2 Corinthians 11 accused the people of that day,
and of course our day, in having idols. In 2 Corinthians 11, verse
3 and 4, and he says that their idols are named Jesus, and gospel
and spirit, the same as the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the
gospel of grace. He says in chapter 11 of 2 Corinthians,
I'm jealous over you. With godly jealousy I have espoused
you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin
to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means
as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, craftiness. Your minds should be corrupted
from the simplicity that's in Christ, the singleness that's
in Christ Jesus. For he that cometh preacheth
another Jesus. That's an idol if it's not the
true Jesus, isn't it? Another Jesus. whom we have not preached, or
if you receive another spirit, a spirit that's not the Spirit
of God, the Holy Spirit of God." John talked about this. He said,
try the spirits, whether they be of God. Many false prophets
have gone out into the world. They speak by spirit, but it's
another spirit. So your mind's corrupted from
Christ, and He says, or if you receive another spirit which
you've not received, or another gospel. They call it gospel,
but it's another gospel. Which you've not accepted, which
we've not preached, and you've not accepted. You might well
bear with me. That's what he's saying there.
You might well bear with me. They'll come preaching another
Jesus. Impotent Jesus. defeated Jesus. Another spirit,
another gospel. Well, it's an idol if it's not
the Christ of the Bible, if it's not the Christ of God. You can
call him Jesus and call it Holy Spirit and call it gospel, but
it's not the gospel, but the Lord Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Consequently, they too are makers
of idols. And he says these people are
going to be ashamed. There shall be three words he
uses about them. He says they're going to be ashamed.
They're going to be ashamed of having no covering for their
sins. Like Adam in the garden tried
to cover his nakedness. And they're going to be ashamed.
No covering, no mediator, no savior. a shame, and they'll
be confounded, reproached, blamed for their folly. Then they'll go down to confusion.
Let me read you that over here. You don't need to turn if you
don't wish to. But in Revelation 6, it says
in verse 15, the kings of the earth, mighty The kings of the
earth, the great men, the leaders, the rich men, men of influence
and power, cheap captives, mighty men, and bondmen, servants, free men,
all types of men and women. He had been saddled, confused
here. He had been saddled. He had come
God. hid themselves in the mountains,
in the dens, in the rocks of the mountains. And they prayed,
they cried, but not to God, but they prayed to the mountains.
And they prayed to the rocks. And they said, fall on us and
hide us from the face of him. This is the true God. This is
not another Jesus now. This is Jesus Christ, because
the Father judges no man, he hath committed all judgment to
the Son. Hide us from the face of Jesus. That's a strange prayer, isn't
it? Hide that confusion. Hide us from the face of him
that sits on the throne. God said, I have set my king
on the holy hill of Zion, the throne. Out is from the wrath
of the Lamb. I'm talking about the blood of
the Lamb now, and the sacrifice of the Lamb. They're talking
about the wrath of the Lamb. Out is from the wrath of the Lamb.
For the great day of His wrath is come. And who shall be able to stand?
Not the makers of idols, not the worshipers of another Jesus,
or another gospel, or another but the ones who know him that's
on the throne. And he's Lord, King, King of
Kings, Lord of Lords, Sovereign, Omnipotent, Almighty God. And thus a child is born, a son
is given, given that's on his shoulders. His name is Wonderful,
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. Verse 17, but Israel, they're not going to cry to be
hid from him. They don't fear the wrath of
the Lamb. They know the love of the Lamb,
grace of the Lamb. Israel shall be saved. Well,
who is Israel? Well, the first time that word
is used in the Bible is in Genesis 32. First time It's used in the
Bible. It's Genesis chapter 2. Genesis chapter 32. Genesis 32
verse 28. It's the first time it's used
in the Bible. And Jacob wrestled with Christ. You see, no man's seen the Father
at any time. The revelation of God in the
Old Testament is Christ. Angel of the Lord. Every appearance
of God, every revelation of God, every time someone came down
like Melchizedek, the high priest, the priest of the most high God,
that's Christ. Appearance of Christ. And here
wrestling with Jacob is the Lord Jesus. And Jacob, verse 25, when
he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow
of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint
as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, the day
breaketh. And Jacob said, I'll not let
thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What's
your name? And he said, Jacob, that name's for planter, And he said, Thy name shall be
called no more Jacob, but Israel, a prince of God, a son of God,
a prince of God, Israel. For as a prince thou hast power
with God and with man, and hast prevailed. Jacob asked him and
said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore
is it that thou didst ask after my name? And he blessed him. And Jacob called... You know,
other times when an angel was asked his name, Michael or Gabriel,
they told their name. But not this angel of the Lord.
