Episode Transcript
Welcome to God's. Last message to the world. Presented by Dr.
Allan Lindsay. This is an eight part series showing the certainty of Bible prophecy. The accurate fulfillment of past prophecies give confidence in those that are yet to be fulfilled.
This presentation is entitled The World Compelled to Worship. Hello, and welcome again to this series. It's wonderful to see you, those of you who are in the audience and those of you who are gathered.
And I don't know where you may be somewhere around the world listening in. Thank you for tuning in. And today we have a very important subject to share.
So first of all, let us bow our heads in a word of prayer. Our loving Father in Heaven, we thank you that we can always come to you and know that we have a God who hears and a God who answers our prayer. Today we need especially the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we open your word.
We have an earnest desire to search for truth and to find it. And I pray that you will bless every word that is spoken today that the Holy Spirit may give us to give to those who are listening. And I pray this in Jesus precious name.
Amen. Today we are drawing near to the end of our series that have been focusing on the last message that God is ever to send to this world. Of course, it's to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus.
And during the first three presentations, we laid out a chart, a chart based upon Bible prophecy. For those of you who heard our first three presentations, this chart was all based upon what God was predicting would happen in the period of time called the time of the end. And you'll see there on the diagram that's behind me that the time of the end was a time that began in the year 1798.
And we have been looking particularly at events that have been happening to fulfill the amazing predictions that we saw are outlined in the books of Daniel and Revelation. And in the time of the end, the book of Daniel particularly, was to be opened. But, of course, also the book of Revelation, because it's interesting that though Daniel was told or the author of daniel was told to close up his book until the time of the end, the author of the book of revelation was told not to close up his book, not to seal it, because it revealed the future way back from the time of Jesus down to our time.
A wonderful book. And we're going to open the Book of Revelation, particularly today. As I've mentioned to you before, the last warning message is outlined in the Book of Revelation in chapter 14.
And today, in this second last presentation, we're going to focus on the third of the three angels messages, possibly the most serious of them all. Let's read as it is described in Revelation chapter 14 and verse nine. Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation.
He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Those words constitute the most severe warning ever to be found in Scripture. But I want to remind you today that we have noticed that these messages are described in the Book of Revelation.
And the Book of Revelation is particularly introduced to us as a revelation from Jesus and a revelation of Jesus. And even though this third message sounds so frightening in a way that he himself shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength. As I mentioned a moment a moment ago, there is no other warning anywhere to be found in the Bible where God's wrath is going to be poured out full strength upon those who worship the beast and his image and receive the mark of the beast in his right hand or in his forehead.
It's basically a message, a message of warning as we look at these three angels messages, don't worship the beast. But I would remind you that earlier than verse seven, we have the call to worship the Creator in verse seven, rather to worship Jesus. And so here is a call once to worship Jesus and then don't worship the beast.
Don't worship the beast. In this third message, the seriousness of his Jesus message must be seen in the light of what Revelation 13, verse eight, has already told us, that eventually this world, in this world, all the world will worship the beast, whose names are not written in the book of life. Which means that if your name is written in the book of life, the good news is that you won't worship the beast.
Who will you be worshipping? Well, you'll be worshipping Jesus, of course. The three angels'messages make it very clear, dear friends, that the world is soon to be brought to a decision that will affect the eternal destiny of everyone here in this room today and everyone listening to my voice. No matter where you are, all the world, all the world must finally decide whom they will worship, either Jesus or the beast.
The significance of this choice and its consequences are the subject of our consideration today. Now, I know that there are those who say today we don't know what is represented by the beast and how important is it that we do know? But I want to remind you this morning that since this message comes from Jesus and is attached to this most solemn warning to be found anywhere in the Bible, would a god of love give us such a warning and then not make its message clear? But I believe today that we must let the Bible tell us its meaning, not my ideas. I don't want to depend upon human opinion in our search for truth on this most important subject.
So let's turn to the Book of Revelation, chapter 13. And there in the first ten verses of chapter 13 of Revelation, we see a beast rising up out of the sea. Now let me just explain first of all, that the sea in Bible prophecy is identified in Revelation 17 as representing many peoples, many nations, many tongues.
And so this first beast rises up out of the sea. And why I'm emphasizing this is because in Revelation 13, the same chapter, we read of a second beast that I'll explain that will be rising up out of the earth. But first of all, we need to focus today on the sea beast.
