An Era of Spiritual Darkness: After failing to crush the Christian Church through persecution the tactics of the enemy changed to infiltration, endeavoring to weaken the church from within. The effects of the compromise from this time period are still being felt today, playing their part in the battle between good and evil.

<p>An Era of Spiritual Darkness: After failing to crush the Christian Church through persecution the tactics of the enemy changed to infiltration, endeavoring to weaken the church from within. The effects of the compromise from this time period are still being felt today, playing their part in the battle between good and evil.</p>

Lineage Journey

The Great Controversy

Adam Ramdin

01 The Destruction of Jerusalem

The Crest of the Mount of Olives Chapter 1 The Crest of the Mount of Olives As Jesus stood on the crest of the Mount of Olives looking over Jerusalem, His heart was filled with anguish and pain.

Looking with divine foresight into the future, he could see the Jewish people scattered around the globe, the city lying in ruins, the temple burning, destroyed, and laid to waste.

Crying out with a pain-filled heart, he said, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I would have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks, but you would not.' John 1 verse 11 says, He came to his own, but his own did not receive him.

After ministering for over 3 years in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.

Jesus' time on earth was coming to a close when he uttered his fateful pronouncement and warning on Jerusalem.

🎵 The temple that Jesus looked down upon as He stood on Mount Olives was the second permanent structure to stand in that place.

Originally, as the Israelites left Egypt, they had a temporary tent that traveled with them, and even after they got to Israel it stood there in Shiloh and was used for 300 years.

Eventually the first temple was completed during the reign of King Solomon in 957 BC.

This temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC, and many of the vessels were carried from Jerusalem over to Babylon.

After the 70 years of captivity as prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah, the Israelites were allowed to return during the reign of the Medes and Persians under King Cyrus.

[♪ music ♪ This temple began to be rebuilt in 538 or 537 BC after the decree of Cyrus for the Jews to return to Jerusalem.

Then they encountered some local opposition, which caused some delays before it was completed in 515 BC.

This temple stood for over 500 years, and it was the 1 that Jesus visited, spoke in as a child, ministered as an adult, and wept and cried over before he was crucified.

Sometimes called the Rubabul Temple because he was the 1 who started the reconstruction, it was later renovated and expanded on during the time of Herod.

🎵 Jesus said in Matthew 24, verses 15 and 16 that when you see the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place.

Let him which is in Judea flee into the mountains.' When the Roman armies first came in AD 66 under the leadership of Cestius, who was the governor of Syria at the time, and planted his armies and insignia outside the walls of Jerusalem, This was still considered holy land as it extended several furlongs from the temple.

He was unable to take the temple mount and retreated, losing over 5, 000 soldiers in the process, according to Josephus.

[♪ music ♪ As the armies retreated, this was a sign for God's people to flee the city, and all those who heeded the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 did.

They had a small window of time whilst the Romans were fighting the Jews, and they escaped to the city of Pella, located in modern-day Jordan, across the other side of the River Jordan.

All those who were watching the signs escaped the later destruction.

This apparent victory over Cestius emboldened the Jews with a stubbornness that would work against them 4 years later when in AD 70, under the leadership of Titus, the Roman armies returned.

[♪ music ♪ Surrounding the city during the time of Passover when it was teeming with people only further increased the horror that was about to come.

Starvation, famine, and disease quickly spread throughout the city.

The natural love of children to parents to grandparents disappeared as everyone fought for their own survival.

Those who tried to escape the city were captured and crucified in the walls outside until the valleys were teeming with crosses as a warning to those inside not to try and escape.

Eventually the city was stormed, and even though Titus told his soldiers not to destroy the temple and personally tried to stop it even when the fire had started, The prophecy of Jesus said that not 1 stone would be left upon another, and this came to pass.

🎵 Jesus also warned our world today of the coming crisis, and he has given us an outline of the signs of his return that we're not left in darkness.

He does not want anyone to be lost, and he's outlined exactly what will take place before he comes back, that we will know exactly the signs of His return.

