WEBVTT

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 Psalm 37.

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 Let my right hand forget its skill.

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 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth.

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 If I do not remember you,

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 if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

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 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem,

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 how they said, lay it bare, lay it bare,

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 down to its foundations.

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 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,

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 blessed shall he be who repays you

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 with what you have done to us.

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 Blessed shall he who takes your little ones

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 and dashes them against the rock.

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 So not long after the horrific attacks by Hamas

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 in October of 2023,

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 1,400 Israelis, both Jews and Arabs, dead.

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 A friend of mine was visiting with his friend

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 and the topic came up

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 and my friend's friend said to him,

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 there would be peace if everyone would just stop fighting.

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 It's kind of true.

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 My friend's friend, however, didn't see or read about the barbarism,

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 the murders, the kidnappings,

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 all of the very difficult, terrible things

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 that was on the news and on Facebook and Twitter

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 and social media nonstop for weeks and months.

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 But I guess it's technically true.

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 If people would stop fighting, there would be peace.

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 Is this person, the friend of my friend,

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 is their comment actually the way forward

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 or is it terribly ignorant?

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 October 7th wasn't the only terrible thing that's happened in the world.

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 The world is marked, marked with catastrophe,

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 marked with war.

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 A few weeks back when we were looking in Romans,

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 we were in Romans,

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 I made the comment,

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 I forget exactly the right stat,

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 but it's something like

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 the last 3,000 years of recorded history,

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 there's only been about 90-ish years

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 where there hasn't been an ongoing war.

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 We are a warring bunch.

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 So is the way to peace simply just to drop our arms?

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 We're going to look at Psalm 137 this morning.

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 If you were listening

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 or even half listening

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 when Tyler read it,

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 I'm sure your ears perked up at the last verse,

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 verse 9 of 137.

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 And this is what it says,

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 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones

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 and dashes them against the rocks.

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 It might be the hardest verse in Scripture.

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 C.S. Lewis, and I'm a big C.S. Lewis fan,

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 he calls this psalm

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 and specifically this verse

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 devilish.

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 He calls it devilish.

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 But I'm going to suggest to you

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 and try to show in Scripture

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 that this psalm is actually incredibly important

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 and that line itself

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 is incredibly important

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 and critical

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 if we are to know justice

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 and overcome the evil

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 in and around us.

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 So, 137, Psalm 137.

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 If you could follow along,

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 that would be great.

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 I've broken up the text into three parts.

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 The first part,

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 verses 1 to 3,

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 1 to 4,

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 1 to 3,

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 is resist Babylon.

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 The second one,

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 verses 4 to 6,

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 remember Jerusalem.

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 And finally,

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 verses 7 to 9,

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 request justice.

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 Resist Babylon,

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 remember Jerusalem,

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 request justice.

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 And I'll just say,

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 request is not the greatest term,

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 but it's a word to use,

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 but it started with an R.

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 I went for it.

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 Okay?

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 The triple R this morning.

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 Anyways,

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 jump with me in verses 1 to 3

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 before we read.

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 It's helpful for us to understand

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 a bit of the background.

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 Okay?

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 Babylon was a very cruel,

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 cruel empire.

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 Like the Assyrians before them,

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 they were,

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 they didn't exactly observe

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 international law

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 when it came to warfare.

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 So, some 2,600 years ago,

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 Babylon besieged

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 the southern kingdom of Israel.

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 They surrounded Jerusalem,

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 eventually destroying the walls

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 and raising the temple to the ground.

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 They were cruel.

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 The accounts throughout

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 the prophetic books

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 are shocking to read

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 of what they've done.

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 Now, we'll touch on that

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 in a bit,

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 but just to set the table,

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 Babylon was cruel.

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 And after Jerusalem was conquered,

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 they enslaved the social

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 and religious upper class,

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 the elite, so to speak,

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 of Israel.

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 This was their practice.

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 They would conquer a region,

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 conquer a nation,

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 and take their best,

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 brightest,

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 and youngest,

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 back to Babylon

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 to essentially become Babylonian.

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 We get a glimpse of this

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 in the book of Daniel,

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 if you're familiar at all

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 with the book of Daniel.

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 But make no mistake,

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 Israel found itself in exile

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 precisely because of God's judgment.

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 The prophetic books

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 are a collection

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 of God imploring his people

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 to turn away from evil.

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 Turn away from evil.

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 Turn back to me.

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 And even though,

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 time and again,

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 they would make a partial return,

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 they would always find themselves

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 returning to evil.

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 So Babylon

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 became an agent

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 of God's judgment

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 towards Israel.

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 Nevertheless,

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 nevertheless,

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 they were still

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 horrendously cruel

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 and unjust.

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 Notice how,

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 in verse 4,

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 what does it say?

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 How shall we sing

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 the Lord's song

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 in a foreign land?

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 Verse 3,

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 for there are captors.

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 See,

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 it wasn't just that Babylon

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 was an agent of God

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 and therefore

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 are,

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 they're forgiven

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 for all of the

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 terrible things

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 that they've done.

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 No, no, no, no.

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 They're still held to account.

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 They did horrendous things.

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 They kidnapped people,

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 breaking up families,

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 killing,

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 murdering,

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 even worse.

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 So let's,

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 as that is a bit

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 of a background,

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 let's read verses 1 to 4

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 again and we'll jump

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 into it.

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 Asking the question,

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 why and how

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 should we resist

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 Babylon?

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 By the waters

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 of Babylon,

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 there we sat

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 and wept

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 when we remembered

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 Zion.

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 On the willows there

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 we hung up

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 our lyres,

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 for there are captors

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 required of us

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 songs,

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 and our tormentors

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 mirth,

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 saying,

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 sing us

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 one of the songs

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 of Zion.

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 Zion is synonymous

00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:30.580
 with Jerusalem.

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 How shall we sing

00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:33.680
 the Lord's song

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 in a foreign land?

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 You see the,

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 like I mentioned already,

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 Babylon,

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 their big MO

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 was essentially

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 not just to conquer

00:07:43.840 --> 00:07:44.720
 but to humiliate

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 and ultimately

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 to assimilate

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 its conquered people,

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 whatever nation

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 that they conquered.

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 what they were

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 demanding of the

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 Israelites

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 isn't merely

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 just humiliation

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 but to abandon

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 their God,

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 to abandon

00:07:59.939 --> 00:08:00.759
 the Lord God,

00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:01.480
 the God of Abraham,

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 Isaac,

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 and Jacob.

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 They want Israel

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 to play

00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:06.540
 religious songs

00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:07.500
 that ought to have

00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:09.300
 filled the temple

00:08:09.300 --> 00:08:11.960
 but instead

00:08:11.960 --> 00:08:13.160
 to play them

00:08:13.160 --> 00:08:13.900
 for their own

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 amusement.

00:08:15.100 --> 00:08:16.280
 It's a humiliating,

00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:17.639
 humiliating act

00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:19.460
 and a real

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 indictment on

00:08:20.540 --> 00:08:21.600
 the God

00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.520
 of Israel.

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 But here's the thing,

00:08:25.520 --> 00:08:25.960
 why not?

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 Okay?

00:08:26.860 --> 00:08:27.780
 If I'm an Israelite,

00:08:27.900 --> 00:08:28.860
 why not play the song?

00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:30.300
 God didn't come through

00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:30.760
 for me.

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 Alright?

00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:33.399
 If this is a God

00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:34.320
 that keeps promises,

00:08:35.580 --> 00:08:36.820
 the God that is supposed

00:08:36.820 --> 00:08:37.460
 to be the God

00:08:37.460 --> 00:08:38.259
 above all gods,

00:08:38.340 --> 00:08:38.899
 which is to say

00:08:38.899 --> 00:08:39.740
 the only God,

00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:41.220
 then maybe he's

00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:41.820
 a bit of a liar

00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:43.600
 because the Babylonian

00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:44.800
 gods gave them

00:08:44.800 --> 00:08:45.259
 the victory.

00:08:46.220 --> 00:08:47.019
 Our God didn't

00:08:47.019 --> 00:08:47.779
 give us the victory.

00:08:47.779 --> 00:08:51.019
 Israel has been

00:08:51.019 --> 00:08:51.959
 handily conquered.

00:08:53.220 --> 00:08:54.079
 The Babylonians

00:08:54.079 --> 00:08:54.720
 might as well

00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:55.240
 have just said,

00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:55.539
 listen,

00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:56.699
 your God has not

00:08:56.699 --> 00:08:57.139
 come through.

00:08:57.959 --> 00:08:59.019
 Our gods are stronger.

00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:00.919
 Become Babylonians.

00:09:02.659 --> 00:09:03.100
 Listen,

00:09:03.379 --> 00:09:04.259
 we can offer you

00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:04.939
 much, okay?

00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:06.059
 This is the

00:09:06.059 --> 00:09:06.759
 fertile crescent.

00:09:06.860 --> 00:09:07.480
 I don't think that was

00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:08.319
 their term back then.

00:09:08.579 --> 00:09:08.899
 Nevertheless,

00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:10.480
 this is the

00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:11.220
 fertile crescent.

00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:11.879
 Listen,

00:09:11.980 --> 00:09:12.779
 we have streams,

00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:13.639
 we have rivers,

00:09:13.839 --> 00:09:15.059
 we have tributaries,

00:09:15.059 --> 00:09:16.399
 we have willows,

00:09:16.539 --> 00:09:17.419
 all pictures

00:09:17.419 --> 00:09:19.099
 of a calm,

00:09:19.339 --> 00:09:20.139
 a shaded,

00:09:20.459 --> 00:09:21.119
 peaceful,

00:09:21.939 --> 00:09:23.379
 abundant land.

00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:24.479
 Peaceful,

00:09:24.779 --> 00:09:25.079
 again,

00:09:25.199 --> 00:09:26.019
 relative peace.

00:09:26.699 --> 00:09:27.119
 But listen,

00:09:27.219 --> 00:09:28.099
 we have lots to offer.

00:09:28.219 --> 00:09:29.179
 Become Babylonians.

00:09:29.299 --> 00:09:30.099
 Worship our gods.

00:09:30.939 --> 00:09:31.439
 Bend a knee.

00:09:33.779 --> 00:09:34.419
 If you,

00:09:34.579 --> 00:09:34.759
 again,

00:09:34.839 --> 00:09:35.199
 remember

00:09:35.199 --> 00:09:36.919
 the book of Daniel

00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:37.819
 in the Old Testament,

00:09:38.579 --> 00:09:39.799
 this is exactly

00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:40.599
 what was said

00:09:40.599 --> 00:09:42.419
 to Hananiah,

00:09:42.539 --> 00:09:43.039
 Mishael,

00:09:43.179 --> 00:09:43.859
 and Azariah,

00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:45.240
 also known as Shadrach,

00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:45.759
 Meshach,

00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:46.340
 and Abednego.

