Good morning, friends.
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And welcome to
Sabbath School Study Hour
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coming to you here
from the Granite Bay
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Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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I'd like to
welcome our online members
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and also those
joining us across the country
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and around the world
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part of our study group
here every Sabbath morning.
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I'd like to welcome the
members and the visitors
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here at Granite Bay,
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delighted to see you
all here again this morning.
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We've been studying
through the Book of Romans
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for our lesson quarterly,
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and we're nearing
the end of the study.
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Today, we're on
lesson number 10,
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which is entitled
"Children of the Promise",
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that deals with Romans,
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talking a little
bit of Romans 8, 9.
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So lesson number 10
is what we'll be on,
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Children of the Promise.
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For those who are
joining us online,
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if you don't have a
copy of the lesson quarterly,
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but you'd like to
study along with us,
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you can go to the
Amazing Facts website,
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just amazingfacts.org.
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You can download a
copy of today's study,
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that's lesson number 10
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and you can study along with us.
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We do have the free offer.
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We'd also like to
let you know about,
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it is a book entitled "Can a
Saved Man Choose to Be Lost"?
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And that is our free offer.
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To receive that, call us
on our resource phone number
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866-788-3966.
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And you can ask
for offer number 112.
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If you're
outside of North America,
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just go to the
Amazing Facts website,
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amazingfacts.org.
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You can download
a copy of the book
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and you can read
it for free online.
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Well, before we
get to our study,
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we always like to start by
lifting our voices in song.
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I'd like to
invite our song leaders
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to come and join me
on stage this morning.
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What Child is
this, who, laid to rest
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On Mary's lap is sleeping?
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Whom angels greet
with anthems sweet
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While shepherds
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Watch are keeping?
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This, this is Christ the King
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Whom shepherds guard
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And angels sing
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Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
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The Babe
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The Son of Mary
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Why lies He in such mean estate
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Where ox and ass are feeding?
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Good Christian,
fear, for sinners here
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The silent Word
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Is pleading
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This, this is Christ the King
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Whom shepherds guard
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And angels sing
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Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
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The Babe
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The Son of Mary
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So bring Him incense
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Gold, and myrrh
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Come, peasant, king, to own Him
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The King of
kings salvation brings
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Let loving hearts
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Enthrone Him
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This, this is Christ the King
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Whom shepherds guard
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And angels sing
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Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
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The Babe
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The Son of Mary
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Let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
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Dear Father in heaven,
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what a privilege to be
able to get in Your house
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on the Sabbath
morning and open up Your Word
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and study this
very important book,
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The Book of Romans,
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message of
righteousness by faith.
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Father, we ask
for the Holy Spirit
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to come and draw close to us,
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got our minds, our hearts
as we study the scriptures,
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for we ask this
in Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson this morning,
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it's gonna be
brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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Happy Sabbath.
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I want to welcome
those that are here.
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We know we have some
of our folks that are gone
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because of the
oncoming Thanksgiving holiday.
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And we have some who are here
that may be visiting family,
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and we're just
glad for each of you,
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glad for our extended class
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that watches around the country,
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all over the world every week.
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And we know some of you are also
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part of the
Granite Bay church family
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via the online members,
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and we want to
welcome you as well.
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We are continuing our
study in the Book of Romans,
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one of the great masterpiece
explanations of the gospel
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that you find in scripture.
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And today we're gonna be dealing
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with one of the most
difficult passages in the Bible.
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Before I get to the lesson,
let me just share with you
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why this chapter
can be so challenging.
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Within Christianity,
there is a great divide.
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Now I'm not talking about
between Seventh-day Adventists
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and other
Protestants or Catholics.
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Among Protestants,
you have two great groups.
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You've got Calvinists,
you've got the free will group.
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You've got Calvinism,
Arminianism, and what...
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You've heard of the doctrine,
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"Once saved, always
saved and predestination."
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A lot of that
springs out of this chapter,
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some things we're
gonna be discussing.
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And so there's other
good material in here,
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but I just want
you to know that,
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even one of the sections
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in the lessons
is titled mysteries,
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because there are some
difficult passages in here.
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Our memory verse comes
to us from Romans 9:18.
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And it is, it's
at the heart and core
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of what one of
these challenges is.
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Romans 8:19, if
you have your Bibles,
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I invite you to
say it along with me.
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Are you ready?
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"Therefore has He mercy
on whom He will have mercy,
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and on whom He will He hardens."
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Now right
they're out of the gate,
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the Lord is saying, "Well, I
guess, I'll harden some hearts
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and I'll have mercy on others."
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And it almost sounds like
God is up there in the sky
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as an arbitrary Greek god
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or something that's looking
down saying, "What shall I do?
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Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
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I'll save this one, but I think
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I'm gonna harden her
heart, harden his heart."
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And, you know,
someone's got to be the fall guy
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that will betray Jesus,
I'll just call him Judas.
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And as much as he
might want to be saved,
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I need someone that's gonna
be the bad guy in the script,
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so I'm gonna harden his heart.
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Or I'm gonna
harden pharaoh's heart.
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Let me see, how shall I do this?
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I'll save you, but
you're gonna be lost, sorry.
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I'll save you,
but I need the lost.
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I got to teach a lesson,
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so I need some lost people
to help illustrate this lesson.
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This is what some people
see when they read Romans 9.
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And so with that
troubling introduction,
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let's get into it.
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Matter of fact, why don't
we start by going to Romans 9,
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and I'm just gonna
read the first few verses.
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Maybe I'll read verses 1-3,
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and then we'll
discuss some of this,
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give you a little background
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about what's
happening as we delve in here.
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Romans 9:1, "I tell the
truth in Christ, I am not lying,
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my conscience also bearing
me witness in the Holy Spirit,
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that I have great sorrow
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and continual grief in my heart.
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For I could wish that I
myself were accursed from Christ
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that my brethren, my countrymen
according to the flesh,
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who are Israelites, to
whom pertains the adoption,
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the glory of the
covenant, giving of the law,
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and the services of
God, and the promises."
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So Paul is saying...
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You know, I know it looks like
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that the promises
of God have failed.
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I'd be willing to
sacrifice my own eternal life
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that they might be saved,
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and He's making
this great sacrifice.
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You see, God had
said in the Old Testament.
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You can read
this in Exodus 19:6,
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when he called Israel.
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He said, I've called you,
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I want you to be a
kingdom of kings and priests.
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I want you to be
a nation of royalty.
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You know, typically
in the ancient kingdoms,
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they often had, the
kings and the priests
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were the leaders.
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Some were priest
kings, some were king priests.
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Anyone ever played chess
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that would be
willing to confess it?
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What's right next to
the king and the queen?
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The bishops,
they had the church.
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But even in the...
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If you go to the Egyptians
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thereby Pharaoh
were the priests.
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And they were the
ones who were tax free
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and this is in many
religions, even among the Greeks
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and among the Romans.
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You had the...
00:10:37.37\00:10:38.43
It seemed like
the religious leaders,
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the political leaders
knew they needed the support
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of the religious leaders,
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that's why America was
such an unusual experiment.
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Here you had a
country without a king,
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and a religion
without priests and popes
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that were running things.
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And so God wanted them to be
a nation of kings and priests,
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and now he's writing,
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and they've been
conquered by the Romans,
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they are divided
among themselves,
00:11:07.86\00:11:09.43
you've got the Hellenists,
00:11:09.43\00:11:11.43
the ones who were
following the Greek teaching,
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and you get the Sadducees,
and you get the Pharisees,
00:11:13.40\00:11:16.20
and then you have the Essenes,
00:11:16.20\00:11:17.74
and all these
different divisions.
00:11:17.74\00:11:18.97
Then the Christianity came along
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and it just began to explode.
00:11:20.34\00:11:22.24
It looked like the
whole plan that God had
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for the Jewish
nation had failed,
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.41
so this is something
that Paul is addressing
00:11:26.41\00:11:29.62
because Paul is
saying, no it hasn't failed.
00:11:29.62\00:11:32.02
When you consider that
00:11:32.02\00:11:33.99
the gentiles
become spiritual Jews,
00:11:33.99\00:11:36.49
the plan is
working better than ever.
00:11:36.49\00:11:38.59
So with that as a backdrop,
but then he says, well,
00:11:38.59\00:11:41.36
even though all
who believe in Christ
00:11:41.36\00:11:45.10
become spiritual Israel,
00:11:45.10\00:11:46.70
God still has a plan
for the literal Jews.
00:11:46.70\00:11:49.27
In fact, Paul says,
I'd be willing to sacrifice
00:11:49.27\00:11:52.67
my eternal life that
Israel could be saved.
00:11:52.67\00:11:57.58
Now, is it normal
to want to be saved
00:11:57.58\00:12:01.62
and not to be lost?
00:12:01.62\00:12:05.22
But it's almost abnormal to say,
00:12:05.22\00:12:06.92
I am willing to be lost
that others might be saved.
00:12:06.92\00:12:13.23
Why would you accept Christ?
00:12:13.23\00:12:16.40
You know, you've
heard the expression
00:12:16.40\00:12:17.87
before I've talked
about the WIIFM effect.
00:12:17.87\00:12:20.94
W-I-I-F-M,
"What's In It For Me."
00:12:20.94\00:12:26.68
And so many people make
the decisions based on WIIFM.
00:12:26.68\00:12:30.51
What's in it for me?
00:12:30.51\00:12:32.88
Well, you won't go to
hell and you will go to heaven,
00:12:32.88\00:12:34.98
and that's why a lot of
people come to the Lord.
00:12:34.98\00:12:37.59
But when you really
become a converted Christian,
00:12:37.59\00:12:39.72
you stop thinking WIIFM,
00:12:39.72\00:12:41.76
you start thinking
what's in it for God.
00:12:41.76\00:12:44.66
Will this bring glory to God?
00:12:44.66\00:12:47.30
Are there others
in the Bible who said,
00:12:47.30\00:12:49.06
we're willing to have our names
stricken from the book of life,
00:12:49.06\00:12:52.40
but what about your name God?
00:12:52.40\00:12:54.97
Someone read for me in
just a moment Exodus 32:32,
00:12:54.97\00:12:58.74
you'll have that Hoftis, okay.
00:12:58.74\00:13:00.21
I'm gonna read Romans...
00:13:00.21\00:13:01.81
I'm gonna read
rather 2 Samuel 24:17.
00:13:01.81\00:13:06.38
"A plague is going
through the land of Israel
00:13:06.38\00:13:08.02
and David spoke to the
Lord when he saw the angel
00:13:08.02\00:13:10.95
who was striking
the people, and he said,
00:13:10.95\00:13:12.22
'Surely I have sinned,
and I have done wickedly,
00:13:12.22\00:13:15.09
but these sheep,
what have they done?
00:13:15.09\00:13:16.76
Let Your hand, I
pray, be against me
00:13:16.76\00:13:20.56
and against my father's house.'"
00:13:20.56\00:13:22.16
It's the sign
of a good shepherd.
00:13:22.16\00:13:23.30
Was David willing to lay
down his life to save sheep?
00:13:23.30\00:13:27.20
Doesn't it seem strange
that a human would be willing
00:13:27.20\00:13:29.30
to risk his life for a sheep?
