Participants: Ivor Myers (Host), James Rafferty (Host), Jason Bradley, Yvonne Lewis
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000035A
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00:29 Okay, we are ready to move into
00:32 Revelation chapter 8 and verse 9. 00:34 That's actually where we left off 00:36 and we've reviewed just a little bit... 00:40 we've summarized just a little bit... some of the principles, 00:42 some of the interpretations, I think it's been good for us 00:44 because this helps us to get on track 00:47 and ready to move into verse 9, 00:48 Jason, can you read Revelation 8 verse 9 for us 00:51 and Yvonne, would you have a word of prayer for us 00:53 and then we'll get right over. Yvonne: Sure. 00:55 Jason: "And the third part of the creatures 00:57 which were in the sea, and had life, died; 01:00 and the third part of the ships were destroyed" 01:03 and you said verse 10 too just verse 9? 01:06 James: No, that's it... just 9 for now, 01:08 we're going to pray over it and then we're going to go. 01:11 Yvonne: "Father God, we just thank you so very much 01:13 that you're in our midst Lord, 01:15 we thank you for your Holy Spirit 01:17 who is going to guide us Lord God 01:19 according to your promise so we just claim that 01:22 in the name of Jesus and I thank you so much again 01:25 for the blessings that you have bestowed upon us 01:28 through your Word, 01:29 please now guide us into all truth, 01:32 we pray in Jesus' name, amen. " 01:33 All: "Amen... " 01:34 All right, verse 9 is a segue into the next trumpet 01:38 which is the third trumpet or the third angel in verse 10. 01:40 The segue that's taking place here 01:43 if we're looking at the history from verse 8... 01:45 I see, Ivor is ready to explode here... he's ready to jump in... 01:48 verse 8 is this burning mountain Isaiah 51 01:52 and I think it was verse 25, somewhere in there, 01:55 let me just look at my notes here, 01:57 is the judgment that came upon verse 25... 02:01 that came upon Pagan Rome. 02:03 It... this burning mountain is cast into the sea 02:06 swallowed up by the nations, kindreds, 02:08 tongues and peoples of Europe, 02:10 as Pagan Rome goes down, 02:11 another power has been steadily coming up 02:13 but that power comes up 02:16 by compromising the faith of Christianity, 02:19 the truth of Christianity 02:20 and so, the segue is taking place here 02:23 in verse 9... "the third part of the creatures 02:25 which were in the sea and had life... " 02:28 why does God say, "the creatures that had life?" 02:30 If there are creatures in the sea, 02:31 they automatically have life, so, there's an insight here 02:34 that we need to grab ahold of in relation to the symbolism 02:37 of these creatures... 02:39 "and the third part of the ships were destroyed," 02:40 now, I want to start us out by just looking at 02:42 the way the word "creatures" is used in the New Testament. 02:48 Ivor: Can I jump in... I don't want to do that yet. 02:51 James: Jump in, Ivor, jump in... boom... 02:52 Ivor: Okay, let's start with the "third" first. 02:54 James: Okay. Ivor: Okay, so... 02:55 what do we see that a third represents in the Scripture? 02:59 Every time we look at the Book of Revelation, 03:00 and we see that number... one-third... 03:03 James: Revelation 12... 03:04 Ivor: Revelation 12... you have the fall of these angels, 03:08 at one time... right... on the side of God... 03:12 but then they rebelled... 03:15 James: I got it... I got it... Ivor: Right... you got it? 03:17 James: Yeah, go ahead... 03:19 Ivor: Right, so, we see this number "one-third" 03:23 it's a number that is used to symbolize apostasy. 03:26 James: Falling away... Yvonne: Ah... 03:28 Ivor: The falling away... yeah. James: That's it... 03:29 Ivor: So now, when we go to creatures... 03:32 I think you're going to Mark... 03:33 James: Yes, yes, well, there are a number of verses... 03:36 the one I'm looking at here is in Colossians 1:23... 03:38 where it says, "If you continue in the faith 03:41 grounded and settled, and be not moved away 03:43 from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, 03:45 which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; 03:47 whereof I Paul am made a minister" 03:50 that's Colossians 1:23 Ivor: Right. 03:52 James: Creatures would represent 03:54 especially creatures that had life would represent... 03:57 because the Word of Life, the Bread of Life... 03:59 the gospel of eternal life... 04:01 creatures would represent those who had received the gospel... 