WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.599 An interlude is an intervening period that provides for us a welcome break from an otherwise demanding task. 00:00:11.060 --> 00:00:13.960 An interlude is specifically the word that we're thinking of here. 00:00:13.960 --> 00:00:19.420 And I want you to think for just a moment all the different ways that we experience various interludes. 00:00:19.420 --> 00:00:34.500 Sporting events have interludes between periods of play that offer athletes and spectators alike some type of moment of rest from the game that they're watching or that they're playing. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.439 Songs that we sing in church have interludes. 00:00:38.500 --> 00:00:47.340 The song that we just sang, On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, in between a chorus and a verse, typically there's just a very short interlude, a transition time. 00:00:47.340 --> 00:00:53.860 But what it does is it gives you a moment to breathe, a moment to take just a quick break, a moment to reflect. 00:00:54.480 --> 00:00:55.859 We see this in the Psalms, right? 00:00:55.960 --> 00:01:03.020 As David very often writing in his Psalms will add in a musical notation that we read out as Selah. 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:05.780 It's actually a musical note is what that's meant to do. 00:01:05.820 --> 00:01:08.280 And it means to take a pause, to pause and reflect. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:09.180 It's an interlude. 00:01:09.520 --> 00:01:10.620 It's a transition. 00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:16.159 Theatrical plays, if you were to go to a Broadway show, they have interludes. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:29.739 And they present the audience with a less than taxing moment of dialogue or moment of humor while the cast transitions from one major scene to the next. 00:01:30.659 --> 00:01:38.500 And then there are also interludes and pieces of literature that bridge two elements of a story 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:47.060 and provide relief from either an intense part of the narrative that was just before it, 00:01:47.180 --> 00:01:51.640 or perhaps preparing you for an intense part of the narrative that is just after. 00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:55.620 And that's actually what we find in these five verses in Judges chapter 10. 00:01:56.180 --> 00:02:00.780 This is just a helpful, gracious interlude. 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:10.960 And in terms of function, this little section, it acts as kind of a hinge that turns the page from the Gideon cycle, 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:15.759 which starts all the way back in chapter 6 and continues through the story of Abimelech. 00:02:15.900 --> 00:02:18.420 The Gideon cycle doesn't really end until this point. 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:20.840 And this is acting as like a hinge. 00:02:20.939 --> 00:02:24.699 It's turning the page from the Gideon cycle over to the Jephthah cycle, 00:02:24.699 --> 00:02:29.219 which begins for us technically in verse 6. 00:02:29.899 --> 00:02:41.459 And what it does is it provides, I think, a welcome break from two very intense scenes of narrative. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:46.539 Two very tragic scenes of narrative as well. 00:02:46.979 --> 00:02:49.139 And it gives us a moment for reflection. 00:02:49.579 --> 00:02:52.479 So functionally, that's how we want to view these five verses. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:58.639 Now, the author of Judges periodically inserts these interludes, and he does it in a unique way. 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:05.120 He does it by telling us briefly about what has come to be referred to as minor judges. 00:03:05.739 --> 00:03:11.579 So when we get into the big picture of the book of Judges, there are 12 of them that are listed. 00:03:11.959 --> 00:03:16.479 Now, there could have been far more than that that actually existed and were operative at that time. 00:03:16.799 --> 00:03:19.139 The author chooses 12 to tell us about. 00:03:19.679 --> 00:03:21.639 Six of them are major judges. 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:25.079 Six of them are minor judges. 00:03:25.419 --> 00:03:27.559 But we don't need to let that term confuse us. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:36.219 The individuals involved here were not minor in impact or in importance to the narrative. 00:03:36.899 --> 00:03:43.879 The term just refers to the fact that very little is said about them or about what they did or about what they accomplished. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:47.699 It's a similar concept when we're looking at the Old Testament prophets. 00:03:48.019 --> 00:03:50.119 We have major prophets and minor prophets. 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:53.560 The major prophets are more important than the minor prophets. 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:57.539 And the minor prophets' messages aren't less significant than the others. 00:03:57.700 --> 00:03:59.439 It's just simply a matter of length. 00:03:59.780 --> 00:04:02.340 The major prophets are super long-winded. 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:04.560 The minor prophets are super short. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:08.620 They're very much smaller in their length. 00:04:08.819 --> 00:04:12.520 That's the idea that we have between major and minor judges here. 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:16.699 And the first judge, the first minor judge that we looked at, was Shamgar. 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:20.360 Do you remember him from the end of chapter 3? 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:24.459 Shamgar was an obscure man in an obscure place. 00:04:24.459 --> 00:04:30.279 And all we're told about him was that he killed 600 men with an ox code, with a farming tool. 00:04:30.779 --> 00:04:33.899 And we made appropriate applications then. 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:36.919 This interlude has two minor judges. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:39.819 Tola and Jair. 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:47.240 And these two minor judges, as I said, constitute a transitional piece, 00:04:47.980 --> 00:04:54.000 bridging the gap between two really dominant epics in the overall narrative. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:01.639 Tola's section, verses 1 and 2, bring a conclusion to the Gideon cycle. 00:05:01.740 --> 00:05:02.839 That's what it's meant to do. 00:05:03.180 --> 00:05:05.620 Particularly the scene with Abimelech, right? 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:08.100 That's how the author is using it here. 00:05:08.819 --> 00:05:15.860 Jair's mention prepares the reader for the shift to the Jephthah cycle. 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:16.420 Okay? 00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:17.519 So hinge piece here. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:26.060 Even geographically, our attention is being adjusted here from the areas immediately west 00:05:26.060 --> 00:05:31.799 of the Jordan River in Israel to the areas immediately east of the Jordan River in Israel. 00:05:31.919 --> 00:05:36.500 So everything about this is transitional in its function and in its scope. 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:46.240 But this text is doing so much more than simply turning the page from one story to another. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:47.780 It's doing far more than that. 00:05:48.660 --> 00:05:52.759 It may be simple, but there is meaning here. 00:05:53.340 --> 00:05:55.160 And I don't want you to miss it. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:06:04.879 It's an opportunity for us to consider the reality and the purpose of seasons of rest. 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:06.860 Seasons of rest. 00:06:07.660 --> 00:06:09.319 Seasons of peace. 00:06:10.220 --> 00:06:14.300 When we come to the scripture, there's at least three types of rest, 00:06:14.300 --> 00:06:19.639 three types of peace that are given to us as gifts from God. 00:06:19.960 --> 00:06:22.560 The first one we've talked about at great length already this morning. 00:06:22.680 --> 00:06:24.319 That is the weekly Sabbath. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:30.080 The weekly Sabbath being a God-given period of rest from the burdens 00:06:30.080 --> 00:06:33.900 and the stresses that we carry the other six days of the week. 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:41.680 So God gives it to us as a gift that allows time for focused worship and physical rest. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:48.160 It is a welcome interlude in the regular course of the Christian week. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:50.780 And it takes us all the way back to Genesis chapter 2. 00:06:51.259 --> 00:06:53.120 That's one type of rest mentioned in the scriptures. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:07:02.160 Another type of rest mentioned in the scriptures is just these simple periods of what we would say is relative peace. 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:03.540 Relative peace. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:05.500 That's what we have in this passage. 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:12.420 In fact, if you go back and you trace all the way back to the end of or to where Gideon's death was. 00:07:13.019 --> 00:07:17.720 Remember, there was rest for the land for 40 years after Gideon's death. 00:07:18.379 --> 00:07:21.120 Abimelech has his thing, but that's not an outside oppression. 00:07:21.540 --> 00:07:22.879 It's certainly difficult. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:23.660 It's tragic. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:28.220 But we might could say, well, that just kind of wedges itself into the middle of this 00:07:28.220 --> 00:07:32.639 generally relatively peaceful, restful season for Israel. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:37.000 Then we get to Tola and Jair, and together it's another 45 years. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:46.079 So what we have here in the life of Israel is basically 85 years of relative rest, 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:49.860 relative peace from their enemies. 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:55.800 And this interlude here in the passage, it's not just a reprieve for the readers. 