some... another time 31:37 because all the other angels had the power of choice 31:40 but then, God could also have taken away from Lucifer 31:44 the power of choice. 31:45 He could have said, "Okay, if you've done this... 31:48 I'm going to take away from you the power of choice 31:51 and never again will you choose the path of rebellion... " 31:54 pause 31:56 but that's not possible... 31:59 not for a God of love. 32:00 The only response my dear friends 32:04 of a God who is love 32:06 was to allow the controversy between Himself and Lucifer 32:10 to be played out to the very end 32:12 to reveal to the universe the true nature of God... 32:16 what He was really like... 32:18 the righteousness of God's government 32:21 and the consequences of Satan's character and of his government. 32:27 I want you to notice some very important words 32:30 that were written in "Patriarchs and Prophets" 32:32 page 42. 32:34 "For the good of the entire universe... " 32:38 listen to this, 32:39 not just little planet Earth... 32:41 we can become so localized in our thinking 32:43 that we fail to realize that there's a whole universe 32:47 that is involved in in what we're talking about this morning 32:50 "For the good of the entire universe 32:52 through ceaseless ages, 32:53 Satan... he must more fully develop his principles, 32:57 that his charges against the divine government might be seen 33:01 in their true light by all created beings, 33:05 and that the justice and mercy of God 33:08 and the immutability of His law 33:12 might be forever placed beyond question. " 33:16 And so, the Biblical record in Revelation chapter 12 33:21 is very simple, 33:23 but as a result of that war in heaven 33:26 and the decisions that a God of love made, 33:28 in Revelation 12 and verses 8 and 9, 33:32 we read these words, 33:34 "They didn't prevail... " 33:36 these angels and Lucifer in heaven, 33:39 "neither was a place for them found any longer... 33:41 the great dragon was cast out, 33:42 that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan 33:45 who deceives the whole world, 33:47 he was cast out to the earth... " 33:50 and this earth became the battleground 33:53 for the ongoing great controversy. 33:56 In Genesis 2 as you know... well know dear friends, 34:00 tells the tragic story of the temptation of Satan... 34:04 that Satan set before those two perfect beings... 34:09 beings who had been also made with freedom to choose 34:13 pause 34:17 they believed this creature, Satan... rather than God 34:21 and the consequences you and I see 34:26 in our world of today. 34:28 But at this time we see a wonderful revelation 34:31 of the character of God the Father 34:33 because He called a council with His Son 34:36 and because of their great love for the human race, 34:39 for the fallen race... 34:40 they made public... a wonderful plan for saving the human race 34:45 from the consequences... the awful consequences of sin. 34:49 A plan... we are told that had been kept in silence 34:53 from the days of eternity. 34:56 Jesus, the second of the godhead would come to earth 35:02 and give His life as a ransom for many... 35:04 He would take upon Himself the sentence of death 35:06 that the human race deserved 35:10 so that whoever believes in Him 35:13 should not perish but have everlasting life. 35:17 What love! 35:18 Reluctantly we must pass through 35:21 the Old Testament outworkings of the great controversy 35:24 and what is revealed about the character of God there 35:28 for very quickly but for a brief diversion 35:31 into Exodus 33... and I'll share that in just a moment. 35:34 But finally the time came in this great controversy 35:38 when He who was God came into human form 35:41 and how beautifully did the apostle Paul 35:45 describe these words... 35:47 describe this action of condescension 35:49 in Philippians 2, "Let this mind be in you... " 35:53 you know the text, "which was also in Christ Jesus" 35:56 think about what is said here, "Who, being in the form of God, 36:01 did not consider it robbery to be equal with God: 36:05 but made himself of no reputation, 36:09 taking the form of a bondservant, 36:13 and coming in the likeness of men: 36:17 and being found in appearance as a man, 36:21 he humbled himself, and became obedient 36:26 to the point of death, even the death of the cross. " 36:32 God... His character demonstrated 36:39 here is described the most wonderful revelation of God 36:44 that you and I can read of in Scripture. 