Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
00:01:12.27\00:01:13.90
Father in Heaven, thank
You for this beautiful day.
00:01:13.94\00:01:18.27
Thank You for the privilege
of being here once again to open
00:01:18.31\00:01:23.01
Your Holy Word, so that You can
teach us, so that we can have a
00:01:23.04\00:01:28.25
closer walk with our
beloved Savior Jesus.
00:01:28.28\00:01:31.49
We ask that as we study the
story of Genesis 16 through 21,
00:01:31.52\00:01:36.73
that Your Holy Spirit will guide
us and help us to understand
00:01:36.76\00:01:40.10
the great lessons that You
have for us from these chapters.
00:01:40.13\00:01:44.60
And we thank You,
Lord, for heaving our prayer,
00:01:44.63\00:01:46.84
for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
00:01:46.87\00:01:50.11
I'd like to just do a
little review of what we studied
00:01:50.14\00:01:54.41
in our last lecture, because
it's foundational for what
00:01:54.44\00:01:58.68
we're going to
discuss in our lecture today.
00:01:58.71\00:02:01.05
As you remember, this
magnificent story of Genesis
00:02:01.08\00:02:07.46
chapter 22 is describing the
fact that God was going to bring
00:02:07.49\00:02:13.93
a Seed into the world, and that
Seed was going to be offered
00:02:13.96\00:02:20.34
as a burnt sacrifice, or
as a burnt offering to save
00:02:20.37\00:02:26.51
the world from its sins.
00:02:26.54\00:02:30.55
Now this was presented
to Abraham in symbol form,
00:02:30.58\00:02:35.55
as a shadow of the reality,
which would come in the future.
00:02:35.58\00:02:40.16
And, of course, the
shadow was what we studied;
00:02:40.19\00:02:43.79
all of the parallels
between what happened then,
00:02:43.83\00:02:47.30
and what happened at the time
of fulfillment when Jesus came.
00:02:47.36\00:02:53.07
The bottom line is that in this
story God was telling Abraham
00:02:53.10\00:02:58.81
that He, that is God, was
going to save the human race
00:02:58.84\00:03:05.05
by providing a
substitute for sinners.
00:03:05.08\00:03:09.18
That is the key point.
00:03:09.22\00:03:10.79
And as we noticed
in our study, Abraham
00:03:10.82\00:03:15.06
understood this very well.
00:03:15.09\00:03:17.93
I'd like to begin by reading
John 8:56, where we find this
00:03:17.96\00:03:24.93
idea clearly expressed;
that Abraham understood
00:03:24.97\00:03:29.30
what this was all about.
00:03:29.34\00:03:30.87
John 8:56. Here Jesus,
speaking to the Jews says:
00:03:30.91\00:03:39.28
Did Abraham understand that
God was going to provide a seed
00:03:51.03\00:03:55.53
who would bring the blessing,
who would restore the earth,
00:03:55.56\00:04:00.04
who would bring about a
multitude of redeemed people
00:04:00.07\00:04:04.04
that no one can number,
and who would remove the curse?
00:04:04.07\00:04:08.04
Very clearly, Abraham understood
that God was going to do this,
00:04:08.08\00:04:14.45
by a supernatural miracle.
00:04:14.48\00:04:17.65
Now the story that we're going
to study in our lecture today,
00:04:17.69\00:04:22.56
is actually the story that
comes immediately before the one
00:04:22.59\00:04:27.40
that we studied last time.
00:04:27.46\00:04:29.06
It's the story of two
sons that Abraham had.
00:04:29.10\00:04:34.14
The first of those
sons, of course, was Ishmael,
00:04:34.17\00:04:39.21
and the second of
those sons we spoke about
00:04:39.24\00:04:42.28
in our last lecture.
00:04:42.31\00:04:43.75
His name was Isaac.
00:04:43.78\00:04:45.01
Now there's a lot of talk in the
news today about the conflict
00:04:45.05\00:04:49.75
between the
Israelis', and the Palestinians.
00:04:49.78\00:04:52.45
It seems like there's
never peace over there.
00:04:52.49\00:04:55.12
There's always strife.
00:04:55.16\00:04:56.76
And when I got to Christian
bookstores, I find an abundance
00:04:56.79\00:05:01.46
of books that have been
written about the role of Israel
00:05:01.50\00:05:05.53
in Bible prophecy, and
how the Arabs are all going to
00:05:05.57\00:05:09.04
get together, and they're
going to come against the Jews
00:05:09.07\00:05:12.47
in the great
battle of Armageddon,
00:05:12.51\00:05:14.64
in the Valley of Megiddo.
00:05:14.68\00:05:16.18
And there is book,
after book, after book
00:05:16.21\00:05:19.38
and television evangelists who
preach this idea that the great
00:05:19.41\00:05:24.09
final battle is going to be
between the Jews and the Arabs,
00:05:24.12\00:05:28.79
perhaps allied with the
Russians, and some think even
00:05:28.82\00:05:33.66
with the Chinese, and with the
Japanese, whom they interpret
00:05:33.70\00:05:36.83
to be the kings from
the east, in the story
00:05:36.87\00:05:40.47
of the battle of Armageddon.
00:05:40.50\00:05:41.70
Now the question is, is this
really the scenario that Bible
00:05:41.74\00:05:47.04
prophecy presents
concerning end time events?
00:05:47.08\00:05:50.71
I believe that the way that
we can understand whether it's
00:05:50.75\00:05:54.98
correct or incorrect is by
analyzing the story that we are
00:05:55.02\00:05:59.22
going to take a look
at in our lecture today.
00:05:59.25\00:06:01.92
First of all, I underline again
that God revealed to Abraham
00:06:01.96\00:06:07.23
that salvation was going to
come through God bringing a Seed
00:06:07.23\00:06:12.97
into the world who would suffer
a substitutionary sacrifice
00:06:13.00\00:06:18.67
in place of man, to
save him from his sins.
00:06:18.71\00:06:22.51
In fact, God promised Abraham
decades before Isaac was born
00:06:22.54\00:06:27.58
that He was going to provide
a son, a son born by a miracle
00:06:27.62\00:06:31.95
of the Holy Spirit, who
was going to bring the promised
00:06:31.99\00:06:36.29
Seed into the world.
00:06:36.32\00:06:38.73
Now the story of Isaac and
Ishmael is very interesting.
00:06:38.76\00:06:44.57
It just so happens that
God had promised Abraham a son.
00:06:44.60\00:06:50.44
But time passed
and no son was born.
00:06:50.47\00:06:57.08
In fact, the story
tells us that Sarah could
00:06:57.11\00:07:00.72
actually not get pregnant.
00:07:00.75\00:07:02.18
And so Abraham, knowing that
God had promised that He was
00:07:02.22\00:07:08.09
going to give a
seed, through whom The Seed
00:07:08.12\00:07:11.63
would eventually come, Abraham
jumped the gun and he said,
00:07:11.66\00:07:15.93
God's promise is in jeopardy.
00:07:15.96\00:07:18.73
This promise is never going
to be fulfilled, because Sarah
00:07:18.77\00:07:22.17
cannot have children.
00:07:22.20\00:07:23.51
And so Abraham says, maybe what
I need to do is to have a child
00:07:23.54\00:07:32.61
that I can have
with my slave, Hagar.
00:07:32.65\00:07:38.59
And, by the way, the person
who suggested it was Sarah.
00:07:38.62\00:07:41.16
Maybe I can have a child through
Hagar, and that will be the
00:07:41.19\00:07:45.96
child of the promise.
00:07:45.99\00:07:47.23
And so Abraham took matters into
his own hands, and he actually
00:07:47.23\00:07:52.47
was believing that he was
going to bring salvation through
00:07:52.50\00:07:56.44
his efforts rather than through
the promise that God had made.
00:07:56.47\00:08:02.68
In other words,
Abraham tried to bring
00:08:02.71\00:08:05.15
salvation by his efforts.
00:08:05.18\00:08:08.22
He tried to bring
salvation by his own works.
