Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / Day 2: Contextual Reading of the Bible (Part 2)

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Day 2: Contextual Reading of the Bible (Part 2) · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. the issue of historical and cultural
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contexts. We said that God utilizes history and
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culture to communicate His Word. Are we together?
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So when you want to understand the background,
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the historical background, of that text, and
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which whatever I'm going to do here, the next
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step we're going to do especially is to take
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each some of the problems that has been perpetuated
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in the world through using the Bible, and what
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we will do is that we will apply all these contexts
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we have been talking about. Are we together?
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And then, So we're going to do a lot of interpretation
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together. The idea is for us to understand how
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we can go about applying all this. But you can
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ask some few questions to be able to know the
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cultural or the historical context of a text.
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When was this written is very important because
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when you ask when it will tell you the time.
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That is a historical fact. So it helps you to
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travel back in the sun. You're not trying to
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do and Moses cross a river. And then you say,
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I pray that you will cross a river. You understand
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what I'm saying? Because where you are staying,
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there's no river here. So that's not how to go
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about it. So you want to ask when was this written?
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Because it helps you to travel back in history
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to understand the times, what was happening at
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that moment. You want to also ask the question,
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who were the original or who was the original
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audience? Who was the originality? Man of God
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was teaching us. You make some very sensitive
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statement that you have to truly travel back
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in history to understand it. When he was talking
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about that God using Israel, in the sun to reveal,
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so we have to understand them. Even though you
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can say Israel, Israel, all of us, it was with
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Abraham, but Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
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Deuteronomy, the one you are saying before them,
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it was written to them. Did you understand what
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I'm trying to say? So that means to understand,
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in fact, when he was talking, my mind just moved
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to Romans chapter 3, Romans chapter 9, that talks
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about that they are the custodians of the revelations
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of God. Are we together? To them is the Christ,
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to them is the oracles of God, to them is the
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law, to them is salvation. Are we together? Yes.
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Glory to Jesus. So, and what is the political
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climate? You know, sometimes we don't like to
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talk politics, but you see, it is in a real world.
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When those people existed, some people were on
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the throne. Was he a monarchy? Was he kings?
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What is whatever? Georgies? Whatever. I mean,
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what are actually the things that are happening
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then? It will help us now go back to see who
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was on the throne. Was he during peacetime? Was
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he during war? Was he during whatever? And all
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those kind of information are important. Don't
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be in a haste. You see, there is no award in
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just quoting scriptures anyhow. in the sun. It's
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not a competition. Do you understand what I'm
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saying? You are in God. This is your dwelling
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place. You are not going anywhere. Are we together?
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So you are not competing with anyone. You can
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stay in one scripture for one year, no problem.
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Do you understand what I'm saying? Yes. You just
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go here, ensure you are studying. Amen. Are we
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together? Amen. So this is very important. And
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then we looked at, we picked an example of Romans
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chapter 12. We saw how the application, how power
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will pull from history, you understand, from
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culture to communicate revelation. So if you
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don't understand the meaning of that, expression
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or that thing that he was communicating, you
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will miss the wheel. You will go out of context.
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Are we together? You will go out of context.
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So together we're just trying to say that when
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we saw when Paul used that issue of burning coal,
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so it was a visible sign of public remorse for
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somebody to show, you understand, that I am sorry.
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I regret what I just did. So it will carry coal,
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understand, on a clay pot and just be moving
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around the street. When you see him, you know
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the ha -ha -ha, you understand? That's the communication.
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Are we together? Yes. So that was what he was
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saying. So Paul was speaking and saying that
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when you respond to evil with a radical unexpected
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kindness because somebody that would do something
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to you will do evil to you is expecting you to
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do evil to the person. Do you want something?
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If you look at what Paul is saying here is what
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exactly Jesus was saying in Matthew chapter 5.
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Read from verse 38 to 44. You see that's exactly
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what Jesus is saying. How do you treat your enemies?
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You understand? He said love them, pray for them.
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You understand? so that you imitate your father
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in heaven that's exactly so but paul is using
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a culture here you understand to communicate
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that and he said that when you because your enemy
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will not expect that you expect you to react
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then you you give him the opposite definitely
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to be an unexpected kindness what you are doing
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you are not crossing the enemy in the sun what
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you are doing you are breaking the defenses of
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the enemy And what you are doing is that once
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you are breaking his defenses, you are inducing
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a psychological warmth of conviction that will
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melt the hardened heart into a deep remorseful
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self -reflection and repentance. So what is a
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historical and cultural fact is that the burning
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cause are not literal punishment. That's a historical
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fact. The historical fact and the cultural fact
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there is that the burning coals are not literal
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punishment. They represent a fiery warmth of
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conviction that melts the enemies hadn't had
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into repentance and peace. So this indicates
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that God speaks through real history and culture.
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Let me repeat again. God speaks through history
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and culture. God speaks through history and culture.
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Please note that. God speaks through history
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and culture. Very important. So the Bible is
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properly interpreted when we take time to understand
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the culture of the ancient world in which the
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Bible was written. So understanding contains
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what sounds like a crude punishment. To tell
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somebody just carry coal or fire, it sounds at
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the beginning, to us in the modern time, that
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car, that is a crude thing to do. Imagine when
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I ask you to carry fire, do you understand? But
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you see, you can now turn that thing that seems
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to, if you look at it beautifully in its context,
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that it is a beautiful, in fact I'll call it
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a master class on Christ -like peacemaking. Do
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you understand what I'm saying? Yes, that's how
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to make peace. Don't begin to say, if I'm not
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a Christian. Now, stop those life, you know.
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Why? You have left that life and you are cherishing
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the life again, that life you have left. See,
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if I'm not a Christian, you would have seen my
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other face. Brother, you don't have any face.
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At least you're not two -faced. Hallelujah. So
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on the cross, we see this, Jesus actually doing
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that. I mean, we've seen it in Jesus to his executioners.
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What did he say? Father forgive what? Forgive
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them. You gotta imagine this is kind of the thing.
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Imagine you are innocent. And people who label
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something upon you, and they want to punish you.
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Go, you know, in our generation, we say, go and
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punish your generation upon generation. Do you
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understand what I'm saying? But now you say,
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Father, forgive them. They do not know what they
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are doing. Are we together? You see, remember
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there are many people that were standing there.
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There were his disciples that were standing close
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by. There were centurions. They were Roman soldiers
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who were part of it. Look at it. The Bible recorded
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one man in the Sabbath. Give me Mark 15. The
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Bible recorded a centurion who was standing by.
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When Jesus was saying all those things on the
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cross, Father forgive them. And then he said
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those words of the Psalmist. Because he said
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a lot of things on the cross When the centurion
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saw that look at his response Who crucified you
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as a Romans were there because crucification
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is a Roman punishment They are the only people
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who have the legal rights to do so Are we together
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so? But we can say part of his own those who
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came to execute him when they saw the things
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what he was saying on the cross Look at what
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it I Say 15 verse 39 15 39 So when the Centurion
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who stood opposite him Saw that he cried out
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like this and break his last. What did he say?
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What did he see truly this man? was a son of
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God. Will your response make somebody to see
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the revelation of God? Because that's what Paul
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is saying. That when your enemy is thirsty, give
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him a drink. When he's hungry, feed him. It might
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not be literal but that's figurative he's saying.
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But in doing so what will you do? He said you
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will heap up. What he's saying that what you
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are doing is that you will melt, you will break
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the defenses of the enemy. And in doing so you
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will reveal something. Are we together? Are we
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together? It's the same thing Peter was saying
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also to the woman whose husband have not obeyed
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the word. In 1st Peter 3, he said when he sees
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your chest and your conduct, what will he do?
