It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated a world veiled in
darkness and confusion about the
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character of God and still today
the greatest need of mankind is
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a revelation of God's love as
revealed in the life of Christ.
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Amazing Facts presents the
Everlasting Gospel with Pastor
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Doug Batchelor coming to
you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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Good morning. Isn't spring time
wonderful? It's just been so
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beautiful the last few days and
I've been praising God for this
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time of year. If you
are visiting today, we are
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continuing with a series on
the book of and the character of
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Joshua. Today will be the fifth
installment. I anticipate there
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will be one more beyond
this presentation. Just a little
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background for you. Joshua is a
great book to study because it's
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the book where the children
of Israel transition from their
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status of pilgrimage to the
Promised Land. They are led by
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the ultimate general, Joshua.
The name Joshua is identical to
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the name that Mary gave to Jesus
and of course it wasn't given by
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Mary. It was given by God. God
picked the name and gave it to
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Joseph and Mary. The name Jesus
is the Greek form of Yeshua.
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He's called in the Old Testament
Joshua the son of Nun. Joshua
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means Jehovah saves. Nun means
eternal or perpetual. He is the
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Savior, Son of the Eternal,
perpetual. So there are a lot of
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parallels between the Old
Testament character and our
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Savior. We're learning a lot
as we go along the way. To bring
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you up to speed, in our
last study we talked about this
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battle with the people of Ai.
You remember Achan had stolen
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something and they were defeated
by the people of Ai initially.
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They went back and they actually
used an element of diversion.
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It appeared that they were
losing. It looked like they were
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retreating, but then they turned
around and they got the victory.
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Sometimes God's church
looks like it's retreating but
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ultimately God is going to give
us the victory. Now that brings
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us up to where we are. After
they won, go in your Bibles,
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please to the book of Joshua
chapter 8. After they won that
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battle with the people of Ai,
they totally destroyed the city,
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they defeated the people there,
they took possession. They're
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sort of the in the middle of
the Promised Land now. There was
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no single kingdom that could
fight against them because when
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they overtook Jericho was the
biggest beach head and Ai, the
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only other way the other nations
could fight against them would
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be through a confederacy and
that's still coming. They're in
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the middle of the Promised Land
they decided look, first thing
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you do when you plant a nation
is you must have a constitution.
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You've got to have you're bylaws
for a corporation. And they
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now we've got a breather, it's
time for us to ratify and renew
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our covenant with God. So they
demonstrated their love for the
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word. Joshua loved the word.
And of course Moses wrote the
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the first five books of the
Bible if you include the book of
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Job and that would be six
books and that was the existent
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scripture they had then. If you
look in the book of Deuteronomy,
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turn in your Bibles
to Deuteronomy chapter 11
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to start with and in Deuteronomy
chapter 11 they were given some
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interesting instructions
regarding the blessing and the
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cursing. Keep in mind,
Deuteronomy is the last
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message of Moses written just
before he died. And he told them
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in verse 29, Deuteronomy
11, when they come into the land
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that God has brought you into
to possess that your to put the
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blessing on Mount Gerizim
and the curse on Mount Ebal.
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The people in the middle of
the Promised Land were these two
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mountains. By the way when Jesus
met with the woman at the well,
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the woman at Samaria, it was
in the valley between these two
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mountains, Mount Gerizim and
Mount Ebal. Now go with me to
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Deuteronomy chapter 27, look
at verse 1. Then Moses with the
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elders of Israel commanded
the people saying keep all the
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commandments that I command you
today and it will be on the day
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when you cross over the Jordan
to the land which the Lord your
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God has given you that you shall
set up for yourselves large
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stones and whitewash them with
lime, they were to plaster these
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stones. You shall write on them
all the words of this law when
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you shall have crossed over that
you may enter the land which the
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land which the Lord your God has
given you, a land flowing with
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milk and honey, just as the
Lord the God of your fathers has
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promised you. Therefore it shall
be when you have crossed over
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the Jordan that on Mount Ebal
you shall set up these stones
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that you shall whitewash
with lime and you shall build an
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altar to the Lord your
God there, an altar of stones.
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You will not use your tool on
them, in other words, don't make
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a graven image, don't chisel
any design. It's to be a natural
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altar helping them avoid
idolatry. You will build it with
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whole stones, the altar of the
Lord your God and offer burnt
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offerings on it, and you will
offer peace offerings. You will
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eat there and will rejoice
before the Lord your God and you
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shall write very plainly on
the stones all the words of this
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law. Now did you catch this.
Moses said when you cross over
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you're to go to these two twin
mountains in the middle of the
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Promised Land and you are to set
up an altar to the Lord, offer
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sacrifices and other large
stones, probably with a flat
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surface, and you shall whitewash
or plaster them with lime and
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engrave, that was primitive
concrete, and engrave the words
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of the law. Now some have argued
now was that talking about just
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the ten commandments that he
quotes in Deuteronomy chapter 5
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or was it the entire book of
Deuteronomy and there is some
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debate about that, but the word
of God was to be inscribed on
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this so that it basically became
the constitution for this new
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nation based on the word. By the
way, for the church that makes
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it into the Promised Land, what
is our constitution? Am I right?
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The Bible is the basis for what
we believe. It is the ultimate
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litmus test by which we
calibrate who we are, where
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we're going and what we believe.
So now when you get back into
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the book of Joshua, they do
exactly as they had been told.
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They not only heard the
commandments, they did them.
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Chapter 8 of Joshua, verse 30:
Now Joshua built an alter to the
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Lord God of Israel on Mount
Ebal just as he had been told,
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as Moses the servant of the Lord
commanded the children of Israel
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as it is written in the book of
the law of Moses. We just read
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that. An altar of whole stones
over which no man has wielded
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any iron tool. And they offered
on it burnt offerings to the
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Lord God and sacrificed
peace offerings and there in the
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presence of the children of
Israel he wrote on the stones a
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copy of the Law of Moses which
he had written. And then all
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Israel with their elders and
their officers and their judges
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stood on either side of the Ark.
Now what's in the Ark? The 10
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commandments. They stand on
either side of the Ark before
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the priests, the Levites, who
bore the Ark of the Covenant of
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the Lord, the stranger as well
as he who was born among them.
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Any alien who comes to America
must swear allegiance to our
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constitution, isn't that right?
So they were saying even the
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aliens among us must vow
allegiance to the word of God.
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And that he commanded before
them that they should bless the
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people of Israel. And afterward
he read all of the words of the
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law, the blessing and the
cursings according to all that
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is written in the book of the
law. There was not a word of all
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that Moses had commanded which
Joshua did not read before all
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the congregation of Israel with
the women and the little ones
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and the strangers that
were living among them. You know
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that's our challenge as pastors.
When we met toward the end of
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this last year, 2006, we talked
about a preaching plan for the
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new year and our goal is to
cover as much of the word of
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God and make sure that we cover
at least the pillars of our
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faith and the needs of the flock
in our presentations. There is
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actually a method to what we're
doing. And that's our challenge
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is to rehearse and to teach all
of the word of God to you that
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you might be skilled for what
purpose? To live the life and
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for you to teach the word of
God to others that you might be
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equipped for that purpose.
So Joshua loved the word of God.
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He was committed to the word of
God. He recited the word of God
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in the nation. Now go to chapter
9 verse 1 and this is where we
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get to the title for our message
The Gibeonites. Now it came to
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pass when all of the kings
who were on this side of Jordan,
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meaning the west side of the
Jordan, in the hills and in the
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lowlands and in the coasts
of the great sea, that's the
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Mediterranean, towards Lebanon,
that's the north, the Hittite
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and the Amorite and the
Canaanite and the Perizzite and
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the Hivite, and the Jebusite,
when they heard about it, when
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they heard that they had
conquered Ai, when they heard
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that they had basically planted
their constitution and set up an
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altar in the middle of the land,
it's like when Columbus came to
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the shores of the New World and
they stuck a flag and claimed it
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for the Queen of Spain or the
King of Spain, that was really
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saying this is our land. That
made them very nervous all these
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other nations heard that. They
gathered together to fight with
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Joshua. They were organizing to
have this great army to come and
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to fight in one consolidated
battle against the children of
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Israel. Not just one nation
here and there, but all of the
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remaining nations said, you know
we used to fight among ourselves
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now we're going to have to pull
together to fight you. And while
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that's happening it says, but
when the people of Gibeon, the
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inhabitants of Gibeon, heard
what Joshua had done to Jericho
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and Ai, they worked craftily,
cunningly, and they went and
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they pretended to be ambassadors
and they took old sacks on their
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donkeys, I'm assuming old
donkeys too, old wine skins torn
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and mended. Make some notes here
you might underline these words.
