1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:05,000 Please open God's Word and join me in Second Kings Chapter 11. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,760 I am eager to study this chapter together because I'm confident 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,880 it will highlight an observation that I I'm sure has not crossed 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:17,800 any of our minds the past few weeks. 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,360 Why would I say that? Because you know that we've been 6 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:29,160 so focused on studying the rise of Jehu to the throne of Israel. 7 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,640 And while we were doing that, we most likely overlooked the fact 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:38,600 that while he was trying to occupy a vacant throne, there 9 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:43,000 was another vacant throne the entire time, the Kingdom of 10 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,160 Judah. Remember, early in Jehu's 11 00:00:46,160 --> 00:00:50,600 campaign he not only eliminated King Jairam who was the king of 12 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:57,320 Israel, but he also killed King Ahaziah who was in charge of the 13 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:02,520 southern Kingdom of Judah. Obviously, such an event would 14 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:08,160 have massive ripple effects in that Kingdom and it makes you 15 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,760 wonder, how did the people? Respond to this tragedy. 16 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:18,800 How will they recover from it? Who's going to take his his 17 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:24,160 place? Who's going to even do it? 18 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,200 Who's going to be chosen for such a task? 19 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:32,000 Though we will not receive an answer for every question, what 20 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,040 the Holy Spirit will do in Second Kings 11 is unveiled to 21 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,000 us the. Most important transition that 22 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,160 took place shortly after the death of Isaiah. 23 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,560 And I'll tell you this from the start, what we are going to 24 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:52,160 study in this chapter is perhaps one of the most suspenseful, 25 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:57,760 dramatic, and significant chapters in all of Judah's 26 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:03,040 history. And I'm sure that as we read 27 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,120 these verses and as we study this text, you'll realize very 28 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,080 quickly why that is. So I invite you to come to the 29 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,040 second Kings 11. Look at verse one with me. 30 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,440 Let's read the first 3 verses together, please. 31 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:20,880 Now when Athalia the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was 32 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,240 dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family. 33 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,200 But Jehoshiba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Isaiah, 34 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:34,960 took Joash the son of Isaiah, and stole him away from among 35 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,640 the King's sons, who are being put to death. 36 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,280 And she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. 37 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,960 Thus they hid him from Athalia, so that he was not put to death. 38 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,840 And he remained with her six years, hidden in the House of 39 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,560 the Lord, while Athalia reigned over the land. 40 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:02,880 Let's pray, Lord, we admit our weakness and we know that this 41 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:07,160 Bible study will be futile unless You supply the grace in 42 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,840 our minds to understand the Scriptures and in our hearts so 43 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:11,360 that they would burn in our bosoms. 44 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,920 We pray, Lord, that You would help us understand Your will, 45 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,680 Your character, Your promises, the principles that You want us 46 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,720 to abide by as followers of Your Son, the Lord Jesus. 47 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,400 We trust that even this portion of Your Word is breathed out by 48 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,720 You and is profitable for our transformation and maturity and 49 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,920 godliness. So, Lord, guide us step by step. 50 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,200 Lord, shield us from all distraction, any kind of thing 51 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,560 that would sabotage the transmission of this glorious 52 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:45,840 truth. We rely on You and we commit 53 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,280 this time together as a family, as students, as disciples of 54 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,720 Your Word. In Jesus name we pray. 55 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:58,680 Amen. To our great shock, we quickly 56 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:04,480 discover that Jezebel is not the only wicked woman who made an 57 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,760 impact in this grand narrative of the kings of Israel and 58 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:10,760 Judah. This. 59 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:16,360 Chapter introduces us to another vile woman who was. 60 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,079 Greatly ambitious to rule over the people of God and do 61 00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:24,840 whatever it took necessary in order to arrive at that place of 62 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:28,920 power and authority. Who is she? 63 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,440 How is this possible? Why is this happening? 64 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,880 And every major question concerning this individual is 65 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,120 answered if you just do a simple investigation. 66 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,000 Because, if you recall, this is not the first time that Athalia 67 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,760 by name appears in our study of Second Kings. 68 00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:52,600 So rewind with me and go to chapter 8 of Second Kings and 69 00:04:52,600 --> 00:05:01,150 look at verse 26 briefly. Isaiah was 22. 70 00:05:01,150 --> 00:05:04,870 Years old when he began to reign and he reigned one year in 71 00:05:04,870 --> 00:05:08,280 Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athalia. 72 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:13,000 She was a granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel. 73 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,800 Now if Athalia is the daughter of Omri, king of Israel, and 74 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,560 from a study in First Kings chapter 16, it's confirmed that 75 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:28,800 Omri is the father of who, Ahab, then that makes Athalia the 76 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,960 daughter of who Ahab and who's her mother? 77 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:39,400 Jezebel. We have Jezebel on the throne in 78 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:44,680 the Kingdom of Judah. Fascinating and terrifying at 79 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,280 the same time. And you might be wondering, how 80 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:50,280 did this happen? Good question. 81 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,320 Hopefully you recall King Jehoshaphat. 82 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,480 He was the. Focus of our studying the last 83 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,680 chapters of First Kings and though generally a faithful man, 84 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,520 righteous man according to the testimony of the word of God, he 85 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:07,360 made one massive mistake in his human wisdom. 86 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:09,800 He thought that he can make a marriage alliance with the House 87 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:16,560 of Ahab by giving over his son Jeho Ram to the daughter of Ahab 88 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:22,000 and Jezebel. And expectedly, you have Jeho 89 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,400 Ram and you have this woman here, Athalia, coming together, 90 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,960 having babies, and one of their children was named. 91 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:35,040 Ahaziah, who would be the successor to the king of Judah. 92 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,840 Is that only ruled and reigned for one year? 93 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:44,840 And because of that striking amount of time for somebody to 94 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:48,400 rule a Kingdom, we left the question, why was it so short? 95 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,640 And we're told based on our previous studies, that it was 96 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,640 because he walked in the ways of the House of Ahab and God 97 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,240 brought his rule to an early end. 98 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:00,800 He was greatly influenced by his mother, surely. 99 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:07,560 And so it's no surprise then that after Isaiah is removed 100 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:12,960 from the throne of the king of Judah that Athalia thirsts for 101 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:18,280 this position and seeks to seize it with such aggression and evil 102 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,240 to gain the control that she saw her mother chase. 103 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:29,200 I'm sure in her early years, Athalia is mirroring Jezebel. 