[music]
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Jëan Ross: Good morning friends.
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I'd like to welcome you all
to "Sabbath School Study Hour"
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here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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Also a warm welcome to
our friends joining us across
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the country and
around the world, literally.
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Different countries
around the world, part of our
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extended Sabbath School class.
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I'd also like to let our friends
watching here in North America
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know about our
free offer for today.
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It's a book entitled
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"12 Steps to Revival."
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And we'll be happy to send
this to anybody in North America
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who gives us a call on
our resource phone number
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and that number is...
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That number again is...
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You can ask for the
book "12 Steps for Revival."
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It's offer number 7-8-0.
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Seven hundred and eighty.
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For our international friends,
you can read this book for free
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online at amazingfacts.org.
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Well, our lesson for
today is lesson number eight,
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entitled, "Josiah's Reforms."
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It's a great study that we're
gonna be looking at this morning
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but, before we
begin our lesson together,
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I'd like to invite our
song leaders to come forward
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and they'll lead us
in a few hymns of praise.
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[music]
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Debbie Thompson
Kippel: Thank you, Pastor Ross.
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And hello and welcome.
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I know that you
guys are ready to sing
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'cause we are
here at Granite Bay.
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And we're gonna sing
one of your favorites.
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So pull out your hymnals, if
you have those at home, and join
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with us, 612, a
great rousing song,
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"Onward Christian
Soldiers," and we're going to do
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the first,
second, and fourth stanza.
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Join with us.
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"Onward Christian Soldiers."
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[music]
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¤ Onward, Christian
soldiers, marching as to war, ¤
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¤ with the cross of
Jesus going on before. ¤
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¤ Christ, the royal
Master, leads against the foe; ¤
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¤ forward into
battle see his banners go! ¤
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¤ Onward, Christian
soldiers, marching as to war, ¤
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¤ with the cross of
Jesus going on before. ¤
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¤ Like a mighty army
moves the church of God; ¤
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¤ Christians, we are treading
where the saints have trod. ¤
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¤ We are not
divided, all one body we, ¤
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¤ one in hope and
doctrine, one in charity. ¤
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¤ Onward, Christian
soldiers, marching as to war, ¤
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¤ with the cross of
Jesus going on before. ¤
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Debbie: Number four.
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¤ Onward then, ye
people, join our happy throng, ¤
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¤ blend with ours your
voices in the triumph song. ¤
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¤ Glory, praise, and
honor unto Christ the King, ¤
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¤ this through countless
ages men and angels sing. ¤
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¤ Onward, Christian
soldiers, marching as to war, ¤
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¤ with the cross of
Jesus going on before. ¤
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Debbie: "Onward
Christian Soldiers."
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Another one that kind
of ties in with that is
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"I'll Go Where
You Want Me to Go."
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It's another wonderful
song found in our hymnal.
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If you're unfamiliar with
it, you can learn it right now,
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573, "I'll Go
Where You Want Me to Go."
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We will sing all three stanzas.
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Join with us.
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[music]
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¤ It may not be on a mountain's
height or over the stormy sea. ¤
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¤ It may not be at
the battle's front ¤
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¤ my Lord will
have need of me. ¤
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¤ But if, by a still,
small voice he calls ¤
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¤ to paths I do not know, ¤
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¤ I'll answer, dear
Lord, with my hand in thine, ¤
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¤ I'll go where
you want me to go. ¤
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¤ I'll go where you
want me to go, dear Lord, ¤
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¤ o'er mountain
or plain or sea. ¤
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¤ I'll say what you
want me to say, dear Lord. ¤
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¤ I'll be what
you want me to be. ¤
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¤ Perhaps today
there are loving words ¤
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¤ which Jesus
would have me speak. ¤
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¤ There may be now
in the paths of sin ¤
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¤ some wand'rer
whom I should seek. ¤
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¤ O Savior, if thou wilt
be my guide, though dark ¤
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¤ and rugged the way, my voice
shall echo the message sweet. ¤
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¤ I'll say what
you want me to say. ¤
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¤ I'll go where you
want me to go, dear Lord, ¤
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¤ o'er mountain
or plain or sea. ¤
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¤ I'll say what you
want me to say, dear Lord. ¤
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¤ I'll be what
you want me to be. ¤
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¤ There's surely
somewhere a lowly place ¤
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¤ in earth's harvest fields
so wide where I may labor ¤
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¤ through life's short day
for Jesus, the Crucified. ¤
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¤ So trusting my all to thy
care, I know thou lovest me. ¤
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¤ I'll do thy will
with a heart sincere. ¤
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¤ I'll be what
you want me to be. ¤
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¤ I'll go where you
want me to go, dear Lord, ¤
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¤ o'er mountain
or plain or sea. ¤
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¤ I'll say what you
want me to say, dear Lord. ¤
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¤ I'll be what
you want me to be. ¤
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Debbie: Thank you so much
for singing along with us and,
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before Dr. DeRose
brings us our lesson study,
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Pastor Ross is going to
have our opening prayer for us.
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Jëan: Dear Father, we thank
you for the privilege of being
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able to gather together on this
Sabbath to open up your Word and
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to study just a real inspiring
story of a king who stood up
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for you and stood
up for what was right.
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So we ask your blessing
upon our time together today,
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in Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson this morning will
be brought to us by Dr. DeRose.
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We're looking at lesson number
eight in our "Lesson Quarterly"
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on the Book of Jeremiah.
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Thank you, Dr. DeRose.
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David DeRose:
Thank you, Pastor Ross.
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It's good to be
studying again together.
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And that's right, we're actually
two-thirds, what, three-quarters
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of the way through
with the lesson series
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on the Book of Jeremiah.
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It's great to have you joining
us wherever you're tuning in and
00:10:12.71\00:10:16.01
it's great to have you
here in Granite Bay as we study
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lesson eight dealing with
Josiah and his amazing reforms.
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Let's dive into
the lesson study.
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We start on Sunday being
introduced to the reigns of
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Manasseh and Amon.
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And there is a statement here.
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It concludes the first sentence
in Sunday's lesson if you're
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following along
in the "Quarterly."
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It says, "Human
beings-- as human beings
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we are hopelessly subjective.
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We see the world not so much
as the world really is but as we
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really are."
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And I'd like to add in keeping
with my introduction, "as we've
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been told to see the world by
those that we're listening to."
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By what was covered
on the latest broadcast.
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The reign of Manasseh.
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What do you know about Manasseh?
00:11:09.76\00:11:11.70
Turn in 2 Chronicles 33.
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2 Chronicles 33 for an amazing
reign of an amazing king.
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I say amazing not necessarily
in a positive context.
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If you know anything about
Manasseh, we're introduced to
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him in 2 Chronicles chapter 33.
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Many of you know that Kings and
Chronicles often give parallel
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descriptions and so we're
reading now from Chronicles,
00:11:34.56\00:11:37.53
2 Chronicles 33.
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It says in verse 1, "Manasseh
was 12 years old when he became
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king and he reigned
55 years in Jerusalem."
00:11:43.06\00:11:48.70
So here we're reading
about the longest--the king
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with the longest reign in
the history of God's people.
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Fifty-five years.
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And then we read the summary
statement of his ministry,
00:11:56.98\00:12:01.68
if you will, ministry.
00:12:01.72\00:12:04.05
Verse 2, "He did evil in the
sight of the Lord according to
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the abominations of the nations
whom the Lord had cast out
00:12:09.82\00:12:13.50
before the children of Israel."
00:12:13.53\00:12:15.63
And if you wanna read
on, you can read on about all
00:12:15.66\00:12:17.77
the terrible
things that Manasseh did.
00:12:17.80\00:12:21.17
Now you say,
"That's not a sound bite."
00:12:21.20\00:12:23.71
Yes, it's one verse
but Manasseh was wicked.
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There's no question about it.
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How long did he reign for?
00:12:28.44\00:12:30.98
Now if you read in the
Book of Hebrews, that great hall
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of faith in Hebrews 11, you'll
read about specific individuals.
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Maybe we should turn there
for a minute in Hebrews 11.
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Many of the great heroes
of faith are mentioned by name
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but there is a passing reference
that most Bible scholars and
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historians believe refers to
Isaiah, there found in Hebrews.
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And it's not a pretty picture.
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In Hebrews 11, as we read
through this list of individuals
00:13:04.68\00:13:10.29
who were great heroes of
faith, we come to verse 37.
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It says, "They were stoned,"
speaking of the righteous,
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"they were sawn in two."
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They were sawn in two.
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Do you know who many
believe that is a reference to?
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To Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah.
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Jewish tradition, Jewish
history, tells us that Isaiah,
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during the reign of Manasseh,
was put into a partially
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hollowed log and then Manasseh
commanded that they take
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the saw and start sawing through
the log with Isaiah in it.
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Isaiah met his end at
the hands of Manasseh.
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By the way, this was
before the days of chain saws.
00:14:01.27\00:14:05.11
I mean, that's gruesome enough.
00:14:05.14\00:14:08.21
This was with a hand
saw, probably a crosscut saw.
00:14:08.24\00:14:12.31
Two men sawing
apart the prophet.
