Hello friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as we
explore God's word together
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on this edition
of "House Calls."
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Well, welcome to
another "House Calls" program
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where we continue our
journey through the Word of God.
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And today we're going to
think of this as a great menu,
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so get your menu because
God has something in here
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cooking to nourish yourself
today and I'm not by myself,
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I have my good
friend, John Stanton.
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Good to see you, John.
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It's good to be here,
John, in another program.
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A program we get to
just dive into God's Word
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and really enjoy
spending time with Him
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and with what He
wants to teach us today.
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So I am excited about that.
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That's right and we also,
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we would like to
encourage you to pray
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and ask the Lord's
presence to be here with us.
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Let's do that.
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Dear Father in
heaven, we are so thankful
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to be able to open
Your Word here today
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and have the freedom to do so.
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There was a time
where we could not do that,
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but Lord we can
today and we ask that
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you would send Your Holy Spirit,
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Lord to give us,
guidance and direction,
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touch each heart and each mind
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that is listening
or watching here today,
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in Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
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Well, friends as you
know, your Bible questions
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makea big impact on
the program and through--
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John, about five years
now, you've been sending
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Bible questions and some
of you really get carried away
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and send a small
doctoral dissertations
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and it makes it very
difficult for us to answer that,
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so if you would
like to narrow that down,
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some of you ask the
question on the very last line,
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you notice that, John? Yeah.
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And so but if you
do have any questions,
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you can send those questions
to housecalls @3abn.org.
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That's housecalls @3abn.org and
we would like to download those
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and do our best to
answer the questions
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and if you need
further clarification,
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go ahead and send that
question to that email.
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But John, what do
you have for us today?
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Well, I've a got couple
of great questions here.
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The first one
I've got is a question,
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John, that I think is the
most commonly stated reason
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for saying that
the God doesn't exist.
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And I just read this
here, it's a brief question
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but one that is very
important for us to answer
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for anyone who is seeking out
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God and
relationship with Him to answer.
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In 1 Samuel
15:3, God tells that,
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children of
Israel to kill infants.
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How can God be all
good when He orders
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the killing of innocent infants
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and I would extend
this to not just infants,
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but many have
issues that he just,
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you know the God would
command the children of Israel
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to go in and kill anybody,
whether they be infants,
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mothers, you know
who ever it may be,
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and that's
often the stated case,
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I think you
could expand that too.
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Even today the argument
goes something like this,
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where how could have
God, if He exists, standby
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and watch the disasters
and the horrific things
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that happened
today in this world.
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So it's kind of, I am
looking to kind of answer this
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in a well-rounded or at
least in all encompassing way.
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But first,
there are three texts,
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John, three passages I
like to go on this one.
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First one is Deuteronomy 7:1
and I'll read through verse 8,
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Deuteronomy 7:1, it says,
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"When the Lord your God
brings you into the land
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which you go to possess
and He casts our many nations
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before you, the
Hittites, and the Girgashites,
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and the Amorites,
and the Canaanites,
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and the Perizzites, and
the Hivites and the Jebusites,
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seven nations greater
and mightier than you.
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And when the Lord your
God delivers them over to you,
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you shall conquer them
and utterly destroy them.
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You shall make no covenant with
them, nor show mercy to them.
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Nor shall you make
marriages with them.
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You shall not give
your daughter to their son,
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nor take their
daughter for your son.
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For they will turn your
sons away from following Me,
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to serve other gods;
so the anger of the Lord
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will be aroused against
you and destroy you suddenly.
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But thus you
shall deal with them:
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you shall destroy their altars,
break down their sacred pillars,
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and cut down
their wooden images,
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and burn their
carved images with fire.
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For you are a holy
people to the Lord your God;
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the Lord your God has chosen
you to be a people for Himself,
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a special treasure
above all the peoples
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on the face of the earth."
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And then he says, "The
Lord did not set His love
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on you nor choose you
because you were more in number
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than the other people, for you
were the least of all people."
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Now listen to this,
John, this is verse 8.
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All--you know,
basically the reason,
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it gives the
reason why God says,
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I want you to
destroy everyone utterly
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and everything they represent,
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their images
their altars all this.
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Verse 8.
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"But because the Lord loves you,
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and because He
would keep the oath
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which He swore to your fathers,
the Lord has brought you out
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with a mighty hand, and redeemed
you from the house of bondage,
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there is
another indicator there,
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from the hand of
Pharaoh king of Egypt."
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The reason the Lord
ask them to do it this way,
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to destroy them
utterly is because,
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first of all,
God loves His people
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and if you love somebody you're
going to want to protect them.
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Protect them from,
what's implied here,
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protect them from bondage
and the sin that would result,
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if they are to
mingle with those nations
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that are there as they
go into the land of Canaan.
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Now turn with me to Jonah 1.
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little Book of Jonah
1 and we'll just read
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the first couple of verses
here, but this is hopefully,
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it'll give you a
little well-rounded indication
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of what the Lord is
doing, here when He says,
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I want you to go in and
destroy all that are there.
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That's a good book, Jonah. Yes.
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Focused on one man
by the name of Jonah.
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Okay, verse 1.
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"Now the word of the Lord came
to Jonah, the son of Amittai,
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saying, arise go to
Nineveh, that great city
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and cry out against it,
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for their wickedness
has come up before me."
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Now John, you know those words,
we can just kind of run by,
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and not really
give much thought to
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but really that God's
stating that their wickedness
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is come up before
him, it's not saying,
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that God didn't see
their wickedness before.
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I think any sin
that is committed,
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any wicked act, God sees. Right.
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But apparently,
as a corporation,
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as a corporate city
here, the wickedness has become
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so great in
Nineveh, that it came up
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before the Lord to be judged.
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So it was a time of judgment
that God had called Jonah,
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to be part of.
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Now we know that God
is also a merciful God,
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but the question is,
could it be that some nations
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would become so
wicked that would not repent
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that God would have to
in His judgment eradicate.
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Well, we say, we've to say
yes to that because we know
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Sodom is one and
Gomorrah is another one,
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where He sent, rain down
fire and brimstone on them
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to destroy the entire
city, they were beyond,
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they were beyond
the mercy of God,
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not because God
was not merciful,
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but because they
didn't want God's mercy.
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And I think if God
allows wickedness to propagate
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and to go faster
than or go to a speed that
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He is capable of going,
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it would inevitably
consume the entire world.
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He's got to keep it
to a degree in check.
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And He doesn't always do this
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by raining down
fire and brimstone
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but He often uses His people
to accomplish those things,
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and that's what I
believe He was doing there,
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initially with the
children of Israel,
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saying when you
go into this land,
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I am going to go before
you, I'll defeat your enemies
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before you but I want you
to utterly wipe them all out
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because those
nations were judged.
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Now if you look
at Revelation 18,
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which is the third one, just
to kind hold picture together.
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We find some similar language
here, beginning with verse 1.
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It says, "After
these things I saw
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another angel
coming down from heaven,
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having great
authority, and the earth was
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illuminated with his glory.
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And he cried mightily
with a loud voice, saying,
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"Babylon the great has what?
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fallen, is
fallen, and has become
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a dwelling place of demons,
a prison for every foul spirit,
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and a cage for every
unclean and hated bird."
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You see the city of Babylon,
which we know is figurative,
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but that city has fallen.
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It is no--there is
no righteousness in it,
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there's no good
thing in it any longer,
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it is completely
corrupt and utterly worthy
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of nothing but judgment now.
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And so the cry
goes out, verse 5,
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"For her sins
have reached to heaven,
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and God has
remembered her iniquities."
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After of course, it
declares that God's people
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should come out quickly
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and similar to
what He did with Sodom
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didn't he call Lot to
come out with his family
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before Sodom was destroyed.
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Yes, he did.
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So, now to kind of
conclude this whole thing,
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then you can weigh in,
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and I know you got
some other things there,
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but it seems to be that God,
when the wickedness of a nation
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becomes so great that their sins
come before Him for judgment,
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He uses God's people as He did,
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God uses the Israelites
to go in and to do work,
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it's a strange work, but
yet the work that must be done
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to hold sin in check.
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To keeping it from going
too fast and more than that,
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to make sure that it
does not impact or affect
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or bring His
people back into bondage,
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which if you
remember from Deuteronomy,
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was the stated reason
for destroying the altars,
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the carved
images, burning them up.
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He did not want His
people to be corrupted
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and returning to
that same kind of a nation
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that He's moved
beyond God's mercy,
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or at least being
called by God's name to appoint
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where they have
to be then judged.
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So you know this isn't
an issue of God not loving,
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this is an issue
of God in His love,
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for the protection of
others, taking a nation
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that is beyond
that and destroy them.
00:10:00.66\00:10:04.04
Very good
approach to that, John.
00:10:04.07\00:10:06.35
You know, sometimes people
see situations lot of times
00:10:06.38\00:10:09.42
and we still get
the questions today.
00:10:09.45\00:10:10.78
People say why
does God allow war?
00:10:10.81\00:10:13.57
Why are
children being kidnapped?
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Why do innocent
people die needlessly?
00:10:17.53\00:10:20.99
That answer would
be in a world of sin,
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but just to zero-in
on what you just assessed
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or why does God allow
nations and other nations
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to completely be wiped
out, not just the soldiers,
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but the sons, the
daughters, the wives,
00:10:32.25\00:10:36.15
and the children, the infants.
00:10:36.18\00:10:38.56
The thing that we often overlook
is the sovereignty of God.
00:10:38.59\00:10:43.46
See, man's understanding
is usually is limited,
00:10:43.49\00:10:48.52
not usually, is always
limited by the here and now.
00:10:48.55\00:10:52.32
We don't see 15, 20, 30 may
be generations into the future.
00:10:52.35\00:10:56.96
We can prognosticate or predict,
00:10:56.99\00:10:59.24
what we think is
going to be the case,
00:10:59.27\00:11:00.58
but God doesn't
have to guess like we do.
00:11:00.61\00:11:03.81
You know we have educated
guesses based on information
00:11:03.84\00:11:06.71
that we gather,
statistical information,
00:11:06.74\00:11:09.75
but God doesn't even need that,
00:11:09.78\00:11:11.20
God sees where
things are going to go
00:11:11.23\00:11:13.16
before they even get there.
00:11:13.19\00:11:15.02
And so the Lord sees
the condition of a nation
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and in the Old Testament times,
00:11:18.70\00:11:20.62
there were
nations that had lived,
00:11:20.65\00:11:23.02
their very existence was
dedicated to serve a false god.
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The very reason
they came into existence
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and the very foundation
of their entire culture
00:11:30.72\00:11:33.82
was the service
of the false God,
00:11:33.85\00:11:35.77
and they
dedicated their existence
00:11:35.80\00:11:37.37
to wiping out the people of God.
00:11:37.40\00:11:39.33
And their practices
were just wicked to the core.
00:11:39.36\00:11:43.82
I mean, we have some insights
in that they would sacrifice
00:11:43.85\00:11:47.34
their children and
do many things that,
00:11:47.37\00:11:50.71
you know their
women, their young women,
00:11:50.74\00:11:52.92
things that were done then would
seem just so heinous to us.
00:11:52.95\00:11:59.67
And so I think we
also, we can look forward.
