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Jean Ross: Good
morning, friends.
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Welcome again to "Sabbath School
Study Hour" here at the Granite
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Bay Seventh Day Adventist Church
in Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to welcome those
who are joining us online.
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I know we have a number of our
online church members, part of
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our Sabbath School, and we want
to welcome you, as well as those
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joining us across the
country and around the world.
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And as always, we'd like
to welcome our regular church
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members here for
Sabbath School and those
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who are visiting with us today.
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We're just delighted
that you're joining us.
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Now, for those of you who have
been attending over the past few
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weeks, you know that we've
started a new study dealing
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with the books of
Ezra and Nehemiah.
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It's actually the title
of our lesson quarterly,
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Ezra and Nehemiah.
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Today we find ourselves on
lesson number six, entitled
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"The Reading of the Word,"
so a very important study.
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We do have a free offer,
friends, that go along with our
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study today, a book written by
our own Pastor Doug Batchelor,
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"The Ultimate Resource,"
and this is our free offer
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for anyone who is watching.
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If you'd like to receive it,
all you have to do is give us
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a call, and that number
is...and ask for our offer,
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offer number 728.
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Or if you like, you'll be able
to text the following code SH091
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to the number 40544, and
you'll be able to download
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the book, "The
Ultimate Resource."
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We'll send it to you and you'll
be able to read it online.
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Now, for those of you who might
not have a copy of our lesson
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for today, you can
download that by simply
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going to lesson.aftv.org.
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Again, that's lesson.aftv.org.
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That's lesson number
six, and it's entitled
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"The Reading of the Word."
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Well, before we get to
our study, we have a special
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musical item that's
going to be brought to us by
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the Granite Bay Church Choir.
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¤¤¤
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¤¤¤
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¤ There's a land
that is fairer than day, ¤
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¤ and by faith we
can see it afar; ¤
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¤ for the Father
waits over the way ¤
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¤ to prepare us a
dwelling place there. ¤
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¤ There's a land
that is fairer than day, ¤
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¤ and by faith we
can see it afar; ¤
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¤ for the Father
waits over the way ¤
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¤ to prepare us a
dwelling place there. ¤
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¤ In the sweet ¤
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¤ by and by, ¤
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¤ we shall meet on
that beautiful shore. ¤
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¤ In the sweet ¤
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¤ by and by, ¤
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¤ we shall meet on
that beautiful shore. ¤
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¤ We shall sing on
that beautiful shore ¤
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¤ the melodious
songs of the blest, ¤
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¤ and our spirits
shall sorrow no more ¤
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¤ not a sight for
the blessing of rest. ¤
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¤ In the sweet ¤
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¤ by and by, ¤
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¤ we shall meet on
that beautiful shore. ¤
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¤ In the sweet ¤
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¤ by and by, ¤
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¤ we shall meet on
that beautiful shore. ¤
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¤ To our
bountiful Father above ¤
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¤ we will offer our
tribute of praise; ¤
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¤ for the
glorious gift of His love ¤
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¤ and the blessings
that hallow our days. ¤
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¤ In the sweet ¤
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¤ by and by, ¤
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¤ we shall meet on
that beautiful shore. ¤
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¤ In the sweet ¤
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¤ by and by, ¤
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¤ we shall meet on
that beautiful shore. ¤
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¤ We shall meet ¤
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¤ on that beautiful shore. ¤¤
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Jean: Dear Father, once again,
we are grateful that we have
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this opportunity to
gather together and open up
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Your Word and study together,
studying about the Word.
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So, we do pray Your
blessing upon our time today.
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In Jesus's name, amen.
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Our lesson today is going to
be brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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Pastor Doug
Batchelor: How is everybody?
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It's good to be back home.
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Seems like Mrs. Batchelor
and I've been traveling a lot.
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We had a good experience
being with some of the
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members from around the world.
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This week we were at the
annual council meeting where the
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various members of the executive
committee come together and they
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talk about just the state of the
church, the finances, different
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policies and vote, maybe some
changes to different things.
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And it was good to see the way
the work of God is progressing
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around the world and some good
things came out of that meeting.
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So anyway, still
adjusting to the time change.
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But I trust that if I can
stay awake, you can, amen.
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Is that a deal, promise?
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We are going through
our lesson dealing with the
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subject of Ezra and Nehemiah.
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It's really a very good
lesson today, and it's talking
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about the reading of the Word,
one of my favorite subjects,
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the reading of the Word.
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Everything
springs from the Bible.
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And we have a memory verse.
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The memory verses
from Nehemiah 8:8.
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Are you with me?
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We're going to say
it together. Here we go.
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Nehemiah 8:8, and this is
the New King James Version.
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You can just say it
out loud from the lesson
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quarterly if you'd like.
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"So they read distinctly from
the book, in the Law of God; and
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they gave the sense, and helped
them to understand the reading."
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We're going to delve
more about the importance
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of understanding what
you read a little later.
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Now, the principal
purpose of the study today when
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we go through a quarterly, the
goal of the writer is to take us
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through the books
of Ezra and Nehemiah.
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And they'll do that in
different sections and pieces
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as it makes sense.
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Today, our assignment is
Nehemiah 8, verses 1 through 12.
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So, if you have your
Bible, to make sure we at least
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get through the principal
assignment, I'm going to do
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my best to just read this.
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And there's a lot of
names in this passage,
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a lot of Hebrew names.
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So, you just, I hope that
you'll extend grace as I do
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my best to pronounce these.
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If there's any Hebrew scholars
out there, then preoccupy
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yourself doing something
else for a few minutes.
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All right, let's look
here at Nehemiah chapter 8.
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"Now all the people
gathered together as one man
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in the open square that was
in front of the Water Gate--"
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This is a gate that would
have led from the temple outside
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of the city
towards the Kidron Valley.
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"And they told Ezra the scribe
to bring the Book of the Law
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of Moses, which the
Lord had commanded Israel.
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So Ezra the priest brought
the law before the assembly."
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Now, when they
say, "brought the law,"
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they're talking about the Torah.
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It's probably the
five books of Moses is what
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we call the Pentateuch.
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Penta means five, we've
got the Pentagon in America,
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one of the world's biggest
buildings, not the biggest,
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but one of them,
and it's got five sides.
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The Pentateuch was
the five books of Moses.
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And so, they said,
"Bring the law with you,"
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which Moses commanded Israel.
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"So Ezra the priest brought the
law before the assembly of men
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and women and all who
could hear with understanding
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on the first day
of the seventh month.
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Then he read from it in the
open square that was in front
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of the Water Gate
from morning until midday."
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Now, some of you already said,
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"How long is
Pastor going to read?"
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It's only been a few
minutes, they read six hours.
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So, how long
would our church survive
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if I preached five hours?
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Not long.
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So, they--and they
stood while this is happening.
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And so, "He read from
the law in the open square
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in front of the Water Gate and
all those--from morning until
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midday, before
the men and the women,
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all those who could understand."
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So, there were children present.
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"And the ears of all
the people were attentive
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to hear the Book of the Law.
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So Ezra the scribe stood on
a platform of wood which they
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had made," they put
them in an elevated place
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so his voice will
carry for the purpose.
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"And beside him, at his right
hand, was Mattithiah, Shema,
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Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah,
Maaseiah; and to the left
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were Pedaiah,
Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum,
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Hashbadana,
Zechariah, Meshullam.
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And Ezra opened the book in the
sight of all the people, for he
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was standing above all the
people; and when he opened it,
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all the people stood up.
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And Ezra blessed
the Lord, the great God.
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Then all the people
answered, 'Amen, Amen!'
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while lifting their hands.
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And they bowed their
heads and worshiped the Lord
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with their faces to the ground.
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Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah,
Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai,
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Hodijah, Maaseiah,
Kelita," all right, what is it?
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"Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad,
Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites,
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helped the people
to understand the law."
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So, they were surrounded
with different Levites
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and they're teaching it.
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"And the people
stood in their place.
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So they read distinctly from
the book, in the Law of God; and
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they gave the sense, and helped
them to understand the reading."
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Okay, we're going to stop there.
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In a little bit, we'll go
from verses 9 through verse 12.
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So, let's just talk
about the lesson today
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and what's happening here.
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This is a time when, of course,
the captives have come back.
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They spent many
years in Babylon.
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The people who are coming
back from captivity of Ezra and
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Nehemiah, many of them had
been there longer than 70 years.
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Now, keep in mind,
there's a message in the Bible
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about coming out of Babylon.
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Where do we find that?
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In Revelation, you
can read in chapter 17.
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It talks about
Babylon is fallen.
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Chapter 18 talks
about the fall of Babylon.
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There's a message,
"Babylon is fallen,
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come out of her, my people."
00:13:03.78\00:13:05.48
To understand revelation,
you really need to understand
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what happened when
the children of Israel
00:13:09.15\00:13:10.69
were carried off to Babylon.
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He said, "You're going
to be in Babylon because
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of your sins for a
limited period of time."
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And when it talks about
the 70 years in Babylon,
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it's not saying that
they were all there 70 years.
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It's said the king of Babylon,
Nebuchadnezzar, would reign
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over these
various kingdoms 70 years.
00:13:28.14\00:13:30.81
And so, it's really 70
years of his subjugating these
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kingdoms until Babylon fell.
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Some of the Israelites
weren't there the full 70 years.
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So, the captivity when Jerusalem
fell during the time of
00:13:39.38\00:13:42.05
Zedekiah until Babylon
fell was not a full 70 years.
00:13:42.08\00:13:49.22
It was actually less than that.
00:13:49.26\00:13:51.06
Nebuchadnezzar conquering Israel
and carrying them away captive
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in these other kingdoms like
Egypt, that was the 70 years,
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the period of time.
