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Rediscovering Revelation: A Victorious Future | God With Us

November 7, 2025 | 54:47

Rediscovering Revelation: A Victorious Future | God With Us
God With Us: Rethinking the End by Going Back to the Beginning invites believers to rediscover the hope-filled vision of God’s Kingdom—not as something far off in the future, but as a present and advancing reality. Too often, end-times theology has left Christians waiting for escape instead of living with Kingdom authority. This series asks hard questions: If Christ reigns, why does the world seem to be going downhill? Why doesn’t it look like the Kingdom is advancing? Could it be that what we believe about the "end" has shaped how we live in the present? With fresh insight and biblical clarity, God With Us offers a victorious perspective—reminding us that Jesus has already won, His Kingdom is here, and our calling is to join Him in bringing heaven to earth.
#Revelation #EndTimes #Eschatology #Study #Bible #WorldHistory #BibleHistory #MarkoftheBeast #Tribulation #Antichrist #Rapture #SecondComing #JewishHistory #Church #LightoftheWorld #Victory

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| Rediscovering Revelation: A Victorious Future | God With Us | November 7, 2025
  • - [announcer] previously on "god with us".
  • 00:00:00.390 --> 00:00:02.992
  • - the world is supposed to get worse and worse,
  • 00:00:02.992 --> 00:00:05.161
  • But then right at the very, very last moment,
  • 00:00:05.161 --> 00:00:07.597
  • As it's super dark,
  • 00:00:07.597 --> 00:00:09.933
  • Jesus is gonna come back and set everything right.
  • 00:00:09.933 --> 00:00:12.602
  • - it seemed like the message was designed by a torturous god
  • 00:00:12.602 --> 00:00:17.907
  • To catch the most of us off guard as possible,
  • 00:00:18.842 --> 00:00:21.377
  • Take the fewest with him, and the rest of us go to hell.
  • 00:00:21.377 --> 00:00:25.381
  • - how is it that just these last 150 years,
  • 00:00:25.381 --> 00:00:28.518
  • This has become the dominant view
  • 00:00:28.518 --> 00:00:30.753
  • And somehow we lost touch?
  • 00:00:30.753 --> 00:00:33.323
  • - i believe with all my heart
  • 00:00:33.323 --> 00:00:34.991
  • That that's not the story your bible is telling.
  • 00:00:34.991 --> 00:00:37.127
  • - the new age has been inaugurated.
  • 00:00:37.127 --> 00:00:38.995
  • The kingdom of god has begun on earth as in heaven,
  • 00:00:38.995 --> 00:00:42.398
  • And we get to be part of it.
  • 00:00:42.398 --> 00:00:44.167
  • - daniel 9 is a very complex oracle,
  • 00:00:44.167 --> 00:00:48.004
  • But long and the short of it is the messiah did come.
  • 00:00:48.004 --> 00:00:50.840
  • - matthew 24 in the popular dominant view of the end times
  • 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:54.944
  • Is looked at almost more than any other chapter.
  • 00:00:54.944 --> 00:00:58.047
  • - jesus said, "jerusalem will be destroyed."
  • 00:00:58.047 --> 00:01:02.285
  • - in ad 70, we have the jewish-roman war.
  • 00:01:02.285 --> 00:01:06.256
  • - many christians have never heard about it before.
  • 00:01:06.256 --> 00:01:08.791
  • - when you talk about great tribulation,
  • 00:01:08.791 --> 00:01:11.161
  • Not in the future.
  • 00:01:11.161 --> 00:01:13.229
  • - the book of revelation is a prophecy of jesus christ
  • 00:01:13.229 --> 00:01:18.501
  • Told in the language of symbols.
  • 00:01:19.135 --> 00:01:21.604
  • - i think the problem when people go to revelation
  • 00:01:21.604 --> 00:01:24.541
  • Is they still think most of it is future.
  • 00:01:24.541 --> 00:01:27.343
  • - most of the church fathers,
  • 00:01:27.343 --> 00:01:29.546
  • When we read their writings today,
  • 00:01:29.546 --> 00:01:31.614
  • Believe the beast was an emperor named nero.
  • 00:01:31.614 --> 00:01:35.418
  • His name literally spells out 666.
  • 00:01:35.418 --> 00:01:41.591
  • - the interesting thing is,
  • 00:01:42.192 --> 00:01:44.027
  • People talk a lot about the mark of the beast,
  • 00:01:44.027 --> 00:01:46.095
  • But they very seldom talk about the mark of god.
  • 00:01:46.095 --> 00:01:49.032
  • - the rapture mentality has gone with a whole narrative
  • 00:01:49.032 --> 00:01:52.302
  • Which is superimposed onto the bible,
  • 00:01:52.302 --> 00:01:55.004
  • Which is not the story that the bible is telling.
  • 00:01:55.004 --> 00:01:57.540
  • - our beautiful production is simply saying, "hey,
  • 00:01:57.540 --> 00:02:01.277
  • What if there is a victorious eschatology ahead?
  • 00:02:01.277 --> 00:02:06.282
  • What if there's a victory in our future?"
  • 00:02:06.282 --> 00:02:09.719
  • (enchanting music)
  • 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:16.359
  • - [narrator] tonight, a journey to rediscover the hope,
  • 00:02:17.427 --> 00:02:20.263
  • Purpose, and victory jesus entrusted to his church
  • 00:02:20.263 --> 00:02:23.900
  • And to finally trade our fear of the end
  • 00:02:23.900 --> 00:02:26.536
  • For faith in a future that just may have already begun.
  • 00:02:26.536 --> 00:02:30.873
  • This is "god with us",
  • 00:02:31.374 --> 00:02:33.142
  • Rethinking the end by going back to the beginning.
  • 00:02:33.142 --> 00:02:38.815
  • - the more i learned,
  • 00:02:39.315 --> 00:02:40.583
  • The more i realized there are other ways
  • 00:02:40.583 --> 00:02:42.652
  • To think about prophecy and the book of revelation.
  • 00:02:42.652 --> 00:02:46.823
  • - it's an easy book to misread,
  • 00:02:47.457 --> 00:02:50.159
  • But if you understand history - - and here's the thing,
  • 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:53.096
  • None of us paid much attention in history
  • 00:02:53.096 --> 00:02:54.998
  • And we weren't taught much of world history,
  • 00:02:54.998 --> 00:02:57.000
  • Ancient world history in school --
  • 00:02:57.000 --> 00:02:59.402
  • But the more you understand the events
  • 00:02:59.402 --> 00:03:01.537
  • Of particularly that seven-year period of time
  • 00:03:01.537 --> 00:03:04.007
  • That ran up to the destruction of the temple in ad 70,
  • 00:03:04.007 --> 00:03:07.777
  • The more you understand detail about those events,
  • 00:03:07.777 --> 00:03:10.913
  • The more you see their parallels in the book of revelation.
  • 00:03:10.913 --> 00:03:14.317
  • They match up astonishingly well.
  • 00:03:14.317 --> 00:03:19.155
  • - [narrator] an important question
  • 00:03:19.155 --> 00:03:20.657
  • Concerning the book of revelation
  • 00:03:20.657 --> 00:03:22.425
  • Pertains to the timeframe in which the book was written,
  • 00:03:22.425 --> 00:03:25.928
  • An early date around 66...
  • 00:03:25.928 --> 00:03:28.064
  • - [narrator] ad supports much of revelation
  • 00:03:28.931 --> 00:03:30.333
  • Being about the coming destruction of jerusalem.
  • 00:03:30.333 --> 00:03:32.935
  • But a later date, like 95 ad,
  • 00:03:33.569 --> 00:03:36.339
  • Would indicate something very different.
  • 00:03:36.339 --> 00:03:38.975
  • - there's a discussion between revelation by john
  • 00:03:39.976 --> 00:03:43.079
  • Being written either in 65, or so, ad,
  • 00:03:43.079 --> 00:03:47.083
  • Certainly before 68, or 95 ad.
  • 00:03:47.083 --> 00:03:50.920
  • The early date of the book of revelation
  • 00:03:50.920 --> 00:03:53.623
  • Is a whole study in and of itself.
  • 00:03:53.623 --> 00:03:56.492
  • But basically the reason for the early date, i think,
  • 00:03:56.492 --> 00:04:00.530
  • Is because of what the book of revelation says about itself
  • 00:04:00.530 --> 00:04:04.334
  • And how that relates to the biggest thing
  • 00:04:04.334 --> 00:04:06.436
  • That was happening at that day and time
  • 00:04:06.436 --> 00:04:08.338
  • In that first century, and that was destruction
  • 00:04:08.338 --> 00:04:10.239
  • Of the old covenant, and the removal of the old covenant
  • 00:04:10.239 --> 00:04:13.376
  • Animal sacrifice blood temple system.
  • 00:04:13.376 --> 00:04:15.845
  • Jesus put a timeframe on it.
  • 00:04:16.446 --> 00:04:17.947
  • "verily, verily, i tell you the truth.
  • 00:04:17.947 --> 00:04:19.549
  • This generation will not pass away
  • 00:04:19.549 --> 00:04:21.351
  • Till all these things have happened."
  • 00:04:21.351 --> 00:04:22.852
  • Revelation itself puts a timeframe on it
  • 00:04:22.852 --> 00:04:25.655
  • That these things were at hand, were shortly to take place,
  • 00:04:25.655 --> 00:04:28.024
  • Within three to four years of when that book was written.
  • 00:04:28.024 --> 00:04:31.961
  • I mean, how could it get any more specific than that?
  • 00:04:31.961 --> 00:04:36.733
  • - the reason the date is important
  • 00:04:36.733 --> 00:04:38.668
  • Is that when john wrote the book of revelation,
  • 00:04:38.668 --> 00:04:41.471
  • We believe in 65 or 66 ad,
  • 00:04:41.471 --> 00:04:44.974
  • In chapter 17, verse 10,
  • 00:04:44.974 --> 00:04:47.443
  • He gives a specific rundown of the caesars in their order,
  • 00:04:47.443 --> 00:04:52.782
  • And he said, "five have been, one now is,
  • 00:04:53.649 --> 00:04:57.453
  • And one that will come next
  • 00:04:57.453 --> 00:04:59.255
  • Is going to rule for a very short time."
  • 00:04:59.255 --> 00:05:01.524
  • That's revelation 17:10.
  • 00:05:01.524 --> 00:05:03.926
  • Well, if you list the five caesars that had already served,
  • 00:05:03.926 --> 00:05:08.865
  • The one that now is, is the sixth one, which was nero.
  • 00:05:08.865 --> 00:05:13.302
  • We know the years that nero served, and john said,
  • 00:05:13.302 --> 00:05:17.340
  • "one that now is," which is the sixth one,
  • 00:05:17.340 --> 00:05:21.477
  • And he committed suicide in 68 ad,
  • 00:05:21.477 --> 00:05:23.846
  • So he wasn't around in 95.
  • 00:05:23.846 --> 00:05:26.749
  • That would've been a 30-year-old story.
  • 00:05:26.749 --> 00:05:29.252
  • The second one is that john,
  • 00:05:29.252 --> 00:05:33.523
  • Who lived to be almost a hundred years old,
  • 00:05:33.523 --> 00:05:38.227
  • Lived out his years in ephesus.
  • 00:05:38.227 --> 00:05:41.030
  • And eyewitnesses saw him and heard him speak.
  • 00:05:41.030 --> 00:05:45.067
  • And in 95 ad, john was almost dead.
  • 00:05:45.067 --> 00:05:50.373
  • He could hardly walk, see or hear.
  • 00:05:51.107 --> 00:05:53.576
  • So he couldn't have just then been writing
  • 00:05:53.576 --> 00:05:56.179
  • The book of revelation.
  • 00:05:56.179 --> 00:05:57.847
  • - on chapter one of revelations, jesus appeared to john.
  • 00:05:57.847 --> 00:06:01.884
  • Jesus was appearing in glory. john was overwhelmed.
  • 00:06:01.884 --> 00:06:07.190
  • Then jesus said to john, "john, i'm gonna show you
  • 00:06:08.191 --> 00:06:10.393
  • What's gonna happen in the future,
  • 00:06:10.393 --> 00:06:11.694
  • And i want you to write down what you see."
  • 00:06:11.694 --> 00:06:14.564
  • So that's the end of chapter one of revelation.
  • 00:06:14.564 --> 00:06:18.401
  • Then we have chapter two and three.
  • 00:06:18.401 --> 00:06:20.536
  • Jesus gave seven messages to seven churches.
  • 00:06:20.536 --> 00:06:24.440
  • But then, from chapter four on, there are visions.
  • 00:06:24.440 --> 00:06:29.679
  • How do we understand those visions?
