The Time of the End Message 24-4: "The Annihilator" Episode 4

Pastor Joel Laswell

A Bible study of the book of Daniel, chapter 9.

Transcript

00:00:01Hello, friends. I'm Pastor Joel Aswell. Welcome you to our study this morning. We're going

00:00:06to be getting back into Daniel chapter 9. Of course, this time of the end series, we're

00:00:11in the book of Daniel. We've gone through all eight chapters. We're in chapter 9. And

00:00:17of course, we'll go into chapter 10, 11, 12, and then we'll get into Revelation. Just remarkable

00:00:24things that we're learning, aren't we? And this is a series of studies of Daniel chapter

00:00:329 that I've entitled, The Annihilator. This is episode 4. And we're going to get into it

00:00:38here in just a moment. But before we do, we want to come before the Lord in prayer. So

00:00:42I invite you to kneel. And if you cannot kneel, that's fine. Let's at least bow our heads in

00:00:50awe and reverence to our Creator. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for being our

00:00:57Father in Heaven, for extending the invitation to become members of the family again. And

00:01:07we praise you for that. We thank you for the Sabbath day that you created, that we may be

00:01:13your people and come to know you on this day. Be blessed, as you promised, to gather together

00:01:19in worship of Thee, to sing praises unto Thee, to study from Your Word and to gain knowledge

00:01:26of these end-time events that we may share with all that we can, so that they too may become

00:01:34family members in the kingdom of God. We thank you for Jesus. We thank you so much that you

00:01:42and Jesus worked out an agreement that you would come and offer salvation to each one of us.

00:01:49Our first parents fell there. Sin has entered this world. We've seen the destruction that it causes

00:01:56personally and nationally and worldwide and in all creation. It affects us all. And so we praise you

00:02:06for Jesus who came to show us how to be members and citizens of the kingdom and to overcome our

00:02:12sins

00:02:12and bring glory to thy name. We praise you and ask for the Holy Spirit to be with us here.

00:02:17As we open

00:02:18your Holy Word, may you lead us into the truth, as you've promised to do, and that we may come

00:02:25to know

00:02:26it and be able to be courageous and have courage to stand and proclaim it here at the end of

00:02:33time.

00:02:34And we thank you so much for these things. We pray that you will forgive us our sins,

00:02:40claim the blood of Jesus. And Father, I pray you give me the words here this morning. Make my voice

00:02:45strong here as this message comes from Daniel 9 and that hearts will be attuned to receive it

00:02:53and share it wherever they may be. We thank you for answering this prayer, for we ask it in the

00:02:58name of Jesus, who's so worthy. Amen and amen. Well, friends, like I said, we are in episode four

00:03:05here in a series, a chapter, a study of chapter nine that I've entitled The Annihilator. The Annihilator.

00:03:15And of course, we're talking about the little horn and then who is this power, who is the representative

00:03:23of Satan on this earth, marshalling forces against God's people in the upcoming final battle

00:03:33against the beast and his image and his name. And so, you know, we'll get into this scripture.

00:03:41We touched on it and got into it a bit, Daniel 9 verse 24, last time we were together. And

00:03:47we'll get

00:03:47into it in great, you know, in great detail later on in this series. But I wanted to take a

00:03:54closer

00:03:54look at the reasons for the extended length of time given to Israel, as it's going to fill in a

00:04:01lot of

00:04:01information that helps it all make sense. And that's what we're looking for. We're looking for

00:04:07pieces of the puzzle, put this puzzle piece together, prophecy, and it's all going to make

00:04:13sense, friends. And it will increase our faith. It will make our faith stronger to know that God

00:04:22keeps his promises. His promises never fail. His word never fails. And we will be settled in this

00:04:31truth. Let's go to Daniel 9 verse 24. Let's read it again as we get started here. A little bit

00:04:38of a

00:04:38recap, sort of, to get us going into this particular study. Daniel 9 verse 24, 70 weeks are determined

00:04:48upon thy people and upon thy holy city. And of course, that's prophetical day for a year. We know

00:04:54that to be 490 years. 490 years. And he says, is determined, cut off from that 2,300 year

00:05:02prophecy. He said, upon thy holy city to do what? To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins,

00:05:10and to make reconciliation for the rebellion, the iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,

00:05:17to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. And the last time

00:05:24that we were together, I asked these questions, you may recall, and we found the answers

00:05:32to a great degree. Why would God give Israel another 490 years? Why would he do that? Why

00:05:42would he be so patient? Well, Exodus 19 and 6 tells us, and ye shall be unto me a kingdom

00:05:48of priests, and an holy nation. Why would God give Israel another 490 years? Well, literal Israel

00:06:00was given more time to become that nation of priests, for one thing. And the final earthly purpose

00:06:08of the kingdom of priests was to accept the Messiah, who was to come in 490 years. It all comes

00:06:19together, friends. Next question was, why was Adam's firstborn, not the Messiah, instead of the

00:06:25deliverer coming thousands of years later, after 62 generations? And I shared this quote with you. It's

00:06:32from the desire of ages, pages 31 to 34. I snipped part of it out. Quote, Providence had directed

00:06:38the movements of nations, and the tide of human impulse and influence, until the world was

00:06:44ripe for the coming of the deliverer. So the world had to be right. What do you mean by that?

00:06:53Well,

00:06:53we got into it, didn't we? The world had to be ripe for the coming of the Messiah. Next question

00:06:58was, how many years did God wait to send his son Jesus? Again, from the book Desire of Ages, pages

00:07:0448

00:07:05and 49. Quote, Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened. Weakened by what? Weakened by

00:07:144,000 years of sin. Like every child of Adam, he accepted the results of the working of the great

00:07:24law

00:07:24of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of his earthly ancestors. He came with

00:07:32such a heredity to share our sorrows. This is why it took so long. He had to be able to

00:07:40share our

00:07:41sorrows and temptations. And as she says, and to give us the example of a sinless life. So God added

00:07:54time. You see how these are fitting together? How many years did God wait to send his son?

00:08:00Oh, we just read that, didn't we? 4,000 years. Why did God wait so long? Well, we go back

00:08:08to Desire

00:08:08of Ages, page 117. Quote, for 4,000 years, the race had been decreasing in physical strength,

00:08:17in mental power, and in moral worth. Right? And Christ took upon him the infirmities of degenerate

00:08:28humanity. Only thus could he rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation. Why? What

00:08:39was the question? Why did God wait so long? He had to wait till sin ran its course, right? This

00:08:46is what we were finding out, right? Desire of Ages, page 758. Quote, not until the death

00:08:51of Christ was, not until the death of the Messiah, the Deliverer, not until Israel made their decision

00:08:59whether to accept him or not, and the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly

00:09:05revealed, she says, to the angels or to the unfallen worlds. They had not clearly seen the

00:09:14nature of his rebellion. It took thousands of years for that to happen. Right? So we're

00:09:29finding out, why did God have, why did he wait so long? We had to wait till sin reached its

00:09:35greatest peak in humanity, the greatest degradation. And not only did it clearly reveal the character

00:09:44of Satan to angels and unfallen worlds. In the book, Darkness Before Dawn, page three, we

00:09:50read, quote, in the atonement, the character of God is revealed. There was a question concerning

00:09:58God's true character. Isn't that remarkable when you think about it? These unfallen worlds,

00:10:08they weren't quite sure yet. Why was that? Sin hadn't run its complete course. Oh yeah, there

00:10:17was a line drawn. Sides were taken. But that course of sin had not reached its complete degeneration

00:10:27in the human race. And so we looked at those questions, we answered them. And looking at the

00:10:37three stages of the history of Israel, we started that as well. It's helped us to answer these

00:10:43and like questions as well. It brings more clarity to Israel's role in end time events.

00:10:49And as I stated before, for three chapters, Matthew chapters 21, 22, and 23, Jesus, the

00:11:00Shekinah in person, now he's there in those chapters, he's teaching in the temple. And keep

00:11:08that in the back of your mind. When we go through the rest of this study, where is Jesus at?

00:11:12He's

00:11:12teaching in the temple. He's talking to their leaders and his people. It's been 490 years,

00:11:18see? And where is the temple at this time? Is it in heaven or on earth? Well, it's on earth,

00:11:25right? The courtyard of the sanctuary is a symbol of this. And Christ's main theme was to discuss

00:11:33the history and the rebellion of Israel and its result. He's calling them to the carpet because

00:11:42a decision has got to be made. And he does this through a series of three parables, which

00:11:49I left off with you the last time we were together. The first one was the parable of the fig

00:11:53tree.

00:11:54Then we had the parable of the vineyard. And we have the parable of the great banquet. And

00:12:12the first one was that John the Baptist said that every tree that did not bear fruit would be cut

00:12:18down

00:12:18and thrown into the fire. Right? We need to take these things into consideration as we go through

00:12:25this. A second thing in Luke 13 verses 6 to 9, three years have passed since John the Baptist began

00:12:34his preaching about the tree. And it has not yet borne fruit. But the command is given to allow it

00:12:41to

00:12:41remain another year to see if it would bear fruit. Pay attention to that. Because a year later, this is

00:12:49the third thing, Jesus sees the fig tree that has no fruit. And this lines up with the 70-week

00:12:56prophecy timeline, friends. And so, Matthew chapter 21, verses 18 and 19. This is the fig tree episode.

00:13:11Excuse me. Now, we're going to read Matthew 21 and verse 18. Begin there.

00:13:19Now, in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered, is speaking of Jesus. And when he saw

00:13:25a

00:13:25fig tree in the way, he came to it and found nothing thereon, but leaves only. And said unto it,

00:13:31let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. We'll get

00:13:37more into that later on. The point I'm going to make here is, it has to do with what is

00:13:47being espoused

00:13:48in the futuristic interpretation of this scripture, along with Matthew 24, which I'm going to read in

00:13:56just a moment. And how they are using it to try to say that Israel has been reborn, you know,

00:14:06in 1948.

00:14:08Let's look at the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 and verse 32.

00:14:13Now learn a parable of the fig tree. Again, both of them, fig tree, talking about Israel.

00:14:17When his branches yet tender and put forth leaves,

00:14:22ye know that summer is nigh. It's close.

00:14:25So likewise ye, when ye shall see

00:14:27all these things, and we'll break this down a little later,

00:14:30know that it is near even at the doors.

00:14:33Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all

00:14:37these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away,

00:14:41but my words shall not pass away, he says.

00:14:45Now, like I said, these scriptures are used to teach futurism.

00:14:49And so they say that the fig tree here is a symbol of Israel, which it is,

00:14:53but they say that the budding is a prophecy concerning the reestablishment of Israel as a nation

00:15:00in 1948.

00:15:02They take the 70th week, we'll get into this much more later on as we really tear into

00:15:10Daniel 9 verse 24, but they take that 70th week and they break it apart from the prophecy

00:15:15to say that Christians are raptured and then Jesus returns for the Jews

00:15:21as he must keep his promises to them.

00:15:26And so they're actually saying that the Jews get a third chance of redemption.

00:15:31And then Jesus returns for them.

00:15:35And friends, this is a biblical error.

00:15:38It's a dangerous theology that will destroy millions of souls.

00:15:43Let me share this with you.

00:15:44It's from Selected Messages, Volume 1, page 67.

00:15:49That's Selected Messages, Volume 1, page 67.

00:15:54Quote, it should be remembered that the promises and threatenings of God are alike conditional.

00:16:03It's based on condition.

00:16:05What are the conditions, right?

