Participants: Lonnie Melashenko
Series Code: VOPS
Program Code: VOPS000015
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00:30 Hello, everyone.
00:31 For years Americans have been bombarded 00:35 with mysterious gurus claiming to be Jesus Christ or Elijah. 00:41 Back in 1978, you may remember, 00:43 a gentleman by the name of Jim Jones 00:46 of the People's Temple in San Francisco. 00:48 He led 913 followers to a place called Guyana 00:52 and they all committed mass suicide 00:54 when they drank cyanide-laced Kool-Aid. 00:58 Was he Messiah? Was he Elijah? 01:02 April 1993, David Koresh, 01:05 an 80-cult member branch Davidians in Waco, 01:08 Texas incinerated themselves 01:10 when FBI agents stormed the fortress 01:12 and burned their Mount Carmel Headquarters to the ground. 01:16 Was Koresh Elijah? 01:19 March 1997, Rancho Santa Fe near San Diego Herff Applewhite 01:24 and a 39-member cult called Heaven's Gate 01:26 committed mass suicides 01:28 when the tail of the Hale-Bopp comet 01:31 appeared and they decided to-- 01:32 Well, they wanted to shed their containers 01:34 and move to the next level. 01:35 Was Applewhite Elijah? No. 01:39 As we begin our study today of Bible prophecy, 01:42 I want you to join me, I hope you brought your Bibles. 01:45 And we'll turn 01:46 to the Old Testament Book of Malachi. 01:49 We're going to do something a little different tonight. 01:51 We're going to read together 01:53 some mysterious verses out loud. 01:56 The last two verses of the last chapter 01:59 of the last book of the Old Testament, 02:00 the Book of Malachi. 02:02 Malachi 4:5, 6, we'll have this on the screen, 02:06 in case you're at a downlink location, 02:07 you want to read it off the screen. 02:08 But I want you to read it out loud with me, everyone. 02:12 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet 02:16 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 02:20 And He will turn the hearts 02:22 of the fathers to their children, 02:24 and the hearts of the children to their fathers 02:27 or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." 02:33 Now, friend, here in one of most 02:34 unusual predictions in all of the Bible, 02:36 it says in language too clear to be misunderstood 02:40 that Elijah the prophet will return to this earth again 02:44 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 02:48 What on earth do those words mean? 02:52 Will a man with a long white robe 02:54 and maybe a beard, a white hair and a shepherd's crook 02:57 appear on television in Times Square? 03:00 Or will he show up 03:01 with President Bush at the White House? 03:05 Now Elijah lived 2,800 years ago. 03:09 He mysteriously appeared in history 03:11 at a time of extreme crisis 03:12 and he did a very special work for God, 03:15 but then he mysteriously disappeared again 03:18 and you don't hear about him again 03:20 until here in the last book, the last chapter, 03:23 the last two verses of the Old Testament 03:26 where it says, that Elijah, the prophet, will appear 03:30 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 03:34 Now most scholars and most churches agree that 03:37 that has got to be referring to the second coming of Jesus. 03:41 Anybody here seen Elijah? 03:44 Who is Elijah? Who is this Elijah? 03:47 You know, there's a man who's been bewitching 03:49 hundreds of thousands of youth. 03:51 He happens to be an automobile manufacturer from Korea, 03:55 his name is Moon. 03:58 He lives in a multimillion-dollar home, 04:00 I expect he's got several of them. 04:02 His followers are called "Moonies." 04:05 Some claim that he is Elijah, is he? 04:11 No. 04:12 Well, now tonight let me explain 04:14 what I believe this verse means. 04:17 Then I'm gonna have you take your Bible 04:19 and you'll decide whether or not I'm right. 04:22 But, of course, it's not who's right, is it? 04:24 But what is right? Amen. 04:28 I believe that this prediction does not refer 04:32 to the coming of a man at all. 04:36 But rather I believe it refers to the coming of a message 04:40 similar to Elijah's that's to appear two times in history. 04:46 First, to prepare people for the first coming of Christ 04:51 and then a second special message similar to Elijah's 04:55 to prepare people for Jesus' second coming. 04:58 Amen. 05:00 You say, now, Lonnie, where did you get that? 05:02 Well, I got that by eavesdropping 05:06 on a conversation between Christ and His disciples. 05:11 You see, the disciples 05:13 were perplexed about this same question. 05:15 They were puzzled over this Old Testament text 05:17 you have opened in your hands regarding the coming of Elijah. 05:21 Turn just a few pages forward to Matthew Chapter 17, 05:24 next book in your Bibles Matthew. 05:27 First, a little background. 05:29 One day Jesus took just three of His closest disciples 05:34 and the Bible says, He took them up into a mountain. 05:36 Verse-- Chapter 17:2 it says, 05:38 "There He was transfigured before them. 05:42 His face shone like the sun, 05:44 and His clothes became as white as the light." 05:48 God gave Jesus special affirmation 05:51 and encouragement just before His death on the cross. 05:54 Notice verses 5 and 6, 05:56 "While he was still speaking, 05:57 behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them 05:59 and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, 06:02 saying, 'This is My beloved Son, 06:05 in whom I am well pleased. 06:06 Hear Him!' 06:08 And when the disciples heard it, 06:09 they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid." 06:13 You see, this was in effect a miniature 06:16 demonstration of the second coming. 