He said, He blessed him. That's another reason I know
it's Christ. Angels don't bless people. Christ
blesses people. God blesses people. Angels don't
have that kind of power. And Jacob called the name of
the place Pineal. Pineal. I've seen God face to
face. My life is preserved. That's
the first time Israel, as you named Israel, the word Israel,
and it occurs in the Bible 2,500 times. But most of the time it refers
to the nation, Israel, the national people, people of God, Israel,
as opposed to other nations, Philistines and Babylonians and
Egyptians and others. But in the spiritual sense, in
the spiritual sense, the figurative application, it's always God's
chosen people, the elect, the believers. The Church, Zion,
Israel. Israel. Now, let me show you
that in Romans 9. Would you turn there with me
in Romans 9? Let me show you that. In other words, when we
talk about Israel, Israel shall be saved, all Israel shall be
saved. All believers, all the elect,
all God's children, all my sheep, my sheep come to me. That's who
Israel is. Romans 9 verse 6, listen. He
talks in the first five verses about this nation, Israel. Then
he says in verse 6, Not as though the word of God hath taken none
effect, for they are not all Israel which are of Israel. The
nation. The offsprings of Abraham. Ishmael was the son of Abraham.
So was Isaac, and all of the offsprings, millions and millions
of them, but they're not all Israel. Verse 7, neither because
they're the seed of Abraham are they children, children of God. But in Isaac shall thy seed be
called, in Christ. See, God promised, the promises
were made to Abraham and his seed, singular. to Abraham and
his seed through Isaac, that's Christ, and to his seed, which
is not plural, but singular, Christ. And thus, in Isaac shall
thy seed be called in Christ. That is, they which are the children
of the flesh, these aren't the children of God. Israel, the
nation, they're not children of God. idolaters, covetous, but the children of promise,
they're counting for the seat. So Israel, when we talk about
Israel, all Israel shall be saved, we're talking about his elect,
his chosen people. I'll show you another description
on that in Galatians 3. It's clear on this. Galatians
3 verse 6. Galatians 3, verse 6. Even as
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness,
know ye therefore that they which are of that same faith, who believe
God, they are the children of Abraham. They are Israel. You
understand? They are Israel. Those who have
that same faith, they believe God. is counted to them for righteousness
and the children of God. Look also at verse 27. For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ, you've put on Christ. And there is neither Jew nor
Greek, there's neither bond nor free, there's neither male nor
female, you're all one in Christ. And if you be Christ's, if you
be His, Then you're Israel, you're Abraham, see. We're called sons of Jacob. Jacob,
the Lord Jesus blessed him. What's your name? Jacob. Your
name's no more Jacob, it's Israel, a prince, a son of God. Jacob. And we're called sons of Jacob.
