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 Ezra and Nehemiah.
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Hello, friends.
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Welcome to our 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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Thank you so much for
taking the time to tune in
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as we continue our trek
through Ezra and Nehemiah,
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also including
our protege Daniel
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in the picture
because all three of them
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contribute to the restoration,
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rebuilding of the temple
and the city and the economy
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of the Jewish
people in Jerusalem.
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And so today, we're
gonna talk about the topic
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"Facing
Opposition," lesson number 4.
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If you'd like to find
out how to get a copy,
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do one of two things.
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First, you can download
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by going to ABSG.Adventist.org,
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that's ABSG, Adult Bible
Study Guide.adventist.org
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or better yet,
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go to a local
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in your community, ask
for a copy and join them
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in a tremendous study.
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This study is so
vitally important
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as it comes to understanding
the Christ or the Antichrist,
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whether or not there's room
for a secret rapture or not,
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Daniel 9 addresses that.
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But today, we're gonna
be talking about opposition,
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when you are
faced with opposition,
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what do you do?
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Before we go any further,
we'll begin with prayer.
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Jill, would you
have prayer for us?
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Sure.
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Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus
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and we thank You for Your Word
and the truth contained in it.
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Would you open up
our mind and our hearts
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to receive what You have for us
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just now in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen.
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Our memory text is Ezra 5:5
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and I'll read
it in your hearing.
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"But the eye of their God
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was upon the elders of the Jews,
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so that they could
not make them cease
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till a report
could go to Darius,
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then a written
answer was returned
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concerning this matter."
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Now, we all know as
we go into the topic,
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that it's so
important to understand
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who's with us today
and each contributor
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to the lesson for this week.
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So to my immediate left
is my good friend, Mollie.
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Mollie, you are
enjoying retired life.
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I am.
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But I'm glad you took
some time out to be here.
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Good to have you
with us today. Thank you.
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Pastor Kenny. Yes.
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Always good to have a man
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of experience and
passion on the panel.
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Good to have you here today.
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It's a blessing, thank you.
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And Jill, the
one with many hats,
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our CFO or vice president,
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and the one upon
whom all, did I say CFO?
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CFO, I'm thinking I
better not be doing that job.
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That's a good title
that I'm glad you don't have,
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but glad to have you here today.
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Thank you, Pastor
John, privileged to be here.
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And Shelley, the
lady with many hats.
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And a lot of hair.
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A lot of hair.
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That's a good way to say it.
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Always good to
have good Bible students
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that we can dive into
the Word of God together.
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Thank you for letting us
smile at the very beginning
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because this lesson
is no smiling matter.
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But we will see
that the Lord we serve
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is always ahead of pack.
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That's right.
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Now in Ezra, we
talked about this before
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in our Sabbath School panel.
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We followed Ezra 1-5
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and we have jumped
around some in Nehemiah
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and then we tapped
our way into Daniel,
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the 70 weeks, the 2300 days
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but what we learned is that
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when God calls
His people to a work,
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there's always opposition.
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Now you'd find as we
go to Sunday's lesson,
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we will find that
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there's a very
important question asked,
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and Ezra 4:1-5
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is where the foundation comes in
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and then we're gonna
take an unpredictable turn
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to the Book of 2 Kings
and see why the question,
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where the answer to
the question is found.
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I'll read quickly, Ezra 4:1-5,
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"And in one of
our prior lessons,
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this was included,
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so I may have fun
with these names again.
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Hasn't this been a
name tongue twisting lesson?
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Oh, yes.
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I am so glad we don't use
those kinds of names today,
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but let's go with the verse 1.
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"Now when the adversaries
of Judah and Benjamin
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heard that the
descendants of the captivity
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were building the temple
of the Lord God of Israel,
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they came to Zerubbabel
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and the heads of
the Father's house
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and said to them,
'Let us build with you
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for we seek your God as you do
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and we have sacrificed to him
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since the days of
Esarhaddon, king of Assyria,
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who brought us here
but Zerubbabel and Jeshua,
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and the rest of the heads
of the father's house of Israel
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said to them, 'You
may do nothing with us
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to build a house for our God,
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but we alone will build
to the Lord God of Israel
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as King Cyrus,
the King of Persia
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has commanded us,
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then the people of the land
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try to discourage
the people of Judah.
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They trouble them in building
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and hired
counselors against them
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to frustrate their purpose
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all the days of
Cyrus, king of Persia,
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even until the reign of
Darius king of Persia.'"
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So you'll notice that
one thing you cannot allow
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to cause you to
prevent the work.
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Anytime you're doing
anything for the Lord,
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you're going to get opposition.
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Matter of fact,
that's an indicator
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that you're doing God's will.
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If you're not doing God's will,
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I've often said and I
think Mollie may have...
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You have Mollieism I
think I heard this somewhere.
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Well actually,
recently, somebody said,
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if you don't meet
the devil head on,
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you and he are going
in the same direction.
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Well, now.
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That seemed like for a moment.
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So when you're going
in an opposite direction
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to the enemy, you're
gonna meet him head on
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and that's what
happened to the captives
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that came back from
their time in Babylon.
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They met with opposition
because they were going
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in the opposite
direction of the enemy.
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So now the question
was asked in the lesson.
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It made the point on the surface
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the request seemed like a
kind neighborly thing to do,
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so why turn down the help?
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In one sense,
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the answer is
found in the text itself,
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but now let's look the
word adversaries is there,
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that is indicator
enough, indication enough.
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Why would your adversary
help you rebuild a temple?
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Why would the devil
help the people of God
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do the Lord's work?
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That's why the Bible
says your adversary, the devil
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walks about like a roaring lion.
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So let's dive into 2 Kings
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because here the
question is answered,
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why were the
people called adversaries.
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And what I'm finding out
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is there's so
many contributing books
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to the picture of
Ezra and Nehemiah.
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So let's begin in 2 Kings 17:24,
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and I made reference,
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I'm gonna make six
very important points.
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All right, Jill. Yay!
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Six very important points
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and I'm gonna
break them down quickly
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as we go
through these 17 verses,
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starting with verse 17
of 2 Kings and believe me,
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pray for all these names.
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Then the king of
Assyria, verse 17.
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Verse 24.
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Yeah, Verse 24,
17:24, thank you.
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"Then the king of Assyria
brought people from Babylon,
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Cuthah, Ava,
Hamath and from Sepharvaim
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and placed them in
the cities of Samaria
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instead of the
children of Israel
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and they took
possession of Samaria
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and dwelt in the cities.
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Now, the first point
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I want to make is
the foreign nations
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that claim to want
to help Israel rebuild.
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The foreign
nations took the cities
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that belong to Israel
and establish themselves
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where God intended
that Israel should live.
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So they're coming to
say, we want to help you,
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but we're gonna live
where God wants you to live.
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They possess Israel cities.
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Secondly, let's go to verse 25.
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"And it was so at the beginning
of their dwelling there,
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that they did not
fear the Lord, notice,
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they want to help but
they don't fear the Lord.
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Therefore, the Lord
sent lions among them,
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which killed some of them.
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So they spoke to the
king of Assyria saying,
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'The nations
whom you have removed
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and placed in
the cities of Samaria
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do not know the
rituals of the God of the land.
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Therefore, he
sent lions among them
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and indeed they
are killing them,
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because they do not know
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the rituals of
the God of the land.'"
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Now, this is, this point is
very shortened to the point,
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the Lord was angry
with the foreign nations
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and raised up
judgment against them.
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You know, what I like about
this point, panel, is this.
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We don't have to
fight our battles.
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Yes.
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The Lord fight
our battles for us
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and we don't
have to be concerned
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and this is
something that's very,
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this is not human, by the way
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because it's human
nature to defend ourselves.
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Yes.
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Especially when you hear
people say things about you.
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Has 3ABN ever been
attacked in rumors?
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Absolutely.
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That's another
topic for another day,
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but if we spend
the time and the money,
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trying to defend ourselves,
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we don't give the
Lord the time to defend us.
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It's good.
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And so what's happening
here is the Lord sent lions
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to remedy what the
Israelites could never remedy.
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Let's go to the
next one, verse 27.
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"Then the king of
Assyria commanded saying,
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"Send there one of the priest
whom you brought from there,
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let him go and dwell
there and let him teach them,
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the rituals of
the God of the land.
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Then one of the priests
whom they had carried away
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from Samaria came
and dwelt in Bethel,
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and taught them how
they should fear the Lord."
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Now, this is amazing,
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"The foreign nations asked
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for the priests of
the Lord to teach them
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but even after they
learn the way of the Lord,
00:10:02.53\00:10:04.37
the foreign
nations still continued
00:10:04.40\00:10:06.03
in their own way."
00:10:06.07\00:10:07.54
So the priests taught them,
00:10:07.60\00:10:09.50
but they still
continued in their own way.
00:10:09.54\00:10:11.44
Here's the evidence, verse 29,
00:10:11.47\00:10:13.64
"However, the nations continued
to make gods of its own
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and put them in the
shrines of the high places
00:10:17.55\00:10:19.75
which the Samaritans had made.
00:10:19.78\00:10:21.55
Every nation in the
cities where they dwelled,"
00:10:21.58\00:10:25.09
the men of Babylon
made Succoth Benoth,
00:10:25.12\00:10:27.26
the men of Cuth, it
talks about all the nations
00:10:27.32\00:10:29.89
and it says in verse 31,
00:10:29.92\00:10:31.26
and the Avites and
the Nibhaz and Tartak
00:10:31.29\00:10:34.36
and all those nations,
00:10:34.40\00:10:35.73
let's go down the
Gods of Sepharvaim,
00:10:35.76\00:10:37.53
verse 32, "So they fear the Lord
00:10:37.57\00:10:40.94
and from every class
they appointed for themselves,
00:10:40.97\00:10:43.54
priest of the high
places who sacrifice for them
00:10:43.57\00:10:47.21
and the shrines
of the high places."
00:10:47.24\00:10:49.44
So you notice what's happening,
00:10:49.48\00:10:50.88
all the nations are
mentioned but what they doing?
00:10:50.91\00:10:53.35
They're
sacrificing in the high places
00:10:53.38\00:10:55.18
and the high
places were established
00:10:55.22\00:10:57.22
to keep the Israelites
from sacrificing in Jerusalem.
00:10:57.25\00:11:01.39
All the practices
of the foreign gods
00:11:01.42\00:11:03.46
and I put a point here,
00:11:03.53\00:11:04.86
it's so vitally important
00:11:04.89\00:11:06.23
that we learn the
lesson from Israel.
00:11:06.26\00:11:08.53
When someone
comes along that says,
00:11:08.56\00:11:10.43
I want to help,
00:11:10.47\00:11:11.80
but their
practices indicate otherwise,
00:11:11.83\00:11:14.04
don't create an alliance.
00:11:14.10\00:11:15.80
Amen.
00:11:15.84\00:11:17.17
Don't create an alliance.
00:11:17.21\00:11:18.54
Let's go to the
next one, verse 33.
00:11:18.57\00:11:19.91
Let's see if I can get in here,
00:11:19.94\00:11:22.58
"They fear the Lord
yet serve their own gods
00:11:22.61\00:11:25.08
according to the
rituals of the nations
00:11:25.11\00:11:26.68
from among whom
they were carried away.
00:11:26.72\00:11:29.82
To this day they continue
practicing the former rituals.
