WEBVTT

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 Those of you familiar to seeing me at Church of the Messiah, I always bring my black book up.

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 And you're going to need your Bibles at some point in time for this.

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 We're going to be looking at Judges chapter 19, 20, and 21, because we're going through the book of Judges.

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 And let's just pray.

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 Father, we're going to look at a very, very hard passage of Scripture.

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 We ask that the Holy Spirit would bring your word deep into our heart,

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 and that you would fan into flame within us a deep longing and yearning, Father, to know you and to be known by you.

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 And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 I always start my timer as well at this point in time.

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 You know, it's really, really hard to believe that on March 14th, I think that's like 15 days ago or something like that,

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 March 14th, I was sitting in one of my favorite coffee shops working on my sermon.

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 That seems like so long ago.

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 And I think a lot of us have this sense of longing and wishing that things could go back to the way they were.

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 And it's not just sort of like a nostalgia type of thing.

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 We actually have a type of longing and yearning, I think, many of us.

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 So we could just go back to the way it was.

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 Many of us maybe wish we could just go see our friend or sit in a favorite restaurant or something like that to hug somebody.

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 I don't know, because we're missing physical contact.

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 But a lot of us right now have a longing to get back to before.

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 So here's the thing which is very, very interesting is that I think that most of our longings are stopped too short.

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 Like it's as if a longing is a bit of a direction or an arrow that goes somewhere.

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 And I think if you think about it, we not only do we have a bit of a longing just maybe to get back to the way things were before, but our longings are deeper than that.

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 They go further.

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 Like, I don't know, I'm going to give you a couple of analogies.

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 And it just depends a little bit, I guess, how you're wired and everything like that.

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 But, you know, some of us, we've all had experiences where everything just seems to be right.

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 And at the same time that everything seems to be right, excuse me, we have a sense that there should be more, that we're on the edge of something more.

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 Maybe for some of you, you're by yourself, you're somewhere in Algonquin Park or some other provincial park or even in some non-provincial park, some area of wilderness.

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 And you're in a canoe, in a canoe all by yourself.

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 And it's early in the morning and there's the steam rising off the river.

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 And you're just there and it's still and you can see the sunrise.

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 And you just have this profound sense of how at one you are with everything.

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 And at the same time, you have this great sense.

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 You have a sense that there must be something more.

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 You know, maybe for some of you, it's not something like that off in nature.

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 It's at your favorite patio and you have your friends.

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 And I know sometimes when you have friends, it can be not go very well.

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 But this is one of those times when you have just your best friends.

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 Everything is just fantastic.

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 The food, the drink, the day, the temperature, the ambiance, the music.

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 And you just have this profound sense.

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 And you almost wish that this moment could go on forever.

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 Or maybe for some of you, it's you're in a car, whether it's with your family or your best friends.

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 And it's just you're together.

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 Everything is just so wonderful.

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 And you have this sense of just the rightness of things.

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 And you wish and you long that it could go on forever.

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 We're going to look today at what most scholars...

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 This is a text that virtually nobody ever preaches on.

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 You virtually never have Bible studies on it either.

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 And most scholars acknowledge that it's maybe one of the darkest parts of the Bible.

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 A very, very, very, very hard text.

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 It's Judges 19, 20, and 21.

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 And it's 103 verses.

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 It's too long for me to read from cover to cover.

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 So what we're going to do is I'm going to tell part of the story.

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 And we are going to look at a couple of parts of it just so you can see it.

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 But you might want to have Judges 19, 20, and 21 open.

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 And you can follow along with it as I sort of tell the story.

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 But it's a very, very dark text.

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 It talks about genocide.

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 It talks about rape.

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 It talks about murder.

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 Very, very dark.

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 And sort of the way it begins in Judges 19,

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 it's sort of a little bit like if you were to connect last Sunday's sermon with this,

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 because we looked at the story before this.

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 It's as if, just imagine two men in a bar.

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 Corner in the bar.

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 And they get talking to each other.

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 And then one of them says,

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 So let me tell you a story.

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 And then I want to tell you a story about there was a Levite

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 who went from Bethlehem to Ephraim.

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 And the other one says, after they tell us a story, and it's a dark and terrible story.

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 And then the second guy said, well, that was a really interesting story.

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 But let me tell you an even darker story.

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 I'm going to tell you a story about a man who went from Ephraim to Bethlehem.

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 And that's where we are with this particular story.

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 It exactly sounds, it is exactly how it works.

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 In this story, there's a man who's a Levite.

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 And you might not know much about this,

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 but in what Christians called the Old Testament,

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 and our Jewish friends called the Tanakh,

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 Levites, back when there were such things,

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 there are no longer such tribes.

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 Israel used to be in 12 tribes.

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 There's a special group of people set aside for God,

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 set aside to worship God, to help with the worship of God,

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 and they have a special obligation, in a sense,

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 to maintain his word, his command,

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 and the religious ceremonies and the prayers and the sacrifices,

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 which were important to the people.

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 And there's this man who lives up in Ephraim,

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 and he has a concubine.

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 Now, here's one of the things you have to notice about the story.

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 Just about it, nobody in this story is going to look good.

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 Everybody does terrible things.

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 This Levite shouldn't have a concubine.

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 Why? Because a concubine is sort of a half-wife.

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 It's a person, a woman, who's both the man's slave,

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 but also a second-class wife.

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 And the Bible doesn't condone that.

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 It doesn't permit it.

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 And he shouldn't have one.

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 But anyway, his wife, it's not clear in the original text

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 whether she commits adultery,

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 cheats on him,

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 or whether she just flies into a blind rage, or both.

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 But something like that happens,

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 and she runs away from him,

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 and she goes back to her home in Bethlehem.

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 The Levite, four months later,

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 decides he wants to go and get her back.

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 So he makes a trip down to Bethlehem

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 to go get his concubine back.

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 Now, this is another part of the story,

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 which is just really weird.

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 Let me tell you,

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 if some man married one of my daughters,

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 first of all,

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 made my daughter a slave,

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 and then married her,

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 that wouldn't be something,

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 I wouldn't be happy about the man,

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 to put it very mildly.

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 But when this Levite goes to see,

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 to find his concubine,

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 the concubine's dad welcomes him warmly.

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 They spend three days eating and drinking

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 and having a great old time.

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 Then the Levite wants to go home,

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 and the dad says,

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 no, no, stay and party a little bit longer.

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 Same thing the next day.

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 And then finally, on the fifth day,

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 the Levite said,

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 listen, I really have to be going home.

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 And so even though it's late in the day,

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 and we can't travel that far,

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 he gets off on the road.

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 And as he's walking with his servant

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 and his donkey and the concubine,

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 and it's starting to get dark,

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 he comes to what we now call Jerusalem,

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 but used to be called Jebus.

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 And the servant says to him,

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 let's go and spend the night in Jerusalem, Jebus.

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 And the Levite says,

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 no, I don't want to spend time

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 with a group of people that aren't Jewish.

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 I want to go to a Jewish community.

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 So let's keep going and get to Gibeah.

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 They come to Gibeah,

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 and they come to the square of the village,

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 the small city,

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 and nobody welcomes them into their house.

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 There's no hotels or anything like that back then.

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 And nobody welcomes them into the house.

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 And they start to set up

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 as if they're going to spend the night

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 in the town square.

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 But an old man comes

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 and he looks at them and says,

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 listen, you guys shouldn't spend,

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 and there's actually a bit of an ominous part

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 in the original text.

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 If you're looking at it,

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 it's as if there's something evil

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 about the town square.

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 And the man wants to rescue him from that evil

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 and says,

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 you should come and spend the night with us.

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 And so the Levite does,

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 and they start to have a great old time

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 eating and drinking,

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 et cetera, et cetera.

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 And then something absolutely terrible happens.

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 A large group of men from Gibeah

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 come and start banging on the door,

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 trying to break into the house.

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 And they say,

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 that man that's come to visit you,

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 that Levite,

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 we want him to come out.

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 We want to assault him and rape him.

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 Now, this old man,

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 who sounds like he's a really good man,

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 you now start to realize

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 that he's not actually that good a man

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 because what he does

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 is he shouts out through the door

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 and says,

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 listen, this man's a guest of mine.

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 You shouldn't come and rape

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 and assault him.

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 But how about if you take my young daughter?

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 Instead,

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 we're the man's concubine.

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 And then the Levite doesn't say,

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 no, you can't do this.

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 I mean, really,

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 these two men should be defending the women.

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 They should try to sit it out.

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 Like, why is nobody in the community

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 trying to stop some terrible thing

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 like this happening?

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 The end of the day,

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 what happens,

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 or the man, the Levite,

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 sends his concubine,

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 quickly throws her out the door,

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 maybe when the crowd is looking

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 for some other way to get in.

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 And this crowd of men

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 sexually assault her

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 and physically assault her

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 all night.

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 And in the morning,

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 the Levite very callously opens the door

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 and says,

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 okay, dear, so to speak,

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 let's keep going.

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 And he finds that she's dead.

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 What he does then is even more callous.

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 He picks her up,

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 takes her the rest of the way to go home,

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 and when he gets home,

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 he cuts her into 12 pieces,

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 12 pieces,

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 and connects each piece

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 with some type of a message

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 and gets 12 couriers

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 to go to each of the 12 tribes of Israel

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 so that,

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 to say,

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 look at,

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 with a message

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 of what the people in Gibeah have done.

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 Now, this ends up enraging

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 the entire nation,

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 all except Benjamin,

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 which is the tribe that Gibeah is in.

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 And it enrages the nation.

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 And so they gather from all over

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 to see what on earth they should do.

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 And the Levite gets up and speaks.

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 And if you go back and read it

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 in the beginning of chapter 20,

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 you'll see that what he does

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 is he tells part of the truth,

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 but he fundamentally lies

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 about his own role in what happens.

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 He doesn't tell them about the fact

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 that he actually voluntarily

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 gave the concubine.

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 He tells some things which are true

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 and other things which paint him

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 in a very good light

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 and are fundamentally a lie.

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 And the result is

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 that the entire nation is enraged.

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 They send messages to Benjamin

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 saying,

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 give up the people in Gibeah

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 who did this.

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 And for some reason,

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 Benjamin,

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 who hasn't been present at this,

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 they say,

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 no way,

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 we're not going to give up these guys.

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 We're going to defend these guys.

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 And so war ensues.

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 The tribes decide

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 that they're going to invade Benjamin

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 and try to deal with it.

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 Now, one of the things,

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 those of you who know me at all

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 know that I never want to hide

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 hard parts in the Bible

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 from the congregation.

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 I'm not going to skip over something

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 because as you're going to see

00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:55.440
 for the rest of the story,

00:11:55.560 --> 00:11:56.659
 there's something that happens

00:11:56.659 --> 00:11:57.279
 in this story

00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:59.220
 which at least at first blush

00:11:59.220 --> 00:12:01.000
 doesn't make the Lord look very good.

00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:03.000
 Because the fact of the matter is

00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:05.540
 is that the tribes consult the Lord,

00:12:05.899 --> 00:12:06.980
 that is the God,

00:12:07.040 --> 00:12:07.659
 about what to do.

