Good evening and so good to be
here with you tonight. We're glad for each one that's
here and those that are on zoom with us. We just appreciate your
presence with us and we let us remember one another in prayer
and remember the services here. There were those that are away
from us. We'd like you to turn with with me to the book of Zachariah. Zachariah chapter five tonight.
And last week we mentioned a little bit about this chapter that there's
some things in here that are hard to be understood as in the
book of Zechariah. And we went back and just looked
at a few of the verses that are found in this glorious book of
Zechariah that share with us about the glory of the purpose
of this book is to glorify Christ and he is the spirit of prophecy.
And in this book, there are a number of places that share with us
that focus us. That's what I brought out last
week. Focus me on Christ as I go through this book. I may not
know what something says, but I know what it doesn't say if
it's going to have any ill effect upon the glory of Christ and
it's not a correct view. So as we mentioned last week
that in this book twice it mentions our Savior as the branch, Zechariah
3.8 and Zechariah 6.12 and He truly is the branch and we'll
be looking more about that as we go. Also it shares with us
here the book of Zechariah in chapter 9 passage of scripture
that's quoted over in the Gospels about the Lord coming into Jerusalem
riding upon the foal of a donkey and That's brought out here in
Zechariah chapter 9 and verse 9. So we were focused on Christ
as we look at that. This is truly Telling this about
Christ about our Savior as it's brought out in the New Testament
says this is the prophet being fulfilled This is the prophecy
being fulfilled and then it tells us here in the book of Zechariah
chapter 12 And verse 10, they're going to look on him whom they
have pierced. And we mentioned last week that there's only one
group that realizes anything about the piercing of the Lord
Jesus Christ for sin, and that's the sheep. The goats don't pay
any attention to that. So we are privileged to look
upon him whom we pierced. And then it tells us here in
that glorious song that we sing, there is a fountain filled with
blood. It comes from Zechariah chapter 3 and verse 1. There's
a fountain that is open for Sin and what a glorious statement
it is about the blood of Christ to put away our sin by the sacrifice
of himself It tells us in this same chapter in Zechariah chapter
13 and verse 7 a Waco a sword in the New Testament we read
about that you strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered
and truly he's telling us that the Lord himself must go to the
cross alone and that he was not going to receive any support
from those of his church, of his body, but he was going to
go that route alone. He set his face as a flint, as
it were, towards Jerusalem. And then he is of living waters,
and him is our living waters, Zechariah chapter 14. And the
Lord shall reign over all the earth, as found in Zechariah
14. And in Zechariah chapter 10,
it says that he's going to punish the goats, and it takes us right
over there to the book of Matthew, the separation of the sheep and
the goats. As this shepherd, the Lord Jesus,
separates the sheep from the goats, from those who are believers
to those who are not believers, to those whose names are written
down in the Lamb's Book of Life, and those whose names are not
written down in the Lamb's Book of Life. And we also find in
this book of Zechariah chapter 11, prophecy about the Lord Jesus
Christ, the worth of Him as He was sold for 30 pieces of silver. That is brought out over the
New Testament as Judas sold him Betrayed him identified him for
30 pieces of silver so this book truly in many places shares with
us about our Savior as it's brought out in the New Testament and
Said this is to fulfill the what the prophet had to say well tonight
We want to look here in chapter 5 in chapter 5 we have a turning
and in fact is brought out there Chapter 5 and verse 1 then I
turned and lifted up my eyes and look he has been spending
four chapters here four chapters in our translation No chapter
marks. No verse marks in the in the
original, but the we have a separation here change in the first four
chapters we've had some wonderful blessings poured out on the church
shared with the church and given to the church the blessings that
we have in Christ every spiritual blessing and Every good gift
and every perfect gift cometh down from the father of lights
with whom there is no shadow or variables of turning So these
are gifts that are brought down from heaven brought down from
God brought down to us We have nothing that we can accumulate
on our own in our own flesh Where in fact it does say in the scriptures
the flesh profit of nothing well here this turning from the blessings
to the church and now We're going to look at some more of the negative
things that are found in this book. This great scroll that's
identified here, this vision looks on solemn thoughts,
serious thoughts, not pleasant thoughts per se, but God's word
is a word that is for the blessings to the church and curses to those
without Christ. And so this is going to be part
of that. The scroll that tells us here, and I turned and lifted
up my eyes and looked and behold a flying roll or flying scroll,
or we'd call it a book today, but they didn't have the books
bound as we do today. But this roll, this scroll that
he saw that was flying, and he was not in control of it. It
wasn't a kite to him. It wasn't a kite to anybody.
