3ABN On the Road

Surviving Armageddon

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Mark Finley

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Series Code: OTR

Program Code: OTR001029


01:01 Back in the year 2000
01:03 a number of us who are in communications
01:06 were working at the General Conference session
01:08 which is the world gathering of Seventh-day Adventists
01:10 from around the world in Toronto, Canada.
01:13 And we've put together a studio that we call G.C. T.V.
01:18 Pastor Mark Finley was one of our nightly news anchors
01:22 and I was a reporter working, gathering stories,
01:25 shooting video, editing video,
01:27 preparing them for the nightly broadcast.
01:29 And we had a chance each evening
01:31 to sort of sit around and just talk about things
01:33 and you know you get a bunch of Christians,
01:34 particularly bunch of preachers around,
01:36 you can be talking about certain things.
01:38 So one night we were talking about the blessings of the Lord.
01:41 How the Lord steps in and takes care of His people
01:43 and I recall Mark Finley telling the story that
01:46 he and Teenie, I think were in Los Angeles
01:48 and were to preach at a certain church
01:50 they have never been to before.
01:52 And evidently he had gotten himself lost
01:55 and the more he tried to get found the more he got lost.
01:59 And of course as you are trying to find your way,
02:03 you are chewing up time.
02:05 And he realized that he would never get to the church in time
02:09 and he sort of strayed into a less desirable neighborhood.
02:13 And he said, you know,
02:16 we're going to have to ask somebody.
02:18 But Teenie was saying, well,
02:20 this is a really spooky neighborhood,
02:21 we should probably just stay in the car
02:23 with the windows rolled up and just see what we can do.
02:25 But time was running out,
02:26 they were not going to get to the church on time.
02:29 And so they pulled up to a 7-Eleven
02:31 and they saw a gang of guys standing out there.
02:33 They are kind of rough neighborhood types
02:36 and time was running out,
02:37 he was going to be late for his appointment.
02:39 And so Pastor Finley got out, locked the car doors
02:43 and went over to an African-American gentleman
02:46 that was, he said was big and huge
02:48 and looked kind of rough and kind of mean.
02:50 And he said, well, if you are going to get beat up
02:51 you may as well talk to the biggest guy there.
02:54 And so he went and he tapped the guy in the shoulder
02:57 and said, excuse me, I am trying to find
02:59 the Seventh-day Adventist church.
03:01 And the guy spun around and said,
03:03 Pastor Finley, I know you.
03:06 The church is right down the road.
03:07 I'll take you there.
03:08 Come on and follow me, we're going to church anyway.
03:13 So we were talking about the goodness of the Lord,
03:15 how the Lord protects His own
03:17 that when you stand up for the Lord,
03:19 the Lord indeed stands up for you.
03:21 And of course as an international evangelist he,
03:24 Mark Finley has preached all over the world.
03:26 We were just trading some stories,
03:28 just a little bit ago about a good friend of ours,
03:31 Charles Haugabrook who got his car towed in New York City
03:34 and if there's a place you don't want to get
03:36 your car towed, it's in New York City.
03:38 So we were just talking about that backstage.
03:41 But God has protected him all over the world,
03:43 he has lifted up the name of Jesus
03:45 and Christ has been by his side.
03:46 And so we are most privileged and pleased
03:50 to have him here with us this afternoon.
03:53 These short series go by so very, very fast.
03:56 You start them and before you know they are over,
03:58 but we do have one more sitting
04:01 and the title of the message is intriguing,
04:04 Surviving Armageddon.
04:06 This is the one that I am anxious to hear
04:07 and I know that you are anxious to hear also.
04:10 So we are very, very please
04:11 to have Mark and Ernestine Finley
04:14 on our campus for the next several days.
04:16 As I mentioned to both of them a little bit earlier on,
04:20 they will be doing some cooking shows on next week
04:23 and the crew is very, very excited
04:24 because they know that
04:26 when Ernestine Finley goes into the kitchen,
04:28 she comes forth with marvelous things.
04:30 And so they are very, very anxious for Monday to come
04:34 so that they can be part of that cooking experience.
04:38 But on this day the word of God will be preached with power
04:43 and we anticipate a very fine message
04:45 in this series that has been entitled,
04:48 When Time Turns Into Eternity, Surviving Armageddon.
04:52 Before Pastor Finley comes to speak,
04:56 our music will be brought to us by the pastor of this church,
04:59 our friend and Pastor John Lomacang
05:02 who is going to be singing "Were it Not for Grace."
05:09 Pastor John Lomacang and then Pastor Mark Finley.
05:34 Time measured out my days
05:41 Life carried me along
05:48 In my soul I yearned to follow God
05:56 But knew I'd never be so strong
06:02 I looked hard at this world
06:07 To learn how heaven
06:10 Could be gained
06:15 Just to end where I began
06:20 Where human efforts
06:24 Is all in vain
06:30 Were it not for grace
06:38 I can tell you where I'd be
06:45 Wandering down some pointless road
06:50 To no where
06:52 With my salvation up to me
06:58 And I know how that would go
07:05 All the battles I would face
07:13 Forever running but losing the race
07:20 Were it not for grace
07:30 So here is all my praise
07:37 Expressed with all my heart
07:44 Offered to the Friend who took my place
07:51 And ran a course I could not start
07:58 And when He saw in full
08:03 Just how much His love would cost
08:11 He still ran my final mile
08:16 between me and heaven
08:19 So I would not be lost
08:26 So were it not for God's grace
08:34 I can tell you where I'd be
08:41 Wandering down some pointless road
08:46 To no where
08:49 With my salvation up to me
08:55 And I know how that would go
09:01 All the battles I would face
09:09 Forever running yet losing the race
09:16 Were it not for His grace
09:23 Forever running yet losing the race
09:32 Were it not for God's grace
09:54 Thank you Pastor John.
09:57 We're focusing on three messages on the second coming of Jesus.
10:00 There's nothing more hopeful, nothing more encouraging
10:03 than to open the word of God and to see the hope
10:06 that there is that this world is not in the hands of man
10:10 but this world is in the hands of the living God.