00:08:08.25\00:08:13.25
And that's the reason why in the
book of Galatians, chapter 4,
00:08:13.29\00:08:17.66
which we're going to go to in
a few moments, we are told that
00:08:17.69\00:08:21.13
Ishmael was the son who was
born according to the flesh,
00:08:21.16\00:08:26.07
simply because he was
the product of the efforts of
00:08:26.10\00:08:32.11
Abraham to bring salvation
through the promised Seed
00:08:32.14\00:08:36.31
on his own, through his
own works, when God had said,
00:08:36.34\00:08:41.02
It's not you
who's going to do it.
00:08:41.05\00:08:43.12
I will provide a miraculous
son, and he will bring the seed
00:08:43.15\00:08:47.96
who will save the human
race by offering His life
00:08:47.99\00:08:51.96
as a substitutionary sacrifice.
00:08:51.99\00:08:54.86
And so Abraham took
things into his own hands,
00:08:54.93\00:08:58.63
and he tried to bring about
salvation by his own works.
00:08:58.67\00:09:03.94
Now the interesting thing
is that Hagar was a slave,
00:09:03.97\00:09:08.38
and therefore the son that she
had, Ishmael, was also a slave.
00:09:08.41\00:09:15.85
He was not a son, technically
speaking he was a slave.
00:09:15.88\00:09:20.62
And, of course, being a slave
he had absolutely no rights
00:09:20.66\00:09:27.10
of inheritance, because slaves
do not inherit, sons inherit.
00:09:27.13\00:09:34.00
And so you have this son
who is born first, incidentally.
00:09:34.04\00:09:39.47
He's born
according to the flesh.
00:09:39.51\00:09:41.88
He's born into the world
through the works and the
00:09:41.91\00:09:47.38
efforts of Abraham.
00:09:47.42\00:09:49.12
He's born from a slave woman,
which means that he's not a son,
00:09:49.15\00:09:54.16
because Isaac was Abraham's
only son, as we noticed.
00:09:54.19\00:09:58.06
And, therefore, not
being a son, he had no rights
00:09:58.09\00:10:01.73
to inherit anything.
00:10:01.76\00:10:04.07
And then, of course, a little
bit later on Isaac was born.
00:10:04.10\00:10:12.34
He was the second, the son of
the second birth we might say.
00:10:12.37\00:10:17.05
And in Galatians chapter 4
we are told that Isaac was born
00:10:17.08\00:10:21.85
according to the Spirit.
00:10:21.88\00:10:23.79
So you have one son who is
born according to the flesh,
00:10:23.82\00:10:27.39
who is the product of human
works, and you have another son
00:10:27.42\00:10:30.83
who is born by the Spirit,
who is the product of a miracle
00:10:30.86\00:10:35.13
of God, who comes as a result of
the promise that God had given.
00:10:35.16\00:10:39.47
And, of course, Isaac
was Abraham's yacheed son,
00:10:39.50\00:10:45.97
in other words his only
son, his only begotten son.
00:10:46.01\00:10:49.64
And because Isaac was a son,
he had every right to inherit
00:10:49.68\00:10:55.78
that which
belonged to his father.
00:10:55.82\00:10:58.82
Now when Isaac was
born into the household,
00:10:58.85\00:11:03.12
shortly thereafter
strife came into the household.
00:11:03.16\00:11:08.03
You see, the son that was
born according to the flesh
00:11:08.06\00:11:12.40
could not coexist
with the son who was born
00:11:12.43\00:11:15.60
according to the Spirit.
00:11:15.64\00:11:16.81
The son of the first birth
could not coexist with the son
00:11:16.84\00:11:20.64
of the second birth.
00:11:20.68\00:11:21.78
They were at
each others throats.
00:11:21.81\00:11:24.55
In fact we are told in Galatians
4:29 that the son who was born
00:11:24.58\00:11:29.38
according to the flesh
was actually seeking to kill
00:11:29.42\00:11:33.15
Isaac, his brother.
00:11:33.19\00:11:34.72
And so God gave
Abraham some counsel.
00:11:34.76\00:11:37.89
He said to Abraham, the only
way that this is going to work
00:11:37.93\00:11:41.46
is if you cast out the
son of the slave woman.
00:11:41.50\00:11:46.23
If you exile and get rid from
the household of the son who
00:11:46.27\00:11:51.44
was born according to the
flesh, the son who is the slave,
00:11:51.47\00:11:55.18
who's not technically a son.
00:11:55.21\00:11:56.75
You have to send him away
from home so that the child
00:11:56.78\00:12:01.28
of the promise, the
child who was born according
00:12:01.32\00:12:04.22
to the Spirit can subsist.
00:12:04.25\00:12:06.42
And, of course, we
find there in Genesis 16...
00:12:06.45\00:12:09.76
I'm summarizing this
story because we don't have time
00:12:09.79\00:12:12.06
to read all of the verses.
00:12:12.09\00:12:13.16
I would suggest that you
read Genesis 16 through 21.
00:12:13.19\00:12:16.43
There you have
all of these details.
00:12:16.46\00:12:18.00
When God told Abraham to exile
his son, and Hagar, that is not
00:12:18.03\00:12:23.91
technically his son,
but the bondservant's son.
00:12:23.94\00:12:26.74
Abraham said, how can I do that?
00:12:26.78\00:12:29.81
Oh that Ishmael
might live before You.
00:12:29.84\00:12:34.18
In other words,
may the son of my works
00:12:34.22\00:12:37.69
be the promised Savior.
00:12:37.72\00:12:39.69
And God says, that's
not the way it works.
00:12:39.72\00:12:43.49
Exile him from home.
00:12:43.53\00:12:45.39
And so the Bible tells us
that Abraham expelled Ishmael,
00:12:45.43\00:12:52.13
and expelled Hagar, the
bond woman and the son slave
00:12:52.17\00:12:59.87
of the bond woman.
00:12:59.91\00:13:01.01
Now the question is,
why did God give this story
00:13:01.04\00:13:06.38
in Genesis 16 through 21?
00:13:06.41\00:13:09.05
Before I go to the New Testament
and show you clearly that God
00:13:09.08\00:13:14.52
gave this story as a prophetic
story, allow me to review
00:13:14.56\00:13:18.79
the key points once again.
00:13:18.83\00:13:20.63
God had promised that He
was going to bring the Seed
00:13:20.66\00:13:25.53
into the world by a
miracle of the Holy Spirit.
00:13:25.57\00:13:29.74
That child of the miracle,
born of the Spirit, was going to
00:13:29.77\00:13:34.88
bring, eventually, the Seed
into the world who would save
00:13:34.91\00:13:39.28
the human race from its sins.
00:13:39.31\00:13:41.85
Abraham disbelieved the
promise, and he tried to bring,
00:13:41.88\00:13:47.12
and actually brought a child
into the world, his first born
00:13:47.16\00:13:51.69
son, so to speak, into
the world by his own works,
00:13:51.73\00:13:57.00
by his own efforts.
00:13:57.03\00:13:58.20
And by bringing him
in by his own efforts,
00:13:58.23\00:14:02.84
he was really saying that
salvation was going to come
00:14:02.87\00:14:06.07
through what he did, and
not what God was going to do.
00:14:06.11\00:14:10.51
Of course, this son was not
really a son, because he was
00:14:10.55\00:14:15.25
the son of a slave.
00:14:15.28\00:14:16.55
Therefore he was a slave.
00:14:16.58\00:14:18.69
He had no right to
inherit anything that belonged
00:14:18.72\00:14:21.09
to his father at all.
00:14:21.22\00:14:22.56
He had no rights of inheritance.
00:14:22.59\00:14:24.29
And the presence of this
first son in the household was a
00:14:24.33\00:14:29.00
source of conflict.
00:14:29.03\00:14:30.37
And then, of course, you
have the second son, Isaac.
00:14:30.40\00:14:34.10
He was born by the promise.
00:14:34.14\00:14:35.57
He was born by a
miracle of the Holy Spirit.
00:14:35.60\00:14:38.27
He was going to bring the
promised Savior into the world.