The control of this great roll, this great book, this great scroll
is in the hands of God. And it says, And he said unto
me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying
roll, the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof
is ten cubits. So he was able to look at the
scroll and give us a description of the size. It's a very large
scroll. It's a very large book and it
is approximately 30 feet by 15 feet and it's flying as we find
that this is really the Word of God written on this scroll.
And on one side and on the other side, both sides are covered
with this great writing of God. And we'll look here in just a
moment at what the writing was. In some of the commentaries,
it tells us that it was one of the commandments on one side
and one of the commandments on the other side. Well, we find
out just a little bit later exactly what was on that roll, whether
we understand it or not, we find out what is there. And this scroll
or this roll, as it flies without the control of human intervention
or the control of the prophet or the control of the priest
or the control of the king. It is in the control and hands
of God. It reminds me of the Word of
God that it is not fixed, but is very fluid as it is preached. It never changes, not that kind
of fluid, but it does not stand still. It cannot be cooped up. It cannot be pigeon-holed. It
is very fluid, moving, and active. And sometimes we get concerned
about people that move a great distance away, a great distance
away from a gospel church. But my friend, as the gospel
goes out and as they've heard the gospel, God's word is not
contained in a building. God's word is not contained in
a place. The Holy Spirit can take and
bring that word to remembrance. Just remember a little bit about
what happened to Saul of Tarsus. The word of God was preached,
no doubt, by Stephen. He was there to hear that. Message
of Stephen there in Acts chapter 7 and he's on the road to Damascus
He's away and to those who carried out Stephen they say well that
message was wasted on those folks But like something we would say
but the Word of God is not Stagnant, it's not it's not stationary. It's not in one place It's not
contained just in Jerusalem per se but it's as it goes out and
God alone is sovereign over his word and He does with it as he
pleases. And here we read about this,
that it's active and it's moving and it's very fluid. Over in
the book of Isaiah chapter 55, it tells us so much about the
word of God. It brings out a natural occurrence. in our earth seed time and harvest
as we find in the book of Genesis but here in the book of Isaiah
if you turn with me to the book of Isaiah chapter 55 and we want
to read verses 10 and 11 Isaiah chapter 55 verses 10 and 11 the
the scriptures here through the prophet Isaiah the Holy Spirit
gave him this message and we have the report of that message
that Isaiah left us and Isaiah chapter 10 and verse 11 he brings
up something that we are so absolutely dependent upon in our life and
that's the food that we eat and here it shares with us in Isaiah
chapter 55 and verse 10 it says for as the rain cometh down and
the snow from heaven and returneth not thither, but wadeth the earth,
and maketh it bring forth, and bud, that it may be give seed
to the sower, and bread to the eater." Now this is just the
natural process, unless we have irrigation system. It's the natural
process, is it rains, comes down, soaks up the ground, as the parable
of the sower, the seed goes out, well, we plant the seed, whether
it's in our garden or out in a field, Whatever it is and God
sends the rain and that rain comes down and soaks down into
the earth and it matures or causes that Seed to sprout and grow
forth and send out a root and send out a branch or whatever
then it grows up into a stalk and has grain on the end of it
and somebody comes along by and harvests it and sells it to somebody
or maybe he does it himself grinds that grain into flour and flour
is made into bread well it just says that whole process right
here in this verse of scripture that that it may give seed to
the sower and bread to the eater We get to enjoy and appreciate
the benefits of that process. Well, so shall my word in verse
11 We just go on and here's the seed that's sown To bring forth
bread and then we turn and we see the other seed the spiritual
seed the Word of God Which is not stagnant. It's not just stopped
someplace It's just not in a place and held there as we see that
roll. It was flying God has designs
upon that role. So shall my word be that goeth
forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please. It shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it. So the word of God is under God's
control and it goes where God wants it to go and it accomplishes
what God wants it to accomplish and his purpose is fulfilled
as we see the seed goes out and the word as the word and the
word is brought to people's ears by the Holy Spirit and he causes