00:16:08The book Faith and Works, page 47.

00:16:10Notice what it says.

00:16:11Quote,

00:16:11Quote, God's promises are all made upon conditions.

00:16:15Well, what's the condition?

00:16:17If we do his will, if we walk in truth, then we may ask what we will and it shall

00:16:24be done unto us.

00:16:25While we earnestly endeavor to be obedient, God will hear our petitions, but he will not bless us in disobedience.

00:16:36Pay attention to this.

00:16:39If we choose to disobey his commandments, we may cry, faith, faith, only have faith.

00:16:45And the response will come back from the sheer word of God, faith without works is dead.

00:16:50James 2, verse 20.

00:16:53Such faith will only be as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal.

00:16:59In order to have the benefits of God's grace, we must do our part.

00:17:05We must faithfully work and bring forth fruits, meat for repentance.

00:17:11End quote.

00:17:12And so, we can see that that's a part of the covenant, isn't it?

00:17:20God will live in us and we will do his will.

00:17:23And as long as we do his will and we are obedient to his word, we can ask what we

00:17:28will because it's in God's will and he'll answer that.

00:17:30And so, the question is, did literal Israel do God's will?

00:17:39And we're finding an answer to that in God's word.

00:17:42I'm going to go through it.

00:17:44You see, we see a big political push today, don't we?

00:17:49Proclaiming that Israel and Christianity are biblically bound to each other.

00:17:54Like, you know, when I was, my little brother and I growing up, we saw through some of the old

00:18:03westerns that, you know, cowboy and an Indian, they cut their fingers and wrap them together and they became blood

00:18:11brothers.

00:18:12Right?

00:18:14And this is what this false theology is teaching.

00:18:17Oh, we're blood brothers to the very end of time and they've created this false theology pushed by futurism.

00:18:30You know, it's a part of that counter-reformation, that futurism that they're pushing and they say, well, God has

00:18:41to keep his promises to the nation of Israel.

00:18:45Do they meet the condition?

00:18:48Do they meet the condition?

00:18:50We're going to find out exactly what the Bible says about that.

00:18:54It's going to be hard for some people to hear.

00:18:57But you know, truth.

00:18:58Jesus said he brings the Bible and the truth in Scripture is like a two-edged sword.

00:19:04It cuts through.

00:19:05He's a great surgeon.

00:19:06He's cutting out the error.

00:19:08And that hurts.

00:19:09It takes time to heal.

00:19:14But you see, they misuse Daniel 9, you know.

00:19:21But in their ignorance, it's Daniel 9 that exposes them.

00:19:25You can say that about any twisting of Scripture.

00:19:30Scripture actually shows that they're twisting Scripture, right?

00:19:35But these preachers of today, especially, teach that the fig tree parable is the greatest sign that the coming of

00:19:42Jesus is imminent, even at the door.

00:19:44And so it behooves us to carefully examine this passage to determine if their interpretation really is correct.

00:19:52We're interested in letting the Bible explain itself, aren't we not, beloved?

00:19:58Come to the Bible to see what it wants to tell us, not with preconceived ideas and try to prove

00:20:05our theories to be correct, because you can twist anything to say what it wants.

00:20:12We see that all the time.

00:20:16First of all, and take note of this, the fig tree and the vine are associated with literal Israel in

00:20:25the Old Testament.

00:20:26Both of them, the fig tree and the vine.

00:20:28This can be clearly discerned in Hosea 9 and verse 10, and you can also go to Isaiah 5 and

00:20:35read it as well.

00:20:36But let's look at Hosea 9 and verse 10.

00:20:40The Bible says,

00:20:41I found Israel like grapes.

00:20:42Well, grapes grow on a vine, don't they?

00:20:46So he says,

00:20:47I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness.

00:20:50I saw your fathers as the first stripe, or first fruits, in the fig tree at her first time.

00:20:57But they went to Baal Peor and separated themselves unto that shame.

00:21:03Right?

00:21:04And their abominations were according as they loved.

00:21:10What an interesting statement here.

00:21:12But we see a tie in here between vine and fig tree.

00:21:17You know, when I was growing up, my little brother and I would play in the woods every day.

00:21:22And it was a wilderness that needed to be explored, you see.

00:21:25And on occasion, we would find, as we explored, we would find wild raspberry bushes.

00:21:31Or we would find wild strawberries.

00:21:34And it was a great delight to us.

00:21:36It played into our exploration.

00:21:39Oh, look what we found.

00:21:41What tremendous things.

00:21:43And oh, so good to eat.

00:21:45So I think to find grapes and first ripe figs in a wild and uncultivated wilderness would be particularly enjoyable.

00:21:54And so the Lord expresses that kind of great joy that he had toward Israel of old when he took

00:22:00them to himself.

00:22:02Right?

00:22:02Can you see that?

00:22:04Then we see a reference to the terrible spiritual and literal adultery that Moab, you recall, enticed Israel to commit.

00:22:14An enticement suggested by the apostate Balaam at Baal Peor.

00:22:19Just before they were to enter the promised land.

00:22:22Then the Lord says that Israel separated themselves.

00:22:28This word is from the Hebrew word nazar, which in the form found here means to dedicate oneself.

00:22:36But what's also interesting is that nazar is the root of nazer, for Nazarite.

00:22:43And so they separated themselves unto that shame, he says.

00:22:48So who was it that separated?

00:22:51It was Israel, wasn't it?

00:22:53So it wasn't God who left the people, but the people who left God.

00:22:58Now what is the shame that's spoken of here?

00:23:02Well, the Moabitish maidens sacrificed their virginity to this revolting and filthy god called Baal.

00:23:10And in this iniquitous partnership, the Israelites, who were to be separated unto God in his service,

00:23:19participated in that shame.

00:23:24And remember, that's when Phineas grabs the spear, goes through,

00:23:30and kills the Israelite prince as he brought the Moabite whore into his tent.

00:23:41You recall all that?

00:23:44Now, in contrast to the Nazarites, who separated themselves from that which would interfere with their consecration unto God,

00:23:55these transgressors separated themselves from God in his ways and joined themselves unto shame.

00:24:01That's becoming, you could say, so to speak, Nazarites of shame.

00:24:09Having become degenerate in morals and character, they were regarded by God as being abominable,

00:24:15like the heathen abominations that they worshipped.

00:24:18And this plays in when we talk about the abomination that makes desolate, friends.

00:24:25Put that in the back of your mind.

00:24:27So, here in Hosea, we see that the fig tree and the vine are associated with literal Israel in the

00:24:36Old Testament.

00:24:38And we shall see in the New Testament that this same Israel is also associated with the fig tree and

00:24:45the vineyard.

00:24:46So, we're going to look at Israel as a fig tree.

00:24:49Here's part one.

00:24:49This is the message of John the Baptist.

00:24:57Matthew 3, verses 7 to 10.

00:24:59It describes the preaching of John the Baptist.

00:25:02John's preaching six months before the beginning of Christ's ministry.

00:25:08John's mission was to prepare the way, right, for the first coming of Jesus.

00:25:14But please note how several items in the following passage are repeated as we get into parts 2 and part

00:25:213 as we go on.

00:25:23But let's look at Matthew 3 and begin with verse 7.

00:25:28But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees, this is John the Baptist now.

00:25:33When he saw them come to his baptism, he said unto them,

00:25:37O generation of vipers!

00:25:39Does it sound like he's addressing God's true leaders and people?

00:25:46Pay attention, right?

00:25:49O generation of vipers!

00:25:51That's how he greets them.

00:25:53Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

00:25:57Bring forth therefore fruits.

00:25:59Become obedient again, he's saying.

00:26:02Meet for repentance.

00:26:03Think not to say within yourselves,

00:26:05We have Abraham to our father.

00:26:07For I say unto you that God is able of these stones,

00:26:11he's talking about Gentiles,

00:26:13to raise up children unto Abraham.

00:26:16Notice verse 10.

00:26:18And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees.

00:26:22Therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

00:26:31What happens to a tree that does not produce good fruit?

00:26:35Fruits of the Spirit, showing the born again,

00:26:38meaning they're a member of God's actual church and people and kingdom?

00:26:43He calls Israel to repent and produce godly fruit, doesn't he?

00:26:50Who doesn't produce good fruit?

00:26:52Would they be the children of Satan?

00:27:03Part 2.

00:27:06Israel as a tree.

00:27:10The first two and a half years of Christ's ministry,

00:27:13if we're going from John to Baptist,

00:27:15now to the first two and a half years of Christ's ministry.

00:27:19We look at Luke 13, verses 1 through 9.

00:27:27Luke 13, verses 1 through 9.

00:27:29We can immediately discern the similarity between this parable

00:27:34and the message of John the Baptist in part 1.

00:27:38Right?

00:27:40In that parable.

00:27:41We look at this parable.

00:27:43Luke 13, beginning with verse 1.

00:27:45There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans,

00:27:49this is them speaking to Jesus,

00:27:51whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

00:27:55And Jesus answering said unto them,

00:27:57Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans?

00:28:02They were the worst sinners of all the Galileans?

00:28:05Because they suffered such things?

00:28:07I tell you nay,

00:28:09but except ye repent,

00:28:11ye shall all likewise perish.

00:28:13Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell,

00:28:18and slew them,

00:28:19think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

00:28:23I tell you nay,

00:28:25but except ye repent,

00:28:26ye shall all likewise perish.

00:28:29He spake also this parable.

00:28:32A certain man,

00:28:33God the Father,

00:28:35had a fig tree,

00:28:36that's Israel,

00:28:37planted in his vineyard,

00:28:39the world,

00:28:39and he came and sought fruit,

00:28:41fruit of the Spirit.

00:28:43Thereon,

00:28:44and found none.

00:28:46Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard,

00:28:49that's Jesus,

00:28:50Behold,

00:28:51these three years,

00:28:53now think about that,

00:28:54these three years,

00:28:57John the Baptist

00:28:59preached six months,

00:29:02and at the time of this,

00:29:03Jesus had preached two and a half years.

00:29:07Three years,

00:29:08he says.

00:29:09See how it fits?

00:29:10Behold,

00:29:11these three years,

00:29:11I come seeking fruit on this fig tree,

00:29:13and find none.

00:29:15Cut it down.

00:29:16Just what John had said,

00:29:18right?

00:29:20Why cumbereth it the ground,

00:29:21he asks.

00:29:23And he answering said unto him,

00:29:24Lord,

00:29:25let it alone this year also.

00:29:28We get into the last year of Christ's ministry,

00:29:31see?

00:29:33Till I shall dig about it,

00:29:35and dung it,

00:29:36and if it bear fruit,

00:29:37well,

00:29:37and if not,

00:29:37then after that,

00:29:38thou shalt cut it down.

00:29:42After this parable,

00:29:43you see,

00:29:43we're left in suspense as to the result.

00:29:46Because from the story itself,

00:29:48we don't know if the fig tree bore fruit or not.

00:29:52The story was still being written

00:29:54at the time that Jesus told it.

00:29:57Just as was the story of the older sibling,

00:30:00if you recall,

00:30:01in the narrative of the prodigal son.

00:30:04It's still being written.

00:30:05Jesus said,

00:30:05no,

00:30:06let me still work on it.

00:30:09Which he did.

00:30:10Continued his ministry.

00:30:12Now we get to part three.

00:30:15Israel as a tree.

00:30:17This is the last week.

00:30:21of Christ's earthly ministry.