00:13:29.30\00:13:32.77
And David, he was
saying, take it out on me
00:13:32.77\00:13:36.44
and against my father's house,
00:13:36.44\00:13:38.38
don't make the people
suffer, self-sacrificing.
00:13:38.38\00:13:41.08
Read for me
Exodus 32:32, please?
00:13:41.08\00:13:44.05
"And now, if you will
forgive their sin, and if not,
00:13:44.05\00:13:48.46
please, blot me from your scroll
00:13:48.46\00:13:50.46
that you have written."
00:13:50.46\00:13:51.79
Now, who is
speaking in this verse?
00:13:51.79\00:13:54.40
That's Moses, right?
00:13:54.40\00:13:56.13
And God, the
golden calf experience,
00:13:56.13\00:13:58.20
God said, let me alone...
00:13:58.20\00:14:00.74
Is it kind of God, it's
like God is saying to...
00:14:00.74\00:14:03.44
Have you ever seen people
kind of get in the bar fight?
00:14:03.44\00:14:05.64
I don't know, don't answer that.
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.84
You know, and it's like,
and one guy is holding back
00:14:07.84\00:14:11.98
the other guy
that's real angering,
00:14:11.98\00:14:13.55
say, "No, no,
no, control yourself.
00:14:13.55\00:14:14.82
And he say, "No, let me out him,
00:14:14.82\00:14:15.88
let me out him."
00:14:15.88\00:14:16.85
And it's like God is
almost saying to Moses
00:14:16.85\00:14:19.85
to stop, stop
holding me back, let me go
00:14:19.85\00:14:22.89
and I'm gonna wipe them
out, I'll make a great nation
00:14:22.89\00:14:25.06
of you, this is what God said.
00:14:25.06\00:14:27.13
I will destroy them and
I'll make a great nation
00:14:27.13\00:14:28.90
of your offspring, like
you'll be the next Abraham.
00:14:28.90\00:14:32.23
Well, that might
appeal to some of us.
00:14:32.23\00:14:35.27
And Moses said, "No, Lord,
00:14:35.27\00:14:38.11
just look what will
happen to your reputation.
00:14:38.11\00:14:40.01
The Egyptians will say
their god wasn't big enough
00:14:40.01\00:14:42.78
to bring them all the
way into the Promised Land.
00:14:42.78\00:14:45.71
And what will
happen to Your reputation?
00:14:45.71\00:14:47.85
What will happen to
Your glory, Your honor?
00:14:47.85\00:14:50.09
And Moses said, "Take
my name out of the book."
00:14:50.09\00:14:53.19
But what will
happen to your name?
00:14:53.19\00:14:55.49
That's real
self-sacrificing love.
00:14:55.49\00:14:58.49
Who else was
willing to be stricken
00:14:58.49\00:15:00.46
from the book of life
for the sake of God's people?
00:15:00.46\00:15:06.47
His name begins with a letter J.
00:15:06.47\00:15:09.60
Jesus, yeah.
00:15:09.60\00:15:11.57
When Jesus went to
the cross, you know,
00:15:11.57\00:15:13.44
He was facing the second death.
00:15:13.44\00:15:16.64
And He said, not my
will, thy will be done,
00:15:16.64\00:15:18.88
Lord, if there is any other way.
00:15:18.88\00:15:20.92
And at times, the
guilt of sin was so terrible
00:15:20.92\00:15:24.32
that it looked
like eternal separation,
00:15:24.32\00:15:26.76
but that's what
real divine love is.
00:15:26.76\00:15:28.76
You're willing to
say, I will lose everything
00:15:28.76\00:15:32.13
that others might be saved,
that's a mature Christian.
00:15:32.13\00:15:35.23
It's not what's in it for me,
00:15:35.23\00:15:36.67
it's you're
motivated by love like God.
00:15:36.67\00:15:40.07
Because you're really,
it's almost selfishness
00:15:40.07\00:15:42.54
when you say, "Sure,
I'll accept eternal life
00:15:42.54\00:15:44.71
in a new body."
00:15:44.71\00:15:46.27
Who wouldn't want that?
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.11
But when you're really
matured as a Christian,
00:15:48.11\00:15:50.58
I think I remember reading
in the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:15:50.58\00:15:52.51
and I don't
remember the reference.
00:15:52.51\00:15:54.62
With the computer you
can look it up pretty easy.
00:15:54.62\00:15:58.79
A fear of hell and
the desire of heaven
00:15:58.79\00:16:00.76
might be a
suitable starting point
00:16:00.76\00:16:03.89
for a lot of people.
00:16:03.89\00:16:05.13
When you're doing evangelism,
evangelists might talk about,
00:16:05.13\00:16:08.06
well, there's a heaven
to win, and a hell to shun,
00:16:08.06\00:16:11.43
that is an
appropriate starting point.
00:16:11.43\00:16:13.57
When you're teaching
children, you may use
00:16:13.57\00:16:15.60
elementary basic
things like that.
00:16:15.60\00:16:17.64
Listen to me, no spanking.
Disobey, spanking, you know.
00:16:17.64\00:16:22.78
Or you listen to me, you
get this treat, this privilege.
00:16:22.78\00:16:25.98
But as you
matured, you want your kids
00:16:25.98\00:16:27.92
to always be
obeying for those reasons.
00:16:27.92\00:16:31.62
You'll get a cookie
if you do your homework.
00:16:31.62\00:16:33.62
I mean, you want
them to eventually think
00:16:33.62\00:16:35.92
you'll be smarter if you
do your homework, you know.
00:16:35.92\00:16:39.39
And you'll be able to
serve God and your fellowman
00:16:39.39\00:16:41.60
if you're well educated.
00:16:41.60\00:16:43.16
And so you want them to grow.
00:16:43.16\00:16:45.20
And Paul, he had that
total self-sacrificing attitude.
00:16:45.20\00:16:49.67
Someone else I
thought of in the Bible,
00:16:49.67\00:16:52.04
there's a lady who said this.
00:16:52.04\00:16:55.18
How many of you
remember Abigail?
00:16:55.18\00:16:57.28
David was on his way to
wipeout the house of Nabal.
00:16:57.28\00:17:02.08
And Abigail came to
intercede, and she says...
00:17:02.08\00:17:05.35
This is 1 Samuel 25,
00:17:05.35\00:17:07.46
"She fell at his
feet, and she said,
00:17:07.46\00:17:08.76
"On me, my lord, on
me, let this iniquity be."
00:17:08.76\00:17:12.59
Just so she's
stopping David's wrath
00:17:12.59\00:17:15.20
against the household and
saying, take it out on me.
00:17:15.20\00:17:18.40
And so you see this intercession
00:17:18.40\00:17:20.37
in a number of
God's people in the Bible
00:17:20.37\00:17:22.24
that were genuinely converted.
00:17:22.24\00:17:25.34
So next as you read on,
you know, they're wondering
00:17:25.34\00:17:31.05
if God's promises have failed.
00:17:31.05\00:17:34.42
You read in verse, I
will read verse 5 and 6,
00:17:34.42\00:17:37.09
Romans 9:5 and 6.
00:17:37.09\00:17:39.12
"Of whom the
fathers and from whom,
00:17:39.12\00:17:41.16
according to the flesh,
Christ came, who is over all,
00:17:41.16\00:17:44.49
the eternal blessed God.
00:17:44.49\00:17:46.16
Amen."
00:17:46.16\00:17:47.20
Now have you ever
wondered is Jesus God?
00:17:47.20\00:17:51.53
Have you ever run into people
that wondered if Jesus is God?
00:17:51.53\00:17:55.64
Is Jesus the eternal God?
00:17:55.64\00:17:58.81
What does Paul call Him here?
00:17:58.81\00:18:01.01
He's not talking
about the Father and Jesus
00:18:01.01\00:18:02.68
as two separate ones, notice.
00:18:02.68\00:18:05.01
"Christ came who is over
all the eternal blessed God."
00:18:05.01\00:18:10.42
Amen.
00:18:10.42\00:18:12.72
Is that clear?
00:18:12.72\00:18:14.19
That Jesus is also
the eternal blessed God.
00:18:14.19\00:18:17.33
And then notice the
next verse, verse 6.
00:18:17.33\00:18:19.66
"But it is not
that the word of God
00:18:19.66\00:18:21.80
has not taken effect."
00:18:21.80\00:18:24.13
So some are saying,
see, God's word failed.
00:18:24.13\00:18:26.27
He had all these big
plans for Israel but it flopped.
00:18:26.27\00:18:30.31
The prophecies that God
made for Israel have flopped.
00:18:30.31\00:18:34.91
Have you read some of
the Old Testament prophecies
00:18:34.91\00:18:37.25
and have people say,
well, this was a prophecy
00:18:37.25\00:18:39.71
that God made that what
He wanted to do with Israel
00:18:39.71\00:18:42.52
if they had been successful,
but those prophecies right now,
00:18:42.52\00:18:45.35
you just, you
can strike them out
00:18:45.35\00:18:46.65
because Israel failed,
they're irrelevant now.
00:18:46.65\00:18:50.26
Is there any prophecy
like that in the Bible?
00:18:50.26\00:18:53.60
I don't think so.
00:18:53.60\00:18:54.83
I think some of the prophecies
had maybe a dual meaning
00:18:54.83\00:18:58.37
that if Israel
had been faithful,
00:18:58.37\00:18:59.87
this is what
would have happened,
00:18:59.87\00:19:01.37
but you read deeper
in that very prophecy
00:19:01.37\00:19:03.47
and it's going to be fulfilled
through spiritual Israel.
00:19:03.47\00:19:07.58
But do any of
God's words ever fail?
00:19:07.58\00:19:11.28
I want to read
something to you from Joshua.
00:19:11.28\00:19:14.38
Joshua 23:14.
00:19:14.38\00:19:18.35
"Behold..."
00:19:18.35\00:19:19.42
This is Joshua 23,
he's later in the book.
00:19:19.42\00:19:21.59
He's an older man now.
00:19:21.59\00:19:23.79
They've conquered,
00:19:23.79\00:19:24.86
they've entered
the Promised Land,
00:19:24.86\00:19:26.03
they've got their possession.
00:19:26.03\00:19:27.76
And Joshua says,
"Behold, this day
00:19:27.76\00:19:29.43
I'm going the way
of all the earth."
00:19:29.43\00:19:31.10
He means, I'm getting old,
I'm going that way, I'm dying.
00:19:31.10\00:19:34.64
"And you know in
all of your hearts
00:19:34.64\00:19:37.41
in the hearts and your souls
that not one thing has failed
00:19:37.41\00:19:42.38
of all the good things
00:19:42.38\00:19:44.48
which the Lord God
spoke concerning you.
00:19:44.48\00:19:47.82
All has come to pass for you,
00:19:47.82\00:19:50.35
not one word of
them has failed."
00:19:50.35\00:19:53.79
Now how much of the Word of God
00:19:53.79\00:19:54.99
and the
prophecies of God come true?
00:19:54.99\00:19:58.36
Jesus said, heaven
and earth will pass away.
00:19:58.36\00:20:01.40
Everything God says in
His prophecies will come true,
00:20:01.40\00:20:05.43
but some of it that
they may have thought
00:20:05.43\00:20:07.00
was going to happen
with literal Israel,
00:20:07.00\00:20:10.77
in fact is happening
with spiritual Israel.
