Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000160S
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00:39 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Presents.
00:41 I'm Chris Shelton, your host, 00:43 I wanna thank you for joining us. 00:45 Our message for today is entitled "The Golden Calf" 00:49 and its part two. 00:50 Again this story is found in the Book of Exodus 00:53 Chapter 32 00:55 where the Israelites had not long been freed 00:58 from the slavery of the Egyptians 01:01 in a simply miraculous fashion, 01:04 and yet they slipped right back into sin 01:06 once Moses had been out of their sight 01:09 upon Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights, 01:13 as God was giving him, 01:15 Moses the all important Ten Commandments. 01:18 And we find that Aaron of all people 01:21 found himself appeasing this mixed multitude, 01:24 and helping them to form a golden calf 01:28 from the jewelry 01:29 that had been taken out with them 01:31 out of the land of Egypt. 01:33 I'm sure that as you have read this story, 01:36 you've often wondered just 01:37 how these people 01:38 who had literally experienced God's presence, and His leading 01:44 just a few days prior to this incident 01:47 could have fallen so far back into the sins of Egypt. 01:51 For some, they fell farther into promiscuous idolatry 01:56 than they had ever before participated in. 02:00 And again, we have to ask why? 02:02 Why did this happen? 02:04 Why would they so quickly turn and denounced their savior 02:08 who had just freed them from the horrors of slavery? 02:13 Pastor Kenny Shelton is going to address this question today, 02:16 asking why? 02:18 So we hope that you will stay tuned 02:20 to study along with him. 02:22 But before we join Pastor Kenny, 02:24 we are going to listen 02:25 to Justin Nehikorn's rendition of "Just a Closer Walk" 02:29 as he plays this song on the piano 02:32 from the studios of 3ABN. 04:44 Hello and welcome once again to Behold the Lamb Ministry, 04:46 we appreciate you so very much. 04:48 And again, we're just, 04:50 we're gonna be on the second part 04:51 of "The Golden Calf." 04:53 Again, could be a lot of different parts 04:55 and we pray that you'll be able to pick 04:57 and sort through some of the things 04:58 that we'll be going through. 04:59 Very quickly, I invite you to get a pencil or a pen, 05:01 whatever you wanna do and you're Bible. 05:03 You know, 'cause we need to study 05:04 to show ourselves approved unto God. 05:07 It's very important that we spend time together. 05:10 Because I know some just going through my mind 05:12 just say right now a lot of people say that 05:14 they want heaven to be their home, 05:15 but they're not studying the Word of God. 05:17 The only time you study maybe when you go to church, 05:19 you know, you did not spend time 05:20 in the morning with Him, 05:22 you're not spending time in the evening, 05:23 you're not even talking to Him during the day. 05:25 So I encourage you to make that change right now. 05:28 We're gonna be studying again "The Golden Calf," part two. 05:31 And as usual, we're gonna pray 05:33 and I invite you to pray with me. 05:34 I'm gonna kneel 05:36 as we pray once again, 05:37 for the power of the Holy Spirit. 05:39 Loving Father in Heaven, 05:40 truly, again, we thank You for the power of Your Word. 05:43 Thank You that You promised to be 05:44 where two or three are gathered together, 05:46 You said, I'll be there. 05:47 Lord, we're claiming that today 05:48 we're believing we're gonna hear from heaven, 05:50 we ask for forgiveness of sin, 05:51 clean hands, clean heart, clean mind, 05:54 that we may hear from You today, 05:56 and may something stick in our hearts and our minds 05:58 that will change us not for just today 06:00 but for eternity. 06:02 We thank You for hearing, thank You for Your presence. 06:04 Thank You for what You're going to say to us today, 06:06 as we thank You in Jesus' name, amen. 06:10 Again, "The Golden Calf" part two, 06:12 we decided, you know, 06:13 the first part for "The golden calf " 06:16 that we're gonna study and gonna lay a foundation. 