If you've been joining
us on our study journey
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.73
here in the last couple of weeks
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on 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Then you know we're studying
through the Book of Isaiah,
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such a powerful book, indeed.
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And you know what?
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There may be someone who is
new to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel
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who may not know
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how to get access to a
copy of our study lessons.
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So we want to tell
you that right now,
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of course, we
always encourage you
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to go to your local
Seventh-Day Adventist Church,
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where you can study
with like-minded brethren.
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And, of course,
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they will give
you a copy for free,
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but, of course, you can
access the study online for free
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at ABSG.Adventist.org.
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And there you can
get a free digital copy
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to be able to see it
on your iPad, computer,
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whatever it is
you're studying with.
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So, again,
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we don't want you to go anywhere
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because we're about to dive
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into lesson
number three this week
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in our study on Isaiah entitled,
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"When Your World
Is Falling Apart."
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See you in just a moment.
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Hello, friends, and
welcome to another week
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of 3ABN Sabbath School Panel,
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where we are always
thankful to have you.
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And we're making our way
through the Book of Isaiah.
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This is week number three,
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in which we're
going to be talking about
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when your world
is falling apart.
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I think we've all had
that experience, right,
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where it seems like
maybe for a moment in time,
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our world just
seems to not be going
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just the way we want it to,
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but the Lord has
an answer for that.
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And we're going to see
that clearly in His Word today
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and in this study.
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Before I go any further,
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I would like to
introduce our panel
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as each and every week.
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I'm excited to be able
to study with you guys.
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And we have a
blessing this week.
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We have brother Greg
Morikone, president of 3ABN.
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It's a blessing
to have you, Brother.
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Thank you. It's good to be here.
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And, of course, to
study of the Word of God
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is always a blessing.
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So blessing to be
here with you guys.
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Amen.
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And, of course, next to
you is Pastor John Lomacang.
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Brother, it's
good to see you here.
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You know what a title
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when the world is falling apart.
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What an interesting lesson,
we're looking forward to it.
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Amen.
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Of course, next to you
is our sister Jill Morikone,
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and you're the vice
president, COO of 3ABN.
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And it's always a blessing.
I know you've got to list.
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There might be
something in there.
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Always a joy to
open up God's Word.
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And one of my
favorite books, Isaiah.
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Amen.
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You know, Pastor Ryan,
I'm going to add in there
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that she's actually my wife too.
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That's right. Yay!
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Absolutely.
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And, of course, far on
the other end down there
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of this big table, we
have Ms. Shelley Quinn,
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and it's always a blessing
to have you as well, Sister.
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Oh, I love studying with you all
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'cause I learn so much.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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We have lots and
lots and lots to study
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to talk about
during this hour together.
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But before we go any further,
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I'm gonna ask
brother, Greg Morikone,
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if you wouldn't mind
opening us in a word of prayer.
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Absolutely. Glad to do it.
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Father in heaven, Lord,
we're grateful for this day
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that You've blessed us with.
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Thank You that we
can open Your Word.
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And when it seems like
our world is falling apart,
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Lord, all we
have to do is look up
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because You've got
everything under control.
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Lord, we just pray
for Your Holy Spirit
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to be with us,
lead and guide us.
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We thank You, in
Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen. Amen
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Amen. Thank you so much.
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Our memory text.
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I think this
sums up probably this,
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obviously this entire study
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that we're going to
be talking about today
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when your world is falling apart
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and when your
world is falling apart,
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keep in mind our
memory text, Isaiah 7:9,
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which tells us,
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"If you will not believe,
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surely you shall
not be established."
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I love Sabbath
afternoon's lesson
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because it has a nice story
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to kind of illustrate
and set the foundation
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for what it is we're studying
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and the story was
kind of an interesting one
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because I think we
could somewhat relate to this.
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Lady and gentlemen
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was coming home
one day from church,
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I guess it was on
a Sabbath afternoon.
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And as they were
pulling into their driveway
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one of their pet birds,
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I guess it was a chicken
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goes flying across
the hood of their vehicle
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and they
immediately stopped the car
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because they knew
that wasn't normal.
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That wasn't right, right?
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Because they
normally keep them locked up
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and put away,
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but they were out.
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And so they knew immediately
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there was some
type of issue going on.
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And as they
investigated the situation,
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they found that
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the neighbor's dog
had gotten also loose
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and made its way into the area
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in which they
kept the pet birds.
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And, of course,
as they investigated,
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they found that
there was a couple of birds
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that had been killed.
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And, of course, the
family was close to these birds.
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They were their pet birds.
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And as the mother was
laying there in the lawn,
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I guess, kind of embracing
and holding the you know,
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the lifeless
bodies of these birds
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and weeping, of
course, in distress.
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They also have
another pet on this farm,
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sounds like old
McDonald's farm almost.
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They had
another pet on this farm
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or on this property.
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It was a duck.
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And the duck was,
you know, often, okay.
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But in this situation,
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as the duck was taking
in the scene of the mother
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or the lady there
holding the two birds,
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this bird, this
duck perceived that
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the mother had
killed the two birds
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and it kind of caused distress
in the mind of the duck.
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And so now every
single day after this,
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when it normally
would not do this before,
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of course the duck
would then attack the owner
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because in its mind
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the mother was
responsible for the deaths
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of these other two birds.
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And so the lesson ends with,
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sometimes it's hard to sort out
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who your
friends and enemies are.
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And I thought that that was
a nice, interesting foundation
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because all of us can
relate to a certain extent.
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We live in a world today
where it's just hard to trust.
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It's hard to really understand
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and know, who's your
friend, who's your enemy,
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who can you trust,
who can you not trust.
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And that is exactly
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what lesson three
is all about this week
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is that we for sure.
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And I'm just going to
kind of lay the thesis
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of this whole thing out here.
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If we can't trust in the Lord,
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then who can we trust in, right?
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At the end of the day,
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you know, for sure
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that you can trust
in the Word of the Lord.
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And, of course,
the Lord of that Word.
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And I'm going to go on
to Sunday's lesson now,
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which is entitled,
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"Danger from the North."
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And it kind of illustrates
and helps set the foundation
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for what Isaiah Chapter 7
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in this case is talking about
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in reference to the
experience of King Ahaz.
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And I was looking at
the how to pronounce this,
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you know, we read
it in our English Ahaz,
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and I'm going to say King Ahaz,
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'cause it's just easy to
say, but I think it's like Ahaz.
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I think that's how
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you would say
it in the original.
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His name is Ahaz.
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We're not going to say that
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'cause that's gonna
cause me to say a lot of things
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that is going to be difficult,
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but Ahaz is what
we're gonna stick with,
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King Ahaz.
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I wanna start here
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by kind of opening
up who is King Ahaz
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and what does the
Bible reveal about
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what kind of king that he was?
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I want us to go to
2 Kings Chapter 16.
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We're gonna go there
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because the Bible
tells us in 2 Kings 16
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and also in second, or excuse
yes, 2 Chronicles Chapter 28,
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it reveals to us
what kind of king,
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King Ahaz really was.
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And, you know, there's
many, many different kings of,
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what we would
consider the nation of Israel.
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But, of course, at this point,
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we're talking about a
divided nation of Israel,
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kingdom of the North
kingdom of the South.
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You have Judah in the South.
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And, of course, the
10 tribes in the North,
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which is referred
to often as Ephraim.
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We see here that King Ahaz
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was one of the
kings of the South,
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which is one of
the kings of Judah.
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And the Bible reveals that
he wasn't a very good king.
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Notice what the Bible
says in 2 Kings Chapter 16,
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beginning in verse 2
through verse 4, it says,
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"Ahaz was 20 years
old when he became king
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and he reigned 16
years in Jerusalem,
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and he did not do what was right
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in the sight of the Lord,
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his God as his
father David had done.
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But he walked in the
way of the kings of Israel."
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Of course, this is
speaking in a negative context,
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the bad kings before him.
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He goes on to say,
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"Indeed he made his
son pass through the fire,
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according to the
abominations of the nations,
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whom the Lord had cast out
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from before the
children of Israel.
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And he sacrificed
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and burned
incense on the high places
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on the hills and
under every green tree."
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So this was not a good king.
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In fact, 2
Chronicles 28: 2-4 goes on
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to tell us how he molded
images for the Baals of Gore.
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We're talking about the
Baals were the gods of the sun
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that they would
worship the Astaroths
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and the goddesses of
and gods of fertility.
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All of these false gods
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that the heathen
nations around Israel,
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that God was
calling them out of from.
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He was wanting
them to be separate,
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to be peculiar in a holy way
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from these other
surrounding nations.
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But King Ahaz
had led them in a way
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that was not according
to the covenant of the Lord.
00:09:07.88\00:09:10.31
It was not according
to God's commandments.
00:09:10.35\00:09:12.71
And so, now we see
00:09:12.75\00:09:14.92
when we go onto the bulk
study of our lesson here,
00:09:14.95\00:09:17.35
the passage
00:09:17.39\00:09:18.72
that really we're studying
today is Isaiah Chapter 7.
00:09:18.75\00:09:21.39
And so let's go there.
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I'm gonna read
through these verses
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to set the scenario,
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and then we're gonna
have some closing comments
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on what is happening
here and how does it pertain
00:09:26.90\00:09:29.26
to what we can
learn in reference to
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when our world is falling apart.
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Isaiah 7:1-9.
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This is the scenario
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in which King Ahaz finds himself
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in an interesting predicament.
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Who can he trust?
00:09:40.58\00:09:41.91
Who is he going
to put his trust in?
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Notice what the Bible says.
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"Now it came to
pass in the days of Ahaz
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the son of Jotham, "
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I guess that's how
you would say that,
00:09:48.22\00:09:49.78
"the son of
Uzziah, king of Judah,
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that Rezin king
of Syria and Pekah
00:09:53.29\00:09:56.46
the son of
Remaliah, king of Israel,
00:09:56.49\00:09:58.96
went up to Jerusalem
to make war against it,
00:09:58.99\00:10:02.13
but could not
prevail against it.
00:10:02.16\00:10:04.67
And it was told to the
house of David, saying,
00:10:04.70\00:10:07.10
'Syria's forces are
deployed in Ephraim.'
00:10:07.14\00:10:10.97
So his heart and the
heart of his people were moved
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as the trees of the
woods are moved in the wind.' "
00:10:14.01\00:10:17.95
That was some
movable hearts, right?
00:10:17.98\00:10:19.38
They were not
grounded in the Lord's ways.
00:10:19.41\00:10:21.38
That's why fear set upon them.
00:10:21.42\00:10:23.15
Verse 3,
00:10:23.18\00:10:24.52
"Then the Lord said to Isaiah,
00:10:24.55\00:10:25.89
'Go out now to meet
Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub."
00:10:25.92\00:10:31.16
I guess that's how
you would say these names.
00:10:31.19\00:10:33.36
There's a lot of
interesting names
00:10:33.40\00:10:34.73
in this study.
00:10:34.76\00:10:36.10
"Your son, at the
end of the aqueduct
00:10:36.13\00:10:38.57
from the upper pool,
00:10:38.60\00:10:39.93
on the highway to
the Fuller's Field,
00:10:39.97\00:10:41.87
and say to him."
00:10:41.90\00:10:43.24
So he's going to
talk to the king,
00:10:43.27\00:10:44.61
"Take heed, and be
quiet, the Bible says,
00:10:44.64\00:10:47.34
do not fear or be fainthearted
00:10:47.38\00:10:49.68
for these two stubs
of smoking firebrands,
00:10:49.71\00:10:52.45
for the fierce
anger of Rezin and Syria,
00:10:52.48\00:10:55.88
and the son of Remaliah.
00:10:55.92\00:10:57.62
Because Syria,
Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah
00:10:57.65\00:11:00.16
have plotted evil
against you, saying,
00:11:00.19\00:11:03.12
'Let us go up
against Judah and trouble it,
00:11:03.16\00:11:05.36
and let us make
a gap in its wall
00:11:05.39\00:11:07.56
for ourselves,
00:11:07.60\00:11:08.93
and set a king over
them, the son of Tabel.'
00:11:08.96\00:11:12.53
thus says the Lord God.' "
00:11:12.57\00:11:14.94
So here it is.
