Connecting the Dots ... Where is the Kingdom Now? Part 3

[0:00] I recall hearing on the news that this Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be one of the busiest of the whole year. And despite the fact that petrol is $4.30 a gallon now, there's still a host of Americans that have decided to hit the road and brave it anyway.

[0:22] So we wish them well in their destinations and trust that they have a refreshing time wherever it is they're going. Many of them visiting friends and relatives, sometimes states away.

[0:33] So we look forward to seeing their return. And for those of you who are here this morning, thank you for your presence. We're glad that you've come to share the morning with us.

[0:45] And every time we sing a song like the one we just sang that mentions the blood of Jesus, I've often wondered what people hearing that for the first time might think.

[0:55] What is this about the blood of Jesus? Is some mystical, magical something or other in the blood of Jesus? Well, the answer is yes and no.

[1:09] It was not sufficient that Jesus bleed. It was required that Jesus die. And the shedding of blood was just a means to his getting there.

[1:25] But it is really through the death of Christ that our life is realized. And his death came about through, of course, the shedding of blood.

[1:39] Predictable byproduct of crucifixion, for sure. So we are truly grateful for what took place on that old rugged cross so many years ago.

[1:53] And the world still is mystified by it. But they know there is something there that they can't quite put together or understand. But once you come to personal faith in Jesus Christ, are regenerated by him, and have his assurance of sins forgiven and eternal life, the blood of Christ makes a whole lot more sense.

[2:15] So we are grateful. In your bulletin, if you will note, there are some handouts and some inserts. And the first one I want to call your attention to is the obituary regarding Shelley Jenkins, because I had advised you one way earlier and learned that after I had done so, the family apparently had decided to make some changes.

[2:39] So whereas before it was intended to be a very small and private funeral at Littleton's, as the obituary announces now, it is available and open to whoever would like to attend.

[2:53] It is not private or limited to the family. So I think all of the details that you need are there in the insert. And Shelley was one of our great sweethearts.

[3:05] She came to know the Lord kind of late in life. But she soon developed a real appreciation for the salvation and the faith that she had in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[3:16] And she was telling me one day how it completely turned her life around, revolutionized everything. And Jesus Christ has a way of doing that.

[3:27] He never leaves anybody like he finds them. So we are grateful for her testimony. And we want to pray for Shelley's family because they will be there in attendance for the funeral, I'm sure.

[3:41] And the likelihood is that some of these folks probably know the Lord. And the likelihood is also that some of them probably do not. So we want to pray for them as well. Would you join with me? Our Father, we recognize that that which you have set forth in your word regarding salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is completely contrary to the way the way the average person looks at becoming acceptable to you.

[4:12] For most, they view their hopes of heaven to be based on whether they've been good enough, whether they've given enough, whether they've believed enough, whether they've been nice enough, whether they've forgiven enough, and all the rest of it.

[4:31] What a tremendous burden of anxiety is relieved from our hearts when we realize that the full payment that Jesus Christ made for the sins of the world was more than adequate.

[4:49] And there is nothing that we can do other than accept that as a fact and be grateful for it and place our confidence in this one who, though he had no sin, became sin for us so that we might be made the very righteousness of God in him.

[5:12] This is far too deep for us to fathom, but to the extent that we do, we revel and rejoice in it and we thank you for it. We look forward to the time when we'll have a much better understanding of it in that day ahead.

[5:28] We are so grateful for Shelley's testimony, for the fact that she was resting in the finished work of Christ. And our hearts and minds go out now to her family who are missing her presence.

[5:41] And we pray that as they gather to pay their respects, that the gospel will penetrate hearts and minds there who perhaps have not received it before.

[5:53] Thank you for the opportunity of sharing the gospel in accordance with the realization to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And for ourselves this morning, we look to you for direction regarding the content we'll be examining from the prophet Isaiah.

[6:11] And we ask that you will use it to illuminate and encourage and edify each and every one of us. And to that end, we commit this service in Christ's name. Amen. Just recently, I produced a new CD.