00:11:29.85\00:11:32.92
They do not fear the Lord
00:11:32.95\00:11:34.29
nor do they
follow their statutes
00:11:34.32\00:11:36.39
or their ordinances or
the laws of the commandment
00:11:36.42\00:11:38.86
which the Lord had
commanded the children of Jacob,
00:11:38.89\00:11:41.46
whom he named Israel,
00:11:41.50\00:11:43.16
with whom the Lord had made
a covenant in charge of them,
00:11:43.20\00:11:45.57
saying, 'You shall
not fear of the gods
00:11:45.60\00:11:48.10
nor bow down to them nor
serve them nor sacrifice.'"
00:11:48.14\00:11:51.27
And the next point is,
00:11:51.31\00:11:52.64
"Regardless of
what other nations
00:11:52.67\00:11:54.31
or rebellious leaders say,
00:11:54.34\00:11:56.48
they will honor their
god over the true God."
00:11:56.51\00:11:59.51
That's what
you're continuing to see,
00:11:59.55\00:12:01.08
no matter what they say,
00:12:01.12\00:12:02.45
they're still
honoring their God.
00:12:02.48\00:12:04.19
The sixth point, I'm
going down to verse 40 now.
00:12:04.22\00:12:08.69
Am I jumping past 36?
00:12:08.72\00:12:10.66
Let's go to verse 40,
in the interest of time,
00:12:10.73\00:12:13.73
"However, they did not obey,
00:12:13.80\00:12:15.50
but they follow
their former rituals.
00:12:15.53\00:12:18.03
So these nations fear the Lord
yet serve their carved images.
00:12:18.07\00:12:21.94
Also, their children and
their children's children
00:12:21.97\00:12:24.34
have continued doing
as their fathers did,
00:12:24.37\00:12:27.54
even to this day."
00:12:27.58\00:12:29.21
And here's the point,
no matter the situation,
00:12:29.24\00:12:31.71
other religious leaders
have a greater dedication
00:12:31.75\00:12:35.38
to their way of worship
00:12:35.42\00:12:37.05
and to the gods that they serve.
00:12:37.09\00:12:38.42
So here's the
point of clarification
00:12:38.45\00:12:39.95
in the point of unity,
00:12:40.02\00:12:41.36
the danger here
is found in Luke 4:8,
00:12:41.39\00:12:44.59
here's where the
council comes from.
00:12:44.63\00:12:47.00
What are we told,
00:12:47.03\00:12:48.53
what the Lord Jesus Himself say?
00:12:48.56\00:12:50.93
Here's the council
that we must follow.
00:12:50.97\00:12:53.03
When others try to
00:12:53.07\00:12:54.90
and I'm gonna use
the word convince us
00:12:54.94\00:12:59.07
or seduce us into a
unity that leads us away
00:12:59.11\00:13:03.48
from allegiance to the true God.
00:13:03.55\00:13:05.75
Luke 4:8, "And Jesus answered
and said to them, to him,
00:13:05.78\00:13:11.59
'Get behind me,
Satan, for it is written,
00:13:11.62\00:13:14.39
you shall worship
the Lord your God,'
00:13:14.42\00:13:16.22
and what else?
00:13:16.26\00:13:17.63
'In him only you shall serve."'
00:13:17.66\00:13:20.20
Whenever the
choice is between unity
00:13:20.23\00:13:22.73
with opposition for those
who do not serve the true God,
00:13:22.76\00:13:26.03
always make a
decision to serve God
00:13:26.07\00:13:28.34
with our whole heart.
00:13:28.37\00:13:30.61
Amen.
00:13:30.67\00:13:32.01
Mollie.
00:13:32.04\00:13:33.38
I want to, you know,
00:13:33.41\00:13:34.74
what I'm looking at
is prophets encourage
00:13:34.78\00:13:37.51
and that is Ezra 5:1,
00:13:37.55\00:13:41.72
but I want to read.
00:13:41.75\00:13:44.32
Go back up to Ezra 4:23,
00:13:44.35\00:13:47.42
I'm gonna read 23 and 24.
00:13:47.46\00:13:50.19
"Now when the copy
00:13:50.23\00:13:51.69
of King
Artaxerxes' letter was read."
00:13:51.73\00:13:54.83
Now, what was this letter?
00:13:54.83\00:13:57.30
This letter was where
those surrounding nations
00:13:57.33\00:14:01.87
that so opposed the
rebuilding of Jerusalem,
00:14:01.90\00:14:06.04
the walls in the temple,
00:14:06.07\00:14:08.04
and those were the ones
that you were talking about,
00:14:08.08\00:14:10.15
it first came and said,
'Hey, let us rebuild with you.'
00:14:10.18\00:14:14.52
And when the answer
was no, you can't rebuild,
00:14:14.55\00:14:17.52
they started discouraging
00:14:17.59\00:14:19.82
and then they asked for a letter
00:14:19.85\00:14:22.39
from the king of Persia
00:14:22.42\00:14:24.69
to discontinue the
building and with this,
00:14:24.73\00:14:27.30
they ascribed all
of these shortcomings
00:14:27.40\00:14:33.30
of the nation of
Israel to the king.
00:14:33.34\00:14:35.44
And it says, now,
00:14:35.47\00:14:36.81
when the copy of
King's letter was read,
00:14:36.87\00:14:41.14
and that though
while King Artaxerxes...
00:14:41.18\00:14:43.95
Am I saying it right?
00:14:44.01\00:14:45.35
Artaxerxes was
read what he had done
00:14:45.38\00:14:47.98
was he had
listened to these naysayers,
00:14:48.02\00:14:51.45
and he had written a letter
00:14:51.49\00:14:52.99
and what did that letter
say to the children of Israel?
00:14:53.02\00:14:57.23
It said, "You've
got to quit rebuilding."
00:14:57.29\00:14:59.56
First, they were rebuilding,
00:14:59.59\00:15:02.33
and then they had
to quit rebuilding.
00:15:02.36\00:15:04.63
So this is where I pick up.
00:15:04.67\00:15:06.67
I'm picking up
00:15:06.74\00:15:08.07
with the
encouragement from prophets.
00:15:08.10\00:15:12.04
Now the time frame
that I'm looking at
00:15:12.07\00:15:14.34
is several years
after the rebuilding began.
00:15:14.38\00:15:18.78
When the children of Israel
first returned from Judah,
00:15:18.81\00:15:21.88
when that first
50,000, they call the remnant,
00:15:21.92\00:15:26.59
the reason they
call it the remnant,
00:15:26.62\00:15:27.96
it sounds like 50,000.
00:15:27.99\00:15:29.32
Boy, that's a lot of people.
00:15:29.36\00:15:30.83
But the scripture clearly says
00:15:30.86\00:15:32.56
that hundreds of
thousands didn't return.
00:15:32.59\00:15:35.93
So that's why it
was just a remnant,
00:15:35.96\00:15:38.27
the others chose
to stay in Babylon
00:15:38.30\00:15:41.44
or chose to stay in the nation
00:15:41.47\00:15:44.07
where they were comfortable,
00:15:44.11\00:15:46.37
but God always has a remnant.
00:15:46.41\00:15:48.48
Now we can praise God for this.
00:15:48.51\00:15:49.84
So this remnant returns
and when they first returned,
00:15:49.88\00:15:53.78
what was the
purpose of their returning?
00:15:53.82\00:15:56.28
To rebuild.
00:15:56.32\00:15:57.65
To rebuild,
they were to rebuild.
00:15:57.69\00:16:00.89
And so they were so excited
when they first returned,
00:16:00.92\00:16:04.39
there was this great optimism.
00:16:04.43\00:16:07.30
They were rejoicing and excited
00:16:07.36\00:16:09.76
and said about the opportunity
to rebuild the temple
00:16:09.80\00:16:14.34
and the city walls of Jerusalem.
00:16:14.37\00:16:16.47
However, this is what
we're picking up today
00:16:16.50\00:16:20.28
many years later.
00:16:20.31\00:16:22.28
So what was the reason
that they discontinued.
00:16:22.31\00:16:26.25
We can say,
well, they got a letter
00:16:26.28\00:16:28.45
from the king of Persia
saying you've got to stop,
00:16:28.48\00:16:32.02
but they, there was
more to it than just that.
00:16:32.05\00:16:35.49
They were so discouraged.
00:16:35.52\00:16:37.96
When you're discouraged,
00:16:37.99\00:16:40.30
it's like somebody reaches
right on the inside of you
00:16:40.33\00:16:44.03
and pulls your courage out.
00:16:44.07\00:16:46.30
Now when you're encouraged
on the other hand, that's...
00:16:46.33\00:16:50.17
Do you like to be
around a discourager?
00:16:50.21\00:16:52.77
You walk away
feeling, but an encourager,
00:16:52.81\00:16:55.91
an encourager takes
courage, Pastor Lomacang
00:16:55.94\00:16:59.35
and puts it on
the inside of you.
00:16:59.38\00:17:01.62
So we're gonna look
at the discouragement,
00:17:01.65\00:17:04.12
but we're also going to
look at the encouragement.
00:17:04.15\00:17:07.52
God never
leaves us where we are.
00:17:07.59\00:17:10.26
He always has a way for us
00:17:10.29\00:17:12.36
to come up and
out of our situation.
00:17:12.39\00:17:14.40
So when you are discouraged,
00:17:14.46\00:17:17.47
it's like somebody has
reached in the inside of you
00:17:17.50\00:17:20.64
and taken your courage out.
00:17:20.67\00:17:22.14
Discouragement leads
to even worse things.
00:17:22.17\00:17:26.71
Apathy, pessimism, it
effects you in every area,
00:17:26.78\00:17:32.11
mentally, physically,
00:17:32.15\00:17:34.15
emotionally, and spiritually.
00:17:34.22\00:17:37.82
These people had returned.
00:17:37.85\00:17:40.39
Now look at what
they had returned.
00:17:40.46\00:17:42.49
These were like pioneers.
00:17:42.52\00:17:44.79
They had come 900 miles,
it took them how many months?
00:17:44.83\00:17:48.33
Four months.
00:17:48.36\00:17:49.70
So they were like pioneers.
00:17:49.73\00:17:51.60
They had returned to a
city that had been decimated.
00:17:51.63\00:17:57.07
The land itself was desolate.
00:17:57.11\00:17:59.44
They had crop failures.
00:17:59.47\00:18:01.64
The work was extremely hard,
00:18:01.68\00:18:04.61
and they were
constantly being threatened
00:18:04.65\00:18:06.95
by their enemies
and they lived in fear.
00:18:06.98\00:18:09.48
How would you like
to be in that situation?
00:18:09.52\00:18:12.15
Now, these enemies
that surrounded them
00:18:12.19\00:18:16.29
that they were in fear
of had written the letter,
00:18:16.32\00:18:19.56
King Artaxerxes read the letter,
00:18:19.59\00:18:22.56
listened to the
letter, and sent a letter.
00:18:22.60\00:18:25.63
He said to stop the rebuilding.
00:18:25.67\00:18:28.24
They were already discouraged,
00:18:28.27\00:18:30.74
they were already living
in fear for their own safety.
00:18:30.81\00:18:34.61
Now the king demanded,
00:18:34.64\00:18:36.58
they stop restoring the
temple and the city walls.
00:18:36.61\00:18:40.32
And this is what they do.
00:18:40.35\00:18:41.98
They just found it easier
00:18:42.02\00:18:44.09
to stop
rebuilding than to fight,
00:18:44.12\00:18:47.96
and that was a byproduct
of just being discouraged,
00:18:47.99\00:18:53.70
and tired, and fearful.
