Participants: Ivor Myers (Host), James Rafferty (Host), Yvonne Lewis, Jason Bradley
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000056A
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00:31 We are surrounded by beasts.
00:33 That's true. 00:35 We are surrounded by beasts. 00:36 That's true. 00:37 We got the dragon on the table, 00:39 we got the sea beast on the table, 00:40 and we got this new one from the land, right, 00:45 so, that's where we are in the book of Revelation. 00:48 In the book of Revelation, we are surrounded by the beasts 00:50 and this is a place where people fear to tread. 00:54 It is a challenging place to be, in fact, a lot of times, 00:58 when people read the book of Revelation, 01:00 this is all they're really focusing on, 01:02 we have learned that the book of Revelation 01:04 is much larger than the beasts. 01:06 In fact, the whole book is focused on the Lamb 01:10 rather than the beasts, 01:11 but the beasts are there and they need to be dealt with, 01:14 they need to be identified, 01:15 we need to understand why God put them here, 01:18 what is this prophetic scenario that He's outlining for us 01:22 so, we're going to be talking today 01:24 a little bit more about one of those beasts 01:27 that we touched on in the last Program 01:28 but we want to really nail it down, 01:30 it's going to be the land beast. 01:32 We're going to be talking about America in prophecy, 01:34 we're going to be looking at the characteristics 01:36 that we identified and go a little further with them 01:39 and understand how the rest of this prophecy fills out. 01:41 That's what we want to do. 01:43 Of course, we want to start with a word of prayer, 01:45 we're not going to be looking at any questions in this program 01:47 because we just want to get right into this prophecy, 01:49 and then we'll jump right in 01:51 so, Yvonne, would you like to pray for us? 01:53 Sure, "Father, we just thank you so very much 01:56 for the privilege of opening and studying 01:58 and learning from your Word, Lord, 02:00 we're just so grateful that you've given us your Word 02:02 so that we know how this is going to play out, 02:05 thank you Lord, 02:06 and now be with us, let your Spirit rule and reign, 02:09 we pray in Jesus' name, amen. " 02:11 All: "Amen. " 02:12 So, Revelation chapter 13... 02:15 the first half of the chapter verses 1 through 10 02:18 basically are a summary of history, 02:20 now, as part of that history, as we look back... 02:23 part of that history is going to be repeated 02:24 so we see some predictions about how the world is going to 02:28 "wonder after this beast. " 02:29 We've identified this Power as the Papacy 02:32 and the reason we did that 02:33 was because it connects with Daniel chapter 7 02:36 and we looked at all the characteristics 02:38 of those powers that went before... 02:39 Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome... 02:41 the characteristics of the lion, the bear, the leopard 02:45 and then the dragon and the terrible beast, 02:47 and how they all succeeded or gave their power to the Papacy, 02:53 the Papacy succeeded all of these powers 02:55 and then we identified the Papacy 02:57 as receiving this deadly wound in verse 3 of Revelation 13, 03:00 and then, it was specifically identified 03:04 as "going into captivity" 03:06 so God was very specific in the historic description 03:09 of how this Papacy would receive the deadly wound 03:12 and we looked at history, 03:13 and we found out that Berthier indeed took the Pope captive 03:16 in 1798 and he died in prison. 03:19 In this timeframe of this captivity... 1798... 03:23 we see in Revelation chapter 13 verse 11 another power 03:27 identified as a beast... 03:30 coming up out of the earth... 03:31 and this Power... this worldly Power... 03:35 this earthly kingdom is identified as a beast 03:38 in symbol... it actually means an earthly kingdom of power 03:42 according to Daniel 7:17 and 23. 03:45 The beast that you saw are kings, 03:47 the beast that you saw are kingdoms of the earth. 03:49 So this earthly kingdom is rising up about the same time 03:53 the Papacy is going into captivity 03:55 so, 1776... America was rising in prophecy 03:59 that was one of the identifying marks that we already looked at. 04:02 Hmmm... hmmm... 04:03 We looked at America rising up in the 18th century 04:06 while the Papacy was going down into captivity. 