00:20:10.77\00:20:13.91
And so this is a
point that is made
00:20:13.91\00:20:16.08
as we read on here,
still going on in Romans.
00:20:16.08\00:20:19.98
He says here,
for they are not...
00:20:19.98\00:20:22.18
And I'm still
reading Romans 9:6,
00:20:22.18\00:20:24.49
halfway through the verse.
00:20:24.49\00:20:25.92
"For they are not all
Israel who are of Israel,
00:20:25.92\00:20:30.53
nor are they all children
because they are the seed
00:20:30.53\00:20:34.30
of Abraham, but,
00:20:34.30\00:20:35.70
'In Isaac your
seed shall be called.'"
00:20:35.70\00:20:38.00
Now here's the point
that I know this is deep,
00:20:38.00\00:20:40.30
I hope you're all still with me.
00:20:40.30\00:20:41.67
This is the point
that Paul is making here.
00:20:41.67\00:20:44.24
Abraham initially had two
sons. What were their names?
00:20:44.24\00:20:48.08
Ishmael is really
the technical firstborn,
00:20:48.08\00:20:49.98
but he's the son of the flesh.
00:20:49.98\00:20:51.98
Isaac is the son of the
promise through his wife,
00:20:51.98\00:20:55.05
so he's
technically the legitimate son.
00:20:55.05\00:20:58.25
So when God said to Abraham,
I'm gonna multiply your seed
00:20:58.25\00:21:01.16
and through all,
through your seed
00:21:01.16\00:21:03.53
all the world will be blessed.
00:21:03.53\00:21:04.96
Which seed was he talking about
00:21:04.96\00:21:07.13
through which the
blessing would come?
00:21:07.13\00:21:08.76
Ishmael, and
the children of east
00:21:08.76\00:21:11.43
that are known as
Islam today, or Isaac?
00:21:11.43\00:21:15.54
So God said...
00:21:15.54\00:21:17.07
Abraham had a lot of
children but the blessing
00:21:17.07\00:21:19.07
wasn't to come
through all the children,
00:21:19.07\00:21:20.74
it was to come
specifically through Isaac.
00:21:20.74\00:21:23.85
Patriarchs were Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, the Messiah,
00:21:23.85\00:21:27.25
messianic line
came through there.
00:21:27.25\00:21:29.55
And then he goes on to say so,
00:21:29.55\00:21:31.25
not every child of
Abraham is a child of promise.
00:21:31.25\00:21:36.02
That's the point he's making.
00:21:36.02\00:21:38.33
Meaning, even some who
are literal physical Jews,
00:21:38.33\00:21:43.16
they are not the
spiritual seed of Abraham.
00:21:43.16\00:21:46.33
And there are some who
may not be physical Jews,
00:21:46.33\00:21:50.04
but they are the
spiritual seed of Abraham.
00:21:50.04\00:21:52.64
So all the promises
that God made to Israel
00:21:52.64\00:21:55.61
are going to be
fulfilled because he says
00:21:55.61\00:21:58.48
and here several
versus I'm gonna give you now.
00:21:58.48\00:22:00.35
Now this, what I'm
getting ready to say,
00:22:00.35\00:22:02.25
it really aggravate some people.
00:22:02.25\00:22:05.35
It angers Jews and
certain evangelicals
00:22:05.35\00:22:09.89
because there are a number...
00:22:09.89\00:22:12.13
Again, I'm
prophesying what I'm saying.
00:22:12.13\00:22:13.50
I told you it
was a tough chapter.
00:22:13.50\00:22:16.56
There's a number of
evangelicals who believe
00:22:16.56\00:22:19.57
that everyone in the nation
of Israel's gonna get converted,
00:22:19.57\00:22:22.90
and they're gonna
rebuild the temple.
00:22:22.90\00:22:25.11
And that, you know, that's
what Shepherd's Rod believed.
00:22:25.11\00:22:31.55
You got quiet.
00:22:31.55\00:22:33.38
Shepherd's Rod were a
branch that kind of split off
00:22:33.38\00:22:36.79
from among
Seventh-day Adventists
00:22:36.79\00:22:38.49
back in 1930 something.
00:22:38.49\00:22:40.92
And when we were back
in Washington last week,
00:22:40.92\00:22:44.63
we were preaching at the
General Conference office.
00:22:44.63\00:22:46.56
And on our last Sabbath,
as we drove through the gate,
00:22:46.56\00:22:49.36
there's all these
people protesting our meetings
00:22:49.36\00:22:51.77
with posters that
said all kinds of things,
00:22:51.77\00:22:53.90
I don't remember
all of that they said.
00:22:53.90\00:22:55.77
They were there when we did
our Prophecy Code in Florida
00:22:55.77\00:22:58.31
and they were Shepherd's Rod,
00:22:58.31\00:22:59.37
they are not allowed
to come on the ground
00:22:59.37\00:23:00.68
so they stand at the
gate when people are coming in
00:23:00.68\00:23:02.81
and they hold up their
signs and they protest.
00:23:02.81\00:23:04.71
But they were a
group who believed
00:23:04.71\00:23:06.82
that they were all
literally gonna get transported
00:23:06.82\00:23:08.92
somehow to Israel
and the literal kingdom
00:23:08.92\00:23:10.45
was gonna get rebuilt,
00:23:10.45\00:23:11.42
and Jesus was gonna
literally reign on earth.
00:23:11.42\00:23:13.59
There are
evangelicals who believe that.
00:23:13.59\00:23:15.46
They think that Jesus reigns
on earth during the millennium.
00:23:15.46\00:23:19.56
Now what I'm
gonna share with you
00:23:19.56\00:23:21.73
aggravates
evangelicals and some Jews,
00:23:21.73\00:23:24.93
because they believe
that it's a substitution.
00:23:24.93\00:23:30.61
In other words
that the promises of God
00:23:30.61\00:23:32.77
are not gonna be
fulfilled because the gentiles
00:23:32.77\00:23:35.11
have been
substituted for the Jews.
00:23:35.11\00:23:37.85
I don't believe that.
00:23:37.85\00:23:39.08
I believe that God still
00:23:39.08\00:23:40.55
if they call
replacement theology.
00:23:40.55\00:23:42.18
You ever heard that before?
00:23:42.18\00:23:43.82
I believe God still has a
special work for the Jews,
00:23:43.82\00:23:46.62
there's going to be a
revival among the Jewish nation.
00:23:46.62\00:23:49.62
There will be many
Jews that will be involved
00:23:49.62\00:23:51.69
but not all of
them, and it will not be
00:23:51.69\00:23:53.43
a nationalistic revival.
00:23:53.43\00:23:54.76
There may be Jews in
any part of the world.
00:23:54.76\00:23:57.00
But I think God still
has a special plan for them.
00:23:57.00\00:24:01.87
I'll give you a
little amazing trivia.
00:24:01.87\00:24:06.41
Years ago...
00:24:06.41\00:24:07.48
I may have told
you this once before,
00:24:07.48\00:24:08.61
I don't remember.
00:24:08.61\00:24:10.08
Years ago, I was in Toronto
00:24:10.08\00:24:13.85
during a General
Conference meeting.
00:24:13.85\00:24:15.25
I was walking up the street
looking for something to eat,
00:24:15.25\00:24:17.95
and I ran into
Clifford Goldstein
00:24:17.95\00:24:19.85
now on all the
Sabbath school quarterlies,
00:24:19.85\00:24:22.29
you'll see a couple of
names among the editors,
00:24:22.29\00:24:24.59
one of them is
Clifford Goldstein.
00:24:24.59\00:24:27.66
Another one you'll see
is Sharon Thomas Crews.
00:24:27.66\00:24:31.50
Our Amazing Facts
was founded by Joe Crews.
00:24:31.50\00:24:34.50
Last week I had the
privilege of spending some time
00:24:34.50\00:24:37.11
with his widow Lu Ann
Crews who is 93 years old now
00:24:37.11\00:24:41.64
and doing fine.
00:24:41.64\00:24:43.55
And so I ran into
Clifford Goldstein,
00:24:43.55\00:24:46.85
and he said, I'm
looking for a place to eat.
00:24:46.85\00:24:48.48
So we went, we sat
down, we ate together.
00:24:48.48\00:24:49.98
While we're
talking, he said, you know,
00:24:49.98\00:24:51.65
"So where did you grow up?"
00:24:51.65\00:24:52.72
And I said, "Well, you
know, I lived in Miami Beach."
00:24:52.72\00:24:54.89
He said, "I grew
up in Miami Beach."
00:24:54.89\00:24:57.43
I said, "I live
in New York City,
00:24:57.43\00:24:58.49
I came to Miami Beach
00:24:58.49\00:24:59.63
and then went to
school there for a while."
00:24:59.63\00:25:00.76
Where'd you go to
school? I went to Nautilus.
00:25:00.76\00:25:02.43
Cliff said, "I
went to Nautilus."
00:25:02.43\00:25:05.50
And it turns out he
was a Jewish atheist
00:25:05.50\00:25:09.37
that went to a
school in Miami Beach.
00:25:09.37\00:25:11.51
I was a Jewish atheist
00:25:11.51\00:25:12.61
that went to
school in Miami Beach.
00:25:12.61\00:25:14.81
And now he edits the
Sabbath school lesson
00:25:14.81\00:25:18.38
and I teach it.
00:25:18.38\00:25:19.65
So God still has a work
for the Jews, doesn't He?
00:25:19.65\00:25:23.42
And Sharon Crews
edits it, you know,
00:25:23.42\00:25:25.05
someone from
connect with Amazing Facts,
00:25:25.05\00:25:26.86
so I thought
that was kind of cool.
00:25:26.86\00:25:28.42
But so I do think God has
a special work for the Jews,
00:25:28.42\00:25:30.99
but it's not that the
gentiles have replaced the Jews,
00:25:30.99\00:25:34.93
this is a very important point.
00:25:34.93\00:25:37.93
The gentiles are
grafted in to the Jewish stock,
00:25:37.93\00:25:42.84
so all the promises
that God made to the gentiles
00:25:42.84\00:25:46.14
belong to you as well.
00:25:46.14\00:25:48.21
Let me give you
few verses on that.
00:25:48.21\00:25:50.81
Galatians 3:7,
00:25:50.81\00:25:53.38
"Therefore know that
only those who are of faith
00:25:53.38\00:25:57.02
are sons of Abraham."
00:25:57.02\00:25:58.75
Not some of those
who are among faith
00:25:58.75\00:26:00.62
but only those.
00:26:00.62\00:26:01.69
So if you're a literal
Jew and you don't have faith,
00:26:01.69\00:26:04.89
then you're not
a son of Abraham.
00:26:04.89\00:26:07.13
Didn't Jesus say to some of
the Jewish religious leaders,
00:26:07.13\00:26:10.33
they said, Abraham's our Father.
00:26:10.33\00:26:11.63
Jesus said,
Abraham is not your father.
00:26:11.63\00:26:14.10
So if you want
to argue with Jesus,
00:26:14.10\00:26:15.27
you take it up with Him.
00:26:15.27\00:26:16.34
He said, just because
you're a physical Jew,
00:26:16.34\00:26:17.94
does not mean
Abraham is your father.
00:26:17.94\00:26:20.01
Jesus said, you're of
your father, the devil
00:26:20.01\00:26:22.21
'cause you're trying to kill me.
