Join me this morning, if you
would, once again in the Gospel According to Numbers. The Gospel
According to Numbers, and we're going to be in Chapter 21, and
we're going to read the remainder of this chapter. I love to see
what God's Word has to say and then how He fulfills it. You
know, so often the prophecies or the statements, let me say
that, the statements that we find in the New Testament where
it says, and thus it was fulfilled, we go over to the Old Testament
and we say, I am so thankful that the New Testament said this
because now I know exactly what that prophecy is about. On the
day of Pentecost, what a wonderful statement the Apostle Peter brought
up. The Holy Spirit led him to the text. Over in the Old Testament,
it said, this is what's going to happen on this day. And he
went through it. And, you know, if we follow that
out, it's going to help us a whole lot with eschatology because
it's already been taken care of. Well, here in the book of
Numbers is the fulfillment of another Old Testament passage. In the book of Numbers chapter
21 we are getting closer and closer to the children of Israel
entering into the land. We only have about 10 chapters
left of the book of Numbers in their preparation for entering
into the land. And in this passage of scripture
Numbers chapter 21 beginning with verse 21 And Israel sent
messengers unto Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying... Now,
we're going to have here the comments that are made with regard
to those words, Let me pass through thy land. Now, Israel, in verse
1, is a great group of people, and in verse 2, they are personified
as a me. They are considered as a whole. Let me pass through thy land. We will not turn into the fields
or into the vineyards. We will not drink of the waters
of the well, but we will go along by the king's highway until we
pass thy borders. Now, if you just turn back one
chapter, we're going to find out that the same comments are
made to another king. And he brought out a great host
of people, and the children of Israel were led not to do anything
but to go another way. Well, notice here in verse 23,
and Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border. But
Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against
Israel into the wilderness, and he came to Jahaz, and fought
against Israel. And Israel smote him with the
edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok,
even unto the children of Ammon. For the border of the children
of Ammon was strong, And Israel took all these cities, and Israel
dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in
all the villages thereof. From Heshbon was the city of
Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former
king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto
Arnon. Wherefore they that speak in
Proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built
and prepared. For there is a fire gone out
of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It hath consumed
Ar of Moab and the lords of the high places of Arnon. Woe unto
thee, Moab, thou art undone, O people of Chemosh. He hath
given his sons that escaped and his daughters into the captivity
of Sihon, king of the Amorites. We have shot at them. Heshbon
is perished even unto Dibbon, and we have laid them waste even
unto Nophoth which reach unto Mediba. Thus Israel dwelt in
the land of the Amorites. And Moses sent to spy out Jazar,
and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that
were there. And they turned, and went up by the way of Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan went
out against them, and he and all his people, to the battle
of Endrei. And the Lord said unto Moses,
Fear him not. For I have delivered him into
thy hand, and all his people, and his land, and thou shalt
do to him as thou didst to Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt
in Heshbon. So they smote him, and his sons,
and all his people, until there was none left. Him alive, and
they possessed His land." Now, what an interesting passage of
Scripture that we might think, well, what does that have to
do? Let's just go on and find something exciting in the Scriptures
that is here in the book of Numbers. Well, it is a very, very important
passage of Scripture that we find that God led to the destruction
of the Amorites. The children of Israel are now
prepared to go into the land. Now you might ask, what is this
all about? Well, turn with me back to the
book of Genesis, if you would. Genesis chapter 15. We find that
the Lord left Abraham this message. In the book of Genesis chapter
15. In Genesis chapter 15 we read
here beginning with verse 13. Now much has been taking place
here in the book of Genesis chapter 15. Abraham is learning much
about God, God is teaching him much about Himself, and in fact
God is the only one that can teach us about God. He must reveal
Himself to us. We will not catch anything about
God unless He reveals it. Now, we'll learn about our God,
and we'll learn about the gods of the Amorites, but we'll not
learn about the God until God teaches us about Him. Well, here
in the book of Genesis, chapter 15, verse 13, and He said, God
said, now listen with me, God said unto Abram, know of a surety. I want you to understand this,
underline it, believe it. Now isn't it wonderful that God
did for Abraham what He does for every one of His people?
