[music]
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[music]
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Debbie Thompson Kippel: Welcome
to "Sabbath School Study Hour,"
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coming to you from the Granite
Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in the
Sacramento, California area.
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I want to welcome those of
you who are joining us like you
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do every single week, whether
you're listening on radio,
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watching--joining us
live on our website or on
00:00:48.91\00:00:52.48
the various television networks.
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However you are joining us, you
are part of our extended family
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around the world and
we're so glad that you're tuning
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in for another program.
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Behind me, you see some lovely
gentleman and they are blessing
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us with special music today
so I know that you are going
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to want to stay tuned for that.
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But before we sing our favorite
songs, I'm gonna tell you about
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our book offer that we have.
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Today, it is, Is It Possible
To Live Without Sinning?
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That is the title of the
little book written by Joe Crews
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and it is our free offer.
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So, we encourage you, if you
have never called in for a--one
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of our free offers, today
is a great day to do that.
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Is It Possible To
Live Without Sinning?
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At this time, let's pull out our
hymnals and sing with us like
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you do everything week.
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We're going to sing one song
this morning, "Mine Eyes Have
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Seen the Glory of the Coming of
the Lord," 647 in your hymnals.
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Join with us.
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[music]
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､ Mine eyes have seen
the glory of the coming of ､
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､ the Lord; he is trampling out
the vintage where the grapes ､
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､ of wrath are stored; he hath
loosed the fateful lightning ､
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､ of his terrible swift sword;
his truth is marching on. ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ His truth is marching on. ､
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､ He has sounded forth
the trumpet that shall never ､
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､ call retreat; he is sifting
out the hearts of men before ､
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､ his judgment seat; O be
swift, my soul, to answer ､
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､ him; be jubilant, my feet! ､
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､ Our God is marching on. ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ His truth is marching on. ､
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､ In the beauty of the
lilies Christ was born across ､
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､ the sea, with a glory in
his bosom that transfigures ､
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､ you and me; as he died to
make men holy, let us live ､
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､ to make men free,
while God is marching on. ､
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Debbie: All together.
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ､
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､ His truth is marching on. ､
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Debbie: That is one of
those songs that I never like
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it to end.
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I just wish there was
ten verses to this song
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and you can just keep going.
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It is such a wonderful song.
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Before Pastor Doug brings us our
lesson study, I'm going to let
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Art Garbutt, who is the leader
of the Carmichael Men's Chorus
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bring us our special piece.
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He is conducting them and they
are singing for us a beautiful
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song that is
entitled, "Let it be us."
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Is that correct, Art?
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"Let It Be Said Of Us."
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The Carmichael Men's Chorus.
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[music]
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､ Let it be said of us
That the Lord was our passion ､
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､ That with gladness we bore, ､
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､ Every cross we were given,
That we fought the good fight, ､
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､ That we finished our course, ､
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､ Knowing within us the
power of the risen Lord. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song, ､
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､ By mercy made holy, By
the Spirit made strong. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song, ､
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､ 'Til the likeness of Jesus
Be through us made known. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song. ､
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[music]
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､ Let it be said of us, We
were marked by forgiveness. ､
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､ We were known by our love
And delighted in meekness. ､
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､ We were ruled by his
peace, Heeding unity's call, ､
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､ Joined as one body That
Christ would be seen by all. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song, ､
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､ By mercy made holy, By
the Spirit made strong. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song ､
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､ 'Til the likeness of Jesus
Be through us made known. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory, ､
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､ And the Lord be
our song, our song. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song. ､
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､ By mercy made holy, By
the Spirit made strong. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song ､
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､ 'Til the likeness of Jesus
Be through us made known. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory,
And the Lord be our song. ､
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､ Let the cross be our glory
And the Lord be our song, ､
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､ our song. ､
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Amen.
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Debbie: Thank you so much,
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Carmichael
Symphony Adventist Church's
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Men's Chorus.
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That was a beautiful
song and a wonderful reminder,
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and I hope that is the prayer
of each of us that the cross,
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we will only glory in the cross
'cause that is all that we have.
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Let's bow our heads
for prayer at this time.
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Father in heaven, thank you
so much for the reminder of what
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these men just sang about.
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Father, we have nothing,
we are nothing without you.
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The best things that we could
give are filthy rags, but we
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give our hearts today because
that is the only thing we can
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give you.
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Father, cleanse them, purify us,
and help us to be ready for that
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day when you come in the clouds
of glory that we will each be
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there waiting with our families,
our loved ones, our friends.
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Thank you so much for the
blessed hope that you give us
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as Christians, and we pray that
you'll be with us as we open up
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your Word and we study together
now, and be with Pastor Doug as
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he brings us our lesson study.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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At this time, our
lesson study is going to be
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brought to us by our senior
pastor here at the Granite Bay
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Seventh-day Adventist
Church, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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Doug Batchelor:
Thank you, Debbie.
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And thank you to the men's
chorus, I really enjoyed that.
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I saw a number of old friends
in there--well, I didn't mean
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to call them old.
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Long-time friends that
were participating in that.
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I want to welcome our friends
from our part of the extended
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class that watch from all
over the planet, and we're glad
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that you're joining
us for our study today.
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If you see in the background
here, Granite Bay looks a little
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bit different, it's
because we just entered into
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an evangelistic program that
began last night that will be
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continuing for a few weeks,
and so you'll see the decor's
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a little different to
accommodate that event.
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And we would like to remind you,
we are continuing in our study
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on the Book of Jeremiah.
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Today, we're in lesson
number seven and it's called,
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"The Crisis Continues."
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Lesson seven,
"The Crisis Continues."
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The memory verse is
Jeremiah chapter 9, verse 24,
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and I always encourage
you to say that with me.
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This is from the New King
James version, Jeremiah 9:24.
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You ready?
00:11:09.56\00:11:11.10
"'But let him who glories glory
in this, That he understands and
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knows Me, That I am the
Lord, exercising lovingkindness,
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judgment, and
righteousness in the earth.
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For in these I
delight,' says the Lord."
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That is a very important
and a very powerful verse.
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This study is going to, in
particular, be dealing with the
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themes of Jeremiah 9, Jeremiah
10 and is some of Jeremiah
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chapter, most of
Jeremiah chapter 26.
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And, of course, we'll be
bouncing around through the rest
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of the Word of God 'cause that's
the way to understand the Bible,
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here a little
and there a little.
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And to begin with, maybe
we should start by going to
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Jeremiah chapter 9 and if
we read in verse 3--well, I'll
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start reading verse 1 here.
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Jeremiah 9, verse 1, "Oh, that
my head were waters, And mine
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eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep day and night
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For the slain of the
daughter of my people!"
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Now, Jeremiah is foretelling
what is coming and later, he
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does write a book that is full
of weeping and it's known, it's
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one of the only major prophets
in the Old Testament that really
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writes two books and you have
Jeremiah and then lamentations.
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And when someone says
they're in lamentations,
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what does that mean?
00:12:35.72\00:12:37.35
It's weeping and crying because
Jerusalem had been destroyed.
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They did not listen to
his counsel and repent.
00:12:41.26\00:12:43.99
Here he is prophesying in
advance because he can see
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what's coming.
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You know, one time Elisha
the prophet was talking to
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the King of Syria, Hazael was
his name and all of a sudden,
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Elisha began to weep and so much
so that Hazael was embarrassed.
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It was very awkward.
00:13:02.81\00:13:04.45
And he said, "Now, why
are you weeping so much?"
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And Elisha said, "I'm weeping
because I see what you're going
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to do to our
people, I see the slaughter.
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I see the men, women, and
children you're going to kill.
00:13:12.32\00:13:15.02
Hadn't happened yet, but the
prophet saw it and he's weeping
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in advance and so this is
part of what's happening here.
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And then look at verse
3, Jeremiah 9, verse 3,
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"And like their bow they have
bent their tongues for lies.
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They are not valiant
for the truth on the earth.
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For they proceed from evil to
evil, And they do not know Me."
00:13:34.38\00:13:39.05
Now, that just came
up in our memory verse,
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"They do not know me."
00:13:41.78\00:13:43.62
Is there a
connection between the evil and
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not knowing the Lord?
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What does the Lord say is
the key to everlasting life?
00:13:49.39\00:13:52.66
In John 17, verse 3, this is one
of the greatest statements of
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Jesus' prayer, John 17:3.
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"And this is eternal
life that they may know you,
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the only true God and
Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
00:14:03.57\00:14:08.98
Jeremiah 9, verse 6, "'Your
dwelling place is in the midst
00:14:09.01\00:14:13.48
of deceit; Through
deceit they refuse to know Me,'
00:14:13.52\00:14:17.22
says the Lord."
00:14:17.25\00:14:19.05
How important is it to have a
knowing relationship with Jesus?
00:14:19.09\00:14:23.93
You've heard people say before,
salvation consists on having
00:14:23.96\00:14:27.96
a personal
relationship with Jesus.
00:14:27.96\00:14:30.70
What does that mean?
00:14:30.73\00:14:32.63
Here, Jesus talks about those.
00:14:32.67\00:14:34.67
They've gone to church, they've
got that, you know, Pharisee.
00:14:34.70\00:14:38.47
He went to church regularly.
00:14:38.51\00:14:40.41
He said, "I pay
tithe of all that I have.
00:14:40.44\00:14:42.01
I fast twice a week."
00:14:42.04\00:14:43.65
But he doesn't go
to his house justified.
00:14:43.68\00:14:45.68
Here, Jesus talks about
those who say, "Lord, Lord."
00:14:45.71\00:14:48.15
And he says, "I don't know you."
00:14:48.18\00:14:50.95
Doesn't that make you a little
edgy sometimes to think, "You
00:14:50.99\00:14:53.92
know, I can be going through
all of the outward trappings
00:14:53.96\00:14:56.49
of the Christian
religion and not have a knowing,
00:14:56.52\00:14:59.16
saving relationship with
the Lord," and this is crucial.
00:14:59.19\00:15:02.66
Hosea 4:6, "My
people are destroyed for,"
00:15:02.70\00:15:06.50
what's the rest of it?
00:15:06.53\00:15:07.90
"Lack of knowledge."
00:15:07.94\00:15:09.47
He goes on in that verse and
says, "Because you've rejected
00:15:09.50\00:15:11.97
knowledge."