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He will be convicted by it. Hallelujah. This
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is God's pattern. How many scriptures have I
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quoted? I quoted from Peter. I quoted from Jesus.
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We Jesus demonstrated it by himself. Are we together?
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That is the way to treat your enemies This is
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the way of light We're coming to it because some
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of the scripture that have been used to torment
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people in life so far not the which to live We're
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coming to it in a son. These are the scripture
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because when you pull a text out of context You
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become like the devil You partake from his ministry
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You understand No, I don't want to be part of
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the ministry of Satan The ministry of people
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who twist the world whether knowingly or knowingly
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I Want to be part of those I don't want to be
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part of the ministry of the Pharisee I Want to
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be part of the ministry of Jesus because I am
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in him we have a ministry the ministry is hinged
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upon the right interpretation because in the
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accurate interpretation is the will of God revealed
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the will of God is revealed in right interpretation
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hallelujah we saw that in Stephen as well Stephen
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demonstrated exactly what Jesus did the same
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thing father forgive them And the hardened criminal,
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the one who later on, who writes, plus his companions,
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who write almost the majority of the New Testament,
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was there standing, seeing what was happening.
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He was supporting them, grabbing their clothes.
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He said, kill him. In fact, he himself later
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admitted, I was there. I was consenting to what
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was happening. Later he started moving, killing
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them, killing believers, moving here and there.
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You understand? Jesus would meet him and say,
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it is hard to kick against the God. You know
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God is a piercing this, you know what it means,
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is a piercing object like that, a structure.
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You know when you kick something that has sharp
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things, will it feel good? What he's trying to
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say is that what Paul was doing, by attacking
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believers was already against his conscience.
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Are you with me? Because that means something
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has happened although he was consenting to Stephen
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killing already. Do you know what the Bible says
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that they saw? You understand? The reason why
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they even killed Stephen was because Stephen
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now raised his head and now saw something and
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heavens was open. You understand? And he told
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them what he saw. They were angry. Did you understand
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see they now stood him all their soul of tussles
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was there He was saying what type of a people
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is this He couldn't understand but he was still
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going to attack them yet something is happening
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within him Until he was struck on the way Have
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you ever imagined why will they say? You know
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the question he asked, who are you Lord? I mean
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imagine somebody who has no idea I mean no definitely
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you know that this man have an idea the person.
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Who are you Lord? That's not the first time he
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has his conscience has been hitting him. So what
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you are doing is that you are you are evangelism
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also. You understand? is a totality. We preach
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fundamentally, but our attitude must also align
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to what we preach. Are we together? Yes. It has
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to align what we preach. Now the next one, the
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next context, next context is geographic or geographical
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context. How many have we discussed now? Canonical?
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immediate context literally right historical
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and cultural context non geographical context
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geographical context understanding geographical
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context of the Bible is an essential key to unlocking
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true meaning of text so we're trying to say that
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You have to pay attention to where things are
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happening Pastor if I started touching us or
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Helping us to understand the importance of why
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Jesus would tell his disciples go to Jerusalem
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and wait Did you want to something why do you
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say go to Samaria? He was particular go to Jerusalem
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We learn that so geography is important Things
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don't just happen Jesus don't just go anywhere
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The first thing you understand about geography
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is that that it proves the Bible is rooted in
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history It proves that the Bible is rooted in
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history, meaning that it's not a fairy tale.
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It's not abstract. You can verify all these things.
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They are not names of celestial bodies. They
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are not aeons and geographical location on the
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space. They are real places. That happened. Are
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we together? They are real places, no? I had
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the privilege to go to some of these places.
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Even though I don't like the way some people
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were doing with the tin, because they idolize
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those places, they understand. But it's good
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when you have the opportunity to visit some of
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those places. Tango, we are in a place also.
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Let's open to actor tin. We're in Cyprus, actor
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tin. Glory to Jesus. Want you to look at verse,
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verse 3, then having fasted and prayed and laid
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hands on them, they sent them away. So being
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sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to
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what? Seleucia. And from there they sailed to
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where? They were a Cyprus, a name of a celestial
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body. Eh? It's a geographical location. We know
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it. Today we are in it. We are here. Huh? And
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when, verse five, and when they arrive in where?
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Salamis. Many of us have gone to Salamis several
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times. Is that correct? Yes. We saw the theater.
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We saw where Paul was preaching. We saw all those
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things. Are we together? Salamis. They preached
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the word of God in synagogue of the Jewish. They
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also had John as their assistant. What's six?
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Now, when they had gone through the island of
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Patmot, Patmot is just close here. Here. Did
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you understand what I'm trying to say? Yes. It's
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not, that's why when you read Bible, you see,
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you know, you will see, you will see, you feel
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it. These are real places. Even if you have not
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traveled to those places, at least Tango, you
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are here. Please don't leave this place. Go to
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Salamis and see the place. It will not do to
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you anything spiritual, but it will do something
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to you in understanding. It means you are reading
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something real. It's not a deception. This is
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why sometimes I laugh. How can somebody come
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after Jesus lived 700 years ago? I mean after
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Jesus lived 700 and he said Jesus didn't die.
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And that an angel told him. And then you have
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eyewitness in history. The Romans wrote about
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it. The Jews wrote about it. His own disciples
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were more than 500 which he appeared to them.
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I don't mean far away those who were with him.
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Who do you believe? Somebody who came 700 years
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later and said angel told him. Or someone who
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were with him. I mean, there are some things
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very easy to disprove. Did you understand what
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I'm saying? Are we together? So, what are we
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saying? I am saying that because this Bible is
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real, it's an evidence that God is interested
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in humanity. He's working among men. They are
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places we know. They are not abstract. So pay
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attention. So in many instances, those geography
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are in themselves a message. It's not just only
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that we know that they prove that our faith can
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be traced accurately, but themselves, the geographies
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became a message too. Now notice only that you
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know that God speaks through culture. God also
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speaks through geography. Oh Are you with me?
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Are you with me? So if you misunderstand this
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on geography, you'll miss a lot. The valleys,
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the mountains. Man of God was reading to us Malachi
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4, right? along specific rivers. Things you can
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touch, but they can communicate things. We have
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actual mountains. Mount Sinai, River Jordan,
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the Red Sea. All of them mean something. The
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Sea of Galilee. So geographic context? Prove
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the gospel is not a made -up story. You understand?
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As I told you, you cannot be able to say Jesus
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is from India. How? His name, his family, his
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everything does not speak that he has any connection
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there. Are you with me? Are you with me? Yes.
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It shows our faith is tied to read facts, not
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feebles. It supports eyewitness accounts. And
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it clarifies the intent of the original author.
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This is the reason why we are studying this geographical
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context. Because our major thought is that we
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want to understand the intent of the author.
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So in studying and reading and understanding
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geographical context, it helps you to also comprehend
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the intent of the author. The writers, with understanding
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of their original readers. They do not stop to
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explain why the journey was dangerous. But it
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also can communicate. Sometimes when you are
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reading the Bible, you don't need to be told
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that this journey is dangerous. By just observing
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the geography, it's already communicating to
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you that. Are we together? Look at this look.
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Look. This story of a Samaritan, right? Luke
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chapter 10 verse 25 Luke 10 25 He said, And behold,
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a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying,
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Teacher What shall I do to inherit eternal life?
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He said to him what is written in the law? What
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is your reading of it? So he answered and said
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you shall love the Lord and Then your God with
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all your heart with all your soul with all your
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mind and with all your what? Your strength. Let
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me just go to 30 then Jesus answered and said,
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a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
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Note that word. He went where? Down. Did he say
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up or down? Down. A certain man went down. You
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see that word down? You have to pay attention
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to certain things now. You see that word down?
