Hello, friends, grab your
Bible and a friend and sit back
00:00:01.05\00:00:03.71
as we explore
God's word together
00:00:03.72\00:00:05.65
on this edition of House Calls.
00:00:05.66\00:00:08.14
Friends, welcome to
the most exciting program
00:00:22.53\00:00:24.78
anywhere on the planet
at this present moment.
00:00:24.79\00:00:28.19
That's why we're
here, we believe that
00:00:28.20\00:00:30.47
and we are convicted and
we thank you for tuning in
00:00:30.48\00:00:32.76
because I think that
you believe the same thing
00:00:32.77\00:00:34.99
and you know
what, I'm not by myself.
00:00:35.00\00:00:38.87
I have my good
friend John Stanton.
00:00:38.88\00:00:40.86
Hey, it's good to be here
and we say it's the best program
00:00:40.87\00:00:43.19
not because
we're bias in anyway.
00:00:43.20\00:00:45.64
No, we're not bias,
we are completely unbias.
00:00:45.65\00:00:48.20
But honestly we are saying
that because this is a program
00:00:48.21\00:00:50.50
where we talk
about the word of God.
00:00:50.51\00:00:51.90
And it makes a difference,
it really does make a difference
00:00:51.91\00:00:54.27
when we talk about God's word
we are in a book that never,
00:00:54.28\00:00:57.67
never will lose its popularity,
it is still no matter
00:00:57.68\00:01:02.04
what comes out next month
00:01:02.05\00:01:03.15
on the New York
Times bestseller list,
00:01:03.16\00:01:05.04
it's still the
best-selling book in the world.
00:01:05.05\00:01:08.01
It's actually a
volume of 66 books and so,
00:01:08.02\00:01:12.08
if you want to be blessed,
you stay tuned to the program,
00:01:12.09\00:01:14.96
hit record and we're gonna
continue today on our topic
00:01:14.97\00:01:19.06
of "Dressing up for
God" and we also have
00:01:19.07\00:01:22.18
some good
questions and comments.
00:01:22.19\00:01:23.48
But, first things first.
00:01:23.49\00:01:25.11
Let's have prayer,
John. Let's do that.
00:01:25.12\00:01:26.83
Dear Father in
heaven, so such a blessing
00:01:26.84\00:01:29.37
here to come
before Your throne here
00:01:29.38\00:01:31.40
and seeking your blessing
and especially as we start
00:01:31.41\00:01:34.82
our program where we
talk about Your word.
00:01:34.83\00:01:37.40
And so Lord, we just thank you
for what you're about to give
00:01:37.41\00:01:39.87
because we know that when
two or three are gathered,
00:01:39.88\00:01:42.72
you're always here
and we just pray that
00:01:42.73\00:01:44.73
as You are here in our midst.
00:01:44.74\00:01:46.30
You give us clear understanding
00:01:46.31\00:01:47.63
and direction,
instruction in the word.
00:01:47.64\00:01:49.86
In Jesus name,
amen. Thank you, John.
00:01:49.87\00:01:53.39
You know, your
questions and comments
00:01:53.40\00:01:55.11
makes this program available
every time you tune in,
00:01:55.12\00:01:59.30
anytime you call us,
anytime you write us,
00:01:59.31\00:02:01.21
we download them
and try to do our best
00:02:01.22\00:02:03.42
to answer them
based on God's word
00:02:03.43\00:02:04.89
and today we do have questions.
00:02:04.90\00:02:06.71
And so John, I'm
gonna let you go ahead
00:02:06.72\00:02:08.43
and dive into it
today and tell us
00:02:08.44\00:02:09.80
what is our first
questions going to be.
00:02:09.81\00:02:13.52
Good question here coming from,
00:02:13.53\00:02:16.25
boy, it doesn't
actually say on this one.
00:02:16.26\00:02:18.25
But it's along the
lines of the topic.
00:02:18.26\00:02:19.90
So that I thought I would
share this question here today.
00:02:19.91\00:02:22.37
Greetings from
the Lord, brethren,
00:02:22.38\00:02:23.97
indeed we have a
mammoth task to tell the world
00:02:23.98\00:02:26.95
of the coming redeemer
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:02:26.96\00:02:30.34
I have the following questions.
00:02:30.35\00:02:32.16
What is the work that Christ is
doing in the heavenly sanctuary?
00:02:32.17\00:02:37.04
Good question, and then he
also gives this other question
00:02:37.05\00:02:41.01
which we will
answer it later today.
00:02:41.02\00:02:42.40
Is there any difference between
American and African Adventism?
00:02:42.41\00:02:46.11
The reason I'm
asking is because I've seen
00:02:46.12\00:02:48.50
some of things like
Christmas and its connection
00:02:48.51\00:02:51.37
with paganism being
observed in America,
00:02:51.38\00:02:54.17
not where I am in Africa,
00:02:54.18\00:02:55.55
also putting on of
jewelry other things like that.
00:02:55.56\00:02:58.50
I wouldn't equate
Christmas to jewelry,
00:02:58.51\00:03:01.91
but at the same time,
I understand his point,
00:03:01.92\00:03:04.33
there seems to
be a breaking down
00:03:04.34\00:03:06.90
of the standards within America.
00:03:06.91\00:03:10.05
But anyway, let's answer
this first question, all right.
00:03:10.06\00:03:12.10
What is Jesus doing
in the heavenly sanctuary
00:03:12.11\00:03:15.02
in the sanctuary,
the heavenly sanctuary?
00:03:15.03\00:03:18.18
Turn with us to
Hebrews Chapter 9,
00:03:18.19\00:03:23.03
and I'm gonna read
starting with verse,
00:03:23.04\00:03:26.13
let's see here, 22, 9:22.
00:03:26.14\00:03:33.31
Okay, Hebrews 9
verse 22. Go forward.
00:03:33.32\00:03:36.45
"And according to the law almost
00:03:36.46\00:03:38.15
all things are
purified with blood,
00:03:38.16\00:03:41.22
and without the shedding of
blood there is no remission."
00:03:41.23\00:03:44.20
Remission of what? Sin, sin.
00:03:44.21\00:03:46.80
Verse 23,
"Therefore it was necessary
00:03:46.81\00:03:49.10
that the copies of
the things in the heavens
00:03:49.11\00:03:52.07
should be purified with
these, but the heavenly things
00:03:52.08\00:03:55.37
themselves with better
sacrifices than these."
00:03:55.38\00:03:58.22
And the "these"
he's talking about
00:03:58.23\00:03:59.42
the blood of bulls
and goats and animals
00:03:59.43\00:04:01.30
that were part of the,
the Earthly sanctuary service.
00:04:01.31\00:04:05.34
"For Christ," verse 24,
"has not entered the Holy Places
00:04:05.35\00:04:09.06
made with hands, which
are copies of the true,
00:04:09.07\00:04:12.59
but into heaven
itself, now to appear
00:04:12.60\00:04:15.52
in the presence of God for us."
00:04:15.53\00:04:17.83
And if you want to know what
he's talking about into heaven
00:04:17.84\00:04:19.66
itself that's more specific in
verse 11 of that same Chapter,
00:04:19.67\00:04:23.81
saying "Christ has become
the high priest of good things
00:04:23.82\00:04:26.51
to come with a greater
and more perfect tabernacle,
00:04:26.52\00:04:29.33
not made with hands,
that is not of this creation,
00:04:29.34\00:04:32.16
"speaking of the tabernacle in
heaven, the heavenly sanctuary.
00:04:32.17\00:04:36.46
And then it says
here in verse 25,
00:04:36.47\00:04:38.24
"Not that He should
offer Himself often,
00:04:38.25\00:04:41.44
as the high priest
enters the Most Holy Place
00:04:41.45\00:04:43.66
every year with
blood of another."
00:04:43.67\00:04:46.69
He then would have
had to suffer often
00:04:46.70\00:04:48.60
since the
foundation of the world,
00:04:48.61\00:04:50.27
but now once-- how many times?
00:04:50.28\00:04:53.08
Once. Once.
00:04:53.09\00:04:54.61
"At the end of the
ages, He has appeared
00:04:54.62\00:04:56.45
to put away sin by
the sacrifice of Himself.
00:04:56.46\00:05:00.34
And as it is
appointed for men to die once,
00:05:00.35\00:05:03.02
but after this the
judgment, so Christ was offered
00:05:03.03\00:05:05.76
once to bear the sins of many,
00:05:05.77\00:05:08.17
to those who
eagerly wait for Him,
00:05:08.18\00:05:09.95
He will appear a second time,
apart from sin, for salvation."
00:05:09.96\00:05:14.22
That's right.
Okay, now to sum that up
00:05:14.23\00:05:15.79
in other words, Jesus came
the first time to offer himself
00:05:15.80\00:05:18.73
as a sacrifice
for us, that's right.
00:05:18.74\00:05:21.34
The next time He appears,
He's gonna come for salvation,
00:05:21.35\00:05:24.19
for the redemption of all
on this Earth that are waiting
00:05:24.20\00:05:27.02
for Him to take us to
heaven to live with Him forever.
00:05:27.03\00:05:29.74
That's right, now
the first time He came,
00:05:29.75\00:05:33.64
it says clearly here
that he offered himself,
00:05:33.65\00:05:36.80
shed his own blood
in place of the blood
00:05:36.81\00:05:39.15
of bulls and goats and
lambs and the other things
00:05:39.16\00:05:41.48
that were offered in
the old sanctuary service,
00:05:41.49\00:05:45.26
in the Earthly
sanctuary and if we recognize,
00:05:45.27\00:05:48.62
if we look, read Exodus,
00:05:48.63\00:05:50.59
if we read
Leviticus, we see that,
00:05:50.60\00:05:52.04
that blood was
offered every year on a cycle.
00:05:52.05\00:05:57.24
Each time someone
presented a sacrifice,
00:05:57.25\00:06:00.77
brought a
sacrifice to the sanctuary,
00:06:00.78\00:06:03.08
they entered into the courtyard
00:06:03.09\00:06:04.45
where they were met by a priest,
00:06:04.46\00:06:06.90
where the lamb, for instance,
00:06:06.91\00:06:09.12
was--the throat was slit
after they by laying their
00:06:09.13\00:06:12.96
hands on the head of
that animal or that lamb
00:06:12.97\00:06:16.06
transferred in
symbol, in type II that animal
00:06:16.07\00:06:21.80
their sins that
have recently occurred.
00:06:21.81\00:06:25.55
And then the blood that
was spilled from that animal
00:06:25.56\00:06:28.02
as it died, the blood was
then taken into the sanctuary,
00:06:28.03\00:06:32.92
the Holy Place and
sprinkled before the veil,
00:06:32.93\00:06:35.88
on the altar there as well.
00:06:35.89\00:06:37.70
Also that animal was sacrificed
by burning it on the altar,
00:06:37.71\00:06:42.11
the brazen altar
out in the courtyard.
00:06:42.12\00:06:44.58
Now several things
are happening there
00:06:44.59\00:06:46.28
that are in type
that Jesus fulfilled.
00:06:46.29\00:06:49.62
He on the cross sacrificed
himself and shed his blood,
00:06:49.63\00:06:54.56
which is the altar of burnt
offering, that brazen altar,
00:06:54.57\00:06:58.35
the bronze altar
that was in the courtyard.
00:06:58.36\00:07:00.72
But now what this is
saying here is that as Christ
00:07:00.73\00:07:03.71
ascended into
heaven, He went to appear
00:07:03.72\00:07:07.20
in the Holy Place
to take his blood,
00:07:07.21\00:07:10.75
not the blood of bulls
and goats but his own blood
00:07:10.76\00:07:13.03
to offer that for us, for our
sins and he did it just once.
00:07:13.04\00:07:18.02
That's right, so
what this is saying here
00:07:18.03\00:07:19.80
is that the services of the
old that happened once a year
00:07:19.81\00:07:22.76
on a cycle was a
picture of what happens
00:07:22.77\00:07:26.69
on a grand full one time
cycle in this Earth's history.
