Judges 10 Bible Study (Tola and Jair/Israel's Disobedience and Oppression) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Amen. Meet me in the book of Judges chapter 10. In Judges chapter 10, Judges chapter 10. Last week, we covered the lengthy and, to be honest, miserable story of the man known as Abimelech, who was Gideon's son. And, this man will forever be a testimony of the tragedy of what happens when a person is consumed with the lust for power and authority and titleship.

And not only a tragedy of a man who seeks that in a sinful way, but one of the many examples of how not to pursue such a position of leadership or influence, especially in God's kingdom. It's a very real temptation for people to pursue that and to bulldoze over anybody who would stand in the way, which is exactly what Abemalik did. And after a dramatically monstrous and depressing chapter, we come to this text and we kind of get a fresh of, a breath of fresh air. We read something for just a few verses, and it and it gives us a sense of relief. We kinda just sigh now and see some kind of hope, some kind of flicker of faithfulness, but it's short lived.

It's very short breath, but it's worthy for us to consider. In just five verses of this chapter, we're gonna read of two judges. Two judges that were raised up after Abimelech's pitiful reign, and we wanna draw and glean from these two men and see what God has in mind for us in terms of our pursuit of Christ likeness. So let's read the first five verses together of Judges chapter 10. After Abimelech, there arose to save Israel Tola, the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar.

And he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. And he judged Israel twenty three years, then he died and was buried at Shamir. After him arose Ja'ir the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty two years. And he had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys, and they had 30 cities, called Havath Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died and was buried and come on.

Can we be honest? If we read those five verses, how many of us would pause and say, I'm sure there's something in here? These are the type of verses that we scale through and and we're we're kind of more attracted to action and insight and stories and narrative. But there's a reason. Again, this is the purpose of this bible study, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book.

There's a reason why the Holy Spirit tucked in these five verses for us. And when we read about the first judge after Abimelech, his name is Tola. And there's nothing really insightful about this man's leadership. What we have to understand about Tola is that he was raised not to deliver the people necessarily from an oppressor. Remember, that was the common pattern.

The people sinned, they cry out to God, and God raises up a deliverer, but there there's no case for that here. What Tola was raised up for was to clean up the mess that Abimelech left. Abimelech, never mind an oppressor, he was oppressing his own people. These were brothers against one another, killing each other, slaughtering one another, and this was the scene that was left for Tola and God raised up such a man to come up and to to bring justice and peace and to maintain it for many years. So we say that, well that's great, but what do I learn about this man?

Who is this man? If there's anything that we can draw from this man in our bible study, perhaps is the fact that he came from the tribe of what? Issachar. Issachar, one of the 12 tribes, is mentioned only twice in the entire book of Judges. Once here, and once in Judges chapter five.

And so if we look back at Judges chapter five, perhaps we will see and get an idea of what kind of people these Issacharites were, and what kind of man Tola potentially was. So let's go back to Judges chapter five and see in the song of Deborah, when she was praising certain tribes for going to war and condemning others for not. Look what it said of this tribe in chapter five verse 15. In the ESV, it says, The princes of Issachar came with Deborah. And Issachar, here's what the ESV says, faithful to Barak.

Other translation, as Issachar was, so Barak was. Saying the same thing. Issachar was faithful to Barak, who was one judge at one time that was leading the people to deliverance. Into the valley, they rushed at his heels. So this is the only mentions of Issachar.

And what we get from chapter five is that he was or this tribe was a faithful tribe. They were hardy. They were courageous. They were quick to abandon everything and to serve the purposes of God. They were fearless in the face of their enemies.

And what's amazing about Issachar, their leaders and their people is that, they were ready to serve under somebody that was not of their own. It's it's possible for some of these tribes, like when we read about Ephraim, they had a sense of pride and arrogance that they were supreme and above others. But Issachar didn't prove that. They they just want to serve God. And they saw Barak, and they saw how Barak was called by God.

And so they partnered with the man because the man was in partnership with the Lord. So they said, we wanna serve you. We wanna be with you. We wanna be under you because we see that this is God's advancement, not your own, and we wanna be a part of that. They were faithful.

They didn't have any insecurities. They saw a bigger picture for their lives. And when other tribes in this chapter were condemned for not following, Issachar was noted for his faithfulness to the Lord. And Tola came from that tribe. That says something for Issachar to be mentioned twice.

Once in chapter five and once here, it might be saying something about this man named Tola. But when we look beyond this book, we get other insights about this tribe. We get another picture of the reputation that this people held. And it's gonna be in a place that you perhaps would not find such an insight, but that's the beauty of Bible study. You can turn there if you want, but we'll put it up.

It's in first Chronicles chapter 12. First Chronicles chapter 12 verse 32. There's a list of tribes and peoples that came to make David King. And in that chapter, we are given the different people, how many people came from certain tribes, and at some points, you are given a highlight or spotlight on certain tribes and what they were known for. And when you come to the men of Issachar, look what it said of them.

Of Issachar, and here's the reputation as a tribe, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs and all their kinsmen under their command. Men who understood the times to know what Israel ought to do. This tribe possessed an ability. They had discernment. There was an alertness.

There was a sensitivity. There was the ability to know what decisions to make and not to make at the right time. Now why is this being said here in first chronicles 12? Because David was now ready to be made king, and in the political and spiritual condition, the tribe of Issachar said, this is time to now join his ranks. Let's support this man.

And they came alongside with David, and they said, we're here for you, David. At that particular moment, this is something known as wisdom. This is known as something as as the ability to understand the seasons, to understand where they're at, where other people are at, and then to move accordingly. And this tribe built that reputation, so it's possible that they trained their people to be like that. They trained their people to study, and to be aware, and to be calculating, and to be sensitive.

And perhaps, Tola was that kind of a man, and it tells us something very important if God raised up Tola. If God raised up Tola with such a reputation because of his tribe, then surely he says something about qualifications for who God uses. I look at this man, I look at this verse, and I say, perhaps God looks for a people, looks for a man or a woman that understands the times, and then moves and plans accordingly. That is aware of their environment, their culture, the signs, and saying, this is where I'm gonna move. This is where I'm gonna put my priorities.

This is where I'm gonna put my energy and my efforts. That's not an old testament thing and that's not just coming from thin air. What did Paul tell the Romans in Romans thirteen eleven? Listen to this verse. He's talking to Christians.

And he says, besides this besides this, you know the time. You know the time, Christians, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. He's reminding this group of Christians, you understand the times. You understand how short of a window we have left before Christ returns. You see the events.

You understand it. You comprehend the brevity of your own existence, and because of that, he goes on to give him instructions to take off any darkness, any sin, and to put on the armor of life, and to obey, and to walk in zeal for the Lord. It's possible for Christians to fall asleep. That's why he's saying wake up from sleep. What does it mean to fall asleep?

