The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says to,
"Receive with meekness
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the implanted Word,
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which is able
to save your souls.
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And to be diligent
to present yourself
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approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is
"The Least of These."
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Hello and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I'm Jill Morikone.
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And we're so glad that
you have joined us today
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for a study of the Word of God.
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We're in the third
quarter of the second lesson
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on "The Least of These,"
ministering to those in need.
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This lesson is
Blueprint for a Better World.
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And I'm excited
about the truth found
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in God's Word that we're
going to unpack as it were today
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during our study together.
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Before we go any further,
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I want to
introduce to you our panel,
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which we are all friends here,
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brothers and
sisters here in the Lord.
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On my left is Pastor Ryan
Day, privilege to have you here.
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It's a blessing to
be here. Thank you.
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On your left is Pastor
John Lomacang, my pastor here.
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Thank you, Pastor John.
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It's good to be on this panel.
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Absolutely.
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And to your left, it's
my sister Shelley Quinn.
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Thank you, Shelley.
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It's wonderful to be
here with all of you.
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And it's a real
privilege to have
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Miss Mollie Sue
Steenson back again,
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and we're just so
delighted that you could join us
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for a portion of the
Sabbath School Panel.
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I am delighted to be here.
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Before we go any
further, we want to tell you
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how you can get your own copy
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of the Sabbath School quarterly.
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You can go to
ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That stands for
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AdultBibleStudyGuide.
Adventist.org.
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You can download your own
copy and follow along with us.
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Or we always encourage you
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to visit your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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They would give you a quarterly
and they would invite you
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to study along with them.
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Before we go any further
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into Blueprint
for a Better World,
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we want to go to
the Lord in prayer,
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before we open up His Word.
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And, Ryan,
would you pray for us?
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Absolutely.
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Father in heaven, Lord, we
just praise You on this day
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and thank You so
much for the opportunity
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to share Your Word.
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Lord, we need Your
Holy Spirit right now
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that every word, every action,
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every thought will be
that of Jesus and that
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may this
beautiful lesson go forward
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and bless the hearts
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and minds of Your people.
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Lord, I pray
that You will give us
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again the spiritual eyesight,
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and the spiritual hearing,
the spiritual mind of Christ
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to be able to rightly
divide Your Word at this moment.
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May You draw us closer to You
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and closer to each
other in the process.
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We ask this in
Jesus' holy name, amen.
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Amen.
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God has always desired
connection with His people.
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Our God is a
God of relationship.
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I think about Adam and Eve
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and God would come and
walk and talk with them
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in the cool of the day.
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The Israelites, what did He say?
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"Let them make Me a sanctuary
that I may dwell with them,
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dwell among them."
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Exodus 29:46.
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He said, "They shall know
that I am the Lord their God,
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who brought them out
of the land of Egypt,
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that I might dwell with them."
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He wants to dwell with us.
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He wants to come
down in tabernacle
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and pitch His tent
as it were with us.
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1 Kings 6:13.
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He said, "I will dwell
among the sons of Israel
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and will not
forsake My people Israel."
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Zechariah 2:10,
"'Sing for joy and be glad,
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O daughter of Zion.
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I am coming and I will dwell
in your midst,' says the Lord."
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We know John 1:14.
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"And the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us,
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and we beheld His glory."
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And we get all the way
to the end of the Bible,
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Revelation 21:3,
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"And I heard a loud
voice from the throne saying,
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'Behold, the
tabernacle of God is among men,
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and He will dwell with them,
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and they shall be His people,
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and God Himself
will be with them.'"
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God's always
wanted to dwell with us
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to pitch His tent
and to settle down
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and take up residence with us.
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He's always had a people
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with whom He had a
special relationship.
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I think of Enoch,
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and he had such a
special relationship,
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he was translated.
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I think of Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
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Joseph, Moses,
the list can go on,
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these people that God had
a special relationship with,
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and He wants to restore
man's broken relationship
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so that we can be restored back
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into right
relationship with Him.
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He said that to
Abraham, Genesis 12,
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this is part of the blessing,
promise that were to Abraham.
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Genesis 12:2-3,
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"I will make you a great nation,
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I will bless you and
make your name great,
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you shall be a blessing.
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I will bless
those who bless you,
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and I will curse
him who curses you.
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And in you all the families
of the earth shall be blessed."
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God not only wants to restore
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the broken
relationship we have with God,
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but He wants to restore
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our broken
relationship with each other
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so that we can dwell
with each other as well.
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This week, we look at the laws,
the festivals, the practices
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that enable God's people
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to live and
receive His blessing,
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and to be able to
pour that blessing
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out to other people.
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Our memory text
is Leviticus 19:18,
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and this is quoted
in the New Testament,
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actually the second half of
this verse, Leviticus 19:18.
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"You shall not take
vengeance, nor bear any grudge
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against the
children of your people,
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but you shall love
your neighbor as yourself.
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I am the Lord."
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On Sunday, we look
at the God who hears,
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talking about deliverance
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from Egyptian
bondage and slavery.
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You know, God called His people,
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the Israelites, to
be His representatives.
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He called Abraham and
then his seed by extension.
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And we know
Joseph went into Egypt
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and the rest of the
family came down into Egypt.
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But after Joseph died,
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they began to increase
in number and multiply.
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If you read Exodus 1:7,
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there's five verbs
that are mentioned here.
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And they
all...reference, you could say,
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the supernatural multiplication
of the children of Israel.
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Exodus 1:7 says,
"The children of Israel
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were fruitful and
increased abundantly,
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multiplied and
grew exceedingly mighty,
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and the land was
filled with them."
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And then the Bible
says a new king arose,
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who did not know Joseph,
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and the children of
Israel found themselves slaves
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as it were in the land of Egypt.
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They were forced into
servitude to make bricks
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and cities and
service in the field.
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And then the king
decided that wasn't enough,
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and he's going to
start killing the baby boys
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who were born.
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They went through 400 years
of slavery and bondage there
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before God brought them
out through the hand of Moses.
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God promised to deliver them
yet they were left as slaves.
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And it almost appeared
as if God was being silent.
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That's what we're
gonna talk about today.
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What do we do in the times
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when it appears
that God is silent?
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I don't know
about you on the panel,
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but I've had
times in my own life
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where it almost seems
like God is silent right now.
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Job experienced that.
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Job 30:20, he
says, "I cry out to you,
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but You do not answer me.
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I stand up and You regard me."
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In the NIV, it says,
"I cry out to you, God,
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but you do not answer.
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I stand up, but
you merely look at me."
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I'm here to tell you
when it seems God is silent,
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He is not absent.
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When it seems God is
silent, He is not still.
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When it seems God is
silent, He is not finished.
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And that's what we see
with the children of Israel
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and what we're gonna see
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in our own lives
and hearts with God.
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David cried out the
same cry in Psalm 22,
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which is
actually what Jesus cried
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when He was on
the cross, verses 1-2,
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"My God, my God, why
have You forsaken me?"
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When it seems God is silent,
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we are called to
trust the promise,
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not the perception.
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We're called to
trust Him in the storm
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as well as in the sunshine.
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We're called to trust Him
by faith, not our feelings.
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So, Pastor
John, this is for you.
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When God is silent,
here are five things
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that God is doing?
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So when it seems God is silent,
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here are five
things God is doing.
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I'm gonna tell you the
five and then we'll unpack them.
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He hears, He cares,
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He comforts, He accompanies,
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and He delivers, the
last one's my favorite.
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So let's start with He hears.
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This is the children of
Israel, crying out to God.
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Exodus 2:23,
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"The children of Israel
groaned because of the bondage,
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and they cried out,
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and their cry came up to
God because of the bondage."
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Verse 24.
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"So God heard their
groaning and God remembered
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His covenant with Abraham,
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with Isaac, and with Jacob."
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God heard their groaning
there in the land of Egypt.
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Exodus 3:7, "And the
Lord said, 'I have surely seen
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the oppression of My
people who are in Egypt,
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and I've heard their cry
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because of their taskmasters,
for I know their sorrows.'"
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So God hears.
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It might seem like He's
silent and you're not hearing
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from Him, but He hears your cry.
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Number two, He cares.
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Not a sparrow
falls to the ground
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without the notice
and the care and the love
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of our heavenly Father.
00:10:17.48\00:10:19.25
I think it's Psalm 34:18.
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"The Lord is near
the broken-hearted
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and He saves those who
are crushed in spirit."
00:10:24.62\00:10:28.89
Even though it might seem
like He's silent, He cares.
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Number three, He comforts.
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How does He comfort us?
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He comforts us by His Word.
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Psalm 119:49-50.
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"Remember the word
to Your servant upon
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which you have
caused me to hope.
00:10:44.87\00:10:47.28
This is my
comfort in my affliction,
00:10:47.31\00:10:49.74
for Your word
has given me life."
00:10:49.78\00:10:53.28
So what was David
the Psalmist's comfort
00:10:53.31\00:10:55.78
when he's going
through a time of silence?
00:10:55.82\00:10:58.79
What is his comfort?
00:10:58.82\00:11:00.22
God's Word had given him life.
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God comforts us by His word,
He comforts us by His Spirit.
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2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
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"Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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the Father of mercies
and the God of all comfort,
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who comforts us in
all our tribulation
00:11:17.34\00:11:19.57
that we may be
able to comfort those
00:11:19.61\00:11:21.38
who are in
trouble, with the comfort
00:11:21.41\00:11:23.88
with which we
ourselves are comforted by God."
00:11:23.91\00:11:26.35
Now it says the word
comfort, Pastor Ryan,
00:11:26.38\00:11:28.18
a whole bunch of times,
in those couple of verses.
00:11:28.22\00:11:31.02
But it says God is
comforting us and Jesus,
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but the word for
comfort, two of those places,
00:11:33.52\00:11:36.83
is a spinoff of parakletos,
which we know is the comfort
00:11:36.86\00:11:40.90
that the Holy
Spirit brings to us.
00:11:40.93\00:11:44.10
So we're
comforted by God the Father
00:11:44.13\00:11:46.37
but also by the Holy Spirit.
00:11:46.40\00:11:49.27
We're also
comforted by His presence,
00:11:49.30\00:11:51.54
the Lord's.
00:11:51.57\00:11:53.68
David Psalm, the shepherd Psalm,
00:11:53.71\00:11:55.48
Psalm 23:4,
00:11:55.51\00:11:57.61
"Yea, though I
walk through the valley
00:11:57.65\00:11:59.21
of the shadow of death,
00:11:59.25\00:12:00.58
I will fear no evil
for You are with me."
00:12:00.62\00:12:04.12
That's His presence
bringing us comfort.
00:12:04.15\00:12:07.12
"Your rod and your
staff, they comfort me."
00:12:07.16\00:12:09.36
Number four, He accompanies us.
00:12:09.39\00:12:12.53
He doesn't just hear,
00:12:12.56\00:12:14.06
He doesn't just care or comfort,
00:12:14.10\00:12:16.77
but He walks
with us in the midst
00:12:16.80\00:12:19.90
of the fiery furnace.
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.37
Think of the three Hebrews,
00:12:21.40\00:12:22.74
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
00:12:22.77\00:12:24.57
Christ walked
with them in the fire.
00:12:24.61\00:12:27.34
Hebrews 13:5, He said,
"I will never leave you,
00:12:27.38\00:12:30.28
I will never forsake you."