00:14:12.35\00:14:16.22
Now I don't care what
you think about Manasseh,
00:14:16.25\00:14:21.42
this is gruesome.
00:14:21.46\00:14:23.86
And we don't like to go into too
much detail about it and some of
00:14:23.89\00:14:26.59
you think I've already gone
into too much detail about it.
00:14:26.63\00:14:28.80
But this is just a picture
of what Manasseh was doing
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for 55 years!
00:14:32.77\00:14:35.67
How many of you think there
might have been some righteous
00:14:35.70\00:14:38.51
people praying that Manasseh
would be removed from office?
00:14:38.54\00:14:45.51
I mean, can you relate to this?
00:14:45.55\00:14:47.95
I don't care if it's a business
or a ministry, a church.
00:14:47.98\00:14:52.15
I don't care who's listening
in today, who's viewing with us.
00:14:52.19\00:14:56.99
We all can relate to
situations where injustice
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is happening in high places.
00:15:00.76\00:15:04.37
And people are
praying that there be a change
00:15:04.40\00:15:07.34
and what happens?
00:15:07.37\00:15:09.14
No change happens.
00:15:09.17\00:15:12.37
Fifty-five years.
00:15:12.41\00:15:17.98
But that's not the
end of Manasseh's story.
00:15:18.01\00:15:22.22
Perhaps one of the most
remarkable stories in the Bible,
00:15:22.25\00:15:25.79
I'm going back to 2
Chronicles, chapter 33.
00:15:25.82\00:15:30.66
Because as we read about all
these terrible acts of Manasseh,
00:15:30.69\00:15:36.16
the story actually
does not end there.
00:15:36.20\00:15:40.17
We come down to 2 Chronicles
chapter 33 and verse 10.
00:15:40.20\00:15:46.71
2 Chronicles 33, verse 10,
and I read this, "The Lord spoke
00:15:46.74\00:15:50.45
to Manasseh and his people
but they would not listen."
00:15:50.48\00:15:56.22
Come on.
00:15:56.25\00:15:58.39
I mean, God here is trying
to speak and they're plugging
00:15:58.42\00:16:01.79
their ears but then
verse 11, God is not stopping.
00:16:01.82\00:16:04.96
This is amazing.
00:16:04.99\00:16:06.90
Everybody's given up on
Manasseh except one person.
00:16:06.93\00:16:10.00
And who is that?
00:16:10.03\00:16:12.37
It's God.
00:16:12.40\00:16:14.10
God has not
given up on Manasseh.
00:16:14.14\00:16:16.84
And in verse 11, it says,
"Therefore the Lord brought upon
00:16:16.87\00:16:19.87
them the captains of the army
of the king of Assyria who took
00:16:19.91\00:16:26.45
Manasseh with hooks,
bound him with bronze fetters,
00:16:26.48\00:16:31.09
and carried him off to Babylon."
00:16:31.12\00:16:34.26
So now, this is
before the Babylonian empire.
00:16:34.29\00:16:37.49
The Assyrians are
ruling the world and Babylon is
00:16:37.53\00:16:40.13
part of their realm.
00:16:40.16\00:16:41.66
And the Assyrians, we are told,
had an interesting practice.
00:16:41.70\00:16:45.83
Now, today, it may be popular
to pierce certain body parts.
00:16:45.87\00:16:52.34
But in that day, if your nose
was pierced, this was generally
00:16:52.37\00:16:56.85
not a good thing,
especially if the Assyrians
00:16:56.88\00:16:59.28
had just conquered you.
00:16:59.31\00:17:01.05
They would pierce your nose, put
a ring in your nose, and then
00:17:01.08\00:17:05.49
they would pull you with chains.
00:17:05.52\00:17:07.36
This is what the reference
is to what was happening
00:17:07.39\00:17:09.96
with Manasseh.
00:17:09.99\00:17:12.26
So Manasseh who was ruling,
undisputed ruler for decades,
00:17:12.29\00:17:17.17
now comes under
the power of the enemy.
00:17:17.20\00:17:20.44
And lo and
behold, look what happens.
00:17:20.47\00:17:24.07
In verse 12, 2 Chronicles 33,
"Now when he was in affliction,
00:17:24.11\00:17:31.05
he implored the Lord his God--"
00:17:31.08\00:17:36.75
When did he become his God?
00:17:36.79\00:17:40.02
Suggest to you he
was his God all along.
00:17:40.06\00:17:44.46
We're all God's children,
whether we recognize it or not.
00:17:44.49\00:17:49.30
"And he calls on his God
and he humbles himself greatly
00:17:49.33\00:17:54.84
before the God of his fathers.
00:17:54.87\00:17:57.47
And he prays to him and
he received his entreaty."
00:17:57.51\00:18:00.81
Now we're speaking of God.
00:18:00.84\00:18:02.64
"God hears his supplication,
he brings him back to Jerusalem,
00:18:02.68\00:18:06.61
then Manasseh knew
that the Lord was God."
00:18:06.65\00:18:10.69
Amazing!
00:18:10.72\00:18:12.39
Amazing story.
00:18:12.42\00:18:14.39
And I'll tell you, this story
gives me hope because all of us
00:18:14.42\00:18:19.03
have messed up, haven't we?
00:18:19.06\00:18:21.00
Every one of us.
00:18:21.03\00:18:22.56
We've all messed up.
00:18:22.60\00:18:24.13
And the message to us as we read
this opening story in the series
00:18:24.17\00:18:27.94
is it doesn't matter what you've
done, God is willing to be...
00:18:27.97\00:18:35.88
be gracious to you.
00:18:35.91\00:18:39.18
Not willing, he
is gracious to you.
00:18:39.21\00:18:42.52
And he's just asking
us to call out to him.
00:18:42.55\00:18:45.29
You know, there are so many
verses that talk about this in
00:18:45.32\00:18:47.96
the Bible.
00:18:47.99\00:18:49.29
Turn in your
Bibles to Psalm 130.
00:18:49.32\00:18:51.03
It's in both the Old
Testament as well as the New.
00:18:51.06\00:18:53.29
Some misunderstand the God
who acted in the Old Testament.
00:18:53.33\00:18:57.03
By the way, it's the
same God who acted in the New.
00:18:57.07\00:18:59.30
You remember Jesus himself said,
"If you've seen me, you've seen
00:18:59.33\00:19:02.04
the Father."
00:19:02.07\00:19:03.37
It's not someone different
acting in the Old Testament.
00:19:03.41\00:19:05.87
God acts in the most gentle ways
possible to get our attention.
00:19:05.91\00:19:12.31
For 55 years, well, not
quite that because Manasseh was
00:19:12.35\00:19:17.05
still on the throne, but for
many decades, God was appealing
00:19:17.09\00:19:20.06
to Manasseh to repent
and he wouldn't listen.
00:19:20.09\00:19:23.49
What did it finally take?
00:19:23.53\00:19:25.69
It finally took God allowing the
enemy to overrun the country,
00:19:25.73\00:19:30.47
put a ring through his nose,
and drag him hundreds of miles
00:19:30.50\00:19:34.74
to Babylon.
00:19:34.77\00:19:36.84
Now I hope it doesn't
take that much for God to get
00:19:36.87\00:19:40.31
my attention, right?
00:19:40.34\00:19:42.88
We all wanna say, "Well, not me.
00:19:42.91\00:19:44.51
You know, it's
not--I'm listening.
00:19:44.55\00:19:46.01
I'm listening."
00:19:46.05\00:19:47.55
But all of us have
those blinders, right?
00:19:47.58\00:19:50.25
And those ear plugs
and that selective hearing
00:19:50.29\00:19:53.79
and those sound bites
that we're focused on.
00:19:53.82\00:19:56.42
"Well, this happened in my life.
00:19:56.46\00:19:57.69
This--" Manasseh's life
is saying, "Be careful."
00:19:57.73\00:20:03.10
I'm turning to
Psalm chapter 130.
00:20:03.13\00:20:06.40
Psalm 130.
00:20:06.43\00:20:08.14
And this is really illustrating
the kind of God that is pictured
00:20:08.17\00:20:16.61
in both the Old and the
New, Psalm 130, verse 1,
00:20:16.64\00:20:21.42
"Out of the depths I
have cried to you, O Lord.
00:20:21.45\00:20:24.79
Lord, hear my voice.
00:20:24.82\00:20:26.79
Let your ears be attentive to
the voice of my supplications.
00:20:26.82\00:20:30.43
If you, Lord,
should mark iniquities,
00:20:30.46\00:20:32.89
O Lord, who could stand?"
00:20:32.93\00:20:34.93
I mean, if all God's interested
in doing is counting where
00:20:34.93\00:20:37.33
we've messed up, we're all lost.
00:20:37.37\00:20:39.63
But it doesn't stop there.
00:20:39.67\00:20:41.60
Verse 4, "But there
is forgiveness with you,
00:20:41.64\00:20:46.71
that you may be feared."
00:20:46.74\00:20:48.68
That you may be respected.
00:20:48.71\00:20:50.41
So today the message, just like
it came to Manasseh, is that
00:20:50.45\00:20:53.55
there's forgiveness with the God
who I can look to this morning.
