Good evening friends
and welcome to the 3ABN
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Worship Center here in the
smallest big city in the world -
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at least I believe
that, that's why I live here -
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in Thompsonville, Illinois.
And we welcome you once again
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to the third in our
series of "The Winds of War"
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presented each night
by Pastor C.A. Murray.
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And tonight's title
is: What War... Why?
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or When War...
Who? more specifically.
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And the titles
have been very unique...
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not ones that
you'll easily forget
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but ones hard to put
together because there's an
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oxymoron behind some of them.
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And the messages are very unique
in that they are really not
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about military wars as
they are about the wars
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that are taking
place in our hearts.
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I remember when the world was
shaken up by the Orson Welles
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enactment of a war
that really did not exist.
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Well, this war is very real
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and so we invite you to
stay tuned tonight as the Lord
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speaks to your
heart... speaks to our hearts
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about the war that
is raging within us:
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the war fighting
against the Spirit of Christ
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waiting to develop us. But
before we invite our speaker
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Pastor C.A. Murray
to bless us once again
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I invite you to join us as
we go to the Lord in prayer.
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Our gracious Father in heaven,
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we thank you so much. Truly,
the Word of Life is in fact
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just that... it knows our needs.
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It knows where we are in
the process and in the progress
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of becoming more like Jesus.
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It sees us at
intervals in our growth
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and thank you, Lord, that
the work that You have started
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You have committed Yourself to
complete it before Your return.
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So tonight, Lord,
speak to our need.
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There are some watching this
program whose tempers right now
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may be raging...
their day went very badly.
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Some families may be split
and hearts may be offended,
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lives broken.
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And Lord tonight speak to
us so that we can find healing
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and recovery in Jesus.
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Bless Your
manservant, Pastor Murray,
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to bring to us that
which You conduct through him
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we do pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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And now our speaker for this
evening: Pastor C.A. Murray.
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We bid you good evening
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and happy Sabbath.
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Been waiting all
week to say that.
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Seems like when you stand
up here you should just say
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happy Sabbath. I
can't blame Pastor John too
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much... the
titles are a bit tricky.
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What War... When?
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And the last of the first is
always the first of the next.
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When War... Why?
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Why War... Who?
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When War... How?
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War No More.
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So tonight is Why War... Who?
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I almost... I almost tricked
myself. It's Why War... Who?
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And I'm going to ask
you to turn if you will
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to II Samuel chapter 21.
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II Samuel 21.
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Before we read and
pray, I rather suspect that
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any study of the wars of Israel
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if we are to learn lessons
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somewhere during that
time we must talk about
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the life and
times of King David.
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And we will do
so this very night.
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So just a couple of verses
in II Samuel chapter 21...
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verses 15 through 17.
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That is 15 through 17.
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Shall we pray? Father God,
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again we thank you
for so many, many things.
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We are thankful for
the sacred Sabbath hours.
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We are thankful for rest,
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for an
opportunity to meet with You
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to cast aside the
cares of the world
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and the work of the
world for even a little while
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and to spend some
time in Your presence.
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And so we ask, dear Lord, that
You would be the honored guest.
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Again we ask for open ears,
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receptive hearts,
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that we may know the
truth and walk in that truth
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and seek to
learn from the mistakes
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of our
forefathers and to benefit
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from their successes.
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Help us, dear Lord. Walk
with us again this night.
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And we thank you
in Jesus' name, Amen.
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I'm in II Samuel chapter 21
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beginning our
reading at verse 15.
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The Bible says, and I'm
reading from the New King James:
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Some Bibles
simply say he "fainted. "
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You know, when I read that text
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the first thing that came
to my mind when the Bible says
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the Philistines
were "at war again... "
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obviously God's
people had slipped again.
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How patient is
the God that we serve!
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Isn't He? Again and
again and again and again.
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And yet we serve a
patient, longsuffering God.
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So Israel had slipped
from the path yet again
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and God again allowed
war to serve as the rod
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of His chastisement.
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On this particular occasion
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the rod was their age-old
foe... the Philistines...
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who ruled from the
Philistine pentapolis:
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the five cities
of Gaza, Ashkelon,
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Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath.
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From these cities
they struck out to conquer.
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They were a people of the sea,
and their origins are somewhat
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shrouded in history. But they
were Israel's most consistent,
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persistent, and dangerous
enemy Ellen White says.
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The Philistines were
always there, always around,
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always lurking,
and always dangerous.
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This incident takes
place well into David's
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40-year reign.
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And the sad
truth of the matter is
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that David's
reign is compromised.
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There is a shadow
that is never lifted
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and he is never able
to get out from under it.
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God forgave him
his time with Bathsheba
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but the truth is there
was no peace in his hands,
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no peace in his kingdom,
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no peace in his family,
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no trust among
David's friends and relatives,
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and endless torment
in David's own heart.
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He was king of a nation
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and yet a moral
misfit until the day he died.
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His life was a
continual reproach
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to the God he claimed to serve.
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He was called to
rule a country but he is
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incapable of
ruling his own family.
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Though the Bible
gives us clear indication
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that he repented of
his act with Bathsheba,
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the fact is that
he never left her.
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In fact, he could not.
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David was trapped
by his own actions.
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He committed an
act that was so heinous
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that even God's forgiveness
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could not undo the consequences
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of the web that
he spun for himself.
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Make no mistake
about it: God forgave him
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and yet he was
trapped in his own web
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and he could never
get free... not ever.
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And as bad and as demonic
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as it was to take
another man's wife,
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sleep with her,
murder her husband,
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he couldn't leave her.
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For how scandalous,
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how scurrilous,
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how dishonorable, how
socially reprehensible
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would it have been
to do that to Bathsheba
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and then toss her away.
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It would have opened
up David AND Bathsheba
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to public disgrace that
his kingship could not have
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withstood. He
HAD to stay with her.
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And so war never
left David's house.
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War and intrigue.
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War and incest.
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War and assassination.
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War and espionage.
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War and cabal.
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War and treachery.
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War and treason.
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War and murder.
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War and rape,
and war and revenge.
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He could not leave her.
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You know, it is interesting
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search though you will
you will never find a record
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that says "David loved her. "
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Nowhere.
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In the Spirit of
Prophecy, in the Bible...
00:11:09.15\00:11:12.17
there's no record that
David ever loved Bathsheba.
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Now surely he had two
sons at least with her,
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but David had children with all
of his wives except for Michal
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and that was because of a
little stunt that Michal pulled
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that God chose not
to forgive on that wise.
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But there's no record
that he ever loved Bathsheba
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and yet he could not leave her
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and add sin to sin.
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Bathsheba's
presence in the palace
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was an affront to decency
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that filtered its
way into every aspect
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of Israeli life
and Israeli living.
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The lady Bathsheba
outlived her husband
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and the pall of shame never
left the king or his kingdom,
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and so David's son, Amnon,
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raped his half sister Tamar.
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And David's response?
00:12:18.50\00:12:20.97
Do nothing.
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Absalom and Tamar are
full brother and sister.
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Their father is
David, their mother: Maacah.