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It's very important. Because by the time you
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look at the geographical location, because he
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said went down from where Jerusalem to where
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to Jericho and fell among thieves that word down
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is a description of geography it already by the
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time you you look at it in in real time i mean
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in in maybe maps you will now understand jesus
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you see the reason why he didn't mention a there
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were coughs here there were stones here there
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were these because he was not communicating to
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you Did you understand what I'm trying to say?
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He's communicating to people who are familiar
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with the terrain. So by just using the word down,
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they already understood what he was saying. But
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us today, we will need to investigate what is
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down. Was Jerusalem up? Because you have never
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gone to Jerusalem. So you can go in and say,
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okay, let me see the horizon. Was Jerusalem up
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and this and that? Or what does it mean down?
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Now you will now understand that truly the wrote
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from Jerusalem to Jericho is a horrific journey.
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In fact, I did some study and I discovered Jerusalem
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was about 700 meters, that's about 2 ,500 feet
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above sea level. And Jericho lies below, you
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understand, about 258 meters below sea level,
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which means that What is saying to say that Jerusalem
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there is more than twice you understand the height
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that's one You get what I'm trying to see yes
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So when the person is coming down and it's a
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rocky environment It's not really like a like
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a straight path You have to be dodging like this
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But you are coming down That is why robbers can
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can lock in upon some particular place so that
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when you are coming you will not see them because
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it's not a direct route mountains you have to
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you have to navigate rocks and mountains so robbers
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can thieves can block can hide somewhere and
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wait for you and they will ambush you they understood
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at the time when he said down but you and me
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by the time we go and look at it and say oh so
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that's how it is you will appreciate reading
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that text So the terrain will tell you how vulnerable
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to the man that was hit by thieves was So today
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it is important to pay attention and there are
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so many things Help me there John chapter 1 verse
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5 The Bible say Jesus went up Hmm John there's
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a one sorry five verse one five verse one he
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said after this there was a feast of the Jews
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and Jesus went up to what to Jerusalem so you
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already understand I've already given you Jerusalem
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is about 2500 feet above sea level that's about
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700 and something or something like 60 there
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about meters above syllable. Go back to John
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1 verse 28. John 1, 28. These things were done
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in what? In Betebrah. Beyond the what? The Jordan,
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where John was baptized. That's a description
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of geography. He said in Betebrah, right, or
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Bethany. Some Bible verse will say Bethany. He
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said it is across or beyond the Jordan. And that's
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actually the description. It's a real geography.
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If you go, you will see it that exactly. Where
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John was baptized, Psalms 125 verse 2. Psalms
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125 verse 2. As the mountains surround Jerusalem.
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Do mountains surround Jerusalem? Yes. Did you
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get what I'm trying to say? Yeah? Are we together?
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That's exactly. mountain surrounds Jerusalem.
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You know I was laughing when I was listening
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to one debate so if you were trying to claim
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it's one Muslim guy you want to claim that that
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is it Pharaoh I mean the mix of Pharaoh as the
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time of Jesus and Did you understand what I'm
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trying to say? Sometimes you laugh, you know
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why? Because you don't need the Bible to disprove
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this. You know why? Because this is just pure
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history. Did you understand what I'm trying to
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say? Yes, this is why the Bible is clear. It's
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real. It's not made up stories. You can verify
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it. You understand? You can verify it. So I've
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said in it that God speaks through geography
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and so this geography could also Not just only
35:15
that can give us light to understand what was
35:18
happening, but you can also you go to use it
35:21
to speak spiritual realities Egypt, Canaan, Galilee,
35:30
Mount Zion, Mount Sinai, Red Sea, River Jordan
35:33
among others are used by God to paint a picture
35:38
of spiritual realities. Let me give you some
35:43
few examples. 1 Corinthians 10. Look at 1 Corinthians
35:50
10. Look at verse 1. Moreover, brethren, I do
36:01
not want you to be unaware that all our fathers
36:06
were under the cloud, all passed through the
36:10
sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the
36:17
cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual
36:23
food, all drank the same spiritual drink, for
36:27
the drank of that spiritual rock. That followed
36:34
them and the rock was Christ's verse 5 said but
36:39
with most of them God was not pleased For their
36:46
bodies were scattered in the wilderness Are we
36:50
together? God was not pleased why because of
36:54
what Moses have preached what that means is that
36:57
the Red Sea represents Moses immersing Israel
37:02
in the teachings, in his teachings. That's what
37:06
it means. When he said they were baptized into
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Moses in the cloud and in the sea. The Red Sea,
37:14
you know what I'm saying, is a speaking, a communication
37:22
of Moses immersing these people in the teachings.
37:30
Are we together? Unfortunately, they refused
37:34
to believe. That's why he said, but with most
37:39
of them God was not what? Was not pleased. It
37:44
is impossible to please God without what? Without
37:47
faith. Hebrews 11 6. So they didn't please God
37:55
because they didn't exercise faith. and what
38:02
Moses has amassed them. Man of God was communicating.
38:06
He told them. Understand? The last part he was
38:10
saying. He told them. You see, that agreement
38:12
they agree. As if they heard Moses. No. It's
38:17
those are there too where they are finding things
38:19
difficult in Egypt. So their believing is they
38:24
are believing of their deliverance out of that
38:26
place. You understand? but not that they believe
38:30
Moses in the reality he was communicating they
38:35
just believe him in that yes we know God sent
38:37
you give us our physical deliverance let's get
38:40
out of here but they did not believe the real
38:46
thing the big picture of what God was communicating
38:50
and that's why God was not pleased with them
38:55
so you can see Red Sea The crossing of the Ressi
38:59
is a crossing of baptism and that baptism is
39:02
a mansion in the teachings of Moses The gospel
39:05
he preached them. He said the same gospel that
39:08
was preached to us was also preached to them
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Hebrews chapter 4, right verse 2 But it did not
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profit them Not being mixed with faith in them
39:21
that heard it That means they heard it. They
39:24
refused to believe it Hebrews chapter 12. Go
39:33
to Hebrews chapter 12. Look at verse 22. I'm
39:43
trying to show us that geography can be used
39:46
by God to speak spiritual realities. It can speak
39:52
revelation. So be careful as you study. Don't
39:57
neglect things. Are we together? Hallelujah.
40:03
Amen. Look at 22. He says, that but you have
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come to Mount Zion. Are we together? You see,
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before in the Old Testament he said, he said,
40:20
upon Mount Zion there shall be deliverance. Did
40:24
you hear me? You know, don't think that he's
40:26
talking about a physical place. is using a physical
40:30
mountain to speak about spiritual reality. That's
40:34
why a man that believe has come to Mount Zion.
40:37
It is in Mount Zion there is deliverance. So
40:42
God is using a physical mountain with a spiritual
40:45
communication. That Mount Zion is a church. That
40:51
Mount Zion is God's presence. That's what it
40:54
represents. Mount Zion and then he continued
41:01
the city of the living God in case you are in
41:04
doubt what he's saying the heavenly Jerusalem
41:08
what about Sinai just go some verses ahead verse
41:13
18 he said for you have not come to the mountain
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that may be touched that burn with fire and with
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blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound
41:25
of a trumpet and the voice of words so that you
41:32
who heard it bet that the word should not be
41:36
spoken to them anymore for they could not endure
41:42
what was commanded and if so as much as the beast
41:49
touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot
41:53
with an arrow." And so terrified that even Moses
41:58
himself, he said, I was exceedingly afraid and
42:04
tremble. Even the man who enlisted the angels,
42:09
when they started displaying their things in
42:12
the sun. And that's why The writer of Hebrew
42:17
was contrasting that. He said, believe us, we
42:20
have not come to that mountain, but you have
42:24
come to the mountain, which is Mount Zion. We
42:27
have not come to Mount Sinai. Are we together?