00:12:30.31\00:12:32.21
And finally,
number five, He delivers.
00:12:32.25\00:12:34.68
He delivers us from bondage.
00:12:34.72\00:12:37.69
Back to Exodus
3:7-8, "The Lord said,
00:12:37.72\00:12:41.12
'I have seen the oppression
of My people who are in Egypt,
00:12:41.16\00:12:43.89
I have heard their cry,
and I know their sorrows.
00:12:43.93\00:12:47.06
I have come down to deliver them
00:12:47.10\00:12:50.10
out of the land
of the Egyptians.'"
00:12:50.13\00:12:52.47
You might feel
like you are in the land
00:12:52.50\00:12:54.07
of the Egyptians,
in the land of bondage.
00:12:54.10\00:12:56.20
God can deliver
you from bondage.
00:12:56.24\00:12:58.67
God can deliver
you from trouble.
00:12:58.71\00:13:01.14
Psalm 34:17, "The righteous cry,
00:13:01.18\00:13:03.81
the Lord hears and delivers them
00:13:03.85\00:13:06.08
from all their troubles."
00:13:06.11\00:13:07.82
God can deliver you from fear.
00:13:07.85\00:13:10.32
Psalm 34:4, "I sought the Lord,
00:13:10.35\00:13:12.65
and He heard
me, and delivered me
00:13:12.69\00:13:14.42
from all my fears."
00:13:14.46\00:13:15.79
That's right.
00:13:15.82\00:13:17.16
Most importantly,
God delivers us from sin.
00:13:17.19\00:13:20.00
Matthew 1:21,
00:13:20.03\00:13:21.93
"He shall save His
people from their sin."
00:13:21.96\00:13:26.20
God delivers us.
00:13:26.23\00:13:27.57
So the
Israelites were not alone.
00:13:27.60\00:13:29.10
It felt like God was silent,
00:13:29.14\00:13:30.77
but He was on His
way to deliver them.
00:13:30.81\00:13:32.77
Amen. Wow.
00:13:32.81\00:13:34.14
Beautiful. That
is wonderful. Amen.
00:13:34.18\00:13:36.48
Monday's lesson is
entitled The Ten Commandments.
00:13:36.51\00:13:39.38
And so when we're considering
the topic of, you know,
00:13:39.41\00:13:42.85
"The Least of These,"
as we're talking about
00:13:42.88\00:13:44.32
"The Least of These,"
00:13:44.35\00:13:45.69
you know, embracing,
and serving, and loving,
00:13:45.72\00:13:47.59
and ministering to
our brothers in need,
00:13:47.62\00:13:49.62
our brothers
and sisters in need,
00:13:49.66\00:13:51.86
you know, what better
place to point someone
00:13:51.89\00:13:54.30
to then the moral law of God?
00:13:54.33\00:13:56.03
And I'm gonna take
00:13:56.06\00:13:57.40
a little bit of a
different approach on this,
00:13:57.43\00:13:58.80
but I'm just gonna do
a little bit of a review
00:13:58.83\00:14:01.30
of what many of
us may already know,
00:14:01.34\00:14:03.24
but there may be someone
watching this show, goes,
00:14:03.27\00:14:04.77
"I've never heard this before,"
and that is just for them.
00:14:04.81\00:14:08.64
What is sin?
00:14:08.68\00:14:10.18
And the reason
why I'm asking that
00:14:10.21\00:14:11.55
is because the one thing
00:14:11.58\00:14:12.91
that's going to
really separate us
00:14:12.95\00:14:15.18
as brothers and
sisters in Christ,
00:14:15.22\00:14:17.22
and more importantly,
separate us from God is sin.
00:14:17.25\00:14:20.19
That Great Controversy,
Battle Between Good and Evil,
00:14:20.22\00:14:22.39
of course, is really
00:14:22.42\00:14:25.73
it's all about this sin problem
00:14:25.76\00:14:27.50
and how Christ has
overcome the sin of the world.
00:14:27.53\00:14:30.73
But I want to start
us in Matthew 22:37-40.
00:14:30.77\00:14:36.24
While you're finding that, I
just want to remind us again,
00:14:36.27\00:14:38.61
1 John 3:4 really highlights
00:14:38.64\00:14:41.14
and gives us a
nice biblical definition
00:14:41.18\00:14:43.11
of what this sin
problem really is.
00:14:43.14\00:14:45.08
1 John 3:4 says,
00:14:45.11\00:14:47.55
"Whosoever commits sin
also commits lawlessness,
00:14:47.58\00:14:50.09
and sin is lawlessness."
00:14:50.12\00:14:52.79
Of course, this is the
New King James Version,
00:14:52.82\00:14:54.46
King James Version says,
00:14:54.49\00:14:55.82
"Sin is none other
than the transgression
00:14:55.86\00:14:57.69
of the law of God."
00:14:57.73\00:14:59.36
And so we have this sin problem,
00:14:59.39\00:15:01.76
it needs to be addressed.
00:15:01.80\00:15:03.40
And it's interesting
because in Matthew 22,
00:15:03.43\00:15:07.24
Christ brings about
the concept of the law,
00:15:07.27\00:15:10.31
perhaps maybe like nobody
had ever described it before,
00:15:10.34\00:15:13.24
at least up to
this particular time.
00:15:13.27\00:15:14.91
I can imagine the
Pharisees and the Sadducees
00:15:14.94\00:15:16.95
and all the people of
His time listening closely
00:15:16.98\00:15:19.31
to what He was
saying, in fact, some of them
00:15:19.35\00:15:21.08
would walk away and
say, these are hard words,
00:15:21.12\00:15:22.82
these are tough things to hear.
00:15:22.85\00:15:24.19
But He would say
things such as...
00:15:24.22\00:15:25.69
we're gonna read
here, Matthew 22,
00:15:25.72\00:15:27.32
beginning with verse 37.
00:15:27.36\00:15:28.86
Jesus said to them,
00:15:28.89\00:15:30.23
"You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart,
00:15:30.26\00:15:33.26
with all your soul,
00:15:33.29\00:15:34.63
and with all your mind."
00:15:34.66\00:15:36.63
This is the first
and great commandment.
00:15:36.67\00:15:39.63
And I can imagine
some of them were probably
00:15:39.67\00:15:41.74
a little confused, like,
"What do you mean by that?"
00:15:41.77\00:15:43.44
Because that wasn't necessarily
the first commandment
00:15:43.47\00:15:46.04
of the Ten Commandments.
00:15:46.07\00:15:47.41
But we'll get to
that. Notice verse 39.
00:15:47.44\00:15:49.14
He adds, He says,
"And the second is like it,
00:15:49.18\00:15:51.31
'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.'
00:15:51.35\00:15:54.38
On these two commandments
hang all the law and prophets."
00:15:54.42\00:16:00.56
And how is that the case?
00:16:00.59\00:16:02.36
Let's jump over to Exodus 20.
00:16:02.39\00:16:04.56
I just want us to do
a little bit of review.
00:16:04.59\00:16:07.83
You know, I'm amazed
00:16:07.86\00:16:09.20
by how most people are aware
00:16:09.23\00:16:11.93
or familiar with
the Ten Commandments,
00:16:11.97\00:16:13.50
but I'm finding
that more and more of us
00:16:13.54\00:16:15.10
need to take a look back at them
00:16:15.14\00:16:16.57
just to be reminded of
what God's law really is.
00:16:16.60\00:16:19.61
Exodus 20, of course,
00:16:19.64\00:16:21.18
is where you're gonna find
00:16:21.21\00:16:22.64
the first verbal
record of the Ten Commandments
00:16:22.68\00:16:25.18
and the written record
00:16:25.21\00:16:26.55
of the Ten
Commandments given in scripture.
00:16:26.58\00:16:28.18
And it's interesting
when you review these,
00:16:28.22\00:16:30.25
notice back in Matthew,
00:16:30.29\00:16:31.62
I'm just gonna quote
Matthew 22:37-40 again,
00:16:31.65\00:16:34.16
more specifically, verse 40,
00:16:34.19\00:16:35.86
Jesus says, "On
these two commandments...
00:16:35.89\00:16:37.39
Love the Lord God
00:16:37.43\00:16:38.76
with all your
heart, mind, soul."
00:16:38.79\00:16:40.16
And of course,
00:16:40.20\00:16:41.53
"Love your
neighbor as yourself."
00:16:41.56\00:16:42.90
He says, "On
these two commandments
00:16:42.93\00:16:44.30
hang all the law
and the prophets."
00:16:44.33\00:16:46.57
And it's interesting,
when you begin to read
00:16:46.60\00:16:48.30
through these Ten
Commandments found in Exodus 20,
00:16:48.34\00:16:52.47
you will notice something
if you pay close attention.
00:16:52.51\00:16:54.71
The first four commandments
are dealing directly
00:16:54.74\00:16:57.58
with our relationship with God.
00:16:57.61\00:17:00.25
So it's not that
Christ is necessarily bringing
00:17:00.28\00:17:02.88
a new concept about,
00:17:02.92\00:17:04.62
it's already
established in Scripture.
00:17:04.65\00:17:06.62
But the fact that He's
bringing our attention back
00:17:06.65\00:17:08.92
to loving the Lord God
00:17:08.96\00:17:10.29
with all our heart, mind, soul,
00:17:10.33\00:17:11.66
if you're keeping the
first four commandments
00:17:11.69\00:17:14.16
of the Ten Commandments,
then again, as He said,
00:17:14.20\00:17:16.56
"On these two
commandments hang all the law,"
00:17:16.60\00:17:18.50
you've kept the
first four commandments
00:17:18.53\00:17:20.37
if you truly do
respond in loving God
00:17:20.40\00:17:22.30
with all your
heart, mind, and soul.
00:17:22.34\00:17:24.31
And then, of course,
you will notice the last
00:17:24.34\00:17:26.21
six commandments are
dealing with our relationship
00:17:26.24\00:17:28.88
with our fellow man,
00:17:28.91\00:17:30.25
our brothers and
sisters in Christ.
00:17:30.28\00:17:31.68
And so again, on
these two hang all the law.
00:17:31.71\00:17:34.18
If you're keeping
the last six commandments
00:17:34.22\00:17:36.65
in totality, then again,
you are loving your neighbor
00:17:36.69\00:17:39.89
as yourself, as
Jesus Christ puts it there.
00:17:39.92\00:17:42.82
And, you know, I was
reading in the lesson,
00:17:42.86\00:17:44.63
and I like how the
writer brought this out,
00:17:44.66\00:17:46.70
when you consider the
Ten Commandments of God,
00:17:46.73\00:17:49.40
the moral law of God,
00:17:49.43\00:17:51.00
it is really
likened unto a constitution.
00:17:51.03\00:17:55.90
The constitution, and so
what is the constitution?
00:17:55.94\00:17:58.27
The constitution is a law,
00:17:58.31\00:18:00.64
it's basically a philosophy
of governmental laws and rights
00:18:00.68\00:18:04.25
that people live
according to and live up to,
00:18:04.28\00:18:07.28
that govern their body
and that people stand for,
00:18:07.32\00:18:10.62
especially here in the
United States of America,
00:18:10.65\00:18:12.35
we're all about the constitution
00:18:12.39\00:18:13.96
because, again, it protects
our rights and our freedoms,
00:18:13.99\00:18:16.52
and establishes that clearly.
