Christ Our Spiritual Rock

In the title of our sermon today, Christ our Spiritual Rock, subtitle, Where is Your Place of Safety?

How will you be saved, plate or trust? Will you be saved by faith in the living rock or by a dead rock? Will you trust in a physical rock for salvation or deliverance? Or will you trust in the rock of our salvation? The great spiritual rock upon whom the Church of God is founded. Please turn to 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 4. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 4, from which the title is taken for the sermon, Christ our Spiritual Rock, did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Also in Numbers 20, we'll see here that this rock that Moses struck in the wilderness, symbolic of what was to come, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. Water symbolizes the Holy Spirit. They all drank of that spiritual rock. That rock was Christ. In Numbers 20, verse 8, This particular case, once again, Israel had murmured no water present. Verse 7, the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, gather you the assembly together, you and Aaron your brother, and speak you unto the rock. Speak you unto the rock. Speak you unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth his water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock. And they all followed that spiritual rock, and that rock was Christ. Of course, Christ was the one who was providing for them in the wilderness. For 40 years, they were in the wilderness, and God rained manna down from heaven. He sent quail for meat. Their clothes did not wear out for 40 years, and he provided for them in a desert-like situation. He provided for their physical needs. There was no Walmart, Kroger, Randall, or any other place. I mean, he was their grocery store, their department store. He supplied the water, and all of that. All of those needs. So you shall give the congregation and their beast a drink. And Moses took the rod from before the Lord as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, you rebels! Must we? Must we fetch you water out of this rock?

This is one of the few mistakes that Moses made, and one of the few times that Moses was not the meekiest man on the face of the earth. You know, even Jesus Christ himself continually emphasized having your faith and trust placed in God the Father. When people went out to the preaching of John the Baptist that came down from Jerusalem, he said, Are you that prophet? Are you Elijah? He said, No, I'm as one voice crying out in the wilderness, prepare you the way.

And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice, and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beast also. And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because you believe me not to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. So instead of speaking to the rock, Moses smote the rock. Now back to 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 1. Here we'll see that the congregation of Israel or the assembly was called the church in the wilderness, here and also in Acts. Actually, it's in Acts, which we'll turn to next. In 1 Corinthians 10 verse 1, More, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea. Speaking when God divided the red sea and they walked through on dry ground, there was water on either side and a mist above their heads. So they were submerged, as it were, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. And did all eat the same spiritual meat. Now in Acts chapter 7, back a ways, in Acts chapter 7 and verse 37. Acts 7, 37. Here, as we're breaking in on Stephen's inspired sermon, for which he gave his life, he was killed as a result of giving the sermon. In Acts 7, 37.

This is that Moses which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, him shall you hear. And of course, that prophet is Jesus Christ. Now we have had people that have come along in recent times and said that they were that prophet. This is he that was in the church, in the wilderness, with the angel which spoke to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers who received the lively oracles to give unto us, to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt. And of course, where your heart is, your treasure will be also, and sometimes you may go along toward the Promised Land. But really, as it says here, their hearts weren't in it, especially the adults, it seems. And as you know, after the spies came back, spying out the land, only two of them, all of them of the older people, that is Joshua and Caleb, went in, along with the younger people, saying unto Aaron, Make us gods, go before us, for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what's become of him. When most of our people talk about a place of safety, they tend to think of a Petra in the ancient geographical location of Mount Seer or Edom, or various other names. So, Petra literally means rock. In Hebrew, there are two main, and I'll cover this in more detail in just a moment, Hebrew, there are two main words that are translated rock. One is Selah, S-E-L-A, and the other is Tassur, T-S-U-R. There are other names for Petra, Edom, Mount Seer. Basra was at one time the capital city as well. Once again, the map of Petra is right down here. Ammon is up here. This is the Dead Sea right in here, and the Sea of Galilee up in here, and Gulf of Aqaba, Dead Sea, I'm sorry, Red Sea down here, and the nation of Jordan. And over here, joining Jordan is Iraq.