42:31
But we have come to what? Mount Zion. Amen. Are
42:34
we together? So Mount Sinai was a picture of
42:38
bondage, law and sin. Mount Zion is a picture
42:43
of what? Freedom picture of deliverance picture
42:46
of the church Geography with spiritual meaning
42:51
Look at Galatians chapter 4 Paul again made it
42:57
clear here. He made it clear more clearer here
43:02
Are we together Galatians chapter 4 verse 24
43:11
He said, which things are symbolic? Did you see
43:15
that? So they are used as expressions. For these
43:22
are the two covenants. He said, one from where?
43:26
Mount Sinai. Which is what? Which give birth
43:30
to what? Who are you with me? Are you with me?
43:34
Which give birth to bondage? Which is haga. For
43:42
this hugger is Mount Sinai in Arabia and correspond
43:46
to Jerusalem which is and is in bondage with
43:50
her children So he said that Jerusalem in the
43:56
Sun is the place of freedom He's saying that
44:02
the place of bondage is Mount Sinai Are you with
44:07
me are you with me amen So you can see how God
44:12
uses geography to communicate also revelation.
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That's why it's good for us to pay attention
44:21
to geography. Look at Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews
44:29
chapter 3. Go back to that Hebrews verse 16.
44:36
I want to show you again another one. Canon.
44:41
Are we together? Or let's start with Egypt. I
44:44
think we should start with Egypt before we go
44:46
to Canaan. Amen? Amen? Exodus chapter 13 verse
44:54
3. Exodus 13 verse 3. He said, and Moses said
45:08
to the people, remember this day in which you
45:11
went out of where? Out of where? The house of
45:17
what? Bondage. So Egypt is described as a picture
45:25
or a figure of bondage. He repeated that. Look
45:31
at chapter 20, verse 2, chapter 20. verse 2 I
45:38
am the Lord your God who brought you out of the
45:42
land of Egypt out of the house of bondage again
45:47
Egypt as a house of bondage Deuteronomy chapter
45:50
5 verse 6 Deuteronomy 5 verse 6 He said I am
46:04
the Lord your God who brought you out of the
46:07
land of Egypt out of the house of bondage out
46:11
of the house of bondage Look at how even a the
46:18
Bible describe it here in Hebrews chapter 11
46:23
When he was talking concerning Moses 11 24 Hebrews
46:29
11 verse 24 He said, by faith Moses, when he
46:36
became of age, refused to be called the sons
46:39
of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer
46:42
affliction with the people of God than to enjoy
46:46
the passing pleasure of sin, esteeming the reproach
46:49
of Christ greater riches than the treasure in
46:54
Egypt. Look at it, esteeming Christ. than the
47:00
pleasure in Egypt. This is not a physical thing
47:03
so that you don't say in Egypt. It's a spiritual
47:08
reality. You understand? For He what? Looked
47:14
to the reward. So Egypt is depicted as a place
47:21
of sin. A place of bondage. What about Canaan?
47:28
Hebrews chapter 3. Look at Hebrews chapter 3
47:31
verse 16 The promise was for them to move to
47:37
freedom Hebrews chapter 3 verse 16 for Who having
47:47
heard believed indeed was it not all who came
47:51
out of Egypt that is they came out of the house
47:54
of bondage led by Moses Now, with whom was he
48:02
angry forty years? He said, Was he not with those
48:07
who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?
48:14
And to whom did he swear that they will not enter
48:19
his rest, but to those who did not obey? we see
48:26
that they could not enter rest in because of
48:31
unbelief. We said they died in the wilderness.
48:36
So he was using a communication, you know, although
48:41
they were moving from Egypt's bondage, their
48:45
destination is the promised land, Canaan, but
48:47
they couldn't enter because of unbelief. So Canaan
48:51
is a picture of rest. When you are removed from
48:55
bondage, but they die in the wilderness Are we
49:00
together they die in the wilderness, of course,
49:04
there are other scriptures you can write it Numbers
49:07
chapter 14 verse 27 Numbers 14 27 to 34 Deuteronomy
49:16
chapter 6 verse 23 Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse
49:20
23 Let me just say this one lastly here Galilee
49:27
You see Galilee also has a spiritual meaning
49:31
Galilee Isaiah chapter Well, let me read Matthew
49:40
because Matthew quoted Isaiah chapter 1 And sorry
49:45
chapter 9 verse 1 and 2. Let me read Matthew
49:48
chapter 4 So that we can read the two texts together
49:53
Matthew chapter 4 verse 15. Matthew chapter 4
50:01
verse 15 to 16. He said the land of Zebulun and
50:08
the land of Naphtali by the way of the sea beyond
50:12
the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. He said
50:17
the people who sat in darkness have seen a great
50:21
light. and upon those who sat in the region and
50:27
shadow of the light as what? As dawn. Do you
50:33
know why when Jesus is eaten it's necessary that
50:37
Jesus will have to start his ministry in Galilee?
50:42
When he finished his resurrection he told his
50:44
disciples, tell them to go meet me in where?
50:47
In Galilee. Listen, it's a communication. something.
50:53
What Jesus is saying that, what man of God is
50:55
teaching us, is setting the stage for greater
50:58
works. Now no more among Israel you are to go
51:03
to the wall. Galilee is a doorway to the nations.
51:07
It's called Galilee of the Gentiles. What Jesus
51:10
is communicating is that now I am releasing you
51:15
to the wall. And that's why he demonstrated By
51:22
going to a physical place. It's not a mistake.
51:25
It is already a prophecy It's not just for going
51:30
sick when you read glory to God You you have
51:35
to be very careful some words In the Sun when
51:40
the when Jesus was to pass through, you know,
51:42
normally when you are moving when you are going
51:45
to a Jerusalem you have to pass through Samaria
51:51
Many don't want to pass through that because
51:53
of the discrimination. But the Bible says, but
51:58
Jesus hurt. Meaning that it became necessary
52:04
that you will have to pass through Samaria. The
52:11
reason is because there is an appointment. in
52:15
the Sun spiritually because Jesus Christ is doing
52:18
things deliberately to break certain things so
52:21
every movement you move it might look geographical
52:24
but it's not it's communicating something so
52:30
if you miss this reading as you go you think
52:34
you have to see thou says the Lord thou says
52:37
the Lord you're going to miss a lot of things
52:39
that's why you have to pay attention Are we together?
52:52
So geography will turn what sometimes may be
52:57
spiritual, that is locked up to be unveiled.
53:09
You will see that from what we have already studied.
53:13
You see, geography is explaining spiritual concept.
53:18
Unbelief, salvation, deliverance. Are we together?
53:22
Did you see that? That once you mention a place,
53:25
it already communicates something. Are we together?
53:28
That is exactly. So, bringing map into your Bible
53:37
study changes words. from just flat black ink
53:44
on white pages into vibrant three -dimensional
53:49
world where God's voice speaks with clarity.
53:55
So I want to encourage you, don't neglect geography
53:58
in your Bible study. Are we together? Don't do
54:02
what? Don't neglect geography. When you are reading,
54:06
you find a place, just say something, something,
54:08
something. Don't just pass anyhow. can you pull
54:11
a map and just try to because what you are doing
54:15
is that you are trying to travel back and sit
54:19
where the audience sat because you are not there
54:21
so sometimes you will have to pull the map because
54:24
when Jesus or when the apostles were communicating
54:27
they were communicating to audience who already
54:29
are familiar with the terrain so when they speak
54:34
small things like for example down they already
54:37
know what they are saying but you we don't know
54:39
because when you say down down how so you have
54:42
to pull them up and begin to look at it then
54:45
you now understand are we together amen hallelujah
54:52
okay let me give one more supernatural context
54:56
i'm going to discuss this maybe probably in a
54:59
separate video but let me give an introduction
55:01
the bible also have supernatural context Not
55:06
just only on the material. You see that's the
55:08
reason why we have to communicate in this way.
