Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Hated For Speaking The Truth!
Transcript
- 0:00Well, let's begin our worship this evening. We're singing in Psalm 106, Psalm 106 in the
- 0:05St. Psalms. That's from page 140, the tune is Ottawa.
- 0:10Praise the Lord, extol His goodness, for His love endures always. Who can tell His mighty actions
- 0:17or in full declare His praise? Blessed are those whose way is right, acting justly in His sight.
- 0:25We're singing down to the end of verse 13, Psalm 106. Praise the Lord, extol His goodness.
- 0:55Praise the Lord, extol His goodness.
- 1:02Praise the Lord, extol His goodness.
- 1:16Thank you.
- 1:23Thank you.
- 1:30Thank you.
- 2:00We have sinned just like our fathers. We have done what was not right.
- 2:15When our fathers wedded Egypt, they despised your peace of mind.
- 2:29All your mercies, they ignored, at the Red Sea's firm, the Lord.
- 2:45Yet for His men's sake, He saved them, and revealed His mighty hand.
- 2:59By His word, the seed-hearted led them through us all dry land.
- 3:13From the hand of the force set free, rescued from the enemy.
- 3:28Then in adversaries found there, not a single one survived.
- 3:43So the people sang His praises, and His promises believed.
- 3:55But His words made soon for God, and His counsel set an all.
- 4:11Let's now call upon the Lord in prayer.
- 4:16Let's join together in prayer.
- 4:18Almighty and gracious God, as we come and as we bow in Your presence in prayer,
- 4:26as we lift up our voices in praise to You, as we hear Your word, and as we give our mind to its teaching.
- 4:35O Lord, help us to believe all that Your word tells us about Yourself, about ourselves, about the world in which we live.
- 4:43Help us truly to relish in our hearts those things of salvation that it speaks about, and that it brings to us with Your own authority, and with that unerring authorship of Your Spirit.
- 4:58We give thanks, Lord, tonight that we come to worship You in a world that so largely ignores the importance of worshiping and acknowledging God.
- 5:07And we thank You for the testimony and the witness that this itself brings to the world.
- 5:14For, Lord, we think perhaps that few people see us as we come to gather in church, and yet we know that there are those who take note of our comings and goings from these places of worship.
- 5:26And we give thanks, O Lord, tonight for the opportunities that You give us to serve You and to testify to the world about You.
- 5:35And we pray that we may do this unashamedly, and in a way that would depend upon Your own blessing, so as to carry this further.
- 5:44We give thanks, O Lord, for all Your goodness to us.
- 5:48We come before You as a people who know that Your goodness to us has been displayed in so many ways over so many years.
- 5:56That You still continue to bless us.
- 5:58That You still continue to give us from Your Word that which encourages us.
- 6:03That You still continue to speak to us and to speak into our hearts.
- 6:08That You still continue at times to rebuke us, to bring us the reproof that Your Word itself contains.
- 6:15Help us, Lord, we pray, to receive all of these facets of Your truth in a way that would wholeheartedly acknowledge them as Your Word and as Your wisdom.
- 6:25And we pray tonight as we gather here, O Lord, and as we are joined online by those who join us in that way.
- 6:33Help us, we pray together, as we come to worship the Lord.
- 6:37Help us to look to You and to look to Your Spirit.
- 6:40We come, Lord, to use Your Word.
- 6:42We come to read Your Word and to hear its teaching.
- 6:46And we acknowledge, Lord, that we need the blessing of the author of the Word, Your Holy Spirit, whom You used to bring men of old, to bring these things together in these books that we have in our Bible.
- 7:02We thank You for the wonder, O Lord, that down through many centuries, so You caused these things to be written and caused them to be brought together so that we have them now as Your Word in its wholeness.
- 7:16We thank You for Your preservation of Your Word down through the years.
- 7:21We pray tonight that You would bless Your Word throughout the world in all the various languages into which Your Word has been translated.
- 7:29We pray that that work of translation will go on, that the work of Bible societies and other agencies that seek to bring Your Word before the world.
- 7:39Lord, we ask that they may be furthered in their attempts to bring Your Word into the public domain.
- 7:46And we pray that every agency that is true to Yourself and to Your Word, that they will know Your blessing and Your continued provision for them to bring Your Word before the world.
- 7:57And to translate it into the many languages that yet don't have a Bible in their own native tongue.
- 8:04And Lord, we ask Your blessing to be with all attempts to bring that about.
- 8:10We thank You for the way in which we gathered on Friday evening last to commemorate and to launch the new recordings of the New Testament.
- 8:21And we pray that these may be widely used when they become finally fully available to us.
- 8:27We pray especially that they may be of use in our children's education.
- 8:32And that they may prove to be valuable materials for the teaching of our young people, the things of God, the teaching of Your truth.
- 8:42And we ask that they may be a blessing to many in the years to come.
- 8:47And we pray, O Lord, that Your blessing will be with all Your people this evening.
- 8:51Once again, we remember fellow Christians in different parts of the world, very different to ours in their circumstances.
- 8:59But yet we give thanks that You are able to deal with them and bring them the help that they require.
- 9:05Lord, we thank You that we call upon a God who is the commander of the universe, who has Himself the infinite wisdom and ability to do for us far more abundantly, exceedingly, than we are able to ask or think.
- 9:22We thank You for the riches of Your grace, for the fullness, Lord, of Your blessing that You keep in store for those who fear You and love You.
- 9:30And we pray that out of that store this evening, there will be many who will come to be blessed and to be fed from Your truth.
- 9:38And remember, we pray, those who carry Your Word into different parts of the world and face difficulties and trials beyond what we ourselves can experience.
- 9:48We ask that You would bless those whom we know ourselves, O Lord, who serve You in this capacity.
- 9:54We pray that You would grant blessing to Marsalee Campbell as she goes forth shortly to Bolivia to begin help with a new work there.
- 10:03We ask, O Lord, that You would bless her and keep her and use her.
- 10:07We thank You for the news that she brought us of that work.
- 10:11And we pray that You would continue to uphold and strengthen her fault.
- 10:16And we pray for our own Muriel as well, as she anticipates going back to Cambodia.
- 10:22Lord, we pray that Your blessing will be with her in her preparations.
- 10:27We pray that You would grant to her, Lord, as she anticipates with a desire to go back to that work.
- 10:34And we pray that Your blessing will accompany her in that work itself.
- 10:39And that all that she does there will know Your continued hand upon her.
- 10:44And all that she meets with and all that she does, Lord, in Your name, that it will be pleased, O Lord, You will be pleased to grant Your blessing to this.
- 10:53Lord, we pray for our nation at this time, O Lord, when we find so much in our news about the impending election of a new leader for the SNP and potentially to be the first minister of Scotland.
- 11:08Lord, we pray that You would guide us as a people in that regard in our prayers, in our concerns, and especially those who have a direct hand in such an election.
- 11:19We pray for the parliament itself, and we pray that You would grant them wisdom, Lord, to make the right decision.
- 11:27We pray again for Kate Forbes.
- 11:30We thank You for her testimony, for the brightness of her witness, for her faithfulness to Your truth and to Your calling of her.
- 11:38We pray for her, for Your protection of her, for Your strengthening of her, for Your confirmation to her, O Lord.
- 11:46Not only that she is where You have called her to be, but that You are her God and that she is precious in Your sight.
- 11:53And we pray that as she seeks to withstand the many different assaults from many angles that have been directed against her in past days.
- 12:02Lord, make her strong, we pray, in the grace that is in Jesus Christ.
- 12:07And grant that to Thee witness that she is born and been witnessed to over the different types of media where that is brought to public notice.
- 12:15O Lord, we pray that that itself will prove to be a blessing and a means by which others will come to think deeply upon that position and relation to You throughout our land.
- 12:27And will be used by You as an instrument towards reaching into the hearts and minds of people who may be very unfamiliar with the gospel.
- 12:36And yet know integrity and honesty when they see it.
- 12:40And we pray, gracious one, for Your blessing to continue to be with her.
- 12:44Remember all others in our parliament, both here in Westminster as well, who are Your people and who serve You in the ways in which they do.
- 12:54Lord, we pray that You would keep them faithful.
- 12:57And we pray that their testimony publicly will be in accordance with Your truth, that You would grant them the grace, Lord, by which they will adhere to Your ways.
- 13:07And not be brought aside by the subtleties of false teaching, by the subtleties of political pressure or any other way in which they may have these temptations placed before them.
- 13:20And we ask, O Lord, for Your people in public life everywhere, locally here as well as elsewhere, that they may know Your continued blessing upon them.
- 13:30And we ask, Lord, in our own community here locally, where we find increasingly a distaste for the gospel,
- 13:37where we find, O Lord, so few and high prominence in public life locally that are prepared to come to know You and to follow You and to commend You and to commend Your ways,
- 13:49even to the point of resisting them.
- 13:52Lord, we ask in Your mercy that You would remember us as a people, that You would restore to us, Lord, a relish for Your Word, for Your day, for Your cause,
- 14:04for all the things that have prospered as in the past.
- 14:07And we commit all of this to You and seek Your blessing.
- 14:10Lord, help us to believe that when we pray to You for these things, that You are a God who hears us and answers our prayer.
- 14:18Help us not to be surprised or amazed when You show Your hand in those who stand for You publicly,
- 14:27and do so in a way that unashamedly confesses Christ.
- 14:32We thank You for Your upholding of us at all times.
- 14:36Bless now those who can't be with us this evening.
- 14:39We pray especially for those who are ill, for those in hospital, for those in our care homes.
- 14:44We pray again for those who have had death in their experience recently in their families.
- 14:49Bless all these families, we pray, and all who have still the wound of mourning and loss and sorrow in their lives,
- 14:57though it be many years since their loved ones passed away.
- 15:00Continue, we pray, to bless them and to comfort them.
- 15:04Receive our thanks now and pardon us and cleanse us from all our sin.
- 15:08We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
- 15:13Let's sing again to God's praise this time.
- 15:15It's in Psalm 119.
- 15:18That's in the Scottish Psalter version 119 from verse 129.
- 15:23Singing that section to 136.
- 15:26The tune this time is Ayrshire.
- 15:28Thy statutes, Lord, are wonderful.
- 15:31My soul them keeps with care.
- 15:33The entrance of Thy words gives light, makes wise who simple are.
- 15:39Readings and singings this evening are particularly focused on the Word of God
- 15:45and the importance of the Word of God to us in our lives privately and publicly.
- 15:51And so we're following the psalmist here as he expresses to God how precious his Word is to him
- 15:57as he lives out his life in the presence of those who may well be his enemies.
- 16:02So we'll sing the section, Thy Statutes, Lord, are wonderful.
- 16:07Thy Statutes, Lord, are wonderful.