104 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,680 She's walking in her footsteps. In addition to this, not only 105 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:39,480 does she have this innate passion for illegitimate 106 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:44,200 authority, but I'm sure she's reacting to the news that Jehu 107 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:49,000 slaughtered the House of Ahab. And so now this triggered a 108 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,920 vengeance and she's now trying to maintain the legacy of her 109 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:59,640 mother in particular, and she is doing so by attacking the House 110 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,520 of David. And trying to make a comeback 111 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,920 for the House of Ahab in the southern Kingdom. 112 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:13,760 I'm confident that Jehoshaphat had no idea that that one 113 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:19,040 decision to be unequally yoked would lead to a bail worshipping 114 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:23,240 woman sitting on the very throne that David once sat on. 115 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,400 And not just sitting on David's throne, but bringing the royal 116 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:35,080 line to near extinction. Surely this is yet another 117 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:40,520 sobering reminder of the gravity of being unequally yoked. 118 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:46,960 The decisions that we make with our relationships can have 119 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,880 potential generational effect. This is just stay with you. 120 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:56,360 And so this is yet another nudge from the Holy Spirit, I'm sure, 121 00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:01,280 to remind us to be very wise and who we choose to partner with, 122 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,400 especially in your choice of a spouse. 123 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,320 It can either bring generational blessing or generational harm. 124 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,880 And we're seeing the negative in this case. 125 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:14,920 But there are so many other aspects that we can explore in 126 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:16,320 these verses. I want to focus on one 127 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,920 particularly important one. Whether Athalia knew it or not, 128 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:24,200 her war against the House of David, This is. 129 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:25,800 This is why this is so significant. 130 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,680 Do you realize that the royal line has now been diminished to 131 00:09:29,680 --> 00:09:34,840 one single descendant of David? Everything now hangs in the 132 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,120 balance. Everything now is depended upon 133 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,400 whether or not this little boy survives. 134 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:42,960 It hasn't clicked yet. Perhaps. 135 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,400 Just give me a moment. Whether Athalia knew it or not, 136 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:49,640 her war against the House of David was not just a war with 137 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,840 flesh and blood. She was ultimately at war with 138 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:54,680 God himself. Why? 139 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,400 Because God made a covenant with the House of David. 140 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,160 You remember what he said to David in Second Samuel 716 that 141 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:05,120 your house and your Kingdom will endure before me forever. 142 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:09,880 And now you have Athalia, who is operating and energized by the 143 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,920 same spirit that her mother had, believing that she can thwart 144 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:20,480 that eternal promise. And this is one of the beauties 145 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,000 of reading the Bible from cover to cover, exploring the path 146 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,280 that has been preserved for us in terms of redemptive history. 147 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,280 What we see. Here is just another indication 148 00:10:31,560 --> 00:10:37,560 that beneath the history of unjust politics, decrees of 149 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:44,400 tyrants, bloody wars, and the vendettas of powerful figures is 150 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,560 an ancient spiritual war that intersects with it all. 151 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,720 See Athalia. Yes, she has personal ambition 152 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:55,240 here, but she is fulfilling Satan's agenda. 153 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,880 Ever since the beginning of time, Satan was aware that there 154 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:04,000 would be a promised Savior who'd come and redeem the sons of 155 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,360 Adam. And he did everything that he 156 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,840 could, at the right opportunity, try to sabotage that promise. 157 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,200 And we see that indication even here. 158 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,080 And here's what's so shocking about this. 159 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:21,560 What we have before us at the surface seems to be like a 160 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:26,120 successful attempt on the surface. 161 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:31,920 It seems as though Satan accomplished the impossible 162 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:38,760 because the general public did not know that there was a son of 163 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,920 David hidden from the public eye. 164 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,440 And so I want you to put yourself in the shoes of a God 165 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,640 fearing Jew who lived. At this time, under Athalia's 166 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,720 reign, you know God's Word. You believe every promise that 167 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,720 He has ever given, including the promise that He made to David. 168 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:02,200 Just imagine what kind of threat it would be to your faith to 169 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:08,680 learn that Athalia successfully exterminated the entire royal 170 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,040 family. What kind of fear would visit 171 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,440 your heart? What kind of doubt would choke 172 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:17,960 you? What kind of questions would 173 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:24,200 race in your mind? The promise that God made to 174 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:28,280 David. Was God unable to keep that 175 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,800 promise? What would you? 176 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,280 What would you think? What would you do? 177 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:38,040 Who would you run to? That's what we have to 178 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:39,840 understand. It would be soul crushing to 179 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,000 most people, especially since it wasn't public knowledge that 180 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,880 Isaiah had one of his sons rescued and spared from this 181 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:50,200 vile woman. So here you have these Jews, 182 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:51,840 though yes, there is general apostasy. 183 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:56,440 You always have a remnant who are now trying to make sense of 184 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:58,840 living in a Kingdom that has been promised by God to be 185 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:02,960 preserved for eternity. And yet it seems to have been 186 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,600 extinguished. And Athalia rules and reigns for 187 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,360 six years. It's six years before. 188 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,080 This little baby is going to be revealed, so just imagine what 189 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,240 it felt like week after week, month after month, year after 190 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,520 year. And in your mind, David's 191 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:25,040 dynasty is deleted. And yet the House of Ahab seems 192 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,960 to be gaining more and more traction and strength. 193 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,120 And just to get a glimpse of what it was like to live under 194 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,200 Athalia's reign, look at Second Kings 11 verse 18 quickly. 195 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,320 Then all the people of the land went to the House of bail and 196 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:44,720 tore it down. Pause. 197 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,960 This is not a description of what was taking place in the 198 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,240 northern tribes. What do I mean? 199 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,120 There is a House of bail in Judah. 200 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:58,680 Then all the people, the land, went to the House of bail and 201 00:13:58,680 --> 00:14:00,040 tore it down. That's the good part. 202 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,480 That's going to come later on. But I just want you to see that 203 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,000 because of a Thalia, there was this erection, there was this 204 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:11,680 resurrection of bail worship. Things are bleak. 205 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,160 So again, put yourself in the shoes of a God fearing Jew at 206 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:16,360 this time, witnessing all of this. 207 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,040 What would be required of your faith? 208 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,040 Here's what would be required of your faith. 209 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:30,040 Simple childlike trust in the Word of God, even though all the 210 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:34,240 evidence around you urges you to abandon that faith and to 211 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,240 believe otherwise. If you truly believe in the word 212 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,960 of the Lord, all you had to work with was the word of the Lord. 213 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:47,200 And it's no different for us. Satan is always ready to present 214 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:52,600 supposed evidence, proof through culture, politics, pseudo 215 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:57,400 scientific claims that would challenge you to doubt what God 216 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:01,160 has said or to make it seem as though God's word is unreliable. 