00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:09.379
 Look at chapter 20, verse 18.

00:12:10.180 --> 00:12:11.639
 The people of Israel arose

00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:12.840
 and went up to Bethel

00:12:12.840 --> 00:12:13.879
 and inquired of God,

00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:16.360
 who shall go up first for us

00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:17.820
 to fight against the people of Benjamin?

00:12:17.980 --> 00:12:18.679
 And the Lord said,

00:12:18.779 --> 00:12:19.720
 Judah shall go first.

00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:22.740
 So the Lord says

00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:23.779
 Judah should go first.

00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:25.340
 Now you'd have to look at geography

00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:26.120
 as to why they,

00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:27.220
 if you see how narrow

00:12:27.220 --> 00:12:28.299
 some of the valleys are,

00:12:28.419 --> 00:12:29.080
 et cetera, et cetera,

00:12:29.080 --> 00:12:29.799
 you could figure out

00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:30.879
 why this is a bit of a thing

00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:31.939
 one tribe at a time.

00:12:32.580 --> 00:12:33.620
 But the bottom line is

00:12:33.620 --> 00:12:37.120
 they go and attack first

00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:38.379
 and Benjamin beats them.

00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.139
 They all come back

00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:41.439
 wailing and crying.

00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:43.120
 And our story continues

00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.080
 at verse 23.

00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:45.699
 And the people of Israel

00:12:45.699 --> 00:12:46.740
 went up and wept

00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:47.460
 before the Lord

00:12:47.460 --> 00:12:48.240
 until the evening.

00:12:48.340 --> 00:12:49.539
 And they inquired of the Lord,

00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:51.179
 shall we again draw near

00:12:51.179 --> 00:12:52.659
 to fight against our brothers,

00:12:53.139 --> 00:12:54.120
 the people of Benjamin?

00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:55.980
 Note what they say,

00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:56.639
 our brothers.

00:12:57.439 --> 00:12:58.259
 And the Lord said,

00:12:58.379 --> 00:12:59.299
 go up against them.

00:12:59.939 --> 00:13:01.059
 So the people of Israel

00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:02.220
 came near

00:13:02.220 --> 00:13:04.480
 against the people of Benjamin

00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:05.240
 a second day.

00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:08.539
 And once again,

00:13:08.779 --> 00:13:10.779
 they end up losing.

00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:12.060
 They end up losing.

00:13:13.680 --> 00:13:14.940
 And so they come

00:13:14.940 --> 00:13:16.659
 and they cry before the Lord

00:13:16.659 --> 00:13:18.200
 again another time.

00:13:18.659 --> 00:13:19.159
 And this time,

00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:20.139
 if you jump down

00:13:20.139 --> 00:13:21.460
 to verse 28,

00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:23.840
 and Phinehas,

00:13:23.940 --> 00:13:24.779
 the son of Eliezer,

00:13:24.899 --> 00:13:25.460
 son of Aaron,

00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:28.919
 ministered before it,

00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:29.759
 that's the shrine

00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:30.360
 in those days,

00:13:30.460 --> 00:13:30.720
 saying,

00:13:31.299 --> 00:13:32.419
 shall we go out once more

00:13:32.419 --> 00:13:33.740
 to battle against our brothers,

00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:34.799
 the people of Benjamin,

00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:36.079
 or shall we cease?

00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:38.159
 And the Lord said,

00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:39.439
 go up for tomorrow.

00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.159
 I will give them

00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:42.659
 into your hand.

00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:44.339
 And they do.

00:13:44.699 --> 00:13:45.459
 They go up.

00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:46.599
 And this time,

00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:47.799
 and you can read the story

00:13:47.799 --> 00:13:48.599
 about how they set up

00:13:48.599 --> 00:13:49.079
 an ambush,

00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:50.099
 et cetera, et cetera.

00:13:50.599 --> 00:13:51.379
 And this time,

00:13:51.459 --> 00:13:52.719
 the army of the 11 tribes

00:13:52.719 --> 00:13:53.240
 of Israel

00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:55.459
 defeat the Benjaminites.

00:13:55.699 --> 00:13:56.579
 But once again,

00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:57.959
 this very, very awkward

00:13:57.959 --> 00:13:59.519
 and telling phrase

00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:00.659
 in verse 35,

00:14:01.079 --> 00:14:01.979
 just skipping down

00:14:01.979 --> 00:14:02.679
 once again.

00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:04.779
 And the Lord defeated

00:14:04.779 --> 00:14:06.179
 Benjamin before Israel.

00:14:06.539 --> 00:14:07.179
 Note what it said.

00:14:07.299 --> 00:14:08.659
 And the Lord defeated

00:14:08.659 --> 00:14:10.000
 Benjamin before Israel.

00:14:10.899 --> 00:14:12.179
 And then note this next bit

00:14:12.179 --> 00:14:13.220
 because it's very important.

00:14:13.339 --> 00:14:14.039
 I'll explain it more

00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:14.419
 in a moment.

00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:16.139
 And the people of Israel

00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:19.299
 destroyed 25,100 men

00:14:19.299 --> 00:14:20.339
 of Benjamin that day.

00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:22.559
 All these were men

00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:24.199
 who drew the sword.

00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:26.340
 Now, if you go back

00:14:26.340 --> 00:14:27.160
 and you read the story

00:14:27.160 --> 00:14:28.100
 from here on in,

00:14:28.300 --> 00:14:29.800
 what happens is

00:14:29.800 --> 00:14:30.920
 there's a bloodlust

00:14:30.920 --> 00:14:32.240
 which is unleashed

00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:34.060
 amongst the tribe of Israel.

00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:35.960
 And they end up committing

00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:37.580
 basically genocide.

00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:39.580
 They not only destroy,

00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:40.320
 it's not just that

00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:41.320
 they defeat the army,

00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:42.580
 they destroy the army.

00:14:42.700 --> 00:14:44.440
 They kill all of the army,

00:14:44.660 --> 00:14:45.879
 all but 600 men.

00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:47.800
 And they go into the villages

00:14:47.800 --> 00:14:50.340
 and the cities of Benjamin

00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:51.660
 and they kill everybody.

00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:52.959
 They kill all the men,

00:14:53.059 --> 00:14:53.740
 women, and children.

00:14:54.019 --> 00:14:54.919
 It is literally

00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:57.159
 a description of genocide.

00:14:59.079 --> 00:14:59.399
 And then,

00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:00.000
 and this is,

00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:00.919
 this is the story

00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:01.919
 just gets crazier

00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:02.559
 and crazier

00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:03.799
 and crazier and crazier

00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:04.480
 because then

00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:06.019
 after the genocide is over,

00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:07.019
 the people of Israel,

00:15:07.500 --> 00:15:08.039
 the troops,

00:15:08.219 --> 00:15:09.240
 they gather together again

00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:10.519
 and they start to cry

00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:13.120
 that the genocide has happened.

00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:15.019
 And if you read the story,

00:15:15.100 --> 00:15:15.919
 they actually make it look

00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:16.519
 as if the Lord

00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:17.779
 is responsible for it,

00:15:17.819 --> 00:15:18.399
 but they're the ones

00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:19.039
 who actually did

00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:19.779
 all of the killing.

00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:21.079
 And then you discover

00:15:21.079 --> 00:15:23.000
 that the stupidity

00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:23.519
 and the evil

00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:24.620
 gets deeper and deeper.

00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:25.759
 They'd made two

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:26.879
 very foolish vows.

00:15:27.579 --> 00:15:28.399
 And one of the vows

00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.339
 was that none of them

00:15:29.339 --> 00:15:30.159
 would ever give

00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:31.199
 any of their daughters

00:15:31.199 --> 00:15:32.039
 to a person

00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:33.299
 from Benjamin in marriage.

00:15:33.779 --> 00:15:34.620
 And the second vow

00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:35.220
 that you discover

00:15:35.220 --> 00:15:35.899
 that they made

00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:36.819
 was that anybody

00:15:36.819 --> 00:15:37.879
 who didn't join them

00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:38.600
 in this battle

00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:39.360
 and in this fight,

00:15:39.459 --> 00:15:40.500
 they were going to kill them.

00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:42.480
 And so here they're all

00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:43.019
 trying to think,

00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:43.480
 how are we going to,

00:15:43.539 --> 00:15:44.419
 there's only 600,

00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.299
 only 600 men of Benjamin

00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.360
 have survived the battle.

00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:48.639
 And so they're crying

00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:49.559
 about this genocide.

00:15:49.779 --> 00:15:50.579
 As if they have

00:15:50.579 --> 00:15:52.000
 no responsibility for it.

00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:53.259
 So they go to the 600 men

00:15:53.259 --> 00:15:53.740
 of Benjamin

00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:54.720
 and they come up

00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:55.699
 with a brilliant plan.

00:15:55.699 --> 00:15:57.179
 But it's a terribly,

00:15:57.399 --> 00:15:57.839
 terribly,

00:15:58.019 --> 00:15:59.399
 terribly evil plan.

00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:00.620
 And the terrible,

00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:01.759
 evil plan is this.

00:16:01.819 --> 00:16:02.819
 They realize that there's

00:16:02.819 --> 00:16:04.179
 a little tiny area

00:16:04.179 --> 00:16:05.500
 of Israel

00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:07.519
 where nobody from that area

00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.399
 came to the battle.

00:16:08.539 --> 00:16:09.100
 So they come up

00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:09.740
 with this plan

00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:10.500
 and they go

00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:11.339
 and they kill

00:16:11.339 --> 00:16:12.819
 every man,

00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:13.100
 woman,

00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:13.759
 and child

00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:14.720
 in that area

00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:17.120
 except for 400

00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:18.779
 marriable

00:16:18.779 --> 00:16:20.300
 or marriageable

00:16:20.300 --> 00:16:21.139
 women,

00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:21.879
 young women

00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:22.660
 who are of the

00:16:22.660 --> 00:16:23.420
 marriageable age

00:16:23.420 --> 00:16:24.340
 and haven't been married.

00:16:25.300 --> 00:16:26.180
 They kill

00:16:26.180 --> 00:16:27.740
 all of their family,

00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:28.740
 all of their friends.

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:29.720
 They kidnap

00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:30.879
 these 400 women

00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.019
 and they give them

00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:33.200
 to the men of Benjamin.

00:16:33.560 --> 00:16:34.139
 In a sense,

00:16:34.660 --> 00:16:35.540
 they allow the men of Benjamin

00:16:35.540 --> 00:16:36.240
 to rape them.

00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.379
 That still leaves

00:16:38.379 --> 00:16:39.440
 some 200 short.

00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:41.320
 Once again,

00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:43.080
 bound by these vows

00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:43.700
 that they should have

00:16:43.700 --> 00:16:44.380
 repented of,

00:16:44.460 --> 00:16:45.000
 that were evil

00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:45.700
 to begin with

00:16:45.700 --> 00:16:46.200
 and they should have

00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:46.720
 repented of,

00:16:46.760 --> 00:16:47.140
 they come up

00:16:47.140 --> 00:16:48.080
 with a brilliant plan.

