Aloha.
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Aloha.
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Good to see all
of you here today
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to continue our series,
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the Prophetic Panorama.
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This is session
number 11 in the series
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that we've been
preparing here for Hawaii.
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And we will do
number 11, 12 and 13,
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Lord willing this afternoon.
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Before we begin this session,
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we want to have
a word of prayer.
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The title is
Israel and the Church.
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So let's just bow
our heads reverently
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for a word of prayer.
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Father in heaven, we rejoice
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that we have the opportunity
to come into Your presence,
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to open Your Holy Word.
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We ask that that return,
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that word will not
return unto You void,
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but then it will accomplish that
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for which You sent it.
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And we thank You
for hearing our prayer
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for we ask it in
Jesus name, amen.
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After the day of Pentecost,
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when the Holy Spirit was
poured out upon the church,
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thousands upon thousands
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left the Jewish nations'
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grasp and stronghold
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and joined as members
of the Christian church.
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In Acts 6:7,
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we find the reaction
not only of the laity,
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but also of many of
the priests in Israel.
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It says there in Acts 6:7,
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"Then the word of God spread,
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and the number of the disciples
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multiplied greatly in Jerusalem,
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and a great many of the priests
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were obedient to the faith."
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So you notice the number of
disciples multiplied greatly
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and many of the priests
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even were obedient to the faith.
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Now one of those
individuals that God used
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to cause this phenomenal growth,
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right after the day
of Pentecost was Stephen.
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We're told in Acts 6:8,
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"And Stephen, full
of faith and power,
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did great wonders and
signs among the people."
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He was one of the seven deacons
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that through whom God
caused a phenomenal growth
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among those who
joined the church.
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Now, on the other hand,
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there was a certain individual
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who was alarmed when he saw
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the phenomenal growth
of the Christian church.
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His name was Saul of Tarsus.
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Saul of Tarsus was
not a featherweight.
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He was actually an
intellectual giant,
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and a promising prospect
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who in Judaism had
a brilliant future.
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He was young,
energetic, relentless.
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He had tunnel vision.
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You see Saul
believe that God had chosen
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the Jewish nation
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irrevocably and unconditionally,
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and woe to those
who thought otherwise.
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For Saul, the preservation
of the Jewish religion
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was his top priority.
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His entire religion
was Jewish centered.
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In Acts 22:3,
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we find a
description that Saul gives
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of what he was like
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before his conversion.
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It says there,
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Paul is here
speaking about his experience.
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"I am indeed a Jew,
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born in Tarsus of Cilicia,
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but brought up in this
city at the feet of Gamaliel,
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taught according
to the strictness
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of our fathers' law,
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and was zealous toward God
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as you all are today."
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So he's, you know,
somewhat bragging about
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what he was
before his conversion.
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He says, I sat at the
feet of Gamaliel, I was a Jew.
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And according to the
strictness of our fathers' law,
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I lived and I was
zealous towards God.
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Now, the reason
why Saul persecuted
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the Christian
church is because he saw it
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as a threat to
the Jewish religion,
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to Judaism.
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In fact, his
attitude was the same attitude
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that had been
manifested by Caiaphas
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towards the end of
the ministry of Jesus.
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In John 11:47-50,
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is a description of a
meeting of the Sanhedrin.
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The Sanhedrin had to decide
what they were going to do
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with the growing menace of Jesus
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and His
popularity among the people.
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And so in this meeting Caiaphas,
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the high priest stood
up and made a suggestion.
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It's found in John 11:47-50.
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"Then the chief priests
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and the Pharisees
gathered a council..."
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the word council
is the word Sanhedrin,
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"and said, what shall we do?
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For this Man," that is
Jesus, "works many signs.
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If we let Him alone like this,
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everyone will believe in Him,
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and the Romans
will come and take away
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both our place and nation.
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And one of them, Caiaphas,
being high priest that year,
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said to them, 'You
know nothing at all,
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nor do you consider
that it is expedient for us
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that one man
should die for the people,
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and not that the
whole nation should perish."
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There we see
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the danger that
Saul of Tarsus perceived,
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he perceived that
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so many people
were joining the Jew...
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the Christian religion
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that Judaism
would be irrelevant,
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and the Romans would come
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and they would take away
the nation and their religion.
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Now Saul of
Tarsus, like his tutors,
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became a
persecutor of the church.
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In fact, in Acts 26:9-11,
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we find here,
the Saul of Tarsus,
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who now is Paul, by the way,
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describing what he
did with Christians.
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Once again Acts 26:9-11.
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He stated,
"Indeed, I myself thought
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I must do many things contrary
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to the name of
Jesus of Nazareth.
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This I also did in Jerusalem,
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and many of the
saints I shut up in prison,
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having received authority
from the chief priests,
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and when they were put to death,
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I cast my vote against them.
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And I punished them
often in every synagogue
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and compelled them to blaspheme,
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and being exceedingly
enraged against them,
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I persecuted them
even to foreign cities."
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So this was a relentless man.
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He hated
Christianity with a passion.
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With all his zeal,
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he launched a
persecution against them,
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throwing them into prison
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and killing as many as he could.
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In fact, Saul of Tarsus
was present at Stephen's death.
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He was one of the ringleaders,
in fact, at Stephen's death.
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In Acts 7:57-58,
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we find a
description of the rage
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of those who stoned Stephen.
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It says there,
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"Then they cried
out with a loud voice,
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stopped their ears, and
ran at him with one accord,
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and they cast
him out of the city
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and stoned him.
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And the witnesses
laid down their clothes,"
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and now mark this,
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"at the feet of a
young man named Saul."
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So Saul was present there.
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He was encouraging the
populace to stone Stephen.
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In fact, in Acts 22:20,
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where we find this
same story that is told,
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it says there,
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" And when the blood
of Your martyr Stephen,"
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Saul is speaking,
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"and when the blood
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of Your martyr Stephen was shed,
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I also was standing by
consenting to his death,
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and guarding the clothes of
those who were killing him."
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So this was a man
that hated Christianity
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because he felt that
Christianity was going to make
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the Jewish religion irrelevant
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and make the
Jewish nation disappear.
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So Saul, after the
stoning of Stephen,
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went on a crusade to Damascus
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because he had heard that
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there were many
Christians in Damascus.
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In Acts 9:1-2,
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we find a description
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of his journey to Damascus
and the attitude that he had.
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You see, the Spirit
of Prophecy tells us
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that Saul of Tarsus
knew that Stephen was right
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and he was wrong.
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But he began an expedition
to Damascus immediately
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because he wanted to
quiet his conscience.
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He wanted to be active
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so he wouldn't have
to think about Stephen.
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And so we find in Acts 9:1-2,
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"Then Saul,
still breathing threats
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and murder
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against the
disciples of the Lord,
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went to the high priest
and asked letters from him
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to the synagogues of Damascus,
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so that if he found
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any who were of the Way,"
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which Christianity was
called by that name back then,
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"whether men or women,
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he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem."
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So Saul of Tarsus
approaches Damascus
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from the southwest.
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And as he's nearing
the city of Damascus,
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he has an encounter
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that is going to change his life
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and his entire
theological outlook.
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He had a personal
encounter with Jesus.
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Saul discovered that by
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persecuting the body of Christ,
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he was actually
persecuting the head,
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Jesus Christ.
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In fact, the voice told him,
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"Why are you
kicking against the pricks?"
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In other words, why
are you kicking against
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what your
conscience is telling you?
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Because Saul knew
that Stephen was right.
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In Acts 9:3-6,
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we find the description
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of what happens to Saul
on the road to Damascus.
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"As he journeyed
he came near Damascus,
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and suddenly a light
shone around him from heaven.
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Then he fell to the ground,
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and heard a voice saying to him,
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'Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting Me?'
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And he said,
'Who are You, Lord?'
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Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus,
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whom you are persecuting.
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It is hard for you to
kick against the goads.'
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So he, trembling
and astonished, said,
00:11:10.50\00:11:13.23
'Lord, what do
You want me to do?'
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" And so,
00:11:17.44\00:11:19.21
we find in Acts 22:16-18,
00:11:19.24\00:11:23.65
that God instructed Saul to go
00:11:23.68\00:11:27.92
to the house of Judas,
00:11:27.95\00:11:30.35
and Ananias was
going to be there
00:11:30.39\00:11:33.39
to baptize him.
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Let's read those
verses, Acts 22:16-18.
00:11:34.96\00:11:40.56
"But the Lord said to
him," this is to Ananias, "Go,"
00:11:40.60\00:11:45.20
and I would add to
the house of Judas,
00:11:45.23\00:11:48.20
"for he is a
chosen vessel of Mine
00:11:48.24\00:11:51.27
to bear My name
00:11:51.31\00:11:52.64
before the
Gentiles," the Apostle Paul,
00:11:52.67\00:11:55.04
"before the Gentiles, kings,
and the children of Israel.
00:11:55.08\00:11:58.95
For I will show
him how many things
00:11:58.98\00:12:00.98
he must suffer
for My name's sake.
00:12:01.02\00:12:03.52
And Ananias went on his
way and entered the house,
00:12:03.55\00:12:06.09
and laying his
hands on him he said,
00:12:06.12\00:12:09.02
'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus,
00:12:09.06\00:12:11.79
who appeared to you
on the road as you came,
00:12:11.83\00:12:14.56
has sent me that you
may receive your sight
00:12:14.60\00:12:17.73
and be filled
with the Holy Spirit.'
00:12:17.77\00:12:21.60
Immediately there
fell from his eyes
00:12:21.64\00:12:23.77
something like scales,
00:12:23.81\00:12:25.47
and he received
his sight at once,
00:12:25.51\00:12:28.78
and he arose and was baptized.'
00:12:28.81\00:12:33.78
" Now the
baptism of Saul of Tarsus
00:12:33.82\00:12:36.95
was a critically
important event in his life.
00:12:36.99\00:12:40.96
What happened
when Saul was baptized?
00:12:40.99\00:12:45.39
Galatians 3:26, tells us
00:12:45.43\00:12:49.86
what happens when
a person is baptized.
00:12:49.90\00:12:51.97
They are
incorporated into Christ.
00:12:52.00\00:12:54.87
That's the
moment that you become
00:12:54.90\00:12:56.50
a member of Christ's body.
00:12:56.54\00:12:59.31
Now notice what it
says in Galatians 3:26.
