Vengeance

Our title today, we could call it, in one word, vengeance. Another title could be, How the World Works. Another title could be, This is Satan's World. Another title could be, A Short History of the World. So you can choose any of those. That gets an idea of what we're going to talk about. How does the world work and what is the principle motivating force that causes men and women to feel they're justified in taking vengeance against their enemies?

Love is the greatest motivating force in the universe for good. God is love, and all the works of God are done in truth and in righteousness. We were created because God wanted to share who He is and what He is with human beings in a family setting. So we shall be in resurrection, born sons and daughters of God, not just created beings as the angels are. Of course, that's a great calling and a great honor to be a created spirit being.

But we shall be over the angels. We shall even judge the angels, as it says in 1 Corinthians 6. Now, on the other hand, contrary to love, hatred is the greatest motivating force in the universe for evil. Hatred, the greatest motivating force in the universe for evil. Hatred most often stems from jealousy. We could say with conviction that jealousy is the mother of hatred. In other words, jealousy nourishes hatred.

This deadly, triumvirate jealousy, feelings of being mistreated, not being given a fair shake, as they say, being treated unfairly, and hatred. These three, jealousy, feelings of getting short in the stick, they might say, and hatred almost always, almost always, causes a person to seek vengeance on those whom they perceive to be the perpetrators. To get even, to get them back, to put them in their place. The actual storyline of so many books and movies centers on getting even with those who have done the hero or the heroine wrong, or being vindicated for being mistreated in some way.

The fairy tale of Cinderella, to a large degree, summarizes a story of so much of the human experience, from sitting in the ashes, not able to go to the big dance, to winding up, marrying the prince. God knows our hearts, and He knows whether we're seeking revenge on someone that we would like to put down and put them in their place.

To a large degree, that's what the world revolves around. The seeking of revenge, to be number one, to be on top. Please turn to Jeremiah 17. Jeremiah 17. And we'll look at verse 9, first of all. In Jeremiah 17 and verse 9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? It means so many people are deceived by the devil.

So many people have feelings that they have never really dealt with. Are these just from human nature, or does Satan play a role in it? Oftentimes, probably both. But look at verse 10. The Lord searches the heart. I try the reins even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. God says He tries us. Now, we'll look at another verse that in 1 Chronicles 28 verse 9, that is a little bit more comprehensive than that one about God trying the heart. 1 Chronicles 29. I'm saying it wrong. It's 1 Chronicles 28 and verse 9.

1 Chronicles 28 and verse 9. And you, Solomon, my son, know you, the God of your Father, and serve Him with a perfect heart, serve Him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches the hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. Read that again. Understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. God knows each one of us what our thoughts are. If you seek Him, He will be found of you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build an house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it. So there's no question that God searches the hearts. He knows our hearts. He knows what is in our hearts. Satan came to hate God because he apparently viewed himself as just as intelligent, beautiful, and wise as God.

And I believe there was another dimension which we will get to regarding jealousy, and why should he take back seat to anyone? So now let's look at Ezekiel 28.

Ezekiel 28, which gives the account of Satan at one time being at the very throne of God, one of the archangels along with Gabriel and Michael, at the very throne of God. If you remember in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle above the mercy seat, there were two carobim facing in toward each other with wings spread looking over that mercy seat. In God's presence, the Shekinah glory covered the mercy seat.

In Ezekiel 28 and verse 14, I want verse 11 to start. In Ezekiel 28, 11, more where the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the King of Tyre, and say unto him, Thus says the Lord God. Now, the King of Tyre is a type of Satan the Devil, as we shall see. You seal up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. And although there is no earthly king who possesses all of those qualities, but God did create within what was known as Lucifer those qualities.

And you'll see here from verse 13 that it is speaking of Lucifer. You have been in Eden, the Garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering. And he names all of these stones. The workmanship of your tabrets and of your pipes. Tipes generally indicate ability to play beautiful music. Or Satan, I believe, is the author of perverted music. And perverted music has played a powerful role in controlling humankind in various ways, and also leading them astray.

Just look what perverted music has done to this nation since 1950. And when one of these people dies, as was the case in this past week or so, they are made over as if they were almost like God Himself. Of course, then they talk about, well, this had this long-standing drug problem, alcohol problem, depression, and many other things.