00:30:24Matthew chapter 21,

00:30:26verses 17 to 19.

00:30:27This event is taking place

00:30:29just a few days before the death of Jesus.

00:30:32And notice that the fig tree of Luke 13

00:30:34had not yet borne fruit,

00:30:35even though the close of his probation

00:30:38was drawing near.

00:30:39Okay?

00:30:41Verse 17.

00:30:42And he left them and went out of the city

00:30:44into Bethany,

00:30:45and he lodged there.

00:30:46Now in the morning as he returned

00:30:48into the city,

00:30:49he hungered.

00:30:49And when he saw a fig tree in the way,

00:30:53he came to it,

00:30:54and he found nothing thereon,

00:30:55but leaves only,

00:30:57and said unto it,

00:30:58let no fruit grow on thee henceforth forever.

00:31:00And presently the fig tree withered away.

00:31:06It withered away.

00:31:08So we're seeing

00:31:09an ending of that story,

00:31:11aren't we?

00:31:12That he had originally spoke.

00:31:15Mark 11,

00:31:16verses 12 to 14

00:31:17has the parallel passage

00:31:19to Matthew 21,

00:31:2117 to 19.

00:31:21Notice what it says.

00:31:23Quote,

00:31:23And on the morrow

00:31:24when they were come from Bethany,

00:31:26he was hungry.

00:31:27And seeing a fig tree afar off

00:31:29having leaves,

00:31:30that has a promise of fruit,

00:31:32right?

00:31:32He came if happily he might find

00:31:34anything thereon.

00:31:35And when he came to it,

00:31:36he found nothing but leaves,

00:31:38for the time of the figs

00:31:39was not yet.

00:31:41And Jesus answered and said unto it,

00:31:44No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever.

00:31:47And his disciples heard it.

00:31:49Now some people say,

00:31:51where it was told there,

00:31:52for the time of the figs

00:31:53was not yet.

00:31:55It wasn't quite time

00:31:57for the figs

00:31:59to be ripe.

00:32:01But figs

00:32:05were on a number of the trees.

00:32:07And they were

00:32:09thought of as kind of a treat

00:32:12when you picked early figs.

00:32:15Some people enjoyed them

00:32:16a lot better.

00:32:17They probably had a little bit more

00:32:20of a tart taste to them.

00:32:25And so that's what he made

00:32:26by the figs was not yet.

00:32:27He still was looking for figs.

00:32:29And there should have been figs

00:32:30on that tree.

00:32:31But there weren't any.

00:32:33And so,

00:32:36the barrenness

00:32:37of the tree

00:32:38represented

00:32:39the unproductiveness

00:32:42of Israel.

00:32:45And the curse,

00:32:47the judgment,

00:32:49Jesus was pronounced

00:32:51the following day.

00:32:53That judgment.

00:32:55Remember when he says,

00:32:56Your house is left unto you desolate.

00:32:58We'll get to that in a moment.

00:32:59It was also on the day following

00:33:01that Jesus sternly censured

00:33:02the scribes and Pharisees

00:33:04for their hypocritical pretensions

00:33:06in Matthew 23.

00:33:08And we'll get to that

00:33:09in a moment as well.

00:33:10But the purpose of this

00:33:12acted parable

00:33:13was to prepare the minds

00:33:14of the disciples

00:33:15for the scenes

00:33:15of the next few days.

00:33:17During which the

00:33:18Jewish leaders

00:33:19would confirm

00:33:20their rejection

00:33:21of the Messiah,

00:33:23of Jesus of Nazareth.

00:33:25Mark chapter 11,

00:33:27verse 20,

00:33:28the fig tree withered away,

00:33:29we'll notice,

00:33:30by the roots.

00:33:31And that's very important

00:33:33to understand.

00:33:34It wasn't just the leaves

00:33:35that withered.

00:33:36The whole tree died.

00:33:39Clear through to the roots.

00:33:41And once the root

00:33:43of a tree dies,

00:33:44it's finished forever.

00:33:46You dig up the stump

00:33:47quite easily after a while

00:33:48and burn it.

00:33:50Mark 11,

00:33:51verse 20,

00:33:52And in the morning

00:33:52as they passed by,

00:33:53they saw the fig tree

00:33:54dried up from the roots.

00:33:56And Peter calling to remember

00:33:58and saith unto him,

00:33:59Master, behold,

00:34:00the fig tree

00:34:01which thou cursest

00:34:02is withered away.

00:34:06Is withered away.

00:34:09Completely.

00:34:11It's dead.

00:34:13No hope of regeneration.

00:34:15It's gone.

00:34:17That's what's being said.

00:34:23So what is being said

00:34:25in these parables

00:34:25about the fig tree?

00:34:27Who is the tree?

00:34:29Ancient little Israel

00:34:30or spiritual Israel?

00:34:32Well, it's ancient Israel,

00:34:33isn't it?

00:34:34Probation had not yet

00:34:35closed upon little Israel

00:34:37as yet though.

00:34:38And the 490 year prophecy

00:34:40of Daniel 9

00:34:40and verse 24

00:34:42shows this very accurately.

00:34:44And we'll get to it

00:34:45in a coming study.

00:34:47So, the tree cannot be

00:34:49spiritual Israel.

00:34:51It hasn't,

00:34:52the probation hasn't

00:34:53closed on literal Israel yet.

00:34:57But Jerusalem was cut down,

00:34:59wasn't it?

00:35:01Jerusalem was cut down

00:35:02and burnt in the year 70 A.D.

00:35:04by Rome

00:35:04because it bore no fruit for God.

00:35:07Now, let me ask you.

00:35:10If the fig tree dried up

00:35:11by the roots,

00:35:13how could it have sprouted

00:35:15to new life in 1948?

00:35:1648 A.D.

00:35:19The fig tree represented

00:35:21literal Israel.

00:35:23Right?

00:35:25The vineyard is also

00:35:27symbolic of Israel.

00:35:30Notice the following parable,

00:35:33which is also in chapter 21

00:35:36of Matthew.

00:35:37This is Israel as a vineyard.

00:35:40Matthew 21.

00:35:40We'll begin with verse 33.

00:35:51Matthew 21, verse 33.

00:35:55Jesus,

00:35:56hear another parable.

00:35:57There was a certain householder,

00:35:59God the Father,

00:36:00which planted a vineyard,

00:36:02Israel,

00:36:03and hedged it round about

00:36:05with God's Ten Commandments,

00:36:06and digged a winepress in it.

00:36:09That shows kind of an abundance

00:36:10of blessings from God.

00:36:17A winepress can also refer

00:36:18to judgment as well.

00:36:20But he digged a winepress in it

00:36:23and built a tower.

00:36:26I look at it,

00:36:26the context of this

00:36:28is probably more

00:36:29dealing with an abundance

00:36:31and blessings.

00:36:33You know,

00:36:34he planted a vineyard,

00:36:36he hedged it round about,

00:36:38he's working in it,

00:36:39digged a winepress.

00:36:41You know,

00:36:41the winepress isn't like

00:36:42what you think of today

00:36:43where you put grapes in

00:36:44and pull some down,

00:36:45smash it.

00:36:46It was kind of hollowed out

00:36:47place in a side

00:36:50of a stony hill.

00:36:55And they had,

00:36:57above that hill,

00:36:58they would stomp on the grapes

00:37:01and they had a,

00:37:04what would you call it,

00:37:05a connection between the top

00:37:08to that winepress.

00:37:09It was like a giant bowl.

00:37:11It would collect the juice.

00:37:13That's what it means here

00:37:14by winepress.

00:37:15So I'm looking at it

00:37:16as an abundance

00:37:17and blessings here.

00:37:18He built a tower.

00:37:19That's the temple.

00:37:21And it goes on,

00:37:22he says,

00:37:22and led it out to

00:37:23the husbandmen.

00:37:25That was the Jewish leaders.

00:37:26And he went into a far country.

00:37:28He went to heaven.

00:37:29That's where he was.

00:37:30And when the time

00:37:31of the fruit drew near,

00:37:33he sent his servants,

00:37:35that's the prophets,

00:37:36to the husbandmen.

00:37:37And this is before

00:37:38the Babylonian captivity,

00:37:40by the way.

00:37:42That they might receive

00:37:43the fruits of it.

00:37:44And the husbandmen

00:37:46took his servants

00:37:47and beat one

00:37:48and killed another

00:37:49and stoned another.

00:37:51Again,

00:37:52he sent other servants,

00:37:53there's more prophets,

00:37:55more than the first.

00:37:56And this is after the captivity

00:37:58until John the Baptist.

00:38:00This is the timeline of it.

00:38:01And they did unto them likewise.

00:38:03But last of all,

00:38:04he sent unto them his son.

00:38:06Who is that?

00:38:08That's Jesus, right?

00:38:09The deliverer,

00:38:10the Messiah.

00:38:13He sent to them his son,

00:38:15saying,

00:38:16they will reverence my son.

00:38:18But when the husbandmen

00:38:20saw the son,

00:38:20they said among themselves,

00:38:22this is the heir.

00:38:24Come,

00:38:24let us kill him.

00:38:25And that's the death

00:38:26of Jesus, right?

00:38:28Let us seize upon

00:38:30his inheritance.

00:38:34And they caught him

00:38:35and cast him out of the vineyard

00:38:37and slew him.

00:38:37Jesus died outside of Jerusalem.

00:38:40When the Lord therefore

00:38:41of the vineyard cometh,

00:38:42what will he do

00:38:43unto these husbandmen?

00:38:44This is the question

00:38:45Jesus asked them.

00:38:48Verse 41,

00:38:50They say unto him,

00:38:51He will miserably

00:38:52destroy those wicked men

00:38:53and will let out

00:38:55his vineyard

00:38:55unto other husbandmen.

00:38:57Those are the Gentiles.

00:39:01Which shall render him

00:39:02the fruits

00:39:03in their seasons.

00:39:05Jesus saith unto them,

00:39:06Did you never read

00:39:07the scriptures,

00:39:08the stone which the builders

00:39:09rejected?

00:39:10The same has become

00:39:12the head of the corner.

00:39:13This is the Lord's doing,

00:39:15and it is marvelous

00:39:16in our eyes.

00:39:18Therefore,

00:39:18say unto you,

00:39:19The kingdom of God

00:39:20shall be taken from you.

00:39:23How more blunt

00:39:25can it be?

00:39:26How do ministers

00:39:27miss that today?

00:39:32Oh, they twist it.

00:39:34But we see here

00:39:35that the kingdom

00:39:36no longer belongs

00:39:37to literal Israel.

00:39:41The kingdom of God

00:39:42shall be taken from you

00:39:44and given to a nation

00:39:45bringing forth

00:39:46the fruits thereof.

00:39:47And whosoever shall fall

00:39:49on this stone

00:39:49shall be broken,

00:39:50but on whosoever

00:39:52it shall fall

00:39:52it will grind him

00:39:53to powder.

00:39:55And when the chief priests

00:39:56and Pharisees

00:39:57had heard his parables,

00:39:59they perceived

00:39:59that he spake of them.

00:40:01But when they sought

00:40:02to lay hands on him,

00:40:03they feared the multitude

00:40:04because they took him

00:40:05for a prophet.

00:40:07Interesting thing

00:40:08about the stone,

00:40:12cornerstone

00:40:12that was cut out

00:40:13without hands.