217 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:07,120 And in those moments. With current events, with new 218 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,840 claims, with discoveries, with fancy ideas and philosophies, 219 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:17,200 you have to choose. Will I trust God's word and just 220 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:21,520 simply take him at what He said? That's the choice that a remnant 221 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:26,360 had to make many, many years ago, and when I was studying 222 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,480 this the other day, I was reminded of the warning that 223 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,400 Peter gave concerning scoffers in the last days. 224 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,560 You don't have to turn the bell. Let me quote second Peter 3-4 225 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,680 Peter says they will say, where is the promise of his coming? 226 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,840 For ever since the Father's fell asleep, all things are 227 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,360 continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. 228 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:46,920 So one of the signs of the last days is that you're going to 229 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:49,040 have people mock the idea of the return of Christ. 230 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,560 And here's the argument. Look, if you just review 231 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,720 history. With an honest lens. 232 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,560 It's just the same cycle over and over again. 233 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,520 We've always had wars, we've always had earthquakes, we've 234 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,720 always had all these things that you claim Jesus said would be 235 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,280 prevalent before his return. And is that really the case? 236 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,240 That seems very general. And you can just imagine how the 237 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:14,600 case could be made to make the believer doubt where. 238 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,840 Where is the definite sign that he's going to come back? 239 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,320 Where are the marks of his return? 240 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,080 That That's not to say that we have a blind faith. 241 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,400 That's not to say that we don't have evidence to work with. 242 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:31,080 But it does challenge us with the skepticism and the events 243 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,680 that unfold before us that are difficult to reconcile with how 244 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,320 God predicted things or told us how things would be. 245 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,800 And in those moments, you have to trust God's Word. 246 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,520 I can imagine that people, the idolaters in the Kingdom of 247 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,200 Judah at this time, said similar things. 248 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:47,960 Where's the promise of God to David? 249 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:52,320 All it took? Oh, you believe in this Yahweh? 250 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:58,160 All it took was one crazy lady to destroy David's dynasty. 251 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,560 Just. Feel it, Think about it. 252 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,240 What kind of pressure would that put on the chest of your faith, 253 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:11,839 so to speak? And a similar, though much 254 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:15,720 longer, waiting took place between Malachi and Matthew, did 255 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,760 it not, for the first arrival of the Messiah? 256 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,280 And now we find ourselves in another waiting period for a 257 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,760 second and final coming. And I'm just so encouraged to 258 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,920 have this testimony in our hands to provide us the fuel to cling 259 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,360 to the Word of God. Whether you perceive things that 260 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:40,640 support what we see here or might challenge it, He's 261 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,120 trustworthy. He's trustworthy. 262 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,160 Now, can I give another point that's not so specific? 263 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:49,680 Don't you love here that we have been granted yet another example 264 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:55,200 of a principle that can be applied across the spectrum? 265 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,680 For six years, it seems like not only David's dynasty was 266 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:01,160 removed, but that God wasn't working at all. 267 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:04,680 And yet he was working. He was raising up a little boy. 268 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:09,720 Yes, they're human means, but he preserved this child and this 269 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,360 was just another. Gust of wind in my sails That 270 00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:16,160 even though I can't see what he's doing, I can trust he's 271 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:19,320 doing something and it will be revealed at the right time. 272 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,080 At the time that will give him maximum glory and honor. 273 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,280 So what do I do? Trust. 274 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:26,920 That's what you do. Believe. 275 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,040 Wait. Worship while you wait. 276 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,600 That's it. It's as simple as that. 277 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:33,440 Oh, I just love to think about it. 278 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,680 My sanctified imagination. All these people, you have this 279 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:38,760 little group of people that meet that are trying to figure out 280 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,440 how, how did these prophecies reconcile with what we're seeing 281 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:46,040 here and all the wild God is nurturing and raising up a 282 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,600 descendant of. David and he will be exposed at 283 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,120 the right time. Now, before we move on, because 284 00:18:52,120 --> 00:18:53,680 we're still in the first 3 verses here, I have to 285 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,760 acknowledge another important detail in our introduction. 286 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,000 Here we have the Lord yet again showing us that He uses 287 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,320 ordinary. Not just ordinary, but unlikely 288 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,800 means, more specifically, unlikely people to do glorious 289 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,360 things. What do we have here? 290 00:19:09,360 --> 00:19:11,680 How is this little boy delivered from the jaws of death? 291 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:16,400 Did the Lord make baby Joash invisible, that he 292 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,920 supernaturally teleport him into a safe haven? 293 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:27,960 No, He used the love and courage of a woman who intervened, 294 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:33,440 intercepted and risked her life to honor God and preserving one 295 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,160 of the sons of David. What's your name? 296 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:38,880 We're told here Jehoshiba. Jehoshiba. 297 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,040 She's the sister of Isaiah. That doesn't necessarily mean 298 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,360 that she is the daughter of Athalia. 299 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:46,880 She could have shared the same father but had a different 300 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,880 mother. It's not explicitly stated, but 301 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:56,320 understand that for six years she secretly managed and helped 302 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,760 raise this little boy. Not 6 days. 303 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:06,000 Not six weeks, not six months. Think about it, Six years. 304 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:12,360 She kept this boy a secret and concealed him from the venom of 305 00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:16,040 this queen. It's incredible. 306 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,160 And I've made the conclusion myself. 307 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:24,000 You don't have to share this, but I've decided that Jehoshiba 308 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,080 is one of the greatest Saints in all the Old Testament. 309 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,520 I know she she's not. We don't have much of her 310 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:34,360 information. We don't much of her history, 311 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:40,440 But do you realize what role she played in preserving the 312 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,640 Messianic line? Let me put it this way. 313 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:46,240 Where would you and I be without Jehoshiba's efforts? 314 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:54,080 We have one descendant of David left, and we have this woman who 315 00:20:54,080 --> 00:21:00,440 steps out to save this child, ultimately preserving the 316 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,840 messianic line, one of the greatest heroes. 