Age Without Sin

Thank you, Julia, very much. You maintained your composure very well. It is difficult enough, you know, that type of thing. But it happens, and it happens to all of us. So, that is just such a powerful message in that psalm. That's actually a sermon in itself. So thank you for sharing that message with us through psalm. I did want to mention, brethren, that they did want us to announce, during the announcement time, just to remind you, as far as registering for the Feast of Tabernacles. And has anyone not received their brochure yet?

All right. So most everyone has received that. And, of course, they're encouraging us all to register online, but they also know that not everyone has the ability to do that. And so, if you could see the festival advisor here, Mr. John Ewell, he will have forms to be able to pass out if you don't have the ability to have internet access or to go online, that you can fill out your festival application registration. You can give it to Mr. Ewell, and then he can enter that for you online. So they did want us to make a verbal announcement on that during the Sabbath and also today's Holy Day.

So I neglected to do that almost, so I wanted to make sure I covered that for you. All right. Now we can run the tape. Or you can start the tape. Brethren, I've got a question for you. How would you like to live in an age without sin? How would you like to live your life without sin? No wrong attitudes, no wrong thoughts, no evil deeds, no words that you regret speaking because they hurt someone else or they ultimately harmed you as well.

In other words, how would you like to be perfect and to live in a perfect age? Brethren, that is exactly what God has in store for you and I in the future. To be perfect, to live in a perfect age, to live without sin, and we ourselves as individuals to live without sin. Think how wonderful that would be. Just think how wonderful that would be. Now I know you are like me today that we struggle with sin as the writer in Hebrews talks about in Hebrews 12 that he talks about the sin that so easily ensnares us. So we know that it's a process that we can fall into rather easily.

It's so easy to let something slip out of your mouth that you regret. So easy to do something that you wish that you wouldn't have done. To have a wrong thought or an attitude that you really don't want to have. But it's wonderful to think about that God has in mind a day when we will live in an age without sin.

In fact, that's the title of the message today, an age without sin. Now we know very much that that age is not here today. We see the Ten Commandments of God being violated all around us. And we do it ourselves, which is sin, which is the transgression of God's law.

And we see the Ten Commandments being broken also all around us, all around the world. We see hatred. We see bloodshed. We see terrorism. We see the lack of love. We see problems between people, not getting along. We see all of these things. There's a lot of sin that's out there. There's a lot of leaven isn't there in the world. And yet, God has a plan to de-leaven His creation. He has a plan to do that. And the process has already begun. Let's go back to the origin of sin.

Let's go back to the origin of leaven, the very beginning, when God created a beautiful creation, and the angels were there to rejoice about it. Let's review that. Let's turn to Job 38, verse number 4. Job 38 and verse number 4. And let's go back to a time when there was an age without sin.

Job 38, verse number 4. Now, God is working with Job. He's bringing him down. He's humbling him. He's trying to help him to learn some things that he needs to learn. To learn some things that he needs to unleaven in his own life. And as a loving Father, he's working with him. So let's take a look, though. In Job 38, verse 4, it says, Where were you, Job, when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Tell me if you have understanding. And who determined its measurements? Surely you know, since you seem to know everything, it's kind of the implication that's here at this time in Job's life. Or, who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or, who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together with joy? In other words, it says, All the sons of God shouted for joy. And we understand that to be the angelic realm. They saw the beauty that God had done, that He created, and they couldn't help themselves.

This was awesome. And they shouted for joy. Now, at that time, there was no leaven. There was no sin in the universe. It was an age without sin. But then, there came a time when leaven first appeared. Let's read about that in God's Word. Isaiah 14 and verse 12. Let's turn to Isaiah 14 and verse 12.

There came a time when sin first appeared. There came a time when it began. And it began with the angelic realm. And eventually, it was going to be passed on to the human realm as well. When we look at Isaiah 14 and verse 12, most of us, I think, know that this is talking about Lucifer. Very powerful angel that God had created. And so, we're talking about Lucifer, one of those angels that had rejoiced at God's creation. But he let sin develop. He let leaven develop in his life.

And what we're going to notice is that it began in the heart. It started in his heart. How did it happen? How did it happen? I mean, certainly he wasn't programmed to go that way. If anything, God programmed him to go the right way. But he made a deliberate choice to go against the way of God. To go opposite of God's way.

Let's notice what we can pick up here in Isaiah 14, verse 12. It says, How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer? So we know who he's talking about. Son of the morning. Wow! I mean, we're talking about a special brightness that was there. The son of the morning. How are you cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations? For you have said in your heart. So we see it starts in the heart, doesn't it? You have said in your heart, I will ascend unto heaven.

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most high. Look at all of the eyes here in this short little sentence here. This short few verses here. He says, I will ascend to heaven.

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north. He's just full of self here, isn't he? I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most high. I am going to push God, the Almighty, off of His throne. Verse 15, Yet, you are going to be brought down to shield to the lowest depths of the pit. You know, this angel grossly underestimated God, didn't he?

Grossly underestimated God. He thought he could just go off and push God off that throne. And he would be God. Brethren, what happened to him? What happened to him? He began to have pride in his heart. It started in his heart. There's a little more descriptive information here and over in Ezekiel 28, verse 12. So let's take a look at that as well. Ezekiel 28 and verse 12.

This provides some additional information here how sin entered the creation. Ezekiel 28 and we'll start in verse 12. So the appearance of sin appeared in the universe. And the angels, with the angels that sinned. And it wasn't just Lucifer, as we'll go on to see here in a moment. Ezekiel 28, verse 12, it says, Thus says the Lord God, You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God.

