WEBVTT

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 But we just had Justin read chapter 23, most of it, because it's a long passage.

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 But I'll be starting in Jeremiah 21.

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 But before I start, let me pray for us.

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 Heavenly Father, we read just now that your word is like a fire.

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 So we pray that your word would brand your truth onto our minds and our hearts today like a fire.

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 So that we might be conformed to your truth and live according to it.

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 Lord, we also read that your word is like a hammer that breaks the rock to pieces.

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 So we pray that you would break the hardened places of our hearts with your word this morning.

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 Make us supple.

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 Given, open, Lord, to your influence.

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 Convict us of our sins.

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 And comfort us with your grace.

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 We look forward to hearing from you, Lord.

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 In Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 So in Jeremiah 21.

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 And I have to give you guys a little bit of a background so you can understand what's going on here.

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 To varying degrees.

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 I'm sure all of you have experienced what it's like to have a bad leader.

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 Maybe it's a manager at your workplace.

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 Or a parent at home.

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 A teacher in a classroom.

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 A politician that represents your city or country.

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 Or a pastor of a church.

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 It can be frustrating and discouraging to have a leader who doesn't know what is best for you.

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 And someone who doesn't rule justly and treats people unfairly.

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 And one way or another, all of us, every human leader, failed.

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 Because they are sinful.

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 And the leaders of the kingdom of Judah in particular were failing miserably.

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 And Jeremiah wrote these chapters in response to them.

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 Because the kings who were supposed to be champions of justice were perpetuating injustice.

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 And the prophets who were supposed to be the voice of truth were spreading lies.

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 And so while the people of Judah had all sinned against God in part because of these leaders,

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 the kings and prophets of Judah who led them astray are come under even greater scrutiny

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 and even more severe judgment by God.

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 And that's what we see here in these chapters.

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 And frequently throughout the book of Jeremiah, the leaders are singled out because of that.

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 But in the midst of God's indictment of these leaders,

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 God also makes a promise to gather his people to himself from their exile

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 and to raise up a king from the line of David who will rule with righteousness.

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 A king that will never do us wrong.

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 A king that will always speak God's truth and lead us in God.

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 A king that we can trust completely and pledge our total allegiance to.

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 That kind of king.

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 And the main point then of this passage is that the Christ is the true king

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 who fulfills the righteousness of God and speaks the words of God.

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 Christ is the true king and prophet who fulfills the righteousness of God

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 and speaks the words of God.

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 And so turn with me to chapter 21.

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 And before I can start there, I'm going to first talk about the unrighteous kings

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 in chapter 21 to 23 verse 8.

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 And then I'll talk about the ungodly prophets from chapter 23 verse 9 to 40.

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 But just the outline that I'll follow.

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 And Jeremiah's ministry spanned the reign of King Josiah,

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 who as well as three of his sons and his grandson who reigned after him,

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 after Josiah's death.

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 So after Josiah died, I can show you here,

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 his fourth son actually, Jehoahaz, became king.

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 His other name is Shalom.

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 So the number next to the name show what order in which they became king.

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 So Jehoahaz was anointed king of Judah after Josiah's death.

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 But probably because he was continuing the religious reforms of his father Josiah,

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 the Egyptian overlords, the Egypt that ruled over them, didn't like him ruling.

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 So they came and Necho intervened and they deposed him

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 and replaced him with Josiah's second son, Jehoiakim.

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 And he was more pro-Egypt.

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 And Jehoiakim tried to appease all the other powers that were kind of over Judah at the time.

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 So Egypt and Babylon, he tried to appease them both.

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 But when he missed his tribute payment to Babylon one day,

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 Nebuchadnezzar came to invade and besiege Jerusalem.

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 And while Jerusalem was besieged, Jehoiakim died.

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 And his son, which is Josiah's grandson, Jehoiachin, also called Jeconiah, became king of Judah.

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 But his reign was short-lived because Judah was soon thereafter defeated by Babylon.

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 And the Babylonian ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, replaced Jehoiachin with Josiah's third son, Zedekiah,

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 who ruled under Babylon's supervision.

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 And so Zedekiah was ruling.

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 He ruled for about 10, 11 years.

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 But soon after, Babylon came again to invade Jerusalem.

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 He besieged Jerusalem.

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 And at that time, in 586 BC, the temple was completely destroyed and the city was burned.

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 And Judah became a province of Babylon, no longer an independent nation.

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 So that's kind of the background in which chapter 21 is now taking place.

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 And it's important for me to tell you that because we're kind of skipping ahead in the history.

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 Because in the last chapter, Jerusalem was still intact.

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 It hadn't been invaded.

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 It would be sieged by Babylon.

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 But here, Zedekiah is now inquiring about whether or not they're going to escape this siege that Babylon has placed on them.

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 And this is because Jeremiah, as a book, is not organized chronologically.

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 It's organized thematically.

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 And so here, we're kind of skipping ahead.

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 And then later, Jehoiakim, who should already be dead by this point, comes back in chapter 36.

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 Because again, this is organized thematically, not chronologically.

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 So in any case, what's going on here is King Zedekiah is facing the second Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.

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 And in verses 1 to 2, it tells us that he sent to Jeremiah,

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 So Zedekiah is sending for Jeremiah, hoping for a miracle.

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 Because he had in mind the time in 701 BC when Jerusalem was once again under siege by Sennacherib of the Assyrian armies.

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 Yet God intervened with his wonderful deed.

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 He struck down their armies and forced them to withdraw from them.

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 So that's kind of what he's hoping for as he sends a messenger, two messengers in fact, to Jeremiah.

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 But his response in verses 4 to 7 is totally demoralizing.

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 Read with me.

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 So far, so good, right?

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 But here's the kicker.

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 I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon

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 and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls.

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 And I will bring them together into the midst of this city.

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 I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger and in fury and in great wrath.

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 And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast.

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 They shall die of a great pestilence.

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 Afterward declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah, king of Judah and his servants,

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 and the people in this city who survived the pestilence, sword and famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,

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 and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives.

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 He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword.

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 He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.

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 These are shocking words to hear if you're listening from the perspective of God's people.

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 Because instead of turning back the weapons of Babylon, God is saying,

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 I'm going to turn your weapons with which you are resisting Babylon.

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 God, who they were expecting to fight for Judah, is saying that he will fight against Judah himself

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 with his outstretched hand and strong arm,

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 which is a phrase that is used throughout the Old Testament, referred to God's power, his might, to save his people.

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 Yet those exact expressions are now being turned around to refer to God's judgment of his people.

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 And those who remembered God's acts of deliverance in the past must have trembled

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 to hear of God's outstretched hand and strong arm coming against them.

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 And during the American Civil War, someone purportedly asked President Abraham Lincoln

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 if he believed that God was on the side of the Union.

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 To which he replied, apparently,

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 Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side.

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 My greatest concern is to be on God's side.

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 For God is always right.

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 God is not someone we can co-opt to our own agendas.

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 God has his sovereign purposes, and we can submit to them for our good,

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 or we can resist them to our peril.

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 And even though Israel was God's chosen people,

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 they found themselves on this occasion on the wrong side of God.

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 They sought the benefits of God while neglecting the worship of God,

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 and God would not be mocked.

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 And so often, it's true of us, isn't it?

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 We seek our own agendas, and then we ask God to bless them.

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 Instead of seeking God's agenda, which he has already blessed.

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 In every endeavor, we should ask ourselves, are we on God's side?

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 And we should search the scripture humbly in a posture of submission rather than self-justification.

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 And then in verses 12 to 14, God gives the reason why he is opposing Judah.

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 Thus says the Lord,

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 It was customary for kings of Judah to hold court at the city gates,

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 and in the mornings to administer justice to people who came with grievances

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 and wanted justice for themselves.

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 But they did not execute justice in the mornings.

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 And they did not deliver the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor.

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 And because they did not deliver the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor,

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 they themselves will be handed over to the hand of their enemies, what God is saying.

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 And then if you look at chapter 22, God repeats this charge that the kings of Judah have not taken care of the oppressed.

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 And he says in verse 3,

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 The word justice refers to God's impartial and perfect judgment.

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 And God condemns evildoers.

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 He always condemns evildoers and acquits the innocent.

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 He cannot be bribed and he cannot be fooled.

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 And the kings of Judah were supposed to render the judgment according to God's justice,

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 but instead they were perverting this justice.

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 And the word righteousness overlaps with this concept of justice.

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 It refers to the fact that God's the one who knows what is right.

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 He defines what is right and just.

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 And so justice then is an execution and enforcement of God's righteousness.

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 And it's those two things, the neglect of those two things, abuse of those two things,

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 is the primary charge that God's bringing against the leaders of Judah.

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 And it's amazing that God cares for the ones who are marginalized in this context

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 because the prosperity of Judah as a nation is tied up with how they treat their poor.

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 The power of Judah is tied up with how they treat the powerless among them.

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 And Judah's relationship with God is tied up with how they treat those who have lost all their relations,

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 the resident aliens, the fatherless, and the widow.

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 And whether Judah will shed its blood in war or not is tied up with whether they have shed innocent blood in their own land.

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 It's easy for people to ignore those without power and means to make their voices heard

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 and make their causes known.

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 But those who seek to be on God's side must be advocates and champions of justice and righteousness in the land.

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 And if the kings of Judah obey this word, God says in verse 4,

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 then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David.

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 But if not, Judah's dynasty will become a desolation.

