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00:02 “They.” 00:04 “They gathered them together 00:08 “to the place that is called in Hebrew 00:11 Armageddon.” 00:13 Who are “they”? 00:17 Who is being “gathered”? 00:19 And what is the significance of that to us 00:22 as we go about our sacred service today? 00:24 The answers can be found in the context. 00:27 I invite you to find Revelation chapter 16, 00:31 and let’s begin reading in verse 13, 00:37 which says: 00:39 “And I saw three 00:41 “unclean inspired expressions 00:46 “that looked like frogs 00:49 “come out of the mouth of the dragon 00:51 “and out of the mouth of the wild beast 00:54 “and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 00:57 “They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons 01:02 “and they perform signs, 01:04 “and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, 01:08 to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” 01:13 And verse 16 says: 01:15 “And they [these “expressions”] 01:19 “gathered them [“the kings of the entire inhabited earth”] 01:22 to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.” 01:26 “Expressions.” 01:28 Now, these must be very persuasive expressions 01:33 because they compel 01:35 not just a few isolated kings here and there 01:38 but “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” 01:41 to this situation called Armageddon. 01:45 Now, these expressions, you notice, are unclean, 01:49 so they cannot originate with Jehovah. 01:53 And yet, they are inspired 01:56 —“inspired by demons.” 01:59 And yet, they have their ultimate source 02:01 in “the mouth of the dragon,” Satan the Devil 02:05 —“the father of the lie.” 02:07 But, now, who actually gives voice 02:10 to these expressions? 02:12 Well, notice in verse 13 that the expressions 02:15 also ‘come out of the mouths of the wild beast and the false prophet’ 02:20 —political entities of Satan’s world. 02:22 So here we have unclean expressions inspired by demons 02:26 —originating with Satan but voiced, repeated, 02:29 parroted, and echoed by people 02:34 who constitute Satan’s wicked world. 02:37 But, now, just what are these expressions 02:40 that are so persuasive that they compel kings? 02:45 What concept would be so compelling? 02:51 Since 1914, Satan has been stepping up his efforts 02:56 to mislead “the entire inhabited earth.” 02:59 And one of his goals 03:01 is to deceive mankind into thinking that humans 03:06 —that Satan’s way of ruling is the best— 03:08 that humans can actually achieve 03:12 peace and security 03:14 through their own systems and governments. 03:17 Moreover, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, 03:21 they will soon be saying that they have actually achieved 03:26 “peace and security.” 03:28 Now, adding to the power of these inspired expressions 03:32 are the signs. 03:35 The signs make it seem 03:38 as if these expressions are actually coming true 03:41 and perhaps that they even have the backing of God. 03:45 But the only god backing these particular inspired expressions 03:50 is “the god of this system of things.” 03:54 Is it unprecedented 03:57 that Satan the Devil would use miracles 04:01 in an attempt to lend credibility 04:04 to his ideas, his wicked lies? 04:09 At Exodus 7:10-12, 04:13 Jehovah empowers Aaron’s rod to become a snake, 04:17 but Pharaoh’s magic-practicing priests 04:20 mimicked that very sign. 04:24 Likewise, they mimicked the first and the second of the Ten Plagues. 04:29 OK, but what about after the Christian congregation came into existence? 04:33 Paul indicated at 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 04:37 that the apostate movement, 04:39 which eventually gave birth to the clergy of Christendom, 04:42 would be backed “by the operation of Satan 04:47 “with every powerful work 04:50 and lying signs and wonders.” 04:53 —2 Thessalonians 2:9. 04:55 Moreover, Mark 13:22 says— 04:59 In the prophecy of the last days, Jesus said: 05:02 “False Christs and false prophets 05:05 “will arise and will perform signs 05:08 “and wonders to lead astray, if possible, 05:11 [even] the chosen ones.” 05:14 So, clearly, demons teach. 05:16 And it is not beyond Satan and the demons 05:19 to back up their false claims with wonders at times, 05:24 although, obviously, their power in that regard is limited. 05:28 A subtle reminder of that fact 05:31 is found at Revelation 16:16, 05:35 which says that they are ‘gathered together to the place called Armageddon,’ 05:39 “to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” 05:42 “The Almighty” —only Jehovah can hold that title. 05:46 And that very word is a guarantee that Jehovah’s will 05:51 will ultimately prevail. 05:54 Still, is it possible 05:57 that some professed Christians could start to believe 06:02 “expressions inspired by demons” 06:06 that “perform signs”? 06:08 If it weren’t possible, at least for individuals, 06:11 then why would Revelation chapter 16 contain this warning 06:16 right in the middle of the discussion about Armageddon that we just read? 06:19 The verse that we skipped, verse 15, 06:22 contains a very relevant reminder 06:25 for each and every one of us. 06:27 Now, sometimes we skip it 06:29 because we keep all the verses about Armageddon together. 