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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Hello friends, welcome to
another House Calls program.
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My name is John Lomacang and
to my right is my good friend
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John Stanton, it's good
to be here with you again.
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The Johns are
in the house today,
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both of us. He is got on blue,
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I have on red. I'm
not gonna tell you why
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I'm on red.
Complementary colors.
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Complementary
colors, well friends,
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we are glad that you have
chosen to tune in today to enjoy
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another time in the word of
God which is something widely
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important to do.
And what a way to begin
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then to remember that
when we open the word of God,
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we find in it food
for the soul and strength
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for the day ahead of
us. But, before we do that,
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we wanna encourage you,
bow your with us as John leads
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us before the throne in
prayer. Dear Father in heaven,
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we come before you again
today and ask for your blessing.
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Or the blessing
of your Holy Spirit,
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or do you said if any of
us ask, you will give him
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to us liberally. So
we pray for that today
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as we go through
your word, enlighten us,
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encourage us, give
us knowledge and wisdom,
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in Jesus name, amen. Amen.
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Don't forget, get your Bibles
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and get your pens and if
you have a VCR or one of those
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new thing or digital
things I don't know they them
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Ti-Vo's or whatever they
are, press record right now
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because this is a
very exciting program.
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As we continue our trek through
the Bible Old and New Testament
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on the subject of
Christian standards,
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I've enjoyed this
one, John, what about you?
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It's been great, yeah
its lot of fun to talk
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about many of the topics
that often you don't think
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about when it comes to
Christianity or we talk
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about what is it
mean to be saved.
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The Ten Commandments,
right, and a lot of
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the other things but this is
an issue that's very important.
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That's right,
because people don't talk
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about how to live the Christian
life in the practical areas
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that the world seems
to be setting a pace for.
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And we see a lot of
changes in the world.
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The way the people look
and the way that they dress,
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and the Christian
church all have have something
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to say about
that, nowadays you know,
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we're into a lot
of political issues.
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One in fact I think
the Lord wants us to stay
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in biblical
issues, that's right.
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Which we forgetting to do,
so you stay tuned to the program
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we are gonna be talking about
what the Lord desires for us
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not only on the
inside, but also on the outside
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because we are in fact
in total the temple of God,
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that's right, isn't that right?
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That's right absolutely right.
We have some questions though
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today that really are
exciting and once again I wanna
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encourage you if you have
any questions to send to us,
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send those questions
to housecalls@3abn.org,
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that's housecalls@3abn.org.
For those of you who have
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computers you can do that.
If you don't continue doing
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what you've done before,
if you are a 3ABN watcher
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you know our address.
Just continue mailing them
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and I have some questions
that people mailed in also.
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Some people just write
them, they don't even have
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a typewriter.
But, if whatever doing
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try you best to get
those questions to us,
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now John what do we have today?
Well we've a question today
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from Jamaica.
You mean West Indies?
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Yes can you
believe it? And they ask
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a practical question we get
a lot of questions as you know
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on a Sabbath because we talk
about the Sabbath and in fact
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that we believe and that
the Bible teach us clearly
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that it's still something
that we should keep, right.
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And here is a question
it's kind of different approach,
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it's a woman,
Christine, who is convicted
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that she should be honoring
the Seventh-day Sabbath,
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Friday sundown
to Saturday sundown.
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But, she says what do
you tell people when they say
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the day doesn't
matter? You know I can worship
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on any day or your
day is the seventh day,
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my day is the
first day. And so there
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is a couple of things that I
like to share with you to give
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you a little practical
approach to that, okay.
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And many will say well
it doesn't really matter
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what day you keep,
doesn't matter with God.
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Well, I have a
question for you back.
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Did the tree in the
garden of Eden matter?
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Seems like a
simple thing doesn't it?
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Just one tree. Just
one tree in the garden lots
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of beautiful trees and I'm sure
the fruit was tasty, lovely.
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But the only issue with
that tree is not the tree itself
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but the Lord said do not eat
from that tree, that's right.
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It was a command
straight forth from God's mouth.
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And so, Eve
disobeyed that command
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what God had told are not
to do, and do the simple thing.
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John all she did was
picked a piece of fruit,
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that's right, and
ate from the tree.
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Nothing that we
don't normally do,
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and we don't find any negative
cause if we just pick fruit,
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that's right. But,
what was the real issue?
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The issue was God's command,
he commanded that Adam and Eve
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not eat from
that tree, and to him,
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for him it was a test to
his people, that's right.
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It was a test in the garden
for their loyalty and they
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proved unfaithful, that's right.
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Which is why we're
in this sin problem,
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this mess that we've
been in for 6,000 years.
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But, there is another approach
to this that often I think
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people miss. One of
the things that I hear
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often and you know
you heard this is that,
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well Sunday is my day,
or Wednesday is my day,
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that's the day I
choose to worship.
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You know I thought about this,
I mean we don't have a day.
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We really don't.
I don't have a day,
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you don't have a day,
John, you don't have a day.
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Let's look what God says in
the fourth commandment, okay.
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Exodus 20 and specifically
verse 8 is where it begins,
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but I'd like to
look at well its short,
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so let's go ahead and
read it. Starting with verse 8,
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remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
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Six days you shall
labor and do all your work,
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but the seventh day
is the Sabbath of who?
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The Lord, of the Lord your God.
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In other words, who is your God?
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That's real issue, and
so the question would be
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are you gonna
serve the Lord's day,
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honor his holy day or you
gonna serve him on your day.
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The Lord is asking
you to worship on His day
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to keep His day holy.
And so I don't find in here
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where I have a day I
choose. Well, you know,
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you just made a point and I
wanna just a really reiterate
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that because it
was a very good point.
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When you think
about the day of worship,
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the day of worship is
really a day of relationship.
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And let me just
broaden that we, I'm married,
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I been married 22 years
now. And I love my wife everyday
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that's not an
issue. We celebrate
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our relationship
everyday, but we only have
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one anniversary. We
were married on May 22nd
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in the year 1983,
don't forget that,
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write that down. But,
when any other day comes
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it's a special
day to someone else.
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But, when May 22nd,
comes every year I say
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happy anniversary
to my wife and I have
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a special day together.
Now if I all of a sudden
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decided one year to celebrate
on May 24 or May 21st my wife
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would say, uh honey
did you forget something.
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And I say, will it's just
May 22nd it's just another day.
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She says to you
it's another day,
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but to me it's a sign
of our relationship, yeah.
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And when you made
that point the seventh day
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is the Sabbath of
the Lord your God.
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It comes down
to who is your God,
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so if the one who created
heaven and earth is your God,
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he is already set aside a
day. And you know what John
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because he has set
aside a day we can't do it
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and say well now Lord,
I know what you've done
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but I've a substitute. Well,
there is no substitute worship,
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there is no
substitute obedience,
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there is no substitute God
and there is no substitute day
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that He is made
holy. He only blessed one,
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that's right. And so May 22nd
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is a blessed day, because
of our blessed relationship.
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Blessed because of God
sanctifying us for each other.
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And so when you wanted
the Sabbath you're recognizing
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that the Lord is the
one that sanctifies you.
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As a matter of fact
let's go to Ezekiel.
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That's another Chapter Ezekiel,
this is very important subject
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because there are so many
people that narrow it down
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and think well I
could pick a day.
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Well you know friends
this thing about picking a day,
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well you know you need
to pick the God you worship
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and for that matter pick
how you wanna worship Him,
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but the Lord makes it very,
very clear like in John 4:23
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and we will see it in a moment.
He says those who worship
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me must worship me in
spirit and in truth, right John?
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That's right. He
doesn't say well it's an option,
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He says if you gonna worship
me you must worship me spirit,
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the residing spirit of
God in your life and in truth.
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According to his
word, your word is truth.
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But, look at
Ezekiel 20 and verse 12
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and notice the reason why
the Lord gave them the Sabbath.
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He said, Moreover also
I gave them my Sabbath,
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to be a what? Sign
between them and me,
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that they might know that I
am the Lord who sanctifies them.
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The Lord said when you
honor the day he established
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you know He is one who
sanctifies you, that's right.
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And what about the verse
20, John, look at that one.
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Yeah 19 and 20 in
fact He says verse 19,
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I am the Lord your
God; walk in my statutes,
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and keep my
judgments, and do them;
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hallow my Sabbaths;
and they will be a sign
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between Me and
you, that you may know
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that I am the Lord
your God, that's right.
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There is that
term again, your God,
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so evidently similar to
your relationship with Angie,
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you were married you have a day.
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Oh! Now that day
isn't important to me except
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that I'm your friend, right.
But, it doesn't mean anything
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as far as a relationship
context, that's right.
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But, it does mean
something to you and Angie.
00:09:27.42\00:09:30.14
Similar to when you enter
into a relationship with God,
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he has a day set
aside for you and him.
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It doesn't mean
anything to those out there
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who don't follow him.
They only mean something
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you and to Him.
And what God is saying
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is be loyal to
Me, honor My holy day
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the seventh day and so
it's a sign between you and Him
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and your relationship
is like your anniversary
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is a sign of you and
Angie's relationship.
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You know, that's why the Lord
said in Mark 2 verse 27 and 28
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once again He says, The Sabbath,
00:09:56.39\00:10:01.22
Mark 2 verse 27, the
Sabbath was made for man,
00:10:01.23\00:10:05.29
and not man for the Sabbath.
Therefore the Son of Man
00:10:05.30\00:10:09.18
is also Lord of the
Sabbath. What the Lord meant
00:10:09.19\00:10:11.85
there was if you
look at the context
00:10:11.86\00:10:13.42
of that in a
broader amplified version,
00:10:13.43\00:10:15.24
the Sabbath was
made for the good of man,
00:10:15.25\00:10:17.93
and not man for the
good of the Sabbath.
00:10:17.94\00:10:20.08
We benefit from the rest,
physical and spiritual rest
00:10:20.09\00:10:23.69
and also from the identifying
mark of your relationship
00:10:23.70\00:10:26.41
with the Lord.
It's a benefit to us,
00:10:26.42\00:10:28.13
so Lord says I bless this
day to be a benefit to you,
00:10:28.14\00:10:32.15
so I could benefit
dinner or benefit concert,
00:10:32.16\00:10:35.59
or wonderful wedding
ceremony. Now if you're going
00:10:35.60\00:10:38.25
to a wedding, you
don't just get up to go
00:10:38.26\00:10:39.87
to any wedding, that's right.
00:10:39.88\00:10:42.17
I'm going to a wedding
today, well you don't just stop
00:10:42.18\00:10:44.41
at any church and say
well this is guess a wedding,
00:10:44.42\00:10:47.35
that's right. Well,
friends the same way
00:10:47.36\00:10:49.71
you don't just pick any
day and say this is Lord.
00:10:49.72\00:10:51.57
You know and the other
thing that jumps out at me
00:10:51.58\00:10:53.86
about Matthew 2 verse 27, okay.
Is that we in Christianity,
00:10:53.87\00:10:59.24
you mean Mark 2:27?
Excuse me Mark did I say?
00:10:59.25\00:11:01.07
Matthew, Matthew
I'm sorry Mark 2:27
00:11:01.08\00:11:03.27
we as Christians
we honor our creator,
00:11:03.28\00:11:07.33
because He made us. And
so we say okay for six days
00:11:07.34\00:11:11.23
He created the world
and He create the man
00:11:11.24\00:11:12.90
and all the animals and
everything that was in it.