00:15:12.01\00:15:13.88
It's not just they don't
know, they had an opportunity
00:15:13.91\00:15:16.24
to know and they
refused it, they rejected it.
00:15:16.28\00:15:19.58
"Because you've rejected
knowledge, I'll also reject you
00:15:19.61\00:15:21.65
from being a priest for me.
00:15:21.68\00:15:23.55
Because you have forgotten the
law of your God, I will forget
00:15:23.59\00:15:27.62
your children."
00:15:27.66\00:15:29.12
Are there a lot of professed
Christians in various churches
00:15:29.16\00:15:32.03
around the world that say, "Oh,
we love the Lord," but they've
00:15:32.06\00:15:34.83
deliberately plugged their ears
to at least part of his law?
00:15:34.86\00:15:38.67
And the Lord says, "They've
forgotten my law, therefore
00:15:38.70\00:15:41.34
I'll forget your children.
00:15:41.37\00:15:42.70
I don't know you.
00:15:42.74\00:15:44.04
My people are
destroyed by lack of knowledge."
00:15:44.07\00:15:45.77
Knowing the Lord is the
sum total of eternal life.
00:15:45.81\00:15:50.58
We need to have that
personal relationship.
00:15:50.61\00:15:52.95
What does it say about Enoch?
00:15:52.98\00:15:54.85
He walked with God.
00:15:54.88\00:15:57.52
You know, who else
does it say that about?
00:15:57.55\00:15:59.59
Noah.
00:15:59.62\00:16:02.09
It says Noah walked with the
Lord, not only he found grace
00:16:02.12\00:16:05.16
in the Lord, it says
Noah walked with the Lord.
00:16:05.19\00:16:06.80
This is what it means,
I think, to have a knowing
00:16:06.83\00:16:09.86
relation--Karen calls me
and sometimes she'll say, "Hi."
00:16:09.90\00:16:14.74
That's all I need.
00:16:14.77\00:16:16.54
I don't need anymore
information, I know who it is
00:16:16.57\00:16:18.61
because we
communicate so much, I know her.
00:16:18.64\00:16:21.24
I know the voice.
00:16:21.28\00:16:23.48
And the boys, same thing.
00:16:23.51\00:16:27.88
You hear them, even though
their voices are very similar,
00:16:27.92\00:16:30.55
you know who they are.
00:16:30.59\00:16:33.12
How did Abraham know who it was
that was saying, "Take your son,
00:16:33.15\00:16:36.93
your only son and offer him"?
00:16:36.96\00:16:39.09
I mean what would you do if
someone out of the blue you hear
00:16:39.13\00:16:41.40
a voice that says,
"Go offer your child?"
00:16:41.43\00:16:43.53
How could he follow that
voice except he knew the Lord?
00:16:43.57\00:16:46.94
He knew who was on the
other end of the phone.
00:16:46.97\00:16:49.77
Do we have a relationship
where we walk with God
00:16:49.80\00:16:52.57
and we know God?
00:16:52.61\00:16:54.21
Are we in regular
communion with him?
00:16:54.24\00:16:56.68
How do you fall in
love with somebody?
00:16:56.71\00:16:59.15
You need to know them
first and you know them
00:16:59.18\00:17:02.42
through communication.
00:17:02.45\00:17:04.35
I know we've all heard
beautiful, romantic stories of
00:17:04.39\00:17:06.99
love at first sight, and
I'm sure that sometimes the Lord
00:17:07.02\00:17:09.49
will reveal a
person at first sight.
00:17:09.52\00:17:11.33
This is the person.
00:17:11.36\00:17:12.83
Bible says that Jacob saw Rachel
and he wept and kissed her, and
00:17:12.86\00:17:15.90
the first time he ever saw her.
00:17:15.93\00:17:18.53
It says that, "Isaac saw Rebekah
and he took her to his mother's
00:17:18.57\00:17:23.67
tent and she became his wife,"
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.47
and that was a
very short courtship.
00:17:25.51\00:17:27.68
That's what it says.
00:17:27.71\00:17:29.48
But generally before
marriage, you talk to them,
00:17:29.51\00:17:34.08
they talk to you.
00:17:34.12\00:17:36.42
There's communication and
through communication, you get
00:17:36.45\00:17:38.19
to know who the person is
and you fall in love with them.
00:17:38.22\00:17:41.16
There's a statement in the
book, "Desire of Ages," I don't
00:17:41.19\00:17:44.16
remember the page, I just
remember the statement and it
00:17:44.19\00:17:46.80
says, "To know
God is to love him."
00:17:46.83\00:17:51.03
So, is it easier to
obey God if you love him?
00:17:51.07\00:17:55.34
Is it easier to deny
yourself and take up your cross
00:17:55.37\00:17:58.94
if you love him?
00:17:58.97\00:18:00.88
Isn't everything much easier.
00:18:00.91\00:18:02.91
Matter of fact, isn't
it drudgery to try to be a
00:18:02.94\00:18:05.18
Christian if you don't love him?
00:18:05.21\00:18:07.52
So, the key is loving him.
00:18:07.55\00:18:09.25
And where does that happen?
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.39
From knowing him?
00:18:11.42\00:18:12.75
How does that
happen? Communication.
00:18:12.79\00:18:15.19
It all comes down
to he talks to you,
00:18:15.22\00:18:17.49
principally through his Word.
00:18:17.53\00:18:19.63
So, are you in the Word?
00:18:19.66\00:18:21.53
And you talk to
him through prayer.
00:18:21.56\00:18:24.70
If you're in daily conversation
with the Lord, you will get to
00:18:24.73\00:18:29.24
know him and to know him
is to love him and loving him
00:18:29.27\00:18:33.07
is what makes the
Christian life delight.
00:18:33.11\00:18:35.48
So, I can never
emphasize that enough.
00:18:35.51\00:18:37.75
So, he said, "My people are
turned to wickedness 'cause they
00:18:37.78\00:18:40.22
don't know me."
00:18:40.25\00:18:41.75
That was the
message of Jeremiah.
00:18:41.78\00:18:43.65
All right, and then he talks
also about a judgment in chapter
00:18:43.69\00:18:47.66
9, and you can read for
instance in Jeremiah 9 verse 10,
00:18:47.69\00:18:53.56
I'm gonna read
through verse 13 here.
00:18:53.60\00:18:56.60
"And I will take up a weeping
and wailing for the mountain,
00:18:56.63\00:19:00.37
And for the dwelling places
of the wilderness a lamentation,
00:19:00.40\00:19:03.71
Because they're burned up,
So that no one can pass through;
00:19:03.74\00:19:07.74
Nor can men hear the
voice of the cattle."
00:19:07.78\00:19:10.45
The land, you know, usually off
in a distance they could hear
00:19:10.48\00:19:12.75
the brain of donkeys or the
lowing of the oxen, something.
00:19:12.78\00:19:15.72
"Both the birds of the heavens
and the beasts have fled;
00:19:15.75\00:19:18.75
They are gone.
00:19:18.79\00:19:20.32
I will make Jerusalem a
heap of ruins, a den of jackals.
00:19:20.36\00:19:23.56
I will make the cities of Judah
desolate, without an inhabitant.
00:19:23.59\00:19:27.00
Woe is the wise
man--" I'm sorry.
00:19:27.03\00:19:30.73
"Who is the wise
man who understand this?
00:19:30.77\00:19:33.74
And who is he to whom the
mouth of the Lord has spoken,
00:19:33.77\00:19:36.87
that he may declare it?
00:19:36.91\00:19:38.54
Why does the land perish
and burn up like a wilderness,
00:19:38.57\00:19:41.91
so that no one can pass through?
00:19:41.94\00:19:44.35
And the Lord says,"
why has all this happened?
00:19:44.38\00:19:47.12
"Because they have forsaken My
law that I set before them, and
00:19:47.15\00:19:51.25
they have not obeyed My voice,
nor walked according to it."
00:19:51.29\00:19:55.26
Now, did this just happen to
Israel, or is this the ultimate
00:19:55.29\00:19:59.06
outcome of any nation that
casts aside the law of God?
00:19:59.09\00:20:03.73
It's just a rule of
life of cause and effect.
00:20:03.77\00:20:08.60
It happens in your life
with the various elements of
00:20:08.64\00:20:12.07
the laws of nature
that you set aside.
00:20:12.11\00:20:14.48
There are
consequences that you will pay
00:20:14.51\00:20:16.75
and it also
happens for a nation.
00:20:16.78\00:20:19.55
When it casts
aside the law of God,
00:20:19.58\00:20:21.92
it says it over and over again.
00:20:21.95\00:20:23.59
Was it only Israel that
experienced judgments for
00:20:23.62\00:20:25.92
their disobedience or
did surrounding nations also
00:20:25.95\00:20:29.29
experience the
judgments of God for their sin?
00:20:29.32\00:20:32.03
That's right, you can see
that many times and God names
00:20:32.06\00:20:34.96
the different
nations in the prophecies.
00:20:35.00\00:20:37.90
You wonder does this
say anything to our country?
00:20:37.93\00:20:44.04
Now, Jeremiah is looking
ahead and he is seen in vision
00:20:44.07\00:20:47.71
what's gonna happen to Israel.
00:20:47.74\00:20:49.11
Remember the
context of what's going on.
00:20:49.14\00:20:50.95
They've been
conquered by the Egyptians,
00:20:50.98\00:20:53.62
that's how killed King Josiah
or Shishak, king of Egypt.
00:20:53.65\00:20:58.05
And then the Egyptians,
they were under tribute
00:20:58.09\00:21:01.39
to the Egyptians, but
then the Babylonians conquered
00:21:01.42\00:21:03.59
the Egyptians and they basically
said, "We're gonna take over
00:21:03.63\00:21:05.73
Israel as our tribute."
00:21:05.76\00:21:07.46
And they served for a little
while and then they rebelled.
00:21:07.50\00:21:09.73
The king came in,
dethroned one of those sons,
00:21:09.76\00:21:12.03
took the other into captivity.
00:21:12.07\00:21:15.17
They agreed, "Okay,
we'll be your subjects again,"
00:21:15.20\00:21:17.47
and now they're
thinking about rebelling again.
00:21:17.51\00:21:19.61
Jeremiah's saying to King
Zedekiah, "God, if you'll serve
00:21:19.64\00:21:23.31
the king of Babylon, if you'll
humble yourselves and obey me,
00:21:23.35\00:21:26.11
you'll get to continue existing.