00:11:14.97\00:11:16.71
As we continue on
here in verse 8 here,
00:11:16.74\00:11:20.18
we're going on
through verse 7 into verse 8.
00:11:20.21\00:11:22.21
So let's just keep in mind.
00:11:22.24\00:11:23.58
There's an
alliance being created
00:11:23.61\00:11:25.01
between the kings of the North,
00:11:25.05\00:11:26.95
in this case,
00:11:26.98\00:11:28.32
the kingdom of the
Northern region of Israel.
00:11:28.35\00:11:30.49
So the Northern
kingdom and the king of Syria,
00:11:30.52\00:11:32.92
and they're wanting to come
against the Southern kingdom.
00:11:32.95\00:11:35.26
So notice what verse 8
and 9 continues to say,
00:11:35.29\00:11:37.69
"It shall not stand,
nor shall it come to pass."
00:11:37.73\00:11:40.16
Verse 8,
00:11:40.20\00:11:41.53
"For the head of
Syria is Damascus,
00:11:41.56\00:11:43.00
and the head of
Damascus is Rezin.
00:11:43.03\00:11:45.33
Within 65 years,
00:11:45.37\00:11:46.90
Ephraim will be broken so
that it will not be a people.
00:11:46.94\00:11:50.04
The head of Ephraim is Samaria.
00:11:50.07\00:11:51.51
And the head of
Samaria is Remaliah's son.
00:11:51.54\00:11:54.14
If you will not believe, surely
you shall not be established."
00:11:54.18\00:11:57.61
There's our memory text.
00:11:57.65\00:11:59.45
If you will not believe,
00:11:59.48\00:12:00.82
you shall not
surely be established.
00:12:00.85\00:12:02.75
So they've come
together to form this alliance
00:12:02.78\00:12:05.22
because they ultimately why?
00:12:05.25\00:12:07.32
They're coming together
00:12:07.36\00:12:08.69
because they're hearing wind
00:12:08.72\00:12:10.06
of the growing
kingdom of Assyria
00:12:10.09\00:12:12.59
and the king of Assyria
00:12:12.63\00:12:13.96
and their armies are growing,
their empire is growing.
00:12:14.00\00:12:15.70
So if they can take over
Judah, the Southern kingdom,
00:12:15.73\00:12:18.97
they can plant a
puppet there, a puppet ruler,
00:12:19.00\00:12:21.37
and they can take
over its resources
00:12:21.40\00:12:23.81
and they can have a
little bit more of a stronghold
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.04
and an influence in coming
against the king of Syria.
00:12:26.07\00:12:29.48
Now, what was the
response of King Ahaz?
00:12:29.51\00:12:33.58
That's the question
00:12:33.62\00:12:34.95
'cause the Lord
has sent His prophet,
00:12:34.98\00:12:36.48
the prophet has spoken.
00:12:36.52\00:12:37.85
He has communicated
what the will of the Lord is,
00:12:37.89\00:12:39.99
trust in the Lord.
00:12:40.02\00:12:41.36
The Lord will
see you through this.
00:12:41.39\00:12:42.72
What was the response of Ahaz?
00:12:42.76\00:12:44.13
Well, let's go
into the 2 King 16:7-9.
00:12:44.16\00:12:48.53
It tells us clearly.
00:12:48.56\00:12:50.40
2 Kings 16:7-9.
00:12:50.43\00:12:51.93
It says,
00:12:51.97\00:12:53.30
"So Ahaz sent messengers to,
00:12:53.34\00:12:55.74
I'm going to say
Tiglath Pileser."
00:12:55.77\00:12:58.37
I'm going to call him
King TP for this study.
00:12:58.41\00:13:01.71
All right.
00:13:01.74\00:13:03.08
"So he says to King
TP of Assyria saying,
00:13:03.11\00:13:05.61
'I am your servant and your son.
00:13:05.65\00:13:07.45
Come up and save me
00:13:07.48\00:13:08.82
from the hand of
the king of Syria
00:13:08.85\00:13:11.05
and from the hand
of the king of Israel,
00:13:11.09\00:13:12.55
who rise up against me.
00:13:12.59\00:13:14.92
And Ahaz took
the silver and gold
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.23
that was found in
the house of the Lord,
00:13:17.26\00:13:19.76
and in the
treasuries of the king's house,
00:13:19.79\00:13:22.03
and sent it as a
present to the king of Assyria.
00:13:22.06\00:13:25.53
So the king of
Assyria heeded him,
00:13:25.57\00:13:27.64
for the king of Assyria went
up against Damascus and took it,
00:13:27.67\00:13:31.71
carried its
people captive to Kir,
00:13:31.74\00:13:34.04
and killed Rezin."
00:13:34.08\00:13:36.24
And so, what is
happening here in this passage
00:13:36.28\00:13:38.85
is his response to God is,
Lord, I'm not gonna trust you.
00:13:38.88\00:13:44.79
I'm gonna continue
doing what I wanna do.
00:13:44.82\00:13:47.16
And, in fact, I'm
gonna reach out to the king,
00:13:47.19\00:13:48.52
another king,
00:13:48.56\00:13:49.89
and I'm gonna create an alliance
00:13:49.92\00:13:51.26
with this Assyrian king.
00:13:51.29\00:13:52.63
And I'm gonna
go on about my way,
00:13:52.66\00:13:54.00
and I'm not going
to trust in Your word.
00:13:54.03\00:13:55.86
And so the lesson that
we can learn from this,
00:13:55.90\00:13:58.03
my friends, as our message says,
00:13:58.07\00:14:00.77
and of course, if you read
on about the story of Ahaz,
00:14:00.80\00:14:03.51
he was not a good king.
00:14:03.54\00:14:04.87
He eventually, he didn't
reign as long as other kings,
00:14:04.91\00:14:07.38
because he did not trust in God.
00:14:07.41\00:14:10.25
And so the lessons
00:14:10.28\00:14:11.61
that we can learn
on a personal level
00:14:11.65\00:14:13.21
is if we're not obeying
the Lord now, right now,
00:14:13.25\00:14:17.72
what makes us think
00:14:17.75\00:14:19.25
that we'll have
the faith to trust Him
00:14:19.29\00:14:20.62
when the real trials come?
00:14:20.66\00:14:21.99
Amen
00:14:22.02\00:14:23.36
And that's what we
need to learn to take away
00:14:23.39\00:14:24.73
from this lesson.
00:14:24.76\00:14:26.09
I'm thinking of
James 2:22, right?
00:14:26.13\00:14:27.63
"But do you want to
know, O foolish man,
00:14:27.66\00:14:29.93
the faith
without works is dead."
00:14:29.96\00:14:31.90
And, of course, verse 22 says,
00:14:31.93\00:14:33.27
"Do you see that
faith was working together
00:14:33.30\00:14:35.87
with his works and by
works faith was made perfect."
00:14:35.90\00:14:39.81
So God sometimes will allow us
to walk through trials as Ahaz.
00:14:39.84\00:14:44.15
Of course, his world
literally was falling apart.
00:14:44.18\00:14:46.98
Did he put his
trust in the Lord?
00:14:47.02\00:14:48.52
No, he did not.
00:14:48.55\00:14:49.88
So the lesson we take
away from this, my friends,
00:14:49.92\00:14:51.25
as we're moving forward
00:14:51.29\00:14:52.62
is we need to understand that
00:14:52.65\00:14:53.99
putting our faith in the
Lord is the right thing to do.
00:14:54.02\00:14:56.09
Trusting in the Lord's
word is the just thing to do.
00:14:56.12\00:14:59.23
Absolutely. Amen.
00:14:59.26\00:15:00.60
Wow. Thank you, Pastor Ryan.
00:15:00.63\00:15:02.60
Well, I tell you studying
the Word of God is so exciting.
00:15:02.63\00:15:05.13
There's so many things
to be found and to learn
00:15:05.17\00:15:08.30
lots of names, Ryan too.
00:15:08.34\00:15:09.84
That right.
00:15:09.87\00:15:11.21
I have... King TP.
00:15:11.24\00:15:12.57
Yeah king TP and I
also have that name here.
00:15:12.61\00:15:14.21
So maybe I'll have to
refer to him as that too.
00:15:14.24\00:15:16.78
It's a new one.
00:15:16.81\00:15:18.18
So mine is Monday,
00:15:18.21\00:15:19.55
"Attempted Interception"
00:15:19.58\00:15:20.92
and Pastor Ryan and I have
basically the same passage.
00:15:20.95\00:15:22.82
I have Isaiah 7:3-9.
00:15:22.85\00:15:26.45
And just give me
some quick backdrop again,
00:15:26.49\00:15:28.92
Ryan touched on this briefly,
00:15:28.96\00:15:30.29
but Ahaz becomes king
of Judah in about 735 BC.
00:15:30.33\00:15:35.63
And that he's
about 20 years old,
00:15:35.66\00:15:37.00
which is really young.
00:15:37.03\00:15:38.37
You think about this being king,
00:15:38.40\00:15:39.73
but he's a wicked king.
00:15:39.77\00:15:41.10
Like Ryan mentioned,
00:15:41.14\00:15:42.47
and as the
scripture has mentioned,
00:15:42.50\00:15:43.84
he causes his children
to pass through the fire.
00:15:43.87\00:15:45.57
You have 2
Chronicles Chapter 28,
00:15:45.61\00:15:48.14
excellent reads by the way,
00:15:48.18\00:15:49.51
you just
touched on some of that.
00:15:49.54\00:15:50.98
And then also
you have 2 Kings 16,
00:15:51.01\00:15:53.15
some really good
passages in the Bible
00:15:53.18\00:15:54.68
that gives more of
the story of King Ahaz,
00:15:54.72\00:15:56.95
and what's going on.
00:15:56.99\00:15:58.32
But he worshiped Baal
00:15:58.35\00:15:59.69
and had those
around him worshiping Baal
00:15:59.72\00:16:01.06
in the high places.
00:16:01.09\00:16:02.49
And then in 735, 734 BC,
00:16:02.52\00:16:05.83
you also have
00:16:05.86\00:16:07.20
the
Syro-Ephraimite War going on.
00:16:07.23\00:16:09.00
So you have
Rezin, king of Syria,
00:16:09.03\00:16:11.80
joining forces with
Pekah, king of Israel.
00:16:11.83\00:16:14.30
They're forming
an alliance together.
00:16:14.34\00:16:16.34
King Ahaz says,
00:16:16.37\00:16:17.81
"Oh, no,
00:16:17.84\00:16:19.17
I'm about to be annihilated
00:16:19.21\00:16:20.54
wiped off the face of the earth.
00:16:20.58\00:16:21.91
I need to do something."
00:16:21.94\00:16:23.28
You think about this.
00:16:23.31\00:16:24.65
He's a young man, young king,
00:16:24.68\00:16:26.01
and he's about to
be wiped out, he feels.
00:16:26.05\00:16:27.38
So then he says,
00:16:27.42\00:16:28.75
hey, I'm going to
join forces with who?
00:16:28.78\00:16:30.65
He's going to join
forces with Assyria and King...
00:16:30.69\00:16:34.02
TP. TP, thank you.
00:16:34.06\00:16:35.86
Tiglath
Pileser, king of Assyria.
00:16:35.89\00:16:39.26
And on Monday's lesson,
read this in your lesson,
00:16:39.29\00:16:41.26
I like this part.
00:16:41.30\00:16:42.63
It says,
00:16:42.66\00:16:44.00
"Although appealing to
Tiglath-Pileser for help
00:16:44.03\00:16:46.77
seemed logical and attractive
from a human standpoint.
00:16:46.80\00:16:50.44
God knew it would bring
the Davidic kingdom of Judah
00:16:50.47\00:16:53.94
under foreign control
00:16:53.98\00:16:55.38
from which she
could never recover."
00:16:55.41\00:16:58.95
Now, this is where you see
00:16:58.98\00:17:00.32
the entrance of
the Prophet Isaiah.
00:17:00.35\00:17:03.22
This is in Isaiah 7:3.