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 And then God continues in 22, 6 to 7,

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 So this is metaphorical.

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 God's comparing Jerusalem to the lush forests of Gilead and Lebanon.

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 And earlier in chapter 21, verse 14, God also said,

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 I will kindle a fire in her forest and it shall devour all that is around her.

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 And so this is a continuation of that metaphor.

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 How do we know that this is a metaphor?

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 It's because there was no literal forest in Jerusalem.

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 But in 1 Kings chapter 7, verse 2,

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 the royal palace is called the house of the forest of Lebanon

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 because it was built largely with the famous cedars from Lebanon and Gilead.

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 And so later in chapter 22, 23,

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 God calls Jerusalem an inhabitant of Lebanon, nested among the cedars.

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 So in this metaphorical sense, the royal house and Jerusalem, the city,

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 they soared like these magnificent forests of Lebanon and Gilead

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 with their giant beams and pillars all around them.

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 Yet God says, I will kindle a fire in her mist

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 and the Babylonians will come and cut the temple down like woodcutters

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 and cast them into the fire.

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 So instead of a forest, Jerusalem will be reduced to a desert.

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 Then starting in verse 10, God gives his commentary and assessment

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 of all the kings of Judah during whose reigns Jeremiah ministered.

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 It's really a compilation of all Jeremiah's prophecies regarding the kings of Judah.

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 So follow with me in verse 10.

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 First he says,

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 Weep not for him who is dead, nor grieve for him,

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 but weep bitterly for him who goes away,

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 for he shall return no more to see his native land.

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 This is a little bit cryptic, right?

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 I mean, who is the one who is dead and who is the one who goes away?

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 And whenever you're reading scripture and you find something that's a little bit puzzling,

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 it's helpful to read what comes before and after it

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 because it's explained in the following verses in verses 11 to 12.

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 For thus says the Lord concerning Shalom, the son of Josiah, king of Judah,

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 who reigned instead of Josiah his father and who went away from this place.

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 He shall return here no more, but in the place where they have carried him captive,

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 there shall he die and he shall never see this land again.

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 So the one who goes away is Shalom,

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 which is the personal name of King Jehoahaz,

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 the first king that took over after Josiah.

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 And he was exiled to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho,

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 and so he's the one who goes away.

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 So what Jeremiah is saying is that, yes,

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 there was a time to mourn for Josiah who died in battle against Egypt,

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 but that time of mourning is over.

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 What we should really mourn is the exiled one Jehoahaz

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 who was supposed to rule and continue the religious reforms of Josiah,

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 but instead he's now in exile in Egypt.

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 That's the sad reality that you should really mourn,

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 is what Jeremiah is telling his people.

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 And then in verses 13 to 23,

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 God condemns Jehoiakim, the next king that takes over,

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 who was appointed by Necho to rule after Jehoahaz was exiled.

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 He says in verses 13 to 14,

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 Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness

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 and his upper rooms by injustice,

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 who makes his neighbors serve him for nothing

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 and does not give him his wages,

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 who says, I will build myself a great house with spacious upper rooms,

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 who cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar and painting it with vermilion.

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 Again, the two words, justice and righteousness, recurring words here,

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 because they did not execute justice for the powerless and the vulnerable in society.

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 And that's God's sheath and diamond against Jehoiakim.

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 And he built a luxurious palace for himself in Jerusalem with the cedars of Lebanon.

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 He painted it lavishly with vermilion.

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 For those of you who can only name like seven colors like me,

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 I did your homework for you,

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 and vermilion is a brilliant scarlet red.

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 It's one of the most expensive colors you can use in the ancient world.

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 And so he colored all these expensive cedars with these expensive paint.

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 And that in and of itself is not what's wrong, what God condemns.

00:17:26.419 --> 00:17:32.519
 The problem is that Jehoiakim built this palace for himself with unrighteousness and injustice.

00:17:33.179 --> 00:17:38.919
 He says he made his neighbor serve him for nothing and did not give him his wages.

00:17:39.419 --> 00:17:42.119
 This is at the heart of the king's injustice.

00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:44.579
 This is at the heart of all injustice toward one another.

00:17:45.099 --> 00:17:47.319
 Notice what God calls the laborers.

00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:50.399
 He doesn't call them the king's subjects.

00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:53.659
 He doesn't call them the citizens of Judah.

00:17:54.259 --> 00:17:56.919
 He calls them the king's neighbor.

00:17:58.220 --> 00:18:01.599
 To highlight the fact that Leviticus 19.18,

00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:03.700
 one of God's great commandments in the Old Testament

00:18:03.700 --> 00:18:08.720
 that sums up God's people's obligation to one another was this,

00:18:09.079 --> 00:18:11.700
 love your neighbor as yourself.

00:18:12.399 --> 00:18:13.299
 I am the Lord.

00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:15.379
 That's what he had commanded them.

00:18:15.380 --> 00:18:18.040
 Even though Jehoiakim was a king,

00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:22.740
 even though he was raised above others by virtue of his office and position,

00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:26.380
 in his person, he was equal to all his subjects

00:18:26.380 --> 00:18:32.000
 because they, like he, were created in the image of God with dignity and value.

00:18:32.600 --> 00:18:35.980
 So whenever we're tempted to treat someone unfairly,

00:18:36.040 --> 00:18:40.480
 whether it's someone of another class or race or sex,

00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:43.900
 we have to remember that he is our neighbor,

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:45.099
 that she is our neighbor,

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:46.420
 that they are our equal,

00:18:46.599 --> 00:18:47.740
 that they are our fellow man.

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:50.740
 And God's putting the kings of Judah on notice here.

00:18:50.819 --> 00:18:51.059
 He's saying,

00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:53.000
 Yes, you occupy the throne,

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.319
 but don't you forget that you reign at my behest

00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:59.660
 and for my glory over my people.

00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:05.960
 So God continues his scathing rebuke in verses 15 to 16 to Jehoiakim.

00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:09.860
 Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar?

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:14.340
 Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness?

00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:16.320
 Then it was well with him.

00:19:16.600 --> 00:19:18.519
 He judged the cause of the poor and needy.

00:19:18.800 --> 00:19:19.580
 Then it was well.

00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:22.620
 Is not this to know me, declares the Lord.

00:19:23.100 --> 00:19:26.540
 Living in a luxurious palace made of cedar is not what makes a king.

00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:29.859
 And it's not like God was trying to deprive Jehoiakim

00:19:29.859 --> 00:19:32.000
 of all these comforts and luxuries of royalty.

00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:32.740
 He says,

00:19:32.879 --> 00:19:35.619
 Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness?

00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:39.440
 His father Josiah did enjoy the perks of royalty.

00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:43.180
 His father ate and drank well like royalty,

00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:45.819
 but he didn't stop with eating and drinking well.

00:19:45.899 --> 00:19:49.940
 He also executed justice and righteousness like royalty should.

00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:52.240
 And that's why it went well with him.

00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.119
 But in order to be a true king,

00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:56.220
 he's saying Jehoiakim is failing in this regard.

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.920
 The king must represent God and rule over his people

00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:01.660
 and give righteousness and justice to them.

00:20:01.980 --> 00:20:03.559
 That's what it means to know God

00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:05.420
 and to be in covenant relationship with him.

00:20:06.380 --> 00:20:08.500
 But in contrast to Josiah,

00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:10.519
 Jehoiakim had eyes and heart

00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:12.539
 only for his dishonest gain,

00:20:12.620 --> 00:20:13.839
 for shedding innocent blood,

00:20:14.019 --> 00:20:16.200
 and for practicing oppression and violence.

00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:19.120
 Therefore, the Lord declares concerning him

00:20:19.120 --> 00:20:20.420
 in verses 18 to 19,

00:20:20.420 --> 00:20:23.120
 they shall not lament for him,

00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:23.460
 saying,

00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:24.480
 Ah, my brother,

00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:26.000
 or ah, sister.

00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:27.960
 They shall not lament for him,

00:20:28.039 --> 00:20:28.320
 saying,

00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:29.180
 Ah, Lord,

00:20:29.820 --> 00:20:31.200
 or ah, his majesty.

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:33.340
 With the burial of a donkey,

00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:34.300
 he shall be buried,

00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:35.019
 dragged,

00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:37.220
 and dumped beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:40.120
 Since he did not treat his subjects

00:20:40.120 --> 00:20:41.620
 as his neighbor,

00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:44.700
 they will not lament his death,

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.320
 saying,

00:20:45.319 --> 00:20:46.119
 My brother.

00:20:46.919 --> 00:20:48.899
 Nor will they honor him as their king.

00:20:49.939 --> 00:20:50.740
 They will not mourn,

00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:51.000
 saying,

00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:51.619
 Ah, Lord,

00:20:51.859 --> 00:20:52.960
 ah, his majesty.

00:20:53.099 --> 00:20:53.599
 Instead,

00:20:54.059 --> 00:20:55.460
 he will be buried like a donkey,

00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:57.220
 dumped beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

00:20:58.419 --> 00:20:59.700
 Having denounced Jehoiakim,

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:00.779
 God turns to denouncing

00:21:00.779 --> 00:21:02.019
 the entire city of Jerusalem

00:21:02.019 --> 00:21:03.480
 in verses 20 to 23.

00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:04.960
 We know that the subject here

00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:05.919
 changes to Jerusalem

00:21:05.919 --> 00:21:07.299
 because it's using

00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:09.000
 the second person feminine pronoun,

00:21:09.319 --> 00:21:10.599
 which is what's usually used

00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:11.460
 in prophetic literature

00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:12.500
 for Jerusalem,

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:13.339
 the city of Jerusalem.

