WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.339 The Starbucks near where I live, which is where I usually go on Saturday mornings to try to work on my sermon a bit more. 00:00:09.500 --> 00:00:14.220 A Christian friend of mine that I hadn't seen in about three or four years, he bumped in. 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:19.120 He happened to be in that Starbucks. He doesn't live there, but he happened to be there for whatever reason. 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:23.859 And he asked me how it's going, and he saw that I had my Bible out. I was working on my sermon. 00:00:24.019 --> 00:00:26.940 So he asked me what I was preaching on on Sunday. 00:00:26.940 --> 00:00:36.679 And I said to him, I'm preaching on something that if I was to make a list of the things I don't want to ever preach on, 00:00:36.740 --> 00:00:41.780 if I can somehow manage to avoid it, this would be really high up on the list. 00:00:43.420 --> 00:00:46.480 Because I'm going to talk about holy war. 00:00:48.659 --> 00:00:53.260 You know those parts in the Old Testament where God tells people to go and fight people and kill them? 00:00:53.259 --> 00:00:57.359 That's not an easy text. 00:00:59.780 --> 00:01:01.899 And I've wrestled with it all week. 00:01:03.159 --> 00:01:04.379 But that's what we're going to look at. 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:08.019 And if some of you are here and you're wondering, well, why, George, why don't you just sort of change it? 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:09.479 Why don't you talk about something different? 00:01:10.039 --> 00:01:13.420 One of the things that we do here, it's a very, very ancient custom, 00:01:13.939 --> 00:01:17.359 is that when we do our sermons, we preach through books of the Bible. 00:01:17.479 --> 00:01:19.000 That's the way the Bible is written. 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:23.379 The Bible is written as a collection of 66 different books, 39 of them before Jesus. 00:01:23.540 --> 00:01:24.739 That's what we call the Old Testament. 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:30.620 And 27 of the books were written about Jesus and about his early disciples. 00:01:31.019 --> 00:01:32.460 And that's what we call the New Testament. 00:01:33.140 --> 00:01:35.480 And we preach through books of the Bible. 00:01:35.740 --> 00:01:38.359 And one of the good things about preaching through the books of the Bible 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:41.260 is it forces us to look at things that we wouldn't normally talk about. 00:01:42.200 --> 00:01:46.599 And in fact, actually, this is maybe a very helpful thing for us to look at, holy war. 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:48.579 You might not think so by the time I'm finished. 00:01:48.679 --> 00:01:49.119 I don't know. 00:01:49.839 --> 00:01:55.159 But if you think about it, one of the great fears in our culture today, I think, 00:01:55.500 --> 00:01:57.619 is that religion causes violence. 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.119 It's a very, very common belief. 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:05.759 And people might not say to you, if they find out that you're a devout Christian, 00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:08.280 those of us here who are devout Christians, 00:02:08.819 --> 00:02:11.719 people might not say to you, oh, you're a devout Christian. 00:02:12.299 --> 00:02:16.060 You probably are in favor of violence or what you believe causes violence. 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:18.099 But they'd always wonder that a little bit about you. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:20.039 It's something which has changed in our culture. 00:02:20.920 --> 00:02:24.680 Many of you are too young to know when it was anything different than the way it is now. 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:31.860 But it is a common view that Christianity, like all other religions, causes violence, 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:36.680 maybe except certain types of Buddhism, the Zen type in particular, 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:39.300 and certain types of Hinduism. 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:41.740 But all others cause violence. 00:02:41.740 --> 00:02:46.000 And so we're going to look at that today. 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:48.700 So it's Esther chapter 7 and chapter 8. 00:02:48.780 --> 00:02:50.260 We're looking at two chapters today. 00:02:50.580 --> 00:02:54.120 If you don't have a Bible with you, the text will be up on the screen. 00:02:54.200 --> 00:02:57.420 As you can see, the sermon series has been the story of Esther, 00:02:57.900 --> 00:02:59.719 the hidden God in a broken world. 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:04.100 We live in a broken world, and God is hidden most of the time. 00:03:04.180 --> 00:03:05.219 He works through providence. 00:03:05.219 --> 00:03:12.120 And the book of Esther is a very, very powerful book that helps us to understand this whole doctrine and teaching of providence. 00:03:13.080 --> 00:03:16.759 And just before we start reading of chapter 7, verse 1, 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:23.280 what's just happened, what the big thing that's been going on in the book just up until now that has to be dealt with 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:29.840 is that a man by the name of Haman, who's the second most important person in the Persian Empire, 00:03:29.979 --> 00:03:31.240 because that's where the book is set, 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:38.860 he has managed to orchestrate events in such a way that genocide is planned against the Jewish people, 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:43.900 that on a certain day that's coming up, the machinery of the state, 00:03:43.900 --> 00:03:50.699 the organs of the different instruments of the culture are all going to be set for a particular day. 00:03:50.699 --> 00:03:56.699 The result of that day, when it's over, is that every single Jewish person, young and old, male and female, 00:03:56.859 --> 00:03:58.639 every single Jewish person will die. 00:04:00.619 --> 00:04:05.619 And it's just in a sense, like obviously it's a bit different because it's a different time period, 00:04:05.699 --> 00:04:13.439 but it's just like what happened in Nazi Germany, like the bureaucracy, the military, the police, the judiciary, 00:04:14.139 --> 00:04:19.259 the governors, the politicians, everything is organized towards the annihilation of a people group. 00:04:19.259 --> 00:04:28.920 And through a series of, through providence, from the king's point of view, through a series of circumstances, 00:04:29.139 --> 00:04:34.560 but from our viewpoint, through providence, a Jewish woman who didn't practice her faith at all, 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:40.560 but lived as a Persian becomes one of the king of Persia's queens, and her name is Esther. 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:45.420 And just shortly before this, she has a conversion experience, 00:04:45.579 --> 00:04:49.600 and her conversion experience is connected to the planned genocide of her people. 00:04:50.860 --> 00:04:59.639 And she decides that she, even though it's, I mean, it's just one of those really, it's one of those, 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:03.560 do you know that the Christian church often grows during violent persecutions? 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:16.019 That all Christian missionaries were expelled out of communist China, I think it was in 1950, maybe it was 1949, 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:17.259 but it was around then. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:24.699 And I believe that they estimated that when the Christians, all the missionaries were kicked out of China, 00:05:24.899 --> 00:05:28.360 all of them, this is pre-internet, all of them were kicked out of China. 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.699 All of them were kicked out of China. 00:05:30.780 --> 00:05:33.240 I think they estimated there was a million Chinese Christians. 00:05:34.420 --> 00:05:39.139 The estimates today are that there's well over 100 million Chinese Christians, 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:44.540 that inexplicably, despite an atheist state that worked a crackdown on Christianity, 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:47.300 Christianity grew, even though it was persecuted. 00:05:48.400 --> 00:05:52.939 And in the threat of the impending destruction of the Jewish people, Esther becomes Jewish. 00:05:52.939 --> 00:05:53.060 Jewish. 00:05:55.219 --> 00:06:01.579 And she's challenged by her uncle Mordecai to use her role to plead for her people. 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:06.259 And then we talk about that in a couple of, that's what happens is prior to this in the story. 00:06:06.779 --> 00:06:10.439 And she finally gets an opportunity to talk to the king and to Haman, 00:06:11.220 --> 00:06:14.579 and confront Haman and plead for herself and her people. 00:06:15.019 --> 00:06:18.920 But when the opportunity comes, she gets cold feet and she can't go through with it. 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:26.759 But just before all is lost, she asks if the king will come the next day for a new feast. 00:06:28.100 --> 00:06:33.600 And in between, there's another big adventure where Haman wants to kill Mordecai, 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:37.319 Esther's adopted father. 00:06:39.420 --> 00:06:42.620 But now the second day, and that gets foiled by providence, 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:44.379 and now we come to the second day. 00:06:44.379 --> 00:06:47.000 And I guess the question is, will Esther have cold feet? 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:52.379 Or will she go through with crying for her people to be delivered in herself? 00:06:52.980 --> 00:06:54.300 And here's where we catch up. 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:56.279 Chapter 7, verse 1. 00:06:56.379 --> 00:06:59.019 So the king and Haman went into the feast with Queen Esther. 00:06:59.819 --> 00:07:04.100 And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, 00:07:04.860 --> 00:07:06.339 the king again said to Esther, 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:08.560 What is your wish, Queen Esther? 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:10.040 It shall be granted to you. 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:11.120 And what is your request? 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:14.259 Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled. 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:18.459 Then Queen Esther answered, 00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:21.860 If I have found favor in your sight, O king, 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:23.379 and if it please the king, 00:07:23.939 --> 00:07:26.780 let my life be granted me for my wish, 00:07:27.300 --> 00:07:29.220 and my people for my request. 00:07:30.280 --> 00:07:33.060 For we have been sold, I and my people, 00:07:33.579 --> 00:07:37.379 to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. 00:07:37.379 --> 00:07:41.219 If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, 00:07:41.339 --> 00:07:42.680 I would have been silent, 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:46.500 for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king. 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:48.279 Just sort of pause. 00:07:49.740 --> 00:07:52.379 Esther here is very brilliant. 00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:55.759 You know, she has to keep her eye on the ball, 00:07:56.139 --> 00:08:00.060 and the eye on the ball is that in about ten months, 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:03.600 nine and a half months, every Jew will be killed. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:09.180 Now, she needs to get the king to do something to stop this. 00:08:09.879 --> 00:08:11.420 And what she can't do is say, 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:13.660 King, you ordered us to all be killed, 00:08:13.760 --> 00:08:15.800 because that's going to lose the argument right there, won't it? 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:20.320 She has to get him on board, 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:22.160 and she does it in a very brilliant way. 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:25.379 In fact, saying that she doesn't want to hurt the king at all. 00:08:26.580 --> 00:08:27.980 But this is what's happened. 00:08:29.300 --> 00:08:31.220 Now, here's one of the things which is in the story. 00:08:31.220 --> 00:08:33.700 It's a very small detail, but it's very, very telling. 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:39.080 Most of us notice it in other people and rarely see it in ourselves, 00:08:39.080 --> 00:08:40.740 but we are like other people. 00:08:40.820 --> 00:08:41.620 We do it as well. 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:45.620 We can do something which is quite, quite bad, quite, quite wrong, 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:50.139 but we don't even maybe think about it as being very wrong. 00:08:50.279 --> 00:08:53.660 And afterwards, even if we've been involved in doing something that's wrong 00:08:53.660 --> 00:08:54.600 or making a decision, 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:56.759 we've been part of a room that's made a very bad decision. 00:08:56.940 --> 00:08:59.160 Afterwards, it's as if somebody else made the decision, 00:08:59.160 --> 00:09:01.019 and we forget about it altogether. 00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:02.800 Because what we're going to see right now 00:09:02.800 --> 00:09:05.560 is that the king hasn't the vaguest idea in the world, 00:09:05.660 --> 00:09:06.680 what Esther's talking about. 00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:08.540 He has no clue. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:11.600 Like, he's just sitting there. 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:13.700 If it was being filmed, it would be like, 00:09:14.040 --> 00:09:14.300 uh? 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:17.540 Like, what's going... 00:09:17.540 --> 00:09:18.740 Like, what are you talking about? 00:09:18.920 --> 00:09:19.660 Like, I'm the king. 00:09:19.779 --> 00:09:20.519 Like, what are you talking about? 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:21.580 How's this going on in my kingdom? 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:22.440 And I don't know about it. 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:25.440 So we see that in verse 5. 00:09:26.400 --> 00:09:28.900 Then King Xerxes... 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:30.540 That's not how you pronounce it. 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:32.380 That's who the king is. 00:09:32.560 --> 00:09:33.880 The King Xerxes. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:35.480 He has multiple names, 00:09:35.660 --> 00:09:37.800 and the Xerxes is easier to pronounce than that, 00:09:37.860 --> 00:09:38.840 so I'm going to say Xerxes. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:41.720 Then the king said to Queen Esther, 00:09:41.940 --> 00:09:42.720 Who is he? 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:43.980 And where is he? 00:09:44.260 --> 00:09:45.760 Who has dared to do this? 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:51.039 And probably even Haman doesn't understand, 00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:51.700 because, you see, 00:09:51.819 --> 00:09:53.779 Haman has been boasting to his friends 00:09:53.779 --> 00:09:57.720 that the queen treats him as a friend 00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:02.460 and is inviting only the king and him to his meal. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:04.319 So he probably has absolutely no idea 00:10:04.319 --> 00:10:05.840 what her next words are going to be, 00:10:05.899 --> 00:10:06.460 because remember, 00:10:06.939 --> 00:10:08.460 she's been living like a Persian. 