00:17:03.25\00:17:07.66
And it says here,
00:17:07.69\00:17:09.02
"Then the Lord said to Isaiah,
00:17:09.06\00:17:10.69
'Go out to meet King Ahaz,
00:17:10.73\00:17:12.93
you and Shear-Jashub your
son at the end of the aqueduct
00:17:12.96\00:17:17.47
from the upper pool
00:17:17.50\00:17:18.90
on the highway to
the Fuller's field."
00:17:18.93\00:17:22.04
Now this is the
first national crisis
00:17:22.07\00:17:25.34
in Isaiah's ministry.
00:17:25.37\00:17:26.71
So Isaiah 6,
00:17:26.74\00:17:28.08
which you studied last
week was the call of Isaiah.
00:17:28.11\00:17:30.01
So here's the
first national crisis
00:17:30.05\00:17:31.91
in Isaiah's ministry.
00:17:31.95\00:17:33.28
So this is about 735, 734 BC.
00:17:33.31\00:17:37.19
And you have the
Syro-Ephraimite coalition.
00:17:37.22\00:17:39.95
And it's interesting because
Isaiah's son comes with him.
00:17:39.99\00:17:44.33
God asks Isaiah
son to go with him
00:17:44.36\00:17:47.36
and meet King Ahaz.
00:17:47.40\00:17:49.36
And they meet where?
00:17:49.40\00:17:50.73
They meet at the aqueduct
00:17:50.77\00:17:52.47
from the upper
pool on the highway
00:17:52.50\00:17:53.94
to the Fuller's Field.
00:17:53.97\00:17:55.30
Now fast forward
about 34, 35 years
00:17:55.34\00:17:58.61
to the second national
crisis in Isaiah's ministry
00:17:58.64\00:18:03.41
was taking place here.
00:18:03.45\00:18:04.85
This is the siege of
Assyria against the Jerusalem.
00:18:04.88\00:18:06.98
So Isaiah 36:2 says,
00:18:07.02\00:18:09.68
"Then the king of
Assyria sent to Rabshakeh
00:18:09.72\00:18:12.62
with a great army from Lachish
to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem.
00:18:12.65\00:18:16.42
And he stood by" where?
00:18:16.46\00:18:18.19
"The aqueduct
from the upper pool,
00:18:18.23\00:18:20.43
on the highway to
the Fuller's Field."
00:18:20.46\00:18:23.03
Very interesting here,
00:18:23.06\00:18:24.40
Isaiah, his
first national crisis
00:18:24.43\00:18:25.93
in his ministry,
00:18:25.97\00:18:27.30
he meets King Ahaz
basically by the aqueduct,
00:18:27.34\00:18:30.61
35 years later, he meet who?
00:18:30.64\00:18:33.38
King Hezekiah at the same place.
00:18:33.41\00:18:35.74
Who's King Hezekiah?
00:18:35.78\00:18:37.11
The son of Ahaz.
00:18:37.15\00:18:39.51
So you have Ahaz who is,
00:18:39.55\00:18:40.98
we know didn't
choose the right way,
00:18:41.02\00:18:43.12
but as we'll study
further on here coming up,
00:18:43.15\00:18:45.62
Hezekiah chose
the way of the Lord.
00:18:45.65\00:18:47.69
So praise the Lord for that.
00:18:47.72\00:18:49.72
So then I'm going back
to this whole meeting here
00:18:49.76\00:18:52.66
of Isaiah and his son.
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.90
And I can only imagine,
00:18:54.93\00:18:56.36
now you've got
Ahaz here who's what,
00:18:56.40\00:18:57.87
has his young kids
go through the fire
00:18:57.90\00:18:59.43
and sacrifice them.
00:18:59.47\00:19:01.10
And here comes
Isaiah with his son
00:19:01.14\00:19:04.21
as part of the ministry.
00:19:04.24\00:19:05.57
Wow. Can you imagine
what that would look like?
00:19:05.61\00:19:06.94
Yes. Wow.
00:19:06.98\00:19:08.31
This is amazing.
00:19:08.34\00:19:09.68
But then Isaiah
introduces his son to King Ahaz,
00:19:09.71\00:19:12.95
and you know,
the meaning of names
00:19:12.98\00:19:14.32
and things like that.
00:19:14.35\00:19:15.68
It's been
interesting to look this up
00:19:15.72\00:19:17.05
and it's in the lesson,
00:19:17.09\00:19:18.42
Isaiah son's
name is Shear-Jashub.
00:19:18.45\00:19:21.72
Boy, I sure hope
I'm saying this right,
00:19:21.76\00:19:23.09
Pastor Ryan.
00:19:23.12\00:19:24.46
Right. Okay.
00:19:24.49\00:19:25.83
And it means a
remnant shall return.
00:19:25.86\00:19:28.46
So the root word for return
00:19:28.50\00:19:29.83
can carry the
definition of repentance.
00:19:29.86\00:19:32.13
So Ahaz needed repentance.
00:19:32.17\00:19:34.40
The people needed repentance.
00:19:34.44\00:19:36.74
So Isaiah son's name was
really a rebuke to the king.
00:19:36.77\00:19:41.31
You know, the name had a message
00:19:41.34\00:19:43.24
for Isaiah and it was from God
00:19:43.28\00:19:45.65
for King Ahaz
and it was from God,
00:19:45.68\00:19:48.48
turn from your sins
or go into captivity.
00:19:48.52\00:19:50.55
So basically he's
saying, turn from your sins now,
00:19:50.59\00:19:53.25
or go into captivity,
00:19:53.29\00:19:54.79
or two, you're
going into captivity,
00:19:54.82\00:19:57.16
but a remnant will return,
00:19:57.19\00:19:59.53
you know, with rebuke,
which is powerful to me.
00:19:59.56\00:20:01.33
There's also a
message of hope here.
00:20:01.36\00:20:03.16
So, yeah, God is
definitely a God of justice.
00:20:03.20\00:20:06.74
We know that, but
He also provides hope.
00:20:06.77\00:20:08.10
There's a way out.
00:20:08.14\00:20:09.47
And, you know, it's interesting.
00:20:09.50\00:20:10.84
It's really a
solemn thought here is that
00:20:10.87\00:20:12.21
the decision was King Ahaz,
00:20:12.24\00:20:13.58
what's he going
to do right here?
00:20:13.61\00:20:15.54
The decision is his, God
wasn't gonna to force him
00:20:15.58\00:20:17.31
to make the decision,
00:20:17.35\00:20:18.68
but this is the way, walk in it.
00:20:18.71\00:20:20.32
But it's up to King Ahaz.
00:20:20.35\00:20:21.68
And I think it's
a good lesson for us
00:20:21.72\00:20:24.35
to learn right now too,
00:20:24.39\00:20:25.72
you know, as we
face different things,
00:20:25.75\00:20:27.09
who are we going to choose?
00:20:27.12\00:20:28.46
God's not going to force
us, but we need to choose God.
00:20:28.49\00:20:29.96
I think it's
Joshua 24:15, it says,
00:20:29.99\00:20:32.79
"As for me and my
house, we will," what?
00:20:32.83\00:20:35.23
"We will serve the Lord." Amen.
00:20:35.26\00:20:37.13
Wow, time's going by in a hurry.
00:20:37.17\00:20:38.50
So this is
Isaiah's message, okay?
00:20:38.53\00:20:40.10
Isaiah 7:4-9,
00:20:40.14\00:20:43.14
and he said to Ahaz,
00:20:43.17\00:20:45.81
"And he said to him,
00:20:45.84\00:20:47.64
'Take heed, and be quiet,
00:20:47.68\00:20:49.01
do not fear or be fainthearted
00:20:49.04\00:20:50.68
for these two stubs
of smoking firebrands,
00:20:50.71\00:20:53.31
for the fierce
anger of Rezin and Syria,
00:20:53.35\00:20:55.62
and the son of Remaliah.
00:20:55.65\00:20:57.82
Because Syria, Ephraim,
00:20:57.85\00:20:59.39
and the son of Remaliah
00:20:59.42\00:21:00.76
have plotted evil
against you, saying,
00:21:00.79\00:21:02.32
'Let us go up
against Judah and trouble it,
00:21:02.36\00:21:04.86
and let us make a gap
in its wall for ourselves,
00:21:04.89\00:21:07.60
and set a king over
them, the son of Tabel.' "
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.00
Verse 7,
00:21:10.03\00:21:11.37
"Thus says the Lord God:
00:21:11.40\00:21:12.73
it shall not stand
nor shall it come to pass.
00:21:12.77\00:21:15.44
For this head of
Syria is Damascus,
00:21:15.47\00:21:17.74
and the head of
Damascus is Rezin.
00:21:17.77\00:21:20.14
Within 65 years,
Ephraim will be broken
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.91
so that it will
not be a people."
00:21:22.94\00:21:25.08
Verse 9,
00:21:25.11\00:21:26.45
"The head of Ephraim is Samaria
00:21:26.48\00:21:27.82
and the head of
Samaria is Remaliah's son."
00:21:27.85\00:21:30.15
This is really key here.
00:21:30.19\00:21:31.52
"If you will not believe,
00:21:31.55\00:21:32.92
surely you shall
not be established."
00:21:32.95\00:21:36.46
You know, to Ahab, to Ahaz
00:21:36.49\00:21:39.09
the situation
was really serious.
00:21:39.13\00:21:40.60
I mean, he was really afraid,
00:21:40.63\00:21:42.03
but as you go back to
the very beginning of this,
00:21:42.06\00:21:43.67
it's in verse 4,
00:21:43.70\00:21:45.13
Jesus is saying, God is saying,
00:21:45.17\00:21:46.63
"Don't worry about
that. It's just two stubs.
00:21:46.67\00:21:49.20
They're just smoking firebrands.
00:21:49.24\00:21:50.57
It's nothing to me."
00:21:50.61\00:21:51.94
And again, I think
another lesson for us to learn
00:21:51.97\00:21:53.78
is that sometimes we
can look at a situation,
00:21:53.81\00:21:56.18
look at the world we're
in and say, Whoa, this is it.
00:21:56.21\00:21:59.68
I think we're done for,
no one can save us from this.
00:21:59.71\00:22:02.68
We know that God is our savior,
00:22:02.72\00:22:04.05
and we can trust in Him
as you were talking about,
00:22:04.09\00:22:05.99
Pastor Ryan.
00:22:06.02\00:22:07.59
Verse 9,
00:22:07.62\00:22:08.96
in order to make this decision
00:22:08.99\00:22:10.33
Ahaz needed to trust
the Lord and His promises.
00:22:10.36\00:22:12.99
He needed to believe in
order to be established.
00:22:13.03\00:22:16.63
Believe and established are
from the same Hebrew root word,
00:22:16.67\00:22:20.14
meaning that which
is reliable or true.
00:22:20.17\00:22:22.84
So therefore Ahaz
needed to be sure.
00:22:22.87\00:22:26.21
Sure in what?
00:22:26.24\00:22:27.58
Sure in the Word of God
in order to be made sure.
00:22:27.61\00:22:31.35
He needed to rely in
order to be reliable.
00:22:31.38\00:22:35.78
And I think here too
it's just, it's really sad
00:22:35.82\00:22:37.85
'cause here you have King Ahaz,
00:22:37.89\00:22:39.45
he was trying to
establish himself.
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.36
He realizes that
the kings of the North,
00:22:41.39\00:22:42.79
they're coming against him.
00:22:42.82\00:22:44.16
And he's thinking
in his own strength,
00:22:44.19\00:22:45.53
my own power,
00:22:45.56\00:22:46.90
I got to survive,
I've got to do something.
00:22:46.93\00:22:48.26
Ah, the king from Assyria,
let me join forces with him.
00:22:48.30\00:22:51.30
He's wanting to survive.
00:22:51.33\00:22:52.67
He's trying to
establish his kingdom,
00:22:52.70\00:22:54.07
but in trying to
establish his kingdom,
00:22:54.10\00:22:56.20
God provided an answering
key in the Prophet Isaiah,
00:22:56.24\00:22:59.94
but he didn't listen.
00:22:59.97\00:23:01.31
And so therefore he
was not established.
00:23:01.34\00:23:03.01
So sad.
00:23:03.04\00:23:04.48
Here are the
lessons that we can learn
00:23:04.51\00:23:06.11
from Isaiah's message to Ahaz,
00:23:06.15\00:23:08.82
trust in God and His promises.