36:48 In the death... the life... 36:50 the death and the resurrection of Jesus, 36:52 but we need to see this event in the light of a request 36:56 that Moses made of God some 1,500 years before 37:01 that's recorded in the book of Exodus. 37:03 Reference was made to it, I think, last night as well 37:07 but I want you to notice this request, 37:09 for the first time in human history, 37:12 a man made a request of God, "Show me... " 37:16 do you remember what it was? 37:17 "Show me Your... show me Your glory... 37:20 Your glory... " 37:22 Israel had just violated the commandment of God 37:24 that they just received from... on Mount Sinai... 37:28 and then you remember 37:29 Moses had broken the tables of stone 37:32 and wondered how could God love a people 37:35 that had heard His Law and then broken it 37:39 dancing naked around a golden calf, 37:41 pause... 37:43 at that time, Moses says, "I want to see Your glory, 37:46 what kind of a God are You 37:49 that's going to lead these people out of Egypt 37:51 into the promised land?" 37:53 And you remember in Exodus chapter 33 and verse 19, 37:58 God said, "I will make all My goodness 38:01 pass before you, 38:04 and I will proclaim the name of the Lord 38:07 because the character of God... His goodness 38:10 is equivalent to His name" 38:12 and we read in the next few verses in Exodus 34, 38:17 where Moses was invited to go up to the top of Mount Sinai 38:21 with two more tablets of stone, 38:23 for God to re-write the Ten Commandments 38:25 and while he was there, the Lord passed by him, 38:30 and proclaimed His name... His character... 38:35 His goodness and love... 38:37 because I read in the New Living translation 38:41 verses 6 and 7, 38:43 God passed in front of Moses and said, 38:46 "I am the Lord, the merciful and gracious God, 38:51 I am slow to anger 38:53 and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness, 38:56 I show this unfailing love to many thousands 39:00 by forgiving every sin and rebellion 39:04 even so, I do not leave sin unpunished. 39:08 That last sentence has been described by somebody 39:12 as the dark line in God's face 39:15 but when we stop to think about it 39:17 and it explains some of those "heavy-to-believe" episodes 39:21 in the Old Testament 39:22 where God doesn't seem to reveal the character of God... 39:26 the character of God 39:27 that God's justice is a necessary part of his love, 39:32 and 1,500 years later after Moses made that request, 39:37 on the night before Jesus died, 39:39 Jesus looked back on His life in His High Priestly prayer 39:45 recorded in John 17, 39:47 that prayer that He prayed the Thursday night... 39:52 the next day... He was to die 39:54 and in that prayer, 39:56 we read in John chapter 17, verse 3, 39:59 the theme of this weekend, "This is life eternal, 40:03 that they might know You the only true God, 40:06 and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. " 40:09 But dear friends, what amazes me, 40:11 is the statement that He made in that prayer in verse 6, 40:15 we're looking back on His life... on His ministry 40:19 those thee-and-a-half years, 40:20 He said to His Father that night, 40:22 "And now, O Father, 40:24 glorify Me together with Yourself, 40:27 with the glory that I had with You 40:29 before the world was. 40:31 I have manifested Your name to the men you've given Me. " 40:36 Remember Moses' request? 40:38 "I want to see Your glory. " 40:40 And the Lord said, "My glory is My name... 40:43 My character of love. " 40:45 And here this God who became man says to His Father, 40:50 "I have manifested Your name before men. " 40:55 The message paraphrased... 40:59 "I spelled out Your character in detail 41:03 to the men and women you gave me. " 41:07 But dear friends, did you notice in Scripture 41:11 that earlier that same evening... 41:13 the Thursday night before Jesus died, 41:15 Jesus was in conversation with His disciples 41:20 and one of them came with a request of Jesus 41:24 in verse 8 of chapter 14, 41:27 where Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father. " 41:32 Jesus says, just a little while later to His Father, 41:38 I've manifested your character... 41:40 I've told the world what you're like" 41:42 how disappointed Jesus must have been 41:45 to hear one of His disciples say, 41:47 "After all this, what's God like? 41:50 Show us the Father. " 41:51 Pause. 41:54 There follows those wonderful words 41:57 where Jesus said to him in verse 9, 42:00 "Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known Me?" 42:06 I hear Jesus... those words almost dripping 42:11 with the disappointment of Jesus. 