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Carlos Muņoz:
Maranatha and good morning.
00:00:35.46\00:00:37.77
Happy Sabbath to everyone
that's joining us today on
00:00:37.80\00:00:39.93
this beautiful day.
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We want to welcome you all
to the Sabbath School Study Hour
00:00:41.40\00:00:44.47
here at the Granite Bay Hilltop
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:00:44.51\00:00:48.31
We're located here
in the Sacramento area,
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specifically in Granite Bay.
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And so if you're
ever in the area,
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if you're ever coming to visit,
or if you live in the area and
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you want to come join us, we--
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please, we ask you to come and
fellowship with us every Sabbath
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morning if you--
if it's your delight.
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So today we're continuing in
our study on the book of Isaiah.
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How many of you have
been enjoying the book
00:01:09.63\00:01:11.30
of Isaiah, amen?
00:01:11.33\00:01:12.70
And today we're touching on a
very important and a beautiful
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topic, which is the
desire of ages, amen?
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The desire of ages.
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So I'm really looking forward to
today's lesson and we also have
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a free offer, right?
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Remember, we
always have a free offer.
00:01:25.85\00:01:27.55
And our free offer for
today is this book called
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"12 Steps to Revival."
00:01:29.75\00:01:32.15
"12 Steps to Revival,"
it's one of our pocketbooks.
00:01:32.19\00:01:34.79
You can receive this book
by calling us at 1-866-788-3966
00:01:34.82\00:01:40.76
or 1-866-Study-More, and you
can ask for offer number 780.
00:01:40.80\00:01:46.20
Now, sadly, it's only
mailed in North America,
00:01:46.23\00:01:49.04
in the United
States territories,
00:01:49.07\00:01:50.74
but you can also receive this
digital copy if you text SH001.
00:01:50.77\00:01:56.78
Again, text SH001
to the number 40544.
00:01:56.81\00:02:04.22
The number is 40544 and you will
receive a digital copy and you
00:02:04.25\00:02:08.62
can also find this pocketbook
and many others on the "Amazing
00:02:08.66\00:02:12.53
Facts" website.
00:02:12.56\00:02:14.66
So you can go there and
find many of these wonderful
00:02:14.73\00:02:17.43
blessings as well.
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Well, before we get into
the study of our lesson today,
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we are going to be delighted
with a praise from the--
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Rennan and Nicole
Ramus and Dorling Coinan,
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and they are going to be
singing "If You but Trust."
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¤ If you but trust in
God to guide you and place ¤
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¤ your confidence in Him, ¤
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¤ you'll find Him
always there beside you ¤
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¤ to give you hope
and strength within; ¤
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¤ for those who trust God's
changeless love build on the ¤
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¤ rock that
will not move, ooh. ¤
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¤ What gain is
there in futile weeping, ¤
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¤ in helpless
anger and distress? ¤
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¤ If you are in
His care and keeping, ¤
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¤ in sorrow will
He love you less? ¤
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¤ For He who
took for you a cross ¤
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¤ will bring you safe through ¤
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¤ every loss, ooh. ¤
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¤ Sing, pray, and
keep His ways unswerving, ¤
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¤ offer your service faithfully,
and trust His Word; ¤
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¤ though undeserving, you'll
find His promise true to be. ¤
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¤ God never will forsake
in need the soul that trusts ¤
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¤ in Him indeed, ooh. ¤
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¤ God never will forsake
in need the soul that trusts ¤
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¤ in Him indeed, ¤
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¤ ooh, ¤
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¤ ooh. ¤
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Carlos: I didn't
hear enough amens there.
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Amen, that was beautiful.
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Let's have a word of prayer.
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Heavenly Father, we thank You
again for this great privilege
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and this honor that You
give us to come together.
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We thank You for the beautiful
music that elevates our mind to
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contemplate Your beauty and
Your glory and Christ there,
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Father, at Your right
hand interceding on our behalf.
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Well, Father, now as we
come to study the Word of God,
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we ask that
Your Spirit guide us,
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and come with an
attitude of what can we learn,
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what more can we grasp, of
how better can we understand
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Your Word?
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And today, Your servant, Father,
is Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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We just ask that Your Spirit
continue to speak in him and
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through him and that we may
delight and rejoice in learning
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more about the desire of ages.
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We thank You, Father, for this
opportunity and this blessing
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and we ask and beg these
things, in Jesus's name, amen.
00:06:02.59\00:06:05.16
Doug Batchelor: Good
morning. Happy Sabbath.
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I want to welcome everybody that
is here in-house with us today
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and we're glad that we're in
some spring weather here in the
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Granite Bay, Sacramento, area.
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I want to welcome those who are
worshiping and studying with us
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online through either one of
the satellite channels or Roku
00:06:23.95\00:06:27.98
or Facebook or YouTube, and it's
amazing the testimonies we get
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of people who join us
in studying God's Word from
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all over the world.
00:06:35.86\00:06:37.16
We know you're
there, we see your notes,
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we love to hear from you,
and thank you for being there.
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Today, we're continuing
in our lesson on Isaiah,
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and today we're going
to be in lesson number 12.
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We've got one more lesson
in this series and I think I'm
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lined up to
teach that next week,
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and then we're moving
on to a new quarterly.
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I thought I'd just give
you a little preview glimpse.
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And it's going to be called
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"The Promise: God's
Everlasting Covenant."
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This is really going to be
interesting because it's going
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to go through the various
covenants that God made to
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His people and I know
that will be a edifying study.
00:07:08.26\00:07:12.33
Today's study is lesson number
12 in Isaiah and it's dealing
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with "Desire of Nations."
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How many of you
have read the book
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"Desire of Ages"?
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And I think that the title
is drawn from this section that
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you find in Isaiah.
00:07:28.58\00:07:29.88
Now, it's really
been a challenge to,
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you know, normally
for these quarters,
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for those watching you
may or may not know that we,
00:07:35.72\00:07:38.35
in this church, we go through
a study guide every quarter,
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every, you know, 13 weeks or so.
00:07:42.96\00:07:44.99
And you know, in five years'
time we try and cover the Bible
00:07:45.03\00:07:48.90
but it's really difficult to
get the 66 chapters of Isaiah
00:07:48.93\00:07:55.20
in 13 weeks.
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They really need to
dedicate two quarters to this.
00:07:57.44\00:08:01.01
But we're going to do
our best to try to cover our
00:08:01.04\00:08:02.88
subject today.
00:08:02.91\00:08:04.21
We're going to be dealing
with Isaiah chapter 59, 60,
00:08:04.25\00:08:07.32
and part of 61.
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And we've got our
work cut out for us.
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There's a memory verse.
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The memory verse is
from Isaiah 60, verse 3.
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Isaiah 60, verse 3,
and this is a good choice.
00:08:16.96\00:08:19.89
You want to say it with
me if you have it there.
00:08:19.93\00:08:22.33
It says: "The Gentiles
shall come to Your light,
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and kings to the
brightness of Your rising."
00:08:27.10\00:08:31.14
And this is certainly
a fulfilled prophecy in
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that the Gentiles came to the
light of not only the Messiah
00:08:33.58\00:08:38.31
but the Word that was
brought by the Jewish nation,
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and kings to the
brightness of His rising.
00:08:41.78\00:08:45.39
Well, we're going to
start with Isaiah chapter--
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Isaiah chapter 59, and I like
to just dive right in and start
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reading the Word and do
some just expository teaching
00:08:53.23\00:08:57.30
along the way.
00:08:57.33\00:08:58.63
This is under Sunday's
section, "The Effects of Sin."
00:08:58.67\00:09:01.77
And you read here
in verse 1, Isaiah 59:
00:09:01.80\00:09:04.64
"Behold, the Lord's
hand is not shortened,
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that it cannot
save; nor His ear heavy,
00:09:06.91\00:09:10.05
that it cannot hear.
00:09:10.08\00:09:12.11
But your iniquities have
separated you from your God;
00:09:12.15\00:09:16.02
and your sins have
hidden His face from you,
00:09:16.05\00:09:18.89
so that He will not hear."
00:09:18.92\00:09:21.06
Some people say, "How
come my prayers are not
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being answered?"
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Well, there could be
a few different reasons.
00:09:24.63\00:09:26.26
One thing, you want to
pray according to God's will.
00:09:26.29\00:09:28.56
You want to pray in faith.
00:09:28.60\00:09:30.23
There are certain
criteria in prayer:
00:09:30.27\00:09:32.30
patiently and persistently, but
the Bible's pretty clear that if
00:09:32.33\00:09:36.57
we stop our ears
to hearing the law,
00:09:36.60\00:09:38.94
even our prayer
is an abomination,
00:09:38.97\00:09:41.61
that our iniquities can separate
us from God and what did it say?
00:09:41.64\00:09:44.65
"So that He will not hear."
00:09:44.68\00:09:45.98
You cannot live a
life of, you know,
00:09:46.01\00:09:48.22
known, open, high-handed sin
and then give God your Christmas
00:09:48.25\00:09:51.52
shopping list and say, "I
wonder why He's not answering
00:09:51.55\00:09:53.32
my prayers."
00:09:53.36\00:09:54.69
Do not misunderstand, please:
00:09:54.72\00:09:57.43
God always hears a prayer
of repentance and confession.
00:09:57.46\00:10:01.23
When you come to Him and
you've got a penitent heart,
00:10:01.26\00:10:04.53
the Lord always
hears those prayers.
00:10:04.57\00:10:06.60
But when you're
giving God your list,
00:10:06.63\00:10:10.31
it does make a difference if you
surrendered your life to Him and
00:10:10.34\00:10:13.27
if you're
willing to do His will,
00:10:13.31\00:10:14.71
turn from your sins.
00:10:14.74\00:10:16.58
And Isaiah's here, he says that
there's separation that happens
00:10:16.61\00:10:20.62
because of our rebellion:
sometimes our connection
00:10:20.65\00:10:23.95
is broken.
00:10:23.99\00:10:26.32
Now, up in the hills where
we have had our cabin for many
00:10:26.35\00:10:30.89
years, when I first moved
up there, we had no telephone.
00:10:30.93\00:10:37.73
There's no cell phone, and
the way we all communicated with
00:10:37.77\00:10:42.67
each other is we had CB radios.
00:10:42.70\00:10:44.64
Does anyone
remember what a CB radio is?
00:10:44.67\00:10:47.71
I think
truckers still have them.
00:10:47.74\00:10:49.74
And all of the mountain
people up there, we had--
00:10:49.78\00:10:51.75
I had an antenna was,
like, 40 feet tall so that I can
00:10:51.78\00:10:54.65
reach everybody.
00:10:54.68\00:10:56.28
And we all had our handles.
00:10:56.32\00:10:58.49
You know, with one
family it was Country Girl,
00:10:58.52\00:11:01.36
and the other
guy was Flying Fan,
00:11:01.39\00:11:02.76
and I was Cave Man.
00:11:02.79\00:11:04.26
And so we all had our handles.
We communicated with CBs.
00:11:04.29\00:11:07.13
Then finally, one day, I
said, "Enough is enough."
