Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
00:01:12.38\00:01:14.01
Father in Heaven, thank
You for this beautiful day.
00:01:14.04\00:01:18.37
Thank You for the privilege
of being here once again to open
00:01:18.40\00:01:23.11
Your Holy Word, so that You can
teach us, so that we can have a
00:01:23.14\00:01:28.36
closer walk with our
beloved Savior Jesus.
00:01:28.39\00:01:31.59
We ask that as we study the
story of Genesis 16 through 21,
00:01:31.62\00:01:36.82
that Your Holy Spirit will guide
us and help us to understand
00:01:36.85\00:01:40.18
the great lessons that You
have for us from these chapters.
00:01:40.21\00:01:44.71
And we thank You,
Lord, for heaving our prayer,
00:01:44.74\00:01:46.96
for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
00:01:46.99\00:01:50.22
I'd like to just do a
little review of what we studied
00:01:50.25\00:01:54.51
in our last lecture, because
it's foundational for what
00:01:54.55\00:01:58.78
we're going to
discuss in our lecture today.
00:01:58.82\00:02:01.15
As you remember, this
magnificent story of Genesis
00:02:01.19\00:02:07.55
chapter 22 is describing the
fact that God was going to bring
00:02:07.59\00:02:14.01
a Seed into the world, and that
Seed was going to be offered
00:02:14.04\00:02:20.43
as a burnt sacrifice, or
as a burnt offering to save
00:02:20.47\00:02:26.60
the world from its sins.
00:02:26.64\00:02:30.66
Now this was presented
to Abraham in symbol form,
00:02:30.69\00:02:35.63
as a shadow of the reality,
which would come in the future.
00:02:35.67\00:02:40.25
And, of course, the
shadow was what we studied;
00:02:40.28\00:02:43.86
all of the parallels
between what happened then,
00:02:43.90\00:02:47.41
and what happened at the time
of fulfillment when Jesus came.
00:02:47.44\00:02:53.18
The bottom line is that in this
story God was telling Abraham
00:02:53.21\00:02:58.91
that He, that is God, was
going to save the human race
00:02:58.94\00:03:05.15
by providing a
substitute for sinners.
00:03:05.18\00:03:09.28
That is the key point.
00:03:09.32\00:03:10.86
And as we noticed
in our study, Abraham
00:03:10.90\00:03:15.16
understood this very well.
00:03:15.19\00:03:18.01
I'd like to begin by reading
John 8:56, where we find this
00:03:18.04\00:03:25.03
idea clearly expressed;
that Abraham understood
00:03:25.07\00:03:29.42
what this was all about.
00:03:29.45\00:03:30.98
John 8:56. Here Jesus,
speaking to the Jews says:
00:03:31.02\00:03:39.31
Did Abraham understand that
God was going to provide a seed
00:03:51.13\00:03:55.64
who would bring the blessing,
who would restore the earth,
00:03:55.67\00:04:00.14
who would bring about a
multitude of redeemed people
00:04:00.17\00:04:04.16
that no one can number,
and who would remove the curse?
00:04:04.19\00:04:08.14
Very clearly, Abraham understood
that God was going to do this,
00:04:08.17\00:04:14.54
by a supernatural miracle.
00:04:14.57\00:04:17.76
Now the story that we're going
to study in our lecture today,
00:04:17.79\00:04:22.66
is actually the story that
comes immediately before the one
00:04:22.69\00:04:27.52
that we studied last time.
00:04:27.56\00:04:29.16
It's the story of two
sons that Abraham had.
00:04:29.20\00:04:34.25
The first of those
sons, of course, was Ishmael,
00:04:34.29\00:04:39.30
and the second of
those sons we spoke about
00:04:39.34\00:04:42.40
in our last lecture.
00:04:42.43\00:04:43.84
His name was Isaac.
00:04:43.88\00:04:45.22
Now there's a lot of talk in the
news today about the conflict
00:04:45.25\00:04:49.84
between the
Israelis', and the Palestinians.
00:04:49.87\00:04:52.54
It seems like there's
never peace over there.
00:04:52.58\00:04:55.21
There's always strife.
00:04:55.25\00:04:56.84
And when I got to Christian
bookstores, I find an abundance
00:04:56.88\00:05:01.56
of books that have been
written about the role of Israel
00:05:01.60\00:05:05.65
in Bible prophecy, and
how the Arabs are all going to
00:05:05.69\00:05:09.14
get together, and they're
going to come against the Jews
00:05:09.18\00:05:12.60
in the great
battle of Armageddon,
00:05:12.63\00:05:14.76
in the Valley of Megiddo.
00:05:14.79\00:05:16.28
And there is book,
after book, after book
00:05:16.32\00:05:19.48
and television evangelists who
preach this idea that the great
00:05:19.52\00:05:24.20
final battle is going to be
between the Jews and the Arabs,
00:05:24.23\00:05:28.88
perhaps allied with the
Russians, and some think even
00:05:28.92\00:05:33.76
with the Chinese, and with the
Japanese, whom they interpret
00:05:33.79\00:05:36.95
to be the kings from
the east, in the story
00:05:36.99\00:05:40.58
of the battle of Armageddon.
00:05:40.61\00:05:41.79
Now the question is, is this
really the scenario that Bible
00:05:41.83\00:05:47.14
prophecy presents
concerning end time events?
00:05:47.17\00:05:50.82
I believe that the way that
we can understand whether it's
00:05:50.86\00:05:55.09
correct or incorrect is by
analyzing the story that we are
00:05:55.12\00:05:59.32
going to take a look
at in our lecture today.
00:05:59.36\00:06:02.01
First of all, I underline again
that God revealed to Abraham
00:06:02.05\00:06:07.32
that salvation was going to
come through God bringing a Seed
00:06:07.35\00:06:13.07
into the world who would suffer
a substitutionary sacrifice
00:06:13.11\00:06:18.80
in place of man, to
save him from his sins.
00:06:18.83\00:06:22.63
In fact, God promised Abraham
decades before Isaac was born
00:06:22.66\00:06:27.69
that He was going to provide
a son, a son born by a miracle
00:06:27.72\00:06:32.05
of the Holy Spirit, who
was going to bring the promised
00:06:32.08\00:06:36.37
Seed into the world.
00:06:36.41\00:06:38.80
Now the story of Isaac and
Ishmael is very interesting.
00:06:38.84\00:06:44.69
It just so happens that
God had promised Abraham a son.
00:06:44.73\00:06:50.55
But time passed
and no son was born.
00:06:50.58\00:06:57.17
In fact, the story
tells us that Sarah could
00:06:57.20\00:07:00.82
actually not get pregnant.
00:07:00.85\00:07:02.30
And so Abraham, knowing that
God had promised that He was
00:07:02.33\00:07:08.17
going to give a
seed, through whom The Seed
00:07:08.20\00:07:11.71
would eventually come, Abraham
jumped the gun and he said,
00:07:11.74\00:07:16.05
God's promise is in jeopardy.
00:07:16.08\00:07:18.85
This promise is never going
to be fulfilled, because Sarah
00:07:18.88\00:07:22.27
cannot have children.
00:07:22.30\00:07:23.48
And so Abraham says, maybe what
I need to do is to have a child
00:07:23.51\00:07:32.71
that I can have
with my slave, Hagar.
00:07:32.74\00:07:38.70
And, by the way, the person
who suggested it was Sarah.
00:07:38.73\00:07:41.26
Maybe I can have a child through
Hagar, and that will be the
00:07:41.29\00:07:46.05
child of the promise.
00:07:46.08\00:07:47.28
And so Abraham took matters into
his own hands, and he actually
00:07:47.31\00:07:52.58
was believing that he was
going to bring salvation through
00:07:52.61\00:07:56.55
his efforts rather than through
the promise that God had made.
00:07:56.58\00:08:02.77
In other words,
Abraham tried to bring
00:08:02.80\00:08:05.25
salvation by his efforts.
00:08:05.28\00:08:08.31
He tried to bring
salvation by his own works.