00:11:12.91\00:11:14.97
And we honor Him that way,
but now here we go in Mark 2:27
00:11:14.98\00:11:19.72
it says that the Sabbath
was made for man, that's right.
00:11:19.73\00:11:23.65
So, the finishing work
of creation was the Sabbath.
00:11:23.66\00:11:27.13
He made it so not just
six days were something made,
00:11:27.14\00:11:31.96
but on the seventh
something else was made.
00:11:31.97\00:11:34.03
He made something for
us. He made the Sabbath
00:11:34.04\00:11:35.60
for him and his people.
And what jumps out at me
00:11:35.61\00:11:38.21
is evolution is an
attack on our creator.
00:11:38.22\00:11:41.58
You see taking out of the mix
and I think often this debate
00:11:41.59\00:11:45.76
and this push to
set aside the Sabbath,
00:11:45.77\00:11:48.03
the seventh day
Sabbath is also an attack
00:11:48.04\00:11:51.11
to get us to forget
our creator, exactly...
00:11:51.12\00:11:53.90
And so with these things
go hand and hand you know
00:11:53.91\00:11:55.76
some will say boy we gonna
do something about evolution
00:11:55.77\00:11:58.44
or you mean we gonna
fight it for all we're worth.
00:11:58.45\00:11:59.92
What about fighting for
the day that is the memorial
00:11:59.93\00:12:03.22
of creation. What
about fighting to get back
00:12:03.23\00:12:06.03
to Jesus Christ? What
about fighting to get back
00:12:06.04\00:12:08.46
to what God has
established. Its amazing John,
00:12:08.47\00:12:10.62
on this very same
point that Christian churches
00:12:10.63\00:12:12.62
"Christian churches"
are behind the greatest push
00:12:12.63\00:12:17.51
to ignore the
Sabbath. It's an amazing thing,
00:12:17.52\00:12:20.32
those connected to Christ will
simply say there was an acronym
00:12:20.33\00:12:24.96
that still exists
nowadays and you may have heard
00:12:24.97\00:12:26.59
about it friends, maybe even
in your country WWJD, correct.
00:12:26.60\00:12:32.42
What would Jesus do?
Right, would Jesus do?
00:12:32.43\00:12:36.99
All you've got to do is
follow the word Luke 4:16
00:12:37.00\00:12:41.58
tells you that
Jesus kept the Sabbath.
00:12:41.59\00:12:43.83
It was his custom,
now why was it his custom?
00:12:43.84\00:12:47.05
He blessed in the very beginning
at the end of creation week.
00:12:47.06\00:12:49.93
He gave it to his
people, they honored it,
00:12:49.94\00:12:53.45
He honored it, the
disciples honored it.
00:12:53.46\00:12:56.85
And now today we get to
the place where we don't
00:12:56.86\00:12:59.40
honor it and we say we are
still following the same Lord.
00:12:59.41\00:13:02.13
One that disciples
follow Jesus, even the apostles
00:13:02.14\00:13:05.64
in New Testament Christians
you find over a 100 references
00:13:05.65\00:13:08.87
after Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John
00:13:08.88\00:13:11.03
in reference to the
validity of the Sabbath still
00:13:11.04\00:13:14.49
being honored after
the death of Christ.
00:13:14.50\00:13:16.64
And yet the very first word in
the whole commandment is what?
00:13:16.65\00:13:18.97
Remember. Remember, so
the Lord know that his people
00:13:18.98\00:13:22.92
just might forget down the road,
so he put that word remember
00:13:22.93\00:13:26.84
at the beginning
of the commandment,
00:13:26.85\00:13:28.41
yet, many of us are
still forgetting to this day,
00:13:28.42\00:13:30.97
but I'm sure you have
another question there we need
00:13:30.98\00:13:33.20
to get too. You
know this the wonderful
00:13:33.21\00:13:35.23
one it's on the same
topic this is a really good spin
00:13:35.24\00:13:39.71
on how you could kind of
get rid of the Sabbath question.
00:13:39.72\00:13:41.97
And the person has
a really unique name,
00:13:41.98\00:13:45.25
Pallu is his name. And he
is from Appleton, Minnesota.
00:13:45.26\00:13:52.30
All the teachings and writings
I've read about the Sabbath
00:13:52.31\00:13:55.81
point out that the
seventh day is the,
00:13:55.82\00:13:57.72
seventh day of
the week is Saturday.
00:13:57.73\00:13:59.91
And every book
I've read stated that,
00:13:59.92\00:14:02.31
he mentions here also a
book written from called
00:14:02.32\00:14:06.40
from Sabbath to Sunday.
But, he says now if we travel
00:14:06.41\00:14:10.26
south and pass the
International Date Line,
00:14:10.27\00:14:12.70
Saturday is the sixth
day of the week and Sunday
00:14:12.71\00:14:17.35
is the seventh day. So
that means that all these
00:14:17.36\00:14:21.74
writings about the Sabbath
covers only part of the world.
00:14:21.75\00:14:24.57
Well, we be wrong if I
take those book to those areas?
00:14:24.58\00:14:30.99
Well friends, if you cross
the International Date Line
00:14:31.00\00:14:34.60
and I said to you in an another
country meet me on Friday
00:14:34.61\00:14:38.37
you won't show
up another day late,
00:14:38.38\00:14:40.34
you will show up on Friday.
I traveled over to Singapore,
00:14:40.35\00:14:44.56
I've traveled from Singapore
back to the United States.
00:14:44.57\00:14:46.86
On the way back I
have I think I gain a day,
00:14:46.87\00:14:50.56
on the way going I loose
a day, Now when we went from
00:14:50.57\00:14:54.49
south to north we
saw the sunrise and set
00:14:54.50\00:14:57.95
and missed a day.
But, the bottom line is
00:14:57.96\00:15:01.23
if you're in
Singapore, you will on,
00:15:01.24\00:15:04.23
the Sabbath will come
before it does in America.
00:15:04.24\00:15:07.11
When I was leaving church over
and when the sun is already set
00:15:08.26\00:15:11.14
on Saturday in Singapore,
my wife was going to bed
00:15:11.15\00:15:15.83
on Friday night. Here
in America getting ready
00:15:15.84\00:15:19.03
to go to church
eight hours later.
00:15:19.04\00:15:21.46
So you were getting
ready to observe the Sabbath,
00:15:21.47\00:15:23.70
she had just finished
observing the Sabbath?
00:15:23.71\00:15:25.90
No, I had already
finished. Oh, you had finished.
00:15:25.91\00:15:27.52
Yeah. Okay. I said,
honey, it was great.
00:15:27.53\00:15:29.30
She says, well,
I am going to bed.
00:15:29.31\00:15:30.81
It's Friday night,
and I am going to bed
00:15:30.82\00:15:32.67
now and I am going to go to
church in about eight hours.
00:15:32.68\00:15:35.05
So wherever you
are, this is the point;
00:15:35.06\00:15:37.86
look at your
calendar wherever you are.
00:15:37.87\00:15:40.19
The days don't switch around
Saturday is never the sixth day.
00:15:40.20\00:15:44.28
Sunday is never the seventh day,
except somebody try to change
00:15:44.29\00:15:48.52
the physical
calendar. But if you look at any
00:15:48.53\00:15:51.85
encyclopedia world
over, on any planet, John,
00:15:51.86\00:15:55.43
what the encyclopedia
would say is what matters.
00:15:55.44\00:15:57.96
Every place in the entire world;
dictionary and encyclopedia,
00:15:57.97\00:16:01.25
sixth day Friday,
seventh day Saturday,
00:16:01.26\00:16:04.57
first day Sunday,
and here is the most
00:16:04.58\00:16:06.53
amazing thing that
nobody gets confused on.
00:16:06.54\00:16:08.84
The entire world
that celebrates Easter,
00:16:08.85\00:16:11.69
nobody celebrates Easter
the resurrection on Saturday.
00:16:11.70\00:16:14.54
That's right. What day
do they celebrate it on?
00:16:14.55\00:16:17.78
Sunday morning. They
don't forget what the day
00:16:17.79\00:16:20.49
of resurrection is. How
amazing it is that we do
00:16:20.50\00:16:23.41
all we can to forget
what day the Sabbath is.
00:16:23.42\00:16:26.02
Anyway it's a
long question here.
00:16:26.03\00:16:28.29
But just remember friends,
the Lord doesn't change.
00:16:28.30\00:16:31.31
What you have for us? We
have a question from DeShannon,
00:16:31.32\00:16:34.02
and she mentioned that we talked
about standards this last week.
00:16:34.03\00:16:38.30
And mentioned that when
the world does something,
00:16:38.31\00:16:41.15
how the church
counters often with something?
00:16:41.16\00:16:44.02
Even though God has already
set out what we should do.
00:16:44.03\00:16:47.03
Should we celebrate Christmas?
And this is the question
00:16:47.04\00:16:50.32
that we had many times
about referencing Christmas.
00:16:50.33\00:16:52.56
It's a good time to answer right
now too because we're coming
00:16:52.57\00:16:54.65
upon Christmas. For it
was made so that Pagans
00:16:54.66\00:16:57.53
can give tribute to
the birth of their God.
00:16:57.54\00:16:59.58
Isn't celebrating Christmas
in the church encounter
00:16:59.59\00:17:01.85
to the Pagan's
holiday, Christmas?
00:17:01.86\00:17:03.95
Well, this is several principles
and several ways to approach
00:17:03.96\00:17:07.79
the Christmas day. And
the Easter actually falls
00:17:07.80\00:17:12.62
into this as well
because similar origins,
00:17:12.63\00:17:14.90
but I see the word
jumping out of here,
00:17:14.91\00:17:19.19
at me here called celebrate.
And the question is how do you
00:17:19.20\00:17:23.29
celebrate, you know,
what do you mean by celebrate
00:17:23.30\00:17:25.28
because when you talk to
some in the Christian world,
00:17:25.29\00:17:27.99
Christmas as well as
Easter is a holy day.
00:17:28.00\00:17:31.28
That's right. It is a holy day,
00:17:31.29\00:17:33.55
in other words,
it's a day to be kept
00:17:33.56\00:17:34.66
solemn holy or something
intrinsic about that day
00:17:34.67\00:17:38.19
that God ordained
or sanctified. Right.
00:17:38.20\00:17:40.57
But that's not the case for
most of the world. That's right.
00:17:40.58\00:17:44.60
And Christmas is
observed as a holiday,
00:17:44.61\00:17:47.08
just a day that you're
off, that you can acknowledge
00:17:47.09\00:17:49.54
and spend time with
your family that you can,
00:17:49.55\00:17:51.54
most of us were Christian
acknowledge Christ birth
00:17:51.55\00:17:53.72
on that day. Now
we know that Christ
00:17:53.73\00:17:56.32
was not born on
December 25th. That's right.
00:17:56.33\00:17:58.78
In fact, it's Israel's
in the Northern Hemisphere
00:17:58.79\00:18:01.85
and it was His born in
a manger and at an Inn.
00:18:01.86\00:18:05.59
And the shepherds
were out in the field.
00:18:05.60\00:18:06.95
They wouldn't be
there past November.
