Isaiah Lesson 43

Cornerstone Church

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Father, we are in awe of your blessings, of the way that you help us, you guide us, the grace that you give.

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We are grateful for your Word that you've provided that we can hear your truth and grow into your truth and that that's the standard that we live by.

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We pray, Father, that this afternoon as we open up Isaiah 33, we can see the significance of your hand and of your sovereignty and that it will help draw our hearts closer to you.

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We ask that you would speak through Pastor Jeff this morning, this afternoon, we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

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Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. The Evangelical Church in America is under attack.

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In fact, if you look across the landscape of Evangelicalism, it's probably not been this divided and in so much turmoil since I can remember.

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You could use as an example in Virginia, there's a church called McLean Bible Church, which was built up by this wonderful pastor, multiple campuses, more than 10 ,000 people gathering to worship the

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Lord Jesus every week. Right now, it is in complete turmoil and splitting over the issue of social justice.

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A second church that you would recognize is Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. You might know that church because it's the one that was built up through the ministry of John Piper.

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He handed the reins to Jason Meyer, who this week resigned because of social justice.

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Where is this coming from? Well, social justice is fundamentally a political movement with designs to attack the church.

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What's happening is not without planning. It's not just some arbitrary thing.

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It's something that has been planned. In fact, to the extent that there is a group founded or at least largely run by a man named

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Michael Ware. Michael Ware in 2012 was Barack Obama's faith -based coordinator.

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He started the AND campaign. And after that campaign, he moved on to start a group called

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Docent, D -O -C -E -N -T. And Docent, along with Michael Ware, employed some 10 or more left -leaning so -called evangelicals with designs to influence the church.

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To this day, Michael Ware's whole thing is against anything that's conservative. He is part of this group.

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Well, here's what they did. They marketed themselves as a help to pastors.

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And what they promised to do for pastors is help them write their sermons. So here's what they would do for you.

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You do exegetical work and you get in the text, but consult us and we will send you illustrations and ideas and background information.

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And we will be kind of the think tank and the research group to power your ministry.

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And they could do all number of different kinds of things for the church. And pastors begin to rely on this group.

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In their number of churches that relied on Docent include

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Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City, Matt Chandler from the

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Village Church, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, J .D.

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Greer, and then the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ed Litton. All of these people are being influenced by Docent, making use of them, either aware or not aware that this is a leftward political movement, which sought from the very beginning through Michael Ware, Obama's faith -based outreach minister, to infiltrate evangelicalism.

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And the destruction that we're seeing is absolutely designed. Now what happens at the local level?

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Well, these big -name preachers, Tim Keller, probably the biggest name in all of evangelicalism over the last 10 years,

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Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll was using this group as well, J .D.

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Greer, president of the largest Protestant denomination in the world, the Southern Baptist, Ed Litton, all of these men are the influencers who shape the local pastorate.

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So the person reading Gospel Coalition, which is a Tim Keller ministry, and a number of people that are associated with them, are being influenced by what they're reading.

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And they begin to parrot back what they're hearing, to the extent that Ed Litton was preaching almost word -for -word the sermons of J .D.

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Greer, which he developed from Docent. And the result of this is the local pastors are picking up on it and parroting what they're hearing from the big names of evangelicalism.

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And before long, you have ruin in the churches. This is what's been happening.

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The destroyer is behind the scene, seeking to destroy. It's just like Jude. It's just like the book of Jude.

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We're becoming a smaller remnant. Yeah. The church is being destroyed by deceptive ideologies that are coming in to the church.

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And it's under the banner of social justice. All so much as God will allow the church to not be destroyed.

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Well, that's why I was about to say to you, turn with me to Isaiah 33, because we know they will not win.

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Come on. You're ready. Let's see.

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And Lori, can I call on you to be the first reader, because you're eager to say this. This is exactly right. Yeah.

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Just read the first verse to begin with. Now, the big idea here is that the future holds destruction of the destroyer and establishment of the kingdom where the righteous will behold the king.

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This destruction is for a little while, but it will be exposed. In fact, I think it's already being exposed. God has raised up a

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Vodibacca. You even see in the public sphere, parents rising up against critical race theory, the roots of it all being exposed.