We can rest assured that just like no true believers were killed in the destruction of Jerusalem, so today those of us who are watching the signs will not be destroyed, but Jesus will protect us in the final days of this earth's history.

02 Persecution in the First Centuries

The Great Controversy of Christ and Satan The great controversy between Christ and Satan did not end at the cross, but continues to play out in the lives of men and women down here on earth.

After the ascension of Jesus, the early struggle was between the dominant paganism of the Roman Empire and the new religion of Christianity.

There was a concerted attempt to stamp out Christianity by force, with Christians made to flee their homes, stripped of their possessions, both young and old, rich and poor, free and enslaved, educated and uneducated.

[♪ music ♪ Persecution began under Nero, who became emperor at the young age of just 16.

He was a cruel man who had his own mother Agrippina killed, as well as his wife Claudia, and was known for his sexual debauchery.

He did not live long, dying in AD 68 at the age of 30 by suicide, but before he did he persecuted the Christians a lot.

After the great fire of Rome of AD 64, some people accused Nero of starting the fire, and so to remove suspicion from himself, he accused the Christians.

They were subjected to lots of persecution, crucifixions, being thrown to the wild animals, and being burned alive, which was not motivated by a sense of justice, but of personal cruelty.

[♪ music ♪ It was during the time of Nero that many historians believe both Peter and Paul were executed here in Rome.

This began decades, even centuries, of persecution where Christians were killed for the pleasure of those watching.

Sporting stadiums like the Colosseum behind me were commonplace throughout the empire, and where gladiatorial games would take place, and often Christians killed for the pleasure of those watching.

It's claimed today by many that many Christians were not killed in this fashion, or they were only killed because they were poor or enslaved, but this constitutes a rewriting of history.

[♪ music ♪ Denied their full rights as Roman citizens, the catacombs afforded them a place where they could offer a Christian burial for their dead.

Today they extend for miles underneath Rome and they were a place where the Christians buried their dead with Christian symbols and also a place where they could retreat when their life was in danger.

The Christian church was persecuted a lot but it became more resilient under more persecution.

It was Tertullian who said those famous words the blood of Christians is seed to the gospel.

The more they were killed, the more they multiplied and grew.

[♪ music ♪ Realizing that the Christian church cannot be stamped out by force, the tactics of the enemy switched.

Temples dedicated to paganism were converted to Christian, such as the Pantheon here behind me.

Built in 125 AD by Emperor Hadrian, it was converted to a Catholic Church in 609 AD.

Idols dedicated to various gods were given Christian names such as Saint Peter, and paganism walked in the front door and in exchange the persecution of the masses stopped.

There was, however, a small and faithful minority who refused to accept this compromised and watered-down aberration of the Christian faith.

🎵 Today the Christian church in many parts of the world does not suffer the persecution of this time, but polarized in 2 Timothy 3 verse 12 that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Perhaps today we've become too accustomed to living out our faith privately in a way that does not cause us any opposition or trouble.

In many countries Christianity is mainstream, or at least accepted as part of society, but there's little real godliness on show and the Christian church really doesn't suffer any persecution.

May we be faithful in living out our lives, not in a distasteful way that brings on persecution needlessly, but living out our life with endurance and patience.

And if and when persecution does come, may we bear it faithfully knowing that Christ has suffered much more for us.

03 An Era of Spiritual Darkness

The Great Controversy of Christ and Satan Chapter 2 The Great Controversy of Christ and Satan The great controversy between Christ and Satan reached a critical phase a few centuries after the cross.

In chapter 2 of this book, we see that Satan's plan initially was to stamp out the church through persecution, but in chapter 3 we see a switch of tactics.

Beginning with Emperor Constantine at the start of the 4th century, we see a time of compromise.

Constantine professed to see a cross in the sky accompanied with the words, by this sign you shall conquer, and took this as a sign to convert to Christianity.

This conversion, however, was not genuine and many pagan practices walked through the front door of the church.