00:11:59.70\00:12:02.94
But we can't look
back to see the degree
00:12:02.97\00:12:05.07
and the degradation
that though that nation had,
00:12:05.10\00:12:07.52
not as just the soldiers
but down at the very child,
00:12:07.55\00:12:11.12
how corrupt it was.
00:12:11.15\00:12:12.49
And you know the
sovereignty of God is there,
00:12:12.52\00:12:14.17
they see even more than we did.
00:12:14.20\00:12:15.44
Matter of fact, a few Bible
verses I like to share with you.
00:12:15.47\00:12:18.89
First one is Isaiah 46:10.
00:12:18.92\00:12:22.09
The Lord says "Declaring
the end from the beginning
00:12:22.12\00:12:26.22
and from ancient times
things that are not yet done."
00:12:26.25\00:12:30.20
So the Lord sees the
end from the beginning
00:12:30.23\00:12:32.06
from ancient times, He sees
things that are not yet done,
00:12:32.09\00:12:34.80
but He even goes further,
00:12:34.83\00:12:36.34
not just things
that are not yet done
00:12:36.37\00:12:38.00
but He begins to see the culture
and as in the story of Job,
00:12:38.03\00:12:43.24
we never--we didn't see
the end of the Job's trials
00:12:43.27\00:12:46.10
but Job didn't see
the end of his trials.
00:12:46.13\00:12:48.32
But the Lord saw
the end of his trials,
00:12:48.35\00:12:50.50
but the Lord also sees
the end of those things
00:12:50.53\00:12:52.74
that nations that
are wicked would do,
00:12:52.77\00:12:55.02
if He allows them to exist
for a certain period of time.
00:12:55.05\00:12:58.48
Here's the commandment
that you've heard before.
00:12:58.51\00:13:01.87
Exodus 20:5, speaking
about these false gods, it says
00:13:01.90\00:13:06.71
"Thou shalt not bow
down thyself to them,
00:13:06.74\00:13:10.96
nor serve them: for I the
Lord thy God I am a jealous God,
00:13:10.99\00:13:15.64
visiting the iniquity of
the fathers unto the children
00:13:15.67\00:13:19.66
up on the third
and fourth generation
00:13:19.69\00:13:21.59
of them that hate me."
00:13:21.62\00:13:23.31
Now you may-let me just
use a very terrible example.
00:13:23.34\00:13:26.87
When I say terrible, I
hope it's not terrible.
00:13:26.90\00:13:28.86
But sometimes
we'd see a murderer,
00:13:28.89\00:13:32.26
a very rage filled
murderer, or let me give you
00:13:32.29\00:13:35.19
something less
heinous, a drug dealer,
00:13:35.22\00:13:37.81
or a drug dealing community
00:13:37.84\00:13:40.14
and we say if that
community is allowed to exist,
00:13:40.17\00:13:42.51
if that crack house
is allowed to stay there,
00:13:42.54\00:13:45.23
the only purpose it's going
to serve is to be a crack house.
00:13:45.26\00:13:49.25
I mean there's no
other reason it exists.
00:13:49.28\00:13:51.62
And it will bring
other people down.
00:13:51.65\00:13:52.97
It's going to bring
down this neighborhood
00:13:53.00\00:13:54.46
as long as its there.
00:13:54.49\00:13:55.71
So somebody says, well,
if you tear down that house,
00:13:55.74\00:13:59.30
you may rob
somebody of the right
00:13:59.33\00:14:02.33
to own a house one day.
00:14:02.36\00:14:04.12
And we will say,
well the only purpose
00:14:04.15\00:14:06.50
that house serves right
now, it's the crack house.
00:14:06.53\00:14:08.94
If it continues to exist,
00:14:08.97\00:14:10.41
my children and my
children's children
00:14:10.44\00:14:12.12
and going and so
forth would be affected
00:14:12.15\00:14:13.92
by that crack house.
00:14:13.95\00:14:14.98
Everybody comes
from every neighborhood
00:14:15.01\00:14:16.86
and goes into that
house of abandonment,
00:14:16.89\00:14:20.28
that house of ill repute,
that place of human destruction.
00:14:20.31\00:14:23.49
So the only way to
cut off this cancer
00:14:23.52\00:14:26.29
is to completely obliterate
and destroy that house,
00:14:26.32\00:14:29.52
and that's what the Lord did.
00:14:29.55\00:14:31.02
Notice what he
said, Exodus 23:23,
00:14:31.05\00:14:35.60
"For my angel" speaking of
the blessing He wanted to give
00:14:35.63\00:14:37.99
to the children of
Israel, "For my angel shall go
00:14:38.02\00:14:40.86
before thee and brings thee
00:14:40.89\00:14:43.52
unto the
Amorites and the Hittites
00:14:43.55\00:14:46.85
and the Perizzites
and the Canaanites,
00:14:46.88\00:14:49.25
and the Hivites
and the Jebusites,
00:14:49.28\00:14:51.78
and I will cut them off.
00:14:51.81\00:14:54.63
So how could God
bless His children in a land
00:14:54.66\00:14:57.31
that all these
wicked nations existent
00:14:57.34\00:15:00.44
and prevent those nations
from corrupting his people.
00:15:00.47\00:15:03.80
there's only one
way I will cut them off.
00:15:03.83\00:15:06.58
Thus the ultimate end, sinners
won't be going to heaven. Yes.
00:15:06.61\00:15:11.82
And people are not going there,
00:15:11.85\00:15:13.80
just because God
is a merciful God.
00:15:13.83\00:15:15.61
There's a
teaching nowadays that,
00:15:15.64\00:15:17.11
well, nobody's
really going to be lost,
00:15:17.14\00:15:19.21
everybody's going to be saved.
00:15:19.24\00:15:20.53
Very small school but
there are those who will say,
00:15:20.56\00:15:23.00
God will not destroy
because God is only a good God
00:15:23.03\00:15:26.09
and anything that comes with
destruction is not from God.
00:15:26.12\00:15:29.27
Oh, no, God is
going to eradicate sin
00:15:29.30\00:15:31.51
and sinners one day,
00:15:31.54\00:15:32.68
that's why we are
making our decision now
00:15:32.71\00:15:34.62
as to what we
want our future to be.
00:15:34.65\00:15:36.20
And it's our decision to
link with sin and to retain sin
00:15:36.23\00:15:38.70
and to practice sin
because it has to be destroyed,
00:15:38.73\00:15:41.87
if in fact that's our practice,
00:15:41.90\00:15:44.21
right along with the
sin that God destroys.
00:15:44.24\00:15:46.61
You know God's target is not
people, mercy targets people.
00:15:46.64\00:15:51.11
God's target is sin
and getting rid of sin.
00:15:51.14\00:15:54.18
There you go. It's a very
important thing to remember.
00:15:54.21\00:15:56.28
Very, very good
approach to that.
00:15:56.31\00:15:58.36
God's target is sin,
00:15:58.39\00:16:01.84
and I want to go
back to that illustration.
00:16:01.87\00:16:05.36
You know when it rains,
it is not God's intention
00:16:05.39\00:16:09.01
to wet up your brand new suit.
00:16:09.04\00:16:12.14
That's right. So
use that umbrella, okay.
00:16:12.17\00:16:14.90
God has made, we
have modern inventions
00:16:14.93\00:16:17.99
that can keep
your brand new suit
00:16:18.02\00:16:19.74
or your nice new
dress or your brand new car,
00:16:19.77\00:16:24.28
from having the
interior deluged with water.
00:16:24.31\00:16:27.10
Pull up the window,
get yourself an umbrella
00:16:27.13\00:16:29.45
and don't blame the rain, okay.
00:16:29.48\00:16:31.90
That's what we are
doing, we are blaming the rain.
00:16:31.93\00:16:33.41
We are blaming God when
in fact Lord has made a way
00:16:33.44\00:16:36.65
for us to escape the
judgments that could come.
00:16:36.68\00:16:39.98
Another question
I want to clarify,
00:16:40.01\00:16:43.69
few programs ago, we
talked about creations
00:16:43.72\00:16:46.44
and somebody wrote in
to ask us to clarify this.
00:16:46.47\00:16:50.06
There's--there are
two schools of thought,
00:16:50.09\00:16:51.63
John, that's right out
there now and they're kind of
00:16:51.66\00:16:53.97
playing ping
pong with each other.
00:16:54.00\00:16:56.15
One school of thought believes
that God did create everything
00:16:56.18\00:17:00.78
but that He just left
the earth sitting here
00:17:00.81\00:17:02.69
for an
indefinite period of time,
00:17:02.72\00:17:05.36
whether 2 years,
or 60 million years,
00:17:05.39\00:17:10.27
and there is an
attempt to blend evolution
00:17:10.30\00:17:14.63
and creation together thus
to justify what archeologists
00:17:14.66\00:17:19.39
or people that
excavate or people that discover
00:17:19.42\00:17:23.10
bones and fragments
from many, many generations
00:17:23.13\00:17:26.88
that say well, that
was 30 million years ago,
00:17:26.91\00:17:29.22
that was 60 million years ago,
that was 5 billion years ago.
00:17:29.25\00:17:31.95
They are saying that
the earth was sitting here
00:17:31.98\00:17:33.59
that long and
then God came along
00:17:33.62\00:17:35.72
and decided to do
something with it.
00:17:35.75\00:17:37.76
Well, if you
follow the creation story
00:17:37.79\00:17:39.58
the Bible says in Genesis1:1,
00:17:39.61\00:17:42.28
"In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth."
00:17:42.31\00:17:46.19
Notice singular, the
heaven and the earth.
00:17:46.22\00:17:48.57
Or as other translations,
the heavens and the earth,
00:17:48.60\00:17:51.70
meaning they are three heavens.
00:17:51.73\00:17:53.62
Let's point them
now and sure the one
00:17:53.65\00:17:56.61
that God didn't
create in the very beginning.
00:17:56.64\00:17:59.35
God didn't create
the heaven where He is,
00:17:59.38\00:18:02.84
because God always is.
00:18:02.87\00:18:04.20
Right. Okay.
00:18:04.23\00:18:05.51
But the heavens we
referred to as the planets,
00:18:05.54\00:18:08.11
the stars, the moon,
the atmosphere above us
00:18:08.14\00:18:11.14
where the birds
fly, and the planets
00:18:11.17\00:18:14.07
where those things
created, when the Bible says
00:18:14.10\00:18:16.57
"In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth."
00:18:16.60\00:18:19.42
And then also God created
the earth and when He did,
00:18:19.45\00:18:22.23
during that creation
week, it was an empty mass
00:18:22.26\00:18:26.78
that then during that
creation which He began
00:18:26.81\00:18:29.08
to populate it with
plants, with land mass,
00:18:29.11\00:18:33.51
with vegetation, with birds,
00:18:33.54\00:18:35.84
all the things
that we do now have.
00:18:35.87\00:18:37.80
So just wanted to
clarify, that we don't believe
00:18:37.83\00:18:40.68
that the earth was sitting here
00:18:40.71\00:18:42.21
for an
indefinite period of time,
00:18:42.24\00:18:44.69
even though God created it
and then came back later on.
00:18:44.72\00:18:47.92
We don't believe that
God came back later on
00:18:47.95\00:18:49.59
and decided to do
something with it.