It's important to remember, of course, that a beast in Bible prophecy, as we noticed in our earlier presentations, represents a kingdom or a nation. And this beast must in some way be connected with religion because it's involved in worshipping this beast. And it can't be some secret society in the world that nobody knows where they live or where they exist, because nearly all the world, as I've just quoted, are going to be worshipping this beast.
It must have global influence. So let's have a look at the description of this beast in Revelation. We'll see in the first two verses the description that is given.
And as we look at this description and as you see it on the screen, I think it should remind you of a chapter elsewhere in the Bible. But let's have a look at it in Revelation 13, verse one. Then I stood on the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his head a blasphemous name.
And then in verse two now, the beast which I saw was like a leopard. His feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne and great authority.
Now, as you look at the description there of this beast, I wonder whether it reminds you of another chapter that we have discussed together in this series in Daniel chapter seven. And let's have a look at a comparison between Daniel seven and the beast of Revelation 13. First of all revelation chapter 13 the Beast We notice that the description that we've just read is given in this order.
First of all, we see the beast, and then second, a dragon with ten horns, and then there's a foreheaded leopard, and then there's the bear and the lion. That's the order in which it is described in Revelation chapter 13. But then when we look at Daniel chapter seven, we notice that we read about four beasts coming up out of the sea.
First of all, the first one was like a lion. Then there was a bear, then there was a four headed leopard. Then there was a dragon with ten horns.
And finally there was that little horn. Now, I want you to look at the chart that I've put on the screen, and I wonder whether you notice something particularly interesting. That the order in Revelation 13 is opposite to the order in Daniel seven.
Everything in the Bible is always significant. Why do you think that? The beast was described in the order that is on there on the left, and yet it's the same order, only in the other direction. In Daniel chapter seven.
Let me give you what I think might be the answer. In Daniel seven. On the right hand side, daniel was predicting the future.
A kingdom. The lion. And then there would be the bear.
Medo Persia, remember? Then the four headed leopard of Greece. Then the dragon with ten horns, the empire of Rome. And finally, a little horn coming up out of the head of the ten among the ten horns, out of the head of that fourth beast in Daniel's day, those kingdoms were future.
When we look at Revelation 13, it's looking back upon history on the same kingdoms. But they're in the past. When the Beast is revealed to John in the Book of Revelation.
Notice also that the little horn comes up after the beast with ten horns, which was pagan Rome and then the divisions into Europe. They were future in Daniel's day. But the beast appears after those four kingdoms have passed into history.
It seems that God as I look at that chart, it seems to me that God here is directing us to the identity of the beast being found in Daniel chapter seven. Because of the similarity between the two chapters is really amazing. Just as in Daniel seven, it predicted the rise of the Little Horn Power, which was described as a kingdom arising out of the Roman Empire that would make war on God's people.
So in Revelation 13, it's predicting the rise of a kingdom. The Beast following the Roman Empire. That would make war on God's, people.
And so we see the connection. Look at the connection on the screen between the beast and the little horn. Very clearly.
It is pointing to the fact that the little horn of Daniel seven is the New Testament's definition of the beast of Revelation 13. But rather than take my word for it, let's go further into Scripture and make a comparison or draw a comparison between the beast and the Little Horn. We see that this little horn arises out of the Roman Empire in Daniel, chapter seven.
It's very clear. You'll remember that the fourth beast, which was the Roman Empire, had ten horns. And then among those ten horns, there was to be a little horn that would grow up pointing to the fact that among the nations of Europe that developed out of the Roman Empire, this little horn power would arise from the Roman Empire and from the divisions into among the nations of Europe.
Then, too, we notice that it had a mouth speaking pompous words against God. In Daniel chapter seven and verse eight, it describes that this horn power would have a mouth speaking great words, pompous words against God. Then, in Daniel chapter seven and verse 25, we notice that it was given authority over God's people for a time, times and half a time.
And when we discussed this in our very first presentation, we discovered that a time, times and half a time is equivalent to 1260 days. And if we remember that a day in Bible prophecy represents a year, that is the length of time when this little horn power would have authority over God's people. And then, number four, it was given power to make war against God's people and to prevail against them.