00:26:22.21\00:26:23.45
Abraham didn't do that,
Abraham longed for my day.
00:26:23.45\00:26:27.75
They said, "What do you mean
Abraham longed for your day?
00:26:27.75\00:26:29.75
You're not even 50 years old.
00:26:29.75\00:26:31.12
What do you mean? You're crazy."
00:26:31.12\00:26:32.95
And so it's not
about being a physical Jew.
00:26:32.95\00:26:36.79
Does God saved people
because He examines their DNA?
00:26:36.79\00:26:41.03
Says well, wouldn't
that be kind of racism
00:26:41.03\00:26:44.50
if he did it that way?
00:26:44.50\00:26:46.87
Or does the Bible say,
00:26:46.87\00:26:48.07
God is made of all
nations, one blood.
00:26:48.07\00:26:52.11
And doesn't the Bible say,
00:26:52.11\00:26:53.17
whosoever will
might come to Him.
00:26:53.17\00:26:56.28
Even in the Old Testament,
00:26:56.28\00:26:57.51
in the days of the
Jewish dispensation,
00:26:57.51\00:27:00.75
could you be saved?
00:27:00.75\00:27:02.22
Could you be grafted in?
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.05
Uriah was called,
Uriah the Hittite.
00:27:04.05\00:27:07.49
Meaning, he was a
Hittite that converted.
00:27:07.49\00:27:10.49
What about Ruth?
00:27:10.49\00:27:12.56
When she said to Naomi,
00:27:12.56\00:27:13.80
your people will be my
people, your God are my God.
00:27:13.80\00:27:16.60
Did she then
become a mother in Israel?
00:27:16.60\00:27:19.60
And Rahab, when
she married Salmon,
00:27:19.60\00:27:22.57
did she become a
mother in Israel?
00:27:22.57\00:27:24.07
Are they ancestors of Jesus?
00:27:24.07\00:27:26.17
So is it a new thing
00:27:26.17\00:27:27.78
that a gentile could be
grafted into the stock of Israel
00:27:27.78\00:27:30.65
and be a real child of God?
00:27:30.65\00:27:32.51
It's not a new thing.
00:27:32.51\00:27:34.02
And there were a
number of literal Jews
00:27:34.02\00:27:37.75
that turned from God to idols,
00:27:37.75\00:27:40.19
and the Bible said, God
said, I'm turning from you.
00:27:40.19\00:27:43.06
So God has never saved people
00:27:43.06\00:27:45.26
based upon
looking at their blood.
00:27:45.26\00:27:48.33
He prophesied that
00:27:48.33\00:27:49.56
through their blood
the Messiah would come,
00:27:49.56\00:27:51.83
but every individual
is saved based upon faith.
00:27:51.83\00:27:55.60
You're still with me? Amen.
00:27:55.60\00:27:57.37
All right, here
are some other words.
00:27:57.37\00:28:00.41
Romans 9:6,
00:28:00.41\00:28:02.11
"For not all of
Israel are Israel."
00:28:02.11\00:28:04.61
Romans 2:28, this is a good one.
00:28:04.61\00:28:07.98
"For he is not a Jew
who is one outwardly..."
00:28:07.98\00:28:11.09
When Paul
talked about outwardly,
00:28:11.09\00:28:12.25
he meant, you know,
they had been circumcised.
00:28:12.25\00:28:15.16
"You're not a Jew
who is one outwardly,
00:28:15.16\00:28:16.93
nor is circumcision that
which is outward in the flesh,
00:28:16.93\00:28:20.13
but he is a Jew,
who is one inwardly,
00:28:20.13\00:28:22.73
and circumcision is that
of the heart, in the spirit,
00:28:22.73\00:28:25.93
not the letter, whose praise
is not from men but from God."
00:28:25.93\00:28:29.57
This is not just a
New Testament teaching,
00:28:29.57\00:28:31.21
this is an Old
Testament teaching,
00:28:31.21\00:28:32.97
way back in the days of Moses.
00:28:32.97\00:28:34.71
Moses said to be
circumcised in your heart.
00:28:34.71\00:28:38.91
That means a
covenant is a heart covenant.
00:28:38.91\00:28:41.82
Galatians 3:29,
00:28:41.82\00:28:44.12
"And if you are Christ's,
00:28:44.12\00:28:45.82
then you are
Abraham's seed, and heirs
00:28:45.82\00:28:48.06
according to the promise."
00:28:48.06\00:28:49.59
And didn't Jesus and
John the Baptist say,
00:28:49.59\00:28:52.19
many will come from
the east and the west,
00:28:52.19\00:28:55.40
and sit down in the kingdom
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
00:28:55.40\00:28:59.00
and the literal
children of the kingdom
00:28:59.00\00:29:01.10
will be in outer darkness.
00:29:01.10\00:29:04.14
What's the parable about
the rich man and Lazarus?
00:29:04.14\00:29:07.08
Really has nothing to do
with the state of the dead.
00:29:07.08\00:29:09.21
You know that
parable in Luke 16.
00:29:09.21\00:29:11.45
Got a rich man
feasting on this best food,
00:29:11.45\00:29:15.28
poor beggars at his
gate wanting the crumbs
00:29:15.28\00:29:17.19
that fall from his table.
00:29:17.19\00:29:18.45
Rich man
represented the Jewish nation
00:29:18.45\00:29:20.26
and those who know the truth
00:29:20.26\00:29:21.26
and this is the bread
of life, they're feasting.
00:29:21.26\00:29:23.56
All the gentiles that were lost,
00:29:23.56\00:29:25.03
they want the crumbs.
00:29:25.03\00:29:26.76
But in the resurrection,
00:29:26.76\00:29:28.70
there's a great
irony that happens.
00:29:28.70\00:29:31.10
Lazarus, the gentile,
he is an Abraham's bosom,
00:29:31.10\00:29:35.24
the destination of
where the Jews want to go.
00:29:35.24\00:29:38.01
They want to be
with father Abraham.
00:29:38.01\00:29:40.31
But the rich man, who
represents a Jewish nation,
00:29:40.31\00:29:43.01
he's in Hades,
00:29:43.01\00:29:44.51
that's the place
of pagan torment.
00:29:44.51\00:29:47.32
You see the paradox of
what Jesus is saying here.
00:29:47.32\00:29:50.45
The rich man who
represents the Jews,
00:29:50.45\00:29:53.22
he ends up in the pagan
place of suffering, Hades.
00:29:53.22\00:29:56.66
And the poor man who
represents the gentiles,
00:29:56.66\00:29:59.53
he's in Abraham's
bosom and it's all a parable.
00:29:59.53\00:30:03.03
But what the Lord is saying is,
00:30:03.03\00:30:05.03
if they do not believe
Moses and the prophets,
00:30:05.03\00:30:09.04
then it doesn't matter
if they're your brethren.
00:30:09.04\00:30:12.97
They've got to believe.
00:30:12.97\00:30:14.41
And so it has to do with faith.
00:30:14.41\00:30:16.18
Many will come from
the east and the west
00:30:16.18\00:30:18.08
and sit down in the kingdom
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
00:30:18.08\00:30:20.48
and the children of the kingdom,
00:30:20.48\00:30:22.45
people who would have
been naturally the children,
00:30:22.45\00:30:24.95
they are in outer darkness.
00:30:24.95\00:30:26.59
Pastor Doug, you're
talking about the Jews
00:30:26.59\00:30:29.29
and their evangelicals now?
00:30:29.29\00:30:31.39
I'm talking about you and me.
00:30:31.39\00:30:34.20
Can we say, I go to
church, I'm a third generation
00:30:34.20\00:30:40.34
Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
00:30:40.34\00:30:42.27
And so God, I get
like I'm first in line.
00:30:42.27\00:30:44.41
You know, God needs to save me.
00:30:44.41\00:30:47.08
And honestly
I've met people before
00:30:47.08\00:30:49.01
when they find
out I'm Christian,
00:30:49.01\00:30:50.11
they say, "Oh, well, you
know, my cousin's a pastor."
00:30:50.11\00:30:53.65
It's like, you think
that's gonna help you
00:30:53.65\00:30:55.45
at the judgment?
00:30:55.45\00:30:57.35
You know,
haven't you met people?
00:30:57.35\00:30:59.65
Have you heard
these things before?
00:30:59.65\00:31:01.36
"Oh, yeah, my
grandfather, he was a pastor,"
00:31:01.36\00:31:04.09
not gonna help you.
00:31:04.09\00:31:06.16
Someone once said,
God has no grandchildren.
00:31:06.16\00:31:10.10
You are adopted as a child.
00:31:10.10\00:31:12.97
And so Paul is making
this very important point here.
00:31:12.97\00:31:16.20
And then it
gets really difficult
00:31:16.20\00:31:18.47
when we read on.
00:31:18.47\00:31:20.71
And he says here,
I'm gonna read verse 8.
00:31:20.71\00:31:23.75
That is those who are
children of the flesh,
00:31:23.75\00:31:26.45
these are not
the children of God,
00:31:26.45\00:31:28.28
that's as clear as it can be.
00:31:28.28\00:31:29.75
But the children of the promise,
00:31:29.75\00:31:31.55
they are counted the seed.
00:31:31.55\00:31:33.89
For this time, the word
of promise at that time,
00:31:33.89\00:31:36.93
I will come and
Sarah will have a son.
00:31:36.93\00:31:38.76
In other words, it was
Isaac who was a son of promise.
00:31:38.76\00:31:42.26
And not only this,
00:31:42.26\00:31:43.40
but when Rebecca had
also conceived by one man,
00:31:43.40\00:31:45.83
even our father Isaac,
00:31:45.83\00:31:47.40
for the children not being born
00:31:47.40\00:31:48.84
having done
anything good or evil
00:31:48.84\00:31:50.84
that the purpose of
God according to election
00:31:50.84\00:31:52.71
might stand not of
works but of him who calls,
00:31:52.71\00:31:55.61
it was said of her,
00:31:55.61\00:31:56.75
the older shall
serve the younger.
00:31:56.75\00:31:58.28
Esau, the older would
serve the younger, Jacob.
00:31:58.28\00:32:00.58
Now this is where,
00:32:00.58\00:32:02.15
this is where it starts
getting really difficult.
00:32:02.15\00:32:05.79
The older will
serve the younger...
00:32:05.79\00:32:07.12
Verse 13, "As it is written,
00:32:07.12\00:32:08.62
'Jacob, I have loved,
and Esau I have hated.'"
00:32:08.62\00:32:12.56
What in the
world does that mean?
00:32:12.56\00:32:14.36
Someone's gonna look
up for me 1 Timothy 2:3-5,
00:32:14.36\00:32:18.40
I think you can
read 3 to 4, actually.
00:32:18.40\00:32:21.60
Jacob I've
loved, Esau I've hated.
00:32:21.60\00:32:23.57
Let me tell you how
some people read that.
00:32:23.57\00:32:26.81
God being a God
of predestination,
00:32:26.81\00:32:30.51
they say, I don't believe this.
00:32:30.51\00:32:32.55
He says, well, you know,
I want to teach a lesson,
00:32:32.55\00:32:35.25
and so I know that
Rebecca is gonna have twins,
00:32:35.25\00:32:37.39
I'm just gonna show that,
00:32:37.39\00:32:39.35
I'm gonna save
who I want to save.