06:18 So again, if you missed part of that foundation, 06:21 maybe we'll hit different parts real quick and, 06:23 and get a start on it. 06:25 So it'll be a reminder, 06:26 what we have to be reminded of here is 06:28 that the lessons that we go over 06:30 doesn't mean that somebody's turning, 06:32 tuning in today, 06:33 that it's your first time. 06:35 So you missed the first part. 06:36 So there'll be a little bit behind 06:37 those of you who have seen the first part 06:40 you're together with it. 06:42 So you know what's going on. But a lot of people don't. 06:43 So we have to kind of go back and go over a few things. 06:46 We believe that our foundation is so very important 06:50 because "The golden calf when we think about it, 06:54 I can't help but think and believe 06:56 that even among us, 06:58 of God's last day people 07:00 that there's a golden calf that's been set up, 07:03 there's a golden calf that set up. 07:05 And that can be in a lot of different ways. 07:08 But it cannot be pleasing in the sight of God. 07:11 Think about, most of us will say, 07:12 "Well, we don't have no golden calf, 07:14 we don't see no golden calf up here. 07:15 But it might be in the privacy of your own life 07:18 or maybe in your own home or in your mind. 07:20 And so we need to ask God to help us, 07:23 the golden calf, the golden ox, 07:26 you know, whatever it might be, 07:27 at least in your mind, we need to realize 07:29 that we need to get to the bottom 07:31 to the root of this problem. 07:33 And so we're gonna examine 07:34 what we wanna do is I wanna read it again. 07:37 And we've read it several times, 07:38 but I think it's important. 07:40 Take your Bible, turn with me, 07:41 we've got Exodus 32 our scripture reading, 07:43 Exodus Chapter 32. 07:45 And again, this is for those 07:47 who have not had the opportunity 07:49 or those who didn't, you know, tune in on the first part. 07:52 Exodus 32:1-4, 07:59 And I always love to say it, and I'll say it every time, 08:02 this is what the Word of God says. 08:04 "And when the people saw 08:06 that Moses delay to come down out of the mountain, 08:08 the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, 08:11 and said unto him," do what? 08:14 "Let's get up. Let's make us some gods, 08:15 is that right? 08:17 Which shall go before us." 08:18 This is Exodus 32:1, notice, 08:21 "And as for this is, 08:22 it's kind of interesting as for this, Moses, 08:24 it's like they didn't hardly know him, 08:26 he just let them out. 08:27 There's all kinds of miracles that taking place, 08:29 and all of a sudden, they gone a few days 08:30 what happened? 08:32 And let's, that's the same thing 08:33 that can happen in our Christian experience 08:35 when we're gone sometimes from church service. 08:37 When we're not fellowshipping, 08:38 we're not reading, we're not studying, 08:40 we're not, all of a sudden we're saying, 08:41 well, this church, or this is what the church 08:43 or this is what. 08:45 No, listen, they forgot Moses, 08:46 almost like it said, 08:48 we don't know what happened to this man 08:49 that brought us out of the land of Egypt. 08:52 Notice they'll say that to begin with. 08:53 And then all of a sudden, 08:54 they begin to tell some little lies 08:56 along the way. 08:57 You know, all of a sudden, 08:58 it really wasn't we made the golden calf 09:00 and what happened? 09:01 The golden calf is responsible for getting us out of Egypt, 09:04 they started changing their opinion. 09:06 And remember, once you start telling lies, 09:08 it's more and more and more and more. 09:10 And that's what? They were deceived. 09:12 Now notice verse 2, 09:13 "And Aaron said unto them, break off the golden," what? 09:16 "Earrings, which are in your ears 09:18 of your wives and your sons, 09:19 and your daughters, and bring them unto me, 09:22 and all the people," 09:24 how many? 09:25 "All the people break off the golden earrings 09:27 which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron." 09:29 May I just inject a little bit right here. 09:31 If it sticks you, so be it. It sticks me, so be it. 09:35 I'm wondering where you're talking about 09:36 they had all this gold 09:38 and they had it stuck in their ears 09:39 and wherever else it was stuck. 09:41 It says right here. 09:42 I wonder where they got that. 09:44 Where were they at? 09:46 Come on, somebody said, 09:47 in Egypt and that was a land of pagan and heathenism 09:51 and they brought that custom of gold and silver 09:55 and putting it on and their body. 09:57 They got it from pure paganism and heathenism. 10:01 Is that true? 10:02 Okay, I'm not saying anything, 10:03 try to hurt anything or anybody here. 10:05 But we need to open our minds and our heart to say, 10:08 these were supposed to be God's what? 10:10 God's people. 