Understanding the Plan and Purpose of God

The title today, The Plan and Purpose of God, and the subtitle, The Path to True Freedom, or The Key to True Freedom. Have you ever just sat down and meditated on the plan and purpose of God, going back into eternity before anything existed? Before the creation of the angels? Before the creation of the material universe? Before the creation of plant life, animal life, to the creation of humankind? Just think about, why did all of that happen? What about the plan and purpose of God in Christ? We noted in Colossians chapter 1, or we note in Colossians chapter 1, that all things were created by God through Christ. So we go to Colossians chapter 1, and we start in verse 13, where it says that we have been translated into His dear kingdom in a figurative sense, who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. So here's the opportunity we have to live under the government of God in the flesh. If we make it into the kingdom of God, of course, we'll be spirit beings, in whom we have redemption buying back through His blood, that is, through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creation, while by Him are all things created that are in heaven. I might pause there that verse that says, firstborn of all creation. What that has to do with the Jesus Christ is the first born into the spirit realm and the kingdom of God. He is the first born among many brothers. Jesus Christ is not a created being. Scripture after Scripture tells you that Jesus Christ exists in eternity. He's always existed. There are some religions teach that Jesus Christ is a created being. In fact, in a recent poll, I don't know if it was Barna or whatever, I mean very recent, the past few weeks, asking people, ministers included, of 40 percent of the ministers that they poll did not believe that Jesus Christ was an uncreated eternal being, and even less, of course, in the general population. Jesus Christ is first born among many brethren, for by Him are all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible, invisible. Whether there be dominions, principalities, powers, all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things and by Him all things consist. He is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning, the first born from the dead. See, the first born from the dead. He's the first of the first fruits, and we and each man in his own order when Christ comes again, that in all things He might have the preeminence. Christ created within all life forms. We talked about the creation. There is one exception to this.

Before the material universe was created, God created the angelic realm, and they cannot reproduce themselves. And all the other life forms, plants, animals, and humans, they can reproduce themselves. So God created within those life forms, plants, animals, humans, a process for sustaining life, and we call it reproducing themselves.

Man can cause a life to become extinct, and there are several species that have put on the extinct list in recent years. They cannot be found on the face of the earth. They once existed, and one of the causes of God's judgment upon mankind is because mankind is destroying His creation. And one of the reasons that He is going to judge the earth is because the earth is being destroyed. Now, we go to Revelation 11, and of course, this verse, if you were a part of the Mother Earth group, the GAYO movement, G-A-I-A, the thinking that Mother Earth is a living, breathing kind of organism, and one of the greenies, you would love this verse, but that's not...

I mean, the environmentalists have taken things way beyond what God intends here, but at the same time, the earth is being destroyed according to this verse, and one of the reasons God is going to bring judgment. In Revelation 15, and we covered this to some degree in the Bible study, Friday evening, the seventh angel sounds. There were great voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.

And the four and twenty-four elders sat down before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God, Almighty, and art, was it and art to come, because you have taken to you your great power and have reigned. And the nations were angry, your wrath has come in the time of the dead that they should be judged, that you should give reward unto your servants, the prophets, and the saints, and to them that fear your name, small and great, and should destroy them which destroy the earth.

When God created Adam and Eve, He also had created a beautiful garden, the Garden of Eden, He placed them in it. He commanded them to dress the garden and to keep it. And so God expects us to keep the things that He has created in good condition. The two most valid laws of biology are, kind reproduces after its kind, kind reproduces after its kind, and life begets life.

So the source of life, once again, is God in Christ. They created all things. In the beginning, God created heaven, the heavens, and the earth. Scientists can clone, but they cannot create life. They have tried feverishly to do it. Scientists will speak of natural law, and naturalism was popular among some of the U.S. founding fathers. And they call it, well, the law of nature says, the law of course, that law goes back to the very creation that God created things in a natural order that they could and would be able to reproduce.

