Participants: Ivor Myers (Host), James Rafferty (Host), Jason Bradley, Yvonne Lewis
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000044A
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00:30 All right, we are in Revelation chapter 11,
00:32 now we moved through Revelation 8 and 9 00:34 and it was challenging... it was... 00:37 it was probably the most challenging part of Revelation 00:39 that we've hit so far and I think it will be 00:41 it will stay there as the most challenging 00:43 and then we got a breather... whew... 00:45 Revelation chapter 10... kind of... yes... 00:47 you know the bitter disappointment... 00:49 the little book... Daniel... connection... 00:51 it was super fantastic, mystery of iniquity... 00:54 mystery of God... the two opposing elements 00:56 one... filling the world with selfless, other-centered love, 01:00 the other... all about self, exaltation and selfishness 01:04 and the two are contending 01:05 for the hearts and loyalty of human beings 01:08 and now we're moving into Revelation 11, 01:11 we kind of touched and connected Revelation 11:1 and 2, 01:14 which I kind of just... I just kind of cross out 01:17 the chapter division there 01:18 because I think Revelation 11:1 and 2 01:20 connect directly 01:21 with Revelation 10 and the Millerite Movement 01:23 you got to prophesy again, "What about?" 01:25 "Measure the temple, the altar and them that worship therein" 01:28 it's about judgment and God's involved in it, 01:30 God's in the center of it, 01:31 we need to see God... His character 01:33 and now we're moving into Revelation 11 01:36 the last part of verse 2 and then the rest of the chapter 01:39 and I think we're back into 01:40 Revelation 8 and 9 type of territory, 01:43 I think we're back into some of the more 01:46 difficult challenging verses, 01:48 so we're going to have to slow down just a little bit 01:50 and boom! hit some of these symbols, 01:52 identify them... Where are we in history? 01:55 What's taking place here? 01:56 Give a kind of an overview, 01:58 and then going to the details of these symbols 02:01 and see how they apply Biblically 02:03 and then confirm that by history, 02:04 that's where our basic strategy has been 02:07 in studying this book which I think has been really good, 02:10 it's been really good, we want a Biblical foundation 02:12 and a confirmation from history, not the other way around, 02:15 we don't want to use history to interpret the Bible, 02:17 we want Bible prophecy to be interpreted by itself, 02:19 and then history to confirm that. 02:20 Yvonne: Which is good. 02:22 James: Yvonne, take us through in prayer, can you? 02:24 Yvonne: Yes, sure, "Father God, thank you so much 02:26 for bringing us together once more to study your Word 02:30 and to glean its precious truths and so we thank you that... 02:33 that you are just revealed 02:36 and your character is revealed in your Word, Lord, 02:38 and we love you and we thank you 02:40 and we ask you that your Spirit be with us right now 02:42 we pray in Jesus' name, amen. " All: "Amen... " 02:45 James: Okay, so what do we have here, 02:47 so far, we've gone through the Millerite Movement 02:52 in Revelation chapter 10 and we've... 02:54 they've come out of that through that disappointment 02:58 with this... with this... this call to prophesy again 03:01 before many nations, peoples and tongues and kings, 03:04 so... so they have been commanded, 03:06 you've got to share what you've just learned 03:08 and what they've just learned is this incredible picture 03:10 of the heavenly sanctuary, 03:12 and when you go into the heavenly sanctuary, 03:14 you see a work that's being done there 03:16 in the Holy and the Most Holy Places 03:19 and what they've seen is that... 03:20 that Jesus Christ has transitioned from the Holy Place 03:23 into the Most Holy Place and so, then they're given this 03:25 read verse... chapter 11 verse 1, 03:29 "And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: 03:30 and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple 03:34 and the altar, and them that worship therein. " 03:38 And so, we looked at that in our last program, 03:41 we identified the temple as the place where God dwells, 03:45 the place where God meets with His people, 03:48 the dwelling place of God so, so God Himself 03:51 is being placed in a position of being judged 03:54 because that's what the word 03:56 "measure" means in the Greek, it means, "to judge... " 03:57 and so, we know that this is true 04:00 because all of Society today and for hundreds of years 04:04 have been... been turned toward questioning God... 04:08 His existence... "Is there really a God?" 04:10 And the viability of His character, 04:12 "Is He really a God of love?" 04:14 And, if He is a God of love, how can it be that... 04:19 that He would be allowing so much evil and pain and suffering 04:22 to be taking place in the world today?" 