00:23:08.85\00:23:11.25
I want you to
turn to Numbers 23:19.
00:23:11.29\00:23:13.52
This is a really good passage.
00:23:13.56\00:23:14.89
So we hope that
00:23:14.92\00:23:16.26
you're not just
listening to Sabbath School,
00:23:16.29\00:23:17.63
but that you're
actually opening your Bible
00:23:17.66\00:23:18.99
and your Sabbath
School lesson as well.
00:23:19.03\00:23:20.36
And it says, Numbers 23:19,
00:23:20.40\00:23:22.16
"God is not man,
that He should lie,
00:23:22.20\00:23:25.30
or a son of man that
He should change His mind.
00:23:25.33\00:23:28.67
Has he said, and
will He not do it?
00:23:28.70\00:23:30.64
Or has he spoken and
will He not fulfill it?"
00:23:30.67\00:23:33.98
Praise the Lord.
We can trust in God.
00:23:34.01\00:23:36.98
We can count on God's
promises because God is love.
00:23:37.01\00:23:40.58
1 John 4:8. We
know that God is love.
00:23:40.62\00:23:42.68
I think of John
3:16, powerful passage,
00:23:42.72\00:23:46.09
for God so loved the world.
00:23:46.12\00:23:47.66
We can count on God's promises
because God is unchanging.
00:23:47.69\00:23:52.16
Malachi 3:6,
00:23:52.19\00:23:53.53
"For I am the
Lord, I do not change."
00:23:53.56\00:23:56.36
We can count on God's promises
because of His infinite wisdom.
00:23:56.40\00:24:01.04
We think of James.
00:24:01.07\00:24:02.67
We can look at the
passage, James 1:5,
00:24:02.70\00:24:05.04
"If any of you lack wisdom,
00:24:05.07\00:24:06.47
you shall ask of God
who gives generously to all
00:24:06.51\00:24:09.44
without finding fault.
00:24:09.48\00:24:10.81
And it will be given to you."
00:24:10.85\00:24:12.18
Amen.
00:24:12.21\00:24:13.55
You know, in closing, you
know, we're in tough times.
00:24:13.58\00:24:16.38
We know the year 2020 was tough.
00:24:16.42\00:24:18.15
We're just in the
first few weeks of 2021,
00:24:18.19\00:24:20.89
you know, your world
maybe turned upside down
00:24:20.92\00:24:23.26
it may seem to you,
00:24:23.29\00:24:24.63
but I want to leave with you
to trust God, be sure in what?
00:24:24.66\00:24:28.26
The Word of God in
order to be made sure.
00:24:28.30\00:24:30.60
Don't lose your faith.
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.43
We must establish
ourselves in the Word of God.
00:24:32.47\00:24:34.90
We must trust in God.
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.57
I want to encourage you to
build relationship with God
00:24:37.61\00:24:39.97
because to trust
00:24:40.01\00:24:41.34
you have to
build a relationship.
00:24:41.38\00:24:42.98
I love my wife,
but I trust my wife.
00:24:43.01\00:24:45.58
And the reason I trust my wife,
00:24:45.61\00:24:46.95
because we have a
relationship for years now.
00:24:46.98\00:24:49.78
Build that
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:24:49.82\00:24:51.49
Study His Word on a daily basis.
00:24:51.52\00:24:53.49
Go to Him, talk to Him,
00:24:53.52\00:24:55.12
then sit back
00:24:55.16\00:24:56.49
and let Him talk
back to you from His Word.
00:24:56.52\00:24:58.69
So I want to encourage
you to trust in the Lord.
00:24:58.73\00:25:00.96
Believe in God's Word,
and you will be established.
00:25:01.00\00:25:05.20
Praise the Lord. Amen.
00:25:05.23\00:25:07.04
Hey,
00:25:07.07\00:25:08.40
we're just
getting started, right?
00:25:08.44\00:25:09.77
The Book of Isaiah
has so many wonderful gems
00:25:09.80\00:25:11.77
and wonderful lessons to learn.
00:25:11.81\00:25:13.17
We're going to
take a quick break.
00:25:13.21\00:25:14.54
Don't go anywhere.
We'll be right back.
00:25:14.58\00:25:15.94
Ever wish you could watch
00:25:20.65\00:25:21.98
a 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel again,
00:25:22.02\00:25:24.19
or share it on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?
00:25:24.22\00:25:27.29
Well, you can
00:25:27.32\00:25:28.72
by visiting
3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com.
00:25:28.76\00:25:32.33
A clean design makes it easy
00:25:32.36\00:25:34.73
to find the
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00:25:34.76\00:25:36.87
There are also links to
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00:25:36.90\00:25:40.34
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00:25:40.37\00:25:42.20
Sharing is easy.
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00:25:46.68\00:25:50.35
Hello, welcome back to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:25:50.38\00:25:52.81
We're going to kick
it over to Pastor John
00:25:52.85\00:25:54.92
for Tuesday's lesson.
00:25:54.95\00:25:56.62
Yeah, no pun intended,
but I have another chance.
00:25:56.65\00:25:58.69
By the way,
00:25:58.72\00:26:00.06
that's the title of
this lesson for today,
00:26:00.09\00:26:01.72
"Another Chance."
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.09
If you have your lessons
00:26:03.12\00:26:04.46
go with me to
Tuesday, January 12th,
00:26:04.49\00:26:08.43
you know, Ryan and Greg
has been laying foundation
00:26:08.46\00:26:12.43
that's so critical at this point
00:26:12.47\00:26:14.64
because they've been
laying out the circumstances
00:26:14.67\00:26:17.34
and the conditions that
Ahaz was facing in the wars
00:26:17.37\00:26:22.08
that were coming up against him.
00:26:22.11\00:26:24.35
But there was
something inside of Ahaz
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.68
that God wanted to get out.
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.35
And I want to just
say this before I go into.
00:26:28.38\00:26:30.59
Lot of times,
00:26:30.62\00:26:31.95
God will bring
difficulty our way
00:26:31.99\00:26:33.82
to break our self-reliance.
00:26:33.86\00:26:36.59
That's something
that Ahaz wasn't getting
00:26:36.62\00:26:39.49
because the Bible says
00:26:39.53\00:26:40.90
when a man's
ways please the Lord,
00:26:40.93\00:26:43.47
he makes even his
enemies to be at peace with him.
00:26:43.50\00:26:46.00
Wow.
00:26:46.03\00:26:47.37
Now, why were his
enemies not at peace with him?
00:26:47.40\00:26:49.47
Because his ways
did not please the Lord.
00:26:49.50\00:26:51.91
And sometimes God
brings difficulty our way
00:26:51.94\00:26:54.78
so that He can break what
we call our self-reliance.
00:26:54.81\00:26:59.15
That's why Tuesday
is so vitally important.
00:26:59.18\00:27:01.35
Isaiah 7:10-13.
00:27:01.38\00:27:03.79
Now let's look at
all the Tiglath Pileser
00:27:03.82\00:27:06.76
and the names
that were difficult.
00:27:06.79\00:27:09.59
The adversaries
coming up against Ahaz,
00:27:09.62\00:27:13.29
and look what the Lord says
through Isaiah, the prophet.
00:27:13.33\00:27:16.23
"Moreover, the Lord
spoke again to Ahaz saying,
00:27:16.26\00:27:20.00
ask a sign for
yourself from the Lord your God,
00:27:20.04\00:27:23.34
ask it either in the
depth or in the height above."
00:27:23.37\00:27:26.57
Meaning from,
00:27:26.61\00:27:27.94
you go from the grave
to the highest heavens.
00:27:27.98\00:27:30.88
"But Ahaz said,
00:27:30.91\00:27:32.25
'I will not ask, nor
will I test the Lord.'
00:27:32.28\00:27:36.35
Then he said
00:27:36.38\00:27:37.72
'Hear now, O house of David!
00:27:37.75\00:27:40.19
Is it a small thing
for you to weary men,
00:27:40.22\00:27:43.73
but will you
weary my God also?' "
00:27:43.76\00:27:47.13
You notice something here.
00:27:47.16\00:27:49.10
Ahaz is saying,
I'm not going to ask.
00:27:49.13\00:27:52.17
Now when the Lord says ask.
00:27:52.20\00:27:54.00
If Solomon did what Ahaz did,
00:27:54.04\00:27:57.11
then Solomon would not
have received the wisdom.
00:27:57.14\00:27:59.41
The Lord said to Solomon,
00:27:59.44\00:28:00.78
"Ask whatever you want."
00:28:00.81\00:28:02.14
And Solomon asked for wisdom
00:28:02.18\00:28:03.75
and Solomon is now known
as one of the wisest men,
00:28:03.78\00:28:06.35
a thousand women later.
00:28:06.38\00:28:09.02
You get a lot of
wisdom out of that,
00:28:09.05\00:28:11.25
but God gave him something
that still to this very day,
00:28:11.29\00:28:14.46
we all admire.
00:28:14.49\00:28:15.82
The wisdom that comes
00:28:15.86\00:28:17.83
when God gives you a
blank slate and says,
00:28:17.86\00:28:21.03
ask for help.
00:28:21.06\00:28:22.40
And I'll give you help.
00:28:22.43\00:28:23.77
Ahaz was given the
privilege to ask from God,
00:28:23.80\00:28:27.34
whatever he needed.
00:28:27.37\00:28:28.80
God was giving Ahaz
a limitless invitation
00:28:28.84\00:28:32.84
to have his request granted.
00:28:32.87\00:28:35.28
Now think about it.
00:28:35.31\00:28:36.64
In the times of war,
00:28:36.68\00:28:38.01
who would you
prefer to be on your side?
00:28:38.05\00:28:39.81
God.
00:28:39.85\00:28:41.32
But in this case,
00:28:41.35\00:28:42.92
one another thing
00:28:42.95\00:28:44.29
we have to come
in realization of
00:28:44.32\00:28:46.72
not only does
God bring difficulty
00:28:46.76\00:28:48.49
to break our self-reliance,
00:28:48.52\00:28:50.33
but God never forces
Himself where He is not invited.
00:28:50.36\00:28:54.30
He will never impose
Himself where He is not invited.
00:28:54.33\00:28:58.17
The writer of the lesson
00:28:58.20\00:28:59.63
brought one of
the questions out.
00:28:59.67\00:29:01.00
Why did Ahaz
respond in the way he did?
00:29:01.04\00:29:03.77
And I'll give a
couple of reasons.
00:29:03.81\00:29:05.37
Ahab responded in the...
00:29:05.41\00:29:07.01
Ahaz responded
in the way he did.
00:29:07.04\00:29:10.21
And this was an
indication of self-reliance
00:29:10.25\00:29:12.78
not one of respect.
00:29:12.81\00:29:15.58
He closed his
heart to God's offer
00:29:15.62\00:29:18.85
because he thought
he could handle it.
00:29:18.89\00:29:21.09
He thought that his
kingship was sufficient.
00:29:21.12\00:29:23.59
And that's why later on,
00:29:23.63\00:29:24.96
he went ahead and
started making alliances
00:29:24.99\00:29:27.10
because he thought,
00:29:27.13\00:29:29.00
if I could handle
this situation myself,
00:29:29.03\00:29:32.00
we'd go back to
the children of Israel.
00:29:32.03\00:29:33.97
Remember the battle.
00:29:34.00\00:29:36.34
What was a small nation...
00:29:36.37\00:29:38.47
Ai.
00:29:38.51\00:29:39.84
Ai, very small two letters.
00:29:39.87\00:29:42.34
Thank you, Jill.
00:29:42.38\00:29:43.75
They figured we beat big armies,
00:29:43.78\00:29:45.71
we got this one.
00:29:45.75\00:29:47.42
That little nation made
them run for their lives.
00:29:47.45\00:29:50.59
Here's my point.
00:29:50.62\00:29:52.89
When anything seems handleable,
00:29:52.92\00:29:56.56
you're not going to find
that word in the dictionary.
00:29:56.59\00:29:58.66
If you think you could
handle whatever comes your way
00:29:58.69\00:30:00.76
without God's help.
00:30:00.80\00:30:02.13
That's the
first step in failure.
