Full Transcript for Around the Table Q&A with Bro. Ernie Perez

--> 00:05:17.600 S-Y-C-H-A-R. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:20.959 Of course, Ann probably already knows that. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:31.839 I mean she could give us the dates of when the temple in Mount Gerizim was built and what were the names of the architects. 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:40.720 No, I can't exactly do that, but Okay, so it'll be Samaritans had some study. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:45.519 So is is it likely that they had synagogue? 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:48.879 Yeah, they had they did. 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:55.279 It's kind of gonna be in your neck in the next lesson uh when it gets brought up. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:55.920 Okay. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:04.000 Because it has to do with the the Mount of Mount Garrisine. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:12.000 Well I knew about Mount Garris Garrison, but I'm saying it went through some changes. 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:12.560 Yes. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:13.199 Oh yeah. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:13.759 Okay. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:14.079 Yeah. 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:14.319 Yeah. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:15.920 I know that much. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:22.800 I'm saying, so do they do they still worship there? 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:26.639 Do they have places in their cities where they worship? 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.399 Well, her statement was, her question was what? 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:33.040 Didn't go to synagogues. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:33.839 Verse 20. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:34.319 Yeah. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:38.240 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:43.680 It says in here, Samaritans do not worship in Jewish synagogues. 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:51.920 Instead, they have their own distinct places of worship and community centers, which are oriented toward Mount Gerzik. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:57.839 It would be a type of a synagogue, but not exactly then a synagogue. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:06:58.560 Is that what we're saying? 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:06.079 Such as the historical Samaritan synagogue in Beth Shan. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:07.120 There you go. 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:10.000 Or the modern Samaritan synagogue on Mont. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:12.079 You are driving Ann nuts. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:18.639 She is over here pounding her fist and clutching her throat and getting to-pronounce this stuff? 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:19.360 No, no. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:20.879 Tell us what you want to say. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:24.560 I can't because it's in your next lesson. 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:28.879 Oh, so you actually, of course you you went to. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:30.879 Did you want to take over the study? 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:39.920 Did you I mean I know I know about the mount, and I'm but I'm just saying they live over here. 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:40.959 Okay. 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:51.600 So every Sabbath do they travel over to the Mount, or do they have a place like the Jewish people do who go to different synagogues in their city? 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:52.319 It looks like that. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:58.800 Because the synagogues have to be at least an eighth of a tenth of a mile from where they live, because that's the farthest they can travel. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:04.160 See, on the Sabbath day, you only travel so far. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:13.600 So when Jesus told the guy, the pool of Saloon, take up your bed, he had to be, because Jesus didn't break Sabbath law. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:15.920 Even though he was Lord of the Sabbath. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.680 And when they told him, your disciples are breaking the Sabbath, no, they weren't. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:24.560 They were just, you it's okay to feed yourself on the Sabbath, and that's all they were doing was eating. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:30.480 So they weren't working, but these people were trying to find thought with everything that Jesus did. 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:34.720 So that's what I'm saying, knowing the Jewish law. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:42.080 And these people are part Jewish, so they want to worship in the God that they know. 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.480 How do they get to worship if they live so far away? 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:48.320 So, what is the heritage then? 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:59.360 As we got towards the end of this lesson, we talked about that that you should read from Nehemiah chapter 2 through Neoniah chapter 6, 14. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:00.720 How many already did that reading? 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:01.759 No, I haven't gotten that. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:03.679 I haven't read all the way through. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:08.879 I just stopped because it wasn't there's a character there that you'll read about. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:10.559 I want you to go back and read that. 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:12.399 There's a character you'll read about. 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:14.000 His name is Sanbalith. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:16.879 Oh, well, he wasn't a very nice guy, was he? 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:18.879 So here's what I want you to say. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.960 Let's let's let's back up for a minute and think about scripturally. 