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Old patched sandals on their
feet, old garments on themselves
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and all the bread of their
provision was dry and moldy, old
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old, old. And they went to
Joshua to the camp of Gilgal,
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that's when they still had their
base camp down near the Jordan
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River. And they said to him and
to the men of Israel, We have
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come from a far country, now
therefore, make a covenant with
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us. Now why did they do that?
Why did they have to pretend
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that they were people from some
far distant country? Turn in
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your Bibles, don't lose
you place there in the book of
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Joshua, to Deuteronomy chapter
7, or listen as I read it. Moses
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had given them a clear mandate.
They were not to enter into any
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covenant of the nations that
lived in the territory of Israel
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When the Lord your God,
Deuteronomy 7 verse 1, when the
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Lord your God shall bring thee
into the land whither thou goest
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to possess it, and has cast out
many nations before thee, the
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Hittites, the Girgashites, the
Amorites, the Canaanites, the
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Perizzites, the Hivites and the
Jebusites, seven nations greater
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and mightier than thou and when
the Lord your God shall deliver
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them before thee, thou shalt
smite them and utterly destroy
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them. Notice this: Thou shalt
make no covenant with them nor
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show mercy unto them. They were
not to make any allegiance, they
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were not to tolerate any
agreement with the nations that
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lived in that land. They were to
be totally evicted, expelled or
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annilated because they
worshipped pagan Gods. They were
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involved in diabolical worship,
sacrificing their children,
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things that we can't even repeat
in church that was part of their
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religion is what was happening
among those nations. You've got
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to have a picture. They
had become a very base people.
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Now the people of the Gibeonites
also known as the Hivites, they
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were something of an exception.
For one thing, instead of
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becoming part of the confederacy
that was going to fight with
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Israel, their leaders got
together and they looked each
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other in the eye and they said
we'd better think of some other
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strategy. The Israelites have
God on their side. It was so
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obvious when they saw the walls
of Jericho fall. You just think
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about it. They could look
outside of their mountains from
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the walls of the city Gibeon and
they could see the children of
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Israel camped on the other side
of Jordan with a pillar of fire
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at night. They could see the
people going out and gathering
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manna. They knew the history of
how they parted the Jordan River
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when they crossed over.
The obvious miracles of God.
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They saw the walls of Jericho
fall and now they think we can't
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beat them, so what do you
do? Jesus talks about this. Luke
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chapter 14 verse 31: What
king going to make war against
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another king does not sit down
first and consider whether he is
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able with 10,000 to meet
him who comes against him with
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20,000 or else yet while he is
still a great way off he sends
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a delegation, sends
his ambassadors and asks
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for conditions of peace.
They said we better make peace.
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We can't beat them. But they're
not allowed to make peace with
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anybody that's entrenched in
the Promised Land, so we better
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pretend that we've come
from another land. You got the
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picture here. Because otherwise
they're under a death decree.
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Now we have a lot to learn from
the Gibeonites. You know Jesus
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is coming to this world, our
Joshua. The Bible says the vast
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majority of the world
unfortunately will not
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be saved. It doesn't have to be
that way. Christ has died that
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all might be saved but most
don't believe. Straight is the
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gate that leads to life and few
there be that find it. Broad is
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the way that leads to
destruction. The Bible says
00:15:49.22\00:15:53.07
when Jesus comes all the tribes
of the earth will mourn. All of
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these pagan nations of the
world that have not accepted
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Jesus and become part of
spiritual Israel, they're in
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trouble. If you want to survive
the coming of Joshua with his
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angels, you better make peace
now, because we've got a king
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who is coming with 20,000
and you and I only have 10,000.
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I mean that's the comparison in
the parable. So if you're smart
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you make peace. But how are we
going to make peace. We do what
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the Gibeonites did. Now it's not
that God is endorsing deception.
00:16:24.84\00:16:29.37
You remember Jesus told the
parable of the shrewd steward.
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He realized he was going to be
put out of his office and so he
00:16:32.87\00:16:36.27
went and made friends of
the unrighteous mammon that they
00:16:36.30\00:16:39.07
might receive him into their
habitations. It's not that Jesus
00:16:39.10\00:16:43.23
is endorsing deception. He
is commending thinking ahead and
00:16:43.27\00:16:47.46
making a plan. God wants us
to think ahead. Most people live
00:16:47.49\00:16:51.52
their lives as though this is
it. Eat and drink for tomorrow
00:16:51.56\00:16:55.25
we die. Isn't that how most
of the world thinks? They don't
00:16:55.29\00:16:58.84
really think about the eternal
picture. The Gibeonites were
00:16:58.87\00:17:03.48
looking ahead so they made a
plan. Their plan was to feign
00:17:03.52\00:17:07.79
that they were from a far
country and to reinforce this
00:17:07.83\00:17:12.03
deception, they had everything
about their appearance look like
00:17:12.07\00:17:15.33
they had made a long journey
even though they were actually
00:17:15.37\00:17:18.64
the nearest city to where they
were camped at the time. They
00:17:18.68\00:17:21.92
were next in line for
destruction. So they've
00:17:21.95\00:17:24.96
got to make it look good.
Actually they had to make it
00:17:25.00\00:17:28.36
look bad for it to be good. I
remember when I went to military
00:17:28.40\00:17:35.33
school and I went camping one
time with the kids in the spring
00:17:35.36\00:17:40.22
and it was one of the most
miserable experiences of my life
00:17:40.25\00:17:43.95
and the other cadets because
that's when I really discovered
00:17:43.99\00:17:47.12
I've got hay fever and I had
nothing for it. And they pitched
00:17:47.16\00:17:50.05
our tents in the springtime out
in the middle of this very weed
00:17:50.09\00:17:54.18
I was allergic to. I just had
fits of breathing and snorting
00:17:54.22\00:17:57.24
and sneezing and I couldn't
do anything with all my friends.
00:17:57.28\00:18:00.31
I was miserable. Well I heard
that they were going out on
00:18:00.35\00:18:03.71
camping exercises again and I
didn't want to go. So I thought
00:18:03.74\00:18:07.09
I've got to find a way to
get some special consideration.
00:18:07.12\00:18:10.40
Now my brother taught me how to
act sick. And my brother told me
00:18:10.44\00:18:17.57
I remember we were very young
when we learned this, he said
00:18:17.60\00:18:20.28
Dougy, he said what you do, he
didn't want to go to school one
00:18:20.32\00:18:23.65
day, so he spit on his hands,
he rubbed them together and he
00:18:23.68\00:18:27.38
rubbed his face so his face was
kind of red and clammy, then he
00:18:27.41\00:18:31.08
said Mom I think I've got a
fever. She felt his head. He'd
00:18:31.11\00:18:33.23
just been rubbing his face so it
was a little hotter than normal.
00:18:33.27\00:18:35.29
She said well let me take your
temperature. So she gave him
00:18:35.32\00:18:37.85
the thermometer. Back then
you remember those thermometers.
00:18:37.88\00:18:40.48
You had to wait like three or
four minutes. So you give it to
00:18:40.52\00:18:42.82
the kid and you walked away and
you come back and you check it.
00:18:42.86\00:18:46.49
Remember that kind. That's the
kind we insisted on, you know
00:18:46.52\00:18:50.12
what I mean. Well my
brother said then you take the
00:18:50.15\00:18:52.82
thermometer and you rub it
against the sheets and it gets
00:18:52.86\00:18:57.51
hot and put it back in your
mouth. So I went to the school
00:18:57.55\00:19:01.30
nurse and I said I've got a
fever you know, face all red.
00:19:01.34\00:19:05.02
She said well let me give you
a thermometer. She puts it in my
00:19:05.06\00:19:07.69
mouth. She walks out of the room
I shh, shh, shh and put it under
00:19:07.72\00:19:10.17
my tongue. She comes that and
she says yah low and behold you
00:19:10.20\00:19:13.43
have 102. Well we better watch
you. So I got out of the camping
00:19:13.46\00:19:16.56
trip. But I'm lying there for
a day or two. I thought this is
00:19:16.60\00:19:19.67
pretty good. I'm not having
to wake up for drill, I'm not
00:19:19.70\00:19:21.87
having to do any of the things
anyone's doing. So I was trying
00:19:21.91\00:19:24.37
to milk this out as long as
I can. So I remember for two or
00:19:24.40\00:19:27.54
three days she'd come in, she'd
give me the thermometer, she'd
00:19:27.57\00:19:30.52
always walk out. Matter of
fact I went on line to New York
00:19:30.56\00:19:33.77
Military Academy, this is trivia
that I'm telling you, and I
00:19:33.80\00:19:37.15
found a picture of the school
nurses there and this story came
00:19:37.19\00:19:41.05
back to me. I would rub the
thermometer, put it back in and
00:19:41.08\00:19:45.86
you know spit on my hands and
rub me face. One day she came
00:19:45.89\00:19:49.69
in and she said you know it
looks like you're getting better
00:19:49.73\00:19:53.60
it's only about 99 degrees.