06:19 It was so bright, so glorious, those disciples never forgot it 06:23 and they were convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt 06:25 that Jesus was indeed Messiah. 06:28 But suddenly that whole aura ended and it was just gone. 06:33 And absolutely speechless 06:34 those disciples descended the mountain. 06:37 Jesus told them not to tell anyone. 06:38 That was hard to do. 06:40 But now they were in an awful dilemma. 06:42 You see, those disciples had been taught 06:44 since they were children that before Messiah came, 06:50 Elijah must first come. 06:52 Notice verse 10 now, 06:54 "And His disciples asked Him, saying, 06:58 'Why then...' Lord, if you're Messiah, 07:01 we believe now that You are. 07:03 'Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must first come?'" 07:09 In other words, if You're Messiah, 07:12 where is Elijah? 07:14 Notice verse 11 and 12, 07:15 "Jesus answered and said to them, 07:18 'Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 07:24 But I say unto you,' what? 07:26 'That Elijah has come already, 07:31 and they did not know him 07:32 but did to him whatever they wished. 07:35 Likewise, the Son of Man is 07:36 also about to suffer at their hands.''' 07:38 Now I want you to read out loud together, 07:39 everyone, verse 13. 07:42 "Then the disciples understood that 07:45 He spoke to them of," whom? 07:47 "John the Baptist." 07:49 Clearly John the Baptist was the Elijah of Christ's day. 07:54 But people hadn't recognized John the Baptist as Elijah. 07:58 The Elijah message that was sent to prepare 08:01 the way for Christ's first coming was through whom? 08:05 John the Baptist. 08:06 Now, ladies and gentlemen, 08:07 the conclusions that we're about 08:09 to reach are so vital and so important, 08:12 we want to make absolutely certain we're correct. 08:14 So I want you to take your Bibles 08:15 and turn a few more books forward, to the Book of John. 08:18 Chapter 1, we'll pick it up in verses 19 to 23. 08:21 Let's go to John the Baptist, 08:23 let's ask him what he thinks about it. 08:26 Did John the Baptist admit to being Elijah? 08:31 Notice verse 19 and on. 08:33 It says, "Now this is the testimony of John, 08:36 when the Jews sent priests and Levites 08:39 from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?'" 08:43 Where are your credentials? Who pays your groceries? 08:46 What authority do you have, John? 08:48 And it says, "He confessed, he did not deny, 08:51 but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.' 08:54 And they asked him, 'What then? 08:56 Are you Elijah?' And He said," what? 09:00 I am not. 09:04 Jesus said He was, John said he wasn't. 09:09 Now they press him a little further and they say, 09:11 "'Well, are you that prophet?' And he answered, 'No.'" 09:15 Are you folks a little confused right now? 09:18 "Then they said to him, 'Who are you 09:21 that we may give an answer to those who sent us? 09:23 What do you say about yourself?'" 09:26 I want you to read together with me, verse 23, everyone. 09:29 "He said, 'I am the voice 09:32 of one crying in the wilderness: 09:34 Make straight the way of the Lord.''' 09:36 I am not Elijah in person. 09:39 I am a voice similar to Elijah's. 09:42 I bring a message similar to Elijah's 09:45 to prepare the way for Messiah, for Christ, 09:47 to make straight the way of the Lord. 09:50 Now the next text is gonna clear up 09:52 any mystery with absolute certainty. 09:55 Let's go over to the Book of Luke. 09:58 Matthew, Mark, Luke just back one book. 10:01 Luke 1:17, now this happens to be a very special message 10:06 that the angel Gabriel gave to John the Baptist's father, 10:10 Zacharias before John's miraculous birth. 10:14 Notice first, though, verses 15 and 16. 10:18 It says, "For he," that's John, the angel will say that, 10:21 "John will be great in the sight of the Lord, 10:24 and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. 10:26 He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, 10:28 even from his mother's womb. 10:30 And he will turn many of the children of Israel 10:33 to the Lord their God." 10:34 Now, folks, notice very carefully, 10:36 what the physician Luke says in Luke 1:17, 10:40 talking about John, 10:42 "He will go before Him," who's the "Him" here? 10:45 This is Messiah he's talking about, 10:47 John will go before Messiah, in what? 10:51 "The spirit and power of Elijah, 10:54 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' 10:57 and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, 10:59 to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'' 11:02 Where did we read those words before tonight? 11:06 In our first text in Malachi 4:5, 6, 11:10 he's quoting him here. 11:11 In other words, John the Baptist 11:14 was not Elijah in person. 11:18 But he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. 11:22 You see, this isn't talking tonight about reincarnation. 11:25 It's talking about a message similar to Elijah's 11:30 and if you receive it, it becomes Elijah to you. 11:34 And Jesus verifies this in Matthew 11:7, 10 11:38 if you have any questions. 11:40 Matthew 11, you can see it on the screen. 11:42 "As they departed, Jesus began to say 11:45 to the multitudes concerning John, 11:47 'What did you go out into the wilderness to see? 11:50 A reed shaken by the wind?' 11:53 For this is he of whom it is written, 11:55 'Behold, I send my messenger before Your face, 11:58 who will prepare your way before you.' 12:00 And if you are willing to receive it," what? 12:03 "He is Elijah who is to come." 12:07 Now may I have your eyes? 12:10 We found in our first text there in Malachi 12:13 that Elijah must come before the second coming of Christ, 12:18 the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 12:21 But we see clearly here that there's sometimes a primary 12:25 and a secondary fulfillment of prophecy, 12:27 there was a parallel fulfillment 12:29 of that prophecy at Christ's first coming. 