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Shawn Brummund: Hello and
welcome to another edition
00:00:37.13\00:00:38.53
of the Sabbath
School Study Hour.
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My name is
Pastor Shawn Brummund,
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and I am privileged
to be able to invite you
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to join us over the next
hour as we continue to study
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this quarterly's
quarter which is entitled,
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"Present Truth in
the Book of Deuteronomy."
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And so for those of you
who have been joining us
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over the last couple of
weeks, you've already started
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to familiarize
yourself with the quarterly and,
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of course, most importantly,
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with the Bible
book of Deuteronomy.
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And so today, we're going to
be looking at Lesson number 3,
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which is the everlasting gospel.
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And yes, the everlasting
gospel is found smack center
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in the middle of
this very important
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and powerful Bible book.
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And so this is an
important milestone in history.
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I know that you're going
to be blessed as you continue
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to grow in the
grace and the knowledge
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of Jesus Christ and of His Word
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as we continue to study here
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in the Granite Bay Seventh-day
Adventist Church right here
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in the metro area of
Sacramento, California.
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So it's always nice to have
all of our different friends
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that are joining us online,
those on the various networks
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that are with us
here today and, of course,
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our local church
family that is also joining us
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as we come together on
this Sabbath to be able
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to worship God in
a very special way,
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in this case both
in song and in study.
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And before we go
into our song, though,
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I want to invite
you to take advantage
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of a very special gift offer
that we have for you here today.
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And it is entitled
"Determining the Will of God,"
00:02:00.48\00:02:04.12
and it's actually
written by our lead pastor,
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Pastor Doug Batchelor,
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who is also our
teacher today as well.
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And so please take advantage
of this free gift offer.
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You just have to
dial into 1-866-788-3966
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and just ask for
Free Offer number 778,
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and that's available to
you if you're in North America
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or in the different
various US territories.
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Now, if you're interested
in a digital copy of that,
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as many of us
are, we like to have it
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on our phone and
read it in that format,
00:02:34.68\00:02:36.58
you can just text the code
"SH025" and you want to be able
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to text that to 40544.
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So please take
advantage of that.
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Again, that's
available as a digital download
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if you're in North
America and if you're
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outside of North
America and want a digital copy,
00:02:52.80\00:02:54.80
you also have that
address that's on the screen
00:02:54.84\00:02:57.07
or just go to amazingfacts.org
and do a search for it,
00:02:57.11\00:03:00.21
and if you're persistent
you will find it and be able
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to take
advantage of that as well.
00:03:04.58\00:03:06.72
So, before we open
with prayer and study,
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we want to invite our musicians.
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We thank them for leading us in
song and worship even right now.
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¤¤¤
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¤¤¤
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¤ Hear our
earnest prayer, O Lord ¤
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¤ Hear our humble cry ¤
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¤ Precious,
loving, caring Lord ¤
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¤ on whom we rely ¤
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¤ Ever loving, ever living God ¤
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¤ of whom no one can compare ¤
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¤ all we ask is that
You hear our prayer ¤
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¤ Give us
strength, most Holy Lord ¤
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¤ Strength to meet this day ¤
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¤ Lead us by Your Holy
Word, guide us in Your way ¤
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¤ For life is
filled with winding turns ¤
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¤ We have often lost our way ¤
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¤ All we ask is
that You lead today ¤
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¤ Give us love
that's true, O Lord ¤
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¤ Trusting as a child ¤
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¤ Love for all we see, O Lord ¤
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¤ pure and undefiled ¤
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¤ But to heal the hearts ¤
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¤ and not turn away
anyone who is in need ¤
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¤ All we ask is
teach us love indeed ¤
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¤ Oh, oh, oh, oh ¤
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¤ Take me home
with You, my Lord ¤
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¤ when You come again ¤
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¤ Take me home
in peace, my Lord ¤
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¤ to life with no end ¤
00:08:05.65\00:08:13.72
¤ When I've fought the fight ¤
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¤ and I've kept the faith ¤
00:08:17.26\00:08:21.93
¤ and my race on earth is won ¤
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¤ oh, all we ask is
that You say, "Well done" ¤
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¤ Lord, please
let me hear You say ¤
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¤ "Well done" ¤¤
00:09:04.51\00:09:14.02
Shawn: I want to invite
you to pray as we ask the Lord
00:09:15.48\00:09:18.02
to be with us.
00:09:18.05\00:09:20.02
Father in heaven, as we stop,
we want to thank You so much
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for leading us in
song, that we might be able
00:09:22.09\00:09:24.53
to worship You and to remember
00:09:24.56\00:09:27.10
what a precious
thing it will be when You
00:09:27.13\00:09:29.20
come again and we can stand
before Your throne and hear
00:09:29.23\00:09:32.53
those encouraging words
where You tell us, "Well done."
00:09:32.57\00:09:37.14
Lord, we want to pray
that today's investment
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in the study of Your
Word will truly solidify
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our faith and our
faithfulness to You.
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And God in heaven, that
we might be able to know that
00:09:46.28\00:09:49.28
when the race is over
that we have finished the race,
00:09:49.32\00:09:52.09
we have fought the
good fight, and we know that
00:09:52.12\00:09:55.52
there's a crown laid up for us.
00:09:55.56\00:09:57.23
And so God, please
bless each and every one of us
00:09:57.26\00:09:59.36
as we study together.
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Give us Your Holy Spirit.
00:10:00.76\00:10:02.10
Want to pray a special
blessing upon our teacher,
00:10:02.13\00:10:04.10
Pastor Doug Batchelor,
and that You will help
00:10:04.13\00:10:06.57
to be able to
understand Your Word in the way
00:10:06.60\00:10:09.10
that You would
have it and give us,
00:10:09.14\00:10:11.64
and so we pray for
Your Holy Spirit even now,
00:10:11.67\00:10:13.58
in Jesus's name, amen.
00:10:13.61\00:10:14.98
Doug Batchelor: Good morning.
00:10:18.38\00:10:20.15
Thank you, Pastor Shawn.
00:10:20.18\00:10:21.78
Thank the young people that
brought the music this morning.
00:10:21.82\00:10:24.22
That was beautiful.
00:10:24.25\00:10:26.02
And good to see each of you
that is--that are gathered here
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in person at the
Granite Bay Hilltop Church.
00:10:29.72\00:10:32.23
Also want to
welcome those, we know there
00:10:32.26\00:10:34.73
are many
thousands around the world
00:10:34.73\00:10:36.16
that are studying with
us via television programs
00:10:36.20\00:10:39.40
like AFTV and
3ABN and Hope Channel.
00:10:39.43\00:10:42.77
You know, I
should mention something.
00:10:42.80\00:10:44.97
When we record this
program, today, as Pastor Shawn
00:10:45.01\00:10:48.41
mentioned, we're going
to be in Lesson number 3
00:10:48.44\00:10:50.55
of Deuteronomy, our new study.
00:10:50.58\00:10:52.31
Most of the world
church, they're just getting
00:10:52.35\00:10:54.82
to this lesson, but we
record the lesson early here
00:10:54.85\00:10:57.49
at Hilltop Church
because we need time
00:10:57.52\00:10:59.62
to edit the lesson,
we add closed captioning,
00:10:59.65\00:11:02.56
time to mail it to the stations
so then they can broadcast it.
00:11:02.59\00:11:07.03
So we're always
living in the future.
00:11:07.10\00:11:08.76
We're three weeks ahead.
00:11:08.80\00:11:10.10
But right about the time
this program is due to air,
00:11:10.13\00:11:13.03
something very exciting is
happening I want to mention.
00:11:13.07\00:11:15.60
We're going to be
having a program here,
00:11:15.64\00:11:17.87
an Evangelistic program,
called "Panorama of Prophecy."
00:11:17.91\00:11:23.01
And it will air on most
of our partner networks,
00:11:23.04\00:11:26.05
such as 3ABN, Hope Channel,
00:11:26.08\00:11:28.35
and Amazing Facts
Television, and AF--that's AFTV.
00:11:28.38\00:11:33.42
And so we hope, if
you don't know about that,
00:11:33.46\00:11:36.66
go to the website.
00:11:36.69\00:11:38.49
It's a great time for
you to bring your friends
00:11:38.53\00:11:40.46
into your
church, into your home.
00:11:40.50\00:11:42.40
All you've got to do is
turn on one of those streaming
00:11:42.43\00:11:44.83
opportunities and
do some evangelism,
00:11:44.87\00:11:47.27
especially in the
times we're living right now.
00:11:47.30\00:11:49.74
We want to be winning souls.
00:11:49.77\00:11:51.44
So we're going to be
going through our full
00:11:51.47\00:11:53.48
evangelistic program
called "Panorama of Prophecy."
00:11:53.51\00:11:56.21
Just go to the
website, panoramaofprophecy.com
00:11:56.24\00:12:00.62
and you can find out
more information there,
00:12:00.65\00:12:03.28
how you can be involved.
00:12:03.32\00:12:04.62
We've got a brand new set
of lessons that we've printed
00:12:04.65\00:12:06.76
for this series, so
we're excited about it.
00:12:06.79\00:12:08.66
And I hope those here that
are part of our local family,
00:12:08.69\00:12:11.33
you'll be praying
because we're going to have
00:12:11.36\00:12:14.60
a lot of folks that are going
to come from the community.
00:12:14.63\00:12:16.90
I don't know, we're sending out,
00:12:16.93\00:12:18.33
like, 50,000 handbills so
we're hoping somebody comes.
00:12:18.37\00:12:21.07
And going to be
meeting some new people
00:12:21.10\00:12:25.01
and sharing the good news.
00:12:25.04\00:12:27.34
All right, now to our lesson,
"Present Truth in Deuteronomy,"
00:12:27.38\00:12:31.81
and we're--our
lesson today is Lesson 3,
00:12:31.85\00:12:34.48
"The Everlasting Covenant."
00:12:34.52\00:12:36.52
And we have a memory verse.
00:12:36.55\00:12:38.75
And the memory verse
is from Genesis 17:7.
00:12:38.79\00:12:41.92
You can find that either
in your lesson or your Bible.
00:12:41.96\00:12:44.39
I invite you to say
it with me: Genesis 17:7:
00:12:44.43\00:12:48.93
"And I will
establish My covenant
00:12:48.96\00:12:51.20
between Me and you and
your descendants after you
00:12:51.23\00:12:54.54
in their generations
for an everlasting covenant,
00:12:54.57\00:12:58.31
to be God to you and
your descendants after you."
