1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,240 You've tuned into a mega church. We are people hungry to 2 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,240 encounter God through worship and His Word being witnesses to 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,760 the world around us. We pray this teaching blesses 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,320 you and trust God will reveal Himself to you in a new way 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:16,680 today. And. 6 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,040 If you need prayer for healing or breakthrough, Want to find 7 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,600 out more about Omega? Get to our website or Facebook 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:29,760 page through the links below. We are studying the book of 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,280 Nehemiah, and last week we studied Chapter 9. 10 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,160 This week we are going to look at chapter 10. 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,960 But the background to understanding this chapter is 12 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,160 somewhere else. The background is in the book of 13 00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:47,280 Deuteronomy chapter 2827, Chapter 11, and in book of 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,240 Joshua Chapter 7 and 8. It's scattered all over because 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:57,240 God was delivering the Israelites from Egypt, bringing 16 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,240 them out and through. Moses gave a command. 17 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:05,560 When you enter the land, you ought to read out the blessings 18 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,640 from the Mount of Gerizim and curses from the Mount of Ebal. 19 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:13,200 There is a picture there. Can we see the picture, please? 20 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:15,800 It's in the drive. I forgot it. 21 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,240 When you have time, you can retrieve it. 22 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:19,360 It's in the drive. Thank you. 23 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:24,080 So the distance between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal is about 24 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,160 less than two kilometers, or about two kilometers. 25 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,360 Now you've got 6 tribes standing up on Mount Gerizim and the 26 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,280 other 6 tribes standing on Mount Ebal. 27 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,000 And many of the leaders, most of the leaders would be there, not 28 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,560 all the people, because there's 1,000,000 + 1,000,000, two 29 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,560 million. You cannot stand on the hills. 30 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:45,720 So you've got the leaders of the tribes, six of them on Mayor 31 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:50,080 Gerizim and six of them on Mount Ebal, and they are to read out 32 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,240 blessings from Gerizim and cursors from Ibar. 33 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:57,160 Now you have to shout from Mount Gerizim so people can hear on 34 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:01,760 Mount Ebal and say Amen. And when they shout out the 35 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,760 words again from the Mount of Ibar, the people on Mount 36 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,400 Gerizim should hear it and say Amen. 37 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,240 Every time they read out a blessing, all the people would 38 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:16,760 say Amen and imagine the whole place to mountain shaking with. 39 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,920 I am 100% sure the mountains must have been shaking. 40 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:26,960 When the people are shouting Amen, that is it. 41 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:32,240 So you see here on the left, Mount Gerizim, it shows 881 42 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:37,360 meters from sea level and Mount Ebal is 940 meters from sea 43 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:44,760 level and this was 2890 feet and that is 3084 feet. 44 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:50,920 And I was just trying to imagine what must be the thing blessing 45 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,760 and the curses, you know, you need to, you need to dominate 46 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,000 blessings should actually dominate the curses basically. 47 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,600 But here you see that the height of the curses is more. 48 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:10,080 What am I trying to see here is that when we are obeying God, 49 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,040 when we are following His commandments, you will 50 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,280 experience the blessings. And you may not be really 51 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,600 overjoyed about it, but when you break it, the way the curse 52 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:21,520 comes, you're going to feel more of it. 53 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:24,520 You'll feel the curse more strongly. 54 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:27,520 I don't know. This is what I'm thinking. 55 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,760 All the good things I'm enjoying in life, but I'm not grateful to 56 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:32,360 God. I'm not thanking Him every day. 57 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:33,760 Oh, I thank you for the sunshine. 58 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:35,640 How many people do that? Only in public prayer. 59 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,680 They do it. Oh, she does it. 60 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,880 Somebody is raising the hand. That's good. 61 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,800 So every small thing, we need to praise God for every small 62 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,480 thing, every blessing. You know, when I look at the 63 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:52,160 whole universe, why should God make such a huge universe which 64 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:56,880 man can never travel through? Even if you travel the speed of 65 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,240 light, you won't touch the other end of the universe. 66 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:04,120 So big He made so that this small earth can be supported by 67 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,160 such a huge universe. It's not even 1%. 68 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,600 It is 0.0. Oh, oh, oh, oh, 1% of the whole 69 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,280 mass of the universe is the earth. 70 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,000 You can't even see after certain distance, you can't even see the 71 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,440 earth. Like a pinhead in a paper 72 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,720 pinhead. Even that says you cannot see 73 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,280 the earth. It is so small, tiny. 74 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:27,560 But God has set his eye on this earth and sustaining life on 75 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:33,760 this earth and is blessed. It's just overwhelming to think 76 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,320 of God's blessing. It's overwhelming experience to 77 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,360 think of God's blessing at the same time, when we deserve a 78 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,520 God, we will feel His hand. It is inbuilt. 79 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,480 It's inbuilt. It's called in theology, they 80 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,320 call it law of retributive justice. 81 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,800 Sometimes people get away. Somebody can murder and may not 82 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,720 be found out. He may never experience, but 83 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:01,120 some people are caught after 30 years, you know, or 40 years. 