But He gave millions to various charities and such wonderful works, and the world will be a darker place now. Your tabrets and your pipes was prepared in you in the day that you were created. So God created him this way, very beautiful with all these gifts. You are the anointed carob that covered. And so that tabernacle in the wilderness and later the temple where the Ark of the Covenant was placed with a mercy seat on top of it had the carobums facing in.

And evidently in the heavenlies, that Satan or Lucifer was there. I've sent you so. You were upon the holy mountain of God. You have 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. God does not create anything that is imperfect. The law of God, as it says in Psalm 19, the law of God is perfect, converting the soul.

Till iniquity, lawlessness was found in you. By the multitude of your merchandise, they have filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned. Therefore, I will cast you out as profane out of the mountain of God. I will destroy you, O covering carob, for the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty.

And beauty, I believe, here is, of course, in some ways a figure of speech. He was apparently a very beautiful creation, but in addition to that, had such a high opinion of himself. As you look here, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness. I mean, you were also given great knowledge and wisdom. But because you had such a high opinion of yourself, I will cast you to the ground.

I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you. And then it returns to the type, the king of Tyre, but it goes in and out with that which symbolizes Satan. If Satan had been half as smart as he apparently thought he was, he would have recognized and honored his creator. Here's the one that created me. I would not exist if it were not for this one who created me. Then there is the unstated dimension. That is, Satan probably came to understand that no matter how he performed his duties, he would never be on the God plane.

He was a created spirit being that no matter what he did, he would remain in a servant role. In other words, he would never be number one. In fact, angels or ministering servants sent to the heirs of salvation, even though angels are spirit beings, they are not on the God plane of existence, and never will be, and never were they promised that they would be. In contrast, spirit-born humans are sons of God by birth, and they are of a family of God.

Now, look at Hebrews 1. In Hebrews 1, this is made very clear.

Hebrews 1, Paul writing to the Hebrews. Remember, Hebrews compares and contrasts elements of the Old Covenant with elements of the New Covenant. In verse 6, Hebrews 1.6, and again, when he brings in the first begotten in the world, he says, "...and let the angels of God worship Him." Now, you look in verse 5, for unto which of the angels said he at any time? He never did. 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. When did he ever say that to the angels? He never did.

Verse 7, "...and of angels," he said, who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire. And then summarizes this in verses 13-14, "...and to which of the angels said he at any time, sit you on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. Are they not all ministering spirits sent to the heirs of salvation?" That is the purpose for the creation of angels. See, God and the Word, the one who is God the Father and the Word, the one who became Jesus Christ, worked out at some time in past eternity this great plan of salvation. Angels play a big role, but they were never promised, sonship through a spiritual birth. Satan's first assignment was to take care of the earth and perhaps prepare it for humankind. Let's look at Jude, verse 6. Jude 1 chapter and verse 6. Jude chapter 1 and verse 6.

Of course, Jude is writing this epistle to people to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered, because there are men who have crept in unawares, who are changing the grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying the name of the Lord Jesus. And also, lasciviousness means basically license to sin. So let's read verse 5 as well. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt afterwards, destroyed them that believed not, and the angels which kept not their first estate. Apparently, God assigned Satan and perhaps a third of the angels. His tale drew a third of the angels. Did every last angel that was with Satan rebel and go with him? I tend to think they did, but I don't know that for sure.

Revelation 12 says that his tale drew a third of the angels. But left their own habitation, he hath reserved an everlasting change unto darkness, unto the judgment of that great day. So Satan left his first estate, and he tried to take over the throne of God. Look at Isaiah 14. Actually, we could title this also a brief history of the universe.

In Isaiah 14 in verse 12, How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How are you cast down to the ground which did weaken the nations? Well, the outgoing president every time says, all the nation is in better condition than it was when I first took office. I have left this great legacy. When I came to office, the nation was in shambles. But now, look at it. Every president claims that. Basically, the Bible says that evil workers and seducers shall wax worse and worse, and we're not getting better. But God has called you and I out of this present evil age to be lights in a dark world, as we read from 2 Peter 1 the last time we spoke here.