- 16:20Thy soul and feet will hear.
- 16:27The angels of Thy Word desire.
- 16:35May twice decipher I.
- 16:43My mind, Thy heart, Thy open head,
- 16:52Have planted earnest me.
- 16:59While after Thy commandment,
- 17:07Thy love exceedingly.
- 17:08Look on me, Lord, and merciful to have and to be true.
- 17:30As Thy heart, O Lord, are wonderful.
- 17:32As Thy heart, O Lord, are wonderful.
- 17:35To do to those Thy name who truly are.
- 17:48O let my first steps in Thy Word arise,
- 17:58To your life shall order free.
- 18:03Let no iniquity of shame
- 18:12No lenient over me.
- 18:19From man's oppression save Thou need.
- 18:29So keep Thy laws, Thy will.
- 18:36Thy faith be gone,
- 18:41Thy servant shy.
- 18:45Teach me Thy statutes still.
- 18:46Teach me Thy statutes still.
- 18:52Rev'ers, O waters, call my night.
- 19:02They run down when I saw.
- 19:08Thy wicked men run on its day,
- 19:18And do not be thy law.
- 19:27Now let's turn to read God's Word.
- 19:29We'll find it tonight in the first letter of Kings.
- 19:32First book of Kings, rather.
- 19:34The first book of the Kings, chapter 22.
- 19:38And reading from the beginning.
- 19:41First Kings, chapter 22.
- 19:46We'll read the passage down to verse 28.
- 19:50It's a lengthy passage, but there are important issues in it connected together.
- 19:55So we'll read these verses 1 to 28.
- 19:59For three years, Syria and Israel continued without war.
- 20:03But in the third year, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel.
- 20:08And the king of Israel said to his servants,
- 20:11Do you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us?
- 20:14And we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria.
- 20:18And he said to Jehoshaphat,
- 20:20Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth Gilead?
- 20:23And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel,
- 20:26I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.
- 20:32And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel,
- 20:35Enquire first for the word of the Lord.
- 20:38Then the king of Israel gathered all the prophets together,
- 20:41About four hundred men, and said to them,
- 20:44Shall I go to battle against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?
- 20:47And he said, Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.
- 20:52But Jehoshaphat said,
- 20:54Is there not here another prophet of the Lord, of whom we may inquire?
- 20:59And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,
- 21:02There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord,
- 21:05Micaiah the son of Imla, but I hate him.
- 21:09For he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.
- 21:13And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
- 21:17Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said,
- 21:20Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.
- 21:23Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah
- 21:27Were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes,
- 21:30At the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria.
- 21:34And all the prophets were prophesying before them.
- 21:37And Zedekiah the son of Hinnana made for himself horns of iron,
- 21:41And said, Thus says the Lord,
- 21:43With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.
- 21:48And all the prophets prophesied so, and said,
- 21:51Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and triumph.
- 21:53The Lord will give it into the hand of the king.
- 21:56And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him,
- 22:00Behold the words of the prophets with one accord are favourable to the king.
- 22:05Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favourably.
- 22:10But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.
- 22:17And when he had come to the king, the king said to him,
- 22:20Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?
- 22:25And he answered him, Go up and triumph.
- 22:27The Lord will give it into the hand of the king.
- 22:30But the king said to him, How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me
- 22:34Nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?
- 22:37And he said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd.
- 22:44And the Lord said, These have no master.
- 22:46Let each return to his home in peace.
- 22:48And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,
- 22:51Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil?
- 22:56And Micaiah said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord.
- 23:00I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him,
- 23:05And he died on his right hand and on his left.
- 23:08And the Lord said, Who will entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?
- 23:15And one said one thing, and another said another.
- 23:18Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, I will entice him.
- 23:23And the Lord said to him, By what means?
- 23:26And he said, I will go out, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
- 23:33And he said, You are to entice him, and you shall succeed.
- 23:37Go out and do so.
- 23:39Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets.
- 23:46The Lord has declared disaster for you.
- 23:49Then Zedekiah the son of Hinnana came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, How did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?
- 23:59And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.
- 24:06And the king of Israel said, Seize Micaiah, and take him back to Ammon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son.
- 24:15And say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in prison, and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.
- 24:24And Micaiah said, If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.
- 24:31And he said, Hear, all you peoples.
- 24:37May the Lord bless to us that portion of his word.
- 24:41Let's sing again in Psalm 37 this time.
- 24:44Psalm 37, and that's on page 252.
- 24:50The tune this time is rest.
- 24:55We'll sing verses 1 to 7.
- 24:58Amen.
- 25:01For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 25:05Now do thou envy bear to those that work in equity.
- 25:09For even like unto the grass soon be cut down shall they.
- 25:13And like the green and tender herb, they wither shall away.
- 25:17Set thou thy trust upon the Lord.
- 25:20And be thou doing good, and so thou in the land shalt dwell, and verily have food.
- 25:25We'll sing six stanzas to the end of the verse mark seven.
- 25:29For evildoers, fret thou not.
- 25:32For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 25:37Nor do thou ever spread thou not thyself unquietly.
- 25:44Nor do thou envy bear to those that work in equity.
- 25:50For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 25:59For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:03For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:04For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:05Nor beindoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:06For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:08For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:13By the wobbles, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:15For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
- 26:20For evildoers, fret thou not
- 26:23darn theirирÍs unquietly.
- 26:25榮 whether oub Taste thy biennospietly.
- 26:26wither shall away.
- 26:33Set thou thy trust upon the Lord,
- 26:41and be thou doing good.
- 26:46And so thou in the land shalt dwell,
- 26:55and many have lain.
- 27:03Be like thyself, then God he'll give,
- 27:10thine heart's desire to lead.
- 27:17Thy way to God, go with interest,
- 27:24it bring to us shall be.
- 27:31And thy come to the light,
- 27:38he shall thy righteous death display.
- 27:46And he thy judgment shall bring forth,
- 27:53like noontide all the day.
- 28:00Rest in the Lord, not patiently,
- 28:09wait for him, do not pray.
- 28:15For they who cross drink in his way,
- 28:23such that sin sin shall be.
- 28:29Amen.
- 28:30Amen.
- 28:31Amen.
- 28:32Amen.
- 28:33Amen.
- 28:34Well, turn with me now, please,
- 28:35to 1 Kings chapter 22.
- 28:37We're going to look at certain aspects of this passage.
- 28:42We can focus our mind on verse 8,
- 28:45and then see how other aspects of the chapter relate to that.
- 28:49So, 1 Kings 22, as we read in verse 8,
- 28:53And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,
- 28:55There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord,
- 28:59Micaiah the son of Imla, but I hate him.
- 29:03For he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.
- 29:09I'm taking a sidestep tonight from our series in 1 Corinthians 15.
- 29:14It's really in relation to the things that have been happening in our own nation over the last week or so.
- 29:20Just to look at these things, hopefully, in the light of this passage,
- 29:24in the light of Scripture,
- 29:25and to let the Word of God shine upon these events,
- 29:29which I think is always wise for us and good for us to do.
- 29:34We'll come back to 1 Corinthians 15, God willing,
- 29:37next time we come together in the evening.
- 29:39Well, this was an alliance doomed to failure, wasn't it?
- 29:46This was never going to work,
- 29:48because here is an alliance between the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat,
- 29:55a good man with some failures, as we all have,
- 29:59a man who was by and large obedient to God and serving of God,
- 30:05but yet here made a very near fatal mistake for himself.
- 30:09He very nearly got killed as a result, if you read down to the end of the chapter.
- 30:14And here he is himself coming to ally himself
- 30:17with one of the worst kings ever in the history of Israel.
- 30:21At this time, the two nations, Judah and Israel, are often at war.
- 30:26But here is the king Ahab,
- 30:29and you notice in, go back just to chapter 21 and verse 25,
- 30:34you find a description there of Ahab in a summary fashion.
- 30:38There was none like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord,
- 30:43whom Jezebel, his wife, incited.
- 30:46He acted very abominably in going after idols,
- 30:49as the Amorites had done,
- 30:51whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.
- 30:55Here was a wicked man, an evil man,
- 31:00a man who was opposed to God,
- 31:02a man who was opposed to God's people,
- 31:03a king who hated God,
- 31:06who hated the truth as God gave it to him
- 31:08whenever he heard it through faithful prophets,
- 31:11which was seldom.
- 31:13Although, of course, we remember Elijah
- 31:15as well at this particular time in history.
- 31:19Well, this was an alliance
- 31:20that really was bound
- 31:22to failure from the very start.
- 31:26Because what's happening here is that
- 31:30Jehoshaphat is really putting his politics
- 31:33above his piety.
- 31:36He's putting his political situation
- 31:39before his own faithfulness to God.
- 31:43Not the first time it happened.
- 31:44Certainly wasn't the last time it happened,
- 31:46and it still happens.
- 31:48Putting his politics
- 31:49before his piety.
- 31:52Putting his own political career
- 31:55before his relationship to God
- 31:57and to the truth of God.
- 32:00And that's what you find
- 32:02happening in our own land as well.
- 32:05But there are, of course,
- 32:07exceptions, very prominently.
- 32:09The exception of Kate Forbes at this time.
- 32:11I don't want to focus too much on her at all,
- 32:14but nevertheless, it's important
- 32:15that we see what's taking place
- 32:17and give our support to those
- 32:20who are standing for God's cause.
- 32:22And one of the reasons we admire Kate Forbes
- 32:25is by the grace of God.
- 32:27She's come to say, for example,
- 32:29she said when she was questioned
- 32:30about her view of same-sex marriage,
- 32:33her view of other issues
- 32:34in that ethical sphere,
- 32:37and she said,
- 32:40politics will pass.
- 32:43Politics will pass.
- 32:45I was a human being
- 32:46before I was a politician.
- 32:48And she meant by that, I think,
- 32:50that whenever her political career is over,
- 32:54it's not going to change anything
- 32:55in terms of her relationship with God.
- 32:59Politics will pass.
- 33:02And whatever political persuasion we're of,
- 33:04that's going to be the case.
- 33:06We're never to put our politics
- 33:08above our piety,
- 33:10above our principles,
- 33:12above our relationship with God.
- 33:14And it's important in all ages
- 33:19and for all age groups
- 33:20that our personal morality
- 33:23is the morality of the Bible.
- 33:25I say to the young folks here tonight,
- 33:29you're ethical,
- 33:30you're moral standing,
- 33:32you're the quality of your life
- 33:34as you want to live it out
- 33:36and as you're growing up in the world.
- 33:38Make sure that it's the morality of the Bible.
- 33:40Don't be taken in by
- 33:41the kind of stuff you're listening to these days
- 33:44that you hear so often,
- 33:45that the Bible is completely irrelevant
- 33:47and outmoded
- 33:49and old-fashioned for these days,
- 33:51for 2023.