the new birth to take place and growth is made we find what a
miracle this is and yet it's all in God's gracious powerful
purpose To save his people from their sins. It will not return
unto him void It will accomplish that we're into he I sent it
so we find that this wonderful scroll It's written and it's
got some curses on it, but it's still in the control of God It's
sent out This role is a flying role a flying scroll it moved
not at the prophets direction by the direction of the Lord
of hosts and We find that this again is the fulfillment of Zechariah,
over there in Zechariah again, chapter 4 this time. We've looked
at that verse of scripture a number of times in the past, but I just
have to read it again, Zechariah chapter 4 and verse 6. It tells
us here, In these wonderful words that God gave to Zachariah, it's
delivered and spake unto Sain, then he spake and spake unto
me, saying, as Zachariah hears this, this is the word of the
Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, not by might nor by power, but
by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. That truly is this
role. It is under God's control and
the blessings that were poured out in chapters 1, 2, 3, and
4 of the book of Zechariah are under God's control. He gives
them sovereignly and here we find in this chapter we're going
to see that this scroll is written on both sides, has a curse on
one side, has a curse on the other side, but it's still sent
out by God. He's the one that is in charge
of this. So it's not by our power and it's not by our mind, but
it's by the power of the Holy Spirit that these things take
place so he is witnessing the purpose of God in flight this
role it holds a course that goes over the whole world it tells
us there in Zechariah chapter 5. Let's look at that. Zechariah
chapter 5 and there in verse 3 it says, And then said he unto
me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole
earth. For everyone that stealeth shall
be cut off as on this side according to it, and everyone that sweareth
shall be cut off as on that side according to it. Now there's
something written about this, that those who steal, it goes
in verse four, and I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts,
and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house
of him that sweareth falsely by my name, and it shall remain
in the midst of his house, and it shall consume it with the
timber thereof, and the stones thereof, and this is God's promise
concerning these things. This role holds the curse that
goes over the whole earth. Now, not to just the Jew, this
is written ultimately, or first of all to the Jew, but we read
it as to the church, and not just to the Gentile, but to the
whole earth this goes out. Now, turn with me if you would
over here to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 3 Romans chapter
3 and we read here starting with verse 9 and we could read the
whole chapter But I just have to for time's sake stop here
in verse 9 and we're going to read verses 9 through 12 What
then are we better than they know and know wise for we have
proved both Jews and Gentiles now, that's the whole earth Jews
and Gentiles have proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are
all under sin. As it is written, there is none
righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God. Now I can just hear people
say, I've had it brought to my attention before. talking to
people sharing this passage of scripture and immediately they
will say yes I know people that are just like that but in their
minds they're saying but it doesn't apply to me because I'm not like
that well we are and only after we've been born again do we ever
have the thought that what God had to say about our condition
in the fall is absolutely the truth we'll never confess that
Yes, we've sinned, but not that bad. There's always someone worse
than us. Always someone worse than us.
And they're our neighbors, or they're part of our family, or
whatever. But they're certainly worse than we are. We're doing
pretty good compared to them. Well, Paul brings up that very
same subject. He's led by the Holy Spirit.
When he writes to the church at Rome, he says, there's none
that understandeth. There's none that seeketh after
God. verse 11 of Romans chapter 3. They are all gone out of the
way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that
doeth good, no not one. So Paul sums this all up. He's
led by the Holy Spirit, and he's not the first writer to be given
the task of summing this all up, because the Bible tells us
from cover to cover the results of the fall, what happened in
the fall, how we came out in the fall, and we are ruined by
the fall. There's not one part of us that
was not touched by the fall. In fact, every atom in us and
every atom in the world has been touched by the fall. In this
scroll there are two curses specifically mentioned in verses 3 and 4.