Well, when you fall asleep physically, what happens? You're breathing, but you're not consciously active. You're just there, and you're just taking in air and excelling oxygen, but you're not actually doing anything. You're not moving. You're not thinking.

You're just laying there. Paul is saying, that's possible and you're spirit man. And the reason why so many Christians not only fall asleep, but stay asleep is according to this verse, is they don't understand the times. They don't. They can't interpret it.

They have no discernment. They look around and they don't realize what's happening in our world. They don't realize the significance of this, and according to the scriptures, they don't see the budding of the end time narrative. They don't see it. And because they don't see it, there's no urgency.

So what do they do? They take a nap. Spiritually. They just go on cruise control and they snooze. The Paul says, no.

The very thing that will keep you from falling asleep is when you continually perceive and understand the times. And those are the type of people that God uses. He raises up such people that understand that understand what is going on in their lives, how short their lives are, how things can change in a moment, how things can be stripped from you like it's been stripped from us for these past few months. I can't even go through the grocery store without trying to take a breath and feel like I committed three murders. When did this happen?

I could not even have dreamed of this world becoming like this, where people are walking around, look at you guys. Look at us. How did this did you plan this? Did you proceed this? Did you have some kind of insight that this was coming down the pipe?

And now that it's here, are we waking up a little bit more? Sadly, we have more churches shutting down and waking up. We have to understand the times. And Tola came from a tribe where they understood, they perceived. They were awake.

God says, I can use a man from that tribe because we need a man like that. And so he pulls them out. We're still in the first two verses. What else about tolah can we learn? This is sometimes where it's important to take the time to do word studies.

Sometimes there's something there when we just go into the original language, and you don't need a master's degree or a PhD. There are apps for that now. When you look up the word or the name tola, anybody have an idea what it means in the Hebrew? Ready for this? Worm.

Worm. I'm not trying to be facetious, I'm not trying to be silly here, but who names their son worm? Who thought to themselves, this would be a beautiful name for this child. Let's name him Tola, worm. Unless of course, there's something significant about that name.

Unless of course, there's something in the Bible dictionary that God has used for that name, for a specific purpose or a specific message. When you think about Tola being named that, you have to understand that that word is used in different places, and even God himself used the name or the word worm to define his people as a whole. If you wanna turn somewhere, turn to this place, in Isaiah 41 verse 14. Look what the Lord says to his nation, to people, never mind one person, never mind parents to their son. Let's talk about an entire people group, and here's what the Lord said to the nation of Israel at one point, fear not you worm Jacob.

Fear not you Tola, Jacob. You men of Israel. Is God insulting his people? Or is he trying to tell them something? Defining them as a creature that is defenseless, exposed to being trampled and humiliated, absolutely nothing within themselves to make anything significant happen in their own strength, lowly, Fear not, you worm, Jacob.

We have every right to believe that that's what God had in mind when he called them such a thing. Because you finish the verse and look what he says. I am the one who helps you. I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord. Your redeemer is the holy one of Israel.

You're a worm. I see you like a worm, and Israel, I want you to see yourself like a worm. Because until you bring yourself to that place, where you're as low to the dirt as a worm's face is, when he crawls in the muck and the mire, you will not know my helping hand. You will not know my deliverance. You will not know my intervention.

You will not know my strong-arm. And so he calls his people, established forever in the word of God, you worm. A whole people group, because he wants to help them, but they need to see themselves as such. And perhaps that's the mindset the parents of Tola had. Tola, let's name him Tola, let's name him Worm so that he forever remembers that apart from God's assistance and intervention and empowerment, he's no better than that slimy little thing that can be ripped to pieces, that could be stepped on accidentally.

And so whenever he knew his name and heard his name, he would be reminded of what he is like and who God is, because he is on his side. When I look at the nation being called a worm, when I look at a man being called a worm, I see that potentially that's how God wants me to identify myself. Helpless, small, unintimidating, ineffective. So God be my help. And it's amazing, Tola, though his biography is very short, it's it's empty of any significant sinful interference.

He reigned successfully for twenty three years, and perhaps his name and his understanding of his name had something to do with it, because he continually relied on God as the nation of Israel was called to as a people. That's Tola's story. And after Tola reigning for twenty three years, we come to a name Jair, another judge, right after him. And he successfully reigned for just one year short of Tola. Twenty two years.

And the only thing that we are given about Jair I I mean, out of all the things that the Holy Spirit could highlight about this man, was the fact that he had what? How many sons? 30 sons. And they weren't just 30 sons, they each had what? 30 what?

Donkeys. And each of these sons had their own town, their own village. And that's it. We look at that and we think, okay, that that's it? That's all that we know about the man?

No. There's a lot there about the man. Now, contrary to popular belief, donkeys were not the animal of the poor. I challenge you to read through the old testament and realize that it was the affluent and those who had political prestige and influence, in many ways, were the ones who rode on donkeys. And oftentimes, even kings, when there was a times of peace, they would ride on donkeys.

Solomon and different judges and different princes would ride on these animals. And we know that Jesus came in on a donkey, and we often point that to his humility and his loneliness, which is true, but if you look at it biblically and you hone in, it actually says something about his kingship more than anything else. He was to be worshipped because kings would ride on donkeys in times of peace. So it was a vehicle, really, for the prosperous. It wasn't like everybody had a donkey to ride on.

Now you have this man, Jair, who has 30 sons, and he bought each of them a car. They each had a donkey. What would that tell us about the man Jair? Wealthy. He had wealth.

He had a great amount of wealth. And like Job, that was proven here by the description of his livestock, of even his offspring, and being able to provide, and the fact that they have 30 cities, that's a whole another point. But we understand this thing about Jair. He was an extremely prosperous and well off individual, but this man still answered the call of God to judge. What tribe was Jehiyun from?

It's right there in your bibles. Gilead. Now remember we went back to Issachar to see their reputation? Let's go back to the same chapter and see the reputation of Gilead. In chapter five, look what it said about this tribe in verse 17.

This is the same context. Barak goes to war, and certain tribes go with him, and certain tribes do not go with him. And look what it said in verse 17 about the tribe of Gilead. Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And then, why did he stay with the ships?

Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings. Here these different tribes being condemned. Why? Because of their wealth, because of their livestock, because of their riches. When they heard the clearing call, we have to go to war to see deliverance, let's join Barak, they stayed put.

And that was Gilead's reputation. They were extremely financially, materially blessed. But unfortunately, they were blinded and distracted by their own blessings that they did not even consider that this would be a greater privilege and honor than growing our prosperity. And Jair came from that kind of a tribe, yet he was a different man than the people. When God called them, as he did with every judge, to raise them up, he said, yes.

And instead of his money becoming his master, he learned to make his money his servant. And in order to spread his effectiveness of his judgeship, in order to make it more influential, he implemented his resources for the glory of God. So Jair was a man that was not crippled or paralyzed by even prosperity like so many are. He did not allow his blessings to substitute the joy of serving the Lord. And so, what an amazing thing to learn about this man.