00:13:59.13\00:14:00.50
Hope that made sense.
00:14:00.54\00:14:01.94
So, not only had they been there
seven years, but after Cyrus
00:14:01.97\00:14:05.34
becomes king, he
tells them they can go home.
00:14:05.37\00:14:09.34
There's about 50,000 Jews
that decide to go back, but
00:14:09.38\00:14:13.15
there's a whole lot
that decided to stay.
00:14:13.18\00:14:15.22
Now, if you went to
live somewhere for 70 years,
00:14:15.25\00:14:20.19
how many generations go by?
00:14:20.22\00:14:24.63
I'm not 70 yet. I've
got eight grandchildren.
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You live somewhere that long,
have you noticed that the first
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generation of people that
come from another country,
00:14:32.50\00:14:36.47
they struggle to
learn the language?
00:14:36.50\00:14:38.64
The kids, they
learn it very quickly.
00:14:38.67\00:14:42.54
I've got several
families I've known, they come,
00:14:42.58\00:14:45.65
for instance, from Mexico.
00:14:45.68\00:14:47.62
The mother and father,
their first language is Spanish.
00:14:47.65\00:14:52.55
They come into
the United States.
00:14:52.59\00:14:54.12
They got three young children
and in two years, the kids are
00:14:54.16\00:14:58.99
speaking fluently because
they're in school every day.
00:14:59.03\00:15:02.53
They pick it up
and very little accent.
00:15:02.56\00:15:06.37
Twenty years later the
parents are struggling.
00:15:06.40\00:15:09.57
It's true.
00:15:09.60\00:15:10.91
Haven't you seen this?
Yeah, to speak the language.
00:15:10.94\00:15:13.78
But then by the third
generation, the children
00:15:13.81\00:15:18.75
of the Spanish
couple, they have children,
00:15:18.78\00:15:22.32
their children stop
understanding Spanish.
00:15:22.35\00:15:26.42
So, by the time this
group comes out of Babylon,
00:15:26.45\00:15:29.76
it's not just 70 years.
00:15:29.79\00:15:31.13
Ezra is years after
Zerubbabel, who's come.
00:15:31.16\00:15:36.03
They've been in
Babylon a long time.
00:15:36.06\00:15:37.63
They've got
comfortable, they got family,
00:15:37.67\00:15:39.13
they know the system.
00:15:39.17\00:15:40.47
They know the language,
they make their way around.
00:15:40.50\00:15:42.77
They've got their
friends and their neighbors.
00:15:42.80\00:15:44.71
And then God says,
"Come to Jerusalem."
00:15:44.74\00:15:48.11
It's sort of a desert country,
lots of rocks everywhere
00:15:48.14\00:15:52.45
that had been
burned by the Babylonians.
00:15:52.48\00:15:54.48
It's been conquered.
00:15:54.52\00:15:55.82
They're
struggling with unemployment.
00:15:55.85\00:15:57.89
"Come it's the country of God."
And you go, "I'll pray for you."
00:15:57.92\00:16:03.09
And so, they become so
comfortable in Babylon,
00:16:03.12\00:16:05.03
a lot of them
didn't want to go out.
00:16:05.06\00:16:07.23
But then God says,
"Look, this is My land.
00:16:07.30\00:16:09.73
I'm calling you out.
00:16:09.76\00:16:12.20
So, are you going
to follow Me or not?"
00:16:12.23\00:16:15.24
This is the same issue with
God's people in the last days.
00:16:15.27\00:16:19.31
He calls us out of
where we may be comfortable to
00:16:19.34\00:16:23.91
be where he wants us to be.
00:16:23.95\00:16:25.38
It's the blessed land, right?
00:16:25.41\00:16:28.38
And so, but we get so
comfortable, we get so used to
00:16:28.42\00:16:31.82
Babylon, and Babylonian
way of thinking, the culture
00:16:31.85\00:16:35.59
of the world that's coming
to a holy life is difficult.
00:16:35.62\00:16:39.96
Now, don't forget, God
calls Abraham out of Babylon
00:16:40.00\00:16:43.93
to the Promised Land.
00:16:43.97\00:16:45.27
He brings Sarai, his
wife later known as Sarah.
00:16:45.30\00:16:49.37
Then when Abraham wants to
get a son for Isaac, he says,
00:16:49.40\00:16:52.57
"Don't marry one
of the local girls.
00:16:52.61\00:16:54.54
Go get her from Mesopotamia."
00:16:54.58\00:16:56.38
So, it's like
Babylon, across the Euphrates.
00:16:56.41\00:16:58.68
That was that whole area.
00:16:58.71\00:17:01.02
And then when it comes time
for--so Rachel is--I'm sorry,
00:17:01.05\00:17:04.55
Rebekah is brought from
Babylon, you might say, to the
00:17:04.59\00:17:08.89
Promised Land, when it comes
time for Jacob to get married.
00:17:08.92\00:17:11.79
These are the great patriarchs,
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
00:17:11.83\00:17:14.13
where does he go?
00:17:14.20\00:17:15.90
He goes back again to Heron,
crosses Euphrates, gets his
00:17:15.93\00:17:19.23
wife, brings her out of Babylon
back to the Promised Land.
00:17:19.27\00:17:24.17
And then you have the high
priest, Joshua, who helps lead
00:17:24.21\00:17:28.68
that first group out of
Babylon into the Promised Land.
00:17:28.71\00:17:31.71
Now, do we have a Joshua
that wants to lead his people
00:17:31.75\00:17:33.98
out of Babylon, his
bride into the Promised Land?
00:17:34.02\00:17:38.55
So, you've got this
pattern that keeps fulfilling
00:17:38.59\00:17:40.92
itself through bible history.
00:17:40.96\00:17:43.56
All right, let's go to
first section here under Sunday,
00:17:43.59\00:17:47.03
the people gathered together.
00:17:47.03\00:17:48.86
And so, it says, "They
gathered together at one," back
00:17:48.90\00:17:51.03
in Nehemiah 8, verse 1, "in
the open square in front of the
00:17:51.07\00:17:54.50
Water Gate, and Ezra brings
the Torah, the Book of the Law.
00:17:54.54\00:18:00.11
And he brings all the men and
the women, and all could hear."
00:18:00.14\00:18:04.31
Now, there may have been little
children that were just a little
00:18:04.35\00:18:06.21
too young to understand, but
I think we might be surprised,
00:18:06.25\00:18:10.12
some of those kids may have been
six, seven, eight years old,
00:18:10.15\00:18:14.66
but came old enough to hear and
understand what was being read.
00:18:14.69\00:18:18.59
Sometimes I think we
underestimate the youth and
00:18:18.63\00:18:22.43
their ability to comprehend
the simple reading of the Word.
00:18:22.46\00:18:25.80
You know, we bring kids to a
church program, and I know a lot
00:18:25.83\00:18:29.74
of churches, they have the adult
church, but then they have a
00:18:29.77\00:18:32.64
separate church for the kids
and they really dumb it down.
00:18:32.67\00:18:35.88
You know, they'll have a
little puppet show or something.
00:18:35.91\00:18:37.95
Where I found
that kids understand
00:18:37.98\00:18:41.48
the teaching of the Word.
00:18:41.52\00:18:43.79
And so, they could
understand what was being read.
00:18:43.82\00:18:49.02
"And he read from it in the open
square that was in front of the
00:18:49.06\00:18:52.29
Water Gate from morning
until midday, before the men
00:18:52.33\00:18:56.43
and the women that
those who could understand."
00:18:56.46\00:18:58.63
And notice this, "And the ears
of all the people were attentive
00:18:58.67\00:19:02.40
to the Book of the Law."
00:19:02.44\00:19:03.91
What does that mean?
00:19:03.94\00:19:06.11
They're
attentive. They're listening.
00:19:06.14\00:19:09.14
They're hungry.
They're understanding.
00:19:09.18\00:19:12.15
They may not have heard the
words of Moses, they probably
00:19:12.18\00:19:15.18
had snippets of it, little
passages that were read, but
00:19:15.22\00:19:17.95
they hadn't heard the
whole panorama of the Torah read
00:19:17.99\00:19:20.89
to them like this
in their whole lives.
00:19:20.92\00:19:24.49
And they're going, "Wow,
that's why we are who we are.
00:19:24.53\00:19:29.40
It's all coming together
now. It's all making sense."
00:19:29.43\00:19:32.47
Sometimes you need to
just take people through it.
00:19:32.50\00:19:36.14
And so, they're saying,
"This is why we built a temple.
00:19:36.17\00:19:40.14
This is why we were
carried away captive."
00:19:40.18\00:19:41.84
You realize in the book of Moses
in Deuteronomy it said, "And if
00:19:41.88\00:19:46.61
you're unfaithful, your
nations around you will come and
00:19:46.65\00:19:50.69
they'll conquer you, they will
carry you away to their land."
00:19:50.72\00:19:55.42
So, everything that had
happened to them is being read.
00:19:55.46\00:19:57.83
The prophecies of their whole
history is being read to them.
00:19:57.86\00:20:01.86
And you might be
thinking, how could you go
00:20:01.90\00:20:03.20
through all of that?
00:20:03.23\00:20:04.53
Well, there may have
been places that he paused.
00:20:04.57\00:20:06.70
You can read the book of
Deuteronomy, which is a whole
00:20:06.74\00:20:08.97
book, in Deuteronomy is
one entire sermon of Moses did,
00:20:09.00\00:20:13.24
probably 90 minutes, depends on
your reading speed, of course.
00:20:13.27\00:20:18.85
And so, you could read through
the whole Torah in six hours.