The entrance into Petra is called the Sikh with the high walls on either side. The Romans and others, the Nabataeans, ran aqueducts through here. Both the Moabites and the Edomites somewhat disappeared from the world, seen as a visibly identifiable tribe of people in a specific geographic location. The Nabataeans came in and took over Petra. To a large degree, they're the ones that carved out a lot of these things. Once you come out of the Sikh, right in front of you will be this. And you'll look at this, and you think it's a building, but it's not a building. It's been carved out of rock, so there are no ruins behind this. It's just carved relief into solid rock. And then here is a temple that the Nabataeans were very religious. Pagan and evil spirit-worshipping people built this big temple. See these caves in Petra? This is where the Nabataeans buried their dead. They left a hole so the evil spirits could get out. So you just get a little glimpse there of physical Petra. There are two principal Hebrew words that are translated rock in the Old Testament. This is called Selah. Selah is the one that is translated Petra and can refer to a literal rock or to a literal place, or it could be used figuratively. It could be a literal rock. It could be a place called Petra. As in the case, Petra is the number one tourist attraction in Jordan. I mean, they put out websites, maps, and brochures, and all kind of things, urging tourists to come to Jordan and visit Petra.

So it could be a rock, rocks, a location, or it could be used figuratively. The other word to sewer is most often used in the figurative sense, a little more than Selah is. So if you would now, turn to Deuteronomy 32.15. Deuteronomy 32 is a very interesting section of Scripture. It's to some degree the prophecy of Israel into the future. You shouldn't just look at Deuteronomy strictly from an historical point of view. Deuteronomy 32 and verse 15, but Jasharon, this name here, Jasharon, literally means the upright one, and it can be used figuratively for Israel or Jerusalem. But Jasharon waxed fat and kicked. You are waxing fat, you're grown thick, you're covered with fatness. Then he forsook God, which made him and lightly esteemed the to sewer the rock of his salvation. So obviously here you're using it in the figurative sense. Lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation, they provoked him to jealousy with strange gods. With abominations provoked they hemmed anger, they sacrificed unto devils, not to God, to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the rock that beget you, you are unmindful. Once again, the rock here is used figuratively of God to sewer and have forgotten God that formed you. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters. In verse 25, The sword without and terror within shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also the man of gray hairs. I said I would scatter them to the corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men. So, as I said, this is also a prophecy. Verse 30, How should one chase a thousand? And two put ten thousand to flight, except their rock to sewer had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up. Their foot shall slide in due time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

In the following verses, we go to Psalm 82. We'll see both Selah and the sewer used in Psalm 18. I don't know what I said, but it's Psalm 18. In Psalm 18 and verse 2. Psalm 18 verse 2, we have Selah used.

Verse 1, I will love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my Selah, my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. So here, Selah is used in the figurative sense. Then you look at verse 46. Verse 46 is, To sewer, the Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted. Both the sewer and Selah can refer to physical rocks. So we've seen it in the figurative sense. Now we go to Isaiah 2.21. We'll see it used in the physical sense to refer to literal physical rocks. Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 21. Isaiah 2 and verse 21.

Talking about the time of the day of the Lord and how people will be trying to hide themselves. Verse 21, To go into the clefs of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks. And both are used here. To sewer and Selah are used to refer to physical rocks. If I remember, Selah is the first one, clefs of the rocks. I'm not sure it's one or the other. But both are used to denote physical rocks. For fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth. And there are two principal Greek words, Petra and Petros, that are translated as rock in the New Testament. Let's go now to Matthew 16 and verse 18. In Matthew 16 and verse 18. Both of these words, Petra or Petros, can be used to denote a literal rock or, using the figurative sense, to denote something else. In this case, it's used figuratively for Christ. In Matthew 16 and 18. And I say unto you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, when he said unto Peter, Peter in the Greek is Petros, little rock or little stone, and upon this rock, big rock, Petra, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So we see in the Bible that Tussur, Selah, Petra can be used of a geographical place, and it can be used for literal rocks, or it can be used to, in the figurative sense, to denote God or Christ. So our challenge in some cases is to know the difference, and do you know the difference? You have to consider the context and put all the scriptures together. We know that Christ is not a literal rock, but he fulfills the strength, safety, and security that is symbolized by a rock. He's a firm foundation that can withstand the storms of life. Once again, Christ said that I'll build my church upon the rock, upon Petra. And Jesus is identified as this stone or rock. Let's go now to Acts 4 and Acts 4 and verse 10. Acts 4 and verse 10. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone. So once again, stone or rock, use figuratively. This word is not Petra here, but it denotes a stone. This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which has become the head of the corner, the very capstone, and Christ is the head of the church. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name given unto heaven among men, whereby we must be saved.