00:18:16.56\00:18:18.36
And it's interesting
that when you consider
00:18:18.39\00:18:20.00
the Ten Commandments,
00:18:20.03\00:18:22.03
heaven is
governed by the law of God.
00:18:22.06\00:18:25.60
In fact, I made a note here,
00:18:25.63\00:18:26.97
unless we learn
to allow our lives
00:18:27.00\00:18:30.24
to be governed
by God's moral law,
00:18:30.27\00:18:33.17
then we could never
be citizens of heaven.
00:18:33.21\00:18:35.98
In fact, we need to be living
according to God's character.
00:18:36.01\00:18:39.28
Now we need to allow
God to transform us now,
00:18:39.31\00:18:41.42
and when we go to that law,
00:18:41.45\00:18:43.75
it's not just a
bunch of set of rules
00:18:43.79\00:18:45.35
and regulations
of Thou shalt not
00:18:45.39\00:18:47.09
and Thou shalt and all these,
00:18:47.12\00:18:48.46
you know, do this,
do this, don't do that,
00:18:48.49\00:18:50.19
but rather, when we
keep the Ten Commandments
00:18:50.23\00:18:52.39
and really approach it
according to the principles
00:18:52.43\00:18:54.96
that God meant for them to be,
00:18:55.00\00:18:57.87
we understand that we were
actually preparing for heaven.
00:18:57.90\00:19:00.27
Now heaven is
governed by these laws.
00:19:00.30\00:19:03.30
In fact, we see this issue
come to play in Ezekiel 28.
00:19:03.34\00:19:07.28
I read this scripture last week,
00:19:07.31\00:19:08.64
but I want to read it again.
00:19:08.68\00:19:10.01
Ezekiel 28:15,
speaking to Lucifer again,
00:19:10.05\00:19:13.15
this problem began in heaven,
00:19:13.18\00:19:14.72
and Lucifer was actually
kicked out of the heaven,
00:19:14.75\00:19:19.22
the kingdom of God
00:19:19.25\00:19:20.59
because he was not
obeying or allowing himself
00:19:20.62\00:19:24.53
to be governed by
the laws of heaven.
00:19:24.56\00:19:26.53
Notice verse 15 in Ezekiel 28,
00:19:26.56\00:19:28.33
"You were perfect in your ways
from the day you were created,
00:19:28.36\00:19:31.70
till iniquity was found in you."
00:19:31.73\00:19:34.60
And there's no doubt in my mind
00:19:34.64\00:19:35.97
that God pled for
Lucifer to repent,
00:19:36.00\00:19:38.21
for Lucifer to change,
00:19:38.24\00:19:39.57
but simply he
refused to be governed
00:19:39.61\00:19:41.64
by God's holy law.
00:19:41.68\00:19:43.61
And, of course, he
wanted to create his own law.
00:19:43.65\00:19:46.08
So we're talking
about the Ten Commandments
00:19:46.11\00:19:48.08
in relation to a constitution.
00:19:48.12\00:19:50.39
This is heaven's constitution,
00:19:50.42\00:19:52.92
and we need to learn to
be governed by them now.
00:19:52.95\00:19:55.32
And I found this
interesting quote.
00:19:55.36\00:19:57.03
You want to talk
about a constitution,
00:19:57.06\00:19:59.06
the United States of America,
00:19:59.09\00:20:00.46
probably more
than any other nation
00:20:00.50\00:20:03.10
on the globe
00:20:03.13\00:20:04.47
since human civilizations,
00:20:04.50\00:20:07.54
this nation is
more in history likened
00:20:07.57\00:20:10.87
into a Christian nation,
00:20:10.91\00:20:12.34
established on Christian
morals and Christian principles.
00:20:12.37\00:20:15.04
In fact, most
people or many people
00:20:15.08\00:20:16.95
might disagree with this,
00:20:16.98\00:20:18.31
but again, there's
a large body of people
00:20:18.35\00:20:19.68
who believe that even
our very own constitution
00:20:19.71\00:20:22.35
was drafted from
00:20:22.38\00:20:24.12
and about from these
very Ten Commandments
00:20:24.15\00:20:26.99
that we read here in the Bible.
00:20:27.02\00:20:28.39
And I found this interesting
quote by James Madison,
00:20:28.42\00:20:31.73
James Madison was
the fourth President
00:20:31.76\00:20:33.29
of the United
States, and he is considered
00:20:33.33\00:20:35.00
the Father of the
United States' Constitution.
00:20:35.03\00:20:38.60
He wrote much of the
United States' Constitution,
00:20:38.63\00:20:40.90
and notice what he
says here in this quote,
00:20:40.94\00:20:43.20
he says, "We have staked
00:20:43.24\00:20:44.57
the whole future of
American civilization,
00:20:44.61\00:20:47.61
not upon the
power of government."
00:20:47.64\00:20:50.81
He says, "Far from it.
00:20:50.85\00:20:52.91
We have staked the future
00:20:52.95\00:20:54.85
of all our
political institutions
00:20:54.88\00:20:57.12
upon the
capacity of mankind for,"
00:20:57.15\00:21:00.02
notice, "self-government,
upon the capacity
00:21:00.06\00:21:03.16
of each and all of
us to govern ourselves,"
00:21:03.19\00:21:06.46
how do we govern ourselves?
00:21:06.49\00:21:08.30
"To control ourselves."
00:21:08.33\00:21:09.66
How do we control ourselves?
00:21:09.70\00:21:11.03
"To sustain ourselves," how?
00:21:11.07\00:21:12.97
And he ends it with,
00:21:13.00\00:21:14.34
"According to the
Ten Commandments."
00:21:14.37\00:21:16.94
So, again, the Father of
the American Constitution
00:21:16.97\00:21:19.27
is stating here plainly
00:21:19.31\00:21:20.64
that when he was
writing that constitution,
00:21:20.68\00:21:22.71
from his own
mind, he was drafting it
00:21:22.74\00:21:24.45
with the Ten Commandments,
00:21:24.48\00:21:25.81
the moral law of God in
his mind and in his heart.
00:21:25.85\00:21:28.62
And you might ask, you know,
00:21:28.65\00:21:29.98
"Why the constitution
and the Bill of Rights...
00:21:30.02\00:21:32.25
Why were they created?"
00:21:32.29\00:21:34.29
To protect our freedom.
00:21:34.32\00:21:36.22
To protect our freedom.
00:21:36.26\00:21:37.59
In fact, again,
00:21:37.63\00:21:38.96
many people think
the Ten Commandments
00:21:38.99\00:21:40.40
is just a bunch of
rules and regulations,
00:21:40.43\00:21:41.80
but I see them as
a list of freedoms,
00:21:41.83\00:21:44.70
promises and freedoms.
00:21:44.73\00:21:46.07
In fact, one of my
favorite verses in all the Bible
00:21:46.10\00:21:47.94
is the beginning
of Galatians 5:1,
00:21:47.97\00:21:50.74
notice what it says
here, very short, very simple,
00:21:50.77\00:21:52.71
but very profound.
00:21:52.74\00:21:54.08
"It is for freedom that
Christ has set you free.
00:21:54.11\00:21:58.11
It is for freedom that
Christ has set you free."
00:21:58.15\00:22:00.22
Now go back to that
list of Ten Commandments
00:22:00.25\00:22:02.28
there in Exodus 20.
00:22:02.32\00:22:03.65
I'm not gonna read all of
them, but I want you to notice
00:22:03.69\00:22:05.75
the very first opening
scripture of Exodus 20:1.
00:22:05.79\00:22:09.46
Here He says, "I
am the Lord your God,
00:22:09.49\00:22:11.09
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt,
00:22:11.13\00:22:13.33
out of the house of bondage."
00:22:13.36\00:22:16.16
What's the opposite of slavery?
00:22:16.20\00:22:17.70
What's the opposite
of bondage? Freedom.
00:22:17.73\00:22:19.07
Freedom. Freedom.
00:22:19.10\00:22:20.44
And so what we find
following this opening...
00:22:20.47\00:22:22.24
What I would like believe that
thesis statement from the Lord
00:22:22.27\00:22:24.81
and everything
that's about to follow
00:22:24.84\00:22:26.51
is he's giving
us the ten freedoms.
00:22:26.54\00:22:28.38
He wants to set
us free from sins.
00:22:28.41\00:22:30.45
And when we pay
very close attention
00:22:30.48\00:22:32.61
or give the proper establishment
00:22:32.65\00:22:35.32
to God's Ten Commandment
00:22:35.35\00:22:37.39
moral law,
00:22:37.42\00:22:38.85
then what we are doing is,
00:22:38.89\00:22:40.22
we're not making
it our salvation,
00:22:40.26\00:22:41.59
we're not saved by
the Ten Commandments
00:22:41.62\00:22:43.19
but rather because we are saved,
00:22:43.22\00:22:44.76
we keep those.
00:22:44.79\00:22:46.13
And let me tell you something.
00:22:46.16\00:22:47.50
We're talking about
ministering to our fellow men
00:22:47.53\00:22:49.13
and our brothers
and sisters in Christ,
00:22:49.16\00:22:50.50
what better way can we
create a better society
00:22:50.53\00:22:53.17
than obeying the 10 moral laws
00:22:53.20\00:22:55.14
that God
established in the beginning?
00:22:55.17\00:22:56.67
Amen. It is powerful.
00:22:56.71\00:22:58.37
You know, this comes
from Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:22:58.41\00:23:00.88
page 308 and 309.
00:23:00.91\00:23:02.28
She mentions here just
about murder and stealing.
00:23:02.31\00:23:04.98
She says, "You
shall not murder,"
00:23:05.01\00:23:06.41
summarizes and
includes, "all acts of injustice
00:23:06.45\00:23:08.98
that tend to shorten life,
00:23:09.02\00:23:10.42
as well as a
selfish neglect of caring
00:23:10.45\00:23:12.62
for the needy or suffering."
00:23:12.65\00:23:14.49
And about the
commandment of stealing,
00:23:14.52\00:23:16.52
she says,
"Similarly, the prohibition
00:23:16.56\00:23:18.26
against stealing
condemns slave-dealing
00:23:18.29\00:23:20.73
and forbids wars of conquest,
00:23:20.76\00:23:23.93
it requires the
payment of just debts or wages,
00:23:23.97\00:23:26.74
and as well as prohibiting
every attempt to advance
00:23:26.77\00:23:30.24
oneself by ignorance, weakness,
or misfortune of others."
00:23:30.27\00:23:34.14
And so when we
consider this greatly,
00:23:34.18\00:23:35.81
we know that within
the Ten Commandments,
00:23:35.84\00:23:38.15
there is a moral
obligation that we have
00:23:38.18\00:23:40.35
to pay very close attention
to the character of God,
00:23:40.38\00:23:42.45
which is what we
need to replicate
00:23:42.48\00:23:43.82
in these last days.
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.19
Amen! Amen.
00:23:45.22\00:23:46.55
What a powerful study, Ryan.
00:23:46.59\00:23:47.92
I love that, the
freedom that we have in Christ.
00:23:47.96\00:23:50.36
We're gonna take a short break.
00:23:50.39\00:23:51.73
We'll be right back.