04:08 "So I saw another beast... " 04:11 and we identified this as a new kingdom. 04:12 The Papacy succeeded all these other kingdoms... 04:15 but this is a new kingdom. 04:16 Didn't have a... didn't come from a line of succession 04:19 and because it came up in the earth, 04:21 it came up in an area of the earth 04:23 that was sparsely populated. 04:25 The seas represent peoples, nations, multitudes and tongues, 04:28 the earth... a sparsely populated region 04:31 and so, another beast, a new power coming up 04:34 at a time the Papacy is going down 04:36 and coming up in a sparsely populated region of the earth. 04:39 That's what Revelation 13:11 is telling us 04:41 and then it goes on to say, "And I beheld another beast 04:44 coming up out of the earth; 04:46 and he had two horns like a lamb... " 04:48 this is a lamb-like power, 04:50 and we identified the lamb-like principles of Christ. 04:54 A Christian nation... a nation based on Christian principles... 04:58 two horns... 04:59 so the two horns that represent two aspects of this nation, 05:03 religious freedom... 05:05 religious liberty and political freedom... 05:08 civil liberties... 05:09 so we see the two horns representing 05:12 the two aspects of this Christian nation 05:15 that are incorporated into its Constitution 05:18 and into its governing powers, 05:22 and we see it also as a Christian nation 05:25 in the way that it conducts itself in relation to religion. 05:30 It allows for freedom of religion, 05:32 it allows for civil freedoms, it's not a monarchy, 05:35 it's not reigned by a king or queen. 05:38 So, five characteristics so far, 05:40 did you catch them all? 05:42 Hmmm... 05:43 Five characteristics so far, 05:45 it's a power that rises when the Papacy is going down, 05:47 it's a new power, it's a power that comes from 05:50 a sparsely populated place in the earth, 05:51 it's a Christian nation 05:53 and it has these lamb-like principles 05:55 in its civil government as well as in its Christianity, 05:58 so it's five so far. 06:00 Can you say that one more time? 06:01 Okay, it's a new nation, 06:03 it comes in a sparsely-populated place of the earth, 06:06 it comes up around the time the Papacy is going down, 06:10 it's a Christian nation... lamb-like... 06:14 lamb-like horns... 06:15 and the principles of Christianity 06:17 are incorporated into its civil power 06:19 as well as its religious power. 06:22 So, it offers religious freedom 06:24 and civil freedoms... civil liberties... 06:27 and then... go ahead. 06:28 We remember as well that this nation was basically... 06:33 as we look back in Revelation chapter 12 06:36 that when the earth opened up her mouth, 06:39 the nation was a place 06:43 where Christians who were being persecuted, 06:45 could flee for religious freedom. 06:47 Hmmm... Hmmm. 06:49 So, that again points to 06:52 this beast having the horns like a lamb. 06:55 A Christian nation... a place where people could come 06:58 and exercise their religion freely 07:01 but again, we see that... as it follows up... 07:03 it spake as a dragon... it's another identifying mark 07:08 in that, you look at the principles espoused 07:11 but the reality of what 07:14 is taking place in America at that time, 07:17 so, while they were giving freedom of religion, 07:20 you were also seeing religious persecution 07:23 by some of the very people who were like, 07:26 "Yeah, we want religious freedom. " 07:27 Yvonne: Hmmm hmmm... 07:29 Ivor: So you got these underlying principles... 07:31 looks like a lamb... but speaks... 07:36 "Oh Man! is that really 07:38 following the principles that it espoused?" 07:42 So, anyway. 07:44 James: And I think that's a really good point Ivor, 07:46 because... for our listeners... 07:48 sometimes when you look at the history of America, 07:50 you think, "Well, how can you say that's a Christian nation, 07:52 how can you say they have all those freedoms? 07:54 Well, here, the identifying characteristic here is 07:57 also, that it speaks like a dragon. 07:58 Hmmm... hmmm... Hmmm... 08:00 And so you have this mixture of the two that... 08:02 that I think is going to tilt toward the dragon more and more 08:05 as time goes on and we're seeing that... 08:07 we're seeing that. 08:09 So, that's why it says, 08:10 "first of all, it looks like a lamb 08:11 and then second of all, it speaks like a dragon... 