And every precious stone was your covering. The sardius, the topaz, the diamond, the barrel, the onyx, the jasper, the sapphire, the turquoise, and the emerald with gold. All precious. The workmanship of your timbals and pipes was prepared for you on the day that you were created. So this was a created being.

He had not always existed. He was a created angel of God. Verse 14, You were the anointed carob who covers. I established you. God says, I made you this way. I established you. You were on the holy mountain of God. You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. And you were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created until iniquity was found in you. And iniquity is sin. He was perfect in so many ways from the day He was created until iniquity was found in you.

And so we have, for the first time, the appearance of sin in creation. And in the universe. And it wasn't just this angel. There were others also that rebelled with Him against God. Let's go on to verse number 16. And by the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence. It started to change who He was.

Sin corrupts us. It changes us. And it started to change Lucifer into something very different than the way that God had created him. Based on the choices that He made. It says you became filled with violence within. This was all happening in His heart and in His mind. And you sinned. Therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God. And I destroyed you, as it could be better rendered, remove you from your position. O covering carob from the midst of the fiery stones. And I think verse 17 zeroes in on the problem.

Your heart. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. And you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. It started to change who He was. When His heart became lifted up, He corrupted Himself. He corrupted the wisdom that God had given to Him. For the sake of your splendor. So this angel began to get a big head, didn't he? He began to be prideful. It says He corrupted His wisdom. And pride began to mount up in His heart and it eventually led to rebellion against His Creator.

It eventually led to rebellion against God Himself and it led to sin. Let's turn over to 1 Timothy 3, verse 6. The New Testament reveals that pride also is a serious problem when it comes to sin. 1 Timothy 3 and verse 6. We're going to read here in this context that one is to serve the brethren as an elder in the church of God. And I think this would also apply to a deacon as well as an elder or really to any position of responsibility of serving God's people. It talks about some things here.

Let's pick it up here. 1 Timothy 3 and verse 6. That it shouldn't be a novice. In other words, a newcomer. Someone fairly new to the faith. Less being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. So this is one thing that doesn't belong in an ordination is pride. Humility belongs there.

Loneliness of mind belongs there with an ordination, but not pride. And the devil began to have a very big head about himself. I think he came to the point where he deceived himself to the point that he thought he could do things better than his maker. He thought he could do things better than God. And that's not uncommon among even us today, or people today. Many people think that they could do a better job in human terms than the boss.

They believe that. And I suppose in some ways that may be true. But in many cases also at the human level, when one has at the human level, this is not true necessarily. When one has to shoulder the heavy burdens and responsibility of leadership. But certainly we don't want anyone to fall into pride. The same condemnation of the devil. So we have the first leaven.

The first leaven or sin entered the universe through the angelic realm. Let's turn to 2 Peter 2 and verse 4. 2 Peter 2 and verse 4. Because Lucifer was not the only one. But there were other sphere of beings. In fact, Revelation 12 talks about the fact that it indicates that one-third of the angels were influenced by him.

And they were drawn into a rebellion against God. We don't have all the details on this rebellion and how it all developed. But we do know that pride and vanity played a major role in what took place in the thinking of these angels. And Lucifer most likely was going to be casting doubt about God in his ways and also possibly offering them power, positions of authority, once they had an opportunity to be in charge and to take over. Let's take a look. 2 Peter 2 and verse 4.

It says, for if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but he cast them down to hell. The Greek word for hell there is tardoroo. It means a place of restraint. So God cast, he didn't spare the angels who sinned. And the angels is plural, so it was more than Lucifer. But he cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment.

So these angels are still being reserved for a judgment that's still to come. So for the first time ever in the universe, in creation, there was rebellion. There was sin. God looked and he saw the face of Lucifer and he saw the face of the angels and what he saw were defiant faces that were filled with pride and hatred. And they were going to go up and they were going to remove God from his throne. They were going to send up to heaven where God was and remove him.

But it says here, they grossly underestimated their Creator. God did not spare them, but he cast them down. Let's turn over Luke 10 and verse 17. Luke 10 and verse 17. Because Jesus also refers to this same moment of time from his perspective in the conversation that he has with his disciples. When the angels rose up to take over God's throne. And it appears that God had absolutely no problem with casting them back down.

The Creator of something is always more powerful than the thing that it creates. And the angels failed to realize that truth. Luke 10 and verse 17. The context here is that some of the 70 that Christ appointed to go out and preach the gospel to heal the sick and to cast out demons. They're coming back to Jesus Christ and their 70 returned with joy and they said, Lord, even the demons are subject in your name. And then he said to them, and it's interesting how Jesus Christ will take something that they say and he'll kind of move it into a different direction.

You know, they're all rejoicing about this and then he changes the thought a little bit in a different direction. He said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Now, what he's saying is that God and the angel, those that were loyal to God, had no problem sending him back down. Casting him back down to the earth from heaven.

And you know, with the power of lightning, you know how fast it moves. I mean, at the speed of light, it's just passed right down. Sometimes if you blink your eye, you miss lightning. It happens so quickly. And that's how powerful and how fast that this took place. You know, you just picture this, you talk about Star Wars, but you know nothing like this has ever been depicted on the silver screen.

Where you've got an angelic realm that's going into heaven and having an encounter, a battle, they're trying to overthrow God, the creator. And his angels fight. And then, Lucifer, or Satan the Devil, and his third of his angels, the ones that he deceived, are immediately cast back down. Nothing like that we've ever seen in a movie theater, but cast down like lightning. He grossly underestimated the power of our creator. So sin had appeared in the universe, and leaven came into existence.