00:09:47.899 --> 00:09:49.060
 You can read that

00:09:49.060 --> 00:09:50.159
 in Daniel 3 and 4.

00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:52.720
 So,

00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:53.680
 here's the thing though.

00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:54.820
 Babylon as a kingdom

00:09:54.820 --> 00:09:55.779
 did not persist.

00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:56.759
 It was overtaken

00:09:56.759 --> 00:09:57.800
 eventually by Persia.

00:09:59.779 --> 00:10:00.259
 But,

00:10:00.539 --> 00:10:02.200
 Babylon has become

00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:03.379
 a forever symbol

00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:04.379
 of whatever

00:10:04.379 --> 00:10:05.720
 the spirit is

00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:06.899
 that pits itself

00:10:06.899 --> 00:10:08.279
 against God's people.

00:10:10.420 --> 00:10:11.700
 For every generation

00:10:11.700 --> 00:10:12.580
 of God's people,

00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:13.840
 there will always be

00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:14.820
 a Babylon

00:10:14.820 --> 00:10:15.660
 that seeks

00:10:15.660 --> 00:10:18.060
 to cause compromise

00:10:18.060 --> 00:10:20.320
 and to humiliate

00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:21.399
 the God of the Bible.

00:10:21.580 --> 00:10:21.920
 Always.

00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:23.720
 Babylon is

00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:24.480
 a symbol

00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:25.040
 of everything

00:10:25.040 --> 00:10:26.460
 that is anti-God.

00:10:27.180 --> 00:10:27.680
 Interestingly,

00:10:28.060 --> 00:10:28.940
 in Revelation,

00:10:29.160 --> 00:10:30.500
 if you read through it,

00:10:30.860 --> 00:10:32.320
 very, very difficult book

00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:33.100
 to weigh through.

00:10:33.259 --> 00:10:34.040
 Babylon features

00:10:34.040 --> 00:10:35.240
 quite a bit

00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:36.399
 in that book

00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:38.519
 as an anti-Christ,

00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:39.860
 as an anti-God,

00:10:39.860 --> 00:10:42.139
 as this evil city,

00:10:43.139 --> 00:10:44.340
 the city of the world.

00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:46.320
 So,

00:10:46.680 --> 00:10:47.860
 I think it's fair

00:10:47.860 --> 00:10:48.480
 to say that

00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:49.180
 as we read

00:10:49.180 --> 00:10:50.200
 this psalm,

00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:51.080
 we can

00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:52.879
 rightly

00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:53.720
 understand

00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:54.300
 Babylon

00:10:54.300 --> 00:10:55.180
 as

00:10:55.180 --> 00:10:56.320
 embodying

00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:57.340
 the spirit

00:10:57.340 --> 00:10:57.919
 of the age.

00:10:58.480 --> 00:10:59.340
 Whatever age

00:10:59.340 --> 00:10:59.600
 that

00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:01.800
 we find

00:11:01.800 --> 00:11:02.759
 ourselves in.

00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:03.480
 Babylon

00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:04.379
 represents

00:11:04.379 --> 00:11:04.920
 the spirit

00:11:04.920 --> 00:11:05.440
 of the age.

00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:05.600
 So,

00:11:05.640 --> 00:11:06.140
 what do I mean

00:11:06.140 --> 00:11:06.700
 by the spirit

00:11:06.700 --> 00:11:07.160
 of the age?

00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:09.480
 A couple of years ago,

00:11:09.520 --> 00:11:10.160
 Christine and I

00:11:10.160 --> 00:11:11.700
 were at a dinner

00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:13.160
 with our bishop,

00:11:13.300 --> 00:11:14.260
 Bishop Dan Gifford.

00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:15.940
 Wonderful guy.

00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:17.120
 Wonderful man.

00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:18.600
 And somebody

00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:19.280
 at the table

00:11:19.280 --> 00:11:19.900
 asked him,

00:11:20.740 --> 00:11:20.980
 Bishop,

00:11:21.520 --> 00:11:23.480
 what is the spirit

00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:24.220
 of this age?

00:11:24.880 --> 00:11:25.300
 Interesting

00:11:25.300 --> 00:11:25.700
 to put

00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:27.300
 the leader

00:11:27.300 --> 00:11:28.180
 of our denomination

00:11:28.180 --> 00:11:28.960
 on the spot

00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:29.400
 right there.

00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:31.220
 But Dan,

00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:32.059
 Bishop Dan,

00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:32.720
 came with

00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:33.539
 a wonderful

00:11:33.539 --> 00:11:34.000
 reply.

00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:35.360
 He said,

00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:36.559
 in 2020,

00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:37.480
 I guess it would

00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:38.039
 be 2024,

00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:39.480
 in 2024 Canada,

00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:41.240
 the spirit

00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:42.379
 of the age

00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:42.860
 is,

00:11:43.620 --> 00:11:44.179
 and then he used

00:11:44.179 --> 00:11:44.419
 the word

00:11:44.419 --> 00:11:45.919
 self-actualization.

00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:47.299
 Big word.

00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:48.980
 But he went on

00:11:48.980 --> 00:11:49.559
 to explain,

00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:50.379
 and I think he's

00:11:50.379 --> 00:11:50.579
 right,

00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:51.819
 this idea

00:11:51.819 --> 00:11:52.439
 that we are

00:11:52.439 --> 00:11:52.919
 ultimate

00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:53.699
 authorities

00:11:53.699 --> 00:11:54.419
 in our own

00:11:54.419 --> 00:11:54.779
 lives.

00:11:55.480 --> 00:11:56.079
 Our happiness

00:11:56.079 --> 00:11:57.120
 is the prime

00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:57.659
 objective

00:11:57.659 --> 00:11:58.980
 that we all

00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:00.420
 ought to seek.

00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:02.039
 We set the

00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:02.519
 parameters

00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:04.000
 of what is

00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:04.840
 moral or

00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:05.420
 immoral.

00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:06.159
 We set the

00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:06.580
 parameters

00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:07.300
 of what is

00:12:07.300 --> 00:12:08.159
 just or

00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:09.379
 unjust.

00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:10.500
 And ultimately,

00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:11.080
 we get to

00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:12.259
 decide what

00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:13.379
 defines us

00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:14.240
 above all

00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:14.700
 else.

00:12:15.560 --> 00:12:15.899
 We're not

00:12:15.899 --> 00:12:16.700
 subject to

00:12:16.700 --> 00:12:17.940
 our families,

00:12:18.379 --> 00:12:19.379
 our family

00:12:19.379 --> 00:12:19.840
 identity,

00:12:20.100 --> 00:12:20.680
 our historical

00:12:20.680 --> 00:12:21.080
 identity.

00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:21.659
 We get to

00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:22.420
 pave our own

00:12:22.420 --> 00:12:22.659
 way.

00:12:23.340 --> 00:12:23.940
 We get to

00:12:23.940 --> 00:12:25.539
 reinvent

00:12:25.539 --> 00:12:26.279
 ourselves

00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:27.840
 if we want.

00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:30.399
 And I

00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:30.740
 think Dan

00:12:30.740 --> 00:12:31.100
 is right.

00:12:31.820 --> 00:12:32.100
 I think

00:12:32.100 --> 00:12:32.600
 Bishop Dan

00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:32.980
 is right.

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.040
 I think

00:12:34.040 --> 00:12:34.420
 this is

00:12:34.420 --> 00:12:34.840
 the spirit

00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:35.120
 of the

00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:35.420
 age.

00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:37.259
 This idea

00:12:37.259 --> 00:12:37.680
 that we

00:12:37.680 --> 00:12:38.220
 are the

00:12:38.220 --> 00:12:38.600
 ultimate

00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:39.220
 authority,

00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:39.720
 we are the

00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:40.060
 ultimate

00:12:40.060 --> 00:12:41.460
 arbiter of

00:12:41.460 --> 00:12:41.780
 what is

00:12:41.780 --> 00:12:42.300
 right and

00:12:42.300 --> 00:12:42.580
 what is

00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:42.840
 wrong.

00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:43.240
 For me,

00:12:43.500 --> 00:12:43.700
 and it

00:12:43.700 --> 00:12:43.899
 can be

00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:44.120
 different

00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:44.519
 for you.

00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:46.340
 That's a

00:12:46.340 --> 00:12:47.300
 beauty of

00:12:47.300 --> 00:12:47.860
 the age

00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:48.580
 we live

00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:48.740
 in.

00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:51.040
 So we

00:12:51.040 --> 00:12:51.920
 see if

00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:52.360
 Babylon

00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:53.200
 represents the

00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:53.560
 spirit of

00:12:53.560 --> 00:12:54.100
 the age,

00:12:54.100 --> 00:12:55.720
 then Babylon

00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:57.100
 will for

00:12:57.100 --> 00:12:57.960
 sure be at

00:12:57.960 --> 00:12:58.879
 odds with

00:12:58.879 --> 00:12:59.720
 God and

00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:00.180
 his people

00:13:00.180 --> 00:13:01.820
 because God

00:13:01.820 --> 00:13:02.560
 through scriptures

00:13:02.560 --> 00:13:03.720
 and through the

00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:04.659
 teaching of

00:13:04.659 --> 00:13:05.460
 the church

00:13:05.460 --> 00:13:07.279
 declares to

00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:07.820
 us that we

00:13:07.820 --> 00:13:08.600
 actually have

00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:09.120
 an identity

00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.379
 that is

00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:12.220
 not plastic.

00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:13.300
 We don't

00:13:13.300 --> 00:13:13.540
 get to

00:13:13.540 --> 00:13:15.360
 decide at

00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:15.820
 the very

00:13:15.820 --> 00:13:16.259
 core of

00:13:16.259 --> 00:13:16.519
 what is

00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:17.000
 right or

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:17.300
 what is

00:13:17.300 --> 00:13:17.540
 wrong,

00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:17.879
 what is

00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:18.500
 just or

00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:19.259
 what is

00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:19.920
 unjust.

00:13:21.660 --> 00:13:21.899
 You see,

00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:22.860
 Babylon always

00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:23.360
 tries to

00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:24.019
 downplay

00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:24.319
 the

00:13:24.319 --> 00:13:25.039
 sacredness

00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.399
 and joy

00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:26.759
 of what

00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:27.199
 it means

00:13:27.199 --> 00:13:27.759
 to be

00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:28.539
 a human

00:13:28.539 --> 00:13:29.379
 being made

00:13:29.379 --> 00:13:30.100
 in God's

00:13:30.100 --> 00:13:30.539
 image.

