Anchors of Truth

Coming Economic Control

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: James Rafferty

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Series Code: AOT

Program Code: AOT000114


00:12 Welcome to Anchors Of Truth live from the 3ABN Worship Center.
00:23 Good morning friends, and welcome to the
00:25 3ABN Worship Center right here located in
00:28 Thompsonville/ West Frankfort, Illinois.
00:31 Thank you for taking the time to join us this
00:33 beautiful Sabbath morning.
00:34 It's cold outside, but the Lord is warming our
00:37 hearts on the inside.
00:38 Can the church say amen to that?
00:40 God has blessed us from night to night with
00:42 Pastor James Rafferty, focusing on the timely
00:45 all important messages of Revelation chapter 13.
00:48 So don't change the channel.
00:50 Maybe you want to hit the record button,
00:52 invite your family and friends to sit down
00:54 and understand the time in which we live.
00:58 These are challenging times for anyone who names
01:01 the name of Christ.
01:03 It's not just to inform you about the prophecies of
01:05 Revelation chapter 13, but what we should do
01:08 in light of theses prophecies.
01:10 And most importantly, the relationship that
01:12 we should have with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
01:16 Now normally I would open with prayer, but this morning
01:18 I've given that opportunity to Pastor James Rafferty.
01:21 But as I sing this song this morning, I have up my mind,
01:25 I stand with the Hebrews in the fiery furnace,
01:28 I stand with Daniel in the lion's den,
01:30 with all the faithful, when fame and fortune
01:33 and all the things that the world has to offer us
01:36 comes to our table.
01:38 The song writer said it best, "I'll worship only
01:42 at the feet of Jesus."
01:56 I went to visit the shrines of plenty,
02:07 but found its storerooms all filled with dust.
02:19 Then I bowed at alters of gold and silver;
02:31 but as I knelt there they turned to rust.
02:41 So I'll worship only
02:47 at the feet of Jesus;
02:53 His cup alone, my holy grail.
03:05 There'll be no other
03:12 gods before Him;
03:17 Just Jesus only will never fail.
03:30 The call of fortune made me its pilgrim
03:40 to journey to things promised us.
03:52 But as I climbed, all the promises faded;
04:04 and wind blew lonely all through the night.
04:15 So I'll worship only
04:21 at the feet of Jesus;
04:27 His cup alone is my holy grail.
04:39 There'll be no other
04:45 gods before Him;
04:50 Just Jesus only will never fail.
05:04 Just desert dust and empty shadows;
05:14 all promises now turned to lies.
05:26 For the gods of earth failed and betrayed me;
05:38 For You alone are the truth and life.
05:48 So I'll worship only
05:55 at the feet of Jesus;
06:01 His cup alone is my holy grail.
06:12 And there'll be no other
06:18 gods before Him;
06:24 Just Jesus only will never fail.
06:35 Just Jesus only
06:42 will never fail.
07:00 Amen, John. Thank you.
07:02 Again, you are blessed to have preachers that can sing and
07:07 singers that can preach.
07:09 I can't do both of those things.
07:12 God is good.
07:14 By His grace we can at least get the preaching part done.
07:17 As long as we stay in the Word.
07:19 How are you this morning?
07:21 Just want to wish you a blessed day.
07:24 Which is what it is, isn't it?
07:26 We are in the prophecies of the Bible, Daniel and Revelation.
07:31 That's where we've been all week.
07:32 And we're just going to continue there.
07:34 We're going to open our Bibles to Revelation 13.
07:36 And as we do that, we're just going to pause
07:39 for a moment or two and ask the Holy Spirit
07:41 to be here to lead and guide our hearts and our minds.
07:44 Father in heaven, just thank You this morning again
07:46 for the opportunity to open Your Word,
07:48 to ask for the presence of Your Holy Spirit.
07:51 You have directed us to Him as the anointing that teaches us
07:56 so that we don't need to rely on any man to teach us
07:58 and guide us, but we can go directly to your word.
08:01 And that's what we want to do today and every day.
08:05 Father, this opportunity we give to You.
08:08 That's why we're here.
08:09 It's a time of fellowship, of worship, of study, prayer.
08:15 And we just want to praise You for this opportunity,
08:17 for this day in time that You have covenanted to be with us,
08:21 that You've set aside to bless us and fellowship with us.
08:26 Answer our needs, meet our hearts desires,
08:30 direct us, guide us, protect us, keep us,
08:34 prepare us through Your Word.
08:35 We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
08:40 Okay, we are in Revelation.
08:41 I want to share with you a little story or an illustration.
08:44 This goes back to 1847.
08:50 Over 165 years ago.
08:52 There were a group of people, not more than a hundred people,
08:56 that had survived a bitter disappointment.
08:59 There had been thousands of people involved in a movement
09:01 that led to a proclamation of the return of Jesus Christ
09:06 in October of 1844.
09:09 And just a few years after this disappointment
09:12 there were just, well, 50 to 100 people
09:16 that had held onto the truths that had motivated and
09:20 spurred this movement.
09:22 And that group of people was scattered.
09:26 A scattered little flock.
09:29 And there was a book that was put together
09:31 by a couple of pioneers.
09:34 Well, three to be exact.
09:35 There was a man by the name of James White,
09:38 another man by the name of Joseph Bates,
09:40 and then there was a young lady by the name of Ellen White.
09:45 She was about 18, James White was about 25,
09:49 and Joseph Bates, well, he was a real old guy like about my age.
09:53 I'm 51.
09:55 And they put this book together and they wrote it
09:58 to the little flock that was scattered abroad.
10:01 Anyone know what the name of that book was?
10:05 A Word to the Little Flock.
10:08 A Word to the Little Flock.
10:10 I really encourage you to find that book and read it.
10:13 You can find it in a couple of different places.
10:14 I was listening to it this morning, because I was
10:17 able to do that, and it reminded me a lot of our past.
10:22 And in this book, there was a lot of clarification about
10:27 certain interpretations of prophecy.
10:29 Primarily, James White was dealing with Revelation 13
10:36 and Daniel 11.
10:38 And his point was this; it is clear when you read
10:43 Revelation chapter 13 and Daniel 11, specifically the
10:48 last verses, and especially verse 45, that probation
10:54 has not closed yet.
10:56 Michael has not stood up yet.
10:59 The seven last plagues have not been poured out yet.
11:02 The time of trouble has not begun yet.
11:04 The resurrection has not taken place yet.
11:08 He was encouraging the little flock.
11:11 Yes, we were disappointed.