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And things like this, what I just shared with you about docent, that's coming out. The plagiarism of Ed Litton in the

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Southern Baptist Convention, now there's calls for his resignation. And sitting underneath him is someone from the

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Conservative Baptist Network, who happens to be a black man. So they can't say he doesn't have enough melanin in his skin to have the right to speak and to elevate his voice.

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So by God's grace, if he moves, I think God is going to put an end to this and the church can be reunited and based on truth.

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But this is the promise. Lori, would you read verse one? Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered, and you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you.

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When you cease plundering, you will be plundered. When you make an end of dealing treacherously, they will deal treacherously with you.

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All right, so the context here, historically speaking, is the destruction of Assyria, who has been the villain.

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Nobody aggressed Assyria. They had a wall that was so thick you could drive chariots across it.

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They thought they were impenetrable. There's actually entire teaching in the Old Testament about how their pride, the book of Nahum, they thought they were impenetrable as a fortress, but all the while, little did they know that God was eroding the wall.

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I think it was 80 feet thick. 80 feet thick. And the moat that was feeding it was fed by a river, which meant that there was circulation.

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And all the while, it was being undercut by the current, so that when the Babylonians actually conquered

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Assyria, the wall itself toppled down and allowed entry. But the point is, nobody was attacking

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Assyria. They were the aggressor. They had moved over Lebanon. They had moved over Moab. They had moved over Israel, threatening the entire world, expanding their kingdom, their empire.

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The destructive power of Assyria will experience what they dealt. The destroyer here is

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Assyria. You yourself have not been destroyed. You traitor, whom none has betrayed.

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Why are you attacking the Jews? What did they do to you, Assyria? Why are you overrunning their land?

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When you have ceased to destroy, you will be destroyed. And that's a great promise, because those who infiltrate the church,

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McLean Bible Church did nothing to Michael Ware. And yet, Docent has influenced their pastor,

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David Platt. He listened to what Divided by Faith by Christian Smith and Emerson wrote.

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He listened to B .D. Annouible. The infiltrators got his ear, and he began to parrot what they said, and now the church is divided.

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The destruction is coming, ultimately, through men like Michael Ware, but behind him is a spirit of deception.

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And the enemy with whom we wrestle is actually not flesh and blood, but the

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Prince of Darkness. And that destroyer who animated the Assyrians will himself be thrown down, and we see that in the book of Revelation.

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His time will come. The destroyer will be destroyed. And God's people should not be shameful or ashamed of God's wrath.

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God's wrath is not ignoble, whereas His love is something that we should lift up. We should celebrate both

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His wrath and His love. It is a reflection of His holiness, and we delight in the wrath of God when

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He executes it. That doesn't give us permission to execute judgment. Who are we to judge?

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Those outside of the church, right? Vengeance is His. Vengeance is mine, declares the

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Lord. So we delight in His judgment, and that's Him declaring judgment on the destroyer.

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So it says, and when you have finished betraying, they will betray you. Assyria has it coming to them.

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Now what is the position of the church in this war? The answer comes from Ephesians 6.

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It is humbly on our knees interceding. So look at verses 2 to 4. John, would you read

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Isaiah 33, 2 to 4? O Lord, be gracious to us. We have waited for Thee.

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Be Thou their strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of distress.

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At the sound of the tumult, peoples flee, and at the lifting up of Thyself, nations disperse.

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And your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers, and locusts rushing about, men rush about on it.

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All right. This is a prayer. What does Israel do when they are surrounded by enemies, when their towns are being destroyed, when

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Jerusalem itself is up to their neck in Assyrian invaders? They call on the

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Lord. O Lord, be gracious to us. I'm really thankful that Pastor John and Drew Deegan, and especially

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Pastor John, I think this came from your heart, to restart the prayer meeting. The people that pray will be delivered.

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Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not be weary.

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They shall walk and not faint. Here it says, O Lord, be gracious to us. We wait for you. That's waiting in the posture of prayer.

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That's why it's directed to God here. Before Isaiah was prophesying out, now he's calling directly to Yahweh, O Yahweh, Lord, be gracious to us.

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We wait for you. Be our arm. The deliverance doesn't come by the means of the flesh.

