Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Father in heaven,
we thank You so much
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for the wonderful privilege
of being in Your house.
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We thank You for Your word
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which is a sure guide
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in a world of
confusion and rebellion.
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And as we begin this series
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on the "Great
Apostasies of the Bible,"
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we ask for the
presence of Your Holy Spirit.
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I ask, Father,
that You will give us
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clear minds and tender hearts
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so that we might understand
and receive Your word.
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And we thank You for
hearing our prayer for we ask it
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in the precious
name of Jesus, amen.
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The title of our study
today is "Four Steps to Ruin."
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Basically we're going
to study the story of Achan
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but before we get
to the story of Achan,
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I like to say that
we are planning today
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to study the story of
the pilgrimage of Israel
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from Egypt to Canaan
in four different ways
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in which Israel
attempted to conquer Canaan.
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In fact we're gonna
notice that the whole story
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of the pilgrimage of
Israel from Egypt to Canaan
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is a type or an
illustration of our pilgrimage
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from this world to heaven.
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Now as we begin I
would like to mention
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the four symbols of the story
that we are going to deal with.
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First of all we have Egypt,
Egypt represents the world.
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And as Israel was
baptized in the Red Sea,
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we have cut our
connections with the world
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when we were
baptized into Jesus.
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Canaan represents
heaven where we're marching to.
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In other words,
we've left Egypt the world
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and we are on our way
to the heavenly Canaan.
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But between Egypt and Canaan,
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there is a sojourn
across the wilderness,
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there is a
pilgrimage and that represents
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our trek from the world
to the heavenly kingdom.
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And finally there's Israel,
of course Israel represents us.
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Israel represents God's people.
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Now as I mention we are
going to study four ways
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in which Israel attempted
to take the Promised Land
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and it's gonna
illustrate four ways
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in which people react
or which people believe
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they can actually
make it to heaven.
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Now I would like to begin
by going to the first method
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that-- and maybe I
shouldn't even call it a method,
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I should call it the
first illustration of the way
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in which one fails in attaining
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the kingdom or
an attaining Canaan
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because we're gonna notice
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the three of these
methods are actually failures
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and only one of
them is successful.
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So let's notice the
first example of failure
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in attaining the kingdom.
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Numbers 13:30-33 tells the
story of when Israel arrived
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at the borders of Kadesh Barnea,
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the borders of
the Promised Land.
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They were about to
enter the Promised Land.
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They had left Egypt,
they'd crossed the wilderness
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and they were on
the threshold of glory.
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But we know the story
when they arrive there
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at the borders of
the Promised Land,
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twelve spies were sent out,
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one for each tribe
and ten of the spies
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brought back an evil report.
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And basically we're
gonna read the passage
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where we find
the ten spies saying
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that the enemies in Canaan
were too powerful for Israel
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and they could not be overcome.
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And so we're gonna
notice that everybody
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decided that they
would name a leader
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and they would
go back to Canaan.
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In other words, they said
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let's give up on the
idea of going into Canaan
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because it is too difficult,
the enemy is too powerful,
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the cities are walled
all the way to the sky.
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Now notice what we
find in Numbers 13:30.
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"Then Caleb quieted the
people before Moses, and said,
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'Let us go up at
once and take possession,
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for we are well
able to overcome it.'
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But the men who had
gone up with him said--"
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and they were right,
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"'We are not able to
go up against the people,
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for they are stronger than we.'
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" By the way they were right.
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The Canaanites were
stronger than they were.
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I continue reading.
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"And they gave
the children of Israel
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a bad report of the land
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which they had spied out,
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saying, 'The land through
which we have gone as spies
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is a land that
devours its inhabitants,
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and all the
people whom we saw in it
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are men of great stature.
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There we saw the giants
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(the descendants of
Anak came from the giants),
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and we were like
grasshoppers in our own sight,
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and so we were in their sight.'"
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I must repeat that
the people were right.
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They were too weak to
overcome the Canaanites.
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The cities were
too strong for them
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and the
Canaanites were too powerful.
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And yet God had said
that He would go with them
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and He would
give them the victory.
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In fact, the two
spies who gave a good report
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and said that
Israel could overcome
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the Promised Land and take it,
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Caleb and Joshua actually
tried to encourage the people
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to take the land.
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Let's read Numbers 14:6-10,
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so we can catch
the positive attitude
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of Caleb and
Joshua, the two spies
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who brought back a good report.
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It says, "But
Joshua the son of Nun
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and Caleb the son of Jephunneh,
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who were among those
who had spied out the land,
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tore their clothes"
This is after the bad report,
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"and they spoke to
all the congregation
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of the children
of Israel, saying
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'The land we have
passed through to spy out
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is an exceedingly good land.
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If the Lord delights in
us, then He will bring us
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into this land
and give it to us,
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'a land which flows
with milk and honey.
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Only do not
rebel against the Lord,
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nor fear the people of the land,
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for they are our bread,
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their protection
has departed from them,
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and the Lord is with us.
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Do not fear them.'"
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In other words, the two spies
Caleb and Joshua are saying
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we can overcome the
giants in the Promised Land
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because God is with us.
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But the people
listen to the bad report,
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the report of the majority
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and therefore this
open rebellion against God
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and this desire to
return back to Canaan
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led God to doom them,
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to go and wander
in the wilderness
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for a period of 40 years
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because they
wanted to go back to Egypt
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instead of entering Canaan.
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So the first
attitude where individuals
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come to the borders
of the Promised Land
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and they fail in
taking the Promised Land
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is because they've
rebelled against God,
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they say the
obstacles are too great,
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the enemy is too powerful,
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by the way the enemies here
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represent the devil,
represent his angels,
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represent the
power of the world.
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In other words, we are too
weak to take the Promised Land,
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let's at least go back to
Egypt and enjoy ourselves.
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Let's go back to the
world and enjoy ourselves.
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But now we must go on
to the second attitude.
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First attitude is simply
open rebellion against God,
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going back to the
world where we left
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and not
persevering unto the end.
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The second
attitude is illustrated
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by what Israel did after
God doomed them to wander
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in the wilderness for 40 years.
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We find the story
in Deuteronomy 1:41-46.
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After God told them
that they were gonna wander
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in the wilderness
for a period of 40 years,
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they decided that they would go
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and they would fight
against the Canaanites.
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And the Bible tells us
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that when they went
in their own strength,
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God was not with them
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and they suffered
a terrible defeat.
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Let's read about this
in Deuteronomy 1:41-46.
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"Then you
answered and said to me,
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'We have sinned
against the Lord,
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we will go up and fight,
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just as the Lord
our God commanded us.'
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And when everyone of you
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had girded on
his weapons of war,
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you were ready to go
up into the mountain.
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And the Lord said
to me, 'Tell them,
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"Do not go up nor
fight, for I am not among you,
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lest you be defeated
before your enemies.'"
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'So I spoke to you,
yet you would not listen,
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but rebelled against
the command of the Lord,
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and presumptuously
went up into the mountain.
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And the Amorites who
dwelt in that mountain
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came out against you
and chased you as bees do,
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and drove you back
from Seir to Hormah.
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Then you returned
and wept before the Lord,
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but the Lord would not listen
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to your voice
nor give ear to you.'
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" So the second
attitude is let's take Canaan
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as our possession
through our own efforts,
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not necessarily by
the help of the Lord
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but through our own strength
and through our own power.
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And the Bible tells
us that when they thought
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that they could enter
Canaan through their own efforts
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and through their own
power, they failed miserably
00:12:03.22\00:12:07.09
because God was not with them.
00:12:07.12\00:12:09.91
And so we find illustrated
here two different attitudes
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towards entering
the land of Canaan
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or entering
heaven in our case today.
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Number one, is
coming to the borders
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of the Promised Land and saying
00:12:21.73\00:12:23.12
the enemy is too powerful,
the world is too strong,
00:12:23.15\00:12:26.99
we can't enter Canaan,
it's not any used to even try
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and so we turn around
and we go back to Egypt,
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we go back to the
world where we came from
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and we live the
worldly lifestyle
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because we feel
it's too great an effort
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to enter the Promised Land.
00:12:41.57\00:12:43.76
The second method is
to try and enter heaven
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or take the Promised
Land through our own efforts
00:12:46.82\00:12:49.93
and that also is
a terrible failure.
00:12:49.96\00:12:53.97
But there is a third attitude
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towards taking the Promised Land
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and this is the one
that I want to dwell on
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especially in our study today.
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And that is that we
can overcome the enemy
00:13:03.95\00:13:06.46
and we can take
the Promised Land
00:13:06.49\00:13:09.90
or we can enter heaven
00:13:09.93\00:13:12.28
while we cherish our
own favorite little sins.
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In other words, we
can enter heaven in sin.
00:13:19.64\00:13:23.68
Now here's where we come
00:13:23.71\00:13:24.90
to this very
interesting story of Achan.
00:13:24.93\00:13:30.32
It's a story which is recorded
in Joshua Chapters 6 and 7.