00:14:38.31\00:14:41.98
Isaac was the son born
according to the Spirit.
00:14:42.01\00:14:46.25
He was really a son, and
therefore he had a right to
00:14:46.28\00:14:50.35
inherit all of the
promises that God made
00:14:50.39\00:14:52.82
to his father Abraham.
00:14:52.85\00:14:54.32
But Isaac and Ishmael could
not live under the same roof,
00:14:54.36\00:14:58.03
because the
existence of the child of the
00:14:58.06\00:15:00.16
Spirit was endangered.
00:15:00.20\00:15:01.90
And so Ishmael was expelled
from the household to safeguard
00:15:01.93\00:15:07.34
the existence of the
child according to the Spirit.
00:15:07.37\00:15:11.14
Now why was this story given?
00:15:11.17\00:15:14.08
The apostle Paul gives us the
explanation in the New Testament
00:15:14.11\00:15:19.78
of why God gave
this story in Genesis.
00:15:19.81\00:15:22.18
Like all of the
other stories in Genesis,
00:15:22.22\00:15:24.29
this is a prophetic story.
00:15:24.32\00:15:26.22
In other words, this is a story
that has prophetic dimensions.
00:15:26.25\00:15:30.66
Now go with me to the book of
Galatians, the book of Galatians
00:15:30.69\00:15:35.03
chapter 4, and let's
examine the prophetic
00:15:35.06\00:15:38.77
dimension of this story.
00:15:38.80\00:15:40.44
Galatians, chapter 4,
and I want to start reading,
00:15:40.47\00:15:45.11
ah, let's see here. Let's start
reading at verse 24, verse 24.
00:15:45.14\00:15:52.41
Galatians 4:24. It says
here, actually, let me see.
00:15:52.45\00:15:59.42
Let's start at verse 21.
00:15:59.45\00:16:00.76
Tell me, you who desire to be
under the law, do you not hear
00:16:00.79\00:16:06.09
the law, for it is written
that Abraham had two sons.
00:16:06.13\00:16:09.66
The one by a bond woman,
the other by a free woman.
00:16:09.70\00:16:13.87
But he who was of the bond woman
was born according to the what?
00:16:13.90\00:16:19.17
There it is, to the flesh.
00:16:19.21\00:16:21.48
And he of the free
woman through promise.
00:16:21.51\00:16:25.98
And then he says in verse 24:
00:16:26.01\00:16:28.48
Or an allegory, the
King James Version says.
00:16:32.29\00:16:36.56
In other words, Hagar
and Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael,
00:16:41.13\00:16:45.17
represent or symbolize the
two covenants, and so it says:
00:16:45.20\00:16:50.34
Now notice, the first covenant
is the covenant of Hagar,
00:17:00.18\00:17:07.09
the slave woman, and it's
the one that is illustrated
00:17:07.12\00:17:10.06
by Mount what? by Mount Sinai.
00:17:10.09\00:17:13.50
In a moment we're
going to see what this means.
00:17:13.53\00:17:15.93
Verse 25: For this Hagar
is Mount Sinai in Arabia.
00:17:15.96\00:17:22.00
Who was in bondage with
her children? Jerusalem.
00:17:30.11\00:17:33.85
Now wait a minute!
00:17:33.88\00:17:35.12
The apostle Paul is saying,
I don't know whether you caught
00:17:35.15\00:17:38.75
the point. He saying the first
covenant, which is represented
00:17:38.79\00:17:42.82
by the son of the first
birth, is represented by Hagar,
00:17:42.86\00:17:48.43
represents what happened at
Mount Sinai, and represents the
00:17:48.46\00:17:53.90
Jerusalem that
existed in his day.
00:17:53.94\00:17:57.01
Now if we want to know what
that means, we have to go back
00:17:57.04\00:18:01.24
to Mount Sinai, and we have
to understand what characterized
00:18:01.28\00:18:05.31
the Jerusalem of Paul's day.
00:18:05.35\00:18:07.28
Now lets go back to
Exodus 19:7, 8, Exodus 19:7, 8.
00:18:07.32\00:18:16.59
Here God is about to
give the ten commandments,
00:18:16.62\00:18:19.03
and He says to Israel, I want to
make a covenant with My people.
00:18:19.06\00:18:22.73
I want to make an
agreement, because a
00:18:22.76\00:18:25.53
covenant is an agreement.
00:18:25.57\00:18:26.63
I want to have a
covenant with My people.
00:18:26.67\00:18:28.37
And I want you to go down, and
I want you to talk to Israel,
00:18:28.40\00:18:32.14
and ask them if they're
willing to enter into this
00:18:32.17\00:18:35.08
covenant agreement with me.
00:18:35.11\00:18:36.51
And so Moses, he goes
down to the people and he says,
00:18:36.54\00:18:40.08
Hey, God has this covenant.
00:18:40.12\00:18:41.78
He has the ten commandments,
and He wants to know whether
00:18:41.82\00:18:44.42
you're willing to
obey the ten commandments.
00:18:44.45\00:18:46.42
And notice what Israel says.
00:18:46.45\00:18:48.49
Exodus 19:7, 8. It says here:
00:18:48.52\00:18:54.30
So Moses brought back the
words of the people to the Lord.
00:19:14.85\00:19:19.65
And that's where
the covenant was made.
00:19:19.69\00:19:21.09
What did Israel say?
00:19:21.12\00:19:22.52
All of the words that God speaks
on this mountain we will what?
00:19:22.56\00:19:28.13
We will do. How long
did their promise last?
00:19:28.16\00:19:35.07
A very short period of time.
00:19:35.10\00:19:37.81
In fact all of their pilgrimage
in the desert was the story
00:19:37.84\00:19:42.28
of one rebellion after another,
totally breaking God's holy law,
00:19:42.31\00:19:48.62
In spite of the fact that
they had said, All that the Lord
00:19:48.65\00:19:51.75
has said, we will do.
00:19:51.79\00:19:55.59
You see they thought
they could legalistically keep
00:19:55.62\00:19:58.56
the ten commandments.
00:19:58.59\00:19:59.86
But they could not keep the ten
commandments unless their hearts
00:19:59.89\00:20:05.43
had been converted to the Lord.
00:20:05.47\00:20:07.64
By the way, later on in Jeremiah
31 God promises to make a
00:20:07.67\00:20:12.54
new covenant with Israel.
00:20:12.57\00:20:13.94
He says, I will make a
new covenant with Israel.
00:20:13.98\00:20:16.71
Not like the first covenant
that I made at Mount Sinai,
00:20:16.75\00:20:20.38
for they broke My covenant.
00:20:20.42\00:20:22.98
He says, But the covenant that
I will make is that I will take
00:20:23.02\00:20:26.45
that law which
they promised to obey,
00:20:26.49\00:20:29.06
which was on tables of stone.
00:20:29.09\00:20:30.53
I will take that law, and I
will write it on their minds
00:20:30.56\00:20:34.36
and on their hearts.
00:20:34.40\00:20:35.50
Now let me ask you, is
the difference between the two
00:20:35.53\00:20:41.00
covenants, the
first covenant has law,
00:20:41.04\00:20:43.20
and the second covenant doesn't.
00:20:43.24\00:20:45.11
That's why many Christians
say the first covenant was a
00:20:45.14\00:20:48.68
covenant of law, and the new
covenant is a covenant of grace.
00:20:48.71\00:20:51.28
That's not what
the Bible teaches.
00:20:51.31\00:20:53.72
The Bible teaches
that the first covenant,
00:20:53.75\00:20:56.45
the reason why the
first covenant was wrong,
00:20:56.48\00:20:58.62
is because the people were
saying, we will obey the ten
00:20:58.65\00:21:01.46
commandments, but their
hearts had not been changed.
00:21:01.49\00:21:05.03
You cannot keep
God's holy law with a heart
00:21:05.06\00:21:08.36
that is enslaved by sin.
00:21:08.40\00:21:10.50
In the new covenant
the law doesn't change,
00:21:10.53\00:21:15.57
it's the place
where the law is written.
