Hello, I'm Jill Morikone.
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
Welcome to a brand new
year and a brand new quarter.
00:00:02.73\00:00:05.77
We're studying this quarter
00:00:05.80\00:00:07.17
one of my favorite
books of the Bible,
00:00:07.20\00:00:09.30
the Book of Isaiah.
00:00:09.34\00:00:10.67
"Comfort My People."
00:00:10.71\00:00:12.27
Wanna encourage you
00:00:12.31\00:00:13.64
if you don't have a
copy of the quarterly,
00:00:13.68\00:00:15.08
you can go to
the following website
00:00:15.11\00:00:16.91
ABSG.Adventist.org.
00:00:16.95\00:00:20.92
That stands for
00:00:20.95\00:00:22.28
AdultBibleStudyGuide.
Adventist.org.
00:00:22.32\00:00:26.29
So grab your
Bible, your quarterly,
00:00:26.32\00:00:28.49
and pen and paper and
get ready to take notes
00:00:28.52\00:00:32.09
as we study this edition
00:00:32.13\00:00:33.46
of Sabbath School
Panel "Crisis Of Identity."
00:00:33.50\00:00:36.87
Hello, we're
delighted that you've taken time
00:01:08.06\00:01:10.03
from your day to join us
00:01:10.07\00:01:11.40
as we open up
the Book of Isaiah.
00:01:11.43\00:01:13.60
I think Isaiah is one of
my all time favorite books
00:01:13.64\00:01:17.74
of the Word of God
00:01:17.77\00:01:19.11
in addition to
Romans, right, Pastor John?
00:01:19.14\00:01:21.01
Isaiah and Romans
are two of my favorites.
00:01:21.04\00:01:23.45
Wanna introduce to you
00:01:23.48\00:01:24.81
our panel at
this time our family,
00:01:24.85\00:01:27.02
we're gonna be journeying
00:01:27.05\00:01:28.38
through the Book
of Isaiah together.
00:01:28.42\00:01:30.09
To my left, Pastor Ryan.
00:01:30.12\00:01:31.69
Joy to have you here.
It's a blessing to be here.
00:01:31.72\00:01:34.26
I wanna make a note
00:01:34.29\00:01:35.76
because we can't quite
social distance on the set.
00:01:35.79\00:01:38.76
We're wearing masks except
for the one who's speaking.
00:01:38.79\00:01:41.46
So you'll notice that
here at the beginning.
00:01:41.50\00:01:43.33
To Ryan's left is Shelley Quinn,
00:01:43.37\00:01:45.23
always a joy to have you here.
00:01:45.27\00:01:46.60
Always a joy to be here. Amen.
00:01:46.63\00:01:49.34
To your left
Pastor John Lomacang,
00:01:49.37\00:01:51.81
my pastor, looking forward
to sharing with you as well.
00:01:51.84\00:01:54.48
Yes, Isaiah is gonna
be an exciting study.
00:01:54.51\00:01:56.61
Absolutely.
00:01:56.64\00:01:58.01
Last but not least
Pastor Kenny Shelton,
00:01:58.05\00:02:01.28
always a joy to study with you.
00:02:01.32\00:02:03.02
It's always a privilege
and look forward to the study.
00:02:03.05\00:02:05.52
Amen.
00:02:05.55\00:02:06.89
Before we go any
further in this quarterly,
00:02:06.92\00:02:09.82
"Isaiah: Comfort My People,"
00:02:09.86\00:02:11.53
it was written by Dr. Roy Gane.
00:02:11.56\00:02:13.46
He is a
tremendous Hebrew scholar
00:02:13.50\00:02:16.03
and teacher of Old Testament
00:02:16.06\00:02:17.53
at the Seventh-day
Adventist Theological Seminary
00:02:17.57\00:02:20.20
at Andrews University.
00:02:20.24\00:02:21.57
And he did an amazing job.
00:02:21.60\00:02:23.97
I just have to say that upfront,
00:02:24.01\00:02:25.54
I was blessed as I
studied this quarterly.
00:02:25.57\00:02:29.01
You can open up to Isaiah 1
because we're starting there.
00:02:29.04\00:02:31.71
This lesson will
focus on Isaiah Chapter 1
00:02:31.75\00:02:33.98
and Isaiah Chapter 5.
00:02:34.02\00:02:35.82
But before we go any further,
00:02:35.85\00:02:37.35
we wanna go to
the Lord in prayer.
00:02:37.39\00:02:39.09
Pastor John,
would you pray for us?
00:02:39.12\00:02:41.36
Our loving Father,
we thank You so much
00:02:41.39\00:02:42.92
for the
privilege and opportunity
00:02:42.96\00:02:44.66
that is always granted to
us when we open Your Word.
00:02:44.69\00:02:48.66
Guide our minds and
hearts that what is said
00:02:48.70\00:02:51.07
and what is done will
bring glory and honor to You.
00:02:51.10\00:02:53.64
The clarity of this book,
00:02:53.67\00:02:55.77
may it be absorbed into
our hearts into our minds.
00:02:55.80\00:02:59.24
And may those
watching and listening,
00:02:59.27\00:03:01.31
find reason to continue
to trust God and His Word.
00:03:01.34\00:03:05.15
In Jesus' name we pray.
00:03:05.18\00:03:07.15
Amen. Amen.
00:03:07.18\00:03:08.72
Thank you so much,
prayed up and ready to go.
00:03:08.75\00:03:11.95
Before we actually
jump into lesson number one,
00:03:11.99\00:03:15.16
I just wanna do a brief
00:03:15.19\00:03:16.52
overview of the Book of Isaiah,
00:03:16.56\00:03:18.49
seeing this is
the very first lesson
00:03:18.53\00:03:20.43
of the quarter.
00:03:20.46\00:03:21.80
And, you know, I like
dividing things into lists.
00:03:21.83\00:03:24.43
So we're gonna
look at the author,
00:03:24.47\00:03:25.80
we're gonna look
00:03:25.83\00:03:27.17
at the historical
setting for the book,
00:03:27.20\00:03:29.14
and the themes or the theology
00:03:29.17\00:03:31.94
that is developed
throughout the Book of Isaiah.
00:03:31.97\00:03:34.71
That's the author,
the historical setting,
00:03:34.74\00:03:37.31
and the themes or theology
00:03:37.35\00:03:39.15
that you find in
the Book of Isaiah.
00:03:39.18\00:03:41.48
Of course, Isaiah 1:1,
tells us who the author is,
00:03:41.52\00:03:44.12
that is Isaiah, the son of Amos.
00:03:44.15\00:03:46.76
Isaiah is perhaps
00:03:46.79\00:03:48.32
one of the greatest
of the biblical prophets.
00:03:48.36\00:03:52.96
His name means,
"The Lord saves."
00:03:52.99\00:03:55.83
And it's fitting for
the theme of the book.
00:03:55.86\00:03:58.27
The book is really
divided into two sections.
00:03:58.30\00:04:01.40
The first section Chapters 1-39
00:04:01.44\00:04:05.24
is the book of
judgment and salvation.
00:04:05.27\00:04:09.18
This is you could say
00:04:09.21\00:04:10.55
the historical
section of the Book of Isaiah.
00:04:10.58\00:04:13.65
There were two
major national crisises
00:04:13.68\00:04:16.82
that took place in
the kingdom of Judah
00:04:16.85\00:04:19.72
during the time of Isaiah.
00:04:19.75\00:04:21.62
The first, of course, in 735 BC,
00:04:21.66\00:04:23.66
we'll study that
00:04:23.69\00:04:25.03
when we get to Isaiah Chapter 7.
00:04:25.06\00:04:26.96
This was the
Syro-Ephraimite Coalition,
00:04:27.00\00:04:30.03
the nation of Israel
and the nation of Syria
00:04:30.07\00:04:33.27
coming together against
00:04:33.30\00:04:35.60
and attacking
against the nation of Judah.
00:04:35.64\00:04:38.17
That was the
first national crisis.
00:04:38.21\00:04:40.28
The second national crisis,
00:04:40.31\00:04:41.78
of course is during
the reign of King Hezekiah.
00:04:41.81\00:04:44.35
This would be
down Isaiah 36, 37, 38.
00:04:44.38\00:04:48.02
And this is 701 BC.
00:04:48.05\00:04:49.78
Remember, 185,000 Assyrians
00:04:49.82\00:04:52.95
were slain in one night
by the angel of the Lord.
00:04:52.99\00:04:56.99
Now the second half
of the Book of Isaiah,
00:04:57.03\00:04:59.83
this is Chapter
40 through Chapter 66
00:04:59.86\00:05:03.43
is more prophetic in nature.
00:05:03.47\00:05:06.33
This is the book of comfort,
the book of restoration.
00:05:06.37\00:05:10.87
The reason I
say, it's prophetic,
00:05:10.91\00:05:12.71
is Isaiah was looking forward
to the Babylonian captivity.
00:05:12.74\00:05:17.31
And then the time when
the exiles would return
00:05:17.35\00:05:20.38
when the remnant would return.
00:05:20.42\00:05:23.12
Some scholars see that
00:05:23.15\00:05:24.69
two people wrote
the Book of Isaiah,
00:05:24.72\00:05:26.62
but we don't subscribe to that.
00:05:26.65\00:05:28.16
In fact, in the Qumran
you can see there is no,
00:05:28.19\00:05:30.86
if you find the
scroll of Isaiah,
00:05:30.89\00:05:33.23
there is no chapter
break between 39 and 40.
00:05:33.26\00:05:35.83
There's no
division, it is all one book.
00:05:35.86\00:05:39.20
The lesson said
this even in translation,
00:05:39.23\00:05:41.70
which loses the
evocative word plays
00:05:41.74\00:05:43.77
and alliteration of the Hebrew.
00:05:43.81\00:05:45.64
The Book of Isaiah has few peers
00:05:45.67\00:05:47.84
in the history of literature,
whether it's sacred or secular.
00:05:47.88\00:05:53.52
What about the
themes of the book?
00:05:53.55\00:05:55.78
We find it is
really a book of salvation,
00:05:55.82\00:05:58.22
we find Jesus our Messiah,
00:05:58.25\00:06:00.39
the suffering
servant, the Messianic King,
00:06:00.42\00:06:03.43
especially Isaiah Chapter 53.
00:06:03.46\00:06:06.39
The picture of the Messiah
00:06:06.43\00:06:07.76
is probably
revealed more clearly there
00:06:07.80\00:06:10.30
than anywhere else
in the Old Testament.
00:06:10.33\00:06:12.73
We find, of course,
the book of judgment,
00:06:12.77\00:06:14.74
that judgment does not
just come against God's people,
00:06:14.77\00:06:17.84
but other nations,
Babylon and Assyrian,
00:06:17.87\00:06:20.44
Philistia and Moab and Syria,
00:06:20.48\00:06:22.31
and Israel and
Ethiopia and Egypt and Babylon,
00:06:22.34\00:06:25.45
and Eden Arabia,
00:06:25.48\00:06:26.82
Jerusalem tire the entire earth.
00:06:26.85\00:06:28.65
That's the verse say
00:06:28.68\00:06:30.02
24 Chapters of
the Book of Isaiah.
00:06:30.05\00:06:32.15
Then, of course, we
find that book of comfort,
00:06:32.19\00:06:34.76
those promises of
healing and comfort,
00:06:34.79\00:06:37.19
and deliverance and salvation,
00:06:37.23\00:06:38.96
and forgiveness and restoration.
00:06:38.99\00:06:41.53
We find God's holiness,
00:06:41.56\00:06:43.50
the portrait of God
reaches unparalleled heights
00:06:43.53\00:06:47.27
in the Book of Isaiah.
00:06:47.30\00:06:49.30
God's holiness is
emphasized more in Isaiah
00:06:49.34\00:06:51.87
than probably anywhere
else in the Word of God.
00:06:51.91\00:06:55.91
And we see God's sovereignty,
00:06:55.94\00:06:57.51
that He can predict the future
00:06:57.55\00:06:59.01
and that He oversees all things.
00:06:59.05\00:07:01.52
We see truth,
we see God's mercy,
00:07:01.55\00:07:04.25
as said His
goodness and kindness, love,
00:07:04.29\00:07:07.26
covenant love with His people.
00:07:07.29\00:07:09.69
We see His covenant
00:07:09.72\00:07:11.06
all throughout
the Book of Isaiah,
00:07:11.09\00:07:12.49
and that He made a
covenant with them.
00:07:12.53\00:07:14.10
And even though they
left Him, they forsook Him.
00:07:14.13\00:07:17.87
He did not forsake them.
00:07:17.90\00:07:20.74
We see God's promise.