00:18:49.62\00:18:51.33
Right. Okay.
00:18:51.36\00:18:52.84
Yeah, and while clearly
we have the Spirit of God
00:18:52.87\00:18:55.43
hovering over the
face of the earth,
00:18:55.46\00:18:58.03
like you're saying,
it wasn't, something that
00:18:58.06\00:19:00.36
He came back for it. Right.
00:19:00.39\00:19:02.02
It was an immediate sense
that He, that this element,
00:19:02.05\00:19:05.47
this round earth was created
and then He began to hover
00:19:05.50\00:19:08.84
to then put the
things that are in the earth
00:19:08.87\00:19:11.12
and put the skies and
the heavens and things
00:19:11.15\00:19:13.31
and create in six literal days.
00:19:13.34\00:19:17.51
You know, we are not covering
00:19:17.54\00:19:18.57
this isn't
creation topic necessarily
00:19:18.60\00:19:19.87
but literal days that's
what we are talking about.
00:19:19.90\00:19:22.44
Thank you, John.
00:19:22.47\00:19:23.84
And what you have
for us, I'm not sure.
00:19:23.87\00:19:24.97
We have one more question.
00:19:25.00\00:19:26.51
This is from
Catalan and she is 12.
00:19:26.54\00:19:29.30
And she says, I love
watching House Calls.
00:19:29.33\00:19:32.12
She lives in the Cayman Islands,
00:19:32.15\00:19:33.79
she lives in
Cayman specifically.
00:19:33.82\00:19:35.85
And it says that she is
excited to see Jesus one day,
00:19:35.88\00:19:39.97
but she wants to know
that if everyone's going
00:19:40.00\00:19:42.25
to be judge or just unbelievers.
00:19:42.28\00:19:45.90
And so any ways
this is a question,
00:19:45.93\00:19:47.65
there is a few scripture
that we can take a look at.
00:19:47.68\00:19:49.69
I know, John, that we can go
back and forth on this a bit.
00:19:49.72\00:19:53.66
The first one
found in John 5:28, 29,
00:19:53.69\00:19:57.68
says that there are going
to be two kinds of judgments,
00:19:57.71\00:20:01.78
and well, we
might as well read it.
00:20:01.81\00:20:02.96
Let's just take
a quick look here.
00:20:02.99\00:20:04.16
Let's go for it.
00:20:04.19\00:20:05.22
John 5:28, 29 says,
00:20:05.25\00:20:11.25
"Do not marvel at
this, for the hour is coming,
00:20:11.28\00:20:14.02
in which all who
are in the graves
00:20:14.05\00:20:16.28
will hear His
voice and come forth,
00:20:16.31\00:20:21.66
those who have done good,
to the resurrection of life,
00:20:21.69\00:20:24.58
and those who have done evil,
00:20:24.61\00:20:26.26
to the
resurrection of condemnation."
00:20:26.29\00:20:28.43
Two resurrections
clearly. That's right.
00:20:28.46\00:20:30.71
One sect, or one group is being
resurrected to eternal life,
00:20:30.74\00:20:34.45
the other group
is resurrected to
00:20:34.48\00:20:37.27
eternal
condemnation or eternal death.
00:20:37.30\00:20:40.28
Notice the polar opposites here.
00:20:40.31\00:20:42.86
You either have eternal
life or you an eternal death.
00:20:42.89\00:20:46.19
There's no eternal life and
eternal life in hell. Exactly.
00:20:46.22\00:20:51.01
It's eternal
life or eternal death.
00:20:51.04\00:20:53.04
That's what that
verse is talking about,
00:20:53.07\00:20:54.59
we go to two judgments.
00:20:54.62\00:20:56.13
But now look with me, turn with
me over to 1 Thessalonians 4.
00:20:56.16\00:21:00.78
Where we're going to
see, since she was putting
00:21:00.81\00:21:03.72
in the context here of
Christ coming and the judgment,
00:21:03.75\00:21:06.83
let's take a look at,
00:21:06.86\00:21:07.89
what happens during
Christ return. Okay.
00:21:07.92\00:21:13.64
1
Thessalonians, you want to read
00:21:13.67\00:21:14.75
that verses 16 and 17, John?
00:21:14.78\00:21:17.22
Okay, verse 16 and 17.
00:21:17.25\00:21:20.09
1 Thessalonians 4:16.
00:21:20.12\00:21:23.46
"For the Lord
himself shall descend
00:21:23.49\00:21:25.89
from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel,
00:21:25.92\00:21:29.37
and with the trump of God,
00:21:29.40\00:21:30.55
and the dead in
Christ shall rise first.
00:21:30.58\00:21:33.82
Then we which are
alive and remain shall be
00:21:33.85\00:21:36.30
caught up together
with them in the clouds,
00:21:36.33\00:21:38.73
to meet the Lord in the air,
00:21:38.76\00:21:41.01
and so shall we
ever be with the Lord."
00:21:41.04\00:21:44.01
It's
interesting, the description
00:21:44.04\00:21:45.53
as you read various descriptions
throughout God's word,
00:21:45.56\00:21:48.10
the description of
Christ's return always
00:21:48.13\00:21:51.37
for the most part
will include a reference
00:21:51.40\00:21:54.96
to the saint's
resurrection, not to the wicked.
00:21:54.99\00:21:59.81
You will never find a
Christ's second coming,
00:21:59.84\00:22:02.62
a resurrection of the wicked.
00:22:02.65\00:22:04.21
Not in one place in
scripture will you find that.
00:22:04.24\00:22:06.96
You will only
find as these verses,
00:22:06.99\00:22:09.49
it's probably the clearest
that the saints are resurrected
00:22:09.52\00:22:13.03
and then of
course, those who are alive
00:22:13.06\00:22:14.42
and our saints are
caught up with them
00:22:14.45\00:22:16.25
to meet the Lord in the air.
00:22:16.28\00:22:17.75
So what happens at
that second coming is,
00:22:17.78\00:22:20.57
with regard to the wicked,
they are not resurrected,
00:22:20.60\00:22:23.71
and those who are wicked,
who are alive at that time
00:22:23.74\00:22:26.70
are destroyed by the
brightness of Christ's return.
00:22:26.73\00:22:29.57
But there is no
judgment of the wicked.
00:22:29.60\00:22:32.09
But let me ask you a question.
00:22:32.12\00:22:33.16
If the saints go to
heaven and receive their reward,
00:22:33.19\00:22:36.73
don't they need to
have experience of judgment?
00:22:36.76\00:22:40.40
Well, absolutely
and that's the point,
00:22:40.43\00:22:43.01
that the judgment of the saints,
those who profess His name,
00:22:43.04\00:22:46.94
who proclaim faith in Christ,
00:22:46.97\00:22:49.17
that judgment
has to be completed
00:22:49.20\00:22:50.82
because, John, face it,
00:22:50.85\00:22:52.23
there are some who
proclaim Christ says
00:22:52.26\00:22:54.07
they will save
you, who are not gods.
00:22:54.10\00:22:56.72
We read that it Mathew 7.
00:22:56.75\00:22:59.02
You know, those that did
all these things in His name
00:22:59.05\00:23:01.12
and he says that
I never knew you.
00:23:01.15\00:23:03.03
And then are those
who profess Christ,
00:23:03.06\00:23:05.25
who are His. Right.
00:23:05.28\00:23:06.61
There has to be a
judgment as we find
00:23:06.64\00:23:09.55
in the separating of
the sheep from the goats.
00:23:09.58\00:23:11.84
The judgment of that group,
who, who professes Christ,
00:23:11.87\00:23:15.72
needs to be put on
the side of the sheep
00:23:15.75\00:23:18.98
which are the
saints and who needs to be
00:23:19.01\00:23:20.55
on the side of the goats
which are not His. That's right.
00:23:20.58\00:23:23.32
Now this fits very
well, our current--
00:23:23.35\00:23:26.92
I would say
America's current legal system
00:23:26.95\00:23:29.73
where as someone who
is accused of something
00:23:29.76\00:23:33.68
and we are all accused
of being sinners, aren't we?
00:23:33.71\00:23:36.24
So when someone is accused
or brought before a court,
00:23:36.27\00:23:39.97
they enter a plea at that time,
00:23:40.00\00:23:43.21
and those who enter
a plea of not guilty,
00:23:43.24\00:23:46.97
I would qualify as
equating to those who say,
00:23:47.00\00:23:50.53
the Lord is my savior.
00:23:50.56\00:23:52.55
Those who enter a
plea of guilty are equated
00:23:52.58\00:23:56.51
to those who are the wicked,
00:23:56.54\00:23:57.65
who never professed Christ,
00:23:57.68\00:23:58.93
who could care less
and have always professed,
00:23:58.96\00:24:01.15
they don't believe in God,
00:24:01.18\00:24:02.81
they're not
interested in the kingdom of God
00:24:02.84\00:24:04.54
because they don't
think it's there first of all.
00:24:04.57\00:24:06.84
But they don't
want that part of life,
00:24:06.87\00:24:08.15
so they would enter
that plea of guilty.
00:24:08.18\00:24:10.56
And they would never argue
with that they're not guilty.
00:24:10.59\00:24:13.39
But some for those who are
entering the plea of not guilty
00:24:13.42\00:24:18.65
from that point on,
there is no final judgment,
00:24:18.68\00:24:21.85
there is no
executive judgment at that time
00:24:21.88\00:24:23.69
but what there is,
is an investigation.
00:24:23.72\00:24:26.26
There's
witnesses brought forward,
00:24:26.29\00:24:28.22
there's an
inspection of the evidence,
00:24:28.25\00:24:30.12
there's the
determination of whether or not
00:24:30.15\00:24:31.70
this person really is not guilty
or if in fact they are guilty,
00:24:31.73\00:24:35.73
they just
profess not to be guilty.
00:24:35.76\00:24:38.40
So there are some
then that are Gods,
00:24:38.43\00:24:41.05
that who profess Christ as their
savior who are still guilty,
00:24:41.08\00:24:44.75
who do not live that life that
God wants to have them live,
00:24:44.78\00:24:49.31
by changing their
life, by making them new,
00:24:49.34\00:24:51.42
by regenerating
their spiritual nature,
00:24:51.45\00:24:55.69
that do need that judgment,
they do need that inspection.
00:24:55.72\00:24:58.99
And on that day, by that day,
00:24:59.02\00:25:01.87
by the time that Christ arrives
00:25:01.90\00:25:02.96
will have to already be judged.
00:25:02.99\00:25:05.02
Right. But now
let's go to the last part.
00:25:05.05\00:25:07.75
The next time Christ returns,
00:25:07.78\00:25:09.82
this time with His
saints after the 1,000 years.
00:25:09.85\00:25:13.07
Let's finish that
up in Revelation 20.
00:25:13.10\00:25:14.82
you're probably
already armed for that one.
00:25:14.85\00:25:17.04
Yeah, I am getting ready to
registering on that question.
00:25:17.07\00:25:21.00
So now we get to the
after the thousand years,
00:25:21.03\00:25:23.60
the saints are with Christ.