I think we can let you out. She
00:19:53.64\00:19:56.60
said we'll check you this
afternoon. So that afternoon I
00:19:56.63\00:19:59.52
thought ah oh I don't want to
go out. I don't want to go back.
00:19:59.56\00:20:02.52
So I took it and I rubbed the
thermometer and she came back in
00:20:02.55\00:20:05.82
to pull it out of my mouth and
she said well you should be dead
00:20:05.86\00:20:12.61
it's 110. But I was pretending
to have this bad condition so
00:20:12.65\00:20:17.51
I'd get special treatment. Now
I won't ask for a show of hands
00:20:17.54\00:20:21.14
of any of you that have tried to
exploit the sympathies of others
00:20:21.18\00:20:24.75
that way, but that's sort
of what they're doing. They're
00:20:24.78\00:20:27.88
saying look we've come on this
long journey to make peace with
00:20:27.92\00:20:31.06
you because we've heard about
your God and how mighty your God
00:20:31.10\00:20:34.14
is and we want to make a league
with you. See the children of
00:20:34.18\00:20:37.31
Israel were allowed to make
leagues for the purpose of trade
00:20:37.34\00:20:40.51
with other surrounding nations
but no body that was living
00:20:40.54\00:20:43.72
within their boundaries. So they
had to make it look like they
00:20:43.75\00:20:47.49
came from a long distance. Now I
want you to notice specifically
00:20:47.53\00:20:52.28
some of the things that are
mentioned. It tells us that they
00:20:52.31\00:20:57.15
had old sacks, old wine skins,
old sandals, old garments, dried
00:20:57.18\00:21:02.48
moldy bread, far country. They
are giving the appearance of
00:21:02.51\00:21:07.78
wretchedness. What is it
that helps us be prepared for
00:21:07.81\00:21:14.61
receiving of God's spirit. Isn't
it an awareness of our condition
00:21:14.65\00:21:18.67
You know, one of the problems
of the church in the last days
00:21:18.70\00:21:22.36
is they don't know
their condition. See what the
00:21:22.39\00:21:25.85
Gibeonites do is they come
and everything about them is
00:21:25.89\00:21:29.49
wretched, everything from
the shoes on their feet to the
00:21:29.53\00:21:32.71
clothes on their back to
the animals they rode to their
00:21:32.75\00:21:35.86
provisions. It is old, it is
wretched. It looks like they've
00:21:35.90\00:21:38.41
come a long way. It looks like
they have been through a lot
00:21:38.45\00:21:40.93
and so they are looking
for mercy. They're looking for
00:21:40.96\00:21:46.64
sympathy. Now I want you to take
these components one by one.
00:21:46.68\00:21:50.86
Let's look at them. First of all
it says they've got old sacks.
00:21:50.90\00:21:55.05
What does that represent.
What do you do with a bag. A bag
00:21:55.08\00:21:59.89
holds your provisions. In the
Bible they kept their resources
00:21:59.92\00:22:04.10
in bags. You remember when the
brothers of Joseph took some of
00:22:04.14\00:22:07.91
the provisions from Egypt, they
put them in their sacks. That's
00:22:07.94\00:22:11.68
what you carried the provision
for yourself and for your
00:22:11.71\00:22:14.75
animals during your journey,
your pilgrimage. You know the
00:22:14.79\00:22:19.13
Bible says that for the lost
our bags have holes in them.
00:22:19.17\00:22:24.26
I remember one time my mom said
she was coming home late from
00:22:24.29\00:22:29.35
work and my brother and
I sometimes had to fend for
00:22:29.38\00:22:31.01
ourselves. At this point my
brother used to be my cook but
00:22:31.05\00:22:33.92
he went to live with dad and
I was by myself and my mom gave
00:22:33.96\00:22:36.99
me five dollars for dinner so
I could just go eat out and that
00:22:37.02\00:22:39.85
was a lot back then. But all
she had was a five dollar bill.
00:22:39.88\00:22:42.68
So she gave me this five
dollar bill and I went to the
00:22:42.71\00:22:44.91
restaurant and I ate like a king
with great confidence. Then when
00:22:44.95\00:22:50.06
it finally came time they gave
me the bill to pay I reached in
00:22:50.10\00:22:54.40
my pocket and I reached deeper
than I had expected because I
00:22:54.43\00:22:58.70
had a hole in my pocket
and the money was gone and I'm
00:22:58.73\00:23:02.54
looking at the cashier and I
wanted to say along with Isaiah
00:23:02.58\00:23:07.21
Woe is me, I am undone. I
couldn't find my money and what
00:23:07.24\00:23:11.80
I finally did was I said please
trust me I'll come back and they
00:23:11.84\00:23:14.21
were very dubious, but I did. I
brought the money back and paid
00:23:14.25\00:23:16.59
but I never felt so helpless
before because to think I had
00:23:16.62\00:23:20.77
these resources and then you
reach in and it's gone. And you
00:23:20.80\00:23:25.34
know for the world everything
we have, all our treasury, is so
00:23:25.38\00:23:28.98
exposed. Jesus said in the world
you're putting your money in
00:23:29.02\00:23:33.11
bags with holes. Thieves break
through and steal, rust and moth
00:23:33.14\00:23:37.20
do corrupt and you know
everything is under a curse.
00:23:37.23\00:23:41.01
It reminds me of what it says
in Haggai chapter 1: You've sown
00:23:41.05\00:23:46.31
much and you bring in little.
You eat but you do not have
00:23:46.34\00:23:50.25
enough. You drink but you
are not filled with drink.
00:23:50.28\00:23:51.96
You clothe yourselves but no
one is warm. Catch this. He who
00:23:52.00\00:23:56.66
earns wages earns wages to put
them in a bag with holes. What
00:23:56.69\00:24:01.44
often causes the hole in the bag
the holey bag is the parasites
00:24:01.48\00:24:06.20
the plagues. That's why it
says that God would rebuke the
00:24:06.23\00:24:09.50
devourer for those that trust
God and he opens the windows
00:24:09.53\00:24:12.73
of heaven. If you're putting all
the bounty in bags with holes,
00:24:12.77\00:24:16.45
what good is the bounty?
So they've got old sacks. Next
00:24:16.48\00:24:22.34
thing we find, old wine skins.
Now in the Bible it's hard for
00:24:22.38\00:24:27.00
us. Maybe you've been to Spain
and you've seen now like you
00:24:27.03\00:24:30.62
find on like a picture of one
of these Spanish wine skins, but
00:24:30.66\00:24:33.54
really they were like the white
one at the top of the screen.
00:24:33.58\00:24:36.43
They used to take these
goat skins. They'd tie off the
00:24:36.46\00:24:38.75
openings after they borrowed
the skin from the goat and they
00:24:38.79\00:24:43.33
would seal them very well and
they'd fill them with wine, but
00:24:43.37\00:24:47.88
it tells us that these
wine skins were old and patched.
00:24:47.91\00:24:51.91
That means along the way they
were so old they cracked and
00:24:51.94\00:24:55.28
they sprouted holes and they'd
tried to sew them up or sew
00:24:55.32\00:24:58.46
patches on them and you know
when it comes to holding liquid
00:24:58.49\00:25:02.36
that never works very well. And
so here they've got these leaky
00:25:02.39\00:25:06.94
wine skins that are patched.
What does wine represent in the
00:25:06.98\00:25:11.41
Bible? What did Jesus say
when he gave grape juice to the
00:25:11.45\00:25:15.81
disciples at the last supper?
What did that represent? This is
00:25:15.85\00:25:19.68
my blood. The wine represents
the blood of the covenant or the
00:25:19.71\00:25:23.51
gospel of salvation is often
in the context of that wine.
00:25:23.54\00:25:26.34
You know in Revelation chapter
17 it tells us that the scarlet
00:25:26.38\00:25:30.95
harlot you find there, she's
got a golden cup in her hand and
00:25:30.98\00:25:34.95
it's filled with wine. It's
called the blood of the martyrs.
00:25:34.99\00:25:38.89
And she has made the inhabitants
of the world drunk with her wine
00:25:38.93\00:25:43.89
It's fermented. You only get
drunk on fermented wine, right?
