Hello and welcome to
Wednesday Night Bible Study,
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also Wednesday
Night Prayer Meeting
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sometimes called.
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And welcome to A Sharper Focus.
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My name is John Dinzey.
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Pastor Lomacang could
not be with you today,
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so I have the privilege of
spending this hour with you.
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Of course, we're asking
for the Lord's blessing,
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we're praying for
the Lord to bless us
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in this Bible Study,
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and we have a
wonderful group of people
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that have joined us here
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in Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And by the way,
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if you are in the
Southern Illinois area,
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we invite you to join us
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at the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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Thompsonville, of course,
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those who live
in Southern Illinois
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know it's a very small town.
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It is Route 149
where you'll find
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the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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just before you get to Route 34
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as you're coming from
the West Frankfort area.
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If you're coming
from the Benton area,
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of course, when
you come on Route 34,
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you'll have to
turn right on Route 149
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and drive about...
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What is it, two miles
or so? Less than that.
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Okay, less than that,
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and you'll find the
church on the right hand side.
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We are here on Wednesday's.
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It's 7 pm for the
Wednesday Night Bible Study
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and Saturday
morning's we join you at,
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we ask you to
join us here at 9:15 am
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where we have song service
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and we are here
praising the Lord,
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studying the Bible together
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and you'll hear the
preaching of God's Word
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here at the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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Also, we want to
encourage you to pray
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for the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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We want to be a
light to the community.
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And so we want this to be
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a vibrant church
that ministers to you.
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Today, we're going to study
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a very
interesting topic I believe.
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I have a difficult
time finding titles
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but this one I entitled,
"The Ultimate Sacrifice".
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We're going to
study the Bible together,
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The Ultimate Sacrifice.
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Perhaps you've
made some sacrifice
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that you consider ultimate,
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and so today we're going
to look into what happened
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when God called a
man to do something
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that seemed like
the ultimate test,
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the test of faith.
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But before we continue,
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we'd like to tell
you how you can join us.
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There are some Bible studies
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you can download at the website
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at asf.3abn.org.
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I will repeat that ASF,
that's for A Sharper Focus
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asf.3abn.org.
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For those listening to radio,
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we welcome our listeners
from all over the world.
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So there you can
download Bible studies.
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Pastor Lomacang is going through
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Bible study series, and
then you can download them
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and join in the Bible study.
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There is no handout for today.
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Today we're going to...
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We don't have a handout
for this particular study.
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However, it's a study
worthy of our attention
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and so we want to go to
the Lord in prayer right now
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and ask for His
blessing as we study His Word.
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Let us join in prayer.
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Our loving heavenly Father,
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we are grateful to You
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for Your
goodness and mercy to us.
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Lord, we little comprehend
how great is thy faithfulness,
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how wonderful is thy mercy.
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Many have written about it
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and there is even a
song that says amazing grace.
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We thank You, Lord,
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for You have made a
great sacrifice for us,
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a plan of salvation that
reaches every human being
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in the world.
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We pray, Lord, that
as we study together,
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our hearts will burn within us
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as Your Holy Spirit helps us
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to understand the scriptures.
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We pray for Your
Holy Spirit to be upon
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each and every one of us.
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I place myself aside, Lord,
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and I pray that You
will be the one to speak,
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You'll be the one to lead us.
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And we pray, Lord,
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for those who have
concerns here present.
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There are
concerns great and small,
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but we pray that You
will attend to each one.
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We also ask the
same for our viewers
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and for our listeners
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that joined us during this hour.
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You know their needs,
some are in great stress,
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waiting for an answer, Lord,
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and we pray that in
the time that it is best,
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You will bring them
the blessing they need.
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Give them strength for today,
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courage to go forward
knowing that with You,
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all things are possible.
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We pray, Father,
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for these things in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Well today, we'll start talking
about a man that God said,
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take up your household
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and I'll show you a
land where you're gonna be.
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We're talking about Abraham.
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Started out with the name Abram
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and the Lord
changed his name to Abraham
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which means
"Father of many nations."
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And the Lord came
to Abraham one day,
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and told him that he
was going to have a son.
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And Abraham
rejoiced to know that
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he was gonna have a son.
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Sarah also rejoiced, his wife
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but the promised
blessing delayed in coming.
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It was a test of faith.
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The promised
blessing delayed in coming.
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And again the Lord
repeats the promise,
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"You're going to have a son."
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And he will be a
father of many nations.
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"You're gonna be a
father of many nations,"
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God told Abraham.
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And there was a delay.
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And so the time came when
Abraham and Sarah decided,
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perhaps the Lord will
bring the blessing this way.
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And Sarah suggested that
Abraham take as his wife who?
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Hagar.
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Hagar was Sarah's servant,
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her handmaid,
the Bible calls her.
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And says maybe
through my handmaid,
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the promised blessing will come.
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Abraham consented to this
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and of course
his first born son,
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which his name
is Ishmael was born.
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However, that was not
what God had said would happen.
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He said his wife
Sarah would have a child.
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And so, Abraham loved Ishmael
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and he told God,
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all that Ishmael
may live before you.
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And He said, "No,
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it is the fruit of your loins
that will be your inheritor."
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And so it was
that upon the set time,
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the Lord visited Abraham,
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three individuals came
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and told him in the proper time,
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in about a year from now,
your wife is gonna have a son.
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They were already very old.
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Sarah even
thought it was impossible
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because the Bible says,
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it cease to be with her
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according to
the manner of woman.
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And she even
laughed when she heard that.
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"How can it be?
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I'm already a
woman that is old!"
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But with God, all
things are possible.
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And so, her son was born, Isaac.
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What a joy Isaac
brought to the family.
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It was the joy
and pride of the home.
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Abraham was very happy that
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through his wife Sarah,
now he really had a son.
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His name, Isaac.
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And unfortunately,
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a little struggle showed
up between Isaac and Ishmael,
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because Isaac
was the little one,
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Ishmael the bigger one.
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And unfortunately, it
was such that Sarah said,
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"You must send this
woman away with her son."
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It was a difficult thing,
but Abraham did just that.
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The Lord said to Abraham,
"Do as your wife had said."
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And when the Lord tells
you do as your wife has said,
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what should you do?
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Do it.
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There's great
blessing in doing the things
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that the Lord says for us to do.
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But I would like to take you now
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to our study for today.
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We like to
invite you to join me in
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Genesis 22:2.
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In Genesis Chapter 22,
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we have there a
very interesting story.
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Abraham had failed God
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in not waiting for
the promised blessing.
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And so, I'm gonna
read Genesis 22:1,
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it's not gonna go on the screen,
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but it says,
we're gonna pick it up
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on the screen with verse 2.
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And it says, "And it came
to pass after these things,
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that God did tempt Abraham,"
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the scripture says in verse 1.
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"And said unto him,
Abraham and he said,
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'Behold, here I am.'"
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And I would like to bring out
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at this moment that it
says that the Lord did tempt.
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This is the King James Version
that uses the word tempt.
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However, it is
a word that means,
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tested Abraham, proved Abraham.
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You may remember a scripture
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in Daniel Chapter 1
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where Daniel asked for a test
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to be made.
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He said prove us
and so he was proved.
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That's the same word that
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is translated prove
in Daniel Chapter 1.
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It's the same word
translated here, tempt.
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So the Bible tells us in James
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that the Lord
does not tempt anyone.
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But He does try our
faith to increase our faith,
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to help us understand that
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we should rely and trust in Him.
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And that God is faithful.
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What He says He
will do, He will do.
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And so the word Nasa
in is the word tempt there
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and it'd say,
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it means to test
and prove and to try.
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And so this, you
can see the same word
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in Daniel 1:14, Daniel 1:15.
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Let's take a look at that.
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It's not gonna be on the screen.
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For the sake of us
those that are joining us,
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in Daniel 1:14,
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we're going to see
the same word used.
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As we mentioned
before, in Daniel Chapter 1,
00:10:39.87\00:10:43.74
you may remember that Daniel
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and his friends
were taken captive
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and he was given,
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they were offering
them food that Daniel
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thought was not
good for him to eat.
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And so Daniel
approached the eunuch and said,
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"Hey, give us
pulse and water to drink.
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Vegetables and water to drink."
00:11:04.99\00:11:06.70
And it says there in verse 14
00:11:06.73\00:11:09.23
that he consented
to them in this matter
00:11:09.26\00:11:12.00
and proved them ten days.
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And if you continue
reading verse 15, he says,
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and at the end of ten days,
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their
countenance appeared fairer
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and fatter in flesh,
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than all the
children which they eat
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the portion of the king's meat.
00:11:24.78\00:11:26.88
So these were proved,
00:11:26.92\00:11:28.48
it's the same word
used in Genesis 22:1,
00:11:28.52\00:11:32.29
but it used the word tempt,
00:11:32.32\00:11:33.66
but we must understand
that God does not tempt people.
