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Isaiah 40:12-31 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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We have a lot to go through today.
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I'm going to really try and move fast.
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But if you get to the 30-minute mark and you really got to go to the bathroom,
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or your child really needs something, I'm not going to be offended.
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But we need to, as the old King James language says,
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gird up the loins of our minds this morning for all that we need to go through.
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But just join me in a quick word of prayer.
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Father, we offer up this time to you.
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You would be pleased.
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Help us to focus.
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Help us to listen to your word.
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It would take deep root in our hearts and have your desired effect upon our lives.
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Work in and through us during this time.
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Use me, a broken man, a broken vessel, to accomplish this in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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So we've been, we started last week walking through the monumental chapter,
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Mount Everest chapter of Isaiah 40.
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So I encourage you to go back and listen to the message from last week
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because it lays sort of the historical background, historical context for everything going on,
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to which you may be a little lost.
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But I'll try to summarize in a couple minutes because that's all we have, maybe one minute.
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But the first part of Isaiah from chapter 7 to 39 is mostly pictures and pronouncements of divine judgment
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against the people of Israel and then later on Judah.
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And so a very grim, hard words to God's people.
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He had been patient with them.
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He had sent them prophets.
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He had done all kinds of things to show them, like his love and his forbearance.
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But now that time had passed and he said, judgment is going to come.
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And eventually the northern kingdom comprised of 10 different tribes were destroyed by Assyria.
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And then 100 and I think 35 years later, Judah and Jerusalem were eventually destroyed by the new superpower, Babylon.
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And so Isaiah lived though during the time of Assyria.
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And when he gets to chapter 39, it ends with King Hezekiah.
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And so, but if we jump into chapter 40, in the blink of an eye, Isaiah is sort of transported into the future.
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So he's speaking to God's people in the context of their future exile in Babylon.
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It's one of the cool things that Bible prophets do, what God does through them.
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So he knows that they're in the future going to be in Babylon, in exile, even though they currently are not while he's saying these things.
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He knows that it will happen.
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And so God speaks through him a word of comfort and assurance and certainty in their future exile,
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kind of projected by the Holy Spirit into the future, much like John was in Revelation.
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But he knows the questions that they're going to be asking while they're in exile.
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Has God failed? Has his promises failed?
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Does God even want to deliver us?
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And if he wants to, can he deliver us?
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And if all those things are true, will he actually do it?
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Will he actually make the decision to do it?
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Especially since they don't deserve it, just much like we don't deserve the grace of God.
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And so in their darkest moments, this call of prophecy goes out into the future to speak a word of comfort.
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So we broke up this chapter into three sections.
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Last week, we just did one of them.
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And that was the glory of God is the comfort of his people.
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That's what we talked about up until this week.
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So this week, I'll summarize really quickly what we covered last week.
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But some of the images of Christ that we see in the first part of this is the comfort to Jerusalem prefigures the comfort that is found in Christ Jesus.
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And that's verse three.
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And then later on, John the Baptist uses those words to announce the coming of the Lord in person.
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Verse five, we see that the glory of the Lord is revealed through Jesus Christ.
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Right?
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Then later on in verse five, that the fading of human lives is contrasted with the eternal salvation in Christ.
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And then verse eight, which is getting close to where we ended.
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Jesus is the incarnate tendered shepherd who carries his helpless people.
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Okay, so just a few connections to last week.
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But today, we're going to do part one and part two or part three.
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So let's just dive into it.
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And just, excuse me, just for time's sake, we're just going to walk through this Bible study style.
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I'm going to break the preaching rule and not read it all because it'll take four or five minutes for me to read it all.
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So we're just going to walk by it and eat it kind of piecemeal.
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But part two is the uniqueness of God is the assurance of his people.
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The uniqueness of God is the assurance of his people.
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And so we'll start in verse 12.
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All right?
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We see God transitioning to a focus on his sovereign power and executive rule as the creator of all things.
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Last week, we saw the attractiveness and tenderness of the shepherd and the promise of comfort.
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And today, we see God's irresistible power to make what he said come to pass.
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Therefore, it's impossible for such a great God to forget his people or neglect his people.
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So I hope we're going to break this up into a few different pieces under this.
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But number one, verses 12 through 14, it says,
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Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span,
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enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in its scales, and the hills in a balance?
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Number one, God is the ever-wise creator.
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That's what we see here in verses 12 through 14.
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God is the ever-wise creator.
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So it always helps to magnify the Lord by thinking about what was going on before creation.
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But God existed eternal and immutable.
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He needed nothing.
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He was independent.
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He didn't choose to create the world or us or anything else because he was lonely and needed company,
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or he just, you know, wanted to pick up a hobby.
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He wasn't needy or dependent on anything.
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When Paul was in Athens, Greece, he said,
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The God who made the world and everything in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,
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nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything.
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So the next time you have a weak view of God, just have that in mind that he needs nothing.
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He's not served by us.
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Since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
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That's Acts 17, 24 through 25.
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So, Yahweh, the living God, gloriously and freely reigned before anything else in creation.
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Perfectly satisfied and happy in himself.
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Something that we don't understand.
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Therefore, he chose not to create because he lacked something,
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because it was an expression or an overflow of his greatness.
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Revelation 4, 11.
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Worthy are you, our Lord and our God,
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to receive glory and honor and power,
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because you created all things,
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and by your will they existed and were created.
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So, God is the Creator.
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He's holding all creation.