  • 00:06:30.446 --> 00:06:36.085
  • - [historian] there are so many scary things
  • 00:06:36.986 --> 00:06:38.488
  • People say come from the book of revelation:
  • 00:06:38.488 --> 00:06:41.257
  • The mark of the beast, the antichrist, armageddon.
  • 00:06:41.257 --> 00:06:44.927
  • Are these all literal things to come,
  • 00:06:45.728 --> 00:06:47.563
  • Or symbolic language for past events?
  • 00:06:47.563 --> 00:06:52.235
  • - and i saw the beast.
  • 00:06:52.735 --> 00:06:54.170
  • The kings of this earth and their armies gathered together
  • 00:06:55.338 --> 00:06:59.275
  • To make war against him who sat on the horse.
  • 00:06:59.275 --> 00:07:03.513
  • - we're gonna do battle with the beast.
  • 00:07:04.313 --> 00:07:07.149
  • - in the next few weeks or so,
  • 00:07:07.149 --> 00:07:08.718
  • We're not gonna be able to buy anything.
  • 00:07:08.718 --> 00:07:11.254
  • No gasoline, no clothes, and no food.
  • 00:07:11.254 --> 00:07:14.690
  • - [kid] without that mark, we're totally on our own.
  • 00:07:14.690 --> 00:07:17.193
  • - [video narrator] the mark of the beast is a mark
  • 00:07:17.193 --> 00:07:18.928
  • That will be forced on people during the end of the world.
  • 00:07:18.928 --> 00:07:21.898
  • - these people will be forced or have to choose
  • 00:07:21.898 --> 00:07:24.300
  • To put on the mark of the beast.
  • 00:07:24.300 --> 00:07:26.135
  • - you may have already taken the seal of the beast.
  • 00:07:26.135 --> 00:07:28.538
  • - even people who are not christians
  • 00:07:28.538 --> 00:07:30.940
  • Know some little things about the book of revelation,
  • 00:07:30.940 --> 00:07:34.010
  • Maybe from horror movies,
  • 00:07:34.544 --> 00:07:36.445
  • Or heavy metal bands, or whatever, right?
  • 00:07:36.445 --> 00:07:39.949
  • So everyone knows that 666 is the number of the beast.
  • 00:07:39.949 --> 00:07:44.186
  • They know that that comes from the book of revelation.
  • 00:07:44.186 --> 00:07:47.189
  • And usually people imagine you having 666
  • 00:07:47.189 --> 00:07:52.528
  • Tattooed on your forehead, or people worshiping.
  • 00:07:53.529 --> 00:07:56.132
  • But when we actually look in context,
  • 00:07:56.132 --> 00:07:58.968
  • It's really interesting.
  • 00:07:58.968 --> 00:08:00.636
  • - [narrator] "it also forced all people, great and small,
  • 00:08:01.771 --> 00:08:04.774
  • Rich and poor, free and slave,
  • 00:08:04.774 --> 00:08:07.710
  • To receive a mark on their right hands,
  • 00:08:07.710 --> 00:08:09.845
  • Or on their foreheads,
  • 00:08:09.845 --> 00:08:11.147
  • So that they could not buy or sell
  • 00:08:11.147 --> 00:08:13.182
  • Unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast,
  • 00:08:13.182 --> 00:08:16.586
  • Or the number of its name.
  • 00:08:16.586 --> 00:08:18.354
  • This calls for wisdom.
  • 00:08:18.354 --> 00:08:19.822
  • Let the person who has insight
  • 00:08:19.822 --> 00:08:21.624
  • Calculate the number of the beast,
  • 00:08:21.624 --> 00:08:23.626
  • For it is the number of a man.
  • 00:08:23.626 --> 00:08:26.162
  • That number is 666."
  • 00:08:26.162 --> 00:08:28.864
  • - so, the mark of the beast.
  • 00:08:29.465 --> 00:08:31.567
  • - beast is the number 666.
  • 00:08:31.567 --> 00:08:33.469
  • And in revelation chapter 14, that's where it's mentioned.
  • 00:08:33.469 --> 00:08:38.808
  • And people today have made a big deal about it.
  • 00:08:39.809 --> 00:08:41.777
  • And there's even books written just on that one point.
  • 00:08:41.777 --> 00:08:45.615
  • And it has been expounded upon many different ways.
  • 00:08:46.682 --> 00:08:50.353
  • And the dispensationalists who interpret the bible in blocks
  • 00:08:50.353 --> 00:08:54.590
  • Of time are the ones in particular who have used that
  • 00:08:54.590 --> 00:08:59.829
  • To say that we should watch out,
  • 00:09:00.463 --> 00:09:03.032
  • 'cause at some point in the future,
  • 00:09:03.032 --> 00:09:04.400
  • The antichrist is gonna
  • 00:09:04.400 --> 00:09:06.435
  • Come establish one ruling government,
  • 00:09:06.435 --> 00:09:09.105
  • Take over the economic systems of the world,
  • 00:09:09.105 --> 00:09:11.774
  • And then cause every human being
  • 00:09:11.774 --> 00:09:14.443
  • To receive a mark on their forehead
  • 00:09:14.443 --> 00:09:16.245
  • Or their hand in order that they could buy or sell.
  • 00:09:16.245 --> 00:09:21.017
  • And if you don't have that mark, you can't buy or sell.
  • 00:09:21.017 --> 00:09:23.753
  • Now, that's the interpretation dispensationalism.
  • 00:09:23.753 --> 00:09:27.323
  • People like me look at that and say, that's not in there.
  • 00:09:27.323 --> 00:09:31.560
  • First of all, we have a whole different overall story
  • 00:09:31.560 --> 00:09:35.965
  • That we see unfolding that it's not an event in the future,
  • 00:09:35.965 --> 00:09:40.136
  • But actually it was primarily the judgment
  • 00:09:40.136 --> 00:09:42.638
  • Of the roman empire that talks about that.
  • 00:09:42.638 --> 00:09:45.608
  • And we would notice that revelation chapter 14 talks
  • 00:09:45.608 --> 00:09:49.679
  • About a beast, but most of the church fathers,
  • 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:53.949
  • When we read their writings today,
  • 00:09:53.949 --> 00:09:56.152
  • Believe the beast was an emperor named nero,
  • 00:09:56.152 --> 00:10:00.022
  • A very, very evil man.
  • 00:10:00.022 --> 00:10:02.591
  • - [narrator] john chrysostom was
  • 00:10:02.591 --> 00:10:03.893
  • A fourth century church leader
  • 00:10:03.893 --> 00:10:05.361
  • And archbishop of constantinople.
  • 00:10:05.361 --> 00:10:07.663
  • He said, "for the mystery of lawlessness does already work.
  • 00:10:07.663 --> 00:10:11.133
  • He speaks here of nero."
  • 00:10:11.133 --> 00:10:13.602
  • - the book of revelation was written
  • 00:10:13.602 --> 00:10:15.271
  • To seven literal churches
  • 00:10:15.271 --> 00:10:18.407
  • That existed in the area of asia minor,
  • 00:10:18.407 --> 00:10:21.277
  • Modern day turkey in the first century.
  • 00:10:21.277 --> 00:10:24.113
  • And it says it was to warn them about things that were
  • 00:10:25.214 --> 00:10:28.084
  • To come because the time was soon.
  • 00:10:28.084 --> 00:10:30.786
  • So let's have a look at history.
  • 00:10:31.420 --> 00:10:34.790
  • At the time, the emperor was nero.
  • 00:10:34.790 --> 00:10:38.527
  • Nero was a very evil emperor.
  • 00:10:38.527 --> 00:10:41.430
  • And in fact, his own roman citizens refer
  • 00:10:41.430 --> 00:10:45.968
  • To him as the great beast.
  • 00:10:45.968 --> 00:10:49.205
  • There are secular writings where they talked about nero
  • 00:10:49.205 --> 00:10:52.608
  • As the great beast in rome.
  • 00:10:52.608 --> 00:10:55.177
  • - the number 666,
  • 00:10:55.177 --> 00:10:57.146
  • Well, we know that that number had significance
  • 00:10:57.146 --> 00:11:01.083
  • For the jewish readers who first read the book revelations,
  • 00:11:01.083 --> 00:11:05.988
  • Because the jews have the hebrew language
  • 00:11:05.988 --> 00:11:09.258
  • And the hebrew letters have corresponding numbers.
  • 00:11:09.258 --> 00:11:13.896
  • And nero was called nero caesar.
  • 00:11:14.530 --> 00:11:18.734
  • But in hebrew,
  • 00:11:19.101 --> 00:11:20.603
  • His name literally spells out 666.
  • 00:11:20.603 --> 00:11:27.943
  • - people are often looking for the antichrist.
  • 00:11:28.911 --> 00:11:31.147
  • They're looking for this beast who,
  • 00:11:31.147 --> 00:11:32.314
  • Number of his name is 666.
  • 00:11:32.314 --> 00:11:35.017
  • Well, the number of nero's name was 666.
  • 00:11:35.017 --> 00:11:39.688
  • And in ad 66-ish, both peter and paul,
  • 00:11:39.688 --> 00:11:44.193
  • The two initial pillars of the church,
  • 00:11:44.193 --> 00:11:46.562
  • Were martyred under nero.
  • 00:11:46.562 --> 00:11:49.031
  • - he had christians beheaded.
  • 00:11:49.031 --> 00:11:52.134
  • The beast in revelation has christians beheaded.
  • 00:11:52.134 --> 00:11:54.603
  • The apostle paul was beheaded by nero.
  • 00:11:54.603 --> 00:11:57.807
  • Nero set up statues to himself at the entrance
  • 00:11:57.807 --> 00:12:02.411
  • To the marketplaces in asia minor.
  • 00:12:02.411 --> 00:12:04.847
  • And before those statues was a little incense bowl
  • 00:12:04.847 --> 00:12:09.385
  • Of burning incense.
  • 00:12:09.385 --> 00:12:11.620
  • And he made it that in order to buy
  • 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:14.056
  • Or sell in the marketplace, you had to take some
  • 00:12:14.056 --> 00:12:17.259
  • Of the incense, wipe it on your head,
  • 00:12:17.259 --> 00:12:20.863
  • And say, "caesar is lord."
  • 00:12:20.863 --> 00:12:23.365
  • Well, the only people who wouldn't speak the name
  • 00:12:24.366 --> 00:12:27.770
  • Of the beast or put his mark on their hand
  • 00:12:27.770 --> 00:12:31.307
  • Or head were the christians.
  • 00:12:31.307 --> 00:12:34.443
  • They were the only people who would not do that.
  • 00:12:34.443 --> 00:12:37.012
  • And so once you read that in history
  • 00:12:37.012 --> 00:12:39.715
  • And then you read the chapter, it's pretty clear
  • 00:12:39.715 --> 00:12:43.319
  • Whoever youtube says the antichrist is this week,
  • 00:12:44.253 --> 00:12:48.724
  • It's not, because it's very clear once you've read history
  • 00:12:49.892 --> 00:12:53.596
  • And then you read about the beast
  • 00:12:53.596 --> 00:12:55.130
  • And the mark of the beast, it's absolutely crystal clear.
  • 00:12:55.130 --> 00:12:58.801
  • This is nero who set up statues to himself at the entrances
  • 00:12:58.801 --> 00:13:03.606
  • To marketplaces, and made people put his mark on their hand
  • 00:13:03.606 --> 00:13:08.944
  • And their head in an act of worship to him or be beheaded.
  • 00:13:10.112 --> 00:13:14.049
  • - that's why for the first 200 years of christianity,
  • 00:13:15.117 --> 00:13:17.887
  • Most of our church fathers believed nero was the beast.
  • 00:13:17.887 --> 00:13:23.225
  • They were not looking for something
  • 00:13:24.026 --> 00:13:24.960
  • To happen 2000 years later.
  • 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:26.695
  • So what i'm proposing that you consider
  • 00:13:26.695 --> 00:13:29.565
  • Is what our forefathers believed, and even
  • 00:13:29.565 --> 00:13:33.035
  • All the way up.
  • 00:13:33.035 --> 00:13:33.936
  • - to men like augustine in the year 400,
  • 00:13:34.737 --> 00:13:36.538
  • For the first 400 years of christianity,
  • 00:13:36.538 --> 00:13:39.375
  • They believed it was nero
  • 00:13:39.375 --> 00:13:41.477
  • That happened in the past,
  • 00:13:41.477 --> 00:13:43.112
  • Not in the future.
  • 00:13:43.112 --> 00:13:44.780
  • So it's a new thought to many people though.
  • 00:13:44.780 --> 00:13:46.882
  • So we have to just propose and say,
  • 00:13:46.882 --> 00:13:49.051
  • "please consider what your forefathers used to believe."
