Mystery Babylon Versus God's Church

SPEAKER B Jesus promised his disciples in Acts One eight, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all here and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Welcome to. You shall receive power. And here are your hosts, Ettienne McClintock and Colin Hone. SPEAKER C Greetings and a warm welcome. Thank you for tuning in again today to the program. Colin and myself are delighted to have your company. Now just before we continue our study we just invite you to bow with us in prayer. Gracious Father in heaven, what a privilege it is to come before you again to learn from you. We thank you for the promise of the Holy Spirit that will lead us into all truth. We thank you for the word of God which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. And Father, as we now open these sacred scriptures we just pray for a fresh anointing of your Holy Spirit upon us, upon the listener that we will learn, be instructed. But ultimately they will see the King and his beauty and that by beholding Father, we'll also be changed. And we will just love you more because of what you mean for us, what you have done for us and what you are doing for us is our prayer in Jesus name, amen. So Colin, last time we had a bit of a look there at confessions of sin and how important that is, especially as we look at the last days just before the door of probation closes. What we mean by that is when Christ finishes his high priestly ministry in the heavenly sanctuary and then there will be two groups of people basically there'll be those who have confessed their sins and forsaken them and those who have just not taken the time, they've been distracted or whatever it is. But those things that hinder their relationship with the Lord, they had not done what they could do to get those things out of the way by confessing and forsaking. SPEAKER D Well Jesus talks about that in Matthew chapter 25, doesn't he? The parable between the foolish and the wise virgins? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D One had the oil and the character transformation and one didn't. They thought they were okay, they thought they had enough. And Jesus says to them, I don't know you. SPEAKER C That's right. And the oil representing the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Of course representing the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C And everything we're talking about here is not something that's motivated naturally by ourselves, it's everything that's prompted and motivated by the Holy Spirit. And as we spend time in the word of God when conviction takes hold of us and we realize oh God's just convicted me on this thing, I will confess it to Jesus. And he said he is faithful and just to forgive me and praise the lord also to cleanse me. SPEAKER D That's right. And so we know before Jesus comes, returns, that judgment will finish. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Because he's coming to give a reward to everyone, isn't he? So he's coming with these rewards. So the judgment has already finished. So we know there's a beginning of judgment. And we've covered this before that started. According to Daniel, chapter eight, verses 14. SPEAKER C Yes, Jenna, 814 under 2300 days, and then the sanctuary shall be cleansed. SPEAKER D So what does a sanctuary need to be cleansed of? Well, as we know look, in the Old Testament, Leviticus, chapter 16, every day the sins have been piling into the sanctuary. Your sins were transferred to the Lamb. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Then the blood. And the blood was taken in the sanctuary, but it defiled the sanctuary. So the record of their sins needed to be cleansed, removed or blotted out. And so once a year, there was a work done there. So what we have is this is happening in the heavenly sanctuary. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Year after year or day after day, as we confess our sins, jesus is faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. SPEAKER C And the word cleanse is the same word used in the Septuagint or the Greek Old Testament, for unto 2300 days in the sanctuary shall be cleansed. That same word cleanse there is used faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse. SPEAKER D Yeah. To be justified, made. Right. And so here we have what's happening in heaven. Jesus is our high priest in heaven. He is our mediator and intercessor. And so as we confess our sins, jesus then goes to the Father and says, look at me, I paid the penalty. SPEAKER C Isn't that beautiful? SPEAKER D I paid the penalty for that person's. SPEAKER C That we can be completely perfect in Christ, both justified, sanctified and even glorified, if you read Ephesians, chapter two. SPEAKER D That's right. So that's why this work now is of cleansing of us repenting. So on the day of Atonement, all of Israel were gathered around and repenting of all their known sins. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER C They afflicted their souls. SPEAKER D Afflicted their souls. And so us too, in the day of Atonement, which started in 1844, when Jesus entered into most holy place to do his work of cleansing the sanctuary and a work of judgment to see who had benefited from his work on the cross. And so what we have here is what's called the Omega apostasy. We've talked about the Alpha. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And the Alpha apostasy was to take your eyes off that work of preaching the three angels and messages, which is judgment has begun. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C Even the way they related to God, because God became an impersonal essence or pervading spirit, which is an absolutely everything, rather than making it a personal God, a personal savior. SPEAKER D And so their mission, their focus was taken off the mission to take the three angels'message of the world, to proclaim the judgment has begun. Jesus is doing a work, his high priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary. So the focus was off that to go on something else. And so that's always Satan's goal is to take the focus off the mission of God's people, of proclaiming the three angels messages which says, fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of his judgment has come. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D And we know that that judgment began in 1844 because Daniel, chapter seven, tells us the judgment begins after the 1260 days or years prophecy, which ended in 1798. So sometime after that. And when you do the timeline, the 2300 year prophecy going back with Daniel in the 70 weeks prophecy, it brings us to 1844. That's a whole new Bible study that's true, which we've covered before in previous programs. SPEAKER C Even the apostle Peter refers to that in one. Peter, chapter four. And verse 17, where he talks about judgment, is to begin at the house of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the Gospel? So ultimately, through the judgment process, the Holy Spirit should bring us into a condition where our relationship with the Lord is more important than anything else to us. We'd rather die than commit a known sin, and we would obey the Gospel of God. And it's not us cleansing ourselves, but it's us cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians, chapter five, verse 27, 26 and 27, actually says that Christ loved the church and gave himself for her that he might sanctify her and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word and that he might present to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she should be holy and without blemish. So this is the work that Christ is doing. This is the work that the Holy Spirit is doing. And we are simply to not get in the way and allow God to do what he wants to do with us. SPEAKER D But eventually this work is going to finish. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D There's going to come a time where Jesus says it's done. That part of it. This work of judgment is going to be complete. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so we know that in the spirit of prophecy that Ellen White wrote that some statements, for example, and she links it to the Alpha and the Omega apostasy. For example, in manuscript page 161 in 1897, she says, he who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that he can keep him from sinning has not the faith that will give him an entrance in the kingdom of God. I mean, she makes many other statements like that. And she talks about the time of trouble. This is after what's called the closure probation, which means that's when it's finished, jesus has finished his work in the heavenly sanctuary and he's now coming back as King to bring back his people to heaven. SPEAKER C So we need to have that faith to believe that. Now where do we get that knowledge from? We get it from the word of God. And the Bible tells us faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. So if we hear the word of God and it says something and we think, oh, it's not possible, that's really a statement of unbelief. So really what we got to do is we read the scriptures and God says he's able to keep us from falling, not because we think we are capable within ourselves, but simply because God has promised that he can do it. God can do the impossible. That's right, we can't do it. But by leaving God, we allow God to do the work that he said he would. SPEAKER D And history repeats itself. All the Old Testament stories of Israel repeating themselves. For example, Israel was supposed to go out of Egypt straight in the promised Land, but they were going to go straight in there, go in there. SPEAKER C That's what the plan was, that was the intent. SPEAKER D You can take it, you can overcome these giants in your life. And so they sent the spies in, they come back and said, we can't do it. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D Ten of them says we can't, two says we can. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so God says, well, because of your what, unbelief, unbelief or lack of faith in what I can do, I said, you can. Through my power you can overcome the giants. And so they had to wait a generation and before they could go back in. So it's the same thing here. What God is saying is, hey, listen, there's giants in our lives. We all have besetting sins in our lives. SPEAKER E Sure. SPEAKER D You've got yours, Eddie, and I've got mine. SPEAKER C I have my share of yeah, you. SPEAKER D Know, and you can either do two things. You can focus on them, right. Or you can focus on Jesus, amen. And ask Him to have the victory, to have the victory over those giants in your life. SPEAKER C I've learned that I should never focus too much on all the wrongs I've done, or focus too much on all the good that I've done, because the focus is on me. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C If we focus on the Lord and focus on Jesus Christ, that's where our power comes from. That's where our salvation and our strength comes from. And the Devil will use both those traps. Look how good I am. Or I'm too bad, I'm too bad to be saved, both those traps. To keep us from salvation, we've got to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. SPEAKER D Now, Ellen White, in the spirit of prophecy, makes an interesting comment in the book The Great Controversy, page 620. Page 620, she talks about the time of trouble, and I'll just read that to you, okay. She says, So in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed. So she's talking about here after the close of probation, after Jesus has finished his work. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER D In other words, we want all our sins to be in the sanctuary. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D We want to confess all our sins. And if we do, Jesus is just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And she goes on to say, they would be overwhelmed, despair would cut off their faith, they would not have the confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness see there? She's picturing a picture. No one is claiming to be perfect. They feel unworthiness and look at their lives. And when we look at your life, back at your life, Eddie, and I can't speak for your life, but I can speak for mine, I see nothing, but I see a whole chain of just disappointing and doing the wrong thing. But here's the thing is but while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, she goes on to say, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal their sins have gone beforehand to the judgment. In other words, they've confessed all their sins, they've gone into the sanctuary, pardon's. SPEAKER C Written beside all their sins, and their. SPEAKER D Sins have been cleansed, blotted out, and they cannot bring them to remembrance. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER D That's amazing thing, isn't it? SPEAKER C That is incredible. SPEAKER D So God's people have confessed their sins, they're in the sanctuary, jesus have blotted them out. And then we know that famous text in Revelation where he declares those who are righteous to remain righteous, those who are just to remain just, those who are filthy remain filthy, and those who are unclean made unclean. And so the whole point is, though they've confessed their sins. SPEAKER C Yeah, that's beautiful. I mean, that text that we've also looked at in Acts chapter three where Peter is preaching, he says there, repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out so that the time of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you beforehand. So the sending of Jesus Christ, which is the second coming leading up to that, there's a deep repentance, such as the world probably has not seen at a corporate level, where people are converted, their sins are blotted out. The refreshing of the Lord, which is the latter reign, is poured out on God's people, and Jesus Christ comes shortly after that. SPEAKER D That's right. There's a sequence of events there, isn't it? What happens? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D So Satan knows this. He knows these things, and he'll do all he can to lead individuals to accept the Omega apostle teaching that complete victory over sin is impossible. We cannot enter into the promised land. It's impossible. The giants are too big to overcome. He'll lead us into that. He knows that victory can only come by us focusing on Jesus and letting him live out his life in and through us. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D So Satan's plan is to get our eyes off Jesus. SPEAKER C I agree. I've never seen anybody focus on something weak to become strong. And I have to say that at times when I've looked to myself and sometimes you ask and see, you think, okay, well Lord, if I can only overcome this little sin. And then you start focusing on overcoming that sin. And what happens is you fall flat on your face. Why? Because you are focused on your own strength. Instead of saying, Lord, I just surrender it to you, I give myself to you. That death to self that we can receive through the cross of Jesus Christ. And then let the Lord's peace, his power, his grace, work in and through your life to cleanse you, to forgive you, that is the most peaceful and wonderful experience. But to look to yourself where there's absolutely no strength, it's a terrible thing. And also it's a terrible Christian experience. SPEAKER D Oh, absolutely. I mean, we've all been through it in our Christian journey. SPEAKER C The Roman seven man struggles with that all the time because every victory is aiming for is simply but defeat, all the good things he wants to do. So all the victories he wants, he doesn't experience them, he only experiences know. SPEAKER D So that's Satan's plan is to get our eyes off Jesus? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And he uses one or two deceptions. The first one, as you said before, is he will lead us to focus on the temptations we struggle with, get you focusing on them. So what are you experiencing? Defeat after defeat after defeat. So that's the first deception he'll use. Secondly, he wants us to think we can become righteous and even perfectly develop Christ's character by focusing on the do's and the don'ts, the law, anything but Jesus. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D He wants us to think that we can be victorious over temptations if we just try hard enough, with God's help, of course. So it's like us plus God. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D He leads many to believe that focusing on the do's and don'ts of our religion will bring revival. Let's focus on the do's and don'ts, that's what will bring revival. And such a religion is a burden void of joy. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And all such effort will fail. You see, the do's and the don'ts are important. They're important. Sorry. The do's and the don'ts are important, but they must not be our focus. SPEAKER C That's right. We allow the Lord rather to write his laws in our hearts, put them in our minds, and we will live by those principles just through that relationship we have with Jesus Christ. SPEAKER D You surrender to Jesus and ask God to do what you can't do. God, you have the victory, you just surrender. And there's another deception as well. Or Satan will lead many to reject the possibility of perfectly reflecting the character of Christ by obedience to God's law. There's the other deception and he doesn't care which one. He gets you as long as he gets you. SPEAKER E That's true. SPEAKER D So most that come to this conclusion have tried to obey in their own know. They've tried this didn't work. And they discovered the impossibility of attaining complete victory. So what do they do? Well, they draw back and rest in Christ justifying righteous, only believing that a full, complete sanctification is impossible. Just like the Jews crossing the Jordan said it was impossible to take the giants out because of what they saw. They said this is impossible. When we look at our own lives, it seems impossible, doesn't it? SPEAKER E Absolutely it does. Yeah. SPEAKER C So we are not to take a pragmatic view to it and say, well, I'll believe it if I can see it. We should really take a view that if the Lord promises it, I'll believe it, even if I can't see it. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. If you can see it, you don't have to exercise faith. And the evidence is in the word of God. If God's word says so, it is true. That is the evidence. Although we cannot physically see it, the results come afterwards. SPEAKER D Well, you look at the faith chapter in Hebrews, chapter eleven, isn't it? It's continually where people did things that seemed impossible, seemed supernatural. That's right. And so what happens is this deception leads people to conclude that complete victory over temptation and sin is not attainable in this life. This too is a very dangerous position to take. Both legalism and rejection of complete obedience will lead to staying in their latest condition, their lukewarm condition that I'm okay. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so really, Satan's amiga, apostasy teaches that such a view of complete obedience and victory over temptation would lead to boasting and feelings of achieving perfection. So anyone that's teaching this saying, oh, you're teaching sinless perfection. And so attitudes of boasting or feelings of achieving perfection are impossible for the spirit filled Christian to experience. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D A spirit filled Christian will not have boasting or attitudes of achieving perfection. They'll never, ever be like that. SPEAKER C Our boast is in the Lord. The boast can never be in ourselves. Not if we see ourselves as we see ourselves compared to Jesus. SPEAKER D That's right. They realize there is no righteousness in them. They know they could yield to temptation any moment if they take their eyes of Jesus. They know their only hope of victory is by continuing to trust Jesus to live out his victory in and through them. Did you hear that? SPEAKER E Amen? SPEAKER D His victory. Because Jesus had the victory. So their only hope, our only hope is allowing Jesus or trusting Jesus to live out his victory in and through us. And when Jesus returns, they'll feel unworthy to be saved. I mean, we know what happens. The Bible says they cast their crowns at Jesus'feet because they know they don't deserve the crowns, because Jesus did everything for them. All they did was have faith in Him to save them from sin and death. I just love that. SPEAKER E That is beautiful. SPEAKER D All they did was have faith in Him, faith in Jesus to save us from sin and death. They'll know exactly what Paul meant when he wrote the words in One Corinthians, chapter one, verse 29 to 31. SPEAKER C This is so that no. 1 may boast before Him. Beautiful that we don't boast in and of ourselves. It is because of Him that is the Father that you are in Christ who has become for us wisdom from God that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, let him who boasts boast in the Lord. SPEAKER D That's right. So what will be the boast throughout eternity will be just boasting in Jesus. We'll be praising Jesus Christ for the victory over sin and the eternal salvation he provided for them. And that brings us to why did God bring the Adventist Church into existence? What is God's purpose in calling the Adventist Church into existence? I believe that God raised up the Adventist Church to give the three angels messages of Revelations, chapter 14 to the world. Yes, and these messages are to warn the world of Christ's soon return and give important biblical insights necessary to be ready for that great event. And let's just unpack this a little bit. What's the first angel's message in Revelation, chapter 14, verse six to seven? SPEAKER C Okay, so the first angel we see there, it says there then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue and people, saying with a loud voice fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come. And worship him who made heaven and earth the sea and springs of waters. SPEAKER D Great message, for the first thing you see is three angels flying. Not crawling, but flying. Flying message is to go quickly to the world, and it includes the Gospel of deliverance from sin. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And a call to worship God as Creator. There's a call to worship God as Creator, which includes worship on the 7th day Sabbath, since it was established at the end of Creation Week by God as a memorial of earth's creation as a call to true worship. Worship God as our Creator of heavens and earth. SPEAKER C Well, of course, we're in chapter 14 of Revelation. Chapter 13 of Revelation has already established and mentioned the word worship five times, where it says, and he was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. So now we are being called to worship God, who created the heavens and the earth, which the Sabbath is a memorial of, in contrast to this image worship, this beast worship that we see in Revelation chapter 13, which is a counterfeit worship. SPEAKER D That's right. And what's established here as the worship is about the Creator. Well, what defined the creation as God, as the Creator, was the Sabbath. It's a memorial of creation. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D It's a day that he set aside to worship. SPEAKER E Worship Him. SPEAKER C That's right. And we get it. Every 7th day. We get it. SPEAKER D Yeah, that's right. I mean, there's no astrological reason for the seven days. There's a reason for the month the Moon going around. There's a reason for the year. SPEAKER C For the year Earth going around. SPEAKER E The sun. SPEAKER D That's right. There's a reason for everything, but not for the weekly Sabbath. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D This was instituted at creation so that we would remember who the Creator is. And he set aside the 7th day for worship to spend time with Him, to acknowledge Him, and as a memorial creation. So the first message also includes a declaration that the hour of God's judgment is come. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D In other words, it's come, which we have discovered in previous Bible lessons, that it began on October 22, 1844, when Christ moved from the holy place to the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary to carry out the work of cleansing of the sanctuary. And we can read that in Daniel chapter seven, verse nine to ten. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER C It says, I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of days was seated. His garment was white as snow, and his hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. A thousands ministered to him 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. SPEAKER D Well, sir, so if you follow the Daniel chapter seven, there's a sequence of events. You have these different powers that rise, starting with Babylon, then Meadow, Persia, then Greece, then Rome, and then you have what's called ten kingdoms coming out of Rome, ten nations of Europe, and then out of them a little horn also. SPEAKER C Coming out of Rome. But after the other ten kingdoms, after. SPEAKER D The ten, which comes around a 538 Ad. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so then it rules for 1260 years. So you've got this timeline. It says then after those things, this little horn, little beast power that also speaks about in Revelation 13, talking about in Daniel seven and Daniel two as well. It talks about after that. Well, if you follow the timeline, that power was in Revelation 13 when it was wounded was in 1798. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D When General Bertha marched, napoleon's general marched across Europe and put the papacy or the pope in jail, who had just ruled for 1260 years through the Dark Ages. So it says after that, it says there's this judgment that begins. SPEAKER C That's right. Now, it's interesting there even in Daniel chapter seven, verse 21, it says that I was watching the same horn. So the one you're just referring to was making war against the saints and prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days came, as we just read before, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D So you've got this judgment, and books were open. So some books were open. The book of life was open. SPEAKER C So judgment with books, you're looking at a judgment or a court session. The court was seated and the books were open. And then verse 13 says, very interesting. He says, I was watching in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man. So we're referring to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, coming with the clouds of heaven, but not coming to this earth. Not yet. He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And then to him was given dominion and glory, and a kingdom that all peoples and nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion. So the same one we read in Daniel, chapter two, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one which shall not be destroyed. So Jesus comes here to the Ancient of Days during that courtroom session. And it is during the courtroom session that the power of the little horn is broken. SPEAKER D That's right. So here's this vision. And it had to happen after 1798. SPEAKER C Yes, it did. SPEAKER D After the 1260 years. So sometime after 1798. And when we go and look at the timeline of the 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel eight and nine, when you read that, you see it says it was 2300 days or 2300 years, which, when you take it, brings you to 1844, which is exactly a time just after 1798. SPEAKER E Exactly. SPEAKER C Well, dear listener, we're just going to take a quick break here and we'll be right back after this message. Stay tuned. SPEAKER F Maybe your eyesight is struggling. You live a busy life without time to relax with a book, or you find theological writing difficult to understand. We think we have the answer. Audiobooks Three ABN Australia Radio regularly hosts book readings on air featuring topics in health, Christian lifestyle, and more. Audiobooks are wonderful because you can listen on the go and learn through sound. This month, three ABN highly recommends our listeners to discover the Desire of Ages project produced by Golden Eagle Films and Myers Media. While it features the exact original words of its author, Ellen G. White, the Desire of Ages Project has been dramatized with professional voice artists and a full orchestra soundtrack to tell the powerful story of God defeating Satan. To download your own free copy of this audiobook, visit thedesireofagesproject.com or contact Three ABN Australia Radio on 