00:10:09.700 --> 00:10:11.819 Her conversion is very, very recent. 00:10:11.819 --> 00:10:12.939 It's only weeks... 00:10:12.939 --> 00:10:14.240 It's only like a week old. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.860 Not even a week old. 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:18.919 So the king says, 00:10:19.220 --> 00:10:19.480 What? 00:10:19.779 --> 00:10:21.940 Who would dare to kill you? 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:23.519 And Esther said, 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:24.080 Verse 6, 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.159 A foe and enemy, 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:28.840 This wicked Haman. 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:32.940 And Haman was terrified 00:10:32.940 --> 00:10:34.379 before the king and the queen. 00:10:36.019 --> 00:10:36.799 He wouldn't have said, 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:37.500 My God. 00:10:38.100 --> 00:10:39.840 I don't know what God he would worship. 00:10:41.379 --> 00:10:43.060 But he would have said, 00:10:43.059 --> 00:10:45.259 Probably bleepity, bleepity, bleep. 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:46.379 Esther's Jewish. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.779 I didn't know. 00:10:51.339 --> 00:10:53.379 And now he's stuck. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:59.139 And he can tell by the king's angry outburst. 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:01.939 He's offered her half his kingdom, 00:11:02.079 --> 00:11:02.799 which is politeness. 00:11:02.939 --> 00:11:04.159 But what he really means is, 00:11:04.199 --> 00:11:06.339 You can make a big ask of me, Esther. 00:11:06.459 --> 00:11:07.399 Make a big ask. 00:11:07.399 --> 00:11:08.779 And whatever your big ask is, 00:11:08.860 --> 00:11:10.100 I'll do whatever I can. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:11.600 He's in a great mood. 00:11:11.659 --> 00:11:13.259 He's affectionate towards her. 00:11:13.899 --> 00:11:15.319 Haman doesn't see this coming. 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:17.659 He's completely and utterly blindsided. 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:20.659 Esther tells him that all she wants 00:11:20.659 --> 00:11:22.299 is to be able to not be killed. 00:11:23.019 --> 00:11:24.279 The king is outraged. 00:11:24.379 --> 00:11:25.579 Anybody would want a king 00:11:25.579 --> 00:11:28.559 kill his wife, Esther. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.079 And then she says, 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:31.419 It's all because of Haman. 00:11:31.779 --> 00:11:37.819 He is completely and utterly terrified. 00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:40.899 Probably a man who had to rise 00:11:40.899 --> 00:11:42.739 to be the second in the empire, 00:11:42.859 --> 00:11:43.799 only under the king. 00:11:43.899 --> 00:11:46.659 He had to be one of the world's smoothest talkers. 00:11:48.500 --> 00:11:49.939 But as you could well imagine, 00:11:50.079 --> 00:11:50.899 words will fail 00:11:50.899 --> 00:11:53.639 in a situation like that, 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:54.959 especially with no preparation. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.540 So what happens? 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:57.300 Well, verse 7, 00:11:57.860 --> 00:11:59.820 And the king arose in his wrath. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:00.680 We just, you know, 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:01.540 we get angry. 00:12:01.780 --> 00:12:02.800 We just want to move. 00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:03.680 Like you jump up. 00:12:03.780 --> 00:12:05.180 You're just furious. 00:12:06.460 --> 00:12:06.980 Furious. 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:09.759 And he, he, he, 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:11.440 king arose in his wrath 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:12.480 from the wine drinking 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:14.200 and went into the palace garden 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:14.940 just beside. 00:12:15.379 --> 00:12:16.759 But Haman stayed to beg 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:18.220 for his life from Queen Esther. 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:19.800 For he saw that harm 00:12:19.800 --> 00:12:21.460 was determined against him 00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:22.300 by the king. 00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:25.399 And the king returned 00:12:25.399 --> 00:12:26.939 from the palace garden, 00:12:27.419 --> 00:12:28.539 probably just there for a moment, 00:12:28.740 --> 00:12:29.639 to the place where 00:12:29.639 --> 00:12:30.759 they were drinking wine 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:32.799 as Haman was falling 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:33.599 on the couch, 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:35.059 probably by accident, 00:12:35.459 --> 00:12:36.399 where Esther was. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:37.519 And the king said, 00:12:37.839 --> 00:12:39.399 Will he even assault the queen 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:40.259 in my presence 00:12:40.259 --> 00:12:41.339 in my own house? 00:12:42.059 --> 00:12:43.039 As the word left 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.000 the mouth of the king, 00:12:44.099 --> 00:12:45.579 they covered Haman's face. 00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:47.099 Now just pause. 00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:48.459 That's an idiom. 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:49.419 Remember, like, 00:12:49.599 --> 00:12:50.339 what, what, 00:12:50.339 --> 00:12:51.379 an idiom is something 00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:52.059 like if I said, 00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:52.779 you know, 00:12:52.820 --> 00:12:53.379 you do this, 00:12:53.460 --> 00:12:53.799 do this, 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:54.659 and Bob's your uncle. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:55.620 Okay? 00:12:55.700 --> 00:12:56.059 In other words, 00:12:56.100 --> 00:12:57.179 it's an idiom for saying 00:12:57.179 --> 00:12:57.620 you do this, 00:12:57.659 --> 00:12:58.059 you do this, 00:12:58.080 --> 00:12:58.700 it's guaranteed 00:12:58.700 --> 00:12:59.500 that it's going to work. 00:13:00.179 --> 00:13:00.439 Okay? 00:13:01.500 --> 00:13:02.139 And so, 00:13:02.299 --> 00:13:02.879 and the words 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:03.620 cover your faith 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:05.320 is literal, 00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:06.100 it's an idiom. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.080 But what it means is, 00:13:07.500 --> 00:13:09.580 you know how often 00:13:09.580 --> 00:13:11.840 in countries 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:13.580 that practice 00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:14.580 capital punishment 00:13:14.580 --> 00:13:15.460 and in Canada 00:13:15.460 --> 00:13:16.600 when capital punishment 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:17.460 was practiced, 00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:19.379 the condemned man 00:13:19.379 --> 00:13:19.940 or woman 00:13:19.940 --> 00:13:21.140 before they're hanged 00:13:21.140 --> 00:13:21.600 or shot 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:22.260 or whatever it is 00:13:22.260 --> 00:13:23.360 that they're going to do, 00:13:23.640 --> 00:13:24.480 it was often 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:25.260 very customary 00:13:25.260 --> 00:13:25.980 that a hood, 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:27.620 like either a blindfold 00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:28.320 if it was, 00:13:28.780 --> 00:13:29.220 you know, 00:13:29.220 --> 00:13:29.940 you're going to be shot, 00:13:30.100 --> 00:13:31.040 but if it's some other type, 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:32.180 often a hood 00:13:32.180 --> 00:13:33.120 was put over them, 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:35.000 the sentence 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:35.700 in the past, 00:13:35.800 --> 00:13:36.700 you're about to die 00:13:36.700 --> 00:13:37.360 and the hood 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.080 goes over you 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:38.900 just before they 00:13:38.900 --> 00:13:40.300 fire the guns, 00:13:40.640 --> 00:13:41.420 press the button, 00:13:41.560 --> 00:13:42.540 like whatever it is. 00:13:42.680 --> 00:13:43.420 And that's what 00:13:43.420 --> 00:13:44.180 the idiom is. 00:13:45.520 --> 00:13:45.780 It's, 00:13:45.920 --> 00:13:47.060 the idiom is 00:13:47.059 --> 00:13:48.439 that as the words 00:13:48.439 --> 00:13:49.259 leave the king, 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:50.899 it's as if the onlookers 00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:51.699 can just see 00:13:51.699 --> 00:13:52.839 that the hood 00:13:52.839 --> 00:13:53.919 that you put on 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:55.039 just before you die 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.159 has now been covering 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:57.359 his face. 00:13:58.219 --> 00:13:59.299 That's what it means. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:03.319 And things can now 00:14:03.319 --> 00:14:04.639 can get worse. 00:14:06.459 --> 00:14:07.059 You know, 00:14:07.099 --> 00:14:08.039 because what can often 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:09.500 happen for powerful people 00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:09.879 is that 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:11.279 for those of us 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:12.539 who've had any type of power, 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:13.979 but I've had 00:14:13.979 --> 00:14:15.259 virtually no power 00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:16.000 in my life. 00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:21.100 But for powerful people, 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:21.980 powerful people 00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:23.319 can live under the myth, 00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:24.019 the illusion, 00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:25.700 that lots of other people 00:14:25.700 --> 00:14:26.360 like the fact 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:27.279 that they have power. 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:28.059 But no, 00:14:28.179 --> 00:14:29.019 that's not actually 00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:29.939 how it works. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:31.939 Those under them 00:14:31.939 --> 00:14:33.200 often gripe 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:33.960 and complain 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:35.460 and are looking forward 00:14:35.460 --> 00:14:36.460 to their downfall. 00:14:37.539 --> 00:14:38.019 So now, 00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:40.100 this idiom about 00:14:40.100 --> 00:14:41.299 it's obvious 00:14:41.299 --> 00:14:42.460 that Haman's about to die, 00:14:42.580 --> 00:14:43.279 then Harbona, 00:14:43.439 --> 00:14:44.059 verse 9, 00:14:44.059 --> 00:14:45.419 one of the eunuchs 00:14:45.419 --> 00:14:46.019 in attendance 00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:46.819 on the king said, 00:14:47.139 --> 00:14:48.079 moreover, 00:14:48.819 --> 00:14:50.379 moreover, 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:51.899 the gallows 00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:52.719 that Haman, 00:14:52.979 --> 00:14:53.739 this guy, 00:14:54.099 --> 00:14:54.759 had prepared 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:55.839 for Mordecai, 00:14:55.899 --> 00:14:56.059 you know, 00:14:56.139 --> 00:14:56.659 the hero 00:14:56.659 --> 00:14:57.679 that you just rewarded 00:14:57.679 --> 00:14:59.119 earlier today, 00:14:59.699 --> 00:15:00.379 that guy? 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:00.899 Well, 00:15:01.079 --> 00:15:01.659 Haman, 00:15:02.659 --> 00:15:02.919 you know, 00:15:02.979 --> 00:15:03.399 Mordecai, 00:15:03.459 --> 00:15:04.500 whose word saved the king, 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:05.639 is standing at Haman, 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:06.819 I'll say that again, 00:15:06.899 --> 00:15:07.219 moreover, 00:15:07.299 --> 00:15:07.959 the gallows 00:15:07.959 --> 00:15:08.479 that Haman 00:15:08.479 --> 00:15:09.779 has prepared for Mordecai, 00:15:09.859 --> 00:15:10.979 whose word saved the king, 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:11.699 that's Mordecai, 00:15:12.079 --> 00:15:13.139 yet that gallows 00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:15.139 is standing at Haman's house, 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:17.080 75 feet high. 00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:19.480 And the king said, 00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:19.899 in a sense, 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:20.059 oh, 00:15:20.139 --> 00:15:20.419 perfect, 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:21.840 hang him on that. 00:15:23.379 --> 00:15:25.360 So they hanged Haman 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.360 on the gallows 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:27.240 that he had prepared 00:15:27.240 --> 00:15:28.139 for Mordecai, 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:29.639 then the wrath 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:30.539 of the king abated. 00:15:30.659 --> 00:15:30.819 Now, 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:31.580 as I've said before, 00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:32.319 if you're a guest here, 00:15:32.439 --> 00:15:33.659 they hanged 00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:35.419 is a good word, 00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:36.620 but it's not really, 00:15:36.899 --> 00:15:37.480 I don't know why 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:37.919 they don't use 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:39.179 the right perfect word, 00:15:39.179 --> 00:15:40.360 they impale him, 00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:42.180 that's how they kill him. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:43.180 I don't know how 00:15:43.180 --> 00:15:43.860 they would have done it, 00:15:43.899 --> 00:15:45.100 but the stake 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:45.539 would have had 00:15:45.539 --> 00:15:46.560 a big point at the end 00:15:46.560 --> 00:15:47.539 and they drop him on 00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:48.480 and I guess they push him 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:48.919 down enough 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:50.019 to make sure he won't fall 00:15:50.019 --> 00:15:52.639 and that's how he would 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:53.680 either slowly 00:15:53.680 --> 00:15:54.560 or quickly die. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:56.180 But notice here, 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:56.800 then the wrath 00:15:56.800 --> 00:15:57.560 of the king abated. 