Plants have no ability to think, reason, and direct their future. However, there's some ability to adapt to their environment. Animals are basically governed by instinct, but animals have some curiosity and ability to solve some problematic situations. Various experiments they've done with chimpanzees, they placed them in a cage and hung a bunch of bananas from the ceiling. They couldn't reach, but one corner they put a stool, another corner, a stick, and the chimp sits on the stool and like a contemplative one.

He goes over and he jumps and he jumps and he tries to get it. He goes back, sits on the stool, suddenly gets the stool and the stick, and comes, knocked down a banana. And he's setting the insight, the psychologist would call that. You know, and I remember they're dead now, but our two little chihuahuas, at times they would be in other part of the house, and at times they would come, jump up in my lap, and they would want to be petted.

So what happened? What went on in their mind to say, I want to go see Daddy and jump in his lap and be petted? You know, they have some ability to to make decisions. So what happened in their brain to stimulate them to come from another room and jump up into the lap? God created the angelic realm and mankind, with faculties of mind akin to him, in that they can think, they can plan, they can reason, they can make choices.

The ability to choose is often called free will. I'm going to try to present some of this today from a perspective that hopefully will cause you to think and to consider, just meditate on things, consider how awesome the plan and purpose of God is in everything that he created.

So the ability to choose is often called free will. Did God know that some of the angels would rebel in sin? I think he knew that some of them would rebel in sin. Theologians and philosophers have debated through the ages whether humans truly have free will.

Humans cannot will themselves out of certain situations. You know, if you are born in poverty in whatever nation you want to say, or it could be the ghettos, or some, there are a lot of people that are steeped in poverty in the United States.

And to some degree, you are trapped by the culture and the situation that you are born into. And of course, if there's some kind of hope that is presented, something that you come across, or you have parents, or peers, or friends, or neighbors, that shows you that you can do more than you can do more. But as we go along, we'll, I think, see more of this. But you know, even if you are in like a captive position, the Bible talks about Christians being in captivity at the end of the age. Israel being in captivity at the end of the age. And then God delivering them and bringing them back from captivity. But even in the deepest, darkest dungeon, you can will to follow God in your mind and heart. If you will not give in, they cannot take away from you the hope that lies within.

Ezekiel tells us that Lucifer was a very beautiful creature and very intelligent. He, in a sense, fell in love with himself. And Satan was the first narcissist. Let's turn to Ezekiel 28. Probably start about verse 12. Ezekiel 28 and probably about verse 12.

Ezekiel 28, Son of man, take a lamentation upon the king of Tyreus and say unto him, You have said the Lord God, thus saith the Lord God, you seal up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Even God says, and God created, he created Lucifer, he created Michael, he created Gabriel, the three archangels. They were beautiful creations. And he gave them free will. God even says of Lucifer that he was the sum of beauty, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You have been in Eden, the Garden of God. Of course, he tempted Adam and Eve every precious stone which you're covering. The Sardis topaz. I'm not going to read all of those jewels there.