00:20:53.58\00:20:57.95
Who I do choose to
look to this morning.
00:20:57.99\00:21:00.26
Who we collectively look
to when we read the Word.
00:21:00.29\00:21:02.92
Look at verse 5.
00:21:02.96\00:21:04.46
Do you have this
spirit that the Psalmist had?
00:21:04.49\00:21:07.23
"I wait for the Lord.
00:21:07.30\00:21:08.93
My soul waits and in
his Word, I do hope."
00:21:08.96\00:21:13.03
Do you have that spirit?
00:21:13.07\00:21:15.34
Or are you impatient?
00:21:15.37\00:21:17.64
I mean, I've gotta
be honest with you.
00:21:17.67\00:21:19.84
It's easy to be impatient.
00:21:19.87\00:21:22.44
I find it easy to be impatient.
00:21:22.48\00:21:24.25
How about you?
00:21:24.28\00:21:26.48
I mean, we're in a culture that
basically tells us you can have
00:21:26.51\00:21:29.52
anything at the snap of a finger
or at the push of a button.
00:21:29.55\00:21:33.25
I mean, how easy is it today?
00:21:33.29\00:21:35.86
I mean, you have a
question, what do you do?
00:21:35.89\00:21:38.33
You google it, right?
00:21:38.36\00:21:40.60
Or, you know, you get on
your smartphone or you pull out
00:21:40.63\00:21:43.26
your tablet. It's right there.
00:21:43.30\00:21:45.57
I mean, some of you are like me
and you don't have as much hair
00:21:45.60\00:21:49.20
as you used to have or maybe
it's not the same color it was
00:21:49.24\00:21:53.61
some years ago and we
remember--I mean, it was hard
00:21:53.64\00:21:56.44
work to research things.
00:21:56.48\00:21:58.31
I can remember doing medical
research years ago and I'd be in
00:21:58.35\00:22:02.12
the medical library, pulling out
volumes of Index Medicus that
00:22:02.15\00:22:07.69
had all the, you know, summaries
of different articles and we're
00:22:07.72\00:22:10.76
wading through all this.
00:22:10.79\00:22:12.99
But today, you just
type a couple of keys.
00:22:13.03\00:22:16.36
So we're used to having
everything right away, right?
00:22:16.40\00:22:19.20
How do you feel when that
car pulls in front of you?
00:22:19.23\00:22:23.34
One lane road and he's going
1 mile under the speed limit.
00:22:23.37\00:22:31.01
Some of you can relate.
00:22:31.05\00:22:32.88
Okay, so we're an impatient
society but here's what
00:22:32.91\00:22:35.82
the Psalmist says.
00:22:35.85\00:22:37.29
Psalm 130, verse 5,
"I wait for the Lord.
00:22:37.32\00:22:41.92
My soul waits and
in his Word I do hope."
00:22:41.96\00:22:46.93
Let's jump in our "Quarterly,"
because it's a perfect segue,
00:22:46.96\00:22:51.10
to go to Monday's lesson.
00:22:51.13\00:22:53.34
Because there was someone
else dealing with some of this
00:22:53.37\00:22:55.44
very same problem.
00:22:55.47\00:22:57.44
Manasseh reigns for 55 years.
00:22:57.47\00:23:01.51
He converts, he
repents, but his son, Amon,
00:23:01.54\00:23:07.55
doesn't follow the
repentant ways of Manasseh.
00:23:07.58\00:23:11.99
He jumps right back
into the same life of sin.
00:23:12.02\00:23:15.02
And you might say, "Well, why
doesn't God give him 55 years?
00:23:15.06\00:23:18.56
He only gets two."
00:23:18.59\00:23:21.63
Check me out.
00:23:21.66\00:23:23.93
Is that right?
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.30
Did he get a few more than that?
00:23:25.33\00:23:28.37
I'm turning in my
Bible, this time to 2 Kings.
00:23:28.40\00:23:32.61
That's the parallel account
that we've been looking at in
00:23:32.64\00:23:34.98
2 Chronicles so I'm turning to
2 Kings and in 2 Kings we wanna
00:23:35.01\00:23:40.48
see just how long
Amon was on the throne.
00:23:40.52\00:23:44.15
We're perplexed, especially
if we'd been living in that day,
00:23:44.19\00:23:47.69
wondering how--how God
was so patient with Manasseh.
00:23:47.72\00:23:52.16
But now here's Amon, 2
Kings chapter 21, verse 19.
00:23:52.19\00:23:56.60
It said, "He was 22 years
old when he became king and he
00:23:56.63\00:24:00.90
reigned," how long?
00:24:00.94\00:24:02.67
Two years.
00:24:02.70\00:24:04.61
"Two years in Jerusalem."
00:24:04.64\00:24:06.88
And in verse 20 of 2 Kings
chapter 21, it says, "He did
00:24:06.91\00:24:12.21
evil in the sight of the Lord as
his father Manasseh had done, so
00:24:12.25\00:24:16.22
he walked in all the ways that
his father had walked; and he
00:24:16.25\00:24:19.42
served the idols that his father
had served, and worshiped them."
00:24:19.45\00:24:27.10
God's forgiveness is abundant.
00:24:27.13\00:24:31.90
Jesus said, "Whosoever
will let him come to me," right?
00:24:31.93\00:24:37.37
He who comes to me
I'll in no wise cast out.
00:24:37.41\00:24:40.31
Come to me all you that
labor and are heavy laden,
00:24:40.34\00:24:43.41
I have rest for you."
00:24:43.45\00:24:45.25
So we have these
wonderful promises.
00:24:45.28\00:24:47.72
When we find ourselves like
Manasseh, bound with the cords
00:24:47.75\00:24:52.99
of our own sin, there is
abundant forgiveness with God.
00:24:53.02\00:24:58.33
But listen carefully.
00:24:58.36\00:25:00.13
Listen carefully.
00:25:00.16\00:25:02.20
God's mercy should
never be an excuse for sin.
00:25:02.23\00:25:07.94
You see the difference?
00:25:07.97\00:25:09.64
When we see ourselves as
sinners, there is forgiveness
00:25:09.67\00:25:12.64
with God.
00:25:12.67\00:25:13.91
But we can never say, "Oh, you
know, I'm really being tempted.
00:25:13.94\00:25:16.44
Well, I must as well just
give in 'cause God is abundant
00:25:16.48\00:25:18.58
and merciful.
00:25:18.61\00:25:20.25
You know, he's so kind, I
can just mess up and God's gonna
00:25:20.28\00:25:22.55
forgive me."
00:25:22.58\00:25:23.75
That, brothers and sisters,
is very, very dangerous ground.
00:25:23.79\00:25:28.79
Very dangerous ground.
00:25:28.82\00:25:30.96
And maybe Amon--maybe Amon
fell into that very same trap.
00:25:30.99\00:25:35.60
Listen.
00:25:35.63\00:25:36.93
How old was he
when he took the throne?
00:25:36.97\00:25:39.30
Twenty-two.
00:25:39.33\00:25:41.07
Twenty-two, think about it.
00:25:41.10\00:25:42.97
I mean, his dad
reigned for how long?
00:25:43.00\00:25:45.21
Fifty-five years.
00:25:45.24\00:25:46.74
How long do people live?
00:25:46.78\00:25:48.61
I mean, we live a--I mean,
even back then, I mean, people
00:25:48.64\00:25:50.71
don't die when they're 24.
00:25:50.75\00:25:52.51
Have a good time now, right?
00:25:52.55\00:25:54.85
You're young.
00:25:54.88\00:25:56.12
By the way, all of you, whether
you're sitting here or whether
00:25:56.15\00:25:59.12
you're viewing, you are
much younger right now than
00:25:59.15\00:26:02.86
you'll ever be.
00:26:02.89\00:26:04.96
Now, some of you are saying,
"Not much younger than I'll ever
00:26:04.99\00:26:07.36
be because, you
know, in a few minutes
00:26:07.40\00:26:09.16
I'm just a few minutes older."
00:26:09.20\00:26:11.13
But we're never
gonna get any younger.
00:26:11.17\00:26:13.64
And we can all tell ourselves
that we have a whole bunch more
00:26:13.67\00:26:16.00
time ahead of us.
00:26:16.04\00:26:17.34
So I don't know if
that was Amon's problem.
00:26:17.37\00:26:19.17
If he felt he could just
have a good time like the world
00:26:19.21\00:26:21.84
promises a good time.
00:26:21.88\00:26:23.51
But it turns out, 2 years
into his reign, some of his own
00:26:23.55\00:26:27.68
servants kill him.
00:26:27.72\00:26:29.32
Kill him.
00:26:29.35\00:26:31.05
He's done.
00:26:31.09\00:26:32.82
It's over.
00:26:32.85\00:26:37.49
That's the
context for 2 Kings 22.
00:26:37.53\00:26:40.73
2 Kings 22, verse 1, says,
"Josiah was 8 years old when
00:26:40.76\00:26:47.27
he became king and he
reigned 31 years in Jerusalem."
