All praises to the Most High God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Peace to everyone joining us on this program. This is the Fountain of Israel's Bible Studies program, and as always, it's an honor for me to stand before you on the Lord's Holy Sabbath day. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for joining us every week.
I just want to show some appreciation. And thoughts and prayers go out to our family, friends, and fellow Fountain of Israel viewers over in Houston. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them and hopefully that they are safe.
Now, what we're going to do is we're going to cover a topic and it is called grace in the Old Testament or grace in the Old Covenant. Grace in the Old Covenant. Because I think back when I was in church and a lot of times the picture that was painted of God, of the God in the Old Testament, was that.
He was a cool God. He was impatient. He just killed people right away. And now we're in the age of grace.
Have you guys heard that before? And now we're in the age of grace. OK, so what I want to do is I want to examine where grace can be found in the old covenant.
OK, but first, before we do that, I want to go to some of the scriptures that are the examples of how God. was in the Old Testament, okay? But then after we see a couple of those examples, we want to turn our attention towards the grace that is indeed found under the Old Covenant. Now, before we go to the Old Testament, we're going to start in the New Testament. And with that being said, we're going to start at 2 Timothy chapter 1. So join me in 2 Timothy chapter 1, if you will, okay?
And when we get to 2 Timothy chapter 1, Let's start with 2 Timothy 1 verse 8. 2 Timothy 1 verse 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved us and involved us with him in holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own. purpose and grace which has which was given us in christ jesus before the world began which was given us in christ jesus before the world began so what we need to do is really go back into the old testament and we're going to go uh to numbers if you guys want to go on over there but he said in verse 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to the words but according to his own purpose It was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, his purpose and grace, okay? And this grace began before the world, okay? It was given to us before the world began.
Now, here's the thing. Just like he's all-knowing, okay? Just like the Most High is all-knowing, he knows everything.
Yes, he knew that man would mess up and he would sin, but yet he still created us anyway, and yet he still granted us grace, okay? Even knowing that. but it's our job to put forth an effort so let's look at some examples of when grace runs out or like if you don't have grace okay whether you you it's one or two things okay he gives us grace okay but sometimes grace runs out and we don't recognize it you ever been talking about something or or you keep talking and it just doesn't or maybe you heard someone maybe it wasn't you maybe it wasn't you but you can witness an exchange between two people And you can see where one guy, if he would just close his mouth, trouble wouldn't come his way.
But sometimes people just keep talking, keep talking, and just get themselves in deeper and deeper trouble. So what happens is that this guy didn't understand when the other guy's grace or patience had run out. OK, so sometimes it's the same happens with God. We don't understand when the grace, we never know when grace is going to run out. And it indeed runs out.
OK. So let's take a look at it over at Numbers chapter 16. Go to Numbers chapter 16. I want to look at something real quick. Numbers chapter 16. And I want to start at verse 1. You guys probably seen this story before, but we want to really look at it.
And I just want to show you where grace runs out. So Numbers chapter 16. Pick it up at verse 1. Numbers chapter 16, verse 1. Now pour the Son of... is our the son of koha and the son of levi and doctrine and the sons of eliab and on the son of eleth sons of ruben took me moses with certain of the children of israel assembly since in the congression congregation men of renown and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord I hope you guys know what just happened I know you guys have read the story of Korah before but there's a particular reason why I'm bringing this up They're like, in verse 3, they say, they gather themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. They say, you take too much upon yourself.
Okay, now what that means is basically today in our vernacular, we might say who you think you are, right? Okay, that's basically what they're saying. They're saying, okay, you take too much upon yourself. Seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, the Lord is among them.
Wherefore, then lift ye up. yourselves above the congregation of Israel. So he basically said, you know, who do you think you are?
Who died and made you the leader of everybody? That's basically what he's basically what he's saying. Okay, so now he opened his mouth and he wants to be somebody. Okay, he's not happy that Moses is the one who's the leader of Israel right now. So he wants to make himself somebody.
Okay, so we're just going to go down and we know how they got in trouble and stuff and God was going to... kill them all instantly and Moses and Aaron, they bowed down. If you read the rest of the story, but we're going to skip down to verse 31. Okay. We're going to skip down to verse 31. This is when grace runs out. Okay.
So we're going to get down to verse 31. with her mouth and swallowed them up and their houses and all the men that were chained on to core and all their goods they had all the opportunity to them to them went down alive into the pit and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation and all israel that were that were round about then fled at the cry of them for they looked for he said lister as well known also. What else? And there came out a forward and consumed the 250 men that offered incense.
Okay, so we're looking at a situation that, okay, now Cora and gang, Cora and company was talking, okay, patients at any time they could have just backed off and left Moses alone, okay? But the Lord, he let them say what they wanted to say. They said, of course, the Lord didn't like that, of course. But he didn't do it instantly. Okay.
He wanted to do it. And, you know, and Moses being humble, you know, he prayed for him. All you have to do is, you know, read the story and everything. Okay. So he went ahead, the Lord went ahead and just took care of Moses and the people who wanted to associate themselves with him.
So grace had run out. Okay. So what we're going to do is we're going to keep looking at the difference between grace and no grace.
Right now we're focusing on. Either you don't have grace, or you did not have grace, or it ran out. Okay?
So we're still in numbers, but let's back up two chapters. Go to Numbers 14. Numbers 14. Numbers 14. Let's take a look at this real quick. Okay?
Two people want to, you know, backbite, murmur, doubt, and stuff like that. Let's take a look at this. Numbers 14. And pick it up at verse 36, bro. Numbers 14, verse 36. And the man which Moses sent to search the land, who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up a slander upon the land.
Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land died by the plague before the man. Go ahead. By Joshua, the son of Nun.
and Caleb the son of Jeff and Jeff and which were of the men that went to search the land. We're gonna steal. Okay, so just Bringing a bad report because we know the story the Lord say go on over to the promised land take a look I'm gonna give that to you a landfill with milk and honey and all that and then when Moses had sent scouts over there, you know, they want to come back by murmur the people over there.
They look like giants We can't take it over doing the guy and push fear in everybody but caleb and joshua was like no we can take him let's you know lord that's going to be our land it's going to be our land and so he hit him with a plague struck him dead that's it okay so we got to recognize when grace has ran out All right. So that's a case where grace had run out. Let's stay in.