00:11:33.69\00:11:37.23
He tests us for our benefit.
00:11:37.26\00:11:41.26
He tries our
faith for our benefits.
00:11:41.30\00:11:44.07
So now I invite you to join me
00:11:44.10\00:11:45.70
in verse 2
00:11:45.73\00:11:50.34
of Genesis Chapter 22.
00:11:50.37\00:11:53.94
Let's go to
Genesis Chapter 22 again.
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If you have your Bibles,
we invite you to join us.
00:11:55.91\00:11:58.28
You may wanna
write some of these down.
00:11:58.31\00:12:00.25
Of course, we're gonna deal
00:12:00.28\00:12:01.85
mainly with Genesis
Chapter 22 and onward,
00:12:01.88\00:12:05.55
and we're gonna go
other places as well.
00:12:05.59\00:12:08.12
And now, in verse 2
00:12:08.16\00:12:11.56
we have the following scripture.
00:12:11.59\00:12:13.70
And he said, "Take now thy son,
00:12:13.73\00:12:18.23
thine only son
Isaac, whom thou lovest,"
00:12:18.27\00:12:22.60
we're reading from Genesis 22:2,
00:12:22.64\00:12:25.11
"and get thee into
the land of Moriah,
00:12:25.14\00:12:27.64
and there offer him
there for a burnt offering
00:12:27.68\00:12:32.48
upon one of the mountains
which I will tell thee off."
00:12:32.51\00:12:38.02
Kind of similar to the same call
00:12:38.05\00:12:40.19
that God made to
Abraham in the beginning.
00:12:40.22\00:12:42.76
So when you
look at Genesis 22:2,
00:12:42.79\00:12:46.19
you will find
something interesting.
00:12:46.23\00:12:48.20
Look at the way
God talks to Abraham.
00:12:48.23\00:12:51.63
Take thy son, thine only son.
00:12:51.67\00:12:56.50
Question, did
Abraham have another son?
00:12:56.54\00:12:59.41
Yes, we just talked about it.
00:12:59.44\00:13:00.84
He said he had
another son named Ishmael.
00:13:00.88\00:13:04.35
But why does God
tell him take now thy son,
00:13:04.38\00:13:07.45
thine only son,
00:13:07.48\00:13:09.25
and then repeat
whom thou lovest.
00:13:09.28\00:13:13.66
It is because
God recognized Isaac
00:13:13.69\00:13:17.89
as His firstborn
son from his wife.
00:13:17.93\00:13:21.40
The other son was
not recognized by God.
00:13:21.43\00:13:23.26
He was not the
son of the promised.
00:13:23.30\00:13:26.60
And he used the
word whom thou lovest,
00:13:26.63\00:13:30.24
he could have
left that word out.
00:13:30.27\00:13:32.57
Whom thou lovest?
00:13:32.61\00:13:34.78
And God was
testing Abraham's faith.
00:13:34.81\00:13:39.65
Notice that He also told him,
00:13:39.68\00:13:43.42
go to the land of Moriah,
00:13:43.45\00:13:46.62
and offer him there
for a burnt offering
00:13:46.65\00:13:48.56
upon one of the
mountains which I tell thee.
00:13:48.59\00:13:50.86
In other words, he's
going to the mountain
00:13:50.89\00:13:53.73
but the Lord is gonna show him
00:13:53.76\00:13:55.96
when he gets there,
which one is the one.
00:13:56.00\00:13:59.67
So at the present time,
he could not tell anybody,
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.64
we're going to
this particular spot.
00:14:02.67\00:14:05.37
The Lord was
going to show him later.
00:14:05.41\00:14:07.71
So now, I would
like to invite you
00:14:07.74\00:14:12.21
to enter into the
experience of Abraham.
00:14:12.25\00:14:15.08
What if the Lord told you,
00:14:15.12\00:14:17.09
take whomever
you love the greatest
00:14:17.12\00:14:21.02
and offer that
person as a burnt offering,
00:14:21.06\00:14:24.26
as a burnt sacrifice.
00:14:24.29\00:14:27.16
What would you do?
00:14:27.20\00:14:29.26
Very difficult thing.
00:14:29.30\00:14:31.50
A very difficult thing
that Abraham have to face.
00:14:31.53\00:14:35.50
And I would suggest to you,
00:14:35.54\00:14:37.34
had Abraham been
faithful in the past,
00:14:37.37\00:14:40.58
he wouldn't have to go
through this difficult test.
00:14:40.61\00:14:43.21
And I say this for us as well,
00:14:43.24\00:14:45.81
because there are things
that happen in our lives,
00:14:45.85\00:14:49.28
where the Lord
will test our faith.
00:14:49.32\00:14:51.35
Test our faithfulness
that if we are victorious,
00:14:51.39\00:14:54.72
if we follow
God in these things,
00:14:54.76\00:14:57.86
we may not have
to face something
00:14:57.89\00:14:59.23
more difficult later
00:14:59.26\00:15:01.36
because we will
go trusting the Lord,
00:15:01.40\00:15:03.40
our faith in Him will be solid,
00:15:03.43\00:15:05.13
and we may not have to encounter
00:15:05.17\00:15:06.67
something more
difficult later on.
00:15:06.70\00:15:09.57
And so Abraham, he
receives the message.
00:15:09.60\00:15:13.11
Do we have any
evidence in the Bible that
00:15:16.28\00:15:19.35
he told anyone about
what God had asked him to do?
00:15:19.38\00:15:23.02
No.
00:15:23.05\00:15:24.39
Notice verse 3,
let's go to verse 3.
00:15:24.42\00:15:26.99
"And Abraham rose up
early in the morning,"
00:15:27.02\00:15:31.36
that's Genesis 22:3,
00:15:31.39\00:15:34.73
"and saddled his ass or donkey,
00:15:34.76\00:15:37.30
and took two of
his young men with him,
00:15:37.33\00:15:39.73
and Isaac his son,
00:15:39.77\00:15:41.37
and clave the wood
for the burnt offering,
00:15:41.40\00:15:44.61
and rose up,
00:15:44.64\00:15:45.97
and went unto the place
of which God had told him."
00:15:46.01\00:15:51.91
So there was no
communication with Sarah.
00:15:51.95\00:15:55.68
Imagine if he had told Sarah,
00:15:55.72\00:15:57.35
"Sarah, God has
asked something difficult.
00:15:57.39\00:16:03.22
He has asked me to
go and sacrifice Isaac."
00:16:03.26\00:16:07.20
Oh!
00:16:07.23\00:16:08.63
What would Sarah do?
00:16:08.66\00:16:10.40
What would Sarah say?
00:16:10.43\00:16:12.47
I could hear her say, "No!
00:16:12.50\00:16:15.24
Not my son!"
00:16:15.27\00:16:18.87
It would've been something
that would break her heart.
00:16:18.91\00:16:22.71
Now imagine this for a moment,
it would've been difficult,
00:16:22.74\00:16:27.22
sad, a terror for
Abraham and Sarah to hear that
00:16:27.25\00:16:31.99
their son was out in
taking care of the flock
00:16:32.02\00:16:35.69
and some people
came and killed him.
00:16:35.72\00:16:41.06
It would've been very sad.
00:16:41.10\00:16:43.30
Or even that Isaac was out there
00:16:43.33\00:16:46.17
doing some things
and some animal came
00:16:46.20\00:16:48.70
and tore him to
pieces and killed him.
00:16:48.74\00:16:51.94
It would've broken their heart.
00:16:51.97\00:16:55.01
But now, God is asking Abraham,
take thy son, thine only son,
00:16:55.04\00:16:59.81
and offer him
for burnt sacrifice.
00:16:59.85\00:17:01.65
What did Abraham have
to do in order to offer him
00:17:01.68\00:17:04.79
as a burnt sacrifice?
00:17:04.82\00:17:06.15
He had to take a
knife and kill his son.
00:17:06.19\00:17:11.96
So it was
heartbreaking to even consider
00:17:11.99\00:17:15.36
what he had to do.
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.23
But we see Abraham as
we read, he rose up early,
00:17:17.27\00:17:22.30
and went with his son.
00:17:22.34\00:17:25.27
I can see Abraham
going to his son Isaac,
00:17:25.31\00:17:27.71
"Isaac get up son.
00:17:27.74\00:17:30.58
We need to go
00:17:30.61\00:17:31.95
and offer
sacrifice to the Lord."
00:17:31.98\00:17:35.72
You can see by the
reading which will come to later
00:17:35.75\00:17:37.89
that Abraham did
not tell his son Isaac,
00:17:37.92\00:17:41.09
"By the way Isaac,
00:17:41.12\00:17:42.46
you are gonna be the
one to be sacrificed."
00:17:42.49\00:17:46.36
That came later.