10:13 Our series is titled, "When Time Fades into Eternity."
10:18 Last night we looked at the fact
10:19 of Why the Doomsday Prophets are Wrong.
10:22 They are wrong because they are looking
10:23 in the wrong place.
10:25 They are looking at what's going on around us
10:26 rather than focusing on eternity
10:29 and what Jesus is planning to do when He comes again.
10:32 This morning we talked about
10:34 when all of our questions are answered.
10:36 We looked at the four great question of life
10:38 and we've found that God has answers,
10:40 that there will be an ultimate solution
10:43 for the problem of suffering and sorrow
10:45 and disappointment in death
10:47 and the problems of injustice that Jesus Christ will come
10:50 and He will set all things right,
10:51 that righteousness will reign.
10:54 In this presentation we're looking at surviving Armageddon.
10:59 So let's pray together.
11:00 Father, as we open the Bible and study,
11:03 the Bible's last book, the Book of Revelation,
11:06 in particularly as we focus on earth's last war, Armageddon,
11:12 I pray that You would be with us,
11:15 that You would give us a sense of Your presence,
11:18 that You draw near to us with Your love.
11:20 Open our eyes so that we can see divine things
11:24 from Your word and grant to us
11:27 an understanding of this prophecy
11:29 of the final battle of earth's history Armageddon.
11:32 We pray thee in Jesus' name, amen.
11:37 Armageddon is a very hot topic today.
11:41 Not long ago a movie entitled Armageddon
11:45 starring the Hollywood actor Bruce Willis
11:49 grossed over $200 million at the box office.
11:55 In fact if you look at some of the best selling books
11:58 in the religious world today, they have themes of Armageddon.
12:02 Jerry Jenkins and Tim Lahaye wrote a series of books,
12:07 actually novels that were in the Left Behind series
12:11 they promoted the unbiblical concept of the rapture.
12:15 But one of those books was titled Armageddon
12:19 and the publicist spend $5 million
12:23 just to promote the book.
12:26 Now publicists don't spend $5 million to promote the book
12:29 that they don't think is going to sell.
12:30 And the title of the book was Armageddon
12:33 because these publicists knew
12:35 that Armageddon is a very hot topic.
12:38 Just before the United States invaded Iraq in 2003,
12:45 in March of 2003 Newsweek Magazine
12:49 talked about the preemptive strike,
12:52 the moving into Iraq and the news writers said this,
12:57 "The terrible consequence of this action
13:00 will turn a billion Muslims into enemies
13:03 that we might have lived in peace.
13:05 It would be a step toward Armageddon."
13:08 So you read actually about the conflict in the Middle-East,
13:12 the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan,
13:14 you read secular news writers using this term Armageddon.
13:19 Now this was not isolated to Newsweek Magazine at all.
13:24 Here is the Washington Post, February 23, 2003.
13:29 Washington Post, quite a scholarly magazine,
13:33 a very well written, well documented says,
13:36 "World-destabilizing aggression could spin out of control
13:40 and lead to other despots arming themselves
13:43 with all manner of apocalyptic weapons
13:45 and, perhaps, to Armageddon."
13:47 So whether it's Newsweek, Washington Posts,
13:49 Hollywood movies, people are concerned about Armageddon.
13:53 They are asking the question, what is Armageddon?
13:57 Is Armageddon a local war in the Middle-East
14:01 that will begin a series of events
14:05 and catapult all humanity into the time of the end?
14:08 When the Bible talks about Armageddon,
14:10 is the Bible speaking about a war
14:13 between Muslim nations in Israel
14:16 in which the west in Russia get involved.
14:19 Will ultimately tanks invade Jerusalem?
14:22 Will a third temple be rebuilt?
14:25 There are those people who believe that
14:27 but yet the Bible teaches something
14:30 far more broadly than that.
14:33 And so as we do with all subjects,
14:34 let's go to the Bible and look at this topic
14:37 of the battle of Armageddon.
14:39 What is the battle of Armageddon?
14:41 Where will the battle of Armageddon be fought
14:43 and how can you and I survive Armageddon?
14:46 Who will win and who will lose?
14:48 If you have your Bible please take it into Revelation 16.
14:53 In Revelation 16, in a Chapter that discusses
14:58 the seven last plagues we read about earth's final war,
15:05 this final battle known as Armageddon.
15:09 So if you have your Bible, you're taking it
15:10 and turning to Revelation,
15:12 you're looking there at the Chapter 16.
15:16 And we're going to begin to read in verse 12.
15:19 Revelation 16 describes the seven last plagues,
15:22 those plagues that are poured out on all humanity
15:25 just before the coming of Jesus.
15:28 All nature seems to be out of control,
15:30 there's calamity and chaos.
15:32 In Revelation 16:12 it says,
15:34 "The sixth angel poured out his bowl
15:36 on the great river Euphrates,"
15:38 mark that, we're going to come back to it.
15:40 What is this great river Euphrates?
15:42 "The water was dried up," what does that mean?
15:44 "That the way of the kings of the east might be prepared"
15:47 what's that?
15:48 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs
15:50 coming out of the mouth of the dragon,
15:52 out of the mouth of the beast,
15:53 and out of the mouth of the false prophet."
15:55 Who are these, the dragon, the beast and the false prophet?
15:58 "They are spirits of demons performing signs,
16:01 that go out to the kings of the whole world
16:04 to gather them to the battle
16:06 of that great day of the Lord Almighty.
16:08 Behold, I am coming as a thief.
16:10 Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments,
16:13 lest he walk naked, and see his shame."
16:15 Now here's an interesting thing
16:16 that should give all Bible students pause.
16:19 There are six plagues that are poured out
16:22 and after the sixth plague at the end if it
16:25 Jesus says, I am coming as a thief.
16:28 Now if six plagues have been poured out
16:31 and if after the sixth, before the seventh
16:34 Jesus says, I am coming as a thief,
16:37 I will come as a thief, has He yet come as a thief
16:39 before the plagues began to be poured out? Has He?
16:42 Certainly not because the Bible says,
16:45 after six plagues I am coming as a what? As a thief.