12:33 John the Baptist, Jesus said, 12:35 was the Elijah message to prepare 12:37 the way for Christ's first coming. 12:39 But the primary emphasis of the Book of Malachi 12:44 is that before the second coming of Jesus Christ, 12:47 Elijah will first come. 12:50 Now I have a question for you. 12:53 Why, oh, why did God choose to call His last day message 12:58 to prepare people for the second coming of Jesus, 13:00 why did He choose to call it, the Elijah message? 13:05 Why didn't He call it, 13:06 Isaiah's message or Peter's message, 13:09 especially the Book of Daniel, Daniel's message? 13:12 Folks, everything in the next few minutes 13:15 will answer that question. 13:17 You see, just as a very special Elijah message 13:22 before the first coming of Christ 13:24 prepared the way for Messiah, 13:26 so a message similar to Elijah's 13:29 will prepare the way 13:30 for the second coming of Jesus Christ, 13:33 a major last day 13:35 Book of Revelation call for decision and reformation 13:37 and repentance, just like Elijah's. 13:41 And you know what? 13:44 Such a message is found 13:46 right in the heart of the Book of Revelation, 13:49 God's last call strikingly similar to Elijah's. 13:55 But back to my question, 13:57 why call this last message, the Elijah message? 14:03 What was Elijah's message? 14:06 Let's go back to the Old Testament 14:08 and discover what Elijah's message was, 14:10 so we can identify somewhere 14:11 here in these last days some church, some movement 14:16 that is preaching the Elijah message, okay? 14:20 Now Elijah lived way back there 400 years before Malachi. 14:27 But Elijah did a work that was very similar 14:29 to John the Baptist. 14:31 In fact, his dress, his speech, 14:33 his attire, they were identical. 14:36 And he spoke with the same power. 14:39 Remember John the Baptist's message 14:41 was a call to return to holy living, wasn't it? 14:43 Remember? 14:45 Boy, he pointed some fingers at those Pharisees. 14:47 "You snakes, vipers, Pharisees, get your act together, guys, 14:52 proper spirit of keeping God's commandments. 14:55 You got to reform, you got to repent, 14:56 you got to get baptized. 14:58 Folks, its decision time. 15:00 Choose today Messiah is coming with fire and judgment. 15:03 Repent." Amen. 15:06 Now let's notice Elijah's message. 15:09 Go back to the Book of 2 Kings 17:13-16. 15:17 It says, ''Yet the Lord God testified against Israel 15:22 and against Judah, by all of His prophets, 15:24 every seer saying, 15:26 'Turn from your evil ways,'" and what? 15:29 "Keep My commandments and My statutes." 15:33 There it is, that's the message, 15:34 just like John the Baptist. 15:36 "According to all the law which I commanded your fathers, 15:39 and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets. 15:42 Nevertheless they would not hear, 15:45 but stiffened their necks." 15:46 What does that mean? They became stubborn. 15:49 "Like the necks of their fathers, 15:51 who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15:53 And they," what? 15:55 "Rejected His statutes and His covenant 15:58 that He had made with their fathers, 15:59 and His testimonies which He had testified against them, 16:02 they followed idols, and became idolaters, 16:05 and went after the nations who were all around them, 16:07 concerning whom the Lord had charged them 16:09 that they should not do like them." 16:12 Now here we go again, class, 16:13 I want to hear you all read together, everyone. 16:16 "So they left all the commandments 16:19 of the Lord their God, 16:21 made for themselves a molded image 16:23 and two calves, made a wooden image 16:26 and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal." 16:31 All the host of heaven means, 16:32 the sun, and the moon, and the stars. 16:35 So they became sun worshipers. 16:37 Ra, the sun god. 16:39 Moon worshipers. Star worshipers. 16:41 Baal, the storm God, Ishtar, the fertility god 16:44 of the harlots and prostitutes, El and Amon, 16:46 the cow God, Godess Hathor and Osiris, the crocodile god. 16:50 They worshiped all the host of heaven. 16:54 You say, Lonnie, just a minute, 16:56 if that's the Elijah message to stop worshiping 16:58 all the stuff in the skies and the heavens, 17:00 we don't worship the sun and the moon and the stars. 17:04 Here in the 21st century, 17:05 we're intelligent people, we're enlightened people. 17:08 So why would God call the last final message, 17:11 the Elijah message? 17:15 One more scripture, but may I have your eyes first? 17:20 Remind you that God put His nation Israel 17:25 in that strategic little narrow neck of land 17:27 in the Middle East Palestine to witness for Him. 17:31 That was a crossroads 17:33 of the trade routes in the ancient world. 17:35 But instead of the Jewish people 17:36 witnessing to the heathen, 17:38 they turned and tramped off after all the other gods 17:41 and became like the heathen. 17:43 To the point geographically, 17:45 Israel was completely surrounded by sun worship. 17:50 To the north you had the Phoenicians, 17:52 they worship the sun. 17:53 Down to the southwest 17:55 you have Egypt, all of the pyramids, 17:56 all of the sun worship there. 17:58 To the south and the southeast 17:59 you have the kingdom of Petra and Edom. 18:02 I've been there to those high altars 18:04 where they worship the sun, sacrifice their kids. 18:07 Well, King Ahab, one of God's chosen people, 18:12 instead of Ahab marrying a nice young, 18:14 God fearing Jewish girl, 18:17 Ahab went north and he married 18:18 a Phoenician princess by the name of Jezebel. 