For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be light the most high. And it wasn't just to be light the most high. He was his goal. His mission was to unseat God and become number one in the universe. Yet you shall be brought down to shield to the sides of the pit. They that see you shall narrowly look upon you and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms? You better believe that Satan is alive and well on planet earth today, and he is mightily shaking the kingdoms. And he is still obsessed with his insatiable quest to be worshiped, and eventually will be by everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life according to Revelation 13, verse 8.

So Satan left his first estate. He tried to take over the throne of God. And from that day to the present, his heart is set on vengeance. He is the father of vengeance. Satan is the father of vengeance and at least a third of the angels. You look at John 8.44, to a large degree sums up Satan. In John 8, Jesus is in a dialogue that's quite heated with the detractors of His day. And he comes to the point that they talk about having Abraham the father, and Jesus's response in John 8, verse 44. You are of your father, the devil, and the lust of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it. And what was the main reason that generally the religious world that day wanted to kill Satan, that wanted to kill Christ? Jealousy! They wanted the preeminence. So Satan will continue to seek revenge until the day that he's put away forever. He is determined to get even with God and destroy humankind. In humankind, the potential inheritors must look at Romans 8 and be sobered by what lies ahead for us. If we remain faithful, here are two things that were promised in Romans 8, verse 17. And if children, then heirs of God. Promise number one, heirs of God. You inherit something that God is. A spirit-born son-daughter on the God plane. And join heirs with Christ. He's already been there, done that. He's lived in the flesh.

He has died and resurrected, born, the firstborn among many brethren. Join heirs with Christ, and so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. But even though we are inheritors of God and join heirs with Jesus Christ, we will always, to some degree, be in a servant role when compared to God and Christ. God and Christ, and I try to get my mind to grasp this, they exist in eternity, without Father, without Mother, without beginning or end of days. To say, always existed, that's... it always will exist. Past, present, future. Perception, or fact, one has about being treated unfairly, is a ready-made recipe for one to believe they're justified and get an even with the ones whom they perceive did them wrong. He, she did me wrong, and I'm justified in what I do. Now, Satan, he couldn't accuse God. Satan is somewhat different in this sense. He couldn't accuse of God of being unfair to him, because he created him about as high as he could be created. And yet, he used all those gifts that God had given him to rebel against him, against God. The first recorded murder in the Bible, as far as I know history, came killing Abel, stemmed from the deadly, triumvirate jealousy, feelings of rejection, and hatred. Let's look at Genesis 4. Genesis 4, verse 1. Adam and Eve in chapter 3 of Genesis, they were driven out of the garden.

The way of the tree of life is guarded by an angel, set up carabims to guard the way of the tree of life, lest man put forth his hand and eat and live forever, showing that man is mortal. In Genesis 4, Adam knew Eve, his wife. She conceived Erechane and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Now, you remember the promise in Genesis 3.15 of a Messiah to come on the scene, and perhaps Eve thought that this was that promise seed. And again, she conceived and she bare his brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. The process of time he came to pass, Cain brought of the fruit of the ground and offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect, and Cain was very mad. He was frothing at the mouth mad. He wasn't just a little mad. He was very mad, and his countenance spelled, it was written all over his face, his being, his body language, apparently. Everything. Now, the basic difference is in the offerings. Abel brought a sin offering, and Cain brought a thank offering. In essence, Abel was admitting that he was a sinner, and he brought forth a sacrificial offering, and Cain brought forth a thank offering, as if he had no sin. And so, when God didn't accept Cain's offering, he was very mad. And the Eternal said unto Cain, Why are you mad? And why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, you shall be accepted. So Cain was a firstborn. He would have the preeminence. The firstborn had rights and privileges that the rest of the children of the family didn't have. And if you do not well, then sin lies at the door. You better get off over this. You better straighten up, understand what life is all about. And unto you shall be his desire. That is, you'll have the preeminence. You're the firstborn, and you shall rule over him. And Cain would be over Abel in that sense. I know there are alternate explanations that some offer with this about that. And Cain talked with Abel, his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him. He murdered him, and the eternal said to Cain, where is Abel your brother? And he said, I know not. I don't know where he is. I mean, why are you asking me this? Am I my brother's keeper? Am I supposed to keep up with him, my younger brother? No. Cain just didn't get it.

