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Fred R. Coulter—July 16, 2022
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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services!
Today we're going to continue on with questions, but first I want you to see something very spectacular. There are four images of parts of the universe never seen before, not even with the Hubble Telescope. These are the first pictures from the James Webb Telescope in outer space, which are posted online.
{If you Google James Webb Telescope there are a number of websites from NASA that will explain what you are seeing on the video}
It's truly inspiring to see that that's something that no one has seen until now, outside of God. Remember what God told Abraham when He was going to make His covenant with him. He took Abraham out that night and said:
Look up into the heavens and see if you can count the stars. So, shall your seed be!
Measuring the speed of light (185,000 miles per second) they claim that these 13-billion light years away. Hello, all you atheists in your accidents! Impossibility!
(pause for the showing of the video)
They're all on our website truthofGod.org
I would like to go through the whole chapter of Isa. 40 to show how God constructed much of the prophecies, in fact most of them, and how this chapter is put together.
One of the most important things we need to understand is that God created everything that there is,
- He's all powerful
- He's Almighty
- He's all loving
- He's all kind
- He's all good
And He is all powerful and will destroy the wicked and get rid of sin by the power of His plan!
Isaiah 40:12: "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heavens with a span?
There they are all created, and that's an amazing thing! We have a hard time getting rid of a fly, imagine what God has done!
"…And who has comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD…?" (vs 12-13).
Stop right here, this is an important verse! Whatever men come along and they add their traditions and they add their false interpretations. What they're doing is sitting in the seat of God and trying to direct God! That's a the whole deep point of conversion!
We pray to God because we love Him, and because He has called us and because He's given us His Holy Spirit. But we don't tell God what to do. God will fulfill our request, God will answer our prayers, but whenever men get lifted up to sit in the seat of God, look at what happens to them, and it's going to happen to the world!
"…and who was His counselor that he might instruct Him?" (v 13).
A little thing to remember: This verse was Job's problem, but he repented.
Verse 14: "With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and made known the way of understanding to Him? Behold…" (vs 14-15).
We all need to look at things like this so we understand is:
- how great God
- how merciful, kind and loving that God is
- how magnificent is His calling
- how that we're going to be His sons and daughters
- how that we're going to be in His Kingdom and live in New Jerusalem
If you think the colors on those four photos that we saw from the James Webb Telescope, think about what New Jerusalem is going to be like! That's where we're going to live!
Verse 15: "Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the scales; behold, He takes up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts of it sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations…" (vs 15-17). That's down through all time!
That's why we can look in the Bible and see every one of the nations mentioned in the Bible, and those that went against God: Where are they today?
Verse 17: "All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted by Him as less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will you compare God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?" (vs 17-18).
Then it talks about someone who makes a graven image. What is that graven image going to do for anyone? Whatever it's made of God created it first!
This helps us keep our perspective in our relationship with God, and with each other!
Verse 21: "Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers; it is He Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in; Who brings the rulers to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity" (vs 21-23).
God does all of that! God's plan is so marvelous and fantastic that He's involved here on the earth. The adversary Satan the devil thinks he can do what God can do, and that he has a better plan! In the long run, he's going to totally fail!
Verse 24: "No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, then He shall blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away like stubble."
Just take a look at Babylon and Assyria before.
- Where is Assyria?
- Where is Babylon?
- Where is the Medo-Persian Empire?
- Where is the Greek Empire?
- Where is the Roman Empire?
Then take on the other hand, all the nations of Israel; where are they? What are they doing?
Verse 25: "'To whom then will you compare Me, or who is My equal?' says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold…[that's what we're doing with these pictures]…Who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number? …[now listen]…He calls them all by names… [trillions and trillions of stars, God names them] …by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one fails" (vs 25-26).
This helps us get a good perspective of how great that God is, and what He's doing!
*****
Q—Abortion
Judaism is suing the State of Florida over the abortion thing, because they believe in abortion. They say that the baby is not human until it takes its first breath.
As I have pointed out the newly conceived life participates in the breath of life through its mother and the placenta.
I'm reading Unplanned by Abby Johnson
She was the one who changed from being a head of the Planned Parenthood to being in the pro-life movement.
In her book, she claims that every Saturday they like to do from 25-35 abortions! That's twice a month for 50 years and I'm not certain how many abortion clinics there are in America.
That's going to be something, isn't it? I wonder what they will find when they have to go into those vacated Planned Parenthood buildings?