00:21:26.15\00:21:28.18
Your temple will
continue. I'll bless you.
00:21:28.22\00:21:30.62
But if you rebel again after you
vowed in the name of the Lord
00:21:30.65\00:21:34.06
to serve, you're gonna
be carried away captive.
00:21:34.09\00:21:37.06
The city will be destroyed.
00:21:37.09\00:21:38.46
The temple will be destroyed.
00:21:38.49\00:21:39.86
There'll be no one left."
00:21:39.89\00:21:41.23
And he's describing
this woeful judgment.
00:21:41.26\00:21:43.73
What happened to Israel during
the Babylonian destruction is
00:21:43.77\00:21:49.10
a precursor of what
happens to the world
00:21:49.14\00:21:52.67
after the coming of Christ.
00:21:52.71\00:21:54.88
When they were carried off
to Babylon and the land was
00:21:54.91\00:21:58.08
desolate, the Bible says, the
land was desolate and it rested
00:21:58.11\00:22:01.38
and kept Sabbath for 70 years,
00:22:01.42\00:22:03.69
that's what's
happening to the world.
00:22:03.72\00:22:05.89
After Jesus comes, we're
carried off to the golden city,
00:22:05.92\00:22:09.26
the world for 1,000 years is
desolate during the millennium.
00:22:09.29\00:22:13.09
Isn't that right?
00:22:13.13\00:22:14.60
It says, there is no man.
00:22:14.63\00:22:16.20
Listen to what
Jeremiah says in Jeremiah 4:23.
00:22:16.23\00:22:19.43
Of course, this is
our theme, Jeremiah.
00:22:19.47\00:22:21.27
"I beheld the earth, and indeed
it was without form, and void."
00:22:21.30\00:22:24.87
If you stop right there,
what does that sound like
00:22:24.91\00:22:27.24
he's talking about?
00:22:27.28\00:22:28.81
When you say, "without form and
void," doesn't that sound like
00:22:28.84\00:22:31.51
the creation?
00:22:31.55\00:22:33.01
But you keep reading, you
realize he's not going back,
00:22:33.05\00:22:35.35
he's looking forward.
00:22:35.38\00:22:37.82
"I beheld the earth, and
it was without form, and void;
00:22:37.85\00:22:41.62
And the heavens, had no light.
00:22:41.66\00:22:43.56
I beheld the mountains,
and indeed they trembled,
00:22:43.59\00:22:46.46
And all the hills
moved back and forth."
00:22:46.49\00:22:48.60
It's like there's this quaking.
00:22:48.63\00:22:50.60
"I beheld indeed
there was no man.
00:22:50.63\00:22:53.44
Well, that would seem
normal if it's before creation.
00:22:53.47\00:22:56.84
But it says, "And all the
birds of the heaven were fled."
00:22:56.87\00:22:58.94
They were there,
but they're gone.
00:22:58.97\00:23:00.91
"I beheld, and indeed the
fruitful land was a wilderness,
00:23:00.94\00:23:03.21
And all its
cities were broken down."
00:23:03.24\00:23:04.95
He's not looking back,
he's looking ahead to a terrible
00:23:04.98\00:23:09.15
judgment that is gonna
completely depopulate the land.
00:23:09.18\00:23:13.59
Isaiah talking about this,
he says, "I beheld and the land
00:23:13.62\00:23:17.76
was utterly empty."
00:23:17.79\00:23:19.56
Matter of fact, Isaiah says,
"The earth was utterly empty"
00:23:19.59\00:23:22.26
'cause Isaiah's talking
about the millennial time.
00:23:22.30\00:23:26.10
It says, "There was no man
00:23:26.13\00:23:27.47
And all the birds
heavens were fled.
00:23:27.50\00:23:29.24
I beheld, the fruitful places of
the wilderness, all its cities
00:23:29.27\00:23:31.54
were broken down."
00:23:31.57\00:23:33.07
Now, what caused this?
00:23:33.11\00:23:34.84
Is it the coming
of Nebuchadnezzar?
00:23:34.88\00:23:37.35
No, it says, "At the presence of
the Lord, By His fierce anger.
00:23:37.38\00:23:41.82
For thus says the Lord: 'The
whole land shall be desolate;
00:23:41.85\00:23:46.29
Yet I will not
make a full end.'"
00:23:46.32\00:23:49.32
They were gonna be carried off
to Babylon, but he was not gonna
00:23:49.36\00:23:52.33
make a full end.
00:23:52.36\00:23:53.70
They would come back again.
00:23:53.73\00:23:55.06
"The world would be destroyed
by the coming of the Lord, but
00:23:55.10\00:23:57.27
I'll not make a full end because
I will make a new heavens
00:23:57.30\00:23:59.60
and a new earth."
00:23:59.63\00:24:01.00
So, what happens to Israel?
00:24:01.04\00:24:02.97
The terrible
destruction, the depopulation?
00:24:03.00\00:24:05.57
There were two group, one group
was slain by Nebuchadnezzar,
00:24:05.61\00:24:09.14
the other group, they were
spared and they were taken off
00:24:09.18\00:24:11.35
to that golden kingdom.
00:24:11.38\00:24:13.21
Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom was
called the head of gold, right?
00:24:13.25\00:24:15.68
When Jesus comes, some are
slain, some are shown mercy
00:24:15.72\00:24:19.75
and they're taking
back to his golden kingdom.
00:24:19.79\00:24:22.09
I know that's a
crude illustration,
00:24:22.12\00:24:23.46
but you get the point.
00:24:23.49\00:24:24.83
That's what's gonna happen.
00:24:24.86\00:24:26.16
So, Jeremiah's looking ahead.
00:24:26.19\00:24:27.66
He's foretelling this.
00:24:27.73\00:24:29.50
And then someone's got, I
think Isaiah 63:9, Hophtees,
00:24:29.53\00:24:33.23
why don't you cue up
to read that right away.
00:24:33.27\00:24:35.30
And so, you can look
here in Judges 10:16.
00:24:35.34\00:24:38.87
I'll give you one
more verse on this theme.
00:24:38.91\00:24:41.31
Judges 10:16, when they realized
that there was a judgment
00:24:41.34\00:24:46.68
coming, if they
repented, he would postpone it.
00:24:46.72\00:24:50.25
You know people say, "Well,
Jonah wasn't really a prophet
00:24:50.29\00:24:53.46
because, you know, God said that
he was gonna destroy Nineveh,
00:24:53.49\00:24:58.03
but he didn't destroy it."
00:24:58.06\00:25:00.66
Well God said, "Look, if
you repent, I'll show mercy."
00:25:00.70\00:25:04.10
Judges 10:16, "So they put away
the foreign gods from among them
00:25:04.13\00:25:06.87
and served the Lord.
00:25:06.90\00:25:08.57
And His soul could no longer
endure the misery of Israel."
00:25:08.60\00:25:11.77
When God saw the oppression
of Israel and they humbled
00:25:11.81\00:25:15.58
themselves, he said,
"Look, I can't take it anymore."
00:25:15.61\00:25:18.71
Any of you parents, you ever
tell your kids, "You do that one
00:25:18.75\00:25:21.78
more time," and
you say something rash?
00:25:21.82\00:25:23.99
"You're, you know, in the corner
for 6 hours," or whatever it is.
00:25:24.02\00:25:28.46
"In your room the rest of t day.
00:25:28.49\00:25:30.89
No dinner forever."
00:25:30.93\00:25:32.36
Any of you kind of you make a
rash--and then they do it again
00:25:32.39\00:25:36.77
and you say, "Okay, to your
room," and after an hour goes
00:25:36.80\00:25:40.17
by, you hear them whimpering
on in there and no, no.
00:25:40.20\00:25:44.34
All right, come on now.
00:25:44.37\00:25:46.51
Isn't a parent like that?
00:25:46.54\00:25:48.44
You show them mercy?
00:25:48.48\00:25:50.01
Well God, that's how it was.
00:25:50.05\00:25:51.58
You know, he let these judgments
come and he'd listen to
00:25:51.61\00:25:53.75
their cry and then
his heart would be moved.
00:25:53.78\00:25:56.25
Go ahead and read Isaiah 63:9.
00:25:56.28\00:25:58.92
female: In all their
affliction He was afflicted, And
00:25:58.95\00:26:02.52
the Angel of His Presence saved
them; In His love and in His
00:26:02.56\00:26:08.53
pity He redeemed them; And
He bore them and carried them
00:26:08.56\00:26:13.27
All the days of old."
00:26:13.30\00:26:15.80
Doug: That's such an
important verse to remember.
00:26:15.84\00:26:18.77
In all of their affliction,
why were they afflicted?
00:26:18.81\00:26:21.84
Because they misbehaved.
00:26:21.88\00:26:23.18
He withdrew their protection.
00:26:23.21\00:26:24.55
In all of their
affliction, he was afflicted.
00:26:24.58\00:26:27.45
So, if you are experiencing some
chastising from God, or some
00:26:27.48\00:26:32.49
judgment from God, or
you're going through some trial
00:26:32.52\00:26:35.46
and it may just be a trial.
00:26:35.49\00:26:37.03
It may not be because
you've done anything wrong.
00:26:37.06\00:26:39.06
You might be suffering like
Job, just because it's a trial
00:26:39.09\00:26:41.86
where you can witness.
00:26:41.90\00:26:43.30
Who is afflicted
in your affliction?
00:26:43.33\00:26:45.60
Does the Lord feel it?
00:26:45.63\00:26:47.87
And, you know, we have
politicians that tell us they
00:26:47.90\00:26:50.74
feel our pain and some may,
but you doubt it usually, right?
00:26:50.77\00:26:56.41
But when God says--do any of you
ever have your parents say, all
00:26:56.44\00:27:00.88
right, they take their belt off,
they say, "This is gonna hurt me
00:27:00.92\00:27:03.89
more than it hurts you."
00:27:03.92\00:27:05.55
Anyone ever hear that before?
00:27:05.59\00:27:08.09
But God he says,
"I am afflicted."
00:27:08.12\00:27:12.53
But isn't the Lord
aware of everything?
00:27:12.56\00:27:14.83
He said, "I am
afflicted in your affliction."
00:27:14.86\00:27:16.40
So, it hurts him.
00:27:16.43\00:27:17.73
Well, you know
what that tells us?
00:27:17.77\00:27:19.10
He allows it
because he loves us. Amen?