11:13 And yes, we misunderstood some of the detail of, you know,
11:16 what 1844 was all about.
11:19 But there are prophecies yet to be fulfilled.
11:23 Now the reason why I bring that up is because
11:26 I think it will help us this morning as we make a
11:29 connection in this presentation about coming economic control
11:34 between Revelation 13 and Daniel 11.
11:39 There are a number of connections.
11:40 I've been doing this study and outline that is developing about
11:44 a dozen or so connections between those two sections
11:46 of Scripture, specifically Daniel 11:40-12:3
11:49 and Revelation 13:1-18.
11:54 But this morning we want to look at one specific connection.
11:57 And that is the connection that predicts economic control.
12:02 We're going to look at this from two perspectives.
12:04 And I'm going to take you back to a statement from James White
12:06 in A Word To The Little Flock as we close, but right now
12:11 we're going to skip ahead to Revelation 13 verses 16 and 17.
12:16 Just look at these verses with me.
12:19 It's in a sense a bold prediction.
12:22 And we are a people of bold predictions, but those
12:25 bold predictions are based, I hope, on the sure word
12:29 of prophecy.
12:30 We have nothing to fear in making bold predictions
12:34 if they are founded on the sure word of prophecy.
12:37 And so, here's what the Word of God says
12:39 in Revelation 13:15 and 16.
12:43 "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast,
12:47 that the image of the beast should both speak and cause
12:51 as many as would not worship the image of the beast
12:54 should be killed.
12:56 And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor,
13:00 free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand
13:04 or in their foreheads.
13:05 That no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,
13:11 or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
13:15 Now we've identified in previous presentations
13:19 that a beast in Bible prophecy represents a kingdom
13:22 or a power, an earthly kingdom or a power.
13:24 So this is talking about an earthly kingdom or power...
13:28 Specifically we've also identified that this power in
13:31 Revelation chapter 13 includes the United States of America.
13:36 ...an earthly kingdom or a power that has the might,
13:40 the strength, the influence, the economic backbone,
13:43 to actually cause the entire world to, well,
13:50 to face economic boycott.
13:52 You might say, "Wow, that's a pretty bold statement."
13:55 We make it based on a lot of information that we've
13:58 already looked at, but I would like to suggest
14:00 a few things that would help us to understand
14:03 how this is even possible.
14:04 Because the statement, first of all, is made on the Word of God.
14:08 I remember, again, when I first accepted the Adventist message
14:12 in 1984 and that the biggest power in the world back then
14:15 was not the United States.
14:16 It was the U.S.S.R.
14:19 And the idea that the United States was going to be
14:22 prominent, preeminent, in enforcing upon the world
14:26 economic boycott, that all the other nations would follow
14:29 their lead, well that just seemed like a stretch to me.
14:33 Difficult to accept.
14:35 But I did by faith. Only by faith.
14:37 You know, faith is the substance of things hoped for,
14:39 the evidence of things not seen.
14:40 Or the evidence of things hoped for, the substance of things...
14:42 Anyway, Hebrews 11 verse 1.
14:44 The idea was, was that most of the evidence that I had
14:48 seen already in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation
14:52 had bolstered, had developed, had strengthened my faith
14:55 to believe that, well even though I didn't see
14:57 this happening in the world, it was going to happen.
15:00 Because God was clearly indicating from all the evidence
15:02 that it would happen.
15:04 And that's where faith steps in and draws a line between
15:09 what we can see and feel, and what God says.
15:13 There's a lot of things that I see and feel in my life
15:16 that make it feel like it's impossible for God's word
15:20 to be fulfilled in me, for me.
15:23 I feel unworthy.
15:25 I feel like a sinner.
15:26 I see myself failing Jesus.
15:28 I see myself falling short of the glory of God.
15:31 I feel like I'm never going to make it.
15:34 But what does God's word say?
15:35 "I'm the author and I'm the finisher.
15:38 I'm going to finish what I began."
15:40 I am going to overcome by the grace of Jesus Christ.
15:45 His grace is sufficient for me.
15:46 These are the promises of God.
15:48 So I have to rest my case on those promises
15:51 no matter how ugly I look when I look in the mirror
15:53 in the morning or in the evening or any time during the day.
15:57 I'm not talking about physical appearance.
15:59 Though that might apply also as I get older.
16:02 I'm talking about the ugliness, the horror,
16:06 of the selfishness that I see over and over again in my life.
16:09 And it's the same with Bible prophecy.
16:11 Bible prophecy cannot be separated
16:13 from personal Christian experience.
16:15 They are connected like a hand and glove.
16:17 Even more so.
16:18 Like veins in our hands carrying the lifeblood of faith
16:23 to our heart, to our brain, to everywhere.
16:25 And so as I look at the world today, I say, "Okay, difficult.
16:28 1984, really difficult. Today? Maybe more so."
16:31 We think about, for example, economic boycotts that have
16:34 taken place against nations like Iran and North Korea
16:39 and Cuba.
16:41 We think about the economic influence that has taken place
16:44 in countries that are Muslim, like Pakistan where the
16:48 day that businesses are closed in this Islamic state is Sunday
16:52 and not Friday, for economic reasons.
16:55 As we look at this evidence, and the point here
16:58 in using these examples is not to make judgments
17:01 for or against those actions and the nations that follow
17:05 our lead in those actions.
17:08 It's just to point them out as a matter of fact.
17:10 They are examples that help us to see that this
17:13 prophecy in Revelation can be fulfilled.
17:16 That we have already principles in place that are leading us
17:20 in this direction, for good or bad reasons,
17:22 whatever you want to say.
17:24 And that down the stream of time, the general trajectory,
17:31 the general consummation of events today are
17:36 leading us to a place where these words
17:39 will be completely fulfilled.
17:42 Because people, whether they're secular or not,
17:45 panic when Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21,
17:52 when the wars and rumors of wars terrify them.
17:56 When commotions and fearful signs in the heavens
17:59 and earthquakes and natural disasters overwhelm them.
18:01 Think about 9/11.
18:03 Just before 9/11 took place in this country one of the
18:06 biggest issues that was being debated in the public sphere
18:11 was prayer in public.
18:13 Prayer at football games and high schools, nativity scenes.
18:17 I mean, there was just this debate, this conflict,
18:20 that was taking place.
18:21 9/11 hit, and the President of the United States
18:23 got on the TV and he prayed.
18:27 On national television he prayed.
18:29 The debate was over.
18:31 The conflict was done, it was settled.
18:32 There was a crisis before us.
18:35 And that crisis filled the churches, filled the pews,
18:41 and united all of us under a religious umbrella, of sorts.
