When David
Asscherick came the other night
00:00:50.31\00:00:52.46
he mentioned that he wished
he had a little more time.
00:00:52.66\00:00:56.29
And so I knew the
speaker at 9:30 this morning
00:00:56.49\00:01:01.78
and it was me.
00:01:02.09\00:01:04.46
And so I said to
him: "If you really... "
00:01:05.40\00:01:07.28
I actually had my
sermon ready... and I did.
00:01:07.38\00:01:10.23
But I said: "It can wait; I
can preach it another time. "
00:01:10.53\00:01:12.90
But I said: "If you will
take that time, it's yours. "
00:01:13.20\00:01:17.60
And he said: 'Let me
see how things go tomorrow
00:01:17.84\00:01:21.86
and if I need
it I accept that. "
00:01:22.06\00:01:25.52
And he did.
Yesterday afternoon he said
00:01:25.82\00:01:27.92
"If that offer's
still there, I'll take it. "
00:01:28.12\00:01:30.84
And I said: "It's still there. "
00:01:31.04\00:01:32.44
So this morning he'll
be speaking in a little bit
00:01:32.65\00:01:35.02
on the very same
subject... on the covenants.
00:01:35.32\00:01:40.36
That gives us two
sessions with David this morning
00:01:40.56\00:01:43.26
and then the one that
he'll do this afternoon
00:01:43.56\00:01:45.97
or this evening. So
we are just really happy
00:01:47.12\00:01:50.08
that we can be here.
Study the Word of God;
00:01:50.28\00:01:52.56
feast upon it; and
praise the Lord's name
00:01:52.76\00:01:56.04
and enjoy some of the
good blessings of music
00:01:56.34\00:02:00.24
that come our way
during Camp Meeting.
00:02:00.64\00:02:03.76
And there's some wonderful
things in store for today...
00:02:04.06\00:02:07.14
some real blessings.
00:02:07.44\00:02:08.89
One of our favorites
is Danny's sister Tammy.
00:02:09.19\00:02:12.30
Tammy Chance. And she's going to
bring one of my favorite songs
00:02:12.60\00:02:17.34
right now: There Is A Savior.
00:02:17.54\00:02:21.18
I want to thank my
niece, Lisa, for playing for me.
00:02:21.38\00:02:25.27
She knows it's risky
business when she plays for me
00:02:25.47\00:02:27.78
because I might go off
onto some other song that
00:02:27.88\00:02:30.62
she's never heard and she'll
just have to keep going with me.
00:02:30.72\00:02:33.34
So... But she's very
talented and she can do that
00:02:33.54\00:02:37.14
and I trust her just to
follow me no matter where I go.
00:02:37.24\00:02:39.75
There is a Savior,
00:02:53.74\00:02:59.67
What joys express
00:03:00.69\00:03:06.66
His eyes are mercy
00:03:07.99\00:03:13.52
His word is rest
00:03:14.02\00:03:19.60
For each tomorrow
00:03:20.60\00:03:26.55
For yesterday
00:03:27.17\00:03:32.77
There is a Savior
00:03:33.41\00:03:39.30
who will light our way.
00:03:40.04\00:03:45.71
Are there burdens in your heart?
00:03:48.89\00:03:52.13
Is your past just a memory
00:03:52.53\00:03:55.47
that binds you?
00:03:55.68\00:04:00.98
And is there some pain
00:04:01.54\00:04:05.30
that you've carried
00:04:05.50\00:04:07.54
far too long?
00:04:07.74\00:04:13.12
Just open your heart
00:04:14.90\00:04:19.50
with His good news
00:04:19.80\00:04:25.28
There is a Savior
00:04:25.68\00:04:31.39
and He's forgiven you.
00:04:31.69\00:04:37.64
There is a Savior,
00:04:38.83\00:04:44.74
What joys express
00:04:45.32\00:04:51.14
His eyes are mercy
00:04:51.93\00:04:57.62
His word is rest
00:04:58.22\00:05:03.79
For each tomorrow
00:05:04.29\00:05:10.06
For yesterday
00:05:10.66\00:05:16.66
There is a Savior
00:05:17.39\00:05:23.26
who will light
00:05:23.96\00:05:25.85
our way...
00:05:26.25\00:05:32.23
There is
00:05:34.29\00:05:37.84
a Savior
00:05:38.05\00:05:41.87
who will light
00:05:42.27\00:05:45.26
our way.
00:05:45.66\00:05:51.63
Amen.
00:05:54.40\00:05:55.61
Amen. Thank you, Tammy.
00:05:55.91\00:05:58.07
That didn't sound too bad.
You stayed on the same song.
00:05:58.27\00:06:00.73
That's good. Isn't
that a beautiful song?
00:06:00.93\00:06:04.06
There Is A Savior.
00:06:04.46\00:06:05.69
What an incredible song and what
an incredible God that we serve!
00:06:05.90\00:06:09.28
Who would have
thought 21 years ago, Julia,
00:06:09.38\00:06:11.77
that you and I would be standing
here at 3ABN Camp Meeting?
00:06:11.97\00:06:14.58
Yeah, it's a miracle.
3ABN Russia is a miracle,
00:06:14.98\00:06:18.59
that's for sure.
Well, God is good.
00:06:18.79\00:06:20.42
We went there - and
for those that don't know -
00:06:20.63\00:06:22.48
in 1992 with Elder
John Carter and 3ABN.
00:06:22.68\00:06:25.73
Julia is a professor of English.
00:06:26.04\00:06:28.48
She has a
doctorate in linguistics.
00:06:28.68\00:06:30.84
And she had never really
heard anyone or met an American
00:06:31.14\00:06:34.28
or Australian because the city
was closed off to foreigners.
00:06:34.48\00:06:37.52
Nizhny Novgorod... where they
build their nuclear submarines,
00:06:37.72\00:06:42.38
their MiG jets,
all of these things.
00:06:42.58\00:06:43.88
And so it was closed
off for many many years.
00:06:44.18\00:06:46.72
And then we came, so
when she heard about it
00:06:47.03\00:06:49.05
she and many of the students
from the English language school
00:06:49.25\00:06:53.34
I think 2 or 3 thousand students
00:06:53.54\00:06:54.86
many of those came because
they wanted to hear English.
00:06:55.06\00:06:57.58
And Julia was one of those.
00:06:57.78\00:06:59.65
Gave her heart to the Lord
00:06:59.85\00:07:01.67
right about the end of
the series, right? Yes.
00:07:01.87\00:07:03.77
Yes. At the very end.
00:07:04.07\00:07:05.52
The last baptism. Her
brother was the governor
00:07:05.63\00:07:08.10
of Nizhny Novgorod.
That really helped a lot.
00:07:08.30\00:07:11.08
He's been such a
great blessing to us.
00:07:11.22\00:07:12.76
But to see what's happened
and the changes in Russia
00:07:12.96\00:07:15.82
from baptizing 2,532 people
00:07:16.02\00:07:19.12
in a church where that
whole area - Adventist church -
00:07:19.42\00:07:22.79
it would only
hold 200 or 225 people
00:07:23.00\00:07:25.75
and then to baptize 2,532...
The conference officials said:
00:07:26.15\00:07:31.45
"We're glad that you came...
" They met with me and John
00:07:31.55\00:07:34.64
Carter and they said:
"We're glad that you came
00:07:34.74\00:07:36.28
but you've given
us a big problem.
00:07:36.48\00:07:38.11
We have a church that
will only hold 200 people
00:07:38.31\00:07:41.20
and you've just
baptized 2,532 people
00:07:41.40\00:07:45.82
and what are we going to do? "
00:07:46.22\00:07:47.52
So we said: "Well,
let's pray about it. "
00:07:47.73\00:07:49.70
And over the next few
days before we left we found
00:07:49.90\00:07:52.69
the pastors had
found this huge property.
00:07:52.89\00:07:55.10
But it was an abandoned
property... never finished.
00:07:55.30\00:07:57.86
So we decided to do it
and the Lord has blessed.
00:07:58.07\00:08:00.11
Now we built the greatest
I am told, Elder Carter says
00:08:00.31\00:08:02.83
it is the greatest,
largest Protestant facility
00:08:03.03\00:08:06.08
in all the ex-Soviet Union.
It's probably 250,00 sq. ft.
00:08:06.28\00:08:09.51
Huge. You could put
all of our buildings here
00:08:09.71\00:08:11.44
in that one in Russia.
00:08:11.54\00:08:13.53
And God has
blessed and it's paid for.
00:08:13.73\00:08:15.58
But Julia Outkina. She
started as a translator.
00:08:15.78\00:08:18.15
We hired her. She
was making $15 a month
00:08:18.18\00:08:21.09
as a professor at that time.
00:08:21.30\00:08:23.11
That'd give you an idea
of what the wages were like
00:08:23.21\00:08:25.19
and Russian lifestyle.
00:08:25.29\00:08:26.73
So I said: "We'll
give you $25 a month. "
00:08:26.93\00:08:30.69
And she said: "Oh, no. "
00:08:30.82\00:08:31.92
And this is what I could
not believe 'cause that would be
00:08:32.22\00:08:35.04
almost doubling
her wages, right?
00:08:35.14\00:08:36.88
She said: "Oh, no.
If I work for the world
00:08:37.18\00:08:40.66
for $15 I would never
charge $25 to work for the Lord.
00:08:40.87\00:08:46.84
I'd just feel honored" she said.
00:08:46.94\00:08:48.56
So Julia came
on; she's been here.
00:08:48.96\00:08:51.01
She started as a
translator with John Kantor
00:08:51.11\00:08:53.32
and for the several years
it took to build this place.
00:08:53.62\00:08:56.77
Then we asked her to be
the director, and she has
00:08:56.97\00:08:59.59
been an
incredible, incredible...
00:08:59.79\00:09:01.79
shown incredible leadership.
00:09:01.82\00:09:03.83
And I just said backstage...
Jim Gilley said: "I've heard you
00:09:03.89\00:09:06.12
say that. " He said:
"Now Julia, Danny says
00:09:06.23\00:09:09.22
this when you're not around.
" Of all the people I ever met
00:09:09.42\00:09:11.76
on planet earth I
don't have any more respect
00:09:11.86\00:09:13.86
for anyone than I do
you, Julia. And I say that
00:09:14.07\00:09:16.56
because I see Jesus in you
and have for all these years.
00:09:16.66\00:09:19.15
It's only the
Lord... I am nothing.
00:09:19.55\00:09:21.54
I know this
better than anyone else.
00:09:21.74\00:09:23.45
Tell us what's
happening now. I know we've got
00:09:23.66\00:09:25.39
some video, too, so update us.
00:09:25.49\00:09:27.26
I would like to start
with my own perspective
00:09:28.56\00:09:32.64
of what has been
happening in Russia
00:09:32.84\00:09:34.49
these past 20+ years.