00:12:59.34\00:13:04.25
"All those who
have been baptized
00:13:04.28\00:13:07.48
into Christ,
00:13:07.52\00:13:08.88
have put on Christ."
00:13:08.92\00:13:13.39
So Saul when he was
baptized, he put on Christ,
00:13:13.42\00:13:17.03
he became a Christian.
00:13:17.06\00:13:19.03
He was incorporated
into the Christian church.
00:13:19.06\00:13:22.10
And then he became a true Jew
00:13:22.13\00:13:25.90
and a true son of Abraham.
00:13:25.93\00:13:28.57
Notice verses 28,
00:13:28.60\00:13:30.81
actually verse 29, 28-29
00:13:30.84\00:13:34.64
of Galatians Chapter 3,
00:13:34.68\00:13:36.88
immediately
after Saul is baptized,
00:13:36.91\00:13:40.42
he's incorporated into Christ
00:13:40.45\00:13:42.28
according to Galatians 3:26,
00:13:42.32\00:13:44.39
we are told, "If
you are Christ's,
00:13:44.42\00:13:48.09
then you are Abraham's seed,
00:13:48.12\00:13:50.83
and heirs
according to the promise."
00:13:50.86\00:13:53.90
So when did Saul of Tarsus
become a true son of Abraham,
00:13:53.93\00:13:58.93
a true seed of Abraham?
00:13:58.97\00:14:01.47
It is when he was baptized.
00:14:01.50\00:14:03.71
Because he was
baptized and then he says,
00:14:03.74\00:14:08.01
if you are
Christ's through baptism,
00:14:08.04\00:14:11.25
then you are Abraham's seed
00:14:11.28\00:14:13.85
and heirs
according to the promise.
00:14:13.88\00:14:18.05
So now everything
for Saul of Tarsus
00:14:18.09\00:14:21.52
changed focus.
00:14:21.56\00:14:24.39
In Acts 9:22, we are told,
00:14:24.43\00:14:28.73
"But Saul increased
all the more in strength,
00:14:28.76\00:14:32.23
and confounded the
Jews who dwelt in Damascus,
00:14:32.27\00:14:36.07
proving that this
Jesus is the Christ."
00:14:36.10\00:14:41.01
The word Christ means Messiah.
00:14:41.04\00:14:43.28
In other words, Saul of Tarsus
00:14:43.31\00:14:45.25
now did his best
to teach everyone
00:14:45.28\00:14:48.38
that Jesus
Christ was the Messiah.
00:14:48.42\00:14:52.49
Now the question is,
how did Saul look upon
00:14:52.52\00:14:56.32
all he had been
00:14:56.36\00:14:57.99
when he was merely
a Jew without Jesus?
00:14:58.03\00:15:02.13
He described his experience
before his conversion,
00:15:02.16\00:15:06.17
and what it meant to
him after his conversion.
00:15:06.20\00:15:09.07
In Philippians 3:3-11,
00:15:09.10\00:15:12.97
we find the change
in focus in the religion
00:15:13.01\00:15:16.68
and theology of
the Apostle Paul,
00:15:16.71\00:15:20.55
who was before Saul.
00:15:20.58\00:15:22.82
Philippians 3:3, states,
00:15:22.85\00:15:26.12
"For we are the circumcision,
00:15:26.15\00:15:28.96
who worships God in the Spirit,
00:15:28.99\00:15:31.46
rejoice in Christ Jesus,
00:15:31.49\00:15:34.23
and have no
confidence in the flesh,
00:15:34.26\00:15:37.13
though I also might
have confidence in the flesh.
00:15:37.17\00:15:40.90
If anyone else thinks
00:15:40.94\00:15:42.34
he may have
confidence in the flesh,
00:15:42.37\00:15:44.57
I more so,
circumcised the eighth day,
00:15:44.61\00:15:48.68
of the stock of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin,
00:15:48.71\00:15:52.55
a Hebrew of the Hebrews,
00:15:52.58\00:15:55.22
concerning the law, a Pharisee,
00:15:55.25\00:15:57.59
concerning zeal,
persecuting the church,
00:15:57.62\00:16:00.79
concerning the righteousness
00:16:00.82\00:16:02.29
which is in the law, blameless."
00:16:02.32\00:16:06.33
He's describing his
previous experience,
00:16:06.36\00:16:08.20
all of that meant much to him.
00:16:08.23\00:16:11.37
That was central,
Judaism was central to him
00:16:11.40\00:16:14.14
before his conversion.
00:16:14.17\00:16:15.50
But what about
after his conversion,
00:16:15.54\00:16:17.41
when now he becomes a Christian?
00:16:17.44\00:16:19.24
He's baptized into Christ,
00:16:19.27\00:16:21.14
and he truly
becomes Abraham's seed.
00:16:21.18\00:16:24.11
Notice what they
continue saying here
00:16:24.15\00:16:26.51
in verse 8,
00:16:26.55\00:16:28.98
verse 7, however,
"what things were gain to me,
00:16:29.02\00:16:34.39
these I have
counted loss for Christ.
00:16:34.42\00:16:39.13
Yet indeed I also
count all things loss
00:16:39.16\00:16:42.63
for the excellence of
the knowledge of Christ
00:16:42.66\00:16:45.40
Jesus my Lord,
00:16:45.43\00:16:47.00
for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things,
00:16:47.04\00:16:50.17
and count them as rubbish,
00:16:50.21\00:16:52.11
that I may gain
Christ and be found in Him,
00:16:52.14\00:16:55.54
not having my own righteousness,
00:16:55.58\00:16:57.38
which is from the law,
00:16:57.41\00:16:58.78
but that which is
through faith in Christ,
00:16:58.81\00:17:01.15
the righteousness
which is from God by faith,
00:17:01.18\00:17:04.49
that I may know Him
00:17:04.52\00:17:05.85
and the power of
His resurrection,
00:17:05.89\00:17:07.79
and the
fellowship of His sufferings,
00:17:07.82\00:17:09.82
being conformed to His death,
00:17:09.86\00:17:11.66
if, by any means,
00:17:11.69\00:17:13.09
I may attain to the resurrection
00:17:13.13\00:17:15.40
from the dead."
00:17:15.43\00:17:17.40
Saul of Tarsus focus shifted
00:17:17.43\00:17:21.57
from Judaism to Christ.
00:17:21.60\00:17:24.14
He says everything I had
00:17:24.17\00:17:26.21
when I was just a literal Jew
00:17:26.24\00:17:28.51
means nothing because
now I have gained Christ.
00:17:28.54\00:17:33.05
Basically, we're
gonna find that he's saying,
00:17:33.08\00:17:35.45
before this,
00:17:35.48\00:17:36.82
I was not a Jew at all,
00:17:36.85\00:17:38.19
I was not Abraham's seed at all.
00:17:38.22\00:17:40.46
But when I joined
Christ, I became Abraham's seed
00:17:40.49\00:17:44.09
in a spiritual sense,
00:17:44.13\00:17:45.79
and an heir
according to the promise.
00:17:45.83\00:17:48.33
And now Saul
00:17:48.36\00:17:50.43
who became Paul in Acts 13,
00:17:50.47\00:17:54.60
is willing to suffer and
lose all things for Christ.
00:17:54.64\00:17:59.67
In 1 Corinthians 11:22-28.
00:17:59.71\00:18:02.98
We find Paul describing
everything he went through,
00:18:03.01\00:18:07.28
because now he loved
Christ, and he wanted to spread
00:18:07.32\00:18:10.42
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:18:10.45\00:18:12.45
I want to read 1
Corinthians 11:22-28.
00:18:12.49\00:18:17.63
The Apostle Paul
asks, "Are they Hebrews?
00:18:17.66\00:18:21.46
So am I.
00:18:21.50\00:18:23.47
Are they Israelites?
00:18:23.50\00:18:25.83
So am I.
00:18:25.87\00:18:27.67
Are they the seed of Abraham?
00:18:27.70\00:18:30.21
So am I.
00:18:30.24\00:18:32.17
Are they ministers of Christ?
00:18:32.21\00:18:34.38
I speak as a fool, I am
more, in labors more abundant,
00:18:34.41\00:18:39.21
in stripes above measure,
in prisons more frequently,
00:18:39.25\00:18:43.18
in deaths often.
00:18:43.22\00:18:45.32
From the Jews five times
00:18:45.35\00:18:46.96
I received forty
stripes minus one.
00:18:46.99\00:18:49.82
Three times I
was beaten with rods,
00:18:49.86\00:18:52.13
once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
00:18:52.16\00:18:56.13
a night and a day I
have been in the deep,
00:18:56.16\00:18:58.70
in journeys often,
in perils of waters,
00:18:58.73\00:19:00.97
in perils of robbers, in
perils of my own countrymen,
00:19:01.00\00:19:03.87
in perils of the
Gentiles, in perils in the city,
00:19:03.91\00:19:06.54
in perils in the wilderness,
in perils in the sea,
00:19:06.57\00:19:09.14
in perils among false
brethren, in weariness and toil,
00:19:09.18\00:19:12.58
in sleeplessness often,
00:19:12.61\00:19:14.45
in hunger and
thirst, in fastings often,
00:19:14.48\00:19:17.02
in cold and nakedness,
besides the other things,
00:19:17.05\00:19:20.26
what comes upon me daily,
00:19:20.29\00:19:21.96
my deep concern
for all the churches.
00:19:21.99\00:19:24.43
Has anybody here ever
been through that experience?
00:19:24.46\00:19:28.93
It would be
difficult to believe that
00:19:28.96\00:19:30.37
you've gone
through all those trials.
00:19:30.40\00:19:32.43
And yet Saul who became Paul
00:19:32.47\00:19:35.14
was willing to give up
00:19:35.17\00:19:36.50
all of his
Jewish centered religion
00:19:36.54\00:19:39.74
to win Jesus Christ,
00:19:39.77\00:19:41.54
and he was willing not
only to lose all things,
00:19:41.58\00:19:44.15
he was willing
to suffer all things
00:19:44.18\00:19:46.51
to proclaim Christ.
00:19:46.55\00:19:49.22
Saul discovered a
revolutionary truth,
00:19:49.25\00:19:52.59
and that is that God
has only one true people.
00:19:52.62\00:19:56.83
Those who have
accepted Jesus Christ
00:19:56.86\00:19:59.43
as Savior and Lord.
00:19:59.46\00:20:01.93
God does not have to
mutually separable peoples,
00:20:01.96\00:20:06.57
the literal Jews on one hand
00:20:06.60\00:20:08.50
and the Christian
church on the other.