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So, if you look at verse 10 of chapter 40,
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the translation really is sovereign Lord.
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So, he asked a series of rhetorical questions
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to demonstrate how God is the sovereign Lord.
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He established creation and he is uniquely powerful and wise.
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His omnipotence, his wisdom,
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he spoke all things into being before there was anything made at all.
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Psalm 33, verse 6,
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By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
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and by his breath, the breath of his mouth, their host.
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God is all-powerful, therefore his word is all-powerful.
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Our word doesn't really accomplish a whole lot,
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but his, as you can read in later chapters,
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I think chapter 55,
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talks about how his word does not return to him void.
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It accomplishes all he desires.
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And so, we see a proclamation here.
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He looks at creation, different parts of creation.
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The waters of the world.
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You see this?
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He says,
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The oceans, the seas, the lakes, the rivers are held
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like a tiny drop,
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a tiny pool
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in the hand
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of Yahweh.
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Crazy.
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The heavens are marked off.
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I love this.
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The Hebrew means to adjust.
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To adjust a thing to its proper place
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or function.
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And it means,
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you see the word span that's used there.
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He marks off the heavens with a span.
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So, the outstretched thumb
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and the pinky.
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So, it's like God's going,
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that's like what he's doing
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with the universe
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or with the heavens.
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And he positions them there.
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He said,
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You will go here
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and this will be your function.
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And we know how well
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finely tuned the universe is
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and how finely tuned earth is
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and one little change
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there would be no life here.
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Perfect.
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He measured it out
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by his outstretched thumb
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and pinky.
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The span.
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He is so supreme
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that he positioned the heavens
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and the earth
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saying,
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This will go here.
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An old Puritan said,
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Remember,
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a long time ago,
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Can we,
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when we behold
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the starry theater
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of heaven and earth,
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conclude other?
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But that finger
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and arms
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and wisdom of God
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has been there.
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God is so vast
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that he holds
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all the dust
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of the earth
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in a small basket
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or pen pot.
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Now this is cool.
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This astounds me.
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It says he holds
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the dust in a measure.
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You see that?
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The phrase,
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in a measure?
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It means a third.
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Anybody know
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how much
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land makes up
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on the earth?
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Maybe 30%.
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So a third.
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He holds the dust
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of the earth
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on a scale.
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That's where water
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covers about 70%.
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The dust makes up
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30.
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A third.
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In a measure
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is what in a measure
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means.
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A third.
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Pretty crazy.
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I double checked
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on that one.
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I kind of found that
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on my own,
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which I was kind of like,
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Wow, that's really neat.
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Then,
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it makes mentions
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of the mountains
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and the hills
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of the earth
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saying,
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God is so mighty
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and powerful
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that he can pick them up
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and move them
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with no problem.
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With ease.
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With no problem.
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He can put them
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on a pair of scales
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and weigh them
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in the balance.
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So he takes
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all of creation
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at a glance
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and says,
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Who else but the Almighty
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could weigh these things
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and measure them,
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determine its boundaries
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with perfect precision?
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So,
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the point is,
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any of this
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is too big for us.
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This is stuff
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that we can't conceive,
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something that we have
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no ability
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to do or comprehend.
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It's just an overwhelming,
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overpowering thought.
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And it's meant to be
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because it's meant
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to make us small
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and God enormous.
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So,
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if God can do this,
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He alone
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is worthy
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of His people's trust
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and love.
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Go to verse 13.
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It says,
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Who has measured
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the Spirit of the Lord?
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Or what man
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shows Him counsel?
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Whom did He
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consult
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and who made
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Him understand?
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Who taught Him
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the path of justice
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and taught Him
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knowledge
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and showed Him
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the way of understanding?
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So,
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to ask some
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very intensely
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humble questions.
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So,
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just as Yahweh
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can easily measure
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with perfect precision
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all creation,
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all created things,
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can any created thing
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do that?
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Can any created thing
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do what He
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just talked about?
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The answer is no.
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Can anyone
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fathom or comprehend
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the mind of God
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that created
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all these things?
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No.
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What puny mortal
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like me
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or you
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would dare
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look at the face
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of God
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and try to give Him
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counsel
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or teach Him
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what's right
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or wrong?
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That's what it says.
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right out of
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Deuteronomy
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chapter 32.
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It says,
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the rock
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about God.
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His work is perfect
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for all His ways
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are justice,
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a God of faithfulness
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and without iniquity.
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Just
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and upright
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is He.
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God's knowledge
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is perfect.
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1 John 3.20
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He knows
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all things.
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Psalm 147
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verse 7.
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Great is the Lord
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and abundant in power.
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His understanding
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is beyond
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measure.
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So all this
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is meant
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to humble us,
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meant to dwarf us
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and make us feel
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small and insignificant.
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Sin makes you
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want to feel
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significant.
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Sin makes you
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want to feel
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big and powerful.
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Puts us in the wrong
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position
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before God.
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So God is saying,
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is it you?
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Would you
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dare
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compare yourself
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to me
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or would any
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man at all
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compare himself
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to me?
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So what
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a great God.
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Paul
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in Romans
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actually
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cites this,
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quotes this,
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providential plan
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of salvation,
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of surety
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for redemption
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for the Jews
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and the Gentiles.
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And he
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cites this
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and he breaks
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side
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and prays.
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And he says
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in Romans 11
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verse 33,
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Oh the depth
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and riches,
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wisdom and
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knowledge of God.
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How unsearchable
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are his judgments
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and how inscrutable
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his ways.