  • 00:13:49.051 --> 00:13:53.355
  • - the interesting thing is,
  • 00:13:53.355 --> 00:13:55.257
  • People talk a lot about the mark of the beast,
  • 00:13:55.257 --> 00:13:57.326
  • But they very seldom talk about the mark of god,
  • 00:13:57.326 --> 00:14:00.429
  • Which not only is it mentioned in revelation,
  • 00:14:00.429 --> 00:14:02.865
  • But even in old testament prophets talk about this.
  • 00:14:02.865 --> 00:14:07.169
  • And the fact is the bible says
  • 00:14:07.169 --> 00:14:09.471
  • That god's name is written on us.
  • 00:14:09.471 --> 00:14:13.742
  • It says that we have been given the mark of god,
  • 00:14:14.743 --> 00:14:18.113
  • We have been given the name of god,
  • 00:14:18.113 --> 00:14:20.582
  • That we will be given a new name by god.
  • 00:14:20.582 --> 00:14:24.153
  • And so it's very clear
  • 00:14:24.153 --> 00:14:26.488
  • That these marks are about identity
  • 00:14:26.488 --> 00:14:30.359
  • And they're about ownership.
  • 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:33.595
  • If you think of the way cattle,
  • 00:14:33.595 --> 00:14:36.532
  • Or even in roman times,
  • 00:14:36.532 --> 00:14:39.401
  • Slaves would be branded with the mark
  • 00:14:39.401 --> 00:14:43.439
  • Or the name of their owner.
  • 00:14:43.439 --> 00:14:45.975
  • All of a sudden, we can see the symbolism.
  • 00:14:46.875 --> 00:14:49.078
  • Us who believe in jesus christ,
  • 00:14:49.078 --> 00:14:51.513
  • He is now our lord.
  • 00:14:51.513 --> 00:14:53.782
  • He is our master.
  • 00:14:53.782 --> 00:14:55.517
  • We have been branded
  • 00:14:55.517 --> 00:14:57.653
  • With the seal of the spirit.
  • 00:14:57.653 --> 00:14:59.888
  • (bright music)
  • 00:14:59.888 --> 00:15:03.525
  • - how will we recognize the antichrist
  • 00:15:04.326 --> 00:15:06.996
  • When he arrives on the scene?
  • 00:15:06.996 --> 00:15:09.298
  • The scriptures give us an important clue.
  • 00:15:09.298 --> 00:15:12.568
  • - he that lives in darkness shall rule the world.
  • 00:15:13.602 --> 00:15:18.040
  • (antichrist speaking in foreign language)
  • 00:15:18.907 --> 00:15:21.643
  • - the antichrist will rise.
  • 00:15:21.643 --> 00:15:23.545
  • - everybody thinks the book of revelation
  • 00:15:23.545 --> 00:15:25.481
  • Is about the antichrist,
  • 00:15:25.481 --> 00:15:27.649
  • Which is really strange
  • 00:15:27.649 --> 00:15:28.917
  • Because the actual title is,
  • 00:15:28.917 --> 00:15:30.853
  • "the revelation of jesus christ."
  • 00:15:30.853 --> 00:15:33.989
  • And if you read the book of revelation,
  • 00:15:34.857 --> 00:15:36.792
  • You won't find the word antichrist there at all.
  • 00:15:36.792 --> 00:15:40.329
  • It's not even mentioned one time,
  • 00:15:40.329 --> 00:15:43.565
  • Which is shocking for people.
  • 00:15:43.565 --> 00:15:46.001
  • The word antichrist is only mentioned
  • 00:15:46.835 --> 00:15:49.271
  • In two places in the bible,
  • 00:15:49.271 --> 00:15:51.673
  • In the first letter of john
  • 00:15:51.673 --> 00:15:53.609
  • And in the second letter of john.
  • 00:15:53.609 --> 00:15:55.811
  • - he's the only author that actually mentions
  • 00:15:55.811 --> 00:15:57.513
  • The antichrist by name.
  • 00:15:57.513 --> 00:15:59.181
  • However, the same person is mentioned by paul,
  • 00:15:59.181 --> 00:16:02.184
  • But he's called the man of lawlessness
  • 00:16:02.184 --> 00:16:04.219
  • Or the man of sin,
  • 00:16:04.219 --> 00:16:05.621
  • Depending on your translation.
  • 00:16:05.621 --> 00:16:07.256
  • I like the man of lawlessness,
  • 00:16:07.256 --> 00:16:08.657
  • I think that's more accurate translation of that.
  • 00:16:08.657 --> 00:16:10.492
  • - and both times, he very clearly gives us
  • 00:16:10.492 --> 00:16:14.163
  • The context of what he's talking about.
  • 00:16:14.163 --> 00:16:16.598
  • He's saying that the antichrist
  • 00:16:17.232 --> 00:16:20.936
  • Is anyone who is teaching
  • 00:16:20.936 --> 00:16:24.573
  • A particular false doctrine.
  • 00:16:24.573 --> 00:16:27.142
  • He says, "anyone who denies
  • 00:16:27.142 --> 00:16:29.711
  • That jesus christ has come in the flesh,
  • 00:16:29.711 --> 00:16:33.449
  • This is the antichrist."
  • 00:16:33.449 --> 00:16:36.285
  • - [narrator] origen was a third-century christian scholar
  • 00:16:36.285 --> 00:16:38.854
  • And theologian.
  • 00:16:38.854 --> 00:16:39.955
  • According to origen,
  • 00:16:39.955 --> 00:16:41.190
  • "antichrist is not a person,
  • 00:16:41.190 --> 00:16:43.225
  • But a spiritual principle.
  • 00:16:43.225 --> 00:16:44.893
  • He is not a man to be feared,
  • 00:16:44.893 --> 00:16:46.628
  • But a falsehood to be opposed."
  • 00:16:46.628 --> 00:16:49.331
  • - now, again, we know from history
  • 00:16:49.331 --> 00:16:51.066
  • That when john was writing that,
  • 00:16:51.066 --> 00:16:52.901
  • There was a false teaching
  • 00:16:52.901 --> 00:16:54.236
  • Going around the churches in asia minor.
  • 00:16:54.236 --> 00:16:57.339
  • And that false teaching was called docetism.
  • 00:16:57.339 --> 00:17:00.142
  • It was a form of gnosticism, docetism.
  • 00:17:00.142 --> 00:17:02.778
  • And docetism said jesus christ
  • 00:17:02.778 --> 00:17:07.249
  • Did not come in the flesh.
  • 00:17:07.249 --> 00:17:11.153
  • And the leader who taught that
  • 00:17:11.787 --> 00:17:13.322
  • Was a man called cerinthus.
  • 00:17:13.322 --> 00:17:15.858
  • And so cerinthus and his followers
  • 00:17:16.592 --> 00:17:19.495
  • Taught jesus christ did not come in the flesh.
  • 00:17:19.495 --> 00:17:22.264
  • He just appeared to be in the flesh,
  • 00:17:22.264 --> 00:17:24.133
  • That jesus was a human,
  • 00:17:24.133 --> 00:17:26.702
  • That the christ was a spirit,
  • 00:17:26.702 --> 00:17:28.403
  • And jesus was a channeler
  • 00:17:28.403 --> 00:17:29.838
  • Who channeled the spirit,
  • 00:17:29.838 --> 00:17:31.473
  • But the christ did not become flesh.
  • 00:17:32.274 --> 00:17:35.544
  • And john, and we know from history,
  • 00:17:36.278 --> 00:17:37.746
  • John opposed cerinthus very publicly
  • 00:17:37.746 --> 00:17:41.483
  • In the city of ephesus.
  • 00:17:41.483 --> 00:17:43.185
  • So when john writes,
  • 00:17:43.185 --> 00:17:44.887
  • "you have heard the antichrist is coming,
  • 00:17:44.887 --> 00:17:47.156
  • Many antichrists have come,
  • 00:17:47.156 --> 00:17:49.625
  • They are anyone who denies jesus christ
  • 00:17:49.625 --> 00:17:53.128
  • Has come in the flesh."
  • 00:17:53.128 --> 00:17:54.830
  • Everybody reading his letter at the time
  • 00:17:54.830 --> 00:17:56.698
  • Would know exactly who he was talking about.
  • 00:17:56.698 --> 00:17:59.234
  • He was talking about cerinthus and his followers
  • 00:17:59.234 --> 00:18:02.638
  • And the gnostic false teachings that they were bringing.
  • 00:18:02.638 --> 00:18:05.941
  • That's the only time antichrist
  • 00:18:05.941 --> 00:18:07.676
  • Is mentioned in the bible.
  • 00:18:07.676 --> 00:18:09.011
  • - if you read the scriptures,
  • 00:18:09.011 --> 00:18:11.213
  • Jesus says, "the spirit of antichrist you heard is coming
  • 00:18:12.347 --> 00:18:15.784
  • And is among you already,
  • 00:18:15.784 --> 00:18:17.886
  • But you have already overcome him."
  • 00:18:17.886 --> 00:18:21.256
  • - we tend to wanna put a name to that antichrist,
  • 00:18:21.256 --> 00:18:24.927
  • And john never does.
  • 00:18:24.927 --> 00:18:26.662
  • - and neither does paul,
  • 00:18:27.162 --> 00:18:28.130
  • But they both do talk about the spirit of that antichrist,
  • 00:18:29.298 --> 00:18:32.834
  • And its deceit and coercion or fear against truth and love.
  • 00:18:32.834 --> 00:18:38.073
  • (pensive music)
  • 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:41.003
  • (pensive music)
  • 00:18:41.003 --> 00:18:41.077
  • (compelling music)
  • 00:18:41.511 --> 00:18:42.912
  • - [narrator 1] in jerusalem,
  • 00:18:42.912 --> 00:18:43.846
  • Crowds of curious onlookers
  • 00:18:43.846 --> 00:18:45.582
  • Have been gathering around two unidentified men
  • 00:18:45.582 --> 00:18:48.451
  • Who are claiming to be prophets sent from god
  • 00:18:48.451 --> 00:18:51.487
  • To warn the world of its coming ends.
  • 00:18:51.487 --> 00:18:53.656
  • - in the last days, there will be two witnesses.
  • 00:18:53.656 --> 00:18:56.793
  • - [narrator 2] the two witnesses will be given power
  • 00:18:56.793 --> 00:18:58.595
  • To prepare the world for the return of christ.
  • 00:18:58.595 --> 00:19:00.697
  • - i found something really cool
  • 00:19:00.697 --> 00:19:02.265
  • About the two witnesses the other night when i was reading.
  • 00:19:02.265 --> 00:19:04.834
  • - in revelations 11, we have two witnesses.
  • 00:19:04.834 --> 00:19:08.605
  • Now, the first thing that happens in that chapter,
  • 00:19:08.605 --> 00:19:11.708
  • An angel tells john, "measure the temple in jerusalem."
  • 00:19:11.708 --> 00:19:15.011
  • He measures it, chapter 11, verse 1 and 2.
  • 00:19:15.011 --> 00:19:18.748
  • But then it says,
  • 00:19:18.748 --> 00:19:20.116
  • "and the city gets trampled for 3 1/2 years."
  • 00:19:20.116 --> 00:19:24.320
  • We know the event that happened in 70 ad.
  • 00:19:24.320 --> 00:19:29.559
  • That's when jerusalem got destroyed,
  • 00:19:30.360 --> 00:19:31.527
  • That's when the temple got destroyed,
  • 00:19:31.527 --> 00:19:32.929
  • And that's when that war literally happened 3 1/2 years.
  • 00:19:32.929 --> 00:19:37.233
  • It's no coincidence
  • 00:19:37.233 --> 00:19:38.501
  • That revelations 11 says 3 1/2 years,
  • 00:19:38.501 --> 00:19:43.139
  • The city gets trampled,
  • 00:19:43.139 --> 00:19:44.641
  • And it literally happened historically,
  • 00:19:44.641 --> 00:19:47.176
  • And then the temple gets destroyed.
  • 00:19:47.176 --> 00:19:49.012
  • And it even says in revelation 11
  • 00:19:49.012 --> 00:19:51.648
  • That the city where jesus was crucified,
  • 00:19:51.648 --> 00:19:54.951
  • It refers to jerusalem.
  • 00:19:54.951 --> 00:19:56.953
  • Jerusalem is the city he got crucified.
  • 00:19:56.953 --> 00:19:59.255
  • Then, right after that, it says,
  • 00:19:59.255 --> 00:20:01.291
  • And there were two witnesses in the city.
  • 00:20:01.291 --> 00:20:04.460
  • Now, the dispensationalist put all that in the future,
  • 00:20:04.460 --> 00:20:08.998
  • So they have to develop some kind of way of explaining:
  • 00:20:08.998 --> 00:20:11.901
  • Who are those two witnesses?