00:25:43.92\00:25:46.97
Now is fermented wine new
wine or old wine? Old wine.
00:25:47.00\00:25:50.81
This isn't too fast for you,
right? New wine is unfermented
00:25:50.85\00:25:54.19
grape juice. What kind of wine
does Jesus compare the gospel
00:25:54.22\00:25:57.93
to? He says I've come to give
you good news and you put the
00:25:57.97\00:26:02.88
new wine in new wine skins. So
God's message is new wine in new
00:26:02.92\00:26:08.12
wine skins, right? What did
these Gibeonites have? Old wine
00:26:08.15\00:26:12.46
skins. They represent the lost.
But they know they are lost.
00:26:12.50\00:26:16.56
They're doctrines are patched.
You know one of the things I
00:26:16.60\00:26:20.04
found so frustrating before
I discovered the truth of the
00:26:20.08\00:26:25.05
remnant church is how
vacillating and changeable the
00:26:25.09\00:26:29.99
doctrines are in many churches.
I'm telling you the truth,
00:26:30.03\00:26:32.75
friends. You've got to believe
me. I've gone to many different
00:26:32.79\00:26:35.48
churches, many different
denominational backgrounds and
00:26:35.51\00:26:37.93
sometimes their theology would
radically change from one pastor
00:26:37.97\00:26:41.51
to the next in the same church.
Just whatever that particular
00:26:41.54\00:26:44.95
pastor happened to believe could
have been totally different.
00:26:44.99\00:26:47.91
They just put patches on the
other doctrines and it was all
00:26:47.95\00:26:52.06
patched and leaking and
intoxicating. That's the kind of
00:26:52.10\00:26:55.86
wineskins that the world
has. They have maybe elements of
00:26:55.90\00:27:00.30
truth but it's made the world
drunk on the wine of Babylon.
00:27:00.33\00:27:05.16
Old wine skins. By the way,
that's Revelation chapter 17
00:27:05.20\00:27:09.96
verse 2 and Matthew chapter 9
where Jesus said new wine is put
00:27:10.00\00:27:14.62
in new wineskins. What do they
have on their feet? Sandals.
00:27:14.65\00:27:21.32
What kind of sandals? New, Echo
sandals, Rockport Sandals. What
00:27:21.36\00:27:27.98
does it say? Old, patched and
in the original it says clouded.
00:27:28.02\00:27:34.61
What that means is that
sometimes the sandals would come
00:27:34.64\00:27:37.76
apart and they'd tie them off
with strips of cloth. I found
00:27:37.79\00:27:40.22
this picture on line. First
of all there are some ancient
00:27:40.25\00:27:42.76
sandals made of rope there.
That's probably different from
00:27:42.80\00:27:45.24
what they wore in Palestine but
it would give you a picture and
00:27:45.28\00:27:48.23
I've seen stuff like this
in Africa before. Someone very
00:27:48.26\00:27:50.92
clever, they're very poor.
They took some of the discarded
00:27:50.95\00:27:53.54
bottles used by the tourists and
they made a pair of sandals out
00:27:53.58\00:27:56.56
of the drinking water liter
bottles. Isn't that interesting?
00:27:56.59\00:27:59.54
You'd be amazed at how
resourceful the poor can be
00:27:59.57\00:28:03.04
there. But what does sit tell
you about the men wearing those
00:28:03.08\00:28:07.16
sandals? Poor. What else? Do
you think he could run in those?
00:28:07.20\00:28:11.33
Do you think his walk might have
been halting and inhibited a
00:28:11.36\00:28:16.50
little bit when you're walking
on liters of plastic? When I
00:28:16.54\00:28:21.70
lived in the hills remember one
time, I don't know why, on long
00:28:21.74\00:28:25.34
trips I used to hike but one day
I went off with a friend. I also
00:28:25.38\00:28:28.71
had some sandals I'd wear around
the cave and I wore my sandals.
00:28:28.74\00:28:32.05
And we took off and I said oh
well they'll work. But you don't
00:28:32.08\00:28:35.36
want to go out and do rock
climbing with regular walking
00:28:35.39\00:28:37.45
sandals on because it's too much
strain for them. They shift too
00:28:37.49\00:28:41.59
much on your feet. And while
I was miles from home, the cave,
00:28:41.63\00:28:45.99
one of them broke. I don't know,
I don't remember what I did, I
00:28:46.03\00:28:50.36
did something to temporarily
rig it and the problem was I
00:28:50.39\00:28:54.94
couldn't walk normally. I had
a halting, kind of a crippling
00:28:54.98\00:28:58.72
walk. I had to walk very
tenderly or it would break again
00:28:58.76\00:29:02.43
So when people have got these
old patched sandals what does it
00:29:02.47\00:29:06.98
do to their walk. It cripples it
it inhibits it. You can't run if
00:29:07.01\00:29:10.61
you get along at all. What does
a walk represent in the Bible?
00:29:10.65\00:29:15.09
A walk represents the life you
live and if you're walking in
00:29:15.13\00:29:19.54
old patched sandals what
kind of life are you living?
00:29:19.57\00:29:21.71
What kind of walk do you have?
It's a crippled, halting walk.
00:29:21.75\00:29:25.38
You remember what Elijah said to
the people of Israel? How long
00:29:25.41\00:29:29.01
will you halt between, it
means how long will you hobble,
00:29:29.04\00:29:32.28
between two opinions? The people
were crippled because they
00:29:32.31\00:29:34.99
they couldn't make up their
mind whether to serve Jehovah or
00:29:35.02\00:29:38.49
whether to serve Baal. Their
walk was inhibited. When Jesus
00:29:38.53\00:29:41.93
washed the feet of the disciples
what's the significance of that?
00:29:41.97\00:29:45.77
Cleansing the walk. How
beautiful upon the mountain are
00:29:45.80\00:29:51.12
the feet of those that bear good
news, Isaiah tells us. Those who
00:29:51.16\00:29:54.89
have the gospel they will run
and not be weary. They've got to
00:29:54.92\00:29:57.43
walk and not only are they going
to walk they've got running
00:29:57.47\00:29:59.95
shoes. See so the walk
represents your walk with the
00:29:59.98\00:30:04.28
Lord, your path through life.
It was crippled, old patched
00:30:04.32\00:30:08.27
sandals. You know I love the
story in the Bible. Contrasted
00:30:08.30\00:30:11.81
with the Gibeonites who got
these old sandals wrapped up
00:30:11.85\00:30:16.71
with rags. By the way rags.
All of our righteousness is like
00:30:16.75\00:30:21.76
filthy rags. It's all pictures
of the wretchedness of the lost.
00:30:21.80\00:30:26.78
Contrasted with that the
children of Israel with the
00:30:26.81\00:30:30.89
blessing of God when they went
through the wilderness do you
00:30:30.93\00:30:34.07
remember what it says there.
Moses: Deuteronomy 29 verse 5
00:30:34.11\00:30:37.82
and 6: I have led you 40
years in the wilderness and your
00:30:37.85\00:30:42.33
sandals have not worn out on
your feet. The Gibeonites, these
00:30:42.37\00:30:46.44
ambassadors, ostensibly had
just come from a far country and
00:30:46.48\00:30:50.04
their sandals are all patched
and worn out. The children of
00:30:50.07\00:30:53.61
Israel said well we've been
using these for 40 years and
00:30:53.64\00:30:57.11
they're still good. What's that
telling us. When you're walking
00:30:57.15\00:31:01.87
with God you walk differently
don't you? What's your walk
00:31:01.90\00:31:06.35
like? How does the world see
you walk? Are you wearing old
00:31:06.39\00:31:10.40
rotted rags on your feet or
have you got the gospel shoes?
00:31:10.44\00:31:15.41
That's what this is about
friends. You remember when John
00:31:15.45\00:31:20.35
the Baptist was talking about...
I don't want to belabor my shoe
00:31:20.39\00:31:23.64
aspect of the sermon, but it's
got a lot of theology here. When
00:31:23.68\00:31:27.06
John the Baptist talked about
Jesus coming, he said that he
00:31:27.10\00:31:30.48
who is coming after me is
mightier than I whose sandals
00:31:30.51\00:31:33.82
I'm not even worthy to carry.
What do sandals represent? The
00:31:33.86\00:31:37.83
walk. Who had a perfect walk?
Jesus. John said I am not even
00:31:37.87\00:31:42.39
to bear his sandals. Blessed
is the man who walks not in the
00:31:42.43\00:31:46.98
counsel of the ungodly.
These Gibeonites have got rotten
00:31:47.02\00:31:53.02
raggy sandals like all the
lost, Amen? Oh one more thought.