00:12:58.34\00:13:02.51
You notice that
phrase, "Everlasting covenant."
00:13:02.54\00:13:06.25
Now, we've got a
special mission to share
00:13:06.28\00:13:08.62
the three angels' message.
00:13:08.65\00:13:10.42
And what does
that first angel have?
00:13:10.45\00:13:13.52
He is sharing the
everlasting gospel, right?
00:13:13.56\00:13:17.13
To preach to every nation.
00:13:17.16\00:13:18.96
So we've got this message about
a covenant that is everlasting,
00:13:18.99\00:13:22.53
and so we're going to be talking
about that today in our study.
00:13:22.56\00:13:26.40
In leading up to
that, I just thought
00:13:26.43\00:13:28.40
you might find it
interesting to know,
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.01
the phrase
"everlasting covenant"
00:13:30.04\00:13:33.91
is found in the Bible 15 times.
00:13:33.94\00:13:36.78
And, of course, you go
from the beginning--I'm sorry,
00:13:36.81\00:13:40.85
the end of the
Bible in Revelation 14:6:
00:13:40.88\00:13:42.95
"I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:13:42.98\00:13:45.85
having the everlasting gospel
to preach to those who dwell
00:13:45.89\00:13:49.82
on the earth to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:13:49.86\00:13:54.00
So at what point in history
did God think up the gospel?
00:13:54.03\00:13:59.17
It's sort of a
trick question because,
00:13:59.20\00:14:03.67
does God know everything?
00:14:03.71\00:14:07.41
To our knowledge, has
God always known everything?
00:14:07.44\00:14:11.21
Then was there ever a time
when He did not know the gospel?
00:14:11.25\00:14:15.88
Was there ever a time that
God did not know that someday
00:14:15.92\00:14:18.92
there would be a race
of intelligent creatures
00:14:18.95\00:14:23.69
that would rebel against Him?
00:14:23.73\00:14:26.66
So if you go as far back as you
can go in eternity past, then,
00:14:26.70\00:14:30.70
you know, I always--I
wonder, maybe you do too,
00:14:30.73\00:14:34.54
it's nice to know we've
got eternity in front of us,
00:14:34.57\00:14:39.81
that we're
going to live forever.
00:14:39.84\00:14:41.78
Some author put it that we
will have lives that measure
00:14:41.81\00:14:44.11
with the life of God for length.
00:14:44.15\00:14:45.81
Isn't that something?
00:14:45.85\00:14:47.75
To live for ever
and ever and ever.
00:14:47.78\00:14:49.88
But how long ago did God, like,
00:14:49.92\00:14:53.96
make the first intelligent
creature, the angels?
00:14:53.99\00:14:57.03
We can only speculate.
00:14:57.06\00:14:59.13
I mean, if God lives
forever, it's hard to imagine
00:14:59.16\00:15:02.06
that there were
billions of years where
00:15:02.10\00:15:04.57
God was just in this cosmic
closet waiting to do something.
00:15:04.60\00:15:08.47
But He knew at
whatever that point was, I mean,
00:15:08.50\00:15:11.97
the Bible says
Lucifer was created.
00:15:12.01\00:15:14.04
It says: "You were perfect
in the day you were created
00:15:14.08\00:15:17.18
until iniquity
was found in you."
00:15:17.21\00:15:19.18
That means Lucifer
even had a beginning.
00:15:19.21\00:15:20.98
The angels were created.
00:15:21.02\00:15:22.32
They had a beginning.
00:15:22.35\00:15:23.69
So at whatever point in
history God decided to make
00:15:23.72\00:15:26.05
intelligent creatures, in
order for them to love God,
00:15:26.09\00:15:29.56
He knew He was
going to have to give them
00:15:29.59\00:15:31.23
something very dangerous,
and that was true freedom.
00:15:31.26\00:15:35.53
And that means that at some
point, some creature might say,
00:15:35.56\00:15:38.70
"After thinking it
over, God, I don't love You.
00:15:38.73\00:15:42.24
I love myself more."
00:15:42.27\00:15:44.84
So God had to
decide is love so important
00:15:44.87\00:15:47.21
that I'm going
to take that risk?
00:15:47.24\00:15:48.74
And when He said yes,
He knew that at some point
00:15:48.78\00:15:51.45
there would be someone that
would choose not to love Him
00:15:51.48\00:15:55.05
and what would
happen then was sin.
00:15:55.08\00:15:58.65
And so the Lord,
the Father, and the Son,
00:15:58.69\00:16:01.16
they mobilized an
agreement way back then.
00:16:01.19\00:16:04.63
Matter of fact, if
you look in the book,
00:16:04.66\00:16:06.36
"Desire of Ages," page 834,
00:16:06.39\00:16:09.93
and you can write
the reference down.
00:16:09.96\00:16:11.43
You probably don't have
the book at your fingertips.
00:16:11.47\00:16:13.34
"Before the foundations
of the earth were laid,
00:16:13.37\00:16:15.87
the Father and the Son
had united in a covenant
00:16:15.90\00:16:19.27
to redeem man if he
should be overcome by Satan.
00:16:19.31\00:16:23.45
They clasped Their
hands in a solemn pledge."
00:16:23.48\00:16:26.08
Think about that.
00:16:26.11\00:16:27.55
You know, sometimes,
you'll make a deal with someone
00:16:27.58\00:16:29.18
and they say,
"Let's shake on it."
00:16:29.22\00:16:31.25
At least, used to do that.
00:16:31.29\00:16:32.72
I don't know, how
many can remember the days
00:16:32.75\00:16:34.09
where you'd say, you know, you'd
shake on it and that was a deal.
00:16:34.12\00:16:36.26
They didn't sign
out a big covenant.
00:16:36.29\00:16:37.89
But says, "God the Father
and the Son clasped Their hands
00:16:37.93\00:16:42.33
in a solemn pledge."
00:16:42.36\00:16:44.73
They shook on it.
00:16:44.77\00:16:46.77
And the pledge was that
Christ should become the surety
00:16:46.80\00:16:50.01
for the human race.
00:16:50.04\00:16:52.31
And so this is from the
foundations of the earth.
00:16:52.34\00:16:56.51
Actually, it said, "Before
the foundations of the earth."
00:16:56.54\00:16:59.11
You can read in
Titus 1, verse 2:
00:16:59.15\00:17:01.65
"In hope of eternal life,
00:17:01.68\00:17:04.65
which God who cannot lie
promised before time began."
00:17:04.69\00:17:11.23
So when was that,
"Before time began"?
00:17:11.26\00:17:15.96
Now we all live in a dimension
of time and I don't want to get,
00:17:16.00\00:17:18.20
you know, too much into physics
and cosmic science right here
00:17:18.23\00:17:22.20
but, you know, God
lives outside of time.
00:17:22.24\00:17:25.97
God can take us,
eternity, into the future
00:17:26.01\00:17:29.61
and show us something.
00:17:29.64\00:17:31.31
He can take us eternally into
the past and show us something.
00:17:31.35\00:17:34.18
He took the apostle John forward
in prophecy and He took him
00:17:34.22\00:17:37.55
back to where he
saw the war in heaven.
00:17:37.59\00:17:40.06
So God can appear at any
time and time whenever He wants.
00:17:40.09\00:17:45.09
But God had this plan.
00:17:45.13\00:17:47.03
Eternal life which was in God,
He promised before time began.
00:17:47.10\00:17:50.90
Go to Revelation 13:8: "All who
dwell on earth will worship him,
00:17:50.93\00:17:56.91
whose names have not been--"
00:17:56.94\00:17:59.31
and it's talking
about the beast, of course.
00:17:59.34\00:18:01.04
"Whose names have not been
written in the book of life
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.31
of the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world."
00:18:03.35\00:18:08.65
It's pointing all the way back.
00:18:08.68\00:18:11.02
And in Genesis 17:7: "And
I'll establish My covenant
00:18:11.05\00:18:14.86
between Me and you and
your," this is our memory verse,
00:18:14.89\00:18:17.76
"and your descendants
and their generations
00:18:17.79\00:18:20.96
for an everlasting covenant,"
is what God said to Abraham.
00:18:20.96\00:18:24.77
Isaiah 24.
00:18:24.80\00:18:26.94
I'm not going to read all 15
references, but here's a few.
00:18:26.97\00:18:29.07
Isaiah 24, verse
5: "The earth's--
00:18:29.10\00:18:31.51
earth also is
defiled under its inhabitants
00:18:31.54\00:18:33.74
because they've transgressed
the laws, changed the ordinance,
00:18:33.78\00:18:37.85
broken the
everlasting covenant."
00:18:37.88\00:18:42.05
When God makes a
covenant, He opens His mouth,
00:18:42.08\00:18:45.62
He does not lie.
00:18:45.65\00:18:47.22
He says, "I am the
same, Jesus Christ the same,
00:18:47.26\00:18:49.66
yesterday, today,
and forever," Hebrews 13.
00:18:49.69\00:18:52.33
Malachi: "I am the
Lord. I change not."
00:18:52.36\00:18:55.33
God makes a promise,
He does not vacillate.
00:18:55.36\00:18:58.63
So the covenant that He made to
save is an everlasting covenant.
00:18:58.67\00:19:02.00
Ezekiel 16:60: "Nevertheless
I will remember My covenant
00:19:02.04\00:19:05.67
with you in the
days of your youth.
00:19:05.71\00:19:08.08
I will establish an
everlasting covenant with you."
00:19:08.11\00:19:11.28
That's comforting.
00:19:11.31\00:19:13.48
And Hebrews 13: "Now may
the God of peace who brought
00:19:13.52\00:19:16.85
our Lord Jesus from the
dead, that great Shepherd
00:19:16.89\00:19:19.79
of the sheep, through the blood
of the everlasting covenant,
00:19:19.82\00:19:23.53
make you complete in
every good work to do His will."
00:19:23.56\00:19:27.96
It's part of what the covenant
does, one of the promises,
00:19:27.96\00:19:31.03
is to help us be
obedient, doing His will,
00:19:31.07\00:19:34.17
through the power of the
blood in every good thing.