84 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:05,880 Sometimes that's the justice catches up at some time or the 85 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,120 other. But what we are trying to focus 86 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:15,120 here is Chapter 9, verse 2038. In view of all this, we are 87 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:19,640 making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our 88 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:24,120 leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seal 89 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:29,200 to it. What is happening here is OK now 90 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,280 We have been in captivity, we have come back and rebuild the 91 00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:34,360 walls and the temple cells are restored. 92 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,560 Everything is going good. But the all these things have 93 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,240 happened, but now is the time to renew our covenant. 94 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,240 Everybody said renewing the covenant, its time to renew our 95 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:50,960 covenant. Now this is ordained by law that 96 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,320 once in seven years they had to read the law. 97 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,000 That's what we have seen in chapter 8 Ezra was doing. 98 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:00,920 He stood up and read the law and now they had to renew the 99 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,200 covenant. So they are now saying, OK, all 100 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,960 of us people cannot come and sign on it, but we push our 101 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,240 leaders to go and put their stamp on the agreement. 102 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,200 What are they trying to do here? They are committing themselves 103 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,520 to do everything that is in the law. 104 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:19,160 They are committing themselves to do everything in the law. 105 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:24,880 So here in chapter 10, we see those who sealed it were so they 106 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:26,480 said they are going to come and seal it. 107 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,400 So who are the people who came and sealed it? 108 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:29,920 You've got a list of people there. 109 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,520 It begins with Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliya. 110 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,600 So he's an he's the leader who has come back, who left his job 111 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,920 to be a cupbearer in the presence of the king. 112 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,720 And now he's helped the people, united them, gave them a vision 113 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:47,920 and motivated them. And the walls are built. 114 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,880 Now people are coming back and settling down in Jerusalem. 115 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,160 Before it was less populated. Now they are saying, OK, some of 116 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,200 you have to come in because too few are living inside. 117 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,280 So they cost lots. You'll see it in the next 118 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:02,600 chapter. They cost lots who should come 119 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,600 and live in Jerusalem. Cool. 120 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:09,480 So he is the first one mentioned and he's right because he's the 121 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,160 leader. He's the first one to say I put 122 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,120 my seal on it. I agree with it, it's good. 123 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,760 But what is not mentioned there in the chapter, in chapter 10, 124 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,560 verse one is the name of Eliashib, who is Eliashib. 125 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,440 Eliashib is a high priest. His name is not there. 126 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,880 Why is his name is not there? Because two of his children are 127 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:34,640 married to non Jewish people. Two of his children are married 128 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,120 to non Jewish people. So because this is going against 129 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,960 him, he's absent from the sea. Anything. 130 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:44,760 It looks right to me what he's doing. 131 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,720 He's saying OK. He's not saying, ah my son, I 132 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,320 have given my children to non Jewish people, but yet I will 133 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:52,880 come and sign it. He's not saying it. 134 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:54,880 That's good on his part. At least he's accepting his 135 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,960 guilt and staying away from it so, so many times. 136 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:00,760 Sometimes the silence of scripture. 137 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,440 We need to find out why Scripture is silent on some 138 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,120 things. It will not talk about the 139 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,560 mistakes. And particularly here, Alia Ship 140 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,680 is not being mentioned, is actually an act of grace. 141 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,440 His name is not mentioned. Polish people have put his name 142 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,480 there. Alia Ship, his sons and 143 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,120 daughters are married to somebody else. 144 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:20,800 That's why he's not signing the document. 145 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,640 Is it written there? No, it's an act of grace. 146 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,800 Our sins are overlooked by Holy Spirit sometimes for the good, 147 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,720 for our encouragement. But at the same time, I tell you 148 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,600 somewhere Sami says I am not punished account to my sins. 149 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:40,679 We are not punished account to our sins. 150 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:45,520 But you are blessed more beyond your imagination when you focus 151 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,080 on the blessings. It's just mind blowing and God 152 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:50,880 doesn't deal with us account to our sins. 153 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,560 And then you have here other names, Zedekiah, Seraya, 154 00:08:55,560 --> 00:09:00,880 Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashu, the length goes and the name of Ezra 155 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:06,600 is not there, is it there in chapter 10 you don't find the 156 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,920 name of Ezra, why his fathers name is mentioned there? 157 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:14,200 Seraya Isa after the name of the governor, the son of Akalaya, 158 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:15,560 Zedekiah. Seraya. 159 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,760 Seraya is the father of Ezra. So because his father's name is 160 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,200 mentioned, Israel is including the father. 161 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,240 So there is no separate mention of Israel there. 162 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:28,880 Are you excited to hear something? 163 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:36,680 So when you sit down and study all these kind of things, it 164 00:09:36,680 --> 00:09:39,360 just, I get excited about the word, you know. 165 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,480 Oh this is so awesome. So Ezra is mentioned because his 166 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:45,920 fathers name is mentioned. Ezra is not mentioned in 167 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,120 particularly by name is not there, but his fathers name is 168 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:50,800 there because the father is the head. 169 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,440 He is taking second place. Even though he's a leader, he's 170 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,760 hiding under the fathers name. That's really good. 171 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,280 So now you go through all these names. 172 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,320 I think the names number about 44. 173 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:09,920 I could be right or wrong about it. 44 people have sealed with 174 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,360 their signature seal the document. 