00:20:18.88\00:20:23.89
And they may have left
some spots out, I don't know,
00:20:23.92\00:20:28.19
but they're getting the
whole panorama of Genesis, and
00:20:28.22\00:20:32.56
Exodus, and Leviticus,
and Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
00:20:32.59\00:20:37.00
Maybe he skipped some of
the Numbers, I don't know.
00:20:37.03\00:20:40.30
And so, they're reading through
it and the people are hungry,
00:20:40.34\00:20:42.37
they're listening to understand.
00:20:42.40\00:20:45.47
You can read in Acts chapter 15,
verse 21, this was a part of the
00:20:45.51\00:20:50.48
law of Moses said that you
were to read to the people.
00:20:50.51\00:20:54.38
It said, "For Moses has
had throughout many generations
00:20:54.42\00:20:57.59
those who preach him
in every city, being read
00:20:57.62\00:21:01.46
in the
synagogues every Sabbath."
00:21:01.49\00:21:04.06
So, what was the
custom among the Jews?
00:21:04.09\00:21:05.69
What did they do when
they came together on Sabbath?
00:21:05.73\00:21:09.70
They read from the
Word. What did Jesus do?
00:21:09.73\00:21:13.47
It says, "As his custom was, he
went into the synagogue on the
00:21:13.50\00:21:16.77
Sabbath day and he stood
up and read from the Word."
00:21:16.81\00:21:22.04
Remember it says, "And
they brought him the scroll of
00:21:22.08\00:21:23.91
Isaiah, and he read to
them from Isaiah chapter 61."
00:21:23.95\00:21:28.05
So, the custom of the Jews, it
says in every city, not just in
00:21:28.08\00:21:31.12
Jerusalem, but wherever the Jews
were, they built a synagogue,
00:21:31.15\00:21:33.69
and what did they
do on the Sabbath?
00:21:33.72\00:21:36.16
They came together to read the
Word, not only did they read the
00:21:36.19\00:21:38.49
Word, they study the Word, which
is what we do at Sabbath School.
00:21:38.53\00:21:41.83
It's a little more teaching.
00:21:41.86\00:21:43.37
Now, is there a difference
between teaching and preaching?
00:21:43.40\00:21:45.87
Teaching is a little more
talkative, and it's in the kind
00:21:46.97\00:21:52.54
of the Socratic method
where you're asking questions.
00:21:52.57\00:21:56.51
And you notice what happened.
00:21:56.54\00:21:59.01
It says that they had
these Levites that were
00:21:59.05\00:22:01.78
scattered throughout this.
00:22:01.82\00:22:03.12
They had a wide spot, a
wide courtyard before the gate.
00:22:03.15\00:22:08.39
And we've been to Israel
and they've got some of these
00:22:08.42\00:22:10.39
streets, and before you
get to the gates, there's
00:22:10.43\00:22:12.33
big wide areas, even
in the ancient city today.
00:22:12.36\00:22:16.10
And so, all the people
were gathered, and Ezra was
00:22:16.13\00:22:18.53
on an elevated
platform, and he's teaching.
00:22:18.57\00:22:21.10
But as he's reading from the
Word, it says that they've got
00:22:21.14\00:22:23.84
these Levites scattered among
the thousands of people who are
00:22:23.87\00:22:26.98
there, and they must have broken
up into different groups, where
00:22:27.01\00:22:31.25
they're then asking questions
and it says they're giving
00:22:31.28\00:22:33.65
the sense, and they're
explaining the Scriptures.
00:22:33.68\00:22:37.22
So, it was a big preaching
teaching fest that they had
00:22:37.25\00:22:41.09
as he was reading
the Word to the people.
00:22:41.12\00:22:43.63
And you know what I also think
is very important, I believe
00:22:43.66\00:22:48.60
that Ezra, as a scribe,
knew how to read the Word.
00:22:48.63\00:22:53.97
Have you ever heard people
read and it's just kind of
00:22:54.00\00:22:55.97
monotonous, and you're going...
00:22:56.00\00:22:58.14
[mumbling]
00:23:00.54\00:23:04.08
But then you've heard good
readers, there's enunciation,
00:23:07.15\00:23:10.55
there's inflection, they don't
have all these run-on sentences.
00:23:10.59\00:23:13.82
They understand how to use the
punctuation to keep you engaged.
00:23:13.86\00:23:18.16
They got a lot of people that
they are professional readers,
00:23:18.19\00:23:22.66
and they read books
online, you know, these--
00:23:22.70\00:23:25.33
all kinds of books now.
00:23:25.37\00:23:26.67
They got, you know, I forget
what the different services
00:23:26.70\00:23:28.60
or audio book and
some people download.
00:23:28.64\00:23:31.44
So, as they're driving, they
listen to someone read a book.
00:23:31.47\00:23:33.84
They don't have time to
sit and read it, but they'll
00:23:33.88\00:23:35.28
listen to someone read it.
00:23:35.31\00:23:36.64
Well, not
anybody can read a book.
00:23:36.68\00:23:39.08
They get people who are
good at it, and they put emotion
00:23:39.11\00:23:42.82
into it, and they put
the right emphasis in it.
00:23:42.85\00:23:47.22
And it can make it
much more interesting.
00:23:47.26\00:23:48.89
I think that as
Ezra was reading it,
00:23:48.92\00:23:51.13
he was reading it with heart.
00:23:51.16\00:23:53.80
And I get aggravated sometimes
even when I'm listening
00:23:53.83\00:23:58.87
to audiotapes of like the
New Testament, and I hear people
00:23:58.90\00:24:03.51
reading the teachings of Jesus.
00:24:03.54\00:24:06.61
And I think, "No, He
didn't say it like that.
00:24:06.64\00:24:10.65
Yes, you read the
right words, but you read it
00:24:10.68\00:24:13.35
with the wrong emphasis."
00:24:13.38\00:24:15.92
It's like I'll hear them
go they're reading the words
00:24:15.95\00:24:18.52
of Jesus He says,
"Woe, to you scribes
00:24:18.55\00:24:21.12
and Pharisees, hypocrites."
00:24:21.16\00:24:23.39
And it's just like
really mean, and I don't think
00:24:23.43\00:24:25.93
Jesus did it like that.
00:24:25.96\00:24:27.50
If you read in "Desire
of Ages" it said, He did it
00:24:27.56\00:24:29.33
with tears in His voice.
00:24:29.36\00:24:31.33
That would be different, right?
00:24:31.37\00:24:33.37
And so, how something is read
makes a world of difference.
00:24:33.40\00:24:38.44
And when you read the Word of
God, you want to be able to do
00:24:38.47\00:24:41.04
it in the Spirit of God so
you can read it the right way.
00:24:41.08\00:24:45.51
And then you continue on
here in verse 4 Ezra--I'm sorry,
00:24:45.55\00:24:49.62
Nehemiah 8, verse 4.
00:24:49.65\00:24:52.29
"So Ezra, the scribe,
stood on a platform of wood,
00:24:52.32\00:24:55.66
which they have
made for this purpose."
00:24:55.69\00:24:57.96
You know what that tells us?
00:24:57.99\00:25:00.26
Make sure when you're
going to read the Word to
00:25:00.30\00:25:01.83
someone they can hear you.
00:25:01.86\00:25:05.00
He got up in a
position where they could hear.
00:25:05.03\00:25:07.44
Later in the message today we're
talking about the Beatitudes,
00:25:07.47\00:25:10.27
but I know people watching
now, maybe not hear that later.
00:25:10.31\00:25:13.64
And when Jesus went out
to teach, he always made it
00:25:13.68\00:25:16.38
a point to get
where people can hear Him.
00:25:16.41\00:25:19.35
He said, "Look, they're
not going to hear Me teaching
00:25:19.38\00:25:22.45
crushed on the shore.
00:25:22.48\00:25:23.89
Peter, can I borrow your boat?
00:25:23.92\00:25:25.39
If I take the boat out and
drop the anchor about, you know,
00:25:25.42\00:25:27.82
50 feet away, the
water will carry the sound.
00:25:27.86\00:25:31.23
People will hear
Me a lot better."
00:25:31.26\00:25:33.56
Because the hill carries up, it
creates a natural amphitheater.
00:25:33.60\00:25:36.67
When Jesus delivers the Sermon
on the Mount, He takes him up to
00:25:36.70\00:25:40.10
a mountain side where there's
sort of a big amphitheater
00:25:40.14\00:25:45.21
in the hills, and
Jesus sits on a prominent
00:25:45.24\00:25:47.44
knoll where they can hear Him.
00:25:47.48\00:25:50.05
I've gone to do evangelistic
meetings before, and they bring
00:25:50.08\00:25:52.35
me out to the platform or I'm
a guest speaker somewhere, and
00:25:52.38\00:25:55.15
as soon as I get up, I
start to talk I realized
00:25:55.18\00:25:57.32
there's a PA problem.
00:25:57.35\00:26:00.09
There's a bad echo, or
the mic's not adjusted right.
00:26:00.12\00:26:04.19
And people think,
"What is Pastor Doug doing?
00:26:04.23\00:26:07.36
He's fooling
with the microphone."
00:26:07.40\00:26:09.63
Or I'll stop while I'm speaking,
I'll talk to the PA guy say,
00:26:09.66\00:26:12.37
"You need to move the
monitor, turn the monitor down,
00:26:12.40\00:26:15.44
get rid of that echo."
00:26:15.47\00:26:16.87
Right at the beginning I say,
"Look, there's something wrong
00:26:16.91\00:26:19.24
with the way
they're hearing right now.
00:26:19.27\00:26:21.11
If I don't fix this,
this whole hour is a waste,"
00:26:21.14\00:26:24.05
assuming I preach an hour.
00:26:24.08\00:26:26.08
And so, one of the
first things you want to do
00:26:26.11\00:26:27.55
if you're teaching, make
sure they're going to hear you.
