Good morning, everyone.
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It is a joy to be here
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in the great
beautiful state of Hawaii,
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and what a
blessing it is to be working
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with Secrets Unsealed,
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as we bring you this
particular series of messages
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entitled "Silencing Satan."
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We're gonna be looking
at that great controversy,
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that cosmic struggle
between good and evil
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from a biblical perspective
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and by God's grace
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develop some thoughts
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or discover from the Word of God
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some powerful truths
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that will not
only be good theory
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but be practical and
relevant for our daily lives.
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So this is our
first presentation
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in the series Silencing
Satan titled "Know your Enemy."
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But before we do any
study from the Word of God,
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what must we always do first?
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Pray.
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Would you please
bow your heads with me?
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Dear Heavenly Father,
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thank You so much that
we can be together today.
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And that we can
take a few minutes apart,
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and we can study from Your Word.
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And, Lord, at this time,
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we would ask that You
would do a work for us
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even now of making the scripture
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not only understandable
but applicable to our lives.
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Please guide our study
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through the power
of the Holy Spirit
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that You've promised
to give to all of those
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who want to know You.
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So, Lord, we claim that promise,
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and we thank You in advance
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for Your leading
and guiding today,
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for we pray it in
Jesus' name, amen.
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If you have your Bibles,
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or I should say
this is a biblical crowd
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since you have
your Bibles with you,
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take them out
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and we're gonna go to the
Book of Matthew Chapter 13.
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Matthew Chapter 13
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is where we will
begin our study today,
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and as you're
finding Matthew Chapter 13,
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let me give you
a little context.
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Matthew Chapter 13, of course,
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describes a portion
of Christ's ministry
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and it was a particular day
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when apparently He was
giving stories after story,
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a parable after parable.
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And in the midst of
His telling of parables
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on this particular day,
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we come to Matthew 13:24.
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And we find the parable
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known as the
parable of the Wheat
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and the Tares.
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We're gonna study that
as we set the framework
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for our Silencing Satan Series.
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Matthew 13:24, reads,
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"Another parable he
put forth to them saying,
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'The kingdom of
heaven is like a man
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who sowed good
seed in his field.'
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But while men
slept, his enemy came
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and sowed tares among
the wheat and went his way.'"
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So that first
sentence introduces us
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to several key thoughts.
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First of all, in this parable,
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he likens what he's describing
as the Kingdom of Heaven.
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This is something in God's plan,
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he said, "Is
like a man who sowed,"
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and what kind of
seed does he sow?
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Good seed.
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He sows good seed
and where does he sow it?
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In his field.
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So the man is not
only the sower of the seed,
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but he's the owner of the field.
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Correct?
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So we go on.
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But while men
slept, and we'll come back
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to the identity of
these men momentarily,
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but for now we recognize
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that there was a
time when men slept,
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presumably at night,
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that his enemy came
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and sowed tares among
the wheat and went his way.
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So apparently all
of the enemy's activity
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that was done while men slept.
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He did the sowing of
the tares or the weeds,
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and while men
slept, he slipped away.
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Thus when we get
to verse 26, we read,
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"But when the grain had sprouted
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and produced the crop,
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then the tares also appeared."
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Now, I don't know if
you are green thumbs here
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or good at
horticulture and gardening,
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I have not been
given that particular gift.
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I don't have
the patience for it.
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You know what happens?
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You put a little soil in a cup
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and they might get a craft thing
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or something for a child
and put a little seed in there
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and fertilizer
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and you're supposed to water it
and set it in the window sill.
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And I would
expect that the next day
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I'm gonna come and
find kind of a jack
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and the beanstalk kind of thing.
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It's just really taken off.
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But what do I find the next day?
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It's still just soil, right?
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And the day after
that, and it takes a while.
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And even when it first comes up,
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it's just little tiny
little hints of green.
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So clearly,
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and the Bible
seems to indicate this.
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"But when the grain had sprouted
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and produced the crops,
then the tares also appeared."
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So these tares that were planted
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were not
immediately recognizable.
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It took some time
for them to be noticed
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that something's wrong.
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Let's go to verse 27.
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"So the servants of the
owner came and said to him,
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'Sir, did you not sow
good seed in your field?
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How then does it have tares?'"
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Now let's review already.
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Did the servants of the
owner do the sowing of the seed?
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No,
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the owner of the
field sowed his own seed
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and by his own admission,
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what was the
condition of that seed?
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It was good.
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There was not a mixed
lot. There wasn't a mixed bag.
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It was just good
seed in his own field.
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And apparently these
servants will cultivate
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and tend to and harvest
at the appropriate time,
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but the sowing was on the owner.
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So the servants of the owner
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where it says in verse 27 there,
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when they noticed the crop
is not what the owner had said,
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they are confused.
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So they asked him again,
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"Sir, did you not sow
good seed in your field?"
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Question for you.
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Why did they not go
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and express their
frustration about the enemy
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who would sow the tares?
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Because look at the passage,
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they're not even
aware there is an enemy.
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From their perspective,
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all they know is
there's the owner,
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who said that
he sowed good seed,
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but then they see the
evidence that there is tares,
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there are tares among the wheat.
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So their question automatically
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goes back to the
owner of the field,
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did you not sow
good seed in your field?
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How then does it have tears?
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Verse 28 is crucial.
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"He said to them, an
enemy has done this."
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Now notice, he does
not say, "Oops, my bad."
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He does not say, "I'm so sorry,
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you know, I
could have done better,
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I should have done
something different."
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He doesn't take...
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In this parable,
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how much responsibility
does the owner of the field
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take for the
presence of the tares?
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None.
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He says I didn't...
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First thing you need
to get out of your head.
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I didn't do it.
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Now, there was
some sort of dissonance,
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there was a
confusion in their mind
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because there was...
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What the owner had
said versus what they saw.
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And for just a
moment, let's pan out to this.
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This is one of the main issues
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that non-believers have
about the Christian faith.
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How can there be a good God
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who is supposed
to be all loving,
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and all knowing,
and all powerful,
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yet we look and see a world
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that does not
reflect those principles.
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We see a bad world
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while you claim
to follow a good God.
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So what they see
does not match up
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what the Bible says.
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So they say there
must be something wrong.
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This is exactly what
these people were doing.
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There was a discrepancy
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between the words of the owner
and the evidence in the field.
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So they came to the owner,
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"Sir, did you
not sow good seed?"
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And he says to them,
"An enemy has done this?"
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Well, he continues,
"The servants said to him,
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'Do you want us then to
go and gather them up?'"
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Now, what is their position?
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These aren't just
neighbors or friends,
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these are servants of the owner.
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And clearly they are hired
for the purpose of gathering up
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and tending to the field.
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Though the sowing
was done by the owner,
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the reaping is
done by the servants.
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And they said,
"Well, would you like us
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to go get to work
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and start
plucking up the tares?"
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Which is a logical conclusion
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but watch verse
29, "But he said..."
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What's the word?
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No.
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Why would the owner of the field
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elect to leave in the ground
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a crop of tares
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that he himself didn't even sow.
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He gives an explanation,
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"No,
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lest while you
gather up the tares,
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you also uproot
the wheat with them."
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This is gonna be
critical going forward.
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The reason the
owner of the field
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leaves the tares in the ground
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is out of his
concern for the wheat.
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It is better for the
wheat, for the time being,
00:09:32.87\00:09:36.60
that the tares
be allowed to stay
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than if the reapers were to go
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and gather up the
tares prematurely.
00:09:42.18\00:09:45.78
Now, does that mean that
they're gonna stay in the field
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forever?
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And it all is ruined? No.
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Let's continue reading.
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Here's his
explanation, verse 29, again,
00:09:52.99\00:09:54.32
"He said, no, lest
while you gather up the tares,
00:09:54.36\00:09:57.06
you also uproot
the wheat with them.
00:09:57.13\00:09:58.76
Verse 30, is the solution.
00:09:58.79\00:10:00.40
"Let both grow," how?
00:10:00.43\00:10:02.83
"Together."
00:10:02.86\00:10:04.20
He knows they're gonna grow
and they're gonna be together
00:10:04.27\00:10:07.34
until a particular time
which is the harvest, right?
00:10:07.37\00:10:11.64
"Let both grow
together until the harvest then,
00:10:11.67\00:10:16.95
and at the time of the harvest,
I will say to the reapers,
00:10:16.98\00:10:20.12
'First gather together the tares
00:10:20.15\00:10:21.95
and bind them in
bundles to burn them,
00:10:21.98\00:10:24.02
but gather the
wheat into my barn.'"
00:10:24.09\00:10:27.82
So it says, "At that time,
I will send forth the reapers,
00:10:27.86\00:10:31.13
and they will gather
first the tares for burning
00:10:31.16\00:10:37.27
and the wheat into my barn."
00:10:37.30\00:10:40.24
So there's two gatherings,
00:10:40.27\00:10:41.60
one is gonna be
gathered together for the burn,
00:10:41.64\00:10:43.14
the other is gonna be
gathered into the barn.
00:10:43.17\00:10:47.18
But the time of the
harvest will sort the two out
00:10:47.21\00:10:49.91
until then his
councils let both grow together.
00:10:49.94\00:10:54.02
And believe it or not,
that's the end of the parable.
00:10:54.05\00:10:57.49
In fact, look at verse 31,
00:10:57.52\00:10:58.85
another parable he put
forth through them saying
00:10:58.89\00:11:01.06
and he goes on
with the next parable.
00:11:01.09\00:11:03.73
So this isn't a sandwich
of parables day after day,
00:11:03.76\00:11:05.99
I mean, hour after hour
he was telling these parables
00:11:06.03\00:11:08.46
but at the end of
this particular day,
00:11:08.50\00:11:11.47
if you skip over to verse 36,
00:11:11.50\00:11:15.74
we notice something interesting.
00:11:15.77\00:11:18.27
"Then Jesus sent
the multitude away
00:11:18.31\00:11:19.97
and went into the house
00:11:20.01\00:11:21.34
and his disciples came to
him saying, 'Explain to us...'"
00:11:21.38\00:11:24.88
And they don't say,
00:11:24.91\00:11:26.31
all the parables
you talked today.