175 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,560 I don't know whether we should do something like that, but at 176 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:19,640 the end of this message I may be encouraged to say if you are 177 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,760 committing yourself to study the Word, you want to obey the Word 178 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,080 and preach the Word, stand up. You make an agreement with God, 179 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,920 you make a cover with God that you will study this book and you 180 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,360 will obey what is written in the book and that you will preach it 181 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,920 to others from the book. That's the motto of Ezra. 182 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:43,080 And we will try to do it at the end of the message. 183 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,560 And then who are the people who different kinds of people are 184 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:48,480 involved in signing the document? 185 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,520 So you have the Levites. This whole list is Levites. 186 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:57,600 And then you have again some more mentioned Levites. 187 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:01,880 And then you have leaders of the people and you have got, what 188 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:03,720 are the names? Yeah, these were the priests, 189 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,680 sorry, priests, Levis, leaders of the people. 190 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,880 That is chiefs of the nation, the main groups. 191 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:14,200 Every tribe has its head and sometimes they divide the 192 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:19,120 Israelites, you know, they tried to have 1 / 1001 / 101 over a 10 193 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,000 for the purpose of regrouping and going into battle, that kind 194 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,640 of a thing. So the these people were the 195 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:30,520 chiefs, main people who are controlling, controlling the 196 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,320 events in Israel. So they were all there, leaders 197 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,280 of the people or the chiefs of the nation were there. 198 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:41,640 The rest of the people was 28 priests, Levites. 199 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,200 Priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and 200 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,200 all who separated themselves from the neighbor, neighboring 201 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,080 peoples for the sake of the law of God, together with their 202 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,720 wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to 203 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,120 understand. Now that is again a very 204 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,480 important Scripture. That is verse 28, who are 205 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,520 involved somehow put their document the seal, but somehow 206 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,680 not, but they are agreeing to it. 207 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:16,920 They are saying who are the people agreeing to it? 208 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,560 Rest of the people. Who are the rest of the people? 209 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,680 Priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, all 210 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:26,880 who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the 211 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,800 sake of the law of God. Now when the revival comes, this 212 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:32,600 is what we continue. Last week we said revival 213 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,520 continuing. So what is the impact of 214 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,600 revival? Ask the question to neighbor, 215 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:43,400 what's the impact of revival? I don't hear anything. 216 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:51,040 Can you say one more time? Yes, the impact of river will 217 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:54,800 affect every part of your life. And here first thing they see 218 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:59,400 here is that they are separating with their wives all the sensors 219 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:03,600 who are able to understand all these now join their brothers 220 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,400 and nobles and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to 221 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,640 follow the law of the Lord given through Moses and the servant of 222 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:12,640 God, and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations, 223 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:16,200 decrease of the Lord our God. So first requirement here is 224 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,800 they separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the 225 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,320 sake of the law of God. What does it mean? 226 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:26,920 How should we apply to ourselves? 227 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,520 Basically the Israelites were living with so many non Jewish 228 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,360 people also living with them and they were intermarrying and 229 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,280 having children and grandchildren and great 230 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:39,280 grandchildren, all these things. But now they are taking the most 231 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:43,080 difficult step is to separate themselves from non Jewish 232 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,720 people. I don't know that is applicable 233 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:48,960 today, but it's just historical thing. 234 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,320 But the point I'm trying to make is the New Testament also when 235 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:58,560 Paul rush to this kind of mixed marriage context, he says if the 236 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:02,800 wife is not a believer and the husband is a believer or husband 237 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:07,160 is a non believer and wife is a believer, if they want to live 238 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:09,120 together, let them live together. 239 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:11,440 But they should not have started it. 240 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,440 That's a different matter. OK, I am not with that. 241 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,640 You can just marry anybody. I am not saying that a believer 242 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:19,640 should marry only a believer. A Christian must marry a 243 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,360 Christian. But if it had had already 244 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:27,640 happened, let it continue. I am not saying no, no, you need 245 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:29,080 to separate. No, that is not the New 246 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:30,800 Testament. The Old Testament says you 247 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,360 separate. And they separated themselves. 248 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,400 They put away the wives and the children and grandchildren, 249 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:38,440 everything. They have done it. 250 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:42,080 It is a very difficult step to do for them and they have done 251 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:46,760 it. And everybody who can understand 252 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:52,000 now that is our Sunday school. Basically, if you have a child 253 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,760 that is able to understand they are part of this covenant. 254 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,760 They were making everybody. We don't separate the Sunday 255 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,360 school and the church, but for the sake of making the covenant, 256 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:08,120 everybody who can understand has to agree with it then was 30. 257 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,440 We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the 258 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,680 peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons. 259 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:23,360 This is actually again there is a what you call a customer. 