00:17:46.39\00:17:48.30
Abraham couldn't
bear the thought.
00:17:48.33\00:17:50.57
So let's go to see
00:17:50.60\00:17:52.07
what happened
next as Abraham went.
00:17:52.10\00:17:55.57
And so in Genesis 22,
00:17:55.60\00:17:58.84
now we go to verse 4 and
the screen may say verse1,
00:17:58.87\00:18:02.88
but it's verse 4,
and the king took past
00:18:02.91\00:18:06.31
after these things, I'm sorry...
00:18:06.35\00:18:11.52
verse 4, sorry.
00:18:11.55\00:18:13.29
"Then on the third day
Abraham lifted his eyes
00:18:13.32\00:18:17.16
and saw the place afar off."
00:18:17.19\00:18:19.63
So how many days, on what day?
00:18:19.66\00:18:22.46
On the third day.
00:18:22.50\00:18:24.17
But wait, what
happened the first day?
00:18:24.20\00:18:27.40
What happened the second day?
00:18:27.44\00:18:30.34
It was a long journey.
00:18:30.37\00:18:33.64
And it was
calculated for Abraham
00:18:33.68\00:18:38.11
to think about
what he was about to do.
00:18:38.15\00:18:42.72
He had plenty of time,
minutes seem like hours.
00:18:42.75\00:18:47.22
Hours seem like days.
00:18:47.26\00:18:51.29
It was a long
anguish and suffering that
00:18:51.33\00:18:55.16
Abraham was going through.
00:18:55.20\00:18:57.00
Each step, he came
closer to the moment
00:18:57.03\00:19:00.80
when he would have
to sacrifice his son.
00:19:00.84\00:19:04.87
Difficult, very difficult.
00:19:04.91\00:19:07.04
I imagine that, okay,
00:19:07.08\00:19:09.44
let's go to
sleep that first night,
00:19:09.48\00:19:11.68
do you think that Abraham slept?
00:19:11.71\00:19:14.58
No, I seriously doubt.
00:19:14.62\00:19:18.79
He slept probably
when he couldn't stay
00:19:18.82\00:19:21.16
awake any
longer, he fell asleep.
00:19:21.19\00:19:23.89
I see Abraham praying, "Lord,
does it have to be this way?"
00:19:23.93\00:19:28.93
I can see, remember Jesus
in the Garden of Gethsemane,
00:19:28.96\00:19:31.90
"Lord, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me.
00:19:31.93\00:19:37.07
Nevertheless, not as I
will but as thou wilt?"
00:19:37.11\00:19:41.44
I can see Abraham
struggling perhaps
00:19:41.48\00:19:44.61
not at the same
magnitude as Christ,
00:19:44.65\00:19:46.98
but he
struggled with this thing.
00:19:47.02\00:19:50.12
Cried at the thought
00:19:50.15\00:19:53.22
that his son will
be dead, first day.
00:19:53.25\00:19:57.66
Second day, the
long journey ahead,
00:19:57.69\00:20:00.63
getting closer and
closer to that moment
00:20:00.66\00:20:03.93
where he has to
sacrifice his son.
00:20:03.97\00:20:07.34
Very difficult.
00:20:07.37\00:20:08.87
And so here the scripture
takes us to the third day.
00:20:08.90\00:20:12.37
It doesn't tell
us what happened,
00:20:12.41\00:20:14.14
but I'm sure Abraham
struggled every moment
00:20:14.18\00:20:18.38
he got closer to the
place where the Lord said,
00:20:18.41\00:20:21.12
"There is where
you will sacrifice."
00:20:21.15\00:20:23.12
And as we read in verse 3,
00:20:23.15\00:20:25.19
he lifted up his eyes
and saw the place afar off.
00:20:25.22\00:20:30.43
What do you think
happened when he saw the place?
00:20:30.46\00:20:32.29
Somehow the
Lord gave him a sign,
00:20:32.33\00:20:34.46
perhaps the
cloud, a bright cloud.
00:20:34.50\00:20:38.07
Patriarchs and Prophets
says there was a bright cloud.
00:20:38.10\00:20:42.67
And so he saw the
place, I can imagine,
00:20:42.70\00:20:46.47
I don't know how it is about you
00:20:46.51\00:20:48.21
when you see someone you
haven't seen for long time,
00:20:48.24\00:20:50.15
it's like your heart rejoices
but when he saw this cloud,
00:20:50.18\00:20:53.62
when he saw the
actual place, his heart sank,
00:20:53.65\00:20:58.09
"Oh, no, there it is."
00:20:58.12\00:21:02.42
Let's go to the next
verse and see what happened.
00:21:02.46\00:21:08.40
In Genesis 22:6,
00:21:08.43\00:21:14.04
"And Abraham took the
wood of the burnt offering,"
00:21:14.07\00:21:17.94
I'm sorry we skipped
a couple of verses here.
00:21:17.97\00:21:20.38
Let's go to verse 5,
00:21:20.41\00:21:21.74
you may not see
this on the screen,
00:21:21.78\00:21:23.68
but let's go to verse 5.
00:21:23.71\00:21:27.12
"And Abraham said
unto his young men,
00:21:27.15\00:21:30.25
'Abide ye here with the donkeys,
00:21:30.29\00:21:34.56
and I and the lad
will go yonder and worship,
00:21:34.59\00:21:38.79
and come again unto you.'"
00:21:38.83\00:21:40.50
So these two
individuals did not know
00:21:40.53\00:21:42.76
what Abraham was to do.
00:21:42.80\00:21:46.87
In verse 6, "And Abraham took...
00:21:46.90\00:21:48.97
I'm sorry, verse 5.
00:21:49.00\00:21:52.04
And Abraham said
unto his young men,
00:21:52.07\00:21:53.41
I'm sorry, we read verse 5,
00:21:53.44\00:21:55.61
they're gonna go
yonder and worship.
00:21:55.64\00:21:58.91
We must understand that
Abraham and his household,
00:21:58.95\00:22:01.72
they worshipped God.
00:22:01.75\00:22:03.62
For some reason
he's telling them,
00:22:03.65\00:22:05.19
"You guys stay here."
00:22:05.22\00:22:07.56
What do you think that was?
00:22:07.59\00:22:11.36
Say, very good.
00:22:11.39\00:22:13.13
Jesus told His disciples,
00:22:13.16\00:22:14.50
He told some of
them to stay here
00:22:14.53\00:22:16.90
and we're gonna
go pray over there,
00:22:16.93\00:22:18.87
very interesting parallel there.
00:22:18.90\00:22:21.97
But Jesus chose three
of His closest disciples
00:22:25.44\00:22:28.14
but not even them could
see Him struggling as He did.
00:22:28.18\00:22:31.65
It's a very
powerful study in the book,
00:22:31.68\00:22:33.38
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:22:33.42\00:22:35.52
And so there he
goes with his son.
00:22:35.55\00:22:39.45
And an interesting
conversation takes place
00:22:39.49\00:22:43.76
as Abraham and
his son go together.
00:22:43.79\00:22:46.90
Let's go to verse 6,
"And Abraham took the wood
00:22:50.47\00:22:53.40
of the burnt offering,
00:22:53.44\00:22:54.77
and laid it upon Isaac his son."
00:22:54.80\00:22:56.97
Isaac was very strong.
00:22:57.01\00:22:59.17
It's Genesis 22:6,
00:22:59.21\00:23:01.78
"And he took the
fire in his hand,
00:23:01.81\00:23:04.65
and a knife, and they
went both of them together.
00:23:04.68\00:23:10.42
And Isaac spake unto
Abraham his father, and said,
00:23:10.45\00:23:14.66
'My father,' and he
said, 'Here am I, my son.'"
00:23:14.69\00:23:19.23
Wow, let's talk
about that in a moment.
00:23:19.26\00:23:22.26
"And he said, 'Behold
the fire and the wood:
00:23:22.30\00:23:24.57
but where is the lamb
for a burnt offering?'"
00:23:24.60\00:23:29.90
Where's the lamb, Dad?
00:23:29.94\00:23:31.74
Where is the lamb, Dad?
00:23:35.88\00:23:37.45
We have a fire,
we have the wood,
00:23:37.48\00:23:40.55
we have the knife, but
where is the lamb, Father?
00:23:40.58\00:23:45.62
If that sounding
of the word father,
00:23:45.65\00:23:51.03
it could echo his eyes.
00:23:51.06\00:23:53.96
The question came, he's bright,
00:23:54.00\00:23:55.40
he is a young man,
he's a teenager already.
00:23:55.43\00:23:57.47
Abraham is about 120 years old.
00:23:57.50\00:24:02.14
And I will tell you
that if Isaac wanted to,
00:24:02.17\00:24:05.47
being a strong, he
could've resisted the idea.
00:24:05.51\00:24:11.45
But what does
Abraham say to his son?