42:12 "Have I been so long with you 42:15 that you haven't known what the Father is like?" 42:17 and then He said, "He who has seen me... " 42:19 what? Do you remember the text? 42:20 "has seen... " who? 42:22 "The Father" 42:23 and I could well imagine that Jesus may have been tempted 42:27 at least to say on to Philip, 42:30 "Oh Philip, do you remember those villages 42:32 where they were filled with the sick 42:35 and when I walked out of the end of the village, 42:37 I looked back and there wasn't one sick person left there, 42:41 that's the Father, 42:43 do you remember, Philip, the day, 42:46 when that woman caught in the act of adultery 42:48 was dragged into My presence 42:49 and I could assure her that her sins were forgiven, 42:53 'Go and sin no more. ' 42:55 Philip, that's what God the Father is like 43:00 and when I fed those 5,000 men plus women and children 43:04 with five loaves and two fish, 43:06 seeing their need and I wanted them to understand 43:09 that God the Father can supply all their need... 43:12 God's like that 43:14 and you remember Philip, the day when we stood 43:18 in front of the tomb of Lazarus, 43:19 he'd been dead for four days 43:22 and you remember, I just said to him, 43:25 "Lazarus, come forth" 43:26 and he who was dead... came forth. 43:30 That's what the Father's like. " 43:33 And of course, the very next day, 43:36 we see Jesus tried, condemned, 43:38 and nailed to the cross, 43:40 suffering for the next six hours the most terrible agony 43:44 of body and mind 43:45 and as the guilt of every descendent of Adam... 43:48 all of our guilt here in church this morning... 43:51 plus the guilt of the world was laid upon Him... 43:54 the wrath of God against sin filled Him with consternation. 44:00 We're told that the withdrawal of His Father's face 44:03 from the Savior... in this hour of supreme anguish 44:06 pierced His heart with a sorrow 44:08 that could never be fully understood by man. 44:11 Do you realize, dear friends, that afternoon 44:14 that for the first time in eternity... 44:18 you and me... we cannot really understand 44:22 the anguish that that produced 44:24 but for the first time in eternity, 44:26 of the relationship that the Son had with the Father, 44:30 Jesus felt absolutely alone... 44:33 think there is no greater revelation of the love of God... 44:38 the love of the God of the great controversy 44:40 than this moment on the cross, 44:42 I read in "Desire of Ages" page 753, 44:46 "Satan with his fierce temptations 44:49 wrung the heart of Jesus. 44:51 The Savior could not see through the portals of the tomb. 44:55 Hope did not present to Him 44:57 His coming forth from the grave as a conqueror, 45:00 or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of His sacrifice. 45:05 He feared that sin was so offensive to God 45:09 that Their separation was to be eternal. " 45:14 Think about what that means. 45:16 "It was the sense of sin, 45:18 bringing the Father's wrath upon Him 45:20 as man's substitute, 45:21 that made the cup He drank so bitter, 45:26 and broke the heart of the Son of God. " 45:30 He died of a broken heart... 45:35 a broken heart. 45:38 Therefore, can we hear the agonizing cry, 45:43 "My God... Lama Sabachthani 45:45 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 45:50 Because He was tied to that cross, dear friends, by love... 45:55 love for each one of us here this morning 45:57 that you and I might have life with Him for eternity. 46:01 Here was the ultimate evidence to the watching universe 46:05 of the length and the breadth and the height 46:07 and depth of God's love and grace 46:09 that He desires to save sinners and grant them forgiveness 46:14 and the gift of eternal life. 46:16 Dear friends, I believe that there was no greater display 46:20 of the falsity of Satan's charges in the beginning 46:24 that God was a tyrant but in that moment... 46:28 that Friday afternoon... 46:31 1st John 4:9 and 10 says, 46:34 "God showed how much He loved us" 46:37 by sending His own Son into the world 46:40 so that we might have eternal life through Him. 46:45 This is real life... it is not that we loved God 46:49 but that He loved us and sent His son as a sacrifice 46:53 to take away our sins. " 46:56 Jesus died... but the grave could not hold Him. 47:02 Had He remained in the grave that day, dear friends, 47:06 there would be no final victory 47:07 in the great controversy 47:10 played out before the watching universe. 