00:31:53.06\00:31:59.05
When the prodigal son came home,
came limping home from his job
00:31:59.08\00:32:04.40
at the pig pen one of the things
the father said was put sandals
00:32:04.44\00:32:09.88
on his feet. He was either bare
foot or he had some bad shoes
00:32:09.91\00:32:15.32
or the father never would
have said that. Is that right?
00:32:15.35\00:32:17.81
So when we come to the Lord do
we get new shoes. How were the
00:32:17.85\00:32:21.92
children of Israel supposed to
eat the Passover. Specifically
00:32:21.96\00:32:26.10
with their staff in their hand
and their gospel shoes on their
00:32:26.13\00:32:30.56
feet. When you accept the blood
of Christ you get new shoes,
00:32:30.60\00:32:34.78
amen, because you're supposed to
have a new walk. Are Christians
00:32:34.81\00:32:38.96
just forgiven or do we walk
differently? There's supposed
00:32:38.99\00:32:42.55
to be a difference. But these
Gibeonites are pleading their
00:32:42.59\00:32:46.75
old sandals. The other thing
we find is the old garments.
00:32:46.78\00:32:52.06
We come to Jesus in our rags.
They've got old garments. What
00:32:52.10\00:32:55.79
does clothing represent? You
know this, we've talked about
00:32:55.82\00:33:00.26
it so many times. Clothing
represents character. Filthy
00:33:00.30\00:33:05.83
rags represent unrighteous
character. Isaiah 64: We are all
00:33:05.86\00:33:10.62
like an unclean thing. This was
part of our memory verse. And
00:33:10.66\00:33:15.74
all of our righteousness is like
what? Filthy rags. You remember
00:33:15.77\00:33:20.82
in the story in Zechariah
chapter 3 when Joshua the high
00:33:20.85\00:33:26.15
priest stood before the Lord and
he had filthy garments on and
00:33:26.19\00:33:30.87
he's bearing the sins of
the people and his garments are
00:33:30.90\00:33:34.12
filthy for their sake and devil,
the adversary, is there pointing
00:33:34.16\00:33:38.35
at his dirty garments and the
Lord says give him new garments.
00:33:38.39\00:33:43.40
Give him a new suit. You know
I also like the story in Mark
00:33:43.44\00:33:48.98
chapter 10 verse 50 when blind
Bartemeus calls out Son of David
00:33:49.01\00:33:53.55
have mercy on me, wants his eyes
to be opened. Jesus calls him
00:33:53.58\00:33:58.38
and as that poor blind beggar
came to Jesus he was the epitome
00:33:58.42\00:34:03.19
of someone who is poor,
wretched, miserable, blind and
00:34:03.22\00:34:06.90
naked. He threw aside his rags
when he came to Jesus. It says
00:34:06.94\00:34:11.29
throwing aside his garment
he came to Christ. So how do we
00:34:11.32\00:34:15.11
come. We've got our filthy rags.
We come just like we are and
00:34:15.14\00:34:19.18
asking for his robe. We throw
aside ours. When the prodigal
00:34:19.21\00:34:23.61
son came home what did he get?
New robe. So everything we're
00:34:23.65\00:34:28.14
reading about these Gibeonites
is picturing for us their old
00:34:28.17\00:34:33.21
wretched condition. What do they
have in their provisions. Well
00:34:33.25\00:34:37.62
they've got holey bags and that
which has not fallen out of the
00:34:37.66\00:34:42.76
bags is moldy, dry bread. Now
here's a pretty picture for you.
00:34:42.79\00:34:48.60
I remember one time leaving my
lunch in my lunch box untouched
00:34:48.64\00:34:54.42
over the weekend because
something else had come up at
00:34:54.45\00:34:56.62
school and then Monday opening
my lunch box. Any of you ever
00:34:56.66\00:34:59.65
have that experience? And there
is something wretched happening
00:34:59.69\00:35:04.43
in there. Would you eat that.
I've got news for you. That's
00:35:04.47\00:35:09.14
what most of the world is eating
Not only is it moldy bread, it's
00:35:09.18\00:35:14.31
dry bread. No moisture, no
life in it. I love history and I
00:35:14.34\00:35:19.03
remember reading some of these
stories, many accounts, of these
00:35:19.06\00:35:23.16
sailors that would go on these
voyages and when they left they
00:35:23.20\00:35:27.01
had good fresh provisions. But
sometimes back when they used
00:35:27.05\00:35:30.67
sailboats it took months to get
across an ocean, especially if
00:35:30.71\00:35:34.65
they got caught in a dead calm
and they'd pull their food out
00:35:34.68\00:35:37.73
of these barrels and sometimes
by the time they got halfway
00:35:37.77\00:35:40.27
through a barrel... Have you
ever heard the expression the
00:35:40.30\00:35:43.45
bottom of the barrel? When they
started getting down there not
00:35:43.48\00:35:48.06
only was the bread moldy, it was
dry. They called it hard tack.
00:35:48.10\00:35:51.92
But they were starving and when
you're starving you will even
00:35:51.96\00:35:55.63
eat... I won't ask for a show
of hands, but how many of you
00:35:55.67\00:35:59.44
before were hungry and you get
to the end of the loaf and you
00:35:59.48\00:36:02.67
notice that there's a little bit
of mold around the edges. And
00:36:02.71\00:36:05.52
you look both ways and you just
tear off the mold. When you're
00:36:05.55\00:36:08.13
hungry you still eat it. I see
you nodding. I'll take that as a
00:36:08.16\00:36:11.74
yes. Some of you who have really
lived through dire straights
00:36:11.78\00:36:15.18
when you're hungry enough you'll
even eat moldy bread. It won't
00:36:15.21\00:36:18.74
kill you but it tastes awful.
And if you eat moldy rye bread
00:36:18.77\00:36:24.26
it's got something in it called
ergot that has a chemical called
00:36:24.29\00:36:29.51
LSD and you can hallucinate.
It's true. Won't tell you how I
00:36:29.55\00:36:35.89
know that. But here all they've
got is this moldy bread. That's
00:36:35.93\00:36:42.16
a symbol for what the world is
feeding on. Isaiah said why do
00:36:42.19\00:36:47.21
you spend your money for
that which is not bread and your
00:36:47.25\00:36:52.20
wages for that which does not
satisfy. Not only was this bread
00:36:52.24\00:36:57.35
old and moldy, it probably
was crawling with vermin. During
00:36:57.39\00:37:02.43
World War II a lot of prisoners
of war were given bread that was
00:37:02.47\00:37:07.65
crawling with maggots and worms.
We've had the experience before,
00:37:07.69\00:37:12.84
not frequently, where in our
pantry we saw things hatching.
00:37:12.87\00:37:16.88
We had neglected some
flour or something like that and
00:37:16.91\00:37:20.30
something got in and laid some
bugs. I remember listening to a
00:37:20.34\00:37:24.48
friend of mine who was in
prisoner of war camp during
00:37:24.51\00:37:26.39
World War II and he says when
you first get there you won't
00:37:26.43\00:37:29.33
eat it because you're just
absolutely revolted that there
00:37:29.37\00:37:33.40
are bugs in the bread. He said,
by the time you've been there
00:37:33.43\00:37:37.77
for a few months you're actually
eating everything. You go out of
00:37:37.80\00:37:42.44
you way to eat the bugs for the
protein. That's the food of the
00:37:42.48\00:37:47.09
world. You know what most
of the world feeds on? Did you
00:37:47.12\00:37:53.80
every read the headlines in the
supermarket? I don't just mean
00:37:53.84\00:37:57.95
the tabloids, any of
the magazines. It is vanity.
00:37:57.98\00:38:01.55
The programs people watch on
television, vanity of vanities.
00:38:01.59\00:38:07.10
The fodder of the world is dry,
moldy, vermin infested bread.
00:38:07.13\00:38:12.30
This is what people are feeding
on. It's why they are sick from
00:38:12.34\00:38:17.60
their head to their foot. This
is the food of the world. When
00:38:17.63\00:38:21.68
the children of Israel went
through the wilderness, God gave
00:38:21.72\00:38:25.70
them fresh bread every day. This
is what he wants for you and me.
00:38:25.74\00:38:31.34
Except on Friday he gave them
twice as much because that was
00:38:31.37\00:38:35.59
to sustain them through the
Sabbath. Matter of fact if they
00:38:35.62\00:38:39.38
went out Sabbath morning or
if they tried to store up extra
00:38:39.42\00:38:42.29
or if they tried to store it
up another day, they didn't find
00:38:42.32\00:38:45.13
any Sabbath morning. If they
tried to store up extra bread on
00:38:45.17\00:38:47.68
any of the other days more than
what they needed for their fresh
00:38:47.71\00:38:50.19
daily allowance what would
happen to it the next morning?