00:40:15You know,

00:40:16they cut a big stone

00:40:17and when they built

00:40:17the sanctuary

00:40:19and the temple,

00:40:21all the work

00:40:22was done in a quarry

00:40:24because when they

00:40:25put the pieces together

00:40:26there wasn't to be

00:40:27a tool used

00:40:29when it was put together.

00:40:30And they had this stone,

00:40:31it was a huge stone,

00:40:32couldn't figure out

00:40:33where it went,

00:40:33it was an odd stone,

00:40:35it seemed ugly.

00:40:36So they laid it aside

00:40:38and it sat there

00:40:39for years

00:40:39and they tried

00:40:40different cornerstones.

00:40:41And there was

00:40:42something wrong

00:40:42with every cornerstone

00:40:43they tried to build upon.

00:40:46It would crumble

00:40:47or weather

00:40:48or something

00:40:48would crack

00:40:49or whatever it was

00:40:50and they ran out

00:40:52of these stones

00:40:52and they said

00:40:53we need to find

00:40:53a good stone

00:40:54and they went

00:40:56to this stone

00:40:56that they set aside

00:40:57this one

00:40:58and they found out

00:41:00it fit perfectly.

00:41:03It had not weathered

00:41:05at all.

00:41:05It looked beautiful.

00:41:07That cornerstone

00:41:08of course

00:41:09is Christ,

00:41:10isn't it?

00:41:11Oh, I could preach

00:41:13on that for a long time.

00:41:14But here we are

00:41:15is Israel

00:41:16as a vineyard

00:41:18and to recap

00:41:22what we read there,

00:41:24who was the householder?

00:41:26It was God the Father.

00:41:28Who was the vineyard?

00:41:29Literal Israel.

00:41:31Who was the husbandman?

00:41:33The Jewish leader.

00:41:34Who was the heir?

00:41:35Jesus.

00:41:37Who are the other husbandmen?

00:41:38The Gentiles

00:41:40because the first husbandman

00:41:42it was taken away from

00:41:44and given to another husbandman

00:41:46the Gentiles.

00:41:48And I hope that you

00:41:48see a pattern of behavior

00:41:50by literal Israel

00:41:51in all of these examples.

00:41:55Now we got a parable

00:41:56of the great banquet.

00:41:58We see Israel

00:41:59in the great banquet.

00:42:02Go to Luke 14

00:42:03and verse 16.

00:42:06Excuse me.

00:42:13Verse 16.

00:42:15Then saith he unto him,

00:42:17A certain man,

00:42:18that's God the Father,

00:42:19symbol of God the Father,

00:42:20made a great supper,

00:42:22the bountiful blessings

00:42:23of the kingdom of heaven,

00:42:25and bade many

00:42:26the appeals

00:42:27of the prophets to Israel,

00:42:28and sent his servant,

00:42:30Jesus,

00:42:31at supper time

00:42:32to say to them

00:42:33that were bidden.

00:42:36That's the ones

00:42:38who were originally bidden

00:42:39were the Jewish leaders,

00:42:40the high and mighty ones,

00:42:42the aristocrats

00:42:45of Jewish society.

00:42:48He said they were bidden,

00:42:51come,

00:42:51for all things are now ready.

00:42:54In Asian lands,

00:42:56even today,

00:42:56it's customary

00:42:57to dispatch a messenger

00:43:00a short time

00:43:01before the feast

00:43:02actually begins

00:43:04to remind the guests

00:43:05of their invitation.

00:43:07You know,

00:43:08just in case

00:43:08a guest might

00:43:10have forgotten

00:43:10about the invitation

00:43:11or might not know

00:43:12when he was expected

00:43:13to appear,

00:43:14this would allow him

00:43:14time to prepare

00:43:15for the occasion

00:43:16and to reach the place

00:43:18designated

00:43:18for the banquet.

00:43:20And this is what

00:43:20this first invitation was.

00:43:23Verse 18.

00:43:25And they all

00:43:26with one consent.

00:43:28That's interesting.

00:43:30They all with one consent.

00:43:32They all came together.

00:43:33Jewish leaders

00:43:34conspired together.

00:43:37And they began

00:43:38to make excuse.

00:43:40The first said unto him,

00:43:41I have bought

00:43:41a piece of ground

00:43:42and I must needs

00:43:44go and see it.

00:43:44I pray thee,

00:43:45have me excused.

00:43:47And another said,

00:43:47I have bought

00:43:48five yoke of oxen

00:43:49and I go to prove them.

00:43:51I pray thee,

00:43:52have me excused.

00:43:53And another said,

00:43:53I've married a wife

00:43:55and therefore

00:43:55I cannot come.

00:43:59What would be the things

00:44:00we could maybe

00:44:01learn about that?

00:44:06Asian lands,

00:44:08again,

00:44:09in Asian lands,

00:44:10to decline an invitation

00:44:11is often considered

00:44:12a refusal of friendship.

00:44:15And among some Arabs,

00:44:17to decline an invitation

00:44:18at the time

00:44:18of the reminder

00:44:19after having accepted

00:44:20the original invitation

00:44:22is considered

00:44:23a declaration

00:44:24of hostility.

00:44:27To accept an invitation

00:44:28and to attend a feast

00:44:30indicates friendship.

00:44:31So if you decline it,

00:44:33after you first said,

00:44:34yeah,

00:44:34I'll be there.

00:44:37Yeah,

00:44:37that's,

00:44:39those are war,

00:44:41words of war

00:44:43in Arab nations,

00:44:45especially.

00:44:46Verse 21,

00:44:46so that servant

00:44:48came and showed

00:44:49his Lord

00:44:49these things.

00:44:50So look,

00:44:51they're not coming.

00:44:53Then the master

00:44:54of the house,

00:44:54again,

00:44:54God the Father,

00:44:55being angry,

00:44:57said to his servant,

00:44:58Jesus,

00:44:59go out quickly

00:45:00into the streets

00:45:01and lanes

00:45:01of the city.

00:45:02Go to the common Jews,

00:45:04right?

00:45:06Go to the rest of them

00:45:07and bring in

00:45:08hither the poor

00:45:09and maimed

00:45:10and the halted

00:45:10and the blind.

00:45:11That's all the Jewish

00:45:12outcasts.

00:45:14You know,

00:45:15God chose Israel.

00:45:18Remember?

00:45:19There at Sinai

00:45:21and they had replied

00:45:22to the covenant invitation,

00:45:23all that you say

00:45:24we're going to do.

00:45:26But now that preparations

00:45:27were complete

00:45:28and the food's all ready,

00:45:29there appeared to be

00:45:30a conspiracy

00:45:31to back out

00:45:31of that agreement.

00:45:35And this reminds me

00:45:36of what we read

00:45:36in Isaiah 4

00:45:37and verse 1.

00:45:40And in that day

00:45:41seven women

00:45:41shall take hold

00:45:43of one man

00:45:43saying,

00:45:43we'll eat our own bread,

00:45:45we'll wear our own apparel,

00:45:46only let us be called

00:45:47by thy name.

00:45:49Why?

00:45:50To take away

00:45:51our reproach.

00:45:52Oh,

00:45:52we're the children

00:45:52of Abraham,

00:45:53but we're going to

00:45:54do our own things.

00:46:00You know,

00:46:01God poured out

00:46:01all heaven,

00:46:03including His Son,

00:46:05in preparation

00:46:05for the heavenly feast.

00:46:08If His best friends,

00:46:10Israel,

00:46:10who He chose,

00:46:12decide not

00:46:13to avail themselves

00:46:14of the tokens

00:46:14of His goodwill,

00:46:15He will gladly invite

00:46:18strangers

00:46:19or Gentiles

00:46:21to do so.

00:46:23Verse 22,

00:46:24And the servant said,

00:46:25Lord,

00:46:25it is done

00:46:26as Thou hast commanded,

00:46:27and yet there's room.

00:46:28I went to the rest

00:46:30of Israel,

00:46:30but yet there's still room.

00:46:34Verse 23,

00:46:35And the Lord said

00:46:35unto the servant,

00:46:36Go out into the highways

00:46:37and the hedges.

00:46:38That's the Gentiles.

00:46:40And compel them

00:46:42to come in

00:46:42that my house

00:46:43may be filled.

00:46:46Verse 24,

00:46:48For I say unto you

00:46:48that none of those men,

00:46:50literal Israel,

00:46:51which were bidden

00:46:52shall taste

00:46:53of my supper.

00:46:56the heavenly feast

00:46:57of Christ

00:46:58and the redeemed.

00:47:00So,

00:47:01let's recap.

00:47:02Who's the master

00:47:03of the house?

00:47:05God the Father.

00:47:06Who's His servant?

00:47:08Jesus,

00:47:08His Son.

00:47:09Who were the bidden?

00:47:10The Jewish leaders

00:47:11and the aristocrats.

00:47:12Who are the ones

00:47:14from the streets

00:47:15and the lanes?

00:47:15They were the common Jews.

00:47:17Who are the poor,

00:47:18maimed,

00:47:18haunt,

00:47:18and blind?

00:47:18Those are the Jewish outcasts.

00:47:22Who are the highway

00:47:23and the hedges?

00:47:24Those are the Gentiles.

00:47:28Now we can look

00:47:29at the Nathanael experience.

00:47:33The Nathanael experience.

00:47:38How many

00:47:40have really looked

00:47:42at the experience

00:47:43of Nathanael

00:47:44in the context

00:47:45of Israel

00:47:46and the fig tree?

00:47:46I bet hardly anybody.

00:47:49But it's there.

00:47:51John chapter 1

00:47:52verse 43 to 48

00:47:53describes the experience

00:47:54of Nathanael

00:47:55in his encounter

00:47:56with Jesus.

00:47:58Notice what it says.

00:47:59Verse 43.

00:48:00The day following,

00:48:02now that is

00:48:03after the events

00:48:04of the baptism

00:48:06of Jesus

00:48:07and the calling

00:48:08of Andrew,

00:48:09John,

00:48:09and Peter.

00:48:10So it says,

00:48:12the day following

00:48:13Jesus will go forth

00:48:14into Galilee

00:48:15and findeth Philip

00:48:16and saith unto him,

00:48:17follow me.

00:48:19Now Philip

00:48:20was of Bethsaida,

00:48:22the city

00:48:22of Andrew and Peter.

00:48:24Philip findeth

00:48:25Nathanael

00:48:25and saith unto him,

00:48:27we have found him

00:48:27of whom Moses

00:48:28and the law

00:48:29and the prophets

00:48:29did right,

00:48:30Jesus of Nazareth,

00:48:31the son of Joseph.

00:48:33And Nathanael

00:48:34said unto him,

00:48:35can there any good,

00:48:36can any good thing

00:48:38come out of Nazareth?

00:48:42Philip saith unto him,

00:48:43come and see.

00:48:45Jesus saw Nathanael

00:48:47coming to him

00:48:48and saith of him,

00:48:48behold,

00:48:49an Israelite indeed

00:48:52in whom is no guile.

00:48:57Nathanael saith unto him,

00:48:59whence knowest thou me?

00:49:01Notice Jesus' answer.

00:49:03Jesus' answer said unto him,

00:49:05before that Philip

00:49:05called thee,

00:49:06when thou wast

00:49:06under the fig tree,

00:49:08I saw thee.

00:49:12So let's think about this

00:49:13with some common sense.

00:49:16If there are Israelites indeed,

00:49:18then there must be Israelites

00:49:20not indeed,

00:49:22correct?

00:49:24The Greek word for indeed

00:49:26really means true or real.

00:49:27So there are true

00:49:29and false Israelites,

00:49:30correct?