That, too, is found describing the little Horn of Daniel, chapter seven, that it would make war and destroy many of the people of God. But now let's look at the description of the beast in Revelation 13. As we do so, we notice first of all, that the beast arises out of the Roman Empire on that chart I've just put on the screen.
It comes after the Roman Empire there described in Revelation 13. Then two, we notice in Revelation 13, verse five, that the beast has a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies against God. And then number three, it was given authority to continue for 42 months.
That's how it's described in Revelation 13. But the interesting thing is that 42 months multiplied by 30 days in a month comes to 1260 day years. And then, number four, it is given power, the beast power, to make war with God's people and to overcome them.
That's in Revelation 13, verse seven. Now, when we look at that comparison, it's very clear, dear friends, that in our study of Daniel Seven, in that first presentation, we saw how the Little Horn power was fulfilled in only one organization the Church of Rome. That Daniel predicted would become a leading authority in Europe for 1260 years, lasting from 538 to 1798, when the Church lost its political influence in Europe.
But only for a short time, as we'll notice today. As we examine this table. Clearly, the beast of Revelation 13 is the New Testament equivalent of the little horn of Daniel seven.
The difference is, and listen to this, in Daniel seven, it's focusing upon the activities of the Church of Rome before 1798 or up to 1798, whereas in Revelation 13 that chapter is focusing mainly on the activities of the Church after 1798. Perhaps we should continue on and notice in Revelation chapter twelve and verses four and five these words and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. She bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.
And her child was caught up to God and throne unto his throne. Let's just pause on this one because I'm concerned. To also establish that first point under the beast was that it would arise after the Roman Empire.
And also we notice in this verse that the dragon stood before the woman. Now, in the Book of Revelation, it tells us that it's the dragon who gives his power and his throne and his government, basically, to this beast power. Who is the Dragon? Well, the dragon there's in Revelation 13 two, the dragon gave him his power, his throne and great authority.
Who was the dragon? We read in Revelation Twelve that the dragon stood in front of the woman, ready to give birth to devour the child as soon it was born. Here is a picture of God's church represented by a pregnant woman. She's soon to give birth to a baby boy who clearly is Jesus, as you see in that picture.
And in front of her was standing this dragon. Do you remember in the story about Jesus'birth? Was there any attempt to kill Jesus after his birth? Do you remember the story of the Wise Men? They came to find the baby boy. And then soon after, on their way, they called in to see the king who was ruling at the time in Jerusalem.
King Herod. And when King Herod heard that there was a baby boy who was born who would be probably a threat to his reign, he expressed great interest in the birth of this baby boy. But then afterwards, you remember King Herod issued that terrible decree that all the babies in Bethlehem under two years of age according to the time that the wise men had told him about the birth of Jesus they should all be killed.
Now here in this record in Revelation Twelve when it says the dragon stood before the woman to devour her child as soon it was born. The dragon, primarily in scripture represents satan. But satan always works through earthly kingdoms.
And what was the earthly kingdom that was destroying trying to destroy Jesus soon after his birth? It was King Herod who was a Roman king. So very clearly. The bible is indicating, as I've said before, that it was the empire of rome that was used with king herod that was used later to pass on its throne and its government and its power in the world.
It passed it on to this beast. Power. Did this really happen? I'm going to put a quotation on the screen that I want you to notice.
The Roman Church. In this way, Privily pushed itself into the place of the Roman Empire, of which it is the actual continuation. The Empire, the Roman Empire, had not perished, but has only undergone a transformation.
That is no clever remark, says the historian, but the recognition of the true state of the matter historically and the most appropriate and fruitful way of describing the character of this Church. It still governs the nations, the historian writes. It is a political creation and as imposing as a world empire because it is the continuation.
Notice the words of the Roman Empire. The pope who calls himself king. And Pontifex Maximus is Caesar's successor.
Successor. So here, very clearly, the historian is recognizing that the beast power took the place of the Roman Empire in its power and influence over the world. And do I need to remind you this morning, dear friends, that it was the study of these chapters in Daniel and Revelation by the great reformers of the 16th century that led them to break with the Roman Church and their conviction that all Bible teachings must be tested by what the Bible teaches? Before we proceed, can I say something that is really very close to my heart? I said it in our first presentation concerning the little horn power, but I feel I need to say it again today.