00:11:26.35\00:11:29.68
They have one particular
parable that's in their mind
00:11:29.72\00:11:32.55
that they knew he was
saying something significant,
00:11:32.59\00:11:36.12
and they wanted clarification.
00:11:36.16\00:11:37.99
They said, "Explain to us
00:11:38.03\00:11:39.79
the parable of the
tares of the field."
00:11:39.83\00:11:43.87
And don't you praise the Lord
00:11:43.90\00:11:45.23
that anytime we
asked for wisdom,
00:11:45.27\00:11:46.60
He gives it.
00:11:46.63\00:11:47.97
That He's promised to
lead us into all truth
00:11:48.00\00:11:50.24
by the power of His Holy Spirit.
00:11:50.31\00:11:51.64
And there Jesus Christ
was the author of the parable
00:11:51.67\00:11:53.98
who had just spoken it
that day and He said, "Sure."
00:11:54.01\00:11:56.75
So look at verse 37,
00:11:56.78\00:11:58.48
"He answered and said to them,
00:11:58.51\00:12:00.72
he who sows the
good seed is," who?
00:12:00.75\00:12:04.39
"The Son of
man," which of course,
00:12:04.42\00:12:06.42
you go through
the gospel record,
00:12:06.45\00:12:08.26
son of man was the
preferred self-moniker
00:12:08.29\00:12:11.39
that Christ had in
referring to His identity.
00:12:11.43\00:12:15.83
Now He was, of
course, the Son of God,
00:12:15.86\00:12:17.57
but He was also the Son of man,
00:12:17.60\00:12:18.93
but He identifies
himself with humanity,
00:12:18.97\00:12:20.84
and he would call
himself the Son of man.
00:12:20.87\00:12:23.17
So we could put
this more simply,
00:12:23.20\00:12:25.11
who is the owner of the field?
00:12:25.14\00:12:27.08
Jesus Christ.
00:12:27.11\00:12:30.15
Well, He goes on
to explain verse 38,
00:12:30.18\00:12:31.75
"The field is the world."
00:12:31.78\00:12:34.32
And, of course, if
you were to go back
00:12:34.35\00:12:35.68
to the Genesis account of
the creation of this world,
00:12:35.72\00:12:37.89
it says that,
00:12:37.92\00:12:39.25
"God created the
heavens and the earth,"
00:12:39.29\00:12:40.66
but which member of the Godhead
00:12:40.69\00:12:42.29
did the executing
of the Father's will?
00:12:42.32\00:12:44.96
It was the Son of God.
00:12:44.99\00:12:47.40
John in the Gospel of
John makes that clear.
00:12:47.43\00:12:50.10
Colossians makes that clear.
00:12:50.17\00:12:51.50
Hebrews makes that clear,
00:12:51.53\00:12:52.90
that Jesus
Christ is our Creator.
00:12:52.93\00:12:57.31
And if you look in
that Genesis account
00:12:57.34\00:12:59.01
as you go through day one,
day two, day three, day four,
00:12:59.04\00:13:01.44
and the sequential six
days of work that Christ did
00:13:01.48\00:13:04.15
and then the
seventh day of rest.
00:13:04.18\00:13:05.75
You notice that,
00:13:05.78\00:13:07.12
what condition
was the world made?
00:13:07.15\00:13:09.15
Each day,
00:13:09.18\00:13:10.52
the Creator Jesus
Christ reflected on the work
00:13:10.59\00:13:12.49
which He had done.
00:13:12.52\00:13:13.86
And He said,
"Indeed, it was good."
00:13:13.89\00:13:16.29
In fact, by day six,
He said, "It's very good."
00:13:16.32\00:13:20.03
So Christ created this world
00:13:20.10\00:13:22.66
and developed that
beginning of our history
00:13:22.70\00:13:26.13
with no bad in the mix.
00:13:26.17\00:13:29.07
Everything He made was good.
00:13:29.10\00:13:32.31
Goes on in verse 38,
00:13:32.34\00:13:35.01
after He says, "The
field is the world,"
00:13:35.04\00:13:36.95
he then adds,
00:13:36.98\00:13:38.31
"The good seeds are
the sons of the kingdom,"
00:13:38.35\00:13:41.78
that is the righteous, right?
00:13:41.82\00:13:43.39
The faithful,
00:13:43.42\00:13:46.42
"but the tares are the
sons of the wicked one."
00:13:46.45\00:13:52.26
That is the
wicked, the unrighteous.
00:13:52.29\00:13:55.73
So it's describing
two types of people
00:13:55.76\00:13:58.17
when we're talking
about the plants in the field.
00:13:58.20\00:14:02.17
The wheat and the tares
00:14:02.20\00:14:03.54
represent the
righteous and the wicked.
00:14:03.61\00:14:06.07
Verse 39, he adds,
00:14:06.11\00:14:07.61
"The enemy who
sow them is the devil,
00:14:07.64\00:14:11.55
the harvest is
the end of the age,
00:14:11.58\00:14:13.95
and the reapers are," whom?
00:14:14.02\00:14:16.38
"The angels."
00:14:16.42\00:14:20.29
"Therefore as the
tares are gathered
00:14:20.36\00:14:21.76
and burn in the fire,
00:14:21.79\00:14:23.12
so it will be at
the end of this age.
00:14:23.16\00:14:25.16
The Son of man will
send out His angels,
00:14:25.19\00:14:27.43
and they will
gather out of His kingdom
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.10
all things that offend
00:14:29.13\00:14:30.47
and those who
practice lawlessness,
00:14:30.50\00:14:31.87
and will cast them
into the furnace of fire.
00:14:31.90\00:14:34.14
There will be wailing
and gnashing of teeth.
00:14:34.17\00:14:36.17
Then the
righteous will shine forth
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.01
as the son in the
kingdom of their Father,
00:14:38.04\00:14:40.18
he who has ears to
hear, let him hear."
00:14:40.21\00:14:42.74
Who did it say
those reapers were,
00:14:46.58\00:14:48.38
those servants of the owners
00:14:48.42\00:14:49.75
who were gonna go gather
up at the end of the harvest?
00:14:49.78\00:14:53.56
The angels.
00:14:53.59\00:14:56.96
I don't know if you've
ever considered this before,
00:14:57.03\00:14:58.56
but is it possible that
00:14:58.59\00:15:00.10
even loyal angels of
God have some questions
00:15:00.13\00:15:04.40
about the origin
and continuance of evil?
00:15:04.43\00:15:10.01
Yes.
00:15:10.04\00:15:11.94
Now, let's add
another question to that.
00:15:11.97\00:15:14.31
Can you be loyal to God
00:15:14.34\00:15:17.48
and still have
questions for God?
00:15:17.55\00:15:20.62
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:15:20.65\00:15:22.85
Notice, they didn't
resign their positions,
00:15:22.88\00:15:24.52
they didn't jump off ship,
they didn't leave His employ,
00:15:24.55\00:15:29.39
but they needed clarification.
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.56
They say, how come what
we see is not what You said.
00:15:31.59\00:15:34.20
I mean, we're still with
You, but we need an explanation.
00:15:34.23\00:15:38.67
And so Christ gives the parable,
00:15:38.70\00:15:40.74
explanation there.
00:15:40.77\00:15:43.20
Now, the title of our message
today is "Know your Enemy."
00:15:43.24\00:15:45.47
And Jesus just identified
00:15:45.51\00:15:46.88
who the enemy
in this parable is,
00:15:46.91\00:15:49.28
and that is the devil.
00:15:49.31\00:15:50.98
So let's go back a little bit.
00:15:51.01\00:15:52.35
Let's go to the Old
Testament Book of Isaiah
00:15:52.38\00:15:54.22
to identify this
enemy from the parable.
00:15:54.25\00:15:58.62
Who is the enemy?
00:15:58.65\00:16:01.19
Isaiah Chapter 14.
00:16:01.22\00:16:02.66
We'll start with verse 12.
00:16:06.03\00:16:08.96
Here the Prophet Isaiah
00:16:09.00\00:16:11.30
is looking at this
great controversy struggle
00:16:11.33\00:16:13.84
between good and evil,
00:16:13.87\00:16:15.87
and he reflects on the outcome,
00:16:15.90\00:16:19.94
especially as it
pertains to this enemy.
00:16:19.97\00:16:23.28
Isaiah Chapter 14,
we'll begin with verse 12.
00:16:23.35\00:16:25.48
He laments saying,
00:16:25.51\00:16:26.95
"How you are
fallen from," where?
00:16:27.02\00:16:30.22
"Heaven, O
Lucifer, son of the morning!
00:16:30.29\00:16:35.42
How you are cut
down to the ground
00:16:35.46\00:16:37.13
you who weakened the nations!"
00:16:37.16\00:16:39.86
Now notice, he
gives a proper name here,
00:16:39.89\00:16:41.83
Lucifer, which, you
know, in this day and age,
00:16:41.86\00:16:44.57
I don't hear many people
naming their children Lucifer,
00:16:44.60\00:16:47.44
right, it's gotten a bad rep.
00:16:47.47\00:16:48.80
But the name itself
inherently is not bad.
00:16:48.84\00:16:52.24
Lucifer like
loose, it's like light,
00:16:52.27\00:16:54.54
it means light bearer, right?
00:16:54.58\00:16:56.51
It's a noble name.
00:16:56.54\00:16:57.88
It was intended for
a good purpose, right?
00:16:57.91\00:17:00.75
Son of the morning but it says
you are cut down to the ground,
00:17:00.82\00:17:03.79
you who weakened the nations.
00:17:03.82\00:17:05.15
And he explains why, verse 13:4.
00:17:05.19\00:17:09.49
So this is the explanation
00:17:09.52\00:17:11.29
as to why he has been
cast down is for this reason.
00:17:11.33\00:17:14.86
"For you have said,"
00:17:14.90\00:17:16.77
and these next
three words are critical,
00:17:16.80\00:17:18.90
"in your," what?
00:17:18.93\00:17:20.74
"Heart."
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.10
So notice everything
00:17:22.14\00:17:23.51
we're about to
read the communication
00:17:23.54\00:17:26.04
that's being provided
is not a public declaration
00:17:26.07\00:17:29.01
but it's an
internal conversation.
00:17:29.04\00:17:32.71
"For you have
said in your hearts,
00:17:32.75\00:17:36.05
'I will ascend into heaven,
00:17:36.08\00:17:38.42
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God.