Remember what Christ states? Let's go back there in John chapter 7. John chapter 7. We read that scripture from Numbers 20 and verse 8, where Moses smoked the rock and water came out of the rock. We also have read 1 Corinthians 10.4, where it says, and they all drank of that spiritual rock, and that rock was Christ. In John 7, verse 37, in the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Jesus Christ, they all drank of that spiritual rock, that rock was Christ. But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Of course, it tells us in Acts 2.38 how we can receive that Spirit on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to those assembled in Jerusalem on that day, with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, with cloven tongues of fire on the head of the apostles. The apostles spoke, and the people heard them in their language, and the Holy Spirit was sent. Peter gave his sermon. They asked men and brothers, what shall we do? Peter said, Repent and be baptized, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, this living water, this spiritual life. Peter also said in 1 Peter 2.5 that we are living stones built up into an holy temple unto the Lord. So, who is the rock of our salvation? Who will deliver us in the day of trouble? Will it be the king of Jordan? Or will it be the head of some church? Some insist that you can't be hidden in a house because the neighbors will know that you are there and will turn you into the authorities. There's one over there, go get him. Of course, we do know it says in Matthew 24 verses 7 through 10 that many will be betrayed, betray one another. So, they say, well, you can't be hidden in a house. Then they'll turn around and attempt to make the literal geographical location of Petra the hiding place, a place where everyone will know that you are. Now, let me tell you, after you go through the sea or you climb over the mountain, you're in that bowl called Petra. It's very open. It's very open. You know, during the Gulf War, that was when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. And then later in our invasion of Iraq, we had battleships out there in the Gulf, and we were sending missiles and smart bombs attached to specific hotels in downtown Baghdad and bombing certain floors and hotels downtown Baghdad.

So, you tell me that if you are in Petra, that you're safe? No, not without God's help. You're not safe anywhere. You're not safe anywhere, but there's a lot more to this. The point is, as I've just already said, whether you are in your house or in Petra, that you cannot hide yourself, and only God can hide you, and only God can protect you. He is our rock. He is the rock of our salvation. He is the rock of our deliverance. Notice Amos 9, verse 1. Amos 9, verse 1 shows people trying to run to and fro. Hosea Joal Amos trying to hide themselves. In Amos 9, verse 1, I saw the Lord standing upon the altar, and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the doorposts may shake and cut them in the head, all of them. And I will slay the last of them with a sword. He that flees of them shall not flee away. In other words, he will not escape of them. And he that escapes of them shall not be delivered. Though they dig into the grave, into Sheol, into hell, then shall mine hand take them. Though they climb up to heaven, there will I bring them down. And though they hide themselves in the top of Cormel, I will search and take them out from there. And though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them. And though they go into captivity before their enemies, there will I command the sword, and it shall slay them. And I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

And the Lord of hosts is he that touches the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn, and it shall rise up wholly like a flood, and shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt. This tells me, apart from God, there ain't no place to hide in the physical sense. See, only God can hide you. Many will attempt to hide in the rocks, especially at the beginning of the day of the Lord. They will flee in haste by the thousands. We go back now to Isaiah 2. We've already read verse 21, which talks about them fleeing to the rocks in Isaiah 2. 10. Isaiah 2. 10, Enter into the rock and hide you in the dust for the fear of the Lord and for the glory of His majesty. See, the only true rock that you can enter into, and the only true way you can be hid, is by God Himself. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the naughtiness of men shall be bowed. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, for the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty upon everyone that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low. And then, verse 21, that we've already read, where they will try to go into rocks and even ask the rocks to fall on them. We'll see also a little more of this in Revelation 6. Revelation 6, when the sixth seal is opened, what happens?

Revelation 6, verse 12, I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, the sun became black as sackcloth, the moon became his blood. Verse 15, the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the chief captains, the mighty men, every bondman, every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, in the Petra of the mountains, and said to the mountains and the rocks, to the Petras, fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath has come, and who shall be able to stand? The Holy Scriptures clearly reveal that the only way that you can be hidden and saved is through the living rock. Now, on the other hand, Satan and the beast system will make war with the saints and will overcome some of them. Note now Revelation chapter 13. Revelation chapter 13 verses 7 and 8. Revelation 13 verses 7 and 8, speaking of the beast system, and was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And power was given over all kindreds and tongues and nations. That doesn't mean that every last saint will be overcome, as we shall see. So don't get the cart before the horse, and say that I'm saying there is no place. I'm not saying that. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Let's go now to Psalm 79. Psalm 79.