00:18:06.96\00:18:08.38
Absolutely, so it was
not the middle of winter.
00:18:08.39\00:18:10.92
So we know that, it's
probably nowhere close
00:18:10.93\00:18:12.83
to the actual day.
But I would ask you;
00:18:12.84\00:18:15.18
is this a significant
event in the Christian,
00:18:15.19\00:18:18.08
for the Christian. Christ birth?
00:18:18.09\00:18:19.81
Absolutely. Is
there anything wrong
00:18:19.82\00:18:22.58
with celebrating the
fact that Jesus was born?
00:18:22.59\00:18:24.64
Nothing wrong with
that. The question really lies
00:18:24.65\00:18:28.11
in the origins
of this date, John.
00:18:28.12\00:18:30.93
You know, the fact that it
did use to be a pagan holiday.
00:18:30.94\00:18:34.91
Do you know, John, that
people may or may not know
00:18:34.92\00:18:38.21
this but the word Saturday
really came from original
00:18:38.22\00:18:43.04
observance of Saturn's day.
There were people that observed
00:18:43.05\00:18:47.74
Saturday because they worship
the Gods of planetary Gods.
00:18:47.75\00:18:50.96
So, even the word Saturday
has its origin in pagan worship.
00:18:50.97\00:18:55.19
Moon day which is Monday now,
00:18:55.20\00:18:58.59
Thor's-day
which is Thursday now.
00:18:58.60\00:19:01.20
These were all Gods
that we were worshiped.
00:19:01.21\00:19:04.34
But the key is now when Saturday
comes it was established by God
00:19:04.35\00:19:09.69
as a memorial of His creation
and Satan sought to take that
00:19:09.70\00:19:13.90
and wrap it into a paganistic
garb to lose its significance.
00:19:13.91\00:19:19.60
This December 25th was
a day that the God Mithra
00:19:19.61\00:19:23.80
was worshiped. But that was not
00:19:23.81\00:19:25.99
in Eastern Christianity, that
was in Western Christianity.
00:19:26.00\00:19:29.50
Eastern Christianity did
not observe that and they fought
00:19:29.51\00:19:33.41
with Eastern Christianity
either the other way around
00:19:33.42\00:19:36.72
to relinquish that day,
because we honor Christ birth.
00:19:36.73\00:19:41.25
Yet, you honor it as
pagan day of worship.
00:19:41.26\00:19:44.20
We honor Christ birth, yet
you wanted to signify a day
00:19:44.21\00:19:47.29
of pagan
worship. And so for time,
00:19:47.30\00:19:49.42
there was a struggle between
the two as to whether or not
00:19:49.43\00:19:51.90
it was in June or whether
or not it was in December,
00:19:51.91\00:19:54.59
the actual birth of Christ.
The significant part of that was
00:19:54.60\00:19:58.24
as Isaiah 6 says, for
unto us a child is born,
00:19:58.25\00:20:03.38
unto us a son is
given. As a Christian,
00:20:03.39\00:20:05.91
I honor the birth
of Christ as a holiday.
00:20:05.92\00:20:10.21
As a what, John?
Holiday. Not holy day.
00:20:10.22\00:20:13.04
I get a day off. And
I recognize as the world
00:20:13.05\00:20:16.60
does that Christ was
born I do not worship the day,
00:20:16.61\00:20:20.78
I worship the Christ.
That makes all the difference.
00:20:20.79\00:20:25.12
It does. And you know...
00:20:25.13\00:20:26.10
And the other part of
this here that, you know,
00:20:26.11\00:20:28.32
we're talking about the
principle of our approach
00:20:28.33\00:20:31.95
to the day. Some
approach that day
00:20:31.96\00:20:33.61
as we know is a very holy
day, set aside that somehow
00:20:33.62\00:20:36.10
there is
something in that day that,
00:20:36.11\00:20:38.14
that is important to
worship. But think about this.
00:20:38.15\00:20:42.25
In the issues of Sabbath,
worship or services versus
00:20:42.26\00:20:46.25
Sunday services which
mostly Christian world keeps.
00:20:46.26\00:20:48.80
We as Christians
believe that although we keep
00:20:48.81\00:20:53.34
the Sabbath day holy,
the seventh day of the week
00:20:53.35\00:20:55.59
that we can go to a
church, we can gather together.
00:20:55.60\00:20:58.72
We can do whatever we
want on Sunday to worship God.
00:20:58.73\00:21:02.03
Just because we believe that
the Bible is clear when it says
00:21:02.04\00:21:07.00
the seventh day is a Sabbath.
It is his day sanctified,
00:21:07.01\00:21:09.47
it doesn't mean that we
cannot worship and associate,
00:21:09.48\00:21:12.31
and spend time with him
on any other day of the week.
00:21:12.32\00:21:14.91
So what we're saying about
Christmas here, bottom line,
00:21:14.92\00:21:18.86
is when Christmas comes
up what a great opportunity
00:21:18.87\00:21:21.87
for Christian to be
able to share with the world
00:21:21.88\00:21:24.61
who for the first
time, maybe all year is open
00:21:24.62\00:21:26.95
to Christ in His birth.
Having the, proving the fact,
00:21:26.96\00:21:30.97
establishing the fact that
He has come into this world
00:21:30.98\00:21:33.22
as the redeemer of man and
that we are saved through Him.
00:21:33.23\00:21:37.19
And so we have a testimony
to bear during that time.
00:21:37.20\00:21:39.72
I believe it is
the Christian's duty,
00:21:39.73\00:21:41.48
responsibility to share with
people who are open to Jesus
00:21:41.49\00:21:45.58
more on during that
time, during that day
00:21:45.59\00:21:48.17
then any other day to share
with them the love of Christ.
00:21:48.18\00:21:51.24
And what He did when
He came to this world.
00:21:51.25\00:21:53.16
And so sometimes when I believe
when we shut off Christmas
00:21:53.17\00:21:57.27
entirely from our
lives we say, oh, it's pagan,
00:21:57.28\00:21:59.43
I am not kind of
anything to do with it.
00:21:59.44\00:22:00.74
We miss such a great,
a tremendous opportunity
00:22:00.75\00:22:03.74
to reach others with Christ,
with the message of Christ
00:22:03.75\00:22:07.29
and His love, John. You know,
00:22:07.30\00:22:09.48
one of my favorite
writers is Ellen White.
00:22:09.49\00:22:12.05
She has quite a bit
to say on Christmas.
00:22:12.06\00:22:13.90
She said, it's
a time of the year
00:22:13.91\00:22:15.57
that we will do
well to recognize
00:22:15.58\00:22:18.90
and as we give gifts,
remember that the supreme gift
00:22:18.91\00:22:23.18
that we have been
given is the gift of Christ.
00:22:23.19\00:22:25.33
And she says, there those...
This is an amazing thing,
00:22:25.34\00:22:28.31
well, I read a story
about a guy who said,
00:22:28.32\00:22:30.05
his dad always became
Muslim around Christmas
00:22:30.06\00:22:32.07
because he didn't want
to buy any Christmas gifts.
00:22:32.08\00:22:35.04
He didn't want
to give any gifts.
00:22:35.05\00:22:36.65
So, every year he became
Muslim or Jewish could change
00:22:36.66\00:22:39.92
his religion all the time
by because he did not want
00:22:39.93\00:22:42.50
to recognize, in fact,
that he had to spend money.
00:22:42.51\00:22:45.12
Friends, don't get call on
the commercialism of Christmas
00:22:45.13\00:22:48.37
because now,
nowadays it's getting into
00:22:48.38\00:22:50.52
the place in America here where
before even Thanksgiving comes.
00:22:50.53\00:22:53.14
Now even before Halloween
which we do not observe, comes.
00:22:53.15\00:22:56.54
People are used to see
the Christmas decorations
00:22:56.55\00:22:59.62
and Santa Claus, we
know he does not exist,
00:22:59.63\00:23:02.13
he does not exist he is
not a fat guy up in the north.
00:23:02.14\00:23:04.52
But its your parents
are giving you the gifts.
00:23:04.53\00:23:06.77
Recognize that when you give
a gift remember the significance
00:23:06.78\00:23:09.88
the greatest gift ever given to
us is the gift of Jesus Christ.
00:23:09.89\00:23:13.12
And some people get all
turned out of the way by saying
00:23:13.13\00:23:15.44
Merry Christmas it's a holiday.
I was raised saying that I don't
00:23:15.45\00:23:19.05
loose sleep over that because
I don't worship paganism.
00:23:19.06\00:23:22.93
I worship the Lord and
the Savior Jesus Christ.
00:23:22.94\00:23:25.26
I don't have a problem
with the name Christmas,
00:23:25.27\00:23:27.38
because I'm not
making a mass out of it.
00:23:27.39\00:23:29.22
I'm not getting up
lighting candles and bowing
00:23:29.23\00:23:31.44
before images, which
many do so customarily,
00:23:31.45\00:23:33.97
that's right. Any how
when it comes I'll say
00:23:33.98\00:23:37.98
happy holidays to
cover the whole thing.
00:23:37.99\00:23:40.60
I have a person
here, I think this is an,
00:23:40.61\00:23:44.12
thank you so much
Ray, for sending this.
00:23:44.13\00:23:46.87
Because, I talked about
this in a prior program.
00:23:46.88\00:23:48.74
On your program
you talked about that,
00:23:48.75\00:23:52.05
some believe that the human body
loses a small amount of weight
00:23:52.06\00:23:55.46
at the time of
death. I talked about
00:23:55.47\00:23:57.09
a research
project a doctor had done,
00:23:57.10\00:23:58.83
and he said he had a, I
don't know how he did it
00:23:58.84\00:24:03.45
by the way because when
I think about the mobility
00:24:03.46\00:24:06.49
of this research
I think to myself,
00:24:06.50\00:24:08.54
well the guy must have
been lying on the scale
00:24:08.55\00:24:10.81
before he died.
And as soon as he died
00:24:10.82\00:24:12.71
the doctor weighed
him. Now thought to myself,
00:24:12.72\00:24:14.80
was he saying hurry
up and die so I can get
00:24:14.81\00:24:16.76
my experiment over with
you. Kind of ridiculous thought.
00:24:16.77\00:24:19.37
But one doctor did and it was
in the Readers Digest magazine
00:24:19.38\00:24:23.85
where he said he weighed
a corpse after it had died,
00:24:23.86\00:24:28.51
and it was a few
grams lighter. We know John,
00:24:28.52\00:24:32.18
I thought about that for a while
and he said that was the reason
00:24:32.19\00:24:34.80
why he believe that there
was something that left his body
00:24:34.81\00:24:37.76
and continue to
exist after death.
00:24:37.77\00:24:39.63
Well you know what
if I stood on scale;
00:24:39.64\00:24:41.90
I did this experiment
just to prove to my own point.
00:24:41.91\00:24:43.87
This is not in
grams but in pounds.
00:24:43.88\00:24:45.70
I stood on the
scale and I reset it,
00:24:45.71\00:24:49.47
I stood on it
again and do you know,
00:24:49.48\00:24:51.01
I varied a half a pound
every time I stood on the scale.
00:24:51.02\00:24:55.38
0.5 or half a pound, a
digital scale and I thought
00:24:55.39\00:24:59.28
I didn't change anything,
the scale didn't change.