47:12 When on that Sunday morning, Jesus arose, death was conquered 47:17 death was conquered 47:18 and Satan knew that his cause was lost, 47:21 that his kingdom would have an end 47:24 and that finally he would be destroyed 47:26 and that's why we read in Revelation 12 verse 12 47:29 the devil has now come down as a result of the cross 47:33 having great wrath 47:35 because he knows his time is short, 47:39 he also knew that Jesus had promised to come back again 47:44 and so, in that third aspect of God's character, 47:50 we see it declared 47:52 because time permits us an all too brief review of the events 47:56 that are involving God's character 47:58 as the great controversy draws to a close, 48:01 but as we do, we need to ask the question, 48:04 since Jesus showed the falsity of Satan's charges, 48:08 2000 years ago, 48:10 why are there 2,000 years of Satan's malignity 48:13 and his hatred against the human race continuing? 48:17 Haven't events within the last 2,000 years 48:21 proved to the watching universe the malignity of Satan? 48:26 And I offer you very quickly several reasons, 48:29 there are many but I want to suggest two, 48:33 at the beginning Satan wanted worship 48:37 pause 48:40 he wanted worship... 48:41 he wanted to be Number One in the universe 48:44 and therefore, I read the amazing verse 48:47 that's found in Revelation chapter 13 and verse 8 48:51 where the Bible says that in the last... 48:54 very last days of time, 48:55 all that dwell on the earth will worship a beast power... 49:01 a beast power that is a symbol of a religious organization 49:06 and a political organization 49:08 that will grow up during that 2,000-year period, 49:11 but that eventually, 49:14 all the world is going to worship this beast 49:16 whose names have not been written in the Book of Life 49:20 which means that those whose names are written 49:23 in the Book of Life... will not be worshipping the beast 49:26 pause... 49:29 but I want you to notice having read that verse dear friends, 49:32 that the Bible tells me 49:35 that with all the world worshiping this beast, 49:39 they are, in reality, worshiping Satan. 49:45 Pause. 49:47 Think about what I'm saying, 49:49 he wanted worship... 49:52 he attacked God's character 49:55 and before Jesus can return, 49:59 this power must be allowed to demonstrate to the fullest 50:04 his extent of deceiving the world into worship. 50:09 God needed to give Satan time, you remember, 50:12 to display the ultimate results of his way of government 50:16 and in this power, the book of Revelation 50:19 which incidentally, you remember 50:20 is called the Revelation of Jesus, 50:22 tells us that the time is going to come at the end 50:26 when almost all the world... 50:29 Satan will almost have his aim achieved, 50:32 when the world worships the beast. 50:36 When that display is fully achieved... Jesus will come. 50:41 But there's a second reason that's related to this delay 50:46 also that I would mention 50:47 and that's related to the first... 50:50 because God has known of Satan's desire 50:54 to place himself on the throne 50:57 and because God knew in advance 51:00 and as we see in the book of Revelation 51:02 that he would accomplish his aim 51:05 of deceiving the world into worshiping Him, 51:08 He did... God did what only a God of love and justice would do 51:13 all the world must be warned 51:15 of that crisis to come at the end, 51:19 all the world must understand the issues involved, 51:23 Jesus had predicted in Matthew 24, 51:25 "And this gospel of the kingdom should be preached... " 51:28 whereabouts? "in all the world 51:30 as a witness to all nations and then shall the end come. " 51:34 And included in the preaching of that final appeal to the world 51:40 surely a God of love 51:43 seeing what Satan would do at the end of time, 51:47 in his desire for worship, He would send the warning 51:52 because a God of love would always send warnings 51:57 to the people of the world 51:59 and that's why dear friends in the book of Revelation 52:02 chapter 14 and you know it well, 52:04 there is report of the last message to go to the world 52:08 and I'm encouraged as I read it in Revelation chapter 14, 52:13 where it says in verse 6, 52:15 "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, 52:17 having... " what? 52:19 "the everlasting... " what? 52:21 The good news... the everlasting gospel to preach 52:24 Jesus said, "When the gospel has gone to the world, 52:27 then the end will come. " 