Q—In Acts 8…
This is quite something! Here's one of the first encounters of a false prophet. Remember that Jesus told them just before He was crucified that there would come false prophets and teachers, and say that Christ is Christ, but will deceive many!
We find that it was Philip that was down there and was baptizing. Let's read what it says about Simon Magus. There are historical evidences that Simon Magus—Simon means Peter—was the Peter that went to Rome, not the Apostle Peter.
If you want to find out all the ins and outs about Peter going to Rome and not going to Rome and what Peter did, go to Church At Home (churchathome.org) and we have nine segments—Was Peter Ever in Rome?—proving that Peter never went to Rome. Also, a little know fact that they actually found Simon Peter's tomb on the Mt. of Olives, not under the Vatican!
Acts 8:9: "But there was a certain man named Simon, who had from earlier times been practicing sorcery in the city…[witchcraft, dealing with demons]…and astounding the nation of Samaria, proclaiming himself to be some great one. To him they had all given heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, 'This man is the great power of God'" (vs 9-10).
The question is concerning this:
Were the people there in Samaria Gentiles?
Yes, they were, with a slight mixture of Israelite!
Remember that when Assyria took over the ten tribes, they sent some off into Babylon and Medo-Persia, and later on, because the people were not giving any honor at all to God, not even in the sense of being pagan, God sent lions among them to torment them. So, they sent for a Levite to bring them back out of captivity to show them how they need to have their religious services in Samaria.
Well, it never got back to the Truth, but they did claim—as we find with the woman at the well in Samaria—that they knew where Jacob's well was.
So, it's kind of mixture of everything, so when Philip went there, you had all of these factors involved, plus Simon Magus. The question is:
Was this before Peter going to Cornelius the centurion in Acts 10?
It appears to be!
Q—Lazarus & the Rich Man
Lazarus' parable: Why did Christ, Who never sinned use a lie about everlasting fire as an example?
He did not use a lie! Please remember that if you don't know the Sabbath and Holy Days of God, you will never know the true time-setting of Luke 16.
Because when you read it, it looks like Lazarus went to heaven and the rich man went to hell to burn. Whenever the give a sermon on heaven or hell they come here, but they don't know the time-setting.
Luke 16:19: "Now, there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, and daily indulged himself in luxury.…[sounds like some politicians we know]…And there was a certain poor man named Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores" (vs 19-20).
I imagine that every day when the rich man went in and out of his house he saw Lazarus. Probably looked at him with contempt and walked away.
Verse 21: "And he longed to be nourished with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; and the dogs even came and licked his sores. Now, it came to pass that the poor man died…" (vs 21-22).
Notice that this looks like he goes to heaven, but we know that no one goes to heaven and there is not eternal life until the first resurrection pictured by Pentecost!
So, the Holy Days are not mentioned here. So you have to plug in the Holy Days to make this work the way that it actually is going to happen. This is one of the ways that God hides things in the Bible that people won't understand.
"…and he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom…." (v 22).
- Where does it say that when we're resurrected the angels take us up to the Sea of Glass in the clouds? Matt. 24!
- When is that? That is the last Pentecost before Christ and all the saints return to the earth!
So, it didn't happen right afterward!
"…And the rich man also died and was buried. And in the grave…" (vs 22-23).
- Where was he? In the grave!
- When do the 'rest of the dead' come back to life?
We have two stages of it:
- at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20); the rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years are finished!
- we also have those who are resurrected to be cast into the Lake of Fire
What's the first thing that they're going to experience when they're resurrected? Coming out of the dirt!
"…he lifted up his eyes… [still in the grave] …and was in torment, for he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.…[how far that is we don't know] …And he cried out and said…" (vs 23-24).
Remember, those who are raised to go to the Lake of Fire there's weeping and gnashing of teeth when they see the flames.
"…'Father Abraham, have compassion on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am suffering because of this flame'" (v 24).
He knows that he's going to go in it, so he has suffering and torment.
Verse 25: "Then Abraham said… [this is a message going to be told to all of those going into the Lake of Fire]: …'Child, remember that in your lifetime you received good things to the full, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted, and you are suffering. And besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed; so that those who desire to pass from here to you are not able, nor can those from there pass to us'" (vs 25-26).
In other words, this is the final judgment of the wicked and there is no hope of any reprieve.
Verse 27: "And he said, 'I beseech you then, father, that you would send him to my father's house."