04:04 who had heard the gospel... and had life 04:06 but now they're dying... 04:08 Ivor: Because Jesus had said in His gospel commission... 04:10 "go and preach the gospel to every creature... " 04:13 so "creature" is not... again we are ... 04:15 talking about this is not literal... so... 04:18 we're not talking about one- third of fish in the sea dying, 04:21 we're talking about one-third of the creatures 04:23 so we have one-third... 04:25 James: Among the nations and peoples and tongues of these... 04:26 Ivor: Right... right... so here's the interesting thing 04:28 is that God... Jesus, in His commission, 04:31 had sent His people really... into the sea... 04:35 and what I mean by that is into the peoples, nations, 04:38 multitudes and tongues, 04:39 they were then to take the gospel 04:41 and take it into the world and spread that gospel, 04:44 they were to preach to every... 04:45 every creature in the sea, as it were, 04:49 they were to win the... 04:50 win people to the gospel of Christ, 04:52 so, I think what we're seeing here 04:54 is that... there is a reference to a group of people 04:58 right, who were Christians that something begins... 05:01 Believers... that something begins to happen to them 05:05 within this context, within what's happening in Rome 05:09 that is ultimately going to lead us 05:10 to the third trumpet... once we get there. 05:12 James: Yeah, because Satan was once a follower of God, 05:14 he was created by God, he was a believer in God 05:17 and the angels there that were created in heaven 05:19 all believed and followed God and then they fell away 05:22 and they became the third part that he deceived 05:25 so that symbolism right here just fits perfectly 05:28 so the third part of the creatures 05:30 would not necessarily represent one-third, literally 05:33 but simply those who once believed and accepted the gospel 05:36 falling away... and we see this... 05:37 Ivor: They had life. 05:39 James: Yes, they had life... do we see this in the churches? 05:42 Do we see this history taking place in the churches? Yes. 05:45 Do we see it in the seals? Yes. 05:47 So now we're seeing it again in the trumpets, 05:50 it's going to be confirmed 05:51 when we look at the third and the fourth trumpet, 05:53 but it's beginning... the transition beginning right here 05:56 in verse 9 of the 2nd trumpet 05:58 because Rome was fallen... it leaves a vacancy... 06:01 that vacancy is going to be filled historically 06:04 by a compromise that takes place with Pagan... 06:07 Paganism and Christianity... 06:09 in order for that compromise to take place, 06:12 Christianity has to give up the faith... 06:14 which is what really is cool because it says, 06:16 ships were destroyed, now notice this, 06:17 I'm going to read these verses to you 06:19 and see if you can relate it to the ships being destroyed 06:21 these are two verses that I'm going to read to you, 06:23 here they go, first verse, 1st Timothy 1:19, 06:26 "Holding faith, and a good conscience; 06:30 which some having put away faith... 06:33 concerning faith have made shipwreck... " 06:35 and this next one, Hebrews 6:19, 06:39 "This hope in God we have as an anchor of the soul, 06:42 both sure and steadfast, 06:44 which enters the presence behind the veil... " 06:47 an anchor to the soul... anchors are related to ships 06:50 shipwreck of faith... turning away from the faith, 06:53 making shipwreck of faith, both of these verses 06:55 are implying what we see here in the symbolism 06:58 of the fact that when these creatures that had life 07:01 compromised after the fall of Pagan Rome, 07:04 they start compromising their faith with Paganism, 07:06 and Paganism starts coming in the church, 07:08 their ships... their faith is destroyed... 07:10 that's what we see taking place here. 07:12 Let me add two verses here, Revelation 18 and verse 17, 07:15 the Bible says here, "For in one hour... " 07:18 talking about Babylon... okay... 07:20 "For in one hour so great riches is come to naught. 07:23 And every shipmaster, and all the company 07:25 in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea... " 07:30 so I want to focus on that term, "trade by sea" 07:33 because the purpose of ships... they carry... 07:37 they carry goods... merchandise, 07:39 okay, so, ships represent trading, you know, 07:42 trading of goods, carrying of merchandise 07:44 from one place to another, upon the seas... right, 07:48 peoples, nations, multitudes and tongues, 07:50 let's go to Proverbs 31 and hold that thought 07:52 and we're going to look at Proverbs 31... 