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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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As Galileans, we witnessed
his first miracle.
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He warned us that a time of
great deception would come.
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But we must hold on
to our faith that one
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day He would return to save
us from the end of the world.
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Most people don't believe
that Jesus is coming back.
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What if there was evidence that
proves that this is all real?
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Because there were
so many people
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bringing up little bits
and pieces of this,
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I'm thinking there's got
to be a pattern here.
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The Bible talks about
it as being a mystery,
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but why does the
rapture have to happen?
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What's the point to it all?
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A Galilean would have
understood that perfectly.
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They are the key to everything.
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I'm just so stunned.
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I never thought I would
see this in my lifetime.
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This is the most profound
discovery in human history.
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From his promise made through
wine at the Last Supper to why
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the world cannot know
the day of his return,
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we were chosen to preserve the
truth until the end of days.
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So even if we are not
spared from death,
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others can unveil what
we knew and believe.
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This discovery proves
that He is coming back.
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[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
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We are not destined to
live in this world forever,
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for out of the
earth we were taken,
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as we are nothing
more than dust,
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and to dust we shall return.
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Though the body must perish,
the spirit lives forever,
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so I urge you to seek the
things that are eternal
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rather than that which
will decay into nothing.
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As I write to you, the foretold
coming of the messiah, our Lord
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Jesus Christ, is
now fulfilled, as we
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await his prophesied
return at the end of days.
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Though He first came
to save the world,
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He will return to judge it.
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My brothers and
sisters in Christ,
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know that a time of great
tribulation approaches such as
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has not been seen since
the beginning of the world
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nor shall there ever be again.
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But our Lord will return to
retrieve those that follow Him
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from the wrath
that will be poured
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out upon all who are living
on the face of the Earth.
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A time of worldwide
wars, famines,
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great earthquakes,
and sickness that will
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bring an abundance of death.
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The oceans will rage
and the land will burn,
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as the moon becomes as blood
and the sun black as sackcloth.
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But I warn you, before
that terrible day there
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will be a great falling
away from the faith.
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And when the hour of judgment
comes upon this fallen world,
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few will remain
that truly believe.
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Though the convergence
of signs for his return
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have been revealed to you
throughout the scriptures,
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there are some mysteries that
God proclaims will be sealed
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until the time of the end--
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understanding that
will be unveiled
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to the generation
that will witness
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the return of the messiah.
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I fear, though, that
when the savior returns,
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will He find any faith
left on the Earth?
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[AMBIENT MUSIC]
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It's been 2,000 years since the
final prophecies were recorded,
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and today the foundation for
the convergence of nearly
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every prophetic
sign foretold within
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the remaining
biblical prophecies
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has never been more prominent.
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As a result, a recent rise in
debates regarding the signs
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of the times has led to
growing division regarding
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when the messiah will return.
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After all, if the
events prophesied
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within the ancient records
are indeed to come to pass,
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then knowing the timing
of the Lord's return
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would be of great importance.
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The timing is a real
hot-button, especially
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among religious people,
Christians and what the like.
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We love predictability.
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We want to know when He's
going to be coming back.
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The conflict, the disagreement,
the contention over the timing
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of the rapture--
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and particularly in
the last 10 years,
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it has gone off the chart.
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You know, instead
of saying, my, how
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they love one another, as they
said of the early church--
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now today of the church,
they say, my, how
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they fight with one another.
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And recent findings
from organizations,
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such as LifeWay Research,
confirm that the infighting
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among Christians is deepening.
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In one of our surveys,
we ask when they thought
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the rapture would occur.
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The largest group, 36%,
believe that the rapture
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will occur pre-tribulation.
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But if that's the
largest group, that
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means there's not a
majority believing any one
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thing about the rapture.
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In addition to the 36% that
believe the rapture will occur
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before the tribulation period
begins, 4% of Christians
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believe it will
happen in the middle.
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18% believe the rapture
will happen at the end.
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An additional 13%
consist of other timing
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variations and theories.
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4% just aren't sure
about any of it.
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And surprisingly, the remaining
25%, a growing statistic,
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no longer believe in a
literal rapture at all.
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But why is this happening?
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People have access to a
lot of information right
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at their fingertips, so
they want to go and develop
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their ideas on their own.
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They want to put
together this cornucopia
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of eschatological
beliefs without any kind
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of hermeneutical framework.
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But it really may not match
up with any views out there.
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So while the debate
rages on regarding
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the signs of the times--
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Some Christians believe
this is the final sign
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for Christ's return, as Russia
occupies war-torn Syria.
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Israel prepares for war, as
they send troops to the border.
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--the secular world,
which makes up
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most of the global
population, couldn't
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care less about the
return of Jesus,
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scoffing at what is perceived
as nothing more than
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unfounded biblical nonsense.
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It's helping to
drive people away.
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First it's going to drive
them away from the topic we're
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talking about, but ultimately
it will drive people
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away from the church,
from Christianity,
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from pursuing the faith.
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That's how serious this is.
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Yeah, I'm sure that
somebody that has not bought
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into the teachings
of Jesus Christ
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scratch their head a little bit
if something this important,
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about Jesus returning--
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Christians can't even explain
how that's going to happen.
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After all, if the validity
of biblical prophecy
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can be confirmed by
historical discoveries,
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then why can't most Christians
get on the same page
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when it comes to the
return of their messiah?
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Maybe this is because we're
asking the wrong question.
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There is so much
infighting about when
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Jesus is coming back, nobody
stopped and asked why.
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But the fact is, the timing
is not nearly as important
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as the why of his return.
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People forget to even ask,
why is Jesus coming back?
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Why is all this going to happen?
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Why must there be
an end of the world?
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And I think we're focusing
on the wrong thing.
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The issue is why does the
rapture have to happen.
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What's the point to it all?
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So what is the point?
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Are the events of the end
times simply a sequence
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of ancient superstitions, or
did those that were with Christ
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understand something
much greater that was
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buried by the sands of time?
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Before our story can begin,
we need to first understand
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that Jesus wasn't simply a Jew.
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More specifically,
he was a Galilean.
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Not only that, but
Jesus's disciples
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were all Galileans as well.
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They were not only Galileans,
they were Galileans from just
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about every walk of life.
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You've got a guy
who's a fisherman.
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You've got a guy
who's a tax collector.
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And yet Jesus assembled
these Galileans together.
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And I think there's a great
reason why the Galileans being
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present, his disciples,
future apostles,
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would be spoken to by Christ
in the Galilean vernacular.
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You see, even though the regions
throughout ancient Israel
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share the same culture, the
Galileans developed customs
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that were unique only to them.
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Why is this important?
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Because Jesus used
people's cultures
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to more deeply communicate
the spiritual nature of God.
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He used words and symbols
and analogies and parables
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for them to understand.
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You see it on the
Sermon on the Mount--
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speaking to them in ways
that they can understand.
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Speaking to them about
being fishers of men,
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you know, for example.
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Why would you use that
analogy unless you
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knew that these are fishermen?
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Everything He said was
based on life that he lived,
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culture that he belonged to.
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I think it's hard for us
to understand in our day
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what it was like for
them in their day.
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When Jesus spoke, it was from
the heart to their heart.
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There was a profound
connection made.
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The first century believers
had such a clear understanding
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of what Jesus was saying.
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He gave them clear revelation.
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So it's no wonder that
one day his disciples
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came to Him to ask
about the fulfillment
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of God's plan for the future.
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And Jesus answered them
in shocking detail.
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And He uses illustrations that
they can understand that tells
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them the world is going
to come to an end someday,
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and here's how it's
going to happen.
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So to fully understand the
depths of what Jesus could have
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revealed to the Galileans
regarding how and why He would
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return in the last days, we must
understand the unique culture
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to whom He was speaking.
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We need to see the Messiah
through their eyes.
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This sparked an ambitious
research project,
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and fragments of
new insight began
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to expose the forgotten ways
of the ancient Galileans.
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You know that 2/3 of the gospel
took place in a little strip
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of land by the Sea of Galilee?
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2/3 of the gospel.
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It actually makes no sense,
if you really think about it.
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Most of the Jews didn't
live there, but yet 2/3
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of the gospel took
place right there.
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So you cannot ignore the culture
and the people, the life,
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and the habits of those days.
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And that's why the Galileans
are playing such a big part.
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There are a lot of
other people who have
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a lot of pieces to the puzzle.
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And a lot of other people are
working on the same projects.
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It's an enormous research
project to make sure that you
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find it and get it right.
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Because there were
so many people
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bringing up little bits
and pieces of this,
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I'm thinking there's got
to be a pattern here.
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And there was-- pieces to a
puzzle that formed a prophetic
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timeline woven
throughout the ancient
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scriptures that
directly references
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an ancient Galilean ceremony--
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a ceremony that was passed
down through generations
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to foretell how and
why Christ will return
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in the last days of the world.
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And of all the
ancient ceremonies,
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this secret could
have been hiding.
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It was discovered within
a one-of-a-kind wedding--
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a wedding that contains a series
of customs that would unfold
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over an entire year, revealing
a chronological sequence
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of events that perfectly aligns
with the recorded biblical
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prophecies leading to the
second coming of Christ.
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It's a wedding.
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It is a Galilean-style wedding.
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There's no doubt about it.
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Why use a Galilean wedding?
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Because all of his
disciples were Galileans.
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When Jesus taught his disciples,
He used an object to start
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with that they already knew.
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Then He would say, the kingdom
of heaven is like that.
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In the case of the
Galilean wedding,
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He would say to the guys,
you know what our weddings
248
00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:30,520
are like, don't you?
249
00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,620
We do them all the time.
250
00:16:32,620 --> 00:16:36,810
The end of the world is
going to be like that.
251
00:16:36,810 --> 00:16:40,530
The parallels to the
rapture are incredible,
252
00:16:40,530 --> 00:16:41,690
and it is so brilliant.
253
00:16:41,690 --> 00:16:43,088
It's so brilliant.
254
00:16:45,780 --> 00:16:48,540
So what exactly about
their ancient wedding
255
00:16:48,540 --> 00:16:50,310
changes everything
that we thought we
256
00:16:50,310 --> 00:16:54,240
knew about the second coming?
257
00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,000
To truly understand the
depth of what we're only
258
00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:02,340
now rediscovering, we must
journey back to ancient Galilee
259
00:17:02,340 --> 00:17:04,349
during the time of
Christ to follow
260
00:17:04,349 --> 00:17:07,079
the very sequence of
events that was hidden
261
00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:09,780
within their prophetic wedding.
262
00:17:09,780 --> 00:17:14,450
This is where the story begins.
263
00:17:14,450 --> 00:17:17,060
These are the Galileans,
and this is what they knew.
264
00:17:26,980 --> 00:17:30,452
[AMBIENT MUSIC]
265
00:17:46,350 --> 00:17:50,290
Welcome to the town of Cana.
266
00:17:50,290 --> 00:17:52,680
Israel is now under
Roman control,
267
00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:54,990
ruled by Tiberius Caesar.
268
00:17:54,990 --> 00:17:57,030
And under his cruel
authority, life
269
00:17:57,030 --> 00:18:01,080
is harsh for many of the Jews.
270
00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:05,390
But on this day, there's
hope for the future,
271
00:18:05,390 --> 00:18:08,040
a promise for a new beginning--
272
00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,610
because on this day, the
betrothal between a young groom
273
00:18:11,610 --> 00:18:13,560
and his bride is taking place.
274
00:18:37,980 --> 00:18:41,660
I don't think it's possible
to overstate how important
275
00:18:41,660 --> 00:18:45,680
a wedding is in the Middle
Eastern culture today,
276
00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,190
as it was in that day,
the first century.
277
00:18:49,190 --> 00:18:53,090
A wedding was the most
important event that would take
278
00:18:53,090 --> 00:18:56,320
place in any town for anyone.
279
00:19:00,130 --> 00:19:03,220
In fact, as word spread
throughout the streets
280
00:19:03,220 --> 00:19:06,940
that a betrothal was taking
place, everyone who was able
281
00:19:06,940 --> 00:19:09,220
would rush to the main
gate to witness it.