00:19:34.20\00:19:38.94
And He said, "Make you complete
in every good work to do
00:19:38.97\00:19:44.45
His will, working in you what
is well pleasing in His sight
00:19:44.48\00:19:47.35
through Jesus Christ to whom
be the glory forever and ever,
00:19:47.38\00:19:50.32
amen."
00:19:50.35\00:19:51.65
So the book of Hebrews
closes, which is a book
00:19:51.69\00:19:54.29
all about
covenants, by emphasizing
00:19:54.32\00:19:56.96
the everlasting covenant
that God's made with us.
00:19:56.99\00:19:59.43
Now, that was all introduction.
00:19:59.46\00:20:01.03
Now, we're going to
get into the first section
00:20:01.06\00:20:02.86
on the covenant in the gospel.
00:20:02.90\00:20:05.40
If you have your
Bibles, you'll want to turn
00:20:05.43\00:20:06.94
to the very important
passage in Genesis chapter 12.
00:20:06.97\00:20:11.81
God establishes His
covenant with Abraham.
00:20:11.84\00:20:15.68
His name is not Abraham
yet, but that's how we know him.
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.35
His name was Abram.
00:20:18.38\00:20:19.98
Abraham, Abba, is
father or papa, Abba.
00:20:20.02\00:20:23.32
Abram is talking about Father.
00:20:23.35\00:20:26.76
It's a little more
formal, Abraham means father
00:20:26.79\00:20:29.82
of a multitude.
00:20:29.86\00:20:31.59
So, Abraham was not a father
of a multitude at this time.
00:20:31.63\00:20:35.90
'Course, God gave him the
name "Father of Multitude"
00:20:35.93\00:20:38.20
before he had any kids.
00:20:38.23\00:20:40.47
But so here we're
reading in Genesis 12:1,
00:20:40.50\00:20:43.41
"Now the Lord said to
Abram, 'Get out of your country
00:20:43.44\00:20:46.64
from your family
and your father's house
00:20:46.68\00:20:50.08
to a land that I will show you.
00:20:50.11\00:20:52.38
I will make you a great
nation, I will bless you
00:20:52.41\00:20:56.08
and make your name great,
and you shall be a blessing.
00:20:56.12\00:20:59.92
And I will bless those who
bless you, and I will curse him
00:20:59.95\00:21:04.26
who curses you, and
in you all the families
00:21:04.29\00:21:07.83
of the earth will be blessed.'"
00:21:07.86\00:21:09.56
Notice the word
"bless, bless, bless."
00:21:09.60\00:21:13.80
A lot of blessing
that's happening there.
00:21:13.84\00:21:16.10
For one thing, you don't
want to get on the wrong side
00:21:16.14\00:21:18.01
of those that are under
the everlasting covenant
00:21:18.04\00:21:20.41
because He says, "I'll
curse those who curse you."
00:21:20.44\00:21:23.31
What happened to Potiphar?
00:21:23.35\00:21:26.11
Joseph was blessed.
00:21:26.15\00:21:27.82
He was in that
covenant and when Joseph went
00:21:27.85\00:21:30.85
to the house of Potiphar
what did God do for Potiphar?
00:21:30.89\00:21:35.36
Everything he put
his hand to was blessed.
00:21:35.39\00:21:38.53
I don't know what
happened when Joseph moved out.
00:21:38.56\00:21:42.06
Probably wasn't good
because Potiphar's wife
00:21:42.10\00:21:44.03
falsely accused him, but
then Joseph goes to prison.
00:21:44.07\00:21:46.87
Now, can you be
blessed in a prison?
00:21:46.90\00:21:50.34
But it says that everything
that Joseph did was blessed.
00:21:50.37\00:21:54.54
And then he goes to be
prime minister of Egypt.
00:21:54.58\00:21:57.25
What country of all the
countries in that fertile
00:21:57.28\00:22:01.05
crescent was
blessed during the famine?
00:22:01.08\00:22:03.15
Egypt.
00:22:03.18\00:22:04.49
Why? Because of Joseph.
00:22:04.52\00:22:06.96
So there's a blessing that
flows out from God's people
00:22:06.99\00:22:09.79
to those around them.
00:22:09.82\00:22:11.39
And those who persecute
you, they will be cursed.
00:22:11.43\00:22:17.90
And you can see
that happening as well.
00:22:17.93\00:22:20.14
A lot of nations that
fought against God's people
00:22:20.17\00:22:22.94
were decimated or destroyed.
00:22:22.97\00:22:25.97
Then you go to-- God
repeats the covenant.
00:22:26.01\00:22:28.21
Matter of fact, we can't
even repeat all the times
00:22:28.24\00:22:30.05
that God repeated
the covenant to Abraham.
00:22:30.08\00:22:32.08
Genesis 15,
verse 4: "And behold,
00:22:32.11\00:22:35.28
the word of the
Lord came to him saying:
00:22:35.32\00:22:37.39
'This one shall not be
your heir; but one that
00:22:37.42\00:22:40.42
comes from your own
body will be your heir.'
00:22:40.46\00:22:43.12
And then he brought him outside,
said, 'Look now towards heaven,
00:22:43.16\00:22:45.59
and count the stars, if
you're able to number them.'
00:22:45.63\00:22:47.50
He said, 'So shall
your descendants be.'
00:22:47.50\00:22:51.53
And he believed in the Lord,"
even though he had no children.
00:22:51.57\00:22:54.97
God said, "Your descendants
will be more than the sand,
00:22:55.00\00:22:57.07
more than the stars."
00:22:57.11\00:22:58.67
Abraham believed the
Lord, even though he's old,
00:22:58.71\00:23:01.78
"and God counted it to
him for righteousness."
00:23:01.81\00:23:05.18
What's another word for believe?
00:23:05.21\00:23:09.28
The just shall live by faith.
00:23:09.32\00:23:12.62
He had faith in God, and
God counted it to him for, what?
00:23:12.65\00:23:17.66
Have you heard of
righteousness by faith?
00:23:17.69\00:23:20.30
This is exhibit A of
righteousness by faith.
00:23:20.33\00:23:23.03
We are declared
righteous based on faith.
00:23:23.06\00:23:25.37
So God says that while you
appear dead and unfruitful,
00:23:25.40\00:23:30.11
because you believe, I
can do wonderful things
00:23:30.14\00:23:34.41
for those that believe.
00:23:34.44\00:23:36.31
And so God obviously did.
00:23:36.34\00:23:37.81
He performed several miracles.
00:23:37.85\00:23:40.45
Now, some covenants
are made and they've got
00:23:40.48\00:23:44.55
a time period attached.
00:23:44.59\00:23:46.96
There's an agreement and when
the certain time is reached,
00:23:46.99\00:23:50.99
it said all terms
of the covenant are now
00:23:51.03\00:23:53.50
void and null
and without effect.
00:23:53.53\00:23:57.17
But God's covenant is
an everlasting covenant.
00:23:57.20\00:24:01.14
Now, people might
think, "Well, Pastor Doug,
00:24:01.17\00:24:05.07
but Abraham's
descendants, I mean, it--
00:24:05.11\00:24:07.61
sometimes it doesn't
look like they're blessed."
00:24:07.64\00:24:10.28
Well, He doesn't say they're not
going to go through hard times,
00:24:10.31\00:24:13.92
which they did, but it seemed
like they just kept bouncing
00:24:13.95\00:24:17.12
back because God has
not forgot His covenant.
00:24:17.15\00:24:20.02
Matter of fact, I'm
getting ahead of myself.
00:24:20.06\00:24:22.79
All right, Genesis
18:17: "And the Lord said,
00:24:22.82\00:24:27.46
'Shall I hide from
Abraham the thing I'm doing,'"
00:24:27.50\00:24:29.86
this is when the
angels were going to destroy
00:24:29.90\00:24:31.57
Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:24:31.60\00:24:33.10
"'Since Abraham shall surely
be great and a mighty nation,
00:24:33.13\00:24:37.01
and all nations of the
earth will be blessed in him?'"
00:24:37.04\00:24:40.01
God said, "We're friends.
00:24:40.04\00:24:41.41
I'm going to bless you
above all nations in the world.
00:24:41.44\00:24:43.31
I'm not going to hide
from you what I'm doing."
00:24:43.35\00:24:45.41
Now, if you jump
to the New Testament,
00:24:45.45\00:24:47.25
Paul commenting on
this covenant with Abraham,
00:24:47.28\00:24:49.55
in Romans 4, verse 1: "What
shall we then say that Abraham,
00:24:49.58\00:24:54.32
our father, has found
according to the flesh?
00:24:54.36\00:24:57.23
For if Abraham was justified
by works, he had something
00:24:57.26\00:25:00.43
about which to boast, but not--
he's not justified by works.
00:25:00.46\00:25:04.40
For what does the Scripture say?
00:25:04.43\00:25:08.00
'Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him
00:25:08.04\00:25:10.97
for righteousness.'"
00:25:11.01\00:25:13.21
Now, I want to pause.
00:25:13.24\00:25:15.18
Any of you notice a
little contradiction here
00:25:15.21\00:25:17.41
with another verse?
00:25:17.45\00:25:20.35
Was Abraham saved
by faith or works?
00:25:20.38\00:25:23.59
Faith.
00:25:23.62\00:25:26.12
Did Abraham--no question.
00:25:26.15\00:25:27.46
Absolutely was saved by faith.
00:25:27.49\00:25:28.79
He believed God, God counted
it to him for righteousness.
00:25:28.82\00:25:31.13
Did Abraham do works?
00:25:31.16\00:25:34.13
You know, when you go to
James and it talks about faith
00:25:34.20\00:25:36.53
and works, it says,
"Was not Abraham justified
00:25:36.56\00:25:38.60
when he offered
his son, by works?"
00:25:38.63\00:25:41.77
His works showed his faith and
it even says there in Hebrews
00:25:41.80\00:25:46.57
"when Abraham
offered Isaac, he had faith."
00:25:46.61\00:25:49.98
He did a very
difficult work, but he had faith
00:25:50.01\00:25:52.68
that God's promise,
a great nation's coming
00:25:52.71\00:25:54.38
from Isaac, even if I kill him,
God is able to raise him up,
00:25:54.42\00:25:57.15
in which he
received him in figure.
00:25:57.19\00:25:59.89
Isaac being a type of Christ
that did die and was raised up
00:25:59.92\00:26:04.26
and a great nation came
out of Christ, like Isaac:
00:26:04.29\00:26:08.13
Christians, through his death.