I don't know how many times in the scripture, but I'll show
you one very significant passage in Malachi. In Malachi chapter
3, everybody here in this building who is a believer is of Israel,
spiritual Israel. Everybody here who is a believer
is a son of God, a prince, and you're a son of Jacob, sons of
Jacob. In Malachi 3 verse 6, I am the
Lord. I change not. Therefore you sons
of Jacob are not concerned. God's promises are eternal, unchangeable,
certain. You change and I change, but
I'm the Lord, I don't change. And my covenant doesn't change,
I do not change. And because God doesn't change,
see that the The certainty of our salvation,
it depends upon the perpetuity of our Lord in His Word, not
me, on His Word. You see, because Christ lives,
I live. And therefore you sons of Jacob,
why are we called sons of Jacob? Well, turn to Romans 9, let me
show you something here. Romans chapter 9. Why are we
called sons of Jacob? I found about six reasons. because
his experience is ours. First of all, God chose him in
Romans 9. Verse 11, talking about the birth
of Jacob and Esau, it says in verse 10, And not only this,
but when Rebekah also had conceived by one, even our father Isaac,
the children being not yet born, twins in her womb, they hadn't
done any good or evil. But there's a purpose of God,
a sovereign, almighty God. And that's the only God there
is, there's none else. According to election, Jacob
was chosen. God chose Jacob. He elected him. He chose us. According to election,
Mark's Not of works, but of him that called it. Look at verse
12. It was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger. In other
words, God chose him, and God gave him the birthright. Who
serves? Who is served? One who has the
birthright. Your older brother's going to
serve the younger one. I'm going to give him the history.
By natural reasoning, the elder son gets the birthright. But
God is no respecter of natural reasons. He gives the birthright
to whom he will. He gave it to Jacob. He gave
it to us. Why me? Like Melchizedek said,
who am I? That you should show mercy to
such a dead dog. But God chose us and God gave
us the birthright. The birthright wasn't just an
inheritance of money. It was a preach to it. The priesthood
of the home. And then thirdly, God loved him.
In verse 13 he says, it's written, Jacob have a love. Esau, hey. Sons of Jacob. Chosen. God gave us life, the priesthood. Your holy nation, a royal priesthood. He loved us. We didn't love him. We loved him because he loved
us. He loved us. And then, I read a while ago,
God met him. God met him. Let me show you
that. Turn with me to Genesis 28. God
met Jacob, and he met us on our... He met Paul on the road to Damascus. He met the Ethiopian unit on
the road to Ethiopia. He met us on some road, somewhere,
headed somewhere, the way we thought was right. But he met
Jacob, fleeing from his brother, in Genesis 28. And Jacob, verse 12, dreamed
a dream. He dreamed, Behold, a ladder
set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven.
Behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold,
the Lord God above it, and said to Jacob, I am the Lord God of
Abraham thy father, and God of Isaac, The land whereon you liest,
to thee will I give it to thy seed. Thy seed shall be as the
dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, to
the east, to the north, and to the south. And in thee, and in
thy seed, in Christ shall all the families of the earth be
blessed. And behold, I am with thee, my, my. I'll keep thee in all places,
whether thou goest I bring thee again to this land. I'll not
leave thee until I've done for you that which I've spoken to
thee of." Sons of Jacob, God chose us. God gave us the birthright. God loved us. God met us and
revealed himself to us. I am. us a land." And he said, I won't
let you go until I've fulfilled everything I told you. That's
sons of Jacob. All right. And they're all going
to be safe. It says here in verse 17, that,
go back to my text, I left it a long ways, didn't I? But that's
all good. He said in verse 70, But Israel,
sons of Jacob, shall be saved in the Lord." Where? In the Lord,
not in the church. In the Lord. In Christ the Lord. Not in their works. In Christ
the Lord. With what kind of salvation?
An everlasting salvation. It's not a temporary deliverance
from Egypt. This is an everlasting salvation. And this is beautiful. talked
about those folks who are going to be ashamed, they shall not
be ashamed. We're not going to be ashamed.
We're going to stand before him clothed in his beauty, in his
righteousness. No sins. We're not going to be
confounded. We're wise in Christ. We know
him. He knows us. He's come and given
us an understanding that we may know him that's true. We'll not
be confounded and confused and reproached, and cry for them
rocks to fall on us and hide us from the face of our God.
And that's a promised world without end, in this world and in the
world to come. One of the old writers said this,
they shall not be ashamed on that resurrection morning. Their
bodies shall be raised and fashioned like unto his glorious body.