[6:35] And I didn't know what to call it. I thought, well, it's what would you call the ultimate issue? Well, first of all, you have to decide and make sure that it is the ultimate issue.

[6:49] And once you've arrived at that, what kind of a name are you going to give it? And then I thought and I thought about it and I thought, maybe it ought to be called the ultimate issue.

[7:04] Yeah, well, why didn't I think of that? Well, dummy, you did earlier, remember? So you've got to love old people. Sometimes these things come around kind of slow, but eventually they get there.

[7:15] And when they stop getting there, I'm done. So this is called the ultimate issue. And a number of them have been produced. And it is just in a little paper sleeve rather than the usual plastic container that we put these in because they are situated in different business locations here in Springfield.

[7:40] And one of these in a little sleeve like this takes up so little space that I can put a lot more of these in than I can if we put them in the plastic. And it takes up more space and you can't get as many in.

[7:52] And then they empty more quickly. So this will enable them to hold more. And I trust that they will be understood and well received and enlightening to people.

[8:05] One thing I would like to mention in connection with the beginning of this, I opened it in reference to our 50th anniversary, which we just celebrated recently here at Grace.

[8:20] And I gave that as an expression or a reason for producing the thing. And then I got to thinking, well, talking about the ultimate issue and which boiled down to, of course, the existence of God with enormous consequences either way, whether one is an atheist or a theist, the consequences either way are tremendous, tremendously significant.

[8:47] But I did feel compelled to make the observation that the existence of God or the non-existence of God, neither can be conclusively proved.

[9:04] What does that mean? Well, when you say it cannot be conclusively proved, that means it cannot be proved to the extent that there are no objections and no disagreements.

[9:22] Everybody is on board. Well, you know, that certainly isn't true with the whole concept of atheism. Now, personally, I think that is as close to being established as it can be in connection with the anthropic principles that are dealt with on this.

[9:43] But there is always the possibility that someone who is intent on not believing will have an exception. And there is one here.

[9:55] It's dealt with. And just briefly, it is this. When presenting the anthropic constants, which simply has to do with the conditions that need to be, that are essential to be existent on planet Earth so that human life can exist here, that is an anthropic constant.

[10:13] And there are a number of them. And if you present the mathematical probability or improbability of those constants being in place, just by sheer coincidence, you get a number, the odds of which are so great that you cannot pronounce the number.

[10:33] So for all practical purposes, it completely does, in fact, prove by mathematics that there is an intelligent being that we call God who is responsible for everything.

[10:48] But the atheist, but the atheist, but we do not know. But what there are multiverses out there.

[11:04] This universe may not be the only universe. It just happens to be, by coincidence, the one universe out of all of the universes where just the right conditions exist for this small planet to carry on life.

[11:26] Some people, you just can't win, you know. And when you come back and say, I hear what you're saying.

[11:39] However, you must admit there is absolutely no reason to believe that.

[11:50] There's no basis for believing that. How can you believe that? You won't believe their answer. I take that by faith. Hey, that's supposed to be our line.

[12:06] But anyway, so these are, there's a stack of them, and they are available on the shelf where the bulletins are, the bulletin board shelf. So feel free to pick up one if you're interested.

[12:19] And if you want to take some extras, we can make more of them. So, again, I want to thank all of you who have participated and helped so much in distributing these CDs over the years because they've gone to a lot of places.

[12:33] And we're really grateful for your involvement in that and helping us to get the word out. So thanks again. This is an item that is in the literature rack back there, and I put it there just for your, I can't say I put it there for your edification because, frankly, it isn't very edifying.

[12:54] But it is informing. And for those of us who are Ohioans, we need to realize that, when is it going to begin?

[13:12] January 1, January 1, 2023. Just what the state of Ohio needs. Another avenue for gambling.

[13:25] And that's going to be sports betting. And they're already advising and warning people up front that one-fourth of sports bettors risk developing a problem.