00:13:30.35\00:13:38.14
And I'd like to say
00:13:38.17\00:13:39.87
first of all before we
go into study this story
00:13:39.90\00:13:43.44
that Jesus had met
Joshua outside of Jericho,
00:13:43.47\00:13:48.44
this is recorded
in Joshua 5:13-15.
00:13:48.47\00:13:53.60
And Joshua had asked
00:13:53.63\00:13:55.84
the Prince of the host
of the Lord who is Jesus,
00:13:55.87\00:14:00.25
"Are you with us or
are you with our enemies?"
00:14:00.28\00:14:03.52
And the prince of
the Lord's host said,
00:14:03.55\00:14:05.22
"No, I am come as the
Prince of the Lord's host."
00:14:05.25\00:14:08.69
And then he told
Joshua to take his shoes off
00:14:08.72\00:14:11.23
because where he
was, was holy ground.
00:14:11.26\00:14:15.22
And the Bible
tells us that Joshua
00:14:15.25\00:14:17.13
also knelt before this being.
00:14:17.16\00:14:19.52
So it was Jesus had actually
come down to help Israel
00:14:19.55\00:14:24.85
in their fight against Jericho
00:14:24.88\00:14:27.00
so that they could
take the Promised Land.
00:14:27.03\00:14:30.66
The Bible tells us that
they went against Jericho
00:14:30.69\00:14:32.84
and we know the story.
00:14:32.87\00:14:34.95
Through the power
and help of the Lord,
00:14:34.98\00:14:38.89
the city walls crumbled,
00:14:38.92\00:14:41.44
the city fell to the
ground and Israel conquered
00:14:41.47\00:14:45.57
this first city
of the Promised Land.
00:14:45.60\00:14:48.94
And so they said, wow,
00:14:48.97\00:14:50.71
this is going to be quite easy,
00:14:50.74\00:14:53.15
all we do is
march around the city
00:14:53.18\00:14:55.35
and suddenly the walls crumble
00:14:55.38\00:14:57.93
and the city
falls to the ground.
00:14:57.96\00:15:00.94
And so they say let's go
now and fight the next city.
00:15:00.97\00:15:05.56
And so they went
to a city called Ai
00:15:05.59\00:15:09.86
and they suffered
a terrible defeat.
00:15:09.89\00:15:14.94
Why had they
suffered such a signal victory
00:15:14.97\00:15:17.71
when they had gone into Jericho
00:15:17.74\00:15:19.69
and now they suffered
such a terrible defeat
00:15:19.72\00:15:22.22
when they went against Ai?
00:15:22.25\00:15:25.18
The reason is that there
was anathema among the people.
00:15:25.21\00:15:30.47
Someone who was cherishing sin
00:15:30.50\00:15:33.95
which made it
impossible for Israel
00:15:33.98\00:15:36.63
to enter the Promised Land,
00:15:36.66\00:15:38.74
they could not stand
before their enemies.
00:15:38.77\00:15:42.03
Let's read in Joshua Chapter
7 and beginning with verse 10
00:15:42.06\00:15:46.40
the story of-- the sad story
I might say of what happened.
00:15:46.43\00:15:51.38
It says there in Joshua 7:10,
00:15:51.41\00:15:53.96
"So the Lord said
to Joshua 'Get up!
00:15:53.99\00:15:58.22
Why do you lie
thus on your face?'"
00:15:58.25\00:16:00.23
Because he was
crying, now notice this.
00:16:00.26\00:16:03.69
I-- actually
"Israel has sinned,"
00:16:03.72\00:16:08.93
I want you to notice
that, "Israel has sinned,
00:16:08.96\00:16:12.40
and they have also
transgressed My covenant
00:16:12.43\00:16:15.40
which I commanded them.
00:16:15.43\00:16:17.80
For they have even taken
some of the accursed things,
00:16:17.83\00:16:22.26
and have both
stolen and deceived,
00:16:22.29\00:16:25.41
and they have also put
it among their own stuff.
00:16:25.44\00:16:30.24
Therefore the children of Israel
00:16:30.27\00:16:32.20
could not stand
before their enemies,
00:16:32.23\00:16:34.40
but turned their
backs before their enemies,
00:16:34.43\00:16:37.09
because they have
become doomed to destruction.
00:16:37.12\00:16:41.49
Neither will I
be with you anymore,
00:16:41.52\00:16:45.01
unless you destroy the
accursed from among you."
00:16:45.04\00:16:48.45
Now I don't know, I don't know
00:16:48.48\00:16:49.84
if you noticed
here the number of times
00:16:49.87\00:16:52.46
that God says they,
they, they referring to Israel.
00:16:52.49\00:16:58.52
Actually the Bible
tells us that it was Achan
00:16:58.55\00:17:02.43
that took these things,
00:17:02.46\00:17:03.52
of course some of his
family members knew about it
00:17:03.55\00:17:06.25
but all of Israel had
not taken things from Jericho
00:17:06.28\00:17:09.92
'cause God had said don't
take anything from Jericho.
00:17:09.95\00:17:13.37
So what is God saying
by blaming all of Israel
00:17:13.40\00:17:18.38
for what Achan had done?
00:17:18.41\00:17:20.71
You see, folks, sin
is a corporate affair.
00:17:20.74\00:17:25.68
Sin in the church is
not an individual thing,
00:17:25.71\00:17:30.77
a little leaven actually
causes the whole lump to rise.
00:17:30.80\00:17:36.04
A little sin leavens
the totality of the church.
00:17:36.07\00:17:39.89
There is no such
thing as individual sin.
00:17:39.92\00:17:43.42
And of course we
know when an individual
00:17:43.45\00:17:45.84
develops cancer
in his or her body,
00:17:45.87\00:17:48.79
that unless you
cut out the cancer,
00:17:48.82\00:17:50.57
the cancer will
take over the whole body.
00:17:50.60\00:17:53.10
And that's exactly what
would happen with Israel
00:17:53.13\00:17:56.20
if Israel did not
take care of this problem,
00:17:56.23\00:18:00.08
of an individual and his family
cherishing sin and still think
00:18:00.11\00:18:05.39
that they could take
Canaan as their possession,
00:18:05.42\00:18:08.41
that they could
enter the land of Canaan.
00:18:08.44\00:18:11.75
Allow me to read you a statement
00:18:11.78\00:18:12.94
that we find in the book
"Conflict and Courage" page 120.
00:18:12.97\00:18:16.80
This is a
statement from Ellen White
00:18:16.83\00:18:19.22
where she says that
sin is a corporate affair.
00:18:19.25\00:18:22.38
When an individual in
the church is cherishing sin,
00:18:22.41\00:18:25.89
it leads to the defeat
of the total congregation.
00:18:25.92\00:18:29.04
She says this,
"The history of Achan
00:18:29.07\00:18:32.26
teaches the solemn
lesson that for one man's sin
00:18:32.29\00:18:37.10
the displeasure of God
will rest upon a people
00:18:37.13\00:18:40.24
or a nation till
the transgression
00:18:40.27\00:18:42.83
is searched out and punished.
00:18:42.86\00:18:46.12
Sin is corrupting in its nature.
00:18:46.15\00:18:49.72
One man infected
with its deadly leprosy
00:18:49.75\00:18:54.66
may communicate
the taint to thousands.
00:18:54.69\00:18:58.71
Those who occupy
responsible positions
00:18:58.74\00:19:01.44
as guardians of the
people are false to their trust
00:19:01.47\00:19:05.69
if they do not faithfully
search out and reprove sin."
00:19:05.72\00:19:11.48
And so God told Joshua,
00:19:11.51\00:19:13.78
"You must cleanse
this evil from Israel."
00:19:13.81\00:19:18.78
Now they were two ways in which
this evil could be cleansed
00:19:18.81\00:19:21.75
so that the people
could take the Promised Land
00:19:21.78\00:19:25.29
as their possession.
00:19:25.32\00:19:26.96
The first way would be
if Achan confessed his sin,
00:19:26.99\00:19:32.47
I believe that God
would have forgiven Achan.
00:19:32.50\00:19:36.45
But there was another way
00:19:36.48\00:19:37.51
and that is that if
he did confess his sin,
00:19:37.54\00:19:40.91
ultimately his
sin would destroy him.
00:19:40.94\00:19:44.71
Notice what we
find in Joshua 7:13,
00:19:44.74\00:19:48.89
we're gonna notice the process
00:19:48.92\00:19:50.30
that God followed in
this situation with Achan.
00:19:50.33\00:19:54.47
It says there in Joshua 7:13,
00:19:54.50\00:19:57.65
"Get up," God is
speaking to Joshua,
00:19:57.68\00:20:00.06
"sanctify the people, and say,
00:20:00.09\00:20:02.64
'Sanctify
yourselves for tomorrow,
00:20:02.67\00:20:05.58
because thus says
the Lord God of Israel,
00:20:05.61\00:20:08.39
"There is an
accursed thing in your midst,
00:20:08.42\00:20:11.52
O Israel, you cannot stand
00:20:11.55\00:20:14.29
before your
enemies until you take away
00:20:14.32\00:20:17.91
the accursed
thing from among you."'"