And he said, God said, why have you done this? The voice of your brother's blood cries unto me from the ground. And now are you cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive your brother's blood from your head. And then Cain was made a vagabond on the earth. He said, my punishment is greater than I can bear. No repentance is mentioned there with regard to Cain. You look in 1 John chapter 3 verse 11. This incident here is referenced by the Apostle of Love. The Apostle John in 1 John chapter 3 will start in verse 11.

I know people get aggravated when I say verse 11 and I back up two or three verses, but 1 John 3 and verse 11.

And we really should read 10. So let's read 10.

In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil. So how do you know the difference? Whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother. So for this is a message that we have heard from the beginning that we should love one another, not as Cain. So this account that's given in Genesis under inspiration of the Holy Spirit has verified many years later by the Apostle John. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one, who is the wicked one, Satan the devil, and killed, slew his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous. He was jealous. He just couldn't stand it. He should be number one. Marble not, my brother, in the world, hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life when we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death. Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he lay down his life for us.

We ought to lay down our lives for one another. And of course, jealousy can be overcome.

In Jude, no, I don't want Jude. No, I want James. In James 3, we'll get there and announce the verse later. In James chapter 3, in verse 13, James 3, 13.

In James 3, 13, who is a wise man? Who is wise and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conduct his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. And as we have read from Jeremiah 17.10 and from 1 Chronicles 28, verse 9, that God searches the heart. He knows the heart. He knows what's there.

This wisdom, but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish, where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above is worse pure than peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Absalom thought he was perfectly justified in killing his brother Amnon or raping his sister Tamar.

Look at 2 Samuel 13, verse 1. 2 Samuel. You know, you look at the life of David for all the great things that can be said about David.

You can say that his child rearing was a miserable failure.

David had several wives and concubines similar to others, other kings of Israel.

So we're looking now for 2 Samuel 13, verse 1.

And it came to pass after this that Absalom, the son of David, had a fair sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon, the son of David, loved her. So here, it's probably half-sister, but he really loves Amnon.

Of course, Absalom and Amnon are brothers, and Amnon loves this sister Tamar. You look in verse 4.

And when your father comes to see, you say unto him, I pray you let my sister Tamar come and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it and eat it in her hand.

So, of course, he followed the directions that had been given him this deceit, this trick to get Tamar to himself.

We pick it up again in verse 27.

After he had done this deed, but Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

Now Absalom had commanded his servant, saying, Mark you now, and Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him.

Fear not, have not I commanded you, be courageous and be valiant.

So we didn't read all the details of Amnon raping his Absalom's sister Tamar.

But then Absalom seeks his revenge on Amnon.

Verse 29, And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon, as Absalom had commanded.

Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got him up on his mule and fled.

And it came to pass while they were on the way that tidings came to David, saying Absalom had slain all the king's sons, and there's not one of them left.

Then the king arose, tore his garments, and lay on the earth, and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

And Johnadev, the son of Shimea, David's brother, answered and said, Let me not, my lord, suppose that they have slain all young men, the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead.

For by the appointment of Absalom, this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

So the rest of the story, of course, Absalom was sent away eventually.

David let him come back, and then Absalom raised a rebellion against David. And basically, everybody in Israel went with Absalom. And then, in fleeing from David's armies, Absalom's hair caught in the branches of a tree, and that's how he met his death.

As we have said earlier, most all-story play and movie plots in some ways center on the bad guys getting what is coming to them.

The screenwriters and authors know that people deeply want to see people get what's coming to them.

When I was a boy, this started when I was somewhere around 11 or 12, after plowing all week, following the mule Monday through Friday, my parents gave me three dollars, and I walked about a mile and a half, caught the bus into town, and I would see a double feature for 25 cents at the local theater. I think actually for people under a certain, I think it's under 12, you get in for a dime.

So I would watch these cowboy movies on Saturday.

The plot always centered on the bad guys taking advantage of someone.

The behavior of the outlaws was so bad, you just couldn't wait to see them get what was coming to them.

And then at the critical juncture, when the bad guys were about to kill the ones who were being mistreated, the cowboy hero rides in, and the audience cheers, and the cowboy hero takes the outlaws down. So there's something about human nature that they want to see vengeance accomplished upon what they perceive to be their enemies, and sometimes they are their enemies.

Of course, there's a time to stand up and be counted, and there's a time to turn the other cheek.