00:38:50.22\00:38:53.00
It bred worms and it stunk. What
kind of bread does the Lord want
00:38:53.04\00:38:59.17
us to eat? How many of you like
hot, fresh bread right out...
00:38:59.20\00:39:04.70
You know when I lived up in the
mountains, this is a very real
00:39:04.73\00:39:10.29
point for me, a lot of my food
came from the dumpster behind
00:39:10.32\00:39:14.42
the bakery because there was
this bakery in Palm Springs and
00:39:14.45\00:39:19.24
their big brand motif was fresh
every day. And what they could
00:39:19.27\00:39:23.90
not give away at the end of the
day they then threw out and it
00:39:23.94\00:39:28.54
was day old bread and I've gone
into the dumpster many times and
00:39:28.58\00:39:32.83
gotten the old bread. That's how
a lot of the world eats. Well
00:39:32.87\00:39:36.83
these Gibeonites came and they
said, Look let's show you how
00:39:36.87\00:39:40.62
far our journey is. It's taken
months to get here because our
00:39:40.66\00:39:44.29
bread was hot out of the ovens
when we left. Look at it now.
00:39:44.32\00:39:47.89
It doesn't specifically mention
it but if they went to all of
00:39:47.92\00:39:51.17
this trouble to make their shoes
and their clothes and their bags
00:39:51.20\00:39:54.52
and their bread all look moldy
and old, what do you think the
00:39:54.56\00:39:58.92
donkeys looked like. They had
come from a farrr country and
00:39:58.96\00:40:03.11
traveling through those desert
regions evidently they were
00:40:03.15\00:40:07.26
probably a little gaunt.
I couldn't find a picture of
00:40:07.30\00:40:09.55
an old donkey but I thought
that one would do. What does an
00:40:09.59\00:40:14.93
animal represent. It represents
strength. You remember the good
00:40:14.97\00:40:18.63
Samaritan took the man that was
injured and put him on his own
00:40:18.66\00:40:22.29
beast because he
couldn't carry him himself.
00:40:22.33\00:40:24.79
So their weak. We've come from
a far country. What does far
00:40:24.82\00:40:31.14
country represent? Luke chapter
15 verse 13. And after many days
00:40:31.18\00:40:38.30
the younger son gathered all
together and he journeyed away
00:40:38.33\00:40:42.52
from his father into a far
country and there he wasted his
00:40:42.55\00:40:46.67
possessions with prodigal living
Our sins have separated us from
00:40:46.70\00:40:50.46
God. There is a great distance
between us and heaven. We in
00:40:50.49\00:40:55.32
this world are in a far country.
Are you beginning to get the
00:40:55.36\00:41:00.00
picture? Everything about this
story is telling us that they
00:41:00.03\00:41:05.80
were separated from God. It's a
picture of the lost. Now why is
00:41:05.83\00:41:11.13
this important to us. I'll
let you read it right out of the
00:41:11.17\00:41:18.67
Bible. Go with me back to
chapter 9 of Joshua and it says
00:41:18.70\00:41:24.36
in verse 13, chapter 9, these
wine skins which we filled were
00:41:24.40\00:41:28.65
new. See they are torn and these
our garments and our sandals
00:41:28.69\00:41:32.86
have become old because of the
very long journey. Then the men
00:41:32.89\00:41:36.27
of Israel took some of their
provisions, that doesn't mean
00:41:36.30\00:41:39.03
they ate it, you wouldn't want
to eat any of that or drink any
00:41:39.07\00:41:42.30
of that. It means they took it
and examined it. They looked at
00:41:42.33\00:41:46.03
their stuff. But they did not
ask counsel of the Lord. They
00:41:46.06\00:41:49.53
trusted the evidence of their
eyes rather than inquiring of
00:41:49.56\00:41:55.92
the Lord. So Joshua made peace
with them and made a covenant
00:41:55.95\00:42:02.98
with them to let them live.
Ooo! This is so potent friends.
00:42:03.02\00:42:10.02
I love this story. Are you
getting this. What are they
00:42:10.05\00:42:13.65
doing? They're coming to Joshua
and they're pleading their
00:42:13.68\00:42:18.44
unworthiness. They're pleading
their poverty. What is it that
00:42:18.47\00:42:22.51
gives us the right to come to
Jesus expecting mercy. It is our
00:42:22.54\00:42:27.29
goodness. It's our badness. Have
you ever thought about it? Who
00:42:27.32\00:42:31.26
in the Bible of the disciples of
Christ does the Lord honor the
00:42:31.29\00:42:35.19
most by revealing his
resurrection to? Who was the
00:42:35.23\00:42:37.84
first at the scene of the
resurrection? Mary Magdalene.
00:42:37.88\00:42:40.90
Was she the holiest among
them or did she have the worst
00:42:40.93\00:42:44.54
reputation? And Peter. Lord
depart from me, I am a sinful
00:42:44.58\00:42:48.96
man. Was that true? Yes. You
notice that through the Bible
00:42:48.99\00:42:53.26
God often chooses the least,
those who are the farthest to
00:42:53.29\00:42:56.75
magnify himself. Some of
us have stayed away from God
00:42:56.78\00:43:00.17
because we think I'm not good
enough. Well that might be the
00:43:00.20\00:43:03.09
very thing that qualifies you.
Are you listening to me friends?
00:43:03.13\00:43:06.60
This is good news. First of all
for some of you who think well
00:43:06.63\00:43:10.03
you know I'm not as bad as some
people out there so maybe I'm
00:43:10.06\00:43:13.43
not qualified. You're bad.
You're worse than you think,
00:43:13.46\00:43:15.46
that's all. It's like that story
when Jesus is at the feast in
00:43:15.49\00:43:21.19
Simon's house and Mary is
washing and kissing his feet.
00:43:21.22\00:43:25.53
And wiping his feet with her
hair. And Jesus says to Simon
00:43:25.57\00:43:30.63
the host, he said Simon I've
got something to say to you.
00:43:30.67\00:43:35.93
He says, say on Master. He said
a certain man had two people
00:43:35.96\00:43:42.36
that owed him money. One owed
50 and one owed 500 pence. And
00:43:42.40\00:43:46.64
he freely forgave them both.
They could not pay. Which of
00:43:46.68\00:43:50.24
them do you think will love him
more? Simon said, the one who
00:43:50.28\00:43:54.53
was forgiven the most. And he
said this woman has come to my
00:43:54.56\00:43:57.83
house. She's been kissing my
feet. You didn't greet me with a
00:43:57.87\00:44:00.67
kiss. She's been washing my feet
with her tears. You did not wash
00:44:00.71\00:44:03.74
my feet. Her sins, which are
many, are forgiven for she loved
00:44:03.78\00:44:06.78
much. For to whom much is
forgiven the same loves much.
00:44:06.81\00:44:09.64
You got that? Now the Lord is
not saying you've got to go out
00:44:09.68\00:44:13.73
there and be a big sinner in
order to appreciate salvation.
00:44:13.77\00:44:17.95
He's saying you need to realize
what a big sinner you already
00:44:17.99\00:44:22.14
are. Because no matter how
miniscule you may think your
00:44:22.17\00:44:24.96
sins are, your sins were big
enough to put Jesus on the cross
00:44:24.99\00:44:27.03
We're all big sinners.
And realizing our wretchedness
00:44:27.07\00:44:32.26
is what qualifies us. You
remember the story: Two men went
00:44:32.30\00:44:36.72
into the temple to pray. One is
a Pharisee, one is a publican.
00:44:36.75\00:44:40.90
Pharisees were known for being
fastidious and righteous in all
00:44:40.93\00:44:45.64
the little minute details. And
the Pharisee stands and he prays
00:44:45.67\00:44:49.58
thus with himself. Lord I thank
you that I'm not like other men.
00:44:49.62\00:44:53.49
I pay tithe of all that I
have, I fast twice a week.
00:44:53.53\00:44:56.96
Thank goodness I'm not like this
publican, this tax collector
00:44:56.99\00:45:00.26
back here. The publicans on the
other hand were known for their
00:45:00.30\00:45:03.66
riotous living. They did not
observe the law, they hung out
00:45:03.70\00:45:06.99
with the prostitutes, they were
the tax collectors and back then
00:45:07.03\00:45:10.36
that was a little different than
they are today. They sort of
00:45:10.39\00:45:14.30
were the extortionists. They
were the Mafia. You got that?