00:23:51.76\00:23:53.09
Ever wish you could watch
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Welcome back to our
study of God's Word,
00:24:29.40\00:24:31.77
Blueprint for a Better World.
00:24:31.80\00:24:33.34
And we're gonna
continue our study
00:24:33.37\00:24:34.84
with Tuesday's lesson.
00:24:34.87\00:24:36.20
Pastor John.
00:24:36.24\00:24:37.61
Quite a long title.
00:24:37.64\00:24:39.44
"Slaves, Widows, Fatherless,
00:24:39.47\00:24:41.71
Foreigners."
00:24:41.74\00:24:43.98
Wow, that's a mouthful.
00:24:44.01\00:24:46.45
So let me just go
ahead and get started.
00:24:46.48\00:24:48.15
That's why I had you say it.
00:24:48.18\00:24:50.32
This lesson really covers a
broad spectrum of the slaves,
00:24:50.35\00:24:55.42
the widows, the
fatherless, the foreigners,
00:24:55.46\00:24:58.79
in the context of
being released out
00:24:58.83\00:25:02.36
of the land of Egypt, you know?
00:25:02.40\00:25:03.93
I say, our God took
Israel out of Egypt,
00:25:03.97\00:25:07.70
but He had a hard time
taking Egypt out of Israel.
00:25:07.74\00:25:11.24
And that whole journey that
was just a couple of weeks long
00:25:11.27\00:25:14.21
extended for 40 years
00:25:14.24\00:25:15.64
because it didn't take
much for them to forget.
00:25:15.68\00:25:19.61
And nothing creates,
I shouldn't say nothing,
00:25:19.65\00:25:23.28
but very few things create
00:25:23.32\00:25:25.32
the hindrance of
remembering than success.
00:25:25.35\00:25:29.19
When they began
to be successful,
00:25:29.22\00:25:31.86
and you'll find in their lives,
the Lord had to continually
00:25:31.89\00:25:35.26
remind the
Israelites about of remembering.
00:25:35.30\00:25:38.33
Remembering where you were,
remember how I brought you out,
00:25:38.37\00:25:41.17
I brought you out
with a mighty hand,
00:25:41.20\00:25:43.17
remember that I
fought your battles for you,
00:25:43.20\00:25:46.04
remember that I turned
the tide in your favor,
00:25:46.07\00:25:48.81
remember that I
prevented the Egyptians
00:25:48.84\00:25:51.21
from overtaking you,
00:25:51.25\00:25:52.58
remember that I fed you,
00:25:52.61\00:25:54.08
remember that I kept
your shoes from wearing out
00:25:54.12\00:25:56.48
because every time
they experience success,
00:25:56.52\00:25:59.22
they would tend to forget.
00:25:59.25\00:26:01.06
One of those examples is
found in Deuteronomy 8:11-20.
00:26:01.09\00:26:04.63
And this does as well
today to remember this passage
00:26:04.66\00:26:07.03
because very few
things hinder appreciation
00:26:07.06\00:26:10.30
like success,
00:26:10.33\00:26:11.87
very few things hinder
00:26:11.90\00:26:13.37
the spirit of
appreciation, like success.
00:26:13.40\00:26:16.60
Deuteronomy 8:11-20,
00:26:16.64\00:26:18.61
"Beware that you do not
forget the Lord your God
00:26:18.64\00:26:22.54
by not keeping His commandments,
00:26:22.58\00:26:24.25
His judgments, and His statutes,
00:26:24.28\00:26:25.61
which I command you today,
00:26:25.65\00:26:27.55
lest when you have
eaten and are full,
00:26:27.58\00:26:29.18
and have built beautiful houses,
00:26:29.22\00:26:30.72
and dwelt in them,
and when your herds
00:26:30.75\00:26:33.25
and your flocks multiply,
00:26:33.29\00:26:34.72
and your silver and
your gold are multiplied,
00:26:34.76\00:26:36.83
and all that you
have is multiplied,
00:26:36.86\00:26:39.23
when your heart is lifted
up and you forget the Lord
00:26:39.26\00:26:41.83
your God who brought you
out of the land of Egypt,
00:26:41.86\00:26:44.73
from the house of bondage,
00:26:44.77\00:26:46.13
who led you through the
great and terrible wilderness,
00:26:46.17\00:26:48.94
in which were fiery
serpents and scorpions,
00:26:48.97\00:26:51.07
and thirsty land,
where there was no water,
00:26:51.11\00:26:53.54
who brought water for
you out of the flinty rock."
00:26:53.58\00:26:55.71
And when you think of
all that God is doing,
00:26:55.74\00:26:57.11
He's saying, "Don't forget
all these little details."
00:26:57.15\00:26:59.01
And while there may
seem to be just details,
00:26:59.05\00:27:01.58
He's saying,
"You tend to forget.
00:27:01.62\00:27:03.05
What seems to
be small to you now
00:27:03.08\00:27:05.25
was huge in your journey."
00:27:05.29\00:27:07.22
He goes on,
00:27:07.26\00:27:08.59
"Who fed you in the
wilderness with a manna,
00:27:08.62\00:27:10.53
which your father did not know,
00:27:10.56\00:27:12.43
that He might humbled you,
and that He might test you,
00:27:12.46\00:27:15.56
to do you good in the end.
00:27:15.60\00:27:17.37
Then you say in your
heart," this is the part
00:27:17.40\00:27:19.57
where they lose their connection
00:27:19.60\00:27:20.97
to giving God glory,
00:27:21.00\00:27:22.50
'My power and the might
00:27:22.54\00:27:23.87
of my hand have
gained me this wealth.'
00:27:23.91\00:27:26.88
And you shall remember,"
the opposite of forget is,
00:27:26.91\00:27:29.48
remember, "and
you shall remember
00:27:29.51\00:27:31.45
the Lord your God, for it is He
00:27:31.48\00:27:33.01
who gives you
power to get wealth."
00:27:33.05\00:27:34.78
We couldn't be wealthy, we
couldn't have what we have,
00:27:34.82\00:27:36.75
and the word
wealth is a byproduct,
00:27:36.79\00:27:38.95
we couldn't be successful
without having good health.
00:27:38.99\00:27:41.96
"I'm giving you health
to get the success you have.
00:27:41.99\00:27:44.76
Don't forget that."
00:27:44.79\00:27:46.46
And it says,
00:27:46.49\00:27:47.83
"For it is He
who gives you power
00:27:47.86\00:27:49.20
to get wealth
that He may establish,"
00:27:49.23\00:27:50.93
Shelley, "His covenant
00:27:50.97\00:27:52.90
in which He
swore to your fathers,
00:27:52.93\00:27:54.60
as it is this day.
00:27:54.64\00:27:56.20
Then it shall be
if you by any means
00:27:56.24\00:27:58.27
forget the Lord your
God and follow other gods
00:27:58.31\00:28:01.04
and serve them and worship them,
00:28:01.08\00:28:02.48
I testify against you this day
that you shall surely perish.
00:28:02.51\00:28:06.45
As the nations which the
Lord destroys before you,
00:28:06.48\00:28:09.22
so you shall perish
because you would not be
00:28:09.25\00:28:12.15
obedient to the voice
of the Lord your God."
00:28:12.19\00:28:14.62
Forget, forget,
forget, remember.
00:28:14.66\00:28:16.62
Three times forget was
mentioned, once remember.
00:28:16.66\00:28:18.73
Don't forget to remember.
00:28:18.76\00:28:20.20
That's the, in fact, the case.
00:28:20.23\00:28:22.86
So what I want to
point out are, Jill,
00:28:22.90\00:28:24.67
five things that the Israelites
00:28:24.70\00:28:29.10
were in danger of doing.
00:28:29.14\00:28:31.57
Five areas that they forgot.
00:28:31.61\00:28:34.08
And I'll lead into
that, go to Hebrews 3:7-10.
00:28:34.11\00:28:37.51
But I'll lead into
that by saying this,
00:28:37.55\00:28:39.61
people will not be lost
because they walk in darkness,
00:28:39.65\00:28:43.05
people will be lost
because they neglect light.
00:28:43.08\00:28:46.96
Look at this.
00:28:46.99\00:28:48.32
One of the first
things the 2 Genesis,
00:28:48.36\00:28:49.99
I call Hebrews the 2 Genesis,
00:28:50.03\00:28:52.43
it brings us this
beautiful illustration
00:28:52.46\00:28:54.86
of the dangers that
the Israelites faced.
00:28:54.90\00:28:58.47
The first danger was the danger
of hardening their hearts.
00:28:58.50\00:29:02.87
Hebrews 3:7-10.
00:29:02.90\00:29:05.81
Actually, the first one
was the danger of neglect.
00:29:05.84\00:29:08.71
Hebrews 2:3,
00:29:08.74\00:29:10.58
"How shall we
escape if we neglect
00:29:10.61\00:29:12.71
so greater salvation,
00:29:12.75\00:29:14.18
which are the first
began to be spoken by the Lord
00:29:14.22\00:29:16.65
and was confirmed to us
by those who heard Him?"
00:29:16.69\00:29:19.92
The danger of neglect.
00:29:19.95\00:29:21.42
Now neglect doesn't
mean "I don't want to,"
00:29:21.46\00:29:23.89
it just says, "I
keep hesitating."
00:29:23.93\00:29:26.26
It just keeps in, I
keep putting it off.
00:29:26.29\00:29:27.70
I keep putting it off.
00:29:27.73\00:29:29.06
That's why the Bible says,
"Today, if you hear His voice,
00:29:29.10\00:29:31.30
today is the day of salvation,
today is the opportunity."
00:29:31.33\00:29:35.14
He doesn't say,
"I'll give you time."
00:29:35.17\00:29:37.04
One person once asked me,
00:29:37.07\00:29:38.41
"Pastor, could you
give me another week
00:29:38.44\00:29:39.77
before I get baptized?"
00:29:39.81\00:29:41.28
I said, "I can't
give you any time at all.
00:29:41.31\00:29:42.74
I can't give you
the next 10 seconds.
00:29:42.78\00:29:44.51
If you want to decide
to wait, that's up to you,
00:29:44.55\00:29:46.55
but I don't have any authority
00:29:46.58\00:29:48.02
to give you a time credit card."
00:29:48.05\00:29:50.55
So sometimes, people say,
"I'll do this, maybe later,
00:29:50.59\00:29:54.99
maybe tomorrow."
00:29:55.02\00:29:56.36
The danger of neglect
was one of the first things
00:29:56.39\00:29:58.89
that the writer of
Hebrews pointed out.
00:29:58.93\00:30:01.13
And he outlines this
entire thing as a reason
00:30:01.16\00:30:05.27
why they were not able
to enter the Promised Land.
00:30:05.30\00:30:07.87
Let's go to the second danger,
00:30:07.90\00:30:09.37
the danger of
hardening the heart.
00:30:09.40\00:30:11.71
Hebrews 3:7-10, do
you have that, Shelley?
00:30:11.74\00:30:14.14
I do.
00:30:14.18\00:30:15.51
Hebrews 3:7,
00:30:15.54\00:30:17.71
"Therefore, as
the Holy Spirit says,
00:30:17.75\00:30:19.65
'Today, if you hear His
voice, do not harden your hearts
00:30:19.68\00:30:23.39
as in the rebellion, in the
day of trial in the wilderness,
00:30:23.42\00:30:26.72
where your fathers
tested Me, tried Me,
00:30:26.76\00:30:30.13
and saw My works 40 years.