317 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:13,520 And it encourages me that this obscure individual teaches us 318 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:18,720 that God is able to raise up anyone from anywhere to do 319 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:22,520 awesome things. And what does he look for then? 320 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,640 He looks for a woman like this, Men like this who love the glory 321 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,840 of God more than their own lives, That's what he looks for, 322 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:32,000 not anything else, not anything more. 323 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:36,800 And I was curious because this is only the reference that we 324 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,000 have concerning her there. There is a parallel account of 325 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,360 her, but with a different name. So I just want to know what does 326 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:44,600 her name mean? And when I discovered it, when I 327 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,520 learned it, it put a giant smile on this face. 328 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:51,280 You know what the name means. Jehovah has sworn. 329 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,320 Jehovah has sworn. So think about it. 330 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,280 I mean, the Lord makes me smile with His ways and His 331 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:03,120 sovereignty. God uses a woman whose name is 332 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:07,640 essentially God makes a promise. God keeps His promise to do 333 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:09,200 what? Demonstrate and show that He 334 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,320 keeps His promise. It's wonderful. 335 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:18,000 So you have this woman who does something so grand, so 336 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,320 spectacular, but required so much of her. 337 00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:24,400 And if you're curious to know how this worked logistically, 338 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,880 how was she able to take this child and tuck him away in the 339 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:32,480 House of the Lord of all places? You learn as you continue your 340 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,880 study of God's Word that she didn't work alone. 341 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:39,120 She had a relationship with someone else who played a 342 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:42,280 crucial role in this whole endeavor. 343 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:45,160 And it's not until you go to Second Chronicles to see it. 344 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,200 So I invite you to Second Chronicles 22. 345 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,080 And look at verse 10. This is the parallel account of 346 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,760 the story in Second Kings 11. But let's see the added detail 347 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,520 that helps shed light on how she was able to do this. 348 00:23:04,470 --> 00:23:07,630 Second Chronicles 22, verse 10 reads Now when Thalia, the 349 00:23:07,630 --> 00:23:11,230 mother of Isaiah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and 350 00:23:11,230 --> 00:23:14,070 destroyed all the royal family on the House of the House of 351 00:23:14,070 --> 00:23:17,030 Judah. But Jehovah Shabbath? 352 00:23:17,070 --> 00:23:20,550 That's the same woman and an alternate writing of her name. 353 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,600 The daughter of the king took Joash, the son of Asiah, and 354 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,360 stole him away from among the King's sons who were about to be 355 00:23:27,360 --> 00:23:30,920 put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. 356 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,280 Thus Joe Shabbath, the daughter of King Joram. 357 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:41,240 The wife of Jehoiada, the priest, because she was sister 358 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:45,760 of Asiah, hid him from a Thalia so that she did not put him to 359 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,360 death. You don't have that detail in 360 00:23:48,360 --> 00:23:51,960 verse 11 and 2nd Kings 11. What detail? 361 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:55,400 That she was the wife of a priest and most believe he was 362 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:59,000 the high priest. So you have a duo working here, 363 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,120 husband and wife duo. And I present to you yet another 364 00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:07,440 godly couple that you can add to the roster of Scripture, 365 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:12,720 promoting the beauty and the possibilities of what two people 366 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,480 who love each other but love God more than each other can do. 367 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,400 If they have that shared vision and goal of advancing His 368 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,600 purposes, and the more I study the Bible, the more that is 369 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:28,120 confirmed in my understanding that so much can be done when 370 00:24:28,120 --> 00:24:33,240 you have a husband and a wife who again, love the glory of God 371 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,520 more than their personal interests. 372 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,520 Miracles can happen both old and new. 373 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:43,120 You see it I think about it. This woman, Josh Sheba, she was 374 00:24:43,120 --> 00:24:44,920 a Princess. Technically, she was the 375 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:49,120 daughter of royalty, and because of her status, she was able to 376 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:53,600 have access to this baby and remove him from the palace. 377 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,640 But her husband, because he was a priest, he had access to what 378 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:05,360 the House of God, and he was able to spare and shield this 379 00:25:05,360 --> 00:25:09,000 baby. And so we have this picture of 380 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,280 two people coming together who have unique accesses, unique 381 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,920 abilities, glorifying God together. 382 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:20,280 We need each other, we need one another to do wonderful things 383 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:25,960 for his name and to overcome the obstacles of the evil 10 This 384 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:27,720 couple encourages me. You know, while we're in Second 385 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:31,600 Chronicles, allow me to make another observation because here 386 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:35,880 you see the the human involvement and application, but 387 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,120 it it doesn't mean that God wasn't at work. 388 00:25:38,120 --> 00:25:41,200 And I want to give you one example of how God honored the 389 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,760 efforts of this couple by supplying the supernatural 390 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:48,680 element to the success. So it's not in chapter 22, but 391 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,760 go to chapter 24, Second Chronicles, and notice this 392 00:25:51,760 --> 00:26:00,550 commentary for the sons of Athalia, that wicked woman. 393 00:26:01,270 --> 00:26:02,510 That's pretty straightforward, isn't it? 394 00:26:03,590 --> 00:26:07,710 Had broken into the House of God and had also used all the 395 00:26:07,710 --> 00:26:10,390 dedicated things of the House of the Lord for the bales. 396 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,440 So before I I stumble upon this verse, I thought to myself, hey, 397 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,160 that that's pretty intelligent. Take the child and put him in 398 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:19,440 one of the side chambers of the temple because Athalia had no 399 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:20,840 access there. She wasn't a priest. 400 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:22,800 She had she had no right. But then I remember we're 401 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:24,080 dealing with the daughter of Jezebel here. 402 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,000 I don't think she had any concern about the precepts of 403 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:28,800 the Lord and the ordinances of the temple. 404 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:33,640 So we we see here that she had her sons waltz into the temple 405 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,680 whenever they liked to remove the dedicated things, to 406 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,160 consecrate them unto Bale worship. 407 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:45,080 And if we can assume that this confiscation took place after 408 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:50,040 the baby was hidden in the temple, then God is obviously at 409 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:54,560 work, is he not? So you have these servants of 410 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:59,760 Athalia, scanning the house, going through the temple, and 411 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:05,840 yet baby Joash has been kept from their vision, has been 412 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:09,320 hidden from their sight. Has been overlooked. 413 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:16,320 This has got supernatural work and we've seen this pattern over 414 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,040 and over that when we do our part, God will do his part. 415 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,000 When we do what we can in the natural, God will do what he can 416 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:27,000 in the supernatural. Let's come back to 2nd Kings 11 417 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:34,960 in verse 4. But in the 7th year. 418 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,560 Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of the Carites and of 419 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,120 the guards and had them come to him in the House of the Lord, 420 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,880 and he made a covenant with them and put them underoath in the 421 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:51,120 House of the Lord, and he showed them the King's son. 422 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,880 We're not giving any explanation to. 423 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,520 Why the priest waited until the 7th year? 424 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:01,600 We're not really told who the Carites are. 425 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,280 That we can make a case if we trace her in references in 426 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,680 scripture. We can be confident that the 427 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,640 priest here took his time to think and plan the most 428 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,440 effective way to make this happen and sought the mind of 429 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:19,360 the Lord and prayed. And just imagine waiting seven 430 00:28:19,360 --> 00:28:26,000 years to reveal to the public, hey, don't lose hope, God has 431 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:31,840 kept His word. He was patient and he was smart. 