00:09:34.70\00:09:37.80
I praise the Lord for
the wonderful dedication
00:09:39.16\00:09:42.71
that He is putting
into the hearts of Danny,
00:09:42.91\00:09:46.13
of Pastor Jim Gilley,
of a lot of people here.
00:09:46.33\00:09:50.57
I'm sure that only due to this
00:09:50.97\00:09:53.89
due to all of you who
are present and those who are
00:09:54.09\00:09:56.97
watching us now, this
miracle of Russia is happening.
00:09:57.37\00:10:00.98
The Lord is a big orchestrator
00:10:01.18\00:10:03.85
so He orchestrated that the
US is a very well off country
00:10:04.05\00:10:08.05
and there is freedom
including religious freedom.
00:10:08.45\00:10:11.45
And so He led you to the
wonderful truths of the Bible
00:10:11.65\00:10:15.45
and then He gave you
this missionary spirit.
00:10:15.65\00:10:18.46
You know, even before 3ABN
Russia started Pastor Jim Gilley
00:10:18.66\00:10:21.87
went to the former Soviet Union
with his family to the Ukraine.
00:10:22.08\00:10:26.59
He baptized in the 1990's
they say about 16,000 people
00:10:26.83\00:10:31.30
and 26 churches started.
00:10:31.60\00:10:33.73
And I'm thinking this
probably laid the foundation
00:10:33.93\00:10:36.68
with the authorities.
They saw how good it is...
00:10:36.89\00:10:39.45
how well needed by the people.
00:10:39.48\00:10:43.40
And then when in 1992
Pastor John Carter responded to
00:10:43.60\00:10:49.44
the Lord's calling
and came to Russia.
00:10:49.64\00:10:51.51
You know, and then Danny Shelton
had the vision that 3ABN should
00:10:51.91\00:10:56.10
go worldwide. It was
dangerous to go to Russia
00:10:56.30\00:10:59.20
at that time, but Danny Shelton,
00:10:59.40\00:11:01.35
3ABN's crew joined them there.
00:11:01.56\00:11:06.39
And then Danny
had the vision that
00:11:06.59\00:11:08.97
all these big amount of people
need a place where to meet.
00:11:09.17\00:11:12.79
The conference needs
headquarters and, of course,
00:11:12.99\00:11:15.05
you wanted 3ABN Russia to start.
00:11:15.16\00:11:17.14
So this huge Protestant facility
which we are talking about...
00:11:17.34\00:11:20.73
now probably it is the
biggest in Europe, this is what
00:11:20.94\00:11:23.76
I think... so
this is how it started.
00:11:23.87\00:11:26.29
And today we have a video.
It is a report on year 2013
00:11:26.53\00:11:32.49
but it gives the
highlights how the Lord wants us
00:11:32.72\00:11:35.40
to expand even more than we
are distributing our programs
00:11:35.60\00:11:39.63
now. There are 270,000,000
Russian-speaking people
00:11:39.83\00:11:44.71
in the world, and this is what
3ABN Russia is doing for them.
00:11:44.81\00:11:48.85
The Bible says: "In those days
ten men from all the nations
00:12:10.25\00:12:14.43
will grasp the
garment of a Jew... "
00:12:14.63\00:12:16.76
and we make comment here saying
00:12:16.96\00:12:18.48
the garment of a
true believer in Christ...
00:12:18.68\00:12:20.66
"and will say
'let us go with you
00:12:20.96\00:12:23.43
for we have heard
that God is with you. ' "
00:12:23.73\00:12:26.45
Judging by the response
that 3ABN gets from its viewers
00:12:26.75\00:12:30.44
and listeners worldwide
we can say that this prophecy
00:12:30.54\00:12:34.21
of the book of Zechariah
is being fulfilled in our day.
00:12:34.31\00:12:37.86
Here are some most
recent letters and e-mails
00:12:38.20\00:12:40.85
that 3ABN Russia has received.
00:12:41.05\00:12:43.24
Decitia from Ukraine writes:
00:12:43.48\00:12:45.89
"I deeply appreciate your
ministry of spreading God's Word
00:12:46.19\00:12:50.04
all across the world. "
00:12:50.24\00:12:51.64
Wyham from a Muslim region
of the former Soviet Union says:
00:12:51.84\00:12:55.36
"It is so amazing and
instructive what you present.
00:12:55.56\00:12:58.65
You are helping us to understand
the Word of the true God. "
00:12:58.95\00:13:02.37
Lina Netanika from
Nyet, Siberia, emphasizes:
00:13:02.77\00:13:06.65
"It is so important that
through you everyone can hear
00:13:06.85\00:13:10.14
the Word of God. Praise God! "
00:13:10.24\00:13:12.08
Every week we get
around 100 letters
00:13:12.76\00:13:15.74
from Russian-speaking
people from all over the world.
00:13:15.94\00:13:18.37
Besides Russia and the countries
of the former Soviet Union
00:13:18.67\00:13:21.96
it is the US, Germany,
Israel, Greece, India, Belgium,
00:13:22.16\00:13:26.76
Portugal, Czech Republic,
France, Finland, Taiwan,
00:13:26.96\00:13:30.21
the United Kingdom,
and other countries.
00:13:30.41\00:13:32.82
Our viewers watch our programs
00:13:33.12\00:13:35.40
through satellite broadcasting
00:13:35.50\00:13:36.79
on TBN Russia, CNL,
00:13:36.90\00:13:38.87
Hope Channel of the Euro-Asia
00:13:39.07\00:13:40.48
Division and a secular satellite
00:13:40.58\00:13:43.17
Channel of Moscow Scholnik.
00:13:43.37\00:13:45.31
They listen to our radio
00:13:45.51\00:13:46.95
programs on Family Radio
00:13:47.05\00:13:48.83
and New Life Satellite Channels.
00:13:49.03\00:13:50.77
Our TV programs are broadcast
00:13:50.97\00:13:53.46
by about 80 regional full-power
00:13:53.66\00:13:55.53
television stations and about 40
00:13:55.64\00:13:57.89
radio stations
00:13:57.99\00:13:59.19
and by 3ABN's 24-hour Internet
00:13:59.39\00:14:01.94
television and radio streaming.
00:14:02.14\00:14:03.79
And all this is being possible
only through the generosity of
00:14:04.19\00:14:08.42
your support our dear
viewers and listeners.
00:14:08.62\00:14:11.75
Today we'd like to update you
on tremendous Lord's blessings
00:14:12.25\00:14:16.21
of 3ABN Russia in 2013.
00:14:16.41\00:14:19.00
This year we are transferring
to a new high-definition
00:14:20.21\00:14:23.70
format of taping
of our TV programs.
00:14:23.73\00:14:26.52
3ABN started re-equipping us
00:14:26.83\00:14:29.19
as a gift for
our 20th anniversary.
00:14:29.39\00:14:32.02
It was a new video
mixer that they gave us.
00:14:32.32\00:14:35.25
And in Spring of this year
3ABN made an advanced payment
00:14:35.45\00:14:39.43
for our four new
high definition cameras.
00:14:39.63\00:14:42.24
Part of this advanced
payment has been reimbursed
00:14:42.54\00:14:45.52
due to your support but
the bigger part still awaits
00:14:45.72\00:14:49.53
its reimbursement. With
the new equipment in place
00:14:49.74\00:14:53.06
we are planning to
prepare a big enough library
00:14:53.26\00:14:56.27
of high definition programs
00:14:56.47\00:14:58.01
by the beginning of 2015...
00:14:58.22\00:15:00.52
by which time Russian TV
is supposed to transfer to
00:15:00.72\00:15:04.38
high definition broadcasting.
00:15:04.58\00:15:06.26
On April 26, 2013,
00:15:06.67\00:15:09.54
the Lord gave us
another blessing.
00:15:09.84\00:15:12.01
3ABN Russia was registered
by the Russian government
00:15:12.32\00:15:15.46
as a mass media channel.
00:15:15.66\00:15:17.54
Before this we were
registered as a TV program.
00:15:17.84\00:15:20.82
Being registered as
a mass media channel
00:15:21.22\00:15:23.64
has allowed us to apply
for a broadcasting license
00:15:23.84\00:15:26.80
which we immediately did.
And here is another miracle.
00:15:27.00\00:15:30.46
On July 22 we were
given a broadcasting license.
00:15:30.66\00:15:34.18
If only the means
allowed, 3ABN Russia could go to
00:15:34.58\00:15:38.47
satellite broadcasting 24/7 now.
00:15:38.57\00:15:41.53
We hope and pray that to
let more people hear and grasp
00:15:41.83\00:15:45.60
the Word of God He
will bless the possibility
00:15:45.80\00:15:48.76
of opening 3ABN Russia
24-hour satellite broadcasting.
00:15:48.86\00:15:53.74
Year 2013 is the year of
the completion of our new studio
00:15:55.55\00:16:00.09
that was made due to
reconstruction of office space
00:16:00.29\00:16:03.81
on the upper floor.
00:16:04.01\00:16:05.17
This will be a permanent
set for our new flagship program
00:16:05.37\00:16:08.68
Visiting with 3ABN Russia.
00:16:08.88\00:16:10.91
And we have
almost finished the set.
00:16:11.11\00:16:13.09
This year keeping up with
the concept that health message
00:16:15.55\00:16:19.32
is the right arm opening
the way to preaching the gospel
00:16:19.52\00:16:22.96
of salvation in Jesus Christ
a supporter of 3ABN Russia
00:16:23.06\00:16:26.97
has sponsored the development
of three programs on health
00:16:27.17\00:16:30.82
for different
categories of our viewers
00:16:31.02\00:16:33.28
plus some
reconstruction of studio space.
00:16:33.48\00:16:36.28
We have started taping
The Happy School of Health
00:16:36.48\00:16:39.30
for pre-school kids
and two other programs
00:16:39.50\00:16:42.59
are being intensely worked on.
00:16:42.79\00:16:44.63
A nutrition talk show
for women Seven With Spoons
00:16:44.83\00:16:47.99
and a doctor's
talk - Be Healthy -
00:16:48.19\00:16:50.44
with Christian testimonies
on how to cope with illnesses
00:16:50.64\00:16:54.18
physically and spiritually.
00:16:54.28\00:16:55.82
We've also
reconstructed carpenter's shop
00:16:56.12\00:16:58.89
to extend the
studio set storage area.
00:16:59.09\00:17:01.82
In 2013 two new series
for the youth have been born.
00:17:02.12\00:17:06.81
A video blog with short
testimonies for the Internet
00:17:07.11\00:17:10.42
users and a Pit-Stop series
taking the name from car racing.
00:17:10.52\00:17:15.51
Are you broken? Do you
need a repair to your thoughts?
00:17:15.71\00:17:18.64
Come talk to us...
we know how to help you
00:17:18.94\00:17:21.93
are the slogans in the
opening of each program.
00:17:22.34\00:17:25.43
We have made several of these
programs live on the Internet
00:17:26.11\00:17:29.51
which is another of our
new accomplishments in 2013.