The workmanship of your tabberies and of your pipes was prepared in the day, in you in the day that you were created. You are the anointed carob that covers. And of course, in the replica there of the Holy of Holies, the earthly replica, you have those carob's covering the Ark of the Covenant. And at one time, apparently, as we shall see, Lucifer was there at the very throne of God. You are the anointed carob that covers. And I've sent you so. You were upon the holy mountain of God. You walked up and down the midst of the stones of fire. And people have speculated, well, what are the stones of fire? And the sun said, well, maybe he'd take a little trip out through the planets and tiptoe through some of the galaxies or whatever. That's, of course, the probably stuff of science fiction. But anyhow, it says that you walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till lawlessness was found in you. And of course, the reason for the lawlessness was that he had a choice. He could think, he could plan, he could reason. But he began to look at himself and probably the plan of salvation was explained to Lucifer that the reason God says, and we'll read in just a moment, in Hebrews chapter one, God says that the reason he created the angelic realm was to be ministering servants to the heirs of salvation. And so God probably shared, I would think, that he shared, of course, I don't know this 100%, probably shared some of the plan of salvation and his overall purpose with the angelic realm, since they were to be ministering servants to the heirs of salvation. And Lucifer looked at himself and said, man, I'm so wise, I'm so beautiful, I'm so intelligent, I am so on and on. Why should I take a back seat to anybody or anything? By the multitude of your merchandise they have filled the midst of you with violence and you have sinned, of course, the king of Tyre, a type of Satan. Therefore I will cast you as profane out of the mountain of God and I will destroy you, O covering carob, from the mist of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness. I will cast you to the ground. I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you. So here's a being that was created perfect in all his ways, perfect environment, perfect teacher, and you go on perfect in wisdom, and on and on it goes. But he had freedom of choice. He could choose. And one of the greatest weaknesses of all times, and it continues to be one of the greatest problems of humankind, of course, is the green-eyed monster. That is envy, that is jealousy.

I'm not going to take a back seat to anybody. It's what the green-eyed monster, envy, jealousy, says.

So Satan cannot bear to take a back seat to any being. I believe that God revealed to him the purpose and plan for which the angels were created, and he rebelled against the great plan and purpose of God. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 1 now, verse 4. Hebrews 1 and verse 4. See, the great plan and purpose of God is that God, just as he treated within plants and animals and human beings, the ability to reproduce that God wanted to to have a spirit begotten and born family of his own. The angels were not created for that purpose, as we'll see very clearly here. Hebrews 1.4. Being made so much better than the angels, speaking of Christ, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they, for under which of the angels said he at any time, you are my son, this day have I begotten you, and again I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And again, when he brings in the first begotten in the world, he says, and let all the angels of God worship him. So the angelic realm worships Christ. Christ was the one through whom God created them. We read that from Galatians 1, whether there be thrones, principalities, and of the angels, he said, who makes his angel spirits and his ministers a flame of fire. But under the sun, he said, your throne, O God, is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. And then this chapter closes out the last two verses with the purpose of angels, and it repeats this question in verse 13, to which of the angels said he at any time sit you on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. He never did at any time. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be the heirs of salvation? God knew that humans would sin because a plan of redemption was developed before the foundation of the world. So that's why I asked the question up front. Have you ever just gone back in time before, as we know, time began and thought about when there was only these two beings planning out their plan and purpose, the great plan and purpose of having a family and a kingdom?

So now I want to go to Acts 2 and verse 22. This is in the middle of Peter's inspired sermon on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent and the New Testament church began, or New Covenant church, I should say, began in Acts 2 and verse 22.

What are we talking about? The plan and purpose of God and when it happened.

Breaking in on Peter's sermon, you men of Israel, Acts 2 22. You men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did by him in the midst of you as you yourselves also know, him being delivered by the determinate counsel and full knowledge of God. See, God knew that Jesus Christ was going to die on the stake to pay for the sins of the world. Through the full knowledge of God, Proganos go to know beforehand, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holding of it. Now we go to 1 Timothy 8 verse 9, which is even clearer in a sense the wording with regard to this plan of salvation being worked out before before the angels were created, before the material universe, before plants, before animals, before humans. And so now we want 2 Timothy 1 and verse 8. 2 Timothy 1 and verse 8.

Be not you therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Paul was in prison when he penned this letter to Timothy. But be you partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not as, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose, according to his own purpose and grace, divine favor. It is because of God's love he wanted to share who he is, what he is in a family setting, to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. Chronos, before time began, before the creation of the material universe which marks seasons and day and night and so on. So in 1 Peter 1 and verse 20, so we see these scriptures of going back in time and this plan being worked out and the foreknowledge of God and of Christ with regard to some of these things. In 1 Peter 1 and verse 20, 1 Peter 1 and verse 20, who verily was foreordained, that is Christ, before, before, foreordained, Prokonosko, the noble beforehand, who was verily foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you. Foreordained for of what?