00:12:32.46\00:12:36.77
Amnon and Tamar are
half brother and sister.
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Their father David,
their mother: Ahinoam.
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And commentary affirms
that Absolom was a very
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handsome young man
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and Tamar an exceptionally
beautiful and lovely young lady.
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And a plot is cooked up
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with David's
brother's son Jonadab,
00:13:04.17\00:13:09.33
who II Samuel 13:3
says is a very crafty guy,
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and his cousin Amnon
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to get Tamar alone
with Amnon in the house.
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You see the
intrigue in the family
00:13:25.51\00:13:27.66
occasioned by David's sin?
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And it is
Jonadab who tells Amnon
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"fake illness" and then
when David comes to see you
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ask him to send Tamar
to feed you hand to mouth.
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And so the order that
sent Tamar to Amnon's house
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is given by David.
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Then Amnon assaults her
and throws her into the street.
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And look at the
impact of that act.
00:14:02.41\00:14:06.96
I read now II Samuel 13:16.
00:14:07.06\00:14:09.92
II Samuel 13:16.
00:14:10.22\00:14:13.29
Tamar speaking:
00:14:13.69\00:14:15.58
That goes back to
David and Bathsheba.
00:14:31.26\00:14:34.79
That's why David could
never send Bathsheba away.
00:14:35.09\00:14:38.79
Once he committed
the act with Bathsheba
00:14:39.09\00:14:42.16
he had to stay with
her till the day he died.
00:14:42.36\00:14:44.90
He could not leave.
00:14:45.20\00:14:46.81
And Tamar realizes that
to assault someone and then
00:14:47.12\00:14:52.61
toss them out
is a heinous crime.
00:14:52.81\00:14:55.11
Amnon could have
had Tamar as his wife
00:14:55.41\00:14:59.43
had he chosen to, but
that was not his intent.
00:14:59.63\00:15:04.26
So Tamar is telling
him: "to do this to me
00:15:04.77\00:15:08.79
and toss me aside is
worse than the original act. "
00:15:08.99\00:15:14.39
And then the next
verse he tells his servants
00:15:16.03\00:15:20.49
"throw this woman
out and bolt the door. "
00:15:20.69\00:15:24.47
A calculated, presumptuous,
pernicious, evil act.
00:15:25.37\00:15:31.28
The Bible says in verse
21 when David heard about it
00:15:33.28\00:15:36.21
he was VERY angry!
00:15:36.41\00:15:38.05
But what did he do?
00:15:39.31\00:15:40.60
Nothing.
00:15:41.98\00:15:43.93
He did nothing.
00:15:44.13\00:15:45.66
Nowhere does the
Bible say he ever responded
00:15:49.27\00:15:53.04
to this assault
of brother on sister.
00:15:53.34\00:15:58.56
And so Absalom chooses to become
00:15:59.99\00:16:03.18
judge, jury, executioner,
00:16:03.38\00:16:07.10
and ersatz demigod.
00:16:07.30\00:16:10.54
He waits fully two years.
00:16:10.84\00:16:12.74
Invites Amnon
to a harvest feast.
00:16:13.04\00:16:15.81
Gets Amnon drunk and
then has his servants
00:16:16.01\00:16:20.07
murder Amnon in retribution.
00:16:20.27\00:16:24.30
And David does nothing.
00:16:24.80\00:16:30.23
In fact, we find that
David forgives Absalom,
00:16:30.53\00:16:36.41
reinstates Absalom,
00:16:36.61\00:16:39.50
but Joab does not.
00:16:39.70\00:16:42.81
And what is
interesting is that Absalom
00:16:43.11\00:16:47.60
never really forgives David.
00:16:47.90\00:16:51.11
He holds in his heart the idea
00:16:51.41\00:16:55.85
that David's
daughter and his sister
00:16:56.15\00:17:00.38
was assaulted,
disgraced in public,
00:17:00.58\00:17:03.84
and my dad never did anything.
00:17:04.45\00:17:09.94
And so later on
Absalom attempts a coup.
00:17:11.25\00:17:14.11
He wants to take the
kingdom from his dad.
00:17:15.51\00:17:18.29
David has so much
turmoil in his life and family
00:17:18.69\00:17:23.75
that he has become an
indecisive, impotent, insipid
00:17:25.11\00:17:28.99
family leader. He
can't make moral decisions
00:17:29.19\00:17:33.54
because he has no
moral platform to stand on.
00:17:33.74\00:17:37.86
And Absalom takes advantage
of David's indecisiveness.
00:17:39.68\00:17:44.80
He stations
himself outside the gate
00:17:45.31\00:17:47.68
and he begins to
sway people's minds.
00:17:48.08\00:17:51.77
So when someone
comes for judgment
00:17:52.17\00:17:54.77
and they can't get a hearing
00:17:55.07\00:17:57.20
Absalom says:
00:17:57.41\00:18:00.36
"Come here... come over here.
00:18:00.66\00:18:03.45
If I were the king,
I'd take care of you. "
00:18:05.43\00:18:08.99
"If I were the king, you
wouldn't have to wait in line. "
00:18:12.12\00:18:15.72
"If I were the
king, I'd solve your case
00:18:19.17\00:18:22.51
just like you wanted. "
00:18:22.71\00:18:24.48
"Now I know that guy in
the palace is my father,
00:18:25.80\00:18:28.12
but he can't handle it any more.
00:18:28.32\00:18:32.51
You need to come to my side. "
00:18:32.72\00:18:35.90
And he begins to
foment rebellion.
00:18:36.31\00:18:41.01
He begins to sway
the hearts of the people.
00:18:42.97\00:18:47.00
Let's look at something:
II Samuel chapter 12 verse 11.
00:18:48.45\00:18:51.99
II Samuel
chapter 12 and verse 11.
00:18:52.29\00:18:55.47
Reading from the NIV.
00:18:55.87\00:18:57.67
This is God's response
to the Bathsheba affair
00:19:00.01\00:19:05.75
and little parenthetical
insertion right here.
00:19:05.95\00:19:08.69
II Samuel 12:11:
00:19:08.99\00:19:10.94
Now that's part of God's
response to the Bathsheba
00:19:33.03\00:19:36.62
affair. Verse 12:
00:19:36.72\00:19:39.27
"You did it in secret,
but I will do this thing
00:19:39.57\00:19:45.12
in broad daylight
before all Israel. "
00:19:45.32\00:19:49.85
Absalom wants to take
the kingdom from his dad
00:19:51.27\00:19:56.89
but he also wants to
disgrace and humiliate David.
00:19:58.19\00:20:02.59
There's something more
than just insurrection.
00:20:02.69\00:20:05.55
There's something more
than just a political coup.
00:20:05.75\00:20:08.21
Absalom wants to
disgrace his father.
00:20:08.52\00:20:11.89
I say it again: he
never got over the fact
00:20:12.20\00:20:14.33
that David did nothing
when his sister was attacked.