00:17:29.71\00:17:33.52
High definition format
gives a very high precision to
00:17:34.77\00:17:38.11
the picture of
what is being taped.
00:17:38.21\00:17:40.40
So we plan on
improving the existing set
00:17:40.50\00:17:43.26
and graphics of our viewers'
long-time favorite theological
00:17:43.46\00:17:47.44
and testimonial
programs The Open Book,
00:17:47.64\00:17:50.27
Contrast of a Human Heart,
00:17:50.47\00:17:52.02
Mystery of Life, Face to Face.
00:17:52.22\00:17:54.58
There are social programs
that have enjoyed popularity
00:17:54.88\00:17:57.78
among our viewers that are
definitely worth being adapted
00:17:57.98\00:18:01.40
to the new format, too.
00:18:01.60\00:18:03.01
Those include
Let's Cook Together,
00:18:03.21\00:18:05.50
Challenging Established Beliefs,
00:18:05.70\00:18:07.53
Man and Woman He Created Them,
00:18:07.74\00:18:09.51
and My Character and Me.
00:18:09.71\00:18:11.26
Among other things we will work
on developing new brand features
00:18:11.76\00:18:15.40
including our
logo and a channel ID.
00:18:15.60\00:18:18.35
We keep promoting our broadcasts
on TV and radio stations
00:18:18.55\00:18:22.15
and on social
networks and try to get as many
00:18:22.35\00:18:25.67
church members as we
can involved in volunteering
00:18:25.87\00:18:28.77
making special
emphasis on the youth.
00:18:28.97\00:18:31.56
All these blessings that
we have witnessed this year
00:18:31.76\00:18:35.01
as well as through all
the 21 years of 3ABN Russia's
00:18:35.21\00:18:38.94
existence give us an
assurance that the Lord leads,
00:18:39.14\00:18:42.76
guides,
protects, and teaches us.
00:18:42.97\00:18:45.29
And during these years He
has been carefully leading,
00:18:45.69\00:18:49.26
guiding, and protecting
you dear supporters of 3ABN.
00:18:49.46\00:18:53.48
How much we all long
for that blessed moment
00:18:53.78\00:18:57.07
when He will bring us all
together and will say to each
00:18:57.27\00:19:01.14
one of us who have been
serving Him during these
00:19:01.24\00:19:04.05
difficult times on
this fallen planet:
00:19:04.15\00:19:06.59
"Well done good
and faithful servant.
00:19:06.89\00:19:09.94
Enter thou into
the joy of thy Lord. "
00:19:10.24\00:19:13.36
All right. We are continuing
to talk about the covenants.
00:19:14.82\00:19:17.47
I want to thank Pastor Gilley
for his gracious extension to me
00:19:17.57\00:19:20.72
to also have his time here.
And it's going to free us up
00:19:20.92\00:19:24.27
to continue to move
methodically through
00:19:24.47\00:19:26.96
our series on the covenants.
And we're going to have a
00:19:27.16\00:19:28.84
quick prayer and
we're going to get right...
00:19:28.95\00:19:30.29
We're just going to
pick up where we left off.
00:19:30.39\00:19:31.77
Is that all right?
00:19:32.07\00:19:33.10
OK. I've got three
presentations today,
00:19:33.19\00:19:35.69
and so I'm going to need
you to keep my voice in prayer.
00:19:35.89\00:19:38.12
I went to sleep last
night it was a little achy,
00:19:38.22\00:19:39.93
but I'm feeling great today.
00:19:40.03\00:19:41.06
Yeah? Let's pray together.
00:19:41.24\00:19:42.77
Father in heaven, You are worthy
00:19:44.70\00:19:47.34
and Jesus is worthy.
00:19:47.54\00:19:49.26
And it really is an
honor for us to be Your sons,
00:19:49.47\00:19:53.43
Your daughters,
and Your redeemed ones.
00:19:53.63\00:19:55.11
Father, we are working our way
through a picture of scripture,
00:19:56.00\00:20:00.17
through a
meta-narrative of scripture,
00:20:00.37\00:20:02.41
and we're building that meta-
narrative around the covenants.
00:20:02.62\00:20:05.31
And Father, too many of
us know the plan of salvation
00:20:06.17\00:20:09.72
but know precious
little about the covenant
00:20:09.75\00:20:11.92
and how the covenant
fits into that equation.
00:20:12.12\00:20:14.82
Father, as we unpack
this beautiful picture
00:20:16.30\00:20:19.02
of who You are and how You
have chosen to bring healing
00:20:19.22\00:20:23.25
and oneness back to
the family of man and thus
00:20:23.45\00:20:26.12
the family of God. The
prayer of my heart, Father,
00:20:26.22\00:20:29.16
is that You would melt
our hearts with Your goodness.
00:20:29.26\00:20:32.51
May we see a new glimpse
of the glory of Your grace.
00:20:32.61\00:20:36.65
May we sense anew that
the sum total of religion
00:20:36.85\00:20:41.69
is not duty and
obligation and responsibility.
00:20:41.80\00:20:44.76
It's the beauty of the Lord.
00:20:44.96\00:20:46.48
So Father, please teach us that.
00:20:46.79\00:20:48.59
May we as David
says there in Psalm 27
00:20:48.79\00:20:51.24
may we go in to the sanctuary,
may we go in to the temple
00:20:51.44\00:20:54.46
to behold the
beauty of the Lord.
00:20:54.66\00:20:57.20
Be with us now as
we seek to do that.
00:20:57.50\00:20:59.27
Send Your Spirit
into our hearts and minds
00:20:59.47\00:21:01.10
and may You
illumine us with freshness
00:21:01.41\00:21:05.03
is our prayer in Jesus'
name. Let everyone say "Amen. "
00:21:05.23\00:21:09.19
All right, we ended
our presentation yesterday
00:21:09.69\00:21:12.55
talking about... and maybe just
a quick review on everything.
00:21:12.75\00:21:16.07
We're talking
about the table of truth.
00:21:16.47\00:21:19.10
And the first piece that
we put on that table of truth
00:21:19.30\00:21:21.63
that is normative and non-
negotiable is that "God is...
00:21:21.73\00:21:24.25
love. " Very good.
Now God as a family -
00:21:24.45\00:21:27.50
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -
00:21:27.60\00:21:28.80
made a family in His
image and thus the family of God
00:21:28.90\00:21:31.68
was to be an
ever-expanding matrix of love
00:21:31.88\00:21:34.44
and other-centeredness.
So far so good?
00:21:34.64\00:21:36.73
But that trust, that
relationality, was... remember
00:21:37.23\00:21:41.27
the word we've been
using? It was broken.
00:21:41.37\00:21:43.97
And it was broken as we
saw yesterday in Genesis 3
00:21:44.17\00:21:46.53
because of Satan's
or the enemy's basic MO.
00:21:46.73\00:21:51.33
And the MO goes
something like this:
00:21:51.54\00:21:53.18
Based on Genesis 3- and we're
going to look at a couple other
00:21:54.22\00:21:56.43
vignettes here in a bit -
we see that Satan's basic MO,
00:21:56.53\00:22:00.20
the enemy's
basic modus operandi -
00:22:00.40\00:22:02.48
is an attack on God's
character which builds distrust.
00:22:02.78\00:22:06.68
OK. Let's say that together.
00:22:07.62\00:22:09.18
It's an attack
on God's character
00:22:09.38\00:22:12.00
that builds distrust. And
we talked about the tripod
00:22:12.20\00:22:15.27
of temptation. Number one:
God is restrictive and He's
00:22:15.47\00:22:18.42
withholding. Number
two: God is dishonest.
00:22:18.52\00:22:20.73
And number 3: The reason is
He's looking out for Himself.
00:22:20.83\00:22:22.96
God is
essentially self-centered.
00:22:23.67\00:22:25.63
And Satan capitalized on
the natural mystery that is God.
00:22:25.83\00:22:28.71
It's as if he said
when he was yet Lucifer:
00:22:29.01\00:22:31.38
"I've seen - inasmuch as
it's possible - behind the veil,
00:22:31.58\00:22:34.79
behind the curtain.
I'm concerned about what
00:22:34.99\00:22:37.11
I've seen there. Let me tell
you what God is really like.
00:22:37.21\00:22:39.26
I have access to information
that you do not yet have access
00:22:39.46\00:22:41.89
to. I was the covering cherub
00:22:41.99\00:22:43.64
and God is essentially
looking out for Himself.
00:22:43.84\00:22:46.63
God is self-centered. "
And when Eve began to believe
00:22:47.13\00:22:50.99
the lie about... By
the way, the New Testament
00:22:51.09\00:22:53.38
calls this: "the lie. "
00:22:53.58\00:22:55.04
Not just lies which are
sort of the result of the lie
00:22:55.24\00:22:59.45
"the lie" is the
lie about who God is.
00:22:59.65\00:23:04.23
And when Eve began to believe
"the lie, " the fundamental lie
00:23:04.43\00:23:07.62
that God is not what we
have been led to believe:
00:23:07.82\00:23:10.21
that's He's not gracious;
that He's not magnanimous;
00:23:10.41\00:23:12.03
not munificent; that
He's none of those things
00:23:12.13\00:23:13.82
in fact He's either a distant
bureaucrat or a despotic tyrant
00:23:14.12\00:23:17.73
and He is not to be trusted.
00:23:17.93\00:23:19.79
Well if God is not to be
trusted well all of a sudden
00:23:19.99\00:23:22.40
it's every man for himself.
00:23:22.50\00:23:23.82
And Eve now, looking out
for her own best interest
00:23:24.02\00:23:26.83
because she's been led to
believe this is the nature
00:23:27.03\00:23:28.84
of reality... God is
looking out for Himself.
00:23:28.94\00:23:30.96
The serpent here is
looking out for himself
00:23:30.99\00:23:32.42
and even kindly extending
his hand: "Hey, I'm trying to
00:23:32.72\00:23:35.08
help you out as well.
If you know what's good,
00:23:35.18\00:23:36.66
you'll start looking out
for yourself. " She takes the
00:23:36.76\00:23:38.77
fruit. She gives to
her husband and he eats.
00:23:38.87\00:23:40.74
And the point here
that we made last night
00:23:40.94\00:23:42.68
is that the eating of the fruit
00:23:42.88\00:23:44.24
was the last
part of the situation.
00:23:44.44\00:23:46.88
Does that make sense?
00:23:47.18\00:23:48.31
The problem with the
eating of the fruit...
00:23:48.62\00:23:49.96
this is simply communicating
a fundamental disbelief
00:23:50.26\00:23:54.49
in what God had said
and who God is as a good God
00:23:54.59\00:23:57.50
and a fundamental belief in
the picture that Satan had just
00:23:57.73\00:24:00.91
painted of who God is.
00:24:01.01\00:24:02.29
And the sin followed
a false picture of God.
00:24:02.59\00:24:06.18
Once distrust had been
built up sin followed logically
00:24:06.48\00:24:10.02
and even perhaps necessarily.