00:17:38.45\00:17:41.96
I also will sit on the
mount of the congregation
00:17:41.99\00:17:44.66
on the farther
sides of the North.
00:17:44.69\00:17:46.39
I will ascend above
the heights of the cloud,
00:17:46.43\00:17:48.96
I will be like the most high.
00:17:49.00\00:17:51.77
Verse 15, of course, says,
00:17:55.57\00:17:57.01
"Yet you shall be
brought down to sheol,
00:17:57.04\00:18:00.98
to the lowest
depths of the pit."
00:18:01.01\00:18:05.21
So notice Lucifer,
00:18:05.25\00:18:07.65
a good being with a
good name in a good place,
00:18:07.68\00:18:11.72
heaven has fallen down
because he said in his heart I,
00:18:11.75\00:18:17.26
I, I will exalt, I will ascend,
00:18:17.33\00:18:19.93
I will be like the Most High.
00:18:20.00\00:18:24.43
Something was going
on inside of Lucifer.
00:18:24.47\00:18:28.67
Let's find another passage,
00:18:28.70\00:18:30.04
you go to the Old
Testament Book of Ezekiel.
00:18:30.11\00:18:32.54
Right next to
the Prophet Daniel,
00:18:35.54\00:18:38.15
we have the Prophet Ezekiel
just before Daniel is Ezekiel,
00:18:38.18\00:18:41.08
and we're gonna go to Chapter 28
00:18:41.12\00:18:44.12
to help identify
this enemy of Christ.
00:18:44.19\00:18:49.26
Ezekiel Chapter 28,
we'll begin with verse 14.
00:18:49.29\00:18:53.80
Again describing this
enemy and his origins,
00:18:53.83\00:18:58.00
says in Ezekiel 28:14,
00:18:58.03\00:19:00.44
"You were the
anointed cherub who covers,
00:19:00.47\00:19:04.74
I established you."
00:19:04.77\00:19:08.38
Here the prophet of the Lord
speaking on behalf of Christ
00:19:08.41\00:19:11.11
and the Godhead are
referring to this fallen being,
00:19:11.15\00:19:16.05
describing him as
the anointed cherub
00:19:16.08\00:19:19.02
or you were the
anointed cherub who covers.
00:19:19.05\00:19:22.19
Now, if you've studied
at all in your scriptures,
00:19:22.22\00:19:25.16
you're probably
aware in the Old Testament
00:19:25.19\00:19:27.60
there was a sanctuary,
00:19:27.63\00:19:29.60
and in the most holy
place of that sanctuary
00:19:29.63\00:19:31.87
where the Ten
Commandments were kept
00:19:31.90\00:19:34.04
was this Ark of the Covenant.
00:19:34.07\00:19:36.17
And on the lid, there were
those angels carved into it,
00:19:36.20\00:19:39.34
representing the
throne of God in heaven.
00:19:39.37\00:19:43.11
And that angel, and
they would have their wings
00:19:43.14\00:19:45.45
covering over that
seat of the Most High.
00:19:45.48\00:19:50.72
Those are if for a better term,
00:19:50.79\00:19:52.12
the right and
left hand man of God,
00:19:52.15\00:19:54.56
the angels of God
00:19:54.59\00:19:55.92
who have a particular
duty and notice it says,
00:19:55.96\00:19:58.03
"He was the anointed
cherub, I established you."
00:19:58.06\00:20:00.90
Some versions even say,
"For so I ordained you."
00:20:00.93\00:20:06.77
You get the information
here, you get the concept
00:20:06.84\00:20:08.67
that Lucifer was not just
another angel among so many,
00:20:08.70\00:20:12.34
but he had a
high exalted position
00:20:12.37\00:20:15.44
established by God Himself
00:20:15.48\00:20:17.25
as close to the
Father as you could be.
00:20:17.28\00:20:22.72
It goes on to explain,
00:20:22.75\00:20:24.09
"You were on the
holy mountain of God,
00:20:24.12\00:20:25.45
you walked back and forth
in the midst of fiery stones."
00:20:25.49\00:20:30.13
And notice verse 15,
"You were," what's the word?
00:20:30.16\00:20:33.70
"Perfect."
00:20:33.73\00:20:37.00
Now notice that,
apparently you can be perfect
00:20:37.07\00:20:39.27
and then become not perfect.
00:20:39.30\00:20:42.84
But his original
condition in which the Lord made
00:20:42.87\00:20:47.58
this being was not
fallen, but perfect.
00:20:47.61\00:20:52.01
You were perfect in your ways
from the day you were created.
00:20:52.05\00:20:57.92
Clearly, we're
talking about a created being
00:20:57.95\00:21:00.16
who was formed
perfect, but deformed somehow.
00:21:00.19\00:21:06.46
"Till iniquity was found,"
00:21:06.49\00:21:08.60
and this is very important look
at next two words, "in you."
00:21:08.63\00:21:14.27
Now, that's a lot like
Isaiah Chapter 14, is it not?
00:21:14.30\00:21:17.44
Remember the
dialogue that was happening
00:21:17.51\00:21:19.67
it was actually a
monologue, internal monologue,
00:21:19.71\00:21:22.21
"For you have
said in your heart,"
00:21:22.24\00:21:23.98
and here in Ezekiel it says,
00:21:24.05\00:21:25.38
"For iniquity was found in you."
00:21:25.41\00:21:27.32
Repeatedly the Bible
talks about the location
00:21:27.35\00:21:30.09
of the origin of evil was inside
00:21:30.12\00:21:33.36
this particular being.
00:21:33.39\00:21:35.32
"By the
abundance of your trading
00:21:38.73\00:21:40.60
you became filled
with violence within,"
00:21:40.63\00:21:43.67
notice the
violence is still within,
00:21:43.70\00:21:46.50
"and you sinned,
00:21:46.53\00:21:47.87
therefore I cast
you as a profane thing
00:21:47.90\00:21:51.91
out of the mountain of God,
00:21:51.94\00:21:53.81
and I destroyed
you, O covering cherub,
00:21:53.88\00:21:55.81
from the midst of
the fiery stones."
00:21:55.84\00:22:01.82
So all that was happening
00:22:01.85\00:22:03.28
described by Isaiah and Ezekiel,
00:22:03.32\00:22:05.55
the self-exaltation,
00:22:05.59\00:22:08.22
the iniquity that
even the violence,
00:22:08.26\00:22:12.19
every time those
terms are mentioned
00:22:12.23\00:22:14.10
it always says
that they were within,
00:22:14.13\00:22:16.56
in your heart,
00:22:16.60\00:22:17.93
inequity was found in
you, the violence was within.
00:22:17.97\00:22:22.97
Let me ask you a question.
00:22:23.00\00:22:24.34
Is it possible to have something
00:22:24.37\00:22:25.71
going on inside of
you that you don't share
00:22:25.74\00:22:27.58
on the outside of you?
00:22:27.61\00:22:30.38
All the time, right?
00:22:30.45\00:22:33.18
And that's
probably a good thing.
00:22:33.21\00:22:34.55
We should have a
filter on what's inside
00:22:34.58\00:22:36.08
before we let out
and use our expressions
00:22:36.12\00:22:37.89
or our voice or
some sort of thing.
00:22:37.92\00:22:39.32
But clearly,
it's quite possible.
00:22:39.35\00:22:41.86
I'm gonna say almost probable,
00:22:41.89\00:22:45.76
in fact it's necessary.
00:22:45.79\00:22:48.80
As we're going to see that
00:22:48.83\00:22:50.17
what was going on inside of him
00:22:50.20\00:22:51.53
was not what was
going on the outside of him.
00:22:51.57\00:22:55.57
We'll see why.
00:22:55.60\00:22:56.94
But it does beg this question,
00:22:57.01\00:22:58.34
both Ezekiel and Isaiah
refer to something else,
00:22:58.37\00:23:01.01
not only the internal monologue
00:23:01.04\00:23:02.64
of self exaltation and violence,
00:23:02.68\00:23:05.21
but it also
describes God's response
00:23:05.25\00:23:09.98
to that iniquity that was found.
00:23:10.02\00:23:12.59
And it does not say
00:23:12.62\00:23:13.96
that he was
blotted out of existence.
00:23:13.99\00:23:16.49
It says, he was cast out
00:23:16.52\00:23:19.06
or how you were
fallen from heaven.
00:23:19.09\00:23:21.00
He was removed,
but not destroyed.
00:23:21.03\00:23:25.47
Why would that be?
00:23:25.50\00:23:26.84
Why merely cast out Lucifer
00:23:29.60\00:23:32.27
instead of blotting
out Lucifer altogether?
00:23:32.31\00:23:36.51
That's another question
00:23:36.54\00:23:37.88
a lot of skeptics
have for Christianity.
00:23:37.91\00:23:39.75
If your God is so good,
00:23:39.78\00:23:42.08
why did He allow
00:23:42.12\00:23:45.95
evil to proliferate?
00:23:45.99\00:23:49.39
And a lot of times when we say,
00:23:49.42\00:23:52.76
that's not a
particularly convincing answer.
00:23:52.79\00:23:58.10
But let's keep studying.
00:23:58.13\00:23:59.93
Revelation Chapter 12,
00:23:59.97\00:24:01.94
the very last book of
the Bible when it describes
00:24:01.97\00:24:04.04
why there is a
great controversy at all,
00:24:04.11\00:24:06.61
why there is this
need for redemption.
00:24:06.68\00:24:10.18
It describes the very beginning,
00:24:10.25\00:24:12.08
the origins of this rebellion.
00:24:12.11\00:24:14.92
Revelation Chapter 12,
and we'll begin in verse 7.
00:24:14.95\00:24:19.32
It says, "And war
broke out," where?
00:24:19.35\00:24:21.96
"In heaven."
00:24:21.99\00:24:23.32
Notice again, the
location is consistently heaven
00:24:23.36\00:24:25.09
where the origin of evil began.
00:24:25.13\00:24:27.90
"Michael and his
angels fought with the dragon,
00:24:27.93\00:24:30.70
and the dragon
and his angels fought
00:24:30.77\00:24:32.70
but they did not prevail,
00:24:32.73\00:24:34.74
nor was a place found for
them in heaven any longer.