00:20:14.53\00:20:18.57
And so in an absolute
carcinogenic conspiracy
00:20:18.87\00:20:24.83
that Ellen White herself
says is a "hellish plan, "
00:20:26.48\00:20:30.80
formed and fashioned in hell
00:20:32.13\00:20:34.13
by two men who in
II Samuel chapter 12
00:20:34.43\00:20:39.53
God predicts that
something is going to happen
00:20:39.83\00:20:44.33
and He chose not to stop it.
00:20:44.63\00:20:47.14
And so Satan enters the
heads and hearts of two men
00:20:47.35\00:20:51.99
who were both wounded by David.
00:20:52.19\00:20:54.58
Bathsheba,
Ahithophel's granddaughter:
00:20:54.88\00:20:59.21
impregnated by David,
00:20:59.41\00:21:01.10
her husband
murdered at David's order.
00:21:01.30\00:21:04.23
Absalom: his sister
ordered to the bedroom of a man
00:21:04.53\00:21:10.53
who sexually assaulted
her and never punished by him.
00:21:10.73\00:21:14.96
And so Absalom, David's son,
00:21:15.30\00:21:19.23
turns to
Ahithophel, David's best friend,
00:21:19.43\00:21:24.22
and says: "What can I
do to destroy my father?
00:21:24.42\00:21:29.63
I don't want to
just take his kingdom.
00:21:30.94\00:21:32.88
I want his reputation destroyed
00:21:33.08\00:21:35.75
and I want his
heart ripped out. "
00:21:36.06\00:21:37.70
And so Satan tells Ahithophel
00:21:39.53\00:21:43.07
say this to Absalom:
00:21:43.38\00:21:45.76
"Remember Bathsheba?
00:21:46.06\00:21:48.81
Remember Tamar?
00:21:49.11\00:21:50.74
Let's give him a
taste of his own medicine. "
00:21:51.04\00:21:54.35
And so in II Samuel
chapter 16 verses 21 and 22
00:21:54.75\00:21:58.93
this is the
solution that they had.
00:21:59.23\00:22:02.30
" 'Lie with your
father's concubines
00:22:02.60\00:22:07.37
whom he has left to
take care of the palace. '
00:22:07.67\00:22:10.29
And so they pitched a
tent for Absalom on the roof
00:22:10.59\00:22:15.03
and he lay with
his father's concubines
00:22:16.22\00:22:18.88
in the sight of all Israel. "
In fulfillment of that prophecy.
00:22:19.08\00:22:22.03
God told David: "You thought you
were doing something in secret
00:22:22.43\00:22:27.30
but your punishment
is going to be open. "
00:22:27.60\00:22:31.19
And so Absalom, in an attempt
to disgrace his own father,
00:22:31.59\00:22:36.84
sleeps on the palace roof
00:22:37.15\00:22:39.60
with all of his father's wives.
00:22:39.80\00:22:41.80
Joab...
00:22:49.66\00:22:51.24
the instrument
of David's murder...
00:22:53.85\00:22:56.57
also has a long memory,
00:22:56.87\00:22:58.44
and Absalom's
rebellion is short-lived.
00:22:58.74\00:23:02.71
You know the story.
00:23:03.01\00:23:05.32
A battle ensues.
Absalom tries to run away.
00:23:05.52\00:23:09.10
He is caught by his hair,
00:23:09.30\00:23:12.05
and Joab puts three
javelins in his heart
00:23:12.25\00:23:15.19
and then dares David to cry.
00:23:15.49\00:23:18.25
Ahithophel commits suicide.
00:23:18.55\00:23:21.60
This then is the backdrop
00:23:23.14\00:23:26.71
for II Samuel
chapter 21 verse 15.
00:23:26.91\00:23:30.89
I need to say
something parenthetically.
00:23:36.18\00:23:38.19
We need always to keep our hand
00:23:44.26\00:23:48.36
in the hand of Jesus
00:23:48.56\00:23:50.52
because Satan studies us.
00:23:51.77\00:23:56.05
Satan knew David.
00:23:56.45\00:24:00.29
God knew David.
00:24:00.70\00:24:04.44
It seems the only one
who didn't really know David
00:24:04.74\00:24:07.54
was David.
00:24:07.84\00:24:09.50
Ellen White says
this about King David...
00:24:09.90\00:24:12.69
She says in his early years
00:24:13.00\00:24:17.28
there was never a finer
man to sit on any throne
00:24:17.49\00:24:22.14
in any country
anywhere in the world.
00:24:22.44\00:24:26.19
David, she says, stood
head and shoulders with any king
00:24:27.67\00:24:31.99
anywhere. Name the king:
00:24:32.19\00:24:34.07
David was his equal
if not his superior.
00:24:34.37\00:24:37.37
He was young; handsome;
00:24:37.77\00:24:41.15
he was God
fearing; he was God led.
00:24:41.45\00:24:45.38
He was surrendered to God.
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.06
He was wise; he was fair.
00:24:48.26\00:24:51.58
He was honest; he was caring.
00:24:51.61\00:24:55.54
And she also said he was a
pretty good man in a fight, too.
00:24:55.84\00:24:59.08
David went out with the
army. Could handle a sword.
00:25:00.37\00:25:03.56
He could negotiate if
negotiation was what was needed.
00:25:03.76\00:25:08.05
And when it was time to fight
he could pull out his sword
00:25:09.24\00:25:12.70
and handle that too. And...
00:25:12.80\00:25:14.66
he played a pretty good harp.
00:25:14.86\00:25:16.44
One of the finest ever to
sit on the throne of any kingdom
00:25:19.05\00:25:23.96
and God knew it
and so did the devil.
00:25:24.26\00:25:29.98
Before Bathsheba,
00:25:31.70\00:25:33.92
David's record was spotless.
00:25:34.22\00:25:38.63
But the devil knew
David's... David's habits
00:25:40.00\00:25:45.43
better than David did.
00:25:46.63\00:25:48.06
Want to do a little
homework assignment?
00:25:48.46\00:25:50.62
Go back just a few chapters
and be introduced to a man
00:25:50.92\00:25:54.69
named Nabal.
00:25:54.89\00:25:56.65
Now given Nabal's indiscretions
and some of the things
00:25:58.18\00:26:03.81
Nabal said and
did, but the truth is
00:26:04.01\00:26:08.65
when David met Nabal
00:26:09.05\00:26:13.20
Nabal was alive.
00:26:13.51\00:26:16.43
By the time David leaves Nabal
00:26:18.51\00:26:22.15
Nabal is dead and Nabal's wife,
00:26:22.65\00:26:27.64
Abigail, is now David's wife.
00:26:27.84\00:26:31.03
That sound familiar?
00:26:32.98\00:26:34.29
Husband dead...
wife belonging to David.
00:26:34.59\00:26:38.09
So Bathsheba wasn't the first.
00:26:38.49\00:26:41.36
Interesting history.
00:26:44.40\00:26:45.99
And Satan was aware of
who and what David is and was.
00:26:47.24\00:26:52.77
That is why... That is why
we cannot hope to serve the Lord
00:26:53.07\00:26:57.19
without the help of the Lord.
00:26:57.49\00:27:00.45
We cannot hope to be righteous
00:27:00.75\00:27:04.73
unless One who is
righteous lives in us.