00:08:08.34\00:08:13.36
And that's the reason why in the
book of Galatians, chapter 4,
00:08:13.39\00:08:17.75
which we're going to go to in
a few moments, we are told that
00:08:17.78\00:08:21.25
Ishmael was the son who was
born according to the flesh,
00:08:21.28\00:08:26.17
simply because he was
the product of the efforts of
00:08:26.20\00:08:32.22
Abraham to bring salvation
through the promised Seed
00:08:32.25\00:08:36.41
on his own, through his
own works, when God had said,
00:08:36.44\00:08:41.11
It's not you
who's going to do it.
00:08:41.14\00:08:43.22
I will provide a miraculous
son, and he will bring the seed
00:08:43.25\00:08:48.04
who will save the human
race by offering His life
00:08:48.07\00:08:52.06
as a substitutionary sacrifice.
00:08:52.09\00:08:54.99
And so Abraham took
things into his own hands,
00:08:55.02\00:08:58.75
and he tried to bring about
salvation by his own works.
00:08:58.78\00:09:04.04
Now the interesting thing
is that Hagar was a slave,
00:09:04.07\00:09:08.50
and therefore the son that she
had, Ishmael, was also a slave.
00:09:08.53\00:09:15.96
He was not a son, technically
speaking he was a slave.
00:09:15.99\00:09:20.72
And, of course, being a slave
he had absolutely no rights
00:09:20.75\00:09:27.20
of inheritance, because slaves
do not inherit, sons inherit.
00:09:27.23\00:09:34.13
And so you have this son
who is born first, incidentally.
00:09:34.16\00:09:39.60
He's born
according to the flesh.
00:09:39.63\00:09:42.00
He's born into the world
through the works and the
00:09:42.03\00:09:47.47
efforts of Abraham.
00:09:47.50\00:09:49.22
He's born from a slave woman,
which means that he's not a son,
00:09:49.25\00:09:54.24
because Isaac was Abraham's
only son, as we noticed.
00:09:54.27\00:09:58.14
And, therefore, not
being a son, he had no rights
00:09:58.17\00:10:01.86
to inherit anything.
00:10:01.89\00:10:04.17
And then, of course, a little
bit later on Isaac was born.
00:10:04.20\00:10:12.44
He was the second, the son of
the second birth we might say.
00:10:12.47\00:10:17.15
And in Galatians chapter 4
we are told that Isaac was born
00:10:17.18\00:10:21.96
according to the Spirit.
00:10:21.99\00:10:23.90
So you have one son who is
born according to the flesh,
00:10:23.93\00:10:27.47
who is the product of human
works, and you have another son
00:10:27.50\00:10:30.93
who is born by the Spirit,
who is the product of a miracle
00:10:30.96\00:10:35.25
of God, who comes as a result of
the promise that God had given.
00:10:35.28\00:10:39.57
And, of course, Isaac
was Abraham's yacheed son,
00:10:39.60\00:10:46.07
in other words his only
son, his only begotten son.
00:10:46.10\00:10:49.76
And because Isaac was a son,
he had every right to inherit
00:10:49.79\00:10:55.87
that which
belonged to his father.
00:10:55.90\00:10:58.93
Now when Isaac was
born into the household,
00:10:58.96\00:11:03.21
shortly thereafter
strife came into the household.
00:11:03.24\00:11:08.15
You see, the son that was
born according to the flesh
00:11:08.18\00:11:12.51
could not coexist
with the son who was born
00:11:12.54\00:11:15.72
according to the Spirit.
00:11:15.75\00:11:16.86
The son of the first birth
could not coexist with the son
00:11:16.89\00:11:20.76
of the second birth.
00:11:20.79\00:11:21.87
They were at
each others throats.
00:11:21.90\00:11:24.64
In fact we are told in Galatians
4:29 that the son who was born
00:11:24.67\00:11:29.48
according to the flesh
was actually seeking to kill
00:11:29.51\00:11:33.24
Isaac, his brother.
00:11:33.27\00:11:34.81
And so God gave
Abraham some counsel.
00:11:34.84\00:11:37.98
He said to Abraham, the only
way that this is going to work
00:11:38.01\00:11:41.58
is if you cast out the
son of the slave woman.
00:11:41.61\00:11:46.34
If you exile and get rid from
the household of the son who
00:11:46.37\00:11:51.55
was born according to the
flesh, the son who is the slave,
00:11:51.58\00:11:55.29
who's not technically a son.
00:11:55.32\00:11:56.86
You have to send him away
from home so that the child
00:11:56.89\00:12:01.37
of the promise, the
child who was born according
00:12:01.40\00:12:04.32
to the Spirit can subsist.
00:12:04.35\00:12:06.52
And, of course, we
find there in Genesis 16...
00:12:06.55\00:12:09.83
I'm summarizing this
story because we don't have time
00:12:09.87\00:12:12.16
to read all of the verses.
00:12:12.19\00:12:13.30
I would suggest that you
read Genesis 16 through 21.
00:12:13.33\00:12:16.54
There you have
all of these details.
00:12:16.57\00:12:18.12
When God told Abraham to exile
his son, and Hagar, that is not
00:12:18.15\00:12:24.02
technically his son,
but the bondservant's son.
00:12:24.05\00:12:26.86
Abraham said, how can I do that?
00:12:26.89\00:12:29.91
Oh that Ishmael
might live before You.
00:12:29.94\00:12:34.28
In other words,
may the son of my works
00:12:34.31\00:12:37.78
be the promised Savior.
00:12:37.81\00:12:39.77
And God says, that's
not the way it works.
00:12:39.80\00:12:43.57
Exile him from home.
00:12:43.60\00:12:45.49
And so the Bible tells us
that Abraham expelled Ishmael,
00:12:45.52\00:12:52.26
and expelled Hagar, the
bond woman and the son slave
00:12:52.29\00:13:00.04
of the bond woman.
00:13:00.07\00:13:01.18
Now the question is,
why did God give this story
00:13:01.21\00:13:06.48
in Genesis 16 through 21?
00:13:06.51\00:13:09.15
Before I go to the New Testament
and show you clearly that God
00:13:09.18\00:13:14.62
gave this story as a prophetic
story, allow me to review
00:13:14.65\00:13:18.88
the key points once again.
00:13:18.91\00:13:20.72
God had promised that He
was going to bring the Seed
00:13:20.75\00:13:25.64
into the world by a
miracle of the Holy Spirit.
00:13:25.67\00:13:29.84
That child of the miracle,
born of the Spirit, was going to
00:13:29.87\00:13:34.99
bring, eventually, the Seed
into the world who would save
00:13:35.02\00:13:39.38
the human race from its sins.
00:13:39.41\00:13:41.96
Abraham disbelieved the
promise, and he tried to bring,
00:13:41.99\00:13:47.23
and actually brought a child
into the world, his first born
00:13:47.26\00:13:51.80
son, so to speak, into
the world by his own works,
00:13:51.83\00:13:57.12
by his own efforts.
00:13:57.15\00:13:58.31
And by bringing him
in by his own efforts,
00:13:58.34\00:14:02.95
he was really saying that
salvation was going to come
00:14:02.98\00:14:06.18
through what he did, and
not what God was going to do.
00:14:06.21\00:14:10.61
Of course, this son was not
really a son, because he was
00:14:10.64\00:14:15.34
the son of a slave.
00:14:15.37\00:14:16.64
Therefore he was a slave.
00:14:16.68\00:14:18.78
He had no right to
inherit anything that belonged
00:14:18.82\00:14:21.12
to his father at all.
00:14:21.30\00:14:22.66
He had no rights of inheritance.
00:14:22.69\00:14:24.39
And the presence of this
first son in the household was a
00:14:24.42\00:14:29.11
source of conflict.
00:14:29.14\00:14:30.49
And then, of course, you
have the second son, Isaac.
00:14:30.52\00:14:34.23
He was born by the promise.
00:14:34.26\00:14:35.69
He was born by a
miracle of the Holy Spirit.
00:14:35.72\00:14:38.39
He was going to bring the
promised Savior into the world.