00:24:34.77\00:24:39.91
So the great dragon was cast out
00:24:39.94\00:24:42.28
that serpent of old
called the devil and Satan,
00:24:42.31\00:24:45.65
who deceives the whole world,
00:24:45.68\00:24:47.45
he was cast to the earth
00:24:47.52\00:24:49.45
and his angels
were cast out with him."
00:24:49.48\00:24:53.96
For the third
time prophecy describes
00:24:53.99\00:24:57.63
the origin of evil
00:24:57.66\00:24:59.46
and it always puts it
on this individual Lucifer,
00:24:59.49\00:25:04.17
or now referred to as rebellion
00:25:04.20\00:25:06.07
as that serpent of old
called the devil and Satan,
00:25:06.10\00:25:09.07
who deceives the
whole world, but every time
00:25:09.10\00:25:11.94
it acknowledges the
origin of evil in this person,
00:25:11.97\00:25:15.74
it refers to the response of God
00:25:15.78\00:25:17.58
as being casting out
instead of blotting out.
00:25:17.65\00:25:22.45
Why?
00:25:22.48\00:25:26.25
Imagine,
00:25:26.29\00:25:29.02
there's a day there was a day
00:25:29.06\00:25:31.99
in the courts of heaven.
00:25:32.03\00:25:34.60
At the time when
this internal monologue
00:25:34.63\00:25:37.60
was happening in
the heart of Lucifer,
00:25:37.63\00:25:40.07
this covering cherub,
this ordained minister
00:25:40.14\00:25:43.64
in the courts of
heaven, if you will.
00:25:43.71\00:25:46.68
And imagine there was a day
00:25:46.71\00:25:48.04
when God had all
of the inhabitants
00:25:48.08\00:25:51.68
of the universe,
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.05
the sentient
beings of His creation
00:25:53.08\00:25:55.05
assemble before Him
00:25:55.08\00:25:57.29
for praise and worship.
00:25:57.32\00:26:01.32
Now,
00:26:01.36\00:26:02.69
you can imagine
the music of heaven
00:26:02.72\00:26:04.26
must be phenomenal.
00:26:04.33\00:26:05.93
I don't even know
if I can imagine that
00:26:05.96\00:26:07.96
but you can just
picture, you know,
00:26:08.00\00:26:09.90
melody, harmony and
all the rich vibrations
00:26:09.93\00:26:12.80
ringing through the courts,
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.17
it must have
been splendid, right?
00:26:14.24\00:26:15.70
And they're all
gathered together,
00:26:15.74\00:26:17.11
and they're all in
unison, all in one accord,
00:26:17.14\00:26:19.54
all of the same
heart, and mind and love,
00:26:19.57\00:26:22.31
it's just beautiful.
00:26:22.34\00:26:24.91
And, of course,
when God sees you,
00:26:24.95\00:26:28.12
He doesn't just see to
you, He sees through you.
00:26:28.15\00:26:33.76
That is an advantage
that no created being has.
00:26:33.79\00:26:38.46
I'm stuck here,
but God can go in here,
00:26:38.49\00:26:41.70
right?
00:26:41.73\00:26:43.06
Doesn't the scripture talk about
00:26:43.10\00:26:44.43
how man looks at
the outward appearance,
00:26:44.47\00:26:46.53
but God looks at the heart.
00:26:46.57\00:26:48.74
And with that in mind,
00:26:51.97\00:26:55.71
the scenario is not
hard to imagine at all.
00:26:55.74\00:26:58.05
With all those
assembled inhabitants there,
00:26:58.08\00:27:00.02
the eye of God
sweeps the vast throng
00:27:00.05\00:27:02.48
and not only does He
see to but He sees through,
00:27:02.52\00:27:05.45
and He knows that the
expression on the face
00:27:05.49\00:27:07.29
and the tone of
the voice is harmonious
00:27:07.36\00:27:10.33
with the character in the heart.
00:27:10.36\00:27:12.53
That everyone is
singing out of love
00:27:12.56\00:27:14.40
and they're praising
00:27:14.43\00:27:15.76
because they have
a genuine devotion
00:27:15.80\00:27:18.20
and loyalty to their Creator.
00:27:18.23\00:27:21.07
What a wonderful thing
00:27:21.10\00:27:22.44
and as He sweeps
across the congregation,
00:27:22.47\00:27:24.21
what a powerful thought
00:27:24.24\00:27:26.68
until it is He reaches
00:27:26.71\00:27:32.81
the covering cherub.
00:27:32.85\00:27:34.22
You know, the Bible
describes the timbrels and pipes
00:27:38.95\00:27:41.12
that were created from his.
00:27:41.16\00:27:42.99
Quite likely he
was the song leader
00:27:43.02\00:27:45.36
in the praise service of heaven.
00:27:45.39\00:27:46.73
And you can imagine
that day they're singing,
00:27:46.80\00:27:48.23
"Praise God from
whom all blessings flow,"
00:27:48.26\00:27:51.30
and it's just wonderful.
00:27:51.33\00:27:53.10
And he's up there
leading it, smile on his face,
00:27:53.13\00:27:56.47
enthusiastically.
00:27:56.50\00:28:00.38
At least presenting himself.
00:28:00.41\00:28:02.28
But when God
looks upon his hearts,
00:28:05.65\00:28:09.45
iniquity was found in him.
00:28:09.48\00:28:12.15
So what would
happen if in that moment
00:28:17.93\00:28:20.90
while the
doxology is being lifted up
00:28:20.93\00:28:22.76
and 10,000 times
00:28:22.80\00:28:24.20
10,000 are all singing together?
00:28:24.27\00:28:27.24
The God halts the celebration.
00:28:31.41\00:28:34.11
He says, "Wait, I'm sorry,
we need to stop this, cut."
00:28:34.18\00:28:39.55
And, of course, everyone
would obey, hush all over.
00:28:39.58\00:28:44.42
He would say, Lucifer,
can you please step forward?
00:28:44.45\00:28:47.76
Dutifully he does, I'm sure.
00:28:52.16\00:28:54.73
With the look of,
"Oh, yes, how can I help?"
00:28:54.76\00:28:56.56
Is there something that would
you like to take it up a notch,
00:28:56.60\00:28:58.40
here we go, everyone let him.
00:28:58.43\00:28:59.77
He said stop, just stop.
00:28:59.80\00:29:05.24
I've seen your heart
00:29:05.27\00:29:08.24
and iniquity was found in you.
00:29:08.28\00:29:10.85
Furthermore,
00:29:14.02\00:29:15.68
that the wages of sin is death.
00:29:15.72\00:29:18.72
And so right there,
00:29:22.02\00:29:24.76
in the gaze of
onlooking untold host of heaven.
00:29:24.79\00:29:29.83
The Father executes justice.
00:29:32.87\00:29:35.64
He takes back that light
00:29:43.21\00:29:44.61
which He had
given at the creation,
00:29:44.65\00:29:48.08
and the lifeless body of Lucifer
00:29:48.12\00:29:53.56
falls right there
on the streets of gold.
00:29:53.59\00:29:55.19
Now in that scenario,
00:29:59.66\00:30:01.20
if God been turned
to the onlooking crowd
00:30:05.33\00:30:11.71
steps over the body
00:30:11.74\00:30:15.51
and says, "All
right, where were we,
00:30:15.54\00:30:16.88
let's sing
praise God from whom..."
00:30:16.95\00:30:20.62
You think people would sing?
00:30:20.65\00:30:24.39
I think they would.
00:30:24.42\00:30:27.26
After that display,
00:30:27.29\00:30:28.62
I do anything He asked, right?
00:30:28.66\00:30:32.49
But I'm guessing
instead of being joyous,
00:30:32.53\00:30:34.46
and it would be, praise God.
00:30:34.50\00:30:40.34
Would they
still be loyal to God?
00:30:40.37\00:30:42.14
Sure.
00:30:42.17\00:30:43.51
You think they might have
a question or two for God?
00:30:43.54\00:30:46.91
Absolutely, they
would. Absolutely, they would.
00:30:46.98\00:30:50.08
And so in the middle
of this second rendition,
00:30:50.15\00:30:52.05
I'm sure someone would
have the courage to say,
00:30:52.08\00:30:55.08
"Excuse me.
00:30:55.12\00:30:56.79
I have a question."
00:30:56.82\00:30:58.92
Oh, yes. "How can I help you?"
00:30:58.95\00:31:00.39
What's on your
mind this morning?
00:31:00.46\00:31:03.63
Um, you know, I'm
not even sure how to ask,
00:31:03.66\00:31:05.86
but could you maybe
explain what, I mean why?
00:31:05.89\00:31:11.63
And what?
00:31:11.67\00:31:15.14
What?
00:31:15.17\00:31:16.50
And he says, oh, you
mean the Lucifer thing,
00:31:16.54\00:31:18.61
is that what
you're asking about?
00:31:18.64\00:31:19.97
He says, "Yes,
yes. Tell me what..."
00:31:20.01\00:31:21.84
And what if God's response was?
00:31:21.88\00:31:23.21
Oh that.
00:31:23.24\00:31:24.88
Oh, don't worry
about it, trust me.
00:31:24.91\00:31:29.62
Let's sing.
00:31:29.65\00:31:30.99
Friends, if God's
only answer was trust me,
00:31:35.56\00:31:38.76
he would have killed the rebel,
00:31:42.16\00:31:44.87
but he would not
have ended the rebellion.
00:31:44.90\00:31:48.97
People would look at God
as covering something up.
00:31:49.00\00:31:53.48
They would look at Lucifer
00:31:53.51\00:31:54.84
as instead of the
scorn he should be
00:31:54.88\00:31:57.71
as a martyr for
the cause of freedom.
00:31:57.75\00:32:02.68
God in His wisdom
merely cast him out
00:32:02.72\00:32:07.06
instead of blotting
him out for all eternity.
00:32:07.09\00:32:11.49
Now, where can we find,
00:32:11.53\00:32:13.26
this is like, that's
a fanciful illustration
00:32:13.29\00:32:14.93
but is there
anything in the Bible
00:32:14.96\00:32:16.30
that even hints
of that happening?
00:32:16.33\00:32:18.70
Sure.
00:32:18.73\00:32:20.07
Go back now to the
passages we just looked at.