00:15:58.300 --> 00:15:58.600 Now, 00:15:58.680 --> 00:15:59.879 this is a big problem 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:01.460 and this is one 00:16:01.460 --> 00:16:02.039 of the other things 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:02.620 in this story 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:04.659 which is so psychologically real 00:16:04.659 --> 00:16:06.480 because isn't it often 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:06.920 the case, 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:08.099 you bring to politicians 00:16:08.099 --> 00:16:09.159 or you bring to somebody 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:09.699 important 00:16:09.699 --> 00:16:11.299 or somebody who's powerful 00:16:11.299 --> 00:16:12.559 this big problem 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:14.899 and they get the problem 00:16:14.899 --> 00:16:16.079 and they do something 00:16:16.079 --> 00:16:18.120 and they do something 00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:18.799 which is good. 00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:19.579 It's not that they do something, 00:16:19.599 --> 00:16:20.659 they do something that's good 00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:21.719 and then they go, 00:16:21.819 --> 00:16:22.240 oh, okay, 00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:23.079 well that's finished 00:16:23.079 --> 00:16:24.419 and they go to walk away. 00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:25.360 But one moment, 00:16:26.139 --> 00:16:26.979 Haman's dead, 00:16:27.699 --> 00:16:29.539 but what about the genocide? 00:16:31.939 --> 00:16:33.339 The king's wrath 00:16:33.339 --> 00:16:35.919 has quenched 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:39.399 and as we see 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:39.799 in a moment, 00:16:39.899 --> 00:16:40.679 it's as if he goes on, 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:40.860 okay, 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:41.679 well that's dealt with, 00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:43.299 let's talk about 00:16:43.299 --> 00:16:44.259 some other things now 00:16:44.259 --> 00:16:46.579 and you can well imagine, 00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:48.319 it's hard to sort of frustrate 00:16:48.319 --> 00:16:50.259 but that's why, 00:16:50.339 --> 00:16:50.519 you know, 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.099 reading stories like this often, 00:16:52.939 --> 00:16:54.139 you need to read them slowly 00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:55.759 and notice the words 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:57.399 because the words 00:16:57.399 --> 00:16:58.699 are very carefully chosen 00:16:58.699 --> 00:17:00.679 and you can well imagine 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:02.120 that Esther is, 00:17:02.959 --> 00:17:03.639 what? 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.799 like, 00:17:05.879 --> 00:17:06.960 don't stop now, 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:07.779 like, 00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:08.920 what about the genocide? 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:11.139 And it's as if it's gone 00:17:11.139 --> 00:17:12.119 from the king's mind. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:15.960 So, 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.799 later on that day, 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:18.220 verse, 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:18.839 chapter 8, 00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:19.500 verse 1, 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:20.460 king, 00:17:20.639 --> 00:17:21.220 the king, 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:22.819 gave to queen Esther 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:23.900 the house of Haman, 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:26.279 the enemy of the Jews 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:28.500 and Mordecai came before 00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:29.799 the king for Esther, 00:17:30.639 --> 00:17:32.480 had told the king 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.399 what he was to her 00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:35.220 and the king took off 00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:36.139 his signet ring 00:17:36.139 --> 00:17:37.279 which he had taken 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:37.940 from Haman 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:40.619 and gave it to Mordecai 00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:42.839 and Esther sent Mordecai 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:43.799 over the house of Haman. 00:17:43.879 --> 00:17:44.500 Very briefly, 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:46.759 as you well know, 00:17:46.940 --> 00:17:47.559 most of the world 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:49.039 doesn't have property rights 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.119 and most of the world 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:50.680 throughout history 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:51.920 hasn't had property rights 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:53.300 and they definitely 00:17:53.300 --> 00:17:54.500 didn't have property rights 00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:54.860 here. 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.160 So, 00:17:56.340 --> 00:17:58.620 Haman's widow 00:17:58.620 --> 00:17:59.420 can't just say, 00:17:59.660 --> 00:17:59.700 well, 00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:00.660 you know, 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:01.380 I'm secure 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:02.420 with all my property. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:04.240 In that day, 00:18:04.320 --> 00:18:05.259 if you were considered 00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:06.360 a traitor to the king, 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:07.560 all of your properties 00:18:07.560 --> 00:18:08.100 forfeit. 00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:09.480 All of it. 00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:11.680 So, 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:12.200 the king 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:13.800 just says, 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:15.080 all of Haman's property 00:18:15.080 --> 00:18:15.820 is now mine 00:18:15.820 --> 00:18:17.220 and I'm going to give it 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:17.740 to the queen, 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:18.560 my queen Esther. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:21.259 and Esther gets Mordecai 00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.440 to be her manager. 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:23.899 It's still Esther's property, 00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:24.740 not Mordecai's. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.759 And at the same time, 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:28.000 Mordecai gets a promotion, 00:18:28.139 --> 00:18:28.899 whether it's actually 00:18:28.899 --> 00:18:30.039 to the same level of Haman 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:30.419 or just, 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:32.000 but he goes from being 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.599 whatever level, 00:18:32.700 --> 00:18:34.059 mid-level bureaucrat he was 00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:34.579 to like, 00:18:34.980 --> 00:18:36.759 at least one of the seven advisors 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:37.500 of the king 00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:39.740 and he gets this huge promotion. 00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:42.019 but once again, 00:18:42.619 --> 00:18:43.379 at the end of chapter, 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:44.319 verse two, 00:18:44.899 --> 00:18:45.960 what about the genocide? 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:48.279 I mean, 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:49.319 that's still going to go ahead. 00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:51.279 You haven't stopped it, 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:51.519 king. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:52.920 So, 00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:53.299 Esther, 00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:55.740 the text is a little bit messy. 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:56.980 What we do know 00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:58.539 is that Esther now 00:18:58.539 --> 00:18:59.200 does something 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:00.000 that once again 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.340 she risks her life 00:19:01.340 --> 00:19:02.960 by violating protocol 00:19:03.600 --> 00:19:04.660 in a way 00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:04.960 that, 00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:06.759 well, 00:19:06.860 --> 00:19:07.180 literally, 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:08.480 could have the king 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:09.120 could kill her. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:12.420 And maybe what it is 00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:13.960 is that it's a formal function, 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:14.440 function, 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:16.519 but she comes up 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:16.980 and even though 00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.059 she's the queen, 00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:19.519 she can be the queen 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:20.019 with the king 00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:20.840 in an intimate way 00:19:20.840 --> 00:19:21.319 when they're 00:19:21.319 --> 00:19:22.960 in an intimate situation, 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:24.279 but right now 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:25.700 it's a formal situation, 00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:27.340 it's like a legal situation 00:19:27.340 --> 00:19:28.279 and there's advisors 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:28.980 and there's others 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:29.680 all around 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:31.079 and what she does 00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:31.720 is something 00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:33.180 that if anybody does it, 00:19:33.600 --> 00:19:34.980 they're worthy of death. 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:37.480 She leaves wherever it is 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:38.220 she's standing, 00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:39.940 probably off to the side, 00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:41.100 and she falls down 00:19:41.100 --> 00:19:42.079 in front of the king 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:43.859 and she grabs him 00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:46.359 and she starts crying out 00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:49.079 and by doing this 00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:50.679 she risks her life. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:52.599 Look what happens 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:53.460 in verse 3 and 4. 00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:54.539 Then Esther spoke again 00:19:54.539 --> 00:19:54.980 to the king. 00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:56.039 She fell at his feet 00:19:56.039 --> 00:19:56.579 and wept 00:19:56.579 --> 00:19:57.839 and pleaded with him 00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.759 to avert the evil plan 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.119 of Haman the Agagite 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:02.480 and the plot 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.339 that he had devised 00:20:03.339 --> 00:20:04.460 against the Jews. 00:20:05.899 --> 00:20:07.339 When the king held out 00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:08.379 the royal scepter 00:20:08.379 --> 00:20:09.179 to Esther, 00:20:09.819 --> 00:20:10.519 Esther rose 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:11.539 and just pause there 00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:13.019 as those of you 00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:13.859 who were here earlier 00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:14.319 or you know 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:15.180 something about it, 00:20:15.639 --> 00:20:16.899 when somebody does something 00:20:16.899 --> 00:20:18.500 that's just a huge, 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:21.460 this is a cruel culture. 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:24.200 The sentence to do something 00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:25.000 that's inappropriate 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:26.220 like this is death 00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:28.079 and if the king 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:29.039 who has his scepter, 00:20:29.139 --> 00:20:29.899 so it's a very royal, 00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:30.879 this isn't just them 00:20:30.879 --> 00:20:32.079 talking about in the chambers, 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:33.740 this is a very, 00:20:33.879 --> 00:20:34.700 very formal thing. 00:20:34.779 --> 00:20:35.039 I don't know, 00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:35.759 it'd be like as if 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.879 somebody burst, 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:39.619 left the side, 00:20:39.619 --> 00:20:40.159 one of the, 00:20:40.679 --> 00:20:40.879 you know, 00:20:40.959 --> 00:20:41.539 in parliament 00:20:41.539 --> 00:20:42.319 and dashes 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:43.979 and clings to Trudeau 00:20:43.979 --> 00:20:45.619 during a formal presentation 00:20:45.619 --> 00:20:46.679 or something like that, 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:47.500 only you, 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:47.839 you know, 00:20:47.899 --> 00:20:48.439 you can't, 00:20:48.439 --> 00:20:49.639 you can't get killed 00:20:49.639 --> 00:20:50.119 for that. 00:20:50.379 --> 00:20:50.619 I don't know, 00:20:50.639 --> 00:20:51.719 maybe you died at Twitter 00:20:51.719 --> 00:20:52.859 by a hundred and thousand 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:54.199 angry Twitter tweets 00:20:54.199 --> 00:20:54.639 or something, 00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:56.099 but that's just not 00:20:56.099 --> 00:20:56.659 real death, 00:20:56.719 --> 00:20:58.919 that's just honor death, 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.419 shame or something. 00:21:00.539 --> 00:21:00.959 But anyway, 00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:02.919 nobody still answered me 00:21:02.919 --> 00:21:03.979 why anybody would care 00:21:03.979 --> 00:21:05.379 that 75,000 people 00:21:05.379 --> 00:21:06.259 say nasty things 00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:07.259 on Twitter about you, 00:21:07.259 --> 00:21:08.640 people you don't know, 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:09.400 don't care about 00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:10.299 and probably have thought 00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:11.299 about it for exactly 00:21:11.299 --> 00:21:12.299 one millisecond 00:21:12.299 --> 00:21:13.779 and can tweet the opposite 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:14.720 thing a week later 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.859 or even a day later. 00:21:16.420 --> 00:21:16.579 Nobody, 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:16.839 anyway, 00:21:16.940 --> 00:21:17.259 never mind, 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:17.839 that's a side. 