Psalm 79 and verse 1.

Psalm 79 and verse 1.

O God, the heathen are coming into your inheritance. Your holy temple have they defiled. They've laid Jerusalem on heaps. The dead bodies of your servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heavens. The flesh of your saints unto the beast of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them. Of course, you could look at this in the historical sense, and you could look at it in the dual sense of what might be coming in the future. The scenario similar to that occurred when the Romans took Jerusalem, and even back before that when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem 604 to 587 BC, and then the Romans 6970 AD.

Verse 11 here. Verse 11 here. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you according the greatness of your power. Preserve you those that are appointed to die, and render into our neighbor seven-fold into their bosom their reproach wherewith they have reproach you, O Lord. So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give thanks forever. We will show forth your praise to all generations.

We should be warned about some of the mistakes that God's people have made in the past concerning fleeing for their lives, trying to work it out physically of the flesh. God's protection is wrought through faith. Man's protection is wrought through works of the flesh.

Back in the early 80s, and I'll have more to say about the early 80s, back in the days of the church back on the track, there were rumors that going around that the church was buying DC-3s to be able to transport people to Petra. Now, are you kidding me? Basically, the nearest airport is Ammon. There might be one a little closer, but Ammon, and then you've got a long trek down to Petra. We drove down to Petra from Ammon, both the back roads and the King's Highway on the way back. If you go, take the King's Highway. In Revelation 12, verse 9, in Revelation 12, verse 9, The great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan, who was deceiving the whole world. He was cast out in the earth as angels were cast out with him, the demons. I heard a loud voice saying, In heaven now comes salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of the brethren who accuses them before God day and night has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, they loved not their lives, and to the death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell therein, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea, for the devil has come down unto you having great wrath, because he knows he has but a short time.

When the dragon saw that he was cast into the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child. Well, the first part of chapter 12 talks about the woman giving birth to the child, and the devil was there to devour him.

So both Israel in the flesh and its Israel spiritual apparently will receive great persecution, and to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place. Wings that she might fly, not flee, into her place. Evidently, a place that God has prepared where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth waters the flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. The earth helped the woman, and the woman opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was mad, angry with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed. So it seems to indicate some protected, some not, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. The difference between fly and flee could be a matter of life and death. Once again, God's protection is through faith. Man's protection is wrought through works of the flesh. So now let's consider a hypothetical conversation between a U.S. church leader and the King of Jordan regarding making arrangements with an Islamic king for a church group to flee to Petra during the tribulation.

Now, you know that the King of Jordan is the head of the Islamic religion for the nation, and also Jordan has a responsibility of overseeing the holy sites in Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, i.e., the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Now, the very fact that you would go talk to a king about, let me bring my people over here to your area, we know the Bible prophesies are going to be a great tribulation. Of course, the Quran also prophesies of a great chaotic time in which the world will be similar to what we believe, a state of chaos and confusion at the end of the age. And according to the Quran, the 12th Iman will appear and bring peace and order, whereas we believe that Jesus Christ will come and bring peace and order.

So the very fact that you would try to work it out physically with the Islamic nation, in which that Islamic nation, one of the tenets of the Quran, is to convert the whole world to Islam, and if they won't convert, kill them!

So even the thought of discussing such a thing as a work of the flesh, as if you had to have an earthly king's permission for God to protect you during the great tribulation. But let's say we would have actually approached the King of Jordan about a church group fleeing to Petra during the great tribulation. So what would you say to the King? Would you say, well, I'm the head of a Christian church and the Christian Bible prophesies of a great tribulation to come. It would be a time of great trouble and distress for all nations. So I was wondering if we could move all our people to your country, say in Petra, even though it's your number one tourist attraction, how about us going down there?

I mean, first of all, no church leader is going to do this. Some give you the impression that maybe they would, and maybe that they hold the key.

We could hide in the rock sphere.