He remembers what it was in his life before he was buried. In this parable, this is way after that time of his father's house. Here's the lesson for all who are going to be going into the Lake of Fire:
Verse 28: "'For I have five brothers; so that he may earnestly testify to them, in order that they also may not come to this place of torment. Abraham said to him…" (vs 28-29).
Notice that for eternal life, what does Abraham say?
"…'They have Moses and the Prophets…." (v 29).
Remember that hat the time of the writing of the New Testament, and before it was written, that's what they had. All the apostles taught everything about the New Testament and the New Covenant out of the Old Covenant, plus the inspiration that God gave them. Then the writing that God inspired them to write later on. But they didn't have it here.
"…Let them hear them" (v 29). Lesson for everyone! You better listen to the Law and the Prophets.
What do we have today? Oh, it's done away, you don't have to pay any attention to it! Nonsense!
Verse 30: "But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if one from the dead would go to them, they would repent. And he said to him, 'If they will not hear Moses and the Prophets, they would not be persuaded even if one rose from the dead'" (vs 30-31)).
- What does this show? An absolute closed mindedness of those who commit the unpardonable sin!
- When are those cast into the Lake of Fire? After the thousand years!
So, in order to understand this whole parable, you have to plug in the Holy Days and especially the first resurrection, the rest of the dead being resurrected, and then the incorrigible wicked being resurrected to go into the Lake of Fire. You don't have it otherwise.
Q—Matthew 25:31
Here we have the same thing; written in such a way that there is no sense of a timeframe when these things occur. They follow in sequence in the chapter where it's written, but it's not in chronological order according to when the events would take place.
Matthew 25:31: "Now, when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the Holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the Throne of His glory;
How long is that going to be? We know that the Millennium is a thousand years! We know that the Great White Throne Judgment is another hundred years!
This chapter does not follow in a chronological way, though the verses are in sequence.
Verse 32: "And He shall gather before Him all the nations…"
When does He do that? That starts right at the beginning of the Millennium and it's carried down through all the Millennium. Those in the Millennium, the Kingdom of God, will have the advantage of being taught by all the sons and daughters of God of the first resurrection, and they're going to be able into Life when the time comes for them to enter into Life. That appears to be when they're 100-years-old. We will cover that when we get to the Feast of Tabernacles.
"…and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats" (v 32).
That's an ongoing process. This occurs all during the Millennium. Those who don't repent will be exiled and buried and they'll come up with Lazarus. This is what He does all during the thousand years:
Verse 33: "And He shall set the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at His left." He constantly does that all during the Millennium!
Verse 34: "Then shall the King say to those at His right hand, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'"
That looks like it's just one event. No, that continues all through the Millennium. So, a lot of these are statements of events that take place over a period of time. Though, when you read it here it looks like it happens all of a sudden, but it doesn't!
Verse 35: "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat…"
That will pertain to most of us who are Christians right now and what we need to do for those who have need. All during the whole time of God preparing for the return of Christ. Then it goes on into the Millennium in whatever form that it would go.
"'…I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry…'" (vs 35-37).
Of course, they never saw Him because He wasn't on the earth. Everyone who is converted has Christ in Him, the hope of Glory! This can refer to those who were converted. It can refer to those who were not converted, but would be converted at a later time, because we have the Great White Throne Judgment.
See how much is involved in all of these parables when the come along, that unless you have knowledge of the Sabbath and Holy Days, and the timing of them, it's going to be difficult to understand. That's the secret of how God caused the Bible to be written; so that the people who are not called will see, but not understand! They will hear, but they will have no comprehension of it!
Verse 36: "I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You a drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You?' And answering, the King shall say to them, 'Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me'" (vs 36-40).
This is something that's taking place now and it's going to take place during the Millennium. It's taken place going back forever. Look at what happened in the Garden of Eden. Out of jealousy Cain killed Abel.
Verse 41: "Then shall He also say to those on the left, 'Depart from Me, you cursed ones…'"
If you're cursed that means you didn't keep the commandments. What's the greatest commandment? To love God with all your heart, mind, soul and being, and to love your neighbor as yourself!
Isn't it true that there are a lot of people out there that tell you that they wouldn't give anything to anyone who is in difficulty.
"…you cursed ones into the eternal fire…" (v 41).
That means they committed the unpardonable sin! This does not mean that the fire burns eternally! The source of the fire is God, so it's eternal fire.
"…which has been prepared…[it has a start and a finish]…for the devil and his angels" (v 41).