To offer his life blood, verse 19, but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot. For a short period of time, Satan's insatiable quest to be worshiped be realized. We read that. I'm not going to turn there to Revelation 13.8, that all the world, everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, will worship the beast. And in fact, they're worshiping Satan through the beast.

So, of what we have said so far, what can we conclude from what we have stated? It was something like this. God, through the Word, the one who became Jesus Christ, created all things. He created all things to fulfill His plan, His will, and His purpose. This word purpose and will, these two words, are very important, very important in Scripture. So, let's go to Ephesians 1, 11. Ephesians 1 and verse 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose.

According to the purpose, this word that is translated purpose is Thelema. According to the Thelema, the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will. So, you got plan, purpose, and you have the will of God. Perhaps that should be in the title as well. Now, you look at it, Ephesians 3 and verse 11. According to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. And, of course, we've read from 1 Peter 1, 20, before he was known before the foundation of the world. We read from 2 Timothy 1, 9, before time began.

Now, there's a verse. I don't know how it's translated in the New King James. I have the old King James. I should have looked it up, but I want to go to Revelation 4 and verse 11.

Back in the old days, you might say, I wondered, well, why would this verse, why would, why did God create everything for his pleasure? Well, come to find out that this word that's translated pleasure is the same word that is translated purpose in Ephesians 1, 11, and Ephesians 3, 11.

So in Revelation 4, 11, so we got Ephesians 1, 11, Ephesians 3, 11, and Revelation 4, 11. All got this thing about purpose.

You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things and for your, and that word is thelema.

For your purpose, they are and were created. So why does anything exist? It exists because it is a part of the purpose and plan of God. A side note here with regard to that word thelema, it is translated 60 times its purpose. It is translated pleasure one time in the whole New Testament.

So there are many dimensions to God's plan and purpose, but the central one, the one that we're involved in, has to do with the bringing of sons and daughters to glory in the kingdom of God. Why does God do things the way He does things? That's one of the great questions of the ages, and that question is addressed in the Bible, and you may not like the answer. You may have questions. Let's go to Romans 11 in verse 33.

For example, Nyan will talk about this, hopefully, later as well. 97% of the world blinded to the plan and purpose of God. I would say probably 98%. I don't know what percentage is blinded to the plan and purpose of God. I don't care how brilliant, educated, whatever they are.

Israel was blinded, and the world has been basically blinded. Romans 11 talks about Israel being drafted back in.

But here in Romans 11 in verse 33, that question of why does God do things the way He does things? Well, here's what the Bible says. Verse 33, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?

For who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompense unto Him again? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to whom be glory forever and ever. So the first part of this chapter talks about Israel being blinded. Why did Israel have to be blinded? Well, it says to provoke them to jealousy so the nations could be grafted in, and God has no respect for persons. So why does God do things the way He does things? Well, here's the answer, verse 33 especially. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out.

However, the essentials of the path through eternal life are clearly revealed, and God created everything, and nothing can be done that He does not allow.

God created everything, and nothing can be done unless He allows it. Look at all the things that are being allowed right now.

Months of rioting in Portland, Oregon, and other places in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

One of the newscasts talked about how some of these people were being put up in tents, and every night they go out and riot.

But that does not mean that God approves of what is allowed. You know God does not approve. In the pre-flood world, it says that the thoughts and intents of the heart of man was continually upon evil, and God so I grieved him and came to the point that he in essence says, I've had it up to here. It's going to stop. And so he called out Noah to build the ark, and he destroyed that world.

Let's look now at Isaiah 55. God states that His ways are not our ways, and His ways to a large degree are past finding out, but at the same time He has revealed sufficient to us that we may know.

In Isaiah 55 verse 6, and boy what a verse this six is, seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake His way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Adam and Eve were given freedom of choice.