Let's go numbers one more time and go up to numbers 21, numbers 21, numbers 21. OK, and pick it up at verse four, numbers 21 and verse four, verse 21, verse four. And they journeyed from Mount Horeb by the way of the Red Sea to come past the land of Edom. And the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
Discouraged, okay. And the people spake against God and against Moses. Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water.
And our souls are broken. We hate this library. What else?
What happened? First city. The worst thing I've seen is a lot of people and most people are disregarded.
Therefore the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned. And he throws his sword and said, Make me a covenant upon you. You shall live.
Now we see an example right there. Somebody like that. Why did you bring us out here into the wilderness? You know, to let us die. Bring us out of Egypt.
And then he says, There is no bread. You know, there's no bread. There's the water and our souls, our body.
Our soul loaded this like bread. Okay. We hate this stuff.
Complaining. Lord just took you out of slavery, out of hard bondage. And then you complaining about the bread you are getting. And so he said, okay, fine.
The Lord sent poverty surface in verse six among the people. And they bit the people and much people of Israel died. Now.
No worries. No grace for them. What about the ones that were still alive? Do they get grace?
Because he said you know what if they're bitten, but if you look at the serpent that's on the pole, they'll live. That's grace. That means giving you a chance, right? That's what we're talking about.
Therefore the people came to Moses and said we have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee. Pray unto the Lord that he take away the serpents from us and Moses prayed for the people. And then the Lord said unto Moses make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass.
that everyone that is bitten on it shall live. That sounds like grace to me, right? Because he said, if you're bitten. He said, so if you're bitten and you look at that pole, you look at the serpent on the pole, you'll live.
You'll be okay. Sounds like grace, okay? So they had already did the little backbiting, the murmuring, and the complaining. I'm going to look at a little bit more in Leviticus 10, okay? Leviticus 10. Leviticus 10. There's grace in no grace.
Okay? Grace and no grace. Or when grace runs out. Okay? So yeah, there's been plenty of times where the Lord gets irritated.
And he's finished. He's done. He's had enough. As long as I can stand, I can't stand no more. It happens, okay?
It happens when he's done. That's when your grace is run out. Leviticus 10, verse 1. Leviticus 10, verse 1. Yeah, we're going to look at Nadab and Abihu.
Go ahead. In Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron took either of them his censer and put fire therein and put incense thereon and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. and there went out fire from the lord for the lord grace just ran out that's just done grace right now because it says that he committed so they knew better they knew better right we're reading the same thing he said and offered strange fire before the lord which he commanded them not so they knew better yeah son verse two there went out the lord He died before the Lord. Go ahead.
Then Moses said, this is it, that the Lord spake, saying, that come not and for all the people I will be That's right. I will not let that happen. Aaron didn't say none. These two boys dead.
He didn't backbite and murmur. He wasn't going to have grace. And out on him says excuse me. Is there a problem? He said I wouldn't Think that's that's what the Lord is saying.
I won't be disrespected Is it this is a Moses went to have to have to go tell his brother? Okay, this was the Lord say okay. This was the Lord said saying I will be sanctified set apart I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me okay, okay?
I'm different a little no okay not me and before all the people I will be glorified no disrespect and that's that's that's how Laura Rose how about second Samuel 6 Samuel 6 okay we're still in Old Testament looking at the old covenant now don't even wrong we're looking at examples where This is a God we've been told about in the Old Testament. So I'm not even showing you anything new. This is what you've been told.
Hey, God, hey, he killed people in the Old Testament. Yeah. Let's take a look. 2 Samuel. 2 Samuel chapter 6 and verse 1. Okay.
Verse 1. Go ahead. Let's take a look. 2 Samuel chapter 6 and verse 1. Thank you.
Again, David gathered. together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people that were with him, from Baal of Judah, to bring up from the fence the ark of God, called by the name of the Lord of hosts, that dwelleth between the cherubim. He set the ark of God upon a new heart, and brought it out of the house of Anadad.
mm-hmm that was the Gideon give you a high oh and sons of a minute I've been a dad drape the new cart and they brought it out of the house of the mean it out which was at give you a company the ark of God you know a higher went before the ark, and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made in fir wood mm-hmm mm-hmm saw trees and on saw trees and on corn darts and on cymbals and on cymbals and what else happened? and when they came to Mechon Uzab put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzab, and the Lord smote him, therefore his error.
And there he died by the ark of God. And there he died by the ark of God. Go ahead. And David was displeased because, and the children of Ammon came up and put the battle in array at the... injury.
Okay, okay, we stop there, we stop there. So we look at, yeah, no, no, we stop there. So we see what happened, okay? It says, and the angel of the Lord was kindled against Uzziah, and God smoked him there for his error, and there he died by the ark of God. Okay?
Real short temper, but that's nothing new. We've always been shown that. We've always been told that.
God said, put thee the ark of God, and you shall carry it on two steps. Don't touch the ark. Don't reach it until he wants to catch it.
But you've got to follow straight. Because this represents, you know, the presence of God. No hands can touch the Ark of the Covenant. Do we understand? Okay.
So no grace right there. No grace. That's a picture that we are shown. But let's go to 2 Kings. 2 Kings.
We're moving throughout. But let's go to 2 Kings. Then we'll slow down and we're going to show them some.
So let's do 2 Kings chapter 2. 2 Kings chapter 2, verse 20. Let's take a look. Now this is going to be simple. You got to pay attention to this. 2 Kings chapter 2. Okay?
I'm talking about Elisha over here. Watch this. Go ahead.
And he said, No, actually, I'll read 19 and I want you to read 20. In 19 it said, And the men of the city said unto Elisha, who came after Elijah. Y'all with me? Okay?
Unto Elisha, behold, I pray thee, the situation of the city is pleasant. Lord, see it. But the water is not in the ground barren.
Okay? Verse 20, son. Go ahead. He said, bring me a new cruz and put salt therein.
And they brought it to him. And he went over the waters. And he passed the salt in there and said, thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters.
There shall not be more death. or baron atlanta okay where he was on tape but that one was going up away watch this go ahead and they marked alicia go ahead and said onto him go up go ahead and go up so they're calling them all right you ball head ball head they want to mess with they want to tease them okay now i know we you know we're talking about You know the Lord, you know something little children. Okay, I want to see movies right here.