For everyone that stealeth shall be cut off, and everyone that
sweareth shall be cut off. So those who steal and those
who swear shall be cut off. It brings to my mind a passage
over in the book of Jeremiah. The book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah
had a job to write concerning the fall with regard to Israel. The fall with regard to Israel. The apostle Paul summed it all
up and said there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. There
is no difference in their natural instinct towards God. They do
not seek after God. None of us do. There's no difference
between Jew and Gentile when it comes to salvation. It must
be of God. It's not by power or by might,
but by my spirit, saith the Lord. Everyone must be brought to Christ
exactly the same way, and that's through his blood, and that's
through his righteousness. We'll never come on our own.
He must do the work. And so we find over here in the
book of Jeremiah chapter 2 that Jeremiah is writing about the
people of God and it says there, for my people, now this is national
Israel and they're a mess. They're a mess just like every
other nation. So much was given to Israel,
national Israel in the Old Testament, and yet these all died in unbelief
is what the book of Hebrews tells us. There's so many of them died
in unbelief. It's so exhibited throughout
the books of Exodus and Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Unbelief on
every side and that's just the way the natural man is they're
no different than the rest of us So here in Jeremiah says that
my people have committed two evils Now this is God speaking
just like there are two sides to that scroll and on one side
It's a curse towards thieves on the other side. It's the curse
to people who falsely swear or swear by God's name or by his
book or whatever and Here it says these there's two evils.
They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters They forsaken
me the fountain of living waters. This is a natural occurrence
among all people Forsaken God even though he has demonstrated
his goodness his righteousness his holiness his Every man, woman,
boy and girl by nature forsakes him. And then it goes on to say,
and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold
no water. These are the two crimes, two
evils that Jeremiah is caused to write about with regard to
Israel. They have two evils against them. Forsaken God, the fountain of
living water, a well of water that springeth up to everlasting
life, and then, and you know, I just think about this, that
how many people do you know of, maybe don't know personally,
but know of or have heard of, that spend more time committing
a crime than they would if they had a job and were working, they'd
make more money. But they just, the natural inclination,
and that's these people here, it's just they would rather hew
them out cisterns. Now out of stone or digging a
hole and pouring concrete in it and making a cistern, I know
there are certain places in our country where it's nearly impossible
or impossible to get water out of the ground. It's just not
there or it's so far down so they build a cistern. Well, most
of those folks will tell you that this is not the ideal. I've
looked into a cistern in the western slopes of Colorado one
time and it was a wonder that I could drink the water that
was in there. Came into the house because you know I had all that
stuff growing in it and you had to dump it in and oh Well to
build a cistern and then to build a cistern that won't hold water
God said this is a crime This is an evil that we have my people
have done this stealing is a crime against God and men and Spiritual
stealing is far worse. That's what's written on one
side of that scroll God has it under control It's flying just
right is going over the whole world and it's telling that God
has something against everybody in the world They're thieves
and they're liars Spiritually stealing is far worse to steal
in this manner is to rob God Rob God of his glory Rob God
of his grace Rob God of his salvation Rob God of his of his Savior.
Now we actually cannot do any of that against God, but my goodness
sakes, we have people all the time, they've been doing it since
Cain, robbing God of His glory. The true thief has a natural
inclination To rob and to rob God. I'll never forget pastor
mayhem mentioned in one of the messages that he preached There
before I heard the gospel and in process of hearing it before
I was saved and he said you don't Rob and then become a robber
you rob because you already are a robber. You're a thief in your
heart and that's why we go steal and Well, having a form of godliness
is robbing God. But I must say this, we are so
thankful that the Lord of hosts has already made provision for
all the thieves and false swears that are his sheep. Now from
the outside, you can't tell the difference. God is the only one
that can tell the difference. We're just by nature, we're just
by nature, thieves and robbers. We're just thieves and robbers.
We're robbers against God. We're thieves against God. It's
from Him that it is He that has put away all our sin. So there
is a group that finds themselves in this condition that God reveals
it to us that He has purpose to save before the foundation
of the world. And what we do is not going to alter the course
of God, what He's going to do. And thank God for it. God he
doesn't change his mind. Thank God that he does demonstrate
grace Thank God that he knew before the foundation of the
world who the Son of God was going to die for Their names
are written in the Lamb's Book of Life In the book of 2nd Timothy
chapter 3, would you turn there with me 2nd Timothy chapter 3?