God is ultimately responsible for the course and outcome of all things, but He is given humankind tremendous latitude through what we call free will, as we've already noted. And so Adam and Eve were given freedom to choose, and they chose to be their own arbiters, deciders of what is good and what is evil.

As what we call civilization or culture developed through the line of Cain. Please pay close attention to this.

You had two beings to begin with, two human beings, Adam and Eve, and they had children. First two mentioned their Cain and Abel. And Cain killed Abel. Abel is counted in the righteous line in Hebrews 11.

And Cain, of course, went in a different way. He was a murderer, and he was cast out from the presence of God. It says clearly that his punishment, he was cast front. He wasn't killed, he wasn't executed. He was cast from the presence of God. Cain said, my punishment is greater than I can bear. Cain went out, he took a wife, and he built a city. And a civilization, a culture, civilization means basically the the organization of a society. The societal structure, how are you going to operate? How are you going to function? What will be the elements of that civilization, your culture? So there was a civilization developed through the line of Cain. And people became trapped by their civilization, their culture, by their societal structure. Basically, the world was cut off from God. On the other hand, you did have the righteous line of Abel, who was killed, and then Seth came on the scene, and Seth was a progenitor of at least two righteous people, Enoch and Noah.

But Seth, Enoch, Noah, they still had to choose which way they would go. Would they serve God or the way of the flesh? Left to themselves.

Humans will always take the way of the flesh.

Left to themselves. Let's go to Proverbs 14 verse 12. You see that then this introduces how important family is, how important the family structure is, how important it is to teach your children well. There are a few songs worth quoting. Teach your children well.

In Proverbs chapter 14 verse 12, I turned to Psalms. Proverbs I could quote it.

In Proverbs 14 verse 12, there is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. A newborn is enveloped in a structure that he or she did not create.

You did not choose your parents. You did not choose their profession. You did not choose their belief system. You were born where you were born. You had no choice in that.

In those first few minutes and hours and days and weeks and months and years, you're at the mercy of father and mother, basically, and the surrounding environment and culture. The newborn will be captured by whatever it is, unless they're given a chance to break free.

The head hunters of New Guinea, their offspring become head hunters, and we could name other cultures, civilizations, so on. What they become will be determined by what they are taught and come to believe. Why did I grow up? Baptists. Well, my parents and the whole community was steeped in being a Baptist. John the Baptist was a Baptist, and he was the founder of the Baptist Church, apparently, and you had to be a Baptist. Everybody else was wrong. No drinking, no card playing, no dancing, none of that.

And we probably had more alcoholics in our community than most communities.

But they did it secretly, so-called, until, of course, it eventually catches up with you. Next door neighbor, just about 200 yards from the house, I went there very often, had teenage children about. They're a little older than me, but we played all kind of sports together. And my father was an alcoholic, but a binge alcoholic. I mean, he could go a month or two or more, not touch a drop, and then binge and just sock drunk, and that continued. In his early years, he owned a lot of rental property and a lot of land, and slowly all that disappeared.

Then finally, after the children were gone from home, the wife took a shotgun, went out in the front yard, put it under her chin, and blew herself away.

She was apparently felt trapped, and of course, the children, they, of course, they didn't go to church or anything like that. So you are captured unless something comes and delivers you from it, from that culture.

Let's take one almost universal belief. I would say that 90 percent of the world believes they have an immortal soul.

You tell people, you don't have a soul, you are a soul. Then be ready to fight you. They would accuse you of being some kind of evil person, probably. And even though people may break free from their societal structure, become rich, famous, educated, whatever, yet they are a slave to Satan's system if they've not been exposed to God's truth and had their eyes open to God's plan and purpose.

Oh, if the world could understand the plan and purpose of God. God revealed Himself in a limited way to Adam and Eve. It seems the basic construction was, look to me for the knowledge of good and evil.

He also revealed Himself to Enoch. Enoch walked with God at 300 years. Noah preached 120, built the ark.