00:14:38.42\00:14:42.08
Isaac was the son born
according to the Spirit.
00:14:42.11\00:14:46.35
He was really a son, and
therefore he had a right to
00:14:46.38\00:14:50.45
inherit all of the
promises that God made
00:14:50.48\00:14:52.91
to his father Abraham.
00:14:52.94\00:14:54.42
But Isaac and Ishmael could
not live under the same roof,
00:14:54.45\00:14:58.11
because the
existence of the child of the
00:14:58.14\00:15:00.26
Spirit was endangered.
00:15:00.29\00:15:02.01
And so Ishmael was expelled
from the household to safeguard
00:15:02.04\00:15:07.45
the existence of the
child according to the Spirit.
00:15:07.48\00:15:11.25
Now why was this story given?
00:15:11.28\00:15:14.18
The apostle Paul gives us the
explanation in the New Testament
00:15:14.21\00:15:19.90
of why God gave
this story in Genesis.
00:15:19.93\00:15:22.28
Like all of the
other stories in Genesis,
00:15:22.31\00:15:24.39
this is a prophetic story.
00:15:24.42\00:15:26.33
In other words, this is a story
that has prophetic dimensions.
00:15:26.36\00:15:30.74
Now go with me to the book of
Galatians, the book of Galatians
00:15:30.77\00:15:35.15
chapter 4, and let's
examine the prophetic
00:15:35.18\00:15:38.90
dimension of this story.
00:15:38.93\00:15:40.56
Galatians, chapter 4,
and I want to start reading,
00:15:40.59\00:15:45.23
ah, let's see here. Let's start
reading at verse 24, verse 24.
00:15:45.26\00:15:52.53
Galatians 4:24. It says
here, actually, let me see.
00:15:52.56\00:15:59.52
Let's start at verse 21.
00:15:59.55\00:16:00.82
Tell me, you who desire to be
under the law, do you not hear
00:16:00.85\00:16:06.20
the law, for it is written
that Abraham had two sons.
00:16:06.23\00:16:09.80
The one by a bond woman,
the other by a free woman.
00:16:09.83\00:16:13.99
But he who was of the bond woman
was born according to the what?
00:16:14.02\00:16:19.27
There it is, to the flesh.
00:16:19.30\00:16:21.60
And he of the free
woman through promise.
00:16:21.63\00:16:26.09
And then he says in verse 24:
00:16:26.12\00:16:28.50
Or an allegory, the
King James Version says.
00:16:32.38\00:16:36.59
In other words, Hagar
and Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael,
00:16:41.25\00:16:45.30
represent or symbolize the
two covenants, and so it says:
00:16:45.33\00:16:50.37
Now notice, the first covenant
is the covenant of Hagar,
00:17:00.28\00:17:07.20
the slave woman, and it's
the one that is illustrated
00:17:07.23\00:17:10.14
by Mount what? by Mount Sinai.
00:17:10.17\00:17:13.57
In a moment we're
going to see what this means.
00:17:13.60\00:17:16.04
Verse 25: For this Hagar
is Mount Sinai in Arabia.
00:17:16.07\00:17:22.05
Who was in bondage with
her children? Jerusalem.
00:17:30.23\00:17:33.94
Now wait a minute!
00:17:33.97\00:17:35.00
The apostle Paul is saying,
I don't know whether you caught
00:17:35.03\00:17:38.86
the point. He saying the first
covenant, which is represented
00:17:38.89\00:17:42.91
by the son of the first
birth, is represented by Hagar,
00:17:42.94\00:17:48.54
represents what happened at
Mount Sinai, and represents the
00:17:48.57\00:17:54.01
Jerusalem that
existed in his day.
00:17:54.04\00:17:57.12
Now if we want to know what
that means, we have to go back
00:17:57.15\00:18:01.35
to Mount Sinai, and we have
to understand what characterized
00:18:01.38\00:18:05.41
the Jerusalem of Paul's day.
00:18:05.44\00:18:07.37
Now lets go back to
Exodus 19:7, 8, Exodus 19:7, 8.
00:18:07.40\00:18:16.68
Here God is about to
give the ten commandments,
00:18:16.71\00:18:19.11
and He says to Israel, I want to
make a covenant with My people.
00:18:19.14\00:18:22.84
I want to make an
agreement, because a
00:18:22.87\00:18:25.65
covenant is an agreement.
00:18:25.68\00:18:26.75
I want to have a
covenant with My people.
00:18:26.78\00:18:28.49
And I want you to go down, and
I want you to talk to Israel,
00:18:28.52\00:18:32.26
and ask them if they're
willing to enter into this
00:18:32.29\00:18:35.20
covenant agreement with me.
00:18:35.23\00:18:36.61
And so Moses, he goes
down to the people and he says,
00:18:36.64\00:18:40.17
Hey, God has this covenant.
00:18:40.20\00:18:41.90
He has the ten commandments,
and He wants to know whether
00:18:41.93\00:18:44.52
you're willing to
obey the ten commandments.
00:18:44.55\00:18:46.52
And notice what Israel says.
00:18:46.55\00:18:48.60
Exodus 19:7, 8. It says here:
00:18:48.63\00:18:54.34
So Moses brought back the
words of the people to the Lord.
00:19:14.94\00:19:19.75
And that's where
the covenant was made.
00:19:19.78\00:19:21.17
What did Israel say?
00:19:21.20\00:19:22.62
All of the words that God speaks
on this mountain we will what?
00:19:22.65\00:19:28.25
We will do. How long
did their promise last?
00:19:28.28\00:19:35.18
A very short period of time.
00:19:35.21\00:19:37.93
In fact all of their pilgrimage
in the desert was the story
00:19:37.96\00:19:42.39
of one rebellion after another,
totally breaking God's holy law,
00:19:42.42\00:19:48.72
In spite of the fact that
they had said, All that the Lord
00:19:48.75\00:19:51.84
has said, we will do.
00:19:51.87\00:19:55.68
You see they thought
they could legalistically keep
00:19:55.71\00:19:58.64
the ten commandments.
00:19:58.67\00:19:59.86
But they could not keep the ten
commandments unless their hearts
00:19:59.89\00:20:05.55
had been converted to the Lord.
00:20:05.58\00:20:07.76
By the way, later on in Jeremiah
31 God promises to make a
00:20:07.79\00:20:12.65
new covenant with Israel.
00:20:12.68\00:20:14.06
He says, I will make a
new covenant with Israel.
00:20:14.09\00:20:16.83
Not like the first covenant
that I made at Mount Sinai,
00:20:16.86\00:20:20.47
for they broke My covenant.
00:20:20.50\00:20:23.10
He says, But the covenant that
I will make is that I will take
00:20:23.13\00:20:26.55
that law which
they promised to obey,
00:20:26.58\00:20:29.14
which was on tables of stone.
00:20:29.17\00:20:30.61
I will take that law, and I
will write it on their minds
00:20:30.64\00:20:34.48
and on their hearts.
00:20:34.51\00:20:35.56
Now let me ask you, is
the difference between the two
00:20:35.59\00:20:41.12
covenants, the
first covenant has law,
00:20:41.15\00:20:43.28
and the second covenant doesn't.
00:20:43.35\00:20:45.23
That's why many Christians
say the first covenant was a
00:20:45.26\00:20:48.78
covenant of law, and the new
covenant is a covenant of grace.
00:20:48.82\00:20:51.37
That's not what
the Bible teaches.
00:20:51.40\00:20:53.82
The Bible teaches
that the first covenant,
00:20:53.85\00:20:56.55
the reason why the
first covenant was wrong,
00:20:56.58\00:20:58.71
is because the people were
saying, we will obey the ten
00:20:58.74\00:21:01.56
commandments, but their
hearts had not been changed.
00:21:01.59\00:21:05.11
You cannot keep
God's holy law with a heart
00:21:05.14\00:21:08.50
that is enslaved by sin.
00:21:08.53\00:21:10.63
In the new covenant
the law doesn't change,
00:21:10.66\00:21:15.68
it's the place
where the law is written.
