Pentecost 2024

Greetings everyone. Welcome to Pentecost 2024, and we're another year closer to the Kingdom of God coming to this earth. And all of the brethren and all of the elders and all of those down through time and history that are mentioned in the Bible and all of those from the time of Pentecost in Acts the second chapter, we're all waiting for the coming Kingdom of God. But the kingdom is not going to come, boom, in one day. Now we'll see that, and we will see the importance of Pentecost. And we will see Pentecost pictures the first resurrection, and we'll see why. And we'll see how important that that really, really is. Let's come to Leviticus 23. Now we know that we have all of the Holy Days listed here according to the sequence of the calculated Hebrew calendar. However, the meaning of each of these days is found mostly in every other place in the Bible pertaining to whatever particular feast day is coming up. Now then, this is done in such a way so that those who are blinded and can't see, they will look at this and they will discount Leviticus 23 as ritual feasts that we don't have to be concerned about today because it's for the Jews. And in that way, what happens? They stay in their blindness. Now, we've gone through Sabbath, Passover, first day of unleavened bread, last day of unleavened bread, and now we have counted seven weeks and we come to the day after the seventh Sabbath because each week must end in a Sabbath. Each week means the full seven-day week. No partial weeks. So let's pick it up here in Leviticus 23 and verse 9. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, when you have come into the land. So this feast was not kept this way until they came into the land where we find in Joshua the fifth chapter. Then I'll give you and shall reap the harvest of it. Then you shall bring the premier sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you. And on the next day after the Sabbath, the priest shall wave it. Now, we've already covered that during the feast of unleavened bread. But that is always the first day of the week during unleavened bread. Now, a little sidebar. Whenever the Passover falls on a Sabbath and the Sabbath is an unleavened bread day, then the first holy day is on the first day of the week. And that is the day in the year that the Passover falls on a Sabbath. Then that is the day of the wave sheaf offering. And this is where the Jews get mixed up in counting. Because they use Joshua five as the basis for determining their Pentecost. And it always comes out on a different day of the week except once in seven years. So this is why the Jews have their Pentecost on the sixth of Sivan. Then it says here, verse 12, And you shall offer that day when you wave the sheaf a male lamb without a blemish of the first year for a bird offering. Then they have the grain offering and the drink offering, verse 13. Now here, verse 14. Remember this. The children of Israel all during the time that they were in the wilderness had no bread. They had manna. And manna must have been unleavened so they could keep the feast of unleavened bread. But it says here, And you shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor green ears until the same day until you have brought an offering to your God. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. Then it tells how to count to Pentecost. All right. And you shall count to you beginning with the next day after the Sabbath. Okay. That's the first day of the week. And every day runs from the first day through the seventh day. Every week runs that way. And there are to be seven weeks. Now let's read it here. After the Sabbath, beginning with the day you brought the wave offering, seven Sabbaths shall be complete. Even unto the day after the seventh Sabbath, you shall number fifty days. Now, stop and think for just a minute. When the church kept it on a Monday, can you show me any place in history that Monday followed a Sabbath? Never happened. Then it says what they were to bring. We'll cover that in just a bit. Let's come to Deuteronomy 16. And here we have the command for taking up the offering. Verse 16. Deuteronomy 16 and verse 16. Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose, in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in the Feast of Weeks, which then is Pentecost. And we'll see that a little bit later in the New Testament. Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the Lord empty, but every one shall give according to the blessing of the Lord your God, which He has given you. And so, we'll at this time take up an offering and know that all of the offerings and all of the tithes go to producing all the books, all the booklets, all the videos, all of the websites, and for those who are working for the church for their salaries. And everything goes to that. And every year we send out a complete financial statement from our independent auditor, Guarino and Associates, giving an account for what we have done with the money. So we appreciate the blessing of the offering. We appreciate your thought in giving whatever you are giving. And we know this, that we are to give it from our hearts because we love God. And He has given us the promise of entering into His kingdom. So at this time we'll take a pause and then we'll come back and continue with the Feast of Pentecost. Now let's come back to Leviticus 23 and let's see something very unusual here. The reason it's very unusual is because during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, leaven is a type of sin. And that's why the Passover day is an unleavened bread day because of what God did on that day with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Now then, let's see what He brings out here because now we're going to see a different application of leaven that God commands to be done. So let's read it. Verse 16, Under the day after the seventh Sabbath you shall number fifty days and you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord and you shall bring out of your houses, that is, everyone who comes to the Feast, you bring out of your house. You make it in the house, you bake it in the house, and you bring it out. Alright? Bring out of your house two wave loaves and two tents part. So that was to be a specific size for those loaves. They shall be of fine flour, and of course fine flour means it's been beaten really fine, and of course that's a type of all the trials and difficulties we go through. Okay? They shall be baked with leaven. Now why bake it with leaven? Now you see unleavened bread was baked without leaven. And that was to show that we need to get sin out of our lives. Now here is a completely different application of leaven. Okay? And we will see this in just a minute. Now it says this, they are the first fruits to the Lord. Now when you have a lot of people coming to the Feast, and each family is bringing two loaves to wave before the Lord. Now isn't that interesting? Because the premier sheep that was offered on the first