00:18:53.73\00:18:56.13
Discouragement and pessimism
had led to spiritual lethargy
00:18:56.16\00:19:01.10
and it was just easier to
neglect the things of God.
00:19:01.14\00:19:06.17
So the rebuilding of the
temple had come to a halt.
00:19:06.21\00:19:10.68
It was at this setting that God
needed to intervene, thank God.
00:19:10.71\00:19:14.72
Amen.
00:19:14.75\00:19:16.08
He called his
prophets Haggai and Zachariah
00:19:16.12\00:19:19.85
to bring a message
to the people of Judah
00:19:19.89\00:19:21.99
and to bring that good word,
00:19:22.02\00:19:24.53
encouragement to
complete the work on the temple.
00:19:24.56\00:19:29.30
Remember, discouragement
takes our courage out of us,
00:19:29.33\00:19:32.90
takes our strength out of us,
00:19:32.93\00:19:35.04
but here are these
men bringing encouragement
00:19:35.07\00:19:37.97
and that's gonna put courage
and strength on the inside.
00:19:38.01\00:19:40.98
So let me read
to you Ezra 5:1-2,
00:19:41.01\00:19:44.38
"Then the prophets,
Haggai and Zachariah."
00:19:44.41\00:19:47.25
Now both of these men
have been captives in Babylon
00:19:47.32\00:19:50.09
and had returned to Judah.
00:19:50.12\00:19:52.09
"The son of Iddo,
prophets, prophesied to the Jews
00:19:52.12\00:19:54.89
who were in Judah and Jerusalem,
00:19:54.92\00:19:56.83
in the name of
the God of Israel,
00:19:56.86\00:19:58.63
who was over them."
00:19:58.66\00:20:01.90
And we find in
Haggai, the first chapter,
00:20:01.93\00:20:05.30
what this message
was to the people.
00:20:05.33\00:20:07.44
I'm gonna read Haggai
1:4, he asked a question,
00:20:07.50\00:20:11.21
"Is it time for
you yourself to dwell
00:20:11.24\00:20:13.48
in your paneled houses,
00:20:13.54\00:20:15.38
and this temple
to lie in ruins?"
00:20:15.41\00:20:17.11
So what he was saying is,
00:20:17.15\00:20:18.85
hey, what you are doing
00:20:18.88\00:20:20.68
is you are
rebuilding your own house,
00:20:20.72\00:20:22.48
but you're leaving
the house of God in ruins.
00:20:22.52\00:20:26.82
And verse 5, "Now, therefore,
thus says the Lord of hosts:
00:20:26.86\00:20:31.83
Consider your ways!"
00:20:31.86\00:20:33.56
Has God ever said
that to you, Pastor Kenny?
00:20:33.60\00:20:35.70
Oh, would that get
your attention if He did?
00:20:35.73\00:20:38.20
Consider your ways.
00:20:38.23\00:20:40.67
Zachariah 5:5,
00:20:40.70\00:20:42.84
"The people in their
discouragement in fear
00:20:42.87\00:20:45.44
had discontinued
caring for the things of God
00:20:45.47\00:20:49.41
and had been carrying
on for their own things."
00:20:49.44\00:20:52.11
Verse 9 tells,
00:20:52.15\00:20:53.55
"He tells them that the reason
00:20:53.58\00:20:56.25
for their lack and need
00:20:56.28\00:20:58.79
is because of my
house that is in ruins
00:20:58.82\00:21:03.19
and while every one of
you runs to his own house."
00:21:03.22\00:21:06.49
So the prophet comes
and drops a plumb-line
00:21:06.53\00:21:11.40
and he tells you
strengthen the wall.
00:21:11.43\00:21:13.90
And so what he was
saying was, you have a plan,
00:21:13.94\00:21:17.77
you need to get
back into alignment
00:21:17.81\00:21:20.28
with what God
has called you to do
00:21:20.34\00:21:22.21
which is to rebuild that
temple and rebuild that wall.
00:21:22.24\00:21:25.71
Get about your business,
00:21:25.75\00:21:27.08
get back up on that
wall and get busy, okay.
00:21:27.12\00:21:30.85
The message God
sent through His prophet
00:21:30.89\00:21:33.46
had immediate results.
00:21:33.52\00:21:35.92
Look at verse 2,
00:21:35.96\00:21:37.49
"So Zerubbabel the son
of Shealtiel and Jeshua
00:21:37.53\00:21:40.56
the son of Jozadak,"
00:21:40.60\00:21:43.50
oh these words, these names.
00:21:43.53\00:21:45.63
They did something, they rose up
00:21:45.67\00:21:48.27
and began to
build a house of God.
00:21:48.30\00:21:50.54
Now, don't you just like that?
00:21:50.57\00:21:51.91
They rose up.
00:21:51.94\00:21:53.27
What was the
condition they had been in?
00:21:53.31\00:21:55.04
They were down,
they were discouraged,
00:21:55.08\00:21:58.08
but when the encouragement came
from the prophet of the Lord,
00:21:58.11\00:22:03.18
it infused like bellows.
00:22:03.22\00:22:05.99
It infused courage
into them and they rose up
00:22:06.02\00:22:09.82
and they got
back to the business
00:22:09.86\00:22:12.53
that they were called to do
00:22:12.56\00:22:14.00
to build the house of
God, which is in Jerusalem.
00:22:14.00\00:22:17.53
And this is
something I like so good,
00:22:17.57\00:22:19.43
I underlined it in my Bible.
00:22:19.47\00:22:21.44
It says, "And
the prophets of God
00:22:21.47\00:22:24.94
were with them helping them."
00:22:24.97\00:22:26.64
Amen.
00:22:26.68\00:22:28.01
And the prophets
didn't come in and say,
00:22:28.04\00:22:29.38
look at us, aren't we important?
00:22:29.41\00:22:31.21
No, they put
their hand to the plow.
00:22:31.25\00:22:33.68
In this case, to
the nail and hammer
00:22:33.72\00:22:36.28
or whatever they used
00:22:36.32\00:22:37.65
to rebuild walls
and temples in that day.
00:22:37.69\00:22:40.16
The prophets got
right down to business
00:22:40.22\00:22:42.29
and dealt with them.
00:22:42.32\00:22:43.69
God had sent the
remnant back to Judah
00:22:43.73\00:22:46.16
to rebuild His
house and the city
00:22:46.19\00:22:48.70
and God had a
plan and His blank plan
00:22:48.73\00:22:51.53
had been disrupted by
fear and discouragement
00:22:51.57\00:22:54.07
so God stepped in.
00:22:54.10\00:22:56.07
God didn't abandon His people.
00:22:56.10\00:22:58.71
And the word of encouragement
to every one of us today,
00:22:58.74\00:23:01.88
if you're discouraged,
God will never abandon you.
00:23:01.91\00:23:04.95
There will always be...
00:23:04.98\00:23:07.22
He will always make a
way in the wilderness.
00:23:07.25\00:23:09.45
He will always
bring encouragement to you
00:23:09.48\00:23:12.32
and you know, Pastor
Lomacang said something,
00:23:12.35\00:23:15.99
a few lessons
ago, and it was this.
00:23:16.02\00:23:19.86
Its inspiration
will get you going,
00:23:19.89\00:23:24.23
but dedication
will keep you going.
00:23:24.27\00:23:26.47
So be inspired
today, but be dedicated
00:23:26.50\00:23:29.40
and keep going for God.
00:23:29.44\00:23:30.77
Amen.
00:23:30.81\00:23:32.14
Amen, thank you so much,
Mollie, that was amazing.
00:23:32.17\00:23:33.64
Prophets
encourage, that's right.
00:23:33.68\00:23:35.54
That was Monday's lesson.
00:23:35.58\00:23:37.01
And I like to
encourage you, don't go away,
00:23:37.05\00:23:39.41
we'll be right
back in just a moment.
00:23:39.45\00:23:41.12
Ever wish you could watch
00:23:46.32\00:23:47.66
a 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel again,
00:23:47.69\00:23:49.76
or share it on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?
00:23:49.79\00:23:53.03
Well, you can by visiting
3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com.
00:23:53.06\00:23:57.93
A clean design makes it easy
00:23:57.97\00:24:00.44
to find the
program you're looking for.
00:24:00.47\00:24:02.60
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Welcome back to our
Sabbath School study.
00:24:18.89\00:24:20.96
We're gonna continue
with Tuesday's lesson
00:24:20.99\00:24:22.86
by Pastor Kenny Shelton
entitled "Work Stoppage."
00:24:22.89\00:24:26.70
Yeah, to me this is
very important part of it
00:24:26.73\00:24:28.90
and we've covered some of it
00:24:28.93\00:24:30.33
but I want to look,
00:24:30.37\00:24:31.87
you mentioned
while ago, a letter
00:24:31.90\00:24:34.30
and I think we'll
examine that letter a little bit
00:24:34.34\00:24:36.40
to see what the complaints,
00:24:36.44\00:24:37.77
you know, really were all about.
00:24:37.81\00:24:39.14
We've hit some of them so
on and so forth, but to me,
00:24:39.17\00:24:42.94
it's how far people will go
00:24:42.98\00:24:44.75
if they don't want to
see something move forward.
00:24:44.78\00:24:47.68
If what they'll do,
what they'll make up,
00:24:47.72\00:24:50.25
how they balloon it
up, how they even come,
00:24:50.29\00:24:52.25
sometime they
even tell some lies.
00:24:52.29\00:24:54.86
So here this is definitely
the one of the work stop.
00:24:54.89\00:24:58.33
So let's examine
that letter little more.
00:24:58.36\00:24:59.89
So to me, it's a powerful lesson
00:24:59.96\00:25:01.93
and when God calls
us to do something,
00:25:01.96\00:25:03.97
Pastor John has missed
probably everyone here,
00:25:04.00\00:25:06.07
there will be opposition.
00:25:06.10\00:25:07.84
I mean, that's, I don't
know if you can say it enough
00:25:07.87\00:25:10.94
that there will be
opposition if you stand up
00:25:10.97\00:25:14.08
for what is truth
and what is right.
00:25:14.11\00:25:16.14
In fact, it will come
sometime from your own family,
00:25:16.18\00:25:19.68
which is very hurtful.
00:25:19.71\00:25:21.15
Sometimes it will
come from church members.
00:25:21.18\00:25:23.72
Sometimes it will
come from just neighbors
00:25:23.79\00:25:25.85
or whatever it might be,
00:25:25.89\00:25:27.26
but the opposition will
come in some form or fashion
00:25:27.29\00:25:30.33
to try to discourage you,
00:25:30.36\00:25:32.13
to try to discourage
me to make us go back.
00:25:32.16\00:25:35.23
I think
everybody's done this here
00:25:35.26\00:25:36.93
to make us go back and go over.
00:25:36.97\00:25:39.90
Did God really
impressed my mind to do this?
00:25:39.93\00:25:43.10
I don't know if
anybody's ever been there.
00:25:43.14\00:25:44.47
I've been there a lot of times.
00:25:44.51\00:25:46.74
God really do because you've
got other people, you know,
00:25:46.78\00:25:49.44
the places that simply
say, well, I don't think
00:25:49.48\00:25:51.88
this is what you
ought to be doing right now.
00:25:51.91\00:25:53.98
So we have to just
look and really examine,
00:25:54.02\00:25:56.28
you know, did we hear it wrong?