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We're not even looking to our politicians to deliver the church. It's the church, when it rises up by the strength of the

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Lord working in us, that will influence and change the culture. Be our arm.

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Don't you love that imagery? I can't do anything with this arm. Lord, put your mighty arm on this body to do what you've called me to do.

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Your strength working in me. Be our arm every morning. Our salvation in the time of trouble.

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This is the time of trouble, church. The American church is in a time of trouble. But this is the time when the church begins to call.

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It's like that cycle we talked about last week. When the church is down, we've been humbled, we begin to pray.

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And he sends deliverance. His arm is revealed and he lifts us up. He delivers. So, we should be praying for a time of revival.

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When we see the church in disarray, at the tumultuous noise, people flee.

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Why are they running? Because now God is showing himself. When you lift yourself up, nations are scattered.

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When God shows himself, it utterly exposes the lie.

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The great image that many pastors have used is turning on a light in a dark room and the cockroach is scurrying.

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When that light comes on, they have to run. They know they're exposed. They can only do their work in the dark.

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But when God rises up, they scatter like roaches. Your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers.

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As locusts leap, it is leapt upon. That's how quickly we come to the spoil. When the

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Lord wants to grant us territory, to give us revival, he extends his arm and we're like locusts that just go take what he gives us.

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There's power there. Verses 5 and 6, John. The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high.

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He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. And he shall be the stability of your time, a wealth of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.

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The fear of the Lord is his treasure. Yes. And in the

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Hebrew, it says his in 6, but also in the Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, different translations there.

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Who has from the ESV, verse 6, Zion's treasure? You have that, his?

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Well, the preposition is modifying something. So if you look back at verse 5, he will fill

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Zion with justice and righteousness. So what is

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Zion? Zion heard and was glad. That's the Z verse in my

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Bible memory. Jerusalem. Jerusalem. And it especially looks to the hill,

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Zion, the mountain. But it also has an eschatological view. When God has established this kingdom and it's the hope of God reigning.

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So Zionism is looking for the Jewish people to be lifted up. And Zion here will be filled with justice and righteousness.

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What is the posture of the people toward that end? The Lord is exalted.

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So Isaiah is praying, O Lord, and he calls for strength. But then speaking outward, he exalts

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God. He lifts up the name of Yahweh, calling on the name.

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And that's how we were taught to pray, isn't it? Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

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We begin to lift his name when we turn our eyes off of the horizontal and we call on the name of the

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Lord. We begin to exalt his name and preach the name that is above every name. The enemies begin to scatter.

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It displays a confident exaltation. Confident exaltation. And the church is built up.

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So here we're seeing Zion, because this is an Old Testament hope. But the New Testament equivalent is, how does the church advance?

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How is it built up? By exalting the name of the Lord. In verse six, and he will be the stability of your times.

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Isn't that great? Yeah, we just planted a church called The Rock that's now, within the first year, is 50 people now and established and growing and strong.

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Abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. This comes from the Lord. We were talking this morning, the temptation is to find unity and harmony.

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There's a bumper sticker that when I see it, it immediately draws me into prayer.

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Coexists? Yes. With the five different little pictures, if you would.

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But if you go scripturally, we are called to unity at the highest level.

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And anything less than unity at the holiness of God is, that's not what's going on here.

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Right. It's a false unity. It's a false unity. Yep. Amen. So, verses seven to nine.

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John Detoli, would you be willing to read this for us? Sure. Behold, their heroes cry in the streets.

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The envoys of peace weep bitterly. The highways lie waste. The traveler ceases.

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Covenants are broken. Cities are despised. There is no regard for man. The land mourns and languishes.

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Lebanon is confounded and withers away. Sharon is like a desert. And Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.

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All right, so this is the Assyrian war path. Lebanon, north of Israel.

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Known for its grand trees. The trees of Lebanon, the forests of Lebanon.

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The highest cedar trees you can imagine. Now that the Assyrians have come through, it's laid flat.

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They've wiped out Lebanon. They've come through Sharon. Who's the rose of Sharon?

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Jesus. It's picturing him. But it's this place of beautiful flowers. Now it's all trampled underfoot.

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And the people as well. Bashan and Carmel, where Elijah made his stand.