- 33:54The Bible has always been
- 33:56directly relevant
- 33:57for every age of the world,
- 34:00and it will be so to the end of the world.
- 34:03And so, that's why we're saying to you,
- 34:05young people,
- 34:05that the Bible continues to be so
- 34:08centrally and foundationally
- 34:10important to your life.
- 34:13And if you give in to
- 34:14the kind of pressure that you get,
- 34:17maybe from some of your own age group,
- 34:19it's not going to be a good thing for yourself
- 34:21or for the age group that you live in.
- 34:24God has given you the advantage
- 34:25of being brought up in the church,
- 34:28in a church that believes the Bible,
- 34:31a church that values the Bible,
- 34:33a church that holds out the Bible
- 34:34as the Word of God.
- 34:36And it's an appeal to you all tonight,
- 34:39as we do at all times.
- 34:41Please take the Bible seriously.
- 34:44Please have the Bible
- 34:45as the foundation of your life
- 34:47morally and spiritually,
- 34:49because that's really what this passage
- 34:51is telling us about.
- 34:53Micaiah, as we'll see,
- 34:54he was not prepared
- 34:56to turn aside from his obedience to God
- 34:59despite the pressures
- 35:01that were brought to bear upon him.
- 35:04So, we're looking at two things.
- 35:06First of all, we're looking at
- 35:07Ahab and his advisors.
- 35:10He had 400 of them,
- 35:12at least 400 prophets,
- 35:14Ahab and his advisors.
- 35:16And then secondly,
- 35:17we're looking at Micaiah and his God.
- 35:21Because it comes across in this passage
- 35:23as somebody who's standing on his own
- 35:25against Ahab and his advisors,
- 35:28and yet Micaiah has God on his side.
- 35:31And as one of the Reformers once said,
- 35:33if you have God on your side,
- 35:35you're always in the majority,
- 35:37however many people are against you.
- 35:39The important thing is to have God
- 35:41as your support and on your side.
- 35:43That's what Micaiah really is
- 35:45in the chapter before us.
- 35:47He's a man who's standing
- 35:48very much on his own
- 35:49against the pressures
- 35:50of Ahab and his advisors,
- 35:52yet he continues to speak the truth
- 35:54as he knows it from God.
- 35:57So, Ahab and his advisors,
- 35:58you see what's happening here,
- 35:59the context is given us
- 36:00as we look at Ahab and his advisors.
- 36:03Verses 1 to 6,
- 36:04and there's verse 3.
- 36:05The king of Israel said to his servants,
- 36:07Do you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to me,
- 36:10to us, and we keep quiet
- 36:12and do not take it out of the hand
- 36:13of the king of Assyria?
- 36:15He said to Jehovah,
- 36:16Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth Gilead?
- 36:18In other words, he's saying,
- 36:20This land, this particular area of Syria,
- 36:26Ramoth Gilead,
- 36:27actually belongs to us.
- 36:30And I want to take it back into our possession.
- 36:33So will you join me in trying to do that?
- 36:36Will you go with me to battle there,
- 36:38to get this back under our control?
- 36:40There's very much aspects of that
- 36:44that remind you of what's happening in Ukraine,
- 36:47what's happening with Putin.
- 36:48He's been a kind of an Old Testament,
- 36:52Putin at that stage.
- 36:53He wants this territory for himself,
- 36:55and he wants others to join with him
- 36:57as far as possible
- 36:57to bring it back under his control.
- 37:00And that's why he's asking the king of Judah,
- 37:03Jehoshaphat,
- 37:04Will you join me in this?
- 37:06Will you come to join me?
- 37:07If you go to the equivalent passage
- 37:10in 2 Chronicles chapter 18,
- 37:12it uses an interesting word
- 37:13that the king, Jehoshaphat,
- 37:15was induced or enticed
- 37:17into this relationship,
- 37:19into this alliance.
- 37:21And that's an important word.
- 37:23He was taken in.
- 37:24He was taken aside.
- 37:25And that passage in 2 Chronicles 18
- 37:27tells us that Ahab put on a great show.
- 37:30He made a great party.
- 37:31He really entertained Jehoshaphat,
- 37:33and he fell for it.
- 37:35He fell into the trap.
- 37:39And so Ahab here calls his 400 prophets
- 37:42because Jehoshaphat in verse 8 there,
- 37:46Jehoshaphat is a little bit uneasy
- 37:48about just going along with Ahab's word.
- 37:51He's saying,
- 37:52well, first of all,
- 37:53let's inquire for the Lord.
- 37:55Let's get a word from the Lord
- 37:56just to make this sure.
- 37:58I'd like to know what the Lord thinks about this.
- 38:00And of course, in those days,
- 38:02that was largely through prophets.
- 38:04So Ahab called his prophets.
- 38:06He gathered together the prophets,
- 38:08about 400 men,
- 38:09and he said to them,
- 38:11shall I go to battle against Ramoth Gilead
- 38:13or shall I refrain?
- 38:14And they said,
- 38:15go up,
- 38:15for the Lord will give it
- 38:17into the hand of the king.
- 38:20He had an instant response
- 38:21on the part of the prophets.
- 38:22They say, yes, do this.
- 38:23Come on, go up.
- 38:24Of course you're going to win.
- 38:26You're going to take it back.
- 38:27The problem for Ahab is
- 38:29his prophets are false prophets.
- 38:32His prophets don't know the Lord.
- 38:34His prophets are prophets
- 38:35that tell the king
- 38:36what he wants to hear.
- 38:38They're in his employ.
- 38:39They're in his payment.
- 38:41They actually are concerned
- 38:42only to give out something
- 38:44that will gratify the king.
- 38:46Whether they're afraid of him or not,
- 38:47we don't know.
- 38:48But that's what they're there for,
- 38:49the 400 of them.
- 38:50They're all concerted together,
- 38:52and all they want to do
- 38:53is please Ahab.
- 38:54And they just give him things
- 38:56which they know he wants to hear.
- 39:00It's not new there either,
- 39:01is there?
- 39:02Nothing new there either.
- 39:05That's the situation
- 39:06as it's described there.
- 39:08They are false prophets.
- 39:09Now you know that
- 39:09throughout the Old Testament
- 39:11and indeed into the New Testament,
- 39:13you have this constant tension
- 39:14between the false prophets
- 39:16and the true prophets of the Lord
- 39:19or the true apostles of the Lord.
- 39:21And when you go to
- 39:22the book of Jeremiah, for example,
- 39:24more than any other book in the Bible,
- 39:26I think he speaks about
- 39:27the false prophets.
- 39:29And the false prophets
- 39:30are saying to the people
- 39:31of Jeremiah's day,
- 39:33peace, peace.
- 39:35Listen to what we're saying.
- 39:36This is what the guarantee of peace is.
- 39:38Never mind the likes of Jeremiah.
- 39:40Never mind this man
- 39:41that's so attached
- 39:42to the word of the Lord.
- 39:44We'll give you our opinion,
- 39:46and our opinion is the one
- 39:47you need to really take.
- 39:48If you really are serious about peace,
- 39:50listen to what we're saying.
- 39:52Of course, Jeremiah knew.
- 39:53They were talking falsehood.
- 39:55They didn't know the mind of the Lord.
- 39:58And so,
- 39:59these 400 prophets,
- 40:00here they are,
- 40:01they come to Ahab
- 40:03and they say to him,
- 40:04go up.
- 40:05You're going to be successful.
- 40:07Why should you hold back?
- 40:09Just do it.
- 40:12But,
- 40:12Jehoshaphat's still not
- 40:16very easy in his mind,
- 40:17is he?
- 40:18Because he says,
- 40:20is there not
- 40:21another prophet,
- 40:23someone else here,
- 40:24a prophet of the Lord,
- 40:26of whom we may inquire?
- 40:29He knows
- 40:30the kind of man
- 40:31that Ahab is,
- 40:32and yet he's still
- 40:33prepared to go into
- 40:34an alliance with him.
- 40:36And so,
- 40:36he comes and says,
- 40:37is there anybody else here
- 40:39that can give us
- 40:40the word of the Lord
- 40:41just to offset it
- 40:42against these 400?
- 40:43And of course,
- 40:44Ahab comes and says,
- 40:45yes,
- 40:46there is.
- 40:47There is one man here
- 40:48by whom we may inquire,
- 40:50Micaiah,
- 40:50the son of Imlah,
- 40:52but I hate him,
- 40:54for he never prophesies
- 40:56good concerning me,
- 40:57only evil.
- 40:59And you see,
- 41:00what's happening
- 41:00in Ahab's mind
- 41:04is that he's really,
- 41:06he's putting truth
- 41:09and error
- 41:11the wrong way around.
- 41:13What he's actually doing
- 41:14is for Ahab,
- 41:17as you find him here
- 41:18speaking about
- 41:20this Micaiah,
- 41:22he doesn't like Micaiah
- 41:23because Micaiah
- 41:24always speaks to him
- 41:26in the name of the Lord,
- 41:27the truth of the Lord.
- 41:29And Ahab hates the truth.
- 41:31The last thing Ahab wants
- 41:32is the truth of God.
- 41:36It's fine on the surface
- 41:37saying,
- 41:37yes,
- 41:37I want to know the Lord
- 41:38and His will
- 41:39and I want my prophets
- 41:40to actually give me
- 41:41the word of the Lord,
- 41:42but it's the word
- 41:43that he wants to hear.
- 41:45It's the word
- 41:45that will please him.
- 41:47He's very unhappy about it.
- 41:49He's scathing about it
- 41:50if somebody comes to him
- 41:51with a word from the Lord
- 41:53that's actually the truth.
- 41:56So that brings you
- 41:56to see Micaiah
- 41:57and his God.
- 41:58That's the situation
- 41:59in which Micaiah
- 42:01is placed.
- 42:02That's Ahab
- 42:03and his advisors,
- 42:04but look at Micaiah
- 42:05and his God.
- 42:06Now,
- 42:07Micaiah only appears
- 42:08in this chapter
- 42:09and in the equivalent chapter
- 42:11in 2 Chronicles.
- 42:13The only time
- 42:13it's mentioned
- 42:14in the Bible.
- 42:17And there's a point
- 42:18made by that itself
- 42:19and it's this,
- 42:20that although he's not
- 42:21prominent like Elijah
- 42:23or Elisha
- 42:24or Moses
- 42:25or somebody like that
- 42:26who is demonstrably
- 42:29and publicly powerful
- 42:30in the name of the Lord,
- 42:32yet Micaiah here,
- 42:33as he stands for the Lord,
- 42:35is doing just as important
- 42:36at work in many respects
- 42:38as the ones
- 42:39who are prominent
- 42:39in the ways of the Lord.