00:20:08.54\00:20:11.17
God has only one true people
00:20:11.21\00:20:14.14
that is defined
not by ethnicity,
00:20:14.18\00:20:16.85
not by nationality,
not by social status,
00:20:16.88\00:20:21.08
not by gender.
00:20:21.12\00:20:23.18
Those who have a
relationship to Jesus Christ
00:20:23.22\00:20:26.79
are Abraham's seed.
00:20:26.82\00:20:28.76
They are God's people.
00:20:28.79\00:20:31.99
Now for the next few
minutes, I want you to notice,
00:20:32.03\00:20:34.90
biblically, that
those who are in Christ,
00:20:34.93\00:20:39.03
those Jews, literal
Jews who accept Christ
00:20:39.07\00:20:42.07
and are in
Christ, and the Gentiles
00:20:42.10\00:20:45.61
are both members
of the same body.
00:20:45.64\00:20:48.54
They are one.
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.35
You see, futurists
00:20:50.38\00:20:51.71
or dispensationalists teach
00:20:51.75\00:20:53.55
that God has two
mutually exclusive peoples.
00:20:53.58\00:20:56.99
He has one plan for
the literal Jewish nation
00:20:57.02\00:20:59.95
and He has another plan
for the Christian church.
00:20:59.99\00:21:02.82
That's why they believe
that the plan for the Jews
00:21:02.86\00:21:05.59
and that when the 70 weeks,
00:21:05.63\00:21:08.06
the week number
69 came to an end,
00:21:08.10\00:21:10.80
because the
Jews rejected Christ.
00:21:10.83\00:21:12.57
So God says, I'm
gonna suspend my plan
00:21:12.60\00:21:14.47
for the literal Jews.
00:21:14.50\00:21:15.97
And now He turns to the church,
00:21:16.00\00:21:18.01
and it's the church age
for the last 2000 years.
00:21:18.04\00:21:20.88
And then the church is
gonna be rapture to heaven,
00:21:20.91\00:21:23.98
according to them seven years
00:21:24.01\00:21:25.35
before the
glorious coming of Jesus,
00:21:25.38\00:21:27.15
and then God will
kick start his plan
00:21:27.18\00:21:29.15
for the Jews once again.
00:21:29.18\00:21:30.69
And so he has a
plan for the Jews
00:21:30.72\00:21:32.45
for the literal
Jews and he has a plan
00:21:32.49\00:21:33.99
for the Christian church.
00:21:34.02\00:21:35.36
The Bible does not teach that,
00:21:35.39\00:21:36.73
the Bible teaches that
God has one, faithful people,
00:21:36.76\00:21:39.86
those who have
received Jesus Christ,
00:21:39.89\00:21:41.63
and they are Israel.
00:21:41.66\00:21:44.10
Now, in the Bible,
00:21:44.13\00:21:47.14
God has only one woman.
00:21:47.17\00:21:49.94
God has only one
bride, if you please,
00:21:49.97\00:21:54.54
because if God had
more than one bride,
00:21:54.58\00:21:56.85
He would be a
bigamist, spiritually speaking.
00:21:56.88\00:22:00.28
In Revelation Chapter 12,
00:22:00.32\00:22:01.98
we find
something very interesting.
00:22:02.02\00:22:03.52
God has only one woman,
which is the true church,
00:22:03.55\00:22:06.76
composed of saints
from the Old Testament
00:22:06.79\00:22:09.19
and from the New Testament,
literal Jews and Gentiles.
00:22:09.22\00:22:12.56
Revelation 12:1-2,
00:22:12.59\00:22:14.86
and then we'll
read verses 5 and 6,
00:22:14.90\00:22:17.03
says the following.
00:22:17.07\00:22:18.50
"Now a great sign
appeared in heaven,
00:22:18.53\00:22:21.47
a woman clothed with the sun,
00:22:21.50\00:22:24.31
with the moon under her feet,
00:22:24.34\00:22:26.21
and on her head a
garland of twelve stars.
00:22:26.24\00:22:29.44
Then being with child,
00:22:29.48\00:22:31.48
she cried out in labor
and in pain to give birth."
00:22:31.51\00:22:35.22
Verse 5, "She bore a male Child
00:22:35.25\00:22:38.25
who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron.
00:22:38.29\00:22:41.79
And her Child
was caught up to God
00:22:41.82\00:22:44.63
and to His throne."
00:22:44.66\00:22:45.99
Now, let's stop
there for a moment.
00:22:46.03\00:22:48.16
Who exists first,
the woman or the child?
00:22:48.20\00:22:51.50
That's a dumb
question, by the way,
00:22:51.53\00:22:53.17
but I'm trying to make a point.
00:22:53.20\00:22:54.54
Who exists first,
the woman or the child?
00:22:54.57\00:22:57.37
The woman. The woman.
00:22:57.41\00:22:58.74
What does the woman represent?
00:22:58.77\00:23:00.11
What does a woman
represent symbolically?
00:23:00.14\00:23:02.11
The church. The church.
00:23:02.14\00:23:03.48
So did the church
exist before Jesus was born?
00:23:03.51\00:23:06.92
Yes, it can be
the Christian church,
00:23:06.95\00:23:08.92
because you can
have a Christian church
00:23:08.95\00:23:10.35
before Jesus is born.
00:23:10.39\00:23:12.69
Are you following me?
00:23:12.72\00:23:14.32
So the church
existed before Jesus is born.
00:23:14.36\00:23:17.66
But let me ask
you, is the same woman
00:23:17.69\00:23:21.10
after the child is born
00:23:21.13\00:23:22.46
and is caught
up to God's throne?
00:23:22.50\00:23:24.83
Is that woman then
fleeing to the wilderness
00:23:24.87\00:23:27.47
for 1260 years,
00:23:27.50\00:23:28.94
the same woman?
00:23:28.97\00:23:30.31
Absolutely.
00:23:30.34\00:23:31.67
Notice Revelation 12:6.
00:23:31.71\00:23:34.54
"Then the woman
fled into the wilderness,
00:23:34.58\00:23:37.15
where she has a
place prepared by God
00:23:37.18\00:23:39.58
that they should feed her there
00:23:39.61\00:23:41.95
one thousand two
hundred and sixty days."
00:23:41.98\00:23:46.19
So there's one
woman representing both
00:23:46.22\00:23:48.99
the Old Testament Church
and the New Testament Church.
00:23:49.02\00:23:52.56
God does not have two women,
the one in the Old Testament
00:23:52.59\00:23:55.50
and the one in
the New Testament.
00:23:55.53\00:23:57.13
There's one woman,
00:23:57.17\00:23:58.50
the one who brings
the child into the world,
00:23:58.53\00:24:00.50
that's the Jewish
nation, the Jewish church.
00:24:00.54\00:24:03.61
And then the same woman
is persecuted for 1260 years.
00:24:03.64\00:24:07.44
It's not a different woman.
00:24:07.48\00:24:09.28
By the way, the number
12, it's not a coincidence
00:24:09.31\00:24:13.01
that there were 12
tribes in the Old Testament
00:24:13.05\00:24:15.45
that formed
Israel and 12 apostles
00:24:15.48\00:24:17.72
that began the Christian Church.
00:24:17.75\00:24:20.32
The number 12 links
the Old Testament church
00:24:20.36\00:24:23.02
with the New Testament church.
00:24:23.06\00:24:25.39
In the Book Acts of
the Apostles, page 19.
00:24:25.43\00:24:28.46
Ellen White remarks,
"As in the Old Testament
00:24:28.50\00:24:31.90
the twelve patriarchs
00:24:31.93\00:24:33.67
stood as
representatives of Israel,
00:24:33.70\00:24:36.57
so the twelve apostles
00:24:36.60\00:24:38.54
stand as representatives
of the Gospel Church."
00:24:38.57\00:24:42.61
So God has only one woman,
00:24:42.64\00:24:46.08
one true church,
throughout history,
00:24:46.11\00:24:50.22
before Jesus
comes to this earth,
00:24:50.25\00:24:52.75
and after Jesus
comes to this earth.
00:24:52.79\00:24:55.72
But the Bible teaches it...
00:24:55.76\00:24:57.09
teaches us also that
God has only one fold
00:24:57.13\00:25:01.46
with one Shepherd,
composed of Jews and Gentiles.
00:25:01.50\00:25:06.10
Notice John 10:16.
00:25:06.13\00:25:09.00
John Chapter 10. God
doesn't have two folds.
00:25:09.04\00:25:11.27
He doesn't have say,
"Okay, I have a fold,
00:25:11.31\00:25:12.97
which is the literal
Jews and I have another fold,
00:25:13.01\00:25:15.44
which is the Christian church."
00:25:15.48\00:25:16.81
No.
00:25:16.85\00:25:18.18
He says both are
members of the same body.
00:25:18.21\00:25:20.75
John 10:16, Jesus stated,
00:25:20.78\00:25:24.52
"And other sheep
00:25:24.55\00:25:26.65
I have which are
not of this fold,"
00:25:26.69\00:25:29.52
who are those other
sheep that weren't of the fold
00:25:29.56\00:25:31.49
that Jesus was
dealing with at that moment?
00:25:31.53\00:25:34.03
The Gentiles.
00:25:34.06\00:25:35.46
"And other sheep
00:25:35.50\00:25:36.83
I have which are
not of this fold,
00:25:36.87\00:25:39.57
them also I must bring,
and they will hear My voice,
00:25:39.60\00:25:44.44
and there will be two
flocks and one shepherd."
00:25:44.47\00:25:48.81
Is that what it says
00:25:48.84\00:25:50.18
there will be two
flocks and one shepherd?
00:25:50.21\00:25:52.01
No, it says when I bring
those which are the Gentiles,
00:25:52.05\00:25:56.02
there will be one
flock and one shepherd,
00:25:56.05\00:26:00.16
not two flocks.
00:26:00.19\00:26:01.82
In John 11:51-52,
00:26:01.86\00:26:05.29
we find clearly
that God has one people,
00:26:05.33\00:26:08.63
one fold of sheep,
00:26:08.66\00:26:10.77
spiritually
speaking, it says there.
00:26:10.80\00:26:13.80
Now this is
speaking about the words
00:26:13.84\00:26:15.57
that Caiaphas spoke
that we read before.