00:32:20.14\00:32:21.84
Go back to Isaiah Chapter 14.
00:32:21.87\00:32:24.77
Isaiah Chapter 14.
00:32:24.81\00:32:26.44
It not only
tells us what happened,
00:32:31.28\00:32:33.11
but it actually tells us
00:32:33.15\00:32:34.65
why God takes this action
00:32:34.68\00:32:37.29
in response to the
rebellion of Lucifer.
00:32:37.32\00:32:41.46
Again, we'll
start with verse 12.
00:32:41.49\00:32:42.86
"How you were
fallen from heaven,
00:32:42.89\00:32:44.23
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
00:32:44.26\00:32:45.59
How you were cut
down to the ground,
00:32:45.63\00:32:47.00
you who weakened nations!
00:32:47.03\00:32:48.36
For you have
said," and here it is
00:32:48.40\00:32:49.73
"in your heart, I
will ascend into heaven,
00:32:49.76\00:32:52.50
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God.
00:32:52.53\00:32:54.60
I will also sit on the
mount of the congregation
00:32:54.64\00:32:56.81
on the farther sides of North.
00:32:56.84\00:32:58.27
I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds.
00:32:58.31\00:33:00.18
I will be like the
Most High, yet you,"
00:33:00.21\00:33:03.55
and notice this, "shall be."
00:33:03.58\00:33:08.15
Notice that the, you
have said is past tense,
00:33:08.18\00:33:11.65
but you shall
be is future tense.
00:33:11.69\00:33:15.09
It indicates a process of
dealing with this rebellion,
00:33:15.12\00:33:18.63
does it not?
00:33:18.66\00:33:20.13
Yet you shall be
brought down to sheol,
00:33:20.20\00:33:22.43
to the lowest depths of the pit.
00:33:22.46\00:33:23.80
So why a gap
00:33:23.87\00:33:25.27
between the
revelation of the iniquity
00:33:25.30\00:33:28.97
in the mind of God,
00:33:29.00\00:33:31.01
and the execution of judgment,
00:33:31.04\00:33:33.38
taking him down to the pit?
00:33:33.41\00:33:34.74
Why that time elapse?
00:33:34.78\00:33:36.61
Well, look at
verse 16, it tells us.
00:33:36.64\00:33:39.15
"Those who see
you will gaze at you
00:33:39.18\00:33:43.52
and consider you."
00:33:43.59\00:33:46.76
Notice that God has in
mind an onlooking congregation
00:33:46.79\00:33:52.56
who might have some thoughts
00:33:52.59\00:33:54.83
that need to be
clarified, right?
00:33:54.86\00:33:56.97
"Those who see
you will gaze at you."
00:33:57.00\00:33:59.63
What are some synonyms for gaze?
00:33:59.67\00:34:02.00
Look at, stare,
00:34:02.04\00:34:04.57
you know gaze is not
just a passing glance, right?
00:34:04.61\00:34:06.98
It's a studied look.
00:34:07.01\00:34:08.78
It's setting directly
00:34:08.81\00:34:14.25
this focus, right?
00:34:14.32\00:34:17.49
He goes on to say,
00:34:17.52\00:34:18.85
"Those who see
you will gaze at you
00:34:18.89\00:34:20.26
and consider you."
00:34:20.29\00:34:21.62
Now, what are some
synonyms for consider?
00:34:21.66\00:34:24.49
Think, ponder, mull over.
00:34:24.53\00:34:29.56
Apparently they're
gonna have to look close
00:34:29.60\00:34:31.80
and think deep
00:34:31.83\00:34:34.14
about what is going on
in the ending of Lucifer.
00:34:34.17\00:34:39.87
"Those who see
you will gaze at you
00:34:39.91\00:34:41.74
and consider you saying,
00:34:41.78\00:34:43.21
'Is this the man
00:34:43.24\00:34:45.81
who made the earth tremble?
00:34:45.85\00:34:47.85
Who shook kingdoms?
00:34:47.88\00:34:50.32
Who made the
world as a wilderness
00:34:50.39\00:34:51.85
and destroyed its cities.
00:34:51.89\00:34:54.36
Did not open the
house of his prisoners.'"
00:34:54.39\00:34:55.79
They start
reflecting on the whole process
00:34:55.82\00:34:57.89
when it's all said and done.
00:34:57.93\00:34:59.43
How did he go from
that down to there?
00:34:59.46\00:35:04.43
They need to see and consider.
00:35:04.47\00:35:07.74
Go to Ezekiel Chapter 28 again,
00:35:07.77\00:35:09.90
right back in the same
steps we just followed,
00:35:09.94\00:35:12.44
you'll find the
incredible consistency
00:35:12.47\00:35:15.31
of the scripture record
00:35:15.34\00:35:17.55
in regard to
the fall of Lucifer,
00:35:17.58\00:35:19.78
and the response of
God to his iniquity.
00:35:19.81\00:35:23.08
Ezekiel Chapter 28.
00:35:26.59\00:35:28.79
Let's go back to verse 16.
00:35:28.82\00:35:31.66
"By the
abundance of your trading
00:35:31.69\00:35:33.43
you became filled with
violence within and you sinned.
00:35:33.50\00:35:38.13
Therefore, I cast you
00:35:38.17\00:35:41.04
as a profane thing out
of the mountain of God,
00:35:41.07\00:35:43.61
and I destroyed
you, O covering cherub
00:35:43.64\00:35:45.27
from the midst of
the fiery stones."
00:35:45.31\00:35:48.01
"Your heart," verse 17,
00:35:48.04\00:35:49.68
"was lifted up
because of your beauty."
00:35:49.71\00:35:51.68
Notice that the heart
was the issue in Isaiah,
00:35:51.71\00:35:54.22
the heart is again in Ezekiel.
00:35:54.25\00:35:55.58
"Your heart was lifted
up because of your beauty,
00:35:55.62\00:35:57.69
you corrupted your wisdom
for the sake of your splendor."
00:35:57.72\00:36:00.59
Now notice very carefully,
00:36:00.66\00:36:02.02
"I cast you to the ground,
00:36:02.06\00:36:04.33
I laid you before kings," why?
00:36:04.36\00:36:07.40
That they might," and
here's our word again,
00:36:07.43\00:36:10.87
"gaze at you."
00:36:10.90\00:36:12.23
Friends, did God know
00:36:15.34\00:36:17.01
why Lucifer
needed to be destroyed?
00:36:17.04\00:36:20.58
Yes.
00:36:20.61\00:36:24.41
If it were only
God in the universe,
00:36:24.45\00:36:26.21
He could have executed
justice right then and there
00:36:26.25\00:36:28.78
and it would have
been righteous and true
00:36:28.82\00:36:30.59
in all of His ways.
00:36:30.62\00:36:33.66
But God's concern
was not just for Him,
00:36:33.69\00:36:37.23
and what was right,
00:36:37.26\00:36:38.63
He needed to be seen as rights.
00:36:38.66\00:36:42.46
So He says in Isaiah,
00:36:42.50\00:36:44.27
the reason He cast them out,
00:36:44.30\00:36:45.63
is so that others can
gaze and understand, consider.
00:36:45.67\00:36:48.70
Now He says in Ezekiel about
how they need to gaze at you.
00:36:48.74\00:36:52.74
It continues in verse 18.
00:36:52.77\00:36:54.21
"You defiled your sanctuaries
00:36:54.28\00:36:55.74
by the multitude
of your iniquities,
00:36:55.78\00:36:57.35
by the iniquity of your trading.
00:36:57.38\00:36:58.88
Therefore I brought
fire from your midst,
00:36:58.91\00:37:00.95
it devoured you and
I turned you to ashes
00:37:00.98\00:37:03.72
upon the earth in the
sight of all who saw you."
00:37:03.79\00:37:06.15
Now look at verse 19.
00:37:06.19\00:37:07.56
"All who knew
you among the peoples
00:37:07.59\00:37:11.16
are astonished at you,
00:37:11.19\00:37:13.50
you have become a horror,
00:37:13.53\00:37:15.70
and shall be no more forever."
00:37:15.73\00:37:20.24
Look at that again.
00:37:20.27\00:37:21.60
"All who knew you,"
00:37:21.64\00:37:23.74
your former
associates, those angelic hosts
00:37:23.81\00:37:27.48
who regarded you
and their position
00:37:27.51\00:37:31.85
now need to understand
as they watch you fall.
00:37:31.88\00:37:38.72
"All who knew
you among the peoples
00:37:38.75\00:37:40.36
are astonished at you,
00:37:40.39\00:37:41.72
you have become a horror,"
00:37:41.76\00:37:43.56
and notice, "and
shall be no more forever."
00:37:43.63\00:37:46.90
Again, future tense.
00:37:46.93\00:37:48.43
You notice that
God's dealing with Lucifer
00:37:48.46\00:37:51.97
was not a one shot moment
00:37:52.00\00:37:55.70
of justice being done.
00:37:55.74\00:38:00.28
Instead what the
Bible reveals is a process,
00:38:00.31\00:38:04.68
a process of responding to evil,
00:38:04.71\00:38:08.52
so that those who
see will understand.
00:38:08.55\00:38:13.46
That's the purpose.
00:38:13.49\00:38:16.52
Let me illustrate this.
00:38:16.56\00:38:19.63
A man one evening was
coming home from work.
00:38:19.66\00:38:23.47
Long day at work,
00:38:23.50\00:38:24.83
he had an office job
and it was mentally taxing.
00:38:24.87\00:38:28.20
And as he came home, he realized
00:38:28.24\00:38:30.84
that he had a kind
of the house to himself,
00:38:30.91\00:38:33.04
his wife and
children away on a trip
00:38:33.07\00:38:34.64
and he was honestly looking
forward to a calm evening
00:38:34.68\00:38:37.45
and he had a book
that he wanted to read,
00:38:37.48\00:38:39.18
and he was gonna make
himself a nice hot drink
00:38:39.21\00:38:40.95
and sit in his favorite
chair, and just read his book
00:38:40.98\00:38:43.15
before getting to bed
early and get some rest.