00:25:56.32\00:25:58.85
You know, did we hear it wrong?
00:25:58.89\00:26:00.29
Did we get the wrong message
00:26:00.32\00:26:01.66
and now you know, doubt comes in
00:26:01.69\00:26:04.89
and then when doubt
comes in, the enemy comes in.
00:26:04.93\00:26:07.40
You mentioned, we
get discouraged with it
00:26:07.46\00:26:09.53
and we kind of wonder
what we should really do,
00:26:09.56\00:26:11.67
you know, work stoppage.
00:26:11.70\00:26:13.44
And I can only
think of one individual
00:26:13.47\00:26:15.57
who likes the work or
the cause of Christ to stop,
00:26:15.60\00:26:19.47
would that be the enemy?
00:26:19.51\00:26:20.88
There's only one that
wants to stop the work of God.
00:26:20.91\00:26:23.45
That's all there is to it.
00:26:23.48\00:26:24.81
So let's look at
some of the enemy did
00:26:24.85\00:26:26.18
to stop this work in
Jerusalem in Ezra Chapter 4,
00:26:26.21\00:26:29.55
we're gonna look
several different times
00:26:29.58\00:26:30.92
in lessons and verses 6-24.
00:26:30.99\00:26:34.32
So there's several things
here we'll look at quickly.
00:26:34.36\00:26:36.32
Number one is they
said, they hired counselors,
00:26:36.36\00:26:39.36
we've been through part of that,
00:26:39.39\00:26:40.73
they hired
counselors, so they...
00:26:40.80\00:26:42.26
Now, remember they hired.
00:26:42.30\00:26:44.40
They were so bent on
getting this stopped.
00:26:44.43\00:26:47.40
They did not want
that wall to be rebuilt,
00:26:47.44\00:26:49.34
they didn't want
the city to be rebuilt.
00:26:49.37\00:26:50.71
They didn't want the wall.
00:26:50.77\00:26:52.11
They didn't want
anything there with the Jews.
00:26:52.14\00:26:54.04
So they went out
and they hired the best.
00:26:54.08\00:26:57.11
I like to think about, you know,
00:26:57.15\00:26:58.48
you get yourself in
trouble, what do you do?
00:26:58.51\00:27:00.28
Sometimes you go out
and you hire a lawyer.
00:27:00.35\00:27:02.68
You don't get any lawyer.
00:27:02.72\00:27:04.22
Some of those might,
00:27:04.25\00:27:05.59
but you gotta look at the best
and usually you have to pay.
00:27:05.62\00:27:09.62
You pay dear for that.
00:27:09.66\00:27:10.99
They went out and they hired.
00:27:11.03\00:27:12.36
So I figured they hired those
who had a little information
00:27:12.39\00:27:15.60
what had gone on in the past
00:27:15.63\00:27:17.70
and what was going
on right then and there
00:27:17.73\00:27:19.43
so they could make a good case
because they had to be stopped.
00:27:19.47\00:27:22.30
I think they had one shot.
00:27:22.34\00:27:23.94
We're gonna give it one
shot, we're gonna go into it,
00:27:24.01\00:27:26.11
we're gonna make
stop this right here now.
00:27:26.14\00:27:27.91
If we don't stop it now,
we may not get to stop it.
00:27:27.94\00:27:30.65
I'm hearing talk
like that even today
00:27:30.68\00:27:32.11
about lot of things
going on in the world.
00:27:32.15\00:27:34.22
We've got a shot.
We've got to stop this.
00:27:34.25\00:27:35.65
We got to stop that.
00:27:35.68\00:27:37.02
And a lot of extremes
00:27:37.09\00:27:38.92
we're gonna to it seems like to,
00:27:38.95\00:27:40.56
make sure we stop
something we don't want to see.
00:27:40.59\00:27:42.42
So they hired the counselors.
00:27:42.46\00:27:44.46
Counselors are as you
will know they are what?
00:27:44.49\00:27:46.39
They are advisors,
00:27:46.43\00:27:47.76
they are people
that come together,
00:27:47.76\00:27:49.10
they want to guide you.
00:27:49.13\00:27:50.47
And evidently these
counselors advise them to
00:27:50.53\00:27:53.84
as you mentioned I
think here write a letter
00:27:53.90\00:27:56.60
and write it to the king.
00:27:56.67\00:27:59.87
If I want to write a letter,
00:27:59.91\00:28:01.31
I think I'd like for it to
go to where it needs to go.
00:28:01.34\00:28:03.48
So there's not going
through a bunch of hands
00:28:03.51\00:28:05.01
that doesn't need to go through.
00:28:05.05\00:28:06.38
There's lot of
times lot of our talk
00:28:06.41\00:28:07.75
and all the stuff that we do
00:28:07.78\00:28:09.12
is where it doesn't need to be.
00:28:09.15\00:28:11.29
We need to go right to where
we want to change take place
00:28:11.32\00:28:13.32
that we make that letter
00:28:13.39\00:28:14.72
and we send it to
where it needs to go
00:28:14.76\00:28:16.16
and they said,
00:28:16.19\00:28:17.56
we're gonna stop
those Jews from working
00:28:17.59\00:28:19.76
if that's the last thing we do.
00:28:19.79\00:28:21.80
Even though God
told him to do it,
00:28:21.83\00:28:24.07
they said they won't stop.
00:28:24.10\00:28:25.43
First they wrote to,
00:28:25.47\00:28:26.84
I think they wrote
to the Darius first.
00:28:26.87\00:28:28.47
I think they wrote him a letter,
00:28:28.50\00:28:29.84
I think in Ezra Chapter 5 and 6,
00:28:29.87\00:28:31.61
you can glean that from there.
00:28:31.64\00:28:33.48
They even wrote to King Xerxes
and then later Artaxerxes.
00:28:33.51\00:28:37.95
So they were doing everything.
00:28:37.98\00:28:39.38
Let's get the right guy.
00:28:39.41\00:28:40.75
Let's write the right letter.
00:28:40.82\00:28:42.35
Let's get it in the right hands,
00:28:42.38\00:28:44.55
and what was the reason?
00:28:44.59\00:28:46.05
Why were they convinced,
00:28:46.09\00:28:47.46
we're gonna convince the people,
00:28:47.49\00:28:48.82
we're gonna convince the
king, it's best if they stopped.
00:28:48.86\00:28:51.96
And so, here's what they did.
00:28:51.99\00:28:53.53
One of the first argument was,
00:28:53.60\00:28:55.13
they said
before, the city is bad.
00:28:55.16\00:28:58.03
The city is bad.
00:28:58.07\00:28:59.40
You notice the city was
bad and it was rebellious.
00:28:59.43\00:29:02.74
And that's, basically
I think they look at this
00:29:02.77\00:29:04.61
and see if you
can see this is true.
00:29:04.64\00:29:07.14
You can go back,
00:29:07.21\00:29:08.54
I want to thank you go
back to the courthouse.
00:29:08.58\00:29:10.71
You go back to the courthouse,
and you go back to the records
00:29:10.78\00:29:13.55
and they basically said,
"Go there and get the records.
00:29:13.58\00:29:15.38
Look at the records, you
will see that they were bad
00:29:15.42\00:29:18.35
and they were rebellious.
00:29:18.39\00:29:19.79
And they're gonna cause the king
00:29:19.82\00:29:21.82
a lot of problems."
00:29:21.86\00:29:23.19
Well, the last thing the
king wanted to hear was what?
00:29:23.22\00:29:24.59
There's gonna be some problems.
00:29:24.63\00:29:26.49
Who wants any problems?
00:29:26.53\00:29:28.03
Number two it
says, we're doing this
00:29:28.06\00:29:30.20
because we don't want to
see you the king dishonored.
00:29:30.27\00:29:35.60
You know how much
power that kind of gives
00:29:35.64\00:29:37.51
if the king sitting there
he is all puffed up anyway,
00:29:37.54\00:29:39.47
bless his heart.
00:29:39.51\00:29:40.88
Probably thinks he's
more than what he should be.
00:29:40.91\00:29:42.98
You know, sometimes
we sit in a position
00:29:43.01\00:29:44.45
and somebody comes to
you, they're using psychology.
00:29:44.48\00:29:47.32
They're coming
right at you and say,
00:29:47.35\00:29:48.68
"Now, this is the last thing
00:29:48.72\00:29:50.05
we want to see
is you to get hurt."
00:29:50.09\00:29:51.69
Well, right quick,
you're starting to sympathize,
00:29:51.72\00:29:53.22
oh, well, oh, yeah, well,
I'm glad you feel that way.
00:29:53.25\00:29:55.59
That's what they said.
00:29:55.62\00:29:56.96
We don't want
you to be dishonored.
00:29:57.03\00:29:58.69
So I mean, they
were really write it out
00:29:58.73\00:30:00.13
to where it be almost
when you read this letter,
00:30:00.20\00:30:02.43
you be a tear jerker.
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.23
Some of you
didn't, it take a while.
00:30:04.27\00:30:06.13
Now the third part it says,
00:30:06.17\00:30:08.24
you notice
this, this right here,
00:30:08.27\00:30:09.84
and I'm not sure which
one maybe, it was Pastor John,
00:30:09.87\00:30:12.57
one of us in
here mentioned before,
00:30:12.61\00:30:14.88
and it comes out
in this lesson here.
00:30:14.91\00:30:17.01
And they said, and by the
way, if we don't stop this,
00:30:17.05\00:30:21.15
there's no one
gonna pay any tolls.
00:30:21.18\00:30:24.25
Basically, no one's
gonna pay any taxes,
00:30:24.29\00:30:25.85
no custom, no tribute,
no anything to you king.
00:30:25.89\00:30:28.92
Right.
00:30:28.96\00:30:30.29
You're gonna end up
short with the money,
00:30:30.33\00:30:32.89
your treasure is
gonna be way down.
00:30:32.93\00:30:34.73
You can't do
what you want to do.
00:30:34.76\00:30:36.10
You can't go out
and fix the roads
00:30:36.13\00:30:39.13
and fix the
water lines and sewers.
00:30:39.17\00:30:41.34
You know what I'm talking about.
00:30:41.37\00:30:42.70
You can't do what all
you've been doing before
00:30:42.74\00:30:44.87
because the
money won't be there.
00:30:44.91\00:30:46.91
Money talks as loud as
anything or more than anything
00:30:46.94\00:30:49.41
in this world even today.
00:30:49.44\00:30:51.11
So with the
threat of that out there,
00:30:51.15\00:30:52.48
oh, the king said,
00:30:52.51\00:30:53.85
"Now wait a minute
here now, we need the king,
00:30:53.88\00:30:55.25
I kind of like
the life I'm living."
00:30:55.28\00:30:58.02
I kind of like to be
doing what we're doing here.
00:30:58.05\00:30:59.85
I mean does that run
through your mind there
00:30:59.89\00:31:01.56
just a little bit?
00:31:01.59\00:31:03.63
And so they said, but
we gonna get lot less money
00:31:03.66\00:31:05.46
is gonna be coming in.
00:31:05.49\00:31:06.83
So and then they
said number four,
00:31:06.90\00:31:09.80
they're only building,
the Jews are only building
00:31:09.83\00:31:11.87
because so they
can gain independence.
00:31:11.90\00:31:15.07
Think about, only so
they can gain independence
00:31:15.10\00:31:17.77
so that they, you know,
00:31:17.81\00:31:19.24
and this will cause
the king more problems
00:31:19.27\00:31:21.68
and we say he
can shake a stick at.