260 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,720 I think it is almost all over the every country follows. 261 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:33,080 This is the is the when a man and a woman marry, the woman 262 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:38,240 leaves her family and goes to the husband husbands family and 263 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:39,560 nowadays it's not there too much. 264 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,040 When they are married, they have their own home. 265 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,200 That's a different matter now. But in the Old Testament they 266 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:47,280 carry the name whose name, surname changes. 267 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:51,040 A man's surname does not change. Usually it is a ladies surname 268 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,920 changes usually so that is going into that family take the name. 269 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,480 So that's what they are saying here is we promise not to give 270 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,800 our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their 271 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:06,400 daughters for our sons. That means basically there is no 272 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,160 intermarriage between different kinds of people. 273 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,800 Jews cannot marry non Jewish people and they want to uphold 274 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:16,400 the law now. So the revival when it comes, it 275 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,720 begins with marriage. It has to begin with marriage 276 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,240 and from there it goes on into different areas. 277 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,560 Next you see again in verse 31 when the neighboring people 278 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:32,720 being bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will 279 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:36,760 not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. 280 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,320 So it has to impact the business. 281 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,760 The non Jewish people want to do business seven days a week, so 282 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,920 they bring grain and merchandise from outside Jerusalem and they 283 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:50,160 want to come inside and sell it. And these people used to go and 284 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:52,880 buy it and name. I said no, you will not do it 285 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:54,720 anymore. And he shut the gate. 286 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:56,040 You'll see it in the next chapters. 287 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,840 You'll see it. He actually shut the gate on the 288 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:02,800 Sabbath and he did not allow anybody from outside Jerusalem 289 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:08,040 to come inside until the Sabbath is over to prevent people from 290 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,480 coming in to do business. And when they do business, 291 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,400 they're breaking the law, breaking Sabbath. 292 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,440 That's the reason why he said no, we should not break the 293 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:21,720 Sabbath and that is how it is going to impact it is affecting 294 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,800 the businesses. Then it continues every 7th 295 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:32,480 year. We will we will not, we will 296 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,000 forego working the land and will cancel all dates. 297 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:42,920 Now this is having a big impact again the the Deuteronomy, what 298 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:48,440 it says is you shall plough your land and grow crops and reap 299 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:52,360 everything for six years. The 7th year you will not plow 300 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:54,760 the land, you will not sow, you will not reap. 301 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,240 This is the Old Testament, OK. And now it doesn't happen 302 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:00,560 anywhere in any part of the world. 303 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,720 Nobody has a Sabbath. A sabbatical year is not being 304 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,840 followed. So 7th year is called in Hebrew 305 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:12,880 it is called smita, SMITAH smita smita. 306 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,800 So the 7th year is called sabbatical and 7th year is not 307 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,960 supposed to be no ploughing, no reaping, nothing. 308 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:21,600 Just you leave the land like that. 309 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:23,320 Whatever grows by itself, you take it. 310 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:28,400 Otherwise, no, you don't do anything and cancel the debts. 311 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,800 If you owe, if you give money to somebody, when the 7th year 312 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,680 comes, you have to cancel the debt He gives you back. 313 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,760 You take it, but it doesn't give you cancel it. 314 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:40,240 Wow. It is going to have economic 315 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:41,880 impact. It's going to have economic 316 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:48,080 implications, and when we obey the law of our God, we have to 317 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:56,240 be willing to lose some things to gain something. 318 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,000 Now what are you gaining? Why did God give you law? 319 00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:04,680 When you obey the law, you are in favor with God. 320 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,320 When you obey the law, every blessing pursues you. 321 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,680 When you obey the law, you are going to be healthy. 322 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,000 And when you obey the law, all your cattle will do well. 323 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,680 They will give their young ones at the right time, right season, 324 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:21,040 and your crops will bear fruit. I have a good testimony to share 325 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:24,400 about it. Once I went to Punjab, one small 326 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,120 meeting was supposed to be there by evening, 7:00 I think. 327 00:19:27,360 --> 00:19:29,840 And these guys took me round and round and reached me there at 328 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:35,120 9:00 or 10:00. Let's say this is group standing 329 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:36,960 there and I'm just coming from inside. 330 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:42,240 I step into the door and I see somebody at the back jerk like 331 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,440 this. I said, oh, something is 332 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:48,480 happening in this lady, you know, So I come, go to the wall 333 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,000 and I just sit there at the wall. 334 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,720 That's where people are filled up there. 335 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,480 So I sit near the wall, stand near the wall, sit near the 336 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,680 wall. This lady stood up from there. 337 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,560 As soon as I stood there, she stood there and she was doing 338 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,520 her hand like this. I said OK, the devil is 339 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,360 manifesting now. I wasn't bothered because she's 340 00:20:07,360 --> 00:20:10,840 at the end of the crowd. And after some time she came 341 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:12,560 stood in the middle and doing the same thing. 342 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,120 And after some time I was singing was still continuing. 