When others rise to shame and confusion and reproach and contempt,
they shall be raised incorruptible, immortal, and made like their
Lord. Nor shall they be ashamed when
they stand before him in his presence, because being clothed
in white robes and having on a wedding garment which is his
righteousness, they shall be introduced to all the hosts of
heaven as trophies of his wonderful grace and his mighty love, and
enter into the kingdom of his Father, into a world of happiness
as sons of God and joint heirs of Jesus Christ. Well, without
him. Well, who said this? Look at
verse 18. Thus saith the Lord. The idols can't promise things
like that. Another Jesus can't promise anything
like that. Another gospel. This is promised. These words are the words of
the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, listen,
there he identifies himself, that created the heavens. The
one who created the heavens, that's who speaks. God himself
that formed the earth and made it, who established it, founded
it upon the foundations. And listen, he created it not
in vain. God didn't create the world in
vain. He formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, there's none else. I am the Lord, there's none else.
I made the heavens, I formed the earth, I established it. I created it not in vain, I formed
it to be inhabited. Now let's do a little checking
here. Turn to 2 Peter 3. Let's look at something here.
Let me see if we can get hold of something that would be a
blessing here. 2 Peter 3. Now we know this old earth is going
to pass away. It says in verse 12 of 2 Peter
3. longing for, looking for, longing
for with expectancy, longing for and hastening unto the coming
of the day of God, when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, according
to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, a new God made the first one. He said
it was good. He made man and said it's good. Made everything on the earth,
the garden, the beautiful, beautiful earth, said it's good. Then sin
permeated it, polluted it, and ruined it. And God is going to
take it away and make a new earth. Wherein dwelleth righteousness.
holiness. And he made it to be inhabited
with a people who are holy, people redeemed by the blood of his
Son, a people clothed in the righteousness of his Son, a people
who are holy people. They're going to live on this
earth, this new earth, this new earth. I was standing on a certain place
in Virginia last week. And I said to my wife, I'd sure be awful happy if the
Lord give me that place right there. On this new earth, just like
that place right there. Just take the sin out of it and
give me that place right there. You may think that's far fetched,
but I don't. I don't at all. There's going
to be a new heaven and a new earth. We're going to live on
this new earth. We're not going to float around on clouds, plucking
on harps, with bodies you can see through. We're going to be
people, real people, like our Lord when he arose from the grave.
When he appeared to his disciples and said, touch me, handle me.
A spirit doesn't have flesh and bones like you see me have. Give
me something to eat. Let me eat with you. The trees will bear fruit. We'll
eat. We'll rejoice. We'll have a body
in his likeness, in his image, a body of flesh on this earth. And listen, I hear people talk
about walking around streets of gold. I just not, I don't
cotton to that too much. I don't like these streets of
asphalt, let alone streets of gold. I love to walk in the grass. I love to walk under the trees.
There weren't any streets in the Garden of Eden, were there?
There weren't any skyscrapers and all these big buildings and
glass cathedrals. I don't expect that on the new
earth. I believe this holy city, now don't jump on me too quickly. Coming down, that's the church. Religious and scripture. There
may be a city, I don't know, but this holy city of the bride,
the bride's not a city made of precious stones and gold, it's
a people. Look at Revelation chapter 21. Let's look at something here. Chapter 21. Revelation 21 verse
1. John said, I saw a new heaven.
He told John he's going to show him what was going to be. And
he said, I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven
and the first earth were passed away. There was no more Satan.
