Participants: John Lomacang (Host), John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL100018
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00:01 Hello friends. Grab your Bible and a friend
00:02 and sit back as we explore God's Word together 00:05 on this edition of House Calls. 00:22 Hello friends. Welcome to the places that still makes 00:25 house calls. That's right. This is the place. 00:27 And thank you for tuning in for a program that's always 00:30 informative, Bible-centered, and driven by the power 00:34 of the Holy Spirit. And I guess you can see 00:37 there's another guy here. I think his name is John. 00:38 I'm here... I'm here today. 00:40 OK. Good to have you here, John. 00:42 It's good to be here, John. 00:43 You know what's nice about the fact that we... we don't just 00:46 share the same name but we share a lot of thoughts 00:48 and we like drive each other. And we're having a good time. 00:51 I mean, this is a place we can sit down and just chat. 00:53 And enjoy God's Word together. 00:54 It's like catching up on things a bit, too, now that I'm 00:56 in Idaho. That's right. 00:58 Coming back here is a chance for us to get together 01:00 and just kind of enjoy the Word together again. 01:03 That's right. We were in California together 01:05 and Missouri together and Thompsonville together. 01:08 Then you ran off to Springfield; now you're in Idaho. 01:10 I don't know. I guess you're going to keep moving 01:12 till you get to heaven? 01:14 You know, I guess they ask us to do that once in a while. 01:16 OK. Well before we dive into the program I know you like to pray 01:19 and I appreciate that, so let's bow our heads. Let's do that. 01:22 Gracious Father, what a blessing it is to come before You 01:25 here and open Your Word. And we just pray that today 01:28 You will lead us and guide us into all truth. 01:32 That as we open our hearts to You to hear Your voice, 01:35 Lord, we will sense Your leading. 01:36 But also Lord that that word that goes out from our lips 01:40 will have an impact on those who have the chance to sit down 01:43 with us here and to view their television or to listen to their 01:46 program on the radio, Lord we just pray that it will 01:49 change lives out there. In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen. 01:54 And friends as you know we always appreciate what you 01:57 do to keep this program going and growing. 01:59 And 3ABN as your favorite network is the one that 02:03 really appreciates your prayers and also your financial support. 02:06 But what makes this program really exciting is the Bible 02:09 questions you send us. And I tell you, you go to 02:11 the website and there are hundreds of questions. 02:13 And some of you mail them in. But today we have some 02:16 very important questions and some good ones. 02:18 And we pray that God's Word will give you the best answer. 02:21 So John, what do you have for us today? 02:23 Well our first question is from Paula. 02:25 OK. And she says that: "We read in the gospels 02:28 that Jesus went through towns and healed multitudes. 02:30 And in huge groups of people He healed all of them. 02:33 I read that many of these people had no faith at all. 02:36 In fact, many did not even know who Jesus was. 02:39 Hmmm. Just that so has been healed they thought 02:44 they'd try it. " In other words, some of them just 02:47 "well let's try this out. " Um-hmm. 02:48 Um, and that's supposition a bit because the Bible really 02:52 doesn't say what their motives were. 02:53 OK. "My question is to you: do you know of any text 02:56 that would support this concept? 02:58 Is it possible that simply because of who Jesus is 03:01 not who we are or what we believe 03:04 people will be healed... not only physically but spiritually 03:07 and emotionally as well. " 03:09 A great question. Great question because we 03:11 know that in many instances when Jesus came into a house 03:15 or came in before a smaller contingent of people, 03:18 a family, whatever it may be, a situation where there weren't 03:22 as many - wasn't multitudes - that He seemed to 03:25 put those that were not believers out of the room - 03:28 true - and then He healed by faith. By their faith 03:32 and the faith of His disciples and His trust in His Father 03:35 He healed them. 03:36 But you know it's a little different situation 03:38 when you get into multitudes. 03:39 Not only do you not have any text in the Bible that 03:43 really gives you the motives of why these individuals are 03:46 coming to Jesus. You do find 03:49 other places in scripture which are very clear that 03:52 Jesus tends to meet them where they are. 03:55 Right. He goes to find them. 03:57 That's why He was often accused as drinking and eating 04:01 with sinners because He met them where they were 04:04 and then He brought them through a spiritual encounter with Him 04:08 into a knowledge of salvation. 04:10 And so I believe there were people there 04:13 that were just kind of checking it out... 04:17 testing the waters... finding out who this Jesus is 04:19 that were healed. And that in fact drew them 04:22 into a closer relationship with Him because they saw Him 04:25 as not only Healer but their Savior. 04:28 So all I can give you is not a "thus saith the Lord" 04:31 but I can give you from principles of God's Word 04:33 that Jesus does meet us where we are. 04:36 By His grace He meets us where we are 04:38 and then He brings us into a relationship with Him. 04:42 And He does that by many means which some include healing. 04:46 That's right. You know, the Bible makes it clear that 04:48 when Jesus came He didn't come looking for the goodly men. 04:50 He didn't come looking for those who felt they 04:53 did not need a Physician. He came to look for those 04:55 who knew they were sick. And so Jesus, as you just said, 05:00 meets people where they are. Luke 19:10 is a favorite passage 05:04 of ours. In fact, many many years ago we taught our niece 05:07 this passage. And she still when we call her 05:08 and she is able to say 05:11 "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save 05:13 that which was lost. " 05:14 And so that's the mission of Jesus. 05:16 He doesn't come... He comes to some people 05:18 that at that moment doesn't fully realize the impact 05:22 of what it means to meet Jesus. 05:23 Kind of like if you meet a famous person 05:25 whether they're a political figure or whether they're 05:27 somebody you admire, somebody that's famous, 05:30 somebody that just really you are enamored by 05:32 or you've always wanted to meet. 05:34 You meet that individual and then you don't realize 05:37 until hours later or maybe days later you say: 05:40 "I can't that I shook the hand of... " Um-hmmm. 05:42 And you never really understood the encounter with that person. 05:45 And so is the case with Jesus. 05:47 I believe even those who followed Jesus 05:49 didn't understand. 05:50 Jesus said to them: "I have many things to say to you 05:54 right now but you cannot bear them. " 05:55 And I believe in eternity the disciples that 05:58 walked with Jesus every day 06:00 will finally realize the power and the blessing 06:03 of being in the presence of Jesus. 06:04 So praise the Lord that we serve that kind of God - 06:07 Amen - who will continually throughout eternity 06:10 unfold to us mysteries that still boggle our minds. 06:13 That's going to be an amazing experience. 06:16 I have one here. The person's name is... let's see, oh, 06:20 I didn't copy their name. But it's: "House Calls: 06:22 Can someone be baptized even if they are smoking and living 06:26 together unmarried? Don't they need to accept 06:30 Christ and then work at eliminating the sin in their 06:33 lives? Or eliminate the sin then accept Christ? 