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[Music] hello everyone welcome to our special symposium on the last generation we're glad that you could join us before we begin we want to have a word of prayer and then i'll give a little explanation about where we're going so let's bow our heads reverently for prayer father in heaven we come before your awesome throne in the powerful name of jesus asking that you will bless not only this presentation but that you will bless every speaker and bless all of those who are viewing some tv and social media i ask lord that you will give us clarity of thought and that you will give everyone open and willing hearts to receive your message and we thank you for hearing our prayer for we ask it in jesus name amen in the year 1975 a groundbreaking book was published by the now defunct southern publishing association the name of the book was perfection the impossible possibility four authors contributed to this book herbert douglas edward heppenstahl c mervyn maxwell and hans larendell now i haven't read that book in many years but i still remember the contents of the book basically herbert douglas and c mervin maxwell were pretty much on the same page whereas edward happenstahl and hans laurendell also had very similar chapters different way of looking at it but basically the same idea with uh this in mind i would like to mention that these days there are actually two views on last generation theology in the seventh-day adventist church of course with minor variations and those two groups are what we're going to talk about in this particular symposium now both of these groups have several things in common first both groups believe that probation will close before the second coming of christ both groups agree that after probation closes this world will experience a time of trouble such as has never been seen in the history of the world both groups believe that god will have a faithful remnant known in the book of revelation as the 144 000 that will retain their allegiance to god during this very trying period they also agree that during this time god's faithful people will live on this earth with their sinful human natures but they will overcome and finally both groups believe that god will remove the sinful nature of the final generation when jesus comes from heaven and transforms this lowly body into the likeness of his glorious body so those are the points of agreement however the two groups differ in two particular points first of all the question is will jesus mediate or intercede for the sins of the faithful remnant after probation closes one group says yes the other group says no the second question is will the faithful remnant live during the time of trouble without sinning in act in word and in thought so the groups have several elements in common but they also have two elements where they believe differently now as i begin i want to mention that there are lurking dangers with both positions on one hand those who believe in total victory over sin before the close of provision might fall into perfectionism or fanaticism thinking highly of themselves and criticizing others for not reaching their high level of spirituality the danger on the other side is to take sin lightly to justify sin because of hereditary and cultivated tendencies the danger of this side is to teach that man's sinful human nature is so powerful that not even god's omnipotent enabling grace can give us total victory over sin so let's ask what do we mean by the final generation who will belong to this group when will they live and what will this group be like by definition the expression final generation refers to a five faithful remnant that the book of revelation refers to as the hundred and forty four thousand this group will survive the worst time of trouble in human history and emerge victorious on the other side of the time of trouble at the end of this terrible tribulation god's people the living saints will be translated to heaven along with those faithful saints that died and resurrected daniel 12 1 is the key verse that will provide the context of our discussion in the next several days it's no coincidence that ellen g white begins the chapter on the time of trouble in the great controversy by quoting daniel chapter 12 and verse 1. so daniel 12 1 is the central verse when we discuss what we're gonna studied in the course of this symposium so let's read daniel chapter 12 and verse one and there are eight elements that i want us to focus on in this particular verse it says there in daniel 12 1 i'm reading from the new king james version at that time michael shall stand up the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that time and at that time your people shall be delivered everyone who is found written in the book now what are the eight elements that we want to take a look at first the expression at that time secondly we want to identify michael the great prince then we want to understand what it means when it says that michael shall stand up what does stand up mean what does stan watch me that's element number four element number five in our study is going to be the expression your people daniel's people who are daniel's people are they literal jews or are they spiritual jews the next point that we want to study is the time of trouble such as never has been in the history of the world then number seven we want to take a look at the deliverance of god's end time remnant the final generation who will be alive when jesus comes and then finally we want to look at the expression in the book those who are written in the book so we're going to take each