16:49 Now there are many people that believed
16:50 that Christ comes as a thief
16:52 before the first plague to rapture His people
16:56 so they don't have to live through the plagues.
16:58 But that wouldn't make any sense at all, would it?
17:01 Because Jesus says, I am coming as a thief after six plagues.
17:05 Remember the Bible says in 1 Corinthian 10
17:08 that all the things that happened to Israel
17:11 happened as examples that are written for our admonition
17:15 upon whom the ends of the earth would come.
17:17 Where there any other plague spoken about in the Bible
17:20 beside these seven last plagues, where there?
17:24 Where were they found?
17:26 In Egypt, how many plagues were in Egypt?
17:29 How many? Ten in Egypt.
17:31 Why were there 10 there and seven here?
17:34 These are called the seven, what plagues? Last plagues.
17:38 The first three plagues in Egypt affected
17:40 both Egyptians and Israelites, affect the whole land.
17:43 Last seven only affected the Egyptians.
17:46 Where was Israel during the plagues?
17:49 Where were they?
17:50 In or out of Egypt? They were in Egypt.
17:53 Where they protected? Certainly.
17:56 So God had His people in Egypt during the plagues,
18:01 they were protected by God
18:04 but delivered when? After the plagues.
18:07 So in the seven last plagues
18:10 God's people are still present on earth, protected by God,
18:15 they are here surrounded by His angels.
18:19 The bible says, "A thousand shall fall at thy side,
18:22 ten thousand at your right hand,
18:23 but it shall nigh thee nor shall any," what?
18:26 What's the word?
18:28 "Plague come near your dwelling."
18:30 So during the plagues God's people reveal faith,
18:33 confidence in Him but they are protected by God,
18:37 they are delivered at the end of the plagues.
18:39 Now notice something else that's very interesting
18:42 about Revelation 16:14.
18:46 It says that they are gathered the whole world
18:51 to the battle of the great day of God almighty.
18:54 What is this battle of the great day
18:56 of God almighty that they are gathered to?
18:58 Verse 16 tells us, "They gather them together
19:01 to the place called in the Hebrew Armageddon."
19:04 So another name for the battle of Armageddon
19:06 is battle of the great day of God almighty.
19:10 So this is not some limited battle in the Middle East.
19:15 There's a conflict between good and evil,
19:18 a conflict between Christ and Satan.
19:21 The first gun of that war, if I could put it that way,
19:25 the first skirmish in that battle began in haven.
19:28 Lucifer rebelled against God in heaven.
19:31 And the bible says in Revelation 12:7-9,
19:34 and there was what in heaven?
19:35 What was up in heaven? War in heaven.
19:37 Satan and his angels fought against Michel and his angels.
19:40 A third of the angels were cast out
19:43 as they rebelled against God.
19:44 So you have the first battle beginning
19:48 in heaven with this war in heaven.
19:52 Now if you look at the structure of the Book of Revelation,
19:57 from Revelation 12 to Revelation 22,
20:00 the battle of Armageddon comes about in the middle.
20:05 In Revelation 12 there's a conflict
20:07 between good and evil, Christ and Satan in heaven.
20:11 Revelation 12 is the hinge
20:14 upon which the Book of Revelation turns.
20:17 After that battle in Revelation 12, time goes on,
20:22 Satan attacks Jesus on earth, tries to kill Him.
20:26 He looses, Jesus wins, just like Satan lost in heaven.
20:29 Then Satan attacks God's people during the middle ages
20:35 for that 1260 year prophecy.
20:37 Again, Satan doesn't destroy them all,
20:40 Satan looses, God wins.
20:42 Then you come to the under Revelation 12
20:44 and there's war on the remnant.
20:46 The Bible says the dragon was wrath angry
20:49 and went to make war on the remnant of her seed
20:52 that keep the Commandments of God
20:53 and the testimony of Jesus.
20:55 So God, 11, end time remnant Satan will make war on them.
20:59 How does that war take place?
21:00 What takes place in that war?
21:02 Well, that leads to Revelation 13
21:04 where the beast passes and economic boycott
21:08 under the auspices of Rome,
21:10 there's an economic boycott that's pass.
21:12 There is a law that is passed
21:15 to observe the first day of the week
21:17 contrary to the biblical commandments.
21:20 At the end of Revelation 13 the United States
21:23 unites in this great religion-political confederacy.
21:27 When you come to Revelation Chapter 14
21:30 there is a message warning against this,
21:32 in Revelation 14:6-12,
21:34 it's called the Three Angels Message.
21:36 When you come to Revelation 15 and 16
21:38 you have the result of rejecting
21:41 that Three Angels Message, the seven last plagues.
21:44 When you come to Revelation 17 and 18
21:47 it further describes what's gonna happen at end time
21:50 when church and state unite
21:52 under the auspicious of spiritual Babylon.
21:54 When you come to Revelation 19,
21:58 Jesus returns as King of Kings to defeat all the forces of hell
22:02 which leads to Revelation 20, the millennium
22:05 and 21 and 22, the new heavens and new earth.
22:08 So Revelation 16 and the battle of Armageddon
22:12 is set right in the middle
22:14 of this conflict between good and evil,
22:17 this conflict between Christ and Satan.
22:19 So it's not a geographical war limited to the Middle East
22:25 neither it is a physical battle with the sins
22:29 of one nation fighting against another nation.
22:33 It is the battle of good and evil,
22:35 the battle between Christ and Satan.
22:38 It has a battle that has to do
22:40 with the consummation of the great controversy.
22:42 Now let's look at the details of this battle,
22:45 and we'll go back to Revelation 16.
22:49 Revelation Chapter 16, we're gonna go back to verse 12
22:52 and let's look at it phrase by phrase
22:56 to get an understanding of this final battle Armageddon
23:00 and see how we will be participants in that battle
23:06 if we live to the coming of Jesus.
23:07 Revelation 16:12, "The sixth angel poured out his bowl
23:12 on the great river Euphrates,
23:15 and its water was dried up
23:17 so the kings of the East might be prepared."
23:20 When you think of the river Euphrates
23:24 what city do you think of?
23:27 The city of Babylon.