00:38:43.18\00:38:46.32
So he comes home,
puts the car in the garage
00:38:46.35\00:38:49.66
and prepares his
little comfortable
00:38:49.69\00:38:51.23
setting there
00:38:51.26\00:38:52.59
and he only has the one
lamp on in his back room
00:38:52.63\00:38:55.00
by his favorite
chair and from the street,
00:38:55.03\00:38:57.80
you would think
that no one was home.
00:38:57.83\00:38:59.87
You don't see any lights on,
00:38:59.90\00:39:01.24
you don't see the
car in the driveway
00:39:01.27\00:39:02.60
and as it would happen,
00:39:02.64\00:39:04.61
a burglar was
patrolling the area.
00:39:04.64\00:39:09.11
And he looks at
this house and he said,
00:39:09.14\00:39:11.58
"Ah-ah, this
matches all of my criteria
00:39:11.61\00:39:14.62
for an easy target."
00:39:14.65\00:39:17.79
So he decides that
00:39:17.82\00:39:19.15
he's going to
walk up to the house
00:39:19.19\00:39:20.96
and invite himself in.
00:39:20.99\00:39:25.86
And, of course,
unbeknownst to the man,
00:39:25.89\00:39:27.33
the owner of the home
the man is sitting there
00:39:27.40\00:39:29.16
reading his book
in his back room,
00:39:29.20\00:39:30.90
he was having a great evening
00:39:30.97\00:39:32.30
and he hears on the
other side of the house
00:39:32.33\00:39:35.74
some noises.
00:39:35.77\00:39:37.11
Someone's at the door,
but it wasn't this kind of...
00:39:37.14\00:39:40.48
Someone's at the
door, it was more of
00:39:40.51\00:39:43.55
a breaking and
entering type of a situation.
00:39:43.58\00:39:45.55
Man doesn't know what to do.
00:39:48.65\00:39:51.45
The owner of the home
00:39:51.49\00:39:53.22
first flips off
the light real quick,
00:39:53.25\00:39:55.49
not to give his location away
and he grabs the little phone
00:39:55.52\00:39:58.83
and he quickly
and quietly dials 911.
00:39:58.86\00:40:03.37
And he gets on the
line in whisper tone, "Help!
00:40:03.40\00:40:07.90
He's in my house,
there is someone in my home."
00:40:07.94\00:40:13.68
And they say, "No problem,
we're sending a squad car."
00:40:13.71\00:40:17.71
So he just has to quietly wait.
00:40:17.75\00:40:20.22
And as he's waiting,
he can hear the footsteps.
00:40:20.25\00:40:22.92
I don't know if how many of you
00:40:22.95\00:40:24.29
lived in a house
for quite a while.
00:40:24.32\00:40:25.85
But you come very quickly
00:40:25.89\00:40:27.26
to know the position
of all the furnishings
00:40:27.29\00:40:29.56
and the rooms and the
layout of the home, right?
00:40:29.59\00:40:31.99
You could probably
walk through your house
00:40:32.03\00:40:33.53
in the dark pretty well.
00:40:33.60\00:40:35.20
But, of course, this man can't,
00:40:35.23\00:40:36.56
he's bumbling
around and whatnot.
00:40:36.60\00:40:37.93
But the owner of the
home knows where he is
00:40:37.97\00:40:39.33
based on the
sound of his footsteps
00:40:39.37\00:40:41.34
and he can tell
which room he's in.
00:40:41.37\00:40:42.70
He knows "Oh, he's
in the kitchen now.
00:40:42.74\00:40:44.14
Nope, He's headed down the hall
00:40:44.21\00:40:45.54
and he knows he's
getting closer and closer
00:40:45.57\00:40:47.98
to his own
location in the house,
00:40:48.01\00:40:50.45
and he's racking his brain.
00:40:50.48\00:40:51.81
What can I do? I have no weapon.
00:40:51.85\00:40:53.18
I have no option.
What am I gonna do?
00:40:53.21\00:40:55.58
So the only thing
he can think to do
00:40:55.62\00:40:57.32
as he hears the man,
00:40:57.39\00:40:59.39
the burglar coming
in to the very room
00:40:59.42\00:41:01.82
in which he himself is seated,
00:41:01.86\00:41:03.19
is to quickly
switch on all the lights
00:41:03.22\00:41:06.49
and make his presence known.
00:41:06.53\00:41:09.36
Now, of course,
the burglar thought
00:41:09.40\00:41:10.77
this was an easy target,
he didn't put on all his gear
00:41:10.80\00:41:12.53
and a ski mask and stuff.
00:41:12.57\00:41:13.94
His face is wide exposed
00:41:13.97\00:41:15.30
and there's the man
sitting in his chair
00:41:15.34\00:41:16.67
with his face wide exposed.
00:41:16.71\00:41:18.04
And for a moment that
had to seem like an hour.
00:41:18.07\00:41:20.38
Both of them were just shocked.
00:41:20.41\00:41:23.58
Eyes bugged out, jaw dropping.
00:41:23.65\00:41:28.45
And in that split second of time
00:41:28.48\00:41:31.92
out coming down
the drive you can hear,
00:41:31.95\00:41:34.09
you know, the sirens are coming,
00:41:34.16\00:41:35.49
the lights are blaring
00:41:35.52\00:41:36.86
and all of a sudden the
burglar situation is changed
00:41:36.89\00:41:38.59
from an easy target to a
fight or flight scenario, right?
00:41:38.63\00:41:41.40
And he decides he
has to get out of there.
00:41:41.43\00:41:43.03
So he runs out of the house
00:41:43.06\00:41:44.40
the same way just in time
00:41:44.43\00:41:45.90
for the police to
open the squad door
00:41:45.93\00:41:47.34
and escort him
right into the backseat.
00:41:47.37\00:41:51.01
The owner of the
home goes chasing,
00:41:51.04\00:41:52.37
"Now, get on out of here."
00:41:52.41\00:41:53.78
He stands at the door
feeling like a man, right?
00:41:53.81\00:41:57.65
I just defended my territory.
00:41:57.68\00:41:59.55
I just made this place safe,
00:41:59.58\00:42:01.22
if only my wife were here
to see my massive strength
00:42:01.25\00:42:03.59
and anyway, he felt good.
00:42:03.62\00:42:07.26
Burglar on the
other hand didn't.
00:42:07.29\00:42:11.36
Now the owner
the home goes back,
00:42:11.39\00:42:12.73
he sleeps well,
00:42:12.76\00:42:14.10
gets a great rest
at night, he gets all.
00:42:14.13\00:42:15.86
The burglar, well, he
has to go to the court,
00:42:15.90\00:42:18.07
I mean, wherever you go, I
haven't ever experienced it.
00:42:18.10\00:42:20.14
So I'm just supposing, right?
00:42:20.17\00:42:21.84
But he gets in
that little jail cell
00:42:21.87\00:42:23.41
and has a change of clothes
00:42:23.44\00:42:24.77
and he's not at all
comfortable in that metal cot
00:42:24.81\00:42:27.21
that he has to
stay on with the noises
00:42:27.28\00:42:28.81
and lights and smells,
00:42:28.84\00:42:30.25
who knows what's
down that jail house.
00:42:30.28\00:42:33.15
And the next
morning they wake him up
00:42:33.18\00:42:34.52
'cause he's got to go
stand before the judge
00:42:34.55\00:42:36.08
and he's got to go through
the processing situation.
00:42:36.12\00:42:39.32
And so he goes
and they escort him
00:42:39.35\00:42:40.86
into the courtroom.
00:42:40.89\00:42:42.69
And finally the
bailiff says "All rise."
00:42:42.72\00:42:47.10
And, of course,
there's, of course,
00:42:47.13\00:42:48.46
the defense
attorney, court assign
00:42:48.50\00:42:50.17
and there's
prosecutor over there.
00:42:50.20\00:42:51.53
There's a few
people in the courtroom
00:42:51.57\00:42:52.90
watching the
proceedings that day
00:42:52.93\00:42:54.60
and the judge
strolls into the courtroom
00:42:54.64\00:42:57.54
and for the second
time in so many days,
00:42:57.61\00:43:01.58
those same two
faces see each other
00:43:01.61\00:43:04.95
because the man
who owned the home
00:43:04.98\00:43:07.62
just happened to be
the judge hearing his case.
00:43:07.65\00:43:12.89
And you can imagine the burglars
00:43:12.92\00:43:14.26
just completely deflated.
00:43:14.29\00:43:16.42
I am the worst criminal in
the history of the universe.
00:43:16.46\00:43:19.63
I broke into the judge's house,
00:43:19.66\00:43:22.33
and he saw my face and he knows,
00:43:22.36\00:43:26.33
and you can imagine the judge
then striding to the bench,
00:43:26.37\00:43:30.21
"Oh, hello there.
00:43:30.24\00:43:33.58
Good morning.
00:43:33.61\00:43:35.14
Did you sleep well?"
00:43:35.18\00:43:38.28
I'm well rested.
00:43:38.31\00:43:39.65
Thanks for asking, you
know, and poor burglar,
00:43:39.68\00:43:42.15
you almost feel bad
for him at this point.
00:43:42.18\00:43:43.62
Don't feel bad for him.
00:43:43.69\00:43:45.02
But in that scenario,
00:43:48.09\00:43:51.06
imagine
00:43:51.09\00:43:52.43
the judge were to look
at the defense attorney
00:43:56.70\00:43:58.40
and say,
00:43:58.43\00:44:00.34
"Friend, I'm sorry, but
you're gonna lose this one.
00:44:00.37\00:44:04.41
And prosecutor,
you and me today,
00:44:04.44\00:44:08.11
this is going in
your record book.
00:44:08.14\00:44:10.65
I'm ready
00:44:10.68\00:44:14.05
to give my verdict right now."
00:44:14.12\00:44:17.85
And he takes his
gavel, slams it down.
00:44:17.89\00:44:21.39
Guilty!
00:44:21.42\00:44:23.19
Throw the book at him.
00:44:23.22\00:44:27.13
Let me ask you a question.
00:44:27.20\00:44:28.53
Would the judge's
assessment of the verdict,
00:44:28.56\00:44:33.44
would his verdict be correct?
00:44:33.47\00:44:38.07
Yes.
00:44:38.11\00:44:40.08
He's the eyewitness.
00:44:40.11\00:44:41.51
He knows for a
fact, it was his home.
00:44:41.54\00:44:44.05
He knows everything
about the case from the inside.