[13:37] And you'd be surprised how many people have been, how many lives have been ruined by addictions of one kind or another and gambling as one of them. Anybody remember Art Schlichter?

[13:52] Art Schlichter? Young man. Ohio State quarterback. Freshman year. Fantastic passing quarterback.

[14:02] I just remember that so well. This man, this young man, was going to be the pride and hope of the Buckeyes. And Woody Hayes was the coach at the time.

[14:13] And Woody's motto was two yards and three clouds of dirt. It's strictly a ground game. Don't put the ball in the air.

[14:24] Don't put the ball in the air. Because every time you do, there are only three things that can happen, and two of them are bad. One of them is it won't be caught, and the other is it will be caught by the other side.

[14:37] So go with the ground game. Stick with the ground game. But Art Schlichter came out of high school, and he had a reputation for being a fantastic quarterback in high school.

[14:48] And he made the team, and he started in the first game. And I never remember, I cannot forget this. He started in the very first game of the year as a starting quarterback for Ohio State.

[15:04] And Ohio State got the ball. Quarterback snapped the ball, or the center snapped the ball. And Art Schlichter faded back to pass, and the crowd went nuts.

[15:15] Could not believe a new regime has landed, and Woody Hayes is willing to put the ball in the air. Wow, the place just went wild.

[15:30] And sad story followed. This young man with so much talent and so much ability and so much promise went down the tubes in flames, if you will.

[15:48] Gambling addiction just could not get over it, and it ruined him, ruined his life, ended up putting him in jail. He was involved in all kinds of schemes. Matter of fact, Art Schlichter is in jail right now somewhere.

[16:02] So tragic. This addiction thing. And there's so many things that a person can, you know what the latest is? I couldn't believe it. Young people, especially young people, are being addicted.

[16:17] I mean seriously addicted. To their phones. To their phones? Are you kidding me?

[16:28] Well, that's what the experts tell us. Addictions just take over people's lives. And right now, we are facing a peril the likes of which we have never faced before in quantity with fentanyl and heroin coming across the border.

[16:47] Much of it originates in China and is coming into the United States through Mexico. And the border patrol is just overwhelmed.

[16:58] And do you know something? It is by design. I'll be speaking on this next Sunday.

[17:09] And I cannot tell you that I'm looking forward to it because I am not. But there is underfoot as we speak a deliberate, intentional effort to literally destabilize the United States of America economically, socially, and morally.

[17:32] And these fangs are out taking a bite of American culture day by day. It is amazing what is happening. And I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet.

[17:45] But you don't have to be a prophet to see this. The election that is coming up in November is going to determine whether or not the United States of America, as you and I know it, will continue to exist.

[18:06] I know that's a very broad statement. I mean every word of it. I have absolutely no doubt about it. We are on the brink.

[18:18] It remains to be seen which way this thing is going to go. But that's going to be the watershed November of this year. It's going to be something. It doesn't make any difference what your politics are.

[18:32] The only thing that matters is where your patriotism is. That's going to be the deciding factor. It's going to be something.

[18:43] Also in your bulletin, would you note, please, that we are continuing with our morning session.

[18:58] And it is conditions that will prevail when the kingdom is established. And we've related content from the book, Things to Come, by Dr. Dwight Pentecost.

[19:11] And this morning, you have that as an insert in your bulletin. And it will be one of those take-home things that I think you may very well want to keep forever because this is where the world is going.

[19:25] And this is what is going to be accomplished when this kingdom of heaven that is so prevalent in scripture actually is realized. And the question is asked under post-resurrection issues number six, where is the kingdom now?

[19:40] We've related the content from the book, Things to Come, by Dr. Dwight Pentecost. Today we will explore why that kingdom has never arrived and when it will.

[19:52] And it is this very issue that we have already remarked has divided Christendom for the last probably, I can't say 2,000 years, but probably for the last 1,800 years.

[20:10] This particular issue has divided Christendom. And the vast majority of Christendom, and by the vast majority I mean all of Catholicism and most of Protestantism are on the other side.