00:27:19.13\00:27:21.94
All right, next section,
creature or creator, and we're
00:27:21.97\00:27:24.71
gonna jump to Jeremiah chapter
10 and we're gonna be looking
00:27:24.74\00:27:27.78
at verses 1 through 15.
00:27:27.81\00:27:29.91
So, if you have your Bibles
out, I may just start reading
00:27:29.94\00:27:31.65
a little bit of this.
00:27:31.68\00:27:34.98
And, "Hear the Word of
the Lord," Jeremiah 10:1,
00:27:35.02\00:27:38.82
"which the Lord speaks
to you, O house of Israel.
00:27:38.85\00:27:41.39
Thus says the Lord:
'Do not learn the way of
00:27:41.42\00:27:44.83
the Gentiles--'" I'm
gonna stop right there.
00:27:44.86\00:27:47.96
"Do not hear the way of the
Gentiles," what was the concern
00:27:48.00\00:27:51.40
that the Lord had when he
brought the children of Israel
00:27:51.43\00:27:54.10
into the Promised Land?
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.30
They were
surrounded by other nations.
00:27:56.34\00:27:59.21
For one thing he was concerned,
"I've told you not to allow any
00:27:59.24\00:28:01.98
of the
inhabiting nations to stay.
00:28:02.01\00:28:05.08
Their options are
to get out or die.
00:28:05.11\00:28:09.65
You're not to make
any covenants with them.
00:28:09.68\00:28:12.85
I don't want you
intermarrying with them."
00:28:12.89\00:28:16.66
But there would be
other nations around.
00:28:16.69\00:28:19.26
Do not learn the
way of the Gentiles.
00:28:19.29\00:28:21.46
Now keep in mind, for 40 years,
they had been like an idol
00:28:21.50\00:28:24.43
in the wilderness.
00:28:24.47\00:28:26.33
God was able to really
teach them and purify them.
00:28:26.37\00:28:28.77
There weren't too many outside
influences, maybe some caravans
00:28:28.80\00:28:31.94
that came and went, but
they really had God's a hundred
00:28:31.97\00:28:34.68
percent attention.
00:28:34.71\00:28:35.91
They weren't being influenced by
other nations at that point, but
00:28:35.94\00:28:39.21
now when they moved into the
Promised Land, this was a land
00:28:39.25\00:28:41.22
that was coveted.
00:28:41.25\00:28:42.88
There was gonna be
a lot of other people.
00:28:42.92\00:28:44.62
"Do not learn the
way of the Gentiles."
00:28:44.65\00:28:46.29
Leviticus 18:3, "You shall
not do as they do in the land
00:28:46.32\00:28:51.09
of Egypt where you lived.
00:28:51.13\00:28:52.99
You shall not do as they do
in the land of Canaan to which
00:28:53.03\00:28:55.60
I am bringing you.
00:28:55.63\00:28:57.47
You will not walk
in their statutes.
00:28:57.50\00:28:59.37
You will follow my
rules and keep my statutes
00:28:59.40\00:29:01.70
and walk in them.
00:29:01.74\00:29:03.34
I am the Lord your God."
00:29:03.37\00:29:05.07
Now, what does that
say to the church today?
00:29:05.11\00:29:07.24
Do not learn their
ways, who's he talking about?
00:29:07.28\00:29:10.25
Is God worried about us taking
up the ways of the Philistines,
00:29:10.28\00:29:13.35
or are we surrounded by a
different kind of Philistines?
00:29:13.38\00:29:16.95
And is there a temptation
to turn on the TV and surf
00:29:16.99\00:29:21.36
the channels and start
learning the ways of the world?
00:29:21.39\00:29:27.13
And little by little, as we
read the literature of the world
00:29:27.20\00:29:30.37
and are entertained with
the entertainment of the world,
00:29:30.40\00:29:32.37
we start learning the way of the
Gentiles and it starts affecting
00:29:32.40\00:29:35.84
our thinking.
00:29:35.87\00:29:37.34
God said, "Look, you're
to be a holy people to me."
00:29:37.37\00:29:39.94
Amen?
00:29:39.97\00:29:41.18
He tells us, 2 Corinthians
6:17 and 18: "Therefore Come out
00:29:41.21\00:29:46.08
from among them And be
separate, says the Lord.
00:29:46.11\00:29:48.42
Do not touch what is
unclean, And I will receive you.
00:29:48.45\00:29:50.95
I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and
00:29:50.99\00:29:54.36
daughters, Says the Lord."
00:29:54.39\00:29:55.79
Now, I better pause here.
00:29:55.82\00:29:57.16
That's the next
verse I want to jump into.
00:29:57.19\00:29:59.06
It says don't learn their ways.
00:29:59.09\00:30:00.63
What did Jesus
tell the disciples?
00:30:00.66\00:30:02.63
They had a real challenge.
00:30:02.66\00:30:04.00
He said, "You're to be in
the world but not of the world.
00:30:04.03\00:30:07.64
I want you to reach the
lost, you influence them,
00:30:07.67\00:30:11.04
do not let them influence you.
00:30:11.07\00:30:13.11
Yes, they will call you extreme.
00:30:13.14\00:30:15.31
They will call you kooky.
00:30:15.34\00:30:16.85
They will call you all kinds
of things, but it doesn't matter
00:30:16.88\00:30:19.98
what they call you.
00:30:20.02\00:30:21.25
Woe unto you if they speak well
of you because so they did of
00:30:21.28\00:30:24.65
the false prophets.
00:30:24.69\00:30:25.99
Don't learn their ways."
00:30:26.02\00:30:27.52
Well, that's what
had happened to Israel.
00:30:27.56\00:30:29.02
They had take on the gods and
the ways of the pagan nations.
00:30:29.06\00:30:32.33
And then the other part of it
says, I'm still in Jeremiah 10.
00:30:32.36\00:30:35.56
He said, "Do not be
dismayed at the signs of heaven,
00:30:35.60\00:30:39.20
For the Gentiles
are dismayed at them."
00:30:39.23\00:30:41.90
Now, when he says,
"the signs of heaven,"
00:30:41.94\00:30:43.87
that means a couple of things.
00:30:43.91\00:30:45.24
First of all, don't be
worshiping the sun, the moon,
00:30:45.27\00:30:48.18
and the stars, and I think
somebody has the next verse.
00:30:48.21\00:30:51.28
You're gonna
read Deuteronomy 4:19.
00:30:51.31\00:30:53.65
You have that, okay, Dick.
00:30:53.68\00:30:55.15
We'll get ready for that.
00:30:55.18\00:30:56.85
Let me look here
in Deuteronomy 17.
00:30:56.89\00:30:59.49
"If there is found--" And this
is verse 2 and 3, Deuteronomy
00:30:59.52\00:31:02.56
17:2 and 3, "If there is found
among you, within any of your
00:31:02.59\00:31:05.93
towns that the Lord your God has
given you, a man or a woman that
00:31:05.96\00:31:09.56
does what is evil in the sight
of the Lord, in transgressing
00:31:09.60\00:31:12.53
His covenant, and has gone and
served other gods and worshiped
00:31:12.57\00:31:14.60
them, or the sun or the
moon or the hosts of heaven,"
00:31:14.64\00:31:22.08
or Pisces, or Aquarius, or
Virgo, or what's your sign?
00:31:22.11\00:31:28.45
Now, there's nothing
wrong with astronomy.
00:31:28.48\00:31:32.25
Someone e-mailed me something
last night that I thought
00:31:32.29\00:31:35.72
I could look at on Sabbath.
00:31:35.76\00:31:37.96
NASA and their confederates
have just put together the most
00:31:37.99\00:31:43.33
extensive app for looking into
all the known heavens and going
00:31:43.37\00:31:48.14
as deep as you can.
00:31:48.17\00:31:50.94
And it's a program, you've got a
good resolution on your screen,
00:31:50.97\00:31:53.41
it's amazing.
00:31:53.44\00:31:54.78
You can look at all the
sky that they photograph
00:31:54.81\00:31:56.61
and you just click
your mouse and it will keep
00:31:56.64\00:31:59.21
zooming in further
and further, and it's like
00:31:59.25\00:32:01.32
you're going through
space except this isn't,
00:32:01.35\00:32:03.08
you know, some
"Star Wars" effects.
00:32:03.12\00:32:04.89
These are the actual stars
and it's amazing how deep it is.
00:32:04.92\00:32:07.36
And I think God wants us
to study the heavens, but he
00:32:07.39\00:32:11.76
doesn't want us to worship them
or make a religion out of it
00:32:11.79\00:32:15.73
as the pagans did.
00:32:15.76\00:32:17.53
We're not to worship the sun,
we're not to worship the moon,
00:32:17.57\00:32:19.83
we're not to worship the stars.
00:32:19.87\00:32:21.24
Go ahead and read
for us Deuteronomy 4:19.
00:32:21.27\00:32:24.47
Dick: And take heed, lest you
lift your eyes to heaven, and
00:32:24.51\00:32:27.11
when you see the sun, the moon,
and the stars, all the host of
00:32:27.14\00:32:30.88
heaven, you feel driven to
worship them and serve them,
00:32:30.91\00:32:33.38
which the Lord your God has
given to all the peoples under
00:32:33.42\00:32:37.42
the whole heaven as a heritage."
00:32:37.45\00:32:40.29
Doug: You know, you can sort
of understand, you realize that
00:32:40.32\00:32:44.56
most energy and life in the
world comes from photosynthesis,
00:32:44.59\00:32:47.93
and they've discovered a few
rare exceptions at the bottom of
00:32:47.96\00:32:50.93
the ocean but even they argue
that photosynthesis creates
00:32:50.97\00:32:55.54
the marine snow that goes down
and feeds the creatures that
00:32:55.57\00:32:58.87
live in the dark part
of the ocean, ultimately
00:32:58.91\00:33:01.04
it all seems to come from light.
00:33:01.08\00:33:03.58
The coal in the world came from
light, all of the energy comes
00:33:03.61\00:33:07.42
from light, photosynthesis.
00:33:07.45\00:33:10.25
And the ancients sort of put two
and two together and they said,
00:33:10.29\00:33:12.95
"If everything comes
from the sun, it is our God."
00:33:12.99\00:33:16.42
And haven't you seen the moon
on a beautiful night reflecting
00:33:16.46\00:33:19.43
the light of the sun?