God here is predicting the rise in describing the beast power of a religious system that would begin well. And why do I say that? Because the Apostle Paul wrote one of the greatest letters that he ever wrote to the Church in Rome. But gradually, doctrines and practices not found in the Bible would lead this Church into apostasy.
This apostasy was actually foretold by the Apostle Paul. And I would like you to notice the words in Acts chapter 20. And we'll read from verse 25 and then on to verse 31.
Here, the Apostle Paul is calling a meeting of the bishops of the Church. Now, it's important to notice to whom Paul is speaking when he delivers these words. He has called a meeting of the bishops, the leadings of the Christian Church in his day.
He knows as he passes through that part of the world that he's not going to be back there again because he knows he's on his way to Rome, where, of course, Paul lost his life. So it's a farewell meeting, in a way. And therefore, I want you to understand the background of the counsel he gave to the bishops of the Church.
Keep that in mind. And indeed, he says in verse 25, now I know that you all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. For I know this, that after my departure, after his death, in the future, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock also from among yourselves, among the bishops.
Notice this men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore, says the apostle with his pastoral heart, therefore watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. What is Paul concerned about? He's concerned that sometime in the future, among the bishops of the church, there would be those who would arise and make disciples after them and leading them away from the truths of the Gospel.
That was Paul's prediction, I'm sure, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that's exactly what was happening. So let me make something very clear, and this weighs very heavily on my heart, dear friends. God is not condemning faithful members of this church who love the Lord and are living up to all they believe to be right.
He's describing a system of organization, a hierarchy of power that would eventually come to dominate the world, as we've noticed, and teach doctrines that are not found in the Bible. It is significant that Jesus warns, as we approach the second coming of Jesus, of the widespread deception that Satan will use to turn people away from the truth. But during his life on earth, Jesus was opposed and criticized and finally killed by the leading members of the most influential religious organization in Israel while he was on earth.
And I'm referring, of course, to the Pharisees. How did Jesus relate to those who were leading people astray? This may surprise some of you, but toward the end of his life, jesus spoke a most scathing denunciation of these leaders of the Pharisees. He condemned them that in spite of their religious profession, they were far away from the principles of God's kingdom and were teaching the people error rather than truth.
And if you read Matthew, chapter 23, you will find that Jesus calls these religious leaders with words like this hypocrites, blind, fools, serpents and a brood of vipers, words we wouldn't expect to come from Jesus when he was talking about people who were religious. But it was religion that had gone wrong, and that is why God is concerned about the rise of the beast. And yet, in spite of his denunciations of the Pharisees, did Jesus love any Pharisees? Jesus loves everybody, as you know.
And can you think of any people who were Pharisees who came to love Jesus and were great leaders in the church? I can think of well, Simon, not so much a leader in the church, but he was called a Pharisee. And then there was Nicodemus, the man who came to visit Jesus by night. And Jesus explained the new birth to him.
But then, of course, there was the Apostle Paul Saul, as he was first a Pharisee, a terrible, fatter Pharisee, because he was on his way to kill the Christians when he met Jesus on the road. And Jesus turned his life around. And Saul Paul became the great founder of so many Christian churches.
Jesus loves, you know this all people. He loves every one of you that I'm speaking to today. In spite of where you may be living on the earth.
But it's also true that he condemns the hierarchy of a system identified as the little horn, or the beast that murdered millions of Christians and taught doctrines that are not found in the word of God. Notice that the Bible predicted what would happen to this beast power after its 1260 years, because in Revelation, chapter 13, verse three, it speaks about a deadly wound. And I saw one of his heads, John, writes in Revelation of this beast power as if it had been mortally wounded, wounded almost to the death.
And here the Bible predicts that this beast would suffer a deadly wound that would finally, almost destroy it at the end of that 1260 years of Bible prophecy. In our first presentation, we learned that right at the end of that 1260 years of the Church's dominance in Europe, the pope was taken captivity and the papal states were abolished by the French general Betier when he entered Rome in February 1798. And the painting you see on the screen is a painting commemorating, if I could use that word, that event that's there in the Vatican Museum, even to this very day, napoleon announced that there would be no more popes.
He did not understand Bible prophecy. And why do I say that? Because look at Revelation 13, verse three again, and see what the Bible says. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded.
We've just noticed that. And his deadly wound was and look at the next word would be healed until all the world would marvel and follow this beast power. All the world would marvel that the power that was almost killed, as it were, in 1798, slowly it would be healed.