23:28 In the Old Testament, Babylon under King Nebakanezer
23:32 was the capital of the then known world.
23:36 The river Euphrates ran through the center of Babylon.
23:41 When you come to the Book of Revelation,
23:43 does it mention Babylon?
23:45 Does it mention Babylon in Revelation?
23:47 Is this literal Babylon or spiritual Babylon?
23:50 Spiritual Babylon.
23:52 Just as in the Old Testament
23:54 Babylon represented the Citadel of era,
23:57 the center of apostasy and root of all falsehood.
24:01 So when you come to the Book of Revelation,
24:03 we're not talking about literal Babylon
24:05 because that was destroyed
24:07 and never would be rebuilt again, right.
24:10 So we're talking about spiritual Babylon,
24:12 false religion, falsehood.
24:14 Now so if Babylon in the Book of Revelation
24:18 represents falsehood era apostasy rebellion against God,
24:22 if it's spiritual Babylon
24:24 then what is this river Euphrates represents?
24:28 Well, the river Euphrates was the support system of Babylon.
24:32 In the Book of Revelation Chapter 17,
24:34 the Bible says, the waters which you saw are what?
24:38 Nations, kinderen, tongues and people.
24:41 So the river Euphrates would represent
24:45 all of the peoples that supported
24:49 this system of falsehood called Babylon.
24:53 But in the seven last plagues
24:56 that support system would dry up.
24:59 In another words, Revelation 13,
25:04 the beast power uniting with the powers of state
25:08 in this church-state union says to whole humanity.
25:14 Humanity is facing enormous crisis,
25:18 humanity is facing an ecological crisis,
25:22 environmental crisis, economic crisis.
25:25 It's facing political warfare,
25:27 it's facing strife and turmoil in the cities,
25:32 natural disasters.
25:34 And this religious-political confederation would say,
25:39 if you will unite on a single day of the week
25:44 and worship together peace on earth would come again.
25:47 So peoples then support that political-religious system
25:54 in an attempt to have world peace,
25:55 in an attempt to have stable economy.
25:58 But what happens?
25:59 Persecution comes on minority of Sabbath keepers
26:03 who will not go along who are loyal and faithful to God.
26:08 And ultimately the message of Christ
26:11 goes to the ends of the earth
26:12 so everybody who would will have an opportunity
26:15 to know Christ and to accept His last day message
26:18 and respond through His grace to keep His commandments.
26:22 And whenever human being has had that opportunity,
26:25 Jesus says,
26:28 those who are righteous let him do righteous still,
26:29 those that are filthy let them be filthy still,
26:31 human probation closes and the plagues are poured out.
26:34 When the plagues are poured out
26:37 and the support system of Babylon is dried up,
26:41 those people who united with spiritual Babylon
26:45 because they thought peace and economic prosperity
26:48 would come on the earth,
26:49 they see that that has not happened
26:52 and they begin crying out at their religious leaders,
26:55 at their political leaders. They're incensed.
26:58 So what does it mean when it says
27:01 the sixth angel poured out his great--
27:03 bowl on the great river Euphrates,
27:05 and its water was dried up?
27:06 The support system, the people who supported spiritual Babylon
27:12 turned their support from it in the crisis of the plagues.
27:16 Now it says that the way of the kings of the east
27:18 might be prepared.
27:20 Let's go back and let the Bible interpret itself.
27:24 You know Peter says the Bible is of no private interpretation
27:29 and we allow one Bible text to explain another Bible text.
27:34 We don't have to guess what these things mean.
27:36 Keep your finger in Revelation Chapter 16
27:39 and go back to Isaiah Chapter 44.
27:42 Was there a time that the river Euphrates literally dried up?
27:47 Was there a time
27:48 that the drying up of the river Euphrates
27:51 allowed the kings of the east
27:53 to come and attack and overthrow Babylon?
27:57 Indeed there was.
27:59 Israel was in captive or in bondage to Babylon.
28:06 As Israel is in captive to Babylon,
28:08 Cyrus, the king of the east approached Babylon.
28:13 He dug irrigation ditches, drained the river Euphrates,
28:18 marched his troops down the dry riverbeds
28:22 and the river Euphrates went through the center of Babylon.
28:27 The river--the Babylonians had a 20 year food supply.
28:31 They were--they could withstand any siege
28:35 but what Cyrus did as he dug large irrigation ditches,
28:40 siphoned off the water of the river Euphrates,
28:42 the troops of Cyrus marched down the drive riverbeds
28:47 went like under the walls
28:49 because the river ran through the center of the city,
28:51 there are outer walls and inner walls,
28:53 on the night that Belshazzar had a drunken feast.
28:58 The inner wall gates were left open,
29:01 Cyrus marched his troops under the outer wall gates,
29:04 came up in the inside the city
29:07 usually those gates would be shut, they were left open,
29:09 he came in and attacked Babylon and overthrew it one night.
29:12 But notice the prophecy that would happen,
29:14 Cyrus was named incidentally 150 years ahead of time
29:18 before he was born.
29:19 Here the Bible says in Isaiah 44:27,
29:24 who says to the deep, be dry and I will dry up the rivers.
29:27 What does the prophecy say?
29:29 The literal river Euphrates flowing
29:32 through literal Babylon would be dried up.
29:34 So I would dry up your rivers,
29:36 who says of Cyrus, he's my shepherd.
29:38 Who is Cyrus?
29:40 He was a Medo-Persian king who came from the east
29:43 dried up the river Euphrates and overthrew Babylon.
29:46 He'll perform all my pleasure, saying to Jerusalem,
29:49 you will be rebuilt, what would he do?
29:50 He would overthrow Babylon,
29:52 let the Israelites go free to rebuild Jerusalem
29:54 and to the temple your foundation shall be laid.
29:57 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
30:00 whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him,
30:04 to loose the armor of kings,
30:05 to open before him the double doors.
30:07 So let's get the picture.
30:09 You have Old Testament Babylon,
30:13 the river Euphrates supports it,
30:15 it gives its water supply.
30:17 It waters its gardens, it enables Babylon
30:19 to grow a food supply within the city.