04:24 Jason: And Satan has been trying to misrepresent God's character 04:28 since the beginning... like... forever... 04:30 since... in heaven when he deceived the one-third. 04:32 James: That's how he started the whole process 04:35 trying to deceive and misrepresent 04:37 the character of God. Yvonne: Hmmm... 04:39 James: So we have this picture needing clarification 04:43 right, we see Revelation chapter 11 then, 04:47 encouraging us... "go ahead and measure God" 04:50 is God afraid of being measured? 04:52 Is he afraid of being judged? 04:53 No, the thing that I think that is 04:56 what God is concerned with is not that we would question Him 04:59 but that we would question Him and then walk away 05:00 without measuring the altar, 05:03 see, the altar is also to be measured 05:06 and in Hebrews chapter 13... let's just read these verses 05:09 because I think they'll really help us clarify 05:11 the symbolism of the altar, Hebrews 13 05:14 and Jason would you read beginning with verse 10, 05:19 let's read 10 through 13, Hebrews 13:10 through 13 05:25 and there are some really good points here 05:29 outside of identifying the symbolism, 05:31 where are you at, Hebrews 13:10 through 13? 05:34 Jason: Do you have it Mom? Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:37 Jason: You go ahead. 05:38 Yvonne: Okay, "We have an altar, 05:40 whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 05:44 For the bodies of those beasts, 05:46 whose blood is brought into the sanctuary 05:48 by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 05:51 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the 05:55 people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. " 05:58 James: All right, let's stop right there. 05:59 Paul, here, in verse 10 is saying, 06:01 "We have an altar... " well, what altar is that? 06:04 "Well, it's not the one that they're... 06:07 that they're serving in that literal sanctuary in the earth, 06:10 those who are serving that literal sanctuary... tabernacle 06:14 have no right to come to our altar. " 06:15 "Well, what's your altar?" "Well, that sanctuary... 06:18 they brought the bodies of the beasts 06:21 and their blood was spilled in that literal sanctuary service 06:24 and then their bodies were burned without the camp... 06:26 the beasts were burned without the camp 06:27 but our altar, verse 12, 'Wherefore Jesus also, 06:30 that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, 06:33 suffered without the gate' that's outside Jerusalem... 06:35 that's our altar... our altar is the cross... 06:38 our altar is where Jesus suffered... " 06:39 Yvonne: Hmmm... 06:41 James: Jesus was the lamb, He was the ultimate fulfillment 06:44 of the sacrifices of all those animals 06:45 that were brought into the Sanctuary, 06:48 so we have an altar... those people... 06:50 "If you keep serving that literal sanctuary, 06:52 you have no right to come to our altar 06:53 our altar is the fulfillment of all of that, 06:56 you've got... you've got to actually let that go... 06:58 in order to come to our altar... " 07:00 so the altar... according to Paul 07:02 in Hebrews 13 represents the cross, 07:04 it represents Christ, so when... 07:07 when Revelation 11 says, "Measure the altar... " 07:11 it's telling us... in connection with God's character, 07:14 measure the sacrifice that He's given for you 07:17 you've got a question about His character? 07:20 You're not understanding why there's sin and suffering? 07:22 God can't answer all those questions individually 07:26 because there are reasons 07:28 why sin and suffering has been allowed 07:30 that are beyond our pale of understanding, 07:32 we just can't grasp it all 07:33 but what God has done is 07:34 He's stepped into our suffering with us, 07:36 He, Himself, has stepped in in the person of Jesus Christ 07:39 and He has borne the weight and the guilt... 07:42 the measure of pain that every and all human beings have borne 07:46 and He's done that through the cross 07:48 so when it says there, "measure the temple" 07:50 God's character and the altar... 07:52 the revelation of that character through the Son, Jesus Christ 07:55 and then it says, "and them that worship therein" 07:58 So, the worshippers... in other words... 