A businessman, sure. Influential, absolutely. Well off and comfortable, you better believe it. But he saw the joy of serving God and answered the call, no matter what the cost was. How many sons did he have?

30. 30 sons, 30 donkeys, wealthy men, who had 30 cities. Why are we told that they had 30 cities? Well, if he was a judge, then he surely was overseeing the affairs of Israel. And by us being told that his sons had 30 cities, people would say this is nepotism.

This is him showing favorites with his own, and so he's giving them positions of power. No, I don't think that's what's being said here. I see a man who is able to bring harmony and peace and leadership to his own home before he did a nation. We have every right to believe here that these sons of his assisted his dad in promoting peace and administrating justice by overseeing these 30 places. And so they came alongside their father and said, dad, we're gonna help you fulfill the call of God in your life.

And so what do you understand of Jair? I mean, 30 out of 30 sons are serving him, serving God. This man knew how to raise his children. This man was influential with his own home before he was a nation. And because he was able to disciple and train his own, surely he can offer the same prospect to a people and a nation.

What a godly man this was. I mean, unlike Gideon, remember Gideon, he names one of his sons Abimelech. He misidentifies him and says, your name will forever be until your dying breath. My father is king. You aren't a king, Gideon.

What are you doing? And because he gave that name, in part, I'm sure, it skewed Abimelech's view and became now a monster in pursuing something that was never his to begin with. Jair is a completely different fellow. He was able to train his sons to not have covetous desires, to not be in competition with one another, but to harmoniously serve the Lord and even serve under the father and serve alongside each other. Do You see how we can skip over verses when there's so much that can be said.

So this man clearly was a blessing. And these people, this family, what does it say here? They judge Israel twenty two years. Twenty two years of peace. No war, nothing of the sort.

He had peace in his home. They rode on donkeys, peaceful animals, though they were influential people. And I think to myself, what can we draw from that? And I think here's one thing we can draw from that. The longevity of somebody's ministry, the possibility of God using an individual often depends on whether or not they are a man or a woman of peace.

Would you like to be a part of building God's kingdom? You're here on a Friday night to learn so I hope. If that is your throbbing desire, then hear me very closely. God very much appreciates a man or a woman who is a peacemaker. Who had it on their heart to build God's first temple?

Who was it? David. David. David stayed up at night. And he thought to himself, how is it that I live in this glorious palace and God's presence dwells in a tent?

This cannot be. I will give whatever is left of my days, whatever I have of my resources to make sure that there will be a glorious house unto the Lord. The scriptures tells us his eyes saw no sleep until this was accomplished. He had a burning passion to see God's house excel and grow and stretch forth in glory and majesty. And David had this soul on his heart, but he was restricted from doing so.

Can you imagine? I mean, Lord, it's very difficult to find a man like David who has so much yet still has their eyes on your fame and your glory. How is it that you would not recruit such a man who has such a burning passion? What is it that you said no to David when there is so many unlike him? Remember Saul?

Saul didn't care about the ark. It tells us in the scriptures that in all the days of Saul, the ark was not sought. But when David replaced Saul, that was one of his first endeavors. We must get the ark and bring it into its rightful place. Well, would you like to know why God said no?

Listen to these words and you could turn there if you'd like. Again, it's in a part of the Bible that most people are scared to go to. First Chronicles 22 verse seven to eight. David is talking to his son, Solomon. And look what David says to his son, Solomon.

He tells Solomon, why although he had this desire, God did not grant him the request. First Chronicles 22 verse seven. But the word of the Lord came to me, David says, saying, you have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. David, I love that you have that desire, but your hands are stained with blood.

You're a man of war. Therefore, I cannot use you for this specific purpose. And then he goes on to say, why and who he's going to use instead. You know this. The next verse, first chronicles twenty two nine.

Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of what? Is it up there? It is. Okay. Rest.

The fact that you're looking down means you're looking at your Bible, which is more important than the screen. Who shall be a man of rest, a man of peace, tranquility. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies, for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. Does anybody know what the name Solomon means? Peaceable.

I'm gonna raise up a leader, your son, whose very name embodies what I'm looking for. And under his leadership, he is going to establish an environment of rest and peace, So that in that kind of an atmosphere, my house can be built and grow the way I desire it to be. I want my house to be associated with rest, not war, David. Not battle, not fighting, not bloodshed, not murder, not death. Rest and peace.

That is the bed of soil that I want my house to grow from, which is the principle for us to consider that God uses men and women of rest, peacemakers, to contribute to building his house. If we're not convinced of that, you were with us in Joshua. Right? Before there was a temple, there was a what? Tabernacle, tent, temple would be a structure, a gloriously adorned structure.

And where was the tabernacle situated in Canaan when they came from the Jordan? When Joshua and the Israelites came in and they planted the tabernacle, where was it planted? Center? There's a specific name though. Who said it?

Shiloh. You're right. Shiloh. Remember? First verse of Joshua 18, that that's where they placed the tabernacle, the dwelling place of God.

Now here's the next question. What does Shiloh mean? The place of rest. Peace, same thing. The place of rest.

Do you see what God is trying to trying to convey? Even in Shiloh, when the tabernacle was situated, it would be on the address of place of rest. Hey, where's God's house? Oh, it's, on the Place Of Rest Street, Shiloh. When the temple would be built, Solomon, whose name was Peaceable, would build it, and in his days, there was no wars.

He was a man of rest, and in that environment, his house will be built. Do we understand God's heart here? So let me put it this way. In the new covenant temple, when God wants to build his house because you individually are a temple of the Holy Spirit, but the scripture says, corporately, we also are the house of God. Do you think that principle still applies?

It does. If you want to be in partnership with God as Solomon was, then surely he requires the same attitude of heart that you would be a man or a woman of rest with others. So let me put it this way, murder in different manners, not just physical murder, is not acceptable when it comes to being a part of this project of advancing God's program in his house on the earth. Gossip and slander and backbiting, betrayal and bitterness and mean spiritedness that cannot exist. God cannot look at a person like that, who can't repent of such things and say, I can use this person to build my house.

In fact, oftentimes, those very people do the opposite work. They don't build. What do they do? They destroy. They destroy.

And so, we have one of two options here. I can be a man of peace where I'm quick to forgive, and I love to be in relationship with others. And and I always want to reconcile when I do wrong or somebody does wrong to me. I'm not trying to create division in the church. I'm not trying to snub people out with my words.

I'm not trying to destroy other people's reputations. You can't do that and be a part of God's work. And the scripture warns. You're saying, brother, you're in the Old Testament a lot. Fine.

Let's go to the New. In first Corinthians three verse 17, what are we warned as Christians? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. This is not first Chronicles three. This is first Corinthians three.

God will destroy him for God's temple is holy. And who's that temple? Not in Shiloh, not in Jerusalem, you are that temple. God is just as serious about his temple and new covenant as he was in the old. And it would be a horrific thought.