24, they called him Bob. 24, and he looked on and cursed him and he knew the Lord. ...with two sheep and two hares out of the wood. Forty children. So this shit was like, oh, okay.
No worries. No worries. So I submit to you that grace is not something that we can just play with.
It doesn't matter if you're a kid or not. It doesn't matter what you do from the Lord. That's the thing we need. You know, we have to wrap our brains around this. We have to wrap our minds around this.
Do we know how much grace we have? No. I'll get around and serve the Lord. He understands.
How much grace do you think you have? Grace. Through a number of examples.
You ain't saying that grace may abound? Go ahead. No. God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer?
So how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer? Okay. Drop down to verse 23. For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life.
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Okay, so now we know what the wages of sin are. We know what the wages of sin is.
That means you sin, you murder, you earned. Okay? That's what we did.
So we're going to take this a little different now. And verse 1. This is 6 and verse 1. 6 and verse 1. And it came to pass when Ploycas, yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. Okay, so now we don't have these antediluvian, Methuselah-age people walking around. I'm just shorten the lifespan of people because just Sups that have your old sinner running around a bunch of them anyway So he went and shortened the human lifespan and he says gonna be about 120 go ahead first for there were giants in the earth in those days I mean also after that when the sons of God came in came in unto the daughters of men and They bear children to them the same became became mighty men which were of old men over now and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. All the time.
Go ahead. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart. I will destroy man whom I have created from both man and beast.
and the creeping things. And the creeping things. For I repent of me that I have made them. What else?
But no grace in the eyes. But no grace in the eyes. This is the first example of grace.
All the way back to Adam and Eve, they disobeyed God. Rather than just killing him because they messed up, he just killed an animal skin. He murdered his brother, killing an animal skin. But the way he's saying it... I didn't go back, I could go back to 6 and show you examples of grace.
But I chose to just, because this is one of the earliest grace, and Noah found grace. Because we know Noah was a righteous man. Does that mean he never sinned ever, not once?
Does it mean that? No, he was a righteous man. And he found grace.
I chose him and his sons. Daughters-in-law, you know to repopulate the earth so he found grace, but we're gonna stay in Genesis and Genesis 19 Go to Genesis 19. Okay, let's look at something else Okay, Genesis 19 Verse 1 and ye shall rise up early. And they said, Nay, but we will abide in the streets all night.
Okay, so they said, no, no, we'll stay in the streets all night. Go ahead. And they turned in unto him, and entered into his house.
So he basically insisted, he's like, man, you don't want to be out here on the streets at night. No, please come into my house. sit down, you know, we'll take care of you. You can leave in the morning.
It's a little bit safer because it's already evening time. It's getting dark and it's dangerous out here. Okay.
So he said, they said, but they, he said, but we will abide in the streets all night. And he pressed upon them greatly. And they turned into, onto him and entered into his house. And what? And he made them a feast.
He fed them. Go ahead. And did bake unleavened bread.
And they did eat. Go ahead. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom.
Okay, come confess the house round. both old and young all the people from every quarter So all the people from all over the city they saw the two men were angels come into lots house They're like, well never seen them before. Let's go and check this out. Let's go see what's going on So they went not today wraps around in his house. Okay surrounded the house and then begin to Knock on the door.
Okay, and what they said there's five They want to sleep with these guys. Okay, let's just call these guys. He said, okay, bring them on out.
So they pretty much going to rape him. And said, I pray you, brother, do not see, do not so wickedly. Behold, now I have two daughters. which have not known them. Let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes.
Only unto these men do nothing. For therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. Right, they're in his house. Go ahead.
And they said, stand back. And they said again, this one fellow came in to sojourn. And he will need to be a judge.
Okay, so basically, you know, he's offering, obviously, these men, young and old, sleep with the two angels, sleep with the two men. And Lot's coming in, and this is wicked what you're trying to do. Break these lines, right? what you're trying to do.
Look, I got to tell you again, they're virgins. and let me bring them out and they're like, man, get out of here, okay? We want the other two.
We want the dudes, okay? That's how wicked it was getting, okay? So he said that we'll need to be judged. We're right in the middle of nine. Now will we get worse with this?
Then they sent him, and they pressed sore upon the man, even Mark, and came near to break the door. Okay, so they were pressing up on him. They were jacking him up.
They were pressing against the door about to just. busting his house time I get out of the way women we're gonna get those two good those two dudes go ahead but the man put forth their hand okay the whole lot into the house to them mm-hmm he shut the door okay so the man again they're saying man but they were angels but the two men they just think crap they open the door snatch a lot brought lock in lock in snatch them in close the door okay but the men put forth their hand and pull out into the house to them and shut the door and then what happened first 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they would weary themselves to find the door. Okay, so they got blinded, okay? They got blinded, and they're kind of searching around and, you know, just groping around, don't know what's going on.
They got blinded, kind of like a flash of light, okay? Go ahead. And the men said unto Lot, Has thou here any besides son-in-law and thy sons and thy daughters? And whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place. They're basically saying it's time to go.
Go ahead. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxing great for the face of the Lord. And the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
They're there to do a job. Go ahead. And Lot went out and spake unto his sons-in-law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, and get you out of this place.
this place, for the Lord would destroy the city, but he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law. Yeah, they're like, man, the Lord's not going to destroy the city. What are you talking about, life?
Come on, man. Go ahead. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened, hastened lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters, which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
Okay. Okay. So.
Sounds like a whole lot of grace going on to me if we're paying attention. Does it sound like Lot is getting an opportunity to escape judgment of that city? That's grace.
Give it a chance. Give it an opportunity. That's grace, right?
All right. So he said, and when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot and were hurrying him along. Hastened Lot saying, hey, arise, take your wives and daughters, which are here, and let y'all be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
Okay. And verse 16. And while he leaped, he leaped. The men laid a hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters.
The Lord being merciful unto him, they brought him forth, and set him without the city. Okay, so they grabbed him, and they were just going out of the city. Okay, they were leaving at this time.
So the Lord was being merciful. Okay, go ahead. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said escape for thy life look not behind me neither stay thou in the order of the plain escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed okay go ahead the law said unto thee oh not so my lord behold now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight the servant has found what found grace in thy sight go ahead thou has magnified thy mercy which thou has showed unto me in saving my life saving my life go ahead and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die.