00:27:05.03\00:27:08.54
We cannot hope to follow Christ
00:27:08.74\00:27:11.89
unless Christ has
a hold of our hand
00:27:12.29\00:27:15.40
because God never
sleeps and never slumbers
00:27:15.70\00:27:19.32
and neither does the devil.
00:27:19.62\00:27:21.65
David had a fine and sterling
record until he met Bathsheba.
00:27:24.22\00:27:29.98
So now in II Samuel
21:15 we see a David
00:27:34.17\00:27:38.70
who is physically
spent but more importantly
00:27:38.90\00:27:42.69
spiritually beat up.
00:27:42.89\00:27:45.30
He is no baby. He has
been fighting most of his life
00:27:45.61\00:27:49.08
battling self-created
foes in self-induced wars.
00:27:49.29\00:27:54.16
And this life of
turmoil has taken its toll
00:27:54.47\00:27:58.72
on the once proud king.
00:27:58.82\00:28:00.48
And the war that James
speaks about that we spoke about
00:28:02.06\00:28:04.91
that first night
- the war inside -
00:28:05.01\00:28:07.09
is turning itself in
David's heart and turning itself
00:28:10.11\00:28:14.87
in David's family. And
that war becomes a communal war.
00:28:15.07\00:28:18.79
And it becomes a societal war.
00:28:18.99\00:28:21.00
And it becomes a national war.
00:28:21.20\00:28:23.06
And it becomes an
international war simply because
00:28:23.26\00:28:26.50
a once almost invincible king
00:28:26.70\00:28:29.98
let Satan get in
and push God out.
00:28:30.18\00:28:33.75
Now when faced
with this new giant
00:28:36.22\00:28:39.15
the Bible record is clear:
00:28:39.35\00:28:42.08
David waxed faint.
00:28:42.48\00:28:46.72
Is this David's first war? No.
00:28:47.52\00:28:51.39
Is this David's first giant? No.
00:28:51.69\00:28:55.67
Is this David's biggest
giant? No... Goliath was bigger.
00:28:55.98\00:29:00.97
So what happened?
00:29:01.47\00:29:04.29
What kind of warrior is David?
00:29:04.59\00:29:07.29
Well, Hushai, Absalom's adviser,
makes a very strong statement
00:29:09.17\00:29:14.71
in II Samuel
chapter 17 and verse 6.
00:29:14.91\00:29:16.79
He says: "For all
Israel knows that your father
00:29:16.99\00:29:20.24
is a mighty man. " You see,
Absalom was trying to decide
00:29:20.44\00:29:23.10
"How am I going
to fight my dad? "
00:29:23.30\00:29:24.94
Ahithophel said "Let's
go in for a frontal assault.
00:29:25.24\00:29:27.85
Let's go just get the
army and head right in. "
00:29:27.99\00:29:30.27
And Hushai said
"Better not do it. "
00:29:30.57\00:29:32.56
Said: "Your
father is a mighty man.
00:29:32.96\00:29:35.51
That will be your
first and last battle.
00:29:35.71\00:29:38.01
Don't do that because he
fights like a mother bear
00:29:38.21\00:29:42.04
robbed of her cubs.
You don't want to do that.
00:29:42.24\00:29:44.14
You don't want to do a
frontal assault with David. "
00:29:44.34\00:29:46.40
He said:
"Ahithophel's counsel is bad.
00:29:47.81\00:29:49.93
You don't want to go in
with your swords flashing
00:29:50.23\00:29:54.00
because you won't come out. "
00:29:54.20\00:29:56.79
He said: "David and his men
are smart, valiant, fearless.
00:29:57.81\00:30:02.35
Your guys will
get slaughtered. "
00:30:02.65\00:30:04.98
Now that's the kind
of fighter David was,
00:30:05.28\00:30:07.74
the reputation that David had.
00:30:07.77\00:30:10.10
David was revered as a
soldier and a leader of men.
00:30:10.40\00:30:13.93
Before he was even
king... you know the story.
00:30:14.33\00:30:17.06
They sang: "Saul has
killed his thousands;
00:30:17.36\00:30:20.45
David has killed
his ten thousands. "
00:30:20.65\00:30:24.39
So what's different?
00:30:25.95\00:30:28.30
Why did he faint
before Ishbi-Benob
00:30:28.60\00:30:32.39
when he was so
valiant before Goliath?
00:30:32.52\00:30:35.45
Did he have what he needed?
00:30:37.02\00:30:39.74
Did he know who he was fighting?
00:30:40.14\00:30:43.25
Why War... and Who?
00:30:44.89\00:30:48.48
Was it the ferocity of the enemy
00:30:49.08\00:30:52.14
or did David just not
know what he was doing?
00:30:52.44\00:30:56.78
What are the concrete
lessons that we have to learn
00:30:58.39\00:31:00.83
and that we can
draw for ourselves today?
00:31:01.04\00:31:03.28
And I mean what I say.
00:31:11.87\00:31:14.81
Don't be fooled.
Each day the battle rages
00:31:21.23\00:31:26.37
for that day. And just because
you were successful on yesterday
00:31:26.57\00:31:31.84
does not guarantee
you'll be successful today
00:31:32.05\00:31:35.64
unless you start and
end your day with Jesus.
00:31:35.84\00:31:39.01
Paul wrote in I
Corinthians chapter 1
00:31:39.41\00:31:43.08
I Corinthians,
rather, chapter 15 verse 31...
00:31:43.28\00:31:46.78
I like this: "I
die daily. " Amen.
00:31:46.98\00:31:50.89
"I die every day. "
00:31:51.19\00:31:53.20
He says: "I mean that, brothers.
Just as surely as I glory
00:31:53.40\00:31:57.06
over you in Christ
Jesus our Lord, I die daily. "
00:31:57.16\00:32:02.47
And so the secret
to life is daily death.
00:32:02.77\00:32:06.50
Amen.
00:32:06.80\00:32:09.07
Start today by
dying... death to self.
00:32:09.37\00:32:14.10
I like this
statement that Ellen White...
00:32:14.50\00:32:16.16
And I hope I can get to
it before my time gets away.
00:32:16.36\00:32:18.30
I've got... I want to show you
something in just a little bit
00:32:18.40\00:32:19.74
that... You know, I've cried
three times writing this stuff.
00:32:19.94\00:32:22.64
I cried again
when I saw something...
00:32:22.84\00:32:25.00
Let me stop talking
about it and get to it.
00:32:25.20\00:32:26.67
This is My Life Today, page 10.
00:32:28.00\00:32:30.39
Um, Ellen White says:
00:32:31.80\00:32:34.30
Surrendering your power to God
simplifies the problems of life.
00:32:42.34\00:32:46.42
Now I'm going to throw you guys
a curve, so I want to stop there
00:32:46.56\00:32:48.33
for just a second
then come back to it.
00:32:48.43\00:32:50.04
Giving yourself to the
Lord makes things easy.
00:32:51.31\00:32:55.31
Amen! It does!