You can read that in Rev. 20, the beast and false prophet, and all the wicked.
Verse 42: "For I was hungry, and you did not give Me anything to eat; I was thirsty, and you did not give Me anything to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not come to visit Me."
Verse 44: "Then they also shall answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and we did not minister to You?' Then shall He answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, neither did you do it to Me.' And they shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (vs 44-46).
Remember that there a many different places in the Bible that it's written this way.
Q—Seven Thunders
Sorry to e-mail you so soon. Gerry Flurry said that there is an antichrist in the Church of God and he out there.
What's he talking about? Do you know or have your heard him say in a sermon today that he knows what the seven thunders are?
He's claimed that before. I don't follow I don't follow Gerald Flurry. I check up on him probably once every couple of years. People who have received literature from send it to me. I've got all of his books and everything.
Let me tell you something else. I'm not saying that he said that he was one of the two witnesses, but with the seven thunders:
Revelation 10:4: "And when the seven thunders spoke with their voices, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven say to me, 'Seal what the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them.'"
How can you turn to some other writings that were written before this and those plagues were already explained and you say that that is exactly what the seven thunders are going to do. NO! We don't know!
Gerald Flurry says that he's like Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, like 'that Prophet.' What is 'that Prophet'?
One thing that is important, don't lift yourself up in vanity and make yourself important. 'You are not that Prophet.'Someone else wrote me and told me, 'Why do you bring up about Jonathan Cahn and tell about him?' Well, it's very important to understand this. Someone has to got to have it out there someplace that Jonathan Cahn could be a great tool in God's hands IF he would repent, and stop the Judaism. Also IF he would tell the Jews to keep the Sabbath and not just have temple on Friday night. He does all of the traditional things that they do and then he has church services for the Gentiles on Sunday, and believes that Sunday is the day for the Gentiles.
So, if I say that Jonathan Cahn needs to repent and he could do a whole lot better if he would really turn to God, I'll do it, and I'll say it about anyone else who is our there as a public figure. They effect people who are trying to find God.
Those Jews on Friday night are trying to find God. Those 'Christians' on Sunday morning are trying to find God. But what it reveals is that he knows more about his paradigms than he does about the Bible.
Yes, I'll call him out, Franklin Graham, David Jeremiah and Hagee, all of them! They say they are ministers of God. They use the Bible, but they use it incorrectly!
You read in John 1 that those religious leaders came down from Jerusalem to see John and they said:
- Are you the Christ? No, I'm not!
- Are you that Prophet? No, I'm not!
- Who are you? I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord!
The Jews didn't understand it!
Deuteronomy 18:15: "The LORD your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, One like me [Moses]. To Him you shall hearken, according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, so that I do not die.' And the LORD said to me, 'They have spoken well what they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, One like you, and will put My words in His mouth. And He shall speak to them all that I shall command Him'" (vs 15-18).
Take these words, and it's spread out over a long period of time.
Verse 19: "And it shall come to pass, whatever man will not hearken to My words, which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him."
Gerald Flurry says that he is that Prophet! Really? Are you like Christ? Are you like God?
Acts 4:8[transcriber's correction]: "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we are examined this day as to a good work done to the infirm man, by what power he has been cured'" (vs 8-9).
This man had been infirm since birth and couldn't walk, and he was healed and was standing right there in the middle of the Sanhedrin with the apostles.
Verse 10: "Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean, Whom you crucified, but Whom God has raised from the dead, by Him this man stands before you whole. This is the Stone that was set at naught by you, the builders, which has become the Head of the corner. And there is no salvation in any other, for neither is there another name under heaven which has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (vs 10-12).
Acts 3:19: "Therefore, repent and be converted in order that your sins may be blotted out, so that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Him Who was before proclaimed to you: Jesus Christ Whom the heaven must indeed receive until the times of restoration of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of all His Holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, "A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you from among your brethren, like me; Him shall you hear in all things that He shall say to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet…[there it is, that Prophet is Christ] … [no minister in the Church today] …shall be destroyed from among the people" (vs 19-23).
That's why it's important! We have the book: God's Plan For Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days {truthofGod.org}—and all the other books—explain the Word of God.
All the ministers, whoever you are, don't lift yourself up above the brethren! Remember that Jesus said, 'You have to serve them.' The whole goal of everything of Sabbath, preaching, teaching the Word of God, and everything we do is centered around what Jesus said: it is sufficient that the disciple become as his master!
