Participants:
Series Code: TAM
Program Code: TAM000014S
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00:31 Let's bow our heads.
00:33 Father in heaven, this day we are going to study a very 00:37 important subject. 00:39 We're going to speak about the mark of the beast 00:43 and we need you're divine guidance. 00:45 Not only do I need your guidance but I also ask that you 00:49 will be with those who are watching this presentation on TV 00:55 or listening to a CD. 00:58 I ask Lord that you will open minds and hearts, 01:02 that people will be tender hearted to receive the truth 01:04 as it is in Jesus. 01:06 I ask Lord that people will not be offended, but to study 01:11 these things out for themselves, that they might see the truth 01:14 and embrace it. 01:16 Thank you Father for hearing my prayer, 01:19 for I ask it in the precious name of Jesus, Amen. 01:25 In our studies together, we have already identified the beast 01:30 We've noticed that the beast is the same as the little horn, 01:35 as the harlot, the abomination of desolation. 01:39 The man of sin of 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2. 01:44 Basically, all of these symbols represent a world wide system. 01:49 That system, is the Roman Catholic papacy. 01:54 I'm not speaking of individuals who are within this system. 01:59 There are many people who are very sincere, they love Jesus 02:03 and they don't know about these things. 02:05 So, don't take this personally. I'm not talking about you, 02:11 I'm talking about the system of Roman Catholicism. 02:16 Now, we've identified the beast as the Roman Catholic system. 02:19 It shouldn't be too difficult to identify the mark of this system 02:25 or what is known as the mark of the beast. 02:30 Now we are going to approach our study from three perspectives. 02:35 I want you to imagine throwing a pebble into a lake. 02:39 When you throw a pebble into the water, 02:42 I want you to imagine, you have three ripples. 02:47 You have a small one a larger one and you have the largest one 02:52 Now, what we're going to do, is study the end time conflict 02:56 and we're going to notice what is the broadest issue 03:01 in the final controversy. 03:03 We're going to notice that the broadest issue is a controversy 03:09 over the law of God, over the ten commandments. 03:14 Then we're going to specify a little bit more. 03:16 We are going to look at the inner circle. 03:18 That inner circle is going to show us that God's 03:21 ten commandment law has two tables. 03:24 The first table describes our duty towards God, 03:27 the second describes our duty towards our fellow human beings. 03:31 We are going to notice that the end time controversy 03:34 has to do with the law of God, but more specifically, 03:38 it has to do with the first table of God's holy law. 03:42 Then we are going to go to the inner most circle. 03:46 We are going to notice, that the end time controversy 03:49 has to do with one specific commandment 03:53 in the first table of the law. 03:55 So, we are going to go from the broadest, God's holy law 03:58 the ten commandments. 04:00 To a little bit smaller circle, which is the first table 04:05 of the ten commandments. 04:06 Then, we're going to go to the smallest circle 04:09 this is one specific commandment in the first table of the law. 04:15 We are going to notice, first of all the broadest circle 04:19 the great controversy at the end of time 04:22 has to do with God's holy ten commandment law 04:27 which the devil hates. 04:28 Go with me to Revelation 12:17, where we find a description 04:34 of the end time controversy and what the issue is. 04:40 It says there in Rev. 12:17... 05:11 So, Satan hates two things the end time remnant. 05:14 First of all, they keep the commandments of God. 05:17 He hates the commandments of God. That's what the final 05:20 controversy is about. 05:23 Now, we're going to study the testimony of Jesus Christ, 05:25 a little bit later on. For now, I want you to notice 05:28 that Satan's hatred against God's people at the end of time 05:32 will be, because they keep the commandments of God, 05:36 the ten commandments. As we will study later on in this series 05:41 we will study that phase, the commandments of God, 05:44 and we are going to notice it refers to the ten commandments. 05:49 Now, I also want you to notice, that the end time controversy 05:52 has to do with two marks. The mark of the beast 05:56 and the seal of God. 05:58 I want you to notice, where the seal of God and the mark of 06:02 are placed. The bible says they are placed on the forehead. 06:08 Notice, Revelation 7:3, where it speaks about God's 06:13 end time remnant, the 144,000. We are going to notice later on 06:17 in the series, that these are those that will be alive when 06:20 Jesus comes. Who will be able to stand in the mist of the wrath 06:24 of God when it is being poured out upon the earth. 06:28 It says in Rev 7:3, do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees 06:34 until we have sealed the servant of our God on their foreheads. 