00:07:55.800 --> 00:08:02.340 It's actually detailing for us a reprieve that God gave to his people. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:04.540 A time frame of relative peace. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:06.439 And here's the thing with this. 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:08.040 Life is hard. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:10.520 It is hard. 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:16.600 As soon as you finish getting over one obstacle, it doesn't take very long, 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:18.139 and there's another obstacle. 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:23.139 And they're very, usually they're not very much the same. 00:08:23.139 --> 00:08:25.599 They try us in different ways. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.120 But God is good to us. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.639 He brings us through seasons of intense suffering for his glory. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:36.539 But then he gifts us often with periods of peace. 00:08:37.539 --> 00:08:41.080 It brings a reprieve from the chaos, a time for healing, 00:08:41.299 --> 00:08:46.819 a time for getting through and processing the hardships of living in a fallen world. 00:08:46.980 --> 00:08:48.480 And that's really what we have in this passage. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:54.659 But there's a third kind of rest that is mentioned to us as a gift from God in the scriptures. 00:08:55.740 --> 00:08:57.539 It's an eternal rest. 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:00.240 An eternal rest in Christ. 00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:07.639 All of the talk about peace and rest in the Bible ultimately points us to an everlasting rest 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:11.420 for those who believe and follow Christ. 00:09:11.419 --> 00:09:15.839 And I want you to just glory in this for just a moment. 00:09:17.179 --> 00:09:19.139 There is coming a day. 00:09:20.199 --> 00:09:22.299 It is surely coming. 00:09:22.779 --> 00:09:24.839 It is promised by our Savior. 00:09:25.539 --> 00:09:27.459 It is a gift from God. 00:09:28.459 --> 00:09:29.919 There is coming a day, 00:09:30.699 --> 00:09:34.379 and it will include a rest that will never end. 00:09:34.379 --> 00:09:39.620 We will be in the presence of our God and our Savior. 00:09:40.580 --> 00:09:45.919 We will be made ultimately and eternally free from sin, 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:48.019 from pain, 00:09:48.580 --> 00:09:50.259 from trouble, 00:09:51.399 --> 00:09:53.879 from the consequences of other sins, 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:55.759 from death, 00:09:56.539 --> 00:09:57.340 from hardship. 00:09:57.939 --> 00:09:59.299 It will all be done. 00:09:59.940 --> 00:10:02.220 And it will be done forever. 00:10:02.220 --> 00:10:06.200 It's a guarantee for those who are in Christ 00:10:06.200 --> 00:10:10.060 that an eternal rest is ahead for us. 00:10:10.500 --> 00:10:12.420 And we do not have that now. 00:10:12.700 --> 00:10:13.420 It's coming. 00:10:14.100 --> 00:10:16.019 But it is promised to us in the scriptures. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:18.899 Three different kinds of rest. 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:22.779 The first two preparing us for the final one. 00:10:23.160 --> 00:10:24.220 The weekly Sabbath. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:30.080 The seasons of peace pointing us forward to that great day of the Lord when He returns. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:33.200 And He brings His kingdom, 00:10:34.060 --> 00:10:35.520 the new heavens and the new earth. 00:10:36.660 --> 00:10:39.560 Now it's easy to move quickly through a text like this, 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:42.900 wondering what real purpose it serves. 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:45.780 Why are these five verses here? 00:10:46.759 --> 00:10:50.240 What possible value can we take from them? 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.740 Well, since they're scripture, 00:10:53.220 --> 00:10:56.940 there are at least three components that they must contain. 00:10:57.220 --> 00:10:57.360 Okay? 00:10:57.460 --> 00:11:00.860 Because all scripture contains these three components. 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:02.220 Number one, 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:04.779 they teach us something about God. 00:11:05.860 --> 00:11:07.080 They teach us something about God. 00:11:07.419 --> 00:11:08.840 Psalm 138 verse 2, 00:11:09.139 --> 00:11:12.840 You have exalted above all things your name and your word. 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:14.320 The psalmist says. 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:15.120 What does that mean? 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:22.120 That means that God has given us His word as His revelation in order that we might exalt Him. 00:11:22.700 --> 00:11:24.399 It is His revelation to us. 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:27.060 Therefore, every time you open the scriptures, 00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:28.960 it doesn't matter where they are. 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:30.980 It doesn't matter how simple the story is 00:11:30.980 --> 00:11:33.779 or how little impact it has on you immediately. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:36.399 It is teaching you something about God. 00:11:36.659 --> 00:11:40.620 It is His revelation to us in order that we may exalt Him, 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:42.159 in order that we may know Him, 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:43.659 and that we may worship Him. 00:11:43.659 --> 00:11:45.860 But it's not only teaching us something about God. 00:11:46.019 --> 00:11:48.360 It's teaching us something about serving God. 00:11:48.939 --> 00:11:50.620 It's teaching us something about serving God. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:54.839 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 15 through 17. 00:11:55.019 --> 00:11:56.360 You know the passage well. 00:11:57.299 --> 00:11:58.059 Paul tells Timothy, 00:11:58.299 --> 00:12:02.219 From a child you have known the scriptures, the sacred writings, 00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:07.360 which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ. 00:12:07.459 --> 00:12:09.000 And then he says, this is just so wonderful. 00:12:09.500 --> 00:12:11.799 All scripture is breathed out by God. 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:15.359 It is given to us by God for this reason. 00:12:15.939 --> 00:12:23.599 It is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.120 for training in righteousness, 00:12:26.659 --> 00:12:32.059 that the man of God may be whole, complete, mature, 00:12:33.259 --> 00:12:37.120 equipped for every good work. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:40.480 The scriptures, by nature of what they are, 00:12:40.560 --> 00:12:41.840 they teach us something about God. 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:44.200 But then they teach us something about serving God. 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:48.019 Now, we can say, and some people would suggest, 00:12:48.259 --> 00:12:53.279 that the ultimate end, the ultimate goal for studying the Bible 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:55.919 is to develop dogma or conviction. 00:12:56.460 --> 00:12:58.360 But that's only partially true. 00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:02.620 The ultimate goal of studying the scriptures is application. 00:13:02.620 --> 00:13:08.100 Because God has given us the scriptures so that we might have teaching. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:10.799 That is so that we might believe something. 00:13:10.899 --> 00:13:11.700 That's the conviction. 00:13:12.019 --> 00:13:13.060 But it's not just conviction. 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:15.340 It's also for reproof. 00:13:15.779 --> 00:13:17.960 So that it might show us what is wrong. 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.659 Then it gives us correction so that we can know how to make those things right. 00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:27.080 We're applying those truths to our lives in a very specific way. 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:29.220 And then it's given us training in righteousness. 00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:32.520 It's telling us how to push forward in service to God. 00:13:32.660 --> 00:13:33.000 Why? 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:38.360 That the man of God may be thoroughly furnished, equipped for every good work. 00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:39.900 What do the scriptures do for us? 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:41.600 They teach us something about God. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.820 They teach us how to serve God. 00:13:43.920 --> 00:13:46.379 They're practical, relevant for us. 00:13:46.940 --> 00:13:51.980 Third, they teach us something about salvation through Jesus. 00:13:51.980 --> 00:14:00.399 They always, always teach us something about salvation through Jesus. 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:04.000 Jesus says in John chapter 5 verse 39, 00:14:04.920 --> 00:14:09.279 You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:14.740 And it is they that bear witness about me. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:20.440 This book that you hold in your hand, I hope that you hold in your hand today, 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:25.780 from beginning to end, Genesis 1 all the way to the end of Revelation, 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:28.160 it has one meta-narrative. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:33.020 And it is this, salvation through Jesus. 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:39.560 Everywhere you turn in the Bible, it is ultimately about Jesus. 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:44.160 It has something to teach us about God's glory and salvation 00:14:44.160 --> 00:14:48.240 through the person and work of Jesus Christ. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:52.139 Those are three components every piece of scripture has, 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:55.980 which means that those three components must be present 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:59.240 in these five verses in Judges chapter 10. 