God gave him belief. Abraham believed God and was
counted unto Him for righteousness. You know, when we go over there
to the, I believe it's the 22nd chapter, the next chapter here,
when Abraham is asked to offer his own son, we find out something
in the book of Hebrews that Abraham knew from God that if God required
the death of his son, he would also raise him up. He went up
there assured that he'd come back with his son, that there
would not be one of them coming back, that one would be left
consumed. Even if he was consumed, God would raise him up. That's
the kind of faith that God gives his people. Trust me, trust me,
believe on me, leave it to me. Just as we read there in the
book of Numbers chapter 21, where it says, the battle's mine, I'll
take care of it. Well, notice here in verse 13
of Genesis 15, Know the surety that thy seed shall be a stranger
in a land that is not theirs. You know, Abraham doesn't have
much of a family yet. There's been some improvisation,
and then there's a promised son. But he doesn't have much, and
he said, your seed. I'm promising you this. You know
who the true seed of Abraham is? The church. The church is
the true seed of Abraham. He is an example that God leaves
us with regard to faith. He says, Thy seed shall be a
stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them,
and they shall afflict them four hundred years. Now, Abraham doesn't
even have a family yet, and yet we find that God is declaring
to him, believe this, trust this, know this, that your seed will
be in a land that is not theirs, and they shall be servants, they
shall be slaves in that land 400 years. Well, as we follow
this through, we find out that God is speaking about the children
of Israel, and they're going to be servants down in Egypt.
They will be servants to Pharaoh and all of the people that are
over them, the taskmasters. They shall be servants and slaves
to them. Now, why does God say they'll be there for five or
four hundred years? And also that nation, verse 14,
whom shall they serve will I judge, and afterward shall they come
out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy Thou
shalt go to thy father in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a
good old age. But in the fourth generation
they shall come out hither again. Now notice this last phrase.
Now we just read about them over in the book of Numbers. For the
iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Now isn't that an interesting
thing that God would put his people in servitude for 400 years
to wait out something. To wait out until the iniquity
of the Amorites become full. I think that's interesting. You
know, what happened in the garden? God knew exactly what was going
to happen in the garden. God was not caught off guard.
He knew that Adam, in fact, in the covenant of grace, more than
it was permitted, it was purposed that this would happen. He is
going to demonstrate a wonderful characteristic about God to a
people that he has chosen. And that is, he is going to let
them know about grace. The angels, The angels are created
beings. They are a little higher than
we are and yet those who lost their first estate are bound
in prison waiting for that day when they shall be cast into
everlasting fire. The angels who lost their first
estate. Aren't you glad that when Adam
sinned, God did not treat us as angels? But he is going to
permit, he is going to decree, he is going to promise that grace
would appear. All right, we have some people
here. Israel cannot possess Canaan till the Amorites be disposed
and they are not yet ripe for ruin. That's what he said to
Abraham. Now, they are bad, but they're
going to get to the point that I will not let them go anymore. They're going to get to the point
when the iniquity of the Amorites is absolutely full. Now, in that
time span, I am going to keep my eye on my people. I'm going
to keep my eye on Israel. I'm going to watch over them
as a shepherd doth watch over his sheep. I'm going to know
that they are in this pain. I know that they're in suffering.
I know that they are in this great fall that came as a result
of Adam. But don't forget, I will take
care of them in the end. I will bring them out of that
great pain. I will bring them out of that
great servitude. I will free them from their sin,
if you please. The righteous God of heaven has
determined that they shall not be cut off until they have reached
a certain point. known only to God and of their
wickedness. There is a point God declares
when their sin demands their ruin. Till they come to that
point, the seed of Abraham must be kept out of their possession. They will not go in until the
fullness of the iniquity of the Amorites is accomplished. Now,
the Lord spoke of this same principle in his earthly ministry. Would
you turn with me to the book of Matthew? The book of Matthew
chapter 23. In the book of Matthew chapter
23, we have the Lord saying these words. Matthew chapter 23 and
there beginning with verse 23. Matthew chapter 23 verse 23. In Matthew chapter 23 and verse
23, the Lord is speaking out, and here is a section of woe. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin.
Now, if we literally look at that, that is quite a task that
they have selected for themselves, and maybe they weigh it out.
They have omitted, though, the weightier matters of the law,
judgment, mercy, and faith. These ought to have done, and
not leave the other undone. Why did they weigh out, or count
out, or tithe such seeds as these things? Because it is part of
their religion. This is what they think they
can do to approach a living God. They become religious, and they
become so religious that they are going to tithe Seeds so small,
it takes a million of them to make a pound. They're gonna do
that. But they have missed the point.