00:24:10.23\00:24:11.91
Are we together everyone?
00:24:12.31\00:24:13.51
That brings us more
or less up to speed.
00:24:13.81\00:24:15.44
Now I've got a quote
here I want to read to you.
00:24:15.55\00:24:17.87
This is from the book The
Great Controversy page 569.
00:24:18.07\00:24:20.81
And notice what
it says. It says:
00:24:21.11\00:24:23.86
Now let's just
pause there for a moment.
00:24:29.49\00:24:31.12
Can you remember that?
"It is Satan's constant effort
00:24:31.52\00:24:33.53
to misrepresent
the character of God. "
00:24:33.63\00:24:34.72
Could we say that together?
00:24:34.92\00:24:35.98
"It is Satan's constant effort
00:24:36.28\00:24:37.31
to misrepresent
the character of God. "
00:24:37.34\00:24:41.66
OK. So I don't know if Satan
sleeps like you and I sleep.
00:24:41.96\00:24:44.63
But to use the
analogy: if he sleeps,
00:24:44.83\00:24:47.31
when he wakes up in the morning
his to-do list has 1 item on it.
00:24:47.51\00:24:50.89
Right? You wake up and you
have a to... I've got to do this
00:24:52.24\00:24:54.17
this this this this this
this this. When Satan wakes up
00:24:54.27\00:24:56.68
he says: "What do
I have to do today?
00:24:56.78\00:24:57.81
Oh! To misrepresent
the character of God. "
00:24:57.84\00:25:00.47
Right. That is
his constant effort.
00:25:00.87\00:25:03.49
Now let's go
back. How does he do so?
00:25:03.69\00:25:05.17
Now watch what he does.
00:25:14.07\00:25:15.10
Now here's the real tricky...
this is the switcheroo:
00:25:23.67\00:25:26.08
So Satan's constant
effort is to - number one -
00:25:32.92\00:25:35.75
misrepresent the character
of God. And once God's character
00:25:35.95\00:25:37.97
has been misrepresented
the natural response
00:25:38.07\00:25:41.18
is to regard Him with
fear and even with hate
00:25:41.38\00:25:45.23
rather than with the
love that He deserves.
00:25:45.43\00:25:47.18
So don't miss the point again.
00:25:47.48\00:25:48.51
Sin and rebellion
followed a false picture of God.
00:25:48.82\00:25:52.27
Satan's not just
out to get you to sin.
00:25:52.67\00:25:54.96
Sin will follow
logically and even necessarily
00:25:55.06\00:25:57.86
from getting you to believe that
God is not good and gracious
00:25:58.06\00:26:01.49
and awesome and beautiful.
00:26:01.69\00:26:03.19
Now in the context
of Adam and Eve here -
00:26:03.59\00:26:06.10
let's just spend
a moment on that -
00:26:06.30\00:26:07.46
in that context, the moment
that Adam and Eve sinned...
00:26:07.67\00:26:10.09
Let's just go back
to Genesis chapter 3.
00:26:10.19\00:26:12.70
Let's just spend a moment there.
00:26:12.80\00:26:14.25
You will remember the
significance of the word so
00:26:16.26\00:26:19.33
in verse 6. "So... " On
the basis of the foregone
00:26:19.53\00:26:23.28
foregoing case that the
serpent has built against God...
00:26:23.48\00:26:28.41
So on the basis of this
00:26:28.61\00:26:30.91
"when the woman saw that
the tree was good for food,
00:26:31.11\00:26:33.11
that it was pleasant to the eyes
and a tree desirable to make one
00:26:33.31\00:26:35.32
wise, she took
of its fruit and ate
00:26:35.42\00:26:37.00
and gave also to her husband
who was with her and he ate.
00:26:37.30\00:26:40.20
Then the eyes of
both of them were opened
00:26:40.44\00:26:42.34
and they knew
that they were naked.
00:26:42.55\00:26:44.67
And they sewed fig leaves
together and made themselves
00:26:44.87\00:26:46.35
coverings. " Now
let's just pause here.
00:26:46.45\00:26:47.69
This idea that they
knew that they were naked
00:26:48.19\00:26:50.06
is actually part of the
very narrative that Moses has
00:26:50.27\00:26:53.62
been writing. Because if
you go look at the last verse
00:26:53.72\00:26:56.14
of Genesis chapter 2...
Now remember, the versification
00:26:56.34\00:26:58.50
chapterization
was added much later.
00:26:58.70\00:27:00.01
So the narrative flows
from... Look at Genesis 2:25.
00:27:00.31\00:27:02.66
It says: "And
they were both naked...
00:27:03.06\00:27:05.04
and they were both
naked, the man and his wife,
00:27:05.24\00:27:07.37
and they were
not... " What? "ashamed. "
00:27:07.57\00:27:09.84
So there was an innocence there.
00:27:09.94\00:27:11.22
There was an
unashamedness there.
00:27:11.32\00:27:13.70
So hear what it says that
"they knew they were naked"
00:27:13.90\00:27:16.78
is indicating a change...
a change from innocence
00:27:16.98\00:27:19.88
to guilt. A change from being
unashamed to being ashamed.
00:27:20.08\00:27:23.68
So far so good?
00:27:24.40\00:27:25.52
And then it says here in verse 8
00:27:25.72\00:27:27.44
"They heard the sound of the
Lord God walking in the garden
00:27:27.64\00:27:29.93
in the cool of the day.
And Adam and his wife... "
00:27:30.13\00:27:32.07
What do they do?
"They hid themselves
00:27:32.17\00:27:35.01
from the presence of
the Lord God among the
00:27:35.21\00:27:36.95
trees of the garden. "
Now there are some subtle...
00:27:37.05\00:27:39.13
very significant subtleties
that we have to pick up here.
00:27:39.33\00:27:41.88
And I think
I've got a slide here
00:27:41.98\00:27:43.01
to sort of communicate this.
00:27:43.08\00:27:44.33
There are five basic
things - there they are -
00:27:44.43\00:27:47.63
there are five basic things that
Adam and Eve began to experience
00:27:47.83\00:27:50.31
and each follows sort of
logically and sequentially
00:27:50.51\00:27:52.66
from the other. The first thing
that they experience is shame.
00:27:52.76\00:27:55.74
We'll go through
each of these in a bit.
00:27:55.94\00:27:57.52
Let me just go
over them quickly here:
00:27:57.62\00:27:58.96
OK, so those are our things.
00:28:04.42\00:28:05.86
Shame. First of all,
the shame that they feel,
00:28:06.06\00:28:09.29
and this is
crucially important...
00:28:09.39\00:28:10.63
when they hear the sound of the
Lord God walking in the garden
00:28:10.84\00:28:13.24
in the cool of the day, what
is their natural instinct now?
00:28:13.34\00:28:17.34
What? What? They feel the
shame and they hear the sound
00:28:17.88\00:28:21.40
of God walking in the garden.
00:28:21.50\00:28:22.56
What is their
natural instinct to do?
00:28:22.96\00:28:26.47
What do they want
to do instinctively?
00:28:26.57\00:28:28.13
They want to run
and hide and cover.
00:28:28.53\00:28:30.71
Right? Now moments before...
before this false picture of God
00:28:31.02\00:28:35.27
had been placed into
their hard drive so to speak
00:28:35.47\00:28:37.58
their natural
inclination would have been what
00:28:37.78\00:28:39.74
when they heard the voice of the
Lord God walking in the garden?
00:28:39.84\00:28:41.70
Yes... to run TO God.
00:28:42.00\00:28:43.46
Right. So they
would have run to God
00:28:43.66\00:28:45.37
in innocence and unashamedness.
00:28:45.58\00:28:47.13
But now: "Oh, we've got to go. "
00:28:47.23\00:28:49.45
Now here's the subtle point.
00:28:49.65\00:28:51.46
They assume... Oh! They what?
00:28:51.76\00:28:55.41
What word did I say?
And you all know the saying
00:28:55.61\00:28:57.50
about assume, and I'm
not going to say it here.
00:28:57.60\00:28:59.07
They assume
that... watch this...
00:29:00.67\00:29:04.09
the shame and guilt
that they are feeling
00:29:04.29\00:29:07.06
is a reflection of
God's attitude toward them.
00:29:07.26\00:29:09.98
Oh... that's why they're afraid.
00:29:11.19\00:29:12.86
Don't miss that.
00:29:14.06\00:29:15.30
They assume that the shame and
guilt and the need for covering
00:29:15.70\00:29:19.29
that they are feeling
is actually a reflection
00:29:19.49\00:29:22.35
of reality of God toward them.
00:29:22.55\00:29:24.67
And so what do you
do? We don't run toward
00:29:24.97\00:29:27.04
embarrassing, difficult,
and guilt-ridden situations.
00:29:27.14\00:29:29.59
We flee from those.
They think they're fleeing
00:29:29.79\00:29:32.72
from God's anger
and wrath against them
00:29:32.82\00:29:35.67
when in reality God has come
into the garden for a single
00:29:35.87\00:29:38.97
reason. Do you know
why God has come down?
00:29:39.08\00:29:42.40
He has come down to
assure them of the good news
00:29:43.50\00:29:46.47
that a way of
escape has been made.
00:29:46.67\00:29:47.94
In fact, that's
exactly what happens.
00:29:48.89\00:29:50.15
As soon as we get to
Genesis 3:15 God is...
00:29:50.35\00:29:52.30
He does have some questions.
00:29:52.60\00:29:53.70
"Who told you that you
were naked? " "Have you eaten
00:29:53.80\00:29:54.87
of the tree? " "What is
this that you have done? "
00:29:54.97\00:29:56.30
He has some questions,
but the reason is He wants to
00:29:56.41\00:29:58.84
bring them to the point of
realization so that He can say
00:29:58.94\00:30:01.77
"A way of
escape has been made. "
00:30:01.97\00:30:03.40
And then Genesis
3:15... "The enmity will come.
00:30:03.60\00:30:06.11
His heel will be bruised
00:30:07.97\00:30:09.65
but Satan's head will
ultimately be crushed. "
00:30:09.75\00:30:11.96
He has come into the
garden to announce the good news
00:30:12.98\00:30:15.45
of deliverance from the very
situation in which you are in
00:30:15.65\00:30:18.20
but they mistakenly assume...
00:30:18.40\00:30:20.67
They mistakenly what's
our word again everyone?
00:30:21.07\00:30:23.10
Assume that the shame and
guilt that they are feeling
00:30:23.30\00:30:26.74
is actually a reflection
of the attitude of God
00:30:26.84\00:30:28.91
toward them. But they
could not have been any...
00:30:29.01\00:30:31.04
In fact, God's heart would
have gone out even more to them
00:30:31.24\00:30:35.89
in tender sympathy because
now they were in a situation
00:30:36.09\00:30:38.43
of need that they
formerly had not been in.
00:30:38.53\00:30:40.32
Now just put
yourself in that situation.
00:30:41.39\00:30:43.50
They transition from
shame to fear, right?