one of these point by point and we are going to see what they teach us about the final generation first of all let's take a look at the expression at that time in daniel 12 1. actually when you look at the book of daniel chapter 12 and verses 1 to 3 need to be placed as part of chapter 11. scholars have said that they believe and i think that the evidence proves it that daniel 12 1-3 should be the conclusion of chapter 11. because daniel 12 verse 1 begins by saying at that time so you ask at which time you have to go back to verse 44 of chapter 11. it says in chapter 11 verse 44 this is at that time when michael's is going to stand up but news from the east and the north shall trouble him that is the king of the north a symbol of the papacy therefore the king of the north shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many what are the tidings from the east and from the north i wish we had a lot more time to go into it in detail the message from the east is the ceiling angel of revelation 7 that comes from the east to place the seal of god upon the living saints that will go through the time of trouble and the north is up satan wanted to occupy god's throne in the sides of the north this is the loud cry of revelation chapter 18 calling god's faithful people to come out of babylon and this message is going to infuriate the king of the north symbol of the papacy and when it appears that god's people are going to be destroyed the living saints the last generation is going to be destroyed michael is going to stand up now the question is who is michael we'll come back to this in a little while but michael is actually a reference to jesus the name michael means who is like god that's very important because if you go to the book of revelation you'll find that at the end of time almost the entire world is going to ask according to revelation chapter 13 and verse 4 who is like the beast so on one side you have michael who whose name means who is like god and in revelation you have the beast who is like the beast and i would add the name michael means who is like god and i would add who is able to make war with him and in revelation chapter 13 who is like the beast and revelation chapter 17 says that the lamb will make war with him and so michael is a symbol of jesus christ now what does it mean that michael stands up what does the expression stand up mean the answer is that every time this expression appears in the book of daniel it refers to a king beginning to reign over a kingdom in other words stand up means that at this point jesus is going to begin to rule or to reign over his kingdom however he cannot begin to reign over his kingdom unless it's been shown who are members of his kingdom and it's the investigative judgment before the clause of probation that reveals who are the subjects of his kingdom when the number of the subjects is made up then michael stands up which means that probation closes on the one hand daniel 7 13 and 14 and daniel 8 verse 14 refer to the beginning of the investigative judgment of course it begins with the dead continues throughout history and ends with the judgment of the living short be shortly before the close of probation so daniel 7 13 and 14 where the son of man goes to the father to receive the kingdom daniel 8 14 gives us the date unto 2 300 days and the sanctuary shall be cleansed this is when the judgment of the dead begins however when you get to daniel chapter 12 and verse 1 when michael stands up that's the moment when the judgment that began in daniel 7 13 and 14 and daniel 8 14 comes to an end so in daniel 8 14 you have the beginning of the investigative judgment daniel chapter 12 and verse 1 when michael stands up you have the conclusion of the investigative judgment thus daniel 8 verse 14 portrays the beginning of the process of investigative judgment that will reveal who is a subject of christ's kingdom and daniel chapter 12 and verse 1 delineates the moment when the kingdom of christ is complete because the investigative judgment has revealed who is a member of his kingdom now when michael stands up we find that jesus will change his garments now jesus is garbed as a high priest you can read that in hebrews chapter 8 verses 1 and 2. but when michael stands up he will have taken off his priestly garments and he's going to garb himself with his kingly garments or what ellen white calls garments of vengeance in early writings page 36 ellen white wrote the nations are now getting angry but when our high priest has finished his work in the sanctuary listen carefully he will stand up see she defines standing up as when jesus finishes his work in the sanctuary and then notice what she says he will stand up put on the garments of vengeance and then the seven last plagues will be poured out so he stands up probation closes all cases decided the kingdom of jesus is made up and the time of trouble ensues ellen white in early writings 281 also wrote that jesus will be clothed with his garments as a king not only garments of vengeance but garments as a king this is how ellen white wrote in early writings 281 then i saw jesus lay off his priestly attire and clothe himself with his most kingly robes upon his head were many crowns a crown within a crown surrounded by the angelic host he left heaven so he's going to clothe himself with garments of vengeance all cases are decided his kingdom is made up because all cases have been decided in the judgment and all of those who are not prepared when probation closes they will receive the seven last plagues go with me to revelation chapter 19 verse 11 and then we'll read verses 12 and 13 as well then