00:21:15.60\00:21:18.91
And so God says, I will
write My law on their hearts,
00:21:18.94\00:21:22.14
and then He goes on to say
nobody will need to teach them
00:21:22.18\00:21:25.95
that they're supposed
to do this or do that,
00:21:25.98\00:21:27.98
because they will
naturally do it, because the law
00:21:28.02\00:21:30.69
is written upon the heart.
00:21:30.72\00:21:32.45
And so in this first covenant,
see what happened with Israel
00:21:32.49\00:21:37.53
is they did the same
thing as happened with Abraham.
00:21:37.56\00:21:42.66
Abraham says, I'm going to
bring salvation by my own what?
00:21:42.70\00:21:47.27
by my own efforts.
00:21:47.30\00:21:48.54
And Israel says, We will keep
the law how? by our own efforts.
00:21:48.57\00:21:53.21
And, of course, both
of them failed miserably.
00:21:53.24\00:21:57.75
Now, what was the
Jerusalem of the days of the
00:21:57.78\00:22:03.12
apostle Paul like?
00:22:03.15\00:22:04.35
Because it's not only that Hagar
and Mount Sinai are similar,
00:22:04.39\00:22:08.09
but the apostle Paul
says that Jerusalem of
00:22:08.12\00:22:11.49
his day was the same.
00:22:11.53\00:22:12.79
Notice Romans 10:3, Romans
10:3 explains the condition
00:22:13.09\00:22:20.24
of Jerusalem in the
days of the apostle Paul.
00:22:20.27\00:22:23.04
It says here: For
they, that is the Jews...
00:22:23.07\00:22:27.28
What characterized the Jews
in the days of the apostle Paul?
00:22:41.32\00:22:44.99
They tried to
establish their own what?
00:22:45.03\00:22:47.30
their own righteousness.
00:22:47.36\00:22:48.86
Was that exactly what Israel
tried to do at Mount Sinai?
00:22:48.90\00:22:51.80
All that the Lord
has said, we will do?
00:22:51.83\00:22:53.70
Trying to keep God's
law without a changed heart?
00:22:53.74\00:22:56.50
Absolutely! God says,
that won't do any good.
00:22:56.54\00:23:00.18
Under the new covenant
I'll take My law, the same law,
00:23:00.21\00:23:03.71
by the way, and I will
write it upon the heart,
00:23:03.75\00:23:06.68
and then people will
automatically do what
00:23:06.72\00:23:08.95
the law requires,
not because they have to,
00:23:08.98\00:23:11.79
but because they want to.
00:23:11.82\00:23:13.66
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:23:13.69\00:23:17.23
And so the Jerusalem of Paul's
day wanted to establish the
00:23:17.26\00:23:22.53
righteousness by their own
works, and they were slaves.
00:23:22.56\00:23:25.67
In the same way at Mount Sinai
Israel said, All that the Lord
00:23:25.70\00:23:29.44
has said we will do.
00:23:29.47\00:23:30.54
But they had an old
heart, and with that old heart
00:23:30.57\00:23:34.24
they could not obey.
00:23:34.28\00:23:35.48
And with the story of Hagar
and Ishmael; they were slaves,
00:23:35.51\00:23:41.18
and, therefore, they
could not bring about
00:23:41.22\00:23:43.79
the promise of salvation.
00:23:43.82\00:23:46.09
Now lets go to
Galatians 4:31, Galatians 4:31.
00:23:46.12\00:23:54.00
Here the apostle Paul
contrasts another group with
00:23:54.00\00:23:58.00
the Jerusalem of his day.
00:23:58.03\00:24:00.04
Galatians 4:31
the apostle Paul says:
00:24:00.07\00:24:04.34
How many kinds of
children are there
00:24:15.05\00:24:17.52
according to the
apostle Paul? two.
00:24:17.55\00:24:20.02
The first type are what?
those that are characterized
00:24:20.06\00:24:25.09
by Hagar and Ishmael;
slaves to their first birth,
00:24:25.13\00:24:28.83
to their first
nature, to their old nature.
00:24:28.86\00:24:31.33
It's just like Israel of Mount
Sinai trying to keep the law
00:24:31.37\00:24:34.97
without a change of heart.
00:24:35.00\00:24:37.07
It's just like the Jerusalem of
Paul's day, trying to establish
00:24:37.11\00:24:40.64
their own righteousness.
00:24:40.68\00:24:41.78
But the apostle Paul says
that there's another group,
00:24:41.81\00:24:44.18
and this group are those who
are children of the free woman.
00:24:44.21\00:24:48.88
Now lets take a look at this.
00:24:48.92\00:24:51.59
This is very, very important.
00:24:51.62\00:24:53.36
According to the apostle
Paul, the Jews of his day
00:24:53.39\00:25:01.03
were children of whom?
were children of Hagar.
00:25:01.06\00:25:06.50
You're not catching that point.
00:25:06.53\00:25:09.40
What the apostle Paul is saying;
that the Jews of his day were
00:25:09.44\00:25:14.04
not Jews, because they
were children of whom? of Hagar.
00:25:14.08\00:25:22.28
And the Jews come from Isaac.
00:25:22.32\00:25:24.72
Are you following me?
00:25:24.75\00:25:26.69
You try calling a Jew today an
Arab, and you see what happens.
00:25:26.72\00:25:32.49
But that's what Paul is saying.
00:25:32.53\00:25:35.40
He's saying the Jews of our
day in Jerusalem are not really
00:25:35.43\00:25:41.14
the covenant people.
00:25:41.17\00:25:42.37
They are really children of
Hagar, because they are in what?
00:25:42.40\00:25:46.64
in bondage trying to work out
their own what? trying to work
00:25:46.68\00:25:51.88
out their own salvation.
00:25:51.91\00:25:54.52
Now do you know that
there are two births also
00:25:54.55\00:25:58.55
with respect to our life,
according to the New Testament?
00:25:58.59\00:26:02.49
Go with me to John
1:12, 13, John 1:12, 13.
00:26:02.52\00:26:09.53
Lets apply this on
a personal level now.
00:26:09.56\00:26:11.87
John 1:12, 13. It says here:
00:26:11.90\00:26:17.17
Has received whom?
has received Jesus.
00:26:19.07\00:26:23.24
When do we
become children of God?
00:26:30.85\00:26:32.39
When we what? when we
receive Him, according to this.
00:26:32.42\00:26:38.43
Which son would that be?
00:26:52.94\00:26:54.48
That would be Ishmael.
00:26:54.51\00:26:58.08
But born of whom? born of God.
00:26:58.11\00:27:01.55
How many potential births
are there in the Christian life?
00:27:01.58\00:27:04.42
There are two.
What is the first birth?
00:27:04.45\00:27:08.29
The first birth is the one
that I have from my mother.
00:27:08.32\00:27:10.73
And how am I
born from my mother?
00:27:10.76\00:27:14.76
I am born
according to the flesh.
00:27:14.83\00:27:18.70
I am in bondage. We find David
saying in Psalms 51 that in sin
00:27:18.73\00:27:26.94
did my mother conceive me.
00:27:26.98\00:27:28.64
I'm born with a
sinful nature that sins.
00:27:28.68\00:27:32.08
Can I keep God's
law with that nature?
00:27:32.11\00:27:35.62
Can I be saved? Can I earn
enough brownie points to be
00:27:35.65\00:27:39.39
saved with that nature?
00:27:39.42\00:27:41.02
Absolutely not! So
what must happen with me?
00:27:41.06\00:27:45.19
I must have a second birth, and
that's what Isaac represents.
00:27:45.23\00:27:51.63
Go with me to John 3 and
see how Jesus refers to this.
00:27:51.67\00:27:56.40
John 3 and let's read.
00:27:56.44\00:28:01.11
Here Jesus, by the way,
is speaking with Nicodemus,
00:28:01.14\00:28:04.11
a member of the Jewish
Sanhedrin, a very studied Jew.