06:40 Notice, that the servants of God are sealed on their foreheads. 06:46 Why are they sealed on their foreheads? Let me ask you. 06:49 What is behind your forehead? 06:53 Behind your forehead, I would hope, is a brain. 06:56 Your brain is the organ of the mind. Another words the forehead 07:01 represents the mind. What is it, that God writes in our minds? 07:07 Notice, Hebrews 8:10 07:12 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of 07:17 Israel, after those days, says the Lord. 07:20 Now, notice this. I will put my laws in their mind. 07:25 What does God place in the mind or on the forehead? 07:28 He places his laws in the mind. He says, and write them 07:34 on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people. 07:40 The sign of God on the forehead has something to do with his 07:45 laws. Generally speaking. Of course, the mark of the beast 07:49 must be some counterfeit, having to do with the law. 07:54 It must be human laws in contrast to God's holy law 07:59 which is placed on the forehead. 08:03 Then, I want you to notice, Isaiah 8:16. Once again the seal 08:08 is identified with God's law. 08:11 Notice Isaiah 8:16. It says there, 08:25 What do God's disciples have sealed among them. 08:30 God's holy law is sealed among God's disciples. So you notice 08:36 once again the seal that is placed on the forehead 08:39 is connected with the commandments of God or with 08:44 the law of God. 08:47 Another thing that I want you to notice, that shows that this 08:50 end time controversy has to do with the law of God, is what 08:55 we find in 2 Timothy 2:19. 09:02 Here the apostle Paul is speaking about the followers of 09:07 Jesus Christ, and he says this.. 09:33 Those who name the name of Jesus, what do they do? 09:36 They depart from iniquity. That's the seal of God. 09:41 It has to do with departing from iniquity. Now, the question is 09:46 what is it that defines righteousness and iniquity? 09:51 What distinguishes between the two 09:54 It's God's holy law. 09:58 Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, the some of the whole matter is this 10:04 fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the 10:07 whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment 10:11 whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Notice that the law 10:16 of God defines what is good and what is evil. 10:20 If you are going to depart from iniquity it must be that you 10:24 keep what? God's holy law. In fact, there's an interesting 10:28 messianic psalm in Psalm 40:6-8. Where we are told, that 10:34 Jesus when he would come, he would love and 10:39 he would hate iniquity, and of course, iniquity, is the 10:45 transgression of God's holy law. 10:49 In fact, lets go to that point right now. 10:51 Go with me to Matthew 7:23. By the way, the word iniquity that 10:58 is used in 2nd Timothy 2:19, is the Greek word adikia 11:10 Now, I want you to notice, Matthew 7:23. Then we will go to 11:14 Luke, and notice a parallel verse. It says there, 11:40 The word there is anomias. Which literally in Greek means to be 11:46 opposed to the law of God, because the Greek word for law 11:50 is nomos, and when you put an A next to it, it means against 11:54 or contrary to. So, here Jesus is saying to those who professed 11:59 name, depart from me, you who practiced lawlessness. 12:05 I want you to notice, Luke 13:27. 12:33 Is that the same declaration we read in Matthew 7? 12:36 The same expression, only the word used here is adikia. 12:40 Let me ask you, is adikia and anomias, synonymous? 12:47 They most certainly are synonymous. When the apostle 12:49 Paul is saying that those that have the seal of God 12:53 depart from iniquity, he saying that they depart from what? 12:57 from law-less-ness. Once again those that have the seal of God 13:03 at the end of time. Are they going to be keepers of Gods holy 13:07 law? They most certainly are. 13:10 I want you to notice, one other aspect of this broadest 13:14 circle. 13:16 Revelation 14:9-11. Has the third angels message and 13:22 of course, later on we're going to study the third angels 13:26 message in detail, particularly verse 12. I want you to notice 13:30 now, is Revelation 14:11. It's speaking about the punishment 13:36 upon those that worship the beast and receive his mark. 13:40 Notice what it says... 13:58 So, upon whom is the wrath of God going to fall? 14:03 It's going to fall upon those who worship the beast 14:06 and his image and receive the mark. That's Rev 14:11. 14:11 Now, notice, Revelation verse 12. 14:16 The very next verse presents another group that contrasts 14:20 with those who worship the beast and his image. I want you to 14:24 notice, one of the main characteristics of this group. 14:28 It says in Revelation 14:12... 14:41 Did you see the contrast? You have one group, in the 14:44 third angels message who worship the beast and his image 14:47 and receive the mark. Immediately in the next verse 14:51 it speaks about a remnant who keep the commandments of God. 14:55 So, let me ask you, is the worship of the beast and his 14:59 image related some how to keeping God's commandment? 