- 42:41And it reminds you
- 42:42and I ourselves,
- 42:43even if we say,
- 42:43well, I can't do
- 42:44the kind of things
- 42:45that other people
- 42:46are doing for the Lord.
- 42:47I don't have the gifts
- 42:48that other people have
- 42:49that are more public,
- 42:50that are actually
- 42:51obviously more to the front,
- 42:52to the forefront
- 42:53of the cause of Christ.
- 42:55I'm not like that.
- 42:56The Lord is saying,
- 42:57I don't want you
- 42:57to be like that.
- 42:58What I'm saying is,
- 42:59what he's saying to you is,
- 43:00whatever he has given you
- 43:01to use, use it.
- 43:03Whether it's prominent or not.
- 43:04Here's a man
- 43:05who's faithful to the Lord,
- 43:07facing all of these pressures.
- 43:09He's not really
- 43:10a man who's given
- 43:11to being in the public eye,
- 43:13it seems,
- 43:14from this passage.
- 43:16And yet,
- 43:16here he is,
- 43:17presenting the will of God
- 43:20to 400
- 43:22of Ahab's prophets
- 43:23and to Ahab himself.
- 43:26Now, you don't have to be,
- 43:27you don't have to be prominent.
- 43:30You don't have to be
- 43:31to the fore publicly.
- 43:32Wherever God
- 43:34has placed you in life,
- 43:36that's where you serve him.
- 43:39Whatever your view is
- 43:40of how he has endowed you
- 43:42or otherwise,
- 43:42or how you compare
- 43:43with other people
- 43:44or otherwise,
- 43:45what the Lord
- 43:46is calling for you to do
- 43:47is to use
- 43:48what he's given you,
- 43:49where he's placed you,
- 43:51and to do that
- 43:53in dependence upon himself.
- 43:57And you can see Ahab's
- 43:58hatred of the truth,
- 44:00as we're seeing here,
- 44:01Micaiah and his God.
- 44:03But then, you see,
- 44:04as the narrative moves on,
- 44:06this is what Ahab says,
- 44:08I hate him,
- 44:10for he never prophesies
- 44:11good concerning me,
- 44:12but evil.
- 44:15And you see,
- 44:15what Ahab is doing is
- 44:16he's calling good
- 44:20what pleases himself.
- 44:23And he's calling
- 44:24what is a word from the Lord
- 44:26through the likes of Micaiah
- 44:27as evil.
- 44:29He's turned his own world
- 44:31upside down
- 44:32because he is so much
- 44:34against God
- 44:35and in favor of just hearing
- 44:36something that flatters himself.
- 44:40And you know,
- 44:40that's still the truth.
- 44:41That's still true
- 44:42of the world
- 44:43in which we live.
- 44:45How many times
- 44:46over the last week
- 44:47have you read something,
- 44:49whether on Twitter,
- 44:50Facebook,
- 44:51news reports,
- 44:52or whatever,
- 44:53wherever you've seen it,
- 44:55but you've seen
- 44:55more than once,
- 44:56I'm sure.
- 44:57The idea,
- 44:59the statement,
- 45:00something like,
- 45:01here is someone
- 45:02who believes
- 45:02the Bible literally,
- 45:05something that's not fit
- 45:06for this century,
- 45:08something that's not fit
- 45:09for 2023.
- 45:10How can anyone
- 45:11who actually believes
- 45:13these things
- 45:14be thought of
- 45:15as a suitable leader
- 45:16of a country
- 45:16in this day and age?
- 45:19Well,
- 45:19Micaiah faced that.
- 45:20Micaiah faced
- 45:21that same philosophy.
- 45:23Micaiah faced
- 45:24the same thing
- 45:25as he faced
- 45:26Ahab and these
- 45:27false prophets
- 45:28who would say,
- 45:29no,
- 45:30your version of
- 45:30the word of the Lord,
- 45:31that's completely outdated.
- 45:33What we want
- 45:33is people
- 45:34who are actually
- 45:35progressive.
- 45:38People are progressive
- 45:39and don't actually
- 45:40have that old-fashioned way,
- 45:42this is what the Lord
- 45:43is saying,
- 45:44this is the word
- 45:44of the Lord.
- 45:49You see,
- 45:49Ahab
- 45:49really calls
- 45:51good
- 45:52what pleases himself.
- 45:55That's what's suitable.
- 45:57That's what fits
- 45:57with the society he wants.
- 45:59That's what really
- 46:00is so much different
- 46:03to the likes of Micaiah.
- 46:06And what Micaiah says to him,
- 46:07oh, that's evil.
- 46:09That's not good.
- 46:10That's bad.
- 46:11Don't want to hear that.
- 46:12That's not suitable.
- 46:13That's not relevant.
- 46:14That doesn't fit
- 46:15the situation at all.
- 46:17Put that behind you.
- 46:18Give me something
- 46:19that's up to date.
- 46:21Something that pleases myself.
- 46:23Something that flatters
- 46:24my human ingenuity.
- 46:28And that's Ahab's
- 46:30hatred of the truth.
- 46:33And that's
- 46:34countered by
- 46:36Micaiah's love
- 46:38of the truth.
- 46:42There's an attempt,
- 46:43you see,
- 46:43in,
- 46:44incidentally,
- 46:45Micaiah's name
- 46:46actually means
- 46:47who is like
- 46:49the Lord.
- 46:51Who's like
- 46:52Yahweh or Jehovah.
- 46:54That's interesting
- 46:54that that's the meaning
- 46:55of his Hebrew name
- 46:56Micaiah.
- 46:58Who is like
- 46:59the Lord?
- 47:00And, you know,
- 47:00if people were really
- 47:02taking account
- 47:03of names in those days
- 47:04as they often did,
- 47:05here is Ahab
- 47:06knowing who Micaiah is
- 47:08and what he stands for.
- 47:09And there before him
- 47:10in the very person
- 47:12and the name of Micaiah
- 47:13is this great question
- 47:15that he should really
- 47:15be facing.
- 47:17Who is like
- 47:18the Lord?
- 47:21And that comes
- 47:22across to ourselves,
- 47:23doesn't it?
- 47:24Who is like
- 47:25the Lord?
- 47:26That's what we're
- 47:26standing for.
- 47:27The uniqueness,
- 47:29the greatness,
- 47:30the glory of this
- 47:31God we worship
- 47:32unlike any other,
- 47:35superior to any other,
- 47:37above everyone else,
- 47:40and alone worthy
- 47:41of our worship.
- 47:44Well, here is
- 47:44a first attempt,
- 47:46you see,
- 47:46in verse 9,
- 47:48if you read these verses
- 47:49from verse 9,
- 47:51Jehoshaphat said,
- 47:52let not the king see.
- 47:53So then the king of Israel
- 47:54summoned an officer
- 47:56and said,
- 47:57bring quickly Micaiah,
- 47:59the son of Imlah.
- 48:01So he's going to send
- 48:02a messenger
- 48:02to get Micaiah
- 48:04wherever he is
- 48:04to come to where the king
- 48:06and where Jehoshaphat are.
- 48:08But meantime,
- 48:10what does he do?
- 48:11What does Ahab do?
- 48:12Well, he calls
- 48:13these prophets
- 48:14of the Lord.
- 48:15They were sitting,
- 48:16these kings,
- 48:17two of them
- 48:17were sitting on their thrones,
- 48:19arrayed in their robes,
- 48:20very grand.
- 48:21And then this man,
- 48:23Zedekiah,
- 48:24one of the false prophets,
- 48:25the son of Hananah,
- 48:27he made for himself
- 48:28horns of iron.
- 48:29And he said,
- 48:30thus says the Lord,
- 48:32with these you shall
- 48:33push the Syrians
- 48:34until they are destroyed.
- 48:36And all the prophets
- 48:37prophesied so.
- 48:38They said the same thing
- 48:39and said,
- 48:39go up to Ramoth,
- 48:41Gilead,
- 48:41and triumph,
- 48:42the Lord will give it
- 48:43into the hand of the king.
- 48:45See what's happening?
- 48:46They're trying to actually
- 48:46put on such a show
- 48:48and such a persuasive show,
- 48:53such a thing for Jehoshaphat
- 48:57that will persuade him
- 48:59and really bring his mind
- 49:01to be confirmed that,
- 49:02yes, these people
- 49:03are telling you the truth.
- 49:06You see,
- 49:06they want to do it
- 49:06before Micaiah comes.
- 49:08Because when Micaiah comes,
- 49:12Ahab knows full well
- 49:13he's not going to go along
- 49:14with us.
- 49:16He's not going to go along
- 49:17with us,
- 49:17Sharad, at all.
- 49:19And so he wants,
- 49:20as far as possible,
- 49:21that Jehoshaphat
- 49:22will be convinced
- 49:23what Ahab is doing
- 49:24is a good thing.
- 49:25What these prophets
- 49:26are saying
- 49:27is really the truth
- 49:28from God.
- 49:29And he wants to persuade
- 49:30Jehoshaphat,
- 49:31you can easily,
- 49:32you can very readily
- 49:33go along with this.
- 49:34It's fine.
- 49:35Everything's okay.
- 49:36This is the way to go.
- 49:38And that's why
- 49:41he has this performance.
- 49:45And you know,
- 49:45that's what's really serious.
- 49:48We know that
- 49:49the truth of God
- 49:51will always be opposed
- 49:53by what is not true,
- 49:55by false teaching,
- 49:57by heresy,
- 49:59by what is completely
- 50:00at odds with the Word of God.
- 50:03We know that
- 50:03that's what's going to happen.
- 50:04We know that
- 50:05that's what's happening now.
- 50:06We know it happens
- 50:07in every generation
- 50:08to some extent.
- 50:09But what you find here
- 50:10is a step further than that.
- 50:12The serious thing is
- 50:13that truth is now,
- 50:15the false rather,
- 50:17is now seeing itself
- 50:18as being the true.
- 50:21These people
- 50:22look to be themselves.
- 50:23Perhaps they are
- 50:24just convinced.
- 50:25That's what happens,
- 50:26you see,
- 50:26when you give yourself
- 50:27over to the lie,
- 50:28when you give yourself
- 50:29over to be swallowed up
- 50:30by the heresy
- 50:31that you yourself
- 50:32are promoting.
- 50:33Eventually,
- 50:33you come to believe it.
- 50:35And eventually,
- 50:36you come to believe
- 50:36that this is in fact
- 50:37the truth.
- 50:38That this is really superior
- 50:39to anything the likes
- 50:40of Micaiah is saying.
- 50:42And here are these
- 50:43400 people
- 50:44going through this performance
- 50:46headed up by
- 50:47Zedekiah,
- 50:47the son of Henanah.