  • 00:20:11.901 --> 00:20:14.337
  • We would want you to reconsider
  • 00:20:14.337 --> 00:20:16.873
  • How our church forefathers considered that,
  • 00:20:16.873 --> 00:20:20.209
  • That it happened in 70 ad.
  • 00:20:20.209 --> 00:20:23.212
  • 3 1/2 years of war happened,
  • 00:20:23.212 --> 00:20:25.381
  • Temple destroyed, jerusalem was destroyed.
  • 00:20:25.381 --> 00:20:27.617
  • And the two witness,
  • 00:20:27.617 --> 00:20:29.185
  • It says these two witnesses are like the two olive trees.
  • 00:20:29.185 --> 00:20:35.091
  • And it talks about the oil flowing out,
  • 00:20:35.925 --> 00:20:38.695
  • But also they have the power to withhold rain.
  • 00:20:38.695 --> 00:20:42.098
  • Well, any jew reading that
  • 00:20:42.098 --> 00:20:44.133
  • Would identify that as moses and elijah.
  • 00:20:44.133 --> 00:20:47.937
  • Elijah was the prophet, moses was the law giver.
  • 00:20:47.937 --> 00:20:52.742
  • They would represent it.
  • 00:20:52.742 --> 00:20:54.043
  • In hebraic thought,
  • 00:20:54.043 --> 00:20:56.312
  • Especially when we're talking about visions,
  • 00:20:56.312 --> 00:20:58.181
  • Has layers to it.
  • 00:20:58.181 --> 00:21:00.249
  • Sometimes, we have to think like a hebrew
  • 00:21:00.249 --> 00:21:03.186
  • When we're talking about spiritual things
  • 00:21:03.186 --> 00:21:05.455
  • Because it says the trees
  • 00:21:05.455 --> 00:21:08.358
  • And the one who could stop the rain,
  • 00:21:08.358 --> 00:21:10.960
  • The jews would immediately link moses and elijah,
  • 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:13.730
  • But they would connect it to the spirit and the word.
  • 00:21:13.730 --> 00:21:17.667
  • They're proceeding from god
  • 00:21:17.667 --> 00:21:20.403
  • That it's not just two individuals,
  • 00:21:20.403 --> 00:21:22.772
  • But you can talk in terms of two individuals.
  • 00:21:22.772 --> 00:21:25.408
  • But literally what really is being spoken
  • 00:21:25.408 --> 00:21:28.478
  • Is the word of god is testifying,
  • 00:21:28.478 --> 00:21:30.913
  • The spirit of god is testifying, and why?
  • 00:21:30.913 --> 00:21:33.516
  • Because two witnesses, according to hebraic law,
  • 00:21:33.516 --> 00:21:37.620
  • Must witness before the death or destruction of anything.
  • 00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:42.158
  • And what was it?
  • 00:21:42.158 --> 00:21:43.092
  • Both the spirit had been warning
  • 00:21:43.092 --> 00:21:44.894
  • That jerusalem will be destroyed.
  • 00:21:44.894 --> 00:21:46.429
  • The law had decreed that if the jews are disobedient,
  • 00:21:46.429 --> 00:21:49.432
  • They'll be destroyed.
  • 00:21:49.432 --> 00:21:50.733
  • The law and the spirit has been testifying,
  • 00:21:50.733 --> 00:21:53.536
  • And certainly, there's the two witnesses.
  • 00:21:53.536 --> 00:21:56.739
  • The temple's destroyed, jerusalem's destroyed.
  • 00:21:56.739 --> 00:22:00.009
  • But then, it seems like it's dead.
  • 00:22:00.009 --> 00:22:02.645
  • It's over, but it's not.
  • 00:22:02.645 --> 00:22:05.481
  • Then, in the chapter,
  • 00:22:05.481 --> 00:22:07.150
  • The two witnesses stand up, the spirit and the word, why?
  • 00:22:07.150 --> 00:22:11.387
  • Because the same spirit and the word proceed and come alive.
  • 00:22:11.387 --> 00:22:15.992
  • And what is it?
  • 00:22:15.992 --> 00:22:17.160
  • It's the continuation of god's voice,
  • 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:19.796
  • His spirit, and his word,
  • 00:22:19.796 --> 00:22:21.664
  • Proceeding from jerusalem to spread out to the earth,
  • 00:22:21.664 --> 00:22:24.734
  • To bring in god's harvest worldwide.
  • 00:22:24.734 --> 00:22:27.403
  • (pensive music)
  • 00:22:27.403 --> 00:22:30.506
  • - okay, so everyone's talking about this eclipse
  • 00:22:31.507 --> 00:22:33.042
  • That's happening, right?
  • 00:22:33.042 --> 00:22:34.644
  • - [narrator 3] as the forces of east and west
  • 00:22:34.644 --> 00:22:37.513
  • Move into the middle east,
  • 00:22:37.513 --> 00:22:39.816
  • The stage will be set for the final battle of history,
  • 00:22:39.816 --> 00:22:43.319
  • The confrontation man has been dreading for centuries:
  • 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:46.789
  • (footsteps stomping)
  • 00:22:46.789 --> 00:22:48.191
  • The fulfillment of the prophecy of armageddon.
  • 00:22:48.191 --> 00:22:51.961
  • - [narrator 4] nothing compares to the battle
  • 00:22:51.961 --> 00:22:53.830
  • That is coming.
  • 00:22:53.830 --> 00:22:54.730
  • (aircraft engine roaring)
  • 00:22:54.730 --> 00:22:56.199
  • - and he gathered them together in a place called...
  • 00:22:56.199 --> 00:22:58.768
  • (suspenseful music)
  • 00:22:58.768 --> 00:23:00.169
  • Armageddon.
  • 00:23:00.169 --> 00:23:01.404
  • - so we think about the battle of armageddon.
  • 00:23:02.338 --> 00:23:05.341
  • That is a phrase that's used a lot
  • 00:23:05.341 --> 00:23:07.243
  • By people who talk about the end times.
  • 00:23:07.243 --> 00:23:09.312
  • And of course, it's mentioned
  • 00:23:09.312 --> 00:23:11.380
  • In the book of revelation as well.
  • 00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:14.450
  • Armageddon is the valley of megiddo,
  • 00:23:15.251 --> 00:23:17.587
  • And megiddo, or the plain of megiddo, is where.
  • 00:23:18.588 --> 00:23:23.292
  • - many major battles took place.
  • 00:23:23.926 --> 00:23:26.896
  • So, by the time of jesus,
  • 00:23:26.896 --> 00:23:30.233
  • Megiddo or armageddon was a figure of speech
  • 00:23:31.167 --> 00:23:35.004
  • That was used just to indicate a great battle.
  • 00:23:35.004 --> 00:23:39.976
  • Let me give you an example.
  • 00:23:40.576 --> 00:23:42.578
  • People might say, "oh, that was really his waterloo,
  • 00:23:42.578 --> 00:23:45.982
  • That moment," speaking about somebody winning a battle.
  • 00:23:45.982 --> 00:23:49.986
  • And by the time of the first century,
  • 00:23:49.986 --> 00:23:52.522
  • Megiddo, armageddon, became like a byword if you like.
  • 00:23:53.623 --> 00:23:58.027
  • If you wanted to say, "oh, there's gonna be a full
  • 00:23:58.027 --> 00:24:00.563
  • And final battle," you would say,
  • 00:24:00.563 --> 00:24:02.498
  • "there's going to be an armageddon."
  • 00:24:02.498 --> 00:24:05.134
  • Because the book of revelation is a book of symbols,
  • 00:24:05.134 --> 00:24:08.404
  • It's not saying that hundreds of thousands
  • 00:24:08.404 --> 00:24:12.441
  • Of people are literally going to descend
  • 00:24:12.441 --> 00:24:14.744
  • Upon the plains of megiddo and have a battle there
  • 00:24:14.744 --> 00:24:17.980
  • On horseback with swords.
  • 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:20.583
  • That's not what it's saying.
  • 00:24:21.183 --> 00:24:22.785
  • It's simply saying that, using that as a figure of speech,
  • 00:24:22.785 --> 00:24:25.855
  • To say, you know, again, this end time view is victorious.
  • 00:24:25.855 --> 00:24:31.193
  • In ad 70, when the romans surrounded jerusalem,
  • 00:24:32.194 --> 00:24:34.931
  • It was a final battle.
  • 00:24:34.931 --> 00:24:37.833
  • And the old testament, the old covenant,
  • 00:24:37.833 --> 00:24:41.037
  • Was finally laid to rest, and now,
  • 00:24:41.037 --> 00:24:44.373
  • The gospel of the kingdom could go forth.
  • 00:24:44.373 --> 00:24:47.009
  • And likewise, spiritually speaking,
  • 00:24:47.009 --> 00:24:49.679
  • The battle has already been won as well.
  • 00:24:49.679 --> 00:24:52.348
  • Jesus is lord, the enemy is defeated,
  • 00:24:52.348 --> 00:24:55.518
  • Sin has been atoned for, the end is guaranteed.
  • 00:24:55.518 --> 00:25:00.489
  • And so, we can use that word armageddon, if you like,
  • 00:25:00.489 --> 00:25:05.294
  • As a figure of speech to say the full and final battle
  • 00:25:05.294 --> 00:25:09.198
  • And its outcome is already guaranteed.
  • 00:25:09.198 --> 00:25:11.934
  • Jesus is lord, god shall be all-in-all,
  • 00:25:11.934 --> 00:25:15.638
  • And those who believe in him shall, shall be safe.
  • 00:25:15.638 --> 00:25:19.308
  • (clock ticking) (slow dramatic music)
  • 00:25:19.308 --> 00:25:21.477
  • - [narrator] the rapture,
  • 00:25:21.477 --> 00:25:23.012
  • Most christians have heard about it their whole lives.
  • 00:25:23.012 --> 00:25:25.514
  • Believers caught up into the sky, the world left behind.
  • 00:25:25.514 --> 00:25:29.785
  • But many are surprised to learn
  • 00:25:30.419 --> 00:25:32.154
  • That this whole idea comes almost entirely
  • 00:25:32.154 --> 00:25:34.991
  • From a few verses in 1 thessalonians 4.
  • 00:25:34.991 --> 00:25:38.027
  • What if these cryptic words weren't
  • 00:25:38.828 --> 00:25:40.630
  • About escaping the world at all?
  • 00:25:40.630 --> 00:25:42.732
  • What if we've been reading them through the wrong lens?
  • 00:25:43.833 --> 00:25:46.669
  • (clock ticking) (slow dramatic music)
  • 00:25:46.669 --> 00:25:49.672
  • - 1 thessalonians 4:16-17, which reads,
  • 00:25:49.672 --> 00:25:53.175
  • "for the lord himself will descend from heaven
  • 00:25:53.175 --> 00:25:56.412
  • With a loud shout, and the voice of an archangel
  • 00:25:56.412 --> 00:26:00.449
  • And with the trump of god
  • 00:26:00.449 --> 00:26:02.084
  • And the dead in christ will rise first.
  • 00:26:02.084 --> 00:26:04.920
  • And then we who are alive and remain
  • 00:26:04.920 --> 00:26:07.923
  • Shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
  • 00:26:07.923 --> 00:26:12.595
  • To meet the lord in the air."
  • 00:26:12.595 --> 00:26:16.732
  • Wow.
  • 00:26:16.932 --> 00:26:18.100
  • That means we're gonna get raptured, right?
  • 00:26:19.001 --> 00:26:22.338
  • No.
  • 00:26:22.538 --> 00:26:23.372
  • Never meant that.
  • 00:26:23.372 --> 00:26:25.007
  • (slow dramatic music)
  • 00:26:25.007 --> 00:26:28.210
  • - i don't believe that the concept of a catching away
  • 00:26:28.210 --> 00:26:31.280
  • Before the second coming is in the bible either.
  • 00:26:31.280 --> 00:26:34.250
  • - the rapture theory is not in scripture.
  • 00:26:35.117 --> 00:26:40.289
  • - you wanna talk about the rapture?
  • 00:26:41.023 --> 00:26:42.224
  • Let's go to 1 thessalonians and see.
  • 00:26:42.224 --> 00:26:43.659
  • What did he say?
  • 00:26:43.659 --> 00:26:44.627
  • What was he talking about?
  • 00:26:44.627 --> 00:26:46.328
  • - the primary scripture is in 1 thessalonians 4, verse 17.
  • 00:26:46.328 --> 00:26:51.634
  • My associate and i doing this book research right now
  • 00:26:52.668 --> 00:26:54.837
  • Are taking this so seriously.