00:24:59.29\00:25:01.23
Friends, if you shift a
person around enough on a scale
00:25:01.24\00:25:04.73
depending on how they
proportionately weigh on it.
00:25:04.74\00:25:07.25
You gonna use but loose a
few grams or gain a few grams.
00:25:07.26\00:25:10.59
Well, even in the
controlled environment you know,
00:25:10.60\00:25:12.44
we've to be careful about
that. You can come up with
00:25:12.45\00:25:14.14
some variants. So
that's why people do
00:25:14.15\00:25:15.48
statistical analysis.
They weigh several times
00:25:15.49\00:25:17.96
and take the averages of those.
But I think what we're saying
00:25:17.97\00:25:21.34
is absolutely we agree
there are actually some tests
00:25:21.35\00:25:24.38
that debunk that. Oh
yeah debunk the very idea.
00:25:24.39\00:25:27.68
Debunk this idea that actually
it was a different weight
00:25:27.69\00:25:30.35
after they died. Now,
if you wait long enough
00:25:30.36\00:25:32.78
after someone dies they're gonna
lose just naturally through
00:25:32.79\00:25:37.21
what you call, decomposition,
00:25:37.22\00:25:39.70
yeah decomposition
but I'm talking about your
00:25:39.71\00:25:41.80
water weighing
stuff it kind a dry out.
00:25:41.81\00:25:43.44
And you lose water
weight as well, right.
00:25:43.45\00:25:44.88
So, you wait long enough
and you gonna be much lighter
00:25:44.89\00:25:47.49
as time goes by. I
rather just believe
00:25:47.50\00:25:50.27
the word of God that says,
the living know they will die;
00:25:50.28\00:25:52.85
but the dead do
not know anything,
00:25:52.86\00:25:54.67
Ecclesiastes 9 in
verse 5 and 6. Well I know,
00:25:54.68\00:25:58.38
we're getting topic here
John but I got a question
00:25:58.39\00:26:00.44
it's a segue into
it. Okay go ahead.
00:26:00.45\00:26:02.07
So, I'm gonna go ahead and
read this and not answer it
00:26:02.08\00:26:03.74
because I know we're
gonna get to that today.
00:26:03.75\00:26:05.30
But this is I been preparing
recently to get engaged
00:26:05.31\00:26:08.86
with my girlfriend and
was wondering the Bible stand
00:26:08.87\00:26:11.14
on engagement rings. I
know that it doesn't mention
00:26:11.15\00:26:15.02
as specifically so I need
help in determining what to do.
00:26:15.03\00:26:17.43
Does our church have an
official stance on the issue?
00:26:17.44\00:26:20.56
So, we're gonna get into
this topic a little more today,
00:26:20.57\00:26:24.37
specifically all kinds
of jewelry and adornment
00:26:24.38\00:26:28.00
and other things. But
we'll mention wedding bands
00:26:28.01\00:26:30.61
and other things as well
hear. So, stay tuned as we get
00:26:30.62\00:26:34.13
into this topic and I know we
left off where, John, last week.
00:26:34.14\00:26:36.61
Well we talked about
in the Book of Exodus
00:26:36.62\00:26:39.25
and by the way friends as we
segue you remember any questions
00:26:39.26\00:26:42.29
you have to send,
send those questions to
00:26:42.30\00:26:44.34
housecalls@3abn.org
that's housecalls@3abn.org
00:26:44.35\00:26:50.82
and we'll get those questions.
And thank you so much for being
00:26:50.83\00:26:53.22
diligent in making sure that we
can answer your Bible questions.
00:26:53.23\00:26:56.24
You know what's nice
about this topic, John,
00:26:56.25\00:26:58.61
as well as controversial,
because sometimes people say
00:26:58.62\00:27:01.52
we've got enough to worry
about. Now they're bringing up
00:27:01.53\00:27:05.22
what you wear and
what you shouldn't wear.
00:27:05.23\00:27:06.83
They talk about what you
eat and what you shouldn't eat
00:27:06.84\00:27:09.44
and where you're
going, where you shouldn't go.
00:27:09.45\00:27:11.51
And what you wear and
what you shouldn't wear.
00:27:11.52\00:27:13.31
Man, can we just
worship the Lord,
00:27:13.32\00:27:15.75
its kind of like him we
get all get along, exactly.
00:27:15.76\00:27:18.39
Well friends you
know, the Bible is specific
00:27:18.40\00:27:20.42
Matthew 4:4 says, that we
shall live not by bread alone,
00:27:20.43\00:27:24.14
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:27:24.15\00:27:26.75
And you know, we could become
00:27:26.76\00:27:28.26
extremist on that, we
could become practical
00:27:28.27\00:27:30.88
on that and as somebody
said you could be even labeled
00:27:30.89\00:27:33.41
a fundamentalist.
Whatever that means,
00:27:33.42\00:27:36.15
and don't write me a long
email I know what that means.
00:27:36.16\00:27:39.07
But when we see examples in
scripture about what the Lord
00:27:39.08\00:27:43.19
outlined for his people to do,
we've no choice but to see why
00:27:43.20\00:27:48.16
God wrote it. And
I don't think John,
00:27:48.17\00:27:50.19
that God will write any thing
that he doesn't want us to pay
00:27:50.20\00:27:52.14
attention to. You know,
00:27:52.15\00:27:53.59
and God gives us
time as well, yeah.
00:27:53.60\00:27:55.23
John, there is time
to learn these things.
00:27:55.24\00:27:57.07
Often some will want
to just take a list of
00:27:57.08\00:27:59.94
do's and don't okay.
Let's find in the Bible
00:27:59.95\00:28:02.04
what I should do
and what I shouldn't do
00:28:02.05\00:28:03.56
and as long as I keep
that list and order my life
00:28:03.57\00:28:06.78
according to it
then I'll be okay.
00:28:06.79\00:28:08.24
But the Lord is asking
you and He works one thing
00:28:08.25\00:28:11.68
at a time. He is
asking you to read
00:28:11.69\00:28:13.78
God's word and as He impresses
you with things with truce
00:28:13.79\00:28:17.64
of Gods word that he
want you to order your life
00:28:17.65\00:28:20.53
in accordance with,
that He work with you
00:28:20.54\00:28:22.85
on those things one at the time.
He doesn't expect us to go from
00:28:22.86\00:28:26.23
heathen to absolutely
glory John in one day.
00:28:26.24\00:28:31.04
As you're
supposed to get this list
00:28:31.05\00:28:32.70
and start living by it,
that's not the way God works.
00:28:32.71\00:28:35.13
He understands that
and so, you know to spend
00:28:35.14\00:28:37.94
day after day in Gods
word studying His truce
00:28:37.95\00:28:40.67
on various topics. Just
apply those as you study
00:28:40.71\00:28:44.73
them one by one and the Lord
will work with you and help you
00:28:44.74\00:28:47.91
to grow in Christ.
That's what it means
00:28:47.92\00:28:49.61
when you hear the
word sanctification,
00:28:49.62\00:28:51.70
it means growing in
Christ. That's right.
00:28:51.71\00:28:53.53
And my whole sermons
last Sabbath was about
00:28:53.54\00:28:56.36
spiritual growth.
How when people often say
00:28:56.37\00:28:59.80
get ready for heaven,
you've heard that term.
00:28:59.81\00:29:01.99
We need to get ready for heaven.
What they're really saying is
00:29:02.00\00:29:05.26
you need to
spiritually grow, that's right.
00:29:05.27\00:29:07.25
That's what get
ready means growth.
00:29:07.26\00:29:09.46
And so, this is the
growth process and so standards
00:29:09.47\00:29:12.84
are set up there to help
us along that growth process
00:29:12.85\00:29:16.19
that road of growing in Christ.
And so we ended last week
00:29:16.20\00:29:21.17
looking at the story,
the children of Israel
00:29:21.18\00:29:25.89
before Mount Sinai they
erected this golden calf.
00:29:25.90\00:29:29.93
The Lord had told Moses what
they were doing Moses came down
00:29:29.94\00:29:33.52
and the Lord gave him
some specific instructions
00:29:33.53\00:29:37.25
as to what to tell
the children of Israel.
00:29:37.26\00:29:39.89
And so we pick up
the story I believe,
00:29:39.90\00:29:42.74
in Exodus
Chapter 32 and 33, yes.
00:29:42.75\00:29:45.66
And in fact Exodus 33 verse
5 is Moses beginning to speak
00:29:45.67\00:29:52.59
or God speaking to Moses
about what to say to the people.
00:29:52.60\00:29:55.58
You know, before we read that
00:29:55.59\00:29:57.76
I wanna just
lay this foundation.
00:29:57.77\00:29:59.81
In verse 4 and 5
and 6 of chapter 33
00:30:00.75\00:30:06.18
the Lord had given
direct instruction to Moses.
00:30:06.93\00:30:09.30
Because he saw that
while Moses was in the mountain
00:30:09.31\00:30:12.12
to receive the Ten Commandments
the people were led by Aaron
00:30:12.13\00:30:17.60
and I should say
Aaron was led by the people
00:30:17.61\00:30:19.77
and the people
were supported by Aaron.
00:30:19.78\00:30:21.38
Because they had
brought all this gold to Aaron
00:30:21.39\00:30:24.33
and they said to him,
they said to him make us
00:30:24.34\00:30:27.02
a golden calf and
then after he did that.
00:30:27.03\00:30:30.02
They said this is
our God that brought us
00:30:30.73\00:30:33.56
out of the land of Egypt,
00:30:33.57\00:30:35.12
and they knew that
it wasn't this gold.
00:30:35.80\00:30:37.50
And one of the
questions people ask is well
00:30:39.01\00:30:41.28
if the Lord didn't
want them have all this gold
00:30:41.29\00:30:44.69
and all this jewelry
where did they get it from.
00:30:44.70\00:30:47.75
Exodus chapter 3:1,
the Israelites left Egypt,
00:30:48.49\00:30:51.52
the Lord made
sure that they left
00:30:51.53\00:30:54.22
with proper remuneration
because they've been slaves
00:30:55.21\00:30:57.76
there for 400 years, John.
00:30:57.77\00:30:59.84
And so as a slave
you don't get paid.
00:30:59.85\00:31:01.92
You know, they had
been there for 400 years
00:31:02.30\00:31:03.85
but not necessarily
slaves all the time.
00:31:03.86\00:31:05.56
When the Pharaoh who
did not Joseph arouse,
00:31:05.57\00:31:08.82
he said that the people
of Israel are more than us.
00:31:09.44\00:31:11.91
We've got to find a
way to control them,
00:31:11.92\00:31:13.45
so he made them
subjects to the laws of Egypt
00:31:13.46\00:31:16.44
and made them slaves. And
bondage and all the things
00:31:16.45\00:31:20.04
that come along
with slavery followed
00:31:20.05\00:31:21.56
and so when they left, the Lord
said you gonna leave Israel,
00:31:21.57\00:31:24.90
you gonna leave Egypt plundered.
00:31:25.35\00:31:27.19
They're gonna
broke when you leave.
00:31:27.20\00:31:28.50
But he never intended
for them to wear the jewels,
00:31:29.04\00:31:31.46
He was going to
have them build a temple
00:31:31.47\00:31:33.65
when they got to
Canaan. That's right.
