(John) Honouring Your Parents — Willie Mullan

The Cross as the Starting Point for the New Year

Of course, the cross is at the cross this evening, and it's a wonderful place to start the new year at the cross of Calvary. I feel that it's very wonderful that for the first Bible class of this year that we're clustered around the cross.

I feel like saying like Paul tonight, God forbid that I should gloriously save in the cross. The cross is something that we want to study more than anything else. The cross is something that we want to preach more than anything else.

The cross is something that we glory in more than any other thing. So that this is very timely tonight, we're at the cross of Calvary. And I want to take you through these verses like this. First of all, I want to show you the words, the prophetic words of the cross.

Every single detail was prophesied way back in the ages before yon wooden cross was erected on yon hill. And we're going through the word on the cross first. Then I want to take a moment or two to talk to you about the writing on the cross.

This is very important. And then in John's gospel here where we are tonight, we see the woman round the cross or by the cross. Then there is one cry from the cross that we must underline in these few verses tonight.

I've called it the wail from the cross. And then we're finishing tonight where the cry is finished. And we'll be at the work of the cross. Now that's a very simple line, but there are great depths that we must touch.

Jesus Led to Calvary and the Prophecies of His Crucifixion

You remember as we finished the Roman trial two weeks ago, that we found that Pilate delivered Christ unto them to be crucified. And I underlined the word therefore. Verse sixteen. Then delivered he him therefore, just because the cry of the crowd was, If thou let this man go, thou art not Jesus' friend.

And it was the cry of the crowd that really made Pilate make this awful dreadful decision of his. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And we're starting at the last phrase this evening.

And they, that is the Roman soldiers and Caiaphas and all the high priests, Pharisees and Sadducees, and they took Jesus and led him away. And I want to underline the word led. You know, I wish I could paint this for you.

Pilate is handing him over. And the Lord Jesus is just taken by the arm by one of the Roman soldiers. And the cross is placed across his shoulder, and he's being led to the place called Calvary. And I'm perfectly sure that the man who took him by the arm never thought for one moment that he was fulfilling Scripture.

A prophecy that was prophesied many hundreds of years before in Isaiah 53. I'm sure he never thought he was. Our Lord Jesus Christ was led, said Isaiah, as a lamb to the slaughter. Mind you, he wasn't dressed.

And he most certainly wasn't carried. And nobody pushed him. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And that very simple deity was fulfilled just at that very moment. But watch again. Verse 17 says, and he bearing his cross.

And you mustn't go too quick with these phrases. Just stop at that bit. I think you can remember Genesis 22. How will we look at it? It's Genesis 22, and you remember it's the story of Abraham offering up Isaac on Mount Moriah.

It's a wonderful story. Sometimes I preach the Gospel from it. I take Isaac as the picture of a sinner, condemned already. Yes, the very moment he left his mother's side, he was condemned. When you see him on the road, he becomes concerned.

Where is the lamb? Great ones, condemned sinners, begin asking questions like that. Where is the lamb? Then you see him at the end of the story conversing. Yes, wonderfully delivered. But you can take the story another way.

It's the story of the father and the son going to Mount Moriah. And mark you, Mount Moriah is Mount Calvary. The very same spot. The very place where Abraham put Isaac on the altar is the very spot where Christ was put on the cross.

It's the very spot where the angel sheathed his sword. Way back in the Old Testament, it's the very spot where they built the temple. It's all on the same spot. But I want you to see the father and the son at work.

And here's what happened. Do you see Genesis 22, verse 9? And they came to the place which God had told him of, and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

Well, that's a wonderful scene. You see, he's being laid on the wood there. But if you go back a little bit, you'll find this. In verse 6, and Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac, his son.

You see, as Isaac went to the place of sacrifice, the wood was on his shoulder. And do you know, it was foreshadowed. Christ bearing his cross to the place of sacrifice. And here we have it in John, chapter 19.

He bearing his cross. You see, Isaiah had foretold that he would be led as a lamb. And Moses, writing Genesis, had foretold that he would bear the cross. And then in verse 17 of chapter 19 again, we're back at John 19, we read this.