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:03.740 So I want to use that as our structure for understanding the verses today, okay? 00:15:04.259 --> 00:15:07.700 Number one, these verses teach us something about God. 00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:10.060 They teach us something about God. 00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:12.399 Look at verses 1 and 2 again. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:20.139 After Abimelech, there arose to save Israel Tola, the son of Pua, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar. 00:15:20.819 --> 00:15:23.419 And he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:25.879 And he judged Israel 23 years. 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:29.039 Then he died and was buried at Shamir. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:33.579 So our introduction to Tola is about as basic as it gets. 00:15:33.580 --> 00:15:39.180 We're given just a few details about his lineage, where he lived and died, 00:15:39.540 --> 00:15:42.920 how long he governed in that region of Israel. 00:15:43.660 --> 00:15:47.980 But I want you to notice what the emphasis of this information is on. 00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:54.900 The emphasis of this information is on Tola's connection to Abimelech. 00:15:56.040 --> 00:15:58.280 Remember Abimelech, the son of Gideon, 00:15:58.279 --> 00:16:02.759 who wreaks havoc on Israel in the proximity around Shechem. 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:07.500 Now we're told that Tola saved, quote, saved Israel. 00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:11.220 But we're not told how he saved Israel, not explicitly at least. 00:16:11.779 --> 00:16:16.360 It could very well be that there were enemies coming against Israel. 00:16:16.539 --> 00:16:19.779 And Tola, as a mighty warrior, as no doubt he was, 00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:23.819 fought against them and they're just otherwise unnamed in the text. 00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:26.579 But I think while that may be true, 00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:30.420 that's not what the author of Judges intends for us to see here. 00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:33.620 He intends for us to see this connection, 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:36.180 that to stress for us, 00:16:36.900 --> 00:16:42.160 the leadership of Tola relative to the leadership of Abimelech. 00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:48.280 He saves Israel by leading them in a recovery 00:16:48.280 --> 00:16:52.120 from the fallout from Abimelech's wickedness. 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:56.879 This is a real life interlude, 00:16:57.080 --> 00:17:02.659 a gift from God for the healing of these people in this region 00:17:02.659 --> 00:17:07.759 who just went through something tragic for three years. 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:14.160 And God uses Tola to secure this period of relief. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:18.620 Now this all speaks to one thing. 00:17:20.120 --> 00:17:21.700 God's goodness. 00:17:23.040 --> 00:17:28.620 His kindness toward his people following a time of serious chaos. 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:31.300 Do you see it there? 00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:35.819 If we just hurry our way through the book of Judges, 00:17:35.879 --> 00:17:39.019 what it seems like is wave after wave after wave of judgment, 00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:40.619 judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment. 00:17:40.940 --> 00:17:42.799 And really that's essentially what it is. 00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:45.180 Until we look in at the details and we see, 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:48.079 okay, there's judgment, but then there's mercy. 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:50.200 Undeserved mercy. 00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:52.460 There's mercy. 00:17:52.899 --> 00:17:55.639 And then there's these periods of rest and peace, 00:17:55.940 --> 00:17:57.259 even when they're not asked for. 00:17:57.259 --> 00:17:59.980 What is it pointing us towards? 00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:03.019 It's the goodness and the kindness of God. 00:18:03.819 --> 00:18:08.160 It's a reminder that Yahweh is a gracious and merciful God, 00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:10.240 as we have learned many times this morning, 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:14.980 who is full of steadfast love that endures forever. 00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:18.819 Dale Ralph Davis says it this way, 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:22.980 God does not allow blasting to go on forever. 00:18:22.980 --> 00:18:27.880 He does not allow his people to be trampled ad infinitum. 00:18:28.660 --> 00:18:32.339 But it is his way after the valley of the shadow 00:18:32.339 --> 00:18:34.620 to anoint our heads with oil. 00:18:35.259 --> 00:18:41.120 After sorrow and sighing to grant joy and gladness. 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:47.180 Yahweh is a gracious God who never allows Abimelech 00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:50.640 to be the last word for his people. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:52.599 Never. 00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:56.240 This is about the goodness of God. 00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:58.860 Well, how can we really trust that God 00:18:58.860 --> 00:19:01.880 will be gracious and merciful to us? 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:07.180 Can we trust that God will be gracious and merciful to us? 00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:08.799 And the answer is yes. 00:19:08.980 --> 00:19:10.759 How can we be sure, though? 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:14.620 Well, we have in his grace and provision 00:19:14.620 --> 00:19:17.940 a myriad of examples through the scripture, 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:21.000 sometimes as simple as two verses 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:23.759 about a guy that we know nothing else about. 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:28.480 And it shows these patterns of God's mercy, 00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:31.720 patterns of God's grace. 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:35.200 We ought not be surprised to read that 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:37.819 Tola's reign was relatively peaceful 00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:41.420 because God's very character is one that continually 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:44.980 shows steadfast love to his sinful creatures. 00:19:44.980 --> 00:19:46.860 It's what we can expect from God. 00:19:46.860 --> 00:19:48.620 It's what we can expect from God 00:19:48.620 --> 00:19:51.019 because it's who he is. 00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:55.859 And these are simple reminders of God's character 00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:58.339 that should cause us to trust 00:19:58.339 --> 00:20:01.879 that he will bring us to that eternal rest 00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:04.759 following this season of suffering 00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:07.000 and sin in this life. 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:11.440 It teaches us about God so that we might trust him 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.980 and be assured of his goodness. 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:17.319 Micah picks up on this in Micah chapter seven. 00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:19.039 Who is a God like you? 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:23.200 Pardoning iniquity, passing over transgression 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:25.099 for the remnant of his inheritance. 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:27.960 He does not retain his anger forever 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:31.700 because he delights in mercy. 00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:34.059 He delights in steadfast love. 00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:36.920 He will again have compassion on us 00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:39.500 he will tread our iniquities underfoot. 00:20:39.660 --> 00:20:45.160 You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:47.840 This text teaches us about God. 00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:52.279 It teaches about his gracious provision of rest. 00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:56.160 And it's gracious because it's a gift 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:58.720 that is given to undeserving sinners. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:01.720 It's a gracious rest. 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:06.720 This section, it's flanked by two detailed stories 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:07.840 stories of judgment. 00:21:08.779 --> 00:21:11.700 And the judgment is centered on Israel's idolatry. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:15.420 In these five verses, nothing about Israel's heart 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:17.060 or false worship changes. 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.140 Nothing about this in verses one through five says, 00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:23.320 and Israel turned back to God, 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:26.539 therefore he gave them 45 years of peace and rest. 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:28.100 That's not what happens. 00:21:28.539 --> 00:21:30.640 God gives it to them purely 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:34.240 out of his gracious and merciful character. 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:38.980 And he gives it to people who are totally undeserving 00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:42.120 of such peace in their lives. 