And can I remind you from history, dear friends, that a significant step in the healing of that deadly wound took place on the 11 February 1929 known as the Lateran Treaty. It was an agreement signed by Mussolini and I'm sure many of you may have heard of his name before, signed by Mussolini and a representative of the pope that gave the pope a territory of 121 acres in the city of Rome called Vatican City, guaranteeing to the pope complete independence and sovereignty. Once again, the wound was being healed.
And as we look at what is happening in today's world, we see, for example, and I have it here, a copy in front of me, a copy of Time magazine. And you'll notice that on the front there it is on the screen behind a copy of Pope Francis. And you notice what he's called the New World Pope.
An interesting title. And then, as we think of what has been happening in the world since that time, we find that also leaders of the world have been meeting with the pope. Here is Putin, the man in charge of Russia, meeting with the pope.
We see also the picture of the Pope meeting other world leaders and speaking to the world with great authority, finally, until all the world, it says, will worship again this revived beast. This process is very much seen in what we are seeing in our newspapers and television stations today. The sword of political power that the Pope had before 1798 is to be restored with the aid of a most unexpected nation.
Its identity is revealed in a remarkable prophecy in the book of Revelation that I want you to notice as we read it's, found in the second half of Revelation. Remember I mentioned to you earlier that in Revelation 13 there are two beasts. The first beast that we've just described comes up out of the sea.
The second beast that I'm about to share with you comes up out of the earth. Let's read what the Bible says in Revelation chapter 13 and verse eleven. Then I saw John says, another beast coming up out of the earth.
And he had two horns like a lamb and spoke as a dragon. Notice that this second nation will compel the earth to worship the first beast. Look at that very important statement in prophecy in the next verse, that he that second the beast will exercise all the authority of the first beast that we've just been talking about, and he will cause the earth.
Those are softer words than what it's really saying, that this second beast will make the earth and the people who dwell in it to do what? To worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. Do you remember that I mentioned to you that that third message of God's last warning message says, if any man worships the beast and his image, he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God. And here the Bible is revealing to us, dear friends, of a second power, a second nation that is going to force the world to worship that first beast whose deadly wound was healed.
This must happen after 1798, well after 1798, because it's going to take time for the healing of the wound that it suffered at that time. So what political power is this second beast referring to? I want to give you five identifying characteristics that the Bible gives us all in Revelation chapter 13 and verse ten and onwards. First of all, I want you to notice the timing of its rise in Revelation chapter 13 and verse ten and eleven.
Notice these words, first of all, in verse ten, he who leads into captivity. Now, this is referring to the beast power, the first beast, the one out of the sea. He who leads into captivity.
Notice the words shall go into captivity. I've just talked about what happened in 1798. He who kills with the sword, as the powered an organization did over many centuries, must be killed with the sword, that mortal wound.
Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Now that's. At the end of the description of the first beast.
The very next verse says this in Revelation 13 and verse eleven, then as the first beast is going into captivity, then I saw another beast coming up out of the Earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. In other words, the timing of this rise of this kingdom would be about 1798. In 1798, the first beast went into captivity, as we saw, and at that time, John in vision sees something happening.
A second beast is rising up out of the Earth. So it is rising up as the first beast is going down. It must be a kingdom or a nation that rises about the 1790s.
But then the second activity of this beast is the location of its rise. I've already mentioned to you that in Revelation 13, verse eleven, we notice that it says, I saw another beast coming up out of the Earth, not the sea, but out of the earth, all the other beasts. This is interesting, dear friends.
All the other beasts in Bible prophecy rise up out of the sea. The ones in Daniel came up out of the sea. The first beast rises up out of the sea.
This is the only one of all the nations that are represented in the scriptures that rise us up out of the earth. What does that mean? Well, since the sea represents, as it tells us in Revelation 17, verse 15, representing many nations, tongues and peoples, this one rising up out of the earth must represent that this nation will rise in a sparsely populated area of the Earth. But then, number three, it would have an unobtrusive rise.
What do I mean by that? In Revelation chapter 13, verse eleven, it says, then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. I was interested in that word coming up. It doesn't come up and exist as a nation after fighting battles with other nations.
Remember, it's growing up in a part of the world where it's not heavily populated before. And that word coming up, the same Greek word is used in one of Jesus'parables when it talks about the parable of the wheat and the tears and how those plants were coming up in the field that Jesus talks about. And the word coming up is the same word as used here.