00:07:26.70\00:07:32.79
So really that Earthly
sanctuary service is a picture
00:07:32.80\00:07:36.34
of the plan of salvation that
God had instituted with Jesus
00:07:36.35\00:07:40.97
for the redemption of mankind.
00:07:40.98\00:07:43.23
So when Jesus gave
his life on the cross,
00:07:43.24\00:07:45.25
He was not finished
with the atonement, no.
00:07:45.26\00:07:49.45
He only began the atonement
process by offering his,
00:07:49.46\00:07:52.54
his body and shedding his blood
00:07:52.55\00:07:56.08
and then He
entered into heaven itself,
00:07:56.09\00:07:58.26
to then continue the process
of atonement to ministering,
00:07:58.27\00:08:01.97
to interceding in our behalf.
00:08:01.98\00:08:04.04
So that when we sin down here,
that sin has been transferred
00:08:04.05\00:08:09.48
to is transferred to Jesus,
and then by his shedding blood
00:08:09.49\00:08:13.40
to the sanctuary in heaven.
00:08:13.41\00:08:15.79
Where then needs
to be cleansed finally
00:08:15.80\00:08:18.63
at the end of time from sin.
00:08:18.64\00:08:20.42
Now that cleansing
process is the connection
00:08:20.43\00:08:23.48
to the Most Holy
Place, that's right.
00:08:23.49\00:08:25.96
Which we see, within
scripture, within prophecy,
00:08:25.97\00:08:29.21
that period of
time that He ministered
00:08:29.22\00:08:31.04
in the Most Holy
Place began in 1844.
00:08:31.05\00:08:34.69
So now He's not
in the Holy Place,
00:08:34.70\00:08:36.99
which is where He
began, He has transitioned
00:08:37.00\00:08:39.03
to the Most Holy
Place as described in 18--
00:08:39.04\00:08:43.20
that we're
saying happened in 1844,
00:08:43.21\00:08:45.30
to begin or
continue his intercession,
00:08:45.31\00:08:48.58
but also to engage in
the process of judgment.
00:08:48.59\00:08:53.84
So that the record books or
those who profess Christ name,
00:08:53.85\00:08:57.97
those records are
seen as to whether or not
00:08:57.98\00:08:59.89
they truly are following Christ,
00:08:59.90\00:09:02.46
and have committed
themselves to Christ.
00:09:02.47\00:09:04.57
So atonement can be
completed. That's right.
00:09:04.58\00:09:07.46
So atonement just doesn't
involve the shedding of blood,
00:09:07.47\00:09:10.84
it involves the
application of blood,
00:09:10.85\00:09:12.89
the intercessory aspect
of Jesus and His work for us
00:09:12.90\00:09:17.49
and also the
completion of that atonement
00:09:17.50\00:09:19.62
which is the acknowledgment
when all of a sudden done
00:09:19.63\00:09:24.06
when he's
finished, the that those
00:09:24.07\00:09:27.01
who are filthy remain filthy.
00:09:27.02\00:09:28.57
That those who are, who
are righteous remain righteous
00:09:28.58\00:09:31.66
as described in Revelation
Chapter 22 verse 15, is it?
00:09:31.67\00:09:36.55
Eleven. Eleven, okay good.
00:09:36.56\00:09:38.60
You're much better at
the numbers than I am.
00:09:38.61\00:09:41.31
Anyways, so that's,
that's really a brief synopsis
00:09:41.32\00:09:44.95
of what Jesus is doing
in the heavenly sanctuary,
00:09:44.96\00:09:47.10
and you probably have
some things to add to that.
00:09:47.11\00:09:48.55
But it's about as
quick as I can do it
00:09:48.56\00:09:50.67
and succinctly as
I can come up with.
00:09:50.68\00:09:52.89
And something else on that note,
00:09:52.90\00:09:54.55
He made a promise and that
was very well put together,
00:09:54.56\00:09:57.01
He made a promise to the
disciples in John Chapter 14,
00:09:57.02\00:09:59.67
He says "In my Father's
house are many mansions,
00:09:59.68\00:10:02.58
if it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:10:02.59\00:10:04.24
I go to prepare
a place for you."
00:10:04.25\00:10:06.73
And the preparation
of that place for us
00:10:06.74\00:10:09.03
is something broader
than just building mansions,
00:10:09.04\00:10:11.19
a lot of times people think
that He's building mansions,
00:10:11.20\00:10:13.67
while the preparation is
in fact the atonement work,
00:10:13.68\00:10:17.45
this work of
atonement He ever lives.
00:10:17.46\00:10:20.06
Hebrews 7:25, "He ever lives
to make intercession for us."
00:10:20.07\00:10:24.40
So this place that
He's preparing for us
00:10:24.41\00:10:27.03
is broader than just
a mansion being built,
00:10:27.04\00:10:29.90
but in fact He's
looking at our lives,
00:10:29.91\00:10:32.38
He's making sure that
each of us who professes
00:10:32.39\00:10:35.29
to be his children as the
Bible says in First Peter 4:17,
00:10:35.30\00:10:39.24
"The time has come for judgment
to begin at the house of God,
00:10:39.25\00:10:42.72
if it begins with us first,"
and so that's where it starts,
00:10:42.73\00:10:46.17
now what's the purpose of that?
00:10:46.18\00:10:48.56
You know, we look
at the work of Jesus,
00:10:48.57\00:10:50.80
His sacrifice that was
made on the cross was ratified,
00:10:50.81\00:10:58.29
and He came forth from
the grave victoriously,
00:10:58.30\00:11:01.61
now qualifies him as our High
Priest forever, He ever lives.
00:11:01.62\00:11:07.09
And I think in one of the
programs we mentioned this,
00:11:07.10\00:11:10.33
Jesus is not a priest
after the Levitical priesthood,
00:11:10.34\00:11:15.18
but He is a priest
after the Melchizedek priest,
00:11:15.19\00:11:18.55
as a matter of
fact that's here in
00:11:18.56\00:11:20.35
Hebrews Chapter 7 and verse 21,
00:11:20.36\00:11:23.04
"You are a
priest forever according
00:11:23.05\00:11:25.46
to the order of Melchizedek."
00:11:25.47\00:11:28.87
So He's alive and
ministering for us today
00:11:28.88\00:11:32.35
and when the Bible
says, "If we confess our sins,
00:11:32.36\00:11:35.61
he is faithful and just
to forgive us of our sins
00:11:35.62\00:11:38.47
and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness."
00:11:38.48\00:11:40.31
That's the work that
He's involved in now,
00:11:40.32\00:11:42.71
the mediatorial work, yeah.
00:11:42.72\00:11:44.90
You know, John I think the,
00:11:44.91\00:11:46.90
his work in the Most
Holy Place that we described
00:11:46.91\00:11:49.48
his work of investigative
judgment is the term
00:11:49.49\00:11:52.82
that Adventist use,
but it's a work of judgment
00:11:52.83\00:11:54.86
to determine whether
or not those who profess
00:11:54.87\00:11:56.60
Christ's name or
followers of Christ.
00:11:56.61\00:11:59.11
That process is really described
by Jesus himself in a parable.
00:11:59.12\00:12:04.37
And I'm gonna read this
from Matthew Chapter 22.
00:12:04.38\00:12:06.76
Okay, Matthew
22. Let's go there.
00:12:06.77\00:12:08.45
And it says here
that, "This king had a son
00:12:08.46\00:12:13.52
who was going to
be part of a wedding,"
00:12:13.53\00:12:19.12
and many were sent out
to offer or to invite those
00:12:19.13\00:12:25.15
to the wedding, in fact,
the first two calls were not
00:12:25.16\00:12:27.44
to those who are being
invited for the first time
00:12:27.45\00:12:30.28
it actually describes those
who have already been invited
00:12:30.29\00:12:32.75
really the house of
Israel is really descriptive of.
00:12:32.76\00:12:35.89
To call them back
into that relationship,
00:12:35.90\00:12:39.45
that full relationship with him,
so that they can be in faith
00:12:39.46\00:12:42.34
or by faith
present at this wedding.
00:12:42.35\00:12:45.58
And then it gets
to the third call,
00:12:45.59\00:12:47.14
which is okay, they
weren't willing they,
00:12:47.15\00:12:48.77
they ended up killing
my servants sent to them.
00:12:48.78\00:12:51.78
I'm going to now
invite everyone bad and good,
00:12:51.79\00:12:54.13
all of all people to come
in and be part of this wedding
00:12:54.14\00:12:57.66
and I picked that
up here in verse 10.
00:12:57.67\00:13:00.37
"So those servants
went out into the highways,
00:13:00.38\00:13:02.10
and gathered together all whom
they found, both bad and good,
00:13:02.11\00:13:04.98
and the wedding hall
was filled with guests.
00:13:04.99\00:13:08.28
So as the gospel
invitation goes out
00:13:08.29\00:13:11.18
and as people respond to that,
if they respond yes, I, this is,
00:13:11.19\00:13:16.19
this is something that I
would want to be part of,
00:13:16.20\00:13:19.18
and they accept
Jesus as their Savior,
00:13:19.19\00:13:20.98
they then enter into this
wedding hall as guests by faith.
00:13:20.99\00:13:26.68
But then you'll notice something
happens after that, verse 11.
00:13:26.69\00:13:30.46
"But when the king
came in to see the guests,
00:13:30.47\00:13:32.11
he saw a man there
who did not have on what?"
00:13:32.12\00:13:35.21
A wedding garment, "So
he said to him, friend,
00:13:35.22\00:13:38.82
how did you come in here
without a wedding garment
00:13:38.83\00:13:42.11
and he was speechless.
00:13:42.12\00:13:45.16
Then the king
said to his servants,
00:13:45.17\00:13:46.54
Bind him hand and
foot, take him away
00:13:46.55\00:13:48.03
and cast him
into outer darkness,
00:13:48.04\00:13:49.36
there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
00:13:49.37\00:13:51.28
For many are
called, and few are chosen."
00:13:51.29\00:13:53.29
Now if you read
Matthew Chapter 25,
00:13:53.30\00:13:55.68
there is also
description of a wedding.
00:13:55.69\00:13:58.33
It says there that
only those who are ready
00:13:58.34\00:14:01.15
go into the wedding.
00:14:01.16\00:14:02.99
So you have to by
faith come into the wedding.
00:14:03.00\00:14:05.94
That's right, in other
words when they were asking,
00:14:05.95\00:14:08.44
I keep saying another
words, because I want to be
00:14:08.45\00:14:09.98
more descriptive
but when he was asking,
00:14:09.99\00:14:13.36
how did you getting here
without a wedding garment,
00:14:13.37\00:14:15.62
and he was
speechless, he wasn't thinking
00:14:15.63\00:14:17.11
how did I get in
here without one,
00:14:17.12\00:14:18.47
he had come in with
one and he was speechless
00:14:18.48\00:14:21.56
because he no
longer had one, right.
00:14:21.57\00:14:24.11
This really, this
parable helps to--help us to see
00:14:24.12\00:14:27.07
that once saved always saved
00:14:27.08\00:14:28.72
is not a Bible
doctrine, it's not a truth.
00:14:28.73\00:14:32.70
Because you must,
you must be ready,
00:14:32.71\00:14:36.14
you must by faith accept
Jesus as your savior to come
00:14:36.15\00:14:38.96
into the wedding,
but while you are there
00:14:38.97\00:14:42.08
and this inspection is going on
00:14:42.09\00:14:43.80
there are some who will not
have that wedding garment on,
00:14:43.81\00:14:46.72
they will lose it
and there are others
00:14:46.75\00:14:48.93
who will keep that
wedding garment on,
00:14:48.94\00:14:51.21
that the Book of Revelation says
that we should are you there?
00:14:51.22\00:14:55.25
Behold, Revelation 16:15,
"Behold, I come as a thief.
00:14:55.26\00:14:59.64
Blessed is he who
watches, and keeps his garment,
00:14:59.65\00:15:02.71
lest he walk naked,
and they see his shame."
00:15:02.72\00:15:05.07
Okay. Blessed is he
who keeps his garments.
00:15:05.08\00:15:08.70
So you can come in by faith,
00:15:08.71\00:15:10.91
but the keeping is the
part that we were talking
00:15:10.92\00:15:13.40
in our last program, the
following of God's truth.