And as we look at the world today, it's somewhat analogous to those old B cowboy movies.

The world is divided into factions in which the people of the world are just waiting to get even with their perceived or real enemies.

The division ranges from micro to macro, from the individual personal level to the national and international level. From large to small, from small to large, perhaps the greatest macro division in the world today pits radical Islamic fundamentalism against the Western world. Earlier, we in Cold War days, we saw communism, Russia pitted against the rest of the world. And then, of course, China went communism under Mao and is still a communist nation and communist government.

Much of Islam's hatred of the West stems from their support of the Israelis, whom they perceive to be the one major obstacle standing in the way of them taking over the Middle East, and for that matter, the whole world.

This hatred is a product of an age-old family feud that goes back to Abraham's son. So let's look at that briefly in Genesis 16 and verse 11.

The story of Ishmael and Isaac.

Isaac and Abraham and Sarah were promised a son in their old age, and after some time had passed, no son had been conceived by Sarah. So she said, maybe what he meant was you work it out according to the flesh. You take hay or my handmaid and you go into her, which he did, and she conceived, and she bear Ishmael. Of course, that is not what God intended. And over the course of the time, eventually Isaac was born, and there arose a great conflict between the child of the flesh, Ishmael, and the child of promise, Isaac. Verse 11.

And he will be a wild man. His hand will be against every man and every man's hand against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

And she called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her, You, God, seeest me. For she said, Have I also looked after him that sees me? Wherefore the well was called Bir Hala Roy, because it is between Caddish and Berid.

And Hagrid bear Abraham a son, and Abraham called his name, which Hagar bear Ishmael.

Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. And of course, the story is asrobated.

Ishmael was sent away. It was promised that there would be 12 princes that would come out of Ishmael. And to asrobate this situation to some degree was also the fact that Esau, son of Abraham, son of Isaac, I mean, married one of Ishmael's kin. So, let's go to Genesis 28 now. In Genesis 28, we'll see this marriage.

Genesis 28. So, adding fuel to this family feud is the fact that Esau, who is Edom, married a daughter of Ishmael. Genesis 28 and verse 9.

It's interesting to note the response of Rebecca when this happened. In Genesis 28 verse 9, then when Esau unto Ishmael, first of all, Esau had married one of the daughters of Canaan.

And this really upset Isaac, his father. So, I guess he reasoned in his mind, well, I'll marry the daughter of a person. You fathered Ishmael.

So, I'll marry one of his daughters. So, then when Esau unto Ishmael and took unto the wives which he had, Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Neoboth, to be his wife.

And so, Esau, of course, didn't get the birthright, and he's tried to get the birthright back since that day that Rebecca and Jacob deceived Isaac into giving the birthright to Jacob.

So, there is a shift in world opinion concerning the cause of violence in the Middle East.

You go back just before the Obama administration and the cause of violence perceived in the Middle East was basically laid at the feet of Islam and the terrorist activities that were being sponsored by various Islamic nations, and now this has shifted. And it's ironic, Israel has now been labeled the cause of the violence and bloodshed in the Middle East. As we referenced in this news article where Secretary of State John Kerry stated that because Israel is insisting on developing these housing settlements in occupied West Bank and also in East Jerusalem, that they won't stop doing it. So, how can we have peace when they continue to encroach upon the land where basically most of the Arabs have settled? And so, you have this H.O. feud in which now they're trying to rub elbows and live together. So, the call is for Israel to retreat to the 67 borders and to divide the land and for Jerusalem to serve as the capital of both nations.

Whereas eventually, it seems like that probably the UN will administer Jerusalem or some body that takes over by body. I don't mean person, I mean body like a nation or the UN. East Jerusalem is where the Temple Mount is located and the holy sites are in East Jerusalem. And so, Jerusalem says, Jerusalem says, Israel says that Jerusalem is their eternal capital and they're not going to give it up. So, even if they were to retreat to the 67 borders, the question of Jerusalem still looms. Now, the ironic part about now turning against Israel, that is basically the Western world. See, there's going to be this conference of nations in Paris, 70 nations coming together in Paris on January the 15th to decide the, try to decide the fate, whether or not they're going to pressure the UN to pass a resolution requiring Israel to retreat to the 67 borders and for Jerusalem to be divided into two entities, that is a capital of both the Israeli nation and the Islamic nation, if that should happen. But, ironically, it's not just the Jews that Islam seeks to convert and or kill.

