Latest / Faith by annm2705 / 728. Bible Study: Isaiah 40 (Prophesy about Messiah coming, Preparation, Reward, Glory of God)

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728. Bible Study: Isaiah 40 (Prophesy about Messiah coming, Preparation, Reward, Glory of God) · Faith by annm2705

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Chapter 40 from the book of Isaiah.
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First, let's pray, dear God. Please help us to.
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Gain knowledge and understanding as.
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We read through this chapter. We ask for this in Jesus name.
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It says comfort. Comfort my people.
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Says your God speak. Tenderly to Jerusalem, and
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proclaim to her. That her hard service.
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Has been completed that her sin has been paid for that.
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She has received. From the Lord's hand double for
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all her sins. So I want to read what that
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says. Actually a couple things.
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So the questions and answers from the study Bible, is there
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any connection between this chapter and what came before?
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Yes. Both.
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Touch on the coming Babylonian captivity, the historical
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account of chapter 39. Foreshadows it while the poetry.
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Of chapter 20 offers hopeful words to contrast with the.
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Despair it would bring what? Service had Jerusalem completed
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an indentured Hebrew servant. Typically worked six years to
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pay off his debt. Once the service was completed,
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the servant. Was set free.
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Judah had a debt to pay to the Lord.
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And would work it off by being taken captive to Babylon.
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Although these words. Sound like the exile was over
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and passed. Isaiah penned them before the
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exile. He used the past tense in a
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prophetic sense. Looking forward to when the.
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Captivity would be over. In a broader sense, this service
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could refer to all the time up until the coming of the Messiah.
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And that led me to first of all look at Exodus 21 verse 2 where
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it talks about this indentured servant.
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If you buy a Hebrew. Servant he is to serve you for
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six years, but in the 7th. Year he shall go free.
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Without paying anything. So this was some of the the laws
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that were established it it was from I guess Deuteronomy chapter
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15, it says. These are the laws you are to
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set before. Them was the first verse in
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Exodus 21 and then it talks about.
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Serving for six years. And then go free.
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And so it made me. Think about like God, Jesus paid
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a price for us. And he paid the ransom.
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With his life. And so there are so many
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different multiple meanings that you can arrive from what
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scripture says. So if it talks.
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About He's to serve you 6 years. And then the 7th.
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Year he shall go free. It's really interesting if you
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go back to what the Essenes believed in the Dead Sea Scrolls
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and the time frame that. They allocated was that Jesus
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would. Return The Messiah would return
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around the year 6000 and then the completion of the time was
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7000 years and then after the seven. 1000 years like the 8th
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day. So a day is.
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Like 1000 years, that's written a couple times in the Bible by
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different people. I think Peter's one of them.
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And then there's another look place in the Bible where it
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talks about a day being 1000 years.
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So if you start paying attention to.
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The I I've. Mentioned this so many times.
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Before there is a. Literal and a symbolic meaning.
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To a lot of scripture. And so, and, and it's also, I
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don't know, it's, it's almost like clues, but God did things
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in a literal way, but he meant for something symbolic with it
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like the Passover and what that represents Jesus, Jesus's death
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on the cross cover being the blood that.
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Covers us. That protects us.
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From eternal death, eternal separation from God.
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So the same thing is. Like this six years being
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equated to 6. 1000 years and we are there's a lot of different
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calendars out there and right now it's it's really interesting
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if you wanted to get into this the.
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Dead Sea Scrolls. Calendar, so DSS calendar.org I
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think is where you can find it, but it's it's really interesting
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because it has an actual calendar that you can plug dates
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into if you're curious about where we are and.
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It's I think it's DSS dot. Org I can't remember but DSS
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calendar just search that and the Dead Sea.
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Scroll date for today is. The month of of day 27 and the
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year is 5950, so we are. 50. Years from the year 6000.
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The Gregorian date is August 13th, 2025 and then the.
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Pharisee date or the Jewish? Date is August of 195785 so you
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can see that. There's a couple. 100 years
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difference between 5785 and 5950.
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People have changed the calendars and so nobody's really
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sure I guess. But the ones the Dead Sea
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Scrolls had this calendar and that's what they were following
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and apparently the calendar that they kept, all of the dates in
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the Bible match up with that, apparently from someone who
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studies this as Ken Johnson, who?
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Does this deep study of the Dead Sea?
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Scroll calendar. So it's really it's just.