00:26:27.58\00:26:30.45
Does that make sense?
00:26:30.49\00:26:31.92
It's exasperating to me when
I've seen public speakers who
00:26:31.95\00:26:35.69
are going on and on in a
message where there's some kind
00:26:35.72\00:26:38.73
of technical problem
that could easily be fixed,
00:26:38.76\00:26:40.93
and you can't hear them.
00:26:40.96\00:26:42.23
Their microphone is not working.
00:26:42.26\00:26:43.73
You ever noticed when I'm
preaching, I'm going like this?
00:26:43.77\00:26:45.93
That makes a small little
adjustment here, and I'm trying
00:26:45.97\00:26:48.97
to keep this thing
just the right distance from
00:26:49.00\00:26:51.04
my mouth because
I want you to hear.
00:26:51.07\00:26:54.41
And so, I just always think,
fix the audio so they can hear
00:26:54.44\00:27:00.18
because what good is
the Word if they don't hear?
00:27:00.22\00:27:04.15
So, He got up on a platform
to make sure they could listen,
00:27:04.19\00:27:07.76
but He was too far away
from some of the people so
00:27:07.79\00:27:09.66
He sent the Levites out
in the crowd and He said,
00:27:09.69\00:27:12.03
"Aren't you guys here trained?"
00:27:12.06\00:27:13.80
Go out there, answer their
questions so they can hear."
00:27:13.83\00:27:16.83
How many of you have been to a
Sabbath School class in a church
00:27:16.87\00:27:19.33
before where they don't
have enough classrooms, so
00:27:19.37\00:27:22.87
they put two, or three, or four
classrooms in the sanctuary?
00:27:22.90\00:27:26.07
Let me see your hands.
Have you done that, yeah.
00:27:26.11\00:27:29.04
And you'll be sitting here
and there's a teacher here,
00:27:29.08\00:27:31.68
and then a little further back.
00:27:31.71\00:27:33.01
They try to move
them around strategically,
00:27:33.05\00:27:34.52
but there'll be
another teacher there.
00:27:34.55\00:27:35.85
And then they'll put another
teacher over here, and teach
00:27:35.88\00:27:37.42
over here, and they got their
little clusters of students,
00:27:37.45\00:27:39.62
and they're all teaching.
00:27:39.65\00:27:42.26
The problem is usually one
of the teacher's whose got a
00:27:42.29\00:27:44.33
great booming voice, but he's
here and you're over here, and
00:27:44.36\00:27:49.16
you're having a hard time
paying attention to your teacher
00:27:49.20\00:27:51.30
because he just made
a great point over here.
00:27:51.33\00:27:54.54
But then your
teacher asks you a question.
00:27:54.57\00:27:56.27
You go, "Huh, I
was listening to him."
00:27:56.30\00:27:59.31
You ever been to
that church before?
00:27:59.34\00:28:01.54
And it's like it's a
cacophony. It's like babbling.
00:28:01.58\00:28:05.15
And if you get older, you know,
it's hard to hear in a room
00:28:05.18\00:28:08.62
where there's a lot
of background noise.
00:28:08.65\00:28:11.52
Like me, if I'm in a
crowd and I'm talking to a bunch
00:28:11.55\00:28:14.42
of people, I'm just
going, "Yeah, I agree with you."
00:28:14.46\00:28:18.69
I don't know
what they're saying.
00:28:18.73\00:28:20.43
Or you ever gone to a dinner in
a busy restaurant and it's like,
00:28:20.46\00:28:22.66
you know, they take all
the pastors out, and you
00:28:22.70\00:28:26.10
all sit there
at this long table.
00:28:26.13\00:28:28.37
I can almost barely hear the
person just right next to me.
00:28:28.40\00:28:32.31
You're not really getting
the visit with anyone else.
00:28:32.34\00:28:35.04
And so, one of the keys
is very practical in teaching
00:28:35.08\00:28:38.61
and preaching is make
sure people can hear you
00:28:38.65\00:28:41.32
and arrange it that way.
00:28:41.35\00:28:44.29
All right, so that was just
a pet peeve of mine about those
00:28:44.32\00:28:47.89
Babylonian Sabbath
school classes where it--
00:28:47.92\00:28:51.79
and you hear
everybody all at once.
00:28:51.83\00:28:55.80
Now, if you're really good,
you sit between two classes
00:28:55.83\00:28:59.00
and you take it all in.
00:28:59.03\00:29:00.40
You learn twice as much, so.
00:29:00.44\00:29:04.81
"So he stood on a
platform of wood which
00:29:04.84\00:29:06.64
they had made for this purpose.
00:29:06.68\00:29:08.08
And beside him at
his right hand stood--"
00:29:08.11\00:29:10.58
I read these fellas names again.
00:29:10.61\00:29:12.98
I'm not going to
agonize through it again.
00:29:13.01\00:29:17.15
"And Ezra opened the book
in the sight of the people,
00:29:17.19\00:29:19.42
for he was standing
above all the people--"
00:29:19.45\00:29:21.36
Now, when he opened the book,
he didn't have a book like this.
00:29:21.39\00:29:24.59
He had a scroll, but
they use the same word.
00:29:24.63\00:29:27.03
He began to unroll the scroll
so he could start reading.
00:29:27.03\00:29:29.90
And keep in mind the
Jews, they unrolled it from the
00:29:29.93\00:29:32.20
other side because they
read from right to left.
00:29:32.23\00:29:36.17
And so, "He opens it in
the sight of all the people.
00:29:36.20\00:29:40.81
He was standing above all the
people and when he opened it,
00:29:40.84\00:29:43.14
the people stood up."
00:29:43.18\00:29:44.61
Now have you noticed here at
Granite Bay, and you've probably
00:29:44.65\00:29:46.78
seen in other
churches, that when we have
00:29:46.82\00:29:48.72
our Scripture
reading, what do we do?
00:29:48.75\00:29:50.99
We stand. Why do we stand?
00:29:51.02\00:29:53.96
You ever seen people do
the Pledge of Allegiance
00:29:53.99\00:29:55.42
sitting down?
00:29:55.46\00:29:57.16
Assuming they're not
handicapped, they stand.
00:29:57.19\00:29:58.93
Why do we stand?
00:29:58.96\00:30:00.96
When someone important comes
into the room, and sometimes
00:30:00.96\00:30:04.27
just a gentleman when
you're at a table and they bring
00:30:04.30\00:30:06.10
someone in to
introduce you, you stand up.
00:30:06.13\00:30:08.87
It's just a sign of respect.
00:30:08.90\00:30:11.41
And I remember when I was a
young teenager, I'd, you know,
00:30:11.44\00:30:16.38
be slouching in the chair and my
dad would bring in some guests,
00:30:16.41\00:30:19.05
and he'd kind of kick me
in the shins say, "Get up."
00:30:19.08\00:30:23.49
And you're
teaching your kids respect.
00:30:23.52\00:30:26.65
So, when we're getting ready to
hear from the Lord and someone's
00:30:26.69\00:30:32.29
ready to read the Scripture,
that would usually be the
00:30:32.33\00:30:34.73
foundation for the proclamation
of the Word as a sign of respect
00:30:34.76\00:30:38.23
because of this
verse here in Ezra.
00:30:38.27\00:30:41.20
It's sort of Exhibit A, we
stand, and that's what they did.
00:30:41.24\00:30:47.38
And it says that, "He opened the
book in the sight of the people.
00:30:47.41\00:30:50.58
He was standing above the
people and when he opened it,
00:30:50.61\00:30:53.08
the people stood up."
00:30:53.11\00:30:55.42
And Ezra, "Bless the
Lord, the great God."
00:30:55.45\00:30:58.22
And the they had an
invocation, you might say.
00:30:58.25\00:31:01.99
"And all the people
answered, 'Amen, Amen!'
00:31:02.02\00:31:06.39
while lifting their hands.
00:31:06.43\00:31:08.33
And they bowed their heads--"
00:31:08.36\00:31:09.66
So, another quick point I
just want to drop in here,
00:31:09.70\00:31:13.60
do you always have
to kneel when you pray?
00:31:13.64\00:31:16.47
I think it's important to
kneel at some point during
00:31:16.50\00:31:18.37
the service, and we do
that but it's okay to stand
00:31:18.41\00:31:21.81
for an invocation
or for a benediction.
00:31:21.84\00:31:24.65
You have examples when Solomon
did the prayer for the temple,
00:31:24.68\00:31:28.75
he knelt for the prayer
with his hands lifted to God.
00:31:28.78\00:31:32.42
At the end of the
prayer, he stood and blessed,
00:31:32.45\00:31:34.79
that means a
benediction is a blessing.
00:31:34.82\00:31:37.13
We have that at the conclusion
of the service, we often stand.
00:31:37.16\00:31:40.30
So, I have some friends that
argue you're always supposed
00:31:40.33\00:31:43.70
to kneel in any kind of prayer.
00:31:43.73\00:31:45.63
That's not biblical.
00:31:45.67\00:31:47.07
The examples in the Bible, there
is a lot of kneeling in prayer,
00:31:47.10\00:31:50.27
but they also stood at different
points for benedictions
00:31:50.31\00:31:53.74
or for
invocations, and they prayed.
00:31:53.78\00:31:57.41
Notice they bowed their heads,
why did they bow their heads?
00:31:57.45\00:32:01.98
You bow--when you are
looking up, shoulders back,
00:32:02.02\00:32:08.69
it's kind of a
position of confidence.
00:32:08.72\00:32:13.70
When you're humbling yourself,
you put your head down.
00:32:13.73\00:32:17.23
And when you're in the presence
of one greater, you know,
00:32:17.27\00:32:20.90
it's fun as you travel
through the Orient to watch
00:32:20.94\00:32:23.41
how they greet each other.