And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride, adorned for a husband. This is Zion. This is the church. And I heard a great voice out
of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with me,
and he shall dwell with them, and they'll be his people, and
God shall be with them and be their God, and he'll wipe all
tears from their eyes. No more tears. There'll be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be
any more pain. The former things are passed
away. He that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things
new. I turn back over to Revelation 19, 7. Let us be glad and rejoice and
give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his
wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted that
she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, the fine
linen of the righteousness of the And he said, Write, Blessed
are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Who's the Lamb? Christ. Who's his bride? The
Church. The Church is the Lamb's wife. Turn over to Revelation
22, verse 19. If any man shall take
away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take
away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city, the holy city. What's he own
some property there or something? No, he's property, you take him
out of it, him out of that city, out of that bond. And the man
takes away the words of this book. Isaiah 52, let's check this one
here, talking about this city. You know, it says over in Hebrews
that Abraham looked for a city whose builder is God. You reckon
Abraham was looking for a city? As we
know, like Chicago? No. Looking for the dwelling
place of God and His people. That city. In Isaiah 52, listen
to this. Awake, awake, 52-1, put on thy
strength, O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem,
put on your garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. For henceforth there shall be,
there shall no more come unto thee the uncircumcised and the
unclean. No more. That city, you think
about it now. Think about it. God says a new
earth, and the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, bride of Christ,
comes down here to dwell on that new earth. He said, I have created
it to be inhabited, says the Lord, to be inhabited. Abraham looked for a city, who
filled it and made it his God. The city of the redeemed, home
of the redeemed. Where God dwells, and God dwells
with them. Be their God, wipe away all tears. Well, we'll have a king then.
All right, verse 19. Let me give you this, verse 19. I've not spoken this in secret.
in a dark place of the earth. I'd like to say to the whole
world, beware of secret organizations. Beware of secret cults, you young
people. Beware of folks that meet in
dens and caves and back alleys and places like that and they're
secret. They're secret cults and secret
sects and secret You see, heathen idols have their home in dens
and dark and damp temples. Deceivers and false prophets
speak in language nobody can understand. They have secret rules and regulations
and memberships. But our Lord said, I don't speak
in secret. I've not spoken anything I've
had to say in secret. I don't speak in the dark places
of the earth. Our Lord Jesus Christ walked
the streets of Jerusalem and walked the streets of Capernaum
and walked the mountains and the seaside and spoke to the
people. Our Lord Jesus ate with publicans
and sinners and went to their weddings and their feasts walk
down their streets as crowds gathered about him. Our Lord
Jesus died for the whole world to see him on a cross outside
the city wall. Our Lord Jesus arose and appeared
to 500 people at one time. And our Lord Jesus Christ told
his disciples, you go into all the world and you preach the
gospel to every Don't whisper it anywhere. I don't speak in
secret places. I don't hide in the dark places
of the earth. No sir, we use great plainness
of speech so that men at least can understand. Now try. You get to the next line. He
said, I didn't say to the seed of Jacob. Who's that? You know who that is. I don't say to the sons of Jacob,
the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain. No true sinner ever
sought him in vain. No true seeker of mercy ever
was turned away. No real, thirsty, weary, heavy
laden sinner ever came to Christ in vain. No, sir. If any man lacks wisdom, let
him ask of God. who giveth to all men, and upbraideth
not, but let him ask honestly in faith." Don't play games.
That's what he said. No, I said to the seed of Jacob,
I never said to the seed of Jacob, seek me in vain. They don't seek
in vain. No. You encounter people all
the time that claim to have an interest in the gospel. Well,
if they have a real interest in the gospel, they'll believe
the gospel. If they have a real interest. Because I didn't say
to the seed of Jacob, seek me in vain. And they don't seek
him in vain. Those that know him, trust him.
Anybody who's chosen of God, loved of God, given to Christ,
redeemed by Christ, when he hears the gospel, he'll believe it. He'll love it. It meets his need. And he doesn't seek in vain.
You see, I, the Lord, speak righteousness. I speak righteousness. I declare not your righteousness,
but mine. The righteousness of Christ,
who's the goal of the law for righteousness. I speak righteousness. I promise righteousness. I give
righteousness. And I declare things that are
right, things that are true, according to scripture, according
to holiness, according to justice, and according to reason. You
know, when I read this, I thought about Paul when he
stood before Agrippa. Turn it over there to Acts 26.