00:07:20.77\00:07:22.54
When I highlight in my Bible,
00:07:22.57\00:07:25.17
I always put promises in
yellow in the Book of Isaiah
00:07:25.21\00:07:27.71
especially the latter
half is full of yellow,
00:07:27.74\00:07:30.75
because there's
promises of forgiveness
00:07:30.78\00:07:32.65
and restoration and resurrection
00:07:32.68\00:07:34.58
and eternal life,
00:07:34.62\00:07:35.95
and a new
heavens and a new earth,
00:07:35.98\00:07:37.82
peace and strength, and mercy
00:07:37.85\00:07:39.82
and peace, and
salvation and deliverance,
00:07:39.85\00:07:41.82
and protection and provision.
00:07:41.86\00:07:43.56
Holy Spirit's anointing,
vindication, gospel evangelism,
00:07:43.59\00:07:47.96
all of that's found
in the Book of Isaiah.
00:07:48.00\00:07:51.60
And we also find
God's remnant in Isaiah.
00:07:51.63\00:07:55.87
A remnant will
choose to return to Him
00:07:55.90\00:07:58.84
to seek forgiveness,
to walk in obedience.
00:07:58.87\00:08:03.14
The other thing we find
is God's waiting or really,
00:08:03.18\00:08:06.72
our need to wait on God.
00:08:06.75\00:08:10.42
The problem with
God's people in that time
00:08:10.45\00:08:12.69
is they were
trusting the wrong things
00:08:12.72\00:08:14.16
and the wrong people.
00:08:14.19\00:08:15.52
They were
trusting earthly powers,
00:08:15.56\00:08:17.23
they were trusting other gods,
they were trusting themselves,
00:08:17.26\00:08:20.43
they were trusting
unfaithful leaders.
00:08:20.46\00:08:23.16
They were even trusting
00:08:23.20\00:08:24.53
as we would discover
mediums and spiritists.
00:08:24.57\00:08:28.20
But there's a great
need to wait on God,
00:08:28.24\00:08:30.74
to trust only and
God wait upon Him.
00:08:30.77\00:08:34.71
So let's jump into our lesson.
00:08:34.74\00:08:37.65
The memory text is Isaiah 1:18.
00:08:37.68\00:08:42.22
"Come now, let
us reason together,
00:08:42.25\00:08:44.15
says the Lord.
00:08:44.19\00:08:45.52
Though your sins
are like scarlet,
00:08:45.55\00:08:46.89
they shall be as white as snow.
00:08:46.92\00:08:49.46
Though they are
red like crimson,
00:08:49.49\00:08:51.33
they shall be as wool."
00:08:51.36\00:08:53.50
The lesson started
00:08:53.53\00:08:54.86
with a little
cute story of a boy
00:08:54.90\00:08:56.70
who is in a crowded store
and you've probably seen this
00:08:56.73\00:08:59.77
and all of a
sudden he loses his mama
00:08:59.80\00:09:02.07
and he can't find
her and he's crying out,
00:09:02.10\00:09:03.87
"I need my mama,
where's my mama?"
00:09:03.91\00:09:06.78
Now there's a lot
of women in the store.
00:09:06.81\00:09:08.81
But the boy knows his mom.
00:09:08.84\00:09:11.05
He recognizes
his mom. Why is that?
00:09:11.08\00:09:13.78
Because he knows who he is.
00:09:13.82\00:09:16.32
And he knows whose he is.
He knows who he belongs to.
00:09:16.35\00:09:21.99
The problem with
the children of Israel,
00:09:22.02\00:09:24.69
the people in Judah right now
00:09:24.73\00:09:27.70
is that they
forgot whose they were,
00:09:27.73\00:09:30.43
they forgot who
they belonged to.
00:09:30.47\00:09:34.34
This week, we look at how God
00:09:34.37\00:09:36.24
seeks to restore His
people back to Himself.
00:09:36.27\00:09:41.24
Let's look at Isaiah 1:2.
00:09:41.28\00:09:44.08
Isaiah 1:2 the
very first part of it,
00:09:44.11\00:09:46.95
it begins with,
00:09:46.98\00:09:48.32
"Hear oh heavens,
and give ear oh earth,
00:09:48.35\00:09:51.79
for the Lord has spoken."
00:09:51.82\00:09:54.16
Now this is legal vocabulary.
00:09:54.19\00:09:56.42
And if you look at
the literary forum,
00:09:56.46\00:09:58.09
this is what we call rib.
00:09:58.13\00:10:01.13
Now you might say
what in the world is a rib?
00:10:01.16\00:10:04.63
This is God
bringing a formal indictment
00:10:04.67\00:10:08.57
against the people of Judah.
00:10:08.60\00:10:11.71
A rib is God's covenant lawsuit.
00:10:11.74\00:10:14.54
God taking legal
action against His people
00:10:14.58\00:10:18.05
because of their
failure to keep His covenant.
00:10:18.08\00:10:21.05
We see a rib in Acts Chapter 7.
00:10:21.08\00:10:23.15
Remember the deacon
Steven, just before he's stoned,
00:10:23.18\00:10:27.22
he pronounced a rib, as it were,
00:10:27.26\00:10:29.76
against the people,
this judgment against them
00:10:29.79\00:10:32.83
because they had rejected
00:10:32.86\00:10:34.43
and crucified
Jesus as the Messiah.
00:10:34.46\00:10:37.57
So we see this happening here,
00:10:37.60\00:10:40.00
Isaiah begins really the
Book of Isaiah with this rib.
00:10:40.04\00:10:43.41
God's covenant lawsuit,
00:10:43.44\00:10:45.14
God's bringing a formal
indictment against the people.
00:10:45.17\00:10:48.94
And what are the
sins that He identifies?
00:10:48.98\00:10:52.81
I see two sins, of course,
00:10:52.85\00:10:54.28
the rest of the panel
will discuss more in detail.
00:10:54.32\00:10:56.79
That's Chapter 1.
00:10:56.82\00:10:58.55
First is
rebellion and the second
00:10:58.59\00:11:01.12
is the lack of
knowledge and discernment.
00:11:01.16\00:11:03.96
If you look at the
second half of verse 2,
00:11:03.99\00:11:05.76
it says, "I have nourished
and brought up children,
00:11:05.79\00:11:08.26
and they have,"
what's that word?
00:11:08.30\00:11:10.00
"Rebelled against me."
00:11:10.03\00:11:13.17
Jump down to verse 4,
00:11:13.20\00:11:14.94
"Alas sinful nation of
people laden with iniquity,
00:11:14.97\00:11:20.78
a brood of evil doers,
00:11:20.81\00:11:23.08
children who are corrupters,
they have forsaken the Lord.
00:11:23.11\00:11:27.15
They have provoked to anger,"
00:11:27.18\00:11:29.58
that word in
Hebrew means to spurn,
00:11:29.62\00:11:31.92
to treat with contempt.
00:11:31.95\00:11:34.52
They have treated
00:11:34.56\00:11:35.89
the Holy One of
Israel with contempt.
00:11:35.92\00:11:37.73
They have turned away backward.
00:11:37.76\00:11:40.70
They have rebelled against God.
00:11:40.73\00:11:45.87
And we also see they forgot
00:11:45.90\00:11:47.44
who their master was
in verse 3, Isaiah 1:3.
00:11:47.47\00:11:51.47
"This is that lack of
knowledge and discernment.
00:11:51.51\00:11:54.14
The ox knows its mat owner
00:11:54.18\00:11:56.18
and the donkey
its masters' crib,"
00:11:56.21\00:11:58.21
like the little boy
knew his mama in the store.
00:11:58.25\00:12:00.72
"But Israel does not know.
00:12:00.75\00:12:03.42
My people do not consider,"
00:12:03.45\00:12:06.86
that word consider
in Hebrew is discern.
00:12:06.89\00:12:10.03
They lacked
knowledge and discernment.
00:12:10.06\00:12:12.36
They forgot who
their master was.
00:12:12.39\00:12:17.40
It's an interesting comparison
in the next two verses,
00:12:17.43\00:12:19.83
verses 5 and 6.
00:12:19.87\00:12:22.94
As I read these verses,
00:12:22.97\00:12:24.41
think about a
couple of the verbs
00:12:24.44\00:12:26.17
that are used here,
00:12:26.21\00:12:27.54
and I wanna look
at the comparison
00:12:27.58\00:12:29.14
between the judgment
against the people of Judah,
00:12:29.18\00:12:32.28
and the same words used
00:12:32.31\00:12:35.25
where Christ
took our sin upon Him.
00:12:35.28\00:12:39.15
The words are
stricken wounds, and bruise.
00:12:39.19\00:12:44.03
Okay, we're gonna
compare Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 53.
00:12:44.06\00:12:47.80
Isaiah 1:5-6,
00:12:47.83\00:12:49.50
"Why should you
be stricken again,"
00:12:49.53\00:12:51.73
see that word stricken,
00:12:51.77\00:12:53.20
"You will revolt more and more,
00:12:53.23\00:12:55.00
the whole head is sick,
00:12:55.04\00:12:57.14
and the whole heart faints
00:12:57.17\00:12:59.11
from the soul of the
foot, even to the head,
00:12:59.14\00:13:01.01
there is no soundness in it.
00:13:01.04\00:13:02.58
But wounds," you see that word?
00:13:02.61\00:13:04.51
"And bruises and
putrifying sores,
00:13:04.55\00:13:08.12
they have not been closed
00:13:08.15\00:13:09.48
or bound up or
soothe with ointment."
00:13:09.52\00:13:11.62
Now Isaiah 53:5 say,
00:13:11.65\00:13:13.79
"He was wounded
for our transgressions,
00:13:13.82\00:13:17.33
he was bruised
for our iniquities."
00:13:17.36\00:13:21.03
And verse 4 says, "Yet
we esteemed him stricken,
00:13:21.06\00:13:25.03
smitten by God and afflicted."
00:13:25.07\00:13:27.07
So what I see there
that parallel or comparison,
00:13:27.10\00:13:30.34
the people had forsaken God,
00:13:30.37\00:13:32.21
they had gone their
own way, they had rebelled,
00:13:32.24\00:13:34.58
they did not discern,
they did not even know
00:13:34.61\00:13:36.88
who their God was.
00:13:36.91\00:13:38.31
And yet He took
their punishment,
00:13:38.35\00:13:42.92
their sin, some of
the same words used,
00:13:42.95\00:13:45.89
upon Himself, to
redeem them back to Himself.
00:13:45.92\00:13:51.53
Because God
always has a remnant,
00:13:51.56\00:13:54.50
and we see this theme
00:13:54.53\00:13:55.86
of remnant first
introduced in verse 9.
00:13:55.90\00:13:59.90
It says, because
verse 7 and 8 talks about
00:13:59.93\00:14:02.34
the country is desolate
and the cities burned with fire
00:14:02.37\00:14:05.61
and there's just
total devastation.
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.34
Verse 9, "Unless the
Lord of hosts had left to us,
00:14:07.38\00:14:10.75
a very small
remnant," see that word?
00:14:10.78\00:14:14.22
In the beginning right here,
00:14:14.25\00:14:15.92
we would think
there's total destruction,
00:14:15.95\00:14:17.82
we would think this
book is going to be hopeless,
00:14:17.85\00:14:20.46
but right now it opens the door
00:14:20.49\00:14:22.82
for hope that God has a remnant
00:14:22.86\00:14:26.93
and He Himself
will redeem His people.
00:14:26.96\00:14:29.80
Pastor Ryan.
00:14:29.83\00:14:31.17
Hmm, man, that was beautiful,
00:14:31.20\00:14:32.87
beautiful
setup, beautiful setup.
00:14:32.90\00:14:34.67
I have Monday's
lesson, which is entitled,
00:14:34.70\00:14:37.91
"Rotten Ritualism."
00:14:37.94\00:14:40.94
Rotten Ritualism,
there's a lot that
00:14:40.98\00:14:42.84
we can learn from
this particular lesson.
00:14:42.88\00:14:44.61
As I was going through
00:14:44.65\00:14:45.98
and studying the
verses for this lesson,
00:14:46.01\00:14:47.98
I just, I could just
sense the Lord's plea,
00:14:48.02\00:14:53.22
His crying, His attitude
00:14:53.25\00:14:55.02
towards His people in such love,
00:14:55.06\00:14:57.43
but yet
sometimes you got to show
00:14:57.46\00:14:58.79
a little bit of tough love.
00:14:58.83\00:15:00.16
Right?
00:15:00.20\00:15:01.53
And that's essentially
what God is doing here.
00:15:01.56\00:15:02.90
He has given chance
00:15:02.93\00:15:04.27
and opportunity and opportunity,
00:15:04.30\00:15:05.63
chance after chance to Israel
to turn from their wicked ways.
00:15:05.67\00:15:09.07
And now He as Jill
brought up beautifully,
00:15:09.10\00:15:11.34
He's calling them out for it.
00:15:11.37\00:15:12.71
He is putting them on the stand,
00:15:12.74\00:15:14.08
and He's saying,
"Okay, now is the time,
00:15:14.11\00:15:15.61
we're gonna address this issue."
00:15:15.64\00:15:17.05
So I'm gonna start
reading in verse 10.