00:21:13.339 --> 00:21:15.439
 And so in verse 20,

00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:15.859
 that switches.

00:21:16.059 --> 00:21:16.579
 In 22,

00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:17.839
 God ironically says,

00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.459
 The wind shall shepherd

00:21:19.459 --> 00:21:20.759
 all your shepherds,

00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:21.799
 and your lovers

00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:23.259
 shall go into captivity.

00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:25.019
 Then you will be ashamed

00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:25.980
 and confounded

00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:27.639
 because of all your evil.

00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:29.639
 The shepherds are referring,

00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:31.019
 they refer to the leaders

00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:31.679
 and rulers,

00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:32.899
 the nobles of Jerusalem,

00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:34.459
 and they have failed

00:21:34.459 --> 00:21:35.759
 to shepherd God's people,

00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:37.459
 and so now they themselves

00:21:37.459 --> 00:21:38.579
 will be shepherded

00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:39.659
 by the wind,

00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:40.919
 meaning they will be scattered

00:21:40.919 --> 00:21:42.279
 and exiled in captivity.

00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:44.399
 And then having prophesied

00:21:44.399 --> 00:21:45.599
 about Jehoiahaz

00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:46.779
 and Jehoiakim,

00:21:47.299 --> 00:21:48.559
 Jeremiah's prophecy

00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:49.839
 turns into the next king

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:50.859
 in the line of succession,

00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:51.799
 Coniah,

00:21:52.139 --> 00:21:53.079
 or Jeconiah,

00:21:53.399 --> 00:21:54.379
 or Jehoiachin.

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:54.660
 Sorry,

00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.519
 they have so many names

00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:56.759
 as he is elsewhere

00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:57.500
 called in scripture.

00:21:57.980 --> 00:21:59.920
 He says in verses 24 to 25,

00:22:00.339 --> 00:22:00.920
 As I live,

00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:01.879
 declares the Lord,

00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:02.779
 though Coniah,

00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:03.940
 the son of Jehoiakim,

00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:04.680
 king of Judah,

00:22:04.859 --> 00:22:05.859
 wore the signet ring

00:22:05.859 --> 00:22:06.619
 on my right hand,

00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:08.440
 yet I would tear you off

00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:09.240
 and give you in

00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:09.940
 to the hand of those

00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:10.720
 who seek your life,

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.980
 into the hand of those

00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:12.799
 whom you are afraid,

00:22:13.180 --> 00:22:14.460
 even into the hand

00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:15.400
 of Nebuchadnezzar,

00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:16.180
 king of Babylon,

00:22:16.539 --> 00:22:17.620
 and into the hand

00:22:17.620 --> 00:22:18.840
 of the Chaldeans.

00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:19.960
 So the repetition

00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:20.940
 of the word hand,

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.420
 if you notice,

00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:22.920
 emphasizes the contrast

00:22:22.920 --> 00:22:25.140
 between what Jeconiah

00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:26.559
 is fancying for himself

00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:28.220
 and the divine reality.

00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:29.420
 Because Jeconiah

00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:30.400
 was styling himself

00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.740
 as the signet ring

00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:33.380
 on God's right hand.

00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.160
 He's saying,

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:35.539
 I am the signet ring of God.

00:22:35.620 --> 00:22:36.820
 I represent his rule.

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.240
 I represent his authority.

00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:39.460
 I stand for him,

00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:40.759
 so you better bow before me.

00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:42.319
 And that's how he ruled

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.220
 and styled himself.

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.240
 Yet God says,

00:22:44.379 --> 00:22:45.240
 even if you were

00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:46.079
 my signet ring,

00:22:46.159 --> 00:22:47.099
 it's a conditional statement.

00:22:47.179 --> 00:22:47.899
 He's saying he's not.

00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:49.200
 Even if you were

00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:49.960
 my signet ring,

00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:51.000
 I would tear you off

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:51.960
 from my hand

00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:53.460
 and I would give you

00:22:53.460 --> 00:22:54.059
 to the hand

00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:55.480
 of those who seek your life,

00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:56.139
 to the hand

00:22:56.139 --> 00:22:56.960
 of those whom

00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:57.879
 you are afraid,

00:22:58.119 --> 00:22:59.119
 even into the hand

00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:00.220
 of Nebuchadnezzar,

00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:00.899
 king of Babylon,

00:23:01.159 --> 00:23:02.019
 and the hand

00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:03.379
 of the Chaldeans.

00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:05.639
 Jeconiah will be along

00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:07.380
 with his queen mother

00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:08.180
 will be exiled

00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:09.120
 and they will never return

00:23:09.120 --> 00:23:09.759
 to their homeland

00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.380
 from Babylon.

00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:12.600
 And then God further says

00:23:12.600 --> 00:23:13.740
 in chapter 23,

00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:15.080
 verses 1 to 2,

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:16.660
 woe to the shepherds

00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:17.360
 who destroy

00:23:17.360 --> 00:23:18.520
 and scatter the sheep

00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:19.200
 of my pasture,

00:23:19.300 --> 00:23:20.060
 declares the Lord.

00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.280
 Therefore,

00:23:21.520 --> 00:23:22.259
 thus says the Lord,

00:23:22.320 --> 00:23:23.120
 the God of Israel,

00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:24.200
 concerning the shepherds

00:23:24.200 --> 00:23:25.240
 who care for my people,

00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:26.460
 you have scattered

00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:27.120
 my flock

00:23:27.120 --> 00:23:28.320
 and have driven them away

00:23:28.320 --> 00:23:29.040
 and you have not

00:23:29.040 --> 00:23:29.840
 attended to them.

00:23:30.140 --> 00:23:30.520
 Behold,

00:23:30.580 --> 00:23:31.320
 I will attend

00:23:31.320 --> 00:23:32.460
 to you

00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:33.460
 for your evil deeds,

00:23:33.520 --> 00:23:34.400
 declares the Lord.

00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:36.019
 Because the shepherds,

00:23:36.080 --> 00:23:36.880
 the kings and rulers

00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:37.380
 of Judah,

00:23:37.620 --> 00:23:39.000
 scattered God's flock.

00:23:39.100 --> 00:23:40.100
 They did not attend

00:23:40.100 --> 00:23:40.600
 to them.

00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:41.640
 And so God now

00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:42.320
 turns that around

00:23:42.320 --> 00:23:42.560
 and says,

00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:44.240
 I will attend to you

00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:46.080
 for your evil deeds.

00:23:46.860 --> 00:23:47.600
 The shepherds

00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:48.820
 who are inattentive

00:23:48.820 --> 00:23:49.440
 to the care

00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:50.100
 of God's sheep

00:23:50.100 --> 00:23:51.060
 will be attended

00:23:51.060 --> 00:23:52.759
 to by God's judgment.

00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:55.040
 So that's the profile,

00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:55.320
 really,

00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:56.200
 of the unrighteous

00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:57.000
 kings of Judah.

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:58.440
 And then the rest

00:23:58.440 --> 00:23:58.860
 of the chapter,

00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.220
 we see the ungodly prophets.

00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:04.900
 And I'll return

00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:06.259
 to verses 3 to 8

00:24:06.259 --> 00:24:07.120
 of chapter 23,

00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:07.940
 but let's turn,

00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:09.279
 skip forward for now

00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:10.220
 to verse 9.

00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:11.559
 Having addressed

00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:12.559
 the kings of Judah,

00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:14.140
 Jeremiah turns his attention

00:24:14.140 --> 00:24:15.220
 to the prophets of Judah

00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:16.640
 in verses 9 to 10.

00:24:17.140 --> 00:24:17.700
 He says,

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:18.880
 concerning the prophets,

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.720
 my heart is broken

00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:21.319
 within me.

00:24:21.740 --> 00:24:23.059
 All my bones shake.

00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:24.620
 I am like a drunken man,

00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:25.660
 like a man overcome

00:24:25.660 --> 00:24:26.339
 by wine

00:24:26.339 --> 00:24:27.480
 because of the Lord

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:28.360
 and because of his

00:24:28.360 --> 00:24:29.039
 holy words.

00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:30.000
 For the land

00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:31.460
 is full of adulterers.

00:24:31.539 --> 00:24:33.079
 Because of the curse,

00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:34.319
 the land mourns

00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.079
 and the pastures

00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:35.700
 of the wilderness

00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:36.579
 are dried up.

00:24:36.940 --> 00:24:38.039
 Their course is evil

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:38.639
 and their might

00:24:38.639 --> 00:24:39.960
 is not right.

00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:42.460
 Jeremiah is so grieved

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:44.099
 by the spiritual state

00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:44.519
 of Judah

00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:46.119
 and the Lord's judgment

00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:47.720
 that he's beside himself

00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:48.940
 and he's trembling.

00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:50.920
 The people of Judah

00:24:50.920 --> 00:24:52.859
 were figuratively adulterous

00:24:52.859 --> 00:24:54.379
 and literally adulterous

00:24:54.379 --> 00:24:55.180
 because they committed

00:24:55.180 --> 00:24:56.599
 idolatry against God

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:57.899
 and they did commit

00:24:57.900 --> 00:24:58.720
 sexual acts

00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:00.100
 in their worship of Baal

00:25:00.100 --> 00:25:01.780
 and because of that,

00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:03.060
 the curse on the land

00:25:03.060 --> 00:25:04.140
 is now making

00:25:04.140 --> 00:25:05.600
 the pastures dry up

00:25:05.600 --> 00:25:06.800
 and even the land

00:25:06.800 --> 00:25:07.180
 is suffering

00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:08.080
 because of the sins

00:25:08.080 --> 00:25:09.019
 of the people of Judah.