00:30:02.16\00:30:04.30
That's why we find in the Bible,
00:30:04.33\00:30:05.67
notice this.
00:30:05.70\00:30:07.04
And this is what we experienced
through our scripture,
00:30:07.07\00:30:08.70
because Ai is not the only one.
00:30:08.74\00:30:10.87
When the word of
the Lord came to Jonah.
00:30:10.91\00:30:13.98
Jonah decided,
00:30:14.01\00:30:15.34
look, not only do
I not need your help,
00:30:15.38\00:30:17.35
I'm not even listening to you.
00:30:17.38\00:30:19.25
But look at Jonah 3:1-2.
00:30:19.28\00:30:22.18
Look at Jonah 3:1-2.
00:30:22.22\00:30:24.95
And it says,
00:30:24.99\00:30:26.32
"Now the word of
the Lord came to Jonah
00:30:26.35\00:30:30.43
the second time, saying,
00:30:30.46\00:30:33.53
'Arise, go to
Nineveh, that great city,
00:30:33.56\00:30:35.40
and preach to it the
message that I tell you.' "
00:30:35.43\00:30:37.83
And we find in verse 2,
00:30:37.87\00:30:39.20
and Jonah decide
this time I'm going.
00:30:39.23\00:30:43.17
When God takes you
00:30:43.20\00:30:44.54
through the washing
machine of personal cleansing,
00:30:44.57\00:30:47.68
which is what
Jonah went through.
00:30:47.71\00:30:49.78
Think about that.
00:30:49.81\00:30:51.15
Jonah went through
a cleansing process.
00:30:51.18\00:30:53.15
He was the only,
Ryan, as an evangelist.
00:30:53.18\00:30:55.52
He was the only one
00:30:55.55\00:30:56.89
that showed up at
an evangelistic series,
00:30:56.92\00:30:58.92
smelling like a fish dinner.
00:30:58.95\00:31:01.69
He got chucked up on
the shore of Nineveh.
00:31:01.72\00:31:05.86
God never intended for him
to get there in that condition,
00:31:05.89\00:31:09.46
but because he
refused God's offer
00:31:09.50\00:31:12.30
because he
refused God's directive.
00:31:12.33\00:31:14.84
He ended up in a condition
00:31:14.87\00:31:16.44
that God said
one way or the other,
00:31:16.47\00:31:18.87
you will comply
with my conditions.
00:31:18.91\00:31:21.34
But notice what the Bible says,
00:31:21.38\00:31:22.71
the reason why we
should not put ourselves
00:31:22.74\00:31:24.61
in such a predicament.
00:31:24.65\00:31:26.05
Psalm 46:1.
00:31:28.22\00:31:29.72
And this was true
00:31:29.75\00:31:31.09
in every
condition of all the battles
00:31:31.12\00:31:33.02
that the Israelites faced.
00:31:33.05\00:31:34.52
God is our refuge
and what else, Jill?
00:31:34.56\00:31:37.16
Our strength. Our strength.
00:31:37.19\00:31:38.53
A very present help in trouble.
00:31:38.56\00:31:41.46
That's right. God
didn't have a past.
00:31:41.50\00:31:43.26
God didn't have a future.
00:31:43.30\00:31:44.63
That's why
whenever I talk about God
00:31:44.67\00:31:46.27
or when I talk about Jesus,
00:31:46.30\00:31:48.10
I don't say Jesus
was the son of God.
00:31:48.14\00:31:50.34
I say He is.
00:31:50.37\00:31:51.77
He's never a was.
00:31:51.81\00:31:53.54
God is never a was.
00:31:53.58\00:31:54.91
He is our refuge
and our strength,
00:31:54.94\00:31:57.81
a very present help in trouble.
00:31:57.85\00:32:00.58
Ahaz refused God's divide offer.
00:32:00.62\00:32:02.65
It led him to difficulty.
00:32:02.68\00:32:04.32
But notice, I'm gonna
bring out about five points.
00:32:04.35\00:32:07.29
One of those is
found in Hebrews 12:25.
00:32:07.32\00:32:11.26
The warning.
00:32:14.16\00:32:17.37
Hebrews 12:25,
00:32:17.40\00:32:19.17
"See that you do not
refuse him who speaks."
00:32:19.20\00:32:22.94
What did Ahaz do?
00:32:22.97\00:32:24.31
He refused God's,
00:32:24.34\00:32:25.67
"For if they did not
escape, who refused him,
00:32:25.71\00:32:28.11
who spoke on earth much
more shall we not escape,
00:32:28.14\00:32:32.98
if we turn away from
him who speaks from heaven."
00:32:33.01\00:32:38.39
The Book of Hebrews
points out five dangers,
00:32:38.42\00:32:41.79
and one of the
dangers was refusing God.
00:32:41.82\00:32:44.63
When we refuse
God, it's dangerous.
00:32:44.66\00:32:47.60
And so many people,
00:32:47.63\00:32:48.96
I said to my wife the other day,
00:32:49.00\00:32:50.33
we always talk about salvation.
00:32:50.37\00:32:51.70
I said,
nobody's going to be lost
00:32:51.73\00:32:53.07
because of sin.
00:32:53.10\00:32:54.60
No one's going to
be lost because of sin,
00:32:54.64\00:32:56.24
but they're going to be lost
00:32:56.27\00:32:57.61
because they
refuse to repent of sin
00:32:57.64\00:32:59.64
because all have sinned.
00:32:59.67\00:33:01.34
No one is going to
be lost because of sin.
00:33:01.38\00:33:03.58
They're going to be lost
00:33:03.61\00:33:04.95
because they
refuse to repent of sin.
00:33:04.98\00:33:06.92
God extends the
help and they refuse God.
00:33:06.95\00:33:09.15
If they refuse the one
who speaks from heaven.
00:33:09.18\00:33:11.92
Well, I think
that enough's said.
00:33:11.95\00:33:15.16
Let's go to another situation.
00:33:15.19\00:33:16.83
Exodus 7:14.
00:33:16.86\00:33:18.83
Look at all the conditions
00:33:18.86\00:33:20.20
where God was
giving these leaders
00:33:20.23\00:33:22.76
more than one opportunity.
00:33:22.80\00:33:24.70
And we know the fate of them.
00:33:24.73\00:33:27.17
Exodus 7:14.
00:33:27.20\00:33:29.07
So the Lord said to
Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hard.
00:33:29.10\00:33:33.61
Why?
00:33:33.64\00:33:34.98
He refuses to let the people go.
00:33:35.01\00:33:38.65
And we know the story.
00:33:38.68\00:33:40.02
Did they go, Ryan?
00:33:40.05\00:33:41.38
That's right. They left with.
00:33:41.42\00:33:42.75
And I read Ellen
White made this point.
00:33:42.78\00:33:44.25
I want to just insert this here.
00:33:44.29\00:33:45.72
Ellen White
says, it was God's plan
00:33:45.75\00:33:48.66
to give Pharaoh the credit
00:33:48.69\00:33:50.83
for freeing Israel,
00:33:50.86\00:33:53.13
because he refused
to participate with God
00:33:53.16\00:33:56.23
in the freeing of Israel,
00:33:56.26\00:33:57.97
God did it
without his participation.
00:33:58.00\00:34:00.80
So when God
gives us an opportunity
00:34:00.84\00:34:02.50
to partner with Him,
00:34:02.54\00:34:03.87
He wants to give us the credit
00:34:03.91\00:34:06.17
and the
partnership of obedience.
00:34:06.21\00:34:08.91
Second thing,
00:34:08.94\00:34:10.28
refusing God affects our hearts.
00:34:10.31\00:34:11.81
And I know we've
talked about this before,
00:34:11.85\00:34:13.21
but Isaiah 1:19-20,
00:34:13.25\00:34:15.28
"If you are
willing and obedient,
00:34:15.32\00:34:17.05
you shall eat of
the good of the land.
00:34:17.09\00:34:18.62
But if you refuse and rebel,
00:34:18.65\00:34:20.82
you shall be
devoured by the sword,
00:34:20.86\00:34:22.76
for the mouth of
the Lord has spoken."
00:34:22.79\00:34:25.59
Let's go now to Hebrews 3:7-11.
00:34:25.63\00:34:28.66
Once again, refusing
God affects the heart.
00:34:28.70\00:34:31.63
It affects the heart.
00:34:31.67\00:34:33.27
Hebrews 3:7 says,
00:34:33.30\00:34:35.17
"Thus therefore as the
Holy Spirit says today,
00:34:35.20\00:34:40.71
if you will hear his voice,"
00:34:40.74\00:34:43.04
what is that?
00:34:43.08\00:34:44.41
"Dot harden your
heart, as in the rebellion,
00:34:44.45\00:34:47.22
in the day of
trial in the wilderness,
00:34:47.25\00:34:49.48
where your fathers tested me,
00:34:49.52\00:34:51.85
tried me
00:34:51.89\00:34:53.22
and saw my works 40 years.
00:34:53.25\00:34:55.89
Therefore I was angry
with that generation and said,
00:34:55.92\00:34:58.93
they always go astray," where?
00:34:58.96\00:35:00.66
"In their heart.
00:35:00.70\00:35:02.10
And they have not known my ways.
00:35:02.13\00:35:04.17
So I swore in my wrath."
00:35:04.20\00:35:06.90
Thirdly, refusing
God is the same spirit
00:35:06.94\00:35:09.60
that surrounds the rejection
of God's Ten Commandments.
00:35:09.64\00:35:13.24
Exodus 16:28,
00:35:13.27\00:35:14.88
"And the Lord said to Moses,
00:35:14.91\00:35:16.24
'How long do you refuse
00:35:16.28\00:35:18.68
to keep My
commandments and my laws.' "
00:35:18.71\00:35:21.15
Brethren, the refusal
of the commandments of God
00:35:21.18\00:35:23.42
is not because God's
commandments are bad,
00:35:23.45\00:35:26.69
but a stuck heart once again,
00:35:26.72\00:35:29.26
refusing to be
obedient at any point
00:35:29.29\00:35:32.26
is because of the
carnal heart of humanity.
00:35:32.29\00:35:34.73
And so, when we get
that precious invitation
00:35:34.76\00:35:38.17
to respond to the
invitation of God.
00:35:38.20\00:35:41.97
Keep this in mind,
00:35:42.00\00:35:43.34
God is not willing that
any one of us should perish.
00:35:43.37\00:35:46.27
God is not willing that
00:35:46.31\00:35:47.64
any one of us
should experience failure.
00:35:47.68\00:35:50.18
But if we simply refuse
00:35:50.21\00:35:51.81
to respond to the
conditions of God,
00:35:51.85\00:35:54.85
the impact of that
refusal will be felt.
00:35:54.88\00:35:59.25
Thank you so much,
00:35:59.29\00:36:00.62
Pastor John and
Greg and Pastor Ryan.
00:36:00.66\00:36:03.56
We're jumping back to Isaiah 7.
00:36:03.59\00:36:05.29
I forgot I
still have my mask on.
00:36:05.33\00:36:06.80
I need to take that off.
00:36:06.83\00:36:08.16
We're jumping back
to Isaiah Chapter 7.
00:36:08.20\00:36:10.97
You know,
00:36:11.00\00:36:12.33
what's so sad to
me in this section
00:36:12.37\00:36:14.50
as each one of
you have brought out
00:36:14.54\00:36:16.10
with this incredible coalition
that came against Judah
00:36:16.14\00:36:19.17
and the fear that
would be an Ahaz's heart.
00:36:19.21\00:36:21.64
I certainly would be afraid.
00:36:21.68\00:36:24.21
And yet God in
His mercy and His love
00:36:24.25\00:36:27.22
extends this grace
and says, just ask a sign.
00:36:27.25\00:36:30.65
Like he's
saying you can trust Me
00:36:30.69\00:36:33.09
and I'll be there for you.
00:36:33.12\00:36:34.46
And just ask for the sign.
00:36:34.49\00:36:36.22
And what's
interesting to me is it says,
00:36:36.26\00:36:38.83
ask a sign for yourself
from the Lord, your God.
00:36:38.86\00:36:41.93
But then when Ahaz says,
00:36:41.96\00:36:43.77
"I don't, I'm not
going to ask for a sign."