00:11:07.20\00:11:09.33
Two miles from my house,
Mendocino County had a phone
00:11:09.36\00:11:12.83
line and I called the
phone company and they said,
00:11:12.87\00:11:15.00
"Look, if you want to
connect to the phone line,
00:11:15.04\00:11:16.77
we'll connect it for
you, but," they said,
00:11:16.81\00:11:18.11
"you got to put
your own line in."
00:11:18.14\00:11:21.04
And so we bought 2
miles of copper phone line.
00:11:21.08\00:11:26.01
Now, it wasn't
that much back then.
00:11:26.05\00:11:28.02
Right now, that
would be worth a fortune.
00:11:28.05\00:11:30.52
The price of copper went up so
people are stealing copper from
00:11:30.55\00:11:33.09
people's houses.
00:11:33.12\00:11:34.42
You heard about that.
00:11:34.46\00:11:36.52
And so I ran through the woods
and through the trees and over
00:11:36.56\00:11:39.56
hill and dale, this spool of
wire all the way to the house,
00:11:39.59\00:11:44.67
2 miles, to the county road
and it was wonderful, finally.
00:11:44.70\00:11:49.17
I tell you, it was so neat when
we finally hooked it up and they
00:11:49.20\00:11:52.57
hooked us and he said,
"You should be good to go."
00:11:52.61\00:11:54.11
We picked up the
receiver, we heard,
00:11:54.14\00:11:55.44
"Nnnnn," ready to
make a phone call.
00:11:55.48\00:11:58.28
It was amazing. I
mean, it was so exciting.
00:11:58.31\00:12:01.48
But then one day it stopped
working and I called the phone
00:12:01.52\00:12:06.89
company and they
said, "It's not at our end;
00:12:06.92\00:12:08.32
it's at your end."
00:12:08.36\00:12:10.99
They said, "Something happened
to interrupt your connection."
00:12:11.03\00:12:15.03
And I had to walk 2 miles
of phone line to find where a
00:12:15.06\00:12:19.27
squirrel had chewed through the
line and it was shorting out.
00:12:19.30\00:12:24.27
And so I found it and I
taped it up and then I--
00:12:24.31\00:12:28.28
I mean, for a while
there, I would actually,
00:12:28.31\00:12:29.91
to make it a quicker trip, I
would cut the phone line in two
00:12:29.94\00:12:33.31
and do a meter test and test
this mile and test this mile.
00:12:33.35\00:12:38.05
And then the snow would fall and
trees would fall on the line and
00:12:38.09\00:12:40.82
break the line and I'd
have to go reconnect it.
00:12:40.86\00:12:44.19
And you know, I spent
years reconnecting the line,
00:12:44.23\00:12:47.50
walking the woods, in the rain.
00:12:47.50\00:12:48.80
Had to make important
phone calls, the line is out.
00:12:48.83\00:12:51.07
I'd get out there and I found
it was better if I take a rag.
00:12:51.10\00:12:53.50
I'd put a rag in my hand and I'd
walk like this with the line.
00:12:53.54\00:12:55.90
If there was a break in
the line, I'd feel a lump.
00:12:55.94\00:12:57.67
You could feel it.
00:12:57.71\00:12:59.17
And then you'd stop and I always
had my tape and I had my solder
00:12:59.21\00:13:01.78
gun and
everything and I'd fix it up.
00:13:01.81\00:13:03.75
Walking through the rain.
00:13:03.78\00:13:05.28
I'll tell you, friends, you have
no idea how happy I was when we
00:13:05.31\00:13:08.65
got cell reception.
00:13:08.68\00:13:12.15
It was so wonderful.
00:13:12.19\00:13:13.89
And then we had some neighbors.
00:13:13.92\00:13:15.22
We were sharing
our line with them.
00:13:15.26\00:13:16.69
Any of you remember the days
where you have a party line?
00:13:16.73\00:13:21.40
And I said, "Well," I said,
"the line is all yours now.
00:13:21.43\00:13:25.67
We're not going
to use it anymore.
00:13:25.70\00:13:27.00
We're using the cell phone.
00:13:27.04\00:13:28.34
You guys need to
get a cell phone."
00:13:28.37\00:13:29.67
"No, no, causes brain cancer.
00:13:29.70\00:13:31.07
We're not getting a cell phone."
00:13:31.11\00:13:33.88
But then he had to fix the phone
line and it wasn't long before
00:13:33.91\00:13:39.61
they got the victory and they
got a cell phone because it was
00:13:39.65\00:13:45.52
a constant job to
keep reconnecting the line.
00:13:45.55\00:13:50.33
Well, you know, it's sort of
how it is in the Christian life.
00:13:50.36\00:13:52.46
It is--we are constantly
struggling to maintain the
00:13:52.49\00:13:57.03
connection with God.
00:13:57.07\00:14:00.24
If you fall,
sin, repent, confess,
00:14:00.27\00:14:03.94
turn back to God, reconnect, and
the devil will come along and
00:14:03.97\00:14:07.74
there'll be another storm or
the squirrel will chew through
00:14:07.78\00:14:09.88
the line.
00:14:09.91\00:14:11.21
Reconnect, reconnect, reconnect.
00:14:11.25\00:14:13.85
Just--that's what it
is in the Christian life.
00:14:13.88\00:14:15.72
It's just one of
constantly striving
00:14:15.75\00:14:17.59
to maintain that connection.
00:14:17.62\00:14:18.92
And not only is
that true of God,
00:14:18.95\00:14:20.49
if you're
married it's true also.
00:14:20.52\00:14:22.29
Can you have an
"amen" out there?
00:14:22.32\00:14:24.76
You've got to be constantly
reconnecting to maintain
00:14:24.79\00:14:27.76
the relationship.
00:14:27.83\00:14:29.10
The devil wants to sever
that relationship and break
00:14:29.13\00:14:33.44
our connection with God.
00:14:33.47\00:14:35.94
In the beginning, did
God run from man or did man
00:14:35.97\00:14:38.67
run from God?
00:14:38.71\00:14:42.08
Genesis 3:8: "And they heard the
sound of the Lord God walking in
00:14:42.11\00:14:46.21
the garden in
the cool of the day,
00:14:46.25\00:14:48.48
and Adam and his wife hid
themselves from the presence
00:14:48.52\00:14:51.29
of the Lord," from God
in the trees in the garden.
00:14:51.32\00:14:56.36
They heard the sound of
the Lord and they ran from Him.
00:14:56.39\00:15:00.86
Someone said the first question
in the Bible is God asking,
00:15:00.90\00:15:05.07
"Where are you?" to Adam.
00:15:05.10\00:15:08.34
And the first question in the
New Testament is the wise men
00:15:08.37\00:15:11.31
asking, "Where is He?"
00:15:11.34\00:15:13.61
So you've got man looking
for God and God looking for man.
00:15:13.64\00:15:16.38
Now, technically, the first
question in the Bible is the
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.05
devil questioning
God's Word, "Hath God said?"
00:15:19.08\00:15:23.18
But that's where all
our troubles come from:
00:15:23.22\00:15:24.79
doubting God's Word.
00:15:24.82\00:15:26.96
So it's all
about the connection.
00:15:26.99\00:15:29.39
And God wants us to
be connected with Him,
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.89
but He does want us
to be separated from sin.
00:15:31.93\00:15:35.36
Our sins separate us from God so
if we want to be connected with
00:15:35.40\00:15:38.20
God, we must be
separated from sin.
00:15:38.23\00:15:40.20
And that's why Jesus came.
00:15:40.24\00:15:41.84
Listen to what Paul
says in 2 Corinthians 6:17:
00:15:41.87\00:15:46.21
"Therefore 'Come out from
among them and be separate,
00:15:46.24\00:15:49.41
says the Lord.
00:15:49.44\00:15:50.75
Do not touch what is unclean,
and I will receive you.'"
00:15:50.78\00:15:54.72
Does that mean that the Lord
wants Christians to live in a
00:15:54.75\00:15:58.22
monastery by
ourselves somewhere where,
00:15:58.25\00:16:01.06
you know, like, Simeon Stylite.
00:16:01.09\00:16:02.59
We find a tall pillar and climb
up there and just separate from
00:16:02.62\00:16:04.96
the world?
00:16:04.99\00:16:06.36
Or you run off to a cave
or deserted island so that you
00:16:06.39\00:16:10.23
can maintain your holiness?
00:16:10.27\00:16:11.70
How are we going to
preach the gospel like that?
00:16:11.73\00:16:14.57
One of the great challenges for
every Christian is how do you
00:16:14.60\00:16:17.51
separate from sin in the world
and still be in the world to
00:16:17.54\00:16:22.31
reach sinners?
00:16:22.34\00:16:24.08
Well, Jesus gave us an
example of how to do that.
00:16:24.11\00:16:26.28
You sort of have to go from
the mountain to the multitude.
00:16:26.31\00:16:29.38
Go to the mountain and pray, and
then you go to the multitude.
00:16:29.42\00:16:33.99
But God is
calling us to be separate,
00:16:34.02\00:16:37.26
be holy, and
maintain that relationship.
00:16:37.29\00:16:42.46
You know, there's a great quote
in the lesson from the book,
00:16:42.50\00:16:44.63
"Faith and Works," page 36.
00:16:44.67\00:16:47.30
"We must learn in the
school of Christ nothing
00:16:47.34\00:16:50.01
but His righteousness
can entitle us to one of the
00:16:50.04\00:16:52.97
blessings of the
covenant of grace.
00:16:53.01\00:16:55.51
We've long desired and tried
to obtain the blessings but have
00:16:55.54\00:16:58.15
not received them because we've
cherished the idea that we can
00:16:58.18\00:17:01.15
do something to make
ourselves worthy of them.
00:17:01.18\00:17:04.22
We've not looked
away from ourselves,
00:17:04.25\00:17:05.85
believing that
Jesus is a living Savior.
00:17:05.89\00:17:08.72
We must not think that our own
grace and merits will save us.
00:17:08.76\00:17:12.13
The grace of Christ
alone is the hope of salvation.
00:17:12.16\00:17:15.40
Through the
prophet, the Lord promises,
00:17:15.43\00:17:17.80
'Let the wicked--'"
she's quoting Isaiah--
00:17:17.83\00:17:20.04
"'Let the wicked forsake
his way and the unrighteous man
00:17:20.07\00:17:23.44
his thoughts.'"
00:17:23.47\00:17:24.77
Notice, she's saying it's only
through Christ but then it goes
00:17:24.81\00:17:27.31
on to say, "We must forsake
our way and our unrighteous
00:17:27.34\00:17:30.78
man his thoughts.
00:17:30.81\00:17:32.11
Let him turn to the Lord
and He will have mercy on him,
00:17:32.15\00:17:35.05
and to our God and He
will abundantly pardon."
00:17:35.08\00:17:37.29
That's how we
gain that reconnection.
00:17:37.32\00:17:39.62
"We must believe the naked
promise and not accept feeling
00:17:39.65\00:17:43.26
for faith.