Ye blind guides which strain at a gnat. Now we know what a
gnat is. That's that little bug that flies
around. It's about that big around that bites, and sometimes you
can swat them out of the air, but most of the time we miss
them. When we were visiting one time up in Alaska, there were
gnats that could crawl through the screen that my father-in-law
had on the windows. yucky things that came in after
you, so small, smaller than a grain of sand, and yet the Lord Jesus
Christ says you will strain at swallowing a gnat and swallow
a camel. You have so mixed up what is
needful. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for you may clean the outside of the cup, of the
platter, but wherein is full of extortion and excess. And
we find out that that's exactly what religion wants to do with
us. They want us to look like sheep, but they can't take care
of the inside. There's no way that they can
take care of the inside. Thy blind Pharisee, cleanse first
that which is within the cup and platter, and the outside
of them may be clean also. Woe unto scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for you are like unto whited sepulchers, which
indeed appear beautiful outward, but wherein are full of dead
men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so, ye also outwardly appear
righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and
iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and
garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had
been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers
of them in the blood of the prophets. And this same people are going
to be demanding the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore
ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them
that kill the prophets. Notice verse 32. Fill ye up then
the measure of your fathers. What did he tell Abraham in the
book of Genesis about why the children of Israel would not
go immediately into the land? They first of all must wait until
the fullness of the iniquity of the Amorites. And Jesus Christ
is sharing with us here that you, you Pharisees, you scribes,
you religionists, You must fill up the measure of your fathers.
You're going to come to a point that God has determined before
the foundation of the world that you will go no farther. You cannot go any further. In
the book of 1 Kings, Ahab followed after the idols of the Amorites,
1 Kings chapter 21. 1 Kings chapter 21, we read this,
that this thought of the Amorites continues down, the religion
of the Amorites continues down. God took care of them there in
the book of Numbers chapter 21, but their religion continues
on. And here's a king of Israel, 1 Kings. If you turn there with
me to the book of 1 Kings chapter 21. In 1 Kings chapter 21 verse
25, we read these words. But there was none like unto
Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight
of God, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. And he did very abominably
in following idols according to all the things, as did the
Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he ran
his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and
lay in sackcloth, and wept softly. Do you think that Ahab had a
conversion here? Not because of what follows. He went through the formality,
but He did not have conversion. He was just told, your time is
about up. Your time is about up. You know,
as we think about these things, we find out that God has said
about the same thing about our generation or the generations
to come. Over in the book of 2 Peter,
We have here one of the great promises of the New Testament,
great promises of God that was prescribed in the covenant of
grace. Do you know God in the covenant
of grace determined not to have everything filled up and the
need for utter destruction of this earth until one thing takes
place first. He has chosen a people in Christ
before the foundation of the world, and He has determined
that He is going to save every one of them. He laid down His
life a ransom for them. He went to the cross. He went
through all that what we heard in the Bible class
this morning, that the absolute horrendous things that they did
to our Savior. Now it's not that they have not
done that to other people, but to the Son of God they did this. And now we find out that God
is withholding His hand from absolute and utter destruction
of all the Amorites. Turn with me, if you would, to
2 Peter 3. In 2 Peter 3, in verse 8, we read this wonderful statement
about God. right time. Now, here in the
book of 2 Peter 3, verse 8, But, beloved, be not ignorant of this
one thing, that a day with the Lord is a thousand years, and
a thousand years is a day. The Lord is not slack concerning
His promise. Now, where did He make that promise?
In old eternity. And he's been promising this
to every one of his children, and he's been promising this
to every lost sheep of the house of Israel. They don't even know
the promise applies. We didn't know the promise applied
to us until he gave us conversion, until he gave us the new birth.
We didn't know that he made a promise on our behalf, but he made a
promise. as some out count slackness,
but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish,
but should all come to repentance. Now who's he talking about there?
The usward. He's talking about the church.
He's saying, I will not have this wrapped up. It will not
come to fullness. The iniquity will not come to
fullness in this generation or the next generation or 10 generations
from now until the very last. Last sheep is saved and then
the fullness of iniquity will come. I will bring that upon
this world as it has never happened before. He did come down in the
days of Noah and he did destroy the world because it was a very
iniquitous place. But He saved His people in that
ark. Now over here in the book of
Genesis, going back to the book of Genesis, we read this about
what God did there in Genesis chapter 13. Genesis chapter 13. We find in Genesis chapter 13
and verse 13 that God came down with two of His angels and had
a visit with Abraham. What? A visit. You know, the Bible tells us
that where two or three are gathered together in my name, there will
I be in the midst of them. I'll come down and visit. I will
make my word effectual. I will testify of my great power. I will testify of my great doings.