00:20:17.94\00:20:22.05
And as I mentioned
there were two ways,
00:20:22.08\00:20:23.90
two possible ways of
taking away the accursed thing,
00:20:23.93\00:20:26.73
that would be, number one,
00:20:26.76\00:20:28.16
for him to confess his
sin and to repent of his sin
00:20:28.19\00:20:31.69
or the other way is to make sure
00:20:31.72\00:20:34.32
that your sin will find you out.
00:20:34.35\00:20:37.95
Now it's interesting to notice
the process that God followed.
00:20:37.98\00:20:40.66
God gave Achan
at least six calls.
00:20:40.69\00:20:43.92
God was saying I
know where you are at,
00:20:43.95\00:20:46.21
I want you to repent,
00:20:46.24\00:20:47.80
I want you to confess your sin.
00:20:47.83\00:20:50.07
First of all Achan had
seen the defeat of Israel
00:20:50.10\00:20:55.21
at the hands of
the people of Ai.
00:20:55.24\00:20:57.32
He knew that
they'd been defeated
00:20:57.35\00:20:58.79
because of his cherished
sin in the congregation.
00:20:58.82\00:21:03.10
Secondly, he had
heard the announcement
00:21:03.13\00:21:06.02
that Joshua had
made to the congregation
00:21:06.05\00:21:08.46
that the next
day the transgressor
00:21:08.49\00:21:11.38
was going to be found
among the congregation.
00:21:11.41\00:21:14.84
And yet in neither
of these two cases,
00:21:14.87\00:21:17.20
did he step forward and
say I am the guilty party?
00:21:17.23\00:21:22.91
God gave him
actually four other calls.
00:21:22.94\00:21:27.18
Notice Joshua 7:14, the
process that was followed
00:21:27.21\00:21:31.67
in identifying the transgressor.
00:21:31.70\00:21:34.20
It says there in
Joshua 7:14, "In the morning
00:21:34.23\00:21:39.27
therefore you shall be brought
according to your tribes.
00:21:39.30\00:21:44.17
And it shall be that the tribe
00:21:44.20\00:21:45.90
which the Lord takes shall
come according to families,
00:21:45.93\00:21:50.14
and the family
which the Lord takes
00:21:50.17\00:21:51.84
shall come by
households, and the household
00:21:51.87\00:21:55.78
which the Lord takes
shall come man by man."
00:21:55.81\00:22:00.87
Now the question is why
did God follow this process
00:22:00.90\00:22:03.43
of choosing the tribe,
then choosing the family,
00:22:03.46\00:22:06.20
then choosing the household
and then choosing among men.
00:22:06.23\00:22:10.93
The fact is that
God was saying to Achan,
00:22:10.96\00:22:13.60
I know which tribe you are in,
00:22:13.63\00:22:15.73
I know which
household you are in,
00:22:15.76\00:22:18.11
I know which family you are in,
00:22:18.14\00:22:20.45
and I know who you are
00:22:20.48\00:22:22.44
and I know where you are at.
00:22:22.47\00:22:24.52
And so God through this process
00:22:24.55\00:22:26.46
was actually calling
Achan to confess his sin
00:22:26.49\00:22:31.14
and to show sorrow for sin.
00:22:31.17\00:22:34.68
You know God knew where he was,
00:22:34.71\00:22:36.28
God could have told Joshua,
00:22:36.31\00:22:38.06
"Hey, go to Achan's tent,
00:22:38.09\00:22:39.46
he is the one
that stole the stuff.
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.24
Go, take him outside
the camp and burn him."
00:22:41.27\00:22:44.33
By the way the Bible
says that he was stoned
00:22:44.36\00:22:46.36
and then he was burned.
00:22:46.39\00:22:47.91
That's a very
interesting judgment
00:22:47.94\00:22:51.09
we will notice a
little bit later on.
00:22:51.12\00:22:53.63
Now notice Joshua 7:15.
00:22:53.66\00:22:58.18
"Then it shall be
that he who is taken
00:22:58.21\00:23:01.42
with the accursed thing
shall be burned with fire,
00:23:01.45\00:23:05.99
he and all that he has,
00:23:06.02\00:23:08.61
because he has transgressed
the covenant of the Lord,
00:23:08.64\00:23:12.02
and because he has done a
disgraceful thing in Israel."
00:23:12.05\00:23:17.77
And so then God
follows the process
00:23:17.80\00:23:20.32
of identifying the transgressor,
00:23:20.35\00:23:23.14
the one who was hanging
on to sin and cherishing sin.
00:23:23.17\00:23:27.41
Do you know that the
Spirit of Prophecy says
00:23:27.44\00:23:29.20
that one sin cherish will annul
all the power of the gospel
00:23:29.23\00:23:33.60
and it will definitely keep you
out of victory over the enemies
00:23:33.63\00:23:37.60
and it will keep
you out of heaven.
00:23:37.63\00:23:39.30
That's what God is
trying to illustrate here.
00:23:39.33\00:23:41.48
You see it does no good for us
00:23:41.51\00:23:44.02
to rebel against
the will of the Lord
00:23:44.05\00:23:46.10
and go back to the world,
that's the first attitude.
00:23:46.13\00:23:49.15
It does no good for
us to try to enter heaven
00:23:49.18\00:23:51.72
through our own
efforts, it's impossible
00:23:51.75\00:23:54.60
but equally as
serious is the idea
00:23:54.63\00:23:57.11
that you can enter
Canaan and overcome the enemies
00:23:57.14\00:24:00.82
so that you can take over Canaan
00:24:00.85\00:24:02.57
and at the same time
cherish your favorite sins.
00:24:02.60\00:24:08.18
Now I want you to notice
00:24:08.21\00:24:09.83
how the process is
described in Joshua 7:16
00:24:09.86\00:24:14.40
and we're gonna
read through verse 18.
00:24:14.43\00:24:17.12
"So Joshua rose
early in the morning
00:24:17.15\00:24:19.76
and brought
Israel by their tribes,
00:24:19.79\00:24:22.92
and the tribe of
Judah was taken."
00:24:22.95\00:24:25.13
That was Achan's
tribe by the way.
00:24:25.16\00:24:27.87
"He brought the clan of Judah,
00:24:27.90\00:24:29.67
and he took the
family of the Zarhites,
00:24:29.70\00:24:33.21
and he brought the
family of the Zarhites
00:24:33.24\00:24:35.14
man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
00:24:35.17\00:24:38.88
Then he brought his
household man by man,
00:24:38.91\00:24:43.23
and Achan the son of Carmi,
00:24:43.26\00:24:46.26
the son of
Zabdi, the son of Zerah,
00:24:46.29\00:24:49.96
of the tribe of
Judah, was taken."
00:24:49.99\00:24:55.21
You see the calls had run out.
00:24:55.24\00:24:58.21
He had seen the
defeat of Israel.
00:24:58.24\00:25:00.79
He had heard the
announcement that the next day
00:25:00.82\00:25:03.60
the transgressor
was gonna be found.
00:25:03.63\00:25:05.61
He had seen the tribe chosen,
00:25:05.64\00:25:07.33
he had seen the family chosen,
00:25:07.36\00:25:09.07
he had seen the
household chosen,
00:25:09.10\00:25:10.94
he had seen the
men blocked there
00:25:10.97\00:25:13.16
for the
transgressor to be chosen
00:25:13.19\00:25:15.20
and yet he chose
to hang on to his sin.
00:25:15.23\00:25:20.59
When he has
discovered we find that Joshua
00:25:20.62\00:25:25.05
has some very clear and
direct counsel for Achan.
00:25:25.08\00:25:28.91
Notice Joshua 7:19,
"Now Joshua said to Achan,
00:25:28.94\00:25:35.50
'My son, I beg you,
00:25:35.53\00:25:39.39
give glory to the
Lord God of Israel,
00:25:39.42\00:25:43.85
and make confession
to Him, and tell me now
00:25:43.88\00:25:47.99
what you have done,
do not hide it from me.'"
00:25:48.02\00:25:53.12
And then in the very next verse,
00:25:53.15\00:25:54.63
we find Achan admitting his sin.
00:25:54.66\00:25:58.61
Did you hear the
word that I used?
00:25:58.64\00:26:01.13
I did not say that
he confessed his sin,
00:26:01.16\00:26:05.51
I said that
Achan admitted his sin.
00:26:05.54\00:26:09.45
It's different
to confess your sin
00:26:09.48\00:26:12.64
than it is to admit your sin.
00:26:12.67\00:26:15.94
Notice verse 20, "And
Achan answered Joshua and said,
00:26:15.97\00:26:21.42
'Indeed I have sinned
against the Lord God of Israel,
00:26:21.45\00:26:27.16
and this is what I have done.'"
00:26:27.19\00:26:29.96
And then he describes
exactly what he had done,
00:26:29.99\00:26:32.84
we're gonna study
that in a few moments.
00:26:32.87\00:26:35.60
You know it's
kind of like a child
00:26:35.63\00:26:37.25
who gets caught with
his hand in the cookie jar.
00:26:37.28\00:26:41.52
You know and then when mom comes
00:26:41.55\00:26:43.49
and discovers
that he's had his hand
00:26:43.52\00:26:45.13
in the cookie
jar when mama said,
00:26:45.16\00:26:46.50
"Don't you dare eat
any of the cookies."