- 50:49And there is the lie.
- 50:51There is the falseness.
- 50:52There is the heresy
- 50:53parading itself
- 50:55as the truth,
- 50:56believing itself
- 50:57to be the truth.
- 50:58And that's when
- 51:02it gets really serious.
- 51:05Because that's what
- 51:06we're facing
- 51:06in our generation.
- 51:09We're not just
- 51:09aware of a clash
- 51:10between that
- 51:11which is false
- 51:12and that which is true.
- 51:14We're aware of
- 51:15the false
- 51:15passing itself off
- 51:17as the true.
- 51:19We're aware of
- 51:20church people
- 51:20being taken in
- 51:21by the false
- 51:22because they've come
- 51:24to believe
- 51:24that it's the true.
- 51:25And it doesn't matter
- 51:26whether they're moderators
- 51:27or bishops
- 51:28or archbishops
- 51:30or priests
- 51:30or ministers
- 51:31whatever they are.
- 51:33Once you start believing
- 51:34that the false
- 51:35is the true
- 51:36you have a real crisis.
- 51:40And you have a crisis
- 51:41because
- 51:41people are going
- 51:42to follow that
- 51:43because it's a lot easier
- 51:45than to stand
- 51:46where Micaiah is standing
- 51:48and actually say
- 51:49no this is the truth.
- 51:50This is what God
- 51:51is saying.
- 51:53That's where
- 51:53it's a challenge.
- 51:55That's where
- 51:55it's difficult.
- 51:56That's where
- 51:57you really need
- 51:57the grace of God
- 51:58to steal you.
- 52:01And especially
- 52:02when you're outnumbered
- 52:04400 to 1.
- 52:09And that's why
- 52:10Paul wrote
- 52:10as he did
- 52:11to the likes
- 52:12of Galatians.
- 52:14Listen to what he says
- 52:15in the first chapter
- 52:15verses 6 to 10.
- 52:17I am astonished
- 52:19that you are
- 52:20so quickly
- 52:20deserting him
- 52:21who called you
- 52:23in the grace
- 52:23of Christ
- 52:24and are turning
- 52:25to a different gospel.
- 52:27Not that there is
- 52:28another one
- 52:29but there are some
- 52:30who trouble you
- 52:31and want to
- 52:32distort the gospel
- 52:33of Christ.
- 52:35But even if we
- 52:36or an angel
- 52:37from heaven
- 52:38should preach
- 52:39to you
- 52:39a gospel
- 52:40contrary to the one
- 52:41we preached to you
- 52:42let him be
- 52:43accursed.
- 52:45As we have said
- 52:46before
- 52:47so now I say
- 52:48if anyone
- 52:49is preaching
- 52:49to you
- 52:50a gospel
- 52:51contrary to the one
- 52:52you received
- 52:53let him be
- 52:55accursed.
- 53:00As strong
- 53:01words as even
- 53:02an apostle
- 53:02could write.
- 53:04Why?
- 53:05Why is he so vehement?
- 53:07Why is he using
- 53:08such language?
- 53:10Because he knows
- 53:11that something
- 53:12is happening
- 53:12that's going
- 53:13to destroy
- 53:13the gospel.
- 53:15That's going
- 53:16to get people's
- 53:17minds to think
- 53:17that the false
- 53:18is actually
- 53:19the true.
- 53:21When you go
- 53:21through the
- 53:21the New Testament
- 53:22you'll find
- 53:23that the
- 53:24second last
- 53:24book of
- 53:25the Bible
- 53:26the book
- 53:26of Jude
- 53:26very short
- 53:27book
- 53:28but a very
- 53:29important
- 53:30dynamic book
- 53:31in its own
- 53:32right
- 53:32and Jude
- 53:33tells those
- 53:34who are
- 53:34receiving his
- 53:35letter
- 53:35as to
- 53:36why he's
- 53:37chosen
- 53:37to actually
- 53:38write
- 53:38in the way
- 53:38he does.
- 53:39I meant
- 53:40to write
- 53:40to you
- 53:40he said
- 53:41about
- 53:41a common
- 53:42salvation.
- 53:43You're going
- 53:43to write
- 53:44something
- 53:44of a treatise
- 53:45whether it
- 53:46be justification
- 53:46or whatever
- 53:47but he said
- 53:49I found
- 53:49it necessary
- 53:50to write
- 53:50to appeal
- 53:51to you
- 53:51to contend
- 53:53for the
- 53:53faith
- 53:54that was
- 53:55once for
- 53:55all delivered
- 53:56to the saints
- 53:57for certain
- 53:59people have
- 54:00crept in
- 54:01unnoticed
- 54:02who were
- 54:04already designated
- 54:05for this
- 54:05condemnation
- 54:06ungodly
- 54:07people
- 54:08who pervert
- 54:09the grace
- 54:10of our God
- 54:11into sensuality
- 54:13that's right
- 54:15up to date
- 54:15isn't it?
- 54:17Who pervert
- 54:17the grace
- 54:18of God
- 54:19into sensuality
- 54:20and deny
- 54:21our only
- 54:22master
- 54:22and lord
- 54:23Jesus
- 54:24Christ?
- 54:25And that's
- 54:26you see
- 54:26what's happened
- 54:27it's come
- 54:27from within
- 54:28when the
- 54:29people of the
- 54:30church
- 54:30when the
- 54:30ministers
- 54:31of the
- 54:31church
- 54:31when the
- 54:32bishops
- 54:32of the
- 54:33church
- 54:33when they
- 54:34actually
- 54:34come to
- 54:35believe
- 54:35the false
- 54:35to be
- 54:36the true
- 54:36this is
- 54:38what happens
- 54:38it spreads
- 54:39like a poison
- 54:40and it
- 54:42weakens
- 54:42the cause
- 54:43and it
- 54:44becomes
- 54:45totally
- 54:45ineffective
- 54:46of changing
- 54:47people's
- 54:48lives
- 54:48I remember
- 54:51one time
- 54:52when I was
- 54:53doing agriculture
- 54:54and my
- 54:57father said
- 54:57when you
- 54:58go back
- 54:58to the
- 54:58college
- 54:59this was
- 54:59on holiday
- 54:59and he
- 55:01said
- 55:01ask one
- 55:02of the
- 55:02folk
- 55:03in the
- 55:03college
- 55:03of agriculture
- 55:04they ask
- 55:04them
- 55:05if they
- 55:06know
- 55:06what's
- 55:07happening
- 55:07to the
- 55:08potato
- 55:08plants
- 55:09because
- 55:10there's
- 55:10a little
- 55:10worm
- 55:11that's
- 55:12been
- 55:12growing up
- 55:12inside
- 55:13the
- 55:13potato
- 55:14stalks
- 55:14and it
- 55:15kills
- 55:16off
- 55:16the
- 55:16plant
- 55:16and see
- 55:17if you
- 55:18can find
- 55:18out
- 55:18what
- 55:19that
- 55:19is
- 55:20so I
- 55:20went
- 55:20and asked
- 55:21one of
- 55:21the
- 55:21lecturers
- 55:21what this
- 55:23was
- 55:23and he
- 55:23said
- 55:24I know
- 55:24what that
- 55:25is
- 55:25that's
- 55:25the
- 55:26rosy
- 55:26rustic
- 55:27moth
- 55:28and when
- 55:29it lays
- 55:29its eggs
- 55:30and develops
- 55:30into a
- 55:31larvae
- 55:31the larvae
- 55:32of the
- 55:32rosy
- 55:33rustic
- 55:33moth
- 55:34it burrows
- 55:35inside
- 55:35the
- 55:36potato
- 55:36stem
- 55:37it works
- 55:38its way
- 55:38it eats
- 55:39its way
- 55:39up the
- 55:39inside
- 55:40of the
- 55:40stem
- 55:40and eventually
- 55:41of course
- 55:41the plant
- 55:42dies
- 55:43there's no
- 55:44growth
- 55:44so there's
- 55:44no
- 55:44product
- 55:45that's
- 55:48what false
- 55:48teaching
- 55:48does
- 55:49it doesn't
- 55:51come out
- 55:51unashamedly
- 55:52and say
- 55:52look at me
- 55:53I'm false
- 55:53teaching
- 55:54it's like
- 55:56the rosy
- 55:56rustic
- 55:57larvae
- 55:57it gets
- 55:58inside
- 55:58and it
- 55:59starts
- 55:59eating
- 56:00from within
- 56:00and before
- 56:02you know it
- 56:02the plant
- 56:02is beginning
- 56:03to die
- 56:03and if
- 56:05it's not
- 56:06changed
- 56:06it will
- 56:06die
- 56:07and here
- 56:12is
- 56:12the first
- 56:13attempt
- 56:13to take
- 56:15Micaiah
- 56:16aside
- 56:17to take
- 56:18him out
- 56:19of the
- 56:19equation
- 56:19to knock
- 56:21out what
- 56:21he's going
- 56:22to say
- 56:22but of
- 56:23course
- 56:23the next
- 56:24attempt
- 56:24is the
- 56:25man who
- 56:25went to
- 56:25fetch
- 56:26Micaiah
- 56:27in verse
- 56:2915
- 56:29this is
- 56:30what
- 56:30you read
- 56:31there
- 56:31in verse
- 56:3115
- 56:32here's
- 56:32the man
- 56:32who went
- 56:33to