In Genesis it says, blessed be the Lord God of Shem and Shem's descendants. Among them was Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

And then God revealed Himself to Israel. In His revelation of Himself to Israel, He introduced and typed what He was planning for all humanity. And what He wanted for all humanity was that all humanity become a part of the Israel of God. And God set before Israel clearly the choice of serving Him or serving Satan and His system. Very often we quote in sermons Deuteronomy 30 verses 19 and 20, Choose you this day whom you will serve and choose life. God even entered into a covenant with Israel in which they agreed to obey Him and trust Him. Let's look at Exodus 24 and verse 7. We'll see that momentous time. It's a very momentous time in the history of Israel and for that matter the whole world because we are now in partakers of the New Covenant.

That Old Covenant and the sacrifices under the Old Covenant was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ according to Galatians 3. So understanding what transpired in the Old Covenant is very important to fully understanding the New Covenant. In Exodus 24 and you took the book of the covenant and read it in the audience of the people and they said, All that the Lord has said will we do and be obedient. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words. Notice that last phrase in verse 7, All that the Lord has said will we do and be obedient.

As a nation, Israel was a homogeneous culture.

There was only one religion. They were told not to intermarry with the other nations because they had a different religion.

Homogeneous culture, everybody went to the same church. Everybody had basically the same beliefs. Everybody basically dressed the same and you could go on with the sameness of that culture, the way that they were reared and brought up. They were taught to be separate, taught God's law. You could read to write the law of God on your door post and all the things that they were to do concerning the law. But their leadership was righteous some of the time. Some of the time the leadership was unrighteous. They didn't have much in the way of worldly goods until the days of David and Solomon. They basically lived within their own territory. Of course, Satan was always trying to subvert them, nipping at their heels and more. But they were not awash in an alien culture until they intermarried with those who God had not entered into a covenant with. Of course, there were some proselytes, but they were few by comparison. What was their greatest enemy? I mean, with all of that same religion, same culture, and everybody looking out for everybody, and all of that, it was the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, their greatest enemy. They couldn't overcome the flesh much less when the spiritual battles on a grand scale. And of course, they didn't have, as a nation, the Holy Spirit. They did not have God's Spirit. They stumbled along the way, committed physical and spiritual fornication with the nations. And God put them away and gave them a bill of divorcement. From time to time, a righteous king or judge would be raised up and they would return to God. Psalm 78, if you would go there, one of the great Psalms of the whole Bible, which basically recounts the history of Israel and its ups and downs. Of course, we're not going to read all of it and make you aware of it. Psalm 78, give ear, O my people, to my law, and incline your ears the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth and a parable I will utter dark sayings of all which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children showing to the generation to come the presence of the Lord and his strength and wonderful works that he had done. For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who would arise and declare them to their children, that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his commandments and might not be as their father's a stubborn, rebellious generation, a generation that set not their hearts aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God. And it goes on recounting what they did, the ups and downs through their history. And there were many, and as we said, God eventually put them away and gave them a bill of divorcement.

God had intended that Israel serve as the model nation and that all nations would come into the Israel of God. Now, we go to Exodus 19. They come to Mount Sinai after they left Egypt in the third month, the month in which Pentecost falls. In Exodus 19, they come to Sinai and they are given instructions that they are to prepare themselves to receive the law of God.