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:19.319 We'll get back to the text. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:20.000 So anyway, 00:21:20.059 --> 00:21:20.819 she does something 00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:21.879 and the only way that, 00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:23.259 the only way that the, 00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:24.359 the person's life 00:21:24.359 --> 00:21:25.039 will be spared, 00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:26.980 if the king does nothing, 00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:27.539 you die. 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:29.180 So the only thing 00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:30.000 that will spare your life 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:30.980 is if the king 00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:32.220 takes his scepter up 00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:33.799 and sort of holds it out 00:21:33.799 --> 00:21:34.859 to touch you 00:21:34.859 --> 00:21:36.180 and that's what saves 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:36.559 your life 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.059 and that's what 00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:37.700 the king does. 00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:38.700 So Esther risks 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.539 her life again. 00:21:40.099 --> 00:21:40.960 She's passionate 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:41.740 about this, 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:43.259 very courageous. 00:21:43.919 --> 00:21:44.759 Her faith 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:47.000 in God's provision 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:48.240 to deliver 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:49.740 makes her bold. 00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:51.179 That's what's going on. 00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:52.039 Her faith 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:53.039 that the Lord 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:54.399 will deliver his people 00:21:54.399 --> 00:21:55.740 makes her bold. 00:21:56.500 --> 00:21:58.000 She knows she might die 00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:59.000 but she knows 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:00.000 the Lord will deliver 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.599 his people 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:01.519 and maybe he's going 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:02.139 to use her 00:22:02.139 --> 00:22:02.919 and even if, 00:22:03.139 --> 00:22:04.019 even if he's not 00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:04.700 going to use her, 00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:05.839 even if she dies, 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.919 she knows 00:22:06.919 --> 00:22:07.740 he's going to deliver 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:08.579 and maybe he will 00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:09.039 use her. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:10.139 It makes her bold. 00:22:10.399 --> 00:22:11.459 So she does this 00:22:11.459 --> 00:22:12.339 and the king 00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:14.240 lifts up his scepter 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:15.339 and touches her 00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:17.299 and in verse 5, 00:22:17.459 --> 00:22:18.139 Esther rose 00:22:18.139 --> 00:22:19.159 and stood before the king 00:22:19.159 --> 00:22:19.659 and she said, 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:20.720 if it please the king 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:23.819 and if I have found 00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:24.679 favor in his sight 00:22:24.679 --> 00:22:26.359 and if the thing 00:22:26.359 --> 00:22:26.959 seems right 00:22:26.959 --> 00:22:27.759 before the king 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:29.599 and I am pleasing 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.419 in his eyes, 00:22:30.420 --> 00:22:32.039 let an order 00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.480 be written 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.060 to revoke 00:22:33.060 --> 00:22:33.580 the letters 00:22:33.580 --> 00:22:34.380 devised by 00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:35.340 Haman the Agagite 00:22:35.340 --> 00:22:36.840 the son of Hamadatha 00:22:36.840 --> 00:22:37.920 which he wrote 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:39.060 to destroy the Jews 00:22:39.060 --> 00:22:39.720 who were in all 00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:40.360 the provinces 00:22:40.360 --> 00:22:41.140 of the king 00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:42.660 for how can I bear 00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:43.759 to see the calamity 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.380 that is coming 00:22:44.380 --> 00:22:45.100 to my people 00:22:45.100 --> 00:22:46.519 or how can I bear 00:22:46.519 --> 00:22:47.460 to see the destruction 00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:48.300 of my kindred? 00:22:49.360 --> 00:22:50.000 In other words, 00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:50.820 king, 00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:51.620 you gotta deal 00:22:51.620 --> 00:22:52.440 with the genocide. 00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:54.920 You gotta deal 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:55.680 with the genocide. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:01.060 Then king Xerxes 00:23:01.060 --> 00:23:02.420 said to queen Esther 00:23:02.420 --> 00:23:03.480 and to Mordecai the Jew, 00:23:03.580 --> 00:23:04.000 behold, 00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:05.620 I have given Esther 00:23:05.620 --> 00:23:06.440 the house of Haman 00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:07.580 and they have 00:23:07.580 --> 00:23:08.779 hanged him on the gallows 00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:10.360 because he intended 00:23:10.360 --> 00:23:11.000 to lay hands 00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.580 on the Jews. 00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:13.200 But, 00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:15.660 this is so classic, 00:23:15.820 --> 00:23:15.900 right? 00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:16.660 But you may write 00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:17.299 as you please 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:18.420 with regard to the Jews 00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:19.440 in the name of the king 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:20.500 and seal it 00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:21.259 with the king's ring 00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:22.120 for an edict 00:23:22.120 --> 00:23:22.759 written in the name 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:23.200 of the king 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:23.660 and seal it 00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:24.380 with the king's ring 00:23:24.380 --> 00:23:25.539 cannot be revoked. 00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:25.820 So, 00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:27.700 this is part of the problem 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:29.700 that he can't revoke 00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:30.240 the order 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:32.900 and he hasn't been able 00:23:32.900 --> 00:23:33.480 to figure out 00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:34.340 or he had not thought 00:23:34.340 --> 00:23:34.740 about it 00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.120 but he says, 00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:35.340 okay, 00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:36.460 I'm gonna give you 00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:36.880 permission 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:38.460 under my authority 00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:39.220 to come up with 00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.360 a solution to the problem 00:23:40.360 --> 00:23:42.420 and this is gonna get us 00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:43.740 to the nub of the text 00:23:43.740 --> 00:23:44.759 which is very difficult. 00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:46.400 So, 00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.200 what's the solution 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:47.920 going to be? 00:23:48.840 --> 00:23:49.360 I don't know, 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:50.759 bring in some mediators, 00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:53.900 have people stand 00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:54.480 in front 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:55.539 and link arms 00:23:55.539 --> 00:23:56.899 to protect the Jews. 00:24:02.420 --> 00:24:02.799 Like, 00:24:02.879 --> 00:24:03.480 before we get 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:03.980 to the nub 00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:04.720 of the problem, 00:24:04.980 --> 00:24:05.599 the problem 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:06.159 is we're gonna see 00:24:06.159 --> 00:24:06.619 in a moment 00:24:06.619 --> 00:24:07.180 is 00:24:07.180 --> 00:24:10.399 they're gonna ask, 00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:11.299 they're gonna give 00:24:11.299 --> 00:24:12.079 the Jewish people 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:12.519 permission 00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:13.539 to arm themselves 00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:14.980 and attack 00:24:14.980 --> 00:24:15.639 those who are gonna 00:24:15.639 --> 00:24:16.299 attack them 00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:16.980 and kill them. 00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:17.819 Bump. 00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:17.859 help. 00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:21.119 But just as we're 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:21.859 starting to think that 00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:22.359 which is a very 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:23.019 horrible thing, 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:23.599 you have to ask 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:24.559 yourself for a second, 00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:25.379 this is actually 00:24:25.379 --> 00:24:26.700 a real historical event, 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:28.659 like what are the options? 00:24:30.899 --> 00:24:31.700 To shame them 00:24:31.700 --> 00:24:32.279 on Twitter? 00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:33.399 I don't know. 00:24:34.879 --> 00:24:35.579 To have like 00:24:35.579 --> 00:24:36.480 a peace ceremony? 00:24:36.639 --> 00:24:36.799 Like, 00:24:36.859 --> 00:24:37.379 I don't know. 00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:37.920 Like, 00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:38.700 is that gonna work? 00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:41.860 People have been given 00:24:41.860 --> 00:24:43.180 the official power 00:24:43.180 --> 00:24:44.420 and the military, 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:45.540 the police, 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:46.300 the judiciary, 00:24:46.780 --> 00:24:47.420 the nobles, 00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:48.760 the powerful people, 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:49.660 the local people, 00:24:49.740 --> 00:24:50.560 have all been given 00:24:50.560 --> 00:24:51.120 permission 00:24:51.120 --> 00:24:52.960 to attack and kill 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:53.780 every Jew, 00:24:53.940 --> 00:24:54.200 man, 00:24:54.320 --> 00:24:54.540 woman, 00:24:54.600 --> 00:24:55.280 and child, 00:24:55.820 --> 00:24:56.720 old and young, 00:24:57.260 --> 00:24:58.380 on the same day. 00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:01.140 So, 00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:02.820 here's the solution. 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:03.580 Verse 9. 00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:05.600 The king's scribes 00:25:05.600 --> 00:25:06.160 were summoned 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:07.840 at that time 00:25:07.840 --> 00:25:08.640 in the third month, 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.400 which is the month 00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:09.920 of Sivan, 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:11.320 on the 23rd day. 00:25:11.820 --> 00:25:12.540 And an edict 00:25:12.540 --> 00:25:13.000 was written 00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:13.740 according to all 00:25:13.740 --> 00:25:14.900 that Mordecai commanded 00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:15.900 concerning the Jews, 00:25:16.020 --> 00:25:16.940 to the satraps 00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:17.500 and the governors 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:18.220 and the officials 00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:19.060 of the provinces 00:25:19.060 --> 00:25:19.760 from India 00:25:19.760 --> 00:25:20.560 to Ethiopia, 00:25:21.100 --> 00:25:23.100 127 provinces, 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.560 to each province 00:25:24.560 --> 00:25:25.460 in its own script 00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:26.320 and to each people 00:25:26.320 --> 00:25:27.280 in its own language, 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:29.139 and also to the Jews 00:25:29.139 --> 00:25:30.839 in their own script 00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:31.420 and language. 00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:32.160 Just pause. 00:25:33.079 --> 00:25:33.960 All of this language, 00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:34.559 if you go back 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.319 in chapter 3 00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:36.079 and you check it, 00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:36.799 you'll see that 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:38.259 it's almost word for word 00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:38.859 what happens 00:25:38.859 --> 00:25:39.440 when the edict 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:40.399 is being made 00:25:40.399 --> 00:25:42.319 to cause genocide. 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:43.639 But an interesting thing 00:25:43.639 --> 00:25:44.779 is you realize now 00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:46.319 that the original edict 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:47.920 to kill all the Jews 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:49.480 wasn't written in Hebrew. 