00:26:47.30\00:26:53.88
Now as all this is going on and
we're struggling about why God
00:26:53.91\00:26:58.11
acts the way he does or why
he doesn't act when we think he
00:26:58.15\00:27:01.65
should, someone else who
was a contemporary of Josiah was
00:27:01.68\00:27:06.25
struggling with
the very same thing.
00:27:06.29\00:27:08.36
And he's brought to
light in Monday's lesson.
00:27:08.39\00:27:10.99
This is the prophet Habakkuk.
00:27:11.03\00:27:13.19
So if you turn in your Bibles
to that small little book toward
00:27:13.23\00:27:17.77
the end of the Old Testament:
00:27:17.80\00:27:20.87
Habakkuk, a
contemporary of Josiah.
00:27:20.90\00:27:25.71
By the way, so was Zephaniah.
00:27:25.74\00:27:29.04
Zephaniah and Habakkuk,
two books that are right close
00:27:29.08\00:27:32.11
together--they're
right next to each other in
00:27:32.15\00:27:33.85
the Old Testament--are
speaking of this same era.
00:27:33.88\00:27:38.89
When Habakkuk's book opens,
it does not date the book,
00:27:38.92\00:27:42.16
but if you turn one book later
to Zephaniah, you do see that
00:27:42.19\00:27:45.99
Zephaniah's book is dated.
00:27:46.03\00:27:48.46
So just to keep you on your
toes, I've jumped quickly over
00:27:48.50\00:27:51.77
to Zephaniah chapter 1, verse 1.
00:27:51.80\00:27:54.47
Zephaniah 1, verse 1,
book right after Habakkuk.
00:27:54.50\00:27:58.94
"The Word of the Lord which came
to Zephaniah the son of Cushi,
00:27:58.97\00:28:02.94
the son of Gedaliah, the son
of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah,
00:28:02.98\00:28:07.12
in the days of Josiah the
son of Amon, king of Judah."
00:28:07.15\00:28:10.92
So these two books, Habakkuk
and Zephaniah, were written
00:28:10.95\00:28:14.82
during Josiah's reign.
00:28:14.86\00:28:17.49
And I want you to notice
how Habakkuk's book opens up.
00:28:17.53\00:28:21.30
It opens up with
this very same issue
00:28:21.33\00:28:23.70
that we've been
talking about. Listen.
00:28:23.73\00:28:25.40
Verse 2, "O Lord, how long shall
I cry, and you will not hear?"
00:28:25.43\00:28:31.37
I mean, this is the experience
of the children of Israel
00:28:31.41\00:28:34.78
largely under the
reigns of Manasseh and Amon.
00:28:34.81\00:28:38.55
The righteous were
crying and it seemed like God
00:28:38.58\00:28:41.42
had his ears plugged.
00:28:41.45\00:28:42.78
But were God's ears plugged?
00:28:42.82\00:28:45.29
Not at all, not at all.
00:28:45.32\00:28:48.69
"How long do I cry out to you,"
I'm in verse 2, "'Violence!'
00:28:48.72\00:28:54.56
And you will not save."
00:28:54.56\00:28:56.56
Verse 3 of Habakkuk 1,
"Why do you show me iniquity,
00:28:56.60\00:28:59.80
and cause me to see trouble?
00:28:59.83\00:29:01.60
For plundering and violence
are before me; there is strife;
00:29:01.64\00:29:03.91
contention arises.
00:29:03.94\00:29:05.41
Therefore the law is powerless,
and justice never goes forth.
00:29:05.44\00:29:09.68
For the wicked
surround the righteous;
00:29:09.71\00:29:11.31
therefore perverse
judgment proceeds."
00:29:11.35\00:29:14.05
This is like a summary
00:29:14.08\00:29:16.08
of Manasseh's
reign and Amon's reign.
00:29:16.12\00:29:19.99
Why isn't God doing anything?
00:29:20.02\00:29:22.49
If you read a
little further in Habakkuk,
00:29:22.52\00:29:26.29
God speaks to Habakkuk.
00:29:26.33\00:29:29.56
He says, "I haven't forgotten.
00:29:29.60\00:29:31.93
I know exactly what's
going on and I am going to
00:29:31.97\00:29:34.94
bring judgment."
00:29:34.97\00:29:36.27
He says, "I am
bringing Babylon to judge."
00:29:36.30\00:29:39.87
And when Habakkuk hears that,
Habakkuk knew about Babylon.
00:29:39.91\00:29:44.28
These were not necessarily
your nice next-door neighbors,
00:29:44.31\00:29:47.45
you understand?
00:29:47.48\00:29:48.78
The Assyrians and the
Babylonians were not, you know,
00:29:48.82\00:29:51.65
warm, kind, loving people.
00:29:51.69\00:29:53.92
They were powerful oppressors.
00:29:53.96\00:29:56.69
And then Habakkuk
changes his argument.
00:29:56.73\00:29:59.23
He says, "God, how are
you gonna allow the wicked
00:29:59.26\00:30:02.93
to oppress the righteous?"
00:30:02.96\00:30:05.53
We don't have time to study
Habakkuk's whole book but since
00:30:05.57\00:30:07.87
it was introduced in this
lesson, I've gotta share with
00:30:07.90\00:30:10.97
you two verses that crystallize
Habakkuk's experience.
00:30:11.01\00:30:14.71
In Habakkuk 2, these
words come to Habakkuk.
00:30:14.74\00:30:18.71
Words quoted often, more
than once in the New Testament.
00:30:18.75\00:30:24.29
Habakkuk 2, verse 4, "Behold the
proud, his soul is not upright
00:30:24.32\00:30:29.92
in him; but the just
shall live by his faith."
00:30:29.96\00:30:37.80
You heard that
before, haven't you?
00:30:37.83\00:30:40.44
And then the
closing words of Habakkuk.
00:30:40.47\00:30:44.04
I love the
closing words of Habakkuk.
00:30:44.07\00:30:48.14
This is Habakkuk's experience.
00:30:48.18\00:30:50.51
Now after struggling with God,
00:30:50.55\00:30:52.08
"Why don't you
act the way I want?
00:30:52.11\00:30:53.62
When I need you,
why don't you show up?
00:30:53.65\00:30:55.65
Why, when bad things
are happening, don't you--
00:30:55.68\00:30:57.79
why, why, why, why?"
00:30:57.82\00:31:00.79
Can you relate?
00:31:00.82\00:31:02.66
I mean, I've been there.
00:31:02.69\00:31:04.76
And maybe
you're there right now.
00:31:04.79\00:31:06.93
You're wondering why the person
next to you is rejoicing that
00:31:06.96\00:31:10.00
God's done something wonderful
for them this last week
00:31:10.03\00:31:12.70
and you feel what?
00:31:12.73\00:31:14.40
"Well, why hasn't
God done that for me?
00:31:14.44\00:31:17.27
Why hasn't God
done that for me?"
00:31:17.31\00:31:19.71
Here's what Habakkuk concluded
at the end of his book.
00:31:19.74\00:31:21.78
Verse 17, he's speaking
about this walk of faith that I
00:31:21.81\00:31:25.95
believe as we're studying this
lesson, God wants to deepen in
00:31:25.98\00:31:30.35
us our faith walk.
00:31:30.39\00:31:35.42
Habakkuk 3 beginning with verse
17, "Though the fig tree may not
00:31:35.46\00:31:39.96
blossom, nor
fruit be on the vines."
00:31:40.00\00:31:42.93
Now remember, there's an
agricultural context, okay?
00:31:42.96\00:31:46.27
It's an agricultural society.
00:31:46.30\00:31:49.10
Fig trees, no fruit.
00:31:49.14\00:31:52.11
No fruit on the vines.
00:31:52.14\00:31:53.61
"The labor of the olive may
fail, the fields yield no food;
00:31:53.64\00:31:58.58
though the flock may be cut
off from the fold, and there be
00:31:58.61\00:32:02.25
no herd in the stalls--" I mean
this is total economic failure.
00:32:02.28\00:32:06.99
I don't know how you
wanna contemporize this but you
00:32:07.02\00:32:09.99
could say, all the, you
know, oil resource are gone.
00:32:10.03\00:32:13.33
None of the cars are running.
00:32:13.36\00:32:15.00
All of our
industry has shut own.
00:32:15.03\00:32:17.07
All of the service
sector has been wiped out.
00:32:17.10\00:32:19.63
All the banks have folded.
00:32:19.67\00:32:21.10
I mean, this is what
he's talking about and what is
00:32:21.14\00:32:22.97
Habakkuk gonna
say in this context?
00:32:23.00\00:32:26.34
Verse 18, "Yet I
will rejoice in the Lord,
00:32:26.37\00:32:31.58
I will joy in the
God of my salvation."
00:32:31.61\00:32:35.42
What is he rejoicing in?
00:32:35.45\00:32:38.22
He's rejoicing in who God is.
00:32:38.25\00:32:41.29
So we struggle because we
see things around us, we can't
00:32:41.32\00:32:44.03
explain it but Habakkuk's saying
when God pulls back the curtain,
00:32:44.06\00:32:48.23
even though it seems
to sometimes bring up more
00:32:48.26\00:32:50.20
questions than it
answers, he's asking us to share
00:32:50.23\00:32:53.87
that experience.