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They shake off their leaves. This is a picture of ruin. The Assyrian war path has devastated.

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And you almost wonder, where was God to defend Israel as Assyria came on?

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Which leads us to verses 10 through 12. John, would you read those?

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Now I will arise, says the Lord. Now I will be exalted. Now I will be lifted up.

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You have conceived chaff. You will give birth to stubble. My breath will consume you like a fire.

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And the people will be burned to lime like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.

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Now I will arise. At any moment, God could have arisen for the deliverance of his people.

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But he delayed the judgment of the Assyrians because he was using the Assyrians to judge his own people.

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They were the rod of his anger. But when the time came, when he says now, he arises.

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It's not that Assyria had some power to do whatever it wanted.

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God was wielding them. And when he says now. See, this is how God works in the world.

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As we see the destruction of the innocent. As we see the wicked prosper.

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As Habakkuk mourned. We wonder, where is God? Very often, he delays judgment.

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The book of Zephaniah is about this. Zephaniah begins. How does it begin?

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It says, I will completely eliminate everything from the face of the earth.

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I am going to wipe the earth clean of everything. This is how it starts. Not a very hopeful book.

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And it doesn't get much better until the very end. But what does it say? There is coming a day.

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And the book, it repeats over and over. The day of the Lord. We get to Revelation chapter 6.

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Verse 17, when the seal judgments are unleashed. And the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

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And an earthquake. And all of these terrible judgments poured out on the earth. At the end of chapter 6, the last verse, it says.

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Hide us from the wrath of the Lamb. For the day of their wrath has come.

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There refers to father and son. The day of the Lord. That is a seven year period of judgment.

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That's referred to as the day of the Lord. It's this period of time. This Daniel's 70th week.

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This judgment on the earth. God is delaying his judgment. But there will come a time where he says now.

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Isaiah 33 10. And when he does, the day of his wrath has come.

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The day of the Lord. By the way, this is why I've taught again and again. The church will not endure the tribulation.

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Because we are told in first Thessalonians 4. We are not destined for wrath.

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The day of his wrath corresponds to Daniel's 70th week. It is for Israel, for the cleansing of Israel.

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The church is not part of that picture. That's why Revelation is such a Jewish book. You don't see the church from Revelation 4 on the earth.

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From Revelation 4 all the way to the second coming. Right? And Romans 8 tells us.

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Therefore now, now there is no condemnation. For those who are in Christ Jesus. Yeah, because we're already justified by faith.

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Jesus took our judgment. Amen. So in 10 to 12. The hope is that his judgment will come.

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For Syria. And this now is beginning to picture the eschatological kingdom.

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Which we're about to read about. So Bob, would you mind reading for us? Sure. 13 to 16.

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You who are far away, hear what I have done. You who are near, acknowledge my power.

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The sinners in Zion are terrified. Trembling grips the godless. Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?

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Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning? He who walks righteously and speaks what is right.

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Who rejects gain from extortion. And keeps his hand from accepting bribes. Who stops his ears against plots of murder.

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And shuts his eyes against contemplating evil. This is the man who will dwell on the heights.

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Whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied. And water will not fail him.

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Alright, here's the distinction. Between the sinner. Which you see in verse 14.

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The sinners and the sanctified. Which we'll see described. There's a sharp distinction.

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And you can even see it in how they regard what's happening around them. They're in Jerusalem. There is a people who are trembling in fear.

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We read about the complacent women in chapter 32. They're trembling in fear. Because they did not know

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Yahweh. And as everything is stripped away. All they have to do is tremble.

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But there's a distinction here. Look at verse 13. Here you who are far off what I have done.

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And you who are near. Acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid.

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Trembling has seized the godless. Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire?

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Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings? If you stop right there at verse 14. We're all sinners.

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We all fall short of the glory of God. And yet. The answer to that kind of rhetorical question.

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Is not no one. There's a distinction. Between. The sinners who are afraid.

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And others in Jerusalem at the time. Who are not afraid. And why not?

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Because by faith. They have been imputed the righteousness of Christ. Which will be given retroactively to them.

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Based on the sacrifice he will certainly accomplish. He's the lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. And because they're regenerate.

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They now have been changed. These are the sanctified. So look at verses 15.