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Interesting and something to pay attention to.
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Like if we talk about are we in the last?
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Days. Well, if there's 6. 1000 years
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to complete and we're at year 5950.
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Yeah, we're pretty close. I mean, there technically would
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be maybe 50 more years. There's also.
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Scripture that says if those. Days had not been cut short, no
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one would survive. So whether or not it means.
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Those years there. Or if it means just those days
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when the lawless one starts inflicting punishment or pain on
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all the people. So.
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But either way, it's like we are actually the the end times
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technically started in the days after Jesus's death on the
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cross. So that was those days were the
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beginning of it. So they continue on and, and who
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knows when it's going to actually end or when Jesus will
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return. But there are signs and there
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are a lot of signs that are happening now.
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That are talked about. In the Bible.
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And so people should be paying attention to that because we
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don't know, but. We need to be prepared.
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So anyway. I I.
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I just find it interesting that. Six years to pay off.
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His debt so. If that is the case.
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You know mankind gets. Six years or 6000?
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Years to reconcile the debt and humanity does and then at that
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point that's when Jesus returns and then Jesus reigns for 1000
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years and then after that thousand years is the beginning
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of eternity. So then I guess.
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All of the mortal people, the people who.
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Could die at the end of the thousand years there will be no
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more like that's gone. It's everybody is put.
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In their eternal place, and there's no more.
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Death after that. And this is eternity with God,
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so it's. Yeah, there's there's.
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Time ahead of us some but you know when we talk about this,
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this age when Jesus returns, there's going to be mortal and
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immortal people on earth at the same time, which is going to be
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really interesting because some people.
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Will die, but some people will have their.
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If you want to call it their heavenly bodies or their, I
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guess the bodies that God had intended for us when he returns
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the. People.
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Who are prepared will be changed and they will receive their
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immortal bodies, which it's just going to be a really interesting
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time. There's going to be all this.
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Peace on earth, too. And there's the.
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Animals will be here, but they won't be predatorial, and they
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it's just going. To be a very.
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Wonderful time, it sounds. Like everything will be
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regenerated. And it's going to become.
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Lush like it was. In the beginning, when God.
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Created. Everything in the Garden of
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Eden. So I think that's what our land
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will. Be like as well.
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And just a. Great period of restoration, but
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before we get to that. Point there is going to be this
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terrible part of times, but when Isaiah's talking about this,
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he's saying that you know, there's I mean it, I guess
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Jerusalem is going to. Pay double for all her.
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Sins. The sins are really idolatry,
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not putting the Lord first, but we can all be guilty of that.
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Do we always put God? 1st we need to.
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That's something we need to pay attention to and think about how
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we're living our life. Are we putting?
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God first, are we guilty? The same way.
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And will we have this, you know, time?
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Period to pay for. Our debt, you know, it's I just
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found it interesting and and think about like when you turn
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to Christ, you know, is there this.
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You know this. Consequence of your sinful life
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that has to happen before. You are kind of set.
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Free from that burden. So that's just a question that I
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have. I don't have the answer to that,
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but I I'm wondering that in my life just from, you know, what's
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happened in my life and also dreams I've had and just
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wondering if God has that kind of a same plan of.
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Like 6 years and then. A change and everything.
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So something to pay attention to.
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I'll find out after the fact in hindsight.
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So let's go back to scripture. Oh, there's something else I
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wanted to talk about was the what caught me on the subject
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was about the indentured servant.
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For six years. And then I if you search 7.
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Days there are. I won't read them all.
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There are 203 times in 91 verses that from the NIV translation
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that it talks about 7 days and if you.
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Read through all those things. It talks about, you know,
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periods of basically waiting. There's a change.
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There's a seven days. I mean, there's cycles of seven
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days, there's cycles of seven years.
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But it's. I don't think it's just poetic.
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These are literal days. That were set aside for.
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Certain festivals. Like the days of the.
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Week or seven days, then there are clusters of seven-year,
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let's see seven groups of or seven years, 7 * 7 is 49 and
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then the 50th. Year is a Jubilee year.
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So that's significant this year, 2025.
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Is apparently a jubilee year. So that is just something to
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note as well, but in I don't think I'm explaining myself.
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Very well. So I apologize for this, but as
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far as the seven. Days.
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Like I said, I'm not going to read it.
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All but it's really good to take a look at it.
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Just search an electronic Bible. The seven days.