00:30:43.70\00:30:47.64
The natural... If you
believe that God is a tyrant
00:30:47.88\00:30:51.10
or if you believe that God -
00:30:51.30\00:30:52.35
who possesses all of
this power - and clearly
00:30:52.46\00:30:54.12
He possesses
power... He made you -
00:30:54.22\00:30:55.82
but the moment you
begin to believe that God is
00:30:56.02\00:30:57.88
fundamentally selfish and
looking out for His own best
00:30:57.98\00:31:00.94
interests He is
someone to be afraid of.
00:31:01.04\00:31:03.79
And not "afraid of"
in the Biblical sense:
00:31:03.99\00:31:05.67
"Fear God and give glory to Him"
00:31:05.77\00:31:06.98
but in the terrified sense.
00:31:07.18\00:31:08.88
Right? Is there a kind
of Hitler? A kind of Stalin
00:31:10.00\00:31:13.31
or Mussolini on the
throne of the universe?
00:31:13.52\00:31:15.59
Is that the universe that
we've been birthed into here?
00:31:15.79\00:31:17.89
And so you can see how if
you believe that about God
00:31:18.09\00:31:20.71
fear is an appropriate response!
00:31:20.91\00:31:23.20
Well not only fear... they
run. And the next instinct is
00:31:24.17\00:31:27.41
complete self-reliance...
complete self-dependence.
00:31:27.51\00:31:29.93
The instinct is
to cover themselves.
00:31:30.23\00:31:32.54
They sensed that there was
a nakedness. That an innocence
00:31:32.64\00:31:35.58
had been lost.
And so they transition
00:31:35.68\00:31:37.63
not to dependence
on God and His goodness
00:31:37.83\00:31:40.21
and His creational freedom.
"Of every tree of the garden
00:31:40.41\00:31:43.59
you may freely eat. " And
we talked about that yesterday.
00:31:43.69\00:31:45.91
God's default mode in
ruling the universe...
00:31:46.58\00:31:49.67
God's default mode as a parent
is not toward prohibitionism
00:31:49.87\00:31:52.94
but toward freedom!
00:31:53.15\00:31:54.49
And I mentioned that I am
trying to model my own parenting
00:31:54.79\00:31:57.17
after that. I say
to my boys: "Boys,
00:31:57.27\00:31:59.08
assume the answer is yes.
00:31:59.28\00:32:01.44
If you want to do
something - anything -
00:32:01.84\00:32:04.95
assume that my answer
and my response will be yes.
00:32:05.15\00:32:08.14
It will only be no if
the thing you want to do
00:32:08.34\00:32:10.33
will be harmful
either to you or to others. "
00:32:10.53\00:32:12.37
But my default condition
is not going to be toward
00:32:12.57\00:32:15.51
prohibition... it's
going to be toward freedom.
00:32:15.61\00:32:17.37
Are we together everyone?
00:32:19.18\00:32:20.21
We see that right
in the Garden of Eden.
00:32:20.29\00:32:21.46
"Hey, of every
tree you may freely eat.
00:32:21.67\00:32:23.32
Of all of these... perhaps
thousands or tens of thousands
00:32:23.35\00:32:26.65
of trees you may
freely eat but just the one. "
00:32:26.85\00:32:29.23
So God is big on freedom
and He's narrow on restriction.
00:32:29.63\00:32:32.99
He wants your happiness more
00:32:33.30\00:32:34.99
than you want
your own happiness.
00:32:35.09\00:32:36.20
Are we together everyone?
00:32:36.30\00:32:37.33
OK. So... but now, rather
than relying on God's goodness
00:32:37.61\00:32:41.14
and His creational magnanimity
00:32:41.34\00:32:43.89
they: "Oh, I've got to
watch out for myself now
00:32:44.09\00:32:46.54
and I'm going to cover myself. "
00:32:46.64\00:32:48.70
And then of course
hiding is the next response.
00:32:48.90\00:32:50.70
Right? Hiding from God.
Now when God finally comes
00:32:51.10\00:32:53.96
and you know the
rubber meets the road -
00:32:54.16\00:32:56.66
so to speak - the next
instinct is right back to
00:32:56.86\00:33:00.96
self-preservation, right?
00:33:01.06\00:33:03.46
"Adam, what are you?
What's going on, buddy? "
00:33:03.66\00:33:06.18
Exactly. It's blaming, isn't it?
00:33:06.48\00:33:08.36
It's... "Well, the
woman that You... "
00:33:08.56\00:33:10.39
Well you mean the woman -
the very woman that just moments
00:33:10.59\00:33:13.03
ago - and this is a
critical, important piece in the
00:33:13.13\00:33:15.18
New Testament. Paul says
that Adam was not deceived.
00:33:15.28\00:33:19.20
Eve was deceived.
00:33:19.40\00:33:20.44
And that's crucially important
because Eve was literally
00:33:20.64\00:33:23.99
lulled into a kind of
inebriation because of the
00:33:24.19\00:33:26.78
sophistry of Satan.
But Adam knew full well
00:33:26.88\00:33:29.45
what he was doing. Where
Eve fell blindly into the sin
00:33:29.55\00:33:33.13
Adam stepped
intelligently into it.
00:33:33.33\00:33:35.11
I don't mean to suggest it
was an intelligent decision
00:33:35.51\00:33:37.61
but only that he
was in full possession
00:33:37.71\00:33:38.96
of his mental faculties.
00:33:39.06\00:33:40.30
Yeah... you with me on that?
00:33:40.50\00:33:41.79
And so fascinatingly here
when God questions him about it,
00:33:42.09\00:33:46.57
when God says: "Hey,
what was this about? "
00:33:46.80\00:33:49.12
the larger guilt here
rests on Adam's shoulders
00:33:50.39\00:33:53.98
because Adam knew
full well what he had done.
00:33:54.18\00:33:56.29
Right? "For him that
knows to do good and does it not
00:33:56.59\00:33:58.59
to him it is sin. " Eve
had... She had done wrong.
00:33:58.79\00:34:00.94
Don't get me wrong.
But she had been lulled.
00:34:01.04\00:34:02.60
She had been deceived
into wrongdoing where Adam
00:34:02.80\00:34:04.80
stepped willingly into it.
00:34:04.90\00:34:06.09
So far so good?
00:34:06.93\00:34:08.03
And so He does
ask some questions.
00:34:08.23\00:34:09.95
"Hey, what about this? What
about this? What about this? "
00:34:10.15\00:34:11.90
And Adam's
instantaneous response
00:34:12.10\00:34:14.96
is to self-preservation, right?
00:34:15.07\00:34:17.84
The very woman that moments
ago "I can't live without you,
00:34:17.97\00:34:20.64
Eve. I will step into
the vast abyss of the unknown
00:34:20.74\00:34:23.94
against the will of God.
" And then now he's like:
00:34:24.14\00:34:25.92
"Well it was her! "
00:34:26.02\00:34:27.24
"If it hadn't been for
this chick I would have never
00:34:27.54\00:34:30.16
done that. " Right? And
by the way, this is the way
00:34:30.26\00:34:32.53
that worldly love works.
Worldly love works exactly
00:34:32.63\00:34:34.55
like that. "I can't live without
you; I can't live without you. "
00:34:34.59\00:34:36.75
And then instantaneously:
"I can't live with you...
00:34:36.85\00:34:38.24
who are you? What
are you doing here? "
00:34:38.34\00:34:39.38
Right? And we
mentioned this the other day.
00:34:40.55\00:34:42.25
When you go into a
marriage and you're in an almost
00:34:42.45\00:34:46.05
prenuptial sense
seeking to guard your ways
00:34:46.15\00:34:49.29
and your ideas and
you're basically thinking
00:34:49.50\00:34:52.66
in terms of self-preservation,
00:34:52.86\00:34:54.19
and you have someone else
going into a partnership...
00:34:54.39\00:34:56.37
This is hardly a partnership.
00:34:57.33\00:34:59.03
Right? Where they're primarily
thinking of their own best
00:34:59.23\00:35:01.58
interests and they're
looking out for themselves...
00:35:01.68\00:35:04.03
this is not a
marriage. This is a war.
00:35:04.23\00:35:06.42
It's basically a
ground acquisition war
00:35:07.42\00:35:11.60
that you've agreed to go
into for the rest of your life.
00:35:11.70\00:35:13.66
Right? "No... and it's mine... "
00:35:13.96\00:35:15.89
But if you go into a marriage
and you say: "You know what?
00:35:16.52\00:35:19.44
I'm going to be committed.
I will not likely be perfect
00:35:20.52\00:35:23.04
at it, but I'm going to
be committed to valuing you
00:35:23.14\00:35:26.04
and us over me. "
00:35:26.24\00:35:27.60
Did you get that?
00:35:28.78\00:35:30.23
"I am committed to
valuing you and us over me. "
00:35:30.53\00:35:33.91
And if you have two
people going into a "covenant"
00:35:34.11\00:35:36.64
with that same attitude, happi-
ness will be the end result.
00:35:36.84\00:35:40.94
It won't always be easy.
00:35:41.14\00:35:42.95
Amen? But happiness will
be the inevitable result.
00:35:43.16\00:35:46.27
I'm telling you: I've
been married now for 14 years
00:35:46.37\00:35:48.22
and I can tell you with
absolutely perfect transparency
00:35:48.42\00:35:52.08
that the love and
appreciation and even adoration
00:35:52.28\00:35:55.25
that I have and the deep
romance that I have with my wife
00:35:55.45\00:35:59.37
of 14 years is literally -
manifestly, manifold - greater
00:35:59.57\00:36:04.62
today in 2013 than it was
in 1999 when I married her.
00:36:04.82\00:36:08.55
Right? My appreciation of
her and my awareness of the kind
00:36:09.25\00:36:12.48
of person that she is.
I've seen her grow as a wife;
00:36:12.58\00:36:14.47
I've seen her grow as a mother;
I've seen her grow as a person.
00:36:14.67\00:36:16.93
I would give my
life for this woman.
00:36:17.13\00:36:20.05
Right? I would give
my life for this woman.
00:36:21.11\00:36:23.00
And I sense that she
would give her life for me.
00:36:23.10\00:36:25.28
Now that's the
easy thing, right?
00:36:25.38\00:36:26.60
You've probably heard it
said that it's - you know - easy
00:36:26.80\00:36:28.32
to get somebody
to die for a cause.
00:36:28.42\00:36:30.42
It's a much more difficult
thing to get someone to live
00:36:30.63\00:36:32.76
for a cause, right?
And so in this thing
00:36:32.96\00:36:37.28
is our marriage absolutely
perfect? No, I wouldn't say
00:36:37.48\00:36:39.73
it's absolutely perfect.
But is it a beautiful thing
00:36:39.84\00:36:42.01
that we are seeking
to honor God? Yes it is!
00:36:42.21\00:36:44.63
And by the way, there's
hope for your marriage, too.