00:32:23.44\00:32:24.87
There' always a
little inflection, a bow,
00:32:24.91\00:32:27.51
it's a sign of respect.
00:32:27.54\00:32:29.44
So, they bow their
heads if they're standing,
00:32:29.48\00:32:32.11
and they lifted their hands.
00:32:32.15\00:32:34.52
Now, I'm not
going to launch into a
00:32:34.55\00:32:36.05
Pentecostal sermon right here.
00:32:36.08\00:32:37.49
But biblically speaking, there's
nothing wrong with raising
00:32:37.52\00:32:41.62
your hands at
some points in prayer.
00:32:41.66\00:32:44.93
I always am a
little conscious of that.
00:32:44.96\00:32:48.53
For one thing, I don't
want to do anything that's
00:32:48.56\00:32:49.86
going to
distract anyone around me.
00:32:49.90\00:32:52.83
And the other reason
is, the Bible says, "Lift up
00:32:52.87\00:32:55.44
holy hands unto the Lord."
00:32:55.47\00:32:57.91
So, if you're going to
lift them up, you're want
00:32:57.94\00:32:59.24
to lift up holy hands.
00:32:59.27\00:33:00.98
But there is really
nothing wrong biblically
00:33:01.01\00:33:03.01
with raising your hands.
00:33:03.04\00:33:04.35
I, you know, I think you got to
be careful about, like I said,
00:33:04.38\00:33:07.15
don't do anything that
you find is going to distract.
00:33:07.18\00:33:10.85
And there are different
customs in different countries.
00:33:10.89\00:33:12.82
You become all things
to all men that you might
00:33:12.85\00:33:14.52
reach some for Christ.
00:33:14.56\00:33:16.22
You don't want to go into
a service with your shoes on
00:33:16.26\00:33:18.06
when it's their custom to
take the shoes off, right?
00:33:18.09\00:33:20.96
And so, you just have respect.
00:33:20.96\00:33:23.33
Paul says, custom
to whom custom is due.
00:33:23.37\00:33:26.53
So, they lifted their hands.
00:33:26.57\00:33:29.27
They bowed their
heads, they worshiped the Lord
00:33:29.30\00:33:31.44
with their faces to the ground.
00:33:31.47\00:33:34.88
And then you can also read
in Deuteronomy 1--I'm sorry,
00:33:34.91\00:33:37.75
Deuteronomy 4, verse 1 and 2.
00:33:37.78\00:33:39.78
"Now, O Israel, listen to the
statutes and the judgments which
00:33:39.81\00:33:43.65
I teach you to observe, that you
may live, and go in and possess
00:33:43.69\00:33:48.16
the land that the Lord God
of your fathers is giving you.
00:33:48.19\00:33:50.86
You shall not add to the word
which I command you, nor take
00:33:51.46\00:33:54.36
away from it, that you may keep
the commandments of the Lord
00:33:54.40\00:33:57.50
your God which I command you."
00:33:57.53\00:33:59.27
Several times through the
writings of Moses, he says,
00:33:59.30\00:34:02.10
"These words I'm giving
you, they're not my words,
00:34:02.14\00:34:04.21
these are words from God.
00:34:04.24\00:34:05.91
I've been on the
mountain with God, and I've got
00:34:05.94\00:34:07.98
the Spirit of God."
00:34:08.01\00:34:09.84
And even when Aaron and Miriam
tried to undermine the work
00:34:09.88\00:34:12.31
of Moses, God had to
rebuke Aaron and Miriam and say,
00:34:12.35\00:34:15.48
"You are not, even
though your prophets,
00:34:15.52\00:34:17.35
you're not like
my servant Moses.
00:34:17.39\00:34:19.22
He is more than a prophet.
I speak to him face to face."
00:34:19.25\00:34:22.79
That's what God said.
00:34:22.82\00:34:24.13
Even though Moses did not
directly look into the face
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.63
of God, he meant that they
had this imminent relationship.
00:34:26.66\00:34:32.90
Now, someone's going to read for
me, in a moment, Revelation 1:3.
00:34:32.93\00:34:36.71
Who's got--? Do you have that?
00:34:36.74\00:34:39.21
And under the section it says,
"Reading and hearing the law."
00:34:39.24\00:34:44.08
Notice also what Moses said
in Deuteronomy 6, verse 1 and 2.
00:34:44.11\00:34:48.38
"Now this is the commandment,
and these are the statutes and
00:34:48.42\00:34:51.45
the judgments which the Lord
your God has commanded you to
00:34:51.49\00:34:54.09
teach, that you might observe
them in the land that you're
00:34:54.12\00:34:57.06
crossing over to possess, that
you might fear the Lord your
00:34:57.09\00:35:00.23
God, to keep all of His statutes
and His commandments which
00:35:00.26\00:35:04.03
I command you and your son
and your grandson, all the days
00:35:04.07\00:35:07.87
of your life, that
your days may be prolonged."
00:35:07.90\00:35:11.81
Now, listening to and obeying
the Word of God has what?
00:35:11.84\00:35:15.51
Long life.
00:35:15.54\00:35:17.15
I believe in the health message,
but if you follow the health
00:35:17.18\00:35:19.45
message and you live wickedly,
00:35:19.48\00:35:21.55
you will still
shorten your life.
00:35:21.58\00:35:24.05
And so, one of the best things
you can do to prolong your
00:35:24.09\00:35:26.72
lifespan is to have a
blessed life because you obey
00:35:26.76\00:35:30.93
the commandments of God.
00:35:30.96\00:35:32.26
Go ahead, please
read Revelation 1:3.
00:35:32.29\00:35:35.30
female: "Blessed is he who
reads and those who hear the
00:35:35.33\00:35:38.93
words of this prophecy,
and keep those things which are
00:35:38.97\00:35:42.60
written in it;
for the time is near."
00:35:42.64\00:35:46.07
What does God
promise for reading His Word?
00:35:46.11\00:35:51.18
Blessing, but is
it just reading it?
00:35:51.21\00:35:54.75
You notice it
says read and hear.
00:35:54.78\00:35:56.89
Why did He say
hear? Can everybody read?
00:35:56.92\00:36:00.59
No, but you can find
someone to read to you.
00:36:00.62\00:36:03.22
"Blessed are
those who read and hear
00:36:03.26\00:36:05.29
the words of this prophecy."
00:36:05.33\00:36:06.63
Is it just reading and hearing?
00:36:06.66\00:36:08.06
We spend our time
forever reading and hearing,
00:36:08.10\00:36:09.76
or what's the
other part of that?
00:36:09.80\00:36:11.60
Keeping, so read is one thing.
00:36:11.63\00:36:16.00
Now, you can do all
three. You can read it.
00:36:16.04\00:36:19.01
Hearing means Jesus said,
"He who has ears, let him hear,"
00:36:19.04\00:36:21.84
that means
listening with your heart.
00:36:21.88\00:36:25.21
Keeping means doing
the things that you read.
00:36:25.25\00:36:29.08
So, there is a blessing
pronounced on those who read,
00:36:29.12\00:36:32.02
hear, and keep--you know, I
always like to use that verse.
00:36:32.05\00:36:34.86
I do a lot of prophecy seminars.
00:36:34.89\00:36:37.33
It's amazing how often
I'll meet someone that will come
00:36:37.36\00:36:39.33
to a revelation or
a prophecy seminar.
00:36:39.36\00:36:42.53
And they'll say, "I heard
there's a curse pronounced
00:36:42.56\00:36:46.13
on anybody who reads
the book of Revelation.
00:36:46.17\00:36:48.27
Our pastor says that book is
full of cursing, don't read it."
00:36:48.30\00:36:51.51
Really I've met
people like that.
00:36:51.54\00:36:52.84
I said, "No, it's
not, it's blessing."
00:36:52.87\00:36:55.28
"It's about the beast."
00:36:55.31\00:36:56.68
"No, it's a
revelation of Jesus Christ."
00:36:56.71\00:36:59.28
People misunderstand
the book of Revelation.
00:36:59.31\00:37:01.38
It's about Jesus, and it's
a book that if you read it,
00:37:01.42\00:37:04.19
there's some
tough stuff in there.
00:37:04.22\00:37:05.52
But if you read it,
there's a blessing that comes on
00:37:05.55\00:37:07.66
those who read,
hear, and keep that.
00:37:07.69\00:37:10.49
Now, jump to Deuteronomy
31. I still got a lot to cover.
00:37:10.53\00:37:15.23
Deuteronomy 31, and we're
on Monday now, verse 11 and 12.
00:37:15.26\00:37:20.00
This is a command.
What's the last book of Moses?
00:37:20.04\00:37:26.37
Deuteronomy means a
repeating of the law.
00:37:26.41\00:37:29.08
He kind of covers everything.
He repeats it before he dies.
00:37:29.11\00:37:32.91
It's the last continual sermon,
the whole book is a sermon.
00:37:32.95\00:37:36.75
What's the first book
of Moses? Probably Job.
00:37:36.79\00:37:41.32
Most people think Job--Moses
wrote the book of Job as maybe
00:37:41.36\00:37:45.53
one of the first books, and
then Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus.
00:37:45.56\00:37:48.53
That was a
trick question, sorry.
00:37:48.56\00:37:50.70
But when he gets to
the end of his last book,
00:37:50.73\00:37:53.30
notice the emphasis he has.
00:37:53.34\00:37:55.07
Deuteronomy 31:11, "When all
Israel comes to appear before
00:37:55.10\00:37:59.54
the Lord your God in
one place which He chooses."
00:37:59.57\00:38:03.78
Now later, what was
the place that he chose?