06:36 Doesn't acceptance of Christ and baptism start the process of 06:41 perfecting a Christlike character because we 06:43 can't stop sinning alone? 06:45 Thanks. P.S. A rapid answer would be appreciated. " 06:50 OK. I'm going to give you a very fast answer. Are you ready? 06:52 Here we go... No really, listen. 06:54 Acts 3 verse 19. Truly when you talk about this 06:57 it's important when you start a new relationship 06:59 that the old relationship is gone. 07:02 Before I give you a Bible answer... which I have three 07:04 verses in the Bible to give you... 07:05 If the person was getting married and they got to the 07:08 altar - whether it was a man or a woman - 07:11 and they said: "forsaking all others. " 07:14 That pretty much means whoever I was connected to 07:17 up to this point I'm severing. 07:19 No more intimate relationships with them in the sense of 07:23 courting them, dating them, going out with them 07:26 because I am now committing myself to you and to you alone. 07:30 In the same way, Jesus wants commitment to Him 07:32 and to Him alone. And so that puts these texts 07:36 in the proper context when in Acts chapter 3 verse 19 07:39 Jesus... Peter on the Day of Pentecost preached 07:42 to the multitudes and they wondered what they should do. 07:45 And here's what he said. 07:47 And this applies by the way to anybody regardless of 07:49 the sin, whether it's smoking, drinking, living with someone. 07:54 Whether they used to be a thief, a murderer, 07:56 whatever the case may be, that former life has to be laid down. 07:59 Acts 3:19. And John, by the way, this 08:03 first word is something we don't hear very much about nowadays. 08:06 Listen to it: "Repent therefore and be converted" 08:11 um-hmm - "that your sins may be blotted out 08:15 so the times of refreshing may come 08:18 from the presence of the Lord. " 08:20 There are some individuals that, um, 08:22 we just baptize them but they don't repent. 08:25 And the word conversion is not really talked about very much. 08:29 Membership is talked about rather than conversion 08:32 and repentance. 08:33 That shows that we have disconnected from an old life - 08:36 and are now walking in a new life. 08:38 As a matter of fact, here is another scripture. 08:40 Go with us to Romans chapter 6. 08:43 Romans chapter 6: I call that the old life/new life passage 08:48 in scripture. It makes it abundantly clear 08:50 what it means to put down that old life 08:53 and put on the new life. 08:56 Which means get rid of our old self 08:59 and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. 09:00 OK. It says now... verse 1: 09:05 "What shall we say then? 09:07 Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? " 09:11 And the answer is: "Certainly not. 09:13 How shall we who died to sin 09:16 live any longer in it? " 09:18 And that's the context. How shall we who 09:20 used to smoke, used to live with people, 09:23 used to party, used to gamble, 09:26 how do we who died to that continue to live in that? 09:30 And Paul says: "Certainly not! " You can't. 09:34 And notice verse 3: 09:35 "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized 09:39 into Christ were baptized into His death? 09:42 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism 09:46 into death that just as Christ was raised from the dead 09:50 by the glory of the Father 09:51 even so we also should walk in newness of life. " 09:56 And verses 5 and 6 and then I'll wind up at verse 7. 10:01 Matter of fact, John, just change the voices here. 10:02 Read verses 5 to 7 for us. 10:04 "For if we have been united together in the likeness of 10:07 His death certainly we also shall be in the likeness of 10:10 His resurrection. " Um-hmm. "Knowing this: that our 10:13 old man was crucified with Him 10:15 that the body of sin might be done away with 10:17 that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 10:19 For He who has died has been freed from sin. " 10:23 Exactly. And then you see in verse 9 10:25 do not let... death no longer has a dominion over you. 10:29 In other words, you are no longer living the lifestyle 10:31 of a person who doesn't know Christ. 10:33 You are not longer living that old dead way of life. 10:36 That old... all these things that you talk about here. 10:39 So it's true that we need to eliminate the things in our 10:42 lives. And by the way, let me also make this clear: 10:44 if you feel that you need to wash up before you take a bath 10:47 let me make it very clear what I mean by this. 10:50 We can't clean ourselves up. 10:52 But when we invite Christ to come into our lives - 10:55 and you see the evidence in scripture - when we 10:57 invite Him into our lives He brings us to the place 11:00 of acceptance of Him and then He removes the obstacles 11:04 in our lives that keep us from living that 11:05 Christ-centered life. So don't say: "Well let me 11:08 clean up my life first then let Christ clean whatever else 11:11 is left. " Come to Him as you are. 11:14 Give yourself to Him and say: "Lord Jesus, 11:16 I want to be Your disciple. " 11:18 And notice what happens when it comes to discipleship. 11:21 They forsake all. Peter even said that. 11:24 "Lord, we have left everything to follow You. " 11:26 And that's in fact when you say "I want to be Your disciple. 11:29 Change my life that I could represent You. " 11:32 the Lord will in fact do that. 11:33 Good. OK. I have a real encouraging e-mail here 11:39 from Olivia. And we enjoy these kind of e-mails 11:42 as well and we enjoy the ones that challenge us at times too. 11:45 But this one is an e-mail of encouragement 11:48 with a question as well. 11:49 "I don't know how we survived 11:51 spiritually before House Calls. " 11:53 Hey, praise the Lord. "You don't know what you're 11:54 missing until you have it. " And so that's kind of a neat 11:57 thing for Olivia to say. Thank you very much for saying that. 12:00 She says she appreciates what we do here on the program. 12:03 And then she goes down to the question that she has 12:07 with some other comments there: 12:09 Um, she says: "In Joel chapter 2 12:12 what are these people that Joel talks about? 12:14 Are they for God or against God? 12:17 Thank you. " 12:19 And she wishes us a blessed day. 12:20 So let's turn to Joel chapter 2. 12:23 We won't spend a lot of time on this, but 12:26 you'll see that in Joel chapter 2, 12:28 an army of beings are going to be doing some 12:34 pretty damaging things. Um-hmm, that's an understatement. 12:39 Just for lack of a better word. And it says here 12:41 beginning with verse 1 in Joel 2 12:43 "Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in 12:46 My holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble 12:49 for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand. " 12:52 Um-hmm. So we're talking about the day of the Lord, which is a 12:55 period of time where calamity is coming upon the world. 12:59 Judgment is being completed 13:01 and really the world is setting itself up or getting itself 13:05 ready for the appearance - the visible appearance - 13:07 of Christ. So the day of the Lord isn't just the visible 13:10 appearance of Christ on the clouds of heaven 13:13 with His angels to take His people home 13:15 and to resurrect them first. 13:17 It is talking about this long day which is a calamitous 13:20 period of time that also goes along with that. 13:23 Some people refer to it as just the "time of trouble. " 13:25 It says here in verse 2: "A day of darkness and 13:28 gloominess. A day of clouds and thick darkness 13:31 like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. 13:33 Of people come great and strong 13:36 the like of whom has never been nor will there ever be 13:40 any such after them even for many successive generations. 13:45 A fire devours before them and behind them 13:47 a flame burns. The land is like the Garden of Eden 13:50 before them and behind them a desolate wilderness. 