00:36:44.73\00:36:46.26
And the short version is if you
will stop this self-preservation
00:36:46.66\00:36:51.80
behavior and start living
the gospel in your marriage
00:36:52.00\00:36:55.86
which is other-centeredness:
"Husbands, love your wives
00:36:56.06\00:36:58.66
as Christ also loved the church
and gave Himself for her. "
00:36:58.86\00:37:01.69
Right? There is hope
at the end of this tunnel.
00:37:01.99\00:37:04.39
Now, you might have to
unlearn some bad behavioral
00:37:04.59\00:37:06.86
patterns and some bad
communication dysfunctions.
00:37:07.06\00:37:10.88
I get that. But there is hope.
00:37:11.08\00:37:13.26
Where Christ is, there is hope,
even for the most benighted
00:37:13.46\00:37:16.26
marriage. Amen everyone? Amen!
00:37:16.36\00:37:19.20
OK. So self-dependence...
blaming every one of these -
00:37:19.40\00:37:22.14
shame, covering,
fear, hiding, blaming -
00:37:22.34\00:37:25.83
every one of these
is basically a mechanism
00:37:26.03\00:37:28.72
whereby I am going to
preserve my own self-interest.
00:37:28.92\00:37:33.22
And what Lucifer/Satan had
essentially said to Adam and Eve
00:37:33.42\00:37:35.92
is "that's the way the universe
works, girl. It's a jungle
00:37:36.02\00:37:37.96
out there. You've got
to look out for yourself! "
00:37:38.06\00:37:40.81
And God comes into
the garden and says:
00:37:41.11\00:37:43.09
"I'm looking out for you. "
00:37:43.29\00:37:44.42
"I'm looking... " Can
you imagine the quizzical
00:37:45.64\00:37:48.26
mindedness that must have been
Adam's and Eve's as God comes in
00:37:48.56\00:37:51.88
not to give them a good
whacking but to announce -
00:37:52.08\00:37:54.74
and how much they
understood it we don't know
00:37:55.04\00:37:57.00
because we weren't there
- but to announce that He
00:37:57.10\00:37:58.73
Himself would receive a
good whacking on their behalf.
00:37:58.93\00:38:01.05
Now with that sort of in mind
00:38:02.24\00:38:03.84
I mentioned yesterday this
idea of Lucifer trafficking...
00:38:04.04\00:38:08.39
trafficking in a
false picture of God.
00:38:08.69\00:38:11.06
And I want to get just a
couple quick vignettes in here
00:38:11.16\00:38:12.64
because all of this is
fundamental to the brokenness
00:38:12.74\00:38:14.78
that the covenant has
experienced. Go with me
00:38:14.88\00:38:17.14
to Job 1. Now this is a
story that many of you know well
00:38:17.24\00:38:19.46
and we're going to just spend
the quickest of moments here.
00:38:19.76\00:38:22.49
But the short version is that
apparently there's some kind
00:38:23.51\00:38:26.48
of celestial assembly. We
don't know much of the details.
00:38:26.58\00:38:29.62
What we do know is
that "the sons of God" came
00:38:29.82\00:38:32.19
to present themselves
before God and that wherever
00:38:32.29\00:38:35.03
the location was it
couldn't have been on earth
00:38:35.13\00:38:37.75
because God asks Satan -
who comes among the other
00:38:37.95\00:38:40.96
sons of God - "Where do you come
from? What are you doing here? "
00:38:41.06\00:38:43.79
And he says:
"I've come from earth. "
00:38:43.89\00:38:45.53
Right? So if the
meeting had been on earth
00:38:45.93\00:38:48.57
it certainly would have
been an unusual question
00:38:48.77\00:38:50.17
to have said:
"Where did you come from? "
00:38:50.27\00:38:52.15
"What do you mean where do I
come? You came to my place. "
00:38:52.35\00:38:53.69
No. He has traveled from
earth to wherever this celestial
00:38:54.09\00:38:57.29
assembly is, and basically he
says: "From walking to and fro
00:38:57.39\00:39:02.68
on the earth. " And the
implication here is very
00:39:02.88\00:39:04.74
territorial. It's like a dog,
right? It's like an animal that
00:39:04.84\00:39:08.34
possesses a
territory. And he lays claim -
00:39:08.44\00:39:11.55
intellectual, legal
claim - to this territory.
00:39:11.75\00:39:14.59
And God's response is:
"That's not your territory.
00:39:14.79\00:39:16.86
Have you not considered my
servant... " What's his name?
00:39:17.86\00:39:20.43
"Job? " Now remember...
this is in front of an assembly.
00:39:20.73\00:39:24.21
This is not a private conver-
sation between God and Satan.
00:39:24.41\00:39:26.51
That conversation would
have been a very different
00:39:26.81\00:39:28.21
conversation I think. But
this is in front of others.
00:39:28.31\00:39:30.69
And Satan continues his
insinuations; he continues
00:39:30.79\00:39:33.76
his posturing. And I
want to remind us here
00:39:33.86\00:39:35.78
that even the 2/3 of
angels that were loyal
00:39:35.98\00:39:39.33
they were provisionally loyal.
00:39:39.53\00:39:41.24
They were what? In other
words, it's not as though God
00:39:41.44\00:39:44.28
sealed them into their loyalty.
00:39:44.58\00:39:47.04
He allowed them to
continue to have free will.
00:39:47.25\00:39:48.81
And so while there was loyalty
it was a provisional loyalty
00:39:49.01\00:39:51.91
that basically said: "We
think God is on the right side
00:39:52.11\00:39:54.46
but we're going to
wait and see how this whole
00:39:54.56\00:39:55.59
thing turns out. " And so
Satan, in that sort of law-court
00:39:55.69\00:39:59.32
context makes a case - not
just a case, an accusation -
00:39:59.42\00:40:03.89
against God. And I want
you to notice the nature of the
00:40:04.09\00:40:05.83
accusation. Verse 9:
"So Satan answered the Lord
00:40:05.97\00:40:08.53
and said... " In a single
question... which by the way
00:40:08.63\00:40:10.44
is exactly how
he began with Eve...
00:40:10.55\00:40:12.42
"Has God really said you
shall not eat of every tree? "
00:40:12.72\00:40:14.67
It's the
subtlety of the questions
00:40:15.69\00:40:17.65
beginning from a platform of
doubt, a platform of unbelief.
00:40:17.75\00:40:20.18
And here is the
question which wasn't for God.
00:40:20.38\00:40:22.37
Right? It was not
primarily for God.
00:40:23.16\00:40:25.39
It was for the on
looking sons of God.
00:40:25.60\00:40:27.37
He said: "Do Job
fear God for nothing? "
00:40:27.47\00:40:29.91
Oh ho ho ho...
there is so much pregnancy
00:40:31.40\00:40:34.63
in this single question. Here's
what he's basically saying:
00:40:34.84\00:40:37.37
"You're kidding, right?
Job? You bought that guy off.
00:40:37.57\00:40:40.47
You bought him off.
You bought him off with all
00:40:41.65\00:40:43.87
the trinkets and
stuff. You take care of him.
00:40:43.97\00:40:45.58
Of course he's serving You.
00:40:45.68\00:40:46.94
You... " Ah... what's
the underlying sentiment here
00:40:47.14\00:40:51.73
about who God is? God is
not worthy in and of Himself
00:40:51.83\00:40:55.17
as a person because of who
and what He is to be worshiped.
00:40:55.37\00:40:57.88
God is someone to be feared;
God is someone who bribes
00:40:58.19\00:41:01.96
people into obedience and into
worship and into cooperation.
00:41:02.17\00:41:06.11
"Of course, Job... " Right?
Do you see the insinuation?
00:41:06.31\00:41:10.37
The insinuation is
a basic undermining
00:41:10.51\00:41:13.32
of the kind of
person that God is.
00:41:13.52\00:41:15.83
Now God knows who He is,
00:41:17.08\00:41:18.96
and Lucifer here is full
well under the deception about
00:41:19.16\00:41:22.28
who God, but all of
the on looking sons of God
00:41:22.39\00:41:24.98
are listening in and thinking:
"Yeah, that's a good point
00:41:25.08\00:41:26.99
you know. Looking down...
" They may have been thinking
00:41:27.09\00:41:28.82
I should say to be precise.
"Yes, Job is fairly prosperous
00:41:28.93\00:41:32.38
and he is healthy and
he does have his family.
00:41:32.58\00:41:34.63
Maybe there's
something to this accusation. "
00:41:34.74\00:41:36.60
I want to underscore again
the tremendous plausibility
00:41:37.25\00:41:41.26
of Lucifer's
basic argumentation.
00:41:41.46\00:41:43.24
It was completely
plausible for a couple reasons.
00:41:43.54\00:41:46.65
It was... I shouldn't say
completely plausible, but it was
00:41:46.85\00:41:49.16
sufficiently
plausible for a couple reasons.
00:41:49.26\00:41:51.46
Number 1: God is behind a
veil and thus is naturally
00:41:51.66\00:41:54.34
necessarily
mysterious. And number 2:
00:41:54.54\00:41:58.09
what is a God? How do we
understand what a God is?
00:41:59.17\00:42:02.29
The difference between a
creature and the Creator?
00:42:02.49\00:42:03.83
And Satan
galvanized... Lucifer galvanized
00:42:03.93\00:42:07.26
the creatures as basically
saying: "We're creatures.
00:42:07.46\00:42:10.71
We know what it's like to be
a creature. He can't relate. "
00:42:10.81\00:42:12.95
Now hang onto that. That's
going to become HUGE for us
00:42:13.25\00:42:15.36
when it comes to
covenant healing.
00:42:15.46\00:42:17.78
"He is the
Creator; He can't understand
00:42:17.98\00:42:21.59
what it's like to be a creature.
We creatures need to galvanize
00:42:21.80\00:42:24.65
and stand in solidarity because
we know what it's like. "
00:42:24.85\00:42:28.51
Now you know
where this is going.
00:42:29.21\00:42:31.58
I'll tell you where it's going.
00:42:32.08\00:42:33.54
And I'm going to
just cut to the chase here
00:42:33.74\00:42:35.52
in just a second. But
what's going to happen is
00:42:35.62\00:42:37.57
God in His grandeur, in His
vastness, in His omnipotence
00:42:37.77\00:42:41.15
and eternality and all of that
00:42:41.35\00:42:43.98
He is going to as it
were step from behind
00:42:44.18\00:42:47.96
this necessary mysterious veil
that separates the seen from
00:42:49.08\00:42:52.86
the unseen, the
created from the Creator,
00:42:52.96\00:42:54.53
and He's going to
end up in a manger!
00:42:54.73\00:42:58.26
What is God doing in a manger?
00:43:01.80\00:43:04.04
Oh, He's doing a
great many things,
00:43:04.44\00:43:06.49
but one of the things
that He is doing is He is
00:43:06.60\00:43:08.64
coming to experience reality
like you and I experience
00:43:08.94\00:43:12.84
reality. He is
Emmanuel. He is God with us.