00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:34.159
 In our

00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:34.579
 age,

00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:35.279
 it says,

00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:36.019
 you decide.

00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:38.840
 You don't

00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:39.120
 need to

00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:39.659
 follow God.

00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:39.919
 You don't

00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:40.179
 need to

00:13:40.179 --> 00:13:41.139
 be defined

00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:41.659
 by him.

00:13:43.319 --> 00:13:43.559
 You know,

00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:43.919
 the spirit

00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:44.519
 of the age

00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:45.220
 says that we

00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:45.659
 are wooden

00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:46.439
 and stiff

00:13:46.439 --> 00:13:47.000
 until we

00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:48.100
 find and

00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:49.240
 follow our

00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:50.159
 true purpose,

00:13:50.439 --> 00:13:51.039
 until we

00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:52.480
 listen and

00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:53.299
 follow our

00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:53.799
 hearts,

00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:54.639
 our passions,

00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:56.019
 our happiness

00:13:56.019 --> 00:13:56.939
 above all

00:13:56.939 --> 00:13:57.159
 else.

00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:57.559
 That's the

00:13:57.559 --> 00:13:58.179
 way to

00:13:58.179 --> 00:13:58.419
 be a

00:13:58.419 --> 00:13:58.979
 true person.

00:14:00.839 --> 00:14:01.459
 But this

00:14:01.459 --> 00:14:01.699
 is a

00:14:01.699 --> 00:14:02.639
 terribly hard

00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:03.219
 thing to

00:14:03.219 --> 00:14:04.639
 push back

00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:04.979
 against,

00:14:05.099 --> 00:14:05.620
 to resist,

00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:06.159
 because that

00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:06.759
 is ultimately,

00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:07.719
 I think,

00:14:07.779 --> 00:14:08.059
 what we're

00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:08.500
 called to

00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:08.699
 do,

00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:09.000
 is to

00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:09.379
 resist

00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:09.839
 Babylon,

00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:10.459
 to resist

00:14:10.459 --> 00:14:10.959
 the spirit

00:14:10.959 --> 00:14:11.219
 of the

00:14:11.219 --> 00:14:11.500
 age.

00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:18.000
 we are

00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:19.320
 people that

00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:20.860
 dwell in

00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:21.220
 Babylon.

00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:22.600
 We breathe

00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:23.059
 its air,

00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:23.919
 we eat

00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:24.399
 its food,

00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:25.860
 we work

00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:26.759
 in its

00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:27.120
 government,

00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:30.220
 we participate

00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:31.059
 in its

00:14:31.059 --> 00:14:32.720
 leisure

00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:33.419
 activities,

00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:34.379
 we watch

00:14:34.379 --> 00:14:34.980
 its movies,

00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:37.379
 everything about

00:14:37.379 --> 00:14:38.679
 it we find

00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:39.240
 ourselves in.

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.560
 it is the

00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:41.399
 very air we

00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:41.820
 breathe,

00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:42.879
 as Glenn

00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:43.440
 Scrivener

00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:43.899
 puts it.

00:14:44.379 --> 00:14:45.980
 We read his

00:14:45.980 --> 00:14:46.740
 book a couple

00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:47.299
 years ago,

00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:47.940
 a wonderful

00:14:47.940 --> 00:14:48.299
 book,

00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:48.820
 worth your

00:14:48.820 --> 00:14:49.419
 time to

00:14:49.419 --> 00:14:50.000
 reread or

00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:50.340
 read for

00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:50.680
 the first

00:14:50.680 --> 00:14:51.000
 time.

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:53.360
 So it's

00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:53.879
 very difficult

00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:54.879
 to resist,

00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:55.379
 is it not?

00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:56.659
 It's not

00:14:56.659 --> 00:14:58.600
 simply as

00:14:58.600 --> 00:14:59.200
 easy as just

00:14:59.200 --> 00:14:59.360
 saying,

00:14:59.440 --> 00:14:59.519
 hey,

00:14:59.560 --> 00:14:59.720
 listen,

00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:00.060
 guys,

00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:01.139
 try not to

00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:01.960
 be Babylonian.

00:15:03.060 --> 00:15:03.620
 Resist the

00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:04.120
 spirit of the

00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:04.419
 age.

00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:05.799
 We are

00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:06.919
 tempted at

00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:07.659
 every turn.

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:10.259
 Again,

00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:11.079
 notice verse

00:15:11.079 --> 00:15:11.419
 four,

00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:12.919
 why they're

00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:14.399
 calling the

00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:15.079
 land that

00:15:15.079 --> 00:15:15.620
 they're in a

00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:16.299
 foreign land.

00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:18.219
 It is not

00:15:18.219 --> 00:15:19.000
 just because it

00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:20.120
 is geographically

00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:20.839
 far from

00:15:20.839 --> 00:15:21.240
 Jerusalem,

00:15:21.539 --> 00:15:22.399
 from who

00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:23.259
 God is,

00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:24.439
 but it's

00:15:24.439 --> 00:15:28.360
 being

00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:29.259
 spiritually

00:15:29.259 --> 00:15:30.860
 exiled.

00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:32.360
 Once again,

00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:33.059
 Israel has

00:15:33.059 --> 00:15:33.740
 found itself

00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:34.299
 in exile.

00:15:34.539 --> 00:15:34.839
 It's not

00:15:34.839 --> 00:15:35.199
 the first

00:15:35.199 --> 00:15:35.539
 time.

00:15:36.059 --> 00:15:36.319
 And they

00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:36.779
 are tempted

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:37.319
 to forget

00:15:37.319 --> 00:15:37.719
 the one

00:15:37.719 --> 00:15:38.240
 true God.

00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:39.039
 So when we

00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:39.599
 try to think

00:15:39.599 --> 00:15:40.620
 about how

00:15:40.620 --> 00:15:41.360
 to resist

00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:41.959
 Babylon,

00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:43.500
 it's not

00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:44.819
 simply to

00:15:44.819 --> 00:15:45.620
 turn away

00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:46.860
 from the

00:15:46.860 --> 00:15:47.500
 spirit of

00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:47.719
 the age,

00:15:47.779 --> 00:15:48.099
 but turn

00:15:48.099 --> 00:15:48.679
 towards

00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:49.279
 something,

00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.399
 or in

00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:50.779
 this case,

00:15:50.839 --> 00:15:51.319
 to someone.

00:15:51.779 --> 00:15:52.079
 And this

00:15:52.079 --> 00:15:52.379
 brings us

00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:52.620
 to our

00:15:52.620 --> 00:15:53.139
 second point,

00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:54.819
 that we

00:15:54.819 --> 00:15:55.179
 can't just

00:15:55.179 --> 00:15:56.419
 resist Babylon,

00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:56.979
 but we need

00:15:56.979 --> 00:15:57.539
 to remember

00:15:57.539 --> 00:15:58.139
 Jerusalem.

00:15:58.899 --> 00:15:59.419
 Look with

00:15:59.419 --> 00:15:59.639
 me at

00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:00.559
 verses five

00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:01.659
 and six.

00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:02.659
 verse five

00:16:01.779 --> 00:16:04.679
 if I forget

00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:05.000
 you,

00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:05.679
 oh Jerusalem,

00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:06.179
 let my

00:16:06.179 --> 00:16:06.799
 right hand

00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:07.319
 forget its

00:16:07.319 --> 00:16:07.639
 skill.

00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:08.939
 Let my

00:16:08.939 --> 00:16:09.579
 tongue stick

00:16:09.579 --> 00:16:10.179
 to the roof

00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:11.039
 of my mouth

00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:11.980
 if I do

00:16:11.980 --> 00:16:12.659
 not remember

00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:12.959
 you,

00:16:13.459 --> 00:16:14.100
 if I do

00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:14.559
 not set

00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:15.079
 Jerusalem

00:16:15.079 --> 00:16:16.120
 above my

00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:17.279
 highest joy.

00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:19.959
 what exactly

00:16:19.959 --> 00:16:21.159
 is Jerusalem?

00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:23.299
 If you've

00:16:23.299 --> 00:16:23.620
 ever been

00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:23.860
 there,

00:16:23.939 --> 00:16:24.339
 it's a

00:16:24.339 --> 00:16:24.759
 pretty cool

00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:25.059
 city,

00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:25.899
 but it's

00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:26.240
 a city.

00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:27.439
 It's actually

00:16:27.439 --> 00:16:29.039
 a bit dirty

00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:29.579
 actually,

00:16:29.740 --> 00:16:31.600
 to come to

00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:31.939
 think of it.

00:16:32.059 --> 00:16:32.679
 It's full of

00:16:32.679 --> 00:16:33.419
 feral cats,

00:16:33.860 --> 00:16:34.299
 like at night

00:16:34.299 --> 00:16:34.740
 you just hear

00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:35.600
 screeching the

00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:36.079
 whole time.

00:16:37.259 --> 00:16:37.559
 Nevertheless,

00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:38.559
 it is a

00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:39.159
 wonderful city,

00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:40.120
 it's a cool

00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:41.039
 place to walk

00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:41.339
 through,

00:16:41.740 --> 00:16:42.459
 the old city

00:16:42.459 --> 00:16:43.319
 to take in

00:16:43.319 --> 00:16:44.220
 potentially the

00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:45.279
 very places

00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:45.740
 where Jesus

00:16:45.740 --> 00:16:46.600
 himself walked.

00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:47.899
 to see

00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:48.439
 where the

00:16:48.439 --> 00:16:49.220
 temple once

00:16:49.220 --> 00:16:49.519
 stood.

00:16:51.379 --> 00:16:52.339
 But if

00:16:52.339 --> 00:16:52.779
 Babylon

00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:53.720
 represents

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:54.659
 the spirit

00:16:54.659 --> 00:16:54.939
 of the

00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:55.259
 age

00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:56.259
 throughout

00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:56.919
 all time,

00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.299
 then Jerusalem

00:16:58.299 --> 00:16:59.120
 must represent

00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.120
 something else

00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:00.679
 as well.

00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:01.759
 It must be

00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:02.259
 bigger than

00:17:02.259 --> 00:17:02.919
 just the one

00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:03.279
 city,

00:17:03.839 --> 00:17:04.240
 the holy

00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:05.720
 city of

00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:06.160
 Jerusalem

00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:07.379
 in modern

00:17:07.379 --> 00:17:07.960
 day Israel.

00:17:09.399 --> 00:17:10.079
 You see,

00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:10.700
 Jerusalem

00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:11.379
 represents

00:17:11.379 --> 00:17:12.940
 the very

00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:13.660
 presence of

00:17:13.660 --> 00:17:13.940
 God.