But God confined it to the earth. It's right now confined to the earth. He cast Lucifer and the demons down to the earth. Let's notice that in Revelation 12, verse 7. Revelation 12, verse 7. He has confined them to the earth since their rebellion. Notice that in Revelation 12, verse 7. Talking about this battle, which would be wonderful if this could be depicted powerfully on screen, but I don't know if it ever will. Revelation 12, verse 7. And war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought.

So Michael was one of the loyal angels of God, an archangel of God. And he was leading the battle against Lucifer and his demons, and his angels, the dragon and his angels. Verse 8. But the dragon and his angels did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

And so the great dragon was cast out that serpent of old, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. And he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. So now there is leaven on the earth among the angelic realm. And then in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 2, I'll just summarize.

We find that human beings were created. Our first parents, we know that God allowed these humans to be exposed to Satan, the devil. And Satan succeeded in getting to them. He's succeeding in getting through to them. And so Adam and Eve, under the influence of Satan, became leavened. And they sinned, and God thrust them out of the garden. And subsequently, the entire human race has become leavened. All of humanity has become leavened and sinned. We know that just before the flood, that humanity became so leavened, so corrupted, so puffed up, that God finally had to intervene and say, you're going to bring a great flood.

But Noah and his family were spared from that. They were righteous. And they were spared. But you know, after the flood, when his progeny began to produce and multiply and replenish the earth, leaven began to show up again. It began to rise eventually to work among mankind, and it began to rise so rapidly that God had to intervene again at the Tower of Babel, because it was beginning to work. It was beginning to change things so rapidly that he realized the same thing was happening again, that it happened just prior to the flood. And so he confused the languages, and that slowed the process of leavening. Brother, God has a plan and a purpose to work all of this out and to bring about an age without leaven, an age without sin.

And so he's in control, and after the flood, when it was rising faster, the leaven was rising faster than he wanted, he was able to slow it down by confusing the languages. He slowed down the process by which leaven would spread. But now, down through history, we have many stories of how sin has swayed mankind. All the way down to this day, almost 6,000 years after the creation of our first parents, we're beginning to see that leaven is overflowing, isn't it?

Right now, in our culture, in our age, it is overflowing. There's indications in Scripture that one day, that leaven and the process of it, and sin is going to come to its fullness. Doesn't it seem like it's headed in that direction right now? Such evil, such terrorism, such bloodshed, such potential for bloodshed. The people cannot get along. They cannot obey the commandments of God, of loving Him first and foremost, loving neighbor Himself, and all of those other laws that hang on those two commandments.

We see violence being done. We see all kinds of immorality. We've seen all kinds of things. Sin is all around us. But just ahead of us, Jesus Christ is going to intervene. We're getting to the point where He's about to step in, and when He begins to step in, there's going to be a point where leaven has probably reached its highest point, where sin has reached its full, and the character of man will become so corrupt, that man will eventually come to the point where he will destroy others and himself off the face of the planet. But when Christ returns, He is going to set His hand on de-leavening the earth.

Let's notice how this evil age is progressing. You can see it all around us. Let's notice 2 Timothy 3, verse 1. 2 Timothy 3, verse 1. This is a prophecy here, and we see that it's beginning to be fulfilled all around us. Paul here writes here to Timothy, talking about the end of the age and how far this is going to go.

2 Timothy 3, verse 1. But we know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men are going to become lovers of themselves. They're going to be looking at themselves, and the love of others is going to wax cold. And they're going to be lovers of wealth, of money. They're going to be boasters, and they're going to be proud, which as we touched on the pride here. They're going to be blasphemers, talking about speaking against the Creator, against God. They'll be disobedient to their parents, unthankful for the blessings that they have received from the great giver. Unholy, unloving, not even having the ability to care for someone else besides themselves.

Unforgiving, not being able to overlook the faults of anyone else. Slanderers, speaking things about other people and slandering them. Without self-control, they're just out of control. In other words, they're brutal. They're despisers of things they're good. They despise, spicers of good. Traders, their heads strong. They're haughty. And they're lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God. And so we see all of this, all of these things that are listed here, describing conditions at the end of the age.

And that's where it leads. That's where sin leads, at the corruption of leavening. And sin, when it comes to its fullness, will come to the point where it'll be totally chaotic. Totally chaotic. And God will see that man is at the point of destroying himself.

And then, Jesus Christ steps in. Jesus Christ steps in. And that is when the process of the leavening turns up a big notch. Steps into a higher gear. Jesus Christ will begin to teach God's laws. He'll begin to teach His ways. He'll be able to share. And Satan is going to be bound. He's going to be removed. He'll be bound for a thousand years. And He's no longer going to be able to deceive the nations, or you, or I, as He does today. And we know that God's ways and His laws will be taught, and also that they'll be enforced. Let's take a look at this wonderful time. Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 2. Let's take a look at that. Isaiah chapter 2. And verse 2.

We'll notice here that we find that God's laws are going to be taught, and they're going to be taught to all nations, and that nations are going to disarm that God is no longer going to allow to let sin be on an open rampage without any restrictions, as seems to be happening today.

Because today God is allowing certain things to take place, isn't He? He's allowing bloodshed. He's allowing warfare. He's allowing us to make any decision that we want, regardless of who we hurt, or whether we hurt ourselves. He's allowing sin, in a sense, to run rampant. But let's also understand, in the millennium there will still be human beings. Even though Satan is bound and removed, there will still be human beings, and humans are humans. They may not be influenced by an evil nature, but we still, or they still, will have human nature.

And so humans will still be human, and so the millennium is not an age that will be without sin. It won't be an age without sin, because humans will still be human. They'll still sin. They'll still have to work on their hearts, on their attitudes, on their actions, their thoughts, and they won't instantly have God's human nature.