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.580
 And in verses 11 to 12,

00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:12.400
 God confirms

00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:13.960
 Jeremiah's lament

00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:14.640
 and assessment.

00:25:14.780 --> 00:25:15.040
 He says,

00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:16.780
 both prophet and priest

00:25:16.780 --> 00:25:18.180
 are ungodly.

00:25:19.360 --> 00:25:20.600
 Even in my house,

00:25:20.780 --> 00:25:22.600
 I have found their evil,

00:25:23.019 --> 00:25:23.820
 declares the Lord.

00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:24.759
 Therefore,

00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:25.500
 their way

00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:26.339
 shall be to them

00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:27.400
 like slippery paths

00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:27.960
 in the darkness

00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:29.579
 into which they shall

00:25:29.579 --> 00:25:30.759
 be driven and fall.

00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:32.380
 For I will bring disaster

00:25:32.380 --> 00:25:33.019
 upon them

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:33.640
 in the year

00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:34.859
 of their punishment,

00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:35.900
 declares the Lord.

00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:37.740
 It's a shocking revelation

00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:39.099
 that both prophet

00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:39.660
 and priest

00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:41.019
 are ungodly, right?

00:25:41.740 --> 00:25:42.299
 Ungodly

00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:43.680
 does not mean

00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:44.759
 immoral here.

00:25:45.099 --> 00:25:45.779
 It doesn't mean

00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:46.359
 unholy.

00:25:46.440 --> 00:25:47.779
 It means godless.

00:25:48.579 --> 00:25:49.660
 Both the prophets

00:25:49.660 --> 00:25:50.240
 who are supposed

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.700
 to speak for God

00:25:51.700 --> 00:25:52.420
 to his people

00:25:52.420 --> 00:25:53.600
 and the priests

00:25:53.600 --> 00:25:54.180
 who are supposed

00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:55.700
 to speak for his people

00:25:55.700 --> 00:25:56.400
 to God

00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.420
 are godless.

00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:00.160
 They are alienated

00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:00.580
 from God.

00:26:00.660 --> 00:26:01.560
 They don't know God.

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:03.700
 And God says

00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:04.440
 about these prophets

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:05.300
 in verse 18,

00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:06.759
 who among them

00:26:06.759 --> 00:26:07.360
 has stood

00:26:07.360 --> 00:26:08.039
 in the counsel

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:08.620
 of the Lord

00:26:08.620 --> 00:26:10.120
 to see and to hear

00:26:10.120 --> 00:26:10.660
 his word?

00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:12.259
 Or who has paid attention

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:12.900
 to his word

00:26:12.900 --> 00:26:13.560
 and listened?

00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:15.480
 The implied answer

00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.740
 to this rhetorical question

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.400
 is no.

00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:19.300
 None of these prophets

00:26:19.300 --> 00:26:19.880
 of Judah

00:26:19.880 --> 00:26:20.840
 had stood

00:26:20.840 --> 00:26:21.460
 in the counsel

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:22.060
 of the Lord

00:26:22.060 --> 00:26:23.020
 to see and to hear

00:26:23.020 --> 00:26:23.540
 his word,

00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.500
 which is why

00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:25.640
 they were prophesying

00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:26.160
 nonsense

00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:27.060
 and speaking

00:26:27.060 --> 00:26:28.060
 their own minds

00:26:28.060 --> 00:26:28.900
 instead of speaking

00:26:28.900 --> 00:26:29.920
 the mind of the Lord.

00:26:30.460 --> 00:26:31.380
 So God says to them

00:26:31.380 --> 00:26:32.120
 in chapter 23

00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:33.620
 verses 21 to 22,

00:26:33.780 --> 00:26:34.900
 I did not send

00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:35.480
 the prophets,

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:36.460
 yet they ran.

00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.380
 I did not speak

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:38.800
 to them,

00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:40.820
 yet they prophesied.

00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:42.820
 But if they had stood

00:26:42.820 --> 00:26:43.860
 in my counsel,

00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.920
 then they would have

00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:47.220
 proclaimed my words

00:26:47.220 --> 00:26:47.840
 to my people

00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:48.980
 and they would have

00:26:48.980 --> 00:26:49.639
 turned them

00:26:49.639 --> 00:26:50.659
 from their evil way

00:26:50.659 --> 00:26:51.720
 and from the evil

00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:52.699
 of their deeds.

00:26:53.399 --> 00:26:54.159
 Even though God

00:26:54.159 --> 00:26:55.599
 never sent these prophets,

00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:57.099
 they ran like they

00:26:57.099 --> 00:26:58.000
 were commissioned by God

00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.919
 with some urgent,

00:26:59.119 --> 00:26:59.919
 important message.

00:27:00.399 --> 00:27:01.259
 Even though God

00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:02.399
 never spoke to them,

00:27:02.699 --> 00:27:04.220
 they spoke for God

00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:05.819
 as if they had heard

00:27:05.819 --> 00:27:06.240
 from him.

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:07.599
 A true prophet

00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:08.879
 must be one sent

00:27:08.879 --> 00:27:09.500
 of God

00:27:09.500 --> 00:27:10.339
 and they had to be

00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:11.459
 spoken to by God,

00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:12.419
 yet these prophets

00:27:12.419 --> 00:27:13.480
 of Judah were neither.

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:14.899
 And for that reason,

00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:16.519
 God condemns them

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:17.940
 for not warning the people

00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:18.799
 of their evil deeds

00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:19.720
 as he wanted to do.

00:27:20.660 --> 00:27:21.599
 And these prophets

00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.559
 thought that they could

00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:23.259
 get away with

00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:24.019
 what they were doing,

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:25.279
 but God says

00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:26.839
 in verses 23 to 24,

00:27:27.400 --> 00:27:28.700
 Am I a God at hand,

00:27:28.859 --> 00:27:29.599
 declares the Lord,

00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:31.339
 and not a God far away?

00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:33.240
 Can a man hide himself

00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:34.259
 in secret places

00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:35.660
 so that I cannot see him,

00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:36.639
 declares the Lord?

00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:38.500
 Do I not fill heaven

00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:38.940
 and earth,

00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:39.720
 declares the Lord?

00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:41.900
 God is both

00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:43.859
 a God who is far away

00:27:43.859 --> 00:27:45.859
 and God who is near.

00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:48.759
 God fills the entire

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:50.059
 heavens and the earth,

00:27:50.159 --> 00:27:51.619
 yet he is with you

00:27:51.619 --> 00:27:52.619
 in the privacy

00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:53.459
 of your own room.

00:27:54.399 --> 00:27:56.859
 He saw all the wicked deeds

00:27:56.859 --> 00:27:58.039
 of these false prophets.

00:27:58.859 --> 00:27:59.599
 They were claiming,

00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:00.759
 as verse 25 says,

00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:01.539
 I have dreamed,

00:28:01.639 --> 00:28:02.299
 I have dreamed,

00:28:02.859 --> 00:28:03.759
 but these dreams

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.459
 were figments

00:28:04.459 --> 00:28:05.519
 of their own imagination

00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:06.740
 and they were lies

00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:07.459
 and deceits

00:28:07.459 --> 00:28:08.500
 of their own hearts.

00:28:08.879 --> 00:28:09.519
 And so God says

00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:10.699
 in 28 and 29,

00:28:11.159 --> 00:28:11.879
 let the prophet

00:28:11.879 --> 00:28:12.740
 who has a dream

00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:13.500
 tell the dream,

00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:14.559
 but let him

00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:15.599
 who has my word

00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:17.319
 speak my word faithfully.

00:28:17.919 --> 00:28:18.879
 What has straw

00:28:18.879 --> 00:28:20.039
 in common with wheat,

00:28:20.199 --> 00:28:20.859
 declares the Lord,

00:28:21.219 --> 00:28:22.459
 is not my word

00:28:22.459 --> 00:28:23.459
 like fire,

00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:24.799
 declares the Lord,

00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.459
 and like a hammer

00:28:26.459 --> 00:28:27.679
 that breaks the rock

00:28:27.679 --> 00:28:28.459
 in pieces.

00:28:29.459 --> 00:28:30.119
 Even though

00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:31.119
 these false prophets

00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:31.879
 were saying,

00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:33.179
 declares the Lord,

00:28:33.439 --> 00:28:34.139
 in truth,

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:35.099
 they were declaring

00:28:35.099 --> 00:28:35.959
 their own words.

00:28:36.819 --> 00:28:38.099
 The dreams of prophets,

00:28:38.219 --> 00:28:39.339
 no matter how grand

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:40.099
 or plausible,

00:28:40.299 --> 00:28:41.419
 are like straw

00:28:41.419 --> 00:28:42.319
 or chaff

00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.599
 that is blown away

00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:44.159
 by the wind

00:28:44.159 --> 00:28:44.839
 and sifted

00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:45.519
 and separated

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:46.279
 from the grain,

00:28:46.379 --> 00:28:46.779
 the wheat.