18:48 Now multiply that crisis, according to Matthew 24:8,
18:52 and of course Mark 13 and Luke 21, where Jesus says
18:55 these signs of natural disasters and wars
18:58 and terror and commotions in the heavens,
19:01 these signs are going to increase.
19:03 They're going to be like birth pangs, they're going to
19:04 increase with intensity and frequency,
19:06 until finally all the nations are going to unite together.
19:09 They're going to have to unite together.
19:10 They're going to have to do it to somehow remedy,
19:14 to somehow solve, to somehow bring hope
19:18 to the world who have forsaken the only hope.
19:21 And that is the hope we have in Jesus.
19:23 So this first Scripture in Revelation chapter 13
19:29 indicates that there's going to be some economic control.
19:34 And it doesn't matter in this time if you are rich or poor.
19:39 It doesn't matter in this time if you are strong or weak,
19:42 if you are bond or free.
19:45 It doesn't matter.
19:46 The control is going to be of such a nature
19:48 that it's going to take a hold of everyone.
19:51 Everyone is going to have to conform
19:52 to this economic control.
19:55 I would say everyone will conform.
19:56 Because it's going to be more of a situation where it's like,
19:59 "You know, we really need to do this."
20:00 I mean, who's going to oppose those things that have been
20:03 implemented as a result of 9/11?
20:06 Certainly I'm not.
20:07 I'm not going to go to the airport and say,
20:09 "Well I'm sorry, but I want to put my liquids in my bag
20:11 and I want to take them through.
20:13 And I want to have my little pocket knife in there,
20:15 and there's no way you're going to take that away from me."
20:17 I'm not going to be able to do that.
20:18 This is for the good of the whole nation.
20:20 This is for the good of the world.
20:22 Think about the pressure that's going to come down
20:24 on you, on us, in that time when worship,
20:29 which is repeated here seven or eight times in
20:31 Revelation 13 and 14, becomes the central focus of the issue
20:35 about which this economic boycott centers.
20:39 Think about where our faith is going to be then
20:43 when we are tested to stand for Jesus by saying
20:49 a prayer for our food in public.
20:51 You ever been in that kind of situation?
20:53 I travel a lot and sometimes I'm in an airport,
20:55 sometimes I'm traveling in a place where, you know,
20:57 there's no one around me that I know.
20:59 It's easy when I travel with my wife, because if I'm
21:00 with my wife I can grab her hand and we can pray together.
21:02 I've got her, she's got me.
21:04 But when I'm by myself, I'm just sitting down there
21:06 and there's all these people around me
21:08 and I'm getting ready to eat, it's like, okay.
21:14 Okay, I'm the only one that feels that way?
21:15 There's a couple of people nodding their heads.
21:17 It can be challenging for us.
21:20 Because we are insecure and we wonder how
21:23 people think toward us.
21:25 And we want to be accepted by our peers
21:28 and by the rest of the world.
21:29 We don't want to be hated by anyone.
21:31 We love Jesus.
21:32 After all, we want to be considered good people.
21:37 It's at those times when it's nice to remember that
21:40 we are selfish to the core and that Jesus alone is good.
21:44 None other.
21:45 And that He Himself is our righteousness,
21:51 so that we can put our full trust in Him.
21:53 And therefore refuse to deny Him in any way, shape, or form
21:58 in any circumstances or situations.
22:00 Because He is our everything.
22:02 To deny Him is to deny anything and everything
22:05 that matters in life.
22:07 The other verse we want to look at this morning is found
22:09 in Daniel chapter 11.
22:12 Daniel chapter 11, one of my favorite chapters,
22:15 Daniel 11 verse 43.
22:18 Now, I'm going to read this verse, then I'm going to
22:21 give you a little bit of background to this particular
22:25 section of Scripture, prophetic Scripture.
22:27 Because it is challenging and difficult.
22:28 Daniel 11:43 says, "But he," speaking of this
22:33 king of the north.
22:34 That's the context, the flow of the prophecy.
22:36 "But he shall have power over the treasures
22:40 of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt.
22:46 And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall follow
22:49 at his steps," or follow after him.
22:51 Now, if you combine these two sections, these prophetic
22:54 sections of Scripture together, what you have is this:
22:58 There is a power in the end of time,
23:00 and I would say an alliance of powers,
23:02 that is going to have control of the gold, the silver,
23:04 and the precious things so that no man can buy or sell.
23:08 That's the basic message God is giving.
23:10 That's why I believe these two chapters
23:12 actually connect together.
23:15 Now again, there's a little bit of controversy over this.
23:18 This second Scripture in Daniel can be a little bit more
23:21 difficult to understand.
23:22 And partly because Daniel verses 40 through 45
23:27 are somewhat controversial.
23:28 In our history there have been varying interpretations.
23:30 We began with a solid understanding
23:33 with James White and Uriah Smith.
23:34 And then there was some variation that took place
23:37 and Uriah Smith kind of went in a different direction
23:38 with Turkey, etcetera.
23:40 And then James White kind of contended against that.
23:43 It was kind of laid to rest with the two views.
23:45 We kind of settled in and just got onto other things.
23:49 Down through time, and even to today, there's been
23:52 an awakened interest in Daniel 11.
23:53 I'm hoping to do a whole series on Daniel 11
23:55 when I can get everything together.
23:57 But there are a lot of people who are wondering about this.
23:59 And I think it's time for us to wonder.
24:02 I really do, I think it's time for us to understand.
24:04 Because there are some details in Daniel 11 that
24:07 you won't find anywhere else in the Bible.
24:10 Nowhere else.
24:11 Powerful details that I believe will help us to understand
24:14 where we are in prophetic history.
24:17 James White argued, and I think very effectively and correctly,
24:22 that Daniel 11 follows the sequence of Daniel 2,
24:27 Daniel 7, Daniel 8.
24:30 Daniel 11 was just following that sequence of what we call,
24:33 repeat and enlarge.
24:35 It was covering the same history of Babylon,
24:38 Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
24:39 Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
24:41 Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome; Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
24:43 down to the second coming of Jesus.
24:46 Now, I don't want to argue with anyone who might have a
24:51 difference of opinion or hold a certain interpretation
24:54 about this, but I would like to suggest this morning as we
24:57 study this important theme of coming economic control
25:01 that we take a look again at the connection between
25:05 Daniel 11 and Revelation 13.
25:09 Just because we need a little bit of insight, we do,
25:12 to understand how and when this economic control
25:14 is going to take place.
25:16 We see some principles that have been in place for a while,
25:20 but what's going to actually usher it in?
