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Sacramento Central SDA Church

Religious Liberty Series

Peter Chung

Prophecy over Politics

Holy Father, our Father in God in heaven, Father, we thank you for another day of life and breath, for air in our lungs and a heart that beats.

And Father, today, in spite of myself, may I be a blessing, not a curse to your people.

This church has invested great means for me to be here.

So Father, in spite of myself, may they be blessed by the preaching of the word today.

So Father, I ask that you fill us with your Holy Spirit.

May mind, heart, and deed be touched by the preaching of the word from this weak man.

We ask that you do something special today, this week foray, in Jesus' name, amen.

God has raised the United States of America for a specific special positive purpose to contribute to world civilization.

In fact notice what inspiration says in Maranatha page 193 paragraph 4.

This is the purpose of the United States of America.

Inspiration says, the Lord has done more for the United States than any other country upon which the sun shines.

So God has done more for this nation than any other nation on earth, including Israel.

Here he provided an asylum for his people where they could worship him according to the dictates of conscience.

God designed that this country should ever remain free for, how many people?

All people to worship him in accordance to the dictates of conscience.

So the purpose of why God raised the United States of America was a haven for religious liberty where people could worship however they want, as long as they are not endangering public safety.

God has raised this country as a special testimony of an institution where church does not influence politics and politics and government does not influence the church.

In fact the first mention of the United States is found in Revelation chapter 12 verse 15.

Notice the Bible says in Revelation 12 15 this is the very first mention of the United States of America.

The Bible says this, and the serpent who is Satan casts out his mouth water.

We know that water represents heavily populated area, people's multitudes and tongues according to Revelation 17 15 and Proverbs 18 4, a flood of ungodly men.

Water is a flood after the woman, we know that the woman represents who?

The church, Ephesians 5 25, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

So this heavily populated area seeks to destroy God's church with people's multitudes and tongues, various nations seeking to destroy God's people.

And the earth, or an unpopulated area, helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood with the dragon cast out of his mouth.

So God raised North America as a haven for escape from Europe, which was in a church-state merged system.

Whenever you merge church and state, persecution and intolerance happens.

And also, on a personal application, whenever we feel like things are breaking apart in our personal lives, whenever we think that things are surrounding that we're so overwhelmed by trial, God always provides a way of escape and a way of refuge.

As God does that prophetically with the church, God seeks to do that with us personally in our everyday lives.

And so God raised up North America, where the pilgrim fathers bravely came through to North America to escape religious persecution.

But what ultimately happened to this nation of religious liberty, you know, is what the Bible says in Revelation 13 11, and I beheld another beast coming out of that same earth, unpopulated area, and he had 2 horns like a lamb and he spake as a dragon.

So this nation with Christian principles of choice, because God is a God of choice and not of force, because God is love, will have a guise of these principles but will speak as a dragon.

Question, what does the dragon represent?

That is a correct answer, but there is a deeper correct answer.

Notice how the Bible says in Revelation 12, verse 4, the Bible says this, And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and they cast them to the earth, and the dragon stood before the woman, which was ready to deliver for it, to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Question, does Satan personally come to kill people, yes or no?

Satan uses people or governments, is that correct?

What government was used to try to kill Jesus when he was born?

And notice, to speak as a dragon could be that power will speak as the power of pagan Rome.

In fact the Spirit of Prophecy confirms this.

Notice what Inspiration says in Great Connoversy page 438 paragraph 2.

Inspiration says this, the line of prophecy which these symbols are found begin with Revelation 12 with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at his birth.

The dragon is said to be Satan but it was that moved upon Herod to put the Savior to death.

But the chief agent of Satan and making war with Christ and his people during the first centuries of the Christian era was the Roman Empire in which paganism was the prevailing religion.

Thus, while the dragon primarily represents Satan, it is secondary since a symbol of pagan Rome.

So this land-like beast that speaks as a dragon will speak as though of pagan Rome.

If you look at the history of pagan Rome, Rome first began as a republic.

A republic is where the people elect representatives to represent them in law.

So Rome started out as a republic, just like the United States.

But then Rome would then expand and become a empire.

And it's interesting, as it expands as an empire, it would be in debt, heavy debt because of foreign wars.

It would also be in heavy debt because it would start to support a welfare class within the nation.