00:26:46.53\00:26:48.78
The child says,
"Oh, I'm sorry, mom.
00:26:48.81\00:26:51.26
I'm sorry."
00:26:51.29\00:26:53.19
But he's not really
sorry that he disobeyed mom
00:26:53.22\00:26:55.91
and took cookies out of the jar,
00:26:55.94\00:26:57.64
he's sorry
because of the punishment
00:26:57.67\00:26:59.61
that he knows is coming.
00:26:59.64\00:27:01.48
And that was the
type of repentance
00:27:01.51\00:27:03.62
if you can call it
repentance of Achan.
00:27:03.65\00:27:06.29
It was an admission of guilt
00:27:06.32\00:27:08.66
but it was not a
confession of guilt.
00:27:08.69\00:27:12.61
Notice how Ellen White describes
00:27:12.64\00:27:16.15
this admission on
the part of Achan.
00:27:16.18\00:27:20.75
"Conflict and Courage" page 121.
00:27:20.78\00:27:25.76
She says, "Achan
acknowledged his guilt,
00:27:25.79\00:27:29.68
but when it was too late
00:27:29.71\00:27:32.02
for the confession
to benefit himself.
00:27:32.05\00:27:35.20
He had seen the armies
of Israel return from Ai
00:27:35.23\00:27:39.44
defeated and disheartened,
00:27:39.47\00:27:42.11
yet he did not come
forward and confess his sin.
00:27:42.14\00:27:46.55
He had seen Joshua
and the elders of Israel
00:27:46.58\00:27:49.45
bowed down to the earth
in grief too great for words.
00:27:49.48\00:27:54.31
Had he then made confession,
00:27:54.34\00:27:56.24
he would have given
some proof of true penitence,
00:27:56.27\00:27:59.62
but he still kept silence.
00:27:59.65\00:28:03.36
He had listened
to the proclamation
00:28:03.39\00:28:04.99
that a great crime
had been committed,
00:28:05.02\00:28:06.99
and had even heard its
character definitely stated.
00:28:07.02\00:28:10.86
But his lips were sealed.
00:28:10.89\00:28:13.49
Then came the
solemn investigation.
00:28:13.52\00:28:16.90
How his soul
thrilled with terror
00:28:16.93\00:28:19.66
as he saw his tribe pointed out,
00:28:19.69\00:28:22.60
then his family
and his household!
00:28:22.63\00:28:25.97
But still he
uttered no confession,
00:28:26.00\00:28:29.10
until the finger of
God was placed upon him.
00:28:29.13\00:28:32.79
Then, when his sin
could no longer be concealed,
00:28:32.82\00:28:36.61
he admitted the truth.
00:28:36.64\00:28:40.10
How often are
similar confessions made.
00:28:40.13\00:28:43.84
There is a vast difference
between admitting facts
00:28:43.87\00:28:47.79
after they have been proved
00:28:47.82\00:28:49.64
and confessing sins known
only to ourselves and to God."
00:28:49.67\00:28:54.42
That is a remarkable statement.
00:28:54.45\00:28:57.37
Now what I want us to
notice is that Achan sin
00:28:57.40\00:29:00.38
followed a four step process.
00:29:00.41\00:29:04.62
And this will teach
us a great lesson for us
00:29:04.65\00:29:06.68
because we're
also marching to Zion,
00:29:06.71\00:29:09.55
we're marching to Canaan,
00:29:09.58\00:29:10.87
we have enemies to overcome
in order to enter Canaan.
00:29:10.90\00:29:14.36
It does no good for
us to return to the world
00:29:14.39\00:29:16.59
and rebellion against
God, that's not gonna save us.
00:29:16.62\00:29:19.82
It does no good for us
00:29:19.85\00:29:21.16
to try to enter Canaan
through our own efforts.
00:29:21.19\00:29:23.64
Israel was
defeated in that method.
00:29:23.67\00:29:25.68
It does no good for us to
hang on to our cherished sins
00:29:25.71\00:29:28.81
because we will
not be able to stand
00:29:28.84\00:29:30.52
before our enemies,
we can't take Canaan.
00:29:30.55\00:29:33.49
And when we
notice that Achan sin
00:29:33.52\00:29:35.71
followed a four step process,
00:29:35.74\00:29:37.36
we learn many lessons
that will be valuable for us.
00:29:37.39\00:29:41.45
Notice Joshua 7:21
00:29:41.48\00:29:43.68
and I hope you'll
underline four key words
00:29:43.71\00:29:47.05
that we have here, notice.
00:29:47.08\00:29:50.08
"When I saw" Achan says,
00:29:50.11\00:29:52.70
that's the word I
want you to underline,
00:29:52.73\00:29:54.58
"When I saw among the spoils
00:29:54.61\00:29:59.23
a beautiful Babylonian garment,
00:29:59.26\00:30:01.60
two hundred shekels of silver,
00:30:01.63\00:30:03.45
and a wedge of gold
weighing fifty shekels"
00:30:03.48\00:30:08.20
Notice that were told
that Achan saw those things.
00:30:08.23\00:30:11.58
Now let me ask you,
00:30:11.61\00:30:12.70
was it a sin to
see those things?
00:30:12.73\00:30:15.99
Of course not,
because all Israel
00:30:16.02\00:30:18.63
was seeing those things.
00:30:18.66\00:30:20.93
You see there is a difference
between temptation and sin.
00:30:20.96\00:30:25.37
Temptation is when something
momentarily crosses our mind,
00:30:25.40\00:30:30.26
sin is when you allow
that to lodge in your mind
00:30:30.29\00:30:34.14
and it becomes an obsession
and then you take action.
00:30:34.17\00:30:39.87
You know Martin Luther
was very wise when he said
00:30:39.90\00:30:42.81
you can't keep the birds
from flying over your head
00:30:42.84\00:30:46.45
but you can keep them from
making a nest in your hair.
00:30:46.48\00:30:50.40
We can't keep temptations
from flying through our minds
00:30:50.43\00:30:54.08
but we can keep
those temptations
00:30:54.11\00:30:56.45
from lodging in our brain
00:30:56.48\00:30:58.79
and then
becoming sin and thought
00:30:58.82\00:31:01.89
and then
eventually sin in action.
00:31:01.92\00:31:05.20
So the first step
was that Achan saw,
00:31:05.23\00:31:09.75
no sin in seeing
but the problem is
00:31:09.78\00:31:12.01
if you continue seeing
and you continue looking,
00:31:12.04\00:31:15.99
then you have the
second step that leads to ruin.
00:31:16.02\00:31:20.03
Notice Joshua 7:21 continuing
after saying that he saw,
00:31:20.06\00:31:26.28
it says there, "I coveted them."
00:31:26.31\00:31:33.15
You know Seventh-day Adventist,
00:31:33.18\00:31:34.70
we emphasize a lot
that sin is wrong action.
00:31:34.73\00:31:40.11
But you know that sin
00:31:40.14\00:31:41.96
before it
becomes a wrong action,
00:31:41.99\00:31:45.09
it involves wrong thinking.
00:31:45.12\00:31:47.81
In other words, sin
has its origin in the mind,
00:31:47.84\00:31:51.55
sin has its origin in the brain
00:31:51.58\00:31:54.03
and then it
produces fruit in action.
00:31:54.06\00:31:58.31
And so Achan says
I saw these things
00:31:58.34\00:32:02.26
and then I, what?
00:32:02.29\00:32:04.53
I coveted them,
that is I desired them.
00:32:04.56\00:32:08.35
Notice that he sinned
before he took these things
00:32:08.38\00:32:12.10
because Jesus said that
covetousness for example
00:32:12.13\00:32:15.63
is breaking the
seventh commandment
00:32:15.66\00:32:17.56
in Matthew Chapter 5.
00:32:17.59\00:32:19.01
In other words, whoever
looks upon a woman to cover her
00:32:19.04\00:32:21.94
has already
committed adultery in his heart
00:32:21.97\00:32:24.46
Jesus says even
before the action.
00:32:24.49\00:32:27.58
And that's the reason
why David was very wise
00:32:27.61\00:32:31.18
when the Holy
Spirit inspired him
00:32:31.21\00:32:33.89
to write Psalm 119 where he says
00:32:33.92\00:32:37.06
"The law have I
hid in mine heart,
00:32:37.09\00:32:39.48
that I might not
sin against you."
00:32:39.51\00:32:41.85
You see, we need
to build barriers
00:32:41.88\00:32:44.20
against sin in our minds
00:32:44.23\00:32:47.47
because sin does
not originate in action,
00:32:47.50\00:32:50.45
sin originates in the mind,
00:32:50.48\00:32:53.27
sin is first of
all wrong thinking,
00:32:53.30\00:32:57.60
not wrong acting.
00:32:57.63\00:32:59.81
If you're gonna overcome sin,
00:32:59.84\00:33:01.22
it must be overcome in the level
00:33:01.25\00:33:03.57
of the thinking processes first.
00:33:03.60\00:33:07.07
But now notice the
third step of Achan sin.