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There's something else that stood out to me was about the
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unleavened bread. For seven days.
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There's a festival of unleavened bread.
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It's in the springtime and it's supposed to be a reminder of
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when the people didn't have time to bake their bread when they
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had to. Leave for the exodus out of
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Egypt when? And God sent Moses to save them
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and bring them out of slavery in Egypt.
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So this is a a literal time. They didn't have time.
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To let the yeast rise. And.
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They had to flee to. For their you know.
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To get out of slavery. And it was an exodus.
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So again, this is almost like a mirror.
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Of the. Final days as well.
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There's like this seven-year period, that is.
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Understood by people who study eschatology, there's this last
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like. Final seven years before people
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are released from the burden of what's going on in the world and
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the the the thing about. Yeast is that?
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Yes, it had. A literal meaning like they
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didn't have time. To let the yeast rise.
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To make their bread so. They had to eat it without
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without yeast and it. Says like do not put yeast in it
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and then continuing on as a memorial to that time they're.
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Supposed to eat bread without. Yeast, I mean, it goes on, you
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know. Year after year after year, as
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far as a. Tradition goes, but yeast is
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something also that is more symbolic.
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So if you look at. What Jesus said in Luke chapter
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13 verse 21 it says oops I'm. Sorry Luke chapter 12 verse.
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One SO. Jesus.
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He talked out. He talked in.
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All the gospels they they. Accounted for him saying to
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guard against the. Yeast of the Pharisees.
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And the Sadducees watch out for the.
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Yeast of the Pharisees. And that of Herod and about how
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yeast of. It's like.
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Yeast that a woman took and mixed into about 60 lbs of flour
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until. It worked through all.
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The dough so a little. Yeast leavens the whole batch of
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dough. Get rid of the old.
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Yeast. A little yeast works.
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Through the whole batch of. Dough.
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So these are all things that were mentioned about yeast and
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dough and how it affects the dough and how you should not
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have for this time period of the seven years or seven, I guess 7
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days that you don't have yeast in there.
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So what? Jesus said.
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In Luke chapter 12 verse one meanwhile, when a crowd of many
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thousands had gathered so that they were trampling on one
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another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying,
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be on your guard against. The yeast of the Pharisees,
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which is hypocrisy. Well, I thought that was really
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interesting and something to note.
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Is that if he. Had this this every year.
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People are doing this for seven days.
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They were eating unleavened bread, which reminds them.
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Of. Exodus But is it also to make us
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aware or symbolic? Of we need to get the hypocrisy.
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Out of our Christian walk, you know for this seven days like is
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should there be a reminder like Christians should probably.
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Follow this as. Well, and and in preparation for
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the return of Jesus, I mean we, we need.
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To is there a? Seven day period where people
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have to atone you know will when you get into.
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All the rapture stuff. I don't really know what, I'm so
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confused. By all of that.
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Quite honestly, I can't really. I go back and forth from what
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Scripture says, but at the resurrection, there's definitely
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a resurrection and I I just don't know.
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About who if? Some go or all go, I'm not
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really sure about that, but during this time period.
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If does it have to do with hypocrisy?
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Does it have to? Does hypocrisy affect that?
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It's just something that came to mind as I, as I was reading
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today and researching this is that, you know, is that yeast in
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our life? Is that something?
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Do we have hypocrisy there if we have?
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Hypocrisy, if we're saying. We're Christians, but we're
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hypocrites. We're not really doing what God.
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Says the way to live. You know we're not doing that.
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Does that mean that? If there is a separate.
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Rapture from like it does say in the Bible that we those.
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Who are prepared will not go through.
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Wrath so but those who have not prepared I'm doing will go
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through Wrath. So then I think.
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Well, if you're a hypocrite. If you're not living the way
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Jesus said and you haven't changed your life, then maybe.
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Those people go through the wrath, but the people who got
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rid of the hypocrisy got rid of the.
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Yeast then they are protected during the time of wrath.
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So just something to think about and something to be.
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Cautious of because if we truly. Are in the end times and Jesus
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is rapidly approaching as many people seem to speculate and I
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know there are times throughout years and years that people do
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that, but doesn't necessarily matter when as long as we.
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Are prepared so if we're. Prepared now, then it doesn't
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matter when it happens. But if we're not prepared now
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and it does happen, I mean, that's like the thief in the
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night. Like he'll return like a thief
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in the night and then then it's just, you know, the
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consequences. Of that are pretty severe.