revelation chapter 19 verses 11 and 12. it says now i saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he who sat on him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and makes war his eyes were like a flame of fire on his head were many crowns and the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen white and clean followed him on white horses and then verse 16 tells us that he comes riding on the white horse as king of kings and lord of lords so clearly when jesus returns he will be guarded as a king what does that mean it must mean that he had has changed his robes because if he comes clothed as a king it must mean that at some point before he took off the garments as a priest he did that when probation closed the sabbath school quarterly for the first quarter of 2020 explained the meaning of the word stand this is how it reads first the verb stand evokes the rise of kings to conquer and to rule now this judgment we know does not take place on earth the investigative judgment takes place in heaven according to daniel chapter 7 and verses 13 and 14. you say how do we know that because in daniel chapter 7 9 and 10 and 13-14 jesus goes to the ancient of days in heaven to receive the kingdom this means that jesus performs the work of investigative judgment in heaven and when the investigative judgment is finished then he stands up let me just read you a statement that we find in early writings page 280. i'm going to add a few explanations in brackets to make sense out of the statement at the close of probation every case has been decided for life or death while jesus had been ministering in the sanctuary before probation closes the judgment had been going on for the righteous dead and then for the righteous living when probation closed listen carefully when probation closed christ had received his kingdom having made the atonement for his people and blotted out their sins now listen carefully christ had received his kingdom having made atonement for his people and blotted out their sins what does that mean he had received his kingdom she explains now the subjects of the kingdom were made up in others the number of the subjects had been determined in the pre-advent investigative judgment and then she writes the marriage of the lamb was consummated so the marriage between christ and the totality of his people takes place in heaven not on earth when the kingdom of christ is complete when he's revealed who belongs to his kingdom then his kingdom or his bride is complete and now jesus can take the kingdom or jesus can marry his bride is another way of saying it now jesus told several parables where he indicates clearly that before the close of probation he is going to determine who is a subject of his kingdom let's notice luke chapter 19 and verse 12 luke 19 and verse 12. this is the famous parable of the minus and it says there a certain noble man that's jesus went into a far country that's the ascension of christ to heaven to receive himself a kingdom so what did jesus go to heaven for to receive the kingdom he doesn't receive the kingdom when he comes as king of kings and lord of lords and becomes the lord of this world no that's not at all so it says a certain nobleman jesus went into a far country heaven to receive for himself a kingdom that is from the father according to daniel 7 and then it says and to return to return where to the earth that is the second coming of christ but he receives the kingdom in heaven another interesting parable is the one in matthew 22 verses 1 through 14. and i'm not going to read that entire passage it's the man who entered the wedding without a wedding garment you know the parable tells us that the the wedding chamber becomes filled with guests because the gospel has been preached people have accepted the gospel they profess to serve jesus christ but then the king comes out to examine the garments of the guests to see if they really deserve to be part of the bride if they really are part of the kingdom and there's an individual in there according to the story in matthew chapter 22 that does not have a wedding garment by the way the word that is used for the king coming out to see the guests is the greek word they oh my it does not mean merely to look or to see it means to investigate or to scrutinize so this is the investigative judgment now let me ask you is this taking place after the second coming of christ you think somebody is going to sneak into heaven and then jesus is going to come out and he's going to say let's examine the guest and he sees an individual that says how did you make it to heaven go back to the earth of course not this is a heavenly investigative judgment where the characters of those who professed god's people are going to be examined to see if they deserve to be part of the bride or if they deserve to be part of the kingdom kingdom and bride are interchangeable now let's notice another parable that jesus told luke chapter 12 and verses 35 and 36 explicitly we find here that the kingdom is taken over in heaven jesus says in luke 12 35 to 37 let your waist be girded and your lamps burning and you yourselves be like men listen carefully now who wait for the master when he will return from the wedding the disciples are supposed to be what they're supposed to be servants according to this who are waiting for their master to what to return from the wedding so where does the wedding take place in heaven and then jesus returns from the wedding so once again let your waist be girded and your lamps burning and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes will find watching and then comes the wedding supper