00:32:39.35\00:32:41.19
And instead of it being
00:32:41.19\00:32:42.52
the oldest will
be the firstborn,
00:32:42.52\00:32:43.89
and he gets all the blessings,
00:32:43.89\00:32:44.96
I'm gonna give the
blessings to the youngest
00:32:44.96\00:32:46.93
just to mess with him.
00:32:46.93\00:32:48.73
I'm gonna give the
older one a hard heart,
00:32:48.73\00:32:51.70
I'm gonna save the younger
one, because I just decide,
00:32:51.70\00:32:55.20
you know, who I want to
save and who I want to be lost.
00:32:55.20\00:32:59.87
Now you just
read there in Romans.
00:32:59.87\00:33:01.31
He said, Jacob I
loved, Esau I hated.
00:33:01.31\00:33:04.75
And it makes it sound like
00:33:04.75\00:33:05.88
he decided to love
Jacob before he was born,
00:33:05.88\00:33:08.92
and to hate Esau
before he was born.
00:33:08.92\00:33:10.79
Does God hate any
baby before it's born,
00:33:10.79\00:33:13.82
before it does anything?
00:33:13.82\00:33:16.66
Listen now, Paul is
quoting the Old Testament.
00:33:16.66\00:33:19.93
You gotta know
your Old Testament.
00:33:19.93\00:33:21.03
Listen to what Paul is quoting.
00:33:21.03\00:33:22.23
Go to Malachi 1.
00:33:22.23\00:33:25.57
He says, "I have
loved you,' says the Lord.
00:33:25.57\00:33:27.44
You say, 'In which
way have You loved us?'
00:33:27.44\00:33:29.80
Was not Esau Jacob's
brother, says the Lord.
00:33:29.80\00:33:33.34
Yet Jacob I have
loved, but Esau I have hated,
00:33:33.34\00:33:36.51
and laid waste his
mountains and his heritage
00:33:36.51\00:33:39.95
for the jackals
of the wilderness."
00:33:39.95\00:33:42.42
Jacob and Esau are referring
to the nations of those people.
00:33:42.42\00:33:48.12
And God loved and hated
them because of what they did.
00:33:48.12\00:33:52.16
And so when he quotes here,
00:33:52.16\00:33:54.03
Jacob I loved,
and Esau I've hated,
00:33:54.03\00:33:55.70
He's talking about the
Edomites and the Israelites.
00:33:55.70\00:33:59.83
They summarize their names
00:33:59.83\00:34:01.80
by calling one
Jacob and one Esau.
00:34:01.80\00:34:04.51
He is not saying that I
loved the individual Jacob,
00:34:04.51\00:34:06.71
and I hated the individual Esau.
00:34:06.71\00:34:08.74
He later hated what Esau did,
00:34:08.74\00:34:11.11
and you can read
about that in Hebrews.
00:34:11.11\00:34:13.25
When Esau did not
appreciate his birthright,
00:34:13.25\00:34:16.52
and he wanted...
00:34:16.52\00:34:17.89
He was so carnal minded,
00:34:17.89\00:34:18.99
he said, what good is
a spiritual birthright,
00:34:18.99\00:34:20.62
give me beans
now, I want beans now.
00:34:20.62\00:34:23.32
I'm gonna starve to
death if I don't have my beans.
00:34:23.32\00:34:26.46
And so he was carnally minded.
00:34:26.46\00:34:28.66
Where Jacob said, I
want the spiritual blessing.
00:34:28.66\00:34:31.80
And just to prove that
00:34:31.80\00:34:32.87
when Jacob came back
from wandering in Mesopotamia,
00:34:32.87\00:34:36.00
he said to Esau
00:34:36.00\00:34:37.07
here, I'm gonna
give you lots of money.
00:34:37.07\00:34:39.24
He gave him all of
these sheep, and goats
00:34:39.24\00:34:40.44
and camels and servants,
00:34:40.44\00:34:41.54
he says, it's a gift.
00:34:41.54\00:34:42.74
I'm not after that blessing,
00:34:42.74\00:34:44.75
I want the spiritual
blessing of our father.
00:34:44.75\00:34:48.05
So it was what
Jacob did that God loved.
00:34:48.05\00:34:53.66
When Jacob said,
00:34:53.66\00:34:54.76
I won't let go
unless you bless me,
00:34:54.76\00:34:56.69
He loved that.
00:34:56.69\00:34:57.76
When Esau said, you know,
00:34:57.76\00:35:01.13
I just want the
carnal things for right now.
00:35:01.13\00:35:05.57
Jacob, he went a long
way to get a spiritual bride,
00:35:05.57\00:35:08.17
didn't he?
00:35:08.17\00:35:09.30
He traveled all
the way to Haran.
00:35:09.30\00:35:12.04
Esau didn't want
to make that trip.
00:35:12.04\00:35:13.81
He married a local pagan girls.
00:35:13.81\00:35:16.28
And so you just see
that there is difference.
00:35:16.28\00:35:19.38
And so their offspring,
00:35:19.38\00:35:21.72
He hated the Edomites
because they were carnal,
00:35:21.72\00:35:25.05
He loved the
Israelites initially
00:35:25.05\00:35:27.39
because they were spiritual.
00:35:27.39\00:35:29.29
Let me give you
another example of that.
00:35:29.29\00:35:31.53
Why did God pick the
Levites to be the priests,
00:35:31.53\00:35:36.93
and He did not pick from
the other 11 or 12 tribes,
00:35:36.93\00:35:41.00
depends on how you number them.
00:35:41.00\00:35:42.10
Remember, He
divided Jacob's tribe.
00:35:42.10\00:35:44.44
Why did He pick the Levites?
00:35:44.44\00:35:45.71
Did God say, well, I've
just chosen them spiritually
00:35:45.71\00:35:50.95
and I'm gonna
give them the blessing?
00:35:50.95\00:35:53.18
Or was there something that
happened that made it happen?
00:35:53.18\00:35:57.25
You remember at the Mount Sinai,
00:35:57.25\00:35:59.59
the golden calf experience?
00:35:59.59\00:36:01.79
And Moses said,
"Who is on my side?
00:36:01.79\00:36:05.53
Come to me."
00:36:05.53\00:36:06.90
And the Levites gathered
around other than Aaron,
00:36:06.90\00:36:10.47
they had not
supported the apostasy.
00:36:10.47\00:36:13.87
And they were chosen.
00:36:13.87\00:36:15.70
And the Levites
strapped on their swords
00:36:15.70\00:36:17.67
and they went through the camp
00:36:17.67\00:36:18.97
and they killed the ringleaders
of this idolatry that happened.
00:36:18.97\00:36:21.94
You remember
there's a terrible story.
00:36:21.94\00:36:23.98
And then after that God says,
00:36:23.98\00:36:26.51
because of their
dedication to the things of God,
00:36:26.51\00:36:29.48
I am gonna have
the Levites be the ones
00:36:29.48\00:36:31.65
who were the
guardians of the truth.
00:36:31.65\00:36:33.76
There was something they did.
00:36:33.76\00:36:35.89
Now it also gets difficult,
well, let me keep reading here.
00:36:35.89\00:36:41.20
All right, and then it says,
00:36:41.20\00:36:42.73
oh, wait, I never
had you read your verse.
00:36:42.73\00:36:44.80
So does God save people,
00:36:44.80\00:36:46.94
He will love
someone and He hates others,
00:36:46.94\00:36:48.27
or does God want
everyone to be saved?
00:36:48.27\00:36:51.24
All right, go ahead,
please and read for us,
00:36:51.24\00:36:52.71
1 Timothy 2:3 and 4.
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.94
"For this is good and acceptable
00:36:54.94\00:36:56.41
in the sight of God our Savior,
00:36:56.41\00:36:58.65
who desires all
men to be saved..."
00:36:58.65\00:37:00.35
Pause right there.
00:37:00.35\00:37:02.62
God who desires what?
00:37:02.62\00:37:04.29
All men.
00:37:04.29\00:37:05.39
How many men to be saved?
00:37:05.39\00:37:06.55
All.
00:37:06.55\00:37:08.29
Who wrote Romans? Paul.
00:37:08.29\00:37:10.66
Who wrote 1 Timothy? Paul.
00:37:10.66\00:37:13.03
Paul.
00:37:13.03\00:37:14.03
He wants everybody to be saved.
00:37:14.03\00:37:16.60
Now these are
some of the scriptures
00:37:16.60\00:37:18.20
that the Armenians and
the predestination people
00:37:18.20\00:37:22.67
and the once
saved, always saved,
00:37:22.67\00:37:23.81
their law back and forth.
00:37:23.81\00:37:25.77
Some say, I've
elected Jacob, I hated Esau.
00:37:25.77\00:37:30.21
But then Paul says, He
wants all men to be saved.
00:37:30.21\00:37:32.45
Go ahead, finish
reading that verse.
00:37:32.45\00:37:34.05
"Who desires all men to be saved
00:37:34.05\00:37:36.15
and to come to the
knowledge of the truth."
00:37:36.15\00:37:39.72
Yeah, and he goes on says,
00:37:39.72\00:37:40.79
for there is one mediator
of knowledge of the truth,
00:37:40.79\00:37:44.36
one mediator between
God and man, Jesus Christ
00:37:44.36\00:37:46.63
who gave Himself
a ransom for all.
00:37:46.63\00:37:49.30
A ransom for how many?
00:37:49.30\00:37:50.40
All. For all.
00:37:50.40\00:37:51.60
I guess I should have
had you read that last verse,
00:37:51.60\00:37:53.13
I forgot why put it in there.
00:37:53.13\00:37:55.10
Let me give you another one.
00:37:55.10\00:37:56.17
Titus 2:11,
00:37:56.17\00:37:58.51
"For the grace of
God that brings salvation
00:37:58.51\00:38:01.44
has appeared to a few people."
00:38:01.44\00:38:05.75
Hopefully, you're spotting
00:38:05.75\00:38:06.95
when the pastor
changes the verses there.
00:38:06.95\00:38:10.72
Now I'm gonna tell
you when I change it,
00:38:10.72\00:38:12.35
others will not tell you,
so you need to know your Bible.
00:38:12.35\00:38:15.79
"For the grace of
God that brings salvation
00:38:15.79\00:38:17.69
has appeared to all men."
00:38:17.69\00:38:18.93
Why?
00:38:18.93\00:38:20.00
'Cause He wants
all men to be saved.
00:38:20.00\00:38:21.96
John 1:9,
00:38:21.96\00:38:23.57
"That was the true light
that gives light to every man
00:38:23.57\00:38:27.27
that comes into the world."
00:38:27.27\00:38:29.00
And then you...
00:38:29.00\00:38:30.07
The Bible closes
that says, whosoever will,
00:38:30.07\00:38:33.17
let him take the
water of life freely.
00:38:33.17\00:38:35.48
Whosoever, what's John 3:16?
00:38:35.48\00:38:37.58
Whosoever believes
in Him might not perish,
00:38:37.58\00:38:39.88
because He wants
everyone to be saved.
00:38:39.88\00:38:42.45
God is love.
00:38:42.45\00:38:43.65
Can you imagine a
father, a loving father saying,
00:38:43.65\00:38:46.69
well, I need someone
to help illustrate a point
00:38:46.69\00:38:48.62
in the gospel
00:38:48.62\00:38:49.69
so, I'm sorry,
but you're gonna die
00:38:49.69\00:38:51.56
and then I'm
gonna put you in hell.