00:44:44.08\00:44:47.42
He would absolutely be
correct in his verdict.
00:44:51.85\00:44:54.92
But let me ask you
the follow up question.
00:44:54.96\00:44:56.62
Would he be right
00:44:56.66\00:45:00.23
in taking that action?
00:45:00.30\00:45:04.17
No.
00:45:04.20\00:45:07.44
Why is due process important
00:45:07.47\00:45:11.34
even when the
judge knows the truth?
00:45:11.37\00:45:14.48
Because, friends, there's
something that God has in mind
00:45:18.31\00:45:21.92
that's greater
than even being right.
00:45:21.95\00:45:26.42
He needs to be seen as right
00:45:26.45\00:45:30.93
in the eyes of the others
00:45:30.96\00:45:32.66
who gaze and
consider His actions.
00:45:32.69\00:45:37.63
This is what scripture reveals
00:45:37.67\00:45:39.70
is the reason why
Lucifer was merely cast out
00:45:39.73\00:45:43.94
instead of being blotted out
00:45:44.01\00:45:45.61
which God had every right to do,
00:45:45.64\00:45:47.51
but it would
still be a bad decision
00:45:47.58\00:45:50.85
strategically,
00:45:50.88\00:45:52.85
because his goal is not
just the destruction of Satan,
00:45:52.88\00:45:55.62
but it's the ending
of rebellion itself,
00:45:55.65\00:45:59.55
which is a much bigger idea
00:45:59.59\00:46:01.96
than most of us
perhaps have in mind.
00:46:01.99\00:46:03.73
Genesis Chapter 3,
00:46:06.83\00:46:08.16
tells the story of how that
00:46:14.97\00:46:17.44
fallen angel that rebel
00:46:17.51\00:46:20.68
from heaven becomes
the ruler of this world.
00:46:20.71\00:46:24.51
You know in Genesis Chapter
1, as we referred to early
00:46:24.55\00:46:26.65
when Christ created
this world, He made man how?
00:46:26.72\00:46:29.62
In His image,
00:46:29.65\00:46:31.52
and He entrusted
him with responsibility
00:46:31.55\00:46:33.46
to have dominion, right?
00:46:33.49\00:46:34.99
Over the whole created world.
00:46:35.02\00:46:37.63
God had set Adam
00:46:37.66\00:46:39.13
with the help of
his companion Eve,
00:46:39.16\00:46:41.00
as the leader of this place,
00:46:41.03\00:46:44.93
the ruler of this
world if you would.
00:46:44.97\00:46:48.77
And for all of two chapters,
00:46:48.80\00:46:50.91
the Bible is a fantastic
read with no sin whatsoever.
00:46:50.94\00:46:55.74
But in chapter 3,
00:46:55.78\00:46:57.58
we find the
sadly familiar story.
00:46:57.65\00:47:00.45
You remember in
Revelation Chapter 12
00:47:00.52\00:47:02.02
when He referred to the devil,
00:47:02.05\00:47:03.39
he called him that
serpent of old, right?
00:47:03.42\00:47:06.22
And that
automatically draws your mind
00:47:06.25\00:47:08.92
to the encounter of
the woman and the serpent.
00:47:08.96\00:47:12.49
Genesis 3:1,
00:47:12.53\00:47:16.13
"Now the
serpent was more cunning
00:47:16.16\00:47:17.90
than any beasts of the field
which the Lord God had made.
00:47:17.93\00:47:20.44
And he said to the
woman, 'Has God indeed said,
00:47:20.47\00:47:24.01
'You shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?'"
00:47:24.04\00:47:28.51
Notice, he
starts with a question.
00:47:28.54\00:47:31.48
Has God indeed?
00:47:31.51\00:47:36.48
Whatever he says
after those three words
00:47:36.52\00:47:39.22
is built to insinuate doubt.
00:47:39.25\00:47:43.26
He says, "Did God really?
00:47:43.29\00:47:47.40
Has God indeed said,
00:47:47.43\00:47:50.87
'You shall not eat of
every tree of the garden.'"
00:47:50.90\00:47:52.40
Did He really tell you that?
00:47:52.43\00:47:55.90
We're not gonna get
too deep into the story,
00:47:55.94\00:47:57.54
but if you go back
to Genesis Chapter 2,
00:47:57.61\00:47:59.44
you'll discover that
it was Adam singular,
00:47:59.47\00:48:01.28
who was given the responsibility
00:48:01.31\00:48:05.48
of the knowledge
00:48:05.51\00:48:06.92
about the tree of good and evil,
00:48:06.95\00:48:08.68
the tree of
knowledge of good and evil.
00:48:08.72\00:48:12.29
And here he comes
to Eve, and he says,
00:48:12.32\00:48:13.86
"Did God really say that?"
00:48:13.89\00:48:16.06
And obviously he's conveyed
the information to his wife.
00:48:16.09\00:48:20.20
But he picks on a little thing
00:48:20.23\00:48:21.56
that could be any
possible chink in the armor,
00:48:21.60\00:48:24.60
any little slip he can get in.
00:48:24.63\00:48:28.70
In verse 2, and the
woman said to the serpent,
00:48:28.74\00:48:30.61
"We may eat of the
trees of the garden,
00:48:30.64\00:48:34.88
but of the fruit of the tree
00:48:34.91\00:48:36.24
which is in the
midst of the garden,
00:48:36.28\00:48:37.65
God has said,
'You shall not eat it,
00:48:37.68\00:48:39.78
nor shall you
touch it, lest you die.'"
00:48:39.81\00:48:42.75
So she's defending God,
00:48:42.78\00:48:44.39
that's what she
thinks she's doing, right?
00:48:44.42\00:48:46.05
God never said,
00:48:46.09\00:48:47.46
we couldn't eat
of any of the trees,
00:48:47.49\00:48:48.82
we can eat of all
the trees except for one.
00:48:48.86\00:48:50.23
And he said,
00:48:50.26\00:48:52.36
and then he
quote, she quotes God
00:48:52.39\00:48:54.10
but she actually misquotes God,
00:48:54.13\00:48:56.33
indicating that she wasn't there
00:48:56.36\00:48:57.70
to know exactly or
she's over defending
00:48:57.73\00:49:00.14
or she's taking a position.
00:49:00.17\00:49:01.60
By the way, if the devil
ever comes to you and talks,
00:49:01.64\00:49:03.71
don't talk back.
00:49:03.74\00:49:06.01
Just leave it alone.
00:49:06.04\00:49:08.68
Go back the other
way and run to Jesus.
00:49:08.71\00:49:11.35
Amen?
00:49:11.38\00:49:12.71
But she decides to
step out and defend God.
00:49:12.75\00:49:15.82
But in entering
into that conversation,
00:49:15.85\00:49:18.39
she's on very dangerous ground.
00:49:18.42\00:49:21.06
It goes on to say, verse 4,
00:49:21.09\00:49:23.12
"Then the serpent
said to the woman,
00:49:23.16\00:49:25.33
'You will not surely die.'"
00:49:25.36\00:49:28.50
Now, God had said to
Adam, "You shall surely die."
00:49:28.53\00:49:33.54
Now instead of
insinuating doubt,
00:49:33.57\00:49:35.17
he goes the opposite direction
00:49:35.20\00:49:36.54
and makes it absolute
contrasting statement,
00:49:36.57\00:49:40.48
"You will not surely die."
00:49:40.51\00:49:42.28
Now, if you go to
the doctor's office,
00:49:42.31\00:49:45.15
which sounds better to you?
00:49:45.18\00:49:47.32
You shall surely die, or
you shall not surely die.
00:49:47.35\00:49:52.95
Right?
00:49:52.99\00:49:54.32
Not dying sounds pretty good.
00:49:54.36\00:49:58.16
You can imagine
the appeal of this
00:49:58.19\00:49:59.53
"You mean there's a way
00:49:59.56\00:50:00.90
we don't even have
to worry about dying.
00:50:00.93\00:50:03.13
Let's hear more about that."
00:50:03.16\00:50:06.17
And He explains verse 5.
00:50:06.20\00:50:07.84
"For God knows..."
00:50:07.87\00:50:09.87
The implication being
God knows and you don't.
00:50:09.90\00:50:13.41
"For God knows that
in the day you eat of it,
00:50:13.48\00:50:15.94
your eyes will be," what?
00:50:15.98\00:50:17.45
"Opened."
00:50:17.48\00:50:18.81
Which implies about her eyes
at this point that they are,
00:50:18.85\00:50:21.65
of course tragically closed,
00:50:21.68\00:50:24.42
but your eyes will be opened.
00:50:24.45\00:50:27.96
"And you will be like God."
00:50:27.99\00:50:31.16
Friends, where have
we seen that sentiment
00:50:31.19\00:50:32.79
before in our study today?
00:50:32.83\00:50:34.93
Was it not in Isaiah Chapter 14?
00:50:34.96\00:50:36.77
That was the very
things that were those jealous,
00:50:36.80\00:50:39.50
envy,
surmising, self-exaltation,
00:50:39.53\00:50:42.10
that was the origin of
evil and he takes that down
00:50:42.14\00:50:45.47
and he sells it down here.
00:50:45.51\00:50:49.71
You will be like God,
knowing good and evil.
00:50:49.74\00:50:52.81
You get to decide
what is right and wrong,
00:50:52.85\00:50:54.88
good or evil, black or white,
00:50:54.92\00:50:56.79
yes or no, you
get to run your life.
00:50:56.82\00:51:01.52
You don't need
God and His rules,
00:51:01.56\00:51:03.16
you can be a rule unto
yourself and you will never die.
00:51:03.19\00:51:07.93
That's a pretty
appealing sermon, is it not?
00:51:07.96\00:51:12.57
No more rules and no more death.
00:51:12.60\00:51:16.14
Now, she was not dissatisfied
with what she had already.
00:51:16.17\00:51:20.41
It's like an infomercial.
00:51:20.48\00:51:22.51
Ever watched a little
commercial on television?
00:51:22.54\00:51:24.91
They introduce a problem
00:51:24.95\00:51:26.28
that you didn't know you
had and by the end of it,
00:51:26.31\00:51:28.05
you need a solution
that only they can provide.
00:51:28.08\00:51:30.99
Handily enough for
three easy payments of $19.95.