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:52.980 It's another one of the, 00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:53.319 you see, 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:54.039 one of the things 00:25:54.039 --> 00:25:55.079 which is so powerful 00:25:55.079 --> 00:25:56.920 about this whole story 00:25:56.920 --> 00:25:58.620 is it helps you 00:25:58.620 --> 00:26:00.440 to understand genocide, 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:03.880 which is a profound evil. 00:26:05.180 --> 00:26:07.180 But even at the level 00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:08.180 of the edict 00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:09.840 to kill all the Jews, 00:26:10.140 --> 00:26:11.840 in the very edict itself, 00:26:12.080 --> 00:26:13.660 there's a disempowering, 00:26:14.100 --> 00:26:15.080 there's a turning 00:26:15.080 --> 00:26:16.200 the Jewish people 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:17.600 into nothings, 00:26:17.779 --> 00:26:19.580 people who don't exist 00:26:19.580 --> 00:26:22.539 because they don't even 00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:23.740 send the edict 00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.940 in their own language 00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:26.200 because it's as if 00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:27.059 they already 00:26:27.059 --> 00:26:28.100 do not exist 00:26:28.100 --> 00:26:29.559 as human beings. 00:26:31.380 --> 00:26:34.880 And now this edict 00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:36.160 which is going to go out 00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:37.799 that's going to try 00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:38.920 to solve this 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:41.640 in its very language 00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:44.720 reinstates them 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:46.299 as human beings. 00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:49.660 Their language 00:26:49.660 --> 00:26:50.380 is recognized 00:26:50.380 --> 00:26:52.580 and they're named 00:26:52.580 --> 00:26:53.260 as a people. 00:26:55.080 --> 00:26:56.100 And in verse 10, 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.140 and he wrote the name 00:26:57.140 --> 00:26:59.200 of King Xerxes 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:00.860 and sealed it, 00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:01.640 sorry, 00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.520 he wrote in the name 00:27:02.520 --> 00:27:03.260 of King Xerxes 00:27:03.260 --> 00:27:03.980 and sealed it 00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:05.240 with the king's signet ring. 00:27:06.080 --> 00:27:07.020 Then he sent the letters 00:27:07.020 --> 00:27:08.200 by mounted couriers 00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:09.460 riding on swift horses 00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:10.300 that were used 00:27:10.300 --> 00:27:11.180 in the king's service, 00:27:11.340 --> 00:27:12.480 bred from the royal stud, 00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:13.500 saying that the king 00:27:13.500 --> 00:27:15.180 allowed the Jews, 00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:17.960 here's the awkward passage 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:19.059 which we need to spend 00:27:19.059 --> 00:27:20.079 a few minutes 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:20.740 thinking about. 00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:24.220 The king allowed 00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:24.660 the Jews, 00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.279 verse 11, 00:27:25.420 --> 00:27:26.480 who were in every city 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:27.680 to gather 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:28.880 and defend their lives 00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:29.660 to destroy, 00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:30.960 to kill, 00:27:31.559 --> 00:27:32.720 and to annihilate 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:35.059 any armed force 00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:35.880 of any people 00:27:35.880 --> 00:27:36.500 or province 00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:37.600 that might attack them, 00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:38.700 children 00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.920 and women 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:40.880 included, 00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:43.079 and to plunder 00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:43.740 their goods. 00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:45.839 On one day 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:47.259 throughout all the provinces 00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:48.240 of King Xerxes 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:49.420 on the 13th day 00:27:49.420 --> 00:27:50.299 of the 12th month 00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:51.099 which is the month 00:27:51.099 --> 00:27:52.019 of Adar, 00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:53.740 a copy of what was written 00:27:53.740 --> 00:27:54.559 was to be issued 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.240 as a decree 00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:56.200 in every province 00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:57.480 being publicly displayed 00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:58.579 to all people 00:27:58.579 --> 00:27:59.579 and the Jews 00:27:59.579 --> 00:28:00.220 were to be ready 00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:00.839 in that day 00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:01.559 to take vengeance 00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:02.359 on their enemies. 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.799 So the couriers 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:06.200 mounted on their swift horses 00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:06.880 that were used 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:07.880 in the king's service, 00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:10.380 rode out hurriedly, 00:28:10.900 --> 00:28:12.220 urged by the king's command, 00:28:12.339 --> 00:28:12.819 and the decree 00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:14.059 was issued in Susa, 00:28:14.099 --> 00:28:14.899 the cat's citadel. 00:28:15.899 --> 00:28:16.619 And we'll just stop 00:28:16.619 --> 00:28:17.139 reading there. 00:28:19.179 --> 00:28:19.480 So, 00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:24.379 most of us 00:28:24.379 --> 00:28:26.000 have probably, 00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:26.500 you know, 00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:27.579 what we learn about Esther 00:28:27.579 --> 00:28:29.579 is sanitized versions 00:28:29.579 --> 00:28:30.500 that lead out, 00:28:31.439 --> 00:28:32.200 leave this out. 00:28:36.939 --> 00:28:37.799 So, you know, 00:28:37.859 --> 00:28:38.460 here's the thing. 00:28:38.579 --> 00:28:39.379 We can't say, 00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:40.059 well, 00:28:40.059 --> 00:28:42.859 you know, 00:28:42.899 --> 00:28:43.559 there's lots of things 00:28:43.559 --> 00:28:44.079 that are bad 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:44.839 in the Old Testament 00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:45.480 that go on 00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:46.519 and one of the ways 00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:47.339 that we deal with it 00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:47.960 is we just say, 00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:48.119 well, 00:28:48.159 --> 00:28:49.159 it's just recording 00:28:49.159 --> 00:28:49.679 what's happened. 00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:50.440 It's not saying 00:28:50.440 --> 00:28:51.119 that it was good. 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:51.919 It's just recording 00:28:51.919 --> 00:28:52.440 what happened. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.419 We can't say that here 00:28:54.419 --> 00:28:54.899 because, 00:28:55.079 --> 00:28:55.440 in fact, 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:56.099 the whole book 00:28:56.099 --> 00:28:56.759 of Esther 00:28:56.759 --> 00:28:58.700 is to, 00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.399 at the end of it, 00:28:59.419 --> 00:29:00.079 is to become 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:00.700 a holiday 00:29:00.700 --> 00:29:02.119 which is to be kept 00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:03.079 by Jewish people 00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:03.539 forever 00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:05.379 where they remember 00:29:05.379 --> 00:29:06.559 God's delivering them 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:08.099 from the hands 00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:08.639 of their enemies 00:29:08.639 --> 00:29:09.619 who wanted to kill them. 00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:11.419 So it actually 00:29:11.419 --> 00:29:12.819 has a very special status, 00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:14.019 this holy war 00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:16.740 which comes at the end. 00:29:16.919 --> 00:29:18.059 It's to be remembered. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:19.699 So we can't just say, 00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:19.959 well, 00:29:20.179 --> 00:29:20.439 you know, 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:21.199 that's not that 00:29:21.199 --> 00:29:22.500 the Lord was wanting 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.259 this to happen. 00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:28.459 And this is where 00:29:28.459 --> 00:29:29.740 Canadians expect me 00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:30.319 to say, 00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:32.519 well, 00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:33.339 we know better now. 00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:37.039 We know better now. 00:29:39.639 --> 00:29:40.000 Now, 00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:40.439 by the way, 00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:41.819 those of you 00:29:41.819 --> 00:29:42.459 who weren't watching, 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:43.480 I did that on purpose 00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.539 because that's what happens 00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.579 when Christians do that. 00:29:45.639 --> 00:29:46.119 When they say, 00:29:46.199 --> 00:29:46.279 well, 00:29:46.299 --> 00:29:47.059 we know better now, 00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:48.019 what we're doing is this. 00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:48.779 Well, 00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:49.519 we know better now. 00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:50.919 In fact, 00:29:51.559 --> 00:29:54.859 I want to talk about me. 00:29:57.619 --> 00:29:58.199 You know, 00:29:58.199 --> 00:30:00.619 I understand why 00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:01.379 under pressure 00:30:01.379 --> 00:30:02.959 we do things like that. 00:30:03.339 --> 00:30:06.539 I won't tell about it now, 00:30:06.639 --> 00:30:08.240 but I shared with my wife yesterday. 00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:09.240 I had a bit of a witnessing 00:30:09.240 --> 00:30:10.500 opportunity yesterday. 00:30:10.980 --> 00:30:12.139 Caught me completely 00:30:12.139 --> 00:30:13.439 and utterly flat-footed. 00:30:13.619 --> 00:30:15.319 I probably said nothing right 00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:18.819 and I wish I could get a do-over. 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:20.019 So I understand 00:30:20.019 --> 00:30:20.799 when under pressure 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:22.079 we say things like that 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.939 and it's a hard topic, 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:25.459 but it's not really 00:30:25.459 --> 00:30:27.339 an out that Christians can take. 00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:30.819 So I can imagine 00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:32.139 my friends 00:30:32.140 --> 00:30:35.880 my non-Christian friends 00:30:35.880 --> 00:30:36.820 would now 00:30:36.820 --> 00:30:38.440 probably want to look at me 00:30:38.440 --> 00:30:39.160 and wonder 00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:40.660 and maybe say, 00:30:40.820 --> 00:30:41.380 George, 00:30:41.380 --> 00:30:44.620 do you believe in holy war? 00:30:49.820 --> 00:30:50.860 You're a Christian 00:30:50.860 --> 00:30:53.160 and you believe the Bible. 00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:55.860 So do you believe 00:30:55.860 --> 00:30:58.240 that holy war is good 00:30:58.240 --> 00:31:01.040 and just 00:31:01.040 --> 00:31:03.460 and Christians should do it? 00:31:06.140 --> 00:31:06.740 And I, 00:31:07.060 --> 00:31:08.240 you can just imagine 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:08.960 that if somebody 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:10.840 actually was to ask me 00:31:10.840 --> 00:31:11.759 that question after this, 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:12.779 I know a couple of people 00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:13.759 that if they were here 00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:15.140 after the service, 00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:16.259 if I hadn't outed it, 00:31:16.320 --> 00:31:17.700 they would ask me that question 00:31:17.700 --> 00:31:19.759 now that I've brought them 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.180 to the point 00:31:20.180 --> 00:31:21.380 that they see the problem. 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:23.200 And, 00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:26.900 and my answer will be, 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:27.519 which I'm going to try 00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:28.039 to explain 00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:29.160 over the next few minutes, 00:31:29.420 --> 00:31:29.759 is, 00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:30.920 no, 00:31:34.920 --> 00:31:36.779 I don't believe 00:31:36.779 --> 00:31:37.500 that holy war 00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:38.500 is practiced anymore 00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:39.140 and is just, 00:31:39.420 --> 00:31:40.640 would never be just today 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:41.480 and it's not something 00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:41.960 that Christians 00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:42.740 should ever do. 00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:45.740 but I understand 00:31:45.740 --> 00:31:46.640 what holy war 00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:47.819 is pointing to 00:31:47.819 --> 00:31:48.960 in the Old Testament 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:49.940 and that it's actually 00:31:49.940 --> 00:31:50.839 pointing to something 00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:51.779 really important. 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:53.160 Something, 00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.200 and by the way, 00:31:54.220 --> 00:31:54.779 we're going to talk about 00:31:54.779 --> 00:31:55.920 this a bit more next week 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:57.160 because this is just 00:31:57.160 --> 00:31:58.120 the plan next week 00:31:58.120 --> 00:31:59.039 we see what happens 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:00.140 and how it's to be remembered. 00:32:01.059 --> 00:32:01.700 And I, 00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:02.779 I'd say it's an important 00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:04.759 part of salvation history 00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:05.539 but now, 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:06.799 with Jesus, 00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:08.579 everything changes. 