07:54 and in Proverbs 31... which is a beautiful chapter 07:59 because Proverbs 31 actually 08:04 is the Proverb of the virtuous woman 08:07 and it's interesting how verse 1 begins of Proverbs 31... 08:12 it says, "The words that king Lemuel... 08:14 The words of king Lemuel, 08:16 the prophecy that his mother taught him. " 08:19 Proverbs 31 is a prophecy... 08:21 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 08:23 Ivor: It actually says it right there in the first verse, 08:25 it's very interesting because what Proverbs 31 talks about... 08:28 is corrupt women and then a virtuous woman 08:33 in verses 1 through 9, it's talking about strange women 08:37 that give wine to kings and cause them to forget 08:41 what God said to remember 08:43 and then the rest of the chapter goes into, 08:46 "Who can know a virtuous woman?" 08:48 The virtuous woman is symbolic of the Church, the true church 08:53 so when you read Proverbs 31, this is a good side study 08:55 all these things it's saying about the virtuous woman 08:58 is actually describing the work of the church, 09:01 so now, notice with me verse 14, 09:03 verse 14... speaking of the church 09:06 it says, "She is like the merchants' ships; 09:09 she bringeth her food from afar. " 09:12 What is she bringing on this ship? Food... right... 09:15 Ivor: Nourishment... look down on verse 18... 09:19 James: Bread... Yvonne: Bread... 09:20 Ivor: Exactly... verse 18... 09:22 "She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: 09:24 her candle goeth not out by night. " 09:25 It's talking about merchandise here, 09:27 what's on the ship? Merchandise... food... 09:30 goods... so what happens under this... 09:34 what happens is, compromise... 09:38 a compromise of the gospel, a compromise of the living bread 09:41 those who once carried or once believed in Christ, 09:46 somehow or another... begin to fall into apostasy 09:50 and this again is a transition that we see 09:54 more fully fleshed out under the third trumpet 09:57 and the fourth trumpet. 09:58 James: Yes, but we know it begins here 09:59 because the third trumpet is going to take us right into... 10:02 the rise of this power and strength... 10:04 Ivor: As one enemy is falling... as Rome is falling... 10:08 in which were the second enemies of God's people, 10:11 remember Jerusalem... first enemies... 10:13 they fall... then the new enemy becomes Rome, 10:16 as Rome is falling... 10:17 Satan is already working on a new enemy. 10:19 He's like, "Oh man! I'm losing Rome... what are you guys doing" 10:23 okay, he's got to transition to a new enemy 10:25 and what we're going to see and I think it's important 10:27 for us to point out James is that... 10:29 remember from our paralleling of the churches and the seals, 10:34 we know that church number 3, church number 4, church number 5 10:40 and church number 6, 10:41 all cover about the span of the Dark Ages, 10:44 and a little bit beyond... 10:46 there's one dominant force in the Dark Ages, 10:49 it's the Papal System... 10:51 so what can we know just what can we know 10:53 before even going into the other trumpets? 10:55 Is that trumpet number 3, number 4, number 5 and number 6 11:03 must all deal with the same enemy 11:06 because the same enemy is present 11:08 throughout the entire Dark Ages, you see what I'm saying? 11:12 So, all these entities that are going to arise, 11:14 are going to be somehow connected 11:17 with the main adversary who... 11:19 from the third church on downward... is the Papal System, 11:24 so we know who we're looking for 11:26 but we need to know what we're looking for. 11:28 James: Now I want us to go back to another verse... 11:31 another series of verses 11:32 that also parallel the Book of Revelation 11:35 and the prophecies of Daniel as well as Matthew, Mark and Luke 11:39 and that is 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 11:42 and we're going to look at a few verses here because 11:44 this is going to be a summary of what we just talked about 11:46 so now we're summarizing everything we talked about 11:48 but we're going to do it in the words of Paul 11:50 so, so, Jason read for us if you get to 2nd Thessalonians 11:55 chapter 2... I'm going to pick on you here, 11:57 I want you to read for us 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 12:01 and I want you to read verses 1 through 7... 