That means that is the sufficiency of the Word of God that we become like Christ Jesus!
(break@47:17)
Q—Tithing
Could you please give a sermon on tithing?
Yes, I could, but we have a whole series on it: In-Depth Study: Wealth & Income: The Biblical Truth About Tithes & Offerings
Q—Daniel/Dan not mentioned in the 144,000
What is the reason that you think that Daniel is not mentioned in the 144,000?
When was Daniel the Prophet? During the 600sB.C.! He will be raised when the Prophets are raised. The 144,000 is not until two full years into the last three and a half years. And it's talking about the tribes of Israel and not individual persons like Daniel.
Also, you noted correctly that Ephraim is not mentioned directly, but he is because Ephraim was the son of Joseph, and it mentions Joseph:
Revelation 7:8:[transcriber's correction]: "…twelve thousand were sealed; from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed" That includes Ephraim!
Verse 6: "…twelve thousand were sealed; from the tribe of Manasseh."
We have all three of the sons of Rachel: Manasseh, Joseph and Benjamin.
What also does this show? For those people who say that the 10 tribes of Israel have been absorbed into all the Gentiles, if that is so then they don't exist. But God says He will filter them through all nations:
Amos 9:9: "For lo, I will command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations, as one shakes with a sieve, yet, not a grain shall fall to the earth."
This also proves that all 12 tribes exist in the end-time. These are physical people from the physical tribes. Daniel and the other Prophets are not mentioned.
The tribe of Dan, it says in Gen. 49 that Dan will await his salvation! So, he's not mentioned there because Dan is involved in too much idolatry.
Q/Comment:
You're beginning to sound more like Herbert Armstrong.
I don't know if that's a compliment or… Whatever it may be. I don't try to follow him. I follow Christ! However he followed Christ, that's good.
- when he didn't it led to trouble
- when I don't it leads to trouble
- when you don't it leads to trouble
If any of the mainstream church leaders and politicians understood the Sabbath, or other parts of God's plan, but refused to teach it, then they would have to answer to God.
It's highly unlikely that any of them would be listening to your messages.
Well, that's true, but there are other people who listen to them that need to hear it that will respond to what I have said. These men deliberately, knowingly and with malice reject the Sabbath and the Holy Days.
I won't back off in talking about them! I don't care if they hear me or not!
Q/Comment—Pope
This is from Germany. The pope is supposed to go to Kyiv, Ukraine at the end of July and Moscow. The pope has never gone to Moscow, I wonder what that will turn out to be if he goes? He may not be able to go, we'll have to wait and see.
Q—Ruben's sons
Ruben had four sons, which one was the father of Joel of whom the Gog line came down from?
I don't know, and the genealogies in this particular case are not necessarily relevant to any prophecy.
Q—Matt. 28:19—Baptism & Trinity
Matthew 28:19: "Therefore, go and make disciples in all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
People get all excited about it—those who believe in a trinity—that this says it's a trinity. No, it's not!
Other people believe we should only baptize in the name of Jesus. That's not true either! Others say that the Catholics put this in the Bible. No, they didn't put in the Bible!
If anyone put it in the Bible it had to be the Apostle John when they were canonizing the New Testament just before he died. John is the one who wrote more about the Holy Spirit than anyone else. Every place in the Gospel of John speaking of the Holy Spirit it is in the neuter gender, it is not a person.
If this verse was added, which it may very well may have been, it was probably John who did so, because he was the one to canonize the final canonization of the New Testament.
- "…into the name of the Father…" Why? Because we're going to be a son or daughter of God!
- "…and of the Son…"—because we have our sins forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His shed blood. But notice that it doesn't say, 'in the name of'; it just say "…and of the Son…"
- "…and of the Holy Spirit"—it doesn't say 'in the name of'the Holy Spirit.
Why would this be here? Because the purpose of repenting and being baptized is to receive the Holy Spirit! That's the important thing of baptism! This is why it's here! It's not for a trinity! It is to round out everything necessary for baptism.
Q—Seven Spirits of God (Rev. 1:4)
- What are they?
- What do they do?
- Why are they addressed here?
- Are they addressed anyplace else in the Bible?
We will see!
Revelation 1:4: "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace and peace be to you from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come; and from the seven spirits that are before His Throne."
Revelation 3:1: "And to the angel of the Church in Sardis, write: 'These things says He Who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars….'"