18:24 How many of you mothers here tonight 18:25 named your daughter Jezebel? 18:29 Why do we smile? 18:31 Well, because nobody's ever named their daughter Jez-- 18:33 I remember a cow once that we had was named Jezebel. 18:37 Because Jezebel represents everything wicked, right? 18:39 Yes. 18:40 When he married her, Jezebel just didn't bring-- 18:43 pack her trousseau and come down, her hope chest. 18:45 She brought 450 pagan prophets of Baal 18:49 and 400 heathen sun-worshiping prophets of the groves 18:52 and she fed them all with the king's groceries. 18:55 So that soon the whole nation of Israel 18:58 tramped off in apostasy 19:00 and Israel began worshiping Baal 19:03 and the god of storms, the god of water 19:05 and the winter rains and lightning 19:07 and all the hosts of heaven. 19:09 So what did God do? 19:11 He sent Elijah with a message to Israel. 19:15 All right, Israel, 19:16 because you have forsaken the commandments of God, 19:18 Jehovah has sent me to tell you, in 1 Kings 17:1 19:22 "As the Lord God of Israel lives, 19:25 before whom I stand, there shall be no dew, 19:28 no rain these years, except at my word." 19:32 You folks are worshiping Baal, 19:33 the god of storms and rain and lightning, 19:36 Jehovah says there'll be no rain, 19:37 there'll be no water, there'll be no storms, 19:40 not even any dew for 3 1/2 years, 19:43 except at my word. 19:46 You see, Elijah knew how to pray for God 19:49 to shut off the spigots of heaven. 19:52 Then suddenly Elijah disappeared and he hid. 19:56 And there was no rain the Bible says. 19:58 Everything dried up. Crops dried. 20:01 Food became scarce. Even livestock died. 20:04 By the way, Elijah was the most 20:05 hunted man alive by Ahab's FBI. 20:09 And all of a sudden mysteriously 20:11 Elijah shows up again after 3 1/2 years 20:14 and he appears at the palace with a message for Ahab. 20:19 Well, Ahab already was out there, 20:20 he couldn't get angry at him, because maybe Elijah 20:23 would do something else worse. 20:25 1 Kings 18:17-20, notice it says, 20:28 "And it happened, then when Ahab saw Elijah, 20:33 that Ahab said to him, 20:36 'Is that you, O troubler of Israel?' 20:40 Elijah answered, 'I have not troubled Israel, 20:43 but you and your father's house have, 20:45 in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord 20:48 and have followed the Baals. 20:50 Now therefore, Ahab send and gather 20:52 all Israel to me on Mt. Carmel, 20:55 the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, 20:57 and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, 20:59 who eat the king's groceries at Jezebel's table.' 21:04 "So," it says, "Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, 21:08 and gathered the prophets together on Mt. Carmel.'' 21:10 I've stood up there on that mountain. 21:12 Right up there near Armageddon. 21:14 Now before we read verse 21, 21:17 let me point out, this became essentially a showdown, 21:23 a contest and Ahab agreed to the conditions, 21:26 ''Yes, Elijah, Jezebel and I will bring all of our prophets 21:30 and we'll bring our televangelists 21:31 and our magicians and tricksters, 21:33 we'll all be up there at Mt. Carmel." 21:35 Elijah says, "Okay, here we are. 21:37 You build an altar and you put a sacrifice on it. 21:42 But I'll do the same. 21:43 We'll each call on our own gods of fire 21:46 and rain to ignite a fire to burn up the sacrifice. 21:51 You call on your sun god or better, 21:53 why don't you call on Baal? 21:54 He's the storm god, we need some water and moisture. 21:57 But there's got to be no trickery." 21:59 You know the story. 22:00 Elijah watched carefully all day long 22:02 as they started to cry and dance all day long. 22:06 And the Bible, it's kind of an interesting insight here, 22:09 Elijah begins to goad them after a while 22:11 when they're getting tired, he says, 22:12 "Maybe your God went on vacation, 22:14 maybe he's got a timeshare somewhere 22:15 and he can't hear you. 22:17 Holler a little louder." 22:18 And then the original in the Bible says, 22:20 the next time he prodded them he says, 22:22 "Maybe your God had to go on a bathroom break, 22:26 or maybe he's sleeping. 22:27 Shout louder, you'll wake Him up." 22:29 Well, the bedlam got louder and more violent 22:31 as they shrieked and hollered, 22:32 "O Baal, hear us." 22:35 Bible says, they began to cut themselves with knives 22:37 and finally when they were totally foaming at the mouth 22:40 and exhausted and hoarse at evening, 22:42 the Bible says, Elijah came forward, 22:45 very quietly began to rebuild the altar of the Lord. 22:48 Amen. 22:50 They'd had their turn, hadn't worked 22:52 and he laid a sacrifice on it 22:55 and then he dug a trench around that altar 22:57 and he ordered 12 barrels of precious water 23:01 to be poured over that sacrifice. 23:04 And then they'd had all day, 12 hours. 23:07 Elijah prayed a prayer, you read it 23:09 in your Bibles, it lasted 90 seconds. 23:13 And instantly fire flashed like lightning from heaven, 23:17 it burned up the sacrifice and the wood, 23:19 disintegrated the stones, and even licked up the water 23:22 and the dirt in the trench. 23:24 Amen. 23:25 Because he who made the atom 23:27 knows how to control it, doesn't He? 23:30 Amen. Praise the Lord. 23:31 Notice 1 Kings 18:21, it says, 23:33 "And then Elijah came to all the people, and said, 23:38 'How long will you falter between two opinions? 23:42 If the Lord is God, follow Him, but if Baal, follow him.' 23:48 And the people answered him," what? 23:50 "Not a word." 23:52 Now, ladies and gentlemen, 23:54 Elijah's work was essentially to call people away 23:58 from paganism and sun worship 24:00 and back to the commandments of God. 24:03 Amen. 24:04 But you say, okay, Lon, 24:06 but why would God call His last message the Elijah message? 