08:02 there is a stake in the character of God 08:06 and in the revelation of that character, that we play, 08:11 are we representing God? 08:13 Now, of course, there's a part of this 08:14 that's very clear that we're going to be measured, 08:16 that God's people are going to be measured, 08:17 that there's a judgment that takes place with us 08:19 but that judgment... many times... 08:21 is not so much God to us as it is... us to the world... 08:27 how many people have rejected God 08:30 because of the witness of those who worship Him. 08:33 How many people have turned away from God 08:35 because "the church" isn't reflecting what God is like. 08:38 Gandhi once said, 08:40 "A lot more of us Hindus would follow your Jesus, 08:43 if a lot more of your Christians were like Him. " 08:46 I'm just paraphrasing that, so, you have a church now, 08:50 this is the setting... this is the context, 08:52 you have a church now, 08:54 that's supposed to give a witness for the truth... 08:57 a witness of what God is like, it's not just His temple, 09:02 it's not just the sacrifice of Jesus 09:03 but now it's the church and it's in that setting 09:06 that we enter into the next verses 09:08 because what God is setting up here is 09:10 this time of darkness when there are only two witnesses, 09:13 when there's a lot of persecution against God's people 09:16 and when, in a sense, their witness shines brightly. 09:19 Yvonne: So, when it's saying, "to measure the temple... 09:22 measure the altar... and measure them that worship" 09:26 so, "them that worship" are the worshippers... 09:28 are we representing God properly? 09:29 James: Yes... 09:30 Yvonne: The altar is the cross? James: Yes. 09:32 Yvonne: And we're to evaluate the... 09:35 James: Look at God's love through the cross, 09:38 look at His love, Paul says it this way, 09:40 in fact, here's a really good verse, 09:42 I just thought of this, let's look at this one, 09:44 Jason go to... go to Ephesians 09:48 I think it's in Ephesians, Ephesians chapter 2, 09:51 I'm pretty sure that it's Ephesians chapter 2 09:54 Ephesians 2 and let's start... if I can find it here, 10:01 turning pages... 10:06 no, it's Ephesians 3... 10:08 Jason: And what verse? 10:10 James: Ephesians 3 and start reading here, 10:12 verses... in verse 14... and read all the way to 19... 10:17 Jason: Okay, "For this cause I bow my knees 10:20 unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 10:23 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 10:26 That he would grant you, 10:28 according to the riches of his glory, 10:29 to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 10:33 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; 10:36 that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 10:39 May be able to comprehend with all saints 10:42 what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 10:46 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, 10:49 that you might be filled with all the fulness of God. " 10:52 James: Did you get that? Yvonne: Hmmm... 10:54 James: Are there measurements, 10:55 are there "measurement" words in there? 10:56 Yvonne: Yes... 10:58 James: And those measurement words are relating to who? 10:59 Yvonne: The love of Christ. James: Yeah, the love of Christ. 11:02 "Measure the altar" measure the love of Christ 11:05 because in the love of Christ, we have God, 11:08 so measure the length and the breadth 11:09 and the height and the depth, 11:11 when I think of the length of God's love, 11:12 I think of how longsuffering... God is long suffering towards us 11:16 not wanting that any should perish 11:17 but that all should come to repentance. 11:19 When I think of the breadth of God's love, 11:22 I think of how He loved the whole world 11:23 that He gave His only begotten Son... He takes everyone in. 11:25 When I think of the height of God's love, I think of... 11:28 "this is God... Jesus Christ is God... 11:30 God Himself has come down, He is the exalted creator, 11:32 He has come down... " and when I think of the depth, 11:34 how far down He came... 11:36 He came down... all the way down not just to be a man 11:39 but to be a servant and not only be a servant 11:42 but to die the death and not only death 11:44 but the death at the cross. 11:45 Yvonne: He's cast our sins into the depths... 11:47 James: depths of the sea 11:49 and He did that, not by just saying, 11:51 "Oh, I can do that because I'm God... " poof... 11:52 no, He had to do that... 11:54 in a way that allowed Him to maintain 11:57 His righteousness... standing for the entire universe 11:59 that He is just as well as merciful. 