13:52 Surely nothing shall escape them. 13:55 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses 13:57 and like swift steeds they run. 14:01 His stench will come up and his foul odor will rise 14:04 because he has done monstrous things. 14:08 Fear not, o land. Be glad and rejoice 14:11 for the Lord has done marvelous things. 14:15 Actually you know what? I jumped two... 14:17 I turned two pages on that, so I'm sorry 14:19 for you that are following along with me. 14:21 Let's pick it back up where I'm supposed to be. 14:24 I thought "I don't remember reading that. " 14:25 In verse 5... I went from 4 to 20, 14:29 so let's go from 4 to 5. 14:31 I knew you were fast, but... All right. 14:33 "with a noise... " I didn't even finish their description. 14:36 "With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap. 14:39 Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble 14:42 like a strong people set in battle array. 14:45 Before them the people writhe in pain. 14:48 All faces are drained of color. 14:50 They run like mighty men. 14:52 They climb a wall like men of war. 14:54 Everyone marches in formation; they do not break ranks. " 14:57 Anyway it goes on to talk about just... 15:00 destruction that is in their wake. 15:02 And as it gets down a little further 15:05 some are a little confused by this verse. But, 15:08 we need to read this. Verse 10: "The earth quakes before them. 15:11 The heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark. 15:13 The stars diminish their brightness. " 15:15 And then verse 11: "The Lord gives voice before His 15:18 army" - That's right - "for His camp is very great. 15:23 For strong is the one who executes His Word 15:26 for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible. 15:29 Who can endure it? " 15:30 Now this description here of this army with its 15:34 devastating, destructive mission that they seem to be on 15:40 is being described here as the Lord's army. 15:44 But the description... We cannot miss the connection 15:48 to Revelation chapter 9. 15:50 Because not only does Joel 2 begin with the blowing of 15:55 a trumpet but Revelation 9 talks about this trumpet - 15:59 the fifth trumpet specifically - and how the 16:02 bottomless pit was opened. And as the smoke arises out of 16:06 the pit these locusts came upon the earth 16:10 and they began to do things that are so descriptive, 16:13 so similar to the description in Joel chapter 2 16:16 that you have to connect it. 16:17 But John, there's no denying its connection to Joel chapter 2- 16:21 that's right - where the commentary is coming from. 16:24 And it says that this group is commanded not to harm 16:27 the grass of the earth. And I'm reading from Revelation 9:4. 16:30 "Or any green thing or any tree but only those men who 16:33 do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. " 16:36 Um-hmm. "They do not have authority to kill them 16:39 but to torment them for five months. 16:41 The torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes 16:44 a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it. 16:48 They will desire to die and death will flee from them. " 16:51 Talking about verse 7 "they are like horses" 16:53 as described in Joel chapter 2. 16:55 Like: "their faces were the faces of men. " 16:58 More description here. 17:00 Anyway, look at verses 10 and 11. 17:03 OK. "They had tails like scorpions 17:07 and there were stings in their tails. Their power was 17:10 to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them: 17:13 the angel from the bottomless pit 17:16 whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon 17:19 but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 17:22 One woe is past; behold two more are coming. " 17:25 This description including the opening verses - verses 1 and 2 17:29 of Revelation 9- are clearly a description of Satan himself. 17:33 In fact, we read in Luke 10 17:36 also a description of the scorpion. 17:38 That's right. The authority that God's people have 17:40 over this people, this army that comes against mankind. 17:45 And so how do we harmonize? 17:48 Here's the question really: how do we harmonize 17:50 then in Joel 2 where it says this army is the Lord's army 17:55 and in Revelation 9 which describes it as being 17:59 led by the angel from the bottomless pit... 18:01 a reference to Satan himself? 18:03 Well the interesting thing about God's Word 18:06 is that often things that God allows 18:09 it describes as Him doing. 18:12 Hmmm. Or being related or connected to Him. 18:15 And this is very true. I mean, we intuitively know this: 18:18 that when God allows something He's just... He's giving 18:23 way to someone such as Satan 18:26 who is being released from the bottomless pit - 18:28 from the abyss - to harm mankind. 18:30 He's allowing him to do these things. 18:32 God isn't doing them, but by allowing him to do them 18:36 He is giving him permission. 18:38 Yes. And that giving of permission 18:41 is what Joel is speaking of. 18:43 That they're actually... in giving them permission 18:45 they actually do God's work. 18:47 As a matter of fact, build on that. In the book of Daniel 18:50 you find... One of the reasons why the book of Daniel 18:54 is talked about is because the Lord allowed the king of 18:58 Babylon to take His people captive. 19:02 Now why would God allow the king of Babylon 19:05 to take His people captive? 19:08 Because when you read the book of Jeremiah 19:10 you read the book of Ezekiel 19:12 you see that the Lord... Even Isaiah says 19:14 that the Lord had looked at the king of Babylon 19:17 as a golden cup in His hand. 19:19 That's right. And He had given him strength. 19:21 Now when you look at Babylon you think: God 19:23 associated with Babylon? Well, in fact, 19:27 as John just pointed out, sometimes the Lord empowers 19:29 evil powers in order to accomplish His will. 19:35 He doesn't, in fact, inflict punishment 19:38 but He removes the restraint from powers that could bring 19:41 punishment in order for His will to be accomplished. 19:44 One of the most classic examples you find... 19:46 Well let me just read this passage in Daniel chapter 1. 19:49 The Bible says: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim 19:53 king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon 19:56 came to Jerusalem and besieged it. " 19:58 How could God allow the king of Babylon 20:01 to besiege Jerusalem? I mean, that's my city. 20:04 If God didn't want them to, they could never have besieged 20:08 Jerusalem. But because of the evil and the wickedness 20:11 in Jerusalem God says: "You're not going to live like 20:13 Babylonians in Jerusalem. " 20:15 If you want to live like Babylonians, you live like 20:16 Babylonians in Babylon. " 20:18 And that's why they were there for as long as they were. 20:20 And Daniel prayed: "How long is it going to be before we are 20:23 returned to our home? " 20:24 And in some cases they were in captivity for 70 years. 20:27 Sometimes a generation... 40 years. 20:29 But God allows the wicked powers. Another example 20:31 is the book of Job. Satan said: "Lord, 20:35 if You remove the blessings from Job I'm sure he'll 20:37 curse You. " And the Lord said: "No he won't! 20:39 But I'll go ahead and give you permission to touch him 20:42 but just don't take his life. " 20:43 And so in the book of Joel chapter 2 you find 20:47 that for many centuries - praise the Lord - 20:50 since the fall of humanity there has been a restraint on 20:55 Satan and his evil angels. 20:56 You find that in the book of... in the gospels where the... 20:59 where the demons are talking to Jesus and He says: 21:02 "Who are you? " And he says "My name is Legion 21:04 for we are many. " And then they said to the Lord: 21:07 "Do not send us into the pit. 21:09 Have You come to torment us before our time? " 21:12 And so there are restrained evil angels 21:15 who God holds down from doing an evil work. 21:19 But Joel chapter 2 talks about the impenitent. 