00:16:48.540 --> 00:16:49.420
 And the brilliant plan

00:16:49.420 --> 00:16:50.180
 is they tell the other

00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:51.560
 200 soldiers

00:16:51.560 --> 00:16:52.880
 who don't yet have a wife

00:16:52.880 --> 00:16:53.880
 that there's this

00:16:53.880 --> 00:16:55.740
 celebration taking place

00:16:55.740 --> 00:16:57.100
 just down the road,

00:16:57.220 --> 00:16:57.800
 so to speak,

00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.820
 just down the valley

00:16:58.820 --> 00:17:00.120
 and just hide

00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:01.240
 and when the celebration

00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:01.820
 happens,

00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:02.780
 you just rush out

00:17:02.780 --> 00:17:03.620
 and you kidnap

00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:04.299
 the young woman

00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:05.000
 that you want.

00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.240
 And when the men

00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.539
 and the families

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:09.420
 come to complain

00:17:09.420 --> 00:17:10.200
 we'll just basically

00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:11.300
 tell them to be quiet.

00:17:12.300 --> 00:17:13.140
 And so once again,

00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:14.500
 remember this all started

00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:16.220
 over the rape and murder

00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:17.500
 of one woman.

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:19.940
 And now we have

00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:20.759
 these people

00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:22.880
 murdering

00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:24.620
 tens of thousands

00:17:24.620 --> 00:17:26.480
 and by the end of it

00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:27.640
 600 women

00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:29.539
 have been kidnapped

00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:30.960
 and raped.

00:17:32.900 --> 00:17:34.120
 And the crazy thing

00:17:34.120 --> 00:17:34.840
 is when they leave,

00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:35.960
 and this is all terrible,

00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:37.080
 and when they leave

00:17:37.080 --> 00:17:37.800
 at the end of it,

00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:39.120
 they think they've done

00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:39.779
 a good thing.

00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:40.699
 They're all pleased

00:17:40.699 --> 00:17:41.399
 with themselves,

00:17:41.739 --> 00:17:43.099
 and this is in the Bible.

00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:45.619
 So,

00:17:46.459 --> 00:17:49.619
 it's a terrible story.

00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.879
 It really, really,

00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:51.539
 really, really

00:17:51.539 --> 00:17:52.759
 is a terrible story.

00:17:53.479 --> 00:17:53.759
 So,

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:56.219
 here's the first thing.

00:17:56.679 --> 00:17:57.139
 Some of you

00:17:57.139 --> 00:17:57.579
 are going to say,

00:17:57.639 --> 00:17:57.919
 George,

00:17:57.979 --> 00:17:58.579
 you say this is

00:17:58.579 --> 00:17:59.579
 a terrible story,

00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:00.739
 but you know,

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.819
 I've been following along

00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:02.819
 and I'm familiar

00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:03.479
 with this text

00:18:03.479 --> 00:18:04.339
 and when I look at the text,

00:18:04.399 --> 00:18:05.079
 here's the problem,

00:18:05.199 --> 00:18:05.399
 George.

00:18:05.399 --> 00:18:06.679
 You say it's a terrible story

00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:07.600
 and that's a really good thing.

00:18:07.660 --> 00:18:08.500
 I'm really glad you said

00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:09.200
 it's a terrible story

00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:10.220
 because it is a terrible story,

00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:11.259
 but the Bible doesn't say

00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:12.100
 it's a terrible story.

00:18:12.420 --> 00:18:13.220
 You're saying that

00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:15.120
 because you have virtues

00:18:15.120 --> 00:18:16.420
 and values different

00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:18.220
 than what the Bible says.

00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:19.060
 So,

00:18:19.140 --> 00:18:19.480
 George,

00:18:19.560 --> 00:18:20.740
 how can you say this?

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:24.860
 Well,

00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:26.480
 here's the thing.

00:18:30.100 --> 00:18:31.120
 It's not the case

00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:31.860
 that I said this

00:18:31.860 --> 00:18:33.140
 just because I'm a good person

00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:33.720
 and the Bible

00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:34.480
 doesn't say

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.240
 that it's terrible.

00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:37.280
 I left out one verse,

00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.400
 the very,

00:18:38.460 --> 00:18:38.660
 very,

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:38.960
 very,

00:18:39.040 --> 00:18:39.940
 very last verse

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:40.640
 in the story

00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:42.360
 and if you turn with me

00:18:42.360 --> 00:18:43.220
 to 21,

00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:43.940
 25,

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:45.300
 the very last verse

00:18:45.300 --> 00:18:46.340
 in the book of Judges,

00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:47.200
 it says this,

00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.120
 it says,

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.820
 in those days

00:18:48.820 --> 00:18:50.020
 there was no king in Israel.

00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:52.000
 I'm not going to cover that.

00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:53.480
 The very last words

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:53.920
 are the ones

00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.020
 which are very important.

00:18:55.540 --> 00:18:56.380
 It says this,

00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:57.860
 everyone did

00:18:57.860 --> 00:18:59.259
 what was right

00:18:59.259 --> 00:19:00.240
 in his own eyes.

00:19:00.320 --> 00:19:01.060
 Not everyone did

00:19:01.060 --> 00:19:01.680
 what was evil

00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:02.360
 in his own eyes,

00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:03.519
 but everyone did

00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:04.279
 what was right

00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:05.599
 in his own eyes.

00:19:06.479 --> 00:19:07.399
 In other words,

00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:08.819
 the text itself

00:19:08.819 --> 00:19:10.379
 is telling us

00:19:10.379 --> 00:19:11.719
 that what they did

00:19:11.719 --> 00:19:12.379
 was wrong

00:19:12.379 --> 00:19:14.059
 and that the problem

00:19:14.059 --> 00:19:15.399
 is that

00:19:15.399 --> 00:19:16.159
 they did

00:19:16.159 --> 00:19:17.479
 all these wrong things

00:19:17.479 --> 00:19:18.159
 because they were

00:19:18.159 --> 00:19:19.079
 only doing

00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:19.879
 what was right

00:19:19.879 --> 00:19:20.879
 in their own eyes.

00:19:20.979 --> 00:19:22.139
 The Bible tells me

00:19:22.139 --> 00:19:22.859
 to recognize

00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:23.639
 that the things

00:19:23.639 --> 00:19:24.539
 that go on in the text

00:19:24.539 --> 00:19:25.899
 are terrible things.

00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.399
 They're evil things.

00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:29.459
 But,

00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:32.139
 and you know,

00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:32.960
 if you think about it

00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:33.380
 for a second,

00:19:33.560 --> 00:19:35.160
 isn't this fundamentally true?

00:19:35.520 --> 00:19:35.680
 Like,

00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:36.880
 just think of the terrible,

00:19:37.060 --> 00:19:37.600
 terrible things

00:19:37.600 --> 00:19:38.300
 that are going on

00:19:38.300 --> 00:19:39.240
 in the Middle East

00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:40.860
 and in Syria

00:19:40.860 --> 00:19:43.160
 and failed states

00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:44.180
 which are down there

00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:45.100
 and in Iraq.

00:19:45.620 --> 00:19:47.780
 And in every particular case,

00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:48.960
 people do what's right

00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:50.180
 in their own eyes.

00:19:50.940 --> 00:19:52.300
 All the bloodshed,

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.460
 all of the stealing,

00:19:53.840 --> 00:19:55.360
 all of the pillaging

00:19:55.360 --> 00:19:56.100
 and raping,

00:19:56.300 --> 00:19:57.540
 they always do

00:19:57.540 --> 00:19:58.020
 what is right

00:19:58.020 --> 00:19:58.900
 in their own eyes.

00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:00.280
 And you just think

00:20:00.280 --> 00:20:01.220
 of so many problems

00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:01.920
 that we have in life

00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.500
 all over the place.

00:20:02.560 --> 00:20:02.660
 Like,

00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:03.360
 look what happens

00:20:03.360 --> 00:20:04.720
 right now in the United States

00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.820
 as they're trying to figure out

00:20:05.820 --> 00:20:06.580
 what to do about this

00:20:06.580 --> 00:20:07.519
 and what to do about that

00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:08.200
 and there's,

00:20:08.280 --> 00:20:08.540
 you know,

00:20:08.600 --> 00:20:09.340
 a hold up of this

00:20:09.340 --> 00:20:10.140
 and a hold up of that

00:20:10.140 --> 00:20:11.060
 and denouncing of this

00:20:11.060 --> 00:20:11.500
 and denouncing of that

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.360
 and everybody's doing

00:20:12.360 --> 00:20:12.940
 what is right

00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:13.840
 in their own eyes.

00:20:14.280 --> 00:20:15.240
 Think of what just went on

00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:15.800
 in Canada

00:20:15.800 --> 00:20:17.100
 where the liberal government,

00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:17.940
 I'm not being political

00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.440
 about this,

00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:19.300
 but they made definitely

00:20:19.300 --> 00:20:20.000
 a power grab.

00:20:20.140 --> 00:20:21.019
 Everybody says that,

00:20:21.080 --> 00:20:22.400
 but they did what was right

00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:23.780
 in their own eyes.

00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:25.200
 But here's the thing.

00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:26.759
 How do we discuss

00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:27.440
 these issues

00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:28.779
 when we have people

00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:29.940
 doing what is right

00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:30.680
 in their own eyes?

00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:31.279
 What we would do

00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:31.860
 is we try to have

00:20:31.860 --> 00:20:32.700
 a discussion about it,

00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:33.019
 don't we?

00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:33.700
 If you think about it,

00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:34.360
 we have a discussion.

00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.440
 And when we have a discussion,

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.600
 like, you know,

00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:37.580
 like you just think

00:20:37.580 --> 00:20:38.100
 what happened

00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:39.059
 in the House of Commons,

00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.319
 right?

00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:40.259
 Well, we want to do this

00:20:40.259 --> 00:20:40.980
 and everyone says,

00:20:41.059 --> 00:20:41.900
 no, that's terrible.

00:20:42.100 --> 00:20:43.140
 And you have a discussion

00:20:43.140 --> 00:20:44.400
 back and forward about it.

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:46.480
 And what happens is

00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:49.220
 if all you have in life

00:20:49.220 --> 00:20:50.160
 is doing what is right

00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:50.900
 in your own eyes

00:20:50.900 --> 00:20:52.100
 and all you have to do

00:20:52.100 --> 00:20:53.559
 is have recourse to power

00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:55.039
 and whoever can punch

00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:56.259
 the other person the most

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:57.480
 or hurt or kill

00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:58.599
 the other person wins.

00:20:58.799 --> 00:20:59.740
 But they don't really win.

00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:00.859
 They just win

00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:02.139
 because they've eliminated

00:21:02.139 --> 00:21:02.859
 the opposition.

00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:03.960
 But what do we do

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:05.539
 when we have two people

00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:06.799
 doing what we both think,

00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:08.000
 two groups doing

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:08.799
 what they both think

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.700
 is right in their own eyes?