12:01 Jason: Which also speaks to why 12:03 there shouldn't be any compromise, 12:05 like, no compromise is acceptable 12:08 in the form of... let's say, religion or principles 12:12 because if... if you are able to compromise, 12:16 then Christ wouldn't have needed to come down 12:19 and die for our sins. 12:21 James: If God can't compromise, then, how can we? 12:24 And you're talking about God's law, 12:26 you're talking about the principles of His Government, 12:28 the principles of His Government stand fast, 12:30 they cannot be moved or changed, 12:32 but at the same time, His mercy... the Mercy Seat... 12:35 the Mercy Seat and that's what we're going back to, 12:38 is to measure the temple, 12:40 the Mercy Seat stands above the Law, 12:42 so you've got the Law and the Mercy Seat... they're together, 12:45 they're not in conflict with each other. 12:47 Yvonne: Hmmm... so the third one is the temple... 12:51 are we talking about the body as the temple of God or...? 12:54 James: No, we're talking about the dwelling place of God. 12:58 Yvonne: The dwelling place. 12:59 James: Yes... measure the temple of God... 13:02 so, that's the very place where God dwells... 13:04 it's... in the Old Testament... 13:06 I'll just read a couple of verses on this, 13:08 I have them here in my notes, in, of course, Revelation 11:19, 13:14 "The temple of God was opened in heaven, 13:15 and I saw in his temple the ark of his testament... " 13:18 so, it has to do with His ark... where the Law is but... 13:21 here's the verse that I want us to look at, 13:25 Exodus 25:21 and 22, Exodus 25:21 and 22... 13:29 Yvonne: "And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; 13:38 and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony 13:40 that I shall give thee. 13:42 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee 13:45 from above the mercy seat, from between the two Cherubims 13:49 which are upon the ark of the testimony, 13:50 of all things which I will give thee in commandment 13:54 unto the children of Israel. " 13:55 James: So, this was the place where God met with His people, 14:00 where He communicated with His people, 14:01 where the Law of God was, everything that God has given us 14:04 His laws, His statutes, and the communication He gives to us 14:07 and the meeting with God, everything about God 14:10 relationship with God, communicating with God, 14:12 the things that He has communicated to us, 14:14 are measured... Yvonne: Hmmm... 14:16 James: So, what we see in the world is, 14:17 people are just walking away from God 14:19 they're... and God doesn't mind us measuring Him 14:22 or even judging... His Word, His Law, 14:25 the principles of His Government, 14:27 but He also wants us to measure His love... the altar, 14:31 and He also wants to be measured through His people, 14:34 His witness, if you will, 14:35 so there's a witness that's to be considered, 14:38 there's the cross that's to be considered, 14:41 in the light of that... we're to see and meet with God 14:43 and see Him as He really is, 14:45 He has been misrepresented, so the... 14:47 God is not concerned with being measured, 14:50 He's concerned with being measured correctly, 14:52 He's concerned that His words, 14:54 His testimony... that the place that He... 14:57 because see what happened was 14:58 in the Old Testament, in the context of this, 14:59 Moses met with God face to face, in a sense, 15:03 his face was glowing with the light of God's goodness, 15:07 and he saw God as no one else saw Him 15:10 and the people refused to do that. 15:12 God wanted to meet with them, 15:14 and they said, "No, no, no, Moses, 15:16 you meet with God and you let us know what He has to say. " 15:18 Yvonne: Right... 15:19 James; And a lot of people today that's what they do 15:21 so they say, "Oh, the Pastor will tell us, 15:23 the Pastor will tell us what to believe, 15:25 the Pastor will tell us what God said. " 15:27 No, the Pastor is not going to tell you what God says, 15:28 the Pastor is going to communicate 15:31 something new from God that is along the lines of, 15:33 "You need to come and meet with me, 15:35 you need to have this connection with me. " 15:37 It can't just be the people 15:39 getting this stuff from the Pastor, 15:41 it has to be the people being directed by the Pastor 15:44 to connect with God. Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 15:46 James: And so, in the world today, we have this need 15:48 to measure God personally and individually 15:50 and to see what He's really like, 15:51 to experience Him for ourselves 15:53 and, of course, that need... that witness is going to come 15:56 in direct connection with Him, 15:57 it's going to come through a revelation of the cross, 15:59 it's going to come through His people 16:01 and as that picture is given to us, 16:02 then we move into these verses that describe a time 16:07 when God was misrepresented 16:09 and the only way that you could really understand Him 16:11 or get to know Him was through these two witnesses. 