21:22 Those who refuse... those who absolutely refuse 21:26 to receive the um... the saving grace of Christ. 21:29 And that's why you read such verses in the Bible. 21:32 Here it says... Proverbs 1 verse 26: 21:36 "I will also laugh at your calamity. 21:38 I will mock when your terror comes. " 21:40 That's what God says. 21:41 And if you read the next verse He says: 21:43 "Because you have rejected Me, I'll reject you. " 21:46 That's not really what judgment is about. 21:48 Yeah when we reject the... When God withholds or withdraws 21:51 His protection - that's right - or withdraws His blessing 21:54 what happens? The enemy swoops in. 21:56 It's still seen as the judgment of God - that's right - 21:58 but the enemy is doing and administering that judgment 22:01 as his tool. 22:03 There you go. So God... Does God use evil 22:08 as well as good? The Bible says every good and every perfect 22:11 gift comes from God. This army that's talked about here in Joel 22:15 chapter 2 is when the restraint of God is removed 22:17 from the evil angels and they now have control 22:20 of the finally impenitent: those who refuse to give their lives 22:23 to Christ. That's the picture that you have here. 22:25 Yeah. And the one that's commanding them now 22:28 unequivocally is Lucifer... now called Satan. 22:31 And that's what you find in Revelation chapter 9. 22:35 They had a king over them: the angel of the bottomless pit 22:38 who is talked about in Revelation 9:1 as a star 22:40 that had fallen from heaven. 22:42 And we clearly know who that star is. 22:44 Very good question, John. 22:46 I like that. Thank you for that one. 22:47 That kind of gives us a chance to go in various directions. 22:50 Here's another one from Jason. 22:54 And I don't know if his last name is Pentecost or not, 22:56 but there's a Jason Pentecost. That's a unique name. 22:59 But it says: "Love the show. Could you please help me out 23:01 with this one? John 15:10 separates the commandments 23:05 that Jesus gave from God's commandments. 23:07 So is Jesus being God in the flesh 23:10 giving us a new set of commandments to follow? 23:12 Could you please e-mail me back? " 23:14 Well we kind of answer these on the air 23:16 and somebody may be thinking the same thing. 23:18 So to answer the question: 23:20 when Jesus says in John 15:10 "If you love Me, keep My 23:23 commandments, you will abide in My love just as I 23:25 have kept My Father's command- mets and abide in His love. " 23:28 The word here "commandments" doesn't just refer to the 23:31 Ten Commandments, which is the abiding place of all of those 23:35 who honor God, but specifically here it means 23:38 "I have done what My Father commanded Me 23:41 so you do what I command you. " 23:43 Um-hmm. "So if you do what I command you 23:45 you're following the example of Me doing what My Father 23:48 commands Me. " That's the general application 23:50 of this word "commandments" in this verse right here. 23:52 It's not necessarily talking about the Ten Commandments. 23:55 Although when you follow God the Ten Commandments is the 23:58 delight that each Christian has who is following God. 24:02 But this word here: "If you keep My commandments" 24:05 that means "If you do what I say 24:07 you will be just like Me 'cause I did what My Father said. " 24:10 OK. That's the general application for the word 24:13 "commandments" here. In some translations it says 24:15 "If you do what I command you will abide in My love 24:18 as I have done what My Father commands 24:20 and abide in His love. " That's simply what it means. 24:22 Good. Well you know, we need to jump into our topic. 24:26 Let's do that. We've got quite a bit to cover. 24:28 All right. We have... We want to finish this topic 24:31 that we're doing 4 programs on 24:33 which is the Top 10 Counterfeits the enemy is using here 24:36 in these last days - that's right - 24:38 to oppose the advancing gospel of Christ. 24:43 And so we've already covered in two days 24:47 four of them, which means we've got six to cover - 24:49 that's right - in the last couple programs 24:52 of the series of four. 24:54 Well let's do some housekeeping on House Calls 24:55 before we transition there. Go ahead... you go ahead. 24:57 There's some persons that may say: "Hey, you mentioned 24:59 something I'd like to get some clarification on 25:01 or maybe we open the door to another question. 25:03 If we have, here's the e-mail that you need 25:06 to send those questions to us: 25:14 And we will be glad to respond to your questions. 25:17 Appreciate what you do for us. 25:18 Well we're going to talk about what three today, John? 25:20 The Top Ten Counterfeits. And brethren, 25:22 this is a powerful topic. 25:24 Well the first... Let's recap real quick. 25:26 The first one was the Word of God. 25:28 All right. Opposing the Word itself. 25:30 The second one was his hiding evil 25:36 and who he is... the real nature of Satan 25:38 in the whole Great Controversy theme. 25:41 That's right. So he's trying to obscure himself within that 25:45 and work in ways where people don't perceive him as Satan. 25:47 The third one is spiritualism. 25:49 That opens the door for spiritualism... understanding 25:52 what happens when you die and leaving that open - 25:55 the immortality of the soul issue open - 25:57 for him to communicate with mankind. 26:00 Um-hmm. And then, of course, number four: 26:02 he uses the immortality of the soul and eternal torment in hell 26:06 to begin to or to cause people to misunderstand the character 26:11 of God. And really, Satan is on a smear campaign 26:14 of God's character so that people don't want a judgmental, 26:18 you know, God who is doing nothing but sending this storm 26:22 and destroying people with its... you know, with hurricanes 26:25 and earthquakes and all these other things which we call 26:28 "acts of God. " Um-hmm. But those are the four 26:30 that he first uses. Now we're going to get into 5, 6, and 7. 26:34 Number five is the misunder- standing of the covenants. 26:39 OK. The covenants of God. You see, Satan looks at the 26:43 Word of God and he sees all these promises. 26:46 Um-hmm. And covenants are promises that God has made 26:49 to His people and the people have accepted. 26:53 So there's a covenant then. A promise made by God 26:56 and a promise made by the people that follow God. 26:58 Um-hmm. And Satan looks at those things and he says: 27:01 "not going to happen. " 27:03 And so he's doing all he can to confuse people about God's 27:08 covenants. And one of the things, um... 27:11 Let's kind of open the topic here. One of the things 27:13 that I think he is doing here is, um, he is so... 27:18 he's got people so connected in or so focused on 27:23 the nation of Israel, the Jews as they are a nation today 27:29 as God's covenant people, that they misunderstand 27:35 God's principle of covenant with mankind as a whole. 27:39 Um-hmm. Other parts of this as well include 27:43 old and new covenants. Misunderstandings of 27:46 the old and new covenants. 27:48 Some that are within the church have actually so... 27:51 go to the other extreme. They've written off the Jews 27:54 to the point where they say: "Well the old covenant 27:57 that's just for the Jews and how they handle their religion. 28:00 We're new covenant... we're New Testament Christians. " 28:02 And you hear often that said as if you can completely 28:05 eliminate the old in the Bible - 28:08 more than half your Bible, two-thirds of your Bible - 28:10 and just go with the new. 28:12 But the devil's running a lot of interference here. 28:14 He's creating a lot of confusion with regard to God's promises, 28:17 God's covenant with mankind. 