24:10 We don't worship the sun. 24:15 Or do we? Or do we? 24:23 Tonight when you get home you can turn that page 24:26 on the explanatory notes and get some more details, 24:29 but let me just summarize 24:30 what's there in that little worksheet 24:31 that you've been given tonight. 24:33 I want you to have that so you'd have the history. 24:36 Just a few months ago in mid December, 24:39 all around the Christian world 24:42 we removed the trinkets and the lights, 24:45 we took down the tree and little manger scene 24:47 with maybe some shepherds and a cradle 24:49 and a little baby and it all seemed to fit, 24:51 because Christmas was supposed 24:53 to represent the birth of Christ. 24:57 But just a few weeks ago at Easter, 25:01 every Sunday school in North America 25:03 gave the children an Easter basket 25:05 filled with chocolate eggs and a bunny rabbit 25:08 and some jelly beans until the children got sick. 25:12 What on earth do Easter eggs 25:15 and bunny rabbits have to do 25:17 with the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ? 25:18 Yes, talk through. Amen. 25:22 Absolutely nothing. 25:25 But here's the story that's behind it, 25:27 straight from Elijah's day. 25:31 Now I referred to this book once before. 25:33 You can find it in some used book stores, 25:36 it's called, "The Two Babylons," 25:37 by Alexander Hislop. 25:40 You want to read something 25:41 that will not let you sleep at night, you read this book. 25:44 But let me take you back 25:45 to the earliest days of civilization. 25:48 During the war in Iraq, we were very much aware of the fact 25:51 that they destroyed the museums over there 25:53 that are the cradle of civilization. 25:56 The Tigris-Euphrates River there, 25:57 back to old Nineveh right there 26:00 near Baghdad on the Tigris-Euphrates. 26:04 The ancients worshiped life, anything reproductive. 26:10 So they worshiped, of course, bulls. 26:13 They worshiped sex organs, male and female. 26:16 You can buy them over there in Greece and India 26:18 and all of these countries today. 26:19 Tourists are shocked to see them. 26:21 They worshiped the sun, a source of life, 26:23 the moon, stars, they worshiped rivers, trees, sexuality. 26:27 But they especially worshiped the female egg. 26:32 Well, according to the ancient heathen legends, 26:37 legend had it, this never happened, 26:39 but the pagans believed it, 26:41 that one day an egg of wondrous size 26:44 fell out of heaven and fell into the River Euphrates. 26:48 Then fish nosed that giant egg up on the bank. 26:53 Some scholars think 26:54 that's where our Easter egg rolling comes from. 26:59 Then doves came down from heaven 27:01 and settled on the giant egg and out hatched Ishtar. 27:06 Now in other cultures, her name is called Venus, 27:10 Ashtarte, Astoreth, Semeramis, 27:13 who was the female deity of the moon, 27:16 as Re or Ra was the god of the sun, 27:19 or as Baal was god of lightning and the storms. 27:21 Now some scholars say that Ishtar 27:25 anglicized has become Easter. 27:30 But according to the legends, 27:32 Ishtar had a baby boy without a father. 27:37 Centuries before the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, 27:40 Satan counterfeited the virgin birth in heathen mythology. 27:44 In fact, the Bible speaks of Tammuz, 27:48 Ishtar's husband and the Bible specifically 27:50 warns against worshiping him. 27:52 Hold on to your seats. 27:54 Tammuz was born right around the 25th day of December. 28:00 Do you ever hear of that day? Yes. 28:02 But he was killed, in mythology, 28:04 by a wild boar in the spring. 28:06 But then in the legend, 28:08 Tammuz was resurrected every spring 28:12 on the first day of the week following the vernal Equinox. 28:15 What day is that? Easter. 28:19 But just before his resurrection 28:21 the people would weep and fast and sing dirges for Tammuz. 28:25 Have you ever heard of 40 days of fasting, 28:28 that we call, what? 28:29 Lent. I'm not finished yet. 28:33 Every year those pagans would go 28:35 to the top of the highest hill in every community 28:38 to watch for the resurrection of Tammuz at a sunrise service. 28:44 And the Bible even says in Jeremiah 7:18, 28:48 "That the women would knead dough, 28:50 and they would make cakes 28:52 for the queen of heaven and to the other gods." 28:54 And some say they put a "T" on those cakes for Tammuz. 28:58 Have you ever heard of hot cross buns? 29:04 Now, folks, please don't misunderstand me. 29:08 There's nothing morally wrong 29:09 in eating a chocolate egg at Easter, 29:12 nor singing Christmas carols at Christmas. 29:15 Everybody knows Jesus was not born on December 25. 29:21 And you can go to the top of every hill 29:23 in any community for a sunrise service 29:26 as long as you're not worshiping Tammuz or the sun. 29:29 And I thank the Lord for Christmas. 29:31 At least there is a little time 29:32 there we can focus on the Savior. 29:34 And by the way, there is nothing 29:35 morally wrong with fasting for 40 days. 29:39 These are not moral issues. 29:41 You're not saved or lost by eating a chocolate egg. 29:45 But, folks, here's my point. 29:47 If Christianity as we've just learned 29:49 in the last few minutes to our shock, 29:51 if Christianity has been so thoroughly 29:55 riddled with the remnants of sun worship in areas 29:59 that do not matter morally, could it be 30:03 that Christianity today is infected 30:05 and affected with sun worship in areas 30:08 that do matter morally? 30:11 And the answer, friend, is yes. 30:14 And we will see that next week in some shocking ways 30:16 because some of the best prophecy meetings 30:18 are yet ahead when God's voice of prophecy speaks. 