432 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,800 He knew the risk of just. Removing the veil and saying 433 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:39,680 here he is. And so he worked strategically. 434 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,320 He called some of the military guards, the, the leaders of the 435 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:45,360 guards rather. And he, he makes a covenant with 436 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,520 them and he, he asked for their oath and he receives it. 437 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:50,840 And then finally he leads him into the temple. 438 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:54,000 And he goes to one of the side chambers, and he gently opens 439 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:59,160 the door. And Can you imagine the awe of 440 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:05,320 these leaders in the military when they realized he's the 441 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:10,400 descend of the David? This is one of the the sons of 442 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:16,080 Isaiah. What did that room feel like? 443 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,120 Maybe this boy was just playing with some toys in there. 444 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:24,520 And you have these men looking at he he, he kept his word. 445 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:31,440 He's faithful. You know, there's a day coming 446 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:35,400 where a lot of people are going to be surprised, namely when 447 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:37,080 Christ makes himself known again. 448 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:40,360 And whether people want to admit it or not, they're going to have 449 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:41,880 to confess. He kept his word. 450 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,560 He kept his word. So what happens? 451 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:52,040 There's this moment of relief. I'm sure rejoicing, especially 452 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:53,880 for these people who suffered terribly under the reign of 453 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:57,680 Athalia. But now I want us to read verse 454 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:04,160 5 down to verse 9 in one reading, but focus on verse 10. 455 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,000 So let's do this just to get a complete picture. 456 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,720 And he commanded them. This is the thing that you shall 457 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:12,400 do 1/3 of you, those who come off duty on the Sabbath and 458 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,240 guard the King's house, another third being at the gate sewer, 459 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,560 and a third of the gate behind the guards shall guard the 460 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,320 palace. And the two divisions of you 461 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,680 which come on duty and force on the Sabbath, and guard. 462 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,840 The House of the Lord on behalf of the King, shall surround the 463 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:32,280 king, each with his weapons in his hand, and whoever approaches 464 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:36,480 the ranks is to be put to death. Be with the King when he goes 465 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,560 out, and when he comes in. The captains that according to 466 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,440 all that joy that the priest commanded and they each brought 467 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:45,560 his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath with those who 468 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:49,120 are to come on duty on the Sabbath and came to Joya, the 469 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:50,240 priest. So what do you have here? 470 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,320 Just an elaborate plan, very specific protocol of how they 471 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,000 were going to do this. And he was very smart. 472 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,640 He, he chose to make these movements and adding these 473 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,920 soldiers and surrounding the, the areas on the Sabbath because 474 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:03,280 that's when transitions would happen. 475 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:07,400 You would have the, the next set of soldiers taking the place of 476 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:11,320 those who are on duty earlier. So this would seem seamless. 477 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:14,720 It wouldn't seem suspicious. Joya is very, very intelligent 478 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,520 as a priest. But notice what happens in verse 479 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,600 10. And the priest gave to the 480 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:26,160 captains the Spears and Shields that had been King David's, 481 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:28,640 which were in the House of the Lord. 482 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:37,000 What a striking twist of fate. We're going to see at the end of 483 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,040 this chapter that Athalia is going to be killed. 484 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:44,960 And here you have this woman who believed that she could 485 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:50,520 annihilate the royal family, that she could exterminate every 486 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:54,800 descendant of David, and yet she is going to be killed with one 487 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,520 of the weapons that David had while he was alive. 488 00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:02,640 Isn't that awesome? God is amazing in his 489 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:07,960 sovereignty, but there's a practical inspiration behind 490 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,200 this. There's a verse that I 491 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:12,960 frequently quote from the New Testament that brings comfort to 492 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,200 my soul and I pray brings comfort to those who are anxious 493 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:20,200 about this life, particularly about dangers that surround them 494 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,200 or diagnosis, anything that deals with the length of their 495 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,600 life, the health of their life, the vibrancy of their life. 496 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:29,240 And I want you to see it. It's an Acts 13 that deals with 497 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:33,800 David, and it's a wonderful insight about not just how God 498 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:36,560 worked in his life, but how he works in every single one of us 499 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,920 who serve him. Acts 1336. 500 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,760 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own 501 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:55,160 generation, fell asleep and was laid with his father's and saw 502 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:58,640 corruption. When did David fall asleep? 503 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:02,080 When did David die? Only after he served the 504 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:04,200 purposes of God and his generation. 505 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:07,640 Where's the comfort in that? I'm not going home until I do 506 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:09,360 the same. Neither are you. 507 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,200 If you're walking with the Lord, if you don't have an early 508 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,600 departure due to unrepentant sin, where the Lord says I love 509 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:15,640 you son, I love you daughter, but. 510 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,440 Because you're not honoring me. It's time to come home early. 511 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,800 That's possible. I'm talking about those who are 512 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:25,760 perpetually set on living this brief life for His name's sake. 513 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:31,480 You will not transition, you will not graduate until you 514 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:33,200 fulfill His purpose in your life. 515 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,400 That's the comfort that's comforted me on many flights 516 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:40,040 with intense, you know, shaking and turbulence. 517 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,080 Another scary moment to my life. Lord, I'm not going anywhere 518 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:48,680 until I And if I do, if it ends here, it means I'm done in your 519 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:53,000 perfect wisdom. But when studying Second Kings 520 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:55,880 11, particularly verse 10, there's yet another layer to 521 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,800 that verse in the New Testament. And it is this, that although 522 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:03,520 David served the purpose of God in his own generation, it 523 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:07,280 brought blessing to more generations. 524 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:13,360 What do I mean by that? You have these men who are 525 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:17,560 fighting for their survival, and they're utilizing the weapons 526 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:22,199 that David had when he lived and served God's purposes. 