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For who has
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known the mind
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of the Lord?
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Right?
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700 years later
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he's quoting this.
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For who has
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known the mind
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of the Lord
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or who has
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been his
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counselor?
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Or who has
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given him a
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gift that he
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might be repaid?
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For from him,
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through him,
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and to him
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are all things.
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To him be glory
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forever.
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Amen.
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So that's
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number one
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under this
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first title.
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Number two,
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God is the
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immense Lord
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of the nations.
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The immense
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Lord of the
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nations.
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You see this
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in verse 16.
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Behold,
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the nations
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are like a
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drop from a
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bucket and
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are counted
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as the dust
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on the scales.
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Behold,
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he takes up
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coastlands
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like fine
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dust.
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Lebanon
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would not
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suffice for
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fuel,
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nor are its
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beasts enough
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for burnt
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offering.
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The nations
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are as
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nothing
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before him.
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They are
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accounted by
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him as
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less than
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nothing
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and emptiness.
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So,
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to further
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magnify the
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uniqueness of
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God,
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Isaiah says
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that the
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nations are
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like a
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drop from
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a bucket
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before him.
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A very
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humble
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imagery.
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How many
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of you ever
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carried a
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big bucket
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of water
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in your
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yard to
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do something?
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Wash a
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car,
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water a
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plant,
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and you
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accidentally
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bump something
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and one
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little drop
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goes flying
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out?
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That's
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like what
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the nations
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are like
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to God.
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You wouldn't
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like go back
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and refill
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the bucket.
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You would
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just say,
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just a
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drop,
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doesn't
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matter.
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And that's
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what the
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nations are
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before God.
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And that's
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not to say
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he hates
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the nations
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or despises
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them.
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It's just
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saying in
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comparison,
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they are
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nothing.
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They are
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little.
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They are
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insignificant
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compared to
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God.
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God does
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love the
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nations.
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He sent
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them a
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savior.
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He desires
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praise from
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the nations.
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But they
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rage against
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him.
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They rebel
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against him,
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much in the way
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our own nation
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is in many
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ways.
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But the
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whole point
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is this is
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not a
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vexing
16:30
problem to
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God.
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He's not
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concerned.
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He's not
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threatened by
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any nation
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whatsoever.
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Or the sum
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total of
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them.
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He is not
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threatened.
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He has no
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issue, but he
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governs them as
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he chooses.
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Right?
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They present
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no threat.
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But to us,
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they seem
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big.
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They seem
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insurmountable.
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But to
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Israel, the
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nations around
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them seemed
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overwhelming.
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But they're
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not.
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And the
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same is
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true for
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us.
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Then he
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mentions
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Lebanon
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here in
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verse 16.
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Without further
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ado, really
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quickly, Lebanon
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just had these
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big cedar
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forests and a
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lot of animal
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life.
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And basically
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saying, like,
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you know, wood
17:09
is used to
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build the fire
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to have a
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burnt offering.
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So you have
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all the wood
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of Lebanon
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laid down.
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And then on
17:15
top of that,
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put down all
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the animals
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that are
17:18
there for
17:19
a sacrifice.
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He would
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say, not
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enough.
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Like, even a
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burnt offering
17:25
that big would
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ultimately fall
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short of what
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God truly
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deserves.
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But the
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best of human
17:33
worship will
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always fall
17:34
short.
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God only
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accepted fully
17:38
and was
17:38
pleased with
17:38
one sacrifice.
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That's 2,000
17:41
years ago on
17:42
the cross.
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Number
17:44
three.
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Very simple.
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God alone
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is God.
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God alone
17:51
is God.
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Verse 18.
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To whom
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will you liken
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God?
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Or what
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likeness
17:57
compare with
17:58
Him?
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An idol?
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A craftsman
18:01
casts it.
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A goldsmith
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overlays it
18:04
with gold
18:04
and casts
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it for silver
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chains.
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He who is
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too impoverished
18:10
for an offering
18:10
chooses wood
18:11
that it will
18:13
not rot.
18:13
He seeks
18:15
out a
18:15
skillful
18:16
craftsman
18:16
to set
18:17
up the
18:17
idol
18:17
that it
18:18
will not
18:18
move.
18:20
And so
18:20
God offers
18:21
a challenge
18:21
here.
18:22
Verse 18.
18:23
I dare
18:24
you to
18:24
find anything
18:25
else in
18:26
all creation
18:27
to compare
18:28
with me.
18:30
Simply put,
18:31
God alone
18:31
is God.
18:32
And so
18:33
this is
18:33
sarcasm
18:34
on God's
18:35
part.
18:35
Look at
18:36
these idols
18:37
made of
18:37
silver,
18:38
gold,
18:38
or wood.
18:40
Right?
18:40
And they have
18:41
to be propped
18:42
up because
18:42
they'll fall
18:43
over.
18:44
And like,
18:45
you're going
18:45
to give
18:45
your worship
18:46
to these
18:47
things?
18:48
Compared
18:49
to the
18:49
ancient of
18:50
days?
18:52
Before we
18:52
like laugh
18:53
at ancient
18:54
culture,
18:55
we do it
18:56
all the time.
18:57
What idols
18:58
do you have
18:59
in your life?
18:59
What do you
18:59
look to for
19:00
comfort,
19:01
for meaning,
19:02
for protection,
19:04
and assurance?
19:05
I went
19:07
to a Hindu
19:07
temple a long
19:08
time ago
19:09
and there
19:09
was all
19:09
these little
19:09
gods inside
19:10
the room.