which does take place in heaven it says uh there at the end of verse 37 assuredly i say to you that he jesus will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them are you seeing clearly that the investigative judgment determines who is a member of the bride who is a member of the kingdom when the kingdom or the bride is made up michael stands up probation closes and there's no changing of sides at that point now when probation closes the faithful on earth will have to live without a mediator for sin let me just read you a couple of statements from the spirit of prophecy the first is in great controversy page 614. when he leaves the sanctuary that is jesus that's the same as when he stands up darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth in that fearful time the righteous notice not the wicked the righteous the last generation folks must live in the sight of a holy god by the way a holy god who cannot coexist with sin a holy god without an intercessor the restraint which has been put upon the wicked is removed and satan has entire control of the finally impenitent can you imagine what the world is going to be like when satan has total control over the impenitent he has he has breaks put on him now but imagine the condition of the world when satan has entire control of the wicked not of the righteous because michael is going to stand watch for them so once again the restraint which has been put upon the wicked is removed and satan has entire control of the finely impenitent god's lung suffering has ended the world has rejected his mercy despised his love and trampled upon his law the wicked have passed the boundary of their probation the spirit of god persistently resisted has been at last withdrawn unsheltered by divine grace they have no protection from the wicked one so satan's not going to stand up for them like michael is going to stand up for his people she continues satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great final trouble as the angels of god cease to hold and check the fierce winds of human passion all the elements of strife will be let loose the whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon jerusalem of old you want to read that chapter that first chapter in great controversy you know i don't know how it could get any worse than the description that she gives in that chapter and yet she says the whole world not jerusalem the whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon jerusalem of old now in this statement that we just read ellen white says that the righteous will have to live without an intercessor after michael stands up during the time of trouble in another statement in great controversy 424 ellen white uses a synonymous word instead of using the word intercessor she uses the word mediator let me read that statement for you those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy god without a mediator so as jesus is going to mediate for sin after the close of probation after his kingdom is made up after his bride is made up no mediator nope no intercessor and she's talking about the righteous not having a mediator or an intercessor what must they be like notice he continues their robes must be spotless their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling through the grace of god and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil i think it's quite explicit their robes must be spotless their character is purified from sin by the brother sprinkling through the grace of god in their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil there's two other passages in the book of revelation that describe the close of probation let's notice those revelation chapter 22 and verses 10 through 12 revelation 22 and verses 10 through 12. and i want you to notice that there's three moments of time that we find here in these verses and he said to me do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book he's referring to revelation by extension all of the bible what does it mean don't seal this book is probation still open if the book isn't sealed of course because a message can come forth from it ah but there's a moment coming when the book is going to be sealed notice the second point for the time is at hand what time is at hand he who is unjust let him be unjust still he who is filthy let him be filthy still he who is righteous let him be righteous still he who is holy let him be holy still and then you have the third event which is the second coming of christ and behold i am coming quickly and my reward is with me to give to everyone according to his work so probation is open while the book isn't sealed then you have the moment when the unjust will continue to be unjust the filthy will continue to be filthy the righteous will continue to be righteous and the holy will continue to be holy notice also revelation 15 and verses 5 through 8 revelation 15 5-8 this is also describing the close of probation before i read it let me ask you can we enter the heavenly sanctuary today well of course we can't enter there physically but can we enter there mentally can we enter to where jesus is where our mediator is absolutely is the time coming when we're not going to be able to enter anymore and have him as mediator notice revelation 15 verse 5 after these things i looked and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was open now listen carefully in revelation 11 19 the temple in heaven is open to begin the judgment here the temple is not open to begin the judgment here the temple is open so that the seven plague angels can come out it says in verse six and out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues clothed in pure bright linen and having their chests girded with golden bands then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of god who lives forever and ever and now notice the key verse the temple was filled with smoke by the way the word temple in revelation is used 16 times it always refers to the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary so it says in verse 8 the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of god and from his power and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed there's coming at a time when nobody is going to be able to enter the heavenly temple after probation closes and the door of heavenly sanctuaries opened for the plague angels to come forth now this is going to be a terrible period the period of the time of trouble that the bible describes if god's people didn't have a protector they would cease to exist very quickly now you'll notice in daniel chapter 12 and verse 1 that michael stands up for a special purpose he stands up so that he can stand for during the time of trouble the king of the north will intend to destroy the living subjects of christ's kingdom and so jesus is going to stand up so that he can stand for them or he can defend them the shepherd will defend his sheep the husband will protect his bride the sovereign will protect his vassal and the head will protect his body various versions describe this standing watch some versions translate guards or protects you see during this time jesus will not be a mediator for his people but jesus will be their defender or their protector because sometimes ministers give the impression that when probation closes you're on your own folks no god's people are not going to be on their own jesus did not say and lo i am with you always even to the close of probation he said i am with you always even unto the end of the world and so stand up means that probation closes stand watch means that jesus is going to protect his kingdom he's going to protect his bride now what is meant by the expression over the sons of your people later on in verse 1 it says over your people the question is who are the people of daniel well daniel was a liberal jew so that must mean that the people that are spoken of here are literal jews right no we're dealing with spiritual israel of course the question that people will ask is what principle gives you the right to say that the expression thy people in the 70 weeks where it says 70 weeks are determined for your people daniel that that refers to literal israel whereas in daniel chapter 12 and verse 1 thy people refers to spiritual israel what hermeneutical principle can you use to say that it applies literally in the days of daniel and it applies globally and spiritually at the end of time let me give you another example why is the holy mountain in daniel's prayer in daniel chapter 9 why does that refer to literal mount zion whereas in daniel 11 45 it refers to a worldwide mount zion where god's people are spiritually gathered we find the answer to these questions by understanding that while the hebrew theocracy was in place israel was local and literal however when the theocracy came to an end in the year 34 we must understand the word israel as being spiritual and global it's interesting that in hebrews chapter 8 and verse 8 it speaks about a new covenant that christ will make with israel and with judah i've never heard any christians say well you know the new covenant is only for israel and judah no israel and judah there means all of god's faithful people this is how it works out thy people in daniel 9 changes from literal to spiritual israel in daniel 12 1. and the holy mountain in daniel 9 16 which is the literal mount zion changes to spiritual israel the church in daniel chapter 11 and verse 45. now that's point number five let's go to point number six the key verse to understand the time of trouble in daniel 12 and verse one is genesis 32 and verse seven in this chapter jacob was deeply troubled because he heard that his brother esau was coming to kill him and his family however this was not jacob's main concern he still remembered the sin that he had committed 20 years earlier by stealing his brother's birthright and by deceiving his father and he feared that the sin was so great that god would not be able to fulfill his covenant promise to protect him from the wrath of his brother the context clearly indicates that the angel that jacob struggled with was none other than the angel of the covenant jesus christ also called michael in daniel chapter 12 and verse 1. you say how do we know that because after jacob struggled with the angel we are told that he gave that place a special name he called that place where he struggled with the angel where the angel blessed him and changed his name peniel what does peniel mean it comes from two hebrew words pen which means face and el which means god so it means face of god and then jacob explains why he called this place face of god because he says i have seen god face to face and my life is spared probably the best place to read about this time of trouble is jeremiah chapter 30 and verses 4 through 10. jeremiah 30 verses 4 through 10. this is speaking about when god was about to deliver judah from babylonian captivity it says there now these are the words that the lord spoke concerning israel and judah for thus says the lord notice israel and judah very interesting the same words that are used in the book of daniel for thus says the lord we have heard a voice of trembling of fear and not of peace ask now and see whether a man is ever in labor with child in other words the