00:43:12.94\00:43:16.22
But He's MORE than Emmanuel.
He's not just God with us...
00:43:16.52\00:43:18.61
He becomes God AS us.
00:43:18.91\00:43:21.86
God with a body
00:43:22.84\00:43:27.37
and stuck in the
space/time dimension
00:43:27.68\00:43:29.93
with a brain that learns
and apprehends and grows.
00:43:30.13\00:43:33.92
And He begins to experience
life as we experience life.
00:43:34.12\00:43:39.55
Now that's getting
ahead of this point, but
00:43:39.65\00:43:41.30
that's getting ahead
of where we're going here.
00:43:41.50\00:43:43.05
But the basic accusation
of Satan against God here
00:43:43.25\00:43:46.15
in Job is that He is
not a trustworthy person.
00:43:46.35\00:43:49.95
He buys off His
friends... He's bribing.
00:43:50.05\00:43:52.52
Now here's another one. Just
very quickly to Luke chapter 8.
00:43:53.56\00:43:56.02
And this is one
of the most tragic.
00:43:56.72\00:43:58.28
In Luke chapter 8 Jesus has
sailed to the southeastern side
00:43:58.48\00:44:02.35
of the lake...
the Sea of Galilee...
00:44:02.55\00:44:04.18
and He has come to a place
that the Bible simply calls
00:44:04.58\00:44:07.51
"the Gadarenes.
" And two demoniacs
00:44:07.71\00:44:10.47
rush out. And let me
just ask a quick question of
00:44:10.67\00:44:13.89
Biblical definition
here. What is a demon?
00:44:13.99\00:44:16.92
A fallen angel.
Thank you. That's it.
00:44:19.07\00:44:20.43
That's exactly correct.
A demon is a fallen angel.
00:44:20.53\00:44:22.51
In other words, one
of the previously loyal.
00:44:22.71\00:44:24.75
We together?
00:44:25.05\00:44:26.19
So as Jesus comes and steps
His foot on the shore there
00:44:26.49\00:44:31.03
at the Gadarenes, the demoniacs
come racing out to Jesus
00:44:31.17\00:44:35.21
and they are
burning with a request.
00:44:35.41\00:44:38.28
Oh... they're terrified!
00:44:38.78\00:44:40.57
And notice the burning
nature of their request.
00:44:40.77\00:44:44.18
Verse 28: "And when he saw Jesus
00:44:44.38\00:44:46.49
he cried out 'Ahhh'
and fell down before Him
00:44:46.69\00:44:50.11
with a loud voice and said
'What have I to do with You
00:44:50.21\00:44:52.14
Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
00:44:52.24\00:44:53.84
I beg... ' " I
what? "I beg You? "
00:44:54.04\00:44:57.23
"I plead with You...
" "I implore You... "
00:44:58.96\00:45:01.79
"I importune You...
00:45:01.99\00:45:04.50
don't... " What? "Don't
torture me before the time. "
00:45:04.80\00:45:10.36
Now let me just ask a question:
00:45:11.38\00:45:12.78
What does this fallen angel
believe about the character
00:45:13.54\00:45:18.24
of God? He's
begging not to be tortured.
00:45:18.34\00:45:22.64
I'll tell you what he believes.
00:45:23.93\00:45:25.33
He believes that God is
exactly the kind of being
00:45:25.54\00:45:27.73
that would leverage His
omnipotence to force people,
00:45:27.84\00:45:31.10
torture them, manipulate them,
00:45:31.30\00:45:33.28
into line or to be
finally and fully dealt with
00:45:33.48\00:45:37.98
by any means necessary.
00:45:38.01\00:45:39.66
He is pleading with Jesus
00:45:40.69\00:45:43.54
not to torture him
which is proof positive that
00:45:43.74\00:45:46.87
he has bought full
well into "the lie. "
00:45:46.97\00:45:49.52
What is the lie? The
lie is that God is basically
00:45:49.82\00:45:51.84
looking out for Himself
and you are merely His minions.
00:45:51.94\00:45:55.85
Whoa... ha, ha, ha, ha.
00:45:56.05\00:45:58.26
Now we might chuckle at that,
but there is a huge dimension
00:45:59.27\00:46:03.09
of truth. "Please
don't torture me. "
00:46:03.19\00:46:05.62
And yet the underlying...
the subterranean truth here
00:46:05.72\00:46:08.50
is that Jesus,
Messiah, had not come to torture
00:46:08.70\00:46:12.56
but to be tortured.
00:46:14.10\00:46:16.19
Oh, if that's who God is
00:46:17.93\00:46:21.98
He will be from Bethlehem's
manger to Calvary's cross
00:46:22.18\00:46:25.76
not only walking a mile
in our very human and created
00:46:25.96\00:46:29.58
moccasins. He will
be regaining our trust
00:46:29.78\00:46:35.51
and thus bringing healing
to the family of God that had
00:46:36.69\00:46:40.85
created the family of man -
by the way, Ellen White uses
00:46:41.05\00:46:43.17
the language - the scripture
by implication - "the family
00:46:43.27\00:46:45.94
of God means both
of these things" -
00:46:46.05\00:46:47.75
that would be ever-increasing
but now had been broken.
00:46:52.50\00:46:55.41
Well the only way to restore
a broken relationship is through
00:46:55.61\00:46:58.32
trust. Yes or no?
00:46:58.52\00:47:01.02
Relationships are made of
two things: time and trust.
00:47:01.22\00:47:03.52
Time and
trust... time and trust.
00:47:04.34\00:47:06.36
If you have a broken
relationship with anybody,
00:47:06.56\00:47:07.86
with your son, with your father,
with your mother, with your
00:47:08.06\00:47:10.06
spouse, with your
boss it's time and trust.
00:47:10.16\00:47:13.21
It's always
that: time and trust.
00:47:13.61\00:47:15.05
Something is broken.
Either they don't trust you
00:47:15.35\00:47:17.39
or you don't trust them.
You've not spent time together
00:47:17.49\00:47:19.24
communicating. Time and trust.
Time and trust. Time and trust.
00:47:19.34\00:47:21.77
God is going to come
and spend time with us
00:47:22.17\00:47:24.95
and this is where we're going.
And I'm a little nervous about
00:47:26.14\00:47:29.13
giving away part of
the punch line here.
00:47:29.23\00:47:31.07
But He is going to spend
in Christ eternity with us
00:47:32.05\00:47:37.31
as us. And I'll just sort
of let that hang out there.
00:47:37.61\00:47:41.88
We see here Satan's MO,
and I've mentioned the word
00:47:43.04\00:47:46.35
trafficking twice. Let's go to
the passage where that's found -
00:47:46.45\00:47:48.83
Ezekiel 28- very quickly.
00:47:49.13\00:47:51.46
Ezekiel 28. Now
what we've seen here
00:47:51.77\00:47:53.92
is that in both the
case of Eve in the garden
00:47:55.17\00:47:58.50
and Job before
the celestial council
00:47:58.70\00:48:01.18
and the demoniac at the
Gadarenes and other instances
00:48:01.38\00:48:06.07
could be given, we
see that Satan's basic MO
00:48:06.17\00:48:08.67
is exactly what Ellen White
just said in Great Controversy
00:48:08.77\00:48:10.46
page 569. See if
you can remember it.
00:48:10.56\00:48:12.23
"It is Satan's constant effort
to... " Remember? He wakes up
00:48:12.43\00:48:16.35
in the morning. "Whooo...
what's my to-do list today? "
00:48:16.45\00:48:19.93
"It is Satan's constant effort
00:48:20.13\00:48:21.33
to misrepresent
the character of God. "
00:48:21.43\00:48:26.14
And we see that.
00:48:26.34\00:48:28.86
So you're in Ezekiel 28,
and Ezekiel 28 is awesome
00:48:28.96\00:48:32.38
because it - along with
Isaiah 14 and other passages -
00:48:32.58\00:48:35.86
pulls back the curtain of
what's really going on here.
00:48:36.06\00:48:38.27
And we're not going to spend
a lot of time going into this
00:48:38.40\00:48:40.06
but we will just quickly
say that this is unambiguously
00:48:40.26\00:48:43.32
a reference - a
prophetic reference - to Satan.
00:48:43.42\00:48:46.59
And he's referred to in three
ways that confirm this for us.
00:48:46.79\00:48:50.21
It says: "You were the
anointed cherub who covers. "
00:48:50.41\00:48:52.16
Translation: you were close.
00:48:52.36\00:48:53.71
"You walked back and forth in
the midst of the fiery stones. "
00:48:54.11\00:48:57.26
Translation: you were close.
00:48:57.36\00:48:58.82
That's the area immediately
around the throne of God.
00:48:58.92\00:49:01.01
And it says that "you were
on the holy mountain of God. "
00:49:01.22\00:49:03.85
Translation: you were close.
00:49:04.05\00:49:05.13
This is basically
Hebrew recapitulation
00:49:05.53\00:49:08.68
which is poetry.
It's three ways of saying
00:49:08.88\00:49:11.66
"you were very,
very close to God. "
00:49:11.76\00:49:13.09
"The anointed
cherub who covers, "
00:49:13.19\00:49:14.22
"on the holy mountain of God, "
00:49:14.32\00:49:15.35
"back and forth in the
midst of the fiery stones. "
00:49:15.55\00:49:17.14
OK? Now very interestingly
Ezekiel... look at what he does
00:49:17.44\00:49:20.32
here. Verse 16:
00:49:20.52\00:49:23.34
In the midst of this it
says: "By the abundance of
00:49:24.21\00:49:27.26
your... " And what
does your Bible say there?
00:49:27.36\00:49:29.19
Yeah. What a weird thing to say.
00:49:30.35\00:49:32.24
My Bible says trading. Some
translations say trafficking.
00:49:32.54\00:49:35.59
Other
translations say merchandising.
00:49:35.69\00:49:37.68
It's as if God is raising
His complaints against Lucifer.
00:49:37.88\00:49:41.11
He's raising His complaints
against the fall of Lucifer
00:49:41.31\00:49:43.43
and He basically
says: "You... you...
00:49:43.63\00:49:46.69
were selling stuff. "
00:49:47.54\00:49:49.74
Doesn't that
sound kind of weird?
00:49:50.04\00:49:51.70
Yeah. "By the abundance of
your trading you became filled
00:49:52.44\00:49:56.37
with violence
within and you sinned. "
00:49:56.47\00:49:58.14
Now I just have to pause
here and say something that is
00:49:58.24\00:49:59.80
so cool. It says he
became filled with violence
00:49:59.90\00:50:03.49
but Satan's initial
objections to the kingdom of God
00:50:03.69\00:50:07.50
were not violent. Jesus
says a similar kind of thing
00:50:07.60\00:50:10.26
when He says in
John chapter 8 verse 44
00:50:10.46\00:50:12.67
He says: "Satan was a
murderer" do you know when?
00:50:12.87\00:50:16.39
"from the beginning. "
00:50:16.69\00:50:17.86
But that's... But hear this out.