  • 00:26:54.837 --> 00:26:57.440
  • Look, we're not out to prove in this book our point.
  • 00:26:57.440 --> 00:27:00.643
  • We wanna know what was the intention
  • 00:27:00.643 --> 00:27:02.678
  • Of the writer and the scripture.
  • 00:27:02.678 --> 00:27:05.047
  • So we took the train to thessaloniki,
  • 00:27:05.047 --> 00:27:08.184
  • Went there to the ruins, listened to the guides,
  • 00:27:08.184 --> 00:27:11.620
  • Heard the stories, reread the book of thessalonians.
  • 00:27:11.620 --> 00:27:15.157
  • What was paul actually addressing there?
  • 00:27:15.157 --> 00:27:18.694
  • - did he mention the antichrist?
  • 00:27:18.694 --> 00:27:20.196
  • Did he mention a tribulation?
  • 00:27:20.196 --> 00:27:21.163
  • Did he mention seven years?
  • 00:27:21.163 --> 00:27:22.698
  • No.
  • 00:27:22.698 --> 00:27:23.599
  • What was he talking about?
  • 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.167
  • He was talking about people who were worried about their,
  • 00:27:25.167 --> 00:27:26.535
  • Their kin folks that had died and he,
  • 00:27:26.535 --> 00:27:28.437
  • They didn't know if when jesus come back, if they,
  • 00:27:28.437 --> 00:27:31.240
  • They'd be left out of the kingdom.
  • 00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:32.875
  • - he was not talking to people about a catching away
  • 00:27:32.875 --> 00:27:36.612
  • Of the church to save them from the great tribulation.
  • 00:27:36.612 --> 00:27:40.149
  • He was talking about what's going to become
  • 00:27:40.149 --> 00:27:43.419
  • Of those who have died.
  • 00:27:43.419 --> 00:27:45.554
  • 'cause listen, these were dire times.
  • 00:27:45.554 --> 00:27:47.857
  • These were times of persecution.
  • 00:27:47.857 --> 00:27:49.792
  • Every worship service that the thessalonicans would meet
  • 00:27:49.792 --> 00:27:54.096
  • And have, they would discuss who had recently been martyred
  • 00:27:54.096 --> 00:27:57.867
  • And wasn't with 'em anymore.
  • 00:27:57.867 --> 00:27:59.301
  • So their question was, they were seeking hope.
  • 00:27:59.301 --> 00:28:02.671
  • What of these loved ones that we have lost
  • 00:28:02.671 --> 00:28:06.942
  • Before jesus has come?
  • 00:28:06.942 --> 00:28:08.944
  • We've buried them.
  • 00:28:08.944 --> 00:28:10.179
  • What of them?
  • 00:28:10.179 --> 00:28:11.514
  • And paul said, they will rise first.
  • 00:28:11.514 --> 00:28:14.350
  • We that are still alive and remain
  • 00:28:14.350 --> 00:28:16.819
  • Will be caught up to meet him in the clouds,
  • 00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:20.489
  • And so shall we ever be with the lord in the air.
  • 00:28:20.489 --> 00:28:23.859
  • If you take those greek words and-
  • 00:28:23.859 --> 00:28:26.328
  • - translate them down.
  • 00:28:26.829 --> 00:28:27.797
  • Here's what he literally said.
  • 00:28:27.797 --> 00:28:29.698
  • "they will be resurrected then all of us, because he said,
  • 00:28:29.698 --> 00:28:33.936
  • Because god will bring the saints with him
  • 00:28:33.936 --> 00:28:38.340
  • When jesus returns to the earth, not goes away,
  • 00:28:38.340 --> 00:28:42.578
  • Returns to the earth,
  • 00:28:42.578 --> 00:28:44.480
  • And we will go out in joyful reunion in an atmosphere
  • 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:50.886
  • Of worship."
  • 00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.154
  • That's how that translates.
  • 00:28:52.154 --> 00:28:53.722
  • - no, they died in christ. they are in christ.
  • 00:28:54.690 --> 00:28:58.727
  • And when christ comes back, he can't help
  • 00:28:58.727 --> 00:29:01.497
  • But bring them because they're in him.
  • 00:29:01.497 --> 00:29:03.332
  • So when he comes back, they'll be with him
  • 00:29:03.332 --> 00:29:06.101
  • And they'll be fine.
  • 00:29:06.101 --> 00:29:07.736
  • Then you'll be caught up with him and then it will come back
  • 00:29:07.736 --> 00:29:10.406
  • And his program will continue.
  • 00:29:10.406 --> 00:29:12.875
  • - i started with daniel
  • 00:29:12.875 --> 00:29:14.476
  • And i referenced every single scripture
  • 00:29:14.476 --> 00:29:20.216
  • All the way to the end of a revelation
  • 00:29:21.050 --> 00:29:23.118
  • That talks about the end of the world or the second coming
  • 00:29:23.118 --> 00:29:27.356
  • Or any kind of coming.
  • 00:29:27.356 --> 00:29:29.325
  • So the first thing is the rapture's not in there anywhere.
  • 00:29:29.325 --> 00:29:32.895
  • The rapture is not in the bible.
  • 00:29:32.895 --> 00:29:34.697
  • It's a theory that's superimposed onto the bible.
  • 00:29:34.697 --> 00:29:38.367
  • The second thing i tried to do is develop a system
  • 00:29:38.367 --> 00:29:43.339
  • That's consonant with what the church teaches
  • 00:29:43.339 --> 00:29:46.408
  • Of what is gonna happen.
  • 00:29:46.408 --> 00:29:48.777
  • - well, this is jesus praying
  • 00:29:48.777 --> 00:29:50.179
  • For all believers in in john 17.
  • 00:29:50.179 --> 00:29:53.749
  • "my prayer is not
  • 00:29:53.749 --> 00:29:56.719
  • That you remove them from the world."
  • 00:29:56.719 --> 00:30:00.623
  • What does a rapture teach?
  • 00:30:01.190 --> 00:30:03.192
  • That we would be removed from the world.
  • 00:30:03.192 --> 00:30:05.794
  • Here, we have jesus' own prayer
  • 00:30:05.794 --> 00:30:09.598
  • That we would not be rapture out of this world.
  • 00:30:09.598 --> 00:30:14.436
  • - the rapture mentality has gone with a whole narrative.
  • 00:30:15.571 --> 00:30:19.275
  • You mentioned before 1948, the return of some jews,
  • 00:30:19.275 --> 00:30:22.845
  • At least to the ancient jewish homeland.
  • 00:30:22.845 --> 00:30:25.481
  • The way these have been put together
  • 00:30:25.481 --> 00:30:28.017
  • With the rapture mentality has meant
  • 00:30:28.017 --> 00:30:30.886
  • That people have been living out of a whole narrative,
  • 00:30:30.886 --> 00:30:33.889
  • Which is super imposed onto the bible,
  • 00:30:33.889 --> 00:30:36.625
  • Which is not the story that the bible is telling
  • 00:30:36.625 --> 00:30:38.694
  • And which has thrown political aspirations
  • 00:30:38.694 --> 00:30:43.265
  • And priorities into chaos
  • 00:30:43.265 --> 00:30:46.735
  • And confusion compared with what we ought to be doing,
  • 00:30:46.735 --> 00:30:49.571
  • Which is seeking god's justice
  • 00:30:49.571 --> 00:30:51.340
  • And peace in the whole world, for the whole world
  • 00:30:51.340 --> 00:30:54.476
  • By whatever means.
  • 00:30:54.476 --> 00:30:55.978
  • So it's very difficult for people in the rest of the world
  • 00:30:55.978 --> 00:30:58.180
  • To understand where americans are coming from.
  • 00:30:58.180 --> 00:31:01.016
  • And that's not surprising
  • 00:31:01.016 --> 00:31:02.685
  • Because the narrative that
  • 00:31:02.685 --> 00:31:04.586
  • So many americans have got in their heads
  • 00:31:04.586 --> 00:31:06.255
  • From late great planet earth or wherever,
  • 00:31:06.255 --> 00:31:08.924
  • Is simply not in the bible.
  • 00:31:08.924 --> 00:31:11.694
  • - really, the only passage that people can use
  • 00:31:11.694 --> 00:31:15.631
  • To promote the idea of a rapture is
  • 00:31:15.631 --> 00:31:19.001
  • That passage in thessalonians.
  • 00:31:19.001 --> 00:31:21.403
  • People used to sometimes use the verse
  • 00:31:21.403 --> 00:31:24.373
  • In the olivet discourse where there'll be two in a field
  • 00:31:24.373 --> 00:31:27.176
  • And one will be taken and one will be left
  • 00:31:27.176 --> 00:31:28.944
  • And two in a field and and so the idea was that the people
  • 00:31:28.944 --> 00:31:33.082
  • That were taken were raptured
  • 00:31:33.082 --> 00:31:35.918
  • And the people who were left were left behind, right?
  • 00:31:35.918 --> 00:31:38.754
  • (gentle music)
  • 00:31:38.754 --> 00:31:40.556
  • Most dispensationalist don't use
  • 00:31:40.556 --> 00:31:43.392
  • That verse anymore because they know.
  • 00:31:43.392 --> 00:31:45.928
  • You just read a couple of verses later
  • 00:31:45.928 --> 00:31:48.530
  • And you realize that the ones that are taken,
  • 00:31:48.530 --> 00:31:51.300
  • Jesus says are being taken away for judgment.
  • 00:31:51.300 --> 00:31:53.936
  • (gentle music)
  • 00:31:53.936 --> 00:31:57.106
  • The ones that are left behind are the lucky ones
  • 00:31:57.106 --> 00:31:59.608
  • Because jesus told the parable about
  • 00:31:59.608 --> 00:32:02.177
  • How the angels will come and remove all that is ungodly
  • 00:32:02.177 --> 00:32:06.215
  • And then the sons of the kingdom will be left behind
  • 00:32:06.215 --> 00:32:09.184
  • To shine like the stars of heaven, right?
  • 00:32:09.184 --> 00:32:12.254
  • So that left behind verse tends not to be used much, so
  • 00:32:12.254 --> 00:32:16.492
  • That only leaves the verse in thessalonians about the lord
  • 00:32:16.492 --> 00:32:20.396
  • Will come with the sound of a trumpet, the voice
  • 00:32:20.396 --> 00:32:22.431
  • Of the archangel, the dead in christ will rise.
  • 00:32:22.431 --> 00:32:25.868
  • Those of us who are alive will be caught up in the air
  • 00:32:25.868 --> 00:32:28.971
  • To meet the lord and so shall we be ever with the lord.
  • 00:32:28.971 --> 00:32:32.441
  • No fear does it say that
  • 00:32:32.941 --> 00:32:35.044
  • That is separate from the second coming.
  • 00:32:35.044 --> 00:32:37.780
  • In fact, it says quite clearly that it is the second coming.
  • 00:32:37.780 --> 00:32:41.784
  • Don't be alarmed brethren
  • 00:32:41.784 --> 00:32:43.752
  • By any letter you've received saying the coming
  • 00:32:43.752 --> 00:32:46.188
  • Of the lord has already happened.
  • 00:32:46.188 --> 00:32:48.524
  • For that day will not.
  • 00:32:49.024 --> 00:32:50.359
  • So he's talking about the return of christ.
  • 00:32:50.359 --> 00:32:53.362
  • - so let's just talk about the return of jesus christ.
  • 00:32:53.362 --> 00:32:57.232
  • I think it's important, first of all to talk about
  • 00:32:57.232 --> 00:32:59.501
  • That the word the coming was translated from a greek word
  • 00:32:59.501 --> 00:33:03.939
  • Called parousia.
  • 00:33:03.939 --> 00:33:05.941
  • The greek word parousia meant the coming,
  • 00:33:05.941 --> 00:33:09.311
  • The appearing, or the return.
  • 00:33:09.311 --> 00:33:11.780
  • It can be translated with any of those three english words.
  • 00:33:11.780 --> 00:33:15.551
  • But the problem is when that word parousia appears,
  • 00:33:15.551 --> 00:33:19.021
  • There have been some individuals who in imply or come out
  • 00:33:19.021 --> 00:33:23.659
  • And state that there's only one parousia
  • 00:33:23.659 --> 00:33:25.794
  • And they put it as a future event, but that.
  • 00:33:25.794 --> 00:33:29.331
  • - it's the wrong use of the greek word.
  • 00:33:30.165 --> 00:33:31.266
  • In fact, there are actually
  • 00:33:31.266 --> 00:33:33.168
  • Seven parousias mentioned of jesus.
  • 00:33:33.168 --> 00:33:36.939
  • For example, when the word became flesh
  • 00:33:36.939 --> 00:33:39.208
  • And dwelled among us, that was a parousia.