25:22 Are there some other aspects that surround this that can
25:25 help us to be prepared and to be established
25:29 in this prophetic truth?
25:32 Well, one of the things I'd like to suggest.
25:35 Now what I'm going to do this morning is I'm going to suggest
25:37 that there are two possibilities that would help us
25:42 correctly interpret Daniel chapter 11:40-45 and 12:1-3.
25:49 This first one is this; if James White was correct,
25:53 if Daniel chapter 11 follows the same sequence
25:56 as Daniel 2, 7, and 8; Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
26:00 Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
26:01 Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome; Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
26:03 second coming, second coming, second coming, second coming;
26:06 it would be nice, it would be helpful, because this last
26:10 section is challenging, if we could find another prophetic
26:14 section of Scripture that followed the same sequence;
26:18 Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
26:20 but went a little bit further and gave us more details
26:23 about what takes place after 1798 and the deadly wound
26:27 is inflicted, and before Jesus comes.
26:30 So that's one suggestion.
26:31 I'm suggesting, just think about this, that you think about
26:35 the possibility of another section of Scripture,
26:38 prophetic Scripture, that follows the sequence;
26:41 Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome;
26:44 but takes us a little bit further giving us more
26:47 detail about the end of time just before Jesus comes.
26:50 Because if we would find that section of Scripture,
26:53 if there is such a one, it would help us to understand
26:57 these verses in Daniel 11:40-45.
27:00 Because 40 says, "at the time of the end," that's 1798,
27:03 and then all the way through down to 45 and 12:1.
27:07 That's when Michael stands up and probation closes.
27:09 So think about that, and then let me give you
27:11 possibility number 2.
27:14 I believe that we could begin with Daniel 12 and verse 1.
27:20 Now we know what Daniel 12 and verse 1 is talking about.
27:22 Daniel 12 and verse 1, let's just take a look.
27:25 If we could start with Daniel 12 verse 1 and go backwards.
27:28 In other words, here's a point in history;
27:31 we know what's happening here.
27:32 Now before that happens, what happens?
27:34 And before that happens, what happens?
27:35 Before that happens, what happens?
27:37 Let's try it, Daniel 12 verse 1.
27:39 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, that great prince
27:45 which stands for the children of thy people.
27:48 And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was
27:51 since there was a nation even to that same time.
27:54 And at that time thy people shall be delivered,
27:57 every one that shall be found written in the book."
28:00 What is this time talking about?
28:04 This is indicating the time when probation closes.
28:09 Michael standing up is the close of probation
28:13 for the entire world.
28:16 This is the same time that is spoken of
28:20 in Revelation chapter 15 and 16 when the smoke fills the temple
28:26 and no man can go in.
28:27 Mediation is ceased, the seven last plagues are poured out,
28:30 there's no more mercy.
28:31 It's the time that is spoken of, well referred to in Revelation 7
28:36 when the four winds are let loose.
28:37 Now in Revelation 7 they're being held back
28:40 until something takes place.
28:41 And we're going to look at that verse in a minute.
28:43 But they're let loose.
28:45 This is a time of trouble that never has been
28:48 or never will be again.
28:50 Now God's people and the world have experienced
28:52 some times of trouble.
28:53 For example, Noah and his family experienced a
28:56 pretty intense time of trouble.
28:59 I mean, the entire population of the earth was wiped out,
29:02 according to the inspired record,
29:04 and only eight people survive.
29:06 That was a time of trouble.
29:09 In the Dark Ages, God's people experienced
29:13 a time of trouble.
29:15 Matthew 24 describes it as a time of tribulation.
29:18 Not to be confused with this time of trouble.
29:21 They're different. How so?
29:23 Well in the time of tribulation, the Dark Ages,
29:27 it is estimated that 50 to 100 million Christians,
29:32 that is faithful followers of Jesus Christ,
29:35 lost their lives.
29:37 But notice what it says in Daniel 12 verse 1.
29:41 "At that time thy people shall be..."
29:45 What's the word?
29:46 "...delivered."
29:48 Everyone that's written in the book is going to be delivered.
29:51 So there's not going to be any 50 to 100 million people,
29:53 followers of Jesus, losing their life in the time of trouble.
29:57 In fact, I would suggest from this verse and this verse alone,
29:59 not one true follower of Jesus will lose their life
30:04 in the time of trouble after probation closes
30:07 when Michael stands up.
30:08 No one that is a true follower of Christ dies.
30:13 Zero. Praise God.
30:15 So there is a difference here.
30:16 In fact, when Jesus talked about the time of tribulation,
30:18 Matthew 24, He says, "This time of tribulation
30:21 is such as never been, nor never will be."
30:25 So it is different from the time of trouble.
30:26 The time of tribulation, the Dark Ages,
30:28 the 50 to 100 million people, those were Christians.
30:30 In Noah's days, there weren't Christians that died.
30:33 The antediluvians were those who didn't
30:34 get into the ark and weren't Christians.
30:35 So never has been, never will be.
30:37 Time of trouble, Daniel 12:1?
30:39 No Christians lose their lives.
30:41 So that tribulation is different.
30:44 Don't get it confused.
30:45 Sometimes we get a little bit concerned about
30:47 the time of trouble and we think, "Oh man,
30:50 that's going to be hard.
30:51 I don't know what I'm going to do."
30:54 "A thousand shall fall at thy side, ten-thousand at thy
30:56 right hand; but it will not come nye thee.
30:58 Only with thine eye shall thy see and behold the
31:00 reward of the wicked," Psalm 91 says.
31:02 "He'll give His angels charge over thee."
31:04 I'm not going to say it's going to be easy peasy lemon squeezy.
31:07 We're going to be in earnest prayer.
31:08 We are going to be shut in with God.
31:13 We're going to be, as it were, learning what it means
31:18 to walk by faith and not by sight.
31:20 Wrapping out entire beings around that green cord of faith
31:24 so we can swing over the chasm to the other side.
31:27 But God will deliver His people.
31:30 Now, we are going to know that because we're going to know
31:34 before that that God has delivered us.
31:36 Time and time again He's delivered us from ourselves
31:39 and from our selfishness and from our unrighteousness
31:41 and from all of the things that we wrestle with and the
31:44 reality of who we are.
31:45 He's delivered us over and over again.
31:47 And that deliverance, that daily, weekly, monthly, yearly
31:51 deliverance is what has strengthened us
31:54 and encouraged us and allowed us to take a hold by faith
32:00 of His continued deliverance.
32:03 Some years ago I started working out at a gym.
32:05 Ty encouraged me; we were both quite underweight for our size.