Go ahead. Behold now, this city is near to flee unto me, and it is a little one. O let me escape thither, if not a little one, and my soul shall live.
Go ahead. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city. for the which thou hast spoken haste me escape thither for i cannot do anything till thou become become thinner therefore the name of the city is called the son was risen upon the earth go ahead then the lord rained upon sodom and upon grimoran and the ripstone and fire from the lord out of heaven and he overthrew those cities And all the planes and all the inhabitants of the cities and that which grew upon the ground.
Okay, so he destroyed all of them, just ashes, fire and brimstone. What else? But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became the pillar of salt.
Sounds like her grace ran out, huh? I mean, she had a chance. She was escaping with Lot at first, and he was commanded, hey, leave.
Don't look back. Just go. Okay?
Because what are you leaving? You're leaving sin and wickedness. You're leaving all that behind.
Leave it behind you. Don't look back. She looked back, turned into a pillar of salt.
Grace ran out. You guys see that? OK, so that's what we have done. That's the type of stuff that we have to understand.
We're going to move on. Go to Exodus 34. So Lot got grace. He was a righteous man.
He got grace. OK. Exodus 34. Noah got grace. Cain actually got a little bit of grace.
Adam and Eve got a little bit of grace. Lot got grace, okay? Even his wife had grace, but then her grace ran out. Okay, so Exodus 34, let's pick it up at verse 1. Exodus 34 and verse 1. Exodus 34 and verse 1. And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew these two tables of stone right unto the first.
And I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which are great. Okay. So they broke the Ten Commandments on the stone, they broke it until this is the second set that was being made. Go ahead. And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.
And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount, neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount. and he hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath hath h long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth. Look at all these attributes of it.
And the Lord passed by before him to proclaim the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth. And we looked at a bunch of examples where the Lord killed people. But does that mean he's not merciful? No. Does it mean he's not gracious, long-suffering?
No. In goodness and in truth. Because it gives you a chance.
He gives you an opportunity. Don't blow it. That's it.
He gives you grace. Don't blow it. Don't frustrate that grace. How much time do you think you have? That's that's that should be our pervading thought.
That should be on our mind all the time, every day. Today, you breathing right now is grace. And you have an opportunity to get a little bit closer with God, a little bit closer. to come back into alignment with what he wants for your life.
That's grace. You have an opportunity to get back into covenant. That is grace. Why?
Because you're breathing right now. That's how you know you have a chance to turn it around. This is grace. I need you, and we all need to recognize that we are under grace. But...
In light of the lesson, it always were. Always were. Some people frustrate that grace.
Don't let that be one of you. He said in verse 6, And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious and longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth. Verse 7, Keeping mercy for dozens, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.
Forgiving. iniquity and transgression and sin and what? That will by no means clearly be dealt with. Iniquity of children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation.
What else? And Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And what else? And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us, for it is a sin. stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
Okay, so let's look at this. He said, look at that for this is a stiff-necked people. Let's look at this.
Stiff-necked, kashe, okay? The Hebrew is kashe. Description, hard. cruel, severe, obstinate, being stubborn, hard, difficult, severe, fierce, intense, rigorous, if you're in battle.
Hard-headed, what we say today. Hard-headed. Yeah. Hard.
These people just won't listen. Don't do that. What do they do? They do it. God says, do that.
What do they do? Don't do it. That's the description.
That's what we got. Okay? That's what we got.
Thank you, son. He said, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thy inheritance. Please, Lord. Okay?
And verse 10, what did he say? And he said, Behold, I make a covenant before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in... any nation and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the Lord for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee okay so he's gonna say I'm doing on so Israel even is giving grace because he already said they don't even deserve this grace they really don't we don't we don't really deserve this grace but he's okay I'll make a covenant I'll go ahead and give you a chance Here's the terms of the agreement. I'll go ahead and give you a chance. And we already know they agreed to the terms a couple of times, now didn't they?
Okay. Now he could have destroyed all of them instantly. He could have utterly destroyed all of Israel, and yet he didn't. Israel is alive today.
Scattered, but still alive today. There's grace right there. Because we shouldn't be here, right?
For fathers messed up so bad, should have been utterly destroyed. And yet Israel is still here today. All over the world, scattered, not really a cohesive nation. But why?
Because he's going to keep his end of the bargain. The regathering Israel, put them in their land and dwell among them. Despite what we and our forefathers have done, still giving us an opportunity to get back in good on that covenant that he's going to make good on. We have grace. Let's look at judges.
So we do it over and over and over and over. Let's look at it in judges. I want to show you guys an example of this over and over.
and over again judges let's start early in judges judges chapter two okay judges chapter two and pick it up at verse 14 so judges chapter 2 and verse 14. chapter 2 verse 14. and the anger of the lord was hot against israel and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that sported of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. What else? Wheresoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them.
And they were greatly distressed. And they were greatly distressed. What happened?
What else happened? Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. Yet and yet they would not harken on civil judges and I still wouldn't work it out to their judges Go ahead, but they went a horn a horn after other gods and and belt themselves onto them They turned quickly out of the way their fathers walked in But they did not so boy go ahead and when the Lord raised them up judges then the Lord was with the Which was the judge. And delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge.
Now, now, now. Did you guys catch that? No, no, no.
Before, in case you missed it, okay? When you read verse 14, because right now we're over in verse 18. But when you read verse 14, look at what happened. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. And he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them.
And he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about so that they could not. any longer stand before their enemy. So they had already messed him up.
But nevertheless... He gave them a judge and the Lord was with that judge. OK, nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges.
OK, let's look at let's look at judges real quick. Raise up judges. The judge governed vindicate.
OK, punished to act as a law giver or judge or governor. OK, of God or man, a judge of God or a governor of God to rule, govern a judge. OK, decide controversy to execute judgment, vindication. This is what these judges are. This is what their job was.
OK. which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. Gave them that anyway, so now back to 18. And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For it repented, go ahead, son. For it repented the Lord because of their groanings, by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
Go ahead. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned. corrupted themselves more than their problems and following other gods to serve them and to bow down unto them they ceased not from their own doings but more from their stubborn ways did you catch that are you guys out there listening to what's going on right here okay so as long as they got a judge and the Lord is with them everything's great everything's cool but when they get in trouble or when they lose their judge they go back and hoarding after the gods you don't need god anymore after that point go check this out this is not all right we're gonna party do our own thing you notice that when we're in trouble then we crying out to god and when life is great god doesn't get a phone call now this is all we're saying but then when things go bad You ever get a phone call from someone, and the only time they call you, they want to borrow money? You don't want that call? You don't want that call?