00:31:21.71\00:31:23.81
The king right quick
got a little bit like oh my,
00:31:23.85\00:31:26.31
so what did he believe?
00:31:26.35\00:31:28.35
If you had a letter like this,
00:31:28.38\00:31:29.72
you had some high
important people that signed it,
00:31:29.75\00:31:31.42
you had the support of
the neighbors all around.
00:31:31.45\00:31:35.06
You have to look at that
00:31:35.09\00:31:36.42
and the king
just looked at that,
00:31:36.46\00:31:37.79
as his advisors, his counselors,
00:31:37.83\00:31:39.43
men in authority looked at that
00:31:39.46\00:31:40.80
and he believed
those accusations.
00:31:40.86\00:31:42.46
That's what they were.
00:31:42.50\00:31:43.83
They were lies,
they were accusations,
00:31:43.90\00:31:46.00
we see it happening,
taking place nowadays.
00:31:46.03\00:31:48.57
There's no doubt about it,
00:31:48.60\00:31:49.94
but sometimes
people read something
00:31:49.97\00:31:51.31
and they
believe it is the gospel
00:31:51.34\00:31:53.01
when it is a lie, you
know, just down and out lie.
00:31:53.04\00:31:56.34
So they said, well,
you know, the king said,
00:31:56.38\00:31:57.91
well, if this be the
case, and it look like it is,
00:31:57.95\00:32:00.12
we got enough witnesses
here, we're gonna stop the work,
00:32:00.15\00:32:02.75
I'm gonna stop the
Jews from working on it.
00:32:02.78\00:32:04.79
And someone mentioned
even then a prior lesson there,
00:32:04.82\00:32:07.26
what did they do?
00:32:07.29\00:32:08.62
Weren't going to say I
want you to stop, he said,
00:32:08.66\00:32:10.06
we're gonna bring in the troops,
00:32:10.13\00:32:11.73
we're gonna
bring in the big boys,
00:32:11.76\00:32:13.26
we're gonna bring them in,
00:32:13.29\00:32:14.60
we're gonna make
sure that work stops,
00:32:14.63\00:32:16.33
because I don't
want to go in anymore.
00:32:16.36\00:32:18.63
So there was opposition.
00:32:18.67\00:32:20.70
So when that happened,
what happened to the people?
00:32:20.74\00:32:24.17
The people became,
you were talking about,
00:32:24.21\00:32:25.64
they became discouraged.
00:32:25.67\00:32:27.44
Man, there's troops
would say, now they,
00:32:27.48\00:32:29.68
well, they've got
their guns and got this,
00:32:29.71\00:32:31.08
well, they had their weapons
00:32:31.11\00:32:32.91
and whatever
they had right there,
00:32:32.95\00:32:34.28
and they were gonna make sure
00:32:34.32\00:32:35.65
and I think
they went far enough,
00:32:35.68\00:32:37.05
whatever it took
to stop that work.
00:32:37.09\00:32:39.09
If it meant killing somebody,
they go that far with it.
00:32:39.12\00:32:41.92
Say we're definitely
going to stop this right here.
00:32:41.96\00:32:44.36
And so the all sudden today
that people use the excuse,
00:32:44.39\00:32:47.93
well, we're afraid.
00:32:47.96\00:32:49.26
Well, man, if I go out there
00:32:49.30\00:32:50.63
and start building
on the wall right now,
00:32:50.70\00:32:52.03
I've got five kids.
00:32:52.07\00:32:53.77
You know, who's
gonna feed my kids
00:32:53.80\00:32:55.97
and Sister Mollie said,
"Well, Kenny go on home,
00:32:56.00\00:32:57.87
you got five kids.
00:32:57.91\00:32:59.24
You know, we've done,
00:32:59.27\00:33:00.68
it's like
legitimate but God said go.
00:33:00.71\00:33:03.65
God said to build,
00:33:03.68\00:33:05.81
and so God is gonna
take a responsibility
00:33:05.85\00:33:07.78
is He not to make sure
this comes to completion,
00:33:07.82\00:33:11.69
and sometime we run from ghost
00:33:11.72\00:33:14.46
as it were, if
you know what I mean,
00:33:14.49\00:33:15.82
something doesn't
really, really exist.
00:33:15.86\00:33:18.23
And when we're doing God's will,
00:33:18.26\00:33:19.59
I'm telling you right now,
God's gonna step to the plate.
00:33:19.63\00:33:21.60
God's gonna do something good.
00:33:21.63\00:33:23.26
God's gonna hit the
home run as it were.
00:33:23.33\00:33:24.93
He's gonna dry the runs
in, the game is gonna be won
00:33:24.97\00:33:28.30
because God said so
00:33:28.34\00:33:29.74
not because the
king said, don't do it,
00:33:29.77\00:33:31.24
not because
there was a petition,
00:33:31.27\00:33:32.74
not because there was decree,
00:33:32.77\00:33:34.24
not because of the soldiers,
00:33:34.28\00:33:35.61
not because of anything
that went on right there.
00:33:35.64\00:33:38.15
I mean this, we're
trying this to happen.
00:33:38.18\00:33:40.08
The people between a rock
and a hard place we call it.
00:33:40.12\00:33:44.09
If you were those folks
that were in that position,
00:33:44.15\00:33:45.89
what would you do?
00:33:45.92\00:33:47.26
Would you go back
to work the next day,
00:33:47.32\00:33:48.82
knowing that something's
going to happen to you
00:33:48.86\00:33:50.53
or could happen to you?
00:33:50.59\00:33:51.93
The king said stop,
00:33:51.96\00:33:53.29
the army says that we
stop whatever it might be,
00:33:53.33\00:33:55.33
it will cost you your life
if you don't so interesting.
00:33:55.36\00:33:59.17
The time is coming.
00:33:59.20\00:34:00.64
Remember, the
time is coming again.
00:34:00.67\00:34:02.70
Hopefully with
this lesson study,
00:34:02.74\00:34:04.31
this lesson we're gonna be
00:34:04.34\00:34:05.67
studying,
praying, working right now
00:34:05.71\00:34:07.38
where our minds will be
made up to when these things
00:34:07.41\00:34:10.45
come across
against the laws of God
00:34:10.48\00:34:12.88
and the laws of
mankind that you and I,
00:34:12.91\00:34:15.12
by the grace of God
00:34:15.15\00:34:16.48
will make the right
choice, right decision.
00:34:16.52\00:34:18.85
We don't have to
go to counselors,
00:34:18.89\00:34:20.26
we don't have to
go to anyone else.
00:34:20.29\00:34:21.62
We go to the Word of God,
00:34:21.66\00:34:22.99
we go on our
knees, we ask for what God
00:34:23.02\00:34:24.76
and says give us
the wisdom that we need
00:34:24.79\00:34:26.53
to make the right choice
00:34:26.56\00:34:27.86
and the right
decision that time is coming
00:34:27.93\00:34:30.33
just around the corner.
00:34:30.37\00:34:31.70
Amen.
00:34:31.73\00:34:33.07
Thank you so much, Pastor Kenny.
00:34:33.10\00:34:34.80
Anytime, God wants
His work to go forward,
00:34:34.84\00:34:38.61
Satan comes with opposition.
00:34:38.64\00:34:41.34
That is right.
But God is stronger.
00:34:41.38\00:34:43.55
And I love to see that.
00:34:43.61\00:34:45.55
You all were talking
about Zerubbabel and Ezra
00:34:45.58\00:34:48.58
and I'm jumping over with my day
00:34:48.62\00:34:50.65
on Wednesday to Nehemiah.
00:34:50.69\00:34:52.49
So let's turn over a
book to Nehemiah Chapter 4,
00:34:52.52\00:34:55.69
but the concept is the same.
00:34:55.72\00:34:58.43
We see opposition
to the work of God.
00:34:58.46\00:35:01.86
We see the darts and the attacks
00:35:01.90\00:35:03.80
as it were that Satan throws in,
00:35:03.87\00:35:06.00
and then we see what God does
00:35:06.03\00:35:08.10
on behalf of His people.
00:35:08.14\00:35:09.87
So we're looking
at Nehemiah 4:1-23,
00:35:09.90\00:35:13.78
really the whole chapter.
00:35:13.81\00:35:15.78
We see the opposition begin.
00:35:15.81\00:35:17.45
Now remember,
Nehemiah had come back,
00:35:17.48\00:35:19.38
he had said, "Let
us rise up and build."
00:35:19.41\00:35:21.92
He had done the,
secret walkabout of the city
00:35:21.95\00:35:25.85
to see what had taken place,
that's in Nehemiah Chapter 2.
00:35:25.89\00:35:29.16
All the leaders, and the nobles,
00:35:29.19\00:35:30.86
and the priests, and the people
00:35:30.93\00:35:32.26
were off a mind
to work and they said
00:35:32.29\00:35:33.93
yes, with God on our
side, we can do this.
00:35:34.00\00:35:36.67
Now we see 4:1-3.
00:35:36.73\00:35:41.74
Now, I want you to
notice as we read this,
00:35:41.77\00:35:43.57
the first opposition, the
first attack is emotional.
00:35:43.61\00:35:48.18
It's not physical.
00:35:48.21\00:35:49.58
The first attack is emotional.
00:35:49.61\00:35:52.35
Nehemiah 4:1-3,
00:35:52.38\00:35:53.88
"But it so
happened when Sanballat,"
00:35:53.92\00:35:56.05
remember he was the governor
of Samaria to the north.
00:35:56.08\00:35:58.85
"When Sanballat heard that
we were rebuilding the wall,
00:35:58.89\00:36:01.76
that he was
furious and very indignant,
00:36:01.79\00:36:06.06
and mocked the Jews."
00:36:06.09\00:36:07.86
We see anger, we
see ridicule and scorn.
00:36:07.93\00:36:11.70
"And he spoke
before his brethren
00:36:11.73\00:36:13.17
and the army of
Samaria, and said,
00:36:13.20\00:36:14.67
'What are these
feeble Jews doing?
00:36:14.70\00:36:17.21
Will they fortify themselves?
00:36:17.24\00:36:18.84
Will they offer sacrifices?
00:36:18.87\00:36:20.38
Will they complete it in a day?
00:36:20.41\00:36:22.68
Will they revive the stones
from the heaps of rubbish,
00:36:22.71\00:36:25.21
stones that are burned?'
00:36:25.25\00:36:27.35
Now Tobiah the Ammonite,"
remember he was from the east,
00:36:27.42\00:36:30.92
"was beside him, and he said,
00:36:30.99\00:36:32.35
'Whatever they build, if
even a fox goes up on it,
00:36:32.39\00:36:36.29
he will break down
their stone wall.'"
00:36:36.32\00:36:38.59
What's he doing?
00:36:38.63\00:36:40.00
He's making fun of them, right?
00:36:40.03\00:36:41.33
He's making fun of them.
00:36:41.36\00:36:42.70
The first attack is emotional,
00:36:42.73\00:36:44.23
anger, ridicule, and scorn
to try to get them to stop.
00:36:44.27\00:36:49.90
Have you ever
stopped the work of God
00:36:49.97\00:36:51.44
because someone
was angry with you?
00:36:51.47\00:36:53.78
Because you were afraid
00:36:53.84\00:36:55.54
of someone's
anger or someone's scorn
00:36:55.58\00:36:59.28
or someone's
ridicule against you,
00:36:59.31\00:37:02.72
or the work or the ministry
that God is calling you to do.