00:17:43.29\00:17:44.53
When we trust God fully, when we
rely upon the merits of Jesus as
00:17:44.56\00:17:48.53
a sin-pardoning Savior,
we shall receive all the
00:17:48.56\00:17:51.67
help that we desire."
00:17:51.70\00:17:53.84
What a wonderful promise.
00:17:53.87\00:17:55.17
Now, I want to go
back to Isaiah chapter 59.
00:17:55.20\00:17:58.37
I just read verse 1 and 2.
00:17:58.41\00:18:00.64
Go to verse 3.
00:18:00.68\00:18:02.11
Then he gets specific.
00:18:02.14\00:18:04.01
"For your hands
are defiled with blood,
00:18:04.05\00:18:06.78
your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies,
00:18:06.82\00:18:09.48
your tongue has
muttered perversity."
00:18:09.52\00:18:11.35
He's going through
all the anatomy here.
00:18:11.39\00:18:13.22
"No one calls for justice,
nor does any plead for truth.
00:18:13.25\00:18:18.06
They trust in empty
words and speak lies;
00:18:18.09\00:18:20.56
they conceive evil
and bring forth iniquity.
00:18:20.60\00:18:22.96
They hatch vipers' eggs
and weave the spider's web."
00:18:23.00\00:18:28.00
The viper, remember
what John the Baptist said to
00:18:28.04\00:18:30.84
the Pharisees and scribes, so,
"Den of vipers who has warned
00:18:30.87\00:18:34.24
you to flee from
the wrath to come."
00:18:34.28\00:18:36.85
"He who eats their eggs dies,
and from that which is crushed
00:18:36.88\00:18:40.18
a viper breaks out.
00:18:40.22\00:18:42.15
Their webs will
not become garments,
00:18:42.18\00:18:44.02
nor will they cover
themselves with their works;
00:18:44.05\00:18:46.82
their works are
works--" now notice this.
00:18:46.86\00:18:49.52
"Their works are
works of iniquity,
00:18:49.56\00:18:50.86
and the act of
violence is in their hand."
00:18:50.89\00:18:53.06
You might underline
that word: "in their hand."
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.60
"Their feet run to evil,
they make haste to shed innocent
00:18:55.63\00:18:58.60
blood; their thoughts
are thoughts of iniquity;
00:18:58.63\00:19:01.90
wasting and
destruction is in their paths."
00:19:01.94\00:19:04.14
So you've got "in the
hand" and "in the thoughts."
00:19:04.17\00:19:07.68
What are two characteristics
of the mark of the beast in
00:19:07.71\00:19:09.64
the last days?
00:19:09.68\00:19:11.91
When it says "in the hand,"
is it physical or is it talking
00:19:11.95\00:19:14.18
about their works are
works of iniquity in their hand.
00:19:14.22\00:19:16.65
See what it said?
00:19:16.69\00:19:18.22
In the forehead,
their thoughts are thoughts.
00:19:18.25\00:19:20.92
And so in the
Bible, when it says,
00:19:20.96\00:19:22.39
"in the forehead," and "in the
hand," Isaiah helps spell out
00:19:22.42\00:19:25.29
what does that mean?
00:19:25.33\00:19:26.63
It means your
actions, your thoughts,
00:19:26.66\00:19:28.10
is what's that's talking about.
00:19:28.13\00:19:32.33
"The way of peace
they have not known,
00:19:32.37\00:19:34.37
and there's no
justice in their ways;
00:19:34.40\00:19:36.44
they have made
themselves crooked paths;
00:19:36.47\00:19:38.77
whoever takes that way shall
not know the way of peace."
00:19:38.81\00:19:42.98
So it talks here about our sins
have separated us but God wants
00:19:43.01\00:19:48.52
us to separate from sin,
come out and be separate.
00:19:48.55\00:19:51.82
What is the second
angel's message in Revelation
00:19:51.85\00:19:54.46
chapter 14?
00:19:54.49\00:19:59.03
"Babylon is fallen, is fallen.
Come out from her, my people.
00:19:59.06\00:20:04.63
Come out and be separate lest
you receive of her plagues and
00:20:04.67\00:20:07.54
partake of her sin."
00:20:07.57\00:20:08.80
So there is actually a message
of calling out and separating
00:20:08.84\00:20:12.51
from sin is part of the
three angels' message, amen?
00:20:12.54\00:20:17.35
If you look in Romans--
I'm sorry, Romans 8:38-39.
00:20:17.38\00:20:23.02
Now, while we are
to separate from sin,
00:20:23.05\00:20:25.32
do our sins
separate us from God's love?
00:20:25.35\00:20:28.92
Nothing can
separate us. Let's read this.
00:20:28.96\00:20:30.99
Romans 8:38: "For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life,
00:20:31.03\00:20:35.40
nor angels nor
principalities nor powers,
00:20:35.43\00:20:37.73
nor things present
nor things to come,
00:20:37.77\00:20:39.93
nor height nor depth,
nor any other created thing,
00:20:39.97\00:20:42.87
shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is
00:20:42.90\00:20:45.91
in Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:20:45.94\00:20:47.78
That love that God has for us,
does that begin after we come
00:20:47.81\00:20:51.91
to Him or does He love us
even before we come to Him?
00:20:51.95\00:20:55.15
That love that God has for
us, is that love after we've
00:20:55.18\00:20:58.35
confessed and forsaken our sins
or does He love us as sinners?
00:20:58.39\00:21:03.43
God loves sinners.
00:21:03.46\00:21:04.76
There's nothing that can
separate you from the love
00:21:04.79\00:21:06.26
of God.
00:21:06.29\00:21:07.60
That love brings
the sinner to Christ.
00:21:07.60\00:21:10.77
"While we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
00:21:10.80\00:21:13.74
"God so loved the world," the
holy world and the sinful world.
00:21:13.77\00:21:17.51
He loved the world of sinners so
that He gave His only begotten
00:21:17.54\00:21:20.28
Son, so let's remember that.
00:21:20.31\00:21:22.24
All right, under Monday,
the section "Who is Forgiven?"
00:21:22.28\00:21:24.71
Now we're going
to read Isaiah 59,
00:21:24.75\00:21:26.82
verse 15 to 50-- verse 15 to 21.
00:21:26.85\00:21:31.29
So if you want to join me there.
00:21:31.32\00:21:33.49
It says: "So truth fails, and
he who departs from evil makes
00:21:33.52\00:21:38.73
himself a prey.
00:21:38.76\00:21:41.03
Then the Lord saw it,
and it displeased Him."
00:21:41.06\00:21:43.93
What's one of the big
challenges in the world today?
00:21:43.97\00:21:49.54
Truth fails.
00:21:49.57\00:21:52.04
When you read Daniel chapter
8:14 and it talks about this
00:21:52.07\00:21:55.14
beast power, what
does a beast power do?
00:21:55.18\00:21:58.91
Casts down truth.
00:21:58.95\00:22:02.55
And the cleansing of the
sanctuary is a restoration
00:22:02.58\00:22:05.82
of truth.
00:22:05.85\00:22:07.86
And so that's part of
the work of the church.
00:22:07.89\00:22:09.96
Are we living in a
world today where truth is
00:22:09.99\00:22:12.89
becoming relative?
00:22:12.93\00:22:15.13
I don't know--
not for us, I mean,
00:22:15.16\00:22:17.17
the truth is absolute.
00:22:17.20\00:22:18.50
Jesus is the
truth. His Word is truth.
00:22:18.53\00:22:21.07
But in the world, it's
like, you've got your truth,
00:22:21.10\00:22:24.74
I've got my truth.
00:22:24.77\00:22:26.07
Everybody has their own truth.
00:22:26.11\00:22:27.84
And it's like everybody's living
in various fantasies and we're
00:22:27.88\00:22:33.15
supposed to respect everybody's
fantasies as it's a truth.
00:22:33.18\00:22:37.79
But I don't like the idea the
government's telling me I need
00:22:37.82\00:22:40.76
to respect someone
else's fantasy and call it truth
00:22:40.79\00:22:43.86
just to make them happy.
00:22:43.89\00:22:46.03
There is absolute truth and
we need to be clear about that
00:22:46.06\00:22:49.36
because it is the
truth that sets you free.
00:22:49.40\00:22:51.93
The truth is what
saves. Jesus is the truth.
00:22:51.97\00:22:54.74
When we start going in for some
of the cultural ideas of what is
00:22:54.77\00:22:59.81
truth so that we can fit
in, it's really a betrayal
00:22:59.84\00:23:04.48
of Christ.
00:23:04.51\00:23:07.35
When you start buying into this
idea that there are really 15 or
00:23:07.38\00:23:10.49
20 different genders,
no, the Bible says there's 2.
00:23:10.52\00:23:16.96
And no, it doesn't matter how
many times someone tells a lie,
00:23:16.99\00:23:20.23
it doesn't make it true.
00:23:20.26\00:23:22.63
And so we've got to be careful.
00:23:22.66\00:23:23.97
No, the truth is
the truth is the truth.
00:23:24.00\00:23:27.20
And our mission as Christians is
to be constantly seeking out and
00:23:27.24\00:23:31.01
sharing what is true.
00:23:31.04\00:23:33.61
But boy, it is sure getting
murky out in the world today.
00:23:33.64\00:23:37.88
All right, so tells us that
truth is fallen in the streets.
00:23:37.91\00:23:43.95
And then you go on and read
here what it says in verse 16
00:23:43.99\00:23:48.02
in Isaiah chapter 59:
00:23:48.06\00:23:50.36
"He saw that there was no man,
and He wondered that there was
00:23:50.39\00:23:53.93
no intercessor; therefore
His own arm brought salvation
00:23:53.96\00:23:58.20
for Him; and His own
righteousness, it sustained Him.
00:23:58.23\00:24:02.07
For He put on righteousness
as a breastplate, and as a
00:24:02.10\00:24:05.51
helmet of salvation on His head;
00:24:05.54\00:24:08.18
He put the garments of
vengeance on for clothing,
00:24:08.21\00:24:10.65
and was clad
with zeal as a cloak."
00:24:10.68\00:24:13.18
Now, do a couple of
those phrases sound familiar?
00:24:13.21\00:24:17.49
If you look in
Ephesians, you know,
00:24:17.52\00:24:18.82
the armor of God, so much of
what the apostles were saying,
00:24:18.85\00:24:22.86
they are quoting
from the Old Testament.
00:24:22.89\00:24:25.66
You read the armor of God that
you find in Ephesians chapter 6,
00:24:25.69\00:24:28.90
starting with verse 13:
"Therefore take up the whole
00:24:28.93\00:24:32.13
armor of God, that you might
be able to withstand in the evil
00:24:32.17\00:24:35.04
day, having done all, to stand.
00:24:35.07\00:24:37.87
Stand therefore, having
girded your waist with truth,
00:24:37.91\00:24:42.24
having put on the
breastplate of righteousness."
00:24:42.28\00:24:44.25
Did Isaiah just
talk about truth?
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.82
Did he just talk
about a breastplate--
00:24:46.85\00:24:48.62
breastplate of righteousness?