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So I guess that's why I even say any of.
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This is that if. People are not prepared if
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people are being hypocrites right now, calling themselves
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Christians but yet living like a hypocrite then.
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You probably should. Try to do something about that
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sooner rather than later. Because if Jesus.
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Returns soon like some people think he will.
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This is just a warning. This is a warning to stop being
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a hypocrite and to repent and turn to God and and live the
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way. God had desired for us to live.
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He gave us all of the details about.
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What we need to do in life, how we're supposed to live.
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And it's something that I think we.
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Should all really get serious. About right now based on what
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people who are, I don't know, just.
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All the people if you just. Get on and social media and you
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can find a lot of these Christian people who really
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have. A lot of.
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I don't know everybody. There's a lot of people that
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think he's coming soon, so it it's a good time to repair is
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all I can say. So let's go back to.
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Scripture in verse 3 a voice of one calling in the.
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Wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord.
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Make straight in the desert. A highway for our God.
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So when I read that it, it made me think of John the Baptist
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because that's what in John chapter one verse 23, it says
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John replied. The words of Isaiah.
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The prophet I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness
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make straight the way for the Lord.
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So John the Baptist Jesus cousin was the one who said that and he
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was recalling. The words of Isaiah these.
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Words that we're reading right now in chapter 40, verse 3.
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And he was called his purpose, John the Baptist.
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Was to call people to. Repentance.
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That's what he did and that's why he said that.
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You know, I'm not worthy to even carry the sandals of the one
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whom I'm baptizing because John the Baptist.
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Baptized. Jesus, and when that happened
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you. Will see that there the the.
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Father spoke and said this is my son who I'm well pleased.
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The Holy Spirit visibly descended.
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Upon Jesus at that point, and then Jesus was physically there.
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So you have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all present at the
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same time. And this happened at baptism.
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Now Jesus, you know, he didn't have anything to repent for, but
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he was showing, you know, he does that give meaning to what
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Jesus said. I am the.
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Way the truth. And the life and is the way you
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know a. Highway for our God like that's
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the way. There's something else there's
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you know, The way is mentioned in the Bible as well.
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And I think his his movement was also called the way at that
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time. But there's a preparation that
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has to occur within people and John the Baptist started that.
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And if you recall in the New Testament, that when.
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I. I guess when the news was given
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about Mary being pregnant or Elizabeth, who is John the
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Baptist mom, I guess Mary Jesus's mother told Elizabeth
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that she was pregnant and then Elizabeth had John the Baptist.
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She'd already conceived him, but he apparently like left in her
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womb or something. Or there was something like the
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Holy? Spirit was stirred.
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In her womb or something like there was leaping for joy.
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So it was just like. You know God's purpose was
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occurring and. All of this was.
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Preparation for all of humanity. Like this is the way God.
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Worked through people and because John the.
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Baptist was just. A normal person, but he had a
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purpose, and his purpose was to bring people to repentance and
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then as, as John the Baptist said, that you know, Jesus
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would. Bring the Spirit so he would
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give a. Baptism of fire or baptism of
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the Spirit. So that's what Jesus would
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bring, and that's when Jesus left the earth.
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He's promised his followers that he would send the.
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Advocate the Holy Spirit. To be with them so there's kind
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of like a second baptism in the book of John chapter 3 explains
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that even more about being born again so born of the water.
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I think it could be a couple things like a natural human
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being. You know this is the only those
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are the only ones who can benefit from this is a human
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birth who you know is born of the water, but also born of the
23:52
water is also a baptism of repentance.
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The way I see it. And then Jesus gives the baptism
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of the Holy Spirit. So there are almost like 2
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baptisms. It could all be in one and.
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But it it's 2. Changes in somebody's life,
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repentance and then receiving the Holy Spirit and the Holy
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Spirit. Gives people power to live.
24:15
Out. Their their faith, their belief.
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And live in action What? Jesus, the way Jesus directed
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people to live. And the way that the New
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Testament gospels talk about the way we live as Christians, so to
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put all of that into action. The Holy Spirit helps us with
24:35
that. So even John acknowledges that
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he says I am the voice of the 1:00 calling out in the
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wilderness makes stray for the Lord.
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And he said John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet.
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So he was announcing at that point.
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So this is definitely about this this time period every.
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Valley shall be raised up. Every mountain and hill made
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low, the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places
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of plain, and the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all.