00:37:02.75\00:37:07.82
You know what the human
response is, Pastor Kenny?
00:37:07.86\00:37:10.19
Human response might
be anger in return, right?
00:37:10.26\00:37:13.29
They dish it to me,
maybe I'm gonna dish it back.
00:37:13.33\00:37:16.56
Or the human
response, Shelley, could be,
00:37:16.60\00:37:18.87
I'm gonna argue or
I'm gonna cower in fear.
00:37:18.90\00:37:22.74
And I'm gonna stop the
work and I'm gonna quit, right?
00:37:22.77\00:37:25.14
I'm afraid. I
don't like that ridicule.
00:37:25.17\00:37:27.48
I don't like the
anger. I'm just going to stop.
00:37:27.51\00:37:30.35
Let's look at
Nehemiah's response.
00:37:30.38\00:37:33.21
His response is really
twofold, prayer and work.
00:37:33.25\00:37:38.25
And we'll look at that.
00:37:38.29\00:37:39.92
Prayer is in Nehemiah
4:4-5, the next two verses.
00:37:39.95\00:37:43.93
Nehemiah prayed, and he said,
00:37:43.96\00:37:45.39
Here, O our God,
for we are despised,
00:37:45.43\00:37:49.86
turn the reproach
on their own heads
00:37:49.90\00:37:51.73
and give them as
plunder to a land of captivity."
00:37:51.77\00:37:55.90
Now, it's interesting to me
how he prays, he didn't pray,
00:37:55.94\00:37:59.04
oh, God, would
you work redemptively
00:37:59.07\00:38:02.18
in so and so's life, right?
00:38:02.21\00:38:04.28
He said, turn out their reproach
00:38:04.31\00:38:06.58
on their own heads,
00:38:06.61\00:38:08.55
and give them as plunder
to the land of captivity.
00:38:08.58\00:38:10.72
This is a strong prayer.
00:38:10.75\00:38:12.49
Do not cover their iniquity,
00:38:12.52\00:38:14.22
do not let their sin be
blotted out from before You,
00:38:14.29\00:38:17.46
for they have provoked You
to anger before the builders."
00:38:17.49\00:38:21.36
This is a prayer for God to work
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.40
on behalf of His people.
00:38:23.47\00:38:25.13
It's a prayer that God
would execute judgment,
00:38:25.17\00:38:28.17
not you, but God
can execute judgment.
00:38:28.20\00:38:31.44
It's a prayer for God
00:38:31.47\00:38:32.81
to vindicate His
name and His people.
00:38:32.84\00:38:35.31
In that culture
00:38:35.34\00:38:37.38
a war between the
city and the people
00:38:37.45\00:38:38.81
was always
understood as a conflict
00:38:38.85\00:38:40.65
between the deities
of the involved groups.
00:38:40.72\00:38:44.45
So in other
words, this challenge
00:38:44.49\00:38:45.89
from Sanballat and Tobiah
00:38:45.92\00:38:47.99
was not just a
challenge to Nehemiah.
00:38:48.02\00:38:50.06
It wasn't just a challenge
to the builders of the wall.
00:38:50.13\00:38:53.19
It was a challenge
00:38:53.23\00:38:54.56
to the God of
Jerusalem, Jehovah God,
00:38:54.56\00:38:58.07
Creator God and because of that,
00:38:58.10\00:39:00.57
I think Nehemiah
prayed in the way that he did,
00:39:00.60\00:39:03.97
that God would rise up
and vindicate his name,
00:39:04.04\00:39:07.11
but Nehemiah just
didn't pray, he worked.
00:39:07.14\00:39:09.61
The next verse, Nehemiah
4:6, "So we built the wall,"
00:39:09.64\00:39:13.65
you notice that,
he didn't just say
00:39:13.68\00:39:15.02
we're having a prayer meeting
and prayer meetings are good.
00:39:15.05\00:39:17.32
He didn't say,
okay, we're gonna do this.
00:39:17.35\00:39:18.99
And now we're gonna stop
00:39:19.02\00:39:20.39
and we're gonna
wait for God to work.
00:39:20.42\00:39:22.19
It says, "We built the wall,
00:39:22.22\00:39:23.86
and the entire
wall was joined together
00:39:23.89\00:39:25.49
up to half its height,
00:39:25.53\00:39:27.23
for the people
had a mind to work."
00:39:27.23\00:39:28.93
So they're already halfway done.
00:39:28.96\00:39:31.60
And the opposition accelerates,
00:39:31.63\00:39:34.14
not just emotional attacks,
we get some physical attacks.
00:39:34.17\00:39:37.97
And this is even maybe a
threat of military involvement.
00:39:38.01\00:39:41.34
Look at the next
two verses, 7 and 8.
00:39:41.38\00:39:44.28
"Now it happened,
when Sanballat, Tobiah,
00:39:44.31\00:39:46.45
the Arabs, the
Ammonites, the Ashdodites
00:39:46.48\00:39:49.78
heard that the
walls of Jerusalem
00:39:49.82\00:39:51.32
were being restored
00:39:51.35\00:39:52.69
and the gaps were
beginning to be closed,
00:39:52.72\00:39:54.49
they became very
angry," there's the anger again,
00:39:54.52\00:39:58.33
"and all of them
conspired together
00:39:58.36\00:39:59.93
to come and attack
Jerusalem and create confusion."
00:40:00.00\00:40:06.13
Sometimes attacks are emotional,
00:40:06.17\00:40:08.37
sometimes they are physical,
sometimes they are spiritual.
00:40:08.40\00:40:12.17
And the human response
00:40:12.21\00:40:13.54
as always is give up
in discouragement, Mollie.
00:40:13.58\00:40:17.51
I'm afraid,
depression, I want to quit.
00:40:17.55\00:40:21.42
Let's see what
Nehemiah's response is to this.
00:40:21.45\00:40:24.19
I call this
Nehemiah's accelerated response
00:40:24.25\00:40:27.52
'cause it's not just two fold.
00:40:27.56\00:40:28.96
It's not just prayer and work.
00:40:28.99\00:40:30.59
There's four
responses that I see
00:40:30.63\00:40:32.79
and how Nehemiah responds.
00:40:32.83\00:40:34.30
The first is prayer
00:40:34.36\00:40:35.66
'cause prayer is always
our first line of defense.
00:40:35.70\00:40:39.03
Nehemiah 4:9, the
first half of the verse,
00:40:39.07\00:40:41.84
"Nevertheless we
made our prayer to God."
00:40:41.87\00:40:44.94
So prayer is always
the first line of defense.
00:40:44.97\00:40:47.58
Second, they didn't just work.
00:40:47.61\00:40:49.51
This is called
active guard duty.
00:40:49.54\00:40:52.91
They got the militia involved.
00:40:52.95\00:40:54.88
The second half of Nehemiah 4:9,
00:40:54.92\00:40:57.92
"And because of
them, we set a watch
00:40:57.95\00:40:59.85
against them day and night."
00:40:59.89\00:41:03.02
Jump down to Nehemiah 4:16,
00:41:03.06\00:41:06.03
"So it was, from that time on,
00:41:06.06\00:41:07.50
that half of my
servants worked at construction,
00:41:07.50\00:41:10.17
while the other
half held the spears,
00:41:10.23\00:41:12.20
the shields, the
bows, and wore armor,
00:41:12.23\00:41:14.87
and the leaders were
behind all the house of Judah."
00:41:14.90\00:41:17.01
So what's taking place here?
00:41:17.07\00:41:18.67
Half the men are
working at construction.
00:41:18.71\00:41:20.84
The other half of the
men are on guard duty.
00:41:20.88\00:41:23.91
They're
equipped, they are armed,
00:41:23.95\00:41:26.88
they are ready for battle.
00:41:26.92\00:41:29.68
Half of them are on
the lookout for battle.
00:41:29.72\00:41:32.12
So the first response
of Nehemiah is prayer.
00:41:32.15\00:41:34.22
The second is active
guard duty prepared for battle.
00:41:34.26\00:41:38.49
The third is vigilant work.
00:41:38.53\00:41:41.63
Now this is not just work
00:41:41.66\00:41:43.00
that we talked
about the first response,
00:41:43.03\00:41:44.47
this work is a
little more increased.
00:41:44.50\00:41:47.37
Remember, we just said
half of them carried weapons,
00:41:47.40\00:41:49.47
they were on guard duty.
00:41:49.50\00:41:50.84
The other half worked,
00:41:50.87\00:41:52.21
but what about the
ones who were working?
00:41:52.24\00:41:54.11
Verses 17 and 18,
those who built on the wall.
00:41:54.14\00:41:57.08
"These are the
construction workers
00:41:57.11\00:41:58.71
and those who carry
burdens loaded themselves
00:41:58.75\00:42:00.98
so that with one hand
they worked at construction
00:42:01.02\00:42:03.18
and with the other
they held a weapon."
00:42:03.22\00:42:05.75
So we're talking here
you have half of them engaged
00:42:05.79\00:42:08.89
and ready for battle,
00:42:08.92\00:42:10.43
the other half are
doing construction,
00:42:10.46\00:42:12.33
one side of them one hand,
00:42:12.36\00:42:14.00
and the other hand,
they got their sword
00:42:14.00\00:42:15.33
and they are ready.
00:42:15.36\00:42:16.70
They did long hours.
00:42:16.73\00:42:18.07
Verse 21, "We
labored in the work
00:42:18.10\00:42:19.83
and half of the
men held the spears
00:42:19.87\00:42:21.84
from daybreak until
the stars appeared."
00:42:21.87\00:42:25.21
That's a long day.
00:42:25.24\00:42:26.57
We're talking from the
moment the sun comes up.
00:42:26.64\00:42:28.74
We were just in Russia
recently and in the summer,
00:42:28.78\00:42:31.71
the sun came up at
3:30 in the morning,
00:42:31.75\00:42:33.48
okay, so I
didn't know about them.
00:42:33.52\00:42:35.02
But if the sun
comes up that early,
00:42:35.05\00:42:36.95
and you're working all day
00:42:36.99\00:42:38.45
till the stars
come out, long hours,
00:42:38.49\00:42:41.39
and they actually
slept in their clothes.
00:42:41.42\00:42:43.09
Verse 23, " Neither I,
my brethren, my servants,
00:42:43.12\00:42:46.43
nor the men of the guard
00:42:46.46\00:42:47.76
who followed me
took off our clothes,
00:42:47.83\00:42:49.56
except that everyone
took them off for washing."
00:42:49.60\00:42:51.53
So in other words,
00:42:51.57\00:42:52.90
they even slept in their clothes
00:42:52.93\00:42:54.77
because they are ready.
00:42:54.80\00:42:56.74
The fourth point, the final one,
00:42:56.77\00:42:58.61
Nehemiah
encouraged his people in God,
00:42:58.64\00:43:02.58
encouragement for
the people in God.
00:43:02.61\00:43:05.31
And in that he took
a two pronged approach.
00:43:05.35\00:43:07.55
He said, do not be afraid.
00:43:07.62\00:43:11.22
Nehemiah 4:14, "And I looked,
00:43:11.25\00:43:13.09
and arose and said to
the nobles, the leaders,
00:43:13.12\00:43:15.16
and the rest of the people,
'Do not be afraid of them.
00:43:15.19\00:43:18.26
Remember the
Lord, great and awesome,
00:43:18.29\00:43:21.80
and fight for your brethren,
your sons, your daughters,
00:43:21.83\00:43:23.93
your wives, and your houses.'"