What about the smart bombs? What about all of those things? Brethren, have we turned to fables and legends? Or are we trusting in the spiritual rock? And they all drank of that spiritual rock, and that rock was Christ. And He led them for 40 years in a wilderness desolate places, similar to Petra. He fed them. He gave them water. Their clothes did not wear out. He led them in battle against their enemies, and they triumphed over their enemies. And He brought them into the Promised Land, you know, despite many of those who rebelled along the way. You know, you might say, well, I know you're a Muslim, and the Qur'an calls on its adherents to convert the world to Islam, but maybe you can make an exception for us, though we believe that Jesus will come and defeat all the nations that oppose Him. So what do you think, King? What do you say? Can we come? Sorry. To begin with, no church leader, at least I don't think they would, would ever make such a proposal in the first place. And yet there are church people so naive and gullible to believe such a scenario. No wonder the Apostle Paul warned that the time would come that they would not endure sound doctrine, what would be turned to fables. Yet he admonished Timothy to preach the word, in season, out of season. So we have to be careful concerning proofs that some would proffer to prove that geographical Petra is a literal place of safety. On or about February the 25th, 1982, Mr. Armstrong came to Big Sandy. Big Sandy had been closed from May of 1977 to August of 1981. They reopened there as a junior college in 1981. Leon Walker was the deputy chancellor. I was the academic dean. And at faculty dining at lunch the day he came, I was sitting on his left hand. Leon Walker was sitting on his right hand. I had given a sermon similar to this back in either November or December of 1981. And then a traveling evangelist came along in January and he talked about those who had been depetrified and those kind of things. So I said, well, Mr. Armstrong, you know there are some of these ministers out here preaching that Petra is a place of safety. He said, I have never said any such thing. I have said that if the Bible indicates the place, that's probably the place it indicates. And the place that the only real place is in Isaiah 16. So if you would now go to Isaiah 15 because Isaiah 15 and 16 should be viewed as one complete prophecy. It is a prophecy against Moab.

In Isaiah 15, the burden of Moab because in the night of Ar of Ma, because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste.

It's also called Raba.

Raba, the R of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence because in the night, Kir of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence. He's gone up to Bajith and to Dibon. The high place is to weep. Moab shall howl over Nebo and over Medebo. You remember that Moses went up Mount Nebo and viewed the Promised Land on the east side of Jordan. Somewhere in that area, basically, we stopped at Nebo. It was so cloudy we couldn't really, or dusty and smoggy, we couldn't really see much. And over Medeba, on all their heads shall be baldness and every beard cut off. Now, in the Middle East at that time, in that culture, the beards were very treasured. And when you cut off your beard, that was a sign of tremendous, and the word baldness refers to cutting off the beard, a sign of great, great repentance, great mourning, great distress. In their streets, they shall gird themselves with sackcloth on the tops of their houses. In their streets, everyone shall howl, weeping abundantly. Then it talks about how the various cities are going to cry. Verse 5, My heart shall cry out for Moab. His fugitives shall flee unto Zohar, like a heifer of three years. A heifer of three years has not yet undergone the yoke. It's carefree, it's open, it's full of vigor and vim. That's what that's talking about, about a heifer of three years. For by the mounting up of Luhith, with weeping shall they go it up. For in the way of Hora Naim, they shall raise up a cry of destruction. For the waters of Nimrond shall be desolate, for the hay is withered and grass fails, there's no green thing. Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and they that have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook at the willows. For the cry is gone about the borders of Moab, the howling thereof unto Eglim, and the howling thereof unto Birilim. For the waters of Daimon shall be of blood, for I will bring more upon Daimon lions upon him that escapes of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land. So we see that some people here, they are in a state of distress, and they are fleeing, and they're looking for a place basically to dwell and to hide. There should be no chapter break.

Send you the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Selah to the wilderness. Who was the ruler of the land? Well, David had conquered Mount Seir and Edom, and put them under tribute many years before. They rebelled a few times, and they were conquered again by another king of Judah, and were under tribute. So they're talking about sin, and you want to, at this time I've got this handout here of what Jameson Fawcett Brown might help in clarifying this. I will go through it, and then you'll have that to take home with you if you want to look at this some more. Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Petra to the wilderness. Now, if we turn on our screen again, go back to that map. Petra to the wilderness and the mount of the daughter of Zion. Now, the mount of the daughter of Zion is in Jerusalem. So send you the lamb to the ruler of land, from Selah to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. So send, in essence, send tribute to the ruler of the land that's in Jerusalem. Why? Because he might favor us and allow us to take refuge there.

Go back. I'm sorry. Hit the wrong button. So once again, here's Petra down here. Jerusalem is up here. David had conquered this area, and another king of Judah had also conquered this area. I believe it's there in your handout. And so send tribute up here, and maybe he will favor us. Because they are fleeing. They're under attack. They're in distress. Verse 2, For it shall be that as a wandering bird cast out of the net. So the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. Take counsel, execute judgment, make your shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday, hide the outcast, betray not him that wanders.