55:12
It has supernatural context. Understanding the
55:17
Bible also requires grasping the supernatural
55:20
context. A worldview. So supernatural context
55:25
means a worldview where the physical and the
55:29
spiritual realm are constantly interacting. Meaning
55:33
that The writer's worldview in those days is
55:38
not the same with our worldview today. Even though
55:43
we need to improve. Because the world has not
55:47
changed. Do you understand what I'm saying? The
55:50
world has not what? Has not changed. No, I think
55:55
Pasukosi used to emphasize that in the sun. Don't
55:59
think that everything is normal. Yeah, when you
56:04
watch what is happening around the world in the
56:07
sun, don't be too naive To think that is just
56:11
normal Hmm that men just do it that they that
56:16
way Monogathe just read a scripture Ephesians
56:19
chapter 2 the spirit who is at work in where
56:23
in the children of disobedient So don't see a
56:28
man hiding in his ways and think it's a normal
56:30
thing Did you get what I'm trying to say? Yes.
56:38
Hallelujah. So without this framework of understanding
56:44
the supernatural context, strictly literal or
56:51
modern scientific reading can miss the intended
56:57
spiritual and doctrinal meaning. When we read
57:03
the Bible like a cast -iron Literal strictly
57:08
scientific When I see day I Think as day today.
57:15
You are going to miss a lot of if I see moon
57:19
I'd always think as we think today. You're going
57:22
to miss something Meaning that is that's why
57:27
we said when you come to the Bible is not a free
57:30
flat thing You can read moon and star, literal,
57:35
in other places. That one is a tool. But you
57:39
cannot take how you read Genesis. That's how
57:42
you read First Kings and Second Kings. That's
57:45
how you read Ecclesiastes. That's how you go
57:48
to read the Epistos. How about now? The same
57:51
way. Just flat. You're going to miss a lot. Because
57:56
today we have believers who wants to always have
58:00
a short cut you know we like uh sharp sharp things
58:03
now you understand indo me you know i've been
58:06
trying to stop some people staying indo me understand
58:08
but the point is that because we like sharp sharp
58:11
things something that we just get is sharp fast
58:17
food fast fast fast things are we together but
58:22
please calm down this bible the implication of
58:32
taking it out of context is too high. Understand?
58:37
And that's why you have to calm down. Please,
58:41
be patient. Be patient. Don't be in a rush. Don't
58:52
be in a rush. Calm down. We live in a modern
58:57
world. Today is a material world. It's a scientific
59:02
world. Where we see universe through microscope,
59:06
through telescope, through law of physics. That's
59:09
how we see the world mostly. But when you come
59:16
to the Bible, the writers live in a different
59:19
world than ours. In a worldview, we are the physical
59:23
and the spiritual. Remember that's why we take
59:30
time for some of us who have been here when I
59:31
was dealing with the issue of the law in our
59:34
series about the issues about women liberty.
59:37
You must have seen that we discuss how these
59:39
people their view about angels. Did you understand
59:42
what I'm trying to say? Their view about spirit
59:44
beings. That's the issue. And this is important.
59:50
To them they see the unseen world, not just us.
59:53
as something different. They see the unseen world
59:57
as real as the seen. Are we together? Look at
1:00:06
Revelation 9. Revelation what? 9 verse 1. Revelation
1:00:15
9. Then the fifth angels sounded and I saw a
1:00:26
star falling from heaven to the earth. To him
1:00:32
was given the key to the bottomless pit. That
1:00:37
is the star was given a key. Are we together?
1:00:48
I mean if you just read in the adults with scientific
1:00:52
means you will likely see like this is a star
1:00:55
falling I mean to the earth maybe one of these
1:00:59
meteorites and maybe ah please let's be careful
1:01:05
before it will cause ecological disaster but
1:01:09
no that's not what he's saying John immediate
1:01:13
use of him he said I saw a star From heaven to
1:01:20
the earth in case you don't want to confuse it.
1:01:23
He said to him Hmm you see that he said to him
1:01:30
Was given and then he said he was giving a key
1:01:34
him was giving a key is to tell you that that
1:01:38
star Is a personality Is not the star at the
1:01:45
top defined by gases Are we together? No. This
1:01:53
star has an action. This star has an intelligence.
1:01:59
Did you understand what I'm saying? It's not
1:02:01
defined by nature that the star has an intelligence.
1:02:06
The star has an assignment. It's given a key.
1:02:11
It's a hymn. In ancient... apocalyptic writings
1:02:19
or context, a falling star most time is seen
1:02:24
as a falling angel or angelic entity. In fact,
1:02:29
just move a little bit to chapter 12. Look at
1:02:32
chapter 12, verse 3, Revelation 12 verse 3, and
1:02:40
another sign appeared in the heaven, behold a
1:02:43
great fiery dragon. having seven heads and ten
1:02:49
horns and seven dead ends on his head his tail
1:02:56
drew a thought of stars from heaven and threw
1:03:01
them on the earth and the dragon stood before
1:03:05
the woman who was ready to give birth to to devour
1:03:11
her child as soon as it was born. When you read
1:03:14
that you say ah ah Stars who the dragon wipe
1:03:18
is a what you call in the sun But when you read
1:03:24
more you now understand was Was six or let me
1:03:30
read verse 7 is there and war broke out in heaven
1:03:35
Michael and his angels fought with the dragon
1:03:42
and the dragon and his angel fought but they
1:03:47
did not prevail nor was a place found for them
1:03:51
in the heaven any longer so the dragon was cast
1:03:56
out and the serpent of old called the devil and
1:04:06
satan who deceived the world he was cast out
1:04:11
He was cast to the earth and his angels were
1:04:15
cast out with him. Do you see that? So the dragon
1:04:22
is Satan. The stars were the fully angels that
1:04:30
came with him, his angels. That is the stars
1:04:39
Isn't just some cosmic event or some things are
1:04:43
threatening the solar system He's talking about
1:04:48
spiritual rebellion here The fully angelic beings
1:04:53
who sided with the enemy who sided with Satan
1:04:56
Therefore reading the Bible with a scientific
1:05:01
lens will strip you of the reading of the scriptural
1:05:04
text the way it's original audience wrote it
1:05:10
you know I read one book sometimes they will
1:05:16
read Matthew chapter 25 about the parable of
1:05:19
the talent and then they will be given counsel
1:05:21
of how to make money using that I mean please
1:05:24
now you know the issue is that is that the intern
1:05:30
when Jesus was writing that was he giving business
1:05:34
advice there You see, you are misusing the intent
1:05:39
of the author. You are misusing. After all, if
1:05:49
you want business ideas, that's nowhere to go.
1:05:57
The same thing we say, stop ideating with these
1:05:59
people who want to defend. The world is also
1:06:01
a number of years. Leave them. Science has to
1:06:04
know how to correct themselves. I tell you the
1:06:05
truth. Science knows how to correct. They have
1:06:07
corrected many things. If you have been in science,
1:06:10
you understand. All the Dalton's atomic theory
1:06:12
and all those things, you understand? Atom is
1:06:14
an indivisible part of it. I mean, all those
1:06:16
things. Is it divisible now? I mean, who changes
1:06:19
it? Who changes it? You are not the one now.
1:06:21
Allow them. They will change it. Do you understand
1:06:23
what I'm trying to say? You don't need to fight.
1:06:25
They will change. Leave them. You understand?
1:06:31
They are already fighting and changing already
1:06:33
the law about evolution. So don't worry. Calm
1:06:38
down. Just preach the word in season and out
1:06:41
of season. Do you understand what I'm saying?