And he bearing his cross went forth. Oh, I want you to get the hold of that. Went forth where? Went forth outside the city wall. And this is exactly what Moses had foretold in Leviticus. That the burnt offering, or the sin offering, the body of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

Oh, he must go without the camp. Oh, he must. He would be numb with the transgressors. Oh, I'm sure they didn't think they were fulfilling all these scriptures. As they led him away. They never thought of what Isaiah 53.

As they placed the cross on his shoulder, they never thought about Genesis 22. And as they crucified him, they never thought about Psalm 22. And as they numbered these other transgressors with him, they were not back at Isaiah 53.

But everything was being fulfilled. My dear friends, there's something tremendous here. Now watch, here's another one that you put with it. Let's skip a verse or two for a moment. You see Jesus being crucified.

The Soldiers, the Seamless Garment, and Psalm 22

And then verse 23. And the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garment, made four parts, to every soldier a part. And also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

They said, therefore, among themselves, let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be. Now watch this, read this. That the scripture might be fulfilled with that. They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture did they cast lots.

You see, every detail here is a fulfillment of the prophetic word. That's what I want you to get the hold of. Even the leading of him away. Even the placing the cross on his shoulder. Taking him to crucify him.

Putting the seeds on either side. Even the details about his garment. All told, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. Would you have any doubt at all that this was the Messiah? Tied up Jews by the hundreds on these socks.

Three hundred and thirty-two. Old Testament, all could be numbered. Three hundred and thirty-two, mark you. If you want to find me out wrong, just go through the booklet I did once. Find me out. Three hundred and thirty-two.

According to the years that the prophecies were given. All having to be fulfilled in the one person. And it's billions and billions and billions to one. That could have happened. Six hundred years before the man was born.

What they'll do with his garments on a lonely hill. Outside the walls are tremendous people. We should look closely at this. Why was God so wonderfully particular about these garments? You know, whether the soldiers actually part of the garments.

Among them. You see, after the crucifixion, according to the Roman law. Four soldiers detailed to crucify the victim. One would hold that, and one would hold that, and another would place a nail here.

And this fellow would hold on to it, and then he would plunge it through the eye. It was horrible. I'm sure, I'm convinced in my mind, and I'm giving you this for what it's worth. That they tore garments at all.

Why would they tear garments? What would be the use of an old, battered, torn cloth to a soldier? Usually in the far east. One is the turban. One is the outer vesture. One is the girdle, and the other are the sandals.

And when they tortured his garments along here, you take the turban, you take that, you take that. Now they have left him standing in his inner vesture. And he's going to get it. No use to tearing it.

It's very valuable, this. You see, it was an unusual vesture. It was woven from the top. Throughout, there were no seams in it. It was really, in that day and age, a masterly piece of work. I wonder who made it for him.

To make you think, and that's what I'm doing now. I wonder was it his mother. Did she take time just because she loved him, to give him something that was absolutely unique in those days? Sure, of course.

But somebody who really thought a great lot of him, gave him this garment. We must see this. It's an awful thing. I'm perfectly sure it was terribly awful for my sake, because there were women at the cross.

But they stripped him naked. Look, sir, he endured the cross. He despised the shit. Sometimes it touches me when I think that the Son of God was laid naked on the cross for the likes of me. They passed it to his garments among them, pulled it over his head, down here, with direction from above, to particular above.

There's something that's terribly deep, and I don't think that I can really touch it for you. I'll just give you a little bit, and then you must go on in your own, and come to your own conclusion. The soldiers got past, and now they're pulling this over his head, and they're going to gamble for this one.

Here is a naked form on the cross. Simply, they ripped it, and whacked it into a socket. They're going to toss the coin, or gamble some other way for this vesture. And one of them got it, that's right.

Christ’s Garment and the Coming King in Revelation 19

I wonder what he did with it. Strange statement. Have a look at the book of Revelation with me. And we're at chapter 19. Revelation, chapter 19. Now, this is a wonderful picture of our Lord Jesus coming back to this earth.