00:38:03.81\00:38:07.45
Jerusalem, that happened
when David numbered Israel and
00:38:07.48\00:38:10.32
the angel of the Lord appeared
above Mount Zion--Mount Mariah
00:38:10.35\00:38:15.69
later where they
built the temple.
00:38:15.72\00:38:17.89
And God chose that place
ultimately, put the temple.
00:38:17.93\00:38:20.23
David built an altar there,
and they were interceding there.
00:38:20.26\00:38:23.30
But they would also
come together for the feasts.
00:38:23.33\00:38:25.43
So, whenever they came together,
he said, "Gather the people
00:38:25.47\00:38:29.00
together, men, women,
little ones, and the stranger,"
00:38:29.04\00:38:34.21
they don't have to be
church members, "who is within
00:38:34.24\00:38:36.88
your gates, that they may
hear, that they may learn,"
00:38:36.91\00:38:41.35
read the Word to them, "to fear
the Lord your God and carefully
00:38:41.38\00:38:44.85
observe all the
words of this law."
00:38:44.89\00:38:47.72
So, when they came together for
these feasts, one of the most
00:38:47.76\00:38:50.13
important things they would do
during that feast is they'd come
00:38:50.16\00:38:53.13
together, they'd hear,
they bring the families.
00:38:53.16\00:38:56.77
Now, do we do something
like the ancient feast today?
00:38:56.80\00:39:00.97
Yeah, when you
have a camp meeting.
00:39:01.00\00:39:02.97
We try to get together
with special convocations.
00:39:03.00\00:39:05.91
We're hoping at the new facility
to have regular convocations on
00:39:05.94\00:39:08.74
different subjects, made
big space where people can come
00:39:08.78\00:39:11.85
together, hear the proclamation
of the Word, bring in guest
00:39:11.88\00:39:14.85
speakers that
have special emphasis.
00:39:14.88\00:39:18.19
Notice in Joshua 8,
did they do that when they
00:39:18.22\00:39:21.89
finally enter the Promised Land?
00:39:21.92\00:39:23.53
Look at Joshua 8, verse 34, "And
afterward he read all the words
00:39:23.56\00:39:28.93
of the law, the blessing
and the cursings, according
00:39:28.96\00:39:31.87
to all that is written
in the Book of the Law.
00:39:31.90\00:39:34.84
There was not a word of all
that Moses had commanded which
00:39:34.87\00:39:39.27
Joshua did not read before
all the assembly of Israel,
00:39:39.31\00:39:44.01
with the women, the
little ones, the strangers who
00:39:44.05\00:39:47.48
were living among them."
00:39:47.52\00:39:48.82
Did Joshua do exactly
what he was commanded?
00:39:48.85\00:39:51.25
He did.
00:39:51.29\00:39:52.69
Men, women, children,
foreigners all came together.
00:39:52.72\00:39:55.76
And did he read a
little or does it say
00:39:55.79\00:39:57.63
he didn't leave out a Word?
00:39:57.66\00:40:00.36
They had another convocation
and may not have done it in six
00:40:00.40\00:40:03.00
hours like Ezra, but they went
through the entire Law of Moses.
00:40:03.03\00:40:07.20
And the people, what
is the effect of assuming
00:40:07.24\00:40:10.07
you're awake and you feel good?
00:40:10.11\00:40:13.64
Karen and I spent
six hours on an airplane
00:40:13.68\00:40:15.44
this week and
more than that, yeah.
00:40:15.48\00:40:20.22
And that was one plane.
00:40:20.25\00:40:22.98
And I was just thinking, in the
time that it takes to do that,
00:40:23.02\00:40:29.39
you can go through the
entire book of Moses, you know,
00:40:29.42\00:40:32.39
books of Moses, the Torah.
00:40:32.43\00:40:34.46
And wouldn't that be inspiring?
00:40:34.46\00:40:36.00
They say to read the entire
Bible, if you get Alexander
00:40:36.03\00:40:39.13
Scourby, you know,
he's one of the famous ones.
00:40:39.17\00:40:42.50
He was actually an
actor, but he had great diction
00:40:42.54\00:40:45.24
and pronunciation.
00:40:45.27\00:40:46.64
He knew how to
read those Hebrew words.
00:40:46.68\00:40:49.98
It takes 60 hours to go through
the Old and the New Testament
00:40:50.01\00:40:54.22
reading at that speed,
which is a comfortable speed.
00:40:54.25\00:40:57.62
So, you could go through
the entire books of Moses in
00:40:57.65\00:41:00.92
that time, and
they did that in a day.
00:41:00.96\00:41:06.09
So, he obeyed that.
00:41:06.13\00:41:08.96
Now, is it enough
just to hear it or do we
00:41:09.00\00:41:11.10
need to understand it?
00:41:11.13\00:41:13.20
Look with me in Acts 8:26.
00:41:13.23\00:41:16.81
Some of you know this
is the story of Philip
00:41:16.84\00:41:18.14
in the Ethiopian.
00:41:18.17\00:41:20.41
"Now the angel of the
Lord spoke to Philip, saying,
00:41:20.44\00:41:22.74
'Arise and go towards
the south along the road
00:41:22.78\00:41:24.95
that goes down from
Jerusalem to Gaza.'"
00:41:24.98\00:41:27.52
He was heading
down towards the ocean,
00:41:28.22\00:41:30.12
the country of the Philistines.
00:41:30.15\00:41:31.89
"This is desert.
So he arose and went.
00:41:31.92\00:41:35.66
And behold, a man of Ethiopia,
a eunuch of great authority
00:41:35.69\00:41:38.66
under Candace the queen of
the Ethiopians, who had charge
00:41:38.69\00:41:41.73
over all her treasury,
and had come to Jerusalem
00:41:41.76\00:41:44.73
to worship, was returning."
00:41:44.77\00:41:46.90
So, here's a
believer in Jehovah.
00:41:46.94\00:41:48.64
He's from Ethiopia.
He's on his way home.
00:41:48.67\00:41:50.71
He's sitting in his chariot, and
he's reading Isaiah the prophet.
00:41:50.74\00:41:54.84
"Then the Spirit said to Philip,
00:41:54.88\00:41:57.11
'Go near and
overtake the chariot.'"
00:41:57.15\00:41:59.51
Now, sounds like
the chariots moving so
00:41:59.55\00:42:01.85
Philip's got to
kind of overtake it.
00:42:01.88\00:42:04.55
"So Philip ran to him, and heard
him reading the prophet Isaiah,
00:42:04.59\00:42:09.39
and he said, 'Do you understand
what you are reading?'
00:42:09.42\00:42:12.36
He said, 'How can I,
unless someone guides me?'
00:42:12.39\00:42:17.53
And he asked Philip to
come up and sit with him
00:42:17.57\00:42:19.57
in--sit with him."
00:42:19.60\00:42:22.00
Then it tells him he's
reading from Isaiah, chapter 53.
00:42:22.04\00:42:25.97
So he says, "How
can I understand unless
00:42:26.01\00:42:27.88
someone guides me?"
00:42:27.91\00:42:29.84
We often need good people to
guide us in our understanding.
00:42:29.88\00:42:35.28
I was talking with another
pastor this week and he wanted
00:42:35.32\00:42:38.89
to know, "Where do you get your
information for your sermons?"
00:42:38.92\00:42:43.09
I said, "I read other preachers.
00:42:43.12\00:42:45.99
I read Wesley, I did
last night in preparation.
00:42:46.03\00:42:50.03
I read Luther, I read Calvin.
00:42:50.07\00:42:52.47
I listen to some other
good contemporary pastors.
00:42:52.50\00:42:55.67
Sometimes you have to eat
the melon and you spit out
00:42:55.70\00:42:57.74
the seeds but, you
know, there is men of god
00:42:57.77\00:43:00.81
out there that
have some great points.
00:43:00.84\00:43:04.65
And read the
spirit of prophecy."
00:43:04.68\00:43:08.08
I am not walking around with
a direct line of the Holy Spirit
00:43:08.12\00:43:11.45
where God is giving
me the words to speak.
00:43:11.49\00:43:13.66
I've got to study.
00:43:13.69\00:43:15.69
And we learn from
each other, don't we?
00:43:15.72\00:43:18.99
You know, part of the key of
being a good teacher is you need
00:43:19.03\00:43:20.96
to listen to lots of things and
assemble it in a way, get the
00:43:20.96\00:43:24.00
best stuff, and assemble it in a
way where it's going to do good.
00:43:24.03\00:43:26.67
It's like a cook.
00:43:26.70\00:43:29.20
You know, you have a nice
stew or something like that.
00:43:29.24\00:43:32.71
There's lots of
different ingredients.
00:43:32.74\00:43:34.14
A good cook knows how
to mix the ingredients.
00:43:34.18\00:43:35.71
There can be all the
same ingredients, not in
00:43:35.74\00:43:37.98
the right
order, can be inedible.
00:43:38.01\00:43:40.92
You've had those
sermons, haven't you?
00:43:40.95\00:43:44.32
So, it's the right combination.
00:43:44.35\00:43:47.19
And but we all need
people to help us understand,
00:43:47.22\00:43:51.23
and there's
nothing wrong with that.
00:43:51.26\00:43:52.93
So he said, "Help me.
You're a Jew from Ethiopia."
00:43:52.96\00:43:55.80
What does he--what is
Isaiah talking about here?
00:43:55.83\00:43:58.30
And he comes to
accept Jesus because of that
00:43:58.33\00:44:00.47
teaching that he had.
00:44:00.50\00:44:02.80
So, we all need that.