00:15:17.08\00:15:20.38
So Isaiah 1:10,
which kind of builds off
00:15:20.42\00:15:23.85
of verse 9 that
you just read, Jill.
00:15:23.89\00:15:26.09
And so, I just wanna
read verse 9 one more time
00:15:26.12\00:15:28.46
so that you can see
the context of what is,
00:15:28.49\00:15:30.93
what God is saying in verse 10.
00:15:30.96\00:15:32.83
So Jill just read
in verse 9, it says,
00:15:32.86\00:15:34.80
"Unless the Lord of
hosts had left to us
00:15:34.83\00:15:37.43
a very small remnant,
00:15:37.47\00:15:39.13
we would have become like Sodom,
00:15:39.17\00:15:41.67
we would have been
made like Gomorrah," right?
00:15:41.70\00:15:45.57
And you think,
well, that's a strong,
00:15:45.61\00:15:48.41
that's a strong
application there,
00:15:48.44\00:15:50.11
Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:15:50.15\00:15:51.48
But then notice what
God says in verse 10,
00:15:51.51\00:15:53.85
Isaiah 1:10, the Bible says,
"Hear the Word of the Lord."
00:15:53.88\00:15:58.92
But then notice the application
00:15:58.95\00:16:02.19
he's applying here, he says,
00:16:02.22\00:16:03.56
"You rulers of Sodom,
give ear to the law of our God,
00:16:03.59\00:16:09.16
you people of Gomorrah."
00:16:09.20\00:16:11.13
So there's a little
bit of a symbolic language
00:16:11.17\00:16:13.03
that's being used here
to describe the condition
00:16:13.07\00:16:16.10
how God is now
viewing His people.
00:16:16.14\00:16:20.14
They have become
00:16:20.18\00:16:21.51
like the people of
Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:16:21.54\00:16:23.28
in the sense that
Judah in this context
00:16:23.31\00:16:26.08
has forgotten God.
00:16:26.11\00:16:27.78
And we're living as if
there was no God at all.
00:16:27.82\00:16:30.35
Just like the people
of Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:16:30.39\00:16:31.92
you go back and study that,
God had to deal with that city
00:16:31.95\00:16:34.76
because they had reached a point
00:16:34.79\00:16:36.66
in which he couldn't even find
00:16:36.69\00:16:38.39
10 righteous
people in the entire city.
00:16:38.43\00:16:41.86
And so God had to
deal with them strongly.
00:16:41.90\00:16:44.73
And that's essentially
what is happening with Israel.
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.54
We're moving toward
that particular judgment
00:16:47.57\00:16:50.91
that is coming because
they have forgotten God,
00:16:50.94\00:16:53.54
they have forsaken God.
00:16:53.58\00:16:54.91
And, of course, their actions
00:16:54.94\00:16:56.28
and their choices had
become a reproach to God.
00:16:56.31\00:16:58.25
And so He's calling them out.
00:16:58.28\00:16:59.61
But notice verses 11-15, okay?
00:16:59.65\00:17:02.65
This is where an even
stronger rebuke comes.
00:17:02.68\00:17:05.29
And God is again,
00:17:05.32\00:17:06.86
He's calling them out
for their sinful deeds.
00:17:06.89\00:17:09.22
So Isaiah 1:11-15.
00:17:09.26\00:17:13.23
The Bible says,
00:17:13.26\00:17:14.60
"To what
purpose is the multitude
00:17:14.63\00:17:16.40
of your sacrifices to me?"
00:17:16.43\00:17:19.63
Okay, so let's keep in mind,
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.00
as we're reading
through these verses,
00:17:21.04\00:17:22.37
the title of this
lesson is Rotten Ritualism.
00:17:22.40\00:17:24.57
Okay?
00:17:24.61\00:17:25.94
So God is about to
bring to their attention,
00:17:25.97\00:17:27.78
that all the things,
00:17:27.81\00:17:29.14
they're just going
through the motions,
00:17:29.18\00:17:30.58
they're doing the sacrifices,
00:17:30.61\00:17:31.95
they're holding the
services in the temple,
00:17:31.98\00:17:34.15
they're burning the incense.
00:17:34.18\00:17:35.52
They're doing all those things
00:17:35.55\00:17:37.02
that the covenant people
were supposed to be doing.
00:17:37.05\00:17:39.45
But God has a little bit
different attitude towards
00:17:39.49\00:17:42.12
those actions now.
00:17:42.16\00:17:43.49
So he says there in
verse 11, "To what purposes,
00:17:43.53\00:17:45.99
the multitude of
your sacrifices to me,
00:17:46.03\00:17:48.43
says the Lord, I have had enough
00:17:48.46\00:17:50.70
of burnt offerings of rams,
00:17:50.73\00:17:52.37
and the fat of fed cattle.
00:17:52.40\00:17:54.70
I do not delight
in the blood of bulls
00:17:54.74\00:17:56.81
or of lambs or goats.
00:17:56.84\00:17:58.44
When you come to
appear before me,
00:17:58.47\00:18:00.51
who has required this
00:18:00.54\00:18:01.91
from your hand to
trample My courts?
00:18:01.94\00:18:05.48
Bring no futile sacrifices,
00:18:05.51\00:18:08.45
incense is an abomination to Me.
00:18:08.48\00:18:11.69
The New Moons and the Sabbath
and the calling of assemblies,
00:18:11.72\00:18:15.59
I cannot endure iniquity,
and the sacred meeting."
00:18:15.62\00:18:21.10
And then verse 14,
00:18:21.13\00:18:22.56
"Your New Moons and
your appointed feast,
00:18:22.60\00:18:24.80
My soul hates.
00:18:24.83\00:18:27.00
They are a trouble To me,
I am weary of bearing them.
00:18:27.04\00:18:31.07
When you spread out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you,
00:18:31.11\00:18:35.38
even though you
make many prayers,
00:18:35.41\00:18:37.81
I will not hear.
00:18:37.85\00:18:40.38
Your hands are full of blood."
00:18:40.42\00:18:43.89
So what is God addressing here?
00:18:43.92\00:18:46.02
It's very clear that
00:18:46.05\00:18:47.66
they are living in a
state of intense apostasy.
00:18:47.69\00:18:52.63
But yet, at the same time,
00:18:52.66\00:18:54.43
they're still going
through the motions of what God
00:18:54.46\00:18:56.73
has asked them to do.
00:18:56.77\00:18:58.10
And so essentially,
00:18:58.13\00:18:59.47
what God is doing is
He's calling them out.
00:18:59.50\00:19:01.00
He's saying, "Look, you
know, you're doing all that
00:19:01.04\00:19:03.14
I've asked you to do
as far as the rituals,
00:19:03.17\00:19:05.07
you're going
through the motions,
00:19:05.11\00:19:06.44
you're doing the
practices, you know,
00:19:06.47\00:19:07.94
you're practicing the rites
00:19:07.98\00:19:09.31
and the
ceremonies and the feasts,
00:19:09.34\00:19:10.68
and you're doing
all the little things
00:19:10.71\00:19:12.05
that I've asked, but guess what?
00:19:12.08\00:19:13.42
It's of no avail.
00:19:13.45\00:19:14.78
It's of no importance to me
00:19:14.82\00:19:16.15
because your
heart is not right."
00:19:16.18\00:19:19.22
And you'll
notice here that he said
00:19:19.25\00:19:20.59
in that last closing
text there of verse 15,
00:19:20.62\00:19:23.69
and these are strong words,
for us to hear this from God.
00:19:23.73\00:19:26.90
So for someone to
have to hear these words
00:19:26.93\00:19:28.93
from the creator
would be haunting, right?
00:19:28.96\00:19:31.13
That you know what?
00:19:31.17\00:19:32.50
When you lift up your hands
00:19:32.53\00:19:33.87
and worship and
praise, you know what?
00:19:33.90\00:19:35.44
I'm gonna hide my eyes.
00:19:35.47\00:19:37.01
He says, in the end,
"Even when you pray to me,
00:19:37.04\00:19:39.31
you know, I'm not
gonna hear it," why?
00:19:39.34\00:19:41.38
"Your hands are full of blood."
00:19:41.41\00:19:43.21
So what was going on here?
00:19:43.24\00:19:45.35
You see these same hands
offered sacrifices but yet,
00:19:45.38\00:19:50.82
even though they
were lifted up in prayer,
00:19:50.85\00:19:52.62
the Bible says,
"They were full of blood."
00:19:52.65\00:19:55.16
That is that
they're guilty of violence
00:19:55.19\00:19:57.56
and oppression towards others.
00:19:57.59\00:19:59.79
And so what we're
seeing is that by mistreating,
00:19:59.83\00:20:02.16
so they're
mistreating their own people,
00:20:02.20\00:20:04.23
they're guilty for the murder
00:20:04.27\00:20:05.73
and the mistreatment
of their own people.
00:20:05.77\00:20:07.27
And by mistreating others,
00:20:07.30\00:20:08.67
that is the members of
the covenant community,
00:20:08.70\00:20:11.81
they were showing contempt
00:20:11.84\00:20:13.21
for the
protector of all of Israel.
00:20:13.24\00:20:16.48
Sins against other people
were sins against the Lord.
00:20:16.51\00:20:19.95
So just as we find
those texts and scriptures,
00:20:19.98\00:20:22.18
God says, "You do this to them.
00:20:22.22\00:20:23.62
So you've done it to Me."
00:20:23.65\00:20:24.99
That's exactly
what was happening here.
00:20:25.02\00:20:26.42
An attack on their own
people was an attack on God.
00:20:26.45\00:20:30.46
The rituals were, you know,
00:20:30.49\00:20:32.19
and Shelley would
know these rituals,
00:20:32.23\00:20:34.16
these
ceremonies, these feast days,
00:20:34.20\00:20:36.30
these, the ceremonial Sabbath
00:20:36.33\00:20:37.97
and all the
offerings and the sacrifices,
00:20:38.00\00:20:39.67
and then incense,
00:20:39.70\00:20:41.04
all of that God
did give to them,
00:20:41.07\00:20:42.40
but only within the
context of the covenant,
00:20:42.44\00:20:45.17
but yet they had
violated the covenant
00:20:45.21\00:20:46.74
by oppressing their own people.
00:20:46.78\00:20:49.24
And so what we see
here is that essentially
00:20:49.28\00:20:51.98
their sinful actions had become
00:20:52.01\00:20:55.05
with the
practices of these rituals.
00:20:55.08\00:20:57.05
In simultaneous, we see that
00:20:57.09\00:20:59.19
it was basically a
slap in God's face,
00:20:59.22\00:21:01.09
and God says,
"I'm not having it."
00:21:01.12\00:21:03.02
It may, it reminds me of
that text over in Matthew 15:8,
00:21:03.06\00:21:06.93
where Jesus
says, to the Pharisees,
00:21:06.96\00:21:08.93
He says, "You've drawn
nigh unto me with your lips,
00:21:08.96\00:21:11.20
but your heart is far from Me."
00:21:11.23\00:21:14.80
So notice the counsel
that God gives to them
00:21:14.84\00:21:17.34
because of
these sins, of course,
00:21:17.37\00:21:18.97
God always provides
a way of escape, right?
00:21:19.01\00:21:21.28
He always provides a
way to make things right.
00:21:21.31\00:21:23.55
And we see that
in verses 16 and 17,
00:21:23.58\00:21:25.98
in Isaiah Chapter 1.
00:21:26.01\00:21:27.35
So notice what the
Bible says, Isaiah 1:16-17.
00:21:27.38\00:21:30.25
God says to them, He says,
00:21:30.29\00:21:31.62
"Wash yourselves,
make yourselves clean.
00:21:31.65\00:21:34.66
Put away the evil of your doings
00:21:34.69\00:21:36.79
from before my
eyes, cease to do evil.
00:21:36.83\00:21:40.70
Learn to do good, seek
justice, rebuke the oppressor,
00:21:40.73\00:21:46.13
defend the fatherless,
plead for the widow."
00:21:46.17\00:21:50.47
So what is God doing here?
00:21:50.51\00:21:51.84
He's calling them to repentance,
00:21:51.87\00:21:53.38
true, genuine repentance.
00:21:53.41\00:21:55.68
And notice that it's a choice.
00:21:55.71\00:21:57.55
I just have to add this in here.
00:21:57.58\00:21:59.18
No one's showing up in
the presence of God to say,
00:21:59.21\00:22:00.75
"Well, Lord, look,
00:22:00.78\00:22:02.12
we can't help
but it's our nature.
00:22:02.15\00:22:03.59
That's just what we
do. We're evil by nature."
00:22:03.62\00:22:05.35
This is a choice.
00:22:05.39\00:22:06.72
God's saying, "It's conditional,
00:22:06.76\00:22:08.09
you have a choice.
00:22:08.12\00:22:09.46
You can choose me.
00:22:09.49\00:22:10.83
You can repent or you
can continue down this path,
00:22:10.86\00:22:12.49
and it's gonna
lead you nowhere good."