10:12 But when they came out, 10:13 they addressing and acting and still looking like what? 10:16 Pagans and heathens from Egypt. 10:20 Interesting. 10:22 He said, "Break off those golden earrings 10:24 in your ears and told Aaron and he received them," 10:27 verse 4, "at their hand and fashioned them in " what? 10:32 Notice what he did? 10:33 Underline this, and we'll read a little bit more later on. 10:35 But notice what he said. 10:37 It said that, 10:38 "He fashioned them with a graving tool." 10:41 Little bit later on in the passage of scripture. 10:42 He said, 10:44 "I just cast them in the fire and here come the calf." 10:47 So he started lying, did he not? 10:48 He took and he said I just cast them in 10:51 and all of a sudden here come this calf. 10:52 So he went to lying, 10:54 this, Aaron was the high priest. 10:57 This is the one that God knew very well. 10:59 In fact, he said, you know, on the mount with Moses, 11:02 he said, 11:03 " Get Aaron and your sons and come up here, " 11:05 not all the way with Moses, 11:07 but to a certain point then there 11:08 and then they could pray and wait. 11:11 But God already knew 11:12 what he was getting ready to do, 11:14 as He knows what you're getting ready to do 11:16 and what you're doing in your life. 11:18 But God has mercy on us, praise God for that. 11:21 And He lets us go 11:23 and make that decision for ourselves. 11:24 He said, 11:26 "These are thy gods, O Israel, 11:27 which brought thee out of the land of Egypt." 11:30 It wasn't these gods, 11:32 it wasn't the golden calf, it wasn't the ox, 11:34 whatever it might be here. 11:35 It was God that did the miracle. 11:37 So God didn't get any credit as it were. 11:40 And remember, God was working great things for His people, 11:43 so that they would not forget who He was, who God is. 11:48 Are we forgetting who God is today? 11:50 Sometime if we did not observe, and this asserts consistently, 11:54 the seventh day Sabbath, we forget who the creator is. 11:57 Is that right? 11:58 Seventh day Sabbath part of that is what? 12:01 So we would remember 12:02 who created the heavens and the earth 12:03 and the sea and all of them and that. 12:05 Six days, they labored, 12:06 around the seventh day God rested, 12:08 because He said, what? 12:09 "I want you to remember that I'm the creator. 12:10 And if you forget that I'm the creator, 12:12 you're gonna build yourself 12:13 some, you know, idols of gold and silver, 12:15 whatever they might be, 12:17 and you're gonna worship them, rather than to worship Me." 12:20 Interesting, 12:21 we got something going on here in the Word of God. 12:24 And again, 12:25 I just wanna throw it out to you, 12:27 throw it back if you want, 12:28 I believe that there's golden calves 12:30 in and among us as a people, 12:32 we need to decide 12:33 if there happened to be any in our own heart, 12:34 in our own life. 12:36 We're gonna read, I'm gonna read this, 12:38 is found in Letter 10-1896. 12:41 It's a little paragraph here, 12:42 we talked about it in our first part, 12:44 and just barely got started. 12:45 So I wanna remind you of it, 12:47 there are six things 12:48 that we wanna look at real quickly as we can. 12:51 Reason for the golden calf. 12:53 Could be the same reasons today, 12:55 how far they went, 12:57 how far are we going with it today? 12:59 Does it really matter? 13:01 Does it really matter that we have other gods before? 13:03 And does it really matter 13:05 that anything you own, anything you put on, 13:07 anything that you have can be a god? 13:09 If we put it before, listen, a holiday can be a god? 13:13 Are you still with me? 13:14 People don't, people don't wanna hear it. 13:16 But you know, I'm bound determined 13:17 by the grace of God, 13:19 it's not just and I read a little bit later on, 13:21 we get an opportunity 13:22 that the pastor's job is not to give what everybody, 13:24 is pleasing to everybody 13:26 and what everybody wants to hear. 13:27 The pastor has to give the truth of God's Word, 13:31 even if it causes pain. 13:33 And it's gonna be up to you to cipher through it, 13:35 whether you fit, 13:37 mama said whether shoe fits or it doesn't. 13:39 We have to figure out again by the grace of God, 13:42 and we're gonna find out the golden calf came 13:44 being one of the reasons is what? 13:45 Because Aaron was shy, 13:48 he didn't wanna tell the whole truth. 