00:26:15.60\00:26:17.81
"Now this he did
00:26:17.84\00:26:19.67
not to say on his own authority,
00:26:19.71\00:26:22.14
but being high priest that year
00:26:22.18\00:26:24.58
he prophesied that Jesus
would die for the nation,"
00:26:24.61\00:26:27.82
and now notice this,
00:26:27.85\00:26:29.45
"and not for that nation only,"
00:26:29.48\00:26:32.32
that is not only
for the Jewish nation,
00:26:32.35\00:26:35.22
"but also that He would
gather together in," to what?
00:26:35.26\00:26:40.20
"Into one the children of God
00:26:40.23\00:26:43.83
who were scattered abroad."
00:26:43.87\00:26:46.50
So it clearly says
that was gonna be one fold
00:26:46.53\00:26:50.01
with one
shepherd composed of Jews,
00:26:50.04\00:26:52.87
literal Jews and Gentiles.
00:26:52.91\00:26:56.34
We also find that
God has only one Israel.
00:26:56.38\00:27:00.18
God doesn't have two Israels,
00:27:00.22\00:27:02.12
a literal Israel
and a spiritual Israel.
00:27:02.15\00:27:04.39
No, spiritual Israel is
the continuation of God's
00:27:04.42\00:27:08.06
true Old Testament Israel.
00:27:08.09\00:27:10.99
Notice Romans 2:28-29,
00:27:11.03\00:27:14.40
Romans 2:28-29.
00:27:14.43\00:27:17.27
Here the Apostle Paul
00:27:17.30\00:27:18.93
now understands
what a true Jew is.
00:27:18.97\00:27:22.90
It's not somebody who has
00:27:22.94\00:27:24.27
the blood of Abraham
flowing through his veins.
00:27:24.31\00:27:27.04
It says there,
"For he is not a Jew
00:27:27.08\00:27:30.28
who is one outwardly,
00:27:30.31\00:27:32.88
nor is circumcision that
which is outward in the flesh,
00:27:32.91\00:27:37.69
but he is a Jew
who is one," what?
00:27:37.72\00:27:40.79
"Inwardly, and circumcision
is that of the heart,
00:27:40.82\00:27:46.16
in the Spirit,
not in the letter,
00:27:46.19\00:27:48.30
whose praise is not
from men but from God."
00:27:48.33\00:27:53.44
So who is a Jew?
00:27:53.47\00:27:55.60
An individual who
is a Jew outwardly?
00:27:55.64\00:27:57.81
So Paul says, no, no.
00:27:57.84\00:28:00.04
It is one who has what?
00:28:00.08\00:28:03.08
Who has been
circumcised in his heart
00:28:03.11\00:28:05.75
been converted in the spirit
00:28:05.78\00:28:08.45
and receive
Jesus Christ as Savior?
00:28:08.48\00:28:11.32
Notice Romans 9:6-8.
00:28:11.35\00:28:14.69
We're looking at now
00:28:14.72\00:28:16.06
what the Apostle
Paul considers important
00:28:16.09\00:28:18.96
since this
conversion experience.
00:28:18.99\00:28:20.73
Romans 9:6-8.
00:28:20.76\00:28:23.10
We're going to see here
that there are two Israels,
00:28:23.13\00:28:25.87
there is literally Israel
that has rejected the Messiah,
00:28:25.90\00:28:29.27
they are not true Israel.
00:28:29.30\00:28:30.91
And you have the true Israel
00:28:30.94\00:28:32.91
which has received
Jesus as the Messiah.
00:28:32.94\00:28:35.74
Notice Romans 9:6,
the Apostle Paul says,
00:28:35.78\00:28:39.58
"But it is not
that the word of God
00:28:39.61\00:28:41.32
has taken no effect.
00:28:41.35\00:28:43.49
For they are not all Israel
00:28:43.52\00:28:46.12
who are of Israel."
00:28:46.15\00:28:49.76
Are you
understanding what he is saying?
00:28:49.79\00:28:51.49
Not all
Israelites are Israelites.
00:28:51.53\00:28:55.76
Now what does he mean?
00:28:55.80\00:28:57.27
Let's continue.
00:28:57.30\00:28:58.70
"Nor are they all children
00:28:58.73\00:29:01.20
because they are
the seed of Abraham,"
00:29:01.24\00:29:02.97
in other words,
you're another child of God
00:29:03.00\00:29:04.34
because you've seen
the seed of Abraham.
00:29:04.37\00:29:06.61
"But, "In Isaac your
seed shall be called."
00:29:06.64\00:29:09.51
Because from
Isaac the promise, see,
00:29:09.54\00:29:11.21
Jesus Christ would come.
00:29:11.25\00:29:13.25
"That is," listen carefully now,
00:29:13.28\00:29:15.35
"those who are the
children of the flesh,
00:29:15.38\00:29:18.32
that is literal Jews,
00:29:18.35\00:29:19.85
these are not
the children of God,
00:29:19.89\00:29:22.32
but the
children of the promise,"
00:29:22.36\00:29:23.96
that is those who accept
00:29:23.99\00:29:25.33
the promise of
the coming Messiah,
00:29:25.36\00:29:26.93
"are counted as the" what?
00:29:26.96\00:29:29.33
"Are counted as the seed."
00:29:29.36\00:29:31.77
So a Jew is not
defined by geography,
00:29:31.80\00:29:34.57
ethnicity and nationality.
00:29:34.60\00:29:36.71
A true Jew is defined
00:29:36.74\00:29:38.91
by his or her
relationship to Jesus Christ.
00:29:38.94\00:29:43.65
Notice Galatians
3:16, and verses 26-29,
00:29:43.68\00:29:49.02
Galatians 3:16,
00:29:49.05\00:29:51.05
and then verses 26-29.
00:29:51.09\00:29:54.06
Now to Abraham and his
seed were the promises made,
00:29:54.09\00:29:57.73
he does not say
and to seeds as of many
00:29:57.76\00:30:00.60
but as of one, and to your seed,
00:30:00.63\00:30:03.26
who is Christ.
00:30:03.30\00:30:04.83
You are all sons of God.
00:30:04.87\00:30:07.14
How do we... how
are we sons of God?
00:30:07.17\00:30:08.87
We are all sons
of God through what?
00:30:08.90\00:30:11.31
Through faith in Christ Jesus,
00:30:11.34\00:30:13.44
for as many of us
as that were baptized
00:30:13.48\00:30:16.71
into Christ have put on Christ,
00:30:16.75\00:30:19.91
and what happens
when we put on Christ?
00:30:19.95\00:30:22.05
Does our ethnicity
make any difference?
00:30:22.08\00:30:25.09
Does our race
make any difference?
00:30:25.12\00:30:27.29
Does our gender
make any difference?
00:30:27.32\00:30:29.22
No, Paul, continue saying,
00:30:29.26\00:30:30.93
after were baptized into Christ
and we have put on Christ,
00:30:30.96\00:30:33.50
he says, "There is
neither Jew nor Greek,
00:30:33.53\00:30:35.76
there is neither slave nor free,
00:30:35.80\00:30:37.67
there is
neither male nor female,
00:30:37.70\00:30:39.50
for you are all
one in Christ Jesus."
00:30:39.53\00:30:43.20
How many Israel's does God have?
00:30:43.24\00:30:45.51
One.
00:30:45.54\00:30:46.88
And then he says,
"If you are Christ's,
00:30:46.91\00:30:49.81
then you are Abraham's seed,
00:30:49.84\00:30:51.78
and heirs
according to the promise."
00:30:51.81\00:30:53.65
So what if you are not Christ's?
00:30:53.68\00:30:55.75
You are not Abraham's seed,
00:30:55.78\00:30:57.29
even though you
might be a literal Jew.
00:30:57.32\00:30:59.45
Are you understanding this?
00:30:59.49\00:31:01.16
Now, Jesus not
only has one Israel,
00:31:01.19\00:31:03.93
He also has one body,
00:31:03.96\00:31:06.19
because if Jesus had two bodies,
00:31:06.23\00:31:07.86
he would be a monster.
00:31:07.90\00:31:10.27
Literally speaking,
00:31:10.30\00:31:11.70
he has one body
composed of Jews and Gentiles,
00:31:11.73\00:31:14.84
not two bodies,
00:31:14.87\00:31:16.20
not a special plan for the Jews,
00:31:16.24\00:31:17.87
another special
plan for the church.
00:31:17.91\00:31:19.47
No, one plan
for his true Israel.
00:31:19.51\00:31:22.61
Notice Ephesians 2:13-18,
00:31:22.64\00:31:26.11
Ephesians 2:13-18.
00:31:26.15\00:31:28.25
One body, it says there,
"But now in Christ Jesus,"
00:31:28.28\00:31:32.35
he's speaking to the Gentiles,
00:31:32.39\00:31:33.96
"you who once were
far off have been," what?
00:31:33.99\00:31:38.09
"Brought near by
the blood of Christ.
00:31:38.13\00:31:41.86
For He Himself is our
peace, who has made both one,"
00:31:41.90\00:31:45.90
that is Jew and Gentile,
He has made them both one,
00:31:45.93\00:31:49.10
"and has broken down the
middle wall of separation,
00:31:49.14\00:31:52.47
having abolished in
His flesh the enmity,
00:31:52.51\00:31:54.51
that is the law of commandments
contained in ordinances,
00:31:54.54\00:31:57.41
so as to create in Himself
one new man from the two,
00:31:57.45\00:32:02.22
thus making peace,
00:32:02.25\00:32:03.72
and that He might reconcile them
00:32:03.75\00:32:05.19
both to God in one
body through the cross,
00:32:05.22\00:32:08.66
thereby putting
death to death the enmity.
00:32:08.69\00:32:11.66
And He came and
preached peace to you
00:32:11.69\00:32:13.40
who were afar off and
to those who were near.
00:32:13.43\00:32:16.10
For through Him we
both," that is Jew in Gentile,
00:32:16.13\00:32:20.34
"have access by one
Spirit to the Father."
00:32:20.37\00:32:25.47
How many bodies does Jesus have?
00:32:25.51\00:32:27.71
One. Composed of what?
00:32:27.74\00:32:29.94
Jews, literal Jews and Gentiles.
00:32:29.98\00:32:32.91
Notice 1 Corinthians 12:13,
00:32:32.95\00:32:35.68
1 Corinthians 12:13.
00:32:35.72\00:32:38.75
Here the Apostle Paul states,
00:32:38.79\00:32:40.49
"For by one Spirit
00:32:40.52\00:32:42.39
we were all
baptized into one body,
00:32:42.42\00:32:45.89
whether Jews or Greeks,
00:32:45.93\00:32:47.63
whether slaves or free,
00:32:47.66\00:32:49.20
and all have been made
to drink into one Spirit."