30:21 Babylon feels that it is protected.
30:24 Babylon is a political religious system
30:27 that oppresses the people of God in the Old Testament.
30:31 God brings a mighty king of the east, Cyrus.
30:34 He dries up the river Euphrates
30:36 and he marches his troops under the city walls.
30:40 They attack Babylon and overthrow it,
30:42 that is a parallel of the last days,
30:45 at the last days.
30:46 Spiritual Babylon that are again sun worshippers,
30:50 just like ancient Babylon worshipped sun worship,
30:52 spiritual Babylon again that teaches
30:54 spiritual of the immortality of the soul
30:56 just like Old Testament Babylon.
30:58 Spiritual Babylon where the wine flows
31:01 and the parties go, just like Old Testament Babylon.
31:04 There is a king of the east,
31:05 he is the King of Kings and lord of lords.
31:08 Take your Bible please and turn to Revelation Chapter 19.
31:11 Once again, once again
31:15 spiritual Babylon will oppress God's people.
31:18 Once again laws will be passed contrary to the law of God.
31:23 Once again Church and State will unite.
31:26 Once again under the confederation
31:27 of spiritual get Babylon.
31:29 God's people will be oppressed and trampled down.
31:32 But once again from the east, the King of Kings will come.
31:36 Revelation Chapter 19, notice, verse 16,
31:40 and he had on His robe
31:42 and on His thigh a name written.
31:44 What's the name written?
31:46 King of Kings. And what?
31:47 Lord of Lords. Who is this?
31:49 Jesus. And what is Jesus called?
31:51 The king of what? The King of Kings.
31:55 Where will He come from?
31:57 Matthew 24:27, notice how the Bible explains itself
32:03 these complex passages of Bible,
32:05 of the Bible can be explained
32:07 as you let the Bible explain itself.
32:10 Matthew 24:27, "For as lightning shines
32:16 from the east, even unto the west,
32:19 so shall the sign of the Son of Man be."
32:23 Matthew 24:27, "A lightning comes from the east
32:26 and flashes to the west,
32:27 so shall the coming of the Son of Man be."
32:29 So Jesus is the King of Kings that comes from the east.
32:33 So here is the scenario
32:35 that will break upon this world before the coming of Christ.
32:39 Before Jesus comes
32:41 this earth will be involved in political turmoil.
32:44 Before Jesus comes
32:45 this earth will be involved in economic disaster.
32:48 Before Jesus comes
32:49 the riches of man will come to not.
32:52 Before Jesus comes
32:53 there'll be natural disasters.
32:55 Are we seeing this world today
32:57 with America with $17 trillion of national debt?
33:00 Are we seeing on the verge of economic disaster?
33:03 Are we seeing it that way?
33:04 Are we seeing today
33:06 natural unprecedented natural disasters?
33:09 Are we seeing that take place?
33:11 Are we seeing the world at times on the verge of
33:14 destabilizing aggression with war around the world?
33:18 Do we see that today?
33:19 Do we see rising crime and violence?
33:21 So these things will get more and more prevalent
33:25 before the coming of Jesus.
33:27 In an attempt to solve those problems,
33:29 there'll be an attempt to unite Church and State.
33:32 As that occurs every human being will have an opportunity
33:36 to accept Christ or reject Him,
33:38 to accept His last day message of truth.
33:40 When every human being has had that opportunity,
33:44 human probation will close, the plagues will be poured out,
33:47 the support system for this religious political union
33:51 that claim they could bring peace on earth will fall apart.
33:54 The spiritual river Euphrates will dry up.
33:57 There'll be chaos everywhere.
33:58 That prepares for the last battle,
34:01 Satan's last attempt to destroy the people of God
34:04 but the kings of the east,
34:05 Jesus and the angels will come.
34:07 Now let's go back to Revelation Chapter 16.
34:11 Revelation Chapter 16, this fascinating chapter,
34:15 in the 16th chapter the Book of Revelation,
34:17 notice what it says, verse 12.
34:21 "Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl
34:22 on the great river Euphrates,"
34:24 the support system of Babylon dries up.
34:26 "Its water was dried up
34:27 that the way the kings of the east might be prepared."
34:30 So just before the coming of Jesus,
34:31 the support system of Babylon is gonna dry up.
34:34 But something is gonna happen,
34:35 Satan recognizes that he has his last chance,
34:39 second--Satan recognizes that this is his last opportunity.
34:43 So what does he do?
34:44 What does he do with one more attempt
34:47 to bring a political religious confederation?
34:50 Verse 13, "I saw three unclean spirits
34:53 like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon,
34:57 and out of the mouth of the beast,
34:59 and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
35:01 They are the spirits of demons, performing signs,
35:04 which go out to the kings of the earth,
35:06 to the whole world, to gather them together
35:08 for the battle of the great day of God, Almighty."
35:11 Notice what it says, first it says in verse 13,
35:15 three unclean spirits.
35:18 Now in the Book of Revelation numbers make a difference.
35:23 Seven is a number of perfection.
35:26 You have seven churches, seven seals,
35:28 seven trumpets, a seven branch candle stick,
35:32 you have the seven spirits that speak,
35:34 you have the Seventh-day Sabbath.
35:37 So seven is a number of God's perfection,
35:42 12 is a number of completeness in the Book of Revelation.
35:47 You have the 12 apostles
35:49 that completely represent complete New Testament church.
35:51 The 12 patriarchs represent
35:53 the complete Old Testament church.
35:55 You have the 12 foundations
35:57 of the holy city, the 12 gates,
35:59 12 times 12,144, 144,000 a number
36:04 that represents the completeness
36:06 of the living redeem before Jesus comes.
36:08 So you have this 12 of completeness,
36:11 you have seven of perfection, you have four of universality.
36:15 Universality indicating the four winds of the earth,
36:18 the stride comes from all different directions.
36:21 But then in Revelation as well, you have this number three.
36:26 Number three in Revelation stands for the Father,
36:29 the Son and the Holy Spirit.
36:30 It's a number that represents divinity,
36:33 Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
36:34 But here you have the false trinity,
36:37 the dragon, the beast and the false prophet.