15:02 There's one group that keep them which means the other group 15:07 who worship the beast and his image and the mark 15:09 must be against God's commandments or must break God's 15:14 commandments, because the contrast is clear in Rev. 14:11 15:19 and Rev. 14:12. 15:24 Now, we want to go to the other circle. A smaller circle. 15:29 We noticed the largest, we're going to notice a smaller circle 15:32 and of course, we're going to go to the smallest circle. 15:37 The final conflict is not only going to be over God's law 15:41 the final conflict is going to have to do with the first 15:46 table of God's holy law. The first four commandments, 15:50 that describe our duty towards God. 15:54 Now, notice what we find in Deuteronomy 6:4. 15:58 By the way, this is the central confession of Judaism. 16:05 And it says this... 16:13 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with 16:18 all your soul and all your strength. 16:21 Is this the summery of the first table of the law? 16:24 You remember that Jesus quoted this, when he said that 16:26 this is the first and great commandment. It actually 16:29 summarizes the first four commandments, our duty for God. 16:33 You see, if you love God, you won't have other gods. If you 16:36 love God, you're not going to have idols. If you love God, 16:40 you're going to respect his name If you love God, you're going 16:43 to keep his holy Sabbath. Then the last six commandments, 16:46 have to do with a horizontal relationship between us and our 16:52 fellow human beings. I want you to notice something very 16:55 interesting. Immediately after giving this quotation, where it 16:59 says that we should love God above all things, 17:04 then God says where these words are supposed to be written 17:09 Notice, beginning at verse 6, of Deuteronomy chapter 6. 17:52 I want you to notice that this table of the law, the one that 17:56 has to do with our duty towards God, is to be placed in two 17:59 places. It doesn't say, on your forehead OR on your hand. 18:03 It says in your forehead AND in your hand. 18:07 We are going to notice in Revelation that the mark of the 18:10 beast, is placed on the forehead OR on the hand. 18:14 Here God says, you need to place these words, which we quoted, 18:18 between your eyes, which is the forehead, AND also, on your 18:24 hand. That is a very important distinction. You'll notice, 18:28 that it's the first four commandments that are placed 18:30 where?... That are placed in the frontlets between your eyes 18:34 and also on your hand. 18:38 I want you to notice, something else that is very interesting. 18:41 In Rev, the final controversy has to do with worship. 18:49 Time and again, in Rev, we find that the final issue will 18:53 be concerning worship. Let me ask you, which table of the law 18:57 has to do especially with worship? 19:01 That's the first table of the law. See, if you worship God, 19:04 you won't have other gods. If you worship God, you don't have 19:07 images of god. If you worship God, you don't take his name in 19:11 vain. If you worship God, you keep the Sabbath, as a sign of 19:16 the creator. The first table of the law, has to do with worship. 19:19 So, if Revelation says that the end time controversy 19:22 is concerning worship, it must be that the final conflict 19:26 has to do with which table? Especially, it has to do with 19:31 the first table of the law. Let me read you some of those 19:34 statements that speak about the issue of worship as being the 19:39 main point of contention. 19:40 Revelation 13:4, it says... 19:56 Let's go down to verse 8. 20:24 Notice verse 15... 20:39 Notice time and again, the issue is worship and worship has to 20:44 do with the first table of the law. 20:45 Notice Revelation 14:9-10. Again the idea is that the final 20:51 conflict has to do with worship. It says there in 20:52 Revelation 14, verse 9, and then we will read verse 11. 21:20 I think the word worship is used enough times for us to know 21:24 that the end time controversy has to do with worship. 21:28 Worship is related to the first table of the law. 21:34 I want you to notice another text that speaks about worship 21:37 in the end time, but this is the positive perspective. 21:41 This is the verse that tells us that we're supposed to 21:43 worship the creator in the end time. 21:46 Notice Revelation 14:6-7. 21:52 Then I saw and angel flying in the midst of heaven having the 21:56 everlasting gospel to preach to those that dwell on the earth 21:59 to every nation, tribe, tongue and people. 22:16 Why do you suppose God calls on the world to worship the creator 22:20 in the end time? Folks, it because the beast and the image 22:24 of the beast are claiming the right to be worshiped. 22:28 Another words, here we have a contrast between worshiping the 22:33 creator of the heavens and the earth and worshiping the beast. 