00:15:13.41\00:15:17.17
The faith and works together,
00:15:17.18\00:15:18.69
the part that is evidence
of your salvation in Jesus
00:15:18.70\00:15:22.01
is what keeps you
in the wedding feast,
00:15:22.02\00:15:24.24
it's what keeps you saved.
00:15:24.25\00:15:26.95
And so what we're
saying, when Jesus is doing this
00:15:26.96\00:15:30.24
inspection, this investigating
of the guests there,
00:15:30.25\00:15:32.96
He's interceding for
those who are by faith
00:15:32.97\00:15:36.37
keeping their faith in him
00:15:36.38\00:15:38.52
and following
and walking with him.
00:15:38.53\00:15:40.51
Well, those who
lose their garment
00:15:40.52\00:15:42.51
who aren't following Him
are judged to be found unworthy.
00:15:42.52\00:15:49.79
They're put out of the,
out of the wedding hall.
00:15:49.80\00:15:53.24
They're not
followers of God anymore
00:15:53.25\00:15:55.83
and they determine that.
00:15:55.84\00:15:56.85
They only await
the second judgment
00:15:56.86\00:15:59.09
which is after the second death
00:15:59.10\00:16:00.65
which is eternal condemnation.
00:16:00.66\00:16:03.53
So Jesus is going
through that process right now,
00:16:03.54\00:16:06.13
which is why we
know, John, that we are
00:16:06.14\00:16:07.79
very, very close to
the return of Christ
00:16:07.80\00:16:10.07
because when He's finished,
there's no more intercessory
00:16:10.08\00:16:12.86
work to do, He's coming
back to take his saints home.
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.96
You covered a number of
things here that, I mean,
00:16:15.97\00:16:19.16
I was going in all these
different directions here
00:16:19.17\00:16:21.31
in the sense that a
door kept opening up
00:16:21.32\00:16:23.66
to each of the point you made.
00:16:23.67\00:16:25.41
One of the ones that I
want to point out is that
00:16:25.42\00:16:27.09
when you talked
about the mediatorial work,
00:16:27.10\00:16:31.87
the garment is so
vitally important.
00:16:31.88\00:16:33.65
If you look at that,
if you look at that theme
00:16:33.66\00:16:36.25
in the Garden of Eden,
what did Adam and Eve lose?
00:16:36.26\00:16:38.39
They lost the garment.
00:16:38.40\00:16:39.54
If you look at
the entire sin issue,
00:16:40.96\00:16:45.70
it's about the
sin stained garment.
00:16:45.71\00:16:49.44
What happened when
Jesus is on the cross?
00:16:49.45\00:16:52.21
They gambled over
his robe, his garment,
00:16:52.22\00:16:56.31
you find that
when Jesus was born,
00:16:56.32\00:16:58.52
He was wrapped in
swaddling clothes,
00:16:58.53\00:17:00.45
He was wrapped in a garment.
00:17:00.46\00:17:02.08
All these, the garment
theme is all through the Bible,
00:17:02.09\00:17:04.77
and then the church
is the bride of Christ
00:17:04.78\00:17:07.50
and her garment is described
in Revelation Chapter 12,
00:17:07.51\00:17:10.76
The New Jerusalem
is the bride of Christ,
00:17:10.77\00:17:13.17
matter of fact,
in Revelation 12,
00:17:14.74\00:17:16.00
it shows the
picture of the church
00:17:16.01\00:17:17.39
and the glorious woman,
but in Revelation Chapter 20
00:17:17.40\00:17:20.87
and 21, you see the
bride of Christ, her adornment.
00:17:20.88\00:17:24.53
But then you also see
the righteousness of Jesus
00:17:24.54\00:17:27.75
in Revelation
Chapter 16 verse 15,
00:17:27.76\00:17:29.83
blessed to see
who keeps his garment.
00:17:29.84\00:17:32.40
And so the entire
whole issue of salvation
00:17:32.41\00:17:34.75
is not our garment, because
our garment is as filthy rags.
00:17:34.76\00:17:41.52
So we cannot in our
own selves ever qualify
00:17:41.53\00:17:45.93
for being fit enough and
righteous enough to be saved.
00:17:45.94\00:17:49.93
All our
righteousness is as filthy rags.
00:17:49.94\00:17:53.86
Now I've got to say this too,
00:17:53.87\00:17:55.04
because of the topic
we're talking about today.
00:17:55.05\00:17:57.74
You know, dressing
up for Jesus, you know,
00:17:57.75\00:17:59.52
dressing the way that we should,
00:17:59.53\00:18:01.25
adornment and the other things
that are associated with that.
00:18:01.26\00:18:04.38
Look at this, James
5 Chapter 5 verse 1.
00:18:04.39\00:18:08.05
James 5:1, "Come now, you rich,
00:18:08.06\00:18:12.32
weep and howl for your miseries
00:18:12.33\00:18:14.19
that are coming upon you."
00:18:14.20\00:18:15.33
Speaking of the last
days. I see where you're going.
00:18:15.34\00:18:17.65
"Your riches are corrupted,
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.11
and your
garments are moth-eaten.
00:18:19.12\00:18:22.86
Your gold and
silver are corroded,
00:18:22.87\00:18:25.04
and their corrosion will
be a witness against you,
00:18:25.05\00:18:27.39
and will eat
your flesh like fire.
00:18:27.40\00:18:29.02
You have heaped up
treasure in the last days."
00:18:29.03\00:18:33.24
Interesting here, the
connection of the last day
00:18:33.25\00:18:36.78
lives of those who are
living who call themselves
00:18:36.79\00:18:41.08
Christians, again this
letter is to the church.
00:18:41.09\00:18:44.74
So he's writing to
the church and he's saying
00:18:44.75\00:18:46.88
you're letting all
these riches, these treasures,
00:18:46.89\00:18:48.95
all these other things
eat away at your garment.
00:18:48.96\00:18:51.51
There the world is coming in,
00:18:52.17\00:18:53.88
is creeping in and
it's putting holes in it,
00:18:53.89\00:18:56.83
to the point where
you'll find in the end,
00:18:56.84\00:18:58.76
you have no garment as
this man who was caught
00:18:58.77\00:19:01.25
in the wedding
guests without one.
00:19:01.26\00:19:03.42
You know, and I
always reference that
00:19:03.43\00:19:04.97
it speaks of a garment,
a garment being moth-eaten.
00:19:04.98\00:19:08.26
You know, if you think
about it when you have,
00:19:08.27\00:19:11.14
you know, we understand
how much how much it costs,
00:19:11.15\00:19:12.99
John, to buy a nice wool suit.
00:19:13.00\00:19:16.06
$700 at least. In New York $99.
00:19:17.48\00:19:20.46
Well, but still 99 bucks. Right.
00:19:20.47\00:19:22.63
Okay, it costs money to do that.
00:19:22.64\00:19:24.89
There's nothing more irritating
00:19:24.90\00:19:26.51
than opening up a suit that
you've had in the place that,
00:19:26.52\00:19:30.74
you know, in your closet,
00:19:30.75\00:19:31.90
you haven't worn in
maybe several months
00:19:31.91\00:19:33.99
and seeing a hole right
there in the front of it.
00:19:34.00\00:19:37.01
Yeah, I don't know, I
don't know why moths like suits.
00:19:37.02\00:19:39.90
They just they love
to put these little holes
00:19:39.91\00:19:41.98
and they wear the material
and they get this hole in it.
00:19:41.99\00:19:45.25
But it is so similar to
sometimes our walk of faith.
00:19:45.26\00:19:49.26
It's when we're
not paying attention.
00:19:49.27\00:19:50.53
You know what I'm saying,
00:19:50.54\00:19:51.53
that the moth eats the garment.
00:19:51.54\00:19:53.23
Sometimes we don't pay attention
00:19:53.24\00:19:54.62
to the responsibility
of being a Christian
00:19:54.63\00:19:58.12
that causes us to
realize one day, you know what?
00:19:58.13\00:20:00.73
I'm losing my faith and a good,
00:20:00.74\00:20:04.10
I think a very well,
very appropriate analogy here
00:20:04.11\00:20:07.31
being moth-eaten, the
garment being moth-eaten,
00:20:07.32\00:20:09.99
to sometimes our life.
00:20:10.00\00:20:11.50
Right and so we have to keep,
00:20:11.51\00:20:12.57
we have to get away
from our moth-eaten garments
00:20:12.58\00:20:15.41
to the whole armor of God.
00:20:15.42\00:20:18.20
When you put on
armor, moths are not going
00:20:18.21\00:20:20.82
to eat through armor. No.
00:20:20.83\00:20:22.95
But when it's your own garment
00:20:22.96\00:20:24.76
and it's not covered
with the armor of God,
00:20:24.77\00:20:28.59
then moths will eat it away.
00:20:28.60\00:20:29.89
And, you know, John, that, that
00:20:29.90\00:20:31.65
very picture, I
hadn't talked about,
00:20:31.66\00:20:32.78
that's a great
sermon title moth-eaten.
00:20:32.79\00:20:35.72
Because you know
sometimes we just,
00:20:35.73\00:20:37.57
we just get this
garment and we just kind of
00:20:37.58\00:20:39.70
handle it like it's just
no garment of great value,
00:20:39.71\00:20:43.18
but the moth has
begun to eat away
00:20:43.19\00:20:44.77
and when you go back
and you look at the picture
00:20:44.78\00:20:47.09
of the man that was
in the wedding feast
00:20:47.10\00:20:49.27
without a garment,
you could almost say well,
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.25
it came to the point
where was it moth-eaten,
00:20:52.26\00:20:55.09
the things of life ate
it away and he no longer was
00:20:55.10\00:20:57.42
able to keep that garment.
00:20:57.43\00:20:58.50
It was no longer there.
00:20:58.51\00:21:00.86
And so we begin to
look at that and say okay,
00:21:00.87\00:21:02.97
we have to keep
ourselves focused on Christ
00:21:02.98\00:21:05.55
because only as we
focus on his righteousness,
00:21:05.56\00:21:08.87
are we gonna have
any kind of foundation to
00:21:08.88\00:21:10.61
keep us through the
days that are ahead of us.
00:21:10.62\00:21:13.52
And so it's a powerful
topic what is the Lord doing?
00:21:13.53\00:21:15.94
He's preserving our
garments. What are we doing?
00:21:15.95\00:21:18.24
We're looking to the one
who alone is our righteousness.
00:21:18.25\00:21:20.60
That's right, amen. Wow!
00:21:20.61\00:21:22.17
I have a quick
question here from a gentleman,
00:21:22.18\00:21:24.43
I have a question on the
topic to eat or not to eat.
00:21:24.44\00:21:29.53
If our body is mortal and God
is going to change it anyway.
00:21:29.54\00:21:33.65
Why bother about it now?
00:21:34.77\00:21:36.78
Let me give it my car anyway.
00:21:38.75\00:21:39.77
Let's just go and
beat it up. Why me?
00:21:39.78\00:21:42.96
Why worry about the car?
00:21:42.97\00:21:44.54
Well, you made a point there
00:21:44.55\00:21:46.23
and we've been
talking about this.
00:21:46.24\00:21:47.59
You see the
accountability that we have
00:21:48.82\00:21:51.69
is what we do
with this body here now
00:21:51.70\00:21:54.41
is not well, let's
go ahead and abuse it,
00:21:54.42\00:21:56.55
it's not gonna matter anyway.
00:21:56.56\00:21:58.71
Let's stop for a moment and
not apply that to our bodies.
00:21:58.72\00:22:01.70
Let's apply that to our houses.
00:22:01.71\00:22:03.93
Well, I'm not gonna
live on the Earth forever,
00:22:05.35\00:22:07.20
I am not gonna be on
this Earth indefinitely.
00:22:07.21\00:22:09.35
So let me just go ahead
and just destroy my house,
00:22:09.36\00:22:11.26
let me trash it, let me
just-- if it starts fall--
00:22:11.27\00:22:13.35
I won't clean it, I
won't fix it, nothing.