Let mine outcast dwell with you. And that is the great controversial verse right here. Let mine outcast dwell with you. Are these Christians? Are these Jews? Well, the whole context and the whole prophecy is about Moab fleeing. And they have fled basically from the north to the south.

Let mine outcast well with you, Moab. So that you remember that from our sermon last week that Moab and Edom had a common border. Moab to the north, Edom to the south. Be you a covert to them from the face of the spoiler, for the extortioner is at an end. The spoiler ceases. The oppressor are consumed out of the land. And then verse 4 merges into, like the beast power being overthrown, and the Messiah, verse 5, and in mercy shall the throne be established, and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment and hasting righteousness. We've heard of the pride of Moab. He's very proud, even of his hotiness and his pride and his wrath, but his lies shall not be so.

Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, everyone shall howl, for the foundations of Ki-har-eseth shall you mourn, surely they are stricken. And it goes on talking about Moab and what's happening to him. Verse 12, it shall come to pass when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that's where they go to make offerings to their gods, that they shall come to his sanctuary to pray, but he shall not prevail. This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning Moab since that time.

But now the Lord has spoken, saying, within three years of the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be condemned with all that great multitude, and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. So you can read the commentary here that makes some of these verses more clear, but now the question is, Does Moab protect God's hidden ones? That's a great question in this verses 3 and 4. So what does the Bible say with regard to, does Moab protect God's hidden ones? Does Moab try to help Israel? Go to Psalm 83. Psalm 83. According to what we've just read here, she does not.

In Psalm 83, verse 1, Come and let us take them, cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may no more be in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent. They are confederate against you the tabernacles of Edom, the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarenes, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre and Asher is joined in with them.

So we see right here that it says that their determination is to destroy Israel. Now we go to Isaiah 25 and verse 9. Isaiah 25 and verse 9. In Isaiah 25 and verse 9, It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God. We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the eternal. We have waited for Him. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under Him, even as straw is trodden down of the dung hill. And He shall spread forth His hands in the midst of them, as He that swims spreads forth His hands to swim.

And He shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. And time after time in the Bible, in Isaiah, in Zephaniah, in Jeremiah, it talks about how God is going to deal with Moab because of their sins and because of the way that they treated Israel on the way to the Promised Land. And also, when the Assyrians came in, both Moab and Edom tried to spoil Israel in the wake of Israel's misery. Now, the Bible does speak of a definite place where a remnant is during the time of the trumpet plagues. Go to Revelation 7.

I brought this out in the sermon, the first feast that we had in United and it was in Cape Cod area. It was in Lowell, I believe, Massachusetts in Revelation 7.

Now, I want to go to Revelation 11. Revelation 11. And then some went away saying that I said that Jerusalem is a place of safety. I'm not saying that. I'm saying there is a remnant in Jerusalem during the time of the trumpet plagues and I can show it very clearly right here. Exactly who this remnant is, I don't know. But remnant usually refers to ones that God has preserved unto Himself. In Revelation 11.7, speaking of the two witnesses, and when they had finished their testimony, the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, overcome them, kill them. Their dead bodies will be in the street of that great city, which spiritualists call Sodom in Egypt, where our Lord was crucified. The people and kindreds of the tongue of the earth are going to see their dead bodies and they're going to blame them for the torment that's been upon the earth during the great tribulation. And when they see them dead, send gifts to each other and rejoice.

But in verse 11, after three days and a half, the spirit of the life from God entered into them. They stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up here, and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them. In the same hour was there a great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand, and the remnant were affrighted. So there's a remnant there. A tenth part of the city fell, seven thousand people were killed, and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven.

There's coming a time in which the the sun is going to be so hot. It's going to be seven-fold hot, and during that time, men, of course, are going to be looking, I assume, for a shade tree, a place to hide. We go now to Isaiah chapter 28. Isaiah 28.

Let's go to Isaiah 26, verse 20. In Isaiah 26, verse 20, as you remember, one of the vials of wrath talks about the sun being so hot that it just bakes people. In Isaiah 26, in verse 20, Isaiah 26, verse 20, In Isaiah 26, verse 20, Come, my people, enter into your chambers, and shut your doors about you. Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation be passed. For behold, the Lord comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth, for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. So, once again, it indicates that there is a place that God has prepared. Now, notice Isaiah 30, in verse 26. You're going to need a covering in Isaiah 30, in verse 26. Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord binds up the breach of his people, and heals the stroke of their wound.