08:13 so we're moving in that direction 08:16 and then it says, in verse 12, 08:18 Jason, can you read that for us, Revelation 13:12? 08:21 Sure. "And he exerciseth 08:23 all the power of the first beast before him, 08:25 and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein 08:28 to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. " 08:31 Okay, now, this is a characteristic 08:34 that we didn't really look at yesterday 08:37 and that's why I really thought it would be good for us 08:39 during our last program 08:40 and that's why I really thought it would be good for us 08:41 to follow up with this and that is... 08:45 is that... this power now is identified 08:48 as being able to cause the earth... 08:51 it says here, "it causes them that dwell on the earth 08:56 to worship the first beast. " 08:57 You know what that means? 08:59 That means, this power has to have 09:01 world-wide dominion... 09:04 Hmmm... Hmmm. 09:05 It has to be a power that you might say 09:07 what we would call today, it has to be a "super power... " 09:10 a super power. 09:11 Now, what's really interesting to me about Bible prophecy... 09:14 and I want to pause here for just a second, 09:16 this book of Revelation was written, 09:19 2,000 years ago... 09:21 Daniel's prophecy is even longer 09:25 and yet it is laying out for us point by point 09:30 the very characteristics of the "powers that be" today. 09:33 The major players... 09:35 the end-time players of Bible Prophecy 09:38 are being identified in Revelation chapter 13, 09:40 the Papacy and the United States 09:43 and when you look at the world today, 09:45 even though we're confused, perhaps, about Islam... 09:47 or confused, perhaps, about Russia, 09:50 former USSR or China, 09:52 when you look at the world today, 09:54 these powers are coming to the top, 09:57 they are coming to the top, 09:58 and it's not a surprise to us. 10:01 In 1984 when I accepted Christ as my personal Savior, 10:07 I was raised Catholic, 10:09 I was raised believing in God... going to church every Sunday 10:12 I was raised in that kind of environment 10:15 but I didn't really understand the Bible... 10:18 of Christ as my personal Savior 10:19 and when I started studying the Bible, 10:22 studying Bible prophecy with these Adventists, 10:24 and they started telling me about this idea 10:27 that, the Papacy... the Papacy and the United States 10:30 in 1984... the dominant power in the world 10:34 was not the United States, 10:36 there was a Cold War going on 10:38 and the dominant power in the world... 10:40 the power that seemed to be encircling the globe 10:42 was the USSR... do you remember the USSR? 10:45 Jason, you remember the USSR, do you remember the USSR? 10:48 Jason: I remember it... I remember it. 10:50 James: And so, for me, it was a test of faith 10:54 I had to accept by faith 10:55 the interpretation of Revelation 13 10:57 that these Adventists were throwing at me, 10:58 and the reason why I did it was because 11:00 Daniel was so clear... 11:02 the outline of prophecy preceding this was so clear, 11:05 it was like, "Well, if all this was right, 11:07 the rest must be right too. " 11:09 But it was still an exercise of faith, 11:11 "the substance of things hoped for, 11:12 the evidence of things not seen" 11:13 because when I looked at the world, 11:15 it just wasn't happening. 11:16 But now, now... today... the USSR goes down in 1989 11:23 and all of a sudden, one power looms... 11:25 now that power is still at odds, you understand, 11:27 back then, it was still at odds with the Papacy, 11:30 they weren't really connecting, 11:31 you know, when Ronald Reagan was President, 11:33 it was... he wanted an ambassador to the Vatican, 11:36 it was illegal, 11:38 the United States had never had an ambassador to the Vatican 11:41 they never recognized them as a country... 11:43 as a state... it was illegal... 11:44 they had to change the laws 11:46 to get an ambassador to the Vatican, 11:48 that's how... that's how... separated 11:50 the United States and the Papacy were back then 11:53 because in the early history, 11:55 Protestant America was very much against Catholics, 12:00 very much against Catholics. 