How did the Pope convert to Christianity?

As Rome switched from pagan to papal, 1 of the leading doctrines of the church was having the Pope as the visible head with supreme authority over the church and the cardinals and bishops around the world.

There is never any hint in the Bible of God investing any man with authority like this.

Luke 4 verse 8 says, You shall worship the Lord God, and Him only shall you serve.

Not only this though, but He was given the authority to interpret the scriptures as well.

Perhaps more dangerous though was the removal of the scriptures for several hundred centuries, the great detector of error, and now people did not have access to learn and read the Bible for themselves.

[♪ music ♪ Images and relics became a central part of the religious experience, with the Second Commandment being removed from the 10 Commandments by the Catholic Church.

The Tenth Commandment was split into 2 in order to still keep 10.

The Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment also underwent a change, which took some time.

Sunday was introduced from the fourth century onwards, but initially Both days were kept.

More emphasis and joy was placed on Sunday, with Sabbath being a day of fasting until Sunday gained in prominence over time and was widely kept.

🎵 Music 🎵 By the 6th century, the papacy was fixed and centered here in Rome, and in 538 we have the beginning of the 1260 years where the papacy was ruling as a joint religious and political power.

In the 11th century, the doctrine of people infallibility was created.

Not only is the Pope the head of the church, but he cannot make mistakes either, and in this sense was viewed in a godlike way.

This was used to wield power over the kings of Europe, with 1 particularly bad case being when the German Emperor was made to come at the beckoning of Pope Gregory to his winter castle retreat in the dead of winter and stand outside in the cold snow, in his bare feet, without proper clothing, for 3 days and 3 nights to acknowledge his authority in subservience to him and to recant.

[♪ music ♪ Later doctrinal additions that were added that go against the Bible and distort the image of God, such as the immortality of the soul which led to the veneration and worship of saints and the adoration of the Virgin Mary, were adopted.

But the worst creation of Rome was the Inquisition of the 13th century, which raged in several countries and killed countless millions who refused to surrender their conscience and convictions to the church.

Wiley says, the noon of the papacy was the midnight of the world.

It's also interesting to note that during this time there were very few significant technological or scientific advancements being made.

[♪ music ♪ Hosea 4 verse 6 says, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, a problem that still exists today.

There is a need for people to be shown a way out of the spiritual and moral darkness that plagues our society.

Psalms 119 says that the Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

May we be active in sharing this light with other people through print, through media, verbally, and allowing Christ to shine through our lives.

May we spread the light in our communities and share truth with other people.

04 The Waldenses

The Waldensians Chapter 1 The Waldensians Foremost in Europe, the Waldensians stand as a body of believers who resisted the compromises that came into Christianity following the superficial conversion of Constantine in the 4th century.

They were based primarily here amongst the stunning and beautiful mountains of northern Italy.

Some say the first Waldensian was Peter Waldo, a 12th century merchant man from Lyon, France, and they're named after him.

However, there are records that date back much further to at least the fourth century with Vigilantus.

1 of the early names for the Hordensians was in Sabbatii, showing that early on part of their identity was Sabbath-keeping.

Chapter 4 outlines the key role that they played in preserving a knowledge of God's Word and the principles of true Christian living in the face of great opposition.

[♪ music ♪ Often the Mordentians had to leave the lower valleys and flee into the mountains, and even worship in secret.

Caves like this dot the landscape, and they were a place of refuge and protection, a secret sanctuary, a cleft in the rock.

They gave it the comfort of living peaceful lives because they believed differently than the state religion, and they valued their beliefs more than peace, prosperity, and an easy life.

[♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪� The Principles of God's Word It would not have been easy living a much more primitive life up here, but their desire to be true to the principles of God's Word was greater than their love of ease.

This cave is a quiet place, not grand with gold and marble, and yet here on countless occasions the presence of God would have been witnessed and felt as He encouraged His people to be true and firm to Him in their faith and worship.

The Waldensians had a passion for mission service.