00:28:04.15\00:28:08.52
And it's interesting that he
didn't even have the foggiest
00:28:08.55\00:28:12.69
idea what true
religion was all about.
00:28:12.72\00:28:16.49
Notice John 3:3, and then we'll
jump down to verses 5 and 6.
00:28:16.52\00:28:21.33
So is there something
wrong with our first birth?
00:28:35.01\00:28:38.38
How were we born
in our first birth?
00:28:38.41\00:28:40.95
Like Ishmael was
born in his first birth.
00:28:40.98\00:28:44.42
How? slaves to sin.
00:28:44.45\00:28:47.69
Can we bring about salvation
through our own efforts,
00:28:47.72\00:28:51.09
the way Abraham thought?
00:28:51.13\00:28:53.56
No! So what do we
need to experience?
00:28:53.60\00:28:57.07
We need to experience a second
birth, represented by which son?
00:28:57.10\00:29:01.84
Isaac, who was born
according to the Spirit.
00:29:01.87\00:29:04.91
Notice verses 5 and 6:
00:29:04.94\00:29:06.88
See the same
terminology as Galatians 4?
00:29:20.72\00:29:22.76
So when we're born the
first time we are Ishmaelites.
00:29:29.46\00:29:34.50
We are slaves! We have
no rights of inheritance.
00:29:34.54\00:29:40.24
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:29:40.28\00:29:43.31
We are dispossessed.
00:29:43.35\00:29:45.65
We cannot inherit
the covenant promises.
00:29:45.68\00:29:48.92
In fact we cannot be
subject to the law of God
00:29:48.95\00:29:51.32
no matter how much we try.
00:29:51.35\00:29:52.89
Our bondage will not
allow us to live as free people.
00:29:52.92\00:29:57.83
And so we have to be born again.
00:29:57.86\00:30:00.66
We have to have a second birth,
like Isaac was born second.
00:30:00.70\00:30:05.70
And I want you to notice
what happens as a result.
00:30:05.73\00:30:08.17
Galatians 4:4-7,
Galatians 4: 4-7.
00:30:08.20\00:30:14.94
Here the apostle Paul is
picking up on this idea of Hagar
00:30:14.98\00:30:19.51
and Sarah, Ishmael
and Isaac. It says here:
00:30:19.55\00:30:23.55
So what do we become as a
result of what Jesus has done,
00:30:54.22\00:30:57.92
when our heart is converted?
00:30:57.95\00:30:59.62
We become Sons of God.
00:30:59.65\00:31:03.56
Do we have a right to inherit
everything that belongs to God
00:31:03.59\00:31:07.30
through Jesus?
Notice verse 7,. it says:
00:31:07.36\00:31:09.80
See how He's discussing
this issue of Genesis?
00:31:13.00\00:31:16.04
Now go with me to Romans 8:7-9,
where the apostle Paul discusses
00:31:26.15\00:31:33.15
the same issue, Romans 8:7-9.
00:31:33.19\00:31:38.86
Here the apostle Paul says this:
00:31:38.89\00:31:42.90
This is the mind of the
first birth, by the way.
00:31:45.70\00:31:48.14
This is the mind that
is alienated from God.
00:31:48.17\00:31:50.51
It's the slave mind.
00:31:50.54\00:31:51.67
It's the mind that cannot
be subject to the law of God.
00:31:51.71\00:31:54.48
It's the mind that even
though you try to work out your
00:31:54.51\00:31:57.91
salvation by your own
works, and your own efforts,
00:31:57.95\00:32:00.75
you're
attempting an impossibility,
00:32:00.78\00:32:02.82
because you are a slave.
00:32:02.85\00:32:05.05
And so he says, in verse 7:
00:32:05.09\00:32:09.62
Do you see that?
Because it's a slave. Verse 8:
00:32:16.63\00:32:20.27
And, by the way, when we
become Sons, by receiving Jesus,
00:32:43.09\00:32:47.73
the Son of the promise, the Son
who was born according to the
00:32:47.76\00:32:51.80
Spirit. We find in verse
17 that the apostle Paul says,
00:32:51.83\00:32:55.77
Romans 8:17, and if
Children then what? there it is,
00:32:55.80\00:33:01.41
then heirs, heirs of God,
and joint heirs with whom?
00:33:01.44\00:33:07.15
with Christ, if indeed we
suffer with Him that we also
00:33:07.18\00:33:11.89
may be glorified
together with Him.
00:33:11.92\00:33:14.76
So let me ask you, who is
the only true Seed of Abraham?
00:33:14.79\00:33:20.43
That's Jesus, who only
is the One who deserves
00:33:20.46\00:33:26.20
to inherit the promises
that were made to Abraham.
00:33:26.23\00:33:29.40
The promises were made
to Abraham and his Seed.
00:33:29.44\00:33:32.67
It does not say to seeds
as of many, but your Seed,
00:33:32.71\00:33:36.85
which is One who is Christ.
00:33:36.88\00:33:38.78
In other words there is
only One Seed to whom the
00:33:38.81\00:33:41.25
promises were made.
00:33:41.28\00:33:42.38
But let me ask you, can
those promises be mine also?
00:33:42.42\00:33:44.62
It says in Galatians
3:29, If you are Christ's
00:33:44.65\00:33:50.36
you are Abraham's Seed, and
heirs according to the promise.
00:33:50.39\00:33:54.00
Let me ask you then, those Jews
who live over in the holy land
00:33:54.00\00:33:57.03
today, so called holy land, who
reject Jesus Christ the Lord.
00:33:57.07\00:34:01.87
Are they children of Abraham?
00:34:01.90\00:34:04.57
So is prophecy going
to be fulfilled with them?
00:34:04.61\00:34:08.84
With whom is prophecy fulfilled?
00:34:08.88\00:34:12.55
The final battle is
between Israel and Babylon.
00:34:12.58\00:34:17.49
I suppose that Babylon, you
have to go over to Iraq to find
00:34:17.52\00:34:21.62
Babylon. And you have to go over
to Jerusalem to find Israel.
00:34:21.66\00:34:26.09
No way, because Israel are
those who have joined Jesus,
00:34:26.13\00:34:30.80
who have been born again.
00:34:30.83\00:34:32.00
Which means that if Babylon
comes to war against Israel
00:34:32.03\00:34:35.94
it's not coming
to the Middle East.
00:34:35.97\00:34:37.74
It's coming to where those
who have accepted Jesus are.
00:34:37.77\00:34:42.21
Are you following me, or
are you not following me?
00:34:42.24\00:34:45.98
Now, do you remember
that Abraham was told to expel
00:34:46.01\00:34:50.75
his first born son?
00:34:50.79\00:34:52.55
What are we supposed to do
with that old carnal nature
00:34:52.59\00:34:55.79
that we're born with?
00:34:55.82\00:34:56.86
The apostle Paul says in
Galatians 5:24 that we are
00:34:56.89\00:35:02.56
supposed to
crucify the old nature.
00:35:02.60\00:35:05.03
We're supposed to get
rid of the old nature,
00:35:05.07\00:35:08.10
just like Abraham was told, Get
rid of that bond woman's son.
00:35:08.14\00:35:14.01
It sounded very drastic.
00:35:14.04\00:35:15.68
But the new nature is in
danger when the old nature
00:35:15.71\00:35:19.08
is present in the house.
00:35:19.11\00:35:20.05
And the same is true
with our spiritual life.
00:35:20.08\00:35:23.25
The flesh must be crucified.
00:35:23.28\00:35:25.89
It must be overcome.
00:35:25.92\00:35:27.46
It must be exiled, that the
Son of the Spirit might excel,
00:35:27.49\00:35:32.63
and might proliferate.
00:35:32.66\00:35:34.23
Now lets go to
Galatians 3, Galatians 3.
00:35:34.30\00:35:41.60
I want you to remember what
we're studying this evening,
00:35:41.64\00:35:43.77
because this is the foundation
for most of what we're going
00:35:43.81\00:35:45.94
to discuss
concerning Bible prophecy.