22:35 The issue once again, is between true worship and false worship 22:41 Once again, the table of the law that has to do with worship 22:46 is the first table of the law. 22:51 It is very interesting as you examine Revelation 13 and 14, 22:56 that the issue involves the first table of the law but there 22:57 are specific examples in these chapters that show how the 23:04 beast and his image violate the first table of the law 23:08 Let me just mention this quickly, does the beast demand 23:14 worship? Revelation 13:4... Now, if he demands worship would 23:21 this be a violation of the first commandment that said thou 23:25 shall have no other gods before me? Absolutely. 23:29 Secondly, does this beast raise up an image and command every 23:35 one to worship the image? Yes. 23:37 Which commandment is this a violation of? The commandment 23:41 that says, don't make any image and don't worship it. 23:46 That is the second commandment. 23:48 The third commandment is also involved, because we are told 23:52 in Revelation 13:6, that the beast blasphemes the name 23:58 of God. Which commandment does that violate? Thou shall not 24:02 take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 24:06 Does the conflict also involve the fourth commandment? Yes. 24:11 The first angels message calls us to worship the creator, 24:16 which means that the beast must claim to be the creator, 24:20 but he is the counterfeit, which commandment of the law of God 24:24 has to do with worshiping the creator? It is the fourth 24:29 commandment of God's holy law. 24:32 We notice that the second circle, the smaller circle shows 24:38 that the end time controversy is going to be over the first 24:42 table of the law. Now we are going to notice, that the end 24:48 time controversy is going to have to do with one particular 24:52 commandment of the first table of the law. This is the smallest 24:57 circle, or the smallest ripple. 24:59 Go with me to Psalm 95:6 25:07 It says here... 25:17 Why do we worship God, according to this verse? 25:22 We worship God, because he is our maker. He is our creator. 25:27 We worship because he is the creator. Notice Nehemiah 9:6. 25:34 I want this principle to be clear. We worship God, because 25:37 God is our creator. Nehemiah 9:6... 26:02 Do you notice once again, that worship is connected with the 26:06 idea that God is the creator? Notice Revelation 14:6-7. 26:13 We have already read this passage, let's read it again. 26:16 I want to show you that worship is connected or is linked with 26:21 creation. It says there... 26:47 Is the idea of worship, once again linked with creation? 26:51 Absolutely. 26:53 By the way, the language of the first angels message 26:57 actually comes from the fourth commandment. 27:00 Notice Exodus 20:11. The conclusion to the fourth 27:08 commandment. 27:21 Do you see the similarities of language in the fourth 27:24 commandment to what we read in Revelation 14:7? 27:28 They are very similar. You'll notice that we worship the 27:34 creator and the sign of the creator is, what? 27:38 The Sabbath, according to what we read in Exodus 20:11. 27:43 So, you can't separate the Sabbath from worshiping the 27:47 creator, because the sign of worship to the creator is 27:51 his holy Sabbath. By the way, do you know that we will worship 27:56 the creator when he makes a new heavens and an new earth 27:59 and we will worship him on the Sabbath? 28:02 Notice Isaiah 66:22-23. 28:43 Let me ask you, when God makes a new heaven and a new earth, 28:47 he creates a new heaven and a new earth, are we going to go 28:49 worship before him? Yes. 28:51 What day are we going to worship before him? The Sabbath. 28:55 You see, when the fourth commandment says worship the 28:58 creator, it is saying, worship the creator by keeping the 29:01 Sabbath. So you can not separate the Sabbath from worship. 29:05 So, is the end time issue going to have to do specifically 29:09 with the commandment that has to do with the creator 29:13 with the Sabbath? Absolutely. 29:16 By the way do you know that the book of Genesis also tells us 29:20 that God established the Sabbath to commemorate creation? 29:24 He instituted the Sabbath to be kept to remember the event of 29:28 creation? See, you can't separate creation, worship and 29:32 the Sabbath. Notice Genesis 2:2-3... 29:38 The Sabbath identifies the creator. It says... 30:03 Question... Did God bless the Sabbath for himself? 30:06 Folks, God is the fountain of all blessings. God doesn't have 30:10 to bless a day for himself. Did God make the Sabbath holy for 30:14 himself? No... Everything connected with God is holy. 30:19 He was obviously blessing the Sabbath and it was actually 30:22 sanctifying the Sabbath, because he expected man to keep the 30:27 Sabbath, in commemoration of his work of, what? Of his work 30:31 of creation. Furthermore, do you know that the Bible links two 30:37 words. It uses interchangeably the words sign and seal. 30:43 Notice Romans 4:11... Speaking about circumcision here, 30:52 the circumcision of Abraham. I want you to notice particularly 30:56 two words that are used here synonymously. 