00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:49.700
 Words of men

00:28:49.700 --> 00:28:50.740
 are just chaff,

00:28:51.399 --> 00:28:52.659
 but the word

00:28:52.659 --> 00:28:53.279
 of the Lord

00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.419
 is like fire

00:28:54.419 --> 00:28:55.639
 and like a hammer

00:28:55.639 --> 00:28:57.079
 that breaks the rock

00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:58.000
 in pieces.

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.379
 Do you believe this,

00:28:59.480 --> 00:28:59.679
 church?

00:29:01.879 --> 00:29:02.740
 Do you believe,

00:29:02.839 --> 00:29:03.059
 really,

00:29:03.159 --> 00:29:03.879
 that God's word

00:29:03.879 --> 00:29:04.740
 is like a fire

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:07.079
 that can brand

00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:07.980
 your soul

00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:08.879
 with the truth

00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:09.300
 of God

00:29:09.300 --> 00:29:10.100
 and leave

00:29:10.100 --> 00:29:11.720
 an indelible mark,

00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:12.400
 an imprint

00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:12.980
 of himself

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:13.900
 on your mind?

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:15.660
 Do you really believe

00:29:15.660 --> 00:29:16.460
 that God's word

00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:17.540
 is like a hammer

00:29:17.540 --> 00:29:18.640
 that can shatter

00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:19.340
 the illusions

00:29:19.340 --> 00:29:20.360
 and lies

00:29:20.360 --> 00:29:21.060
 of this world

00:29:21.060 --> 00:29:22.040
 and break even

00:29:22.040 --> 00:29:23.340
 the most hardened hearts?

00:29:23.400 --> 00:29:24.240
 Do you really believe

00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:25.140
 that if we did,

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.140
 would we not

00:29:26.140 --> 00:29:27.560
 listen to his word

00:29:27.560 --> 00:29:28.960
 and read his word

00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:30.340
 and search his word

00:29:30.340 --> 00:29:32.000
 hungrily and desperately?

00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:38.779
 In verses 33 to 40,

00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:40.079
 God brings his denouncement

00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:40.880
 of Judah's prophet

00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:41.599
 to a close.

00:29:42.920 --> 00:29:44.259
 He says,

00:29:44.339 --> 00:29:45.279
 When one of this people

00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:45.980
 or a prophet

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:46.460
 or a priest

00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:47.039
 asks you,

00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:48.299
 What is the burden

00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:48.779
 of the Lord?

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:50.279
 You shall say to them,

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.660
 You are the burden

00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:53.279
 and I will cast you off,

00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:54.220
 declares the Lord.

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.920
 This whole last passage

00:29:55.920 --> 00:29:57.240
 hinges on a wordplay

00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:58.140
 of the Hebrew word

00:29:58.140 --> 00:29:58.839
 for a burden

00:29:58.839 --> 00:30:00.380
 because the burden

00:30:00.380 --> 00:30:01.579
 is kind of a technical way

00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:02.399
 of referring to

00:30:02.399 --> 00:30:03.359
 the word of the Lord,

00:30:03.439 --> 00:30:04.099
 the prophecy

00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:05.259
 and utterance

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:05.799
 of a prophet.

00:30:06.379 --> 00:30:06.779
 And so people

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.879
 would often ask prophets,

00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:08.679
 What is the burden

00:30:08.679 --> 00:30:09.119
 of the Lord?

00:30:09.379 --> 00:30:10.519
 What does the Lord

00:30:10.519 --> 00:30:11.579
 require of us?

00:30:11.879 --> 00:30:12.619
 What is the word

00:30:12.619 --> 00:30:13.720
 of the Lord for us?

00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:15.159
 But God turns

00:30:15.159 --> 00:30:16.399
 that expression around

00:30:16.399 --> 00:30:17.019
 on its head

00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:17.419
 and says,

00:30:17.619 --> 00:30:18.339
 and commands Jeremiah

00:30:18.339 --> 00:30:18.819
 to say,

00:30:19.199 --> 00:30:19.699
 You want to know

00:30:19.699 --> 00:30:20.179
 what the burden

00:30:20.179 --> 00:30:20.939
 of the Lord is?

00:30:21.199 --> 00:30:22.179
 You are the burden

00:30:22.179 --> 00:30:23.619
 and I will cast you off.

00:30:25.139 --> 00:30:26.159
 What good is it

00:30:26.159 --> 00:30:26.899
 for these people

00:30:26.899 --> 00:30:28.059
 to ask God

00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:29.299
 for the word,

00:30:29.980 --> 00:30:30.759
 to know

00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:32.140
 what the Lord requires

00:30:32.140 --> 00:30:33.240
 if they do not obey

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.240
 and follow him?

00:30:35.259 --> 00:30:35.940
 So God says,

00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:36.799
 Stop asking

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.460
 about the burden

00:30:37.460 --> 00:30:37.940
 of the Lord.

00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:38.940
 You yourselves

00:30:38.940 --> 00:30:39.900
 are a burden to me

00:30:39.900 --> 00:30:41.000
 and I will cast you off.

00:30:43.619 --> 00:30:45.200
 These are severe judgments

00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:46.240
 that reflect

00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:47.119
 the severity

00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:48.200
 of the people's sins.

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.839
 And these judgments

00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:50.859
 reflect the severity

00:30:50.859 --> 00:30:51.980
 of our sins as well

00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:53.579
 because in these sins

00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:54.000
 of Judah,

00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:54.980
 we see ourselves.

00:30:55.579 --> 00:30:56.579
 We see our,

00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:57.400
 it's a mirror

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:58.319
 to our own soul.

00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:00.439
 But I don't want this

00:31:00.439 --> 00:31:01.519
 to be a discouragement

00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:01.960
 to you.

00:31:02.779 --> 00:31:03.279
 And I don't think

00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:04.319
 that's what God wants

00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:05.480
 this word to accomplish

00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:05.879
 either.

00:31:06.399 --> 00:31:07.279
 And as Augustine,

00:31:07.399 --> 00:31:09.960
 who is a North African

00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:10.799
 Christian theologian

00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:11.200
 and pastor

00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:12.200
 from the 4th century,

00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:13.359
 he wrote this

00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:14.500
 in his autobiography.

00:31:14.700 --> 00:31:14.859
 He says,

00:31:15.379 --> 00:31:16.200
 The recalling

00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:17.720
 of the wicked ways

00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.639
 is bitter

00:31:18.639 --> 00:31:19.859
 in my memory,

00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:21.439
 but I do it

00:31:21.439 --> 00:31:22.220
 so that you

00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:23.379
 may be sweeter

00:31:23.379 --> 00:31:23.859
 to me.

00:31:23.859 --> 00:31:26.699
 seeing the severity

00:31:26.699 --> 00:31:27.740
 of our sins

00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:29.279
 helps us to see

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:29.979
 the breadth

00:31:29.979 --> 00:31:31.019
 and length

00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:31.939
 and height

00:31:31.939 --> 00:31:33.019
 and depth

00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:34.479
 of the love of Christ.

00:31:36.659 --> 00:31:38.039
 Seeing the severity

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:39.059
 of our sins

00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:39.899
 helps us

00:31:39.899 --> 00:31:40.979
 to appreciate

00:31:40.979 --> 00:31:41.979
 the depth,

00:31:42.159 --> 00:31:42.659
 the magnitude

00:31:42.659 --> 00:31:43.659
 of God's grace.

00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:44.659
 Seeing how much

00:31:44.659 --> 00:31:46.459
 we deserve God's wrath

00:31:46.459 --> 00:31:47.939
 helps us to see

00:31:47.939 --> 00:31:49.519
 how undeserved

00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:50.559
 and wonderful

00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:51.919
 God's mercy

00:31:51.919 --> 00:31:52.740
 toward us is.

00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:53.980
 That's what God

00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:54.680
 wants us to see.

00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:57.059
 And moreover,

00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:57.740
 as it has been

00:31:57.740 --> 00:31:58.279
 the pattern

00:31:58.279 --> 00:31:59.120
 throughout Jeremiah,

00:31:59.779 --> 00:32:00.640
 after pronouncing

00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:01.779
 the severest judgments,

00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:03.000
 God always

00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:04.160
 pronounces

00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:05.059
 his most gracious

00:32:05.059 --> 00:32:05.539
 promises.

00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:07.180
 If we read

00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:08.079
 these chapters quickly,

00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:09.339
 we might even miss this,

00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:10.319
 but sandwiched

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:11.019
 between God's

00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:11.519
 denouncement

00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:12.180
 of the kings

00:32:12.180 --> 00:32:13.420
 and his denouncement

00:32:13.420 --> 00:32:14.059
 of the prophets

00:32:14.059 --> 00:32:15.200
 is a message of hope.

00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:16.799
 Return with me

00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:17.759
 to chapter 23,

00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:19.160
 verses 3 to 4.

00:32:19.940 --> 00:32:20.500
 God says,

00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:22.099
 I will gather

00:32:22.099 --> 00:32:22.959
 the remnant

00:32:22.959 --> 00:32:23.859
 of my flock

00:32:23.859 --> 00:32:25.299
 out of all the countries

00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:26.459
 where I have driven them,

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:27.959
 and I will bring them

00:32:27.959 --> 00:32:28.959
 back to their fold,

00:32:29.199 --> 00:32:30.480
 and they shall be fruitful

00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:31.359
 and multiply.