00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:46.160 And whether we're referring to the weekly Sabbath 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:49.660 or a period of peace or an eternal rest, 00:21:49.980 --> 00:21:55.519 the experience of God's rest is always a gracious provision 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:57.779 for undeserving sinners. 00:21:58.420 --> 00:21:58.880 Always. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.240 Always. 00:22:00.500 --> 00:22:04.260 We live in this, with this idea sometimes 00:22:04.260 --> 00:22:07.080 that we are entitled to things. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:11.540 Everybody's deserving of whatever it is that they want. 00:22:12.020 --> 00:22:13.640 And that creeps into the church 00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:15.080 and into Christian hearts sometimes 00:22:15.080 --> 00:22:16.540 so that we look at God and we say, 00:22:16.700 --> 00:22:18.040 yes, God should save me. 00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:19.400 I deserve to be saved. 00:22:19.620 --> 00:22:21.060 Yes, God should bless me. 00:22:21.260 --> 00:22:22.520 I deserve to be blessed. 00:22:22.620 --> 00:22:24.220 But the truth is you don't. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:26.300 You don't deserve to be saved. 00:22:26.520 --> 00:22:28.120 You don't deserve to be blessed. 00:22:28.119 --> 00:22:31.259 Your blessing comes directly from his character, 00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:32.559 not yours. 00:22:33.719 --> 00:22:35.259 Every time he gives it, 00:22:35.939 --> 00:22:39.419 it is a gracious gift to undeserving sinners. 00:22:39.739 --> 00:22:41.359 What does this text teach us about God? 00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:43.939 It teaches us about his grace. 00:22:44.779 --> 00:22:46.199 It teaches us about his grace. 00:22:46.779 --> 00:22:50.000 Number two, it instructs our service to God. 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:53.859 It instructs our service to God. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:54.719 Look at verse three. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:57.900 After him arose Jair, the Gileadite, 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:00.579 who judged Israel 22 years. 00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:04.319 He had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:07.400 and they had 30 cities called Havath-Jair to this day, 00:23:07.860 --> 00:23:09.740 which are in the land of Gilead. 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:14.100 And Jair died and was buried in Cainmon. 00:23:15.539 --> 00:23:17.299 Well, the description of Jair here 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:19.980 is about as basic as the one given to Tola. 00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:21.759 But if you pay attention, 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:24.120 there is a distinct difference in emphasis. 00:23:25.819 --> 00:23:28.220 Tola was marked by his ancestry 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:30.559 and his connection to Abimelech. 00:23:31.120 --> 00:23:33.319 What we're told about Tola is who his dad was 00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:34.420 and who his grandfather was 00:23:34.420 --> 00:23:35.700 and which tribe he belonged to 00:23:35.700 --> 00:23:39.059 and the emphasis was on his link to Abimelech. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:40.339 That's not the same for Jair. 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:42.360 There's something a little different happening here. 00:23:42.700 --> 00:23:43.960 We're not told about his lineage. 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:45.740 We're told about his descendants. 00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:48.660 We're told about these 30 sons. 00:23:49.620 --> 00:23:51.019 We are told that he's in Gilead, 00:23:51.120 --> 00:23:53.740 but all of that is to connect him to Jephthah, 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:56.460 who is also a Gileadite. 00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:59.180 This whole next scene that we get to 00:23:59.180 --> 00:24:00.299 in chapters 10 and 11, 00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:04.019 it is all centered on this man, Jephthah, a Gileadite, 00:24:04.099 --> 00:24:06.019 and it is centered in Gilead. 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:07.960 So the author's transitioning us, okay? 00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:10.000 So that's clear, it's pretty simple, 00:24:10.140 --> 00:24:11.400 it's basic for us. 00:24:12.059 --> 00:24:14.039 But there's some things that we can discern here. 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:17.359 Though he still enjoyed a season of peace, 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:21.500 Jair's leadership helped produce 00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:25.019 the conditions of idolatry and judgment 00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:27.619 that are coming in the Jephthah narrative. 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:32.920 By mentioning some of these things about Jair, 00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:34.899 the author is preparing us 00:24:34.899 --> 00:24:36.720 for what's about to unfold in Gilead 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.599 in the next chapter. 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:40.899 So Tola teaches us about 00:24:40.899 --> 00:24:43.099 God's gracious provision of rest. 00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:46.319 Jair teaches us about misusing 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:50.159 God's gracious provision of rest. 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:53.179 And here's how we need to get to this, okay? 00:24:53.480 --> 00:24:54.799 Let's think for just a moment 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:58.659 about why God gives us rest. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.000 What is his purpose in that? 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:00.879 Why does he do that? 00:25:00.939 --> 00:25:01.659 What's his intentions? 00:25:02.259 --> 00:25:03.679 Okay, number one, 00:25:04.299 --> 00:25:06.959 our rest is meant to produce grateful worship. 00:25:07.939 --> 00:25:08.679 Grateful worship. 00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:11.860 When we see and understand God's grace, 00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:13.820 it should produce in us worship, right? 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:15.580 That's a goal of it. 00:25:15.860 --> 00:25:17.720 That is an intention that God has in it. 00:25:18.060 --> 00:25:20.519 Consider God's deliverance of Israel 00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:22.820 from slavery in Egypt. 00:25:23.840 --> 00:25:25.180 In Exodus chapter six, 00:25:25.320 --> 00:25:27.799 God tells Moses to tell the people 00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:30.039 that he would deliver them 00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:32.620 so that they would know his love 00:25:32.619 --> 00:25:34.739 and serve him accordingly. 00:25:35.919 --> 00:25:39.559 God's provision of rest from slavery 00:25:39.559 --> 00:25:41.739 was meant to produce in them 00:25:41.739 --> 00:25:44.599 true worship of their God. 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:46.859 Exodus chapter six, verse seven. 00:25:47.419 --> 00:25:47.919 God says, 00:25:48.439 --> 00:25:50.159 I will take you to be my people. 00:25:50.959 --> 00:25:53.239 I will be your God. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:56.539 You shall know that I am Yahweh, your God, 00:25:56.639 --> 00:25:58.619 who has brought you out 00:25:58.619 --> 00:26:00.839 from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:03.939 God gives his people rest from slavery. 00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:04.319 Why? 00:26:04.959 --> 00:26:06.699 In order that they may know 00:26:06.699 --> 00:26:08.379 that he is their God 00:26:08.379 --> 00:26:10.779 and worship him accordingly. 00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:11.359 Okay? 00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:13.240 So why does God give us these periods of rest? 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:14.480 Whether it's a weekly Sabbath 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.579 or a season of peace 00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:17.000 or the eternal rest 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:19.379 so that it may produce in us grateful worship. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.179 Number two, 00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:22.039 God gives us rest 00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:25.980 as a time of healing, recovery. 00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:29.440 Isn't that what's happening here 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:31.420 with Israel and the big picture of it? 00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:32.980 Isn't that why God brings them rest? 00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:34.519 He gives them time 00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:37.000 to actually enjoy their lives 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:39.660 even though they do not serve him 00:26:39.660 --> 00:26:40.620 with their lives. 00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:43.779 We call this common grace 00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:46.640 that even the wicked in this life 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:48.019 enjoy certain graces 00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:49.240 from the Lord's love 00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:51.240 even though they do not serve him. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:53.079 There are seasons 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:54.160 that God takes us through. 00:26:54.339 --> 00:26:55.759 He gives them to us graciously 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:57.240 as a period of healing. 