| https://youtu.be/V_f6-vpI84Y?list=PLnQ-ThtZ5fZ4GDAqeQv-ZU5K8cmQC42Kj |
| The Coming Law That Will Punish Sabbath Keepers – Slightly, adapted from a Sermon by Pastor Mark Finley. |
| The Final Crisis Is Religious, Not Political |
| What if the next major crisis isn’t economic or military, but religious? |
| Most people don’t see it unfolding, but it’s taking place right before their eyes. |
| In this presentation, we’re going to probe what’s really going on behind the scenes and how the stage is being set for the greatest religious crisis in history. |
| Let’s pray. Father in heaven, open our eyes. Reveal to us through your Word divine truths. enable us to understand the events, the overwhelming events that are now taking place to prepare for earth’s final crisis in Jesus name. Amen. |
| God’s Warnings Are Acts of Love, Not Fear |
| In the Book of Revelation, God gives to us the final warning in Earth’s history. |
| It’s a very real authentic warning given by God in love for His people in the last days of earth history. |
| The reason God outlines events in history is because He wants us to be prepared for those events. |
| It was John the Revelator that wrote the Book of Revelation. And John also wrote the Gospel of John. |
| In John 14:29. Jesus says, “Now I have told you before it comes to pass that when it does come to pass, you might believe.” |
| So Jesus says, “I I’ve told you things before they come to pass so that as they come to pass, your faith will be strengthened and you will believe.” |
| In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5, the Lord again through the Apostle Paul tells us that we need not be sleeping on the knife edge of eternity, but that God will reveal to us the events that are taking place so that we can prepare for them. |
| First Thessalonians, we’re looking there at |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 – But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly the day of the Lord, so comes as a thief in the night. When they say peace and safety, sudden destruction overcome you as a thief. You’re sons of the light, sons of the day. We’re not of night or of darkness. therefore, let us not sleep as others, but as watch and be sober. |
| So there are events that are coming upon our world that are overwhelming. |
| Soon a crisis that’s going to break that is unimaginable. But we need not fear. |
| God has warned us of these things in His Word. He’s given that warning in love. He longs us for us not to sleep, but to watch, to be alert, and to be awake. |
| With that background, let’s delve right into the Book of Revelation. |
| The Core Issue of Revelation Is Worship |
| What are these events that are coming upon our world? |
| The great theme of the Book of Revelation is worship. |
| Satan desires to have the worship that belongs only to God. |
| God longs for us to come and worship Him. Worship Him as Creator. |
| Worship Him as Redeemer. Worship Him as the Coming King. Jesus longs for us to come with our hearts open in worship. |
| Satan desires to usurp the throne of God and command worship. |
| This conflict of worship that is the heart of the great controversy between good and evil. |
| The heart of this conflict between Christ and Satan is clearly outlined in Revelation chapter 14. |
| We’re going to look at the conflict that’s coming, the events that lead up to that conflict, and notice what’s really going on behind the scenes. |
| Revelation 14:6 – I saw another angel flying in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell upon the earth. |
| God’s last day message is an urgent message. The angel flies. |
| It’s an eternal message, the everlasting gospel, and it’s a universal message that goes to the ends of the earth. |
| Then it says, “Fear God. Respect God. Take God seriously. Fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment is come and worship Him that made heaven, earth, sea, and the fountains of waters. |
| Worship Him in the light of the judgment. In the light of the second coming of Christ, there is a call to take God seriously, to give Him glory, and to worship the Creator.” |
| The Sabbath as the Sign of the Creator |
| What is the basis of all worship anyway? |
| The basis of all worship is the fact that God has created us. |
| Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power because you created all things.” |
| So the worthiness of Christ to be worshipped is the fact that He’s the Creator. |
| Has Jesus given to us an eternal sign of His creative authority? |
| Indeed, He has. In the Book of Genesis and the seventh day of the week, the Bible says God sanctified it. God blessed it. God sanctified it. |
| So right there in Creation at Creation, God set aside the seventh day Sabbath as a symbol of His creative authority. |