00:24:11.48\00:24:17.25
Genesis 22:8 tells
us, "And Abraham said,
00:24:17.29\00:24:21.26
'My son, God
will provide himself
00:24:21.29\00:24:26.90
a lamb for a burnt offering,'
00:24:26.93\00:24:29.76
so they went both
of them together.'"
00:24:29.80\00:24:35.50
There's no evidence
that Isaac said, "What?
00:24:35.54\00:24:38.84
The Lord is gonna
provide one for us?
00:24:38.87\00:24:41.84
Praise the Lord!"
00:24:41.88\00:24:44.61
So they walked together
and again consider every step
00:24:44.65\00:24:49.98
was a moment closer to the time
00:24:50.02\00:24:52.32
he had to sacrifice his son.
00:24:52.35\00:24:55.16
He could turn
back, he could say,
00:24:55.19\00:24:57.33
"I can't go through with this.
00:24:57.36\00:25:00.10
I can't do it, this is my
son, my only son, I love him,
00:25:00.13\00:25:04.17
I can't do this."
00:25:04.20\00:25:07.97
But Abraham went
forward to sacrifice his son.
00:25:08.00\00:25:12.54
They walked together, it says,
when we continue the reading,
00:25:16.28\00:25:22.25
it doesn't tell us
that Abraham told his son.
00:25:22.28\00:25:26.32
But he had to tell his son.
00:25:26.35\00:25:28.92
"Son, I have
some bad news for you.
00:25:28.96\00:25:34.06
It breaks my heart to tell you.
00:25:34.10\00:25:37.17
God told me that
00:25:37.20\00:25:39.37
you are the burnt sacrifice."
00:25:39.40\00:25:43.97
I can imagine his voice breaking
00:25:44.01\00:25:46.57
with sorrow and tears,
00:25:46.61\00:25:48.01
tears flowing down his
face as he tells his son,
00:25:48.04\00:25:51.18
"Son, you are
the burnt sacrifice."
00:25:51.21\00:25:57.15
Now Abraham had
taught Isaac to worship God,
00:25:57.19\00:26:02.62
to love God with
all of his heart,
00:26:02.66\00:26:04.73
with all of his
soul, with all of his mind,
00:26:04.76\00:26:07.13
with all of his strength.
00:26:07.16\00:26:08.93
There is no indication
that Isaac resisted the idea,
00:26:08.96\00:26:14.54
that he rejected the thought.
00:26:14.57\00:26:17.44
There is no
indication that Isaac said,
00:26:17.47\00:26:20.04
"Wait a minute father!
00:26:20.08\00:26:21.94
My whole life is before me.
00:26:21.98\00:26:24.05
I'm not even married!
00:26:24.08\00:26:25.81
I would like to get
married and have children,
00:26:25.85\00:26:28.18
I have my whole life before
me and you want to cut it short.
00:26:28.22\00:26:31.75
Are you sure, Father?"
00:26:31.79\00:26:34.82
There is no
questioning like this.
00:26:34.86\00:26:37.79
Abraham loved his son.
00:26:37.83\00:26:40.76
Isaac loved his father.
00:26:40.80\00:26:43.70
Abraham loved God
with all of his heart,
00:26:43.73\00:26:47.50
with all of his mind,
with all of his strength.
00:26:47.54\00:26:52.44
Isaac must have loved
God with all of his heart,
00:26:52.47\00:26:56.51
with all of his mind,
00:26:56.54\00:26:57.88
with all of his strength
to yield to the idea to say,
00:26:57.91\00:27:01.05
"Okay, Father, if
this is what God wants,
00:27:01.08\00:27:05.22
let's do that, I am willing."
00:27:05.25\00:27:08.89
Difficult and we see
the description here,
00:27:08.92\00:27:13.46
let's read it in Genesis 22:9,
00:27:13.50\00:27:16.33
"And they came to the place
which God had told him of,"
00:27:16.36\00:27:19.17
Genesis 22:9,
00:27:19.20\00:27:20.67
"and Abraham
built an altar there,
00:27:20.70\00:27:22.77
and laid the wood in
order, and bound Isaac his son,
00:27:22.80\00:27:26.98
and laid him on the
altar upon the wood."
00:27:27.01\00:27:30.58
I would tell you that Isaac
helped him build that altar.
00:27:30.61\00:27:35.18
Isaac helped him
prepare everything
00:27:35.22\00:27:38.55
and said, "Okay, Father,
let's go to the next step."
00:27:38.59\00:27:42.62
They gave themselves
the last embrace saying,
00:27:42.66\00:27:48.03
"Goodbye son,
00:27:48.06\00:27:49.93
I love you but
this is what God wants."
00:27:49.96\00:27:53.37
Difficult.
00:27:53.40\00:27:55.07
I'm not gonna ask
for raising of hand,
00:27:55.10\00:27:56.71
how many of you
would be willing to do this
00:27:56.74\00:27:58.17
because this is a
very difficult test.
00:27:58.21\00:28:00.94
This is why we call it,
"The Ultimate Sacrifice."
00:28:00.98\00:28:06.92
And so the moment came
when Abraham had to take
00:28:06.95\00:28:12.09
the knife in his hand.
00:28:12.12\00:28:13.99
Let's go to Genesis 22:10,
00:28:14.02\00:28:18.13
"And Abraham
stretched forth his hand,
00:28:21.30\00:28:23.70
and took the
knife to slay his son."
00:28:23.73\00:28:28.37
Wow, I would say
this is great faith.
00:28:28.40\00:28:34.11
This is why Abraham is called
the "Father of the faithful."
00:28:34.14\00:28:39.11
I would say that if
you take a 1000 men,
00:28:39.15\00:28:42.65
a 1000 women and
offer the same test,
00:28:42.68\00:28:45.69
how many would take the knife
00:28:45.72\00:28:49.46
and go through
with what Abraham did?
00:28:49.49\00:28:53.23
Very few in number.
00:28:53.26\00:28:59.13
Abraham did not question God,
00:28:59.17\00:29:01.37
it was something completely new,
00:29:01.40\00:29:04.51
never heard of this before,
00:29:04.54\00:29:05.94
never heard of God asking this
00:29:05.97\00:29:08.24
from anyone else in history,
00:29:08.28\00:29:10.85
and Abraham said,
"Yes, Lord, I will obey."
00:29:10.88\00:29:15.88
Let's go to Genesis 22:11,
00:29:19.02\00:29:22.89
I'm sorry, let's
go to the moment here.
00:29:25.93\00:29:28.36
There's something
interesting that happens here
00:29:28.40\00:29:30.97
because Abraham
is taking his knife,
00:29:31.00\00:29:32.90
and he is about to kill his son.
00:29:32.93\00:29:34.40
Hebrews Chapter 11
shows us something interesting
00:29:34.44\00:29:38.14
about this experience.
00:29:38.17\00:29:39.67
So if you turn in your
Bibles to Hebrews Chapter 11,
00:29:39.71\00:29:43.18
and we're going to read
00:29:43.21\00:29:44.55
verses 17 through
19, Hebrews 11:17-19,
00:29:44.58\00:29:49.72
and this is what
the Bible tells us.
00:29:49.75\00:29:52.12
If you found the same, okay,
00:29:52.15\00:29:54.26
we have two
witnesses so we'll go forward,
00:29:54.29\00:29:56.73
"By faith
Abraham, when he was tried,
00:29:56.76\00:30:00.76
offered up Isaac."
00:30:00.80\00:30:03.70
What this is saying he
did? He offered up Isaac.
00:30:03.73\00:30:07.74
"And he that had
received the promises offered up
00:30:07.77\00:30:11.34
his only begotten
son, of whom it was said,
00:30:11.37\00:30:15.64
that in Isaac
shall thy seed be called:
00:30:15.68\00:30:20.42
Accounting that God
was able to raise him up,
00:30:20.45\00:30:26.12
even from the dead,
00:30:26.15\00:30:28.26
from whence also he
received him in a figure."
00:30:28.29\00:30:34.23
Do you see what the scriptures
here are trying to tell us?
00:30:34.26\00:30:37.83
In his mind,
Abraham went through it,
00:30:37.87\00:30:41.67
he saw himself...
00:30:41.70\00:30:43.17
Have you ever been
involved in something
00:30:43.20\00:30:46.68
and you see yourself doing
what you're going to be doing?
00:30:46.71\00:30:49.94
Abraham saw
himself killing his son,
00:30:49.98\00:30:52.71
in his mind, he was
going through with it,
00:30:52.75\00:30:54.88
nobody's gonna
stop me from doing it,
00:30:54.92\00:30:57.65
until the angel called out.
00:30:57.69\00:31:01.56
And so, we see here
00:31:01.59\00:31:03.46
that apparently
Abraham reasoned,
00:31:03.49\00:31:06.90
wait a minute, God promised that
00:31:06.93\00:31:10.10
through my son, the
blessing would come.