00:30:30.16\00:30:32.59
Therefore, I was
angry with that generation,'
00:30:32.63\00:30:35.80
and said, 'They always
go astray in their heart,
00:30:35.83\00:30:38.97
and they have
not known my ways.'"
00:30:39.00\00:30:41.94
That's right.
00:30:41.97\00:30:43.30
So the issue of the heart
is the heart of the issue.
00:30:43.34\00:30:48.14
It's good. That was the problem.
00:30:48.18\00:30:49.51
The issue of the heart
was the heart of the issue.
00:30:49.54\00:30:51.01
They forgot God and it says,
00:30:51.05\00:30:52.38
"They always go astray," where,
00:30:52.41\00:30:54.22
"in their heart."
00:30:54.25\00:30:55.58
It didn't seem to be
evident on the outside,
00:30:55.62\00:30:58.05
but the Lord knew the
condition of their heart
00:30:58.09\00:31:00.16
for as a man thinketh
in his heart so is he.
00:31:00.19\00:31:02.82
The third danger is
the danger of not maturing.
00:31:02.86\00:31:05.49
Hebrews 5:12,
you have that, Ryan?
00:31:05.53\00:31:07.46
Oh, absolutely.
Go, go quickly now.
00:31:07.50\00:31:08.86
Hebrews 5:12.
Danger of not maturing.
00:31:08.90\00:31:12.00
"For though by this time
you ought to be teachers,
00:31:12.03\00:31:15.34
you need someone
to teach you again
00:31:15.37\00:31:17.44
the first principles
of the oracles of God,
00:31:17.47\00:31:19.97
and you have come to
need milk and not solid food."
00:31:20.01\00:31:22.91
Look at that.
00:31:22.94\00:31:24.28
So is it by now you
should be on the good stuff,
00:31:24.31\00:31:26.82
but here I am
telling you all over again,
00:31:26.85\00:31:29.92
remember about tithing,
remember about the Sabbath,
00:31:29.95\00:31:32.65
remember love your
neighbor as yourself,
00:31:32.69\00:31:34.42
should we not be
past that already?
00:31:34.46\00:31:36.46
And it says in Hebrews 6:1,
00:31:36.49\00:31:38.63
"Therefore,
leading the discussion
00:31:38.66\00:31:40.13
of the elementary
principles of Christ,
00:31:40.16\00:31:42.73
let us go on to perfection
00:31:42.76\00:31:44.10
not laying again the
foundation of repentance
00:31:44.13\00:31:46.67
from dead works and
of faith toward God."
00:31:46.70\00:31:49.34
He said, "Man,
that's so elementary,
00:31:49.37\00:31:51.64
but we're not past that yet,"
the danger of not maturing.
00:31:51.67\00:31:54.51
The third danger, the
third one or the fourth one,
00:31:54.54\00:31:57.48
the danger of drawing back.
00:31:57.51\00:31:59.68
Hebrews 10:26, the
danger of drawing back.
00:31:59.71\00:32:04.29
It says, "For if
we sin willfully,
00:32:04.32\00:32:07.16
after we have received
the knowledge of the truth,
00:32:07.19\00:32:09.62
there no longer
remains a sacrifice for sins."
00:32:09.66\00:32:12.79
Verse 36,
00:32:12.83\00:32:14.16
"For you have need of endurance
00:32:14.20\00:32:15.86
so that after you
have done the will of God,
00:32:15.90\00:32:18.43
you may receive the promise."
00:32:18.47\00:32:20.10
And then Verse 39,
00:32:20.14\00:32:22.04
"But we are not of those
who draw back to perdition
00:32:22.07\00:32:25.34
but of those who believe
to the saving of the soul,"
00:32:25.37\00:32:28.24
the danger of drawing back.
00:32:28.28\00:32:29.74
And what you're gonna notice
when I get to the last two,
00:32:29.78\00:32:32.28
is you'll find
that this is a process.
00:32:32.31\00:32:34.98
Actually, we
covered four so far.
00:32:35.02\00:32:37.39
One the danger of neglect,
00:32:37.42\00:32:38.99
the danger of
hardening the heart,
00:32:39.02\00:32:40.56
then when the
heart is hardening,
00:32:40.59\00:32:42.19
you start maturing,
then when you start maturing,
00:32:42.22\00:32:45.16
you're thinking
about going back.
00:32:45.19\00:32:47.76
And then finally,
the casualty comes,
00:32:47.80\00:32:51.43
the danger of refusing God.
00:32:51.47\00:32:53.97
Hebrews 12:25-26,
look at that together.
00:32:54.00\00:32:58.07
"See that you do not
refuse him who speaks.
00:32:58.11\00:33:01.48
For if they did not escape
00:33:01.51\00:33:02.84
who refused him
who spoke on earth,
00:33:02.88\00:33:04.85
much more shall we not escape
00:33:04.88\00:33:06.72
if we turn away from
him who speaks from heaven,
00:33:06.75\00:33:09.12
whose voice
then shook the earth,
00:33:09.15\00:33:10.82
but now he has
promised saying, 'Yet once more,
00:33:10.85\00:33:13.52
I shake not only the
earth but also heaven.'"
00:33:13.56\00:33:18.03
So the Bible is
saying, in essence here,
00:33:18.06\00:33:20.23
when the shaking comes,
00:33:20.26\00:33:21.60
it's gonna be
more furious this time.
00:33:21.63\00:33:23.43
Notice the process,
what are those again,
00:33:23.47\00:33:26.10
the first one is
neglect, hard heart,
00:33:26.13\00:33:29.74
you cannot mature,
00:33:29.77\00:33:31.11
you start
thinking about going back,
00:33:31.14\00:33:32.54
and then when God
calls you, you say,
00:33:32.57\00:33:34.24
"No," you refuse God.
00:33:34.28\00:33:36.14
That's a dangerous thing.
00:33:36.18\00:33:37.51
Matter of fact,
I did this series,
00:33:37.55\00:33:39.05
not too long ago,
00:33:39.08\00:33:40.42
called the Five
Dangers in Hebrews.
00:33:40.45\00:33:42.55
And the danger of forgetting
00:33:42.58\00:33:44.99
what God has done for us
00:33:45.02\00:33:48.02
is summarized in Isaiah 1:19-20.
00:33:48.06\00:33:53.60
Why it's so dangerous to forget?
00:33:53.63\00:33:56.83
Why is it so
dangerous to refuse God?
00:33:56.87\00:33:59.70
Verse 19, "If you
are willing and obedient,
00:33:59.73\00:34:03.00
you shall eat
the good of the land,
00:34:03.04\00:34:06.31
but if you refuse and rebel,
00:34:06.34\00:34:10.15
you shall be
devoured by the sword,
00:34:10.18\00:34:12.78
for the mouth of
the Lord has spoken."
00:34:12.81\00:34:16.32
So when you
think of the journey,
00:34:16.35\00:34:17.82
the slaves, the widows,
the fatherless, the foreigners,
00:34:17.85\00:34:20.76
in their journey to
the land of promise,
00:34:20.79\00:34:23.46
they forgot the God of promise.
00:34:23.49\00:34:26.03
He promised them but they chose
the things that they preferred
00:34:26.06\00:34:31.50
over the promises of God.
00:34:31.53\00:34:33.07
I really like that
statement you made a moment ago,
00:34:33.10\00:34:35.70
Jill, and I reiterate it.
00:34:35.74\00:34:37.31
Trust the promise,
not the perception.
00:34:37.34\00:34:39.71
That's beautiful.
00:34:39.74\00:34:41.08
When God promises,
don't lean on the perception,
00:34:41.11\00:34:43.78
trust Him and you'll never get
to the place where you forget.
00:34:43.81\00:34:46.95
Amen and amen.
00:34:46.98\00:34:48.32
These are wonderful lessons.
00:34:48.35\00:34:49.68
And now everything...
00:34:49.72\00:34:51.22
What I love about the Bible
00:34:51.25\00:34:52.72
is the teaching
is so very practical.
00:34:52.75\00:34:54.59
Absolutely.
00:34:54.62\00:34:55.96
And I appreciate everything
00:34:55.99\00:34:57.33
that you've done to set this up.
00:34:57.36\00:34:58.69
Mine's going beyond practical,
00:34:58.73\00:35:00.60
I'm getting ready
to get really personal
00:35:00.63\00:35:02.76
because you're gonna feel like
00:35:02.80\00:35:04.37
I'm sticking my
hand in your purse.
00:35:04.40\00:35:07.70
My lesson on
Wednesday is "Second Tithing."
00:35:07.74\00:35:10.71
If we talk about the tithe
00:35:10.74\00:35:12.37
and before we get
to the "Second Tithe,"
00:35:12.41\00:35:14.21
let me set this up because
some people don't realize
00:35:14.24\00:35:16.75
that the tithe is still
part of a Christian experience.
00:35:16.78\00:35:22.45
Typically, if we
talk about tithe,
00:35:22.48\00:35:24.32
we think the first verse
that comes up is Malachi 3:8-9.
00:35:24.35\00:35:29.49
And this is the Lord speaking.
00:35:29.52\00:35:31.06
He says, "Will a man rob God?
00:35:31.09\00:35:33.83
Yet you have robbed Me.
00:35:33.86\00:35:35.96
But you say, 'In
what way have robbed you?'
00:35:36.00\00:35:39.27
In tithes and offerings.
00:35:39.30\00:35:41.50
You're cursed with a
curse, for you have robbed Me,
00:35:41.54\00:35:45.54
even this whole nation."
00:35:45.57\00:35:47.88
Tithing is clearly
a biblical principle
00:35:47.91\00:35:51.01
that is laid out,
00:35:51.05\00:35:52.38
we understand
it in Leviticus 20.
00:35:52.41\00:35:54.28
It is 10% of your incomings.
00:35:54.32\00:35:57.72
The Lord says, "All
the tithe of the land,
00:35:57.75\00:35:59.59
whether of the seed of the land
00:35:59.62\00:36:01.22
or of the fruit of
the tree, is the Lord's.
00:36:01.26\00:36:04.63
It is holy to the Lord."
00:36:04.66\00:36:06.90
So that 10%, we don't pay tithe,
00:36:06.93\00:36:10.83
we return what
belongs to the Lord,
00:36:10.87\00:36:14.97
and there's no special
merit for returning it.
00:36:15.00\00:36:18.67
It's God's, I mean,
00:36:18.71\00:36:20.24
this doesn't help
us in our salvation,
00:36:20.28\00:36:22.74
or it doesn't save us any
more than any other good deed
00:36:22.78\00:36:25.71
that we were
created to do as Christians.
00:36:25.75\00:36:28.12
But there is a
promise in Malachi 3:10-11
00:36:28.15\00:36:31.59
continues on.
00:36:31.62\00:36:33.05
God's speaking.
00:36:33.09\00:36:34.56
He says, "'Bring all the
tithes into the storehouse
00:36:34.59\00:36:36.73
that there may
be food in my house,
00:36:36.76\00:36:38.49
try Me in this,' says the Lord,
00:36:38.53\00:36:42.30
'If I will not open the
windows of heaven for you
00:36:42.33\00:36:46.53
and pour out, such a blessing
00:36:46.57\00:36:48.80
that there will
not be room enough
00:36:48.84\00:36:51.47
to receive it.'"