30:58 It says about Abraham.. 31:12 Are sign and seal used interchangeably in this verse? 31:16 They most certainly are. 31:17 Now, Revelation speaks about the seal of God being on the 31:21 forehead, but you could also say that the sign of God 31:25 is on the forehead. Now, the question is, what is the sign 31:29 of God? Notice Exodus 31:17. 31:37 It is speaking about the Sabbath. 31:39 ...and it says... 31:50 God gave it to Israel, but he didn't say, it's only for Israel 31:54 furthermore, the apostle Paul defines Israel as those who have 31:58 received Jesus Christ as savior and Lord. If you are Christ's 32:03 you are Abraham's seed and heirs, according to the promise. 32:06 So, it says, it is a sign. Interchangeable with the word 32:11 seal, by the way. Between me and the children of Israel forever 32:15 and then it explains why it's a sign. 32:16 For in six days the Lord... 32:25 What is it that made the Sabbath the sign? 32:27 The fact that he made it at creation. Notice also, 32:33 Ezekiel 20:12. Here God says... 32:52 How do we know that God is our Lord? We have his sign and what 32:58 is his sign? The sign is the Sabbath and the word sign is 33:02 used interchangeably with what? Seal, 33:05 and the end time generation has the seal or the sign of God 33:09 on the forehead. 33:12 There is something else very interesting that I want you to 33:14 notice. In Ezekiel 8, we have a description of the apostasy of 33:20 Israel shortly before Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the 33:23 city of Jerusalem. 33:25 We don't have time to study this whole chapter, so I'm just 33:29 going to synthesize. Basically, chapter 8 speaks about 33:33 abominations that God's own people where committing 33:37 within the city of Jerusalem. These were not the pagans 33:39 that were committing these abominations. 33:42 God's own people were committing these abominations. 33:45 The greatest abomination, we're going to read this in a moment, 33:48 was that they were worshiping the sun. That was the greatest 33:53 abomination that God's people were committing within the city 33:56 Do you know, that it says there were a group of people that were 33:59 not committing this abomination of sun worship. In fact, it says 34:04 therein Ezekiel chapter 8, that they were sighing and crying 34:08 because of the abominations that were being committed in the 34:12 city. God said, go to the city and put a sign or a mark 34:17 on the foreheads of those who sigh and cry because of the 34:21 abominations that are being committed in the earth. 34:24 Notice, that there is a contrast between those who have 34:27 have the sign or the seal of God and those who are worshiping 34:30 what? Those who are worshiping the sun. 34:34 Which are practicing this terrible abomination. 34:37 Let's read Ezekiel 8:16-17... 35:32 Which means that they just flaunt this in God's face. 35:34 What was the greatest abomination? 35:36 They were worshiping the sun. 35:39 Interesting, but there was a contrasting group who sighed and 35:44 cried, who had the seal of God, the sign of God on their 35:47 foreheads. It must be that they are opposite to those who were 35:51 worshiping, what? To those that were worshiping the sun. 35:54 Interesting. 35:57 Who were they worshiping then? They must have been worshiping 36:00 the creator. Notice Ezekiel 9:4... 36:21 and by the way, it says after all of God's people are sealed, 36:24 go in the midst of the city, destroy all of those that are 36:28 practicing the abominations and do not spare a single person. 36:32 The wrath of God was going to be poured out upon Jerusalem. 36:38 Not everyone was destroyed, though. 36:40 Let me ask you, was Jerusalem destroyed, because Israel was 36:45 desecrating the Sabbath? That's what Ezekiel chapter 8 and 9 36:49 seems to indicate, but we don't have to guess. Some people say 36:53 oh, you're saying the city of Jerusalem was destroyed 36:57 simply because they were breaking the Sabbath, that's why 37:00 everyone was slain? According to Ezekiel chapter 8, that's 37:03 exactly what I'm saying, because the Bible says it. 37:06 Notice Jeremiah 17:27... Here God says 37:34 Was Jerusalem destroyed because they were the 37:37 Sabbath? Absolutely. 37:40 What were they worshiping? They were worshiping the sun. 37:45 Is it just possible that this thing is going to be repeated 37:47 in the book of Revelation? 37:50 Absolutely. 37:52 Does the book of Revelation speak about a harlot who brings 37:57 all kinds of abominations upon the earth 38:00 Absolutely. 38:01 Does Revelation speak about a group of individuals 38:04 who have the mark of the beast in contrast to those who have 38:08 the seal of God? 38:09 Absolutely. 38:11 Are those who have the seal of God, is God going to protect 38:15 them? Absolutely. 38:17 Is he going to pour out his wrath upon those that have the 38:21 mark of the beast? Absolutely. 38:22 You see, once again, just like in Ezekiel you have two signs. 