00:49:31And the verse ends

00:49:32by saying that there was

00:49:33in Nathanael

00:49:34no guile.

00:49:35The word guile

00:49:36is translated

00:49:37from the Greek word

00:49:38dolos,

00:49:38literally means bait,

00:49:40like for catching fish.

00:49:42But figuratively,

00:49:43it means trickery

00:49:44or guile

00:49:45or treachery.

00:49:46False pretenses,

00:49:47in fact,

00:49:48are the bait,

00:49:50the trickery,

00:49:51the guile,

00:49:52the treachery

00:49:53used by the hypocrite

00:49:54to convince men

00:49:55that he's better

00:49:56than he really is.

00:49:58Right?

00:49:59But that wasn't found

00:50:00in Nathanael.

00:50:02Why was Nathanael

00:50:04singled out

00:50:06as an Israelite indeed?

00:50:10Go to verse 49.

00:50:12It provides the answer for us.

00:50:15Very simple answer.

00:50:16Verse 49.

00:50:18Nathanael answered

00:50:19and saith unto him,

00:50:20Rabbi,

00:50:21thou art the Son of God,

00:50:23thou art the King

00:50:25of Israel.

00:50:30What made Nathanael

00:50:31an Israelite indeed

00:50:32was that he confessed

00:50:34that Jesus was

00:50:35the Son of God

00:50:36and that he was

00:50:37the King of Israel.

00:50:40What then is a true Israelite?

00:50:43One who acknowledges

00:50:44Jesus Christ

00:50:45as the Messiah.

00:50:47Notice that Nathanael

00:50:49was an Israelite indeed

00:50:50and he was under

00:50:51a fig tree

00:50:51which was recognized

00:50:53that symbol

00:50:54is a recognized symbol

00:50:55of Israel,

00:50:56the fig tree.

00:50:58And so,

00:50:59in this passage

00:51:01we have the symbol

00:51:02and what the symbol represents.

00:51:03The Israelite indeed

00:51:04is sitting under a tree

00:51:05which represents Israel.

00:51:07So let's recap.

00:51:09What is an Israelite indeed?

00:51:11One who accepts Jesus

00:51:13as Savior and Lord.

00:51:14What is an Israelite not?

00:51:17Indeed.

00:51:18One who rejects Jesus

00:51:19as Savior and Lord.

00:51:21And again,

00:51:21what's a fig tree?

00:51:22It's a symbol of Israel.

00:51:25Let's go to John 8.

00:51:30John 8 and true Israel.

00:51:32In this passage,

00:51:33Jesus contrasted genuine Israelites

00:51:36with counterfeit ones.

00:51:37Look at verse 37.

00:51:387.

00:51:39I know that ye are Abraham's seed,

00:51:41but ye seek to kill me,

00:51:44because my word

00:51:45hath no place in you.

00:51:46I speak that which I have seen

00:51:48with my father,

00:51:49and ye do that which ye have seen

00:51:50with your father.

00:51:52They answered and said unto him,

00:51:54Abraham is our father.

00:51:56Jesus saith unto them,

00:52:00if,

00:52:00and he's implying

00:52:01that they were not,

00:52:03if ye were Abraham's children,

00:52:05ye would do the works

00:52:06of Abraham.

00:52:08verse 40,

00:52:09but now,

00:52:10the combination of if,

00:52:12but,

00:52:14shows they're not

00:52:15the children of Abraham.

00:52:16He says,

00:52:17but now ye seek to kill me,

00:52:18a man that hath told you

00:52:20the truth

00:52:20which I have heard

00:52:22of God.

00:52:23This did not Abraham.

00:52:25Ye do the deeds

00:52:27of your father.

00:52:28Then said they to him,

00:52:29we be not born of fornication,

00:52:31we have one father,

00:52:32even God.

00:52:33Jesus saith unto them,

00:52:35if,

00:52:35once again,

00:52:36he denies that they are

00:52:37the children of God

00:52:38because they reject him,

00:52:40if God were your father,

00:52:41ye would love me,

00:52:42for I proceeded forth

00:52:43and came from God.

00:52:45Neither came I of myself,

00:52:46but he sent me.

00:52:47Why do you not understand

00:52:49my speech?

00:52:50Why do you not understand

00:52:51what I'm saying?

00:52:52Even because you cannot

00:52:54hear my word,

00:52:55ye are of your father,

00:52:56the devil,

00:52:57and the lusts of your father

00:52:59ye will do.

00:53:00He was a murderer

00:53:01from the beginning

00:53:02and abode not in the truth

00:53:03because there is no truth

00:53:05in him.

00:53:06When he speaketh a lie,

00:53:08he speaketh of his own,

00:53:09for he is a liar

00:53:10and the father of it.

00:53:14And so,

00:53:15they are Israelite liars

00:53:17unlike Nathaniel

00:53:18and therefore they are

00:53:19the devil's children.

00:53:20That's what Jesus is saying.

00:53:22Verse 45,

00:53:23And because I tell you the truth,

00:53:24ye believe me not.

00:53:27What is notable

00:53:28in this passage,

00:53:29I think,

00:53:30is that the Jews

00:53:32were literally

00:53:34the children of Abraham,

00:53:36but spiritually

00:53:37they were the devil's children.

00:53:39In one sense,

00:53:40they were children of Abraham,

00:53:42but in another sense,

00:53:43they were not.

00:53:46Recap.

00:53:47Who were Abraham's seed?

00:53:49His children.

00:53:49The ones who accept Jesus

00:53:51as Savior and Lord

00:53:52and do the deeds of Abraham.

00:53:54Who were Satan's children?

00:53:55They were the ones

00:53:56who reject Jesus

00:53:57as Savior and Lord

00:53:58and do the deeds

00:53:59of Satan.

00:54:02Literal Israel

00:54:03were the children of Abraham,

00:54:06but spiritually

00:54:07they were the devil's children.

00:54:09Let's look at Paul's assessment.

00:54:13Because Paul

00:54:14taught the same truth.

00:54:17Let's go to Romans 2,

00:54:19verses 28 and 29.

00:54:24Paul says,

00:54:24For he is not a Jew

00:54:25which is one outwardly,

00:54:28neither is that circumcision

00:54:29which is outward in the flesh.

00:54:32But he is a Jew

00:54:33which is one inwardly.

00:54:36And circumcision

00:54:37is that of the heart

00:54:39and the spirit

00:54:39and not in the letter,

00:54:42whose praise is not of men,

00:54:44but of God.

00:54:46So Paul's saying

00:54:47it's one who's been born again,

00:54:49one who's

00:54:49one inwardly.

00:54:54Romans 9,

00:54:56look at verse 6.

00:54:59Not as though

00:55:00the word of God

00:55:01hath taken none effect,

00:55:03for they are not all Israel

00:55:05which are of Israel,

00:55:07he says,

00:55:08neither because they are

00:55:09the seed of Abraham,

00:55:10the literal descendants,

00:55:12are they all children.

00:55:14But in Isaac

00:55:15shall thy seed be called.

00:55:17That is,

00:55:18they which are

00:55:18the children of the flesh,

00:55:20these are not

00:55:21the children of God.

00:55:22He clarifies it.

00:55:23But the children

00:55:24of the promise

00:55:25are counted for the seed.

00:55:29An Israelite indeed

00:55:30receives Jesus as Messiah

00:55:33and is Abraham's seed

00:55:35and the child of the promise.

00:55:37Are you putting it together?

00:55:38Galatians 3, verse 26.

00:55:40For ye are all

00:55:42the children of God

00:55:43by faith in Christ Jesus.

00:55:45For as many of you

00:55:46as have been baptized

00:55:47into Christ

00:55:49have put on Christ.

00:55:51Therefore is neither

00:55:52Jew nor Greek.

00:55:53There is neither bond

00:55:54nor free.

00:55:55There is neither male

00:55:56nor female.

00:55:56For ye are all one

00:55:58in Christ Jesus.

00:55:59And if ye be Christ,

00:56:01then are ye Abraham's seed

00:56:03and heirs according

00:56:04to the promise.

00:56:07Paul's laying it out

00:56:08quite well,

00:56:09I think, isn't he?

00:56:10From these parables

00:56:11that Jesus has laid out,

00:56:12Paul's laying right in line

00:56:14with it.

00:56:15Let's go to Philippians 3.

00:56:19Philippians 3, verse 3.

00:56:20For we are the circumcision

00:56:22which worship God

00:56:24in the Spirit

00:56:26and rejoice in Christ Jesus

00:56:28and have no confidence

00:56:30in the flesh.

00:56:31Though I might also

00:56:32have confidence in the flesh,

00:56:34if any other man

00:56:35thinketh that he hath

00:56:36whereof he might trust

00:56:37in the flesh,

00:56:37I have more.

00:56:39That's what Paul's saying.

00:56:41Circumcised the eighth day

00:56:42of the stock of Israel,

00:56:44of the tribe of Benjamin,

00:56:47and Hebrew of the Hebrews,

00:56:49as touching the law of Pharisee,

00:56:51concerning zeal,

00:56:52persecuting the church,

00:56:54touching the righteousness

00:56:55which is in the law,

00:56:56blameless.

00:56:58An Israelite indeed.

00:57:00Literal descendant,

00:57:02but not a spiritual Israelite.

00:57:04That's what he was saying.

00:57:04Verse 7.

00:57:06But what things were gained to me,

00:57:08those I counted loss for Christ.

00:57:11Yea, doubtless,

00:57:13and I count all things but loss

00:57:14for the excellency

00:57:15of the knowledge of Christ Jesus,

00:57:17my Lord,

00:57:18for whom I have suffered

00:57:19the loss of all things,

00:57:21and do count them but dung

00:57:23that I may win Christ.

00:57:26That word there for dung

00:57:28doesn't mean just

00:57:31what you think it means.

00:57:33It means also like any kind of scrap,

00:57:35food scraps,

00:57:36any of that kind of stuff,

00:57:37as well as.

00:57:41So,

00:57:43pretty strong word anyway.

00:57:45He counts them as that.

00:57:48Waste,

00:57:49he's saying.

00:57:51Now, Paul had no control

00:57:52over the fact that he was born

00:57:53in the tribe of Benjamin,

00:57:55that his parents were Hebrews,

00:57:57that he had been given

00:57:58a Hebrew education,

00:58:00but he enumerates

00:58:01his personal decisions,

00:58:02doesn't he?

00:58:03He chose to be a Pharisee

00:58:04who rejected Jesus.

00:58:07Paul was saying

00:58:08he had all the literal

00:58:09Jewish credentials

00:58:10that made him

00:58:11a superior follower of God

00:58:14before Christ met him

00:58:15on the road to Damascus.

00:58:18Paul went from literal Jew

00:58:20to spiritual Jew

00:58:21from then on

00:58:22as he accepted Jesus

00:58:23as Lord and Savior.

00:58:26And so,

00:58:27I ask you,

00:58:28do you see the patterns

00:58:29concerning literal Israel?

00:58:32In 1948,

00:58:33the Jewish nation

00:58:34was still rejecting

00:58:35the Messiah,

00:58:36and therefore 1948

00:58:37could not be

00:58:38a fulfillment of prophecy

00:58:39because the Bible says

00:58:41that God scattered Israel

00:58:42at the destruction

00:58:43of Jerusalem

00:58:43because they rejected

00:58:45the Messiah.