00:32:55.51\00:32:57.87
Should we go out and drink? No.
00:32:59.09\00:33:03.62
Amen.
00:33:03.92\00:33:05.81
There's a pretty girl
but she's not Christian.
00:33:06.11\00:33:10.06
She doesn't love the Lord.
00:33:10.36\00:33:12.56
Should I date her? No.
00:33:12.86\00:33:17.33
Simple.
00:33:18.85\00:33:20.46
Somebody left some
money on the ground.
00:33:20.76\00:33:22.73
I saw it fall out of their
pocket but I need some money.
00:33:27.67\00:33:32.40
Should I take it? No.
00:33:32.80\00:33:37.65
Ellen White says:
"Giving yourself to the Lord
00:33:37.95\00:33:40.06
simplifies things. " Doesn't it?
00:33:40.26\00:33:41.87
I've got my tithe -
00:33:42.37\00:33:45.18
um-hmm -
00:33:47.53\00:33:49.29
and I need to spend
it 'cause I'm broke.
00:33:49.59\00:33:54.03
Should I spend my tithe?
00:33:54.53\00:33:57.56
No.
00:33:59.62\00:34:01.89
Giving yourself to the
Lord makes life very simple:
00:34:02.19\00:34:05.95
it's yes or no.
00:34:06.25\00:34:10.25
Amen? That's what she
says. Now let's go back to it.
00:34:10.55\00:34:13.20
Let's go back to it.
00:34:13.40\00:34:14.88
Had David thought about this?
00:34:30.97\00:34:33.18
Who's that on the roof?
00:34:33.48\00:34:35.08
That's
Bathsheba... Uriah's wife.
00:34:35.39\00:34:37.72
So what do you do now?
00:34:38.03\00:34:40.11
Do the same thing you were doing
00:34:40.51\00:34:42.36
when your children
got in trouble: nothing.
00:34:42.46\00:34:44.77
Amen?
00:34:45.07\00:34:46.55
Somebody else's
wife... very simple.
00:34:46.85\00:34:48.78
You don't do anything because
you're trying to serve the Lord.
00:34:49.08\00:34:52.47
Christ's Object
Lessons page 403.
00:34:52.77\00:34:56.37
You know this is actually
something that I struggled with
00:35:12.12\00:35:14.69
and worried about. Let
me read a little further:
00:35:14.89\00:35:17.14
And you ought to say "Amen. "
00:36:13.25\00:36:15.36
Now let me walk through
that because that's a lot.
00:36:15.67\00:36:17.95
This is something I've
thought about often in my life
00:36:19.48\00:36:21.62
and that's why I am so
thankful that we serve a God
00:36:21.82\00:36:25.27
who's got every base covered.
00:36:25.47\00:36:28.10
I can't go to
the jungles of Africa
00:36:29.94\00:36:34.98
and face death. There was a
missionary back in the 60's.
00:36:36.43\00:36:41.42
Peter Konaffer, went
to Papua, New Guinea...
00:36:41.62\00:36:44.56
one of the first
Adventist missionaries.
00:36:44.76\00:36:46.47
Killed and eaten
by highland natives.
00:36:46.67\00:36:51.95
His record is in the kingdom.
00:36:53.55\00:36:55.78
He made the ultimate sacrifice.
00:36:56.08\00:36:58.67
I can't do that so how do
I get any "points" with God?
00:36:58.97\00:37:03.70
I use that terminology.
00:37:04.00\00:37:05.40
What she says here
is when you're home
00:37:06.10\00:37:12.07
and when you're in your family
and you stand up for Jesus
00:37:12.37\00:37:18.30
amid provocation
00:37:18.50\00:37:21.48
and you hold the
banner of Prince Emmanuel high
00:37:21.78\00:37:26.38
in your little sphere,
as far as God is concerned
00:37:26.58\00:37:31.69
you get the same - I'll
use this term - "points"
00:37:31.89\00:37:35.54
as that missionary who
went thousands of miles away
00:37:35.74\00:37:39.88
and gave his life
for the cause of Christ.
00:37:40.08\00:37:41.99
So when somebody
steals something from you
00:37:42.29\00:37:44.98
or lies on you or cheats you
00:37:45.18\00:37:47.86
or assassinates your character
00:37:48.06\00:37:49.98
and you don't fight back and
you don't go and beat them up
00:37:50.18\00:37:53.80
and you don't put nails
in their tires. You just
00:37:54.00\00:37:56.74
stand there and take it
like a good soldier of the cross
00:37:56.94\00:37:59.90
God says: "I've
got that written down
00:38:00.10\00:38:02.42
and in My book you're
just as valiant a soldier
00:38:02.62\00:38:06.36
a missionary, as
Mother Teresa or anybody else
00:38:06.56\00:38:10.15
who gets the credit and
the kudos for going to Africa
00:38:10.35\00:38:14.32
or India or
China or anyplace else.
00:38:14.52\00:38:17.03
You right here in the states
holding on and standing up
00:38:17.23\00:38:20.68
for Jesus same in my book. "
00:38:20.78\00:38:22.57
Was talking to
somebody last night
00:38:25.38\00:38:27.28
and they said: "You
know, I had one item of value:
00:38:30.04\00:38:35.07
a pair of sunglasses.
00:38:35.17\00:38:37.96
And a family member
stole my one item of value.
00:38:38.16\00:38:43.46
Stole my sunglasses...
00:38:43.66\00:38:45.88
and I called him on it.
00:38:47.32\00:38:49.42
And I said: 'Did you
take my sunglasses? '
00:38:49.52\00:38:52.13
And he cursed and
slammed the phone down.
00:38:52.43\00:38:54.55
He said: 'I knew by that
response that he had them
00:38:54.85\00:38:57.09
'cause if you don't have
them there's no need to get
00:38:57.39\00:38:59.13
crazy. ' "
00:38:59.23\00:39:00.83
And so he said: "You know, I
planned what I was going to do
00:39:01.54\00:39:04.73
when next we met.
00:39:04.93\00:39:06.74
I was going to knock him out.
00:39:07.15\00:39:10.56
But I'm a Christian now.
00:39:16.71\00:39:18.64
I love Jesus now
00:39:18.84\00:39:21.18
and if I let that thing brew
in my heart it will consume me
00:39:21.38\00:39:26.27
so every time I think
about it I think about Jesus. "
00:39:26.57\00:39:31.03
Now according to this reading
00:39:31.33\00:39:33.56
God wrote that down in heaven
00:39:33.96\00:39:37.21
and He said: "You may
never get to a mission field.
00:39:38.66\00:39:40.95
You may never get
to some far-away place.
00:39:41.15\00:39:44.21
But you, swallowing your
pride and standing up for Jesus,
00:39:45.14\00:39:50.02
in the annals of heaven
you get the same credit. "
00:39:51.17\00:39:54.65
Amen?
00:39:54.95\00:39:56.40
Thinking about my
in-laws down in Panama.
00:39:56.70\00:40:00.27
Wife so mean and so hateful
to the Lord that her husband
00:40:01.44\00:40:06.94
had to come home on Sabbath
afternoon and lock himself in
00:40:07.14\00:40:09.84
his own bedroom to keep
from the assaults of his wife.