00:22:13.36\00:22:15.36
Not gonna clean
it, not gonna fix it,
00:22:15.37\00:22:16.79
it doesn't
matter what I put in it.
00:22:16.80\00:22:18.76
I could have goats
in the living room,
00:22:18.77\00:22:20.13
I have cows in there,
I could have a 100 cats,
00:22:20.14\00:22:23.08
dogs, you name it, I'm gonna
let the whole world come in.
00:22:23.09\00:22:26.04
'Cause this is not really gonna
be my abiding place forever.
00:22:26.05\00:22:28.38
I mean, why deal with it now.
00:22:28.39\00:22:30.25
If the window breaks,
doesn't really matter,
00:22:30.26\00:22:31.78
my car broke down,
doesn't really matter
00:22:31.79\00:22:33.43
I'm gonna get a new one anyway.
00:22:33.44\00:22:35.24
I am losing it
and I am going to.
00:22:35.25\00:22:36.28
I'm going to heaven, I'm
not going to take it with me.
00:22:36.29\00:22:38.22
That principle
doesn't measure up
00:22:38.23\00:22:41.30
when it comes to Earthly things,
00:22:41.31\00:22:44.86
how could we even assume
that that principle applies
00:22:44.87\00:22:49.08
when it comes to
things that God made.
00:22:49.09\00:22:51.43
Now we're talking
about houses, cars, wood,
00:22:51.44\00:22:53.66
stone, brick, paint, those
are the things that we made.
00:22:53.67\00:22:57.80
God values
everything that He made.
00:22:57.81\00:23:00.57
And by the way,
here is the text.
00:23:00.58\00:23:02.35
Second
Corinthians 5 and verse 10.
00:23:02.36\00:23:04.28
This is the broad text.
00:23:04.29\00:23:05.90
Well, I'll share another
one with you in a moment.
00:23:05.91\00:23:08.04
But Second
Corinthians 5:10 says,
00:23:08.05\00:23:09.86
For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ,
00:23:09.87\00:23:13.73
that each one may
receive the things
00:23:13.74\00:23:16.73
done in the body, according to
00:23:16.74\00:23:18.19
what he has done,
whether good or bad."
00:23:18.20\00:23:21.54
And in First
Corinthians 10:31, it says,
00:23:21.55\00:23:23.71
"whether
therefore you eat, or drink,
00:23:23.72\00:23:25.52
or whatever you do, do
all to the glory of God."
00:23:25.53\00:23:28.41
First Corinthians
6 verse 18 and 19,
00:23:28.42\00:23:32.33
verse 19 and 20.
00:23:32.34\00:23:34.66
Do you not know that your
body is the temple of God,
00:23:34.67\00:23:37.25
and the Spirit of
God dwells in you,
00:23:37.26\00:23:39.13
if anyone defiles
his temple him will
00:23:39.14\00:23:41.45
God destroy for the
temple of God is Holy
00:23:41.46\00:23:43.49
which temple you are.
00:23:43.50\00:23:44.93
Yes, as your
body is not your own.
00:23:44.94\00:23:46.35
Your body is not your own,
00:23:46.36\00:23:47.39
you are bought with a price.
00:23:47.40\00:23:48.87
First Corinthians
3 verse 16 and 17,
00:23:48.88\00:23:51.03
"we are bought with a price,
00:23:51.04\00:23:52.56
therefore
glorify God in your body
00:23:52.57\00:23:55.56
and in your
spirit, which are God's."
00:23:55.57\00:23:57.64
God is not just
looking for spiritual worship,
00:23:57.65\00:24:00.63
He's looking for
physical spiritual worship.
00:24:00.64\00:24:03.11
This is the temple,
so we serve him best
00:24:03.12\00:24:06.28
with what we do with his temple.
00:24:06.29\00:24:08.31
There is another
analogy of a car.
00:24:08.32\00:24:09.57
You know there's some cars
that run on premium fuel only.
00:24:11.63\00:24:15.20
And if you put 87
octane fuel or low-grade fuel,
00:24:16.50\00:24:20.80
you know, I actually found that
when I was going to Montana,
00:24:20.81\00:24:23.19
they have 85
octane, didn't know that.
00:24:23.20\00:24:26.19
That's low. Yeah, really low.
00:24:26.20\00:24:27.98
Anyway but just hear me.
00:24:27.99\00:24:30.68
But octane fuel whether 85, 87,
00:24:30.69\00:24:33.22
if you put that
in the in the car,
00:24:33.23\00:24:35.03
it's not gonna run right.
00:24:35.04\00:24:37.07
It'll run, it'll run,
but it won't run very well.
00:24:37.08\00:24:41.59
And similarly in our own lives,
00:24:41.60\00:24:44.06
in our Christian lives,
in the way we're in tune
00:24:44.07\00:24:46.58
with God every day, and
I believe that our daily
00:24:46.59\00:24:48.96
walk should be in the spirit
as Paul describes in Romans 8.
00:24:48.97\00:24:52.67
Not so that we don't
fulfill the lust of the flesh.
00:24:52.68\00:24:56.02
So we need to feed
our mind or feed our body
00:24:56.03\00:24:59.93
which would feed
our mind with things
00:24:59.94\00:25:01.37
that are going to make
it run at a premium level,
00:25:01.38\00:25:04.96
because if we don't it'll
default to its base level.
00:25:04.97\00:25:10.45
Its flesh level, and we know
00:25:10.46\00:25:12.63
the flesh is
going to draw us to sin.
00:25:12.64\00:25:16.23
Where as the
mind, if it's right,
00:25:16.24\00:25:17.82
it's gonna draw us to God.
00:25:17.83\00:25:20.14
And so when it
comes to feeding our body
00:25:20.15\00:25:23.81
with what we eat and, you know,
00:25:23.82\00:25:25.50
what we drink and
all the other things.
00:25:25.51\00:25:27.57
We got to remember this
there is a spiritual need
00:25:27.58\00:25:30.44
that our body has to
operate at a premium level,
00:25:30.45\00:25:34.36
so that God can speak
with us through His word
00:25:34.37\00:25:38.36
through songs through
whatever we partake in.
00:25:38.37\00:25:41.03
Our body's got to
be in tune with that,
00:25:41.04\00:25:42.65
and when we
don't treat it right,
00:25:42.66\00:25:43.86
we are sluggish, we
cannot do those things
00:25:43.87\00:25:47.65
that God would ask us to do.
00:25:47.66\00:25:50.00
How many stories have
you heard, John, miracles.
00:25:50.01\00:25:53.56
People felt so impressed
to give a certain amount
00:25:53.57\00:25:56.76
to somebody at a certain time.
00:25:56.77\00:26:00.28
And how can we assume
00:26:00.29\00:26:02.56
that we would be in
tune to hear that voice.
00:26:02.57\00:26:04.87
Hear God's voice tell
us to do things like that,
00:26:04.88\00:26:07.81
if we're sluggish and tired
and just barely hanging on.
00:26:07.82\00:26:11.47
If we don't have a
connection with God
00:26:11.48\00:26:12.82
that's lively and vibrant.
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.00
No, you can't really. Yeah.
00:26:14.01\00:26:15.70
God can't get through to that.
00:26:15.71\00:26:17.17
So there are so
many levels we can come
00:26:17.18\00:26:19.02
at this at I know that we
can't believe it this question
00:26:19.03\00:26:21.59
but it just doesn't make sense
00:26:21.60\00:26:23.56
that we can just treat our
bodies in whatever way we want
00:26:23.57\00:26:25.77
and expect that we're
gonna get the same result.
00:26:25.78\00:26:27.77
No, if your body is
mortal and God is going
00:26:27.78\00:26:31.23
to change it anyway,
why bother about it anyhow.
00:26:31.24\00:26:34.15
I tell you, you don't
want your house to fall apart.
00:26:34.16\00:26:36.14
You don't want
your body to fall apart.
00:26:36.15\00:26:37.84
I can guarantee
you that when if ever
00:26:37.85\00:26:41.21
you're laying on a hospital bed
and your life is ebbing away,
00:26:41.22\00:26:45.06
I don't think
you'll feel that way.
00:26:45.07\00:26:46.47
No, I would say
it's because our life
00:26:46.48\00:26:48.67
is mortal that we need
to treat it so much better
00:26:48.68\00:26:52.32
to be in tune with God's will.
00:26:52.33\00:26:53.94
That's right, well friends,
00:26:53.95\00:26:55.76
thank you for your
comments and your questions.
00:26:55.77\00:26:57.50
We're gonna
transition to our program,
00:26:57.51\00:26:59.73
but if you have any
comments and questions
00:26:59.74\00:27:01.43
that you like to send to us,
00:27:01.44\00:27:02.54
you can send them
to housecalls@3abn.org,
00:27:02.55\00:27:07.42
that's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:27:07.43\00:27:11.47
And that's where we
have access to the questions
00:27:11.48\00:27:13.70
you sent to us and we
do appreciate everything
00:27:13.71\00:27:16.15
you do to continue
to carry this network.
00:27:16.16\00:27:19.12
Going forward via prayers
and also all your support,
00:27:19.13\00:27:22.68
whether you're
volunteering or whether
00:27:22.69\00:27:24.63
you're sending your
finances to keep the work of God
00:27:24.64\00:27:26.88
going forward,
we do appreciate it
00:27:26.89\00:27:28.59
very much, thank you.
00:27:28.60\00:27:31.13
We're continuing in our topic
today "Dressing up for God."
00:27:31.14\00:27:34.42
And, John, I want
you to -- you had a text,
00:27:34.43\00:27:38.56
I think it was First John
2:15, we're gonna dive into
00:27:38.57\00:27:40.72
that program today
by using this text.
00:27:40.73\00:27:43.31
You have your
Bibles, go with us to
00:27:43.32\00:27:45.19
First John 2 verse
15, and if you're remember
00:27:45.20\00:27:48.21
on our last program,
we laid the foundation
00:27:48.22\00:27:51.91
with talking about the
Midianite and the Chaldean,
00:27:51.92\00:27:56.89
we talked about
Abraham and his servant
00:27:56.90\00:27:59.38
going looking
for a wife for Isaac.
00:27:59.39\00:28:01.01
We talked about
Rebekah, who accepted
00:28:01.02\00:28:04.75
these gifts the
dowry, we talked about
00:28:04.76\00:28:07.71
the wealth that Abraham had
00:28:07.72\00:28:09.56
and how he gave
her jewels of gold.
00:28:09.57\00:28:12.07
And how when God
called Jacob and Rachel,
00:28:12.08\00:28:15.53
God was about to revolutionize
00:28:15.54\00:28:18.79
man's approach to these things
00:28:18.80\00:28:21.95
and what they
actually meant to him.
00:28:21.96\00:28:23.63
But there is a principle
underlying all of this.
00:28:23.64\00:28:26.32
And, John, I'd like
you to read that for us as
00:28:26.33\00:28:27.74
we're going into the program.
00:28:27.75\00:28:28.83
Yeah, it's from First John 2:15.
00:28:28.84\00:28:31.73
And in fact it
extends through 17.
00:28:31.74\00:28:34.68
"Do not love the world,
or the things in the world.
00:28:34.69\00:28:38.35
If anyone loves the world,
00:28:38.36\00:28:39.67
the love of the
Father is not in him.
00:28:39.68\00:28:42.38
For all that is in the world,
00:28:42.39\00:28:43.75
the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes,
00:28:43.76\00:28:46.12
the pride of life,
is not of the Father,
00:28:46.13\00:28:48.63
but is of the world.
00:28:48.64\00:28:50.52
And the world is passing
away, and the lust of it,
00:28:50.53\00:28:53.66
but he who does the
will of God abides forever."
00:28:53.67\00:28:57.94
And then it gets into a
subject about the last days.
00:28:57.95\00:29:00.38
So this is the
real, this is the last day
00:29:00.39\00:29:02.27
application here that I
think is intended by John.
00:29:02.28\00:29:07.12
And so I think
it very well said,
00:29:07.13\00:29:09.31
when our focus is
accumulating the things
00:29:09.32\00:29:12.51
of the world,
whatever they may be,
00:29:12.52\00:29:14.21
and we're talking about dressing
00:29:14.22\00:29:15.87
and adornment and things here.