00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:09.500 It's not just that 00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:10.000 I'm going to say 00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:10.920 we know better now, 00:32:11.059 --> 00:32:11.819 it's that really, 00:32:11.819 --> 00:32:12.299 literally, 00:32:13.179 --> 00:32:15.359 everything in the Bible, 00:32:16.399 --> 00:32:18.019 all these 39 books 00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:18.480 in the Bible 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:19.000 written before 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:19.960 the time of Jesus, 00:32:20.439 --> 00:32:21.679 we read them now 00:32:21.679 --> 00:32:22.539 to understand 00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:23.539 how they help us 00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:24.319 to understand 00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:25.379 who Jesus is 00:32:25.379 --> 00:32:26.859 and why he's important 00:32:26.859 --> 00:32:28.779 and what he does for us 00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:29.679 and how everything 00:32:29.679 --> 00:32:30.519 has changed. 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.119 And so, 00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:32.480 I understand 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:34.159 why God 00:32:34.159 --> 00:32:35.419 had this as part 00:32:35.419 --> 00:32:36.259 of the Old Testament 00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:38.139 and because of Jesus 00:32:38.139 --> 00:32:39.000 it's not something 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:39.480 that Christians 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:40.500 should ever do now 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:41.900 and that's not, 00:32:42.759 --> 00:32:42.900 well, 00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:43.160 in fact, 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:43.960 that probably would 00:32:43.960 --> 00:32:45.400 surprise people, 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:46.259 might have surprised you 00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.160 that that's what I'm going to say. 00:32:48.059 --> 00:32:48.660 But that's, 00:32:48.779 --> 00:32:48.940 I think, 00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.480 what the message 00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:50.420 of the text is. 00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:53.119 And so, 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:54.279 the question might be, 00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:54.539 George, 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:54.740 that, 00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:55.259 you know what, 00:32:55.740 --> 00:32:56.119 George, 00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:58.579 you think that 00:32:58.579 --> 00:32:59.200 Holy War 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:00.240 was all right, 00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:01.859 I sort of like it, 00:33:02.019 --> 00:33:02.960 obviously I like it 00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:03.640 that you don't think 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:04.599 it's right now, 00:33:04.599 --> 00:33:07.719 but you think, 00:33:08.259 --> 00:33:08.359 George, 00:33:08.419 --> 00:33:09.099 that just sounds 00:33:09.099 --> 00:33:09.779 so arrogant, 00:33:09.959 --> 00:33:10.599 it just sounds 00:33:10.599 --> 00:33:11.459 so wrong, 00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:12.199 it just sounds 00:33:12.199 --> 00:33:13.019 so bad, 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:13.740 it just sounds 00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:14.980 so inconsistent 00:33:14.980 --> 00:33:16.240 to think that 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:16.740 there can be 00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:17.779 any excuse 00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:19.459 for killing 00:33:19.459 --> 00:33:20.419 that's going to involve 00:33:20.419 --> 00:33:21.539 women and children 00:33:21.539 --> 00:33:23.619 and all these people, 00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:24.299 George, 00:33:24.439 --> 00:33:26.000 that just seems wrong. 00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:31.679 Let me tell you a story, 00:33:32.639 --> 00:33:34.019 true story, 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:36.119 a couple of weeks ago, 00:33:36.859 --> 00:33:38.119 one of the baristas 00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:39.159 that I've talked to 00:33:39.159 --> 00:33:40.179 quite a few times 00:33:40.179 --> 00:33:41.500 about the Christian faith, 00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:43.539 and they can get 00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.659 very down on themselves, 00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:45.559 and I, 00:33:46.219 --> 00:33:47.139 there happened to be 00:33:47.139 --> 00:33:47.559 a bit of a, 00:33:47.639 --> 00:33:48.399 just by coincidence, 00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:49.159 a bit of a break, 00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:49.919 nobody else up, 00:33:49.959 --> 00:33:51.059 I went up to get a refill, 00:33:51.699 --> 00:33:52.839 and I said, 00:33:52.899 --> 00:33:53.019 oh, 00:33:53.179 --> 00:33:53.679 how you doing? 00:33:54.359 --> 00:33:55.339 And they said, 00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:57.579 well, 00:33:57.639 --> 00:33:58.159 how are you doing? 00:33:58.359 --> 00:33:58.819 And I said, 00:33:58.839 --> 00:33:58.959 well, 00:33:58.980 --> 00:33:59.679 I'm doing fine. 00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:00.000 They said, 00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:00.279 well, 00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.240 that must be nice. 00:34:02.919 --> 00:34:03.359 I don't know, 00:34:03.399 --> 00:34:03.579 I'm like, 00:34:03.659 --> 00:34:04.579 my life just, 00:34:04.579 --> 00:34:05.019 sucks, 00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:06.439 and nothing's working 00:34:06.439 --> 00:34:07.539 well for me, 00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:09.219 and I don't know, 00:34:09.319 --> 00:34:10.199 just things seem 00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:13.139 like there's no much, 00:34:13.319 --> 00:34:14.420 not much value. 00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:17.779 And I said to the fellow, 00:34:19.099 --> 00:34:19.819 I said, 00:34:19.820 --> 00:34:22.440 you know, 00:34:22.640 --> 00:34:24.720 you are a person 00:34:24.720 --> 00:34:28.120 of vast worth 00:34:28.120 --> 00:34:31.320 and are precious, 00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:33.740 but you possess 00:34:33.740 --> 00:34:35.380 vast worth 00:34:35.380 --> 00:34:36.320 and significance. 00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:39.100 And he looked at me, 00:34:39.160 --> 00:34:39.580 and he said, 00:34:39.820 --> 00:34:40.880 well, 00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:41.640 that's your opinion. 00:34:41.639 --> 00:34:44.559 And I was about 00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:45.500 to do the Canadian 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:46.179 thing and said, 00:34:46.259 --> 00:34:46.339 well, 00:34:46.359 --> 00:34:47.299 that is my opinion. 00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:49.139 But somebody must have 00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:50.019 been praying for me 00:34:50.019 --> 00:34:50.859 at that instant 00:34:50.859 --> 00:34:53.179 because just as I was 00:34:53.179 --> 00:34:53.679 about to say, 00:34:53.759 --> 00:34:53.859 well, 00:34:53.879 --> 00:34:54.719 that is my opinion, 00:34:54.859 --> 00:34:56.239 I changed what I said 00:34:56.239 --> 00:34:56.599 and I said, 00:34:56.659 --> 00:34:56.920 no, 00:34:57.879 --> 00:34:59.519 it's not my opinion. 00:34:59.579 --> 00:35:00.719 I believe it's true. 00:35:02.219 --> 00:35:03.339 I believe what I just 00:35:03.339 --> 00:35:04.039 said to you about 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:05.579 is like objectively 00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:06.099 true. 00:35:06.099 --> 00:35:09.920 I said, 00:35:10.199 --> 00:35:11.579 it's central 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:12.480 to what I believe 00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:13.039 is true. 00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:13.380 Like, 00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:14.960 I believe 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.779 that you're made 00:35:15.779 --> 00:35:16.900 in the image of God 00:35:16.900 --> 00:35:18.539 and therefore 00:35:18.539 --> 00:35:19.739 have this vast 00:35:19.739 --> 00:35:21.179 significance and worth 00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:23.880 and Jesus loved you 00:35:23.880 --> 00:35:24.339 so much 00:35:24.339 --> 00:35:24.759 that he came 00:35:24.759 --> 00:35:25.599 to die for you. 00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:30.779 And they just 00:35:30.779 --> 00:35:31.599 looked at me 00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:34.019 and another customer 00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:34.659 came up 00:35:34.659 --> 00:35:35.440 to get a coffee 00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:37.059 and they nodded 00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:37.579 at me 00:35:37.579 --> 00:35:38.300 in a way 00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:38.700 that I knew 00:35:38.700 --> 00:35:39.519 that the conversation 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:40.079 was over. 00:35:41.079 --> 00:35:41.740 I didn't want 00:35:41.740 --> 00:35:42.780 to push Bob on it. 00:35:42.920 --> 00:35:43.720 He just nodded 00:35:43.720 --> 00:35:45.760 and I moved on. 00:35:45.880 --> 00:35:48.059 I put my sucra 00:35:48.059 --> 00:35:49.079 or whatever it is, 00:35:49.139 --> 00:35:50.220 artificial sweetener 00:35:50.220 --> 00:35:51.599 in my herbal tea. 00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:53.720 It was a refill. 00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:55.200 So, 00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:56.360 but here's the point 00:35:56.360 --> 00:35:57.220 about this story. 00:35:58.179 --> 00:35:58.599 You see, 00:35:58.760 --> 00:35:59.860 for most Canadians, 00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:01.500 when they hear 00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:02.480 that you're a Christian 00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.340 or they hear 00:36:03.340 --> 00:36:03.960 you're Muslim, 00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:04.800 they hear you're a Buddhist, 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:05.580 what they think 00:36:05.580 --> 00:36:05.980 is this, 00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:06.519 that religion 00:36:06.519 --> 00:36:07.300 is just a matter 00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:08.000 of opinion. 00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:09.840 It's not talking 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:10.800 about anything true. 00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:13.000 It's personal. 00:36:13.260 --> 00:36:13.960 It's private. 00:36:14.640 --> 00:36:15.600 It's spiritual. 00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:17.000 And you know what? 00:36:17.539 --> 00:36:19.300 If Buddhism 00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:20.220 gets you through 00:36:20.220 --> 00:36:20.700 the day, 00:36:20.820 --> 00:36:21.660 good for you. 00:36:21.820 --> 00:36:22.980 If Islam 00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:23.640 gets you through 00:36:23.640 --> 00:36:24.120 the day, 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:25.260 good for you. 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.340 If reading 00:36:26.340 --> 00:36:26.920 the Bible 00:36:26.920 --> 00:36:28.200 helps you get 00:36:28.200 --> 00:36:28.720 through the day, 00:36:28.820 --> 00:36:29.640 good for you. 00:36:29.639 --> 00:36:30.619 Like if having 00:36:30.619 --> 00:36:31.299 a shot of 00:36:31.299 --> 00:36:32.279 Johnny Walkers 00:36:32.279 --> 00:36:33.039 as soon as you 00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:33.619 get home 00:36:33.619 --> 00:36:34.699 gets you through 00:36:34.699 --> 00:36:35.139 the day, 00:36:35.299 --> 00:36:36.279 good for you. 00:36:36.679 --> 00:36:37.279 Like it's just 00:36:37.279 --> 00:36:38.079 a matter of taste. 00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:38.739 It's just a matter 00:36:38.739 --> 00:36:39.319 of preference. 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:40.159 It's just a matter 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:41.699 of what helps you, 00:36:41.839 --> 00:36:42.519 gives you some, 00:36:43.339 --> 00:36:44.119 helps you get 00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:44.879 through the day. 00:36:45.900 --> 00:36:46.339 So, 00:36:46.599 --> 00:36:47.539 if religion 00:36:47.539 --> 00:36:48.199 is just something 00:36:48.199 --> 00:36:48.980 about helping you 00:36:48.980 --> 00:36:50.159 get through the day, 00:36:50.839 --> 00:36:52.259 but it's going 00:36:52.259 --> 00:36:52.639 to lead you 00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:54.219 to kill people, 00:36:54.699 --> 00:36:56.339 then that's 00:36:56.339 --> 00:36:56.900 terrible. 00:36:57.559 --> 00:36:58.019 Like that's 00:36:58.019 --> 00:36:58.740 horrendous. 00:36:59.700 --> 00:37:00.180 But you see, 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:00.940 and in a sense 00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:02.099 that's why Bob, 00:37:02.240 --> 00:37:03.119 when I said to him 00:37:03.119 --> 00:37:04.119 that he was of value 00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:05.960 and of this 00:37:05.960 --> 00:37:07.599 vast significance 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.220 and worth 00:37:08.220 --> 00:37:09.039 because he was made 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:09.900 in the image of God 00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:10.900 and he said my opinion, 00:37:11.220 --> 00:37:11.840 he's just saying, 00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:12.260 well that's just 00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:12.980 a religious way 00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:13.440 of speaking. 00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:13.960 And I was going 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:15.000 to respond like a Canadian, 00:37:15.079 --> 00:37:15.780 but I said no, 00:37:16.500 --> 00:37:17.619 I'm saying what I think 00:37:17.619 --> 00:37:18.280 is true. 00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:20.240 And you see, 00:37:20.300 --> 00:37:21.280 that's the big difference. 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:23.420 And to begin 00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:24.400 to get your handle on, 00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:25.519 and we as Canadians, 00:37:26.240 --> 00:37:26.720 Christians, 00:37:26.900 --> 00:37:27.559 those of us here, 00:37:27.880 --> 00:37:29.079 probably almost all of us 00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:29.619 are Christians, 00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:31.260 when we hear this text, 00:37:31.460 --> 00:37:33.059 part of this Canadian 00:37:33.059 --> 00:37:34.639 mindset seeps in 00:37:34.639 --> 00:37:35.160 that religion 00:37:35.160 --> 00:37:36.420 is just something personal. 00:37:36.780 --> 00:37:38.019 It's just something private. 00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:38.760 It's just something 00:37:38.760 --> 00:37:39.500 about helping you 00:37:39.500 --> 00:37:40.380 get through the day. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.320 But you see, 00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:41.740 to me, 00:37:41.900 --> 00:37:42.519 this is not the, 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:42.840 this, 00:37:43.260 --> 00:37:44.720 God is just as real 00:37:44.720 --> 00:37:45.559 as an iceberg. 00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:47.900 For me to say 00:37:47.900 --> 00:37:49.460 that the Lord exists 00:37:49.460 --> 00:37:50.740 is the same as for me 00:37:50.740 --> 00:37:52.340 to say that Ottawa exists. 00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:53.700 I believe 00:37:53.700 --> 00:37:55.180 I am saying something 00:37:55.179 --> 00:37:56.139 which is completely 00:37:56.139 --> 00:37:57.579 and utterly true. 00:37:58.019 --> 00:37:59.859 And I am very simple-minded. 00:38:00.179 --> 00:38:01.399 When I stand here 00:38:01.399 --> 00:38:02.339 in front of you 00:38:02.339 --> 00:38:04.500 and I close my eyes 00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:05.659 or I open my eyes 00:38:05.659 --> 00:38:06.379 and I pray, 00:38:06.519 --> 00:38:07.279 I believe 00:38:07.279 --> 00:38:08.579 I am talking 00:38:08.579 --> 00:38:09.359 literally 00:38:09.359 --> 00:38:10.879 to a God 00:38:10.879 --> 00:38:11.819 who exists 00:38:11.819 --> 00:38:13.119 who can hear me. 00:38:14.719 --> 00:38:15.919 And you can act 00:38:15.919 --> 00:38:16.619 in response 00:38:16.619 --> 00:38:17.339 to my prayers. 00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:18.519 When I pray 00:38:18.519 --> 00:38:20.759 that ask the Father 00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:22.680 and ask the Son 00:38:22.680 --> 00:38:24.000 to pour the Holy Spirit 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:25.060 out upon us, 00:38:25.560 --> 00:38:26.920 I literally believe 00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:27.740 there is a God 00:38:27.740 --> 00:38:28.240 who exists 00:38:28.240 --> 00:38:29.240 who hears me. 00:38:30.640 --> 00:38:31.580 And I believe 00:38:31.580 --> 00:38:32.320 that any time 00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:33.920 I ask for the Holy Spirit, 00:38:34.680 --> 00:38:35.400 for the Father 00:38:35.400 --> 00:38:36.520 to send the Holy Spirit, 00:38:36.640 --> 00:38:37.680 that he always answers 00:38:37.680 --> 00:38:38.660 that prayer with yes. 00:38:39.180 --> 00:38:40.060 And I believe 00:38:40.060 --> 00:38:40.820 the Holy Spirit 00:38:40.820 --> 00:38:42.140 does fall in some way 00:38:42.140 --> 00:38:43.460 upon us. 00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:44.860 Like, 00:38:45.100 --> 00:38:45.920 really does. 00:38:46.520 --> 00:38:47.480 When I pray that prayer, 00:38:47.480 --> 00:38:48.680 I am very simple-minded. 00:38:48.679 --> 00:38:52.239 But if you believe 00:38:52.239 --> 00:38:53.399 that the Lord 00:38:53.399 --> 00:38:54.879 really exists, 00:38:55.779 --> 00:38:57.659 like, 00:38:57.739 --> 00:38:58.759 really exists, 00:38:59.239 --> 00:39:01.179 then that's going 00:39:01.179 --> 00:39:01.779 to have to start 00:39:01.779 --> 00:39:02.279 to change 00:39:02.279 --> 00:39:02.839 the way you read 00:39:02.839 --> 00:39:03.379 the Bible. 00:39:05.460 --> 00:39:06.319 It's going to have 00:39:06.319 --> 00:39:06.799 to be read 00:39:06.799 --> 00:39:07.339 in a different way 00:39:07.339 --> 00:39:08.219 and we have to think 00:39:08.219 --> 00:39:09.000 about holy war 00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:09.879 in a different way 00:39:09.879 --> 00:39:11.339 because religion 00:39:11.339 --> 00:39:12.319 isn't just about, 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:12.799 Christianity 00:39:12.799 --> 00:39:13.659 isn't just one 00:39:13.659 --> 00:39:14.259 other religion 00:39:14.259 --> 00:39:14.980 about how to get 00:39:14.980 --> 00:39:15.659 some comfort 00:39:15.659 --> 00:39:17.199 to get through our day 00:39:17.199 --> 00:39:17.899 and the nice thing 00:39:17.899 --> 00:39:18.659 about reading the Bible 00:39:18.659 --> 00:39:19.379 is it's cheaper 00:39:19.379 --> 00:39:19.819 than buying 00:39:19.819 --> 00:39:20.920 expensive scotch 00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:21.519 every day. 00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:24.019 And, 00:39:24.139 --> 00:39:24.960 you know, 00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:25.440 which might be 00:39:25.440 --> 00:39:26.039 how some people 00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:26.379 look at it. 00:39:26.379 --> 00:39:26.799 I wish I could 00:39:26.799 --> 00:39:27.579 get into religion 00:39:27.579 --> 00:39:28.239 because scotch 00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:29.199 is so expensive. 00:39:32.139 --> 00:39:33.279 But I just, 00:39:33.399 --> 00:39:33.960 I really believe 00:39:33.960 --> 00:39:34.579 there is a God 00:39:34.579 --> 00:39:35.399 who does exist. 00:39:36.359 --> 00:39:36.719 So, 00:39:37.359 --> 00:39:38.420 how does that, 00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:39.739 how does that 00:39:39.739 --> 00:39:40.899 help us to understand 00:39:40.899 --> 00:39:42.219 this particular text? 00:39:43.279 --> 00:39:43.719 Well, 00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:45.960 one more story. 00:39:47.059 --> 00:39:47.399 Oh, 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:48.240 I'm running out of time. 00:39:48.240 --> 00:39:49.220 I'm going to keep going. 00:39:51.300 --> 00:39:52.300 In the book of Acts, 00:39:52.340 --> 00:39:53.780 there's a very interesting story 00:39:53.780 --> 00:39:55.160 that helps us to understand 00:39:55.160 --> 00:39:56.740 this and all the holy war things. 00:39:56.960 --> 00:39:57.559 I'm not going to try 00:39:57.559 --> 00:39:58.099 to deal with this. 00:39:58.180 --> 00:39:59.260 I'm going to cut some things out, 00:39:59.340 --> 00:39:59.880 but I'm going to, 00:40:00.019 --> 00:40:00.740 I want to stay to it 00:40:00.740 --> 00:40:01.019 because it's, 00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:01.720 I think the Lord 00:40:01.720 --> 00:40:03.200 needs us to gather 00:40:03.200 --> 00:40:04.079 around this text 00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:04.780 to help us to, 00:40:04.840 --> 00:40:06.139 to lose our fear 00:40:06.139 --> 00:40:08.139 of reading the Old Testament, 00:40:08.139 --> 00:40:11.759 to trust God's word 00:40:11.759 --> 00:40:13.440 and to trust Jesus 00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:14.239 and recognize 00:40:14.239 --> 00:40:15.379 how precious 00:40:15.379 --> 00:40:17.659 and important he is. 00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:20.839 In the book of Acts, 00:40:20.980 --> 00:40:22.119 Saul is a guy, 00:40:22.199 --> 00:40:23.019 he's not converted, 00:40:23.159 --> 00:40:24.599 he persecutes Christians 00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:25.259 and there's this 00:40:25.259 --> 00:40:26.679 spectacular story 00:40:26.679 --> 00:40:27.420 in Acts 9 00:40:27.420 --> 00:40:28.900 about how the Lord 00:40:28.900 --> 00:40:30.619 appears to, 00:40:30.619 --> 00:40:30.900 to, 00:40:30.900 --> 00:40:31.159 to, 00:40:31.159 --> 00:40:31.799 to Saul, 00:40:31.980 --> 00:40:32.159 like, 00:40:32.400 --> 00:40:33.440 appears to Saul 00:40:33.440 --> 00:40:34.799 and all everybody sees 00:40:34.799 --> 00:40:35.759 is this bright light 00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:37.920 and Saul hears a voice 00:40:37.920 --> 00:40:38.860 that speaks to him 00:40:38.860 --> 00:40:39.760 and he hears the voice 00:40:39.760 --> 00:40:41.080 of Jesus speak to him 00:40:41.080 --> 00:40:42.540 and the first words 00:40:42.540 --> 00:40:43.540 that Jesus says 00:40:43.540 --> 00:40:44.420 to Saul 00:40:44.420 --> 00:40:44.900 isn't, 00:40:45.060 --> 00:40:46.780 why are you persecuting Christians? 00:40:47.320 --> 00:40:48.080 He says, 00:40:48.520 --> 00:40:50.720 why are you persecuting 00:40:50.720 --> 00:40:52.840 me? 00:40:54.620 --> 00:40:56.840 Why are you persecuting me? 00:40:57.040 --> 00:40:57.580 If you could put 00:40:57.580 --> 00:40:58.600 the first point up, 00:40:59.180 --> 00:40:59.980 this is, 00:41:00.340 --> 00:41:01.600 helps us to understand 00:41:01.600 --> 00:41:02.540 a lot about 00:41:02.540 --> 00:41:03.260 what goes on 00:41:03.260 --> 00:41:04.060 with holy war 00:41:04.060 --> 00:41:05.580 in the Old Testament. 00:41:06.440 --> 00:41:07.240 Is that when you 00:41:07.240 --> 00:41:08.400 seek to destroy, 00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:10.280 I'm borrowing the language 00:41:10.280 --> 00:41:11.440 that Mordecai had, 00:41:11.500 --> 00:41:11.740 you see, 00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:12.720 amongst other things, 00:41:13.220 --> 00:41:13.600 whatever, 00:41:13.960 --> 00:41:14.260 sort of, 00:41:14.300 --> 00:41:15.580 whatever Mordecai says 00:41:15.580 --> 00:41:16.540 for the Jewish people 00:41:16.540 --> 00:41:16.860 to do, 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:17.780 all he does 00:41:17.780 --> 00:41:18.660 is duplicate 00:41:18.660 --> 00:41:19.700 the language 00:41:19.700 --> 00:41:20.320 of those 00:41:20.320 --> 00:41:20.840 who are going 00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:22.220 to commit genocide. 00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:23.240 And so, 00:41:23.340 --> 00:41:24.080 when you seek 00:41:24.080 --> 00:41:24.840 to destroy, 00:41:25.160 --> 00:41:25.920 to kill, 00:41:26.200 --> 00:41:27.300 and to annihilate 00:41:27.300 --> 00:41:29.420 the Lord's covenant people, 00:41:30.140 --> 00:41:30.960 you are really 00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:32.300 seeking to destroy, 00:41:32.520 --> 00:41:33.060 to kill, 00:41:33.320 --> 00:41:34.280 and to annihilate 00:41:34.280 --> 00:41:35.280 the Lord himself. 00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:37.960 See, 00:41:38.040 --> 00:41:39.140 Acts 9 helps us 00:41:39.140 --> 00:41:39.740 to understand 00:41:39.740 --> 00:41:40.520 the Old Testament. 00:41:41.540 --> 00:41:42.640 Jesus' words, 00:41:43.240 --> 00:41:44.080 why are you 00:41:44.080 --> 00:41:45.320 persecuting me? 00:41:49.240 --> 00:41:49.720 Haman 00:41:49.720 --> 00:41:51.660 thought 00:41:51.660 --> 00:41:53.160 the gods 00:41:53.160 --> 00:41:55.040 had given him, 00:41:55.140 --> 00:41:56.540 by casting the Purim, 00:41:56.700 --> 00:41:57.200 the lots, 00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:58.100 had given him 00:41:58.100 --> 00:41:58.760 the permission 00:41:58.760 --> 00:41:59.540 and the blessing 00:41:59.540 --> 00:42:00.300 to kill. 00:42:00.300 --> 00:42:02.820 but the gods 00:42:02.820 --> 00:42:03.420 that he was 00:42:03.420 --> 00:42:04.000 consulting 00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:04.900 were idols, 00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:06.180 they don't exist, 00:42:07.340 --> 00:42:08.100 they're ashes 00:42:08.100 --> 00:42:09.120 in your mouth, 00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:11.820 and the god 00:42:11.820 --> 00:42:12.380 who really 00:42:12.380 --> 00:42:13.240 does exist, 00:42:13.360 --> 00:42:13.920 it is his 00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:14.840 covenant people. 00:42:15.680 --> 00:42:17.200 And when Haman 00:42:17.200 --> 00:42:17.840 set out 00:42:17.840 --> 00:42:19.180 to attack, 00:42:19.440 --> 00:42:20.240 to destroy, 00:42:20.460 --> 00:42:21.220 to kill, 00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:22.220 and to annihilate 00:42:22.220 --> 00:42:23.500 the Lord's covenant people, 00:42:23.580 --> 00:42:24.500 he was actually 00:42:24.500 --> 00:42:25.980 seeking to annihilate, 00:42:26.180 --> 00:42:26.780 to destroy, 00:42:26.920 --> 00:42:27.600 and to kill 00:42:27.599 --> 00:42:28.519 the Lord. 00:42:33.799 --> 00:42:34.779 And there's another thing 00:42:34.779 --> 00:42:36.019 about the New Testament 00:42:36.019 --> 00:42:36.579 that helps us 00:42:36.579 --> 00:42:37.759 to understand this as well. 00:42:37.880 --> 00:42:38.719 The Old Testament 00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:39.900 is all about grace, 00:42:40.039 --> 00:42:40.699 believe it or not. 00:42:41.059 --> 00:42:41.900 If you go back, 00:42:41.900 --> 00:42:43.440 I tell Christians 00:42:43.440 --> 00:42:44.200 and non-Christians 00:42:44.200 --> 00:42:44.900 this all the time. 00:42:44.960 --> 00:42:45.160 I said, 00:42:45.200 --> 00:42:45.740 you go back 00:42:45.740 --> 00:42:46.579 and look at Exodus, 00:42:46.780 --> 00:42:47.980 you look at Deuteronomy, 00:42:48.059 --> 00:42:49.320 you look at the Ten Commandments, 00:42:49.480 --> 00:42:50.559 and how does it begin? 00:42:50.619 --> 00:42:51.059 It begins, 00:42:51.460 --> 00:42:52.639 I am the Lord, 00:42:52.740 --> 00:42:53.400 your God, 00:42:53.460 --> 00:42:54.300 who redeemed you 00:42:54.300 --> 00:42:55.180 out of slavery 00:42:55.180 --> 00:42:56.300 into Egypt. 00:42:57.180 --> 00:42:59.500 I redeemed you. 00:43:00.860 --> 00:43:02.460 I redeemed you. 00:43:03.019 --> 00:43:03.900 And given that 00:43:03.900 --> 00:43:05.300 I have redeemed you, 00:43:05.400 --> 00:43:06.480 that I am now 00:43:06.480 --> 00:43:07.320 your God 00:43:07.320 --> 00:43:08.480 and you are my people, 00:43:08.619 --> 00:43:09.539 how shall you 00:43:09.539 --> 00:43:10.400 then live 00:43:10.400 --> 00:43:12.500 in light of redemption, 00:43:12.900 --> 00:43:14.260 which is all by grace 00:43:14.260 --> 00:43:15.220 and God's power. 00:43:17.160 --> 00:43:18.320 And in the New Testament, 00:43:18.480 --> 00:43:19.139 we understand 00:43:19.139 --> 00:43:20.300 that when we put our faith 00:43:20.300 --> 00:43:21.340 and trust in Jesus, 00:43:22.340 --> 00:43:24.119 that he saves us, 00:43:24.260 --> 00:43:25.460 he saves me. 00:43:25.760 --> 00:43:26.639 And we understand 00:43:26.639 --> 00:43:27.340 that even though 00:43:27.340 --> 00:43:28.260 we use this one word, 00:43:28.340 --> 00:43:29.700 Jesus has saved me. 00:43:29.780 --> 00:43:30.579 When I put my faith 00:43:30.579 --> 00:43:31.059 and trust in him, 00:43:31.059 --> 00:43:31.900 he saves me. 00:43:32.180 --> 00:43:33.000 There's in fact, 00:43:33.360 --> 00:43:34.400 implicit in that, 00:43:34.860 --> 00:43:36.320 three different tenses 00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:37.380 of the word saves. 00:43:37.480 --> 00:43:38.079 On one hand, 00:43:38.079 --> 00:43:38.819 I can say 00:43:38.819 --> 00:43:40.199 that when I put my faith 00:43:40.199 --> 00:43:41.019 and trust in Jesus, 00:43:41.340 --> 00:43:42.079 he saved me. 00:43:42.159 --> 00:43:43.360 I am made right with his. 00:43:43.480 --> 00:43:44.239 I am adopted. 00:43:44.639 --> 00:43:45.699 I am given new life 00:43:45.699 --> 00:43:46.259 from above. 00:43:46.579 --> 00:43:47.860 I am his by adoption 00:43:47.860 --> 00:43:48.360 and grace. 00:43:48.619 --> 00:43:49.840 He will never let me go. 00:43:50.119 --> 00:43:51.019 I am saved. 00:43:51.139 --> 00:43:52.019 I am justified. 00:43:52.219 --> 00:43:53.599 I am made right with God. 00:43:53.819 --> 00:43:54.739 But at the same time, 00:43:54.799 --> 00:43:55.059 I am, 00:43:55.179 --> 00:43:55.719 I can say 00:43:55.719 --> 00:43:57.099 that he is saving me 00:43:57.099 --> 00:43:57.759 right now. 00:43:57.920 --> 00:43:59.039 That I am becoming, 00:43:59.239 --> 00:44:01.159 as redemption grips me, 00:44:01.159 --> 00:44:02.279 that I am to become, 00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:03.659 as the gospel grips me, 00:44:03.739 --> 00:44:04.579 as it shapes me, 00:44:04.659 --> 00:44:05.679 as it nudges me 00:44:05.679 --> 00:44:06.739 into new ways of living, 00:44:06.819 --> 00:44:07.679 as it draws me 00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:08.659 into new ways of living, 00:44:08.739 --> 00:44:09.619 as it shapes me 00:44:09.619 --> 00:44:10.579 into new ways of living, 00:44:10.839 --> 00:44:12.440 as I become more like Jesus, 00:44:12.579 --> 00:44:14.079 as I become more fit for heaven, 00:44:14.319 --> 00:44:15.960 I am being saved right now. 00:44:16.259 --> 00:44:17.159 Because it's not that 00:44:17.159 --> 00:44:17.960 he just saved me 00:44:17.960 --> 00:44:18.719 a long time ago 00:44:18.719 --> 00:44:19.699 and then he leaves me alone. 