- 56:33Micaiah
- 56:34when he'd
- 56:34come to
- 56:34the king
- 56:35he said
- 56:36to
- 56:39this man
- 56:41who was
- 56:42sent as a
- 56:42messenger
- 56:43to win
- 56:44Micaiah
- 56:44over
- 56:45he said
- 56:45to him
- 56:46now all
- 56:46of these
- 56:47prophets
- 56:48of the
- 56:48Lord
- 56:48all these
- 56:49prophets
- 56:49have said
- 56:50the one
- 56:51thing
- 56:51and
- 56:52I want
- 56:53you
- 56:53you should
- 56:54really
- 56:54just
- 56:54comply
- 56:55with
- 56:55that
- 56:55all
- 56:57of
- 56:57these
- 56:57prophets
- 56:58have said
- 56:59favorable
- 56:59to the
- 57:00king
- 57:00in verse
- 57:0013
- 57:01behold
- 57:02the words
- 57:02of the
- 57:03prophets
- 57:03with one
- 57:03accord
- 57:04are
- 57:04favorable
- 57:05to the
- 57:05king
- 57:06let
- 57:06your
- 57:06word
- 57:07be
- 57:07like
- 57:07the
- 57:07word
- 57:07of
- 57:08one
- 57:08of
- 57:08them
- 57:08and
- 57:08speak
- 57:09favorably
- 57:09you can
- 57:10just
- 57:10always
- 57:10picture
- 57:11that
- 57:11you can
- 57:12always
- 57:12picture
- 57:12this
- 57:12man
- 57:12coming
- 57:13to
- 57:13Micaiah
- 57:13and
- 57:13really
- 57:14putting
- 57:14his
- 57:14arm
- 57:14around
- 57:15him
- 57:15on
- 57:15his
- 57:15shoulder
- 57:16and
- 57:16saying
- 57:16now
- 57:16look
- 57:16Micaiah
- 57:17all
- 57:18of
- 57:18these
- 57:18the
- 57:18400
- 57:18of
- 57:19them
- 57:19unanimously
- 57:20have
- 57:20come
- 57:20to
- 57:20speak
- 57:21favorably
- 57:21to
- 57:21the
- 57:22king
- 57:22why
- 57:23should
- 57:23you
- 57:23be
- 57:23a
- 57:23fool
- 57:24and
- 57:24go
- 57:24differently
- 57:24why
- 57:25should
- 57:25you
- 57:25say
- 57:26something
- 57:26different
- 57:26to
- 57:27them
- 57:27what's
- 57:27the
- 57:27point
- 57:28of
- 57:28making
- 57:28trouble
- 57:28for
- 57:29yourself
- 57:29and
- 57:29danger
- 57:29for
- 57:30yourself
- 57:30just
- 57:31actually
- 57:32go along
- 57:33with what
- 57:33they're
- 57:33saying
- 57:34for the
- 57:34moment
- 57:34you can
- 57:35keep
- 57:35your own
- 57:35views
- 57:36to
- 57:36yourself
- 57:36you can
- 57:37believe
- 57:37what you
- 57:38do
- 57:38believe
- 57:38you can
- 57:39go on
- 57:39believing
- 57:40what you
- 57:40want to
- 57:40believe
- 57:41but just
- 57:41keep it
- 57:42quiet
- 57:42for the
- 57:42moment
- 57:43will
- 57:43you
- 57:43he's
- 57:47trying to
- 57:47actually
- 57:47bring him
- 57:48alongside
- 57:49so that
- 57:49he won't
- 57:50be a
- 57:50troublemaker
- 57:50but he
- 57:55meets
- 57:55as much
- 57:55as the
- 57:58Lord
- 57:59lives
- 57:59what the
- 58:01Lord
- 58:01says to
- 58:02me
- 58:02that
- 58:03will
- 58:03I
- 58:04speak
- 58:04what
- 58:06the
- 58:06Lord
- 58:07says
- 58:07to
- 58:07me
- 58:07that
- 58:08will
- 58:09I
- 58:09speak
- 58:09and
- 58:10that's
- 58:11what
- 58:11we're
- 58:11committed
- 58:11to
- 58:12it
- 58:12doesn't
- 58:12matter
- 58:12whether
- 58:12we
- 58:13in
- 58:13pulpits
- 58:14or
- 58:14whether
- 58:14we're
- 58:15serving
- 58:15the
- 58:15Lord
- 58:16in
- 58:16whatever
- 58:16way
- 58:16we're
- 58:16serving
- 58:17him
- 58:17whatever
- 58:18we
- 58:18have
- 58:19as a
- 58:19privilege
- 58:21of
- 58:21upholding
- 58:22the
- 58:22truth
- 58:22of
- 58:22God
- 58:23when
- 58:23the
- 58:23world
- 58:24comes
- 58:24and
- 58:25says
- 58:25look
- 58:25just
- 58:25go
- 58:25along
- 58:26with
- 58:26this
- 58:26why
- 58:26do
- 58:26not
- 58:27fall
- 58:27in
- 58:27with
- 58:27the
- 58:27majority
- 58:28surely
- 58:29they
- 58:29can't
- 58:29all
- 58:29be
- 58:30wrong
- 58:30these
- 58:30400
- 58:31and
- 58:31you
- 58:31as
- 58:32one
- 58:32person
- 58:32you're
- 58:33going
- 58:33to
- 58:33stand
- 58:34surely
- 58:34you're
- 58:34not
- 58:34going
- 58:34to
- 58:34say
- 58:35I'm
- 58:35actually
- 58:35of
- 58:43Lord
- 58:43that
- 58:43I
- 58:43believe
- 58:44it
- 58:44doesn't
- 58:44matter
- 58:44what
- 58:45anybody
- 58:45tells
- 58:45me
- 58:46this
- 58:46is
- 58:46where
- 58:47I
- 58:47stand
- 58:47this
- 58:48is
- 58:48what
- 58:48I'm
- 58:49going
- 58:49to
- 58:49stand
- 58:50for
- 58:50and
- 58:52that's
- 58:53what
- 58:53Kate
- 58:53Forbes
- 58:53is
- 58:54doing
- 58:54in
- 58:54her
- 58:54own
- 58:54sphere
- 58:55of
- 58:55serving
- 58:56God
- 58:57where
- 58:57she
- 58:57is
- 58:57that's
- 58:58why
- 58:59it's
- 58:59difficult
- 59:00that's
- 59:02why
- 59:02it's
- 59:02difficult
- 59:03for
- 59:03Micaiah
- 59:03he's
- 59:05facing
- 59:05the
- 59:06prospect
- 59:06as
- 59:06it
- 59:07turned
- 59:07out
- 59:07indeed
- 59:08he's
- 59:08facing
- 59:08the
- 59:08prospect
- 59:09of
- 59:09imprisonment
- 59:10which
- 59:10is
- 59:10what
- 59:10happened
- 59:11he knows
- 59:12he's
- 59:12going
- 59:12to
- 59:13face
- 59:13real
- 59:14difficulty
- 59:14if he
- 59:14stands
- 59:15up
- 59:15and
- 59:15says
- 59:15this
- 59:16but
- 59:17he
- 59:17did
- 59:17and
- 59:19the
- 59:20attempt
- 59:20failed
- 59:20to
- 59:21take
- 59:22him
- 59:22aside
- 59:22and
- 59:23there's
- 59:23his
- 59:24answer
- 59:24in
- 59:24verse
- 59:2414
- 59:25as
- 59:25we
- 59:25said
- 59:25as
- 59:26the
- 59:27Lord
- 59:27lives
- 59:27what
- 59:28the
- 59:29Lord
- 59:29has
- 59:29said
- 59:30that
- 59:31I
- 59:31will
- 59:32speak
- 59:32that
- 59:34I
- 59:35will
- 59:35speak
- 59:36what
- 59:40is
- 59:40it
- 59:40that
- 59:40gives
- 59:41a
- 59:41person
- 59:41to
- 59:43be
- 59:43loyal
- 59:43to
- 59:43the
- 59:44truth
- 59:44of
- 59:44God
- 59:45well
- 59:47in
- 59:48a
- 59:48word
- 59:48it's
- 59:49love
- 59:49for
- 59:50God
- 59:50if
- 59:52you
- 59:52love
- 59:53God
- 59:53you
- 59:54will
- 59:54love
- 59:54his
- 59:54truth
- 59:55if
- 59:56you
- 59:56love
- 59:56the
- 59:57Lord
- 59:57you
- 59:57will
- 59:58stand
- 59:58up
- 59:58for
- 59:58his
- 59:59truth
- 59:59if
- 1:00:00you
- 1:00:00love
- 1:00:00the
- 1:00:00Lord
- 1:00:00you
- 1:00:01will
- 1:00:01not
- 1:00:01give
- 1:00:01away
- 1:00:02his
- 1:00:02truth
- 1:00:02for
- 1:00:03a
- 1:00:03mess
- 1:00:04of
- 1:00:04pottage
- 1:00:04for
- 1:00:05political
- 1:00:06whatever
- 1:00:06advantage
- 1:00:07but
- 1:00:11this
- 1:00:11is
- 1:00:11the
- 1:00:11new
- 1:00:11tolerance
- 1:00:12you
- 1:00:12see
- 1:00:12this
- 1:00:14is
- 1:00:14the
- 1:00:15new
- 1:00:15type
- 1:00:15of
- 1:00:15tolerance
- 1:00:16we
- 1:00:16are
- 1:00:17told
- 1:00:17is
- 1:00:17what
- 1:00:17we
- 1:00:17need
- 1:00:18to
- 1:00:18follow
- 1:00:18in
- 1:00:19our
- 1:00:19generation
- 1:00:20you
- 1:00:21accept
- 1:00:22all
- 1:00:22moral
- 1:00:23positions
- 1:00:24as
- 1:00:25equals
- 1:00:25that's
- 1:00:27a new
- 1:00:27way
- 1:00:28relatively
- 1:00:28new
- 1:00:29way
- 1:00:29of
- 1:00:29looking
- 1:00:30at
- 1:00:30tolerance
- 1:00:30because
- 1:00:30tolerance
- 1:00:31in the
- 1:00:32old
- 1:00:32sense
- 1:00:33of the
- 1:00:33word
- 1:00:34tolerance
- 1:00:34was
- 1:00:35I
- 1:00:35have
- 1:00:36all
- 1:00:36these
- 1:00:36different
- 1:00:37views
- 1:00:37confronting
- 1:00:38me
- 1:00:38I
- 1:00:38have
- 1:00:38my
- 1:00:38own
- 1:00:39belief
- 1:00:39I
- 1:00:39have
- 1:00:39my
- 1:00:39own
- 1:00:40view
- 1:00:40but
- 1:00:41tolerance
- 1:00:41means
- 1:00:41I'm
- 1:00:42allowed
- 1:00:42to
- 1:00:42keep
- 1:00:42that
- 1:00:43view
- 1:00:43without
- 1:00:44actually
- 1:00:44having
- 1:00:44to
- 1:00:44say
- 1:00:45that
- 1:00:45every
- 1:00:45other
- 1:00:46single
- 1:00:46view
- 1:00:46is