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.399
 What they do

00:21:10.399 --> 00:21:11.879
 is they appeal,

00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:15.460
 we appeal to a moral realm

00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:16.419
 or order

00:21:16.419 --> 00:21:19.619
 that is over both,

00:21:20.179 --> 00:21:21.519
 that is good

00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:22.460
 and is binding.

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.240
 That's what we do.

00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:24.179
 We think,

00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:24.460
 no, no,

00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:25.259
 this is the principle

00:21:25.259 --> 00:21:25.879
 of justice.

00:21:26.039 --> 00:21:27.019
 This is the right way

00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:27.519
 to do this.

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:28.419
 And the other person says

00:21:28.419 --> 00:21:29.240
 this is the right way

00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:29.679
 to do this.

00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:30.460
 And we have a discussion

00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:30.819
 about it.

00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:31.819
 But in both cases,

00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:33.480
 we're appealing to,

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:34.419
 in a sense,

00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:35.399
 a moral realm

00:21:35.399 --> 00:21:36.519
 or a moral order

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:38.599
 that's over both me

00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:39.519
 and the other person

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.559
 and both groups

00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:41.379
 or all three groups

00:21:41.379 --> 00:21:42.359
 or all five groups

00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:43.119
 and there's an appeal

00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:44.099
 to a moral realm

00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:45.079
 and moral order

00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:47.539
 that we should abide by

00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:49.079
 that's bigger

00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:50.059
 than the individual

00:21:50.059 --> 00:21:51.019
 or the party.

00:21:51.019 --> 00:21:53.379
 But this opens the door

00:21:53.379 --> 00:21:54.980
 to an inconvenient truth

00:21:54.980 --> 00:21:56.279
 in Canada.

00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.019
 You see,

00:21:58.139 --> 00:21:58.759
 you think about it

00:21:58.759 --> 00:21:59.160
 for a second.

00:21:59.299 --> 00:22:00.839
 What could that order be?

00:22:01.619 --> 00:22:01.980
 Well,

00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:03.940
 it can't be completely impersonal.

00:22:03.980 --> 00:22:04.819
 It can't just be

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:06.200
 something like energy.

00:22:06.859 --> 00:22:07.259
 Energy,

00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:07.700
 in a sense,

00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:08.299
 is no different

00:22:08.299 --> 00:22:08.900
 than a rock.

00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:10.119
 It can't be like a rock.

00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:10.539
 I mean,

00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.700
 a rock is just a rock.

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:12.839
 It's not right or wrong.

00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:15.939
 It's just completely

00:22:15.939 --> 00:22:17.079
 and utterly impersonal

00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:19.139
 that whatever this moral order is

00:22:19.139 --> 00:22:20.319
 that we both appeal to

00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:21.399
 can't be like a rock

00:22:21.399 --> 00:22:22.819
 but it also can't be

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.879
 something like an animal

00:22:23.879 --> 00:22:24.839
 because,

00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:25.119
 I mean,

00:22:25.139 --> 00:22:26.199
 you think about it for a second.

00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.339
 What do animals do?

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.279
 Like a lion eats the gazelle

00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:32.139
 because it's hungry

00:22:32.139 --> 00:22:33.059
 and it can catch it.

00:22:33.139 --> 00:22:34.599
 It doesn't care

00:22:34.599 --> 00:22:36.639
 if the gazelle's mother cries.

00:22:36.899 --> 00:22:38.299
 It doesn't feel guilty about it.

00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:39.039
 It doesn't do any type

00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:40.059
 of moral reflection.

00:22:40.619 --> 00:22:41.259
 The moral order

00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:42.439
 can't be like animals.

00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:44.320
 But it can't also be like nature.

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.600
 It can't be like everything

00:22:45.600 --> 00:22:47.519
 which is a very popular way

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.400
 of trying to understand

00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:49.240
 how the world works.

00:22:49.320 --> 00:22:50.340
 It can't be like everything

00:22:50.340 --> 00:22:50.980
 because like,

00:22:51.100 --> 00:22:51.180
 well,

00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:51.680
 in everything,

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.440
 everything includes,

00:22:54.019 --> 00:22:54.279
 well,

00:22:54.340 --> 00:22:55.420
 it includes cancer.

00:22:55.600 --> 00:22:56.920
 It includes COVID-19

00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:58.720
 which is no respecter of person.

00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:00.200
 It includes Parkinson's

00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:00.720
 and disease.

00:23:00.860 --> 00:23:01.620
 It includes lions

00:23:01.620 --> 00:23:02.420
 eating gazelles.

00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:04.180
 Like everything

00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:05.100
 doesn't give us

00:23:05.100 --> 00:23:06.120
 a moral order

00:23:06.120 --> 00:23:07.120
 or a moral realm.

00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:09.799
 And it can't be society

00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:10.240
 because,

00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:10.759
 I mean,

00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:11.660
 just look at the story

00:23:11.660 --> 00:23:12.540
 that we just looked at.

00:23:12.620 --> 00:23:12.779
 I mean,

00:23:13.080 --> 00:23:14.080
 society made,

00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:15.420
 the Israelites

00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:17.040
 make this terrible decision

00:23:17.040 --> 00:23:18.860
 to commit genocide

00:23:18.860 --> 00:23:20.400
 amongst their brothers

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.779
 and then make

00:23:21.779 --> 00:23:23.759
 continual ongoing

00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:24.820
 terrible decisions.

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:26.120
 And we just look

00:23:26.120 --> 00:23:26.940
 at the world order

00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:27.540
 and groups

00:23:27.540 --> 00:23:28.160
 and nations

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:29.600
 and laws

00:23:29.600 --> 00:23:31.140
 make terrible decisions.

00:23:31.140 --> 00:23:31.460
 so,

00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:34.780
 if you see,

00:23:35.780 --> 00:23:37.160
 it has to be something

00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:38.900
 that's transcendent,

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.960
 that's over and bigger

00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:41.600
 than just us

00:23:41.600 --> 00:23:42.840
 and it has to be personal.

00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:44.400
 It has to be

00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:45.820
 a person

00:23:45.820 --> 00:23:47.940
 because we're the ones

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:48.280
 who know

00:23:48.280 --> 00:23:49.480
 about the fact

00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:50.240
 that there is something

00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:51.180
 called right and wrong.

00:23:52.820 --> 00:23:54.259
 And if that's the case,

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:55.240
 we've opened

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:56.400
 an inconvenient truth

00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.080
 to Canadians

00:23:57.080 --> 00:23:57.960
 that there in fact

00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:59.500
 might be a transcendent,

00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:01.519
 a bigger objective reality

00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:02.700
 to which we can appeal

00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:03.720
 that fundamentally

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:04.539
 is a person

00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:06.480
 at which some of you

00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:06.859
 might say,

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:09.000
 George,

00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:11.940
 that's a very,

00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:12.880
 very clever argument,

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:13.920
 but here's the problem

00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:14.359
 you have,

00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:14.680
 George.

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.700
 It can't be the God

00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:16.279
 of the Bible.

00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:16.740
 I mean,

00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:18.039
 you just read those parts

00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:20.059
 and that the Bible itself,

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:20.500
 George,

00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:21.500
 shows that the Lord

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.220
 is implicated

00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:23.400
 in all of those stories.

00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:23.720
 So,

00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:24.619
 I mean,

00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:24.900
 you know,

00:24:24.900 --> 00:24:25.840
 maybe it's going

00:24:25.840 --> 00:24:26.400
 to have to be

00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:27.300
 some person

00:24:27.300 --> 00:24:27.920
 or whatever

00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:28.420
 that we don't

00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:29.000
 entirely know,

00:24:29.060 --> 00:24:30.140
 but what we can know

00:24:30.140 --> 00:24:30.780
 is that because

00:24:30.780 --> 00:24:31.640
 the God of the Bible

00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:32.300
 is implicated

00:24:32.300 --> 00:24:33.200
 in this terrible story,

00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:33.680
 it can't be

00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.480
 the God of the Bible.

00:24:36.080 --> 00:24:37.240
 And if you said that,

00:24:37.280 --> 00:24:38.040
 if you're thinking that,

00:24:38.100 --> 00:24:38.860
 that's a very,

00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:39.280
 very,

00:24:39.340 --> 00:24:39.600
 very,

00:24:39.600 --> 00:24:39.900
 very,

00:24:39.900 --> 00:24:40.800
 very good point.

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:41.800
 It really is.

00:24:43.820 --> 00:24:45.180
 But we need to just clarify

00:24:45.180 --> 00:24:46.140
 what actually happened

00:24:46.140 --> 00:24:46.680
 in the story,

00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:47.280
 and if you want,

00:24:47.340 --> 00:24:47.920
 you can go back

00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:49.060
 and read it later

00:24:49.060 --> 00:24:49.340
 very,

00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:50.060
 very carefully

00:24:50.060 --> 00:24:50.860
 about what it says

00:24:50.860 --> 00:24:51.800
 and what it doesn't say.

00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:53.380
 If you think about it

00:24:53.380 --> 00:24:53.820
 for a second,

00:24:53.819 --> 00:24:55.379
 remember there's no police,

00:24:55.579 --> 00:24:57.839
 there's no overarching government,

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:59.099
 there's just these tribes

00:24:59.099 --> 00:25:00.359
 which are all loosely linked.

00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:01.899
 You have a terrible evil.

00:25:02.179 --> 00:25:02.359
 I mean,

00:25:02.399 --> 00:25:03.099
 we can't deny

00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:03.960
 that the original thing

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.819
 is a terrible evil.

00:25:05.399 --> 00:25:06.359
 You can't deny

00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:07.179
 that if you have

00:25:07.179 --> 00:25:08.419
 a large group of men

00:25:08.419 --> 00:25:09.500
 who are able

00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:10.480
 with impunity

00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.939
 within this community

00:25:11.939 --> 00:25:14.679
 to barricade a house,

00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:15.679
 try to break in,

00:25:15.899 --> 00:25:17.240
 threaten this man

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.299
 and end up going ahead

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:18.980
 and raping

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:20.200
 and assaulting

00:25:20.200 --> 00:25:21.359
 and murdering his wife

00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:21.899
 and nobody,

00:25:22.099 --> 00:25:23.099
 the concubine,

00:25:23.099 --> 00:25:24.339
 and nobody does anything

00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:26.259
 and if on top of that

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:26.699
 that neither,

00:25:26.899 --> 00:25:28.019
 the village doesn't do anything

00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:29.019
 to bring the people

00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:29.659
 to justice

00:25:29.659 --> 00:25:30.879
 and that in fact

00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:31.399
 when they go

00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:32.539
 to the larger area,

00:25:32.719 --> 00:25:33.480
 if you're Americans

00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:34.000
 the state

00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:35.199
 or Canadians the province

00:25:35.199 --> 00:25:35.859
 and in fact

00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:36.379
 the province

00:25:36.379 --> 00:25:37.519
 doesn't do anything at all

00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.799
 that they in fact

00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:39.379
 are either turning

00:25:39.379 --> 00:25:40.219
 a blind eye

00:25:40.219 --> 00:25:41.000
 or in fact

00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:41.639
 are supporting

00:25:41.639 --> 00:25:42.579
 in what they've done

00:25:42.579 --> 00:25:45.139
 that there's a problem here.