19:12
And,
19:13
you know,
19:14
they're just
19:15
statues.
19:16
But people
19:17
were going
19:17
up to them
19:17
and putting
19:18
food in
19:18
their hands
19:19
to feed
19:19
them.
19:21
And you
19:23
would look
19:23
at that
19:23
and just
19:24
think,
19:24
that's nuts.
19:26
That thing
19:27
is not going
19:27
to eat that
19:28
stuff.
19:29
But we do
19:30
that every
19:31
week.
19:31
we feed
19:31
our little
19:32
idols to
19:33
give us
19:33
comfort,
19:34
meaning,
19:35
and assurance.
19:36
We go up
19:36
to them
19:36
and keep
19:37
them going.
19:38
And they
19:39
fall over.
19:39
They'll
19:40
fall over.
19:41
Right?
19:42
So God
19:43
is saying,
19:44
will you
19:44
dare compare
19:45
me to
19:47
such as
19:47
that?
19:48
I am the
19:49
immortal
19:50
God.
19:52
Number
19:52
four,
19:53
God is
19:53
the active
19:54
Lord.
19:56
Verse
19:56
21,
19:58
He says,
19:59
do you
19:59
not know
20:00
do you
20:01
not hear?
20:03
Has it
20:03
not been
20:03
told you
20:04
from the
20:05
beginning?
20:06
Have you
20:06
not understood
20:07
from the
20:08
foundations
20:08
of the
20:09
earth?
20:10
It is
20:10
He who
20:11
sits above
20:11
the circle
20:12
of the
20:13
earth,
20:13
and its
20:14
inhabitants
20:14
are like
20:15
grasshoppers,
20:16
who stretches
20:17
out the
20:18
heavens like
20:18
a curtain,
20:20
and spreads
20:20
them like a
20:21
tent to
20:21
dwell in,
20:23
who brings
20:23
princes to
20:24
nothing,
20:25
and makes
20:26
the rulers
20:26
of the
20:27
earth as
20:27
emptiness.
20:29
Scarcely
20:29
are they
20:30
planted,
20:31
scarcely
20:31
are they
20:32
sown.
20:33
Scarcely
20:33
has their
20:34
stem taken
20:34
root in
20:35
the earth.
20:36
When He
20:37
blows on
20:37
them,
20:38
they
20:38
wither,
20:39
and the
20:40
tempest
20:40
carries
20:40
them off
20:41
like
20:41
stubble.
20:43
So,
20:44
here,
20:46
He says,
20:47
if a person
20:47
has not
20:48
heard,
20:48
they should
20:49
have heard.
20:50
Isn't that
20:50
interesting?
20:52
Like,
20:52
because of
20:53
His resounding
20:53
glory throughout
20:54
the earth,
20:55
He says,
20:55
if you
20:55
haven't heard,
20:56
you should
20:56
have heard.
20:57
He sits
20:59
transcendent,
21:00
enthroned above
21:01
the circle of
21:02
the earth.
21:03
There's one of
21:04
those scientific
21:04
things.
21:05
A lot of
21:05
people think
21:06
the earth was
21:06
flat for
21:07
centuries,
21:08
but it
21:08
actually says
21:09
here,
21:09
God's
21:09
knowledge of
21:10
what He
21:10
made,
21:11
the earth,
21:12
is a
21:12
sphere,
21:13
a circle,
21:14
right?
21:15
Actually,
21:16
it says that
21:16
in Job 22,
21:17
verse 14,
21:18
as well.
21:19
And He
21:19
looks at all
21:20
the people
21:20
on it as
21:21
small,
21:21
insignificant,
21:23
like grasshoppers,
21:24
using the
21:24
language of the
21:25
day,
21:26
like nothing.
21:27
Such greatness
21:28
is incomparable.
21:29
And He pitches
21:30
out the heavens,
21:31
the universe,
21:32
like a tent,
21:33
and stretches
21:34
them out for
21:35
a place to
21:36
dwell in.
21:37
And it also
21:38
says in
21:39
Revelation that
21:39
He'll roll up
21:40
that same tent,
21:42
like start over,
21:43
cleanse,
21:44
new,
21:45
right?
21:46
This one
21:47
particularly is a
21:48
great comfort to
21:48
anybody who's
21:49
aware of what's
21:50
going on in our
21:50
country or the
21:51
world,
21:52
but He rules
21:54
effortlessly,
21:55
over all
21:56
world leaders,
21:58
good or bad,
22:00
Christian or
22:01
non-Christian,
22:02
fools and
22:03
wise,
22:04
powerful and
22:04
weak,
22:05
He rules over
22:05
them all.
22:07
There's much
22:07
trouble in our
22:08
world today of
22:09
nations plotting
22:10
war and rumors
22:11
of war,
22:13
world leaders
22:13
seeking their
22:14
own advancement,
22:16
power,
22:17
control,
22:17
riches,
22:18
even at the
22:18
expense of their
22:19
own people,
22:21
east being set
22:22
against west
22:23
once again.
22:23
It can cause a
22:24
great deal of
22:24
anxiety if you
22:25
watch the news
22:26
too much,
22:27
but just be
22:28
aware.
22:29
But it says
22:30
here that
22:31
Yahweh brings
22:32
the princes,
22:34
which actually
22:34
means just
22:35
people of
22:36
importance,
22:37
people of
22:37
importance,
22:38
to nothing,
22:39
and makes the
22:40
rulers of the
22:41
earth as
22:41
emptiness.