pain is so great that it's like birth pangs but this is talking about men so why do i see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor and all faces turned pale alas for that day is great so that none is like it does that sound like daniel chapter 12 verse 1 yes for that day is great so that none is like it and it is the time of what the time of jacob's trouble but now notice the promise but he shall be saved out of it just like jacob was saved from the wrath of esau then comes the promise verse 8 for it shall come to pass in that day says the lord of hosts that i will break his yoke from your neck that is a yoke of babylon and will burst your bonds foreigners shall no more enslave them but they shall serve the lord their god and david their king of course is speaking about jesus and david their king whom i will raise up to them therefore do not fear o my servant jacob says the lord nor be dismayed o israel for behold i will save you from afar and your seed from the land of their captivity jacob shall return have rest and be quiet and no one shall make him afraid what a vivid description of the time of trouble and the deliverance this is speaking about a literal event in the old testament which is typological of the global end time liberation of god's faithful people what will this time of trouble be like is the final generation going to have a special preparation for this time yes they will receive the latter rain they will proclaim the loud cry the fullness of god's light will shine upon them like on no other generation in the history of the world and the time of trouble will be the worst as well which demands a special preparation notice volume 6 of the testimonies page 408 men cannot discern the sentinel angels restraining the four winds that they shall not blow until the servants of god are sealed but when god shall bid his angels loose the winds that's when michael stands up when probation closes there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture you can imagine the the most terrible thoughts about what it's going to be like and it's still going to be worse notice also early writings page 280 as jesus moved out of the most holy place i heard the tinkling of the bales upon his garment and as he left a cloud of darkness covered the inhabitants of the earth there was then no mediator between guilty man and an offended god now she's saying for the wicked there's no mediation either while jesus had been standing between god and guilty man a restraint was upon the people but when he stepped out from between man and the father the restraint was removed and satan had entire control of the finally impenitent and then of course comes element number seven element number seven is your people shall be delivered and of course we're dealing with god's living saints at the end of time the 144 thousand that are all over the world in order to understand the deliverance in daniel 12 1 we have to go back to daniel chapter 3 and daniel chapter 6 where the word deliver is highlighted these two chapters have many points in common they illustrate the trials the faith and the deliverance of the final generation notice for example daniel chapter 3 here you have a very close relationship with daniel chapter 12 and verse 1 as well as revelation chapter 13. in daniel chapter 3 we in revelation chapter 13 we have the civil power raising an image compelling everyone to worship the image whoever does not worship the image is subject to a death decree in both of these passages we have a faithful remnant that does not worship falsely and in both of these places revelation 13 and daniel 3 you'll find a wonderful delivery deliverance of god's people from a fiery time of trouble so let's examine these two chapters to find out what the deliverance is going to be like at the end of time now you know the story in daniel chapter 3 the king raises up an image and he commands everyone to worship the image on pain of death and there's three young men that are faithful to god and they say we will not practice false worship and so gossip gets around and the enemies of the three friends of daniel they come to the king and they say to the king there's three hebrews that did not bow down when the music sounded let's pick up the story in daniel chapter 3 and verse 15. the king says to them now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn flute liar and saltery in symphony with all kinds of music and you fall down and worship the image which i have made good but if you do not worship you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace and now notice the key word and who is the god who will deliver you from my hands key word deliver chapter 3 and verses 16 through 18 has the reply of the young man to the king shadrach meshach and abednego answered and said to the king o nebuchadnezzar we have no need to answer you in this matter if that is the case our god whom we serve is able to what there's the key word to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will what's the word again deliver us from your hand o king but if not let it be known to you o king that we do not serve your gods nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up for them obedience to god was more important than their lives and then daniel 3 19 has the reaction of the king he's infuriated it says there in verse 19 then nebuchadnezzar was full of fury and the expression on his face changed we'll come back to that in a moment towards shadrach meshach and abednego he spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated in volume four of the bible commentary page 1169 ellen white explains what the change