00:33:19.46\00:33:20.80
They realized the moon
reflected the light of the sun.
00:33:20.83\00:33:22.93
And so, it was like the bride
and so they had the man, god of
00:33:22.96\00:33:26.50
the sun and the
woman, god of the moon.
00:33:26.53\00:33:29.04
And the stars were the children
and so many pagan nations had
00:33:29.07\00:33:33.48
variations of that.
00:33:33.51\00:33:35.64
God said, "Do not
worship the creation.
00:33:35.68\00:33:38.08
If you think the sun is really
something, worship the one
00:33:38.11\00:33:40.75
who made the sun."
00:33:40.78\00:33:42.22
God, remember, he said, "Let
there be light," before he even
00:33:42.25\00:33:46.22
made the sun.
00:33:46.25\00:33:47.76
It wasn't 'til the
fourth d the sun was made.
00:33:47.79\00:33:49.96
He said, "I made the sun."
00:33:49.99\00:33:51.73
And so, he said, "Do not--"
Well, what were they doing in
00:33:51.76\00:33:54.56
Israel in the day of Jeremiah?
00:33:54.60\00:33:56.53
Like the pagans around them,
they were worshiping the sun,
00:33:56.56\00:33:58.87
and the moon, and the stars, and
the different gods of the suns.
00:33:58.90\00:34:03.07
Do Christians even fall
into that a little bit today?
00:34:03.10\00:34:09.11
Where does Sunday
worship come from?
00:34:09.14\00:34:12.25
Some may not realize it but
you really trace it back and it
00:34:12.28\00:34:15.52
started with taking, adopting
the Roman day of worship
00:34:15.55\00:34:19.29
which was to worship
the sun, Helios, Apollo,
00:34:19.32\00:34:23.43
and it sort of gravitated.
00:34:23.46\00:34:26.16
It displaced and eclipsed
the biblical seventh day.
00:34:26.19\00:34:29.60
And then Jeremiah
10:18, but it says,
00:34:29.63\00:34:34.50
"They altogether are
dull-hearted and foolish."
00:34:34.54\00:34:38.51
And this is again, Jeremiah 10.
00:34:38.54\00:34:41.08
"A wooden idol is
a worthless doctrine.
00:34:41.11\00:34:45.11
Silver beaten into plates; And
they brought it from Tarshish,
00:34:45.15\00:34:49.48
And gold from Uphaz, The work
of the craftsman And the hands
00:34:49.52\00:34:53.22
of the metalsmith; Blue
and purple are their clothing;
00:34:53.25\00:34:56.12
They are all the
work of skillful men."
00:34:56.16\00:34:58.63
Now, this is, I read that part
first because if you look in
00:34:58.66\00:35:01.43
Jeremiah 10, and you go to verse
3, I left this out on purpose.
00:35:01.46\00:35:05.50
Some of you have heard this
verse before and misapplied.
00:35:05.53\00:35:09.37
Jeremiah 10, verse 3,
"For the customs of the peoples
00:35:09.40\00:35:12.51
are futile; For one
cuts a tree from the forest,
00:35:12.54\00:35:15.38
The work of the
hands of the workman,
00:35:15.41\00:35:17.21
the workman with the ax.
00:35:17.25\00:35:18.55
They decorate it with
silver and gold; They fasten it
00:35:18.58\00:35:20.55
with nails and hammers
So that it does not topple.
00:35:20.58\00:35:23.52
They are upright, like a palm
tree, They cannot speak; They
00:35:23.55\00:35:26.99
must be carried, Because they
cannot go--" Now, how many of
00:35:27.02\00:35:30.53
you have heard that
applied before to a holiday?
00:35:30.56\00:35:34.36
Have any of you ever
heard someone read that and talk
00:35:34.40\00:35:37.53
about Christmas trees?
00:35:37.57\00:35:40.34
I make sure I'm
not the only one.
00:35:40.37\00:35:41.87
Maybe it's 'cause of what we
do, but I have people ask that
00:35:41.90\00:35:43.97
question on the radio.
00:35:44.01\00:35:45.37
They send it to us and say,
"Christmas trees are from the
00:35:45.41\00:35:47.88
devil because it says in
Jeremiah 10 they cut a tree,
00:35:47.91\00:35:52.58
they decorate
it, they pray to it."
00:35:52.61\00:35:55.68
And I say, "No, that's not what
it's saying 'cause if you keep
00:35:55.72\00:35:59.75
reading that verse it
says it is a wooden idol."
00:35:59.79\00:36:02.76
They're talking about idolatry,
the way they made their idols,
00:36:02.79\00:36:06.06
most of them were not made out
of pure gold, or pure bronze,
00:36:06.09\00:36:09.36
or pure silver.
00:36:09.40\00:36:10.60
They cut a piece of wood down,
they chisel with the wood and
00:36:10.63\00:36:13.77
make their idol, then they
plate it with gold and silver.
00:36:13.80\00:36:16.71
And basically he says, you're
praying to the stock of a tree,
00:36:16.74\00:36:20.74
it had nothing to do
with Christmas trees.
00:36:20.78\00:36:23.68
Now, that's a whole different
subject about where all that
00:36:23.71\00:36:25.81
comes from, but this
verse is not talking about
00:36:25.85\00:36:28.08
Christmas trees.
00:36:28.12\00:36:29.68
This verse was talking about
idolatry, and I think it was
00:36:29.72\00:36:32.69
Isaiah that says, "They
have eyes but they see not.
00:36:32.72\00:36:36.52
And they have
ears, but they hear not.
00:36:36.56\00:36:38.09
And they have mouths--" It's not
talking about a Christmas tree,
00:36:38.13\00:36:40.46
talking about their idols.
00:36:40.50\00:36:41.96
And then he says, "They cut
a block of wood and at a part
00:36:42.00\00:36:45.13
of the wood, they make a god
and whatever is left over when
00:36:45.17\00:36:48.54
they're done carving their
god, they use to cook dinner."
00:36:48.57\00:36:51.44
And they say, "Part of it,
you're our god, the other part
00:36:51.47\00:36:54.34
they cook their dinner,"
and he sort of makes fun of
00:36:54.38\00:36:56.34
what the customs of the people.
00:36:56.38\00:36:58.95
He says they're vain.
00:36:58.98\00:37:00.78
It's a workman with an ax.
00:37:00.82\00:37:02.78
"They decorate it with
silver and gold and fasten it
00:37:02.82\00:37:05.05
with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
00:37:05.09\00:37:07.19
They are upright, like a palm,
They cannot speak; They must be
00:37:07.22\00:37:10.83
carried, Because they
cannot go, they can't even walk.
00:37:10.86\00:37:13.46
Do not be afraid of
them, the cannot do evil,
00:37:13.50\00:37:16.26
they cannot do good.
00:37:16.30\00:37:17.77
Inasmuch as is like You, O Lord
God (You are great, and Your
00:37:17.80\00:37:22.70
name is great in might), Who
would not fear You, O King of
00:37:22.74\00:37:26.88
the nations?
00:37:26.91\00:37:28.21
For this is Your rightful due.
00:37:28.24\00:37:30.11
For among all the wise men
of the nations, And in all their
00:37:30.15\00:37:32.88
kingdoms, There
is none like You.
00:37:32.91\00:37:34.95
But they are altogether
dull-hearted and foolish;
00:37:34.98\00:37:37.49
A wooden idol is a
worthless doctrine.
00:37:37.52\00:37:40.82
Silver is beaten into plates;
It is brought from Tarshish,
00:37:40.86\00:37:43.49
And gold from Uphaz."
00:37:43.53\00:37:44.89
Tarshish was the farthest place
and, you know, they're still
00:37:44.93\00:37:48.20
looking for the silver
mines in Spain that the Bible
00:37:48.23\00:37:51.40
talks about.
00:37:51.43\00:37:53.30
Blue and purple
are their clothing.
00:37:53.34\00:37:55.87
He used to dress them up.
00:37:55.90\00:37:57.47
Any of you ever seen some of
these holidays and some of them
00:37:57.51\00:37:59.84
maybe Spanish or Mexican towns
where they're carrying idols up
00:37:59.87\00:38:03.51
the street and everyone follows?
00:38:03.55\00:38:06.41
They did this in Bible time.
00:38:06.45\00:38:08.08
During the feast, they'd carry
these silver, it was wood plated
00:38:08.12\00:38:11.45
with silver and
they'd carry them around.
00:38:11.49\00:38:13.12
They'd pray to him,
throw flowers at them,
00:38:13.15\00:38:14.52
and burn incense before them.
00:38:14.56\00:38:16.66
It says, "But the Lord God,"
verse 10, "is the true God.
00:38:16.69\00:38:20.63
He is the living
God, the everlasting King.
00:38:20.66\00:38:23.77
His wrath the earth will
tremble, And the nations will
00:38:23.80\00:38:27.74
not be able to
endure His indignation.
00:38:27.77\00:38:30.97
Thus you shall say to them:
'The gods that have not made
00:38:31.01\00:38:35.48
the heavens and the
earth shall perish."
00:38:35.51\00:38:37.65
Now, we just talked about don't
worship, the sun, the moon, and
00:38:37.68\00:38:39.98
the stars.
00:38:40.02\00:38:41.32
And here he says,
"The gods that did not make
00:38:41.35\00:38:43.59
the heavens and
the earth will perish
00:38:43.62\00:38:45.62
from the earth and
from under these heavens."
00:38:45.65\00:38:50.33
You remember when Jonah was
on his boat and finally they
00:38:50.36\00:38:55.03
cast lots and they found
out the storm was from Jonah?
00:38:55.06\00:38:57.50
They said, "Tell
us about who you are."
00:38:57.53\00:38:59.50
And he said, "Well, I
was worship the God that made
00:38:59.53\00:39:01.04
the heaven, and the
earth, and the sea."
00:39:01.07\00:39:02.97
He said, "I worship the god that
made everything your gods are
00:39:03.00\00:39:06.74
made out of, and that's what
basically god is saying here.
00:39:06.78\00:39:10.31
Instead of worshiping the sun,
and the moon, and the stars,
00:39:10.35\00:39:12.35
this is the God
that made those things.
00:39:12.38\00:39:14.28
He's emphasizing that.