It's like the sprouting of plants. That's the word coming up. And I was very interested to find that one historian describes the early history of the United States.
Like a silent seed, we grew into an empire. But notice number four, that it has two horns like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon. In Revelation 13, verse eleven, then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth.
He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. Revelation always uses the word lamb to refer to Jesus. And so when this nation is first rising up, it would be lamb like.
It would be a Christian nation, a Christian nation, but it has two horns like a lamb. What do horns represent? You may remember that when we looked at Daniel, chapter seven, that beast has ten horns representing ten kingdoms. Medopersia, that kingdom, has two horns with the Ram.
And they represented two kingdoms, the Medes and the Persians. Well, what does it mean to say that there would be two kingdoms in the one beast, two kingdoms in the one nation? Because these two kingdoms are referred to by Jesus himself. In Matthew chapter 22 and verse 21, jesus is talking to his disciples, particularly to Peter, and he says, Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.
What two kingdoms was Jesus recognizing here that in the world there was the civil to Caesar the obligations we have to the legitimate government of where we're living, but render also to God the things that are God's. This is suggesting that this nation would begin as a Christian nation with the separation of the civil and the spiritual, a separation of the church and the state. But in the future, and listen to me in the future, it would contradict its profession and speak like a dragon.
But then there's the fifth and final characteristic that I want you to notice from Revelation that this kingdom would become in the future a global superpower. Remember, this is a prediction in the future in the book of Revelation, it would become it would start lamb like, coming up slowly like la plant, into the world, into a spare, sparsely populated area. But it would become in the future a global superpower, you might say.
Well, how do you know that? Well, have a look at what it describes. Then I saw another beast coming up and he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, the authority of the Church of Rome, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. Notice that the Bible predicts that this power would have the authority, if I can use that word as a superpower, to cause and to speak to the whole world, cause the earth and those who dwell in it one day to worship the beast.
But then look at the very next verse in well, the verse 14, as it goes on to say, speaking about the same second beast he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast. Telling listen to this. Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived here.
Again, notice what this power is doing. He's telling the whole world to make an image to the beast. And then these words in Revelation 13 and verse 16 he the same beast causes all.
Notice that small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. What power. A power that would tell the world about receiving the mark of the beast in their forehead or in their right hand.
What power is brought to view in these five descriptions? Of all the nations on the earth, dear friends, there is only one that meets the specifications of Bible prophecy. Only one? Only one that was rising about 1798 in a sparsely populated area of the world called the New World, with a government based upon lamblike Christian principles, democracy and religious freedom, guaranteeing the separation of church and state that has become a global superpower, and that is the United States of America. I want you to notice this painting that has been painted of the signing of the Constitution of the United States, because the United States began as a nation around 1798, just as the Bible says, the first beast would be going down into captivity and this nation would be growing.
In 1776, it wrote its Declaration of Independence, and that is portrayed in that painting, you see. And then in 1787, its Constitution was finalized and its Bill of Rights amendments to the Constitution in 1791. It began as a Protestant nation, guaranteeing, dear friends, religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
As you see there portrayed, the state had its role render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's. And this nation began separating the church and the state, writing that into its very Constitution and into its amendments. And the world has never seen, and had never seen before such a nation guaranteeing religious freedom and guaranteeing that the church and the state would be separated.
I want you to notice these words, dear friends. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, and he wrote some words that are thought provoking words when he was writing concerning the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. Notice what he says I contemplate with solemn reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislator should make, and he's, quoting from that amendment, should make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
And do you notice what he said and how he concluded those words, thus building a wall of separation between church and state? That was the beginnings of this great nation that is described there in Revelation 13. In spite of this ideal, dear friends, I wish I didn't have to say this, but in spite of this ideal, the Bible predicts in Revelation that there will come a day soon, I believe, when a change will take place in the United States, as we have noticed. Let's look at Revelation 13 and verse twelve again.
And he this power will exercise all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and he will cause the earth. And that will affect all of us here today and those of you who are in TV land, everyone living in the world to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. Clearly, in these words, the Bible is predicting a growing relationship between the United States and the Church of Rome.