00:31:10.13\00:31:15.67
That my seed will
multiply as the stars of heaven.
00:31:15.70\00:31:18.97
Remember the Lord show
him the stars of heaven,
00:31:19.01\00:31:20.81
this is gonna be
the amount of children
00:31:20.84\00:31:23.51
you will have as
the stars of heaven.
00:31:23.55\00:31:27.32
And according to the scripture,
it is as if Abraham understood,
00:31:27.35\00:31:31.55
God said he
promised that through Isaac,
00:31:31.59\00:31:33.62
he's gonna be and
if I have to slay him,
00:31:33.66\00:31:37.46
sacrifice him,
God can bring him back
00:31:37.49\00:31:42.10
from the dead to
fulfill His promise.
00:31:42.13\00:31:45.73
He believed God complete,
so I praise the Lord for that.
00:31:45.77\00:31:51.64
Let's go back. I'm sorry.
00:31:51.67\00:31:54.34
So we see here that in Genesis
00:31:54.38\00:31:58.28
this is not
gonna be on the screen.
00:31:58.31\00:31:59.65
Genesis 22:11,
00:31:59.68\00:32:04.02
and so we'll pick
up the story there
00:32:04.05\00:32:06.45
as to what happened next.
00:32:06.49\00:32:09.49
Genesis 22:11, if
you found it, say amen.
00:32:09.52\00:32:14.00
Okay, praise the Lord.
00:32:14.03\00:32:15.36
"And the angel of the Lord
called unto him out of heaven,
00:32:15.40\00:32:18.40
and said, Abraham,
Abraham, and he said, here am I.
00:32:18.43\00:32:23.10
And he said, "Lay not
thine hand upon the lad,
00:32:23.14\00:32:26.24
neither do thou
anything unto him,
00:32:26.27\00:32:29.34
for now I know
that thou fearest God,
00:32:29.38\00:32:33.11
seeing thou hast
not withheld thy son,
00:32:33.15\00:32:37.25
thine only son from me."
00:32:37.29\00:32:41.02
Verse 13, "And
Abraham lifted up his eyes,
00:32:41.06\00:32:44.49
and looked, and
behold behind him
00:32:44.53\00:32:47.33
a ram caught in a
thicket by his horns,
00:32:47.36\00:32:49.83
and Abraham went
and took the ram,
00:32:49.86\00:32:52.03
and offered him up
for a burnt offering
00:32:52.07\00:32:53.90
in the stead of his son."
00:32:53.94\00:32:57.34
"And Abraham called
the name of that place,"
00:32:57.37\00:32:59.14
verse 14, "Jehovahjireh:
00:32:59.17\00:33:02.34
as it is said to this day,
00:33:02.38\00:33:03.71
in the mount of the
Lord it shall be seen,
00:33:03.75\00:33:05.98
the Lord provided."
00:33:06.01\00:33:10.42
Not a lamb, a ram.
00:33:10.45\00:33:13.99
Now it says that
Abraham went to get him,
00:33:14.02\00:33:15.86
because Isaac was
bound, Isaac was tied up.
00:33:15.89\00:33:19.96
So when you read the scriptures
and it says, "Now I know."
00:33:20.00\00:33:24.17
Did God know at that
moment or did God know before?
00:33:24.20\00:33:28.14
God knew before.
00:33:28.17\00:33:29.84
But Abraham didn't.
00:33:29.87\00:33:31.54
And so God tests us knowing
what is gonna be the outcome.
00:33:31.57\00:33:36.61
It was for the benefit of Isaac,
00:33:36.64\00:33:38.78
of Abraham that God said,
00:33:38.81\00:33:40.42
"Now I know that you
will not withhold thy son,
00:33:40.45\00:33:45.45
thine only son from Me."
00:33:45.49\00:33:47.92
And so Abraham is called
the "Father of the faithful."
00:33:47.96\00:33:52.63
And he offered up his son,
00:33:52.66\00:33:54.63
accounting that God
was able to raise him
00:33:54.66\00:33:57.67
from the dead to
fulfill his promise.
00:33:57.70\00:34:00.44
Would you say
amen to that? Amen.
00:34:00.47\00:34:04.34
But I wanna talk to
you about another father,
00:34:04.37\00:34:07.18
who also had to make
an ultimate sacrifice.
00:34:07.21\00:34:10.88
So I take you to the cross,
00:34:10.91\00:34:13.38
and there is
another son, Jesus Christ.
00:34:13.42\00:34:17.02
Because the Bible says,
we'll put it on the screen,
00:34:17.05\00:34:20.56
John 3:16, you
know this by memory,
00:34:20.59\00:34:22.56
"For God so loved the world
00:34:22.59\00:34:26.39
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:34:26.43\00:34:30.77
that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish,
00:34:30.80\00:34:35.27
but have everlasting life."
00:34:35.30\00:34:38.37
Interesting.
00:34:38.41\00:34:40.28
Abraham was told take
now thy son, thine only son,
00:34:40.31\00:34:43.71
whom thou lovest.
00:34:43.75\00:34:45.08
Question, did God,
the Father loved the son?
00:34:45.11\00:34:48.08
Yes.
00:34:48.12\00:34:49.45
And He had to take His
Son, His only Son, whom He loved
00:34:49.48\00:34:53.82
and offer him up
as a sacrifice for us.
00:34:53.86\00:34:58.96
Why?
00:34:58.99\00:35:01.16
Scripture tells us so
that whosoever believes in Him
00:35:01.20\00:35:07.17
shall not perish, but
have everlasting life.
00:35:07.20\00:35:11.01
So I would like to
take you to the cross,
00:35:11.04\00:35:12.41
let's look to see
what happened there,
00:35:12.44\00:35:16.04
just as Abraham had to take
00:35:16.08\00:35:20.12
a knife to kill his son,
00:35:20.15\00:35:23.99
the Father had to do
something a little similar,
00:35:24.02\00:35:27.72
and there's a hint
given to us in Zechariah 13:7,
00:35:27.76\00:35:31.63
it's one of those little
books sometimes hard to find,
00:35:36.60\00:35:38.97
Zechariah 13:7.
00:35:39.00\00:35:42.57
We have it on
the screen for you,
00:35:42.60\00:35:43.94
just in case you don't find it.
00:35:43.97\00:35:46.07
Zechariah 13:7, it says,
00:35:46.11\00:35:48.71
"Awake, O sword,
against my shepherd,
00:35:48.74\00:35:53.65
and against the
man that is my fellow,
00:35:53.68\00:35:56.02
saith the Lord of
hosts, smite the shepherd,
00:35:56.05\00:35:59.15
and the sheep
shall be scattered,
00:35:59.19\00:36:01.36
and I will turn mine
hand upon the little ones."
00:36:01.39\00:36:04.56
So you see the
scripture that says, awake,
00:36:04.59\00:36:07.36
O sword, against my shepherd.
00:36:07.40\00:36:11.47
Did Jesus say, I
am the good shepherd
00:36:11.50\00:36:15.77
and I give my
life for the sheep?
00:36:15.80\00:36:20.14
So this
scripture's giving us a hint
00:36:20.18\00:36:22.68
that God, the Father,
has to strike the shepherd,
00:36:22.71\00:36:27.65
smite the shepherd, why?
00:36:27.68\00:36:31.25
It is because Jesus
Christ took our sins upon Him.
00:36:31.29\00:36:36.99
And it is either you, me
00:36:37.03\00:36:42.53
or Christ that has to die?
00:36:42.56\00:36:44.93
Christ became our substitute,
many of you know this.
00:36:44.97\00:36:48.10
Christ became our substitute,
00:36:48.14\00:36:50.17
took our sins upon
Him and died in our place.
00:36:50.21\00:36:55.38
And being in that
condition, in that category now,
00:36:55.41\00:37:01.38
the punishment that I deserved,
now he is supposed to get.
00:37:01.42\00:37:07.29
He suffered what I
was supposed to suffer.
00:37:07.32\00:37:11.19
And so, because He
is now in my place,
00:37:11.23\00:37:13.66
the Bible says that
the wages of sin is death,
00:37:13.70\00:37:16.40
God, the Father
has to exercise justice
00:37:16.43\00:37:20.97
and He is the one
that has to do this.
00:37:21.00\00:37:24.01
Let's look at some scriptures
that will help us with that.
00:37:24.04\00:37:27.98
In Matthew 26:31,
00:37:28.01\00:37:32.88
Jesus eludes to this scripture
00:37:32.91\00:37:35.35
we just read in Zechariah,
and notice what he says.
00:37:35.38\00:37:39.15
Matthew 26:31, "Then
saith Jesus unto them,
00:37:39.19\00:37:43.73
All ye shall be offended
because of me this night,
00:37:43.76\00:37:47.63
for it is written, I
will smite the shepherd,
00:37:47.66\00:37:51.47
and the sheep of the flock
shall be scattered abroad."