527 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:27,239 David made great investments. To the House of God, did he not? 528 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:29,719 I mean, that's all he thought about, Psalms tells us. 529 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,920 He lost sleep. He couldn't even imagine going 530 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:36,960 on in his life or passing off from his life until he brought 531 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:41,960 every contribution he can make. To the House of God being what 532 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:45,639 God intended it to be, and that includes the weapons that he had 533 00:34:45,639 --> 00:34:48,520 in the House of God. And so here's what you have 534 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,280 here. You have David who made these 535 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:54,159 contributions in his life, simply honoring God in his life 536 00:34:55,760 --> 00:35:00,080 and years past, generations past and what he did in his life 537 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:05,440 brought aid and brought so much help in a generation to come. 538 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:11,840 Don't underestimate your contribution, your life set 539 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:14,560 apart for the Lord, the investments that you make in the 540 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:18,400 House of the Lord today because it has the potential not just to 541 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,800 bless those in your life, but beyond your life. 542 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,840 That's what I see here, that what David did in his life would 543 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:31,360 end up actually preserving the legacy, even the spiritual 544 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:36,040 legacy of his family. I wish more people would get 545 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:40,200 this, that your walk with the Lord today can make an impact on 546 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:43,600 future walks with the Lord now that that's our goal. 547 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:48,480 But it's a wonderful byproduct and it's a wonderful thing to 548 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,400 motivate yourself with in times where you feel like maybe this 549 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:53,560 isn't really making the impact that I thought it would. 550 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:58,400 Like Jehoshaphat in the positive, at least with David, 551 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,400 I'm sure he didn't think that what he gave to the House of the 552 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:06,880 Lord would come in handy when a Bale worshipper was ready to 553 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:12,800 eradicate his descendants. There's nothing that you do for 554 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:17,120 the Lord that is in vain. There is not one ministry that 555 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:19,280 you're participating in that is wasteful. 556 00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:25,440 Your holiness today can inspire others to be holy tomorrow. 557 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:30,640 So yes, he served the purpose of God in his own generation, but 558 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,960 it blessed another one. Believe the same for your own 559 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:38,000 life, should the Lord tarry. Let's come back to 2nd Kings 11. 560 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:45,800 In verse 11. In the guard stood every man 561 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:49,120 with his weapons in his hand, from the South side of the house 562 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:51,680 to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house 563 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:54,520 on behalf of the king. Then he brought out the King's 564 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:58,760 son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony, And 565 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:01,720 they proclaimed him king, and anointed him, and they clapped 566 00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:04,440 their hands and said long. Live the king. 567 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:09,520 There's an interesting detail in those verses that I just read 568 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:13,360 that should stand out to us. I'll give you a hint. 569 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:16,520 It's an object. If you know it, say it out loud. 570 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,840 That's right. Not only was a crown place on 571 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:27,280 that small little head, but the testimony was placed in his 572 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:30,120 hand. What? 573 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:35,320 Can that testimony be any idea the Word of God? 574 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:40,320 So you have Jehoiada the priest seeking to recapture God's 575 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:43,520 original purposes for the kings of Israel. 576 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:46,160 Let me quote it to you, unless you want to turn there. 577 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:49,640 Meet me there in Deuteronomy 17 and notice what God's original 578 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:54,240 instructions were for the kings. Deuteronomy 1718. 579 00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:58,760 Even before 1 king occupied any throne, God intended the 580 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:02,240 following. Deuteronomy 1718 and when he 581 00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:04,000 sits on the throne of His Kingdom. 582 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:08,680 He shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law approved 583 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:16,080 by the Levitical priest, and it shall be with him, and he shall 584 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:19,920 read it in all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear 585 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:23,800 the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these 586 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:26,120 statutes and doing them. You know what I learned from 587 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:27,480 this? If I am reading my Bible 588 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:30,400 regularly faithfully and I'm not growing in my fear of the of the 589 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:31,840 Lord, I'm not reading my Bible right. 590 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:35,400 That's another point, another sermon for another time. 591 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:42,480 But notice this non negotiable. Any king was not just to receive 592 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:44,640 a copy the law. They were to write down their 593 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:50,400 own version by hand and I had to go through the Levitical priests 594 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,920 and say, all right, everything looks like it honors the 595 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:55,320 original text. This is yours, and you were to 596 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:58,960 keep it, and you were to have a daily interaction with it. 597 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,960 Now, though we are not told, Let's just assume 598 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:09,960 hypothetically, that Jehoiada approached the new king in this 599 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:13,400 manner. Then we can safely say that he 600 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:16,400 helped this little boy even write his own copy. 601 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:20,200 I'd like to think so, that he was there over his shoulder 602 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:23,400 while the seven-year old was putting together his own 603 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:25,920 version. Of the law. 604 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:32,280 And if that's the case, what a model it is for us concerning 605 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:36,080 our offspring and our children and the ministries to these 606 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:40,000 little ones that we have in this church, that we should not delay 607 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:44,120 giving them God's Word and letting them familiarize 608 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:48,320 themselves with God's Word and to digest God's Word and to 609 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:51,720 become familiar with the terrain of Scripture from old to new, 610 00:39:51,840 --> 00:39:54,720 all that God has to offer us. Let me remind. 611 00:39:54,720 --> 00:40:02,600 You that this king is not 17. He's 7, he's 7, and this very 612 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:05,480 intelligent man did not underestimate the ability of the 613 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:09,040 seven-year old to receive God's word and for it to form and 614 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:11,880 shape his thinking and develop him as a young man. 615 00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:18,240 So why do we assume that those under our care can't get it? 616 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:22,680 They can, and God reveals that in many ways, including in this 617 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:26,320 instance. So the testimony is in His hand 618 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:28,920 that moves me more than this crown on his brow. 619 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:33,520 I wonder when the last time a king of Judah did this. 620 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:36,480 So this is remarkable. This is significant. 621 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:39,280 Let's come back to our main text. 622 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,320 Somebody is not happy about it. We are. 623 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:50,120 But there's a lady that's not in verse 13, when Athalia heard the 624 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:53,440 noise of the guard and other people, she went into the House 625 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,360 of the Lord to the people. And when she looked, there was 626 00:40:56,360 --> 00:40:59,640 the king standing by the pillar according to the custom, and the 627 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:02,960 captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the 628 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:07,360 people of the land rejoicing. And blowing trumpets. 629 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:11,400 And Athalia tore her clothes and cried treason. 630 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:15,600 Treason. This lady's crazy. 631 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:24,360 Who's a treasonous 1 here? Her or the rightful heir of the 632 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:28,720 throne, A descendant of David? No, no, it's not treasonous for 633 00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:33,760 her to murder David's house and to assume that she has the right 634 00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:38,760 to sit on a throne that belonged to one person in his family. 635 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:42,920 And she's totally convinced of this, by the way. 636 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:44,960 This is just a reactionary thing. 