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:28.559 We talked in the last lesson about the heritage of the Samaritans, I believe from 2 Kings. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:29.679 Yes, yes, sir. 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:30.480 17. 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:31.440 Yes, sir. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:32.000 Okay. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:39.519 When the Assyrians took the ten northern tribes captive. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:40.879 Right? 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:50.159 And we know from the Babylonian habits that when they conquered countries, usually they took out all the learned people for themselves, you know. 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:54.720 And you're gonna be slaves for us, and you're gonna we're gonna get your knowledge, etc. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:10:02.799 And a few of the common people, a few of the common or the poorest of the poor, they didn't bother with, they didn't kill, they weren't a threat. 00:10:02.879 -->

00:10:04.159 They could use them for labor. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:04.720 Yeah. 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:14.240 But what the Assyrian kings did is from several cities under their dominion, Gentile cities, they transplanted people. 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:15.759 They had already conquered them. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:27.759 They wanted to take them from their homeland and do away with their heritage, and they planted them in Israel, just like they took the people from the ten northern tribes from Israel and transplanted them in these other places. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:33.039 Because they wanted them to assimilate to their culture. 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:33.919 Exactly. 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:37.120 They wanted to ruin their heritage. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:11:05.039 And so here's what happened: the descendants or the ancestors of the Samaritans were mixed-race people who were, yes, somewhat Israeli, somewhat the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but more pagan blood, and it names the cities that they came from, and it names the gods that they did, and and it points to child sacrifice and how they did all that. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:11.759 And said they they worshiped God also while they worshiped all these false gods. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:12.399 Yeah. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:29.840 So their style of worship, calling themselves children of Abraham, they were bloodline children of Abraham or of Jacob, but their worship was so contaminated because they had cultures. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:30.399 Right. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:35.279 See, now Ruth and Rahab married in, but they became Israelis. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:37.200 Yes, they became Hebrews. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:50.480 Uriah the Hittite, either he himself or one of his ancestors who was Hittite, became part of the kingdom of Israel under David's reign or under Saul's reign. 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.080 So you could come from another nation. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:12:14.879 You remember we read in the book of Leviticus that if a stranger wanted to keep the Passover, Moses said, Hey, the man has to be circumcised, espouse the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and from then on you'll treat him just like he's one of the native Israelites. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:27.279 So God's picking of Israel was never to make them superior to other nations, but to demonstrate himself through the nation of Israel to the other nations. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:30.480 Not to say that, you know, I love them more. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:39.120 But promises he made to Abraham were so that Israel could be used by God as a reflection of God to the world. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:48.080 But he also intended for them to preserve that bloodline because it leads to Jesus. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:50.480 It is the fulfillment of prophecy. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:50.799 Yeah. 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:57.120 Jesus was not only the child of Abraham, he was the child of Isaac and of Jacob, right? 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:03.440 And a descendant of Judah, in particular, the lineage of the house of David. 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.240 Which were the lineage of Abraham. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:07.919 Yeah, and so Abraham. 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:10.399 So tell me more about the Samaritans, then. 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:11.919 The Samaritans? 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:12.240 Yeah. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:23.039 Yeah, like you said, they were a mixture of Jew and Gentile, and they had been planted in Lower Israel. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:25.679 In the upper kingdom, the ten northern tribes. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:27.279 Yeah, in Samaria. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:43.519 And at some point, I I my thought leaves me, that the offici the king in Assyria decided that Samaria needed to have some kind of religious teaching. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:45.919 Specific teaching, why? 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:48.639 Do you remember why? 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:55.600 Uh because they only knew of Gentiles teaching. 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:59.759 Okay, in 2 Kings 17, do you remember what happened? 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:06.240 Okay, he transplanted the people and they sent back the letters to the king and said, Hey, lions. 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:10.879 Lions, yes, lions are devouring all of the Gentiles. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:15.039 Because they don't understand the gods of the land. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:20.159 Well, it wasn't the gods of the land that God was making himself known. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.279 Right, right. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:25.519 So, yeah, so Jeroboam and the Assyrian kings got together. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:27.120 But Jeroboam was long dead. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:32.399 The Assyrian king decided we need to send a Levite. 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:32.960 Yes. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:35.360 Yeah, need to send a Levite. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:44.720 He was to go down and organize a religious assembly and teach. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:50.080 Teach them all about the laws of Moses, the god of the land. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:55.840 And even though he was teaching this, they were still practicing paganism. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:03.679 And and it names two gods, like husband and wife gods that they sacrificed their children to. 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:09.360 That no, that was the serapitium. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:11.120 Hard to remember. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:16.320 Yes, but they were the ones they sacrificed their children to that to their god. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:19.200 And I was like, what in heaven? 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:23.200 No, no, child sacrifice was a part of Baal worship in general. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:23.759 Yeah. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:30.480 And and some of the other gods from from other areas, they did the you know, idols, they sacrificed their children to them. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:39.039 And I'm trying to remember if I read it in Bible Lands and Customs or another book, but some of those gods were hollow. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.559 They were metal and their

arms and stomachs were hollow. 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:43.759 Yeah. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:48.799 And so they built the fire up in the from the back of the idol. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:49.360 Yeah. 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:54.080 And when the arms of the stomach glowed, they took the living child. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:58.000 Just kills me when they do that. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:04.320 And you know, this is listen, this is the thing about what I would say in particular, abortion on demand. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:04.799 Yeah. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:08.000 I don't practice I wouldn't practice abortion in any form. 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:08.399 No. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:18.639 But but I I would say that when you're killing babies for profit, that's bail worship. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:19.440 Yeah. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:22.000 That's bail worship. 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:25.039 Instead of a statue now, it's the Almighty Dollar. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:26.159 Right, right. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.360 You're now a worshiper of the dollar. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:41.840 Yeah, and I I would be I would be the first to say that, you know, I legally, for the law of the land, they say to leave a woman alone that's been raped or is a victim of incest. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:44.080 Of course I would leave them alone. 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:45.519 I would just pray with them. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:50.080 But I would never encourage anyone to kill their baby. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:50.879 No. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:17:06.960 And mama and I had this to deal with early in the marriage when we were told that our child was gonna be born a monster if it lived because of a doctor's error. 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:14.720 They gave my wife 36 abdominal x-rays for their first pregnancy. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:21.599 They made a mistake not reading her chart fully, and then told her you're gonna have to have an abortion. 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:23.440 You know, she just left there. 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:24.400 No, I'm not doing that. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:26.240 And we came home, we prayed about it. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:31.680 Yeah, and God took care of the issue, and we didn't have to say kill our baby. 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:33.039 We just couldn't. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:34.960 No, we just couldn't. 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:38.160 And it's funny, it I won't say it's funny, but it's amazing. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:39.039 Ironic. 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:46.799 Ironic that God knows when we need children and when we don't. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:51.359 Well, not everybody knows that, but well, we we remember this. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:58.559 Yeah, the Lord made procreation the responsibility of human beings. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:03.039 He said to Adam and Eve, multiply and replenish. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:04.480 Turn to Genesis 5. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:06.880 And he also said that in Noah. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:08.799 Excuse me. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:10.960 Turn to Genesis 5. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:16.720 And whoever's there first, read the first three verses. 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:22.000 Out loud, I should say that. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:23.200 Read it out loud. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:29.039 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam in the day that God created man. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:32.720 So it's a it's a brief retelling of creation. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:33.359 Go ahead. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.079 He made him in the likeness of God. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:43.680 He created them, male and female, and blessed them and called them mankind in the day they were created. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.720 Or call their name Adam or call them mankind. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:56.160 And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years and begot a son in his own likeness after his lineage and named him Seth. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:56.880 Okay. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:00.160 So he didn't beget children in the image of God. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.039 Why? 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:06.880 Because they were created in the womb of a woman, not by God himself. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.400 That's a good point. 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:14.880 And that's a great starting point, but there's a there's something to add to that. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:22.799 They were not born, children were not born in the Garden of Eden. 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:27.680 See, Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden in the image of God. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:30.480 But when they sinned, they scarred that image. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:36.799 So they could not bring forth children in the image of God because there is no sin in God. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:55.200 Now the Samaritans, looking at their heritage, knew that they were descendants of this paganism that was mixed with the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:58.480 And you can't mix worship that way. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:13.839 And so as time goes on, history moves on, and they begin to hope for the Messiah, the kingdom of Judah becomes known as the Jews and the predominant Israelite. 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:14.319 Yeah. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:15.359 Right? 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:16.079 Right. 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:20.400 The Hebrew and Israelite and then a Jew, I think. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:22.000 Right, you got that right. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:24.079 So here's what happens. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:27.200 They look at the Samaritans like, uh-uh. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:31.759 So in the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:39.599 When Sambalat and Tobiah say to Nehemiah, hey, we need to help you in in rebuilding these walls in Jerusalem. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:42.480 We need to do what did Nehemiah say to them? 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:46.319 You got nothing to do with this. 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:48.079 Why? 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:58.960 Because your worship of the God of Jacob is so mixed and contaminated with paganism. 00:20:59.119 -->

00:21:14.960 Now, historically, and this is something that y'all need to Google or Wikipedia or Blue Letter Bible or Gateway Bible, go into a Bible study app and trace this down and do it for the fun of it. 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:18.240 And you'll be surprised what you learn. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:38.000 When Cyrus said y'all can go build your temple, one of the reasons that he did that was he wanted whoever the gods of the people that he k conquered, he wanted them to say, Well, our gods would be on your side, and and we'll pray to our God for your well-being. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:45.039 And that was part of the way that he tried to keep them in line through making them socially acceptable. 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:47.759 But he still worshipped his own god. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:53.119 And so Sam Balad sees this. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:56.480 He's I believe an Ammonite. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:57.759 Horonite. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.200 Horonite, okay. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.960 And Tobiah might have been uh but at any rate Tobiah was an Ammonite. 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:10.400 And he sees this and says, Oh, I know how to get in good with Cyrus. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:13.839 I know how to get in good with Arta Xerxes and Darius. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:18.319 I need to build a temple and have it dedicated. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:23.359 And we'll you know it's just like the temple because I'm a descendant of Abraham. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.640 I got his blood. 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:32.640 So we'll do that and we'll claim the lineage of the Messiah through us, and we'll claim the priestly worship through us. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:39.039 And as you read through Nehemiah and Ezra, you'll see there was some intermarriage there that set the whole thing off. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:51.279 Listen, nothing happens in history that is not making the world turn in the direction that God wants it to go. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:53.119 Remember this. 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:59.920 Every nation that conquered Israel influenced Israel. 00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:08.079 And every nation helped to get Israel ready for how they would respond when the Messiah came. 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:16.559 That's why Israel went into Assyrian captivity, Babylonian captivity. 00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:19.119 After them, the Medes and the Persians. 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:25.839 After that, Alexander the Greek, then his the Great, then his kingdom broke up, right? 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:33.839 But the two dominant kingdoms that influenced Israel were the Seleucids and the Ptolemies. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:50.240 And they influenced Israel so much, Judah so much, and they ruled over Judah, and they began to have influence over even the priesthood because it became a political thing to keep on good terms with the conqueror. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:59.359 And you remember, Caiaphas later in this gospel is going to say, he's going to prophesy and say Jesus got to die for the good of the nation. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:05.200 He's not understanding who Jesus is, not even understanding that he prophesied like that. 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:05.920 Right. 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:10.400 But he did because all things work together for good to them that love God. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:13.359 Everything happened to get the world ready. 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:20.640 Even, even Caesar saying, we're going to tax everybody, we're going to do a census. 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:28.319 I need more money for my army, for my navy, for my roads, make everybody go to their hometown and register and pay taxes. 00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:35.279 And because he did that, Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.319 You have to understand that this is. 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:58.160 Yes, and when it comes to the sovereignty of God, no matter how I may feel about elections and world leaders, whether I like it or I don't like it, I must believe the sovereign God is getting us ready for the return of Jesus Christ. 00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:00.960 Because if I don't, I'll lose my ever-loving mind. 00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:04.559 And I heard something yesterday in a prophecy. 00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:24.480 And this person said they were getting attacked because they used the Washington Monument as a as part of the plumb line in this prophecy. 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:35.599 And because the Washington Monument monument is considered pagan because of Masonic and Because of Masonic leanings, yeah. 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:36.160 Yeah. 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:37.039 And things. 00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:40.079 People were attacking this prophet. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:54.079 And she said to them, if you go back and you look in the Bible, God used many places that were pagan to bring people to Jesus. 00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:57.680 Especially like Paul when he was preaching. 00:25:57.920 --> 00:25:58.720 At Mars Hill. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:03.599 At Mars Hill, when he saw the temple to the unknown God. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:04.640 It was the altar. 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:07.279 The altar to the unknown God. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:15.680 And she went through several places to say he's not using this for that. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:16.400 Right. 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:18.079 He's not elevating paganism. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:20.160 He's proving his sovereignty. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:38.799 And and they and and I thought that was really interesting because we know God, whatever God uses to prove his point or to show us the way, it doesn't matter what it is. 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:45.759 Did not God say Nebuchadnezzar, my servant? 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:46.640 Yeah. 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:49.359 Nebuchadnezzar, my servant? 00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:55.359 Did not Pharaoh Nico tell Josiah, I'm here on a mission from your God. 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:55.680 Yeah. 00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:57.039 Don't get involved. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:57.680 Yeah.

00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:59.839 Don't get in God, Josiah. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.119 Leave it alone. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:02.160 You know it. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:02.799 Yeah. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:07.119 But Josiah became a little arrogant and it caused his death. 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:07.599 Yeah. 00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:21.599 So I think when people are so quick to question and criticize something, they need to stop first and look at what is God doing. 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:22.160 Yeah. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:26.079 Isaiah is doing and why is he doing that? 00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:28.160 I think it's Isaiah chapter 1. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:30.079 I might have it wrong, but it were. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:36.640 He prophesies to Israel, and God speaking through Isaiah, says, Come now, let us reason together. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:51.599 In other words, God wants us to use our mental faculties and surrender our intellect to him so that he can anoint our thinking, anoint our imaginations, anoint our vision, anoint our future. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:56.720 Because if we don't let him take control, then we're in control. 00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.680 Now, this is a good point. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:02.799 And since we just had an election, listen to me. 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:10.319 I knew plenty of Christians who just thought it was a horrible thing when different presidents were elected. 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:11.279 You know what? 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:13.200 I didn't vote for him either. 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:16.240 But do we believe God is sovereign? 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:17.440 Absolutely. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:22.160 Then it doesn't matter, even though we vote according to conscience. 00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:24.160 It doesn't matter who gets elected. 00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:29.519 Our prayer life cannot change, our testimony cannot change, our faith in God cannot change. 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:32.799 Elsewise, we're not being faithful witnesses. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:35.440 We're not being faithful disciples. 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:47.119 No, no. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:53.440 And this is what I tried, and I came under vicious attack yesterday for my beliefs. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:29:04.319 And I said, and I kept trying to tell people, I knew I saw the writing on the wall a long time ago. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:13.759 And it just if you look at history and you see every president who goes through a midterm loses the Congress. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:16.720 There's only been like four times they didn't. 00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:17.920 Human nature. 00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:19.039 Human nature. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:24.240 And it's not, it's just the way human nature is. 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:26.160 So I wasn't real surprised. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:29.039 I would didn't mean I was happy, but I wasn't real surprised. 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:32.880 I was, I was a little bit taken aback how much it was. 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:33.519 Sure. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:41.839 But this is what I had to, and and God and I had a really long talk yesterday morning, and this is what I try to tell people. 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:52.400 And God said, Do you not understand that I have a plan. 00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:54.000 I have a plan. 00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:55.759 It hasn't changed. 00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:59.519 I know I know the end. 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:00.960 You don't. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:02.400 I know the end. 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:05.519 All you see is the beginning of sorrow. 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:12.559 So you got a if I'm interpreting this right, you got a message that God said, you either trust my sovereignty or you really don't have faith in me. 00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:13.119 That's right. 00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:18.880 And that's when he said to me, and this is what he kept saying to me, and this is what I kept telling people yesterday. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:22.079 Walk by faith, not by sight. 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:25.920 And then if you only walk by sight, you only see the world. 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:29.680 So we walk by faith and not by political persuasion. 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:37.359 Even though you may have a like a way, you might be a libertarian, you might be a Republican, you might be an independent, might be a Democrat. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:38.880 We all go to church together. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:45.759 We cannot afford for political lines to define who we are in Christ. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:50.400 And I, you know, and and and I and people just kept saying, Well, you're missing the whole picture. 00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:51.680 I said, I'm not. 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:52.640 I'm not. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:53.839 I see the whole picture. 00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:55.519 So let me tell you how right you are. 00:30:56.559 --> 00:30:58.079 Let me tell you how right you are. 00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:05.200 The Babylonians help shape the thinking of Israel regarding when is the Messiah coming, what it's going to be like. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:11.920 The Medes and the Persians influenced Israel to where they had to start praying, well, we need the Messiah to come. 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:12.480 Right? 00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:12.799 Right. 00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:15.200 Alexander the Great did the same thing. 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:18.480 And the Ptolemies and the Seleucids did the same thing. 00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:20.480 And the Romans did the same thing. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:24.640 And you'll notice that Caiaphas says that we could lose our place. 00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:30.079 But history says that the Romans had great influence on who became high priest. 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:33.359 Seleucids had great influence on who became why? 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:40.079 Because they were the ruling parties and they would be benevolent or not benevolent according to how they felt. 00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:44.960 And so the Levites pandered to them somewhat politically.

00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:54.480 Now, when Jesus came, who was not ready to receive him? 00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:55.759 The Jews. 00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:01.759 The majority of the Levites, the Pharisees, the Sadducees were not ready to receive Him. 00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:14.319 They were the most educated people, but they had built themselves a hope for the Messiah on what sort of political and military conqueror he would be, not saying, God, show us your Messiah. 00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:18.400 They wanted a military leader and not a spiritual leader. 00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:28.240 But what the Greeks did, the big impact they had is they gave the known world one common language for education. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:33.440 And everybody, when the Romans conquered the world, everybody they conquered just about. 00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:39.599 No matter spoke their native language, not just that, but they also spoke Greek because it was the language of people who went to school. 00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:49.519 And what the Romans did was they made the Mediterranean Sea safe from pirates. 00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:54.160 And they built roads across the world for their armies to travel. 00:32:54.720 --> 00:33:02.960 Those were the seas that Paul and Silas and Barnabas and every other disciple who carried the gospel across into Europe. 00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:11.599 They were the roads they used and the roads they used into Africa and the sea lanes and it went all over Asia. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:17.680 So Jesus came at that precise moment. 00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:20.480 Jesus said, I go away to prepare a place for you. 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:22.799 And if I do that, I'm coming back to get you again. 00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:26.559 Turn to I didn't know how we got here now, but turn to Matthew 24. 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:32.559 And I think it's a good this discussion turned out to be a lot better than I hoped for, even. 00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:35.119 Yeah, it's in Matthew 24. 00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:37.359 We're gonna read just a few verses, okay? 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:38.000 Okay. 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:41.839 I'm gonna start with verse 1, and I'll probably quit. 00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:47.759 Let me see. 00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:51.119 I'll probably quit around 14. 00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:52.000 Okay. 00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:53.519 You're gonna start where? 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:54.000 One. 00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:54.480 One. 00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:55.039 Oh, okay. 00:33:55.279 --> 00:34:02.079 And Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:06.079 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:13.440 Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:17.039 This is the temple complex, all the buildings of the temple, right? 00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:24.079 And he sat upon, as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. 00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:26.079 This was not for the multitudes. 00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:26.719 Yeah. 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:30.239 Saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? 00:34:30.320 --> 00:34:34.960 We want to know when is the building going to be torn down, and what shall be the sign of thy coming? 00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:36.320 That's two questions. 00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:38.559 When is this gonna crater? 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:40.480 And when are you coming back? 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:51.360 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ and shall deceive many. 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:53.840 So this answer is about his second coming. 00:34:55.119 --> 00:35:05.039 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, for the end is not yet. 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:13.840 Doesn't this sound like what John wrote when he said Jesus looked at his disciples and said, In the world ye shall have tribulation. 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:14.400 Yeah. 00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:16.000 But be of good cheer. 00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:20.000 How can we be of good cheer if they're whipping us and killing us? 00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:22.400 Because my word is being fulfilled. 00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:34.480 I'm not happy that you're suffering, but I want you to be encouraged that this is nothing more than what I have seen and warned you about coming to pass. 00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:36.320 A more sure word of prophecy. 00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:44.239 See that you be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:47.199 So that doesn't mean anything. 00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:56.079 For the nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilence, excuse me, and earthquakes in diverse places. 00:35:56.239 --> 00:35:58.079 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 00:35:58.239 --> 00:35:59.920 Is that not where we are living? 00:36:00.239 --> 00:36:00.800 Yes. 00:36:01.280 --> 00:36:07.039 And and that's why I tried so hard yesterday to and and people just took it wrong. 00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:11.760 But I wasn't saying, I have all the answers. 00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:14.000 I know what's coming. 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:16.960 Yes, I know what's coming because I read my Bible. 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:18.159 I know what's in here. 00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:27.440 This is but I also have great faith that God is going to deliver his people. 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:35.119 And when we walk in our faith and we stay in the word, we don't need to be worried about it. 00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:36.639 We don't need to be in fear. 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:37.760 So let's keep reading. 00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:39.280 Pick up with verse 9. 00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:41.119 Then shall they deliver

you up. 00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:48.719 Oh, there's coming a time where they're you disciples, you who follow me, they'll deliver you up and kill you. 00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:52.480 And you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 00:36:52.639 --> 00:37:00.239 Now then it can't be just these disciples that he's talking about, because they're not going to be exposed to all nations, but the church is. 00:37:02.239 --> 00:37:14.400 And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another, and many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many. 00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:23.840 And because iniquity shall abound, iniquity which is the same as lawlessness, the love of many shall wax cold. 00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:25.519 How many people? 00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:34.320 This this is an accusation, and I want to be careful how I say it, but but it's because what I've experienced in my life. 00:37:34.639 --> 00:37:41.599 How many people do we know that come to church and say sitting on the pew and giving money is enough? 00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:43.440 Oh. 00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:46.960 Or just sitting on the pew. 00:37:47.760 --> 00:38:00.800 And I'm glad they're in church because they're hearing the gospel and because they're rubbing shoulders with people who do love God and want, you know, and it's good to be morally good, but the change isn't happening. 