12:01 So now you've got this unity taking place, 12:03 the Pope comes and he addresses Congress... 12:05 three Presidents go to the funeral of John Paul the 2nd. 12:08 This is what we're talking about in the book of Revelation, 12:12 Revelation 13 is showing us the development of a union 12:15 because this Power... in Revelation 13 verse 12, 12:18 it says, "this power... " let's read it again... 12:20 "And he exercises all the power of the first beast... " 12:22 that's the Papacy... 12:24 "and causes the earth and them that dwell therein 12:25 to worship the first beast. " 12:26 Whoa... so now you have a unity that's taking place, 12:30 you have one power... earthly power... America... 12:33 actually causing the world... 12:36 the entire world to worship the first beast 12:38 and then we get into this 12:40 development of the Mark of the Beast 12:41 but the first I want us to look at is 12:42 first of all, there has to be a worldwide dominant power, 12:45 right, what else does it have to have? 12:48 It has to have worldwide dominance on a military level, 12:52 but it also... it also has to have 12:55 another kind of worldwide dominance 12:57 let's continue reading these verses, 12:59 Yvonne, would you read for us... 13:01 Ivor: I was going to say, 13:03 I think that this worldwide dominance 13:06 is also going to include religious dominance 13:09 because it forces the whole world to do what? 13:12 to worship... 13:13 so, even though, again, 13:16 we're looking at this different religious conflicts 13:19 in the world today and it looks like, 13:21 "Wow! this really is boiling down to a religion 13:24 in a lot of different ways but, the Bible prophecies 13:28 that, in the end, the religion of this Country 13:33 is going to basically flood the whole world 13:37 which is not a good thing. 13:39 as we will see... as we go into prophecy because 13:42 the religion that they're pushing 13:44 is leading to the worship of the first beast... 13:50 okay, which is different from the worship of the Lamb. 13:53 So, just an important point to keep in mind. 13:57 James: All right, let's pick up with verse 13 14:01 Yvonne, would you like to read 13 and onward for us? 14:05 Yvonne: Sure, "He performs great signs, 14:07 so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth 14:11 in the sight of men, 14:12 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs 14:15 which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast; 14:18 telling those who dwell on the earth, 14:20 to make an image to the beast 14:22 who was wounded by the sword, and lived. 14:25 He was granted power 14:26 to give breath to the image of the beast, 14:28 that the image of the beast should both speak 14:30 and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast 14:34 to be killed, 14:35 he causes all, both small and great, 14:38 rich and poor, free and slave, 14:40 to receive a mark on their right hand, 14:42 or on their foreheads: 14:44 And that no one may buy or sell, except one who has the mark, 14:48 or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 14:51 Here is wisdom, 14:52 Let him who has understanding 14:54 calculate the number of the beast: 14:56 for it is the number of a man; his number is 666." 15:00 James: Hmmm... I remember. Yvonne: It's deep isn't it? 15:04 James: Yeah, I remember when I was a kid... I mean, younger, 15:07 "Let's go... let's study Revelation 13... 15:10 666... what is it?" 15:11 You know, curiosity... 15:13 and I think God draws us to this for that purpose 15:16 through that means to awaken our minds... 15:18 to understand some of these principles. 15:21 One of the characteristics that we see here 15:24 and I don't know if you caught it is... 15:26 "no man can buy or sell. " 15:28 Yvonne: Yeah. 15:29 James: It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. 15:31 Yvonne: That's right, years ago, I used to think, 15:33 "How could that happen, because how could you stop someone 15:38 from buying or selling?" Ah ha... yellow card... 15:42 if they shut that card down, you can't... you can't function. 15:48 You know, your debit card that accesses your bank 15:52 and we are moving to a cashless society 15:56 because I never... ask Jason, I never have cash on me, ever... 16:00 because we don't carry cash anymore 16:04 and so, whereas... like you James, 16:08 years ago, even though I'm much older than you... 16:11 but years ago, I used to wonder "You know how...?" 16:14 James: You don't look like it. 16:16 Yvonne: Awww... see that's why I love you guys, see... I know 16:19 no points... but no... but seriously... 