36:41 So you have a false holy ghost movement,
36:44 you have the triumphant not of divinity,
36:47 not the triumphant of truth
36:49 but you have the triumphant of error.
36:51 So you have the dragon representing paganism.
36:54 Remember the dragon in Revelation 12 represent Satan.
36:57 You have the dragon paganism,
36:59 you have the beast power
37:00 representing the great papal power of the world
37:03 and you have the false prophet representing
37:09 both Protestantism and all false religion
37:12 under that umbrella.
37:13 So you have the pagan religions of the world,
37:15 the papal religions of the world,
37:17 protestant in all false religions of the world.
37:20 And notice what this passage says
37:22 which is really fascinating.
37:24 It says, verse 13, "I saw three unclean spirits
37:28 like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon,
37:31 out of the mouth of the beast,
37:32 and out of the mouth of the false prophet."
37:33 In other words, all false religions
37:38 are taken over by Satan and out of--
37:42 and through these false religions
37:45 enormous miracles are worked.
37:47 Now let nobody misunderstand.
37:49 Are there honest hearted people in every religion today?
37:53 Do they love Jesus?
37:54 Are there many Muslims that are honest hearted,
37:58 they're devoted, they're committed
37:59 and are some of these Muslims even more committed
38:02 than some Christians are today?
38:05 More committed to their cause, are they honest?
38:08 Are there Hindus that are honest?
38:10 Are there Buddhists that are honest?
38:13 Are they those of the lovely Roman Catholic faith
38:16 that are honest?
38:17 Certainly and are either even some Adventists that are--
38:19 no, most definitely there are.
38:23 But are there some Adventists,
38:24 they're Adventists the name only?
38:27 Are there some Baptists that are Baptists to name only?
38:30 Are there people of all faith?
38:31 So what is gonna happen at end time?
38:34 First, God is gonna bring out from fallen religions
38:40 to His Sabbath keeping Adventist movement,
38:44 those that are honest in heart.
38:46 And those that are superficial Adventists
38:50 that are just playing games with religion,
38:53 that are going through the forms and the emotion,
38:55 will they eventually be shaken up?
38:58 You know there are some people when I travel say,
39:00 oh, Pastor Mark,
39:01 look what's happening over here in the Adventist church,
39:04 look what's happening over there, this is horrible.
39:07 We should leave and start our own little group.
39:10 And you know what I say to them?
39:12 The weeds and the tares will grow together
39:15 until the what? Harvest.
39:17 And it's not your job or mine
39:19 to go pick up the weed or the tares
39:21 and try to pluck them all out, right?
39:23 They're gonna go out in the shaky.
39:25 Did God tell Noah what to get on the Ark?
39:27 Did God tell Noah to do that?
39:30 Did Noah get in the ark?
39:31 Did he bring a few animals in that ark?
39:34 Were those animals house broken?
39:38 Was there some time a little stink in the ark?
39:41 So did Noah say the storm is coming on this ark,
39:44 there's a little stink in the ark,
39:46 I'm gonna get out and jump into the water.
39:48 Is that what Noah did?
39:49 Did Noah abandon the ark because sometime
39:52 the smell in the ark wasn't too nice?
39:55 He that has ears to hear,
39:57 let him hear what the preacher says to the churches.
40:01 This church like that ark is going through.
40:07 This is no time to jump off the ark.
40:11 This is no time to abandon the ship.
40:14 There may be some thunder, there may be some lightning,
40:17 there may even be a little stench in some quarters
40:21 but God can take care of all of that,
40:23 God can take care of all of that and He will.
40:26 So there will be a time that thousands
40:29 come in to this glorious Advent movement
40:31 just before the coming of Jesus.
40:33 There'll be a time that many leave
40:36 but what will be the agency that the devil uses,
40:42 what will be the agency the devil uses
40:46 to bring the world
40:49 to this political religious confederation,
40:52 it tells you here, verse 13, "I saw three unclean spirits
40:56 like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon,
40:58 out of the mouth of the beast,
40:59 out of the mouth of the false prophet
41:00 for they are the spirits of demons, performing signs."
41:05 Some versions say wonders and some say miracle,
41:09 supernatural miracles
41:13 through all false religions
41:17 will be used by the devil,
41:20 signs and wonders
41:22 to appeal to the kings of the earth
41:25 in a last ditch movement
41:28 to appeal to the political leaders to bring unity,
41:32 that unity will be temporary.
41:35 Revelation 17 says that, let's go back and look at it.
41:39 Revelation Chapter 17 so we don't miss it.
41:42 It says, Revelation 17
41:46 and you're going to look there at verse 13 and 14.
41:49 "These are of one mind,"
41:51 this is a political religious confederation.
41:54 "They will give their power and authority to the beast."
41:58 But notice right before that at the end of Revelation 17:12,
42:03 how long do they receive this authority?
42:05 They receive authority for one hour
42:07 as kings with the beast.
42:08 So this spiritualistic phenomena that takes place
42:13 leads to a political religious confederation
42:17 for a very short period of time
42:19 that leads to the battle of Armageddon.
42:21 Verse 14, "These will make war with the lamb,"
42:25 Revelation 17, "but the lamb overcome them
42:28 for He is Lord of Lords" and what else? "King of Kings.
42:31 Those that are with Him are called
42:33 and chosen and faithful."
42:34 So this war that occurs
42:38 when political and religious leaders unite
42:41 based on spiritualism just before the coming of Jesus
42:46 that war is called Armageddon.
42:47 Now let's go back to Revelation 16
42:49 and look at Revelation 16:16,
42:54 "They gather them together
42:55 in a place called in the Hebrew Armageddon."
42:58 Now, why does it say
43:00 in a place called in the Hebrew Armageddon?
43:03 What language was the New Testament written in?
43:08 What language is that? Greek.
43:10 So why do you say Hebrew?
43:12 Was there ever a time
43:14 that a derivative of the word Armageddon
43:17 which used in the Hebrew language,
43:19 if so what does it symbolize?
43:21 Let me share with you something amazing,
43:22 we're gonna go back to the book of Judges,
43:23 Judges Chapter 5, Judges the 5 Chapter.