00:43:23.97\00:43:25.57
That key
phrase, do not be afraid
00:43:25.60\00:43:28.10
appears at the start
of every great moment
00:43:28.14\00:43:30.37
in salvation history.
00:43:30.41\00:43:31.74
Moses, when the Egyptians
were coming against them.
00:43:31.77\00:43:34.18
Exodus 1,4 he
said, "Do not be afraid.
00:43:34.24\00:43:37.51
Stand still and see
the salvation of the Lord."
00:43:37.55\00:43:40.18
Moses again at
the end of his life
00:43:40.22\00:43:41.82
when he passed the
baton over to Joshua.
00:43:41.85\00:43:44.49
He said, "Do not be
afraid and don't fear them."
00:43:44.52\00:43:48.09
Joshua and Caleb
when taking over Canaan.
00:43:48.12\00:43:50.79
"Do not fear them,"
00:43:50.83\00:43:52.33
the Lord speaking to
Joshua when he's taking over,
00:43:52.36\00:43:55.36
"Be strong and of good courage.
00:43:55.40\00:43:56.90
Do not be afraid."
00:43:56.93\00:43:58.43
David when he passed the throne
to Solomon, "Do not be afraid."
00:43:58.47\00:44:02.77
And the second thing
he said to the people was
00:44:02.80\00:44:04.97
our God will fight for us.
00:44:05.01\00:44:08.24
Nehemiah 4:20,
00:44:08.28\00:44:09.61
"Whenever you hear
the sound of the trumpet,
00:44:09.64\00:44:11.48
rally to us there.
00:44:11.51\00:44:13.15
Our God will fight for us."
00:44:13.18\00:44:15.85
Are you in a battle?
00:44:15.88\00:44:17.22
Are you wrestling
with opposition right now?
00:44:17.29\00:44:20.86
Know that the Lord
will fight for you,
00:44:20.89\00:44:24.36
that our God, your
God will fight for you
00:44:24.39\00:44:28.16
and you do not
have to be afraid.
00:44:28.20\00:44:30.87
Amen. Amen.
00:44:30.93\00:44:32.33
Good lesson, Jill.
00:44:32.37\00:44:34.10
Well, here we've got Nehemiah
00:44:34.14\00:44:36.34
who has finished the
building of the wall in 52 days
00:44:36.37\00:44:40.28
and, of course, you know,
he was the king's cupbearer
00:44:40.34\00:44:44.15
and he had received
the letter to allow this.
00:44:44.21\00:44:47.78
But what happens is,
00:44:47.82\00:44:50.55
I am gonna look at Chapter
6 and they finished the wall
00:44:50.59\00:44:55.92
but the gates
have not been hung yet
00:44:55.96\00:44:59.06
and his
adversaries are so frustrated,
00:44:59.09\00:45:02.50
they cannot launch a full out
00:45:02.53\00:45:05.57
military assault
against Nehemiah,
00:45:05.60\00:45:09.37
because the Jews
have the protection
00:45:09.40\00:45:11.37
of the Persian king.
00:45:11.41\00:45:12.94
So the walls been
rebuilt and now they want
00:45:12.97\00:45:16.28
to prevent the
gates from going up
00:45:16.31\00:45:18.15
and so what
they're kind of thinking is
00:45:18.18\00:45:20.22
if they can deceive Nehemiah,
00:45:20.25\00:45:23.39
lure him into a trap,
get rid of the leader,
00:45:23.42\00:45:26.25
maybe they can stop the work.
00:45:26.29\00:45:28.79
So let's look at Nehemiah 6:1,
00:45:28.82\00:45:31.76
"It happened when Sanballat,
Tobiah, Geshem the Arab,
00:45:31.79\00:45:35.43
and the rest of our enemies
00:45:35.46\00:45:37.13
heard that I had
rebuilt the wall,
00:45:37.17\00:45:39.27
and that there were
no breaks left in it
00:45:39.30\00:45:41.30
although at that time
00:45:41.34\00:45:42.67
I had not hung the
doors in the gates,
00:45:42.70\00:45:45.91
that Sanballat
and Geshem sent to me,
00:45:45.94\00:45:48.91
saying and let's back up,
00:45:48.94\00:45:52.05
these were the mockers
that you were talking about.
00:45:52.08\00:45:55.58
And they are now
renewing these attacks
00:45:55.62\00:46:00.79
and they say, 'Come
let us meet together
00:46:00.82\00:46:04.19
among the villages
in the plain of Ono,"
00:46:04.26\00:46:06.73
that's the enemy territory.
00:46:06.76\00:46:09.33
"But they
thought to do me harm."
00:46:09.36\00:46:12.23
He recognized their true intent.
00:46:12.27\00:46:15.47
"So I sent
messengers to them saying,
00:46:15.50\00:46:18.27
'I am doing a great work,
so that I cannot come down.
00:46:18.31\00:46:23.75
Why should the work cease
00:46:23.78\00:46:26.35
while I leave it
and go down to you?'"
00:46:26.38\00:46:29.08
You know, it's interesting.
00:46:29.12\00:46:31.22
Herein Nehemiah
had been the cupbearer,
00:46:31.25\00:46:34.36
which we discussed
in an earlier lesson
00:46:34.39\00:46:37.23
was a high political position.
00:46:37.26\00:46:39.56
I mean, some cupbearers
were the chief administrators
00:46:39.59\00:46:43.73
of the king's kingdom.
00:46:43.77\00:46:46.43
And here he'd had this
high political position.
00:46:46.47\00:46:50.47
Now he's been
building this little wall,
00:46:50.51\00:46:53.14
around this little city.
00:46:53.17\00:46:55.24
And that's the great work.
00:46:55.28\00:46:57.75
You know, think
about that for a minute.
00:46:57.78\00:47:00.08
Nehemiah considered the
work of God as being great.
00:47:00.15\00:47:05.95
He realized that it
was the honor of God's name
00:47:05.99\00:47:11.26
that was at stake in Jerusalem.
00:47:11.29\00:47:13.73
And that's what
we've got to remember.
00:47:13.76\00:47:15.63
So verse 4, he said,
00:47:15.66\00:47:17.27
"They sent me this
message four times,"
00:47:17.30\00:47:20.34
trying to get him to
come to the plain of Ono,
00:47:20.37\00:47:22.97
"I answered them
in the same manner.
00:47:23.00\00:47:24.61
Then Sanballat sent his servant
00:47:24.64\00:47:26.37
to me as before, the fifth time,
00:47:26.41\00:47:28.61
with an open
letter in his hand."
00:47:28.64\00:47:32.55
Now, an open
letter usually meant,
00:47:32.58\00:47:37.29
I mean, most
letter official letters
00:47:37.32\00:47:39.49
were typically
rolled up, they were sealed,
00:47:39.52\00:47:42.29
they were private,
00:47:42.32\00:47:44.23
but an open letter
suggests information
00:47:44.26\00:47:47.40
for public knowledge.
00:47:47.40\00:47:49.13
So it comes
with this open letter
00:47:49.16\00:47:52.47
trying to blackmail Nehemiah
00:47:52.50\00:47:55.87
because this letter is a source
of intimidation to Nehemiah
00:47:55.90\00:48:01.18
accusing him of treason
00:48:01.21\00:48:05.18
against King Artaxerxes.
00:48:05.21\00:48:08.08
And that's the same
accusation that got Artaxerxes
00:48:08.12\00:48:12.99
to stop the work
before, remember?
00:48:13.02\00:48:16.86
So he says, verse 6,
00:48:16.89\00:48:19.39
"In it was written:
00:48:19.43\00:48:20.76
It is reported
among the nations,
00:48:20.83\00:48:22.73
and Geshem says,
00:48:22.76\00:48:24.17
that you and the
Jews plan to rebel."
00:48:24.20\00:48:27.37
Was there a plan for rebellion?
00:48:27.44\00:48:28.77
No, this is just
a false accusation.
00:48:28.80\00:48:31.91
He said, "Therefore,
according to these rumors,
00:48:31.94\00:48:34.28
you are rebuilding the wall,
that you may be their king."
00:48:34.31\00:48:41.25
Now, this is kind of amazing
because you think about it,
00:48:41.28\00:48:45.65
Artaxerxes had
allowed Nehemiah to go
00:48:45.69\00:48:49.16
because he had this
relationship of trust,
00:48:49.19\00:48:53.70
but he was expecting
Nehemiah to return, right?
00:48:53.73\00:48:57.23
So now they're
saying falsely accusing,
00:48:57.27\00:49:00.30
"Hey, you want to be king."
00:49:00.37\00:49:02.80
And this is something that this,
00:49:02.84\00:49:06.41
this report could
have intimidated Nehemiah
00:49:06.44\00:49:12.81
because that's a
serious allegation,
00:49:12.85\00:49:14.68
if that hadn't
gotten back to the king,
00:49:14.72\00:49:16.18
it could have started a war.
00:49:16.22\00:49:18.35
So, and it says in verse 7,
00:49:18.39\00:49:22.69
"You have also
appointed prophets
00:49:22.72\00:49:24.43
to proclaim concerning
you at Jerusalem, saying,
00:49:24.46\00:49:27.60
'There is a king in Judah!'"
00:49:27.66\00:49:30.27
All of this are lies, right?
00:49:30.30\00:49:32.10
"Now these matters will
be reported to the king.
00:49:32.13\00:49:35.40
So come, therefore, and
let us consult together.
00:49:35.44\00:49:40.48
You know what?
00:49:40.51\00:49:41.98
When people come against
you with horrible accusations
00:49:42.01\00:49:46.31
and you know they're lies,
00:49:46.35\00:49:48.12
boy, you just want to show up
00:49:48.15\00:49:50.49
and set him straight
sometimes, don't you?
00:49:50.52\00:49:56.39
It hurts, but for Nehemiah
00:49:56.42\00:49:58.46
this could have
been life threatening
00:49:58.49\00:50:00.20
because the king could,
00:50:00.23\00:50:01.53
if this went to
the king, you know,
00:50:01.56\00:50:03.63
and it's being read
in front of everyone so,
00:50:03.67\00:50:06.00
but he's not intimidated.
00:50:06.03\00:50:07.67
Look at verse 8,
"Then I sent to him, saying,
00:50:07.70\00:50:11.27
'No such things as
you say are being done,
00:50:11.31\00:50:16.31
but you invent
them in your own heart.'
00:50:16.34\00:50:19.61
For they all were trying
to make us afraid, saying,
00:50:19.65\00:50:23.85
'Their hands will be
weakened in the work,
00:50:23.89\00:50:26.49
and it will not be done.'"
00:50:26.52\00:50:28.36
And then break
out into this prayer.
00:50:28.39\00:50:31.26
"Now therefore, O
Gods, strengthen my hands."
00:50:31.29\00:50:36.70
So I love it.
00:50:36.73\00:50:39.37
Nehemiah is
unflappable even among,
00:50:39.40\00:50:43.04
you know these
serious allegations
00:50:43.07\00:50:45.77
don't faze him, he trusts in God
00:50:45.81\00:50:48.71
and it increases his efforts.