12:06 yeah, 1 through 7... 12:09 Jason: Okay, "Now we beseech you, brethren, 12:12 by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, 12:14 and by our gathering together unto him, 12:16 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, 12:20 neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter 12:23 as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 12:26 Let no man deceive you by any means: 12:28 for that day shall not come, 12:30 except there come falling away first, 12:33 and that man of sin be revealed, 12:35 the son of perdition; 12:37 Who opposeth and exalteth himself 12:40 above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; 12:43 so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, 12:46 shewing himself that he is God. 12:48 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, 12:52 I told you these things? 12:53 And now ye know what withholdeth 12:56 that he might be revealed in his time. 12:59 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: 13:04 only he who now letteth will let, 13:07 until he be taken out of the way. " 13:10 James: Okay, this is the prophecy 13:13 that fits in these verses and let me just explain it for you, 13:17 Paul here is reassuring the church in Thessalonica 13:22 that the second coming of Christ 13:24 is not going to happen right in their day 13:26 because he had written the first letter 13:27 and some people had fallen asleep 13:29 and he said, "Don't be troubled about this, 13:31 we which are alive and remain 13:33 will be caught up together with them, 13:34 they won't proceed us... 13:36 oh, we're going to be alive when Jesus comes... " 13:38 so then he writes in the 2nd letter and he says, 13:39 "Don't be troubled or deceived, even as a letter from us 13:44 as though Christ is coming immediately... 13:46 first of all... there has got to be a falling away... 13:49 there's going to be a big apostasy 13:50 that's going to take place within the church... " 13:52 this is what he's saying and the reason why 13:55 this apostasy is going to take place... 13:57 he's basing it actually on the Book of Daniel... 13:59 the prophecies of Daniel... we're not going to look at that, 14:01 but here is the point he's making, 14:03 this is going to take place 14:05 and this apostasy is going to lead to a person 14:08 who exalts himself in the place of God 14:10 but this person is not going to be revealed yet, 14:14 here's the key verse... verse 6... 14:17 "You know what withholdeth... what withholds him 14:22 from being revealed in his time. 14:24 For the mystery of iniquity is already working... 14:27 the mystery of iniquity is this apostasy, 14:29 it's already working but he who now lets will let 14:32 until he be taken out of the way. " 14:34 In other words Pagan Rome was standing in the way 14:37 of the emergence of this power... 14:40 this mystery of iniquity and Paul was saying 14:43 because Paul lived in that time 14:44 when Pagan Rome was a prominent power, 14:46 he was saying, "Now this Pagan Roman power 14:48 is going to continue to hold that back 14:50 not until it's taken out of the way, 14:52 will this other power be revealed. " 14:54 That's basically what he's saying. 14:55 Ivor: When that mountain falls, that falling away 14:59 not only referenced as an apostasy 15:02 but also the power... that power 15:05 being moved out of the way... cast into the sea... 15:07 that would create or prepare the way 15:10 for the rise of the papacy... 15:12 so we're talking about a fall of a kingdom 15:15 but also a falling away... an apostasy of the church. 15:20 Yvonne: Hmmm... 15:21 James: That's what Paul is talking about here. 15:23 and that's why he calls him the "son of perdition" 15:25 you know that phrase... 15:26 who that phrase refers to... "the son of perdition?" 15:28 It refers to Judas... 15:30 Yvonne: Oh... 15:32 James: Judas was called the son of perdition 15:33 so again, the same thing that Ivor brought up 15:35 in relation to Satan and these stars... 15:38 the third part of the stars... 15:40 third part representing those 15:41 who were once faithful are deceived, 15:43 Judas... son of perdition... represents those who are 15:46 faithful "professed follower of Christ" 15:49 "professed disciple of Christ" 15:50 Judas was following Jesus... following Jesus... but... 15:52 but then he betrays Him... "the son of perdition" 15:55 so you've got this phrase describing this power, 15:58 this ministry of iniquity that's going to rise up 16:00 in the place of Pagan Rome, it's going to rise up 16:03 it's "the son of perdition... " that professes to follow Christ 16:06 but actually deceives Christ, actually betrays Christ... 