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This is who can dwell with everlasting burnings. Now pause there. That's that language of Hebrews 12, 29.

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Our God is a consuming fire. It comes from that. This is.

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A terrifying image of God. A consuming fire. And yet he does not consume all.

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By grace. He transforms some. And there are those who walk righteously.

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And speak uprightly. Who despise the gain. Of oppressions.

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Who shakes his hands. Lest they hold a bribe. Refusing the bribe. They shake it off.

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They won't take that under the table. Their hands are above the table. They refuse the bribe.

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Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed. For the longest time people have.

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Almost delighted in the rumors of the nations. And nowadays people still delight in these things right.

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Love to hear about wars. Love to hear about destruction. People just wanting and delighting to hear.

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What's going on. Until it comes near them. Shuts his eyes from looking on evil.

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That's an important one in our day. Now that. Images are put on cell phones. How important is it.

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To be like Job. Who's made a covenant. With his eyes that I might not look. Upon a woman.

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Or Psalm 119. To guard your heart. To guard the eye gate. There are those who.

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Shut his eyes from looking on evil. He will dwell. On the heights.

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His place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks. How secure he is. He's there in Jerusalem too.

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And yet he's secure because his rock. Is gone. There's nothing to fear. And that's true of us church.

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And we see this day. Of destruction. Coming on the evangelical church. We know that those.

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The remnant. The 7000. Cannot be shaken. And we have nothing to fear.

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We know our God will arise. And show his arm. And if he gives judgment for a season.

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It's because he's a loving father. That disciplines the ones that he loves. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks.

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His bread will be given him. His water will be sure. You see the security that he feels.

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Because his hope is in God. He can trust in God. Even in the worst times. He's secure.

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On the rock. That's Matthew 7. His life is built. Built on the rock. You're right with me.

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We're tracking today. All right. So now. Who would like to read.

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17 through 22. Now. We see the beautiful picture. Of the king. In his kingdom. You got that Carol.

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All right. You just got volunteered. And you will see a land that stretches into the distance.

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You will think back to this time of terror. When the Assyrian officers. Outside their walls.

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Carried their towers. And estimated how much plunder. They would get from your fallen city. But soon they will all be gone.

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These fierce. Vile people. With a strange. Unknown language. Will disappear. Instead.

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You will see Zion. As a place of worship. And celebration. You will see Jerusalem. A city.

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Quiet and secure. The Lord. Will be our mighty one. He will be like. A wise river of protection.

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That no enemy can cross. For the Lord is our judge. Our lawgiver. And our king.

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He will care for us. And save us. The enemy's sails. Hang loose.

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On broken masts. With useless tackle. Their treasure. Will be divided. By the people of God.

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Even the lame. Will win their share. The people of Israel. Will no longer. Say. We are sick and helpless.

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But the Lord. Will forgive us. Wow. Isn't that encouraging?

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There's a kingdom vision. Though we live. In a day. Where the enemy. Is still all around us.

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And there'd be cause. To be concerned. We have the vision. Of what will be. It is the king.

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And look at verse 17. Your eyes. Will behold. The king. In his beauty.

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We will see. The king. Christ is coming. And we will see him. In his glory.

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In his beauty. The splendor of his majesty. Isaiah caught a glimpse. And he was undone.

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Until that cold. Touched his lips. And took away. His impurity. Holy. Holy.

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Holy. We will see him. With our eyes. And that. They will see a land. That stretches afar.

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We'll see this. The beauty. Of the rolling hills. Of the kingdom of God. With no.

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Threat. Just. Glorious fields. And open spaces. Your heart.

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Will muse. On the terror. Meaning you'll be able. To remember. This is kind of second.

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Corinthians 4. 17. Teaching. The light. And momentary afflictions. Of this life. Are achieving.

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For us. An eternal weight. Of glory. The things that happen. All of the pain.

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Of this life. All of the struggle. The fight. We remember it. We muse. Upon it.

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But it seems like. This distant. Memory. Without the pain. Where there is no more tears.

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No more sorrow. Because we see it. In the fullness. Of what God. Meant it for. The good.

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That came of it. And we have nothing. But joy. As we look back on it. We can think about it.