00:21:15.71\00:21:19.03
And so God says, I will
write My law on their hearts,
00:21:19.06\00:21:22.24
and then He goes on to say
nobody will need to teach them
00:21:22.27\00:21:26.05
that they're supposed
to do this or do that,
00:21:26.08\00:21:28.09
because they will
naturally do it, because the law
00:21:28.12\00:21:30.78
is written upon the heart.
00:21:30.81\00:21:32.54
And so in this first covenant,
see what happened with Israel
00:21:32.57\00:21:37.61
is they did the same
thing as happened with Abraham.
00:21:37.64\00:21:42.80
Abraham says, I'm going to
bring salvation by my own what?
00:21:42.83\00:21:47.39
by my own efforts.
00:21:47.42\00:21:48.56
And Israel says, We will keep
the law how? by our own efforts.
00:21:48.59\00:21:53.33
And, of course, both
of them failed miserably.
00:21:53.36\00:21:57.85
Now, what was the
Jerusalem of the days of the
00:21:57.88\00:22:03.21
apostle Paul like?
00:22:03.24\00:22:04.41
Because it's not only that Hagar
and Mount Sinai are similar,
00:22:04.44\00:22:08.17
but the apostle Paul
says that Jerusalem of
00:22:08.20\00:22:11.44
his day was the same.
00:22:11.63\00:22:12.81
Notice Romans 10:3, Romans
10:3 explains the condition
00:22:13.18\00:22:20.35
of Jerusalem in the
days of the apostle Paul.
00:22:20.38\00:22:23.16
It says here: For
they, that is the Jews...
00:22:23.19\00:22:27.31
What characterized the Jews
in the days of the apostle Paul?
00:22:41.41\00:22:45.09
They tried to
establish their own what?
00:22:45.12\00:22:47.42
their own righteousness.
00:22:47.45\00:22:48.98
Was that exactly what Israel
tried to do at Mount Sinai?
00:22:49.01\00:22:51.93
All that the Lord
has said, we will do?
00:22:51.96\00:22:53.83
Trying to keep God's
law without a changed heart?
00:22:53.86\00:22:56.62
Absolutely! God says,
that won't do any good.
00:22:56.65\00:23:00.29
Under the new covenant
I'll take My law, the same law,
00:23:00.32\00:23:03.82
by the way, and I will
write it upon the heart,
00:23:03.85\00:23:06.80
and then people will
automatically do what
00:23:06.83\00:23:09.05
the law requires,
not because they have to,
00:23:09.08\00:23:11.89
but because they want to.
00:23:11.92\00:23:13.76
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:23:13.79\00:23:17.32
And so the Jerusalem of Paul's
day wanted to establish the
00:23:17.35\00:23:22.65
righteousness by their own
works, and they were slaves.
00:23:22.68\00:23:25.79
In the same way at Mount Sinai
Israel said, All that the Lord
00:23:25.82\00:23:29.56
has said we will do.
00:23:29.59\00:23:30.68
But they had an old
heart, and with that old heart
00:23:30.71\00:23:34.35
they could not obey.
00:23:34.38\00:23:35.41
And with the story of Hagar
and Ishmael; they were slaves,
00:23:35.44\00:23:41.29
and, therefore, they
could not bring about
00:23:41.32\00:23:43.87
the promise of salvation.
00:23:43.90\00:23:46.20
Now lets go to
Galatians 4:31, Galatians 4:31.
00:23:46.23\00:23:54.10
Here the apostle Paul
contrasts another group with
00:23:54.13\00:23:58.12
the Jerusalem of his day.
00:23:58.15\00:24:00.14
Galatians 4:31
the apostle Paul says:
00:24:00.17\00:24:04.39
How many kinds of
children are there
00:24:15.16\00:24:17.61
according to the
apostle Paul? two.
00:24:17.64\00:24:20.12
The first type are what?
those that are characterized
00:24:20.15\00:24:25.20
by Hagar and Ishmael;
slaves to their first birth,
00:24:25.23\00:24:28.96
to their first
nature, to their old nature.
00:24:28.99\00:24:31.45
It's just like Israel of Mount
Sinai trying to keep the law
00:24:31.48\00:24:35.08
without a change of heart.
00:24:35.11\00:24:37.17
It's just like the Jerusalem of
Paul's day, trying to establish
00:24:37.20\00:24:40.76
their own righteousness.
00:24:40.79\00:24:41.91
But the apostle Paul says
that there's another group,
00:24:41.94\00:24:44.29
and this group are those who
are children of the free woman.
00:24:44.32\00:24:48.98
Now lets take a look at this.
00:24:49.01\00:24:51.69
This is very, very important.
00:24:51.72\00:24:53.44
According to the apostle
Paul, the Jews of his day
00:24:53.47\00:25:01.15
were children of whom?
were children of Hagar.
00:25:01.18\00:25:06.63
You're not catching that point.
00:25:06.66\00:25:09.51
What the apostle Paul is saying;
that the Jews of his day were
00:25:09.54\00:25:14.16
not Jews, because they
were children of whom? of Hagar.
00:25:14.19\00:25:22.39
And the Jews come from Isaac.
00:25:22.42\00:25:24.82
Are you following me?
00:25:24.85\00:25:26.79
You try calling a Jew today an
Arab, and you see what happens.
00:25:26.82\00:25:32.59
But that's what Paul is saying.
00:25:32.62\00:25:35.53
He's saying the Jews of our
day in Jerusalem are not really
00:25:35.56\00:25:41.25
the covenant people.
00:25:41.28\00:25:42.33
They are really children of
Hagar, because they are in what?
00:25:42.36\00:25:46.74
in bondage trying to work out
their own what? trying to work
00:25:46.77\00:25:51.99
out their own salvation.
00:25:52.02\00:25:54.63
Now do you know that
there are two births also
00:25:54.66\00:25:58.66
with respect to our life,
according to the New Testament?
00:25:58.69\00:26:02.58
Go with me to John
1:12, 13, John 1:12, 13.
00:26:02.61\00:26:09.66
Lets apply this on
a personal level now.
00:26:09.69\00:26:12.00
John 1:12, 13. It says here:
00:26:12.03\00:26:17.21
Has received whom?
has received Jesus.
00:26:19.17\00:26:23.29
When do we
become children of God?
00:26:30.95\00:26:32.48
When we what? when we
receive Him, according to this.
00:26:32.51\00:26:38.45
Which son would that be?
00:26:53.05\00:26:54.58
That would be Ishmael.
00:26:54.61\00:26:58.20
But born of whom? born of God.
00:26:58.23\00:27:01.64
How many potential births
are there in the Christian life?
00:27:01.67\00:27:04.53
There are two.
What is the first birth?
00:27:04.56\00:27:08.38
The first birth is the one
that I have from my mother.
00:27:08.41\00:27:10.82
And how am I
born from my mother?
00:27:10.85\00:27:14.87
I am born
according to the flesh.
00:27:14.90\00:27:18.81
I am in bondage. We find David
saying in Psalms 51 that in sin
00:27:18.84\00:27:27.05
did my mother conceive me.
00:27:27.08\00:27:28.75
I'm born with a
sinful nature that sins.
00:27:28.78\00:27:32.18
Can I keep God's
law with that nature?
00:27:32.21\00:27:35.73
Can I be saved? Can I earn
enough brownie points to be
00:27:35.76\00:27:39.48
saved with that nature?
00:27:39.51\00:27:41.13
Absolutely not! So
what must happen with me?
00:27:41.16\00:27:45.29
I must have a second birth, and
that's what Isaac represents.
00:27:45.32\00:27:51.75
Go with me to John 3 and
see how Jesus refers to this.
00:27:51.78\00:27:56.53
John 3 and let's read.
00:27:56.56\00:28:01.22
Here Jesus, by the way,
is speaking with Nicodemus,
00:28:01.25\00:28:04.22
a member of the Jewish
Sanhedrin, a very studied Jew.