32:10 Both of us for years had this problem.
32:13 I know that a lot of you don't have this problem, but we did.
32:17 We weighed about 140, 145 at best.
32:20 I'm 5'11", 140 to 145, sometimes down to 135.
32:23 I would take my shirt off at home and I would tease my wife;
32:27 I would suck my stomach in and show her my ribcage.
32:30 She would, "Oh, I don't want to see that."
32:33 Finally, Ty came to me and said, "James, I've gained 10 pounds."
32:36 I was like, "Ten pounds? That's unbelievable.
32:38 How did you do that?"
32:39 He said, "Well it took me a year.
32:43 But I did it by lifting weights."
32:44 I said, "Oh, lifting weights.
32:49 I don't know if I want to get into lifting weights.
32:51 That's so, you know..."
32:55 But he said, "No, it works. You've got to do it.
32:57 You've got to do it, if you want to gain weight
32:59 you've got to do it."
33:00 So I said, "Okay."
33:01 Went over to his house the next day and started lifting weights.
33:03 And of course, he had been in it for a year
33:06 and I was just starting.
33:07 It took me three months to gain five pounds
33:10 lifting weights every day, every day.
33:13 And I remember we went to a gym together, we were at Andrews.
33:15 And he went in, knew the guys there.
33:19 He had been there for a week before I had.
33:20 And he was over there with a 45 pound bar and he had these
33:23 45 pound weights on there, you know.
33:25 So he had about 130 pounds and he was just...
33:30 And I snuck over in the corner and I grabbed that 45 pound bar
33:33 and I was like...
33:36 I means, I was weak as water.
33:40 But I continued, I just kept pursuing it.
33:42 And I was, pretty soon I put some two and a halves
33:44 on there, and then I put some fives on there,
33:46 and then I put some tens on there, you know.
33:49 And I just got stronger and stronger.
33:51 And while it's still difficult for me to push that bar up,
33:54 because there's more weight on it,
33:56 I am pushing more weight.
33:59 I could say that it's probably as difficult for me to push
34:02 the bar up with the 45's as it was for me to
34:04 push the bar up without anything on it back then.
34:07 And that's the way our faith works.
34:09 It starts in little spurts.
34:12 We just push the bar up as best we can.
34:16 And we get stronger and stronger and stronger.
34:19 And when we get to the time of trouble, it's not like,
34:21 "Oh man, we're overwhelmed.
34:22 Man, I can't...45 pounds...100? How am I going to..."
34:25 No, because our faith has been strengthening, strengthening,
34:29 by exercise, by exercise, by exercise.
34:31 And the problem is, many of us don't want to exercise faith.
34:35 We just want it all to be set out for us and we want
34:37 God to just provide all these things.
34:38 And we just want to sit back and just say,
34:39 "Yep, just take me to the kingdom."
34:44 And little trials come along and we go, "Wah, what was that?
34:48 How could those people be so unchristian as not to
34:50 recognize me and not to say 'hi' to me, and not to smile at me,
34:53 and not to provide for me, and not take care of me,
34:54 and not to think well of me, and not to..., not to...,
34:56 not to..., not to... me, me, me, me, me."
34:59 And we don't realize that God, in His mercy, sent Joseph
35:04 to Egypt.
35:05 Not just mercy for his brothers, but mercy for him.
35:09 And he's continued to do that with the Nebuchadnezzar's,
35:13 and the Daniel's and the Moses', and the Peter's and James'
35:20 and John's, and the you's and the me's.
35:23 And will continue to do that.
35:26 But He will deliver us.
35:29 He promises to deliver us.
35:31 Now going backwards from that time; because we know
35:33 the context of it, verse 2, is the resurrection,
35:36 second coming of Jesus.
35:37 "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake.
35:39 Some to everlasting life, others to shame
35:41 and everlasting contempt."
35:42 We understand that to be that special resurrection.
35:44 So going back from there, we have verse 45.
35:46 "And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace
35:49 between the seas and the glorious holy mountain.
35:52 And he shall come to his end, and none shall help him."
35:56 I'm not going to elaborate on that verse.
35:58 It's probably one of the most difficult and controversial.
36:03 But I am going to finish with a thought on it before we're done.
36:07 I hope I can get back to this thought
36:08 if we don't run out of time.
36:09 I'm going to go back now to verse 44, verse 44.
36:12 Now remember, we've come to the time of the end,
36:15 the time of trouble, the close of probation,
36:17 the resurrection, the second coming of Jesus.
36:18 We're trying to figure out the events that lead up to that
36:23 and if Daniel 11:40-45 applies to us today.
36:28 We go back now to verse 44.
36:30 I skipped 45, we're at 44.
36:31 "But tidings out of the east and out of the north
36:34 shall trouble him; therefore he will go forth with great fury
36:38 to destroy and utterly make away many."
36:46 This verse is talking about us.
36:48 I don't know if you realize that.
36:50 This verse is talking about you and me.
36:55 Tidings; what are tidings in the Bible?
36:58 The angel in Matthew said, "I bring you great tidings."
37:01 Luke, "I bring you good tidings of great joy."
37:03 What are the tidings?
37:05 The gospel, the proclamation of the gospel,
37:07 the everlasting gospel.
37:08 "Tidings out of the east and out of the north."
37:10 I want you to just look at this verse with me.
37:12 If you're not familiar with it, I think you will be,
37:15 but you for sure will be by the time we get done.
37:17 It's in Revelation chapter 7.
37:20 People will say, "Well okay, what are the tidings
37:23 out of east and out of the north.
37:24 What does that represent?"
37:25 Well let's just go and look at the twin prophetic
37:28 book of Daniel, and that's Revelation.
37:31 Because Revelation kind of picks up where Daniel leaves off.
37:34 It gives us more insight and more understanding.
37:36 Revelation chapter 7, John is talking about
37:41 the closing up of the seals.
37:43 He gets to the sixth seal, the second coming of Jesus Christ.
37:46 And he says, "Now after these things..."
37:48 Because the question was asked, "Who's going to
37:49 be able to stand when Jesus comes?"
37:50 He says, "After these things I saw four angels
37:53 standing on the four corners of the earth, and they were
37:54 holding the four winds of the earth..."
37:56 Seven last plagues, time of trouble;
37:58 it's all the same thing.
38:00 They're holding the four winds of the earth,
38:02 "that the wind should not blow on the earth
38:04 or on the sea or on any tree.
38:05 And I saw another angel..."
38:07 Remember, the question is being asked,
38:09 "Who's going to be able to stand when Jesus comes?"