That's what the Lord is like, oh, here we go. Oh, let me guess. You're in trouble again.
Let me guess. Right? Let me guess.
And when the Lord raised... them of judges and the lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of the enemies all the days of the judge for repentance of the lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them and it came to pass when the judge was dead that they returned themselves more than their fathers when they said that they were more wicked than their fathers from before okay they did worse okay in following other gods to serve them and to bow down Unto them they cease not from their own doings nor from their stubborn way We read somewhere where there's stiff neck people right stubborn. Okay. Now go ahead and read verse 24 head Because that this people have transgressed my covenant which I committed their focus and have not heard in it onto my voice I also will not henceforth and drive out any from before the nations which joshua looked when he died okay now let's drop down um no no keep going keep going keep on let's just read it all the way through go ahead that through the i may prove israel whether they will keep the way of the lord to walk therein as the as their fathers did keep it or not therefore the lord left those nations without driving them out hastily neither delivered him neither delivered he did it to the hand of Joshua.
Okay, so he just wanted to test them out. He said, I also will not his forth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died. Now, the Lord has basically said, I'm done.
I'm not going to do it anymore. I'm not going to drive the Ammonians away from me. I'm not going to wash my hands. I'm done with Israel.
He said, though, he said, that through them I may prove them, which means to test them. I may prove Israel. I'm going to test them.
Who's going to test them in? Whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein as their fathers did keep it or not. I just want to test just to see if they're going to keep following me.
Are they going to keep this covenant? Are they going to still listen to hearken unto my voice? Will they still obey me or not?
So I'm just I'm not going to do it anymore. But watch this. Go to Judges chapter three. Go to the next chapter. Judges chapter three.
Now let's read verse 7. Because, you know, they learned their lesson, right? They had to have learned their lesson. Judges chapter 3, verse 7. Go ahead.
chapter 3 verse 7 wait a minute this is just one chapter over we just went to the next chapter read that again verse 7 read that again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and forget that the Lord their God bailed him bailed him and the group ended And the groves. Okay. Go ahead again.
Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of... Cusharistathane. Keep going.
Just go king. King of Mesopotamia. Go ahead. I said his name.
King of Mesopotamia. And the children of Israel served... Cusharistathane.
Eight years. Say eight years. Eight years.
There you go. Keep going. I want to get you over that speed bump. Go ahead. Go ahead.
Thank God. Go ahead. Go ahead. The children of Israel cried unto the Lord.
The Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel, the son of Canaan, the son of John the brother. Okay. So when he said, and when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer, a judge.
deliverer to the children of Israel. He said, I wasn't going to do this for Israel no more. And he gave them another chance. Does that sound like grace? Yes or no?
Yeah. Yeah, grace. We just read it. He said, no, I'm not doing it. That's it.
I'm not saving them no more. That's it. But they did evil in the sight of the Lord again, and then he raised up another deliverer or judge. Again.
Okay? Again. Did you read verse 9, brother? Yeah, yeah, you did.
You read verse 9. Okay. Surely they had learned their lesson by now. Of course they did. Come on now. Come on.
Y'all better than that. Let's go to chapter 4. Notice I just went one more chapter. Go to Judges chapter 4. Okay. All right.
Let's get on to the good stuff. Let's go to chapter 4. Judges chapter 4 starting verse 1. Judges chapter 4 and verse 1. israel again did evil and he's lost the lord you're kidding me right you kidding me you no so so again he said i'm not gonna do it no more then the next chapter chapter three he goes in and give him a deliver they had to learn a lesson now we're in chapter four verse one we're not even getting Whole chapters because sometimes we're at the end of one chapter and the beginning of another chapter so it's not really Okay And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead Verse 2 son go ahead And the Lord swore them into the hand of Jabin the king of Canaan That reigned over that reigned in Hazor The captain of Hoseh Cicero, which dwelt in Herosheth of the Gentiles. There you go. When the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, where he had nine hundred chariots of iron, in twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
Twenty years! Go ahead, what happened? Deborah the prophetess, the wife of... Lepidop. Lepidop.
She judged Israel at that time. Okay now what happened? Let's see how she did that. Go ahead. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel and Mount Ezra.
And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment and she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kadesh. Naphtali. that there's not Ali and said unto him has not have had not the Lord God of Israel commanded saying go and draw toward my table table and take with the 10,000 men of children of left to the open that tall and tall and the children of me exactly mm-hmm and I will draw on to me to the river Cesar, the children of Jibran, Jibran's army, with his chariots and his multitude. and I will deliver him into thy hand.
And Rock said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go. But if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. Now, they go to her for judgment, okay? Just so we notice that they go for her to judgment.
She's a prophetess, but she understands the word of the Lord. She knows what she's talking about. But they go to her for judgment, what she do.
And she, in verse 6, she, Rock, okay, the son of Abinoam, and she talks to him. And she said, you know what? Didn't the Lord say you don't get these men enough tally and go over here and you know take over and all that and he Said you know what? Yeah, you know, I'll go if you go with me, but you won't go I'm not going Okay, as in verse 8 and in verse 9, what did she say?
She said I will surely go with thee notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine For the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman and Deborah rose and went with Barak to Kadesh. Okay, so let's go down, drop down to verse 24, last verse. Go ahead.
Okay, so he, okay, so we had Deborah. Deborah, okay, she was prophetess, and she went over to Dr. Rock and said, hey, you know, the Lord wants to do this and that, this and that, okay? And he said, you know what?
You go with me. I'll go, okay? So we have that, and they delivered.
They were delivered, okay? We just saw in verse 24, and they handed the children of Israel prosper and prevail against Jabin the king of Canaan until they had destroyed Jabin the king of Canaan. Surely they learned their lesson.
You don't have to worry about that no more, right? They learned their lesson, right? So let's go on over to chapter, okay? Now we are jumping up a couple chapters there.
Let's go to chapter 10, okay? And let's start at verse 6, Judges 10 and 6. Judges 10 and 6. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord. You don't say.