13:49 He didn't wanna bring it to the attention to the people. 13:52 And God was going to take issues 13:54 into His own hands 13:55 and then for his brother, Moses, 13:57 we understand that. 13:59 Let me read this quickly. 14:00 And we'll see why the golden calf, 14:02 Letter 10-1896 said, 14:05 "This neglect to stand up firmly for truth." 14:08 Aaron, right. 14:09 Aaron was the next, 14:10 Moses went up right in the mount, 14:12 Aaron was put in charge. 14:14 We have to be careful who's put in charge. 14:18 You think it's not important. 14:19 Because if person has pastor, 14:21 he has elder or he's a Sabbath School teacher or deacon 14:23 or whatever it might be in there, 14:25 oh, they must be all right. 14:26 Not necessarily. Not necessarily. 14:29 We try the spirits and what the Bible said. 14:32 "You try the spirit of what spirit is leading 14:34 and guiding in their heart and in their life." 14:38 So it's very, very important. 14:39 I've heard people say, 14:41 "Well, the pastor said, it must be all right." 14:43 I've never felt that way myself. 14:46 I might hear what the pastor has to say, 14:48 another pastor or whatever or an evangelist, 14:50 but I'm gonna check him out. 14:52 I'm gonna really check him out. 14:54 And there again, if that's what the Word says, 14:57 why don't we look at more closely? 14:59 So even us as a people, 15:00 we'd like to look at certain things in here. 15:02 We'd like to up, you know, build a Sabbath up, 15:04 we'd like to build a second coming up. 15:06 We'd like to, you know talk about this 15:07 and talk about that. 15:09 But if we talk about what we put on our body, 15:10 if we talk about what we put into our body, 15:12 you know how our attitude, our influences, 15:14 a lot of time, we don't wanna hear that, 15:15 we get a little bit offended. 15:17 To make it to heaven, 15:19 we have to look at all the issues 15:20 that God has said are issues, 15:22 is that right? 15:23 Everything, we have to look at every one of those things 15:26 and see if we qualify to be in heaven. 15:30 And again, study the earthly sanctuary 15:31 you'll see more about what I'm talking about 15:33 if we have the opportunity, we'll look at a few things. 15:36 This paragraph says this, 15:37 "This neglect to stand up firmly for truth 15:40 was the sin of" what? 15:42 Was, "Aaron's sin." Now what was Aaron's sin? 15:45 Remember, it was, well, he just got carried away. 15:49 Inspiration says his sin. 15:51 What is sin? 15:52 1 John 3:4, 15:53 "Sin is the transgression of," what? 15:56 "Transgression of God's law and the penalty is," what? 15:58 Death, 15:59 we have to look at the issues 16:02 for what they really are sin. 16:03 And this was Aaron's sin 16:05 that he neglected to stand firmly, 16:07 like many of us today. 16:09 Many of us won't, 16:11 because son or daughter will get mad 16:13 or grandma or grandma or grandpa will get mad 16:15 or friends and our neighbors will be offended 16:17 if they say blah-blah. 16:19 I don't see excuses in the Word of God, do you? 16:21 Really there's none. 16:23 Now we may not like it, because we may be timid. 16:25 But to be timid 16:26 when it comes to the Word of God, 16:28 we need to be very careful, 16:29 because the Bible talks about 16:31 we come boldly to the throne of God. 16:32 We boldly present this last day message 16:35 to the world. 16:37 Bold, why? 16:38 Because God said He'd be with you. 16:39 He'd take care of the issues. 16:41 Now notice what it says. 16:42 Now, 16:43 "Had he spoken the truth plainly, 16:45 that golden calf would have never been made." 16:48 So the leader then was a little bit fickle. 16:50 He was a little bit weak, and he didn't want any trouble. 16:53 And as we would say today, 16:55 he wanted to retire without any problems. 16:59 Is somebody getting it? 17:00 He didn't wanna jeopardize his job. 17:04 We see that happening all the time. 17:05 I've been involved, I've talked to many of them. 17:07 And really that's what comes out. 17:09 And what a shame that is. 17:10 Not everybody's like that. 17:12 But there are those who, 17:13 you know, the influence is a horrible thing 17:16 if it's not for good. 17:19 They're afraid so, 17:21 notice, it would never happen if he'd told it plainly. 