30:22 Amen. Don't miss them. 30:25 But now we're ready to understand 30:26 God's Elijah's message for us today. 30:31 It's about sun worship, somehow it's tied in there 30:33 and it's found right in the heart 30:35 of the Book of Revelation 14:6-12. 30:39 Now please notice, right here we have the same Elijah message 30:45 in its current setting, of course, for 2003, 2004, 30:48 just before the second coming of Jesus. 30:51 And this has to do then with you and with me. 30:55 The Elijah message just before the coming of the great 30:58 and terrible day of the Lord, that's us. 31:01 In fact, if you have your Bibles 31:03 and you want to jump ahead 31:04 just two verses and notice verse 14, 31:06 the most glorious picture there 31:08 of the second coming of Jesus Christ. 31:09 It says, "Then I looked and behold a white cloud, 31:13 and on the cloud One sat like the Son of Man 31:16 having on His head a golden crown, 31:17 and in His hand a sharp sickle. 31:19 And another angel came out the temple, 31:21 crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, 31:24 'Thrust in Your sickle and reap, 31:26 for the time has come for You to reap, 31:28 for the harvest of the earth is,'" what? 31:31 "Ripe." 31:32 Now just immediately before these two verses 31:35 about the second coming of Jesus, 31:37 John describes the Elijah message. 31:40 For our day an identical message should call us 31:44 away from sun worship and paganism 31:47 back to God's commandments. 31:49 Amen. 31:50 Now what does your Bible tell us? 31:52 I want you to notice carefully, friend, each verse. 31:54 Revelation 14:6, it says, 31:57 "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven 32:00 having the everlasting gospel to preach 32:03 to those who dwell on the earth 32:05 to every nation, tribe, tongue, people." 32:09 By the way, this word "angel," 32:12 John saw an angel flying with the everlasting gospel. 32:15 Say, did God give the business 32:16 of preaching to angels or to people? 32:21 Which? People. 32:22 I'll be the first to admit 32:23 that angels would probably do a lot better job. 32:26 But remember, this is a symbolic book 32:29 and the word "angel" if you ever take Greek, 32:32 literally translated, simply means message or messenger. 32:37 Amen. 32:38 There's a message that brings God's message to the world. 32:42 So what this is saying is it says, 32:44 worldwide message, every nation, kindred, 32:45 tongue, and people. 32:46 But it's a message of what? The everlasting gospel. 32:52 In other words, this isn't some new truth, 32:54 something strange, something man invented. 32:56 They got their special Bible or their special new light. 32:59 No, this is the same gospel given to Adam, 33:02 the same one that was given to Mosses, 33:03 the same one that Jesus preached and the apostles, 33:06 the same one in its current setting for 2003 33:09 and for these last days. 33:11 It's a message of salvation in Jesus Christ, 33:15 not by works, that goes to every nation, 33:19 tribe, tongue and people. 33:21 I have a question for you. 33:23 Could that have been fulfilled a hundred years ago? 33:28 Not really. 33:30 We know that Africa was a closed book, 33:32 Asia was asleep, India was shut tight, 33:37 but what happens in Baghdad or here in Columbia today 33:41 is known minutes later by satellite. 33:44 Folks, the gospel message could be preached overnight. 33:48 This is the last message, verse 7 says. 33:52 That's why it's the Elijah message 33:55 and it matches perfectly. 33:56 It says "With a loud voice, 33:58 'Fear God and give glory'" to brother Melashenko. 34:02 Is that what it says? No, no, no, no. 34:04 No, friend. 34:05 "Fear God and give glory to" who? 34:08 "To Him, for the hour of His judgment has come 34:12 and worship Him who made heaven, the earth, 34:14 and the seas and the springs of waters." 34:17 We've learned the judgment has come. 34:20 So do you see how relevant this Elijah message is? 34:23 It's a present message 34:25 for our last days about judgment. 34:28 Well, it says here, worship Him 34:31 who made by millions of years of evolution from slimy ooze 34:35 and through the reign of tooth and fang and claws. 34:38 Is that what it says? No. 34:39 No. Worship who? 34:43 The Creator. Amen. 34:45 This message then is the heart of the Sabbath commandment. 34:49 In fact, those words are quoting 34:51 from the Sabbath commandment in Exodus 20. 34:55 By the way there are Three Angels Messages 34:58 that constitute here the Elijah message for our day. 35:03 It says, the second angel says, "Babylon is fallen." 35:08 That's not Baghdad. 35:10 It's talking about spiritual Babylon. 35:14 Notice verse 8, "And another angel followed saying, 35:17 Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city 35:20 because she has made all nations drink of the wine 35:22 of the wrath of her fornication." 35:24 In other words, all man-made efforts 35:28 and religion add up to zilch. 35:31 What that angel-- that message is saying 35:33 is that most churches out there, 35:35 most denominations, most man-made philosophies 35:38 have become confused, babble, Babel. 35:44 God is saying, modern and end-time churches 35:47 have become Babylon and are giving confused signals 35:49 to the point people are getting spiritually drunk. 35:53 And that's why God says by the way over in Revelation 18, 35:56 "Come out of her, my people." 35:59 But then in verses 9 to 11, the third angel swoops down 36:03 with the most dire warning of all time for Babylon 36:05 and the world's great religions, 36:07 the mark of the beast. 