and the expression of the faith of nebuchadnezzar face of nebuchadnezzar was like she says satan satanic attributes made his countenance appear as the countenance of a demon and so then comes the deliverance of the three friends of daniel let's read daniel 3 24-25 and there's one particular point that i want us to focus on it says in verse 24 then king nebuchadnezzar was astonished and he rose in haste and spoke saying to his counselors did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fiery they answered and said to the king true o king look he answered i see form and loose walking in the midst of the fire and they are not hurt and the form of the force is like the son of god now some versions say son of the gods because they say how is nebuchadnezzar not going to know about who the true god was well ellen white explains that daniel and his three friends had explained to the king what god looked like and that in that case this is jesus christ who is the son of god it's jesus but now notice this very interesting nuance that we find in verse 29 nebuchadnezzar has just said that the one that delivered the three young men was the son of god but now he's going to say something different verse 29 nebuchadnezzar spoke saying blessed be the god of shadrach meshach and abednego who sent his what his angel which angel michael of chapter 12 and verse 1 folks who sent his angel and what's the next word delivered his servants what kind of servants were they trusted in him and they have frustrated the king's word and yielded their bodies that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own god and then the king makes a decree in verse 29 once again the word delivers the key word the king wrote therefore i make a decree that any people nation or language which speaks anything amiss against the god of shadrach meshach and abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made in ash heap because there is no other god who can what who can deliver like this what is the central thought of daniel chapter 3 it's not the fiery furnace it's the deliverance from the fiery furnace are god's people going to go through a fiery ordeal you go to the chapter in the time of trouble in great controversy ellen white says that the flames appear to consume those who are going through the time of trouble but now it's not a literal furnace it's a spiritual furnace at the end of time now let's go to daniel chapter six once again the central theme is delivered these stories folks illustrate in history what is going to happen in eschatology it's happened once before so we can be sure that it's going to happen again let's go to daniel chapter six you know the story let's begin at verse five then these men the enemies of daniel said we shall not find any charge against this daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his god is the final controversy over worship and god's law it most certainly is and so now they go before the king and they say to the king oh we love you so much king please give a decree that nobody can make a petition from you or any god for a period of 30 days the king says oh they love me so much that's what he's thinking notice verses six through nine saw the governors and satraps throng before the king this is daniel chapter 6 and said thus to him king darius live forever all the governors of the kingdom the administrators and satraps the councillors and advisers have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree that whoever petitions any god or man for 30 days except you o king shall be cast into the den of lions now o king establish the decree and sign the writing so that they cannot be changed is there going to be a written death decree at the end of time for those who don't comply absolutely according to the law of the medes and persians which does not alter therefore darius signed the decree the written decree did daniel change his prayer habits no he didn't verse 10 tells us noah and daniel knew that the writing was signed he went home and in his upper room with his windows open toward jerusalem he knelt down on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his god as was his custom since early days by the way daniel 3 shows what happens when the civil power establishes religion because the king was establishing worship you have to worship the image daniel chapter 6 shows what happens when the free exercise of religion is forbidden because daniel is forbidden from praying and so now the enemies go to the king and they tell the king and the king is sorry he says oh these guys they deceive me and i love daniel so much he's such a faithful worker here in the palace but he couldn't deliver daniel let's read verses 14 to 22 to see what the key word is and the king when he heard these words was greatly displeased with himself and set his heart on daniel 2 what deliver him and he labored to the going down of the sun to what deliver him then these men approached the king and said to the king no king that is the law of medes and persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed so the king gave command and they brought daniel cast him into the den of lions but the king spoke saying to daniel your god whom you serve occasionally no that's not what it says your god whom you serve continually he will what he will deliver you then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords that the purpose concerning daniel might not be changed now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting and no musicians were brought before him also his sleep went from him then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions and when he came