343 00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:18,800 She came, stood in front of me and when she was doing like 344 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,600 this, it was going from my nose like this. 345 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:26,960 So I asked the pastor, do you want me to deal with the lady 346 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,280 now or afterwards? He said whatever you feel right, 347 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,640 you do it. I said in the name of Jesus 348 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:34,320 Christ of another put my hand on her head. 349 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:38,800 She just fell on the on the ground and she sat there and all 350 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,320 through the singing and the message she didn't disturb at 351 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,920 all, but I prayed for her. At the end again she manifested 352 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,800 and she fell to the ground and I thought she is free. 353 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:52,880 Next day we had meetings in the in the city and she came to the 354 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,640 into the meeting and after the meeting should come up and say, 355 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:57,360 please pray for me. You pray for me yesterday, pray 356 00:20:57,360 --> 00:21:01,560 for me today in the name of Jesus, put my hand, he slayed in 357 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,920 the spirit and 2nd day, third day. 358 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,840 Then after a couple of months, I called the pastor and asked him, 359 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,560 hey, there was one particular lady of all the crowd, There was 360 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,160 one particular lady who came again and again, do you know 361 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,120 anything about her? He said, oh pastor, there's a 362 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:17,560 big testimony there. I said, what is a big testimony? 363 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,800 She invited 300 of her relatives. 364 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:25,600 How many 300 and gave a testimony before all of them 365 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,080 saying I went to these meetings, something happened to me. 366 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,760 Now everything is changed. Before I used to have cows, they 367 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:36,400 would not give milk. I have I plow through the field 368 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,280 and there's no fruit there and there's no crops coming up. 369 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:41,480 Now everything is changing my life. 370 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:43,840 This Jesus has changed my life inside out. 371 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:45,960 Praise the Lord for such a testimony. 372 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:53,400 So obeying the law is going to give you that kind of an edge in 373 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:57,120 your life, and not obeying the law is going to give the 374 00:21:57,120 --> 00:22:00,560 opposite. Obeying the law will make you 375 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,280 strong like a mountain, but deserving the law will make you 376 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:05,600 like a mouse that is running away. 377 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,840 You can't stand up your enemies. You will have enemies coming up 378 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,120 everywhere. These things are going to happen 379 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:18,160 because that is automatic. Obeying brings blessing, 380 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:24,280 disobedience brings crushes. How much curse is there on the 381 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:26,440 world today? Because the most most of the 382 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,560 world is deserving God. Most of the world is deserving 383 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:32,920 God. And that's why we need to pray 384 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:38,640 that God will have mercy and touch people, change people. 385 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,280 It's very important. OK, so next thing that you see 386 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:45,920 here is we are assuming responsibility for carrying out 387 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,760 the commands to give 1/3 of a shekel each year for the service 388 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:53,200 of the House of our God. Third of a shekels, very tiny 389 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,680 amount, small piece of silver, but they say we are going to 390 00:22:56,680 --> 00:23:01,080 give annually, once once a year that piece of silver. 391 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,400 Why? For the maintenance of the House 392 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:07,880 of God. So the question now comes here 393 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,840 is how is this applicable now in the New Testament? 394 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,080 In the New Testament, there are no rules of giving. 395 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:18,040 But giving is not discouraged, is in fact encouraged. 396 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,720 But how do you give? You give out of a because you 397 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,720 love God, because you love his Kingdom, because you want his 398 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:28,640 Kingdom to prosper. You give not because it's a law 399 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,560 saying you have to give your 10%. 400 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,320 Am I communicating here? Why do we give out of free? 401 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,760 Because you love God, because your love is Kingdom to prosper. 402 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,040 That's why you give and how much you give. 403 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,120 It's up to you. It's up to you. 404 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,320 But I in my own life, I have hard and fast. 405 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:53,720 You know, I have thought through it. 406 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:58,640 There was a time my salary was today's equal to $10 a month. 407 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,000 Maybe those days it was more because I can't find out how 408 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,640 much was a rupee compared to a New Zealand dollar. 409 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,920 But today's dollar value, if I put it just $10, I have to make 410 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,360 in a month. That's how I started and I had 411 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:18,120 to I wanted to give half to my family those days to support my 412 00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:22,440 mom and my daughter and my sisters to pay the fee for food 413 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:26,960 and everything. And other half, if I rent a 414 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,280 house, would go, other half would go for the rent. 415 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,040 So I would choose not to stay in this independent house but share 416 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:34,400 accommodation in some other place. 417 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,160 So from that I had to eat, I had to pay for my stay. 418 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:45,000 I life was not easy, but I said I will honor God with what he 419 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,560 has given me and 10% goes to him. 420 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,000 A month will come when you cannot put the 10%. 421 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,840 It's very difficult. You know, in that little money 422 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:59,480 you can't take it out and I would keep that in mind and 423 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,760 compensate it later when I'm a little comfortable. 424 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:06,640 I'm not saying this is how you should do. 425 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,200 This is what I have done in my growing years. 426 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,280 I had no fellowship in the place where I was working actually at 427 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:15,560 the time and but still God gave me grace. 428 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,720 When you are faithful when you have little, you'll be faithful 429 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:23,920 when you have more. So that's what I would like to 430 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,040 say, not I this is not something I really wanted to preach on 431 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:29,520 giving, but this is there in the Scripture, so I need to deal 432 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:33,560 with it. OK, who? 433 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:38,600 You give that third of a shekel? Why the third official? 