| In Revelation 14:7 where John says, “Worship the one that made heaven, earth, sea, and the fountains of waters,” he’s he’s quoting from the fourth commandment. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. |
| Why? Exodus 20:1, for in six days the Lord made heaven, earth, sea, and all that in them is. |
| So the Sabbath becomes the eternal sign of God’s creative authority. It is the sign that we worship the creator that we give our allegiance to him. |
| Now, what’s the opposite of that? |
| The Mark of the Beast as False Worship |
| Revelation 14:9, the scripture puts it this way. The third angel followed them, saying, “If anybody worships the beast in his image and receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand.” |
| So the mark of the beast must be the opposite of the worship of the Creator. |
| It must be a man-made day of worship rather than the Sabbath worship. |
| In Revelation 14:12, the Bible tells us about those that don’t worship the beast. |
| Revelation 14:12 – Here is the patience of the endurance of the saints. Here are those that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. |
| So those that don’t worship the beast worship the Creator. And how do they worship the Creator? By keeping the Commandments of God. |
| What Commandment has to do with the worship of the Creator? It’s the Sabbath Commandment. |
| So therefore, the mark of the beast must be opposite of the Sabbath, not a divine command, but a man-made tradition given in those early centuries by a union of church and state. |
| The Sabbath was changed by man from Saturday to Sunday. |
| Sunday eventually will be enforced by law and it will and the beast power will command worship on the first day. |
| Now how indeed is this going to happen? What events will lead up to this enforcement of the mark of the beast? What events are even taking place in our world? |
| False Miracles and End-Time Deception |
| Satan has two strategies that will lead the world to deception. |
| Strategy number one, Satan will use miracles, signs, and wonders poured out through spiritualistic manifestations in a false religious revival. |
| Revelation 13:13 – He does great wonders so that he makes fire come down from heaven on earth in the sight of men and deceives them. |
| Fire coming down from heaven. Think about it. Of what is fire a symbol? What does that mean symbolically? |
| Fire coming down from heaven. When does the Bible first mention fire? |
| Then first mention of fire is in Genesis. Adam and Eve leave the garden and the angels stand there with a sword of fire representing the presence of God. |
| Remember too that Moses goes up on the mountain and He appears in the midst of the glory or fire of God. |
| Remember as well that at the sanctuary when Moses builds the sanctuary the in the midst of the two angels in the most holy place is the Shekinah glory the fire of God. |
| Elijah prays, the fire comes down from God out of heaven. |
| In every instance, the fire represents the presence of God. |
| In the New Testament, in Acts chapter 2, tongues of fire, the presence of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit. |
| But in Revelation 13, it’s the false fire. In Revelation 13, it is the false manifestation of the presence of God through a false tongues movement, through false revivals that sweep the Christian world. |
| So there are miracles. |
| Now notice when Jesus talks about the last days of earth history. |
| Matthew 24:24 says, “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” |
| False miracles. The blind are made to see. The sick are healed. |
| Can the devil work miracles? According to the Bible, he can. |
| These are false miracles that the devil uses. |
| In the book Great Controversy, page 588, we read, “As spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Christianity of the day, it has greater power to deceive and ensnare.” |
| Through what agency? – everybody – Spiritualism. |
| Miracles will be wrought. the sick will be healed and many undeniable wonders will be performed. |
| So what is the devil’s strategy to unite church and state to have people worship on a false day of worship contrary to the Bible. |
| Natural Disasters Used to Drive False Unity |
| What is his strategy? It’s to work signs and wonders, miracles in a false religious revival that leads people of variety of faiths in a unity movement. |
| But yet what conditions in the world would create that false unity movement? What are some of those conditions that take place? |
| Well, Jesus says in Matthew 24, there’ll be famines, earthquakes, fires, floods. He also says in Luke 21 that there’ll be great signs in the heavens. |
| The Great Controversy, page 589-590: While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, |
| [We read about that, didn’t we? That the devil will work signs and wonders.] |