And they did receive the law of God recorded in Exodus 10 commandments. But notice what they were to do. Verse 3, and Moses went up into God. This is Exodus 19. 3. Moses went up unto God and the Lord called him out of the mountain saying, Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, tell the children of Israel, you have seen what I did to the Egyptians. I bear you in eagle's wings and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all. For you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak unto the children of Israel. And it continues. So that's what God intended, that they would be the model nation, similar to what you heard in the sermonette, that through you modeling what God has ordained for you, others will follow suit. Now we go to 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9, and we see that what he had attended, that what God had intended for Israel, has now been passed to the church. Does that mean that God has put away Israel forever? No. God is going to restore Israel in the millennium, and they will be in the millennium a model nation. In the Bible study Wednesday night, we read Zechariah chapter 8, in which it, toward the end of the chapter, talks about and representatives from all the nations will grab the skirt of a Jew and say, show us your God, show us your way. We have heard that God is with you, so they will become the model nation in the millennium. In 1 Peter 2, 9, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in times past were not a people, they were not the people of God, but are now the people of God. This is a take-off out of Hosea, which in times past were not a people, Lo Ami, but are now the people of God, Ami, which had not obtained mercy, Lo Ruhama, but now have obtained mercy, Ruhama. Beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul, having your conduct honest among the nations, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. And now the the church of God is to be that that model nation, that holy nation, to set the example to be the light of the world. Of course, Israel will be restored in the millennium and they will become the model nation in the flesh, but their end goal even there will be the kingdom of God as spirit beings. The only time that a person has an opportunity in this age to attain the true freedom is when they are called into God's marvelous light. God's calling is a sacred calling.

And if treated with disrespect, one may lose out altogether.

Look at verse 9 again, 1 Peter 2.9. Your chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, purchased people, show forth the praises of him who what has called you out of darkness, out of that captivity, into his marvelous light. The only time that a person has an opportunity in this age to attain the true freedom is when they are called into God's marvelous light. It is only through knowing, understanding, and living God's way that one can be set free from sin, from fear, from ignorance, from superstition, and the dogmas of man.

Let's look at John 8 verse 32.

We'll start in 31, maybe 30. The Gospel of John 8 in verse 30.

The Gospel of John 8 in verse 30. And he spoke these words, as he spoke these words, many believed then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if you continue in my word then you are my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. That is the only way that people can ever be set free. In verse 36, if the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. So it is only through knowing, understanding, living God's way that one can be totally set free.

Everything that happens is within the great outline of God, his purpose, his plan, and he will bring it to fruition. His will is going to be done on earth as it is in heaven. That's a part of the model prayer. Our Father who in heaven, who art in heaven, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That's where we're headed. Hopefully, each one of us, his will being done. The greatest philosophers, theologians, scientists, educators, to the man on the street, they do not understand the plan and purpose of God from the foundation of the world. God and Christ purpose this plan before time began. A plan that existed before the angelic realm, before the universe, before the angelic realm, before humans were created.

And so we have people who try to impose their belief system on top of an existing world without really understanding what has gone before and why they exist in the first place. I guess I am a fool because I tend to believe what I believed, what I came to see, and the thing that turned me around, I guess you would say, I was steeped in Protestantism, teaching Sunday school and night classes and all of that, but when I came to understand the purpose and plan of God, why you're born, if that understanding could be set forth, to me it makes all the difference. So the majority of the world has been blinded to the plan and purpose of God from the creation of humankind to the present day. God is now calling out a few to become firstfruits in the kingdom of God. It is a sacred calling. God has called some out of the world. He called me out of the world. I'm not a second generation, third generation, fourth generation, which some are, but whether you are called out of the world, a second generation, third generation, fourth generation, offspring, you have had an opportunity to choose life. Sadly, only about what? 25 to 30 percent of our children really choose to stay in the church. And of course, there's a big controversy. Well, God wasn't calling him. God is calling me, not calling him, and that kind of thing.

Seek the Lord while he may be found.

And we have this question, are they eternally lost?

And you hope not. We pray that they are not.

The example of Esau, I'm not saying they are, they aren't. It seems to me that if you have the opportunity, in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, had the opportunity to partake of the tree of life. Second, third, fourth generation, they have an opportunity.

The example of Esau. Esau was to be the inheritor of the birthright, to receive the birthright. He was to receive it, but he sold his birthright for a bowl of soup.

And look at Hebrews 12 and verse 14.

Hebrews 12 and verse 14. There was something about Esau that we will read, we'll follow up on.