16:13 These two witnesses were the only ones 16:15 that had been faithful to the truth about who God really was 16:19 and that's what we want to identify, 16:20 who are these two witnesses? 16:22 What's going on in this dark time? 16:23 And how is it that God's character 16:25 is going to be revealed as it really is 16:27 yeah... through these next verses. 16:29 Ivor, what have you got over there? 16:31 You've been awfully quiet for us. 16:32 Ivor: I've been listening, 16:34 James: I know, I know, I can see that you've been listening. 16:38 Ivor: I think we should go into verse... verse 2 and... 16:42 James: Okay, let's do that then, 16:44 you want to lead us into verse 2 of Revelation 11? 16:46 Ivor: Yeah, so, "But the court which is without 16:47 the temple leave out, and measure it not; 16:51 for it is given unto the Gentiles: 16:53 and the holy city shall they tread under foot 16:55 forty and two months. " 16:57 So, do you see the time period here of 42 months 17:03 again bringing us back to the Dark Ages, 17:06 and this is going to be important to understand 17:08 as we actually get into the two witnesses 17:10 because timing is everything in the book of Revelation. 17:14 Yvonne: Hmmm... 17:15 Ivor: Right, knowing where you are 17:17 in what time period... is going to help you to understand 17:19 what's being spoken about... and actually, 17:21 when we get to the two witnesses, 17:24 you're going to see that many people misinterpret 17:27 who these two witnesses are, because their timing is off 17:29 and when your timing is off, 17:31 you're not going to see things in the book of Revelation 17:36 as this should be seen so this verse points us out... 17:40 points us out to the... to the Dark Ages, 17:42 the Gentiles here are doing something... 17:45 they are treading down the Holy City, 17:47 so, we can go back to the book of Daniel chapter 7 17:53 and Daniel chapter 8 and just what we've seen 17:58 in the 7 churches... the 7 seals... 18:01 particularly numbers three... four... 18:04 three and four... four... very specifically, 18:06 that this treading down is happening by the Papal System 18:10 against the people of God during the Dark Ages, 18:14 right, they're being persecuted 18:15 remember we talked about the mystery of iniquity, 18:19 how the mystery of iniquity basically was changing 18:22 the character of God in the eyes of the people 18:25 so as you combine what's happening here 18:28 with the verse that we just read before it, 18:31 we're looking at a reversal, 18:33 kind of like... what we talked about in our last program, 18:35 this is a reversal of the character of God 18:38 that has been... that was being presented 18:41 right, so, measure the temple but leave... 18:45 don't measure the... the... the court... 18:49 that's given to the Gentiles, 18:50 they're going to do this thing for... this long 18:53 but after they complete it, there's going to be a judgment 18:57 and my character is going to be revealed, 19:01 so now, as we get into verse 3, 19:05 I don't know, James, if there's anything you want 19:07 to add to verse 2... but as we get into verse 3, 19:08 it's going to tell us how the church... despite the darkness 19:15 was able to survive during the Dark Ages. 19:19 James: Well, there's one other thought in verse 2 and that is 19:22 the controversy over the Holy City 19:23 and it is difficult... so I want to give us a Bible verse on this 19:27 because I think it's important, it's in Hebrews chapter 12 19:30 and this Bible verse is basically defining for us 19:34 what the Holy City is, 19:35 Hebrews chapter 12 and verses 22 and 23, 19:41 let's just read those verses, 19:43 Yvonne, if you can get those for us 19:46 and then we'll apply that to the symbolism here 19:50 because I believe this is symbolic in its mentioning 19:53 of the Holy City, this... this Holy City 19:55 is either the literal Holy City of Jerusalem 19:58 which actually did not survive the 70 A.D. destruction 20:04 and therefore wasn't in existence 20:07 during this 42-month period, 20:09 now we've looked at the 42-month period as a prophetic period 20:12 so the 42 months... prophetically speaking 20:15 would be this same as the 1,260 days in the next verse 20:18 or 1,260 years because you got a day-for-a-year principle there 20:22 so we're looking at this period 20:23 as representing the Dark Ages 20:26 and we're going to get into that in more detail 20:29 we're going to affirm that in more detail when we get into 20:31 Revelation chapter 12 and Revelation 13, 20:33 we're going to put all these time periods into one 20:36 because they are one, there is no Holy City to destroy 20:40 at least not in relation to the temple 20:42 during most of these Dark Ages in fact it was during this time 20:46 that the Muslims actually built a mosque on the temple site 20:50 and so, what we have here is... you got to have a... 20:52 if it's not literal, it's got to be symbolic 20:54 so if it's symbolic... 