00:29:15.88\00:29:17.48
But it includes those, when
we're looking for attention.
00:29:17.49\00:29:21.90
Or when we're
looking to accumulate things
00:29:21.91\00:29:24.81
of the world that are
for not only our attention
00:29:24.82\00:29:28.26
but the attention of others,
it really is not God's way.
00:29:28.27\00:29:32.49
And so God's way is a
simple, pure, Holy life,
00:29:32.50\00:29:38.01
undefiled and one that,
that is wholly dedicated
00:29:38.02\00:29:42.98
on what He
would and how this be.
00:29:42.99\00:29:46.22
And so that's where
we're gonna get in here today
00:29:46.23\00:29:47.80
and as we're -- 'cause
I think we are leaving off
00:29:47.81\00:29:49.52
in the way in that respect,
00:29:49.53\00:29:51.44
in the last program
where we talked about
00:29:51.45\00:29:53.85
how Rebekah was now
being married to Isaac.
00:29:53.86\00:30:00.28
And a big dowry
was paid for Rebekah
00:30:00.29\00:30:03.59
in the world's terms and we're
talking about prior to Israel,
00:30:03.60\00:30:07.42
the calling out of Israel,
through Jacob who is now,
00:30:07.43\00:30:11.89
who is Rebekah's son to be.
00:30:11.90\00:30:14.15
But here we are talking
about them giving a dowry
00:30:14.16\00:30:17.77
and Laban accumulating goods,
00:30:17.78\00:30:19.83
I think there was an
indication probably there
00:30:19.84\00:30:21.51
in that story of
Laban's desire for wealth.
00:30:21.52\00:30:25.51
Oh, yeah, exactly,
we talked about that.
00:30:25.52\00:30:28.00
And so you know,
we're talking about
00:30:28.01\00:30:29.74
desire for wealth and
goods and other things
00:30:29.75\00:30:31.49
usually what
comes along with that is
00:30:31.50\00:30:32.94
accumulation of jewelry and
precious metals, jewels things.
00:30:32.95\00:30:37.02
So anyway, so now we
have her marrying Isaac
00:30:37.03\00:30:41.05
and as Isaac and
Rebekah have children.
00:30:41.06\00:30:45.24
They have Jacob and Esau,
00:30:45.25\00:30:46.83
we're going to get
into that aspect of story
00:30:46.84\00:30:48.49
and you're gonna see
clearly two different paths.
00:30:48.50\00:30:51.35
Esau, taking the
path of the world
00:30:51.36\00:30:55.90
and Jacob being called
out to become one of God's
00:30:55.91\00:30:59.14
or the Father of God's
children, really, Israel.
00:30:59.15\00:31:02.26
And we're also gonna
see some of the things
00:31:02.27\00:31:04.36
that he talks to them
that they should leave behind,
00:31:04.37\00:31:08.03
in their calling, being
called by God to serve him.
00:31:08.04\00:31:10.94
Good foundation, I
appreciate that very much.
00:31:10.95\00:31:13.52
Because you know
in every society,
00:31:13.53\00:31:14.83
there are two classes, those
who are following God's will
00:31:14.84\00:31:17.77
those who are not
following God's will.
00:31:17.78\00:31:19.37
Those who are
being molded by God,
00:31:19.38\00:31:21.36
those who are
being molded by Satan.
00:31:21.37\00:31:23.18
We're just gonna
make it black and white,
00:31:23.19\00:31:24.36
those who are following
the road to eternal life
00:31:24.37\00:31:26.96
and those who are following
a road away from eternal life.
00:31:26.97\00:31:29.37
It's called the Broadway path.
00:31:29.38\00:31:31.25
The path that's broad,
that leads to destruction
00:31:31.26\00:31:34.00
and the Bible says, many
there be that go there in.
00:31:34.01\00:31:36.63
But the way to eternal
life is a path so narrow,
00:31:36.64\00:31:39.85
that is a path
not of restriction,
00:31:39.86\00:31:42.33
but a path of narrowing down.
00:31:42.34\00:31:47.38
My wife and I
had a chance to go to
00:31:47.39\00:31:49.27
one of the most beautiful
islands of Virgin Gorda,
00:31:49.28\00:31:52.00
it's a British Virgin
Island, beautiful, guess why?
00:31:52.01\00:31:55.10
The honeymoon, that's right.
00:31:55.11\00:31:56.78
And you guys did that catam,
was not catam, but a sail boat.
00:31:56.79\00:32:00.53
It's a sail boat.
Yeah, big sail boat.
00:32:00.54\00:32:02.22
We spent the whole week on that.
00:32:02.23\00:32:03.22
Yeah, we sailed it
ourselves. That's amazing.
00:32:03.23\00:32:05.55
I mean, that's more than I
would do, I mean believe me.
00:32:05.56\00:32:09.66
But in the Virgin
Islands, beautiful,
00:32:09.67\00:32:10.98
very, very beautiful place,
00:32:10.99\00:32:12.34
but on the
island of Virgin Gorda,
00:32:12.35\00:32:17.24
at the beach there
are monumental stones,
00:32:17.25\00:32:20.97
sorry, boulders.
00:32:20.98\00:32:22.39
A stone is something probably
you can pick up and roll,
00:32:22.40\00:32:24.86
you couldn't roll these.
00:32:24.87\00:32:26.16
These are rocks
that will not roll,
00:32:26.17\00:32:28.47
but as you go through the
walkway down to the beach,
00:32:28.48\00:32:31.97
you walk through
these cave like caverns.
00:32:31.98\00:32:35.59
And in some places that,
00:32:35.60\00:32:37.35
if you don't narrow down
what you have on your back,
00:32:37.36\00:32:39.47
you're not going through.
00:32:39.48\00:32:40.79
Matter of fact
there are some place
00:32:40.80\00:32:42.52
where the backpack wouldn't fit.
00:32:42.53\00:32:44.82
So what you have do,
you have to take it off
00:32:44.83\00:32:46.67
and scooted through
first and then you go out,
00:32:46.68\00:32:48.78
go after it,
almost walking sideways.
00:32:48.79\00:32:51.67
One of the very same
way, God is calling his people
00:32:51.68\00:32:54.17
to take the
things of the world off,
00:32:54.18\00:32:56.13
and if they have
to scoot sideways
00:32:56.14\00:32:58.81
and get on that
narrow path to eternal life.
00:32:58.82\00:33:01.13
We can't take the world
with us and that's why John
00:33:01.14\00:33:03.79
began in the story
with First John 2 verse 15.
00:33:03.80\00:33:07.88
But let's go back to
Genesis Chapter 35 now
00:33:07.89\00:33:10.82
because I'm gonna lay
the foundation very quickly.
00:33:10.83\00:33:12.63
Rachel, Jacob marries Rachel.
00:33:14.26\00:33:19.47
And Jacob marry--
And this is right after.
00:33:23.95\00:33:27.33
This is right
after being deceived
00:33:27.34\00:33:28.71
in marrying Leah,
first, right, right.
00:33:28.72\00:33:30.94
By the deception of Laban,
00:33:30.95\00:33:32.42
Laban comes back into the story.
00:33:32.43\00:33:33.79
So but now we get,
he has both of them now.
00:33:33.80\00:33:37.28
He has both of them now,
but they have their own home.
00:33:37.29\00:33:39.33
Jacob marries Rachel,
00:33:39.34\00:33:40.74
and Lord now calls
Jacob to dedicate his family.
00:33:40.75\00:33:43.98
You remember
the story very well.
00:33:43.99\00:33:45.53
I did a sermon called "Lentils"
00:33:45.54\00:33:47.87
about the battle
between Jacob and Esau.
00:33:47.88\00:33:52.11
How Esau despised his birthright
00:33:52.12\00:33:54.23
and Jacob stole,
stole the blessing later on.
00:33:54.24\00:33:57.10
And this so angered Esau that
he ran after his brother Jacob
00:33:57.11\00:34:01.53
and Jacob hid at Bethel
called, "the house of God."
00:34:01.54\00:34:05.54
And there God wrestled,
there he wrestled with God.
00:34:05.55\00:34:09.84
He prevailed and
the Lord blessed him,
00:34:09.85\00:34:11.77
and he changed his
name from Jacob to Israel.
00:34:11.78\00:34:16.79
Which means, when you
say the sons of Israel,
00:34:16.80\00:34:18.41
you definitely mean,
00:34:18.42\00:34:19.85
the son of Israel,
who was formerly Jacob.
00:34:19.86\00:34:23.34
But now God is
about to bless this family
00:34:23.35\00:34:25.52
before they have any children,
00:34:25.53\00:34:28.27
before any of their
sons come into the world,
00:34:28.28\00:34:30.43
He is gonna bless them
00:34:30.44\00:34:31.54
and cause their,
their family to multiply
00:34:31.55\00:34:36.03
and to bring forth
children to the glory of God.
00:34:36.04\00:34:40.50
But notice what he says,
00:34:40.51\00:34:41.50
they must do in
preparation for this dedication.
00:34:41.51\00:34:44.56
And this is called
the devotion at Bethel.
00:34:44.57\00:34:46.69
Genesis Chapter 35 verse 1
to 4, read that for us, John.
00:34:46.70\00:34:50.04
"Then God said to
Jacob, arise go up to Bethel,
00:34:50.05\00:34:53.03
and dwell there, and
make an altar there to God,
00:34:53.04\00:34:56.47
who appeared to you
00:34:56.48\00:34:57.47
when you fled from the
face of Esau your brother.
00:34:57.48\00:34:59.89
And Jacob said to his household,
00:34:59.90\00:35:01.59
and to all who were with him,
00:35:01.60\00:35:03.10
put away your foreign
gods that are among you,
00:35:03.11\00:35:06.43
purify yourselves
and change your garments.
00:35:06.44\00:35:10.28
Then let us arise
and go up to Bethel,
00:35:10.29\00:35:12.88
and I will make an
altar there to God,
00:35:12.89\00:35:14.95
who answered me in
the day of my distress,
00:35:14.96\00:35:16.94
and has been with me in
the way which I had gone.
00:35:16.95\00:35:21.29
So they gave Jacob
all the foreign gods
00:35:21.30\00:35:23.92
which were in their hands
00:35:23.93\00:35:25.35
and the earrings
which were in their ears.
00:35:25.36\00:35:27.72
Jacob hid them under the
terebinth tree at Shechem."
00:35:27.73\00:35:32.69
All right, okay.
Notice where it says,
00:35:32.70\00:35:33.95
"And all their earrings
which were in their ears."
00:35:33.96\00:35:36.91
Did you have that in
your translation there?
00:35:36.92\00:35:38.70
Yes, and no, it
says and the earrings.
00:35:38.71\00:35:41.71
And so you see what happened
is, in this particular story,
00:35:41.72\00:35:47.00
as they were
dedicating themselves to Christ,
00:35:47.01\00:35:48.96
they did something as
they dedicated themselves
00:35:48.97\00:35:51.47
to the call of
God in their lives.
00:35:51.48\00:35:53.03
They did three things, notice
they're outlined in verse 2,
00:35:53.04\00:35:56.71
"Put away the foreign
gods, purify yourselves,
00:35:56.72\00:36:03.32
change your garments."
00:36:03.33\00:36:04.91
Now, if you
remember the story well,
00:36:04.92\00:36:07.15
where did they get
these foreign gods from?
00:36:07.16\00:36:09.85
Laban, exactly,
Laban sold foreign gods,
00:36:09.86\00:36:13.63
when Rachel left the
house, she took them with her,
00:36:13.64\00:36:17.19
she stole them thinking that
00:36:17.20\00:36:18.69
this is this is the way
to preserve her inheritance.
00:36:18.70\00:36:22.47
But the Lord said,
no, foreign gods are not
00:36:22.48\00:36:24.80
a part of your inheritance.
00:36:24.81\00:36:26.41
These articles
of gold and silver
00:36:26.42\00:36:27.99
these precious
stones, these jewels,
00:36:28.00\00:36:29.48
these earrings are not a
part of your inheritance.