434 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:40,760 What is it used for? It is used for setting the bread 435 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,600 in the house. In the house, the priestly 436 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:48,480 family, they will bake the cakes or the bread and make 12 cakes, 437 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:52,240 six on one heap, another heap, 6 of them they put on the 438 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:54,560 showbread. There's a table specifically 439 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,720 mentioned for bread and they put that bread every week, beginning 440 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,240 of the week and take it away at the end of the week. 441 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:03,800 That means you eat it after six days. 442 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:13,760 Stale bread, OK, nobody died. And that was not allowed to be 443 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:15,800 eaten beforehand. You had to keep it there for six 444 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,640 days. And then the priestly family, 445 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,920 those who are clean only are allowed to eat, not anybody. 446 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,360 Somebody comes along, you can't give the bread to. 447 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,040 Oh, you are hungry, you take the bread. 448 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,800 No, that's holy. Only to be eaten by the priestly 449 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:31,720 family. But it costs money. 450 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,680 So from this 1/3 of a shekel, that money is used for putting 451 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:39,960 the bread there on the show table and then to burn for green 452 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,640 offerings and the burnt offerings on the Sabbath, new 453 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:47,800 moon festivals, appointed fees for the holy offerings for sin 454 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,520 offerings, to make atonement for Israel and for all the duties of 455 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,560 the House of our God. That money goes to maintenance 456 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,240 of the religious system. Maintenance of the religious 457 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:58,920 system. Why is it required? 458 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,440 Your life is closely tied with religion. 459 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:04,200 There. You cannot separate. 460 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,760 It is not like you are born a Jewish person. 461 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,200 I have nothing to do with the temple and nothing to do with 462 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:15,920 the sun, Hadrian. You cannot say you are part of 463 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:17,240 it. You are born into the system. 464 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:22,280 You cannot get rid of it. But today, Christians choose not 465 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,720 to do anything with the church, not to do, not to give, not to 466 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,840 support. You know that's not right. 467 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:34,560 What happens is when you are in relationship with God, when you 468 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,600 love God, when you worship him, when you want to his Kingdom to 469 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:42,120 go ahead, you will do nothing but give. 470 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,120 You cannot say no, no, no, I'm not giving. 471 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,720 This is my money. You cannot say that there's 472 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:49,880 nothing like my money. If it doesn't give you, you 473 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:53,920 don't have anything. So we need to take the 474 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:57,160 responsibility to partner with the Kingdom of God. 475 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,920 That's the main principle. Very, very important. 476 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:06,640 Then what do you see here? The priests and the Levites and 477 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:10,560 the people have caused lots to determine when each of our 478 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,920 families is to bring to the House of our God at set times 479 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:17,480 each year a contribution of wood to born on the altar of the Lord 480 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:22,520 of God as written in the law. You need firewood to burn the 481 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,160 sacrifices on the bronze altar. You need the firewood. 482 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,040 So who will do it? The priests and the Levites. 483 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:32,000 They cost lots at different times of the year, let's say 484 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,000 monthly, once a month. Once a month we'll bring the 485 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,120 firewood. So cost a lot. 486 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,840 Your name comes or somebody else's name comes, or someone 487 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,920 else's name comes according to the times you will bring and 488 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:47,520 supply the firewood. Does it cost time to go and to 489 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:52,320 cut the trees down? Does it cost time to gather them 490 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:55,520 and dry them? Does it cost time and effort to 491 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,960 put them on a cart and tow them to the temple? 492 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,080 Did anybody say I should be paid for doing all these things? 493 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:09,520 It is voluntary. Why? 494 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,000 Because you love God and His house. 495 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:17,760 See, this is what we need to catch many people in the New 496 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:21,280 Testament times. They don't understand what is 497 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:26,200 this principle of love and living in covenant and longing 498 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,960 for the Kingdom of God and promoting the Kingdom of God 499 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,600 that spirit we had to get it and when we get it, we will not 500 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,800 complain about giving at all. We don't need a rule for it. 501 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,800 You will just give cool. The next we see here verses 502 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,560 3536. We also assume responsibility 503 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,400 for bringing to the House of the Lord each year the first fruits 504 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,920 of our crops out of every fruit tree. 505 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:51,880 When you go set, your sick have been sickle. 506 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:56,200 Yeah, sickle in the in the thing and harvest it, and you dry the 507 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,640 grain and then you pound the grain or you mill it. 508 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,840 The first fruits have to come to the temple of God. 509 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,240 They bring that and offer it to the sacrifice. 510 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:10,120 So the priest will take a handful of it and burn it on the 511 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,760 altar and the rest goes to the maintenance of the priest. 512 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:19,360 The flower, the first fruit, the family benefits and what else 513 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:23,320 They give first fruits of our crops of every fruit tree. 514 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:26,400 If you have a fruit tree, it will bear fruit in its own 515 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,320 season. But the very first time you 516 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,600 pluck something, you are bringing it to the temple of God 517 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,960 as a first fruit. We have raw ones. 518 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:40,000 Give us a bottle gourd. I said, Rao, what is this for? 519 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:43,760 This is the first one we have cut from the tree, from the 520 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,520 plant. Praise God, that idea of giving 521 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:49,600 it to somebody, you know, it's a blessing. 