00:45:14.33\00:45:17.55
And Jesus said now the publican
is in the back. He will not so
00:45:17.58\00:45:21.29
much as lift up his head but
he bows his head and he smites
00:45:21.32\00:45:24.92
beats his breast and he says
Lord have mercy on me a sinner.
00:45:24.95\00:45:28.54
Now catch what Jesus says. Who
would you think, especially if
00:45:28.58\00:45:31.46
you were a Jew back then, who
would deserve forgiveness more?
00:45:31.50\00:45:34.35
The Pharisee who is very
observant and obedient or the
00:45:34.38\00:45:39.41
publican who recognizes his
wretchedness. Jesus said it's
00:45:39.45\00:45:44.45
the publican who confessed.
He brought to Joshua his
00:45:44.48\00:45:49.18
wretchedness. He confessed it.
He was forgiven instead of the
00:45:49.21\00:45:51.89
one who was pleading his
righteousness. The Lord is not
00:45:51.92\00:45:55.51
condoning sin. He's not saying
that you should go out there
00:45:55.55\00:45:58.80
and sin and say well that's who
Jesus is going to save. He is
00:45:58.84\00:46:02.49
saying you must recognize and
confess and present your sin and
00:46:02.52\00:46:06.44
then he can cleanse you. The
publican went home justified.
00:46:06.48\00:46:12.04
The Gibeonites presented their
torn clothes, their rags, their
00:46:12.07\00:46:17.66
broken sandals, their holey bags
their ripped wine skins, their
00:46:17.70\00:46:22.85
skinny donkeys. They presented
their unworthiness and that's
00:46:22.89\00:46:28.86
what commended them to Joshua.
I guess I'm not getting through.
00:46:28.90\00:46:32.99
Whenever I read this story I
just want to shout Hallelujah!
00:46:33.03\00:46:36.86
I think this is such good news
that that means that nobody here
00:46:36.90\00:46:40.70
is going to be disqualified
because you're too bad.
00:46:40.74\00:46:43.20
There may be some here that are
disqualified because you think
00:46:43.24\00:46:47.28
you're too good. Jesus never
turned anyone away because they
00:46:47.31\00:46:50.82
were too bad but many people in
his time were rejected because
00:46:50.85\00:46:55.56
they thought they were too good.
Maybe some of you think you're
00:46:55.60\00:47:00.28
too good. That's why you look
depressed. Well we'll have a
00:47:00.31\00:47:04.42
visit later and I can tell
you what's wrong with you if you
00:47:04.46\00:47:10.43
don't know. It's probably the
same sin that is customary of
00:47:10.46\00:47:16.48
all men. So what did Joshua do?
It says he made a covenant with
00:47:16.52\00:47:21.92
them. What does that mean? Well
in the original language here it
00:47:21.95\00:47:27.13
means they offered sacrifice
and they ate a feast. They would
00:47:27.16\00:47:31.52
offer sacrifice and some of that
sacrifice was also incorporated
00:47:31.56\00:47:35.88
into the feast just like the
Passover is a sacrifice and a
00:47:35.92\00:47:39.56
feast. So they probably
sacrificed a lamb, they ate a
00:47:39.60\00:47:43.14
feast to seal the promise that
we will not make war with you
00:47:43.17\00:47:46.65
but we will enter into trade
with you that we will be at
00:47:46.69\00:47:50.38
peace between our nations.
Now I always think it's very
00:47:50.41\00:47:54.04
interesting that they go through
all of this to talk about this
00:47:54.07\00:47:56.80
far country, this nation they've
come from. They were ambassadors
00:47:56.83\00:47:59.52
You notice something that's
obviously missing? What's the
00:47:59.56\00:48:02.42
name of the country. What's the
name, where are you from. Name.
00:48:02.46\00:48:07.29
The name is left blank. Did
you catch that. What did I say?
00:48:07.32\00:48:12.09
What's it called? There must be
a name. Is it north, south, east
00:48:12.12\00:48:14.99
or west? They didn't even tell
them what direction they came
00:48:15.02\00:48:18.01
from. We've come from a far
country. Where is it? Ah it's a
00:48:18.04\00:48:21.89
long way. What's the name of it?
You've never heard. Just trust
00:48:21.92\00:48:25.73
us. You can't pronounce it
so why bother. It's a blank.
00:48:25.77\00:48:30.55
You know why it's a blank?
Because you get to fill in the
00:48:30.58\00:48:35.30
blank with your name. This story
is talking about the country you
00:48:35.33\00:48:39.99
and I come from. It's talking
about our background, our
00:48:40.02\00:48:44.56
experience. I don't know what it
is, but whatever it is you get
00:48:44.60\00:48:47.59
to fill in the blank. We are all
separated from the Promised Land
00:48:47.62\00:48:51.05
We are all doomed because Joshua
is coming and unless we make a
00:48:51.09\00:48:55.61
covenant with him we're in big
trouble. Now I'm running out of
00:48:55.64\00:49:00.13
time. I've got more story
left. There will be one more
00:49:00.16\00:49:04.42
installment in Joshua,
God willing. So they made a
00:49:04.45\00:49:08.64
covenant. The whole congregation
swore to them a vow. Has the
00:49:08.67\00:49:12.18
Lord given us his word? Does he
make promises to us? Has he made
00:49:12.21\00:49:16.05
a covenant with us, our Joshua,
our Jesus? Then it happened at
00:49:16.08\00:49:19.59
the end of three days... When
did Jesus eat the last supper?
00:49:19.62\00:49:24.59
Three days later they suddenly
realize who he was. At the end
00:49:24.63\00:49:28.80
if three days after they made
the covenant with them, they
00:49:28.84\00:49:31.41
realized they were their
neighbors and they dwelt right
00:49:31.44\00:49:33.98
next door. I don't know how they
found out. We can only speculate
00:49:35.61\00:49:38.69
but maybe they saw one of
the fellows who had made the
00:49:38.72\00:49:44.03
covenant, one of these supposed
ambassadors, they were watching
00:49:44.07\00:49:48.26
him and he snuck in the walls of
Gibeon and they realized that he
00:49:48.29\00:49:52.45
was a Gibeonite. Maybe they
saw him a little later with new
00:49:52.49\00:49:56.40
shoes on that they had given
them. Don't you think that the
00:49:56.43\00:49:59.33
Israelites since they made this
covenant, don't you think they
00:49:59.36\00:50:01.75
gave them some new shoes and
some new clothes. I mean, they
00:50:01.78\00:50:04.37
came all this way. And when we
come to our Joshua does he give
00:50:04.40\00:50:06.96
us some new provisions. We
get a new robe just like that
00:50:06.99\00:50:10.74
prodigal son. I think they're
sporting these new Israeli
00:50:10.78\00:50:14.46
clothes. That's because you've
become part of the church, you
00:50:14.49\00:50:17.59
get a new robe. And maybe they
saw them going in and out of
00:50:17.62\00:50:20.13
Gibeon. And they said, hey
that's my clothes I gave that
00:50:20.17\00:50:22.61
guy. They live right near us.
They say, Oh we're going to get
00:50:22.65\00:50:26.65
even with them. And you know
what Joshua said? Can't do it.
00:50:26.69\00:50:30.61
But God said we're supposed
to destroy all the inhabitants.
00:50:30.65\00:50:34.51
Can't do it. Why? We have given
our word. We have made a promise
00:50:34.54\00:50:40.90
we've made a covenant with them.
We're at peace with them. And
00:50:40.93\00:50:45.14
when I go on to the next story
you're going to find out Joshua
00:50:45.17\00:50:50.13
not only allowed them to live he
ends up protecting them. So what
00:50:50.16\00:50:55.24
did they do? They said we've got
to do something. In verse 21, it
00:50:55.28\00:51:00.32
says the rulers said, Let them
live... Oh friends underline
00:51:00.36\00:51:04.46
that in your Bible. Let
them live. The gospel is about
00:51:04.50\00:51:09.56
eternal life, amen? Whoo! Do
we make this covenant with Jesus
00:51:09.59\00:51:15.04
that we might live. This is a
life and death thing they did,
00:51:15.07\00:51:20.10
isn't it. But let them be wood
cutters and water carriers for
00:51:20.14\00:51:24.59
the congregation. And it's not
just for the congregation. It's
00:51:24.63\00:51:28.62
talking about something specific
You go down to verse 23. It says
00:51:28.66\00:51:32.98
you will not be freed from being
slaves, wood cutters and water
00:51:33.01\00:51:37.70
carriers for the house of my God
Joshua said, Look we're going to
00:51:37.74\00:51:42.40
let you live. We're going
to keep our word, but there's a
00:51:42.43\00:51:46.62
condition. We promised to
let you live but it's on the
00:51:46.66\00:51:50.78
condition that you agree to be
our servants. You are to be wood
00:51:50.82\00:51:55.65
cutters and water carriers for
the house of God. What does that
00:51:55.69\00:51:59.85
mean? First of all the house
of God is the church. Isn't that
00:51:59.89\00:52:04.19
right? What, don't you know that
ye are the temple of God? What
00:52:04.23\00:52:08.67
did they cut wood for? To keep
the fire burning on the altar.