00:28:04.25\00:28:08.62
And it's interesting that he
didn't even have the foggiest
00:28:08.65\00:28:12.77
idea what true
religion was all about.
00:28:12.80\00:28:16.60
Notice John 3:3, and then we'll
jump down to verses 5 and 6.
00:28:16.63\00:28:21.37
So is there something
wrong with our first birth?
00:28:35.13\00:28:38.50
How were we born
in our first birth?
00:28:38.53\00:28:41.06
Like Ishmael was
born in his first birth.
00:28:41.09\00:28:44.52
How? slaves to sin.
00:28:44.55\00:28:47.78
Can we bring about salvation
through our own efforts,
00:28:47.81\00:28:51.17
the way Abraham thought?
00:28:51.20\00:28:53.65
No! So what do we
need to experience?
00:28:53.68\00:28:57.19
We need to experience a second
birth, represented by which son?
00:28:57.22\00:29:01.94
Isaac, who was born
according to the Spirit.
00:29:01.97\00:29:05.03
Notice verses 5 and 6:
00:29:05.06\00:29:06.92
See the same
terminology as Galatians 4?
00:29:20.81\00:29:22.79
So when we're born the
first time we are Ishmaelites.
00:29:29.59\00:29:34.62
We are slaves! We have
no rights of inheritance.
00:29:34.65\00:29:40.35
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:29:40.38\00:29:43.43
We are dispossessed.
00:29:43.46\00:29:45.76
We cannot inherit
the covenant promises.
00:29:45.79\00:29:49.02
In fact we cannot be
subject to the law of God
00:29:49.05\00:29:51.41
no matter how much we try.
00:29:51.44\00:29:52.97
Our bondage will not
allow us to live as free people.
00:29:53.00\00:29:57.93
And so we have to be born again.
00:29:57.96\00:30:00.74
We have to have a second birth,
like Isaac was born second.
00:30:00.77\00:30:05.83
And I want you to notice
what happens as a result.
00:30:05.86\00:30:08.30
Galatians 4:4-7,
Galatians 4: 4-7.
00:30:08.33\00:30:15.04
Here the apostle Paul is
picking up on this idea of Hagar
00:30:15.07\00:30:19.63
and Sarah, Ishmael
and Isaac. It says here:
00:30:19.66\00:30:23.57
So what do we become as a
result of what Jesus has done,
00:30:54.31\00:30:58.01
when our heart is converted?
00:30:58.04\00:30:59.72
We become Sons of God.
00:30:59.75\00:31:03.64
Do we have a right to inherit
everything that belongs to God
00:31:03.67\00:31:07.43
through Jesus?
Notice verse 7,. it says:
00:31:07.46\00:31:09.85
See how He's discussing
this issue of Genesis?
00:31:13.10\00:31:16.08
Now go with me to Romans 8:7-9,
where the apostle Paul discusses
00:31:26.24\00:31:33.24
the same issue, Romans 8:7-9.
00:31:33.27\00:31:38.95
Here the apostle Paul says this:
00:31:38.98\00:31:42.95
This is the mind of the
first birth, by the way.
00:31:45.80\00:31:48.25
This is the mind that
is alienated from God.
00:31:48.28\00:31:50.62
It's the slave mind.
00:31:50.65\00:31:51.91
It's the mind that cannot
be subject to the law of God.
00:31:51.94\00:31:54.57
It's the mind that even
though you try to work out your
00:31:54.60\00:31:58.02
salvation by your own
works, and your own efforts,
00:31:58.05\00:32:00.84
you're
attempting an impossibility,
00:32:00.87\00:32:02.93
because you are a slave.
00:32:02.96\00:32:05.15
And so he says, in verse 7:
00:32:05.18\00:32:09.64
Do you see that?
Because it's a slave. Verse 8:
00:32:16.75\00:32:20.32
And, by the way, when we
become Sons, by receiving Jesus,
00:32:43.17\00:32:47.82
the Son of the promise, the Son
who was born according to the
00:32:47.85\00:32:51.92
Spirit. We find in verse
17 that the apostle Paul says,
00:32:51.95\00:32:55.89
Romans 8:17, and if
Children then what? there it is,
00:32:55.92\00:33:01.52
then heirs, heirs of God,
and joint heirs with whom?
00:33:01.55\00:33:07.25
with Christ, if indeed we
suffer with Him that we also
00:33:07.28\00:33:12.00
may be glorified
together with Him.
00:33:12.03\00:33:14.86
So let me ask you, who is
the only true Seed of Abraham?
00:33:14.89\00:33:20.52
That's Jesus, who only
is the One who deserves
00:33:20.55\00:33:26.32
to inherit the promises
that were made to Abraham.
00:33:26.35\00:33:29.53
The promises were made
to Abraham and his Seed.
00:33:29.56\00:33:32.77
It does not say to seeds
as of many, but your Seed,
00:33:32.80\00:33:36.95
which is One who is Christ.
00:33:36.98\00:33:38.89
In other words there is
only One Seed to whom the
00:33:38.92\00:33:41.34
promises were made.
00:33:41.37\00:33:42.40
But let me ask you, can
those promises be mine also?
00:33:42.43\00:33:44.71
It says in Galatians
3:29, If you are Christ's
00:33:44.74\00:33:50.45
you are Abraham's Seed, and
heirs according to the promise.
00:33:50.48\00:33:54.07
Let me ask you then, those Jews
who live over in the holy land
00:33:54.10\00:33:57.16
today, so called holy land, who
reject Jesus Christ the Lord.
00:33:57.19\00:34:01.97
Are they children of Abraham?
00:34:02.00\00:34:04.69
So is prophecy going
to be fulfilled with them?
00:34:04.72\00:34:08.95
With whom is prophecy fulfilled?
00:34:08.98\00:34:12.66
The final battle is
between Israel and Babylon.
00:34:12.69\00:34:17.60
I suppose that Babylon, you
have to go over to Iraq to find
00:34:17.63\00:34:21.71
Babylon. And you have to go over
to Jerusalem to find Israel.
00:34:21.74\00:34:26.18
No way, because Israel are
those who have joined Jesus,
00:34:26.21\00:34:30.92
who have been born again.
00:34:30.95\00:34:31.98
Which means that if Babylon
comes to war against Israel
00:34:32.01\00:34:36.05
it's not coming
to the Middle East.
00:34:36.08\00:34:37.86
It's coming to where those
who have accepted Jesus are.
00:34:37.89\00:34:42.33
Are you following me, or
are you not following me?
00:34:42.36\00:34:46.10
Now, do you remember
that Abraham was told to expel
00:34:46.13\00:34:50.86
his first born son?
00:34:50.89\00:34:52.64
What are we supposed to do
with that old carnal nature
00:34:52.67\00:34:55.90
that we're born with?
00:34:55.93\00:34:56.96
The apostle Paul says in
Galatians 5:24 that we are
00:34:56.99\00:35:02.70
supposed to
crucify the old nature.
00:35:02.73\00:35:05.15
We're supposed to get
rid of the old nature,
00:35:05.18\00:35:08.22
just like Abraham was told, Get
rid of that bond woman's son.
00:35:08.25\00:35:14.12
It sounded very drastic.
00:35:14.15\00:35:15.77
But the new nature is in
danger when the old nature
00:35:15.80\00:35:19.20
is present in the house.
00:35:19.23\00:35:20.30
And the same is true
with our spiritual life.
00:35:20.33\00:35:23.35
The flesh must be crucified.
00:35:23.38\00:35:25.99
It must be overcome.
00:35:26.02\00:35:27.54
It must be exiled, that the
Son of the Spirit might excel,
00:35:27.57\00:35:32.72
and might proliferate.
00:35:32.75\00:35:34.34
Now lets go to
Galatians 3, Galatians 3.
00:35:34.37\00:35:41.71
I want you to remember what
we're studying this evening,
00:35:41.74\00:35:43.90
because this is the foundation
for most of what we're going
00:35:43.93\00:35:46.05
to discuss
concerning Bible prophecy.