00:44:02.84\00:44:04.61
Nehemiah, it says here that then
these characters, "Jeshua, Bani,
00:44:04.64\00:44:10.18
Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub,
Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah,
00:44:10.21\00:44:15.65
Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad,
Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites,
00:44:15.68\00:44:20.92
helped the people
to understand the Law."
00:44:20.96\00:44:23.73
There's some people
have the gift of teaching.
00:44:23.76\00:44:25.39
You look at the gifts of
the Spirit that Paul mentions,
00:44:25.43\00:44:27.66
teaching is one of those gifts.
00:44:27.73\00:44:29.76
"So, they read distinctly from
the book, they didn't mumble it,
00:44:29.80\00:44:35.10
"in the law of God; and they
gave the sense, and they helped
00:44:35.14\00:44:38.24
them to understand the reading."
00:44:38.27\00:44:41.48
Jesus says in Matthew 28, "Go
therefore, make disciples of all
00:44:41.51\00:44:44.61
nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, Son,
00:44:44.65\00:44:47.28
and Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe
00:44:47.32\00:44:51.09
all things I've commanded you."
00:44:51.12\00:44:52.52
So, there's constant
teaching that goes on even
00:44:52.55\00:44:54.86
after baptism so we can grow.
00:44:54.89\00:44:57.79
When Jesus rose from the dead,
now someone's going to read for
00:44:57.83\00:45:00.23
me Luke 24:45 in just a moment,
but I want to read Luke 24:27.
00:45:00.26\00:45:07.00
Jesus rose, he spoke to the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus.
00:45:07.04\00:45:09.97
"And beginning at Moses and
all the Prophets, He expounded
00:45:10.01\00:45:15.01
unto them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning Himself."
00:45:15.04\00:45:18.81
Was Jesus a Bible teacher?
Jesus gave us an example.
00:45:18.85\00:45:23.25
He read from the Word
and He explained it to them.
00:45:23.28\00:45:26.86
Please go ahead
and read your verse.
00:45:26.89\00:45:29.32
male: Luke 24:45, "And He
opened their understanding,
00:45:29.79\00:45:33.80
that they might
comprehend the Scriptures."
00:45:33.83\00:45:36.10
Doug: What good
are the Scriptures
00:45:36.13\00:45:37.57
if you don't comprehend?
00:45:37.60\00:45:41.37
The Bible is a blessed book.
00:45:41.40\00:45:43.04
I think you should treat it
carefully, but you realize it
00:45:43.07\00:45:44.81
is nothing but a book
unless the words come alive.
00:45:44.84\00:45:49.04
He says, "The words I speak
to you are spirit and life, but
00:45:49.08\00:45:51.51
if it stays black ink on white
paper, does you know good."
00:45:51.55\00:45:55.35
You need to read it
with understanding and
00:45:55.38\00:45:57.32
as you understand the
Holy Spirit, does something
00:45:57.35\00:45:59.32
in your heart with those truths.
00:45:59.35\00:46:02.22
That's what
makes it so important.
00:46:02.26\00:46:04.49
Deuteronomy 6, of course,
this is the part that leads
00:46:04.53\00:46:08.06
to the great Shema.
00:46:08.10\00:46:10.53
"These words that I command
you will be in your heart."
00:46:10.57\00:46:13.13
How do you get them there?
00:46:13.17\00:46:14.47
Got to read them,
they need to be taught.
00:46:14.50\00:46:16.20
He says, "Teach them
diligently to your children.
00:46:16.24\00:46:19.41
Talk of them when you sit
in your house, when you walk
00:46:19.44\00:46:21.81
by the way, when you
lay down, when you rise up.
00:46:21.84\00:46:24.75
You will bind them
as a sign on your hand.
00:46:24.78\00:46:27.42
They will be as
frontlets between your eyes.
00:46:27.45\00:46:29.52
You will write
them on the doorpost of
00:46:29.55\00:46:31.09
your house and your gates."
00:46:31.12\00:46:33.19
Be surrounded
with the Word of God.
00:46:33.22\00:46:35.96
Paul told Timothy,
"Preach the Word, be ready in
00:46:35.99\00:46:39.23
season and out of season."
00:46:39.26\00:46:40.96
Regular schedules and
spontaneous occasions.
00:46:41.00\00:46:43.70
"Convince rebuke,
exhort," that's teaching, "with
00:46:43.73\00:46:46.77
all longsuffering and teaching,
for the time will come when they
00:46:46.80\00:46:50.37
will not endure sound doctrine,"
So, you better teach the good
00:46:50.41\00:46:53.17
stuff as long as you could.
00:46:53.21\00:46:54.98
So, when they
read it, what happens?
00:46:55.01\00:46:58.38
It says Nehemiah 8, verse
9, "And Nehemiah, who was the
00:46:58.41\00:47:02.18
governor, as were the priests,
the scribe, and the Levites
00:47:02.22\00:47:05.39
who taught the people
said to all the people,
00:47:05.42\00:47:07.72
'This day is holy
to the Lord your God.
00:47:07.76\00:47:10.03
Do not mourn or weep,'
for all the people wept
00:47:10.06\00:47:13.70
when they heard
the words of the law."
00:47:13.73\00:47:15.00
Now, why did they weep?
00:47:15.03\00:47:18.13
Because in the stuff they read,
you've got Deuteronomy 28 it
00:47:18.17\00:47:21.47
says, "And if you disobey, all
these curses will follow you.
00:47:21.50\00:47:26.21
Cursed you'll be when
you go out, cursed you'll be
00:47:26.24\00:47:27.91
when you come in,
cursed will be your field,
00:47:27.94\00:47:30.18
cursed will be your family."
00:47:30.21\00:47:31.51
I mean, just and they realized,
"That's what happened to us.
00:47:31.55\00:47:35.35
We disobeyed. We were
carried off to Babylon.
00:47:35.38\00:47:37.85
We were oppressed
during the times of Judges
00:47:37.89\00:47:39.69
because of our disobedience."
00:47:39.72\00:47:41.66
And it's not uncommon for
them to have that reaction.
00:47:41.69\00:47:45.63
When King Josiah found the law
of Moses, as they were cleaning
00:47:45.66\00:47:49.06
the temple, I should
say, the priests found it.
00:47:49.10\00:47:51.63
"Then Shaphan the
scribe showed the king, saying,
00:47:51.67\00:47:54.84
'Hilkiah the priest
has given me a book.'
00:47:54.87\00:47:57.17
And Shaphan read
before the king."
00:47:57.21\00:47:59.57
And it happened, "When the
king heard the words of the Book
00:47:59.61\00:48:01.71
of the Law, that he tore
his clothes," and he wept.
00:48:01.74\00:48:05.81
Please read for me, I
think you've got, just a moment
00:48:05.85\00:48:09.18
I'm going to have you
read James 4, verse 8.
00:48:09.22\00:48:12.09
But before you read
that, I'll read this.
00:48:12.12\00:48:14.12
Go a little further
down in 2 Kings 22:18,
00:48:14.16\00:48:18.56
Prophet Huldah sends a
message to the king of Judah.
00:48:18.59\00:48:22.26
It says, "Thus you shall
say to the Lord God concerning
00:48:22.30\00:48:24.57
the words that you've heard."
00:48:24.60\00:48:26.17
When they read the
law to Josiah, he wept.
00:48:26.20\00:48:29.40
"Because your heart was tender
and you humbled yourself before
00:48:29.44\00:48:32.67
the Lord, when you heard
what I spoke against this place,
00:48:32.71\00:48:35.58
and all the inhabitants that
the desolation that would come
00:48:35.61\00:48:38.48
and the curse, and you tore your
clothes and you went before Me.
00:48:38.51\00:48:42.32
I have heard
you," says the Lord.
00:48:42.35\00:48:44.52
God said, "You're going to
come to your grave in peace."
00:48:44.55\00:48:47.49
He said, "I'm going to
bless you because you did weep."
00:48:47.52\00:48:50.63
But God does not want us to
stay in an attitude of weeping.
00:48:50.66\00:48:53.70
Please go ahead and
read for us your verse.
00:48:53.73\00:48:56.63
female: "Draw near to God
and He will draw near to you.
00:48:57.60\00:49:01.54
Cleanse your hands, you
sinners; and purify your hearts,
00:49:01.57\00:49:06.04
you double-minded.
00:49:06.07\00:49:07.84
Lament and mourn and weep!
00:49:07.88\00:49:10.35
Let your laughter be turned into
mourning and your joy to gloom.
00:49:10.38\00:49:15.08
Humble yourselves in
the sight of the Lord,
00:49:15.12\00:49:17.55
and He will lift you up."
00:49:17.59\00:49:19.85
Doug: Amen, of course, that's
James 4, verse 8 through 10.
00:49:19.89\00:49:22.32
The important thing is he talks
about there is a time to mourn
00:49:22.36\00:49:25.19
and humble yourself and weep
when we think about our sins.
00:49:25.23\00:49:28.26
But then he says,
"Don't stay that way.
00:49:28.30\00:49:30.50
Humble yourself,"
and God will do what?
00:49:30.53\00:49:32.87
He'll lift you up.
00:49:32.90\00:49:34.20
So, after the people humbled
themselves and they wept,
00:49:34.24\00:49:36.97
then Ezra and Nehemiah
they said, "Don't weep anymore."
00:49:37.01\00:49:41.41
Notice Ezra 8:10, and
I'll close with these verses.
00:49:41.44\00:49:45.35
"He said to them, 'Go your way,
eat the fat, drink the sweet.'"
00:49:45.38\00:49:49.62
Now, when he says, eat the fat,
and eat the fat of the lands,
00:49:49.65\00:49:52.49
he's talking about
to celebrate the feast.
00:49:52.52\00:49:55.36
"Send portions to those
for whom nothing is prepared,"
00:49:55.39\00:49:57.89
care for the poor.
