WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.360 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:33.280 So we are back in Habakkuk again, and the reason God gave us this book for us to study right now is because it's a pilgrimage. 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:37.359 It's a pilgrimage book, just three chapters, really short. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:39.759 It's a pilgrimage to higher ground. 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:52.320 It's a pilgrimage from loneliness and frustration and depression to worship and praise and exaltation. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:56.799 And we've been through the worst part, chapter one. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:09.040 And then last week there was a there was a change, there was a shift, both practically, experientially, in Habakkuk's life, but also theologically. 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:10.400 He made this shift. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:11.760 He took a stand. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:23.120 And even though he didn't understand what God was up to with Judah, or what God was up to with the Babylonians that were coming, and they're gonna sack Jerusalem. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:25.359 They're gonna destroy Jerusalem. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:32.719 That's what the book of Daniel will come later, because Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, those for they were all taken. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:37.840 These noble young men from noble backgrounds were taken to Babylon. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:39.439 That's why we have the book of Daniel. 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:44.239 This is the same time period as Jeremiah, and Jeremiah is struggling. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:48.079 And yet, look at chapter 2, verse 1. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:50.319 We talked about this last week. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:58.319 There's this shift in the heart of Habakkuk after his dialogue with God. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:04.959 He says, I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, remember? 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:15.599 The high place, and watch to see what you will say to me and what I will answer when I am corrected. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:21.919 So there's two things that are happening here is that Habakkuk doesn't understand what's going on. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:27.439 He doesn't understand the evil that God seems to not be judging or doing anything about. 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:44.240 He doesn't understand how a good God, a kind God, a loving God could allow such an evil empire as Babylon to come and destroy the holy city. 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.319 He's baffled by that. 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:50.000 But he he finally just goes to probably a high tower. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:51.280 Remember, I talked about this last week. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.120 He probably went to a real high tower. 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:57.199 He looked out, he said, I'm gonna watch for God to show up. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:01.360 And church, that's what we have to do a lot of times in our life. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:16.400 We have to pull away, get quiet, get away from the noise, all the fears, all the talking heads, and say, God, speak to me. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:22.159 I'm gonna watch and I'm gonna wait until I hear from you. 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:25.039 I believe you have a message for me. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:26.800 You hear that? 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:27.759 You see what he's saying? 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:28.960 I'm gonna listen. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:32.639 He's expecting God to speak. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:36.800 Do you expect God to speak? 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:38.479 Or is it just a quiet time? 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:40.400 Oh, I'm gonna have a quiet time. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:45.280 And by the way, having a quiet time is better than not having one. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:51.759 But I'm saying it's more than just a quiet time, it's a watching time. 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.240 It's a waiting on God time. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:03.280 The same word for waiting on God is the same word for weaving something. 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:04.639 Did you know that? 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:10.400 The same word for waiting on God is the same word for weaving a rope. 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:17.759 And so God's weaving his will into you when you wait on him. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:20.720 And it takes some waiting, right? 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:22.639 Sometimes it takes some waiting. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:24.399 And Habakkuk is ready. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:30.959 And now we come to one of the great chapters of the Bible, Habakkuk II. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:41.680 It's one of the great chapters of the Bible because in this pilgrimage, God's giving a prophetic vision. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:42.720 Write that down. 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:54.800 God's giving a prophetic vision of a coming kingdom that's gonna crush all evil. 00:04:55.120 --> 00:05:06.399 There's a coming kingdom, church, that's gonna crush all evil and crown Jesus Lord all over the globe. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:09.920 There is a coming kingdom. 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:13.759 He's not gonna bypass Babylon. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:17.519 He's not gonna bypass before that Persia. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:24.160 He's not gonna bypass these evil, authoritarian, totalitarian governments. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.839 They're gonna be dealt with. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:29.199 But he's also bringing his kingdom. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:35.199 It's not just judgment, it's mercy and judgment. 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:40.800 Mercy triumphs over judgment. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:48.000 And this kingdom is coming, and this is what God has to say to the prophet. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:57.439 Then the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision, make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:11.519 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak, it will not lie, though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:22.959 God is saying to Habakkuk, there is a sovereign work of your Father in heaven that's going to take over this globe, and I want you to write it down. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:25.600 I want you to post it wherever you need to post it. 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:26.800 I'm coming. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:28.959 I'm coming. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:39.040 Whenever you're in that place where it just feels so lonely and so frustrating, you need to say, He's coming. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:47.519 He's coming, and he comes in triumph, in mercy over judgment. 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:49.360 You say, Well, look at all the evil. 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:54.000 Nothing ever seems to happen to those people, they always get away with it. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:57.120 He's coming. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:03.839 Let me tell you, God does not turn a blind eye to any evil. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:07.040 The man is coming. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.160 I think Johnny Cash had a song like that. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:12.639 But here's the revolution. 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:15.199 Here's the revolution of the kingdom of God. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:16.879 It's found in verse 4. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:24.079 The greatest, I would argue, the greatest verse in the entire Old and New Testament. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:26.959 It sums up everything. 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:40.079 Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:47.519 The Jewish Talmud states, quote, Moses gave Israel six hundred and thirteen commandments. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:50.000 David reduced them to ten. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:59.199 Isaiah to two, but Abakuch to one, the just shall live by faith. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:23.040 God is saying to Hakkuk, there is a coming work of the kingdom of God that's going to bring a revolution, and it will be based here that you walk and you live by faith, not by works, not by the law, but by the grace of God. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:28.079 For by grace, men and women, you've been saved through faith, not of yourself. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:42.480 It is a gift of God, not as a result of works that no man should ever boast, or no church should ever boast, or so priests should ever boast, or some sacraments that we can boast about. 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:46.159 The just shall live by faith. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:53.519 And it's gonna go to the uttermost parts of the earth. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:14.320 And whether I'm preaching the gospel in Papua New Guinea, Siberia, India, Europe, South America, this is the message of Jesus Christ to every people, the just shall live by faith. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:25.360 And so we've talked about Luther before, because he's such an instrumental part of what we believe today. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:37.759 But he was an Augustinian monk who, as he said of himself, if ever there was a monk in monkery that was the best monk, I was it. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:45.039 And he did everything that the Latin fathers and the Roman church told him to do. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:48.720 He crawled on his hands and knees. 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:53.360 He confessed his sins for hours every day. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:10:03.360 At one point, his confessor said, Brother Martin, quit coming to me with these confessions unless you really do some good sin. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:12.879 I mean, Brother Martin would come and say, I lusted after the potatoes of Brother John at lunch. 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:20.240 Because you see, at that time in that system, it's called sacredotalism. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.000 I don't have time to go into that. 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:26.559 I'm going to go into that in a couple weeks on Reformation Sunday. 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:37.200 But out of sacredalism, it was the idea that you were found righteous by doing the sacraments, the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:41.120 You were found righteous by your confessions to a priest. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:48.080 And if you had any sins that you had not confessed, you could go to purgatory or hell. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:51.919 And Luther actually believed that stuff. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:55.039 And he was doing the best that he could. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:03.600 And his confessor realizing this guy's going to lose his mind over sin. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:08.320 So he made him a professor of theology. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:16.080 And so he's studying Romans for the university in Wittenberg. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:19.679 And he comes to Romans 1.17. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:22.000 Romans 1.17. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:29.120 And he's reading what Augustine wrote in his commentary on Romans 1.17. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:32.639 Here's what Romans 1.17 says. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:38.559 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.919 As it is written, the just shall live by faith. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:44.639 The direct quote of Habakkuk 2.4. 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:50.639 The three great doctrinal books of the New Testament. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:12:00.399 Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, quote Habakkuk 1.4, the just shall live by faith. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:06.000 As Luther would stop short, and he said, What does this mean? 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:12.399 That there's this righteousness that is by faith, and from faith to faith? 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:14.240 What does it mean? 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:17.200 That the righteous shall live by faith. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:40.960 And then the lights came on in Luther, and he began to understand that what Paul was speaking of here was a righteousness that God in his grace was making available to those who would receive it passively, not those who would achieve it actively. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:42.879 Let me say that again. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:56.799 You see, Luther began to understand that what Paul was saying is that there was a grace made available to those who receive it passively, not those who would achieve it actively. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:06.559 But that would be received by faith and by which a person would be reconciled to a holy and righteous God. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:08.399 Now listen to what I'm gonna say next. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:09.519 This is really important. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:13.519 Luther discovered the justitia alienum. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:16.799 The justitia alienum. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.960 That's Latin, for an alien righteousness. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:27.279 A righteousness of God freely given to us when we put our faith in Christ. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:37.360 Meaning that you will never have the righteousness you need to be saved, conjured up in your own spirit. 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:43.919 You are, as Luther would later write, you have a bondage of the will. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:51.840 If you've never received Christ by faith, you'll never be good enough to get to heaven. 00:13:52.320 --> 00:14:02.000 No matter what sacraments that you give yourself to, how many times you go to a priest to confess your sins, you're still a sinner. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:05.279 He goes, Well, this is an alien righteousness. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:19.360 This is a righteousness that if I put my faith, if I put my trust in Christ, God's righteousness is bestowed upon me, I receive it, and now I am made righteous? 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:23.360 Even when I'm not very righteous, the answer is yes. 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:45.600 And so Luther, looking now at the Greek word that was in the New Testament, the word dikios, decaios, decaiosune, which didn't mean to make righteous, but rather to regard as righteous, to count as righteous, to declare as righteous. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:58.639 And that was the awakening in Luther, and that was the spark that brought forth the Protestant Reformation that swept across Europe at that time. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:16.879 Luther said of that moment, quote, when I discovered that, I was born again of the Holy Spirit, and the door of paradise swung open, and I walked through it. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:19.759 It changed the world. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:24.720 That verse, this verse that we're studying right, changed the world, men and women. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:40.399 We are here today because of Abacuc 2.4, Romans 1.17, Galatians 2, 8 and 9, for by grace you've been saved through faith, not of yourself, not of yourself. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:42.080 It is a gift of God. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:51.360 And if you're here this morning and you're trying to earn favor with God, you're trying to earn favor with the church, it'll never be good enough. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:55.679 You are bound to your sinful will. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:10.720 But if you'll open your arms to Christ and say, Jesus, I surrender all, I believe that you died on that cross, that rugged cross for all my sins. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:12.960 And I receive you. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:15.039 Come into my life, Lord. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:19.759 I will live for you the rest of my days. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:34.159 That alien righteousness comes in, and you become righteous, and you're righteous, and you become a priest and a king of the Most High God. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.639 Habakkuk's discovering that. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:44.559 Habakkuk's hearing from God right now, and he says, Behold the proud, the soul that is not upright. 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:49.600 God's not going to let Babylon get away with their stuff. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:55.600 God's not going to let these evil imposters get away with it. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:01.039 They're going to be judged because I'm coming. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:03.360 I'm coming. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:18.880 And when you're full of fear, fill of wonder, filled with concern about our country or about your life, maybe you need to post somewhere in your study or somewhere in your house. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:20.559 He's a coming. 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:23.599 He's a coming. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:29.039 And on the one hand, judgment. 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:36.240 On the other hand, mercy triumphs over judgment. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:41.599 He's a loving God and He judges sin. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.000 God is going to crush evil. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.000 So let's read. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.960 Starting at verse five, these woes. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:52.960 Five woes. 00:17:53.279 --> 00:18:01.200 God's not going to let the totalitarianism of Babylon win. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:04.720 They will be judged. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:10.880 And God will bring forth his kingdom. 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:13.039 But you know what his kingdom is like, you guys? 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:15.599 His kingdom is like yeast. 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:18.079 It's like that little bit of yeast. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:20.240 It's a mystery of the kingdom. 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:21.519 That's what Jesus said. 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:23.039 It's a mystery of the kingdom. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:27.680 And only you, only you who believe will understand this. 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:41.359 But there's this mystery, and it's like yeast that you take a little tiny bit of yeast and you put it in the dough, and it just looks like a regular lump of dough, just like a lump of dough that has no yeast. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:45.599 But then the yeast starts to take over. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:47.920 Starts to take over. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:54.559 And slowly and surely that's what the kingdom is like. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:55.920 It's indescript. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:58.160 It's disguised. 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:00.559 It's Jesus coming. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:05.039 I mean, that's why John the Baptist is so confused, right? 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:09.279 He's like, I thought that's not the Messiah I thought was gonna come. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:10.960 He was probably an Essene. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:17.680 John the Baptist was probably an Essene in the living in the caves around the Dead Sea. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:23.279 We learned about the Essenes through the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls in 1948 and 49. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:33.519 These were a group of Jews who believed in this apocalyptic work that was gonna come through a Messiah that was gonna come in power, man. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:42.559 Power that was gonna take over the government and free them from Rome and take over the globe through political, military power. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:56.559 And Jesus comes as a babe in an indescript town called Nazareth, living in Nazareth, born in Jerusalem and like a nobody, Bethlehem. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:02.559 And yet he came and he's doing his work. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:04.559 And so John is confused. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:08.240 He says, is this the Messiah who's going to come? 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:09.759 And he says, Yes. 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:12.559 Tell John what I'm up to. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:17.920 I heal the sick, I preach the kingdom. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:22.160 And everybody who wants to be saved gets saved. 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:27.839 And so the kingdom comes sometimes in indescript ways that we don't completely understand. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:33.039 But here God is speaking to Abacuch. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:36.400 And he says, there's a judgment upon these nations. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:42.400 I'm going to call it the five qualities: God's judgment on all evil powers. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:52.640 The first quality of satanic power, men and women, the first quality of satanic power is lust for power. 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.400 Lust for power. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.519 Look at verse 5. 00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:00.319 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, he's a proud man. 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:05.599 And he does not stay at home because he enlarges his desire as hell. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.759 He's talking about Babylon here. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:09.839 Probably talking about Nebuchadnezzar. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:13.200 He's like death and cannot be satisfied. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:16.000 He gathers to himself all nations. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:19.200 That's what the one world government always wants. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:21.119 They always want all the nations, man. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:22.240 They want it all. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:25.680 And he heaps up for himself all peoples. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:34.319 Despotic, satanic, totalitarian regimes, want everybody. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:37.920 They want the whole earth. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.839 Will not all these take up a proverb against him? 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:43.359 And this is interesting. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.160 I love this. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:59.759 Will not all these, meaning those peoples that are under the slavery of this person, this government, probably Nebuchadnezzar Babylon, will they not take up a proverb against Nebuchadnezzar? 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:07.039 And a taunting riddle against him and say, woe to him who increases what is not his? 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:07.839 How long? 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:15.359 And to him who loads himself with many pledges, will not your creditors rise up suddenly? 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:20.079 Will they not awaken who oppress you and you will become their booty? 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:26.000 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the people shall plunder you. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:41.359 Because of men's blood and the violence of the land and the city and all who dwell in it, there's a day coming when you who plunder others, those you plunder, are gonna plunder you. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:45.839 It's in Revelation when it speaks of the martyrs. 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:49.279 Remember, the martyrs cry out for justice. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:52.720 They're crying out for justice right now. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:59.119 Right now, the martyrs in heaven, I believe, are crying out for justice. 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:03.359 They've been martyrs for generations. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:07.680 God, in his timing, what does he say here? 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:14.000 Back at verse 3, he says the vision is yet for an appointed time. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:16.240 There's an appointed time. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.839 Don't be on the wrong side of that road. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:24.000 Second quality. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:28.559 Second quality of satanic power is lust for gain. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:30.160 Lust for gain. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:40.480 Woe to him who covets evil, gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of disaster. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:46.799 You give shameful counsel to your house, cutting off many peoples and sin against your soul. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:53.359 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timbers, they will answer it. 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:55.279 Holy smokes, you hear what he's saying? 00:23:55.519 --> 00:24:12.720 He's saying, look, in your evil, you've got your mansions, and you're up on a hill, and you're pretty sure that nobody can touch you, and actually the stones and the timber that you built your house on, they cry out against you. 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:14.880 I'm gonna get you. 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:20.720 Third quality lust for violence. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:22.079 Lust for violence. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:28.720 Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed, who establishes a city by iniquity. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:39.279 Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the peoples labor to feed the fire and nations weary themselves in vain? 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:46.880 He's going to judge those who come with a lust for violence. 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:52.960 And then right there, it's like the craziest thing, you guys, here in verse 14. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:57.839 Right in the middle of all these woes, he says this. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:10.480 For the earth will be filled, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:19.200 Violent people will be judged, lustful people will be judged, and guess what? 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:22.400 The knowledge of the glory. 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:24.400 Say that with me. 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:30.240 The knowledge of the glory is gonna cover the globe. 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:33.440 As the waters cover the sea. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:35.039 Have you been to the sea lately? 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:39.119 The waters really cover the sea. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:48.559 Why would he use that as his illustration if it's not to make a point hyperbole that I'm covering it all? 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:50.799 Even the evil powers. 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:52.960 Judgment is coming. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:58.079 Fourth quality, lust for deception. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:11.200 Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him by to your bottle, even to make him drink, that you may look on his nakedness, you're filled with shame instead of glory. 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:17.039 You also drink and be exposed as uncircumcised. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:20.960 The cup of the Lord's right hand will be turned against you. 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:28.559 And utter shame will be on your glory, for the violence done to Lebanon will cover you. 00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:40.160 And the plunder of beast which made them afraid because of men's blood and the violence of the land and the city and all who dwell in it. 00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:45.039 This violence, and I I I love animals. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.519 Animals are really cool. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.319 Because animals are honest. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:53.920 When they're afraid, they run away. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:56.400 When they're angry, they fight. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.000 And I went, bad dog. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:19.759 No, bad dog. 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:25.039 And then I looked closer, and there was a salamander down there. 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:28.720 I mean, I haven't seen, I don't know if I've ever seen a salamander in Black Forest. 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:30.319 But there's a salamander there. 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:31.680 I think it's because we put in sprinklers. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:32.480 Maybe it's more moist. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:33.279 There's a salamander. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:40.799 I went, if I was a dog, if I was a black lab hunting dog, I'd go after a salamander. 00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:45.200 And I went, it's okay. 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:46.799 It's okay. 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:50.960 And that tail that was underneath is just wagging. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.160 Doesn't even remember. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:54.079 I just reprimanded it. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:02.960 And I just think it's cool that God would say something about animals here. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.599 He cares about them, man. 00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:06.160 He loves them. 00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:08.079 And people say, are there gonna be animals in heaven? 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:10.559 Well, I know there's gonna be a white horse or two. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:14.640 So if they got horses, they probably got dogs and cats. 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:17.519 Man, cats are cool. 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:24.000 When we before we got our cat, we had so many mice running around. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:26.960 And I mean, it's like overnight they were gone. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.319 A cat. 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:31.119 Bad cat. 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:38.000 Fifth quality, satanic power, lust for idols, lust for idols. 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:40.240 What prophet is the image? 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.279 Verse 18. 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:52.799 That it makes, that it makes the maker should carve it, and the molten image, a teacher of lies, that the maker of its mold should trust in it to make mute idols. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:59.680 Woe to him who says to wood, awake, wake up, to silent stone, arise. 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:02.000 You shall teach me something. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:10.880 Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet in it there is no breath at all. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:12.880 Isn't that amazing? 00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:22.000 That shows the deception, satanic deception, that we would make something and then we worship what we make as if it's got life to it. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:27.279 And for some of you in this room, you have idols. 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:32.720 It's your car, it's your house, it's your spouse, it's your kids. 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:35.039 Be careful with that. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:42.559 Because Jesus says you shall love the Lord your God and serve him only. 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:47.519 He says, Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, your neighbor as yourself. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:49.119 That's the greatest commandment. 00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:57.680 He's judging Babylon, he judges us because of what he's gonna say next. 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:00.880 Look what he says in verse 20. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:07.759 But the Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before him. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:13.839 In other words, God's not in heaven, wringing his hands, walking back and forth in the throne room. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:16.480 Oh, I can't believe what these people are doing. 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:19.440 I can't believe what Nebuchadnezzar's up to. 00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:21.839 Wow, I'm shocked. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:26.240 Instead, he says, I'm I've got silence in heaven. 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:27.440 Why don't you join me? 00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:31.039 I'm carrying out my plan, man. 