00:38:51.56\00:38:52.76
And I'm making,
00:38:52.76\00:38:53.83
I'm predetermining
before you're even born
00:38:53.83\00:38:56.50
that I'm wiring you,
so you cannot be saved.
00:38:56.50\00:39:00.97
And then I'm
gonna put you in hell.
00:39:00.97\00:39:03.37
Do you realize,
that's what some believe.
00:39:03.37\00:39:06.68
Doesn't that sort of make God
an accomplice to their crime?
00:39:06.68\00:39:11.25
If God is able to predetermine
00:39:11.25\00:39:13.45
that He's gonna
make somebody love Him,
00:39:13.45\00:39:16.28
doesn't that cancel out
the whole plan of salvation?
00:39:16.28\00:39:19.42
And you would then
say, He must have said,
00:39:19.42\00:39:21.49
well, I need to teach
the universe a lesson,
00:39:21.49\00:39:23.19
so I'm gonna make
Lucifer turn on me.
00:39:23.19\00:39:27.93
God knew it would happen
but He doesn't make it happen,
00:39:27.93\00:39:30.23
that's a different, He
really makes His creatures free.
00:39:30.23\00:39:33.00
It's a very
important point to understand,
00:39:33.00\00:39:35.27
because you see where this goes.
00:39:35.27\00:39:37.87
God says, "I am gonna
make Judas a liar and a thief."
00:39:37.87\00:39:44.85
He doesn't have any choice.
00:39:44.85\00:39:46.98
I am gonna just wire him
that way from the factory
00:39:46.98\00:39:49.92
and so that's how
he's gonna live his life
00:39:49.92\00:39:51.42
because I need to use him.
00:39:51.42\00:39:53.12
So, you know, what they call
that in our criminal system?
00:39:53.12\00:39:56.96
You're an accessory.
00:39:56.96\00:39:58.93
You're an accomplice.
00:39:58.93\00:40:00.46
And if nothing else,
00:40:00.46\00:40:01.56
if the government set
somebody else to commit a crime,
00:40:01.56\00:40:03.83
if they set them up
they call it entrapment.
00:40:03.83\00:40:07.00
Isn't that right?
00:40:07.00\00:40:08.74
And it's considered illegal.
00:40:08.74\00:40:11.07
You get to hell,
00:40:11.07\00:40:12.17
terrible philosophical
problems if you believe that,
00:40:12.17\00:40:16.44
but God who wants
all men to be saved,
00:40:16.44\00:40:18.11
He creates
everybody with an opportunity
00:40:18.11\00:40:20.72
to love, to choose.
00:40:20.72\00:40:23.12
And every man is
rewarded according to what?
00:40:23.12\00:40:26.45
His works.
00:40:26.45\00:40:27.59
Jesus says that,
isn't that right?
00:40:27.59\00:40:29.82
So if God is gonna reward people
00:40:29.82\00:40:31.83
according to his works,
00:40:31.83\00:40:32.83
but if He is pre-deciding
what your works gonna be
00:40:32.83\00:40:34.76
before you're even born,
00:40:34.76\00:40:36.36
and He is making
you do certain works
00:40:36.36\00:40:38.33
and then He is punishing
you for doing bad works,
00:40:38.33\00:40:42.14
wouldn't that be
kind of like, you know,
00:40:42.14\00:40:43.64
pushing your kid
in the cookie jar
00:40:43.64\00:40:44.91
and then spanking
them, for eating cookies?
00:40:44.91\00:40:48.38
It just wouldn't make sense.
00:40:48.38\00:40:51.11
So this is why I told you
this is a challenging chapter.
00:40:51.11\00:40:54.02
I need to move on
here, some of the mysteries.
00:40:54.02\00:40:57.89
Isaiah 55:8 and 9,
00:40:57.89\00:41:00.06
first of all, there
are some difficult things,
00:41:00.06\00:41:01.92
I don't want to
pretend there're not.
00:41:01.92\00:41:04.49
God says, "For My
thoughts are not your thoughts,
00:41:04.49\00:41:06.86
and neither are your
ways My ways," says the Lord.
00:41:06.86\00:41:10.07
"For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
00:41:10.07\00:41:11.97
so are My ways
higher than your ways
00:41:11.97\00:41:14.37
and My thoughts
than your thoughts."
00:41:14.37\00:41:16.77
So now we're gonna
jump into Romans 9:14,
00:41:16.77\00:41:21.48
"What shall we say then?
00:41:21.48\00:41:23.65
Is there
unrighteousness with God?"
00:41:23.65\00:41:26.11
See, Paul is saying, I
know what you're thinking.
00:41:26.11\00:41:28.85
Did God make Esau to be lost?
00:41:28.85\00:41:31.89
Is there
unrighteousness with God?
00:41:31.89\00:41:33.56
He says, certainly not.
00:41:33.56\00:41:35.89
How many of you
have a King James?
00:41:35.89\00:41:37.66
I think it says,
God forbid there.
00:41:37.66\00:41:39.59
God forbid,
don't even think that.
00:41:39.59\00:41:41.16
Is there any unrighteousness,
we got an accessory.
00:41:41.16\00:41:46.23
For He said to Moses,
00:41:46.23\00:41:47.34
I'll have mercy on
whomever I'll have mercy,
00:41:47.34\00:41:49.50
and I'll have compassion
on whoever I want compassion.
00:41:49.50\00:41:52.41
So then it is not him who
wills nor of him who runs,
00:41:52.41\00:41:56.81
but God who shows mercy,
00:41:56.81\00:41:58.95
and then he gives
you an illustration.
00:41:58.95\00:42:01.15
For the scripture
says to the Pharaoh,
00:42:01.15\00:42:03.72
for this very
purpose I have raised you up,
00:42:03.72\00:42:06.42
that I might
show my power in you
00:42:06.42\00:42:08.79
and that my need might be
declared in all of the earth.
00:42:08.79\00:42:13.33
So God raised up Pharaoh,
00:42:13.33\00:42:15.43
and, you know,
there's several places
00:42:15.43\00:42:16.80
where it says God
hardened Pharaoh's heart,
00:42:16.80\00:42:21.17
and He raised up Pharaoh
and he said, look, I got to
00:42:21.17\00:42:23.71
somehow I have to have
a bad guy in the script.
00:42:23.71\00:42:26.74
So that I can
show My mighty power,
00:42:26.74\00:42:28.24
and so I've raised you up
and I've hardened your heart.
00:42:28.24\00:42:30.75
And you don't have any choice,
00:42:30.75\00:42:32.45
but you're going to be
the most stubborn king ever,
00:42:32.45\00:42:34.05
who ever lived.
00:42:34.05\00:42:35.52
And you're also
gonna be really stupid
00:42:35.52\00:42:36.69
because plague after plague
00:42:36.69\00:42:37.79
and you keep
doing the same thing.
00:42:37.79\00:42:40.86
So is that what He's saying.
00:42:40.86\00:42:43.76
Therefore, He has
mercy on whom He will,
00:42:43.76\00:42:46.83
and who He will He hardens,
00:42:46.83\00:42:49.16
and you'll say to me
then why does He find fault?
00:42:49.16\00:42:51.73
Why would God punish
00:42:51.73\00:42:52.77
if He's making
a person that way?
00:42:52.77\00:42:55.54
For who has resisted his will.
00:42:55.54\00:42:58.51
But indeed, oh, man,
00:42:58.51\00:42:59.84
who are you who reply
against the will of God?
00:42:59.84\00:43:03.35
You reply against God.
00:43:03.35\00:43:05.21
Will the thing formed,
that you, the creature,
00:43:05.21\00:43:07.82
say to Him who
formed it, why did you...
00:43:07.82\00:43:09.85
How dare You make me like this?
00:43:09.85\00:43:12.09
Does not the potter
have power over the clay
00:43:12.09\00:43:14.56
to make from the same
lump, one vessel for honor
00:43:14.56\00:43:17.49
and another vessel for dishonor.
00:43:17.49\00:43:20.46
All right, so it says,
God hardened Pharaoh's heart,
00:43:20.46\00:43:23.57
three or four times,
you might look it up,
00:43:23.57\00:43:25.97
but at least three or four times
00:43:25.97\00:43:27.27
it says, Pharaoh
hardened his own heart.
00:43:27.27\00:43:30.57
Someone's going to
read for me in Exodus 9:34,
00:43:30.57\00:43:34.34
and before you do, I'll
read some of the others.
00:43:34.34\00:43:37.01
Exodus 8:15,
00:43:37.01\00:43:38.88
"But when Pharaoh
saw there was relief,
00:43:38.88\00:43:41.38
he hardened his heart
and did not heed them."
00:43:41.38\00:43:45.49
Now the relief was the mercy
of God to forgive the plague.
00:43:45.49\00:43:50.56
Exodus 8:32,
00:43:50.56\00:43:52.26
"But Pharaoh hardened
his heart this time also,
00:43:52.26\00:43:55.16
neither would he
let the people go."
00:43:55.16\00:43:56.97
Go ahead, read Exodus 9:34.
00:43:56.97\00:43:59.90
"And when Pharaoh saw
00:43:59.90\00:44:01.14
that the rain, the hail,
and the thunder had ceased,
00:44:01.14\00:44:04.71
he sinned yet more,
and he hardened his heart,
00:44:04.71\00:44:08.38
he and his servants."
00:44:08.38\00:44:11.21
So, what do you do
00:44:11.21\00:44:13.62
when you got what appears
to be conflicting verses,
00:44:13.62\00:44:15.48
one place there God says,
00:44:15.48\00:44:16.55
I'm gonna
harden Pharaoh's heart,
00:44:16.55\00:44:17.72
and the other place it says,
Pharaoh hardened his heart.
00:44:17.72\00:44:21.26
When the sun shines
on wax, it gets soft.
00:44:21.26\00:44:26.46
When the sun shines
on clay, it gets hard.
00:44:26.46\00:44:30.93
You could say the
sun harden the clay,
00:44:30.93\00:44:35.00
but that same sun
shining right next to the clay,
00:44:35.00\00:44:38.07
softens the wax.
00:44:38.07\00:44:40.48
The circumstances
that God allowed to come,
00:44:40.48\00:44:44.11
Pharaoh took those things
and he hardened his heart.
00:44:44.11\00:44:47.38
Let me read
something to you from the book,
00:44:47.38\00:44:49.52
it's actually from a quote
00:44:49.52\00:44:51.35
from the Review and
Herald, February 17, 1891,
00:44:51.35\00:44:55.49
"We're told that the
Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart,
00:44:55.49\00:44:58.33
the repeated
refusals of the king
00:44:58.33\00:45:00.43
to hear the Word of
the Lord called forth
00:45:00.43\00:45:02.46
more direct, more
urgent, and forcible messages.
00:45:02.46\00:45:05.30
At each rejection of light,
00:45:05.30\00:45:07.47
the Lord manifested
00:45:07.47\00:45:08.60
a more marked
display of His power,
00:45:08.60\00:45:11.27
but the king's
abstinence increased
00:45:11.27\00:45:13.64
with every new evidence
of the power and majesty
00:45:13.64\00:45:16.54
of the divine heaven,
00:45:16.54\00:45:18.15
until the last arrow
of mercy was exhausted
00:45:18.15\00:45:21.98
from the divine quiver.