They were not content to live happy and holy lives, isolated as hermits in the mountains, but they intentionally trained others to go out.

Using schools like this 1, the College of the Babes, they taught the Bible, they copied the Bible by hand, and they prepared to go out as undercover agents for God.

They sent students to the leading universities in Europe, and they also traveled as merchants to the major cities in Europe.

They did not take a copy of the whole Bible, but sometimes it was just a few pages hidden between the pieces of cloth on their cloak, and when they found someone who was a seeker of truth, they would take it out and share it with them.

They had passion, ingenuity, and a desire to see the gospel spread beyond the boundaries of the valleys and mountains they lived in.

[♪ music ♪ For centuries they had stood alone and suffered persecution, but in 1532 the significant Synod of Chanfran would take place right here, where leaders of the Waldensian churches would meet leaders of the various Protestant churches to discuss beliefs and a plan moving forward.

1 significant decision that was made was for the Waldensian Bible to be translated into French, with the Waldensian churches raising the funds for this.

Other commonalities that were discussed was a rejection of the mass, confession, the celibacy of the priesthood, the celebration of feasts and purgatory.

In times of isolation and persecution, it's important to seek out community and support from other like-minded believers.

🎵 Music 🎵 The Waldensians are 1 of the most persecuted and yet faithful groups throughout European history.

On the 24th of April 1655, they suffered perhaps their worst slaughter as a massacre led by the Duke of Savoy started at 4 a.m.

Men, women, children, and babies were mercilessly tortured and killed in the most gruesome ways imaginable.

In order to escape this terrible massacre, hundreds of Waldensians fled to a large cave in the towering Mount Castelluzzo.

The murderous soldiers, however, found them and marched them to the top.

[♪ music ♪ They came to this spot right here and were hurled over the edge to their death on the rocks below.

I believe that on the resurrection morning many faithful believers will rise to glory from the bottom of this mountain and in this valley.' This is the reference in Milton's famous sonnet to the bloody Piedmontese that hurled mother and infant down the rocks.

Survivors of the massacre were few, but they rallied together and wrote to Christians throughout Europe for help.

Their letters included the heart-rending words, Our tears are no longer of water, they are of blood.

They do not merely obscure our sight, but choke our very heart.' When Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, heard of the massacre, he called for a national day of fasting and collected money to send to meet the physical needs of the Waldensians.

[♪ music ♪ The Waldensians had a faith that reminds me of Job.

They were a people who suffered attacks and persecutions for several centuries, close to a thousand years, suffering immeasurably, and yet for many it did not weaken their faith, but rather strengthen it.

Sometimes in life we may be serving God, dedicating our lives to Him, and yet we still go through hard times, trials, and sufferings that many say we do not deserve.

May we have a faith like Job who said, "'Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.'" Whatever we go through in life, may we keep hold of God, trusting that he has our best interest at heart.

05 John Wycliffe

John Wycliffe's Reformation Season 2 Episode 3 John Wycliffe John Wycliffe was unrivaled in his time and has rightly been described by several commentators as 1 of the greatest reformers.

His breadth of intellect, his firmness to stand for principle, and his rediscovery of biblical ideas that had been lost for centuries sets him apart from his contemporaries.

John Wycliffe lived over a hundred years before Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and the later English reformers, but he laid the groundwork and provided the foundation that paved the way for them.

Standing alone as a voice calling for change, he was a reformer before the term became popular, advocating for a return to biblical literacy and a reform of the church.

🎵 In the 14th century, Britain was plagued with poor roads, infighting between the English, Scots, Welsh, and French, sickness, plagues, and spiritual darkness.

The issue of England's relation with the papal court was a hot topic as Parliament voted in 1366 to stop paying the 1, 000 marks a year that had been agreed 150 years previous prior to the signing of Magna Carta by King John.

England at the time was completely Catholic.

There were no other denominations or religions that you could join.

[♪ MUSIC ♪ John Wycliffe was born in Hipswell, North Yorkshire, and then educated here in Oxford at Merton College.