There comes a point of no return in which a person, you know, so many people who have left, we should call it, leaving the church, have left the truth. They don't know when the holy days are. They treat the Sabbath as any other day. And they forget so much so quickly, and even their demeanor, their facial expressions, their language, and so on, changes.

In Hebrews 12 and verse 14.

Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness bringing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Now notice this. For you know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

See, when a root of bitterness springs up, now be turning please to Genesis 27. 41. When a root of bitterness springs up into a person, if that root of bitterness is not dealt with and plucked up by the roots, it will destroy the person. And even intellectually they may say, I need to make peace. But somehow in their heart, in their being, it's like they can't do it. And because of this situation, and of course there's no need to recount the story of Rebecca and Jacob deceiving Isaac in Genesis 27. 41.

I might get there and try and maybe use both hands. 27. 41. And Esau hated Jacob. And Esau hated Jacob. Because of the blessing we're with, his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, the days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then, in other words, when that's over, I will kill my brother Jacob. And so that was in his heart, and in his mind, apparently, intellectually, he thought, well, I'm going to change my mind. But somehow there comes a point, it seems, of no return. Now look at Malachi. Does God ever hate?

It's often said, of course, that love and hate are the two most powerful, most powerful emotions. And hate the opposite of love. In Malachi, verse 3, we should read two first. Well, we should read one first. The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi, I have loved you, says the Lord, yet you say, wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, said the Lord, yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountain and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Then it goes into a prophecy that I think we I'm not going into that right now, but it's interesting what it says. You might want to read it and think about it.

In Romans 9, verse 13, the Apostle Paul, when he's talking about the calling of God, the fact that you are sitting here today is no accident.

Of his own will, we're quoting now James 1, verses 17 and 18, every good and perfect gift comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth. That's James 1, 17, 18. Now, in Romans 9, Paul talks about Jacob and Esau and how that God chose Jacob and not Esau, and it was because of grace. Now, Esau did not have to take the route that he took, but he took it.

In verse 13, as it is written, Jacob, have I loved and Esau, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So what would be your takeaway on that? My takeaway on this is, you need to be very thankful that God has called you into his marvelous light, that through his grace and his mercy, you sit where you sit today.

You can be truly set free from sin, fear, ignorance, superstition of man. You can know and know what you know. Peter refers this to so great a salvation. Let's look at that. 1 Peter chapter sometimes, we seldom look at this. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 10. What you have been called to, and what the people of the ages, what even the prophets, the prophets didn't understand it the way you understand it now. It says it clearly here.

In 1 Peter 1 and verse 8, Whom having not seen you loved, by in whom though now you see him not, yet believing you rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the result of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and diligently searched and prophesied of the peace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. They wondered, what is this all about? The sufferings of Christ and the glory that should should follow. So great a salvation. Today, after services, we'll be baptizing one who has been called into God's marvelous light. There's great rejoicing among the angels when one repents and turns to God. Now, what about you who have already been called into God's marvelous light and set free with your sins removed from you as far as the east is from the west? So what do we do in view of that? Do you take your calling into God's marvelous light for granted? Are you on cruise control? Are you diligently searching the scriptures daily and growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has set us free? Are you setting an example? Are you hungering and thirsting?

Maybe you already know it all, but your presence and whatever it may be means a lot. Remember, if the sun makes you free, you'll be free indeed. None of us have been called because of our greatness or inequality that we can name. Not many mighty, not many noble have been called. God has called the weak of the world, but the weak of the world has been given this marvelous light. Now, brethren, considering all that's going on in the world, considering what the nation is going through, considering what the brethren are going through, if there ever was a time to be on fire, it is now. Are you hungering and thirsting for the living and life-giving water of the word, which is able to make you wise into salvation? Paul writes to Timothy. God knows, and for the most part, we know who is on fire. So now is the time to set the example in all things. Even if you believe you know more than all the teachers, your presence and confirmation means a lot to everyone.

God is watching.