00:36:43.80\00:36:46.23
Then it says,
00:36:46.27\00:36:47.60
"Hear now O house David!
00:36:47.64\00:36:48.97
Is it a small thing
for you to weary men
00:36:49.00\00:36:50.34
while you weary my God."
00:36:50.37\00:36:52.24
Awesome.
00:36:52.27\00:36:53.61
Do you notice that shift.
00:36:53.64\00:36:54.98
It was your God
as in Ahaz's God.
00:36:55.01\00:36:57.65
Now it's my God
as in Isaiah's God,
00:36:57.68\00:37:00.38
'cause Ahaz had refused his God.
00:37:00.42\00:37:04.72
So then God says,
00:37:04.75\00:37:06.42
okay, you're not
going to ask for a sign.
00:37:06.45\00:37:08.06
I'm going to give you a sign.
00:37:08.09\00:37:09.76
And that's what
I have is verse 14.
00:37:09.79\00:37:11.83
And Shelley also has verse 14.
00:37:11.86\00:37:14.20
So hopefully I won't step on
00:37:14.23\00:37:15.76
the same section
that she's discussing.
00:37:15.80\00:37:17.97
It says, therefore,
because you're wearying my God,
00:37:18.00\00:37:22.07
because you're not
even reaching out to Him.
00:37:22.10\00:37:24.17
You're not allowing
Him to give you a sign.
00:37:24.21\00:37:25.91
"Therefore, the Lord
Himself will give you a sign.
00:37:25.94\00:37:30.25
Behold, the
virgin shall conceive
00:37:30.28\00:37:31.61
and bear a son
00:37:31.65\00:37:32.98
and shall call
his name Immanuel."
00:37:33.01\00:37:35.35
Now before we unpack that,
00:37:35.38\00:37:36.72
I just want to
look for a brief moment
00:37:36.75\00:37:38.82
at the history of signs
throughout the Word of God.
00:37:38.85\00:37:41.42
You know, in the Bible,
00:37:41.46\00:37:42.92
many times
people asked for signs.
00:37:42.96\00:37:44.89
The one I think of
first of would be Gideon.
00:37:44.93\00:37:47.76
Remember in Judges 6,
00:37:47.80\00:37:49.13
he said,
00:37:49.16\00:37:50.50
am I gonna have
victory over the Midianites?
00:37:50.53\00:37:52.80
And the sign he
asked for him was that
00:37:52.83\00:37:54.50
the fleece would be wet
with dew and the ground dry.
00:37:54.54\00:37:57.24
And he said, well, that
wasn't quite hard enough.
00:37:57.27\00:37:59.61
So the next time
the fleece would be dry
00:37:59.64\00:38:01.38
and the ground wet.
00:38:01.41\00:38:03.18
King Hezekiah
asked God for a sign
00:38:03.21\00:38:05.41
that he would live longer.
00:38:05.45\00:38:07.08
We see this in 2 Kings 20,
00:38:07.12\00:38:08.98
and the sun dialed
00:38:09.02\00:38:10.52
the shadow would
go back 10 degrees.
00:38:10.55\00:38:13.69
The Pharisees and
Sadducees in Matthew 16
00:38:13.72\00:38:16.22
asked Jesus for
a sign from heaven.
00:38:16.26\00:38:17.96
But He said,
00:38:17.99\00:38:19.33
"You're not getting any sign,
00:38:19.36\00:38:20.70
but the sign of
the Prophet Jonah."
00:38:20.73\00:38:23.40
Herod, he hoped
for a sign from Jesus
00:38:23.43\00:38:25.70
because he had heard about Him.
00:38:25.73\00:38:27.07
We see this in Luke 23,
but Jesus answered not a word.
00:38:27.10\00:38:31.97
Now in the Bible,
00:38:32.01\00:38:33.34
it seems more rare
for God to ask someone,
00:38:33.38\00:38:37.08
to ask for a sign
00:38:37.11\00:38:38.45
like God asking
Ahaz to ask for a sign.
00:38:38.48\00:38:41.25
I think about Moses
with the children of Israel.
00:38:41.28\00:38:44.22
And Moses said,
00:38:44.25\00:38:45.72
"What if the children of
Israel don't believe me?"
00:38:45.75\00:38:47.86
This is at the
burning bush experience,
00:38:47.89\00:38:49.59
and God is calling
Moses to deliver the people.
00:38:49.62\00:38:52.16
And Moses says,
00:38:52.19\00:38:53.53
"What if they don't believe me?"
00:38:53.56\00:38:55.23
And God says,
00:38:55.26\00:38:56.60
"The staff you have in your hand
00:38:56.63\00:38:57.97
to throw it down,
00:38:58.00\00:38:59.33
it'll turn into a snake
and then come back to a staff,
00:38:59.37\00:39:01.60
your hand put it
in and pull it out
00:39:01.64\00:39:03.64
and it'll turn to
leprosy and go back to normal.
00:39:03.67\00:39:06.11
The water from the
river would turn to blood
00:39:06.14\00:39:08.08
and then back
on the dry ground."
00:39:08.11\00:39:10.25
And Ahaz, of course,
00:39:10.28\00:39:11.61
was clearly told
to ask for a sign.
00:39:11.65\00:39:14.88
This verse in verse 14,
00:39:14.92\00:39:17.82
the sign that
the Lord Himself gave
00:39:17.85\00:39:20.79
has a dual application,
which the lesson brought out.
00:39:20.82\00:39:24.63
We're going to spend
the balance of our time
00:39:24.66\00:39:26.76
on the application
00:39:26.80\00:39:29.50
that comes in the future.
00:39:29.53\00:39:30.87
That would be
Jesus, the Messiah.
00:39:30.90\00:39:32.90
I want to touch just briefly.
00:39:32.93\00:39:34.80
The lesson talked about it,
00:39:34.84\00:39:36.17
the present day application
for the sign as well.
00:39:36.20\00:39:38.67
Now this is interesting.
00:39:38.71\00:39:40.04
Usually when we read this,
00:39:40.08\00:39:42.18
"The virgin shall
conceive and bear a son
00:39:42.21\00:39:43.98
and should call
his name Immanuel."
00:39:44.01\00:39:45.98
We kind of stop there.
00:39:46.01\00:39:47.35
But if you look at
the literal application,
00:39:47.38\00:39:49.08
you need to keep going.
00:39:49.12\00:39:50.45
The next verse, verse 15 says,
00:39:50.49\00:39:52.35
"Curds and honey He shall eat
00:39:52.39\00:39:54.49
that He may know
to refuse the evil
00:39:54.52\00:39:56.62
and choose the good,
00:39:56.66\00:39:58.46
for before the child
shall know to refuse the evil
00:39:58.49\00:40:01.40
and choose the good,
00:40:01.43\00:40:02.76
the land that you
dread will be forsaken
00:40:02.80\00:40:05.33
by both her kings."
00:40:05.37\00:40:06.70
Now who are the two kings
00:40:06.74\00:40:08.07
that Isaiah is
talking about there?
00:40:08.10\00:40:09.90
That would be the king,
00:40:09.94\00:40:11.27
the Northern tribes of
Israel and the king of Syria.
00:40:11.31\00:40:15.18
So this coalition that
was coming against Ahaz
00:40:15.21\00:40:19.08
that would be broken by time
00:40:19.11\00:40:21.15
this child were to grow up
00:40:21.18\00:40:23.42
and would know to
choose between evil and good.
00:40:23.45\00:40:26.09
So basically by the time
00:40:26.12\00:40:27.46
they reach what 12 years of age,
00:40:27.49\00:40:29.49
that this
kingdom would be broken.
00:40:29.52\00:40:31.39
And then verse 17,
00:40:31.43\00:40:32.89
"The Lord would bring
the house of Assyria upon you
00:40:32.93\00:40:35.43
and your people,
and your father's house,
00:40:35.46\00:40:37.17
days that have not come
00:40:37.20\00:40:38.57
since the day
00:40:38.60\00:40:39.93
that Ephraim
departed from Judah."
00:40:39.97\00:40:41.37
So that's obviously a
prophecy looking forward to 701,
00:40:41.40\00:40:45.27
when Assyria comes
against the city of Jerusalem
00:40:45.31\00:40:48.94
and besieges it.
00:40:48.98\00:40:50.75
And then we know
the end result of that,
00:40:50.78\00:40:53.08
which we will get to.
00:40:53.11\00:40:54.45
God destroyed 185,000 of
the Assyrians in one night.
00:40:54.48\00:41:00.16
So the literal application,
00:41:00.19\00:41:01.56
there are several
different interpretations.
00:41:01.59\00:41:04.63
The lesson mentions two.
00:41:04.66\00:41:06.63
Briefly it could
refer to Isaiah's son,
00:41:06.66\00:41:10.23
not the first son, of course,
we already talked about that,
00:41:10.27\00:41:12.80
but the second son
who's born in Isaiah 8:3.
00:41:12.83\00:41:16.91
If you see there's
a correlation there,
00:41:16.94\00:41:18.61
Isaiah 8:3,
00:41:18.64\00:41:19.97
"I went to the prophetess,
00:41:20.01\00:41:21.34
and she
conceived and bore a son.
00:41:21.38\00:41:22.71
Then the Lord said to me,
00:41:22.74\00:41:24.08
'Call his name,'"
00:41:24.11\00:41:25.45
whatever that is,
00:41:25.48\00:41:26.82
"'for before the child
shall have knowledge to cry
00:41:26.85\00:41:28.68
'My father and My mother,
00:41:28.72\00:41:30.22
the riches of Damascus
and the spoil of Samaria
00:41:30.25\00:41:32.95
will be taken away
before the king of Assyria.' "
00:41:32.99\00:41:35.89
Do you notice,
it's very similar.
00:41:35.92\00:41:37.56
You have the one
before the child is of age
00:41:37.59\00:41:40.56
that the Northern
kingdom of Israel and Syria
00:41:40.60\00:41:44.03
would be destroyed.
00:41:44.07\00:41:45.40
And here you see the
same thing take place.
00:41:45.43\00:41:47.64
Now, of course,
there's no reference
00:41:47.67\00:41:49.00
to the name Immanuel.
00:41:49.04\00:41:50.37
So it's not a
direct correlation.
00:41:50.41\00:41:52.77
The lesson also
mentioned, it could be Hezekiah,
00:41:52.81\00:41:55.44
but Hezekiah was never
referred to as Immanuel.
00:41:55.48\00:41:58.01
And we also clearly know
00:41:58.05\00:42:00.22
that Hezekiah
was definitely of age
00:42:00.25\00:42:02.12
long before that came to pass.
00:42:02.15\00:42:04.52
Now let's look at
the final fulfillment
00:42:04.55\00:42:06.29
or application
00:42:06.32\00:42:07.66
that would be of Jesus.
00:42:07.69\00:42:09.62
We see this
correlation in Matthew 1:23,
00:42:09.66\00:42:13.36
Matthew, of course,
00:42:13.40\00:42:14.73
quotes from this
passage in Isaiah 7:14,
00:42:14.76\00:42:17.93
"Behold, the virgin shall
be with child and bear son.
00:42:17.97\00:42:20.74
They shall call
his name Immanuel, "
00:42:20.77\00:42:23.54
which is translated God with us.
00:42:23.57\00:42:26.07
Now in Isiah's day,
00:42:26.11\00:42:27.71
there were two enemy kings
00:42:27.74\00:42:29.78
poised to take out
God's chosen line of Judah.
00:42:29.81\00:42:33.05
Who were those kings?
00:42:33.08\00:42:34.42
The Northern
kingdom of Israel and Syria.
00:42:34.45\00:42:37.39
In Matthew's day,
00:42:37.42\00:42:39.35
there were two enemy kings
00:42:39.39\00:42:41.52
poised to take out the Messiah.
00:42:41.56\00:42:44.73
That would be King Herod
00:42:44.76\00:42:46.56
and, of course, he
had an alliance with Rome.
00:42:46.59\00:42:50.50
In Isaiah's day,
00:42:50.53\00:42:51.87
the birth of a child
00:42:51.90\00:42:53.23
the sign that God is with us
00:42:53.27\00:42:55.44
pointed to the physical
00:42:55.47\00:42:56.81
and local deliverance
of the nation of Judah.