282
00:19:12,170 --> 00:19:13,490
Everything took
place at the gate.
283
00:19:13,490 --> 00:19:16,070
And this was really, really
important, because this
284
00:19:16,070 --> 00:19:17,600
is where you found the elders.
285
00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,510
The elders ratified
legal agreements.
286
00:19:20,510 --> 00:19:24,080
And if you held the
ceremonies near the gate,
287
00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,090
you would have
layers of people that
288
00:19:26,090 --> 00:19:28,850
would gather around who
are maybe not family
289
00:19:28,850 --> 00:19:30,670
members, maybe not friends.
290
00:19:30,670 --> 00:19:33,170
So you see, having wedding
guests the way we have them
291
00:19:33,170 --> 00:19:35,270
today wasn't important to them.
292
00:19:35,270 --> 00:19:37,760
They wanted witnesses,
because you can't
293
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,850
make a covenant without
having witnesses
294
00:19:40,850 --> 00:19:42,170
to ratify the covenant.
295
00:19:45,940 --> 00:19:50,020
There is a written
proposal that is presented.
296
00:19:50,020 --> 00:19:52,960
It is a written
covenant of marriage
297
00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:56,310
that the bride accepts.
298
00:19:56,310 --> 00:19:59,900
They would be asked, do
you agree on these terms?
299
00:19:59,900 --> 00:20:02,140
They would say, "We
do," which means
300
00:20:02,140 --> 00:20:03,520
that they can't go back on it.
301
00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:05,860
They can't say, "I didn't
know that was in there,"
302
00:20:05,860 --> 00:20:08,110
or "those terms were
disagreeable to me."
303
00:20:10,910 --> 00:20:13,610
After the agreement outlining
the union between the two
304
00:20:13,610 --> 00:20:16,550
families was
publicly read, gifts
305
00:20:16,550 --> 00:20:18,740
were then exchanged,
with the most
306
00:20:18,740 --> 00:20:21,050
extravagant going to the bride.
307
00:20:25,380 --> 00:20:29,010
In fact, contrary to
popular belief, a dowry,
308
00:20:29,010 --> 00:20:32,280
or the price that was paid to
the bride's father in Galilee,
309
00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,620
was not a purchase of
the bride as property
310
00:20:34,620 --> 00:20:37,740
as it was with surrounding
cultures in the Middle East,
311
00:20:37,740 --> 00:20:39,840
but rather an
insurance policy that
312
00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:41,970
would help take care
of her if anything
313
00:20:41,970 --> 00:20:45,460
were to happen to her beloved.
314
00:20:45,460 --> 00:20:48,160
But what comes next
will set in motion
315
00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:51,340
a sequence of events that
will shape the future
316
00:20:51,340 --> 00:20:52,860
for generations to come.
317
00:20:57,220 --> 00:20:59,890
Then it focuses down
on to the moment where
318
00:20:59,890 --> 00:21:03,190
everyone holds their breath.
319
00:21:03,190 --> 00:21:04,840
What happens is
the bridegroom is
320
00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,740
then handed a pitcher of wine.
321
00:21:08,740 --> 00:21:12,070
The groom then pours wine
into a ceremonial cup
322
00:21:12,070 --> 00:21:15,190
that will be offered to
his desired bride-to-be.
323
00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:19,960
And it was called
the cup of joy.
324
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,520
With both hands, reverently,
and respectfully, and fearfully,
325
00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,900
he would pass it to his bride.
326
00:21:27,900 --> 00:21:35,160
When the groom presents the cup,
she now has the choice as to
327
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,340
whether or not she
will accept or reject
328
00:21:38,340 --> 00:21:39,620
this proposal for marriage.
329
00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:47,910
The moment the cup is
handed to the bride,
330
00:21:47,910 --> 00:21:51,600
she's given all power
to stop the wedding
331
00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:57,400
by pushing the cup back and
rejecting the bridegroom.
332
00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,730
Contrary to all other wedding
customs in the Middle East,
333
00:22:00,730 --> 00:22:05,360
the bride in a Galilean wedding
possessed the final authority.
334
00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:08,470
She alone had the power
to accept or reject
335
00:22:08,470 --> 00:22:11,730
the offer from the groom.
336
00:22:11,730 --> 00:22:14,190
The betrothal could
not be completed
337
00:22:14,190 --> 00:22:18,400
without her willing acceptance
to drink from the cup of wine.
338
00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:29,240
But on this day, during this
betrothal, the bride accepts.
339
00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,730
The groom will then also
take and drink from the cup,
340
00:23:00,730 --> 00:23:03,040
solidifying the new covenant.
341
00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:08,008
But then he says
something truly profound.
342
00:23:08,008 --> 00:23:10,710
And then the bridegroom
says publicly
343
00:23:10,710 --> 00:23:13,560
so everyone can hear,
"You are now consecrated
344
00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,950
to me by the laws of Moses, and
I will not drink of this cup
345
00:23:16,950 --> 00:23:22,650
again until I drink it anew
with you in my father's house."
346
00:23:22,650 --> 00:23:26,590
But to understand why this
phrase is so profound,
347
00:23:26,590 --> 00:23:28,500
we must look at
another act recorded
348
00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:32,820
later in the scriptures.
349
00:23:32,820 --> 00:23:36,420
During the Last Supper,
Jesus offered a cup of wine
350
00:23:36,420 --> 00:23:39,720
to his disciples to signify
a new covenant with them.
351
00:23:45,060 --> 00:23:47,780
And after his disciples
drank from the cup,
352
00:23:47,780 --> 00:23:50,240
Jesus then said
something similar to what
353
00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:55,500
a Galilean would have heard
from their own weddings.
354
00:23:55,500 --> 00:23:57,300
He said--
355
00:23:57,300 --> 00:24:03,910
But I say to you, I will not
drink of this fruit of the vine
356
00:24:03,910 --> 00:24:08,620
from now on until that day
when I drink it new with you
357
00:24:08,620 --> 00:24:11,570
in my father's kingdom.
358
00:24:11,570 --> 00:24:16,040
This is exactly why when
He gave them the cup,
359
00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:21,140
He actually says this is the
new covenant in my blood.
360
00:24:21,140 --> 00:24:23,950
I'm about to pour my blood.
361
00:24:23,950 --> 00:24:25,600
It's a promise.
362
00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:27,820
We're going to be
together again,
363
00:24:27,820 --> 00:24:31,870
and we're going to mark
it by drinking the wine.
364
00:24:31,870 --> 00:24:33,670
It's something important.
365
00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,170
The breaking of bread
and offering of wine--
366
00:24:40,170 --> 00:24:43,890
these acts were to form a
new union, a new promise,
367
00:24:43,890 --> 00:24:47,070
meant to deliberately
set in motion events
368
00:24:47,070 --> 00:24:49,230
of unimaginable importance.
369
00:24:53,660 --> 00:24:57,170
In my Arab culture, you
eat from the same bread
370
00:24:57,170 --> 00:25:00,020
and you drink from the same cup.
371
00:25:00,020 --> 00:25:04,370
The thought is that, that
which is in you is in me.
372
00:25:04,370 --> 00:25:07,520
It is a common
union, comm-union--
373
00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,190
no longer two, but one.
374
00:25:10,190 --> 00:25:14,240
When Jesus says that
at that Last Supper,
375
00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:18,740
this is my body given
for you, broken for you,
376
00:25:18,740 --> 00:25:21,650
He is talking as a
bridegroom to his bride.
377
00:25:21,650 --> 00:25:25,850
When He says to
them, this is the cup
378
00:25:25,850 --> 00:25:29,150
of my blood in the
new covenant, that's
379
00:25:29,150 --> 00:25:32,060
how they would
seal the betrothal
380
00:25:32,060 --> 00:25:35,220
in the ancient wedding.
381
00:25:35,220 --> 00:25:37,890
Well, when you think about
the Galilean disciples,
382
00:25:37,890 --> 00:25:39,530
they understood
exactly what it was
383
00:25:39,530 --> 00:25:40,880
saying regarding these things.
384
00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,680
They were familiar things.
385
00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,950
The illustration was
entirely clear to them.
386
00:25:46,950 --> 00:25:49,770
When Jesus said
that, his Galilean
387
00:25:49,770 --> 00:25:53,105
disciples at the Last Supper
heard only one thing--
388
00:25:53,105 --> 00:25:53,905
wedding.
389
00:25:59,270 --> 00:26:03,110
In fact, this might explain
why later in the gospel records
390
00:26:03,110 --> 00:26:05,930
the disciples asked
Jesus only when
391
00:26:05,930 --> 00:26:11,060
the events of the last days
would take place and not why--
392
00:26:11,060 --> 00:26:13,130
because as Galileans,
they likely
393
00:26:13,130 --> 00:26:16,430
had already made the
connection, especially given
394
00:26:16,430 --> 00:26:19,700
Jesus's first recorded
miracle, which took place
395
00:26:19,700 --> 00:26:23,870
in the town of Cana when
he turned water into wine
396
00:26:23,870 --> 00:26:26,740
at a Galilean wedding.
397
00:26:26,740 --> 00:26:31,720
And I find this most fascinating
that the first miracle
398
00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,870
Jesus ever performed
was at a wedding.
399
00:26:34,870 --> 00:26:39,850
And that wedding had the
same cultural dynamic
400
00:26:39,850 --> 00:26:42,880
that Jesus was
describing when he
401
00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,500
was explaining to his disciples
about his soon return.
402
00:26:50,210 --> 00:26:52,760
But the conclusion of
the betrothal was merely
403
00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,040
the first step on a
year's-long journey
404
00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:59,540
to an unimaginable conclusion.
405
00:26:59,540 --> 00:27:01,850
Now the betrothal
ceremony is finished,
406
00:27:01,850 --> 00:27:04,460
and the families rejoicing,
partying in the streets,
407
00:27:04,460 --> 00:27:06,020
go back to their houses.
408
00:27:06,020 --> 00:27:07,850
But this is just
the beginning, now,
409
00:27:07,850 --> 00:27:09,710
of an entire year
of preparations
410
00:27:09,710 --> 00:27:12,650
that goes into making
the way for the wedding.
411
00:27:18,010 --> 00:27:20,490
And though, technically,
the bride and groom are now
412
00:27:20,490 --> 00:27:23,250
united as one under
a new covenant,
413
00:27:23,250 --> 00:27:24,945
the real work only now begins.
414
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,540
The groom must
leave his betrothed,
415
00:27:30,540 --> 00:27:36,120
where they will live apart until
the day of their wedding feast.
416
00:27:36,120 --> 00:27:38,970
In fact, the groom is
now responsible for all
417
00:27:38,970 --> 00:27:40,710
of the preparations
for the day he will
418
00:27:40,710 --> 00:27:42,570
be reunited with his bride.
419
00:27:46,500 --> 00:27:49,590
Over the following months, he
will acquire materials to build
420
00:27:49,590 --> 00:27:54,740
a new room onto
his father's house,
421
00:27:54,740 --> 00:27:56,510
along with crafting
new furniture,
422
00:27:56,510 --> 00:27:58,115
such as tables and stools.
423
00:28:01,130 --> 00:28:04,850
He'll negotiate for required
items, such as oil lamps, rugs,
424
00:28:04,850 --> 00:28:07,220
and dishes that will be used
in the wedding feast that will
425
00:28:07,220 --> 00:28:11,330
take place in their new home.
426
00:28:11,330 --> 00:28:13,520
And scholars have
now discovered that
427
00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:17,180
the theological implications
of this period in the wedding
428
00:28:17,180 --> 00:28:19,760
held profound
importance regarding
429
00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:21,590
the first coming of Christ.
430
00:28:25,940 --> 00:28:29,360
You see, before
Jesus's crucifixion,
431
00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:34,150
He warned his disciples that He
too would have to leave them.
432
00:28:34,150 --> 00:28:36,530
Jesus tells them--
433
00:28:36,530 --> 00:28:41,080
I go to prepare a place for you.