[20:29] We at Grace Bible Church, along with a number of other churches and some denominations, occupy a minority position regarding this subject matter.

[20:41] And it has to do much with this issue of post-resurrection issues and where is the kingdom now? Scriptures make it very clear, and we'll be seeing this from Isaiah, just for starters, that that kingdom is the issue that is found in what is commonly referred to as the Lord's Prayer.

[21:06] And it is a prayer for thy kingdom come. It's a prayer for God to bring the kingdom, the rule and the reign that he exerts in heaven, for God to bring that kind of order and that kind of holiness from heaven to earth, so that God's will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[21:38] And the position, of course, that we take is that that prayer has not yet been answered. Some feel that it has been answered.

[21:52] In fact, the majority feel it has been answered, and this is the kingdom. We are living in the kingdom now.

[22:02] It isn't physical or material, but it's spiritual. And Jesus Christ is ruling and reigning this earth right now.

[22:14] Now, automatically, that poses a number of rather serious questions, and the first, of course, is, well, frankly, it appears that he's doing a pretty lousy job.

[22:29] And I'm not being disrespectful. I trust him just being accurate.

[22:41] How can we possibly equate the rule and reign of Christ on earth in light of what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 about Satan being the god of this age?

[22:55] Well, what's going on here? Who's really in charge? Are we actually living under kingdom conditions? Well, it is spiritual.

[23:08] And it is, well, we'll get into that. Well, let's get into it right now. Would you come with me, please, to the insert that we put in your bulletin?

[23:19] I trust you all have one. And it is the very first page that talks about conditions existing within the millennium. And the millennium is the same as the kingdom of heaven come to earth.

[23:36] The millennium literally means a thousand years. And in our last session, and we'll not take time to go there, but in our last session in Revelation chapter 20, we noted the six times that the thousand-year reign of Christ is referenced and that is to be taken quite literally because the context requires it and the laws of language require it.

[24:01] So in order to avoid the consequences of that and what it seems to be saying, you just have to take the position, well, the thousand-year reign of Christ is, like I said, it is spiritual.

[24:15] And when did it begin? Well, it began in Acts chapter 2 when the church began. But there is a problem with that because it's supposed to be a thousand-year reign and that's been almost 2,000 years.

[24:30] So how do you square that? Well, you can't square it and you don't need to because the truth of the matter is that kingdom is still held in abeyance.

[24:41] This is not the kingdom of heaven come to earth. We are not in any such arrangement now. And as you look at that, and I'm not going to take the time to go through it, but I do want to just share a few of them.

[24:54] Look under item A, peace. Well, to what extent is the world at peace today? And what do you call Uvalde, Texas?

[25:09] And what do you call Ukraine? This is peace? The observation has been made that over the last 20 years or 30 years, nations of the world have devised technology that can absolutely obliterate humanity in a fashion the likes of which we could not imagine, that we have devised systems of more ability to kill and decimate populations than what have ever existed in the history of humanity.

[25:55] How close to peace is that? What's going on anyway? Scriptures make it very clear. As the latter days occur and approach upon us, things are going to become more and more violent and more and more desperate and more and more confused.

[26:13] And by the way, do you see any confusion floating around anywhere today? It is characteristic of the latter days.

[26:25] Jesus said the time's coming when men's hearts will be failing them for fear. People are going to be terrified, scared to death.

[26:39] Is this the kingdom? Let's be serious. If you do not take that position, then you have to take this position.

[26:53] Well, it isn't spiritual. It's literal, physical, and actual. Jesus Christ is really, honestly, physically, literally going to sit on a throne judging the world and as he promised the 12 apostles, they too will be seated on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel and righteousness will prevail throughout the earth.

[27:21] We'll be reading those things from Isaiah and I want you to look at your text. I assume that everybody got one of these that's in the bulletin and the bulletins are on the shelf out there.

[27:32] So I want you to avail yourself. Is there anyone that doesn't have one, that needs one? We'll get them to you. Everybody got one? Okay. If you would, please look at this. We'll just take the first couple.