| he [Satan] will bring disease and disaster upon the populous cities till they’re reduced to ruin and desolation. |
| Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. |
| So here’s the devil’s strategy. On one hand, signs, wonders, miracles. On the other hand, natural disasters, calamities, war, strife. |
| As people see these natural disasters, calamities, strife, war, and conflict, they’ll say, “We need more religion. We need more faith. |
| What’s going to bring the world together? These must be the judgments of God upon the world because we’ve become so immoral? Our world is so filled with crime. We need to bring people together to heal our land. |
| False religious revival on the one hand, conflict, strife on the other. And what becomes the vehicle to lead people together? |
| It is the mark of the beast, the mark of the papal power. |
| It is a common day of worship in opposition to God’s day of worship, the worshipping of the Creator. |
| False revivals and calamities will both have a unifying effect on those who are deceived. |
| Satan uses false revivals and calamities to bring about great destruction and also great unity. A unity which will then be directed against a common foe. |
| The Great Controversy, page 590: And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God’s commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. |
| It’ll be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday sabbath, and that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced. |
| Also, that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday are trouble-makers of the people presenting their restoration to divine favour and temporal prosperity. |
| So these truths of the Book of Revelation of worshipping the Creator will put God’s people at jeopardy in the last days of earth history. |
| How Sunday Laws Will Actually Be Enforced |
| Now how will this Sunday law, how will this false Sabbath be enforced? Will some dictator come along and pass this law? Will it be the Pope of Rome that says, “Yes, we’re going to put pressure.” |
| How is this actually going to take place? Certainly, civil leaders and religious leaders will agree. |
| The Great Controversy page 592: |
| “Rulers and legislators in order to secure public favour will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance.” |
| So it’s not some dictator, not some religious leader. Of course, political and religious leaders will unite. |
| But what did that say? Legislators will yield to what demand? The popular demand. |
| So from where will this emphasis, this desire for a national Sunday law, come?. |
| It’ll come from the people. The people will see the calamities, conflict, war, strife. They’ll see that taking place. |
| As the result of that, they will then demand a law in the context of a false revival to bring everything together to bring world peace. |
| They’ll demand the religious leaders and the political leaders, who want to secure favour from the people, should unite. |
| The Step-by-Step Escalation of Persecution |
| When we talk about the enforcement of the mark of the beast, even in Revelation chapter 13, we find that there is a call of an increasing magnitude in Sunday law enforcement. |
| Early on in Revelation chapter 13 it talks about the beast power rising up out of Rome. |
| In verse 15, he was granted to give breath to the image of the beast that should the image of the beasts both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. There’s the death decree. |
| Then it says he causes all both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave to receive a mark on their right hand or in their foreheads. |
| The hand is a symbol of coercive pressure. The forehead is a symbol of thought, intellectual thought. |
| It says that nobody could buy or sell except one who has the name of the beast or the mark of his number of his name. |
| So there is the time first that God’s people are denounced as obstinate and stubborn. |
| Then there’s the time that they’re bribed or persuaded try to try to be convinced. |
| Then there is the time when there’s an economic boycott. |
| Then there’s a time of imprisonment. |
| Then there’s the time of death. |
| So there’s this increasing magnitude of the national Sunday law. We see this both in the Bible and a number of statements in Inspiration. |
| First, let’s look at some biblical principles here. |
| Note that this all doesn’t happen at one time. There’s not some death decree that’s passed one day without a built up to it. |
| Luke chapter |
| Luke 21:11-15 says there’ll be great earthquakes in various places and famines and pestilences and there’ll be fearful sites and great signs. |
| So here’s these natural disasters. |