They won't be born instantly during the millennium, having God's nature and God's character. That's not the way it'll work in the millennium. They'll still have to develop a character in a process of conversion. Very much like the process of conversion that we are going through right now. Again, there won't be an evil spirit like Satan or the demons around, but they will still have human nature, and they'll still need Passover. They'll still need the days of 11 bread.

There will still be sin in 11 around, but it will not be allowed to run rampant. God's not going to allow that. So this is where God is showing us here in Isaiah chapter 2 verse 2. It says, Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house is going to be established on top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above all the hills. And notice all nations will flow to it.

Many people will come and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law. God's law is going to be taught. It's going to help guide them. It's going to help them in this process of conversion. It shows us what sin is. And notice, and the Word of the Lord is going to go out from Jerusalem. But is everyone going to go willingly along? Are they all going to go willingly along? Or will there have to be times, sometimes, of some nudging?

Some nudging. Or maybe there's a sphere of being, I think, as it says in Isaiah chapter 30. I didn't have that written down here. That it talks about when they veer off to the left, or veer off to the right, there's a voice that says, Hey, this is the way. Walk you in it. God is not going to allow this rampant sin to go on. So not everyone's going to necessarily go willingly along.

Sometimes there'll have to be some nudging. We see some nudging going on here in verse 4, as far as warfare and violence. Let's read that. Isaiah chapter 2, verse 4, it says, He shall judge between the nations. He's going to have to make decisions. Wait a minute, you're not getting along. We're going to have to make some judgments here. And notice and rebuke many people. Now, rebuke means correction, doesn't it? Or correction of getting back on the right path. You're getting off the wrong path. And God says there's going to have to be, of course, correction during this time when people and nations make wrong choices.

It says, They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. A nation shall not lift sword up against nation. God's not going to allow it. He's going to get in the middle of it before that happens. They shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore. So God is not going to let rampant war continue during this time, during the millennium.

No warfare. Now, that doesn't mean that someone's not going to have an attitude problem or want to rise up and maybe do something against their neighbor. Pick a fight or something along that line. And then a spear of being will intervene and say, hey, wait a minute, we've had 6,000 years of trouble between human beings. And we're not going to go there. We're not going to have this battle going on or this war anymore. I think it's in Isaiah chapter 30, verse 21.

I'm not going to take the time to go there, but I want to reference it there for you, where it talks about there's a someone that speaks in their ear that says, hey, you've gone off the path to the left or to the right. This is the way. Walk in it. So I think it's important for us to understand that the millennium is not an age without sin. It's not. But it won't run rampant, as it does today. All nations are going to be taught God's ways, His laws, and the way of life, actually, that you and I are learning today, which has a lot to do with God's holy days and the Passover and these days of unleavened bread.

The process of conversion, how do we change? How do we begin to become unleavened? It's pictured very much by this feast, this Feast of Tabernacles on the seven days of unleavened bread, which is a complete amount of time, seven being a complete number, where God's having us go through these seven days to understand the lesson of what He's doing with you and with me. And once we're forgiven, we strive to keep His laws, don't we?

And you and I, we are on a journey out of sin, out of sin. And during the millennium, they're going to have to go on that same journey, that journey of conversion. We published a booklet, you may have read it, in the Church, it's called The Road to Eternal Life. It's a very, very good booklet. And you and I are on that road today. And this festival very much pictures being on that road, on that journey, coming out of sin, out of slavery, to the Kingdom of God and to eternal life. At that time, in the millennium, these people will begin that same journey on the road to eternal life.

They will still be human beings at that time. And they'll have to go on the same journey as you and I, developing godly character and God, the nature of God, the divine nature.

They'll need to go through a process of conversion, of coming out of leaven over their lifetime, just as we are right now. And hopefully, we'll be there. And we'll be prepared to help them. To say, you know what, I had to walk the same journey as you. I had to go through this narrow way, this difficult way, just as you. And we'll be there to help them. I got on that road, when God called me, and I stayed on that road, despite all of the challenges and difficulties. And I completed that journey. And if we happen to be there, and I hope that all of us in this room are there, further that time, we'll be spirit beings. And we will be living our lives without sin. It's almost too wonderful to even comprehend and imagine.

There's coming a time, God wants to bring everyone on this journey. There's coming a time when the descendants of the people of Israel, wherever they are, whether some descendants of the United States, some of them over in England, part of the British Empire, I suppose, and some of the nations of Europe, there's going to come a time when God is going to reach them. And many, hopefully most, will come to the point where they will abhor, and they'll loathe themselves when they begin to see themselves as God sees them. But you know, look at the way that many of them are living today. Look at the way of the culture of the time. I think, what is it, I heard only 6% now of those in England are attending church services, about 6%. The churches are empty over there, and it's starting to happen here. We're kind of following a little bit, maybe a little further down the road, or not as far down the road as they are. But it seems like we're headed in that same direction. But look at how people are living today. People living together, unmarried, cohabitating, condoning things, like same-sex marriage, and various other lifestyles that God speaks very clearly about, in both the Old and New Testaments, that are wrong, so wrong in His sight. He knows where it leads. He doesn't want anyone to go there. Things that God reveals to us that are detestable, that are evil, that are wrong, that our peoples and the descendants of Israel are going in that direction. And these rampant sins that humans wish to sanction right now, it seems like it's gaining momentum in our culture. Let's go to Ezekiel 20, verse 33. Ezekiel 20, verse 33. We're going to see an attitude here of repentance that God is going to bring Israel to. It's going to be an attitude of abhorring sin and detestable things. And in fact, as we go on, we'll see it's not just Israel, but it's actually all humanity will come to learn this in the millennium. Let's pick it up here in Exodus, chapter 20, and verse number 33. Did I say Exodus? I meant Ezekiel. I said Exodus? No? Yes? Okay. Well, the right book is Ezekiel, chapter 20, in verse 33. Ezekiel, chapter 20, and verse 33. I know in the past when the minister says something, and in his mind he knows what he wants to say, but that's not what came out of his mouth. Then he starts reading, and none of us are with him, so I don't want that. I want you to be on the same page as me. Ezekiel, chapter 20, and verse 33. It says, As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. God says to Israel, you're going to bow your knee. I am going to rule over you. You're going to come under my rule. Verse 34, I'm going to bring you out from the peoples. So he's going to bring them out of captivity from the countries where they have been scattered. He's going to bring them out. He's going to gather them out of the countries where they've been scattered with a mighty hand. So it's going to be something that's going to be noticed and seen and understood. God's involved. With an outstretched arm and, I'm going to be pretty angry when I do it, with fury poured out.