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And the question is. Where are these threats? Look at verse 18. They were counting the towers.

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In Jerusalem. They were looking at things over the walls. From a distance. Going up on watchtowers.

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And even figuring out. Who's going to get what. I saw this amazing house. That's mine. I claim that one.

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I hear there's so much gold. In the temple. Oh I'm taking some. They've already got it marked.

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And ready for themselves. That's a memory now. Verse 19.

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You will see no more. The insolent people. Remember. Isaiah chapter 28.

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When they came. To Israel. They were speaking a language. That no one understood.

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It was speaking in tongues. And so it was judgment on Israel. That they had no understanding.

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Now it says in verse. 19. The people of an obscure speech.

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That you cannot comprehend. Stammering in a tongue. That you cannot understand. Where is the

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Assyrian? No more. Now there is the pure speech.

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Which I think we learned from Rich. One week. Is a language of heaven.

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That's in Zephaniah. Zephaniah was also. Yeah. That's exactly right. Zephaniah. Speaking this pure tongue.

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That we all understand. And there's no miscommunication. It's sad in the church.

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Where because of just misunderstanding. And miscommunication. You have division. Caused. You know.

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When Israel. After 70 AD. When they were scattered. They lost their language. Yeah. And there was

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Eliezer Ben Yehuda. You know. A lexicographer. That brought it back. In the late 1800s.

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Yep. They had English. That language all that time. Yeah. As they were reestablished. And to this day.

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They now speak Hebrew. Wow. Verse 20.

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Says. Behold Zion. The city of our appointed feasts. Your eyes will see

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Jerusalem. How many of you are excited. Anybody here been to Jerusalem? No. I want to go. Oh man.

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I want to go. I really want to go. Now I have a friend that goes a lot. Pastor Bill. Pastor Joe's gone like 50 sometimes.

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I don't know how many times. But all of us are going to go. In one way or another.

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Either in this life. Or in the resurrection of the dead. When Christ comes. We're going to go see the king.

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We're going to these feasts. To behold him. And spend time with him. And reign where we are.

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For a thousand years in this world. And then the new Jerusalem. Coming down from heaven like a bride.

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Behold Zion. The city of our appointed feasts. Your eyes will see Jerusalem. That's a good promise.

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Isn't it? An untroubled habitation. Behold in this life.

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You will have troubles. But take heart. I have overcome the world. These are temporary. And light and momentary.

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That's why we can even count it all joy. When we face trials. Of various kinds. There's coming a time when.

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There's no more of it. It's an untroubled habitation. An immovable tent.

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Everything else we have here. Are movable tents. We're like the Hebrews 12

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Abraham. Who dwelt in tents. Sojourning in a land. With Isaac and Jacob.

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But there's coming a day. Permanent. That's what we are.

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We're sojourners. And first Peter is about that. How we're sojourning as aliens. Elect exiles.

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In a foreign land. Whose stakes will never be plucked up. Nor will any of its cords be broken.

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But there the Lord and majesty. Will be for us. A place of broad rivers and streams.

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Can you picture it? This is the fallen creation. Imagine the

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Garden of Eden. I've been to the Grand Canyon. I ran a marathon along. The lip of the

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Grand Canyon. And you just see the glory. Of this fallen creation.

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The whole earth moans. And groans for the revealing. Of the sons of God. That means this.

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Even the world itself is subject to decay. Imagine the new Jerusalem. And then the new heaven.

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And the new earth. What are the streams going to be like there? And the rivers.

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Crystal clear. And the sound of the waterfalls. And just the vegetation. And the animals.

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That no longer want to kill you. You don't have to stay away from that bear. You can go pet it. There's no mosquitoes.

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Biting you out in the woods. No little red. And black spotted hoppy things.

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Eating all your. Plants and trees that you have to kill. I'm going to have a lion and a pet giraffe.

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You're going to have a pet giraffe. Where no galley with oars can go.

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Nor majestic ship can pass. That means like an attacking ship. There's nothing to fear from the seas and the rivers.

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The Lord is our judge. The Lord is our law giver. The Lord is our king. He will save us.

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Do you still believe that church? Are we losing? No. It may look like we're being destroyed for a time.