[27:45] And these are from Isaiah and I've selected Isaiah because Isaiah is the prince of the prophets when it comes to the prediction and the prophesying of things to come.

[27:58] He's got probably more content than any of them. So let's look at that, if we may please, the conditions existing within the millennium. Much scripture is devoted to stating the untold blessing and glory poured out upon the earth through the beneficence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the kingdom.

[28:21] Many of these have been alluded to previously. He's talking about previously in his book from which this is taken and that's on the back of the sheet.

[28:33] Have been alluded to previously, but an outline of the conditions on the earth will show the greatness of the kingdom. And that phrase is found in Daniel 7.27, but we won't turn to it.

[28:47] For those of you who have your Bibles, and I hope that's everybody, if you will open them, please, to Isaiah's prophecy and we will look at some of the verses in chapter two that Dr. Pentecost has enumerated here.

[29:02] And it talks about the cessation of war through the unification of the kingdoms of the world under the reign of Christ together with the resultant economic prosperity since nations need not devote vast proportions of their expenditure on munitions is a major theme of the prophets.

[29:29] And speaking of that expenditure on munitions, the tiny state of Israel Israel spends 90% of its budget on defense.

[29:45] Think of that. 90% of their income goes out for items of defense because their very survival is at stake.

[30:01] Israel has engaged in three major conflicts. 67 war, the 73 war, and the 1948 war of independence after World War II when they came back into their land.

[30:16] They could not afford to lose one. They should have lost all three because they were outmaneuvered, outgunned, outgeneraled, and out everything.

[30:29] And yet, they won all three. And the military experts still can't figure out exactly how that happened, but they did. And, peace is hard to come by.

[30:45] The cessation of war through the unification of the kingdoms of the world under the reign of Christ together with the resultant economic prosperity since nations need not devote vast proportions of their expenditure on munitions is a major theme of the prophets.

[31:03] And that is a characteristic of the kingdom. He goes on to say, national and individual peace is the fruit of Messiah's reign. And the first reference I would have you turn to is Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 4.

[31:17] We're not going to take all of them. We haven't time. But I wanted you to have your own personal copy of this so that you can devote any personal time and study that you want to it. And I heartily recommend you looking up these references and just reading them and see what they say because they are intended for your blessing and benefit for your enlightenment.

[31:36] Isaiah chapter 2. The word which Isaiah the son of Amos saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

[31:47] Now it will come about that in the last days and I need to inject here a definition of the last days because in the scriptures all time is referred to by categorizing it as the former days or the last days.

[32:11] the dividing point is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is that event that literally split our calendar and all of human history and it divides the whole world and all of its time into these two elements.

[32:34] There were those things before the cross or B.C. commonly referred to as before Christ B.C. and A.D. which means after after Christ which is actually ono ono and it is Latin referring to the the passing of time and it's in connection with everything being on one side or the other.

[33:01] So before Christ and before the times the former times is on the other side of the cross and after Christ is on this side of the cross and Isaiah is saying it will come about in the last days.

[33:15] We are living in the last days. They may not be the final last days because we don't know when they are but we know that the last days already started with the death of Christ.

[33:27] We may be in a very close period to the culmination of those last days but we don't know that. So you must understand for instance the Apostle Paul and those of his generation lived in both spheres.

[33:45] They lived both before and after as did all of that generation but from that time on of course everyone else is in the latter days. The mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains.

[34:02] what is this mountain of the house of the Lord? That's Mount Moriah. That's the place where years ago many years ago a man named Abraham offered his son Isaac on Mount Moriah and years later it will be this Mount Moriah that King David will purchase from the Jebusites.

[34:38] He will pay them good money for this land Mount Moriah and upon it Solomon will build the first temple and it will be built on solid bedrock.

[34:57] That's what he's talking about the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains and will be raised above the hills and all the nations will stream to it.

[35:12] What is this? This is the new international headquarters for the whole planet and it will be in Jerusalem.