00:35:46.08\00:35:47.73
See the big issue in the
interpretation of Bible prophecy
00:35:47.76\00:35:52.43
folks, is who is Israel?
00:35:52.46\00:35:55.85
If you get that
straight, Who is Israel,
00:35:55.88\00:36:00.34
you'll get prophecy straight.
00:36:00.37\00:36:02.24
If you don't
understand who is true Israel,
00:36:02.27\00:36:05.77
you will get prophecy wrong.
00:36:05.80\00:36:07.02
You see, Israel is not those
who live in the Middle East,
00:36:07.05\00:36:13.00
who live in Jerusalem,
whose last name is Goldstein,
00:36:13.03\00:36:16.70
who have the literal blood
of Abraham flowing through their
00:36:16.73\00:36:20.23
veins. True Israel are
those who have joined Jesus.
00:36:20.26\00:36:25.48
Now notice Galatians
3:26, Galatians 3:26.
00:36:25.51\00:36:32.04
Here the apostle Paul says:
00:36:32.07\00:36:33.59
See he picks up on
this idea of sons of God.
00:36:35.34\00:36:37.56
How do we become sons of God?
00:36:40.62\00:36:41.86
And then he says that
all ethnic and national
00:36:49.00\00:36:53.33
distinctions disappear.
00:36:53.36\00:36:55.61
Doesn't mean that
there's still not people from
00:36:55.64\00:36:57.68
the United States,
and people from Israel,
00:36:57.71\00:37:00.28
and people from Egypt.
00:37:00.31\00:37:01.83
What it means is that in
the sight of God national
00:37:01.86\00:37:04.66
distinctions
mean nothing anymore.
00:37:04.69\00:37:06.62
Verse 28. It says there:
00:37:06.65\00:37:09.27
Verse 29.
00:37:18.22\00:37:19.25
Who are going to
inherit all of the promises
00:37:26.32\00:37:28.10
that God made to Abraham?
00:37:28.13\00:37:29.20
Those who are Christ's.
00:37:29.23\00:37:32.22
So my question is, are any
of the promises being inherited
00:37:32.25\00:37:36.26
today by those who reject
the Lord in the Middle East?
00:37:36.29\00:37:40.01
Absolutely not. And I'll
tell you what, the apostle Paul
00:37:40.04\00:37:43.42
says that the Jews
of his day were actually
00:37:43.45\00:37:46.03
children of the bond woman.
00:37:46.06\00:37:47.28
They were not Israelites at all.
00:37:47.31\00:37:50.87
In fact the apostle Paul
underlines this same idea in
00:37:50.90\00:37:55.29
several places in his writings.
00:37:55.32\00:37:56.81
Go with me to Romans
2:28, 29, Romans 2:28, 29.
00:37:56.84\00:38:06.28
Here the apostle Paul
says something which is almost
00:38:06.31\00:38:10.46
totally ignored by
people who tried to
00:38:10.49\00:38:12.74
interpret Bible
prophecy. It says there:
00:38:12.77\00:38:15.16
Are there Jews who are
not Jews? Yes or No? Yes!
00:38:20.85\00:38:29.48
That's the first
verse, by the way.
00:38:37.34\00:38:41.20
What is true circumcision?
00:38:57.15\00:38:59.60
It's a change of what? of heart.
00:38:59.63\00:39:02.79
And what does God write in the
heart when He changes the heart?
00:39:02.82\00:39:05.70
He writes His Holy Law.
00:39:05.73\00:39:07.95
So much for the idea that in
the Old Testament God expected
00:39:07.98\00:39:11.57
people to keep the law.
00:39:11.60\00:39:12.63
But in the New Testament,
because we're under grace,
00:39:12.66\00:39:14.58
we don't have to
keep the law anymore.
00:39:14.61\00:39:15.74
The law does not change.
00:39:15.77\00:39:19.05
What changes is the
place where the law is written.
00:39:19.08\00:39:22.04
The law on tables of stone, no
matter how much I try to measure
00:39:22.07\00:39:25.70
up, I can't, but when the law is
in the heart, I can measure up
00:39:25.73\00:39:29.13
because it's not imposed on me.
00:39:29.16\00:39:31.02
It comes forth from
me because I love Jesus.
00:39:31.05\00:39:34.20
And he who says he loves Jesus,
he who says he knows Jesus,
00:39:34.23\00:39:39.29
and does not keep His
commandments is a liar,
00:39:39.32\00:39:41.73
because if the law was
in his heart he would keep
00:39:41.76\00:39:43.94
the commandments of God.
00:39:43.97\00:39:45.05
And that's why in Revelation
it says that the final war
00:39:45.08\00:39:48.25
of Satan will be against
those who keep the commandments
00:39:48.28\00:39:51.58
of God. Not to earn salvation,
but because they know Jesus
00:39:51.61\00:39:56.13
and they say, I will be
loyal to my beloved Jesus,
00:39:56.16\00:39:58.96
even to the point
of death if necessary.
00:39:58.99\00:40:01.80
Are you following me?
00:40:01.83\00:40:04.12
Now let's notice
also Romans 9: 6-8.
00:40:04.15\00:40:09.32
The apostle Paul
picks up on this many times.
00:40:09.35\00:40:12.02
Romans 9:6-8. Here
the apostle Paul says:
00:40:12.05\00:40:19.13
That's a strange... Not
all Israelites are Israelites.
00:40:31.27\00:40:34.86
What does he mean?
00:40:34.89\00:40:38.34
Let's read verse 7.
00:40:38.37\00:40:40.13
Is everyone who is the literal
seed of Abraham a child of God?
00:40:44.68\00:40:48.75
No!
00:40:48.78\00:40:49.81
See, not in Ishmael,
but in whom? in Isaac.
00:40:53.56\00:40:56.98
The second birth. The
birth according to the spirit.
00:40:57.01\00:41:01.60
The birth where God writes
His law on your heart. Verse 8:
00:41:01.63\00:41:05.56
Who are those? the literal Jews.
00:41:10.59\00:41:14.93
Could the apostle
Paul be any clearer?
00:41:28.52\00:41:31.79
I don't know how the
apostle Paul could be
00:41:31.82\00:41:34.04
any clearer than this.
00:41:34.07\00:41:35.10
That not everyone who claims to
be Israel is really of Israel.
00:41:35.13\00:41:40.49
Now go with me to
John 8, to where Jesus
00:41:40.52\00:41:43.48
picks up on this idea.
00:41:43.51\00:41:44.66
And, by the way, Jesus is
talking here about Abraham
00:41:44.69\00:41:48.34
back in Genesis. Notice we're
going to move through John 8,
00:41:48.37\00:41:54.23
and I'm just going to
read certain verses because
00:41:54.26\00:41:56.96
we can't read them all.
00:41:56.99\00:41:58.15
We'll read verses 32 and then
we'll jump down to verse 36.
00:41:58.18\00:42:03.03
John 8:32. Jesus says:
00:42:03.06\00:42:07.57
If the truth makes us free, it's
because before we were what?
00:42:11.40\00:42:15.80
we were slaves, of course.
00:42:15.83\00:42:18.31
Now what does that mean,
you will know the truth, and the
00:42:18.34\00:42:20.39
truth will make you free,
or children of the free woman?
00:42:20.42\00:42:23.58
Notice verse 36.
Jesus says in verse 36:
00:42:23.61\00:42:27.30
How do you become a son of the
free woman? by receiving whom?
00:42:32.37\00:42:38.78
Jesus. If you reject
Jesus whose son are you?
00:42:38.81\00:42:42.62
You are the son
of the slave woman.
00:42:42.65\00:42:45.67
And because of that you
have no right to inherit any
00:42:45.70\00:42:49.33
of the promises which God
made, because only Sons inherit.
00:42:49.36\00:42:54.41
Raise your hand if you're
understanding what I'm saying.
00:42:54.44\00:42:56.62
This is critical for the
understanding of prophecy.
00:42:56.65\00:42:59.13
Now go with me to
John 8:33, John 8:33.
00:42:59.16\00:43:06.40
The discussion
becomes very interesting.