00:39:14.32\00:39:15.65
All right, let's go to a
call to repentance, Jeremiah 26,
00:39:15.68\00:39:18.92
Jeremiah 26:1 to 6, and I'll
read this very quickly and then
00:39:18.95\00:39:23.86
we'll talk about that theme.
00:39:23.89\00:39:25.23
And someone down here has
a verse for us, 1 Kings 8:34.
00:39:25.26\00:39:28.90
Jeremiah 26, "In the beginning
of the reign of Jehoiakim
00:39:28.93\00:39:33.64
the son of Josiah, the king of
Judah--" Josiah was a good king.
00:39:33.67\00:39:36.91
Jehoiakim, not so good.
00:39:36.94\00:39:39.81
"King of Judah, this word came
from the Lord, saying, 'Thus
00:39:39.84\00:39:42.18
says the Lord: 'Stand in
the court of the Lord's house,
00:39:42.21\00:39:46.88
and speak to all the cities
of Judah, which have come to
00:39:46.92\00:39:49.78
worship in the Lord's house, all
the words that I command you to
00:39:49.82\00:39:52.45
speak to them.
00:39:52.49\00:39:53.79
Do not diminish a word.
00:39:53.82\00:39:55.66
Perhaps everyone will listen
and turn from his evil way, that
00:39:55.69\00:39:58.79
I might relent concerning
the calamity which I purpose to
00:39:58.83\00:40:02.16
bring against them
because of their evil doings.'"
00:40:02.20\00:40:04.33
Hear what the Lord is saying?
00:40:04.37\00:40:06.33
"Perhaps they'll relent.
00:40:06.37\00:40:08.24
Perhaps they'll repent
and I can relent if they will
00:40:08.27\00:40:12.44
humble themselves, I
don't want to do it."
00:40:12.47\00:40:14.81
Why hasn't the Lord come yet?
00:40:14.84\00:40:20.55
Because 2 Peter chapter
3, "The Lord is longsuffering
00:40:20.58\00:40:23.92
to us who are not
willing that any should perish."
00:40:23.95\00:40:27.46
He is postponing
that last judgment.
00:40:27.49\00:40:29.92
Now, sometimes a person might
get, you know, they might get
00:40:29.96\00:40:35.33
10 years, they might get 5 years
they might get 20 years for
00:40:35.36\00:40:39.17
their crimes but there's still a
glimmer of hope that there'll be
00:40:39.20\00:40:41.90
life after prison.
00:40:41.94\00:40:44.34
But when you get the death
penalty, it's not much hope and
00:40:44.37\00:40:49.74
the Lord is saying, "You know,
there's still hope, and I want
00:40:49.78\00:40:53.42
to give as much opportunity
for as long as I can because of
00:40:53.45\00:40:58.25
the evil of their doings."
00:40:58.29\00:41:01.06
Verse 4, Jeremiah 26:4, "And you
will say to them, 'Thus says the
00:41:01.09\00:41:04.66
Lord: If you will not listen
to Me, to walk in My law that
00:41:04.69\00:41:08.56
I have set before you, to heed
the words of My servants the
00:41:08.60\00:41:11.67
prophets whom I sent to you,
both rising early and sending
00:41:11.70\00:41:14.07
them (but you have not
listened), then I'll make this
00:41:14.10\00:41:16.77
house like Shiloh, and I'll make
this city a curse to the nations
00:41:16.81\00:41:20.91
of the earth."
00:41:20.94\00:41:22.38
What happened to
Shiloh, who remembers?
00:41:22.41\00:41:24.91
You remember Eli?
00:41:24.95\00:41:28.45
Hophni and Phinehas?
00:41:28.48\00:41:30.99
And they were the priests of
the Lord, but they turned from
00:41:31.02\00:41:35.16
the law of the Lord and
they sinned and they thought,
00:41:35.19\00:41:37.06
"Oh, but we've got the
temple." That's Shiloh.
00:41:37.09\00:41:39.63
Temple didn't used to mean
Jerusalem, it was at Shiloh.
00:41:39.66\00:41:41.33
"We've got the
temple. We've got the ark.
00:41:41.36\00:41:42.90
We can fight the Philistines.
00:41:42.93\00:41:44.50
We'll just carry the ark in the
battle 'cause God is with us."
00:41:44.53\00:41:47.00
But the sons of Eli were
committing adultery, they were
00:41:47.04\00:41:49.54
robbing the people, they were
evil, they were taking bribes.
00:41:49.57\00:41:53.34
But they thought,
"We're God's people.
00:41:53.38\00:41:56.08
We've got the ark.
00:41:56.11\00:41:57.61
We've got the--I am a
fifth generation Jew."
00:41:57.65\00:42:00.32
That's what they were saying.
00:42:00.35\00:42:02.08
Did that make any difference?
00:42:02.12\00:42:03.92
They went into battle with
the Philistines and thought,
00:42:03.95\00:42:06.05
"We'll just take the ark
with us as a good luck charm."
00:42:06.09\00:42:08.36
And the ark was captured,
the men were slaughtered,
00:42:08.39\00:42:12.13
the Philistines took Shiloh
and he said, "Look, don't say,
00:42:12.16\00:42:18.53
you know, we got the temple
here and we're God's people.
00:42:18.57\00:42:21.10
We're untouchable."
00:42:21.14\00:42:22.94
God said, "I'll
withdraw my protection."
00:42:22.97\00:42:25.61
That's a lesson for us as a
church, it's a lesson for us as
00:42:25.64\00:42:28.18
a country that when we repudiate
the reasons that God has been
00:42:28.21\00:42:34.32
blessing, then we're gonna
be exposed like everyone else.
00:42:34.35\00:42:36.92
All right, and he
said, "So repent."
00:42:36.95\00:42:39.09
Go ahead, read for
us please 1 Kings 8:34.
00:42:39.12\00:42:43.36
Karen: "Then hear in heaven,
and forgive the sin of Your
00:42:43.39\00:42:46.66
people Israel, and bring them
back to the land which You gave
00:42:46.70\00:42:49.46
to their fathers."
00:42:49.50\00:42:51.53
Doug: "If they were
carried away because of their
00:42:51.57\00:42:54.20
disobedience and they prayed
towards that place," Solomon
00:42:54.24\00:42:57.27
said, "then hear
from heaven, forgive."
00:42:57.31\00:43:00.34
If they repented,
he'd bring them back.
00:43:00.38\00:43:02.64
Jeremiah, in his prophecies, not
only talks about judgment that
00:43:02.68\00:43:05.65
isn't coming yet, Jeremiah looks
beyond the judgment and he says,
00:43:05.68\00:43:09.35
"And when the judgment comes, if
you'll turn to the Lord, those
00:43:09.38\00:43:12.95
of you who survive, if you'll
turn to the Lord from the place
00:43:12.99\00:43:15.86
where you're carried captive
and pray, they'll forgive you
00:43:15.89\00:43:18.89
and bring you back."
00:43:18.93\00:43:20.23
That goes all the way
back to the days of Solomon.
00:43:20.26\00:43:22.30
Lack at the dedication prayer
of Solomon in 2 Chronicles
00:43:22.33\00:43:25.17
chapter 6, verse 37 through 39.
00:43:25.20\00:43:28.34
This is one of the
greatest prayers in the Bible.
00:43:28.37\00:43:30.44
By the way, it's one of the
longest prayers in the Bible,
00:43:30.47\00:43:33.21
and it's still not as long as
some prayers we pray in church,
00:43:33.24\00:43:36.28
but it is quite a prayer.
00:43:36.31\00:43:39.61
2 Chronicles 6, verse
37, "And when they come to
00:43:39.65\00:43:43.89
themselves in the land where
you carried them captive--"
00:43:43.92\00:43:46.99
Notice those term, "when
they come to themselves."
00:43:47.02\00:43:49.89
Where do you find
that in the New Testament?
00:43:49.92\00:43:52.23
Prodigal son in a far
country because of his sin
00:43:52.26\00:43:55.90
came to himself.
00:43:55.93\00:43:57.97
What does that sound like?
00:43:58.00\00:44:00.04
Sounds like you're crazy a
you've come to your senses,
00:44:00.07\00:44:01.84
right?
00:44:01.87\00:44:03.17
"Yet when they come to
themselves in the land where
00:44:03.20\00:44:05.61
they were carried captive,
and they repent, and they make
00:44:05.64\00:44:08.71
supplication, they pray
to You in that land of their
00:44:08.74\00:44:12.38
captivity," Solomon's
looking way down the line.
00:44:12.41\00:44:15.02
"And they say, 'We have sinned,
we have done wrong, and have
00:44:15.05\00:44:17.22
committed wickedness.'"
00:44:17.25\00:44:18.55
They humble themselves,
they confess, they repent.
00:44:18.59\00:44:20.79
"And when they return to You
with all their heart and with
00:44:20.82\00:44:23.06
all their soul in the land of
their captivity, where they've
00:44:23.09\00:44:26.16
been carried captive, and pray
towards their land--" Now, if
00:44:26.19\00:44:29.96
that's us praying towards Christ
and heaven where we want to go.
00:44:30.00\00:44:33.90
"Which You gave to their
fathers, the city which You have
00:44:33.94\00:44:36.20
chosen, and toward the temple
that I have built for Your name:
00:44:36.24\00:44:38.87
Then hear from heaven."
00:44:38.91\00:44:40.81
Pray towards the temple.
00:44:40.84\00:44:42.91
When Daniel was in Babylon,
did he pray towards the temple?
00:44:42.94\00:44:47.48
Was the temple there anymore?
00:44:47.52\00:44:50.12
It was destroyed.
00:44:50.15\00:44:51.62
It was rubble, but he remembered
what Solomon said 'cause Daniel
00:44:51.65\00:44:54.56
read the Bible, it says so.
00:44:54.59\00:44:56.59
And it says, "Pray towards
this place," Daniel opened his
00:44:56.62\00:44:59.16
window, he prayed
towards that place.
00:44:59.19\00:45:00.96
He did exactly what it said.
00:45:00.96\00:45:02.83
People probably
thought he was a fanatic.
00:45:02.86\00:45:04.67
Some of his
countrymen said, "Daniel,
00:45:04.70\00:45:06.10
the temple's not even there.
00:45:06.13\00:45:07.64
Why are you praying
towards that place?"
00:45:07.67\00:45:09.47
He says, "'Cause
God told me to.'"