00:25:23.63\00:25:25.25
Those who are resurrected,
who suffered you know,
00:25:25.28\00:25:27.71
experienced
death, those who weren't,
00:25:27.74\00:25:29.08
were alive and
remained, they are in heaven,
00:25:29.11\00:25:31.47
been there for a thousand years,
00:25:31.50\00:25:33.38
and it says pertaining to
that starting in verse 4 that,"
00:25:33.41\00:25:38.21
I saw thrones,
and they sat on them
00:25:38.24\00:25:40.46
and the judgment
was committed to them,
00:25:40.49\00:25:42.44
and I saw the souls of
those who had been beheaded
00:25:42.47\00:25:44.47
for the witness
of Jesus to Jesus
00:25:44.50\00:25:46.69
and for the Word of God'
00:25:46.72\00:25:48.26
and who would not worshipped
the beast or its image,
00:25:48.29\00:25:50.55
who hadn't received the mark
00:25:50.58\00:25:51.61
on their
forehead or their hands.
00:25:51.64\00:25:54.74
And they lived in reign with
Christ for a thousand years."
00:25:54.77\00:25:57.20
Speaking of that
group that went to heaven
00:25:57.23\00:25:58.74
with Christ at
His second coming.
00:25:58.77\00:26:01.50
But notice this verse 5,
"But the rest of the dead"
00:26:01.53\00:26:05.89
that is the wicked
who are left behind,
00:26:05.92\00:26:08.75
"did not live until the thousand
years were, what, finished."
00:26:08.78\00:26:15.83
This is the first resurrection.
00:26:15.86\00:26:18.77
The first resurrection
then is only of the righteous,
00:26:18.80\00:26:21.44
the rest of the dead
00:26:21.47\00:26:22.50
were not raised in
the first resurrection,
00:26:22.53\00:26:24.97
they were there
and remain in the grave
00:26:25.00\00:26:27.32
for the thousand year
period, the millennial period,
00:26:27.35\00:26:30.04
where the saints are in heaven,
00:26:30.07\00:26:31.91
and the saints
are as verse 4 says,
00:26:31.94\00:26:34.49
doing or
performing an act of judgment.
00:26:34.52\00:26:36.72
They are
involved in the judgment,
00:26:36.75\00:26:38.86
the inspection of the record
of those who are the wicked.
00:26:38.89\00:26:42.03
And then of course,
if you go on verse 7,
00:26:42.06\00:26:43.99
"When a thousand
years have expired,
00:26:44.02\00:26:45.57
Satan will be
released from his prison,
00:26:45.60\00:26:47.56
and go out to
deceive the nations."
00:26:47.59\00:26:49.50
Therefore, who
is been resurrected
00:26:49.53\00:26:51.43
in the second resurrection?
00:26:51.46\00:26:53.68
The unrighteous. The
unrighteous, the wicked.
00:26:53.71\00:26:56.46
So the Satan can
then gather them,
00:26:56.49\00:26:58.28
deceive them,
where it could go on,
00:26:58.31\00:27:00.17
if you read the
rest of that on your own,
00:27:00.20\00:27:01.64
where they attack the city
and then we find fire comes
00:27:01.67\00:27:04.40
out of heaven and destroys them.
00:27:04.43\00:27:05.69
Now go ahead and weigh on this,
00:27:05.72\00:27:06.75
you've been waiting very
patiently, John, thank you.
00:27:06.78\00:27:09.21
I just wanted to provide a
good well rounded perspective
00:27:09.24\00:27:11.44
of how that all works,
00:27:11.47\00:27:12.53
because it is important to know.
00:27:12.56\00:27:14.10
I've learned to
listen, and that's really good
00:27:14.13\00:27:15.95
but that's good
way you approach that,
00:27:15.98\00:27:18.53
getting back
and I want to just--
00:27:18.56\00:27:19.80
You know, can I add
something real quick.
00:27:19.83\00:27:21.43
He's patient listening today
00:27:21.46\00:27:23.55
but also his voice isn't
strong as it could be. Okay.
00:27:23.58\00:27:27.03
Because some of you know, he
was hit very hard in the throat,
00:27:27.06\00:27:29.52
we are basketball players,
we love to play basketball.
00:27:29.55\00:27:32.86
John a fluke accident happened
00:27:32.89\00:27:36.00
where you were
elbowed in the throat.
00:27:36.03\00:27:38.30
He could not talk for
a three to four weeks.
00:27:38.33\00:27:41.35
And just now this
is the first program
00:27:41.38\00:27:42.81
we've been able to
do as a result of that,
00:27:42.84\00:27:44.16
so praise the
Lord for your patience,
00:27:44.19\00:27:45.72
but also John, I know
that you have a little,
00:27:45.75\00:27:47.38
you want to rest your
voice a little bit too, so.
00:27:47.41\00:27:49.24
That's true.
00:27:49.27\00:27:50.32
But pray for him, he
hasn't got the same voice yet.
00:27:50.35\00:27:53.40
And we want that to come back,
00:27:53.43\00:27:54.50
that's a big part of
your ministry, we know,
00:27:54.53\00:27:56.21
so, just wanted to add
that because, you know,
00:27:56.24\00:27:59.25
we couldn't do this
probably if you couldn't speak.
00:27:59.28\00:28:01.25
That's true, but
there's a time to keep silence,
00:28:01.28\00:28:04.51
there's a time to speak.
00:28:04.54\00:28:05.81
Now is the time to speak.
00:28:05.84\00:28:07.64
I want to register on this
00:28:07.67\00:28:08.70
because the
person wants to know,
00:28:08.73\00:28:09.93
if everyone is going to be
judged or just unbelievers.
00:28:09.96\00:28:12.77
Well, couple of
texts that I think kind of
00:28:12.80\00:28:14.77
cuts right to the
chase, 2 Corinthians 5:10,
00:28:14.80\00:28:17.88
"For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ
00:28:17.91\00:28:21.71
that each one may receive
the things done in the body,
00:28:21.74\00:28:24.24
according to what he has done,
whether good or whether bad."
00:28:24.27\00:28:27.88
Then you go to
Ecclesiastes 12, 13, 14.
00:28:27.91\00:28:31.22
"For God will being
every work into judgment,
00:28:31.25\00:28:33.13
with every secret thing,
00:28:33.16\00:28:34.24
whether it be good
or whether it be evil."
00:28:34.27\00:28:35.95
That's the generalization.
But now he has a question.
00:28:35.98\00:28:39.11
Let's narrow that down.
00:28:39.14\00:28:40.17
Let's look at the category
00:28:40.20\00:28:41.23
and I think you
narrowed it down very well,
00:28:41.26\00:28:42.75
the believer and
the non believer.
00:28:42.78\00:28:45.06
Let's first go
to the nonbeliever.
00:28:45.09\00:28:49.02
Why the nonbeliever going to
be judged last and not first?
00:28:49.05\00:28:53.10
Okay, let me go ahead
and go to the first part.
00:28:53.13\00:28:56.62
1 Peter 4:17, "For the
time has come that judgment
00:28:56.65\00:29:01.24
must begin at the house of God.
00:29:01.27\00:29:03.91
And if it first begin
with us, what shall be the end
00:29:03.94\00:29:06.88
be of them that obey
not the Gospel of God?"
00:29:06.91\00:29:10.43
If the righteous
scarcely be saved,
00:29:10.46\00:29:13.42
where will the
ungodly and the sinner appear?
00:29:13.45\00:29:16.98
You talked about where
they're going to appear.
00:29:17.01\00:29:19.06
They're going to appear
in the second resurrection.
00:29:19.09\00:29:21.62
They're going to appear in the
resurrection of condemnation.
00:29:21.65\00:29:25.14
And notice what Jesus
says, how He narrows this down.
00:29:25.17\00:29:28.33
And this is the reason why first
the judgment begins with us,
00:29:28.36\00:29:30.69
because if we claim to
be the children of God,
00:29:30.72\00:29:33.66
our works will
come before review,
00:29:33.69\00:29:36.20
to determine whether
or not our profession
00:29:36.23\00:29:38.90
and our works are in harmony
with each other. That's right.
00:29:38.93\00:29:41.71
Not just what you
say, but also what we do.
00:29:41.74\00:29:44.80
And here's the text, John 3:18,
00:29:44.83\00:29:48.81
"He that believes on
him, is not condemned."
00:29:48.84\00:29:51.34
That's the believer.
00:29:51.37\00:29:53.35
That's why they won't be
in the second resurrection,
00:29:53.38\00:29:55.53
that's why we won't be in
the judgment of condemnation
00:29:55.56\00:29:58.81
but continuing with the verse,
00:29:58.84\00:30:00.36
"But he that believes
not, is condemned already,
00:30:00.39\00:30:03.90
because he has not believed
00:30:03.93\00:30:05.22
in the name of the
only-begotten Son of God."
00:30:05.25\00:30:08.23
So there you go, you
have the second category.
00:30:08.26\00:30:09.95
The reason why the
Lord judges us first,
00:30:09.98\00:30:12.01
is because we are the ones
claiming to know Him. Right.
00:30:12.04\00:30:14.70
But it's not for His
information. That's right.
00:30:14.73\00:30:17.01
When the saints
get to the kingdom
00:30:17.04\00:30:18.39
and they are there
for a thousand years,
00:30:18.42\00:30:20.80
we're going to
wonder why did this guy,
00:30:20.83\00:30:22.25
and that woman, and that
person, and that-is not here.
00:30:22.28\00:30:25.08
God is going to say,
here are their records.
00:30:25.11\00:30:26.94
And that's where you
get the book of life.
00:30:26.97\00:30:29.18
And let me go down
to the last two texts.
00:30:29.21\00:30:31.15
And so this is what you
talked about 1 Corinthians 6:2,
00:30:31.18\00:30:34.60
"Do you not know that the
saints shall judge the world?
00:30:34.63\00:30:38.94
And if the world
shall be judged by you,
00:30:38.97\00:30:41.49
are you unworthy to
judge in the smallest matters?"
00:30:41.52\00:30:45.26
So there are some
people that say, John,
00:30:45.29\00:30:46.32
don't judge me.
00:30:46.35\00:30:47.38
Oh, wait a minute friends,
00:30:47.41\00:30:48.66
that's the most
misapplied statement.
00:30:48.69\00:30:51.03
The saints of God had
been given the Word of God
00:30:51.06\00:30:54.34
to make judgments as
to one thing or the other,
00:30:54.37\00:30:57.04
by their fruits
you'll know them.
00:30:57.07\00:30:58.71
They only judgment we
don't have is the judgment
00:30:58.74\00:31:00.77
to condemn you to hell
00:31:00.80\00:31:02.08
or the judgment to
appoint you to heaven.
00:31:02.11\00:31:04.53
That's what we don't do,
00:31:04.56\00:31:06.11
but there's an
entire book called judges.
00:31:06.14\00:31:09.11
And that was the
whole purpose of it.
00:31:09.14\00:31:10.93
They were judges to
judge the children of Israel.
00:31:10.96\00:31:13.53
And lastly, Revelation 20:12,
00:31:13.56\00:31:17.31
"And I saw the
dead, small and great,
00:31:17.34\00:31:18.84
stand before the God,
and the books were opened.
00:31:18.87\00:31:21.19
And another book was opened,
which is the book of life.