00:33:07.10\00:33:10.67
Joshua 7:21, I'm just
gonna read the phrase.
00:33:10.70\00:33:15.99
He says, "And took them."
00:33:16.02\00:33:20.06
Now do you
notice the process here?
00:33:20.09\00:33:22.86
He says I saw these things.
00:33:22.89\00:33:26.57
Then he says I desired
or I coveted these things.
00:33:26.60\00:33:31.51
In other words, you know,
00:33:31.54\00:33:33.83
I sinned in my mind is
basically what he's saying
00:33:33.86\00:33:37.00
because the tenth commandment
says thou shalt not, what?
00:33:37.03\00:33:39.40
Thou shalt not covet.
00:33:39.43\00:33:40.80
And then when he covets
these things, what does he do?
00:33:40.83\00:33:45.47
He takes them,
action follows thoughts.
00:33:45.50\00:33:49.93
In other words,
the wrong thinking
00:33:49.96\00:33:51.71
led to wrong action
and as an Adventist,
00:33:51.74\00:33:53.97
we need to emphasize
that sin begins in the brain.
00:33:54.00\00:33:57.49
You know we might not
even commit the bad acts
00:33:57.52\00:33:59.62
but if we have
the wrong thoughts,
00:33:59.65\00:34:01.20
it's still sin
according to scripture.
00:34:01.23\00:34:04.60
And then I want you to
notice the fourth step.
00:34:04.63\00:34:08.76
Achan continues
saying there in verse 21.
00:34:08.79\00:34:11.69
"And there they
are, hidden in the earth
00:34:11.72\00:34:16.89
in the midst of my tent,
with the silver under it."
00:34:16.92\00:34:22.59
So what is the first step?
00:34:22.62\00:34:24.99
Trying to hide what he had done.
00:34:25.02\00:34:28.79
I saw, I coveted,
00:34:28.82\00:34:32.05
I took and I hid.
00:34:32.08\00:34:36.48
That reminds me of
that verse in Proverbs 28:13
00:34:36.51\00:34:41.37
where the wise man Solomon said,
00:34:41.40\00:34:44.79
"He who covers his
sins will not prosper,"
00:34:44.82\00:34:50.43
and this is an illustration
in the story of Achan,
00:34:50.46\00:34:53.15
"but whoever confesses
00:34:53.18\00:34:55.73
and forsakes
them will have" what?
00:34:55.76\00:34:58.78
"Will have mercy."
00:34:58.81\00:35:00.24
By the way do you
know what made Achan's sin
00:35:00.27\00:35:03.24
so particularly
offensive to God?
00:35:03.27\00:35:06.76
It's simply because Jericho
was God's tithe of the land.
00:35:06.79\00:35:12.64
Did you realize that Jericho
was God's tithe of the land?
00:35:14.46\00:35:18.97
It was a first city
that Israel conquered
00:35:19.00\00:35:22.37
and God said don't
you take any of the gold,
00:35:22.40\00:35:24.40
any of the
silver, any of the bronze
00:35:24.43\00:35:26.50
that all needs to be
dedicated to the sanctuary.
00:35:26.53\00:35:32.31
And so Achan what he did
00:35:32.34\00:35:34.04
was he actually
stole God's tithe.
00:35:34.07\00:35:39.63
Notice Joshua 6:19.
00:35:39.66\00:35:44.18
"But all the silver and gold,
and vessels of bronze and iron,
00:35:44.21\00:35:48.82
are consecrated to the Lord,
00:35:48.85\00:35:51.01
they shall come into
the treasury of the Lord."
00:35:51.04\00:35:55.48
Notice Joshua 6:24,
"But they burned the city
00:35:55.51\00:35:59.83
and all that
was in it with fire.
00:35:59.86\00:36:02.12
Only the silver and gold,
00:36:02.15\00:36:04.42
and the vessels
of bronze and iron,
00:36:04.45\00:36:06.59
they put into the treasury
of the house of the Lord."
00:36:06.62\00:36:10.31
In other words,
Achan in a very real sense
00:36:10.34\00:36:13.51
stole the tithe.
00:36:13.54\00:36:16.14
Is that a problem
in the church today?
00:36:17.79\00:36:20.76
Would something like that keep
us out of the heavenly Canaan?
00:36:20.79\00:36:25.67
It's fruitful thought.
00:36:25.70\00:36:28.77
The Bible says
thou shalt not steal,
00:36:28.80\00:36:30.74
it doesn't say thou
shalt not steal from man.
00:36:30.77\00:36:34.18
It says thou shalt not steal,
00:36:34.21\00:36:35.93
if it's serious
to steal from men,
00:36:35.96\00:36:37.93
how much more
serious to steal from God?
00:36:37.96\00:36:41.36
Is it just possible that this
is one of those cherished sins
00:36:41.39\00:36:44.50
that does not allow the
church to overcome the enemies
00:36:44.53\00:36:47.34
that it might take
the heavenly Canaan
00:36:47.37\00:36:49.56
as its possession.
00:36:49.59\00:36:51.29
Allow me to read
Ellen White's comment
00:36:51.32\00:36:53.21
on this issue of the tithe
00:36:53.24\00:36:56.76
as it applies to
the story of Achan.
00:36:56.79\00:36:59.45
Volume 3 of the
Testimonies, page 268,
00:36:59.48\00:37:03.42
"The Captain of the Lord's host
had led the armies of heaven.
00:37:03.45\00:37:08.90
The battle was the Lord's,
it was He who fought the battle.
00:37:08.93\00:37:13.24
The children of
Israel did not strike a blow.
00:37:13.27\00:37:16.80
The victory and
glory were the Lord's,
00:37:16.83\00:37:19.91
and the spoils were His.
00:37:19.94\00:37:23.32
He directed all to be consumed
except the gold and silver,
00:37:23.35\00:37:27.47
which He
reserved for His treasury.
00:37:27.50\00:37:30.83
Achan understood
well the reserve made
00:37:30.86\00:37:35.74
and that the
treasures of gold and silver
00:37:35.77\00:37:37.95
which he
coveted were the Lord's.
00:37:37.98\00:37:40.10
He stole from God's
treasury for his own benefit."
00:37:40.13\00:37:46.30
Powerful statement.
00:37:46.33\00:37:48.72
You know there are
other stories in scripture
00:37:48.75\00:37:50.46
that illustrate the
same four steps to perdition.
00:37:50.49\00:37:54.13
You have the story of the sin
of Eve in the garden of Eden.
00:37:54.16\00:38:00.17
Let's notice Genesis
Chapter 3 and verses 6
00:38:00.20\00:38:03.16
and then we'll
jump down to verse 8.
00:38:03.19\00:38:04.78
Genesis 3:6 and 8,
00:38:04.81\00:38:07.31
tell me if you
find the same four words
00:38:07.34\00:38:09.30
that we notice in
the story of Achan.
00:38:09.33\00:38:11.34
It says there in Genesis 3:6,
00:38:11.37\00:38:14.52
"So when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food,
00:38:14.55\00:38:21.04
that it was
pleasant to the eyes,
00:38:21.07\00:38:22.66
and a tree--" What?
00:38:22.69\00:38:24.79
"desirable" did she
desire at first before she took?
00:38:24.82\00:38:29.41
"and a tree desirable to
make one wise, she-" What?
00:38:29.44\00:38:33.94
There it is, "She
took of its fruit and ate.
00:38:33.97\00:38:37.22
She also gave to her
husband with her, and he ate."
00:38:37.25\00:38:40.94
And then let's go to verse 8.
00:38:40.97\00:38:42.58
"And they heard the
sound of the Lord God
00:38:42.61\00:38:44.54
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day,
00:38:44.57\00:38:46.96
and Adam and his wife-" What?
00:38:46.99\00:38:49.21
There it is,
"they hid themselves
00:38:49.24\00:38:51.47
from the
presence of the Lord God
00:38:51.50\00:38:53.51
among the trees of the garden."
00:38:53.54\00:38:57.49
You could say the same
thing about the sin of David.
00:38:57.52\00:38:59.89
I could give
you biblical example
00:38:59.92\00:39:01.73
after biblical example
of the four step process
00:39:01.76\00:39:05.17
that leads to sin.
00:39:05.20\00:39:07.93
You remember
David, the Bible says
00:39:07.96\00:39:10.24
that in 2 Samuel Chapter
11 that it was the time that
00:39:10.27\00:39:14.16
when the kings of Israel
should have gone out to war.
00:39:14.19\00:39:17.33
And instead of going out to war,
00:39:17.36\00:39:18.80
instead of being busy,
00:39:18.83\00:39:20.43
the idle mind is the
devil's workshop and so David
00:39:20.46\00:39:23.82
instead of being out fighting
the battles of the Lord,
00:39:23.85\00:39:26.16
he was nice and
comfortable in the palace
00:39:26.19\00:39:28.42
and he walks out
one day into the balcony
00:39:28.45\00:39:30.24
and he sees this
beautiful woman bathing naked.