00:24:48.65\00:24:50.25
That was the big centerpiece
of steel, or scales of iron,
00:24:50.29\00:24:55.82
that protected your vitals.
00:24:55.86\00:24:58.99
"Having shod your feet with
the preparation of the gospel
00:24:59.03\00:25:01.56
of peace."
00:25:01.60\00:25:02.90
Now, Isaiah's not
talking about that here,
00:25:02.93\00:25:04.57
but does Isaiah talk about how
beautiful upon the mountain are
00:25:04.60\00:25:07.30
the feet of those that bring
good tidings, good news, feet?
00:25:07.34\00:25:11.74
Paul is alluding
to things that Isaiah
00:25:11.77\00:25:14.61
has said for the believer.
00:25:14.64\00:25:17.98
"Above all, taking the shield of
faith with which you were able
00:25:18.01\00:25:21.12
to quench all the fiery
darts of the wicked one.
00:25:21.15\00:25:23.85
And take the
helmet of salvation."
00:25:23.89\00:25:25.59
Well, we just read
that, "helmet of salvation,"
00:25:25.62\00:25:27.76
here in Isaiah 59.
00:25:27.79\00:25:29.19
"Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,
00:25:29.22\00:25:32.53
which is the Word of God."
00:25:32.56\00:25:34.56
So he kind of unpacks
a little more for us what
00:25:34.60\00:25:36.67
those elements are.
00:25:36.70\00:25:38.37
All right,
continuing, Isaiah 59, verse 18:
00:25:38.40\00:25:41.97
"According to their deeds,
accordingly He will repay."
00:25:42.00\00:25:46.11
Is there another
Scripture that says that?
00:25:46.14\00:25:49.54
"Behold, He comes in the clouds
and every eye will see Him and
00:25:49.58\00:25:52.61
He will reward every man
according to their works."
00:25:52.65\00:25:56.42
Everyone's going to be--
00:25:56.45\00:25:57.69
"The books were open and every
man was rewarded according to
00:25:57.72\00:26:00.22
his needs."
00:26:00.26\00:26:01.72
Now that confuses
people because we know,
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.93
as Protestants, that Christians
are saved by works or by faith?
00:26:03.96\00:26:07.60
By faith.
00:26:07.66\00:26:09.00
But we're rewarded
by works or by faith?
00:26:09.03\00:26:12.67
By works.
00:26:12.70\00:26:14.40
Saved by faith, and then
if you are saved by faith,
00:26:14.44\00:26:17.44
there'll be a change in your
works and your works are evident
00:26:17.47\00:26:20.61
of whether or not
you've been saved.
00:26:20.64\00:26:22.34
That's where Jesus said,
00:26:22.38\00:26:23.68
"You will know
them by their fruits."
00:26:23.71\00:26:26.18
The fruits is
talking about their actions.
00:26:26.21\00:26:28.58
So if a person says, "Lord,
Lord," and they're not following
00:26:28.62\00:26:33.15
the Lord, Jesus said,
"It's not everyone that says,
00:26:33.19\00:26:35.59
'Lord, Lord,' but he that
does the will of My Father."
00:26:35.62\00:26:38.93
So it's ultimately who does the
will of God that determines if
00:26:38.96\00:26:42.66
the heart has been changed.
00:26:42.70\00:26:45.30
"According to their
deeds," I'm back in Isaiah 59,
00:26:45.33\00:26:48.07
verse 18, "He will
repay, fury to His adversaries,
00:26:48.10\00:26:52.04
and recompense to His enemies;
00:26:52.07\00:26:53.84
the coastlands
He will fully repay.
00:26:53.88\00:26:57.31
So shall they fear the
name of the Lord from the west,
00:26:57.35\00:27:00.12
and His glory from the rising
of the sun," that would be the
00:27:00.15\00:27:02.45
east, "when the enemy
comes in like a flood,
00:27:02.48\00:27:05.89
the Spirit of the Lord will
lift up a standard against him."
00:27:05.92\00:27:09.72
Now, that's a promise you
can underline in your Bible.
00:27:09.76\00:27:11.56
Who's the enemy? The devil.
00:27:11.59\00:27:14.50
Well, we got another
enemy I'm talking about
00:27:14.56\00:27:15.90
in the sermon today.
00:27:15.93\00:27:17.53
But principally, we
think about the devil.
00:27:17.57\00:27:20.34
Can you think of a time in
the Bible when an enemy was
00:27:20.37\00:27:23.44
approaching God's people
and He lifted up the standard
00:27:23.47\00:27:25.54
against them?
00:27:25.57\00:27:29.38
When the children of
Israel came out of Egypt,
00:27:29.41\00:27:31.31
before they crossed the Red Sea,
the Pharaoh and his army began
00:27:31.35\00:27:35.22
to say, "Why did we
let all of our slaves go?
00:27:35.25\00:27:37.59
What were we thinking?
00:27:37.62\00:27:38.92
We let them go, we
gave them our treasure.
00:27:38.95\00:27:40.79
We must have
been out of our minds.
00:27:40.82\00:27:42.22
Now, we're going to
have to do all the work."
00:27:42.26\00:27:43.63
And they took off
after the Israelites.
00:27:43.66\00:27:46.29
And the Israelites, so they're
feeling pretty good about
00:27:46.33\00:27:48.23
freedom and when
they get to the Red Sea,
00:27:48.26\00:27:50.87
they see a barrier and there's
now mountains on the right and
00:27:50.90\00:27:53.34
the left, and then they see
a cloud of dust coming from the
00:27:53.37\00:27:56.91
west and, alas, it's
the Egyptians with all their
00:27:56.94\00:28:00.68
chariots of war coming to either
kill or retrieve the Israelites.
00:28:00.71\00:28:06.25
And they say to Moses, "Were
there not enough graves in Egypt
00:28:06.28\00:28:08.78
that you brought us into
the wilderness to kill us?"
00:28:08.82\00:28:11.49
And God said, "Stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord."
00:28:11.52\00:28:13.96
Now, listen to
what happens here.
00:28:13.99\00:28:15.99
Exodus 14:19:
"And the Angel of God,
00:28:16.02\00:28:19.39
who went before the camp of
Israel," he's moving in this
00:28:19.43\00:28:21.50
pillar, leading them.
00:28:21.53\00:28:24.60
"The Angel of God, who
went before the camp of Israel,
00:28:24.63\00:28:26.80
moved and went behind them; and
the pillar of cloud went up from
00:28:26.84\00:28:31.54
before them and stood behind
them," as their rear guard.
00:28:31.57\00:28:35.44
"So it came between the camp
of the Egyptians and the camp
00:28:35.48\00:28:38.41
of Israel.
00:28:38.45\00:28:39.75
Thus it was a cloud
and darkness to one,"
00:28:39.78\00:28:42.18
the Egyptians, "and it gave
light by night to the other,"
00:28:42.22\00:28:45.35
the Israelites, "so one
did not come near the other all
00:28:45.39\00:28:48.79
that night."
00:28:48.82\00:28:50.33
Here the Lord set up
a standard against them.
00:28:50.36\00:28:53.46
He created this
barrier of protection.
00:28:53.50\00:28:55.53
That's a wonderful
promise that you can claim.
00:28:55.56\00:28:58.23
Go back to Isaiah 59, verse 20:
"The Redeemer will come to Zion,
00:28:58.27\00:29:04.41
and to those who turn
from transgression in Jacob."
00:29:04.44\00:29:07.21
Now, who does
the Redeemer come to?
00:29:07.24\00:29:09.11
"To those who turn from
transgression," those who
00:29:09.14\00:29:10.98
are hungering
after righteousness.
00:29:11.01\00:29:14.02
"Says the Lord.
00:29:14.05\00:29:15.35
'As for Me,' says the Lord,
'this is My covenant with them:
00:29:15.38\00:29:17.72
My Spirit who is upon
you, and My words that I put in
00:29:17.75\00:29:20.76
your mouth, shall not
depart from your mouth,
00:29:20.79\00:29:23.46
nor from the mouth
of your descendants,
00:29:23.49\00:29:25.43
nor from the mouth of
your descendants' descendants,'
00:29:25.46\00:29:27.96
says the Lord, 'from
this time and forevermore.'"
00:29:28.00\00:29:31.00
Saying that the Word of God,
those words that Isaiah spoke
00:29:31.03\00:29:34.20
have continued to go down
through time to all of those
00:29:34.24\00:29:37.51
who are either children of
Abraham or spiritual children
00:29:37.54\00:29:40.88
of Abraham, to the present day
where here I am teaching those
00:29:40.91\00:29:43.55
words to you.
00:29:43.58\00:29:45.08
It was a covenant that God made
that that word about the Messiah
00:29:45.11\00:29:49.92
would continue to go on.
00:29:49.95\00:29:51.42
And so here you've got-- it
says the Redeemer will come.
00:29:51.45\00:29:54.69
If you've got your Bibles,
you'll notice that's capital
00:29:54.72\00:29:56.89
R, that's Isaiah 59:20.
00:29:56.93\00:29:59.79
"The Redeemer
will come to Zion."
00:29:59.83\00:30:01.50
There are so many prophecies
about the Redeemer coming.
00:30:01.53\00:30:04.17
Look in Isaiah chapter 49, verse
8: "And I will preserve thee and
00:30:04.20\00:30:11.44
give thee for a
covenant of the people,
00:30:11.47\00:30:13.11
to establish the earth, to
cause to inherit the desolate
00:30:13.14\00:30:16.51
heritages; that you
might say to the prisoners,
00:30:16.54\00:30:19.01
'Go forth,' and to
them that are in darkness,
00:30:19.05\00:30:21.68
'Show yourselves.'
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.39
And they will feed thee and the
way of the pastures shall be in
00:30:23.42\00:30:26.42
all the high places.
00:30:26.45\00:30:27.76
And they will
not hunger or thirst,
00:30:27.79\00:30:29.16
neither shall the
heat or the sun smite them;
00:30:29.19\00:30:31.66
for He will have mercy on
them and He will lead them,
00:30:31.69\00:30:34.30
by the springs of
water He will guide them."
00:30:34.30\00:30:37.00
It's one of the
prophecies of the Messiah,
00:30:37.03\00:30:38.63
leading them to
that living water.
00:30:38.67\00:30:41.14
You read in Isaiah 54:10:
00:30:41.17\00:30:43.37
"'For the mountains will depart
and the hills will be removed,
00:30:43.41\00:30:45.94
but My kindness will not depart
from thee, neither shall the
00:30:45.97\00:30:49.68
covenant of My peace be
removed,' says the Lord,
00:30:49.71\00:30:53.11
that has mercy on thee."
00:30:53.15\00:30:55.25
Another promise of
God's mercy in his covenant.
00:30:55.28\00:30:58.42
And then Romans
chapter 3, verse 20:
00:30:58.45\00:31:01.99
"Therefore by the deeds of the
law will no flesh be justified
00:31:02.02\00:31:05.03
in His sight, for by the
law is the knowledge of sin.