43:27 In Judges the 5 Chapter I'll give you the background,
43:30 you begin Judges the Chapter 5 with the song of Deborah,
43:33 this judge of Israel sings the victory and praise to God.
43:39 Now here's the background.
43:41 Israel God's people Judah,
43:43 in Israel, God's people were surrounded,
43:47 the forces of hell were and the forces of paganism,
43:51 the forces of evil, the forces of wickedness,
43:54 the pagan nations surrounded Israel,
43:58 surrounded God's people
43:59 and they were gonna stamp them out.
44:00 There's no way around, no way through.
44:03 Death was certain for God's people.
44:06 Defeat was on the horizon.
44:09 The dark clouds were ominous.
44:12 It appeared that nothing could be done
44:15 to save God's people.
44:17 but then the Bible says,
44:20 look, Judges 5:19,
44:24 "In this moment of darkness, in the moment of gloom,
44:27 the kings came and fought,
44:30 then the kings of Canaan fought,
44:32 in Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo,
44:36 the word Har-Magedon,
44:39 Har is mountain, Megiddo is slaughter,
44:42 so the word Armageddon literally translated
44:45 as mountain of slaughter.
44:47 What happened?
44:48 God's people were surrounded,
44:50 it appeared that there is no way over the mountain,
44:53 no way around the mountain, no way through the darkness,
44:56 no way out and what happened?
44:59 God brought kings from Canaan,
45:02 He brought reinforcements that were unexpected
45:05 that beat back the powers of the evil one.
45:08 Now notice what it says here,
45:11 it says, verse 20 is your key in Judges Chapter 5,
45:16 "They fought from the heavens,
45:17 the stars fought from their sources against Sisera."
45:20 Sisera was attacking God's people.
45:22 notice let your eyes drop down,
45:26 even to verse 23,
45:29 it's talking about Meroz who didn't come,
45:31 Meroz didn't make a commitment,
45:33 Meroz compromised,
45:35 Meroz didn't stand for the Lord in the battle,
45:37 "Curse Meroz, said the angel,"
45:38 verse 23, "of the Lord, curse its inhabitants bitterly,
45:42 because they did not come to the help of the Lord,
45:45 to the help of the Lord against the mighty."
45:47 God brought an Armageddon in ancient Israel,
45:52 reinforcements that destroyed the forces of evil
45:57 so the forces of righteousness would triumph.
45:59 What is gonna happen at end time?
46:01 It's gonna appear that every earthly support is gonna,
46:04 be cut off for God's people.
46:06 It's gonna appear that death is certain,
46:09 a death decree is passed to take their lives.
46:14 It's gonna appear
46:15 that the great forces of earth are against them.
46:18 It's gonna appear that all powers of hell
46:21 are gonna stamp them out.
46:23 It's gonna appear that there is no way
46:25 that they're gonna survive.
46:27 Then at the last moment of time,
46:31 Revelation the 16 Chapter, in the last moment of time
46:37 when God's people are hanging on by faith,
46:40 when they cannot see through the darkness,
46:43 when death seems inevitable,
46:46 when it seems that deliverance is impossible,
46:48 when it seems that they're gonna be annihilated,
46:51 at that last moment of time the Bible says, verse 7,
46:57 then the seventh angel poured out his bowl
47:00 and a loud voice came out of the temple
47:03 from the throne saying it is done.
47:05 God said it is done,
47:07 my people have suffered enough, it is done.
47:10 They have revealed my light in a darkened world, it is done.
47:14 They've shown commitment to me in the face
47:17 of un-mitigating circumstances like Job with the boils,
47:22 like Job losing family, like Job that has gone through,
47:27 economic and political and every other disaster.
47:29 Like Job being criticize.
47:31 My people have hung on, they've shown,
47:33 they served me not because what I can do for them,
47:36 not because of material blessing,
47:38 not even because of their help.
47:39 They served me because they loved Me,
47:41 they served me because they redeem by grace,
47:43 they served Me because they've accepted me
47:46 as Savior of Lord.
47:47 It's enough before our waiting world,
47:49 before our watching universe,
47:51 it is enough the great controversies
47:53 has been demonstrated that God is faithful
47:57 and that even in the most difficult times,
47:59 He can sustain His people,
48:00 He can watch over His people
48:02 that nothing will break their love from Him.
48:04 He says it is done, it is finished
48:07 and there was lightning and thunder
48:09 and there's a great earthquake
48:11 and that earthquake is the earthquake
48:12 that shakes the graves that open.
48:14 That earthquake is the earthquake
48:16 that shakes those graves open,
48:19 the great city that is Babylon divide into three parts.
48:23 The cities of the nations fell
48:25 and great Babylon as was remembered
48:27 before God this false political religious conglomeration,
48:32 it falls, every mountain and island floods away,
48:36 flees away, there's a plague of hailstones
48:38 and since there was not,
48:40 and the artillery of heaven falls,
48:43 the forces of hell are defeated.
48:46 The forces of the demons are destroyed.
48:50 Satan is totally utterly defeated.
48:54 Jesus Christ comes
48:56 and delivers His people in those last moments of time.
49:00 I love the way the Old Testament puts it.
49:03 You know the battles in the Old Testament reveal
49:07 that the victory is not in man's hands, it's in God's.
49:10 Take you Bible please and turn to 1 Samuel Chapter 17,
49:14 1 Samuel Chapter 17.
49:17 Look at those majestic texts all through the Old Testament.
49:21 David comes to fight Goliath
49:25 and you would think there's no way
49:27 that this little shepherd is gonna have any chance
49:32 against this great giant Goliath.
49:35 If you and I get through the time of the end
49:37 by the grace of God we will.
49:39 We will have giants arrayed against us.
49:42 First Samuel Chapter 17, looking at that verse 47.
49:48 "Then all the assembly shall know
49:50 that the Lord does not save with the sword and the spear,
49:54 for the battle is the Lord's
49:58 and He will give you into our hands."
50:00 The battle is who everybody? The Lord's.