00:32:49.23\00:32:52.43
Jews and Gentiles are
one body according to this.
00:32:52.47\00:32:56.30
Notice Ephesians 3:6.
00:32:56.34\00:32:58.44
This theme comes
through the Apostle Paul,
00:32:58.47\00:33:00.11
time and again,
00:33:00.14\00:33:01.48
and in the rest
of Scripture as well.
00:33:01.51\00:33:03.28
Ephesians 3:6 says,
00:33:03.31\00:33:06.45
"That the Gentiles
should be fellow heirs,
00:33:06.48\00:33:10.59
of the same body,
00:33:10.62\00:33:13.29
and partakers of His promise
in Christ through the gospel."
00:33:13.32\00:33:18.49
So once again, how many bodies?
00:33:18.53\00:33:20.43
One body.
00:33:20.46\00:33:21.80
Let's read one more text.
00:33:21.83\00:33:23.37
Colossians 1, we read verse 18
00:33:23.40\00:33:26.30
and then we will read verse 24.
00:33:26.33\00:33:28.94
Speaking about Jesus, it says,
00:33:28.97\00:33:30.51
"And He is the head
of the body, the church,
00:33:30.54\00:33:34.14
who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
00:33:34.18\00:33:37.31
that in all things He
may have the preeminence."
00:33:37.35\00:33:40.38
Verse 24,
00:33:40.42\00:33:41.78
"I now rejoice in
my sufferings for you,
00:33:41.82\00:33:44.49
and fill up in my flesh
00:33:44.52\00:33:47.42
what is lacking in
the afflictions of Christ,
00:33:47.46\00:33:50.06
for the sake of His
body, which is the church."
00:33:50.09\00:33:55.16
Clearly Jesus
Christ has only one body,
00:33:55.20\00:33:59.63
one fold, one woman.
00:33:59.67\00:34:04.01
And by the way,
00:34:04.04\00:34:05.57
the redeemed will
all be in one city.
00:34:05.61\00:34:09.41
Because many
dispensationalist teach that,
00:34:09.44\00:34:11.68
that the church is gonna
live in earthly Jerusalem,
00:34:11.71\00:34:14.72
and the other
group is gonna live
00:34:14.75\00:34:17.19
in the heavenly Jerusalem.
00:34:17.22\00:34:18.75
The Bible doesn't teach that.
00:34:18.79\00:34:21.12
Everyone is gonna
live in one city, you say,
00:34:21.16\00:34:22.99
where does the Bible say that?
00:34:23.02\00:34:24.59
Go with me to Revelation 21:2,
00:34:24.63\00:34:27.30
Revelation 21:2.
00:34:27.33\00:34:30.83
"Then I, John,
saw the holy city,
00:34:30.87\00:34:33.34
New Jerusalem,
00:34:33.37\00:34:34.70
coming down out
of heaven from God,
00:34:34.74\00:34:36.81
prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband."
00:34:36.84\00:34:40.54
Notice Revelation 21:12,
00:34:40.58\00:34:42.84
it speaks about
the gates of the city.
00:34:42.88\00:34:45.21
It says, "And she had a great
00:34:45.25\00:34:46.82
and high wall with twelve gates,
00:34:46.85\00:34:49.38
and twelve angels at the gates,
00:34:49.42\00:34:51.52
and names written on them,
00:34:51.55\00:34:53.42
which are the names
of the twelve tribes
00:34:53.46\00:34:55.86
of the children of Israel."
00:34:55.89\00:34:58.59
So the gates have
the names of what?
00:34:58.63\00:35:01.33
Of the 12 tribes,
00:35:01.36\00:35:02.70
would that be the Old Testament?
00:35:02.73\00:35:04.37
Would that represent
the Old Testament church?
00:35:04.40\00:35:06.53
Absolutely.
00:35:06.57\00:35:07.90
Now what about the foundations
of the wall, of the city?
00:35:07.94\00:35:11.04
Revelation 21:14,
00:35:11.07\00:35:13.24
"Now the wall of the
city had twelve foundations,
00:35:13.27\00:35:15.74
and on them were the names
00:35:15.78\00:35:17.41
of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb."
00:35:17.45\00:35:20.42
So the city has the
names of the 12 apostles,
00:35:20.45\00:35:23.02
and it also has the
names of the 12 tribes.
00:35:23.05\00:35:25.39
It is one city
00:35:25.42\00:35:26.76
with all of
God's people within it,
00:35:26.79\00:35:28.52
those who receive Jesus.
00:35:28.56\00:35:30.19
And by the way, if you don't,
00:35:30.23\00:35:31.96
if you don't
really know for sure
00:35:31.99\00:35:34.06
whether the Old Testament saints
00:35:34.10\00:35:35.56
look for the same
city that the redeem saints
00:35:35.60\00:35:37.90
in the New
Testament are looking for,
00:35:37.93\00:35:39.57
let's go to Hebrews 11,
we'll read verses 9 and 10,
00:35:39.60\00:35:43.07
and then we'll
read verses 13-16,
00:35:43.10\00:35:46.17
Hebrews 11:9-10, and then 13-16.
00:35:46.21\00:35:50.25
It says there in verse
9, speaking about Abraham,
00:35:50.28\00:35:53.92
"By faith he dwelt
in the land of promise
00:35:53.95\00:35:57.09
as in a foreign country,
00:35:57.12\00:35:59.42
dwelling in tents
with Isaac and Jacob,
00:35:59.45\00:36:02.16
the heirs with him
of the same promise,
00:36:02.19\00:36:05.16
for he waited..."
00:36:05.19\00:36:06.70
What city did
Abraham look forward to?
00:36:06.73\00:36:08.46
He was a literal Jew,
00:36:08.50\00:36:09.83
did he look forward
to an earthly Jerusalem?
00:36:09.86\00:36:12.07
No, no, it says, "For
he waited for the city
00:36:12.10\00:36:16.10
which has foundations,
00:36:16.14\00:36:18.27
whose builder and maker is God."
00:36:18.31\00:36:22.04
Is that the heavenly Jerusalem?
00:36:22.08\00:36:24.15
Yes, it is. Now
let's go to verse 13.
00:36:24.18\00:36:27.22
Speaking about all the
heroes of the Old Testament,
00:36:27.25\00:36:30.25
" These all died in faith,
00:36:30.29\00:36:32.05
not having
received the promises,
00:36:32.09\00:36:34.02
but having seen them
afar off were assured of them,
00:36:34.06\00:36:37.26
embraced them and confessed that
00:36:37.29\00:36:39.39
they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth.
00:36:39.43\00:36:43.16
For those who say
such things declare plainly
00:36:43.20\00:36:46.37
that they seek a homeland."
00:36:46.40\00:36:48.07
In other words, the
Old Testament saints
00:36:48.10\00:36:49.60
were looking for homeland.
00:36:49.64\00:36:51.21
What is that homeland?
00:36:51.24\00:36:52.64
The literal Jerusalem on
earth, the old Jerusalem.
00:36:52.67\00:36:57.11
No.
00:36:57.15\00:36:58.48
Let's continue
reading, verse 15,
00:36:58.51\00:37:01.08
"And truly if they had
called to mind that country
00:37:01.12\00:37:04.19
from which they had come out,
00:37:04.22\00:37:05.89
they would have had
opportunity to return.
00:37:05.92\00:37:09.06
But now they desire a better,
that is, a heavenly country.
00:37:09.09\00:37:14.03
Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God,
00:37:14.06\00:37:17.37
for He has
prepared for them a city."
00:37:17.40\00:37:21.97
Let me ask you, the
Old Testament saints
00:37:22.00\00:37:24.24
and the New Testament saints,
00:37:24.27\00:37:25.61
did they look
forward to the same city?
00:37:25.64\00:37:28.21
Absolutely.
00:37:28.24\00:37:29.81
God has one people,
00:37:29.84\00:37:31.68
the gates have the
names of the tribes,
00:37:31.71\00:37:33.85
and the foundations of wall
00:37:33.88\00:37:35.22
have the names
of the 12 apostles,
00:37:35.25\00:37:37.59
one city with also
received Jesus Christ
00:37:37.62\00:37:40.66
both by the promise
in the Old Testament,
00:37:40.69\00:37:42.66
in reality in the New Testament.
00:37:42.69\00:37:45.33
Now, the Bible also teaches
that God has only one tree.
00:37:45.36\00:37:50.57
Now I'm not gonna
read the entire passage.
00:37:50.60\00:37:53.57
In Romans 11, I'm
just gonna explain to you.
00:37:53.60\00:37:56.17
In Romans Chapter 11,
00:37:56.20\00:37:58.47
we find a parable
that is use of the tree,
00:37:58.51\00:38:02.84
and the tree of course
represents Jesus Christ.
00:38:02.88\00:38:06.48
It represents true
Israel that joins Jesus Christ.
00:38:06.51\00:38:09.98
Now, this tree
is very interesting
00:38:10.02\00:38:12.19
because it has
different kinds of branches.
00:38:12.22\00:38:14.62
And you can read
the entire Chapter 11
00:38:14.66\00:38:17.23
of the Book of Romans.
00:38:17.26\00:38:19.79
Right now we don't have
time to read the entire chapter.
00:38:19.83\00:38:21.76
So I'm just gonna synthesize.
00:38:21.80\00:38:23.73
The tree has natural branches,
00:38:23.77\00:38:27.27
the natural branches represent
00:38:27.30\00:38:29.50
the literal Jews
that receive Christ,
00:38:29.54\00:38:32.74
the natural branches
that grow from the tree,
00:38:32.77\00:38:35.31
but the tree also
has natural branches
00:38:35.34\00:38:37.81
that are cut off,
00:38:37.85\00:38:40.02
the natural
branches that are cut off
00:38:40.05\00:38:41.98
are the literal
Jews that rejected Jesus.
00:38:42.02\00:38:46.15
Some of the natural branches
are grafted back into the tree
00:38:46.19\00:38:50.53
after they were cut off.
00:38:50.56\00:38:52.26
Those are those
who rejected Christ
00:38:52.29\00:38:55.16
and then received Him again,
00:38:55.20\00:38:57.37
they're grafted
into this tree once more.
00:38:57.40\00:39:00.70
Then there are
wild olive branches,
00:39:00.74\00:39:04.01
and these are
grafted into the tree.