I will promise that I will not wrap this up. Iniquity will not
be full until the last one that I intend to save is saved. And when that happens, iniquity
for this world will be full, and I will wrap this up. here
in the book of Genesis chapter 13, but the men of Sodom were
wicked and sinners before God exceedingly. And the Lord said
unto Abram, after that lot was separated from him, lift up thy
eyes and look from the place where thou art, northward and
southward and eastward and northward. And then drop down with me to
the verse of chapter 18 and verse 20. We have a continuation of
this theme. God came down when Lot took off
and said, I'll take the well-watered plains of the Jordan and the
rest is yours, uncle. And he went down towards Sodom
and Gomorrah in Genesis chapter 18 and verse 20. We read these
words. And the Lord said, Because the
cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin
is very grievous, I will go down now and see whether they have
done altogether according to the cry of it which is common
to me. And if not, I will know." I had a preacher one time tell
me that, see, God doesn't know everything. God knows everything. He just wants us to know everything.
He wants us to see. Alright. Now we know what Abraham
did. Abraham was told, I'm going to destroy that place. Their
iniquity is full. Well, who is down there in Sodom? that Abraham is related to. Who
is down there that is his nephew? Who's down there? And Abraham
begins to parley with God and said, would you save that place
for 50? You know what the Lord did? Yeah, I'll do that. Well, don't feel too bad, Lord,
but what about 40? What about 30? What about 20? And finally he said, what about
10? And God said, yeah, if there's 10 down there, I'll spare that
city. Well, we find out chapter 19. Would you look at chapter
19 and verse 13. These angels are there and they've
met Lot and he has a family there. And the people that are in that
city are just Oh, wicked. Now, we may say that Sodom and
Gomorrah is worse than any other place in the world until we find
out that God has said that every heart is deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked. And finally, we have to say,
they're no different than where I am. I'm the one that has corrupted
this place that I live in. My heart is deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? when we get
to pointing fingers at them and saying they're worse than we
are, then we're finding ourselves in a very terrible straight.
Well, notice here, it says in verse 13 of this chapter, for
we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great
before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy
it. We're here to destroy this place.
It is full and running over. Chapter 19 and verse 16, and
while he lingered, You know, how can Lot do what he's doing?
He's wanting to stick around. Well, he's got some sons-in-laws,
he's got some daughters there, his wife is there, family is
there, he's made acquaintances. In fact, he's probably got a
little bit of authority there. And you know what? God will not
destroy Sodom and Gomorrah until they're taken out. Now, I had
a friend, I was talking, and he says, well, what did God do,
just reach down and drag them out? Exactly. That s exactly
what He did, and that s what exactly He does for us. He drags
us out. He must bring us out. We are
so centered on staying where we are until God grabs us and
takes us out. For it tells us here in verse
16, And while he lingered, the man laid 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, and they brought him
forth and sent him without the city. The Lord being, you know,
God's mercy is demonstrated when he grabs a hold of our hand and
pulls us out. His mercy is demonstrated when
he takes us from where we are and takes us out. And so we find
that this happens. And then it tells us that after
Lot is taken out, God consumes that place. In verse, 19, verse
24, it says, and the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah
brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And He overthrew
those cities. You know, I read in natural history
that, or just regular history, there was a volcano that erupted
right there. Well, you're either going to believe that or you're
going to believe what the Bible says. And the Bible says he reigned
out of heaven. The iniquity was full. He saved
his people out of that city and destroyed it completely. Burn
it to the ground. Glass was made. It was so hot. Now we find that his wife looked
back. Did she ever leave? No. She physically left, but
she never spiritually left. And she was turned to a pillar
of salt. The Lord reigned upon that. You know what Isaiah said
about this whole incident? Turn with me to Isaiah chapter
1. In Isaiah chapter 1. Isaiah, led by the Holy Spirit,
the same spirit that led the Apostle Paul, or Peter, or James,
or Jude, or Timothy, or, excuse me, that was written to somebody.
The same God who gave him that message said this in Isaiah chapter
one and verse nine, except the Lord of hosts had left unto us
a very small remnant we should have been as Sodom and we should
have been like unto Gomorrah. What's he saying? If I hadn't
exercised my grace, if I hadn't done something beforehand, if
I had not chosen a people beforehand, they should have had rained on
them this pillar of fire from heaven and it destroyed them.