22:43
That word
22:44
means meaningless.
22:45
It actually
22:45
implies He
22:46
makes them of
22:47
no further
22:48
significance.
22:49
The glory that
22:50
they thought they
22:51
had is gone,
22:52
and they're
22:52
forgotten.
22:54
All He has
22:54
to do is
22:55
just blow on
22:56
them.
22:57
He gets
22:57
back to that
22:58
imagery of
22:59
they are like
22:59
grass.
23:00
They're planted,
23:01
they're sown,
23:02
they grow,
23:03
the Lord blows,
23:04
and they're
23:04
gone.
23:05
That's like how
23:06
it is.
23:09
Some of you
23:09
have lived
23:10
longer than
23:11
the rest of
23:12
us, or
23:13
people who
23:14
just know
23:14
history,
23:15
some of the
23:15
greatest leaders
23:16
in the world,
23:16
you know where
23:17
they all are
23:17
now?
23:17
Gone.
23:18
And in a
23:20
time they
23:20
will be
23:20
forgotten,
23:21
and such as
23:22
it is with
23:22
anyone else
23:23
today, all
23:24
God has to
23:25
do is just
23:26
blow on
23:26
them.
23:28
Minimal
23:28
effort.
23:29
Daniel said
23:31
of God,
23:32
it is He who
23:33
changes times
23:34
and seasons.
23:35
He disposes
23:36
kings and
23:37
raises up
23:38
others.
23:39
So God
23:40
controls, you
23:41
see in our
23:41
text, He
23:42
controls the
23:43
tempest and
23:44
carries them
23:45
off.
23:46
Right?
23:47
So trust
23:47
Him completely.
23:48
This is not
23:49
meant to
23:49
scare, it's
23:51
meant to
23:51
say, that's
23:51
our God, our
23:52
God does
23:53
that.
23:54
So take
23:54
hope, right?
23:55
Trust Him
23:56
completely.
23:58
And then
23:59
five, number
24:00
five under
24:00
this first
24:01
part, God
24:03
is the
24:03
watchful
24:04
creator.
24:05
Verse 25,
24:07
He issues
24:07
that challenge
24:08
again, to
24:08
whom will
24:09
you compare
24:09
me that I
24:11
should be
24:11
like Him,
24:12
says the
24:13
Holy One.
24:14
Lift up
24:15
your eyes
24:15
on high and
24:16
see who
24:17
created
24:17
these, who
24:19
brings out
24:19
their hosts
24:20
by number,
24:20
calling them
24:21
all by
24:22
name, by
24:23
the greatness
24:24
of His
24:24
might, and
24:26
because He
24:26
is strong
24:27
in power, not
24:28
one of them
24:29
is missing.
24:30
So He
24:31
offers that
24:31
challenge again.
24:32
So you see
24:32
the title,
24:33
the Holy
24:33
One.
24:35
Isaiah
24:35
uses that
24:36
title a lot
24:37
for God.
24:37
And if you
24:38
read chapter
24:38
7, you'll
24:39
know why he
24:39
uses that
24:40
title for
24:41
God.
24:42
When he
24:42
was called
24:43
by God,
24:44
and he
24:44
heard the
24:44
seraphine
24:45
crying,
24:45
holy, holy,
24:46
holy is the
24:47
Lord of
24:48
hosts.
24:49
So, holy
24:50
is a very
24:52
profound word,
24:53
but just for
24:54
our sake, it
24:55
means that God
24:56
is in a
24:56
category of
24:57
His own.
24:59
He is
25:00
unique, He
25:00
is separated
25:01
from all
25:02
His created
25:02
things,
25:03
undefiled,
25:04
perfect,
25:04
and pure.
25:05
So, He
25:07
calls us to
25:07
go out on a
25:08
clear night,
25:09
which you can
25:09
do up here
25:10
in the mountains,
25:10
and look at
25:12
the stars,
25:13
look overhead,
25:15
look and
25:15
behold what
25:16
I have made,
25:17
is what God
25:18
is saying.
25:19
Many of the
25:20
pagan religions
25:21
of the ancient
25:22
Near East
25:22
people,
25:24
they had
25:24
astrological
25:26
phenomena that
25:27
they looked
25:28
to, and
25:29
they foolishly
25:30
worshipped the
25:31
creation rather
25:32
than the
25:33
Creator,
25:34
because God
25:34
is the one
25:35
who controls
25:35
the stars.
25:37
The starry
25:37
constellations,
25:38
they believed,
25:39
were controlled
25:40
by God.
25:42
Thus, only
25:43
God is
25:44
worthy of
25:45
worship.
25:45
He controls
25:46
the things
25:47
that the
25:47
pagans are
25:48
worshipping,
25:49
which sounds
25:50
foolish, and
25:51
it is.
25:52
Read Romans
25:53
1 and 2.
25:54
He says,
25:55
not one of
25:55
them is
25:56
missing, so
25:56
God creates
25:57
and sustains
25:59
the stars.
26:01
All inspiring.
26:02
I'll spare you
26:03
all the science
26:04
behind that.
26:04
Just go check
26:05
it out.
26:06
All kind of
26:07
stuff.
26:07
The galaxies,
26:08
the stars,
26:09
the Milky
26:09
Wave,
26:09
etc.
26:11
But whoever
26:11
he goes on,
26:14
he says he
26:14
doesn't just
26:15
create them,
26:15
but he names
26:16
them.