00:31:21.22\00:31:23.95
And the dead were
judged out of those things
00:31:23.98\00:31:26.79
which were written in the books,
according to their works."
00:31:26.82\00:31:29.92
The book of life contains
all the resurrected saints.
00:31:29.95\00:31:32.96
But here's the final part,
"And the sea gave up the dead"
00:31:32.99\00:31:35.69
verse 13, "Which were in them,
00:31:35.72\00:31:37.35
and death and hell delivered
up the dead which were in them,
00:31:37.38\00:31:40.35
and they were judged every
man according to their works."
00:31:40.38\00:31:43.51
That's the second
resurrection. Yeah.
00:31:43.54\00:31:46.39
And anyone not
found in the book,
00:31:46.42\00:31:48.50
was cast into the
lake of fire and brimstone.
00:31:48.53\00:31:50.50
And notice there
in that passage two
00:31:50.53\00:31:51.97
when he talks about
the books and the book.
00:31:52.00\00:31:54.24
Which are two
different groups here,
00:31:54.27\00:31:55.88
the book is the book of life,
00:31:55.91\00:31:57.45
but the books are the
books of our life. That's right.
00:31:57.48\00:32:00.54
To record the books of
record, that are recorded
00:32:00.57\00:32:02.61
by the angels of the
things that we've done.
00:32:02.64\00:32:05.01
And when you stand with
your book opened without Christ,
00:32:05.04\00:32:09.80
there's nothing but
filthy racks. That's right.
00:32:09.83\00:32:11.82
There's nothing but condemnation
that is prepared for you
00:32:11.85\00:32:13.93
and that's why
they're judged by their works
00:32:13.96\00:32:16.42
or the things that were written
in their books. That's right.
00:32:16.45\00:32:19.27
But when Christ
comes into your life,
00:32:19.30\00:32:21.04
what is written in your book
of record is the works of Christ
00:32:21.07\00:32:25.30
and your sins are not appearing.
00:32:25.33\00:32:27.25
And so that's why we are
judged by Christ's works,
00:32:27.28\00:32:29.97
what He's done for us not
what we've done for ourselves.
00:32:30.00\00:32:33.69
That a beautiful text, I
think we can transition on this,
00:32:33.72\00:32:37.00
2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:32:37.03\00:32:40.29
"If any man be in
Christ, he's a new creation.
00:32:40.32\00:32:43.75
All things have passed away,
00:32:43.78\00:32:45.18
behold all
things have become new."
00:32:45.21\00:32:48.05
And the Bible
says, we, John says,
00:32:48.08\00:32:50.45
we have passed
from death until life,
00:32:50.48\00:32:53.93
because we love our brethren.
00:32:53.96\00:32:55.15
There's a difference altogether.
00:32:55.18\00:32:56.31
That's why we should
not fear the judgment,
00:32:56.34\00:32:58.70
but we should look
forward to the judgment.
00:32:58.73\00:33:00.68
A perfect love
cast out all fear.
00:33:00.71\00:33:03.28
Speaking about the judgment,
00:33:03.31\00:33:04.34
I think this is the
good place for transition
00:33:04.37\00:33:05.88
but if we've opened up your mind
00:33:05.91\00:33:08.44
to anything that you
like further clarification on,
00:33:08.47\00:33:11.45
and you may have a question that
swimming around in your head
00:33:11.48\00:33:14.61
and you like us to address it,
00:33:14.64\00:33:15.98
send those questions
to housecalls@3abn.org,
00:33:16.01\00:33:19.73
that's housecalls@3abn.org
00:33:19.76\00:33:23.75
and we would be
glad to address that.
00:33:23.78\00:33:25.96
John, why don't you lead
us into your topic today?
00:33:25.99\00:33:29.76
What are we talking about?
00:33:29.79\00:33:30.82
Well, we had a great
segue question there,
00:33:30.85\00:33:32.90
and we spent more time
on your questions today
00:33:32.93\00:33:34.94
because, that is really
one of the funniest parts
00:33:34.97\00:33:37.37
that we have of this program,
00:33:37.40\00:33:39.24
but the topic today is
about the subject of hell.
00:33:39.27\00:33:43.18
Now there's so
much confusion, John,
00:33:43.21\00:33:44.72
about what the
word hell really means.
00:33:44.75\00:33:47.96
And so I think it's time that
we take a little bit of time
00:33:47.99\00:33:51.29
just to kind of
dive in here to see,
00:33:51.32\00:33:53.29
what hell is really all about.
00:33:53.32\00:33:56.37
You know, what are we saying,
when we use the word hell,
00:33:56.40\00:33:58.76
when the Bible
uses the word hell.
00:33:58.79\00:34:00.84
At the end of time, how does
it apply to the lake of fire?
00:34:00.87\00:34:04.20
What is hellfire mean
and how is it connected
00:34:04.23\00:34:06.69
to the lake of fire.
00:34:06.72\00:34:07.84
All these questions
are really questions
00:34:07.87\00:34:10.59
that people don't
really know much about.
00:34:10.62\00:34:13.17
But I think it's
important to cover
00:34:13.20\00:34:14.58
because the Bible
does state very clearly,
00:34:14.61\00:34:18.33
you know, this
subject and provides
00:34:18.36\00:34:20.66
some real good
explanations on what hell is.
00:34:20.69\00:34:24.74
You know, the word hell is
so misused in our society today.
00:34:24.77\00:34:28.76
It is taken on,
whatever the modern vernacular
00:34:28.79\00:34:32.22
has applied it to
and sometimes it's used
00:34:32.25\00:34:33.99
in a very
derogatory profane way.
00:34:34.02\00:34:37.62
But when the Bible
uses the word hell,
00:34:37.65\00:34:39.64
it was never
brought into-its inception
00:34:39.67\00:34:43.38
was not broadened as
a profane application,
00:34:43.41\00:34:47.04
but to simply
describe a number of things.
00:34:47.07\00:34:49.57
Well, the word hell
could be the word a sheol,
00:34:49.60\00:34:52.82
the Hebrew word, we're referring
to the place of the dead.
00:34:52.85\00:34:56.74
Hell could also be hades
referring to the lake of fire
00:34:56.77\00:35:00.20
or gehenna the place where
the wicked will be burning,
00:35:00.23\00:35:04.64
or in one instance,
tartarus the spirit world,
00:35:04.67\00:35:08.81
where demons are held captive.
00:35:08.84\00:35:11.92
In other words, the
reason why we cannot see them,
00:35:11.95\00:35:14.70
is because the Bible says,
00:35:14.73\00:35:15.84
"God spared not
the angels that sinned,
00:35:15.87\00:35:17.75
but cast them
down and delivered them
00:35:17.78\00:35:20.50
into chains of darkness."
00:35:20.53\00:35:22.35
That word there
cast them down to hell
00:35:22.38\00:35:24.41
and deliver them with
the chains of darkness,
00:35:24.44\00:35:26.08
that's the only place
the word is in the Greek,
00:35:26.11\00:35:28.19
'tartarus' meaning,
this is a spirit world,
00:35:28.22\00:35:30.59
we can see good angels,
we cannot see evil angels,
00:35:30.62\00:35:33.90
and I praise God for that.
00:35:33.93\00:35:35.63
Which is really
the only reference
00:35:35.66\00:35:36.94
to a spirit world place
for the word hell itself.
00:35:36.97\00:35:41.03
Yeah, we want to,
it seems like that,
00:35:41.06\00:35:42.51
one word used that one time is
the really expanded definition,
00:35:42.54\00:35:45.83
it's become the
standard definition of hell.
00:35:45.86\00:35:47.86
Right and people
have used that to,
00:35:47.89\00:35:50.48
people have misused
that and misapplied that
00:35:50.51\00:35:52.41
to almost make you think,
00:35:52.44\00:35:54.57
that Satan is this guy wearing
the red suit with the pitch fork
00:35:54.60\00:35:58.97
and horns and he roasts
00:35:59.00\00:36:02.73
people on a rotisserie
and torments them in hell.
00:36:02.76\00:36:06.44
But what people don't--
00:36:06.47\00:36:07.50
Prods them and just, yeah.
00:36:07.53\00:36:08.56
Prods them in there
00:36:08.59\00:36:09.62
and their aims of
tormenting people in hell
00:36:09.65\00:36:11.87
but what they don't realize
is that the torment of hell
00:36:11.90\00:36:15.68
is reserved for the
devil and his angels.
00:36:15.71\00:36:19.12
Hasn't happened yet.
00:36:19.15\00:36:20.18
It hasn't happened
yet. It's reserved.
00:36:20.21\00:36:21.53
But hell is reserved for
the devil and his angels.
00:36:21.56\00:36:24.74
That's why I always say,
John, and this is something
00:36:24.77\00:36:26.54
I hope you catch this.
00:36:26.57\00:36:28.44
Hell was never made for
the people that God created.
00:36:28.47\00:36:32.46
Hell was only made
for the destruction
00:36:32.49\00:36:34.20
of the devil and his angels.
00:36:34.23\00:36:35.31
Unfortunately many sinners
who have not accepted Jesus,
00:36:35.34\00:36:39.19
the Bible says, "The
number of those who are
00:36:39.22\00:36:41.10
going to be lost is
as the sands of the sea."
00:36:41.13\00:36:45.07
But let's go ahead and
begin and, John, let's dive
00:36:45.10\00:36:47.76
into our first text
on the topic of hell.
00:36:47.79\00:36:49.91
Hopefully we'll be able to
answer some of the questions
00:36:49.94\00:36:52.36
and some of the viewpoints
that are floating out there
00:36:52.39\00:36:54.31
about this indefinite
understanding of hell.
00:36:54.34\00:36:57.08
Let's do that.
00:36:57.11\00:36:59.89
As far as
starting, we kind of led
00:36:59.92\00:37:01.87
into this subject a little
bit, at least a part that says,
00:37:01.90\00:37:05.76
or that we've
clarified before of the fact
00:37:05.79\00:37:07.93
that there is a judgment. Right.
00:37:07.96\00:37:10.08
There is a
judgment, so at some point,
00:37:10.11\00:37:12.90
God will bring a
finality to sin and sinners.
00:37:12.93\00:37:18.77
And so that we do need to know.
00:37:18.80\00:37:20.58
And so let's take a dive here
into the content of this idea
00:37:20.61\00:37:25.11
of the finality, and
how hell plays a part,
00:37:25.14\00:37:28.68
a very important part in that.
00:37:28.71\00:37:32.07
What did Jesus say about hell?
00:37:32.10\00:37:34.00
Well, let start
with the great text,
00:37:34.03\00:37:36.30
what Jesus said about it.
00:37:36.33\00:37:39.51
This text we're going to
begin with is in Mathew 13,
00:37:39.54\00:37:42.99
the parable of the
wheat and the tares.
00:37:43.02\00:37:46.03
It's a beautiful
parable, because it illustrates
00:37:46.06\00:37:48.21
a couple of things, one is that,
00:37:48.24\00:37:49.70
it defines who the wheat are,
00:37:49.73\00:37:51.89
and some of you
already theological
00:37:51.92\00:37:53.08
and you already know,
and who the tares are.