06:31 But, this is not an afterthought, a sidebar, 06:33 just a wise saying plunked in for no apparent reason. 06:36 It’s totally relevant. 06:38 Let’s read it: 06:39 “Look! [verse 15] 06:42 “I am coming as a thief. 06:44 “Happy is the one who stays awake and keeps his outer garments, 06:48 “so that he may not walk naked 06:51 and people look upon his shamefulness.” 06:56 So here we are, right on the cusp 06:59 of the outbreak of the great tribulation. 07:04 You have an identity —“garments”— 07:07 an identity as a faithful witness of Jehovah God. 07:12 Keep your identity. 07:13 How? 07:14 By keeping awake spiritually. 07:16 The article from which our text is taken, 07:18 entitled “‘Your Deliverance Is Getting Near’!” 07:20 in the July 15, 2015, issue of The Watchtower, points out 07:24 —in harmony with the Scriptures, boiling down a number of Scriptural facts— 07:28 that Babylon the Great will be destroyed. 07:31 Then, the initial part of the great tribulation will be cut short. 07:35 There will be a brief respite, 07:38 during which the majority of mankind 07:40 will seek refuge in human organizations. 07:43 Our message of good news will change to one of judgment. 07:48 Then, the coalition of nations referred to as Gog of Magog 07:53 will be bent on attacking Jehovah’s anointed ones 07:57 and their associates. 08:00 Now, only loyal love for Jehovah 08:03 and obedient support of his anointed ones will get us through. 08:08 That will mean everything! 08:11 So, what must we do now? 08:14 Stay awake. 08:15 You have an identity 08:17 —not just a Bethelite or Gilead graduate. 08:21 No. 08:22 You’ve worked hard, with Jehovah’s help, 08:24 to establish an identity 08:26 as a Christian worshipper of Jehovah 08:30 —keep it. 08:31 Perform “holy acts of conduct.” 08:35 We could say, things we don’t do 08:39 —things we don’t watch, things we don’t read, 08:43 things we don’t think about, things we don’t say. 08:47 Don’t let the demons tamper with your identity as a Christian 08:52 with their “unclean inspired expressions.” 08:56 Perform “deeds of godly devotion,” 08:58 we could say, things we do 09:00 —preaching, lingering in prayer, 09:02 continuing in your personal study. 09:05 Much is covered in Gilead, yes, but not everything. 09:10 The online Study Bible is amazing, 09:12 and it just keeps getting better day after day, 09:14 helping us to forge a closer bond, 09:18 a close personal attachment, with Jehovah. 09:20 Continue devoting time to such “deeds of godly devotion” now 09:25 and you will succeed then. 09:27 You will not be duped by the expressions 09:31 that perform signs, 09:33 as others are. 09:35 No, you will survive 09:37 “the great day of God the Almighty,” 09:41 now so very near at hand.
00:02 “They.” 00:04 “They gathered them together 00:08 “to the place that is called in Hebrew 00:11 Armageddon.” 00:13 Who are “they”? 00:17 Who is being “gathered”? 00:19 And what is the significance of that to us 00:22 as we go about our sacred service today? 00:24 The answers can be found in the context. 00:27 I invite you to find Revelation chapter 16, 00:31 and let’s begin reading in verse 13, 00:37 which says: 00:39 “And I saw three 00:41 “unclean inspired expressions 00:46 “that looked like frogs 00:49 “come out of the mouth of the dragon 00:51 “and out of the mouth of the wild beast 00:54 “and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 00:57 “They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons 01:02 “and they perform signs, 01:04 “and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, 01:08 to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” 01:13 And verse 16 says: 01:15 “And they [these “expressions”] 01:19 “gathered them [“the kings of the entire inhabited earth”] 01:22 to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.” 01:26 “Expressions.” 01:28 Now, these must be very persuasive expressions 01:33 because they compel 01:35 not just a few isolated kings here and there 01:38 but “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” 01:41 to this situation called Armageddon. 01:45 Now, these expressions, you notice, are unclean, 01:49 so they cannot originate with Jehovah. 01:53 And yet, they are inspired 01:56 —“inspired by demons.” 01:59 And yet, they have their ultimate source 02:01 in “the mouth of the dragon,” Satan the Devil 02:05 —“the father of the lie.” 02:07 But, now, who actually gives voice 02:10 to these expressions? 02:12 Well, notice in verse 13 that the expressions 02:15 also ‘come out of the mouths of the wild beast and the false prophet’ 02:20 —political entities of Satan’s world. 02:22 So here we have unclean expressions inspired by demons 02:26 —originating with Satan but voiced, repeated, 02:29 parroted, and echoed by people 02:34 who constitute Satan’s wicked world. 02:37 But, now, just what are these expressions 02:40 that are so persuasive that they compel kings? 02:45 What concept would be so compelling? 02:51 Since 1914, Satan has been stepping up his efforts 02:56 to mislead “the entire inhabited earth.” 02:59 And one of his goals 03:01 is to deceive mankind into thinking that humans 03:06 —that Satan’s way of ruling is the best— 03:08 that humans can actually achieve 03:12 peace and security 03:14 through their own systems and governments. 