00:31:33.66\00:31:35.18
And the other
principle behind this John,
00:31:35.19\00:31:36.65
is the fact that
financial transactions
00:31:36.66\00:31:39.85
occurred with
things that were value.
00:31:39.86\00:31:42.73
They didn't have
currency that, that they created
00:31:43.57\00:31:46.11
that was supported
by some central bank,
00:31:46.12\00:31:48.15
That's right. They'd
gold in it or something,
00:31:48.16\00:31:50.01
No ATM cards.
Each person had as part
00:31:50.02\00:31:52.84
of their wealth
the various things
00:31:52.85\00:31:55.18
that they left Egypt with during
that time specifically Egypt.
00:31:55.19\00:31:58.05
Now, when they went in too
many of these other countries
00:31:58.06\00:32:00.47
as they begin to move
through that the Land of Canaan,
00:32:00.48\00:32:03.73
they plundered, they
took the spoil also increasing
00:32:03.74\00:32:06.95
the wealth of
the nation of Israel.
00:32:06.96\00:32:08.98
And so it was a
symbol of wealth and status.
00:32:08.99\00:32:11.96
And so the Lord understood
that to have that power,
00:32:11.97\00:32:14.82
the financial promise in
wealth behind his people.
00:32:14.83\00:32:18.59
He allowed them
to have these things.
00:32:18.60\00:32:20.80
And by the way I made
the reference to that,
00:32:20.81\00:32:22.88
but that
reference I just alluded to
00:32:22.89\00:32:24.76
was in Exodus chapter 3 verse
21 and 22 where the Lord says
00:32:25.56\00:32:29.81
I will give this people favor
in the sight of the Egyptians:
00:32:29.82\00:32:33.36
and it shall be when you go,
00:32:33.37\00:32:35.02
that ye shall
not go empty handed.
00:32:35.54\00:32:37.89
And then in verse
22, but every woman
00:32:38.42\00:32:40.52
shall ask of her neighbor,
namely of her who dwells
00:32:40.53\00:32:43.98
near her house articles
silver, articles of Gold,
00:32:43.99\00:32:48.17
articles of
clothing and put them
00:32:48.18\00:32:50.09
on your sons and
on your daughters,
00:32:50.10\00:32:51.49
so you shall
plunder the Egyptians.
00:32:51.50\00:32:53.31
They carried all this
they were on their way carrying
00:32:53.80\00:32:56.39
this stuff to
the land of Canaan.
00:32:56.40\00:32:58.12
But while they were
carrying it, they thought,
00:32:58.65\00:33:01.71
it looks pretty
good. That's right.
00:33:02.92\00:33:04.49
And all of a sudden from
carrying it to the destination
00:33:04.97\00:33:08.48
that God had them,
heading the direction of,
00:33:08.49\00:33:11.50
all of a sudden they
saw rising up in them
00:33:11.88\00:33:14.46
the pride that
was in the Egyptians.
00:33:14.47\00:33:16.71
And the Gods for which the
Egyptians honor these things
00:33:17.20\00:33:19.97
and wore these things all
of a sudden it began to make
00:33:19.98\00:33:23.42
a place in the
minds of the Israelites
00:33:23.43\00:33:25.52
that this is our God too.
00:33:26.01\00:33:27.62
And they forced
Aaron to make one,
00:33:27.63\00:33:29.02
or didn't force
him but they suggested
00:33:29.03\00:33:31.14
and he acquits
when he had made it.
00:33:31.15\00:33:33.25
So, the same time
the Lord was saying,
00:33:33.26\00:33:35.37
Thou shalt have no
other Gods before me,
00:33:35.38\00:33:37.15
Thou shalt not
make any graven image.
00:33:37.60\00:33:39.08
They were doing it.
They were doing that.
00:33:39.09\00:33:41.27
They were doing
it at that moment.
00:33:41.28\00:33:42.37
And so, the Lord is saying,
00:33:42.38\00:33:43.89
you know, the people
are doing a wicked thing.
00:33:43.90\00:33:45.36
Moses get down and here is
what I want you to tell them.
00:33:45.37\00:33:47.59
And when Moses comes
down and instructs them
00:33:48.11\00:33:50.79
to take off these
things, it's almost like
00:33:51.21\00:33:54.07
the Lord is saying, I want
you to bring them with you,
00:33:54.08\00:33:56.56
but take them off
your body. That's right.
00:33:56.57\00:33:59.04
They're not
supposed to go on your body,
00:33:59.05\00:34:01.12
they are supposed
to be for not only
00:34:01.13\00:34:03.56
a financial wealth
situation, but also for using
00:34:03.57\00:34:06.92
in the services and
the temple of the Lord
00:34:06.93\00:34:09.76
the God that they served.
00:34:09.77\00:34:11.12
Which were all articles of gold
and silver and precious stones.
00:34:11.13\00:34:14.51
That you thought
which the high priest wore,
00:34:14.95\00:34:16.66
all the articles inside
the temple were made of gold,
00:34:16.67\00:34:19.24
beaten gold but just to segue,
00:34:19.59\00:34:21.46
Exodus 33 then we got Exodus 35.
00:34:21.47\00:34:23.80
Because I want you
to see if you missed
00:34:23.81\00:34:25.02
the last program
I want you to see
00:34:25.03\00:34:27.18
the commanded God had
given directly to Moses
00:34:27.19\00:34:29.42
and he told the
children of Israel
00:34:29.43\00:34:30.90
what to do in
reference to what they had done.
00:34:30.91\00:34:33.27
That is in reference to
wearing these articles of gold.
00:34:33.81\00:34:36.22
Notice what he said
in Exodus chapter 33
00:34:36.23\00:34:39.03
and beginning with verse 3.
00:34:39.51\00:34:41.57
I'll read verse 3, 4, 5 and 6.
00:34:41.58\00:34:44.54
He says, go up to the land
flowing with milk and honey.
00:34:45.00\00:34:48.04
For I will not
go up in the midst,
00:34:48.82\00:34:50.90
lest I consume you on the way,
00:34:50.91\00:34:53.52
for you are a
stiff-necked people.
00:34:53.53\00:34:56.26
And when the people
heard these grave tidings
00:34:57.03\00:34:59.36
they mourned and
notice what it says,
00:34:59.37\00:35:01.29
and no one put on his jewelry.
00:35:01.30\00:35:03.54
No one put on his ornaments.
00:35:04.19\00:35:05.72
And then verse 5, for
the Lord had said to Moses,
00:35:06.25\00:35:09.48
"Say to children of Israel,
'You are a stiff-necked people.
00:35:09.97\00:35:12.65
I could come up in
your midst in one moment
00:35:13.37\00:35:16.13
and consume you.
Now therefore take off
00:35:16.14\00:35:19.33
your ornaments that I
may know what to do to you.
00:35:19.34\00:35:22.29
In verse 6, so the
children of Israel stripped
00:35:22.30\00:35:26.00
themselves off their
ornaments by Mount Horeb."
00:35:26.01\00:35:28.97
When you think
of the word stripped
00:35:28.98\00:35:30.38
you mean, they
removed everything.
00:35:30.39\00:35:32.59
They took it off because
the Lord said take it off.
00:35:33.28\00:35:37.40
That's right.
Well, now there were some
00:35:37.41\00:35:39.18
who didn't do it but
there were some who did.
00:35:39.19\00:35:41.22
And that why we got
Exodus 35 and verse 22.
00:35:41.62\00:35:44.20
And you know
friends this is an issue
00:35:45.08\00:35:47.44
when you continue following
the subject of the fact
00:35:47.87\00:35:50.49
that God owns us and
that our body is His temple.
00:35:50.50\00:35:56.14
This is the issue, thou
shall have no other Gods
00:35:57.20\00:36:00.33
before Me as it
is in my presence.
00:36:00.34\00:36:02.96
Read verse 22 for us, but I
see your brain spinning there.
00:36:02.97\00:36:06.57
Well, I wanted to
give context to it,
00:36:06.58\00:36:07.91
Go ahead. so I wanna read
00:36:07.92\00:36:09.25
in Exodus 35
verse 4 and 5 for us.
00:36:09.26\00:36:12.09
Go ahead. It says,
00:36:12.10\00:36:13.27
And Moses spoke to
all the congregation
00:36:13.28\00:36:14.96
of the children of Israel,
saying, this is the thing
00:36:14.97\00:36:17.13
which the Lord
commanded, saying,
00:36:17.14\00:36:18.80
Take from you an
offering to the Lord.
00:36:19.59\00:36:22.26
Whoever is of a willing
heart, let him bring it,
00:36:22.83\00:36:25.85
as an offering of the
Lord; gold, and silver,
00:36:25.86\00:36:28.65
bronze, blue,
purple and scarlet thread,
00:36:28.66\00:36:30.83
fine linen and then it
goes through a list of valuables
00:36:30.84\00:36:33.55
that they had. And
so when we pick it up
00:36:33.56\00:36:36.21
in verse 22, we're seeing
the response of the people.
00:36:36.22\00:36:39.92
They say it says, they
come, both men and women,
00:36:40.32\00:36:43.16
as many as had a what, John?
00:36:43.17\00:36:45.35
Willing heart. Willing heart,
00:36:45.36\00:36:47.14
and brought ear
rings, and nose rings,
00:36:47.64\00:36:49.75
rings and necklaces, all jewelry
of gold that is every man
00:36:49.76\00:36:53.20
who had made an
offering of gold to the Lord.
00:36:53.21\00:36:55.58
Now notice they
already taken these things off.
00:36:55.59\00:36:58.91
That's right. They
were with them from Egypt,
00:36:58.92\00:37:01.72
they brought them
with them from there
00:37:01.73\00:37:03.12
and this is the
intention that God had always
00:37:03.52\00:37:05.69
had for these things was,
give freely from yourself,
00:37:05.70\00:37:09.20
from your spoils to the Lord.
00:37:09.21\00:37:11.22
So, the Lord's house has
the things in it for worship
00:37:11.23\00:37:15.12
and for recognizing
Him as their God the one
00:37:15.13\00:37:17.84
and only God their creator.
00:37:17.85\00:37:19.45
And so, you know, you
always see when it comes
00:37:19.91\00:37:22.34
to this issue of jewelry
there are several aspects of it
00:37:22.35\00:37:26.03
and I think there is some
confusion in it too, John.
00:37:26.04\00:37:28.06
That some get caught up in,
because there are some words
00:37:28.51\00:37:31.38
that are jumping out at me here.
00:37:31.39\00:37:32.54
Ornament, you see
in the New Testament
00:37:33.29\00:37:36.25
there is a word
adornment very similar word,
00:37:36.26\00:37:39.19
a parallel word
I often to call it.
00:37:39.20\00:37:40.53
But ornaments are something
that you hang somewhere
00:37:41.27\00:37:44.74
including on your body,
to either draw attention
00:37:45.23\00:37:48.52
to that item or for
just beautification sake
00:37:48.53\00:37:53.35
or to elevate somehow that thing
00:37:53.81\00:37:56.31
to a status of worship even.
00:37:56.32\00:37:58.97
So, when the Lord is
using the term ornament,
00:37:59.76\00:38:02.21
He is saying that
these things are not having
00:38:02.22\00:38:04.24
a functional purpose. Right.
00:38:04.25\00:38:06.15
you're sticking
them on your body
00:38:06.16\00:38:07.97
to draw attention to yourself.