It would be unthinkable to go up to the temple and degrade it, vandalize it, to remove a piece of furniture in it. I mean, two worship leaders try to go into the holy place drunk and God killed them. But nobody would dare go up and be irreverent, or or to move things around, or to destroy things, or steal things. And in the new covenant, he says, you're that temple. And mark my words, this is what God says in the new covenant.

If anybody destroys God's temple, I'll make sure to take care of them. You know what my question is? How do you destroy God's temple in the new covenant? That's a fair question. Right?

If I were to ask you, how do you destroy God's temple in the old covenant? You might say, well, you take a sledgehammer and you smash one of the walls, or you pull down the curtains, or you spray paint some of the furniture. But in the new covenant, we're not talking about a physical building here. We're talking about the spiritual body, the spiritual temple of God. And so how do you destroy God's temple?

Well, how do you treat one another? The extreme of it is when a false teaching comes in and tries to divide the temple of God. And the other ways that it can be done is when you read early in first Corinthians, what do you hear about the Corinthians? There is jealousy, envy, people saying, I'm with I'm with Paul. No.

I'm with Apollos. No. I'm with Cephas, division. And it's in that context that Paul says, you have under you have no understanding what you're doing. If you destroy God's temple, God will deal with you.

Do not be the means of division and pulling down the currents or removing the bricks in God's house. Be careful. God considers his house holy. We need a fresh baptism of the revelation of the church of Jesus Christ. And that's why we're going to the book of first Timothy on Sundays, because the church needs to be reminded of what the church is.

Jair was a man of peace. He brought peace to his home, and because he can do it in his home, surely he had potential to bring it to a nation, and he did. He did. Now, we move on from those two judges, and we think to ourselves, after 40 of peace, surely surely the people, after this breath of fresh air of faithfulness, it was a short breath. Now we're gonna gasp again together, Because we come to verse six and we see something that is going to blow our minds because it's not only a cycle, it's a new depth.

It's a new dive for unfaithfulness for this nation. Verse six. Familiar with this? The people of Israel in Judges chapter 10, again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. It's almost getting tiring, isn't it?

It's almost getting exhausting. I mean, we take breaks throughout the week, but if you were to read this continually, you think to yourself, I can't believe that they just keep going back to this and serve Now listen, the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him. This is a new catalog of idolatry that we haven't seen before yet. This is a sevenfold description of the false gods that these people worshiped.

And how many were mentioned there? Seven. It's as though it's being said that Israel worshiped all the gods that were available and possible and at their disposal. And they went even just beyond the border of their nation to see if there were any other names that they can add to the list, and they bow down to them. Seven different false gods.

They couldn't get enough. You know, what's amazing with sin, what's amazing with idolatry, what's amazing about worshiping something or someone else, especially with sin, often times people think that the solution to sin being more pleasant and joyful and experiential is that they need more sin. Isn't that true? People come to a dead end, people hit a wall in their lifestyle, in their habitual sin and iniquity, and they think, why is this not satisfying me? Why isn't this working?

Why isn't this giving me the thrill and the exhilaration as it did before? And so what do they do? They go into deeper sin. They they dig even further into those broken cisterns, and they think, as I dig deeper, surely it's gonna hold some water. If there's any proof of that, it's in the realm of pornography.

Studies have shown over and over that a person can come to that particular sin, and for a while, watch and entertain themselves with something that seems normal to them in the sexual world, in the sexual preferences and behavior. And after so much exposure, studies have shown that people go so deep into it that they begin to watch things that they never thought that they would entertain themselves with. Categories of this stuff, and the vileness, and the darkness, and the all these different things that a perversion that they did not prescribe for. And they say, well, why is that the case? Well, because they so ruin themselves.

And they so bring them to a place where they no longer have any excitement for what they once knew, that they begin to look for a new high. They begin to look for a new thrill. And as they do that, they go into deeper and deeper perversions. At first, we heard that they serve bales and ashtroth maybe, and here this god or that god. Now they're just now they're just a buffet of them, and they're eating it up.

Now there's seven of them mentioned. Scroll down with me in this chapter, and notice with me what God says to them in verse 11 of the same chapter. And the Lord said to the people of Israel, did I not save you? Now I want you to count in your mind. Did I not save you from the Egyptians?

One. From the Amorites? Two. From the Ammonites? Three.

From the Philistines? Four. The Sidonites also? Five. The Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me and I saved you out of their hand.

How many was that? Seven. Seven. Good. Thank you.

I love the energy. Keep it up, young man. Seven. So what do you have here? You have a young man paying attention to Bible study.

You have seven fold idolatry. And then you have God responding to their what? Oh, God. I'm sorry. We didn't mean to do this again.

And God says, did I not deliver you? And then he names off seven different oppressors from the past to remind them that he was the one that delivered them from every single one of their enemies. Now, here's the one thing that we can pull out of this. That for every oppressor, no matter which one it is or how many of them are, they are never a match for the grace of God. There's not one hindrance.

There's not one sinful pattern. Name it what you wanna name it. Label the iniquity how you wanna label it. God can deliver you from it. So there wasn't one type of category.

There wasn't one people group that God says, I wasn't able to save you from that. God saved them from each and every single one of them. And although these different people groups had their own unique characteristics, they had one thing in common, they're no match for the grace of God. You have to believe that. You have to believe that about sin.

You have to believe that when you preach the gospel. You have to believe that when you look out into the world, from family members, to friends, to coworkers that are bound by oppression and bondage. There should never be a category of transgression where you say, God surely cannot save this person. It doesn't matter how much they damage themselves and deform their minds, God is able to save from every single one. That's what we hear.

God is able to save. I'll match your seven with my seven. Bring it before me. No matter how many years, eighteen years of depression, eighteen years of oppression, eighteen years of whatever it is, I can save you in a moment. That should make gospel preaching so exciting.

That should make us feel as though we can go to the most depraved man that we know, depraved and twisted woman that we know, and have no doubt in our presentation that God can deliver them completely. That's the power of the gospel. So if they had a sevenfold, seven being the number of completion of idolatry, God had a sevenfold promise of deliverance. Complete deliverance, not partial deliverance. Complete healing.

Not partial healing. God can deliver it. God can save it. God can do it all. And this is what's being said here, but that's the hopeful part of it.

But you have to understand that God is delivering it in the form of a rebuke. God is delivering it in the form of correction. And he's telling them, k, you're worshiping seven different deities, false ones at that, but I'm telling you that I've saved you from these deities and other ones before. So Israel, I have a question. If I saved you from these enemies before, why is it that you are back to them again?

If I brought a complete deliverance to you, why is it that you are back now into slavery that's led you to great distress and turmoil? And that's a very crucial point to understand in understanding who God is. Because Israel and neither can a Christian today ever make the excuse or the claim that their bondage, their pattern of habitual sin is due to God's lack of ability to bring victory. Never. That if there's any pattern of sin in somebody's life, you better believe that the only person to blame is a person that is in bondage to it again.