00:36:29.49\00:36:31.77
Your inheritance is
to be a peculiar person,
00:36:31.78\00:36:34.73
is to reflect the glory of God.
00:36:34.74\00:36:36.77
And so this is
the first injunction
00:36:36.78\00:36:38.28
you find in the Bible,
where the Lord said to them
00:36:38.29\00:36:40.49
"Put away these foreign
gods, change your garments,"
00:36:40.50\00:36:42.71
and notice what they
understood that to mean
00:36:42.72\00:36:44.88
and this is the same call
that God places in our lives.
00:36:44.89\00:36:47.84
When he says, put
away the foreign gods,
00:36:47.85\00:36:49.48
change your garments,
they understood that to mean
00:36:49.49\00:36:52.79
and so they
removed their earrings,
00:36:52.80\00:36:55.37
they change their garments.
00:36:55.38\00:36:57.41
And by the way John,
this is amazing what they did.
00:36:57.42\00:37:00.52
It says in verse 4 again,
00:37:00.53\00:37:02.59
"So they gave Jacob
all the foreign gods
00:37:02.60\00:37:04.55
which were in their hands
00:37:04.56\00:37:05.55
and all the earrings
which were in their ears,
00:37:05.56\00:37:07.40
and Jacob hid them
under the terebinth tree
00:37:07.41\00:37:10.66
which was by Shechem."
00:37:10.67\00:37:12.91
The terebinth
tree is the oak tree.
00:37:12.92\00:37:14.85
He buried them, so
that when they got home,
00:37:14.86\00:37:16.80
it wouldn't be a
temptation any longer, right.
00:37:16.81\00:37:19.74
You know, in this injunction,
00:37:19.75\00:37:21.50
this request by Jacob
to his family was not a --
00:37:21.51\00:37:28.49
it wasn't some
temporary thing, no.
00:37:28.50\00:37:30.70
This is a full on dedication
that from this day forward
00:37:30.71\00:37:34.19
we serve the God, we
serve God and God alone,
00:37:34.20\00:37:38.29
the God of
creation, and so this here,
00:37:38.30\00:37:40.95
when they're talking
about putting away gods
00:37:40.96\00:37:43.18
and then they take out
their earrings and so forth.
00:37:43.19\00:37:45.41
This is something
that is a commitment.
00:37:45.42\00:37:48.48
It's an expression of
commitment to their God,
00:37:48.49\00:37:52.15
that they will serve him
00:37:52.16\00:37:53.15
and follow him for
the rest of their life.
00:37:53.16\00:37:55.15
You know, if you say
that this is just temporary,
00:37:55.16\00:37:56.79
which you are in
fact saying is that
00:37:56.80\00:37:58.62
not only if they
put earrings back on.
00:37:58.63\00:38:00.22
But then they started to
worship the gods again they had.
00:38:00.23\00:38:02.85
And that's not right,
00:38:02.86\00:38:04.11
that's not a
right application here,
00:38:04.12\00:38:06.63
putting away idols
00:38:06.64\00:38:09.67
and taking out your
earrings and other things
00:38:09.68\00:38:11.56
are part of the total
package of commitment.
00:38:11.57\00:38:13.40
Good, I mean, I'm glad that,
that's a very good application
00:38:13.41\00:38:16.73
because if we say
that from this point
00:38:16.74\00:38:18.76
they decided to go ahead
and put their jewelry back on,
00:38:18.77\00:38:21.95
then we can also suffice to say
00:38:21.96\00:38:23.69
they decided to put
back on the clothing
00:38:23.70\00:38:25.50
that they used to wear.
00:38:25.51\00:38:26.84
And then they also
brought the foreign gods
00:38:26.85\00:38:28.51
back in their
house, but they didn't.
00:38:28.52\00:38:30.46
So this is an
entire cleaning package.
00:38:30.47\00:38:32.83
Entire cleansing
process, get it all out
00:38:32.84\00:38:35.27
because I'm about to
do something revolutionary
00:38:35.28\00:38:37.34
in your life and that's what
the Lord was doing for them,
00:38:37.35\00:38:40.19
He was changing their lives
in a very real and definite way.
00:38:40.20\00:38:44.43
And by the way, when I
talked about foreign gods,
00:38:44.44\00:38:46.76
I just, I need to
give some foundation here.
00:38:46.77\00:38:50.07
I need to slow it
down because I'm thinking
00:38:50.08\00:38:51.34
like a New Yorker right now.
00:38:51.35\00:38:52.34
I need to give
some foundation here.
00:38:52.35\00:38:56.61
The foreign gods that
existed among the Babylonians,
00:38:56.62\00:39:00.11
among the Egyptians, among
the Canaanites, the Chaldeans,
00:39:00.12\00:39:07.04
the foreign gods existed
for one very important reason.
00:39:07.05\00:39:10.53
They believed that
when a person died,
00:39:10.54\00:39:13.56
that their spirit or their soul
00:39:13.57\00:39:15.65
would continue
roaming the Earth.
00:39:15.66\00:39:18.10
And as a result,
the chances were great
00:39:18.11\00:39:21.71
that they would be
possessed by these souls
00:39:21.72\00:39:24.07
roaming the Earth,
and so what they did was,
00:39:24.08\00:39:26.48
these gods that they
had what means whereby
00:39:26.49\00:39:29.85
they would
protect themselves, John,
00:39:29.86\00:39:32.73
they would put the gods
of, if they serve the sun,
00:39:32.74\00:39:36.40
it would be gold, the
moon and the stars, silver,
00:39:36.41\00:39:39.16
the planets
various precious metals.
00:39:39.17\00:39:41.41
And they would fashion those
things into a particular God,
00:39:41.42\00:39:45.01
and they would
hang it by their ear
00:39:45.02\00:39:46.89
to block the opening of the ear,
00:39:46.90\00:39:48.52
by the nose to block
the opening of the nose,
00:39:48.53\00:39:50.78
by the mouth of
the lip or the tongue
00:39:50.79\00:39:52.53
to block or guard
the opening of the mouth.
00:39:52.54\00:39:55.24
So that these spirits--
00:39:55.25\00:39:58.13
The eyebrow and earring?
00:39:58.14\00:39:59.84
To block the opening of the eye,
00:39:59.85\00:40:01.48
because they
believe all these places
00:40:01.49\00:40:03.64
were where the
spirits can come in.
00:40:03.65\00:40:06.05
And that's why when the Bible
gave the Second Commandment,
00:40:06.06\00:40:09.23
"Thou shall have no
other gods before me."
00:40:09.24\00:40:13.16
That's what it included,
it didn't just include gods
00:40:13.17\00:40:16.74
that are made outside
of temples of false gods.
00:40:16.75\00:40:19.62
It said simply, God did
not want any foreign gods
00:40:19.63\00:40:23.41
hanging on the
temple that belonged to God.
00:40:23.42\00:40:28.55
That was the real injunction
for the Second Commandment,
00:40:28.56\00:40:30.58
that's where it really grew.
00:40:30.59\00:40:31.85
And so when you look at
Deuteronomy 32 verse 16,
00:40:31.86\00:40:34.81
and notice what
the Lord says here
00:40:34.82\00:40:36.13
and I'll read that very quickly.
00:40:36.14\00:40:38.42
Deuteronomy
32:16 the Bible says,
00:40:38.43\00:40:41.36
"They provoked him to
jealousy with foreign gods,
00:40:41.37\00:40:44.82
with abominations
they provoked him to anger.
00:40:44.83\00:40:48.57
They sacrificed
demons not to God,
00:40:48.58\00:40:51.15
to gods they did not know,
00:40:51.16\00:40:53.51
to new gods, new arrivals
that your fathers did not know."
00:40:53.52\00:40:58.55
Notice what he's talking about.
00:40:58.56\00:41:00.24
All these gods were part
of their worship and God says,
00:41:00.25\00:41:03.13
"Thou shalt have no
other gods before me."
00:41:03.14\00:41:05.25
So when they remove their
foreign gods as Jacob said,
00:41:05.26\00:41:08.16
"It was not just the
things in their hands,
00:41:08.17\00:41:10.26
but the earrings
also in their ears
00:41:10.27\00:41:12.16
and the
clothing that they wore,"
00:41:12.17\00:41:13.82
that was
synonymous with false worship.
00:41:13.83\00:41:16.48
Yeah, I agree.
00:41:16.49\00:41:19.56
But this is a
pattern, John, now.
00:41:19.57\00:41:22.03
This is a pattern of
what God did with each,
00:41:22.04\00:41:26.50
you know, each time
he called his children,
00:41:26.51\00:41:29.31
he called Israel
into a full experience,
00:41:29.32\00:41:31.70
a fuller
experience at times with him.
00:41:31.71\00:41:34.71
He seemed to go about
this cleansing process,
00:41:34.72\00:41:38.59
because it's repeated
with the children of Israel
00:41:38.60\00:41:40.94
after their captivity
in Egypt, that is right.
00:41:40.95\00:41:45.09
And so I think we're
going there next to Exodus.
00:41:45.10\00:41:48.33
Yes, and let's lay
some foundation here,
00:41:48.34\00:41:50.44
as they were in
Egypt for 400 years,
00:41:50.45\00:41:52.55
if we count the time that,
00:41:52.56\00:41:54.99
that Joseph was
sold into slavery
00:41:55.00\00:41:56.98
and became one of the governors
in the house of Potiphar,
00:41:56.99\00:42:03.44
you would add about
30 more years to that.
00:42:03.45\00:42:05.86
So he was in
Egypt, the whole sojourn
00:42:05.87\00:42:07.84
of the
Israelites were 430 years.
00:42:07.85\00:42:11.33
But then the Bible begins
"The Book of Exodus" by saying,
00:42:11.34\00:42:14.05
"There arose a Pharaoh,
who did not know Joseph."
00:42:14.06\00:42:17.57
And as a result
they were made slaves
00:42:17.58\00:42:19.86
and they were slaves for
400 years in the land of Egypt.
00:42:19.87\00:42:24.09
Well, God did two things,
00:42:24.10\00:42:25.30
when he was setting them free
00:42:25.31\00:42:26.89
as they prayed to be
set free, he did two things.
00:42:26.90\00:42:30.63
He provided all the remuneration
and the money they needed.
00:42:30.64\00:42:35.02
And secondly, He provided all
the articles that He would need
00:42:35.03\00:42:38.81
to build and
furnish the sanctuary,
00:42:38.82\00:42:41.66
that temple that
they traveled with
00:42:41.67\00:42:43.27
as they walked
from Egypt to Canaan.
00:42:43.28\00:42:46.57
And so the story
picks up in Genesis Chapter,
00:42:46.58\00:42:49.04
sorry in Exodus Chapter
3, where the Lord tells them
00:42:49.05\00:42:51.67
how to get these things,
00:42:51.68\00:42:54.04
how to get all the money
that you really are worth,
00:42:54.05\00:42:57.32
how to get all the pay
that you never received,
00:42:57.33\00:42:59.71
and how to get all the articles
00:42:59.72\00:43:00.86
that you need to
build the temple.
00:43:00.87\00:43:02.39
So begin with verse
22 for us there, John.
00:43:02.40\00:43:05.39
Well, actually verse
21. Verse 21, Exodus 3.
00:43:05.40\00:43:09.58
"And I will give
this people favor
00:43:09.59\00:43:12.00
in the sight of the Egyptians,
and it shall be when you go,
00:43:12.01\00:43:16.00
in other words when
you're delivered from captivity,
00:43:16.01\00:43:18.52
"That you shall
not go empty-handed.
00:43:18.53\00:43:21.24
But every woman
shall ask of her neighbor,
00:43:21.25\00:43:23.26
namely of her who
dwells near her house,
00:43:23.27\00:43:26.56
articles of silver,
articles of gold, and clothing,
00:43:26.57\00:43:30.12
and you shall put them on
your sons and on your daughters.
00:43:30.13\00:43:33.31
So you shall
plunder the Egyptians."
00:43:33.32\00:43:35.94
The word plunder there
means simply to wipe them out.
00:43:35.95\00:43:40.28
It was amazing about that, John.
00:43:40.29\00:43:41.59
When they left Egypt,
they left Egypt broke.