00:58:48In 1948,

00:58:50the Jewish nation

00:58:50was still rejecting Christ,

00:58:52and so no fulfillment

00:58:53of these,

00:58:54what they call

00:58:55the gathering prophecies

00:58:56could have taken place

00:58:58at that time.

00:58:59Now,

00:59:00let's go back

00:59:00to Matthew 24

00:59:01and see if the fig tree

00:59:02represents the Jewish nation

00:59:04of today.

00:59:05Maybe something changed.

00:59:08In Matthew 24,

00:59:11verse 32 and 33,

00:59:12the budding of the fig tree

00:59:13is only one of the signs

00:59:15of the imminent coming

00:59:16of Jesus.

00:59:18It is the collection

00:59:19of all the signs

00:59:20that Jesus spoke of

00:59:21in Matthew 24

00:59:22which shows

00:59:23that the coming

00:59:24of Jesus

00:59:24is even at the door.

00:59:27Verse 32,

00:59:28Now learn a parable

00:59:29of the fig tree.

00:59:30When his branch

00:59:31is yet tender

00:59:32and putteth forth leaves,

00:59:33the tree is budding,

00:59:36you know that summer

00:59:36is nigh.

00:59:37So likewise ye,

00:59:39he's using an analogy,

00:59:41when ye shall see

00:59:42all these things,

00:59:45not only the sprouting

00:59:46of the fig tree,

00:59:48know that it's near

00:59:49even at the doors.

00:59:52So Jesus is not saying

00:59:53that the budding

00:59:54of the fig tree

00:59:55is the great sign

00:59:56of the nearness

00:59:56of his coming.

00:59:57He's saying that

00:59:58the accumulation

00:59:59of all the signs

01:00:01will help them know

01:00:02that the end

01:00:04is near.

01:00:06Furthermore,

01:00:08in the parallel passage

01:00:09of Luke 21,

01:00:11verse 29,

01:00:12we have additional details

01:00:14that help us

01:00:15to understand

01:00:17what Jesus meant.

01:00:19And interestingly,

01:00:21Jesus did not single out

01:00:22the fig tree

01:00:22as being particularly important,

01:00:24you know,

01:00:25over and above

01:00:26every other sign.

01:00:27Verse 29,

01:00:29Then he spake to them

01:00:29a parable,

01:00:30Behold the fig tree

01:00:31and all the trees.

01:00:34When they now shoot forth,

01:00:36ye see and know

01:00:37of your own selves

01:00:38that summer is now

01:00:39nigh at hand.

01:00:40So likewise,

01:00:42when ye shall see

01:00:44these things

01:00:44come to pass,

01:00:45know ye that

01:00:46the kingdom of God

01:00:47is nigh at hand.

01:00:49Did you notice

01:00:50that he added,

01:00:51and all the trees?

01:00:54Jesus says,

01:00:55when ye shall see

01:00:56these things,

01:00:58that's plural,

01:01:00right?

01:01:01All the trees,

01:01:02see these things.

01:01:03I mean,

01:01:04to paraphrase

01:01:05the words of Jesus,

01:01:06when you see

01:01:07the fig tree

01:01:07and all the trees bud,

01:01:08you know that

01:01:09summer is close.

01:01:11Likewise,

01:01:11when you see

01:01:12all these signs,

01:01:13you know that

01:01:13the end is near.

01:01:15That's what he's saying.

01:01:18Christians today

01:01:19are twisting

01:01:20these scriptures,

01:01:21and others,

01:01:21of course,

01:01:22in an effort to say

01:01:24that the Jewish nation

01:01:24of today

01:01:25are God's chosen people,

01:01:27and we Christians

01:01:28must be joined

01:01:29at the hip with them

01:01:30through everything

01:01:31that the nation

01:01:32of Israel does

01:01:33because of God's

01:01:34promises.

01:01:35promises.

01:01:35This is

01:01:41unbiblical,

01:01:42to say the least,

01:01:44and we must be careful.

01:01:48We saw in

01:01:52Matthew 21,

01:01:54verses 33 to 43,

01:01:55where Jesus tells

01:01:56the parable

01:01:57of the vineyard

01:01:59workers,

01:02:00and I hope you

01:02:00noticed the three

01:02:01stages of Israel's

01:02:03history there.

01:02:03The message then

01:02:05went to the Gentiles,

01:02:06and those converts

01:02:07are God's nation,

01:02:09God's new nation,

01:02:11I should say.

01:02:12In Matthew 22,

01:02:162, remember Jesus

01:02:18is teaching

01:02:19in the temple

01:02:21now, right,

01:02:22when he's here.

01:02:23These chapters.

01:02:26In Matthew 22,

01:02:271 to 4,

01:02:28Jesus tells the

01:02:28parable of the

01:02:29great banquet

01:02:29in the temple

01:02:31again.

01:02:33And then we get

01:02:33to Matthew 23.

01:02:35This is the

01:02:36pattern I'm trying

01:02:38to lay out for you,

01:02:39and I hope you're

01:02:39seeing it.

01:02:40In Matthew 23,

01:02:42verse 29,

01:02:43Jesus concludes

01:02:44his teaching

01:02:45in the temple

01:02:45with the woes

01:02:46on the scribes

01:02:47and the Pharisees.

01:02:49He says,

01:02:50Woe unto you,

01:02:51scribes and

01:02:52Pharisees,

01:02:53hypocrites,

01:02:54because you

01:02:54build the tombs

01:02:55of the prophets

01:02:56and garnish

01:02:57the sepulchers

01:02:58of the righteous.

01:03:01And say,

01:03:02if we had been

01:03:02in the days

01:03:03of our fathers,

01:03:03we would not

01:03:04have been the

01:03:04partakers with

01:03:05them in the

01:03:05blood of the

01:03:06prophets.

01:03:08Wherefore,

01:03:09ye be witnesses

01:03:09unto yourselves

01:03:10that ye are

01:03:11the children of

01:03:11them which

01:03:12killed the

01:03:12prophets.

01:03:14verse 32,

01:03:16fill ye up

01:03:17the measure

01:03:17of your

01:03:17fathers.

01:03:19What's that

01:03:20mean?

01:03:21To fill the

01:03:22measure means

01:03:23that mercy

01:03:23has come to

01:03:24an end.

01:03:27Verse 33,

01:03:28ye serpents,

01:03:30ye generation

01:03:31of vipers,

01:03:33how can ye

01:03:34escape the

01:03:34damnation of

01:03:35hell?

01:03:36This is

01:03:37Jesus speaking.

01:03:41Has Jesus

01:03:42ever said

01:03:44the like

01:03:46to his

01:03:46faithful

01:03:47followers?

01:03:49Is this

01:03:50God's true

01:03:50church to

01:03:51which he's

01:03:51speaking?

01:03:55That's an

01:03:55interesting

01:03:56question.

01:03:58In Matthew

01:03:5923,

01:04:00verse 34,

01:04:01we see that

01:04:02even after

01:04:03the death

01:04:03of Christ,

01:04:06mercy would

01:04:07linger as if

01:04:08longing to

01:04:08save the

01:04:09nation.

01:04:12Verse 34,

01:04:13wherefore,

01:04:13behold,

01:04:14I send unto

01:04:14you prophets

01:04:15and wise men

01:04:16and scribes,

01:04:17and some of

01:04:17them ye

01:04:18shall kill

01:04:19and crucify,

01:04:21and some of

01:04:22them ye

01:04:22shall scourge

01:04:23in your

01:04:23synagogues

01:04:24and persecute

01:04:24them from

01:04:25city to

01:04:25city,

01:04:26that upon

01:04:26you may

01:04:27come,

01:04:27upon you,

01:04:30who?

01:04:32Literal

01:04:32Israel,

01:04:33upon you

01:04:34may come,

01:04:35all the

01:04:36righteous

01:04:36blood shed

01:04:37upon the

01:04:38earth,

01:04:38from the

01:04:38blood of

01:04:39righteous

01:04:39Abel,

01:04:40unto the

01:04:40blood of

01:04:40Zechariah,

01:04:41son of

01:04:42Barachias,

01:04:43whom ye

01:04:43slew between

01:04:44the temple

01:04:44and the

01:04:45altar.

01:04:46Verily,

01:04:47I say unto

01:04:47you,

01:04:48all these

01:04:49things shall

01:04:50come upon

01:04:50this generation.

01:04:56All

01:04:56these

01:04:57things.

01:05:05It sounds

01:05:06like the

01:05:06cup of

01:05:06the Jews

01:05:07iniquity

01:05:10as a

01:05:10nation

01:05:12was

01:05:13rapidly

01:05:14filling

01:05:15rather than

01:05:15hearing praises

01:05:16for being a

01:05:17nation of

01:05:17priests

01:05:19following God's

01:05:20will.

01:05:21Doesn't it?

01:05:23Matthew 23

01:05:24verse 37

01:05:25Lord Jesus

01:05:26says,

01:05:27Your house

01:05:27is left

01:05:28unto you

01:05:28desolate

01:05:29because you

01:05:29rejected the

01:05:30Messiah.

01:05:31O Jerusalem,

01:05:32Jerusalem,

01:05:32thou that

01:05:33killest the

01:05:34prophets and

01:05:34stonest them

01:05:36which are

01:05:36sent unto

01:05:37thee,

01:05:37how often

01:05:38would I

01:05:39have gathered

01:05:40thy

01:05:40children

01:05:41together

01:05:42for

01:05:43thousands

01:05:43of

01:05:44years.

01:05:50God has

01:05:51been trying

01:05:51to win

01:05:52his people

01:05:52and have

01:05:52a nation

01:05:53of priests.

01:05:56Here he

01:05:56chose

01:05:56Jerusalem.

01:05:57He gave

01:05:58them another

01:05:58490 years.

01:05:59The Messiah

01:06:00comes and

01:06:01they reject

01:06:02him.

01:06:03And he

01:06:03says,

01:06:05How often

01:06:06would I

01:06:06have gathered

01:06:07thy children

01:06:07together?

01:06:09Even as a

01:06:10hen gathereth

01:06:11her chickens

01:06:11under her

01:06:12wings and

01:06:13ye would

01:06:14not.

01:06:16Behold,

01:06:17your house

01:06:17is left

01:06:18unto you

01:06:19desolate.

01:06:20That's a

01:06:21critically important

01:06:22word by

01:06:23word by

01:06:23the way.

01:06:25And then

01:06:26in the very

01:06:27next chapter

01:06:27Jesus

01:06:28proceeded to

01:06:28describe the

01:06:29destruction of

01:06:29Jerusalem.

01:06:31We see in

01:06:32Matthew 24

01:06:34verse 1

01:06:34that Jesus,

01:06:35the Shekinah

01:06:37leaves the

01:06:38temple,

01:06:38right?

01:06:40And Jesus

01:06:41went out and

01:06:42departed from the

01:06:42temple just like

01:06:43the Shekinah did

01:06:44in the first

01:06:44temple.

01:06:46And his

01:06:47disciples came

01:06:47to him for

01:06:48to show him

01:06:49the buildings

01:06:49of the

01:06:50temple.

01:06:52You know,

01:06:53when Jesus

01:06:53left the

01:06:54temple,

01:06:55it was left

01:06:56desolate and

01:06:57had no

01:06:57protection.

01:06:59It was no

01:07:00longer the

01:07:01temple of

01:07:01God or

01:07:02my house,

01:07:03but he

01:07:03said,

01:07:04it was your

01:07:04house.

01:07:07Jesus made

01:07:08clear that in

01:07:08rejecting him,

01:07:09national Israel

01:07:10revoked the

01:07:11purpose of her

01:07:12existence.