00:38:07.98\00:38:09.71
You're putting Gods from
Egypt on your body instead of
00:38:10.48\00:38:13.99
acknowledging with
your willing heart,
00:38:14.00\00:38:16.13
God your true creator
and giving it back to Him.
00:38:16.51\00:38:19.12
So, there is this ornamental
just beautification thing
00:38:19.13\00:38:22.29
draw attention to yourselves
verse a functional purpose.
00:38:22.30\00:38:25.38
What the true
function of these things
00:38:25.39\00:38:27.03
was for and why
God gave them to them.
00:38:27.04\00:38:28.94
And that's a distinction
we're gonna draw here
00:38:28.95\00:38:30.88
through out these
studies, ornamental adornment
00:38:30.89\00:38:33.65
just decking yourself out
00:38:33.66\00:38:35.42
versus a functional
application for jewelry.
00:38:35.43\00:38:38.60
You know, this is a tight
rope you gonna walk here today,
00:38:39.28\00:38:41.45
because there are, we
realized we're talking
00:38:41.46\00:38:44.28
to the entire
world. That's right.
00:38:44.29\00:38:46.54
We're talking to
the entire world,
00:38:46.55\00:38:47.74
we're not just
talking to North America,
00:38:47.75\00:38:49.42
we're talking to
the entire world.
00:38:49.79\00:38:51.11
And for that
reason there are in fact
00:38:51.12\00:38:53.42
in many countries
customs and practices
00:38:53.43\00:38:55.89
that have become so
significant to that society
00:38:55.90\00:38:58.28
that for us to
think that in America
00:38:58.88\00:39:00.97
that we set the
standard for the entire world.
00:39:00.98\00:39:02.79
Its kind of an
arrogant, particular stand.
00:39:03.30\00:39:05.92
But what we're
talking about here today
00:39:06.69\00:39:08.49
is not so much tradition alone.
00:39:08.50\00:39:10.65
But tradition
where tradition ends
00:39:11.30\00:39:13.83
and obedience to
the word of God begins.
00:39:14.47\00:39:16.72
We'll discover that
there are some traditions
00:39:16.73\00:39:18.77
that have great
significance in many countries.
00:39:18.78\00:39:21.39
These traditions will not
continue after the Lord returns.
00:39:21.74\00:39:25.47
And you know we talk
about many traditions
00:39:25.48\00:39:27.08
that won't continue.
But the most important
00:39:27.09\00:39:29.36
aspect here what
we're associating with today
00:39:29.37\00:39:31.22
is the tradition of adornment.
00:39:31.23\00:39:33.40
Let me set the stage
here, in some countries, John,
00:39:33.79\00:39:36.67
you'll find that
it is very customary
00:39:37.08\00:39:39.22
and very fashionable
for women to wear slacks
00:39:39.23\00:39:43.08
when they go to church.
00:39:43.62\00:39:44.73
This is in the
Northern Asian countries,
00:39:44.74\00:39:46.67
very customary,
a wonderful thing
00:39:46.68\00:39:49.33
and they
consider it well dressed.
00:39:49.34\00:39:51.57
You find in
some of the countries
00:39:52.00\00:39:54.10
of India where people wear,
00:39:54.11\00:39:55.95
they have different
names for the outfits
00:39:56.35\00:39:58.37
and I don't want to try to name
them because I could mess up
00:39:58.38\00:40:00.27
and somebody
will send me an email.
00:40:00.28\00:40:01.55
But some of these
beautifully colored outfits
00:40:02.14\00:40:04.05
that women wear when
they go to very wonderful
00:40:04.06\00:40:07.00
settings like church or
some kind of a celebration
00:40:07.01\00:40:11.39
like a wedding or
so they look gorgeous.
00:40:11.40\00:40:14.08
Purples and blues
and yellows and pinks
00:40:14.09\00:40:17.42
but you could see their midriff.
00:40:17.43\00:40:19.20
Yeah. And some people say, oh!
00:40:19.21\00:40:21.38
In our culture,
it's kind of a taboo,
00:40:21.95\00:40:26.02
they're scared
to come to church.
00:40:26.03\00:40:27.09
And your midriff is
showing but it's becoming
00:40:27.10\00:40:29.46
something in our
society with, you know,
00:40:29.47\00:40:31.50
emphasizes from a
lot of these movie stars
00:40:31.51\00:40:33.22
and rock stars and music videos
00:40:33.23\00:40:35.59
where the pants are way down low
00:40:35.60\00:40:37.91
and the tops are way up high.
00:40:37.92\00:40:39.85
And almost looks that the navel
is somewhere in the middle.
00:40:39.86\00:40:42.02
You know, John. And
that's you know, okay.
00:40:42.03\00:40:45.30
Well, I gonna say
the reason why in India
00:40:45.31\00:40:49.57
where the midriff often shows
00:40:49.58\00:40:51.25
and it's not a
big deal is because
00:40:51.26\00:40:52.42
that's not a
sexual part for them.
00:40:52.43\00:40:54.29
To them it's not a
provocative thing, the midriff.
00:40:55.08\00:40:58.11
My wife actually visited India.
00:40:59.52\00:41:01.48
In Nepal, she was
over there on a trip
00:41:01.49\00:41:03.57
and everybody is
walking around, you know,
00:41:03.58\00:41:05.83
with their sarees and other
things their midriff would show.
00:41:05.84\00:41:08.41
And some of the men were
asked what is to deal with this.
00:41:08.78\00:41:12.09
And to them it's not a
major provocative thing,
00:41:12.10\00:41:15.09
but you know what was, what?
00:41:15.10\00:41:17.10
The legs. Oh, yeah.
00:41:17.11\00:41:18.95
And so what do you see
in India they're covered,
00:41:18.96\00:41:21.88
things are
covered all the way down.
00:41:22.58\00:41:24.02
And so you got
to be very careful,
00:41:24.35\00:41:25.80
you got to consider the culture
that you're in to see that.
00:41:25.81\00:41:29.20
Now, often use this example
00:41:29.21\00:41:31.48
and maybe kind of a
silly example to use,
00:41:31.49\00:41:34.67
but let's say that for
a pastor or an evangelist
00:41:34.68\00:41:40.19
or a Bible worker, we
know that we need to get
00:41:40.20\00:41:43.21
to the southern pacific
islands to evangelize them
00:41:43.22\00:41:46.07
and to work and to
share the gospel with them.
00:41:46.08\00:41:48.64
Now, if you go there,
predominantly in that area
00:41:49.41\00:41:52.79
you've people who
wear very little clothing.
00:41:52.80\00:41:55.33
Now what is, you, I
know traveled to these places
00:41:56.10\00:41:58.81
and you almost
have to, in our culture
00:41:59.14\00:42:01.11
when you're
visiting these places
00:42:01.12\00:42:02.09
you almost go to shut your eyes.
00:42:02.10\00:42:03.21
You got to keep
your straight ahead
00:42:03.22\00:42:04.67
because either
they're not wearing things
00:42:04.68\00:42:06.80
what they should wear there
or they wearing very littleness
00:42:06.81\00:42:09.41
because of not
only their culture
00:42:09.42\00:42:10.58
but the place
in which they live.
00:42:10.59\00:42:12.02
But to those
societies, to themselves
00:42:12.63\00:42:14.78
many of these things
aren't provocative to them.
00:42:14.79\00:42:17.90
You look in the
regions of Africa,
00:42:18.57\00:42:19.96
many of the women
they're not wearing tops.
00:42:20.32\00:42:22.25
Because
everything is functional,
00:42:22.71\00:42:24.59
its not a provocative thing.
00:42:24.60\00:42:26.20
So, you got to consider,
you got to consider the culture,
00:42:26.21\00:42:29.97
the area, the place
that you're living in.
00:42:29.98\00:42:32.44
And I would that
boy, if someone that dress
00:42:32.45\00:42:35.45
that way in
Africa would have come
00:42:35.46\00:42:36.53
to America and dress that way.
00:42:36.54\00:42:37.72
Or in some of the southern
countries in Central America,
00:42:38.48\00:42:43.64
South America, but
you know, what happens.
00:42:43.65\00:42:46.72
This is something
that I was amazed by,
00:42:46.73\00:42:48.63
you'll discover that
when people find the Lord
00:42:48.64\00:42:51.62
and this what I also discovered
00:42:51.63\00:42:52.78
in many of these
countries that we went to.
00:42:52.79\00:42:54.32
When they find
Jesus Christ it reforms
00:42:54.76\00:42:57.28
every area of their
lives. That's right.
00:42:57.29\00:42:59.40
They change from
the cultural effect
00:42:59.89\00:43:02.89
to become more applicable
00:43:02.90\00:43:05.11
to those who are
reflecting the glory of God,
00:43:05.12\00:43:07.77
they no longer have the
trappings of their culture.
00:43:07.78\00:43:11.23
Which either was face paint
in some extreme situations,
00:43:11.24\00:43:14.56
it could be a
bone through the nose
00:43:14.57\00:43:16.26
and some of the places
that practice of those things.
00:43:16.27\00:43:18.09
It could be
ornamentation from very heavy
00:43:18.10\00:43:22.00
necklaces and
earrings to nothing at all.
00:43:22.73\00:43:25.82
Because they're exemplifying
what they call a coming out,
00:43:25.83\00:43:29.47
coming out of that culture
00:43:29.48\00:43:31.39
and coming into the
culture of Christianity,
00:43:31.40\00:43:33.97
coming into the walk of Christ.
00:43:33.98\00:43:35.73
And you know, in the Bible,
00:43:35.74\00:43:37.59
you've Isaac and you've Ishmael
00:43:37.60\00:43:39.57
and there was a mock difference
between the Ishmaelites
00:43:39.85\00:43:42.84
and those who are of
the followers of Isaac.
00:43:42.85\00:43:45.54
And you'll find in
Judges 8, one of the things
00:43:45.93\00:43:49.31
that were talked
about is one that children
00:43:49.32\00:43:51.56
of Israel were
victorious over the Ishmaelites.
00:43:51.57\00:43:54.42
The way that they emphasized,
00:43:54.43\00:43:57.54
or the way that
they showed their victory
00:43:58.04\00:44:00.22
is by the spoils
they brought back.
00:44:00.23\00:44:02.14
And I thought it
was amazing to show
00:44:02.15\00:44:03.59
the cultural impact in
this particular setting.
00:44:03.60\00:44:06.44
So, go with us to the Book of
Judges, I want you to see this
00:44:06.45\00:44:08.63
and Gideon, one of
the Judges talks about
00:44:09.66\00:44:12.88
what the children of Israel
were to do after the victory.
00:44:13.60\00:44:16.87
Notice this, verse 24,
then Gideon said to them,
00:44:16.88\00:44:23.74
"I would like to
make a request of you,
00:44:24.37\00:44:27.07
that each of you would give me
00:44:27.66\00:44:29.10
the earrings from his plunder."
00:44:29.11\00:44:31.59
Notice give me the
earrings from his plunder.
00:44:32.28\00:44:34.71
And notice what it says,
For they had golden earrings,
00:44:35.26\00:44:38.64
because they were Ishmaelites.
00:44:38.65\00:44:42.12
And verse 25, So they answered,
00:44:42.13\00:44:45.51
"We will gladly give them."