17:24 "The same spirit that led him to shun 17:27 to declare the whole truth 17:29 for fear of offending led him to act," 17:32 notice this, 17:33 "to a falsehood in pointing to the golden calf 17:36 as a representative of the one who brought them out of Egypt. 17:39 For one unfaithfulness leads to" what? 17:43 "One unfaithfulness leads to," what? 17:46 "Another, and another, and another, and another, 17:50 one act of it." 17:51 See, somebody, 17:52 "Well, we wanna go to heaven, 17:54 we want everything to be right." 17:55 You might say, you know, as a child of God, 17:57 how in this world 17:58 could they have become in such a situation? 18:00 Remember, they just came out of slavery, 18:02 did they not? 18:03 They didn't have a great, 18:04 you know, concept really of the God of heaven. 18:06 That's why God was showing them 18:08 mighty things that was going on. 18:11 God appeared in him 18:12 and grander and power and glory and might, 18:15 their knees smoked one against the other. 18:19 We'll read more about that 18:21 about God said He's gonna come down 18:22 and you better get ready. 18:25 You better get ready. 18:26 He says the same thing. 18:27 "I'm coming back, you need to get ready." 18:30 We don't wanna miss these things. 18:31 I don't want you to miss it. 18:32 Number one, 18:34 then neglect to stand up firmly for truth 18:36 was the sin of Aaron. 18:37 Number one, 18:38 there are six things quickly, we'll go over. 18:40 2 Chronicles just jot it down 29:11. 18:44 It says, starts out, it says, 18:46 "My sons be not now negligent." 18:49 Don't be negligent. 18:51 That means don't be mislead. 18:53 Don't be deceived. 18:55 Don't take anything away. 18:57 "For the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him 19:01 to serve Him 19:02 that you should minister unto Him." 19:04 God said, "I've chosen you." 19:06 We have a job to do. 19:08 And notice what it is. 19:10 You have to stand firm for what is truth. 19:12 This is what God's wanting. 19:14 We have so many vacillating week, 19:16 blown around by every wind of doctrine, 19:18 it seems like anymore. 19:19 And it's interesting 19:21 how we'll come up to certain parts of truth 19:24 and we'll accept certain parts of it. 19:26 And the other part we don't wanna 19:28 because it demands a change, change of life. 19:31 Change of maybe where we work or what we do there, 19:33 but we're only gonna go so far with it. 19:36 That's not far enough. 19:38 Aaron didn't go far enough with it. 19:40 And look what happened. 19:42 Remember, there was deaths associated with this 19:45 and we realize 3,000 died in that day 19:48 because of the golden calf. 19:52 We need to stand before God, we're ministers of His. 19:56 And I jotted four things under that. 19:58 ABCD, you notice what it says? 20:00 "We must speak the truth" 20:02 according to Live Sketches 433, 20:04 "We must stand for truth 20:06 and leave the results with," whom? 20:08 "With God." Good. 20:10 We have to stand for what? 20:12 "For truth, 20:14 and leave the results with God." 20:16 Think about it. 20:17 I mean, I've heard so often is, 20:19 oh, you know there's a visitor there 20:20 that's never heard this message before. 20:22 Be careful what you say when you get up front. 20:26 I always said, 20:27 "Did God not know that they were gonna be there?" 20:31 I think He did. 20:32 Now wait, we want people to come in to try 20:34 and drive him away? 20:35 Absolutely not. 20:37 But He's saying go ahead and give the message 20:38 that I gave to you during the week 20:40 to give it and don't shun it, 20:41 don't hold back and give it, 20:43 I'll impress them what is truth. 20:45 And if they're ready, they will receive it. 20:46 If not, they're gonna throw it out anyway. 20:49 And then they're gonna tell us people in the church, 20:51 "Well, I didn't come back because 20:53 he said this or he said that." 20:55 Hmm. 20:56 Interesting, I wonder if that stand in the judgment. 20:58 I don't think so. 21:02 The work. 21:03 Remember, the work is not ours. 21:05 It's God's. 21:07 It's God's. 21:09 We're here by the grace of God 21:10 to try to win souls into the kingdom 21:12 through His strength and His power. 21:14 B: We must stand firm in defense of the truth 21:18 as it is in Christ. 21:19 Think about standing firm in defense of the truth. 21:22 Eight Testimonies 2:11 says this. 21:24 "You are now," notice this, 21:26 "now to call things by their right name 21:30 and stand firm." 21:31 What does that mean? 21:32 We're talking about the golden calf, 21:34 remember it took place because we did not, 21:36 Aaron did not, the leadership didn't 21:38 and so the people will follow that. 21:42 Then stand firm for what is truth 21:44 and look what happened to those poor people? 