Verse 37, let's jump to verse 37. I will make you pass under the rod, talk about the shepherd's rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

God says, I'm going to have you enter into a new covenant relationship with me, with all Israel.

And we're eventually going to see all mankind eventually. Verse 38, and I will purge the rebels from among you and those who transgress against me.

So God is going to purge out the rebellion.

Verse 40, for on my holy mountain, on the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve me.

Verse 42, Then you shall know that I am the Lord God, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raise my hand in an oath. I promised to bless you. I promised your fathers I was going to bless you.

I gave my word to your fathers.

Verse 43, and notice this verse, and there you're going to remember your ways.

And all of your doings with which you were defiled, and you shall loathe yourselves.

It comes back to the heart. They're going to see themselves as they have been.

You shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed.

Pardon, that's an attitude, isn't it? A real repentance.

When we see ourselves as God sees us, and it's an attitude I hope that all of us have now, because we still sin, don't we?

We still sin.

We say things that we shouldn't say.

We do things that we shouldn't do.

We think things that we shouldn't think. We have attitudes that we should not have.

And yet, do we loathe those things?

Do we loathe those things? We should.

We should hate sin.

Like Paul, who says he's fighting this battle. We have that law of sin that we are fighting against, and now it often gets the upper hand.

Sometimes we do things, say things, think things, which we should not think, say, or do.

God is going to bring Israel to repentance. Just as he is bringing you and I to repentance.

They will be able to work on their sins, and they will be in the start that road, that journey that leads to eternal life.

They will begin a journey as well that leads them to perfection.

Because perfection is a journey that we're on.

We need to think about some of these things during the days of Unleavened Bread. God has given us seven days of Unleavened Bread to think about this. To think about what he's trying to get through to us.

Now, why couldn't have been one day of Unleavened Bread? Apparently, it's something we really needed to think about.

For a little bit more time, a complete period of time, to really sense how important that this is, this journey that we're on.

And none of us has reached our destination yet, have we?

We haven't. I haven't. Anybody here perfect?

None of us live a perfectly clean life that God wants us to.

None of us here are perfect.

But I hope there isn't one of us that's here that would not want to be perfect, and want to live in a perfect age. Because that's what this feast pictures. A complete conversion process.

A delevening process.

Picturing us becoming perfect one day.

And, of course, then, living in a perfect age, in an unleavened age. It's coming.

God says it's coming. We're going to read about that in a moment.

It's coming.

And this feast pictures that.

If we continue and follow God's program, we'll be there.

We'll be there.

But let's not get off the road.

That leads to perfection.

Let's notice Jeremiah 25.15. Jeremiah 25.5.5 And verse number 15.

You know, I can't see that clock around the corner.

I'm behind it.

Well, we've got to finish by noon.

Okay, I've got my watch. We'll put it right up here.

No excuses now.

Jeremiah 25.5.5 And verse 15.

Let's notice that God is very interested not only in His original firstborn, but also all the rest of His sons, the Gentiles, the other nations. We're going to see here that He's interested in them, too.

The Gentile nations are going to meet their maker as well at the coming of Christ. It's just not only Israel that's going to loathe themselves.

It's also the other nations as well.

So let's take a look at that here.

Jeremiah 25.5.15 It says, For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me, Take this wine cup of the fury for my hand, so He keeps talking about this fury, and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. And then He starts talking about who all these nations are. You can read about some of the nations in the context here. Egypt is listed in verse number 19, and there's several other nations here that are listed in verses 20 through 25. You'll see that. And then God covers all the kingdoms of the world there in verse number 26.

I think that just about covers everything.

All the kingdoms of the world.

So let's read on in Jeremiah chapter 25 verse 29.

For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city, which is called by my name, so that's referring to Jerusalem.

And should you be utterly unpunished?

So God is going to punish Jerusalem and Israel, and the Gentiles will not go unpunished, as it says in the latter part of verse number 29.

He says, you shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth. I think that about covers it as well.

Says the Lord of hosts. So not only all the kingdoms of the world, but all the inhabitants of the earth.

Verse 30, therefore prophesy against them. So this is a prophecy that God inspired Jeremiah to give, and here's what it says. The Lord is going to roar from on high. I think we're talking about, most likely, the return of Jesus Christ.

And He's going to utter His voice from His holy habitation. He will roar mightily against His fold.

He will give a shout as those who tread the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth.

And a noise will come to the ends of the earth. So it's going to be something that's probably heard by everyone.

For the Lord has a controversy with the nations. He's got a controversy with everyone.

He's given us blessings. He's given us life. He's given us His Word. He has set expectations.

And now He has a controversy for how we've utilized the blessings He's given us.

He has a controversy with the nations. And He will plead His case with all flesh.

He will give those who are wicked to the sword, says the Lord.

So the Gentile nations are also going to bow their knee to their Creator.