00:37:53.11\00:37:55.42
Doesn't take a scientist to
figure those two things out,
00:37:55.45\00:37:58.82
but the things that's most
important about this, John,
00:37:58.85\00:38:01.55
is what's going to
happen to the tares
00:38:01.58\00:38:03.82
and when is it going
to happen to the tares,
00:38:03.85\00:38:06.53
and how is it going
to happen with the tares,
00:38:06.56\00:38:09.13
is the application I
would like to bring out of this.
00:38:09.16\00:38:11.16
So, John, why don't you begin
00:38:11.19\00:38:13.62
by reading Mathew 13:24-30.
00:38:13.65\00:38:21.60
Okay, verse 24.
00:38:21.63\00:38:24.27
"Another parable He
put forth to them, saying,
00:38:24.30\00:38:27.62
"The kingdom of
heaven is like a man
00:38:27.65\00:38:29.41
who sowed good
seed in his field,
00:38:29.44\00:38:32.18
but while men slept, his
enemy came and sowed tares
00:38:32.21\00:38:35.46
among the wheat
and went his way.
00:38:35.49\00:38:38.29
But when the grain had
sprouted and produced a crop,
00:38:38.32\00:38:40.95
then the tares also appeared.
00:38:40.98\00:38:43.28
So the servants of the
owner came and said to him,
00:38:43.31\00:38:45.75
'Sir, did you not sow
good seed in your fields?
00:38:45.78\00:38:49.75
How then does it have tares?'
00:38:49.78\00:38:52.17
He said to them, 'An
enemy has done this.'
00:38:52.20\00:38:55.50
The servants said to him,
00:38:55.53\00:38:56.56
'Do you want us to
then go and gather them up?'
00:38:56.59\00:39:00.32
But he said, 'No, lest
while you gather up the tares
00:39:00.35\00:39:03.31
you also uproot
the wheat with them.
00:39:03.34\00:39:05.98
Let both grow together
until when, the harvest,
00:39:06.01\00:39:10.90
and at the time of the harvest
I will say to the reapers,
00:39:10.93\00:39:14.16
"First gather together
the tares and bind them
00:39:14.19\00:39:17.62
in bundles to burn them,
00:39:17.65\00:39:19.83
but gather the
wheat into my barn."'
00:39:19.86\00:39:24.62
Okay. All right.
00:39:24.65\00:39:25.77
Okay, now so you find
the tares in the wheat,
00:39:25.80\00:39:28.99
you find the sour, you find
the seed, you find the field.
00:39:29.02\00:39:33.93
Well the Bible
defines and gives definition
00:39:33.96\00:39:37.25
to this parable
in every particular.
00:39:37.28\00:39:39.38
Let's go to the definition now.
00:39:39.41\00:39:41.83
In verse 36,
this is Mathew 13:36.
00:39:41.86\00:39:46.70
"Then Jesus sent the multitude
away and went into the house.
00:39:46.73\00:39:50.00
And His disciples
came to Him, saying,
00:39:50.03\00:39:52.19
"Explain to us the parable
of the tares of the field."
00:39:52.22\00:39:57.19
He answered and said to them:
00:39:57.22\00:39:58.63
"He who sows the good
seed is the Son of Man."
00:39:58.66\00:40:01.17
So we find Jesus
right away. Good seed.
00:40:01.20\00:40:03.79
And by the way, you
want make this very clear
00:40:03.82\00:40:05.28
because Jesus never
ever sowed bad seed.
00:40:05.31\00:40:09.30
So if you have a family
member that's a bad seed,
00:40:09.33\00:40:12.17
it's not because
Jesus abides in them--
00:40:12.20\00:40:13.71
He never sowed tares, He
only throw out good seed.
00:40:13.74\00:40:15.85
Exactly, nothing
bad comes from Jesus,
00:40:15.88\00:40:17.91
He only sows good seed.
00:40:17.94\00:40:20.88
The field is the
world, you need to get that
00:40:20.91\00:40:25.01
because people think
that hell is going to be
00:40:25.04\00:40:27.02
somewhere under the
earth or somewhere out there.
00:40:27.05\00:40:30.82
I had a guy, I
asked him a question,
00:40:30.85\00:40:32.00
I said, where is hell?
00:40:32.03\00:40:33.06
He says, out there.
00:40:33.09\00:40:34.57
I said, "Where?"
he said, out there.
00:40:34.60\00:40:36.64
I said where, Colorado,
Idaho, where? Out there.
00:40:36.67\00:40:41.13
He couldn't give
me a definitive place.
00:40:41.16\00:40:42.36
And I said what
about the new earth
00:40:42.39\00:40:43.47
anyway I'm
jumping ahead of myself
00:40:43.50\00:40:44.62
but the point I want to make
here is the field is the world.
00:40:44.65\00:40:48.82
So here's the point,
the field being the world,
00:40:48.85\00:40:51.39
you find wheat and
tares in the world.
00:40:51.42\00:40:54.94
Okay, let's keep going.
00:40:54.97\00:40:57.23
"The good seeds are
the sons of the kingdom:
00:40:57.26\00:41:00.26
but the tares are the
sons of the wicked one."
00:41:00.29\00:41:03.61
Both have children.
00:41:03.64\00:41:06.28
"The enemy, verse 39,
who sowed them is the devil,
00:41:06.31\00:41:10.49
the harvest is
the end of the age,
00:41:10.52\00:41:13.87
and the reapers are the angels."
00:41:13.90\00:41:17.03
You got to get
this part, verse 40
00:41:17.06\00:41:18.67
friends is the key
part of this verse,
00:41:18.70\00:41:20.97
"Therefore as the tares are
gathered and burned in the fire,
00:41:21.00\00:41:26.24
so it will be at
the end of this age."
00:41:26.27\00:41:29.99
Where as the King
James Version says
00:41:30.02\00:41:31.47
"at the end of the world."
00:41:31.50\00:41:33.62
That's the key. That's the key.
00:41:33.65\00:41:35.58
Right there. So is
your fire going on now?
00:41:35.61\00:41:38.21
Not according to this version,
00:41:38.24\00:41:39.44
you can't read
that at this point.
00:41:39.47\00:41:40.50
No because the tares are
still growing. That's right.
00:41:40.53\00:41:43.79
They are growing together,
00:41:43.82\00:41:44.98
and how long are they
going to grow together, John?
00:41:45.01\00:41:46.79
Until when? The end of
the age, the end of the world.
00:41:46.82\00:41:48.90
Until the-- Until the harvest,
00:41:48.93\00:41:51.10
which is at the end
of the world. Exactly.
00:41:51.13\00:41:53.15
So the harvest,
because notice, the harvest
00:41:53.18\00:41:55.56
is talked about
even further here.
00:41:55.59\00:41:57.16
Look at verse 41."
00:41:57.19\00:41:59.44
The Son of man will
send out his angels."
00:41:59.47\00:42:02.76
That's what the
angels are going to do
00:42:02.79\00:42:04.08
at the second coming of Christ.
00:42:04.11\00:42:05.51
He's going to
send out His angels,
00:42:05.54\00:42:07.54
and they will
gather out of his kingdom
00:42:07.57\00:42:10.00
all things that offend, and
those who practice lawlessness.
00:42:10.03\00:42:16.01
And will cast them
into a furnace of fire,
00:42:16.04\00:42:19.16
there will be wailing
and gnashing of teeth."
00:42:19.19\00:42:21.72
Notice, that's not going to
happen until the angels do it.
00:42:21.75\00:42:25.67
It doesn't happen at death.
00:42:25.70\00:42:27.32
I really want to beat
this thing up today. Right.
00:42:27.35\00:42:29.31
It doesn't happen
when a wicked person dies,
00:42:29.34\00:42:31.49
they're not taken to some place.
00:42:31.52\00:42:34.50
The parable of
the rich man Lazarus,
00:42:34.53\00:42:37.19
notice angels are
using that parable.
00:42:37.22\00:42:39.94
The angels carry the
wicked, they gather them
00:42:39.97\00:42:43.25
out of the kingdom of God,
00:42:43.28\00:42:44.36
bind them in
bundles like a person would,
00:42:44.39\00:42:47.41
anything that is refuse,
00:42:47.44\00:42:49.57
and takes it to
the place to burn it.
00:42:49.60\00:42:51.58
But the tree
does not stop burning
00:42:51.61\00:42:53.24
the moment you cut
it down. That's right.
00:42:53.27\00:42:55.38
Because if you
burn it and cut it down,
00:42:55.41\00:42:56.79
you may burn the good fire wood.
00:42:56.82\00:42:58.95
You take it all of the junk,
00:42:58.98\00:43:00.71
put it over there
as kindling that is,
00:43:00.74\00:43:02.63
and burn that up separately
and keep the good things
00:43:02.66\00:43:04.59
and take them in the house.
00:43:04.62\00:43:06.16
And lastly, verse
43, "Then the righteous
00:43:06.19\00:43:10.63
shall shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
00:43:10.66\00:43:15.51
He who has ears to
hear, let him hear."
00:43:15.54\00:43:18.37
Okay, so you see
clearly, John, the kingdom,
00:43:18.40\00:43:21.56
that whole gathering process
00:43:21.59\00:43:22.86
and the fire is
not going to be ignited
00:43:22.89\00:43:25.01
until the end of the world.
00:43:25.04\00:43:26.31
That's right, now
if you have a Bible,
00:43:26.34\00:43:28.66
that you're writing in,
cross reference this text,
00:43:28.69\00:43:31.97
and I've got this circled,
underlined like go here,
00:43:32.00\00:43:34.87
one of those
things Isaiah 24:21, 22.
00:43:34.90\00:43:39.19
You want to mark that,
00:43:39.22\00:43:40.87
because that
will explain further
00:43:40.90\00:43:42.94
what is being
explained here by Christ.
00:43:42.97\00:43:46.43
It says in Isaiah 24:21,
00:43:46.46\00:43:49.83
"It shall come
to pass in that day,
00:43:49.86\00:43:52.62
that the Lord will punish on
high the host of exalted ones
00:43:52.65\00:43:56.28
and on the earth
the kings of the earth.
00:43:56.31\00:43:58.39
They will be gathered together,
00:43:58.42\00:44:01.38
as prisoners are
gathered in the pit,
00:44:01.41\00:44:04.46
and will be shut
up in the prison,
00:44:04.49\00:44:07.37
after many days
they will be punished."
00:44:07.40\00:44:10.71
So they are gathered but
they are shut up in a pit
00:44:10.74\00:44:14.33
as if it were a pit, in
a prison they are reserved,
00:44:14.36\00:44:16.93
they're held there until what?
00:44:16.96\00:44:20.43
After many days
they will be punished.
00:44:20.46\00:44:22.95
What do you think,
that many days refers to?
00:44:22.98\00:44:25.51
The millennium.
That's a great text, John.
00:44:25.54\00:44:27.96
I commend you for that one.
00:44:27.99\00:44:29.45
That is the millennium,
00:44:29.48\00:44:30.51
so the many days have to go by,
00:44:30.54\00:44:32.65
this period of
the thousand years,
00:44:32.68\00:44:33.80
and we've alluded to this one,
00:44:33.83\00:44:34.86
we answered the
question before as well,
00:44:34.89\00:44:36.77
that there is the
judgment of the saints
00:44:36.80\00:44:38.48
are engaged in of the wicked
in inspection of their books
00:44:38.51\00:44:41.57
and all the other thing.