So are you guys starting to get the picture that there is some grace? Chance after chance, opportunity after opportunity after opportunity. So don't let someone tell you and mis-teach you in the Old Testament that there was grace. You just didn't have a chance. Over and over again.
Philistines. Philistines. And forsook the Lord, and he served him, and served not him. And served not him.
They stopped serving the God of Israel. Thank you, people. Learn their lesson, which is grace. How long are you going to frustrate?
Which is Gilead. We're over the treatment of a man who has to rejoin to fight. also against Judah and against the house of Ephraim who was sore distressed. There was big trouble on the children of Israel who cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against you, both because we have forsaken our God and also served you. and he gets a phone call then when they're in trouble and they cry out to the lord hey god you know we stopped serving you but could you get this enemy off our back if you could just you know help us out here every day yeah they crying and everything but aren't they going back on what they said they were gonna do?
Every time so every cruel unfair you keep breaking the deal you keep going back on the deal and he's still giving grace keep breaking the deal and then you call me when you're in trouble and kids say something stupid speed on the values that we instilled in you boom the phone call mom dad i'm in jail can you come bail me out What'd you do? Yeah, well, see, yeah. What had happened was you did the stuff I told you don't do that. I had a grandfather, I had a grandfather told me, look, you already know where I stand. You have your butt in jail because you're stealing or something like that.
Don't call home. Right? don't already told you you're gonna ride that one out don't call me you go there for doing something stupid you know you're not supposed to be doing don't go home not bailing you out get comfortable but our god gives us grace and he bails us out once again once again where we're leading uh verse 10 he said the children of Israel cried unto the Lord saying we have sinned against thee both because we have forsaken our God and also serve Balaam verse 11 go ahead did not deliver you from the Egyptians and Amorites the children of Ammon and from the Philistines you What else in verse 12?
The Zidonians Amalekites Moanites And the Moanites Did oppress you And you cried unto me And I delivered you out of their hands What else did he say? Yet ye have forsaken me And I served other gods Wherefore I will deliver you Why are you calling me? I'm not doing this no more.
I'm not delivering you no more. I'm not gonna save you anymore. Why are you calling me? What else for 14?
Going to cry out to the gods we should get rid of. Read it again! What did he say?
What did he say? We should get rid of the gods. Uh huh, and do what? Let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
Yeah! No, see, when you go serve the Sidonians and Amalekites, well, they're gods. okay there are guys these other guys he's bailing okay when you go serve these other gods you get in trouble why aren't you calling these other guys why don't you go call astra bail him baile why don't you why'd you call them yeah but when you need something you know my number now i'm gonna speed that when you need something I don't answer you text messages you trying to get through in you in trouble you like you know the operator breaking through the line and we got an emergency phone call from the children Israel they say they really need your help but grace grace grace so that's all grace in the Old Testament just screwing it up screwing it up Left and right. Let's finish the last two verses. 15 and 16. Go ahead.
The children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned. Do thou unto us whatsoever seems good unto thee. Deliver us only.
We pray thee this day. Yeah, I bet you do. Go ahead.
And they put away the strange gods from the world and served the Lord. And his soul is grieved for the misery of Israel. And his soul is grieved for the misery of Israel.
I mean, what? Let's be honest. Come on.
Let's be honest. Is God wrong for saying no? You know what? Why don't you go and ask those other guys?
Is he wrong? No. Over and over and over and over. And yet they don't want to listen. Yet they don't want to listen.
There's plenty of grace in the Old Testament. And we're not even finished. Plenty of grace.
Which is an opportunity for you and for God. to get right let's go to jonathan let's go over to jonathan okay let's go on over to jonathan chapter 3 okay let's go to Jonah let's look at something real quick look at a little bit more grace Jonah chapter 3 we're gonna start at verse 1 okay we're gonna start at verse 1 when you get there you go ahead and read yes sir and the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time and then above that great city and preached unto it the preaching that I did so Jonah arose and on to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days'strength.
And Jonah began to enter into the city of days'strength. And he cried and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. That's what he was trying to tell them.
He said, look, forty days, around, the city's all nice. won't be here okay that's what he that's what he's got to tell supposed to tell them it's going to be overthrown so verse five what so the people of nineveh believed god to proclaim the fact and put on the sackcloth of them even to the least of them young old rich poor everybody was on the fast but on sackcloth morning okay you don't put on your you know your name brand no no no you just put on your your yard clothes okay and time for mourning sadness repentance and praying and crying out to the lord okay so they did all that everybody had to do it okay from the grace of them to the least number six where the word came unto the kingdom and he arose from his throne and he laid his rope his robe from him and covered him with sackcloth and sat in ashes and he caused it to be proclaimed published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed nor drink water.
Nobody eat or drink anything in all of Nineveh. Nineveh is about to happen here. Go ahead. Let man and his be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God.
Yes, ye, let them turn everyone. from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not?
See, he said 40 days. You know what that period, that 40 days he said that the men are going to be overthrown? That's a grace period. We got 40 days. That's a grace period.
The problem is we don't know how much time we have individually. They had the luxury of knowing the grace period. You may not get that luxury.
Is it starting to sink in a little bit? You may not get that luxury. You don't know. He said, but let every man and beast be covered with sackcloth and quite mightily unto God.
Yea, let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hand. We don't get that preaching today. We don't get those lessons taught to us today.
We don't want to say, okay, you might want to turn from your evil way. You might want to get with God. You might want to walk his way because you don't know what's going to happen. You have no idea what's going to happen.
You walk outside being decapitated. You don't know. You have no idea. So you may want to get right with God. Opportunity that you have is called great.
You remember this now? Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not? And verse 10, what happened? God saw their works.
That they turned from their evil ways. And God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them. And he did it not.
And he did it not. Gave them a chance. See, that's what you're supposed to do with your grace right there. We should do. But nobody's saying turn your evil way.
They're saying you got grace. Grace to do what? Nobody is saying get right, stop angry.
God, we can't do that. We can do it all perfectly. We can't do not even. attempt, not even a little, no? That's exactly right.
Got to try. When should you stop trying? Until you die? Keep trying.
Keep striving to strong. Walk someone in. Striving.
Marathon. Run the race with, you know. endurance.
Because if you do it on a race, you get tired. You know, you want to get tired. You're like, oh my lungs are going to fire.