00:26:58.519 --> 00:26:59.200 Perhaps some of you 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:00.720 have been in church settings before 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:01.299 where there was 00:27:01.299 --> 00:27:04.200 a massive failure in leadership 00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:05.359 and in the process 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:07.299 of recovering from that 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:08.259 God brings in 00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:09.759 some interim pastor 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:11.359 or a group of elders to serve 00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:12.839 and it's not that they're 00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:14.180 particularly talented 00:27:14.180 --> 00:27:15.920 but that they serve the church 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:16.720 in such a way 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:18.779 as to help bring healing 00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:20.160 and recovery. 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:22.059 Perhaps you've been 00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:23.299 in a situation in your life 00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:24.120 where you've left 00:27:24.120 --> 00:27:25.079 a hurtful situation 00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:26.259 and God takes you 00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:27.200 to a place of healing 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:27.859 and recovering 00:27:27.859 --> 00:27:30.240 in terms of a church setting 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:32.200 and another congregation. 00:27:32.539 --> 00:27:34.160 Is that not a gracious gift from God? 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.720 Does he not give that to us 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:38.839 in order that he may soothe us 00:27:38.839 --> 00:27:39.920 and help us 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:41.359 and encourage us? 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:43.279 Do you remember 00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:44.500 what happened with Elijah 00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:46.740 after that showdown 00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:47.920 with the prophets of Baal? 00:27:48.620 --> 00:27:50.220 You probably know that story. 00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:51.980 It's amazing. 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:54.620 He has this triumphant moment 00:27:54.620 --> 00:27:56.059 and then Jezebel 00:27:56.059 --> 00:27:57.759 threatens to kill him 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:59.559 and he gets so scared 00:27:59.559 --> 00:28:00.099 that he runs. 00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:00.720 He's defeated. 00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:02.259 It's chaos for him. 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:03.819 He runs as far as he can run 00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:04.799 and then he goes another day 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.900 into the wilderness from there 00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:06.839 and he lays down 00:28:06.839 --> 00:28:07.259 and he says, 00:28:07.339 --> 00:28:08.180 God, just kill me. 00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:09.660 Just kill me already 00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:10.839 because she's going to do it anyways. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:13.180 And you know what God does 00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:13.859 for Elijah? 00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:15.119 Elijah, he gives him 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:15.799 a couple of days 00:28:15.799 --> 00:28:17.779 of just peace and rest. 00:28:19.459 --> 00:28:20.500 He has him sleep. 00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.519 Then he sends an angel 00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:23.279 to wake him up, 00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:24.659 give him a little food, 00:28:25.139 --> 00:28:25.779 a little water, 00:28:26.779 --> 00:28:27.719 makes him sleep again. 00:28:28.719 --> 00:28:30.539 He gives him just a brief moment 00:28:30.539 --> 00:28:31.979 to recover. 00:28:33.259 --> 00:28:33.559 Healing. 00:28:34.639 --> 00:28:35.399 God is good to us 00:28:35.399 --> 00:28:36.179 in that way, isn't he? 00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:39.180 You might be in a season 00:28:39.180 --> 00:28:40.120 of peace right now. 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.320 Maybe you're coming out 00:28:41.320 --> 00:28:43.560 of a situation of chaos 00:28:43.560 --> 00:28:44.600 or whatever it may be 00:28:44.600 --> 00:28:45.120 in your life. 00:28:45.420 --> 00:28:46.000 God's given you 00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:47.420 a useful moment 00:28:47.420 --> 00:28:48.460 to recover 00:28:48.460 --> 00:28:50.840 and you need to worship him 00:28:50.840 --> 00:28:51.420 and acknowledge 00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:52.580 that he is good in that. 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:53.960 He's good. 00:28:55.120 --> 00:28:56.080 There's a third thing 00:28:56.080 --> 00:28:57.220 that God gives us peace for. 00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:59.480 He gives us rest 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.660 so that we might have time 00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:01.299 to repent. 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.539 Might have time to repent. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:05.340 He is patient. 00:29:06.180 --> 00:29:07.220 He allows us 00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:08.060 a period of peace 00:29:08.060 --> 00:29:09.160 so that we might respond 00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:10.380 in faithfulness. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:12.539 Romans chapter 2 verse 4. 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.680 Do you presume 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:14.340 on the riches 00:29:14.340 --> 00:29:15.259 of his kindness 00:29:15.259 --> 00:29:16.680 and forbearance 00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:17.460 and patience? 00:29:18.220 --> 00:29:19.440 Not realizing 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:20.660 that God's kindness 00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:22.539 is meant to lead you 00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:24.019 to repentance? 00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:27.600 He could just give you wrath. 00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:30.299 But he doesn't. 00:29:31.220 --> 00:29:32.180 He gives you time. 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:35.759 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 9. 00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:38.220 The Lord is not slack 00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:38.880 or slow 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:40.360 to fulfill his promise 00:29:40.360 --> 00:29:42.640 as some count slowness. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:43.759 This is in reference 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:44.779 to the Lord's return. 00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:46.080 He is not slow 00:29:46.080 --> 00:29:47.180 to fulfill that promise 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:48.920 but he waits 00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:50.039 because he's patient 00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:50.680 toward us 00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:52.140 not wishing that any 00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:52.860 should perish 00:29:52.860 --> 00:29:54.420 but that they should 00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:56.340 reach repentance. 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:57.920 Why does the Lord 00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:58.360 tarry? 00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:00.180 To provide time 00:30:00.180 --> 00:30:01.380 for repentance 00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:01.640 repentance 00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:04.020 so that we may turn 00:30:04.020 --> 00:30:05.140 to him in faith? 00:30:06.820 --> 00:30:08.200 This little section 00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:08.920 about Jair 00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:09.760 implies 00:30:09.760 --> 00:30:11.040 that he 00:30:11.040 --> 00:30:12.420 and all of Israel 00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:14.100 wasted 00:30:14.100 --> 00:30:16.120 a period of rest 00:30:16.120 --> 00:30:18.280 for 85 years. 00:30:19.280 --> 00:30:20.520 They did not 00:30:20.520 --> 00:30:21.440 gratefully worship 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:22.360 God for the peace. 00:30:23.660 --> 00:30:25.040 For 85 years 00:30:25.040 --> 00:30:26.500 they did not recognize 00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:27.560 a season of healing 00:30:27.560 --> 00:30:28.260 and recovery 00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:29.720 and give to the Lord 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.920 praise in response. 00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:32.599 For 85 years 00:30:32.599 --> 00:30:34.099 they did not turn 00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:34.940 from their sin 00:30:34.940 --> 00:30:36.039 and idolatry. 00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:38.339 They wasted 00:30:38.339 --> 00:30:40.480 their peace. 00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:44.160 So this instructs us 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:45.099 on our service to God. 00:30:45.360 --> 00:30:45.940 Like Gideon, 00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:46.299 Jair, 00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:47.000 we're told here 00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:48.259 he tries to set himself 00:30:48.259 --> 00:30:49.059 up as a king 00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:49.700 in Gilead. 00:30:50.579 --> 00:30:51.759 His 30 sons 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.779 reflect the harem 00:30:52.779 --> 00:30:53.480 of wives 00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:54.380 that he had obtained. 