00:39:30.27\00:39:34.03
And if you read the story
there in 2 Samuel Chapter 11,
00:39:34.06\00:39:37.22
you will discover
the very same four words
00:39:37.25\00:39:40.19
as in the story of Achan
00:39:40.22\00:39:41.54
and as in the
story of Eve's sin.
00:39:41.57\00:39:46.00
The Bible says that
David saw this woman.
00:39:46.03\00:39:50.19
Then the story says that
David coveted this woman.
00:39:50.22\00:39:53.12
Let me ask you was it a sin
for David to see this woman?
00:39:53.15\00:39:56.44
No, he went on to the balcony,
00:39:56.47\00:39:58.68
you know, he looks out
and he sees this woman.
00:39:58.71\00:40:00.84
Listen, you would
have to run around,
00:40:00.87\00:40:02.23
you have to walk
around with your eyes
00:40:02.26\00:40:03.97
blindfolded in order not to see
00:40:04.00\00:40:06.10
but even then you
would have troubles
00:40:06.13\00:40:07.69
because you would have
your, the eyes of your brain.
00:40:07.72\00:40:11.12
You know, it didn't help four
monks to go into monasteries
00:40:11.15\00:40:13.77
because they took
their sinful brain with them.
00:40:13.80\00:40:17.20
but anyway, you know,
00:40:17.23\00:40:19.28
David saw what
he should have done,
00:40:19.31\00:40:22.35
see that's why you overcome,
00:40:22.38\00:40:23.51
sin is at the first
step at the temptation,
00:40:23.54\00:40:26.54
you should have turn
and said, I look no more!
00:40:26.57\00:40:29.91
But instead of doing that,
00:40:29.94\00:40:31.88
it says there in 2
Samuel 11 that he coveted her.
00:40:31.91\00:40:37.16
And then the
word took her is used
00:40:37.19\00:40:41.43
and then that he
tried to hide his sin,
00:40:41.46\00:40:44.82
he most certainly did
00:40:44.85\00:40:46.60
and he tried to
do it by killing-
00:40:46.63\00:40:50.53
imagine that by
killing his trusted general
00:40:50.56\00:40:53.81
Uriah the Hittite.
00:40:53.84\00:40:55.44
Unbelievable,
the results that sin
00:40:55.47\00:40:58.41
leads to when you
cherish sin in your life.
00:40:58.44\00:41:03.81
And so, folks, we
cannot enter heaven,
00:41:03.84\00:41:06.86
the heavenly
Canaan by our own efforts.
00:41:06.89\00:41:11.86
It does us no good to
turn around and say, oh,
00:41:11.89\00:41:14.72
I better go back and
enjoy the world anyway
00:41:14.75\00:41:17.51
because it's too
difficult to enter heaven,
00:41:17.54\00:41:19.56
it requires too much effort,
the enemy is too powerful.
00:41:19.59\00:41:23.56
It does us no
good to hang on to sin
00:41:23.59\00:41:27.40
thinking that
we can have heaven,
00:41:27.43\00:41:29.31
we can overcome the enemies,
00:41:29.34\00:41:30.71
we can enter the Promised Land
00:41:30.74\00:41:32.66
while we cherish our sins.
00:41:32.69\00:41:35.18
The question is then,
00:41:35.21\00:41:36.69
how can we take
Canaan as our possession?
00:41:36.72\00:41:43.57
Well, in the story of
the conquest of Jericho,
00:41:43.60\00:41:47.53
we have the secret.
00:41:47.56\00:41:50.98
It was actually a combination
00:41:51.01\00:41:53.14
of divine power
and human obedience.
00:41:53.17\00:41:58.68
Divine power
combined with human effort.
00:41:58.71\00:42:03.13
God had said to
Israel, I want you to go
00:42:03.16\00:42:05.32
and I want you to march
around the city of Jericho,
00:42:05.35\00:42:09.10
once a day, seven
times on the seventh day
00:42:09.13\00:42:12.73
and I am gonna
take care of the rest.
00:42:12.76\00:42:14.73
All you have to
do is march around,
00:42:14.76\00:42:16.70
blow your trumpets, shout.
00:42:16.73\00:42:20.28
And the city is gonna fall.
00:42:20.31\00:42:22.84
Now Israel could have said
that's the most ridiculous thing
00:42:22.87\00:42:25.11
that we've ever
heard in our lives.
00:42:25.14\00:42:28.42
You don't conquer a
city by blowing your trumpets
00:42:28.45\00:42:31.21
and by shouting
and marching around it,
00:42:31.24\00:42:33.31
in fact, the
people inside many of them
00:42:33.34\00:42:35.93
must have thought that
the Israelites were fools.
00:42:35.96\00:42:38.98
That's not the
way you do battle,
00:42:39.01\00:42:40.71
but God said- you know,
00:42:40.74\00:42:41.88
could God had made
that walls of the city
00:42:41.91\00:42:44.50
crumble without
Israel marching around
00:42:44.53\00:42:47.28
and blowing the
trumpets and shouting?
00:42:47.31\00:42:48.89
Of course He could have,
00:42:48.92\00:42:49.95
but God wanted
them to show obedience
00:42:49.98\00:42:53.01
and then He kicked
in with His divine power
00:42:53.04\00:42:56.41
and gave them the
victory over the enemy.
00:42:56.44\00:43:00.10
In other words,
victory over the enemy,
00:43:00.13\00:43:02.75
taking Canaan means
trusting in God enough,
00:43:02.78\00:43:06.93
loving God enough to
do what God tells us to do
00:43:06.96\00:43:11.66
and He will give us
power to overcome the enemies
00:43:11.69\00:43:14.61
and the obstacles no
matter how large they are.
00:43:14.64\00:43:18.77
It reminds me of
the story of Israel
00:43:18.80\00:43:20.72
next to the Red
Sea, in Exodus 14
00:43:20.75\00:43:23.52
the Egyptians were coming
with 600 of their chariots,
00:43:23.55\00:43:26.91
with their
armies to defeat Israel,
00:43:26.94\00:43:29.35
Israel was caught
in, they had no escape,
00:43:29.38\00:43:32.18
the sea was in front of
them, mountains on one side,
00:43:32.21\00:43:34.75
desert on the other,
the Egyptians behind them.
00:43:34.78\00:43:37.77
It looked like
they're gonna be defeated.
00:43:37.80\00:43:39.57
God didn't say, you
know, you guys need to--
00:43:39.60\00:43:42.31
you need to go out
and you need to fight.
00:43:42.34\00:43:45.30
You know what the Lord said?
00:43:45.33\00:43:47.82
He said be still and see
the salvation of the Lord.
00:43:47.85\00:43:53.09
But do you know
what Israel had to do?
00:43:53.12\00:43:54.96
To show that they believe
in the salvation of the Lord?
00:43:54.99\00:43:57.74
The story tells us
that Moses extended his rod
00:43:57.77\00:44:00.44
and the people had
to walk into the waters
00:44:00.47\00:44:03.20
actually before the waters open.
00:44:03.23\00:44:05.84
They had to show
their faith and trust
00:44:05.87\00:44:07.99
that God was gonna do
what He said He was gonna do.
00:44:08.02\00:44:10.84
They actually got their feet wet
00:44:10.87\00:44:12.98
and then God opened the Red Sea.
00:44:13.01\00:44:17.53
We can find the same
principle of the combination
00:44:17.56\00:44:20.47
of divine power and human effort
00:44:20.50\00:44:22.79
in the story of
David and Goliath.
00:44:22.82\00:44:25.85
In every biblical
story you find this.
00:44:25.88\00:44:27.54
Let me ask you, could
God have caused Goliath
00:44:27.57\00:44:30.70
to have a heart attack?
00:44:30.73\00:44:32.30
Of course He could.
00:44:32.33\00:44:33.64
Could God had defeated Goliath
00:44:33.67\00:44:35.47
in many ways
doing all by himself?
00:44:35.50\00:44:39.15
Of course but He said to David,
00:44:39.18\00:44:40.99
I'm gonna give you the
victory over this giant.
00:44:41.02\00:44:43.64
Even though he's
about 12 feet tall,
00:44:43.67\00:44:48.08
you know, you're
just a little short kid,
00:44:48.11\00:44:50.34
I'm gonna give you the victory.
00:44:50.37\00:44:52.68
So what does David do?
00:44:52.71\00:44:53.92
Said I'm gonna sit
down and watch you, Lord.
00:44:53.95\00:44:55.82
That's not what David does.
00:44:55.85\00:44:57.93
David actually goes down
and he picks up five stones,
00:44:57.96\00:45:01.73
some people
think it's five stones
00:45:01.76\00:45:03.22
because they were five cities
in the Philistine Pentapolis,
00:45:03.25\00:45:08.58
other people believe that it was
00:45:08.61\00:45:09.99
because Goliath
had five brothers.
00:45:10.02\00:45:13.10
We don't exactly
know the reason why,
00:45:13.13\00:45:15.36
but David went
and he got five stones
00:45:15.39\00:45:18.38
and he obeyed the Lord.
00:45:18.41\00:45:19.79
He hurled his slingshot
and he threw the stone,
00:45:19.82\00:45:24.75
and guess what God did?