It's all peoples. It's all peoples who do not convert to Islam.

Now, none of this is to absolve Israel in their share of the blame for the current situation, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Remember in Romans, Paul takes the Gentiles to task in chapter 1. He takes the Jews to task in chapter 2, and then he concludes in chapter 3, verse 23, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

See, God is working out His great purpose in bringing sons and daughters to glory in His family. He's not a respecter of persons, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. On the other hand, as we have seen, Satan is obsessed with revenge and vengeance, hoping to get even with God and thwart God's plan. And so this week, we saw some very dramatic events unfold, reeked with partisan politics. President Obama signed several executive orders and actions ranging from federalizing national monuments in Utah to exacting punitive actions against Russia for their alleged hacking into the Democratic Party database. And some of this may be true. Did you know that the federal government owns 84% of the state of Nevada?

84%. Area 51 and all of that. And a large percentage of Utah, and some in Colorado, some in Wyoming, and so on, it goes. Then there was the opposing tweeting by Donald Trump and the Republicans' reaction to the president's actions. I'm not trying to defend either side. There's plenty of corruption in this world to go around on both sides of the aisles in Washington, D.C., and basically everywhere else. I'm demonstrating the fact that the world is divided into factions that desire to wreak their revenge on those whom they perceive standing in the way of them achieving their goals. And we know the old maximum that a nation divided against itself cannot stand, or a house divided against itself cannot stand. The Avengers generally always try to build a case against the other person to try to make it appear that they are perfectly justified in what they're doing. And so this past week we saw what unfolded, which we have briefly referenced.

So the article in the Bulletin on the Paris conference is very significant. As you can see, the mentality of world leaders centers on trying to even up, get even with their perceived enemies while Satan is leading the way. Look at Romans 12 in Romans chapter 12. Remember, I said earlier that basically the book of Romans parallels in outline form.

Of course, this is probably just imposed that you would note this. What are the seven basic doctrines of Hebrews 6? Let's listen them. Repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptism, laying out of hands, resurrection, judgment. And the verse starts with, therefore, laying out again the foundation of dead work, so on. Let us go on to perfection.

So going on to perfection would be number seven. See, the first two chapters of Romans talks about repentance from dead works. Chapters three and four begins to talk about faith and the sacrifice of Christ. And then chapter six talks about baptism. And chapters seven and eight talk about the old man and receiving God's Spirit. In fact, some people talk about Romans 8 being the Holy Spirit chapter. Then Romans 9, 10, and 11 talks about resurrection and judgment.

And then you get to Romans 12. And basically, the rest of the book of Romans deals with how do you go on to perfection? How do you overcome all of this human nature? You know, Romans 8 verse 9. The human mind is imminent toward God, not subject to the law of God.

Neither indeed can be the carnal mind. In Romans 12 verse 1, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And so, how do you do that? That's basically what Romans 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 is taken up with, is going on to perfection. But one of the greatest summaries of what is necessary to go on to perfection is here in Romans 12. I heard a minister one time give a sermon on the book of Romans, and he titled it, The Recipe for World Peace.

We have seen from the creation of spirit beings, the angels, the creation of mankind, the first two children. We have seen from the children of King David. We have seen a little bit, talked a little bit about what's happened in the world today and happening, where nation is against nation, religions against religions, and so on it goes, like the old Hank Williams, Jr. song, that everybody's against everybody else, but he's for love. But here we have in Romans 12, this recipe to overcome all of these things. So we're going to read Romans chapter 12 and then several scriptures that talks about what God is going to do.

So in verse 1, we are told to become living sacrifices, be not conformed to this world, but you transform by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is at good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than you ought to think. And of course, that's what Satan the devil did, the father of envy, jealousy, striving to overthrow the perceived enemy, or even just to make yourself number one. But to think soberly according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office. So we being many are one body in Christ and every one members of one another.

The reason we are members of one another is there is one spirit. The same spirit that is in God is in Christ is in each one of you. By one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be bond or free, Jew, Gentile, whatever. By one spirit we're baptized into one body.