434
00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,410
And if I go and prepare
a place for you,
435
00:28:44,410 --> 00:28:53,250
I will come again and receive
you to myself, that where I am,
436
00:28:53,250 --> 00:28:57,260
there you may be also.
437
00:28:57,260 --> 00:28:58,970
I'm going to prepare
a place for you.
438
00:28:58,970 --> 00:29:00,710
This is key, especially
when we think
439
00:29:00,710 --> 00:29:04,710
about the first century
Galilean experience and culture.
440
00:29:04,710 --> 00:29:06,260
I'm going away.
441
00:29:06,260 --> 00:29:08,690
A Galilean would have
understood that perfectly
442
00:29:08,690 --> 00:29:13,080
to mean that he's going to go
away to prepare a new home.
443
00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:17,240
He's going to go prepare a
place for his bride, personally.
444
00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,750
And then Jesus said something
that they all understood.
445
00:29:20,750 --> 00:29:23,780
I'm going to come back and
get you, that where I am,
446
00:29:23,780 --> 00:29:26,210
there you may be also.
447
00:29:26,210 --> 00:29:31,130
But then He's not leaving before
He's making a verbal promise
448
00:29:31,130 --> 00:29:35,810
that He's about to come back
and take us, and where He is,
449
00:29:35,810 --> 00:29:37,250
we will also be.
450
00:29:37,250 --> 00:29:39,140
And it's very important
that we understand
451
00:29:39,140 --> 00:29:42,670
He's not saying so where
you are, I will also be.
452
00:29:42,670 --> 00:29:45,320
It's where I am,
you will also be.
453
00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:50,840
He is speaking as a bridegroom
to his bride, and they knew it.
454
00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,440
They knew it, because this
was the culture of that day.
455
00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:57,750
It is so tragic, for
lack of a better word,
456
00:29:57,750 --> 00:30:02,720
they don't understand the
profound depth of the culture.
457
00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:07,460
You cannot separate the
culture from the gospels.
458
00:30:07,460 --> 00:30:09,720
If you take the culture
out of the gospels,
459
00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,710
you virtually gut out
the entire meaning of it.
460
00:30:16,290 --> 00:30:18,540
But unlike the earthly
custom, where the groom
461
00:30:18,540 --> 00:30:21,600
will bring his bride back
to his father's house,
462
00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,240
Jesus was speaking in a
heavenly realm, where only
463
00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:28,620
those that are born again,
having agreed to be his bride,
464
00:30:28,620 --> 00:30:30,470
could go.
465
00:30:30,470 --> 00:30:33,570
It's Jesus who introduced the
doctrine of the rapture to us.
466
00:30:33,570 --> 00:30:35,220
I'm going to come
and pick you up,
467
00:30:35,220 --> 00:30:36,835
take you back where I've been.
468
00:30:36,835 --> 00:30:39,300
You need to
understand something,
469
00:30:39,300 --> 00:30:42,810
if you don't have that event
taking place in your theology,
470
00:30:42,810 --> 00:30:44,730
you've got the wrong Jesus.
471
00:30:44,730 --> 00:30:47,190
If Jesus doesn't come
back for his church,
472
00:30:47,190 --> 00:30:49,500
then we all have
the wrong Jesus.
473
00:30:49,500 --> 00:30:54,090
He so has to come back,
that it's mandatory.
474
00:30:54,090 --> 00:30:56,880
It is absolutely a
definitive event.
475
00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,760
It defines either we have the
right Jesus or the wrong Jesus
476
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:02,670
based upon the biblical
Jesus coming back or not.
477
00:31:02,670 --> 00:31:04,210
He has to come back.
478
00:31:04,210 --> 00:31:06,750
He said, I'm going
away, but I'm going away
479
00:31:06,750 --> 00:31:10,470
to prepare a place for you.
480
00:31:10,470 --> 00:31:13,500
Then I'm going to come back, and
I'm going to bring you to me.
481
00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:14,400
Well?
482
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:18,640
Hello, that sounds
to me like a rapture.
483
00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,400
And this is further
reinforced by Christ himself
484
00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:25,090
when He tells his disciples
that when this time comes,
485
00:31:25,090 --> 00:31:27,310
there will be those
living on the Earth
486
00:31:27,310 --> 00:31:28,870
that will not taste death.
487
00:31:39,090 --> 00:31:42,090
But until that time
when the groom can
488
00:31:42,090 --> 00:31:43,980
be reunited with
his bride, there is
489
00:31:43,980 --> 00:31:47,268
much that needs to take place.
490
00:31:47,268 --> 00:31:51,080
And although the groom has
left to prepare a new home,
491
00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,210
the bride's job is
not yet over either.
492
00:32:02,620 --> 00:32:05,050
She must prepare for
the hour that her groom
493
00:32:05,050 --> 00:32:06,120
will return for her.
494
00:32:10,690 --> 00:32:13,070
The bride then
takes the next year
495
00:32:13,070 --> 00:32:16,670
to put together a wedding
dress and other accouterments
496
00:32:16,670 --> 00:32:17,990
for the particular wedding.
497
00:32:17,990 --> 00:32:20,750
She's got to buy
with her bridesmaids
498
00:32:20,750 --> 00:32:24,260
all kinds of pieces of cloth.
499
00:32:24,260 --> 00:32:27,680
The bride and her bridesmaids
would either weave or acquire
500
00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:29,840
fabrics for the bride's dress.
501
00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,180
Smaller towns in the
region, being separated
502
00:32:32,180 --> 00:32:34,310
from more populated
areas, may not
503
00:32:34,310 --> 00:32:36,560
have the materials
readily available
504
00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,330
to complete an elaborate gown.
505
00:32:41,930 --> 00:32:43,340
The bride would
often have to wait
506
00:32:43,340 --> 00:32:46,490
for traveling merchants that
would sell what was needed.
507
00:32:46,490 --> 00:32:49,670
These preparations could
become a difficult and costly
508
00:32:49,670 --> 00:32:53,710
task that in the first century
could take months to complete.
509
00:32:57,680 --> 00:32:59,750
But that wasn't all.
510
00:32:59,750 --> 00:33:02,570
Even after the wedding
gown was completed,
511
00:33:02,570 --> 00:33:04,910
the bride also needed
to remain vigilant
512
00:33:04,910 --> 00:33:08,000
and pure as she
waited for her groom,
513
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,040
no matter how long it took.
514
00:33:13,340 --> 00:33:18,260
The bride was to be
always ready for her groom
515
00:33:18,260 --> 00:33:21,050
to come back and take
her to that place
516
00:33:21,050 --> 00:33:22,700
that he had prepared for her.
517
00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:25,280
The bride would just
not sit and wait.
518
00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:28,250
The bride was to occupy
until her bridegroom came.
519
00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,950
And this is where things
get very interesting.
520
00:33:35,950 --> 00:33:38,410
Typically in Galilee,
around one year
521
00:33:38,410 --> 00:33:41,170
would pass while preparations
were being made for the wedding
522
00:33:41,170 --> 00:33:43,300
feast at the father's house.
523
00:33:43,300 --> 00:33:46,930
But recently uncovered evidence
has exposed new insight
524
00:33:46,930 --> 00:33:48,820
that is sending shock
waves throughout
525
00:33:48,820 --> 00:33:51,820
the theological community.
526
00:33:51,820 --> 00:33:54,790
During this entire
process to now,
527
00:33:54,790 --> 00:33:57,790
neither the groom nor
the bride actually
528
00:33:57,790 --> 00:34:01,445
knew when the day or the hour
of the wedding would take place.
529
00:34:04,340 --> 00:34:09,260
The exact minute of the
actual ceremony of the wedding
530
00:34:09,260 --> 00:34:10,324
was not known.
531
00:34:10,324 --> 00:34:13,820
Yeah, the bride just did
not know the day or the hour
532
00:34:13,820 --> 00:34:16,760
that her bridegroom was coming,
so she always had to be ready.
533
00:34:19,310 --> 00:34:23,600
In fact, no one in
the entire town knew--
534
00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:28,639
no one, that is,
except for one person.
535
00:34:28,639 --> 00:34:32,810
No one knew the day or
the hour of this wedding--
536
00:34:32,810 --> 00:34:35,659
not the son, not anyone else--
537
00:34:35,659 --> 00:34:39,500
only the father
of the bridegroom.
538
00:34:39,500 --> 00:34:42,949
Only the father of the groom
knew the day and the hour
539
00:34:42,949 --> 00:34:45,080
that the wedding
would take place--
540
00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:48,770
the one who read the
conditions on behalf of his son
541
00:34:48,770 --> 00:34:50,600
during the betrothal--
542
00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:55,650
the one that provided payment
to obtain a bride for his son.
543
00:34:55,650 --> 00:34:59,030
He and he alone holds
the secret to when
544
00:34:59,030 --> 00:35:02,870
the wedding will take
place, the hour that his son
545
00:35:02,870 --> 00:35:04,550
can retrieve his bride.
546
00:35:08,420 --> 00:35:10,160
All the types of
weddings in the regions,
547
00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:12,460
whether among Arabs,
Jews, or other people,
548
00:35:12,460 --> 00:35:13,760
were all predictable.
549
00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:15,860
You would take a year to
prepare for that wedding,
550
00:35:15,860 --> 00:35:17,810
but at the end of that
year, the wedding would
551
00:35:17,810 --> 00:35:20,240
take place on a designated day.
552
00:35:20,240 --> 00:35:23,000
This is what made a Galilean
wedding different than all
553
00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:24,410
the weddings in the area.
554
00:35:24,410 --> 00:35:27,330
Because the bridegroom would
finish building his room.
555
00:35:27,330 --> 00:35:28,467
He would finish with the feast.
556
00:35:28,467 --> 00:35:29,600
And then he would
go to his father
557
00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,770
and say, father I'm done.
558
00:35:31,770 --> 00:35:33,110
I want my bride.
559
00:35:33,110 --> 00:35:35,810
And the father would
say, I'll tell you when.
560
00:35:35,810 --> 00:35:39,320
For the Galileans, it
was a surprise wedding.
561
00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,130
The son would go home
to the father's house.
562
00:35:43,130 --> 00:35:44,720
And in the Middle
East they do this,
563
00:35:44,720 --> 00:35:46,610
but specifically you
see this in the Galilee
564
00:35:46,610 --> 00:35:51,200
to this day, where the
son adds onto the house.
565
00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:55,430
It's one portion built upon
another, extending the home,
566
00:35:55,430 --> 00:35:57,110
enlarging the home.
567
00:35:57,110 --> 00:36:00,290
And so the father
would have been
568
00:36:00,290 --> 00:36:03,750
the one with absolute
preview over what's going on.
569
00:36:03,750 --> 00:36:08,990
It's the father who tells the
son, that's it, you're done.
570
00:36:08,990 --> 00:36:12,980
And then the father would
give the announcement, son,
571
00:36:12,980 --> 00:36:14,180
go get your bride.
572
00:36:14,180 --> 00:36:16,640
The father would be
the one who would
573
00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:19,700
determine the day and the hour.
574
00:36:19,700 --> 00:36:22,670
And he would say to the
groom, OK, now's the time.
575
00:36:22,670 --> 00:36:24,500
The day and hour has come.
576
00:36:24,500 --> 00:36:27,770
The bridal chamber, that
place that you've prepared
577
00:36:27,770 --> 00:36:30,290
was complete, he
would say, OK, now.
578
00:36:30,290 --> 00:36:31,400
This is the day.
579
00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:32,570
This is the hour.
580
00:36:32,570 --> 00:36:33,680
Go get your bride.
581
00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:38,420
This goes back now to
several accounts in the Bible
582
00:36:38,420 --> 00:36:42,950
where Jesus tells his
disciples that no one knows
583
00:36:42,950 --> 00:36:44,900
the day or the hour
when I'm going to come.
584
00:36:44,900 --> 00:36:47,900
They wanted to know if He was
going to establish the kingdom.
585
00:36:47,900 --> 00:36:50,450
And He says, no, no, no,
you don't understand.
586
00:36:50,450 --> 00:36:54,560
No one knows when I'm going
to come back for my bride.