| But before all these things they will lay hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons and you’ll be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. |
| But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. |
| Therefore, settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand in what you’ll answer. |
| I’ll give you a mouth in wisdom before your adversaries. |
| So God says, at first you’re going to be condemned. At first you will be considered as the off-scarring of society. |
| A few are going to be considered as outcasts. Then God’s Word says they’re going to lay hands on you to persecute you and they’re going to deliver you up and you’ll be brought before kings and rulers. |
| But He says, “Don’t worry. I’m going to give you words to speak.” |
| Even in those times of persecution, God’s spirit will work through us. God will move powerfully through our voices. |
| Political leaders, princes, presidents will be touched and moved by our testimony. and many of them will come to Christ. |
| The Great Controversy, page 592: |
| Those who honour the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced as obstiny, stubbornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused of dissatisfaction before the government. |
| So that’s the first step. They’ll say these people are are breaking the law. It’s dissatisfaction against the government. |
| But then what will happen next? |
| Notice that the Bible outlines these principles, but then the gift of prophecy fleshes them out. |
| In Mark 13:10, once again, God speaks to us. He says the gospel will be preached. |
| The gospel must first be preached to all nations. |
| Mark 13:11. But when they arrest you and deliver you, don’t worry beforehand or premeditate what you’ll speak. But whatever is given to you in that hour, speak that. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit will speak. |
| What a time. This is the working of Satan. The devil is working through signs and wonders and false miracles. |
| He’s working through the legislative bodies. He’s working to persecute God’s people. There’s the working of Satan. Natural disasters. |
| But then power from beneath is answered by power from above. God pours out His Spirit. |
| He speaks through His people. Hearts are touched. Lives are changed. Miracles are worked. |
| Notice The Great Controversy, pages 592: |
| The dignities of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honour Sunday. |
| First we’re denounced as the transgressors of the natural law as stubbornness. But then the dignities of church and state unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes. |
| They’ll be threatened with fines and imprisonment. So here’s the threats. |
| Some will be offered positions of influence. fears bribes and other rewards and advantages as inducements to their faith. |
| But when they do not yield, what will happen? They won’t be able to buy or sell. |
| Desire of Ages, pages 121-122: |
| in the last great conflict of the controversy with Satan. Those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off because they refuse to break His Law in obedience to earthly powers. They will be forbidden to buy or sell. |
| Economic Boycotts, Imprisonment, and Death Decree |
| Do we find that in Revelation? Indeed, we do. Eventually, what’ll happen? We’ll be exiled. Then there’ll be a death decree. |
| Does the Bible say that in Revelation 13? It says those that don’t worship the beast will be what? Killed. There’ll be a death decree. |
| Then, in The Great Controversy, page 604: |
| All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties. |
| Finally, notice it’s not initially, it’s finally; What happens? |
| First, they’re denounced as stubborn, stubborn, and obstinate. |
| What then happens? They’re bribed or persuaded. |
| Then what happens? There’s an economic boycott. |
| Then what happens? They’re imprisoned or exiled. |
| Then what happens? They have civil penalties, including the death decree. |
| When all this is happening, what then are God’s promises for us? |
| God’s Promises to Carry His People Through |
| Jesus says in Matthew chapter 6:31-33, “Don’t worry about what you shall eat or what you shall drink or what you shall wear.” |
| That’s what the Gentiles or the pagans are looking for. |
| Your heavenly father knows you have need of them. |
| Seek you first the kingdom of God and is righteous and all these things will be added unto you. |
| In this period, we can trust the promises of God. |
| There are four great promises from the Book of Isaiah. Promises that we can cling to in times of difficulty. Promises that will keep us in the time of trouble. Promises that will keep us in the time of difficulty. |
| We need not fear what’s coming, but we need to be prepared for what’s coming. |
| Jesus is on our side and Christ will win and Satan will lose. |