In 2nd Timothy chapter 3 we have a passage of scripture about
a group about a people about us and 2 Timothy chapter 3 and
verse 5 about having a form of godliness. Now this just takes
me back before the Lord saved me. It takes me back before I
heard the gospel. Had a form of godliness. Saul of Tarsus
had a form of godliness. All those Jews had a form of
godliness. Every Gentile has a form of godliness. They've
got to figure out how they're going to be better off after
they leave this life. It says, you're having a form
of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn
away. Have a form of godliness. Well, if we don't have godliness
and we only have a form of godliness, we're robbing God of his godliness. This word form, it means to have
a mere form, a semblance or an appearance of, and you know that
just turns us right around and says, all of us by nature are
merely Pharisees and nothing better. We're proud of ourselves
and we're proud of our place and we're proud, and there's
always someone that is less than we are. always someone worse
than we are and so we we measure our Self by others and we always
come out on top Well, the Lord shares with us having a form
of godliness, but denying the power thereof denying God himself
tonight Robbing God will you a man rob God? Yes, they will
tells us in the book of Malachi, so yes, we do rob God and In
the book of Romans chapter 2 would you turn there with me Romans
chapter 2 as we think about this robbing God This is thieves being
a thief being a thief against God in the book of Romans chapter
2 It's back up to Romans chapter 2 there and we're going to start
reading in verse verse 17 chapter 2 verse 17 it says here behold
thou art called a Jew Romans chapter 2 verse 17 behold thou
art called a Jew and restest in the law and makest thy boast
of God and knoweth his will, and approveth the things that
are more excellent, being instructed out of the law, and art confident
that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them
which are in darkness. an instructor of the foolish,
a teacher of babes, which hath the form of knowledge, and of
the truth in the law. Form, a semblance, an appearance
of, a mere form of, an instructor of foolishness. Thou therefore
which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest
a man should not steal, dost thou steal? God, through Paul,
is accusing the Jews of stealing, robbing. Taking away attempting
to take away the glory of God in their religious formality
By their relationship to Abraham by their relationship to the
temple by their relationship We have the high priest. We have
the all the trinkets that go with it. We have the building
that goes with it We're so much better off than anywhere else
Verse 23 of Romans. It says thou that makest I boast
of the law through Breaking the law dishonors thou God, for the
name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it
is written, for the circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep
the law, but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision
is made uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcision
keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision
be counted for circumcision? And for shall not uncircumcision,
which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the
letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is
not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision,
which is outward, in the flesh but he is a jew which is one
inwardly so all this flesh stuff that the jews were practicing
and the gentiles are practicing he said this is just nothing
this is just nothing but thievery this is robbery because we find
out that a true jew is one which is inward in the circumcision
of the heart and only god can do that in the spirit only God
can do that not in the letter whose praise is not of men but
of God so truly we find that this robbery continues on and
on throughout the scripture as those folks take the glory of
God and put it upon themselves religions do that people do that
and we we find that probably the worst culprit of all is the
teaching that came out of what Cain did Can't help but think
that Cain and Abel both were told by their parents. We have
no scriptural proof But I just can't help but think that there
was a time when they sat down Before their father and their
mother and they told them what had happened and they told them
the only way to God is through shed blood the instructions were
made now it didn't make any difference to Cain and it didn't make any
difference to Abel because because the only difference that could
be made between the two is what the spirit did for them, what
the spirit revealed to them. Now the spirit was pleased to
reveal things to Abel that he did not reveal to Cain. Cain
could not be made to offer those sacrifices for the right purpose. He was willing to bring some
watermelons or muskmelons or leeks or rutabagas or something. He brought fruit of the ground.
He had his garden stuff there. It was like going to a fair and
asking for the judge to choose his stuff as the very best. But
we find that there was only one there that offered what God expected,
what God revealed to him to offer, and that was the sacrifice of
a lamb without blemish and without spot. He recognized the fact
that he was a sinner. God had revealed that to him.