00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:46.139
 So what exactly

00:25:46.139 --> 00:25:46.939
 did the Lord do

00:25:46.939 --> 00:25:47.500
 in all of this?

00:25:47.619 --> 00:25:48.359
 All the Lord did

00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:48.919
 in all of this

00:25:48.919 --> 00:25:49.399
 is he said,

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:49.619
 yes,

00:25:49.659 --> 00:25:50.240
 you should begin

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.160
 a military action

00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:52.259
 against these people

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:54.220
 to defeat them.

00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:55.160
 Now,

00:25:55.720 --> 00:25:56.279
 in war,

00:25:56.380 --> 00:25:56.859
 defeating them

00:25:56.859 --> 00:25:57.299
 doesn't mean

00:25:57.299 --> 00:25:57.799
 that you kill

00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:58.640
 every person.

00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.079
 I mean,

00:25:59.120 --> 00:25:59.819
 when the Allies

00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:00.700
 defeated the Nazis

00:26:00.700 --> 00:26:01.519
 it didn't kill

00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:02.339
 every soldier,

00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:03.240
 they didn't kill

00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:04.059
 every German.

00:26:04.660 --> 00:26:05.000
 In fact,

00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:05.559
 as we know

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:06.700
 from the Marshall Plan

00:26:06.700 --> 00:26:07.579
 that they in fact

00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:08.120
 afterwards

00:26:08.120 --> 00:26:08.640
 the Allies

00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:09.940
 invested millions

00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:10.599
 and billions

00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:11.319
 of dollars

00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:12.140
 into the German

00:26:12.140 --> 00:26:13.480
 and Japanese economy.

00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:15.599
 So in fact,

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:16.680
 the Lord did

00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:17.000
 a very,

00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:17.839
 very reasonable thing.

00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:18.200
 He said,

00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:18.460
 yes,

00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.160
 we need to deal

00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:19.560
 with this

00:26:19.560 --> 00:26:20.180
 so go ahead

00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:20.800
 and invade them

00:26:20.800 --> 00:26:21.160
 and I will

00:26:21.160 --> 00:26:21.900
 help you win.

00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:23.380
 But the genocide

00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:24.519
 is on the people.

00:26:24.840 --> 00:26:25.480
 The bloodlust

00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:26.360
 is on the people.

00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:27.340
 At no point

00:26:27.340 --> 00:26:27.640
 in time

00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:28.279
 in the story

00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:29.019
 does the Lord

00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:29.880
 okay that.

00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:30.259
 In fact,

00:26:30.320 --> 00:26:30.779
 at the end

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.019
 of it,

00:26:31.080 --> 00:26:31.680
 the commentary

00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:33.259
 is that the problem

00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:34.000
 is they were doing

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.960
 what was right

00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.340
 in their own eyes.

00:26:37.740 --> 00:26:38.540
 But some of you

00:26:38.540 --> 00:26:38.920
 might say,

00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:40.160
 George,

00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:42.779
 this doesn't help.

00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:44.600
 Like,

00:26:44.660 --> 00:26:45.420
 why just Benjamin?

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.240
 But George,

00:26:46.300 --> 00:26:46.880
 by your telling

00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:47.460
 of the story,

00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:48.360
 I mean the Levite

00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:49.199
 has done wrong

00:26:49.199 --> 00:26:49.919
 in terms of having

00:26:49.919 --> 00:26:50.619
 a concubine.

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:51.759
 By your telling

00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:52.359
 of the story,

00:26:52.579 --> 00:26:53.919
 the dad of the concubine

00:26:53.919 --> 00:26:54.659
 has done wrong

00:26:54.659 --> 00:26:55.859
 by allowing his wife

00:26:55.859 --> 00:26:56.399
 to go back,

00:26:56.500 --> 00:26:57.039
 his daughter

00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:57.539
 to go back

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:58.339
 into slavery.

00:26:59.079 --> 00:27:00.079
 The Levite

00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:00.939
 incites

00:27:00.939 --> 00:27:02.339
 all this violence

00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:03.379
 by not telling

00:27:03.379 --> 00:27:04.139
 the truth

00:27:04.139 --> 00:27:05.939
 and the people

00:27:05.939 --> 00:27:06.939
 perform,

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.619
 the people

00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:09.159
 of the other

00:27:09.159 --> 00:27:10.039
 tribes of Israel,

00:27:10.219 --> 00:27:11.459
 they commit genocide

00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:12.600
 and then actually

00:27:12.600 --> 00:27:13.579
 they're very complicit

00:27:13.579 --> 00:27:14.539
 in murdering

00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:15.759
 another group

00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:16.860
 from within

00:27:16.860 --> 00:27:17.500
 their own thing

00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:18.279
 and kidnapping

00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:18.759
 600.

00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:19.059
 Like,

00:27:19.120 --> 00:27:19.400
 George,

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.259
 like,

00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:21.100
 this,

00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:23.380
 the Lord,

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:24.180
 why did the Lord

00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:24.960
 only pick

00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:26.940
 Gibeah?

00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:28.720
 Like,

00:27:28.779 --> 00:27:29.319
 why doesn't

00:27:29.319 --> 00:27:29.799
 the justice

00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:31.940
 go everywhere?

00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:35.420
 Once again,

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:39.080
 that is a very,

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:39.519
 very,

00:27:39.640 --> 00:27:39.940
 very,

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:40.940
 very good point.

00:27:41.580 --> 00:27:42.759
 It really is.

00:27:44.300 --> 00:27:45.240
 But here's the thing.

00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:46.960
 You know,

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:47.539
 because what we're

00:27:47.539 --> 00:27:48.120
 saying is

00:27:48.120 --> 00:27:49.279
 that you see

00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:50.200
 some justice

00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:51.960
 but you don't

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:53.039
 see perfect justice

00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:56.240
 and that real justice

00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:57.300
 has to be closer

00:27:57.300 --> 00:27:58.000
 to perfection

00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:00.180
 and real justice

00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:01.360
 goes all the way

00:28:01.360 --> 00:28:02.420
 and isn't just

00:28:02.420 --> 00:28:03.180
 limited to this

00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:04.519
 one particular group.

00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:05.720
 I mean,

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.259
 that's a very,

00:28:06.360 --> 00:28:06.519
 very,

00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:07.539
 very good point

00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:08.620
 about this story.

00:28:09.340 --> 00:28:10.100
 But there's an

00:28:10.100 --> 00:28:11.100
 unforeseen problem

00:28:11.100 --> 00:28:11.880
 with your point.

00:28:13.340 --> 00:28:13.779
 You see,

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:15.160
 if perfect,

00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:17.279
 real justice

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:18.200
 visited

00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:19.940
 this story,

00:28:21.320 --> 00:28:22.320
 everyone would die.

00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:28.539
 Because if perfect,

00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:29.500
 real justice

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:30.100
 visited,

00:28:30.340 --> 00:28:30.980
 it would look

00:28:30.980 --> 00:28:31.840
 equally at

00:28:31.840 --> 00:28:32.960
 every person

00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:34.259
 and then

00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:35.859
 who could

00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:36.759
 stand.

00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:38.640
 But can you

00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:39.119
 start to see

00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:39.879
 the problem

00:28:39.879 --> 00:28:40.940
 that your good

00:28:40.940 --> 00:28:41.579
 question

00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:42.599
 and observation

00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:43.440
 is introduced?

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.000
 Like,

00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:45.480
 if we,

00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:46.079
 in fact,

00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:46.759
 long

00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:47.700
 and think,

00:28:47.799 --> 00:28:48.160
 because you see,

00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:48.660
 one thing that

00:28:48.660 --> 00:28:49.640
 the story shows us

00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:50.240
 is that at the

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:51.140
 very fundamental level,

00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:51.940
 each one of us

00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:52.960
 has a longing,

00:28:53.379 --> 00:28:54.140
 not just for

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:55.200
 itsy-bitsy pieces

00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:55.799
 of justice,

00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:57.160
 but for real justice.

00:28:57.160 --> 00:28:57.940
 That's what we long.

00:28:58.019 --> 00:28:58.599
 That's why when we

00:28:58.599 --> 00:28:59.200
 read the story,

00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:00.400
 we get mad at it.

00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.220
 We get mad at

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:01.880
 what happens.

00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.039
 I mean,

00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:03.680
 if you don't,

00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:04.519
 you have another problem.

00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:05.480
 You get mad at

00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:06.220
 what happens to the woman.

00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:06.980
 You get mad at

00:29:06.980 --> 00:29:07.980
 what happens in the story

00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:09.220
 time and time and time again.

00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:10.079
 It shows that we have

00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:10.539
 a longing,

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:11.600
 not just for a

00:29:11.600 --> 00:29:12.559
 bitten piece of justice,

00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:13.779
 but for real justice,

00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:14.720
 which is equal.

00:29:15.100 --> 00:29:16.220
 But once we realize

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:16.940
 that we're longing

00:29:16.940 --> 00:29:17.980
 for real justice,

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:18.980
 which would actually

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:20.019
 come and visit

00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:21.259
 and actually

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:22.059
 touch

00:29:22.059 --> 00:29:23.259
 every person

00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:23.860
 equally,

00:29:24.059 --> 00:29:24.960
 then the question

00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:26.259
 is for you and me,

00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:27.400
 if real justice

00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:28.860
 visited us today,

00:29:28.859 --> 00:29:31.099
 who could stand?

00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:35.000
 Now,

00:29:35.139 --> 00:29:35.959
 as we all know,

00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:37.319
 there's very proud,

00:29:37.579 --> 00:29:38.559
 self-righteous people

00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:39.779
 who think they could stand,

00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:41.399
 who think their poop

00:29:41.399 --> 00:29:42.240
 smells better

00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:43.399
 than everybody else's,

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:44.699
 and the rest of us

00:29:44.699 --> 00:29:45.699
 don't like people

00:29:45.699 --> 00:29:46.279
 who are proud

00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:47.139
 and self-righteous.

00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:48.859
 But some of you

00:29:48.859 --> 00:29:49.240
 might say,

00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:50.059
 okay, George.

00:29:51.479 --> 00:29:51.879
 George,

00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:52.279
 George,

00:29:52.419 --> 00:29:52.719
 George,

00:29:52.819 --> 00:29:53.099
 George,

00:29:53.219 --> 00:29:53.579
 George.

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:55.219
 That's a Christian.

00:29:55.399 --> 00:29:56.119
 You've just described

00:29:56.119 --> 00:29:56.639
 a Christian.

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:59.100
 like you've just

00:29:59.100 --> 00:29:59.980
 described a Christian.

00:30:00.100 --> 00:30:01.020
 That's one of the reasons

00:30:01.020 --> 00:30:01.700
 so many of us

00:30:01.700 --> 00:30:02.580
 don't like Christians.

00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:04.220
 There's so many,

00:30:04.820 --> 00:30:05.040
 like,

00:30:05.380 --> 00:30:06.340
 so here's the thing.