Paul used this same reasoning with Agrippa, that the Lord gives
us here. I have not spoken in secret,
in a dark place. I never said to the seed of Jacob,
Seek ye me in vain. I, the Lord, speak righteousness. I declare things openly, truthfully. Acts 26, verse 22. Paul was standing there, they
were hearing him out. Festus and Agrippa, the king.
In verse 22, Paul says this, Acts 26. Having therefore obtained
help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to
the small and the great, saying none of the things in those which
the prophets of Moses did say should come. that Christ should
suffer, that he should be the first that should rise from the
dead, to die no more, and should show light unto the people, and
to the Gentiles. And as Paul thus spake for himself,
Thestas, he got all upset, Thestas spake with a loud voice, said,
Paul, you're beside yourself, you're crazy. Much learning hath
made you mad. But Paul said, I'm not mad, most
noble Festus. I speak forth the words of truth
and soberness. Isn't that what God said? I speak
righteousness and truth. But the king, he's talking about
Agrippa now, he says the king, he knows of these things. He knows of these things. He
knows of the Jews, the promises to the Jews, the writings of
Moses, the law. He knows about the Passover,
the tabernacle, the mercy seat. He knows about Jesus Christ coming
into this world. He's been a head of the Jewish
nation a long time. He knows these things. King knows
about what I'm talking about, before whom I speak freely. I'm
persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, and
not from anybody here. and not from anybody in this
town. God doesn't speak in secret. Dark places. This gospel of God's
sovereign grace in Christ, it's been heard. That's what
he said. This wasn't buried in a corner. Christ didn't die in a corner.
He died on a cross. in the capital of religion. And
he turned to that old king and he said, King Agrippa, do you
believe the word of God? Do you believe the prophets about
the coming Messiah, the coming Redeemer? You believe that? This wasn't done in a corner.
You know what I'm talking about. You believe the prophets? I know
you believe it. Up there. You know what he said? I know you believe it. And old
Agrippa said, Paul, almost, I persuade you to be
a Christian. Almost won't work, will it? It
won't work. We're preaching a God who says,
I'm the Lord and nothing else. Let's read on. I'll give you
this briefly. He says, assemble yourselves.
Draw near, ye that are escaped of the nations. He's talking
to those Gentiles who, according to the grace of God, have been
called out of idolatry and darkness. I'm telling you, they have no
knowledge that set up the wood of their graven images and pray
to a God that can't save. Man's foolish to pray to a God
that can't save. A God who can't save is not God. Someone said one time, a God
who can't do what he will, when he will, with whom he will, is
not God. That's no God. Now you tell them
and bring them near. You tell them what I said about
them and their false gods. You let them take counsel together.
Who hath declared this from ancient times? Gather them all together,
their gods and their makers and their worshipers, and let them
take counsel together and bring some proof of their God's knowledge
and power. Who among their deities or their
gods have ever told before something that will come to pass? That's
what he's saying. Listen. Who hath told it from
that time? Have not I the Lord? I'm the
only one. I declared from ancient times.
I declare from the beginning the things that shall be." Their
gods can't do that. You see what he's saying? Tell
them, get them together, and ask them this question. Who had
declared all of this from way back then? Had not I the Lord? There's no
God beside me. I'm a just God, a Savior. He
declared in the Garden of Eden the death of Christ on the cross.
He declared to Abraham that he would have a seed out of every
nation, a people out of every nation. Job said, I know my Redeemer
liveth. Isaiah said he's wounded for
our transgression. The Lord said, all of this I've
declared from the beginning, so look to me. Look to me. All the ends of the
earth. I'm God. There's none else. And I've sworn by myself, the
word's gone out of my mouth, in righteousness and shall not
return that unto me every knee's gonna bow, every tongue will
confess that Jesus is Lord. And here's the confession of
a believer. Surely shall one say, In the
Lord have I righteousness and strength." Every believer says
that. Don't you say that right now,
in the Lord. In his grace, in his son, in his obedience, in
his blood, in his eternal purpose, I, a son of Adam, have righteousness.