And they spread out a garment,
00:44:45.87\00:44:49.80
and each man threw into it
the earrings from his plunder.
00:44:50.28\00:44:54.98
Now he talks about the
weight of them how heavy it was.
00:44:54.99\00:44:57.24
Now the weight of the
gold earrings that he requested
00:44:57.25\00:44:59.58
was one thousand seven
hundred shekels of gold,
00:44:59.59\00:45:02.37
besides the crescent ornaments,
pendants, and purple robes
00:45:02.38\00:45:07.07
which were on
the Kings of Midian,
00:45:07.08\00:45:09.07
besides the chains that
were around their camels' necks.
00:45:09.08\00:45:12.59
And notice what they
did with it in verse 27.
00:45:13.10\00:45:15.81
Then Gideon
made it into an ephod
00:45:15.82\00:45:18.86
and set it up in his
city, notice that Ophrah.
00:45:18.87\00:45:22.92
Almost like Opera now a days.
00:45:23.33\00:45:24.95
And so you see the Lord took
00:45:25.57\00:45:27.58
the practices of
a foreign nation,
00:45:27.59\00:45:30.20
took the articles of
these people that served
00:45:31.08\00:45:33.36
foreign Gods but they
made it so that it could become
00:45:33.37\00:45:36.41
a glory to the
worship of the true God.
00:45:36.42\00:45:38.95
He said lets
make these functional
00:45:38.96\00:45:40.73
so you've the
table of Showbread, gold.
00:45:40.74\00:45:43.01
The gold, seven golden candles
00:45:43.02\00:45:45.04
that's
Revelation talks about that.
00:45:45.05\00:45:46.48
You had the
breastplate or the ephod,
00:45:47.76\00:45:49.48
you had so many
different ways that God,
00:45:49.49\00:45:51.73
you had the Laver, you
look at the mercy seat,
00:45:52.21\00:45:57.25
the Ark of the Covenant
all these things made of gold.
00:45:57.26\00:45:59.84
Prior to that
though there were articles
00:46:00.29\00:46:02.72
used for paganistic purposes.
00:46:02.73\00:46:05.09
Nowadays we'll say
to do you use our money
00:46:05.83\00:46:08.19
to accessorize our
bodies or do you use our money
00:46:08.20\00:46:10.46
to the glory of God.
00:46:10.47\00:46:11.52
And God gave them instruction
to create the priestly
00:46:11.90\00:46:15.75
garments in such a
way and these other things
00:46:15.76\00:46:17.62
with gold and with
silver and the things
00:46:17.63\00:46:19.95
that are given to
use for building them.
00:46:19.96\00:46:23.35
But he never
told them to actually
00:46:23.36\00:46:26.80
put them on their body.
00:46:26.81\00:46:27.83
No. He never actually said
00:46:27.84\00:46:29.78
pierce yourself and
put them on your ears,
00:46:29.79\00:46:31.90
or put them in your nose
00:46:31.91\00:46:32.88
or hang around
your neck, anything.
00:46:32.89\00:46:35.28
They were on the
garments themselves
00:46:35.29\00:46:36.92
and when the high
priest put on the garments
00:46:36.93\00:46:39.33
he was doing it as
a functional purpose.
00:46:39.34\00:46:41.50
Acting as the high
priest up and behalf of Israel
00:46:41.93\00:46:45.18
which is Jesus Christ himself.
00:46:45.19\00:46:46.82
But when he was
finished with His work,
00:46:47.31\00:46:49.30
did he walk around with
those garments everywhere, John?
00:46:49.31\00:46:51.34
Oh, no. He took them off,
00:46:51.35\00:46:52.81
there was a reason
there was a purpose for having
00:46:53.23\00:46:55.55
those garments
decked out in the way
00:46:55.56\00:46:57.62
that God had to hand them
00:46:57.63\00:46:58.69
In fact, there were jewels on
them that indicated yes or no,
00:46:58.70\00:47:02.82
when you came to judging
Israel in certain matters.
00:47:04.06\00:47:06.37
And so there was
a functional purpose
00:47:06.91\00:47:09.04
for the jewelry or for
the jewels that were put
00:47:09.60\00:47:11.94
on the garment
of the high priest.
00:47:11.95\00:47:13.24
Now someone said John, I
want to jump to another story.
00:47:13.25\00:47:16.62
Go ahead. Some would say
00:47:16.63\00:47:17.79
okay, but what about Ezekiel 16.
00:47:17.80\00:47:21.42
Lets go to Ezekiel 16
and see what the Bible says.
00:47:21.43\00:47:23.94
So, lets go to Ezekiel 16
here and take a look at this,
00:47:23.95\00:47:27.37
because they say well Ezekiel
it says that the Lord himself
00:47:27.38\00:47:30.77
put earrings on them
00:47:32.00\00:47:33.15
and a nose ring
and other things.
00:47:33.16\00:47:34.71
Well, lets take a look.
As a matter of fact I was,
00:47:34.72\00:47:36.55
my wife and I read through
that whole passage last week.
00:47:36.56\00:47:40.30
I really have
it very interesting
00:47:40.31\00:47:42.01
approach to this passage.
00:47:42.02\00:47:43.05
I read it through in detail,
we did this as a worship thought
00:47:43.06\00:47:45.76
and to reiterate and understand
this in greater detail.
00:47:45.77\00:47:49.43
But to go ahead now
I'll give you this spin
00:47:49.90\00:47:51.52
that I found on
this. Yeah, it's verse,
00:47:51.53\00:47:54.26
chapter 16 of
Ezekiel beginning at verse 8.
00:47:54.27\00:47:57.62
And it says, when
I passed by you again
00:47:59.00\00:48:00.65
and looked upon you indeed
your time was the time of love.
00:48:00.66\00:48:04.37
So, I spread my wing over
you and covered your nakedness.
00:48:04.94\00:48:08.34
Yes, I swore an
oath to you and entered
00:48:08.79\00:48:11.05
into a covenant with
you and you became Mine,
00:48:11.06\00:48:13.92
says the Lord God.
Isn't that something that...
00:48:13.93\00:48:16.30
that God always does with us.
00:48:16.31\00:48:17.69
When we come and we say
Lord come into our lives,
00:48:17.70\00:48:19.79
you become His. His children,
that's what he's speaking of.
00:48:19.80\00:48:23.22
Verse 9, then I
washed you in water,
00:48:23.23\00:48:25.77
yes, I thoroughly
washed off your blood
00:48:25.78\00:48:28.08
and I anointed you with oil.
00:48:28.59\00:48:30.18
I clothed you in
an embroidered cloth
00:48:30.19\00:48:32.23
and gave you
sandals with badgers' skin,
00:48:32.24\00:48:33.96
I clothed you with fine
linen and covered you with silk.
00:48:33.97\00:48:36.93
I adorn you with
ornaments, put your bracelets,
00:48:36.94\00:48:39.69
proper bracelets on your
wrist and a chain in your neck
00:48:39.70\00:48:42.59
and I put a jewel in your
nose, earrings in your ears
00:48:42.60\00:48:45.24
and beautiful
crown on your head.
00:48:45.25\00:48:46.71
Thus you were
adorned with gold and silver
00:48:47.21\00:48:49.38
and your clothing
was of fine linen,
00:48:49.39\00:48:50.88
silk and embroidered cloth.
00:48:50.89\00:48:52.27
And thus to anyway he goes on
to say what else the Lord did.
00:48:53.03\00:48:56.09
But you can't
miss something here,
00:48:56.10\00:48:59.22
you got to look.
Lets go back to verse 8
00:48:59.23\00:49:01.17
and look how this begins.
00:49:01.18\00:49:02.52
First of all God is
saying that he covers
00:49:03.07\00:49:06.06
He spread his wing over
him and covered nakedness.
00:49:06.07\00:49:09.70
Now what's the first
thing that you think about
00:49:10.05\00:49:11.88
when you think of God
covering your nakedness.
00:49:11.89\00:49:13.75
What other imagery,
what other identification
00:49:13.76\00:49:17.87
do we understand the
Bible depicts of God changing us
00:49:17.88\00:49:21.87
and putting
something else on us.
00:49:21.88\00:49:23.37
Well, His righteousness.
His righteousness.
00:49:23.38\00:49:24.96
It's a garment of righteousness
00:49:24.97\00:49:26.29
and so this is
another word for covering
00:49:26.30\00:49:27.87
in with his wings or nakedness.
00:49:27.88\00:49:30.37
Why are they naked?
Well, verse 9 it says,
00:49:30.38\00:49:33.12
I washed you in water;
00:49:33.13\00:49:34.38
yes, I thoroughly
washed off your blood,
00:49:34.39\00:49:36.50
and I anointed you with oil.
00:49:37.24\00:49:38.81
In other words, the
sins that you had got
00:49:38.82\00:49:41.71
washed away from
you, He made you clean.
00:49:41.72\00:49:43.75
The blood that was on your hand,
00:49:43.76\00:49:45.56
you no longer have
that but he washed you
00:49:45.57\00:49:47.72
by the blood of Christ.
And so this is the image,
00:49:47.73\00:49:50.66
these are John,
this is a analogy
00:49:50.67\00:49:55.00
these are things
that God is using us
00:49:55.01\00:49:57.07
a description of what
He is doing in reality.
00:49:57.08\00:50:00.40
These aren't the real things
that He's putting on his people.
00:50:00.79\00:50:03.13
The people aren't
naked they're not walking
00:50:03.14\00:50:04.83
around with no clothes on.
00:50:04.84\00:50:06.19
There are not walking
around with blood all over them.
00:50:06.75\00:50:08.90
No, these are descriptions
of things that God sees
00:50:08.91\00:50:12.32
that they're tainted with sin.
00:50:13.11\00:50:14.94
They're naked because they don't
even realize they're sinful.
00:50:14.95\00:50:17.53
God changes all that and
He puts what's right on them
00:50:17.92\00:50:21.09
and they begin to
shine with the glory of God.
00:50:21.10\00:50:23.55
Do you know what's
amazing about this?
00:50:23.56\00:50:24.87
This is how the Lord
felt about Jerusalem.
00:50:24.88\00:50:27.44
This is how he
felt about his people.
00:50:28.01\00:50:29.76
And what many failed to
see or many have not seen yet
00:50:29.77\00:50:33.63
is that this is a
parallel to the description
00:50:33.64\00:50:37.02
that we get of the
glorified Jerusalem
00:50:37.03\00:50:40.65
in the Book of Revelations.
00:50:40.66\00:50:42.50
That's right. Now you
got a Book of Revelation
00:50:42.51\00:50:44.19
you find in
Revelation chapter 21
00:50:44.20\00:50:46.21
a description of the bride.
00:50:46.22\00:50:48.83
This is the language
of the eastern bride.
00:50:49.54\00:50:52.79
This is the language
of the orient with a bride
00:50:52.80\00:50:55.03
when she was
adorned. She was decked out
00:50:55.04\00:50:58.15
for her husband,
gloriously anointed,
00:50:58.16\00:51:01.08
gloriously with oil,
with precious ornaments.
00:51:01.53\00:51:04.81
She was decked out as the Bible
00:51:04.82\00:51:07.03
describes in the New Jerusalem.