587
00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:57,110
The only person that could send
the bridegroom to get the bride
588
00:36:57,110 --> 00:36:58,070
was the father.
589
00:36:58,070 --> 00:37:01,610
The only person that could send
Jesus to come back to the Earth
590
00:37:01,610 --> 00:37:04,490
is his father.
591
00:37:04,490 --> 00:37:07,880
You see, during
Jesus's first coming,
592
00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:10,970
when his disciples asked when
He would return at the end
593
00:37:10,970 --> 00:37:15,650
of days, He also told them--
594
00:37:15,650 --> 00:37:20,480
But of that day and
hour no one knows,
595
00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:27,530
not even the angels in
heaven, nor the son,
596
00:37:27,530 --> 00:37:30,350
but only the father.
597
00:37:30,350 --> 00:37:35,660
Jesus himself, I
believe, demonstrated
598
00:37:35,660 --> 00:37:42,320
the genuine Galilean tradition
by saying not even the son
599
00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:44,810
knows the day and the hour.
600
00:37:44,810 --> 00:37:49,310
At the moment of his promise to
the disciples that He's coming
601
00:37:49,310 --> 00:37:55,940
to take them, at the moment
of his description of the end,
602
00:37:55,940 --> 00:38:04,560
He was telling his disciples no
one knows the day or the hour.
603
00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:08,610
But although Jesus himself says
He will not know the exact time
604
00:38:08,610 --> 00:38:11,640
of his return based on
prophesied events that would
605
00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:14,880
take place at the end
of days, the gospels
606
00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:19,440
make it clear that we could
know the approaching season
607
00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:23,940
in which the end of our
age would take place.
608
00:38:23,940 --> 00:38:26,810
The day is drawing near, so
he's got to get the feast out.
609
00:38:26,810 --> 00:38:29,550
But still, he doesn't know
the day when it's happening.
610
00:38:29,550 --> 00:38:31,480
He's got a lot of help putting
it together, because there
611
00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:34,110
could be 50 to 100 people
attending this thing,
612
00:38:34,110 --> 00:38:36,330
and he's got to feed
them not just for one day
613
00:38:36,330 --> 00:38:37,650
but for several days.
614
00:38:44,010 --> 00:38:46,260
The bridegroom is
finished with the feast.
615
00:38:46,260 --> 00:38:47,950
He's finished
putting it together.
616
00:38:47,950 --> 00:38:49,470
He's got the room
built. He calls
617
00:38:49,470 --> 00:38:51,090
upon his father
to inspect it all,
618
00:38:51,090 --> 00:38:52,500
which is more of a formality.
619
00:38:52,500 --> 00:38:55,230
And the father finally says,
yes, son, it's ready to go.
620
00:38:55,230 --> 00:38:57,960
The son says, I want my bride.
621
00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:02,710
And the father says,
I'll tell you when.
622
00:39:02,710 --> 00:39:05,600
But remember, this
is a bridegroom who's
623
00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,330
waiting for the moment when
his father taps him and says,
624
00:39:08,330 --> 00:39:09,320
go get her.
625
00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:11,660
He's excited, he's thrilled.
626
00:39:11,660 --> 00:39:15,050
And when Jesus is
in heaven right now,
627
00:39:15,050 --> 00:39:18,270
wow, I can't even begin to
picture what's going on,
628
00:39:18,270 --> 00:39:20,990
but he's got to be
loving his bride,
629
00:39:20,990 --> 00:39:23,900
saying I can't wait
to come back and take
630
00:39:23,900 --> 00:39:26,680
you to be with me where I am.
631
00:39:32,290 --> 00:39:35,750
And although the groom has now
completed the preparations,
632
00:39:35,750 --> 00:39:37,550
he still has to
wait for the moment
633
00:39:37,550 --> 00:39:40,360
that his father will tell
him to go get his bride.
634
00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:45,830
And during this
same time, the bride
635
00:39:45,830 --> 00:39:48,560
would also be
prepared and waiting,
636
00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:52,190
equally as eager to be united
forever with her beloved.
637
00:39:57,060 --> 00:40:00,670
But as the sun sets on
the town this evening,
638
00:40:00,670 --> 00:40:05,500
the time of waiting
is nearly finished.
639
00:40:05,500 --> 00:40:08,380
The darkness of
night approaches.
640
00:40:16,316 --> 00:40:19,790
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
641
00:40:19,790 --> 00:40:23,750
This brings us to a topic
that's fiercely debated today.
642
00:40:23,750 --> 00:40:27,050
Since the origin of Christ's
message left with the Galileans
643
00:40:27,050 --> 00:40:30,200
has faded into history,
Jesus's statements
644
00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:34,040
regarding not knowing the
day or the hour of his return
645
00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:38,730
has sparked heated debate
and growing misconceptions.
646
00:40:38,730 --> 00:40:40,420
And the church has
suffered from this.
647
00:40:40,420 --> 00:40:42,580
And that is, there are
those who want to set dates.
648
00:40:42,580 --> 00:40:45,400
And yet the Bible teaches
both from Jesus himself
649
00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:48,880
and from the apostles that no
man knows the day or the hour.
650
00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:52,360
It is my belief that
these date setters,
651
00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:56,980
so-called, have irreversibly
damaged Bible prophecy.
652
00:40:56,980 --> 00:41:01,570
I grieve about the
obsession of when will it
653
00:41:01,570 --> 00:41:03,640
happen, as far as day and hour.
654
00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:07,640
When you start setting days
and then it doesn't happen,
655
00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:09,700
then you have
millions or hundreds
656
00:41:09,700 --> 00:41:13,090
of thousands of disappointed
people that, good chances,
657
00:41:13,090 --> 00:41:14,830
that they'll walk
away from that faith
658
00:41:14,830 --> 00:41:17,230
because it wasn't proved right.
659
00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:23,300
And the result is
that Bible prophecy
660
00:41:23,300 --> 00:41:26,840
is being systematically
erased from Christianity
661
00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:29,680
all over the world.
662
00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:30,670
I'm just so stunned.
663
00:41:30,670 --> 00:41:33,200
I never thought I would
see this in my lifetime
664
00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:35,200
that the greatest
news in the Bible
665
00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:37,870
is now marginalized,
jeopardized,
666
00:41:37,870 --> 00:41:42,310
and is simply coming under
great criticism and skepticism.
667
00:41:42,310 --> 00:41:45,790
And then you talk to a pastor,
and he'll say, you know what?
668
00:41:45,790 --> 00:41:48,340
I don't want to be
identified with the fringe.
669
00:41:48,340 --> 00:41:50,080
There is a fringe.
670
00:41:50,080 --> 00:41:53,150
We don't know the day or
the hour, and we don't.
671
00:41:53,150 --> 00:41:55,120
Nobody's got any
special insight.
672
00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:59,590
It's a secret, apparently,
only God the Father knows.
673
00:41:59,590 --> 00:42:02,980
Look, when you
live in this world
674
00:42:02,980 --> 00:42:04,960
and suddenly someone
tells you you're
675
00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:08,800
about to be taken physically
out of this world,
676
00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:12,280
then knowing the day is
like hitting the jackpot.
677
00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:18,220
However, it saddens me that
even though Jesus himself said
678
00:42:18,220 --> 00:42:19,870
no one knows the
day and the hour,
679
00:42:19,870 --> 00:42:22,540
why do we think that
we need to know?
680
00:42:22,540 --> 00:42:23,960
It sends a clear message.
681
00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:29,020
We're not supposed to
deal with the actual date.
682
00:42:29,020 --> 00:42:33,492
We're supposed to deal with
the preparation for that day.
683
00:42:33,492 --> 00:42:36,210
[SOFT MUSIC]
684
00:42:36,210 --> 00:42:39,000
In addition, with
spreading misconceptions
685
00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:42,120
of biblical prophecy, more
churchgoing Christians
686
00:42:42,120 --> 00:42:44,580
with each passing
year no longer want
687
00:42:44,580 --> 00:42:48,330
to hear about these
so-called fringe topics.
688
00:42:48,330 --> 00:42:53,890
And most churches have
clearly recognized this trend.
689
00:42:53,890 --> 00:42:57,030
And if you ask a pastor,
he will tell you flat-out,
690
00:42:57,030 --> 00:42:58,500
"You know what?
691
00:42:58,500 --> 00:43:02,040
The world is coming to end is
not going to grow my church.
692
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,700
The fact that even Jesus is
coming back is not going to."
693
00:43:05,700 --> 00:43:08,580
That is the number
one reason, actually.
694
00:43:08,580 --> 00:43:12,690
And it's really because
pastors are themselves ignorant
695
00:43:12,690 --> 00:43:15,060
concerning Bible prophecy.
696
00:43:15,060 --> 00:43:16,530
They're also fearful.
697
00:43:16,530 --> 00:43:20,160
They're fearful that if they
start teaching Bible prophecy--
698
00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:22,020
I mean, really, they're
teaching the Bible,
699
00:43:22,020 --> 00:43:24,330
so how can you not
teach the Bible,
700
00:43:24,330 --> 00:43:26,310
the whole counsel
of God, without also
701
00:43:26,310 --> 00:43:28,710
teaching prophecy by default?
702
00:43:28,710 --> 00:43:32,670
But they're fearful that it's
going to be too controversial.
703
00:43:32,670 --> 00:43:36,330
Christians always want to
be accepted by the world.
704
00:43:36,330 --> 00:43:39,300
They are always on
the run to adopt
705
00:43:39,300 --> 00:43:43,650
and embrace worldly views in
order for people to like them.
706
00:43:43,650 --> 00:43:45,450
You sugarcoat everything.
707
00:43:45,450 --> 00:43:49,380
You become a motivational
speaker rather than a pastor.
708
00:43:49,380 --> 00:43:51,210
Because if you come
to an unbeliever
709
00:43:51,210 --> 00:43:53,140
and you pull out
this rapture card,
710
00:43:53,140 --> 00:43:54,425
he's going to run away from you.
711
00:43:54,425 --> 00:43:55,525
He's going to
think you're crazy.
712
00:43:58,250 --> 00:44:00,900
And this growing trend
of marginalizing Bible
713
00:44:00,900 --> 00:44:04,500
prophecy is not merely
an unfounded perception.
714
00:44:04,500 --> 00:44:08,010
It's proven to be happening
and likely far worse
715
00:44:08,010 --> 00:44:10,500
than you believe.
716
00:44:10,500 --> 00:44:12,660
Let me take you to
a more qualitative
717
00:44:12,660 --> 00:44:14,400
study we did several years ago.
718
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:19,410
We took 450 of those sermons
from different pastors,
719
00:44:19,410 --> 00:44:23,400
and just took those as a sample
and looked at those sermons.
720
00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:27,870
Only 2% of those were
preached from a passage
721
00:44:27,870 --> 00:44:32,740
of scripture that would be a
prophetic book of the Bible.
722
00:44:32,740 --> 00:44:35,830
Here's why this is a problem.
723
00:44:35,830 --> 00:44:40,120
The culmination of prophetic
events make up almost 1/3
724
00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:42,160
of the entire Bible.
725
00:44:42,160 --> 00:44:46,480
The findings that on
any given day only 2%
726
00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:49,420
of sermons contained
anything prophetic
727
00:44:49,420 --> 00:44:51,940
means that churches
are intentionally
728
00:44:51,940 --> 00:44:54,940
marginalizing the topic.
729
00:44:54,940 --> 00:44:59,500
I think that when you take 30%
of the Bible and you ignore it,
730
00:44:59,500 --> 00:45:01,570
then your understanding
of the other 70%
731
00:45:01,570 --> 00:45:02,860
is going to be flawed.
732
00:45:02,860 --> 00:45:05,800
The Bible cannot be dissected.
733
00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:08,470
You cannot just
choose what you want.
734
00:45:08,470 --> 00:45:11,650
As to why it is that
Christians today
735
00:45:11,650 --> 00:45:14,770
are dismissive of
the Lord's return,
736
00:45:14,770 --> 00:45:19,690
I would connect the dots
with Biblical illiteracy.
737
00:45:19,690 --> 00:45:21,670
And here's the thing.