21:47 Look what happened to God's people 21:50 and the surrounding nations. 21:53 They became a laughingstock. 22:00 C: The Lord requires all of us 22:03 who profess His name a strict adherence to truth. 22:07 So if you're saying, 22:08 "I'm a Christian, I love Jesus. 22:10 I've accepted what I believe is truth right now." 22:13 We have to what? 22:14 Strictly follow what we understand is truth. 22:18 "Strictly," 22:19 then say part time 22:21 you know some time we're that way, 22:22 we're part time Christian, some time we're on fire, 22:24 next time we're cold and blah-blah. 22:26 In fact, some time when I hear some of these letters and stuff 22:29 that are read up here. 22:31 You know, I'm excited about it. 22:33 Sometime I wanna shout. 22:34 And they say run all about. 22:37 You know, we're here one today. 22:38 Well, today," 22:40 I'm not of your faith, as it were. 22:41 I'm not a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, 22:43 but I believe 22:44 what's being taught is the truth." 22:46 I don't, I don't... 22:48 I don't know if I heard one amen. 22:52 See, somebody should have said amen. 22:54 Somebody should have said praise God. 22:57 If we want God to work, showing Himself to be God, 23:01 powerful, omnipotent. 23:04 What a God we serve, 23:05 we're gonna have to give Him praise. 23:07 You know what? 23:08 If we don't do it, 23:10 there'll be another people raised up to do it. 23:12 And we're gonna be left out. 23:14 Somebody is gonna take your place. 23:17 Somebody is gonna take my place if I am not faithful. 23:20 And this means in every area, not just pick and choose. 23:24 It's kind of like a big hat lollies tree 23:25 we just pick one out say this is good enough. 23:27 There's a whole hat full of stuff 23:30 that God would have us to look at. 23:32 Why? 23:33 Because He wants us prepared for heaven to be our home, 23:35 will be comfortable as it were up there, 23:39 not uncomfortable. 23:40 That means things have to go, we know that. 23:42 Point number four. 23:44 Remember Eight Testimonies 211 said this too 23:47 before I read that. 23:48 It said, "The testing truth for this time 23:50 is not the fabrications of any man." 23:54 The message is from God. 23:57 See, that's why we can stand boldly, right? 23:59 It's not a fabricate, 24:00 it's not something made up by any kind of man, 24:02 but it's that 24:03 which God has given us and He says, 24:05 "You give it as I give it to you 24:07 and this leave the results" 24:08 where? "With me." 24:11 Patriarchs and Prophets 323 says this, 24:14 Patriarchs and Prophets 323 "If Aaron," notice, 24:18 "had had courage to stand for right," 24:20 we've established that, notice this, 24:22 "irrespective of consequences, 24:25 he could have prevented the apostasy." 24:28 See, it was more than making a golden calf 24:29 even though that's bad. 24:31 God said, I don't, He didn't like that. 24:34 In fact, He was his indignation, 24:35 isn't that right? 24:36 He said, you know, it was kind of fiery about it. 24:38 And Moses talked to him. Oh, God, please. 24:41 Today I wonder if we fear and reverence and respect God 24:44 and realize that He's in control. 24:49 He can change anything. 24:51 He's powerful. 24:54 Yet some time we think we run God. 24:59 Aaron, notice this, irrespective of consequence. 25:02 Aaron was afraid 25:03 that if he did not listen to the people, 25:06 he would have to pay for it. 25:07 They might kill him, 25:08 he was fearing for his own life. 25:12 We can't worry about that. 25:14 Because the Bible talks about 25:15 in the end time, there'll be a people, right? 25:17 There may be a death decree, 25:18 there will be a death decree that will go out. 25:22 You have to love Jesus enough 25:23 you're willing to give your life for Him. 25:27 In fact, what Aaron did was so horrible. 25:29 Deuteronomy 9:20, says, "And the Lord was very angry." 25:35 That's different anger than we have today. 25:37 You understand what it is? 25:38 There is, notice, was very angry. 25:40 That means God was, translated, God was very displeased. 25:44 God was displeased with Aaron his high priests, 25:47 and notice it 25:49 "He was displeased enough 25:50 that he was getting ready to destroy the high priest." 