00:40:09.94\00:40:15.05
But he took it for Jesus.
00:40:16.61\00:40:19.89
He took it.
00:40:20.29\00:40:22.03
The cursing, the
swearing, the abuse... took it.
00:40:22.53\00:40:26.78
Never fought back; never
screamed... just took it.
00:40:27.38\00:40:32.49
Do you think that kind of
sacrifice goes unnoticed by God?
00:40:32.79\00:40:36.73
Every tear... written down.
00:40:38.26\00:40:40.91
Now that wife is a
member of the church of God
00:40:41.83\00:40:47.49
because "a soft
answer turns away wrath. "
00:40:48.92\00:40:52.15
So you may never get to China.
00:40:52.45\00:40:54.47
You may never get
to darkest Africa.
00:40:54.77\00:40:56.66
You may never get
to Papua, New Guinea,
00:40:56.76\00:40:58.25
or the highlands of
the outback in Australia.
00:40:58.45\00:41:01.04
Just let your light
shine where you are.
00:41:01.34\00:41:05.32
God says: "I see your suffering
00:41:05.72\00:41:10.52
and I see you
standing up for Jesus. "
00:41:10.82\00:41:14.16
Amen? That's why God is so good!
00:41:14.46\00:41:17.15
God is so very, very good
00:41:17.55\00:41:20.45
and we love Him so much.
00:41:21.05\00:41:23.55
David made a mistake
00:41:27.73\00:41:33.01
that stayed with
him throughout his life.
00:41:34.37\00:41:38.54
That is why,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:41:41.98\00:41:43.82
we need to train our children
from their earliest days
00:41:44.02\00:41:48.95
because you can make
mistakes in your youth
00:41:50.51\00:41:52.49
that you never get free of.
00:41:52.90\00:41:55.44
And the consequences for David
were there till the day he died.
00:41:55.74\00:42:00.69
Let me just... I just
saw something real quick
00:42:00.99\00:42:02.30
that I just... Let
me go back to something.
00:42:02.60\00:42:04.16
Um, Christ's Object Lessons.
00:42:04.46\00:42:05.96
It's called "Pity and
pray for oppressive leader. "
00:42:08.63\00:42:11.08
This goes back to what we
were talking about before.
00:42:11.38\00:42:13.33
I just want to get this in.
00:42:13.63\00:42:14.73
Ellen White says: "Because
of the wrongdoing of those
00:42:15.23\00:42:18.76
in positions of
trust don't be envious
00:42:18.96\00:42:21.96
and don't let bad
feelings fill your heart. "
00:42:21.99\00:42:24.68
If you're working for
somebody or with somebody
00:42:25.08\00:42:28.40
that's just giving you
the devil, Ellen White says
00:42:28.60\00:42:33.79
"pray for them and pity them. "
00:42:33.99\00:42:36.88
Don't retaliate;
don't fight back...
00:42:37.12\00:42:40.55
because God's going
to take care of that.
00:42:40.86\00:42:43.22
So you don't have to lie
awake nights thinking of ways
00:42:43.52\00:42:46.03
to get even with
somebody who's dogging you.
00:42:46.23\00:42:49.97
Just pray for them and pity them
00:42:51.11\00:42:54.00
because unless they
repent of those sins
00:42:54.13\00:42:56.75
they will never
have eternal life.
00:42:56.95\00:42:58.79
So you don't want
to lose your salvation
00:42:59.09\00:43:01.68
thinking of ways to
get back at someone.
00:43:01.88\00:43:04.12
Let God do that. Amen?
00:43:04.32\00:43:06.95
Just stand strong for
Jesus and God knows your battle.
00:43:07.25\00:43:12.33
Give it to Jesus and
God will take care of it.
00:43:12.63\00:43:15.74
Just a couple things. She says:
"Consecrate yourself to God
00:43:16.04\00:43:19.00
in the morning. Make
this your first work. "
00:43:19.20\00:43:22.01
So then, yesterday is not today.
00:43:38.78\00:43:42.29
The Ishbi-Benob of today is
not the Goliath of yesterday.
00:43:42.59\00:43:45.50
The Bible says
Ishbi-Benob had a new sword.
00:43:45.80\00:43:50.73
We are living
in a brand new day.
00:43:51.03\00:43:55.29
There are more
ways to be distracted.
00:43:56.67\00:43:59.38
Kindles, iPods,
00:44:01.36\00:44:04.33
iPads, Droids,
00:44:04.63\00:44:07.13
computers, BlackBerrys,
00:44:07.43\00:44:10.14
smart devices, MP3 players,
00:44:10.44\00:44:13.96
laptop computer, GPS systems.
00:44:14.16\00:44:18.08
There are more ways to get
sick, more ways to get injured,
00:44:18.38\00:44:22.60
and more ways to die. We
live in a dangerous world
00:44:22.85\00:44:27.59
and so you've got to
have Christ every day.
00:44:29.18\00:44:31.32
There is a cute
commercial in New York City.
00:44:31.42\00:44:33.34
I don't know if they
still run it, but years ago
00:44:33.84\00:44:37.10
they used to have it.
It was a lady driving down
00:44:37.30\00:44:40.73
a New York City
freeway very, very fast.
00:44:40.94\00:44:43.98
She's got the visor down,
00:44:44.18\00:44:46.16
and she's looking in the mirror.
00:44:46.36\00:44:49.11
She's got lipstick in one hand.
00:44:49.31\00:44:52.27
She's got the eyebrow
pencil in the other hand.
00:44:52.48\00:44:55.44
She's got her head cocked as
she's talking on her cell phone
00:44:55.64\00:44:58.73
and she's steering
the car with her elbows
00:44:58.93\00:45:01.61
and she's flying
down the highway.
00:45:02.01\00:45:04.31
And then the words come
out: "She's out there...
00:45:04.51\00:45:08.03
want to meet her? "
00:45:08.24\00:45:09.76
And it's a
commercial for insurance.
00:45:11.12\00:45:13.89
But the truth is there
are more ways to get hurt,
00:45:15.19\00:45:18.74
to get sick, and to
die. It's a dangerous world!
00:45:18.94\00:45:22.95
You cannot afford to
leave your house without Jesus
00:45:23.15\00:45:25.73
because you never know
what you will meet in the world.
00:45:26.03\00:45:31.16
You know, this
may sound strange:
00:45:32.30\00:45:34.53
I wouldn't mind
being a few years younger.
00:45:37.07\00:45:41.93
Amen. Amen.
00:45:44.21\00:45:47.92
But I would never
want to be a child again.
00:45:49.78\00:45:53.22
I say that seriously.
00:45:53.45\00:45:55.26
Tough being a child
in this day and age.
00:45:55.56\00:45:59.22
As we're preaching
the big college scandal.
00:45:59.52\00:46:04.49
Young men, little
boys. Tough being a child.
00:46:05.75\00:46:09.74
There are so many
predators in the world.
00:46:10.04\00:46:13.63
Predators online;
predators in the Internet.