00:45:09.50\00:45:11.27
They prayed towards this place
in the, city which You have
00:45:11.31\00:45:14.44
chosen, and toward the temple
that I built for Your name: Then
00:45:14.48\00:45:16.64
hear from heaven Your dwelling
place their prayer, their
00:45:16.68\00:45:20.72
supplications, maintain their
cause, forgive Your people who
00:45:20.75\00:45:23.89
have sinned against You."
00:45:23.92\00:45:25.75
And then, Karen just read the
verse, "Bring them back to the
00:45:25.79\00:45:28.56
land that I have given them."
00:45:28.59\00:45:31.16
So, this was all about coming
to their senses in repentance.
00:45:31.19\00:45:34.76
Ezekiel 14:6, "Therefore say to
the house of Israel, 'Thus says
00:45:34.83\00:45:38.80
the Lord God: Repent,
turn away from your idols,
00:45:38.83\00:45:44.44
and turn your faces away
from all your abominations.'"
00:45:44.47\00:45:47.91
What does repentance mean?
00:45:47.94\00:45:50.38
A sorrow for sin in
turning away from it.
00:45:50.41\00:45:54.02
What were the first words of
John the Baptist as he prepared
00:45:54.05\00:45:56.85
for Jesus' first coming?
00:45:56.89\00:45:58.69
Repent, first word, "Repent
00:45:58.72\00:46:01.92
for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand."
00:46:01.96\00:46:03.66
Then when Jesus came and he
began his ministry, what were
00:46:03.69\00:46:06.19
the first words of Jesus?
00:46:06.23\00:46:08.20
"Repent," same thing, "for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand."
00:46:08.23\00:46:11.17
And how many sermons have
you heard lately on repentance?
00:46:11.20\00:46:15.80
Why?
00:46:15.84\00:46:18.84
It's because we don't need
to repent anymore, nothing to
00:46:18.87\00:46:20.54
repent of, or is it not--who
likes to be told to repent?
00:46:20.58\00:46:26.25
Well, that gets you re-elected
to tell people to repent.
00:46:26.28\00:46:30.45
That's an unpopular message.
00:46:30.49\00:46:32.09
What did it do
for John t Baptist?
00:46:32.12\00:46:33.82
Prison.
00:46:33.86\00:46:35.32
What'd it do for
Jesus? Crucifixion?
00:46:35.36\00:46:37.53
How about Jeremiah? Banishment.
00:46:37.56\00:46:40.20
Isaiah? Execution.
00:46:40.23\00:46:42.36
Is repentance a popular message?
00:46:42.40\00:46:45.27
How did most of the apostles,
their message was, as they went
00:46:45.30\00:46:50.81
when they said to Peter, "What
do we do, men and brethren?"
00:46:50.84\00:46:52.97
He said, "Repent."
00:46:53.01\00:46:54.98
A lot of converts but
Peter was crucified upside down.
00:46:55.01\00:46:58.41
It's not a popular message.
00:46:58.45\00:46:59.81
Not hearing a lot these
days within the church about the
00:46:59.85\00:47:03.25
importance of repentance and
turning back to God and living
00:47:03.28\00:47:06.15
Christ-like
lives, I'd said enough.
00:47:06.19\00:47:09.29
Okay, go ahead
read for us, what is it?
00:47:09.32\00:47:11.89
Acts 17:30?
00:47:11.93\00:47:13.40
Karen: "Truly, these times
of ignorance God overlooked,
00:47:13.43\00:47:16.06
but now commands all
men everywhere to repent."
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.93
Doug: God winked or he
overlooked the times of
00:47:19.97\00:47:22.40
ignorance, but now he commands
everyone to repent because he
00:47:22.44\00:47:25.81
says, "Christ has come."
00:47:25.84\00:47:27.64
He's speaking to
the First Coming.
00:47:27.68\00:47:29.34
Here we are on the
borders of the Second Coming.
00:47:29.38\00:47:31.05
Do we need to hear a
message of repentance?
00:47:31.08\00:47:36.32
Do you think, do you see
honestly in your heart, in the
00:47:36.35\00:47:42.62
last two generations within our
church and our country, do you
00:47:42.66\00:47:46.96
see people are getting holier
and drawing closer to God,
00:47:47.00\00:47:50.17
or do you think that generally
speaking, Christians are
00:47:50.20\00:47:54.44
becoming more like the
world and drifting from God?
00:47:54.47\00:47:59.67
So, do we need to hear a message
of repentance now more or less?
00:47:59.71\00:48:05.68
If we're gonna have a rival,
people talk a lot about revival,
00:48:05.71\00:48:10.05
but they don't talk about
the prerequisites to revival.
00:48:10.09\00:48:13.56
It's to talk about sin
and sometimes be specific.
00:48:13.59\00:48:19.43
Jesus revealed to the Samaritan
woman that he was the Messiah
00:48:19.46\00:48:22.33
and there was a great revival
and many Samaritans accepted
00:48:22.36\00:48:24.50
the Lord. You know
what he said first?
00:48:24.53\00:48:26.80
"Go call your husband."
00:48:26.84\00:48:28.70
That's pretty personal.
00:48:28.74\00:48:30.54
Why did he say that?
00:48:30.57\00:48:32.34
She had a major sin in her life.
00:48:32.37\00:48:33.78
He said, "Yeah, the
guy you're living with,
00:48:33.81\00:48:35.28
you're not married to." Oops.
00:48:35.31\00:48:37.08
How would you like to
have Jesus point that out?
00:48:37.11\00:48:39.55
He had to address something
specific in her life, and
00:48:39.58\00:48:43.45
there's a lot of specific sins
I think that need addressing in
00:48:43.49\00:48:48.29
the church before there's gonna
be revival and people are gonna
00:48:48.32\00:48:50.93
change, they have to
repent, that means turning,
00:48:50.96\00:48:54.10
not just hearing about it,
but turning from their sins.
00:48:54.13\00:48:56.93
All right, next section, I think
it's the last section here is
00:48:56.97\00:48:59.77
the call for death.
00:48:59.80\00:49:03.47
So, they didn't like
what Jeremiah was saying.
00:49:03.51\00:49:05.47
"And when the princes of Judah
heard these things, they came up
00:49:05.51\00:49:09.24
from the king's house to the
house of the Lord and sat down
00:49:09.28\00:49:13.92
in the entry of the
Gate of the Lord's house.
00:49:13.95\00:49:16.69
And the priests and the prophets
spoke to the princes and
00:49:16.72\00:49:18.75
all the people, saying,
'This man deserves to die!
00:49:18.79\00:49:21.82
For he has prophesied against
this city, and have heard
00:49:21.86\00:49:27.13
with your ears.'"
00:49:27.20\00:49:28.53
He is, "You know, we're
getting ready to fight against
00:49:28.56\00:49:30.17
the Babylonians and he's
dis-enheartening everybody."
00:49:30.20\00:49:32.77
Who's next here?
00:49:32.80\00:49:34.90
Emily, are you gonna
read this next verse?
00:49:34.94\00:49:36.27
Get ready for Acts--no
rather, Jeremiah 38, verse 4,
00:49:36.30\00:49:40.14
if you would.
00:49:40.18\00:49:42.18
It's dis-enheartening everybody.
00:49:42.21\00:49:44.18
What did they say
about Amos and his prophecy.
00:49:44.21\00:49:48.05
Amos 7, verse 10, "Then Amaziah
the priest of Bethel sent to
00:49:48.08\00:49:51.95
Jeroboam king of Israel, saying,
'Amos has conspired against you
00:49:51.99\00:49:55.49
in the midst of
the house of Israel.
00:49:55.52\00:49:58.36
The land is not able
to bear all his words."
00:49:58.39\00:50:00.86
Amos was prophesying about
their sin and they're saying,
00:50:00.90\00:50:03.16
"Haven't you heard?
00:50:03.20\00:50:04.83
He's got the audacity--" What
did King Ahab say to a Elijah
00:50:04.87\00:50:08.40
when he saw him at the
end of 3-1/2 years of famine?
00:50:08.44\00:50:11.07
"Are you he, O
troubler of Israel?
00:50:11.11\00:50:15.31
Your prophecies
caused all these problems."
00:50:15.34\00:50:18.45
And what did Elijah say?
00:50:18.48\00:50:21.32
"No, you are the troubler of
Israel, you and your sins and
00:50:21.35\00:50:24.25
Jezebel's sins," and kind
of threw it right back at him.
00:50:24.29\00:50:26.62
Alright, go ahead,
read that for us please.
00:50:26.65\00:50:30.06
Emily: "Therefore the princes
said unto their king, please,
00:50:30.09\00:50:32.99
let this man be put to death:
for thus he weakens the hands of
00:50:33.03\00:50:37.17
the men of war that remain in
this city, and the hands of all
00:50:37.20\00:50:41.27
the people, in speaking such
words unto them: for this man
00:50:41.30\00:50:45.77
seeketh not the
welfare of--" I'm so sorry.
00:50:45.81\00:50:49.64
"For this man seeks not
the welfare of this people,
00:50:49.68\00:50:53.08
but the hurt."
00:50:53.11\00:50:55.08
Doug: Now, you can understand
why that would not be popular.
00:50:55.12\00:50:57.99
It wouldn't be popular today.
00:50:58.02\00:51:00.12
If you've got an army and a
nation getting ready to go war
00:51:00.16\00:51:03.76
against the people who
have put them under tribute,
00:51:03.79\00:51:08.53
you'd be called patriots.
00:51:08.56\00:51:12.80
You're getting ready to lay your
lives on the line to free your
00:51:12.83\00:51:14.94
country from and oppressing
power and then along comes a
00:51:14.97\00:51:18.07
prophet and said,
"Don't fight against them.
00:51:18.11\00:51:20.31
You're being oppressed
because of your sin, submit."
00:51:20.34\00:51:22.78
Would that be popular?
00:51:22.81\00:51:25.05
How many here remember the
story in the Bible where King
00:51:25.08\00:51:27.45
Jehoshaphat and King Ahab
were considering going to battle
00:51:27.48\00:51:33.69
against the kingdom of Syria to
retake the city of Ramoth-Gilead
00:51:33.72\00:51:37.86
that used to be part of
Israel and had been taken by
00:51:37.89\00:51:39.86
the Syrians?
00:51:39.89\00:51:41.26
And King Jehoshaphat said,
"Ahab, my horses are like your
00:51:41.30\00:51:44.97
horses, my men like your men.