00:44:19.779 --> 00:44:21.480 No, I am being saved right now. 00:44:21.539 --> 00:44:23.099 The Holy Spirit indwells me. 00:44:23.399 --> 00:44:24.679 I am being saved right now. 00:44:24.919 --> 00:44:25.739 And at the same time, 00:44:25.779 --> 00:44:26.919 I know there are so many times 00:44:26.919 --> 00:44:27.879 my salvation is, 00:44:28.079 --> 00:44:29.159 I screw up. 00:44:29.159 --> 00:44:30.879 I have to confess my sins. 00:44:30.980 --> 00:44:31.559 I have to come to, 00:44:31.859 --> 00:44:33.539 I need to call out 00:44:33.539 --> 00:44:34.759 for more grace and mercy. 00:44:34.879 --> 00:44:35.559 Not that I need more. 00:44:35.559 --> 00:44:36.420 It's all been given to me 00:44:36.420 --> 00:44:37.719 in Jesus when I've been redeemed. 00:44:37.779 --> 00:44:38.619 I'm being saved. 00:44:38.880 --> 00:44:39.500 But I also know 00:44:39.500 --> 00:44:40.159 that in the future, 00:44:40.420 --> 00:44:41.739 I will be saved. 00:44:43.460 --> 00:44:44.659 I will be glorified. 00:44:44.940 --> 00:44:45.940 I will live in a new heaven 00:44:45.940 --> 00:44:46.539 and a new earth 00:44:46.539 --> 00:44:47.619 with a resurrection body. 00:44:47.920 --> 00:44:48.940 I have been saved. 00:44:49.059 --> 00:44:49.940 I am being saved. 00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:50.820 I will be saved. 00:44:51.139 --> 00:44:52.299 And that helps us to see 00:44:52.299 --> 00:44:53.480 in a picture way 00:44:53.480 --> 00:44:54.159 what's going on 00:44:54.159 --> 00:44:55.039 in the Old Testament 00:44:55.039 --> 00:44:56.659 where before Jesus, 00:44:57.000 --> 00:44:58.039 part of the preparation 00:44:58.039 --> 00:44:59.039 for Jesus coming 00:44:59.039 --> 00:45:00.380 is that the Lord 00:45:00.380 --> 00:45:01.559 redeems one people, 00:45:01.659 --> 00:45:02.779 not the smartest people, 00:45:02.900 --> 00:45:03.940 not the brightest people, 00:45:04.219 --> 00:45:05.440 not the holiest people, 00:45:06.320 --> 00:45:08.099 He saves out of love. 00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:09.099 And if you could put up 00:45:09.099 --> 00:45:09.779 the next point, 00:45:10.159 --> 00:45:11.000 then we see that 00:45:11.000 --> 00:45:11.840 in the Old Testament, 00:45:12.320 --> 00:45:13.299 it's true that 00:45:13.299 --> 00:45:14.779 the Lord has delivered, 00:45:15.360 --> 00:45:16.199 is delivering, 00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:17.599 and will deliver 00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:18.960 His covenant people. 00:45:19.279 --> 00:45:20.619 The Lord has delivered, 00:45:20.779 --> 00:45:21.440 is delivering, 00:45:21.539 --> 00:45:22.239 and will deliver 00:45:22.239 --> 00:45:23.099 His covenant people. 00:45:23.340 --> 00:45:24.159 And that means that 00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:25.259 not only did He redeem 00:45:25.259 --> 00:45:26.059 the Jewish people 00:45:26.059 --> 00:45:27.000 out of slavery 00:45:27.000 --> 00:45:27.699 and bondage 00:45:27.699 --> 00:45:28.239 in Egypt, 00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:30.319 in Egypt, 00:45:30.500 --> 00:45:31.779 but He will continue 00:45:31.779 --> 00:45:33.059 to deliver His people 00:45:33.059 --> 00:45:34.500 because He is their God 00:45:34.500 --> 00:45:36.199 and He will deliver them. 00:45:37.559 --> 00:45:38.979 And so in the face 00:45:38.979 --> 00:45:41.000 of a new Amalekite 00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:42.679 who desires to annihilate 00:45:42.679 --> 00:45:43.539 the covenant people 00:45:43.539 --> 00:45:44.699 without them realizing 00:45:44.699 --> 00:45:45.459 that they are actually 00:45:45.459 --> 00:45:46.599 trying to annihilate 00:45:46.599 --> 00:45:47.519 the true God 00:45:47.519 --> 00:45:48.379 that does exist, 00:45:48.779 --> 00:45:49.339 He says, 00:45:49.719 --> 00:45:50.579 I will deliver 00:45:50.579 --> 00:45:51.379 My people. 00:45:51.380 --> 00:45:54.980 I will deliver 00:45:54.980 --> 00:45:55.720 My people. 00:45:58.519 --> 00:45:59.280 And it's only 00:45:59.280 --> 00:45:59.940 in those cases 00:45:59.940 --> 00:46:00.800 in the Old Testament 00:46:00.800 --> 00:46:03.539 that holy war 00:46:03.539 --> 00:46:04.380 is to be understood. 00:46:06.640 --> 00:46:07.740 It's a consequence 00:46:07.740 --> 00:46:08.440 of the fact 00:46:08.440 --> 00:46:09.000 that the Lord 00:46:09.000 --> 00:46:10.140 will deliver His people. 00:46:14.059 --> 00:46:14.900 If you could put up 00:46:14.900 --> 00:46:15.539 the next point, 00:46:16.420 --> 00:46:17.340 how is it that Jesus 00:46:17.340 --> 00:46:18.340 changes everything? 00:46:19.579 --> 00:46:20.599 We've already seen it 00:46:20.599 --> 00:46:21.819 in some very small ways. 00:46:22.819 --> 00:46:23.360 But the thing 00:46:23.360 --> 00:46:25.440 which is so remarkable, 00:46:25.619 --> 00:46:26.199 we're going to talk 00:46:26.199 --> 00:46:27.299 about this more next week, 00:46:27.380 --> 00:46:28.679 that's so remarkable, 00:46:29.400 --> 00:46:30.259 is that when Jesus 00:46:30.259 --> 00:46:31.279 comes amongst us 00:46:31.279 --> 00:46:32.199 as a fulfillment 00:46:32.199 --> 00:46:33.819 of an Old Testament prophecy, 00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:34.699 He is called, 00:46:35.339 --> 00:46:36.480 in the book of Isaiah, 00:46:36.619 --> 00:46:38.039 they say that there will be 00:46:38.039 --> 00:46:38.940 one born one day 00:46:38.940 --> 00:46:39.940 whose name is Emmanuel, 00:46:40.139 --> 00:46:40.519 which means 00:46:40.519 --> 00:46:41.539 the Lord with us. 00:46:41.579 --> 00:46:42.860 It means He's with us. 00:46:43.259 --> 00:46:44.400 It means He's among us. 00:46:44.460 --> 00:46:45.759 It means He's for us. 00:46:46.079 --> 00:46:47.500 It means He comes amongst us 00:46:47.500 --> 00:46:48.400 as one of us. 00:46:49.000 --> 00:46:50.119 And so when we are 00:46:50.119 --> 00:46:50.940 to understand 00:46:50.940 --> 00:46:51.699 as Christians, 00:46:52.000 --> 00:46:54.119 is that when Jesus comes, 00:46:56.339 --> 00:46:57.359 well, He comes not just 00:46:57.359 --> 00:46:58.099 to be with us, 00:46:58.119 --> 00:46:59.179 but to save us. 00:46:59.339 --> 00:47:00.400 And He saves us 00:47:00.400 --> 00:47:01.219 by standing 00:47:01.219 --> 00:47:02.319 in our place. 00:47:05.000 --> 00:47:05.759 What do Christians 00:47:05.759 --> 00:47:07.440 recognize 00:47:07.440 --> 00:47:08.719 that in my place 00:47:08.719 --> 00:47:09.440 condemned, 00:47:10.179 --> 00:47:10.699 Emmanuel, 00:47:11.359 --> 00:47:12.239 the Lord with us, 00:47:12.500 --> 00:47:12.859 stood? 00:47:12.860 --> 00:47:17.140 that you see, 00:47:17.200 --> 00:47:17.579 in a sense, 00:47:17.720 --> 00:47:20.500 every holy war story 00:47:20.500 --> 00:47:22.320 in the Old Testament, 00:47:22.420 --> 00:47:22.980 on one hand, 00:47:23.039 --> 00:47:24.140 we can look at it 00:47:24.140 --> 00:47:24.740 and say, 00:47:24.840 --> 00:47:25.519 that's a picture 00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:26.000 of the fact 00:47:26.000 --> 00:47:26.500 that the Lord 00:47:26.500 --> 00:47:27.120 will continue 00:47:27.120 --> 00:47:27.880 to deliver me 00:47:27.880 --> 00:47:28.539 and that one day 00:47:28.539 --> 00:47:29.420 He will deliver me 00:47:29.420 --> 00:47:30.900 into His eternal kingdom. 00:47:31.599 --> 00:47:32.760 But Christians 00:47:32.760 --> 00:47:34.099 can't only look 00:47:34.099 --> 00:47:35.019 at the Old Testament 00:47:35.019 --> 00:47:36.280 and look at the Jewish people. 00:47:36.280 --> 00:47:37.260 They also have to look 00:47:37.260 --> 00:47:38.720 at those who aren't Jewish. 00:47:38.719 --> 00:47:40.599 and they have to understand 00:47:40.599 --> 00:47:41.959 that on one hand, 00:47:42.939 --> 00:47:44.339 that enemy of the Lord 00:47:44.339 --> 00:47:45.779 who wants to kill the Lord 00:47:45.779 --> 00:47:46.559 is me. 00:47:51.759 --> 00:47:52.579 In a sense, 00:47:52.719 --> 00:47:53.480 every Christian 00:47:53.480 --> 00:47:54.119 is to say, 00:47:54.299 --> 00:47:55.039 I am Haman. 00:47:59.139 --> 00:48:00.500 And what we understand 00:48:00.500 --> 00:48:02.000 in this profound text 00:48:02.000 --> 00:48:03.319 is the Lord 00:48:03.319 --> 00:48:04.519 seeing our deep need 00:48:04.519 --> 00:48:05.900 comes amongst us 00:48:05.900 --> 00:48:08.579 and bears the death, 00:48:09.639 --> 00:48:10.420 the penalty, 00:48:11.340 --> 00:48:12.179 the justice 00:48:12.179 --> 00:48:14.820 that we could not withstand. 00:48:16.000 --> 00:48:16.800 And He does it 00:48:16.800 --> 00:48:17.679 to save us. 00:48:19.840 --> 00:48:20.659 If you put up 00:48:20.659 --> 00:48:21.800 the final point, please. 00:48:24.519 --> 00:48:25.639 And this doesn't mean 00:48:25.639 --> 00:48:25.759 to, 00:48:25.860 --> 00:48:27.139 this isn't sounding arrogant 00:48:27.139 --> 00:48:28.079 or anything like that. 00:48:28.139 --> 00:48:29.119 It's not that 00:48:29.119 --> 00:48:30.639 there's nothing special 00:48:30.639 --> 00:48:31.800 about me. 00:48:31.800 --> 00:48:35.000 And there's nothing special 00:48:35.000 --> 00:48:35.960 about Canadians. 00:48:37.360 --> 00:48:38.039 I just made a, 00:48:38.580 --> 00:48:39.039 if you could, 00:48:39.539 --> 00:48:39.800 see, 00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:40.100 here, 00:48:40.320 --> 00:48:41.760 no one can enter 00:48:41.760 --> 00:48:42.880 the Lord's new covenant 00:48:42.880 --> 00:48:43.860 by their birth, 00:48:44.720 --> 00:48:46.160 by their accomplishments, 00:48:46.920 --> 00:48:48.340 by their say-so, 00:48:49.080 --> 00:48:50.320 or by their connections. 00:48:51.160 --> 00:48:51.860 Nobody can. 00:48:52.960 --> 00:48:53.960 But if you receive 00:48:53.960 --> 00:48:54.600 the gospel, 00:48:54.900 --> 00:48:55.560 and that you 00:48:55.560 --> 00:48:56.080 is any you, 00:48:56.140 --> 00:48:57.160 there is no person 00:48:57.160 --> 00:48:58.200 in the world 00:48:58.200 --> 00:48:59.620 so rich and successful 00:48:59.620 --> 00:49:00.140 and holy 00:49:00.140 --> 00:49:00.980 that they do not need 00:49:00.980 --> 00:49:01.480 the gospel. 00:49:01.800 --> 00:49:02.840 And there is nobody 00:49:02.840 --> 00:49:03.860 that we will ever meet 00:49:03.860 --> 00:49:04.840 who is so broken, 00:49:05.160 --> 00:49:06.100 so forgotten, 00:49:06.560 --> 00:49:07.620 so worthless, 00:49:08.140 --> 00:49:09.519 so passed over, 00:49:09.840 --> 00:49:10.780 so defeated 00:49:10.780 --> 00:49:12.260 that this offer 00:49:12.260 --> 00:49:13.360 is not made to them. 00:49:15.440 --> 00:49:16.660 But if you receive 00:49:16.660 --> 00:49:17.180 the gospel 00:49:17.180 --> 00:49:18.019 with repentance 00:49:18.019 --> 00:49:18.640 and faith, 00:49:18.680 --> 00:49:19.840 the Lord will give you 00:49:19.840 --> 00:49:20.780 new life from heaven 00:49:20.780 --> 00:49:22.120 and bring you 00:49:22.120 --> 00:49:22.960 into His new covenant. 00:49:23.220 --> 00:49:23.400 You know, 00:49:23.460 --> 00:49:24.060 our church, 00:49:24.400 --> 00:49:25.560 this is a quick list. 00:49:26.539 --> 00:49:27.620 Our church has people 00:49:27.620 --> 00:49:28.539 in it from Uganda, 00:49:29.019 --> 00:49:29.660 from Rwanda, 00:49:30.039 --> 00:49:30.680 from Belgium, 00:49:30.679 --> 00:49:32.099 from the United Kingdom, 00:49:32.319 --> 00:49:33.339 from the United States, 00:49:33.839 --> 00:49:34.980 from Italy, 00:49:35.440 --> 00:49:36.059 from Russia, 00:49:36.579 --> 00:49:37.219 from China, 00:49:37.659 --> 00:49:38.319 from Taiwan, 00:49:39.039 --> 00:49:39.699 from Canada, 00:49:40.219 --> 00:49:40.839 from India, 00:49:41.239 --> 00:49:42.039 from Barbados, 00:49:42.519 --> 00:49:43.139 from Netherlands, 00:49:43.559 --> 00:49:44.500 and from Australia. 00:49:45.719 --> 00:49:46.940 It's for anybody. 00:49:48.419 --> 00:49:49.859 And it's for everybody. 00:49:50.539 --> 00:49:52.039 But it has to be received 00:49:52.039 --> 00:49:52.679 by faith. 00:49:52.679 --> 00:49:55.559 And when you receive it 00:49:55.559 --> 00:49:56.119 by faith, 00:49:56.219 --> 00:49:57.339 you will be saved. 00:49:59.339 --> 00:50:00.559 And He will save you 00:50:00.559 --> 00:50:01.239 right now, 00:50:01.779 --> 00:50:02.119 forever, 00:50:02.440 --> 00:50:03.539 and He will continue 00:50:03.539 --> 00:50:04.239 to work in you 00:50:04.239 --> 00:50:04.899 to make you more 00:50:04.899 --> 00:50:05.500 like Jesus, 00:50:05.719 --> 00:50:06.699 and He will one day 00:50:06.699 --> 00:50:07.960 bring you to glory. 00:50:08.759 --> 00:50:09.539 Please stand. 00:50:09.539 --> 00:50:09.619 Thank you. 00:50:09.619 --> 00:50:20.319 There is no better time 00:50:20.319 --> 00:50:20.679 than now 00:50:20.679 --> 00:50:21.819 to call upon the Lord. 00:50:22.940 --> 00:50:24.380 There is no better time 00:50:24.380 --> 00:50:25.139 now than to call 00:50:25.139 --> 00:50:25.819 upon the Lord, 00:50:25.900 --> 00:50:26.839 and He's not waiting 00:50:26.839 --> 00:50:27.599 for you to pass 00:50:27.599 --> 00:50:28.779 the theology test 00:50:28.779 --> 00:50:29.659 for all the perfect 00:50:29.659 --> 00:50:30.539 things to say. 00:50:32.000 --> 00:50:33.400 All you have to say, 00:50:33.500 --> 00:50:33.779 Lord, 00:50:33.880 --> 00:50:34.079 is, 00:50:34.279 --> 00:50:34.539 Lord, 00:50:34.679 --> 00:50:35.599 be my Savior. 00:50:35.599 --> 00:50:37.039 I want 00:50:37.039 --> 00:50:39.259 you to be 00:50:39.259 --> 00:50:40.039 my Savior 00:50:40.039 --> 00:50:41.019 and my Lord. 00:50:41.279 --> 00:50:41.599 Please, 00:50:41.759 --> 00:50:42.119 Jesus. 00:50:43.420 --> 00:50:44.519 Your own words. 00:50:45.219 --> 00:50:45.739 Let's pray. 00:50:49.500 --> 00:50:49.980 Father, 00:50:50.099 --> 00:50:50.980 thank you for Jesus. 00:50:51.779 --> 00:50:52.259 Thank you 00:50:52.259 --> 00:50:53.219 that He is Emmanuel. 00:50:53.559 --> 00:50:53.920 Thank you 00:50:53.920 --> 00:50:54.920 that you keep 00:50:54.920 --> 00:50:55.699 your words. 00:50:56.480 --> 00:50:56.980 You kept 00:50:56.980 --> 00:50:57.619 your word 00:50:57.619 --> 00:50:58.519 of prophecies 00:50:58.519 --> 00:50:59.339 sent hundreds 00:50:59.339 --> 00:50:59.819 and hundreds 00:50:59.819 --> 00:51:00.299 of years 00:51:00.299 --> 00:51:01.019 before Jesus. 00:51:01.179 --> 00:51:02.000 You kept them all. 00:51:02.119 --> 00:51:02.599 He came. 00:51:02.719 --> 00:51:03.259 He fulfilled 00:51:03.259 --> 00:51:04.119 those prophecies 00:51:04.119 --> 00:51:05.059 of His first coming. 00:51:05.599 --> 00:51:06.440 He is Emmanuel. 00:51:07.019 --> 00:51:07.679 He did live 00:51:07.679 --> 00:51:08.320 amongst us 00:51:08.320 --> 00:51:09.159 as one of us. 00:51:09.599 --> 00:51:10.619 He is for us. 00:51:10.900 --> 00:51:11.679 He is for us 00:51:11.679 --> 00:51:12.480 even to the point 00:51:12.480 --> 00:51:13.639 of dying on the cross 00:51:13.639 --> 00:51:14.259 for us, 00:51:14.539 --> 00:51:15.199 that He died 00:51:15.199 --> 00:51:16.440 for His enemies. 00:51:17.480 --> 00:51:19.039 Not that He saw 00:51:19.039 --> 00:51:19.639 us as enemies, 00:51:19.840 --> 00:51:21.019 but we were His enemies, 00:51:21.139 --> 00:51:22.239 and He died for us 00:51:22.239 --> 00:51:23.559 while we were His enemies. 00:51:23.960 --> 00:51:24.860 And we thank you 00:51:24.860 --> 00:51:25.739 for that, Father, 00:51:25.799 --> 00:51:26.559 that you would die 00:51:26.559 --> 00:51:27.599 for me when I was 00:51:27.599 --> 00:51:28.079 your enemy, 00:51:28.239 --> 00:51:29.179 that, Lord, 00:51:29.279 --> 00:51:30.099 you would die for me. 00:51:30.099 --> 00:51:31.380 You would take 00:51:31.380 --> 00:51:32.539 my call 00:51:32.539 --> 00:51:33.139 that you would be 00:51:33.139 --> 00:51:33.639 my Savior 00:51:33.639 --> 00:51:34.659 when I was 00:51:34.659 --> 00:51:35.199 your enemy, 00:51:35.319 --> 00:51:35.759 that you would 00:51:35.759 --> 00:51:36.619 do that for me. 00:51:36.759 --> 00:51:36.980 Father, 00:51:37.099 --> 00:51:38.319 thank you so much 00:51:38.319 --> 00:51:39.179 for Jesus. 00:51:39.719 --> 00:51:41.000 Thank you for salvation. 00:51:41.239 --> 00:51:41.879 Thank you, Father, 00:51:41.960 --> 00:51:42.460 for the gift 00:51:42.460 --> 00:51:43.319 of the Holy Spirit. 00:51:43.960 --> 00:51:44.279 Father, 00:51:44.619 --> 00:51:45.679 make us disciples 00:51:45.679 --> 00:51:46.480 of Jesus 00:51:46.480 --> 00:51:47.500 who are gripped 00:51:47.500 --> 00:51:48.400 by the gospel, 00:51:48.980 --> 00:51:49.859 learning to live 00:51:49.859 --> 00:51:50.799 for your glory. 00:51:51.239 --> 00:51:52.179 And all God's people 00:51:52.179 --> 00:51:52.579 said, 00:51:53.299 --> 00:51:53.920 Amen. 00:51:53.920 --> 00:51:54.079 Amen.