00:32:53.90\00:32:55.40
I don't understand what's
happening in my life, Lord.
00:32:55.44\00:32:57.64
I don't know why this is
happening but I'm gonna trust
00:32:57.67\00:33:00.08
in the God of what?
00:33:00.11\00:33:01.81
My salvation.
00:33:01.84\00:33:03.78
God is your Savior.
00:33:03.81\00:33:05.45
God has given
everything for you in his Son.
00:33:05.48\00:33:07.95
How can we question?
00:33:07.98\00:33:09.82
It's what Paul said, "How
can we question what's happening
00:33:09.85\00:33:12.25
when we see what
God has done for us?"
00:33:12.29\00:33:14.79
Well, that's the background
of Josiah's ministry and, maybe
00:33:14.82\00:33:18.93
before we go there, I should
just to make this a little bit
00:33:18.96\00:33:21.76
more--this lesson story is
really on the edge, I think.
00:33:21.80\00:33:26.17
Do any of you know--did any
of you catch in 2 Chronicles 33,
00:33:26.20\00:33:30.51
how old Manasseh was
when he began to reign?
00:33:30.54\00:33:35.88
Did any of you catch that?
00:33:35.91\00:33:37.48
How old was he?
00:33:37.51\00:33:39.41
He was 12.
00:33:39.45\00:33:41.75
This is an extremely important
detail that many casual
00:33:41.78\00:33:46.86
Bible readers miss.
00:33:46.89\00:33:48.69
Turn to 2 Kings chapter 20.
00:33:48.72\00:33:51.63
2 Kings chapter 20.
00:33:51.66\00:33:57.37
I think the Bible wants
to make us uncomfortable
00:33:57.40\00:34:03.47
with our own supposed wisdom.
00:34:03.51\00:34:06.81
We think we know just how things
should happen but it's not
00:34:06.84\00:34:10.91
that way at all.
00:34:10.95\00:34:12.98
2 Kings chapter 20 is
the story of King Hezekiah
00:34:13.01\00:34:19.75
on his death bed.
00:34:19.79\00:34:22.49
In 2 Kings 20, verse 1, Isaiah
is given a message from God
00:34:22.52\00:34:29.53
to Hezekiah.
00:34:29.56\00:34:30.93
By the way, good king Hezekiah.
00:34:30.97\00:34:33.44
"Set your house in order, for
you shall die, and not live."
00:34:33.47\00:34:38.61
And what does Hezekiah do?
00:34:38.64\00:34:43.24
He weeps, he
mourns, he beseeches God.
00:34:43.28\00:34:46.28
And what does God do?
00:34:46.31\00:34:49.45
Look at verse 6, "I will
add to your days 15 years."
00:34:49.48\00:34:57.13
How many of you know
whose son Manasseh was?
00:34:57.16\00:35:05.20
Who was Manasseh's father?
00:35:05.23\00:35:07.47
It was Hezekiah.
00:35:07.50\00:35:09.87
How old was Manasseh
when he began to reign?
00:35:09.90\00:35:13.17
He was 12.
00:35:13.21\00:35:15.74
How many of you
are doing the math?
00:35:15.78\00:35:17.98
If Hezekiah had died when God
said it was time for him to die,
00:35:18.01\00:35:25.52
there would have
been no Manasseh.
00:35:25.55\00:35:29.16
There would have
been no Manasseh.
00:35:29.19\00:35:32.89
Wow, just for the
faith of Hezekiah.
00:35:32.93\00:35:35.30
You know, if someone's
just on their death bed
00:35:35.33\00:35:37.87
and we could pray and
they'd just be raised up.
00:35:37.90\00:35:39.50
Praise the Lord for
people like Hezekiah?
00:35:39.53\00:35:46.54
It's starting to feel
a little uncomfortable.
00:35:46.57\00:35:49.61
I mean, we know what
God's supposed to do, right,
00:35:49.64\00:35:51.68
when we pray for healing.
00:35:51.71\00:35:53.45
I was reminded of this
just a week or two ago.
00:35:53.48\00:35:56.05
One of the people that I work
with came up to me and I don't
00:35:56.08\00:36:01.99
make a special attempt to pray
in public but I'm often praying
00:36:02.02\00:36:07.86
with my patients.
00:36:07.86\00:36:09.70
And one of the
workers came up to me.
00:36:09.73\00:36:11.50
I was somewhat surprised.
She said, "Dr. DeRose,
00:36:11.53\00:36:13.50
would you pray for
one of my family members?"
00:36:13.54\00:36:15.97
And I said, "Well, what's going
on with your family member?"
00:36:16.00\00:36:20.88
And as I listened to the
story, it was a family member,
00:36:20.91\00:36:23.88
a young child who
had a congenital problem
00:36:23.91\00:36:28.18
so they were born with this.
00:36:28.22\00:36:30.15
And as I listened to the story,
you know, I'm thinking, "Well,
00:36:30.19\00:36:33.42
this is--I mean, the only
way something like this could be
00:36:33.46\00:36:37.06
helped is by a
miracle for sure."
00:36:37.09\00:36:40.46
So what do you pray
in a situation like that?
00:36:40.50\00:36:44.50
And I'd been in this situation
many times and there's two
00:36:44.53\00:36:47.37
things that I think
we have to wrestle with.
00:36:47.40\00:36:50.81
One is: Could God heal something
that humans cannot heal?
00:36:50.84\00:36:55.64
Is that possible? No question.
00:36:55.68\00:36:57.95
We just had the
story of Hezekiah.
00:36:57.98\00:36:59.75
That's a good example.
00:36:59.78\00:37:02.05
But at the same time, does
God want us to dictate to him
00:37:02.08\00:37:06.96
what should happen?
00:37:06.99\00:37:09.39
You remember Jesus' attitude.
00:37:09.42\00:37:12.43
Jesus, basically, had the same
revelation that Hezekiah had.
00:37:12.46\00:37:16.50
Are you aware of that?
00:37:16.53\00:37:18.00
Jesus, as he was approaching
the cross, knew that his hour
00:37:18.03\00:37:22.74
had come to die.
00:37:22.77\00:37:25.07
Same message that Hezekiah had.
00:37:25.11\00:37:27.21
And Jesus, did he
struggle with that?
00:37:27.24\00:37:29.88
Did he weep over it?
00:37:29.91\00:37:31.55
Now, he wasn't just
dealing with human death.
00:37:31.58\00:37:33.55
He was bearing the sins
of the whole world, okay?
00:37:33.58\00:37:35.65
There's no comparison
between Jesus and Hezekiah.
00:37:35.68\00:37:38.82
But Jesus in the Garden of
Gethsemane is wrestling with his
00:37:38.85\00:37:42.02
fate and what does he pray?
00:37:42.06\00:37:45.43
"Not my will but yours be done."
00:37:45.46\00:37:47.96
He says, "Lord,
remove this cup from me."
00:37:48.00\00:37:50.03
That's his desire, that's
his heart desire but he says,
00:37:50.07\00:37:52.17
"But not my will but
your will be done," right?
00:37:52.20\00:37:55.27
Does Hezekiah pray that prayer?
00:37:55.30\00:37:58.91
God in his mercy
answers Hezekiah's prayer
00:37:58.94\00:38:05.75
the way he prayed it.
00:38:05.78\00:38:08.82
And in eternity I wonder
what Hezekiah is going to say
00:38:08.85\00:38:12.55
about that prayer?
00:38:12.59\00:38:15.16
I mean, these
are sobering stories.
00:38:15.19\00:38:18.33
God's not answering your prayer.
00:38:18.36\00:38:20.73
Well, maybe we
should praise the Lord.
00:38:20.76\00:38:23.26
God's not answering my prayer?
00:38:23.30\00:38:25.13
Well, maybe I should
be praising the Lord.
00:38:25.17\00:38:26.87
Even if I'm tempted to say,
"Why aren't you acting, God?"
00:38:26.90\00:38:30.41
Are you following along with me?
00:38:30.44\00:38:34.61
Well, now comes Josiah.
00:38:34.64\00:38:37.81
You say, "Dr. DeRose,
00:38:37.85\00:38:39.78
we've been--you've been
looking at so much background
00:38:39.81\00:38:41.72
and the focus is on
the great king Josiah."
00:38:41.75\00:38:44.92
Well, we're there.
00:38:44.95\00:38:47.86
He's 8 years old when he begins
to reign and who was his dad?
00:38:47.89\00:38:51.16
Amon.
00:38:51.19\00:38:53.56
Wicked Amon.
00:38:53.60\00:38:55.13
I mean, 8 years old.
00:38:55.16\00:38:57.00
I mean, what kind of
hope is there for this guy?
00:38:57.03\00:38:59.63
You say, "But wait.
00:38:59.67\00:39:01.07
Think about it.
Let's do the math.
00:39:01.10\00:39:02.97
You know, Amon
didn't reign all that long.
00:39:03.00\00:39:04.77
Manasseh in his
last years was converted.