I want you to look at the pictures that follow. I won't make much comment, but I want you to have a look at them and think, what it's speaking to you the first picture the Pope speaking to the President of the United States and his wife having fellowship with Bill Clinton. The President of the United States speaking to Donald Trump and his wife.
Then having communication with the Vice president to Donald Trump, mike Pence, and then three presidents and a Secretary of State bowing before the body of Pope Paul II after his death. I ask you this today in all sincerity, dear friends. Are these prophecies slowly but certainly being fulfilled in our world today? Is Protestantism in the United States that began so well with those two horns that were like a lamb? Is Protestantism forgetting its origins and reaching across the Gulf to join hands with the Church of Rome, as the Bible has predicted? In 2014, the Anglican bishop, Tony Palmer, spoke to a large Pentecostal gathering in the United States.
I quote his words brothers and sisters, Luther's protests are over. If there is no more protest, how can there be a Protestant church? We now teach the same gospel. We now teach the same faith.
The protest is over. Now, those words were spoken in 2014. But look at the second man that I want to notice joel Osteen.
And the picture that you see on the screen is Joel Osteen's church in the United States of America. He's one of the most influential Protestant leaders in America, and he, too, has expressed his agreement with the move towards unity with Rome. He met Pope Francis in June 2014 and expressed those concerns and wishes to him.
Then, too, there is Rick Warren, also one of the most influential evangelical Christians in the United States. He served as the minister of the Saddleback Southern Baptist Megachurch in California and as the author of the book that many of you may have heard, the Purpose Driven Life. Some years ago, he was named as one of the 15 people who have made America great.
But he has been embracing unity with Rome. And before he died, Billy Graham, dr. Billy Graham, was giving strong endorsement to unity with Rome.
And then on September 24, 2015, pope Francis was the first pope in history to address the Houses of Congress in the United States. And there you see him. And I guess you might recognize the man who is standing before behind him applauding it is Joe Biden.
And on this occasion, he was speaking with authority to the congresses and the main parliament building there in the United States. Dear friends, it may appear that I've been diverted in our presentation of God's last warning message by introducing the role of the United States in Bible prophecy. But as you would have heard, I have done this for some very important reasons.
And I want to mention just one more, because included in God's last message of warning to the world, we read in Revelation 14 and verse nine, where it says then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships the beast and his image, what do those words mean? This is referring to the United States, the earth beast that will tell the world to make an image to the Church of Rome. In verse 15, it is called an image of the beast. What's an image.
Did you look into a mirror this morning and see your image? What did you see? You saw a likeness to yourself. If there is to be an image of the beast, what will the church look like? What will the image look like? As it grew in power, the Church of Rome destroyed the teachings of Jesus, and the early church and church and state was not to be separated according to the growth of this church, that the church, as it exercised that authority for over a thousand years, controlled the state. In its long history, it's demonstrated that the state should yield to the demands of the church, and it strongly opposed any separation of the two.
But the Bible is here predicting that the United States will in the near future overturn the separation of church and state. That was established by those founding documents that we've looked at. How will this be accomplished? It will be accomplished when the leading churches in the United States shall influence the state to pass laws limiting religious freedom.
And evidently, from what the Bible says, it will persuade the world to follow its agenda. I know you're probably sitting there listening to this and saying that sounds impossible. That can never happen.
But can I remind us all this morning that history informs us that our freedoms can be easily restricted in times of national or and global emergency, such as global warming and pandemics. And the Bible indicates that we are living in the most serious of times. That is why God's message to the world presents a message to worship Jesus.
Jesus is our only safeguard to get to really know Him, dear friends, and to believe the everlasting Gospel, the good news that he is sending to all the world, calling each one of us to stand for truth. May these messages that I've been sharing with you, these three angels messages, not just be a transmission of information from me to you. I want you to recognize that this is a call from Jesus to think seriously about what's ahead, but about what we can do now to prepare for the crisis that is ahead.
Let us bow our heads in a word of prayer. Our loving Father in heaven, we thank you for these warnings. We know that they come from a heart of love because you don't want anybody to perish.
You want all of us to receive the gospel, the good news about Jesus. Help us all today to open our hearts to his voice and to his leading in our lives. And I pray this in Jesus precious name.
Amen. You've been listening to God's last message to the world. A production of 3ABN Australia Television presented by Dr.
Allan Lindsay. For more information, visit GLM.3abnaustralia.org.au