Abel was a sinner before God, and Cain, like so many that the
Lord spoke to, he says that the just, the righteous do not need
a physician but they that are sick. We can see that Abel realized
by the grace of God he was sick. Cain never knew that because
it was never revealed to him. Well, Cain is typical of stealing
from God. He's typical of having things
given by himself and provided by himself and done by himself
and the flesh profiteth nothing. He taught that he had a free
will, that he could get out of the mess he was in by doing something
on his own, and we find that Abel taught that he was dead
in trespasses and sin and needed a substitute. The teaching of
free will in spiritual matters is so robbing to God. It robs him A number of ways,
but let me just express five of them Robbing God and that's
what this scroll this role is flying role. It's so large God's
Word is big. I Remember reading over there
in the book of Revelation that the voice was like a trumpet
It is going to get people's attention that he wants to get people's
attention Those who have ears to hear he's going to get their
attention Well, the teaching of free will in spiritual matters.
Now, I know that we have a free will to have this lunch or that
lunch. We have free will to sit in this chair or that chair.
But when it comes to spiritual things, we're dead and trespasses
of sin and we will never choose spiritual things as God is. So, when we teach, when someone
teaches, when a church teaches, when a pastor teaches that there's
free will with regard to spiritual matters, we're robbing God. We're
robbing God We're robbing as to his word, you know, the Bible
is so full of what God has shared with us ruined by the fall and
when we deny that when we say that we have a free will we're
robbing God of his very the very word of his word is The sinfulness
of man of natural man is shared so much in the scripture that
that in fact it is so serious that he will never be able to
make the right choice. And then someone comes along
and says you have a free will and you can make it. They're
tampering with, they're robbing the word of God what it actually
says. And again, we find that robbing
God of his purpose. This robbing God of his purpose,
he has a purpose. And his purpose is to save all
his people from their sin. His purpose is an election of
grace. His purpose is an election of
His sheep. Their names are written down
in the Lamb's Book of Life. Well, this philosophy of free
will in spiritual things is totally against that. It is robbing God
of His glory in His election of His sheep. Deny the very Word
of God about what He had to do in order to save His people from
their sins. He had to get involved. He had
to send his son. His son had to die. His son had
to shed his blood. His son had to be buried. His
son had to raise from the dead. His son had to ascend back to
the Father. Robbing all of this. They can
say all they want to about the Easter story or the Christmas
story, but robbing God in the fact of His elective grace. Robbing God as to His death and
substitution. Robbing him of whom he died for
now. He's quite clear. The Lord is
quite clear on who he died for I lay down my life for the sheep
and along comes Somebody that's robbing God and says no he died
for everybody well the summation of that is if he died for everybody
and then his death actually accomplished nothing because people are in
hell that he died for. Now that is nonsense, that is
unscriptural, that's heretical, and that's robbing God. And this
very scroll, flying scroll written on one side about this very thing
is a curse against those who do those things. Now, I mentioned,
thank God, that those whose names were written in the Lamb's Book
of Life, He's going to overrule that. He's going to overrule
their thievery. He's going to overrule that and
die for them and pay for their sin and put it as far as the
east is from the west and they'll no longer be robbers of God,
but honoring God of His glory. this free will also of His grace,
the power of His grace. Oh, to say that God will not
interfere with me enough to drag me into the kingdom of heaven.
My friend, if God doesn't get involved enough and if He doesn't
have power over His free grace, then He is not God at all. He has to overrule us. We will shake our fist in His
face. We may not say it out loud. We'll
walk away. But in our heart, it's standing
up against God in every wit. is against Him in every way and
will rob God of His power of His grace. His grace is irresistible. It cannot be stymied. It cannot
be held back. And He will accomplish His purpose
just like we read over there in the book of Isaiah. And as
to His salvation, the new birth, there is no eternal security. in a doctrine teaching of the
church, of people, of preachers, that the Lord doesn't know who
he's going to save, the Lord doesn't know what he's doing,
his power isn't sufficient, he's trying to do something, there's
no security in that. As one preacher said, he never
discusses, never argues, never debates what saved always saved
because all he has to do is ask the question who saved you now
if God saved you then you are secure if you made an attempt
to save yourself there is no security in that you'll be standing
before God as any other unbeliever Submitting yourself and every
knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess the glory of God
The Lord Jesus for the glory of God Well, we find that this
thievery is just so common around the world. It's in every place
The scroll is going out and it's going to bring a curse on all
of this Now, just before we close, our time is about up here, but
before we close, we'd like to mention a few things about that
next curse, and that's false swearing. Now, before we get
into that subject, and we're not going to cover that tonight,
but I just want to read a couple of verses that share with us
with regard to the promises of God and how He has promised to
keep every one of His promises. False swearing. He doesn't falsely
swear. He always says exactly what he
means and carries it out to the fullest. He does not falter with
his word. over here in the book of Isaiah
chapter 14. Would you join me there in Isaiah
chapter 14? How glorious is this passage of scripture. Such a
blessing to the church to read these verses of scripture about
God and His ability to do what He intends to do. He just does
that. He is not a milk toast. He is
the Almighty God. He is the Lord of hosts. He is
the Sovereign King. And He will save His people from
their sins. Well, here in the book of Isaiah
14, verse 24, we have this wonderful passage of scripture about the
Lord. The Lord of hosts. Isaiah chapter 14, verse 24.