00:45:24.78\00:45:26.57
God guided the stone
into the only vulnerable place
00:45:26.60\00:45:30.92
that was available,
the forehead of Goliath,
00:45:30.95\00:45:34.64
in fact, it says that
the stone had so much force
00:45:34.67\00:45:38.36
that it encrusted itself
in the forehead of Goliath.
00:45:38.39\00:45:42.14
And by the way when he fell,
00:45:42.17\00:45:43.55
he wasn't dead
because the Bible says
00:45:43.58\00:45:46.54
that David then
went with his sword
00:45:46.57\00:45:48.40
with Goliath's sword
and David killed him.
00:45:48.43\00:45:53.78
So once again the
idea of divine power
00:45:53.81\00:45:57.02
combined with human effort,
00:45:57.05\00:45:58.81
the devil cannot
defeat God's people
00:45:58.84\00:46:01.77
if they use this
wonderful formula.
00:46:01.80\00:46:05.25
It makes me remember the
story of the Triple Alliance
00:46:05.28\00:46:09.61
that had come against Israel,
00:46:09.64\00:46:11.56
this story is told in
2 Chronicles Chapter 20
00:46:11.59\00:46:15.37
and Israel was shaking
00:46:15.40\00:46:17.37
and so God gave some
counsel to Jehoshaphat.
00:46:17.40\00:46:20.27
Let me read you from 2
Chronicles 20:15 and 16.
00:46:20.30\00:46:26.63
"And he said,
'Listen, all you of Judah,"
00:46:26.66\00:46:30.82
This is a prophet.
00:46:30.85\00:46:32.29
"Listen all you of Judah
00:46:32.32\00:46:34.87
and you
inhabitants of Jerusalem,
00:46:34.90\00:46:37.06
and you, King Jehoshaphat!
00:46:37.09\00:46:39.70
Thus says the Lord to you,
'Do not be afraid nor dismayed
00:46:39.73\00:46:44.06
because of this great multitude,
00:46:44.09\00:46:46.48
for the battle is
not yours, but God's.'
00:46:46.51\00:46:51.06
" And so what
does God tell Israel?
00:46:51.09\00:46:52.87
Sit down and see the
salvation of the Lord.
00:46:52.90\00:46:56.84
That's not what
He tells them to do.
00:46:56.87\00:46:59.17
Notice what we
find in Chapter 20
00:46:59.20\00:47:01.15
and beginning with verse 24.
00:47:01.18\00:47:03.66
"So they rose
early in the morning"
00:47:03.69\00:47:04.92
Notice that they obey the Lord,
00:47:04.95\00:47:06.42
"So they rose
early in the morning
00:47:06.45\00:47:07.93
and went out into
the Wilderness of Tekoa,
00:47:07.96\00:47:10.86
and as they went out,
Jehoshaphat stood and said,
00:47:10.89\00:47:14.01
'Hear me, O Judah
00:47:14.04\00:47:15.95
and you
inhabitants of Jerusalem:
00:47:15.98\00:47:17.98
Believe in the Lord your God,
and you shall be established,
00:47:18.01\00:47:21.23
believe His prophets,
and you shall prosper.'"
00:47:21.26\00:47:24.23
And there was a prophet
who'd said go out against them,
00:47:24.26\00:47:27.63
and they obeyed the
voice of the prophet.
00:47:27.66\00:47:30.04
And now notice verse 21,
00:47:30.07\00:47:31.91
"And when he had
consulted with the people,
00:47:31.94\00:47:34.35
he appointed those who
should sing to the Lord,
00:47:34.38\00:47:39.36
and who should praise
the beauty of holiness,
00:47:39.39\00:47:42.64
as they went out before the army
00:47:42.67\00:47:44.81
and were
saying, 'Praise the Lord
00:47:44.84\00:47:46.99
for His mercy endures forever.'
00:47:47.02\00:47:49.90
" See God told
them to go on and sing,
00:47:49.93\00:47:52.16
they had something to do.
00:47:52.19\00:47:54.70
We find in verse 22,
00:47:54.73\00:47:56.16
"Now when they began
to sing and to praise,
00:47:56.19\00:48:00.24
the Lord set ambushes
against the people of Ammon,
00:48:00.27\00:48:04.29
Moab, and Mount Seir,
00:48:04.32\00:48:06.73
who had come against
Judah, and they were defeated.
00:48:06.76\00:48:10.55
For the people of Ammon and Moab
00:48:10.58\00:48:12.69
stood up against the
inhabitants of Mount Seir
00:48:12.72\00:48:15.26
to utterly kill
and destroy them.
00:48:15.29\00:48:17.23
And when they had made an
end of the inhabitants of Seir,
00:48:17.26\00:48:20.00
they helped to
destroy one another.
00:48:20.03\00:48:22.20
So when Judah came to a place
overlooking the wilderness,
00:48:22.23\00:48:25.25
they looked
toward the multitude,
00:48:25.28\00:48:27.17
and there were
their dead bodies,
00:48:27.20\00:48:29.50
fallen on the earth.
00:48:29.53\00:48:31.15
No one had escaped."
00:48:31.18\00:48:35.23
See once again
this idea, you know,
00:48:35.26\00:48:37.51
we're going to
enter the heavenly Canaan
00:48:37.54\00:48:40.03
by cooperating with God.
00:48:40.06\00:48:42.96
It doesn't mean that
we work and God saves us,
00:48:42.99\00:48:46.37
it means that God saves us,
00:48:46.40\00:48:48.81
we trust in Him,
therefore we obey Him
00:48:48.84\00:48:52.00
and we overcome the enemies.
00:48:52.03\00:48:54.67
Now notice Philippians 2:12-14.
00:48:54.70\00:48:59.25
Philippians Chapter 2 and
actually verses 12 and 13.
00:48:59.28\00:49:04.50
Here the Apostle Paul
explains this process.
00:49:04.53\00:49:07.86
"Therefore, my beloved,
as you have always obeyed,
00:49:07.89\00:49:12.41
not as in my presence only,
00:49:12.44\00:49:15.40
but now much
more in my absence,"
00:49:15.43\00:49:18.56
notice this, "work
out your own salvation
00:49:18.59\00:49:22.46
with fear and trembling,"
00:49:22.49\00:49:24.36
who works out the salvation?
00:49:24.39\00:49:27.67
It says, "work
out your own salvation
00:49:27.70\00:49:30.88
with fear and trembling."
00:49:30.91\00:49:31.94
You say that's
righteousness by works,
00:49:31.97\00:49:34.00
but then you have
to read the next verse.
00:49:34.03\00:49:35.68
In the next verse it says,
00:49:35.71\00:49:37.22
"For it is God who
works in you both to will
00:49:37.25\00:49:45.07
and to do for
His good pleasure."
00:49:45.10\00:49:49.81
Do you see the principle
illustrated in this passage?
00:49:49.84\00:49:53.04
Very clearly the Lord
tells us work out your salvation
00:49:53.07\00:49:59.29
with fear and trembling
00:49:59.32\00:50:01.22
but then he says
it is God who worked,
00:50:01.25\00:50:04.24
it is God who
works in you both to will
00:50:04.27\00:50:09.88
and to do His good pleasure.
00:50:09.91\00:50:13.68
You know God had tried
to teach Israel this lesson.
00:50:13.71\00:50:18.28
Notice Deuteronomy 3:22.
00:50:18.31\00:50:22.19
Deuteronomy 3:22.
00:50:22.22\00:50:26.17
God had warned Israel
00:50:26.20\00:50:27.23
when they
entered the Promised Land
00:50:27.26\00:50:28.85
that they were gonna
meet these powerful giants
00:50:28.88\00:50:31.85
and that the cities were
gonna be wall to the heavens.
00:50:31.88\00:50:34.35
God had warned them
00:50:34.38\00:50:35.41
but this is what
Canaan was gonna be like.
00:50:35.44\00:50:37.98
But God had also told
them don't be afraid of them,
00:50:38.01\00:50:41.54
because I am more
powerful than they are.
00:50:41.57\00:50:44.65
Notice Deuteronomy 3:22.
00:50:44.68\00:50:48.07
"You must not fear them,
00:50:48.10\00:50:53.25
for the Lord your God
Himself fights for you."
00:50:53.28\00:51:00.47
There you have in a nutshell,
00:51:00.50\00:51:01.59
the principle that I'm
trying to share with you.
00:51:01.62\00:51:04.21
The secret of
victory over the enemies
00:51:04.24\00:51:07.96
so that we can
enter the heavenly Canaan.
00:51:07.99\00:51:11.23
It means trusting in the
Lord and allowing the Lord
00:51:11.26\00:51:14.55
to fight our battles through us.
00:51:14.58\00:51:18.54
Notice what the Apostle Paul
has to say in Philippians 4:13.
00:51:18.57\00:51:25.39
Philippians 4:13.
00:51:25.42\00:51:30.00
There the Apostle Paul says this
00:51:32.20\00:51:34.19
and you've heard
this verse before.
00:51:34.22\00:51:36.10
He says, I can do most things
00:51:36.13\00:51:38.86
through Christ
who strengthens me.