38:27 One, that is received, though it doesn't say so explicitly 38:34 is received by those who are worshiping the sun, because they 38:38 are marked for destruction, it says there in Ezekiel chapter 8 38:41 they are not marked by the seal of God, and you have that group 38:43 that are marked with the seal of God. 38:46 Those that are an apostasy of God, they are worshiping, what? 38:50 They are worshiping the sun. Now, you ask me. 38:54 Are you that it's the same to worship on the day of the sun 38:58 as it is to worship the sun? My answer is, in principle, yes. 39:06 You say, how is this? 39:07 Who created the sun? 39:13 God created the sun, right? 39:15 Did he create the sun for worship?... No. 39:18 What happens if you turn it into an object of worship? 39:22 What's that called? Idolatry. 39:25 Who created the first day of the week? 39:28 God did. Did he create it for worship?... No. 39:32 What happens if you turn it into a day of worship? 39:35 What is that called? Idolatry. 39:38 It doesn't matter whether it's the sun an object or a day. 39:43 What ever man makes for worship that God did not make for 39:47 worship, is what? Idolatry. 39:50 The devil knows that Christians at the end of time 39:52 are not going to be dumb enough to worship sun. 39:57 What he does, he leads them to worship on the day of the sun 39:58 Which came into Christianity directly from paganism 40:06 in the days of Constantine. 40:08 Constantine was a pagan. He called Sunday the day of the 40:14 invincible sun. 40:17 The venerable day of the sun. He called Sunday and he introduced 40:22 it into the Christian church. An abomination, for sure. 40:25 Christians embraced it and adopted it and they worship 40:29 on Sunday. A day which has been created for worship 40:33 by man. Which is the same idolatry in principle as was 40:39 being practiced in Jerusalem. 40:41 We call also look at the law of analogy. 40:45 Look at the presidential seal of the US. 40:48 It has to have three things, right? It has to have the name 40:52 the office and the territory of the person who possesses the 40:57 seal. For example the seal these days would say, Barack Obama, 41:03 president, that's his office, of the USA. The seal has to have 41:09 three characteristics. What is the seal of God in the ten 41:16 commandments that shows that the ten commandments are authentic? 41:20 There is only one commandment, in the ten commandments that 41:23 has these three necessary for a seal. 41:27 That is the fourth commandment of the law of God. 41:30 E. White in the book Patriarchs and Prophets, pg 307, said 41:34 this. 42:03 Somebody will say, well Pastor Bohr, but how do you know 42:07 you can apply the three characteristics to a 42:10 seal today, back to biblical times? 42:14 The fact is, we are helped by archeology at this point. 42:18 They have discovered tablets where ancient kings used to make 42:23 treaties with other kings I want to share these characteristics 42:28 of these treaties or covenants. First of all, it was a covenant 42:33 between a great king and a lesser king. 42:36 These covenants were written on tablets of clay. 42:40 Interestingly enough, on the tablets both sides were written. 42:47 The same info that was written on the front was on the back 42:51 of the tablet. Why would they do that? 42:55 Why write the same thing on both sides? The reason why, is 42:58 because, these tablets that have been on earth, what they would 43:05 do while the tablet was still wet and the clay was soft. 43:09 The great king who was making the covenant, would take a seal 43:13 and he would impress the seal in the middle of the tablet. 43:16 When he would impress the seal, it would obliterate part of the 43:21 writing on the tablet. In order to read the full covenant, 43:25 they would turn it over, to read the covenant, but the side 43:30 with the seal showed that it was authentic. 43:33 Interesting... the seal was in the middle of the tablet. 43:38 I bet you can't guess what three characteristic were always 43:39 the seal? The name of the king who was giving the covenant, 43:46 his title, king, and the territory over which he governed 43:52 This idea of three aspects of the seal does not come from 43:56 the seal of the US, it comes from the period when 44:00 the ten commandments were given. Do you know the Bible says 44:05 that the ten commandments were also a covenant? 44:08 Notice Deuteronomy 4:13... So he declared to you his covenant 44:13 which he commanded you to perform the ten commandments and 44:18 wrote them on 2 tablets of stone What was the covenant of God 44:23 God gave his covenant which are the ten commandments 44:27 Where did he write them? It says here that he wrote them on 44:31 tablets of stone. It wasn't on clay, it was on stone. 44:36 The ten commandments are eternal like stone. They don't break 44:41 up, they don't dissipate and disappear. 44:44 On how many sides of the tablets were the commandments written? 