26:17
They got
26:17
names.
26:19
And that
26:19
ensures that
26:20
not one of
26:20
them is
26:21
missing.
26:22
Psalm 147,
26:23
verse 4,
26:24
it says,
26:24
God determines
26:25
the number
26:26
of stars,
26:27
and to all
26:28
of them he
26:28
gives them
26:29
names.
26:30
Psalm 147,
26:31
verse 4.
26:32
So,
26:33
the whole
26:33
point is to
26:34
teach us some
26:35
astronomy lesson,
26:36
the answer is
26:36
no.
26:37
So,
26:38
what's the
26:38
catch?
26:38
God is
26:39
trying to
26:39
teach Israel
26:40
and trying
26:40
to teach
26:41
us something
26:42
about himself
26:43
that we don't
26:44
need to
26:44
miss.
26:45
If God
26:46
can create
26:47
the stars
26:47
and name
26:48
all of them
26:49
and not
26:50
lose any
26:51
of them,
26:52
surely he
26:52
will not
26:53
forget his
26:54
people who
26:56
are so much
26:57
greater,
26:57
those that he
26:57
died to
26:58
save.
26:59
He will
26:59
not forget
27:00
his promise
27:01
to them.
27:02
So,
27:03
if he
27:03
manages the
27:04
universe,
27:05
do you
27:05
think he
27:05
will lose
27:06
track of
27:07
you?
27:08
And the
27:08
answer is
27:08
no.
27:10
He keeps
27:10
his promise.
27:12
Alright,
27:12
part three,
27:13
really quickly.
27:16
Part three,
27:18
the greatness
27:18
of God is
27:19
the renewal
27:20
of his
27:21
people.
27:21
The greatness
27:22
of God is
27:22
the renewal
27:23
of his
27:24
people.
27:24
And this
27:25
starts in
27:25
verse 27,
27:26
so break
27:27
this up into
27:27
three little
27:28
separate parts.
27:30
Number one,
27:32
our immense
27:33
despair.
27:34
Verse 27,
27:36
Why do you
27:37
say, O Jacob,
27:38
and speak,
27:38
O Israel,
27:39
my way is
27:40
hidden from
27:40
the Lord,
27:41
and my right
27:42
hand is
27:42
disregarded
27:43
by my
27:44
God?
27:45
So he
27:46
knows that
27:46
the Jews
27:47
in the
27:47
future,
27:48
in exile,
27:49
in Babylon,
27:50
are going
27:50
to feel
27:51
like,
27:52
has God
27:53
forgotten
27:53
us?
27:54
Has he
27:55
grown
27:56
ignorant of
27:56
our hard
27:57
conditions?
27:58
Is he
27:58
so busy
28:00
that he
28:00
can't take
28:00
note of
28:01
us?
28:02
It's that
28:03
complaint.
28:05
But,
28:05
remember
28:07
though,
28:08
God is
28:08
always true
28:09
to his
28:10
covenant
28:10
people.
28:12
Despite our
28:12
unbelief,
28:13
despite our
28:14
lack of
28:14
faith at
28:15
times,
28:16
he stays
28:16
true to
28:17
us.
28:18
So when
28:18
we're at
28:19
our weakness
28:19
and our
28:20
darkness,
28:21
God intervenes
28:22
to bring
28:22
us comfort
28:23
and to
28:24
strengthen
28:25
us to
28:25
that end.
28:26
So,
28:28
what weighs
28:29
heavily on
28:30
your mind
28:30
that you
28:30
need comfort
28:31
and encouragement
28:32
for?
28:33
Are you
28:34
wondering
28:34
if your
28:35
job is
28:36
going to
28:36
be enough
28:36
to take
28:37
care of
28:38
your family
28:38
in the
28:40
coming years?
28:42
Are you
28:43
worried about
28:44
our economy?
28:45
Are you
28:45
worried about
28:45
the chaos
28:46
in the
28:46
world?
28:48
The
28:48
certain
28:49
political
28:49
parties'
28:50
agendas
28:50
against the
28:51
unborn?
28:52
For
28:53
illness or
28:54
loss of a
28:54
family member?
28:55
God
28:57
weighs you
28:58
down?
28:58
What do
28:58
you need
28:59
encouragement
28:59
with?
29:01
Don't
29:01
repeat what
29:02
they're
29:02
repeating.
29:03
Like,
29:03
does our
29:03
God even
29:04
notice us?
29:06
Because God
29:06
is telling
29:07
you,
29:07
yes,
29:07
I see
29:08
you.
29:08
I care.
29:10
Then He
29:10
answers,
29:11
right?
29:12
This is
29:13
number two,
29:13
God's
29:14
greatness.
29:15
This
29:16
starts in
29:16
verse 28.
29:17
He answers
29:17
that.
29:18
Have you
29:18
not known?
29:19
Have you
29:20
not heard?
29:21
The Lord
29:21
is the
29:22
everlasting
29:22
God,
29:23
the creator
29:23
of the
29:24
ends of
29:24
the
29:24
earth.
29:25
He does
29:25
not faint
29:26
or grow
29:26
weary.
29:27
His
29:28
understanding
29:29
is
29:29
unsearchable.
29:31
He gives
29:31
power to
29:32
the faint
29:32
and to
29:32
him who
29:33
has no
29:33
might,
29:34
he increases
29:34
strength.
29:36
So,
29:36
he draws
29:36
this sharp
29:37
comparison
29:38
between
29:38
mortal,
29:39
weak
29:39
mankind
29:40
and
29:41
himself.