[35:26] Jerusalem Israel will be the central capital nation of the entire world and all the nations will stream to it and many peoples will come and say come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob that he may teach us concerning his ways and that we may walk in his paths for the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he meaning Christ himself he will judge between the nations and will render decisions for many peoples and they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks what's that saying saying the implements of war and violence are going to be done away with because they'll no longer be needed they won't have any function to perform what do you use spears and things like that for why what do you need swords for well you use them for killing people and you use spears for killing people this is a killing society people in

[37:02] Uvalde Texas know something about that don't they now we're not even using spears and swords why not well we've found a much more efficient way of doing away with one another isn't that something and you know you must keep this in mind all these people that this 18 year old young man was killing were all relatives they were all family you're all family we're all related don't families love each other don't families care for each other don't families provide for each other don't families look out for each other what's with this what's with this killing what's with this destruction what's going on why do we do that it's amazing the benefit that could be gleaned if people would just stop and ask themselves that question that we posed last week what is wrong with the world what's going on why are we doing this life life life life is a life is a precious thing why are we murdering babies don't even have their first birthday why would why would human beings do that to other human beings what's what's going on they'll hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks nation will not lift up sword against nation and never again will they learn more ain't gonna learn more no more ain't gonna learn more no more even made a little song about it one of the old negro spirituals come house of

[39:33] Jacob and let us walk in the light of the Lord for thou hast abandoned thy people the house of Jacob because they are filled with influences from the east and they are like soothsayers like the Philistines and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners their land has also been filled with silver and gold and there is no end of their treasures he's talking about the corruption of his own people Isaiah is calling out his fellow Israelites and what do you think their response to that will be hey the man's right he's nailed us we need to get our act together and we need to start getting back to the

[40:33] Lord and we need to stop the lying and stop this and stop that and return to the Lord nope that isn't what they did at all what are we going to do with this man we can't refute his words we can't deny his logic and when you will not embrace the message the only thing left to do is kill the messenger and that's what they did and they were good at it and Jesus chided his own people saying which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute come back to chapter one if you would just a page and look at this well let me just say this Isaiah is not speaking of the United States he's speaking of

[41:33] Israel but if you're talking about making an application instead of an interpretation the USA would fit in very well and so would France and so would Italy and so would Germany and so would every other nation because this is what the world has come to let's just jump in with verse four Isaiah says alas sinful nation people weighed down with iniquity offspring of evildoers sons who act corruptly they have abandoned the Lord have we I rest my case they have despised the holy one of Israel they have turned away from him these are his specially chosen provided for miracle people turned away why did they turn away well they turned away for the same reason we turn away and that is because in our fallen humanity we are to a person self centered we all are it's an infectious disease that has permeated the entirety of humanity not just

[43:16] America but everyone it's a human problem and it's called sin someone said our problem is not race our problem is not skin our problem is sin that's the problem and when you take a whole nation when you take a whole nation as is every nation made up exclusively of inhabitants who are self centered what are you going to get I'll tell you what you're going to get you're going to get just what we got that's no surprise is it but let me tell you this dear friends the real importance begins with diagnosing the problem because there isn't any way that you can treat a disease until you've diagnosed the disease and this is the disease and it is systemic to humanity it is a spiritual problem and it will not be solved by a political answer it's only a spiritual answer can address a spiritual problem you've despised the holy one of

[44:35] Israel they've turned away from him where will you be stricken again and he's just he's fed up with these people and just for for sake with time sake come down to verse 10 hear the word of the Lord you rulers of Sodom that's not a compliment either give ear to the instruction of our God you people of Gomorrah what's he associating them with doesn't take a nuclear scientist to read between the lines here does it what are your multiplied sacrifices to me says the Lord I've had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs wait a minute wasn't he the very one that required them well they're bringing them what's wrong with that well if you bring your sacrifices under