00:42:56.84\00:42:59.91
In Matthew's day,
00:42:59.94\00:43:01.68
the birth of a child,
00:43:01.71\00:43:03.14
the sign that God is with us
00:43:03.18\00:43:05.51
pointed to the physical
and universal deliverance
00:43:05.55\00:43:08.12
of everyone
everywhere from there since.
00:43:08.15\00:43:13.52
Jesus is the final fulfillment
00:43:13.56\00:43:15.99
of that prophecy in Isaiah 7:14.
00:43:16.02\00:43:18.96
We know He is divine.
00:43:18.99\00:43:20.33
If you jump over
just two chapters,
00:43:20.36\00:43:22.90
Isaiah 9:6,
00:43:22.93\00:43:25.43
"For unto us, a Child is
born, unto us a Son is given,
00:43:25.47\00:43:30.31
and the government
will be upon His shoulder.
00:43:30.34\00:43:32.57
And His name will be
called Wonderful, Counselor,
00:43:32.61\00:43:35.14
Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace."
00:43:35.18\00:43:39.61
He is divine.
00:43:39.65\00:43:41.88
He is not only
divine, He is with us.
00:43:41.92\00:43:45.39
We read this in Matthew 1:23,
00:43:45.42\00:43:48.32
"The virgin will be
with Child and bear a Son.
00:43:48.36\00:43:50.76
They will call
His name Immanuel, "
00:43:50.79\00:43:52.39
which is translated God with us.
00:43:52.43\00:43:55.36
We won't touch any more on that
00:43:55.40\00:43:56.77
'cause I know Shelley's
day touches on God with us.
00:43:56.80\00:43:59.80
He is the root
and branch of Jesse.
00:43:59.83\00:44:03.97
Isaiah Chapter 11.
00:44:04.01\00:44:05.51
We have another
messianic prophecy
00:44:05.54\00:44:08.01
come forward
here in Isaiah 11:1,
00:44:08.04\00:44:10.81
"There shall come forth a
rod from the stem of Jesse,"
00:44:10.85\00:44:14.68
referring to the coming Messiah,
00:44:14.72\00:44:17.22
the Lord Jesus,
00:44:17.25\00:44:18.59
"and a branch shall
grow out of his roots."
00:44:18.62\00:44:21.76
You jump down to verse 10,
00:44:21.79\00:44:24.06
"And in that day,
00:44:24.09\00:44:25.43
there shall be a root of Jesse
00:44:25.46\00:44:27.26
who shall stand a
banner to the people,
00:44:27.30\00:44:29.56
for the Gentiles shall seek him,
00:44:29.60\00:44:31.87
and his resting
place shall be glorious."
00:44:31.90\00:44:35.47
Jesus is the root
and branch of Jesse.
00:44:35.50\00:44:39.37
references this as well.
00:44:39.41\00:44:42.91
I, Jesus have sent my angel
00:44:42.94\00:44:45.31
to testify to you
these things in the churches.
00:44:45.35\00:44:47.52
I am the root and
offspring of David.
00:44:47.55\00:44:51.82
I am the bright
and morning star.
00:44:51.85\00:44:56.69
But He is not only
divine, He's not only with us,
00:44:56.73\00:44:59.89
He's not only the branch,
00:44:59.93\00:45:01.36
He's not only the root of Jesse,
00:45:01.40\00:45:03.77
He is my savior.
00:45:03.80\00:45:06.13
To me that's the
incredible promise.
00:45:06.17\00:45:09.17
This sign that was
given to the people
00:45:09.20\00:45:12.94
at that time carried
forward those hundreds of years
00:45:12.97\00:45:16.34
until the birth of Christ.
00:45:16.38\00:45:18.65
Matthew 1:21.
00:45:18.68\00:45:20.02
"She shall bring forth a son.
00:45:20.05\00:45:21.55
You shall call His name Jesus,
00:45:21.58\00:45:23.52
for He will save His
people from their sins."
00:45:23.55\00:45:28.32
Ahaz was offered the opportunity
00:45:28.36\00:45:31.53
to make a choice
00:45:31.56\00:45:32.89
and to just choose to trust God.
00:45:32.93\00:45:34.93
He chose not to trust God.
00:45:34.96\00:45:36.36
He chose to go his own way.
00:45:36.40\00:45:39.27
And God said, I
will send a deliverer.
00:45:39.30\00:45:42.40
The Lord Himself
will give you a sign.
00:45:42.44\00:45:45.84
The virgin shall
conceive and bear a Son
00:45:45.87\00:45:47.68
and shall call
His name Immanuel.
00:45:47.71\00:45:50.45
Amen.
00:45:50.48\00:45:52.28
We do have the same verses,
00:45:52.31\00:45:53.85
and I'm going to repeat
a couple of those verses.
00:45:53.88\00:45:56.25
I have Thursday,
00:45:56.28\00:45:57.62
"God Is With Us."
00:45:57.65\00:45:58.99
And let's read that again
00:45:59.02\00:46:00.39
because this is
an important promise
00:46:00.42\00:46:03.22
from God.
00:46:03.26\00:46:04.59
It's an important prophecy.
00:46:04.63\00:46:06.63
Isaiah 7:14,
00:46:06.66\00:46:08.00
"Therefore the Lord
Himself will give you a sign."
00:46:08.03\00:46:11.53
And remember,
Ahaz refused the sign.
00:46:11.57\00:46:13.90
So God's telling
Isaiah to tell Ahaz,
00:46:13.94\00:46:18.81
hey, God's gonna give you a sign
00:46:18.84\00:46:21.14
whether you want one or not.
00:46:21.18\00:46:22.94
"Behold, the
virgin shall conceive
00:46:22.98\00:46:26.08
and bear a Son
00:46:26.11\00:46:27.78
and shall call
His name Immanuel."
00:46:27.82\00:46:32.02
Jesus Christ is
the great fulfillment
00:46:32.05\00:46:36.16
of this prophecy.
00:46:36.19\00:46:37.53
What it shows me is that
00:46:37.56\00:46:40.13
God will always be
faithful to His promises.
00:46:40.16\00:46:45.43
Some ways, sometimes in ways
that is beyond our expectation
00:46:45.47\00:46:51.74
because Jesus Christ
was not just the sign.
00:46:51.77\00:46:57.71
He was God who became a human,
00:46:57.75\00:47:02.22
who became the Son of man
00:47:02.25\00:47:04.32
and the Son of
God, God incarnate.
00:47:04.35\00:47:07.62
God came down to
be with us in person.
00:47:07.66\00:47:11.29
So Matthew 1:21,
00:47:11.33\00:47:14.10
the angel is telling Joseph
00:47:14.13\00:47:17.53
that Mary has
conceived by the Holy Spirit
00:47:17.57\00:47:23.57
because, you know, here,
Joseph and Mary are engaged.
00:47:23.61\00:47:27.04
Actually they were married
00:47:27.08\00:47:28.41
because they'd
signed a marriage contract.
00:47:28.44\00:47:30.75
They just hadn't
come together physically.
00:47:30.78\00:47:33.31
They weren't living together.
00:47:33.35\00:47:35.22
There had been no relationship,
00:47:35.25\00:47:38.29
physical relationship
between the two of them.
00:47:38.32\00:47:40.76
So when he finds
out she's pregnant,
00:47:40.79\00:47:42.46
it's like what?
00:47:42.49\00:47:44.86
And then the
angel tells him no, no.
00:47:44.89\00:47:48.10
That what she has conceived,
00:47:48.13\00:47:50.57
who she has conceived
is of the Holy Spirit.
00:47:50.60\00:47:53.44
And in verse 21, Matthew 1:21,
00:47:53.47\00:47:56.91
the angel says she
will bring forth a son.
00:47:56.94\00:47:59.37
You shall call his name Jesus,
00:47:59.41\00:48:03.65
which means the
Lord is salvation.
00:48:03.68\00:48:07.55
And He will save His
people from their sins.
00:48:07.58\00:48:11.49
So all this was done
that it might be fulfilled.
00:48:11.52\00:48:15.02
So we know we can tie
this back to Isaiah 7:14,
00:48:15.06\00:48:19.53
'cause it says
all this was done,
00:48:19.56\00:48:21.10
that it might be fulfilled,
00:48:21.13\00:48:22.46
which was spoken by the Lord
00:48:22.50\00:48:23.83
through the prophets saying,
00:48:23.87\00:48:25.67
"Behold, the
virgin shall be with Child
00:48:25.70\00:48:28.84
and bear a Son
00:48:28.87\00:48:30.41
and they shall
call His name Immanuel,"
00:48:30.44\00:48:34.54
which is translated.
00:48:34.58\00:48:37.35
This is what the scripture says,
00:48:37.38\00:48:38.78
verse 23, God with us.
00:48:38.81\00:48:43.28
God with us.
00:48:43.32\00:48:45.39
This is not an abstract concept.
00:48:45.42\00:48:51.03
God came down
00:48:51.06\00:48:52.39
and He lived on this
earth 33 and a half years
00:48:52.43\00:48:56.06
before He was crucified
and resurrected and returned.
00:48:56.10\00:49:00.67
But you might ask,
well, is God with us now?
00:49:00.70\00:49:03.74
You know,
sometimes people say, well,
00:49:03.77\00:49:05.57
I know the Holy
Spirit lives within me,
00:49:05.61\00:49:08.34
but if Jesus took
our flesh back to heaven,
00:49:08.38\00:49:11.85
He can't, you know, He
can't be with us all here.
00:49:11.88\00:49:15.28
Let me read to you.
00:49:15.32\00:49:16.65
And I encourage
you to look at this,
00:49:16.69\00:49:18.29
Ephesians Chapter 3,
00:49:18.32\00:49:21.06
and let's look at
verse 16 through 19.
00:49:21.09\00:49:27.00
"Jesus lives in our hearts
00:49:27.03\00:49:31.03
by faith,
through the Holy Spirit."
00:49:31.07\00:49:33.03
So Paul writes to the
Ephesians 3:16, he says,
00:49:33.07\00:49:37.97
"Oh that God would grant you
00:49:38.01\00:49:40.28
according to the
riches of his glory
00:49:40.31\00:49:42.64
to be strengthened with might
00:49:42.68\00:49:44.91
through his spirit
in the inner man that"
00:49:44.95\00:49:49.18
and any time you
see that or so that,
00:49:49.22\00:49:51.62
it's a purpose statement.
00:49:51.65\00:49:53.19
So he says,
00:49:53.22\00:49:54.56
the reason I want
you to be strengthened
00:49:54.59\00:49:57.46
with might with dynamite,
dunemis power inside you,
00:49:57.49\00:50:02.96
inside your heart
by the Holy Spirit
00:50:03.00\00:50:05.23
is so that Christ may dwell
in your hearts through faith.
00:50:05.27\00:50:11.81
What's the purpose of Christ
00:50:11.84\00:50:13.17
dwelling in our
hearts through faith,
00:50:13.21\00:50:15.28
that, I know
they're purpose statement,
00:50:15.31\00:50:18.21
you being rooted
and grounded in love
00:50:18.25\00:50:20.25
may be able to
comprehend with all the saints.
00:50:20.28\00:50:23.32
What is the width, the
length, the depth, the height,
00:50:23.35\00:50:25.49
to know the love of Christ,
00:50:25.52\00:50:27.26
which passes knowledge
00:50:27.29\00:50:29.02
that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God.
00:50:29.06\00:50:32.09
Oh, hallelujah.
00:50:32.13\00:50:35.03
So Jesus, you
shall call Him Jesus.
00:50:35.06\00:50:40.54
That means the
Lord is salvation.
00:50:40.57\00:50:44.94
And it
guarantees eventual victory
00:50:44.97\00:50:49.21
to the remnant of God's people.
00:50:49.24\00:50:51.65
It's the promise
00:50:51.68\00:50:53.25
that God will
be with His people.
00:50:53.28\00:50:55.22
This is a covenant formula.
00:50:55.25\00:50:57.29
What did God always say?
00:50:57.32\00:50:58.89
Part of the formula is,
00:50:58.92\00:51:00.82
I will be their God
and they will be My people.