1:06:45
So leave them. So, you see, you will miss it.
1:06:51
Because even though Moses was using the creation
1:06:56
story, his intent was not to give how the world
1:07:00
was created and this and that and that. I mean,
1:07:02
that's it. You will miss it. Because by the time
1:07:06
you read the entire Genesis 1, by the time you
1:07:12
come to Genesis chapter 2, and God rested, and
1:07:17
then you read the epistles, you come to where
1:07:20
we read Hebrews chapter 4. When you read down,
1:07:24
it made reference to Genesis chapter 2. Moses
1:07:31
was writing that he was not talking about those
1:07:38
things. His focus is to communicate the gospel.
1:07:43
And that is why the rest of God is salvation.
1:07:48
The creation story about him is a description
1:07:51
of the redemptive work of Christ. And after he
1:07:55
has finished the work, he rests. What is rest?
1:07:58
It doesn't mean just to stay idle. It means to
1:08:02
enter into the position of authority, to enter
1:08:05
into a position of glory. That's mean by rest.
1:08:09
His indwelling, His ascension is called rest.
1:08:15
That means Christ now is resting in you. It means
1:08:20
He's living in you. That's what it means. Are
1:08:25
we together? So, and that's why we must trust
1:08:27
God to read the Bible. in the author's intent.
1:08:34
Amen. Amen. If you understand this way, you will
1:08:42
now not be struggling. You will not be struggling
1:08:46
when you see some certain discussion, even in
1:08:50
the Epistles. He now said, though we walk in
1:08:54
the flesh, we do not wage war after the flesh.
1:08:59
For the weapon of our warfare. They are not cannot
1:09:02
did you want something? Are we together? He will
1:09:09
say again and then tell you how we watched which
1:09:14
the war He said we we wage the war against principalities
1:09:21
and powers Against rulers of the darkness So
1:09:27
don't be sitting here and think everything is
1:09:30
physical. It's not. These people that wrote it,
1:09:33
they have an understanding that though we are
1:09:36
on earth in the material world, what influences
1:09:40
this material world is not just only in the material.
1:09:45
If you understand, you will be conscious of the
1:09:50
spirit world. Are we together? that is what a
1:10:01
Supernatural context of the Bible. We're going
1:10:04
to explore that more hopefully subsequently Now
1:10:09
let me introduce something before tomorrow understand
1:10:14
The contextualization of the scripture and the
1:10:21
consequence abuses the contour from the word
1:10:26
context, decontextualization of scriptures and
1:10:34
the consequent abuses. Now, what I intend to
1:10:40
do here is to handle, because we don't want to,
1:10:44
we're living in a real world. Tango Pasofre started
1:10:47
talking about the issue of transgender and so
1:10:51
many of this. We will both, as God help us, Through,
1:10:59
along the air, as the air moves, we will have
1:11:04
to both review what has happened in the past
1:11:08
in the horrible history of the church, because
1:11:11
we want us to know how some things have been,
1:11:16
how the Bible has been used as a weapon in the
1:11:19
sun. Because the problem that was facing some
1:11:24
of them some of them we still have them today
1:11:26
in the Sun and Then to see how we can also help
1:11:30
to know how to explain certain things in scriptures
1:11:34
even our problems of today Are we together? Amen?
1:11:41
Now I want you to understand that The most dangerous
1:11:47
lies Please I beg in the name of God to be sensitive
1:11:52
with this listen the most dangerous lies that
1:11:57
has been spread perpetuated in history were not
1:12:03
told by atheists they were not told by who by
1:12:12
atheists they were spoken by people holding a
1:12:20
bible very hard to accept. The most clear treatment
1:12:30
of humanity we have seen, some of it were held
1:12:36
perpetuated by people holding the Bible. I am
1:12:42
not saying unbelievers, I am saying believers,
1:12:48
leaders of churches. So what we are trying to
1:12:56
say that from all that we have said when you
1:13:00
ripped when you remove when you caught a way
1:13:04
a verse out of its setting out of its context
1:13:08
You are weaponizing it to perpetuate evil What
1:13:16
we call it is the methodology of Satan Meaning
1:13:23
You take the word and remove it out of its context.
1:13:30
You will do harm with it. Remember that the scripture
1:13:34
is profitable, but once you remove it out of
1:13:37
its context, it becomes injurious. It becomes
1:13:42
harmful. Are you with me? Are you with me? Are
1:13:48
you with me? That's why Paul says it is a spirit
1:13:55
in a son that give it life He said that the letters
1:14:00
kill it But the spirit do what? Gives life. Are
1:14:05
you with me? Let me repeat again. He says the
1:14:08
letters kill it But the spirit gives what life?
1:14:14
Mean that this same Bible interpreted accurately,
1:14:25
it gives life. This Bible also, once removed
1:14:31
out of context, it results to death. And so I
1:14:41
want you to pay attention. Second Corinthians
1:14:47
chapter 3, that's what Paul say there. In fact,
1:14:52
we also saw in Romans, he said the commandment
1:14:57
which was intended to give life now has been
1:15:01
found to give death. All this I'm trying to tell
1:15:06
you the implication of removing what it takes
1:15:12
out of context. So many of the major abuses and
1:15:18
tyrannies in history were perpetuated by the
1:15:23
violation of the intent of the author of scriptures.
1:15:29
Let me give you some examples and start with
1:15:31
that. Slavery in America. Write number one, slavery
1:15:37
in America. Slavery in America. Now, at that
1:15:57
time, there is some people we call them the pro
1:16:00
-slavery theologians. We call them the pro -slavery
1:16:06
theologians in the American South. They build
1:16:12
the theology to defend slavery so that it should
1:16:16
be perpetuated. Let me just give you some of
1:16:21
these people before we start to discuss some
1:16:23
of the how did they use the Bible to defend?
1:16:26
the perpetuation of slavery Number one James,
1:16:31
maybe you are you might have time to I mean you
1:16:33
can go and just read about them That's why I'm
1:16:35
giving you in the Sun James Henley Turnwell James
1:16:44
Henley that is T H O R N W E double L James Henley
1:17:08
Torwell was a South Carolina Oh Pastor, he's
1:17:17
a Presbyterian pastor and theologian. In fact,
1:17:21
he's a professor of theology at Colombian Theological
1:17:24
Seminary. So I'm not talking about some sumo
1:17:30
sumo built Brazil. I'm talking about professors
1:17:33
who were pastors who later become professors,
1:17:37
you understand? He argued that the relationship
1:17:43
between master and slave is divinely ordained
1:17:47
and consistent with God's word. Don't worry.
1:17:51
Let me just mention their name. I'm coming back
1:17:53
to give you their arguments. The next one is
1:17:59
Benjamin Morgan. Benjamin Morgan. Palmer. This
1:18:06
one is also a pastor. in the sun. He's a Presbyterian
1:18:12
pastor. Benjamin Morgan Palmer, Morgan Palmer,
1:18:18
P -A -L -M -E -R, in the sun. In fact, this one
1:18:29
is, this one is even a very severe thing, you
1:18:32
know, sun. You know, he preached one message.
1:18:35
He calls it Thanksgiving. He called it the Thanksgiving
1:18:37
Salmon. In the 1960s, where he supported the
1:18:45
southern part of the United States, which is
1:18:48
then they were, you know, in the United States
1:18:50
then, they had all these states, that's why they
1:18:56
are called the United States of America. So then
1:18:58
they have the southern and they have the northern
1:19:01
part, understand? And then the southern part,
1:19:05
there are 11 states then in the northern part.