00:44:41.60\00:44:42.75
After all those days are passed,
00:44:42.78\00:44:44.75
then it says,
they will be punished.
00:44:44.78\00:44:48.48
That's right. Matter of
fact, that's' a good text, John.
00:44:48.51\00:44:50.78
As we say in basketball,
00:44:50.81\00:44:52.56
I've to give you
props for that one.
00:44:52.59\00:44:55.05
That's a good one.
00:44:55.08\00:44:56.17
That's yes, the
Holy Spirit really--
00:44:56.20\00:44:57.48
Well, let's look at that again,
I want to look at that again
00:44:57.51\00:44:59.89
because somebody probably heard
that text for the first one.
00:44:59.92\00:45:02.74
And they are saying,
well, I hadn't heard that.
00:45:02.77\00:45:04.66
Notice what it says, "It
shall come to pass in that day,
00:45:04.69\00:45:08.57
that the Lord
will punish on high
00:45:08.60\00:45:10.32
the host of exalted ones
00:45:10.35\00:45:12.33
and on the earth,
the kings of the earths
00:45:12.36\00:45:15.09
they will be gathered together,
00:45:15.12\00:45:17.09
notice he will gather
them together in bundles.
00:45:17.12\00:45:19.70
Mathew 13, "As prisoners
are gathered in the pit,
00:45:19.73\00:45:24.65
and will be shut
up in the prison.
00:45:24.68\00:45:27.53
The angel that
came down with the key
00:45:27.56\00:45:30.03
and locked up Satan
for a thousand years.''
00:45:30.06\00:45:33.54
That is Revelation 20.
00:45:33.57\00:45:36.95
"And after many days
they will be punished."
00:45:36.98\00:45:41.69
And after many days
they will be punished.
00:45:41.72\00:45:43.85
Wonderful, John, wonderful.
00:45:43.88\00:45:45.33
You know, I like to
segue from that text
00:45:45.36\00:45:47.23
to the Book of Isaiah 14,
00:45:47.26\00:45:54.40
Isaiah 14, want to go there.
00:45:54.43\00:45:57.70
Okay, Isaiah 14.
00:45:57.73\00:46:02.18
Now you've noticed, we just
talked about the pit in Isaiah,
00:46:02.21\00:46:07.15
right away that text
that came to my mind,
00:46:07.18\00:46:08.79
when you talked about Isaiah 24.
00:46:08.82\00:46:11.55
What was the verse
we just read, Isaiah 24.
00:46:11.58\00:46:15.99
We just ready Isaiah 24.
00:46:16.02\00:46:17.35
But now look at
the same language,
00:46:17.38\00:46:19.07
look at the same
language in Isaiah 14.
00:46:19.10\00:46:23.48
When Satan says in verse 14,
00:46:23.51\00:46:25.52
"I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds,
00:46:25.55\00:46:27.32
I would be like the most high.'
00:46:27.35\00:46:29.77
Look at the Lord says,"
00:46:29.80\00:46:30.90
Yet, you shall be
brought down to hell or sheol
00:46:30.93\00:46:34.82
to the lowest
depths of the pit."
00:46:34.85\00:46:38.69
You see, His
appointment is coming again.
00:46:38.72\00:46:41.71
His appointment is
coming very, very clearly there.
00:46:41.74\00:46:44.62
And the Bible talks about--
00:46:44.65\00:46:46.71
Well, the Bible
in Revelation talks
00:46:46.74\00:46:47.89
about the
bottomless pit as well, so.
00:46:47.92\00:46:52.40
May be we need to
clarify a little bit, this pit.
00:46:52.43\00:46:55.36
The pit is restrictive
obviously in the fact
00:46:55.39\00:46:58.01
that you cannot get out.
00:46:58.04\00:46:59.97
But the pit isn't
a hole. Thank you.
00:47:00.00\00:47:02.87
It's not a big hole
that you drop somebody in.
00:47:02.90\00:47:04.80
This pit is a pit, in
that it is restricted,
00:47:04.83\00:47:08.21
you cannot get
out of your situation.
00:47:08.24\00:47:10.14
It's more of a
result of the circumstances,
00:47:10.17\00:47:15.44
that has put you there,
00:47:15.47\00:47:16.89
that you cannot get
out of that situation,
00:47:16.92\00:47:19.53
that this pit is referring to.
00:47:19.56\00:47:21.17
So not the fact
that this is big hole
00:47:21.20\00:47:24.03
that goes down into the ground,
so low that hell is there.
00:47:24.06\00:47:26.76
Right, because
it's bottomless. Right.
00:47:26.79\00:47:29.38
So you have to keep in
mind, when he says bottomless,
00:47:29.41\00:47:31.78
what he's talking about
its void, its emptiness.
00:47:31.81\00:47:36.92
You know when one somebody,
I'm gonna use this illustration.
00:47:36.95\00:47:39.60
When I was a young man, I
used to eat like a forklift.
00:47:39.63\00:47:43.61
And the number of
ladies in our community said,
00:47:43.64\00:47:46.25
I would rather
clothe him than feed him.
00:47:46.28\00:47:49.76
Well as you can see
now, I've tape it off,
00:47:49.79\00:47:51.58
but I was never
an overweight child,
00:47:51.61\00:47:54.00
it's just that as a growing
boy, I remember those days
00:47:54.03\00:47:56.61
when I used to eat
McDonald's and Burger King.
00:47:56.64\00:47:59.57
You know I go to Burger
King and get two Big Macs
00:47:59.60\00:48:02.26
and a quarter pound
of cheese and just--
00:48:02.29\00:48:05.22
You can't go to
Burger King then--
00:48:05.25\00:48:06.31
I mean, McDonald's sorry.
00:48:06.34\00:48:08.79
That just shows
you how long it's been.
00:48:08.82\00:48:12.32
Hey, good testimony.
00:48:12.35\00:48:14.98
You know, two quarter
pound of a cheese in a Big Mac,
00:48:15.01\00:48:17.85
devour them, I'll buy
whole pizza my friend,
00:48:17.88\00:48:21.11
three of us, we
bought one pizza each,
00:48:21.14\00:48:23.49
and sit down with
a big bottle of soda
00:48:23.52\00:48:25.85
and just eat that whole
thing and drink ourselves--
00:48:25.88\00:48:27.42
Your stomach is
like a bottomless pit.
00:48:27.45\00:48:28.86
I could, I was
really a consumer.
00:48:28.89\00:48:32.84
But the point
being made here is,
00:48:32.87\00:48:36.23
when the earth is
empty of the saints,
00:48:36.26\00:48:39.15
when the saints
are ascended to heaven,
00:48:39.18\00:48:42.22
and the second resurrection
hasn't taken place yet.
00:48:42.25\00:48:45.11
The only ones that are
going to be alive on the earth
00:48:45.14\00:48:46.78
are the devil and his angels.
00:48:46.81\00:48:48.56
That's why that pit
they will be reserved.
00:48:48.59\00:48:50.18
It becomes a pit to them.
00:48:50.21\00:48:51.24
And after many days, that
text is a wonderful text, John.
00:48:51.27\00:48:54.58
You know, and
the other thing too,
00:48:54.61\00:48:56.52
just kind of put this
reference point in there,
00:48:56.55\00:48:58.85
is that the bottomless pit,
the reference there is abyssals
00:48:58.88\00:49:02.28
which is the abyss. Right.
00:49:02.31\00:49:04.10
It's a bunch of
nothingness. Right.
00:49:04.13\00:49:06.16
And Isaiah talks very
clearly in other places
00:49:06.19\00:49:08.12
Jeremiah refers to it too
00:49:08.15\00:49:09.48
as the earth again
after the return of Christ,
00:49:09.51\00:49:12.77
in the second coming
and those who are destroyed
00:49:12.80\00:49:14.74
by the brightness of His coming.
00:49:14.77\00:49:15.84
The earth becomes
without forming void again
00:49:15.87\00:49:19.39
as almost it was
at the very beginning,
00:49:19.42\00:49:21.35
but not the same
obviously because we are talking
00:49:21.38\00:49:23.12
about water at the beginning and
the deep as opposed to rocks,
00:49:23.15\00:49:27.31
but the voidness is
very clearly the same,
00:49:27.34\00:49:31.14
nothing, no one
will be here to tempt.
00:49:31.17\00:49:34.39
And Satan and his
angels will, what do they do?
00:49:34.42\00:49:38.21
They stay here and they are
gathered in chains of darkness,
00:49:38.24\00:49:43.23
reserved unto the Day
of Judgment to be punished.
00:49:43.26\00:49:46.53
That's right.
That's how Peter says it.
00:49:46.56\00:49:49.29
Matter of fact, let's go
to the Book of Ezekiel 28.
00:49:49.32\00:49:53.61
The reason I want to go
there first is because Ezekiel,
00:49:53.64\00:49:57.06
before we go to,
before we go to what happens
00:49:57.09\00:49:59.91
to the wicked
that are not saved.
00:49:59.94\00:50:03.15
Let's first talk
about what happens to Satan.
00:50:03.18\00:50:06.27
And the reason I
want to do this, John,
00:50:06.30\00:50:07.62
because often times when I
heard this subject talked about,
00:50:07.65\00:50:10.52
I mean I listen to a lot
of the television preachers
00:50:10.55\00:50:13.69
and how funny we are
in that category now.
00:50:13.72\00:50:17.18
I listen to a lot of them
00:50:17.21\00:50:18.24
and they talk
about the wicked burning
00:50:18.27\00:50:19.50
for ever and ever and ever
00:50:19.53\00:50:20.74
and there's no rest
day or night, its torment.
00:50:20.77\00:50:22.84
They take those texts
in the Bible that talks
00:50:22.87\00:50:26.06
about torment day and
night for ever and ever
00:50:26.09\00:50:28.84
and if they apply
eternal life to it
00:50:28.87\00:50:32.70
rather than a long
punishment, that eventually end.
00:50:32.73\00:50:36.99
And the reason I want to go to,
00:50:37.02\00:50:38.52
to what happens to
Satan first is because,
00:50:38.55\00:50:40.74
Satan is not going
to be around for ever.
00:50:40.77\00:50:43.95
Satan is not going to be
reigning for eternity on earth
00:50:43.98\00:50:49.51
and Jesus reigning
for eternity in heaven,
00:50:49.54\00:50:51.87
because the earth is
going to be the place
00:50:51.90\00:50:53.51
where the saints are
going to be live forever.
00:50:53.54\00:50:55.41
And the New Jerusalem
is going to descend on here
00:50:55.44\00:50:57.41
and God is going to make
His headquarters down here.
00:50:57.44\00:50:59.80
The Bible talks
about the New Jerusalem
00:50:59.83\00:51:01.31
descending on to the earth.
00:51:01.34\00:51:03.54
There's not going to
be some place out there,
00:51:03.57\00:51:06.55
where Satan is going to be
carrying on the business of
00:51:06.58\00:51:09.57
tempting and
tormenting and having people
00:51:09.60\00:51:12.76
wallow in the fires of hell
00:51:12.79\00:51:14.62
because he's not
going to be around.