00:22:12.53\00:22:14.46
He calls them, notice this,
00:22:14.50\00:22:16.00
and what the text we
just read verses 16 and 17.
00:22:16.03\00:22:18.57
He calls them to take a
stand for what is right,
00:22:18.60\00:22:22.30
and to take a stand
against the injustices
00:22:22.34\00:22:25.11
being done to the oppressed.
00:22:25.14\00:22:28.11
Do we need to do that sometimes?
00:22:28.14\00:22:29.48
Of course.
00:22:29.51\00:22:30.85
Does God call us to take
a stand for what is right?
00:22:30.88\00:22:32.21
Amen. That's right.
00:22:32.25\00:22:33.58
In fact, having
recently taken a preaching class
00:22:33.62\00:22:37.29
through my
seminary program at Andrews,
00:22:37.32\00:22:39.89
I learned that after
reading this passage here,
00:22:39.92\00:22:42.66
what Isaiah is
preaching here is he's preaching
00:22:42.69\00:22:44.99
what is called a
prophetic sermon,
00:22:45.03\00:22:46.56
not in the sense that
he's preaching prophecy,
00:22:46.59\00:22:48.83
but yet he is declaring
he's challenging right here.
00:22:48.86\00:22:52.23
He's addressing the
real issues of his day.
00:22:52.27\00:22:54.74
And his message is
very countercultural.
00:22:54.77\00:22:57.64
And he's
challenging the status quo.
00:22:57.67\00:22:59.74
He's calling them out,
00:22:59.77\00:23:01.11
he's saying, "What
you're doing is wrong."
00:23:01.14\00:23:02.58
And he's taking the
stand against these evils.
00:23:02.61\00:23:04.95
And so that's what Isaiah is,
basically God is using Isaiah
00:23:04.98\00:23:09.05
to preach this message
to communicate this message.
00:23:09.08\00:23:12.25
And, you know,
all of this reminds me
00:23:12.29\00:23:13.99
also of what Jesus done
00:23:14.02\00:23:16.02
likewise when He was
speaking to the Pharisees
00:23:16.06\00:23:17.93
in Matthew Chapter 23,
00:23:17.96\00:23:19.69
when He was
calling out the Pharisees.
00:23:19.73\00:23:21.93
Woe to you
scribes and Pharisees...
00:23:21.96\00:23:23.57
I'm looking at Matthew 23:23-28.
00:23:23.60\00:23:26.63
I don't have enough
time to read it all.
00:23:26.67\00:23:28.00
But I just wanna read a
few of these words here.
00:23:28.04\00:23:29.64
Jesus understood
the issues of His day,
00:23:29.67\00:23:32.21
He understood what was going on
00:23:32.24\00:23:33.58
and that there needed
00:23:33.61\00:23:34.94
that these issues
needed to be addressed.
00:23:34.98\00:23:36.48
No more sugarcoating,
no more watering down,
00:23:36.51\00:23:38.91
sometimes the plain
truth of God's Word,
00:23:38.95\00:23:41.65
the straight testimony
needs to be spoken and,
00:23:41.68\00:23:43.52
of course, in
love and, of course,
00:23:43.55\00:23:45.25
this message God is
delivering it in love.
00:23:45.29\00:23:48.22
And, of course,
Christ when He spoke
00:23:48.26\00:23:49.59
to the Pharisees,
00:23:49.62\00:23:50.96
"Woe to you scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites,"
00:23:50.99\00:23:53.50
strong language, right?
00:23:53.53\00:23:54.86
If you walked up to
someone today and said,
00:23:54.90\00:23:56.23
"Woe you hypocrite,"
you know, they would say,
00:23:56.26\00:23:58.30
"Don't you judge me."
00:23:58.33\00:24:00.34
We live in a world
of "don't judge me."
00:24:00.37\00:24:02.07
But He goes on to
say to the Pharisees,
00:24:02.10\00:24:03.81
"For you pay tithe and
mint, and anise and cumin
00:24:03.84\00:24:06.37
and have neglected
the weightier matters
00:24:06.41\00:24:08.48
of the law of
justice and mercy and faith.
00:24:08.51\00:24:10.48
These you have
ought to have done
00:24:10.51\00:24:12.91
without leaving others undone,
00:24:12.95\00:24:14.75
blind guides who
strain out a gnat
00:24:14.78\00:24:17.92
and swallow a camel."
00:24:17.95\00:24:19.29
Jesus again, to the Pharisees,
00:24:19.32\00:24:20.66
He was addressing
the issues of the day.
00:24:20.69\00:24:23.02
That's what God is doing.
00:24:23.06\00:24:24.39
He's had it up
to here with Israel.
00:24:24.43\00:24:27.16
And He's finally
saying, "Look, I love you,
00:24:27.20\00:24:29.03
I'm gonna give you
another opportunity,
00:24:29.06\00:24:30.47
but we need to
address these issues."
00:24:30.50\00:24:32.43
And the same
thing applies with us.
00:24:32.47\00:24:33.80
Yeah.
00:24:33.84\00:24:35.17
You know, like Judah and Israel.
00:24:35.20\00:24:36.54
You know, sometimes we
can get caught up in that.
00:24:36.57\00:24:38.54
And we also need to understand
00:24:38.57\00:24:40.24
that God is
calling us to repentance
00:24:40.28\00:24:42.24
and to stand
against those who oppress.
00:24:42.28\00:24:44.68
Absolutely. Amen.
00:24:44.71\00:24:46.05
Amen. Thank you so much, Ryan.
00:24:46.08\00:24:47.42
Incredible study. We're
gonna take a short break.
00:24:47.45\00:24:49.58
We'll be right back.
00:24:49.62\00:24:50.95
Ever wish you could watch
00:24:54.59\00:24:55.92
a 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel again,
00:24:55.96\00:24:58.03
or share it on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?
00:24:58.06\00:25:01.16
Well, you can by visiting
3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com.
00:25:01.20\00:25:06.33
A clean design makes it easy
00:25:06.37\00:25:08.64
to find the
program you're looking for.
00:25:08.67\00:25:10.87
There are also links to
the Adult Bible Study Guide
00:25:10.91\00:25:14.21
so you can follow along.
00:25:14.24\00:25:15.94
Sharing is easy.
00:25:15.98\00:25:17.31
Just click share and choose
your favorite social media.
00:25:17.35\00:25:20.62
Share a link, save
a life for eternity.
00:25:20.65\00:25:25.22
Welcome back to
lesson number one,
00:25:25.25\00:25:27.06
"A Crisis of Identity."
00:25:27.09\00:25:29.36
We're gonna pick up
with Tuesday's lesson,
00:25:29.39\00:25:30.73
Shelley Quinn.
00:25:30.76\00:25:32.09
Oh, thank you so much.
00:25:32.13\00:25:33.46
I'm excited
about Tuesday's lesson
00:25:33.50\00:25:35.00
because it is "The
Argument of Forgiveness."
00:25:35.03\00:25:39.90
Here these degenerate Judeans
had broken covenant with God.
00:25:39.93\00:25:45.31
But His sharp words against them
00:25:45.34\00:25:48.18
were not a rejection.
00:25:48.21\00:25:50.25
They were an
invitation to turn around.
00:25:50.28\00:25:52.85
And as you read in verse 16,
He's saying, "Wash yourselves."
00:25:52.88\00:25:58.09
He's suggesting
reform to the people.
00:25:58.12\00:26:01.76
And this suggests hope.
00:26:01.79\00:26:03.89
You know,
something that's interesting,
00:26:03.93\00:26:05.26
how many books are
there in the Bible?
00:26:05.29\00:26:07.00
Sixty six, Thirty
nine in the Old Testament,
00:26:07.03\00:26:10.37
twenty seven in
the new, interesting.
00:26:10.40\00:26:12.90
That's the division of Isaiah.
00:26:12.93\00:26:15.70
Thirty nine in the
old are showing people
00:26:15.74\00:26:18.27
their great need of salvation.
00:26:18.31\00:26:20.84
I mean, it's first 39,
00:26:20.88\00:26:22.48
the last 27 are God's
great provision of salvation.
00:26:22.51\00:26:28.45
And that's why Isaiah is
called the gospel prophet.
00:26:28.48\00:26:34.36
But let's look at
00:26:34.39\00:26:38.86
beginning with verse 18.
00:26:38.89\00:26:41.53
We will see that
this is kind of a preview
00:26:41.56\00:26:44.33
of what the last 27 Chapters
are that focus on God's grace.
00:26:44.37\00:26:48.87
So Isaiah 1:18,
which was our memory verse.
00:26:48.90\00:26:53.07
He says, this is God, "Come now,
00:26:53.11\00:26:57.41
let us reason
together, says the Lord,
00:26:57.45\00:27:00.62
though your sins
are like scarlet,
00:27:00.65\00:27:03.79
they shall be white as snow,
00:27:03.82\00:27:07.06
though they are
red like crimson,
00:27:07.09\00:27:09.56
they shall be as wool."
00:27:09.59\00:27:12.16
Come, this is an
invitation to approach God.
00:27:12.19\00:27:16.50
He still gives
that invitation today.
00:27:16.53\00:27:19.40
And then He's saying,
"Let us reason together."
00:27:19.43\00:27:22.07
He's pleading with them.
00:27:22.10\00:27:24.51
He wants them to
receive His correction.
00:27:24.54\00:27:28.11
He wants them to repent,
00:27:28.14\00:27:31.21
to turn around
and come back to Him.
00:27:31.25\00:27:34.38
When you look at
these two colors,
00:27:34.42\00:27:36.58
crimson which was a scarlet red.
00:27:36.62\00:27:40.42
This was a
permanent dye that was,
00:27:40.46\00:27:44.03
it was a deep red dye.
00:27:44.06\00:27:46.83
And, boy, I'll tell you what?
00:27:46.86\00:27:49.03
It was almost
impossible to get out.
00:27:49.06\00:27:53.27
And so what He's saying is,
00:27:53.30\00:27:55.14
their hands are
stained with this same crimson,
00:27:55.17\00:28:00.71
the blood stained hands,
00:28:00.74\00:28:03.14
this indelible
sin and perversity.
00:28:03.18\00:28:07.32
And so this was as permanent
as dye without the Lord.
00:28:07.35\00:28:11.85
Only God can remove
the stain of our sin.
00:28:11.89\00:28:15.69
But then when He says,
"They shall be white as wool.
00:28:15.72\00:28:18.59
If you come to Me,
repent, confess your sins,
00:28:18.63\00:28:22.10
they'll be as white as wool."
00:28:22.13\00:28:23.50
Wool is naturally white
00:28:23.53\00:28:26.33
and white
portrays what is claimed.
00:28:26.37\00:28:31.47
So God's not only
offering to forgive them,
00:28:31.51\00:28:35.71
He's offering to transform them.
00:28:35.74\00:28:38.81
Hallelujah.
00:28:38.85\00:28:40.88
But it required
obedience and repentance.
00:28:40.92\00:28:45.82
So when we look,
00:28:45.85\00:28:48.19
I think you're gonna cover that.
00:28:48.22\00:28:49.56
So I'm gonna skip that.
00:28:49.59\00:28:50.93
So what I want to do in
the few minutes I have left.
00:28:50.96\00:28:55.20
I want you to get
out a pen and a paper.
00:28:55.23\00:28:57.80
I talk to so many people
00:28:57.83\00:28:59.27
who don't
understand God's forgiveness
00:28:59.30\00:29:01.20
or they think that God,
00:29:01.24\00:29:03.00
it's only in the New Testament
that we see forgiveness.
00:29:03.04\00:29:06.61
Ah, let's look at
00:29:06.64\00:29:08.54
what the gospel
prophet tells us.
00:29:08.58\00:29:10.75
Isaiah 43:25-26.
00:29:10.78\00:29:15.98
Isaiah 43:25-26,
this is God speaking.
00:29:16.02\00:29:20.16
He says, "I even,
I am He who blots out
00:29:20.19\00:29:25.49
your
transgressions for my own sake.
00:29:25.53\00:29:29.50
And I will not
remember your sins."
00:29:29.53\00:29:33.74
He says, "Put me in remembrance.
00:29:33.77\00:29:35.87
Let me, let us contend together,
00:29:35.90\00:29:39.07
state your case, that
you may be acquitted."
00:29:39.11\00:29:44.51
You know, this is
a great revelation
00:29:44.55\00:29:47.28
of grace in the Old Testament.
00:29:47.32\00:29:49.55
I love this.
00:29:49.58\00:29:51.09
To not remember your sins means
00:29:51.12\00:29:54.29
God's not going
to act on those sins.
00:29:54.32\00:29:58.73
To forget it is to
hold back from acting.
00:29:58.76\00:30:03.47
If you remember something
00:30:03.50\00:30:04.83
when it says God remembers,
it means He's gonna act on it.
00:30:04.87\00:30:08.34
But when He says,
"I'm gonna forget,
00:30:08.37\00:30:11.04
I'm gonna hold
back on acting on it."