00:43:41.60\00:43:47.38
Now I want to say this,
00:43:47.39\00:43:48.89
and I'm gonna go
to Exodus Chapter 11,
00:43:48.90\00:43:50.47
because it was not
just, it was not just the,
00:43:50.48\00:43:54.56
the women that
we're told to do this.
00:43:54.57\00:43:56.58
But God also told
the men to do this.
00:43:56.59\00:43:59.87
God said to the men now,
00:43:59.88\00:44:02.03
and I want you
to get this picture,
00:44:02.04\00:44:03.48
can you
imagine, can you imagine,
00:44:03.49\00:44:05.66
let's just pick a neighborhood,
pick any neighborhood.
00:44:05.67\00:44:09.21
Pick our community in
L.A, and the Lord says okay,
00:44:09.22\00:44:12.39
I want you guys to go
from Florida to go to L.A,
00:44:12.40\00:44:16.25
and I want all the ladies
00:44:16.26\00:44:17.59
to knock on the doors
of all the women in L.A
00:44:17.60\00:44:19.51
that have expensive
jewelry and expensive clothing
00:44:19.52\00:44:21.89
and say this to them.
00:44:21.90\00:44:23.41
Could I have all your jewelry,
give me all your clothing.
00:44:23.42\00:44:28.24
And every woman in Beverly Hills
00:44:28.25\00:44:31.72
a day after this occurs
comes to the realization
00:44:31.73\00:44:34.57
that they have been
plundered that they are broke,
00:44:34.58\00:44:37.65
that they have no
clothing, no expensive jewelry,
00:44:37.66\00:44:41.54
none of these articles that
they spent elaborate money on.
00:44:41.55\00:44:45.11
And then the next day,
00:44:45.12\00:44:46.11
the men come to do
the very same thing
00:44:46.12\00:44:47.69
and take all the
expensive articles of clothing
00:44:47.70\00:44:49.62
from the men of Beverly Hills.
00:44:49.63\00:44:51.23
And by the time all these people
00:44:51.24\00:44:53.37
on the way back to
Florida, they realize that,
00:44:53.38\00:44:55.32
we're all broke,
Beverly Hills is broke,
00:44:55.33\00:44:58.09
because God took
all of our wealth
00:44:58.10\00:44:59.79
and gave it to somebody else.
00:44:59.80\00:45:01.42
That's what was happening
here in the land of Egypt.
00:45:01.43\00:45:04.03
And look at Chapter 11
verse 2, read that for us--
00:45:04.04\00:45:06.63
And someone say,
00:45:06.64\00:45:07.94
out of the hand that over
so easily, but they feared,
00:45:07.95\00:45:11.69
I mean there was a outright fear
00:45:11.70\00:45:13.54
of the Israelites at this time.
00:45:13.55\00:45:15.50
Because God made his--
00:45:15.51\00:45:17.20
Yes, God had delivered
them in such a miraculous way
00:45:17.21\00:45:20.54
that they felt, hey, if
we don't honor their request,
00:45:20.55\00:45:23.92
something even worse
is gonna happen to us.
00:45:23.93\00:45:25.65
So they just
wanted to get rid of them,
00:45:25.66\00:45:26.99
it wasn't or at times we
read this is just Pharaoh,
00:45:27.00\00:45:30.02
you know, hardening his heart,
00:45:30.03\00:45:31.61
but the people went through
a drastic change as well,
00:45:31.62\00:45:36.01
because of their experience
00:45:36.02\00:45:37.41
with the plagues
and other things.
00:45:37.42\00:45:38.61
They wanted these
people just to be out
00:45:38.62\00:45:40.23
and this request was met.
00:45:40.24\00:45:43.21
And by the way just before
God began to deal with Pharaoh
00:45:43.22\00:45:46.49
in his situation, God said,
00:45:46.50\00:45:48.46
let's start with
the people of Egypt,
00:45:48.47\00:45:49.78
let's begin with those
who have all these articles.
00:45:49.79\00:45:52.12
And Chapter 11 and
verse 2, notice there again,
00:45:52.13\00:45:54.56
God repeated the same
thing. Read that for us, John.
00:45:54.57\00:45:58.49
Speak now in the
hearing of the people,
00:45:58.50\00:45:59.99
and let every man
asked from his neighbor
00:46:00.00\00:46:01.77
and every woman
from her neighbor,
00:46:01.78\00:46:03.36
articles of silver,
and articles and gold.
00:46:03.37\00:46:06.56
And so it says in verse 3,
"And the Lord gave the people
00:46:06.57\00:46:10.09
favorin the
sight of the Egyptians.
00:46:10.10\00:46:11.57
Moreover, the man Moses
was great in the land of Egypt,
00:46:11.58\00:46:14.94
in the sight of
Pharaoh's servants,
00:46:14.95\00:46:16.50
and in the
sight of the peoples."
00:46:16.51\00:46:18.82
And so you see clearly
God moved in a strong way
00:46:18.83\00:46:22.25
and in Chapter 12, the
end result in verse 35.
00:46:22.26\00:46:26.86
It says that "They did according
00:46:26.87\00:46:28.46
to the word of Moses,
00:46:28.47\00:46:30.08
they asked the
Egyptians, articles of silver,
00:46:30.09\00:46:32.13
and articles, articles of gold."
00:46:32.14\00:46:34.06
And the Lord, verse 36 had given
00:46:34.07\00:46:35.90
"the people favor in
the sight of the Egyptians,
00:46:35.91\00:46:37.81
so that they granted
them what they requested.
00:46:37.82\00:46:40.87
Thus they
plundered the Egyptians,
00:46:40.88\00:46:44.01
man Egypt was
broke, huge, big time."
00:46:44.02\00:46:47.80
But something happened,
while they were in the land of--
00:46:47.81\00:46:54.22
while they were
in the wilderness,
00:46:54.23\00:46:57.41
something
happened, something changed,
00:46:57.42\00:47:02.34
they took on--
00:47:02.35\00:47:05.28
while they had already
been influenced by the Egyptians
00:47:05.29\00:47:08.10
living in Egypt for
as long as they did.
00:47:08.11\00:47:10.41
But as they were surrounded
by these articles of gold,
00:47:10.42\00:47:13.00
these precious
stones, these pearls,
00:47:13.01\00:47:15.96
these you name the articles,
00:47:15.97\00:47:18.88
they had a desire that
was born in the land of Egypt
00:47:18.89\00:47:23.45
and we find this
struggle taking place
00:47:23.46\00:47:25.30
when Moses went up
00:47:25.31\00:47:26.89
and by the way, John,
I'm going down the point F.
00:47:26.90\00:47:29.85
You notice, you see where I am?
00:47:29.86\00:47:32.98
Yeah. Israel in the wilderness.
00:47:32.99\00:47:35.50
This, when Israel
was in the wilderness
00:47:35.51\00:47:37.66
now beginning their
journey to the Land of Canaan,
00:47:37.67\00:47:40.64
Moses was called
to go to the mountain
00:47:40.65\00:47:43.15
to receive the Ten Commandments
00:47:43.16\00:47:44.54
and while he was there,
he was there for 40 days
00:47:44.55\00:47:49.37
and 40 is the
number of a generation.
00:47:49.38\00:47:51.49
He was there for a long
time, and the people wondered
00:47:51.50\00:47:54.18
whether or not
Moses would come back.
00:47:54.19\00:47:56.45
So the story is
picked up here now
00:47:56.46\00:47:57.87
in Exodus
Chapter 32 verse 1 to 8.
00:47:57.88\00:48:01.34
Exodus Chapter 32, and
turn your Bibles with us there.
00:48:01.35\00:48:04.58
Exodus Chapter 32
verse 1 to 8. Okay.
00:48:04.59\00:48:09.06
"Now when the people
saw that Moses delayed
00:48:09.07\00:48:10.97
coming down from the mountain,
00:48:10.98\00:48:12.44
the people gathered
together to Aaron, said to him,
00:48:12.45\00:48:15.18
come make us gods, that
which that shall go before us,
00:48:15.19\00:48:18.42
for as for this Moses,
00:48:18.43\00:48:20.45
the man who brought us
out of the land of Egypt,
00:48:20.46\00:48:22.94
we do not know
what has become of him.
00:48:22.95\00:48:25.40
And Aaron said to them,
break off the golden earrings,
00:48:25.41\00:48:27.91
which are in the ears
of your wives, your sons,
00:48:27.92\00:48:30.41
and of your
daughters, and bring them to me.
00:48:30.42\00:48:33.15
So all the people
broke off the golden earrings
00:48:33.16\00:48:35.72
which were in their ears,
and brought them to Aaron.
00:48:35.73\00:48:38.34
And Aaron received
the gold from their hand,
00:48:38.35\00:48:40.07
and he fashioned it
with an engraving tool
00:48:40.08\00:48:42.40
and made a molten calf.
00:48:42.41\00:48:45.24
Then they said, this
is our God, O Israel,
00:48:45.25\00:48:48.33
that brought you out
of the land of Egypt.
00:48:48.34\00:48:51.17
So when Aaron saw it, he
built an altar before it,
00:48:51.18\00:48:54.16
and Aaron made a proclamation,
00:48:54.17\00:48:55.62
and said, tomorrow
is a feast to the Lord."
00:48:55.63\00:48:58.12
Interesting, isn't that amazing,
00:48:58.13\00:49:00.03
with these false gods.
It was with false gods.
00:49:00.04\00:49:02.53
"Then they rose
early on the next day,
00:49:02.54\00:49:05.00
offered burnt offerings,
and brought peace offerings,
00:49:05.01\00:49:07.99
and the people sat down
00:49:08.00\00:49:09.10
to eat and drink,
and rose up to play."
00:49:09.11\00:49:11.55
They went from solemn to
party, in one in two days.
00:49:11.56\00:49:16.83
The building of
this God of gold,
00:49:16.84\00:49:19.95
and then--can you--
a feast to the Lord,
00:49:19.96\00:49:24.38
through this God of gold.
00:49:24.39\00:49:26.64
And this story actually
extends from Chapter 32.
00:49:26.65\00:49:31.27
all the way to Chapter 35.
00:49:31.28\00:49:33.26
So now Moses is in the mountain
00:49:33.27\00:49:35.57
receiving the
Commandments from God,
00:49:35.58\00:49:37.04
and the Lord appraises Moses
00:49:37.05\00:49:40.35
of what's
happening in the valley.
00:49:40.36\00:49:42.08
Look down to verse,
we're down to verse 21 to 24,
00:49:42.09\00:49:45.50
and since you read
that, I'll go ahead
00:49:45.51\00:49:46.57
and read these
verses here. Verse 21 to 24.
00:49:46.58\00:49:50.46
And okay, and here we are.
00:49:50.47\00:49:56.78
"And Moses said to Aaron,
What did this people do to you
00:49:56.79\00:50:01.11
that you have brought
so great a sin upon them?
00:50:01.12\00:50:04.15
So Aaron said, do not
let the anger of my Lord
00:50:04.16\00:50:07.63
become hot, you know the people,
00:50:07.64\00:50:10.97
that they are
set or set on evil."
00:50:10.98\00:50:13.68
I mean this is amazing,
00:50:13.69\00:50:14.98
And what he said
was just really crazy.
00:50:14.99\00:50:18.33
"So they said to me,
00:50:18.34\00:50:19.49
make us gods that
shall go before us
00:50:19.50\00:50:21.80
as for this Moses, the man who
00:50:21.81\00:50:23.30
brought us out of
the land of Egypt,
00:50:23.31\00:50:24.87
we do not know
what has become of him."
00:50:24.88\00:50:27.53
Read verse 24 John,
I mean just after pause
00:50:27.54\00:50:29.69
and think about
what he said here.
00:50:29.70\00:50:31.27
"And I said to them,
Whoever has any gold,
00:50:31.28\00:50:33.69
let them break it off.
00:50:33.70\00:50:35.58
So they gave it to me,
and I cast it into the fire,
00:50:35.59\00:50:38.33
and this calf came out."
00:50:38.34\00:50:40.85
Isn't that
ridiculous or what? Yeah.