00:39:04.81\00:39:06.68
Maybe, maybe Josiah came
under the good influence of
00:39:06.71\00:39:10.48
his grandfather
Manasseh after he repented."
00:39:10.51\00:39:13.72
Is that possible?
00:39:13.75\00:39:15.35
Well, before you think that
influence was all that great,
00:39:15.38\00:39:19.29
no really.
00:39:19.32\00:39:21.36
I'm in 2 Kings.
00:39:21.39\00:39:23.59
We're gonna talk about the great
reforms of Josiah shortly but
00:39:23.63\00:39:28.73
look at 2 Kings 23.
00:39:28.76\00:39:30.63
I just want to give you a
picture of what took place
00:39:30.67\00:39:34.30
18 years after Josiah
had ascended to the throne.
00:39:34.34\00:39:39.61
That's where we're jumping
in 2 Kings chapter 23, if you're
00:39:39.64\00:39:42.24
following the chronology.
00:39:42.28\00:39:44.15
So he's 26 now during
this great time of reform.
00:39:44.18\00:39:47.42
And listen what
he does in verse 12.
00:39:47.45\00:39:51.55
He's cleaning out the
Holy Land, if you will,
00:39:51.59\00:39:55.39
not just Judah and Benjamin.
00:39:55.42\00:39:57.63
Verse 12, "The altars that
were on the roof," speaking of
00:39:57.66\00:40:01.90
the holy places
there in Jerusalem.
00:40:01.93\00:40:06.50
He cleans those up and it says
in verse 12, "The altars which
00:40:06.53\00:40:10.37
Manasseh had made in the two
courts of the house of the Lord,
00:40:10.41\00:40:15.58
the king," breaks those down.
00:40:15.61\00:40:17.68
Do you understand
when this is happening?
00:40:17.71\00:40:20.28
This is happening 18
years into Josiah's reign.
00:40:20.32\00:40:24.75
There are still idols
that Manasseh still had in
00:40:24.79\00:40:28.06
the temple, okay?
00:40:28.09\00:40:30.53
You say, "This is all messed up.
00:40:30.56\00:40:33.29
How can someone repent
and still have their idols up?
00:40:33.33\00:40:35.70
I mean, how could that happen?"
00:40:35.73\00:40:37.53
If you want an interesting
study, read about the good kings
00:40:37.57\00:40:40.17
of Israel.
00:40:40.20\00:40:41.80
And a number of the good kings,
after the chronicler describes
00:40:41.84\00:40:46.24
how good the king was, it says,
00:40:46.27\00:40:48.54
"But the high
places were not removed."
00:40:48.58\00:40:51.51
How could that happen?
00:40:51.55\00:40:53.82
Wait!
00:40:53.85\00:40:55.18
Wait a minute.
00:40:55.22\00:40:56.65
That religious leader
has idols in the house?
00:40:56.69\00:41:01.42
We have nothing to do with 'em.
00:41:01.46\00:41:03.39
They're not
following God, right?
00:41:03.43\00:41:04.89
Idols?
00:41:04.93\00:41:06.29
Sound bite mentality, right?
00:41:06.33\00:41:08.96
You look at one thing,
you find something wrong.
00:41:09.00\00:41:11.37
I know that person's
bad, this person's good.
00:41:11.40\00:41:13.77
Until you realize
that they sometimes made
00:41:13.80\00:41:15.80
some mistakes too.
00:41:15.84\00:41:17.74
Maybe even some
that affected you.
00:41:17.77\00:41:19.87
I would like to suggest to you
what we're reading about here is
00:41:19.91\00:41:23.75
something that is not--you know,
00:41:23.78\00:41:27.08
some people
have put it this way.
00:41:27.12\00:41:29.35
I know I'm interrupting myself
in mid-sentence but we don't
00:41:29.38\00:41:34.59
have our children
meeting with us typically in
00:41:34.62\00:41:38.19
the adult class here.
00:41:38.23\00:41:40.06
Now I know there are some people
younger in years but some of you
00:41:40.10\00:41:42.90
may say, "It's a good thing.
00:41:42.93\00:41:44.97
We're glad you're not teaching,
you know, our young children,
00:41:45.00\00:41:47.44
Dr. DeRose, because this
would be very unsettling."
00:41:47.47\00:41:50.81
You know, we try to
sanitize all the Bible stories.
00:41:50.84\00:41:54.34
But I'm not sure we're doing
anyone a favor by doing that,
00:41:54.38\00:41:57.38
okay?
00:41:57.41\00:41:58.71
God wants to build
resiliency in his people.
00:41:58.75\00:42:01.95
He wants us to have that faith
that Habakkuk had so we can
00:42:01.98\00:42:05.45
rejoice in God in the
midst of difficulties.
00:42:05.49\00:42:08.79
Well, let's go to Josiah and
look at him a little bit more
00:42:08.82\00:42:11.66
because he is the
focal point of our lesson.
00:42:11.69\00:42:14.73
So I'm going back
to 2 Kings chapter 22.
00:42:14.76\00:42:17.97
This 8-year-old
boy begins to reign.
00:42:18.00\00:42:20.97
And in verse 2 of 2 Kings
chapter 22, it says, "He did
00:42:21.00\00:42:26.68
what was right in the sight
of the Lord and walked in all
00:42:26.71\00:42:29.41
the ways of his father David.
00:42:29.44\00:42:31.45
He did not turn aside to
the right hand or to the left."
00:42:31.48\00:42:35.32
Now this is the kind of man
we want on the throne, right?
00:42:35.35\00:42:38.22
Amazing things happen.
00:42:38.25\00:42:41.29
There's more details in
Chronicles but in 2 Kings,
00:42:41.32\00:42:45.89
things jump right into his
18th year, so when he's 26.
00:42:45.93\00:42:52.00
And of some of the reforms
that happen in the temple.
00:42:52.03\00:42:55.20
And maybe we will just
jump right there because
00:42:55.24\00:43:00.08
some amazing things happen.
00:43:00.11\00:43:02.21
The temple has been desecrated
by a series of rulers and Josiah
00:43:02.24\00:43:08.88
begins to commission work to be
done on the house of the Lord.
00:43:08.92\00:43:13.09
By the way, he's
still a young man.
00:43:13.12\00:43:16.73
And if you read the account
in 2 Chronicles, you'll see his
00:43:16.76\00:43:21.26
conversion, really heartfelt,
you know, powerful focus
00:43:21.30\00:43:26.84
on doing right was surely
in place by the time he was 16.
00:43:26.87\00:43:31.31
But here in verse 8, we
read about an amazing thing
00:43:31.34\00:43:36.14
that happens.
00:43:36.18\00:43:38.01
Hilkiah the high priest, as
they're cleaning out the temple,
00:43:38.05\00:43:41.88
says to Shaphan the scribe--I'm
in 2 Kings 22, verse 8, "'I have
00:43:41.92\00:43:46.49
found the Book of the Law
in the house of the Lord.'
00:43:46.52\00:43:50.33
And Hilkiah gave the book
to Shaphan, and he read it.
00:43:50.36\00:43:54.00
So Shaphan the scribe went
to the king, bringing the king
00:43:54.00\00:43:58.03
word, saying, 'Your servants
have gathered the money that was
00:43:58.07\00:44:01.07
found in the house,'" et cetera,
et cetera, but in verse 10,
00:44:01.10\00:44:04.24
after he gives, you know,
the preliminaries, "We're doing
00:44:04.27\00:44:06.24
just what you told us to
do," he says, "But," verse 10,
00:44:06.27\00:44:08.81
"we have found a book.
00:44:08.84\00:44:12.65
And Shaphan reads
it before the king."
00:44:12.68\00:44:15.62
Verse 11, "Now it happened,
when the king heard the words of
00:44:15.65\00:44:20.76
the Book of the Law,
that he tore his clothes."
00:44:20.79\00:44:25.59
There's a lot of discussion
among commentators about what
00:44:25.63\00:44:28.26
just that Book of the Law was.
00:44:28.30\00:44:30.10
Sometimes that term Book of the
Law or Books of the Law could
00:44:30.13\00:44:32.83
refer to all the books of Moses.
00:44:32.87\00:44:37.51
It clearly contextually
refers at least to the Book of
00:44:37.54\00:44:41.21
Deuteronomy, at least.
00:44:41.24\00:44:42.68
Many commentators believe it was
just the Book of Deuteronomy.
00:44:42.71\00:44:45.95
And I tend to think that's the
most compelling argument because
00:44:45.98\00:44:50.22
you'll see that multiple
times this book is read.
00:44:50.25\00:44:53.12
I don't get the sense as there's
public readings of this book and
00:44:53.15\00:44:56.49
it's read before king Josiah
that it was likely the entire
00:44:56.52\00:45:01.20
five books of
Moses but you could say,
00:45:01.23\00:45:04.20
"That's just
conjecture, Dr. DeRose.
00:45:04.23\00:45:05.70
You're welcome to
your own opinion."
00:45:05.73\00:45:07.54
Well, that is true.
00:45:07.57\00:45:09.17
So I can't make an
ironclad case for it.