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.780
 I agree that there's

00:30:07.780 --> 00:30:08.420
 many proud,

00:30:08.620 --> 00:30:08.880
 arrogant,

00:30:09.020 --> 00:30:09.880
 and foolish Christians,

00:30:10.060 --> 00:30:11.000
 but actually all this

00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:11.560
 conundrum,

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:13.200
 only the gospel solves it.

00:30:13.420 --> 00:30:13.660
 Really,

00:30:13.840 --> 00:30:14.040
 truly,

00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:15.520
 only the gospel solves it.

00:30:16.140 --> 00:30:16.500
 You see,

00:30:16.580 --> 00:30:17.440
 because what you've come

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.100
 to acknowledge

00:30:18.100 --> 00:30:19.180
 is if you acknowledge

00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:19.780
 that what you're really

00:30:19.780 --> 00:30:20.480
 looking for is

00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:21.800
 perfect justice to come

00:30:21.800 --> 00:30:22.700
 and visit

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:23.720
 and touch everybody,

00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:24.580
 and we acknowledge

00:30:24.580 --> 00:30:25.720
 that if perfect justice

00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:26.140
 came,

00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:27.700
 no respecter of person

00:30:27.700 --> 00:30:28.640
 that no one could stand,

00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:29.280
 all you've done

00:30:29.280 --> 00:30:30.240
 is agreed with something

00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:31.120
 in the book of Romans

00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:31.680
 which says,

00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:32.560
 as my first point,

00:30:32.920 --> 00:30:33.740
 for all have sinned

00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:34.300
 and fall short

00:30:34.300 --> 00:30:35.200
 of the glory of God.

00:30:35.380 --> 00:30:36.400
 For all have sinned

00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:37.080
 and fall short

00:30:37.080 --> 00:30:38.020
 of the glory of God.

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:39.440
 And it's a bit of

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.320
 a longer sermon,

00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:41.259
 but you can just take it

00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:42.340
 that part of God's glory

00:30:42.340 --> 00:30:43.240
 is his justice.

00:30:43.940 --> 00:30:44.400
 In other words,

00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:45.240
 all have sinned

00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:45.980
 and fall short

00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:46.940
 of the justice

00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:48.220
 of God.

00:30:50.120 --> 00:30:50.680
 You see,

00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.820
 it's a central part

00:30:51.820 --> 00:30:52.560
 of the gospel,

00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:53.800
 and here's the other thing,

00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:55.899
 that the story,

00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:57.700
 there's another possibility

00:30:57.700 --> 00:30:59.139
 about why it is

00:30:59.139 --> 00:30:59.879
 in this case

00:30:59.879 --> 00:31:00.779
 and in any case

00:31:00.779 --> 00:31:01.940
 that perfect justice

00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:03.139
 hasn't yet visited

00:31:03.139 --> 00:31:04.500
 every single human being.

00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:05.899
 And the possibility

00:31:05.899 --> 00:31:07.059
 is that maybe

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:07.899
 it has to do

00:31:07.899 --> 00:31:09.539
 with God showing mercy.

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:12.460
 There's a very interesting text

00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:14.019
 in 2 Peter 3,

00:31:14.139 --> 00:31:15.119
 verses 8 and 9.

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:16.559
 You can check it later on.

00:31:16.639 --> 00:31:18.180
 2 Peter 3,

00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:19.159
 verses 8 and 9.

00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:20.900
 And Peter says this,

00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:21.980
 but do not overlook

00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:23.440
 this one fact, beloved,

00:31:24.200 --> 00:31:24.960
 that with the Lord

00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:27.160
 one day is as a thousand years

00:31:27.160 --> 00:31:28.460
 and a thousand years

00:31:28.460 --> 00:31:29.160
 as one day.

00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:30.040
 It's talking about God

00:31:30.040 --> 00:31:30.660
 being eternal

00:31:30.660 --> 00:31:31.480
 outside of time.

00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:32.960
 Here's the point.

00:31:33.580 --> 00:31:34.759
 The Lord is not slow

00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:36.200
 to fulfill his promise,

00:31:36.560 --> 00:31:38.320
 as some count slowness,

00:31:38.840 --> 00:31:40.400
 but is patient toward you,

00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:42.240
 not wishing that any

00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:43.019
 should perish,

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.279
 but that all

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.720
 should reach repentance.

00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:47.100
 Listen to that again.

00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:49.000
 The Lord is not slow

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.439
 to fulfill his promise,

00:31:51.299 --> 00:31:52.779
 as some count slowness,

00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:54.259
 his promise of perfect justice,

00:31:54.839 --> 00:31:56.459
 but is patient toward you,

00:31:56.539 --> 00:31:57.439
 not wishing that any

00:31:57.439 --> 00:31:58.019
 should perish,

00:31:58.159 --> 00:31:58.659
 but that all

00:31:58.659 --> 00:32:00.139
 should reach repentance.

00:32:01.419 --> 00:32:02.359
 This is a very,

00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:03.579
 very important text.

00:32:03.939 --> 00:32:04.299
 You see,

00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:10.279
 if all we had in the Bible

00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:11.879
 was Genesis, Exodus,

00:32:12.019 --> 00:32:13.399
 Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy,

00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:14.719
 and then Joshua and Judges,

00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:15.599
 these seven books,

00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:16.740
 it would leave us

00:32:16.740 --> 00:32:17.639
 with a problem.

00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:20.000
 But the fact of the matter is,

00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:20.399
 I mean,

00:32:20.419 --> 00:32:20.980
 it would leave us

00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:21.779
 with riddles,

00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:23.199
 problems,

00:32:23.439 --> 00:32:24.279
 conundrums.

00:32:24.639 --> 00:32:25.480
 It really would.

00:32:25.959 --> 00:32:26.939
 But the fact of the matter is,

00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:27.439
 is if you read

00:32:27.439 --> 00:32:28.259
 the book of Judges,

00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:29.159
 you'll see that Judges

00:32:29.159 --> 00:32:30.359
 points beyond itself.

00:32:30.459 --> 00:32:30.879
 If you look at

00:32:30.879 --> 00:32:31.839
 the Samson story,

00:32:31.919 --> 00:32:32.719
 the key verse,

00:32:32.839 --> 00:32:33.779
 and one of the key parts

00:32:33.779 --> 00:32:34.719
 of the Samson story

00:32:34.719 --> 00:32:36.279
 is that God is beginning

00:32:36.279 --> 00:32:38.219
 to deliver through Samson,

00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:39.719
 and it points beyond itself.

00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:40.179
 It points,

00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:40.599
 in a sense,

00:32:40.659 --> 00:32:41.179
 to David.

00:32:41.819 --> 00:32:42.379
 And if you read

00:32:42.379 --> 00:32:43.419
 the story of David

00:32:43.420 --> 00:32:44.820
 in 1 and 2 Samuel,

00:32:44.820 --> 00:32:46.060
 you'll see that David

00:32:46.060 --> 00:32:47.660
 can't be that justice

00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:48.560
 and that deliverer

00:32:48.560 --> 00:32:48.980
 that we need,

00:32:49.019 --> 00:32:50.820
 that it points beyond itself.

00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:52.100
 And the riddles

00:32:52.100 --> 00:32:53.220
 and the conundrums

00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:54.560
 and the paradoxes

00:32:54.560 --> 00:32:55.360
 and the problems

00:32:55.360 --> 00:32:56.440
 which the book of Judges

00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:57.620
 poses to us

00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:59.779
 are all pointing beyond

00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:01.120
 to something that God

00:33:01.120 --> 00:33:02.500
 still has to do.

00:33:03.320 --> 00:33:03.560
 You see,

00:33:03.620 --> 00:33:04.860
 what you see in this story

00:33:04.860 --> 00:33:05.900
 is this.

00:33:05.980 --> 00:33:06.680
 My second point

00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:07.800
 is you have a yearning.

00:33:08.639 --> 00:33:09.539
 You have a yearning

00:33:09.539 --> 00:33:10.779
 for perfect justice

00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:11.680
 and mercy,

00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:13.079
 for perfect goodness

00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:13.659
 and love,

00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:14.819
 for perfect truth

00:33:14.819 --> 00:33:15.539
 and strength

00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:17.039
 in some place

00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:18.299
 with someone

00:33:18.299 --> 00:33:19.500
 not in this world.

00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:20.740
 Remember,

00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:21.839
 I began with the story

00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:22.339
 of our having,

00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:23.259
 you know,

00:33:23.639 --> 00:33:24.279
 the canoe,

00:33:24.579 --> 00:33:25.639
 the patio,

00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:27.159
 and it's just so perfect.

00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:27.859
 It fits,

00:33:27.980 --> 00:33:29.159
 but there must be

00:33:29.159 --> 00:33:30.180
 something more.

00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:32.639
 And then the whole thing

00:33:32.639 --> 00:33:33.700
 about the moral realm

00:33:33.700 --> 00:33:34.480
 and the one

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.519
 has to be a person.

00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:37.180
 That has to be that more.

00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:38.400
 And then for this

00:33:38.400 --> 00:33:39.420
 perfect justice,

00:33:39.820 --> 00:33:40.500
 the fact of the matter

00:33:40.500 --> 00:33:41.660
 is that these stories

00:33:41.660 --> 00:33:42.680
 reveal to us

00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:44.340
 that you have a yearning

00:33:44.340 --> 00:33:45.560
 for perfect justice

00:33:45.560 --> 00:33:46.880
 and perfect mercy,

00:33:47.060 --> 00:33:48.120
 for perfect goodness

00:33:48.120 --> 00:33:48.620
 and love,

00:33:48.740 --> 00:33:49.940
 for truth and strength

00:33:49.940 --> 00:33:50.920
 in some place

00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:52.060
 with someone

00:33:52.060 --> 00:33:54.120
 not in this world.

00:33:55.940 --> 00:33:57.279
 Here we go back to Peter.

00:33:57.900 --> 00:33:58.360
 Peter,

00:33:58.500 --> 00:33:59.299
 that part that I read

00:33:59.299 --> 00:34:00.080
 to you about Peter,

00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:00.860
 it happened

00:34:00.860 --> 00:34:02.400
 just before he died.

00:34:03.140 --> 00:34:04.060
 And we're all familiar

00:34:04.060 --> 00:34:04.820
 with people dying

00:34:04.820 --> 00:34:05.519
 for causes,

00:34:05.740 --> 00:34:06.660
 for ideologies,

00:34:06.660 --> 00:34:08.519
 for all sorts of reasons.

00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:09.820
 But what we aren't

00:34:09.820 --> 00:34:10.539
 familiar with

00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.940
 and is very unique

00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:12.559
 about Peter

00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:13.220
 is Peter,

00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:14.700
 like the other apostles

00:34:14.700 --> 00:34:16.019
 who died martyrs death,

00:34:16.200 --> 00:34:18.519
 he died because of a fact

00:34:18.519 --> 00:34:21.980
 that he wouldn't give up on.

00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:24.559
 Like that's very unusual

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.460
 and uncommon.