And they are going to have to also start on this road, this journey out of sin towards eternal life. And during the millennium, which all of this is going to be taking place, God is going to begin a great, de-leavening process.

But there will be leaven still around.

It will not be the age of no sin.

During the thousand years, what will be happening? Well, we'll be preparing people for a non-leaven age, a perfect age which leads them towards perfection.

We will lead them towards that same path and journey that we are on right now.

This is our time. This is our journey. This is our turn now. It will be their turn then.

Now, when the thousand years are over, and of course, Satan is then released for a little while, isn't he, after the thousand-year period, and then the corruption and the leavening process of sin all of a sudden starts all over again, doesn't it?

It shows, and it's going to be, even though it's only allowed for a very short period of time, it is amazing how fast this leavening spreads in such a short time and how many people it affects in such a short time.

But eventually, God will intervene, and he, Satan, and the demons will be removed permanently.

And after God has removed Satan and the demons, what takes place then? The second resurrection. The second resurrection takes place in the plan of God.

Now, let me ask you a question. Will the people that come up in the second resurrection, will they have an 11 to deal with?

Will they have an 11 to deal with?

Unless they're pretty young babies, we'll have to be taught about the age that, you know, that their parents lived in or what have you.

Most, if not all, the adults are going to remember the way that they were on their last waking moment.

They're going to have to be dealt with, aren't they?

They'll have character issues that'll have to be dealt with.

Character issues that they had when they died.

They'll have memories of how they lived before they died, and they will have to be worked with.

And again, this also will not be an age without sin during this time.

We'll have to show them a journey, a road that leads to perfection and to eternal life and to a life without sin.

We'll have to say this is a way.

If you repent, if you seek Passover and the sacrifice of Christ, then all those sins that you committed will be forgiven.

And then you'll have to start this process of conversion, which is shown by these days of Unleavened Bread.

We'll teach the Sabbath, we'll teach the commandments of God and all of His laws, love of God, of neighbor, God's holy days, the plan of salvation, the road of conversion that leads to eternal life. And we will teach them the same way of life that God has revealed to us today.

We'll share it with them.

So all during the time of the Second Resurrection, we'll be working with human beings.

And hopefully we'll be there. God's intention, He's called you to be there. We'll be working with human beings. But this is still not yet the time of an age without sin.

Well, why?

Because human beings are still around.

Human nature is still around.

All of what made them who they were is still part of their character, is still with them in the Second Resurrection when they are raised from the dead.

But the goal that God has for them is perfection.

It's perfection.

And that's exactly what God is doing with you and I right now. What a process. What a conversion process. What a road that we're on.

So there are verses in Scripture that show that, and we're going to look at here in just a moment, that we are presently in our opportunity on our journey towards perfection. And we need to be aware of that. That's something that is very important for us to be aware of. That this is our time right now, and our journey that we're on that's leading to perfection.

How would you like to be perfect one day?

I would. I think you would too.

And thinking about that.

No evil thoughts. None.

No attitudes.

Bad attitudes.

It's okay to have a good attitude.

No bad attitudes.

Speech that always edifies and helps.

Never harms, never hurts.

I wouldn't mind being that way.

I'd like to be that way. I think I'd be free.

You've got to be free.

I'd feel free.

Let's take a look in Matthew 5.43. That's the goal that God has for His sons. It's what He has in mind for you. It's what He has in mind for all mankind. Let's read Matthew 5.43.

Matthew 5.43.

Jesus Christ is speaking.

Spoke His Father's words. He brought God, His Father's message to you and me.

Matthew 5.43.

Jesus said, you've heard what I'm about to say in the past. You've heard that it was said that you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who use you in a spiteful way, and they persecute you.

Now, verse 44 is a pretty tall order, isn't it?

That's a really tough one. That's a tall order for us. Even after being in the church for a number of years, this is something that we still have to work on.

To love our enemies.

Somebody that's wronged us.

Anything like that happened to you over the years?

Or in the church or otherwise? That maybe you were made angry? Or you said something that you shouldn't have said? You made someone else angry or upset? I think we're all guilty, aren't we? We're all guilty of that.

So this is a tall order to love our enemies.

But that's...

I didn't write this.

Okay, I didn't write this. These are God's words.

And to pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, and to bless those who curse you, and to do good to those who hate you. We just keep doing good. And God talks about that. Overcoming evil with good.

Verse 45.

That you may be the sons of your Father.

This implies that this is a characteristic that He has.

That you may be the sons of your Father in heaven. He makes His Son rise on the evil and on the good. He does good to both.

And He sends rain, which is so vital.

Till you have a drought, you don't realize how vital it is. He sends rain on the just and the unjust.

So here's something to think about.

How are we measuring up to the level of our Father, and the level of Jesus Christ?

Because that's the way that they live.

Verse 46.

For if you love those who love you, there's no reward.

There is no reward.

Don't even the tax collectors do the same thing.

If you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Don't even tax collectors do so?

Therefore, you shall be perfect.

For complete, as it can also be rendered.

Just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

So that's the goal that God has for you.

How would you like to be perfect one day? And God has this in mind for you.

He wants us to aim towards perfection. Let's go over to Ephesians 4, verse 22.

Ephesians 4, verse 22.

Ephesians 4, verse 22. Just a few verses showing that this is what God wants us to be working towards.

He has a part to play, and so do we. But this is the aim that He wants us to have.

Towards perfection.

I think this chapter expands on the process that we're involved in here.

And God tells us there's a new man that He wants us to become.

One that's different.

You know, before we begin reading here, think about it.

Has keeping the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread changed you over the years?

Think about that.