38:11 "I saw another angel ascending from the..."
38:14 Where?
38:16 The east.
38:19 What is so special about this angel?
38:21 Well, this angel has the seal of the living God.
38:27 "And he cried with a..."
38:28 What kind of voice? Loud voice.
38:30 Just want to make sure you're awake this morning.
38:31 I think you all are. A loud voice.
38:33 Hal, you awake out there? Yeah, you're awake, okay.
38:35 "...a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given
38:38 to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, 'Hurt not the earth,
38:40 neither the sea, nor the trees till we have sealed
38:42 the servants of God in their foreheads.'"
38:44 This is the sealing angel.
38:46 "I heard tidings," Daniel 11 verse 44, "out of the east."
38:51 And it troubled this power that's going to set up his
38:53 tabernacle between the seas and the glorious holy mountain.
38:55 The one that's going to come to his end and none will help him.
38:57 The one that's going to have control over the gold and silver
38:59 and precious things so no man can buy or sell.
39:01 The one that enters into the countries and overthrows
39:03 and passes over and enters the Glorious Land.
39:05 He's going to be troubled by these tidings.
39:07 He's going to have control over the world.
39:09 Everyone's going to acquiesce.
39:10 But then there are these tidings out of the east
39:12 that trouble him.
39:14 The east represents the seal of God,
39:17 the sealing message.
39:20 And of course, we understand what that points to.
39:22 It points to people who keep a certain day.
39:27 Not because they believe that keeping that day is saving them.
39:33 The Jews tried that, it didn't work.
39:36 They kept the day and executed the Savior.
39:39 But they keep that day because they believe
39:42 that Jesus Christ is their Savior.
39:45 That He has saved them from their sins.
39:49 That He has saved them from something that they found it
39:51 impossible to be saved from in and of themselves.
39:55 They found it impossible to overcome in and of themselves.
39:58 And then they have the Savior that prevailed in their behalf.
40:01 And that caused them to fall deeply in love with Him
40:05 so that they could not be separated from Him.
40:08 And in that context, they experienced the words of Christ
40:13 in John 14, "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
40:17 And so they do.
40:19 Just as a matter of fact.
40:20 Just because that's what love does.
40:24 Not to be saved.
40:27 And not to do it because they're not going to be saved.
40:29 It's simply an act of love.
40:33 That's what it is.
40:34 And so they do it.
40:35 They're sealed, they're settled, they can't be moved from this.
40:38 Not the whole world, not at the hatred of the world,
40:41 the hatred of the nations.
40:42 Not economic boycott, not losing everything and anything that
40:45 they might hold dear on this earth.
40:47 Nothing can stop them from worshiping their Creator.
40:52 Because their love motivates...
40:54 His love for them motivates them.
40:56 They're in love with Jesus.
40:58 So these are the tidings. I mean, this really...
41:00 You think of Nebuchadnezzar.
41:02 Remember when those three worthies wouldn't bow?
41:04 Remember how upset he was?
41:05 Aargh.
41:06 Well that Babylonian king is being duplicated right here.
41:10 The principle is the same.
41:11 He's upset.
41:12 He goes forth to destroy and utterly make away many.
41:14 There's a death decree that's going to go forth,
41:16 just like it did with Nebuchadnezzar against
41:18 those three young men who wouldn't bow.
41:21 There's going to be fiery fire that we're going to face,
41:24 that we're going to experience.
41:25 But Jesus, the Son of Man, is going to be
41:27 with us in the furnace.
41:29 Praise God.
41:30 And so tidings out of the east.
41:33 These are the seventh day-ers.
41:36 And out of the north.
41:37 Now this is an interesting phrase, "out of the north."
41:40 I want you to look here at another verse.
41:42 It's a powerful one, it's in Isaiah 41 verse 25.
41:45 It's speaking about the...
41:48 I'm going to give it away here,
41:49 but I'll just tell you right out.
41:50 It's speaking about the second coming of Jesus Christ.
41:55 Isaiah 41 verse 25.
41:59 The second coming of Jesus Christ, when He comes
42:01 to dash the nations, when He comes to deliver His people,
42:04 when He comes to destroy those that destroy the earth.
42:06 Prophetic language here, "I have raised up one from the north,
42:10 he shall come from the rising of the sun..."
42:13 Which is, what direction does the sun rise?
42:16 From the east.
42:17 He's coming from the north and from the east.
42:19 "He shall call upon my name: and he shall come upon the
42:21 princes as upon morter, and as the potter treads the clay."
42:25 This is a prophetic description of Jesus.
42:28 He comes from the north, because Jesus is the
42:31 true King of the north where Satan wanted to sit on the
42:33 sides of the north and receive the worship.
42:35 And He comes from the east.
42:38 That little cloud about the size of a man's hand
42:41 grows and grows and grows.
42:42 So tidings out of the east and out of the north;
42:47 the good news is a proclamation that's being made in the
42:51 context of this economic boycott and control.
42:53 A proclamation that's being made of the second coming of Jesus
42:58 and the Sabbath as the seal of God.
43:01 And the people that make this proclamation
43:03 happen to have a name that is God given.
43:05 And the name that they have that God gave them is,
43:10 Seventh-day Adventists.
43:13 Seventh-day Adventists. Can you imagine that?
43:16 I mean, look at the verse in Daniel 11
43:18 and it will just completely amaze your brain.
43:25 But the tidings from the Seventh-day Adventists,
43:29 the tidings out of the east, Sabbath, and the north,
43:31 second coming, trouble him.
43:34 You're going to be a troubler of the people just like
43:35 Elijah was a troubler of the people.
43:37 Are you ready for that?
43:39 Elijah was and wasn't.
43:41 He stood firmly for God in a time of national apostasy.
43:45 He called on God, he prayed to God.
43:48 Even seven times.
43:50 And he ran before Ahab's chariot.
43:52 He got to Jezreel and he was frightened by a woman.
43:57 And he ran.
43:58 And ran and ran and ran.
44:00 And finally he got to a place and God said,
44:01 in that little cave, "Elijah, what are you doing here?
44:08 I sent you X, Y, and Z, but I didn't send you here.
44:12 Not to sea, not to cave.
44:13 I didn't send you here."
44:15 And you know what Elijah said.
44:17 Not once but twice.
44:19 He said, like Adam said about Eve, and Eve said about
44:22 the serpent, he said, "It was their fault.
44:23 They're in apostasy and they're, you know, worshiping Baal.
44:27 And they're, and they're, and they're; it was their fault."
44:28 Paul says he was interceding against Israel.