00:35:45.97\00:35:47.61
See the big issue in the
interpretation of Bible prophecy
00:35:47.64\00:35:52.31
folks, is who is Israel?
00:35:52.35\00:35:55.75
If you get that
straight, Who is Israel,
00:35:55.78\00:36:00.26
you'll get prophecy straight.
00:36:00.29\00:36:02.16
If you don't
understand who is true Israel,
00:36:02.19\00:36:05.69
you will get prophecy wrong.
00:36:05.73\00:36:06.90
You see, Israel is not those
who live in the Middle East,
00:36:06.93\00:36:12.87
who live in Jerusalem,
whose last name is Goldstein,
00:36:12.90\00:36:16.57
who have the literal blood
of Abraham flowing through their
00:36:16.60\00:36:20.11
veins. True Israel are
those who have joined Jesus.
00:36:20.14\00:36:25.38
Now notice Galatians
3:26, Galatians 3:26.
00:36:25.41\00:36:31.95
Here the apostle Paul says:
00:36:31.99\00:36:33.56
See he picks up on
this idea of sons of God.
00:36:35.26\00:36:37.53
How do we become sons of God?
00:36:40.53\00:36:41.80
And then he says that
all ethnic and national
00:36:48.90\00:36:53.21
distinctions disappear.
00:36:53.24\00:36:55.51
Doesn't mean that
there's still not people from
00:36:55.54\00:36:57.58
the United States,
and people from Israel,
00:36:57.61\00:37:00.18
and people from Egypt.
00:37:00.22\00:37:01.72
What it means is that in
the sight of God national
00:37:01.75\00:37:04.55
distinctions
mean nothing anymore.
00:37:04.59\00:37:06.52
Verse 28. It says there:
00:37:06.55\00:37:09.26
Verse 29.
00:37:18.10\00:37:19.20
Who are going to
inherit all of the promises
00:37:26.21\00:37:27.98
that God made to Abraham?
00:37:28.01\00:37:29.08
Those who are Christ's.
00:37:29.11\00:37:32.11
So my question is, are any
of the promises being inherited
00:37:32.15\00:37:36.15
today by those who reject
the Lord in the Middle East?
00:37:36.18\00:37:39.92
Absolutely not. And I'll
tell you what, the apostle Paul
00:37:39.95\00:37:43.32
says that the Jews
of his day were actually
00:37:43.36\00:37:45.93
children of the bond woman.
00:37:45.96\00:37:47.20
They were not Israelites at all.
00:37:47.23\00:37:50.77
In fact the apostle Paul
underlines this same idea in
00:37:50.80\00:37:55.17
several places in his writings.
00:37:55.20\00:37:56.71
Go with me to Romans
2:28, 29, Romans 2:28, 29.
00:37:56.74\00:38:06.18
Here the apostle Paul
says something which is almost
00:38:06.21\00:38:10.35
totally ignored by
people who tried to
00:38:10.39\00:38:12.65
interpret Bible
prophecy. It says there:
00:38:12.69\00:38:15.12
Are there Jews who are
not Jews? Yes or No? Yes!
00:38:20.76\00:38:29.44
That's the first
verse, by the way.
00:38:37.25\00:38:41.18
What is true circumcision?
00:38:57.03\00:38:59.47
It's a change of what? of heart.
00:38:59.50\00:39:02.67
And what does God write in the
heart when He changes the heart?
00:39:02.70\00:39:05.57
He writes His Holy Law.
00:39:05.61\00:39:07.84
So much for the idea that in
the Old Testament God expected
00:39:07.88\00:39:11.48
people to keep the law.
00:39:11.51\00:39:12.58
But in the New Testament,
because we're under grace,
00:39:12.61\00:39:14.48
we don't have to
keep the law anymore.
00:39:14.52\00:39:15.65
The law does not change.
00:39:15.68\00:39:18.95
What changes is the
place where the law is written.
00:39:18.99\00:39:21.96
The law on tables of stone, no
matter how much I try to measure
00:39:21.99\00:39:25.59
up, I can't, but when the law is
in the heart, I can measure up
00:39:25.63\00:39:29.00
because it's not imposed on me.
00:39:29.03\00:39:30.90
It comes forth from
me because I love Jesus.
00:39:30.93\00:39:34.07
And he who says he loves Jesus,
he who says he knows Jesus,
00:39:34.10\00:39:39.17
and does not keep His
commandments is a liar,
00:39:39.21\00:39:41.61
because if the law was
in his heart he would keep
00:39:41.64\00:39:43.85
the commandments of God.
00:39:43.88\00:39:45.01
And that's why in Revelation
it says that the final war
00:39:45.05\00:39:48.15
of Satan will be against
those who keep the commandments
00:39:48.18\00:39:51.49
of God. Not to earn salvation,
but because they know Jesus
00:39:51.52\00:39:56.02
and they say, I will be
loyal to my beloved Jesus,
00:39:56.06\00:39:58.86
even to the point
of death if necessary.
00:39:58.89\00:40:01.66
Are you following me?
00:40:01.70\00:40:04.00
Now let's notice
also Romans 9: 6-8.
00:40:04.03\00:40:09.20
The apostle Paul
picks up on this many times.
00:40:09.24\00:40:11.91
Romans 9:6-8. Here
the apostle Paul says:
00:40:11.94\00:40:19.08
That's a strange... Not
all Israelites are Israelites.
00:40:31.19\00:40:34.73
What does he mean?
00:40:34.76\00:40:38.23
Let's read verse 7.
00:40:38.27\00:40:40.07
Is everyone who is the literal
seed of Abraham a child of God?
00:40:44.57\00:40:48.64
No!
00:40:48.68\00:40:49.78
See, not in Ishmael,
but in whom? in Isaac.
00:40:53.45\00:40:56.89
The second birth. The
birth according to the spirit.
00:40:56.92\00:41:01.49
The birth where God writes
His law on your heart. Verse 8:
00:41:01.52\00:41:05.53
Who are those? the literal Jews.
00:41:10.47\00:41:14.87
Could the apostle
Paul be any clearer?
00:41:28.42\00:41:31.69
I don't know how the
apostle Paul could be
00:41:31.72\00:41:33.96
any clearer than this.
00:41:33.99\00:41:35.26
That not everyone who claims to
be Israel is really of Israel.
00:41:35.29\00:41:40.40
Now go with me to
John 8, to where Jesus
00:41:40.43\00:41:43.37
picks up on this idea.
00:41:43.40\00:41:44.47
And, by the way, Jesus is
talking here about Abraham
00:41:44.50\00:41:48.24
back in Genesis. Notice we're
going to move through John 8,
00:41:48.27\00:41:54.11
and I'm just going to
read certain verses because
00:41:54.14\00:41:56.85
we can't read them all.
00:41:56.88\00:41:58.08
We'll read verses 32 and then
we'll jump down to verse 36.
00:41:58.11\00:42:02.92
John 8:32. Jesus says:
00:42:02.95\00:42:07.56
If the truth makes us free, it's
because before we were what?
00:42:11.33\00:42:15.66
we were slaves, of course.
00:42:15.70\00:42:18.20
Now what does that mean,
you will know the truth, and the
00:42:18.23\00:42:20.27
truth will make you free,
or children of the free woman?
00:42:20.30\00:42:23.47
Notice verse 36.
Jesus says in verse 36:
00:42:23.51\00:42:27.28
How do you become a son of the
free woman? by receiving whom?
00:42:32.28\00:42:38.69
Jesus. If you reject
Jesus whose son are you?
00:42:38.72\00:42:42.52
You are the son
of the slave woman.
00:42:42.56\00:42:45.59
And because of that you
have no right to inherit any
00:42:45.63\00:42:49.20
of the promises which God
made, because only Sons inherit.
00:42:49.23\00:42:54.30
Raise your hand if you're
understanding what I'm saying.
00:42:54.34\00:42:56.50
This is critical for the
understanding of prophecy.
00:42:56.54\00:42:59.01
Now go with me to
John 8:33, John 8:33.
00:42:59.04\00:43:06.28
The discussion
becomes very interesting.