20:56 then there's got to be a Bible verse that indicates 20:58 that the Holy City represents something else. 21:00 Yvonne: When John wrote Revelation, 21:02 was the Holy City intact then? 21:04 James: No, it was gone... it was gone... 21:07 so, he wrote Revelation at about A.D. 90 21:10 and Jerusalem had been taken out in 70 A.D. 21:13 And Jesus said, "not one stone will be left upon another" 21:16 in Matthew 24... Mark 13... Luke 21 21:19 but in the prophecy of Daniel, 21:21 it says there in Daniel chapter 9, verses 25, 26, 27... 21:26 verse 27 says that the Holy City would lay desolate 21:30 till the very consummation... 21:32 till the end of time... it would lay desolate... 21:33 and so, not talking about Jerusalem itself 21:36 but that temple site... desolate until the end of time 21:39 and that's why we have, I think, a mosque on it right now 21:42 because that prophecy is going to stand sure 21:44 and we're going to get into more detail on that 21:46 when we study the book of Daniel. 21:47 Yvonne: Yeah, yeah. 21:48 James: But let's just read our Bible verses and see 21:50 if there is a spiritual understanding of this Holy City. 21:54 Yvonne: Okay, Hebrews 12... and which verse? 21:56 James: 22 and 23... 21:57 Yvonne: "But ye are come unto mount Sion, 21:59 and unto the city of the living God, 22:01 the heavenly Jerusalem, 22:03 and to an innumerable company of angels, 22:05 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, 22:08 which are written in heaven, 22:10 and to God the Judge of all, 22:12 and to the spirits of just men made perfect. " 22:14 James: All right, so, in the context of Hebrews 12, 22:18 22 and 23... which... by the way the book of Hebrews, 22:22 is one of the keys that unlocks Revelation 22:24 because it's filled with Sanctuary language, 22:27 that identifies the symbolism of the Sanctuary 22:29 throughout the book of Revelation 22:31 like we just did with the altar and so, here he says, 22:34 "Mount Sion... " which is another symbol 22:36 that's used in Revelation 14, 22:38 Mount Sion with a 144,000 stand... 22:40 Mount Sion is the city of the living God... 22:43 it's the heavenly Jerusalem so, this heavenly Jerusalem, 22:46 is what we find in the innumerable company of angels 22:50 and we find the general assembly and church of the firstborn 22:53 who are registered in heaven, now it says, "registered" 22:55 because you're not actually there yet 22:57 see... when you die... you rest in the grave... 23:00 until the resurrection... they're registered in heaven 23:04 okay, and so, this symbolism in Revelation chapter 11 23:08 where it says, "the Holy City shall they tread under foot" 23:11 it's talking about God's people who are registered in heaven, 23:14 it's talking about the persecution 23:16 that's going to take place against God's people 23:18 during the Dark Ages, 23:19 God's people who are registered in heaven, 23:21 Paul says it this way in Ephesians 2, he says, 23:23 "as we are sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. " 23:27 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 23:28 James: So, what we see here developing is 23:30 there's a persecution that's going to be taking place 23:34 during that 42 months... against the Holy City... 23:37 the new Jerusalem... God's people are registered in heaven, 23:40 and that's exactly what we see taking place 23:42 during the Dark Ages but what's interesting is 23:44 that it's during this time 23:47 when God's people are heavily persecuted 23:49 that there is an opportunity for people to measure God, 23:55 they're measuring the altar, 23:57 in a sense, the sacrifice of Jesus... which is repeated 23:59 in the hearts and the experiences of God's people 24:01 then measuring those who worship God, 24:03 the stake... the pile of burning wood was 24:08 a most powerful testimonial witness 24:10 for the gospel during the Dark Ages, 24:12 people would go there in their best clothes 24:15 with their faces shining and they would sing hymns 24:18 as they were being burned to death 24:20 as martyrs for Christ. 