to the den he cried out with a lamenting voice to daniel the king spoke saying to daniel daniel servant of the living god has your god whom you serve occasionally no it doesn't say occasionally now and then no that you serve continually has he been able to what there's the word again has he been able to deliver you from the lions then daniel said to the king o king live forever my god sent his what what angel do you suppose that was the same angel that went into the fiery furnace my god sent his angel and shut the lion's mouths so that they have not hurt me because i was found innocent before him and also o king i have done no wrong before you ah it says in verse 23 now the king was exceedingly glad for him and commanded that they should take daniel up out of the den so daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him why because he believed in his god that word belief can be translated he trusted in his god in other words trust for his god obedience to his god was more important than life itself after this the king gave a decree just like nebuchadnezzar had done daniel 6 25-27 then king darius wrote to all peoples nations and languages that dwell in all the earth peace be multiplied to you i make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the god of daniel for he is the living god and steadfast forever his kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed and his dominion shall endure to the end he what's the next word delivers and rescues and he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth who has what's the word again who has delivered daniel from the power of the lions these two stories daniel 3 and daniel 6 illustrate what is going to happen on a global scale at the end of time with god's final generation that trust god implicitly they trust god so implicitly that they would rather die than sin let's go to the last element written in the book this phrase proves that when probation closes the lives of the living saints have been examined and their names have been retained in the book of life michael will only deliver those living saints whose names have been retained in the book during the judgment of the living when the time of trouble begins after probation closes the names of the living saints are already in the book to be retained there forever ellen white wrote the following words in this is found in early writings page 283 and 284 she's speaking about the time of trouble where it appears that god's final generation will have no escape this is how she wrote to outward appearance there was no possibility of escape the wicked had already begun to triumph crying out why doesn't your god deliver notice once again the key word why doesn't your god deliver you out of our hands why don't you go up and save your lives however the saints heeded them not like jacob they were wrestling with god the angels longed to what there it is again to deliver them but they must wait a little while longer the people of god must drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism the angels faithful to their trust continued their watch god would not suffer his name to be reproached among the heathen here she's referring to joel chapter 3. don't have time to get into that but that chapter describes when the wicked gather around spiritual jerusalem to try and slay the saints who are gathered there she continues writing the time had nearly come when he was to manifest his mighty power and gloriously here's the word again deliver his saints for his name's glory he would the word again deliver every one of those who had patiently waited for him and whose names were written in the book are you understanding that the names of the living saints have been retained in the book before the time of trouble comes very clearly we find the investigative judgment in daniel chapter 12 and verse 1 because the names of the living in the judgment have been retained in the book i'd like to end by reading two statements from the spirit of prophecy powerful statements about this final generation this end time generation what i like to call the faithful generation the first statement is in four testimonies page 495 satan offers men offers to men the kingdoms of the world if they will yield to him the supremacy many do this and sacrifice heaven and then she writes it is better to die than to sin better to want than to defraud better to hunger than to lie in another statement that we find in volume 5 of testimonies page 53 those who would rather die than perform a wrong act are the only ones who will be found faithful folks believing that there's an end time generation that will totally be victorious over sin in action in thought and in word is not legalism it becomes legalism only when you feel safe self-righteous and you criticize those who you think don't reach your high level of spirituality the apostle paul wrote work out your own salvation with fear and trembling it doesn't say work out your neighbor's salvation with fear and trembling the end time generation will be so focused on jesus christ on his purity on what he did in gethsemane and on the cross that they will say like job though he slay me yet will i trust in him that is the only generation that will be able to go faithfully through the time of trouble and stand before the son of man living when jesus comes the only ones who will say lo this is our god we have waited for him and he will save us and during this symposium we are going to discuss many different issues relating to the final generation so stay tuned look at the calendar and we hope to see you next time when we continue our study together [Music] [Music] you