44:31 He was excusing himself.
44:33 And so God replaced him.
44:34 God replaced Elijah. He did.
44:38 When we point the finger at others, when we blame others
44:41 who are not what they should be or ought to be,
44:43 when we blame them for our lack of duty,
44:47 for our lack of commitment, when we blame others
44:52 around us for vacating a position God has called us to,
44:58 God is going to replace us.
45:00 Just like He did with Elijah.
45:02 But you know what?
45:04 God wasn't through with Elijah.
45:05 And Elijah humbled himself.
45:06 Unlike Saul and unlike others, Judas, he humbled himself.
45:09 And he did what God called him to do.
45:12 And God took him to heaven.
45:14 There's always hope for the worst of us.
45:17 I'm thankful for that, because I know I haven't always
45:20 done what God wanted me to do.
45:21 I haven't always stood where God wanted me to stand.
45:22 I haven't always been faithful like
45:24 God wanted me to be faithful.
45:26 I know that I need to redeem the time.
45:28 What about you?
45:30 And I know that God is gracious, God is merciful.
45:33 And God will use us still.
45:37 But be careful.
45:39 Be faithful with God.
45:43 So here it is.
45:44 We know that the context of Daniel 11
45:50 leading up to the close of probation is going to be
45:54 the proclamation of the everlasting gospel.
45:58 Revelation 14, Revelation 18, Matthew 24:15.
46:02 We know that these verses at least have application
46:07 to Revelation 13.
46:08 That there's a connection that's taking place here.
46:11 Because of course, Revelation 13 follows Revelation 14
46:14 and the proclamation of the three angel's message.
46:16 And that's exactly what we see here in Daniel 11:44.
46:20 What about Daniel 11:43, we looked at that.
46:21 He's going to have power and control over the treasures of
46:24 gold and silver and all the precious things of Egypt,
46:26 so that no man is going to be able to buy or sell.
46:28 What about verse 42, "He will stretch forth his hand
46:30 upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape."
46:35 Now you can take these verses literally; many have.
46:38 But I think that they're speaking spiritually.
46:39 I think that these verses are speaking of entities and powers
46:45 in the world in the time in which we live
46:48 just before probation closes.
46:50 Egypt, I think, is identified in Revelation chapter 11.
46:56 Look there with me in Revelation chapter 11.
46:58 It talks here about God's servants, God's witnesses,
47:04 being persecuted, being killed.
47:07 And it says here in Revelation chapter 11,
47:11 and I'm just looking here at verses 7 and 8,
47:15 "And when they shall have finished their testimony,
47:18 the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit
47:20 shall make war against them, and shall overcome them,
47:22 and shall kill them," that is, God's witnesses.
47:24 His words; the Old and New Testament.
47:27 "And their bodies shall lie in the street of the great city
47:30 which spiritually is called Sodom and..."
47:32 What? "...Egypt."
47:34 This chapter is speaking of the rise of atheism,
47:39 which took place in France during the French Revolution
47:43 in 1798 and onward.
47:45 And the war that was made upon the Word of God,
47:47 the Old and New Testament, and how the Word of God
47:49 was slain, it laid dead in the streets for those
47:53 three and a half years; three and a half days, prophetic days.
47:55 And then again it was resurrected.
47:57 And in the context of this prophecy, this power of atheism
48:01 is described as Egypt, spiritual Egypt.
48:05 Why? Well, because Exodus 5:2, Pharaoh responding to God's call
48:08 to let His people go, says, "Who is the Lord
48:11 that I should obey His voice and let His people go?
48:14 I don't know the Lord.
48:15 Neither will I let His people go."
48:17 So this, I believe, is the power that is spoken about
48:23 in Daniel 11.
48:25 He is going to have control.
48:28 He's going to stretch forth his hand upon the countries.
48:30 Egypt will not escape.
48:32 Communism will not escape.
48:35 It will not escape.
48:37 Basically it's in line with what Revelation 13 is telling us.
48:41 There's going to be a one world unity, a one world order.
48:44 There's going to be enforcement of worship.
48:46 It's going to be religious worship.
48:48 And Communism will not escape that.
48:50 And today, of course, we see that already.
48:52 The U.S.S.R. has fallen, basically already.
48:54 Right? 1989 and onward.
48:56 Amazing.
48:57 I mean, it happened just over night, it was like a whirlwind.
48:59 It's gone.
49:00 But we also have another Communist power
49:02 in the world today, and that is China.
49:05 It's not going to escape.
49:06 That's what the prophecy says, it's not going to escape.
49:07 It's a little more detailed than Revelation 13.
49:10 Revelation 13 says everyone.
49:12 But Daniel 11 says Egypt.
49:15 Daniel 11 says Ethiopia.
49:17 Daniel 11 says, which to me is like, you know,
49:20 a representation of the African nations.
49:22 Daniel 11 says Libya; the Middle East.
49:24 Daniel 11 talks about the Glorious Land.
49:26 We can get into that.
49:27 I don't have time to cover it all in detail,
49:28 so I won't tell you what I think about that.
49:30 But the idea is this; Daniel 11 is telling us
49:34 every single continent and nation in the world
49:36 is going to follow along.
49:38 He's going to establish his tabernacle, his royalty,
49:42 his kingdom, his power, his authority, between the seas;
49:46 peoples, nations, multitudes, and tongues,
49:48 Revelation 17:15, and the glorious holy mountain.
49:52 The glorious holy mountain; Mount Zion.
49:53 That's where the 144,000 stand with the Lamb in Revelation 14.
49:59 They stand on Mount Zion.
50:01 According to Hebrews chapter 12,
50:02 that's where our names are written.
50:04 That's the church of the firstborn.
50:05 No, Hebrews chapter 11. No, it's 12.
50:07 Hebrews 12, that's the church of the firstborn.
50:11 And there's only one power that wants to accomplish this.
50:16 And that is the power of the dragon.
50:18 He wants to plant himself between the seas
50:20 and the glorious holy mountain.
50:21 He wants the worship that belongs to God.
50:23 He wants all the nations to worship him.
50:25 He wants to put himself between God and man.
50:29 Between the nations of the earth and the King of the universe.
50:34 And he's going to do this through a false
50:35 system of worship.
50:36 Because he's going to deceive the people.
50:39 He's not going to do it outright.
50:41 He's going to come as an angel of light,
50:43 an angel of righteousness.
50:45 So here, I think, in the context, without going into
50:49 a lot of detail, we have this beautiful powerful truth.
50:52 Now, there's one thing I want to focus on before we close,
50:56 and that is verse 41.