00:49:57.93\00:49:59.43
"This day is
holy, do not sorrow.
00:49:59.46\00:50:02.16
The joy of the
Lord is your strength."
00:50:02.20\00:50:05.63
So, does God want Christians
to spend most of the time
00:50:05.67\00:50:08.97
going around weeping and
mourning our shortcomings?
00:50:09.00\00:50:12.37
So, you do that, you humble
yourself, God forgives you,
00:50:12.41\00:50:14.41
and then the
gospel is good news.
00:50:14.44\00:50:15.91
You go around with joy.
00:50:15.94\00:50:18.08
I think it was Oliver Wendell
Holmes said, "I might have been
00:50:18.11\00:50:19.98
a preacher if it wasn't
that most of the clergyman
00:50:20.02\00:50:23.35
I knew looked like undertakers."
00:50:23.39\00:50:27.36
Says we ought to be more happy.
00:50:27.39\00:50:30.46
Robert Louis Stevenson, he
wrote in his diary one day,
00:50:30.49\00:50:33.56
"I've experienced an
extraordinary phenomenon.
00:50:33.60\00:50:37.67
I went to church
today, but I'm not depressed."
00:50:37.70\00:50:43.10
And Billy Sunday used to
say, "If you have no joy in your
00:50:43.14\00:50:46.41
religion, there's a leak in
your Christianity somewhere."
00:50:46.44\00:50:49.84
So, he didn't want
them to stay that way.
00:50:51.68\00:50:54.45
It says, "The people rejoiced
greatly because," and this is
00:50:54.48\00:50:58.55
the last verses
here in Nehemiah 8:11.
00:50:58.59\00:51:01.36
"They rejoiced greatly because
they understood the words
00:51:01.39\00:51:05.19
that were declared to them."
00:51:05.23\00:51:07.30
That's the way it
ought to be, friends, amen?
00:51:07.30\00:51:09.06
The Word of the
Lord should be our joy.
00:51:09.10\00:51:11.20
Read Psalm 119
if you doubt that.
00:51:11.23\00:51:13.37
We're out of time, but I want
to remind those who missed the
00:51:13.40\00:51:15.57
opening announcement, we have
a free offer and it is about
00:51:15.60\00:51:18.27
the Bible, and what
a blessed book it is.
00:51:18.31\00:51:20.44
It's offer number 728.
00:51:20.48\00:51:22.04
It's called "The
Ultimate Resource."
00:51:22.08\00:51:24.21
We will send this to you
for free if you simply call us
00:51:24.25\00:51:27.62
on the number...
00:51:27.65\00:51:31.52
That really is 866-Study-More,
or you can even download it.
00:51:31.55\00:51:35.66
If you want to download
this resource right now,
00:51:35.69\00:51:37.86
just text SH091,
text that to 40544.
00:51:37.89\00:51:45.00
You can read it right
now and be encouraged.
00:51:45.03\00:51:46.94
God bless.
00:51:46.97\00:51:48.30
We'll continue studying His
Word together again next week.
00:51:48.34\00:51:51.07
male announcer:
Don't forget to request
00:51:52.57\00:51:53.88
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To get your digital copy of
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And most important,
to share it with others.
00:52:21.84\00:52:24.44
announcer: Amazing
Facts, changed lives.
00:52:26.41\00:52:29.68
female: I always
wanted to be a daddy's girl.
00:52:33.82\00:52:36.52
From the time I was very small,
I saw other girls that had
00:52:36.55\00:52:42.69
fathers around, and I
always felt different.
00:52:42.72\00:52:46.56
My natural father left when, I
believe, I was four months old,
00:52:46.59\00:52:51.30
and I did not have a
relationship with him.
00:52:51.33\00:52:55.50
And deep down honestly I
always felt like, what did I do?
00:52:55.54\00:53:02.74
Why didn't he love me?
00:53:02.78\00:53:06.25
And that's soul
shattering for a child.
00:53:06.28\00:53:10.89
My stepfather came into the
picture when I was two years
00:53:10.92\00:53:14.22
old, and he was sexually abusing
me, physically abusing me,
00:53:14.26\00:53:22.80
and psychologically
abusing me for many, many years.
00:53:22.83\00:53:27.77
The biggest thought that I can
remember back then is having my
00:53:27.80\00:53:32.34
first thought of suicide when
I was ten years old and being
00:53:32.37\00:53:38.65
so afraid all the time, that
it was causing stomach pains,
00:53:38.68\00:53:43.02
that I would
literally be doubled over.
00:53:43.05\00:53:45.32
I just kept thinking,
why doesn't anyone know
00:53:45.35\00:53:48.82
what's going on in this house?
00:53:48.86\00:53:51.33
Can't they hear
him screaming at me?
00:53:51.36\00:53:54.83
You know, don't they
notice that something is wrong?
00:53:54.83\00:53:57.43
Don't I seem
different? I'm not right.
00:53:57.47\00:54:00.84
I'm ten, and I
feel like I'm dying.
00:54:00.87\00:54:04.11
Can you not see me?
00:54:04.14\00:54:06.88
And out of self-preservation,
I finally just walked out
00:54:06.91\00:54:10.35
of my head for many years, and
just didn't remember anymore.
00:54:10.38\00:54:16.95
It was very, very lonely.
00:54:16.99\00:54:21.22
I did start drinking
when I was 14 years old.
00:54:21.26\00:54:24.49
What had happened
was I had a flashback
00:54:24.53\00:54:27.86
of being molested,
and it shattered me.
00:54:27.93\00:54:32.80
And I did not know how to cope
with it, so I started mixing
00:54:32.83\00:54:36.84
all different kinds
of hard alcohol together,
00:54:36.87\00:54:40.71
and smoking weed, and
being sexually promiscuous.
00:54:40.74\00:54:46.48
And that was just the
beginning of many years of hell.
00:54:46.51\00:54:56.02
It wasn't until several years
later, I realized that I needed
00:54:56.06\00:55:00.13
to get help in order to
stop using the drugs because
00:55:00.16\00:55:07.94
I had been separated
from God at that point.
00:55:07.97\00:55:11.74
And I knew that if I
didn't get help, that there was
00:55:11.77\00:55:15.94
not going to be God for
me anymore, that I was going
00:55:15.98\00:55:20.08
to completely take
myself away from him.
00:55:20.12\00:55:23.75
And something
just clicked inside me.
00:55:23.79\00:55:28.96
All my life, I felt
like God wasn't there for me
00:55:28.99\00:55:34.10
and what I
realized was that he was.
00:55:34.13\00:55:39.23
I'll never forget the time that
I was sitting there in church
00:55:39.27\00:55:42.24
and there was a silk lithograph
of Jesus Christ up on the altar,
00:55:42.27\00:55:47.28
and I could not even look at
it because in my soul, I knew
00:55:47.31\00:55:53.88
that what I was doing was
wrong, and I couldn't stop.
00:55:53.92\00:56:00.52
Not even talking about what
it was doing to me physically,
00:56:00.56\00:56:04.36
but that brand-new
friend that I had found in God,
00:56:04.39\00:56:09.50
I was pulling
myself away from Him.
00:56:09.53\00:56:13.44
During that time, off
and on, I'd turn on the TV,
00:56:13.47\00:56:17.31
and Pastor Doug would be there.
00:56:17.34\00:56:19.87
And one thing that he
always said that caught my eye
00:56:19.91\00:56:23.08
is he always said,
"Don't take my word for it,
00:56:23.11\00:56:26.05
go check your Bible."
00:56:26.08\00:56:27.82
"Amazing Facts"
helped save my life.
00:56:27.85\00:56:31.49
It took me years, but I finally
found, I finally found God.
00:56:31.52\00:56:36.12
I finally healed.
00:56:36.16\00:56:38.33
That little girl that
was so shattered, that had
00:56:38.36\00:56:41.23
no self-esteem, that all
her innocence had been taken,
00:56:41.26\00:56:45.70
God gave back
everything and then some.
00:56:45.73\00:56:49.24
And I go through trials.
00:56:49.27\00:56:51.84
I'm a single parent.
I'm a recovering addict.
00:56:51.87\00:56:57.31
I have MS and I
have fibromyalgia.
00:56:57.35\00:57:00.65
And I am blessed.
00:57:00.68\00:57:03.49
I am blessed because I
am so mighty with the Lord.
00:57:03.52\00:57:09.22
Everything that was ever
stolen from me, God gave back.
00:57:09.26\00:57:13.29
And on top of that,
he gave me forgiveness
00:57:13.33\00:57:17.60
and that's what I
want everyone to know.
00:57:17.63\00:57:20.67
He took a broken, broken woman
and turned her into a warrior.
00:57:20.70\00:57:26.81
announcer: Would
you preferably consider
00:57:34.35\00:57:35.92
partnering with us today?
00:57:35.95\00:57:38.05
Thank you.
00:57:38.09\00:57:39.65
announcer: Can't get enough
"Amazing Facts Bible Study"?
00:57:43.12\00:57:45.89
You don't have to
wait until next week
00:57:45.93\00:57:47.93
to enjoy more
truth-filled programming.
00:57:47.96\00:57:50.57
Watch "Amazing Facts Television"
by visiting aftv.org.
00:57:50.60\00:57:56.77
At aftv.org, you can view
"Amazing Facts" programming
00:57:56.81\00:58:01.01
24 hours a day,
seven days a week
00:58:01.04\00:58:03.71
right from your
computer or mobile device.
00:58:03.75\00:58:06.48
Why wait a week?
00:58:06.51\00:58:07.82
Visit aftv.org. It's that easy.
00:58:07.85\00:58:11.42
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00:58:12.39\00:58:22.10
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00:58:22.46\00:58:29.00