03:17 Moreover, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, 03:21 they will soon be saying that they have actually achieved 03:26 “peace and security.” 03:28 Now, adding to the power of these inspired expressions 03:32 are the signs. 03:35 The signs make it seem 03:38 as if these expressions are actually coming true 03:41 and perhaps that they even have the backing of God. 03:45 But the only god backing these particular inspired expressions 03:50 is “the god of this system of things.” 03:54 Is it unprecedented 03:57 that Satan the Devil would use miracles 04:01 in an attempt to lend credibility 04:04 to his ideas, his wicked lies? 04:09 At Exodus 7:10-12, 04:13 Jehovah empowers Aaron’s rod to become a snake, 04:17 but Pharaoh’s magic-practicing priests 04:20 mimicked that very sign. 04:24 Likewise, they mimicked the first and the second of the Ten Plagues. 04:29 OK, but what about after the Christian congregation came into existence? 04:33 Paul indicated at 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 04:37 that the apostate movement, 04:39 which eventually gave birth to the clergy of Christendom, 04:42 would be backed “by the operation of Satan 04:47 “with every powerful work 04:50 and lying signs and wonders.” 04:53 —2 Thessalonians 2:9. 04:55 Moreover, Mark 13:22 says— 04:59 In the prophecy of the last days, Jesus said: 05:02 “False Christs and false prophets 05:05 “will arise and will perform signs 05:08 “and wonders to lead astray, if possible, 05:11 [even] the chosen ones.” 05:14 So, clearly, demons teach. 05:16 And it is not beyond Satan and the demons 05:19 to back up their false claims with wonders at times, 05:24 although, obviously, their power in that regard is limited. 05:28 A subtle reminder of that fact 05:31 is found at Revelation 16:16, 05:35 which says that they are ‘gathered together to the place called Armageddon,’ 05:39 “to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” 05:42 “The Almighty” —only Jehovah can hold that title. 05:46 And that very word is a guarantee that Jehovah’s will 05:51 will ultimately prevail. 05:54 Still, is it possible 05:57 that some professed Christians could start to believe 06:02 “expressions inspired by demons” 06:06 that “perform signs”? 06:08 If it weren’t possible, at least for individuals, 06:11 then why would Revelation chapter 16 contain this warning 06:16 right in the middle of the discussion about Armageddon that we just read? 06:19 The verse that we skipped, verse 15, 06:22 contains a very relevant reminder 06:25 for each and every one of us. 06:27 Now, sometimes we skip it 06:29 because we keep all the verses about Armageddon together. 06:31 But, this is not an afterthought, a sidebar, 06:33 just a wise saying plunked in for no apparent reason. 06:36 It’s totally relevant. 06:38 Let’s read it: 06:39 “Look! [verse 15] 06:42 “I am coming as a thief. 06:44 “Happy is the one who stays awake and keeps his outer garments, 06:48 “so that he may not walk naked 06:51 and people look upon his shamefulness.” 06:56 So here we are, right on the cusp 06:59 of the outbreak of the great tribulation. 07:04 You have an identity —“garments”— 07:07 an identity as a faithful witness of Jehovah God. 07:12 Keep your identity. 07:13 How? 07:14 By keeping awake spiritually. 07:16 The article from which our text is taken, 07:18 entitled “‘Your Deliverance Is Getting Near’!” 07:20 in the July 15, 2015, issue of The Watchtower, points out 07:24 —in harmony with the Scriptures, boiling down a number of Scriptural facts— 07:28 that Babylon the Great will be destroyed. 07:31 Then, the initial part of the great tribulation will be cut short. 07:35 There will be a brief respite, 07:38 during which the majority of mankind 07:40 will seek refuge in human organizations. 07:43 Our message of good news will change to one of judgment. 07:48 Then, the coalition of nations referred to as Gog of Magog 07:53 will be bent on attacking Jehovah’s anointed ones 07:57 and their associates. 08:00 Now, only loyal love for Jehovah 08:03 and obedient support of his anointed ones will get us through. 08:08 That will mean everything! 08:11 So, what must we do now? 08:14 Stay awake. 08:15 You have an identity 08:17 —not just a Bethelite or Gilead graduate. 08:21 No. 08:22 You’ve worked hard, with Jehovah’s help, 08:24 to establish an identity 08:26 as a Christian worshipper of Jehovah 08:30 —keep it. 08:31 Perform “holy acts of conduct.” 08:35 We could say, things we don’t do 08:39 —things we don’t watch, things we don’t read, 08:43 things we don’t think about, things we don’t say. 08:47 Don’t let the demons tamper with your identity as a Christian 08:52 with their “unclean inspired expressions.” 08:56 Perform “deeds of godly devotion,” 08:58 we could say, things we do 09:00 —preaching, lingering in prayer, 09:02 continuing in your personal study. 09:05 Much is covered in Gilead, yes, but not everything. 09:10 The online Study Bible is amazing, 09:12 and it just keeps getting better day after day, 09:14 helping us to forge a closer bond, 09:18 a close personal attachment, with Jehovah. 09:20 Continue devoting time to such “deeds of godly devotion” now 09:25 and you will succeed then. 09:27 You will not be duped by the expressions 09:31 that perform signs, 09:33 as others are. 09:35 No, you will survive 09:37 “the great day of God the Almighty,” 09:41 now so very near at hand.