00:36:51.51\00:36:52.94
So and God goes on to say,
00:36:52.97\00:36:54.78
"I rebuke the
devourer for your sakes."
00:36:54.81\00:36:57.71
And I wished I had time
00:36:57.75\00:36:59.08
to talk about our
personal testimony of tithing,
00:36:59.11\00:37:01.22
but we have proven
this to be a true principle.
00:37:01.25\00:37:05.65
The Christian
church is the house of God
00:37:05.69\00:37:09.52
and we tithe to
support the minister
00:37:09.56\00:37:13.46
and to evangelism
00:37:13.50\00:37:17.43
and the
spiritual needs of others.
00:37:17.47\00:37:19.67
Being faithful in
our tithes and offerings
00:37:19.70\00:37:24.34
brings us this
physical material blessing,
00:37:24.37\00:37:28.64
but it also brings
us a spiritual blessing
00:37:28.68\00:37:31.61
because it helps develop in us
00:37:31.65\00:37:34.85
the unselfish
divine love of God.
00:37:34.88\00:37:39.09
As we gain this
victory over selfishness
00:37:39.12\00:37:44.09
and covetousness, we
become more like Him.
00:37:44.13\00:37:47.50
And we have.
00:37:47.53\00:37:48.86
You know, the Bible
says it is the love of money
00:37:48.90\00:37:53.57
that is the root of all evil.
00:37:53.60\00:37:54.94
That's right.
00:37:54.97\00:37:56.30
And we see all the time,
00:37:56.34\00:37:57.67
the inevitable result
isn't materialistic philosophy.
00:37:57.71\00:38:01.11
People who love money
00:38:01.14\00:38:03.95
seems like they're
never contempt either.
00:38:03.98\00:38:06.51
They always want more, and
there's an inner emptiness.
00:38:06.55\00:38:10.55
So the dedication of the tent
00:38:10.59\00:38:12.59
that was sacred to God
was recognized as a duty
00:38:12.62\00:38:15.76
before Moses, we see
it in the Old Testament,
00:38:15.79\00:38:19.76
Abraham to Melchizedek.
00:38:19.79\00:38:21.53
Jesus upheld it
in the New Testament
00:38:21.56\00:38:23.57
when He told the Pharisees,
"Yeah, you should tithe
00:38:23.60\00:38:26.30
but don't forsake the
other spiritual matters."
00:38:26.33\00:38:30.37
And also we find
in Hebrews 7:1-8,
00:38:30.41\00:38:33.34
where it's
talking about Melchizedek
00:38:33.38\00:38:36.38
and the tithe that it
is such a casual reference,
00:38:36.41\00:38:40.15
you can see that.
00:38:40.18\00:38:41.52
This was a practice
00:38:41.55\00:38:42.88
that was
established in the church.
00:38:42.92\00:38:44.65
But here's the
point I want to get to,
00:38:44.69\00:38:47.39
10% was just the starting
point in the Old Testament.
00:38:47.42\00:38:51.83
Those who gave according
00:38:51.86\00:38:53.43
to the Levitical laws
00:38:53.46\00:38:56.63
contributed at
least 25% of their income
00:38:56.67\00:39:01.24
to the Lord's work.
00:39:01.27\00:39:03.17
There was a first
tithe, a second tithe,
00:39:03.20\00:39:06.78
and offerings.
00:39:06.81\00:39:08.68
The first tithe was
used to support the Levis,
00:39:08.71\00:39:11.91
and this was given to the
Levis administered by the Levis.
00:39:11.95\00:39:16.58
The second tithe was to
support the annual feast
00:39:16.62\00:39:22.62
and personal charity.
00:39:22.66\00:39:24.73
The second tithe
was administered.
00:39:24.76\00:39:27.86
If it's me
giving the second tithe,
00:39:27.90\00:39:30.67
my family's the
one who administers it.
00:39:30.70\00:39:33.37
So let me give you...
00:39:33.40\00:39:34.74
We won't take time to read this.
00:39:34.77\00:39:36.10
But in Deuteronomy 14:22-27,
00:39:36.14\00:39:40.14
it explains the second tithe
00:39:40.18\00:39:42.48
that was based on a
seven-year harvest season,
00:39:42.51\00:39:46.38
the seventh year
being the sabbatical year.
00:39:46.41\00:39:49.12
And what happened?
00:39:49.15\00:39:50.59
The first,
second, fourth, and fifth,
00:39:50.62\00:39:54.22
there's six years
they're giving that.
00:39:54.26\00:39:56.29
So the first, second,
fourth, and fifth years,
00:39:56.32\00:40:00.53
on the second tithe,
00:40:00.56\00:40:01.90
they took a
tenth of their herds,
00:40:01.93\00:40:03.60
a tenth of their
flocks, their grain, their wine,
00:40:03.63\00:40:06.94
their olive oil,
00:40:06.97\00:40:08.30
and they would
take it to Jerusalem
00:40:08.34\00:40:10.61
during the feast times
00:40:10.64\00:40:12.37
and they would
celebrate with themselves.
00:40:12.41\00:40:16.01
They remembered the Levites.
00:40:16.04\00:40:17.71
This second tithe was
used to celebrate the feasts
00:40:17.75\00:40:22.45
and celebrate the
blessings of the Lord,
00:40:22.48\00:40:25.59
in the Lord's presence.
00:40:25.62\00:40:27.36
If it was too far to carry,
if they live too far away,
00:40:27.39\00:40:30.76
they would sell it,
take the monetary value.
00:40:30.79\00:40:33.86
And when they got to
Jerusalem to the feast,
00:40:33.90\00:40:37.27
what they would do is
buy anything their heart's
00:40:37.30\00:40:40.07
desire to consume,
to celebrate the feast.
00:40:40.10\00:40:43.81
God wanted His people
00:40:43.84\00:40:46.17
to enjoy the
results of His blessings
00:40:46.21\00:40:50.61
and to celebrate His goodness.
00:40:50.65\00:40:52.75
So they spent those four years,
00:40:52.78\00:40:55.65
that second tithe on themselves,
00:40:55.68\00:40:57.35
their family,
00:40:57.39\00:40:58.72
and then they would
remember the Levites.
00:40:58.75\00:41:00.76
But Deuteronomy
14:28-29 tells us
00:41:00.79\00:41:05.66
that on the third
and the sixth year
00:41:05.69\00:41:10.50
of that
seven-year harvest cycle,
00:41:10.53\00:41:13.90
the second tithe went
entirely for the poor.
00:41:13.94\00:41:17.01
Let's read that.
00:41:17.04\00:41:18.81
Deuteronomy 14:28-29.
00:41:18.84\00:41:22.71
"At the end of every third year,
00:41:22.74\00:41:25.05
you shall bring out the tithe
00:41:25.08\00:41:26.41
of your produce of that year
00:41:26.45\00:41:28.02
and store it up
within your gates."
00:41:28.05\00:41:31.55
Now remember,
00:41:31.59\00:41:32.92
there was no
social security system,
00:41:32.95\00:41:34.56
bad thing for the poor.
00:41:34.59\00:41:36.39
So what they would
do is in their own home,
00:41:36.42\00:41:40.16
towns, or cities,
they would store this up.
00:41:40.20\00:41:43.77
And it says in
verse 29, "And the Levite,
00:41:43.80\00:41:46.53
because he has no portion
nor inheritance with you,
00:41:46.57\00:41:49.34
and the stranger
and the fatherless
00:41:49.37\00:41:51.77
and the widow who
are within your gates
00:41:51.81\00:41:53.94
may come and eat
and be satisfied,
00:41:53.98\00:41:57.08
that the Lord your God
00:41:57.11\00:41:58.71
may bless you in all the
work of the hand which you do."
00:41:58.75\00:42:02.52
So as I said,
00:42:02.55\00:42:03.89
this was the
seven-year sabbatical,
00:42:03.92\00:42:06.65
the seventh year
was the sabbatical year.
00:42:06.69\00:42:09.22
But people were to remember
how God had blessed them,
00:42:09.26\00:42:13.16
they were to remember
00:42:13.19\00:42:14.90
how He had been
merciful to them.
00:42:14.93\00:42:17.37
So on the third
00:42:17.40\00:42:19.30
and the sixth
year of that cycle,
00:42:19.33\00:42:21.70
every third year,
00:42:21.74\00:42:23.94
on top of their regular
tithe dedicated to the Lord,
00:42:23.97\00:42:27.58
they would put that 10%
00:42:27.61\00:42:31.31
and to show their
concern for the poor.
00:42:31.35\00:42:36.28
And, you know, it's interesting.
00:42:36.32\00:42:39.25
What this did was cultivate
a spirit of benevolence.
00:42:39.29\00:42:45.66
And we don't see, you know,
00:42:45.69\00:42:47.90
certainly the New
Testament doesn't talk to us.
00:42:47.93\00:42:50.40
We know that we no
longer are supporting
00:42:50.43\00:42:53.87
with the second
tithe, the festivals.
00:42:53.90\00:42:58.01
We don't see a
command for a second tithe,
00:42:58.04\00:43:02.08
but we certainly see
00:43:02.11\00:43:04.35
the whole
principle of benevolence
00:43:04.38\00:43:06.35
in the New Testament
00:43:06.38\00:43:07.72
over and over.
00:43:07.75\00:43:09.22
The New Testament admonishes us
00:43:09.25\00:43:12.35
to provide financial
assistance to those who need it.
00:43:12.39\00:43:16.12
Now when we're talking
about tithes and offerings,
00:43:16.16\00:43:19.96
often people will ask me,
00:43:20.00\00:43:21.53
I mean, it's easy
to determine a tithe.
00:43:21.56\00:43:24.47
It's 10%,
00:43:24.50\00:43:26.17
that belongs to
God, it's not yours.
00:43:26.20\00:43:28.27
So it is God, as you
said, who gives us the ability
00:43:28.30\00:43:32.91
and the power
to make the wealth,
00:43:32.94\00:43:34.94
and what He...
00:43:34.98\00:43:36.64
It's interesting to me
00:43:36.68\00:43:38.01
that He entrusts the whole 100%,
00:43:38.05\00:43:40.12
when really only 90% is ours.
00:43:40.15\00:43:42.48
But He's
teaching us a principal,
00:43:42.52\00:43:44.89
and we return that.
00:43:44.92\00:43:46.59
But what about offerings?
00:43:46.62\00:43:49.09
What is the
percentage on offerings?
00:43:49.12\00:43:51.43
I want to just
give you two scriptures.
00:43:51.46\00:43:54.36
2 Corinthians
8:12, it says this,
00:43:54.40\00:43:59.30
"If there is
first a willing mind,
00:43:59.33\00:44:03.94
it is accepted
according to what one has
00:44:03.97\00:44:08.58
and not according to
what he does not have."
00:44:08.61\00:44:12.11
So the thing is,
00:44:12.15\00:44:13.72
we don't want to
be stingy with God,
00:44:13.75\00:44:16.42
but God understands
that we don't always have it.
00:44:16.45\00:44:19.69
And it's the attitude of
the heart that's important
00:44:19.72\00:44:23.12
because He goes
on in 2 Corinthians,
00:44:23.16\00:44:25.53
in the next chapter.