That's important to understand too because Paul reiterates that. Paul hammers that point so many times. And in Galatians five one, he tells the Christians, he says, for freedom, Christ has set you free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Profound.

Profound. Profound theologically, profound practically. Number one, he says, for freedom Christ has set us free. When a person invites the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives by faith, understanding his grace and his forgiveness, they will, without a doubt, inherit freedom. Shackles will be broken.

Mindsets will be changed. Joy will be imputed alongside with righteousness. For freedom, what did Christ have in mind when he came to deliver his people, to forgive their sins, to die on the cross? Freedom. Freedom from so much.

And in the case of the Galatians, it was a freedom from a legalistic, law abiding way of life with the motivation of working your way to Christ and earning your salvation. And Paul says, you know, Christ has set you free from that, but it's not limited to that. That freedom expands to freedom from, again, put the name on it, God can deliver you from it. So what does the gospel do? It brings immediate transformational fruit in a person's life.

A gospel with no impact on somebody's life is as ridiculous as one preacher said it, as saying that you cross the street and were hit by a Mack truck, only to enter into the meeting that you are going to, to say that you got hit by a Mack truck, and there's not a shred of evidence of harm or bruise on you. For freedom, Christ has set us free. Second point, the only means of freedom is Christ. Only Christ can bring that permanent, enduring, satisfying freedom. There is no other source, including yourself.

I'm sorry to disappoint you, to crush the idol of you. You can't save yourself and neither can I? Whip yourself all you want. And here's the thing, all of that is grace, is it not? For freedom that comes from my grace.

Christ grace grace grace grace grace grace. And then here's the condition. Here is the practical application, not to the grace, but to remaining in that freedom. And he says, stand firm therefore. In other words, plain English, stay in that freedom.

Implying that it's possible for a person to genuinely experience a freedom, even a stretch of freedom, only to do what? As ridiculous as it is, as an animal who's been set free from a cage, to whimper back into that cage and be locked up by their owner that they were trying to escape from. Stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. So I have to make a conscious deliberate choice on a daily basis to say, I will not submit myself to slavery, to sin, to self righteousness or self degradation. I will not do it.

I choose to stand firm in this freedom. You say, well, brother, you've been talking grace, grace, grace. Now it seems like you're you're mentioning effort and and and choice and Well, let me ask you this. How do I stand firm? It's my choice to stand firm.

We're not puppets on a string here. Christ didn't set you free to remove your free will. But Christ set you free, and then he opens access for you to know how to stay in that freedom. And you have to choose, will I draw from that that grace to stay in that freedom, or will I bite into a temptation that's promising me a different freedom? And I thought to myself, Lord, how is it then, according to your word, that a man can stand firm and stay free?

And this one verse, out of many verses, came to the surface. Listen to this. Psalm one nineteen verse one sixteen. This is what the psalmist prays. Uphold me according to your promise that I may live.

And let me not be put to shame in my hope. So what is he saying? The psalmist understood that there is a promise in God's word that he could be upheld. Now who's doing the holding? God.

Where does a choice come in? When you choose to lean on his hand and allow him to surround you with his grip. And he says, oh, God, I know that even in my hope, the hope of the gospel, I know that it's possible to fall into shame. So I'm asking you, according to your promise, the promises that I see in your word, keep me up. And keep me in this freedom, and keep me firm, and keep me established.

Lest I what? I don't want to be put to shame in my hope. I don't want to show other people that you can have this hope, but you can't live in the joy of this hope of being shame. No, Lord. Keep me.

And so he knew the power to draw from and he knew the promises that would guarantee and he called upon those promises. So the language of a person that wants to stay free is, Lord, if you don't keep me free, I will not be free. And if you don't empower me, if you don't put the fear of God in me, if you don't instill within me the principles and the convictions and the wisdom to understand how to avoid things that would bring me back into a yoke of slavery, I will be a slave again. So uphold me according to your promise. Here's another question.

Do you know the promises for you to stay free? I believe that in Western evangelicalism, the most promises that people are familiar with is for eternal life in heaven, which is important. But how about the promises of the gospel for today? Not just one time, but today and tomorrow, until that time. If I were to ask you, what do you think the weight of understanding is leaning towards?

I'm sure you would agree with me that in most Christendom, people understand the weight of the promises of the next life and not for this life. This psalmist knew the promises to be upheld in this moment, and he called upon God to experience it. So you need to know the promises of God to keep you free. The power of the Holy Spirit. What the gospel of grace purchased for you, and then you ask God.

Lord, I'm bringing this to the bank. Now cash it for me, so I can withdraw from it and experience the blessings that come from it. And so he says, I delivered you from all these enemies. Now, coming back to the Israelites as we close in a moment, let's look here in verse 13. They cried to the Lord in verse 10.

So before verse 13, look what they said, and the people of Israel cried out to the Lord saying, we have sinned against you because we have forsaken our God and have served their abales. We've we've seen this. And if Israel knew anything about their history, their past was, we can just cry out to God at any time and he's gonna intervene and deliver us and raise up another Gideon or raise up another fill in the blank. And so they do that. They they pull out that card and they say, Lord, hey, we know we messed up here and we didn't know it was gonna be this bad.

We didn't know they were gonna press us so severely. So Lord, come now. Do what you did in chapter eight and nine. Please come deliver us. And God gave an answer that perhaps shook them to their core.

In verse 13, God says, yet you have forsaken me and served other gods, therefore, I will save you no more. I will save you no more. Wait. Doesn't God answer repentance? If I seek the Lord and I tell him what I've done and I've acknowledged what I've done, does not God move upon my sorrow?

Only if it's a godly sorrow. I mean, it's so amazing. We might fool each other, but we can't fool God. And what's being done here is God is calling their bluff. Because notice in verse 10, all they did was say that we have forsaken God and served other ones.

And God was not interested in what they would say, God wanted action. And so what did the Lord do? He gave them a grim picture. He gave them a a a ghastly potential of what would come for them, and it would be him moving himself away. Up to this point, we have been reading what the disaster of the people turning away and forsaking God, and now we're being introduced to a new level of disaster and that's God forsaking his people.

It's one thing for a people to forsake God. It's a whole another level when God chooses to forsake a people. And that's a form of judgment, and I believe we're there in America. There is no telling what can invade a place, and any nation is able to make the Lord their God, by the way. It wasn't just Israel's choice.

And it wasn't just in that dispensation. There are grave consequences when God chooses to look upon a nation or people and say, if you really really want your gods, I'll turn my back. And God will not forsake a people until they forsake him first. And that's what's being done here. And then he goes on further.

He says in verse 14, go on and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress. Let them save you. Look at you guys. I've been watching you for these past few years.

You're serving this god and that god. If you love them so much, if you've forsaken me, then why don't you try them out in times where it really counts? Why don't you ask and pray to them and see if they'll deliver you? It reminds me of so many stories in the bible. Is there any story that it reminds you of of a people crying out to false gods, getting no answers?