00:26:08.16\00:26:11.77
And so Abraham showed
his faith by his works.
00:26:11.80\00:26:16.24
The Bible says Abraham
"who kept all of My charge,
00:26:16.27\00:26:19.97
My commandments, My
statutes, and My laws."
00:26:20.01\00:26:22.81
So Abraham is known as
the father of the faithful,
00:26:22.84\00:26:26.11
but he's also the
father of the obedient,
00:26:26.15\00:26:28.75
and so that is
certainly part of the covenant.
00:26:28.78\00:26:32.42
Let me go back and
finish Romans here.
00:26:32.45\00:26:34.62
"For what does
the Scripture say?
00:26:34.66\00:26:36.02
'Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him
00:26:36.06\00:26:38.29
for righteousness.'
00:26:38.33\00:26:39.63
Now to him who works,
the wages are not counted
00:26:39.66\00:26:42.20
as grace but as a debt.
00:26:42.23\00:26:44.20
But to him who does not work but
believes on him who justifies
00:26:44.23\00:26:47.14
the ungodly, his faith is
accounted for righteousness."
00:26:47.17\00:26:51.04
So when we come to Christ
00:26:51.07\00:26:52.51
it doesn't matter
how ungodly we've been.
00:26:52.54\00:26:54.68
If we believe that for Christ's
sake we can be forgiven,
00:26:54.71\00:26:58.05
we are justified by
faith in the blood of Christ.
00:26:58.08\00:27:02.25
When we are justified by faith,
will there be a difference
00:27:02.28\00:27:06.72
in the works?
00:27:06.76\00:27:08.49
See, do we do the
good works to be saved
00:27:08.52\00:27:10.73
or do we do the good
works because we are saved?
00:27:10.76\00:27:14.13
Does a person with a loving
heart do loving things to have
00:27:14.20\00:27:18.77
a loving heart or do
they do loving things
00:27:18.80\00:27:20.67
because they
have a loving heart?
00:27:20.70\00:27:22.74
So when you're born again
and you're a new creature and
00:27:22.77\00:27:24.87
you get a new heart, you start
doing different works, right?
00:27:24.91\00:27:28.98
So if a person is not doing
any of the loving heart works,
00:27:29.01\00:27:31.61
then you have to question
have they been saved by faith?
00:27:31.65\00:27:36.12
Does that make sense?
00:27:36.15\00:27:37.72
So people try to create
a war where there really
00:27:37.75\00:27:39.89
isn't a war
between faith and works.
00:27:39.92\00:27:42.16
It is--clearly, it
all begins with faith,
00:27:42.19\00:27:44.76
but then the works follow.
00:27:44.79\00:27:47.30
Now, when we talk about
the covenant that God made with
00:27:47.30\00:27:50.23
Abraham, that's not the first
time that you have a covenant.
00:27:50.27\00:27:54.74
Did God also make
a covenant with Noah?
00:27:54.77\00:27:59.44
Yes.
00:27:59.47\00:28:00.84
Did God make a
covenant with Adam?
00:28:00.88\00:28:04.45
Yes, okay--
00:28:04.48\00:28:05.78
He made a covenant about
seedtime and harvest, you know,
00:28:05.81\00:28:07.78
the seasons will continue.
00:28:07.82\00:28:09.15
But when you
read in Genesis 3:15,
00:28:09.18\00:28:11.49
with Adam and
Eve, God said that,
00:28:11.52\00:28:13.62
"the seed of the woman would
destroy the serpent's head."
00:28:13.66\00:28:18.83
That's probably one of the
first covenants and prophecies
00:28:18.86\00:28:21.53
there in the Bible, that there
would be a descendant of Eve--
00:28:21.56\00:28:25.63
of course, Abraham,
Noah, they all came from Eve--
00:28:25.67\00:28:27.60
that would ultimately
destroy the serpent's head.
00:28:27.64\00:28:30.74
That was a
prophecy about Christ.
00:28:30.77\00:28:32.17
You see it repeated in
Revelation when it talks
00:28:32.21\00:28:35.31
about Michael doing
battle with the dragon
00:28:35.34\00:28:40.58
and there's a woman there.
00:28:40.62\00:28:42.45
And the dragon is
defeated and so, you know,
00:28:42.48\00:28:45.59
all of that language is
played out there in Revelation.
00:28:45.62\00:28:48.79
All right, and so
we're saved by faith.
00:28:48.82\00:28:53.40
It's the everlasting covenant,
but the everlasting covenant
00:28:53.43\00:28:56.33
does not abolish the law
because the everlasting covenant
00:28:56.36\00:29:00.40
is given in the
context of the law.
00:29:00.44\00:29:03.91
So if you read the old
covenant, where do you find
00:29:03.94\00:29:07.08
the old covenant?
00:29:07.11\00:29:08.98
Old Testament.
00:29:09.01\00:29:10.55
What chapters?
00:29:10.58\00:29:13.55
Chapter 20 and then if you
look in Deuteronomy chapter 4
00:29:13.58\00:29:17.82
it says, "He declared
unto you His covenant,
00:29:17.85\00:29:20.79
even ten commandments
00:29:20.82\00:29:22.66
which He commanded
you to perform," right?
00:29:22.69\00:29:24.99
So let's say
that's the old covenant.
00:29:25.03\00:29:26.56
Now what's the new covenant?
00:29:26.59\00:29:28.93
If you look in
Hebrews 8, verse 10:
00:29:28.96\00:29:31.60
"'For this is the
covenant that I will make
00:29:31.63\00:29:33.54
with the house of
Israel after those days,'
00:29:33.57\00:29:35.34
says the Lord.
00:29:35.37\00:29:36.60
'I put my laws in their minds
and write them on their heart,
00:29:36.64\00:29:39.54
and I will be their God
and they will be My people.'"
00:29:39.57\00:29:42.54
So is the law still
part of the new covenant?
00:29:42.58\00:29:45.58
Yeah, it's just
written in a different place.
00:29:45.61\00:29:47.58
It's written in the heart.
00:29:47.62\00:29:49.22
So once you got
the new covenant,
00:29:49.25\00:29:52.09
did the old
everlasting covenant go away?
00:29:52.12\00:29:57.29
Both covenants had to
do with salvation by faith.
00:29:57.33\00:30:01.90
Was anybody in the Old
Testament saved by works?
00:30:01.93\00:30:06.10
No.
00:30:06.13\00:30:07.44
Is anybody saved by works?
00:30:07.47\00:30:08.77
They're all saved by faith,
looking forward to the cross,
00:30:08.80\00:30:11.64
and we are now saved by faith
looking back at the cross, amen?
00:30:11.67\00:30:16.44
All right, let's go to the
section, "Covenant in Israel."
00:30:16.48\00:30:20.08
Deuteronomy 9:5: "Is it not--"
00:30:20.12\00:30:23.28
I'm sorry.
00:30:23.32\00:30:24.62
"It is not because of your
righteousness or the uprightness
00:30:24.65\00:30:27.36
of your heart that you
going to possess the land,
00:30:27.39\00:30:29.89
but because of the
wickedness of these nations
00:30:29.92\00:30:32.49
that the Lord your God
drives them out from before you,
00:30:32.53\00:30:35.30
that He might fulfill the word
which He swore to your fathers,
00:30:35.33\00:30:38.43
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
00:30:38.47\00:30:40.97
So, God is saying,
"Look, I'm not saving you
00:30:41.14\00:30:43.74
because you're hyper-righteous."
00:30:43.77\00:30:46.14
In fact, He said, "You are
a stubborn and a stiff-necked
00:30:46.17\00:30:48.61
people, but I made a promise
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
00:30:48.64\00:30:53.95
and I've not
forgot My covenant."
00:30:53.98\00:30:56.52
There are several
times in the Bible
00:30:56.55\00:30:57.95
where God renews
the covenant to someone
00:30:57.99\00:31:00.62
that really didn't deserve it.
00:31:00.66\00:31:02.59
When Solomon
started to marry many wives,
00:31:02.62\00:31:07.50
and the kingdom was going
to be split in two, God said,
00:31:07.56\00:31:10.80
"Solomon, I haven't forgot
the promise I made to David
00:31:10.83\00:31:13.17
so I'm not taking the kingdom
away from you completely,
00:31:13.20\00:31:16.10
because I made a promise
that David would not lack
00:31:16.14\00:31:18.41
someone to sit upon the throne.
00:31:18.44\00:31:20.38
So I'm giving you Judah.
00:31:20.41\00:31:22.54
The other tribes to the north,
I'm taking away from you."
00:31:22.58\00:31:25.68
And He said, "Because I
haven't forgot the covenant
00:31:25.71\00:31:27.42
that I made."
00:31:27.45\00:31:28.95
God has a good memory.
00:31:28.98\00:31:31.09
In fact, the children
of Israel made a promise
00:31:31.12\00:31:34.39
to the Gideonites.
00:31:34.42\00:31:36.09
I don't know if
you remember the story?
00:31:36.12\00:31:38.26
They promised that,
"we will not destroy you
00:31:38.29\00:31:41.30
but you need to be
servants for the temple."
00:31:41.33\00:31:44.50
Hundreds of years later,
King Saul made war against
00:31:44.53\00:31:47.77
the Gideonites and a plague,
a famine, came on the land.
00:31:47.80\00:31:52.57
And David prayed to the Lord,
00:31:52.61\00:31:54.34
"Why is this
terrible famine on the land?"
00:31:54.38\00:31:57.08
And God said--this is after
Saul's been dead for years.
00:31:57.11\00:31:59.78
God said, "Because Saul
broke the covenant that I made--
00:31:59.81\00:32:03.72
or that you made
with the Gideonites
00:32:03.75\00:32:05.25
and I haven't forgotten.
00:32:05.29\00:32:07.59
A promise was broken."
00:32:07.62\00:32:09.42
God was showing them all
kinds of peace and prosperity
00:32:09.46\00:32:13.19
for years, but God's saying,
"Well, judgment's coming.
00:32:13.23\00:32:16.10
I haven't forgot."
00:32:16.13\00:32:18.00
And it wasn't until
David dealt with that
00:32:18.03\00:32:20.10
that the famine was over.
00:32:20.14\00:32:21.97
So God's got a long memory, and
He's going to do what He says,
00:32:22.00\00:32:25.74
and do not misinterpret
temporary peace to think that
00:32:25.77\00:32:29.94
that means God has
forgotten His covenant.