00:45:21.98\00:45:24.19
And then of course,
00:45:24.19\00:45:25.22
the plague of the Passover came,
00:45:25.22\00:45:27.02
the firstborn die,
including Pharaoh's.
00:45:27.02\00:45:30.13
He said, mercy was sent,
00:45:30.13\00:45:31.79
so what's
hardening Pharaoh's heart?
00:45:31.79\00:45:34.83
The mercy of God.
00:45:34.83\00:45:36.60
And when God said, I am gonna
reveal My power in Pharaoh,
00:45:36.60\00:45:40.04
what did God reveal?
00:45:40.04\00:45:41.44
His patience, His mercy.
00:45:41.44\00:45:44.71
And he hardened his
heart against the mercy.
00:45:44.71\00:45:46.61
And here's a
quote I want you to get,
00:45:46.61\00:45:48.64
"The man was utterly hardened
00:45:48.64\00:45:51.41
by his own
persistent resistance."
00:45:51.41\00:45:55.62
That's pretty clear.
00:45:55.62\00:45:57.32
Pharaoh sowed abstinence
00:45:57.32\00:45:59.32
and he reaped the harvest
of the same in his character.
00:45:59.32\00:46:02.92
The Lord could do
nothing more to convince him,
00:46:02.92\00:46:05.49
for he was barricaded
in abstinence and prejudice
00:46:05.49\00:46:09.40
where the Holy Spirit
00:46:09.40\00:46:10.57
could not find
access to his heart.
00:46:10.57\00:46:12.97
God kept sending the Spirit
to even Pharaoh to reach him,
00:46:12.97\00:46:17.37
showing His power,
showing His patience.
00:46:17.37\00:46:20.21
And he just folded his arms
and he said, "Who is the Lord?
00:46:20.21\00:46:22.58
Who is the Lord?
00:46:22.58\00:46:23.65
I'm not gonna listen to
God, I'm gonna go to my gods.
00:46:23.65\00:46:27.18
And so God said,
00:46:27.18\00:46:29.82
I'm going to
allow this circumstance
00:46:29.82\00:46:33.49
to be a lesson for Israel.
00:46:33.49\00:46:35.66
See, God takes things
00:46:35.66\00:46:38.19
that are bad
that the devil does,
00:46:38.19\00:46:39.43
and He works them for good.
00:46:39.43\00:46:41.93
And so the hardness of Pharaoh,
Pharaoh hardened his own heart,
00:46:41.93\00:46:46.53
ended up being a demonstration
00:46:46.53\00:46:47.97
of God's power and His goodness.
00:46:47.97\00:46:50.81
Yes, God raised up Pharaoh,
00:46:50.81\00:46:52.11
God raised him
up with a free will.
00:46:52.11\00:46:54.91
God knew what he would do,
00:46:54.91\00:46:56.85
and he said it
will be an opportunity
00:46:56.85\00:46:58.15
to teach a lesson
00:46:58.15\00:46:59.45
but he didn't pre-program
00:46:59.45\00:47:01.15
and make Pharaoh
be stubborn and lost.
00:47:01.15\00:47:04.19
See, what I'm saying?
00:47:04.19\00:47:06.09
So that's very
important I think.
00:47:06.09\00:47:07.49
And let me give
you one more verse,
00:47:07.49\00:47:08.89
1 Samuel 6:6,
00:47:08.89\00:47:11.46
now this is way up in Samuel's,
00:47:11.46\00:47:12.76
not in Exodus any more.
00:47:12.76\00:47:14.10
1 Samuel 6:6, Samuel said,
00:47:14.10\00:47:16.40
"Why then do you
harden your hearts
00:47:16.40\00:47:19.30
as the Egyptians and
Pharaoh hardened their hearts?
00:47:19.30\00:47:23.87
When he did
mighty things among them,
00:47:23.87\00:47:25.74
they did not let the people
go that they might depart."
00:47:25.74\00:47:29.04
So that I think is pretty clear.
00:47:29.04\00:47:32.18
And I'm moving
on here in Romans,
00:47:32.18\00:47:35.72
he talks about, we
talked about Pharaoh
00:47:35.72\00:47:38.45
that his name
might be revealed in him,
00:47:38.45\00:47:40.42
the potter has
power over the clay.
00:47:40.42\00:47:42.62
Let me see here,
and then he says,
00:47:46.43\00:47:49.96
"And that he might make
known the riches of His glory,
00:47:49.96\00:47:52.30
so why does he
allow this to happen
00:47:52.30\00:47:54.20
that he might make
known the riches of His glory
00:47:54.20\00:47:56.24
on the vessels of mercy
00:47:56.24\00:47:58.01
which he prepared
beforehand for glory,
00:47:58.01\00:48:00.61
even to those who he
called not of the Jews only,
00:48:00.61\00:48:03.01
but also the gentiles."
00:48:03.01\00:48:04.18
So this is the point
00:48:04.18\00:48:05.25
he just keeps
trying to bring back,
00:48:05.25\00:48:06.72
it's not just Jews
but the gentiles also.
00:48:06.72\00:48:09.78
As he says in Hosea,
00:48:09.78\00:48:11.62
"I will call them my
people who are not my people,
00:48:11.62\00:48:14.59
and her beloved
who is not beloved,
00:48:14.59\00:48:17.06
and it will come
to pass in the place
00:48:17.06\00:48:18.63
where I said to them,
you are not my people,
00:48:18.63\00:48:20.70
there they will be called
the Sons of the Living God,
00:48:20.70\00:48:22.86
places that were formally pagan
00:48:22.86\00:48:24.70
are now being called
Sons of the Living God."
00:48:24.70\00:48:28.17
Isaiah also cries
out concerning Israel.
00:48:28.17\00:48:31.01
Though the number of
the children of Israel
00:48:31.01\00:48:32.71
be as the sand of the sea
the remnant will be saved,
00:48:32.71\00:48:36.01
for he will finish the work
00:48:36.01\00:48:37.15
and cut it short
and righteousness.
00:48:37.15\00:48:38.21
Who?
00:48:38.21\00:48:39.25
What qualifies
you to be a remnant?
00:48:39.25\00:48:41.95
The ones who
believe, it's by faith.
00:48:41.95\00:48:44.39
When you get through Revelation
00:48:44.39\00:48:45.49
and you find out
about the remnant,
00:48:45.49\00:48:46.86
Revelation 14.
00:48:46.86\00:48:49.46
Here are those that
keep the commandments of God
00:48:49.46\00:48:51.39
and have the...
00:48:51.39\00:48:53.26
Not the testimony,
the faith of Jesus.
00:48:53.26\00:48:57.23
There it says, here are those
00:48:57.23\00:48:58.87
that keep the
commandments of God
00:48:58.87\00:49:00.27
and have the faith of Jesus.
00:49:00.27\00:49:02.87
The remnant is
composed of people
00:49:02.87\00:49:05.24
who are saved by faith.
00:49:05.24\00:49:07.41
They keep the commandments
00:49:07.41\00:49:08.54
because they have
the faith of Jesus.
00:49:08.54\00:49:11.41
They don't keep the
commandments to be saved,
00:49:11.41\00:49:13.62
is that right?
00:49:13.62\00:49:14.72
So Paul is
saying through history,
00:49:14.72\00:49:16.02
God has saved a
remnant who had faith.
00:49:16.02\00:49:17.95
Abraham had
faith, Isaac had faith,
00:49:17.95\00:49:19.42
Jacob had faith.
00:49:19.42\00:49:21.12
But not every
Israelite is going to be saved,
00:49:21.12\00:49:23.32
is that clear?
00:49:23.32\00:49:24.83
There were some who had faith
00:49:24.83\00:49:26.49
and it highlights many
of them through history,
00:49:26.49\00:49:28.16
read Hebrews 11,
00:49:28.16\00:49:29.33
it talks about
the heroes of faith.
00:49:29.33\00:49:30.90
But you know among
the heroes of faith,
00:49:30.90\00:49:32.37
they're not all Jews.
00:49:32.37\00:49:33.90
Doesn't he also talk about
Noah built an ark by faith,
00:49:33.90\00:49:37.24
he wasn't a Jew.
00:49:37.24\00:49:38.37
Rahab had faith.
00:49:38.37\00:49:40.08
She was not an Israelite.
00:49:40.08\00:49:41.98
And so Paul is making the
point that those who believe,
00:49:41.98\00:49:46.35
they're the ones
who are saved by faith.
00:49:46.35\00:49:48.95
And reading on
here, Romans 9:29.
00:49:48.95\00:49:53.62
"And as Isaiah said before,
00:49:53.62\00:49:54.96
unless the Lord of
Sabaoth had left us a seed."
00:49:54.96\00:49:57.96
Sabaoth there it
doesn't mean Sabbath,
00:49:57.96\00:49:59.59
it means a lord
of hosts or armies.
00:49:59.59\00:50:01.50
"Had left us a seed,
00:50:01.50\00:50:02.73
we would have become like Sodom,
00:50:02.73\00:50:04.13
it would have
been like Gomorrah."
00:50:04.13\00:50:05.23
It's the remnant
that God ultimately saves.
00:50:05.23\00:50:07.77
And God saved the remnant
out of Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:50:07.77\00:50:10.97
that was Lot and his daughters.
00:50:10.97\00:50:12.57
What shall we say then,
00:50:12.57\00:50:14.01
that the gentiles
00:50:14.01\00:50:15.08
who did not pursue righteousness
00:50:15.08\00:50:16.58
have attained to righteousness,
00:50:16.58\00:50:18.31
even the righteousness of faith?
00:50:18.31\00:50:20.15
But Israel pursuing
the law of righteousness
00:50:20.15\00:50:22.32
has not attained
to righteousness,
00:50:22.32\00:50:24.29
the law of righteousness why?
00:50:24.29\00:50:25.99
Because they did
not seek it by faith,
00:50:25.99\00:50:28.09
but as it were by
the works of the law.
00:50:28.09\00:50:30.69
For they stumbled
at the stumbling stone,
00:50:30.69\00:50:33.90
"As it is written,
00:50:33.90\00:50:35.96
'Behold I lay in
Zion, the stumbling stone,
00:50:35.96\00:50:38.30
and the rock of offense,
00:50:38.30\00:50:39.47
and whoever believes on
him will not be put to shame.'"
00:50:39.47\00:50:42.97
And here it's talking
about that rock of stumbling.
00:50:42.97\00:50:44.97
Someone's going to
read for me Psalm 118:22.
00:50:44.97\00:50:49.81
"The stone which
the builders rejected
00:50:49.81\00:50:51.98
has become the
Chief Cornerstone.
00:50:51.98\00:50:54.05
This was the Lord's doing,
it is marvelous in our eyes."