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People will see it together. For the mouth of the.
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Lord has. Spoken so there if you want to.
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Just I I searched this. Just about all people will see
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and. Isaiah said this several.
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Times in Chapter 18, he said. All you people of the world,
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you. Who live on Earth when a banner
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is raised on the mountains? You will see it.
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And when a trumpet sounds. You will hear it.
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And then it says in chapter 52. Isaiah says the Lord will lay
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bare his holy. Arm in the sight of all nations
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and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our
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God. And then in Isaiah 61, verse 9,
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their descendants will be known among the nations, and their
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offspring among the people. All who see them will
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acknowledge that. They are a people that the Lord
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has blessed. OK.
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So that one maybe isn't relevant about all everybody seeing that
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and let's see gather all people and they will come and see, OK.
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So Isaiah 66 verse. 18 says and I.
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Because of what they had. Planned and done.
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Am about to come and gather. The people of.
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All nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.
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So this is. And then in Ezekiel chapter 39,
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I will display my glory among the nations, and all nations
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will see the punishment I inflict in the hand I lay on
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them and. So there are, there are.
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Things Jesus said in Matthew 24. Then will appear the Son, the
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sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then all.
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The peoples of the Earth. Will mourn when they see the Son
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of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great
27:26
glory. And then in Matthew 20.
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Six, he says. You have.
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Said so. Jesus replied.
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But. I say to all of you.
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From now on. You will see.
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The Son of Man, sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One,
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and coming on the clouds of heaven.
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And then? Luke chapter 3.
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Says and all people will. See God's salvation.
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And Revelation chapter one, verse 7.
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Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see
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Him, even those who pierced him, and all peoples on earth will
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mourn because of him. So shall it be.
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Amen. So this is definitely about
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Jesus returning on the clouds, continuing on in.
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The chapter 40 of Isaiah, a voice says.
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Cry out. And I say.
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What shall I cry? All people are like grass.
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All their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
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The grass Withers and the flowers fall because.
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The breath of the Lord. Blows on them.
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Surely the people are grass. The grass Withers and the
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flowers fall, but the. Word of our God.
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Endures forever. You who bring good news to Zion,
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go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to
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Jerusalem, lift up your. Voice with a shout.
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Lift it up and do not be afraid, say, to the towns of.
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Judah here is your God. See, the Sovereign Lord comes
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with power, and he rules with a mighty arm.
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So that's just what we read about too.
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I see. His reward is with.
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Him and his recompense accompanies him.
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That's something that we don't, I guess.
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Probably talk about, but there is probably.
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Well, not probably. I searched reward in the NIV
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version and it. Occurs 54.
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Times in 53 verses. So God is he is one of rewards,
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you know, in Genesis chapter 15. After this the word.
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Of the Lord came came to Abram in a vision.
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Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your.
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Shield your very great reward. So God is a reward.
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And then let's see, I, I wanted to read some other things
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because some of these are about different rewards, but I'm going
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to try and find the ones where in Psalm 62 it says and with
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you. Lord.
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Is unfailing love and you? Reward everyone.
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According to what they have done, and it says children are a
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heritage in Psalm 127, children are a heritage from the Lord
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offspring, a reward from him in Proverbs 9 it says.
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If you are wise. Your wisdom will reward you.
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If you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
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Proverbs 19 says whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
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and he whoever is kind to the poor, lends to the Lord and he
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will reward them for what they have done.
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And in Proverbs 25, I think this is about praying for someone,
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but it's for enemies. I think it says in doing this
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you will heap burning coals on his head and the.
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Lord will reward you. So that's kind of interesting
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for praying for your enemies. I want to read that because that
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verse has come up before. So it says in the prior verse,
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if your enemy is hungry, give him food to.
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Eat if he is thirsty. Give him water to drink in doing
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this. You will heap.
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Burning coals on his head and the Lord will reward.
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You, I always thought. That was a very interesting way
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of stating it. It's like, well, burning coals
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on somebody's head is not a great thing and the Lord will
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reward you. Well, I don't know if this is I
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mean, it could be both a literal and a symbolic thing, giving
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people food and water. But.
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It could also. Be food being God's word and
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water. Is.
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The eternal life that Jesus gives, So letting people know
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about God's Kingdom, about Jesus, and all of that, I think
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that is where, you know, the burning coals on somebody's head
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is when of all of a sudden you realize the truth of everything.