  • 00:33:39.208 --> 00:33:41.844
  • He appeared.
  • 00:33:41.844 --> 00:33:43.112
  • The word of parousia was a common word
  • 00:33:43.112 --> 00:33:45.914
  • At that time in history.
  • 00:33:45.914 --> 00:33:47.583
  • It didn't refer to this great event of the second coming.
  • 00:33:47.583 --> 00:33:51.987
  • Yet christianity borrowed the word from the culture.
  • 00:33:51.987 --> 00:33:55.424
  • And the word parousia,
  • 00:33:55.424 --> 00:33:56.925
  • The most common use is when someone
  • 00:33:56.925 --> 00:33:59.394
  • Arrived in your community, often a government official,
  • 00:33:59.394 --> 00:34:03.632
  • Or if the emperor would come.
  • 00:34:03.632 --> 00:34:05.367
  • It was the parousia of a leader would arrive in your city
  • 00:34:05.367 --> 00:34:08.570
  • And thousands of people would often gather
  • 00:34:08.570 --> 00:34:11.073
  • And welcome them in.
  • 00:34:11.073 --> 00:34:12.508
  • The book of acts refers to jesus had a parousia
  • 00:34:12.508 --> 00:34:15.677
  • When he began his public ministry.
  • 00:34:15.677 --> 00:34:17.880
  • He stepped out when he was 30 years old.
  • 00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:21.583
  • He had a parousia.
  • 00:34:21.583 --> 00:34:23.085
  • So first way that we have to approach this it says,
  • 00:34:23.085 --> 00:34:28.390
  • Let's be careful we don't join the club
  • 00:34:29.258 --> 00:34:30.859
  • That takes every time the word parousia is used,
  • 00:34:30.859 --> 00:34:33.729
  • Combine it into one end time event.
  • 00:34:33.729 --> 00:34:36.498
  • That's not true.
  • 00:34:36.498 --> 00:34:38.333
  • There will be a future parousia when jesus will return.
  • 00:34:38.333 --> 00:34:43.672
  • It will be more grand than any emperor arriving
  • 00:34:44.673 --> 00:34:46.808
  • Or any governor arriving.
  • 00:34:46.808 --> 00:34:48.310
  • He will appear in the sky.
  • 00:34:48.310 --> 00:34:50.679
  • We will be enraptured with his presence,
  • 00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:53.982
  • And he will come and purge all remaining evil
  • 00:34:53.982 --> 00:34:57.786
  • And bring the full reign,
  • 00:34:57.786 --> 00:35:00.122
  • And all evil will be done away with.
  • 00:35:00.122 --> 00:35:02.558
  • - we are going to greet the arriving king.
  • 00:35:02.558 --> 00:35:07.129
  • This is the second coming of christ.
  • 00:35:07.129 --> 00:35:09.631
  • This is not something that happened seven years
  • 00:35:09.631 --> 00:35:12.267
  • Before the second coming of christ.
  • 00:35:12.267 --> 00:35:14.570
  • This is the second coming of christ.
  • 00:35:14.570 --> 00:35:17.039
  • And we will meet him and accompany him back again.
  • 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:23.111
  • It doesn't say anywhere
  • 00:35:23.612 --> 00:35:24.947
  • That we will be whisked away somewhere else
  • 00:35:24.947 --> 00:35:28.283
  • For a period of time.
  • 00:35:28.283 --> 00:35:32.054
  • - paul says,
  • 00:35:32.387 --> 00:35:33.855
  • And this is backed up all through the new testament,
  • 00:35:33.855 --> 00:35:36.391
  • That when god does for the whole creation
  • 00:35:36.391 --> 00:35:39.094
  • What he's going to do.
  • 00:35:39.094 --> 00:35:40.896
  • I'm thinking of romans 8, but also of john 5,
  • 00:35:40.896 --> 00:35:42.965
  • And many, many other passages.
  • 00:35:42.965 --> 00:35:45.300
  • Then all god's people will be raised from the dead.
  • 00:35:45.300 --> 00:35:48.503
  • Or in the famous passage in 1 thessalonians 4,
  • 00:35:48.503 --> 00:35:51.974
  • Which people have built the rapture theory on.
  • 00:35:51.974 --> 00:35:54.876
  • That's actually a misunderstanding
  • 00:35:54.876 --> 00:35:56.778
  • Of that passage,
  • 00:35:56.778 --> 00:35:57.713
  • Which i've written about in various places.
  • 00:35:57.713 --> 00:35:59.548
  • But the point is that when jesus returns or when he appears,
  • 00:35:59.548 --> 00:36:04.453
  • Because he's actually not far away right now,
  • 00:36:04.453 --> 00:36:06.755
  • It's not as though he's millions of cosmic miles away.
  • 00:36:06.755 --> 00:36:10.792
  • He's here, but invisible at the moment.
  • 00:36:10.792 --> 00:36:13.428
  • When he appears, the whole creation will be renewed.
  • 00:36:13.428 --> 00:36:17.766
  • And as part of that, we will be given our new bodies,
  • 00:36:17.766 --> 00:36:21.436
  • And those who are alive at that time will be transformed
  • 00:36:21.436 --> 00:36:25.741
  • So that we will all have bodies like jesus' risen body.
  • 00:36:25.741 --> 00:36:29.511
  • In other words, possessing this immortal physicality,
  • 00:36:29.511 --> 00:36:33.248
  • Which jesus himself at the moment possesses.
  • 00:36:33.248 --> 00:36:36.518
  • - at the end of that time,
  • 00:36:36.518 --> 00:36:38.687
  • There will be the second coming, the final judgment,
  • 00:36:38.687 --> 00:36:42.691
  • And then a new heaven and a new earth.
  • 00:36:42.691 --> 00:36:44.059
  • And we will all have glorified bodies,
  • 00:36:44.059 --> 00:36:47.129
  • Just like the glorified bodies
  • 00:36:47.129 --> 00:36:50.132
  • That christ rose from the dead with.
  • 00:36:50.132 --> 00:36:52.901
  • - the light bulb moment is when people start reading
  • 00:36:52.901 --> 00:36:55.504
  • The scripture as a story,
  • 00:36:55.504 --> 00:36:57.673
  • As a progressive story with jesus being the climax.
  • 00:36:57.673 --> 00:37:01.143
  • And once you see jesus,
  • 00:37:01.143 --> 00:37:02.577
  • You turn around and look at the rest of the story
  • 00:37:02.577 --> 00:37:05.013
  • And you see it's all about him.
  • 00:37:05.013 --> 00:37:07.783
  • (dramatic music)
  • 00:37:07.783 --> 00:37:13.002
  • (dramatic music)
  • 00:37:13.002 --> 00:37:13.189
  • (intriguing music)
  • 00:37:13.623 --> 00:37:18.828
  • - what does the bible have to say
  • 00:37:19.562 --> 00:37:20.730
  • About the end of the world?
  • 00:37:20.730 --> 00:37:23.633
  • And the answer is nothing.
  • 00:37:24.200 --> 00:37:28.304
  • What does the bible have to say
  • 00:37:28.938 --> 00:37:30.373
  • About the end of the cosmos?
  • 00:37:30.373 --> 00:37:34.877
  • Nothing.
  • 00:37:35.111 --> 00:37:36.646
  • What does the bible have to say about the end of the age?
  • 00:37:37.814 --> 00:37:42.318
  • A lot.
  • 00:37:42.552 --> 00:37:44.921
  • What age?
  • 00:37:45.221 --> 00:37:46.522
  • It was the age of moses.
  • 00:37:46.522 --> 00:37:47.924
  • The old covenant animal sacrifice, blood temple age.
  • 00:37:47.924 --> 00:37:51.260
  • That's the end of the age that the bible talks about.
  • 00:37:51.260 --> 00:37:55.865
  • And what would replace that?
  • 00:37:56.466 --> 00:37:58.568
  • The new covenant age
  • 00:37:59.035 --> 00:38:01.104
  • That the messiah was to bring in and he did.
  • 00:38:02.004 --> 00:38:05.241
  • - jesus' ministry there is not fully complete
  • 00:38:06.209 --> 00:38:08.378
  • Until his prophecy is fulfilled,
  • 00:38:08.378 --> 00:38:10.980
  • That within one generation there would be
  • 00:38:11.814 --> 00:38:13.883
  • No further evidence of the old covenant.
  • 00:38:13.883 --> 00:38:16.986
  • The old covenant would be extinct.
  • 00:38:16.986 --> 00:38:19.322
  • There would only be the new covenant.
  • 00:38:19.322 --> 00:38:21.457
  • So jesus prophesied that in matthew 24 and 25.
  • 00:38:22.392 --> 00:38:26.129
  • - and so that is part of this overall christ event, right?
  • 00:38:27.296 --> 00:38:31.501
  • So we've got everything from the birth of jesus,
  • 00:38:31.501 --> 00:38:34.604
  • Round about 2 or 3 bc,
  • 00:38:35.104 --> 00:38:37.807
  • All the way to the fulfillment of his prophecy in 70 ad.
  • 00:38:38.941 --> 00:38:43.446
  • All of that is part of jesus' ministry.
  • 00:38:44.313 --> 00:38:48.317
  • His ministry was not only to teach
  • 00:38:48.317 --> 00:38:51.721
  • That god was a loving father
  • 00:38:51.721 --> 00:38:54.123
  • And to heal and deliver to prove that he was.
  • 00:38:54.123 --> 00:38:57.627
  • His ministry was not just to die for our sins
  • 00:38:57.627 --> 00:38:59.929
  • And rise again from the dead.
  • 00:38:59.929 --> 00:39:01.831
  • But his ministry was to usher in a whole new covenant,
  • 00:39:01.831 --> 00:39:06.402
  • Which meant the eradication of the old covenant.
  • 00:39:07.403 --> 00:39:11.207
  • - the jewish hope of the first century,
  • 00:39:11.207 --> 00:39:13.309
  • You have this hope for god to come back in-person,
  • 00:39:13.309 --> 00:39:16.312
  • And you have the hope for the whole earth
  • 00:39:16.312 --> 00:39:18.514
  • To be filled with the glory of god
  • 00:39:18.514 --> 00:39:20.082
  • As the waters cover the sea.
  • 00:39:20.082 --> 00:39:21.818
  • Now, if somebody at the end of the first century was to say,
  • 00:39:21.818 --> 00:39:25.188
  • "wouldn't it be nice if those things had happened yet?"
  • 00:39:25.188 --> 00:39:28.424
  • Most judeans, most jews would say,
  • 00:39:28.424 --> 00:39:30.893
  • "well yes, we're still waiting.
  • 00:39:30.893 --> 00:39:32.395
  • We're praying, the romans are still beating us up.
  • 00:39:32.395 --> 00:39:34.730
  • It's we're having a bad time."
  • 00:39:34.730 --> 00:39:36.299
  • The christians would say, "it's happened."
  • 00:39:36.299 --> 00:39:39.635
  • "how do you know it's happened?"
  • 00:39:39.635 --> 00:39:40.636
  • "well, jesus."
  • 00:39:40.636 --> 00:39:41.871
  • "well, what happened to jesus?"
  • 00:39:41.871 --> 00:39:43.005
  • "well, he was crucified."
  • 00:39:43.005 --> 00:39:44.407
  • Well, the fact of a jewish leader being crucified
  • 00:39:44.407 --> 00:39:47.944
  • Doesn't mean that the hope has been fulfilled.
  • 00:39:47.944 --> 00:39:50.313
  • It means that it hasn't been fulfilled.
  • 00:39:50.313 --> 00:39:51.981
  • That's what happens all the time to revolutionaries
  • 00:39:51.981 --> 00:39:54.584
  • Who think that their god's anointed and discovered too late
  • 00:39:54.584 --> 00:39:56.986
  • That they aren't after all.
  • 00:39:56.986 --> 00:39:58.488
  • So what happened then?
  • 00:39:58.488 --> 00:39:59.622
  • Well, god raised him from the dead.
  • 00:39:59.622 --> 00:40:02.792
  • "oh my goodness, that means that the thing
  • 00:40:02.792 --> 00:40:06.162
  • Which we are thinking," we, judeans in the first century,
  • 00:40:06.162 --> 00:40:09.432
  • "the thing which we had expected that god would do
  • 00:40:09.432 --> 00:40:12.335
  • For all israel at the end,
  • 00:40:12.335 --> 00:40:15.471
  • God has done for one man in the middle of history."
  • 00:40:15.471 --> 00:40:19.509
  • That means that the great hope, you know,
  • 00:40:19.509 --> 00:40:21.911
  • The pharisees in jesus' day
  • 00:40:21.911 --> 00:40:23.346
  • And they were the majority teachers,
  • 00:40:23.346 --> 00:40:25.314
  • They believed that resurrection would happen,
  • 00:40:25.314 --> 00:40:27.817
  • But it would happen to all the faithful at the end.