I wonder if you have a story in mind like I did. What story? We're thinking the same. Remember that story of Elijah and the false prophets? I love Elijah.

I love that prophet. So real. And the spirit that was on Elijah was on John the Baptist, and we can use a few of John the Baptist today. But Elijah calls out the false prophets, says, let's have a meeting on Mount Carmel, and let's do this. We'll call upon God for our sacrifice.

I'll make my own sacrifice, you make your own. And we'll ask God, and you, you can ask your God, to rain down fire to burn up the sacrifice and whoever answers by fire is a true and living God. Deal? Deal? Okay.

Let's do it. And so, the false prophets of Baal go up. And we are told from morning till noon, throughout the day, they were chanting and dancing, and they became so exhausted, and they began to spin and to twirl and even slash themselves with swords to the point where they were gushing blood. And then the Holy Spirit records this verse of this pathetic scene that really should break our hearts. Listen to this, you don't have to turn there.

In first Kings 18, that's where it's done. Verse 29, listen to this, about the false prophets of Baal, who are crying out, Baal, hear us, answer us, rain down fire and prove that you're the true Lord of the universe. Here's what the verse says. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation. But there is no voice, no one answered, no one paid attention.

You know, in life, when you talk to different people, you discover that people have different motivations for sin. None of them are justified in the eyes of God, but sometimes people have a different bent to why they do what they do. And there are some people who choose to embrace and indulge themselves in a specific way that is contrary to the will of God because they are seeking relief from a particular distress. They're looking for deliverance. They're looking for healing.

They're looking for wholeness. They're looking for answers. They're looking for comfort. They're looking for something to keep satisfied and controlled. And so they explore, and they experiment, and they dive into that, and they dive into this.

And it's a sad thing because it's just like these false prophets that are crying out for answers from something that will never provide an answer. And so people jump from one thing to another, one person to another, one place to another, one drug to another, one relationship to another, one spending binge to another, one religion to another. And here's what they realized, there's no voice, no answer. No one paid attention. And what's amazing is that they spent hours and hours seeking.

Just like people spend days and years exploring, crying, fighting, moving. And then Elijah, after he says, you guys done? You guys maybe your God is on vacation or something. So So let's just stop here for a second. Let's do this the right way.

And you would think Elijah is gonna pray for ten hours, just a short, brief prayer, and heaven opens up, and fire comes, and it consumes the sacrifice. Proving that the one who has answers is the God of the Bible alone. The Lord Jesus Christ, just like in Judges, is willing to answer and bring relief and answers so fast, so quickly, to bring you what you need in him and him alone. You might be reading this and thinking to yourself, what is God doing here? Again, is is God not wanting them to to repent?

Is God not wanting to deliver them? No. Again, God is putting them to the test. What are you gonna do now that I'm saying that I will not save you anymore? Because my patience is running close to an end.

I can't be playing this game. This relationship is not gonna work where you do this and then come back. It's just not gonna happen. So let me just tell you ahead of time, I'm close to shutting the door, and you figuring this thing out on your own. And what was the response?

Well, we get it here in verse 16. This is what God was looking for. So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. That's what they did, and that's what God was looking for. Action.

So what does God look for when we're in sin, even in long seasons of sin? I'll tell you what he's not looking for, though it could include that. A spillage of emotion and confession. God is not impressed by our display of crying and weeping and snotting. No.

It can include that because sorrow can be so real, especially godly sorrow, but what he's looking for is conscious practical change. Lord, if this is sin that I'm getting rid of it, and God says, now I can come and bring you relief. Now, here's what's amazing. That's all true. That's all wonderful.

Now, if there is one verse, it's not even a verse, it's half of a verse that I think is the most important verse in this bible concerning the character and the nature of God. You want a strong apologetic, not just apologetic, you want something to give you another reason to worship the heart of God? Look at the second part of verse 16. And he became impatient over the misery of Israel. I need a couple volunteers.

Who has the King James? We know. Who has the new King James? You have to say it loud. Okay?

Who has the NASB? Oh, no NASB is in here. Okay. That's okay. I have it.

Somebody have it? You have the NASB, so you're gonna have to say it all out. So read Paul verse 16 from the King James of Judges chapter 10 verse 16, then Tamara, Judges 10 verses 16, and then Natalie. Okay? I just want you to hear this because I think the ESV, I mean, it's a it's a very heavy Hebrew word, but I think that other translations give us a clear picture because we get the impression here that perhaps God had a negative emotion.

Like he was impatient over the misery of Israel. We get a wrong connotation, but these different translations kind of give it more of a of a clarity. So go ahead.

And they put away the strange gods from among them and served the Lord, and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

His soul was grieved. New King James? He can no longer endure the misery of Israel. Last one. NASB.

Do you guys hear that? Do you hear those different translations? What's being said there? That when God saw the misery that Israel endured, even because of their own sin, there was genuine soul gripping pain that afflicted his heart by looking upon him in that condition. And so real were those emotions that it stirred him to take action.

Like a loving parent who sees a son or a daughter because of their own choices destroying themselves, so it is the heart of God who sees a person or people that even because of their own foolish decisions inherit a harm that grieves him so deeply. It's almost as though, as real as his righteous indignation is, it is never separated from an intense pain that floods his own bosom when he sees us wallowing in our shame. This is the heart of God. There wasn't this hatred, there is this bubbling compassion. And not just from affliction because of outside influences, such as persecution or whatever it may be.

All of this misery was self afflicted. All of this was because of their own choice. And yet still, when God saw them, oppressed, beaten down, crushed, his soul was in agony because he longed to see them free. Do you think that's God's heart just for the nation of Israel? Or is that grief not universal?

It is universal. Which shows us that even in light of so much sin, you can guarantee in God's heart that although he has every right to execute justice and he will execute eternal judgment, he so much rather extend mercy. And we can't get the impression that God here has an imbalance or God here lacks self control over his emotions. Because we read that and we think, he no longer like he couldn't hold himself back, so he had to make something happen. No.

His mercy is balanced by his righteousness. Nonetheless, he longs to have his mercy extended more than the hammer of punishment. And what's amazing about this is that although he was so stirred to deliver them, we might think, well, why why didn't he just do it earlier then? Because the flood of forgiveness and restoration is only unlocked by the key of repentance. So as much as it is bursting, as much as it is rumbling, as much as it wants to be unleashed, as much as that is his number one desire, it can only happen, it can only be experienced when we unlock that heart, that part of who he is with sincere, godly repentance.

And they did. They repented in verse 16. And what the Bible wants to show us in this verse is that this is what God was longing for the whole time so that he could give them what he really wanted to give them. So God does not look at a sinful man or a woman or even one who turns away from him for an extended period of time with his arms his arms crossed. And when you do choose to come back, when it's sincere, Godly repents, he says, okay, good.