00:45:09.20\00:45:11.74
But we know based on what
happens that at least part of
00:45:11.77\00:45:15.34
what's being called
into focus is Deuteronomy.
00:45:15.38\00:45:18.21
Turn there in Deuteronomy just
quickly to get a feel for what
00:45:18.25\00:45:21.05
likely was so impressive
on the mind of Josiah.
00:45:21.08\00:45:26.45
Because Deuteronomy spells
out some very profound blessings
00:45:26.49\00:45:31.63
and curses.
00:45:31.66\00:45:33.96
Blessings and curses.
00:45:34.00\00:45:35.56
Maybe a good place to
pick this up is Deuteronomy 27.
00:45:35.60\00:45:39.67
Deuteronomy 27.
00:45:39.70\00:45:44.04
There were two mountains
that faced each other in
00:45:44.07\00:45:46.47
the Holy Land: Mount
Gerizim and Mount Ebal.
00:45:46.51\00:45:49.51
Six of the tribes were on
one mount, six on the other, and
00:45:49.54\00:45:52.35
they were to,
what do we call it?
00:45:52.38\00:45:55.18
Antiphonally, you know, speaking
back and forth, read these
00:45:55.22\00:45:59.62
blessings and these curses.
00:45:59.65\00:46:01.62
It was to be an
enacted parable, if you will.
00:46:01.66\00:46:04.23
And so the blessings are spoken
from one mount and the curses
00:46:04.26\00:46:08.43
from the other and
listen to some of the curses in
00:46:08.46\00:46:10.27
Deuteronomy 27,
what the curse comes on.
00:46:10.30\00:46:15.07
Verse 16 of Deuteronomy 27,
"'Cursed is the one who treats
00:46:15.10\00:46:19.44
his father or his
mother with contempt.'
00:46:19.47\00:46:22.41
And all the
people shall say, 'Amen!'
00:46:22.44\00:46:24.85
'Cursed is the one who
moves his neighbor's landmark.'
00:46:24.88\00:46:28.08
And all the
people shall say, 'Amen!'
00:46:28.12\00:46:30.65
'Cursed is the one who makes the
blind to wander off the road.'"
00:46:30.69\00:46:34.42
You're getting the picture here.
00:46:34.46\00:46:35.99
It's speaking
about family injustices.
00:46:36.02\00:46:39.63
It's speaking
about social injustices.
00:46:39.66\00:46:42.03
Just the kind of things
that Habakkuk and Zephaniah
00:46:42.06\00:46:45.43
were mourning over.
00:46:45.47\00:46:47.07
Just the kind of
things that were happening.
00:46:47.10\00:46:49.00
And so Josiah reads this.
00:46:49.04\00:46:50.91
It's being read to him.
00:46:50.94\00:46:53.01
And he hears what actually is a
judgment on all that his people
00:46:53.04\00:46:58.81
have been doing.
00:46:58.85\00:47:00.62
Even though he had started
reforms, those reforms really
00:47:00.65\00:47:04.65
don't get the full head of steam
that they needed until the 18th
00:47:04.69\00:47:09.32
year of his reign when he's
26 and he hears these words of
00:47:09.36\00:47:13.66
the Book of Deuteronomy.
00:47:13.70\00:47:14.96
Think about it.
This guy's just a kid.
00:47:15.00\00:47:17.53
I mean, would we let a
26-year-old be president of
00:47:17.57\00:47:21.10
the United States?
00:47:21.14\00:47:22.87
No,
constitutionally they cannot.
00:47:22.90\00:47:25.44
I mean, he's 8 years old.
00:47:25.47\00:47:28.11
He's on the throne.
00:47:28.14\00:47:30.51
I mean, what does
this little kid know?
00:47:30.55\00:47:32.15
Sixteen, turning to
God with all his heart.
00:47:32.18\00:47:34.65
He's nobody.
00:47:34.68\00:47:38.49
We're not done with the plot
in 2 Kings so back to 2 Kings.
00:47:38.52\00:47:44.09
Because there's more that should
make us a bit uncomfortable.
00:47:44.13\00:47:49.83
And by the way, the more
uncomfortable we get, maybe I
00:47:49.86\00:47:53.54
should just remind ourselves.
00:47:53.57\00:47:56.27
If you've been studying through
this lesson, we're gonna come
00:47:56.30\00:47:59.24
back to 2 Kings
in just a moment.
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.91
Turn to Jeremiah, that's
really the focus of this whole
00:48:01.94\00:48:04.91
quarter and you say, "Well,
there's not much from Jeremiah
00:48:04.95\00:48:07.02
in this lesson."
00:48:07.05\00:48:09.38
Some of you are perplexed.
00:48:09.42\00:48:11.85
You're scratching your head.
00:48:11.89\00:48:13.32
"How is this studying Jeremiah?"
00:48:13.36\00:48:14.99
The lesson, if you've noticed,
as we look at the great themes
00:48:15.02\00:48:17.16
of Jeremiah, it bounces between
historical things happening and
00:48:17.19\00:48:20.90
statements in
the Book of Jeremiah.
00:48:20.93\00:48:23.73
I am going to Jeremiah 9.
00:48:23.77\00:48:25.27
By the way, this was the
key text in last week's lesson.
00:48:25.30\00:48:28.90
But I would suggest to you that
what we're reading this week is
00:48:28.94\00:48:32.24
about an illustration of what
Jeremiah has early in his book.
00:48:32.27\00:48:36.18
Jeremiah chapter 9
beginning with verse 23.
00:48:36.21\00:48:42.08
Jeremiah 9, verse 23, "'Let
not the wise man glory in his
00:48:42.12\00:48:47.72
wisdom, let not the mighty man
glory in his might, let not the
00:48:47.76\00:48:53.73
rich man glory in his riches;
but let him who glories glory in
00:48:53.76\00:48:59.13
this, that he understands and
knows me, that I am the Lord,
00:48:59.17\00:49:04.41
exercising loving kindness,
judgment, and righteousness
00:49:04.44\00:49:08.58
in the earth.
00:49:08.61\00:49:09.94
For in these I
delight,' says the Lord."
00:49:09.98\00:49:13.25
I would suggest to you as we're
going through this history in
00:49:13.28\00:49:17.15
the time of Jeremiah and,
by the way, Jeremiah began
00:49:17.19\00:49:22.32
his prophetic ministry in
the 13th year of Josiah's reign.
00:49:22.36\00:49:29.50
You can see it
right there in Jeremiah 1.
00:49:29.53\00:49:33.23
So he's active in ministry.
00:49:33.27\00:49:36.54
Habakkuk in ministry,
Zephaniah in ministry.
00:49:36.57\00:49:40.51
They're speaking--canonical
prophets speaking to God's
00:49:40.54\00:49:44.01
people and reminding us
where should our trust be?
00:49:44.05\00:49:50.25
"I know how it should happen.
00:49:50.29\00:49:52.65
Don't you?
00:49:52.69\00:49:53.76
I know how God should act."
00:49:53.79\00:49:54.86
Whose wisdom is that?
00:49:54.89\00:49:56.66
That's my wisdom.
00:49:56.69\00:49:58.69
Listen, I've got the power now.
00:49:58.73\00:50:00.46
I can take care of things.
00:50:00.50\00:50:01.83
I'm gonna set everything
right 'cause I--they've given me
00:50:01.86\00:50:03.83
this vote of
confidence in the church.
00:50:03.87\00:50:05.40
By the way, I don't have any
formal position in this church,
00:50:05.43\00:50:07.64
if you were worried.
00:50:07.67\00:50:09.20
But, you know,
people have said that.
00:50:09.24\00:50:10.87
They're in a leadership position
now we're gonna do things.
00:50:10.91\00:50:13.04
By the way, there are other
people telling you, once they
00:50:13.07\00:50:15.44
get a leadership
position, all that they'll do.
00:50:15.48\00:50:17.31
You understand.
00:50:17.35\00:50:18.78
But it's not
might, it's not power.
00:50:18.81\00:50:21.18
It's not wisdom.
00:50:21.22\00:50:22.95
What is it that God values?
00:50:22.98\00:50:25.55
It's a humble dependence on God.
00:50:25.59\00:50:31.63
Josiah has that spirit and,
as he reads this, another part
00:50:31.66\00:50:38.57
of the story in 2 Kings
that challenges us is who Josiah
00:50:38.60\00:50:45.37
calls on to see if God's
judgments might be averted.
00:50:45.41\00:50:51.11
Remember, we've already seen
Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah,
00:50:51.15\00:50:56.28
prophesying during this time.
00:50:56.32\00:50:57.95
Who does Josiah call on?
00:50:57.99\00:51:00.66
Who do the leading men of
the kingdom call on to see
00:51:00.69\00:51:03.53
if judgment can be averted?
00:51:03.56\00:51:05.39
They call on
Huldah the prophetess.
00:51:05.43\00:51:09.90
Very interesting, isn't it?
00:51:09.93\00:51:12.23
Huldah, a prophetess.