00:51:31.02\00:51:35.32
Here he says, "Look,
you've got a problem,
00:51:35.36\00:51:37.16
your poor
little eyes are closed.
00:51:37.23\00:51:39.49
But I'll help you. You can be...
00:51:39.53\00:51:41.20
And he passes on to this world.
00:51:41.23\00:51:45.90
Verse 6, "So when the woman saw
00:51:45.93\00:51:47.44
that the tree was good for food,
00:51:47.47\00:51:49.10
and it was pleasing to the eyes
00:51:49.14\00:51:50.51
and a tree
desirable to make one wise."
00:51:50.54\00:51:54.18
By the way,
00:51:54.21\00:51:55.54
the tree of knowledge of good
and evil was not some toxic,
00:51:55.58\00:51:58.25
stingy, disgusting
thing, it was appealing.
00:51:58.28\00:52:02.42
It's good for food. It
was pleasing to the eye.
00:52:02.45\00:52:04.02
The reason it was
wrong is because God said so,
00:52:04.09\00:52:06.32
that's it.
00:52:06.35\00:52:08.89
But she begins to
reason for herself.
00:52:08.92\00:52:10.96
"Well, it looks
good, and it seems healthy.
00:52:10.99\00:52:15.43
And beyond that
it can make me wise."
00:52:15.46\00:52:18.87
"She took of its fruits and ate.
00:52:22.87\00:52:26.37
She also gave to her
husband with her and he ate."
00:52:26.41\00:52:29.34
Then verse 7,
00:52:32.41\00:52:33.75
"The eyes of both
of them were opened.
00:52:33.82\00:52:35.15
But not the way
that she expected
00:52:38.85\00:52:40.26
and they knew
that they were naked,
00:52:40.29\00:52:42.19
and they sewed
fig leaves together
00:52:42.22\00:52:44.03
and made themselves coverings."
00:52:44.06\00:52:47.70
Instead of being
exalted to a new position,
00:52:47.73\00:52:52.10
they realize their loss.
00:52:52.13\00:52:55.27
Now, there's a simple principle
found in the New Testament.
00:52:59.24\00:53:01.68
In Romans Chapter
6, the Apostle Paul
00:53:01.71\00:53:06.75
puts in very simple terms.
00:53:06.82\00:53:09.52
The predicament that Adam
and Eve found themselves in.
00:53:09.55\00:53:12.32
Romans 6
00:53:12.35\00:53:16.22
in verse 16.
00:53:16.26\00:53:19.29
Very simply states,
00:53:19.33\00:53:22.10
"Do you not know,"
00:53:22.13\00:53:24.27
by the way, the Apostle Paul,
00:53:24.30\00:53:25.63
I can't wait to
meet him in heaven.
00:53:25.67\00:53:28.14
He has such a way about him.
00:53:28.17\00:53:30.44
You look at that phrase
over and over in his writings,
00:53:30.51\00:53:32.94
he is do you not know,
00:53:32.97\00:53:34.74
like this what
I'm about to tell you
00:53:34.78\00:53:36.11
should be common sense.
00:53:36.14\00:53:37.48
This is a Christianity
one on one, do you not know?
00:53:37.55\00:53:39.31
And here's what he
says, you should understand.
00:53:39.35\00:53:40.85
"Do you not know that
00:53:40.92\00:53:42.25
to whom you present
yourself slaves to" what?
00:53:42.28\00:53:45.05
"Obey?"
00:53:45.09\00:53:46.76
You are that one
slave whom you obey?
00:53:46.79\00:53:51.86
"Whether of sin leading to death
00:53:51.89\00:53:53.60
or obedience
leading to righteousness?"
00:53:53.63\00:53:55.36
You can call
yourself a free agent.
00:53:55.40\00:53:56.97
You can call
yourself this or that,
00:53:57.00\00:53:58.33
but you're gonna obey someone
00:53:58.37\00:53:59.73
and whoever you
obey, that's your master.
00:53:59.77\00:54:03.51
You can claim to
be a follower of God
00:54:03.54\00:54:05.24
and a believer in the truth
and a lover of Jesus Christ.
00:54:05.27\00:54:07.74
But if you follow
Satan, he's your ruler.
00:54:07.78\00:54:12.28
That's how it works.
00:54:12.31\00:54:13.65
And as long as Adam and Eve
00:54:13.72\00:54:15.05
were in that relationship
with God of sinless perfection,
00:54:15.08\00:54:17.89
that they did not
transgress the law of God,
00:54:17.92\00:54:19.72
and they kept themselves here,
00:54:19.75\00:54:21.09
as long as they
were obedient to God,
00:54:21.12\00:54:23.86
they were the
ruler of this world.
00:54:23.93\00:54:27.20
But as soon as they obeyed Satan
00:54:27.23\00:54:31.67
instead of God,
00:54:31.70\00:54:34.64
Lucifer,
00:54:34.67\00:54:36.07
that serpent of old
called the devil and Satan
00:54:36.10\00:54:38.24
became the ruler of this world.
00:54:38.27\00:54:40.68
Go to Chapter 4
of the Book of Luke,
00:54:44.28\00:54:47.85
Luke Chapter 4.
00:54:47.88\00:54:50.79
And you notice that
Satan himself to Jesus
00:54:50.82\00:54:53.86
face to face
00:54:53.89\00:54:55.26
even acknowledges
00:54:55.29\00:54:57.03
that this is how he has
been the ruler of this world,
00:54:57.06\00:55:01.50
Jesus also acknowledged
the same fact Himself,
00:55:01.53\00:55:03.67
John Chapter
12, John Chapter 14,
00:55:03.70\00:55:05.57
and John Chapter 16,
00:55:05.60\00:55:07.34
all three different occasions
00:55:07.37\00:55:08.87
where Jesus Christ
referred to the devil as,
00:55:08.90\00:55:12.11
"The ruler of this world."
00:55:12.14\00:55:15.74
But notice how he
got this position.
00:55:15.78\00:55:18.01
Luke 4:5,
00:55:18.05\00:55:23.49
"Then the devil taking him up
00:55:23.52\00:55:25.15
on a high mountain showed him
00:55:25.19\00:55:26.52
all the kingdoms of the
world in a moment of time.
00:55:26.55\00:55:31.13
And the devil said to him,
00:55:31.16\00:55:32.49
all this
authority I will give you,
00:55:32.53\00:55:39.33
and their glory."
00:55:39.37\00:55:41.57
Notice he's
claiming to have authority
00:55:41.60\00:55:44.04
over the whole world.
00:55:44.11\00:55:45.44
Yes?
00:55:45.47\00:55:47.41
But how does he have that?
00:55:47.48\00:55:49.84
He acknowledges,
00:55:49.88\00:55:51.51
"For this has
been delivered to me.
00:55:51.55\00:55:55.85
Is he claiming to be
the creator of this world?
00:55:55.88\00:55:59.39
Absolutely not.
00:55:59.42\00:56:01.62
He's just
claiming to have usurped
00:56:01.66\00:56:04.66
the authority
00:56:04.69\00:56:06.46
that had been given to
00:56:06.49\00:56:08.63
the true ruler of the
world, which was Adam.
00:56:08.66\00:56:10.67
He said, No, no, no, no,
00:56:10.70\00:56:12.63
they gave me the
keys to the place.
00:56:12.67\00:56:14.57
I have a deed, I
run this place now,
00:56:14.60\00:56:17.01
they gave it over.
00:56:17.04\00:56:19.74
And I'm willing to
give it to whomever I wish,
00:56:19.77\00:56:23.95
whomever I choose.
00:56:23.98\00:56:26.72
So he makes an offer to Christ.
00:56:26.75\00:56:28.18
He said, "I'm gonna give you
the whole place back for free,"
00:56:28.22\00:56:34.66
well, not quite for free.
00:56:34.69\00:56:37.76
Almost free.
00:56:37.79\00:56:40.00
There's one tiny little
thing that I need you to do.
00:56:40.03\00:56:44.47
Just one thing that you lack.
00:56:44.50\00:56:46.97
And he says it
there, therefore, verse 9,
00:56:47.04\00:56:50.11
"If you will worship before me,
00:56:50.14\00:56:53.68
all will be Yours."
00:56:53.71\00:56:57.45
The one thing he's always wanted
00:56:57.48\00:56:58.98
was that self-exalting worship
00:56:59.01\00:57:03.05
on behalf of all
the other people,
00:57:03.08\00:57:06.59
from the created beings.
00:57:06.62\00:57:09.52
Friends, God did
not create the devil
00:57:09.56\00:57:11.73
and God is not responsible
for the existence of evil.
00:57:11.76\00:57:16.60
However, in His wisdom,
00:57:16.67\00:57:20.44
He has a plan to
remedy the problem.
00:57:20.47\00:57:24.91
Once sin began,
00:57:24.94\00:57:27.94
it had to, it must mature
00:57:27.98\00:57:32.55
so that every created
being in God's universe
00:57:32.58\00:57:35.95
could see the difference
between good and evil.
00:57:35.98\00:57:41.79
So we go back to our
concept that we began
00:57:41.82\00:57:43.73
in Matthew Chapter 13.
00:57:43.76\00:57:47.30
"That someday
when the harvest comes,
00:57:47.33\00:57:49.53
then there will be a separation
00:57:49.56\00:57:51.10
between the wheat and the tares.
00:57:51.13\00:57:54.94
And the same reapers,
00:57:54.97\00:57:57.01
those angels who
would have messed things up
00:57:57.04\00:57:59.17
if they've gone early,
00:57:59.21\00:58:00.58
now would be safe to say
00:58:00.61\00:58:02.38
"Now you can
see the difference."
00:58:02.41\00:58:04.35
Go gather the tares and
the bundles to burn them
00:58:04.38\00:58:06.92
but gather the
wheat into my barn.
00:58:06.95\00:58:10.32
Friends, have we
made sense this morning?
00:58:10.39\00:58:11.75
Has this been clear?
00:58:11.79\00:58:13.12
Praise the Lord.
00:58:13.15\00:58:14.49
We're gonna continue our
series in the next message,
00:58:14.52\00:58:17.13
but for right now
let's bow our heads
00:58:17.16\00:58:18.49
for word of prayer.
00:58:18.53\00:58:19.86