738
00:45:21,670 --> 00:45:25,420
I'm sad to say that it's
the fault of the pastor
739
00:45:25,420 --> 00:45:27,100
behind the pulpit.
740
00:45:27,100 --> 00:45:30,370
Churches are going to
tell you, you know what?
741
00:45:30,370 --> 00:45:32,410
I want to live my full life.
742
00:45:32,410 --> 00:45:34,990
I want to see my
children grow up.
743
00:45:34,990 --> 00:45:36,040
I want to see my grand--
744
00:45:36,040 --> 00:45:39,250
I don't want to think about
end of the world issues.
745
00:45:39,250 --> 00:45:45,340
And I think that is what so
threw me, is that the fact that
746
00:45:45,340 --> 00:45:49,150
the King is coming, we have a
glorious home prepared for us,
747
00:45:49,150 --> 00:45:53,470
we're going to go to that place
eternally, became negative,
748
00:45:53,470 --> 00:45:56,590
became a downer.
749
00:45:56,590 --> 00:45:59,710
But the bigger problem
is that you cannot remove
750
00:45:59,710 --> 00:46:02,230
prophecy from the
Bible without also
751
00:46:02,230 --> 00:46:06,440
removing the return of Christ.
752
00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:11,320
I absolutely believe that the
rapture is a fundamental belief
753
00:46:11,320 --> 00:46:12,940
in Christianity.
754
00:46:12,940 --> 00:46:18,580
Eschatology, Bible prophecy,
is of paramount importance.
755
00:46:18,580 --> 00:46:22,550
Nearly 1/3 of the
Bible is prophecy,
756
00:46:22,550 --> 00:46:24,460
so you cannot have
the whole counsel
757
00:46:24,460 --> 00:46:28,210
of God without also having
the prophetic word of God.
758
00:46:28,210 --> 00:46:29,890
It's the gospel.
759
00:46:29,890 --> 00:46:32,830
The gospel is that Jesus came.
760
00:46:32,830 --> 00:46:37,870
He was crucified, buried,
rose again, on the third day,
761
00:46:37,870 --> 00:46:40,600
and is coming back
again one day.
762
00:46:40,600 --> 00:46:44,930
If you take the return of
Jesus Christ out of the gospel,
763
00:46:44,930 --> 00:46:46,540
you gut the gospel out.
764
00:46:50,990 --> 00:46:54,380
But even worse yet,
the unintended result
765
00:46:54,380 --> 00:46:57,680
of prophecy being systematically
removed from churches
766
00:46:57,680 --> 00:47:00,650
and educational institutes
is that the world
767
00:47:00,650 --> 00:47:05,400
is forgetting why prophecy
exists in the first place.
768
00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:12,990
It's so that God can prove
to the world that He is God.
769
00:47:12,990 --> 00:47:15,960
The point to all of this is
that if you remove prophecy
770
00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:20,480
from the Bible, you remove
the proof that the Bible
771
00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:22,100
is from a divine source.
772
00:47:25,580 --> 00:47:28,190
It would place the remaining
scriptures of the Bible
773
00:47:28,190 --> 00:47:31,520
on par with other religious
teachings in the world.
774
00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:33,560
With all things
perceived as equal,
775
00:47:33,560 --> 00:47:35,480
the Bible would
be seen as no more
776
00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:39,770
relevant or divine than any
other so-called holy book.
777
00:47:42,590 --> 00:47:45,800
This is actually why it is
that young people today want
778
00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:47,990
nothing to do with the church.
779
00:47:47,990 --> 00:47:55,400
The number one reason that
many today don't believe
780
00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:57,290
is because there's no evidence.
781
00:47:57,290 --> 00:47:58,880
You know, what's
interesting is Jesus said,
782
00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:01,300
I have told you what's going
to happen before it happens.
783
00:48:01,300 --> 00:48:06,380
So when it happens, you
will believe that I am.
784
00:48:06,380 --> 00:48:08,000
There is so much evidence.
785
00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:10,100
And the problem
is that many today
786
00:48:10,100 --> 00:48:12,620
do not believe
because they do not
787
00:48:12,620 --> 00:48:15,115
see the evidence that is there.
788
00:48:18,540 --> 00:48:21,700
And only one thing
could come from this--
789
00:48:21,700 --> 00:48:24,190
a falling away of
those that believe
790
00:48:24,190 --> 00:48:27,490
Christ will return and even
in the validity of the Bible
791
00:48:27,490 --> 00:48:29,050
itself--
792
00:48:29,050 --> 00:48:34,360
a terrifying trend
that has already begun.
793
00:48:34,360 --> 00:48:40,150
So my mother and father
immigrated to America
794
00:48:40,150 --> 00:48:42,700
from the Middle
East, and the America
795
00:48:42,700 --> 00:48:48,820
that they came to in 1963
is not the America today.
796
00:48:48,820 --> 00:48:51,880
It has changed dramatically.
797
00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:55,960
There was a day when
there was this knowledge
798
00:48:55,960 --> 00:48:59,470
of the Lord's return.
799
00:48:59,470 --> 00:49:01,930
You talk about it today,
and it almost reminds me
800
00:49:01,930 --> 00:49:04,990
of what Peter said about
how that there is coming
801
00:49:04,990 --> 00:49:09,400
a day that they will mock
and scoff any mention
802
00:49:09,400 --> 00:49:10,600
of the Lord's return.
803
00:49:10,600 --> 00:49:13,640
"Where's the promise
of his coming?
804
00:49:13,640 --> 00:49:16,570
They've been saying that for
generations and generations,
805
00:49:16,570 --> 00:49:18,460
yet he does not come."
806
00:49:18,460 --> 00:49:21,880
Well, I think that's all a
part of the end-time apostasy.
807
00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:25,150
Everything we're talking
about, it was prophesied,
808
00:49:25,150 --> 00:49:26,290
it's happening.
809
00:49:26,290 --> 00:49:29,440
I think one of the things
that plays into here
810
00:49:29,440 --> 00:49:31,300
is what the Bible
calls the great falling
811
00:49:31,300 --> 00:49:35,650
away, the great fall
from truth into apostasy.
812
00:49:38,740 --> 00:49:41,710
And this is not simply a
perceived social change
813
00:49:41,710 --> 00:49:44,680
from different generational
perspectives but one that
814
00:49:44,680 --> 00:49:46,480
is being exposed
through findings
815
00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:50,560
from various organizations,
such as LifeWay research,
816
00:49:50,560 --> 00:49:55,060
the Barna Group
and Pew Research.
817
00:49:55,060 --> 00:49:58,090
We see that only
about 15% are bought
818
00:49:58,090 --> 00:50:01,900
in to evangelical teaching
indicating that Jesus Christ is
819
00:50:01,900 --> 00:50:05,410
the only way to remove their
sin and that Jesus Christ alone
820
00:50:05,410 --> 00:50:07,487
is how somebody can
see eternal life
821
00:50:07,487 --> 00:50:08,620
and that they ought
to share that.
822
00:50:08,620 --> 00:50:09,940
More than eight
out of 10 Americans
823
00:50:09,940 --> 00:50:14,050
would have some hesitancy
or maybe completely dismiss
824
00:50:14,050 --> 00:50:16,870
the core evangelical beliefs
of putting the Bible first
825
00:50:16,870 --> 00:50:20,640
and believing in Christ alone.
826
00:50:20,640 --> 00:50:23,720
According to multiple in-depth
studies from various research
827
00:50:23,720 --> 00:50:27,290
organizations, more
than 80% of Americans
828
00:50:27,290 --> 00:50:31,490
no longer believe that the Bible
is the complete word of God--
829
00:50:31,490 --> 00:50:35,060
a trend that isn't surprising
when considering the proof
830
00:50:35,060 --> 00:50:37,220
for the validity
of the Bible itself
831
00:50:37,220 --> 00:50:40,520
is being systematically erased.
832
00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:43,340
With all religions being
viewed more with each passing
833
00:50:43,340 --> 00:50:46,460
year as being equal
and without substance,
834
00:50:46,460 --> 00:50:50,850
a global trend of
humanism is exploding.
835
00:50:50,850 --> 00:50:53,630
We're up to almost one
out of four Americans
836
00:50:53,630 --> 00:50:56,270
indicating, "I don't
really feel like I'm
837
00:50:56,270 --> 00:50:58,040
a part of any religious group."
838
00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:01,850
On that same survey, we
did ask whether people
839
00:51:01,850 --> 00:51:05,870
believe the world will
end in their lifetime.
840
00:51:05,870 --> 00:51:09,050
And less than one out of
five, 18% of Americans,
841
00:51:09,050 --> 00:51:12,866
actually believe that the world
will end within their lifetime.
842
00:51:12,866 --> 00:51:15,000
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
843
00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:18,180
Since the return of Christ
is synonymous with the end
844
00:51:18,180 --> 00:51:20,490
of the world as we
know it, this may
845
00:51:20,490 --> 00:51:23,700
lend some associative insight
into the trends we're beginning
846
00:51:23,700 --> 00:51:26,580
to see in why most
people no longer believe
847
00:51:26,580 --> 00:51:29,340
that Jesus is going to return.
848
00:51:29,340 --> 00:51:32,520
And surprisingly, the
scriptures foretold
849
00:51:32,520 --> 00:51:34,230
this, too, was going to happen.
850
00:51:37,550 --> 00:51:40,520
I know you have a
little strength.
851
00:51:40,520 --> 00:51:44,810
This describes this
church in the last days
852
00:51:44,810 --> 00:51:48,950
prior to the return of Jesus
Christ as just hanging on.
853
00:51:48,950 --> 00:51:52,250
There are a remnant of
believers today that
854
00:51:52,250 --> 00:51:56,360
are hanging on to that hope.
855
00:51:56,360 --> 00:51:59,540
And they are few in
numbers and growing
856
00:51:59,540 --> 00:52:02,270
fewer with each passing day.
857
00:52:02,270 --> 00:52:04,080
Jesus said that
when He comes back,
858
00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:05,900
we'll even find
faith on the Earth.
859
00:52:05,900 --> 00:52:07,700
We know that in the
last days, there's
860
00:52:07,700 --> 00:52:10,460
going to be a diminishing
of people believing.
861
00:52:10,460 --> 00:52:12,500
I believe that what is
happening in America
862
00:52:12,500 --> 00:52:17,210
is that the westernized
version of, can I say,
863
00:52:17,210 --> 00:52:20,690
a man-made Christianity
is failing.
864
00:52:20,690 --> 00:52:22,040
It's failing in faith.
865
00:52:22,040 --> 00:52:24,410
It's failing in its ability
to engage the culture.
866
00:52:24,410 --> 00:52:27,300
It's failing to be ready, to
be busy about our Father's
867
00:52:27,300 --> 00:52:28,100
business.
868
00:52:28,100 --> 00:52:29,610
It's failing in evangelism.
869
00:52:29,610 --> 00:52:30,410
Why?
870
00:52:30,410 --> 00:52:31,970
There's no sense of urgency.
871
00:52:31,970 --> 00:52:33,620
And so we live in
a time when there
872
00:52:33,620 --> 00:52:35,780
are those saying that
they believe in the Bible
873
00:52:35,780 --> 00:52:37,010
and believe in Jesus.
874
00:52:37,010 --> 00:52:40,100
I have to ask the question,
what Bible are you reading,
875
00:52:40,100 --> 00:52:43,100
and which Jesus are
you talking about?
876
00:52:43,100 --> 00:52:47,160
When you're completely
detached from the word of God,
877
00:52:47,160 --> 00:52:49,770
then the rapture sounds crazy.
878
00:52:49,770 --> 00:52:51,870
Although the same people
who may reject God
879
00:52:51,870 --> 00:52:53,160
will believe in aliens.
880
00:52:53,160 --> 00:52:56,280
They will believe in
going to the psychic
881
00:52:56,280 --> 00:52:59,380
and hearing from the
dead and all of that.
882
00:52:59,380 --> 00:53:01,480
They believe in so
many weird things.
883
00:53:01,480 --> 00:53:05,680
But when you talk
about Bible stories,
884
00:53:05,680 --> 00:53:08,070
they will immediately say
these are fairy tales.