44:48 Many people don't realize this, the ten commandments 44:51 were written on both sides of the tablets. They were written 44:55 at the same time as the other covenants. Go to Exodus 32:15-16 44:56 Moses turned and went down from the mountain and the two 45:04 tablets of the testimony were in his hand the tablets 45:09 were written on both sides. On the one side and on the other 45:14 were they written. Now, the tablets were the work of God. 45:17 and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. 45:22 Where would you expect to find the seal in the tablets that 45:27 were written on both sides. Where would you find the seal 45:30 Right in the center of the tablets. Do you know which 45:34 commandment, center of the holy law of God his covenant with 45:39 man? Its the Sabbath commandment It is the only commandment 45:40 that has the 3 characteristics. Let's read Exodus 20:11 45:46 For in six days the Lord, his name, made, his function 45:52 He is the creator, He made. made what? What is His territory? 45:57 Made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all the is in them 46:01 and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed 46:05 the Sabbath day and made it holy. 46:09 Where is the seal of the Lord found? It is found in the fourth 46:14 commandment in the holy law of God. The commandment has to do 46:19 with the Sabbath, with the creator, which is in contrast 46:23 to worshiping the sun, or in principle on the day of the sun. 46:29 We also have the testimony of history. We're going to talk 46:33 about this a little more in our next lecture when we deal with 46:37 part two, of the mark of the beast. The Bible speaks about 46:40 a little horn. This little horn, as we've studied, represents 46:46 the Roman Catholic papacy, the same thing as the beast 46:50 The interesting thing is, that this little horn, according to 46:54 the Bible, would think to change something. 46:57 Notice Daniel 7:25. History tells us that a power is going 47:04 to rise, to attempt to change God's holy law. 47:08 It says, he shall speak pompous words against the most high 47:11 and shall persecute the saints of the most high and shall 47:15 intend to change time and law. Then the saints shall be given 47:22 into his hand for a time and times and half a time. 47:27 what would this little horn try to do? He would think to change 47:32 the times, which we won't discuss, and what else? 47:35 The law of God. 47:39 Does the Roman Catholic papacy claim to have changed God's law 47:43 historically? I'm going to read you a series of statements 47:46 and we will read as many as we can, before our time is up. 47:51 Here is the first one. John Gilmary Shay, who was an 47:55 important Roman Catholic historian of his time. This is 47:59 what he said. For ages, all nations looked to the 48:05 Catholic church and as we have seen, the various states 48:10 enforced by law, her ordinances as to worship and sensation 48:16 of labor on Sunday. Interesting, that they used the state to 48:19 enforce the observance of Sunday we've already studied that. 48:23 Protestantism, he continues, in discarding the authority of 48:27 the church, has no good reason for it's Sunday theory. 48:31 and ought, logically, to keep Saturday as the Sabbath. 48:36 That's what Protestants should do you say. 48:38 The state, in passing laws for the due sanctification of Sunday 48:43 is unwittingly acknowledging the authority of the Catholic church 48:48 even the state is recognizing the authority of the Catholic 48:51 church by doing what the Catholic church says. It says, 48:55 it is unwittingly acknowledging the authority of the Catholic 48:58 church and carrying out more or less faithfully its prescription 49:04 The Sunday as a day of the week set apart for the obligatory 49:08 public worship of the all mighty God, is purely a creation 49:13 of the Catholic church. This is a Roman Catholic theologian 49:17 Our Sunday visitor, which was the most famous Roman Catholic 49:23 journal in the US, for many years stated this once. 49:28 Protestants accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for 49:35 public worship, after the Catholic church made the change. 49:41 This is a Roman Catholic publication saying, who made the 49:45 change? The Catholic church The article continues saying, 49:51 but the protestant mind, does not seem to realize that it 49:56 in accepting the Bible and observing the Sunday, they are 50:00 accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church 50:05 the Pope. Here's another one, by Louis G. Segur. 50:10 Who was a French Roman Catholic peruit, and apologist. 50:15 Later on he was a diplomat and very important figure in the 50:21 city of Rome. This is what he had to say. 50:26 What Bible authority is there for changing the Sabbath from 50:31 the seventh day to the first day of the week? 50:34 Who gave the Pope the authority to change a command of God 50:39 Notice the word change again. 50:42 It was the Catholic church, which by the authority of Jesus 50:48 Christ, so they say, has transferred this rest to Sunday 50:54 and here comes the scary part. Thus, the observance of 50:58 Sunday, by the Protestants is an homage they pay. 51:03 What does mean? It means honor. 