00:32:31.899 --> 00:32:33.139
 I will set shepherds

00:32:33.139 --> 00:32:33.779
 over them

00:32:33.779 --> 00:32:35.159
 who will care for them,

00:32:35.639 --> 00:32:37.480
 and they shall fear

00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:37.959
 no more

00:32:37.959 --> 00:32:39.199
 nor be dismayed.

00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:40.559
 Neither shall any

00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:41.179
 be missing,

00:32:41.319 --> 00:32:42.299
 declares the Lord.

00:32:43.419 --> 00:32:44.139
 This statement,

00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:45.419
 God promised

00:32:45.419 --> 00:32:46.519
 to bring back

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.240
 the remnant

00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:47.980
 of his flock,

00:32:48.059 --> 00:32:49.439
 those who still remain

00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:50.519
 among his people.

00:32:50.680 --> 00:32:51.420
 He will gather

00:32:51.420 --> 00:32:52.279
 to his fold

00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:53.039
 so that they shall

00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:53.600
 be fruitful

00:32:53.600 --> 00:32:55.279
 and multiply once again,

00:32:55.400 --> 00:32:56.100
 and he will put

00:32:56.100 --> 00:32:57.140
 shepherds over them.

00:32:57.320 --> 00:32:58.200
 Many times throughout

00:32:58.200 --> 00:32:58.820
 the Old Testament,

00:32:59.140 --> 00:33:00.420
 God himself is described

00:33:00.420 --> 00:33:01.880
 as the shepherd king

00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:02.580
 of Israel,

00:33:03.080 --> 00:33:04.140
 and that's why

00:33:04.140 --> 00:33:05.180
 he calls his people

00:33:05.180 --> 00:33:06.960
 the people of my pasture,

00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:08.600
 the sheep of his pasture.

00:33:09.180 --> 00:33:09.960
 And God himself

00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:10.460
 is a shepherd

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.519
 who cares for his sheep

00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:13.500
 and in the future

00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:14.720
 he will appoint shepherds

00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:15.359
 who will rule

00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:16.579
 in his stead

00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:17.960
 and actually care for them.

00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:20.639
 And verses 5 to 6

00:33:20.639 --> 00:33:22.559
 hone in on an even more

00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:23.339
 specific aspect

00:33:23.339 --> 00:33:24.119
 of this promise.

00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:24.980
 Read with me.

00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:25.200
 It says,

00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.859
 Behold, the days are coming,

00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:27.680
 declares the Lord,

00:33:27.940 --> 00:33:28.960
 when I will raise up

00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:29.440
 for David

00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:30.920
 a righteous branch,

00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.740
 and he shall reign

00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:33.400
 as king

00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:35.000
 and deal wisely

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:36.299
 and shall execute

00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:37.240
 justice

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:38.299
 and righteousness

00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:38.960
 in the land.

00:33:39.420 --> 00:33:40.500
 In his days,

00:33:40.500 --> 00:33:42.019
 Judah will be saved

00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:42.980
 and Israel

00:33:42.980 --> 00:33:44.279
 will dwell securely

00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:46.480
 and this is the name

00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:47.980
 by which he will be called.

00:33:48.579 --> 00:33:50.980
 The Lord is our righteousness.

00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:53.839
 There will be one

00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.779
 particular king

00:33:54.779 --> 00:33:56.019
 that will rise up

00:33:56.019 --> 00:33:57.200
 from the Davidic line

00:33:57.200 --> 00:33:58.440
 and he's described

00:33:58.440 --> 00:34:00.420
 as a righteous branch.

00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:02.279
 And from the root of David

00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:03.380
 will spring a king

00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:04.140
 who will execute

00:34:04.140 --> 00:34:05.240
 justice and righteousness

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:06.819
 that all the kings

00:34:06.819 --> 00:34:07.960
 of Judah had failed

00:34:07.960 --> 00:34:09.860
 in totality

00:34:09.860 --> 00:34:10.880
 to do.

00:34:12.220 --> 00:34:13.079
 And he is called

00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:13.599
 by the name

00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:15.120
 the Lord is our righteousness.

00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:16.920
 This is a wordplay

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:18.380
 on the name Zedekiah.

00:34:19.539 --> 00:34:20.700
 Remember the last king

00:34:20.700 --> 00:34:21.660
 that was mentioned.

00:34:21.820 --> 00:34:23.360
 Zedekiah was the king

00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.260
 appointed by Judah,

00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:25.300
 by Nebuchadnezzar,

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:26.900
 and his name means

00:34:26.900 --> 00:34:28.960
 the Lord is my righteousness.

00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:32.400
 So Jeremiah is making

00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:33.880
 a very pointed statement

00:34:33.880 --> 00:34:34.720
 and prophecy.

00:34:35.539 --> 00:34:36.500
 King Zedekiah

00:34:36.500 --> 00:34:37.860
 is not the one

00:34:37.860 --> 00:34:38.679
 who will bring

00:34:38.679 --> 00:34:39.559
 God's righteousness

00:34:39.559 --> 00:34:40.960
 to bear on Judah.

00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:42.280
 No, there will be

00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:43.000
 another king.

00:34:43.860 --> 00:34:45.300
 Another king in the future,

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:46.599
 the righteous branch

00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:48.539
 who will truly bring forth

00:34:48.539 --> 00:34:49.260
 the righteousness

00:34:49.260 --> 00:34:50.320
 of God.

00:34:50.659 --> 00:34:51.500
 The people of Judah

00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.340
 could put their hope

00:34:52.340 --> 00:34:52.940
 in Zedekiah,

00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:54.280
 but he failed

00:34:54.280 --> 00:34:54.860
 to deliver

00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:56.559
 on the promise

00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:57.139
 of his name.

00:34:58.099 --> 00:34:58.960
 Who do you

00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:00.099
 look to

00:35:00.099 --> 00:35:01.260
 in this world

00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:02.019
 for righteousness?

00:35:02.019 --> 00:35:02.099
 righteousness.

00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:05.179
 Who do you

00:35:05.179 --> 00:35:05.619
 turn to

00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:06.440
 for justice

00:35:06.440 --> 00:35:08.880
 for yourself

00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:09.759
 and for this world?

00:35:10.679 --> 00:35:11.460
 Is your hope

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.340
 in the politicians?

00:35:13.880 --> 00:35:15.079
 Is your hope

00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:16.019
 in your lawyers

00:35:16.019 --> 00:35:17.079
 or judges?

00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.679
 Is your hope

00:35:18.679 --> 00:35:19.880
 in the law enforcement

00:35:19.880 --> 00:35:20.360
 officials?

00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:21.699
 Is your hope

00:35:21.699 --> 00:35:23.739
 in the social justice

00:35:23.739 --> 00:35:24.159
 warriors

00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:25.039
 of our culture?

00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:27.759
 However well-meaning

00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:28.659
 they might be,

00:35:28.780 --> 00:35:29.519
 none of them

00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:30.619
 can in any

00:35:30.619 --> 00:35:31.400
 ultimate sense

00:35:31.400 --> 00:35:32.920
 execute the justice

00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:33.800
 and righteousness

00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:34.400
 of God

00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:34.920
 in the land

00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:36.000
 as God intends

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.800
 because they are all

00:35:36.800 --> 00:35:37.740
 sinners and they will

00:35:37.740 --> 00:35:38.599
 fall short.

00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:40.720
 They are all

00:35:40.720 --> 00:35:42.559
 Zedekiahs of our age

00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:44.260
 who promise righteousness

00:35:44.260 --> 00:35:44.980
 but cannot

00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:45.820
 deliver.

00:35:46.940 --> 00:35:47.760
 But who

00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:48.380
 then

00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:50.019
 can deliver us?

00:35:51.099 --> 00:35:52.059
 Isaiah 53

00:35:52.059 --> 00:35:52.800
 6

00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:53.639
 said,

00:35:54.139 --> 00:35:54.840
 All we

00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:55.760
 like sheep

00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:56.960
 have gone astray.

00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:58.460
 We have turned

00:35:58.460 --> 00:35:59.039
 everyone

00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:00.500
 to his own way

00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:01.320
 and the Lord

00:36:01.320 --> 00:36:02.000
 has laid

00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:02.940
 on him

00:36:02.940 --> 00:36:03.920
 the iniquity

00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:04.360
 of us.

00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:04.679
 Oh,

00:36:04.780 --> 00:36:05.840
 this is a prophecy

00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:06.840
 about the Messiah,

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:07.639
 the coming king.

00:36:08.320 --> 00:36:08.980
 All of us

00:36:08.980 --> 00:36:09.719
 are sheep

00:36:09.719 --> 00:36:10.239
 that have gone

00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:10.639
 astray.

00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:11.400
 Each of us

00:36:11.400 --> 00:36:11.880
 have turned

00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:13.119
 to his own way

00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:14.119
 and a sheep

00:36:14.119 --> 00:36:14.639
 that has gone

00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:15.019
 astray

00:36:15.019 --> 00:36:15.800
 does not know

00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:16.500
 how to find

00:36:16.500 --> 00:36:17.460
 its way back

00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:18.260
 on its own.

00:36:18.340 --> 00:36:18.900
 The shepherd

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:20.039
 must go

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:20.719
 and retrieve

00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:21.480
 the lost sheep.

00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:22.900
 Have you ever

00:36:22.900 --> 00:36:23.679
 been lost

00:36:23.679 --> 00:36:24.039
 before?