1:19:07
He called it the confederates. And these people,
1:19:12
they are the ones, they are the major people
1:19:13
who want slavery. They still want to continue
1:19:16
with that. So, the, a someone that he preached,
1:19:21
he calls it, let me see, the someone, yes, this
1:19:26
is the name of the someone, the title. You can
1:19:28
find these online. He said the slavery, he called
1:19:31
it slavery, a divine trust. duty of the South
1:19:37
to preserve and perpetuate it. That's the title
1:19:42
of the Psalm. You can imagine somebody, one person
1:19:44
come to this, he said, he calls it slavery a
1:19:49
divine trust. Column, duty of the South to preserve
1:19:57
and perpetuate it. Then we have Baptist pastors.
1:20:09
One of them is Ton Ton. That is T -H -O -R -N
1:20:18
-T -O -N. That is Ton Ton. String fellow. Ton
1:20:26
Ton String fellow. String fellow just from string
1:20:29
and fellow. Understand? It's a Baptist pastor.
1:20:34
In fact, these people were the one who caused
1:20:36
the division to break the Baptist Church into
1:20:39
the South, Southern Convention in the sun. They
1:20:42
break it because the Northern part don't want
1:20:45
to agree with it, so they broke the sun, caused
1:20:48
division. In the 1960, he also published a book
1:20:52
called Scriptural and Statistic View in Favor
1:20:58
of Slavery. You cannot imagine monogod. He even
1:21:00
said with statistics. Hmm? That's the title of
1:21:05
the book. Scriptural and statistical views in
1:21:13
favor of slavery. In favor of slavery. Then another
1:21:19
Baptist pastor, Richard Fuller. Richard Fuller
1:21:25
is also a Baptist pastor. He's a pro -slavery
1:21:30
theologian. He's part of those people who also
1:21:35
helped the establishment of the Southern Baptists
1:21:38
Convention, where they broke away from the North.
1:21:43
In fact, there is a book in which the Richard
1:21:50
Fuller, in 1947, Fuller and Brown University
1:21:54
President Francis Wayland. There's another guy,
1:22:00
he's a Brown University President Francis Wayland
1:22:06
because Wayland is against Fuller's position
1:22:10
of pro -slavery. So what they did was they now
1:22:16
publish a book, Fuller giving pro points and
1:22:21
then Francis Wayland giving against slavery.
1:22:26
The book again is called Domestic Slavery Considered
1:22:32
as scriptural institution. So more or less, the
1:22:36
book is like a debate between the two of them.
1:22:39
You understand? Let me say it again. The book
1:22:41
is titled, Domestic Slavery Considered as a Scriptural
1:22:49
Institution. So let me give more, just two more.
1:23:01
Because there are many. To tell you that is an
1:23:03
arsenal of men supporting that. We have George
1:23:11
Doot Armstrong. This one is a Presbyterian. George
1:23:18
Doot D -O -D -D Armstrong. From the word arm
1:23:24
and strong. George Doot Armstrong. This one is
1:23:33
also he argued so much that God created different
1:23:43
stations in life that this is arguing that God
1:23:46
is the one responsible for social hierarchy Social
1:23:54
hierarchy That the social hierarchy helped to
1:24:00
emancipate the enslaved people. You can imagine
1:24:06
that. You are arguing that the slavery is helping
1:24:10
the slave people. You know, he also authored
1:24:17
a book. You know these people, they are formed
1:24:20
a very, it's a cartel. He also authored a book
1:24:24
called The Christian Doctrine of Slavery. The
1:24:29
Christian Doctrine of Slavery. the Christian
1:24:34
doctrine of slavery. That's the title of the
1:24:37
book. Then the last person I will mention is
1:24:41
Charles Colcock Jones. Charles Colcock. C -O
1:24:50
-L -C -O -C -K. Colcock. Jones. Jones. In fact,
1:25:00
this person his own is not like the other one
1:25:03
you understand this person the jones let me tell
1:25:11
you jones one is a little bit interesting they
1:25:14
call him apostle of the slave to slaves now his
1:25:19
own is not just only that he is using the bible
1:25:22
to keep slave but that he wants to preach christ
1:25:25
for slaves to be born again Do you understand
1:25:30
what I'm trying to say? So he wants to preach
1:25:32
to the slaves to be born again and his intent
1:25:35
is not just because he wants them into the kingdom
1:25:38
of God Yeah, his intent is that by converting
1:25:44
them to Christianity to become easier to brainwash
1:25:47
them with the scriptures of those swans So that's
1:25:54
why you're calling him an apostle. So he believed
1:25:57
in evangelism and the evangelism will make enslaved
1:26:01
people more obedient and make the plantation
1:26:05
system more stable. Because if you have people,
1:26:09
although you can use Bible to support the people
1:26:12
at the society level, those who are holding up
1:26:15
to big powers and like the politician and the
1:26:17
rest, you can use Bible to defend it, you understand?
1:26:20
But then if you want to make the slavery more
1:26:25
systemized, then that means you have to just
1:26:28
not just only convince the aristocrats you understand
1:26:32
you have to come down and also preach Jesus to
1:26:37
these people because by doing so you will you
1:26:40
will ensure they become more obedient so his
1:26:47
work focus on converting slaves to Christianity
1:26:50
while ultimately reinforcing the established
1:26:55
racial and social hierarchy of that time. Hallelujah.
1:27:02
Are we together? Now, before we close, what is
1:27:05
the theological argument? What are the things
1:27:08
they were holding and promoting that supports
1:27:14
slavery? Now number one using the Old Testament
1:27:19
so they use the Old Testament very well They
1:27:24
use the Old Testament patriarch they argue that
1:27:29
this patriarch owns slaves and the Levitican
1:27:35
laws permitted the purchase of burnt people they
1:27:42
permit people to purchase servants They say the
1:27:47
Old Patriarch, the Old Testament Patriarch, like
1:27:50
Abraham and the rest, they own slaves. And also
1:27:57
the Levitican laws permit to purchase a person.
1:28:02
Let me give you some scriptures. Genesis chapter
1:28:04
12 verse 5. Genesis 12, 5. Genesis 14, 14. Genesis
1:28:15
16 verse 1 to 3 Genesis 26 verse 14 Genesis 31
1:28:27
verse 41 Job chapter 1 verse 1 to 3 Leviticus
1:28:36
chapter 25 verse 44 to 46 Exodus 21 verse 2.
1:28:44
Let me come again. Genesis 12 verse 5. Genesis
1:28:48
14 verse 14. Genesis 16 verse 1 to 3. Genesis
1:28:54
26 verse 14. Genesis 31 verse 41. Job chapter
1:29:01
1 verse 1 to 3. Leviticus chapter 25 verse 44
1:29:08
to 46. Exodus chapter 21. Verse 2. These are
1:29:16
the texts they normally use. We're going to explore
1:29:18
some of them. Then they use the New Testament
1:29:22
also. New Testament. They argue that Paul and
1:29:27
Jesus, or Jesus and Paul, never explicitly condemned
1:29:35
slavery. Because Jesus, according to them, never
1:29:40
condemned slavery. Paul never condemned slavery.
1:29:42
Therefore, it carries an implication of divine
1:29:48
approval. It carries an implication of divine
1:29:54
approval. John chapter 8 verse 35. John chapter
1:29:59
8 verse 35. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 5 to 9.
1:30:07
Colossians chapter 3 verse 22. to chapter 4 verse
1:30:12
1. Again, John chapter 8 verse 35, Ephesians
1:30:17
chapter 6 verse 5 to 9, Colossians chapter 3
1:30:22
verse 22 to chapter 4 verse 1. So using all these,
1:30:31
plus there's something they call divine hierarchy.