  • 00:40:27.817 --> 00:40:30.286
  • And it's happened to one person in the middle of history?
  • 00:40:30.286 --> 00:40:33.289
  • This is the thing which you can see
  • 00:40:33.289 --> 00:40:35.691
  • In paul's thought already,
  • 00:40:35.691 --> 00:40:37.493
  • Is driving forward the whole project
  • 00:40:37.493 --> 00:40:40.530
  • That what god was going to do at the end,
  • 00:40:40.530 --> 00:40:42.598
  • He has done in the middle of history.
  • 00:40:42.598 --> 00:40:44.166
  • Therefore, new creation has been launched,
  • 00:40:44.166 --> 00:40:46.936
  • And we get to be part of it.
  • 00:40:46.936 --> 00:40:48.638
  • That's how it works.
  • 00:40:48.638 --> 00:40:50.172
  • - and in that new covenant,
  • 00:40:50.172 --> 00:40:51.908
  • We would be the temple of the holy spirit,
  • 00:40:51.908 --> 00:40:54.210
  • And the holy spirit would dwell in us.
  • 00:40:54.210 --> 00:40:56.279
  • So part of that means the eradication of a stone temple.
  • 00:40:56.279 --> 00:41:00.616
  • In the new covenant, jesus would be the full
  • 00:41:01.517 --> 00:41:03.686
  • And final sacrifice.
  • 00:41:03.686 --> 00:41:05.321
  • So that involves the eradication of the old sacrifices.
  • 00:41:05.321 --> 00:41:09.358
  • In the new covenant, jesus is the high priest,
  • 00:41:10.326 --> 00:41:12.528
  • And we are his mere priests.
  • 00:41:12.528 --> 00:41:14.897
  • So that necessitates that the old priesthood is eradicated.
  • 00:41:14.897 --> 00:41:19.602
  • - now, the covenantal view means that,
  • 00:41:19.602 --> 00:41:22.004
  • When jesus died on the cross,
  • 00:41:22.004 --> 00:41:24.340
  • He was mediating a new covenant.
  • 00:41:24.340 --> 00:41:26.642
  • This covenant was prophesied
  • 00:41:26.642 --> 00:41:29.078
  • Through isaiah, ezekiel, and jeremiah.
  • 00:41:29.078 --> 00:41:31.847
  • And in this covenant, he says,
  • 00:41:31.847 --> 00:41:33.049
  • "god will remember our sins no more.
  • 00:41:33.049 --> 00:41:35.351
  • He'll give us a new heart.
  • 00:41:35.351 --> 00:41:36.786
  • He'll give us a new spirit.
  • 00:41:36.786 --> 00:41:38.387
  • And he'll give us his holy spirit to cause us
  • 00:41:38.387 --> 00:41:40.389
  • To walk in his way."
  • 00:41:40.389 --> 00:41:41.991
  • Those four promises were the new covenant
  • 00:41:41.991 --> 00:41:45.161
  • That was mediated through jesus.
  • 00:41:45.161 --> 00:41:47.296
  • - but the millennial reign is talking about the victory
  • 00:41:47.296 --> 00:41:49.832
  • That christ won on the cross through his death,
  • 00:41:49.832 --> 00:41:52.702
  • Resurrection, ascension, the whole deal.
  • 00:41:52.702 --> 00:41:55.404
  • I believe that the millennium started
  • 00:41:55.404 --> 00:41:58.407
  • With jesus sending the holy spirit into the believers
  • 00:41:58.407 --> 00:42:02.144
  • And that we are now living in that time
  • 00:42:02.144 --> 00:42:04.380
  • When the gospel is moving through the earth,
  • 00:42:04.380 --> 00:42:07.817
  • Light is moving through the earth.
  • 00:42:07.817 --> 00:42:10.319
  • - god is putting every enemy of jesus under his feet.
  • 00:42:10.319 --> 00:42:15.324
  • And that actually, the book of revelations
  • 00:42:16.225 --> 00:42:18.494
  • Is about a kingdom takeover
  • 00:42:18.494 --> 00:42:20.930
  • So that jesus can reign over all.
  • 00:42:20.930 --> 00:42:24.467
  • (gentle music)
  • 00:42:24.467 --> 00:42:26.602
  • - [narrator] one thing has become clear to me:
  • 00:42:26.602 --> 00:42:28.804
  • The jewish people still carry
  • 00:42:28.804 --> 00:42:30.473
  • An everlasting covenant with god.
  • 00:42:30.473 --> 00:42:32.975
  • The scriptures say it will never be broken.
  • 00:42:32.975 --> 00:42:35.544
  • That means israel's story isn't finished.
  • 00:42:35.544 --> 00:42:38.581
  • Even when so much prophesy points to the past,
  • 00:42:38.581 --> 00:42:41.550
  • There's still hope for the future,
  • 00:42:41.550 --> 00:42:43.653
  • Hope that one day, there will be a great awakening
  • 00:42:43.653 --> 00:42:46.656
  • Among the jewish people,
  • 00:42:46.656 --> 00:42:48.357
  • And somehow, their story is still tied to ours.
  • 00:42:48.357 --> 00:42:52.595
  • - and one of the most important issues is,
  • 00:42:53.496 --> 00:42:56.132
  • What about the jewish people?
  • 00:42:56.132 --> 00:42:58.167
  • We need to understand that when jesus died on the cross,
  • 00:42:59.301 --> 00:43:03.105
  • It was a turning point in history.
  • 00:43:03.105 --> 00:43:05.675
  • His death established a new covenant,
  • 00:43:05.675 --> 00:43:09.111
  • And the new covenant that was established
  • 00:43:09.111 --> 00:43:11.747
  • Had been prophesied throughout the old testament.
  • 00:43:11.747 --> 00:43:14.550
  • Well, not only was it the establishment of a new covenant,
  • 00:43:14.550 --> 00:43:18.220
  • But it was the ending of an old covenant.
  • 00:43:18.220 --> 00:43:21.991
  • But it's important we know which old covenant,
  • 00:43:21.991 --> 00:43:25.027
  • Because in the old testament, there's a covenant with noah.
  • 00:43:25.027 --> 00:43:27.730
  • There's a.
  • 00:43:27.730 --> 00:43:29.031
  • - [narrator] the covenant with abraham,
  • 00:43:29.832 --> 00:43:31.200
  • Covenant with moses, covenant, with david.
  • 00:43:31.200 --> 00:43:33.536
  • Well, hebrews 8
  • 00:43:33.536 --> 00:43:35.538
  • Tells us it describes the jewish religious system
  • 00:43:35.538 --> 00:43:39.742
  • That came through moses.
  • 00:43:39.742 --> 00:43:41.477
  • - with the covenant to moses, he's saying,
  • 00:43:41.477 --> 00:43:43.913
  • "if you'll obey this covenant,
  • 00:43:43.913 --> 00:43:46.248
  • And i'll make you the head, not the tail,
  • 00:43:46.248 --> 00:43:48.551
  • Make and give you all the blessings
  • 00:43:48.551 --> 00:43:50.653
  • That's in the heart of god, that's in heaven,
  • 00:43:50.653 --> 00:43:53.189
  • I give you the blessings.
  • 00:43:53.189 --> 00:43:54.924
  • If you don't, you'll experience curses."
  • 00:43:54.924 --> 00:43:57.259
  • So israel was god's chosen human instrument at that time
  • 00:43:57.259 --> 00:44:03.532
  • To bless the world.
  • 00:44:03.999 --> 00:44:06.035
  • Well, they tried.
  • 00:44:06.035 --> 00:44:08.304
  • They tried living up to the law, and they couldn't.
  • 00:44:08.304 --> 00:44:12.174
  • But eventually, an israelite came that could.
  • 00:44:13.109 --> 00:44:16.679
  • - anyone in the first century seeing this prophetic movement
  • 00:44:16.679 --> 00:44:20.116
  • Talking about the kingdom of god,
  • 00:44:20.116 --> 00:44:21.417
  • And then the leader choosing 12 people,
  • 00:44:21.417 --> 00:44:24.386
  • Then precisely what's going on.
  • 00:44:24.386 --> 00:44:25.921
  • This is about the restoration or renewal of israel.
  • 00:44:25.921 --> 00:44:28.390
  • Of course it is. it can only mean that.
  • 00:44:28.390 --> 00:44:31.427
  • But this is a way of saying,
  • 00:44:31.427 --> 00:44:32.962
  • "actually, the church began
  • 00:44:32.962 --> 00:44:34.163
  • When god called abraham in genesis 12,
  • 00:44:34.163 --> 00:44:36.999
  • And said, 'in you and in your seed,
  • 00:44:36.999 --> 00:44:38.367
  • All the families of the earth should be...'"
  • 00:44:38.367 --> 00:44:39.668
  • All the families of the earth.
  • 00:44:39.668 --> 00:44:40.903
  • In other words, the purpose of israel
  • 00:44:40.903 --> 00:44:42.538
  • Always was to be the blessing for the nations.
  • 00:44:42.538 --> 00:44:45.908
  • That didn't happen, didn't happen,
  • 00:44:45.908 --> 00:44:48.444
  • Because abraham and his family were also in adam.
  • 00:44:48.444 --> 00:44:52.114
  • That's the irony and the tragedy
  • 00:44:52.114 --> 00:44:54.617
  • Of so much of the old testament.
  • 00:44:54.617 --> 00:44:56.185
  • The people who are bearing the promise
  • 00:44:56.185 --> 00:44:58.053
  • Are also the carriers of the problem.
  • 00:44:58.053 --> 00:45:00.289
  • And therefore, jesus launching of the kingdom of god
  • 00:45:01.357 --> 00:45:04.627
  • And choosing these 12 is a way of saying,
  • 00:45:04.627 --> 00:45:07.329
  • "this is god getting the project back on track."
  • 00:45:07.329 --> 00:45:10.866
  • - you'll remember that, yes,
  • 00:45:10.866 --> 00:45:13.335
  • God established a covenant with noah,
  • 00:45:13.335 --> 00:45:15.905
  • But then came abraham.
  • 00:45:15.905 --> 00:45:18.908
  • It was about 430 years later
  • 00:45:18.908 --> 00:45:22.978
  • That moses had a covenant made with god.
  • 00:45:22.978 --> 00:45:26.782
  • 430 years between the abrahamic covenant
  • 00:45:26.782 --> 00:45:31.387
  • And the mosaic covenant.
  • 00:45:31.387 --> 00:45:32.721
  • The mosaic covenant
  • 00:45:32.721 --> 00:45:34.290
  • Is where the religious system of the jews was established.
  • 00:45:34.290 --> 00:45:37.626
  • Hebrews 8 tells us that the covenant,
  • 00:45:37.626 --> 00:45:41.263
  • That the new covenant, when it got established,
  • 00:45:41.263 --> 00:45:44.533
  • Abolished the mosaic covenant.
  • 00:45:44.533 --> 00:45:48.003
  • The mosaic covenant was the jewish religious system
  • 00:45:48.003 --> 00:45:51.640
  • That involved offering offerings to god, animal sacrifices,
  • 00:45:51.640 --> 00:45:56.979
  • All of these commandments that the jews kept.
  • 00:45:57.947 --> 00:46:00.182
  • So many rules.
  • 00:46:00.182 --> 00:46:01.750
  • And it's very important
  • 00:46:01.750 --> 00:46:03.185
  • That we realize which covenant was made obsolete.
  • 00:46:03.185 --> 00:46:06.555
  • It couldn't have been the abrahamic covenant,
  • 00:46:06.555 --> 00:46:09.258
  • Because twice,
  • 00:46:09.258 --> 00:46:10.826
  • We're told the abrahamic covenant is an eternal covenant.
  • 00:46:10.826 --> 00:46:14.897
  • (compelling music)
  • 00:46:14.897 --> 00:46:16.665
  • - understanding as a new covenant person
  • 00:46:16.665 --> 00:46:19.568
  • How to think about israel
  • 00:46:19.568 --> 00:46:20.870
  • And how to think about the jewish people
  • 00:46:20.870 --> 00:46:23.005
  • Is a pretty important topic,
  • 00:46:23.005 --> 00:46:25.040
  • And it's a topic that is fraught with danger, so to speak,
  • 00:46:25.040 --> 00:46:30.512
  • Because over the centuries of christianity,
  • 00:46:31.380 --> 00:46:34.550
  • The fact that a generation of jewish people
  • 00:46:34.550 --> 00:46:38.888
  • That jesus came to preach to
  • 00:46:38.888 --> 00:46:41.724
  • Rejected him as their messiah
  • 00:46:41.724 --> 00:46:43.726
  • And encouraged his crucifixion by the romans,
  • 00:46:44.660 --> 00:46:48.364
  • Has been used as an excuse for antisemitism.