16:23 I wondered how could we get to a place where... 16:27 where that could be enforced? James: I did too. 16:30 Yvonne: And now I see it's... it's coming... 16:33 Yvonne: It is... it's coming before our very eyes. 16:36 James: My son recently got his car broken into, 16:38 he came home hungry, just off work... 16:41 all day long, went into the house to eat 16:44 locked his car up, went back out... 16:46 a friend drove by... he said, "Hey, your trunk's open... " 16:49 went back out... someone had broken into the car, 16:51 stole his wallet, his wallet was stolen there, 16:53 all his identification, his bank card, 16:55 his social security card, driver's license... 16:58 so what's the situation right now... 17:00 well, they started accessing his accounts, 17:02 they started setting up false credit cards 17:05 moving money out... all kinds of... 17:07 so we had to shut everything down 17:08 but he has no money... he has no way of... 17:11 so I have to work with him to get him cash 17:15 because he has no way of accessing any of that 17:19 because all his ID is gone, 17:21 I mean, these guys were so on this, 17:23 they went to Target with his card 17:25 bought $300 worth of stuff and then they would deny it 17:29 because his card was shut down, 17:30 they went back... they called the bank, 17:33 they said, "I found my card" 17:34 went back to Target the next day... 17:36 put 400 bucks on the card and it went right through. 17:38 Yvonne: Wow! 17:40 James: That's what... how they're working it... 17:41 so we had to shut down everything 17:43 so, he doesn't have any cash, 17:45 he goes to the bank, he doesn't have any ID 17:48 no way of doing anything... or proving anything 17:51 he lost his identity and so he's stuck. 17:56 He can't put gas in his car, he can't do anything, 17:58 so you're right, it's just... 18:01 and here's the deal... the characteristic is 18:03 this power has to have worldwide economic control 18:09 so, what is the power in the world today 18:12 that has economic dominance... economic... 18:14 see that's what we're looking at right here 18:17 so these are two added characteristics 18:19 that tell us 18:20 that this has got to be the United States of America. 18:23 You've got all of the history there that fits perfectly 18:25 but then you've got a power 18:26 that's coming to the top economically 18:27 and you've got another power that's coming to the top 18:29 that's connected with the Papacy that's coming to the top 18:32 and has the military might to enforce this... 18:36 they've got to have military might 18:38 and they've got to have economic might 18:39 and so, yeah, we can get confused and we think, 18:42 "Well no... what about China? What about... you know... " 18:44 that's true... these guys... but in the long run 18:48 stick to the Bible, 18:49 stick to what Bible Prophecy tells us... 18:51 because when you look at the United States, 18:53 the United States has done a major... 18:56 an incredible job of holding on to its resources... 19:00 depleting the resources of other nations 19:02 and allowing "self" to have reserves 19:05 that far surpass any other nation 19:07 and that's what is going to take it... right on through 19:09 I think when you look at this prophecy, 19:11 right on through to the very end. 19:12 We're going to see those hold it out. 19:14 Ivor: I think there's another important thing 19:17 for us to focus on as we look at this description 19:20 because... and we mentioned this in the previous program 19:23 but the lamb-like beast... 19:27 horns of a lamb... speaks as a dragon 19:29 it represents... it represents America as a nation 19:33 but it even gets more specific 19:35 and it actually represents Protestantism 19:38 okay, in other words, it is... it is Protestantism 19:44 what we call "Apostate Protestantism" 19:47 that actually speaks like a lamb 19:50 but does what? Acts like a dragon 19:53 and so, we look at what's going on today in America, right 19:57 you've got the Religious Right and you've got... 20:00 the... what they call the Liberal Left... 20:04 and it seems like there's this war of culture 20:08 right, you know, abortion, same-sex marriage... 