00:31:05.06\00:31:08.80
But now the righteousness of
God, apart from the law, being
00:31:08.83\00:31:12.43
revealed, being witnessed
through the Law and the
00:31:12.47\00:31:15.34
Prophets, even the
righteousness of God,
00:31:15.37\00:31:18.04
through faith in Jesus,"
now what prophets is Isaiah
00:31:18.07\00:31:20.38
talking about?
00:31:20.41\00:31:21.81
One of them's Isaiah.
00:31:21.84\00:31:23.51
I'm sorry, what
prophet is Paul talking about?
00:31:23.55\00:31:26.41
One of them is Isaiah.
00:31:26.45\00:31:28.48
"Being witnessed by
the Law and the Prophets,
00:31:28.52\00:31:30.12
even the righteousness of God,
through faith in Jesus Christ."
00:31:30.15\00:31:34.46
So the idea that the Jews were
saved by works but in the New
00:31:34.49\00:31:37.43
Testament we're saved by faith.
00:31:37.46\00:31:38.96
Does the Bible teach that?
00:31:38.99\00:31:41.50
No.
00:31:41.53\00:31:42.93
How are they saved
in the Old Testament:
00:31:42.96\00:31:44.40
by works or faith?
00:31:44.43\00:31:46.33
Faith.
00:31:46.37\00:31:47.67
Nobody--no one's getting
to heaven based on works.
00:31:47.70\00:31:50.61
They were saved by faith.
00:31:50.64\00:31:51.94
This is the message that you
always see in the writings of
00:31:51.97\00:31:54.54
Isaiah and the other prophets.
00:31:54.58\00:31:56.11
Habakkuk said, "The just
shall live by his faith."
00:31:56.14\00:31:58.98
Abraham, way back in Genesis:
"Abraham believed God and it
00:31:59.01\00:32:02.35
was counted to
him for righteousness.
00:32:02.38\00:32:05.99
Even the righteousness of God
through faith in Jesus Christ
00:32:06.02\00:32:09.16
to all and on all who believe.
00:32:09.19\00:32:12.49
For there is no difference, for
all have sinned and fallen short
00:32:12.53\00:32:15.46
of the glory of God."
00:32:15.50\00:32:16.80
Whether you're a Jew
or a Greek, a Gentile,
00:32:16.83\00:32:19.83
it doesn't matter.
00:32:19.87\00:32:21.17
It's--all of us are
saved by that grace.
00:32:21.20\00:32:23.00
All right, under Thursday's
section, universal appeal.
00:32:23.04\00:32:26.78
Now, we're going to
look at Isaiah chapter 60,
00:32:26.81\00:32:28.41
verse 1 and 2.
00:32:28.44\00:32:30.51
And again, I'm having to--
there's so much I could say
00:32:30.55\00:32:32.88
on these verses in Isaiah.
00:32:32.91\00:32:36.22
Isaiah 60:1: "Arise,
shine; for your light has come!
00:32:36.25\00:32:41.76
And the glory of the
Lord has risen upon you.
00:32:41.79\00:32:44.86
For behold, darkness
shall cover the earth,
00:32:44.89\00:32:47.50
and deep darkness the people;
but the Lord will arise over
00:32:47.50\00:32:51.30
you, and His glory
will be seen upon you.
00:32:51.33\00:32:54.30
And the Gentiles
shall come to your light,
00:32:54.34\00:32:56.94
and the kings to the
brightness of your rising."
00:32:56.97\00:32:59.84
Now, that's a messianic promise:
that the Gentiles would come to
00:32:59.87\00:33:04.08
the light of Israel.
00:33:04.11\00:33:05.48
All the Gentiles that are
Christians around the world,
00:33:05.51\00:33:07.58
the book they
read, who wrote the book?
00:33:07.62\00:33:10.52
It was written by the
Jews, by the Israelites.
00:33:10.55\00:33:13.56
And so this is the
message and, you know,
00:33:13.59\00:33:15.66
when you look at the
religions of the world,
00:33:15.69\00:33:17.09
just, it's amazing
to me that Jesus said,
00:33:17.13\00:33:19.96
"This gospel will be
preached in all the world."
00:33:20.00\00:33:22.46
How did He know that?
00:33:22.50\00:33:23.97
Was He right?
00:33:24.00\00:33:25.77
You know, all the prophecies
Jesus made about His Word going
00:33:25.80\00:33:29.17
into all the
world, and, you know,
00:33:29.20\00:33:31.21
like the woman who
washed Jesus's feet,
00:33:31.24\00:33:32.91
"what she has done
will be remembered forever,"
00:33:32.94\00:33:36.14
and He made all these promises.
00:33:36.18\00:33:38.11
How--that's a pretty bold
statement for an uneducated
00:33:38.15\00:33:42.48
carpenter who doesn't have
a social media account to say
00:33:42.52\00:33:45.79
that His message is
going to go into all the world.
00:33:45.82\00:33:47.96
Did it?
00:33:47.99\00:33:49.29
Number one religion in
the world is Christianity,
00:33:49.32\00:33:51.23
with all its flaws and warts.
00:33:51.26\00:33:53.36
There's about, oh, 2 billion
Christians in the world, 2.1;
00:33:53.40\00:33:59.00
second is Islam, about 1.7.
00:33:59.03\00:34:02.34
Then you've got,
you know, Buddhism,
00:34:02.37\00:34:04.47
Hinduism, and
the other religions.
00:34:04.51\00:34:06.71
Jews are comparatively
very small, 16, 17 million
00:34:06.74\00:34:10.38
Jews in all the world.
00:34:10.41\00:34:12.78
But the influence of what they
wrote has changed the world.
00:34:12.81\00:34:19.29
You could even
look at, you know,
00:34:19.32\00:34:21.16
even Islam claims to
believe the five books of Moses.
00:34:21.19\00:34:25.03
So look at that incredible
influence of the Word of God
00:34:25.06\00:34:27.56
going everywhere.
00:34:27.60\00:34:28.86
Universal appeal.
00:34:28.90\00:34:30.20
And He says the time has
come for you to rise and shine.
00:34:30.23\00:34:34.30
Didn't Jesus say to the church,
00:34:34.34\00:34:36.00
"You are the
light of the world"?
00:34:36.04\00:34:38.17
We're to be shining.
00:34:38.21\00:34:40.24
"Let your light so
shine before men that they may
00:34:40.28\00:34:42.48
see your good works."
00:34:42.51\00:34:43.81
They ought to see a
difference in our lives.
00:34:43.85\00:34:45.71
I know years ago,
they had a bumper sticker.
00:34:45.75\00:34:47.72
It said: "Christians
aren't perfect; just forgiven."
00:34:47.75\00:34:50.52
And while it's true that
most Christians are not perfect,
00:34:50.55\00:34:53.96
I hope we're more
than "just forgiven."
00:34:53.99\00:34:56.89
That seems we might be
downplaying that there's
00:34:56.93\00:34:59.06
supposed to be a transformation
and we're new creatures.
00:34:59.09\00:35:02.70
Arise and shine.
00:35:02.73\00:35:05.93
"Behold, darkness
shall cover the earth,
00:35:05.97\00:35:08.30
and deep darkness the people."
00:35:08.34\00:35:09.77
When do Christians
shine the brightest?
00:35:09.80\00:35:13.17
When it's the darkest.
00:35:13.21\00:35:15.34
Is it just me or do you also
sense that it seems the world
00:35:15.38\00:35:19.08
is getting a little darker?
00:35:19.11\00:35:22.12
I'm talking about the spiritual.
00:35:22.15\00:35:23.52
It seems like there's
more spiritual wickedness
00:35:23.55\00:35:25.65
in high places.
00:35:25.69\00:35:27.39
And that's one of
the signs of the end.
00:35:27.42\00:35:31.23
When does the bridegroom come?
00:35:31.26\00:35:33.56
Midday when the sun is
shining or at midnight?
00:35:33.60\00:35:37.23
Says in the
parable, "And at midnight."
00:35:37.27\00:35:38.60
It's at the darkest hour,
"darkness will cover the land,
00:35:38.63\00:35:42.87
and deep darkness the people.
00:35:42.90\00:35:45.24
But the--"
00:35:45.27\00:35:46.57
It says: "The Lord
will arise over you,
00:35:46.61\00:35:48.84
and His glory will be seen upon
you," especially during this
00:35:48.88\00:35:51.68
time of darkness, God wants the
church to reflect the character
00:35:51.71\00:35:54.75
of Christ.
00:35:54.78\00:35:56.52
And to show the
world what is a Christian.
00:35:56.55\00:35:59.22
And I think we're
going to be tested.
00:35:59.25\00:36:00.82
Our faith is going to be tested
in the months and years to come.
00:36:00.86\00:36:09.90
1 Thessalonians 5:2: "For you
yourselves know perfectly that
00:36:09.93\00:36:14.57
the day of the Lord
comes as a thief in the night.
00:36:14.60\00:36:17.37
For when they say to
you, 'Peace and safety!'
00:36:17.41\00:36:19.24
then sudden
destruct comes upon--
00:36:19.27\00:36:20.88
sudden
destruction comes upon them,
00:36:20.91\00:36:22.38
as labor pains
upon a pregnant woman.
00:36:22.41\00:36:24.65
And they will not escape.
00:36:24.68\00:36:26.58
But brethren, you
are not in darkness,
00:36:26.61\00:36:28.68
so that that Day should
overtake you as a thief."
00:36:28.72\00:36:31.05
Now, does any man
know the day or the hour of
00:36:31.09\00:36:32.65
the Lord's coming?
00:36:32.69\00:36:34.89
Can we look up and see
the signs and know when
00:36:34.92\00:36:37.26
it's near?
00:36:37.29\00:36:39.33
And Paul also says here,
00:36:39.36\00:36:40.66
"You are not in darkness that
that Day should overtake you
00:36:40.70\00:36:43.23
as a thief."
00:36:43.26\00:36:44.80
It's going to come as a thief
for the world but He's given
00:36:44.83\00:36:46.90
us signs and I think
we're seeing those signs.
00:36:46.94\00:36:50.04
"You are sons of
light and sons of the day.
00:36:50.07\00:36:52.84
We're not of the
night or of the darkness.
00:36:52.87\00:36:54.98
Therefore since
we're not of the darkness,
00:36:55.01\00:36:57.35
let us not sleep, as others do,
but let us watch and be sober.
00:36:57.38\00:37:01.62
For those who
sleep, sleep at night,
00:37:01.65\00:37:03.65
and those who get
drunk get drunk at night."
00:37:03.69\00:37:07.49
You know, my friend's
mother used to always say--
00:37:07.52\00:37:13.63
we'd go out and goof off.
00:37:13.66\00:37:15.70
She'd say, "I
want you back by 11."
00:37:15.73\00:37:17.70
"Oh, but you know, can
we stay out a little later?"
00:37:17.73\00:37:19.33
And she'd say, "Nothing
good ever happens after 11.
00:37:19.37\00:37:23.67
You've got to be home by 11.
00:37:23.71\00:37:25.01
Nothing good ever
happens after 11."