00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:26.320
 I don't mean

00:36:26.320 --> 00:36:27.280
 like driving

00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:28.159
 a tickle wrong turn

00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:28.639
 but hey,

00:36:28.699 --> 00:36:29.319
 I have my GPS

00:36:29.319 --> 00:36:29.920
 on my phone

00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:30.460
 so I can find

00:36:30.460 --> 00:36:30.879
 my way back.

00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:31.440
 Not that kind

00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:31.879
 of lost.

00:36:33.960 --> 00:36:34.799
 Like I'm in the

00:36:34.799 --> 00:36:35.480
 middle of nowhere

00:36:35.480 --> 00:36:36.539
 and there's no

00:36:36.539 --> 00:36:37.139
 self-reception

00:36:37.139 --> 00:36:37.579
 lost.

00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:40.259
 I'm hiking

00:36:40.259 --> 00:36:40.839
 and the sun

00:36:40.839 --> 00:36:41.339
 has set

00:36:41.339 --> 00:36:42.039
 and I don't

00:36:42.039 --> 00:36:42.619
 know the way

00:36:42.619 --> 00:36:43.000
 out of the

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.799
 forest lost.

00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:46.519
 It's terrifying

00:36:46.519 --> 00:36:47.139
 to be lost

00:36:47.139 --> 00:36:47.659
 like that.

00:36:48.980 --> 00:36:49.679
 To feel

00:36:49.679 --> 00:36:50.379
 viscerally

00:36:50.379 --> 00:36:51.420
 that you

00:36:51.420 --> 00:36:51.980
 might not

00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:52.539
 make it home.

00:36:54.539 --> 00:36:55.099
 That's

00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:55.679
 how

00:36:55.679 --> 00:36:56.559
 spiritually

00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:57.179
 lost

00:36:57.179 --> 00:36:58.139
 we all

00:36:58.139 --> 00:36:58.719
 were.

00:36:59.799 --> 00:37:00.460
 We were

00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:01.259
 hopelessly

00:37:01.259 --> 00:37:01.619
 lost

00:37:01.619 --> 00:37:03.000
 and helpless

00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:03.919
 to save

00:37:03.919 --> 00:37:04.399
 ourselves.

00:37:04.839 --> 00:37:04.980
 We were

00:37:04.980 --> 00:37:05.539
 lost sheep

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:05.980
 in a land

00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:07.359
 far from

00:37:07.359 --> 00:37:07.919
 the flock

00:37:07.919 --> 00:37:08.359
 and the

00:37:08.359 --> 00:37:08.739
 shepherd

00:37:08.739 --> 00:37:09.339
 bleeding

00:37:09.339 --> 00:37:10.279
 helplessly

00:37:10.279 --> 00:37:10.819
 as the

00:37:10.819 --> 00:37:11.599
 night fell

00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:12.119
 and the

00:37:12.119 --> 00:37:12.500
 predators

00:37:12.500 --> 00:37:13.259
 drew in

00:37:13.259 --> 00:37:14.059
 but thanks

00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:14.419
 be to

00:37:14.419 --> 00:37:14.919
 God,

00:37:15.179 --> 00:37:15.819
 God did

00:37:15.819 --> 00:37:16.319
 gather us

00:37:16.319 --> 00:37:16.919
 to himself

00:37:16.919 --> 00:37:18.059
 and he

00:37:18.059 --> 00:37:18.719
 sent the

00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:19.440
 good shepherd

00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.819
 who laid

00:37:20.819 --> 00:37:21.199
 down his

00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:21.739
 life for

00:37:21.739 --> 00:37:22.219
 his sheep.

00:37:22.759 --> 00:37:23.059
 It says

00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:23.519
 in John

00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:23.899
 10,

00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:24.419
 14 to

00:37:24.419 --> 00:37:24.799
 16,

00:37:24.899 --> 00:37:25.139
 Jesus

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:25.579
 says,

00:37:25.679 --> 00:37:26.599
 I am

00:37:26.599 --> 00:37:26.980
 the good

00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:27.419
 shepherd.

00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:29.379
 I know

00:37:29.379 --> 00:37:30.099
 my own

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:30.839
 and my

00:37:30.839 --> 00:37:31.199
 own

00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:31.980
 know me

00:37:31.980 --> 00:37:32.759
 just as

00:37:32.759 --> 00:37:33.299
 the father

00:37:33.299 --> 00:37:33.919
 knows me

00:37:33.919 --> 00:37:34.179
 and I

00:37:34.179 --> 00:37:34.679
 know the

00:37:34.679 --> 00:37:35.099
 father

00:37:35.099 --> 00:37:35.919
 and I

00:37:35.919 --> 00:37:36.559
 lay down

00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:37.279
 my life

00:37:37.279 --> 00:37:37.639
 for the

00:37:37.639 --> 00:37:37.919
 sheep

00:37:37.919 --> 00:37:38.719
 and I

00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:39.239
 have other

00:37:39.239 --> 00:37:39.679
 sheep

00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:40.199
 that are

00:37:40.199 --> 00:37:40.579
 not of

00:37:40.579 --> 00:37:41.199
 this fold

00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:42.259
 and I

00:37:42.259 --> 00:37:42.699
 must

00:37:42.699 --> 00:37:43.519
 bring them

00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:43.940
 also

00:37:43.940 --> 00:37:45.599
 and they

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:46.419
 will listen

00:37:46.419 --> 00:37:46.759
 to my

00:37:46.759 --> 00:37:47.139
 voice.

00:37:48.359 --> 00:37:49.119
 So there

00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:49.379
 will be

00:37:49.379 --> 00:37:50.159
 one flock,

00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:51.359
 one

00:37:51.359 --> 00:37:52.259
 shepherd.

00:37:54.440 --> 00:37:55.039
 Jesus

00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:55.519
 is the

00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:56.219
 prophesied

00:37:56.219 --> 00:37:56.719
 shepherd

00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:57.259
 and king

00:37:57.259 --> 00:37:57.860
 who

00:37:57.860 --> 00:37:58.259
 gathers

00:37:58.259 --> 00:37:58.739
 God's

00:37:58.739 --> 00:37:59.039
 people

00:37:59.039 --> 00:37:59.619
 to himself

00:37:59.619 --> 00:38:00.079
 from all

00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:00.539
 the places

00:38:00.539 --> 00:38:00.920
 where they

00:38:00.920 --> 00:38:01.480
 were lost

00:38:01.480 --> 00:38:03.179
 and he

00:38:03.179 --> 00:38:03.480
 is the

00:38:03.480 --> 00:38:03.880
 one that

00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:04.380
 executes

00:38:04.380 --> 00:38:04.960
 the righteousness

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.079
 and justice

00:38:06.079 --> 00:38:06.639
 of God

00:38:06.639 --> 00:38:07.619
 and let's

00:38:07.619 --> 00:38:08.000
 not be

00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:08.300
 deluded

00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:08.679
 in thinking

00:38:08.679 --> 00:38:09.480
 that he's

00:38:09.480 --> 00:38:10.739
 giving us

00:38:10.739 --> 00:38:11.179
 justice

00:38:11.179 --> 00:38:11.519
 that we

00:38:11.519 --> 00:38:11.960
 deserve.

00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:13.420
 God

00:38:13.420 --> 00:38:14.500
 sent Jesus

00:38:14.500 --> 00:38:15.159
 to execute

00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:15.739
 the justice

00:38:15.739 --> 00:38:16.579
 and the

00:38:16.579 --> 00:38:17.000
 righteousness

00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:18.159
 of God

00:38:18.159 --> 00:38:18.820
 to vindicate

00:38:18.820 --> 00:38:19.360
 God

00:38:19.360 --> 00:38:20.119
 and to show

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:20.880
 his righteousness

00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:21.619
 and justice

00:38:21.619 --> 00:38:22.519
 because if

00:38:22.519 --> 00:38:23.000
 God were

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:23.400
 to give

00:38:23.400 --> 00:38:23.679
 us

00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:24.179
 the justice

00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:24.839
 and righteousness