God is our ultimate covering. Let's go back to Isaiah 28. In Isaiah 28, verse 14, Wherefore, hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men that rule this people which is in Jerusalem, because you have said we have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement.

When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation, he that believes shall not make haste. So, of course, we know that that chief cornerstone, that he lays in Zion, and Zion is symbolic of the Church, is Jesus Christ. Judgment also will I lay to the line in righteousness to the plummet, and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the water shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled. See, there are going to be people, and apparently even nations, making treaties and agreements with the beast power, thinking that through that they can be saved.

They will not be saved through any efforts of men, neither them or you or I.

Your covenant of death shall be disannulled. Your agreement with the grave shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then shall you be trodden down by it. From the time that it goes forth, it shall take you. For morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night, and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. For the bed is shorter than a man can stretch himself on it. In other words, can't be covered, and the covering narrow than it can wrap himself in. For the Lord shall rise up in Mount Perazim. He shall be mad, as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act his strange act. Now therefore be you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong. For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts that consumption even determine upon the whole earth. Give you ear hear my voice, hearken and hear my speech. Does a plowman plow all day to sow? Does he open and break the clods of his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, does he not cast forth the fitches and scatter the seed, and cast in the principle wheat and the imported barley and the rye in their place? So God is saying that he is not going to just stand there idly forever, that eventually he is going to intervene. So who will dwell with God on high, and who will be protected? I don't know for sure who will be protected and who won't be protected. I know that we can go to Luke 21. Let's go there. Luke 21. Luke's account of the Sermon on the Mount.

In Luke's account, the Sermon on the Mount talks about you'll be brought before kings and rulers, and it will turn unto you for a testimony. In Luke 21.

Verse 8. And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ. And the time draws near, go you not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear wars and commotions be not terrified, for these things must first come to pass. But the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, great earthquakes in different places, and we've surely seen an increase in earthquakes throughout the world of tremendous magnitude in recent times, famines, pestilence, fearful sights, great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these things, and that word before is epi above all these things. This is the way I read it instead of before. I mean, for us, the greatest trial above these things, they shall lay their hands on you, persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues. See, at that time in this situation, these people are not protected. They are protected, but not in a certain place. And what does their protection seem to depend upon? And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate what you shall answer. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gang say nor resist. In other words, God will inspire you through His Spirit to give that testimony. But it looks like you will be put to death. You shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren, and Kim's folk and friends, and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And you shall be hated of all men from a namesake, but there shall not in hair of your head perish. Now that's not a contradiction. That means in the ultimate sense, even if you die, you will live in resurrection. In your patience, possess you your souls. So, during that period of time, as it talks about in Isaiah 61, the church is going to be in mourning. M-O-U-R-N-I-N-G. And it's like, how long, O Lord, how long? And it might appear as if any minute you are going to face death. In your patience, possess you your souls. Now you go to Revelation 21, verse 11. After Satan is cast down, how did they overcome him? We've already read this, but it might make more sense now. It's Revelation 12, I said 11. Revelation 12, verse 11. Revelation 12, verse 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb. They continually were in a reconciled position with God Christ, each member of the body of Christ. And by the word of their testimony, see, I've just read where they will be called on them to give a testimony. They overcame him by the blood of the lamb. By the word of their testimony, they didn't, as they say, chicken out. Though they thought, maybe I'm facing death here, if I really tell it like it is, and they love not their lives unto the death. So we can ask ourselves this afternoon, are our lives hidden with Christ? Notice Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. In Colossians chapter 3 verse 1. But if you then be risen with Christ, you've come up out of the water grave of baptism to live the resurrected life. Seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God, as you heard in the opening prayer. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life shall appear. See, no person can take your life unless God permits it.

When Christ who is your life shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. So are we drinking of the waters, the living waters, that come out of the living rock, out of the belly of Jesus Christ, out of my belly shall flow rivers of living water, drinking in of his Spirit, growing in grace and knowledge, and enjoying that living water while it is available to us now. Now go to Revelation 22. Revelation 22.

Revelation 22 and verse 1.

And he showed me a pure river of water of life as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. And verse 16.

We are all drinking of that spiritual rock, and they all drank of that spiritual rock. And that rock was Christ.