637 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:47,280 Down deep inside, she believes that this is treason. 638 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:52,160 And it's a reminder to us of how sin can warp our thinking. 639 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:58,840 See, the fact that this boy Joash would now occupy that 640 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:02,040 throne is in complete agreement with God's will. 641 00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:05,560 And here you have this woman who thought what she did was right 642 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:13,160 and God's will being performed was actually evil, such as the 643 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:15,720 ways of those who are overtaken by wickedness. 644 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:20,600 It literally rewires the way you make judgments, the way you 645 00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:23,880 understand everything. And here you have a woman who is 646 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:28,560 so corrupt that she can actually justify her actions while 647 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:31,680 condemning what God desired all along. 648 00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:36,360 And I say that to remind you and your interactions with those who 649 00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:38,960 are living in sin. Do not be surprised at their 650 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:42,480 convictions, what they believe, what they think about what you 651 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,400 believe. And if anything, that should 652 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,920 give us more reason to rejoice at the miracle of salvation. 653 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:52,160 It is indeed a miracle. It is. 654 00:42:53,800 --> 00:42:56,400 And so the Bible is never, never, never shy of showing us 655 00:42:57,200 --> 00:43:00,960 the depravity of men and what it is capable of doing and 656 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:03,120 understanding and our thinking and our actions and our 657 00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:07,000 interactions. So she says treason, treason. 658 00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:09,800 Woe to those who call good evil and evil good. 659 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:13,840 Verse 15 And then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains 660 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:16,320 who were set over the army, bring her out between the ranks, 661 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:19,480 and put to death with the sword anyone who follows her. 662 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:22,960 For the priest that let her not be put to death in the House of 663 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:26,280 the Lord, so they laid hands on her, and she went through the 664 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:29,520 horses entrance to the King's house, and there she was put to 665 00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:31,920 death. And Jehoiada made a covenant 666 00:43:31,920 --> 00:43:34,920 between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be 667 00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:37,880 the Lord's people, and also between the king and the people. 668 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,440 Then all the people, the land went to the House of Bail and 669 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:43,720 tore it down his altars and his images. 670 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:46,480 They broke in pieces, and they killed Matan, the priest of 671 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:50,360 Bail, before the altars, and the priest posted Watchmen over the 672 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:53,640 House of the Lord, and he took the captains, the carrots, the 673 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:55,440 guards, and all the people of the land. 674 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:57,680 And they brought the king down from the House of the Lord, 675 00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:00,400 marching through the gate of the guards to the King's. 676 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:06,520 House And he took his seat on the throne of the kings saw all 677 00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:10,640 the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet after 678 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:14,120 Athalia had been put to death with the sword at the King's 679 00:44:14,120 --> 00:44:17,320 house. Joash was seven years old when 680 00:44:17,320 --> 00:44:20,880 he began to rain. I read that all in one shot to 681 00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:25,120 hopefully give you a full picture of what happened in this 682 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:28,760 Kingdom. Simply put, revival breaks out. 683 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:35,440 A much needed national spiritual renewal was unleashed. 684 00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:38,520 And here's what moves me about this. 685 00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:44,720 It began with a couple. It began with a husband and wife 686 00:44:45,520 --> 00:44:48,600 who are willing to lose their lives for the glory of God. 687 00:44:48,920 --> 00:44:51,400 And what did it lead to Accommodate in verse 18. 688 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:54,720 Look at verse 18. Then all the people of the land 689 00:44:55,120 --> 00:44:57,280 went to the House of Baal and tore it down. 690 00:44:58,920 --> 00:45:02,840 All the people. But where did it start from? 691 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:05,520 A godly husband and the godly wife. 692 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:10,760 They were the catalyst for a move of God in this land. 693 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:20,160 And that brings me joy to know how God can start something, how 694 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:22,520 God can move something in a direction that we never thought 695 00:45:22,520 --> 00:45:26,040 or fathom if we are but faithful with whatever opportunities he 696 00:45:26,040 --> 00:45:29,720 presents us. Moreover, there's also 697 00:45:29,720 --> 00:45:32,040 encouragement here about the infectious influence of a 698 00:45:32,040 --> 00:45:34,640 minister. Now, that might sound awkward 699 00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:40,600 coming from the pulpit, but I'm not making any other claim other 700 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:43,080 than an objective observation from this Bible study. 701 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:49,680 Yes, Jehoiad, that was not a famous person per SE, but he did 702 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:53,360 have a platform. He did have spiritual authority, 703 00:45:53,720 --> 00:45:57,560 and he leveraged that. He used it at a time where there 704 00:45:57,560 --> 00:46:00,880 was a great need for a reversal in his culture. 705 00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:07,680 God honored this man's efforts as a leader to speak out to 706 00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:11,080 work. To see things happen, and it 707 00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:14,560 did. And this isn't just reserved for 708 00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:16,200 pastors. I mean, I would use this point 709 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:19,680 if I was speaking to a room of pastors to remain faithful and 710 00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:23,000 to believe that God can actually change the course of a nation if 711 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:25,680 you but just be faithful to what he's told you. 712 00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:28,920 If you're willing to stand your ground and speak out against the 713 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:32,840 atrocities and the compromise around you, God can use you, 714 00:46:32,840 --> 00:46:40,400 yes, you, to inspire millions. That's not promised, but it's 715 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:43,080 possible. But it's not just limited that 716 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:47,360 it's for any of us who have any kind of platform, any kind of 717 00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:53,080 influence do not. Hesitate to speak out in honor 718 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:56,280 of Jesus Christ. Do not hold back. 719 00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:59,560 Do not be intimidated. What would this story be if 720 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:01,480 Jehoiada made the choice, you know? 721 00:47:01,480 --> 00:47:04,480 Well, I know Thalia is on a rampage here, but I'm a priest. 722 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:05,600 I mean, I'm just in charge of the temple. 723 00:47:05,600 --> 00:47:06,920 I don't want to step outside of my lane. 724 00:47:06,920 --> 00:47:08,800 So let her do what she has. I'm just going to trust in God's 725 00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:12,880 sovereignty. We wouldn't have the story if he 726 00:47:12,880 --> 00:47:17,200 caved on a cowardice. We wouldn't. 727 00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:22,160 One decision from one man who was willing to risk everything 728 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:24,000 because he saw that it was worth it. 729 00:47:24,680 --> 00:47:29,720 He could not fathom both him and his wife that the Divinic 730 00:47:29,720 --> 00:47:32,120 dynasty. Which ultimately pointed to 731 00:47:32,120 --> 00:47:36,760 God's faithfulness would be tainted and so he made a stance. 732 00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:42,560 Make a stance. When the opportunity arises, 733 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:46,520 make a stance. You have no idea how that can 734 00:47:46,520 --> 00:47:50,400 inspire others unto righteousness in your workplace 735 00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:52,120 and your family. Online. 736 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:55,480 Though I am not a fan of the platforms that have made made 737 00:47:55,480 --> 00:47:59,400 available to anybody as much as the world that we're living in 738 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:02,120 is a great cost for the gospel that there's also negative side. 739 00:48:02,240 --> 00:48:05,240 Anybody can say anything that they want and usually it's the 740 00:48:05,240 --> 00:48:11,960 junkie stuff that gets popular. That being said, joy that also 741 00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:14,240 has something to teach us about the wisdom of standing for the 742 00:48:14,240 --> 00:48:19,520 truth in an age of moral decay. Because he didn't just. 743 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:22,840 Run out of the temple and raise his first. 744 00:48:22,840 --> 00:48:25,640 Against Athalia and show everybody that the baby was 745 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:27,160 still preserved. He didn't do that. 746 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:31,000 He was calculated. He was, I'm sure, prayerful. 