00:30:11.07\00:30:13.74
So now look at
verse, Isaiah 44:22.
00:30:13.78\00:30:19.75
Just write that
down, Isaiah 44:22.
00:30:19.78\00:30:23.22
Again, this is God speaking,
00:30:23.25\00:30:25.65
"I have blotted
out like a thick cloud,
00:30:25.69\00:30:29.69
your transgressions,
and like a cloud, your sins,
00:30:29.72\00:30:34.06
return to Me, for
I have redeemed you."
00:30:34.10\00:30:39.00
See, God provided for redemption
00:30:39.03\00:30:42.54
even before the cross,
00:30:42.57\00:30:45.14
but it was based
on the cross alone.
00:30:45.17\00:30:48.08
This sacrificial
system that He instituted,
00:30:48.11\00:30:51.78
the forgiveness by
the blood of the animals.
00:30:51.81\00:30:54.32
It was symbolic,
00:30:54.35\00:30:55.75
it all pointed
to the Lamb of God
00:30:55.78\00:30:58.75
who was slain
00:30:58.79\00:31:00.12
from the
foundation of the earth.
00:31:00.16\00:31:01.82
And what
happened when Jesus died?
00:31:01.86\00:31:04.66
His death validated
those Old Testament sacrifices
00:31:04.69\00:31:10.57
for the forgiveness of sin.
00:31:10.60\00:31:12.73
Now look at Isaiah 53:6,
00:31:12.77\00:31:17.41
"All we like
sheep have gone astray,
00:31:17.44\00:31:20.61
we have turned
everyone to his own way."
00:31:20.64\00:31:24.91
All have
sinned. All have sinned.
00:31:24.95\00:31:28.98
But He says,
00:31:29.02\00:31:30.35
"And the Lord has laid on him
00:31:30.39\00:31:34.16
the iniquity of assault."
00:31:34.19\00:31:37.03
Doesn't that remind
you of 2 Corinthians 5:21?
00:31:37.06\00:31:40.50
When it says, "That
God made Him, Jesus,
00:31:40.53\00:31:44.20
who knew no sin,
to be sin for us,
00:31:44.23\00:31:47.47
that we might become
00:31:47.50\00:31:49.77
the righteousness of
God in Christ Jesus."
00:31:49.80\00:31:52.97
So when you accept Christ,
00:31:53.01\00:31:54.98
when Christ went to the cross,
all of our sins were on Him.
00:31:55.01\00:32:00.02
But when you accept Christ,
when you ask for forgiveness,
00:32:00.05\00:32:04.52
His righteousness is
credited to your account.
00:32:04.55\00:32:08.29
Halleluiah.
00:32:08.32\00:32:11.19
And He says to us
in Revelation 1:5,
00:32:11.23\00:32:15.03
"It is to him who loved us,
00:32:15.06\00:32:18.63
and washed us from our sins
00:32:18.67\00:32:23.37
in His own blood."
00:32:23.41\00:32:25.77
And you know what?
00:32:25.81\00:32:27.14
Even that washing is even
00:32:27.18\00:32:29.34
for the people
of the Old Covenant.
00:32:29.38\00:32:31.05
Listen, Hebrews 9:15.
00:32:31.08\00:32:33.38
"For this reason,
00:32:33.42\00:32:34.75
Christ is the
mediator of the New Covenant,
00:32:34.78\00:32:37.75
by means of death," get this,
00:32:37.79\00:32:40.46
"for the redemption
of the transgressions
00:32:40.49\00:32:43.49
under the first covenant."
00:32:43.53\00:32:46.09
You know, that's
very important that
00:32:46.13\00:32:48.56
those who are called may receive
00:32:48.60\00:32:51.13
the promise of
eternal inheritance.
00:32:51.17\00:32:55.14
I got to get to these
because these are good.
00:32:55.17\00:32:57.64
Isaiah 55:6-7. Isaiah 55:6-7.
00:32:57.67\00:33:04.51
Well, you talked about
00:33:04.55\00:33:05.88
a yellow
highlighter for promises, Jill.
00:33:05.91\00:33:08.05
These are more of these,
00:33:08.08\00:33:10.49
"Seek the Lord
while He may be found.
00:33:10.52\00:33:14.22
Call upon Him while He is near."
00:33:14.26\00:33:16.76
God is calling to you today.
00:33:16.79\00:33:19.49
You at home, He's calling to me,
00:33:19.53\00:33:22.33
He's calling to you.
00:33:22.36\00:33:23.97
God is calling, it's
an invitation to you.
00:33:24.00\00:33:28.10
He is saying,
"Seek Me, call upon Me.
00:33:28.14\00:33:31.71
Let the wicked forsake his way
00:33:31.74\00:33:33.88
and the
righteous man his thoughts.
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.78
Let him return to the Lord
and He will have mercy on him."
00:33:35.81\00:33:41.12
And to our God, He
will abundantly pardon.
00:33:41.15\00:33:45.02
God is ready to forgive you.
00:33:45.05\00:33:47.82
And I've just got
to get this one in.
00:33:47.86\00:33:50.06
I'm just out of time.
00:33:50.09\00:33:51.89
But listen to this.
00:33:51.93\00:33:54.20
David, when David
confessed his sin, you know,
00:33:54.23\00:33:59.17
he was guilty of murder
with Bathsheba and her husband.
00:33:59.20\00:34:04.77
He was guilty of
adultery, guilty of murder.
00:34:04.81\00:34:07.38
But when he went to the
Lord and confessed his sin,
00:34:07.41\00:34:11.65
and he says,
"Oh, wash me, wash me,
00:34:11.68\00:34:14.28
purge me with hyssop, wash me
00:34:14.32\00:34:16.05
and I'll be whiter than snow."
00:34:16.08\00:34:17.79
If you wanna see a
great way to repent,
00:34:17.82\00:34:21.29
just read Psalm 51.
00:34:21.32\00:34:22.82
That's where that's from.
00:34:22.86\00:34:24.69
But later David said
in the Psalms, he says,
00:34:24.73\00:34:27.50
"As far as the
east is from the west,
00:34:27.53\00:34:30.37
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
00:34:30.40\00:34:33.80
And here's proof of that.
00:34:33.84\00:34:35.77
In 1 Kings 14:8,
just write this down.
00:34:35.80\00:34:39.87
God tells the prophet,
"You send the prophets" what?
00:34:39.91\00:34:43.14
"Go tell Jeroboam," he says,
"I've torn the kingdom away
00:34:43.18\00:34:47.05
from the house of
David, I gave it to you.
00:34:47.08\00:34:49.55
And yet you have not
been as my servant David,"
00:34:49.58\00:34:52.35
this is God speaking,
"who kept my commandments,
00:34:52.39\00:34:56.22
and who followed me
00:34:56.26\00:34:57.73
with all of his heart to do only
00:34:57.76\00:35:00.20
what was right in My eyes."
00:35:00.23\00:35:01.80
What?
00:35:01.83\00:35:04.03
David was guilty
of all kinds of sin,
00:35:04.07\00:35:07.64
but he repented and when he did,
00:35:07.67\00:35:09.84
God's mercy was
bestowed upon him.
00:35:09.87\00:35:12.54
And God is saying as
far as I'm concerned,
00:35:12.57\00:35:15.38
his current
concerns me, I forgot.
00:35:15.41\00:35:18.88
I'm not acting on
that sin. Halleluiah.
00:35:18.91\00:35:21.95
You talk about grace
in the Old Testament.
00:35:21.98\00:35:24.25
Praise the Lord. Amen.
00:35:24.29\00:35:25.62
Okay, wow.
00:35:25.65\00:35:26.99
Yeah, well, I'm
taking my mask off.
00:35:27.02\00:35:28.92
And I'll put mine back on.
00:35:28.96\00:35:32.29
Praise the Lord.
00:35:32.33\00:35:33.66
Shelley, I think you're on fire.
00:35:33.70\00:35:35.03
All right.
00:35:35.06\00:35:36.40
I'm not sure if
that's what it is.
00:35:36.43\00:35:37.77
But thank you for
warming that lesson up.
00:35:37.80\00:35:39.27
"To Eat or Be Eaten."
00:35:39.30\00:35:41.87
I like the way that
the writer uses that phrase
00:35:41.90\00:35:44.14
to eat or be eaten when in fact,
00:35:44.17\00:35:45.94
the text talks
about being devoured.
00:35:45.97\00:35:48.54
I wanna begin Wednesday's lesson
00:35:48.58\00:35:49.91
by reading verses 19-31.
00:35:49.94\00:35:52.11
Because sometimes it's important
00:35:52.15\00:35:53.48
to get the context,
00:35:53.52\00:35:55.05
so that we won't
end up in pre text.
00:35:55.08\00:35:57.35
Verse 19, "If" I
want you to notice
00:35:57.39\00:35:59.75
these words as we go through,
00:35:59.79\00:36:01.79
"If you are
willing and obedient,
00:36:01.82\00:36:03.32
you shall eat
the good of the land.
00:36:03.36\00:36:05.56
But if you refuse and
rebel you shall be devoured."
00:36:05.59\00:36:08.70
That's where the other
word "Eat, by the sword,
00:36:08.73\00:36:11.97
for the mouth of
the Lord has spoken.
00:36:12.00\00:36:14.57
How the faithful
city has become a harlot.
00:36:14.60\00:36:18.21
It was full of justice,
righteousness lodged in it,
00:36:18.24\00:36:21.58
but now murderers, your
silver has become dross,
00:36:21.61\00:36:25.95
your wine mixed with water.
00:36:25.98\00:36:27.78
Your princes are rebellious,
and companions of thieves.
00:36:27.82\00:36:31.25
Everyone loves bribes,
and follow after rewards.
00:36:31.29\00:36:35.52
They do not
defend the fatherless,
00:36:35.56\00:36:39.26
nor does the cause of
the widow come before them.
00:36:39.29\00:36:42.36
Therefore the Lord
says, the Lord of hosts,
00:36:42.40\00:36:45.37
the Mighty One of Israel,
00:36:45.40\00:36:46.87
'Ah, I will rid
myself of my adversaries,
00:36:46.90\00:36:52.01
and take
vengeance on my enemies.
00:36:52.04\00:36:54.84
I will turn my hand against you,
00:36:54.88\00:36:57.25
and thoroughly
purge away your dross
00:36:57.28\00:36:59.91
and take away all your alloy.
00:36:59.95\00:37:03.62
I will restore your
judges, as at the first
00:37:03.65\00:37:07.29
and your counselors
as at the beginning.
00:37:07.32\00:37:09.96
Afterward you shall be
00:37:09.99\00:37:11.33
called the city
of righteousness,
00:37:11.36\00:37:12.79
the faithful city,
Zion shall be redeemed
00:37:12.83\00:37:15.83
with justice and her
penitence with righteousness,
00:37:15.86\00:37:20.34
the destruction of transgression
00:37:20.37\00:37:21.77
and of sinners
shall be together,
00:37:21.80\00:37:23.97
and those who forsake the Lord
00:37:24.01\00:37:25.34
shall be consumed,
00:37:25.37\00:37:26.71
for they shall be
ashamed of the terebinth tree
00:37:26.74\00:37:29.84
which you have desired,
and you shall be embarrassed
00:37:29.88\00:37:33.48
because of the
gardens which you have chosen,
00:37:33.52\00:37:36.48
for you shall be as a terebinth,
00:37:36.52\00:37:38.72
whose leaf fades,
00:37:38.75\00:37:41.66
and as a garden
that has no water.
00:37:41.69\00:37:44.06
The strong shall be as tender
00:37:44.09\00:37:47.76
and the work of it as a spark,
00:37:47.80\00:37:50.57
both will burn together,
00:37:50.60\00:37:53.13
and no one shall quench them.'"
00:37:53.17\00:37:56.84
Well, God is really,
as Shelley pointed out,
00:37:56.87\00:38:00.21
and as we built
up to this point,
00:38:00.24\00:38:01.64
God is trying His best
to get their attention.
00:38:01.68\00:38:03.21
Yeah.
00:38:03.24\00:38:04.58
So the writer
asked the question,
00:38:04.61\00:38:06.31
what theme appears here that
is seen throughout the Bible.
00:38:06.35\00:38:11.45
Now what we're gonna do is,
00:38:11.49\00:38:12.82
we're gonna unpack the
theme that is found in Isaiah
00:38:12.85\00:38:15.12
because it
begins in verse 19-20,
00:38:15.16\00:38:18.26
"If you are
willing, if you refuse."
00:38:18.29\00:38:21.73
What we have to come to
discover is the promises
00:38:21.76\00:38:24.70
and the blessings of
God are always conditioned.
00:38:24.73\00:38:29.80
Amen. Always conditional.
00:38:29.84\00:38:32.97
God always leaves the
choice of obedience up to us.
00:38:33.01\00:38:36.75
Now when you think about it,
00:38:36.78\00:38:38.11
and I think
that's how parents are.