00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:56.480 The fact that he 00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.759 rode 30 donkeys 00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:59.059 and which was 00:30:59.059 --> 00:30:59.779 a royal animal 00:30:59.779 --> 00:31:00.440 at the time 00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:02.079 ruled 30 cities 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:02.980 it indicates 00:31:02.980 --> 00:31:04.079 Jair wanted 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:04.599 his authority 00:31:04.599 --> 00:31:05.240 to pass on 00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:05.799 to his children. 00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:07.700 But the most 00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:08.940 disappointing element 00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:09.759 of his rule 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:11.400 is that he did 00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:12.420 not lead the people 00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:14.180 back to faithfully 00:31:14.180 --> 00:31:14.920 worship God. 00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:17.200 He does nothing 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:18.059 to change that 00:31:18.059 --> 00:31:19.240 because when we 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:20.140 open up the Jephthah 00:31:20.140 --> 00:31:21.079 cycle we find 00:31:21.079 --> 00:31:22.480 everything's exactly 00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:23.200 as it was 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:24.460 with Abimelech. 00:31:25.319 --> 00:31:25.960 The people are 00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:27.140 worshiping false gods. 00:31:28.879 --> 00:31:29.859 Though enjoying 00:31:29.859 --> 00:31:30.900 a period of peace 00:31:30.900 --> 00:31:31.680 and prosperity 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:34.220 Jair's leadership 00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:35.779 at least made 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.539 possible 00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:38.420 the apostasy 00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:39.019 that we see 00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:39.800 in chapter 10. 00:31:41.900 --> 00:31:42.840 Periods of peace 00:31:42.840 --> 00:31:43.860 they sometimes 00:31:43.860 --> 00:31:44.480 have a way 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:45.220 of making us 00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:45.600 comfortable 00:31:45.600 --> 00:31:46.420 with our sins 00:31:46.420 --> 00:31:46.820 don't they? 00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:49.300 We rationalize 00:31:49.300 --> 00:31:49.860 in our minds 00:31:49.860 --> 00:31:50.200 well 00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:52.300 times are good 00:31:52.300 --> 00:31:53.259 God must not 00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:54.259 be displeased 00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:54.640 with me 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:55.019 otherwise 00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:55.900 I'd be getting 00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:56.640 the lightning bolts 00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:57.140 here and there 00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:58.380 because he would 00:31:58.380 --> 00:31:59.100 just be so angry 00:31:59.100 --> 00:31:59.460 with me 00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:00.340 in the moment. 00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:01.360 But the scriptures 00:32:01.360 --> 00:32:02.600 confess to us 00:32:02.600 --> 00:32:04.200 that God's seasons 00:32:04.200 --> 00:32:04.640 of peace 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:05.740 are not 00:32:05.740 --> 00:32:06.700 because he's 00:32:06.700 --> 00:32:07.759 careless with us. 00:32:09.140 --> 00:32:09.680 There are seasons 00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:10.000 of peace 00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:10.259 that are meant 00:32:10.259 --> 00:32:10.640 to bring us 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:11.200 to repentance 00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:12.740 but sometimes 00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:13.559 we mistake that 00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:14.519 and we allow it 00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:14.940 to make us 00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:15.359 comfortable 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:16.200 in our sin 00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:17.839 apathetic 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:18.779 to the Lord. 00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:21.539 We also tend 00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:22.400 to misuse 00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:23.839 those seasons 00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:24.279 don't we? 00:32:25.079 --> 00:32:25.599 I'm not trying 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:26.160 to beat a dead 00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:26.599 horse here 00:32:26.599 --> 00:32:27.279 but we have 00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:28.220 application to this 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:28.640 in the weekly 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:29.480 Sabbath don't we? 00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.380 The Lord's Day? 00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:33.100 We generally 00:32:33.100 --> 00:32:33.620 treat it 00:32:33.620 --> 00:32:34.340 like a second 00:32:34.340 --> 00:32:35.020 Saturday 00:32:35.020 --> 00:32:36.180 or a chance 00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:36.780 to get ahead 00:32:36.780 --> 00:32:37.500 in our work. 00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:39.480 We misuse 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:39.860 the day 00:32:39.860 --> 00:32:40.220 that God 00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:40.780 has given us 00:32:40.780 --> 00:32:41.220 for rest 00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:41.720 and worship. 00:32:42.260 --> 00:32:42.580 How about 00:32:42.580 --> 00:32:43.040 the seasons 00:32:43.040 --> 00:32:43.460 of peace 00:32:43.460 --> 00:32:43.940 that he takes 00:32:43.940 --> 00:32:44.200 us through? 00:32:44.260 --> 00:32:44.700 We misuse 00:32:44.700 --> 00:32:45.160 those too. 00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:46.820 When we should 00:32:46.820 --> 00:32:47.720 express gratitude 00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:49.220 we often 00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:49.960 ignore the Lord. 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:53.080 A sense 00:32:53.080 --> 00:32:53.780 of entitlement 00:32:53.780 --> 00:32:55.020 leads us 00:32:55.020 --> 00:32:55.540 to act 00:32:55.540 --> 00:32:56.000 as if 00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:57.860 we deserve 00:32:57.860 --> 00:32:58.460 his blessings. 00:32:58.460 --> 00:33:00.840 rather than 00:33:00.840 --> 00:33:01.420 take time 00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:02.519 to repent 00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:04.279 sometimes 00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:04.740 we dig 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.180 our heels 00:33:05.180 --> 00:33:05.500 in 00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.279 to the sin 00:33:06.279 --> 00:33:06.660 that God 00:33:06.660 --> 00:33:07.100 hates. 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:09.299 If you go 00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:09.600 back to 00:33:09.600 --> 00:33:10.380 Romans chapter 2 00:33:10.380 --> 00:33:10.860 Paul says 00:33:10.860 --> 00:33:11.200 immediately 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:11.740 after that 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.380 verse 00:33:12.380 --> 00:33:13.000 in verse 5 00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:13.460 he says 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:13.980 what you're 00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:14.220 doing 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:14.539 is you're 00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:15.400 storing up 00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:15.980 wrath. 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:17.579 You're storing 00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:18.100 up wrath 00:33:18.100 --> 00:33:18.579 because you're 00:33:18.579 --> 00:33:19.140 not repenting. 00:33:19.360 --> 00:33:19.620 You're just 00:33:19.620 --> 00:33:20.360 building it up 00:33:20.360 --> 00:33:21.140 building up 00:33:21.140 --> 00:33:21.680 God's wrath 00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:22.160 and eventually 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:22.519 it's going 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.120 to be poured 00:33:23.120 --> 00:33:23.759 out 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:25.640 on God's 00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:25.920 enemies. 00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:28.200 Such seems 00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:28.660 to be the 00:33:28.660 --> 00:33:29.059 case 00:33:29.059 --> 00:33:30.059 with Jair 00:33:30.059 --> 00:33:30.519 and this 00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:31.180 little description 00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:31.600 of his 00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:32.460 time leading 00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:32.840 Israel 00:33:32.840 --> 00:33:33.500 is helpfully 00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:34.160 instructive 00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:34.440 in this 00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:34.680 way. 00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:35.640 Don't 00:33:35.640 --> 00:33:36.299 waste 00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:37.620 God's 00:33:37.620 --> 00:33:38.160 gracious 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:39.440 interludes 00:33:39.440 --> 00:33:39.980 in your 00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:40.279 life. 00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:40.519 Don't 00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:40.740 waste 00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:40.960 them. 00:33:42.080 --> 00:33:42.539 Thirdly 00:33:42.539 --> 00:33:43.039 and finally 00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:44.860 this text 00:33:44.860 --> 00:33:45.779 points us 00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:46.960 to salvation 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:47.759 through Jesus. 