00:50:40.86\00:50:43.59
I don't know where
it came from Moses,
00:50:43.60\00:50:45.77
I mean come on he is
talking to his brother.
00:50:45.78\00:50:48.69
He knows the skills of his
brother, Aaron. He's lying.
00:50:48.70\00:50:51.82
He says, I mean,
really. Give me a break.
00:50:51.84\00:50:55.46
"So now when Moses
saw that the people
00:50:55.47\00:50:57.32
were unrestrained for
Aaron had not restrained them
00:50:57.33\00:51:02.20
to their shame
among their enemies.
00:51:02.21\00:51:05.80
Then Moses stood in
the entrance of the camp,
00:51:05.81\00:51:08.13
and said, whoever
is on the Lord's side,
00:51:08.14\00:51:11.31
let him come to me.
00:51:11.32\00:51:12.75
And all the sons of
Levi gathered together,
00:51:12.76\00:51:15.92
gathered
themselves together to him."
00:51:15.93\00:51:18.88
And so now, what happens
00:51:18.89\00:51:20.92
is that the Lord
gives them an injunction,
00:51:20.93\00:51:22.28
let's go through
the story quickly,
00:51:22.29\00:51:23.72
we're gonna
cover this one here."
00:51:23.73\00:51:25.53
And it came to pass on
the next day," verse 30,
00:51:25.54\00:51:28.33
that the "Moses
said to the people,
00:51:28.34\00:51:30.04
'You have sinned a great sin.
00:51:30.05\00:51:31.87
So now I will go up to the Lord,
00:51:31.88\00:51:34.06
perhaps I can make an
atonement for your sin.'
00:51:34.07\00:51:36.50
Then Moses returned
to the Lord, and said,
00:51:36.51\00:51:39.66
these people have
sinned a great sin,
00:51:39.67\00:51:41.48
and they have made
themselves a god of gold."
00:51:41.49\00:51:44.94
And the Lord, Moses
says, either forgive them
00:51:44.95\00:51:48.44
or blot my name out of the book,
00:51:48.45\00:51:49.75
And the Lord
said not to do that,
00:51:49.76\00:51:51.02
but notice what the
Lord tells them to do.
00:51:51.03\00:51:53.30
Let's start with the verse,
00:51:53.31\00:51:55.53
Oh, let's start with
verse 3 of Chapter 33.
00:51:55.54\00:52:03.11
Can you read that? Yes.
00:52:03.12\00:52:04.49
"Go up to a land
flowing with milk and honey,
00:52:04.50\00:52:07.96
for I will not
go up in your midst,
00:52:07.97\00:52:09.89
lest I consume you on the way
00:52:09.90\00:52:11.70
for you are a
stiff-necked people."
00:52:11.71\00:52:13.77
Okay, and verse 4.
00:52:13.78\00:52:15.11
"And when the people heard
this bad news, they mourned,
00:52:15.12\00:52:18.34
and no one put
on his ornaments."
00:52:18.35\00:52:21.58
And verse 5.
00:52:21.59\00:52:23.91
"For the Lord had said to Moses,
00:52:23.92\00:52:25.87
"Say to the children of Israel
you are a stiff-necked people,
00:52:25.88\00:52:29.00
I could come up into your midst
00:52:29.01\00:52:30.83
in one moment and consume you.
00:52:30.84\00:52:33.14
Now therefore,
take off your ornaments,
00:52:33.15\00:52:35.47
that I may know
what to do with you."
00:52:35.48\00:52:37.64
Okay, now you're
gonna get this here.
00:52:37.65\00:52:39.31
The word ornaments, if
you look at the sidebar there
00:52:39.32\00:52:41.59
is the word jewelry.
00:52:41.60\00:52:43.20
So to take off your jewelry,
00:52:43.21\00:52:44.66
that I may know
what to do with you.
00:52:44.67\00:52:46.33
Now you have to
follow this very carefully
00:52:46.34\00:52:47.78
because what it
happened was the Bible says
00:52:47.79\00:52:50.25
As we read verse
25 of Chapter 32,
00:52:50.26\00:52:53.67
that Aaron caused the people
00:52:53.68\00:52:55.96
To be ashamed in the
presence of their enemies.
00:52:55.97\00:52:59.04
They had lost their identity,
00:52:59.05\00:53:00.66
there was no use
of the Israelites
00:53:00.67\00:53:02.31
once they looked like
they were not Israelites,
00:53:02.32\00:53:04.66
they look more like Egyptians.
00:53:04.67\00:53:06.32
And so when he says here,
00:53:06.33\00:53:08.19
that I may know
what to do with you,
00:53:08.20\00:53:09.93
what kind of response
00:53:09.94\00:53:11.06
did the Lord get
from the Israelites.
00:53:11.07\00:53:13.33
I'll read verse 6,
00:53:13.34\00:53:15.28
"so the children of
Israel stripped themselves
00:53:15.29\00:53:18.36
of their
ornaments by mount Horeb."
00:53:18.37\00:53:20.84
Notice they didn't
just take off a few things,
00:53:20.85\00:53:24.10
they stripped themselves
of all the articles of gold
00:53:24.11\00:53:28.03
that they had.
00:53:28.04\00:53:29.18
Now let's go to the end
of the story, Chapter 35.
00:53:29.19\00:53:31.94
It's a long story, but
we're jumping through that
00:53:31.95\00:53:35.02
and you can read
this in its entirety.
00:53:35.03\00:53:37.90
But what did they do
Chapter 35 and verse 22,
00:53:37.91\00:53:41.15
read that for us, John.
00:53:41.16\00:53:45.54
"They came, both men and women,
00:53:45.55\00:53:47.15
as many as had a willing heart,
00:53:47.16\00:53:49.41
and brought
earrings and nose rings,
00:53:49.42\00:53:51.73
rings and necklaces, all
jewelry of gold, that is,
00:53:51.74\00:53:55.31
every man who made an offering
of gold to the Lord." Okay.
00:53:55.32\00:53:58.87
Notice that, notice the articles
00:53:58.88\00:54:00.54
they brought,
Earrings nose rings.
00:54:00.55\00:54:03.15
Are they prevalent today?
00:54:03.16\00:54:04.94
Rings and you'll find in
another translation says,
00:54:04.95\00:54:07.30
signet rings, and
necklaces, all jewelry of gold,
00:54:07.31\00:54:11.51
that is everyone who made an
offering of gold to the Lord.
00:54:11.52\00:54:14.52
And when you follow
the story further on,
00:54:14.53\00:54:16.14
there were those
who made other offerings
00:54:16.15\00:54:18.22
and by the way John,
I want to add this here.
00:54:18.23\00:54:20.97
Their articles of jewelry,
00:54:20.98\00:54:22.38
was not just made
of gold and silver.
00:54:22.39\00:54:24.49
It was made of wood and stone
00:54:24.50\00:54:26.95
and emeralds and
diamonds, other articles.
00:54:26.96\00:54:30.91
But those who brought an
offering of gold to the Lord,
00:54:30.92\00:54:34.21
why bring this offering of gold?
00:54:34.22\00:54:36.17
Because there was one
of the elements needed
00:54:36.18\00:54:38.42
for the
building of the furniture
00:54:38.43\00:54:39.86
in the
sanctuary, the Golden Altar,
00:54:39.87\00:54:42.47
the Ark of the
Covenant, the Laver,
00:54:42.48\00:54:46.04
the Table of Shewbread,
00:54:46.05\00:54:47.08
all these articles
were needed for the building
00:54:47.09\00:54:49.31
and so to get
back to God's business.
00:54:49.32\00:54:52.39
They gave all these
articles of gold and silver,
00:54:52.40\00:54:54.52
all these precious
stones, they gave them away.
00:54:54.53\00:54:56.81
Because God did
not want the Israelites
00:54:56.82\00:54:59.65
to be dressed like the
Egyptians, and he says,
00:54:59.66\00:55:04.31
"the difference would be
If your heart is willing,
00:55:04.32\00:55:07.89
you'll remove these
articles of gold and silver,
00:55:07.90\00:55:09.60
and that's
exactly what they did."
00:55:09.61\00:55:11.80
Yeah and I think you
have a key there is that
00:55:11.81\00:55:14.65
He wants his
people to be different.
00:55:14.66\00:55:17.19
Right. Than the world.
00:55:17.20\00:55:20.00
And today when I would suggest
that the world is probably
00:55:20.01\00:55:23.30
at its peak with
its offerings to us,
00:55:23.31\00:55:27.00
to entice us to be most like it,
00:55:27.01\00:55:29.53
is a time that we
have to be very careful
00:55:29.54\00:55:31.38
of what we are
making into our own gods.
00:55:31.39\00:55:35.07
Because you know, while
we're talking about earrings
00:55:35.08\00:55:38.81
and nose rings and piercings
and all the other stuff,
00:55:38.82\00:55:42.47
you know, you can
fit a lot of other things
00:55:42.48\00:55:43.88
into this as well. That's right.
00:55:43.89\00:55:46.07
And we can get so caught up
00:55:46.08\00:55:47.46
with consuming the world's goods
00:55:47.47\00:55:50.56
and, you know, we end up,
00:55:50.57\00:55:54.41
you know, all the
money can not only go to that
00:55:54.42\00:55:56.21
but it can take away
from finishing God's work.
00:55:56.22\00:55:59.60
Now not just
financially though here
00:55:59.61\00:56:01.30
because it wasn't
just a financial reason.
00:56:01.31\00:56:03.14
No, it wasn't financial--
00:56:03.15\00:56:04.22
It was for the Lord's
work here. That's right.
00:56:04.23\00:56:06.97
But the other reason was,
and we already said it was
00:56:06.98\00:56:09.53
because he wanted
them to look different,
00:56:09.54\00:56:11.96
to be different as a people.
00:56:11.97\00:56:14.67
And I find that very
interesting in respect to,
00:56:14.68\00:56:17.42
you know, 'cause some
would say well, you know,
00:56:17.43\00:56:19.42
these things these
earrings that I wear,
00:56:19.43\00:56:21.44
or some of the stuff that I
put on, I adorn myself with.
00:56:21.45\00:56:24.38
It's not expensive stuff,
00:56:24.39\00:56:25.73
I just buy
costume kind of jewelry,
00:56:25.74\00:56:27.44
so it's not a big deal, right.
00:56:27.45\00:56:29.42
What I would say, well,
you've solved half the problem,
00:56:29.43\00:56:33.20
because you're not
taking away from the Lord's work
00:56:33.21\00:56:35.12
necessarily, but are you
appearing or are you like
00:56:35.13\00:56:39.67
the Lord wants you to appear
00:56:39.68\00:56:41.13
as one of His
finishing the work.
00:56:41.14\00:56:43.74
Now I want to give this
text just before we end.
00:56:43.75\00:56:45.87
Numbers 31:50, "Therefore
we have brought an offering
00:56:45.88\00:56:49.64
for the Lord, what every man
00:56:49.65\00:56:51.91
found of
ornaments of gold, armlets,
00:56:51.92\00:56:55.35
bracelets, signet
rings, earrings, necklaces,
00:56:55.36\00:56:59.95
to make atonement for
ourselves before the Lord."
00:56:59.96\00:57:02.86
They brought
all those ornaments,
00:57:02.87\00:57:04.66
and those ornaments existed
00:57:04.67\00:57:07.17
in the life and the
way of the Egyptians,
00:57:07.18\00:57:11.07
but all of those
who had used them
00:57:11.08\00:57:12.91
and misused them
for the wrong reason.
00:57:12.92\00:57:15.43
God reclaimed
those articles, One,
00:57:15.44\00:57:18.30
that they may reflect his glory.
00:57:18.31\00:57:19.96
Two, that they may build a
temple to the glory of God.
00:57:19.97\00:57:23.11
And you know, we have just
touched the tip of the iceberg
00:57:23.12\00:57:25.34
we haven't gone to
Isaiah or anything else.
00:57:25.35\00:57:27.64
But God is gonna make
a House Call begin today
00:57:27.65\00:57:30.44
by desiring to
reflect the Glory of God.
00:57:30.45\00:57:33.40
God bless you.
00:57:33.41\00:57:34.60