The seven stars represent the seven Churches. What do the seven spirits represent?
Revelation 4:5 "And proceeding from the Thronewere lightnings and thunders and voices; and seven lamps of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning before the Throne."
Revelation 5:6: "Then I saw, and behold, before the Throne and the four living creatures and before the elders was standing a Lamb ashaving been slain, having seven horns…"—each horn representing a church!
Since the horns are in the head of the Lamb, that shows that Jesus is the Head of the Churches of God! That's important to understand.
"…and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that are sent into all the earth" (v 6).
- What do they do?
- How do they function?
They assist God in helping to find those who are seeking Him!
- How is it that out of all the billions of people on the earth, and a man way out in the middle of nowhere or maybe in the middle of a huge city, starts seeking God?
- How is God going to know? The seven spirits help Him!
2-Chronicles 15:1: "And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa…[the king]…and said to him, 'Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him…[never forget that]…And if you seek Him, He will be found by you. But if you forsake Him, He will forsake you'" (vs 1-2).
Asa did good for a while, and then he left God. Then the warning came to offer at the temple.
2-Chronicles 16:7: "And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, 'Because you have relied on the king of Syria and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore, the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand…. [then he gives them a lesson; if you're going trust God, you have to trust Him]: …Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand… [so he could win the battle] …for the eyes of the LORD… [the seven eyes of God] …run to and fro in all the whole earth…" (vs 7-9)
They're busy! Anyone seeking God, God knows they're seeking! If they're praying for help and it's a prayer that God is going to answer, He will answer it to encourage them to continue to seek Him.
"'…to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore, from now on you shall have wars.' And Asa was angry with the seer and put him in a prison house…" (vs 9-10). So much for thanking God!
Everything that we do with God must be based on the Word of God! Today we have the Spirit of God in us:
- direct connection to God the Father and Jesus Christ
- direct connection to the Throne in heaven above in all that is done
God will hear our prayers!
Q—Tattoos (Lev. 19:28)
Tattoos are something that a lot of people do today. You see so many athletes that have tattoos all over them. You look at the tattoos and what do you find?
We see a lot of people with tattoos on them. What about it?
What do we do about them? Shall we have them removed?
I don't know if you can remove them or not. Here's was the Bible says:
Leviticus 19:28: "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead…[that's what the cuttings were for]…nor tattoo any marks on you. I am the LORD."
What do you do? I would hope that if you can get them removed that would be possible. But some people are so covered with tattoos, it's almost like they would need a whole new set of human flesh for their whole body.
I don't know what to do in cases like that, but I don't know anyone who has been called that has that many tattoos.
Is there any reason for any tattoos at all?
I don't think there's any reason for it. It's a difficult thing, and lot of people have them today. I suggest that you go see what you can do about them.
Q—Sabbath-Keeping Heb. 3:18-19
Is this referring to Sabbath-keeping or God's Kingdom?
Hebrews 3:15: "As it is being said…" This is a quote from Psa. 95, which is a Sabbath quote.
What was the first major sin of Israel in the wilderness? Breaking the Sabbath and making idols when Moses was up on the mountain getting the instructions from God!
"…'Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.'"
They kept rebelling against God, read all of the book of Numbers and see how many difficult and trying times that Moses had to go through, because the children of Israel didn't believe God. They had a very difficult time getting Egypt out of their system.
What did God do? Everyone who was over 20-years-old died in the remaining 38-1/2 years that they were wandering in the wilderness! With as many people as they had, that means every day someone died. They could have gone into the 'promised land' during the Feast of Trumpet of the second year. But they wouldn't listen! They rebelled! So, Moses says this so that we can get a lesson from it:
Verse 16: "For some, after hearing, did rebel, but not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was He indignant for forty years? Was it not with those who had sinned, whose dead bodies were strewn in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter into His rest…[the 'promised land']…except to those who had disobeyed? So, we see…[here's the lesson]…that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief" (vs 16-19).
Think about that for a minute. The Sabbath is really, really important. He covers it here in Heb. 4, so let's learn the lesson.
- Do you think that anyone is going to get into the Kingdom of God who is rebellious?
- Anymore than those who did not go into the 'promised land,' because they were rebellious? NO!
Hebrews 4:1: "Therefore, we should fear, lest perhaps, a promise being open to enter into His rest, any of you might seem to come short."
That's also into the Kingdom of God! In Isa. 11 is called His rest.