29:42
The
29:42
Lord is
29:42
the
29:43
everlasting
29:43
God,
29:44
meaning
29:45
He is
29:45
eternal.
29:46
He
29:46
always
29:47
has
29:47
existed.
29:48
He
29:48
exists
29:49
and He
29:49
will
29:50
always
29:50
exist.
29:52
In
29:52
Revelation,
29:53
chapter 1,
29:55
he says,
29:56
you hear
29:56
them crying
29:57
out,
29:57
the Lord
29:58
God
29:58
who is,
30:00
who was,
30:01
and who
30:01
is to
30:02
come,
30:02
the
30:03
Almighty.
30:04
Revelation
30:05
1.8.
30:06
So,
30:06
God is
30:07
saying,
30:07
no one
30:07
created
30:08
me,
30:08
no one
30:09
had the
30:09
power to
30:10
bring me
30:11
into being
30:11
or shape
30:12
my personality.
30:14
I had no
30:14
beginning and
30:15
I will have
30:15
no end.
30:17
Alright?
30:17
So,
30:18
further,
30:19
He is the
30:19
creator of the
30:20
ends of
30:20
earth and
30:21
He does
30:21
not grow
30:21
faint or
30:22
weary.
30:22
Right?
30:23
So,
30:24
He spoke
30:25
all things
30:26
into existence
30:27
by the
30:27
power of
30:28
His
30:28
word.
30:29
In His
30:29
understanding,
30:30
His
30:30
knowledge is
30:31
omniscient,
30:32
unsearchable.
30:34
And then
30:34
lastly,
30:34
our renewal,
30:35
number three,
30:36
our renewal.
30:37
Verse 30.
30:39
One of those
30:39
well-known
30:40
coffee mug
30:41
verses that
30:41
get abused
30:42
a lot.
30:43
Verse 30.
30:44
Even
30:44
youth shall
30:45
faint
30:45
and be
30:46
weary,
30:47
and young
30:47
men
30:47
shall fall
30:48
exhausted.
30:49
But,
30:51
they who
30:52
wait for
30:52
the Lord
30:53
shall renew
30:54
their strength.
30:55
They shall
30:56
mount up
30:56
with wings
30:57
like eagles.
30:58
They shall
30:59
run and
31:00
not be
31:00
weary.
31:01
They shall
31:02
walk and
31:02
not be
31:03
faint.
31:04
And so,
31:05
we see that
31:06
it's not
31:06
our strength
31:07
to endure
31:08
these things,
31:09
but God's
31:10
strength.
31:10
He is the
31:11
source of
31:11
our strength
31:12
and not
31:13
our physical
31:14
abilities.
31:15
So,
31:16
look at
31:16
verse 30.
31:17
It says
31:17
young men.
31:20
It actually
31:20
means picked
31:21
men.
31:23
So,
31:24
picked men,
31:25
those who
31:25
are picked
31:26
out for
31:26
their prowess,
31:27
the prime
31:27
of their
31:28
strength,
31:29
the guys
31:29
who are
31:29
the best
31:30
of the
31:30
best,
31:30
like pick
31:31
those men
31:32
to be on
31:32
your team
31:33
to win
31:33
kind of
31:33
idea.
31:35
Even
31:35
those men
31:36
are going
31:36
to fall
31:37
flat,
31:37
utterly
31:38
exhausted.
31:39
Right?
31:40
So,
31:40
you may
31:40
think if
31:40
I was a
31:41
little
31:41
stronger,
31:41
I could
31:42
handle
31:42
everything.
31:42
Nope.
31:44
God will
31:44
still find
31:45
a way
31:45
to humble
31:45
you.
31:46
But,
31:47
he,
31:47
he never
31:48
tires or
31:49
grow weary.
31:50
He cares
31:51
about his
31:52
people.
31:53
Right?
31:54
Even in
31:54
our greatest
31:54
despair.
31:56
So,
31:56
then,
31:56
secondly,
31:57
look at
31:57
this.
31:58
It says,
31:59
we must
31:59
learn to
32:00
wait for
32:01
the Lord.
32:01
That same
32:02
word can
32:02
be translated
32:03
hope in
32:04
the Lord.
32:05
So,
32:06
those who
32:07
expect God,
32:08
those who
32:08
hope for
32:08
Him,
32:09
those who
32:09
look to
32:09
Him,
32:10
as believers
32:11
in Christ,
32:12
we can see
32:12
with
32:13
unprecedented
32:14
clarity
32:15
exactly
32:15
what it
32:17
is to
32:17
wait for
32:18
the Lord.
32:19
So,
32:19
are you
32:20
willing to
32:20
wait for
32:21
God?
32:21
Or,
32:22
are you a
32:22
control freak
32:23
who wants
32:24
to tell
32:24
God the
32:25
pace is
32:25
set?
32:26
It has
32:27
to be
32:27
this way.
32:27
It has
32:27
to look
32:28
that way.
32:28
I must
32:29
know.
32:30
Or,
32:31
are you
32:32
okay with
32:32
God's
32:33
timing,
32:33
His terms,
32:34
allowing Him
32:35
to set the
32:36
pace?
32:37
There's
32:38
freedom in
32:38
surrendering
32:39
that.
32:40
In God,
32:41
we can
32:41
discover
32:42
reservoirs
32:43
of strength
32:43
we had
32:43
no idea
32:44
about.