day of the week during unleavened bread was the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven to be accepted by God the Father. Now we have here, and that sheep was waved before the Lord. So here we have it similar here. The two loaves were to be taken and waved before the Lord on the day after the seventh Sabbath. The day after the first Sabbath pictures the ascension of Jesus Christ after being resurrected from the dead. These waved loaves baked with leaven show something very interesting. Because when you put leaven in bread and you let it raise, and then you bake it, it's permanently changed. Whereas when they had the unleavened dough, they could beat it down and they could take whatever they need to bake. But once you bake it with leaven, it is set. Now as we will see, this is the type of all of us at the resurrection being accepted as the firstfruits. Let's go on with it here. Firstfruits to the Lord. Then it says that you'll offer the lambs and the grain offerings and the other ones. And those are all of the offerings at the temple. Now verse 20, And a priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits, a wave offering before the Lord, with two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. And you shall proclaim on that same day that it may be a holy convocation to you. Pentecost is a holy convocation. And you shall do no servile work therein. It is a statute forever in your dwelling throughout your generations. Now, let's see something in Matthew 13. So let's go there, Matthew 13, and we will see another application of leaven, which has nothing to do with leaven being a type of sin. Because obviously, these loaves that were baked with leaven, you're not waiving sin before God for God to accept sin. So let's look at this one verse in Matthew 13. Matter of fact, that's Matthew 13 and verse 33. We find this also in the Gospel of Mark. Verse 33. Another parable he spoke to them. The kingdom of heaven is compared to leaven. Now, the kingdom of heaven is going to be sinless. Correct? But this shows the action of leaven when it is baked. Then it permanently changes the character of the dough into bread. Now then, that's a type of us being converted and then resurrected from the dead, having been changed by the inner working and unseeing activity of the leavening that's in the flour. See? So, let's read that again. The kingdom of heaven is compared to a leaven which a woman took and hid in three basins of flour until all was leavened. Alright? So that shows with the weaving of the leaven loaves, that shows a resurrection on Pentecost. Now, we'll see that again a little later in other things when we come to it. Okay? Now then, let's look at some other Scriptures which we need to cover here with this. Let's see what happened on Pentecost in Exodus 20. Let's go back to Exodus 20. Because this becomes important. Remember this. Every holy day pictures the direct action of God into this world. And did He not do that with the children of Israel bringing them out of Egypt? A direct intervention. Killing the firstborn? Direct intervention. Crossing the Red Sea? Direct intervention. Giving the Ten Commandments? Is that not direct intervention of God? Yes. Remember that they were all prepared and came and met God at the base of the mountain. And then God came down in power and in glory to speak the Ten Commandments directly to all the people assembled below. God's direct divine intervention in the world to carry out His Word and make it manifest to those who were there at the time. Now can you imagine what that was when they heard God speak? And the mountain burned with fire and the smoke was going up and the wind was blowing and the people were all terrified. And then God spoke the Ten Commandments. And so awesome was it that the children of Israel when it was all done, they said, oh Moses, you speak to us, we don't let God speak to us unless we die. Well, that shows how human nature is towards spiritual things and God. It's hard for them to take. So God said of them, oh, I would that there were such a heart in Him. Let's come to Deuteronomy 5, and we'll see that. Hold your place in Exodus. We'll be back there. Deuteronomy 5. Let's see what God said. Deuteronomy 5, and verse 28. Here's what Moses wrote. Verse 27. He said, And you go near and hear all the Lord your God, which He shall say, and you speak to us all these words that our Lord God spoke to you, and we will hear it and do it. So that's what they said. They said, oh, we don't want to hear the voice of God. It scares us to death. So verse 28, And the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, I've heard the voice of the words of the people, which they have spoken to you. They have well said all that they have spoken. In other words, they were well intentioned, but they didn't really understand what they were doing. Now isn't that the way it is with human beings? Always well intentioned, but not understanding how it's going to work out? Yes, indeed. So God said this. So this shows the long suffering of God. Through everything that He dealt with with the children of Israel. Now why did He go through all of this? And even in the book of Isaiah, He said to them, that you, Israel, have made Me serve with your sins. Now why did God put up with that? For a certain length of time before He sent them off into captivity? Because of His promise to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. So God kept His promise, and also the promise to Moses. Because when the children of Israel sinned with the golden calf, there in Exodus 32, God told Moses, now leave Me alone and I'll kill all these people and I'll raise up people through you. And he said, oh Lord God, don't do that. Be merciful. Take my life instead. But if you won't, please let your presence go with us. And so God said, alright, I'll do that. So we find here, that with all of this and the carnality of the people, even though they're well intentioned, they always end up in sin. They always end up in trouble. Alright? So God said, oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always. Why? Because all the commandments of God were made for our good. Out of love from God for us. That we can have good lives, good families, understand things, see? Now in the New Testament, it goes a step beyond that. With the Holy Spirit of God, we are begotten with the Holy Spirit when we repent and are baptized. And we become the future children of God. Actually called, we are now children as Paul writes. Okay? Now notice what God says. They would keep all My commandments always, so that it may be well with them and with their children forever. So that's an amazing thing that God did. Okay? Now let's come back here and see something else that happened after the giving of the Ten Commandments. Then we have in Exodus 21, Exodus 22, Exodus 23, a number of laws and precepts based upon the Ten Commandments which were to be common law in the community of the children of Israel. And that covers everything