00:51:12.27\00:51:15.94
By the way, some of you are
concerned about how women are
00:51:15.97\00:51:20.24
treated in our society still,
00:51:20.28\00:51:22.68
in spite of the
progress that's been made
00:51:22.71\00:51:24.21
over the last century.
00:51:24.25\00:51:25.95
And I can empathize with you.
00:51:25.98\00:51:29.65
There are still
things that aren't right.
00:51:29.68\00:51:32.69
But women in that culture were
not regarded very highly at all.
00:51:32.72\00:51:38.49
And so the prophetic message
that spurs Josiah's reform
00:51:38.53\00:51:44.90
comes through Huldah.
00:51:44.93\00:51:46.77
And what does Josiah do?
00:51:46.80\00:51:48.77
God says it's too
far--things are too far gone.
00:51:48.80\00:51:52.04
Babylon's still gonna conquer.
00:51:52.07\00:51:54.74
But I'm gonna
be merciful to you.
00:51:54.78\00:51:58.05
And when Josiah hears
that, actually that's what's not
00:51:58.08\00:52:02.45
mentioned between Wednesday
and Thursday's lesson, when it's
00:52:02.48\00:52:07.26
speaking about this,
there is a quote from the book,
00:52:07.29\00:52:10.39
"Prophets and Kings," at
the bottom of Wednesday's lesson
00:52:10.43\00:52:12.83
and another quote at the
top of Thursday's lesson.
00:52:12.86\00:52:15.30
What it doesn't mention
is between those two quotes,
00:52:15.33\00:52:18.57
is the statement in 2 Kings
22, verses 19 and 20 where God,
00:52:18.60\00:52:23.64
through Huldah, says he's
gonna be merciful to Josiah.
00:52:23.67\00:52:27.31
And when Josiah hears that, he
says, "Yes, God's judgments may
00:52:27.34\00:52:29.78
not be averted but God is gonna
be merciful when we try to act
00:52:29.81\00:52:33.82
in harmony with him."
00:52:33.85\00:52:35.32
And so he causes this
great reform to be enacted.
00:52:35.35\00:52:38.99
And it brings us back to the
very beginnings of the fall of
00:52:39.02\00:52:43.09
the northern kingdoms.
00:52:43.12\00:52:44.93
You remember, king Rehoboam
in 1 Kings 13 put up idolatrous
00:52:44.96\00:52:49.06
altars in Bethel and a man
of God came and said, "Josiah is
00:52:49.10\00:52:54.07
gonna pull down this altar and
he's gonna burn bones on this
00:52:54.10\00:52:57.04
altar," hundreds of
years before it happened.
00:52:57.07\00:52:59.87
And who shows up on the scene
00:52:59.91\00:53:01.61
and in the 18th
year of his reign?
00:53:01.64\00:53:03.51
You read about it
there in 2 Kings 22.
00:53:03.55\00:53:06.48
Josiah pulls that altar
down that who had erected?
00:53:06.51\00:53:11.12
Jeroboam, king
Jeroboam of the northern tribes.
00:53:11.15\00:53:15.66
You say, "Well, you're
just whizzing through all this.
00:53:15.69\00:53:17.59
How can we get all that?"
00:53:17.63\00:53:19.13
That's why the
Bible is such a deep well.
00:53:19.16\00:53:21.30
But you know how
Josiah's life ends?
00:53:21.33\00:53:24.17
Let's look at it.
00:53:24.20\00:53:25.47
2 Chronicles 34, he does
all these tremendous reforms.
00:53:25.50\00:53:29.74
God's people are
again given hope.
00:53:29.77\00:53:34.51
Josiah has a great
Passover in 2 Chronicles 35.
00:53:34.54\00:53:38.91
But Josiah dies at the
end of 2 Chronicles 35.
00:53:38.95\00:53:45.15
The king of Egypt, Pharaoh
Necho, is on his way to do
00:53:45.19\00:53:50.93
battle with the Babylonians.
00:53:50.96\00:53:53.36
He's apparently in league
with the Assyrians whose kingdom
00:53:53.40\00:53:56.10
is waning.
00:53:56.13\00:53:57.33
And the pharaoh tells Josiah
in verse 21 of 2 Chronicles 35,
00:53:57.37\00:54:04.94
that God has given him
a message, telling Josiah
00:54:04.97\00:54:09.11
not to mess with him.
00:54:09.14\00:54:10.95
Oh, c'mon.
00:54:10.98\00:54:12.31
Josiah, God's been
leading him all his life.
00:54:12.35\00:54:14.28
And now this heathen king is
saying God gave him a message
00:54:14.32\00:54:16.52
for him? C'mon, right.
00:54:16.55\00:54:18.25
Josiah goes out to battle.
00:54:18.29\00:54:20.16
What happens?"
00:54:20.19\00:54:21.76
He's killed.
00:54:21.79\00:54:24.39
Let not the wise
man boast in his wisdom.
00:54:24.43\00:54:28.10
Let not the rich
man boast in his riches.
00:54:28.13\00:54:31.67
Let not the mighty
man boast in his might.
00:54:31.70\00:54:34.10
But what shall we boast in?
00:54:34.14\00:54:36.10
That there's a
God on his throne.
00:54:36.14\00:54:39.27
That's what
Josiah's reform tells me.
00:54:39.31\00:54:42.11
When we harmonize with
that God, we're blessed.
00:54:42.14\00:54:45.78
When we trust in
our own judgment,
00:54:45.81\00:54:48.35
it's a different story.
00:54:48.38\00:54:50.59
If you didn't catch it when
we began, free offer number 780,
00:54:50.62\00:54:54.89
"12 Steps to Revival."
00:54:54.92\00:54:56.89
You want more about what Josiah
did, the essence is right here.
00:54:56.93\00:54:59.79
Offer 780...
00:54:59.83\00:55:05.83
Let's pray together.
00:55:05.87\00:55:08.94
Father in heaven, thank
you for your mighty word,
00:55:08.97\00:55:12.54
for your mighty power.
00:55:12.57\00:55:14.14
May we trust you and follow
you all the days of our lives
00:55:14.18\00:55:18.68
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:55:18.71\00:55:20.98
[music]
00:55:21.45\00:55:29.09
[music]
00:55:31.33\00:55:34.60
Doug Batchelor: Hi, friends,
this is Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:55:34.63\00:55:37.30
Would you like to
hear an amazing fact?
00:55:37.33\00:55:38.97
More and more of the world
is turning now to natural forms
00:55:39.00\00:55:42.00
of energy to try
and find their power.
00:55:42.04\00:55:44.61
And they're resorting to things
like the wind farm that we have
00:55:44.64\00:55:47.11
here in Jamaica at Wigton.
00:55:47.14\00:55:48.94
You know, I remember years
ago my wife and I going to visit
00:55:48.98\00:55:52.08
the Big Island of Hawaii and we
were amazed at all the potential
00:55:52.11\00:55:55.18
there for natural power.
00:55:55.22\00:55:56.95
But they weren't using it.
00:55:56.99\00:55:58.59
There at the south
part of the island,
00:55:58.62\00:56:00.49
there was volcanic activity.
00:56:00.52\00:56:02.72
You can make
geothermal power there.
00:56:02.76\00:56:05.06
If you went to Waimea, the
wind was constantly blowing.
00:56:05.09\00:56:08.30
But they had no windmills there.
00:56:08.33\00:56:10.33
If you went over to
Kona, sun always shines.
00:56:10.37\00:56:13.20
Solar electric.
00:56:13.23\00:56:14.84
But they didn't have very
much solar electric there.
00:56:14.87\00:56:17.44
And if you went to
Hilo, it was always raining.
00:56:17.47\00:56:19.74
Hydro electric.
00:56:19.77\00:56:21.38
And in spite of all that
potential for power there on the
00:56:21.41\00:56:23.91
Big Island of Hawaii, they were
powering the island back then
00:56:23.95\00:56:26.88
with dirty diesel generators.
00:56:26.92\00:56:29.62
Made me think about how we
sometimes waste the power of
00:56:29.65\00:56:32.05
God's Spirit that he's making
available to us and each of us
00:56:32.09\00:56:34.92
can have that
Spirit if we simply ask.
00:56:34.96\00:56:37.76
You can read in Zechariah
chapter 10; what do we do?
00:56:37.79\00:56:40.83
Ask of the Lord rain in the
time of the latter rain and he
00:56:40.86\00:56:43.83
will send flashing clouds.
00:56:43.87\00:56:45.80
Jesus also said in the Book
of Luke, "If you then being evil
00:56:45.83\00:56:49.54
know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more
00:56:49.57\00:56:52.71
will your Father in
heaven give the Holy Spirit
00:56:52.74\00:56:55.41
to them that ask?"
00:56:55.44\00:56:57.08
When you look in the Book of
Acts when the Holy Spirit was
00:56:57.11\00:57:00.42
poured out, it says there was a
sound of a mighty rushing wind.
00:57:00.45\00:57:04.15
And that power that launched
the church back then, can still
00:57:04.19\00:57:07.16
power your life today, friends.
00:57:07.19\00:57:08.96
So why don't you ask him?
00:57:08.99\00:57:11.63
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00:57:12.66\00:57:18.27
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