885
00:53:08,070 --> 00:53:11,080
And it's interesting,
because we found
886
00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:15,820
physical evidences to almost
every single miraculous story
887
00:53:15,820 --> 00:53:17,260
in the scriptures.
888
00:53:17,260 --> 00:53:19,450
Again, the Bible declares
that in the last days
889
00:53:19,450 --> 00:53:22,060
there's going to be those
who will say, where's
890
00:53:22,060 --> 00:53:23,970
the promise of his coming?
891
00:53:23,970 --> 00:53:26,680
Everything has been continuing
on since the beginning.
892
00:53:26,680 --> 00:53:28,980
And they mock-- the Bible says
in the last days there's going
893
00:53:28,980 --> 00:53:31,450
to be mockers, and there's
going to be those that make
894
00:53:31,450 --> 00:53:33,520
light of the return of Jesus.
895
00:53:33,520 --> 00:53:35,770
Not only is it
going to get worse,
896
00:53:35,770 --> 00:53:39,290
it's going to get
exponentially worse.
897
00:53:48,390 --> 00:53:51,820
[AMBIENT MUSIC]
898
00:53:58,680 --> 00:54:01,830
Considering these trends,
it's not surprising
899
00:54:01,830 --> 00:54:05,430
that this is precisely why
the scriptures famously warned
900
00:54:05,430 --> 00:54:08,520
that in the last days,
Jesus will return
901
00:54:08,520 --> 00:54:12,360
as a thief in the
night into a world that
902
00:54:12,360 --> 00:54:17,080
is unbelieving and unprepared.
903
00:54:17,080 --> 00:54:22,120
Jesus warned his disciples to
be ready for his second coming.
904
00:54:22,120 --> 00:54:24,370
He said He would come
like a thief in the night.
905
00:54:24,370 --> 00:54:27,320
Regarding the times and
the seasons, my brethren,
906
00:54:27,320 --> 00:54:28,870
you have no need
that I should tell
907
00:54:28,870 --> 00:54:31,120
you because you perfectly know.
908
00:54:31,120 --> 00:54:34,420
The day of the Lord indeed
will come to this world
909
00:54:34,420 --> 00:54:35,350
as a thief in the night.
910
00:54:35,350 --> 00:54:37,030
But it will not come
as a thief in the night
911
00:54:37,030 --> 00:54:40,110
to you, because if you're
ready, you're ready.
912
00:54:40,110 --> 00:54:44,170
And we can only be surprised
and we can only suffer
913
00:54:44,170 --> 00:54:45,970
from it if we're not ready.
914
00:54:45,970 --> 00:54:47,680
He's going to come as
a thief in the night
915
00:54:47,680 --> 00:54:49,680
to those who are not aware.
916
00:54:49,680 --> 00:54:52,900
He's going to come to those as a
thief in the night to those who
917
00:54:52,900 --> 00:54:55,090
have been bogged
down and weighted
918
00:54:55,090 --> 00:54:58,000
down with what Jesus said
are the cares of this life.
919
00:55:02,743 --> 00:55:06,222
[AMBIENT MUSIC]
920
00:55:10,710 --> 00:55:12,750
Jesus returning as
a thief in the night
921
00:55:12,750 --> 00:55:17,570
to those unprepared in the last
days appear self-explanatory.
922
00:55:17,570 --> 00:55:19,760
And for years,
theologians interpreted
923
00:55:19,760 --> 00:55:23,050
the meaning at face value.
924
00:55:23,050 --> 00:55:26,290
But you see, in
ancient Galilee, we
925
00:55:26,290 --> 00:55:30,260
know that only the father of the
groom knew the day and the hour
926
00:55:30,260 --> 00:55:32,830
that the wedding
would take place.
927
00:55:32,830 --> 00:55:35,350
But what researchers
have now discovered
928
00:55:35,350 --> 00:55:41,510
is that the hour would be
in the middle of the night.
929
00:55:44,420 --> 00:55:48,620
Well, even the idiom of, "no
man knows the day or the hour,"
930
00:55:48,620 --> 00:55:52,220
the idiom of, "as a thief in
the night," they in that day
931
00:55:52,220 --> 00:55:56,480
would have absolutely understand
exactly what Jesus was saying
932
00:55:56,480 --> 00:55:58,880
when he uses those expressions.
933
00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:02,390
They knew it was literally going
to be as a thief in the night,
934
00:56:02,390 --> 00:56:04,280
and it would be in
the night, which again
935
00:56:04,280 --> 00:56:06,850
was why they had to
have oil in their lamps
936
00:56:06,850 --> 00:56:08,300
and their lamps lit--
937
00:56:08,300 --> 00:56:09,680
so that it would
not be as a thief.
938
00:56:09,680 --> 00:56:10,790
They were ready.
939
00:56:10,790 --> 00:56:12,230
They were dressed and ready.
940
00:56:16,460 --> 00:56:22,230
This was the ultimate surprise
twist on the Galilean wedding,
941
00:56:22,230 --> 00:56:24,780
and Jesus, who lived
among them for years,
942
00:56:24,780 --> 00:56:26,820
knew this all too well--
943
00:56:26,820 --> 00:56:29,700
that the groom would
come for the bride
944
00:56:29,700 --> 00:56:31,050
in the middle of the night.
945
00:56:34,790 --> 00:56:35,900
Her life was pure.
946
00:56:35,900 --> 00:56:38,450
She slept in her wedding dress.
947
00:56:38,450 --> 00:56:41,180
Her bridesmaids were dressed
in their white linen garments,
948
00:56:41,180 --> 00:56:44,420
and they were ready to help
her out should the bridegroom
949
00:56:44,420 --> 00:56:46,700
come-- which he was
coming unexpectedly
950
00:56:46,700 --> 00:56:48,590
at an hour she didn't know--
951
00:56:48,590 --> 00:56:50,910
so that she could be
ready to meet him.
952
00:56:50,910 --> 00:56:54,030
They will do that in the middle
of the night for a reason.
953
00:56:54,030 --> 00:57:02,480
It's to basically declare that
it can happen when everybody
954
00:57:02,480 --> 00:57:06,470
else are not necessarily ready.
955
00:57:06,470 --> 00:57:08,240
It is deliberate.
956
00:57:08,240 --> 00:57:11,090
And that's why only
the people that
957
00:57:11,090 --> 00:57:12,710
have an active
part in the wedding
958
00:57:12,710 --> 00:57:15,050
are excited and are ready.
959
00:57:15,050 --> 00:57:18,860
But those that are not are
completely-- they're asleep.
960
00:57:18,860 --> 00:57:20,990
They are literally asleep.
961
00:57:20,990 --> 00:57:22,500
Yes, exactly.
962
00:57:22,500 --> 00:57:25,880
And that's why we're told not
to fall asleep as others do.
963
00:57:25,880 --> 00:57:28,670
That's why one of
the reasons, I think,
964
00:57:28,670 --> 00:57:33,470
Christians should
always look for is, what
965
00:57:33,470 --> 00:57:36,710
are the signs that Jesus
gave to the disciples,
966
00:57:36,710 --> 00:57:37,950
and are we seeing them?
967
00:57:41,766 --> 00:57:45,105
[AMBIENT MUSIC]
968
00:57:47,500 --> 00:57:50,200
And though Jesus returning
as a thief in the night
969
00:57:50,200 --> 00:57:53,020
was directed to the
unprepared world,
970
00:57:53,020 --> 00:57:55,390
He also gave another
warning directed more
971
00:57:55,390 --> 00:57:58,300
to those that would be
waiting for his return
972
00:57:58,300 --> 00:58:00,310
at the end of days--
973
00:58:00,310 --> 00:58:02,860
a parable that
warns how even those
974
00:58:02,860 --> 00:58:09,360
that believe they are prepared
can end up left in the dark.
975
00:58:09,360 --> 00:58:13,350
Jesus spoke about 10 bridesmaids
in the night prepared
976
00:58:13,350 --> 00:58:15,150
and with oil burning
in their lamps
977
00:58:15,150 --> 00:58:17,340
waiting for the
arrival of the groom,
978
00:58:17,340 --> 00:58:20,850
which would come at any hour.
979
00:58:20,850 --> 00:58:22,350
So you've got the
parable of those
980
00:58:22,350 --> 00:58:23,940
with the oil in the lamps.
981
00:58:23,940 --> 00:58:25,530
You've got 10 of them.
982
00:58:25,530 --> 00:58:30,000
You've got all 10 who started,
but not all 10 finished.
983
00:58:30,000 --> 00:58:31,480
You say, yeah, yeah, they did.
984
00:58:31,480 --> 00:58:32,340
No, they didn't.
985
00:58:32,340 --> 00:58:35,610
The Bible says that at the
time of the midnight cry,
986
00:58:35,610 --> 00:58:38,610
they all jumped up and
trimmed their lamps,
987
00:58:38,610 --> 00:58:42,120
but only five had enough
oil to continue on.
988
00:58:42,120 --> 00:58:43,170
And this is key.
989
00:58:43,170 --> 00:58:44,970
Symbolically in
scripture, the oil
990
00:58:44,970 --> 00:58:47,830
is a reference to the
Holy Spirit in your life.
991
00:58:47,830 --> 00:58:50,280
And so you can be a
believer-- listen carefully--
992
00:58:50,280 --> 00:58:53,280
Jesus said these are they
who believe for a while.
993
00:58:53,280 --> 00:58:55,350
It doesn't mean you're
born again to believe.
994
00:58:55,350 --> 00:58:58,770
Has your belief brought
you to faith in Christ?
995
00:58:58,770 --> 00:59:01,230
So these virgins were religious.
996
00:59:01,230 --> 00:59:02,730
These virgins were ready.
997
00:59:02,730 --> 00:59:04,430
These virgins were waiting.
998
00:59:04,430 --> 00:59:05,230
They had lamps.
999
00:59:05,230 --> 00:59:06,120
They had oil.
1000
00:59:06,120 --> 00:59:11,870
But only the ones that had
enough oil made it to the end.
1001
00:59:11,870 --> 00:59:15,240
The application for this
today is quite clear.
1002
00:59:15,240 --> 00:59:17,970
With recently exposed
social trends,
1003
00:59:17,970 --> 00:59:20,700
many believe that this
prophetic warning from Jesus
1004
00:59:20,700 --> 00:59:24,090
himself regarding the
church in the last days
1005
00:59:24,090 --> 00:59:27,470
is already coming true.
1006
00:59:27,470 --> 00:59:29,780
I think the remnant
is keeping watch.
1007
00:59:29,780 --> 00:59:34,010
It's a little sliver
of Christianity,
1008
00:59:34,010 --> 00:59:37,800
some estimate
between 1% and 10%.
1009
00:59:37,800 --> 00:59:38,600
They're watching.
1010
00:59:38,600 --> 00:59:39,400
They're waiting.
1011
00:59:39,400 --> 00:59:40,710
They're looking at headlines.
1012
00:59:40,710 --> 00:59:42,140
They're looking
at current events.
1013
00:59:42,140 --> 00:59:44,210
But I think that's a
smaller and smaller
1014
00:59:44,210 --> 00:59:45,640
portion of the Church today.
1015
00:59:49,070 --> 00:59:52,500
[AMBIENT MUSIC]
1016
00:59:57,420 --> 01:00:00,890
As we head back to
the time of Christ,
1017
01:00:00,890 --> 01:00:02,990
the sun has now set on Cana.
1018
01:00:05,610 --> 01:00:07,610
And just as Jesus
warned the world will
1019
01:00:07,610 --> 01:00:10,610
fall asleep in the
last days, tonight
1020
01:00:10,610 --> 01:00:14,360
so have many of the Galileans.
1021
01:00:14,360 --> 01:00:17,450
But tonight, the groom's
hour has finally come.
1022
01:00:23,960 --> 01:00:26,090
The bridegroom knows
the day is coming.