00:34:25.700 --> 00:34:27.180
 He died for a fact

00:34:27.180 --> 00:34:28.599
 that Jesus died

00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:31.619
 and then the grave is empty

00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:33.059
 because he rose from the dead.

00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:34.980
 He died for that fact.

00:34:34.980 --> 00:34:36.940
 If he just gave up for,

00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:38.539
 gave up that fact,

00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:39.860
 he could have lived.

00:34:40.800 --> 00:34:42.139
 See, here's the third point.

00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:44.079
 Why did he not give up

00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:45.000
 on that fact?

00:34:45.699 --> 00:34:46.599
 The third point,

00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:47.659
 in the death of Jesus

00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:48.699
 upon the cross,

00:34:49.300 --> 00:34:50.599
 human yearning

00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:52.179
 became fact.

00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:54.440
 In the death of Jesus

00:34:54.440 --> 00:34:55.420
 upon the cross,

00:34:55.699 --> 00:34:56.860
 human yearning

00:34:56.860 --> 00:34:58.860
 became fact.

00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:00.420
 What do I mean?

00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:02.179
 See, the story of Jesus

00:35:02.179 --> 00:35:02.759
 is this,

00:35:02.899 --> 00:35:04.119
 his sinless life,

00:35:04.379 --> 00:35:05.460
 his profound teaching,

00:35:05.559 --> 00:35:06.139
 his miracles.

00:35:07.379 --> 00:35:08.539
 But those are all

00:35:08.539 --> 00:35:09.859
 very, very, very significant.

00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:11.359
 And in the midst of them,

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.699
 he continually predicted

00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:13.399
 something that

00:35:13.399 --> 00:35:15.559
 he couldn't possibly fulfill

00:35:15.559 --> 00:35:16.579
 or just manage

00:35:16.579 --> 00:35:17.519
 to orchestrate.

00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:18.079
 He predicted

00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:19.639
 he'd die a particular death

00:35:19.639 --> 00:35:21.440
 that he couldn't orchestrate,

00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:22.019
 that had to be,

00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:22.339
 in fact,

00:35:22.419 --> 00:35:24.659
 done by imperial Roman power,

00:35:25.099 --> 00:35:26.339
 which is to crucify him.

00:35:26.339 --> 00:35:26.980
 And he predicted

00:35:26.980 --> 00:35:27.899
 that he would die

00:35:27.899 --> 00:35:29.239
 a death upon the cross

00:35:29.239 --> 00:35:30.219
 of crucifixion.

00:35:30.219 --> 00:35:31.199
 And he predicted

00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:32.500
 that he would be dead

00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:33.239
 for three days.

00:35:33.319 --> 00:35:34.019
 And he predicted

00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:35.239
 that on the third day,

00:35:35.399 --> 00:35:36.539
 the grave would be empty

00:35:36.539 --> 00:35:37.579
 and that he would rise

00:35:37.579 --> 00:35:38.179
 from the dead

00:35:38.179 --> 00:35:39.000
 and he would prove it

00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:39.719
 to his disciples.

00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:42.139
 And Peter is an eyewitness

00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:43.379
 of that fact.

00:35:43.859 --> 00:35:45.439
 And if he, in fact,

00:35:45.559 --> 00:35:46.559
 did, Jesus did,

00:35:46.699 --> 00:35:48.459
 predict such a death

00:35:48.459 --> 00:35:50.319
 and such a resurrection,

00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:52.159
 it vindicates

00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:53.579
 who Jesus is.

00:35:54.199 --> 00:35:55.939
 It vindicates his message.

00:35:56.059 --> 00:35:57.679
 And what is his message?

00:35:58.059 --> 00:35:59.879
 His message is this.

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:02.380
 That he is, in fact,

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.460
 God, the Son of God.

00:36:03.539 --> 00:36:04.420
 That he, in fact,

00:36:04.500 --> 00:36:06.200
 is the image of...

00:36:06.200 --> 00:36:08.820
 I'm going to get some...

00:36:08.820 --> 00:36:09.900
 Just make it clear.

00:36:10.220 --> 00:36:10.920
 If you go back

00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:11.400
 and you read it,

00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:12.220
 what you see is this.

00:36:13.320 --> 00:36:14.300
 Every human being

00:36:14.300 --> 00:36:15.440
 is made in the image of God.

00:36:15.519 --> 00:36:16.480
 That's why it's only

00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:17.200
 in the scriptures

00:36:17.200 --> 00:36:18.119
 that you actually have

00:36:18.119 --> 00:36:19.160
 a true basis

00:36:19.160 --> 00:36:20.360
 for human rights.

00:36:20.920 --> 00:36:22.140
 That true basis

00:36:22.140 --> 00:36:23.400
 for the dignity of woman

00:36:23.400 --> 00:36:25.400
 and every different people group

00:36:25.400 --> 00:36:26.900
 and every different race

00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:27.640
 and ethnicity

00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:28.759
 is because

00:36:28.759 --> 00:36:29.719
 every human being

00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:30.379
 is made

00:36:30.379 --> 00:36:31.599
 in the image of God.

00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:32.559
 Every human being

00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:33.099
 is made

00:36:33.099 --> 00:36:34.500
 in the image of God.

00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:40.420
 And Jesus

00:36:40.420 --> 00:36:42.599
 is the image itself.

00:36:42.819 --> 00:36:43.299
 We are made

00:36:43.299 --> 00:36:44.219
 in the image of God

00:36:44.219 --> 00:36:45.519
 and the image itself

00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:46.859
 comes and walks amongst us

00:36:46.859 --> 00:36:47.839
 and that means

00:36:47.839 --> 00:36:48.799
 that when Jesus lives

00:36:48.799 --> 00:36:49.679
 his sinless life,

00:36:49.739 --> 00:36:50.339
 his miracles,

00:36:50.539 --> 00:36:51.239
 his teaching,

00:36:51.839 --> 00:36:53.159
 what he does,

00:36:53.159 --> 00:36:54.839
 it can count

00:36:54.839 --> 00:36:56.099
 for every person

00:36:56.099 --> 00:36:57.339
 because we are made

00:36:57.339 --> 00:36:57.899
 in the image of God

00:36:57.899 --> 00:36:58.799
 and he is the image

00:36:58.799 --> 00:36:59.679
 in which we are made.

00:37:00.179 --> 00:37:01.379
 If something happens

00:37:01.379 --> 00:37:01.759
 to him

00:37:01.759 --> 00:37:02.339
 and he offers

00:37:02.339 --> 00:37:03.319
 something himself,

00:37:03.819 --> 00:37:05.119
 that can count

00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:06.099
 for everybody.

00:37:07.639 --> 00:37:08.420
 And so what do we see

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:08.899
 if we listen

00:37:08.899 --> 00:37:09.960
 to the message of Jesus?

00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:11.079
 We see this,

00:37:11.739 --> 00:37:12.739
 that he,

00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:15.859
 his sacrifice

00:37:15.859 --> 00:37:18.039
 can be for all.

00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:20.399
 So on the cross,

00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:22.079
 Jesus who doesn't

00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:22.980
 deserve death,

00:37:23.300 --> 00:37:25.360
 has lived a sinless life,

00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:26.700
 is in complete

00:37:26.700 --> 00:37:28.059
 perfect relationship

00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:29.720
 with the Father

00:37:29.720 --> 00:37:31.700
 and he dies

00:37:31.700 --> 00:37:32.539
 upon the cross

00:37:32.539 --> 00:37:33.300
 and we know

00:37:33.300 --> 00:37:34.360
 that he comes to die

00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:35.380
 and what he is

00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:36.079
 in a sense saying

00:37:36.079 --> 00:37:36.599
 is this,

00:37:37.579 --> 00:37:39.880
 you cannot stand

00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:40.880
 before the perfect

00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.840
 justice of God

00:37:41.840 --> 00:37:44.139
 because I love you.

00:37:45.700 --> 00:37:47.400
 I came and sought you

00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:49.260
 and as I die

00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:50.160
 upon the cross,

00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:51.619
 I am bearing

00:37:51.619 --> 00:37:52.840
 in my person

00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:53.800
 and in my body

00:37:53.800 --> 00:37:55.700
 the perfect justice

00:37:55.700 --> 00:37:59.360
 that if you need

00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:00.099
 to deal with it

00:38:00.099 --> 00:38:01.240
 will lead in your death

00:38:01.240 --> 00:38:02.180
 but I don't want you

00:38:02.180 --> 00:38:02.559
 to die.

00:38:03.900 --> 00:38:05.420
 So the justice

00:38:05.420 --> 00:38:07.119
 that should fall

00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:07.780
 upon you

00:38:07.780 --> 00:38:09.480
 will fall upon me.

00:38:09.740 --> 00:38:10.180
 I'm willing

00:38:10.180 --> 00:38:11.139
 to take your place

00:38:11.139 --> 00:38:13.340
 and I'm willing

00:38:13.340 --> 00:38:13.840
 to not only

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.519
 take your place

00:38:14.519 --> 00:38:15.639
 but offer you a trade

00:38:15.639 --> 00:38:17.380
 that as I take

00:38:17.380 --> 00:38:18.180
 your place,

00:38:18.180 --> 00:38:19.539
 you can take my place

00:38:19.539 --> 00:38:21.519
 my relationship

00:38:21.519 --> 00:38:22.119
 with God.

00:38:22.380 --> 00:38:23.219
 I take upon myself

00:38:23.219 --> 00:38:23.779
 the doom

00:38:23.779 --> 00:38:25.820
 that perfect justice

00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:26.699
 would demand of you

00:38:26.699 --> 00:38:27.980
 and I offer you

00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:28.900
 the destiny

00:38:28.900 --> 00:38:30.599
 that is proper to me

00:38:30.599 --> 00:38:32.679
 and I,

00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:33.880
 you can't earn it.

00:38:35.759 --> 00:38:36.840
 It's completely,

00:38:37.279 --> 00:38:38.000
 just,

00:38:38.079 --> 00:38:38.920
 it's just mercy.

00:38:39.279 --> 00:38:40.279
 It's just grace

00:38:40.279 --> 00:38:42.000
 and I offer it to you

00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:45.480
 and that's what happens

00:38:45.480 --> 00:38:46.159
 in the cross.

00:38:46.820 --> 00:38:47.239
 You see,

00:38:47.300 --> 00:38:47.860
 on the cross,

00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:48.780
 the perfect justice

00:38:48.780 --> 00:38:49.400
 of God

00:38:49.400 --> 00:38:54.519
 that should fall

00:38:54.519 --> 00:38:55.019
 on you

00:38:55.019 --> 00:38:57.539
 at the same time

00:38:57.539 --> 00:38:58.460
 the perfect mercy

00:38:58.460 --> 00:38:59.039
 of God

00:38:59.039 --> 00:38:59.519
 says,

00:38:59.780 --> 00:39:00.460
 that which you cannot

00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:01.860
 survive on your own,

00:39:02.360 --> 00:39:03.539
 I will provide

00:39:03.539 --> 00:39:04.340
 a way by which

00:39:04.340 --> 00:39:05.579
 my justice is maintained.