Later he became a master at Balliol College in 1361, and over the next several years he was responsible for various parishes while still holding a job here at the university.

It was while he was here in Oxford that he came onto Rome's radar for denouncing the friars and their lazy lifestyle, and also he was the first in his era who used the term Antichrist in connection with Rome.

[♪ music ♪ There were several attempts by Rome to silence John Wycliffe, especially towards the end of his life, in 1377, 1382, and 1383.

Each time he was brought before various councils, but he was unflinching in his convictions.

He was also protected by influential friends, but another key situation that helped him was the papal schism of 1378 onwards where there was not 1, but 2 rival popes, each claiming to be the right 1.

In the midst of this confusion and uncertainty, he was left to carry on his work with less hindrances.

John Wycliffe also realized that he'll be far more effective if he trained other people, and he set about to train young men known as the Lollards or Bible men who traversed the whole country preaching the gospel.

[♪ music ♪ The greatest of Wycliffe's achievements came at the end of his life whilst he was here in the parish of Lutterworth, and it was a translation of the Latin Vulgate Bible into the English language.

Today it's hard to grasp the significance of this event because the Bible is freely available, but at the time it was against the law to own a copy of the Bible or even read it in the common language.

Wycliffe's adversaries saw his translation as being dangerous in the English language and they described it as, the gospel pearl is thrown before swine and trodden underfoot and that which used to be so dear to both clergy and laity has become a joke, and this precious gem of the clergy has been turned into the sport of the laity.' Wycliffe, though, declared plainly, Christ and his apostles taught the people in the language best known to them.

It is certain that the truth of the Christian faith becomes more evident the more the faith is known.

Therefore, the doctrine should not only be in Latin but in the common tongue.

[♪ music ♪ Wycliffe's translation was not without fault, but now there was light where there had previously only been darkness.

The light from his word pierced through the darkness and began to peel back the layers of night, the morning star that shines just before sunrise had arrived.

Wycliffe died a few years after completing his translation and was buried nearby, but he was not left to rest in the ground.

[♪ music ♪ At the Council of Constance Wycliffe was declared a heretic and a decree was made to dig up his bones and burn them to ashes.

At first the Bishop of Lincoln refused as he was a former friend of his, and the next bishop delayed several years.

After burning his bones to ashes, they were disposed of here in the River Swift, but in trying to insult and denigrate this fearless leader, they instead provided a beautiful illustration of the power of his work and the Word of God.

[♪ music ♪ The River Swift flows into the River Avon, made famous by Stratford-upon-Avon.

The River Avon flows into the Bristol Channel, and the Bristol Channel flows into the Atlantic Ocean, And so the impact of John Wycliffe's work and the translation of the Bible he made spread over the whole world.

The flicker became a flame and the flame became a fire, and the fire was unstoppable.

The impact of John Wycliffe's life left a legacy far bigger than the short life that he lived.

What type of legacy are you leaving behind?

May it be 1 of principle, conviction, a love of God, and an unshakeable desire to see the gospel spread in our lifetime.

May we live a life where the influence spreads like these waters around the world.

06 Huss and Jerome

The Fire of the Covenant The song says it only takes a spark to set a whole fire going, and once the fire was lit in 1 part of Europe, it spread quickly to other areas.

John Wycliffe had made a massive impact not just in England, but further afield in Europe, in particular here in Prague and the region that was known then as Bohemia.

🎵 MUSIC 🎵 John Huss was of humble birth, and his father died soon after he was born.

His mother sought an education for him, and he was able to get admission to the University of Prague as a charity scholar.

As she reached Prague with her son, she knelt down and prayed that God would bless his life, a prayer that was answered again and again.

He soon distinguished himself by his tireless application to study and by his blameless life.

Upon completing his studies, he entered the priesthood and rapidly rose to prominence, soon becoming attached to the court of the king.

In a few short years He was the pride of his country, and his name was known all over Europe.