36:10 Notice, "Then a third angel followed them 36:12 saying with a loud voice, 'If any man, 36:15 any person worships the beast and his image 36:17 and receives his mark on his forehead or in his hand, 36:20 he himself shall also drink of the wine 36:23 of the wrath of God which is poured out full strength, 36:26 into the cup of His indignation. 36:28 He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone 36:30 in the presence of the holy angels 36:32 and in the presence of the Lamb. 36:33 And the smoke with their torment ascends 36:35 forever and ever, and they have no rest 36:36 day or night who worship the beast in his image, 36:39 and whoever receives the mark of his name.'" 36:42 Now we're gonna study about 36:44 the mark of the beast on another evening. 36:48 But please notice now verse 12 36:51 because here is the fruit of Elijah's message, 36:56 here is the result, 36:57 here's why this message has to go to the world. 37:00 This is what God is looking for with this Elijah message. 37:03 The same result as the first Elijah, 37:06 the same result as John the Baptist in Jesus' day, 37:09 only this Elijah message results in the final climax, 37:13 the final last day message of preparation 37:16 for the second coming of Jesus Christ, 37:18 same consistent message. 37:20 And God can finally look at His universe and say, 37:22 "Look, here they are, here's My saints, here's My people." 37:26 God's called out Israel elect, in verse 12. 37:30 Here is the patience of the saints. 37:33 Here are those who keep the commandments of God 37:38 and the faith of Jesus. 37:39 Amen. 37:40 Do you see it, friend? Yes. 37:43 God's saints are simply people who keep the commandments 37:48 and they have the faith of Jesus. 37:50 So evidently commandment keeping 37:53 and the faith of Jesus go together. 37:57 This is profoundly significant. 38:00 The Elijah message of the Old Testament, 38:03 the Elijah message of Jesus' day 38:06 and the final Elijah message 38:07 just before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, 38:09 folks, they're all the same. 38:12 The Elijah message is a message 38:14 that calls for special reformation, 38:16 special revival just before Christ coming, 38:20 just before Jesus returns, the very same Elijah message 38:25 calls people back to God's commandments 38:27 and the faith of Jesus. 38:30 And Jesus did say in John 14:15 and John 15:14, 38:35 "If you love me, keep my commandments." 38:40 Revelation 14:6 says, this Elijah message 38:43 is to be proclaimed worldwide, 38:45 every kindred, nation, tongue and people by satellite, 38:49 by radio, by television, 38:51 by discover Bible course, by Internet. 38:54 Join me tonight on the Internet, 38:57 prophecyspeaks.com, 38:58 I'll be there 10 o'clock and 10:30. 39:00 But God's voice of prophecy to the world, 39:04 folks, that is being fulfilled 39:06 right now in this satellite series. 39:10 That's helping to do that. 39:12 But, friends, notice the climax, notice the result, 39:15 immediately after this Elijah message is given 39:17 we have that magnificent picture 39:19 of the second coming of Jesus. 39:21 Notice verses 14 and 15, 39:24 "Then I looked, behold, a white cloud 39:26 and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man 39:29 having on His head a golden crown 39:31 and in His hand a sharp sickle." 39:33 Folks, could anything be more clear? 39:37 God's special Elijah message for today 39:39 is the Three Angels Messages to prepare 39:42 a remnant, last day people 39:44 from all different walks of life and faith 39:46 and churches and denominations, to prepare them 39:49 for the second coming of Jesus Christ. 39:51 And that is precisely why the devil 39:53 doesn't want that passage studied, 39:56 but nothing's more important. 39:59 I know this may be new, new light to some. 40:04 Jesus says in 1 John 1:7, 40:07 "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, 40:12 we have fellowship with one another, 40:13 and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son 40:16 cleanses us from all sin." 40:18 Amen. 40:21 Tell you a little story about Jeanie and me, 40:23 when we were first married, we were quite young very naive. 40:26 We went on our first camping trip 40:27 and we haven't been on too many since. 40:30 I can count them on less than one hand. 40:33 You know where we went for our first camping trip? 40:35 Death Valley. 40:37 Camping in the dark, didn't have any equipment, 40:40 didn't have sleeping bags, a place called Furnace Creek. 40:46 I discovered that Jeanie was very much afraid of the dark, 40:48 in fact, she was petrified. 40:50 And she had to go to the bathroom. 40:52 A little flashlight. 40:53 Let me tell you, she was walking 40:54 right on my feet as I walked her. 40:57 But as long as she walked in the light 40:59 and moved forward as I moved, 41:01 fine, we made progress together. 41:03 Friend, it's the very, very same thing 41:05 the Bible says today. 41:07 We're out here living in a world 41:08 of spiritual darkness and it's getting darker. 41:12 Jesus with the preaching of His Elijah messages, 41:14 shining light onto the pathways of millions of lives 41:18 and into their homes and into their hearts 41:21 and He's extending a loving invitation 41:23 for you to follow Jesus, 41:25 step out of Babylon and spiritual confusion 41:27 and start to walk in the light. 41:31 Be born again, live for Jesus, 41:33 love for Jesus, obey for Jesus, follow Jesus 41:37 and begin an exciting new fellowship with others 41:40 who also believe the Elijah message 41:42 as you've now heard and discovered. 41:45 I want you to notice what that text says, 41:47 the blood of Jesus Christ His Son 41:50 cleanses us from all sin if we walk in the light. 41:55 You see, what's important is we must respond, 41:58 we must do, we must obey, 42:01 we must walk in the light, then His blood cleanses 42:05 and we have fellowship and then we're saints. 