522 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,640 When you share things with somebody, you have a blessing. 523 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,880 So we should not stop doing it. Basically, we should keep doing 524 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:01,120 it because it blesses somebody who don't have skills to put a 525 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,840 plant. And you know, like me, it helps. 526 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:11,400 Just joking. So as it is written in the law, 527 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,960 we will bring the first born of our sons and of our cattle, of a 528 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:19,760 herds and of a flock to the House of our God, to the priest 529 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:23,160 ministering there. How do you bring your son? 530 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,600 I can understand you got from first fruits of the herd, first 531 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:29,920 fruit of the cattle. OK, bring the calf and give it 532 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,760 to the priest. How do you do with your son in 533 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:36,440 the in the oldest when you read the book of Deuteronomy, when 534 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:40,640 you have a son, first born son, you have to dedicate him to God. 535 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,960 First born son belongs to me. God says every first born 536 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,960 belongs to me. Cattle, animals, human beings, 537 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,080 it's all mine. But there's another clause which 538 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:51,760 says you have to redeem your son. 539 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:56,120 You have to redeem your son. So there's a price to pray 540 00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:59,720 whatever number of shekels you pay and you redeem your son. 541 00:31:59,920 --> 00:32:02,840 But basically your children belong to God. 542 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,800 Second thing, this is very interesting. 543 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,360 What I read in the Old Testament, when you have a 544 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,000 donkey is of no use in the temple of God. 545 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,400 You can't sacrifice a donkey, so you have to redeem the donkey. 546 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,640 You have to pay the money and redeem the donkey. 547 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:24,520 You know, that's all symbol of salvation by faith in Jesus 548 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,600 Christ. Do you see that? 549 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,040 You have to understand that everything needs to be redeemed. 550 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,520 Even a donkey's head has to be redeemed. 551 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:38,440 And in the New Testament, you see here, what does Paul say? 552 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:44,920 Gospel must be preached to all creation, including donkey. 553 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,320 So we have this beautiful the world is full of richness. 554 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:54,560 I tell you everywhere you see the principle of salvation 555 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:56,400 coming through, you need to redeem. 556 00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:01,680 But if you don't want to redeem a donkey, OK, you say, I have 557 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:03,960 enough 1000 donkeys. I don't need one more. 558 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,600 You need to break his neck. That's what the Old Testament 559 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,400 says. I don't want to be too harsh on 560 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,320 it, but that's what the Old Testament says. 561 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:13,960 The point I'm trying to say here is nobody wants to break the 562 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:15,840 neck of a donkey. He will just pay the money and 563 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:20,080 redeem the donkey. But if somebody is too harsh on 564 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:23,320 his own heart and doesn't want to redeem the donkey, that's 565 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:25,120 what is to be done. That's what the Bible says. 566 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:30,320 Old Testament, cool. So we have to do all these 567 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:32,080 things and we are binding all this. 568 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:36,040 It is as written in the law. We will fulfill it. 569 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,360 We will do it so many times its coming through. 570 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:41,560 So that is what is the essence of it is doing the law is more 571 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:46,560 important and then I must conclude it now. 572 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:51,120 So the first fruit, first of our ground meal of our grain 573 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,000 offerings are the fruit of all the trees of our new wine and 574 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,960 oil. We will bring a tithe of our 575 00:33:56,960 --> 00:34:00,480 crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the ties 576 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:04,560 to all the towns where we work. So now whose job is it to bring 577 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,840 the ties to the Temple of God? Leavers were not just living in 578 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:11,080 Jerusalem, they were stationed in different parts of the entire 579 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:13,480 Judea and you know, all of Israel. 580 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:17,239 And wherever they live they have to go and collect the tithe. 581 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:20,520 But you need one of the priests to accompany for 582 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,760 responsibilities sake. A priest from Jerusalem will go 583 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,280 and the leavers will help and they collect the tithe, and from 584 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,600 the tithe they will take a tithe and bring it to Jerusalem. 585 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,600 For the 9/10 of what is collected belongs to the Levites 586 00:34:35,679 --> 00:34:39,280 because they don't own the land, they don't plow, they don't sow, 587 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,800 they don't reap. How will they live from the 588 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:43,719 tithes of collected in that area? 589 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:45,840 The Levites live from their tithe. 590 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:51,920 It comes to the high priest. This is a very tight knit system 591 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:56,120 in the Old Testament, but we don't follow it anymore in the 592 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,760 New Testament times. We don't follow it, OK, And 593 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:03,880 mostly what we do is voluntary. You love God, you give. 594 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:05,480 You don't love God, that's your job. 595 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:07,200 Not my job. Cool. 596 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,040 Then a priest decided from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when 597 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,120 they receive the ties, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of 598 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:15,920 the ties up to the House of our God. 599 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:21,680 The essence of all these things is written in the last verse. 600 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:24,760 We will not neglect the House of our God. 601 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:30,960 Let's all read it together. We will not neglect the House of 602 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:33,760 our God. That is the commitment. 