So there would be heavy debt, and also it would suffer a severe moral decline.

Immorality of all sorts of licentiousness will be permeating all throughout society.

In fact, during this time when Rome's moral decay would happen, the government instituted what's called breads and circuses, entertainment, theater, to pacify the population from not realizing how bad society is.

In fact, you had gladiator games, the MMA and the NFL of that time.

So you had all sorts of things that you see in the past that are repeat in the present.

And because society was decaying so much, and because society was disintegrating in Rome, it would secede to a Christian religion and ultimately give way to the papacy of a system of church and state.

So from a republic to an empire, to that of church and state, so to the United States started as a republic.

It has now expanded into an empire, in debt with foreign wars.

It is going through a moral decline in society.

Society is pacified with the entertainment to be distracted what's really going on.

But ultimately, it was to see to a system of church and state.

So that speak as a dragon is history repeating in the context of pagan Rome transferring into papal Rome.

And that is the type of history that we are faced as a nation today.

So what does the lamb like beast that speaks as a dragon do?

Notice the Bible says in Revelation 13 15 the Bible says says this, and he had power to give life unto the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

So the image of the beast, the beast power is this, the beast power, its image, is a merger of church and state.

And this lamb-like beast will cause or force many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

And so this dragon voice, notice what inspiration says, Great Conference, page 442, paragraph 1.

The prediction that it will speak as a dragon and exercise all the powers of the first beast plainly foretells a development of the spirit of Intolerance and persecution.

Are we in a period of intolerance here today?

If you're a Democrat, you hate a Republican.

If you're a Republican, you hate Democrat.

If you're a Democrat, you think a Republican's racist.

If you're a Republican, you think a Democrat's Socialist.

We have wide polarization here today, intolerance.

That was manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and leper-like beast and the statement indicates that the authority of this nation is to be exercised in enforcing some observance which shall be an act to the homage of the papacy.

Now I want to say here, notice that this beast power is seeking to cause or force people to worship the image of the beast.

What makes the mark of the beast, mark of the beast is not Sunday worship by itself.

The mark of the beast is not Sunday worship by itself.

The mark of the beast is not the mark of the beast because it's Sunday worship by itself.

What makes the mark of the beast the mark of the beast is forced Sunday worship.

So our Catholic and evangelical friends do not have the mark of the beast at this time, amen.

It is when forced Sunday worship happens is when this dragon-like, lamb-like beast will fulfill its prophetic order.

The Mark of the Beast, the Wrath of God, and Spiritual Abuse

Holy Father, our Father in God in heaven, Father, we thank you for another day of life and breath.

We thank you that your people have lingered here just a little longer to gain an additional blessing by your word.

So Father, in spite of myself, May you honor their sacrifice.

It might be a blessing, not a curse to your people.

I ask that you fill us with your Holy Spirit.

That mind, heart, and deed be touched by the preaching of your word.

And as a teacher, you have some power among the students in your class.

The power behind my authority is the power to punish.

And it's very interesting, as I furled along in Adventist education, and 1 of the things that I've really appreciated about my 6 years in teaching at Adventist school is that it reveals to me how much I need Jesus in the classroom.

Because the greatest mirror is your students.

And so I've discovered that the classroom is a laboratory for my salvation.

Seeing my failures, seeing my successes, and seeing how so easily power can corrupt you in misrepresenting Jesus.

In fact, there's a famous quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, but it's not from Abraham Lincoln, it's from a poet named Robert Ingersoll.

He says this, nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, "'give him power.'" You see, the issue in the last days is the issue of power and control.

Because the institution of church and state will have the power to punish, but the only power, the only authority that could justly punish is God himself.

In fact, what does the Bible say that God will do to the institution who seeks power and to weaponize religion?

Notice what the Bible says in Revelation 14, verse 9.

The Bible says this, "'And the third angel followed them, "'saying with a loud voice, "'If any man worship the beast, his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.

And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and the presence of the Lamb.

And the Bible says that anyone that worshiped the beast, his image, and received his mark will receive this punishment, this wrath of God without mixture.

Now oftentimes we think that this punishment is reserved for people that are worshiping on a certain day.

But as I study Bible prophecy and I study the Bible in the spirit of prophecy, it is deeper than people worshipping on that particular day.