1:30:34
They carve out some theological terms like divine
1:30:37
hierarchy. that is a claim God ordained patriarchal
1:30:41
society you know when you read the bible this
1:30:44
is why i was trying to say historical facts you
1:30:47
understand you see that there are certain things
1:30:49
of course did the old testament has a patriarchal
1:30:52
society yes you understand even during the time
1:30:55
of jesus a patriarchal society right but that
1:30:58
doesn't mean that god approved the order so they
1:31:03
claim that god ordained patriarchal society order
1:31:07
We are women and children and enslave people,
1:31:12
all submission to male heads. In a sense, that's
1:31:19
what they argue. Then they have another term
1:31:21
which they call the paternalistic idea, paternalistic.
1:31:29
Paternalistic ideals and idea, ideals and idea.
1:31:35
They frame that the plantation Was an extended
1:31:39
Christian family Was an extended Christian so
1:31:45
you see that this terminology one divine hierarchy
1:31:47
They believe that the that the society that is
1:31:51
a divine Order that God have said that the society
1:31:55
become patriarchal That everywhere including
1:31:58
the child supposed to be patriarchal and women
1:32:01
and children and slave submits to the male You
1:32:05
know son And then the paternalistic ideal or
1:32:09
idea, they framed that the plantation was an
1:32:13
extended Christian family. We are masters, provide
1:32:18
physical care and spiritual salvation. It's like
1:32:21
you are the master of the house, so you are providing
1:32:23
protection for your extended family. And in your
1:32:27
family, we have different people with different
1:32:29
hierarchy. You have women, you have children,
1:32:31
then all of them are, the male are always at
1:32:34
the top of the order, at the order, yes. And
1:32:38
then also including servants. Just the same way
1:32:41
like you see in the pattern of Abraham. Abraham's
1:32:45
servant, 318, right? Servant in his house, like
1:32:49
he has them with him. Of course he has his family,
1:32:53
he has that, you understand. So they are trying
1:32:55
to argue on those things. Amen. Now lastly, let
1:32:59
me give you another thing they did. Remember
1:33:00
I told you that this preacher, the last preacher
1:33:07
which is Jones, Charles Colcord Jones, which
1:33:10
is called an apostle of slaves, the focus was
1:33:15
to convert as many slaves as possible because
1:33:18
it would be easier to make them obedient using
1:33:22
the scriptures, you understand, than somebody
1:33:24
who is not reading anything. There's something
1:33:27
they call the slave Bible. What they did was
1:33:29
to mutilate the Bible. They call it the slave
1:33:33
Bible. I need to give you this before we go.
1:33:37
The slave Bible. It was published by the English
1:33:41
missionaries. I mean this before, it looks as
1:33:45
if they are missionaries but they are not. The
1:33:49
English missionary in the 1804. And you know
1:33:53
what they did? They completely removed any text
1:33:56
that talks about liberation, equality, Exodus.
1:34:01
In fact, because the Exodus story depicts a people
1:34:07
who are coming out of bondage. They removed the
1:34:11
entire Exodus and removed most of these texts
1:34:13
from the Bible. In fact, in the slave Bible,
1:34:17
it was said that 90 % of the Old Testament has
1:34:21
been removed. and 50 % of the New Testament.
1:34:26
If you look at the Bible entirely, the Bible
1:34:28
has about 1 ,100, about 1 ,200, 1 ,189, they're
1:34:35
about chapters of the Bible. But in the slave
1:34:40
Bible, we only have 232 chapters. That means
1:34:46
you have a slave Bible that's supposed to be
1:34:48
1 ,000, about 1 ,200 chapters. And then you are
1:34:52
having only the chapters of your Bible. It's
1:34:55
only 232 chapters. They remove everything that
1:35:00
talks about liberation, equality, exodus, whatever.
1:35:06
And the major mission is to remove all those
1:35:09
things. All these texts like Galatians chapter
1:35:12
3. that talks about there is neither Jew nor
1:35:14
Gentile no slave no free they remove it anyone
1:35:18
that shows that you are you are a free person
1:35:20
they remove it and then they publish so they
1:35:23
preach to you you believe God then they will
1:35:25
be teaching you with that Bible they will be
1:35:26
giving you those of it you don't know whether
1:35:29
any Bible have existed but at least you have
1:35:30
one that will be making you obedient so all the
1:35:33
texts that appear to say in a sign you should
1:35:36
submit your master in all things in that that
1:35:38
that's the one they left what a crooked generation
1:35:43
Now, it's not just only to talk about some of
1:35:47
the things that they have done. That is our responsibility
1:35:50
to as well look at those things, because we have
1:35:53
some of these problems today. Do you know that
1:35:55
even including the words of Paul, like for example,
1:35:59
in 2 Timothy chapter 2, we're coming to it where
1:36:05
he talks about I do not permit a woman to teach
1:36:08
a man. They use it as part of the things that
1:36:11
both the church and the society is a patriarchal
1:36:14
society. And therefore, women are supposed to
1:36:18
have total submission. They have no any other
1:36:21
rights in the sun than actually to submit. And
1:36:24
they use it both. So we're going to look at submitting.
1:36:27
We're just starting with the issue of the slavery
1:36:32
in the sun. And I wanted to see how the Bible
1:36:36
has been misused, you understand, mutilated just
1:36:41
for the sake of it. So don't be afraid. Let me
1:36:44
tell you, some of the people you are going to
1:36:46
face and fight with so much on the issue of doctrine
1:36:49
are not unbelievers. They are going to be church
1:36:52
people who are rooted in tradition. And let me
1:36:56
tell you, all these pastors that I mentioned,
1:37:00
their own slaves, you understand? They also have
1:37:03
their position at the top of the society. You
1:37:07
know what I'm saying? They enjoy lots of benefits.
1:37:10
I remember we used to talk, just like our most,
1:37:13
apology to most of our Nigerian lecturers, you
1:37:16
know what I'm saying? But I have to complain
1:37:17
that many of our lecturers, especially the old,
1:37:20
old professors, you know what I'm saying, enjoy
1:37:22
Nigeria. When they went to school at that time,
1:37:25
because my uncle, my dad used to tell us a story,
1:37:28
you know what I'm saying? They are the one that
1:37:30
enjoy government. Sir, in ABU, one of my uncle
1:37:32
used to tell us what is happening in ABU. You
1:37:35
go to cafeteria, free food. The tea, thick one,
1:37:39
is coming from the tea. You just own and fetch
1:37:42
the much you have. You'll see big, big chicken
1:37:45
and all that. They're not paying it. Government,
1:37:49
during their time. But these people, now that
1:37:52
they have become professors, oh, they are the
1:37:54
one that do the hell out of to them. Many of
1:37:57
the lecturers also come abroad, enjoy that they
1:37:59
were not treated that way. But when they go back,
1:38:02
they demand hell out of students. That is the
1:38:06
same thing. And then we complain about the system.
1:38:11
That's the same thing we have pastors. Now, because
1:38:13
they enjoy the benefit of it. You understand?
1:38:17
May we not be like that. That because of the
1:38:20
mundane things we enjoy, that we put aside. the
1:38:27
revelation of God and abuse people and mutilate
1:38:34
people. But we will stand and fight. So we have
1:38:39
a lot of fight. That's a fight of the good fight
1:38:41
of faith. To insist on the revelation and the
1:38:48
intent of the autumn. Are we together? Can we
1:38:51
just pray? I want you to pray this prayer before
1:38:55
we go. Whether you are online listening to us,
1:39:00
can we pray for courage? That's what Paul prays.
1:39:04
We appreciate you being here today. We hope you
1:39:07
carried this word with you throughout your week.
1:39:10
Don't forget to check the show notes for additional
1:39:12
insights. Stay connected with us through our
1:39:15
website or follow us on social media. If you
1:39:19
were encouraged, share this message with someone
1:39:21
you care about. Until next time, stay blessed.