00:43:06.31\00:43:08.58
They answered him...
00:43:08.62\00:43:11.19
The Old King James Version
says, We are Abraham's Seed.
00:43:14.26\00:43:17.99
What were they claiming to be?
00:43:28.04\00:43:31.01
They said, We are the
literal seed of Abraham.
00:43:31.04\00:43:33.64
Does Jesus consider being the
literal fleshly seed of Abraham
00:43:33.68\00:43:38.51
of any
significance? Absolutely not!
00:43:38.55\00:43:41.35
But they're saying,
We are Abraham's seed.
00:43:41.38\00:43:43.39
We've never been in bondage,
because as children of Isaac
00:43:43.42\00:43:46.39
we are sons of the free woman.
00:43:46.42\00:43:48.42
Now the discussion is going to
become very, very interesting.
00:43:48.46\00:43:52.26
Notice verse 37. Jesus says:
00:43:52.29\00:43:56.23
But in a moment He's
going to say, You're not really.
00:43:58.30\00:44:00.74
Are you understanding
what Jesus is saying?
00:44:09.41\00:44:12.21
You say that you're
children of Abraham.
00:44:12.25\00:44:14.52
I know you're children of
Abraham physically speaking.
00:44:14.55\00:44:17.82
But now lets notice verse 39.
00:44:17.85\00:44:20.72
The discussion
becomes very interesting.
00:44:20.76\00:44:23.29
They answered and said to
him, Abraham is our father.
00:44:23.32\00:44:26.86
Jesus said to them:
00:44:26.90\00:44:28.80
Verse 40:
00:44:33.07\00:44:36.14
In other words, you're
not acting like your father;
00:44:42.51\00:44:46.55
like the father
you claim to have,
00:44:46.58\00:44:48.38
because he's going to say,
He's not really your father.
00:44:48.42\00:44:52.19
You're not really
the children of Abraham,
00:44:52.22\00:44:53.62
because you're rejecting Me.
00:44:53.66\00:44:54.99
Now notice verse 41.
00:44:55.02\00:44:58.19
You do the deeds of your father.
00:44:58.23\00:45:00.70
Then they said to
Him, because they couldn't
00:45:00.73\00:45:03.20
answer His arguments, We
were not born of fornication.
00:45:03.23\00:45:07.80
They're saying, We
don't know who Your daddy is.
00:45:07.84\00:45:10.91
We have one
father, God, they say.
00:45:10.94\00:45:16.54
And now notice what
we find in verse 42.
00:45:16.58\00:45:19.81
Jesus said to them, If God were
your father, you would love Me,
00:45:19.85\00:45:23.42
for I proceeded forth and
came from God, nor have I come
00:45:23.45\00:45:27.09
of Myself, but He sent Me.
00:45:27.12\00:45:29.36
Why do you not
understand My speech?
00:45:29.39\00:45:31.63
Because you are not
able to listen to My Word.
00:45:31.66\00:45:34.03
And then verse 44
really gets heavy. Jesus says:
00:45:34.10\00:45:37.57
Were they Abraham's
children? Yes and No.
00:45:40.24\00:45:46.31
They were Abraham's children,
but according to Ishmael,
00:45:46.34\00:45:51.18
not according to Isaac.
00:45:51.21\00:45:53.38
And only through Isaac were
the promises to be inherited.
00:45:53.42\00:45:57.12
So if the Jewish nation
today is rejecting Christ,
00:45:57.15\00:46:01.69
they are in what? they are in
bondage, and they are children
00:46:01.72\00:46:06.33
of the bond woman.
00:46:06.36\00:46:07.60
And because they are in bondage
they have no right to inherit
00:46:07.66\00:46:11.13
anything that belongs
to Abraham and to Isaac.
00:46:11.17\00:46:17.34
Are you
understanding what I am saying?
00:46:17.37\00:46:18.84
Now am I saying that I
am against the Jews? No.
00:46:18.87\00:46:21.91
Do you know what? That conflict
in the Middle East would end
00:46:21.94\00:46:24.88
in an instant if Jews
and Arabs received Jesus.
00:46:24.91\00:46:27.25
They'd have no more
reason to fight, because both of
00:46:27.28\00:46:31.12
them would be Jews, according
to the Biblical definition.
00:46:31.15\00:46:36.59
If the Palestinians said, we
received Jesus as our Savior.
00:46:36.62\00:46:39.89
Even though they are physically
sons of the bond woman,
00:46:39.93\00:46:44.00
because they received
Jesus, they would be Israelites.
00:46:44.03\00:46:48.00
And the Israelites, who are
also sons of the bond woman,
00:46:48.04\00:46:52.97
because they reject Jesus.
00:46:53.01\00:46:54.68
If they receive Jesus
they would also be Israelites.
00:46:54.71\00:46:58.28
And then they would
say, now you're an Israelite.
00:46:58.31\00:47:00.45
I'm an Israelite.
What are we fighting about?
00:47:00.48\00:47:02.15
Are you with me? The key
in prophecy is found in Jesus.
00:47:02.18\00:47:08.72
And it's not found
in your national origin.
00:47:08.76\00:47:12.69
It is not found in
the land that you live in.
00:47:12.73\00:47:15.40
So Jesus says in verse 44:
00:47:15.43\00:47:17.57
He's saying, you want to
murder Me, so who's your father?
00:47:23.77\00:47:25.97
Wow! Did Jesus agree
with the apostle Paul?
00:47:38.45\00:47:42.86
Who are the children of God?
00:47:42.89\00:47:45.39
Those who have received Jesus.
00:47:45.43\00:47:49.06
So who does the devil hate?
00:47:49.10\00:47:50.67
Does the devil hate Jesus?
00:47:53.70\00:47:54.80
Of course he does.
00:47:54.84\00:47:57.54
Now if he hates Jesus,
who else is he going to hate?
00:47:57.57\00:48:00.14
Those who have joined Jesus.
00:48:00.18\00:48:03.08
So who is the final
war going to be against?
00:48:03.11\00:48:05.48
Listen, the devil has
the Jews in his pocket,
00:48:05.51\00:48:09.55
if they're outside Christ.
00:48:09.58\00:48:10.69
He doesn't have to worry
about them because there's no
00:48:10.72\00:48:13.59
salvation outside Jesus.
00:48:13.62\00:48:14.96
But the devil has tried to
make it appear like the Jews
00:48:14.99\00:48:20.40
are God's favorite people,
as a theocracy, as a nation,
00:48:20.43\00:48:23.80
and that the devil
hates them and God loves them.
00:48:23.83\00:48:27.07
Now I'm talking
about them as a nation.
00:48:27.10\00:48:30.84
As individuals any of
them can accept Jesus Christ.
00:48:30.87\00:48:36.41
And, by the way, any people
from any nation that rejects
00:48:36.44\00:48:39.55
Jesus is in the same boat.
00:48:39.58\00:48:41.22
So I'm not picking on the Jews.
00:48:41.25\00:48:44.19
I mean it can be a Mexican, too.
00:48:44.22\00:48:47.12
A Mexican who does
not receive Jesus is a son
00:48:47.16\00:48:52.46
of the bond woman.
00:48:52.49\00:48:53.66
A Columbian, an Indian, doesn't
matter where you're from.
00:48:53.70\00:49:00.67
If you reject Jesus you
are a son of the bond woman,
00:49:00.70\00:49:05.47
because you have not
experienced the second birth,
00:49:05.51\00:49:08.24
the birth
according to the Spirit.
00:49:08.28\00:49:10.15
Now go with me to
Philippians 3: 4-8.
00:49:10.18\00:49:14.98
Are you catching a picture here?
00:49:15.02\00:49:16.65
Yeah? Come on, talk to me, Yes?
00:49:16.69\00:49:20.52
Philippians 3. The apostle
Paul had this experience.
00:49:20.56\00:49:25.93
He was quite a Jew.
00:49:25.96\00:49:28.43
We'll start reading at
verse 4, Philippians 3:4.