And he's coming back to take the kingdom. We're not talking about the rapture now. We're just talking about him coming back to take the kingdom. Chapter 19, verse 11. And John says,. And I saw heaven opened, and, behold, a white horse.

And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, so that you have no doubt at all about who was on the horse. And in righteousness he doth judge and make law. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns.

And he hath a name written that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. Where'd he get it? There's no blood in heaven that I know of. The teaching of this book that's in my hand is that flesh and blood cannot.

And perhaps you're not sure about where I am now. I'm only opening your eyes, that's all. But I'm making a suggestion. Now don't come and try me up afterwards. I'm only making the suggestion. A man on the scaffold the other day, just because of a coach, missed the evidence.

Why was God so particular about his vesture? I'm leaving you there now. I'm only making you think, that's all. But there's something that I am going to thrash out, and it's this. Do you see all these statements?

Do you see him being led? Do you see him bearing his cross? Do you see him pierced to the tree? Do you see the thieves on either side? Do you see this Old Testament statement in the 22nd Psalm about my raiment and my vesture?

Let me tell you this. He teaches us three things. Will you get them quickly? With an authority of Calvary. Those things are causing people more illness. Never mind if a leopard was ever bitten on the cross.

Oh yes, he only takes his time, you know, and gather up all the little bits. How could these prophetic statements be made six and seven hundred years before and a thousand years and two thousand years before?

Yes, this is not the Messiah. The cross is a tremendous object. We've only touched the fringe of the garment. Let's have a look at the writing on the cross. We're back again. 19, verse 19. On Pilate, who wrote a title.

The Title on the Cross: Jesus, King of the Jews

That's a wonderful word to use, you know. In the other place it says, superscriptural. It ought to have been an accusation, you see. There was no accusation to bring against Christ, honestly. He didn't really accuse him.

So Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title then read, many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city.

When you go to Botherstone and you're looking for Calvary, you must remember it was somewhere near a road that led into the city. And there are many other details that you want to watch for. The thing that the critics always bring up and the agnostics seem to hold on to is that each of the evangelists, each of the gospel writers, have all a different saying about what was written on the cross.

They're very much alike, I know. Have a look at Matthew. You see Matthew? Have a look at him. 27. And verse 37. And set over his head is accusation written, this is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Jesus, the King of the Jews.

Do you see the difference between that and John? Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. If you go to market, just the King of the Jews. Now they are all different, it's quite true. But here's the answer to it.

Don't let them frighten you. You see, where we are here, look at verse 20. This title then read, Many of the Jews for the place where Jesus was crucified was north of the city, and it was written in Hebrew, and then again in Greek, and then again in Latin.

And as he, as Pilate wrote in Hebrew, and then in Greek, and then in Latin, I don't think that he could have written it exactly the same. Probably Matthew would take up the Hebrew side. Of course he would.

He was writing his gospel thinking about the King of the Jews. He would take up the Hebrew and he would write that. I believe that Mark, Mark would probably take up the Greek. John and Luke, between them, took parts of the Latin.

But it was written in different languages. And each of the writers had the right by the Spirit of God to take what he wanted. And thus the whole thing is brought before us in the full gospel. But there is no contradiction.

But the great point of stress here in John is this, that it was written in three languages. First of all in Hebrew. Hebrew was the language of the Jews. Probably it was Aramaic at that time, but it was a sort of Hebrew, and it was the language of the Jews.

In fact, we would go further. We would say it was the language of religion. Then it was written in Greek. My, that was the language of the cultured class. You were really clever in those days. You taught Greek.

You see, that's the language of culture and science. Latin. That was the language of government or law. That was the language of Rome. How they were the governors. They led down the road. Now if you get this correctly, as I think, you see, it's the language of religion.

It's the language of science. The language of law that's here. And you know, the wording is, He's the King. And our Lord Jesus Christ, you know, is the last word of God's revelation to all religious people.