16:10 it actually compromises the truth of the gospel. 16:13 So this is a summary of basically 16:14 what's happening here in verse 9... 16:16 Ivor: I think it's important for us to point out as well 16:19 that this compromise... in part... 16:23 is due to Constantine's invitation to Christianity 16:28 right, while the Roman Empire was still standing 16:32 Constantine basically makes Christianity the... 16:35 James: Popular... Ivor: The State Religion 16:39 and there's something dangerous that happens 16:43 when you begin to unite Church with State. 16:47 The Church that had just been persecuted... 16:51 under persecution... they were totally... 16:54 yeah, they were totally different... characteristic... 16:57 they were pure... and the moment that it seems like, 17:01 "Oh, we're about to be exalted... " 17:03 so remember under the third church, 17:06 the church Pergamos... it means "exaltation" 17:10 and it is when Rome basically 17:14 extends its hand to... to Christianity 17:17 and says, "Will you marry me?" that's what's going on there. 17:22 The husband of the church is Christ, 17:24 the protector of the church is Christ 17:27 but when the church saw Rome extend its hand, 17:30 it said, "Oh, man, we can have a king over us... 17:32 we can have someone protecting us... " 17:35 they... it's... it's... in a sense... 17:37 they stopped depending upon Christ for protection 17:43 and said, "We think Constantine 17:45 might be able to protect us better... " 17:46 and in any marriage you've got to give and take... 17:49 so, that's what begins to happen... 17:51 you begin to have this give and take... 17:53 this compromise of principles that basically 17:58 brings about a compromise of the gospel. 18:02 James: Which by-the-way I want to emphasize that 18:04 that's really good in marriage, 18:06 it's really good to have give-and-take in marriage. 18:07 Ivor: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 18:09 James: As long as you don't marry an unbeliever... 18:10 marrying an unbeliever and see that's what's happening here, 18:13 the church is marrying an unbeliever 18:15 so the give and take isn't... is not appropriate. 18:17 All right, so we move to verse 10? 18:18 Ivor: Yeah. 18:20 James; Okay, now we're going to move into the third trumpet 18:22 we've seen this marrying taking place 18:25 between paganism and the church, 18:27 we've seen the compromise beginning 18:29 as we move into the third trumpet 18:30 we can expect that to continue and to get even stronger 18:33 in its revelation, so, 18:35 Yvonne, would you read for us Revelation chapter 8 18:37 and let's read verses 10 and 11. 18:40 Yvonne: Sure... "And the third angel sounded, 18:43 and there fell a great star from heaven, 18:45 burning as it were a lamp, 18:46 and it fell upon the third of the rivers 18:49 and upon the fountains of waters; 18:51 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: 18:54 and the third part of the waters became wormwood: 18:57 and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. " 19:01 James: Okay... so... so... moving into this, 19:04 we have basically seen a compromise take place, 19:07 we've seen deception take place... 19:09 it's coming into the church 19:10 and now we're going to see that thing growing. 19:13 The third angel sounds and we have this star from heaven. 19:16 Who is this "star from heaven burning as it were a lamp" 19:18 what does it mean that he's burning as it were a lamp? 19:22 I think the first thing that we need to look at here 19:25 is some of the symbolism... 19:26 one of the things that I've noticed about the Bible is... 19:29 it's pretty consistent in its symbols... 19:32 the star falling from heaven, 19:35 we look in Revelation chapter 12 and we note that 19:38 Satan and his followers are all likened to stars. 19:41 They're all symbolized as stars 19:43 and even Jesus said, "I saw Satan as lightening 19:47 falling from heaven... " so we've got this bright light, 19:50 we've got stars... all of them symbolizing Satan 19:53 and then it says, "he's burning, as it were, a lamp. " 19:57 What does that mean "as it were a lamp?" 19:59 There's a verse in Psalms that says, Psalm 119, I think, 20:03 it's verse 105 it says... "Thy word... " 20:05 Yvonne: "is a lamp unto my feet" 20:07 James: Yes... "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" 20:09 could this verse be describing the work of Satan 20:12 coming into the church... burning as it were a lamp 20:16 Ivor: False light... 