00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:15.720
 God has

00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:16.259
 made his

00:17:16.259 --> 00:17:16.619
 dwelling

00:17:16.619 --> 00:17:18.699
 in Jerusalem

00:17:18.699 --> 00:17:19.639
 to be with

00:17:19.639 --> 00:17:20.199
 his people.

00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:21.219
 He will be

00:17:21.219 --> 00:17:21.719
 their God,

00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:22.299
 they will be

00:17:22.299 --> 00:17:22.859
 his people.

00:17:24.579 --> 00:17:24.939
 So,

00:17:25.179 --> 00:17:26.119
 it's important

00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:26.439
 that we

00:17:26.439 --> 00:17:27.859
 remember that

00:17:27.859 --> 00:17:28.339
 Jerusalem,

00:17:28.739 --> 00:17:28.919
 again,

00:17:29.099 --> 00:17:29.819
 represents his

00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:30.579
 very presence,

00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.059
 but God is

00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:33.119
 not subject

00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:33.879
 to a specific

00:17:33.879 --> 00:17:34.459
 locale,

00:17:34.719 --> 00:17:34.979
 okay?

00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:36.259
 It's not like

00:17:36.259 --> 00:17:37.059
 he lives in

00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:38.139
 a place and

00:17:38.139 --> 00:17:38.519
 he has to

00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:39.039
 jump on a

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:39.500
 plane to

00:17:39.500 --> 00:17:39.819
 go to

00:17:39.819 --> 00:17:40.039
 another

00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:40.459
 place.

00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:41.699
 God has

00:17:41.699 --> 00:17:41.879
 made

00:17:41.879 --> 00:17:42.579
 everything and

00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:42.819
 he is

00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:43.259
 everywhere.

00:17:43.259 --> 00:17:44.700
 So,

00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:45.160
 without

00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:46.019
 diminishing

00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:46.779
 the place

00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:47.220
 of the

00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:47.779
 actual city

00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:48.200
 of Jerusalem,

00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:49.180
 it's still

00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:49.599
 a wonderful

00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:50.000
 city.

00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:50.740
 I think it's

00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:51.339
 precious in

00:17:51.339 --> 00:17:52.019
 God's eyes

00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:53.240
 and it's

00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:53.660
 worth our

00:17:53.660 --> 00:17:54.279
 prayers to

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:54.660
 pray for

00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:55.180
 its peace.

00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:56.720
 Nevertheless,

00:17:57.819 --> 00:17:58.940
 Psalm 137,

00:17:59.140 --> 00:17:59.500
 and I would

00:17:59.500 --> 00:17:59.960
 say throughout

00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:00.400
 the rest of

00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:00.720
 scripture,

00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:02.220
 Jerusalem is

00:18:02.220 --> 00:18:02.779
 this picture

00:18:02.779 --> 00:18:03.460
 of God

00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:04.519
 dwelling amongst

00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:05.140
 his people.

00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:06.720
 It's a

00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.319
 heavenly city,

00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:08.440
 the place

00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:09.000
 where God

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:11.079
 himself is.

00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:12.460
 therefore,

00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:13.960
 we have to

00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:14.659
 understand

00:18:14.659 --> 00:18:16.859
 that

00:18:16.859 --> 00:18:19.399
 the city

00:18:19.399 --> 00:18:19.899
 of Jerusalem,

00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:20.399
 this heavenly

00:18:20.399 --> 00:18:20.679
 city,

00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:21.199
 will always

00:18:21.199 --> 00:18:21.679
 be pitted

00:18:21.679 --> 00:18:22.339
 against

00:18:22.339 --> 00:18:23.379
 Babylon,

00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:25.359
 the city

00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:25.939
 of this

00:18:25.939 --> 00:18:26.279
 world.

00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.399
 And this

00:18:28.399 --> 00:18:28.740
 is the way

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.539
 we resist

00:18:29.539 --> 00:18:29.939
 Babylon,

00:18:30.059 --> 00:18:30.659
 by remembering

00:18:30.659 --> 00:18:31.039
 Jerusalem.

00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:31.460
 How do we

00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:31.859
 do this?

00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.000
 Well,

00:18:33.460 --> 00:18:34.000
 at the very

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:34.399
 least,

00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:35.579
 we,

00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:36.099
 of course,

00:18:36.199 --> 00:18:36.519
 turn our

00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:38.179
 gaze away

00:18:38.179 --> 00:18:39.119
 from Babylon,

00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:40.220
 but it

00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:40.980
 also is a

00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:41.339
 call to

00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:42.680
 embrace the

00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:43.279
 Lord with

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:43.880
 a posture

00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:44.880
 that is

00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:46.120
 resolved to

00:18:46.120 --> 00:18:47.120
 put our

00:18:47.120 --> 00:18:48.059
 devotion

00:18:48.059 --> 00:18:49.480
 towards him,

00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:51.440
 to find our

00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.279
 ultimate purpose

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:53.039
 and joy in

00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:53.259
 him.

00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:54.160
 Again,

00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:54.720
 if the spirit

00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:55.180
 of the age

00:18:55.180 --> 00:18:55.759
 says that we

00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:56.480
 can be

00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:57.579
 defined by

00:18:57.579 --> 00:18:58.460
 our own

00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.779
 doing,

00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:00.440
 that we can

00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:00.980
 sit on our

00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:01.720
 own throne,

00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:02.880
 the opposite

00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.279
 would be to

00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:04.779
 let God

00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:05.740
 himself define

00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:06.900
 us and to

00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:07.519
 worship him

00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:08.579
 at the

00:19:08.579 --> 00:19:09.440
 exclusion of

00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:10.059
 all others.

00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:12.559
 what I don't

00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:13.100
 think this is,

00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:13.799
 it's not a

00:19:13.799 --> 00:19:14.539
 call to find

00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:15.940
 joy only in

00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:17.180
 God so that

00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:18.140
 we don't

00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:19.480
 enjoy the

00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:20.079
 goodness of

00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:20.579
 this life,

00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:21.259
 but rather

00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:22.279
 that we find

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:22.980
 our highest

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:23.980
 joy exclusively

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:24.500
 in him.

00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.420
 We see this

00:19:26.420 --> 00:19:27.420
 precisely in

00:19:27.420 --> 00:19:27.940
 verse 6.

00:19:28.600 --> 00:19:29.160
 If I do not

00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:29.920
 set Jerusalem

00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:31.180
 above my

00:19:31.180 --> 00:19:32.440
 highest joy.

00:19:35.380 --> 00:19:36.759
 But here's a

00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:37.500
 wonderful thing

00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.539
 to consider.

00:19:38.539 --> 00:19:38.619
 joy.

00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:40.920
 This is an

00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:41.539
 act of faith.

00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:42.980
 For the

00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:43.519
 very reasons

00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:44.339
 I mentioned

00:19:44.339 --> 00:19:45.019
 before about

00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:46.079
 the draw and

00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.119
 the pull of

00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:48.220
 Babylon towards

00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:48.539
 us.

00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:50.599
 It's an act of

00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:51.240
 faith to believe

00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:52.680
 that actual joy

00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.319
 can be found

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:53.920
 in God.

00:19:54.639 --> 00:19:55.920
 Joy found in

00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:56.500
 submitting,

00:19:57.379 --> 00:19:57.639
 okay,

00:19:57.799 --> 00:19:58.379
 submitting

00:19:58.379 --> 00:20:01.799
 to God.

00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:03.440
 We don't like

00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:03.920
 this word.

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:07.320
 trusting that

00:20:07.320 --> 00:20:08.200
 God is who

00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:08.820
 he says he

00:20:08.820 --> 00:20:10.320
 is and that

00:20:10.320 --> 00:20:10.880
 he calls us

00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:11.460
 to live in a

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:12.120
 certain way,

00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:13.240
 trusting in

00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:15.180
 him that we

00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:16.060
 are not the

00:20:16.060 --> 00:20:18.039
 sun upon which

00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:18.920
 everything orbits,

00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:20.400
 but that he is

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.440
 and we orbit

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.060
 around him.

00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:23.860
 It requires

00:20:23.860 --> 00:20:25.240
 faith to believe

00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:26.060
 that there is

00:20:26.060 --> 00:20:27.800
 incredible joy in

00:20:27.800 --> 00:20:28.759
 Jesus' words when

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.240
 he says,

00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:30.539
 if you would

00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:31.000
 lose your

00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:32.539
 life for my

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:33.160
 sake and the

00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:33.660
 gospels,

00:20:33.740 --> 00:20:34.259
 you will gain

00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:34.500
 it.

00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:36.099
 If you don't

00:20:36.099 --> 00:20:36.859
 hate even your

00:20:36.859 --> 00:20:37.500
 own life,

00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:38.420
 you are unworthy

00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:39.880
 to follow me.

00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:43.220
 You are to

00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:43.700
 love the Lord

00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:44.299
 your God with

00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:44.859
 all your heart,

00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:45.299
 soul,

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:45.819
 mind,

00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:46.440
 and strength

00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:46.960
 and love your

00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:48.660
 neighbors as

00:20:48.660 --> 00:20:49.200
 yourself.

00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:50.519
 Which is to

00:20:50.519 --> 00:20:51.559
 say that

00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:52.920
 your priorities

00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:53.640
 are shifted

00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:54.400
 away from

00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:55.160
 you and

00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:56.019
 towards God

00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:56.640
 and others.

00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.500
 It takes

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:58.060
 faith to

00:20:58.060 --> 00:20:58.520
 trust in

00:20:58.520 --> 00:21:00.200
 these words,

00:21:00.280 --> 00:21:00.720
 to believe

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:01.300
 them as

00:21:01.300 --> 00:21:02.000
 joy-filled

00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:02.500
 words.

00:21:04.060 --> 00:21:04.400
 You see,

00:21:04.580 --> 00:21:05.000
 the heavenly

00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:05.460
 city,

00:21:06.040 --> 00:21:06.360
 Jerusalem,

00:21:06.560 --> 00:21:07.100
 is always

00:21:07.100 --> 00:21:07.480
 going to be

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.640
 an upside-down

00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:09.200
 city from

00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.740
 the perspective

00:21:09.740 --> 00:21:10.280
 of Babylon.

00:21:11.120 --> 00:21:11.900
 Lose your

00:21:11.900 --> 00:21:13.520
 life for

00:21:13.520 --> 00:21:14.040
 God and

00:21:14.040 --> 00:21:14.580
 for others.

00:21:15.860 --> 00:21:16.660
 Don't make

00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:17.220
 your career

00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:17.840
 your highest

00:21:17.840 --> 00:21:18.259
 joy.