50:57 I'm not going to spend a lot of time detailing this,
51:00 but I want us to look at one thing in particular
51:02 that I think is very powerful.
51:04 In verse 41 it says, "He will enter into the glorious land,
51:07 and many countries shall be overthrown.
51:10 But these shall..."
51:11 What's the next word? "...escape."
51:13 Now do you know that word, "escape,"
51:15 that's a very interesting word.
51:16 That is the same word that is used in Daniel 12 verse 1
51:19 when it says they shall be delivered.
51:22 Same word; "escape," "delivered," same word.
51:24 In other words, there are going to be people in Daniel 12:1
51:28 who are delivered; God's people.
51:29 There are going to be people in Daniel 11 verse 41 who escape.
51:33 Now these people are identified as Edom, Moab,
51:37 and the chief of the children of Ammon.
51:40 I'd like to suggest again that these are spiritual
51:43 representations of people.
51:46 And the implication here is, if you look at the history of
51:49 the Old Testament, is that these people, signified by
51:53 Edom, Moab, and Ammon, are people who are
51:55 presently, or at least in the Old Testament times,
51:58 were enemies of God's people.
52:00 They were opposed to God's people, they were enemies.
52:02 They weren't with God's people, weren't part of God's people.
52:04 In other words, what God is saying here is the same thing
52:06 He's saying in Revelation 14, "Come out of her, My people."
52:10 The same thing He's saying in Revelation 18,
52:12 "Come out of her, My people."
52:13 "I have people out there that aren't in here.
52:15 They're not part of this."
52:16 That's why we're here, that's why 3ABN exists.
52:21 It's really quite out there. I heard one amen.
52:23 That's why 3ABN exists. Amen.
52:25 We exist to reach the world with the undiluted message
52:32 of the everlasting gospel, the three angel's messages.
52:36 To reach God's people that are out there everywhere.
52:40 The Bill's and Tom's and Jane's that are to hear His voice.
52:46 Now I just want to direct you to an explanation of this prophecy
52:51 in the book of Isaiah chapter 11.
52:52 It's a beautiful chapter.
52:54 We're going to almost close with this.
52:56 Isaiah chapter 11.
52:58 The first half of Isaiah 11 is talking about Jesus.
53:00 The sevenfold Spirit is upon Him, He's coming.
53:02 It's His first advent, His first incarnation to this earth.
53:07 The first half of the chapter.
53:10 Isaiah 11 verses 1 all the way through verse 10.
53:16 Verse 10 is a transition, verse 10 transitions us.
53:18 "In that day there shall be a root of Jesse,
53:21 which shall stand for an ensign of the people."
53:25 If you will, a flag, a...
53:31 What is that?
53:33 Banner, standard. Right? Okay.
53:35 And going on, "To it shall the Gentiles seek.
53:41 And his rest shall be glorious."
53:42 That's what 3ABN is suppose... An ensign, a banner, a standard.
53:45 Lift up the standard so the people can see it.
53:48 And then it goes on, and here it is.
53:49 Here is what I believe is end time prophetic declaration,
53:53 Isaiah 11 beginning with verse 11, that will help us
53:55 to understand what God is going to do in the context
53:57 of Daniel 11:40-45, Revelation 14, Revelation 18.
54:02 "And it shall come to pass in that day," this day,
54:06 "that the Lord shall set his hand the second time
54:08 to recover the remnant of his people..."
54:12 So it's talking about remnants.
54:13 It's talking about God's remnant people, God's remnant church.
54:15 Where is He going to recover them from?
54:17 "...which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt,
54:19 and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar,
54:23 and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
54:25 And he will set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble
54:28 the outcasts of Israel..." the backsliders.
54:30 The ones who have left the church.
54:32 He's going to assemble them, the outcasts of Israel.
54:34 And of course others who have been cast out
54:36 for various reasons.
54:38 "...and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the
54:40 four corners of the earth."
54:42 Remember, the four angels standing on the four corners
54:44 of the earth holding the winds until the
54:45 servants of God are sealed.
54:46 "And the envy of Ephraim shall depart,
54:49 and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off."
54:51 I love this, "Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
54:54 and Judah shall not vex Ephraim."
54:58 I could talk a little bit here about Hope Channel and 3ABN,
55:00 but I won't.
55:01 The principles are clear.
55:04 I believe we can see them.
55:06 But it applies to us on every level of ministry.
55:08 No more envy, no more contention.
55:11 No more, "I'm of Cephas, I'm of Paul, I'm of Apollos."
55:13 "But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines..."
55:16 The Philistines; those are the people that are out, you know...
55:18 That's CNN, that's Fox news. These are the guys...
55:21 Because we're going to lose money,
55:22 we're going to lose economic...
55:23 But these guys are going to broadcast us in those days.
55:27 We're going to be the center of focus of the world.
55:29 We're going to fly on the shoulders of the Philistines
55:31 "toward the west."
55:32 So where are we coming from? The east.
55:34 "They shall spoil them of the east together.
55:36 They shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab;
55:41 and the chief of the children of Ammon shall obey them."
55:46 These are going to escape out of his hands.
55:48 Why? Because we're going to be preaching this message,
55:50 these glad tidings that trouble him.
55:54 "And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue
55:56 of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind he shall
55:58 shake his hand over the river, and smite it
56:01 in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
56:04 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people,
56:07 which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to
56:10 Israel in the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt."
56:14 Praise God for what He's going to do.
56:15 In closing, James White, in his little book,
56:23 A Word to the Little Flock, going back to 1847.
56:26 "Michael," he said, "is to stand up at that time when the
56:29 last power in chapter 11 comes to his end,
56:33 and none shall help him.
56:34 This power is the last that treads down
56:37 the true church of God.
56:39 And as the true church is still trodden down, and cast out
56:42 by all Christendom, it follows that the last oppressive power
56:46 has not 'come to his end,' and Michael has not stood up.
56:48 This last power that treads down the saints is brought to view
56:53 in Revelation 13:11-18.
56:56 And his number is 666."
57:00 Our pioneers were led by God.
57:02 God filled them with His Spirit and gave them truth.
57:07 And we need to recover that truth,
57:08 set it in its present day setting, and proclaim it
57:11 to the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.
57:14 Let's pray together.
57:16 Father, thank You this morning for Your Word,
57:18 for the prophetic declaration of Your Word,
57:21 of Daniel and Revelation.
57:22 And for helping us to recognize the message
57:25 of the everlasting gospel and all that is taking place.
57:29 Father, that is where we want our focus to be.


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Revised 2014-12-17