God is speaking unto us this day in His Son. He's the last word of revelation to everybody who's speaking life from God. And do you know that in Him our head, all in the country, my dear friends, what a wonderful, wonderful Savior He is.

And then, He is really the only lawgiver. And so as this writing is placed before us, my, you can see that really the cross is being taken as a platform to display the glory of our wonderful Savior who is sovereign of the Hebrew and the Greek and the Roman.

That'll do us for the writing, but let's get down to the woman. You see, down at verse 25, this is another verse that has been argued about and discussed many, many times. Watch the wording carefully.

The Women Standing at the Cross

Now they're stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother. And His mother's sister. Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. Scholars say there are four persons here. His mother, that's the Virgin Mary.

And then they say there is His mother's sister. And it doesn't give her name. And then they say there's another woman who is called Mary, the wife of Cleopas. And then, of course, there's Mary Magdalene.

Now I don't think there are four here at all. I think there are only three. And many other Greek scholars think the same. I think there is the Blessed Virgin Mary here. Now sometimes when the Bible talks about His mother's sister, they were not very, very, very tight on given family relationships in the Bible.

I believe it's His mother's sister-in-law. I believe that Cleopas was a brother to and this is Mary's sister-in-law, and she's called Mary too. That's the way the wording is in the Greek. It doesn't allow for four.

It only allows for three. And there is Mary Magdalene. Ah, there are three Mary's here. You know, I want you to get this. Silence. They're not making a scene. They're not falling in a swoon to the ground.

There is no crying out. There is no demonstration. They're standing silent. The Spirit of God has guided just how this has brought before us. You see, I can see this one. That's the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Quite correct to say the Blessed Virgin Mary. Or she'll call me Blessed. She's standing there. And on this side you have Mary Magdalene. In the chosen room you've got Mary, the wife of Cleopas. I believe you have three Mary's.

Once I preached the message on the seven Mary's of the New Testament. I believe there are seven of them. And I didn't preach the message just to air my knowledge that I knew where I could find the seven.

Oh no, not at all. I preached the message because I found that in each Mary there was a distinct target went the whole way through with them. Supposing we take the Blessed Virgin Mary for an example. Do you remember the day when the angel came?

That thou shalt conceive, shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, and he shall be great. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.

To her the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Son of Peace shall be called the Son of God. As I guess, you would know I misunderstood. She misunderstood. And Mary faced the angel and knew what all this meant.

And what would Joseph think, and what would the world think. And she said, He is unto me. It was good talk. Do you see it? She was ready for the will of God. She's ready for the will of God. And he's on the cross.

But she's firmly now. Thou ain't for the will of God. Joseph was ready for the will of God the whole way through. You see, if you think Mary Magdalene next. It's a wonderful story. It says when you go through the book you'll see Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene and Faithful Discipleship

My God. Seven devils out of this woman. In Luke's gospel. Darling, for sickness you'll find her. Teach her. Teach her that she loves him with her whole soul. You see, in the first minute. She's ready for the will of God.

For the Christ of God. That's why she's there. And I can show you that she stood there until he gave his last sigh. And when they put the little ladder against the cross and took down his body. She followed them till they laid him in the tomb.

And she's the last one there. And she was the first one there in the morning. And when Peter and John came and looked into the tomb. And ran down the road. She stood at the temple at her weeping. She didn't go away.

She loved him. Now we can't get this over to you. You can see what must have been going through these two dear, saintly women's hearts. My as a mother who took the terrible, brutal, horrible crucifixion.

And as this dear saint that loved him with every fiber of our being. Gazed at him yonder and edged him in the tree. What must have been going through their hearts. Well, in the tree. Where the Holy Ghost puts the next woman.

In the tree. There's Mary, the wife of Peter. And wherever you find this woman. You'll find somebody leaning on her in trouble. Do you remember the wee story? Two of them went down the road to a mess.

Do you? Ah well, they were going down the road to a mess. And as they were going down the road. It was resurrected morning. It was Sunday morning. Oh yes, they left the thing. It was someone this weekend with their back towards the thing.