00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.800
 Don't make

00:21:20.800 --> 00:21:21.800
 earning

00:21:21.800 --> 00:21:23.040
 potential

00:21:23.040 --> 00:21:24.100
 your chief

00:21:24.100 --> 00:21:24.600
 end.

00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:27.279
 don't be

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:28.240
 defined by

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:29.199
 your home

00:21:29.199 --> 00:21:29.539
 or your

00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:30.419
 social circles.

00:21:31.439 --> 00:21:32.000
 Don't

00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:32.259
 worship

00:21:32.259 --> 00:21:32.679
 youth.

00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:34.879
 Be

00:21:34.879 --> 00:21:35.439
 committed to

00:21:35.439 --> 00:21:35.980
 your spouse

00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:36.599
 even if

00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:37.119
 you are in

00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:37.759
 a season

00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.199
 of

00:21:38.199 --> 00:21:39.179
 unhappiness.

00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.339
 Have a

00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:42.959
 public faith,

00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:43.500
 not just a

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:44.099
 private one.

00:21:45.199 --> 00:21:45.740
 Devote your

00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:46.219
 life to

00:21:46.219 --> 00:21:46.939
 serving others.

00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:47.419
 Is this

00:21:47.419 --> 00:21:49.419
 really what

00:21:49.419 --> 00:21:50.279
 we are being

00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:50.879
 called to?

00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.719
 That our

00:21:52.719 --> 00:21:53.619
 happiness isn't

00:21:53.619 --> 00:21:54.159
 the ultimate

00:21:54.159 --> 00:21:54.599
 end?

00:21:56.719 --> 00:21:57.479
 You start

00:21:57.479 --> 00:21:58.119
 to see that

00:21:58.119 --> 00:21:59.079
 for a

00:21:59.079 --> 00:21:59.439
 culture,

00:21:59.599 --> 00:21:59.959
 for an

00:21:59.959 --> 00:22:00.699
 age that

00:22:00.699 --> 00:22:01.319
 is obsessed

00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:01.799
 with the

00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:02.179
 self,

00:22:03.639 --> 00:22:04.399
 the call

00:22:04.399 --> 00:22:04.719
 to be

00:22:04.719 --> 00:22:05.839
 citizens of

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.500
 Jerusalem,

00:22:07.139 --> 00:22:07.699
 to trust

00:22:07.699 --> 00:22:08.039
 in the

00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:08.359
 Lord,

00:22:08.719 --> 00:22:09.019
 to have

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:09.539
 faith that

00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:10.159
 his ways

00:22:10.159 --> 00:22:10.779
 are truly

00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:11.539
 joy-filled

00:22:11.539 --> 00:22:12.439
 seem

00:22:12.439 --> 00:22:13.899
 completely

00:22:13.899 --> 00:22:15.199
 upside-down.

00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:22.720
 Babylon will

00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:23.799
 always resist

00:22:23.799 --> 00:22:24.539
 Jerusalem,

00:22:25.539 --> 00:22:28.240
 so the

00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:28.640
 call is

00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:29.200
 always to

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:29.559
 remember

00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:29.819
 her.

00:22:32.360 --> 00:22:32.759
 Babylon

00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:33.740
 will always

00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:35.660
 try to

00:22:35.660 --> 00:22:35.940
 resist

00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:36.340
 Jerusalem

00:22:36.340 --> 00:22:36.559
 with

00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:36.980
 cruelty,

00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:38.620
 showing no

00:22:38.620 --> 00:22:38.960
 quarter.

00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.259
 Therefore,

00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:41.680
 we must

00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.319
 pray and

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:42.900
 have assurance

00:22:42.900 --> 00:22:43.460
 that Babylon

00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:44.180
 will not

00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:44.660
 endure.

00:22:45.620 --> 00:22:46.140
 Because if

00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:46.539
 it will

00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:47.019
 endure,

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.279
 if the

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:48.620
 spirit of

00:22:48.620 --> 00:22:48.960
 the age

00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:49.980
 will persist

00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:50.799
 for all

00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:51.240
 time,

00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:52.480
 then where

00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:52.840
 is the

00:22:52.840 --> 00:22:53.140
 hope?

00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:56.600
 It's a

00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:57.100
 good question.

00:22:57.900 --> 00:22:58.539
 Let's get

00:22:58.539 --> 00:22:58.920
 to our

00:22:58.920 --> 00:22:59.460
 third and

00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:00.180
 final point,

00:23:00.740 --> 00:23:01.380
 verses 7

00:23:01.380 --> 00:23:01.940
 to 9.

00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.220
 And this

00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:02.600
 is the

00:23:02.600 --> 00:23:03.360
 very difficult

00:23:03.360 --> 00:23:04.900
 section in

00:23:04.900 --> 00:23:05.460
 our text

00:23:05.460 --> 00:23:05.940
 this morning.

00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:07.240
 Verses

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:07.860
 7 to 9.

00:23:09.059 --> 00:23:09.500
 Remember,

00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.140
 O Lord,

00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:10.779
 against the

00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:11.340
 Edomites,

00:23:11.339 --> 00:23:12.720
 the

00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:13.079
 Edomites,

00:23:13.199 --> 00:23:13.399
 by the

00:23:13.399 --> 00:23:13.639
 way,

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.639
 are the

00:23:14.639 --> 00:23:16.519
 ethnic

00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:17.439
 offspring of

00:23:17.439 --> 00:23:17.879
 Esau.

00:23:18.879 --> 00:23:19.899
 If you

00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:20.379
 know the

00:23:20.379 --> 00:23:20.839
 scriptures at

00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:21.059
 all,

00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:22.099
 Jacob and

00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:22.779
 Esau were

00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:23.459
 brothers.

00:23:24.179 --> 00:23:24.399
 These are

00:23:24.399 --> 00:23:24.919
 the

00:23:24.919 --> 00:23:31.519
 Edomites

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:31.919
 come from

00:23:31.919 --> 00:23:32.199
 Esau.

00:23:32.879 --> 00:23:33.299
 Remember,

00:23:33.539 --> 00:23:33.740
 O Lord,

00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:34.199
 against the

00:23:34.199 --> 00:23:34.639
 Edomites,

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:36.199
 the day of

00:23:36.199 --> 00:23:36.619
 Jerusalem,

00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:37.000
 how they

00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:37.240
 said,

00:23:37.500 --> 00:23:37.859
 lay it

00:23:37.859 --> 00:23:38.220
 bare,

00:23:38.939 --> 00:23:39.559
 lay it

00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:39.799
 bare,

00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:40.459
 down to

00:23:40.460 --> 00:23:40.660
 its

00:23:40.660 --> 00:23:41.299
 foundations.

00:23:42.340 --> 00:23:42.480
 O

00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:43.079
 daughter of

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:43.440
 Babylon,

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.120
 doomed to

00:23:44.120 --> 00:23:44.799
 be destroyed,

00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:45.620
 blessed shall

00:23:45.620 --> 00:23:46.160
 he be who

00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:46.779
 repays you

00:23:46.779 --> 00:23:47.620
 with what

00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:47.840
 you have

00:23:47.840 --> 00:23:48.240
 done to

00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:48.559
 us.

00:23:49.579 --> 00:23:49.840
 Blessed

00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:50.380
 shall he

00:23:50.380 --> 00:23:50.740
 be who

00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:51.200
 takes your

00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:51.720
 little ones

00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:52.420
 and dashes

00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:53.039
 them against

00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:54.440
 the rock.

00:23:57.340 --> 00:23:57.840
 St.

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.360
 Augustine

00:23:58.360 --> 00:23:59.500
 doesn't even

00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:00.340
 bother dealing

00:24:00.340 --> 00:24:01.900
 with how

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.720
 crazy this is.

00:24:02.759 --> 00:24:03.420
 He allegorizes

00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:03.720
 the whole

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:03.940
 thing,

00:24:04.059 --> 00:24:04.420
 and I'm

00:24:04.420 --> 00:24:04.880
 very tempted

00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.160
 to do

00:24:05.160 --> 00:24:05.579
 the same,

00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.120
 except that

00:24:07.120 --> 00:24:07.940
 it actually

00:24:07.940 --> 00:24:08.420
 happened,

00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:10.200
 according to

00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:10.440
 scripture.

00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:10.980
 It actually

00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:11.400
 happened.

00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:12.920
 And therefore,

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:13.560
 even though

00:24:13.560 --> 00:24:14.000
 these are some

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.320
 of the most

00:24:14.320 --> 00:24:15.039
 shocking verses

00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:15.660
 in all of

00:24:15.660 --> 00:24:15.980
 scripture,

00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:17.920
 they're very

00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:18.680
 hard to

00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:18.980
 read,

00:24:19.100 --> 00:24:19.580
 they're hard

00:24:19.580 --> 00:24:20.100
 to stomach,

00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:20.759
 let's walk

00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:21.480
 towards them

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.060
 together and

00:24:22.060 --> 00:24:22.580
 see what the

00:24:22.580 --> 00:24:22.900
 Lord would

00:24:22.900 --> 00:24:23.539
 speak to us

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:25.120
 about through

00:24:25.120 --> 00:24:27.539
 them today.

00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:31.519
 So let's

00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:31.940
 take a look

00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:32.900
 for a moment

00:24:32.900 --> 00:24:33.220
 and look at

00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:33.740
 the brutality

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:34.300
 of Babylon

00:24:34.300 --> 00:24:34.860
 and the

00:24:34.860 --> 00:24:35.519
 betrayal of

00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:35.759
 Edom.

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:37.480
 To truly

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.420
 understand what

00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:39.259
 has been said

00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:40.140
 and to

00:24:40.140 --> 00:24:40.900
 understand the

00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:41.839
 background here,

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.379
 we have to

00:24:43.379 --> 00:24:44.619
 understand the

00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:45.559
 context of

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:46.119
 the exile.

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:47.640
 Babylon,

00:24:48.180 --> 00:24:49.339
 like Assyria

00:24:49.339 --> 00:24:50.140
 before them,

00:24:50.379 --> 00:24:51.059
 conquered with

00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:51.740
 such cruelty

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:54.059
 that it would

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:55.379
 be something

00:24:55.379 --> 00:24:56.519
 akin to what

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:57.640
 you might

00:24:57.640 --> 00:24:59.440
 remember happened

00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:00.839
 with ISIS a

00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:01.500
 few years back

00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:02.379
 or like I've

00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:03.039
 referenced already

00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:03.779
 what happened

00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:05.180
 in October 7th.

00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:06.279
 horrendous,

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:06.799
 hideous

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.100
 barbarism.