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And that is when people need to make a decision, or that's when
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people often make a decision. Either to follow the Lord or to
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reject. Him.
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When those things are made apparent, then it says I'm
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trying to find other ones, so some of these things are not in
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Isaiah 61 it says. For I, the Lord, love justice I
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hate. Robbery and wrongdoing.
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In my faithfulness, I will reward my people and make an
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everlasting covenant with them. And then in Isaiah. 62.
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The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth, Say to
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daughter Zion, see your Savior comes.
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See, his reward is. With him and his recompense
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accompanies him in Jeremiah 17. It says I.
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The Lord search the heart and examine the mind to.
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Reward each. Person according to their
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conduct according to what their. Deeds deserve.
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And then Jeremiah 32. Says great are your purposes.
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And mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are.
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Open to the ways of all mankind, you reward each person according
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to their conduct and and as. Their deeds deserve.
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And then I think Jesus says these things.
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Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others
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to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no
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reward from your Father in heaven.
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Then in Matthew chapter 6. So when you give to the needy,
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do not announce it with trumpets as the hypocrites do in the
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synagogues and on the streets to be honored by others.
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Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in.
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Full and then talks about giving and says.
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So that your. Giving may be in secret.
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Then your father, who sees. What is done in secret?
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Will reward you. And in Matthew chapter 6 and
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when you pray, do not be like the.
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Hypocrites, for they love to. Pray standing in the synagogues
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and on the street corners to be seen.
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By others, truly, I tell you, they have.
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Received the reward in full and then it says but when you pray,
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go into your room. Close the door.
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And pray to your Father, who is unseen, then your.
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Father who sees. What is done in secret?
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Will reward. You, when you fast, do not look
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somber as the hypocrites do for they.
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Disfigure their faces to show that they are.
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Fasting. Truly, I tell you.
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They have received the reward. In full and then he says so that
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it will not be obvious to. Others that you are.
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Fasting, but only to your. Father.
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Who is unseen and your? Father who sees.
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What is done in? Secret will reward you.
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It says and in Matthew 10 it says and if anyone gives even a
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cup of cold water to one of these little ones, who is my
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disciple? Truly, I tell you that.
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Person will certainly not. Lose their reward.
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And then in Matthew chapter 16, it says, for the Son of Man is
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going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then
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he. Will reward.
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Each person according to what they have done in Mark Chapter 9
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it says. Truly, I tell you.
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Anyone who gives a cup of water in my name, this is Jesus
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talking because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not.
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Lose their reward. And Luke?
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Chapter 6 says rejoice. In that day and leap for joy.
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Because great is your reward. In heaven, for that is how their
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ancestors. Treated the prophets.
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And then in First Corinthians 3 it says if what has been built
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survives. The builder will receive a
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reward. So you know what we do?
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With our gifts that God has. Given us.
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If they if it survives through trials.
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Then there will be a. Reward for that.
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And then in Ephesians it says because you know that.
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The Lord will reward each. One for.
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Whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
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And then in Colossians 3 it says since you know that you will
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receive an inheritance from the. Lord as a reward.
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It is the. Lord Christ, you are serving.
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And then in Revelation chapter 22, it says, look, I am coming
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soon. My.
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Reward is with. Me and I will give to each
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person according to what they have done so there's something
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to be, you know, for what we do on earth and what we.
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Do with other people. And what we do for on behalf of
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God, as servants of God, those things will be.
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Rewarded it's, it clearly states.
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That in Scripture. So then, so that was referring
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back to Isaiah chapter 40 verse 10.
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See the Lord comes with power, and He rules with mighty arms.
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See, His reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
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Now, continuing on it, he tends his.
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Flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his
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arms, and he carries them close to his heart.
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He gently leads those that have young who has measured the
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waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breath of his
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hand marked off the heavens. Who has held the dust?
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Of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the
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scales, and in the hills in a balance.
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Who can fathom the Spirit? Of the.
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Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counsellor.
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Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who has
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taught him the right, right way? Who was it that taught him
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knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?
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A lot of these things, these questions, rhetorical questions
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seem similar to what's in the book of Job when the greatness
38:39
of God. Is expressed to.
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Job, I mean God actually, you know, challenges Job like.
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About do you do this do. You know this and he goes
38:48
through all of these things. So this this is this.
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Reminds me of that part continuing on in Isaiah.
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Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket.
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They are regarded as dust on the scales.