52:29 And here now, in the book of Revelation, 52:31 we see the fulfillment of that 52:32 with the message going to the whole world 52:35 which is the gospel, saying with a loud voice, 52:38 "Fear God, give glory to Him, 52:40 for the hour of His judgment is come, 52:42 and worship... " notice that word... 52:45 "Him who made the heavens and the earth 52:47 and the sea and the springs of water" 52:50 who is that? 52:51 The Bible tells me... Colossians 1, Hebrews 1, John 1, 52:56 that Jesus was the Creator, 52:59 this last message to go to the world 53:02 based upon the everlasting gospel 53:05 will call the world to worship Jesus, 53:08 but I go on and read down to the third angel's message 53:12 that follows 53:13 and it says this in verse 9 and 10, 53:15 "Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 53:19 'If anyone worships the beast and his image, 53:22 and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 53:24 he himself also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, 53:29 which is poured out full strength 53:31 into the cup of his indignation. '" 53:33 Pause... 53:35 Do you notice... the God of love who is seeing the future 53:40 sends a message... 53:42 there will be a temptation that will come to all the world 53:46 to worship the beast 53:48 and all the world will succumb practically, 53:50 except for a small group of people 53:52 and this God of love warns what's coming. 53:57 Dear friends, at first a friend of mine said to me 54:01 a little while ago, 54:03 when I pointed out to him verses 9 and 10, 54:06 "and the wrath of God poured out unmixed with mercy" 54:09 he said to me, 54:11 "Allan, where's the love of your God in these verses?" 54:17 Do you know what I said to him? 54:20 It's precisely because God is love 54:24 that he sends a warning to all the people of the world 54:29 and when that message has gone to all the world, 54:34 then Jesus will come 54:35 but it's only God's love, in a sense, 54:38 that's holding Him back until all the world is warned 54:42 and all the world has made a decision... 54:44 it's precisely because of that great love 54:47 that Jesus is sending this final message to the world. 54:53 Dear friends, before Jesus comes, 54:56 the Bible tells me that God's glory 54:58 is going to arise on His people. 55:01 A time when gross darkness... in Isaiah 60 verses 1 and 2 55:05 covers the world and surely that is today 55:08 the glory of the Lord will rise upon His people. 55:13 Remember, "Surely your glory" 55:15 what was the glory? 55:17 The name... the character of God 55:19 that's to be seen upon God's people 55:22 and therefore I read in "Christ's Object Lessons" 55:25 page 415, 55:26 "It is the darkness of misapprehension of God 55:29 that is enshrouding the world. 55:31 Men are losing their knowledge of His character. " 55:33 Notice that... 55:35 the darkness lost understanding of His character. 55:38 "It is being misunderstood and misinterpreted. 55:41 At this time... a message from God is to be proclaimed, 55:45 a message illuminating in its influence 55:47 and saving in its power. 55:49 His character is to be made known. " 55:52 And then, following on, 55:55 "The last rays of merciful light, 55:57 the last message of mercy to be given to the world, 56:01 is a revelation of His character of love. " 56:06 And that's your role and mine, dear friends, 56:11 The last message... is it not the three angels' messages? 56:16 Yes, but the last message to go 56:19 is a message of His character of love. 56:22 What a day when all that's fulfilled! 56:25 What a day! 56:27 Could we with ink the ocean fill, 56:30 And were the skies of parchment made; 56:33 Were every stalk on earth a quill, 56:35 And every man a scribe by trade; 56:37 To write the love of God above 56:39 Would drain the ocean dry; 56:41 Nor could the scroll contain the whole, 56:45 Though stretched from sky to sky. 56:49 My dear friends, 56:51 do you love the God revealed in the great controversy? 56:55 Have you made Him your friend? 56:57 Let us bow our heads, 56:59 "Dear Father, we thank you for this revelation of God 57:03 that has come to us. 57:04 A God who not only loves the universe, 57:07 loving the angels, 57:09 but also who has loved us each one enough 57:13 for Jesus to die 57:15 that we might have the hope of eternal life 57:18 help us dear Father to reflect that love 57:21 into the lives of those we meet 57:22 and we ask it in Jesus' precious name, amen. 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Revised 2019-02-26