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But there will be a revival. Even before the come of the king. And when he comes.

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Righteousness forevermore. Now this is speaking to the shipwreck. Of the enemy in verse 24.

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Your cords hang loose. They cannot hold the mass for a minute's place.

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Or keep the sails spread out. Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided.

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That reminds me of the 53rd chapter. Where having conquered. And risen from the dead.

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Christ says I will divide the spoil with the strong. We are the strong. Because he's in us.

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We have the hope of glory living in us. We are the strong. And the spoil is for us.

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Even the lame will take the prey. So you picture a guy who would never make it.

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To win the booty of the war. He's on crutches. Or some way lame.

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There will be so much. That he'll have all he wants to take. Like Mephibosheth.

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Mephibosheth. He was raised up having been lame. What a great picture.

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And he's the king of kings. He's the king of kings. And we're the kings that he is king over.

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Because we're priests and kings. If you endure you will reign with him. First Timothy.

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No inhabitant will say. I am sick. So that lame man.

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No more. Now he leaps like the deer. The people who dwell there will be forgiven.

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Their iniquity. No more remembrance cast into the sea of forgetfulness.

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This is the picture of the coming kingdom. It is a beautiful one. So in closing.

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Let's look for our coming king. We live. I mentioned here in the notes.

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In our political world. Does anybody know who our congressman is? Andy Kim.

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Andy Kim says that. He is for. Taxpayer funding of abortion.

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Government funded abortion. And no parental notification. For abortion by minors.

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We live in a country. And even from our own congressional district. That is slaying babies.

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Ah destroyer. It says. In Isaiah 33. You who destroy.

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Who yourself have not been destroyed. You traitor. Whom none has betrayed. What did that baby do to you?

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God will judge. There is yet a time of repentance. And if Andy Kim listens to this video.

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There is still yet time to repent. And the king will be merciful to you.

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We at times feel like we're losing. As the country goes farther and farther.

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Into. Basically it's a. A full scale rejection of biblical morality. At every particular point.

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Honor your father and mother. There's now a destruction of all hierarchies. Thou shalt not murder.

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There's the killing of innocent babies. Babies in the womb. We're going to start our abortion outreach.

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On 9 -11. Because 9 -11 happens every day in this country. Almost 2 ,000 babies killed on a daily basis.

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And that's just in this country. And that's just in America. I wonder what the number is worldwide. God forgive us.

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Yeah. It sometimes feels like we're losing. When little children are being mutilated.

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Because they have. A mental disorder. Where they feel like they're the wrong gender. Trapped inside the body of another.

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And they're being given prescriptive hormone therapy. So -called therapy. It's really abuse. To change their bodies.

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And cause them to be infertile. They are likely 97 % of these children. Will grow out of that kind of issue.

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Which by the way. Was only ever a male phenomenon. Until the last number of years.

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It was only that boys at a certain phase. Would sometimes feel like they're a girl. Boys almost always grew out of it.

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There was never a documented case. Of girls feeling like a boy. Trapped in a girl's body.

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But now that's a common thing. Because they're being conditioned to this. By the culture. And it just feels like everything's out of control.

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It's not. God is allowing judgment for a time. But he will send revival. All he has to say is now

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I will arise. And when he comes back. When he raptures the church. He judges the world.

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And then the kingdom. Which we saw this beautiful picture of. So we should not be like those who are of no hope.

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And we should not. Be afraid. Those who were trembling in Jerusalem. Were the ones who had reason to be afraid.

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But there were others. Who kept their hands pure. Not by their own righteousness.

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By trusting in the righteousness of Christ. His work in them. They're being sanctified. They're turning their eyes away from evil.

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And when they stumble they repent. They're being sanctified.

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So it's a beautiful picture of a coming kingdom. And in the end we win. John will you close us in prayer.

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Amen dear Lord. Come quickly dear Lord Jesus we pray. But yet if you tarry

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Lord. Keep your word in our hearts. Let us eschew these lies that Satan has.

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And let us be like those who were in Jerusalem. Who had hope. Not those who feared and trembled.

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Our hope is in you. And Lord we know that in the end. Your kingdom comes.

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And we get to reign. Under you as the king of kings. And Lord of lords. To spend eternity with you in glory.