Has it made you a different person? All the Passovers that those of you have observed in all the festivals, the days of Unleavened Bread, that you've observed over the years, that you've kept over the years, they should make us a different person, shouldn't they? They should help us to understand what God is trying to do in us, and this process of conversion, this journey of coming out of sin and on towards a road of eternal life.

The answer really is yes, isn't it? Because we are on a road that needs to perfection.

God's going to try to do that, and you and me, if we'll yield to Him.

Now, we've not reached our destination yet, but shouldn't there still be some progress?

Each and every year as we rehearse again, that this process of conversion continues?

No, we've not reached our destination yet, so there should be progress, and there should be a noticeable difference in us as we go on. Is there?

I believe there is, but we still have some work to do. But God continues to refine us, doesn't He? He loves us so much. He continues to refine us.

You know, if you've had trials, and who hasn't? You know, I used to think, why is this happening? Or why is this happening to me?

Now, God, why is this happening?

And my wife and I, one day, we sat down and we said, you know, we reviewed the reason for trials in the Scripture, and we began to realize it's because we have something to learn yet.

And so we started to change our attitude. We've got a long ways to go, but we started to think about the fact that, you know what, maybe when the trial starts, we should be looking at ourselves and asking the question, what does God want me to learn from this?

It really changes your outlook towards a trial.

It's still challenging, but you begin to look for the good that can come from a trial.

What does God want me to learn from this?

Ephesians 4, verse 22, talking about putting on a new man and putting off an old man. Ephesians 4, verse 22, that you put off concerning your former conduct.

You know, when God calls someone, that's what they get busy trying to do.

Put off their former conduct.

And it goes on to say, put off your former conduct, the old man, which grows corrupt, but we know where that goes. Corruption, it leads to death. Sin leads to death.

Put off that old man, which grows corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Now, we talked about this on the first day of Unleavened Bread, that we have to die to sin.

We have to die to sin, having the old man buried with Christ, so that that law of sin and death no longer has a claim over us, the death penalty, because it's been paid not only by Christ, but where the old man is dead, buried with Christ. And the new man begins to live a new way of life.

Verse 24, And that you put on the new man, that's the process that we're doing right now, as part of these days of Unleavened Bread and this conversion process, which was created according to God. This is a new creation that He's doing in you, in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore, understanding that, verse 25, put away lying. Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor. The words that we speak are so important for good, and also they can cause harm. For we're members of one another.

Be angry, but don't sin.

And if you are angry and not sinning, don't let the sun go down on your wrath, so don't let it fester.

God says, put it away.

Don't just continue to have it fester.

Because what that will do is give place to the devil. Satan is always trying to get a foothold. Don't let him have one. God says, make a choice. Don't let him have it.

Verse 28, Let him who stole steal no more, but rather, let him work, let him labor and work with his hands what is good so that he may have something to give.

So instead of stealing, start to work and then share your blessings with others.

So we touched on a little bit in the offatory message. To share with someone who has need and let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth.

And that's another tall order. Out of the abundance of the heart, our mouth will eventually speak. So whatever it is that's going on in our mind or in our heart is eventually going to come out.

You may be able to hide it for a while, but eventually, whatever is going on in our hearts and minds, we will speak.

Whether it be edification that builds or whether it be corruption which begins to destroy.

Verse 29, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth for what is good for the necessary edification. And we do need to be edified. We need to edify one another. That's necessary. We need to be encouraged.

This is a tough culture to live in and be called in.

So God wants us for each member to work together, to encourage one another.

For necessary edification that it may impart grace to those that listen to our words, the hearers.

And don't grieve the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes I wonder how many times we grieve God.

As a parent, you know what it's like when your son or daughter makes a choice and it just grieves you.

We do the same with God.

Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, all wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.

Can we still fall short on these things? Well, I think we can and we do.

But are we doing better?

Are we growing?

No, that's what God would have us to do.

How are we? Well, let's go on here. Verse number 32.

And be kind to one another.

And be tender heart. That heart keeps coming in, doesn't it?

Forgiving each other, even as God, through Christ or in Christ, has forgiven you.

So how are we doing? How are we doing in our marriages?

How are we doing in our families?

How are we doing with our children?

How are our children doing with one another? And are young people with one another? Or young or old? Or all of us in between?

I hope we're making progress towards perfection. Because that's what God wants.

That's what He's building in you.

He wants us to make progress towards perfection. Let's go to Hebrews 6 and verse 1. Hebrews 6 and verse number 1.

Talking about some whole elementary doctrinal principles and issues, but I want you to see where He ultimately wants to take us here. Hebrews 6 and verse number 1.

He says, therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection.

Let's go on to perfection. That's the message today, part of it, heart and core. Good part of it is to go on to perfection.

How many would like to live in a perfect world?

I would too.

Because at that time, we will be perfect. But we're on that journey now, towards that, through the power of God's Spirit, in order to be there.

He says, let's go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance, from dead works, in other words, repentance of things that lead to death, works that lead to death, and of faith towards God, and of baptisms, and laying out of hands, and resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

And this we will do if God permits. So with God's help, we can do this.

Go on to perfection.

Brethren, I've known several members of the church over the years that are far along on their journey to perfection.

Now, they're not perfect yet. Don't get me wrong. I don't say they're there yet, but I say they are far along.

Maybe you've known members like that too, that they've gone through the ups and the downs.

And the difficulties. And the trials.

And their life really does show a lot of spiritual maturity.

They're like bedrock.

There's a lot of righteousness and a lot of holiness of God in their lives. And their life shows the result of God's Spirit working through them, them following the lead of His Spirit.

That's the journey that we all want to keep going towards.

If we have been in the church a long time, we want to be following the lead of the Spirit that works in us.

We don't want to grieve that Spirit.