024-97-3456. SPEAKER C Dear listener, welcome back. Just before the breaker, we were talking about the importance of the investigative. Judgment or the judgment, the courtroom setting in heaven where the Ancient of Days was seated and the books were opened, and then the Son of man, which is Jesus Christ, coming before the Father to receive a kingdom. And to receive that kingdom, he has to then take away the authority of earthly kingdoms who have opposed and exalted themselves and try to put themselves above all that is God or that is worshipped. So our text that we also use that ties in with this courtroom setting is Daniel, chapter eight, verse 14, because we talk about the principle of repeat and enlarge, or I guess some theologians call it recapitulation, where you keep on building on the previous verses, you cover the same ground, but you get more detail. And as you go through the prophecies, you get closer and closer to the end, which gives more and more detail. And then some of the older aspects of the prophecy, like Babylon, sort of drops off in Daniel chapter eight, for example, where it's mentioned in Daniel chapter. Daniel, chapter seven. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C So Daniel 814, then that text that we've quoted a few times, it says, and he said unto me, for 2300 days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed. SPEAKER D That's right. And so you have here also from Daniel chapter seven, verse 15 to 28, you have an angel who comes and actually explains the vision to Daniel. He comes and explains it and says this fourth kingdom. Then he talks about, the ten horns are ten kings who arise from this kingdom. And then he says that there will be a little king that will come up like a king. And it says that this power shall persecute the saints of the Most High. So after this time in 538 Ad. For times, times and half times, which is 1260 years, it says it persecutes the saints of the Most High. So it's putting Christians to death. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D And also in verse 25, it says, he shall intend to change times and law. So you attempt to change God's law in regard to time. Well, what Law and Ten Commandments has to do with time? SPEAKER C There's only one. SPEAKER D Which one's that? SPEAKER C That's the Fourth Commandment, which is to do with the Sabbath, which is 7th Day. SPEAKER D Yeah. And so isn't that interesting? In Revelations 14, it's a call back to worship God, fear God and give glory to Him. It's called to worship the Creator. And so we've got this happening, and then we have this prophecy in Daniel 814 where he tells you, well, how long until the sanctuary is cleansed? SPEAKER C That's right. The question is asked in verse 13, and then, of course, verse 14 is the one that answers it. SPEAKER D That's right. And he says 2300 days, which we know is the 2300 years, which we go back to 457 BC. Aligned with the 70 weeks prophecy, which lines up to when Jesus was baptized. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D Crucified and when Stephen was stoned, and the message goes out to the gentiles. SPEAKER C Gentiles, yes. SPEAKER D And here we have exactly what happens on time. So what has to be cleansed though, Eddie? SPEAKER C Well, it's the sanctuary in heaven, but it also goes along with the church here on Earth. So it is the body temple that needs to be cleansed and purified as well. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D So what was cleansed in the Old Testament sanctuary? SPEAKER C Well, it says the holy place was to they make atonement for the holy place through the sacrifices on the day of atonement, which was on the 10th day of the 7th month. SPEAKER D That's right. The David Yon Kippon Day. SPEAKER C Yom Kippur. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And so what had to be cleansed, as we've discussed before, that day after day, people would come, bring a lamb, they would confess their sins over the Lamb. So there's transferred their sins to the Lamb. Lamb representing Jesus. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D The Lamb was then cut, the blood was then put into a bowl and taken into the sanctuary and sprinkled over different items in the sanctuary. Okay, yes, but that was day after day, so the record of those sins is still in the sanctuary. So once a year, there was a removal, blotting or cleansing of the record of all those sins that had gone into the temple. So the sanctuary had to be cleansed or atoned for. And so, just like Jesus, in our heavenly sanctuary is our High priest, day after day, we are what? We're confessing our sins. Our sins are transferred over to Jesus the Lamb. And then as the High Priest, he takes Him into the heavenly sanctuary with his blood. Okay, so where are our record of our sins now? SPEAKER C In the heavenly sanctuary. SPEAKER D In the heavenly sanctuary. Just like there had to be a Judgment day, a cleansing or removal or blotting out of those sins in the heavenly sanctuary. And so Jesus is doing that work now since 1844, a work of judgment, a work of cleansing of the sanctuary, remove all blotting out of our sins, and when he's finished that work, he will come. Now, it also talks about this in Malachi, chapter three, verse one. Malachi, chapter three, verse one says, behold. SPEAKER C I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the Covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of. SPEAKER D We also. So we know also that besides the coming of the Lord to his temple, malachi also foretells his second event. SPEAKER C That's right. In verse two it says, then who can endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like launderer soap, and he will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer to the lord an Offering In Righteousness. SPEAKER D So there's a purification work going on before Jesus comes. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And Jude refers to the same scene when he says, behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000 of his saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of their ungodly deeds. So this is this coming of Jesus into the most holy place in 1844? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D That's in Jude chapter jude 1415 this coming and the coming of the Lord to his temple are distinct and separate events. So that ancient days. Is Jesus coming in 1844 to begin a work of judgment. And that work was done when he entered what called the most holy place. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so we have here the second angel's message as well in Revelation 14, verse eight. And the second angel's message in Revelation 14 eight warns the world of spiritual Babylon's fall because of her sin. SPEAKER C Yes. And it says and another angel followed, saying babylon is fallen. Is fallen the great city because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her Fornication that's, right? SPEAKER D So Babylon's fall is her sin. Which warning will be repeated as the judgment in heaven comes too close. So you can see that it's repeated in Revelations chapter 18, verse one to five, where the second angel or third angel's message is repeated, but with power. Let's go to Revelations 18. Verse one to five says, after these. SPEAKER C Things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority. And the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying babylon the great is fallen, is fallen. And has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hated bird. And all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of a fornication. And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. And the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins and you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities. SPEAKER D And if you want to know what Babylon is, read chapter 17 where it says mystery babylon the great, the mother of Harlots and of the abominations of the Earth. I saw a woman drunk with the blood of the saints. And a woman represents a church. SPEAKER E Church. SPEAKER C That's Right. SPEAKER D So it's a church drunk with the blood of the saints. So what? Church is drunk with the blood of the saints over the 1260 years? SPEAKER C Well, there's only one church, isn't it? SPEAKER D That's Right. And it doesn't mean the people in it. SPEAKER C It's the system. SPEAKER E That's Right. SPEAKER D System. SPEAKER C And if we look at verse 18 of Revelation 17 as well, it says, and the woman whom you saw that is Babylon, is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth. SPEAKER D So who was reigning over the kings of the earth when they were? SPEAKER C So it was only Rome, wasn't it? SPEAKER D That's right. So it's talking about this woman. Okay. And that is going to fall. And you notice that all the nations have drunk with wine. All the nations are involved. It says not only the nations, but the kings are involved. And the merchants economically are involved as well. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C They were drunk with the wine of the wrath of a fornication. Now, wine represents doctrine in the Bible. SPEAKER D That's right, yeah. SPEAKER C It can represent blood as well, but many instances represents doctrine. And the doctrine that she has is the doctrine of a fornication, which is illicit relationship between the church and the state. The church controlling the state. SPEAKER D And also Babylon means confusion. So it's confusion about the character of God, who, you know, for example, we've spoken about this before I was brought up and taught, know, if you didn't make it, you were going to be burning in hell for eternity, that God was going to torture you and burn you forever. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Well, I don't see that as a God of love, as I read in the God's word. SPEAKER E No. SPEAKER D But there's a great message here, though, in verse four, I want to focus on verse four of 18, because there's a call, right. This is the repeat of the second and third angel's message. There is a call to come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins unless you receive her plagues. This is the last seven plagues that are going to come upon this earth. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D So there's a call in Revelation 14, there's a three angels message is calling people out into true worship. It's calling people out of Babylon out of confusion about who God is. About confusion. So most of God's people are in Babylon. SPEAKER C Yes, I agree. I mean, God can't call people out from there. He says, My people, if they're somewhere else, he says, Come out of my people. Well, where are they to come out of? Out of babylon. SPEAKER D That's right. And so we see this in Revelation 18, verse one to five. And we also see that this takes place as the earth is lightened with God's glory. And remember, we've discussed it before. What is God's glory? SPEAKER C Is his character. SPEAKER D Character. SPEAKER E His love. SPEAKER C His character of love. SPEAKER D That's right. And it's a result of his people reflecting the character of Jesus. 100%. The Ten Commandments being the transcript of his character. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C Selfless love. SPEAKER D That's right. And so we want to walk in, look in the third angel's message, revelations 14, verse nine to eleven, and it. SPEAKER C Says then a third angel. So this is number three. Now followed them, saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships so here that issue of worship is represented again. If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which has poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image and whoever receives the mark of his name. SPEAKER D Wow. It's pretty strong warning, isn't it? Eden? SPEAKER C Very strong. I don't think I've read anything stronger in the Bible. SPEAKER D I know when you read it, you go, wow, that seems pretty tough, you know what I mean? But it's such a thing to God that it actually causes division in this world. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER D And God is serious about this. And so he gives a warning. He gives a warning and he says, come out of Babylon, don't worship the beast or his image. And in Revelations chapter 13, verse 15 and 16, he talks about this as. SPEAKER C Well, says, and he was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. In verse 16, he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand and on their foreheads. SPEAKER D And it says also they can't buy or sell. SPEAKER C That's right. So there's economic embargo there as well. SPEAKER D Economic. And then there's eventually a death decree. That's right, yeah. And so God doesn't want anyone to receive the mark of the beast. And so God desires god's desire is to write his law in the hearts and minds of his people. In two Corinthians, chapter three, verse three. Two Corinthians, chapter three, verse three, it talks about, it says, clearly you are. SPEAKER C An epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but by the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. SPEAKER D So what was written on tablets of stone? SPEAKER C Well, it was the Ten Commandments. SPEAKER D So what does God want to write on our hearts? SPEAKER C Same commandments? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C But not with a pen or not by the finger of God, per se. On stone, on the fleshy tablets of the heart. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And how does he do that? Well, let's go to Hebrews chapter eight, verse eight to ten. Hebrews chapter eight, verse eight to ten. So how does God do this? SPEAKER C And it says, because finding fault with them, he says, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant. And I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their heart, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. SPEAKER D Wow. And he repeats that in Hebrews, chapter ten, verse 15 to 18, where he says but the Holy Spirit also witnessed to us, for after he has said before this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds I will write them. And then he adds the good news of the Gospel, their sins and their lawless deeds, I will remember no more. SPEAKER C Oh, that's beautiful. SPEAKER D Yeah, that is beautiful. And so the Gospel, and you know what happens? It says those who refuse to worship God as the Creator on the 7th day Sabbath, which will be the evidence that his law is in their hearts, because part of the Ten Commandments is the Fourth Commandment. That's right, it's keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. And so, in contrast, interesting, we read in Daniel that this beast power, or this little horn power, thinks to change God's time and law. And the only one to do with changing time or law is the 7th day Sabbath Commandment. And here's God wanting to write his law in our hearts. And here's the beast trying to cause us to worship on another day. And so those who refuse to worship God as Creator on the 7th day Sabbath, which will be evidence that his law is in their hearts as he commanded in Exodus chapter 20, verse eight to eleven, in Exodus chapter 20, verse. SPEAKER C Eight to eleven, and it says there, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. So the 7th day is the Lord's day. In it you shall do no work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested the 7th day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. SPEAKER D I remember when I was in Ethiopia, Eddie, and I was preaching on the Holy Spirit, wanting to write the Ten Commandments on our mind and hearts, and the Gospel of Jesus, we've got forgiveness through Jesus, what he did on the cross, and they're all denominations there from all different denominations. And at the end, after I went through Hebrews and two Corinthians three three, and a number of texts showing that under the New Covenant, god wants to write His Ten Commandments on our mind and hearts. That all denominations came together and prayed and asked God to write his law, his Ten Commandments on their mind and hearts, including the 7th Day Sabbath. Wow, it was an incredible day. Different denominations all coming together, praise the Lord and asking God to write his law, including the 7th Day Sabbath. And so, because we also know that God said that those who refuse to worship God as Creator on the 7th day, and we know the evidence of these laws written on their hearts, will receive the beast Mark and will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming, second coming. It says that in two, thessalonians chapter two, verse eight to twelve, it says. SPEAKER C And then the Lawless One will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. The coming of the Lawless One is according to the working of Satan, with all power signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusions that they should believe the lie, and that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. SPEAKER D You know, it's a hard thing, Ian, you know what I mean? I discovered this 25 years ago. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And so everything that I thought and believed before by the truth, by the Word of God, it says, Thy Word is thy truth. When I read this in the Word, I got the Holy Spirit convicted me and I had a decision to make, and it wasn't an easy decision, because all my life I believed something else. And all of a sudden I came to the realization that God wants to write his laws on my mind and heart. And that includes the 7th day Sabbath. And so when I found these things out, I had to make a choice. But it was the best choice I ever made. It was the best choice to have God to write his laws on your mind and your hearts. SPEAKER C And the thing is, that's the promise to all believers. I've met some beautiful people who are not part of my denomination. People who really love the Lord and follow the Lord to the best of their knowledge, just like we do. And you can't say that these people don't love Jesus, that they're not his disciples. But I'm looking for that day when God will bring all his people together into one fold. Jesus said sheep I have who are not of this fold. And then there will be one God, and there will be one Lord, and there will be one body, one church. I'm looking forward to that day. SPEAKER D And so in the gospel of deliverance from sin is at the heart of these three messages, these three angels'messages, the gospel of deliverance of sin also. It is only as one understands and experiences the baptism of the Holy Spirit and righteous by faith that the full gospel of deliverance can be experienced and individuals be prepared for Christ's second Coming. Hence the 7th day Venice Church call to give this last warning to the world requires her to understand, experience and proclaim the gospel of deliverance in order to fulfill her mission of warning, preparing the world for Christ's second coming. We need to understand, experience and proclaim the gospel of deliverance. And so what happened in history? When we look back in history, by the late 18 hundreds, it seemed that the Avenice Church had lost sight of what was to be the heart and soul of her message. Therefore, God sought to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ back to this church in 1888 through two men called Jones and Wagner. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And this truth was necessary for the Church to understand experience in order to fill her God given purpose and mission to proclaim the three angels messages in the context of the gospel of deliverance from sin. And Ellen White, who had 2000 visions and I believe was a messenger of God, understood this when she wrote these words in Testimonies to Ministers, page 91 to 92 in 1895. SPEAKER C Right says many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to his divine person, his merits and his changeless love for the human race. Changeless love and his merits. I just love that all power is given into his hands and that he may dispense rich gifts unto men. Imparting the priceless gift of his own righteousness to the helpless human angel. SPEAKER D Did you notice that she says imparting? Yes, the priceless gift of his own righteousness to the helpless human agent. See, we're helpless. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so Jesus wants to impart his righteousness, his own righteous to us, and that is our only hope. SPEAKER C So it's counted against our account so that's imputed and then imparted as he actually then gives that to us as a gift so we can live a holy life before Him. SPEAKER D Well, it's Christ in you the hope of glory. Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit, you see, because what happens is our denomination had become so doctrine focused that Jesus had been lost in our experience and teaching, our religion had become legalistic, which is the sure result of losing sight of Jesus in one's life. SPEAKER C So it's all a history of the Church repeating itself. Jesus said to the Church in his day, you search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life. But these are they which testify of me. So you can sometimes get focused just on the doctrine and just look at it as an academic exercise and then lose sight of who it's talking about, which is Jesus. SPEAKER D That's right. So the Church needed to once again understand the work of the Holy Spirit and the message of righteous by faith. And so Jones and Wagner spoke at the 18 eight general conference session in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They taught a number of biblical truths at this session and at the years that followed. And so we want to focus what we consider to be the heart of their message, righteous by faith in Christ. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D Righteous by faith encompasses both Christ's justifying and sanctifying righteousness. And we're going to focus primarily on the sanctification aspect of Christ's righteousness by faith as we move along and talk about this. And so the message of righteous by faith comes through loud and clear as one reads their writings. So following 1888, Ellen White wrote or often wrote on the subject, and God used the 1888 message to uplift Christ as never before to our denomination. And I just love what she wrote here. And she supported the teaching on this subject. And this is what she wrote. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER C This is also from testimonies to ministers. Page 91. This is the Lord in his great mercy sent a most precious message to his people through elders e. J. Wagner and A. T. Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Savior, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the surety and invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. SPEAKER D So what do you notice there straight away? It was to bring prominently before the world the uplifted Savior. Where was Jesus uplifted on what? SPEAKER C On the cross. SPEAKER D It was to bring the cross to be central to our message, the uplifted Savior, because Jesus says, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D And the sacrifice of sins of the whole world. So that presented justification through faith and assurity. We can have assurance of salvation through what Christ has done for us as we confess our sins. But also there was more. It invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ. This is his imparted righteousness. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER D So Ellen White clearly pointed out that the reception of the message of righteous by faith presented in 1888 would lead to obedience to all the commandments of God. And she said that this message would also usher in the loud cry or the latter reign of the Spirit and hasten Christ's glorious return. She also wrote another thing about the latter reign. What did she write here? SPEAKER C Yeah, this is also from Testimonies to Ministers, page 91. 92. It says, this is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel's message which is to be reclaimed with a loud voice that's the loud cry and attended with the outpouring of his spirit in a large measure. SPEAKER D Wow. Which is called the latter rain. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And another place she wrote also in district lines, letter 50 718 95, it. SPEAKER C Says, God gave to his servants that's Jones and Wagner a testimony that presented the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the third angel's message in clear, distinct lines. SPEAKER D Wow. So the message of righteous by faith and the third angel's message are one and the same, and both lead to obedience to God's commandments. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER D And so we're going to talk more about this in future programs. The significance of this 18 a message that righteous by faith and focusing on uplifting Jesus, and by that it'll lead to obedience to God's commandments. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C As I've read a little bit about the messages that Jones and Wagner presented, they just used the Bible that was their textbook to present these messages. I see some insights in regards to justification, which I don't find to be too common in other areas. For example, we know that justification talks about Jesus life, his death, so death, burial, and then his resurrection as well. But they brought out the fact that when Christ died and he was raised, he was delivered because of our offenses. That's out of Romans chapter four, and he was raised because of our justification. And then Paul says there in one Corinthians chapter 15, he says that if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. So the justification that they brought out meant the removal of sins as well, and therefore you could live a sanctified life through Christ Jesus as you did receive justification by faith. So you can also be sanctified through the same faith by faith. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C Well, let's just take a break and share our contact details. Dear listener, we'll be right back after these messages. Thank you for joining us on You Shall Receive Power. If you would like more information about today's program or if you have any questions, please contact 3ABN Australia Radio by Phoning 024-973-3456. Or you can send an email to [email protected]. You can also contact us on our 3ABN Australia radio Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you SPEAKER C Dear listener, welcome back to you shall receive power with Colin and Ettienne. Now, just before the break, Colin, we were talking about the importance of the message of justification by faith. Now, are there pitfalls that we need to be aware of as we get into the study of the Word? SPEAKER D Absolutely. Well, that's what happened leading up to the 1888 message from Wagner and Jones and Ellen White expanded on that. You see, our denomination had become so doctrine focused that Jesus had been lost in our experience and teaching. So what happens? Our religion will became legalistic, which is a sore result of losing sight of Jesus in one's life. And so the Church needed to. Once again understand the work of the Holy Spirit and righteous by faith. And so Jones and Wagner spoke at this 1888 General Conference session, and they talk a number of biblical truths about righteous by faith in Christ and righteous by faith encompass both Christ justifying and sanctifying righteousness. Both are received by faith. SPEAKER E Yes, I agree. SPEAKER D And so, you know, it was clear that the message of righteousness by faith came through loud and clear as we actually read the Spirit of prophecy. And one of my favorite, favorite comments is that one by Ellen White, where she says, the Lord and his great mercy sent a most precious message to his peoples through elders, e. J. Wagner and A. T. Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world, the uplifted Savior. So it was to uplift Jesus and Him crucified, and it was to go. SPEAKER C To the world as well. SPEAKER D Yeah, the sacrifice for sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the surety, we can have assurance of salvation because of what Christ has done for it. And it also invited the people to receive the righteous of Christ, so his righteous imparted, which is made manifest in obedience to all, the commandments of God. That's the outward result. And you read Revelation, Chapter 14, right at the end, after it says, the three angels message. It says, Here are they that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C Well, Colin, that's all we have time for today. Dear listener, we pray that God will continue to bless you as you do your own personal study. May the Holy Spirit go with you, and we look forward to catching up with you next time. God bless. SPEAKER C You've been listening to a production of. Three ABN Australia radio.