00:38:24.839 --> 00:38:25.559
 that we

00:38:25.559 --> 00:38:26.099
 deserved

00:38:26.099 --> 00:38:27.099
 we are all

00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:28.179
 morally speaking

00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:28.679
 the all of

00:38:28.679 --> 00:38:29.179
 humanity

00:38:29.179 --> 00:38:30.219
 vermin

00:38:30.219 --> 00:38:31.699
 deserving to

00:38:31.699 --> 00:38:32.179
 be burned

00:38:32.179 --> 00:38:32.839
 by the wrath

00:38:32.839 --> 00:38:33.339
 of God

00:38:33.339 --> 00:38:34.039
 yet God

00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:35.199
 cherished us

00:38:35.199 --> 00:38:36.079
 he cared

00:38:36.079 --> 00:38:36.619
 for us

00:38:36.619 --> 00:38:37.420
 and so that

00:38:37.420 --> 00:38:38.139
 he can save

00:38:38.139 --> 00:38:38.659
 us he sent

00:38:38.659 --> 00:38:39.079
 Jesus

00:38:39.079 --> 00:38:39.940
 to die

00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:40.500
 in our

00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:41.059
 place

00:38:41.059 --> 00:38:41.559
 so that

00:38:41.559 --> 00:38:42.239
 his righteousness

00:38:42.239 --> 00:38:42.980
 can be counted

00:38:42.980 --> 00:38:43.619
 as ours

00:38:43.619 --> 00:38:44.739
 so that we

00:38:44.739 --> 00:38:45.339
 can in

00:38:45.339 --> 00:38:46.119
 God's eyes

00:38:46.119 --> 00:38:47.059
 be declared

00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:48.839
 not guilty

00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:54.180
 do you

00:38:54.180 --> 00:38:54.720
 know this

00:38:54.720 --> 00:38:55.240
 Jesus

00:38:55.240 --> 00:39:00.039
 I once

00:39:00.039 --> 00:39:00.800
 was lost

00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:01.260
 but now

00:39:01.260 --> 00:39:01.780
 I'm found

00:39:01.780 --> 00:39:03.660
 I was blind

00:39:03.660 --> 00:39:04.260
 but now

00:39:04.260 --> 00:39:05.059
 I see

00:39:05.059 --> 00:39:05.519
 do you

00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:06.039
 know

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:06.780
 the meaning

00:39:06.780 --> 00:39:07.079
 of that

00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:07.440
 statement

00:39:07.440 --> 00:39:07.700
 in your

00:39:07.700 --> 00:39:08.019
 heart

00:39:08.019 --> 00:39:10.920
 if you

00:39:10.920 --> 00:39:11.300
 don't

00:39:11.300 --> 00:39:11.960
 you can

00:39:11.960 --> 00:39:13.420
 because

00:39:13.420 --> 00:39:13.900
 Jesus

00:39:13.900 --> 00:39:14.380
 the good

00:39:14.380 --> 00:39:14.700
 shepherd

00:39:14.700 --> 00:39:15.160
 is still

00:39:15.160 --> 00:39:15.840
 calling out

00:39:15.840 --> 00:39:16.120
 to his

00:39:16.120 --> 00:39:16.420
 sheep

00:39:16.420 --> 00:39:16.940
 and his

00:39:16.940 --> 00:39:17.220
 sheep

00:39:17.220 --> 00:39:17.940
 know his

00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:18.240
 voice

00:39:18.240 --> 00:39:18.519
 and if

00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:18.700
 you are

00:39:18.699 --> 00:39:19.279
 hearing his

00:39:19.279 --> 00:39:19.480
 voice

00:39:19.480 --> 00:39:19.879
 today

00:39:19.879 --> 00:39:20.460
 you must

00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:20.839
 repent

00:39:20.839 --> 00:39:21.179
 of your

00:39:21.179 --> 00:39:21.519
 sins

00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:22.279
 and respond

00:39:22.279 --> 00:39:22.639
 to him

00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:23.239
 with faith

00:39:23.239 --> 00:39:26.859
 and this

00:39:26.859 --> 00:39:27.480
 salvation

00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:27.939
 is the

00:39:27.939 --> 00:39:28.539
 greatest

00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:29.319
 salvation

00:39:29.319 --> 00:39:30.239
 that people

00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:30.739
 of God

00:39:30.739 --> 00:39:31.519
 have ever

00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:32.079
 seen

00:39:32.079 --> 00:39:34.119
 let me

00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:34.599
 read in

00:39:34.599 --> 00:39:34.960
 closing

00:39:34.960 --> 00:39:35.599
 verses

00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:36.139
 7 to

00:39:36.139 --> 00:39:36.399
 8

00:39:36.399 --> 00:39:38.239
 therefore

00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:39.239
 chapter 23

00:39:39.239 --> 00:39:40.119
 therefore

00:39:40.119 --> 00:39:41.059
 behold the

00:39:41.059 --> 00:39:41.480
 days are

00:39:41.480 --> 00:39:41.759
 coming

00:39:41.759 --> 00:39:42.239
 declares

00:39:42.239 --> 00:39:42.719
 the Lord

00:39:42.719 --> 00:39:43.739
 when they

00:39:43.739 --> 00:39:44.239
 shall no

00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:44.619
 longer

00:39:44.619 --> 00:39:45.019
 say

00:39:45.019 --> 00:39:45.679
 as the

00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:45.899
 Lord

00:39:45.899 --> 00:39:46.319
 lives

00:39:46.319 --> 00:39:46.799
 who brought

00:39:46.799 --> 00:39:47.179
 up the

00:39:47.179 --> 00:39:47.659
 people of

00:39:47.659 --> 00:39:48.000
 Israel

00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:48.320
 out of

00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:48.719
 the land

00:39:48.719 --> 00:39:49.179
 of Egypt

00:39:49.179 --> 00:39:50.019
 but as

00:39:50.019 --> 00:39:50.400
 the Lord

00:39:50.400 --> 00:39:50.840
 lives

00:39:50.840 --> 00:39:51.260
 who brought

00:39:51.260 --> 00:39:51.659
 up and

00:39:51.659 --> 00:39:52.099
 led the

00:39:52.099 --> 00:39:52.480
 offspring

00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:52.780
 of the

00:39:52.780 --> 00:39:53.139
 house of

00:39:53.139 --> 00:39:53.440
 Israel

00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:53.739
 out of

00:39:53.739 --> 00:39:54.000
 north

00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:54.480
 country

00:39:54.480 --> 00:39:55.039
 and out

00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:55.380
 of all

00:39:55.380 --> 00:39:55.880
 the countries

00:39:55.880 --> 00:39:56.280
 where he

00:39:56.280 --> 00:39:56.739
 had driven

00:39:56.739 --> 00:39:57.000
 them

00:39:57.000 --> 00:39:57.760
 then they

00:39:57.760 --> 00:39:58.360
 shall dwell

00:39:58.360 --> 00:39:58.739
 in their

00:39:58.739 --> 00:39:59.760
 own land

00:39:59.760 --> 00:40:00.820
 God's

00:40:00.820 --> 00:40:01.360
 deliverance

00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:02.019
 of Israel

00:40:02.019 --> 00:40:02.599
 from Egypt

00:40:02.599 --> 00:40:03.619
 was spectacular

00:40:03.619 --> 00:40:04.480
 and amazing

00:40:04.480 --> 00:40:05.880
 and he was

00:40:05.880 --> 00:40:06.380
 gracious

00:40:06.380 --> 00:40:07.340
 and kind

00:40:07.340 --> 00:40:08.239
 but even

00:40:08.239 --> 00:40:09.019
 that is

00:40:09.019 --> 00:40:09.739
 eclipsed

00:40:09.739 --> 00:40:10.719
 overshadowed

00:40:10.719 --> 00:40:11.179
 by the

00:40:11.179 --> 00:40:11.579
 salvation

00:40:11.579 --> 00:40:12.139
 that God

00:40:12.139 --> 00:40:12.960
 works in

00:40:12.960 --> 00:40:13.480
 bringing his

00:40:13.480 --> 00:40:14.039
 people back

00:40:14.039 --> 00:40:14.900
 from exile

00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:15.660
 and restoring

00:40:15.660 --> 00:40:16.519
 them to

00:40:16.519 --> 00:40:16.760
 their

00:40:16.760 --> 00:40:17.119
 homeland

00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:18.019
 and this

00:40:18.019 --> 00:40:18.740
 theme of

00:40:18.740 --> 00:40:19.360
 exile and

00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:20.019
 restoration in

00:40:20.019 --> 00:40:20.320
 the Old

00:40:20.320 --> 00:40:20.639
 Testament

00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:21.460
 points to

00:40:21.460 --> 00:40:22.240
 our spiritual

00:40:22.240 --> 00:40:23.380
 exile from

00:40:23.380 --> 00:40:24.519
 which Jesus

00:40:24.519 --> 00:40:25.720
 rescues us

00:40:25.720 --> 00:40:26.519
 and is now

00:40:26.519 --> 00:40:27.460
 leading us

00:40:27.460 --> 00:40:28.139
 to that

00:40:28.139 --> 00:40:29.139
 homeland of

00:40:29.139 --> 00:40:29.740
 our heavenly

00:40:29.740 --> 00:40:30.180
 father

00:40:30.180 --> 00:40:31.900
 that's what he's

00:40:31.900 --> 00:40:32.200
 doing

00:40:32.200 --> 00:40:32.880
 will you follow

00:40:32.880 --> 00:40:33.180
 him

00:40:33.180 --> 00:40:36.940
 all the kings

00:40:36.940 --> 00:40:37.480
 and leaders of

00:40:37.480 --> 00:40:38.000
 this world

00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:38.940
 will disappoint

00:40:38.940 --> 00:40:40.579
 but unlike the

00:40:40.579 --> 00:40:41.460
 unrighteous kings

00:40:41.460 --> 00:40:42.340
 and the ungodly

00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:42.860
 prophets of

00:40:42.860 --> 00:40:43.360
 this world

00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:44.420
 Christ

00:40:44.420 --> 00:40:45.420
 is the true

00:40:45.420 --> 00:40:45.860
 king

00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:46.720
 and true

00:40:46.720 --> 00:40:47.220
 prophet

00:40:47.220 --> 00:40:48.400
 who fulfills

00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:48.920
 the righteousness

00:40:48.920 --> 00:40:49.519
 of God

00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:50.460
 and speaks

00:40:50.460 --> 00:40:51.159
 the word of

00:40:51.159 --> 00:40:51.400
 God

00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:52.079
 let's pray

00:40:52.079 --> 00:40:54.799
 fullness

00:40:54.799 --> 00:40:56.920
 wells

00:40:56.920 --> 00:40:58.299
 and

00:40:59.299 --> 00:41:00.299
ฉ

00:41:04.360 --> 00:41:04.980
 words

00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:05.059
arn

00:41:05.460 --> 00:41:05.599
祥

00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:13.139
 Rich

00:41:13.139 --> 00:41:19.000
ym