20:17 James: False light... Yvonne: Hmmm... 20:19 James: False light... pretending like Judas, 20:23 to follow Christ... to be a follower of Christ... 20:26 to hold forth the word of truth 20:27 but in a sense... compromising that truth, 20:29 see we saw a lot of compromising taking place 20:31 usually if you're honest with yourself, 20:33 if you don't want to accept the word of God 20:35 or if you want to compromise the word of God, 20:37 you're just going to walk away from faith, 20:39 but to try to hold on to both, to try to actually 20:43 hold on the Word of God and at the same time 20:45 to follow the principles of the world... that's compromise 20:49 and Satan is a master at doing this. 20:51 What does he do with Christ when he's in the wilderness? 20:53 All: Tempts him... 20:55 James: Tempts him... how does he tempt in the 2nd time, 20:56 what does he say to Him? 20:57 "It is written... " "The Bible says... " 21:01 and what does Christ do when He responds to that temptation? 21:05 Christ says, "It is written... " again... 21:08 "It is written... " again... so God's people continue 21:12 to rely upon the Word, even though sometimes 21:14 that Word comes to them in the form of compromise 21:16 and I think that's what we see taking place here 21:18 we've got this angel, 21:20 this star from heaven... I should say... 21:21 angel... bringing it as it were a lamp 21:23 and it fell upon the third part of the rivers 21:25 and upon the fountains of waters 21:27 what do we have taking place in those verses? 21:29 Ivor: So the rivers and the fountains of waters 21:32 obviously from the context of... 21:35 represent that's where you get, that's where you drink from, 21:38 the Bible says men died from the waters 21:40 because they were made bitter, they drank these waters. 21:45 It's a symbol of the gospel, okay, it's a symbol of waters 21:49 often used in the Bible to symbolize the water of life, 21:53 the refreshing of the gospel 21:57 and so, when you put this together, 21:59 fallen angel... like a burning lamp... 22:01 that poisons the waters causing men to die. 22:07 What you have here is a poisoning of the gospel, 22:11 a perverting of the gospel. 22:13 There's a verse I want to look at, 22:16 it's in Exodus 15 verse 22, 22:18 it actually parallels this in an amazing way. 22:23 In Exodus 15 verses 22 to 26 and... 22:29 could you read that for us Yvonne? 22:33 Yvonne: Sure. 22:35 Ivor: Chapter 15, verses 22 to 26. 22:39 Yvonne: 22... ooops... 22 to 26... 22:44 "So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, 22:47 and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; 22:49 and they went three days in the wilderness, 22:52 and found no water. 22:53 And when they came to Marah, 22:55 they could not drink of the waters of Marah, 22:56 for they were bitter 22:58 therefore the name of it was called Marah. 23:00 And the people murmured against Moses saying, 23:03 What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord; 23:06 and the Lord shewed him a tree, 23:08 which when he had cast into the waters, 23:10 the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute 23:14 and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 23:17 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken 23:20 to the voice of the LORD thy God, 23:21 and will do that which is right in his sight, 23:24 and will give ear to his commandments, 23:26 and keep all his statutes, 23:28 I will put none of these diseases upon thee 23:30 which I have brought upon the Egyptians: 23:33 for I am the LORD, that heareth thee. " 23:35 Ivor: All right... so this is where you got the verse. 23:36 Yvonne: Yeah. 23:38 Ivor: Because here you have these waters that are... 23:39 that were bitter and then God says, 23:43 "I want you to take a tree... " a tree... 23:47 a tree... a tree... and when the tree 23:51 is cast into the water, it's made sweet again. 23:54 The gospel of Christ is made sweet 23:56 by the sacrifice of Christ, right? 23:58 Yvonne: Oh... a tree... 23:59 Ivor: it's a sacrifice of Christ a tree... 24:01 the tree is what makes the water alive again, right, 24:05 so, what you have here 24:06 is a "Cross-less religion," a Christless religion... 