Now this time, don't blow it again. Okay? I'm gonna forgive you because I wrote on my word that I do forgive, but just stay put and maybe I'll change my mood in a few years. Was that the father's heart when the prodigal son came back? You know, we know that story so well but we don't believe it when we sin.

You can quote it, you can probably say it in reverse. But how much do you believe it when you've been eating pig's food? Because the son's mind, he's coming up with a contract. He's thinking, okay, Lord. If I come back to you, I'll do this for you, and I'll I'll be like that, and I'll serve in this way.

And as he's figuring up some kind of a contract, some kind of an agreement to make, God doesn't even consider it. The father doesn't bring the son and say, okay, lay it down. Let's talk. I'll give you my conditions. You give me yours, and let's figure this thing out.

He falls upon him, and embraces him, and even silences him. We're saying, okay. Great. So so I can just I can eat pig's food. I can go out and spend my father's inheritance, and do this and do that.

No. He did repent. He did repent. So then you have the other extreme, that people understand the prodigal story. Like you go out and waste all that God has given you, and you splurge, and you live in the city, and you hire prostitutes, and God will come chasing saying, son, where have you been?

What's going on? Come and pulls you by the collar and says, let's go back and throws you a party when you didn't repent. That doesn't work either. But it's as simple as this, that while a man or a woman is away, while they're in their sin, while they're being deceived, while they're spending their energy and time that belongs to God because God gave it. Like the father in the prodigal story, he sits up and he grieves over the misery that he knows that that person is in.

And he can't wait for the moment to see that sun, that daughter in horizon, so that he could end their misery because of his kindness that endures forever. So how do you view God? Even in your sin. Even in your shortcoming. I'll tell you this, you really grasp the gospel of grace.

Not just in your theological references in the scripture, but when you've fallen short. When you fall short, or when you look at a sinner, what your heart testifies about yourself and about another concerning God's heart towards them says a lot about how much you understand his character and nature. Because the more you study, the more you'll realize something. He grieves. He's in pain.

He's hurting when others are even hurting themselves because of their own choices. You want a verse on top of this one? Consider this in Isaiah 63 verse nine. Isaiah 63 verse nine. I love this verse.

It's so profound and it's just in the first phrase of the verse. Isaiah sixty three nine tells us, in all their affliction, his people, in all their affliction, he was afflicted. In all their affliction, he was afflicted. Think about that. Read that slowly.

In all their affliction, he was afflicted. When they were in bondage, when there was another Lord over them, and they were experiencing the pain of that, the suffering of that, his heart grieved for them. And it was it was what? Leading him to do this. And the angel of his presence saved them.

In his love and in his pity, he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. That's true for all affliction. Even the ones that we invite in our own lives. So let's understand this because we gotta be careful here.

Then how do we understand his righteous judgment? How do we understand his execution of retribution? How do we understand that? Well, we understand this way, that although he will, because he is holy, he prefers to give mercy. And that's what we learned from this.

So you know why I say highlight this? Highlight it for the person who's either skeptic or is genuinely concerned about what seems to be two different personalities from the same God between the old testament and the new. You know what I've learned amongst many things from the study of the Old Testament? I've learned one thing, that I have no dare to ever think in my mind that God was in a different mood in the Old Testament. Because I read a verse like this.

He became impatient. He could no longer endure. He could no longer bear. He was grieved over the misery. And And that's hard for us to imagine, this holy God that's so transcendent, that's surrounded by Seraphim, that's surrounded by angels, that is so perfect and beyond our description.

But then Christ comes on the scene and he shows us what it looks like in flesh and blood because he stands over the city of Jerusalem and he weeps. And tears come down. He says, if you only knew the time of your visitation, times that make for peace. That's why I believe in in part, amongst so many other verses, that God gives man a will to choose and to return, to give themselves to God. He grieves, he weeps because of what?

Their lack of choice of surrendering to him, of turning to him, of acknowledging him. So he weeps. And if he wept over Jerusalem, we have many proofs in the text that he perhaps feels the same way over Chicago, Illinois. With all the murder and bloodshed, all the abortion, all the prostitution and drugs and all the things that are happening, not even behind the scenes anymore. It's on the streets.

It's out there in the public. And raising up testimonies through churches, we can almost say that he looks out and he says, if you only knew. Israel, if you only knew that these false gods, those guns, and those drugs, and those prostitutes, and whatever it may be, if you only knew that they'll only bring you misery, and that I'm the fountain of life that brings you full joy and freedom, if you only knew. And one day, his patience will come to an end, and he is patient, that's why he hasn't returned yet, so that all would reach repentance. He's patient, but it'll come to an end, and he'll say, my word testified that I wanted you to repent.

My word testified that I was grieved. And this is the last resort, judgement forever. So we come to this text and we read the last verse, preparing us for the next chapter, and what do we read? And the people, the leaders of Gilead said one to another, who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Once they knew that God's favor shined on them again, his face was turned towards them in delight. They thought, now let's gather, let's strategize. Let's see deliverance. Let's see who God will raise up. Let's see who God will bring about in our midst to bring about a total deliverance.

And you read that, you say, okay. I get that they're looking for deliverance, but this is the gospel application. You read a verse like that, and you think that's just that's just something that's gonna bring us to the next chapter, which it does, but let's look deeper. Let's look deeper. That if people are trying to find deliverance and they're again looking to another human to bring it.

Because this searching is a searching of many people's hearts, but I'm here to declare to you on a Friday night that look east, west, north, and south. If you don't look up, you'll never find the solution. Because the only true judge, which is the point of the book of Judges, the greater Tola, the greater Jair, the greater Gideon, the greater Samson, the one who is perfect, the one who can bring permanent deliverance and salvation is Christ. It's Jesus Christ. And we sang it because he lives.

He's a very real judge. He's alive and well. And he told his disciples and he tells the church for all ages, that it's better for me that if I go, that I may send the comforter to you. And the Holy Spirit, though he is a distinct person of the Godhead, father, son, and holy spirit, because they are one, we are told even in the scriptures in a couple places that that spirit, the Holy Spirit, his name is even called the spirit of Jesus. The spirit of Jesus.

I don't see Jesus. You're telling me he's alive? Where is he? I read in here that people flocked him and he did miracles. I would like to see him.

And Jesus, no, it's better because I'm gonna send the spirit of God. Because because you won't have to hop in a plane and go all the way to Jerusalem and get in line and wait to see Jesus. You won't have to cut off multitudes and you don't have to crash through roofs to get to Jesus. You can be here in the sanctuary on a Friday night or you can be in a cave in China. And you in this place, in this comfortable pew with the perfect temperature can cry out to Jesus.

And that person in China, in a cave, seeking answers can cry out to Jesus. And he can at the same time deliver them as though the person of Jesus was physically there in that moment. That's why it's better. Who's gonna deliver us? Who's gonna bring out us the end?