- 1:00:46of
- 1:00:47equal
- 1:00:47validity
- 1:00:47but
- 1:00:49here
- 1:00:50we
- 1:00:50are
- 1:00:50seeing
- 1:00:50in
- 1:00:51our
- 1:00:51nation
- 1:00:51some
- 1:00:52people
- 1:00:53actually
- 1:00:53saying
- 1:00:53here
- 1:00:54is
- 1:00:54a
- 1:00:54woman
- 1:00:55who
- 1:00:55does
- 1:00:55not
- 1:00:56actually
- 1:00:56believe
- 1:00:57that
- 1:00:57same
- 1:00:57sex
- 1:00:58marriage
- 1:00:58is
- 1:00:59the
- 1:00:59right
- 1:00:59thing
- 1:00:59for
- 1:00:59human
- 1:01:00relationships
- 1:01:00here
- 1:01:01is
- 1:01:01a
- 1:01:01woman
- 1:01:01who
- 1:01:01says
- 1:01:02that
- 1:01:02she
- 1:01:02doesn't
- 1:01:02believe
- 1:01:03that
- 1:01:03females
- 1:01:04ought to
- 1:01:04be
- 1:01:04ordained
- 1:01:05to
- 1:01:05office
- 1:01:05in
- 1:01:05the
- 1:01:05church
- 1:01:06here
- 1:01:07is
- 1:01:07a
- 1:01:07woman
- 1:01:07who
- 1:01:08confines
- 1:01:09herself
- 1:01:09to
- 1:01:09the
- 1:01:10ethics
- 1:01:10of
- 1:01:10the
- 1:01:10Bible
- 1:01:11and
- 1:01:12you
- 1:01:12know
- 1:01:12this
- 1:01:13is
- 1:01:13then
- 1:01:13the
- 1:01:14reaction
- 1:01:14of
- 1:01:14the
- 1:01:15world
- 1:01:15of
- 1:01:16most
- 1:01:16of
- 1:01:16the
- 1:01:16world
- 1:01:16the
- 1:01:17reaction
- 1:01:17is
- 1:01:17well
- 1:01:18that
- 1:01:19person
- 1:01:20isn't
- 1:01:20fit
- 1:01:20to
- 1:01:21lead
- 1:01:21a
- 1:01:21nation
- 1:01:21if
- 1:01:22she
- 1:01:22doesn't
- 1:01:23accept
- 1:01:23every
- 1:01:24point
- 1:01:24of
- 1:01:24view
- 1:01:24of
- 1:01:25equal
- 1:01:25validity
- 1:01:30ignorance
- 1:01:31that's
- 1:01:32tyranny
- 1:01:32if I
- 1:01:34have
- 1:01:35every
- 1:01:35single
- 1:01:35view
- 1:01:36set
- 1:01:36before
- 1:01:36me
- 1:01:36that
- 1:01:36people
- 1:01:37think
- 1:01:37and
- 1:01:38if
- 1:01:38I'm
- 1:01:38told
- 1:01:38you
- 1:01:39know
- 1:01:39the
- 1:01:39only
- 1:01:39way
- 1:01:40that
- 1:01:40we
- 1:01:40can
- 1:01:40accept
- 1:01:40you
- 1:01:41as
- 1:01:41a
- 1:01:42leader
- 1:01:42in
- 1:01:42political
- 1:01:43life
- 1:01:43is
- 1:01:44if
- 1:01:44you
- 1:01:44say
- 1:01:44of
- 1:01:44all
- 1:01:45of
- 1:01:45these
- 1:01:45views
- 1:01:46whether
- 1:01:46it's
- 1:01:46on
- 1:01:47marriage
- 1:01:47or
- 1:01:48human
- 1:01:48relationship
- 1:01:48or
- 1:01:49whatever
- 1:01:49if
- 1:01:50you
- 1:01:50actually
- 1:01:50come
- 1:01:51to
- 1:01:51say
- 1:01:51I
- 1:01:52accept
- 1:01:52that
- 1:01:52they
- 1:01:53are
- 1:01:53all
- 1:01:53equally
- 1:01:54valid
- 1:01:54that's
- 1:01:56tyranny
- 1:01:56that's
- 1:01:57not
- 1:01:58liberty
- 1:01:58of
- 1:01:58conscience
- 1:01:59that's
- 1:02:01not
- 1:02:01freedom
- 1:02:01at
- 1:02:02all
- 1:02:02I'm
- 1:02:07reading
- 1:02:07through
- 1:02:07a book
- 1:02:08just
- 1:02:08now
- 1:02:08which
- 1:02:08by
- 1:02:10Don
- 1:02:10Carson
- 1:02:11has
- 1:02:12the
- 1:02:12interesting
- 1:02:13title
- 1:02:14of
- 1:02:14the
- 1:02:14intolerance
- 1:02:15of
- 1:02:16tolerance
- 1:02:17and
- 1:02:18this
- 1:02:18is
- 1:02:18really
- 1:02:19where
- 1:02:20I
- 1:02:20found
- 1:02:20that
- 1:02:20definition
- 1:02:21or
- 1:02:21rather
- 1:02:21this
- 1:02:23kind
- 1:02:23of
- 1:02:23idea
- 1:02:24that
- 1:02:24tolerance
- 1:02:24has
- 1:02:25changed
- 1:02:25in
- 1:02:25meaning
- 1:02:26from
- 1:02:26the
- 1:02:26way
- 1:02:27that
- 1:02:27it
- 1:02:27used
- 1:02:27to
- 1:02:27be
- 1:02:27in
- 1:02:27the
- 1:02:28older
- 1:02:28days
- 1:02:28and
- 1:02:29Carson
- 1:02:30writes
- 1:02:30about
- 1:02:32one
- 1:02:32of
- 1:02:33the
- 1:02:33most
- 1:02:33central
- 1:02:34myths
- 1:02:35of
- 1:02:35our
- 1:02:35time
- 1:02:36and
- 1:02:37he
- 1:02:37explains
- 1:02:37that
- 1:02:38he
- 1:02:38says
- 1:02:38according
- 1:02:39to
- 1:02:39this
- 1:02:39myth
- 1:02:40a
- 1:02:41society
- 1:02:41is
- 1:02:42likely
- 1:02:42to
- 1:02:42be
- 1:02:42most
- 1:02:43tolerant
- 1:02:43if
- 1:02:44it
- 1:02:44holds
- 1:02:45to
- 1:02:45flexible
- 1:02:46non
- 1:02:47dogmatic
- 1:02:47notions
- 1:02:48of
- 1:02:48truth
- 1:02:49conversely
- 1:02:50a
- 1:02:51society
- 1:02:51is
- 1:02:52likely
- 1:02:52to
- 1:02:52be
- 1:02:53most
- 1:02:53intolerant
- 1:02:54this
- 1:02:54is
- 1:02:54a
- 1:02:55myth
- 1:02:55he
- 1:02:55say
- 1:02:55one
- 1:02:56of
- 1:02:57the
- 1:02:57central
- 1:02:57myths
- 1:02:57of
- 1:02:58our
- 1:02:58time
- 1:02:58conversely
- 1:02:59he says
- 1:02:59society
- 1:03:00is likely
- 1:03:01to be
- 1:03:02most
- 1:03:02intolerant
- 1:03:03when it
- 1:03:04holds to
- 1:03:04absolute
- 1:03:05truths
- 1:03:06such as
- 1:03:07the bible
- 1:03:07which is
- 1:03:08absolute
- 1:03:08truth
- 1:03:08truths that
- 1:03:09are inflexible
- 1:03:10and unbending
- 1:03:11but he says
- 1:03:12the reality
- 1:03:13of the
- 1:03:13situation
- 1:03:14is just
- 1:03:14the opposite
- 1:03:15of what
- 1:03:16we have
- 1:03:16been led
- 1:03:17to believe
- 1:03:18put simply
- 1:03:19tyranny
- 1:03:20is not
- 1:03:21the inevitable
- 1:03:22outcome
- 1:03:23of an
- 1:03:23absolutist
- 1:03:24view of
- 1:03:25truth
- 1:03:25but is
- 1:03:27rather
- 1:03:27the product
- 1:03:28of
- 1:03:29relativism
- 1:03:30although
- 1:03:31views
- 1:03:32count
- 1:03:32the same
- 1:03:33likewise
- 1:03:34tolerance
- 1:03:36arises
- 1:03:36not
- 1:03:37from
- 1:03:37relativism
- 1:03:38but from
- 1:03:39the very
- 1:03:40thing that
- 1:03:41our society
- 1:03:42anathematizes
- 1:03:43the belief
- 1:03:45in
- 1:03:46absolutes
- 1:03:47the belief
- 1:03:49in
- 1:03:50absolutes
- 1:03:50God
- 1:03:51God's
- 1:03:52truth
- 1:03:52God's
- 1:03:53law
- 1:03:53word
- 1:03:54the
- 1:03:55old
- 1:03:56tolerance
- 1:03:56he goes
- 1:03:57on to
- 1:03:57say
- 1:03:57is the
- 1:03:58willingness
- 1:03:59to put
- 1:04:00up with
- 1:04:00to allow
- 1:04:01and to
- 1:04:02endure
- 1:04:03people
- 1:04:03with ideas
- 1:04:04and ideas
- 1:04:05with whom
- 1:04:06we disagree
- 1:04:07the new
- 1:04:08tolerance
- 1:04:09is the
- 1:04:10social
- 1:04:10commitment
- 1:04:11to treat
- 1:04:12all ideas
- 1:04:13and people
- 1:04:15as equally
- 1:04:15right
- 1:04:16except for
- 1:04:18those who
- 1:04:18disagree
- 1:04:19with this
- 1:04:20view of
- 1:04:21tolerance
- 1:04:21and that's
- 1:04:24the world
- 1:04:24that Kate
- 1:04:26Forbes is
- 1:04:26facing
- 1:04:27that's the
- 1:04:28world in
- 1:04:29which she
- 1:04:29has to
- 1:04:29present
- 1:04:30consistency
- 1:04:30to absolute
- 1:04:32truth
- 1:04:32that's why
- 1:04:34she needs
- 1:04:34our prayers
- 1:04:36our support
- 1:04:37our ongoing
- 1:04:38encouragement
- 1:04:39of it
- 1:04:39whatever the
- 1:04:40outcome
- 1:04:40of the
- 1:04:41election
- 1:04:41is
- 1:04:41she's in
- 1:04:42the public
- 1:04:43domain
- 1:04:43public view
- 1:04:44and public
- 1:04:46target
- 1:04:47now
- 1:04:47and will
- 1:04:48be
- 1:04:48from
- 1:04:48now
- 1:04:49on
- 1:04:49but let's
- 1:04:52not fool
- 1:04:53ourselves
- 1:04:53time has
- 1:04:56passed
- 1:04:56I'm going
- 1:04:57to finish
- 1:04:57with this
- 1:04:58my
- 1:04:59Kai
- 1:05:00I knew
- 1:05:00one thing
- 1:05:01that Ahab
- 1:05:02didn't
- 1:05:03and you know
- 1:05:04it makes
- 1:05:05all the
- 1:05:05difference
- 1:05:05in the
- 1:05:06world
- 1:05:06to a
- 1:05:06human
- 1:05:07being
- 1:05:07and it's
- 1:05:08this
- 1:05:09my
- 1:05:10Kai
- 1:05:10I knew
- 1:05:11that
- 1:05:11whatever
- 1:05:12outcomes
- 1:05:12may be
- 1:05:13in