Today they've built a statue to commemorate him here in the Old Town Square.

🎵 MUSIC 🎵 Several years after becoming a priest, Hus was appointed preacher of the Bethlehem Chapel here in Prague.

The founder of this particular chapel had advocated, as a matter of importance, the preaching of the Scriptures in the language of the people.

At that time there was a large degree of ignorance concerning the Bible, and Huss also believed that it was vitally important to preach the Scriptures in the language of the people.

At that time there was a large degree of ignorance concerning the Bible, and Hus also believed that it was vitally important to preach the scriptures in the language of the people.

[♪ music ♪ At this point in his life, Hus came in contact with Jerome, who had proved to be his right-hand man until his death.

Jerome was a citizen of Prague, and he had brought back with him from a recent trip to England the writings of John Wycliffe.

The Queen of England at that time was also a convert of John Wycliffe, and she was a Bohemian princess, and through her influence his writings were circulated at length in Bohemia.

Hus read them, believed their author to be a sincere Christian, and believed the writings to be true.

[♪ music ♪ Hus' impact was growing, not just here in his homeland but also in neighbouring Germany and soon news of the work here in Prague reached Rome and he was summoned to appear before the Pope.

The King and Queen of Bohemia, the nobility and the government all asked for a local trial, but this was not granted.

The trial of Hus went ahead in his absence, during which the city of Prague was put under interdict.

This struck terror into the hearts of everyone.

Baptisms, funerals, weddings, those ceremonies that were so key to life in general were not allowed to take place and through this means, Rome was able to hold sway over the people.

[♪ music ♪ The city was in turmoil and Tsahas withdrew to his native village, but he continued to travel to the surrounding countryside where he was able to preach to eager crowds.

When the danger and excitement had subsided, he was able to return to Prague where alongside with Jerome he was able to continue his work.

🎵 During this time in Europe, there was not 1 or 2, but 3 rival popes, all claiming to be the Vicar of Christ.

This abuse of power in the church was something that many men strongly condemned, Hus being 1 of the loudest voices.

The emperor at that time, Emperor Sigismund, called for a council in Constance, Germany, to settle this dispute once and for all, and also to deal with some of the new heresies arising from men such as John Hus that they didn't agree with.

Hus was summoned to appear before the council and was given assurance of a safe passage by the emperor.

🎵 Music 🎵 Even though he came of his own free will and under the protection of the emperor, upon his arrival Huss was thrown into prison.

The building behind me was used as a prison and it is believed he was held in the round tower.

Jerome, his good friend, upon hearing of his plight and wanting to fulfill an earlier commitment that he had made, came here to the city.

Upon his arrival he realized there was little he could do, and he turned to go home, but the alarm had been raised and he was chased down and thrown into prison as well.

The Council of Constance was in full swing, with over 18, 000 ranking clergy here to settle the papal schism.

Such was the moral bankruptcy of the church at the time though that in addition to them there were also 1, 500 prostitutes here as well.

[♪ music ♪ Both were brought to this church at different times and with vastly different experiences.

Series

The Great Controversy

03 An Era of Spiritual Darkness

Transcript

Description

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

The Great Controversy

10 Progress of Reform in Germany

4m

The Great Controversy

42 The Controversy Ended

6m

Lineage: Season 2

Episode 48: Loma Linda University

5m

Space Travel Coming

26m

Lineage: Season 2

Episode 13: Hiram Edson- The Theological Birthplace

5m

The Great Controversy

41 Desolation of the Earth

5m

The Great Controversy

15 The Bible & The French Revolution

8m

Lineage: Season 2

Episode 6: The Potato Preachers

4m

Lineage Season 3: Creation to Kings

Episode 06: Moses- The Passover & the Exodus

4m

Plenary Session

The Touch of Faith: Take Up Your Bed and Walk

1h 28m

Beekeeping Track

Basic Beekeeping Part 2

25m

Workshop: Abiding in Christ

The Armor Bearer

1h 7m

Sound Doctrine