01:07:14Now,

01:07:15this is not

01:07:15to say that

01:07:16the state of

01:07:17Israel should

01:07:18not exist as

01:07:19a political

01:07:19entity or

01:07:20that individual

01:07:21Jews who

01:07:22accept Jesus

01:07:23are excluded

01:07:23from the

01:07:24blessings of

01:07:24the covenant.

01:07:26But when the

01:07:27Jewish nation,

01:07:29through its

01:07:29constituted

01:07:30leaders,

01:07:31rejected Jesus

01:07:32and proclaimed

01:07:33Caesar their

01:07:34king,

01:07:35they withdrew

01:07:37from the

01:07:37theocracy.

01:07:40Truly,

01:07:40the blood of

01:07:41Jesus would be

01:07:41on them and

01:07:42their children.

01:07:44Matthew 27,

01:07:45verse 25.

01:07:47The sad

01:07:48reality is that

01:07:48they were

01:07:49fulfilling prophecy

01:07:49and they

01:07:50didn't even

01:07:50realize it.

01:07:52Remember,

01:07:53they didn't

01:07:53even know

01:07:53Jesus was

01:07:54being born.

01:07:57Matthew 24,

01:07:58verses 2 and

01:07:593.

01:08:00Jesus lingers

01:08:01on the

01:08:01Mount of

01:08:01Olives,

01:08:02east of

01:08:03Jerusalem,

01:08:05just like

01:08:06the Shekinah

01:08:06did at the

01:08:07first temple,

01:08:08and he

01:08:09speaks about

01:08:09the destruction

01:08:10or desolation

01:08:11of Jerusalem.

01:08:15verse 2,

01:08:15And Jesus

01:08:16said unto

01:08:16them,

01:08:16Seen ye

01:08:17not all

01:08:17these things?

01:08:19Verily I

01:08:20say unto

01:08:20you,

01:08:21there shall

01:08:21not be

01:08:22left here

01:08:22one stone

01:08:23upon another

01:08:24that shall

01:08:25not be

01:08:25thrown down.

01:08:26And as

01:08:27he sat

01:08:27upon the

01:08:28Mount of

01:08:28Olives,

01:08:28the disciples

01:08:29came unto

01:08:29him privately

01:08:30saying,

01:08:31Tell us,

01:08:31when shall

01:08:31these things

01:08:32be?

01:08:32And what

01:08:33shall be

01:08:34the sign

01:08:34of thy

01:08:35coming

01:08:35and of

01:08:35the end

01:08:36of the

01:08:36world?

01:08:39And of

01:08:40the end

01:08:41of the

01:08:41world.

01:08:42And then

01:08:43we go

01:08:43on and

01:08:44read in

01:08:44verse 15,

01:08:46Jesus

01:08:46said,

01:08:47We

01:08:47therefore

01:08:48shall

01:08:48see the

01:08:48abomination

01:08:49of desolation

01:08:51spoken of

01:08:52by who?

01:08:54Daniel the

01:08:55prophet

01:08:57stand in

01:08:58the holy

01:08:58place,

01:08:58whoso readeth

01:08:59let him

01:08:59understand.

01:09:01If you

01:09:02see the

01:09:02abomination

01:09:03of desolation,

01:09:04stand in

01:09:05the holy

01:09:05place.

01:09:05When the

01:09:07abomination

01:09:07of desolation

01:09:08was seen,

01:09:09you knew

01:09:09the desolation

01:09:10was near.

01:09:12And this

01:09:13abomination

01:09:13of desolation

01:09:14is the one

01:09:14spoken of

01:09:15by Daniel

01:09:16the prophet.

01:09:17This

01:09:17connects it

01:09:18with Daniel

01:09:199.

01:09:21Luke 21

01:09:22verse 20,

01:09:24And when

01:09:24ye shall

01:09:25see Jerusalem

01:09:26compassed

01:09:26with armies,

01:09:27then know

01:09:28that the

01:09:29desolation

01:09:29thereof

01:09:30is nigh.

01:09:30It's

01:09:30close.

01:09:33The

01:09:33abomination

01:09:34of desolation

01:09:34was the

01:09:35Roman army

01:09:35surrounding

01:09:36Jerusalem

01:09:36and its

01:09:36siege and

01:09:37destruction

01:09:38in 70

01:09:39A.D.

01:09:42Luke 19

01:09:42verse 41,

01:09:45And when

01:09:46he was

01:09:46come near,

01:09:49he beheld

01:09:50the city

01:09:50and wept

01:09:51over it,

01:09:53saying,

01:09:54If thou

01:09:54hadst known,

01:09:55even thou

01:09:55at least

01:09:55in this

01:09:56thy day,

01:09:58the things

01:09:59which belong

01:09:59unto thy

01:10:00peace,

01:10:01that now

01:10:01they are

01:10:02hid from

01:10:02thine

01:10:02eyes.

01:10:03For

01:10:04the

01:10:04day

01:10:04shall

01:10:04come

01:10:05upon

01:10:05thee,

01:10:05that

01:10:05thine

01:10:06enemies

01:10:06shall

01:10:06cast

01:10:06a

01:10:07trench

01:10:07about

01:10:07thee,

01:10:08and

01:10:08compass

01:10:09thee

01:10:09round,

01:10:09and keep

01:10:10thee

01:10:10in on

01:10:11every

01:10:11side,

01:10:12and

01:10:13shall

01:10:14lay

01:10:14thee

01:10:14even

01:10:15with

01:10:16the

01:10:16ground,

01:10:17and

01:10:18thy

01:10:18children

01:10:18within

01:10:18thee,

01:10:19and

01:10:19they

01:10:19shall

01:10:19not

01:10:20leave

01:10:20in

01:10:20thee

01:10:20one

01:10:21stone

01:10:21upon

01:10:21another,

01:10:22because

01:10:23thou

01:10:23knewest

01:10:23not

01:10:24the

01:10:24time

01:10:25of

01:10:25thy

01:10:26visitation.

01:10:28this

01:10:29was the

01:10:29last chance

01:10:30for the

01:10:30Hebrew

01:10:30theocracy,

01:10:32to have

01:10:32a nation

01:10:33of

01:10:33priests

01:10:33who

01:10:33solely

01:10:34were

01:10:34obedient

01:10:34to

01:10:34God,

01:10:36and

01:10:36it

01:10:37will

01:10:37never

01:10:38be

01:10:38attained

01:10:38through

01:10:38the

01:10:38nation

01:10:39of

01:10:39Israel

01:10:39on

01:10:39earth,

01:10:41That

01:10:42has

01:10:42been

01:10:42made

01:10:42clear

01:10:43by

01:10:43Jesus

01:10:44himself.

01:10:46So

01:10:46let's

01:10:47look at

01:10:47and

01:10:48review

01:10:49the

01:10:49three

01:10:49stages

01:10:49of

01:10:50Israel's

01:10:50history.

01:10:51Stage

01:10:51one,

01:10:54they're

01:10:54taken out

01:10:55of

01:10:55captivity

01:10:55in

01:10:56Egypt,

01:10:56they

01:10:57make

01:10:57a

01:10:57covenant

01:10:57at

01:10:57Sinai,

01:10:58then

01:10:59they

01:10:59have

01:10:59an

01:11:00apostasy

01:11:02for

01:11:03800

01:11:03years,

01:11:05they

01:11:05mingled

01:11:06with

01:11:06the

01:11:06nations,

01:11:07you

01:11:08know,

01:11:08and

01:11:08assimilated

01:11:09with

01:11:09their

01:11:09evil

01:11:10conduct,

01:11:11and

01:11:11the

01:11:11result

01:11:12was

01:11:12the

01:11:12Babylonian

01:11:13captivity

01:11:13for

01:11:1370

01:11:14years.

01:11:14Then

01:11:15you

01:11:15had

01:11:15stage

01:11:15two.

01:11:16They're

01:11:17taken

01:11:17out

01:11:18of

01:11:18captivity

01:11:18and

01:11:18returned

01:11:19to

01:11:19the

01:11:19temple

01:11:19and

01:11:19the

01:11:19walls

01:11:20and

01:11:20the

01:11:20city

01:11:20and

01:11:21the

01:11:21government

01:11:21of

01:11:22Israel.

01:11:22Then

01:11:23they

01:11:24have

01:11:2470

01:11:24weeks

01:11:24probation

01:11:26Jewish

01:11:26nation.

01:11:27This

01:11:28is

01:11:28their

01:11:28second

01:11:29chance,

01:11:29you

01:11:29could

01:11:30say,

01:11:30I

01:11:30guess.

01:11:31They

01:11:31responded

01:11:32by

01:11:32isolating

01:11:32themselves

01:11:33and

01:11:33becoming

01:11:34legalistic.

01:11:35Very

01:11:36legalistic.

01:11:38Stage

01:11:38three.

01:11:39The

01:11:40son

01:11:40is

01:11:41sent

01:11:41as

01:11:42a

01:11:42last

01:11:42resort.

01:11:43Goes

01:11:43along

01:11:44with

01:11:44the

01:11:44parables,

01:11:44doesn't

01:11:45it?

01:11:46The

01:11:46son

01:11:47is

01:11:47sent

01:11:47as

01:11:48a

01:11:48last

01:11:49resort

01:11:49for

01:11:49Israel

01:11:50to

01:11:50repent

01:11:50and

01:11:51be

01:11:51God's

01:11:51nation

01:11:52of

01:11:52priests.

01:11:54The

01:11:54parable

01:11:55says,

01:11:55last

01:11:55of

01:11:56all,

01:11:56he

01:11:56sent

01:11:56his

01:11:57son.

01:11:58Right?

01:12:02We learn

01:12:03a lot in

01:12:03the stages

01:12:04of Israel's

01:12:05history,

01:12:05don't we?

01:12:06And what

01:12:07we find

01:12:08here is

01:12:08really

01:12:09two sins

01:12:10that are

01:12:11compared

01:12:11between

01:12:12fallen

01:12:12Israel

01:12:13and

01:12:13apostate

01:12:13Christianity.

01:12:17And we've

01:12:18seen this

01:12:18in our

01:12:18study of

01:12:19Daniel 9

01:12:19and going

01:12:20through

01:12:20and looking

01:12:20at it

01:12:21with the

01:12:21little horn

01:12:21and God's

01:12:22people.

01:12:23Daniel 7,

01:12:24verse 25,

01:12:25for the

01:12:26Great

01:12:26Controversy,

01:12:27pages 22

01:12:28and 23.

01:12:29The

01:12:29great

01:12:30sin of

01:12:30the

01:12:30Jews

01:12:30was

01:12:31their

01:12:31rejection

01:12:32of

01:12:32Christ.

01:12:33The

01:12:33great

01:12:33sin of

01:12:34the

01:12:34Christian

01:12:34world

01:12:35would

01:12:35be

01:12:35their

01:12:36rejection

01:12:36of

01:12:36the

01:12:37law

01:12:37of

01:12:37God.

01:12:38That's

01:12:38why

01:12:38the

01:12:38Sabbath

01:12:39day,

01:12:39the

01:12:39fourth

01:12:39commandment,

01:12:40is at

01:12:41the

01:12:41center

01:12:42of the

01:12:43last

01:12:44battle

01:12:45between

01:12:45good and

01:12:46evil.

01:12:47Are you

01:12:48going to

01:12:48accept

01:12:48God's

01:12:48law

01:12:49or

01:12:49reject

01:12:49it?