Verse 2: "For truly, we have had the Gospel preached to us, even as they also did; but the preaching of the Word did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard." What was the requirement?
- keep My commandments
- keep My Sabbaths
Remember what God did every Sabbath for 40 years! There was no manna on the Sabbath! You would think that they would learn the lesson concerning that. But they didn't!
Verse 3: "For we who have believed, we ourselves are entering into the rest…"
This doesn't mean we're entering into the Kingdom of God. This means that we're entering into the rest of the Sabbath; not the Kingdom of God; that comes with the resurrection!
"…as He has said, 'So, I swore in My wrath, "If they shall enter into My rest—"'…" (v 3). It's conditional!
- Do you keep the Sabbath?
or
- Do you not keep the Sabbath?
- Are you going to be in the Kingdom of God?
or
- Are you not going to be in the Kingdom of God?
- Do you think you can get into the Kingdom of God without keeping the Sabbath, which is a prophetic type every week; the seventh day?
Let's read on, because Paul makes it very important:
"…although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He [God] spoke in a certain place about the seventh day in this manner: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all His works'" (vs 3-4).
- Why did God do that? The first Sabbath He spent time with Adam and Eve and told them about who they are, what they are and what He's doing, and so forth!
- What do we learn on the Sabbath Day when we keep it?
- we learn about God
- we learn about what He's doing
- we learn about His promises
- we learn what faith is
- we learn what love is
- we learn about all of things and characteristics we need to have
He's talking about the Sabbath Day in the rest of it here!
The Protestants believe that Jesus kept the Sabbath for them! If any of you out there can keep the Sabbath for anyone else, you let me know, because that will be quite a phenomena if that were possible.
"…'God rested on the seventh day from all His works' And again concerning this…[the Sabbath] …'If they shall enter into My rest—'" (vs 4-5). It's choice!
We choose to keep the Sabbath, and where there is an if it's on us! There never is an ifon God!
Verse 6: "Consequently, since it remains for some to enter into it…[referring back to getting into the 'promised land'] …and those who had previously heard the Gospel did not enter in because of disobedience."
Did they have the Sabbath every week for 40 years? Yes! A lot of people didn't keep it. It says in the book of Amos 5 that they worshipped Molech in the wilderness! That's why God had to take the Tent of the Meeting with Moses and put it outside the camp. It's an amazing thing! Right in the presence of God people rebel!
So, the Sabbath is laid out here IF you're going enter into God's rest!
Verse 7: "Again, He marks out a certain day…[the seventh day] …'Today,' saying in David after so long a time (exactly as it has been quoted above), 'Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.'"
What is one of the things that the Protestants harden their hearts over? The Sabbath Day and the Holy Days!
It's teaching a lesson going from the time of Joshua and entering the 'promised land' and them not keeping the Sabbath and couldn't enter in. Compare that with what we're to do and what Christ wants us to do.
Verse 8—referring back to time of Israel in the wilderness and afterward: "For if Joshua had given them rest…"
Joshua took them into the 'promised land.' But was that the complete fulfillment of God's plan, or was that one step, but a major step for the children of Israel? God didn't give them the rest that's going to come with the Millennium, as shown in the New Testament.
"…He would not have spoken long afterwards of another day" (v 8).
This has to do with the day of the Sabbath plus the day of the beginning of the Millennium. Because of this:
Verse 9: "There remains, therefore, Sabbath-keeping for the people of God."
- Who are the people of God in the New Testament?
- Are they just the children of Israel?
or
- Are they also Gentiles? They are Gentiles, too!
Acts 13—After a riot in the synagogue, the Jews did not like to see Paul coming, because when he came and spoke he divided the synagogue. The Jews were angry, the Gentiles were happy:
Acts 13:46: "But Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly, saying, 'It was necessary for the Word of God to be spoken to you first; but since you reject it and do not judge yourselves worthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.'"
This means that you keep the Sabbath the way God wants it!
Verse 47: "For so the Lord has enjoined upon us: 'I have set You for a light of the Gentiles that You should be for salvation unto the uttermost parts of the earth.' And when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced; and they glorified the Word of the Lord, and believed, as many as were appointed to eternal life. And the Word of the Lord was carried throughout the entire country. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the principal men of the city, and raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their borders" (vs 47-50).