00:39:05.780 --> 00:39:06.940
 Justice is still justice.

00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:08.000
 The mercy isn't

00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:09.800
 weakening that

00:39:09.800 --> 00:39:10.360
 for a moment

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:11.380
 but my mercy

00:39:11.380 --> 00:39:12.460
 is perfect as well

00:39:12.460 --> 00:39:13.160
 which is why

00:39:13.160 --> 00:39:14.220
 I offer you

00:39:14.220 --> 00:39:15.720
 this profound exchange.

00:39:17.220 --> 00:39:18.320
 Isaiah puts it

00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:19.140
 that the punishment

00:39:19.140 --> 00:39:20.260
 that brought us peace

00:39:20.260 --> 00:39:21.600
 was upon him.

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:23.320
 By his wounds

00:39:23.320 --> 00:39:24.880
 we are healed

00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:26.320
 and we receive that

00:39:26.320 --> 00:39:27.480
 by faith.

00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:29.300
 So you see,

00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:29.940
 what we can do

00:39:29.940 --> 00:39:30.880
 is we can rename

00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:31.900
 the longing

00:39:31.900 --> 00:39:33.140
 that you have

00:39:33.140 --> 00:39:34.580
 and to rename

00:39:34.580 --> 00:39:35.300
 the longing

00:39:35.300 --> 00:39:36.160
 that you have

00:39:36.160 --> 00:39:36.920
 is this,

00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:38.340
 you have a yearning

00:39:38.340 --> 00:39:39.280
 to be with others

00:39:39.280 --> 00:39:41.200
 at home

00:39:41.200 --> 00:39:42.220
 in the garden

00:39:42.220 --> 00:39:43.360
 walking with

00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:44.380
 the triune God

00:39:44.380 --> 00:39:45.320
 in the cool

00:39:45.320 --> 00:39:45.840
 of the day

00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:46.780
 naked

00:39:46.780 --> 00:39:47.880
 and unashamed.

00:39:49.300 --> 00:39:49.860
 You see,

00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:50.360
 in a sense,

00:39:50.840 --> 00:39:51.619
 what you sort of

00:39:51.619 --> 00:39:52.139
 just know

00:39:52.139 --> 00:39:53.099
 is an abstraction

00:39:53.099 --> 00:39:54.119
 that there must be

00:39:54.119 --> 00:39:55.360
 have a longing

00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:56.000
 for justice,

00:39:56.260 --> 00:39:57.200
 a longing for goodness,

00:39:57.340 --> 00:39:58.320
 a longing for love,

00:39:58.420 --> 00:39:59.340
 a longing for mercy,

00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:00.300
 a longing for truth,

00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:01.360
 a longing for strength

00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:02.099
 and it's not just

00:40:02.099 --> 00:40:03.260
 abstractions.

00:40:03.260 --> 00:40:04.840
 what you're ultimately

00:40:04.840 --> 00:40:06.000
 longing for

00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:07.720
 is the source

00:40:07.720 --> 00:40:08.260
 and the ground

00:40:08.260 --> 00:40:09.540
 for all of those things.

00:40:10.120 --> 00:40:11.060
 You're longing

00:40:11.060 --> 00:40:12.780
 to be with others

00:40:12.780 --> 00:40:14.560
 at home

00:40:14.560 --> 00:40:15.200
 in the garden.

00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:17.000
 It's the description

00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:17.920
 of the Garden of Eden.

00:40:19.400 --> 00:40:21.040
 Walking with the triune God

00:40:21.040 --> 00:40:22.520
 in the cool of the day

00:40:22.520 --> 00:40:23.720
 naked

00:40:23.720 --> 00:40:25.220
 and unashamed

00:40:25.220 --> 00:40:27.760
 and only

00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:28.940
 by putting your faith

00:40:28.940 --> 00:40:29.940
 and trust in Jesus

00:40:29.940 --> 00:40:32.720
 where

00:40:32.720 --> 00:40:34.099
 yearnings

00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:35.380
 became fact.

00:40:36.500 --> 00:40:37.480
 Can you know

00:40:37.480 --> 00:40:38.500
 that

00:40:38.500 --> 00:40:39.780
 right relationship

00:40:39.780 --> 00:40:40.340
 with God

00:40:40.340 --> 00:40:40.980
 that begins

00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:42.200
 as you put your faith

00:40:42.200 --> 00:40:43.099
 and trust in Him

00:40:43.099 --> 00:40:44.920
 and continues

00:40:44.920 --> 00:40:45.639
 beyond

00:40:45.639 --> 00:40:47.460
 the veil

00:40:47.460 --> 00:40:48.300
 of this life

00:40:48.300 --> 00:40:50.159
 into death

00:40:50.159 --> 00:40:51.720
 and into the end

00:40:51.720 --> 00:40:52.380
 of all days

00:40:52.380 --> 00:40:53.039
 when a new heaven

00:40:53.039 --> 00:40:53.639
 and a new earth

00:40:53.639 --> 00:40:54.500
 when the garden

00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:55.800
 will once again

00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:56.300
 be real.

00:40:57.900 --> 00:40:58.720
 I urge you

00:40:58.720 --> 00:40:59.400
 to receive it

00:40:59.400 --> 00:40:59.920
 if you haven't

00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:00.599
 received it.

00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:01.240
 You see

00:41:01.240 --> 00:41:04.220
 to understand this

00:41:04.220 --> 00:41:05.380
 and to be gripped by it

00:41:05.380 --> 00:41:06.260
 is to begin to live

00:41:06.260 --> 00:41:07.320
 in a different story.

00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:08.619
 It's to begin to live

00:41:08.619 --> 00:41:09.740
 by which

00:41:09.740 --> 00:41:10.920
 there is a different

00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.920
 set of facts

00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:12.980
 that you understand

00:41:12.980 --> 00:41:14.480
 what is going on

00:41:14.480 --> 00:41:15.440
 in your experiences

00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:16.680
 and how the life works.

00:41:16.840 --> 00:41:17.720
 It begins

00:41:17.720 --> 00:41:18.539
 as you think about

00:41:18.539 --> 00:41:19.200
 the cross

00:41:19.200 --> 00:41:19.880
 and you think about

00:41:19.880 --> 00:41:20.480
 the garden

00:41:20.480 --> 00:41:21.139
 and the destiny

00:41:21.139 --> 00:41:22.240
 which is now in yours

00:41:22.240 --> 00:41:23.160
 when you put your faith

00:41:23.160 --> 00:41:24.079
 and trust in Jesus

00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:25.539
 and He takes you

00:41:25.539 --> 00:41:26.039
 as His own

00:41:26.039 --> 00:41:27.220
 and He never lets you go

00:41:27.220 --> 00:41:28.539
 and He is with you

00:41:28.539 --> 00:41:29.519
 through this life

00:41:29.519 --> 00:41:30.639
 every day of this life

00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:31.320
 and He's with you

00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:32.420
 as you enter the valley

00:41:32.420 --> 00:41:33.340
 of the shadow of death

00:41:33.340 --> 00:41:34.099
 and He's with you

00:41:34.099 --> 00:41:34.559
 in death

00:41:34.559 --> 00:41:36.019
 and onto the far side

00:41:36.019 --> 00:41:36.460
 of death

00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:37.460
 and into eternity

00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:38.820
 and into the garden

00:41:38.820 --> 00:41:39.619
 that once again

00:41:39.619 --> 00:41:40.800
 will be created by God.

00:41:41.059 --> 00:41:41.960
 When this begins

00:41:41.960 --> 00:41:42.659
 to grip you

00:41:42.659 --> 00:41:43.440
 the story

00:41:43.440 --> 00:41:44.380
 of what He's done

00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:44.960
 on the cross

00:41:44.960 --> 00:41:46.360
 and the destiny

00:41:46.360 --> 00:41:47.460
 that you have

00:41:47.460 --> 00:41:47.960
 in Jesus

00:41:47.960 --> 00:41:48.800
 as this begins

00:41:48.800 --> 00:41:49.619
 to grip you

00:41:49.619 --> 00:41:52.400
 it gives you humility

00:41:52.400 --> 00:41:54.880
 it gives you courage

00:41:54.880 --> 00:41:56.820
 it gives you a heart

00:41:56.820 --> 00:41:57.760
 to care for others

00:41:57.760 --> 00:41:59.500
 and it gives you

00:41:59.500 --> 00:42:00.619
 a confidence and joy

00:42:00.619 --> 00:42:01.900
 not rooted in yourself

00:42:01.900 --> 00:42:02.660
 but in Him.

00:42:03.980 --> 00:42:05.099
 I urge you

00:42:05.099 --> 00:42:06.680
 to consider Jesus.

00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:09.099
 Let's bow our heads

00:42:09.099 --> 00:42:09.539
 in prayer.

00:42:10.760 --> 00:42:11.760
 Father we ask

00:42:11.760 --> 00:42:14.260
 for those of us

00:42:14.260 --> 00:42:15.119
 who have received

00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:15.619
 the Gospel

00:42:15.619 --> 00:42:16.640
 that you will once again

00:42:16.640 --> 00:42:17.820
 grip us with the Gospel

00:42:17.820 --> 00:42:20.080
 with how mercy

00:42:20.080 --> 00:42:21.860
 and justice

00:42:21.860 --> 00:42:22.940
 became fact

00:42:22.940 --> 00:42:24.039
 in the death

00:42:24.039 --> 00:42:25.300
 and resurrection

00:42:25.300 --> 00:42:25.980
 of Jesus

00:42:25.980 --> 00:42:28.100
 and how those

00:42:28.100 --> 00:42:29.260
 longings and yearnings

00:42:29.260 --> 00:42:29.960
 that we have

00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:31.039
 have been both fulfilled

00:42:31.039 --> 00:42:31.620
 in His death

00:42:31.620 --> 00:42:32.480
 upon the cross

00:42:32.480 --> 00:42:33.400
 and that they are

00:42:33.400 --> 00:42:34.200
 pointing us

00:42:34.200 --> 00:42:36.059
 to this eternal destiny

00:42:36.059 --> 00:42:36.740
 that we have

00:42:36.740 --> 00:42:37.360
 in Him

00:42:37.360 --> 00:42:38.680
 and only in Him

00:42:38.680 --> 00:42:39.519
 when we put our faith

00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:40.340
 and trust in Him.

00:42:41.559 --> 00:42:42.340
 And so Father

00:42:42.340 --> 00:42:43.539
 grip us with this truth

00:42:43.539 --> 00:42:44.700
 and if there are any here

00:42:44.700 --> 00:42:45.880
 who have not yet

00:42:45.880 --> 00:42:46.640
 been gripped by it

00:42:46.640 --> 00:42:47.440
 Father may you help

00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:47.860
 them today

00:42:47.860 --> 00:42:48.659
 and put their faith

00:42:48.659 --> 00:42:49.539
 and trust in Jesus.

00:42:50.099 --> 00:42:51.539
 We ask this in Jesus' name.

00:42:51.780 --> 00:42:52.039
 Amen.