00:25:09.100 --> 00:25:09.900
 This was

00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:11.400
 what they did,

00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:12.100
 this is how

00:25:12.100 --> 00:25:12.920
 they operated.

00:25:14.080 --> 00:25:14.580
 There's no

00:25:14.580 --> 00:25:15.380
 distinction between

00:25:15.380 --> 00:25:16.720
 soldier or

00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:18.440
 child, a

00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:19.000
 baby, a

00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:19.539
 woman, even

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:19.940
 a pregnant

00:25:19.940 --> 00:25:20.240
 woman.

00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:22.360
 The Babylonians

00:25:22.360 --> 00:25:22.779
 took great

00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:23.560
 pleasure in

00:25:23.560 --> 00:25:24.380
 inciting utter

00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:25.720
 torment and

00:25:25.720 --> 00:25:26.519
 fear in how

00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:27.220
 they went about

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:27.840
 systematically

00:25:27.840 --> 00:25:28.299
 killing.

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.259
 Read through

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:31.180
 the later

00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:31.880
 part of

00:25:31.880 --> 00:25:33.900
 2 Kings if

00:25:33.900 --> 00:25:34.519
 you want a

00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.220
 more graphic

00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:35.960
 detail of

00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:36.380
 what happened.

00:25:36.519 --> 00:25:37.220
 It's really

00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:37.960
 horrendous and

00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:38.620
 that's all I'll

00:25:38.620 --> 00:25:39.160
 say about it.

00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:41.820
 They captured,

00:25:41.880 --> 00:25:42.320
 like I mentioned

00:25:42.320 --> 00:25:42.800
 before, they

00:25:42.800 --> 00:25:43.740
 captured Jerusalem's

00:25:43.740 --> 00:25:44.720
 best, raised the

00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:45.480
 walls, destroyed

00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.820
 the temple, left

00:25:46.820 --> 00:25:47.720
 the survivors in

00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:48.540
 utter dismay.

00:25:49.280 --> 00:25:50.180
 If genocide is

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:51.019
 defined as a

00:25:51.019 --> 00:25:51.420
 systematic

00:25:51.420 --> 00:25:52.680
 killing and

00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:53.580
 erasure of a

00:25:53.580 --> 00:25:54.100
 people and

00:25:54.100 --> 00:25:55.140
 their culture and

00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:55.880
 way of life, the

00:25:55.880 --> 00:25:57.480
 Babylonians were

00:25:57.480 --> 00:25:58.180
 guilty of trying.

00:25:58.180 --> 00:26:01.740
 And while this

00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:02.320
 was happening,

00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:03.320
 Israel's neighbor

00:26:03.320 --> 00:26:04.100
 and ethnic

00:26:04.100 --> 00:26:04.940
 kin, the

00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:06.320
 Edomites, not

00:26:06.320 --> 00:26:06.940
 only stood

00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:07.900
 idly by, they

00:26:07.900 --> 00:26:08.560
 did not come to

00:26:08.560 --> 00:26:08.900
 help their

00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:10.320
 brothers, but

00:26:10.320 --> 00:26:10.740
 they even

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.700
 cheered on the

00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:12.580
 Babylonians as

00:26:12.580 --> 00:26:13.660
 they ravaged and

00:26:13.660 --> 00:26:14.240
 slaughtered.

00:26:14.519 --> 00:26:15.220
 I mean, right

00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:16.160
 here, lay it

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:16.860
 bare, lay it

00:26:16.860 --> 00:26:17.600
 bare down to its

00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:18.100
 foundations.

00:26:18.940 --> 00:26:19.500
 It is saying,

00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:20.220
 strip them

00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:22.240
 naked and

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:23.560
 utterly humiliate

00:26:23.560 --> 00:26:23.740
 them.

00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:24.279
 Don't just

00:26:24.279 --> 00:26:24.799
 destroy them,

00:26:24.860 --> 00:26:25.320
 don't just kill

00:26:25.320 --> 00:26:26.620
 them, humiliate

00:26:26.620 --> 00:26:27.200
 them completely.

00:26:28.180 --> 00:26:32.180
 So what we

00:26:32.180 --> 00:26:32.759
 see in verses

00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:36.660
 7 to 9, as

00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:38.140
 graphic and

00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:39.580
 as intense as

00:26:39.580 --> 00:26:41.320
 it is, and

00:26:41.320 --> 00:26:41.980
 it certainly is

00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:43.360
 that, ultimately

00:26:43.360 --> 00:26:44.680
 it's a request

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.299
 for justice.

00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:46.519
 It's a cry for

00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:46.880
 justice.

00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:47.920
 It's an

00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:49.019
 imploring of

00:26:49.019 --> 00:26:50.560
 God to be

00:26:50.560 --> 00:26:51.480
 just, to be

00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.519
 who he is.

00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:55.200
 God, act

00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:55.740
 justly.

00:26:56.940 --> 00:26:57.519
 And it's a

00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:58.160
 call for the

00:26:58.180 --> 00:26:59.180
 punishment to

00:26:59.180 --> 00:26:59.500
 fit the

00:26:59.500 --> 00:26:59.799
 crime.

00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:03.240
 Listen, we

00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:05.080
 are near

00:27:05.080 --> 00:27:06.759
 100 years of

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:08.460
 post-World War

00:27:08.460 --> 00:27:08.680
 II.

00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:10.880
 All of us have

00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:11.759
 grown up with

00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:12.220
 the Geneva

00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:12.759
 Convention.

00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:14.560
 If there's war

00:27:14.560 --> 00:27:16.120
 crimes, we can

00:27:16.120 --> 00:27:16.840
 argue about how

00:27:16.840 --> 00:27:17.400
 effective it is

00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:17.960
 later on, but

00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:18.299
 there's the

00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:18.560
 hag.

00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:19.820
 There's an

00:27:19.820 --> 00:27:20.220
 international

00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:20.700
 court.

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:22.880
 If war crimes

00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.340
 are committed,

00:27:23.539 --> 00:27:23.940
 we can,

00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:24.940
 hopefully, at

00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:25.900
 least, accuse

00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:26.539
 people of war

00:27:26.539 --> 00:27:27.000
 crimes, but

00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:27.759
 hopefully hold

00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:28.000
 them to

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.339
 account.

00:27:28.779 --> 00:27:29.180
 None of

00:27:29.180 --> 00:27:29.779
 that existed

00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:30.400
 back then.

00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:30.740
 There were

00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:31.599
 no rules of

00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:32.640
 warfare.

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.480
 The Babylonians

00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:37.119
 weren't governed

00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:37.839
 by an agreed

00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:38.960
 upon set of

00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:39.460
 rules.

00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:42.160
 Nevertheless,

00:27:43.160 --> 00:27:44.779
 justice had

00:27:44.779 --> 00:27:45.420
 to be

00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.039
 executed.

00:27:46.039 --> 00:27:46.099
 violated.

00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:48.480
 So what we

00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:49.180
 see here is

00:27:49.180 --> 00:27:50.480
 something called

00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:53.339
 the law of

00:27:53.339 --> 00:27:54.119
 retaliation.

00:27:55.079 --> 00:27:55.240
 Okay?

00:27:55.579 --> 00:27:56.680
 So instead of

00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:58.099
 in the ancient

00:27:58.099 --> 00:27:59.240
 world, if you

00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:00.279
 were wronged,

00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:02.399
 and then, you

00:28:02.399 --> 00:28:02.920
 know, as

00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:04.099
 vengeance would

00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:04.659
 have it, I

00:28:04.659 --> 00:28:05.259
 would then kill

00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:05.759
 your entire

00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:06.259
 tribe.

00:28:06.839 --> 00:28:07.839
 No, the law of

00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:08.500
 retaliation would

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.159
 say, hold on a

00:28:09.159 --> 00:28:09.819
 second, an eye for

00:28:09.819 --> 00:28:10.139
 an eye.

00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:10.740
 Okay?

00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:11.399
 A tooth for a

00:28:11.399 --> 00:28:11.599
 tooth.

00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:12.659
 It was a way

00:28:12.659 --> 00:28:14.500
 to punish, to

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.319
 suppress evil,

00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:17.419
 without it

00:28:17.419 --> 00:28:18.879
 spilling over

00:28:18.879 --> 00:28:20.039
 into decades and

00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:20.679
 generations of

00:28:20.679 --> 00:28:21.019
 warfare.

00:28:21.719 --> 00:28:22.719
 This is what the

00:28:22.719 --> 00:28:23.379
 Israelites are

00:28:23.379 --> 00:28:23.980
 calling for.

00:28:24.159 --> 00:28:24.299
 Okay?

00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.839
 We see this,

00:28:25.939 --> 00:28:26.839
 again, in the

00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:27.359
 first part of

00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:27.799
 verse 6.

00:28:28.459 --> 00:28:28.980
 Sorry, the

00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:29.799
 first part of

00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:30.240
 verse 7.

00:28:31.459 --> 00:28:32.379
 Down in verse

00:28:32.379 --> 00:28:32.659
 8.

00:28:32.879 --> 00:28:33.219
 Apologies.

00:28:33.220 --> 00:28:36.039
 O daughter of

00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:36.680
 Babylon, doomed

00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:37.220
 to be destroyed,

00:28:37.360 --> 00:28:38.000
 blessed shall he

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:39.019
 be who repays

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:40.839
 you, okay, repays

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.600
 you with what you

00:28:41.600 --> 00:28:42.380
 have done to us.

00:28:43.120 --> 00:28:43.819
 This is exactly

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:44.740
 what the Babylonians

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.039
 did.

00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:46.000
 So what the

00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:46.539
 Israelites are

00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:47.140
 calling for is

00:28:47.140 --> 00:28:47.600
 justice.

00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:50.400
 But that doesn't

00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:51.220
 take the edge off

00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:51.759
 of this verse,

00:28:51.819 --> 00:28:52.240
 does it?

00:28:52.860 --> 00:28:53.120
 Okay?

00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:53.759
 It's still very

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.480
 hard to stomach.

00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:55.620
 It's still very

00:28:55.620 --> 00:28:57.620
 hard to understand.

00:28:58.920 --> 00:28:59.920
 But what if

00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:01.019
 these verses

00:29:01.019 --> 00:29:02.680
 expressed not

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:03.640
 hatred but

00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:04.560
 ultimately love?

00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.259
 Very scandalous

00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:09.259
 thing to suggest

00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:11.019
 but let me put

00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:11.660
 this forward to

00:29:11.660 --> 00:29:11.860
 you.

00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:13.220
 Loving goodness

00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:13.880
 and peace

00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:15.799
 always necessitates

00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:17.539
 always necessitates

00:29:17.539 --> 00:29:18.240
 hating evil.