00:51:07.04\00:51:09.10
Matter of fact, don't
lose this I'll show you
00:51:09.11\00:51:11.15
a few more points in
here but I'm gonna show you
00:51:11.16\00:51:14.62
the parallel right now
in Revelation chapter 21.
00:51:14.63\00:51:17.05
Go there with us, because
you'll also find in Revelation,
00:51:17.06\00:51:20.40
you find two descriptions.
You'll find in Revelation 17,
00:51:20.41\00:51:23.81
a woman is being
described as decked with gold
00:51:24.34\00:51:27.98
and precious stones and pearls.
00:51:27.99\00:51:29.66
See, gold,
precious stones and pearls.
00:51:30.26\00:51:33.23
A woman decked with gold,
precious stones and pearls.
00:51:33.24\00:51:36.27
Meaning she has got it
all on but for some reason
00:51:36.28\00:51:39.69
the Lord does not
identity with her,
00:51:39.70\00:51:41.31
you know why?
Because she is reflecting
00:51:41.32\00:51:44.13
the outward glory
of self rather then
00:51:44.14\00:51:49.78
the inward glory of Christ.
00:51:49.79\00:51:53.09
Yes, and
exactly who dressed her,
00:51:53.54\00:51:55.56
she dressed herself
with the things of the world.
00:51:55.57\00:51:58.40
You had a point on the notes
00:51:58.41\00:52:00.11
I don't know if
you caught that. Yes.
00:52:00.12\00:52:02.74
Ezekiel, the Lord
dressed his people.
00:52:02.75\00:52:04.64
That's right, that's
where I'm getting to.
00:52:04.65\00:52:06.64
Revelation 16
she dressed herself.
00:52:06.65\00:52:09.24
That's right. And she
dressed herself with the things
00:52:09.25\00:52:11.50
that were available to
her, things of the world.
00:52:11.51\00:52:14.30
That's right. And
there were the things
00:52:14.31\00:52:15.92
from the very
beginning and you can't miss
00:52:15.93\00:52:18.32
the origins of these things,
that often most the times,
00:52:18.33\00:52:23.65
back then when they
putting earrings on,
00:52:23.66\00:52:25.71
nose rings, other
things they were putting them
00:52:25.72\00:52:27.64
on because they
were Gods to them.
00:52:27.65\00:52:30.85
They were things that protected
them from evil spirits.
00:52:30.86\00:52:33.20
You talk last week
about the openings,
00:52:33.21\00:52:34.94
oh, yeah, they
go on the openings.
00:52:34.95\00:52:36.28
The ears, the mouth,
the nose those were never
00:52:36.29\00:52:39.71
intended to be
used by Gods people
00:52:39.72\00:52:42.84
because God dresses them
with his spiritual protection.
00:52:42.85\00:52:46.56
And he used the parallels,
00:52:46.57\00:52:47.93
and he use the
parallels of their culture,
00:52:47.94\00:52:50.20
that's right. He said you see
00:52:50.21\00:52:51.46
how beautifully adorned
all those people are the ones
00:52:51.47\00:52:54.12
that you're
lusting after the things
00:52:54.13\00:52:55.89
that you're desiring to have.
00:52:55.90\00:52:57.16
He says, let me
give you something
00:52:57.17\00:52:58.73
that will never fade.
Let me give you something
00:52:58.74\00:53:00.98
that will never lose its value.
00:53:00.99\00:53:02.51
And that's why
when Revelation talks
00:53:02.52\00:53:04.42
about the church of Laodicea,
00:53:04.43\00:53:05.84
one of the
articles the Lord talks
00:53:06.17\00:53:07.73
about in Revelation 3 verse 18.
00:53:07.74\00:53:09.15
He says, I counsel you to buy
00:53:09.16\00:53:11.42
from me gold tried in
the fire. That's right.
00:53:11.43\00:53:15.69
I've said to Christian,
who are you buying from?
00:53:15.70\00:53:17.57
There you go, if you
brought your from the Lord
00:53:18.29\00:53:21.51
you could wear it. That's right.
00:53:21.52\00:53:22.92
Because its not going to
fade with the impurity of sin,
00:53:22.93\00:53:26.94
its not going to fade
with the fads of times
00:53:26.95\00:53:29.85
because its His righteousness,
00:53:29.86\00:53:31.90
it's His faithfulness
that he is talking about here.
00:53:31.91\00:53:34.38
He is not talking about
gold, and precious stones
00:53:34.39\00:53:37.53
and rings and
earrings and nose rings
00:53:37.54\00:53:39.05
and pendants and tongue rings.
00:53:39.06\00:53:41.03
He is talking
about an unfading glory
00:53:41.04\00:53:45.59
that belongs to him alone.
00:53:45.60\00:53:46.82
That's what it
describes in Revelation 1
00:53:47.46\00:53:49.48
it describes Him as
wearing a golden girdle
00:53:49.49\00:53:52.71
and the glory that shining
forth from Him is amazing.
00:53:52.72\00:53:55.59
You know, its interesting
one writer describes that,
00:53:55.60\00:53:57.51
that gold that we
purchase as being faith.
00:53:57.52\00:54:00.13
Oh. And that when you read
00:54:00.55\00:54:03.09
that the saints are,
they've the faith of Jesus.
00:54:03.10\00:54:06.66
In other words
they've something from Jesus.
00:54:06.67\00:54:08.31
It's not the faith in
Jesus it's the faith of Jesus.
00:54:08.32\00:54:11.08
They receive something,
they brought from Him that gold,
00:54:11.09\00:54:14.53
that faith that he is so
willing to give each one of us.
00:54:14.54\00:54:17.22
You know, we don't naturally
have strong faith, John?
00:54:17.59\00:54:20.15
Oh, no, we don't.
We're giving a measure of it
00:54:20.16\00:54:22.21
but enough to believe
so that when we believe
00:54:22.22\00:54:24.32
we can say Lord
increase my faith.
00:54:24.33\00:54:26.87
And then He gives
us as a transaction
00:54:26.88\00:54:29.34
for our sacrifice to Him,
00:54:29.35\00:54:30.71
He gives us increased faith.
00:54:30.72\00:54:32.82
And that faith is
what he wants from us.
00:54:33.28\00:54:35.40
The faith is
beautiful to Him that we have.
00:54:35.41\00:54:38.48
Its like we adorn
ourselves in our trust
00:54:38.49\00:54:40.88
and our confidence in God.
00:54:40.89\00:54:42.14
Not in the things of the
earth, the things that makes us
00:54:42.15\00:54:45.53
beautiful because others
think that we're beautiful.
00:54:45.54\00:54:48.19
No. God sees us beautiful
00:54:48.20\00:54:50.07
because we've
faith and trust in Him.
00:54:50.08\00:54:52.29
Some people may
say well, pastors
00:54:52.70\00:54:54.79
you haven't really gone
yet to the New Testament.
00:54:54.80\00:54:57.95
So, there is something
that you haven't covered yet.
00:54:57.96\00:54:59.71
We're going to cover
them on an upcoming program.
00:54:59.72\00:55:02.08
But I want to
wind up on this note.
00:55:02.09\00:55:03.46
By the way spend a little
bit of time in the word of God
00:55:04.71\00:55:07.12
and read Revelation 17,
00:55:07.13\00:55:08.69
you'll see the woman decked
with gold and precious stones
00:55:09.06\00:55:12.16
and pearls having a golden cup
00:55:12.17\00:55:13.55
in her hand full of the
abominations of the earth.
00:55:13.56\00:55:16.08
But you'll notice that
all these articles of gold,
00:55:16.09\00:55:18.24
pearls, precious
stones, these are symbols
00:55:18.25\00:55:22.40
that the Lord
uses as abdominal here.
00:55:22.41\00:55:24.53
But when you get to Revelation
chapter 20, chapter 21
00:55:24.84\00:55:28.45
you'll find he starts and we'll
being this place next week.
00:55:28.46\00:55:32.26
I don't want to go
through all of this right now,
00:55:32.27\00:55:33.66
the details of it.
But you'll begin to see
00:55:33.67\00:55:36.18
that when the
Lord glorifies His city
00:55:36.19\00:55:40.06
He is going to adorn the
New Jerusalem as something
00:55:40.49\00:55:43.13
that will never fade.
Foundations of precious stones,
00:55:43.14\00:55:46.57
gates made of one
pearl, the foundations,
00:55:46.58\00:55:49.36
the walls of like
clear crystal glass,
00:55:49.37\00:55:53.33
golden transparent glass.
00:55:53.34\00:55:55.96
And you'll find that He
talks about this as his bride.
00:55:56.30\00:55:58.87
He says in
Revelation 21 and verse 9,
00:55:58.88\00:56:01.03
then one of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls filled
00:56:01.71\00:56:05.09
with the seven
last plagues came to me
00:56:05.10\00:56:07.72
and talked with me saying,
00:56:07.73\00:56:09.08
"Come, I will show you
the bride, the Lamb's wife."
00:56:09.09\00:56:14.80
And he carried me away
in the Spirit to a great
00:56:14.81\00:56:17.80
and high mountain, and
showed me the great city,
00:56:17.81\00:56:20.66
the Holy Jerusalem, descending
out of heaven from God.
00:56:20.67\00:56:25.29
Having the glory of
God. We'll stop there
00:56:26.04\00:56:29.15
because next week
we gonna break down
00:56:29.16\00:56:30.53
the glory of God and
then address those texts
00:56:30.54\00:56:33.04
that seemed to be
disconnected like 1 Peter,
00:56:33.05\00:56:35.86
Timothy, Isaiah
chapter 3 all those other text
00:56:36.39\00:56:39.03
and many others in the Bible.
00:56:39.04\00:56:40.61
You know, we've a question
next week that we'll address.
00:56:40.62\00:56:43.60
I was thinking about it
today but I know we're now
00:56:43.61\00:56:45.24
why I waited about the
New Jerusalem. That's right.
00:56:45.25\00:56:47.74
Is the bride the New Jerusalem
or is the bride the church.
00:56:47.77\00:56:50.38
We'll get into that
question here this next week.
00:56:50.67\00:56:52.72
You know, friends,
I wanna encourage you
00:56:53.12\00:56:54.17
because we talk
about so many things here
00:56:54.18\00:56:55.71
at house calls here is
the email address again.
00:56:55.72\00:56:59.06
If you wanna send
your question send them
00:56:59.07\00:57:00.65
to housecalls@3abn.org and
faithfully we'll try to get
00:57:00.66\00:57:04.91
to as many as
questions as we possibly can
00:57:04.92\00:57:06.86
and make sure
that we can respond.
00:57:06.87\00:57:08.60
But we're in fact,
committed to biblical integrity,
00:57:08.61\00:57:12.61
something that I take,
no, I don't take lightly
00:57:12.62\00:57:15.60
and John doesn't
take lightly either.
00:57:15.61\00:57:17.13
So continue
studying the word of God
00:57:17.14\00:57:19.56
on the most difficult of topics.
00:57:19.95\00:57:21.78
You'll discover that the
light of God will never go dim
00:57:21.79\00:57:24.72
but brighter and brighter.
00:57:24.73\00:57:25.95
So, until we see you again,
may the Lord be in your heart,
00:57:25.96\00:57:29.56
may you have a great day
00:57:29.57\00:57:30.64
and begin that
day today in Christ.
00:57:30.65\00:57:33.62