00:52:08.71\00:52:13.11
They were to keep that fire
burning all the time. That's
00:52:13.15\00:52:16.34
representing the intercession of
Christ. What did they draw water
00:52:16.38\00:52:20.27
for? The two main things you saw
in the first apartment of the
00:52:20.30\00:52:24.16
sanctuary that needed a constant
fresh supply were the altar that
00:52:24.19\00:52:28.56
was always burning and the
water was kept flowing in the
00:52:28.59\00:52:32.88
laver. That represents the
sacrifice of Christ and baptism.
00:52:32.92\00:52:37.14
The water and the fire, they're
the essence of the gospel. Think
00:52:37.17\00:52:42.81
about this. Jesus said unless
you are born of the water and
00:52:42.84\00:52:46.78
the Spirit, baptized in fire at
Pentecost, right. Water and fire
00:52:46.81\00:52:51.49
you cannot enter the kingdom
of heaven. I like the truth that
00:52:51.53\00:52:57.17
back in the days of Noah the
world was washed in water. Jesus
00:52:57.20\00:53:01.38
is coming again. The world will
be washed in fire and then he
00:53:01.42\00:53:05.87
makes a new heaven and a new
earth. Elijah prayed for rain
00:53:05.91\00:53:09.89
but he prays that fire comes
down first like in altar; first
00:53:09.93\00:53:13.30
thing fire. He prays fire comes
down and then he prays water
00:53:13.33\00:53:17.26
comes down, right? Fire and
rain. That's talking about the
00:53:17.29\00:53:21.53
ministry of the Christian.
We are to keep the gospel going.
00:53:21.57\00:53:25.33
The children of Israel crossed
the Red Sea. They went through
00:53:25.37\00:53:28.90
the water and God had anointed
them with a pillar of fire. The
00:53:28.94\00:53:32.28
water and the fire it's talking
about that we must be doing the
00:53:32.32\00:53:35.63
work of Christ. We are to be
servants in the house of God.
00:53:35.66\00:53:39.52
Now there's a condition.
How many of you want to make a
00:53:39.55\00:53:43.34
covenant with Joshua? How many
of you know that you are poor
00:53:43.38\00:53:47.45
and wretched and miserable and
blind and naked. We, like those
00:53:47.49\00:53:51.45
Gibeonites, are doomed and
we can present our wretchedness.
00:53:51.49\00:53:55.68
We can plead our poverty
and will the Lord reject us? No.
00:53:55.71\00:53:59.44
He'll accept us, he'll embrace
us. A poor leper came to Jesus
00:53:59.48\00:54:02.90
one day full of leprosy. He said
Lord if you will you can make me
00:54:02.94\00:54:06.98
clean. He was poor and wretched,
just a mess. Jesus said, I am
00:54:07.02\00:54:10.31
willing and he touched him
and cleansed him. We're all like
00:54:10.35\00:54:13.57
leper. We come with our poverty.
The Lord accepts us and then he
00:54:13.60\00:54:17.86
cleanses us and then he puts us
to work. You cannot be stagnant
00:54:17.89\00:54:21.42
or you will lose it. If you want
to keep the covenant you've got
00:54:21.45\00:54:24.77
to be willing to be a servant
in the house of God. Oh friends,
00:54:24.80\00:54:27.70
this is such a wonderful truth.
I think I've got some other
00:54:27.73\00:54:32.75
verses for you here. Listen to
this. Psalm 84 verse 10: For a
00:54:32.78\00:54:36.75
day in your courts is better
than a thousand. I'd rather be
00:54:36.79\00:54:40.75
a doorkeeper in the house of my
God than to dwell in the tents
00:54:40.78\00:54:44.40
of wickedness. What are the
redeemed going to do in heaven?
00:54:44.43\00:54:49.55
Revelation 7 verse 15: Wherefore
they are before the throne of
00:54:49.58\00:54:56.04
God and serve him night and day
in his temple. Even in heaven
00:54:56.07\00:55:00.88
you're going to be a servant
in the house of God there. So if
00:55:00.92\00:55:05.23
we're going to be serving before
the Lord in heaven then we
00:55:05.26\00:55:09.02
shouldn't chafe if he wants us
to serve him here. You want to
00:55:09.06\00:55:13.01
live? Yes I want to live. Plead
your poverty, make a covenant
00:55:13.05\00:55:16.97
with Joshua, accept that
sacrifice. The new clothes that
00:55:17.00\00:55:22.09
the church gives you, the new
robe, the new shoes, and then
00:55:22.12\00:55:26.53
be willing to be a servant. How
did Paul identify himself when
00:55:26.56\00:55:31.38
he wrote his letters? Paul, a
slave of Jesus Christ. Is it bad
00:55:31.41\00:55:35.56
to serve Jesus? You know I've
got to give you a little more
00:55:35.59\00:55:39.00
history. This covenant that they
made with the Gibeonites, it
00:55:39.04\00:55:42.61
lasted all the way into the New
Testament. Matter of fact, even
00:55:42.64\00:55:46.04
after the Babylonian captivity,
the Gibeonites were a nation
00:55:46.08\00:55:49.67
that just became a nation.
It was a caste within Israel of
00:55:49.71\00:55:53.63
servants for the temple. They
were a special group and their
00:55:53.67\00:55:57.52
purpose of existing was to serve
in the temple. You can read here
00:55:57.56\00:56:01.29
in Nehemiah 3:7 talking about
those who built the wall: Next
00:56:01.33\00:56:05.67
to them Melatiah the Gibeonite,
Jadon the Meronoth, the men of
00:56:05.70\00:56:09.44
Gibeon. Here they are after the
Babylonian captivity. The people
00:56:09.48\00:56:13.18
of Gibeon are still there.
They are building up the city of
00:56:13.22\00:56:17.47
Jerusalem. By the way, Gibeon
was just about eight miles south
00:56:17.51\00:56:21.73
west of Jerusalem. That's
where this city was. This is a
00:56:21.77\00:56:26.41
wonderful story of salvation,
friends. Joshua wants to make a
00:56:26.45\00:56:29.79
covenant with us. Are you afraid
that you're not good enough.
00:56:29.82\00:56:33.20
Don't be afraid of that. All
you've got to be afraid of is
00:56:33.23\00:56:36.54
that you think you're too good.
If you're aware of your sin, you
00:56:36.57\00:56:40.87
can come just like you
are. Father in heaven, Lord, our
00:56:40.90\00:56:46.04
hearts are thrilled as we
see the beautiful message of the
00:56:46.08\00:56:51.51
gospel woven into this story
of Joshua. How we like those
00:56:51.54\00:56:56.91
Gibeonites can think ahead and
come into your presence pleading
00:56:56.94\00:57:01.18
our poverty, recognizing that
we're doomed unless we make that
00:57:01.22\00:57:06.40
covenant of peace. Lord I am so
thankful that Jesus is willing
00:57:06.44\00:57:12.56
to forgive us, that he's willing
to accept his blood sacrifice
00:57:12.59\00:57:17.70
that we might have that covenant
of salvation. Lord, it give us
00:57:17.74\00:57:21.90
great joy to know that and
we are willing to be servants in
00:57:21.93\00:57:26.02
your house. If it means that we
must keep the fire going and the
00:57:26.05\00:57:29.64
water flowing that people might
find cleansing, what a privilege
00:57:29.67\00:57:34.00
Lord to serve in your temple.
Bless each person here. Save us
00:57:34.04\00:57:37.94
Lord. Help us to have those new
sandals that we might walk a new
00:57:37.98\00:57:41.85
walk and that new robe of
righteousness that we might
00:57:41.88\00:57:45.02
reflect your kingdom and
be ambassadors of your people.
00:57:45.06\00:57:48.42
Be with each person in
their lives and family and in a
00:57:48.45\00:57:51.49
special way those who've
responded this morning to the
00:57:51.52\00:57:54.76
gospel invitation. I pray
that they can become rooted and
00:57:54.80\00:57:58.10
grounded in the truth. We
ask in Christ's name. Amen.
00:57:58.14\00:58:01.41