25:55 His representative. 25:56 See, some time we think as His representative, 25:58 God's not going to do anything, we're working over here, 26:00 we're doing is that, don't kid yourself. 26:05 But Moses, we talked about interceded 26:08 and God spared him. 26:10 Point number two of the six. 26:13 Had he spoken now that they these relate 26:15 and they're closely related each other here 26:18 "Had he spoken the truth plainly, 26:20 the golden calf or the ox would never have been made." 26:25 The Book of Proverbs 23:23, Proverbs 23:23 just says this. 26:30 It says," By the truth..." 26:34 Think about it, 26:35 "By the truth and sell it not." 26:39 See, there's someone who's not willing to as it were 26:40 to buy the truth 26:43 by giving their self over to Jesus Christ. 26:45 And the first thing that comes along 26:47 some time we sell it, or we give it up. 26:51 Zachariah 8:16, the Bible says, 26:54 "These are the things that ye shall, notice, do, 26:57 speak ye ever man the truth to his neighbor." 27:00 I wonder if we do some self examination. 27:02 Have we really spoken the truth to our neighbors 27:05 the way God said? 27:06 Or have we held back somehow? 27:08 I realize there's a time, there's a season, 27:10 God knows that. 27:12 But have we really spoken the truth? 27:14 Or have we kind of hid behind it 27:15 just a little bit? 27:17 If we don't speak the truth, 27:19 remember this to our neighbor, to our friends, to our family, 27:22 we actually become a liar. 27:25 That's pretty bold in there. 27:27 We become what? 27:28 We become a liar because we're not telling the truth. 27:32 And I've heard people say as 27:33 "Well, I can't do it because 27:34 they're not gonna listen anyway. 27:36 And I just don't wanna offend them and I don't." 27:38 What does the Bible say about that? 27:41 Ezekiel, 3:11 becomes very clear, 27:45 Bible talks about whether they will hear 27:47 or whether they will forbear 27:49 speak the truth, certainly in love, 27:52 whether they will hear or whether they won't hear. 27:56 Now again, you can't make somebody listen, 27:57 we understand that 27:59 and you can't try to force it on them. 28:00 But as God gives that privilege and opportunity, 28:02 opens the door for you to give it, don't hold back. 28:06 Give as a Holy Spirit, right? 28:08 Impresses your heart and your mind. 28:10 Early Writings, page 96 says this. 28:13 Here's what we need today. 28:15 "Truth is plain, straight, is clear. 28:20 And stands, notice, out boldly in its own defense." 28:25 You don't have to defend 28:26 even though we say you know defend the truth, defend. 28:28 You don't have to defend the truth. 28:29 It defends itself, 28:31 line upon line, precept upon precept, 28:33 but it should be straight, and it should be plain, 28:35 and it should be clear. 28:37 But you know what? 28:38 A lot of people don't want that clear. 28:39 If it goes against something they're doing 28:41 or something that they like. 28:43 Again, Early Writings, 96. 28:44 We'll move along quickly as we can, notice, 28:46 "I saw that the last day signs shall be brought out clearly, 28:52 for the manifestations of Satan are increasing." 28:56 What should be happening these last days? 28:58 Prophecy should it be brought out how? 29:01 Clear and straight, 29:02 so that no one makes the mistake. 29:05 But you know, when you talk about that, 29:06 people, even our own people get little bit discouraged. 29:09 They call it doom and gloom. 29:11 Don't keep warning us over and over. 29:12 That sounds like Israel of old to me. 29:16 We hear what's going on, 29:18 but do we understand it in line of Bible prophecy? 29:20 This tells us of the coming of Jesus. 29:23 I saw that the last days, 29:25 notice, signs should be brought out clearly 29:27 to the people 29:29 because why? 29:30 Satan is as a what? 29:32 Roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 29:35 Point number three, 29:37 he shunned to declare the whole truth. 29:40 He shunned to declare what? 29:42 The whole truth. 29:45 Read you about a paragraph here 29:46 in Prophets and Kings 252 says this. 29:50 I like it. At first it starts this way. 29:52 "Truth is of God." Truth is what? 29:57 Yeah, all of us want truth. 29:59 The truth is of what? Is of God. 30:01 Deception in all of its myriad forms 30:04 is of Satan. 