00:37:51.50\00:37:56.71
So Jesus said this is
the prophecy about me.
00:37:56.74\00:38:01.21
So the father have to do
that which was difficult to do.
00:38:01.24\00:38:05.98
Just as it was
difficult for Abraham,
00:38:06.01\00:38:07.88
it was difficult for God,
00:38:07.92\00:38:09.25
the Father to
do, exercise justice.
00:38:09.28\00:38:13.15
So we see here Jesus
lived a perfect life,
00:38:13.19\00:38:17.89
never sinned.
00:38:17.93\00:38:19.29
The Bible says that
00:38:19.33\00:38:20.66
He was in all
points tempted like us
00:38:20.70\00:38:22.56
we are yet without sin.
00:38:22.60\00:38:26.77
Jesus had
perfect hatred for sin.
00:38:26.80\00:38:32.17
Perfect hatred for sin.
00:38:32.21\00:38:34.34
Never sinned.
00:38:34.38\00:38:36.04
And He has to
then open Himself up,
00:38:36.08\00:38:39.41
to take that which He
hated, sin upon Himself.
00:38:39.45\00:38:43.92
Why?
00:38:43.95\00:38:45.29
Because He loved us so much.
00:38:45.32\00:38:48.29
Let's go to Isaiah Chapter 53.
00:38:48.32\00:38:51.49
We're talking about the Father
having to sacrifice His Son,
00:38:51.53\00:38:55.90
having to Himself
exercise punishment
00:38:55.93\00:38:59.20
or punish his son in our behalf.
00:38:59.23\00:39:03.27
In Isaiah 53,
00:39:03.30\00:39:04.81
we're gonna begin
and reading verse 3,
00:39:04.84\00:39:07.51
Isaiah 53:3, so if
you found it, say amen.
00:39:07.54\00:39:12.51
Ready?
00:39:12.55\00:39:13.95
"He is despised
and rejected of men,
00:39:13.98\00:39:18.82
a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief,
00:39:18.85\00:39:22.32
and we hid as it
were our faces from him,
00:39:22.36\00:39:26.13
he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.
00:39:26.16\00:39:29.20
Surely, he had borne our
griefs and carried our sorrows,
00:39:29.23\00:39:33.90
yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of whom?
00:39:33.94\00:39:39.81
Smitten of God, and afflicted."
00:39:39.84\00:39:44.05
So who smite or smite at Jesus?
00:39:44.08\00:39:49.02
The Father struck him.
00:39:49.05\00:39:52.45
Why?
00:39:52.49\00:39:53.82
Because He took our place.
00:39:53.86\00:39:59.56
It is interesting that
00:39:59.59\00:40:00.93
in different
parts of the scriptures
00:40:00.96\00:40:02.30
in Psalms and Isaiah,
Jeremiah, different places,
00:40:02.33\00:40:05.90
it shows you little
bit of the experience
00:40:05.93\00:40:07.97
of what Jesus went through.
00:40:08.00\00:40:10.14
One of them is Psalms
22, one of them is Psalms 69,
00:40:10.17\00:40:14.14
but we're gonna look
at Lamentations Chapter 3
00:40:14.18\00:40:16.78
because it communicates
something interesting to us,
00:40:16.81\00:40:19.38
and I think you
can see something
00:40:19.41\00:40:22.88
of the experience of
Christ in this scripture
00:40:22.92\00:40:26.05
we're about to look at.
00:40:26.09\00:40:27.42
Lamentations 1:12,
00:40:27.46\00:40:32.96
he's there on the
cross, as He's on the cross,
00:40:32.99\00:40:37.87
He's being mocked by
people and this experience
00:40:37.90\00:40:43.07
mentioned in Lamentations
1:12 speaks to us about this.
00:40:43.10\00:40:46.94
Notice, "Is it nothing to you,
00:40:46.98\00:40:51.35
all ye that pass by?
00:40:51.38\00:40:53.58
Behold, and see if there be
any sorrow like unto my sorrow,
00:40:53.62\00:40:58.69
which is done unto me,
00:40:58.72\00:41:01.22
where with the
Lord hath afflicted me
00:41:01.26\00:41:04.36
in the day of his fierce anger."
00:41:04.39\00:41:08.63
By taking our sins upon
Him, Jesus Christ placed Himself
00:41:08.66\00:41:14.14
in our place to suffer
00:41:14.17\00:41:15.80
what we were supposed to suffer.
00:41:15.84\00:41:18.81
So I am grateful for that.
00:41:18.84\00:41:23.65
Are you?
00:41:23.68\00:41:25.71
I hope you are.
00:41:25.75\00:41:27.22
Let's go back to Isaiah 53,
00:41:27.25\00:41:30.62
hope those are at
home as well are grateful
00:41:30.65\00:41:35.06
for what God has done for us.
00:41:35.09\00:41:36.83
Isaiah 53, now we go to verse 5,
00:41:36.86\00:41:39.93
Isaiah 53:5 it says,
"But He, that is Christ,
00:41:39.96\00:41:44.97
was wounded for
our transgressions,
00:41:45.00\00:41:47.77
He was bruised
for our iniquities,
00:41:47.80\00:41:51.21
the chastisement of
our peace was upon Him,
00:41:51.24\00:41:54.18
and with His
stripes we are healed.
00:41:54.21\00:41:58.81
All we like
sheep have gone astray,
00:41:58.85\00:42:01.08
we have turned
everyone to his own way,
00:42:01.12\00:42:03.72
and the Lord hath laid on Him
00:42:03.75\00:42:08.92
the iniquity of us all."
00:42:08.96\00:42:11.46
Just like Isaac did not resist,
00:42:15.06\00:42:18.43
Christ did not resist.
00:42:18.47\00:42:22.44
He took all that suffering,
took our sins upon him,
00:42:22.47\00:42:27.41
at any moment he could escape.
00:42:27.44\00:42:29.94
But there they tied
him and whipped him,
00:42:29.98\00:42:33.38
viciously, drew blood.
00:42:33.42\00:42:37.39
They were little bones and
metal stuck on those whips.
00:42:37.42\00:42:40.06
Sometimes they
would attach bones,
00:42:40.09\00:42:42.12
sometimes they would
attach little pieces of metal,
00:42:42.16\00:42:44.13
so when they strike him,
00:42:44.16\00:42:45.89
it would break into the
flesh and pull the flesh out.
00:42:45.93\00:42:51.00
At any moment he could say,
"Wait, wait, this is enough."
00:42:51.03\00:42:55.30
But he went
through all that for us.
00:42:55.34\00:42:59.44
He could've
escaped at any moment.
00:42:59.47\00:43:01.11
You remember sometimes
00:43:01.14\00:43:02.48
they wanted to
push him off a cliff,
00:43:02.51\00:43:03.85
and the Bible says
00:43:03.88\00:43:05.21
and going through
the midst of them.
00:43:05.25\00:43:07.82
He went His way.
00:43:07.85\00:43:10.02
Even Jesus said Himself
at Garden of Gethsemane,
00:43:10.05\00:43:12.92
I could call
angels to come to my...
00:43:12.95\00:43:17.56
But He willingly
took all that suffering
00:43:17.59\00:43:21.60
because of His
great love for us.
00:43:21.63\00:43:25.37
Let's go to Isaiah 53:7.
00:43:25.40\00:43:29.24
It says, "He was oppressed,
00:43:29.27\00:43:33.38
and He was afflicted,
00:43:33.41\00:43:35.91
yet He opened not His mouth."
00:43:35.94\00:43:40.68
This is trying to tell us that
He's not complaining about it.
00:43:40.72\00:43:44.85
He is willing to
take this for us,
00:43:44.89\00:43:46.86
"He is brought as a
lamb to the slaughter,
00:43:46.89\00:43:50.16
and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb,
00:43:53.86\00:43:56.00
so He opened not his mouth."
00:43:56.03\00:43:58.83
No complaints.
00:43:58.87\00:44:01.57
He had given Himself totally
so that we could be saved.
00:44:01.60\00:44:07.38
To this I say, thank you Lord.
00:44:07.41\00:44:11.15
Thank you Lord.
00:44:11.18\00:44:14.15
Let's look at verse 10
of Isaiah 53, Isaiah 53:10,
00:44:14.18\00:44:18.69
notice the words,
00:44:18.72\00:44:21.39
"Yet it pleased
the Lord to bruise Him,
00:44:21.42\00:44:26.76
He hath put Him to grief:
00:44:26.80\00:44:29.60
when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin,
00:44:29.63\00:44:33.34
He shall see His seed,
He shall prolong his days,
00:44:33.37\00:44:37.41
and the pleasure of the
Lord shall prosper in His hand."