| The promises of the Word of God will strengthen us. |
| Firstly, Isaiah chapter 26:3. You’ll keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he |
| trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever. For in Yahweh, the Lord is everlasting strength. You may be weak, but he’s strong. In the Lord, there’s everlasting strength. Thou keep him in perfect peace. We can be at peace as we enter the conflict. |
| Secondly, Isaiah 41:10. Fear not. In other words, don’t fear. We’re going to face conflict, don’t fear. Face trouble, don’t fear. Face difficulty, don’t fear. Face an economic boycott, don’t fear. Face death decree, don’t fear. Fear not, for I am with you. |
| Be not dismayed. Don’t be confused, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I’ll uphold you with my righteous right hand. God says, don’t be confused. I am going to strengthen you in that time. |
| Somebody’s thinking, I could never get through that time. You’re right. You can’t, not on your own, but with God, you can. He says |
| He’s the Author and Finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2, He says that He that has begun a good work in you will finish it. |
| Philippians chapter 4, look at verse 5 and 6, |
| Isaiah 41:10, don’t fear. Don’t be confused. |
| Thirdly, Isaiah 49:15-16. The promises of God get us through the crisis ahead. |
| This says: Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget. Yet I will not forget you. I’ve inscribed you on the palms of my hands. |
| Christ says, “Many will take the mark of the beast written in their hand.” |
| But Jesus says,”Ive inscribed you on the palms of my hands. I will never forget you. You are my own. The hands that were nailed to the cross are reaching out to you.” |
| Also, Jesus says, “You’re in my heart. You’re in my mind. I will get you through this final conflict. And I’ll get you through the conflicts you’re facing today.” |
| Fourthly, Isaiah 63:9. In all their affliction, He was afflicted. And the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and in His pity, He redeemed them, and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. |
| An amazing, incredible promise. We need not fear. |
| Jesus is with you. He will carry you through the time of trouble. In all their afflictions, He was afflicted. Everything we go through, He understands. He was rejected. He was betrayed. He was persecuted. He was ridiculed. He was mocked. He faced the death decree. So that in facing death, you can know that the resurrected Christ is your Conqueror. |
| A Call to Faithfulness, Decision, and Baptism |
| Would you like to say, “Jesus, I know that I’m too weak to get through that coming time of trouble. I recognize the truth of the Bible on what is coming. I understand the conflict, Lord, and I want to be faithful to you.” Would you like to say, “Jesus, I want to be faithful to you.” |
| Maybe you feel very weak. Would you say, “Jesus, I want to claim your promises and I don’t want to live life in fear. I want to have peace because I know that the strength of Christ will get me through the conflict.” |
| As we pray, is there somebody that needs special strength – just bow your head and say, “Jesus, at times I feel so weak and I don’t know how I could get through the coming crisis, but I know you’re going to get me through. Give me your strength.” |
| Or maybe there’s somebody that has never followed Jesus all the way in baptism before. Now you can say, “Jesus, we’re facing end times, facing last days. I want my hand to be in your hand, Jesus. I want my heart to be united with your heart, and I’d like to look forward to Bible baptism.” If that’s your desire, email us at info@hope365.com . |
| Email us. We’ll be in touch with you. We will pray with you. |
| Every week we’re getting emails from people. They’re coming to Christ. They’re wanting to be baptized. Maybe you were baptized once, but you drifted away. Perhaps there’s things in your life that are not in harmony with God. You want to be rebaptized. We’re more than happy to talk to you about it and counsel you about it. |
| As we pray, bow your head and pray that God will speak to your heart in a mighty powerful way. |
| Let’s pray. |
| Father in heaven, thank you so much that Christ is with us. Christ stands by our side. You will take us through the final conflict. |
| Lord, for those who feel weak, grant them strength right now. Help them trust you. |
| For those that are on the verge of making a decision for baptism, help them make it right now. May the spirit of God touch their hearts. |
| For those that have drifted, need to be rebaptized, touch them, Lord, because the truth is that every one of us long to be ready when you come again. |
| Prepare our hearts in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. |