00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:20.539
 It is not enough

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:21.320
 to have a beautiful

00:29:21.320 --> 00:29:22.960
 garden by only

00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:23.940
 planting seeds.

00:29:24.220 --> 00:29:24.920
 You need to

00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:26.019
 weed, okay?

00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:27.220
 You need to make

00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:28.560
 sure that no

00:29:28.560 --> 00:29:29.220
 critters are going

00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:31.279
 to come to eat

00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.180
 the fruit of your

00:29:32.180 --> 00:29:32.480
 labor.

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.620
 It's not enough

00:29:33.620 --> 00:29:35.200
 to just love

00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:36.380
 peace and

00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:37.500
 love goodness

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:38.539
 without first

00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:40.420
 hating evil.

00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:43.460
 To ignore evil

00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:44.320
 or to deal

00:29:44.320 --> 00:29:45.000
 with it gently

00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:45.980
 it's not a

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:46.720
 merciful act.

00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:47.799
 It doesn't show

00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:48.560
 somebody to

00:29:48.560 --> 00:29:50.200
 be morally

00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:50.940
 virtuous.

00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:52.200
 It's actually

00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:54.180
 the very core

00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:55.279
 of being

00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:56.039
 unjust.

00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:57.880
 It saps the

00:29:57.880 --> 00:29:58.580
 dignity of the

00:29:58.580 --> 00:29:58.840
 victim.

00:29:59.000 --> 00:29:59.500
 It cheapens

00:29:59.500 --> 00:29:59.860
 love.

00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:01.219
 It allows for

00:30:01.219 --> 00:30:02.219
 evil to persist

00:30:02.219 --> 00:30:02.919
 and suffering

00:30:02.919 --> 00:30:04.219
 to continue.

00:30:05.679 --> 00:30:06.159
 So what we

00:30:06.159 --> 00:30:07.119
 have here is a

00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:08.019
 personal cry from

00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:09.319
 the exiles but

00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:10.279
 it is more than

00:30:10.279 --> 00:30:11.079
 that, okay?

00:30:11.459 --> 00:30:12.059
 It's more than

00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:12.339
 that.

00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:13.379
 To pray this

00:30:13.379 --> 00:30:14.500
 prayer, it's

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.279
 also an act of

00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:15.699
 faith.

00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:18.159
 Again, the

00:30:18.159 --> 00:30:19.219
 Israelites are

00:30:19.219 --> 00:30:21.359
 being humiliated

00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:22.279
 by the Babylonians.

00:30:22.339 --> 00:30:22.859
 Your God is

00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:23.279
 nothing.

00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.879
 Play his sacred

00:30:24.879 --> 00:30:26.019
 music for us to

00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:26.939
 dance to.

00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:27.920
 Right?

00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:29.279
 They're humiliating

00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:29.740
 the Israelites.

00:30:30.360 --> 00:30:31.580
 So this cry

00:30:31.580 --> 00:30:33.140
 itself, it is a

00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:33.940
 cry of faith.

00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:36.539
 For our natural

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:37.420
 inclination is

00:30:37.420 --> 00:30:37.680
 what?

00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:39.180
 For revenge.

00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:40.039
 Okay?

00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:42.600
 To have

00:30:42.600 --> 00:30:44.320
 sweet, sweet

00:30:44.320 --> 00:30:45.200
 revenge and to

00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:46.360
 do to others

00:30:46.360 --> 00:30:46.960
 not just what

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.559
 they've done to

00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:48.980
 us but to make

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.920
 them suffer, to

00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:50.580
 humiliate them

00:30:50.580 --> 00:30:50.960
 back.

00:30:52.080 --> 00:30:52.940
 To make them

00:30:52.940 --> 00:30:53.799
 feel even worse.

00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:56.299
 But in

00:30:56.299 --> 00:30:57.019
 praying this

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.559
 prayer, the

00:30:57.559 --> 00:30:58.159
 Israelites are

00:30:58.159 --> 00:30:59.019
 calling God to

00:30:59.019 --> 00:30:59.659
 do what he has

00:30:59.659 --> 00:31:00.720
 promised, ultimately.

00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:02.399
 To bring justice

00:31:02.399 --> 00:31:03.279
 and to remember

00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:04.799
 his promises to

00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:06.639
 deal with sin in

00:31:06.639 --> 00:31:07.240
 all of its

00:31:07.240 --> 00:31:07.819
 totality.

00:31:08.819 --> 00:31:09.980
 So as horrific

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:11.099
 as it is to read

00:31:11.099 --> 00:31:12.899
 verse 9, and it

00:31:12.899 --> 00:31:13.799
 should be horrific

00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:14.639
 for us, I think

00:31:14.639 --> 00:31:15.599
 C.S. Lewis is

00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:17.079
 right to an extent

00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:17.639
 to call it

00:31:17.639 --> 00:31:18.319
 devilish.

00:31:18.899 --> 00:31:19.019
 Okay?

00:31:19.139 --> 00:31:21.759
 Because it, how

00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:22.240
 else can you

00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:23.079
 describe such a

00:31:23.079 --> 00:31:24.199
 verse, such an

00:31:24.199 --> 00:31:24.500
 action?

00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:28.259
 But it's not

00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:29.460
 devilish in that

00:31:29.460 --> 00:31:31.240
 if we read it

00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:31.539
 with an

00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:32.299
 understanding that

00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:33.339
 God hates evil

00:31:33.339 --> 00:31:34.659
 and cannot let

00:31:34.659 --> 00:31:37.399
 it persist, then

00:31:37.399 --> 00:31:38.259
 we see that it

00:31:38.259 --> 00:31:39.699
 is an act of

00:31:39.699 --> 00:31:40.500
 God's love so

00:31:40.500 --> 00:31:42.799
 that he refuses

00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:44.419
 to let this type

00:31:44.419 --> 00:31:45.460
 of horrendous

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.559
 evil reproduce.

00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:46.759
 abuse.

00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:50.940
 How does God

00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:51.779
 ultimately crush

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.720
 his enemies and

00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:53.619
 bring evil to

00:31:53.619 --> 00:31:54.200
 its knees?

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:56.220
 He does it by

00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:56.980
 defeating it with

00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:57.980
 its own tools.

00:31:58.700 --> 00:31:59.299
 So even though

00:31:59.299 --> 00:32:00.119
 this is the cry

00:32:00.119 --> 00:32:01.119
 of the heart of

00:32:01.119 --> 00:32:03.200
 these broken

00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:04.679
 yet hopeful

00:32:04.679 --> 00:32:07.399
 Israelites, and

00:32:07.399 --> 00:32:08.220
 God will answer

00:32:08.220 --> 00:32:08.899
 the prayers, there's

00:32:08.899 --> 00:32:10.440
 not necessarily

00:32:10.440 --> 00:32:12.139
 proof in

00:32:12.139 --> 00:32:13.099
 scripture that

00:32:13.099 --> 00:32:14.419
 that the

00:32:14.419 --> 00:32:15.519
 Babylonians, all

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.159
 of their children

00:32:16.159 --> 00:32:17.559
 died this way, and

00:32:17.559 --> 00:32:18.839
 that's, that was

00:32:18.839 --> 00:32:19.619
 God's justice.

00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:21.719
 Instead he defeats

00:32:21.719 --> 00:32:23.959
 the Babylonians with

00:32:23.959 --> 00:32:25.199
 their own tools.

00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:26.159
 What do I mean?

00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.980
 We get a glimpse of

00:32:27.980 --> 00:32:29.219
 it in Jeremiah 29.

00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:31.000
 It's a very famous

00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:32.119
 passage.

00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:33.579
 If you know

00:32:33.579 --> 00:32:34.719
 Jeremiah 29, you

00:32:34.719 --> 00:32:36.019
 might even have a

00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:36.980
 fridge magnet with

00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:38.299
 verse 11 on it

00:32:38.299 --> 00:32:39.539
 somewhere in your

00:32:39.539 --> 00:32:41.279
 house, or just

00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:42.019
 buried in a box

00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:42.339
 somewhere.

00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:43.019
 Very popular.

00:32:43.139 --> 00:32:43.619
 What does it say?

00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:44.099
 For I know the

00:32:44.099 --> 00:32:45.339
 plans I have for

00:32:45.339 --> 00:32:45.980
 you, declares the

00:32:45.980 --> 00:32:46.559
 Lord, plans for

00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:47.420
 welfare and not for

00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:48.839
 evil, to give you a

00:32:48.839 --> 00:32:49.619
 future and a hope.

00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.220
 It's actually a

00:32:50.220 --> 00:32:51.619
 beautiful passage, but

00:32:51.619 --> 00:32:52.480
 there's more to it,

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:52.960
 okay?

00:32:53.059 --> 00:32:53.879
 There's more to it.

00:32:54.819 --> 00:32:55.639
 And this is what it

00:32:55.639 --> 00:32:56.500
 says, if you go down

00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:57.279
 to verse 4 of

00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:58.420
 Jeremiah 29, thus

00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:59.059
 says the Lord of

00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:00.139
 hosts, the God of

00:33:00.139 --> 00:33:01.480
 Israel, to all the

00:33:01.480 --> 00:33:02.720
 exiles whom I have

00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:04.139
 sent into exile from

00:33:04.139 --> 00:33:05.519
 Jerusalem to Babylon.

00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:06.619
 Okay?

00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:07.980
 Interestingly, it's

00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:09.920
 God who is, he is

00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:10.460
 saying, I'm the one

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.000
 who sent you.

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:12.319
 Okay, nevertheless,

00:33:12.920 --> 00:33:14.480
 verse 5, build

00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:15.460
 houses and live in

00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.400
 them, plant gardens

00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:17.039
 and eat their

00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:18.900
 produce, take wives

00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:19.799
 and have sons and

00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:20.519
 daughters and take

00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:21.599
 wives for your sons

00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:22.400
 and give your

00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:23.339
 daughters in marriage

00:33:23.339 --> 00:33:24.400
 that they may bear

00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:25.279
 sons and daughters,

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:26.779
 multiply there.

00:33:26.859 --> 00:33:27.279
 Where is the

00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:27.559
 there?

00:33:28.099 --> 00:33:28.720
 It's in Babylon.

00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:32.960
 And do not

00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:33.660
 decrease.

00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:35.900
 Verse 7, but seek

00:33:35.900 --> 00:33:36.799
 the welfare of the

00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:38.420
 city where I have

00:33:38.420 --> 00:33:39.700
 sent you into exile and

00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:41.000
 pray to the Lord on

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:42.500
 its behalf for its

00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:43.840
 welfare and you will

00:33:43.840 --> 00:33:47.799
 find your welfare.