01:12:53And so

01:12:54she says,

01:12:56the

01:12:56great sin

01:12:57of the

01:12:57Christian

01:12:57world

01:12:57would

01:12:57be

01:12:58their

01:12:58rejection

01:12:59of

01:12:59the

01:12:59law

01:12:59of

01:12:59God,

01:13:00the

01:13:01foundation

01:13:01of

01:13:01his

01:13:01government

01:13:02in

01:13:02heaven

01:13:02and

01:13:02earth.

01:13:03The

01:13:03precepts

01:13:04of

01:13:04Jehovah

01:13:04would

01:13:05be

01:13:05despised

01:13:06and

01:13:06set

01:13:06at

01:13:07naught.

01:13:10You

01:13:10know,

01:13:10in

01:13:10today's

01:13:11Christian

01:13:11church

01:13:12you hear

01:13:12that the

01:13:13law

01:13:13was

01:13:13nailed

01:13:13to

01:13:13the

01:13:14cross,

01:13:14don't

01:13:14you?

01:13:15That

01:13:15no one

01:13:17can

01:13:17keep

01:13:17it,

01:13:18that it

01:13:18was for

01:13:19the

01:13:19Jews

01:13:19only,

01:13:20that we're

01:13:21not under

01:13:21the

01:13:21law but

01:13:22under

01:13:22grace,

01:13:23that we're

01:13:23not under

01:13:24the

01:13:24letter but

01:13:24under

01:13:25the

01:13:25spirit,

01:13:26that all

01:13:26you need

01:13:26to do

01:13:26is believe

01:13:27and be

01:13:27saved,

01:13:28and on

01:13:29and on

01:13:29and on.

01:13:29And what

01:13:30is that?

01:13:30That's a

01:13:31rejection

01:13:31of the

01:13:32law

01:13:32of

01:13:32God.

01:13:37But it's

01:13:37interesting

01:13:38in the

01:13:38political

01:13:39arena,

01:13:39especially

01:13:39today,

01:13:41you hear

01:13:41a different

01:13:42tune.

01:13:42In the

01:13:43political

01:13:43arena,

01:13:44the

01:13:44religious

01:13:44leaders

01:13:44say that

01:13:45the

01:13:45government

01:13:45must

01:13:46enforce

01:13:46morality,

01:13:48traditional

01:13:48marriage,

01:13:50sanctity of

01:13:50life,

01:13:51anti-pornography,

01:13:53etc.

01:13:55President Trump's

01:13:56pushed as a

01:13:57Christian political

01:13:57messiah of sorts,

01:13:59isn't he?

01:13:59And we need to

01:14:00come back to

01:14:01Judeo-Christian

01:14:02values.

01:14:04But the

01:14:05United States was

01:14:06founded as a

01:14:06Christian nation,

01:14:08which isn't

01:14:09accurate.

01:14:10you know,

01:14:11the First

01:14:11Amendment makes

01:14:12that actually

01:14:12very plain.

01:14:14This is

01:14:15old devil

01:14:15speak.

01:14:16It's speaking

01:14:16out of both

01:14:17sides of

01:14:17their mouth.

01:14:18People believe

01:14:18what they hear

01:14:19in the church

01:14:19and society

01:14:20reflects it,

01:14:21and then the

01:14:22church wants

01:14:22the government

01:14:22to fix what

01:14:23they broke.

01:14:26This is what

01:14:27helped spawn the

01:14:28little horn,

01:14:28the church

01:14:29state power.

01:14:32So,

01:14:33in summary,

01:14:34let's finish

01:14:34it up here.

01:14:37In summary,

01:14:39God gave

01:14:40Israel another

01:14:4170 weeks,

01:14:42that's 490

01:14:42years,

01:14:43in order to

01:14:44become the

01:14:45nation of

01:14:45priests that

01:14:46he desired,

01:14:47who would

01:14:48then accept

01:14:48the Messiah

01:14:49when he

01:14:49came.

01:14:52And by

01:14:52the way,

01:14:53we would

01:14:54have a lot

01:14:54different history

01:14:55after that.

01:14:56That's something

01:14:57to kind of

01:14:58contemplate.

01:15:00But,

01:15:02they would,

01:15:03you know,

01:15:05they would

01:15:05give him

01:15:06490 years

01:15:07to do this.

01:15:08Revelation

01:15:09speaks about

01:15:10a spiritual

01:15:11nation of

01:15:12priests that

01:15:12except Jesus

01:15:13had his

01:15:13second coming.

01:15:16We know

01:15:17that humanity

01:15:18had not

01:15:18reached the

01:15:18lowest depth

01:15:19of their

01:15:19sinful degradation

01:15:21with Adam's

01:15:21firstborn.

01:15:23How could

01:15:24it?

01:15:25So,

01:15:26Cain was

01:15:26not the

01:15:27looked-for

01:15:27deliverer from

01:15:28sin.

01:15:28In fact,

01:15:29he murdered

01:15:30his brother.

01:15:32No,

01:15:32God must

01:15:33wait

01:15:334,000

01:15:35years

01:15:35before the

01:15:38true

01:15:39character

01:15:39of Satan

01:15:40and sin

01:15:41could be

01:15:41shown.

01:15:42The

01:15:43deliverer

01:15:43then could

01:15:44come,

01:15:44save mankind

01:15:45from the

01:15:45lowest

01:15:46depth of

01:15:46sin,

01:15:47and justify

01:15:47God

01:15:48before

01:15:48unfallen

01:15:49angels

01:15:49and worlds.

01:15:51Why did

01:15:52God wait

01:15:52so long?

01:15:54Sin had

01:15:54not run

01:15:55its course,

01:15:55friends,

01:15:56to show

01:15:56the complete

01:15:57damage it

01:15:57does to

01:15:58all

01:15:59creation.

01:16:02And

01:16:02throughout

01:16:03literal

01:16:03Israel's

01:16:04history,

01:16:05we see

01:16:05a pattern

01:16:05of sin

01:16:06and apostasy

01:16:07instead of

01:16:08developing

01:16:09into the

01:16:09nation of

01:16:10priests

01:16:10loyal to

01:16:11God

01:16:11alone.

01:16:12This

01:16:13led to

01:16:13captivity

01:16:13and

01:16:14destruction.

01:16:16Now,

01:16:16we know

01:16:17that anywhere

01:16:17Jesus is,

01:16:18there is

01:16:18his church.

01:16:19Jesus

01:16:20left the

01:16:21earthly

01:16:21Jewish

01:16:21temple

01:16:21desolate

01:16:22due to

01:16:22its

01:16:23rejecting

01:16:23him

01:16:23as the

01:16:24Christ,

01:16:25and it

01:16:25remains

01:16:25desolate

01:16:26to this

01:16:26day,

01:16:27friends.

01:16:28And so

01:16:29the question,

01:16:29what is

01:16:29the

01:16:29abomination

01:16:30of

01:16:30desolation

01:16:31spoken of

01:16:32by Daniel

01:16:32the prophet?

01:16:34Well,

01:16:34we'll get

01:16:35deeper into

01:16:35the answer

01:16:36to that

01:16:36question as

01:16:37we continue

01:16:37our studies

01:16:38in the

01:16:38time of

01:16:39the end

01:16:39prophecy

01:16:40series.

01:16:41We have

01:16:41spoken about

01:16:43it in

01:16:43our studies

01:16:44up to

01:16:45now.

01:16:45You should

01:16:46have a

01:16:46good idea

01:16:47of what

01:16:47it is.

01:16:48But

01:16:48God,

01:16:49through

01:16:49Daniel,

01:16:50as we go

01:16:50through the

01:16:50rest of

01:16:51chapters,

01:16:51gives us

01:16:51more and

01:16:52more and

01:16:52more,

01:16:53so that

01:16:54there will

01:16:54not be

01:16:55friends,

01:16:56actually,

01:16:56a doubt.

01:16:59And our

01:16:59faith can

01:17:00be settled

01:17:00to that.

01:17:02I hope

01:17:03that you've

01:17:03seen this

01:17:05as we've

01:17:06gone through

01:17:06here in

01:17:07these last

01:17:07couple of

01:17:10studies in

01:17:10particular.

01:17:12Let's have a

01:17:12word of

01:17:13prayer.

01:17:13Father in

01:17:13heaven,

01:17:14we thank

01:17:14you so

01:17:14much for

01:17:15the

01:17:15Sabbath

01:17:15day.

01:17:16We thank

01:17:16you that

01:17:17we still

01:17:19have an

01:17:19opportunity to

01:17:20study from

01:17:20your word

01:17:21and that

01:17:21we depend

01:17:22upon the

01:17:22Holy Spirit

01:17:23to lead

01:17:23us to

01:17:23all truth.

01:17:24Father,

01:17:25I pray

01:17:25that you

01:17:25be near

01:17:26those who

01:17:26may be

01:17:27hearing some

01:17:27of these

01:17:27things for

01:17:28the first

01:17:29time and

01:17:29it might

01:17:30be just

01:17:31scary to

01:17:31them or

01:17:32they just

01:17:33don't have

01:17:34a right

01:17:34understanding

01:17:34as yet.

01:17:35Please be

01:17:35very near

01:17:36to them.

01:17:37May they

01:17:38come to

01:17:38know Jesus

01:17:39through this

01:17:39truth and

01:17:41be upon that

01:17:42sea of glass

01:17:42when he

01:17:42returns,

01:17:43which the

01:17:43Bible is

01:17:44telling us

01:17:44is very

01:17:45soon.

01:17:46It's even

01:17:46at the

01:17:46doors.

01:17:48And thank

01:17:49you for

01:17:49Jesus.

01:17:50That's

01:17:50forgiveness

01:17:50for the

01:17:51sins of

01:17:51all people

01:17:53as we

01:17:54claim the

01:17:54blood he

01:17:55shed

01:17:55there at

01:17:55Calvary.

01:17:57Thank you

01:17:58for hearing

01:17:58me and

01:17:59answering my

01:17:59prayer.

01:18:00I pray in

01:18:00Jesus'

01:18:00name.

01:18:01Amen.

01:18:02And

01:18:04Amen.

01:18:05Well, I want

01:18:05to thank you

01:18:06for hanging

01:18:06in with me.

01:18:08I kind of

01:18:08wanted to tie

01:18:09this up.

01:18:09It took a

01:18:09little bit

01:18:10longer than

01:18:10I expected.

01:18:12Appreciate your

01:18:12prayers and

01:18:14continue to

01:18:15look up.

01:18:15Don't doubt

01:18:16the love of

01:18:17Jesus for you,

01:18:17friends.

01:18:18Don't doubt

01:18:19it.

01:18:21Jesus loves

01:18:22you.

01:18:22He died

01:18:23for you.

01:18:23He wants

01:18:24to hold you

01:18:25in his hand

01:18:26and save

01:18:26you from

01:18:27what's coming

01:18:27and bring

01:18:28you to

01:18:29heaven.

01:18:29Don't doubt

01:18:30that.

01:18:31Don't let

01:18:32Satan end

01:18:32with your

01:18:32doubts.

01:18:33And keep

01:18:34looking up.

01:18:35We'll all be

01:18:36together one

01:18:37of these days

01:18:37and we'll

01:18:37meet.

01:18:38What a

01:18:39joyous day

01:18:39that'll be.

01:18:40Take care.

01:18:40We'll see

01:18:41you next

01:18:41time.

01:18:42God bless.

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