00:51:45.00\00:51:46.87
We'll work together in
this battle to reclaim that land
00:51:46.90\00:51:48.87
that used to belong to us."
00:51:48.90\00:51:50.27
The Syrians took it,
"But let's consult the Lord.
00:51:50.31\00:51:54.38
We should really
get God's word on this."
00:51:54.41\00:51:57.11
Ahab said, "No problem.
00:51:57.15\00:51:58.48
I got a lot of prophets."
00:51:58.51\00:52:00.08
So, he brought all the prophets
of Baal out, hundreds of them.
00:52:00.12\00:52:02.52
Said, "Shall we go to
Ramoth-Gilead and fight or not?"
00:52:02.55\00:52:06.49
And all the prophets said, "Go
up and prosper," and they had a
00:52:06.52\00:52:09.22
big cheerleading meeting, and
they carried on and they blew
00:52:09.26\00:52:13.56
the horns, they beat the drum.
00:52:13.60\00:52:15.16
They had a mascot and one guy
put on horns and he said, "With
00:52:15.20\00:52:18.30
these iron horns, you will push
the Syrians 'til you push them
00:52:18.33\00:52:21.64
out of the land."
00:52:21.67\00:52:23.14
And it was looking really
good and everyone's going,
00:52:23.17\00:52:25.27
"Rah, rah, rah,
fight, fight, fight, fight."
00:52:25.31\00:52:26.51
And Jehoshaphat, he's looking
around and he sees from their
00:52:26.54\00:52:30.55
clothing and their behavior,
these are not prophets of
00:52:30.58\00:52:32.95
Jehovah, these
are Baal prophets.
00:52:32.98\00:52:35.32
And he says to Ahab, he says,
"Do you have any prophets of
00:52:35.35\00:52:37.75
Jehovah here we can talk to?"
00:52:37.79\00:52:39.95
Ahab goes, "Yeah, we got one
guy but he's sort of a downer,
00:52:39.99\00:52:45.73
Micaiah, you know, he never
says anything good about me."
00:52:45.76\00:52:50.30
He says, "Let's
give him a chance."
00:52:50.33\00:52:52.33
So Micaiah is brought and
as Micaiah's being brought, the
00:52:52.37\00:52:55.27
servant from Ahab that brings
him says, "Hey look, little word
00:52:55.30\00:52:57.64
of advice that we're
having a great rally.
00:52:57.67\00:53:00.18
We're getting ready to
go right, moral is high.
00:53:00.21\00:53:03.85
Don't say anything to discourage
the soldiers in the kingdom.
00:53:03.88\00:53:08.02
Everyone is
spirit, it's good spirit.
00:53:08.05\00:53:10.15
Don't ruin it."
00:53:10.19\00:53:11.72
And he said, "I'll say
whatever God tells me to say."
00:53:11.75\00:53:15.46
And so he gets out there
and Jehoshaphat says, "Well,
00:53:15.49\00:53:18.23
Micaiah, what's the word?
00:53:18.26\00:53:19.59
Shall we go fight
with the Syrians or not?"
00:53:19.63\00:53:21.80
And a little bit of
divine sarcasm, Micaiah says,
00:53:21.83\00:53:24.77
"Go up and prosper
just like all the others."
00:53:24.80\00:53:29.57
And Ahab said, "All right.
00:53:29.60\00:53:31.54
Give it to me straight."
00:53:31.57\00:53:32.84
He knew he was being sarcastic,
something about the tone of his
00:53:32.87\00:53:34.38
voice. He said, "Okay.
00:53:34.41\00:53:36.34
I saw Israel scattered on
the hills as sheep without
00:53:36.38\00:53:40.68
a shepherd."
00:53:40.72\00:53:42.05
Israel was the kingdom of
Ahab meaning something was gonna
00:53:42.08\00:53:43.72
happen to the shepherd.
00:53:43.75\00:53:45.85
And Ahab turns to Jehoshaphat
said, "Didn't I tell you that
00:53:45.89\00:53:50.09
he wouldn't say
anything good about me?"
00:53:50.13\00:53:53.46
And Micaiah goes on and
he says, "You're gonna die
00:53:53.50\00:53:56.43
in this battle."
00:53:56.46\00:53:57.80
And so Ahab says, "How dare you?
00:53:57.83\00:53:59.30
Put him in prison.
00:53:59.33\00:54:01.14
Feed them with the bread
of affliction and the water of
00:54:01.17\00:54:03.47
affliction until
I return in peace."
00:54:03.51\00:54:05.44
Micaiah said, "If you come back
in peace, God has not spoken
00:54:05.47\00:54:07.84
by me."
00:54:07.88\00:54:09.64
What holy audacity for a prophet
to be able to say that when you
00:54:09.68\00:54:13.65
know nobody there listening
is gonna appreciate it,
00:54:13.68\00:54:17.02
but it was the Word of God.
00:54:17.05\00:54:18.92
The people were sinning.
00:54:18.95\00:54:20.79
There was a judgment coming.
00:54:20.82\00:54:22.16
He warned them, "Do not
come to Ramoth-Gilead and fight.
00:54:22.19\00:54:24.96
God is not in it.
00:54:24.99\00:54:26.33
The Syrians took it
because of your sins."
00:54:26.36\00:54:29.10
They did lose the battle.
00:54:29.13\00:54:31.13
Ahab was slain and you always
wonder, you never hear what
00:54:31.17\00:54:33.84
happened to Micaiah.
00:54:33.87\00:54:35.27
You always hope maybe they said,
"Oh, you were right, let him out
00:54:35.30\00:54:37.94
of jail." It never says.
00:54:37.97\00:54:39.64
Son of Ahab
might have killed him.
00:54:39.67\00:54:41.38
You don't know what happens.
00:54:41.41\00:54:42.74
It takes courage though, to tell
the nation you need to repent
00:54:42.78\00:54:45.41
and to be that, the one
who's swimming against the tide,
00:54:45.45\00:54:49.58
and this is what
Jeremiah was faced with.
00:54:49.62\00:54:51.75
He had a lot of courage.
00:54:51.79\00:54:53.59
Well, we're out of time for
today's lesson, but I want to
00:54:53.62\00:54:55.76
remind you, we have a special
gift book and it's called,
00:54:55.79\00:54:58.99
It Is Possible To
Live Without Sinning?
00:54:59.03\00:55:01.60
I actually read this flying
in a plane one day and the title
00:55:01.63\00:55:04.73
scared me, but it was
really a very encouraging book.
00:55:04.77\00:55:07.60
So, if you'd like a free copy of
this, call the number that you
00:55:07.64\00:55:10.64
see on your screen, in fact, you
can even download it for free
00:55:10.67\00:55:13.41
and read it at the
Amazing Facts website,
00:55:13.44\00:55:15.54
simply AmazingFacts.com.
00:55:15.58\00:55:17.35
God bless you, friends,
until we study his Word together
00:55:17.38\00:55:19.98
again next week.
00:55:20.02\00:55:22.32
announcer: Did you know that
Noah was present at the birth
00:55:23.39\00:55:25.69
of Abraham?
00:55:25.72\00:55:27.22
Okay, maybe he wasn't in
the room, but he was alive and
00:55:27.26\00:55:30.93
probably telling
stories about his floating zoo.
00:55:30.96\00:55:34.00
From the creation of the
world to the last day events of
00:55:34.00\00:55:36.97
Revelation, BibleHistory.com
is a free resource where you can
00:55:37.00\00:55:40.90
explore major Bible events
and characters, enhance your
00:55:40.94\00:55:44.44
knowledge of the Bible
and draw closer to God's Word.
00:55:44.47\00:55:48.08
Go deeper, visit the
amazing Bible timeline at
00:55:48.11\00:55:52.01
BibleHistory.com.
00:55:52.05\00:55:54.05
announcer: Throughout
recorded history, tales of
00:56:05.79\00:56:08.76
ghosts and spirits can be
found in folklore in nearly
00:56:08.80\00:56:12.07
every country and culture.
00:56:12.10\00:56:15.20
Egyptians built pyramids
to help guide the spirits
00:56:15.24\00:56:18.84
of their leaders.
00:56:18.87\00:56:20.64
Rome sanctioned holidays to
honor and appease the spirits of
00:56:20.68\00:56:23.95
their dead.
00:56:23.98\00:56:25.68
Even the Bible tells of a king
that used a witch to contact the
00:56:25.71\00:56:29.45
spirit of the deceased prophet.
00:56:29.48\00:56:32.29
Today, ancient folklore of
spirits and apparitions have
00:56:32.32\00:56:35.92
gone from mere superstitions
to mainstream entertainment
00:56:35.96\00:56:40.13
and reality.
00:56:40.16\00:56:42.06
Scientific organizations
investigate stories of hauntings
00:56:42.10\00:56:45.60
and sightings, trying to prove
once and for all the existence
00:56:45.63\00:56:50.87
of ghosts.
00:56:50.91\00:56:52.91
Even with all the newfound
technology and centuries of
00:56:52.94\00:56:57.78
stories all over the world,
00:56:57.81\00:56:59.81
there is still
no clearcut answer.
00:56:59.85\00:57:05.52
So, how do we know what's true?
00:57:05.55\00:57:08.92
Why do these stories persist?
00:57:08.96\00:57:13.36
Does it even matter?
00:57:13.40\00:57:15.90
We invite you to look inside
and find out for yourself.
00:57:15.93\00:57:23.91
Visit GhostTruth.com.
00:57:23.94\00:57:27.54
announcer: Can't get enough
Amazing Facts Bible Study?
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You don't have to wait
until next week to enjoy more
00:57:33.75\00:57:36.69
truth-filled programming.
00:57:36.72\00:57:38.62
Watch Amazing Facts
Television by visiting AFTV.org.
00:57:38.65\00:57:44.49
At AFTV.org, you can view
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00:57:44.53\00:57:49.86
hours a day, 7 days a
week right from your computer
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or mobile device.
00:57:53.27\00:57:54.64
Why wait a week?
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Visit AFTV.org.
00:57:56.04\00:57:58.04
It's that easy.
00:57:58.07\00:58:00.78
announcer: For life-changing
Christian resources,
00:58:02.34\00:58:05.11
visit AFBookstore.com
or call 1-800-538-7275.
00:58:05.15\00:58:10.62
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00:58:12.05\00:58:24.50
CC by Aberdeen Captioning
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