00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:06.719 And this is why they will betray, many will be offended and betray one another and shall hate one another. 00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:20.079 If you're in certain spheres right now in certain churches, I've I listened to some people talking not long ago about where they go to church and serving, and then about their weekend shack ups. 00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:21.519 Yeah. 00:38:22.159 --> 00:38:31.840 But they're going to church and serving, and and they're offended with how the pastor talked with them and somebody else on the staff cussed them out, and they don't understand why this is happening in church. 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:37.920 It's happening in church because just because we go to a building and call it church doesn't mean we're disciples. 00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:47.039 And it doesn't mean that what I just because of what I believe is different than you, that one of, you know. 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:50.639 It's not always a case that I'm right and you're wrong. 00:38:50.960 --> 00:39:00.079 Sometimes it's a case that I'm someplace in my growth that you're not, and you may be ahead of me someplace in your growth that I don't grasp yet. 00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:01.119 Exactly. 00:39:01.679 --> 00:39:07.119 Okay, so then many shall be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:12.639 Many false prophets shall arise and and deceive many, and because iniquity. 00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:13.039 All right. 00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:14.159 Verse 13. 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:21.840 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:23.280 What does that tell me? 00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:29.599 It doesn't matter if I'm in the midst of tribulation or prosperity or poverty. 00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:31.840 I must love God to the end. 00:39:32.880 --> 00:39:35.920 I must love God no matter what my circumstances are. 00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:44.079 And I may be living in a country where Christians are just treated brutally, and you could be living in a country where right now they're in political favor. 00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:46.719 But we both have the same command. 00:39:47.280 --> 00:39:51.360 He that endures unto the end, the same shall be saved. 00:39:51.519 --> 00:40:05.920 You're not saved because you went down to the church and shook hands with the preacher and got your name on the roll and said your hand and said, I believe you're saved because you continue to love God and follow Him and what He asked you to do. 00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:06.400 Yeah. 00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:09.440 And that's that's you know. 00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:11.360 Now we got off topic. 00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:12.800 But so let me do this. 00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:14.320 Let me encourage you. 00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:57.360 Let me encourage you to go back and read Nehemiah, the book of Nehemiah, from chapter 2 through chapter 6, verse 14, and to do a little internet dive, Wikipedia, blue letter Bible, gateway Bible study, some of the some of those platforms, and see what you can find out about Mount Gerizim and about Sanbalic and about the development of society in Israel and in Samaria from the time they were conquered until Jesus arose. 00:40:57.599 --> 00:41:01.599 Because that will cause the gospel to make much more sense to you. 00:41:01.920 --> 00:41:03.440 And some of those reads are hard. 00:41:03.519 --> 00:41:07.840 Like I'm I'm reading right now a book, Bridging the Testaments. 00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:11.519 Guy's got a vocabulary that I have to keep looking up words. 00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:17.599 But the information he gives is so great, it'll be eye-opening for you. 00:41:18.320 --> 00:41:22.480 And you there's probably other sources that are not quite as difficult to read. 00:41:22.719 --> 00:41:29.679 But see what you can find out about that because it helps you understand the culture that Jesus came to. 00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:31.679 Okay, so we're done. 00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:35.599 I want to say this there's nothing new under the sun. 00:41:35.840 --> 00:41:36.320 Amen. 00:41:37.920 --> 00:41:38.639 All right, y'all. 00:41:38.800 --> 00:41:39.280 Good study. 00:41:39.440 --> 00:41:44.960 Good study, good talk, good conversation, um, and some extra homework, right? 00:41:46.880 --> 00:41:47.360 I love that. 00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:49.039 I always send people home with homework. 00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:51.920 This is what I want you to look at this week, because I want you to see. 00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:53.280 So, anyway, good deal. 00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:58.000 Thank y'all for joining us around the table today, and we're gonna end with our slogan too. 00:41:58.159 --> 00:42:06.960 Go show some love, show some compassion and mercy and go be Jesus today. 00:42:07.840 --> 00:42:09.519 Hey STU family. 00:42:09.679 --> 00:42:15.840 If you've enjoyed this podcast today, would you please like, follow, and share our podcast link? 00:42:16.239 --> 00:42:21.119 We would love to hear your feedback and your podcast topic suggestions. 00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:31.840 To do that, simply go to our website at www.m3mi.org, scroll to the more tab, and select contact us. 00:42:32.480 --> 00:42:38.239 Also, if this to you has been a blessing to you, you can also go to our website and select sew a seed. 00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:46.400 There are several ways that you can give, whether it's Zelph, Vinmo, Cash App, or if there's an address to send a check or money order. 00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:51.440 All your gifts are tax deductible, and we thank you so much for sewing your seed with us. 00:42:51.760 --> 00:42:53.360 I want you to remember this. 00:42:53.599 --> 00:43:02.559 A wise person once said that a person has given you their time, they've given you their most precious gift because they can never ever get it back. 00:43:02.880 --> 00:43:04.880 Thank you for sharing this day with me. 00:43:05.039 --> 00:43:06.800 We love you, we'll see you soon.