00:44:25.56\00:44:27.26
2 Corinthians 9:6-8.
00:44:27.30\00:44:29.63
And He gives us a
kingdom principle.
00:44:29.66\00:44:32.43
He says, "He who sow sparingly
will also reap sparingly.
00:44:32.47\00:44:37.21
He who sows bountifully
will reap bountifully."
00:44:37.24\00:44:40.98
And then He says this,
00:44:41.01\00:44:42.81
"So let each one give as
he purposes in his heart,
00:44:42.84\00:44:46.18
not grudgingly
or out of necessity,
00:44:46.21\00:44:49.25
for God loves a cheerful giver,
00:44:49.28\00:44:51.95
and God is able to make
all grace abound toward you
00:44:51.99\00:44:55.76
that you always having
all sufficiency in all things,
00:44:55.79\00:45:00.10
may have an
abundance for every good work."
00:45:00.13\00:45:03.80
Amen and amen. Amen.
00:45:03.83\00:45:05.17
You know, I think about this,
00:45:05.20\00:45:06.84
and people that
have much wealth,
00:45:06.87\00:45:10.07
of course, you
expect them to tithe,
00:45:10.11\00:45:12.11
but I'm thinking
about the some of us
00:45:12.14\00:45:14.74
that have very little.
00:45:14.78\00:45:16.51
And you're thinking,
"Oh, but I can't do that.
00:45:16.54\00:45:19.01
I can't give to benevolence.
00:45:19.05\00:45:20.52
I can't give offerings.
00:45:20.55\00:45:22.68
It's hard for me to even tithe."
00:45:22.72\00:45:24.55
And I just want to tell
you, it's not equal giving,
00:45:24.59\00:45:27.36
it's equal sacrifice.
00:45:27.39\00:45:29.16
And so when you understand that,
00:45:29.19\00:45:31.43
then you may think,
00:45:31.46\00:45:32.79
"I can only give
$2 to this cause."
00:45:32.83\00:45:35.16
If that's a sacrifice for
you, remember, the widow's mite.
00:45:35.20\00:45:39.70
And it says,
00:45:39.73\00:45:41.07
Jesus was
watching and He saw it.
00:45:41.10\00:45:43.04
And He said,
00:45:43.07\00:45:44.41
"This woman has
given all that she had,"
00:45:44.44\00:45:47.14
and although was
such a small amount,
00:45:47.18\00:45:49.11
the blessing was great on her.
00:45:49.14\00:45:50.75
So don't ever
think you're too poor.
00:45:50.78\00:45:54.38
You have too
little to be a blessing
00:45:54.42\00:45:56.32
to the kingdom of God.
00:45:56.35\00:45:57.69
No, that's not true.
00:45:57.72\00:45:59.05
And I'm thinking about
this tithing principle,
00:45:59.09\00:46:01.09
the purpose of it
was peace and harmony
00:46:01.12\00:46:04.23
and provision for God's people.
00:46:04.26\00:46:07.03
And I'm looking at Thursday,
which is "The Year of Jubilee."
00:46:07.06\00:46:11.30
And something
00:46:11.33\00:46:12.67
I see about this is the
same identical principle,
00:46:12.70\00:46:15.80
what God's
purpose for His children,
00:46:15.84\00:46:18.71
He has for every one of
us, is that we live in peace,
00:46:18.74\00:46:21.94
we live in harmony,
and we have provision.
00:46:21.98\00:46:25.31
Everything God
does, He does for us,
00:46:25.35\00:46:28.32
to make our lives better.
00:46:28.35\00:46:30.25
Now let me ask you this
00:46:30.29\00:46:31.62
before we look at
"The Year of Jubilee."
00:46:31.65\00:46:33.96
What was the purpose
that God wanted for His people
00:46:33.99\00:46:38.13
from the very beginning?
00:46:38.16\00:46:40.10
For them to be a bright,
shining light in their world,
00:46:40.13\00:46:44.73
for nations to
look at them and say,
00:46:44.77\00:46:47.07
"Oh, look what
their God does for them.
00:46:47.10\00:46:49.84
We want to serve their God,"
and all people would be drawn.
00:46:49.87\00:46:54.01
Now, did the children
of Israel live that out?
00:46:54.04\00:46:57.55
No. No, they didn't.
00:46:57.58\00:46:58.91
Okay, now, seeing
you're Abraham's seed,
00:46:58.95\00:47:01.38
and so whose
responsibility is it now
00:47:01.42\00:47:04.62
for us to be
such a shining light
00:47:04.65\00:47:06.86
in the world that people are...
00:47:06.89\00:47:08.46
That's every one of us,
people are drawn to Christ.
00:47:08.49\00:47:11.09
So "The Year of Jubilee."
00:47:11.13\00:47:13.90
After delivering
His people from Egypt,
00:47:13.93\00:47:17.63
where they had been
slaves for over 400 years
00:47:17.67\00:47:22.07
and then they wandered in
the wilderness for 40 years.
00:47:22.10\00:47:24.91
And Pastor Lomacang showed us,
00:47:24.94\00:47:26.64
they could have
got there in how long?
00:47:26.68\00:47:28.54
Couple of
weeks. Couple of weeks.
00:47:28.58\00:47:30.45
It took them 40 years.
00:47:30.48\00:47:31.81
And why did you say
00:47:31.85\00:47:33.18
they had to
wander in the wilderness
00:47:33.21\00:47:34.55
those 40 years?
00:47:34.58\00:47:35.92
To get Egypt out of them.
00:47:35.95\00:47:37.29
It was not just to
get them out of Egypt,
00:47:37.32\00:47:39.42
but it was to get
Egypt out of them.
00:47:39.45\00:47:41.12
Think of their mindset.
00:47:41.16\00:47:42.72
After 400 years, all they
knew was bondage and slavery.
00:47:42.76\00:47:47.03
And I'm going to look
at that a little later.
00:47:47.06\00:47:50.13
So here they had been,
400 years in bondage actually,
00:47:50.17\00:47:54.14
it could be a little
longer than 400 years.
00:47:54.17\00:47:56.67
Four hundred and thirty,
00:47:56.71\00:47:58.04
and then forty
years in the wilderness,
00:47:58.07\00:48:01.04
so all this time
they had been wandering.
00:48:01.08\00:48:04.18
And here was a people and
they had no home, no land.
00:48:04.21\00:48:10.62
What is so important?
00:48:10.65\00:48:11.99
Have any of you ever read
00:48:12.02\00:48:13.56
the history of
what lead out to 1948?
00:48:13.59\00:48:17.29
What happened in 1948?
00:48:17.33\00:48:19.39
Israel was
reestablished as a nation.
00:48:19.43\00:48:22.16
It had a homeland again.
00:48:22.20\00:48:23.83
It had lost it somewhere.
00:48:23.87\00:48:25.23
I read the history of that,
00:48:25.27\00:48:26.87
how vitally important it was
00:48:26.90\00:48:29.54
for the people to
have their own home.
00:48:29.57\00:48:31.71
And all of you, I don't know
if you all own your own home.
00:48:31.74\00:48:34.81
Helen and I had
owned our home for years.
00:48:34.84\00:48:38.51
Now we don't own our own home,
00:48:38.55\00:48:40.05
we're leasing but
that's because we feel like
00:48:40.08\00:48:42.55
it's the economically feasible
intelligent thing for us to do
00:48:42.58\00:48:47.49
at this age in our life.
00:48:47.52\00:48:49.02
But you know what, I
miss not owning my own home,
00:48:49.06\00:48:52.23
I want my own digs, you know.
00:48:52.26\00:48:54.70
And so that's been a hard
thing for me to get a grip on.
00:48:54.73\00:49:00.17
But here's a people
00:49:00.20\00:49:01.54
who have had no
home of their own
00:49:01.57\00:49:03.91
for nearly 500 years.
00:49:03.94\00:49:07.64
And God saw fit
to give them a land,
00:49:07.68\00:49:11.11
and what kind of land was it?
00:49:11.15\00:49:13.21
it was flowing with...
00:49:13.25\00:49:14.62
Milk and honey.
00:49:14.65\00:49:15.98
I mean, He didn't
just give them the dregs,
00:49:16.02\00:49:17.52
He gave them the best.
00:49:17.55\00:49:19.55
God knew the importance
00:49:19.59\00:49:21.22
that the land would take on
00:49:21.26\00:49:22.92
as they established
their new home in Canaan.
00:49:22.96\00:49:26.06
Under the leadership of Joshua,
00:49:26.09\00:49:28.50
God oversaw an orderly
distribution of the land,
00:49:28.53\00:49:32.70
by tribe and by family group.
00:49:32.73\00:49:35.40
He equally
distributed this wonderful land
00:49:35.44\00:49:40.94
flowing with milk and honey.
00:49:40.98\00:49:43.08
But God also
knew that over time,
00:49:43.11\00:49:46.82
the wealth and resources
00:49:46.85\00:49:48.98
that were
connected with landholding
00:49:49.02\00:49:51.69
would tend to
become concentrated
00:49:51.72\00:49:54.66
in the hands of a few.
00:49:54.69\00:49:56.02
Is that true today? Okay.
00:49:56.06\00:49:58.96
Now we live in the heartland.
00:49:58.99\00:50:01.76
And I was raised
on a farm in Alabama.
00:50:01.80\00:50:05.53
Now something we have seen
the heartland which is known
00:50:05.57\00:50:09.34
as the breadbasket of the world,
00:50:09.37\00:50:11.27
am I saying that right?
00:50:11.31\00:50:12.67
This is where
we've got all the grain,
00:50:12.71\00:50:14.91
and the farmers
are vitally important.
00:50:14.94\00:50:17.31
But something we have seen
over the last several years
00:50:17.35\00:50:21.35
as that some of
these landowners,
00:50:21.38\00:50:24.22
these people, these farmers
00:50:24.25\00:50:26.45
that have had the
land in their family
00:50:26.49\00:50:29.79
for generations,
00:50:29.82\00:50:31.16
what has happened?
00:50:31.19\00:50:32.53
Had to sell.
They've had to sell.
00:50:32.56\00:50:34.10
They've lost their land.
00:50:34.13\00:50:35.70
Now there were different reasons
00:50:35.73\00:50:38.93
that they would lose their land.
00:50:38.97\00:50:40.74
Some was through
family difficulties,
00:50:40.77\00:50:44.01
ill health, poor choices,
00:50:44.04\00:50:46.51
and misfortune as
they lost their land.
00:50:46.54\00:50:49.38
Now God, looking
down through eternity,
00:50:49.41\00:50:52.85
He knew that this was
going to happen to us,
00:50:52.88\00:50:55.88
but He also knew
that it was something
00:50:55.92\00:50:59.39
that would happen in this land,
00:50:59.42\00:51:01.96
this new land, that He
had given to His people.
00:51:01.99\00:51:05.36
But God had a
solution. That's right.
00:51:05.39\00:51:07.83
Okay. God and His solution.
00:51:07.86\00:51:10.93
For those who found themselves
in this unfortunate situation,
00:51:10.97\00:51:15.40
and why did He have a solution?
00:51:15.44\00:51:18.54
Because of His
great love for His people.
00:51:18.57\00:51:21.64
Remember, everything God
does is because He loves us.