And they were going down the road in a fall. Do you remember his name? One of them was Cleopas. Oh, that's who he was. Did you think the two of them were men? Well, you want to read Luke 24 again. For the other one was a woman.

And it was husband and wife. And they're going down to a wee place. Because when they get down there. They say, come and abide with us. With us. And they owned the house. They were true. You see, this man, Cleopas, who was a real follower.

When the Lord Jesus died on the cross. And was laid in the tomb. Everything that he had thought about. And everything that he depended on. Had all faded away. He doesn't know where he is. He's in a bar.

But there's a woman by his side for him to lean on. You know, every time you see this wee woman. There's somebody leaning on her. And she was right at the cross. With two heart broken saints. Leaning on her arm.

Do you see a friend? My, in the first woman. There's a readiness for the will of God. In the second one there's a devotedness to the Christ of God. And in the third one. There's a faithfulness to the following of God.

That should have been. The sorrowing of God. God's sorrowing people. Can always lean on Mary. My, that's great when there's a woman in the assembly. That somebody can go and lean on. My, I know women in this assembly.

That you can go at any time. And can lean on. There was something. These are the women. That's at the cross. Now let's go on. Verse 25. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother. And his mother's sister-in-law Mary, the wife of Cleopas.

And Mary Magdalene. Now watch this wee bit. When Jesus therefore saw his mother. And the disciple standing by whom he loved. Now who was he? Of course that was John. John always puts himself like that.

The disciple whom he loved. He said unto his mother. Woman behold thy son. Then says he to the disciple. Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. I think this is very touching.

Jesus Honors His Mother from the Cross

Now watch this. He's on the cross. There are three women standing there in the shadows. And do you know his eye falls upon his mother. Here in the shadow is John. I believe the only one of the eleven.

Who come back near the sea. They're irresistibly drawn. And he looks at his mother. All this is going to mean for us. And he said mother. Behold thy son. And he looked into John's eye. He said son. Behold thy mother.

John knew what it meant. You know you didn't need to preach all night to John. John took her home from that very hour. If there's a Roman Catholic in the meeting. I would like to instruct you. That John took Mary home to look after her.

Not Mary to look after John. If you get that inside you. You'll very soon find out she's not the woman. That papist Rome believes she is. She was a frail woman needing help. And her son realized it. And it was John who looked after Mary that looked after John.

Teaching of your books you know. There's something more than that here. I want you to get this. This is the teaching of the faith. Oh it's very touching to see it. But I want you to see this. When Jesus hung on the cross.

And I shall never be able to go into the depths tonight in a moment too. Of what he endured. And every weave and billow of God's wrath was going over his holy head because of sin. And yet with that excruciating pain.

And in the deep depths where there was no standing. He didn't forget his mother. Do you know he was keeping the law don't you? Honor thy father and thy mother. And don't any of you ever think that that was written to read boys and girls.

Because you just signed it for her. It happens to be that that belongs. You honor your father and your mother. As long as you're down here. It isn't for wee boys and girls. Jesus was honoring his mother.

And he was making the best provision. That he could make for her. In her last days. And he couldn't put her into any better hands. Than into the hands of John. Mind you. No matter what sort of a tight corner you're in.

Just remember. Honor your mother. Now let's go on with this. There's some lovely pictures. Can't wait with them. Verse 28. After this. Jesus knowing. All that will come into this wonderful gospel no matter what you do.

Jesus’ Knowledge of Scripture and the Cry of Thirst

I'm thinking about writing a booklet. This is one thing that's really on my mind. I've been asked to write a booklet on the tribes. I've been asked to write one on the tabernacle. I've been asked to write one on this and that and the other.

But here's one that's very deeply on my mind. I honestly believe in the depths of my soul tonight. That John penned 21 chapters. To let the world see. What Jesus knew. And I carried you through that in this gospel.

Do you remember how he started it? My when Nathanael come down the road. Jesus in whom there is no God. Nathanael said. I knew this man before he'd ever met. He said. He said. When thou wast under the fig tree before that Philip called thee.