[45:38] Judaism if you bring your sacrifices simply to meet some kind of a quota or to be able to say you've done your thing forget it and that's exactly what was taking place this was nothing more than ritual religion where you make sure that you dot the i's and you cross the t's you meet all the requirements then you have the right to puff out your chest and say look at what I did well God is calling them to count and it makes no difference that you go through all of the steps that are required and all of the minutia and all of the liturgy and all the rest of it when your heart is far from me get out of my court with that stuff that's what he's saying and he's using Isaiah to say it and it is not going to be well received Israel the leadership the deep state of Israel is going to be soundly offended by what

[46:41] Isaiah says and they're going to be offended at what Jeremiah says and they're going to be offended at what Ezekiel says and so it goes and nothing has changed I can only imagine how many Americans if they were hearing my voice and what I'm saying right now how many Americans would be offended by it plenty plenty the whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint verse six from the soul of the foot even to the head there's nothing sound in it only bruises welts and raw runes not pressed out or bandaged not softened your land is desolate your cities are burned fire people are a mess is there any application here at all you see any similarity or is it just me I think most of you probably see what

[47:43] I see it just kind of sticking out all over us well look at Isaiah chapter nine come over a few pages there are so many of these and you know we simply cannot take all that we would like but in Isaiah nine wonderful passage let's come down to verse four well let's start with verse two the people who walk in darkness will see a great light who do you think that light might be yeah who else but he who declared himself to be the light of the world yeah people walk in darkness will see a great light those who live in a dark land the light will shine on them thou shalt multiply the nation thou shalt increase their gladness they will be glad in thy presence as with the gladness of harvest as men rejoice when they divide the spoil for thou shalt break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders the rod of their oppressor as at the battle of

[49:19] Midian for every boot of the booted warrior and the battle tumult and cloak rolled in blood will be for burning fuel for the fire for a child a child will be born unto us a son will be given to us ring a bell with anybody child will be born son will be given I want you to notice something it's just a technical thing but the son isn't born the child is born the son isn't born the son is given the son is deity the child is humanity the two wedded together the theanthropic person the god man the emmanuel god with us child will be born to us and who who's the us who's the us israel israel israel us and the government will rest on his shoulders think of that is there any way by any stretch of the imagination that you can say the government is resting on the shoulders of jesus listen when this comes to pass the world will know it it won't be a secret it won't be anybody questioning it it will be obvious some think that christ is ruling and reigning in the world today well no respect intended but if he is he's doing a lousy job the kind of job is being done is being done by the adversary he is a liar from the beginning a murderer and the truth is not in him he is a deceiver he is a killer he is anti god he is anti christ and he is calling the shots and you'd be surprised who is dancing to his tomb and most of those who are dancing to his tomb don't even have a clue that they are being used they are those whom

[52:18] Karl Marx branded as the useful idiots they are doing his bidding and they don't even have a clue and if you suggested it to them they just laugh in your face they wouldn't believe that at all the government will rest on his shoulders and his name will be called wonderful counselor mighty god eternal father prince of peace there will be no end to the increase translation translation leaves a little to be desired my oh my let's come over to chapter 11

[53:44] I hate that clock as much as I ever did chapter 11 and the the cow will graze their young will lie down together and the lion will eat straw like the ox and the nursing child will play on the hole the den of the cobra and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den they will not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the

[55:20] Lord as the waters cover the sea then it will come about in that day that the nations will resort to the root of Jesse who's Jesse Jesse's David the king's father they're going to play a very prominent role in the future they've played a role in the past they're coming back you're coming back too we're all coming back will stand as a signal for the peoples and his resting place will be glorious verse 11 then then it will happen on that day that the Lord will again recover the second time with his hand the remnant of his people who will remain from Assyria and Egypt Pathros Cosh Elam Shinar Hema from the islands of the seed he will lift up a standard for the nations and will assemble the banished ones of

[56:23] Israel he will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth now I ask you dear friends how in God's name can you spiritualize this and make these events come true in a spiritual sense of the church and of Christians words mean things language means something content counts well you just can't take that at face value well how else can you take it as we pointed out to folks that we met just a few days ago once you depart from taking what the scriptures say at face value and as I've tried to make clear in the past the