00:46:13.93\00:46:18.02
Predators in the shopping mall;
00:46:18.22\00:46:19.94
children
disappearing all the time.
00:46:20.14\00:46:22.55
By the thousands
slavery in these modern days.
00:46:22.75\00:46:26.55
Looking at
something just the other day.
00:46:26.75\00:46:28.06
It's tough being a child
today. Tough growing up today.
00:46:28.26\00:46:32.39
I wouldn't mind
having a few years back.
00:46:32.59\00:46:34.33
I would never want
to be a child again
00:46:34.53\00:46:36.59
'cause there are
more ways to get sick,
00:46:36.89\00:46:40.34
more ways to get
injured, and more ways to die.
00:46:40.54\00:46:44.51
You can make one wrong move...
00:46:44.91\00:46:49.64
ladies and
gentlemen... one wrong move
00:46:49.94\00:46:54.53
and your life
forever be destroyed.
00:46:54.83\00:46:57.75
II Samuel chapter 11
and verse 1. It says:
00:46:58.35\00:47:03.56
"It happened in
the spring of the year
00:47:03.86\00:47:06.67
at the time when
kings go off to battle
00:47:06.87\00:47:10.44
that David
remained in Jerusalem. "
00:47:10.64\00:47:15.29
Now why is that there?
It's not an idle statement.
00:47:15.40\00:47:18.95
Things were going well.
00:47:19.25\00:47:21.41
The Syrians had
already surrendered
00:47:21.72\00:47:25.55
and the Ammonites
were about to surrender
00:47:25.75\00:47:28.63
and so David said: "No
use me going to the battle.
00:47:28.83\00:47:31.97
I'll let Joab handle it. I
think I'll just hang around
00:47:32.18\00:47:34.48
here and find something to do. "
00:47:34.58\00:47:37.03
And we know what he did.
00:47:39.04\00:47:40.64
David remained in Jerusalem.
00:47:42.05\00:47:44.33
He neglected to do what
he should have been doing
00:47:44.53\00:47:49.00
and ended up doing what
he had no business doing.
00:47:49.30\00:47:54.37
And he made a decision that
defined the rest of his life.
00:47:55.47\00:48:01.40
This, then, is a
message for young people.
00:48:01.70\00:48:05.65
This, then, is a
message of utmost urgency.
00:48:05.95\00:48:11.34
Get God. Get Him
early and don't ever let go!
00:48:11.64\00:48:16.21
The wise man said in
Ecclesiastes 12:1 New King James
00:48:16.51\00:48:21.18
"Remember now thy Creator in
the days of thy - your - youth
00:48:21.32\00:48:25.54
before the difficult days
come and the years draw near
00:48:25.84\00:48:29.51
when you say 'I have
no pleasure in them. ' "
00:48:29.71\00:48:33.97
You know, the only regret
you have when you give your life
00:48:34.07\00:48:36.57
to Jesus is that you
didn't have enough sense
00:48:36.77\00:48:38.54
to do it earlier.
You know what I mean?
00:48:38.75\00:48:40.37
That's the only regret you have:
why didn't I do this years ago?
00:48:41.07\00:48:44.93
I was talking with my step
daughter, Becky, the other day.
00:48:45.23\00:48:48.54
We were sitting around
the table just talking.
00:48:48.74\00:48:50.03
And she made that statement:
"You know, I didn't want to
00:48:50.23\00:48:53.32
hear it back then.
Didn't want to be bothered.
00:48:53.42\00:48:56.41
Didn't want to hear that.
Mother always wo-wo-wo-wo...
00:48:56.71\00:48:59.63
Always in my ear: come to Jesus,
come to Jesus, come to Jesus.
00:48:59.83\00:49:03.06
I didn't want to
hear that stuff. "
00:49:03.26\00:49:04.46
Now that I'm in, I'm wondering
"what was wrong with me? "
00:49:04.56\00:49:10.45
Anybody? Your only
regret is that it took so long
00:49:10.95\00:49:14.77
that the skull was so thick
that I had to break my ankle
00:49:14.97\00:49:17.59
two times before I
got it through my head
00:49:17.79\00:49:21.94
that God comes first.
00:49:22.25\00:49:24.85
Your life, your peace in
later years, is in many ways
00:49:25.15\00:49:29.55
a consequence of the wars
you fought or didn't fight
00:49:29.75\00:49:34.70
as a youth.
00:49:34.90\00:49:36.90
Number three: God
is not a talisman.
00:49:38.46\00:49:44.14
Amen.
00:49:47.27\00:49:48.71
Now what's he talking about?
00:49:48.92\00:49:50.55
God is not a talisman.
A talisman is an amulet
00:49:50.75\00:49:53.23
or something you
put around your neck
00:49:53.34\00:49:54.38
to keep you out of trouble
or get you out of trouble.
00:49:54.58\00:49:56.65
That's not God. Amen?
00:49:57.16\00:50:00.06
God is not a talisman;
He's not a good luck charm.
00:50:00.29\00:50:03.31
He really can't
be just your Savior
00:50:05.01\00:50:09.86
if you don't let
Him be your Lord.
00:50:10.06\00:50:13.14
Amen! He's got to
be Savior AND Lord.
00:50:13.44\00:50:17.50
As Savior He gets
you out of trouble;
00:50:17.80\00:50:21.15
as Lord He keeps you
from getting into trouble.
00:50:21.45\00:50:25.70
God is not the kind of
person you just call on
00:50:26.00\00:50:29.05
when you get in hot
water. That's a talisman.
00:50:29.25\00:50:31.71
That's an amulet. They
tried that back in Bible days.
00:50:32.01\00:50:36.53
They were losing
to the Philistines.
00:50:37.13\00:50:40.71
Someone got the bright
idea: "Let's take the ark of the
00:50:40.91\00:50:43.87
covenant into battle.
Yeah, that'll save us. "
00:50:44.07\00:50:47.59
That's a talisman.
"Let's take it in... "
00:50:47.89\00:50:50.12
Never asked God; never
consulted with the Lord.
00:50:50.15\00:50:53.81
"This ought to work: let's
take it into battle with us. "
00:50:54.01\00:50:57.13
And on that day the ark
was taken by the Philistines.
00:50:57.44\00:51:00.84
Hophni and Phineas were slain.
00:51:01.04\00:51:03.64
The high priest, Eli, got
the news, fell over backwards,
00:51:03.84\00:51:07.47
broke his neck, and died.
00:51:07.58\00:51:08.95
God's not a talisman.
00:51:09.25\00:51:11.70
You've got to surrender to Him.
00:51:12.00\00:51:14.18
Don't just call on Him
when you're in trouble.
00:51:14.48\00:51:16.28
Anybody got any friends
00:51:16.48\00:51:17.98
every time they get in hot water
00:51:18.18\00:51:19.52
that's when they're
on the phone to you?
00:51:19.72\00:51:20.84
When you see that number on
your cell phone, what do you do?
00:51:21.14\00:51:23.81
I think I'll let it ring.
00:51:24.11\00:51:26.35
You don't do that with the Lord.