00:33:48.900 --> 00:33:49.539 The text 00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:50.120 points us 00:33:50.120 --> 00:33:50.700 to salvation 00:33:50.700 --> 00:33:51.340 through Jesus. 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:53.559 It's not 00:33:53.559 --> 00:33:54.259 what Tola 00:33:54.259 --> 00:33:55.000 and Jair 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:55.779 did that 00:33:55.779 --> 00:33:56.240 points us 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:56.700 to Christ 00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:57.380 it's what 00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:58.059 they didn't 00:33:58.059 --> 00:33:58.460 do. 00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:00.160 Look at 00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:00.500 verse 2 00:34:00.500 --> 00:34:00.840 again. 00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.220 Then Tola 00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:03.279 died 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:04.420 and was 00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:04.799 buried 00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:05.519 at Shamir. 00:34:05.980 --> 00:34:06.299 Look at 00:34:06.299 --> 00:34:06.759 verse 5 00:34:06.759 --> 00:34:07.120 again. 00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:08.159 And Jair 00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:09.199 died 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:09.960 and was 00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.500 buried 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:11.159 at 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:11.740 Camon. 00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:13.659 The gospel 00:34:13.659 --> 00:34:14.280 connection 00:34:14.280 --> 00:34:14.720 of this 00:34:14.720 --> 00:34:15.119 interlude 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:15.740 is consistent 00:34:15.740 --> 00:34:16.599 with the 00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:17.059 key theme 00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:17.240 of the 00:34:17.240 --> 00:34:17.500 book. 00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:18.179 Israel 00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:18.619 needs a 00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:18.960 king 00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.740 but not 00:34:19.740 --> 00:34:20.220 just any 00:34:20.220 --> 00:34:20.559 king. 00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:21.559 They need 00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:22.059 God's 00:34:22.059 --> 00:34:22.440 king. 00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:23.800 One who 00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:24.360 will deliver 00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:24.820 them from 00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:25.300 all their 00:34:25.300 --> 00:34:25.700 enemies 00:34:25.700 --> 00:34:26.360 who will 00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:27.120 reign in 00:34:27.120 --> 00:34:27.600 perfect 00:34:27.600 --> 00:34:28.160 righteousness 00:34:28.160 --> 00:34:28.900 who will 00:34:28.900 --> 00:34:29.340 bring them 00:34:29.340 --> 00:34:29.780 not only 00:34:29.780 --> 00:34:30.380 a physical 00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:31.240 rest but 00:34:31.240 --> 00:34:31.920 an eternal 00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:32.980 spiritual 00:34:32.980 --> 00:34:33.700 rest that 00:34:33.700 --> 00:34:34.100 will never 00:34:34.100 --> 00:34:34.539 end. 00:34:35.260 --> 00:34:35.580 And it's 00:34:35.580 --> 00:34:36.260 the temporary 00:34:36.260 --> 00:34:37.440 nature of 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.539 Tola and 00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:39.280 Jair's 00:34:39.280 --> 00:34:40.240 reigns that 00:34:40.240 --> 00:34:40.760 point us 00:34:40.760 --> 00:34:41.980 forward to 00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:42.460 Christ. 00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:44.200 None of the 00:34:44.200 --> 00:34:44.920 judges in this 00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:45.580 book could do 00:34:45.580 --> 00:34:46.519 for us or 00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:47.420 for themselves 00:34:47.420 --> 00:34:48.480 what only 00:34:48.480 --> 00:34:49.519 Jesus can do. 00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:50.800 No matter 00:34:50.800 --> 00:34:51.539 how great 00:34:51.539 --> 00:34:52.120 their leadership 00:34:52.120 --> 00:34:52.660 might have 00:34:52.660 --> 00:34:52.960 been, 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:53.940 Tola and 00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:55.460 Jair died 00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.320 like everybody 00:34:56.320 --> 00:34:56.760 else. 00:34:57.179 --> 00:34:57.720 And as soon 00:34:57.720 --> 00:34:58.059 as they 00:34:58.059 --> 00:34:59.119 died things 00:34:59.119 --> 00:34:59.599 went back 00:34:59.599 --> 00:35:00.099 to chaos. 00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:01.199 They could 00:35:01.199 --> 00:35:01.720 not do 00:35:01.720 --> 00:35:02.519 for Israel 00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:03.720 what only 00:35:03.720 --> 00:35:05.400 Jesus can 00:35:05.400 --> 00:35:05.840 do. 00:35:06.360 --> 00:35:06.780 And their 00:35:06.780 --> 00:35:07.619 deaths make 00:35:07.619 --> 00:35:08.380 us long 00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:08.880 for a 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:10.539 savior who 00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:11.400 will finally 00:35:11.400 --> 00:35:12.119 conquer death 00:35:12.119 --> 00:35:12.639 for us. 00:35:12.920 --> 00:35:13.360 Who will 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:14.320 finally deliver 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:15.099 us from sin. 00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:15.980 Who will 00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:16.900 eternally 00:35:16.900 --> 00:35:17.539 deliver us 00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:17.900 from the 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:18.480 chaos and 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:18.980 the hardships 00:35:18.980 --> 00:35:20.420 of life in 00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:20.800 a fallen 00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.260 world. 00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:22.240 That's the 00:35:22.240 --> 00:35:22.900 connection to 00:35:22.900 --> 00:35:23.560 Jesus here. 00:35:24.160 --> 00:35:24.680 It's not in 00:35:24.680 --> 00:35:24.960 what they 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:25.340 did. 00:35:25.540 --> 00:35:25.920 It's what 00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:26.480 they couldn't 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:26.820 do. 00:35:28.660 --> 00:35:29.620 Jesus is the 00:35:29.620 --> 00:35:30.160 true and 00:35:30.160 --> 00:35:31.000 better savior 00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:32.260 who perfectly 00:35:32.260 --> 00:35:33.340 fulfilled God's 00:35:33.340 --> 00:35:33.600 law. 00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:34.860 Who died in 00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:35.700 the place of 00:35:35.700 --> 00:35:36.020 sinners. 00:35:36.400 --> 00:35:37.240 Who rose to 00:35:37.240 --> 00:35:37.980 display his 00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:38.660 power over 00:35:38.660 --> 00:35:39.440 death and 00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:40.380 offers eternal 00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:41.840 rest to all 00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:42.900 who will come 00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:44.380 and trust in 00:35:44.380 --> 00:35:44.680 him. 00:35:46.680 --> 00:35:47.640 Matthew chapter 00:35:47.640 --> 00:35:48.080 11. 00:35:48.680 --> 00:35:49.320 Come to me 00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:50.120 Jesus says 00:35:50.120 --> 00:35:51.280 all of you 00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:51.620 who are 00:35:51.620 --> 00:35:52.240 labor and 00:35:52.240 --> 00:35:52.860 heavy laden 00:35:52.860 --> 00:35:53.660 all of you 00:35:53.660 --> 00:35:54.120 are doing 00:35:54.120 --> 00:35:54.640 your best 00:35:54.640 --> 00:35:54.900 and you're 00:35:54.900 --> 00:35:55.400 trying your 00:35:55.400 --> 00:35:55.840 hardest and 00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.100 you don't 00:35:56.100 --> 00:35:56.500 seem to be 00:35:56.500 --> 00:35:57.120 getting anywhere. 00:35:57.480 --> 00:35:58.039 Jesus says 00:35:58.039 --> 00:35:58.880 come to me 00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:00.120 I will 00:36:00.120 --> 00:36:00.820 give you 00:36:00.820 --> 00:36:02.100 rest. 00:36:03.100 --> 00:36:03.840 I will 00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:04.160 give you 00:36:04.160 --> 00:36:04.580 rest. 00:36:05.100 --> 00:36:05.660 Take my 00:36:05.660 --> 00:36:06.220 yoke upon 00:36:06.220 --> 00:36:06.460 you. 00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:07.460 Learn from 00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:08.100 me for I 00:36:08.100 --> 00:36:08.800 am gentle 00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:09.559 and lowly 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:10.059 and hard 00:36:10.059 --> 00:36:11.100 and you 00:36:11.100 --> 00:36:11.660 will find 00:36:11.660 --> 00:36:13.360 rest not 00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:13.780 for your 00:36:13.780 --> 00:36:14.140 body. 00:36:14.900 --> 00:36:15.440 You will 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:16.120 find rest 00:36:16.120 --> 00:36:16.960 for your 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:18.360 souls. 