28:20 And so let's dive into this topic just a little bit 28:23 so you can see some of the errors that are out there today. 28:26 OK. Well let me start with one of the covenants that often 28:28 has nothing to do with Israel - um-hmm - 28:30 which everyone is the benefactor of. And I thank God for this 28:33 covenant. You know, when the Lord established His first 28:36 covenant He did that with Noah. 28:38 And we find this in Genesis chapter 6. 28:40 The Lord says: "But I will establish My covenant 28:42 with you and you shall go into the ark. 28:45 You, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives 28:48 with you. " Noah had only one wife. 28:50 I want to make it clear then this dual-wife thing came around 28:55 the time of Abraham when polygamy started to perpetrate 28:58 to be introduced into the earth. 29:03 So Noah had one wife. 29:05 But the covenant we have benefitted from was after 29:08 the flood. "I will establish My covenant, " Genesis 9:11 29:12 "with you. Never again shall all flesh be cut off by 29:16 the waters of the flood. Never again shall there be 29:20 a flood to destroy the earth. " 29:23 And so today no matter how badly it rains, John, 29:25 the Lord has made a covenant. And by the way, friends, 29:28 God made that covenant after the flood 29:30 nearly 6,000 years ago. That's right. 29:33 And to this day that shows you that this covenant had nothing 29:37 to do with Noah but He made the covenant by saying it to Noah. 29:41 Um-hmm. But every person ever born after that 29:43 has the benefit of saying: "OK, I know God made 29:46 an agreement. As bad as it looks down here in Louisiana, 29:49 as bad as it looks here in France with the waters coming 29:52 down from the mountains, as bad as it looks 29:54 here in... wherever the water is rising higher and higher... 29:58 God said that there shall never be a flood to destroy the earth. 30:03 And so that's why to this very day 30:04 there has never been a second deluge - yeah - come upon 30:08 the earth. So that's a pre-Jew, for every humanity, 30:12 first covenant God made. 30:13 And we actually see a picture of God's original covenant 30:16 back... way back... in Genesis chapter 3 30:18 where He made the promise that He would put enmity between 30:21 the woman and Satan himself. 30:25 That's a very good point. And so, you know, the covenant 30:27 and then we see the two altars. Obviously, Abel's sacrifice 30:29 and the lamb on his altar which is an expression of 30:33 the covenant, a response to the covenant that has been made 30:36 with mankind. So the idea of the covenants 30:39 doesn't start with the Jews. It doesn't start even with 30:42 Abraham. It's way before that. Noah, as you said, 30:45 way back in Genesis 3 with Adam and Eve and their sons. 30:48 And so this idea of covenant is not a new thing 30:54 when it comes down to Abraham, the Jews, 30:57 the nation of Israel. 30:59 Um-hmm. But... God does renew His covenant - 31:02 um-hmm - that through them He would bless all mankind. 31:07 See, there's this over-arching, everlasting, eternal covenant 31:11 with mankind and then there are individual covenants 31:13 that He makes to help to work out that overall 31:17 covenant that He has with mankind 31:19 through the lives of Adam and Eve, Noah, 31:24 through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. 31:27 He even had one with David and the various patriarchs 31:33 who we look to as being foundational to Bible faith. 31:38 You know, John, you and I both lived on the west coast. 31:40 You are a product of the west coast: Los Angeles, 31:43 northern California. You know, Napa Valley, Angwin... 31:47 that's all your stomping ground. 31:48 When I was out in the west I got this... 31:51 this idea came to my mind that because of the covenant 31:55 that God made with Noah, it's time that Christians 31:57 reclaim that covenant. You know, I saw the terrible use 32:03 and even to this very day the terrible application that 32:06 the rainbow is a symbol of immorality. 32:09 Um-hmm. That it's taken on the symbol of immorality 32:11 and homosexuality and deviants. 32:14 When people put rainbows on their cars 32:16 it means that they are... I'm trying to be kind here. 32:20 But they have chosen a different lifestyle. 32:22 They're no longer heterosexual in their practices 32:25 but sometimes bisexual and homosexual. 32:28 But that's not what the purpose of the rainbow is at all. 32:30 The rainbow was a connection to the covenant God made 32:33 with us. And I always said this: "So often Christians easily 32:37 give up ground to the misuse of the promises God has made 32:41 to us. " And that's one of the first things... 32:43 one of the first things the devil did. 32:45 And when you see a rainbow nowadays you almost think: 32:48 "Oh, that person's not straight. " 32:50 And here is the covenant that God had made. He says: 32:53 "I set My rainbow in the clouds 32:56 and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between 32:59 Me and the earth. " And the covenant is: 33:02 "This is the sign of the covenant which I will make 33:06 between Me and you and every living creature that is with you 33:09 for perpetual generations. 33:12 I will set My rainbow in the clouds. " 33:14 So the rainbow should be and HAS BEEN by God 33:17 a symbol of God's promise to never destroy the earth 33:20 again. Um-hmmm. But now the rainbow and society have 33:23 taken on a picture of destruction... 33:26 destructive behavior. Um-hmm. 33:27 And it's time we made some rainbows and put on it: 33:29 God's eternal covenant - yes - rather than 33:33 making it take on this deviant dark meaning. 33:36 Yes. And so this is a covenant that God never renewed 33:39 and God never changed. Right. 33:41 But now the covenant that people are confused about 33:43 is the covenant that God made with Israel. 33:45 Yeah, because the term is used within the Bible 33:47 and we understand this. And the church has used 33:49 the terminology and used it, you know, often: 33:55 old and new covenant. 33:57 Um-hmm. You've heard this: old and new covenant. 33:59 How the church is under the new covenant; 34:03 we are no longer under the old covenant. 34:04 Um-hmm. And so while that is true Biblically 34:09 there is an error in this teaching as well. 34:13 And here's where the error comes in. 34:16 Um, there is something called dispensationalism. 34:20 The dispensation theory where the old covenant 34:24 was a covenant of law and the new covenant 34:27 is the covenant of grace. That's what they say. 34:29 That's what they say. We're talking about the error now. 34:32 That is error... that's not true. 34:34 In fact if you read Hebrews chapter 11 34:37 over and over again "by faith, by faith, by faith. " 34:41 And everyone named there are Old Testament figures. 34:44 Um-hmm. So clearly it's not an era of or covenant of law 34:49 nor is the new covenant a covenant of grace. 34:53 But the overall covenant - the everlasting covenant - 34:57 is a covenant of grace that includes God's law. 35:00 And as we go from the old to the new 35:05 many view it as two different covenants: 35:08 this dual covenant theory where the Jews are under one covenant. 35:12 It carries forward from their Old Testament... 35:15 we call it Old Testament but they call it the Quran... 35:18 not the Quran... the Torah. Um-hmm. 35:21 And so they have their way of conducting their religion, 35:26 Judaism, and now we as a church we have the new covenant way. 35:28 And this is such the separation. It's this dual covenant theory 35:31 that simply doesn't exist. There is one everlasting covenant 35:35 in its old and its new form. 35:37 Um-hmm. And to best explain this I am reading from 35:40 Hebrews chapter 8. It says here: 35:44 "But now... " in verse 6: 35:47 "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry... " - 35:50 which is Jesus has obtained it - 35:52 "inasmuch He is also a mediator of a better covenant 35:55 which was established on better promises. 