00:51:26.75\00:51:29.36
Call on Him every day so
when trouble comes He's there.
00:51:29.76\00:51:35.76
God is not a talisman.
00:51:36.16\00:51:38.60
Finally: perhaps the
greatest sin is the statement
00:51:40.48\00:51:45.27
that was never
made at Ishbi-Benob...
00:51:45.37\00:51:49.83
or with Ishbi-Benob.
00:51:50.13\00:51:51.88
David said to Goliath: "You
come to me with the sword. "
00:51:52.08\00:51:56.10
You don't find that statement
in the fight with Ishbi-Benob
00:52:05.06\00:52:08.69
because people were fighting
by then in their own strength.
00:52:08.99\00:52:12.84
And the truth is:
in the spiritual battle
00:52:13.14\00:52:16.74
you have no strength.
00:52:16.94\00:52:19.20
All your strength
comes from the Lord.
00:52:19.50\00:52:22.25
And if you try to
fight in your own strength,
00:52:22.55\00:52:25.65
you are defeated
before you even get started.
00:52:25.85\00:52:31.38
There's a cute little
saying in the New Testament.
00:52:31.68\00:52:36.66
The disciple are arguing
about who's going to be greatest
00:52:37.88\00:52:41.40
in the kingdom.
They're really going at it.
00:52:41.50\00:52:44.16
Along comes a fellow
with a demon-possessed son
00:52:44.46\00:52:48.11
tries to get the
disciples to cast the devil out.
00:52:48.31\00:52:52.73
Not going to happen.
00:52:53.03\00:52:55.26
Ellen White says "they didn't
even know that in their arguing
00:52:55.56\00:53:00.72
the Spirit of God
had stepped back. "
00:53:00.92\00:53:04.67
But Satan knew... and
they were on their own.
00:53:04.97\00:53:09.27
And so later on when
Christ answered their question:
00:53:09.57\00:53:13.70
"How come we
couldn't cast them out? "
00:53:13.90\00:53:14.98
He said: "This one only goes
out by fasting and prayer. "
00:53:15.18\00:53:17.95
But the implication was
"you lost the presence and power
00:53:18.15\00:53:23.24
of the Spirit. "
00:53:23.44\00:53:25.35
You may not know
it, but Satan does know.
00:53:25.65\00:53:29.24
Righteous living is the response
00:53:30.18\00:53:34.04
to righteous living.
00:53:34.34\00:53:37.22
Do nothing of your own.
00:53:37.52\00:53:40.19
Do nothing that
will lessen your power.
00:53:40.39\00:53:42.68
Do nothing that will
separate you from the Lord.
00:53:42.88\00:53:45.72
Trust God in every decision.
00:53:46.03\00:53:49.04
And if you bring Him
into the little decisions
00:53:49.24\00:53:51.69
He will be there
for the big ones.
00:53:51.79\00:53:53.63
Trust Him in all things.
00:53:53.83\00:53:55.47
Do not trust in yourself.
Make no decisions without Him,
00:53:55.57\00:53:59.03
and submit every
decision to the mind of God.
00:53:59.23\00:54:03.86
For just when you think
you've got it all together,
00:54:04.16\00:54:07.64
just when you
think life is easy,
00:54:07.84\00:54:10.32
just when you think
there are no more battles,
00:54:10.52\00:54:12.92
no more hurdles,
00:54:13.12\00:54:15.00
Satan will show you that
he has not given up on you
00:54:15.20\00:54:19.91
and he still
claims you as his own.
00:54:20.22\00:54:25.21
You must fight on manfully
00:54:25.51\00:54:29.98
and never let go of the
glorious hand of Jesus Christ.
00:54:30.29\00:54:35.62
And so in his old age
00:54:36.02\00:54:39.56
David, the mighty
king, faints and falls
00:54:39.86\00:54:45.54
before this new foe.
00:54:45.74\00:54:49.47
And the brethren said:
00:54:49.87\00:54:52.13
"I don't think we're
going to take you out any more
00:54:52.53\00:54:56.14
because you're going to
destroy the lamp of Israel. "
00:54:56.44\00:55:00.22
But the one thing I want
you to notice in closing.
00:55:00.52\00:55:03.38
The Bible says in verse 17
00:55:03.78\00:55:09.46
II Samuel 21:
00:55:09.76\00:55:11.19
"Abishai struck the Philistine
00:55:11.49\00:55:16.50
and killed him. "
00:55:16.70\00:55:18.46
I think one of
the greatest blessings
00:55:20.39\00:55:22.90
for the church is brothers
and sisters in Christ. Amen.
00:55:23.10\00:55:27.87
To have
somebody to stand by you.
00:55:28.69\00:55:30.91
To have somebody
to stand with you.
00:55:30.94\00:55:33.44
To have somebody to get
your back when it's necessary.
00:55:33.75\00:55:38.40
To have somebody who
believes like you believe.
00:55:38.71\00:55:42.67
Our strength is in our numbers.
00:55:42.97\00:55:45.93
And I say this... I've
said this to every church
00:55:46.23\00:55:49.68
I've ever
pastored. I've told them
00:55:49.88\00:55:52.79
"Like it or not,
all I've got is you
00:55:52.99\00:55:57.55
and all you've
got is me. " Amen?
00:55:59.16\00:56:03.71
"So we'd better love each other
00:56:04.47\00:56:06.12
and care for each other
00:56:06.32\00:56:08.39
and protect each other
00:56:08.59\00:56:10.55
and hold onto each
other in Jesus' name
00:56:10.85\00:56:14.48
because they'll know we
are Christians by our love
00:56:15.43\00:56:21.41
one for another. "
00:56:21.61\00:56:22.78
Hold onto Jesus.
00:56:24.35\00:56:26.11
Make every decision
in the light of His Word.
00:56:26.41\00:56:30.17
Then you'll be strong.
00:56:30.47\00:56:33.60
Then you'll be faithful.
00:56:33.80\00:56:35.46
But more than that
you'll be victorious
00:56:35.76\00:56:40.57
in Christ Jesus.
00:56:40.87\00:56:43.32
Shall we pray? Father God,
00:56:43.62\00:56:45.29
we thank you, dear Lord,
00:56:45.59\00:56:47.83
for the promise that we have
00:56:48.03\00:56:51.68
of victory in You.
00:56:51.99\00:56:54.33
Father, we look at the
life of people like David
00:56:55.58\00:56:57.64
and we see where he fell.
00:56:57.84\00:57:01.43
But help us, Lord,
to look to our own work
00:57:01.64\00:57:06.93
so that we will
not stumble and fall.
00:57:07.13\00:57:10.28
So that we will
be strong in Jesus.
00:57:10.58\00:57:13.35
So that we will fight,
indeed, the good fight of faith
00:57:13.65\00:57:18.37
and gain victory
through our Lord and Savior
00:57:18.67\00:57:22.84
Jesus Christ. We
love You; we praise You.
00:57:23.04\00:57:27.32
We thank you and
re-commit ourselves to You
00:57:27.62\00:57:30.90
in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:57:31.10\00:57:34.48