00:39:04.04\00:39:06.21
These are the Gentiles
who are united with Christ,
00:39:06.24\00:39:09.78
they became part
of the same tree.
00:39:09.81\00:39:12.98
And then there's the
potential possibility
00:39:13.01\00:39:16.58
that some of these wild branches
00:39:16.62\00:39:18.65
that were grafted into
the tree might apostatized
00:39:18.69\00:39:22.22
and they will be cut
off, those would be Gentiles
00:39:22.26\00:39:25.09
who would lose their faith,
00:39:25.13\00:39:26.86
after having
received Jesus Christ.
00:39:26.90\00:39:29.43
Are you catching the picture?
00:39:29.46\00:39:30.90
What is the key?
00:39:30.93\00:39:32.57
You are only a branch
00:39:32.60\00:39:34.14
if you're
united to Jesus Christ.
00:39:34.17\00:39:36.60
Now let's read a few verses
00:39:36.64\00:39:38.07
that we'll find
here in Romans 11.
00:39:38.11\00:39:41.14
Let's begin with
verse 22-23. And what see...
00:39:41.18\00:39:43.95
what the key is for
belonging to the tree.
00:39:43.98\00:39:46.82
It's not that
you're a literal Jew,
00:39:46.85\00:39:48.82
having the blood of Abraham
00:39:48.85\00:39:50.19
running through your
veins or where you live.
00:39:50.22\00:39:53.42
It's who your Lord is.
00:39:53.46\00:39:56.06
Romans 11:20 says, "Well said.
00:39:56.09\00:39:59.56
Because of unbelief
they were broken off,
00:39:59.59\00:40:04.00
and you stand by faith."
00:40:04.03\00:40:05.47
He's saying to the Gentiles,
00:40:05.50\00:40:06.97
the literal Jews were broken off
00:40:07.00\00:40:08.80
because they had unbelief.
00:40:08.84\00:40:10.17
They didn't have faith.
00:40:10.21\00:40:11.54
And you he says to the
Gentiles stand by faith,
00:40:11.57\00:40:15.08
"Do not be haughty, but fear.
00:40:15.11\00:40:17.61
For if God did not
spare the natural branches,
00:40:17.65\00:40:20.02
He may not spare you either.
00:40:20.05\00:40:22.32
Therefore consider the
goodness and severity of God,
00:40:22.35\00:40:25.42
on those who fell,
severity, but toward you,"
00:40:25.45\00:40:28.56
that is toward the
Gentiles, "goodness,
00:40:28.59\00:40:30.79
if you continue in His goodness.
00:40:30.83\00:40:33.50
Otherwise you
also will be cut off.
00:40:33.53\00:40:36.56
And they also,"
00:40:36.60\00:40:38.00
speaking about the literal Jews,
00:40:38.03\00:40:39.47
"if they do not
continue in unbelief,
00:40:39.50\00:40:41.77
will be grafted in,
00:40:41.80\00:40:43.37
for God is able to
graft them in again.
00:40:43.41\00:40:46.11
For I do not desire, brethren,
00:40:46.14\00:40:47.64
that you should be
ignorant of this mystery,"
00:40:47.68\00:40:49.61
this is verse
25, "of this mystery,
00:40:49.64\00:40:51.95
lest you should be
wise in your own opinion,
00:40:51.98\00:40:54.48
that blindness in
part has happened to Israel
00:40:54.52\00:40:58.12
until the fullness of
the Gentiles has come in."
00:40:58.15\00:41:00.92
So there's two groups,
there's a literal Jews,
00:41:00.96\00:41:03.63
and there's the Gentiles,
00:41:03.66\00:41:04.99
and they all have to be
grafted into the same tree.
00:41:05.03\00:41:08.36
And then comes
the verse that says,
00:41:08.40\00:41:10.77
"And so all
Israel will be saved."
00:41:10.80\00:41:16.30
Who is all Israel
according to the context?
00:41:16.34\00:41:18.71
Is it only the literal Jews?
00:41:18.74\00:41:20.98
No.
00:41:21.01\00:41:22.34
It's everyone who
is united to the tree,
00:41:22.38\00:41:24.85
with their natural
branches or wild branches,
00:41:24.88\00:41:27.78
all Israel will be saved.
00:41:27.82\00:41:30.05
God has one tree.
00:41:30.09\00:41:33.36
God also will have
only one banquet table
00:41:33.39\00:41:36.29
when we get there.
00:41:36.32\00:41:38.73
Notice Matthew 8:11-12,
00:41:38.76\00:41:42.53
Matthew 8:11-12.
00:41:42.56\00:41:43.90
There's not gonna
be one banquet table
00:41:43.93\00:41:45.63
for the literal Jews,
00:41:45.67\00:41:47.00
and another banquet table
00:41:47.04\00:41:48.37
for the church
or for the Gentiles.
00:41:48.40\00:41:50.51
There's one banquet
table, everybody will sit there.
00:41:50.54\00:41:53.51
It says in Matthew 8:11-12.
00:41:53.54\00:41:56.54
" And I say to you
00:41:56.58\00:41:58.38
that many will come
from east and west,"
00:41:58.41\00:42:00.62
these are the
Gentiles, "and sit down,"
00:42:00.65\00:42:05.02
incidentally,
the parallel passage,
00:42:05.05\00:42:07.86
because our Luke has
this same, same story,
00:42:07.89\00:42:12.26
Jesus says, and sit
down at my table, okay?
00:42:12.29\00:42:17.43
Sit down at my table.
00:42:17.47\00:42:19.33
"Many will come
from the east and west,
00:42:19.37\00:42:21.44
and sit down at my table
00:42:21.47\00:42:23.97
with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."
00:42:24.01\00:42:27.98
So the Gentiles
are going to come,
00:42:28.01\00:42:29.61
and they're going
to sit with Abraham,
00:42:29.64\00:42:31.08
Isaac and Jacob at Christ table
00:42:31.11\00:42:33.38
in the kingdom of heaven.
00:42:33.42\00:42:35.02
And then Jesus says,
00:42:35.05\00:42:36.69
"But the sons of the kingdom..."
00:42:36.72\00:42:38.89
Those are the literal
Jews that reject Jesus,
00:42:38.92\00:42:41.12
"But the sons of
the kingdom will be
00:42:41.16\00:42:43.32
cast out into outer darkness.
00:42:43.36\00:42:45.03
There will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth."
00:42:45.06\00:42:49.26
Are you catching
this picture or not?
00:42:49.30\00:42:51.47
Is it becoming clear?
00:42:51.50\00:42:53.40
Did you see the change
00:42:53.44\00:42:54.77
and focus in the
theology of the Apostle Paul?
00:42:54.80\00:42:58.07
From being Jewish centered
to being Christ centered.
00:42:58.11\00:43:01.88
In Christ, there
is no nationality,
00:43:01.91\00:43:04.15
there is one
Israel, faithful Israel,
00:43:04.18\00:43:07.88
those who have
received Jesus Christ
00:43:07.92\00:43:09.58
as Savior and Lord.
00:43:09.62\00:43:11.82
God also only has
one spiritual temple
00:43:11.85\00:43:15.19
composed of Jews and Gentiles.
00:43:15.22\00:43:17.29
Notice Ephesians 2:19-22,
00:43:17.33\00:43:21.50
Ephesians 2:19-22.
00:43:21.53\00:43:25.90
Here the Apostle Paul,
00:43:25.93\00:43:27.40
once again
writing to the Gentiles,
00:43:27.44\00:43:29.17
he says, "Now, therefore,
00:43:29.20\00:43:30.94
you are no longer
strangers and foreigners,
00:43:30.97\00:43:33.88
but fellow
citizens with the saints
00:43:33.91\00:43:36.85
and members of
the household of God."
00:43:36.88\00:43:40.55
Are you catching the picture?
00:43:40.58\00:43:42.65
And now the Apostle Paul
is going to compare the Jews
00:43:42.68\00:43:46.99
and the Gentiles
who are fellow citizens
00:43:47.02\00:43:49.19
with the Jews of
the household of God.
00:43:49.22\00:43:51.06
Now he's going to compare
them to a temple in verse 20.
00:43:51.09\00:43:55.33
It says, "Having been built
00:43:55.36\00:43:57.53
on the foundation of
the apostles and prophets,"
00:43:57.57\00:44:00.20
Once again there
you have the apostles
00:44:00.24\00:44:01.64
will be the New Testament,
00:44:01.67\00:44:03.00
the prophets would
be the Old Testament,
00:44:03.04\00:44:04.67
"founded upon the
apostles and the prophets,
00:44:04.71\00:44:07.38
Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief cornerstone,
00:44:07.41\00:44:10.78
in whom the whole
building, being joined together,
00:44:10.81\00:44:14.52
grows into a holy
temple in the Lord,
00:44:14.55\00:44:17.55
in whom you also
are being built together
00:44:17.59\00:44:21.19
for a dwelling place
of God in the Spirit."
00:44:21.22\00:44:25.19
So notice that the
Apostle Paul is saying here,
00:44:25.23\00:44:28.26
that the Gentiles
now are fellow citizens,
00:44:28.30\00:44:31.27
and members of
the household of God,
00:44:31.30\00:44:33.44
and they are built
into that spiritual temple
00:44:33.47\00:44:35.80
along with the literal Jews.
00:44:35.84\00:44:38.87
God has only one temple.
00:44:38.91\00:44:40.54
Incidentally, if the
temple represents the church,
00:44:40.58\00:44:44.41
if the temple is
not a literal temple of,
00:44:44.45\00:44:47.15
you know, Jesus
Christ is not a real stone
00:44:47.18\00:44:49.42
and the apostles and prophets
are not real foundation stones.
00:44:49.45\00:44:52.72
The stones represent people.
00:44:52.75\00:44:55.89
In the Shekinah
in the Old Testament,
00:44:55.92\00:44:58.29
in the New
Testament is the Holy Spirit.
00:44:58.33\00:45:01.03
So if the temple
is a spiritual temple,
00:45:01.06\00:45:04.23
according to what we've noticed,
00:45:04.27\00:45:05.97
built with Jews and Gentiles,
00:45:06.00\00:45:09.30
and the Antichrist
sits in the temple,
00:45:09.34\00:45:12.27
where are we to expect
the Antichrist in a rebuilt
00:45:12.31\00:45:16.18
literal Jerusalem temple,
00:45:16.21\00:45:18.78
or within the Christian church?