00:44:37.44\00:44:41.78
So this scripture tells us,
00:44:41.81\00:44:44.01
that it pleased
the Lord to bruise Him.
00:44:44.05\00:44:49.58
In what way?
00:44:49.62\00:44:51.19
I would say to you,
00:44:51.22\00:44:52.55
this is one of
those bitter sweet phase.
00:44:52.59\00:44:56.76
It was bitter that he
had to punish His Son,
00:44:56.79\00:45:01.30
bitter the father suffered,
as His Son was suffering.
00:45:01.33\00:45:06.13
The pleasing or the joy is
remember the scriptures say,
00:45:09.17\00:45:13.38
there's more joy in heaven
over one sinner that repents.
00:45:13.41\00:45:17.55
This is the pleasing aspect
00:45:17.58\00:45:19.65
of finally the moment comes
00:45:19.68\00:45:24.39
when the plan of
salvation will open the door
00:45:24.42\00:45:28.82
to the whole world to be saved.
00:45:28.86\00:45:31.56
Unfortunately, not all
accept and that is sad.
00:45:31.59\00:45:36.63
I would like to invite
you to go to Hebrews 12:2
00:45:39.63\00:45:42.97
for the Father, it
was one of those bitter,
00:45:43.00\00:45:45.21
sweet experience,
00:45:45.24\00:45:48.08
bitter because
His son had to die,
00:45:48.11\00:45:50.68
bitter because He was the one
00:45:50.71\00:45:52.05
that had to meet
out the punishment,
00:45:52.08\00:45:55.85
but sweet because
you could be saved,
00:45:55.88\00:45:59.45
I could be saved.
00:45:59.49\00:46:01.12
In Hebrews 12:2 we read already
00:46:01.16\00:46:05.26
that Jesus Christ
was a man of sorrows
00:46:05.29\00:46:06.93
and acquaint of a grief.
00:46:06.96\00:46:08.66
opens up a little bit
00:46:08.70\00:46:11.37
the curtain to
help us understand
00:46:11.40\00:46:15.47
how Jesus felt
about this whole thing.
00:46:15.50\00:46:18.04
It says, "Looking unto Jesus,
00:46:18.07\00:46:21.18
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:46:21.21\00:46:23.88
who for the joy
that was set before Him
00:46:23.91\00:46:27.55
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
00:46:27.58\00:46:31.62
and has sat down
at the right hand
00:46:31.65\00:46:33.62
of the throne of God."
00:46:33.66\00:46:36.12
Did He enjoy
being crucified? No.
00:46:36.16\00:46:40.36
It was a painful,
00:46:40.40\00:46:42.13
horrible way to die.
00:46:42.16\00:46:46.40
But there's more.
00:46:46.43\00:46:49.14
It was not just a
physical suffering
00:46:49.17\00:46:51.94
that made him suffer.
00:46:51.97\00:46:54.24
There was another
aspect of suffering that
00:46:54.28\00:46:56.95
sometimes it's not looked that.
00:46:56.98\00:46:59.05
Because internally,
00:46:59.08\00:47:00.72
sometimes there's
more pain than externally.
00:47:00.75\00:47:04.59
Have you ever had that happen?
00:47:04.62\00:47:07.36
Internally more
pain than externally.
00:47:07.39\00:47:11.09
Why?
00:47:11.13\00:47:12.83
Because when He
takes our sins upon Him,
00:47:12.86\00:47:16.36
He's now in a
different position,
00:47:16.40\00:47:19.73
in relationship to the Father.
00:47:19.77\00:47:22.40
Here say, He has
taken sin upon Him.
00:47:22.44\00:47:25.67
In 2 Corinthians 5:21,
00:47:25.71\00:47:27.94
it says that He
became sin for us.
00:47:27.98\00:47:32.08
So the Father has to withdraw
00:47:32.11\00:47:36.05
His immediate
presence from the Son.
00:47:36.08\00:47:40.06
He doesn't leave Him completely,
00:47:40.09\00:47:43.79
but Christ cannot see Him
there because He has to withdraw
00:47:43.83\00:47:48.16
His presence
because this is what
00:47:48.20\00:47:50.97
sinners will feel
when they cling to sin.
00:47:51.00\00:47:56.14
When they decide,
"I refuse salvation,
00:47:56.17\00:47:58.84
I don't want salvation,
00:47:58.87\00:48:00.21
I don't want
eternal life, I prefer sin."
00:48:00.24\00:48:04.31
And God has to withdraw,
00:48:04.35\00:48:05.81
and God is the
source of our joy,
00:48:08.95\00:48:10.95
our true joy and peace.
00:48:10.99\00:48:13.89
So Christ experienced
what sinners will experience
00:48:13.92\00:48:18.79
when they receive the
reward for their sins.
00:48:18.83\00:48:23.20
In Matthew 27:41-46,
00:48:23.23\00:48:26.84
we're going to take a
look at what happened there.
00:48:26.87\00:48:29.07
Matthew 27:41-46, I invite you
to turn there in your Bible's,
00:48:29.10\00:48:35.04
Matthew 27:41-46, we read,
00:48:35.08\00:48:38.91
"Likewise also the chief priests
00:48:38.95\00:48:40.95
mocking him, with the
scribes and elders, said,
00:48:40.98\00:48:43.65
He saved others,
Himself He cannot save.
00:48:43.69\00:48:47.29
If He be the King of Israel,
00:48:47.32\00:48:49.79
let Him now come
down from the cross,
00:48:49.82\00:48:52.46
and we will believe Him."
00:48:52.49\00:48:56.26
Will they believe in Him? No.
00:48:56.30\00:48:59.00
"He trusted in God,
let Him deliver Him now,
00:48:59.03\00:49:01.84
if He will have Him:
00:49:01.87\00:49:04.24
for He said, I
am the Son of God.
00:49:04.27\00:49:07.74
The thieves also, which
were crucified with him,
00:49:07.78\00:49:11.11
cast the same in his teeth.
00:49:11.15\00:49:13.58
Now from the sixth
hour there was darkness
00:49:13.62\00:49:16.38
over all the land
unto the ninth hour.
00:49:16.42\00:49:18.95
And about the ninth hour,
Jesus cried with a loud voice,
00:49:18.99\00:49:22.96
saying, Eli, Eli,
00:49:22.99\00:49:27.46
lama sabachthani?
00:49:27.50\00:49:29.63
That is to say, My God, My
God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
00:49:29.66\00:49:35.27
It was a bitter experience
00:49:38.27\00:49:43.14
to go through that.
00:49:43.18\00:49:45.11
The joy was that
you would be saved,
00:49:45.15\00:49:48.15
but it was a bitter
experience to go through that.
00:49:48.18\00:49:52.49
This is why He cries
out, "My God, My God,
00:49:52.52\00:49:56.39
why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
00:49:56.42\00:49:58.56
He cannot feel
the Father's presence.
00:49:58.59\00:50:00.36
He cannot see the Father.
00:50:00.40\00:50:03.43
With sins upon Him,
00:50:03.47\00:50:06.07
He has to experience in totality
00:50:06.10\00:50:09.67
what sinners will go through
00:50:09.70\00:50:13.74
in the end of time.
00:50:13.78\00:50:17.35
I would like to
read to you from a book
00:50:17.38\00:50:19.25
that will explain
it better than I can
00:50:19.28\00:50:24.89
is that
Testimonies to the Church,
00:50:24.92\00:50:26.32
volume 2, page 210.
00:50:26.35\00:50:28.32
Listen to these words,
00:50:28.36\00:50:29.96
"Christ felt much
as sinners will feel
00:50:29.99\00:50:33.33
when the vials of God's wrath
shall be poured out upon them.
00:50:33.36\00:50:37.67
Black the spare,
like the Paul of death
00:50:37.70\00:50:41.00
will gather about
their guilty souls
00:50:41.04\00:50:43.20
and then they will
realize to the fullest extent
00:50:43.24\00:50:46.04
the sinfulness of sin.
00:50:46.07\00:50:48.71
Salvation has
been purchased for them
00:50:48.74\00:50:52.01
by the suffering and
death of the Son of God.
00:50:52.05\00:50:55.35
It might be theirs
00:50:55.38\00:50:56.99
if they would
accept of it willingly,
00:50:57.02\00:51:00.19
gladly, but none,
00:51:00.22\00:51:02.86
are compelled to yield
obedience to the love of God.
00:51:02.89\00:51:06.96
It's a choice, you can
choose to follow God or not,
00:51:07.00\00:51:10.07
you can choose
to obey God or not.
00:51:10.10\00:51:12.47
If they refuse
the heavenly benefit
00:51:12.50\00:51:14.77
and choose the pleasures
and deceitfulness of sin,
00:51:14.80\00:51:18.27
they have their
choice and at the end,
00:51:18.31\00:51:23.55
receive their wages,
00:51:23.58\00:51:26.05
which is the wrath of
God and eternal death.