1023
01:00:26,090 --> 01:00:27,860
But he sleeps with
his groomsmen--
1024
01:00:27,860 --> 01:00:30,600
they're all over the floor,
perhaps in a small room--
1025
01:00:30,600 --> 01:00:33,500
and the father makes the
decision, now is the time.
1026
01:00:37,520 --> 01:00:40,970
The father has decided that
now is the hour his son
1027
01:00:40,970 --> 01:00:42,230
will retrieve his bride.
1028
01:01:13,140 --> 01:01:19,550
He wakes him and says,
go get your bride.
1029
01:01:24,700 --> 01:01:28,930
The son leaps to his feet, and
he grabs a shofar, a ram's horn
1030
01:01:28,930 --> 01:01:32,800
trumpet, and he lets go a blast
to wake up the entire village.
1031
01:01:32,800 --> 01:01:34,250
It's a marvelous scene.
1032
01:01:34,250 --> 01:01:37,390
But it's meant to wake
up not only the village,
1033
01:01:37,390 --> 01:01:38,830
but the bride and her family.
1034
01:01:43,300 --> 01:01:47,640
It was during hours
of unexpectedness
1035
01:01:47,640 --> 01:01:49,560
that it would have been,
in the very early hours
1036
01:01:49,560 --> 01:01:53,370
of the morning, even at
midnight, where the bride
1037
01:01:53,370 --> 01:01:55,890
would be hearing that cry.
1038
01:01:55,890 --> 01:01:58,170
Behold, the bridegroom cometh.
1039
01:01:58,170 --> 01:01:59,640
And she was to rise up.
1040
01:01:59,640 --> 01:02:01,200
She was to get her lamp trimmed.
1041
01:02:01,200 --> 01:02:05,480
She was to be now
executing her preparedness.
1042
01:02:19,000 --> 01:02:21,910
The wait is over, and the
groom is finally on his way
1043
01:02:21,910 --> 01:02:25,550
to be united with his bride.
1044
01:02:25,550 --> 01:02:27,440
As they move through
the town streets,
1045
01:02:27,440 --> 01:02:30,890
trumpets blared loudly to
not only wake the bride,
1046
01:02:30,890 --> 01:02:36,030
but also the guests that were
invited to the wedding feast.
1047
01:02:36,030 --> 01:02:38,280
Only those that were
prepared could quickly
1048
01:02:38,280 --> 01:02:42,430
rise and join the concession.
1049
01:02:42,430 --> 01:02:44,430
[LAUGHTER]
1050
01:02:45,930 --> 01:02:48,460
The bridegroom and his
groomsmen now exit the house.
1051
01:02:48,460 --> 01:02:50,980
They go out of the compound,
begin to serpentine
1052
01:02:50,980 --> 01:02:52,810
through the streets
of the village,
1053
01:02:52,810 --> 01:02:57,430
until finally they come
near the bride's house.
1054
01:02:57,430 --> 01:03:00,010
And as the bride
comes into view,
1055
01:03:00,010 --> 01:03:03,040
what a shockingly
beautiful scene it must be.
1056
01:03:17,190 --> 01:03:18,390
There in the middle
of the night,
1057
01:03:18,390 --> 01:03:21,450
you have a row of women with
the bride in the middle-- all
1058
01:03:21,450 --> 01:03:24,510
the bridesmaids dressed in
their white linen robes,
1059
01:03:24,510 --> 01:03:26,070
and in the center,
the bride dressed
1060
01:03:26,070 --> 01:03:27,990
in her beautiful bridal gown.
1061
01:03:33,660 --> 01:03:36,450
After a year of
preparing and waiting,
1062
01:03:36,450 --> 01:03:38,500
they are finally
together again--
1063
01:03:42,480 --> 01:03:45,365
reunited as one forever.
1064
01:04:00,080 --> 01:04:02,330
The parade led by
the bridegroom now
1065
01:04:02,330 --> 01:04:04,520
rush up towards the
bride and her family--
1066
01:04:04,520 --> 01:04:06,020
and all the people that
are standing there,
1067
01:04:06,020 --> 01:04:07,130
the bridesmaids.
1068
01:04:07,130 --> 01:04:08,840
And the two men
with the litter set
1069
01:04:08,840 --> 01:04:11,560
the litter down on the
ground in front of the bride.
1070
01:04:14,320 --> 01:04:18,220
And she very, very modestly
steps out onto the litter,
1071
01:04:18,220 --> 01:04:22,180
and she lowers herself down.
1072
01:04:22,180 --> 01:04:24,470
The bride did not
simply follow her groom
1073
01:04:24,470 --> 01:04:30,230
back to the father's house, but
she was lifted into the air.
1074
01:04:37,840 --> 01:04:41,620
In fact, the ancient Galileans
referred to this moment
1075
01:04:41,620 --> 01:04:45,070
as "flying the bride
to the father's house."
1076
01:04:53,240 --> 01:04:56,270
She's lifted up off the ground.
1077
01:04:56,270 --> 01:05:00,560
She's escorted with him back
to that place of preparation.
1078
01:05:00,560 --> 01:05:03,440
It speaks, it shouts,
all about God's grace.
1079
01:05:03,440 --> 01:05:05,060
It's not her efforts.
1080
01:05:05,060 --> 01:05:07,620
She was just to be ready
because she loves him.
1081
01:05:07,620 --> 01:05:09,380
She's borne aloft.
1082
01:05:09,380 --> 01:05:11,240
She's taken away with him.
1083
01:05:11,240 --> 01:05:13,610
It's all about the grace of God.
1084
01:05:13,610 --> 01:05:15,710
It's about the grace of
God from the beginning
1085
01:05:15,710 --> 01:05:17,630
all the way through
to now, to the end.
1086
01:05:22,780 --> 01:05:24,790
There are multiple
chilling similarities
1087
01:05:24,790 --> 01:05:27,760
between this cultural
practice and descriptions
1088
01:05:27,760 --> 01:05:30,610
throughout the Bible
regarding what theology
1089
01:05:30,610 --> 01:05:34,050
has coined the rapture--
1090
01:05:34,050 --> 01:05:36,380
a moment that
believers are caught up
1091
01:05:36,380 --> 01:05:38,120
in the air to be
with the returning
1092
01:05:38,120 --> 01:05:40,370
messiah at the end of days.
1093
01:05:42,880 --> 01:05:45,250
This makes me think of
something-- that when
1094
01:05:45,250 --> 01:05:48,250
the bride is lifted
off the ground,
1095
01:05:48,250 --> 01:05:49,870
and they carry her
off the ground,
1096
01:05:49,870 --> 01:05:52,680
as it were, flying her
to the father's house,
1097
01:05:52,680 --> 01:05:55,600
doesn't this sound
like Jesus collecting
1098
01:05:55,600 --> 01:05:58,690
his bride off the Earth
to join him in the air?
1099
01:05:58,690 --> 01:06:00,790
Absolutely, I believe that.
1100
01:06:00,790 --> 01:06:02,630
Without question.
1101
01:06:02,630 --> 01:06:03,430
Without question.
1102
01:06:03,430 --> 01:06:07,420
The clues that were
given in scripture
1103
01:06:07,420 --> 01:06:12,520
all speak with specificity to
this exactly being the rapture.
1104
01:06:12,520 --> 01:06:15,850
This is the reason why
He's coming to take us.
1105
01:06:15,850 --> 01:06:18,700
Why would a bridegroom
come and take the bride
1106
01:06:18,700 --> 01:06:21,520
unless it's to marry her?
1107
01:06:21,520 --> 01:06:24,790
From that moment on, we will
always be with the Lord,
1108
01:06:24,790 --> 01:06:27,580
just like a husband
and a wife are one.
1109
01:06:27,580 --> 01:06:29,710
They cannot be
separated anymore.
1110
01:06:29,710 --> 01:06:31,360
This is why I
believe the rapture
1111
01:06:31,360 --> 01:06:32,530
is such an amazing thing.
1112
01:06:36,410 --> 01:06:39,805
[AMBIENT MUSIC]
1113
01:06:42,730 --> 01:06:45,820
After the bride is flown
to the father's house,
1114
01:06:45,820 --> 01:06:48,020
the long-awaited
conclusion has begun--
1115
01:06:52,530 --> 01:06:55,320
the beginning of a wedding
feast joined and witnessed
1116
01:06:55,320 --> 01:06:58,860
by all of those that were
prepared and heard the call
1117
01:06:58,860 --> 01:07:00,360
during the darkness of night.
1118
01:07:07,830 --> 01:07:09,960
And Jesus made it
clear to his disciples
1119
01:07:09,960 --> 01:07:12,270
that this, too, is
a picture of what
1120
01:07:12,270 --> 01:07:14,160
will happen at the end of days.
1121
01:07:17,610 --> 01:07:21,480
Those that are caught up to
be with the returning messiah
1122
01:07:21,480 --> 01:07:24,930
will partake in what the Bible
refers to as the marriage
1123
01:07:24,930 --> 01:07:29,890
supper of the lamb, the
lamb being a clear reference
1124
01:07:29,890 --> 01:07:34,490
to Christ himself as the
sacrificial lamb crucified
1125
01:07:34,490 --> 01:07:35,290
on the cross.
1126
01:07:38,460 --> 01:07:42,120
In fact, the apostle John
references this wedding
1127
01:07:42,120 --> 01:07:46,080
feast when believers are
reunited with Christ as written
1128
01:07:46,080 --> 01:07:48,400
in the Book of Revelation.
1129
01:07:48,400 --> 01:07:52,650
To those in the final
generation, he writes--
1130
01:07:52,650 --> 01:07:58,320
Let us be glad and rejoice
and give honor to Him,
1131
01:07:58,320 --> 01:08:01,810
for the marriage of
the lamb is come,
1132
01:08:01,810 --> 01:08:04,060
and his wife has
made herself ready.
1133
01:08:06,730 --> 01:08:10,090
The father's house
in a Galilean wedding
1134
01:08:10,090 --> 01:08:12,790
is the perfect
picture of heaven.
1135
01:08:12,790 --> 01:08:16,779
Together as a married
couple, bride and bridegroom,
1136
01:08:16,779 --> 01:08:21,099
united forever, living in the
bridegroom's father's house.
1137
01:08:21,099 --> 01:08:24,430
Why is this so important,
is because this
1138
01:08:24,430 --> 01:08:29,439
is our destination,
that we are chosen
1139
01:08:29,439 --> 01:08:33,130
as the bride of Jesus
Christ and to dwell
1140
01:08:33,130 --> 01:08:35,560
with him for all eternity.
1141
01:08:35,560 --> 01:08:40,359
And everything here on earth
is a foreshadow, a picture,
1142
01:08:40,359 --> 01:08:41,800
of that which is to come.
1143
01:08:41,800 --> 01:08:44,680
You know, it's interesting,
at the Last Supper, twice
1144
01:08:44,680 --> 01:08:46,120
Jesus says this--
1145
01:08:46,120 --> 01:08:51,220
I eagerly await to partake
with you when this finds
1146
01:08:51,220 --> 01:08:53,950
its fulfillment in my kingdom.
1147
01:08:53,950 --> 01:08:56,540
Here's the question
that has to be asked--
1148
01:08:56,540 --> 01:08:58,540
why did God make everything?
1149
01:08:58,540 --> 01:09:00,880
Why did He let the world fall?
1150
01:09:00,880 --> 01:09:03,880
Why did He send his son?
1151
01:09:03,880 --> 01:09:05,830
Why did his son have to die?
1152
01:09:05,830 --> 01:09:08,620
Why did his son have
to rise from the dead?
1153
01:09:08,620 --> 01:09:11,380
And then why did his
son descend in heaven?
1154
01:09:11,380 --> 01:09:13,359
Why is his son coming back?
1155
01:09:13,359 --> 01:09:16,450
This may be the
most important event
1156
01:09:16,450 --> 01:09:19,120
in the entire
history of eternity
1157
01:09:19,120 --> 01:09:22,780
when God brings a
bride to his son.