The Lord of hosts hath sworn Now this is second curse the
other side of that scroll has those who are false swearing
But this is the Lord and the Lord hath sworn By that he means
I promised I'll keep my promise I I'll do all that's necessary
to keep my promise because he has the power to speak it and
he has the power to keep it the Lord of hosts has sworn saying
surely as I have thought I So shall it come to pass. Now, I
asked a preacher one time, does God ever have a thought that
he doesn't carry out? And that preacher said, well, yeah, just
like we are. Well, you can't compare us to God. God is so
far greater. In fact, he says, whatever I
thought, I carry it out. We waste our time thinking about
things. God never does waste his time about that. He said
there, Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and
as I have purposed, so shall it stand. Can't bring anything
against God no charge will stand against God He is doing his purpose
He has promised and he has purpose and he will carry it out now
another passage of scripture found over in the book of Hebrews
Hebrews chapter 6 as we think about God's side of this issue
now, he's never a thief He is on his throne. He's declared
to be holy. Holy. Holy and He has no reason
to steal. He has no reason to be a robber.
But we find that we, as fallen creatures of Adam, as fallen
creatures, sons of Adam, daughters of Adam, children of Adam, we
have every reason to steal against God because our heart is against
Him at every turn. The heart is deceitful above
all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Desperately
wicked. The book of Hebrews, let's just
turn there for just a moment and with this will close Hebrews
chapter Hebrews chapter 6 verse 13 Hebrews chapter 6 and verse
13 says here for when God made promise to Abraham God made a
promise to Abraham and every promise he makes to anybody it
shall come to pass and His promise to the elect are, welcome to
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
His promise to the non-elect are, depart from me ye workers
of iniquity, I never knew you. That is his promise and he will
keep it. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could
swear by no greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely, blessing,
I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee. And so
after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For
men verily swear by the greater an oath, for the confirmation
is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly
to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,
confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which
it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation,
who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before
us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure
and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Whether
the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made a high priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek What wonderful words we have
here as it says there in verse 13 for when God made promise
to Abraham And then we get to read the promise to Abraham We
get to read the care that God is going to have of Abraham and
of his children. And he will make sure that they
all hear the glorious gospel of his free and sovereign grace.
And the Spirit will take that word and will give every one
of them the new birth. And they will learn of God and
come to God and be gods. And he will be their God and
they shall be his people. So God's promise he's never robbed
and he's never sworn and not kept his promise But we have
natural man doing that all the time and that's the curse that
going over in the scroll one side a curse to those who are
robbers they rob and We'll go into that a little further next
time and then we have those who? Forswear they swear and can't
keep their promise. They'll swear about God and just
one final thought and they're going back to the book of Zechariah
there in Zechariah chapter 5 it tells us in verse 4 I believe
it is let's just look here it says here I will I will bring
it forth saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house
let's back up to verse 3 oh yes Everyone that swears shall be
cut off the whole earth for everyone that steals shall be cut off
as on this side according to it and everyone that swears shall
be cut off on according to it on the other side and Those that
swear falsely in my name That's where this false swearing is
and we'll go look at that a little bit more next time and we thank
you for your time tonight and God bless you and And we pray
that your Lord would bless you with the hearing of His word.