00:43:06.43\00:43:08.67
They answered him...
00:43:08.70\00:43:11.22
The Old King James Version
says, We are Abraham's Seed.
00:43:14.35\00:43:18.00
What were they claiming to be?
00:43:28.15\00:43:31.11
They said, We are the
literal seed of Abraham.
00:43:31.14\00:43:33.76
Does Jesus consider being the
literal fleshly seed of Abraham
00:43:33.79\00:43:38.63
of any
significance? Absolutely not!
00:43:38.66\00:43:41.46
But they're saying,
We are Abraham's seed.
00:43:41.49\00:43:43.47
We've never been in bondage,
because as children of Isaac
00:43:43.50\00:43:46.49
we are sons of the free woman.
00:43:46.52\00:43:48.52
Now the discussion is going to
become very, very interesting.
00:43:48.55\00:43:52.35
Notice verse 37. Jesus says:
00:43:52.38\00:43:56.27
But in a moment He's
going to say, You're not really.
00:43:58.42\00:44:00.79
Are you understanding
what Jesus is saying?
00:44:09.52\00:44:12.33
You say that you're
children of Abraham.
00:44:12.36\00:44:14.63
I know you're children of
Abraham physically speaking.
00:44:14.66\00:44:17.91
But now lets notice verse 39.
00:44:17.94\00:44:20.83
The discussion
becomes very interesting.
00:44:20.86\00:44:23.40
They answered and said to
him, Abraham is our father.
00:44:23.43\00:44:26.96
Jesus said to them:
00:44:26.99\00:44:28.84
Verse 40:
00:44:33.17\00:44:36.18
In other words, you're
not acting like your father;
00:44:42.62\00:44:46.65
like the father
you claim to have,
00:44:46.68\00:44:48.48
because he's going to say,
He's not really your father.
00:44:48.51\00:44:52.28
You're not really
the children of Abraham,
00:44:52.31\00:44:53.73
because you're rejecting Me.
00:44:53.76\00:44:55.07
Now notice verse 41.
00:44:55.10\00:44:58.30
You do the deeds of your father.
00:44:58.33\00:45:00.79
Then they said to
Him, because they couldn't
00:45:00.82\00:45:03.32
answer His arguments, We
were not born of fornication.
00:45:03.35\00:45:07.91
They're saying, We
don't know who Your daddy is.
00:45:07.94\00:45:11.02
We have one
father, God, they say.
00:45:11.05\00:45:16.66
And now notice what
we find in verse 42.
00:45:16.69\00:45:19.91
Jesus said to them, If God were
your father, you would love Me,
00:45:19.94\00:45:23.52
for I proceeded forth and
came from God, nor have I come
00:45:23.55\00:45:27.18
of Myself, but He sent Me.
00:45:27.21\00:45:29.45
Why do you not
understand My speech?
00:45:29.48\00:45:31.71
Because you are not
able to listen to My Word.
00:45:31.74\00:45:34.15
And then verse 44
really gets heavy. Jesus says:
00:45:34.18\00:45:37.62
Were they Abraham's
children? Yes and No.
00:45:40.35\00:45:46.41
They were Abraham's children,
but according to Ishmael,
00:45:46.44\00:45:51.28
not according to Isaac.
00:45:51.31\00:45:53.50
And only through Isaac were
the promises to be inherited.
00:45:53.53\00:45:57.22
So if the Jewish nation
today is rejecting Christ,
00:45:57.25\00:46:01.78
they are in what? they are in
bondage, and they are children
00:46:01.81\00:46:06.41
of the bond woman.
00:46:06.44\00:46:07.47
And because they are in bondage
they have no right to inherit
00:46:07.50\00:46:11.26
anything that belongs
to Abraham and to Isaac.
00:46:11.29\00:46:17.44
Are you
understanding what I am saying?
00:46:17.47\00:46:18.94
Now am I saying that I
am against the Jews? No.
00:46:18.97\00:46:22.03
Do you know what? That conflict
in the Middle East would end
00:46:22.06\00:46:25.00
in an instant if Jews
and Arabs received Jesus.
00:46:25.03\00:46:27.36
They'd have no more
reason to fight, because both of
00:46:27.39\00:46:31.22
them would be Jews, according
to the Biblical definition.
00:46:31.25\00:46:36.68
If the Palestinians said, we
received Jesus as our Savior.
00:46:36.71\00:46:39.99
Even though they are physically
sons of the bond woman,
00:46:40.02\00:46:44.13
because they received
Jesus, they would be Israelites.
00:46:44.16\00:46:48.12
And the Israelites, who are
also sons of the bond woman,
00:46:48.15\00:46:53.09
because they reject Jesus.
00:46:53.12\00:46:54.79
If they receive Jesus
they would also be Israelites.
00:46:54.83\00:46:58.39
And then they would
say, now you're an Israelite.
00:46:58.42\00:47:00.54
I'm an Israelite.
What are we fighting about?
00:47:00.57\00:47:02.25
Are you with me? The key
in prophecy is found in Jesus.
00:47:02.28\00:47:08.83
And it's not found
in your national origin.
00:47:08.86\00:47:12.78
It is not found in
the land that you live in.
00:47:12.81\00:47:15.51
So Jesus says in verse 44:
00:47:15.54\00:47:17.63
He's saying, you want to
murder Me, so who's your father?
00:47:23.89\00:47:26.02
Wow! Did Jesus agree
with the apostle Paul?
00:47:38.54\00:47:42.95
Who are the children of God?
00:47:42.98\00:47:45.50
Those who have received Jesus.
00:47:45.53\00:47:49.19
So who does the devil hate?
00:47:49.22\00:47:50.73
Does the devil hate Jesus?
00:47:53.81\00:47:54.91
Of course he does.
00:47:54.94\00:47:57.66
Now if he hates Jesus,
who else is he going to hate?
00:47:57.69\00:48:00.25
Those who have joined Jesus.
00:48:00.28\00:48:03.20
So who is the final
war going to be against?
00:48:03.23\00:48:05.59
Listen, the devil has
the Jews in his pocket,
00:48:05.62\00:48:09.66
if they're outside Christ.
00:48:09.69\00:48:10.73
He doesn't have to worry
about them because there's no
00:48:10.76\00:48:13.67
salvation outside Jesus.
00:48:13.70\00:48:15.04
But the devil has tried to
make it appear like the Jews
00:48:15.07\00:48:20.47
are God's favorite people,
as a theocracy, as a nation,
00:48:20.50\00:48:23.92
and that the devil
hates them and God loves them.
00:48:23.95\00:48:27.18
Now I'm talking
about them as a nation.
00:48:27.21\00:48:30.96
As individuals any of
them can accept Jesus Christ.
00:48:30.99\00:48:36.52
And, by the way, any people
from any nation that rejects
00:48:36.55\00:48:39.65
Jesus is in the same boat.
00:48:39.68\00:48:41.31
So I'm not picking on the Jews.
00:48:41.34\00:48:44.29
I mean it can be a Mexican, too.
00:48:44.32\00:48:47.23
A Mexican who does
not receive Jesus is a son
00:48:47.26\00:48:52.56
of the bond woman.
00:48:52.59\00:48:53.62
A Columbian, an Indian, doesn't
matter where you're from.
00:48:53.65\00:49:00.77
If you reject Jesus you
are a son of the bond woman,
00:49:00.80\00:49:05.59
because you have not
experienced the second birth,
00:49:05.62\00:49:08.34
the birth
according to the Spirit.
00:49:08.37\00:49:10.25
Now go with me to
Philippians 3: 4-8.
00:49:10.28\00:49:15.08
Are you catching a picture here?
00:49:15.11\00:49:16.75
Yeah? Come on, talk to me, Yes?
00:49:16.78\00:49:20.63
Philippians 3. The apostle
Paul had this experience.
00:49:20.66\00:49:26.01
He was quite a Jew.
00:49:26.04\00:49:28.56
We'll start reading at
verse 4, Philippians 3:4.