Because there is a system, there is a philosophy, there are methodologies of that system that's instituting that day of forced worship, those principles that causes God to punish those that adhere to this system.

So we have to determine when we see that if any man worships the beast in his image, who are they worshiping, which is the beast?

And as we study what the beast does, we can understand why God measures such a severe punishment.

We may think God is harsh through this text, but as we study Bible prophecy, we realize our God is a just God and punishing in such manner.

In fact, notice what the Bible says, what the beast does.

Notice the Bible says in Revelation 13, verse 6.

Revelation 13, verse 6, the Bible says this.

This is about the beast, and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome him, and power was given him over all kindreds, tongues, and nations.

So the characteristics of the beast is this.

So you worship the beast, you worship a beast that blasphemes against God.

His name and his tabernacle and all that dwell in heaven.

Number 2, makes war with the saints or persecutes God's people, number 2.

Number 3, power was given over him to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.

Number 2, it makes war with God's people.

And number 3, it gives power and authority over the whole world.

Blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven.

Blasphemy is the claim to forgive sins, Mark chapter 2 verse 7, and claims to be God.

So when you worship the beast, you're worshiping a entity that claims to be God and claims to forgive sins.

Another thing about worshiping the beast is this, is more than a day, you're worshiping a system that persecutes God's people.

So what makes the mark of the beast, the mark of the beast, and worshiping the beast, worshiping the beast, is that you're worshiping a system that claims to be God, claims to forgive sins, and claims, and asserts power and authority to persecute God's people.

Now what other beast was found in the book of Revelation that helps this first beast?

Notice what the Bible says in Revelation 13 verse 11, the Bible says this, and I beheld another beast coming out of the earth, and he had 2 horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

So a beast disguised as a Christian nation speaks as a dragon.

Notice the Bible says in Revelation 12, verse 13.

The Bible says this, and when the dragon saw that he had cast unto the earth, he, what did he do?

At the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of the sea which keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

So there's beast power that God punishes.

Number 3, makes war against God's people.

Number 4, exerts power and authority against the nations.

Number 5, persecutes God's commandment-keeping people that keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus.

And that's what made the mark of the beast the mark of the beast, is not only worshiping on the day, you're actually worshiping a system that seeks to destroy God's people.

And that's why God is punishing the beast power.

It is the actions based upon that power that causes God to punish that power.

So, the Bible says that this beast power causes or forces the earth and them that which dwell therein to worship the first beast.

So this lamb-like beast causes or forces, so what's connected with the mark of the beast is that of force, people being forced to worship against their will.

And what is spiritually abusive about the Mark of the Beast is this, that if you don't worship the way that I worship, then your basic needs are gonna be deprived.

And God is not a God of force, but God is a God of love.

I can't go to my student and put a gun to his head and say, I'm your favorite teacher.

But if the student, by his own voluntary conclusion, likes me as a teacher, that's by his own choice or conscience.

And so this great controversy in these last days is between A power, Satan, that's seeking to compel people by force, and God, who's seeking to win us by love.

It's between force and love that this great controversy is hinged on.

And what does the land like beast cause people to worship?

Notice what the Bible says in Revelation 13 verse 15.

The Bible says this, and he hath power to give life unto the image of the beast, and the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

And so what causes this mark of the beast to be the mark of the beast is a death decree saying if you don't worship the way I do we will kill you.

And so notice what inspiration says in Great Convergency page 442 paragraph 1 about speaking as a dragon.

The prediction that it will speak as a dragon and exercise all the power of the first beast plainly foretells a development of the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and leper-like beast.

And the statement indicates that the authority of this nation is to be exercised in enforcing some observance which shall be an act of homage to the papacy." So speaking as a dragon is being intolerant and being a persecuting power.

And so the land-like beast will exercise all the power of the first beast before him and causes or forces the earth and them that which dwell therein worship the first beast whose deadly beast is healed.

In other words, it'll have the exact same principles of the first beast.

And what do the first beasts have the principles of?

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Religious Liberty Series

The Mark of the Beast, the Wrath of God, and Spiritual Abuse

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Prophecy over Politics

37m

The Mark of the Beast, the Wrath of God, and Spiritual Abuse

52m

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