00:37:25.04\00:37:26.37
You know, I could look now
over my life and I thought,
00:37:26.41\00:37:28.98
"Well, that's true."
00:37:29.01\00:37:32.18
The police say, "You know,
the most interesting phone calls
00:37:32.21\00:37:34.32
are about 2 in the morning."
00:37:34.35\00:37:38.22
"Oh, let us not
sleep, as others do,
00:37:38.25\00:37:39.55
but let us watch and be sober.
00:37:39.59\00:37:41.59
Let those of us who
are of the day be sober,
00:37:41.62\00:37:43.86
putting on the
breastplate of faith and love,
00:37:43.89\00:37:47.96
and a helmet as
the hope of salvation."
00:37:48.00\00:37:50.00
There he is implementing
those implements of armor again.
00:37:50.03\00:37:55.37
"For God did not
appoint us to wrath,
00:37:55.40\00:37:57.37
but to obtain salvation
through the Lord Jesus Christ."
00:37:57.41\00:38:01.64
Look at Amos.
00:38:01.68\00:38:02.98
What does it mean when it says,
"Darkness covers the land"?
00:38:03.01\00:38:05.55
What's another name
for the Word of God?
00:38:05.58\00:38:09.15
"Thy Word is a lamp."
00:38:09.18\00:38:11.79
What's a lamp do?
00:38:11.82\00:38:13.59
Gives light.
00:38:13.62\00:38:16.96
So when it says that
darkness covers the land,
00:38:16.99\00:38:19.16
what does that mean?
00:38:19.19\00:38:20.90
Word taken away.
00:38:20.93\00:38:23.37
Amos 8, verse 11: "'Behold, the
days are coming,' says the Lord
00:38:23.40\00:38:27.94
God, 'that I will
send a famine on the land,
00:38:27.97\00:38:30.67
not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water,
00:38:30.71\00:38:32.97
but of hearing
the words of the Lord.
00:38:33.01\00:38:35.64
And they'll
wander from sea to sea,
00:38:35.68\00:38:37.25
and from north to east;
and they'll run to and fro,
00:38:37.28\00:38:39.51
seeking the word of the
Lord, but will not find it.'"
00:38:39.55\00:38:42.65
Now, Isaiah, is he writing to
the pagans or is he writing to
00:38:42.68\00:38:45.12
the church?
00:38:45.15\00:38:47.56
Writing to the church.
00:38:47.59\00:38:49.66
Pagans don't have Isaiah, and
he's telling us in the church
00:38:49.69\00:38:55.50
there can be a
famine for the Word of God.
00:38:55.53\00:38:59.37
You can have Christians
in North America where the
00:38:59.40\00:39:01.20
average Christian has five
Bibles in their home but you
00:39:01.24\00:39:03.57
start quoting Scripture
and they act like they've never
00:39:03.61\00:39:05.51
heard it before.
00:39:05.54\00:39:07.61
Many, many Christians think
owning a Bible is a substitute
00:39:07.64\00:39:10.65
for actually reading it.
00:39:10.68\00:39:13.18
They go to church once a week
and nowadays they may not even
00:39:13.21\00:39:15.78
take it with them.
00:39:15.82\00:39:18.09
And there's a
famine for the Word of God.
00:39:18.12\00:39:20.99
We need to be storing up
our minds with the Word of God
00:39:21.02\00:39:23.16
because we're going to be
challenged about our beliefs
00:39:23.19\00:39:26.13
on every front from both
the world and even some who are
00:39:26.16\00:39:29.26
in the church.
00:39:29.30\00:39:30.60
We need to know what we believe.
00:39:30.63\00:39:31.93
All right, Wednesday,
I'm running out of time here.
00:39:31.97\00:39:33.84
I want to get to Wednesday,
the year of the Lord's favor.
00:39:33.87\00:39:39.77
It says: Isaiah
61, verse 1 and 2:
00:39:39.81\00:39:42.61
"The Spirit of the Lord God
is upon me because the Lord has
00:39:42.64\00:39:46.25
anointed me to preach
good tidings to the poor.
00:39:46.28\00:39:49.98
He has sent me to
heal the brokenhearted,
00:39:50.02\00:39:52.49
to proclaim
liberty to the captives,
00:39:52.52\00:39:54.46
and the opening of
prison to those who are bound;
00:39:54.49\00:39:57.09
to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord."
00:39:57.13\00:39:59.89
Is Isaiah speaking about
himself or is he speaking
00:39:59.93\00:40:03.16
about the Messiah?
00:40:03.20\00:40:06.37
I hadn't finished.
00:40:06.40\00:40:07.90
Or both?
00:40:07.94\00:40:11.24
It's really both.
00:40:11.27\00:40:12.61
This is what you
would call a dual prophecy.
00:40:12.64\00:40:14.04
Did not the word of Isaiah
have some relevance in his day?
00:40:14.08\00:40:19.15
The people were being attacked
by the Assyrians in the northern
00:40:19.18\00:40:22.28
kingdom of Israel, and remember,
Isaiah lived during the time of
00:40:22.32\00:40:25.32
Hezekiah and they were
greatly discouraged and
00:40:25.35\00:40:27.49
he gave them encouragement.
00:40:27.52\00:40:29.62
Did Isaiah
receive the Holy Spirit?
00:40:29.66\00:40:32.03
Have you read Isaiah 6, where he
saw the Lord and God took a coal
00:40:32.06\00:40:37.97
from his altar
and touched his lips.
00:40:38.00\00:40:39.33
Isaiah was anointed.
00:40:39.37\00:40:40.60
He was called as a prophet
of God to proclaim the good news
00:40:40.64\00:40:46.01
to the poor, to
heal the brokenhearted,
00:40:46.04\00:40:49.14
to proclaim liberty to the
captives," through the Word
00:40:49.18\00:40:51.28
of God, people are
liberated from sin,
00:40:51.31\00:40:53.42
"and the opening of
prison to those who are bound;
00:40:53.45\00:40:55.62
to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord."
00:40:55.65\00:40:57.49
That was all true in his day.
00:40:57.52\00:40:59.15
So this is what you
call a dual prophecy.
00:40:59.19\00:41:01.29
You know, one of my favorite
examples of a dual prophecy
00:41:01.32\00:41:03.63
in the Bible is where
Nathan comes to David.
00:41:03.66\00:41:06.49
David is sitting in his home
and Hiram the king of Tyre had
00:41:06.53\00:41:11.40
helped David build a beautiful
cedar home and David is looking
00:41:11.43\00:41:15.14
at this beautiful
home and he's thinking,
00:41:15.17\00:41:16.47
"Man, I used to be a shepherd.
00:41:16.50\00:41:17.81
This is such a nice house
and the ark of God is in a tent
00:41:17.84\00:41:20.88
that's all tattered after
its years in the wilderness
00:41:20.91\00:41:22.94
and its wandering.
00:41:22.98\00:41:24.28
He said, "I really
need to build a temple."
00:41:24.31\00:41:25.88
And Nathan the prophet comes
in and David says to Nathan,
00:41:25.91\00:41:31.65
"I live in a house of cedar
but the ark of God is in a tent.
00:41:31.69\00:41:35.16
I--" and he said, "I
want to build a temple."
00:41:35.19\00:41:38.16
And Nathan says, "Do
all that's in your heart.
00:41:38.19\00:41:40.90
The Lord is with you."
00:41:40.93\00:41:42.33
But then as
Nathan leaves, God said,
00:41:42.36\00:41:43.90
"No, no, go back
and talk to David.
00:41:43.93\00:41:45.77
Tell him I don't want you
to actually build the temple.
00:41:45.80\00:41:47.47
You can store up materials and
build the design but you're not
00:41:47.50\00:41:50.04
going to build it
because you're a bloody man.
00:41:50.07\00:41:52.31
Not only were you a man of war,
00:41:52.34\00:41:53.64
but you were
guilty of innocent blood."
00:41:53.68\00:41:56.78
And so Nathan the prophet
comes back and he tells David,
00:41:56.81\00:42:00.45
"You're not going
to build My house,
00:42:00.48\00:42:01.98
but your son
who comes after you.
00:42:02.02\00:42:05.29
He will build My
house and I will establish
00:42:05.32\00:42:09.72
his kingdom forever."
00:42:09.76\00:42:11.76
What is that prophecy about?
00:42:11.79\00:42:13.43
Is it about Solomon,
who built the temple,
00:42:13.46\00:42:15.56
the son of David,
or is it about Jesus,
00:42:15.60\00:42:18.23
or is it about both?
00:42:18.27\00:42:20.40
That's an example of a
dual prophecy in the Bible.
00:42:20.44\00:42:23.91
So it was relevant in the day
that Isaiah said this that the
00:42:23.94\00:42:28.18
Lord had anointed him
but that would be even more.
00:42:28.21\00:42:30.15
How do we know that
it also applies to Jesus?
00:42:30.18\00:42:32.88
All you've got to do is look--
and this is our next section
00:42:32.91\00:42:36.38
in Thursday, in--
you read in Luke 4,
00:42:36.42\00:42:42.52
verse 17: Jesus goes
to His church in Nazareth,
00:42:42.56\00:42:47.03
His home town, and He's handed
the book of the prophet Isaiah,
00:42:47.10\00:42:50.73
probably at His request.
00:42:50.77\00:42:52.80
"And when He
had opened the book,
00:42:52.83\00:42:54.34
He found the place
where it was written,
00:42:54.37\00:42:56.71
'The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me because He has anointed me to
00:42:56.74\00:43:00.21
preach the gospel to the poor.
00:43:00.24\00:43:02.08
He has sent me to
heal the brokenhearted,
00:43:02.11\00:43:04.25
to proclaim
liberty to the captives,
00:43:04.28\00:43:06.01
the recovery of
sight to the blind,
00:43:06.05\00:43:07.95
to set at liberty
those who are oppressed;
00:43:07.98\00:43:09.62
to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord.'"
00:43:09.65\00:43:11.62
First of all, friends,
I've just got to tell you it's
00:43:11.65\00:43:13.49
really encouraging to me that in
the 700 years from when Isaiah
00:43:13.52\00:43:18.06
wrote that to the
time when Jesus read it,
00:43:18.09\00:43:21.66
it had not changed.
00:43:21.70\00:43:23.60
God had preserved
His Word all those years,
00:43:23.63\00:43:26.37
and it's really
encouraging to me,
00:43:26.40\00:43:28.00
you can go to Israel today
and they have found a scroll
00:43:28.04\00:43:30.91
of Isaiah that predates Jesus
and it's the same as what you
00:43:30.94\00:43:35.08
find in your Bibles today.
00:43:35.11\00:43:36.54
Of course, it's in Hebrew.
00:43:36.58\00:43:37.91
Yours is
translated into English.
00:43:37.95\00:43:40.15
But it is essentially the same.
00:43:40.18\00:43:41.62
God has protected His
Word in a miraculous way.
00:43:41.65\00:43:45.19
So that was one thing.
00:43:45.22\00:43:46.52
As Jesus is reading it,
it sounds just like what you
00:43:46.55\00:43:48.12
read in Isaiah because it had
not changed in those 700 years.