  • 00:46:48.364 --> 00:46:51.433
  • It's been used as an excuse to hate the jewish people,
  • 00:46:51.433 --> 00:46:56.705
  • And i believe that's wrong.
  • 00:46:57.306 --> 00:46:58.240
  • I believe that's a wrong reading
  • 00:46:58.240 --> 00:46:59.742
  • Of the story that the bible is telling.
  • 00:46:59.742 --> 00:47:01.744
  • Now, the new covenant scriptures make it pretty clear
  • 00:47:01.744 --> 00:47:05.814
  • That it's important to know
  • 00:47:05.814 --> 00:47:07.016
  • How to think about the jewish people.
  • 00:47:07.016 --> 00:47:09.451
  • The entire book of romans can be viewed that way
  • 00:47:09.451 --> 00:47:11.787
  • As a guide to paul
  • 00:47:11.787 --> 00:47:13.722
  • Basically trying to explain to a bunch of gentiles in rome
  • 00:47:13.722 --> 00:47:16.392
  • How to think about the jewish people.
  • 00:47:16.392 --> 00:47:18.394
  • - i say, then, god has not rejected his people.
  • 00:47:18.394 --> 00:47:21.263
  • I say far from it.
  • 00:47:21.263 --> 00:47:23.232
  • God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
  • 00:47:23.232 --> 00:47:27.937
  • So, paul is saying,
  • 00:47:27.937 --> 00:47:29.905
  • "yes, it's true that most of the jews rejected jesus,"
  • 00:47:29.905 --> 00:47:34.076
  • But he's saying, "but god did not reject them.
  • 00:47:34.076 --> 00:47:36.979
  • And why?
  • 00:47:36.979 --> 00:47:38.414
  • Because he has an everlasting covenant with abraham."
  • 00:47:38.414 --> 00:47:42.084
  • So it's no doubt that modern-day jews,
  • 00:47:42.084 --> 00:47:46.121
  • Most of them are not followers of jesus.
  • 00:47:46.121 --> 00:47:48.991
  • But why does god still stay faithful
  • 00:47:49.758 --> 00:47:52.728
  • On account of the forefathers?
  • 00:47:53.362 --> 00:47:55.431
  • He's faithful to abraham
  • 00:47:55.431 --> 00:47:57.232
  • That you will have an everlasting covenant.
  • 00:47:58.167 --> 00:48:00.836
  • So we expect that god will keep his covenant with the jews.
  • 00:48:00.836 --> 00:48:05.574
  • And what is that covenant?
  • 00:48:05.574 --> 00:48:06.976
  • It guarantees them of a jewish awakening
  • 00:48:06.976 --> 00:48:11.113
  • Before jesus returns.
  • 00:48:11.113 --> 00:48:13.048
  • And we should keep our eyes on that
  • 00:48:13.782 --> 00:48:15.317
  • Because paul says that's one of the signs
  • 00:48:15.317 --> 00:48:18.320
  • That we should look for before jesus returns.
  • 00:48:18.320 --> 00:48:22.191
  • - we owe, as believers,
  • 00:48:22.191 --> 00:48:23.959
  • We owe the jewish people a massive debt of gratitude.
  • 00:48:23.959 --> 00:48:28.397
  • We need to understand that the same enemy.
  • 00:48:29.298 --> 00:48:32.201
  • - he that hates us, hates them.
  • 00:48:32.835 --> 00:48:34.636
  • We have a common enemy.
  • 00:48:34.636 --> 00:48:36.472
  • And the most appropriate thing in the world
  • 00:48:36.472 --> 00:48:39.641
  • Is for jewish people to embrace their messiah,
  • 00:48:39.641 --> 00:48:41.977
  • Which paul in romans 9:10,11 says he's contending for
  • 00:48:41.977 --> 00:48:46.215
  • And seems to predict in chapter 11 a coming future revival
  • 00:48:46.215 --> 00:48:51.520
  • Or a move of god among jewish people,
  • 00:48:52.287 --> 00:48:54.690
  • In which a large number of jewish people
  • 00:48:54.690 --> 00:48:56.291
  • Come to embrace jesus as messiah.
  • 00:48:56.291 --> 00:48:59.128
  • - [narrator] earlier church fathers saw a glorious future
  • 00:48:59.128 --> 00:49:01.363
  • For the jewish people.
  • 00:49:01.363 --> 00:49:03.065
  • Charles spurgeon said, "the day shall yet come
  • 00:49:03.065 --> 00:49:06.101
  • When the jews who were the first apostles to the gentiles,
  • 00:49:06.101 --> 00:49:09.204
  • The first missionaries to us who were afar off,
  • 00:49:09.204 --> 00:49:12.975
  • Will be gathered in again.
  • 00:49:12.975 --> 00:49:14.676
  • Matchless benefits to the world are bound up
  • 00:49:14.676 --> 00:49:17.646
  • With the restoration of israel.
  • 00:49:17.646 --> 00:49:19.448
  • Their gathering in shall be as life from the dead."
  • 00:49:19.448 --> 00:49:23.619
  • - [scholar] god's plan in history
  • 00:49:23.619 --> 00:49:25.788
  • Is for there to be one shepherd over all of humanity.
  • 00:49:25.788 --> 00:49:29.758
  • Therefore, i believe jews and gentiles
  • 00:49:29.758 --> 00:49:32.394
  • Will own that land together,
  • 00:49:32.394 --> 00:49:34.797
  • And god's gonna use the most war torn region of the world
  • 00:49:34.797 --> 00:49:38.333
  • To demonstrate his heart
  • 00:49:38.333 --> 00:49:40.669
  • As the most peaceful place on earth.
  • 00:49:40.669 --> 00:49:43.539
  • And jesus christ will show jews
  • 00:49:43.539 --> 00:49:45.074
  • And gentiles walking together.
  • 00:49:45.074 --> 00:49:46.909
  • - the book of revelation is not just fulfilled and over,
  • 00:49:46.909 --> 00:49:50.979
  • It's fulfilled and ongoing.
  • 00:49:51.580 --> 00:49:54.883
  • That's the key to remember.
  • 00:49:54.883 --> 00:49:56.919
  • It's ongoing in your life. it's ongoing in my life.
  • 00:49:57.920 --> 00:50:00.722
  • It's ongoing in countries, in groups, in churches.
  • 00:50:00.722 --> 00:50:04.993
  • - we are now seated in heavenly places with christ.
  • 00:50:04.993 --> 00:50:08.630
  • We are ruling and reigning.
  • 00:50:08.630 --> 00:50:10.432
  • We've experienced the first resurrection,
  • 00:50:10.432 --> 00:50:13.235
  • The spiritual rebirth, and we know that one day
  • 00:50:13.235 --> 00:50:16.839
  • We will experience the second resurrection and so on.
  • 00:50:16.839 --> 00:50:19.942
  • I think that 90% of revelation has already been fulfilled,
  • 00:50:19.942 --> 00:50:24.580
  • And i think that there's only really three big prophecies
  • 00:50:24.580 --> 00:50:29.151
  • Still to be fulfilled.
  • 00:50:29.151 --> 00:50:31.220
  • We have a new heaven, a new earth,
  • 00:50:31.220 --> 00:50:34.356
  • A new jerusalem coming down like a bride.
  • 00:50:34.356 --> 00:50:37.326
  • So, that is what's still to come.
  • 00:50:38.060 --> 00:50:40.662
  • That i believe is the return of christ,
  • 00:50:40.662 --> 00:50:43.332
  • The renewal of all creation, the end of all evil.
  • 00:50:44.333 --> 00:50:47.769
  • - don't worry about the second coming
  • 00:50:47.769 --> 00:50:49.404
  • As much as worrying about being the kind of christian
  • 00:50:49.404 --> 00:50:51.373
  • That you need to be today
  • 00:50:51.373 --> 00:50:53.509
  • Because that's the call that each of us have
  • 00:50:53.509 --> 00:50:55.777
  • Is to take the truth that i have implanted in my heart
  • 00:50:55.777 --> 00:50:59.014
  • Because christ lives in my heart.
  • 00:50:59.014 --> 00:51:01.416
  • Take that out to the world.
  • 00:51:01.416 --> 00:51:02.818
  • - most christians in the world today
  • 00:51:02.818 --> 00:51:04.686
  • Think that the aim of the whole thing
  • 00:51:04.686 --> 00:51:06.188
  • Is for our souls to go to heaven.
  • 00:51:06.188 --> 00:51:08.323
  • That's wrong.
  • 00:51:08.323 --> 00:51:09.591
  • The aim of the whole thing is for god's love
  • 00:51:09.591 --> 00:51:11.293
  • And sovereignty to become real on earth as in heaven.
  • 00:51:11.293 --> 00:51:15.097
  • And jesus coming to be with us is not a temporary thing.
  • 00:51:15.097 --> 00:51:18.800
  • That was god, god's coming home.
  • 00:51:18.800 --> 00:51:22.237
  • And then, particularly the holy spirit in acts 2
  • 00:51:22.237 --> 00:51:26.942
  • Coming to dwell in the house and in the disciples.
  • 00:51:26.942 --> 00:51:29.411
  • This is what god always wanted to do.
  • 00:51:29.411 --> 00:51:32.047
  • Giving the holy spirit is not a way of saying,
  • 00:51:32.981 --> 00:51:35.083
  • "you guys need a bit of a leg up
  • 00:51:35.083 --> 00:51:36.518
  • So i'll just give you my spirit
  • 00:51:36.518 --> 00:51:37.953
  • And that'll help you on through life."
  • 00:51:37.953 --> 00:51:39.888
  • It's a way of god coming to take residence
  • 00:51:39.888 --> 00:51:42.858
  • Where he always wanted to take residence.
  • 00:51:42.858 --> 00:51:45.761
  • I find that very powerful myself.
  • 00:51:45.761 --> 00:51:47.796
  • It isn't that he will come back and snatch us away.
  • 00:51:47.796 --> 00:51:50.899
  • He will come back and complete the work
  • 00:51:50.899 --> 00:51:53.402
  • Of instantiating the kingdom on earth as in heaven.
  • 00:51:53.402 --> 00:51:57.406
  • - i have sat for the last year.
  • 00:51:57.406 --> 00:52:00.576
  • Ah. - yeah.
  • 00:52:00.576 --> 00:52:02.010
  • - with my mouth kinda hanging open sometimes going,
  • 00:52:03.078 --> 00:52:06.114
  • "i can't believe n.t. wright just said that."
  • 00:52:06.114 --> 00:52:09.117
  • - yeah. - you know, i can't believe.
  • 00:52:09.117 --> 00:52:10.852
  • And i just, it's just a journey of discovery.
  • 00:52:10.852 --> 00:52:13.622
  • - it is. - about what we believe
  • 00:52:13.622 --> 00:52:15.724
  • Is a victorious future.
  • 00:52:15.724 --> 00:52:18.560
  • - jesus is on his throne and that he's coming back
  • 00:52:18.560 --> 00:52:21.530
  • For a glorious church.
  • 00:52:21.530 --> 00:52:22.998
  • (tense rousing music)
  • 00:52:22.998 --> 00:52:28.070
  • (bright upbeat music)
  • 00:52:28.570 --> 00:52:30.038
  • - [narrator] next time on "god with us."
  • 00:52:30.038 --> 00:52:32.774
  • - he has sent us into the world as a kingdom of light,
  • 00:52:33.875 --> 00:52:37.112
  • And light always defeats darkness.
  • 00:52:37.112 --> 00:52:39.514
  • - jesus christ is lord.
  • 00:52:39.514 --> 00:52:41.283
  • That makes a huge difference
  • 00:52:41.283 --> 00:52:43.051
  • In how you think this thing is gonna turn out.
  • 00:52:43.051 --> 00:52:45.821
  • - we are enabled in the present to do things
  • 00:52:45.821 --> 00:52:48.857
  • Which really will be part of god's future.
  • 00:52:48.857 --> 00:52:52.394
  • - because he came, the world is better
  • 00:52:52.394 --> 00:52:56.999
  • And it's getting better every day.
  • 00:52:56.999 --> 00:52:58.467
  • - we should not be looking for god's wrath
  • 00:52:58.467 --> 00:53:01.270
  • Punishing the world or for the devil taking over the world,
  • 00:53:01.270 --> 00:53:06.608
  • But we should believe that jesus is already lord.
  • 00:53:07.609 --> 00:53:10.345
  • (soft rhythmic music)
  • 00:53:10.345 --> 00:53:10.345