20:11 it seems like they are just pushing... as it were 20:15 against Christianity... 20:16 and "we don't want Christianity" but this is so key 20:20 because, you see, part of the reason, 20:24 in fact this... I'm going to say that the "Left" exists 20:28 I should say this, "the anti-Christian sentiment 20:34 in America exists 20:35 because of the Christian element in America. " 20:38 Yvonne: Hmmm... explain it... unpack it. 20:40 Ivor: Okay, let me unpack it, 20:41 so, when the world looks at Christ, 20:44 they want to see something that looks like a lamb 20:48 and acts like a lamb. 20:51 James: Speaks like a lamb. Ivor: Speaks like a lamb 20:53 but when they look at today's Christianity, 20:57 and they see hypocrisy, what do they usually say? 21:02 "Well, if that's what a Christian is, 21:03 then I don't want anything to do with it" 21:05 right, and that's the biggest... biggest argument... 21:08 Christians that just... they act like worldlings... 21:11 whatever... they're against abortion 21:14 but they don't mind doing a whole bunch of other things, 21:17 do you see what I'm saying? 21:18 They don't mind not helping... we don't want to help, you know, 21:20 "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps... " 21:23 all that whole philosophy 21:24 so, we have this culture war going on, 21:27 we see the liberal element in America 21:31 looking like it's gaining the ascendency 21:33 but the Bible tells us... and I mean, 21:36 this is just so amazing 21:37 because I know in the last five... six years, 21:41 I've looked at the anti-Christian element 21:44 in this Nation and I'm going, 21:45 "Man! I know what the prophecy says 21:48 but it just looks like we're getting swallowed up, Man! 21:53 This is... and... and... " 21:54 so you have this thought that 21:57 "Man! Christianity is just going down, 21:59 people are leaving the church, blah, blah, blah... " 22:01 but guess what? As you look at what's going on, 22:05 as you look at societies, 22:06 you look at this backlash against 22:09 the liberal element in America, 22:12 like, I'm just blown away like... 22:14 "What, where did this come from?" 22:16 "Oh yeah, it came from the Bible... " 22:17 right, so, when you see this 22:19 "horns of a lamb... speak as a dragon... " 22:21 and you realize, this is speaking about a Christianity 22:25 that professes to serve Christ but it's acting like a dragon 22:30 it's speaking like a dragon and here's the thing, 22:33 and it talks about making an image to the beast, 22:36 okay, the beast... the first beast... what was it? 22:39 It was a Church and a State together... 22:42 it was an entity that believed in Church-State... 22:46 the Church and State should be united 22:48 and those who do not agree with the church, 22:51 should have civil penalties... 22:54 they should not have the same civil rights. 22:57 So, what do you see happening today? 22:59 You see the Christian element in America 23:03 seeking to turn this nation back to God 23:07 through civil authority 23:09 so "we got to get our own judges in... 23:11 we've got to get our own people into office 23:15 so, that way... we can legislate morality" 23:18 and this is what you find going on in Revelation 13, 23:22 you see this trend of... 23:24 "No, no, no... " you hear people arguing, 23:25 "there is no such thing as separation of Church and State, 23:27 I mean... no, no, no... 23:29 if we want this Nation to be a righteous Nation 23:31 we've got to turn this Nation back to God... " 23:33 and, in a sense, yes, 23:35 we do want to turn the nation back to God... but guess what? 23:37 The way to turn this Nation back to God 23:39 is through the Word of God, not through legislative... 23:43 not through forcing... not through dictating... 23:46 "this is what righteousness is" 23:48 but God has commissioned us to preach the gospel 23:51 right, and so, when you see this element... 23:54 because the dragon uses force, 23:56 the dragon is always about force, 23:58 so when you see this lamb-like beast 24:01 wanting to use the Government, 24:04 wanting to use force to back up its claims, 24:10 this is what you see happening in Revelation 13. 24:12 So, Revelation 13 is actually... 24:15 if you read Revelation 13 and the Right... 