00:32:29.98\00:32:33.25
God said to Noah and his
family, "Come in the ark,"
00:32:33.28\00:32:35.62
and Noah had been preaching,
00:32:35.65\00:32:37.92
"Only those in
the ark will be saved.
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.22
A terrible storm is coming."
00:32:40.26\00:32:41.96
God brought Noah and
the animals in the ark.
00:32:41.99\00:32:43.63
He shut the door and they had
one day of beautiful weather.
00:32:43.66\00:32:48.03
The next day, beautiful weather.
00:32:48.06\00:32:50.03
People outside the ark said,
"Ah, it's not going to happen."
00:32:50.07\00:32:53.20
They misinterpreted the mercy of
God, but their doom was sealed.
00:32:53.23\00:32:57.54
God had made a
covenant of salvation.
00:32:57.57\00:32:59.24
They did not
take the covenant up
00:32:59.27\00:33:00.94
on its terms and
the flood did come.
00:33:00.98\00:33:04.55
God--"A thousand years with God
are like a day," the Bible says.
00:33:04.58\00:33:09.38
Okay, the covenant with Israel.
00:33:09.42\00:33:12.19
Then look in Exodus
chapter 2, verse 24:
00:33:12.22\00:33:15.72
"So God heard their
groaning, and God remembered
00:33:15.76\00:33:19.19
His covenant with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
00:33:19.23\00:33:22.90
And God looked upon
the children of Israel,
00:33:22.93\00:33:25.37
and God acknowledged them."
00:33:25.40\00:33:27.14
Now, two things
here that are metaphors.
00:33:27.17\00:33:29.34
God remembered.
00:33:29.37\00:33:31.34
Does that mean that the Lord
took some Prevagen or something
00:33:31.37\00:33:33.78
and He suddenly remembered?
00:33:33.81\00:33:35.11
"Oh yeah, didn't I
make a covenant with Abra--"
00:33:35.14\00:33:38.28
And then it says:
"God looked upon."
00:33:38.31\00:33:40.52
You know when it says the
angels came down to look and see
00:33:40.55\00:33:43.28
if the things in Sodom were
as bad as the report they heard?
00:33:43.32\00:33:46.45
Does God not know or is He
using language that we use?
00:33:46.49\00:33:50.93
God had not forgotten.
00:33:50.96\00:33:52.39
This is just God's
way of saying it was time
00:33:52.43\00:33:55.20
to deal with something.
00:33:55.23\00:33:56.63
After years of the Israelites
being slaves in Egypt, God says,
00:33:56.67\00:34:00.30
"I've seen their suffering,
I've heard their tears
00:34:00.34\00:34:03.34
and their cries
and their prayers.
00:34:03.37\00:34:05.37
Now, I'm going to act."
00:34:05.41\00:34:07.24
Reminds us that sometimes
you've got to pray for a while
00:34:07.28\00:34:09.04
before you get your answer.
00:34:09.08\00:34:11.85
So He said He remembered
His covenant with Abraham,
00:34:11.88\00:34:13.62
Isaac, and Jacob.
00:34:13.65\00:34:14.95
Now, here's a unique verse.
00:34:14.98\00:34:16.28
Leviticus 26, verse 42: "Then,"
He says, "as you pray to Me,
00:34:16.32\00:34:22.26
then I will remember
My covenant with Jacob,
00:34:22.29\00:34:25.19
My covenant with Isaac,
My covenant with Abraham.
00:34:25.23\00:34:28.36
I will remember.
00:34:28.40\00:34:30.20
And I will remember the land."
00:34:30.23\00:34:33.13
Anyone notice anything
interesting about the way
00:34:33.17\00:34:34.60
that it's stated here?
00:34:34.64\00:34:38.07
It's backwards.
00:34:38.11\00:34:40.21
Almost always, God says,
"Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
00:34:40.24\00:34:42.91
What did He just do here?
00:34:42.94\00:34:45.78
He said, "Jacob,
Isaac, and Abraham."
00:34:45.81\00:34:50.22
And so, forward or
backwards, God remembers.
00:34:50.25\00:34:52.75
Psalm 89: "My covenant I
will not break or alter the word
00:34:52.79\00:34:59.23
that has gone out of My lips."
00:34:59.26\00:35:01.60
This was a verse that actually
helped me when I was studying
00:35:01.63\00:35:03.90
the Sabbath truth because
I thought Sabbath was part
00:35:03.93\00:35:07.10
of a covenant that God
made there at Mount Sinai,
00:35:07.14\00:35:10.31
part of the new covenant of
putting the law in our hearts.
00:35:10.34\00:35:13.11
I couldn't imagine
that God would say,
00:35:13.14\00:35:14.98
"I made a mistake
picking the seventh day.
00:35:15.01\00:35:16.68
I'll have to
pick a different day."
00:35:16.71\00:35:18.25
There's nothing wrong with it.
00:35:18.28\00:35:19.61
Said, He's made a
covenant, He does not change.
00:35:19.65\00:35:21.82
"I will not break what's
gone forth from My lips."
00:35:21.85\00:35:24.09
I said, "I think the
Sabbath must still be intact."
00:35:24.12\00:35:28.16
Every covenant that God makes.
00:35:28.19\00:35:30.43
Joshua 23:14.
00:35:30.46\00:35:33.50
When Joshua, near
the end of his life,
00:35:33.53\00:35:35.26
he gathered Israel
together, and he said
00:35:35.30\00:35:37.57
in these beautiful
words: "Behold this day,
00:35:37.60\00:35:40.54
I am going the
way of all the earth."
00:35:40.57\00:35:42.50
When he said "this day,"
00:35:42.54\00:35:43.84
it could have meant "this year,"
00:35:43.87\00:35:45.17
but he meant the time is
coming when I'm going to die.
00:35:45.21\00:35:47.71
Going the way of all the earth.
00:35:47.74\00:35:49.81
"And you know in your hearts--
and you know in all your hearts
00:35:49.84\00:35:54.48
and in all your souls,
that not one thing has failed
00:35:54.52\00:35:59.19
of all the good things
which the Lord your God spake
00:35:59.22\00:36:02.32
concerning you.
00:36:02.36\00:36:03.79
All have come to pass for you;
00:36:03.83\00:36:06.06
not one word of
them has failed."
00:36:06.09\00:36:09.10
Joshua's reminding that
God had promised to bring them
00:36:09.13\00:36:12.63
into the land and
that God had promised
00:36:12.67\00:36:15.70
that He'd give them
victory over their enemies
00:36:15.74\00:36:18.14
and that He would settle them
and divide the land among them,
00:36:18.17\00:36:20.84
and at this point in
history, Joshua said,
00:36:20.88\00:36:22.74
"God has kept His promise.
00:36:22.78\00:36:26.01
He keeps His covenants.
00:36:26.05\00:36:27.45
Everything He
promised, He has done."
00:36:27.48\00:36:30.02
Now, if you're looking
for a point in earthly history
00:36:30.05\00:36:33.05
when you can say,
"What was the zenith
00:36:33.09\00:36:35.59
of God's keeping His
covenant with Abraham on earth?"
00:36:35.62\00:36:40.96
The reason I say it like that
is when God said to Abraham,
00:36:40.96\00:36:44.17
"To you and your descendants,
I give all this land,
00:36:44.20\00:36:47.07
speaking of the Promised Land,"
did Abraham ever really enjoy
00:36:47.10\00:36:51.54
that inheritance or
was it occupied by enemies?
00:36:51.57\00:36:55.64
He didn't really enjoy it.
00:36:55.68\00:36:57.28
He didn't receive it then.
00:36:57.31\00:36:58.65
When will he receive it?
00:36:58.68\00:37:00.68
New Jerusalem comes down.
00:37:00.72\00:37:02.15
Where does it come
down? Mount of Olives.
00:37:02.18\00:37:04.32
How big is it?
00:37:04.35\00:37:05.69
Three hundred and
seventy-five miles on each side,
00:37:05.72\00:37:07.52
which means it
completely encompasses the land
00:37:07.56\00:37:09.56
that God
promised to give Israel.
00:37:09.59\00:37:11.56
How long will
Abraham have it then?
00:37:11.59\00:37:13.43
Forever.
00:37:13.46\00:37:15.06
But on earth, the
closest that Israel ever got
00:37:15.10\00:37:17.20
to fulfilling His purpose
for them was during the reign
00:37:17.23\00:37:20.37
of Solomon, and
the Queen of Sheba came
00:37:20.40\00:37:23.07
before Solomon got led away
by his wives later in his life.
00:37:23.10\00:37:27.81
All nations were flowing to
Israel to learn about Jehovah.
00:37:27.84\00:37:32.95
They were at peace.
00:37:32.98\00:37:34.45
Solomon's name means
peace, related to Shalom.
00:37:34.48\00:37:37.09
They were at peace,
they were a glorious kingdom.
00:37:37.12\00:37:40.16
God was blessing them.
He was blessing their crops.
00:37:40.19\00:37:42.62
He had 40 years of
wonderful prosperity,
00:37:42.66\00:37:46.13
and it's the
closest you can see.
00:37:46.16\00:37:47.83
The borders of
Israel were the greatest
00:37:47.86\00:37:49.43
during the time of Solomon.
00:37:49.46\00:37:51.73
That's when they were
the closest to the climax
00:37:51.77\00:37:54.40
of everything God had
promised them on earth.
00:37:54.44\00:37:57.01
But, you know, it's
interesting that you can read
00:37:57.04\00:38:00.58
in I think it's--might be
1 Kings chapter 11, I forget.
00:38:00.61\00:38:04.68
But it says: "But Solomon
loved many foreign wives."
00:38:04.71\00:38:09.52
And at that point, it went down.
00:38:09.55\00:38:14.22
And just before it
says that, it says:
00:38:14.26\00:38:17.86
"In that year, 666 talents
of gold came into the kingdom."
00:38:17.89\00:38:22.76
I thought, "That--is that
coincidence: it mentions 666,
00:38:22.80\00:38:25.97
the next chapter the
kingdom takes a dive?"
00:38:26.00\00:38:29.44
I thought that was interesting.
00:38:29.47\00:38:31.37
Amazing fact.
00:38:31.41\00:38:33.34
But the real fulfillment
for-- of all the covenant,
00:38:33.38\00:38:36.11
is it going to be
for the literal Jews?