00:50:48.74\00:50:50.78
So verse 10,
00:50:50.81\00:50:52.15
"Afterward I came to
the house of Shemaiah
00:50:52.18\00:50:57.15
the son of Delaiah,
00:50:57.22\00:51:00.86
and all those people,
who was a secret informer;
00:51:00.89\00:51:04.43
and he said,
'Let us meet together
00:51:04.46\00:51:06.13
in the house of
God, within the temple,
00:51:06.16\00:51:07.83
and let us close
the doors of the temple,
00:51:07.86\00:51:10.77
for they are coming
to kill you Nehemiah,
00:51:10.83\00:51:13.70
indeed, at night they
will come to kill you.'"
00:51:13.74\00:51:17.31
So one of you said earlier,
I think it was you, Kenny.
00:51:17.37\00:51:21.91
You were talking
about the attacks
00:51:21.94\00:51:23.31
can come from within.
00:51:23.35\00:51:24.68
Well, see, these
guys were unsuccessful
00:51:24.71\00:51:27.48
at the attacks from the outside.
00:51:27.52\00:51:30.55
So they planted
a traitor inside.
00:51:30.59\00:51:33.96
Now they are
attacking from the inside
00:51:34.02\00:51:37.83
and Shemaiah
was a false prophet.
00:51:37.86\00:51:42.73
He urged Nehemiah
flee into the temple
00:51:42.76\00:51:45.70
to save himself
from the assassination
00:51:45.73\00:51:47.94
and shame himself
up in the holy place.
00:51:47.97\00:51:50.17
Well, John, what
would have happened
00:51:50.24\00:51:51.57
if you have done that?
00:51:51.61\00:51:52.94
It would have raised questions
00:51:52.97\00:51:54.31
about his reverence
for God, his courage.
00:51:54.34\00:51:56.78
I mean, in fact, it
was against Jewish law.
00:51:56.81\00:52:00.52
So, Shemaiah, I can't...
00:52:00.55\00:52:04.39
How do you say that?
00:52:04.42\00:52:05.75
Shemaiah, whatever.
00:52:05.79\00:52:09.09
This is what I
didn't know this before.
00:52:09.12\00:52:12.06
He was the son of a priest.
00:52:12.09\00:52:14.86
The priest had been an
intimate friend to Nehemiah.
00:52:14.93\00:52:20.40
So this is his friend's son
00:52:20.44\00:52:23.14
who is trying to
get him to do this,
00:52:23.17\00:52:26.37
but Nehemiah sees
through this religious ruse
00:52:26.41\00:52:30.81
that was intended to
intimidate and discredit him.
00:52:30.85\00:52:34.35
And he says in verse 11,
"Should such a man as I flee?
00:52:34.38\00:52:39.19
Who is there such as I
who would go into the temple
00:52:39.22\00:52:44.13
to save his life?
00:52:44.19\00:52:45.53
I will not go in!"
00:52:45.56\00:52:46.90
See only the priest can
lawfully enter the temple
00:52:46.93\00:52:50.40
and he could have been
executed for this action.
00:52:50.43\00:52:53.67
I love this little quote
00:52:53.70\00:52:55.04
from the Sabbath
School panel, a quarter.
00:52:55.07\00:52:57.34
He says, "When God set
up the sanctuary services,
00:52:57.37\00:53:01.71
he instituted the priesthood
00:53:01.74\00:53:03.45
in order to keep the
sanctuary holy and special
00:53:03.48\00:53:07.65
in the minds of the people.
00:53:07.68\00:53:09.52
He allowed only the
priests to perform the duties
00:53:09.55\00:53:12.52
inside the temple."
00:53:12.55\00:53:13.89
Now get this.
00:53:13.96\00:53:15.29
"On our own, we have a hard time
00:53:15.32\00:53:17.43
seeing the holiness of God.
00:53:17.46\00:53:20.30
Therefore, God made
provision to help the Israelites
00:53:20.33\00:53:23.77
come in to the
presence of God with reverence."
00:53:23.83\00:53:29.57
Well, we need
that lesson nowadays.
00:53:29.60\00:53:31.51
Nehemiah knew that temple courts
00:53:31.54\00:53:35.64
were for everyone
but not the inner rooms.
00:53:35.68\00:53:39.18
So verse 12,
00:53:39.21\00:53:40.82
this is the
conclusion of the matter.
00:53:40.88\00:53:43.75
Nehemiah says, "Then I perceived
00:53:43.79\00:53:46.49
that God had
not sent him at all,
00:53:46.52\00:53:51.29
but that he pronounced
this prophecy against me
00:53:51.33\00:53:54.46
because Tobiah and
Sanballat had hired him.
00:53:54.46\00:53:57.77
For this reason he was hired,
00:53:57.80\00:53:59.60
that I should be afraid
and act that way and sin,
00:53:59.63\00:54:03.64
so that they might have
cause for an evil report,
00:54:03.71\00:54:08.24
that they might reproach me."
00:54:08.28\00:54:11.01
Wow.
00:54:11.05\00:54:12.38
This is a powerful lesson.
00:54:12.41\00:54:14.12
It is.
00:54:14.15\00:54:15.48
I mean, it is kind of,
00:54:15.52\00:54:16.85
we thought, oh
man, Nehemiah and Ezra,
00:54:16.89\00:54:20.09
what could we gain from
them but we are getting a lot,
00:54:20.16\00:54:22.96
and we are just getting started,
00:54:22.99\00:54:25.59
just ending lesson number four.
00:54:25.63\00:54:27.13
So I'm gonna give
each of our panelists
00:54:27.20\00:54:28.50
an opportunity to summarize
what you may have not said yet.
00:54:28.53\00:54:32.67
Mollie, I'll begin with you.
00:54:32.70\00:54:34.04
Well, I talked
about being encourager,
00:54:34.10\00:54:36.37
the difference, you
know, if you're discouraged,
00:54:36.40\00:54:39.44
how God will
always bring you courage.
00:54:39.47\00:54:41.34
And He usually does that
00:54:41.38\00:54:43.18
through His Word number one now,
00:54:43.21\00:54:45.61
but also through people.
00:54:45.65\00:54:47.08
So I would just
like for each of us
00:54:47.12\00:54:50.05
to make a decision today
00:54:50.09\00:54:52.32
that I'm gonna be an encourager.
00:54:52.35\00:54:54.42
If you see those around you
that are down, help them out.
00:54:54.46\00:54:59.03
Bring the word of
encouragement to them,
00:54:59.06\00:55:00.93
even if it's a
scripture from the Word of God,
00:55:00.96\00:55:03.57
let people know
that if God before you,
00:55:03.60\00:55:07.44
who can be against you.
00:55:07.47\00:55:08.80
Amen. Pastor Kenny.
00:55:08.84\00:55:10.17
Well, I thought about,
00:55:10.21\00:55:11.54
you know, any time we need help,
00:55:11.57\00:55:13.14
we can be praying for
it, keep your eyes open,
00:55:13.17\00:55:16.85
because the enemy
also will send help.
00:55:16.88\00:55:19.61
And it's not the kind of
help that you might want.
00:55:19.65\00:55:21.72
But God will give
you spiritual insight,
00:55:21.75\00:55:24.65
to be able to see
what they're up to.
00:55:24.69\00:55:27.39
You know, I've
experienced it personally,
00:55:27.46\00:55:29.06
I'm sure each one here has too.
00:55:29.09\00:55:31.09
So just to keep our eyes open.
00:55:31.13\00:55:32.96
The Holy Spirit will
impress us what we need to say,
00:55:32.99\00:55:35.10
what we need to do
to get the work done
00:55:35.13\00:55:36.93
that He's commissioned us to do.
00:55:36.97\00:55:39.47
As long as we make
the throne of grace,
00:55:39.50\00:55:41.94
you know, our
constant dependence.
00:55:41.97\00:55:43.77
Amen.
00:55:43.81\00:55:45.14
All it's gonna be
well between us and God.
00:55:45.17\00:55:46.51
Amen. Amen.
00:55:46.54\00:55:47.88
Here's a quote from
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:55:47.91\00:55:50.11
page 644 that I wanted to read
00:55:50.15\00:55:52.38
and ran out of time
before, I read it now.
00:55:52.41\00:55:54.65
"The opposition
and discouragement
00:55:54.68\00:55:56.58
that the
builders in Nehemiah's day
00:55:56.65\00:55:58.45
met from open enemies
and pretended friends,
00:55:58.49\00:56:02.22
is typical of the experience
00:56:02.26\00:56:04.56
that those today will
have who work for God.
00:56:04.59\00:56:07.50
Christians are tried
not only by the anger,
00:56:07.56\00:56:10.00
contempt and cruelty of enemies,
00:56:10.07\00:56:13.10
but by the
indolence, inconsistency,
00:56:13.13\00:56:16.57
lukewarmness, and treachery
of devout friends and helpers.
00:56:16.60\00:56:21.21
So praise the Lord.
00:56:21.24\00:56:22.71
Even if you feel like you
are being tried and attack,
00:56:22.74\00:56:25.41
the Lord is on your side.
00:56:25.45\00:56:27.12
Amen.
00:56:27.15\00:56:28.48
My lesson was doing a
great work and you know,
00:56:28.52\00:56:32.25
one thing I want to say not,
00:56:32.29\00:56:34.26
sometimes Satan will try
00:56:34.29\00:56:38.03
to keep us busy,
00:56:38.06\00:56:41.26
B-U-S-Y is bondage
under Satan's yoke,
00:56:41.30\00:56:45.30
too busy to do the will of God.
00:56:45.33\00:56:48.34
And Nehemiah
recognized that his work
00:56:48.37\00:56:52.84
in following God's
directing was more important
00:56:52.87\00:56:57.45
than what he had done before.
00:56:57.51\00:56:58.85
But more than that,
00:56:58.88\00:57:00.28
I just want to say this
00:57:00.32\00:57:01.65
sometimes Satan will get us busy
00:57:01.68\00:57:03.72
doing good work,
00:57:03.75\00:57:05.62
and we miss the greater work,
00:57:05.65\00:57:08.29
the Martha and the Mary syndrome
00:57:08.32\00:57:10.66
sit at Jesus' feet.
00:57:10.69\00:57:12.26
That's the greater work. Amen.
00:57:12.29\00:57:13.83
In Isaiah 59:18-19
00:57:13.86\00:57:16.40
powerful counsel in these times,
00:57:16.43\00:57:18.80
"According to their deeds,
accordingly He will repay,
00:57:18.83\00:57:22.57
fury to His adversaries,
recompense to His enemies,
00:57:22.60\00:57:26.88
the coastlands
He will fully repay.
00:57:26.91\00:57:29.88
When the enemy
comes in like a flood,
00:57:29.91\00:57:32.68
the Spirit of the Lord
00:57:32.71\00:57:34.85
will lift up a
standard against him."
00:57:34.88\00:57:37.49
Remember that, the Lord
is in charge of His work.
00:57:37.52\00:57:40.29
And remember these things,
00:57:40.36\00:57:41.69
all progress takes place
outside of the comfort zone.
00:57:41.72\00:57:46.70
And finally, do not allow
00:57:46.73\00:57:48.33
the fear of
opposition to be greater
00:57:48.36\00:57:50.93
than the
excitement of dedication.
00:57:50.97\00:57:53.84
Our next lesson is gonna be
00:57:53.90\00:57:55.27
violating the spirit of the law,
00:57:55.30\00:57:56.91
lesson number five.
00:57:56.97\00:57:58.31
Thank you for joining us on
this episode of lesson four.
00:57:58.34\00:58:01.71
And may the Lord
bless you as you stand firm
00:58:01.74\00:58:04.61
in the face of opposition.
00:58:04.65\00:58:06.08