35:59 For if that first covenant had been faultless 36:02 then no place would have been sought for a second. " 36:05 And then it goes on a little bit further... 36:07 verse 13 after it restates that new covenant... 36:10 "in that He says a new covenant He has made the first obsolete. 36:15 Now what is becoming obsolete in growing old 36:19 is ready to vanish away. " 36:21 Here's the deal: it's not that the old covenant 36:24 and new covenant are running simultaneously. 36:27 And it's not that the old covenant has no applicability 36:31 with understanding the new covenant at all. 36:33 It's that God has designed that the old covenant 36:37 would point to Christ forward and that the new covenant 36:41 after Christ came would be managed by for the lack of a 36:46 better word or would be ministered by Jesus 36:50 who from the very get go in the old covenant it pointed to 36:54 as the new covenant began to unfold. 36:57 But it is yet one solid covenant 36:59 that is made with all of mankind. 37:02 And because the Jews who were a centerpiece of 37:05 sharing that covenant with the world 37:08 rejected Jesus - the minister of the heavenly sanctuary, 37:11 the High Priest that came to be that focus of the covenant 37:16 with mankind - because they rejected Him 37:18 the church was born and it entered into 37:21 the new covenant phase. 37:22 Had the Jews accepted their mission 37:26 they would have been the ministers of the new covenant 37:29 on this earth. They would not have been old covenant people. 37:32 Right. They would have been new covenant people 37:34 as the church is. So this is confusion. 37:37 And I say this confusion is very damaging because 37:39 the focus on prophecy has been so much on the Jews 37:44 and what they're doing and what God's going to do through them 37:47 as a people that we miss the fact that God has made 37:50 a covenant with all mankind. He wants to redeem all mankind. 37:54 And He used the Jews back then... He now uses the church 37:59 to wrap everything up and to save all of mankind. 38:02 You know this is amazing, John. 38:04 This covenant that you're talking about: 38:06 truly you are putting it so wonderfully... packaging it. 38:09 Because the covenant really is if you look at another word 38:12 promise. That's right. The Lord is saying: "I'm making 38:14 a promise with you. " And when you think about that 38:16 promise, listen to what the Bible says. 38:18 Genesis 17 verse 19: "Then God said: 'No Sarah... ' " 38:23 No! "Sarah your wife shall bear you a son 38:28 and you shall call his name Isaac. 38:30 I will establish my covenant with him 38:33 for an everlasting covenant... " notice that the Bible says... 38:37 "and with his descendants after him. " 38:40 And when you look at the Bible there in the promise of this 38:43 covenant you'll notice that the word covenant is used again. 38:46 Because who is Isaac? Isaac is the son of... 38:49 Abraham. And notice what Galatians says, 38:54 Galatians 3:19, looking at this whole covenant. 38:57 "And if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed 39:01 and heirs according to the promise. " 39:04 Here's another one: Ephesians chapter 3 verse 16. 39:07 "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body 39:12 and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel. " 39:16 The same what? "The same body. " 39:20 "The same body... partakers of the promise. " 39:23 So we are... In fact, this promise is a promise to 39:26 bless all of humanity. 39:28 And if they chose not to bless humanity, God chose 39:31 to accomplish it with someone else. 39:33 And that's where you brought out Hebrews chapter 11. 39:36 And this is the one: Hebrews 11 verse 9. 39:40 "By faith he dwelt in the land of promise 39:42 as in a foreign country dwelling in tents with Isaac 39:45 and Jacob: the heirs with him of the same promise. " 39:49 So everyone who comes after the promise of Christ 39:52 are heirs of the same promise. 39:55 That's right. Now because, for the essence of time, 39:59 we've got two more to cover, let's transition to our next 40:01 counterfeit. And they are related. 40:03 Because of the confusion of the covenants and 40:05 this dual covenant idea and the old and new 40:08 and some confusion there, prophetically 40:12 we have most of the world today - Christian world - 40:15 has its eyes on the nation of Israel and what God is 40:19 going to do with His covenant with the nation of Israel. 40:22 And there's a complete ignorance 40:26 to this everlasting covenant with all mankind 40:30 now coming through the church that when Israel is spoken of 40:33 in Revelation... When you talk 40:39 and the message that is given... 40:40 it typically... most people refer to that or identify 40:44 that group as being the nation of Israel still. Um-hmm. 40:47 And it's like this smokescreen. 40:50 Satan has got this smokescreen. Go ahead, focus on the nation 40:52 of Israel. Focus on the battle of Armageddon 40:55 being a physical battle and look, the Arabs are going to 40:57 attack and they've already begun to. 40:59 There's so much attention on that that they're missing 41:01 the true battle that's coming: the battle between truth 41:05 and error. That's right. 41:07 I mean, the reason why there's so much confusion today 41:11 in the world in the sense of... 41:14 and I don't want to get political here 41:16 and I don't want to choose any political party 41:18 in particular... but we focus so much on what's happening 41:20 over in Jerusalem or what's happening in Israel, 41:23 what's happening between the Arabs and the Jews, 41:25 and then all of this... supposedly all of this fighting 41:30 about terrorism is because the United States favors one 41:33 over the other. I don't want to get into all of that. 41:35 But all of that discombobulation - 41:39 that's a word I don't even know if it exists 41:41 but you know it means confusion - 41:43 all of that exists because of this misunderstanding 41:45 in the covenants. Um-hmm. 41:47 So we believe now we've got to stand behind one nation 41:50 as a nation and we're one nation under God. 41:53 And so we've got to stand behind one nation 41:56 when in fact the covenant that God made is available 42:00 to everyone. Um-hmm. 42:02 It's a world... The same body. The same body of believers. 42:06 Available to everyone. And so when you think about 42:08 these covenants that have been made 42:09 it's a covenant that is a covenant of salvation. 42:12 It's not a genetic covenant it's a spiritual covenant. 42:17 That's what it is. 42:19 And so now then... as we're moving now to prophecy 42:22 and his - right - his smoke- screen and this counterfeit 42:26 prophetic interpretation you can call it. 42:29 What we find at the center of that is not only 42:32 this idea of misunderstanding of the covenants 42:36 but what we find is that this battle of Armageddon 42:40 is as such and it's coming together in such a way 42:43 that there's going to be... and here's the interpretation, 42:47 the error in the... the prophetic error... 42:49 there's going to be an antichrist, a human being 42:54 who stands up to oppose the covenant. 42:59 To oppose the covenant that God has with the Jews 43:02 because remember they're thinking locally. 43:04 A literal interpretation there. 43:06 And that he is going to deceive and create this battle 43:11 from the side of error to not only oppose but 43:14 to bring down God's covenant-keeping people. 43:17 So while the mass conversion of the Jews is occurring 43:21 the antichrist is setting up his side to battle that. 43:24 And that's the big prophetic movement at the end of time. 43:27 And that's not what the Bible says. 43:29 Right. They focus on a single person. Right. 