603 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:37,040 You need to remember that the system has to continue. 604 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,000 We need the church because that's the place where we sit 605 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:44,520 and study the world and we need to contribute somewhat 606 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:51,080 definitely to it and and otherwise how will it go? 607 00:35:51,240 --> 00:35:53,840 How will Gods word be preached week after week? 608 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,280 How will people be healed? How will they will receive 609 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,560 deliverance? How will the gospel preach the 610 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,040 whole city? We need to do it somehow. 611 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:05,480 I am might put God has put on my heart that we should reach the 612 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:06,960 city. I don't know how, but I'm 613 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:10,920 waiting on God week after week. Give me a strategy to reach the 614 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:12,600 city. We need to do it. 615 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:16,040 So whole whole thing is done like that. 616 00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:23,000 So when they were repenting from their lack of obedience to the 617 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,880 law, now they are repenting and turning to God S what area of 618 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,680 their life is affected? Every area is affected, 619 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:36,520 marriage, family, finances, everything. 620 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:41,800 There is no area exempted. So if you are a Christian, you 621 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:48,960 cannot tell God, OK, I am, I do not mind giving the money part, 622 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:54,640 but marriage do not enter there or I will allow you in my 623 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:58,560 marriage but not in my finances. There is no area exempt from 624 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,480 God. If there is any area, we have to 625 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:05,960 surrender it to God and say God, you be king of my life, you are 626 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:08,040 king of my life, you are the Lord of my life. 627 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:11,560 And then the revival continues in your life until you 628 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:13,040 surrender. There is no revival. 629 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,520 Every area of our life has to be surrendered to God. 630 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:18,640 There is no area exempt from God. 631 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:24,240 You cannot even I tell you, even if you want to oversleep, you 632 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:29,400 have to tell bring it under God. It is too much of coffees. 633 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,920 You have to breathe under God. Now there is a limitation for 634 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:36,480 everything you may say, preacher you are, you are going beyond 635 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:42,240 your boundary to talk to me. I am saying bring your life 636 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:47,200 under the authority of God, Lordship of Christ, every area. 637 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:50,760 This is not a single area. You cannot say no, no, this is 638 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:55,320 not a area. Or whether it is your mobile 639 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:59,480 phone, you know, social media, you cannot run it. 640 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:02,400 Run your life. You have to run the mobile 641 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:03,680 phone. Mobile phone should not run your 642 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:05,760 life. So there is no area. 643 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,400 I am telling you. So the best thing that we can 644 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,920 ever do is to say with these people that we want to bind 645 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:16,960 ourselves with an agreement and we want to do all that is in 646 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:22,360 this law written in the law. I tell you this is so much of 647 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:29,400 joy in obeying the law, obeying God and God will speak to you in 648 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:33,120 different ways. And sometimes when you're you 649 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:36,120 may not be written in the in the Bible itself, but you may hear 650 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:37,800 something God said. Do you do this? 651 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,800 There will be a law that can be connected generally, but many 652 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:45,720 things God can speak on his own. Don't do this, don't do that, 653 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:48,080 but we need to hear from God. That's very important. 654 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,800 Cool. So let's just, I'm not saying 655 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,800 everybody stand. No, those of you who want to 656 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:57,320 say, God, I want to surrender my life to you. 657 00:38:57,480 --> 00:38:59,240 I want you to be Lord of my life. 658 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:03,280 I yield every area of my life. You want to say that you can 659 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:05,200 stand up and then we will sit together. 660 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:08,640 And some of you may say, no, I don't want to do it and you can 661 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:09,720 sit. That's not a problem. 662 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:16,840 Thank you, Jesus, I will be praying on everybody's behalf. 663 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:21,120 And when you say Amen, you are putting your signature to what I 664 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:24,000 have said. Father God, we thank you for 665 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,680 your children who are this morning committing themselves to 666 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:32,360 obey all that is in your book and to receive every blessing 667 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:33,800 that comes from obedience to the law. 668 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:37,080 We praise You, We praise You, We praise You, We praise You, we 669 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:39,680 praise you, for you are the living. 1 You are the king of 670 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:41,920 our life. Every area of our life you are 671 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:45,320 king. There's no area that is exempt 672 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:48,640 from your lordship. And those of us who are young 673 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:52,760 and not yet married, they have to marry only those who know 674 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:56,240 Jesus and accept his lordship and those are in the marriage 675 00:39:56,240 --> 00:39:59,200 continue in the same status. But I pray that you give us 676 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:03,160 grace to make you Lord of our life very clearly, that 677 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:05,160 everybody will know that we belong to you. 678 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,920 And every area of our life, including finances, children, a 679 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:15,320 job, career or vocation, everything we bring, our free 680 00:40:15,320 --> 00:40:18,800 time around, times of work, everything we bring under the 681 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:23,360 Lordship. We praise you God, be King of 682 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:26,080 our life, be Lord of our life, the glory of your name. 683 00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:30,440 Help us to receive every blessing because you are King of 684 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:35,880 our life and everybody who agrees with me will say Amen in 685 00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:37,000 Jesus name. We have asked. 686 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:43,040 Thanks for joining us at Omega. If you need prayer for healing 687 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,920 or breakthrough, or simply to find out more, please head to 688 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:48,280 our website or Facebook page in the links below.