[57:23] Bible uses a lot of figurative language that is never intended to be taken literally and when that is the case it's almost always obvious and it's usually the context that reveals that to you but this book was never intended to be a book of something that God has given us and said I've given you my word but I want to warn you it's really really deep you just try to figure it out you're not going to get it because it's very very deep and you can't that's nonsense the book is intended to be understood and appreciated and if you can't understand it how are you going to respond to it if you can't understand what it's saying how are you supposed to know what you're supposed to do about it there's no way you can know Paul the apostle said we use great plainness of speech

[58:24] I love that I want to speak in such a way that you get it how many times have people walked out of our churches across the nation scratching their head and saying I wonder what he was talking about I didn't get that did you get that did you understand and then you come up with this well you have your interpretation you have your interpretation and this is what it says to me and this is what it says to him and isn't it wonderful it can say different things to different people and nobody's wrong everybody's got a right meaning isn't that wonderful it isn't wonderful it's disastrous the text means what it says and it says what it means and when that is not the case it is almost always obvious like Nathan was talking about this morning at the nine o'clock and by the way what we're dealing with at the nine o'clock hour is germane to all of this it has to do with the ability to understand the

[59:38] Bible if you don't get that if you don't get an understanding you don't get anything you're just adrift that's why that's why we are a Bible church without apology it's rooted in this blessed book everything that we need to know that pertains to life and godliness and it is there for the taking and it's a wonderful thing in fact it is planet earth's greatest treasure greatest illuminator greatest consoler greatest revealer greatest encourager greatest everything well you can see we didn't get very far but the others that are there are I cannot pursue this but much as I would like to but

[60:42] I would encourage you to pursue it on your own because it is very worthwhile just go through the text look up the verses and see see how they warm your heart and encourage you because this is what's coming this old sin sick world is not going to be this way forever the time is coming when God is going to bring down the curtain and he's going to put an end to all of this nonsense that's going on that is inundating our nation and other nations as well that is creating so much confusion and so much division and so much chaos and there is another day ahead and this is what this is all about that's what the kingdom is all about the kingdom is when God is going to fix things make things new repair things and and

[61:42] Jesus Christ is going to be the fix it man he's going to do what needs to be done to change what needs to be changed and it is going to be heaven on earth because that's what he's going to make it and when he comes first thing he's going to do is clean house I have a friend who just caught the glimpse of it and he says you mean what you're saying is that Jesus is coming again but this time he will not be in a good mood yep that's the message he's going to clean house and he's going to do things the way they need to be done and could be a lot closer than any of us know if you will stand we will be dismissed our father we've got some answers here and our answers really generate a lot more questions and for many of those we don't have answers but we know that you do and we know that you've already been pleased to reveal to us all of the answers that you know we need and we don't want to be negligent in searching them out absorbing them rejoicing in them and building them into our lives we thank you for all that you've been pleased to reveal and our prayer is if there should be one person here listening or someone listening by some electronic means does not know the joy and the peace of sins forgiven and that incredible payment that

[63:35] Jesus Christ made on their behalf our prayer is that they may see with sufficient clarity recognizing their own waywardness because we're all wayward acknowledging their sin because we're all sinners acknowledging the need for a savior because we all have that need and simply in their heart say Lord Jesus I admit my sin I know I'm not all that I ought to be by far and I know that in that state I am not pleasing to you but I want your forgiveness I want the penalty that you paid for my sin on that cross to be applied to me and I want to receive you as my Lord and savior and take you into my life and turn my life over to you and I want you to do with me and make me what you want me to be and I'll thank you when I see you face to face dear friend if you will make that your prayer you may be assured that God will register it in heaven and you will join the company of the redeemed and for any who have heard and have not done so for their benefit we pray you will give them no rest and no peace until they find it all in the

[64:58] Lord Jesus Christ in whose name we pray amen you are you