00:45:18.81\00:45:21.18
Within the Christian church.
00:45:21.22\00:45:23.42
That's why Paul
in 2 Thessalonians 2,
00:45:23.45\00:45:26.86
he says, that the Antichrist
will sit in the temple of God,
00:45:26.89\00:45:30.66
showing himself to be
God and representing God.
00:45:30.69\00:45:34.26
Because he realized that
00:45:34.30\00:45:36.10
the Antichrist was not
gonna be some nasty individual
00:45:36.13\00:45:39.17
that would sit in the
rebuild Jerusalem temple
00:45:39.20\00:45:41.67
in the Middle East,
00:45:41.70\00:45:43.04
and what
persecute the literal Jews.
00:45:43.07\00:45:44.97
The Apostle Paul understood that
00:45:45.01\00:45:46.41
the Antichrist was gonna sit
00:45:46.44\00:45:47.78
in the spiritual
temple, the church,
00:45:47.81\00:45:49.88
usurping the
position of Jesus Christ,
00:45:49.91\00:45:52.28
and that it was gonna happen
00:45:52.31\00:45:53.65
long before the
Second Coming of Jesus.
00:45:53.68\00:45:56.08
By the way, the
redeemed will also sing
00:45:56.12\00:45:59.35
only one song.
00:45:59.39\00:46:00.72
Abraham.
00:46:00.76\00:46:02.89
Notice Revelation 15:3-4,
00:46:02.92\00:46:06.06
Revelation 15:3-4.
00:46:06.09\00:46:08.80
Speaking about the redeemed,
00:46:08.83\00:46:10.57
it says, "They
sing the song of Moses,
00:46:10.60\00:46:13.20
the servant of God,
00:46:13.23\00:46:14.60
and the song of
the Lamb, saying."
00:46:14.64\00:46:18.84
Are all the redeemed
gonna sing the same song?
00:46:18.87\00:46:21.98
The Song of Moses is
an Old Testament event.
00:46:22.01\00:46:24.45
The Song of the lamb
is a New Testament event.
00:46:24.48\00:46:27.85
Everyone's gonna
sing the same song.
00:46:27.88\00:46:30.02
And so what are
they going to sing?
00:46:30.05\00:46:31.85
"Great and
marvelous are Your works,
00:46:31.89\00:46:33.72
Lord God Almighty!
00:46:33.76\00:46:35.12
Just and true are Your
ways, O King of the saints!
00:46:35.16\00:46:38.96
Who shall not fear You, O
Lord, and glorify Your name?
00:46:38.99\00:46:42.06
For You alone are holy.
00:46:42.10\00:46:43.67
For all nations shall
come and worship before You,
00:46:43.70\00:46:46.84
for Your judgments
have been manifested."
00:46:46.87\00:46:50.01
And so God will have His
people sing only one song.
00:46:50.04\00:46:53.38
Do you see that there's
oneness to the people of God?
00:46:53.41\00:46:56.34
They're no two...
00:46:56.38\00:46:57.71
They're not two peoples.
00:46:57.75\00:46:59.08
There is one people of God.
00:46:59.11\00:47:02.18
By the way, both
Jews and Gentiles
00:47:02.22\00:47:05.62
all have one
father, the same father.
00:47:05.65\00:47:10.63
Notice Galatians 3:26,
00:47:10.66\00:47:14.23
Galatians 3:26.
00:47:14.26\00:47:18.93
"For you are all sons of God
00:47:18.97\00:47:23.94
through faith in Christ Jesus."
00:47:23.97\00:47:27.61
How do we become sons of God?
00:47:27.64\00:47:30.78
Is everybody on
earth a son of God?
00:47:30.81\00:47:34.22
No.
00:47:34.25\00:47:36.05
Everyone on earth is a son
or daughter of God by creation,
00:47:36.08\00:47:39.52
but not by redemption.
00:47:39.55\00:47:41.89
The Apostle Paul here
speaking about redemption,
00:47:41.92\00:47:44.93
for you are all the sons of God
00:47:44.96\00:47:46.59
through faith in Christ Jesus.
00:47:46.63\00:47:47.96
In other words,
00:47:48.00\00:47:49.33
If you wanna be a
son or daughter of God,
00:47:49.36\00:47:50.70
you must have
faith in Christ Jesus.
00:47:50.73\00:47:53.70
Notice John 1:12-13,
00:47:53.74\00:47:56.37
who are the
true children of God?
00:47:56.40\00:48:00.68
" But as many as
received Him," that is Jesus.
00:48:00.71\00:48:04.98
"To them He gave the
right to become," what?
00:48:05.01\00:48:08.12
"Children of God,
00:48:08.15\00:48:10.02
to those who
believe in His name,
00:48:10.05\00:48:12.85
who were born, not of blood,
00:48:12.89\00:48:14.49
nor of the will of the flesh,
00:48:14.52\00:48:15.92
nor of the will
of man, but of God."
00:48:15.96\00:48:17.43
In other words,
00:48:17.46\00:48:18.79
your physical
birth means nothing.
00:48:18.83\00:48:20.70
It is your spiritual birth,
00:48:20.73\00:48:22.53
the fact that you've
received Jesus Christ
00:48:22.56\00:48:24.70
and you have
believed in His name,
00:48:24.73\00:48:26.67
then you are a
member of the family of God
00:48:26.70\00:48:31.47
and God is your
father by redemption.
00:48:31.51\00:48:34.71
Incidentally, this is
the way that it works,
00:48:34.74\00:48:37.75
interesting way that it works.
00:48:37.78\00:48:40.92
Only when we become
brothers and sisters of Jesus,
00:48:40.95\00:48:45.49
do we become sons
and daughters of God?
00:48:45.52\00:48:48.86
And you say, how does that work?
00:48:48.89\00:48:50.56
Well, let me explain.
00:48:50.59\00:48:52.43
Who is the only true Son of God
00:48:52.46\00:48:56.23
and faithful Son of God?
00:48:56.26\00:48:58.40
Jesus Christ.
00:48:58.43\00:49:00.50
But when I joined Jesus Christ,
00:49:00.54\00:49:02.60
when I accept Jesus
Christ, I become his brother.
00:49:02.64\00:49:06.47
And if it's a woman, the
woman becomes his sister,
00:49:06.51\00:49:10.15
and because Jesus has believers
00:49:10.18\00:49:15.52
as brothers and sisters,
00:49:15.55\00:49:17.45
then they are
also children of God.
00:49:17.49\00:49:22.32
Are you understanding me?
00:49:22.36\00:49:23.86
In other words,
00:49:23.89\00:49:25.23
when you become a
brother or sister of Jesus,
00:49:25.26\00:49:27.63
you're also a son
or daughter of God,
00:49:27.66\00:49:29.70
because Jesus is the Son of God.
00:49:29.73\00:49:31.07
And if you are
Brother, you are her brother...
00:49:31.10\00:49:33.74
His brother and sister,
00:49:33.77\00:49:35.54
then you also
are children of God.
00:49:35.57\00:49:39.57
That's why Jesus
said in John 14:6,
00:49:39.61\00:49:43.11
"Jesus said to Him,
00:49:43.14\00:49:44.51
'I am the way, the
truth, and the life.
00:49:44.55\00:49:46.98
No one comes to the
Father except through Me.'
00:49:47.02\00:49:51.89
" We are only children of
God in the spiritual sense,
00:49:51.92\00:49:55.19
in the redemptive sense,
00:49:55.22\00:49:56.89
when we receive Jesus Christ
00:49:56.93\00:49:59.33
as Savior of Lord...
00:49:59.36\00:50:00.76
Savior and Lord.
00:50:00.80\00:50:02.43
Now let me just read a
long passage from John 8,
00:50:02.46\00:50:06.17
so that you see
what it means to be
00:50:06.20\00:50:09.97
a son or a daughter of God.
00:50:10.01\00:50:12.57
Here Jesus is
having a conversation
00:50:12.61\00:50:15.31
with the Jews of his day.
00:50:15.34\00:50:17.51
And I'm beginning...
00:50:17.55\00:50:18.88
I'll begin reading at Verse 32.
00:50:18.91\00:50:21.25
Jesus says to them, "And
you shall know the truth,
00:50:21.28\00:50:23.65
and the truth
shall make you free.
00:50:23.69\00:50:26.19
They answered Him,
'We are Abraham's seed,
00:50:26.22\00:50:31.16
and have never been
in bondage to anyone.
00:50:31.19\00:50:33.36
How can You say,
'You will be made free?'
00:50:33.40\00:50:37.63
Jesus answered them,
'Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:50:37.67\00:50:40.34
whoever commits
sin is a slave of sin.'
00:50:40.37\00:50:43.81
And a slave does not
abide in the house forever,
00:50:43.84\00:50:46.44
but a son abides forever.
00:50:46.47\00:50:49.04
Therefore if the
Son makes you free,
00:50:49.08\00:50:51.75
you shall be free indeed."
00:50:51.78\00:50:54.28
And then Jesus says,
listen carefully now,
00:50:54.32\00:50:56.35
there are two Israels,
00:50:56.38\00:50:57.72
true Israel and
counterfeit Israel.
00:50:57.75\00:51:00.32
"I know that you
are Abraham's seed,"
00:51:00.36\00:51:03.93
literally
speaking Jesus is saying,
00:51:03.96\00:51:05.79
"I know that you
are Abraham's seed,
00:51:05.83\00:51:08.60
but you seek to kill Me,
00:51:08.63\00:51:10.67
because My word
has no place in you.
00:51:10.70\00:51:12.50
I speak what I have
seen with My Father,
00:51:12.53\00:51:15.17
and you do what you
have seen with your father."
00:51:15.20\00:51:20.01
Now let's continue,
it gets even thicker.
00:51:20.04\00:51:24.31
Notice verse 39.
00:51:24.35\00:51:27.02
"They answered and said to
Him, 'Abraham is our father.'
00:51:27.05\00:51:30.92
Jesus said to them,
00:51:30.95\00:51:32.35
'If you were
Abraham's children,'"
00:51:32.39\00:51:35.52
the word if indicates
that they're not right,
00:51:35.56\00:51:38.26
"If you were Abraham's children,
00:51:38.29\00:51:40.90
you would do the
works of Abraham.
00:51:40.93\00:51:43.50
But now you seek to kill Me,
00:51:43.53\00:51:45.33
a Man who has told you the truth
00:51:45.37\00:51:47.00
which I heard from God.