43:32 And here's the amazing thing about this... this counterfeit. 43:36 The devil wants everybody to think that this person, 43:41 this human being, is going to stand up to lead people 43:45 against the people of God who they say are the Jews - 43:48 um-hmm - and the covenant they have with God 43:51 that they're missing who the real antichrist is. 43:55 The real antichrist is Satan himself. 44:00 And he is going to personate the coming of Christ. 44:04 That's right. And he'll say: "I am the deliverer. " 44:08 And while people may say: "Oh, well we had a little bit 44:11 of a misunderstanding in our interpretation 44:14 they still will not think of him being the antichrist 44:17 because the antichrist is supposed to be who? 44:19 A human being opposing the Jews. 44:21 So when Jesus comes down as... when Satan comes down as 44:25 Jesus and says "I'm here to deliver the Jews" 44:27 they're going to say: "Oh, he's not the antichrist 44:29 because the antichrist opposes the Jews. 44:31 He's got to be the real Savior! " 44:34 Ummm. And the whole stage has been set 44:37 for Satan to be exactly who he wants to be: 44:41 the savior of the world. 44:43 You know, John, you're talking about Matthew chapter 24 here. 44:46 That's why the warning was to clearly put by Jesus 44:49 in Matthew chapter 24. And the Bible says in verse 23 44:52 down to verse 26: 44:54 "Then if anyone says to you: 'Look, here is the Christ 44:58 or there' do not believe it 44:59 for false Christs and false prophets will arise 45:03 and show great signs and wonders 45:05 so as to deceive if possible even the elect. 45:07 See, I have told you beforehand. 45:10 Therefore if they say to you: 'Look, he is in the desert' 45:13 do not go out. 'Look, he is in the inner room, ' 45:15 do not believe it. " And that's referring to the 45:17 coming of the Lord because verse 27 says 45:19 "As lightning shines from the east to the west... " 45:21 That's how the coming of the Son of Man is going to be. 45:23 Satan is going to come appearing to be the Christ. 45:26 II Corinthians chapter 11... 45:29 chapter 13 verses 11-14... 45:33 makes it clear that Satan is going to come appearing as 45:37 an angel of light. Um-hmm. And so what's happening nowadays 45:40 is so many religious groups are priming themselves 45:44 to be deceived. Because they say: "Well the antichrist 45:47 is going to rise out of Russia 45:49 or is going to rise out of the Middle East 45:51 or is going to rise out of the Roman Empire. " 45:53 While there are many false Christs, 45:56 false prophets, there are those who claim to be God. 46:00 We know that's the statement the pontiff has made 46:03 to be God on earth. That's an antichrist stand. 46:07 While we know that there are those who reject the very 46:09 divinity of Christ, that's an antichrist stand. 46:12 The word antichrist doesn't mean against Christ 46:16 as much as it means to replace Him. 46:19 So there are lots of people that connect themselves 46:22 to this antichrist system. But THE antichrist... 46:26 Remember this: the controversy, and I think you're talking 46:28 about this, John, is between Satan and Christ. 46:31 Not between Rome and Christ or Islam and Christ 46:35 or Judaism and Christ but between Satan and Christ. 46:38 And here's... In II Thessalonians compare 46:41 these two verses. We don't have time to go into 46:43 these things in depth. OK, a very good one. 46:45 We're tempted to, but these two verses. If you just compare 46:47 them on your own time. II Thessalonians chapter 2- 46:50 um-hmm- verses 3 and 4 and compare that with 46:53 Isaiah chapter 14 and the description of Satan himself 46:58 you will find that specifically verse 4 of II Thessalonians 2 47:03 is so parallel with what is in Isaiah chapter 14 47:08 that you can't miss it's connection to Satan himself 47:12 and the appearance of the antichrist. 47:14 Now I recognize that II Thessalonians chapter 2 47:17 also has application that can be made and should be made 47:20 to the papacy and its work. 47:24 That's right. But in its literal final fulfillment 47:27 it is speaking of Satan himself. You know why? 47:30 "Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God 47:33 that is worshiped or so that he sits as God in the temple of God 47:36 showing himself that he is God. " 47:39 Same exact what Satan said: "I will be like the Most High. 47:44 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. " 47:46 He said: "I will sit above the congregation. " 47:50 He wanted to be that. "I will be like the Most High. " 47:53 So how could this statement refer to someone other than 47:57 the ultimate antichrist? 47:59 There are others who have made these claims. 48:01 And by the way, when Paul wrote this 48:04 Paul was writing this under the reign obviously of the 48:07 Roman Empire was in power then. 48:09 And the pontiff and the Vatican on the earth 48:12 has claimed so much of this so this also associates with 48:16 that power. But ultimately... ultimately 48:20 the reason why Satan has forces on earth that try 48:23 to replace Christ is because that was his initial aim. 48:26 Um-hmm. But when it comes to saying "sitting in the temple 48:28 of God" claiming... "showing himself that he is God" 48:32 let me just make it very, very clear: 48:35 the Vatican is not sitting in the temple of God 48:38 'cause God's temple is not in Rome. Right. 48:41 OK. So this is going to say that when somebody comes - 48:45 and get the whole picture now 48:46 because so many people are looking to the Middle East - 48:48 when the false Christ comes looking like Christ and he 48:51 goes to Jerusalem and sits in the temple 48:53 they'll say: "Wait a minute. 48:56 It's God. He's actually in His temple on earth. " 48:59 Um-hmm. That's when this is going to be fulfilled 49:02 in such magnificence. As Revelation 17 says: 49:06 "When they say the beast they marveled at him. " 49:10 And Revelation 13 says: "Who is like unto the beast? 49:13 Who is able to make war with him? " Yes. 49:15 So he comes as the deliverer, as the savior. 49:19 He's setting the world up. Now, a few minutes left. 49:22 We've got to cover one more. Go for it. 49:23 Here's the next counterfeit because it parallels right in, 49:26 it falls right into this. We're trying to take these 49:27 from one step to the next. 49:29 The return of Christ. Oh, wow! 49:31 Now we're already talking about this - you're killing me, John - 49:34 that the return of Christ is going to be mimicked by Satan 49:36 himself. That's right. But notice what's happening 49:38 in the whole context of prophecy as they have shared it. 49:42 Now this isn't the context of the true prophecies 49:44 but of prophecies they have shared. The counterfeits. 49:46 What they, the counterfeit - this is about the counterfeit - 49:49 they say in the secret rapture that the church will be raptured 49:54 out - um-hmm - prior to the seven-year period of tribulation 49:59 in which the antichrist appears 50:02 who is a human being. This is what they say, OK? 50:05 But if you adopt that view here's what can happen. 50:09 And this is where it just ties in so well. 50:11 And you... I'm going to let you loose 50:14 and you're going to be just firing on all cylinders here. 50:16 So we know the Bible doesn't say there's a secret rapture 50:21 nor does the Bible say that there are seven years of 50:23 tribulation where the battle of Armageddon is raging 50:26 which in the middle of it - after 3-1/2 years - 50:29 a human being who is the antichrist sets himself up. 50:32 That's not what the Bible says. 50:34 But if you believe that, when the church isn't raptured out 50:39 and Satan appears as Christ 50:41 you will look and you will say 50:45 "Hmmm, very interesting, 50:48 because this can't be the antichrist. " 50:53 Why? "Because the rapture hasn't happened yet. " 50:59 Do you understand what the implication of this is here? 51:01 If you're so expecting the rapture, 51:04 when Satan appears as Christ 51:06 and sets up a temple as if he's Christ performing miracles 51:10 if you're so into the rapture you will say: 51:12 "The rapture hasn't happened yet 51:14 so the antichrist can't appear yet 51:16 therefore this cannot be the antichrist. " Yeah I follow you. 51:19 "It's got to be Jesus. " Um-hmm. 51:23 To me - I'm sorry - to me that is amazing. 