00:43:48.16\00:43:52.36
But notice that it
says: "He closed the book."
00:43:52.39\00:43:56.16
Why did Jesus close the book and
He did not read the rest of this
00:43:56.20\00:43:59.43
because if you look
in Isaiah chapter 62,
00:43:59.47\00:44:04.04
it says: "To proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord
00:44:04.07\00:44:07.11
and the day of vengeance
of our God to comfort those
00:44:07.14\00:44:12.05
that mourn."
00:44:12.08\00:44:13.38
"Vengeance of our God."
00:44:13.42\00:44:14.72
Why did Jesus not read
the part about vengeance?
00:44:14.75\00:44:17.39
Because when Jesus
came the first time,
00:44:17.42\00:44:19.05
was He coming as
a Lamb or as a Lion?
00:44:19.09\00:44:24.29
He came as a Lamb.
00:44:24.33\00:44:25.63
He came to proclaim the
Kingdom of God is at hand,
00:44:25.66\00:44:28.83
to proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord, that you
00:44:28.86\00:44:31.27
could be accepted by
God if you come to God now.
00:44:31.30\00:44:35.60
Now is the accepted time.
00:44:35.64\00:44:37.37
Today is the day of salvation.
00:44:37.41\00:44:38.74
This is what
Jesus was talking about.
00:44:38.77\00:44:40.58
But what about the rest
of the passage in Isaiah?
00:44:40.61\00:44:44.01
It says, "In the day
of vengeance of our God."
00:44:44.05\00:44:46.05
Now, this is a
very important point.
00:44:46.08\00:44:47.88
When you're
reading through prophecies,
00:44:47.92\00:44:49.92
especially prophecies like
Isaiah and Ezekiel and Zechariah
00:44:49.95\00:44:54.49
and even Daniel, you might see
the prophet who is writing under
00:44:54.52\00:44:57.63
the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit and between two words
00:44:57.66\00:45:02.86
you can have 2000 years go by.
00:45:02.90\00:45:06.77
There--the day of vengeance
was not when Jesus came
00:45:06.80\00:45:09.44
the first time.
00:45:09.47\00:45:10.77
The day of vengeance--
00:45:10.81\00:45:12.11
and Jesus showed that
because He closed the book.
00:45:12.14\00:45:14.44
He didn't even read "and."
00:45:14.48\00:45:17.45
That part of the prophecy
is going to be fulfilled also,
00:45:17.48\00:45:19.55
isn't it?
00:45:19.58\00:45:21.72
You read in
Leviticus 25, verse 9:
00:45:21.75\00:45:26.09
"Then you'll call--"
00:45:26.12\00:45:27.42
So now, this is
talking about the Jubilee.
00:45:27.46\00:45:28.99
I think most of us here
know what the Jubilee is.
00:45:29.02\00:45:30.76
Once every set of 50
years or 49 years would go by,
00:45:30.79\00:45:37.00
then in the 50th year they'd
blow the trumpet and they'd
00:45:37.03\00:45:39.10
be Jubilee.
00:45:39.13\00:45:40.47
It was called the
acceptable year of the Lord.
00:45:40.50\00:45:42.97
"Then you'll cause the trumpet
of the Jubilee to sound on the
00:45:43.00\00:45:45.44
tenth day of the seventh month;
on the Day of Atonement and you
00:45:45.47\00:45:48.94
will make the trumpet to sound
throughout all of your land."
00:45:48.98\00:45:53.85
So Jesus said, "This
is the acceptable year."
00:45:53.88\00:45:56.48
He came to set
the captives free,
00:45:56.52\00:45:58.05
to open the prisons.
00:45:58.09\00:46:00.22
But is there a time when He's
going to be coming and there's
00:46:00.26\00:46:02.46
going to be judgment?
00:46:02.49\00:46:04.36
Yes.
00:46:04.39\00:46:05.63
You look in Luke 21:21-22: "Let
those who are in Judea flee into
00:46:05.66\00:46:12.47
the mountains."
00:46:12.50\00:46:13.87
Now, you
realize that Matthew 24,
00:46:13.90\00:46:17.44
Mark 13, Luke 17, Luke 21
are the places where Jesus
00:46:17.47\00:46:23.55
prophesies the last days.
00:46:23.58\00:46:26.61
So Luke 21 is one of those.
00:46:26.65\00:46:29.12
"Then let those that are in
Judea flee into the mountains.
00:46:29.15\00:46:31.75
Let those who are in
the midst of her depart.
00:46:31.79\00:46:34.06
Let not those who are
in the country enter her,
00:46:34.09\00:46:36.69
for these are the
days of vengeance,
00:46:36.73\00:46:39.76
that all things are
written may be fulfilled."
00:46:39.79\00:46:42.36
Now, notice, Luke
says, "All things written."
00:46:42.40\00:46:44.70
The rest of Isaiah
chapter 62, or 61 rather,
00:46:44.73\00:46:49.30
is going to be
fulfilled where it says:
00:46:49.34\00:46:51.31
"In the day of
vengeance of our God."
00:46:51.34\00:46:53.58
Jesus, when He comes in the
end, how is He pictured coming?
00:46:53.61\00:46:57.71
"Then all the tribes of the
earth will mourn and they will
00:46:57.75\00:46:59.71
see Him coming.
00:46:59.75\00:47:01.98
And the wicked are going to call
for the rocks and the mountains
00:47:02.02\00:47:05.25
to fall on them and hide them
from the face of Him that sits
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.62
on the throne," and you know,
these words always seem like
00:47:07.66\00:47:10.49
an oxymoron to me.
00:47:10.53\00:47:11.89
It talks about
the wrath of the Lamb.
00:47:11.93\00:47:14.40
I mean, you might think
about the wrath of a lion,
00:47:14.46\00:47:17.57
a tiger, the wrath of a
bear, the wrath of a snake.
00:47:17.60\00:47:20.80
Most people don't
have nightmares about lambs
00:47:20.84\00:47:23.74
attacking them.
00:47:23.77\00:47:25.31
Doesn't it seem a
little incongruous,
00:47:25.34\00:47:27.01
the wrath of the Lamb?
00:47:27.04\00:47:29.68
But Jesus, because they rejected
Jesus coming as a Lamb during
00:47:29.71\00:47:35.62
the acceptable year of the Lord,
He is going to be coming like a
00:47:35.65\00:47:38.82
lion to execute judgment.
00:47:38.85\00:47:41.76
He said at His
trial, "Hereafter," He said
00:47:41.79\00:47:44.66
to the high
priest who condemned Him.
00:47:44.69\00:47:46.49
"Hereafter you will see the Son
of man coming on the right hand
00:47:46.53\00:47:49.76
of power," and that's
going to be the day of vengeance
00:47:49.80\00:47:53.80
of our God.
00:47:53.84\00:47:55.14
So all of these prophecies
are going to be fulfilled,
00:47:55.17\00:47:57.54
every word.
00:47:57.57\00:47:58.81
You know, the Bible tells us all
these prophecies that Moses made
00:47:58.84\00:48:02.21
about the
blessings and the cursings,
00:48:02.24\00:48:04.15
and Joshua, when they entered
the Promised Land just before
00:48:04.18\00:48:06.78
he died, he gathered
Israel together and he said,
00:48:06.82\00:48:09.98
"You bear witness today.
00:48:10.02\00:48:12.52
Everything that
Moses said has happened.
00:48:12.55\00:48:17.16
All that he
prophesied has come true.
00:48:17.19\00:48:19.13
God brought us into the land, He
brought us into a land flowing
00:48:19.16\00:48:21.56
with milk and
honey, and not one--"
00:48:21.60\00:48:23.67
I like the way he says it.
00:48:23.70\00:48:25.00
"Not one word has
fallen to the ground."
00:48:25.03\00:48:29.47
Man shall not live by
bread alone but by every word,
00:48:29.50\00:48:32.91
every word of God is pure.
00:48:32.94\00:48:35.34
None of these
prophecies in Isaiah,
00:48:35.38\00:48:37.55
"not one jot or one
tittle will in anywise
00:48:37.58\00:48:41.08
fail from the law," amen?
00:48:41.12\00:48:43.55
So I think sometimes we lose.
00:48:43.59\00:48:44.89
A lot of people speculate
about the Bible and say,
00:48:44.92\00:48:46.92
"Well, I believe most of it.
00:48:46.96\00:48:48.26
You know, some
things you can't trust."
00:48:48.29\00:48:49.59
You start down
that road, friends,
00:48:49.62\00:48:52.06
and pretty soon you'll be
the arbiter of what you want to
00:48:52.09\00:48:54.00
follow or not.
00:48:54.00\00:48:55.30
"Every word."
00:48:55.33\00:48:56.63
You look at Isaiah and you can
see everything that he foretold
00:48:56.67\00:48:59.07
is coming true.
00:48:59.10\00:49:00.60
Anyway, well, I
hope you've been blessed.
00:49:00.64\00:49:02.34
I think we did get
through our lesson today,
00:49:02.37\00:49:04.27
and I want to remind
those who are watching,
00:49:04.31\00:49:07.21
we have a free offer and it's
called "12 Steps to Revival,"
00:49:07.24\00:49:10.61
and if you'd like a free
copy, that's a good book,
00:49:10.65\00:49:12.75
I really recommend the author.
00:49:12.78\00:49:15.55
And it's number 780 and the
number if you'd like to call
00:49:15.58\00:49:20.02
in to receive
that is 866-788-3966,
00:49:20.06\00:49:24.66
that's 866-Study-More,
and that's, of course,
00:49:24.69\00:49:27.50
in North America.
00:49:27.56\00:49:29.50
You can also go to
the Amazing Facts website,
00:49:29.53\00:49:31.50
that's in our
section of free downloads.
00:49:31.53\00:49:33.84
"12 Steps to Revival," we
know you'll appreciate that.
00:49:33.87\00:49:36.67
And just want to
give you again a heads up.
00:49:36.71\00:49:38.61
In the next couple of weeks
we're going to be moving into
00:49:38.64\00:49:40.58
our new quarterly
dealing with the promise,
00:49:40.61\00:49:42.51
talking about
the covenants of God,
00:49:42.54\00:49:44.98
and I know you'll be blessed.
00:49:45.01\00:49:46.85
Let's have prayer as we close.
00:49:46.88\00:49:48.95
Father in heaven, thank You so
much for just the things we've
00:49:48.98\00:49:51.89
learned from this fantastic
study of the prophecies of
00:49:51.92\00:49:56.36
Isaiah and what
we still will learn.
00:49:56.39\00:49:59.43
And Lord, we pray that You
will be present now with us
00:49:59.46\00:50:01.90
in a special way.
00:50:01.93\00:50:03.23
Thank You for these Sabbath
hours and blessing our service
00:50:03.26\00:50:05.13
now that will follow.
00:50:05.17\00:50:06.47
We ask in Jesus's name, amen.
00:50:06.50\00:50:09.37
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announcer: "Amazing
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00:50:47.88\00:50:52.88
Steve Johnson: I was
heading south on Interstate 5.