00:50:18.16\00:50:20.44
He didn't become a
murderer until much later.
00:50:20.64\00:50:22.50
Right? Many... It would have
been at least 4,000 years later,
00:50:23.45\00:50:27.59
perhaps more. He
became a murderer much later
00:50:27.69\00:50:30.29
when he hung Jesus on that
Roman implement of torture.
00:50:30.49\00:50:33.80
So what did Jesus mean
when He said: "He's a murderer
00:50:34.10\00:50:35.89
from the beginning? " Ah,
I'll tell you what He meant.
00:50:36.00\00:50:37.73
It means this, and follow this.
00:50:38.03\00:50:40.64
All sin is murderous in intent.
00:50:40.84\00:50:45.23
Did you get that? All
sin is murderous in its
00:50:47.44\00:50:51.11
basic intent. Why?
Because sin is built around
00:50:51.22\00:50:53.60
self-preservation.
It's built around me.
00:50:53.70\00:50:56.15
And if you threaten me or
my ways or what I want to do
00:50:56.35\00:50:59.81
the end result of
you pushing me far enough
00:51:00.11\00:51:02.47
and me becoming serious enough
about my own self-preservation
00:51:02.57\00:51:05.03
is to put you out of existence.
00:51:05.23\00:51:06.75
See, not all sin is murder but
all sin is murderous in intent
00:51:07.82\00:51:11.97
because it's the
logical outgrowth of a radial
00:51:12.07\00:51:14.39
self-preservation.
Does that make sense?
00:51:14.49\00:51:17.11
So God knew even what
Lucifer himself didn't know.
00:51:17.32\00:51:21.58
He knew that if you go over
that hill, down that mountain,
00:51:21.79\00:51:24.04
around that
bend, and up that pass
00:51:24.14\00:51:25.73
it will end up at Calvary.
00:51:25.93\00:51:27.56
We together everyone?
00:51:28.67\00:51:29.90
So it says: "You were violent. "
00:51:30.20\00:51:32.53
But in what
sense was he violent?
00:51:32.93\00:51:34.84
In the sense that he just
started rampaging around heaven?
00:51:35.04\00:51:37.20
No, that's not subtle.
00:51:37.31\00:51:39.15
No... there's a
subtlety in the argumentation
00:51:40.33\00:51:43.02
and the subtlety is
built around the fact that God
00:51:43.22\00:51:45.88
cannot relate to us.
There's a chasm between the
00:51:46.08\00:51:47.94
created and the Creator.
There's a subtlety, but God
00:51:48.04\00:51:50.67
could see that the end
result of this trafficking
00:51:50.77\00:51:53.62
was violence and even murder.
00:51:53.82\00:51:56.14
Jesus said it this way:
"You have heard that it was said
00:51:56.34\00:51:58.57
by them of old 'You
shall not commit murder'
00:51:58.67\00:52:01.07
but I say to you who-
ever is angry with his brother
00:52:01.27\00:52:03.30
in his heart has committed...
" What? "murder already. "
00:52:03.40\00:52:05.65
What Jesus is saying here is
that even anger, even that kind
00:52:05.76\00:52:08.68
of thing, not at the
beginning but at the end
00:52:08.78\00:52:10.88
is murderous in its intent...
and that's Jesus' point.
00:52:10.91\00:52:14.11
"You started
trafficking something
00:52:14.87\00:52:16.35
that at its fundamental core
00:52:16.38\00:52:18.35
- even though you didn't
discern it - was violence. "
00:52:18.45\00:52:20.68
Look at what it
goes on to say here:
00:52:22.70\00:52:24.16
"and you sinned.
" Now watch this:
00:52:24.36\00:52:26.69
Just as we had had: "You were
the anointed cherub who covers,
00:52:26.79\00:52:29.11
you were on the
holy mountain of God,
00:52:29.32\00:52:30.46
you walked back and forth in
the midst of the fiery stones" -
00:52:30.66\00:52:32.09
you were close, you
were close, you were close -
00:52:32.29\00:52:33.66
watch this...
latter part of verse 16:
00:52:33.86\00:52:35.46
"Therefore I cast
you as a profane thing
00:52:35.66\00:52:37.39
out of the mountain
of God. I destroyed you,
00:52:37.59\00:52:39.49
O covering cherub, from the
midst of the fiery stones. "
00:52:39.59\00:52:41.66
Yeah, Ezekiel has just
done a marvelous thing here.
00:52:42.93\00:52:45.24
He has basically reversed
the very proximity that Lucifer
00:52:45.54\00:52:48.38
had formerly
enjoyed and experienced.
00:52:48.48\00:52:50.21
Now, the word comes up again!
00:52:50.71\00:52:53.01
"Your heart... " And by the way,
you have to notice the emphasis
00:52:54.19\00:52:56.53
here on you and your.
It's absolutely intentional.
00:52:56.63\00:53:00.05
I'll read it with that emphasis
so you'll get a feel for it.
00:53:00.25\00:53:02.23
Verse 17: "Your heart was lift-
ed up because of your beauty.
00:53:02.63\00:53:05.42
You corrupted your wisdom
for the sake of your splendor.
00:53:05.52\00:53:08.02
I cast you to the
ground; I laid you before kings
00:53:08.22\00:53:10.42
that they might gaze at
you. You defiled your sanctuary
00:53:10.62\00:53:12.91
by the multitude of
your iniquities... " And here
00:53:13.11\00:53:14.85
it is again: "by the
iniquity of your trading. "
00:53:15.05\00:53:18.24
Your trafficking;
your merchandising.
00:53:20.66\00:53:22.13
Which raises the
question: what was he selling?
00:53:22.33\00:53:23.88
Was he selling widgets?
00:53:24.87\00:53:26.30
Was he selling
Vitamixes? What was he selling?
00:53:27.29\00:53:30.02
Was he selling cars?
00:53:30.42\00:53:32.17
And there's a very interesting
little etymological significance
00:53:32.47\00:53:35.34
here in the Hebrew.
The Hebrew word here for
00:53:35.44\00:53:37.64
your trading, your
trafficking, your merchandising
00:53:37.74\00:53:39.78
is recula. Recula.
00:53:39.99\00:53:42.55
Right? And it has as
its very same root word...
00:53:42.85\00:53:47.28
Recula - as its very
same root word - is to gossip.
00:53:47.49\00:53:51.67
It means literally to
sell or to merchandise.
00:53:51.77\00:53:54.15
But the very same root
word is to gossip or to tell
00:53:54.35\00:53:57.38
a tall tale. So what
Satan was trafficking in
00:53:57.48\00:54:02.42
was a story. He was
trafficking in what?
00:54:02.62\00:54:06.66
He was telling a story,
00:54:07.06\00:54:08.82
and the story he was
telling "is the truth about God"
00:54:09.02\00:54:13.66
so he said.
00:54:13.89\00:54:15.17
"Let me tell you
the real story. " Right?
00:54:15.47\00:54:19.42
"Let me go behind the scenes
in a conspiratorial exposé
00:54:19.62\00:54:23.85
and tell you what
God is really like. "
00:54:24.05\00:54:25.77
And scripture says he was
trafficking. He was trafficking.
00:54:25.97\00:54:28.45
In fact if we had time
we'd go to Revelation 12:7.
00:54:28.55\00:54:30.69
It says: "War
broke out in heaven. "
00:54:30.72\00:54:33.70
"War broke out in
heaven. Michael and His angels
00:54:34.80\00:54:36.39
fought against the
dragon and the dragon and his
00:54:36.49\00:54:37.58
angels fought. " And
here's an interesting thing.
00:54:37.68\00:54:38.92
The word war there
in the Greek is polemos.
00:54:39.02\00:54:41.10
Polemos... from which
we get the English word
00:54:42.08\00:54:44.98
polemic and the same
etymological derivation of
00:54:45.18\00:54:48.18
words like politics
00:54:48.28\00:54:50.00
and even a poll.
When we take a survey of
00:54:51.58\00:54:55.03
you know of opinion
we say "we took a poll. "
00:54:55.23\00:55:01.10
"Polemos broke out in
heaven. " It would not be...
00:55:02.07\00:55:04.87
It would not be
abusive to the text to say
00:55:05.07\00:55:08.03
that a controversy in
the nature of politics
00:55:08.23\00:55:11.76
broke out in heaven.
00:55:11.96\00:55:13.08
Wasn't a fist fight.
00:55:15.53\00:55:17.20
No, no, no... what's
going on is a picture.
00:55:19.77\00:55:22.86
It's a story. It's a
portrait of what's going on
00:55:23.17\00:55:26.04
behind the curtain.
00:55:26.24\00:55:28.25
And Satan masks - he
veneers the whole thing -
00:55:28.75\00:55:32.96
in a pretended
concern about the wellbeing
00:55:33.16\00:55:37.14
of creation. "Ah, I'm concerned.
00:55:37.34\00:55:41.17
I'm just looking out for us. "
00:55:41.37\00:55:42.82
Right? We see it?
"Oh, I'm just looking out
00:55:43.12\00:55:45.45
for you. I'm looking out
for you, Eve. I'm looking out...
00:55:45.55\00:55:47.52
I'm looking out for you. "
00:55:47.62\00:55:49.37
And all of the while, in a sense
and I hope you'll appreciate
00:55:49.67\00:55:52.29
the analogy here -
God's hands are almost tied.
00:55:52.49\00:55:56.89
Not in the sense that He
lacks omnipotence or omniscience
00:55:56.99\00:55:59.40
but He cannot resort
00:55:59.60\00:56:01.98
to these
conspiratorial, undermining and
00:56:02.08\00:56:06.77
lie-based methodologies.
00:56:08.68\00:56:11.15
God's only weapon is the truth.
00:56:11.45\00:56:14.25
But sometimes the truth takes
time to bubble to the surface.
00:56:14.71\00:56:19.23
And this truth is going
to bubble to the surface
00:56:19.53\00:56:21.68
in the most
unexpected of plot twists
00:56:21.88\00:56:24.24
where God will come
and disprove the lies,
00:56:25.41\00:56:28.35
will disprove the controversy,
00:56:28.45\00:56:29.99
will show that the widgets
that Lucifer has been selling
00:56:30.19\00:56:33.12
are in fact unfounded and untrue
00:56:33.32\00:56:35.31
and actually the antithetical
opposite of what is true.
00:56:35.51\00:56:38.58
God will end up in
the person of Christ
00:56:38.78\00:56:43.26
in a manger in Bethlehem
00:56:43.56\00:56:46.66
to bring to absolute
naught the accusations of Satan.
00:56:46.86\00:56:52.07
But even more importantly
- that's a by-product -
00:56:52.27\00:56:54.09
to bring what He really wants
00:56:54.29\00:56:57.24
and that is
restoration and healing
00:56:57.44\00:57:00.54
to His family...
the family of God.
00:57:01.52\00:57:04.93
Amen? Amen!
00:57:05.13\00:57:08.38