24:10 something that's been compromised, 24:11 the water is bitter and men who come to drink, 24:14 they die from the water instead of gaining life. 24:18 And then he says, "Look, if you will diligently 24:21 hearken to the voice of the LORD your God 24:22 and do that which is right 24:24 and will keep his commandments... " 24:25 you're not going to suffer... 24:27 you're not going to have these diseases 24:29 come upon you that make you die. 24:30 Yvonne: Right... Ivor: Bitter waters... 24:32 He's relating it to not keeping His commandments. 24:36 Sweet waters... the testimony of Jesus Christ 24:41 and the commandments of God. 24:43 So what you have here is that... 24:45 this... under this trumpet, 24:47 you have this poisoning of the gospel, 24:50 this removing of Christ from the religion of Christianity 24:53 and this compromising of the commandments of God 24:56 which is exactly what happened in the time of Constantine. 24:59 James: Okay, I want to give us a few Bible verses 25:03 just to back up everything we've said 25:05 because we've opened up the verse, powerfully, 25:09 it's very clear to me that... that this is the... 25:12 the consequence of the fall of Pagan Rome, 25:14 compromise taking place, moving in now... 25:16 Satan's moving into the church, 25:18 we've identified the symbols, 25:19 let's just look at a few Bible verses, 25:21 in the few minutes we have remaining, 25:24 first of all, Luke 10:18 says, 25:25 "I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven" 25:30 so the lamp... from heaven... the star from heaven 25:33 burning as it were a lamp... the star from heaven 25:36 so this is backing up the fact 25:38 that Satan is the star coming from heaven, 25:40 in Revelation 12:4 his tail drew the part of the stars of heaven, 25:44 there's the angel... symbolizes the stars 25:47 and then Lucifer is described in Isaiah 14:12 25:49 "How have you fallen from heaven, O star of the morning! 25:52 son of the dawn... you have been cut down to the earth, 25:56 you have weakened the nations. " 25:57 So these are three Bible verses 25:59 that are really going to nail it for us 26:01 as far as identifying the star that has fallen from heaven, 26:03 the next one I want us to look at 26:06 is Psalm 119:105... gave the reference, 26:09 "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" 26:11 and we know from Christ's experience in the wilderness, 26:14 Satan uses the Bible to try to compromise faith, 26:17 he's not just against the Bible, 26:19 he's actually taking the Bible up 26:21 he's trying to use it to compromise the faith. 26:22 And notice this, this is in Isaiah 62 verse 1, 26:26 it's talking about how salvation goes forth as a lamp that burns. 26:29 So, counterfeit salvation... 26:32 Isaiah 62:1, "Thy righteousness 26:35 and thy salvation goes forth as a lamp that burns. " 26:38 So he is trying to bring another salvation... 26:40 a different salvation... compromise the salvation... 26:43 and then it says, 26:44 "He falls upon and takes hold of the rivers 26:47 and the fountains of waters" 26:49 now, look at this verse, this is Proverbs 21:1... 26:52 "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, 26:54 as the rivers of water... " 26:56 so rivers of water represent kings' hearts, 26:59 He comes upon the hearts of kings, 27:01 of course, the woman sits on many waters 27:03 and then there is another verse in Proverbs 25:26, 27:07 "A righteous man falling down before the wicked 27:09 is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring. " 27:12 The compromise... falling down before the wicked, 27:15 a troubled fountain... a corrupt spring... 27:17 so, all the symbolism is here and there's... there's... 27:19 Ivor: Let's add there, Amos 8, 27:21 where Christ talks about a famine, 27:23 not of bread nor of water but of hearing the Word of the Lord, 27:27 water... again symbolizing the hearing of the Word of the Lord 27:31 we could take that back to the third church or the third seal 27:35 where you have a famine in the land... 27:39 you see this connection again that this is talking about 27:42 the taking away of that which was truth. 27:45 James: Okay, we're out of time and we haven't... 27:47 there's more... there's still more 27:49 so we're not going to do the next one yet, 27:50 we'll transition into it as we finish up right here 27:54 because I want to talk a bit more about this wormwood... 27:55 and understand what that means. 27:56 Ivor: Yes... yes... Yvonne: Great... 27:58 James: We'll do that when we come back. 27:59 Yvonne: Yeah. |
Revised 2016-11-21