00:51:38.89\00:51:43.17
Oh, that's not what it says,
00:51:43.20\00:51:44.92
that's the Steve
Bohr 21st century version.
00:51:44.95\00:51:49.37
Okay, let's try again.
00:51:49.40\00:51:51.49
I can do some
things through Christ
00:51:51.52\00:51:55.16
who strengthens me.
00:51:55.19\00:51:57.30
That's not what the text says.
00:51:57.33\00:51:59.79
The text says I
can do all things,
00:51:59.82\00:52:03.89
except overcome sin,
00:52:03.92\00:52:06.32
through Christ
who strengthens me.
00:52:06.35\00:52:09.15
That's not what the text says.
00:52:09.18\00:52:11.26
You know when people say
it's impossible to overcome sin
00:52:11.29\00:52:14.77
because you have a sinful nature
00:52:14.80\00:52:17.07
and the sinful
nature is too powerful
00:52:17.10\00:52:19.15
and you're gonna
be sinning all the way
00:52:19.18\00:52:21.51
into the heavenly Canaan.
00:52:21.54\00:52:23.11
When they say that
they're really saying
00:52:23.14\00:52:25.31
that the flesh is
more powerful than God is.
00:52:25.34\00:52:28.56
They don't think of it this way
00:52:28.59\00:52:30.16
but if you say that it's
impossible to overcome sin
00:52:30.19\00:52:33.27
before we enter
heaven, you're saying
00:52:33.30\00:52:35.61
that it is impossible for God
00:52:35.64\00:52:37.49
that God is not powerful enough
00:52:37.52\00:52:39.44
to give us the
victory of over sin
00:52:39.47\00:52:41.41
that the flesh and
the world and the devil
00:52:41.44\00:52:44.17
are more powerful than God is.
00:52:44.20\00:52:47.69
Let's not limit
the power of God.
00:52:47.72\00:52:51.16
Now I'd like to read a statement
as we draw this to a close,
00:52:51.19\00:52:54.27
this is a marvelous statement.
00:52:54.30\00:52:56.13
It's found in
"Christ's Object Lessons"
00:52:56.16\00:52:58.52
pages 3-- actually page 333,
00:52:58.55\00:53:03.78
page 333 of
"Christ's Object Lessons."
00:53:03.81\00:53:07.14
And actually you
know it would be good
00:53:07.17\00:53:09.50
if you read pages 331 to 333,
00:53:09.53\00:53:13.59
there's a lot of material
that comes before this statement
00:53:13.62\00:53:15.99
but I'm only gonna read
this excerpt from page 333.
00:53:16.02\00:53:20.64
That should be
easy to remember, right?
00:53:20.67\00:53:22.34
333, half of the
number of the beast.
00:53:22.37\00:53:25.78
How about that? You
will never forget it now.
00:53:25.81\00:53:28.13
"Christ's Object Lessons" 333,
00:53:28.16\00:53:30.68
this is what
Ellen White has to say,
00:53:30.71\00:53:33.80
"As the will of man
00:53:33.83\00:53:37.78
cooperates with the will of God,
00:53:37.81\00:53:42.74
it becomes omnipotent."
00:53:42.77\00:53:46.55
What does omnipotent mean?
00:53:46.58\00:53:49.25
It means that you
can do everything.
00:53:49.28\00:53:50.98
It means you can do all.
00:53:51.01\00:53:52.97
What happens
when the will of man
00:53:53.00\00:53:54.76
cooperates with the will of God?
00:53:54.79\00:53:56.70
The will of man becomes, what?
00:53:56.73\00:53:59.70
Omnipotent.
00:53:59.73\00:54:02.14
She continues saying,
00:54:02.17\00:54:03.63
"Whatever is to be
done at His command
00:54:03.66\00:54:08.84
may be
accomplished in His strength."
00:54:08.87\00:54:11.19
I love that.
00:54:11.22\00:54:12.47
Once again, "Whatever is
to be done at His command
00:54:12.50\00:54:16.93
may be
accomplished in His strength."
00:54:16.96\00:54:18.77
In other words God
tells us what to do
00:54:18.80\00:54:22.20
and then He gives
the strength to do it.
00:54:22.23\00:54:25.43
She ends the
statement by saying,
00:54:25.46\00:54:27.50
"All His
biddings are enablings."
00:54:27.53\00:54:32.31
In other words, everything
that He bids us to do,
00:54:32.34\00:54:35.46
He also gives us
the resources to do.
00:54:35.49\00:54:39.72
You know coming back
to the issue of the tithe,
00:54:39.75\00:54:41.32
some people say,
"Pastor, you know,
00:54:41.35\00:54:42.92
I can't return the tithe.
00:54:42.95\00:54:45.32
I just don't have enough money.
00:54:45.35\00:54:47.76
You know, after I
pay all of my bills
00:54:47.79\00:54:49.36
there's nothing left."
00:54:49.39\00:54:51.90
You know I can
give you a formula
00:54:51.93\00:54:53.27
where you'll always have
enough money to pay your tithe,
00:54:53.30\00:54:56.45
that is pay it
first or return it first.
00:54:56.48\00:54:59.47
You'll always have
enough if you return it first.
00:54:59.50\00:55:01.58
"Oh, but then
I've the creditors come
00:55:01.61\00:55:03.66
and foreclose my home."
00:55:03.69\00:55:05.01
Well, let me ask you,
00:55:05.04\00:55:06.25
what will be better to
have your home foreclosed
00:55:06.28\00:55:08.87
or to steal from God?
00:55:08.90\00:55:11.91
Probably it'd be best for us
00:55:11.94\00:55:13.70
not to get into
debt on our credit cards
00:55:13.73\00:55:16.79
and have good
stewardship principles.
00:55:16.82\00:55:19.52
Then we wouldn't have troubles
00:55:19.55\00:55:21.27
taking the tithe
and giving the tithe
00:55:21.30\00:55:23.51
and also paying
the rest of our bills.
00:55:23.54\00:55:26.39
What I'm saying is
that when God tells us,
00:55:26.42\00:55:28.59
you know, return
a faithful tithe,
00:55:28.62\00:55:30.98
he's gonna make
it possible for us
00:55:31.01\00:55:32.76
to return a faithful tithe.
00:55:32.79\00:55:34.85
When God says keep the
Sabbath, you know, people say,
00:55:34.88\00:55:39.00
"Well, but what I'm gonna
do, I have to work on Sabbaths.
00:55:39.03\00:55:42.69
They're not gonna give
me Sabbath off at my job."
00:55:42.72\00:55:45.16
So what are you saying is God
is telling you to do something
00:55:45.19\00:55:48.19
and He's not gonna give you
the resources to accomplish it.
00:55:48.22\00:55:51.33
The fact is God
says in His word,
00:55:51.36\00:55:53.93
He says if you love Me,
00:55:53.96\00:55:55.69
trust Me enough
to keep My Sabbath.
00:55:55.72\00:55:58.56
And if you keep My Sabbath,
00:55:58.59\00:56:00.30
I'm not gonna
leave you out to dry.
00:56:00.33\00:56:03.01
I'm gonna come
00:56:03.04\00:56:04.24
and I'm going to either
allow you to keep your job
00:56:04.27\00:56:08.04
or else I am going to make it
possible for you to find a job
00:56:08.07\00:56:11.68
that is better than
the one that you have.
00:56:11.71\00:56:13.84
But we have to step out in faith
00:56:13.87\00:56:16.32
and we have to obey
God because we love God.
00:56:16.35\00:56:20.20
So we find in our study today
00:56:20.23\00:56:23.31
four ways of
approaching Canaan, heaven.
00:56:23.34\00:56:29.51
We have left Egypt.
00:56:29.54\00:56:31.90
We're on our pilgrimage
across the desert of this world
00:56:31.93\00:56:35.32
to the heavenly Canaan.
00:56:35.35\00:56:37.50
The enemies are the
devil and his angels,
00:56:37.53\00:56:39.47
the world, the
flesh, they're powerful
00:56:39.50\00:56:43.09
and there are four ways in
which we can approach this,
00:56:43.12\00:56:45.85
we can either, one,
00:56:45.88\00:56:47.16
say that enemies are
too powerful, I give up,
00:56:47.19\00:56:50.48
I'm gonna go back and
have fun in the world.
00:56:50.51\00:56:53.72
The second one, the second
way of approaching to the same,
00:56:53.75\00:56:57.18
hey, I can take
Canaan by my own efforts,
00:56:57.21\00:57:00.10
by my own works I
can make it to heaven,
00:57:00.13\00:57:02.55
it's an impossibility.
00:57:02.58\00:57:04.81
The third is by
reaching the borders of Canaan
00:57:04.84\00:57:08.35
and thinking that
we can enter Canaan
00:57:08.38\00:57:10.89
and take possession
of the Promised Land
00:57:10.92\00:57:12.94
by cherishing sin in our lives.
00:57:12.97\00:57:16.97
And the fourth is
the true and only way
00:57:17.00\00:57:20.85
and that is by
cooperating with divine power
00:57:20.88\00:57:26.18
to overcome the
enemy in our lives.
00:57:26.21\00:57:30.28