My legs are going to fall off. You know, you're tired. You're trying to get across that finish line. That's the point. Push.
Same thing. It's a little tough. You're striving to intervene.
You know you're doing it for a prize. Oh, he's preaching that works salvation. I address that. This is not work salvation.
This is responsibility that you have in this. thing called grace. But if you insist it, you don't have to do anything. Good luck.
Go to Acts 15. This is the first time we've been back in the New Testament since we left 2 Timothy. Have you noticed that? Old Testament, Old Testament, Old Testament, and Old Testament.
You know, well, since Romans. We had 2 Timothy and then we had Romans 6. That's it. Now we're back in Acts.
Acts chapter 15. Let's pick it up at verse 1. Acts 15 and verse 1. Acts chapter 15, verse 1. And certainly men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said, Except ye be circumcised. After the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. For Paul and Barnabas had no small decision, dissension, and disputation with them.
They determined that Paul and Barnabas... and certainly other of the teachers unto the apostles and elders about this question. About the question about circumcision.
And it's not about circumcision per se. It's about you can't be saved unless you're circumcised. Okay, that's really the question.
We got to get the question right. Go ahead. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through. Phineas.
Yeah, that's right, Phineas. Samaria. Samaria.
They claimed the conversion of the Gentiles. And they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders.
And they declared all things that God had done with them. And the Pharaohs of the sect... The Pharisees. the Pharisees which believed saying that it was need of me for to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law okay now this is a certain set of the Pharisees okay it's not all the Apostles all of the believers and all the Pharisees a certain set of the Pharisees and this is what they were saying that it was needful they have to be circumcised and keep the and keep the laws of Moses okay verse 6 when the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter and when there had been much disputing peter rose up and said unto them men and brethren ye know you know how to know know how that a good while ago god made choice among us that the gentiles by my mouth She hear the word of the gospel and believe.
Okay, so he's saying this is up to God. He's saying that a good while ago, the Lord decided, hey, the Gentiles need to hear this so they can believe. Go ahead. God which knoweth the heart the hearts bear with witness bear them witness bear them witness Giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did not even did unto us He did unto us and did what?
He put no difference between us and between us and them Purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore what why tempt you God to put a note upon the neck the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to fear okay Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they even as they that's already one okay we By the grace of the Lord, we have this opportunity. Even by the grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ, even as they will be saved. I'm not going to get into that right now. OK, but they have a chance.
That's what we have to understand. Now, let's go to 2 Samuel. OK, real quick. We got two places real quick.
All right. Now, you know what? Before we go to 2 Samuel, go to Leviticus 20 real quick.
OK. I want to look at something real quick. Go to Leviticus 20. I just want one verse, actually. One verse.
Let's take a look real quick. Okay? Look at what's supposed to happen.
Leviticus 20, son, and I want you to read verse 10, just that one verse. Go ahead. Leviticus 20, verse 10. And the man that committed adultery with another man's wife, even he that committed adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer, and the adulteress.
shall surely be put to death. Okay, so we got that. We pretty much understand what's going on right there, right?
Okay, now it says, And a man that committed adultery with another man's wife, even he that committed adultery and his neighbor's wife, okay, so he and the woman, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death. Now watch this, because we're back in the Old Testament, and I want to show some grace. So go to 2 Samuel.
2 Samuel, verse 12. Now watch this. Chapter 12, I'm sorry. 2 Samuel, chapter 12, starting verse 1. Yes, sir. And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man...
had exceeding many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing save one little evil lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and it grew up together with him and with his children. It did eat of his own meat and drink of his own cup, and lay his bosom and was on to him as a That little lamb was treated like one of his daughters, one of his children. Go ahead. And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock. So he didn't take of his own flock.
The rich man, he did not take of his own flock. Go ahead. And of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto unto him, but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come unto him.
come to him. But David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, as the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die.
And he shall restore the land for full, because he did this thing and because he had no pity. Had no pity. Go ahead. And Nathan said to David, thou art the man.
Oh, gut check. Gut check. That's what he did. He had a little gut check there.
And he said, you know, because David was upset, he said, man, how could this person do this? Dude, you got all these lambs and stuff. You're going to take from this one poor, this guy, take this one lamb from this poor guy.
Okay. Because as you know, it's also a story of hospitality too. We're supposed to have hospitality. He's going to take the lamb from the poor guy, dress it up to feed the traveler instead of taking from his own.
No. we're not going to have that this guy's going to surely surely die that's what david said we're going to put this guy to death and he's going to pay back what he took for to forego okay and then nathan said to david thou are you are the man go ahead thus said the lord god of israel I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, and I gave thee thy master's house, and I gave thee thy master's wives, into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Whatever you wanted, I would have given you that too. Okay, but go ahead. as thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight.
What was that evil? Read it. Let's read what that evil was. Thou hast killed Uriah that has taken his wife to be thy wife and has slain him with the sword of the children of Ramah.
Okay, so wait a minute. So he got a man murdered and he committed adultery. We just read what happens to somebody who commits adultery. What is it?
Both of them, huh? Now we read the law. Man committed adultery, both of them are supposed to be put to death. Okay, let's continue reading. Go ahead.
Verse 11. Verse 10, go ahead. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. What else?
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. And I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of his son. Okay, middle of the day, go ahead.
For thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun. Okay, now we know he's supposed to die, but what happens in verse 13? Go ahead. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord.
Now, what happened? And Nathan said unto David, the lord also had put away thy sin thou shalt not die okay did we just see grace just now we just saw grace because he's supposed to die right him and that's you right that's all i'm saying so is there grace in the old testament yes or no okay so he's supposed to die we saw a lot and he being you know judah he's an israelite he's raised up on the law and then he has made his very the prophet at his right hand, he knew what the law was, right? So he knew what it was. It was no secret. He knew what the law was.
So we had an idea like this. So we're going to go to our last place and let's look at a long chapter full of grace. Go to Ezekiel, okay? Go to Ezekiel 18. Ezekiel 18. And if you don't remember anything else, when somebody wants to know about this whole grace in the Old Testament, just remember Ezekiel 18. Besides all the examples that you have just witnessed, okay, that you have just read, okay, besides all those examples of getting grace when you should have died, just remember Ezekiel 18. Because here goes, people mess up, you get a chance. You mess up, you get a chance.