00:33:48.299 --> 00:33:49.059
 Welfare, again, is

00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:49.580
 just peace.

00:33:49.700 --> 00:33:50.180
 It's shalom.

00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:51.319
 Work for the shalom of

00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:51.740
 the city.

00:33:53.120 --> 00:33:53.980
 Verse 10, for thus

00:33:53.980 --> 00:33:55.259
 says the Lord, when

00:33:55.259 --> 00:33:56.440
 70 years are completed

00:33:56.440 --> 00:33:57.580
 for Babylon, I will

00:33:57.580 --> 00:33:58.380
 visit you and I will

00:33:58.380 --> 00:33:59.279
 fulfill to you my

00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:00.080
 promise and bring you

00:34:00.080 --> 00:34:01.000
 back to this place.

00:34:01.860 --> 00:34:03.440
 Verse 11, the famous

00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:04.420
 verse, for I know the

00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:05.340
 plans I have for you,

00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:06.019
 says the Lord.

00:34:06.019 --> 00:34:08.699
 plans for welfare and

00:34:08.699 --> 00:34:10.460
 not for evil, to give

00:34:10.460 --> 00:34:11.900
 you a future and a

00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:12.059
 hope.

00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:13.759
 Verse 12, then you

00:34:13.759 --> 00:34:15.059
 will call upon me and

00:34:15.059 --> 00:34:16.019
 I will come.

00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:18.699
 Sorry, then you will

00:34:18.699 --> 00:34:19.880
 call upon me and come

00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:21.239
 and pray to me and I

00:34:21.239 --> 00:34:22.059
 will hear you.

00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:24.480
 You will seek me and

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:25.440
 find me when you seek

00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.159
 me with all your

00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:26.440
 heart.

00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:28.639
 I will be found by you,

00:34:28.739 --> 00:34:29.460
 declares the Lord, and

00:34:29.460 --> 00:34:30.420
 I will restore your

00:34:30.420 --> 00:34:32.219
 fortunes and gather you

00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:33.400
 from all the nations and

00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:34.380
 all the places where I

00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:34.880
 have driven you,

00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:35.539
 declares the Lord.

00:34:35.539 --> 00:34:36.779
 And I will bring you

00:34:36.779 --> 00:34:38.300
 back to the place from

00:34:38.300 --> 00:34:39.900
 which I sent you in to

00:34:39.900 --> 00:34:40.219
 exile.

00:34:40.420 --> 00:34:41.000
 Here's the thing.

00:34:42.259 --> 00:34:44.380
 Like an anti-venom given

00:34:44.380 --> 00:34:45.679
 to a body that has

00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:47.340
 suffered a snake bite,

00:34:48.779 --> 00:34:51.279
 how does God totally

00:34:51.279 --> 00:34:52.380
 upend Babylon?

00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:53.800
 Okay?

00:34:54.019 --> 00:34:55.519
 By humiliating them.

00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:59.239
 Not by killing their

00:34:59.239 --> 00:34:59.619
 children.

00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:00.639
 Okay?

00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:03.079
 But by taking the very

00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:04.159
 people that they sought

00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:05.039
 to humiliate,

00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:07.399
 planting them in the

00:35:07.399 --> 00:35:09.199
 city that is the

00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:10.920
 center of your empire,

00:35:11.879 --> 00:35:13.299
 and there they start

00:35:13.299 --> 00:35:16.799
 practicing the one true

00:35:16.799 --> 00:35:17.779
 faith, worshiping the

00:35:17.779 --> 00:35:18.899
 one true God who is not

00:35:18.899 --> 00:35:19.899
 limited to Jerusalem,

00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:22.239
 they turn Babylon into

00:35:22.239 --> 00:35:22.819
 Jerusalem.

00:35:24.819 --> 00:35:25.719
 And all of a sudden,

00:35:25.899 --> 00:35:28.279
 Babylon starts to become

00:35:28.279 --> 00:35:28.859
 more peaceful.

00:35:28.860 --> 00:35:32.480
 And welfare becomes a

00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:34.360
 critical aspect of what it

00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:35.660
 means to be Babylonian.

00:35:35.740 --> 00:35:36.740
 And what's interesting in

00:35:36.740 --> 00:35:38.380
 all of this, and Persia

00:35:38.380 --> 00:35:39.880
 came and took over

00:35:39.880 --> 00:35:41.260
 Babylon, Babylon ceased to

00:35:41.260 --> 00:35:41.860
 be an empire.

00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:43.940
 But almost from the

00:35:43.940 --> 00:35:45.220
 beginning, almost from the

00:35:45.220 --> 00:35:47.220
 beginning, after Christ's

00:35:47.220 --> 00:35:49.000
 ascension within the first

00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:50.240
 hundred years of the

00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:53.900
 church, the gospel goes to

00:35:53.900 --> 00:35:54.240
 Babylon.

00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:57.899
 And people start to

00:35:57.899 --> 00:35:58.979
 believe in the God of

00:35:58.979 --> 00:36:00.299
 Abraham, Isaac, and

00:36:00.299 --> 00:36:00.619
 Jacob.

00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:03.059
 And to this day, and I've

00:36:03.059 --> 00:36:04.479
 met some, not many,

00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:05.679
 because they're persecuted

00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:08.299
 horribly by Islam in Iraq

00:36:08.299 --> 00:36:09.339
 and in the neighboring

00:36:09.339 --> 00:36:10.599
 areas, but I have met

00:36:10.599 --> 00:36:11.719
 Chaldean Christians.

00:36:12.699 --> 00:36:12.859
 Okay?

00:36:13.799 --> 00:36:14.779
 Babylonian Christians.

00:36:16.459 --> 00:36:18.000
 So what does God do

00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:20.179
 ultimately to his enemies?

00:36:20.179 --> 00:36:23.759
 If they will but repent

00:36:23.759 --> 00:36:24.699
 and turn to him, they

00:36:24.699 --> 00:36:26.739
 will make them, he will

00:36:26.739 --> 00:36:28.179
 make them his children.

00:36:33.399 --> 00:36:34.859
 How does this come about?

00:36:35.539 --> 00:36:38.460
 Ultimately, Christ, God,

00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:40.199
 the Son of God, comes down

00:36:40.199 --> 00:36:42.419
 to earth, takes upon

00:36:42.419 --> 00:36:43.819
 himself human form, and he

00:36:43.819 --> 00:36:44.960
 is dashed upon the rock,

00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:45.339
 isn't he?

00:36:46.219 --> 00:36:47.839
 He is utterly crushed.

00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:51.300
 He suffers with great

00:36:51.300 --> 00:36:52.680
 indignity.

00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:54.920
 He is laid bare.

00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:55.880
 He is laid bare.

00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:57.480
 He is brought down to his

00:36:57.480 --> 00:36:58.000
 foundation.

00:36:58.380 --> 00:37:01.780
 He dies upon a Roman

00:37:01.780 --> 00:37:04.440
 cross, and in the same

00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:06.160
 way that God humiliates

00:37:06.160 --> 00:37:09.079
 Babylon with Babylon's own

00:37:09.079 --> 00:37:11.059
 tools, God defeats death

00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:12.980
 by death itself.

00:37:14.120 --> 00:37:16.320
 It is a remarkable thing to

00:37:16.320 --> 00:37:17.900
 consider, how God deals

00:37:17.900 --> 00:37:18.680
 with his foes.

00:37:20.620 --> 00:37:22.760
 On the cross, Christ

00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:25.039
 undoes death,

00:37:25.640 --> 00:37:27.180
 defeats death by death.

00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:30.620
 Only Jesus resists Babylon

00:37:30.620 --> 00:37:31.740
 all the way to the end.

00:37:33.019 --> 00:37:34.660
 He is the embodiment of

00:37:34.660 --> 00:37:36.880
 Jerusalem himself, the

00:37:36.880 --> 00:37:38.019
 very presence of God

00:37:38.019 --> 00:37:39.180
 amongst his people.

00:37:40.059 --> 00:37:41.340
 And then we see that Jesus,

00:37:41.539 --> 00:37:42.539
 he brings justice.

00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:45.039
 And he brings justice in a

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.960
 way that is so unbelievably

00:37:46.960 --> 00:37:47.679
 remarkable.

00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:50.239
 At the end of the age,

00:37:50.940 --> 00:37:52.179
 Revelation chapter 18,

00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:57.019
 it says that Babylon, and

00:37:57.019 --> 00:37:58.500
 again, it's this symbol of

00:37:58.500 --> 00:37:59.920
 Babylon, Babylon will be no

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:00.159
 more.

00:38:00.360 --> 00:38:02.519
 Six times Babylon, no more.

00:38:03.059 --> 00:38:05.000
 Your craftsmen, no more.

00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:07.340
 Your leaders, no more.

00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:08.539
 No more, no more, no more.

00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:08.779
 More.

00:38:10.239 --> 00:38:11.199
 But that's not where

00:38:11.199 --> 00:38:12.000
 Revelation ends.

00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:15.179
 The Revelation of Jesus, it

00:38:15.179 --> 00:38:16.420
 ends with the new Jerusalem

00:38:16.420 --> 00:38:17.039
 coming down.

00:38:17.820 --> 00:38:17.960
 Okay?

00:38:18.940 --> 00:38:20.579
 And it's this wonderful

00:38:20.579 --> 00:38:21.739
 picture that at the end of

00:38:21.739 --> 00:38:23.599
 the age, not Babylon, but

00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:24.920
 Jerusalem will endure.

00:38:28.440 --> 00:38:31.980
 Friends, resist by God's

00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:32.679
 strength Babylon.

00:38:33.539 --> 00:38:36.380
 But more than that, remember

00:38:36.380 --> 00:38:37.019
 Jerusalem.

00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:39.380
 Remember Jerusalem.

00:38:39.720 --> 00:38:40.840
 Remember that if you are in

00:38:40.840 --> 00:38:42.800
 Christ, you are a citizen of

00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:43.860
 the heavenly city now.

00:38:45.680 --> 00:38:48.920
 Resist the call to be a

00:38:48.920 --> 00:38:49.559
 Babylonian.

00:38:50.300 --> 00:38:53.340
 Friends, we have a PR status

00:38:53.340 --> 00:38:55.160
 here in Babylon.

00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:57.980
 But let us never become

00:38:57.980 --> 00:38:58.500
 citizens.

00:38:59.240 --> 00:39:00.800
 Let us trust in Christ.

00:39:01.940 --> 00:39:04.220
 The true embodiment of the

00:39:04.220 --> 00:39:04.740
 heavenly city.