Would you stop looking to other places? Haven't you figured it out yet? Haven't you understood? That even in your attempt to look at people who are spiritual Look, doesn't matter how spiritual people are, they are not your savior. Doesn't matter how godly your pastor is, he can offer counsel and he can help you, and his presence might bring you comfort, but he's not your deliverer.

And if he's a true minister, he will be like John the Baptist and say, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And so I'm here to tell you, behold the lamb of God who not only takes away the sin of the world, but sets you free from your sin right now. So where is your deliverance? Where is your relief from distress coming from? The pipe?

Your sexual impulses? Your pursuit of money, your dream business, the newest and the latest. I can't even keep up with the newest and the latest. I just bought one thing and they tell me there's three updates to it. And people live from update to update to update.

Let me update you with this. It's not gonna help you. And so, I'm here to declare to you what every Christian should be declaring from the housetops, especially in this mess that we call America. Jesus Christ will deliver you. He will set you free, not just from sin, which brings such a lightness by the way.

I love when people first get saved. And the time is my enemy right now. Are you guys doing okay? Good. Because you have no choice anyway.

I love when people get saved. You know why? Because you hear them, you heard once, you heard it all. When somebody gets saved, they say what? A burden lifted off my shoulders.

Right? Something was lifted off, this this this weightiness and this heaviness that you've been carrying your whole life suddenly rolls off upon one confession. Upon one sincere godly cry saying, God, I've not just sinned against myself and my fellow man and my parents and my No. I sinned against you and you alone have I sinned against. And God, with that heart that brims with so much love and compassion, supernaturally comes by the power of his Holy Spirit and lifts off that burden, and you actually sense it.

Because there's a liberty and there's a joy in life that you've never known before. I'm not here selling you a ticket to come to church. I'm here for you to experience genuine, sincere, soul saving truth that you can actually know. And it's so lasting and it's so real and it's so amazing that you'll never want again. You'll never want again.

Do you know what it's like to live a life where you know not only that you have eternal life, but that you can live so above this world? You can live as though you're floating day by day because you know in whom you have believed. You know him, and he knows you. It's so liberating to know that you're not bound by anything in this life. And you look around and you see how people place their identity and their purpose in so many trivial things that moth can eat up and destroy and thieves can break in and steal.

And that's what they're wrapped up in. But you, you're a different sort. You're a different sort. And day by day as you live, there's a sense of peace and joy and there is a thrill. You come to this word and it's alive.

You pray and you know that God hears you. You walk and you know that providence is on your side. You continue to live knowing that death may come in a moment and you can face it with a smile. I'm inviting you to a new life that is only available in Christ. And he's real.

And not being mystical, not being sensational, and not trying to play on your emotions. According to this word, and according to the attributes of the person of Jesus Christ, the same Jesus Christ that wore sandals, and walked on the earth, and visited homes, and ate, and slept, and healed, and delivered, and was nailed on a tree. Historically, that Jesus is here. Is here. And he's waiting for your heart to open up so that his heart can open up towards you and lavish you.

Lavish you. See, I can reel you in with judgment. I can tell you that you'll burn in hell forever. And that's a legitimate message. But I'm not just here to tell you that time is ticking and God can't wait to strike you with his rod.

I'm here to tell you that God in his righteousness, with a heart filled with love, In the person of Jesus Christ, staying the hand of God and extending his own so that you would come and receive mercy instead. Not that the father has a different desire than the son, but that we see this wonderful mingling of the attributes of God and know this, according to this word, the weight comes to this, that he longs to extend his grace and invite you into the fold instead of casting you out forever. He must cast out. He must do it. He must bring judgment, but this is his primary desire.

Come and be my son. Come and be my daughter. Come and be on my side. Come so that when I return, you would be with me and you wouldn't stand against me. Come so that I can give you a home for eternity in my presence, and that you would not be cast off forever.

Come so that in this life, you would have a friend like no other, a father like no other, a provider like no other. Receive him tonight. And for you who know him, love him afresh. Delight in him. Explore him.

I've done one of the best things in the past few weeks and I fall into it sometimes. But I'm separating myself more and more from the craziness of the news. I'm trying to, at least. It's tempting. Saying, Lord, bring me to this.

Let me dive into this now. Because every time I turn on the news, it's just telling me something that I already know, that things are getting worse and it's only gonna get worse. So if that's true that things are getting worse, and you promise that things are gonna get worse, then let me know you so that I can prepare to meet you when you do come. It's not gonna help much if I figure out all how these things work and these different all of these things are pointing to one thing. Get ready.

The sky will split open one day, and you're gonna see people's jaws drop when they realize that they've been wasting their time and putting their hope in all these things. That according to Daniel's vision in chapter two, a rock will be cut out from a mountain and will crush every kingdom to find powder. There's your political party. It's gonna be dust. It's gonna be dust.

All these things, all these laws, and all these conspiracy theories. I'm gonna tell you something that's not a conspiracy theory. You want ahead of the future? Here it is. Revelation, let's read it.

And then I promise we're done. I thought, hey, everything's closed anyway, so we have nowhere to go. Let's go to Revelation. And this was read on Wednesday night. And I'll read it again as we close.

Revelation chapter 11 verse 15, down to verse 18. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet and there were loud voices in heaven saying, the kingdom you wanna know? Here it is. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. And he shall reign forever and ever.

And the 24 elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worship God. Saying what? We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was. For you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nation's rage Are we seeing that?

The nation's rage and your wrath came. And the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name both small and great, and this is my favorite part, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth. Destroying the destroyers of the earth. Everything that's wrong, he's gonna make right. And I read this and it almost feels so distant like this majestic being is gonna completely clean up this world.

But here's the thing, that majestic being is my friend and yours. And though we're gonna see a display of power that no cinematic production can produce, even in their wildest imagination, This god calls me friend. This is a dramatic entrance. This is gonna be a dramatic thing, but I have no reason to fear. Because he loves me.

He knows me. He knows you. And he loves you. And this glorious Christ, this wonderful being, you can know and I want to know him more and more. So that when he comes, it'll be a familiar encounter, not a foreign one.

Let's pray. Father, thank you deeply for allowing us to sit at your table and to eat of your truth. Lord, we're full tonight. Seeing the wonders tucked in these verses, the application, the gospel, the reminders, the truths that declare who you are and who we are with or without you. In this place, Lord, we wanna tell you, you are worthy of our lives.

You're worthy of our worship. We wanna tell you that there's none like you and that Christ alone is our desire and our only deliverer. May we declare it as an expression of praise and may we declare it as a message to be heralded. And Lord, may you receive glory. God, in this time, draw us closer to you.

Let the word speak to every heart. Let prayer be a delight. Let worship be like breathing. Let our fellowship be heavenly. God, thank you for this extended Bible study.

Thank you again, Lord, for gracing us with your presence. We pray, God, that you would receive this final song of thanks. In Jesus' name, amen. He's worthy of one song, and then you're free to go. Let's sing unto the Lord.