00:36:19.320 --> 00:36:21.059 for my 00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:21.539 yoke is 00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:23.039 easy and 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:23.519 my burden 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:24.059 is light. 00:36:24.820 --> 00:36:25.620 John 14 00:36:25.620 --> 00:36:26.940 Jesus tells 00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:27.580 his disciples 00:36:27.580 --> 00:36:28.680 do not let 00:36:28.680 --> 00:36:29.059 your hearts 00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:29.580 be troubled. 00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:30.300 What would 00:36:30.300 --> 00:36:30.559 they be 00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:31.100 troubled about? 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:31.780 The fact 00:36:31.780 --> 00:36:32.220 that Jesus 00:36:32.220 --> 00:36:32.760 is leaving 00:36:32.760 --> 00:36:33.440 and he's 00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:33.620 going to 00:36:33.620 --> 00:36:34.019 leave them 00:36:34.019 --> 00:36:34.240 in a 00:36:34.240 --> 00:36:34.760 world that 00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:35.600 is terribly 00:36:35.600 --> 00:36:36.220 fallen and 00:36:36.220 --> 00:36:36.760 sinful and 00:36:36.760 --> 00:36:37.120 hard. 00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:38.920 And he 00:36:38.920 --> 00:36:39.260 tells them 00:36:39.260 --> 00:36:39.480 he says 00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:40.039 don't let 00:36:40.039 --> 00:36:40.320 your heart 00:36:40.320 --> 00:36:40.840 be troubled. 00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:41.880 Believe in 00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:42.260 God. 00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:43.200 Believe in 00:36:43.200 --> 00:36:43.580 me. 00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:44.800 In my 00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:45.260 father's 00:36:45.260 --> 00:36:45.720 house in 00:36:45.720 --> 00:36:46.140 heaven are 00:36:46.140 --> 00:36:46.860 many rooms. 00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:47.780 There's room 00:36:47.780 --> 00:36:48.300 for you. 00:36:48.300 --> 00:36:49.280 If this 00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:50.160 wasn't so 00:36:50.160 --> 00:36:51.000 what have 00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:51.519 I told 00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:51.880 you that 00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:52.680 I go to 00:36:52.680 --> 00:36:53.100 prepare a 00:36:53.100 --> 00:36:53.539 place for 00:36:53.539 --> 00:36:53.720 you? 00:36:54.180 --> 00:36:54.660 And listen 00:36:54.660 --> 00:36:55.019 to this 00:36:55.019 --> 00:36:55.620 assertion. 00:36:56.160 --> 00:36:56.600 And if 00:36:56.600 --> 00:36:57.320 I go and 00:36:57.320 --> 00:36:57.820 prepare a 00:36:57.820 --> 00:36:58.260 place for 00:36:58.260 --> 00:36:59.220 you I 00:36:59.220 --> 00:36:59.740 will come 00:36:59.740 --> 00:37:00.180 again. 00:37:00.780 --> 00:37:01.460 I will 00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:01.900 take you 00:37:01.900 --> 00:37:02.680 to myself 00:37:02.680 --> 00:37:04.019 that where 00:37:04.019 --> 00:37:04.660 I am 00:37:04.660 --> 00:37:05.900 you may 00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:06.260 be there 00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:06.760 also. 00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:08.880 He offers 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:09.580 us a rest 00:37:09.580 --> 00:37:09.920 that will 00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:10.480 never end 00:37:10.480 --> 00:37:11.000 and he 00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:11.500 promises 00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:12.240 that he 00:37:12.240 --> 00:37:12.980 will return 00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:13.960 to take 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:14.340 us to 00:37:14.340 --> 00:37:15.140 that rest. 00:37:15.139 --> 00:37:16.379 Tola 00:37:16.379 --> 00:37:17.259 and Jair 00:37:17.259 --> 00:37:18.179 couldn't 00:37:18.179 --> 00:37:18.699 ultimately 00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:19.839 save Israel 00:37:19.839 --> 00:37:21.099 and neither 00:37:21.099 --> 00:37:22.339 yours or 00:37:22.339 --> 00:37:23.279 anybody else's 00:37:23.279 --> 00:37:23.879 efforts on 00:37:23.879 --> 00:37:24.559 your behalf 00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:25.460 can ultimately 00:37:25.460 --> 00:37:26.379 save you. 00:37:27.099 --> 00:37:28.279 Only Jesus 00:37:28.279 --> 00:37:29.400 can do that 00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:30.519 and by his 00:37:30.519 --> 00:37:31.779 grace he 00:37:31.779 --> 00:37:32.679 has done 00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:33.179 that. 00:37:34.099 --> 00:37:34.500 He has 00:37:34.500 --> 00:37:35.039 done that 00:37:35.039 --> 00:37:35.699 for all 00:37:35.699 --> 00:37:36.099 who will 00:37:36.099 --> 00:37:36.940 come to 00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:37.739 him in 00:37:37.739 --> 00:37:38.519 repentance of 00:37:38.519 --> 00:37:39.440 sin and 00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:40.219 faith in 00:37:40.219 --> 00:37:40.980 who he is 00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:41.579 and what 00:37:41.579 --> 00:37:42.219 he's done 00:37:42.219 --> 00:37:42.839 and what 00:37:42.839 --> 00:37:43.420 he said. 00:37:43.420 --> 00:37:45.039 the debt 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:45.820 is paid 00:37:45.820 --> 00:37:47.720 the rest 00:37:47.720 --> 00:37:49.000 secured 00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:50.599 and he 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.460 invites you 00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.700 to come 00:37:52.700 --> 00:37:53.400 and receive 00:37:53.400 --> 00:37:54.460 it by 00:37:54.460 --> 00:37:54.940 faith. 00:37:58.260 --> 00:37:59.400 Not all 00:37:59.400 --> 00:38:00.159 passages of 00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:00.460 scripture 00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:02.380 are equally 00:38:02.380 --> 00:38:03.420 impactful. 00:38:04.980 --> 00:38:05.940 You may 00:38:05.940 --> 00:38:06.440 not ever 00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:06.840 think of 00:38:06.840 --> 00:38:07.360 Tola and 00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:08.000 Jair again 00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:08.300 in your 00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:08.599 Christian 00:38:08.599 --> 00:38:09.000 life 00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:10.840 because it 00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:11.340 doesn't carry 00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:11.820 the same 00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:12.740 impact as 00:38:12.740 --> 00:38:13.039 say 00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:14.059 the end 00:38:14.059 --> 00:38:15.039 of John's 00:38:15.039 --> 00:38:15.599 gospel when 00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:15.960 we're told 00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:16.380 about the 00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:17.219 crucifixion and 00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:17.900 resurrection of 00:38:17.900 --> 00:38:18.199 Jesus. 00:38:18.659 --> 00:38:19.019 There's a 00:38:19.019 --> 00:38:19.480 difference in 00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:20.239 impact there 00:38:20.239 --> 00:38:22.360 but all 00:38:22.360 --> 00:38:22.759 scripture 00:38:22.759 --> 00:38:25.059 is profitable. 00:38:27.059 --> 00:38:27.719 You may 00:38:27.719 --> 00:38:28.059 not think 00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:28.500 there's much 00:38:28.500 --> 00:38:29.099 to gain from 00:38:29.099 --> 00:38:29.380 a little 00:38:29.380 --> 00:38:30.099 excerpt like 00:38:30.099 --> 00:38:30.519 this one 00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:32.380 but because 00:38:32.380 --> 00:38:32.960 it's part of 00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:33.559 God's word 00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:34.980 it has 00:38:34.980 --> 00:38:35.380 tremendous 00:38:35.380 --> 00:38:36.219 value to 00:38:36.219 --> 00:38:36.539 us. 00:38:37.880 --> 00:38:38.699 In this 00:38:38.699 --> 00:38:39.219 case it 00:38:39.219 --> 00:38:39.860 teaches us 00:38:39.860 --> 00:38:40.380 of God's 00:38:40.380 --> 00:38:40.679 sovereign 00:38:40.679 --> 00:38:41.259 grace 00:38:41.260 --> 00:38:42.260 grace 00:38:42.260 --> 00:38:43.080 demonstrating 00:38:43.080 --> 00:38:43.360 his 00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:43.720 patterns 00:38:43.720 --> 00:38:43.940 of 00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:44.340 mercy 00:38:44.340 --> 00:38:45.260 for 00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:45.580 those 00:38:45.580 --> 00:38:45.760 he 00:38:45.760 --> 00:38:46.160 desires 00:38:46.160 --> 00:38:46.420 to 00:38:46.420 --> 00:38:46.840 save. 00:38:47.620 --> 00:38:48.140 It 00:38:48.140 --> 00:38:48.780 instructs 00:38:48.780 --> 00:38:49.140 us on 00:38:49.140 --> 00:38:49.500 how to 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:50.340 use each 00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:51.060 season of 00:38:51.060 --> 00:38:51.880 relative peace 00:38:51.880 --> 00:38:52.400 and rest 00:38:52.400 --> 00:38:53.320 for God's 00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:54.460 glory and 00:38:54.460 --> 00:38:54.840 for our 00:38:54.840 --> 00:38:55.240 good. 00:38:56.540 --> 00:38:57.320 Finally 00:38:57.320 --> 00:38:58.120 and especially 00:38:58.120 --> 00:39:00.000 it points 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:00.700 us to God's 00:39:00.700 --> 00:39:01.160 plan of 00:39:01.160 --> 00:39:01.680 salvation 00:39:01.680 --> 00:39:02.100 through 00:39:02.100 --> 00:39:02.680 Jesus 00:39:02.680 --> 00:39:04.400 the one 00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:04.800 and only 00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:05.420 savior of 00:39:05.420 --> 00:39:06.120 our sins 00:39:06.120 --> 00:39:07.540 and provider 00:39:07.540 --> 00:39:08.860 of eternal 00:39:08.860 --> 00:39:09.320 rest. 00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:10.120 he is 00:39:10.120 --> 00:39:10.320 our 00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:10.660 rest.