50:03 In the last days of earth history
50:05 when church and state unite with a political confederation,
50:09 when the demons of hell work their powerful miracles,
50:12 and incidentally is God gonna work miracles too?
50:14 He sure is but look
50:17 God's people will hold on by faith.
50:19 God's people will not compromise because they know
50:23 that no matter what they see around them,
50:26 the battle is what? The Lord's.
50:29 I love the way it's put in Psalm 24.
50:32 Take your bible and turn to Psalm 24.
50:35 This is a real Adventist psalm.
50:38 It's a real Adventist psalm.
50:40 Look, it's talking about the Lord,
50:42 the king of glory, the Christ that died,
50:45 the Christ that was resurrected,
50:46 the Christ that entered heaven sanctuary for us,
50:49 the Christ that will come again for us and it says,
50:53 "Lift up your heads," Psalm 24:7,
50:57 "Lift up your heads, O you gates,
50:59 be lifted up you everlasting doors,
51:01 the King of glory shall come in."
51:03 Who is this king of Glory?
51:05 The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty and battle.
51:09 Is Jesus mighty in battle, is He?
51:11 Did he defeat Satan on the cross?
51:13 He did.
51:14 Was He resurrected from the dead?
51:16 He was.
51:17 Is he coming again? He is.
51:19 Will He defeat Satan at the end of time?
51:21 He will. He is the Lord mighty in battle.
51:25 Notice, "Lift up your head, O you gates,
51:26 lift them up you everlasting doors,
51:29 and the King of glory shall come in."
51:31 Who is this king of Glory?
51:34 He is the lord of hosts, He is the king of Glory.
51:38 We are on the winning side.
51:41 With Jesus there is no possibility of being lost.
51:45 But this is no time to sell out.
51:48 This is no time to compromise your integrity.
51:50 This is no time to compromise faith.
51:54 A compromised faith
51:56 will never make it through the crisis ahead.
52:00 A superficial faith
52:03 will never make it to the crisis ahead.
52:08 A half hearted faith
52:10 will never make it through the crisis ahead.
52:13 Come with me
52:16 to the ancient days of ancient Rome,
52:19 to the city of Smyrna
52:22 for an example of an faith that was uncompromising.
52:27 Revelation the 2 chapter,
52:31 the lessons from the seven churches,
52:33 although they reveal
52:35 a historical narrative in every age,
52:38 bring to us lessons for our age,
52:41 Revelation Chapter 2 and you're looking that verse 10,
52:46 the words leap off the pages,
52:48 they speak to you and they speak to me this day.
52:53 Revelation 2:10, "Do not fear anything
52:56 you are about to suffer."
52:58 Will there be heartache and suffering in the days ahead?
53:00 There will be.
53:01 But do not fear anything you are about to suffer.
53:04 "Indeed the devil is about to try to destroy you,
53:10 it's gonna cast some of you into prison,
53:12 some of you are gonna be tested."
53:14 But notice, what does it say at the end of that passage?
53:18 It says "You will have tribulation 10 days."
53:21 They did instead there were 10 years tribulation.
53:23 We need not press that too far,
53:26 that's referring not to the end time
53:29 but rather the principle
53:31 is there will be tribulation, that's the principle.
53:34 Then it says, "Be faithful unto death,
53:37 and I'll give you a crown of life."
53:39 Notice, "He who has an ear,
53:41 let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
53:44 He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."
53:47 One of the great Christian leaders
53:50 who lived in the days of ancient Smyrna
53:54 was a leader by the name of Polycarp.
53:58 Once a year at least in ancient Smyrna,
54:02 the God's of Aphrodite and Dionysos.
54:06 The God's of Apollo,
54:08 the great statues in the marketplace of Smyrna,
54:12 I've often visited that site.
54:15 It's Izmir today the second largest city in Turkey.
54:18 We love to take groups to the seven churches site
54:21 and we study Revelation
54:22 and go out to the Island Patmos and study Revelation.
54:26 All of the citizens of ancient Smyrna were
54:31 commanded to come to the marketplace of Smyrna
54:35 and burn incense to the gods of Dionysus or Aphrodite
54:41 the God of Apollo
54:44 and Polycarp, ancient Christian leader said I can't do this.
54:48 He was 86 years old.
54:51 He was arrested by the roman soldiers
54:54 and he was brought into the marketplace of Smyrna.
54:59 The crowd went wild, burn him at the stake,
55:02 burn him at the stake, burn him!
55:04 The proconsul knew the Roman proconsul knew
55:08 that Polycarp was a godly man.
55:12 He knew that he was honest
55:14 and had integrity and did nothing wrong.
55:17 So he said to him, Polycarp,
55:18 I'll give you a chance, repent.
55:21 Here is the bowl, here is the incense,
55:23 simply sprinkle it before the statue to the gods
55:30 and Polycarp said I cannot do this.
55:32 And then he stood up and stretched out his hands
55:36 and said for eighty and six years,
55:41 I have served my Lord
55:43 and He has done me nothing wrong,
55:47 how can I deny Him now?
55:51 He was taken to the stake, burned that day
55:56 but others stepped forward and the Christian faith grew.
56:04 God invites you and God invites me
56:08 to make that kind of surrender,
56:11 to make that kind of surrender.
56:13 To make that kind of commitment to say Lord,
56:17 you have guided me all of my life,
56:20 you've done me no wrong.
56:22 I'm not gonna sell out You.
56:24 I'm not gonna compromise now.
56:27 Lord, I am Yours today and forever.
56:34 The battle is Christ's,
56:37 you and I are on the winning side
56:40 as we commit our lives to Him to live uncompromising lives.
56:48 He will get us through the crisis.
56:51 Our responsibility is to be faithful.
56:54 His responsibility is to get us through the crisis.
56:58 He that has begun a good work in us will do what?
57:02 Finish it. Praise His Holy name.
57:05 We are on the winning side.
57:07 Let's pray, Father in Heaven,
57:08 thank you that for Jesus and by Jesus and with Jesus,
57:13 we're winners and not losers.
57:15 Thank You that You're coming again.
57:17 Thank You that we can grasp on to hope
57:20 in the dark days of hell.


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Revised 2014-12-17