00:51:14.65\00:51:16.05
That's right, okay, so
now I'm going to read the text
00:51:16.08\00:51:18.37
and I go and finish my
thesis here so to speak.
00:51:18.40\00:51:25.13
Ezekiel 28, Ezekiel 28.
00:51:25.16\00:51:29.22
First of all
we're going to look at,
00:51:29.25\00:51:31.47
who God is
talking about, verse 14.
00:51:31.50\00:51:35.45
He says, "You were
the anointed cherub
00:51:35.48\00:51:37.39
who covers, I established you.
00:51:37.42\00:51:40.31
You were on the
holy mountain of God,
00:51:40.34\00:51:42.70
you walked back and forth
in the midst of fiery stones.
00:51:42.73\00:51:46.79
You are perfect in your ways
from the day you were created,
00:51:46.82\00:51:51.11
till iniquity was found in you."
00:51:51.14\00:51:53.17
I want you to
notice the comparison here
00:51:53.20\00:51:54.88
because there's a
comparison here we often miss.
00:51:54.91\00:51:57.33
Satan was at one time
able to walk back and forth
00:51:57.36\00:51:59.61
in the midst of fiery
stones and not be consumed.
00:51:59.64\00:52:02.45
That's right. He was able
to do that and not be consumed.
00:52:02.48\00:52:06.05
But when
iniquity was found in him
00:52:06.08\00:52:08.35
and he was cast out of heaven,
his state not only changed,
00:52:08.38\00:52:12.01
he was no longer
an exalted angel,
00:52:12.04\00:52:13.97
he was the fallen angel now.
00:52:14.00\00:52:15.60
And what he once possessed,
he no longer possessed.
00:52:15.63\00:52:18.75
Satan doesn't have eternal life.
00:52:18.78\00:52:21.34
Notice this. Right.
00:52:21.37\00:52:23.55
Verse 17, oh, well,
we'll start with verse 16.
00:52:23.58\00:52:28.06
"By the
abundance of your trading
00:52:28.09\00:52:29.87
you became filled with
violence within and you sinned,
00:52:29.90\00:52:34.18
therefore I cast
you as a profane thing,
00:52:34.21\00:52:37.29
out of the mountain of
God, and I destroyed you,
00:52:37.32\00:52:42.26
O covering cherub from the
midst of the fiery stones."
00:52:42.29\00:52:45.89
In other words, I took
you from that position.
00:52:45.92\00:52:48.15
I destroyed the place that you,
00:52:48.18\00:52:49.76
I destroyed the
position you once held.
00:52:49.79\00:52:51.76
You no longer had that.
00:52:51.79\00:52:52.82
In other words, your
whole career was destroyed,
00:52:52.85\00:52:55.67
followed by your
actual destruction.
00:52:55.70\00:52:58.01
And that's where we
go the final verses here.
00:52:58.04\00:53:00.27
Verse 17, "Your
heart was lifted up
00:53:00.30\00:53:02.54
because of your beauty,
you corrupted your wisdom
00:53:02.57\00:53:05.22
for the sake of your splendor."
00:53:05.25\00:53:07.04
In other words,
your wisdom is messed up
00:53:07.07\00:53:08.78
because you had
a desire to shine
00:53:08.81\00:53:10.44
more than to use your wisdom.
00:53:10.47\00:53:12.65
"I cast you to the
ground, I laid you before kings,
00:53:12.68\00:53:15.02
that they might gaze at you.
00:53:15.05\00:53:16.84
You defiled your sanctuaries,
00:53:16.87\00:53:18.24
by the multitude
of your iniquities.
00:53:18.27\00:53:20.30
By the iniquity
of your trading--"
00:53:20.33\00:53:22.47
But now look at
his ultimate end.
00:53:22.50\00:53:24.44
"Therefore I brought forth,
00:53:24.47\00:53:27.28
therefore I brought
fire from your midst,
00:53:27.31\00:53:31.10
it devoured you and I turned
you to ashes upon the earth,
00:53:31.13\00:53:36.54
in the sight of all who saw you.
00:53:36.57\00:53:40.33
All who knew you,
among the peoples are
00:53:40.36\00:53:43.35
astonished at you.
00:53:43.38\00:53:44.83
You have become a horror
and shall be no more for ever."
00:53:44.86\00:53:50.08
Really clear, Satan is
not going to be here around.
00:53:50.11\00:53:52.54
He's not going to
be around for ever,
00:53:52.57\00:53:53.72
which now lays
the foundation for us
00:53:53.75\00:53:55.17
to get into all the
other aspects of hell.
00:53:55.20\00:53:57.72
To see that people are not going
00:53:57.75\00:53:58.85
to be burning for ever and ever.
00:53:58.88\00:54:00.08
How could the-- how
could the very culprit,
00:54:00.11\00:54:02.78
how could the
very one who begin,
00:54:02.81\00:54:04.73
began the sin process be
gone and all of his subjects
00:54:04.76\00:54:09.14
are still being tormented.
00:54:09.17\00:54:11.04
Doesn't make any
kind of sense at all.
00:54:11.07\00:54:12.53
Matter of fact,
it's not even judicial.
00:54:12.56\00:54:14.45
Doesn't even fit
in the court system.
00:54:14.48\00:54:16.31
Well, I mean the
court system is based on,
00:54:16.34\00:54:19.25
or judgment is based upon
the reasonable punishment.
00:54:19.28\00:54:23.76
It's got to fit the crime.
00:54:23.79\00:54:26.03
And, you know, you can imagine,
00:54:26.06\00:54:28.01
you know someone who
has been an unbeliever,
00:54:28.04\00:54:31.45
doesn't believe in God
00:54:31.48\00:54:32.51
but a
philanthropist all their life,
00:54:32.54\00:54:34.14
basically one that
has done good for humanity
00:54:34.17\00:54:36.28
and all the other things,
00:54:36.31\00:54:37.58
but may be just
has rejected God,
00:54:37.61\00:54:39.13
and he is not
interested in that.
00:54:39.16\00:54:40.60
Can you imagine
that person receiving
00:54:40.63\00:54:43.24
the same punishment as Hitler?
00:54:43.27\00:54:46.29
It doesn't
match. It doesn't match.
00:54:46.32\00:54:48.00
And so the punishment,
even in our own system
00:54:48.03\00:54:50.47
has to fit the crime.
00:54:50.50\00:54:51.67
The other thing I think
that we really struggled with,
00:54:51.70\00:54:53.55
I think this world
struggles with more along
00:54:53.58\00:54:55.72
the lines of unbelievers
rather than believers,
00:54:55.75\00:54:58.66
is the fact that we
are worshipping a God
00:54:58.69\00:55:01.87
who they hear from
us, is a God that is going
00:55:01.90\00:55:06.15
to torment people forever,
keep them alive to torment them.
00:55:06.18\00:55:09.74
The definition of
that friends is torture.
00:55:09.77\00:55:13.24
And we have a problem
00:55:13.27\00:55:14.30
with people
torturing even in America.
00:55:14.33\00:55:16.98
You know, we've
heard how could we possibly
00:55:17.01\00:55:18.50
be engaged in
torture, it's all heinous,
00:55:18.53\00:55:20.09
horrible thing, here
we ascribe it to God.
00:55:20.12\00:55:23.28
That's just, you know what,
00:55:23.31\00:55:24.88
the work for that is
unconscionable. Right.
00:55:24.91\00:55:27.13
That we had assigned
that character to God.
00:55:27.16\00:55:29.22
He is not like that.
00:55:29.25\00:55:30.70
God isn't that way.
00:55:30.73\00:55:32.29
And its sad that we
apply to God's character.
00:55:32.32\00:55:35.52
But then again, you know, who
would be the one behind that.
00:55:35.55\00:55:37.94
Satan wants God to be seen as
the worst tyrant than himself,
00:55:37.97\00:55:41.28
that's why people say,
how could God destroy sinners.
00:55:41.31\00:55:44.61
Anything that defile will
not enter the kingdom of God
00:55:44.64\00:55:47.42
and if the earth
is going to be not if,
00:55:47.45\00:55:50.05
but because the
earth is going to be filled
00:55:50.08\00:55:52.49
with righteousness
forever, filled with a glory,
00:55:52.52\00:55:55.46
sinlessness forever, sin
will not arise the second time.
00:55:55.49\00:55:59.16
There will be no possibility
of sin ever coming back
00:55:59.19\00:56:03.56
to damage the
beautiful recreation
00:56:03.59\00:56:05.78
of the heavens and the earth.
00:56:05.81\00:56:07.75
God is not going to
perpetuate some out there, lake,
00:56:07.78\00:56:12.45
where the fires of
hell are going to continue
00:56:12.48\00:56:14.29
to torment people forever.
00:56:14.32\00:56:15.53
You know what's amazing.
00:56:15.56\00:56:16.59
John, nobody could
ever find it in the Bible.
00:56:16.62\00:56:18.87
Yeah, that's right.
They can't find it there.
00:56:18.90\00:56:21.91
You know, one verse
to end on really quick,
00:56:21.94\00:56:23.65
we just have a minute left here.
00:56:23.68\00:56:24.82
James 1:15, "Sin when it's
finished brings forth death."
00:56:24.85\00:56:30.00
You know when the
fire consumes all sin
00:56:30.03\00:56:32.37
and sinners with it
what results is death.
00:56:32.40\00:56:36.48
And think about
the rational here.
00:56:36.51\00:56:38.53
If death finally
gets all the wicked,
00:56:38.56\00:56:43.02
it brings forth,
they all experience death.
00:56:43.05\00:56:45.57
When Jesus destroys death,
00:56:45.60\00:56:47.67
how can the
wicked be there still?
00:56:47.70\00:56:50.55
And yet I never thought
about it until just a second.
00:56:50.58\00:56:53.11
The last enemy is death.
00:56:53.14\00:56:56.00
And if the wicked
have experienced death,
00:56:56.03\00:56:57.72
how can he destroy death
and have the wicked continue on,
00:56:57.75\00:57:00.62
that doesn't even work.
00:57:00.65\00:57:02.27
The last enemy that
shall be destroyed is death,
00:57:02.30\00:57:04.53
1 Corinthians 15,
beautiful. Praise the Lord.
00:57:04.56\00:57:07.71
John, you're firing
on all cylinders today,
00:57:07.74\00:57:09.55
I appreciate it.
00:57:09.58\00:57:10.61
Holy Spirit is
firing on all the cylinders.
00:57:10.64\00:57:11.85
Praise God for that.
00:57:11.88\00:57:13.23
You know friends
this is very clear topic.
00:57:13.26\00:57:14.71
We're going to
cover it in greater detail
00:57:14.74\00:57:16.08
in another upcoming program.
00:57:16.11\00:57:17.31
But remember this you
have no reason to fear
00:57:17.34\00:57:19.69
the fires of hell.
00:57:19.72\00:57:21.14
If you know the
Savior that is the only one
00:57:21.17\00:57:22.96
that can deliver us
from the fires of hell.
00:57:22.99\00:57:26.26
Get to know Him
today, and when He does come,
00:57:26.29\00:57:29.41
you will be prepared
to meet Him in peace.
00:57:29.44\00:57:31.00
God bless you and
have a great day in Christ.
00:57:31.03\00:57:33.38