00:50:58.12\00:51:00.89
This commercial come on KFBK
radio about a Revelation Seminar
00:51:00.92\00:51:05.93
by Amazing Facts.
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I began--my chest
began to tighten up.
00:51:07.30\00:51:09.93
I began sweating profusely.
00:51:09.96\00:51:12.43
I had difficulty in breathing.
00:51:12.47\00:51:15.07
There were this
big rest area and,
00:51:15.10\00:51:17.17
at this time, I
pulled into there.
00:51:17.21\00:51:18.67
I thought, "Well, maybe
I'm having a heart attack."
00:51:18.71\00:51:21.51
I got out of my truck, walked
into the men's restroom there
00:51:21.54\00:51:25.41
and put cold water on my face.
00:51:25.45\00:51:27.48
And then
finally, things subsided.
00:51:27.52\00:51:29.42
A week later, again, I heard
this Amazing Facts commercial
00:51:29.45\00:51:33.09
come on the radio.
00:51:33.12\00:51:34.42
In fact, the meetings were
going to start that very night.
00:51:34.46\00:51:36.29
Just--and again, immediately
I had these same symptoms.
00:51:36.32\00:51:39.89
I thought, "You
know, this isn't my heart.
00:51:39.93\00:51:42.20
I have to go to that meeting."
00:51:42.23\00:51:44.40
And as I was going
down to Sacramento,
00:51:44.43\00:51:46.53
I decided to park and go inside.
00:51:46.57\00:51:49.84
Well, I got in and walked into
the furthermost rear seat they
00:51:49.87\00:51:54.41
had, in the pew there.
00:51:54.44\00:51:56.71
And this particular evangelist--
his name was Kim Care.
00:51:56.75\00:52:02.88
It was like taking one
layer off at a time of an onion.
00:52:02.92\00:52:07.06
He laid it out so perfectly
that we could all understand it.
00:52:07.09\00:52:10.23
And I was really motivated.
00:52:10.26\00:52:11.56
I couldn't believe it.
00:52:11.59\00:52:12.89
Well, I finished-- I
didn't miss a meeting.
00:52:12.93\00:52:14.76
In fact, on the fifth night,
they had an altar call and my
00:52:14.83\00:52:19.23
knees stood right up and I
walked forward and I gave my
00:52:19.27\00:52:21.77
heart to Jesus Christ.
00:52:21.80\00:52:24.44
I've learned throughout this
whole thing that when you leave
00:52:24.47\00:52:28.68
the devil's territory, he gets
pretty active in causing a lot
00:52:28.71\00:52:32.58
of problems.
00:52:32.61\00:52:34.22
Well, I had the evangelists come
out and they had prayer with me
00:52:34.25\00:52:38.29
about my business.
00:52:38.32\00:52:39.55
I would find a sick business and
make it well and then market it.
00:52:39.59\00:52:44.83
I finally ended up with a
business that I really enjoyed.
00:52:44.86\00:52:47.76
It was one that was
building equestrian centers.
00:52:47.76\00:52:51.90
And they said to
me, "Steve," he said,
00:52:51.93\00:52:53.27
"you know, if you're going
to really keep the Sabbath,
00:52:53.30\00:52:55.40
you've got to shut
your doors on the Sabbath."
00:52:55.44\00:52:58.31
Well, I did and so I sold
the business to my brother.
00:52:58.34\00:53:01.74
Took me 22 years to build
that business and he lost it
00:53:01.78\00:53:05.51
in 33 months.
00:53:05.55\00:53:07.82
My son who was
my business partner,
00:53:07.85\00:53:09.75
I'd been giving him 10%
of the business every year.
00:53:09.78\00:53:13.19
He thought I'd just
fallen off the bridge.
00:53:13.22\00:53:17.56
My son didn't talk
to me for 5 1/2 years.
00:53:17.59\00:53:20.96
And then a few
other things happened.
00:53:20.96\00:53:22.80
I had an ex-employee
living in my guest house.
00:53:22.83\00:53:25.40
He kind of watched after
our place and he said, "Steve."
00:53:25.43\00:53:29.47
He said, "There's an Allied
moving van backed up to your
00:53:29.50\00:53:32.94
front door in your home."
00:53:32.97\00:53:34.28
I said, "You're kidding."
I said, "What do you mean?"
00:53:34.31\00:53:37.58
He said, "They're moving
everything out of your house
00:53:37.61\00:53:39.68
into this truck and your wife
is out there supervising them."
00:53:39.71\00:53:43.82
And when I went home
and opened the front door,
00:53:43.85\00:53:46.02
my voice echoed in that house.
00:53:46.05\00:53:47.69
There wasn't any
furniture left anywhere.
00:53:47.72\00:53:49.66
There was one bed
left in the house.
00:53:49.69\00:53:52.69
I knew my wife was upset because
of my coming to this church,
00:53:52.73\00:53:57.13
but I had no idea that
she would move out like this.
00:53:57.17\00:54:00.10
That was a total shock to me.
00:54:00.14\00:54:02.37
It was some time there, I locked
myself in the bedroom and I
00:54:02.40\00:54:05.47
began reading the Bible.
00:54:05.51\00:54:07.08
I spent about a half
a year just every night,
00:54:07.11\00:54:10.11
getting home, and I
would-- I would study.
00:54:10.15\00:54:13.72
It allowed me to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:54:13.75\00:54:17.35
Well, to make a
long story short,
00:54:17.39\00:54:19.22
I met Crystal and
she was a godly woman.
00:54:19.25\00:54:22.92
That was the
Lord's doing, not mine.
00:54:22.96\00:54:25.53
And He was just there to let me
know that I'm with you all the
00:54:25.56\00:54:28.50
way, even though you're going
to have some trials and you're
00:54:28.53\00:54:30.77
going to have some hardships,
I want you to know that I'll be
00:54:30.80\00:54:33.80
with you."
00:54:33.84\00:54:35.24
Because no matter what
I do now, He is my leader.
00:54:35.27\00:54:39.81
He's the leader of my marriage,
He's the leader of everything
00:54:39.84\00:54:42.14
in my life today.
00:54:42.18\00:54:44.21
That one meeting with the
Amazing Facts seminar changed
00:54:44.25\00:54:46.72
my entire life and to this
day, I'm still on fire for God.
00:54:46.75\00:54:52.05
I'm still
witnessing to my neighbors.
00:54:52.09\00:54:54.12
My name is Steve Johnson
and it's because of you that
00:54:54.16\00:54:57.16
Amazing Facts
has changed my life.
00:54:57.19\00:54:59.49
¤¤
00:54:59.53\00:55:07.97
announcer: "Amazing
Facts," Changed Lives.
00:55:08.00\00:55:13.48
male: I come from
a Hindu background.
00:55:16.44\00:55:18.05
My mom is a preacher for
Shiva, who is a Hindu god,
00:55:18.08\00:55:21.45
and my father is
the agnostic kind, so me
00:55:21.48\00:55:23.79
myself, I grew,
like, as an atheist.
00:55:23.82\00:55:27.06
In the year 2007 I had an
experience of being in South
00:55:27.09\00:55:30.99
India and that was the first
time I experienced Christian
00:55:31.03\00:55:34.56
people, you know?
00:55:34.60\00:55:35.90
The majorities
were Christians there.
00:55:35.93\00:55:38.27
There were some Adventist youth
who invited me to be a part of
00:55:38.30\00:55:42.70
one of their midweek service.
00:55:42.74\00:55:45.67
They were presenting a
video of Pastor Doug Batchelor,
00:55:45.71\00:55:50.48
"The Richest Caveman."
00:55:50.51\00:55:52.08
I was moved, you know?
00:55:52.11\00:55:53.55
I do understand good and bad and
I pictured myself into the bad
00:55:53.58\00:55:57.45
category than the good one.
00:55:57.49\00:55:59.42
I started experiencing
several dreams and which started
00:55:59.45\00:56:04.06
troubling me.
00:56:04.09\00:56:05.39
And you know, I kept
the website in my mind.
00:56:05.43\00:56:07.60
I went to the Internet Cafe and
started browsing the website of
00:56:07.60\00:56:12.90
Amazing Facts.
00:56:12.93\00:56:14.24
And then I saw the
Bible study guide there.
00:56:14.27\00:56:17.61
Every day I started taking
one of the lesson and I was
00:56:17.64\00:56:21.48
baptized, 2007.
00:56:21.51\00:56:23.55
After my conversion, I
straightly came to Spicer
00:56:23.58\00:56:26.92
to do my studies.
00:56:26.95\00:56:28.25
During the summer vacation, I
decided to go back home and give
00:56:28.28\00:56:31.19
my mom and my father a visit.
00:56:31.22\00:56:32.92
By that time, they knew that I
have converted to Christianity.
00:56:32.95\00:56:35.92
I was thrown out of the house.
00:56:35.96\00:56:38.13
We are not in good terms even
today but sad part for them,
00:56:38.16\00:56:42.96
not for me.
00:56:43.00\00:56:45.37
There in 2015 I was
diagnosed with leukemia.
00:56:45.40\00:56:50.14
I had only one professor and one
friend who was coming along with
00:56:50.17\00:56:54.18
me to the hospital every day.
00:56:54.21\00:56:56.91
When I asked this assistant
doctor what do you think is
00:56:56.95\00:57:01.08
the lifespan of a
person like me, she said,
00:57:01.12\00:57:03.79
"You'll be losing weight
and you'll get sick slowly,
00:57:03.82\00:57:06.29
slowly if you
don't go for treatment."
00:57:06.32\00:57:08.36
So a year plus, one
night I had decided,
00:57:08.39\00:57:12.49
it was January 2015, I said,
00:57:12.53\00:57:15.73
"I am not going for
any treatment anymore."
00:57:15.76\00:57:18.23
I said, "Lord, You gave me
one year so what I'll do is I'll
00:57:18.27\00:57:22.54
just do Your
ministry and that's okay."
00:57:22.57\00:57:26.17
And I never went for
any treatment after that.
00:57:26.21\00:57:29.04
I just left
everything right away there.
00:57:29.08\00:57:31.58
I didn't take even
one tablet, one medicine.
00:57:31.61\00:57:34.68
I'm standing in front
of you, strong in 2018.
00:57:34.72\00:57:38.92
Nothing happened. I
don't know what happened.
00:57:38.95\00:57:40.26
I don't know.
00:57:40.29\00:57:41.59
I don't know if it's
still there in my body or what.
00:57:41.62\00:57:43.66
I don't know. I'm not dead yet.
00:57:43.69\00:57:47.86
I want to serve in India.
00:57:47.86\00:57:50.53
Amazing Facts team,
especially Pastor Doug,
00:57:50.57\00:57:53.74
has really paid a very
important element in my
00:57:53.77\00:57:56.27
life to give me an identity.
00:57:56.30\00:57:58.84
¤¤
00:57:58.87\00:58:08.78
¤¤
00:58:08.82\00:58:18.79
¤¤
00:58:18.83\00:58:21.10
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00:58:21.13\00:58:26.13