00:50:54.05\00:50:58.02
And here he's
referring back to a story
00:50:58.02\00:51:00.22
when they were
building the Solomon's temple
00:51:00.22\00:51:01.92
and all the stones were prepared
00:51:01.92\00:51:03.49
at a separate quarry,
00:51:03.49\00:51:05.66
they brought them to place,
00:51:05.66\00:51:06.86
they sent up the
cornerstone early on
00:51:06.86\00:51:09.16
but it was an odd looking stone
00:51:09.16\00:51:11.37
because part of it
rested on the bedrock,
00:51:11.37\00:51:15.54
and it had been cut and
sloped, and it was a corner,
00:51:15.54\00:51:20.88
and it was right in the
middle of the work site,
00:51:20.88\00:51:22.61
and they kept bumping into it,
00:51:22.61\00:51:24.45
and tripping on it and
scuffling their toes on it,
00:51:24.45\00:51:28.05
and hitting their heads on it.
00:51:28.05\00:51:29.12
And they got upset,
00:51:29.12\00:51:30.15
and they rolled it
down into the Kidron Valley,
00:51:30.15\00:51:32.55
then when it came
time to build the temple,
00:51:32.55\00:51:35.96
they start actually
assembling the masonry,
00:51:35.96\00:51:37.86
they said, where
is the cornerstone,
00:51:37.86\00:51:40.46
they sent back a
text to the quarrian.
00:51:40.46\00:51:43.30
They said, "Where
is that cornerstone?"
00:51:43.30\00:51:44.37
They said, "We sent
that a long time ago."
00:51:44.37\00:51:46.47
Oh, that's that stumbling stone
00:51:46.47\00:51:48.74
that was right in the
middle that we were cursing.
00:51:48.74\00:51:51.57
And it's the
foundation of the whole temple,
00:51:51.57\00:51:53.71
we had no idea.
00:51:53.71\00:51:55.38
You find that
referred to many times
00:51:55.38\00:51:57.45
through the New
and the Old Testament.
00:51:57.45\00:51:59.25
And then finally
00:51:59.25\00:52:00.42
in the New Testament they say,
00:52:00.42\00:52:01.68
"That was Christ."
00:52:01.68\00:52:03.02
When the Messiah finally came,
00:52:03.02\00:52:05.59
they didn't know,
and they rejected Him,
00:52:05.59\00:52:07.62
and they cast
Him out of the city.
00:52:07.62\00:52:09.59
And He ended up being the
foundation for everything.
00:52:09.59\00:52:13.66
That's why you
read in Ephesians 2,
00:52:13.66\00:52:16.43
"Now therefore
00:52:16.43\00:52:17.57
you are no longer
strangers and foreigners..."
00:52:17.57\00:52:19.90
Gentiles you're not far off.
00:52:19.90\00:52:22.37
"But you are fellow
citizens with the saints,
00:52:22.37\00:52:24.57
and members of
the household of God
00:52:24.57\00:52:26.74
having been
built on the foundation
00:52:26.74\00:52:28.68
of the apostles
and the prophets,
00:52:28.68\00:52:30.81
Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief cornerstone,
00:52:30.81\00:52:35.25
in which the whole
building fitly frames together."
00:52:35.25\00:52:38.75
Anyway I can see
we've run out of time.
00:52:38.75\00:52:40.29
I want to remind our friends,
00:52:40.29\00:52:41.26
I know we talked
about some difficult things
00:52:41.26\00:52:43.12
dealing with predestination
and the sovereignty of God.
00:52:43.12\00:52:47.46
We have a free offer,
it's number 112, it's called,
00:52:47.46\00:52:50.60
"Can a Saved Man
Choose to Be Lost"?
00:52:50.60\00:52:53.37
We'll send it to
you for simply asking,
00:52:53.37\00:52:55.57
we do ask you read it,
00:52:55.57\00:52:56.67
and you'll be blessed,
and then share with a friend.
00:52:56.67\00:52:58.71
Here's a number 866-788-3966.
00:52:58.71\00:53:03.31
That adds up to 866-Study-More
00:53:03.31\00:53:05.91
and we'll send it to
you free, please do so.
00:53:05.91\00:53:07.92
And thank you,
friends, for joining us,
00:53:07.92\00:53:09.48
God willing will
study His word together
00:53:09.48\00:53:11.39
again next week.
00:53:11.39\00:53:12.99
Have you ever heard a
mouse howl like a wolf?
00:53:23.50\00:53:27.44
Well, what would
you expect would happen
00:53:27.44\00:53:29.10
when a creature
changes its destiny
00:53:29.10\00:53:31.64
from the hapless
prey to mighty predator?
00:53:31.64\00:53:35.31
From the outside
they look very much like
00:53:35.31\00:53:37.08
just an oversized field mouse,
00:53:37.08\00:53:39.38
cute brown fur,
white on the underbelly,
00:53:39.38\00:53:42.05
nice little beady eyes,
00:53:42.05\00:53:43.75
but that's where
the similarities stop.
00:53:43.75\00:53:45.72
Grasshopper mice are
very unusual making them
00:53:45.72\00:53:49.06
the objects of great
interest for animal researchers.
00:53:49.06\00:53:53.73
These furry little
creatures are found
00:53:53.73\00:53:55.50
in the harsh
deserts of North America.
00:53:55.50\00:53:57.67
They're very
territorial in nature.
00:53:57.67\00:53:59.53
And they will monopolize
and fend off 25 acres.
00:53:59.53\00:54:03.24
They don't build their own homes
00:54:03.24\00:54:04.61
but sort of
confiscate the burrows
00:54:04.61\00:54:06.37
and the homes
of other creatures.
00:54:06.37\00:54:09.14
They're not
called grasshopper mice
00:54:09.14\00:54:10.65
'cause they hop around.
00:54:10.65\00:54:12.01
But it's because they
eat a lot of grasshoppers.
00:54:12.01\00:54:13.95
In fact
scientists have discovered
00:54:13.95\00:54:15.75
grasshopper mice
are the only mice
00:54:15.75\00:54:17.85
that are purely carnivorous.
00:54:17.85\00:54:21.26
They hunt much
like cats or weasels,
00:54:21.26\00:54:23.36
stalking their prey
in a predatory fashion,
00:54:23.36\00:54:26.06
and when they
pounce, they are ferocious.
00:54:26.06\00:54:28.73
Sometimes even taking
on snakes, and scorpions,
00:54:28.73\00:54:31.40
and centipedes.
00:54:31.40\00:54:33.80
When a grasshopper mouse
gets into a fierce battle
00:54:33.80\00:54:36.40
with a snake, or a
scorpion, or centipede,
00:54:36.40\00:54:38.74
they may be bit or
stung several times.
00:54:38.74\00:54:41.74
But what is
amazing to researchers
00:54:41.74\00:54:43.58
is they've noticed
when they are bitten,
00:54:43.58\00:54:45.98
they somehow shake it off
00:54:45.98\00:54:47.72
because they convert the toxin
and the venom to pain killer.
00:54:47.72\00:54:52.75
I think you can understand
why this information would be
00:54:52.75\00:54:55.22
of special
interest to scientists
00:54:55.22\00:54:57.36
that are trying to
discover new ways for people
00:54:57.36\00:55:00.10
to deal with chronic pain.
00:55:00.10\00:55:02.86
One of the most
intriguing characteristics
00:55:02.86\00:55:04.83
of these little creatures
00:55:04.83\00:55:06.67
is when they're
defending their territory
00:55:06.67\00:55:08.67
or celebrating a
victory over some adversary,
00:55:08.67\00:55:11.97
they'll throw back their head
00:55:11.97\00:55:13.34
and let out this
earthshaking howl.
00:55:13.34\00:55:16.78
It's a mousy howl. Check it out.
00:55:16.78\00:55:18.98
The grasshopper mouse
00:55:25.25\00:55:26.39
is not the only
member of creation
00:55:26.39\00:55:28.36
that can survive encounters
with venomous predators.
00:55:28.36\00:55:31.93
In Luke 10:19 it says,
00:55:31.93\00:55:33.76
"Behold, I will
give you authority
00:55:33.76\00:55:36.16
to trample on
serpents and scorpions,
00:55:36.16\00:55:38.73
and over all the
power of the enemy:
00:55:38.73\00:55:41.20
nothing will by
any means hurt you."
00:55:41.20\00:55:43.97
We don't have to be the
biggest and the strongest
00:55:43.97\00:55:46.27
to defeat our enemy and
led out that victory roar.
00:55:46.27\00:55:49.28
When God called
David to be king,
00:55:49.28\00:55:51.38
no human would have
guessed that he had it in him.
00:55:51.38\00:55:53.85
He was young and insignificant,
00:55:53.85\00:55:55.82
from the outside he looked like
there was no greatness in him.
00:55:55.82\00:55:59.35
But when God
looked at his heart,
00:55:59.35\00:56:01.19
He saw courage,
humility, compassion, and love.
00:56:01.19\00:56:04.69
David wasn't
perfect and he made mistakes
00:56:04.69\00:56:07.00
but through God's power he
was able to conquer giants.
00:56:07.00\00:56:11.47
Friend, God does not intend
00:56:11.47\00:56:12.87
that you live out
the rest of your life
00:56:12.87\00:56:14.44
cowering and trembling
like a little field mouse.
00:56:14.44\00:56:17.44
If God can take
the grasshopper mouse
00:56:17.44\00:56:19.31
and give him courage
00:56:19.31\00:56:20.68
so that he fights snakes,
and scorpions, and centipedes.
00:56:20.68\00:56:24.18
If God can put in
the heart of David
00:56:24.18\00:56:25.85
the courage to
fight giants like Goliath,
00:56:25.85\00:56:28.82
then He can give
you that same courage.
00:56:28.82\00:56:31.09
The scripture say,
00:56:31.09\00:56:32.15
God has not given
you the spirit of fear
00:56:32.15\00:56:34.89
but of power,
love, and a sound mind.
00:56:34.89\00:56:38.26
And you can have
that peace in your heart
00:56:38.26\00:56:40.20
when you invite the
Prince of Peace in your heart.
00:56:40.20\00:56:42.70
Why don't you do that right now?
00:56:42.70\00:56:44.17
For life changing
Christian resources,
00:56:53.71\00:56:56.21
visit afbookstore.com,
00:56:56.21\00:56:58.35
or call 1-800-538-7275.
00:56:58.35\00:57:03.62
Can't get enough
Amazing Facts Bible Study?
00:57:03.62\00:57:06.55
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00:57:06.55\00:57:08.42
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00:57:08.42\00:57:10.96
Visit the Amazing Facts
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00:57:10.96\00:57:16.06
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00:57:16.06\00:57:18.17
you can enjoy video
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00:57:18.17\00:57:21.00
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00:57:21.00\00:57:24.14
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00:57:24.14\00:57:26.81
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00:57:26.81\00:57:29.14
Visit aftv.org.
00:57:29.14\00:57:33.58
Let's face it,
00:57:33.58\00:57:34.62
it's not always easy
to understand everything
00:57:34.62\00:57:37.05
you read in The Bible.
00:57:37.05\00:57:38.52
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:57:38.52\00:57:42.32
The Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:57:42.32\00:57:44.86
To get biblical
straight forward answers,
00:57:44.86\00:57:47.23
call into Bible Answers Live,
00:57:47.23\00:57:48.96
a live nationwide
call-in radio program
00:57:48.96\00:57:51.73
where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:57:51.73\00:57:53.97
and ask him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:57:53.97\00:57:56.54
For times and
stations in your area
00:57:56.54\00:57:58.77
or to listen to answers online,
00:57:58.77\00:58:00.71
visit bal.amazingfacts.org.
00:58:00.71\00:58:04.41