1158
01:09:26,819 --> 01:09:30,600
Because of this, Jesus
promised that He would return
1159
01:09:30,600 --> 01:09:34,140
for his bride to all that have
and will accept his promise
1160
01:09:34,140 --> 01:09:38,430
until the day He returns,
to not only be united with,
1161
01:09:38,430 --> 01:09:40,830
but to save his
bride from the wrath
1162
01:09:40,830 --> 01:09:43,950
that is to come upon the
world in the last days.
1163
01:09:47,345 --> 01:09:50,740
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
1164
01:09:52,689 --> 01:09:55,880
But Jesus warns that many
will not accept his offer
1165
01:09:55,880 --> 01:09:59,060
to attend his wedding
feast, that there will
1166
01:09:59,060 --> 01:10:01,070
be many that choose
to be separated
1167
01:10:01,070 --> 01:10:03,800
from him for all of eternity--
1168
01:10:03,800 --> 01:10:07,730
those that will be left behind.
1169
01:10:07,730 --> 01:10:09,320
When they get to
the father's house,
1170
01:10:09,320 --> 01:10:12,560
everybody piles into
the compound now,
1171
01:10:12,560 --> 01:10:15,270
and the feast is
set and ready to go.
1172
01:10:15,270 --> 01:10:18,614
And the door is
shut behind them.
1173
01:10:18,614 --> 01:10:20,018
[DOOR SLAMS]
1174
01:10:20,960 --> 01:10:23,270
And no one leaves,
and no one comes
1175
01:10:23,270 --> 01:10:26,444
in, for seven days and nights.
1176
01:10:26,444 --> 01:10:29,220
[SHOUTING]
1177
01:10:29,220 --> 01:10:33,240
And in ancient Galilee,
if you were locked out,
1178
01:10:33,240 --> 01:10:34,760
there was no getting in.
1179
01:10:39,340 --> 01:10:41,650
There are so many people
who know about it,
1180
01:10:41,650 --> 01:10:43,330
believer and non-believer.
1181
01:10:43,330 --> 01:10:44,710
Oh, yeah, I've heard
about the rapture.
1182
01:10:44,710 --> 01:10:46,420
Oh, yeah, Jesus is
supposed to come back.
1183
01:10:46,420 --> 01:10:47,590
I've heard about this.
1184
01:10:47,590 --> 01:10:49,240
Listen, hearing about
it's not enough.
1185
01:10:49,240 --> 01:10:52,900
In fact, we know from Galilean
experience in the first century
1186
01:10:52,900 --> 01:10:54,950
that you not only
had to be ready,
1187
01:10:54,950 --> 01:10:56,510
you had to have enough oil--
1188
01:10:56,510 --> 01:10:57,310
you had to get in.
1189
01:10:57,310 --> 01:10:59,440
You had to get
into that wedding.
1190
01:10:59,440 --> 01:11:00,460
And then the door was shut.
1191
01:11:00,460 --> 01:11:02,400
By the way, once the door
was shut, it was shut.
1192
01:11:05,890 --> 01:11:10,600
Those who were out were out.
1193
01:11:10,600 --> 01:11:16,030
And you think about the
incredible, terrifying reality
1194
01:11:16,030 --> 01:11:19,540
of knowing that Christ said He
would come back, and to then
1195
01:11:19,540 --> 01:11:21,850
be shut out, to be left out?
1196
01:11:21,850 --> 01:11:24,800
And yet Jesus was warning
us in those parables.
1197
01:11:24,800 --> 01:11:26,145
He was warning.
1198
01:11:26,145 --> 01:11:29,540
[SHOUTING]
1199
01:11:29,540 --> 01:11:32,660
And just as with an
ancient Galilean wedding,
1200
01:11:32,660 --> 01:11:36,320
Bible prophecy warns that those
who missed the second coming
1201
01:11:36,320 --> 01:11:40,700
of the messiah are destined
to partake in the wrath of God
1202
01:11:40,700 --> 01:11:43,880
that will be poured out
upon a rejecting word.
1203
01:11:54,500 --> 01:11:56,720
And the righteous will be
removed from the Earth,
1204
01:11:56,720 --> 01:11:59,480
because the Lord there
says in Isaiah 26,
1205
01:11:59,480 --> 01:12:01,910
I will put them in
their place, I will shut
1206
01:12:01,910 --> 01:12:04,850
the doors behind them
in these inner chambers,
1207
01:12:04,850 --> 01:12:09,920
while I pour out my indignation,
wrath, upon all those
1208
01:12:09,920 --> 01:12:11,300
who dwell on the Earth.
1209
01:12:11,300 --> 01:12:16,160
The fact that the church escapes
God's wrath is so important.
1210
01:12:16,160 --> 01:12:19,150
The church does not
escape man's wrath,
1211
01:12:19,150 --> 01:12:20,840
and we see that going on--
1212
01:12:20,840 --> 01:12:25,270
terrible persecution going on
in various parts of the world.
1213
01:12:25,270 --> 01:12:29,450
But the church,
biblically, scripturally,
1214
01:12:29,450 --> 01:12:31,610
God says that He's
going to spare
1215
01:12:31,610 --> 01:12:33,298
us from the wrath to come.
1216
01:12:33,298 --> 01:12:36,714
[AMBIENT MUSIC]
1217
01:12:42,580 --> 01:12:44,830
When you look at
the whole picture,
1218
01:12:44,830 --> 01:12:49,600
the Galileans are really
the key to understanding
1219
01:12:49,600 --> 01:12:53,230
the why and what of the
second coming of Christ.
1220
01:12:53,230 --> 01:12:58,300
Jesus used this illustration
that they knew so intimately
1221
01:12:58,300 --> 01:13:01,360
over and over and over again--
1222
01:13:01,360 --> 01:13:05,650
that you have a bride who is
loved by a bridegroom, who is
1223
01:13:05,650 --> 01:13:08,620
betrothed to this bridegroom.
1224
01:13:08,620 --> 01:13:11,620
And the bridegroom is going
to make a covenant with her,
1225
01:13:11,620 --> 01:13:13,810
and then he's going to go away.
1226
01:13:13,810 --> 01:13:16,270
And eventually, when
they don't know,
1227
01:13:16,270 --> 01:13:21,550
he's going to come back to take
her to be with him where he is.
1228
01:13:21,550 --> 01:13:24,820
This is an amazing thing,
and it all stems from what
1229
01:13:24,820 --> 01:13:26,200
the Galileans understood.
1230
01:13:26,200 --> 01:13:28,000
And Jesus talked
to the Galileans
1231
01:13:28,000 --> 01:13:31,450
like they were Galileans, so
that they would understand what
1232
01:13:31,450 --> 01:13:33,520
He meant when He said,
this is what it's
1233
01:13:33,520 --> 01:13:35,830
going to be like when I return.
1234
01:13:35,830 --> 01:13:38,060
There are many people who
profess to be Christians that
1235
01:13:38,060 --> 01:13:41,110
are really not digging
into the details of what
1236
01:13:41,110 --> 01:13:42,640
God has revealed about Himself.
1237
01:13:42,640 --> 01:13:46,020
After all, that's
what scripture is.
1238
01:13:46,020 --> 01:13:48,810
The number of those looking
to the return of Christ
1239
01:13:48,810 --> 01:13:52,140
are diminishing with
each passing year,
1240
01:13:52,140 --> 01:13:55,530
and it's never been more
important to speak up about why
1241
01:13:55,530 --> 01:13:59,040
the messiah is coming back.
1242
01:13:59,040 --> 01:14:02,140
I have not given up by any
stretch of the imagination,
1243
01:14:02,140 --> 01:14:04,680
and that's based on what I
see happening in my events.
1244
01:14:04,680 --> 01:14:06,660
The attendees are
getting younger
1245
01:14:06,660 --> 01:14:08,320
and younger and younger.
1246
01:14:08,320 --> 01:14:10,530
So I have not given up.
1247
01:14:10,530 --> 01:14:13,830
I just think they need
to identify with teachers
1248
01:14:13,830 --> 01:14:16,660
who are their generation--
and they're rare,
1249
01:14:16,660 --> 01:14:19,070
but they do exist.
1250
01:14:19,070 --> 01:14:26,320
And to the pastors, you need
to tell your congregations.
1251
01:14:26,320 --> 01:14:28,030
The influence of
pastors for those
1252
01:14:28,030 --> 01:14:32,230
who attend church on a regular
basis, it is still very strong.
1253
01:14:32,230 --> 01:14:34,840
If I as a qualitative
researcher can
1254
01:14:34,840 --> 01:14:37,900
pull from some fascinating
qualitative research
1255
01:14:37,900 --> 01:14:40,570
that we did on Bible
reading and what influenced
1256
01:14:40,570 --> 01:14:41,980
people's Bible reading--
1257
01:14:41,980 --> 01:14:44,200
when a pastor suggests
something, and not
1258
01:14:44,200 --> 01:14:48,100
just the passage the pastor
mentions in the sermon,
1259
01:14:48,100 --> 01:14:51,790
but when a pastor suggests,
go home and read this,
1260
01:14:51,790 --> 01:14:55,610
go home and look up this,
that has a big impact.
1261
01:14:55,610 --> 01:14:58,170
And I just think we
need to hang in there
1262
01:14:58,170 --> 01:15:02,480
and keep encouraging the
church and encouraging pastors.
1263
01:15:02,480 --> 01:15:05,870
They have one of the
toughest jobs on the planet.
1264
01:15:05,870 --> 01:15:11,330
And those with media
influence need to speak out.
1265
01:15:11,330 --> 01:15:13,480
Jesus died for his church.
1266
01:15:13,480 --> 01:15:14,950
He's coming back for his church.
1267
01:15:14,950 --> 01:15:17,560
He loves his church.
1268
01:15:17,560 --> 01:15:23,390
And we all need to
tell the ones we love.
1269
01:15:23,390 --> 01:15:27,380
If they choose to ignore
it, it's their fault.
1270
01:15:27,380 --> 01:15:40,150
But if you never warned
them, that's your fault.
1271
01:15:40,150 --> 01:15:43,620
We live in a nation founded
on Christian values,
1272
01:15:43,620 --> 01:15:47,230
yet followers of Christ are
choosing to remain silent.
1273
01:15:50,330 --> 01:15:55,070
We must be prepared to tell
others why Jesus is coming back
1274
01:15:55,070 --> 01:15:57,440
so they too can make a choice.
1275
01:16:00,140 --> 01:16:01,460
It is our choice.
1276
01:16:01,460 --> 01:16:04,520
Jesus is not forced on anyone.
1277
01:16:04,520 --> 01:16:08,720
It is our own free
will and our choice
1278
01:16:08,720 --> 01:16:13,760
that we choose to accept
our proposal from Jesus
1279
01:16:13,760 --> 01:16:15,380
Christ as our bridegroom.
1280
01:16:15,380 --> 01:16:17,870
See, this is why Satan--
1281
01:16:17,870 --> 01:16:20,900
again, the why-- why
Satan hates particularly
1282
01:16:20,900 --> 01:16:21,740
the Christian marriage.
1283
01:16:21,740 --> 01:16:24,620
He hates marriage because
of what it represents.
1284
01:16:24,620 --> 01:16:28,670
See, it's a microcosm of
what awaits in heaven.
1285
01:16:28,670 --> 01:16:32,150
We are the family of
God, our Heavenly Father.
1286
01:16:32,150 --> 01:16:35,330
We are brothers and sisters,
siblings, if you will,
1287
01:16:35,330 --> 01:16:36,510
in Christ.
1288
01:16:36,510 --> 01:16:40,040
It is a microcosm, a picture,
of that which has yet
1289
01:16:40,040 --> 01:16:41,870
to be fulfilled when it comes.
1290
01:16:45,430 --> 01:16:47,380
Before the day of wrath--
1291
01:16:56,650 --> 01:16:58,605
before the feast begins--
1292
01:17:07,230 --> 01:17:17,720
before the rapture-- before
the thief comes in the night--
1293
01:17:23,820 --> 01:17:31,580
back to when it all
began, to the moment
1294
01:17:31,580 --> 01:17:34,132
that you are offered his cup--
1295
01:17:43,110 --> 01:17:48,130
the question is,
will you accept it?
1296
01:17:56,830 --> 01:18:00,180
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