from murder to accidental death, to thievery, to swearing, and all of the different sins. Okay? So then, here's what He said to Moses beginning in Exodus 34. Now this becomes very interesting indeed. Because here we're going to see something very, very important. Because the covenant that God made with Israel was a type of a marriage covenant. And we find in Isaiah 54 that God says that He was a husbandman to Israel. And that was made by covenant. Now a covenant is very important. That's different than a testimony. A testimony or a will and testimony can be changed at any time. A covenant cannot be changed. And everyone who enters into that covenant has to pledge his own death if he doesn't carry it out. And we find that originally with Abraham and God offering in Genesis 15. So let's read it here. Let's see what happened. Alright? Verse 1, Exodus 34. And He said to Moses, Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship afar off. Now, this then represents the witness to the covenant that God was entering into with the children of Israel. God gave His part. He gave all of His commandments. He gave all of His laws. Now, then He says verse 2, And Moses alone shall come up near the Lord, and they shall not come near, neither shall the people go up with him. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord. Everything here in Exodus 21, 22, and 23. He read them all. And all the judgments, and all the people answered with one voice and said, All the words which the Lord has said, we will do. Now, that's their part of this covenantal marriage relationship between God and the children of Israel. Now then, so there be no future misunderstanding, because whenever there is something that is given orally, and passed down orally, it is changed. So, God wants it in writing. Now we have that as a testimony for the whole Bible. You want to know what God says? It's written down. And furthermore, today, in 3,500 different languages. So, just like God told in the book of Revelation, told John, write! See, God wants it written down. Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, rose up early in the morning, built an altar at the base of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. He sent young men or the children of Israel to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of bullocks to the Lord. And Moses took half the blood. Now you see, blood and the covenant is very important. In the new covenant, we are sanctified by the blood of Christ. And when we are baptized, we are placed right alongside and conjoined to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This blood, then, applies to each one of us individually. So there's the Old Testament we're reading now, and that's what the New Testament tells us. All right? And Moses took half the blood and put it in a basin, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar, and he took the book of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people. So not only did he tell them what he was going to bring to them, but he wrote it down and then he read it all to the people. And here is their answer. They said, yes, all that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient. Well, they didn't do it. All right? Let's read on. Now notice verse 8. This becomes important. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, behold, the blood of the covenant, see, which the Lord has made with you concerning these words. Okay? Now let's see what happened here. Let's see this took place right after Pentecost. The words were spoken on Pentecost. Bang! Okay? Then the covenant was made. And then, let's see what happened then. Okay? And we'll see the same thing in the New Testament with the marriage supper of the Lamb. And that will be the new eternal covenant with all the resurrected saints. Well, I'm getting a little ahead of myself here. Now, verse 9. And Moses went up and Aaron and Nadab and Abihu and the 70 of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet, as it were, a paved work of sapphire stone. Huh. We're going to see that's like the sea of glass in Revelation 15. And that has to do with us entering into the eternal covenant as resurrected saints of God. But let's come back to here. Because this is the sea of glass. Like sapphire stone. And as it were, the heavens in clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hands. And also they saw God and ate and drank. That is the covenant meal. First of all, you have the covenant spoken. Then you have the covenant words written. Then you have the covenant sacrifice confirming. Then you have the covenant meal. All of that's tied up in the covenant. And we'll see that applies when we get to the New Testament as well. Now then, after that, then God spoke to Moses. And the first thing that He told him to do was to build a tabernacle. And the tabernacle was to be built according to the specifications of God. And God said in verse 8, concerning what He wanted to do. Now you see this becomes important. Because when we're resurrected and we enter into that covenant, we're going to be in covenant to dwell in New Jerusalem. Let's read it here. He said, verse 8, And let them make Me a sanctuary so that I may dwell among them. That's what God wanted. He wanted to have in the Holy of Holies what is called the Shanaika, or the presence of God that would be there in the Holy of Holies. Now then, let's see the events leading up to the resurrection and the second coming of Christ here and see what we need to learn and how it will apply to us and how many of the things that we've seen here in Exodus 20 through 25 that will be with it. Let's look at some other occurrences now in the New Testament concerning Pentecost. Let's begin first of all by coming to Luke the fourth chapter. Now let's read this because this is a special announcement by Jesus in the synagogue where He normally attended. And we will see what He announced to them. And we will see that this was done on a day of Pentecost. And furthermore, it was also done in a Jubilee year. And a Jubilee year is releasing people from all debt. And giving the inheritance back to those who gave it up. So this is when Jesus came. In a Jubilee year. Now also it made it important that it was a Jubilee year because a Jubilee year is a year of forgiveness. Okay? And a Jubilee year is when a lot of people were not working. So that's why they had so many crowds following Him wherever He went. Alright? So, after He was tempted by Satan the devil, and He had to pass that test first of all. Okay. Then we find this. Verse 14. Come here. Luke 4 and verse 14. Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and word about Him went out into the entire country around, and He taught in their synagogues and was glorified by all. So He went from synagogue to synagogue, town to town, and He taught, and He taught, and He taught, and He taught. Okay? One thing He never taught. So all of you hardcore Protestants out there, if you have a chance to listen to this, think on this. He never once mentioned that He was going to change the Sabbath to Sunday. Now, Pentecost, being on the first day of the week, does not authorize weekly Sunday keeping because this first day of the week is a 50 jubilee. Right? Okay. In a jubilee year. So let's read it. Verse 16. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and according to His custom, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Now this is an interesting phrase, and you will see the footnote in the bottom of the page. Okay? And it is in the day of the Sabbaths. Okay? Now, technically speaking, that is the day of Pentecost. So this Sabbath was in the day of the Sabbaths that Jesus went into the synagogue. Alright? And He stood up to read. Now let's read what He says because what He is really, really doing here, He is announcing that He is the Messiah. That He is the one spoken of in the Old Testament over and over again. And this was astonishing to the people in Nazareth in the synagogue because He came there as a child with the family with Joseph and Mary and the other children and kept the Sabbath every week and all the holy days, etc. right there in Nazareth. Let's read it. And there was given to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had unrolled the scroll, he found the place where it was written. Alright? Here it is. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Now I want to emphasize me. He didn't say all of you. Alright? Was upon me. He has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal those who are brokenhearted and proclaim pardon to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth in deliverance those who have been crushed. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Now that is the announcement on the day of Pentecost in the beginning of His ministry after the temptation of being tempted by Satan the devil to proclaim that He was the Messiah. Now let's see what the people did. And after rolling up the scroll and delivering it to the attendant, he sat down, and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed upon him. They were looking at him. Listen to what he said. Who is this? Okay? Now notice what he said. Then he began to say to them, Today. That's interesting. Not any other day. Today, this Scripture is being fulfilled in your ears. In other words, he's telling them. You want to know who the Messiah is? I just read it to you. And that is me. No one else. Let's go back and read those words again. Verse 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. For this reason He has appointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal those who are brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to send forth in deliverance those who have been crushed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. An amazing thing. Now then, let's see another fulfillment of Pentecost, which we're all familiar with in Acts the second chapter. And then we'll look at something else where again, Pentecost was the place where something began. And also, Paul said, in another place, that he would stay in Ephesus until Pentecost. And in another place, he said he needed to go to Jerusalem for Pentecost. Alright? Let's see what happened here in Acts the second chapter. You know in the first chapter, after Jesus had spent 40 days and 40 nights with the disciples teaching them out of the Scriptures like we see in chapter 24 of the book of Luke, out of the law of the prophet and the psalm, the things concerning him. So they learned a great, great deal during that 40 days. Now think on this. It's interesting indeed. And the parallel is really profound. When he began his ministry, he had 40 days' temptation with Satan the devil. Right? When he finished his ministry, after his resurrection and return back to the earth, he was here for another 40 days. So began with 40 days and ended in 40 days. The beginning was overcoming the things and sins that go clear back to Adam and Eve. And in the ending of it, on the Wave Sheaf Offering Day in the beginning of counting toward Pentecost, the 40 days, and Jesus told them, you go to Jerusalem and stay there until you're endued with power. So that's another 10 days after the 40. So here's what happened. And that turned out to be Pentecost. Right? Now verse 1, And when the day of Pentecost, the 50th day, was being fulfilled. Now that's the true accurate translation and meaning of that day. They were all with one accord in the same place, and suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a powerful wind and filled the whole house where they were sitting. Now on the day of Pentecost, they're giving the Ten Commandments, they heard the power of God speaking the Ten Commandments. Now here they are on Pentecost, all gathered together, and all of a sudden, Boom! Here comes the Holy Spirit. A direct intervention of God on His holy day for all the apostles. And this was the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel beginning in Jerusalem at the Temple. And it had to be there at the Temple. Because if it would have been any place else, it would not have been accepted. It wasn't accepted very well by the leaders of the Jews, the religious leaders at that time. So here's how it came. And there appeared to them divided tongues of fire, and sat upon each one, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the words to proclaim. Now this is another miracle. So Pentecost here is this. Even though it went out to every language of those who were there, it was a day in which God made His Word heard that was going to go out to all nations beginning there in Jerusalem. And you can read the whole account there. And then Peter got up and gave a very inspired message about the life and death and crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And they were all out there. They were stunned. They were amazed. How could this be? How could everyone here in His own language in which He was born, which they were born? And all of the nations were listed out there. And so then, here's how Peter ended his message after telling them about all of these things and the power of God. Verse 36. He says, Therefore, this is the conclusion of His message to them. Let all the house of Israel know. So this is a prophecy not only to those who were there at the temple, but out and beyond. With full assurance that God has made this same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. That is, Lord and the Messiah. So they knew what He was talking about. And so, now on hearing this, they were cut to the heart because God gave them repentance. Then they said to Peter and the other apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized. Here is the start. Okay? For every one of us. Repentance and baptism. Now we won't get into all the details of baptism, but it's very profound. In the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is to you. God gave the promise first to Israel, and then later to the Gentiles. To you and your children, to all those