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:33.200 I'm coming. 00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:35.119 I'm a coming. 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:35.920 Don't worry. 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:37.200 Wait. 00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:40.720 It may seem to tarry, but I'm a coming. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:47.920 And I'm gonna judge those guys in righteousness because I love righteousness. 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:50.960 And the just shall live by faith. 00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:57.680 So if you're one of these guys that does stuff like I do, if you saw my teaching Bible, you say, What a mess. 00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:01.599 Because I drew a line from verse 4 to verse 14. 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:06.319 I drew a line from verse 4 to verse 14, and from verse 14 to verse 20. 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:08.000 That's the message, men and women. 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:10.079 That's the kingdom revolution. 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:19.599 That the knowledge of the glory of the Lord is going to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:23.359 And he will judge unrighteousness and he will bless righteousness. 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:26.559 But the just shall live by faith. 00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:32.720 So Abakuch II is God's triumph over evil powers. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:35.759 Same time period, maybe a few years later. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:43.200 We don't know exactly, but I think it was a few years later, we come to a guy that we've been studying named Nebuchadnezzar. 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:46.079 And he has a vision. 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:50.799 And he's pretty Nebuchadnezzar's, he's a bad dude, man. 00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:53.119 That's who he just read about. 00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:55.759 That's the judgment that's coming to Nebuchadnezzar. 00:31:55.920 --> 00:32:00.880 So somewhere between that and this, there's a vision that he gets from God. 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:10.160 And it's just tell you how hard this guy is, he says to all of his astrologers and all of his prophets, look, I'm not gonna tell you even what the vision is. 00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:11.759 You tell me what it means. 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:14.000 Well, that's not really fair. 00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:20.000 So if someone comes to you and says, Well, here's my dream, well, come up with something. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:24.240 And if you're trying to save your neck, maybe come up with something that's really far in the future. 00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:25.759 Well, that's what it means. 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:27.200 Well, lop his head off. 00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:28.400 That's not what he's gonna do. 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:33.599 So he says, Okay, you guys, I'm not even gonna tell you the vision, you tell me what it means. 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:41.680 This is in Daniel chapter 2, and then listen to what Daniel says, a Hebrew child, a young man. 00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:49.839 He says to the greatest leader in the world at that time, evil Nebuchadnezzar. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:56.319 He says, This you, O king, were watching, and behold, you saw a great image. 00:32:56.640 --> 00:33:03.039 This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you and its form was awesome. 00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:14.640 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them to pieces. 00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:21.759 And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:25.920 The God of heaven will set up a kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar. 00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:43.440 He wanted him to know, Nebuchadnezzar, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, it shall break in pieces and consume all the other kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:45.440 Hello? 00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:56.799 Micah chapter 4, Micah chapter 4, all the world will flow to this mountain that Daniel's talking about. 00:33:57.200 --> 00:34:16.960 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow to it, many nations shall come and say, Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:22.320 He will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his path. 00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:26.559 Isaiah, the Christmassy verse. 00:34:27.039 --> 00:34:30.000 The little Christmassy verse that we all say at Christmas. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:32.000 Let's listen to the whole thing. 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:51.280 For unto us the child is born, unto us the son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government and peace. 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:53.599 There will be no end. 00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:59.199 Yeast, yeast in the dough, taking it over. 00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:01.920 Mustard seed. 00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:05.440 Mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, Jesus says. 00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:12.079 But it grows and it becomes this massive tree that the birds make a nest in. 00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:15.679 Oh, of time, if I only had time. 00:35:18.239 --> 00:35:21.599 The Messiah King of Psalm 2. 00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:23.679 Ah, I don't have time. 00:35:23.920 --> 00:35:25.119 Run out of time. 00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:30.159 Psalm 72, the universal triumph of God's kingdom. 00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:32.239 Okay, I'm gonna go a little long. 00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:34.559 I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go give me, give me three minutes. 00:35:34.719 --> 00:35:35.039 Sorry. 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:37.519 So turn to Psalm 72. 00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:41.519 Oh, Psalm 72. 00:35:42.719 --> 00:35:46.639 Oh, if I could just, I need to memorize Psalm 72. 00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:50.159 Psalm 72 gets me up in the morning. 00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:58.639 And when it's one of those crummy days and it seems like everything's going to hell in a handbasket, read Psalm 72. 00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:00.559 Psalm 72. 00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:07.679 Give the king your judgments, O God, and your righteousness to the King's Son. 00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:12.719 He will judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice. 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:19.199