32:45
When we
32:46
ourselves
32:46
are exhausted,
32:48
we can
32:48
continue not
32:49
to look to
32:50
our own
32:50
resources,
32:51
but God's.
32:52
Right?
32:53
He doesn't
32:54
faint or
32:54
grow weary.
32:55
He gives
32:55
power to
32:56
the faint.
32:58
So,
32:58
the more
32:58
we learn
32:59
to appreciate
32:59
our
33:00
smallness,
33:01
our
33:02
insignificance,
33:04
and accept
33:05
our own
33:05
limitations,
33:06
the more
33:06
we will
33:07
glory in
33:07
the power
33:08
of God.
33:09
Right?
33:11
I'll mention
33:12
the eagles
33:12
because people
33:13
want me to
33:13
mention the
33:14
eagles,
33:15
not the
33:15
football team.
33:16
It says,
33:17
they shall
33:17
mount up,
33:18
meaning to
33:19
arise,
33:20
to ascend,
33:21
to climb
33:22
with wings
33:23
of eagles.
33:26
Eagles are
33:26
pretty darn
33:27
cool creatures
33:27
that God
33:28
made.
33:28
Finely
33:29
tuned.
33:30
I think
33:30
they're like
33:30
eight times
33:31
more acute
33:31
than we
33:32
are on
33:33
everything.
33:33
They can
33:34
see twice
33:34
the distance
33:35
that any
33:35
human can
33:36
see.
33:37
They
33:37
actually don't
33:38
run away
33:38
from storms.
33:39
They fly
33:40
at storms.
33:41
Isn't that
33:41
crazy?
33:42
Like,
33:42
come on.
33:43
So,
33:43
they fly
33:44
up above
33:47
storms.
33:49
Isn't that
33:49
nuts?
33:50
Actually,
33:50
the storm is
33:51
below them
33:51
and they're
33:52
up here.
33:53
They can fly
33:53
at altitudes
33:54
of close
33:54
to 10,000
33:55
feet.
33:57
And so,
33:57
the point
33:58
is,
33:59
the point
34:00
is,
34:00
if we put
34:01
our trust
34:02
in God
34:02
and allow
34:03
Him to
34:03
renew our
34:04
strength,
34:05
He will
34:05
lift us
34:06
up above
34:07
the storms
34:07
on trials
34:09
of life.
34:10
So,
34:10
not to
34:11
fret about
34:11
the future.
34:12
Accept your
34:13
limitations
34:14
and allow
34:14
Christ to
34:15
be your
34:15
strength.
34:16
And finally,
34:17
in closing,
34:19
I didn't ask you
34:19
to turn
34:19
anywhere,
34:21
but look,
34:21
in closing,
34:22
2 Corinthians
34:22
4,
34:24
2 Corinthians
34:27
4,
34:27
verse 16,
34:28
in closing.
34:29
So,
34:30
if we will
34:30
accept our
34:31
limitations
34:32
in our
34:32
own
34:32
strength,
34:34
knowledge
34:34
and wisdom,
34:35
we will
34:36
have
34:36
God's.
34:37
In Christ
34:38
Jesus,
34:39
we have
34:39
all we
34:40
need
34:40
and more.
34:42
And so,
34:42
Paul picks
34:43
up on this,
34:43
just like how
34:44
weak and
34:44
insignificant
34:45
we are.
34:47
It would
34:47
be hard
34:47
not to
34:47
read the
34:48
whole chapter.
34:48
2 Corinthians
34:49
4,
34:50
we'll just
34:50
read a few
34:50
verses.
34:51
Look at
34:51
verse 16.
34:53
And remember
34:54
the words,
34:55
comfort,
34:56
comfort my
34:56
people,
34:57
out of
34:57
Isaiah 40.
34:59
2 Corinthians
35:00
4,
35:00
verse 16.
35:01
So we
35:02
do not
35:02
lose heart.
35:04
Though our
35:05
outer self
35:06
is wasting
35:06
away,
35:07
our inner
35:07
self is
35:08
being renewed
35:08
day by
35:10
day.
35:11
For this
35:11
light and
35:12
momentary
35:13
affliction
35:13
is preparing
35:14
for us
35:15
an eternal
35:15
weight of
35:17
glory beyond
35:18
all comparison.
35:20
As we
35:20
look not to
35:21
the things
35:21
that are
35:21
seen,
35:22
but to
35:23
the things
35:23
that are
35:24
unseen.
35:25
For the
35:26
things that
35:26
are seen
35:27
are transient,
35:28
are temporary.
35:30
The things
35:30
that are
35:31
unseen
35:31
are eternal.
35:33
So in
35:33
Christ,
35:35
we look
35:35
to the
35:36
eternal.
35:37
Right?
35:38
For His
35:38
resources,
35:39
His wisdom,
35:40
His power,
35:42
all is
35:43
ours in
35:43
Jesus Christ.
35:45
Alright?
35:46
So,
35:47
I hope that
35:48
focusing on
35:49
the greatness
35:51
and power
35:51
of God
35:52
is like a
35:52
source to
35:53
snap you
35:55
out of
35:55
depression,
35:56
anxiety,
35:58
fear,
35:59
laziness.
35:59
is enough
36:00
to motivate
36:01
us when
36:03
we see how
36:04
big our
36:04
God is.
36:06
So stop
36:07
looking at
36:08
yourself and
36:08
look up to
36:09
Him.
36:10
Alright?
36:11
Let's pray
36:12
together.
36:12
together.