Because that's what's going to happen when the fullness of iniquity
comes. You know we find The Lord Jesus
made this comment about Sodom and Gomorrah. He is there among
Israel in His day and He says this to a whole bunch of people
that claim to believe Genesis about Sodom and Gomorrah. You
know what He said? If the works had been done in
Sodom that you have seen, they would have remained until
this day. If the works that you have seen,
if they had seen me like you see me, they would have remained
until this day. You know, God is over all things,
sovereign. Now, in 2 Peter, chapter 2, we
find another message about this man, Peter. In 2 Peter chapter
5, another message about this man Lot. Things could not happen
to Sodom. The children of Israel could
not enter the land until the fullness of the iniquity of the
Amorites was full. They would be held back for 400
years in servitude and 40 years wandering in the wilderness.
Now this is several hundred years promised to Abraham before the
events took place. Here in the book of 2 Peter,
we find these words about a man who lived in Sodom, a man who
lived near Gomorrah. In 2 Peter 2, we read these words. 2 Peter 2 and verse 5, God spared
not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person. What
is he talking about? This punishment is not for everybody. This punishment is for those
without God, without Christ. And who did he save in the days
of Noah? Noah and his family. You know,
after all that preaching, I don't know how many years, it took
600 years to build that ark, and he's a preacher of righteousness,
you'd think When it comes to our fleshly opinion, there would
have been more converts than that. Eight people? And yet,
that's what God said. After all that preaching, there
was eight people that got into that ark. Now, here in the days
of Sodom, it says in verse 6, And turning the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah into ashes, condemn them with an overthrow, making
them an example to those that after should live ungodly, and
delivered just lot. You know, a preacher told me
that word just meant right there, only lot. That's not what that
word means. That word means justified or
righteous. God had worked a work of grace
with Lot. Well, how can you tell it from
what he's doing and where he's living? You know, we may not
be able to, but he does. He knows the difference. He was
righteous Lot. He was justified Lot. It tells
us here, though, as it talks about him, vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked. Where he lived vexed him every
day. But it took God to get him out
of it. Sodom Gomorrah. Just as we read
there in the book of Numbers chapter 21, the very people of
God were prevented from entering into that land until the iniquity
of the Amorites was full. Now, did you notice, go back
there with me to the book of Numbers chapter 21. Numbers chapter
21. A little bit more that we want
to take out of that as we find that God's purpose was being
fulfilled and there was not going to go in until exactly the right
time. You know, when we read in the
book of Exodus, it tells us that when the children of Israel were
freed, it was 400 years to the day. Not a day before, not a
day after, but to the day. Now they were down there for
430 years, it tells us in another place. But they were there 30
years. Why? Their captain was truly Joseph. He allotted to them their food. He allotted to them their places
and everything else. But when he died, it says, there
was a king arose who knew not Joseph. And that man put them
in servitude. And that man and those after
him for 400 years kept them in servitude. Why? Because the iniquity
of the Amorites was not full and when it was full They are
going to overcome so 400 plus 40 is 440 years after that we
find them overcoming the Amorites now here in the book of Numbers
chapter 21 Down there in verse 34 and the Lord said unto Moses
This is going to be serious business I'm glad that the arms of our
warfare are not physical. The arms of our warfare are spiritual. We have the sword of the spirit,
which is the word of God. And it is quick and powerful
and sharper than any two-edged sword. It goes where no other
sword can go. We may kill somebody with a sword,
but we can never get him saved with a sword. And here we find
in this passage, the Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not, for
I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and
his land, and thou shalt do to him as thou didst to Sion, king
of the Amorites, which dwell in Heshbon. So they smote him. Now, what a wonderful message
that God gives to the church. We heard part of that this morning
when Mike read Psalm 98, verse 1 through the whole psalm. But I'd like to read the first
verse again of Psalm 98. You know, the battle is not ours. never has been, never will be.
We're the recipients of the victor. We're the recipients of victory.