who are far off, and as many as the Lord our God may call. So now He shows that God does the calling. It's not who you are, born by whoever parents that were yours, that were the children of Israel. Now it goes out to all the world. So let's go ahead and take a break and we'll come back. But this shows us how God intervenes on His holy days. We'll see this with all the other holy days in the Bible. This is why it's so important. And this is why we keep them. And this is why God gives us understanding on these days. And He is with us in His Spirit and His power in ways that He's not with us on a daily basis in our lives. Because these are special things to God. Special things to us. Acknowledging who God is. Who Christ is. What all of these things are all about. And the preaching of the Gospel. So let's take a break and we'll be back. Now let's continue on with Pentecost 2024. And we have seen what has happened now. That Jesus announced that He was the Messiah on Pentecost. He gave the Holy Spirit after His death, resurrection, and ascension to God the Father. He gave the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to all those gathered at the temple. Now imagine how many were there. Because can you imagine the stories that came back for all of the Jews who were scattered out in the Diaspora? And all the nations that it listed that the Jews came from? That they heard about what was going on in Jerusalem. And who was this man Jesus? And then when Peter gave this tremendous message about being baptized, they were just cut to the heart. See? Their conscience really giving them an understanding of what it was all about. Then they were baptized and received the Holy Spirit. Now let's see something else about God's intervention in the world on Pentecost. Because it's going to come. And it's going to be an astounding thing that's going to take place. And we will see that the coming of Christ comes as announced on a Pentecost and then the sealing of the 144,000 and a great innumerable multitude. Now isn't that a parallel with what went on at the temple? Only on a vast scale? Alright. So let's see what's going to happen. Let's come to Revelation 6. Now, the Scriptures leading up to that are very interesting because as we're going to Revelation 6, we'll look at the timing of what we have here concerning the events that are going to take place. And we are going to see just like God in giving the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel on Pentecost, that on Pentecost during the tribulation, Christ is going to reveal Himself in a very profound way. And the whole world is going to see it. It's not like the children of Israel who saw the fire up on top of Mount Sinai and heard the voice of God. Now this time, they are going to see the action of God and what God is going to do to make it known. So let's look at it. We have here, now, we know this. We know that the first seal, okay, that's bringing all the religions together. Alright? That's taking place right now. Then the second seal is when the One who is the Beast Power goes into the Temple of God which the Jews will build. And they're getting ready to build right now. And proclaim Himself to be God. Now let's add a little more intrigue with this. Before He does that, the two witnesses come on the scene. Revelation 11. Dressed in sackcloth. And they are pronouncing that God is going to come to this earth. And the One who is the Beast Power possessed of Satan the Devil. Won't like that. And so there will be this back and forth. They'll be trying to kill the two witnesses. They'll finally be able to do it just before the resurrection. But, the second seal, as we find here in Revelation 6. When He opened the second seal, I heard a living creature say, Come and see. Okay? A major event is going to happen. And another horse went out that was red, and power was given to the one on it to take peace from the earth. Now doesn't it say of the Beast in Revelation 13, that no one can make war against the Beast? But He has the power. And it says here, Take peace from the earth and cause them to kill one another. So there's going to be a great deal of fighting. And a great sword was given to Him. And then follows the other. Now, this is when the tribulation begins. Right there. This is when the man of sin, the son of perdition, goes into the temple and declares that He is God. Now let's see how Jesus defined this in Matthew 24. Okay? Matthew 24. Because He gives us the specific thing to watch for about the return of Christ. Okay? And when the tribulation would begin. Matthew 24. Okay? Now here's something that didn't take place when the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. There was no abomination of desolation. So let's read it here. Verse 15. Now notice what He says. He says, Therefore, when you see... Now that's real interesting, isn't it? And if this is going out to the whole world, it means the whole world is going to see it. And this means that this prophecy is for the end time, when the ability for the whole world to see this at the same time He goes into the temple. Now think about that. Okay? Today, don't we have instant communication? If there's an earthquake somewhere far away from us, bang! We know it right away. Right? On the television. There was a big earthquake over here. A seven point earthquake and it caused damage and a lot of people died. And it shows all the death and destruction right away. Now 200 years ago, that could never happen. They would hear of the earthquake probably a year or two, maybe three years later. See? But they wouldn't be able to see it. And that's what's important. When you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place. Now then, here's a very unusual statement in parentheses. And Jesus did not speak these words. Parenthetical statement. The one who reads, let him understand. Why was that put there? Well, all the apostles including John who wrote the book of Revelation and helped canonize the final version of the New Testament with the help of Andrew and Philip and Mark. They knew that the temple had been destroyed but there was no abomination of desolation. Yet they understood the prophecy of 2 Thessalonians 2. We'll go there in just a minute. But when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place. The one who reads, let him understand. Then we come down to verse 21. When that happens, he says, for then there shall be great tribulation. Alright? We know from Daniel 9 that the great tribulation is going to be three and a half years. So this starts it. And that's where the second seal begins with the war. Because after he does this, then he goes out to kill and destroy. Let's see what the abomination of desolation is. Let's come to 2 Thessalonians 2. And let's read it. We've gone over this before. But let's understand what is happening with this so that we realize how these events are going to unfold. Now, and we will understand in just a little bit when in the three and a half year time frame that this is going to occur. And that will be based upon the sealing of the 144,000. That will tell us the time when we look at Hosea 6. So let's first of all here come to 2 Thessalonians. He says this. Verse 1. Now we beseech you, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the coming of Christ is going to be known and seen by everyone. And it's going to take place over, as we will see, the period of one year. Alright? So when Jesus said, when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, then there will be great tribulation. Okay? So Paul writes here. Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to Him, that you not be quickly shaken in mind, nor be troubled, neither by spirit, because there are many false prophets, nor by word, that is any communication that someone would speak to you about, nor by epistle, as if from us, because there were false apostles, there were false epistles, there were false teachers, and John called them Antichrist in 1 and 2 John. Do not let anyone deceive you by any means, because that day will not come unless the apostasy shall come first. And that is a great moving away from God completely. And we're seeing it. And they're coming against all forms of Christianity. Even Sunday keepers. Okay? And then it will get down to us. And it will get down to the people of God. The great apostasy shall come first, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God. Now there has never been a man on earth like that, but he is going to be totally possessed of Satan the devil. So this is actually the speaking of Satan through this man. Or that is an object of worship so that he comes into the temple of God, because the temple was destroyed in 70 AD and the abomination didn't take place. That's why John put in there that the one who reads, let him understand. Okay? So, let's go on here. So that he comes into the temple of God and sits down as God, proclaiming that he himself is God. Now, then he says this. Don't listen to anything from anyone else. Okay? For the mystery of lawlessness is already working. That is in his day. It was starting there. Only there is one who is restraining at the present time until it arises out of the midst. In other words, Christ is holding this back until the time of the prophecy of its fulfillment. Then the lawless one shall be revealed. Now, how do we know this is at the end of the time? Okay? Notice this next part of the verse. Whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and will destroy with the brightness of His countenance. We find that where? Revelation 19. He speaks the Word. Boom! It happens. Okay? Even the one who is coming is according to the inner working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and he's going to deceive the whole world. And the whole world is going to follow him. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness and those who are perishing because... Now, notice what happens if people reject truth. The truth of God. See? Now, that applies to anyone who's even in the church. Don't reject the truth of God. Don't reject the commandments of God. See? Because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. Now, notice what God does. He sends upon them a powerful deception that will cause them to believe the lie. And the lie was what? That this one proclaimed himself to be God. Alright. Now then. This starts the Great Tribulation. Then we find in Hosea 6 that the children of Israel, after being corrected by God, they say this, that He will correct us for two years, you can read it, and in the third year He will raise us up. Now, what does that mean and where will that be fulfilled? That will be fulfilled here in Revelation 7. But let's see what brings us to that point of raising up the children of Israel during the time of the Great Tribulation. Beginning in the third year. Now, how long is the Great Tribulation? Three and a half years. So if this is done, after two years, and in the third year, that means that at the time that the children of Israel are given relief from the Tribulation will be at the beginning of the third year which is then what? How much time is left? A year and a half. Okay. So the Tribulation will be there and then come back here to Revelation 6. We see everything that follows after that. We see starvation. We see rationing. We see other wars and death and grave. Verse 8. Okay. And then He opened the fifth seal and then we see the martyrdom of the saints. And that's where they're going to go out and try and find everyone who really believes in God. And they will be beheaded. That's why we have to have the faith today so that we don't give up. We don't give in. Let's come to the sixth seal. Verse 12. Revelation 6. And when He opened the sixth seal. Now this is going to be a tremendous event that's going to take place. The direct intervention of God probably on Pentecost because of those children of Israel who are saved after this. And notice how Christ is going to reveal Himself and then we'll come back to Matthew, the 24th chapter, and see that Jesus talks about this very thing. Okay. And when He opened the sixth seal, I look and behold and there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as the hair of sackcloth and the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree cast its untimely figs when it was shaken by a mighty wind. Now notice verse 14. And the heavens departed like a scroll. So everyone's looking up into heaven, seeing all of these things take place. And then all of a sudden, whoo! The heavens opened up in something that they have never imagined that they could see. And let's see how they respond to it. And then the heavens departed like a scroll that's being rolled up and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. That's the shaking of the heaven and the earth that Christ is going to do and will do more than once. But here is the beginning of it. He's going to shake the heavens, shake the earth. Here's their reaction. At first, they will believe that it is the coming of Christ. But it will be the foretelling of His coming, not the actual coming. So then, since when this happens, they will first believe that it is the coming of Christ. But Satan and the beast power will then convince the people that, No! This is not the coming of Christ. But this is the coming of the invasion of aliens from outer space. Alright, let's go on. The kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the chief captains, the powerful men, every bondman, every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of His wrath has come. Announcing that it's coming. Who has the power to stand? Alright, let's see that this fulfills what Jesus says. Let's come back here to Matthew 24. And this becomes important because the rolling back of the heavens like a scroll will then create something in the heavens that every eye will see and every person will know that this is from God and it's called the sign of the Son of Man. Verse 26, Therefore if they say to you, Come and see. He's in the wilderness. Don't go forth. Come and see. He's in the secret chambers. Do not believe it. Now notice verse 27. For as the light of day. Now the Greek for light is estare which is the basis for star. Now what is our sun? Our sun is a star, correct? Yes. For as the light of the day which comes forth out of the east and shines as far as the west. Now isn't that what the sun does? Yes. So the sign of the Son of Man they see in heaven will look like what? A sun. We'll see that verified in just a minute here. So also shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Verse 29, But immediately after the tribulation of those days, that's the tribulation against Israel. The sun shall be darkened, the moon shall not give her light. Isn't that what we read in Revelation 6? Yes. And the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Isn't that what we read in Revelation 6? Yes. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. What is that sign? The light of day that shines from the east to the west. Alright. Now then, we'll see that verified here in just a minute. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man. Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see if this will last until the coming of Christ. Coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and then, verse 31, the resurrection. Okay? So, let's go back here to Malachi, the fourth chapter, and see how it is defined for us in the first chapter of Malachi. Very interesting indeed. Okay? Let's come here. Malachi 4 And this tells us that it is the sun. So what they will see out there is a second sun. And the sign of the Son of Man is a second sun in the heavens will be visible for a year and a few months. We'll see the time frame. Okay? This begins on Pentecost. Bam! Here's this sun out there. Let's read it. Verse 1 Malachi 4 For behold the day is coming burning like a consuming oven and all the proud and every doer of wickedness shall be stubble and the day that comes shall burn them up says the Lord of hosts and will leave them neither root nor branch and unto you who fear my name that is all of the saints the sun S-U-N the sun of righteousness shall arise. That's the sign of the Son of Man that is coming and it's going to be up there in the heavens shining and healing will be in his wings and it goes on into the setting up of the kingdom of God. Alright? Now let's come back to Revelation 6 and let's see another key important thing that gives us a time frame. When Israel is raised up at the beginning of the third year just right after Pentecost so we'll put this sign of the Son of Man beginning on Pentecost and then the next Pentecost as we will see will be the resurrection. So that will be up there for a whole year and everything else is going on on the earth but the first thing that God does with Israel is this chapter 7 the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude are sealed with the Holy Spirit of God. So that is a great harvest of God. Now think about this could this harvest of God the last harvest of all be greater than everything else that the church has done down through history? I don't know but that's something to really understand. Then it listed 144,000 great innumerable multitude and it says that these are the ones who came out of great tribulation. So what does this also tell us? And we'll see in the things that take place. This tells us that God is interested in repentance. And so we have all of these who repent. Now that's quite a wonderful thing to happen isn't it? Alright. So what happens after shaking the heavens and the earth and then the beginning of the sealing of the 144,000 great innumerable multitude here the whole earth is all out of shape. So we find in chapter 8 that the trumpet plagues begin. Now what day do you suppose that the trumpet plagues will begin? On the Feast of Trumpets, right? Okay. So we have from Pentecost to the Feast of Trumpets where there is not any great battle going on at all. So what is everybody else doing even though that God has converted the 144,000 great innumerable multitude? They are cleaning up the mess. They're straightening out. They have four months and a little more from Pentecost until Trumpets to get everything cleaned up and ready. So when they clean it up, what happens? The trumpet plagues begin. The first four and it goes through every one of them, chapter 8. Then chapter 9. We have the fifth angel sound. Okay. Now then. Each one of the trumpet plagues that follow the first four are called, woe, woe, woe. Right here in verse 13. And I looked and behold, another angel flying in the midst of heaven saying with a loud voice, woe, woe, woe to those who are dwelling on the earth because of the voices of the remaining trumpets of the three angels who are about to sound their trumpets. And then starts the greatest wars of all. The fifth trumpet is sounded and this is the war, the retaliation of the beast to try and hold off the armies from the east. And this is spoken of in Daniel, the 11th chapter that tidings out of the north and the east trouble the king of the north who is the beast power. Okay. So this comes up. And then with this, men are stung like they're stung with a scorpion and it lasts for five months. Then after that, then here comes the horde of 200 million in the sixth seal for the final battle that's going to come in Armageddon with all the armies of the earth and those great armies from the east. Armies of 200 million. They're not going to come. Satan's going to stir them up. They will come thinking that they have got to come and destroy this great thing that is coming on the earth. And so then, we come to chapter 11 and we will see what happens here. This is something that takes place all during this time. The beast power is trying to kill the two witnesses. Can't kill them. This fire comes out of their mouth and devours the enemy. Let's come to chapter 11 and verse 7. And when they completed their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them and will overcome them and kill them. Finally, we're making progress in this. And their bodies will be in the street of the great city which is spiritually called Sodom in Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations shall see their bodies. Three and a half days. How are they going to see them? All of our digital communication is still going to be operational. They will see them. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 24. When you see. So here it is again. They shall see their bodies three and a half days for they will not allow their bodies to be put into tombs. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them. They'll say, hooray, finally, we got the problem solved. And we'll make merry and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who dwell on the earth. Then after three and a half days. Here we come now. Here's the prelude to the first resurrection which is when the seventh trump sounds. Now, remember, it says there in 1 Thessalonians that the last trump, the dead shall be raised. Well, the only place you find the last trump is right here in Revelation. Which is the seventh trump. And after three and a half days, the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet in great fear, fell upon those who were watching them. And they heard a great voice from heaven say, Come up here. Now think of this. The last two martyred will be the first two resurrected. How's that? The last shall be first. Alright? Come up here. And they ascended into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them rise. And in that hour was a great earthquake, a tenth of the city fell, 7,000 men were killed in the quake, and the rest were filled with fear and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe was passed, the third woe comes immediately. And what is the third woe? The seventh trumpet, which is the last trumpet. Now let's see what this tells us. Okay. Then the seven angels sounded his trumpet, and great voices were heard in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign into the ages of eternity. Twenty-four elders who sit before God on their throne fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who is, and who was, and who is to come. For you have taken to yourself a great power and have reigned. And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come. And the time of the dead to be judged and to give reward to your servants the prophets, this is the first resurrection. Okay. And the first resurrection will be on Pentecost because we are the first fruits. We are the church of the firstborn. Okay. To your servants, the prophets, to the saints, to all those who fear your name, and the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth. Alright. So, let's come over here to chapter 14. Alright. And we'll see another vision of the first resurrection. Okay. And we will see where we will come. And we will see that that ties in with what we saw in Exodus 24 with the sea of glass there. Let's pick it up in verse 14. Revelation 14. And I looked and behold a white cloud and one like the son of man sitting on the cloud having a golden crown on his head and in his hand a sharp sickle. Okay. Another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud saying, Thrust in your sickle and reap for the time has come for you to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he was sitting on the cloud thrust in his sickle upon the earth and the earth was reaped. Okay. That's the first resurrection. Now, it tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4 that we are going in the air and also it says in Matthew 24 that the angels will take us up to it. So, it has to be and we will see right here in Revelation 15 the great sea of glass right over the holy land where all of the resurrected saints will come. Those who were alive at that point will be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye. The angels will carry them up to the sea of glass. Those who died in the faith will be resurrected first. All of the patriarchs will be resurrected. All of the prophets will be resurrected. All of the apostles will be resurrected. All of the saints. Everyone who had the Spirit of God and even those at the last minute of the 144,000 in the great innumerable multitude. So, let's read it here. Chapter 15 And I saw a sea of glass mingled with fire and those who had gotten victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name standing on the sea of glass having the liars of God. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb saying, Great and awesome are your works, Lord God Almighty, righteous and true are your ways, O King of the saints. Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you only are holy and all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been revealed. So that is getting into what we're going to be doing. Now, what are we going to do on the sea of glass? And why does God have to have that? And we'll be on the sea of glass from Pentecost until Trumpets. Now, what are we going to do up there? Well, think about this. All those in the first resurrection will come from many different places, many different languages, many different people. Now then, what's the first thing that has to happen for us when we are there? God has to communicate with us. Now, how is He going to communicate with us unless He gives us, first of all, a new language that we can understand what He's going to tell us. Okay? Now, let's see some of the things that we have to have. Let's see what's going to be given to us when we are on the sea of glass. Okay? First of all, all of us are going to be given a new name. Doesn't that require a new language? Yes. The saints will receive their rewards, whatever that will be. God will determine that and give them out. Okay? So that's the third thing that will take place. Number one is the language. Number two, the name. Number three, the rewards. Number four, the saints will receive their assignments. We're going to know what we're going to do. You see, we're going to take over the world. That's going to be a big project. Don't we have to be organized? Don't we have to know what we're going to do? Who we're going to work with? How we're going to take care of the things that God wants us to do? Okay. We'll have our assignments. And after that then, just like in Exodus 24, when the 70 of the elders of the children of Israel, and Moses, and Nadab, and Abihu, and Aaron, and Joshua, they all saw the Lord and they ate the meal there. Well, we're going to have the marriage of the Lamb, and after the marriage of the Lamb, which then is number five, then number six, the marriage supper of the Lamb. Now that's going to be something. What is that going to be like? We're all on the sea of glass. Okay. How's that going to work out? Well, I imagine there's going to be a whole host of angels waiting on us. I don't know what it's going to be like. I don't know what kind of food we're going to eat. I don't know how it's going to be. But it's probably going to be the best meal that we have ever had in our entire lives. Alright? Marriage supper of the Lamb. Okay. Then, while we're there, number seven, we're going to witness the seven last plagues that we find in Revelation 16 that are brought upon those that remain, which fulfills the promise of God where He says, vengeance is mine. So everyone's going to see the vengeance of God. Okay. Number eight, we'll be gathered together in God's army, and we will fight with Christ and return to the earth to take over. Then, that completes everything up to that point. Okay. So that's quite a thing. And remember, every holy day is a direct intervention of God into this world and into the lives of those who are His, who have His Holy Spirit, who have been called, have been faithful, been chosen, and are going to rule and reign with Christ as kings and priests and administrators and carrying out everything to bring peace to this world. So this is the meaning of the Feast of Pentecost.