00:51:21.68\00:51:25.48
He wants us to have peace,
00:51:25.51\00:51:26.98
and harmony, and
live in provision.
00:51:27.02\00:51:30.22
Okay.
00:51:30.25\00:51:31.59
He had foresight to
protect not only those
00:51:31.62\00:51:35.56
who lost their land
00:51:35.59\00:51:37.09
but also to protect
those who obtained the land.
00:51:37.13\00:51:41.60
That protection was a
coin that had two sides.
00:51:41.63\00:51:45.33
God's solution.
00:51:45.37\00:51:46.77
Here's what the solution was,
00:51:46.80\00:51:48.67
it was a decree that
land could never be sold,
00:51:48.70\00:51:52.27
absolutely.
00:51:52.31\00:51:53.64
That's right.
00:51:53.68\00:51:55.01
Instead, land would be sold only
00:51:55.04\00:51:57.85
until the next year of jubilee,
00:51:57.88\00:52:01.25
at which time
the land would revert
00:52:01.28\00:52:04.09
to its allotted family
00:52:04.12\00:52:06.76
and any land sold could
be redeemed by the seller
00:52:06.79\00:52:11.43
or other member of
the seller's family
00:52:11.46\00:52:13.83
at any time.
00:52:13.86\00:52:15.33
Now here's what God
says in Leviticus 25:23.
00:52:15.36\00:52:20.37
"The land must not
be sold permanently
00:52:20.40\00:52:24.51
because the land is," whose?
00:52:24.54\00:52:26.81
"The land is mine
and you reside in my land
00:52:26.84\00:52:31.91
as foreigners and strangers."
00:52:31.95\00:52:33.98
So although God gave this
land to the nation of Israel,
00:52:34.02\00:52:38.82
who does He say it
actually belongs to?
00:52:38.85\00:52:41.59
To Him. He said, "It's mine."
00:52:41.62\00:52:43.09
So if it's His
land, He can do with it
00:52:43.12\00:52:45.59
what He wants to, can't He?
00:52:45.63\00:52:47.43
Okay, now in Leviticus 25:8-23,
God lays out in details,
00:52:47.46\00:52:52.80
what is to happen
during the year of jubilee.
00:52:52.83\00:52:55.14
Doesn't just pertain to land,
it pertains to their assets
00:52:55.17\00:53:00.98
or aspects of
the nation of Israel.
00:53:01.01\00:53:05.25
But let me read this to
you in Leviticus 25:8-11.
00:53:05.28\00:53:09.45
"And you shall count seven
Sabbaths of years for yourself,
00:53:09.48\00:53:12.69
seven times seven years,
00:53:12.72\00:53:14.42
and the time of the
seven Sabbaths of years
00:53:14.46\00:53:17.39
shall be to you
forty-nine years.
00:53:17.43\00:53:19.29
Then you shall cause
the trumpet of the jubilee
00:53:19.33\00:53:21.36
to sound on the tenth
day of the seventh month
00:53:21.40\00:53:23.67
on the Day of Atonement,
00:53:23.70\00:53:25.03
and you shall make the trumpet
00:53:25.07\00:53:26.40
to sound
throughout all your land.
00:53:26.43\00:53:28.37
And you shall
consecrate the fiftieth year
00:53:28.40\00:53:34.84
and proclaim liberty
throughout all the land
00:53:34.88\00:53:37.71
to all its inhabitants.
00:53:37.75\00:53:39.08
It shall be a jubilee for you,
00:53:39.11\00:53:41.02
and each of you shall
return to his possession,
00:53:41.05\00:53:43.65
and each of you
shall return to his family.
00:53:43.69\00:53:45.92
That fiftieth year
shall be," of what,
00:53:45.95\00:53:48.56
"it shall be a jubilee to you."
00:53:48.59\00:53:53.46
Okay, here's
what Ellen White says,
00:53:53.50\00:53:56.46
in Patriarchs and Prophets, 534,
00:53:56.50\00:53:59.97
"The regulations
that God established
00:54:00.00\00:54:02.24
was designed to
promote social equality."
00:54:02.27\00:54:06.17
The rich had no more standing
before God than the poor.
00:54:06.21\00:54:10.38
And that's
still the truth today.
00:54:10.41\00:54:12.38
God is not a
respecter of persons.
00:54:12.41\00:54:14.52
"The provisions at
the sabbatical year
00:54:14.55\00:54:17.45
and the jubilee
would, in a great measure,
00:54:17.49\00:54:20.09
set right that which during
the interval had gone wrong,
00:54:20.12\00:54:23.43
in the social and political
economy of the nation."
00:54:23.46\00:54:26.19
She goes on to say,
00:54:26.23\00:54:27.56
"These regulations were
designed to bless the rich
00:54:27.60\00:54:31.77
no less than the poor.
00:54:31.80\00:54:33.47
In God's great love for
us, He sets out to protect us
00:54:33.50\00:54:37.34
from ourselves."
00:54:37.37\00:54:38.71
Now that's
encouraging, isn't it?
00:54:38.74\00:54:40.48
The whole purpose of
all God's instruction
00:54:40.51\00:54:42.91
in the Bible is to
bring, I've said it before,
00:54:42.94\00:54:45.61
peace and harmony to His people,
00:54:45.65\00:54:48.28
that we would be
that shining light
00:54:48.32\00:54:51.15
in this dark hurting world
that all people are drawn to.
00:54:51.19\00:54:55.42
Our memory text was,
00:54:55.46\00:54:57.09
"You shall not take
vengeance nor bear any grudge
00:54:57.13\00:55:00.50
against the
children of your people,
00:55:00.53\00:55:01.86
but you shall love
your neighbor as yourself.
00:55:01.90\00:55:04.07
I am the Lord."
00:55:04.10\00:55:05.43
And that is God's
purpose for every one of us.
00:55:05.47\00:55:08.07
He wants to love
us and He commands us.
00:55:08.10\00:55:11.01
Love God with all your heart.
00:55:11.04\00:55:13.21
One of you said
it, I think it was you.
00:55:13.24\00:55:15.18
Love God with all your heart
00:55:15.21\00:55:16.54
and love your
neighbor as yourself.
00:55:16.58\00:55:17.91
Neighbor as yourself.
00:55:17.95\00:55:19.31
Therefore, you
fulfill the whole law
00:55:19.35\00:55:22.25
and the commandments of God.
00:55:22.28\00:55:24.22
Thank you so much,
Mollie, each one of you.
00:55:24.25\00:55:26.35
What an incredible lesson study.
00:55:26.39\00:55:28.76
Our God is a God of love,
00:55:28.79\00:55:30.43
and our God is a God of freedom.
00:55:30.46\00:55:32.86
And the Ten Commandments
00:55:32.89\00:55:34.23
and each one of these ordinances
00:55:34.26\00:55:36.26
that He put in place is
for the betterment of us
00:55:36.30\00:55:38.80
as humans, as society.
00:55:38.83\00:55:41.24
I want to give
each one of you a moment
00:55:41.27\00:55:42.70
to share something in
closing about your day
00:55:42.74\00:55:44.74
or something else about
this lesson in particular.
00:55:44.77\00:55:46.41
Sure. Absolutely.
00:55:46.44\00:55:47.78
So my day was entitled,
"The Ten Commandments."
00:55:47.81\00:55:50.41
And anytime I'm talking
about the Ten Commandments,
00:55:50.45\00:55:53.38
I cannot forget
this particular text,
00:55:53.42\00:55:56.12
one of my
favorite text, 1 John 5:3.
00:55:56.15\00:55:59.32
"For this is the love of God
that we keep His commandments.
00:55:59.35\00:56:02.22
And His commandments
are not burdensome."
00:56:02.26\00:56:04.36
I pray that you will keep
the commandments in faith,
00:56:04.39\00:56:07.43
and that it's
not a burden to you
00:56:07.46\00:56:09.26
but you will be
fulfilled in God's love.
00:56:09.30\00:56:12.17
And mine is about remembering.
00:56:12.20\00:56:14.50
When we remember God,
He will not forget us.
00:56:14.54\00:56:18.31
It's so important to remember
that blessings are not one way,
00:56:18.34\00:56:21.14
it's not, "Give me, give me."
00:56:21.18\00:56:22.51
God is not a supermarket
00:56:22.54\00:56:24.08
but God is a source
of all of our blessings.
00:56:24.11\00:56:26.08
Therefore, He
should be the focus
00:56:26.11\00:56:27.55
of all of our prayers.
00:56:27.58\00:56:29.25
Amen. Amen.
00:56:29.28\00:56:30.62
And mine was on
the second tithe.
00:56:30.65\00:56:32.75
I think the most
important thing about it is that
00:56:32.79\00:56:35.99
to see how God
always cared for the people
00:56:36.02\00:56:41.13
who were poor and needy,
and He instilled that in us,
00:56:41.16\00:56:45.27
so in Deuteronomy 14,
you can read about that.
00:56:45.30\00:56:49.14
In the third and sixth
year of the seven-year cycle,
00:56:49.17\00:56:53.14
they'd put that tenth
away inside their cities
00:56:53.17\00:56:56.28
to make sure the
poor and needy had plenty.
00:56:56.31\00:56:58.58
Amen.
00:56:58.61\00:56:59.95
And all the instructions
00:56:59.98\00:57:01.32
that God gives us
is for one purpose,
00:57:01.35\00:57:03.08
and that is for us
to be happy, healthy,
00:57:03.12\00:57:06.86
godly men and women
00:57:06.89\00:57:08.22
that we live in
peace and harmony
00:57:08.26\00:57:09.62
with one another,
that we love one another,
00:57:09.66\00:57:11.99
and they were just
good to each other.
00:57:12.03\00:57:13.43
Amen. Amen.
00:57:13.46\00:57:14.80
Amen, amen.
00:57:14.83\00:57:16.16
Thank you so much, Pastor
Ryan, Pastor John, Shelley,
00:57:16.20\00:57:18.77
and Mollie, for opening
up the Word of God to us.
00:57:18.80\00:57:21.74
What an incredible study.
00:57:21.77\00:57:23.10
And we thank you
for joining us as well.
00:57:23.14\00:57:25.64
I want to leave you
with this scripture.
00:57:25.67\00:57:27.11
This is 1 Peter 2:9.
00:57:27.14\00:57:30.68
"You are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood,
00:57:30.71\00:57:33.72
a holy nation,
God's own special people,
00:57:33.75\00:57:37.95
that you may
proclaim the praises of Him
00:57:37.99\00:57:39.75
who called you out of darkness
into this marvelous light."
00:57:39.79\00:57:43.93
That's what God wanted to do
00:57:43.96\00:57:45.83
with the children of Israel
00:57:45.86\00:57:47.20
when He called them from slavery
00:57:47.23\00:57:48.56
and bondage in Egypt.
00:57:48.60\00:57:50.27
That's what He wants
to do with you and with me
00:57:50.30\00:57:54.00
when He calls us
from slavery and bondage
00:57:54.04\00:57:56.50
in sin
00:57:56.54\00:57:57.87
into his marvelous light.
00:57:57.91\00:58:00.08
Join us next week for
our study of the Sabbath,
00:58:00.11\00:58:03.75
"A Day of Freedom."
00:58:03.78\00:58:05.11