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He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
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Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals
39:07
enough for burnt offerings. Before Him all the nations are
39:11
as nothing. They are regarded by Him as
39:13
worthless and less than nothing. With whom then will you compare
39:17
God to What image will you like in Him?
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As for an idol, a metal worker cast it and a gold.
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Smith overlays it with gold. And fashions silver chains for
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it. A person too poor to present
39:28
such an offering selects wood that will not rot.
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They look for a skilled. Worker to set up an idol that
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will not topple. Do you not?
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Do you not know? Have you not heard?
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Has it been told you from the beginning?
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Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
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He sits enthroned. Above the circle.
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Of the Earth and its. People are like grasshoppers.
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He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them
39:57
out like a tent to live in. He brings Princess to Naughty,
40:00
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
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No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner
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do they take root in the ground. Then he blows on them, and they
40:11
wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them.
40:14
Away like chaff. To whom will you compare me, or
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who is my equal? Says the Holy One.
40:20
Lift up your. Eyes and look to the heavens who
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created. All these.
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He who brings out the. Starry.
40:26
Host 1 by 1 and calls forth each of them by name.
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Because of his great power. And mighty strength.
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Not one of them is missing. Why do you complain, Jacob?
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Why do you what? Why do you say Israel?
40:43
My way is hidden from the Lord. My cause is disregarded by my
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God. Do you not know?
40:50
Have you not heard? The Lord is the.
40:52
Everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth, He will
40:58
not. Grow tired or weary?
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And his understanding no one can fathom.
41:03
He gives strength to the weary and increases.
41:07
The power of the weak. So the Holy Spirit does that.
41:11
Spirit of God, even youths grow tired and weary, and young men
41:16
stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord
41:20
will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like
41:24
eagles. They will run and not.
41:27
Grow weary, they will walk. And not be faint.
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So that's the end of chapter 41. I'll read the questions and
41:36
answers and then we'll. Wrap this up.
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So we'll start. Here how are these prophecies?
41:42
Fulfilled. They were initially fulfilled
41:44
with the return of the Exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.
41:47
Because of the New Testament, we can see another fulfillment.
41:51
Isaiah's words anticipated John the Baptist and the Good news
41:55
announcing the coming Messiah. Whose voice was this?
41:59
We know from the New Testament that this prophecy looked.
42:02
Ahead to the Voice. Of John the Baptist, John, a
42:05
relative of Jesus. Helped prepare the way for
42:07
Jesus. 'S ministry by preaching the
42:09
need for repentance as people became aware of their sin, the.
42:14
Stage was set for Christ. 'S saving work.
42:18
How can? God be both a powerful.
42:21
Ruler and a gentle shepherd. There's no contradiction here
42:25
for the Lord's strong arm. Is used both to rule.
42:29
And to protect his people. The Lord cherishes.
42:32
Those who follow him, he. Also displays his power.
42:36
And his resolve to lead effectively.
42:38
Jesus demonstrated both strength and gentleness.
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A Good Shepherd needs both. Why does God consider all
42:45
nations as worthless? Saying that nations are
42:47
worthless and less than nothing doesn't mean that God cares
42:50
nothing about them. This is a literary device.
42:53
Known as the hyperbole and acknowledged exaggeration to
42:57
emphasize a point in comparison to the Lord's greatness, the
43:00
nations are nothing more than a drop in the bucket or.
43:04
A speck of dust that. Doesn't even make the.
43:07
Scales flutter. What is the circle of the Earth?
43:10
The horizon. This is the only time this
43:13
phrase appears in the Bible. It's also called a vault.
43:17
Does God manipulate political events?
43:20
Yes, God can manipulate political events, and sometimes
43:24
does so in a dramatic fashion. But humans are not mere puppets
43:28
on a string. They still have the
43:30
responsibility to respond. To what God does.
43:34
And says, what does it mean to hope in the Lord?
43:39
The word hope implies both trust and patience.
43:44
Trust involves confidence in God's power to deliver and.
43:49
Faith that he will keep. His promises hoping in the Lord
43:53
also implies the patience. To wait for God's.
43:57
Promises to be fulfilled. Since God works according to his
44:01
own timing, many versions translate this phrase.
44:05
Those who wait for the Lord. So that concludes chapter 40.
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I hope you subscribe and come back for chapter 41 and continue
44:15
every day with a new chapter and discussion about what God's Word
44:20
means or interpretations of it.