00:38:36.14\00:38:39.01
Everyone's waiting for Israel
to become another world power.
00:38:39.05\00:38:42.42
They certainly are blessed
right now with--for the size
00:38:42.45\00:38:44.69
of the nation, they've
got quite a bit of influence.
00:38:44.72\00:38:49.06
But, no, the ultimate
inheritance is going to be
00:38:49.09\00:38:52.83
for the children of
Abraham, both physical children
00:38:52.86\00:38:56.97
of Abraham and
spiritual children of Abraham,
00:38:57.00\00:38:59.47
not in this world but
in a world made new, right?
00:38:59.50\00:39:03.74
I'm not planning on
moving to Israel and, you know,
00:39:03.77\00:39:07.58
there have been different
groups both in our church
00:39:07.61\00:39:09.31
and others that were
so sure that God was going
00:39:09.34\00:39:11.48
to reestablish a literal
kingdom and all the promises
00:39:11.51\00:39:14.02
He made to Israel,
they moved to Israel
00:39:14.05\00:39:15.95
waiting for it to happen.
00:39:15.98\00:39:17.29
Many died there,
waiting for this world empire,
00:39:17.32\00:39:19.52
glorious kingdom.
00:39:19.55\00:39:20.96
That's going to
happen after the 1000 years
00:39:20.99\00:39:23.36
when the new
Jerusalem comes down.
00:39:23.39\00:39:25.06
Then you're going to
see the ultimate fulfillment
00:39:25.09\00:39:27.13
of all those things, amen?
00:39:27.20\00:39:30.40
So if you go to Deuteronomy
7, let me see if I read that.
00:39:30.43\00:39:38.74
Yeah, tell you
what, let me go to--
00:39:38.77\00:39:40.28
go to Deuteronomy 18.
00:39:40.31\00:39:43.95
God gives them
a special warning.
00:39:43.98\00:39:45.75
He says, "Look, you
are My special people
00:39:45.78\00:39:48.18
and I've made a
covenant with you."
00:39:48.22\00:39:49.68
By the way, the word "covenant,"
it means confederacy, a league,
00:39:49.72\00:39:56.56
covenant, an alliance, a pledge,
a treaty, a constitution,
00:39:56.59\00:40:03.53
an ordinance.
00:40:03.57\00:40:05.73
The word is used
264 times in the Bible.
00:40:05.77\00:40:09.00
A lot of covenants in the Bible.
00:40:09.04\00:40:11.51
It's from a Hebrew word,
beriyth, and it means covenant.
00:40:11.54\00:40:17.35
That's what it means.
00:40:17.38\00:40:19.71
And it is used so
often in Deuteronomy,
00:40:19.75\00:40:22.08
that Deuteronomy is sometimes
called the book of the covenant
00:40:22.12\00:40:25.79
because the word "covenant"
is found so many times
00:40:25.82\00:40:27.86
in the book.
00:40:27.89\00:40:29.59
So, you can read in
Deuteronomy 5, verse 2:
00:40:29.62\00:40:33.36
"The Lord our God made a
covenant with us in Horeb."
00:40:33.40\00:40:36.70
So what happened?
00:40:36.73\00:40:38.10
Horeb and Mount Sinai
are the same mountain.
00:40:38.13\00:40:40.84
What happened there?
00:40:40.87\00:40:42.77
Ten Commandments.
00:40:42.80\00:40:44.47
Now, I'm reading Deuteronomy 5.
00:40:44.51\00:40:46.31
Is that at the beginning
or end of Moses's life?
00:40:46.34\00:40:49.71
It's the end of the 40 years.
00:40:49.74\00:40:51.18
So God gives them,
00:40:51.21\00:40:52.98
shortly after they
enter the wilderness,
00:40:53.01\00:40:55.88
God gives them
the Ten Commandments
00:40:55.92\00:40:57.92
and establishes this
new aspect of the covenant.
00:40:57.95\00:41:00.86
Now, when God gave the covenant
to Abraham, does it mention
00:41:00.89\00:41:03.09
the Ten
Commandments in Genesis 12?
00:41:03.12\00:41:05.66
No.
00:41:05.69\00:41:07.03
Did they have
the Ten Commandments?
00:41:07.03\00:41:08.56
Yes, the Bible says:
"Abraham kept My laws."
00:41:08.60\00:41:11.10
Was adultery a
sin in Abraham's day?
00:41:11.13\00:41:15.07
How do you know that?
00:41:15.10\00:41:17.11
Joseph said to Potiphar's wife,
00:41:17.14\00:41:19.21
"How can I do this
thing and sin against God?"
00:41:19.24\00:41:21.84
And when Abraham lied
about Sarah being his sister,
00:41:21.88\00:41:24.31
Abimelech and the Pharaoh
both chastised him, said,
00:41:24.35\00:41:27.22
"Lest we take your
wife and had slept with her.
00:41:27.25\00:41:30.12
That would have been a sin."
00:41:30.15\00:41:32.39
Was murder a sin
before the time of Abraham?
00:41:32.42\00:41:37.29
When Cain was conspiring
against his brother, God said,
00:41:37.33\00:41:41.56
"Sin lies at the door."
00:41:41.60\00:41:43.06
Murder was a sin.
00:41:43.10\00:41:44.43
The blood of
your brother, cries--
00:41:44.47\00:41:45.77
You go through all
the Ten Commandments.
00:41:45.80\00:41:47.47
Was the Sabbath established,
even way before Abraham?
00:41:47.50\00:41:52.24
Was it wrong to lie
or to steal or to covet?
00:41:52.27\00:41:55.98
Yeah, just-- so
the Ten Commandments
00:41:56.01\00:41:57.65
were sort of in their hearts.
00:41:57.68\00:41:59.45
It was sort of just self-evident
law, but the people,
00:41:59.48\00:42:03.45
after all their time in Egypt,
had grown so wicked, God said,
00:42:03.49\00:42:06.25
"We need to codify
this and write it down."
00:42:06.29\00:42:09.22
At the beginning of
the 40 years, He gives them
00:42:09.26\00:42:11.99
the Ten Commandments shortly
after they enter the wilderness.
00:42:12.03\00:42:15.06
Shortly before that they
entered the Promised Land,
00:42:15.10\00:42:17.57
it's repeated
again in Deuteronomy 5.
00:42:17.60\00:42:20.80
Just in case anyone thought
it had died during that--
00:42:20.84\00:42:23.51
the covenant had
changed during that 40 years.
00:42:23.54\00:42:26.21
Moses said, "No,
it's still the same."
00:42:26.24\00:42:28.11
Matter of fact,
in Deuteronomy 5,
00:42:28.14\00:42:29.61
He expands on
the Ten Commandments.
00:42:29.64\00:42:31.78
Does not change or take away.
00:42:31.81\00:42:34.58
And then you go on to the
section here, "Special People."
00:42:34.62\00:42:38.42
Deuteronomy 18, verse 9:
"When you come into the land
00:42:38.45\00:42:42.22
which the Lord
your God has given you,
00:42:42.26\00:42:43.99
you shall not learn to follow
00:42:44.03\00:42:46.19
the abominations
of those nations."
00:42:46.23\00:42:48.40
Now, how does that
apply to you and me today?
00:42:48.43\00:42:51.30
We're not moving to
the foreign mission field
00:42:51.33\00:42:53.77
where they have scary practices.
00:42:53.80\00:42:57.21
Or are we living
in a jungle right now?
00:42:57.24\00:43:03.18
If--when you come to Christ,
suddenly you're going to look
00:43:03.21\00:43:06.41
around and say, "I'm
surrounded by pagan nations."
00:43:06.45\00:43:12.29
You know what I mean?
00:43:12.32\00:43:14.29
The customs of the lost
world, it's like the Israelites
00:43:14.32\00:43:17.33
when they moved into Canaan.
00:43:17.36\00:43:18.66
They were surrounded
by these evil practices.
00:43:18.69\00:43:22.90
Moses warns them
against witchcraft, sorcery,
00:43:22.93\00:43:25.93
mediums, idolatry.
00:43:25.97\00:43:28.30
Do we have that in our society?
00:43:28.34\00:43:30.87
And so they were not to make
any league with those nations
00:43:30.91\00:43:33.98
or follow any
of their practices.
00:43:34.01\00:43:36.78
It says, "You shall not
learn to follow the abominations
00:43:36.81\00:43:39.15
of those nations."
00:43:39.18\00:43:41.95
Exodus 34:11, "Observe
what I command you this day.
00:43:41.98\00:43:45.65
Behold, I'm driving out
from before you the Amorite,
00:43:45.69\00:43:49.19
the Canaanite, the Hittite,
the Perizzite, the Hivite,
00:43:49.22\00:43:52.23
and the Jebusite."
00:43:52.26\00:43:53.93
I always want to
say, "And the termite."
00:43:53.96\00:43:57.33
"And take heed to yourself,
lest you make a covenant
00:43:57.37\00:44:00.44
with the inhabitants."
00:44:00.47\00:44:01.77
Now, God says, "I'm making
a saving covenant with you.
00:44:01.80\00:44:04.51
You shall not make a
covenant with the unbelievers."
00:44:04.54\00:44:07.44
What does Paul say? "Do
not be unequally yoked."
00:44:07.48\00:44:11.25
A yoke is an agreement.
00:44:11.28\00:44:12.85
Marriage would be an
agreement, with unbelievers,
00:44:12.88\00:44:16.38
or they'll start to change you.
00:44:16.42\00:44:19.99
"You shall not make a covenant
with the inhabitants of the land
00:44:20.02\00:44:22.66
where you're going, lest
it be a snare in your midst."
00:44:22.69\00:44:26.56
And you read in
Deuteronomy 7, verse 2:
00:44:26.59\00:44:29.10
"And when the Lord your
God delivers them over to you
00:44:29.13\00:44:31.53
and you conquer them,"
this is going to sound brutal,
00:44:31.57\00:44:33.64
but it's what it says.
00:44:33.67\00:44:35.14
"When the Lord
delivers," these pagan nations,
00:44:35.17\00:44:38.01
"and you conquer them
and utterly destroy them,
00:44:38.04\00:44:41.08
you will make no covenant
with them or show them mercy."