Ezekiel 18, start at verse 4. Ezekiel 18, verse 4. Yes, sir. Behold all souls are mine, and the soul of the Father, and also the soul of the Son is mine. And the soul that sinned, it shall die. Okay, if you sinned, you died. The wages of sin is death.
So we have agreement, Old Testament, New Testament, right? Okay, go ahead. But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, and hath not eaten upon the mountain, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbor's way, come near to the mistress woman mistress woman and has not oppressed any but has restored to the debt the debtor his pledge what you promised what you promised to pay you need to pay it go ahead or whatever you may have pledged the service so you need to pay what you pledge go ahead and spoil the number of violence okay having uh armed robbery stuff like that if not spoil number take from someone go ahead giving his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment he that hath not given forth upon usury which is interest interest neither hath taken any increase that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity and executed true judgment between man and man hath walked in my statutes and hath kept my judgments to the assured he is just He shall soon live, say the Lord God.
Okay, go ahead. If he beget a son, that he is a robber, and a shedder of blood, and that doeth like to any one of these things. Like do anything like these things, I'm just saying.
If you have a son, he does any of that kind of stuff. Go ahead. And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled by his neighbor's wife, hath oppressed the poor and needy, and hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored.
and not pay back what you owe, has not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, worship idols, hath committed abomination, hath given forth upon Israel, charging interest, go ahead, and hath taken increase, shall he then live? Okay, now that interest, now we're going to law, when you loan to Israel, your brethren, you're not supposed to charge interest. Okay, Israel to Israel, you're not supposed to charge interest. Go ahead. He shall not live.
He hath done all these abominations, and shall surely die, and his blood shall be upon him. Now, lo, if he beget a son that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, considereth, and doeth not such like. Don't do it like that, even if your father, so, if you see your father sinning, robbing, stealing, committing adultery, all that kind of stuff, eating abominable foods, all that, don't do.
What you don't don't do the same thing. Okay, that's what he's saying. Don't do the same thing. Go ahead verse 16 More are you know 15 go ahead 15? They have not even common months you have lifted up his eyes to the to the idols of the house of Israel That's not the thought his name is white.
Neither have oppressed any has not withholding the play the pledge either has for my friends I was given his bread to the one and have covered the naked with the ground Yep, help the needy. Go ahead. That hath taken off his hand from the court, that hath not received years'leave, nor increased, hath executed, but my judgment hath walked in my statutes.
He shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live. He will not die for the iniquity of his father.
Okay? So, if I'm doing all those things, you don't do it, you're not going to pay for that. You're not going to pay for what I've done.
Okay? I have to pay for my own. you pay for your own.
Fair enough? There you go. Go ahead. 18. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, no, even he shall die in his iniquity. Exactly.
Go ahead. Yes, say ye. Why doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? That's the question.
Does the son bear the iniquity of the father? Does the son have to... Pay for what the Father has done. Go ahead.
When the Son hath done that which is lawful and right, he hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. Is that fair? That's fair. Go ahead. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
The Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father, neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Son. Is that fair? Okay. Go ahead.
The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him. the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon go ahead but if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed okay now wicked shall turn from all the sins that he have committed I mean so he did commit the sin right what she's supposed to die right now read the next part and keep on you know if you turn from all the sins that he committed and keep all what and do that which is lawful right He shall not die. That's grace, right?
You've already messed up. He already said it. If you turn from your sins that you've committed and do what's right and just, you know, my side, you won't die.
You'll live. Go ahead. All his transgressions that he hath committed. That he hath committed. He shall not be mentioned.
And his righteousness that he hath done, he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? Yeah, do I want to kill the wicked? No, I don't.
I really don't want to, but. You know, that's the law. So go ahead. Seek the Lord God.
And not that he should return from his ways and live. Yeah, so he asked the question. So if he turned from his ways and lived, if he repents, if he come my way, keep my laws, statutes, my judgments, my commandments, do what I need him to do.
I'll let him live. Now, we're talking about the other live, okay, because eventually we're all going to die. But we're talking about the other live, okay? So that's what we're talking about there. Okay, so continue.
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and commit it iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? And all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned, in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned. In them shall he die. Is that fair? Yeah.
That sounds pretty fair to me. Right? Go ahead. A little bit more. Yet he saved.
the way of the lord is not talking about is it the way of the lord is not fair that's not fair go ahead here now or house of israel is not my way equal ways you mean i'm i'm i'm unfair aren't you the one not fair yeah you get yeah yeah it's like my son said i've been showing mercy the whole time you get to do what you want to do you still want me to keep my end of the deal but you don't have to keep your end of the day how's that fair Yeah, how is that fair? You're saying I'm unequal? No, no, no. You're unequal.
You're saying I'm unfair. No, you're unfair. That's the question that he's asking.
Okay, so let's finish the last two verses. Go ahead, 26. When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and committed iniquity and dies in it, for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Go ahead.
Again, when the wicked man turns away from the wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is... awful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Okay.
Go ahead. Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed. He shall surely live and he shall not die. That's it.
Okay. We're done. We're done.
See, that's what I'm talking about. Right there. You have grace. This whole chapter you just saw my grace. Look, you messed up.
But if you turn from all that, you'll live. I'll take care of you. No problem.
I'll take care of you. Do I take pleasure in the fact that, you know, you're you just gotta die that i gotta kill you no i don't take pleasure in that so i tell you what why don't you turn from your wicked way and then i won't have to kill you yeah that's it i won't have to kill you put forth an effort i mean i know you may hear someone else out there who will you know let you off the hook disguising as grace Tell you you don't have to really do anything. You don't even have to try.
You got the wrong channel. I'm not going to tell you that. I'm going to say, yeah, you do have to try. Yeah, you do. You do have to consider, hey, am I walking a righteous path?
Am I walking upright? You have to consider that. Yeah, you do.
I'm here to tell you, yeah, you do have to consider that. and turn from your wicked way so that you may live. There has been grace from the beginning.
We see pictures of grace from Genesis. Grace did not start in Matthew 1, okay? It did not start on the right of Matthew. It started on the left.
You know, the thicker half of the book, it started over there. Whether they called it grace or not, it's what it was. So I urge each of you to study to show yourself to cool. I hope everyone who's been listening to this lesson has been edified by this lesson.
So until next time, search the scriptures. Improve all things. Shalom, Israel.