00:49:28.46\00:49:34.34
The apostle Paul says, Though
I also might have confidence
00:49:34.37\00:49:38.74
in the flesh. See, I might
have confidence in the flesh.
00:49:38.77\00:49:44.21
Was he lost?
Was he really a Jew?
00:50:11.81\00:50:15.74
In this condition, was
he really an Israelite?
00:50:15.78\00:50:18.68
Not according to
Paul's own definition.
00:50:18.71\00:50:22.15
Because he has said, It is
not a Jew who is one outwardly,
00:50:22.18\00:50:25.99
but inwardly. A Jew is one
who is according to the promise.
00:50:26.02\00:50:29.96
According to Paul's
own definition he was lost.
00:50:29.99\00:50:32.76
He was in bondage
because he tried to measure up
00:50:32.79\00:50:36.46
and he couldn't. Now
notice what he says in verse 7:
00:50:36.50\00:50:42.50
But what things were
gain to me, these I have
00:50:42.54\00:50:45.91
counted loss for Christ.
00:50:45.94\00:50:48.34
At this point was
Paul really a Jew?
00:51:08.00\00:51:12.53
Was Paul an Israelite indeed?
00:51:12.57\00:51:15.87
And, of course, he suffered
many persecutions as a result.
00:51:15.90\00:51:21.01
See before he knew
Christ he was the persecutor.
00:51:21.04\00:51:24.61
When he knew Christ the
devil says, This guy I hate.
00:51:24.65\00:51:28.18
And he becomes the persecuted.
00:51:28.22\00:51:29.92
Are you catching a picture here?
00:51:29.95\00:51:33.79
Now lets go to John 1.
00:51:33.82\00:51:39.26
John 1 and lets read about
one of the lesser known apostles
00:51:39.29\00:51:47.27
of Christ. His
name was Nathaniel.
00:51:47.30\00:51:50.41
When Andrew comes and he
says, We found the Messiah,
00:51:50.44\00:51:55.74
Nathaniel says,
Where is He from?
00:51:55.78\00:51:59.18
From Nazareth. No! Can anything
good come from Nazareth?
00:51:59.21\00:52:05.62
Be real! But then he makes
a confession which is amazing
00:52:05.65\00:52:10.53
in the light of the fact
that he's just discovered
00:52:10.56\00:52:12.49
that Jesus is from
Nazareth. Notice John 1:47:
00:52:12.53\00:52:18.03
I guess that if there
are Israelites indeed,
00:52:27.58\00:52:30.81
there are Israelites not indeed.
00:52:30.85\00:52:32.71
An Israelite indeed
in whom is no deceit.
00:52:32.75\00:52:40.12
Now why was he an
Israelite in the sight of Jesus?
00:52:40.16\00:52:42.96
Notice verse 49:
00:52:42.99\00:52:44.53
Did he receive Jesus as
the Messiah? Yes, he did.
00:52:53.40\00:52:57.74
And therefore he
was an Israelite how?
00:52:57.77\00:53:01.01
an Israelite indeed.
00:53:01.04\00:53:03.68
Now do you remember the
conversation that Jesus had
00:53:03.71\00:53:07.78
with the Samaritan woman?
00:53:07.82\00:53:09.18
It's found in John chapter 4.
00:53:09.22\00:53:13.19
Jesus is in Samaria and
the Samaritan woman says,
00:53:13.22\00:53:20.40
You know, the Jews say
that we're supposed to worship
00:53:20.43\00:53:23.43
on the holy
mountain in Jerusalem.
00:53:23.47\00:53:27.37
And we believe that
we're supposed to worship
00:53:27.40\00:53:30.81
here at this mountain.
00:53:30.84\00:53:31.87
What do You say?
00:53:31.91\00:53:34.34
And I want you to
notice what Jesus says.
00:53:34.38\00:53:37.71
John 4:21-24, John 4:21-24.
00:53:37.75\00:53:48.39
Very significant
words! He says this:
00:53:48.42\00:53:51.43
Do you know
what Jesus is saying?
00:54:03.37\00:54:06.27
No more holy city, no more holy
mountains, no more holy temples.
00:54:06.31\00:54:12.55
Because now everything
is shifting to the heavenly
00:54:12.58\00:54:16.75
Mount Zion, to the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to the heavenly
00:54:16.79\00:54:20.66
temple where I am
going to go to minister.
00:54:20.69\00:54:23.46
By the way, do you know that
Jesus said where there are two
00:54:25.83\00:54:28.06
or three gathered in my
name, there I am in their midst?
00:54:28.10\00:54:31.43
See, Zion, Mount
Zion is where Jesus is.
00:54:31.47\00:54:43.78
Jesus is not
where Mount Zion is.
00:54:43.81\00:54:47.88
In other words, you want to
know where Jerusalem is today,
00:54:47.92\00:54:52.12
where Mount Zion is today,
where the temple is today.
00:54:52.15\00:54:55.09
All you have to do is
discover where Jesus is.
00:54:55.12\00:54:57.69
And, by the way, can we
enter by faith into Jerusalem,
00:54:57.73\00:55:02.13
into the temple? Can
we go to the temple today
00:55:02.16\00:55:05.10
and worship in
spirit and in truth?
00:55:05.13\00:55:07.67
The whole book of Hebrews
says that we can approach
00:55:07.70\00:55:09.87
the throne of God through faith.
00:55:09.90\00:55:11.51
We can approach
boldly the throne of grace.
00:55:11.54\00:55:15.74
That's not over in Jerusalem,
but it's the temple in Heaven
00:55:15.78\00:55:21.12
where Jesus ministers.
00:55:21.15\00:55:22.62
And now notice, Jesus
says, we're not going to worship
00:55:22.65\00:55:29.76
in Jerusalem or on
this mountain the Father.
00:55:29.79\00:55:32.43
And what He means is that
salvation came as a result
00:55:38.27\00:55:41.04
of God calling
Abraham, and the Jewish nation.
00:55:41.07\00:55:43.14
Jesus the
Messiah came from Jews.
00:55:43.17\00:55:45.51
It's not that the Jews
save, it's that the Savior
00:55:45.54\00:55:50.25
came from the Jews.
00:55:50.28\00:55:51.41
And then notice what we
find in verse 23: But the hour
00:55:51.45\00:55:56.08
is coming, and now is,...
00:55:56.12\00:55:58.69
In spirit and in truth.
00:56:04.73\00:56:07.40
Did you catch that?
00:56:07.46\00:56:08.53
God is Spirit and those who
worship Him must worship Him
00:56:11.80\00:56:15.94
in Spirit and in truth.
00:56:15.97\00:56:18.44
Where is Mount Zion today?
00:56:18.47\00:56:20.58
Where Jesus is.
And where is Jesus?
00:56:20.61\00:56:25.31
Where two or three
are gathered in My name,
00:56:25.35\00:56:28.12
there I am in their midst.
00:56:28.15\00:56:31.02
So in what geographical
locality is the final battle
00:56:31.05\00:56:35.19
going to be fought?
00:56:35.22\00:56:36.32
It's going to be fought
against Zion and Jerusalem.
00:56:36.36\00:56:39.73
But where is Jerusalem?
00:56:39.76\00:56:40.80
Where Jesus is.
And where is Jesus?
00:56:40.83\00:56:44.03
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
00:56:46.10\00:56:49.87
against God's people
where? all over the world.
00:56:49.90\00:56:54.34
And they're going to be attacked
by a system known as Babylon,
00:56:54.38\00:56:59.11
which is also a
worldwide system.
00:56:59.15\00:57:00.95
In other words the
final battle is not between
00:57:00.98\00:57:04.79
the Arabs and the Jews.
00:57:04.82\00:57:06.02
It's between those who have
received Jesus, on a worldwide
00:57:06.05\00:57:10.33
scale, and those who rejected
Christ, or claimed to have
00:57:10.36\00:57:15.30
accepted Christ, but are in
bondage because they're trying
00:57:15.33\00:57:18.43
to bring about
salvation on their own.
00:57:18.47\00:57:21.60