We're recipients of God. He gives every one of His children
the victory. Oh, from time to time, we may
be like some of the other old sages. I don't see it too much,
but the promise is there by faith. Abraham believed God, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness. Well, here in Psalm 98, This
wonderful psalm that in it declares what God is going to do. It says,
O sing, Lord, a new song. For he hath dealt marvelous,
he done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm
hath gotten him the victory. What does that mean? He prophesied
years before the event. I am going to win the victory
at the cross. No one will hold me back. I will. It may look like it, and all
of my disciples are going to think it is. And even after the
resurrection, there were those who could not comprehend what
took place. But every step of the way, He
knew He had the victory. He was winning the victory. He
won over sin, death, hell, and the grave. This is our Savior,
and that's the one that promised Moses and the children of Israel,
victory. When they went into the promised
land, I only read of one time that there was any of the soldiers
of Israel that were slain. And that was taking Ai. The rest
of the time they went into battle, they didn't have any graves. They didn't bury any of their
people. They were used to take on everybody else. And thus it
is with our Savior. Here in 1 Corinthians, turn with
me to the book of 1 Corinthians if you would. 1 Corinthians chapter
15. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15 we
have these wonderful words about our Savior and His victory that
He has for us. He's won it. He is the great
victor. He's the winner of all battles.
He went into battle against sin and won over... What does it say? I've given
double. for all your sins as if I would
pay for them double. where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound. Now here in verse 57 of the 15th
chapter of 1 Corinthians, but thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, that's
why he does not require our will, he does not require our works,
he does not require our righteousness, he does not require anything
from us. the only thing that we bring
to the equation is our sin and he has promised to save his people
from their sins. So he has given the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the captain of our salvation. In 1 John 1 John chapter 5, 1
John chapter 5 we have this passage of scripture that encourages
us to the bone. Oh the necessity of the new birth
and yet we can't produce it. Ye must be born again. And there's
not a word in the scripture about us doing that. We can't accomplish
it. I've asked many people, how much
did you have to do with your physical birth? And you know
they all answer the same thing. Nothing. And I said, do you expect
that you're going to be participating more in your spiritual birth
than you did in your physical birth? We don't contribute anything. In fact, when we do contribute,
we're not getting it. Well, here it tells us, for whatsoever
is born of God, he by his own will begat he us. Ye must be
born again. It is an absolute essential.
What? You shall not see. You shall
not enter the kingdom of God without the new birth. And this
is of God. for whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith." What is it? I trust God. He is all
my salvation and He is all my hope. And finally, if you turn
with me to the book of Revelation, chapter 5. Revelation chapter
5. Now God in His infinite wisdom
and His wonderful mercy has determined that this world will not end
until He has saved all His elect out of it. There will not be
one person whose name doesn't have a checkmark. They will all
be checked off. They will all be raised to newness
of life. They will all be regenerated.
They will all be saved. They will all count Him as their
Savior. They will all have faith in God.
They will do exactly what God requires of them. Trust the Lord
and don't move a muscle. But when that happens, when the last one is saved, this
world will be over. It will be over. There will be
nothing holding back. We don't have to wait for any
signs to be fulfilled. The only thing we wait on is
God's gospel going out to wherever they are. And I know from what
the Bible has to say that either God will send a preacher or he
will draw those people to where a preacher is to hear the gospel. And the gospel is not this stuff
that we have around us today. It is the gospel of His truth,
the truth of the gospel. All right, Revelation chapter
15. Revelation chapter 15 and verse 2. And I saw, as it were,
a sea of glass mingled with fire. Let your mind run a little bit.
These are metaphorical statements. The literalness is not here.
Let it run a bit. Do you think that Jesus is a
package of wholesome bread when you hear him say, I'm the bread
of life? No. He's our food. He's a sustainer. Do you think
it's some manufactured door when he says, I'm the door? No. Do you think of that bottle of
water that we got on that ship that tasted so terrible when
you hear him say, I am the water of life? No! He's the living
water. I saw, as it were, a sea of glass
mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the
beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number
of his name, stand on the sea of glass with having harps of
God." You know, the greatest beast. You know what I know about
this? The greatest beast. It's not
something of some manufacturer that someone's going to have
come. My greatest beast is Norm. And what does he say? He's gotten
the victory over the beast and over his image. You know, what
kind of contrivance do we normally naturally have about God? And
God says, I'm not like man. We've got some figure. And over
his mark and over his number, you know, I threatened one time
I was going to put this number over the door of my wood shop,
666. And kids just had a, oh no, what's that? Oh no. You know
what that means in the scriptures? 666. We're sinners by nature,
sinners by practice, and sinners by choice. Six is the number
for man, and every bit of us is contaminated by the fall.
Every body, mind, and spirit, every bit of us, that's our number,
contaminated in the fall. What does three R's, got to say
them again, three R's, ruined by the fall. Second one, redeemed by Christ. Third one, regenerated by the
Holy Spirit. The gospel of God's glorious
sovereign grace in three letters. The three R's. May God bless
you. Brother Mike, if you'll come.