00:44:41.11\00:44:44.45
You know, some of them must have
lived or it would not be a risk
00:44:44.48\00:44:46.78
that they make
covenants with them.
00:44:46.82\00:44:48.12
It's interesting the
Bible says that God conquered
00:44:48.15\00:44:49.72
the Jebusites, but Jebusites
continued to live in Jerusalem
00:44:49.75\00:44:53.86
up until the time of David.
00:44:53.89\00:44:55.22
He had to conquer the Jebusites
again to get Jerusalem.
00:44:55.26\00:44:57.96
And then even after
David conquered Jerusalem,
00:44:57.99\00:45:01.66
there were still people
that were called Jebusites
00:45:01.70\00:45:04.10
that were in the land.
00:45:04.13\00:45:05.60
So they had not
exterminated them.
00:45:05.63\00:45:08.90
And Uriah, one of
David's faithful soldiers,
00:45:08.94\00:45:11.47
he was a Hittite, right?
00:45:11.51\00:45:13.94
But they converted.
00:45:13.98\00:45:15.28
So it's telling us
their, what do you call it,
00:45:15.31\00:45:17.28
their genealogy was from those
nations but they had converted.
00:45:17.31\00:45:20.68
It's like, Ruth was a
Moabite, there you go.
00:45:20.72\00:45:24.05
But she converted.
00:45:24.09\00:45:25.79
So they dwelt among them.
00:45:25.82\00:45:28.56
He said, "You shall
utterly destroy them.
00:45:28.59\00:45:31.53
Do not make a covenant
with them or show them mercy.
00:45:31.56\00:45:34.63
You shall not make
marriages with them.
00:45:34.66\00:45:36.56
You will not give your
daughter to their son or take
00:45:36.60\00:45:38.53
their daughter for your
son, for they will turn away--"
00:45:38.57\00:45:42.74
I'm missing up where I am.
00:45:42.77\00:45:45.77
Hang on.
00:45:45.81\00:45:47.31
"Your daughter, nor
turn-- nor take their daughter
00:45:47.34\00:45:50.61
for your son."
00:45:50.65\00:45:51.95
Marriage always
confuses me, sorry, the subject.
00:45:51.98\00:45:54.65
"For they'll turn
your sons from following Me
00:45:54.68\00:45:56.48
and serve other gods.
00:45:56.52\00:45:57.82
So the anger of the Lord
will be aroused against you
00:45:57.85\00:45:59.85
and destroy you suddenly,
00:45:59.89\00:46:02.39
but thus you
shall deal with them.
00:46:02.42\00:46:03.96
You shall destroy their altars,
break down their sacred pillars,
00:46:03.99\00:46:07.66
cut down their wooden
images, burn their carved images
00:46:07.66\00:46:10.93
with fire."
00:46:10.97\00:46:12.20
It's the kind of thing that King
Jehoash did and God blessed him
00:46:12.23\00:46:14.87
for having this revival
where he just cleaned house
00:46:14.90\00:46:19.01
from all of the idolatry
that had crept into the land.
00:46:19.04\00:46:22.48
And then Deuteronomy
26:16, there are some key words
00:46:22.51\00:46:25.18
here I want you to notice.
00:46:25.21\00:46:27.22
"This day the Lord your
God commands you to observe
00:46:27.25\00:46:30.05
these statutes and judgments.
00:46:30.09\00:46:31.62
Therefore you shall be
careful to observe them
00:46:31.65\00:46:33.72
with all of your heart
and with all of your soul.
00:46:33.76\00:46:35.69
Today you have proclaimed
that the Lord will be your God,
00:46:35.72\00:46:39.96
and that you'll walk in His
ways, and keep His statutes,
00:46:40.00\00:46:42.13
His commandments,
and His judgments,
00:46:42.16\00:46:43.70
and that you
will obey His voice.
00:46:43.73\00:46:45.17
Also today, the
Lord has proclaimed you
00:46:45.20\00:46:47.70
to be His special people."
00:46:47.74\00:46:49.74
Notice, this day, today, today.
00:46:49.77\00:46:54.68
So what does it say to us?
00:46:54.71\00:46:56.11
Today, when it
comes to the covenant?
00:46:56.14\00:46:59.48
That we need to resolve, "Today,
while you hear His voice,
00:46:59.51\00:47:03.95
do not harden your heart,"
00:47:03.99\00:47:05.45
that we are
going to be His people,
00:47:05.49\00:47:07.12
that we enter
into that covenant.
00:47:07.16\00:47:08.56
A lot of people who
say they're Christians know
00:47:08.59\00:47:10.33
they're not completely
surrendered and they say,
00:47:10.36\00:47:12.23
"One of these days, I'm
going to get around to it."
00:47:12.26\00:47:15.26
And years go by and they haven't
gotten around to dealing with
00:47:15.30\00:47:17.87
those things in their life they
know they need to deal with.
00:47:17.90\00:47:20.87
So Moses is emphasizing,
"Today, today, today,"
00:47:20.90\00:47:23.51
three times in that passage.
00:47:23.54\00:47:25.97
And then he says, in the
section under "Other Images,"
00:47:26.01\00:47:31.58
Deuteronomy 14:1:
00:47:31.61\00:47:33.35
"You are the
children of the Lord your God.
00:47:33.38\00:47:35.78
You shall not cut
yourselves or shave the front
00:47:35.82\00:47:38.79
of your head for the dead."
00:47:38.82\00:47:40.36
Notice, "For the dead."
00:47:40.39\00:47:43.16
"For you're a holy
people to the Lord your God,
00:47:43.19\00:47:45.76
and the Lord's chosen you
to be a people for Himself,
00:47:45.79\00:47:48.16
a special treasure above
all the people on the face
00:47:48.20\00:47:50.60
of the earth."
00:47:50.63\00:47:51.93
Leviticus 19:28: "You
shall not make any cuttings
00:47:51.97\00:47:54.70
in your flesh for the dead
or tattoo any marks on you.
00:47:54.74\00:47:58.21
I am the Lord."
00:47:58.24\00:48:00.48
That's--seems some people aren't
reading that verse anymore.
00:48:00.51\00:48:04.95
By the way,
there is forgiveness,
00:48:04.98\00:48:07.18
but God's pretty
clear, your body's a temple
00:48:07.22\00:48:08.72
of the Holy Spirit.
00:48:08.75\00:48:10.05
It's not a billboard
for your own graffiti.
00:48:10.09\00:48:12.29
It be holy to the Lord.
00:48:12.32\00:48:14.62
Leviticus 21:5: "They
shall not make any bald places
00:48:14.66\00:48:18.29
on their heads nor
shall they shave the edges
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.13
of their beards."
00:48:20.16\00:48:21.43
Some people think, "Oh, yeah,
we're not supposed to ever shave
00:48:21.46\00:48:23.77
our beard," and I've
had different denominations
00:48:23.80\00:48:26.57
have come to me and says,
"If you don't have a beard,
00:48:26.60\00:48:28.24
you can't be saved," really.
00:48:28.27\00:48:30.64
You'll be okay, Mike.
00:48:30.67\00:48:32.01
You've got a
beard, you'll be safe.
00:48:32.04\00:48:33.74
And then they quote this verse.
00:48:33.78\00:48:35.24
This ain't nothing to do
with saying it's wrong to shave.
00:48:35.28\00:48:37.71
The context was they
used to do this for the dead.
00:48:37.75\00:48:40.85
When their dead died, they
would shave off their head,
00:48:40.88\00:48:44.12
they'd cut off their beard,
and they'd cut their flesh.
00:48:44.15\00:48:47.86
He said, "You're not to
mutilate yourself in any way
00:48:47.89\00:48:49.79
for the dead, as the pagans do."
00:48:49.82\00:48:52.56
And so, the Bible says before
Joseph became prime minister,
00:48:52.59\00:48:55.20
he shaved.
00:48:55.23\00:48:56.93
So it's not a sin to shave.
00:48:56.97\00:48:58.27
Anyway, just in case you
ever wondered, that was free.
00:48:58.30\00:49:01.70
So God did not want them
to imitate the pagan practices
00:49:01.74\00:49:06.01
of the nations that
surrounded them or, if they did,
00:49:06.04\00:49:09.54
they were chastened.
00:49:09.58\00:49:11.18
Deuteronomy 8:5: "You
should know in your heart,
00:49:11.21\00:49:13.21
as a man chastens his
son, so the Lord chastens you."
00:49:13.25\00:49:16.38
He chastened them
many times, but praise God,
00:49:16.42\00:49:19.35
He never forgot
His covenant, amen?
00:49:19.39\00:49:21.79
Because the covenant
is still alive today.
00:49:21.82\00:49:24.56
God has made a covenant,
the blood of Jesus, to save us.
00:49:24.59\00:49:27.20
God bless you, friends.
00:49:27.23\00:49:29.70
We are out of time for our study
today but if you didn't hear
00:49:29.73\00:49:34.60
the announcement
at the beginning,
00:49:34.64\00:49:35.94
we have a free gift dealing with
"Determining the Will of God."
00:49:35.97\00:49:39.47
And if you'd like a copy
of this, it's simply call
00:49:39.64\00:49:43.51
866-Study-More where you
can ask for Offer number 78--
00:49:43.55\00:49:48.78
I'm sorry, 778, and--
or you can text "SH025,"
00:49:48.82\00:49:54.06
text that to 40544.
00:49:54.09\00:49:56.86
You can download a copy of that.
00:49:56.89\00:49:58.59
God bless you.
00:49:58.63\00:49:59.93
We'll look forward to
reading and studying His Word
00:49:59.96\00:50:01.96
together again next time.
00:50:02.00\00:50:03.50
male announcer:
Don't forget to request
00:50:06.30\00:50:07.60
today's
life-changing free resource.
00:50:07.64\00:50:09.57
Not only can you receive
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you can download a digital
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00:50:11.84\00:50:14.21
or mobile device.
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To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:50:15.84\00:50:18.48
simply text the
keyword on your screen to 40544
00:50:18.51\00:50:22.42
or visit the web
address shown on your screen
00:50:22.45\00:50:25.39
and be sure to select
the digital download option
00:50:25.42\00:50:27.72
on the request page.
00:50:27.76\00:50:29.16
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word
00:50:29.19\00:50:32.06
with Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want.
00:50:32.09\00:50:35.53
And most important,
to share it with others.
00:50:35.56\00:50:38.07
Diana Dixon: My
name's Diana Dixon.