- 1:05:14anyone's
- 1:05:14life
- 1:05:14or in
- 1:05:15anyone's
- 1:05:16progress
- 1:05:16in life
- 1:05:17God
- 1:05:19is in
- 1:05:20charge
- 1:05:20and if
- 1:05:22God
- 1:05:22has
- 1:05:23actually
- 1:05:24determined
- 1:05:24something
- 1:05:25if God
- 1:05:25has
- 1:05:26purposed
- 1:05:26something
- 1:05:26to come
- 1:05:27to pass
- 1:05:27that
- 1:05:28will
- 1:05:28come
- 1:05:29to pass
- 1:05:29whatever
- 1:05:30attempts
- 1:05:30are made
- 1:05:31against it
- 1:05:31and if
- 1:05:32God
- 1:05:32has
- 1:05:33determined
- 1:05:33or
- 1:05:34purposed
- 1:05:34or willed
- 1:05:35something
- 1:05:36will not
- 1:05:36come to
- 1:05:37pass
- 1:05:37whatever
- 1:05:38attempts
- 1:05:38are made
- 1:05:39to bring
- 1:05:39it to
- 1:05:39pass
- 1:05:39they
- 1:05:40will
- 1:05:40fail
- 1:05:41my
- 1:05:42Kai
- 1:05:42I knew
- 1:05:43that
- 1:05:43Kate Forbes
- 1:05:44knows
- 1:05:44that
- 1:05:45she's
- 1:05:46committed
- 1:05:46to the
- 1:05:47God
- 1:05:48who is
- 1:05:48governor
- 1:05:49over all
- 1:05:49things
- 1:05:50in all
- 1:05:51of human
- 1:05:52life
- 1:05:52and so
- 1:05:54must we
- 1:05:54be
- 1:05:55and we
- 1:05:56must not
- 1:05:57forget
- 1:05:57that what
- 1:05:59really
- 1:05:59lies behind
- 1:06:01all of
- 1:06:02this very
- 1:06:02much is
- 1:06:02similar to
- 1:06:04indeed what
- 1:06:05the Lord
- 1:06:05prayed in
- 1:06:06his prayer
- 1:06:07in the
- 1:06:08upper
- 1:06:08Roman
- 1:06:08John
- 1:06:0817
- 1:06:09and this
- 1:06:12is what
- 1:06:12the Lord
- 1:06:12said
- 1:06:13and this
- 1:06:13is what
- 1:06:13really
- 1:06:13in many
- 1:06:15ways a
- 1:06:15key to
- 1:06:16it all
- 1:06:16to what
- 1:06:17you're
- 1:06:18seeing
- 1:06:18happening
- 1:06:18at the
- 1:06:19present
- 1:06:19time
- 1:06:19and indeed
- 1:06:20a key
- 1:06:20to similar
- 1:06:21things down
- 1:06:22through the
- 1:06:22ages
- 1:06:22well here
- 1:06:24is what
- 1:06:24the Lord
- 1:06:25said in
- 1:06:25John 17
- 1:06:26and at
- 1:06:27verse 14
- 1:06:28I have
- 1:06:30given them
- 1:06:31your word
- 1:06:32and the
- 1:06:33world has
- 1:06:34hated them
- 1:06:34because they
- 1:06:35are not of
- 1:06:36the world
- 1:06:36just as I
- 1:06:37am not of
- 1:06:37the world
- 1:06:38I do not
- 1:06:40ask that you
- 1:06:40take them
- 1:06:41out of the
- 1:06:41world
- 1:06:42but that you
- 1:06:43keep them
- 1:06:44from the
- 1:06:45evil one
- 1:06:46they are not
- 1:06:47of the world
- 1:06:47just as I
- 1:06:49am not of
- 1:06:49the world
- 1:06:50sanctify them
- 1:06:51in the
- 1:06:52truth
- 1:06:52your word
- 1:06:54is
- 1:06:55truth
- 1:06:56I have
- 1:06:59given them
- 1:06:59your word
- 1:07:00therefore the
- 1:07:03world hates
- 1:07:04them
- 1:07:04because they
- 1:07:06are not of
- 1:07:06the world
- 1:07:07just as I
- 1:07:08am not of
- 1:07:09the world
- 1:07:09and the
- 1:07:10interesting and
- 1:07:11important thing
- 1:07:11is when the
- 1:07:12Lord went
- 1:07:12on in his
- 1:07:13prayer
- 1:07:13he didn't
- 1:07:14ask that the
- 1:07:15Lord would
- 1:07:16take them
- 1:07:16out in fact
- 1:07:16he specifically
- 1:07:17said I do
- 1:07:18not pray that
- 1:07:19you would
- 1:07:19take them
- 1:07:20out of the
- 1:07:20world
- 1:07:20why did he
- 1:07:21pray that
- 1:07:21he would
- 1:07:22not take
- 1:07:22them out
- 1:07:22of the
- 1:07:23world
- 1:07:23should that
- 1:07:23be easier
- 1:07:24for them
- 1:07:24yes of
- 1:07:24course it
- 1:07:25would
- 1:07:25but they
- 1:07:26are his
- 1:07:26lights
- 1:07:26in the
- 1:07:27world
- 1:07:27they are
- 1:07:28the
- 1:07:28conscience
- 1:07:28of the
- 1:07:29world
- 1:07:29and the
- 1:07:31Lord is
- 1:07:31not going
- 1:07:31to remove
- 1:07:32the conscience
- 1:07:33of the
- 1:07:33world
- 1:07:33just because
- 1:07:34it's being
- 1:07:34attacked
- 1:07:35I don't
- 1:07:37pray I
- 1:07:37pray that
- 1:07:38you would
- 1:07:38don't pray
- 1:07:39that you
- 1:07:39would take
- 1:07:39them out
- 1:07:40of the
- 1:07:40world
- 1:07:40but that
- 1:07:41you would
- 1:07:42keep
- 1:07:42them
- 1:07:42from the
- 1:07:43evil
- 1:07:44one
- 1:07:44that you
- 1:07:44would
- 1:07:45shield
- 1:07:45them
- 1:07:45and guard
- 1:07:46them
- 1:07:47against
- 1:07:48the evil
- 1:07:49that faces
- 1:07:50them
- 1:07:50that's our
- 1:07:51prayer
- 1:07:52for
- 1:07:53ourselves
- 1:07:53that's our
- 1:07:54prayer for
- 1:07:55Kate
- 1:07:55that's our
- 1:07:56prayer for
- 1:07:57all who
- 1:07:57stand publicly
- 1:07:58and seek to
- 1:08:00be true to
- 1:08:01God
- 1:08:01and that's what
- 1:08:03this passage
- 1:08:04itself is
- 1:08:05setting out
- 1:08:06if you want a
- 1:08:07heading for our
- 1:08:08study this
- 1:08:08evening
- 1:08:08it's what I've
- 1:08:10given you
- 1:08:10on the
- 1:08:11bulletin sheet
- 1:08:12hated
- 1:08:13for speaking
- 1:08:14the truth
- 1:08:16may God bless
- 1:08:17these thoughts
- 1:08:18on his word
- 1:08:19to us
- 1:08:20we'll now
- 1:08:21conclude by
- 1:08:22singing
- 1:08:22from Psalm
- 1:08:2325
- 1:08:24Psalm 25
- 1:08:27that's on
- 1:08:27page 30
- 1:08:29the tune
- 1:08:30this time
- 1:08:30is Finart
- 1:08:31singing
- 1:08:33from verse
- 1:08:3416 to the
- 1:08:35end of the
- 1:08:35psalm
- 1:08:36turn to me
- 1:08:40Lord
- 1:08:40show me
- 1:08:41your grace
- 1:08:41I suffer
- 1:08:42pain and
- 1:08:43loneliness
- 1:08:43the troubles
- 1:08:44of my heart
- 1:08:45have grown
- 1:08:46deliver me
- 1:08:47from my
- 1:08:48distress
- 1:08:48look on my
- 1:08:49pain and
- 1:08:49suffering
- 1:08:50forgive all
- 1:08:51my iniquity
- 1:08:52see how my
- 1:08:53foes have
- 1:08:54multiplied
- 1:08:55how fierce
- 1:08:56their hatred
- 1:08:57is for me
- 1:08:58and so on
- 1:08:59to the end
- 1:08:59of the psalm
- 1:09:00to God's
- 1:09:00praise
- 1:09:01turn to
- 1:09:07me
- 1:09:08Lord
- 1:09:10show me
- 1:09:11your grace
- 1:09:14I suffer
- 1:09:16I suffer
- 1:09:17pain and
- 1:09:20lonely
- 1:09:21care
- 1:09:23that
- 1:09:25all
- 1:09:26my
- 1:09:29heart
- 1:09:30have grown
- 1:09:32deliver me
- 1:09:37from my
- 1:09:39distress
- 1:09:40rest
- 1:09:42look on
- 1:09:45my
- 1:09:46pain
- 1:09:47and
- 1:09:48suffering
- 1:09:50forgive
- 1:09:52all
- 1:09:54my
- 1:09:56iniquity
- 1:09:59see how
- 1:10:03thy
- 1:10:04holds
- 1:10:05the
- 1:10:06mountain
- 1:10:07defied
- 1:10:10how fierce
- 1:10:12their hatred
- 1:10:14is for me
- 1:10:19O God
- 1:10:22my life
- 1:10:24and rescue
- 1:10:26thee
- 1:10:28and let
- 1:10:31me not
- 1:10:33be good
- 1:10:35to share
- 1:10:37for thy
- 1:10:40take refuge
- 1:10:42in you
- 1:10:45Lord
- 1:10:46from those
- 1:10:49who
- 1:10:50destroy
- 1:10:52my name
- 1:10:56because
- 1:10:58I hope
- 1:11:01in you
- 1:11:03alone
- 1:11:05let
- 1:11:06our
- 1:11:08right
- 1:11:08best
- 1:11:10protect
- 1:11:11me
- 1:11:13still
- 1:11:14from
- 1:11:15all
- 1:11:17their
- 1:11:18troubles
- 1:11:19of
- 1:11:20thy
- 1:11:22God
- 1:11:23redeem
- 1:11:25your
- 1:11:26people
- 1:11:28Israel
- 1:11:30I'll go
- 1:11:34to the
- 1:11:34main door
- 1:11:34after the
- 1:11:35benediction
- 1:11:35now may
- 1:11:36grace
- 1:11:37mercy
- 1:11:38and peace
- 1:11:38from God
- 1:11:39the Father
- 1:11:40the Son
- 1:11:40and the Holy
- 1:11:41Spirit
- 1:11:41be with us
- 1:11:42now and
- 1:11:43evermore
- 1:11:44Amen
- 1:12:00amen
- 1:12:02and
- 1:12:02to
- 1:12:04my
- 1:12:05love
- 1:12:14you
- 1:12:15you