24:16 you can look at what's going on the in the world today and go, 24:18 "Whoa, this is Revelation 13 being fulfilled... " 24:21 and just in case you thought 24:23 the Liberal element was going to overtake this Country, 24:29 no... you know... both are being deceived by the enemy of God. 24:33 Yvonne: That's what I see too. 24:35 Ivor: Both are being deceived by the enemy of God 24:38 but one is... it's like... the devil has two masks... 24:41 and both masks... he puts on... 24:44 in order to really, in essence, 24:47 draw people away from God. 24:48 Yvonne: That's right. 24:49 Ivor: So either, "Hey, Man! if that's what a Christian is... 24:51 I don't want anything to do with it" 24:52 or, "You guys! You don't believe in God... 24:56 you don't believe in the Bible and because of that, 24:58 God's going to burn you up forever and ever and ever 25:00 and ever and ever because He loves you... " 25:01 Yvonne: You go... "What?" 25:03 Ivor: "Wait a minute... wait a minute... wait a minute, 25:05 this is a God of love who burns people forever and ever 25:07 and ever and ever so... " 25:08 you know... and so you have this confusion, 25:11 you have this confusion and this is what's going on, 25:14 people are being polarized and you see that polarization 25:18 happening... they're either going for one deception 25:21 or the other... or they're like, 25:23 "I like this deception better than that deception" 25:25 but it's both deception... 25:27 Yvonne: And as Danny said, 25:28 "The devil doesn't care which side of the boat you fall out on 25:30 as long as you fall out. " 25:32 Ivor: Exactly. 25:33 Yvonne: And I think that it... it's what we see... 25:36 it's what we see in the news every day. 25:38 Ivor: Yeah. 25:39 Yvonne: This polarization... 25:41 this thing where you're on this side or this side... 25:44 Ivor: And so, we're told that 25:46 this side will win out in the end, 25:48 right, and when it wins out in the end, guess what? 25:52 I mean, you know, "It looks Christian... 25:56 but in fact it speaks as a dragon. " 26:00 Jason: People want to pull God out of everything 26:03 and then wonder why we have so many problems today. 26:07 James: This is a good point 26:09 and I really want us to look at this, 26:11 Revelation 13 is where we are, Romans 13 is another chapter 26:14 that would really help us with 26:16 the discussion we're having right now, 26:17 Romans 13 tells us the balance with Government and Civil Law 26:24 in relation to religion 26:25 now, Romans 13 is written by Paul when Nero is ruling 26:30 he's the "President" in office 26:35 and he outlines for us here, 26:39 and I'm just going to give a quick overview of this chapter, 26:41 the outline is for us here... a good balance in relation to 26:44 laws that should be followed in relation to Government 26:49 that don't contradict religious freedom 26:53 and the laws that have to be enacted are summarized 26:56 in Romans chapter 13 and verses 9 and 10. 27:01 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 27:03 James: Jason... I'll read it because I'm there... 27:05 you're not there yet, okay, "For this... " Romans 13:9 27:08 "that thou shalt not commit adultery, 27:11 Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, 27:12 Thou shalt not bear false witness, 27:14 and thou shalt not covet; 27:15 and if there be any other commandment, 27:17 it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, 27:18 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. " 27:20 Now we only have a few seconds left 27:22 so I just want to just make this point 27:24 and we can build on it in our next time together, 27:26 Paul here is talking about 27:29 how we should relate to Government and its laws 27:32 and he quotes from the commandments of God 27:34 but he never quotes from the first four 27:36 and then he says, "If there's any other commandment, 27:41 it is briefly comprehended in this... 27:43 'thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself... '" 27:44 which again, only allows us to relate to the last six 27:48 but not the first four. 27:49 We're going to stop right there because we're out of time 27:51 but we're going to pick this up because this is a gem... gem... 27:55 that we need to look at in relation to Revelation 13. 27:57 All right, so we'll pick up right here when we come back. 27:59 Yvonne: Great. |
Revised 2017-06-19