00:50:44.31\00:50:46.07
I'm a professional truck
driver, and August 4, 2011,
00:50:46.11\00:50:49.98
I stopped to
help in an accident.
00:50:50.01\00:50:51.88
male: Diana Dixon
also tried to help.
00:50:51.91\00:50:53.82
She parked her semi, jumped out,
and headed toward the pick-up.
00:50:53.85\00:50:57.55
That's when she saw
vehicles barreling toward her
00:50:57.59\00:51:00.62
so she reacted by
jumping off 475 to a road below.
00:51:00.66\00:51:05.09
Diana: Well, a
pick-up had clipped a semi,
00:51:05.13\00:51:07.00
and I stopped to help
and I saw it in the mirror,
00:51:07.03\00:51:08.76
so I walked back.
00:51:08.80\00:51:10.10
A gentleman told me, he says,
00:51:10.13\00:51:11.43
"Hey, you know,
everything's okay.
00:51:11.47\00:51:12.77
Call 911."
00:51:12.80\00:51:14.10
And I looked over at the pick-up
and there was a black pick-up
00:51:14.14\00:51:16.60
over there and he was okay.
00:51:16.64\00:51:17.94
At about that time, I
don't know how far I walked,
00:51:17.97\00:51:20.14
but I walked far enough and
a semi hit him and it imploded.
00:51:20.18\00:51:25.75
I knew it was going to hit me.
00:51:25.78\00:51:27.12
I had 30 seconds to
decide and I decided to jump."
00:51:27.15\00:51:30.95
Diana: [recorded phone call]
Yeah, I jumped off the bridge.
00:51:30.99\00:51:33.12
My back's broken.
00:51:33.15\00:51:34.49
dispatcher: Where are you at?
00:51:34.52\00:51:37.46
Diana: [recorded
phone call] I don't know.
00:51:37.49\00:51:38.99
Diana: Fractured my pelvis
in 24 places, 5 broken ribs,
00:51:39.36\00:51:42.76
C5 neck fracture, I
had a collapsed lung,
00:51:42.80\00:51:46.13
I had a lacerated bladder,
I was bleeding internally,
00:51:46.17\00:51:49.64
I had no marks
on the outside of me
00:51:49.67\00:51:51.87
at all but a scrape where my
arm had scraped the concrete.
00:51:51.91\00:51:54.58
From the chest
down, I was on fire.
00:51:54.61\00:51:57.05
I was a dispatcher for a
year after the accident and
00:51:57.08\00:52:00.72
I went back, finished my degree,
and I went to Pittsburgh.
00:52:00.75\00:52:04.42
Threw a backpack over my back,
00:52:04.45\00:52:06.76
walked like all
the other students.
00:52:06.79\00:52:08.86
I ran a marathon and
I'm-- since then I've been back
00:52:08.89\00:52:12.66
to truck-driving.
00:52:12.69\00:52:14.00
There was a gentleman I worked
with and one day he was walking
00:52:14.00\00:52:17.13
in and he walked up to my
desk and I was reading my Bible.
00:52:17.17\00:52:20.27
And he says,
"Are you a believer?"
00:52:20.30\00:52:22.70
And I said, "Yes."
00:52:22.74\00:52:24.34
And he gave me some
"Amazing Facts" study guides
00:52:24.37\00:52:26.98
and it just--it was an
eye-opening experience for me.
00:52:27.01\00:52:31.28
I mean, I started reading them
and I had a bunch of questions
00:52:31.31\00:52:33.35
to ask him, so I got online
and I got on the "Amazing Facts"
00:52:33.38\00:52:37.52
web page and I
just found information
00:52:37.55\00:52:41.56
just that I'd never known.
00:52:41.59\00:52:43.73
I went back to
work as a truck driver
00:52:43.76\00:52:45.46
because that was my ministry.
00:52:45.49\00:52:47.03
It was my ministry
before the accident
00:52:47.03\00:52:49.33
and I was driving down
the road and I just needed
00:52:49.36\00:52:52.43
a connection and I was
flipping through and somehow
00:52:52.47\00:52:54.74
I ended up on YouTube
and next thing I know,
00:52:54.77\00:52:58.04
"Amazing Facts," one of
those things would come up
00:52:58.07\00:53:00.24
there and I listened to it.
00:53:00.28\00:53:02.28
I'm driving down the
road, I got 11 hours of driving.
00:53:02.31\00:53:07.12
So I listened to one, I
listened to another one.
00:53:07.15\00:53:09.38
And the more I listened to
him, everything that I thought
00:53:09.42\00:53:11.32
in my heart, I'd just click
on to one of these YouTubes
00:53:11.35\00:53:14.06
and there he was
giving me the answer.
00:53:14.09\00:53:15.92
I walked in
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:53:15.96\00:53:17.59
for the first time
and I felt at home.
00:53:17.63\00:53:20.96
I was baptized in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:53:20.96\00:53:23.67
because I had found the truth
that I just was searching for
00:53:23.70\00:53:28.24
and I'd been praying about.
00:53:28.27\00:53:29.67
"Amazing Facts" has been such
an inspiration and important
00:53:29.70\00:53:33.11
for my coming back into
ministry that I want to be able
00:53:33.14\00:53:37.91
to give back to anyone
that I can and "Amazing Facts"
00:53:37.95\00:53:41.18
is the backbone of my ministry.
00:53:41.22\00:53:45.55
My name is Diana Dixon.
00:53:45.59\00:53:47.42
Thank you for changing my life.
00:53:47.46\00:53:49.29
¤¤¤
00:53:50.16\00:53:56.73
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" Changed Lives.
00:53:56.77\00:53:59.43
female: Well, my
conversion story is when I was
00:54:04.77\00:54:08.31
in the Philippines, I
just graduated as a nurse
00:54:08.34\00:54:13.21
and afterwards I did not
have any religion and one time
00:54:13.25\00:54:17.42
I found myself
inside a small church,
00:54:17.45\00:54:21.86
Catholic church, in
Manila, and before a big cross.
00:54:21.89\00:54:27.50
And I was kneeling before and
I could hear Jesus telling me
00:54:27.50\00:54:32.73
to enter the convent,
save myself and also my family.
00:54:32.77\00:54:37.91
And I said, "Lord, I would
like to follow You all the way."
00:54:37.94\00:54:40.78
At that point, I
seemed to be happy externally,
00:54:40.81\00:54:44.85
but because inside the
convent we don't read the Bible,
00:54:44.88\00:54:48.72
we don't study
about the Word of God.
00:54:48.75\00:54:51.29
We prayed the rosaries,
we also at the same time
00:54:51.32\00:54:55.09
studied the lives of the
saints and also our founders,
00:54:55.12\00:54:59.03
and the encyclicals of
the Pope and the Virgin Mary.
00:54:59.06\00:55:03.63
And so I do not know the
truth and I had this torture of
00:55:03.67\00:55:07.30
conscience, the guilty feelings
that cannot be resolved.
00:55:07.34\00:55:11.91
So I would confess to the priest
in the confessional box, saying,
00:55:11.94\00:55:15.31
"Father, forgive me.
00:55:15.34\00:55:17.98
Since my last
confession was last week.
00:55:18.01\00:55:20.72
Since then I have
committed the following sin
00:55:20.75\00:55:23.65
including the root cause:
why am I falling and falling
00:55:23.69\00:55:27.16
in that same sin
over and over again."
00:55:27.19\00:55:31.13
And still for 21 long
years, I struggle and I struggle
00:55:31.16\00:55:35.96
and I struggle.
00:55:36.00\00:55:38.10
I realized that I
was totally empty,
00:55:38.13\00:55:41.74
I was totally
helpless and hopeless,
00:55:41.77\00:55:44.67
and so
depressed, and so desperate
00:55:44.71\00:55:48.01
that I would like
already to end my life.
00:55:48.04\00:55:50.91
I was working for five
years as dean of the University
00:55:50.95\00:55:54.78
of San Agustin College
of Nursing in Iloilo City,
00:55:54.82\00:55:58.99
one of the islands
in the Philippines.
00:55:59.02\00:56:01.99
After five years I received
a commission from my parents
00:56:02.02\00:56:07.30
to help my sister who
is being a battered woman.
00:56:07.36\00:56:11.80
This is one of the reasons why
I came over to United States.
00:56:11.83\00:56:16.81
It is because my
sister needs my help.
00:56:16.84\00:56:20.78
As I was working in
the hospital in New York,
00:56:20.81\00:56:23.61
my boss-- he was
so gracious enough
00:56:23.65\00:56:26.21
to give me an invitation
to the Millennium Prophecy.
00:56:26.25\00:56:30.42
As I was listening to Pastor
Doug Batchelor's presentation,
00:56:30.45\00:56:34.86
my heart really was
beating so fast, and my mind,
00:56:34.89\00:56:39.43
I'm able to grasp the
truth, that this is the truth
00:56:39.46\00:56:44.83
that I've been
longing to hear all my life,
00:56:44.87\00:56:47.90
that I have been
seeking for so long.
00:56:47.94\00:56:51.44
My personal
relationship with Jesus,
00:56:51.47\00:56:54.28
I can see Jesus as
my personal Savior.
00:56:54.31\00:56:58.01
He is not only the
Savior of the whole world
00:56:58.05\00:57:00.92
but He is my personal Savior.
00:57:00.95\00:57:04.32
He was the one who delivered me
mightily from the depths of sin,
00:57:04.35\00:57:10.26
from the mighty clay.
00:57:10.29\00:57:12.13
Pastor Doug Batchelor
has been used by the Lord
00:57:12.16\00:57:15.46
in my conversion.
00:57:15.50\00:57:17.37
The Amazing
Facts, I owe to them.
00:57:17.40\00:57:20.57
The Lord really blessed
this ministry and I'm so proud
00:57:20.60\00:57:25.67
I was able to attend
this Millennium Prophecy.
00:57:25.71\00:57:29.31
My life has never been the same.
00:57:29.34\00:57:32.05
It has given me the
peace, the joy, that never--
00:57:32.08\00:57:37.52
I have never tasted in my life,
and now I am set free to be able
00:57:37.55\00:57:43.56
to work for Him
and to follow Him.
00:57:43.59\00:57:46.90
¤¤¤
00:57:46.93\00:57:56.07
¤¤¤
00:57:57.31\00:58:07.38