00:38:38.15\00:38:39.68
They say, "If
you clean your room,
00:38:39.71\00:38:41.05
then I will, if
you behave yourself,
00:38:41.08\00:38:43.65
I will give you the car keys."
00:38:43.69\00:38:45.72
We do not reward
disobedience with a blessing,
00:38:45.75\00:38:50.46
and neither does God.
00:38:50.49\00:38:52.16
Human nature is
sinful as we are.
00:38:52.19\00:38:54.73
We don't say to the rebellious,
"We're giving you more rope.
00:38:54.76\00:38:58.40
We're giving you more money.
00:38:58.43\00:39:00.14
We're giving
criminals more access to banks
00:39:00.17\00:39:02.50
and all the
things that they do."
00:39:02.54\00:39:04.14
We don't do that.
But why don't we do that?
00:39:04.17\00:39:07.11
Because God doesn't do that.
00:39:07.14\00:39:09.28
But you'll find that what
is talked about in Isaiah,
00:39:09.31\00:39:11.88
is how God has always been.
00:39:11.91\00:39:13.62
We find this in Deuteronomy
in the writings of Moses.
00:39:13.65\00:39:16.35
Deuteronomy 30:19,
00:39:16.38\00:39:19.19
"I call heaven and earth
00:39:19.22\00:39:21.36
as witness today against you
00:39:21.39\00:39:24.56
that I have set
before you life and death,
00:39:24.59\00:39:26.93
blessing and cursing.
00:39:26.96\00:39:28.56
Therefore choose life,
00:39:28.60\00:39:31.23
that both you and
your descendants may live,
00:39:31.27\00:39:33.70
that you may love
the Lord your God,
00:39:33.74\00:39:36.40
that you may obey His voice.
00:39:36.44\00:39:38.81
And that you may cling
to him, for He is your life
00:39:38.84\00:39:42.54
and the length of your days.
00:39:42.58\00:39:44.41
And that you may
dwell on the land
00:39:44.45\00:39:46.01
which the Lord swore
00:39:46.05\00:39:47.38
to your fathers
to Abraham, Isaac,
00:39:47.42\00:39:49.92
and Jacob, to give them."
00:39:49.95\00:39:52.39
God's blessings and
promises are always conditional.
00:39:52.42\00:39:55.46
So I have three things, Jill.
00:39:55.49\00:39:57.29
Three things, three lists
00:39:57.33\00:39:59.13
that are compounded
in a few statements.
00:39:59.16\00:40:01.46
God is an if
God, not an iffy God.
00:40:01.50\00:40:05.30
Okay.
00:40:05.33\00:40:06.67
God is an if God, but
God is not an iffy God.
00:40:06.70\00:40:09.97
God's requirements
are non-negotiable,
00:40:10.01\00:40:12.81
but always conditional.
00:40:12.84\00:40:14.94
They're non-negotiable,
00:40:14.98\00:40:16.64
but the conditions are up to us.
00:40:16.68\00:40:18.01
Look at the...
00:40:18.05\00:40:19.38
Let's first look at the
non-negotiable part of God.
00:40:19.41\00:40:21.82
God never asks
more than He requires.
00:40:21.85\00:40:25.25
And He never
requires more than He asks.
00:40:25.29\00:40:27.99
That's right
now. Think about that.
00:40:28.02\00:40:30.53
God never asks
more than He requires.
00:40:30.56\00:40:32.83
And He never
requires more than He asks.
00:40:32.86\00:40:35.16
God said, "Here's
what I'm going to give you,
00:40:35.20\00:40:36.53
but here are the conditions."
00:40:36.56\00:40:37.90
He'll never ask for more,
but He'll never take less.
00:40:37.93\00:40:41.27
We find that from
the very beginning
00:40:41.30\00:40:43.00
between Cain and Abel.
00:40:43.04\00:40:45.97
Cain gave God what
He, God never required.
00:40:46.01\00:40:49.14
God never accepted it.
00:40:49.18\00:40:50.51
And we know what
happened with Abel.
00:40:50.55\00:40:52.45
Let's look at
the conditional side.
00:40:52.48\00:40:55.05
"I will do what I promise
if you do what I require."
00:40:55.08\00:41:00.59
That's the
non-negotiable part of God,
00:41:00.62\00:41:03.53
but the conditional side of it.
00:41:03.56\00:41:05.49
You know, the
fact of the matter is,
00:41:05.53\00:41:06.86
many people
forfeit the blessings
00:41:06.90\00:41:08.23
and the promises of God,
00:41:08.26\00:41:09.76
because they live a
conditional Christian life.
00:41:09.80\00:41:12.27
And I was looking at that panel,
00:41:12.30\00:41:14.50
I was looking at that.
00:41:14.54\00:41:15.87
When we think about today,
the world we're living in,
00:41:15.90\00:41:18.21
we have 30,000
plus denominations,
00:41:18.24\00:41:20.74
Ryan, possibly, 30,000
different denominations,
00:41:20.78\00:41:24.25
all coming with
this idea that well,
00:41:24.28\00:41:26.38
that's your
interpretation of the text.
00:41:26.41\00:41:29.45
Well, that's not
what the problem is.
00:41:29.48\00:41:31.42
The problem is not
our interpretation.
00:41:31.45\00:41:33.29
The problem is the human heart.
00:41:33.32\00:41:36.42
Many people refuse to
comply with God's requirements.
00:41:36.46\00:41:39.96
And then they want God to
comply with their request.
00:41:40.00\00:41:43.67
And it just
doesn't work that way.
00:41:43.70\00:41:45.67
And that's why the majority
00:41:45.70\00:41:47.04
of Christianity is more critical
00:41:47.07\00:41:49.37
than compliant to
God's requirements.
00:41:49.40\00:41:52.54
They criticize, but that's,
00:41:52.57\00:41:54.28
God wants me to
keep the Sabbath.
00:41:54.31\00:41:55.64
I don't want to
keep that because
00:41:55.68\00:41:57.01
and then they say,
well take this instead.
00:41:57.05\00:41:59.18
No, God is not that kind of God.
00:41:59.21\00:42:01.28
But what is the problem?
00:42:01.32\00:42:02.65
The problem is not
God's requirements,
00:42:02.68\00:42:04.92
it's the human heart.
00:42:04.95\00:42:06.42
Romans 8:6-8,
00:42:06.45\00:42:08.92
"For to be
carnally minded is death."
00:42:08.96\00:42:11.49
Look at the comparisons
just like Deuteronomy,
00:42:11.53\00:42:13.29
just like Isaiah.
00:42:13.33\00:42:14.70
"For to be
carnally minded is death,
00:42:14.73\00:42:16.43
but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace.
00:42:16.46\00:42:19.27
Because the carnal
mind is enmity against God,
00:42:19.30\00:42:22.60
for it is not
subject to the law of God,
00:42:22.64\00:42:25.47
neither any of its requirements,
00:42:25.51\00:42:27.54
nor, indeed can be.
00:42:27.58\00:42:29.58
So then those
who are in the flesh
00:42:29.61\00:42:31.85
cannot please God."
00:42:31.88\00:42:33.21
Notice the contrast.
00:42:33.25\00:42:35.02
God's law is not the
problem, it's the carnal heart.
00:42:35.05\00:42:37.72
Here's another example of God's
non-negotiable requirements,
00:42:37.75\00:42:41.62
coupled with the promise
of His conditional blessings.
00:42:41.66\00:42:45.19
Let's look at 1 Kings 22:43.
00:42:45.23\00:42:48.23
This is another
example in Scripture.
00:42:48.26\00:42:50.40
It talked about
the leaders of God,
00:42:50.43\00:42:51.77
but notice something was left.
00:42:51.80\00:42:53.87
It speaks about Asa.
00:42:53.90\00:42:55.50
"And he walked in all
the ways of his father Asa.
00:42:55.54\00:42:58.47
He did not turn aside from them,
00:42:58.51\00:43:01.14
doing what was right
in the eyes of the Lord."
00:43:01.18\00:43:03.71
But look at this.
00:43:03.75\00:43:05.08
"Nevertheless, the high
places were not taken away,
00:43:05.11\00:43:09.08
for the people
offered sacrifices
00:43:09.12\00:43:10.89
and burnt incense
on the high places."
00:43:10.92\00:43:12.99
You can do what's right
00:43:13.02\00:43:14.56
in God's sight up
to a certain point.
00:43:14.59\00:43:17.33
But still there
are things in your life
00:43:17.36\00:43:19.06
that needs to be torn down.
00:43:19.09\00:43:21.10
For example, the Lord says,
00:43:21.13\00:43:22.63
"If you love Me,
keep My commandments."
00:43:22.66\00:43:24.43
But notice those
are the requirements.
00:43:24.47\00:43:27.17
But here's the blessing.
00:43:27.20\00:43:28.74
And I will pray the Father
00:43:28.77\00:43:31.71
and He will give
you another helper,
00:43:31.74\00:43:33.41
that he may
abide with you forever.
00:43:33.44\00:43:35.81
We want the helper, we
want the Spirit of God,
00:43:35.84\00:43:37.88
but we don't want to
keep His commandments.
00:43:37.91\00:43:39.51
Christians, don't
let any pastor tell you
00:43:39.55\00:43:42.08
that the commandments of
God are not requirements.
00:43:42.12\00:43:44.59
That's a lie.
00:43:44.62\00:43:45.95
I don't even
tiptoe through that.
00:43:45.99\00:43:47.52
You're asking
for the Spirit of God
00:43:47.56\00:43:49.02
without following
the commandments of God.
00:43:49.06\00:43:51.09
"If you love Me, the condition,
00:43:51.13\00:43:53.40
I'll send you
another comforter."
00:43:53.43\00:43:54.83
That's why the
apostle said in Acts 5:32.
00:43:54.86\00:43:58.60
"And we are His
witnesses of these things.
00:43:58.63\00:44:01.27
And so also is the Holy Spirit
00:44:01.30\00:44:03.74
whom God has given
to those who obey Him,
00:44:03.77\00:44:06.71
if you are
willing and obedient."
00:44:06.74\00:44:09.21
That's where the blessing comes.
00:44:09.24\00:44:10.81
That's why the Lord says,
00:44:10.85\00:44:12.18
"God is not seduced
by Christian substitutes,
00:44:12.21\00:44:15.12
but He is moved
by loving obedience."
00:44:15.15\00:44:17.49
1 Samuel 15:22.
00:44:17.52\00:44:19.69
But Samuel replied,
00:44:19.72\00:44:21.12
"Does the Lord
delight in burnt offerings
00:44:21.16\00:44:23.12
and sacrifices,
as much as in obeying
00:44:23.16\00:44:25.19
the voice of the Lord?"
00:44:25.23\00:44:26.59
No, to obey is
better than to sacrifice
00:44:26.63\00:44:29.83
and to heed is better
than the fat of rams."
00:44:29.86\00:44:32.67
Let's go to number two.
00:44:32.70\00:44:34.40
"God is a God of choice."
00:44:34.44\00:44:36.50
He does not force our hands.
00:44:36.54\00:44:38.71
What about the
choice? We read that.
00:44:38.74\00:44:41.14
"And if it seems
evil to serve the Lord,
00:44:41.18\00:44:44.41
choose for yourselves
this day whom you will serve."
00:44:44.45\00:44:47.62
If it seems evil, you
got to make a choice still.
00:44:47.65\00:44:51.22
And the third one,
"God is a particular God."
00:44:51.25\00:44:54.89
What is the
particularness about God?
00:44:54.92\00:44:57.59
"If My people who
are called by My name
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.93
will humble themselves
and pray and seek My face,
00:44:59.96\00:45:02.73
and turn from their wicked ways,
00:45:02.76\00:45:04.73
then I will hear from
heaven and forgive their sins
00:45:04.77\00:45:08.37
and heal their land."
00:45:08.40\00:45:10.04
Why is there no
middle ground with God?
00:45:10.07\00:45:12.84
Because there's no such
thing as a partial blessing.
00:45:12.87\00:45:16.01
It's either a full
blessing or none at all.
00:45:16.04\00:45:20.12
God is not an iffy God,
00:45:20.15\00:45:22.55
but God definitely is an if God.
00:45:22.58\00:45:25.25
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:45:25.29\00:45:27.69
Maybe he should keep
his mask off a little longer
00:45:27.72\00:45:29.56
and I keep mine on.
00:45:29.59\00:45:31.59
Praise God for that.
00:45:31.63\00:45:32.96
But we move smartly
right on to Thursday's lesson.
00:45:32.99\00:45:36.03
This was a little
bit challenging for me.
00:45:36.06\00:45:37.87
A lot of things
are covered in here.
00:45:37.90\00:45:39.83
I found, you know,
in my own heart and life
00:45:39.87\00:45:41.50
needs to be some
changes, I don't know about you.