We want to follow it and begin to work on that goal towards spiritual maturity that God is working us towards in His righteousness in us.

So it's 1 Peter 1, verse 13. 1 Peter 1 and verse number 13.

1 Peter 1 and verse 13. Peter writes to us, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind.

But let us be spiritually renewed by the Passover in the days of the 11th bread, these seven days, to help make us stronger, to be more renewed in our commitment, and to rededicate ourselves to the covenant that we entered into, the calling that God has given to us.

Gird up the loins of your mind and be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children.

So having an obedient heart, that's what God wants in us. Not conforming yourselves to the former lusts as in your ignorance.

So it's a totally different road now that we're on.

That as He who called you as holy, of course the Father is the one that does do the calling, as He who called you as holy, is holy, then you also be holy in all of your conduct. Boy, did He have to say all?

Okay. He did. He did.

And this feast reinforces that commitment to be holy in all of our conduct.

Can we grow? God knows we can.

He knows we can.

He knows we can grow.

And He's there with us along the way.

Can we work on our thoughts?

Can we bring them into captivity?

No, He talks about that. He knows we can.

Can we have less corrupt communication coming out of our mouths and more edifying communication?

Yes, He knows we can. We can grow in that way.

To have less evil thoughts and attitudes and grab them and bring them into captivity through the power of His Spirit that He's given to us. It's more powerful than we realize. It's a helper that we can utilize.

We can begin to do these things.

And if we do, then this feast is going to begin to...

if the purpose of this feast is going to be starting to be fulfilled in us.

You will also be holy in all of your conduct because it's written, Be holy, for I am holy. So that's the goal.

That's the goal. Unless you have a goal, you'll never reach one.

And God has set the standard.

Be holy, for I am holy, just like our Father in heaven is holy.

Brother, there is coming an age without sin.

But as we know today, it's not here yet.

We're still on our own journey, aren't we?

And we know that the millennium is not an age without sin. There's still going to be human beings. There's still going to be issues to deal with.

You know?

And I know for our own personal lives, I don't know if we can ever say that we'll reach absolute perfection in this life, that we won't.

We won't.

But you know, right near the end of our lives, I hope we are starting to get a lot closer.

Very close.

Towards the end of our life.

An age is coming that will have no sin, and all of the citizens of that age will live a life without sin.

It won't be the millennium. It won't be necessarily during the second resurrection. That won't be the age either without sin. There'll be plenty of sin when people are resurrected, and things will have to be dealt with.

Wrong attitudes.

Wrong hearts.

Violence that some may still want to do to others.

So there will still be a lot of sin in that age as well.

So then when is this going to happen?

Let's turn over to 2 Peter 3, verse 9. 2 Peter 3, and verse number 9.

We're going to read about an age that is coming, when there will be no sin.

A coming age without living.

It's not quite here when the millennium comes. Not quite here when the second resurrection comes, but it will come in the context that we're about to meet.

2 Peter 3, verse 9. For the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness.

But He is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. So we know that God's plan is for everyone. He desires all people to come to repentance.

He doesn't want anyone to miss out. He wants everyone to be members of His family.

In other words, He wants everyone to go through this process towards perfection, this journey to become part of His family. Verse number 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.

Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

I think we understand this to be talking about the lake of fire here, in this context described in Revelation 20 towards the end of that chapter.

Verse 11. Therefore, since all of these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?

Now, I think this piece makes us think about this question.

Since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?

Looking for, verse 12, and hastening the coming of the day of God, because which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements are going to melt with fervent heat.

Brother, what kind of persons ought we to be?

I hope that all of us can go forward from this feast.

I hope I can, I hope you can, and do a better job in fighting against sin and a better fight against leaven, and to make more progress towards perfection, righteousness, holiness, and unleavened life.

A better fight against leaven. I think we can.

God knows we can.

That's why He called you.

Verse 13 now shows this age that we look forward to.

An age without sin. Let's read it.

Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

That is going to be the age without sin, and which righteousness dwells after God's plan with humanity is complete.

It's after the millennium. It's after the second resurrection. It's after the lake of fire.

Then we'll come a new earth, new heavens, and which only righteousness dwells.

That will begin the eternal age without sin.

Only righteousness.

That is the important point that God is inspiring Peter here to write about, isn't it?

Then we'll come a new heaven or new earth in which only righteousness dwells. No sin.

No leaven of any kind.

Verse 14.

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things. That's our hope. That's our hope, isn't it? Looking forward to an age of perfection and living a life without sin.

An age without sin.

It says, if that's our hope, if it is, we go on to read, looking forward to these things, then be diligent to be found by him in peace, without spot and blameless.

So we've done our part to make ourselves ready.

As we heard about in other messages here prior to the feast, made ourselves ready without spot and blameless. This is the goal that the days of unleavened bread are leading us to, or motivating us to think about and to work towards. This coming new heaven and new earth, which only righteousness dwells. No sin. No leaven. A perfect age.

A perfect age with perfect citizens.

Think about that.

No one will do us any harm. We won't do anyone any harm.

No one will take advantage of anyone.

No wrong thoughts.

All of us. The sons of God.

No one misrepresenting.

No one lying.

No one cheating.

No one stealing.

Everyone loving the Father and loving one another.

The sons and daughters of God, at that point, will not sin.

Can not sin.

Could not sin.

So he's got us going through this process of conversion today, transforming our lives from the old man to the new man and leading us to perfection. And he commands us. It's not a suggestion, it's a command. To be holy.

As he is holy. To be perfect.

As he is perfect.

And to go on to perfection, as we read about in Hebrews 6.

If we do, brethren, then we will be a citizen of that coming age.

And we will live in an age without sin.