00:51:26.08\00:51:32.02
They will be forever separated
from the presence of Jesus,
00:51:32.05\00:51:37.23
who sacrificed
they had despised.
00:51:37.26\00:51:39.93
They will have
lost a life of happiness
00:51:39.96\00:51:43.73
and sacrifice eternal glory
00:51:43.77\00:51:46.20
for the pleasures
of sin for a season.
00:51:46.23\00:51:48.80
It is
mindboggling to consider that
00:51:52.27\00:51:56.28
people will choose sin
for a short period of time
00:51:56.31\00:52:00.75
compared to happiness,
peace and eternal life
00:52:00.78\00:52:05.15
without suffering
forever and forever and ever.
00:52:05.19\00:52:08.39
People will choose this
little pleasure over this
00:52:08.42\00:52:12.79
huge indescribable joy,
indescribable happiness,
00:52:12.83\00:52:17.57
life without suffering at all.
00:52:17.60\00:52:20.50
No suffering. The
least hint of suffering.
00:52:20.54\00:52:25.11
They're giving all that up,
00:52:25.14\00:52:26.94
for the pleasures
of sin for a season.
00:52:26.98\00:52:29.84
I hope there's nobody
here in that category.
00:52:29.88\00:52:31.88
I hope anyone
listening to this program
00:52:31.91\00:52:34.02
is not in that category,
00:52:34.05\00:52:35.65
and if you are, give
it up and look to Jesus
00:52:35.68\00:52:39.79
who can save you
from your sins, amen.
00:52:39.82\00:52:44.69
I tell you that God,
00:52:44.73\00:52:46.06
the Father
suffered along with the Son.
00:52:46.09\00:52:49.03
Quickly we turn
to Isaiah 63:8 and 9,
00:52:49.06\00:52:52.43
a little example of
that, Isaiah 63:8 and 9,
00:52:52.47\00:52:56.77
we're down to
about five minutes.
00:52:56.81\00:53:00.18
Isaiah 63:8 and 9, notice
what the scripture says about
00:53:00.21\00:53:05.11
how God involves
Himself with His people.
00:53:05.15\00:53:08.42
For he said,
"Surely they are My people,
00:53:08.45\00:53:10.75
children that will not
lie, so He was their Savior.
00:53:10.79\00:53:15.12
In all their
affliction He was afflicted."
00:53:15.16\00:53:19.16
So God suffered
along with His people.
00:53:19.19\00:53:23.23
"And the angel of
His presence saved them,
00:53:23.26\00:53:25.70
in His love and in
His pity He redeemed them,
00:53:25.73\00:53:29.10
and He bare
them, and carried them
00:53:29.14\00:53:32.44
all the days of old."
00:53:32.47\00:53:35.54
So when God's people suffered
00:53:35.58\00:53:37.45
and were afflicted in
all their afflictions,
00:53:37.48\00:53:39.81
God, the Father was afflicted.
00:53:39.85\00:53:41.92
And so I tell you,
00:53:41.95\00:53:43.28
in all the
afflictions of Christ,
00:53:43.32\00:53:45.05
God, the Father suffered.
00:53:45.09\00:53:47.72
Every nail, every
pound of the nail,
00:53:47.76\00:53:50.03
thus Father felt it.
00:53:50.06\00:53:51.39
Every strike of the
whip, the Father felt it.
00:53:51.43\00:53:56.73
He is sensitive to
the smallest suffering
00:53:56.77\00:54:01.04
that we suffer.
00:54:01.07\00:54:03.47
He suffers when we suffer.
00:54:03.51\00:54:06.07
And sometimes we
suffer needlessly
00:54:06.11\00:54:08.78
because we do bad
things to ourselves.
00:54:08.81\00:54:12.41
We can escape some suffering,
00:54:12.45\00:54:15.15
and we can escape the suffering
00:54:15.18\00:54:17.39
that will be for
those who reject God.
00:54:17.42\00:54:21.49
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-19,
00:54:21.52\00:54:26.56
we have these scriptures.
00:54:30.33\00:54:31.67
"Therefore if
any man be in Christ,
00:54:31.70\00:54:34.47
he is a new creature,
old things are passed away,
00:54:34.50\00:54:38.31
behold, all
things are become new.
00:54:38.34\00:54:41.78
And all things are of God,
00:54:41.81\00:54:43.98
who hath reconciled us
to Himself by Jesus Christ,
00:54:44.01\00:54:49.18
and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation.
00:54:49.22\00:54:53.25
To wit, that God was in Christ,
00:54:53.29\00:54:58.23
reconciling the
world unto Himself,
00:54:58.26\00:55:01.10
not imputing their
trespasses unto them,
00:55:01.13\00:55:03.80
and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation."
00:55:03.83\00:55:08.14
So where was the Father?
00:55:08.17\00:55:10.64
In Christ, reconciling
the world unto Himself.
00:55:10.67\00:55:14.61
Christ did not feel Him,
00:55:14.64\00:55:16.61
but the Father was
there suffering with Him,
00:55:16.64\00:55:21.62
at the same time
He had to punish Him
00:55:21.65\00:55:26.22
for our behalf.
00:55:26.25\00:55:28.86
I would like to
since the time has passed,
00:55:28.89\00:55:31.26
invite you to go
to the book of...
00:55:31.29\00:55:35.73
Remember the
wages of sin is what?
00:55:35.76\00:55:38.10
Death.
00:55:38.13\00:55:39.47
This is what
Christ suffered for us.
00:55:39.50\00:55:41.20
But the gift of God
is eternal life through
00:55:41.24\00:55:43.67
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
00:55:43.71\00:55:46.57
Romans 6:23, 2 Peter 3:9
00:55:46.61\00:55:52.11
tells us the Lord is not
slack concerning His promise
00:55:52.15\00:55:57.22
as some men count slackness
but is long suffering towards,
00:55:57.25\00:56:00.59
not willing that
any should perish
00:56:00.62\00:56:02.66
but that all come to repentance.
00:56:02.69\00:56:07.40
This will be
wonderful if all would repent.
00:56:07.43\00:56:12.63
There will be joy for the Lord,
for all the sinners that repent
00:56:12.67\00:56:17.21
but there will be
sorrow for the Lord,
00:56:17.24\00:56:19.41
for all those that don't.
00:56:19.44\00:56:21.48
This is the part
we do not understand.
00:56:21.51\00:56:25.11
God will suffer to see
one person lose, be lost
00:56:25.15\00:56:30.72
and have to
suffer the wages of sin
00:56:30.75\00:56:33.09
because Christ
already paid the price.
00:56:33.12\00:56:36.16
So I read to you
from Isaiah 55:6 and 7,
00:56:36.19\00:56:38.93
listen to the words of the Lord,
00:56:43.97\00:56:46.00
"Seek ye the Lord
while he may be found,
00:56:46.03\00:56:49.34
call ye upon him
while he is near.
00:56:49.37\00:56:53.88
Let the wicked forsake His way,
00:56:53.91\00:56:55.94
and the
unrighteous man his thoughts:
00:56:55.98\00:56:59.08
and let him
return unto the Lord,
00:56:59.11\00:57:02.85
and He will have mercy
upon him, and to our God,
00:57:02.88\00:57:08.66
for He will abundantly pardon."
00:57:08.69\00:57:12.36
Isaiah 55:6 and 7.
00:57:12.39\00:57:15.96
So I encourage all here
00:57:16.00\00:57:19.50
to forsake evil
and follow the Lord.
00:57:19.53\00:57:22.94
The Bible says that
the wicked forsake its way
00:57:22.97\00:57:25.47
and the
unrighteous men his thoughts
00:57:25.51\00:57:26.94
and let him be
turned unto the Lord
00:57:26.98\00:57:28.31
and the Lord will have what?
00:57:28.34\00:57:29.68
Mercy upon him.
00:57:29.71\00:57:31.65
God is extending His
mercy to you watching,
00:57:31.68\00:57:33.95
listening to this program.
00:57:33.98\00:57:35.48
I encourage you to
take the hand of the Lord.
00:57:35.52\00:57:37.82
I encourage you to let
him embrace you, forgive you,
00:57:37.85\00:57:40.72
and give you a new
beginning in Jesus Christ.
00:57:40.76\00:57:43.19
Christ has paid the
price for your sins.
00:57:43.22\00:57:46.06
You do not have to
suffer for your sins,
00:57:46.09\00:57:48.13
Christ has paid the price,
00:57:48.16\00:57:50.47
and you can have eternal life
through His Son Jesus Christ,
00:57:50.50\00:57:53.87
who has died for you
and is ready to save you.
00:57:53.90\00:57:56.87
Go to Him now,
He will receive you
00:57:56.91\00:57:59.44
and give you eternal life.
00:57:59.47\00:58:01.54