And Paul goes on to talk about in 1 Corinthians 12 having the same love, care, and concern for one another. See, we are members of one another because we share that common essence of God in Christ in us. And when we criticize the body, we are in effect criticizing ourselves because we are part of that body.

That's something that basically we don't seem to be able to grasp.

Why is the church scattered to smithereens? It's because of what I'm talking about here today. Indeed, jealousy, greed, desire to do this, that, or the other.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith, or ministry, let us wait on our ministry, or he that teaches on teaching. Everybody can't do everything. We can improve in various areas, but we can't do everything. Or he that exhorts on exhortation. Some people are just what I would call natural encouragers. You like to see them come around because they have something to give that maybe you or I don't have, but they have it.

He that exhorts on exhortation, he that gives, let him do it with simplicity, not making a big show. He that rules with diligence, he that shows mercy with cheerfulness.

Well, I guess I'll have to forgive you. That's not what God is looking for. Let hope be without dissimulation, let love be without dissimulation, without jealousy, without pretense, abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good, be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another, not slothful in business, fervent in spirit serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, distributing to the necessity of the saints given to hospitality, bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not. I guess we'll... when are we going to learn any of this to the degree that you can say, well, I'm really going on to perfection? I know we all want to go that way. Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not, rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Be of the same mind one toward another, mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.

Be not wise in your own conceits. Seems like that's why we read about Satan.

You have corrupted your wisdom by the reason of your brightness.

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

If it be possible as much as lies in you, live peacefully with all men.

That's not where the world is going. The world is going in the opposite direction of generally everything that's in this chapter. Dearly beloved, avenge, not yourselves. But rather give peace unto wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy hunger, feed him. If your enemy thirst, give him drink. For in so doing, you shall reap coals of fire on his head. I mean, what it does to a person that really has something against you when you really just do him or her a great favor. It disarms them. What can they do?

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Now let's notice some key verses that point out this verse 19. Vengeance is mine, I will repay. One of the things that we talked about in Club today was about reading the Bible. As I told Club members today, when I was a boy, there would be certain people in the church. I remember there was a deacon in our church, and they would say, well, he's read the Bible through two or three times.

I mean, he sort of walks on water. He's read the Bible through two or three times. But maybe not understood much of it. And I said, really, what you need to do in a lot of cases, yeah, read the Bible through, get an overview of the Bible, the thread of the Bible, which I think we've given that handout to everybody. We covered it in the labor and the word here in the weekly Bible studies. I don't know if we gave it to everybody or not. If not, we need to. But after you get that overview of the Bible from Genesis through Revelation, where you can chronologically put everything in its place, basically, according to time order, then you take various topics, and you read every last verse on that topic.

And it's amazing what you will learn in doing so. So in this verse here, Romans 12, 19, God says, vengeance is mine. Do we want to go the way of Satan who rebelled against God? Do we want to go the way of Cain who killed his brother? Do we want to go the way of Absalom who killed his brother to get even? Do we want to go the way of Absalom in rebelling his father? Do we want to go the way of Judas who betrayed Christ? And we could go on and on with do we want to go the way? Do we want to go the way of the world today in which they are seeking to avenge everything that they perceive that somebody else has done against them? We are supposed to come out of this world.

So let's start in Psalm, and we will go through a few verses here in Psalms and Isaiah, and we'll look at this, what God says concerning this, and it also gives an example of if you just take one topic, in this case we're taking one word, vengeance. Some people talk about, well, I don't want to hear a concordant sermon. Well, I would rather hear a concordant sermon than a guidepost sermon. You know what guidepost is? It's a Protestant publication that tells nice little stories about how people was able to overcome certain things. Now, those are fine, but we are here to learn and practice the Word of God first and foremost. And of course, there's a place for inspiring stories as well. But the Bible itself and God's plan is so inspiring that it really is one of the most exciting things you never engage in.

In Psalm 58, verse 10, the righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance.

He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. That is God. And of course, so much of the Bible is speaking figuratively. God is not going to actually wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

But, figuratively, so the man shall say, barely there is reward for the righteous, barely he is God that judges in the earth. Vengeance is mine, I will repay. In Psalm 94, Psalm 94, I'll be turning to these with you. In Psalm 94, verse 1, O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs, O God, to whom vengeance belongs, show yourself.