747 00:48:31,160 --> 00:48:34,560 He knew how to wait on the Lord. Because there are people with 748 00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:39,840 good intentions that want to make a case, that want to see 749 00:48:39,840 --> 00:48:42,560 God's glory shine in a time of darkness. 750 00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:46,320 But because of their immaturity, or probably the wrong place, the 751 00:48:46,320 --> 00:48:48,840 wrong time, the wrong word, they do more damage than good. 752 00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:53,320 And So what this man shows us is that you and I need to depend on 753 00:48:53,320 --> 00:48:56,680 the Holy Spirit and ask when it is the right time to say 754 00:48:56,680 --> 00:48:59,520 something, and when is the best thing and the best time to 755 00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:05,680 remain silent. Let me make this final comment, 756 00:49:06,400 --> 00:49:09,120 verse 20. So all the people of the land 757 00:49:09,160 --> 00:49:15,240 rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athalia had been put to 758 00:49:15,240 --> 00:49:17,960 death with the sword at the King's house. 759 00:49:19,720 --> 00:49:26,040 Earlier I made reference to how this is just a brief episode of 760 00:49:26,040 --> 00:49:32,400 a bigger picture, Satan trying to thwart the purposes of God, 761 00:49:34,080 --> 00:49:35,440 and that picture still continues. 762 00:49:35,440 --> 00:49:39,960 Here you have God prevailing, and the last time I make the 763 00:49:39,960 --> 00:49:42,360 case, the last time that the king of Judah knew true 764 00:49:42,360 --> 00:49:45,120 quietness and peace, must have been in days of Solomon when he 765 00:49:45,120 --> 00:49:50,960 was ruling in His righteousness. But it points to a time of 766 00:49:50,960 --> 00:49:54,720 quietness that will be realized when the true Son of David 767 00:49:54,720 --> 00:50:01,400 comes, where Satan's total Kingdom, his complete rule, will 768 00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:06,640 be ransacked, will be destroyed, and Jesus Christ will sit upon 769 00:50:06,640 --> 00:50:11,280 that throne as a declaration for the ages that He has kept His 770 00:50:11,280 --> 00:50:13,760 word. And you and I will know. 771 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:18,120 Not temporary quietness because unfortunately, Joash, he's not 772 00:50:18,120 --> 00:50:21,200 going to last. I know that might be striking, 773 00:50:21,200 --> 00:50:24,440 but that's the case. You've been studying kings with 774 00:50:24,440 --> 00:50:27,560 us for many months now. The whole point of kings really 775 00:50:27,560 --> 00:50:30,080 is, yes, we're getting practical lessons, but to be reminded that 776 00:50:30,080 --> 00:50:35,720 there's no king like King Jesus. This is a temporary quietness. 777 00:50:37,040 --> 00:50:40,400 But because we serve King Jesus, there is a permanent peace that 778 00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:43,880 will be our inheritance, and we will enjoy it with him forever 779 00:50:43,880 --> 00:50:45,320 and ever. Let's worship 780 00:51:04,910 --> 00:51:05,790 him, though. We thank you. 781 00:51:06,750 --> 00:51:14,670 We thank you from the bottom of our hearts that every word in 782 00:51:14,670 --> 00:51:20,910 this book is authored by you. Every story, every account, 783 00:51:20,910 --> 00:51:26,950 every narrative, every maxim, every proverb, every epistle, 784 00:51:27,600 --> 00:51:29,320 every prophecy, it's all from you. 785 00:51:30,680 --> 00:51:33,600 And Lord, if it has not made an impact on our hearts, on our 786 00:51:33,600 --> 00:51:39,080 worship this past hour, whatever may stand as an obstacle, we 787 00:51:39,080 --> 00:51:41,600 pray that you remove it. And even in these final, final 788 00:51:41,600 --> 00:51:45,960 moments of this study, rush our souls with the revelation of 789 00:51:45,960 --> 00:51:50,360 your brilliance, your beauty, your power, your might. 790 00:51:50,360 --> 00:51:53,640 Lord, we, we have not come just to meet with words. 791 00:51:53,640 --> 00:51:57,440 We've come to meet with you and we pray that we would all leave 792 00:51:57,440 --> 00:52:02,600 this place with a greater perception of your person, a 793 00:52:02,600 --> 00:52:08,040 greater sense of your nearness. Thank you for building our faith 794 00:52:08,040 --> 00:52:13,400 that we can draw life altering truths from any part of this 795 00:52:13,400 --> 00:52:16,240 word. You've been faithful to show us 796 00:52:16,240 --> 00:52:20,000 that week after week after week. And Lord, we as your church 797 00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:23,400 afresh crown you as our King with joy. 798 00:52:23,400 --> 00:52:27,440 We say you are All in all. There is none like you. 799 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:30,480 We will not turn back. By your grace, we want to serve 800 00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:31,960 you. So Lord, give us the wisdom to 801 00:52:31,960 --> 00:52:34,480 know when to speak out and when to stay silent. 802 00:52:35,880 --> 00:52:40,640 Give us the motivation when we feel as though what we're doing 803 00:52:40,640 --> 00:52:45,080 now may not have lasting impact. In your wisdom, if you want us 804 00:52:45,080 --> 00:52:50,000 to see the impact, you will show us, but you may never, and we 805 00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:52,680 should trust that our efforts are never in vain. 806 00:52:55,880 --> 00:52:58,800 Lord, we give you glory tonight and we just ask that in these 807 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:03,360 final moments you would you would minister to our hearts in 808 00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:07,080 Jesus name, Amen. You join me as we stand and 809 00:53:07,080 --> 00:53:11,280 worship the living King. What a mighty God we serve 810 00:53:11,280 --> 00:53:55,360 tonight. Only a Christian can sing about 811 00:53:55,360 --> 00:53:59,000 his God being sovereign, the supreme ruler of all things, and 812 00:53:59,000 --> 00:54:02,440 in the same song say that he is my sweetest friend. 813 00:54:03,480 --> 00:54:07,440 Only a Christian. There is no God like our God, 814 00:54:09,040 --> 00:54:13,360 and in a Bible study like this, it's possible for there to be a 815 00:54:13,600 --> 00:54:16,680 curious Inquirer. But somebody who has not made 816 00:54:16,680 --> 00:54:19,840 Jesus King, I wonder if you know him. 817 00:54:20,960 --> 00:54:24,880 And if you don't, my question to you is, why not? 818 00:54:27,320 --> 00:54:31,160 This king stooped down and came into this world. 819 00:54:32,720 --> 00:54:35,960 He took on flesh. He lived the perfect life. 820 00:54:36,680 --> 00:54:39,560 There is no sin. There is not even a thought that 821 00:54:39,560 --> 00:54:44,720 dishonored the will of God and he lived this perfect life. 822 00:54:44,720 --> 00:54:50,720 Not so that he can impress historians or have people follow 823 00:54:50,840 --> 00:54:54,040 his example. Merely He lived the perfect life 824 00:54:55,000 --> 00:54:58,600 and then died to death. He didn't deserve so that your 825 00:54:58,600 --> 00:55:02,280 imperfect life and you who deserve to die because of your 826 00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:07,760 sin can receive his righteousness and you can expel 827 00:55:07,840 --> 00:55:11,040 by faith the condemnation that looms over your head. 828 00:55:11,880 --> 00:55:14,360 Let me let me speak as plainly as possible. 829 00:55:15,240 --> 00:55:20,200 Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins even when you 830 00:55:20,200 --> 00:55:24,360 didn't ask for, even when you were an enemy, He still pursued 831 00:55:24,360 --> 00:55:29,480 you in that way. And he makes this move in order 832 00:55:29,480 --> 00:55:32,680 to show you his great love for you and that now there has been 833 00:55:32,680 --> 00:55:35,920 a way made for you to be redeemed for eternity. 834 00:55:37,640 --> 00:55:40,400 And I want to end this way in case. 835 00:55:40,640 --> 00:55:43,960 That somebody who walked in here and might have been 836 00:55:43,960 --> 00:55:47,520 intellectually stimulated, but would walk out without a chance 837 00:55:47,520 --> 00:55:51,680 of knowing how they can come to the knowledge of the Savior. 838 00:55:51,800 --> 00:55:55,760 So let me end it in this way. You must repent and believe what 839 00:55:55,760 --> 00:55:58,600 Christ has done for you. That is what He asks of you. 840 00:55:59,040 --> 00:56:01,600 So you must realize what your sin has done to place the 841 00:56:01,880 --> 00:56:08,520 sinless Son of God on a cross, but you must also realize that 842 00:56:08,520 --> 00:56:11,800 His great love, he is willing to receive you if you turn from 843 00:56:11,800 --> 00:56:16,040 that sin and embrace the gift of God in Christ Jesus. 844 00:56:18,120 --> 00:56:21,320 So have you done that? If you've never consciously made 845 00:56:21,320 --> 00:56:24,520 the choice to say, I hate my sin, I see what my sin has done. 846 00:56:24,520 --> 00:56:28,640 I see the great treason that it is, and now I renounce it and I 847 00:56:28,640 --> 00:56:32,600 realize that I have someone who paid for my sin and paid for my 848 00:56:32,600 --> 00:56:34,920 debt. Yes, only in Jesus. 849 00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:38,720 If you haven't done that, why not make that decision today? 850 00:56:39,520 --> 00:56:43,120 Why not make the conscious choice tonight and you can mark 851 00:56:43,120 --> 00:56:45,640 it on your calendar that this was the moment that I was 852 00:56:45,640 --> 00:56:48,480 transferred from the domain of darkness and was brought to the 853 00:56:48,480 --> 00:56:52,120 Kingdom of His beloved Son. You can know Jesus Christ, not 854 00:56:52,120 --> 00:56:54,200 just hear Bible studies about Him, not just hear your 855 00:56:54,200 --> 00:56:57,720 Christian relatives or friends discuss it to you, but you 856 00:56:57,720 --> 00:57:00,920 yourself can have your heart filled with the knowledge of God 857 00:57:00,920 --> 00:57:03,520 as His Holy Spirit invades your heart. 858 00:57:04,120 --> 00:57:07,120 Once you recognize that you confess your sin, He will 859 00:57:07,120 --> 00:57:09,360 justify you. You will be deemed the child of 860 00:57:09,360 --> 00:57:12,760 God, and you will. Walk this life with the shepherd 861 00:57:12,760 --> 00:57:15,320 of your soul. You have to make that choice, 862 00:57:15,760 --> 00:57:19,280 and I pray that you would. Lord, we ask that every person 863 00:57:19,280 --> 00:57:25,120 in this place tonight would be someone who walks with you. 864 00:57:25,600 --> 00:57:27,880 Every person, Lord, if there's even one person who doesn't know 865 00:57:27,880 --> 00:57:30,600 you, may you in your goodness convict them. 866 00:57:30,680 --> 00:57:33,720 Do what no preacher can do, no matter what kind of eloquence or 867 00:57:33,720 --> 00:57:36,240 insight they might have. Only you can convict the human 868 00:57:36,240 --> 00:57:38,040 heart. And we pray that that would be 869 00:57:38,040 --> 00:57:40,960 the portion of the one who doesn't know you tonight, and 870 00:57:40,960 --> 00:57:43,440 that you would receive maximum glory in their repentance. 871 00:57:43,960 --> 00:57:46,360 Lord, for us who know you, help us fall deeper in love with you. 872 00:57:46,760 --> 00:57:48,920 Rescue us from dangerous familiarity. 873 00:57:49,360 --> 00:57:53,600 Bring us to the place of fresh infatuation with who you are, 874 00:57:54,080 --> 00:57:56,800 and we pray that you use these Friday nights and the Sunday 875 00:57:56,800 --> 00:58:00,840 afternoons and everything in between, Lord, to continue to 876 00:58:00,840 --> 00:58:03,040 stir our affections for Jesus Christ. 877 00:58:03,040 --> 00:58:05,640 Lord, we commit this night to you, thanking you for allowing 878 00:58:05,640 --> 00:58:09,680 us to meet in this way. In Jesus name we pray, Amen and 879 00:58:09,680 --> 00:58:10,640 Amen and Amen.