51:08 It means respect. So it says, thus the observance of Sunday 51:14 by the is an they pay in spite of themselves 51:20 to the authority of the Catholic church. 51:24 Notice what the Catholic encyclopedia says. 51:30 What is the third commandment? They say the third commandment 51:34 but it is really the fourth commandment, because they take 51:37 out the second commandment that says don't worship images. 51:40 That one doesn't appear in the catechisms, it disappears. 51:43 because the Catholic church is full of images. 51:46 They refer to the fourth commandment, the Sabbath 51:49 commandment as the third. Notice, What is the third 51:54 commandment? The 3rd commandment is remember that thou 52:00 keep holy the Sabbath day. Which is the Sabbath day? 52:04 Saturday is the Sabbath day. Why do we observe Sunday, 52:11 instead of Saturday? The Catholic church after changing 52:17 the day of rest from Saturday, the seventh day of the week 52:21 to Sunday the first day, made the third commandment refer 52:26 to Sunday, as the day to kept as the Lord's day. 52:31 Once again, the word change. The little horn thought that it 52:36 could change God's law. History bears it out. 52:40 I want to read you another statement this is Thomas Enright 52:44 a priest of the Roman Catholic church, for several years he 52:48 was president of Redemptions College in Kansas City, MO. 52:51 This is what he said. Prove to me from the Bible alone 52:55 That I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in 53:00 the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic church alone 53:06 The Bible says, remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy 53:09 The Catholic church says no, by my divine power, notice 53:14 the church claims to have power, by my power 53:18 I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy 53:23 the first day of the week. Lo, the entire civilized world 53:29 bows down in reverent obedience to the holy Catholic church. 53:39 Not written by a Protestant, but by a Roman Catholic priest. 53:46 Once somebody wrote the office of Cardinal James Givins. 53:51 Whether it was true the Roman Catholic church claimed to have 53:56 changed the day, and from his office, chancellor H.F. Thomas 54:04 wrote in the name of Cardinal Givins, wrote this. 54:08 Of course the Catholic church claims that the change 54:14 was her act, and the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical 54:24 power. What is the mark according to Cardinal Givins 54:29 through his Chancellor H.F. Thomas? He says the change 54:34 of the Sabbath is the mark of our ecclesiastical power. 54:40 Let me ask you, if the church could really change God's law 54:44 wouldn't the church be God on earth? It would have to be 54:49 We are going to study about the number of the name of the beast. 54:54 When we study the number of the name of the beast, which is a 54:59 very interesting lecture, we are going to notice that it bears 55:03 A very close relationship to this quotation where it says 55:09 that the act of changing the day is a mark of their 55:13 ecclesiastical power. We are going to notice that the Pope 55:15 has a particular name and that name, he says, shows that he has 55:20 the right to exercise powers of Jesus Christ on planet earth 55:25 even to the point of changing his law if necessary. 55:31 I want to read one quotation in closing. Another Roman Catholic 55:36 theologian. A word about Sunday, God said remember that thou 55:42 keep holy the Sabbath day. The Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday 55:47 Why then do we keep Sunday holy, instead of Saturday? 55:52 Is what this Catholic theologian writes. Notice this. 55:56 The church altered the observance of the Sabbath to the 56:01 observance of Sunday. who say that they go by the 56:06 Bible and the Bible only, and that they do not believe 56:10 anything that is not in the Bible, must be rather puzzled 56:14 by the keeping of Sunday when God distinctly said keep holy 56:20 the Sabbath day. The word Sunday does not come anywhere 56:24 in the Bible, so without knowing it, they are obeying the 56:29 authority the Catholic church. 56:33 think they are keeping Sunday in of the 56:37 resurrection, because the Bible said so but Sunday came into the 56:42 long before there was any Protestant. The 56:45 reformers felt that it would be impossible to change the 56:49 practice in the Christian church, and they continued 56:53 with it and some of the reformers like Lutheran Calvin 56:56 actually tried to rationalize the observance of Sunday 57:00 and they tried to prove the observance of Sunday from 57:03 but failed miserably, because the Bible is clear. It says 57:08 that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God. 57:12 What is the mark of the beast? The mark of the beast is the 57:16 change in God's holy law from Sabbath to Sunday and everyone 57:21 who observes Sunday, knowingly, will receive 57:25 the mark of the beast. |
Revised 2023-04-20