00:51:00.86\00:51:04.43
So it indicates His relationship
00:51:04.46\00:51:08.23
between God and His people.
00:51:08.26\00:51:10.07
So what's the
significance of such a promise?
00:51:10.10\00:51:13.77
Well, I'll tell you what?
00:51:13.80\00:51:15.14
I praise the Lord that he said,
00:51:15.17\00:51:16.94
I will never leave
you or forsake you.
00:51:16.97\00:51:19.57
And when I was walking
through such a dark time,
00:51:19.61\00:51:23.31
I suddenly realized
00:51:23.35\00:51:26.15
that God's divine
presence was with me.
00:51:26.18\00:51:29.15
I mean, I had a divine awareness
00:51:29.18\00:51:31.09
of His presence with me
00:51:31.12\00:51:32.99
and, you know,
00:51:33.02\00:51:34.36
nowhere in the
Bible does it say,
00:51:34.39\00:51:36.26
nowhere does God say,
00:51:36.29\00:51:38.06
"Hey, if you're my kid,
00:51:38.09\00:51:39.43
you're not going
to have any trouble."
00:51:39.46\00:51:40.80
No Jesus said,
00:51:40.83\00:51:42.16
"Hey, on this earth,
you will have tribulation.
00:51:42.20\00:51:44.57
But don't worry,
I've overcome the world."
00:51:44.60\00:51:48.14
Just because you're God's child
00:51:48.17\00:51:49.50
doesn't mean you're not going
to endure pain and suffering.
00:51:49.54\00:51:53.27
We suffer for many reasons.
00:51:53.31\00:51:55.04
Sometimes we suffer
for our own mistakes.
00:51:55.08\00:51:58.21
Sometimes we suffer for
other people's mistakes.
00:51:58.25\00:52:02.42
Sometimes we
just suffer injustice,
00:52:02.45\00:52:05.55
but God will
settle all accounts.
00:52:05.59\00:52:08.02
You can count on that.
00:52:08.06\00:52:09.82
And when we know
that God is with us,
00:52:09.86\00:52:12.23
it gives us great
assurance and comfort.
00:52:12.26\00:52:14.60
Psalm 23:4, David wrote,
00:52:14.63\00:52:17.97
"Yea though I
walk through the valley
00:52:18.00\00:52:20.34
of the shadow of death.
00:52:20.37\00:52:21.94
I will fear no
evil, for You are with me.
00:52:21.97\00:52:25.87
Your rod and Your
staff, they comfort me."
00:52:25.91\00:52:29.51
The valley of
the shadow of death.
00:52:29.54\00:52:32.71
That's a perilously
threatening situation.
00:52:32.75\00:52:39.25
Boy, we've been
through some, haven't we?
00:52:39.29\00:52:42.09
But we can fear no evil.
00:52:42.12\00:52:44.29
I mean, we can have
that complete assurance
00:52:44.33\00:52:47.13
that our Great
Shepherd is with us.
00:52:47.16\00:52:50.17
He takes His rod.
00:52:50.20\00:52:52.40
This is a comforting instrument.
00:52:52.43\00:52:54.87
It's He defends us.
00:52:54.90\00:52:56.64
It's like a club
00:52:56.67\00:52:58.01
that defenses
for our protection.
00:52:58.04\00:52:59.84
He walks before us, He
protects us from assault.
00:52:59.87\00:53:05.28
And then His staff
was used for guiding.
00:53:05.31\00:53:08.82
And when God is with us,
00:53:08.85\00:53:10.42
we know that our
gracious God is leading
00:53:10.45\00:53:13.99
and guiding and directing us.
00:53:14.02\00:53:16.83
Isaiah 43:2, you
love this, I love this.
00:53:16.86\00:53:20.43
This is a fabulous promise.
00:53:20.46\00:53:23.70
And somebody
who's listening today
00:53:23.73\00:53:27.04
needs to hear this.
00:53:27.07\00:53:29.07
When you pass
through the waters,
00:53:29.10\00:53:31.34
God says, I will be with you.
00:53:31.37\00:53:34.28
Waters are
calamities that overwhelm us.
00:53:34.31\00:53:37.85
And it's symbolic
for chaos and evil.
00:53:37.88\00:53:42.05
But God says,
00:53:42.08\00:53:43.42
when you pass
through the waters,
00:53:43.45\00:53:44.79
I will be with you
and through the rivers,
00:53:44.82\00:53:47.26
they shall not overflow you.
00:53:47.29\00:53:49.42
When you walk through the fire,
00:53:49.46\00:53:53.13
that's a calamity that consumes.
00:53:53.16\00:53:56.60
And he says, when you
walk through the fire,
00:53:56.63\00:53:59.63
you shall not be burned
00:53:59.67\00:54:01.00
nor shall the flames scorch you.
00:54:01.04\00:54:03.64
Doesn't that remind you
00:54:03.67\00:54:05.01
of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego?
00:54:05.04\00:54:07.24
There they are in the fire.
00:54:07.28\00:54:08.98
And all of a
sudden Jesus is with them.
00:54:09.01\00:54:11.55
And the only
thing they came out,
00:54:11.58\00:54:13.52
not smelling like smoke.
00:54:13.55\00:54:15.25
The only thing that burned
when they were in the fire,
00:54:15.28\00:54:18.49
were the ropes
that were binding them.
00:54:18.52\00:54:20.79
So it is such a beautiful thing
00:54:20.82\00:54:23.69
when we think about
walking through the waters.
00:54:23.73\00:54:27.10
Moses' generation
walked through the Red Sea.
00:54:27.13\00:54:30.03
Joshua's generation
walked through the Jordan River,
00:54:30.07\00:54:34.64
but this is a general
promise of God's protection.
00:54:34.67\00:54:37.77
And I wanted to
read something to you
00:54:37.81\00:54:40.28
because, you know,
00:54:40.31\00:54:41.94
if we look at the
history of God's people,
00:54:41.98\00:54:44.71
we see that God with
us, this is a true promise.
00:54:44.75\00:54:48.38
And there was something
so sweet in our quarterly.
00:54:48.42\00:54:54.72
And here's what it says.
00:54:54.76\00:54:56.62
Where was the Lord
00:54:56.66\00:54:57.99
when the Babylonians threw
00:54:58.03\00:54:59.36
Daniel's three
friends into the fire?
00:54:59.39\00:55:01.53
He was with them.
00:55:01.56\00:55:02.96
Where was the Lord
00:55:03.00\00:55:04.33
during the time
of Jacob's trouble
00:55:04.37\00:55:05.70
when he wrestled until daybreak?
00:55:05.73\00:55:08.24
Hey, listen, Jacob's arms
as close as you could get.
00:55:08.27\00:55:12.51
And then it says that
when Stephen was mobbed,
00:55:12.54\00:55:17.35
where was the Lord?
00:55:17.38\00:55:18.88
He was standing
00:55:18.91\00:55:20.25
at the right hand of
the throne of the Father.
00:55:20.28\00:55:23.39
What do you
mean He was standing?
00:55:23.42\00:55:24.75
The Bible says that
00:55:24.79\00:55:26.29
Jesus is sitting
00:55:26.32\00:55:28.19
at the right hand of the throne,
00:55:28.22\00:55:29.56
but I love this.
00:55:29.59\00:55:30.93
Morris Venden,
00:55:30.96\00:55:32.29
who is a an
Adventist pastor said this.
00:55:32.33\00:55:37.27
Why did Stephen
see Jesus standing?
00:55:37.30\00:55:41.80
And he said,
00:55:41.84\00:55:43.17
"Jesus wasn't gonna
take that sitting down."
00:55:43.20\00:55:46.24
So it is true.
00:55:46.27\00:55:49.21
It's a promise
that God is with us.
00:55:49.24\00:55:51.65
He will never
leave you or forsake you.
00:55:51.68\00:55:53.78
Amen
00:55:53.82\00:55:55.32
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:55:55.35\00:55:57.09
It's been an exciting study.
00:55:57.12\00:55:58.45
Let's go through it
and get some final remarks.
00:55:58.49\00:56:00.02
Sure.
00:56:00.06\00:56:01.46
You know, Ryan, something
else that stood out to me
00:56:01.49\00:56:03.89
about this
whole thing with Ahaz,
00:56:03.93\00:56:06.29
is that God
hadn't given up on him,
00:56:06.33\00:56:08.86
even though he's
such a wicked king,
00:56:08.90\00:56:11.03
he sent Isaiah
the prophet to him
00:56:11.07\00:56:13.40
and he says, take
heed, be quiet, do not fear.
00:56:13.44\00:56:16.50
So I don't know where you're at.
00:56:16.54\00:56:17.87
You may feel, you know what?
00:56:17.91\00:56:19.24
I'm so bad, God
would never, you know what?
00:56:19.27\00:56:20.71
You're special to God.
00:56:20.74\00:56:22.08
So I want to encourage you today
00:56:22.11\00:56:23.45
to build that relationship,
00:56:23.48\00:56:24.81
to find God, to say,
00:56:24.85\00:56:26.18
let me find what
You've got in Your Word,
00:56:26.21\00:56:27.78
because God loves you.
00:56:27.82\00:56:30.79
When God gives you
00:56:30.82\00:56:32.15
the privilege of
asking for a sign,
00:56:32.19\00:56:34.76
Matthew 7:7,
00:56:34.79\00:56:36.12
"Ask and it shall be given,
00:56:36.16\00:56:38.63
seek and you will find,
00:56:38.66\00:56:40.30
knock and the
door will be open."
00:56:40.33\00:56:43.16
Take advantage of the blessing
00:56:43.20\00:56:45.23
that God wants to
put in your possession.
00:56:45.27\00:56:48.34
Amen.
00:56:48.37\00:56:49.70
Isaiah 41:10,
00:56:49.74\00:56:51.07
"Fear not, for I am
with you, be not dismayed,
00:56:51.11\00:56:53.07
I am your God.
00:56:53.11\00:56:54.44
I will strengthen
you, I will help you,
00:56:54.48\00:56:56.14
I will uphold you with
my righteous right arm."
00:56:56.18\00:56:59.68
So if you're afraid today,
if you're facing something
00:56:59.71\00:57:02.48
that seems insurmountable,
the Lord Jesus will help you.
00:57:02.52\00:57:06.82
Listen, I love Isaiah 61.
00:57:06.86\00:57:09.66
And I'm gonna read verse 3
00:57:09.69\00:57:11.09
because it's talking
about God being with us,
00:57:11.13\00:57:14.10
"To comfort all who mourn,
00:57:14.13\00:57:16.90
to console those
who mourn in Zion,
00:57:16.93\00:57:18.97
to give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
00:57:19.00\00:57:24.11
the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness."
00:57:24.14\00:57:27.24
Boy, I'll take that
wardrobe change any day,
00:57:27.28\00:57:30.58
"That they may be
called trees of righteousness,
00:57:30.61\00:57:33.58
the planting of the Lord,
that He may be glorified."
00:57:33.62\00:57:37.75
Praise the Lord.
Thank you guys so much.
00:57:37.79\00:57:39.19
It was a special lesson
00:57:39.22\00:57:41.09
learning so much in
how to trust in the Lord.
00:57:41.12\00:57:42.82
And we know sometimes
God will send us trials.
00:57:42.86\00:57:45.99
He will allow us to
go through that fire,
00:57:46.03\00:57:48.36
but He promises
to indeed be with us.
00:57:48.40\00:57:51.07
We just need to
learn to trust Him.
00:57:51.10\00:57:52.43
Don't be like King
Ahaz, right? That's right.
00:57:52.47\00:57:54.74
Learn to trust in
the Word of the Lord
00:57:54.77\00:57:56.57
because He is sure.
00:57:56.60\00:57:58.24
My friends, thank you so
much for joining us this week.
00:57:58.27\00:58:00.84
Gotta come back
next week though,
00:58:00.88\00:58:02.34
because we're going to be taking
00:58:02.38\00:58:03.71
on lesson four, entitled,
00:58:03.75\00:58:05.31
"The Hard Way."
00:58:05.35\00:58:06.68
We'll see you right back here.
00:58:06.72\00:58:08.05
God bless.
00:58:08.08\00:58:09.42