Abraham did not do this."
00:51:47.04\00:51:49.04
In other words,
00:51:49.07\00:51:50.41
you claim to be
children of Abraham,
00:51:50.44\00:51:51.77
Abraham loved
Me and you hate Me.
00:51:51.81\00:51:53.14
So how can you say that
your children of Abraham?
00:51:53.17\00:51:56.61
The argument
continues in verse 41,
00:51:56.64\00:51:59.05
"You do the deeds of
your father," Jesus says.
00:51:59.08\00:52:02.58
"Then they said to Him,
00:52:02.62\00:52:03.95
'We were not
born of fornication,
00:52:03.99\00:52:05.32
we have one Father, God.'
00:52:05.35\00:52:08.02
Jesus said to them,
'If God were your Father,"
00:52:08.06\00:52:11.16
see once again He's saying
that God isn't their Father.
00:52:11.19\00:52:13.90
Abraham is not their father,
who is their father, then?
00:52:13.93\00:52:16.97
Oh, Jesus said to them,
'If God were your Father,
00:52:17.00\00:52:20.60
you would love Me,
00:52:20.64\00:52:21.97
for I proceeded
forth and came from God,
00:52:22.00\00:52:25.57
nor have I come of
Myself, but He sent Me.
00:52:25.61\00:52:28.44
Why do you not
understand My speech?
00:52:28.48\00:52:30.25
Because you are not
able to listen to My word."
00:52:30.28\00:52:32.35
And then Jesus
00:52:32.38\00:52:33.72
with total
political incorrectness, says,
00:52:33.75\00:52:36.62
"You are of your
father the devil,"
00:52:36.65\00:52:40.52
Were they children of Abraham?
00:52:40.56\00:52:43.02
Literally, yes.
00:52:43.06\00:52:44.86
But spiritually, they were what?
00:52:44.89\00:52:47.00
Children of the devil. Why?
00:52:47.03\00:52:48.80
Because Abraham loved
Jesus and they hated Jesus.
00:52:48.83\00:52:52.20
So they were not in
the Father love Jesus.
00:52:52.23\00:52:55.04
And so God the Father
and Abraham love Jesus,
00:52:55.07\00:52:57.51
but they hated Jesus.
00:52:57.54\00:52:58.87
How could they say
that they're children of God
00:52:58.91\00:53:01.04
and they're children of Abraham?
00:53:01.08\00:53:03.55
Are you with me?
00:53:03.58\00:53:05.31
Then the story continues.
00:53:05.35\00:53:06.68
He says, "You are of
your father the devil,
00:53:06.72\00:53:08.92
and the desires of
your father you want to do.
00:53:08.95\00:53:11.55
He was a murderer
from the beginning,
00:53:11.59\00:53:13.02
and does not stand in the truth,
00:53:13.05\00:53:14.42
because there
is no truth in him.
00:53:14.46\00:53:16.39
When he speaks a lie,
00:53:16.42\00:53:17.76
he speaks from
his own resources,
00:53:17.79\00:53:19.19
for he is a liar
and the father of it."
00:53:19.23\00:53:23.20
You know what the sad thing is?
00:53:23.23\00:53:25.43
The Apostle
Paul in 2 Corinthians
00:53:25.47\00:53:27.34
3:13-16.
00:53:27.37\00:53:32.01
He says that there is a
veil over the heart of the Jews.
00:53:32.04\00:53:37.25
Their heart is hardened,
00:53:37.28\00:53:39.28
and they cannot find
Christ in the Old Testament.
00:53:39.31\00:53:42.82
But the Apostle Paul says,
00:53:42.85\00:53:44.19
when they're converted to Jesus,
00:53:44.22\00:53:46.49
the veil will be removed,
00:53:46.52\00:53:48.99
the hardness of their
heart will be removed,
00:53:49.02\00:53:51.09
and then they will
become true Israel,
00:53:51.13\00:53:53.60
they will become the
true children of God.
00:53:53.63\00:53:58.20
Finally, there
will only be one priest,
00:53:58.23\00:54:00.17
one high priest with
one blessed breastplate.
00:54:00.20\00:54:03.17
The breastplate had 12 stones.
00:54:03.20\00:54:05.91
Aaron had the breastplate,
he had the 12 stones
00:54:05.94\00:54:08.81
which are the 12
tribes of Israel.
00:54:08.84\00:54:10.71
Jesus is now the
high priest in heaven,
00:54:10.75\00:54:12.88
and He has a
breastplate that has 12 stones,
00:54:12.91\00:54:16.58
which
represents the 12 apostles.
00:54:16.62\00:54:19.95
In other words, all of Israel
00:54:19.99\00:54:21.89
is represented in the 12 stones.
00:54:21.92\00:54:24.86
Now, why is what we
are studying important?
00:54:24.89\00:54:28.33
Preachers today,
evangelical preachers
00:54:28.36\00:54:31.93
believe just as Saul of Tarsus
did before his conversion.
00:54:31.97\00:54:37.44
They jump from the Old Testament
00:54:37.47\00:54:39.57
to the End Times and
totally bypass Jesus.
00:54:39.61\00:54:43.58
They say that God
chose literally Israel,
00:54:43.61\00:54:46.45
unconditionally and irrevocably.
00:54:46.48\00:54:49.62
And they're all the promises
00:54:49.65\00:54:51.02
that God must
literally fulfilled
00:54:51.05\00:54:53.46
with the Jews he will
fulfill with literal Israel.
00:54:53.49\00:54:57.53
They believe in a
prophetic scenario
00:54:57.56\00:54:59.16
that will
involve literal Israel,
00:54:59.19\00:55:00.76
in literal Jerusalem,
00:55:00.80\00:55:02.13
a literal
temple will be rebuilt,
00:55:02.16\00:55:03.97
literal sacrifices
will be reestablished,
00:55:04.00\00:55:06.40
a literal Antichrist
will sit in the temple.
00:55:06.43\00:55:09.87
He will rule for three
and a half literal years,
00:55:09.90\00:55:11.94
literal enemies will come
00:55:11.97\00:55:13.41
from the north and from the east
00:55:13.44\00:55:14.78
with literal weapons
to wage a literal war
00:55:14.81\00:55:17.55
against literal Jerusalem
00:55:17.58\00:55:19.15
and all this outside of Christ.
00:55:19.18\00:55:23.79
It is a totally
counterfeit prophetic scenario.
00:55:23.82\00:55:28.36
God chose Israel based on
00:55:28.39\00:55:32.03
whether they
would respond to him.
00:55:32.06\00:55:34.83
You remember we
read in our last study,
00:55:34.86\00:55:38.87
where God says,
00:55:38.90\00:55:40.24
"If you hear My voice
00:55:40.27\00:55:44.37
and obey My covenant,
00:55:44.41\00:55:46.14
remnant you will
be My special people.
00:55:46.17\00:55:49.68
So the promise was conditional.
00:55:49.71\00:55:51.08
By the way,
00:55:51.11\00:55:52.45
God will
fulfill all the promises
00:55:52.48\00:55:53.82
He made the
Israel, He will fulfill,
00:55:53.85\00:55:55.68
He will fulfill it
with spiritual Israel.
00:55:55.72\00:55:58.65
They will not be wasted.
00:55:58.69\00:56:00.99
Let me ask you,
00:56:01.02\00:56:02.36
will God's people
inherit what belong...
00:56:02.39\00:56:04.79
what God promised Israel?
00:56:04.83\00:56:06.26
Yeah, not only
that, but the whole world.
00:56:06.29\00:56:11.73
Let me ask you this,
if you tell your child,
00:56:11.77\00:56:16.27
if you behave,
00:56:16.30\00:56:18.51
I'll give you
some of these cookies,
00:56:18.54\00:56:22.48
vegan cookies, of course.
00:56:22.51\00:56:25.11
If you behave, I'll
give you these cookies.
00:56:25.15\00:56:28.38
And the child misbehaves.
00:56:28.42\00:56:30.35
And the parents
00:56:30.39\00:56:31.72
still give the
child the cookies?
00:56:31.75\00:56:33.52
No.
00:56:33.56\00:56:35.39
The promise is
based on a condition.
00:56:35.42\00:56:39.16
And the condition
for Israel to be Israel
00:56:39.19\00:56:42.86
is to receive Jesus Christ.
00:56:42.90\00:56:44.40
There is no
fulfillment of prophecy
00:56:44.43\00:56:47.04
for literal Israel
outside of Jesus Christ.
00:56:47.07\00:56:51.34
And I believe, and
Ellen White confirms this,
00:56:51.37\00:56:53.68
that at the end of time,
00:56:53.71\00:56:55.24
thousands and thousands
00:56:55.28\00:56:56.95
of Jews will come out of Judaism
00:56:56.98\00:56:59.35
and join God's remnant church.
00:56:59.38\00:57:01.95
God loves the individual Jews,
00:57:01.98\00:57:04.15
but He has no
plan for the nation.
00:57:04.19\00:57:06.12
He has no plan
for the theocracy.
00:57:06.15\00:57:07.96
Now it's the Gentiles
who are taking the message
00:57:07.99\00:57:10.79
to the world.
00:57:10.83\00:57:12.46
Because the Jews
as a nation fail,
00:57:12.49\00:57:15.10
but God loves individual Jews,
He wants to see them saved,
00:57:15.13\00:57:18.47
He wants us to reach them.
00:57:18.50\00:57:21.90
Because if their
natural branches,
00:57:21.94\00:57:23.54
wow, they are the inside track.
00:57:23.57\00:57:27.08
We are only wild
on those branches.
00:57:27.11\00:57:30.71
But all of us are
united to the same tree.
00:57:30.75\00:57:35.35
Are you understanding
the importance of knowing
00:57:35.38\00:57:39.42
what Israel means
00:57:39.45\00:57:41.29
when it's spoken
of in Bible prophecy?
00:57:41.32\00:57:43.93
It's vitally important, folks,
00:57:43.96\00:57:45.63
that we understand
that Israel is the church
00:57:45.66\00:57:48.56
and all prophecy
will be fulfilled,
00:57:48.60\00:57:50.47
not with literal Israel,
but with spiritual Israel.
00:57:50.50\00:57:54.47
I trust that this
study has been beneficial.
00:57:54.50\00:57:57.37
In our next study,
we will study about
00:57:57.41\00:57:58.97
the fig tree also
relating to Israel.
00:57:59.01\00:58:02.91