Paul didn't speak very kindly to them; here's to the Jews:
Acts 13:41: "'Behold, you despisers, and wonder and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work that you will in no way believe, even if one declares it to you.' And when the Jews had gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles entreated him that these words might be spoken to them on the next Sabbath" (vs 41-42). What a perfect time to say:
All you Gentiles out here, these Jews over here are disobedient and non believing, so we're going to meet tomorrow on Sunday. Sunday is the day that all you Gentiles are going to keep.
Some of them would say:
We already do that, to the sun-god!
No! It's the Sabbath!
Verse 43: Now, after the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and the proselytes who worshiped there followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God…. [grace and Sabbath-keeping go together] …And on the coming Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the Word of God" (vs 43-44)
Heb. 4 shows how important that the Sabbath if for us today:
Hebrews 4:9: "There remains, therefore, Sabbath-keeping…"—Greek: 'sabbatismos'; noted throughout all the Greek-speaking areas that means the seventh-day Sabbath of God.
"…Sabbath-keeping for the people of God. For the one who has entered into His rest…[the Sabbath]…he also has ceased from his works… [quite working] …just as God did from His own works. We should be diligent, therefore, to enter into that rest… [Sabbath-keeping] …lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience" (9-11).
Then he gives a very powerful verse. Does God mean business, or not? Yes!
Verse 12: "For the Word of God is living and powerful… [spiritual] …and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of both soul and spirit, and of both the joints and the marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart." No other book is able to do that!
- When do we find out about our sins?
- When are the magnified in our eyes so we quit sinning?
When we come to God on the Sabbath and study His Word and we look at our lives!
- we pray to God every day
- we yield our thoughts to Him everyday
- we believe everything that God has said
- we don't try and change it
- we don't try to add to it
- we don't try to take away from it
- we don't give excuses for it
If there are things there that we don't understand, we have to say we don't understand. Maybe God will give us understanding, and maybe He won't. There are a lot of things we won't understand—in fact the majority of things—until we're spirit beings in the Kingdom of God! Now notice how important Sabbath-keeping is:
Verse 13: "And there is not a created thing that is not manifest in His sight; but all things are naked and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account."
With God there is no such thing as a secret that He doesn't know! What has He promised? Every secret shall be shouted from the housetops! Have we not seen that in politics? Don't we see it today?
Pray tell, whatever little bit we're able to get from the news about the corrupt Biden family, are not all those secrets being revealed? Whether there will be punishment for them or not because of the evil justice system, we don't know.
Here's what we are to do on the Sabbath Day, and every day when we pray:
Verse 14: "Having, therefore, a great High Priest, Who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, we should hold fast the confession of our faith."
- we believe the Sabbath; hold fast to that
- we believe the Holy Days; hold fast to that
- keep them
- study the Word of God
- put it together
The marvelous thing that will happen is that God will give us more understanding, a bit here and a bit there, and we put it all together. It's a tremendous thing to understand the Word of God the way that God wants us to understand it.
We see how God has so intelligently put it together, that we must learn and obey certain basic things like the Sabbath and Holy Days before we can begin to understand some of these Scriptures and why they are put the way that they are; how we are to learn from them.
Verse 15: "For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot empathize with our weaknesses…"
- He knows we're weak
- He understands the difficulties
- He knows that sin can easily entrap us
"…but One Who was tempted in all things according to the likeness of our own temptations; yet, He was without sin. Therefore, we should come with boldness to the Throne of Grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (vs 15-16).
Scriptural References:
- Isaiah 40:12-18, 21-26
- Acts 8:9-10
- Luke 16:19-31
- Matthew 25:31-37, 35-46
- Revelation 10:4
- Deuteronomy 18:15-19
- Acts 4:8-12
- Acts 3:19-23
- Revelation 7:8, 6
- Amos 9:9
- Matthew 18:19
- Revelation 1:4
- Revelation 3:1
- Revelation 4:5
- Revelation 5:6
- 2 Chronicles 15:1-2
- 2 Chronicles 16:7-10
- Leviticus 19:28
- Hebrews 3:15-19
- Hebrews 4:1-9
- Acts 13:46-50, 41-44
- Hebrews 4:9-16
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Acts 10
- Matthew 24
- Revelation 20
- John 1
- Genesis 49
- Psalm 95
- Isaiah 11
- Amos 5
Also referenced:
Church at Home {churchathome.org} Was Peter Ever in Rome?
Book: God's Plan Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days by Fred R. Coulter
In-Depth Study: Wealth & Income: The Biblical Truth About Tithes & Offerings
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7/20/22
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