51:27 That thought - um-hmm - that when he comes down here 51:30 as the antichrist people won't know it. 51:32 In fact, they'll even put it out of their mind that it could 51:34 possibly be because the rapture hasn't occurred. 51:36 Right. And of course there is no rapture 51:39 so that should not be your predetermining factor 51:42 for finding the antichrist. But that is the mindset of 51:46 the church in Babylon today. 51:49 And you know what, John? The world is so primed 51:51 by all these ridiculous books that are being published. 51:54 The most cynical 51:57 and most demonically-inspired 52:01 is the whole "Left Behind" series. 52:04 Fifty million books have gotten into the minds of at least 52:08 fifty, twenty million people - Mind you, I cut that in half. 52:11 twenty-five million people. I cut that in half - 52:14 of believing the foolish idea born in the mind of 52:18 Satan years ago used during the Protestant Reformation - 52:21 used during the Dark Ages, sorry - 52:24 and then brought back into life through people like Hal Lindsey 52:27 and the book Late, Great Planet Earth. 52:29 And then Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins 52:30 and this entire "Left Behind" series. 52:32 You've got to make it very clear where it comes from. 52:34 This whole dispensational thought of the antichrist 52:37 coming. The Jews making a covenant with him. 52:40 They evangelize the world and the rapture takes place 52:42 and the Christians out of the world. 52:44 That's not what the Bible talks about. 52:46 The evil one is going to come. And get this in mind: 52:49 the New Testament and the Old Testament 52:51 have a lot of parallels. 52:53 When destruction came to Egypt 52:55 were the people of God in Egypt? Yes. 52:58 How were they protected? By the blood of the Lamb. 53:01 When the plagues fell on Egypt 53:03 were the people of God in Egypt? Yes. 53:06 How were they protected? 53:07 The plagues did not touch them because they were protected by 53:10 the blood of the Lamb. Um-hmm. In the very same way 53:12 when the plagues fall the next time the church is not 53:14 going to be out of the world. 53:16 The people of God are going to be here. That's why 53:18 Psalm 91 says: "Only with your eyes" - 53:21 verse 8- "shall you look and see the reward of the wicked. " 53:25 And then the prayer that Jesus prayed. 53:27 He said to His disciples... John 17 verse 15: 53:30 "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world 53:34 but that You should keep them from the evil one. " 53:37 There you go. And then Revelation says 53:39 He's going to keep us from 53:41 "the hour of trial that shall come upon the whole world. " 53:45 Yeah. And so therefore there's no rapture 53:47 and there's no second chance - right. That is also part of that 53:50 teaching - oh, yeah - when the rapture happens 53:52 you don't make it and you've got another chance here 53:53 during the period of the antichrist and all that is 53:56 happening during those 7 years of tribulation. 53:58 Just... the devil has these counterfeits lined up 54:02 one after the other and they feed each other. 54:05 They feed into the next as we've been talking about here 54:08 in this program now for three programs. 54:10 And if you don't have these in line or at least understand 54:14 even from different angles these various counterfeits 54:17 we're talking about, you are open to deception. 54:19 You are open to the false teachings of Babylon 54:22 as described in the book of Revelation. 54:25 And it's just a scary thought. 54:27 As a matter of fact, if Jesus was going to give us a second 54:29 chance He wouldn't say this, 54:31 Matthew 24:44: "Therefore you be ready for the Son of Man 54:36 is coming at an hour that you do not expect. " 54:38 And then He says... He talks about the servants. 54:41 That when they say: "Our Lord delays His coming" 54:43 they begin to eat, they begin to strike each other and 54:46 beat each other and argue with each other. 54:48 And He says: "And the Master will come at an hour that... 54:52 that you think not and appoint you your portion 54:55 with the hypocrites. " 54:56 He didn't teach anywhere second... 54:59 The second opportunity we have is right now. 55:02 He didn't teach second chance theology. 55:05 And the devil has got the world unaware 55:07 and here is the foolishness that the rapture movies produce: 55:09 all of a sudden the person is eating breakfast. 55:12 They disappear and the husband says: "Well we've got 7 years 55:14 to get our lives together. " 55:17 That's not the theology of the Bible. 55:19 "Be ready for in such an hour as you think not 55:23 the Son of Man cometh. " 55:24 And He comes, and when He comes He comes with His holy angels 55:27 to take us out of the world. So friends, 55:29 there is no secret rapture. There is no tribulation 55:33 period that the Jews are going to make a covenant with 55:35 Satan and evangelize the world and be converted. 55:38 You get that all... 55:40 Well, it was very clear even during the flood in Noah's day. 55:43 Right. And the reference is made 55:46 as well in Matthew by Jesus. 55:49 In Luke as well... Luke records it that 55:51 in the days of Noah they'll be marrying and giving in marriage 55:54 all these things until the flood came and took them all away. 55:57 And then it talks about one being taken, the other left. 55:59 One in the field: one is taken the other left. 56:02 One grinding at the mill... the other one. 56:04 Anyway, not to quote all that. 56:06 But if you look, the common interpretation of that is 56:09 that the one taken away is the raptured - 56:11 the one raptured out - that's a common interpretation. 56:13 Common interpretation. But if you read Luke chapter 17 56:18 on that it says that the flood came. It didn't take them 56:20 all way. The flood came and destroyed them all. 56:23 That's right. Is the way that Luke records Jesus' words. 56:26 And then of course to this "taking them" - 56:29 you know, two in the field: the one taken, the other left - 56:31 the disciples asked: "Where, Lord? " in verse 7. 56:35 Taken where exactly? Taken where? Where are they taken? 56:37 And then Jesus answers: "Wherever the body is 56:40 there the eagles will be gathered together. " 56:42 And that word "eagles" is actually vultures 56:44 is the kind of bird that it's talking about. 56:45 The vultures... Read Revelation 19. 56:48 The birds came and ate the flesh of men 56:51 who were left behind after the coming of the Lord. 56:54 And you clearly see that being taken - where they're being 56:57 taken - you don't want to go. 57:00 Exactly. If you want to be left and be alive 57:03 and remain until the coming of the Lord as it says in 57:05 I Thessalonians chapter 4 "to meet the Lord in the air. " 57:09 Wow, John, there's so much we can't even cover it all. 57:11 But we are just fired up about the fact that there are 57:12 a lot of counterfeits. Friends, study the Word of God. 57:15 Here at House Calls we believe that the foundation of 57:17 trust and truth is the Word of God. 57:19 Don't settle for counterfeits even if they are the top ten 57:22 because one day the Lord is going to come and make a 57:25 house call on your life and if you're not ready 57:27 you will be lost. Please make that decision 57:30 and accept Jesus Christ in your life today. God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17