00:45:41.54\00:45:43.61
But Thursday's
lesson that sounds
00:45:43.64\00:45:45.04
"Ominous Love Song."
00:45:45.07\00:45:46.74
So I thought, you know,
go to the dictionary ominous
00:45:46.78\00:45:48.88
just make sure we get it
00:45:48.91\00:45:50.25
because I'm
looking at love song,
00:45:50.28\00:45:51.61
I'm looking at something love
00:45:51.65\00:45:52.98
and then simply means it's evil.
00:45:53.01\00:45:54.72
It can be
threatening and sinister.
00:45:54.75\00:45:57.82
That's kind of
interesting thought
00:45:57.85\00:45:59.65
compared with the love thing.
00:45:59.69\00:46:01.46
So Isaiah Chapter 5,
read the first seven verses.
00:46:01.49\00:46:07.00
Isaiah 5:1-7, again,
gives us foundation here.
00:46:07.03\00:46:12.13
Now it says, "Now will I sing
00:46:12.17\00:46:14.30
to my well, beloved, a song
00:46:14.34\00:46:16.64
and of my beloved
touching his vineyard.
00:46:16.67\00:46:20.31
My well beloved hath a vineyard
and is very fruitful hill.
00:46:20.34\00:46:24.98
And he fenced it and gathered it
00:46:25.01\00:46:26.55
out of the stones, though,
00:46:26.58\00:46:27.92
and planted it
with the choices vine,
00:46:27.95\00:46:30.62
built a tower
00:46:30.65\00:46:31.99
in the midst of it also made a,"
00:46:32.02\00:46:34.02
notice he made something,
00:46:34.06\00:46:35.39
"a winepress in
the midst of it thereof
00:46:35.42\00:46:38.56
and he looked that it
should bring forth grapes.
00:46:38.59\00:46:42.03
And it brought
forth wild grapes.
00:46:42.06\00:46:45.20
And now, O
inhabitants of Jerusalem
00:46:45.23\00:46:48.10
and men of Judea,
00:46:48.14\00:46:49.77
judge I pray you,
betwixt me and my vineyard."
00:46:49.80\00:46:53.34
I love this verse.
00:46:53.38\00:46:54.71
I always have, it says,
00:46:54.74\00:46:56.08
"What could have been done
00:46:56.11\00:46:57.45
more to my vineyard
that I have not done to it?
00:46:57.48\00:47:01.65
Wherefore, therefore when I look
00:47:01.68\00:47:03.28
that it should
bring forth grapes,
00:47:03.32\00:47:06.12
brought it forth wild grapes?"
00:47:06.15\00:47:07.79
Verse 5, "And now go to,
00:47:07.82\00:47:09.56
and I tell you what I
will do to my vineyard:
00:47:09.59\00:47:12.46
I will take away
the hedge thereof,
00:47:12.49\00:47:14.63
it shall be eaten up,
00:47:14.66\00:47:16.00
break down the wall thereof,
00:47:16.03\00:47:17.53
and it shall be trodden down:
00:47:17.57\00:47:19.73
And I will lay it
waste: it shall not be pruned,
00:47:19.77\00:47:23.14
nor digged,
00:47:23.17\00:47:24.51
but there shall
come briers and thorns:
00:47:24.54\00:47:27.64
I will also command the clouds
00:47:27.68\00:47:29.28
that they rain no rain upon it."
00:47:29.31\00:47:31.35
Verse 7, "For the
vineyard of the Lord of hosts
00:47:31.38\00:47:34.12
is the house of Israel,
00:47:34.15\00:47:35.65
the men of Judah
his pleasant plant:
00:47:35.68\00:47:37.95
he looked for judgment,
00:47:37.99\00:47:39.32
but behold
oppression, for righteousness,
00:47:39.35\00:47:42.32
but behold a cry."
00:47:42.36\00:47:44.46
I know there's a
lot of information
00:47:44.49\00:47:45.86
and probably, pastor, here,
00:47:45.89\00:47:47.23
and somebody others
can get several sermons
00:47:47.26\00:47:48.63
just out of one or
two verses of that.
00:47:48.66\00:47:50.50
But I think it's good to look at
00:47:50.53\00:47:51.87
because I'm
looking at a question
00:47:51.90\00:47:53.64
would have to be asked,
00:47:53.67\00:47:55.00
as we read this,
what's the meaning of it?
00:47:55.04\00:47:56.87
And I think it'd be
fair to say this parable,
00:47:56.91\00:47:58.87
what was the meaning of it?
00:47:58.91\00:48:00.38
If we don't get that,
we're not going to get
00:48:00.41\00:48:01.74
what we're talking about here.
00:48:01.78\00:48:03.11
And if you've read
along with us, verse 7,
00:48:03.14\00:48:05.81
really gives you that,
00:48:05.85\00:48:07.18
so take time to read that again.
00:48:07.22\00:48:08.58
Now God uses parables to help
people to look at themselves,
00:48:08.62\00:48:12.45
number one, honestly, and
two, to do it objectively.
00:48:12.49\00:48:16.99
And how many of us
00:48:17.03\00:48:18.36
really are
honest and objectively
00:48:18.39\00:48:20.23
when it comes to ourself,
or even to our own kids,
00:48:20.26\00:48:23.57
you know, to our own religion?
00:48:23.60\00:48:25.20
It's very hard
sometimes to look at something
00:48:25.23\00:48:27.04
and be really objective,
00:48:27.07\00:48:28.50
like God would have us
to do is to look through,
00:48:28.54\00:48:30.71
certainly through His eyes.
00:48:30.74\00:48:32.77
But the Bible does say,
00:48:32.81\00:48:34.14
as I read in there
in 2 Chronicles 13:5,
00:48:34.18\00:48:37.05
It says, "We need to" what?
00:48:37.08\00:48:38.41
"Examine ourselves."
00:48:38.45\00:48:39.81
So this is very scriptural here
00:48:39.85\00:48:41.48
that we need to look
and examine ourselves,
00:48:41.52\00:48:44.29
that and be honest with ourself,
00:48:44.32\00:48:46.15
whether we're
really in the faith or not.
00:48:46.19\00:48:48.72
A lot of times we say
that we are in the faith,
00:48:48.76\00:48:50.63
but maybe you know,
00:48:50.66\00:48:51.99
we need some changes take place.
00:48:52.03\00:48:53.53
I think, book
Isaiah is just beautiful
00:48:53.56\00:48:55.20
when you get into it,
00:48:55.23\00:48:56.56
because I'm saying
already brought out love,
00:48:56.60\00:48:58.97
the love of God, the
love of God has for us,
00:48:59.00\00:49:01.37
His mercy, His
grace is coming back.
00:49:01.40\00:49:03.54
And no matter how
far you wander away,
00:49:03.57\00:49:05.77
you can how you
know what that song
00:49:05.81\00:49:07.14
I wandered far away from
God, but now I'm coming home.
00:49:07.18\00:49:10.51
Just a beauty that
we can come home to Him
00:49:10.55\00:49:13.35
when we confess our sins.
00:49:13.38\00:49:14.72
We come and He's
faithful and just
00:49:14.75\00:49:16.08
to forgive us our sins.
00:49:16.12\00:49:17.65
He wants us to see, I
think, at least in this part,
00:49:17.69\00:49:20.09
Thursday's lesson to
see our true condition.
00:49:20.12\00:49:23.26
God calls this,
interesting, a love song.
00:49:23.29\00:49:26.19
I'm saying what?
A love song? What?
00:49:26.23\00:49:28.60
It's revealed from
the beginning of Isaiah,
00:49:28.63\00:49:31.10
in fact, the whole scripture
00:49:31.13\00:49:32.47
that number one Bible
says that God is what?
00:49:32.50\00:49:35.30
1 John 4:8 God
is love, isn't He?
00:49:35.34\00:49:39.04
"He that loveth
not knoweth not God,
00:49:39.07\00:49:42.08
for God is love."
00:49:42.11\00:49:43.58
Interesting, love then to
me is an attribute of heaven.
00:49:43.61\00:49:48.52
Not love like goes
on in the world today
00:49:48.55\00:49:50.72
and what we call love, man,
00:49:50.75\00:49:52.09
it's messed up
far as I'm concerned.
00:49:52.12\00:49:53.92
But don't we, I know what love
00:49:53.96\00:49:55.29
and try to comprehend
just a little bit of it.
00:49:55.32\00:49:57.73
It's when I behold Christ
00:49:57.76\00:49:59.09
or I behold Calvary
that says love to me
00:49:59.13\00:50:03.37
that helps me to
understand it better.
00:50:03.40\00:50:05.87
God then He
gives all of this stuff
00:50:05.90\00:50:08.24
He sows in this parable.
00:50:08.27\00:50:09.60
It's beautiful how He
bestows everything upon us
00:50:09.64\00:50:12.07
and all He wants, interesting,
all He wants in return is love.
00:50:12.11\00:50:16.28
That's all He
wants from us is love.
00:50:16.31\00:50:18.05
There's nothing we
have that He really needs.
00:50:18.08\00:50:19.41
He just wants love.
00:50:19.45\00:50:20.78
And He says, "I
gave you the good grapes,
00:50:20.82\00:50:23.75
and my, my, my,
00:50:23.79\00:50:25.12
if you didn't give
me the wild grapes."
00:50:25.15\00:50:27.92
And you know that's
translated stinking.
00:50:27.96\00:50:30.36
The stinking grapes.
00:50:30.39\00:50:33.63
See, sometimes these words
00:50:33.66\00:50:35.00
we just have to look
at and look because it's,
00:50:35.03\00:50:36.77
well, it gave me wild grapes.
00:50:36.80\00:50:38.13
No, stinking grapes
00:50:38.17\00:50:39.50
is the way
heaven looks at it here.
00:50:39.53\00:50:40.87
It's not good grapes.
00:50:40.90\00:50:42.30
Youth instructor,
00:50:42.34\00:50:43.67
I like this
1-13-1898, this is written.
00:50:43.71\00:50:47.38
It says, "Where love exists."
00:50:47.41\00:50:49.44
Please, if we get
nothing out of these lessons,
00:50:49.48\00:50:51.21
"Where love exists,
there is power and truth."
00:50:51.25\00:50:55.08
If love exists in the church,
if love exists in your heart
00:50:55.12\00:50:58.02
and my heart, your heart here,
00:50:58.05\00:50:59.75
then we're going to see
that there's power there,
00:50:59.79\00:51:02.29
there's truth there in our life.
00:51:02.32\00:51:04.46
And notice, love.
00:51:04.49\00:51:05.96
Oh, I love it, years
ago I read it and I shout,
00:51:05.99\00:51:07.83
it says, love does
good and nothing but good.
00:51:07.86\00:51:11.83
On the other hand,
00:51:11.87\00:51:13.20
I had to take
myself a little whipping
00:51:13.23\00:51:16.20
because it says true love, love,
00:51:16.24\00:51:18.14
true love does nothing, right?
00:51:18.17\00:51:19.67
Good and nothing but good.
00:51:19.71\00:51:22.44
And so sometimes we see things
not so good maybe come out.
00:51:22.48\00:51:25.21
We praise God, we can go back.
00:51:25.25\00:51:26.92
And those who
have love bears what?
00:51:26.95\00:51:29.78
Bears fruit, is what
this parable is about,
00:51:29.82\00:51:31.59
into everlasting life.
00:51:31.62\00:51:32.95
Now why would this
parable put into a song?
00:51:32.99\00:51:35.69
Well, you know, you can make it,
00:51:35.72\00:51:37.66
well, it'll make it a
little bit more thrilling
00:51:37.69\00:51:39.53
if it's a song or it
might have a different effect
00:51:39.56\00:51:43.47
upon somebody else in
our minds or whatever.
00:51:43.50\00:51:47.07
Or could it be
that God said this here
00:51:47.10\00:51:49.04
because in a song we
can learn it more easily.
00:51:49.07\00:51:51.87
We can commit it
to memory more easily
00:51:51.91\00:51:53.98
so God again is
one looking out for us.
00:51:54.01\00:51:56.78
God has many ways to try
to wake us up as sinners.
00:51:56.81\00:52:00.82
Think about that.
00:52:00.85\00:52:02.18
He has many ways in
which to try to wake us up
00:52:02.22\00:52:04.15
and I'm praying daily,
He'll help me to wake up
00:52:04.19\00:52:06.12
and see things for
what it really is changes
00:52:06.15\00:52:08.59
I need to make in my own life.
00:52:08.62\00:52:09.96
And I guarantee you,
00:52:09.99\00:52:11.33
there's so many that
we don't even realize.
00:52:11.36\00:52:12.69
But I ask you to
keep praying that,
00:52:12.73\00:52:14.40
so God will reveal
these things to us.
00:52:14.43\00:52:17.23
And again, to be
sorry for our sins we come,
00:52:17.27\00:52:19.47
we repent, and
we're sorry for our sins.
00:52:19.50\00:52:21.94
2 Corinthians 7:10 says,
00:52:21.97\00:52:23.54
"For Godly sorrow,"
you know, well, what?