00:49:28.59\00:49:34.46
The apostle Paul says, Though
I also might have confidence
00:49:34.49\00:49:38.86
in the flesh. See, I might
have confidence in the flesh.
00:49:38.89\00:49:44.24
Was he lost?
Was he really a Jew?
00:50:11.93\00:50:15.85
In this condition, was
he really an Israelite?
00:50:15.88\00:50:18.80
Not according to
Paul's own definition.
00:50:18.83\00:50:22.26
Because he has said, It is
not a Jew who is one outwardly,
00:50:22.29\00:50:26.10
but inwardly. A Jew is one
who is according to the promise.
00:50:26.13\00:50:30.06
According to Paul's
own definition he was lost.
00:50:30.09\00:50:32.84
He was in bondage
because he tried to measure up
00:50:32.87\00:50:36.59
and he couldn't. Now
notice what he says in verse 7:
00:50:36.62\00:50:42.62
But what things were
gain to me, these I have
00:50:42.65\00:50:46.02
counted loss for Christ.
00:50:46.05\00:50:48.39
At this point was
Paul really a Jew?
00:51:08.13\00:51:12.66
Was Paul an Israelite indeed?
00:51:12.69\00:51:15.97
And, of course, he suffered
many persecutions as a result.
00:51:16.00\00:51:21.11
See before he knew
Christ he was the persecutor.
00:51:21.14\00:51:24.73
When he knew Christ the
devil says, This guy I hate.
00:51:24.76\00:51:28.27
And he becomes the persecuted.
00:51:28.30\00:51:30.02
Are you catching a picture here?
00:51:30.05\00:51:33.88
Now lets go to John 1.
00:51:33.91\00:51:39.35
John 1 and lets read about
one of the lesser known apostles
00:51:39.38\00:51:47.38
of Christ. His
name was Nathaniel.
00:51:47.41\00:51:50.52
When Andrew comes and he
says, We found the Messiah,
00:51:50.55\00:51:55.86
Nathaniel says,
Where is He from?
00:51:55.89\00:51:59.29
From Nazareth. No! Can anything
good come from Nazareth?
00:51:59.32\00:52:05.73
Be real! But then he makes
a confession which is amazing
00:52:05.76\00:52:10.63
in the light of the fact
that he's just discovered
00:52:10.66\00:52:12.57
that Jesus is from
Nazareth. Notice John 1:47:
00:52:12.60\00:52:18.09
I guess that if there
are Israelites indeed,
00:52:27.67\00:52:30.92
there are Israelites not indeed.
00:52:30.95\00:52:32.81
An Israelite indeed
in whom is no deceit.
00:52:32.84\00:52:40.23
Now why was he an
Israelite in the sight of Jesus?
00:52:40.26\00:52:43.06
Notice verse 49:
00:52:43.09\00:52:44.56
Did he receive Jesus as
the Messiah? Yes, he did.
00:52:53.52\00:52:57.86
And therefore he
was an Israelite how?
00:52:57.89\00:53:01.12
an Israelite indeed.
00:53:01.15\00:53:03.79
Now do you remember the
conversation that Jesus had
00:53:03.82\00:53:07.89
with the Samaritan woman?
00:53:07.92\00:53:09.28
It's found in John chapter 4.
00:53:09.31\00:53:13.30
Jesus is in Samaria and
the Samaritan woman says,
00:53:13.33\00:53:20.47
You know, the Jews say
that we're supposed to worship
00:53:20.50\00:53:23.56
on the holy
mountain in Jerusalem.
00:53:23.59\00:53:27.49
And we believe that
we're supposed to worship
00:53:27.52\00:53:30.91
here at this mountain.
00:53:30.94\00:53:31.97
What do You say?
00:53:32.00\00:53:34.44
And I want you to
notice what Jesus says.
00:53:34.47\00:53:37.83
John 4:21-24, John 4:21-24.
00:53:37.86\00:53:48.50
Very significant
words! He says this:
00:53:48.53\00:53:51.45
Do you know
what Jesus is saying?
00:54:03.48\00:54:06.37
No more holy city, no more holy
mountains, no more holy temples.
00:54:06.40\00:54:12.66
Because now everything
is shifting to the heavenly
00:54:12.69\00:54:16.85
Mount Zion, to the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to the heavenly
00:54:16.88\00:54:20.76
temple where I am
going to go to minister.
00:54:20.79\00:54:23.47
By the way, do you know that
Jesus said where there are two
00:54:25.90\00:54:28.19
or three gathered in my
name, there I am in their midst?
00:54:28.22\00:54:31.54
See, Zion, Mount
Zion is where Jesus is.
00:54:31.57\00:54:43.90
Jesus is not
where Mount Zion is.
00:54:43.93\00:54:47.98
In other words, you want to
know where Jerusalem is today,
00:54:48.01\00:54:52.21
where Mount Zion is today,
where the temple is today.
00:54:52.24\00:54:55.17
All you have to do is
discover where Jesus is.
00:54:55.20\00:54:57.77
And, by the way, can we
enter by faith into Jerusalem,
00:54:57.80\00:55:02.26
into the temple? Can
we go to the temple today
00:55:02.29\00:55:05.23
and worship in
spirit and in truth?
00:55:05.26\00:55:07.79
The whole book of Hebrews
says that we can approach
00:55:07.82\00:55:10.00
the throne of God through faith.
00:55:10.03\00:55:11.63
We can approach
boldly the throne of grace.
00:55:11.66\00:55:15.85
That's not over in Jerusalem,
but it's the temple in Heaven
00:55:15.88\00:55:21.23
where Jesus ministers.
00:55:21.26\00:55:22.71
And now notice, Jesus
says, we're not going to worship
00:55:22.74\00:55:29.79
in Jerusalem or on
this mountain the Father.
00:55:29.87\00:55:32.44
And what He means is that
salvation came as a result
00:55:38.38\00:55:41.14
of God calling
Abraham, and the Jewish nation.
00:55:41.17\00:55:43.25
Jesus the
Messiah came from Jews.
00:55:43.28\00:55:45.62
It's not that the Jews
save, it's that the Savior
00:55:45.65\00:55:50.35
came from the Jews.
00:55:50.38\00:55:51.50
And then notice what we
find in verse 23: But the hour
00:55:51.53\00:55:56.18
is coming, and now is,...
00:55:56.21\00:55:58.72
In spirit and in truth.
00:56:04.83\00:56:07.52
Did you catch that?
00:56:07.55\00:56:08.58
God is Spirit and those who
worship Him must worship Him
00:56:11.90\00:56:16.05
in Spirit and in truth.
00:56:16.08\00:56:18.56
Where is Mount Zion today?
00:56:18.59\00:56:20.69
Where Jesus is.
And where is Jesus?
00:56:20.72\00:56:25.42
Where two or three
are gathered in My name,
00:56:25.45\00:56:28.21
there I am in their midst.
00:56:28.24\00:56:31.12
So in what geographical
locality is the final battle
00:56:31.15\00:56:35.29
going to be fought?
00:56:35.32\00:56:36.51
It's going to be fought
against Zion and Jerusalem.
00:56:36.54\00:56:39.82
But where is Jerusalem?
00:56:39.85\00:56:40.88
Where Jesus is.
And where is Jesus?
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Where two or three
are gathered in His name,
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which means that the final
battle is going to be a battle
00:56:46.21\00:56:49.98
against God's people
where? all over the world.
00:56:50.01\00:56:54.45
And they're going to be attacked
by a system known as Babylon,
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which is also a
worldwide system.
00:56:59.25\00:57:01.05
In other words the
final battle is not between
00:57:01.08\00:57:04.89
the Arabs and the Jews.
00:57:04.92\00:57:05.95
It's between those who have
received Jesus, on a worldwide
00:57:05.98\00:57:10.41
scale, and those who rejected
Christ, or claimed to have
00:57:10.44\00:57:15.40
accepted Christ, but are in
bondage because they're trying
00:57:15.44\00:57:18.54
to bring about
salvation on their own.
00:57:18.57\00:57:21.65