42:11 Now suppose, I see some truth and I understand, 42:14 but it seems a little inconvenient and-- 42:17 Can I disobey? 42:19 Notice what this text says, 42:20 if we walk in the light, as we keep on walking, 42:24 keep obeying God's truth, the blood constantly 42:27 cleanses us from all sin. 42:29 Folks, that's a wonderful promise. 42:33 When I was a lad growing up in Canada, 42:35 we lived on a farm in Saskatchewan, 42:37 didn't have any electricity, no running water, 42:40 but that was okay except I, too, was afraid of the dark. 42:45 No lights, no flashlight. 42:47 One day dad went out to milk the cows in the barn, 42:50 and I remember, I followed him closely. 42:52 He had a lantern. 42:54 As I followed by his side I said, "Daddy, 42:56 the light reaches such a little way there. 42:58 I mean, ahead there must be the boogieman 43:00 and shadows and it looks so scary." 43:03 He took my little hand and he said, "Yes, son, 43:05 but if you walk in the light 43:07 you now have, it would take you safe 43:10 to the end of the journey." 43:11 Amen. 43:13 Friends, God wants to take you by the hand, 43:16 His light leads but one step at a time 43:18 and He promises to lead you safe to the end of the journey. 43:23 I invite you to put your hand in God's, 43:26 then listen, follow and obey. 43:31 His still small voice to you right now is a promise, 43:34 "If we walk in the light as He is in the light 43:37 we have fellowship with one another 43:39 and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son 43:41 cleanses us from all sin." 43:45 Row captains, would you send down those containers? 43:48 Take out a commitment card right now 43:49 and make your decision to follow Jesus as Joey sings. 43:55 I will follow Thee, my Savior 44:02 Wheresoe'er my lot may be 44:08 Where Thou goest I will follow 44:15 Yes, my Lord, I'll follow Thee 44:22 I will follow Thee, my Savior 44:29 Thou didst shed Thy blood for me 44:36 And though all men should forsake Thee 44:43 By Thy grace 44:46 I'll follow Thee 44:53 Would you bow your heads with me as we pray together? 44:55 Father in Heaven, every day it's decision time, 45:01 every night, Lord, you've just shown us 45:04 another step in our spiritual journey. 45:08 Through Your holy scriptures You've revealed, 45:11 You want to save us and make us ready for Your coming. 45:14 In fact, You're so interested in us, 45:15 You sent three Elijah messages to prepare us. 45:20 An invitation, a call to repent, to obey, 45:24 to follow You and Your commandments all the way. 45:30 Lord, just now would You please help us, 45:33 impress us, empower us, enable us 45:37 and encourage us to believe Your promise 45:39 and to accept Your invitation and walk in the light 45:41 of obedience to Your commandments and to Your will 45:45 so that we can have fellowship 45:47 with one another and then the blood of Jesus 45:49 will keep on cleansing us from all of our sins. 45:53 As our heads are bowed 45:54 I'd like to have You take a look at that response card. 45:58 I'm gonna read these through with you 46:00 and I would like to have many people 46:01 check this first one, everyone to check number one. 46:04 I believe the Bible calls God's last day message 46:09 to prepare people for Christ's return, 46:12 "The Elijah message." 46:14 If you see that clearly tonight 46:15 just put a check after number one. 46:19 Number two is a personal commitment on your part, 46:21 I desire to follow all truth 46:23 and take steps away from modern Babylon, 46:26 keep God's Ten Commandments. 46:29 Would you put a check there? 46:31 Number three, I give my heart fully to Jesus 46:34 and want to walk with Him. 46:36 Put a check there, would you? 46:39 And some may like to have additional 46:40 reading materials, you put a check there, 46:42 we'll make sure to get that to you. 46:45 Make your decision, mark it 46:47 and return the baskets as Joey sings. 46:51 I will follow Thee, my Savior 46:58 Thou didst shed Thy blood for me 47:06 And though all men should forsake Thee 47:12 By Thy grace 47:16 I'll follow Thee 47:24 Father in heaven, as we close this prayer 47:25 I thank You for the light of Bible prophecy 47:30 that opens up new visions and vistas for us 47:34 to understand Your will for us in 2003. 47:38 Bless each commitment. In Jesus' name, amen. 47:43 We have a very special Discover Bible lesson tonight. 47:46 I hope you've been picking these up 47:48 from night to night at the Discover Bible stands, 47:51 get involved wherever you are, in your downlink locations, 47:53 it's not too late, you can take two, three, 47:55 four at a time, catch up 47:57 and join our graduation a couple of nights from now. 48:00 We're gonna be having a graduation, 48:01 so if you haven't been doing your homework, 48:03 take them with you on your break at lunch, fill these out. 48:07 Remember, please don't miss tomorrow's doubleheader, 48:10 Party for Prodigals, 48:12 11 o'clock in the morning at all the downlink location 48:15 and then in the evening at 7:15, 48:17 The Woman of Revelation. 48:20 Tonight following our session at all the locations, 48:24 please take advantage of meeting 48:25 your hosts and hostesses. 48:27 Some of our staff is gonna be over here 48:29 at the hospitality center. 48:31 Also those of you who've made decisions 48:33 for baptism for tomorrow, 48:35 particularly right here in Columbia, 48:38 I want you to come down, 48:39 meet us for just a minute here at the front, 48:41 we'd like to see you. 48:43 For the rest, have a wonderful and blessed happy Sabbath. 48:47 We'll see you tomorrow night. 48:48 Remember, as we go, friend, God really does love you. 48:56 Goodnight. |
Revised 2014-12-17