24:21 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 24:23 James: They would lay in their tomb... 24:27 some of them were buried alive, 24:29 some of them were put into the waters and drowned 24:32 and they would do it with peace on their faces and joy... 24:38 Perkin... Perkin and others... Huss, Jerome, those who... 24:43 who gave their lives for the gospel, 24:46 didn't waver when it came to the very end 24:49 in the account of Huss, I believe it is, 24:51 the guy... the Executioner came behind him to burn the pile, 24:56 he said, "Come to my face... I don't fear to die... 24:59 I wouldn't be here if I feared to die" 25:00 so you have these powerful witnesses 25:03 being given during the Dark Ages 25:05 and that's the Jerusalem City 25:07 that's actually registered in heaven 25:09 that's been a witness of Christ 25:10 and now we're going to find out how that witness was given, 25:12 what was the source, 25:14 what was it that gave the strength 25:16 to that witness, 25:17 where do they get their strength from? 25:18 Where are we going to get our strength from? 25:20 And that's what we just see in the next verse, 25:22 verse 3... Jason, can you read verse 3 for us? 25:24 Jason: Sure, "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, 25:28 and they shall prophesy 25:30 a thousand two hundred and threescore days, 25:32 clothed in sackcloth. " 25:34 James: Keep going, 4 and 5. 25:35 Jason: "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks 25:37 standing before the God of the earth 25:39 And if any man will hurt them, 25:41 fire proceedeth out of their mouth, 25:43 and devoureth their enemies: 25:44 and if any man will hurt them, 25:46 he must in this manner be killed. " 25:47 James: Six... 25:49 Jason: "These have power to shut heaven, 25:51 that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: 25:54 and have power over waters to turn them to blood, 25:58 and to smite the earth with all plagues, 26:00 as often as they will. " 26:01 James: All right... Yvonne: Hmmm... 26:03 James: These are the key verses, 26:04 now, we're running out of time, we only have a couple of minutes 26:06 left so we're going to do a cliffhanger... 26:07 Yvonne: Oh... James: And the cliffhanger is... 26:09 you come right to the end and you go, 26:10 "Now, this is the... the... the the... the... boom! stop!" 26:12 Yvonne: Yeah, because I have... 26:15 I have some questions about that. 26:17 James: This is the source, right? 26:19 This is the source... what we have right here... 26:22 is we have the source and the power 26:25 of the witnesses for Christ. Yvonne: Hmmm... 26:28 James: How could they stand so strongly during the Dark Ages? 26:31 How could they resist the stake and the fire and the flame 26:34 and the torment and the torture? 26:36 How could they be shining 26:37 bright lights for God during this time, 26:40 well, it's because of this... 26:41 because of what we just read here, 26:42 well, what is this? This sounds very wooooh... 26:46 like, "What... what is... " 26:48 what are we talking about here? 26:50 What is the source of the strength for every Christian? 26:53 Well, verse 4 is where we're going to start, 26:55 and I hate to get into this without a lot of time left, 27:00 so, we've only got 59 seconds so, we'd better... 27:02 we'd better back up... we'll start... 27:04 we'll pick up with verse 4, and do it there, 27:06 all right, Jason, 27:08 what do we have for our Viewers? 27:09 Jason: We'd love if our Viewers would send in 27:13 either questions on video to sss@3abn. org 27:17 or just e-mail us their questions 27:19 that you guys can answer. 27:21 Yvonne: Laughter... 27:22 James: I don't know... I think we can get to the place 27:24 where we get to kind of like, 27:26 transition a few of those questions 27:27 to thee... to thou... 27:30 Yvonne: Oh yes, that's why... that's why the 27:32 network is called: Dare to Dream. 27:34 James: Right, right, you got it, Dare to Dream. 27:37 Yvonne: We're daring to do it in Jesus' name. 27:40 James: So we're going to leave off in verse 4 27:42 when we come to our next Program we'll pick up right there, 27:44 we'll try to identify these two olive trees 27:46 and the rest of these verses here, 27:48 what do they mean, what is the significance 27:50 of these verses and how does that relate 27:52 to God's faithful people during the Dark Ages. 27:54 That's what we want to uncover, that's what we want to know. 27:56 Yvonne: Great. James: All right. 27:58 Yvonne: Thank you, yeah... |
Revised 2016-12-14