Of course, the psalmist here is crying out, saying, how long do we have to wait?

In Psalm 99, verse 8, then answer them, O Lord our God, you are a God that forgave them, though you took vengeance of their inventions.

Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy.

In Psalm 149, Psalm 149, next to the last one here, in Psalm 149, verse 7, see, and also, I'm just reading the verse and maybe one or two others that surround it. You read the whole context, you get the whole feel of it. In Psalm 149, verse 7, we're going to read six verse, let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people, to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the judgment written, this honor have all his saints.

Praise ye, the Lord. See, you read Revelation 19, and Jesus Christ returning on the great white horse, and those that are with him are clothed in white linen, the armies in heaven descending to execute judgment and war upon those who are gathered to battle against him at the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

In Proverbs 6, verse 37, I mean, Proverbs 6, verse 34, For jealousy is a rage of a man, therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

He will not regard any person, neither will he rest content, though you give him many gifts.

Oh, if you're jealous, if you're determined to get revenge, there's no stopping you.

So, what do they say? What percentage of murders are committed in the family group? Well, I know it's over 50 percent. In Isaiah 34, Isaiah 34, verse 8, Isaiah talks a great deal. I'm not going to read all of these out of Isaiah. You can go to your concordance or your search engine. Just put in vengeance or look up vengeance. In Isaiah 34, verse 8, For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance and the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion. Zion is used synonymously with Jerusalem.

You know, you read Isaiah 2, for out of Jerusalem and out of Zion, the millennial setting. See, the controversy of Zion is going to eventually bring all the nations of the world to fight against God, Christ, and the saints, to battle the great day of God Almighty.

Zechariah 12, verses 2 and 3 says, Jerusalem will become a trembling cup to all nations.

And there are several other scriptures that deal with that as well.

For it is the day of God's vengeance and the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion.

This big controversy that you see continually building in the Middle East over what is called the Holy Land and Jerusalem eventually leads to this great battle of the great day of God Almighty.

Do we think that this is the time to bury our heads in the sand and to say, Oh, as Isaiah 30, I believe it is, talks about, Oh, just speak unto us smooth things.

We don't want to hear about this, that, or the other.

Well, brethren, we had better be prepared. We had better be going on to perfection, as I read from Romans chapter 12.

In Isaiah 35, just cross the page here, verse 4, Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not, behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense, He will come and save you.

So there's these great and wonderful promises that are given in the book. Look, in Isaiah 61, when Christ went back to Nazareth after He had been baptized, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and He went to where they hold the scrolls, and He picked up the scroll, and He read from Isaiah 61, beginning in verse 1.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek He has sent me to build up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them they are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

And at this point, He sat down, because He came at that time, first coming, to do that.

Now He's coming the second time, as in we've mentioned Revelation 19, and there are many other scriptures, and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn.

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, and remember that the church is symbolized by Zion, or Zion symbolizes the church, Hebrews 12, 22, for you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the church and general assembly of the firstborn.

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the Spirit of Heavenness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planning of the Lord, that He might be glorified. Yes, judgment and vengeance belongs to God.

So we look forward to that time in which all of these scriptures and so many more are fulfilled, in which this sad chapter of Satan's world comes to a close.

Satan's world, a brief history of the world, from Satan's creation to his rebellion, to some of the principal figures in the Bible, to where we are today.

So God says that he will repay. Look at Ephesians chapter 1. In Ephesians chapter 1, we hasten and look forward to this day in Ephesians chapter 1.

There have been seven, and we're in the sixth. There are seven dispensations mentioned in the scriptures. We're in the age of grace, or the dispensation of grace, as in Ephesians chapter 3.

But here's what we're looking forward to.

In Ephesians 1.3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, this great plan of salvation was worked out, that we should be holy without blame before him in love.

Having predestined us unto the sonship, not just adopted, we will be literally born of the Spirit and be Spirit beings, unto the sonship of children by Jesus Christ to himself, to God, according to the good pleasure of his God's will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he is abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he has promised in himself. That, see, when the resurrection takes place and you become a glorious Spirit being in the millennial age comes upon and then beyond the millennial age, that in the dispensation of the fullest of times he might gather together and one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, which are on earth, even in him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestined, according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will. See, when that time comes there will be peace not only on earth but in the universe.