00:52:23.57\00:52:25.01
"Leads to repentance."
00:52:25.04\00:52:26.37
Yeah, "leads to
repentance," right?
00:52:26.41\00:52:27.74
That's what Godly sorrow is
00:52:27.78\00:52:29.11
if we're really
sorry for our sins.
00:52:29.14\00:52:30.48
So here in Chapter
5, the great blessing
00:52:30.51\00:52:33.35
He's given to His
people, notice this, was,
00:52:33.38\00:52:36.32
now notice this, He just get
00:52:36.35\00:52:38.39
all He wanted in
return is just love.
00:52:38.42\00:52:40.46
He just wanted us to
commit ourselves to Him.
00:52:40.49\00:52:42.56
Let's look at just a
few things real quickly
00:52:42.59\00:52:44.29
here quickly, I think.
00:52:44.33\00:52:45.66
Great things that
God did for His people.
00:52:45.69\00:52:47.06
Number one,
there's five of them,
00:52:47.10\00:52:48.43
let's see if we'll get through.
00:52:48.46\00:52:49.80
Number five, oh, praise God,
00:52:49.83\00:52:51.93
"They were His
particular people."
00:52:51.97\00:52:54.47
This just
jumped out and get you,
00:52:54.50\00:52:55.84
I mean, so you just,
you have to jot them down,
00:52:55.87\00:52:57.21
isn't that right?
00:52:57.24\00:52:58.57
He, notice this, we
are His peculiar people,
00:52:58.61\00:53:00.94
means we're His
purchase, isn't that right?
00:53:00.98\00:53:02.78
We're His purchase possession,
and that," notice this,
00:53:02.81\00:53:05.75
"and He
acknowledged them as His own."
00:53:05.78\00:53:08.22
He acknowledges us as His own.
00:53:08.25\00:53:09.92
You talk about an awesome thing.
00:53:09.95\00:53:11.85
God can look down
from glory and look at you
00:53:11.89\00:53:14.59
and look at me and look inside,
00:53:14.62\00:53:15.96
read your heart, read your mind,
00:53:15.99\00:53:17.33
read everything about
you, know where you're headed,
00:53:17.36\00:53:19.13
know what you've been thinking,
know what you've been doing.
00:53:19.16\00:53:21.86
And yet He can look down
00:53:21.90\00:53:23.23
and He say, "They're My people."
00:53:23.26\00:53:24.60
"They're My people."
00:53:24.63\00:53:25.97
Because He looks at me
and He sees a finished product
00:53:26.00\00:53:27.57
if I'll let Him
come and finish it.
00:53:27.60\00:53:29.57
Aren't you glad they look
down to see the mess they are.
00:53:29.60\00:53:31.31
Just maybe turn around,
00:53:31.34\00:53:32.67
say we'll look
for somebody else.
00:53:32.71\00:53:34.18
Okay, number two,
00:53:34.21\00:53:35.54
"His vineyard had
extra ordinary soil."
00:53:35.58\00:53:39.21
In this para, after other words,
00:53:39.25\00:53:40.62
he's making everything
to where we can bear fruit.
00:53:40.65\00:53:42.72
Right?
00:53:42.75\00:53:44.09
See, you're My special people,
00:53:44.12\00:53:45.45
I'm going to do
special things for you.
00:53:45.49\00:53:46.82
The soil that
you're going to plant
00:53:46.86\00:53:48.19
in His work is
going to be extraordinary.
00:53:48.22\00:53:49.76
I'm going to do great
things so it can produce a crop.
00:53:49.79\00:53:53.23
Three, "He fenced it in."
00:53:53.26\00:53:55.20
You notice that he fenced it in.
00:53:55.23\00:53:56.83
A fence can do what?
00:53:56.87\00:53:58.20
It serves as a
protector, does it not?
00:53:58.23\00:54:00.74
Inside and outside sometimes,
but it's the protector,
00:54:00.77\00:54:03.94
and it said,
00:54:03.97\00:54:05.31
no one could
get in to hurt them.
00:54:05.34\00:54:06.68
Because in the eyes of the Lord,
00:54:06.71\00:54:08.04
they're honest constantly,
and notice what happened.
00:54:08.08\00:54:10.95
He built the fence
00:54:10.98\00:54:12.85
and gave us all of these things.
00:54:12.88\00:54:14.22
But what happened?
00:54:14.25\00:54:15.58
We tore the fence
down by our action,
00:54:15.62\00:54:17.99
by our
lifestyle, we tore it down.
00:54:18.02\00:54:19.69
And then the enemy came in.
00:54:19.72\00:54:21.89
Note four, "He
gathered the stones
00:54:21.92\00:54:24.13
even out of the ground."
00:54:24.16\00:54:25.49
First thing you
do you go to plow,
00:54:25.53\00:54:26.86
you go to dust, stones,
00:54:26.90\00:54:28.23
you pick up all those things
that's going to hamper you.
00:54:28.26\00:54:29.70
And I look at those
stones as the weights.
00:54:29.73\00:54:32.17
Hebrews talks about
00:54:32.20\00:54:33.54
those weights
so easily beset us,
00:54:33.57\00:54:35.17
the things that
discourage us sometimes.
00:54:35.20\00:54:37.57
These are obstacles, God said,
00:54:37.61\00:54:39.07
"I'm going to take
those out of the way.
00:54:39.11\00:54:40.48
So when you sow,
there's going to be a harvest."
00:54:40.51\00:54:42.94
I like that.
Number five, "He planted."
00:54:42.98\00:54:45.65
Notice it, "He planted
it with the best vine."
00:54:45.68\00:54:48.55
And I said to
myself, who is the vine?
00:54:48.58\00:54:52.09
John 15 says,
"Jesus is the vine.
00:54:52.12\00:54:55.12
He said, "I'm the
vine." He gave us the law.
00:54:55.16\00:54:57.56
He gave us the
what? The Holy Spirit.
00:54:57.59\00:54:58.96
He's given us.
00:54:58.99\00:55:00.33
You know, we
look at things today.
00:55:00.36\00:55:01.70
"His truth and
light, in John 16:13,
00:55:01.73\00:55:04.07
lead us into all truth."
00:55:04.10\00:55:06.27
And I like this John 15.
00:55:06.30\00:55:07.97
We get close to
being done, but praise God.
00:55:08.00\00:55:09.70
John 15:16, I like this.
00:55:09.74\00:55:11.61
He says, Ooh, he
said, "You have not."
00:55:11.64\00:55:15.41
I like it. I like it.
00:55:15.44\00:55:17.68
I love it because it
says, "Ye hath not chosen me."
00:55:17.71\00:55:21.88
That's right. But what?
00:55:21.92\00:55:23.89
"But I have chosen you.
00:55:23.92\00:55:25.69
I've ordained you to," do what?
00:55:25.72\00:55:27.92
"To bear fruit." Amen.
00:55:27.96\00:55:29.72
That's bottom line.
00:55:29.76\00:55:31.89
Amen. Thank you all so much.
00:55:31.93\00:55:34.33
What an incredible study.
00:55:34.36\00:55:36.67
Praise the Lord,
that there is hope.
00:55:36.70\00:55:39.07
Yes, there is
condemnation as in conviction.
00:55:39.10\00:55:42.60
Satan brings condemnation.
00:55:42.64\00:55:43.97
The Holy Spirit
brings conviction.
00:55:44.01\00:55:45.34
There's conviction to our heart,
00:55:45.37\00:55:46.78
but there is hope in Jesus.
00:55:46.81\00:55:48.14
Praise the Lord for that.
00:55:48.18\00:55:49.51
I want to give each one of you
00:55:49.54\00:55:50.88
a moment to share
something about your day.
00:55:50.91\00:55:52.25
Pastor Ryan? Absolutely.
00:55:52.28\00:55:53.62
You know, my lesson is
just bringing out the fact that
00:55:53.65\00:55:56.48
the lesson I glean from it
00:55:56.52\00:55:58.29
is that God is
calling us all to repentance,
00:55:58.32\00:56:00.66
and so we're living in a time
00:56:00.69\00:56:02.46
where we need now more than ever
00:56:02.49\00:56:04.46
to take self inventory
to do some self examination.
00:56:04.49\00:56:07.86
And that's exactly
00:56:07.90\00:56:09.23
what God was
calling Israel to do
00:56:09.26\00:56:10.60
here in this
first Chapter of Isaiah
00:56:10.63\00:56:12.17
as He's pleading with them that
00:56:12.20\00:56:13.54
they return to
Him and forsake self,
00:56:13.57\00:56:16.54
so I think that's the message
00:56:16.57\00:56:17.91
we need to glean
from Tuesday's lesson.
00:56:17.94\00:56:19.61
Amen. Amen. Amen.
00:56:19.64\00:56:21.41
If we think of what
He said in I Isaiah 1:18,
00:56:21.44\00:56:24.91
when God said, "Come,
let us reason together
00:56:24.95\00:56:28.08
though your sins
are like scarlet,
00:56:28.12\00:56:29.72
they'll be white as snow."
00:56:29.75\00:56:31.09
Reminds me of 1
John 1:9, when He says,
00:56:31.12\00:56:33.66
if you confess
your sins before Him,
00:56:33.69\00:56:35.86
God is faithful
00:56:35.89\00:56:37.23
and just to forgive us our sins,
00:56:37.26\00:56:39.13
and cleanse us of
all unrighteousness.
00:56:39.16\00:56:42.56
Hallelujah. That's right.
00:56:42.60\00:56:44.23
I said God is not an iffy
God, but He surely is an if God.
00:56:44.27\00:56:48.70
We find in Proverbs 1:23.
00:56:48.74\00:56:51.67
Look at the conditions of God,
00:56:51.71\00:56:53.88
but look at the promises of God.
00:56:53.91\00:56:55.41
"He says, turn at my rebuke,
00:56:55.44\00:56:58.11
surely I will pour
out my Spirit on you.
00:56:58.15\00:57:02.52
I will make my
words known to you."
00:57:02.55\00:57:05.62
What's the condition? "Turn."
00:57:05.65\00:57:07.52
And then I will do
00:57:07.56\00:57:08.89
I will pour out
my Spirit on you,
00:57:08.92\00:57:10.39
may you not be
an iffy Christian,
00:57:10.43\00:57:13.06
but may you take
hold of the if of God
00:57:13.09\00:57:16.13
and be blessed.
00:57:16.16\00:57:17.50
Glory.
00:57:17.53\00:57:18.87
2 Peter 2:21,
pull this thing down.
00:57:18.90\00:57:21.20
"This is for it had
been better for them
00:57:21.24\00:57:22.97
not to have known
the way of righteous
00:57:23.00\00:57:25.77
than after they have known it
00:57:25.81\00:57:27.98
to turn from
the holy commandment
00:57:28.01\00:57:29.81
delivered unto them."
00:57:29.84\00:57:31.28
Verse 22 has
something, God's called you out.
00:57:31.31\00:57:33.78
He's cleansing us, right?
00:57:33.82\00:57:35.15
He's calling us into a wonderful
00:57:35.18\00:57:36.72
new relationship with Him.
00:57:36.75\00:57:38.09
And we need to make
sure we don't do verse 22
00:57:38.12\00:57:40.06
where the dog is
turned to his own vomit.
00:57:40.09\00:57:43.83
Thank you all so
much, Pastor Kenny,
00:57:43.86\00:57:46.06
Pastor John,
Shelley and Pastor Ryan,
00:57:46.09\00:57:48.43
just thank you for
opening up the Word of God
00:57:48.46\00:57:50.27
and for sharing from your heart.
00:57:50.30\00:57:51.73
I am excited about
this study and the journey
00:57:51.77\00:57:54.67
that we're going
to take together.
00:57:54.70\00:57:56.30
Thank you for joining us.
00:57:56.34\00:57:58.37
This scripture jumped out at
me as Pastor Kenny was talking.
00:57:58.41\00:58:00.94
This is Isaiah Chapter
5, but this is verse 20.
00:58:00.98\00:58:03.98
"Woe to those who call evil good
00:58:04.01\00:58:05.91
and good evil,
00:58:05.95\00:58:07.38
who put darkness for
light and light for darkness,
00:58:07.42\00:58:10.49
who put bitter for
sweet and sweet for bitter."
00:58:10.52\00:58:12.82
I think the call in
this entire first chapter is,
00:58:12.85\00:58:15.69
who are we?
00:58:15.72\00:58:17.06
This "Crisis of Identity"
00:58:17.09\00:58:18.83
to recognize our
need of a Savior.
00:58:18.86\00:58:23.50
We need Jesus to come in
and to transform our lives.
00:58:23.53\00:58:26.60
Make sure you join us next week.
00:58:26.63\00:58:28.70
Lesson number two, we look at
00:58:28.74\00:58:30.34
"Crisis of
Leadership," Isaiah Chapter 6.
00:58:30.37\00:58:33.74