I saw thee. Do you hear me now? John chapter 2 ends like this. Jesus knew what was in my chapter. And you'll find every chapter 13. When he knew. He knew. Wait a minute. This is the most wonderful thing of it all.

I want you to try to get this. Oh I'll never be able to preach this. Look he's on the cross. The nails are through his heart. And by this time you know. They're really beginning to really rise up. That's what happened.

You know they swelled up round the nail here. And they're swollen and the pain is terrific. And the headache is really something that can hardly be borne. And the blood is running away from the wounds.

And he's been hanging on the cross for hours now. Now just at that very point. Just at that very point. After this. Jesus knowing that all things were and now might be fulfilled says. I say there were 332 things to be fulfilled.

There were 331 of them fulfilled at that moment. Now wait a minute. You know he knew. He knew. Oh friend I don't know how the Lord Jesus could really think in that moment. Have you ever been under excruciating pain?

Have you ever been laid down on the broad of your back? I know there are one or two of you. I visited you when you were very ill. When you don't think about much do you? Can't think at all. I've been there too.

You know you can't read. You can't do anything. You are alive and well. And yet the Lord Jesus is hanging on these nails. And all the time he's there you know he took time to think about his mother. Fixed up.

And then he's thinking about every scripture. Every scripture right through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth. Right through all the prophets. And he knows everything's fulfilled.

There's only one to go. There's only one. I thought. Then one other time. Just as the book might be fulfilled he cried. I thought. No. I know. I know it was real. Real physical suffering. I know he was thirsty.

Oh yes. The heat of the far east. And hanging on the nails. Why his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. What an awful state it was. Very hungry. And yet it wasn't the moan you know of a man looking for mercy.

Nor it wasn't a plea for pleasure. Nor it wasn't a cry for comfort. Not at all. Objected like that. He only wanted the book to be fulfilled. Oh wonderful Jesus. I put that at the wheel of the cross. You know I debated it all morning whether I would put the wonder of the cross.

I might have been nearer. Friend this to me is a wonderful. You know friend I want you to get that. Why he just wants the book to be fulfilled. He's not thinking about getting his pain eased. Not at all.

He only wants the word of God to be fulfilled. I wonder are we like him. Are we prepared to suffer that the word of God might be fulfilled. I tell you this was real physical suffering. But it was a wonderful prophetical knowledge wasn't it.

Knowing that three hundred and thirty one had been fulfilled and just one to go. Wasn't it a burning signal desire that he wanted the word of God to be fulfilled. I want to say this it was a unique personal submission.

My he had power at that moment. The rock that followed them through the wilderness was Christ. He could have done something but he didn't you know. He's suffering as a servant of Jehovah and this is what he's got to go through.

And he's determined to go through it. Oh yon cross. Can you see the cross and the word of God together tonight. Can you see the cross and the writing and the woman and the whale. Now we're coming to the point.

Verse twenty eight again. After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled says Arthur. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar. And they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it upon Hesop and put it to his mouth.

And Jesus therefore had received the vinegar he said. Now I know that we have three words in our English translation here. But actually on the cross he just cried one word. It's a Greek word that just means finished.

“It Is Finished”: The Completed Work of Christ

Now what was finished that's the thing we've got to get down to. You see I know that every scripture was fulfilled oh yes. But there was something more than that finished. Something more than that. You know the Greek word that's here is translated in different ways throughout your gospel.

And it's wonderful to go back through them and see them. Now I'll show you the word again and again. Here it's translated by three words. It is finished. But I'll show you the same word. Come over to Matthew chapter eleven with me.

Matthew eleven. Verse one. Matthew eleven one. And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples. You see that phrase on end of. Three words again. It's the exact same word that Jesus cried on the cross.

Because anybody with any ordinary eleven plus intelligence can see that's finished. And an end of. That's the same thing isn't it. When you've made an end of it's finished. The same thing. But do you see the translation this time that's wonderful.

Now let's ask a question now. What had Jesus made an end of? On the cross. Friends I want to say this with all my heart and soul. He had made an end of my sins. He was burying them away into a land that would against me no more forever.