30:06 Whoever in any way," 30:08 notice this, 30:09 "departs from the straight line of truth 30:11 is betraying himself 30:13 into the power of the wicked one." 30:15 If we stray 30:17 and don't give the truth, right? 30:18 Then we've done what? 30:20 We've changed leaders, 30:21 just by not giving what God says to give. 30:27 We've changed leader, we don't want to do that. 30:30 So we see that our speech and our life, 30:33 the life that we live, 30:34 you know, we need to be very careful about that. 30:37 In Proverbs 19:5, it says this, 30:39 "A false witness shall not be unpunished, 30:42 and he that speaketh lies shall not escape." 30:47 See, we need to associate it 30:48 not just well, somebody told lie, 30:50 we're talking about not presenting the whole truth, 30:52 and nothing but the truth. 30:55 See, you have a movement 30:57 and we pray everyone here is a part of the movement 31:00 of giving the three angels' message to the world, 31:02 that means the whole message. 31:04 Does it not? 31:06 It means giving the whole message 31:07 not just part of it, not just one or two, 31:09 but all three angels' message, 31:11 and certainly that is warning of the mark of the beast. 31:13 Certainly that is warning of the image to the beast. 31:15 Surely that is a warning of the economy 31:18 and, you know, everything that's going on right now 31:20 certainly tells us that we need to be wide awake. 31:26 A lie, 31:27 you ever thought, realizes its falsehood, isn't it? 31:29 It's what a lie is. 31:31 It's falsehood or it's a false impression. 31:34 Sometimes we say things 31:35 that leads to a false impression. 31:37 You didn't really say that. 31:38 You just said enough 31:40 that it leads wrong impression on the mind. 31:42 Making a statement a lie 31:44 could be making a statement that you know 31:46 is not the truth or intent to deceive. 31:52 And here we must include exaggeration. 31:57 Exaggeration. Yeah. 31:59 How many have you ever heard that 32:00 they told a little white lie. 32:03 We heard that, right? Just a little. 32:05 Is there any such thing? 32:06 No, there's not. 32:08 But how often maybe even by silence, 32:10 we've lied. 32:12 Right? 32:13 Shake of the head, pump the shoulders. 32:16 So we've lied. 32:18 Bible says, 32:20 "The liars won't enter the kingdom of God." 32:21 So what we have to be careful 32:22 and ask the Holy Spirit to help us. 32:24 We don't wanna exaggerate. 32:26 We don't wanna magnify 32:28 something that's, you know, anything. 32:31 You said, "Well, it was a truth." 32:32 You magnified it, 32:33 it's no longer the truth, is it? 32:35 Aaron was afraid to declare the whole truth. 32:38 Now point number four, 32:39 the golden calf came about 32:40 because Aaron was, notice this, fearful of offending others. 32:44 Have you met people like that? 32:46 Point number four, what? 32:47 Golden calf came about because he was fearful of what? 32:50 Offending. 32:51 We have many in leadership positions 32:53 today in church. 32:54 They're fearful of saying the wrong things 32:56 or hurting people's feelings 32:57 because they won't ever come back. 32:59 So they withhold the truth. 33:01 But everything we read, it says we should not do that. 33:04 Certainly we study to show ourselves approved. 33:06 Surely if you say something, 33:07 people don't quite, you know, understand, 33:10 that you get back into the Word of God, 33:11 sit down and study it together. 33:13 But it's very difficult today to find people 33:15 who want to study the Word of God. 33:18 It's very difficult. 33:21 Patriarchs and Prophets 3:16 says this. 33:24 It talks about a crisis. 33:26 Are we in a crisis? 33:28 it says, "Such a crisis demands a man," 33:31 notice this, 33:32 "the golden calf was a what? A crisis period. 33:36 It was a crisis period. 33:38 God was getting ready to come down, was it? 33:40 And there was a word going 33:41 that almost wipe out His people. 33:44 Let's just put it real plain out there. 33:47 That was the crisis because what? 33:48 God had promised, right? 33:51 This nation would flourish. 33:54 Isaac and Abraham and Jacob, 33:57 but now He's coming back and saying right now. 33:59 And so he had to make there, 34:00 had to be a call that was made to come out. 34:04 Stand in the, you know, doorpost, right? 34:06 Stand in your doorway here. 34:08 Make each one separate. 34:10 And if you didn't separate 34:11 from what was going on right there you would die. 34:15 Interesting. 34:16 If we don't separate from the sin today 34:17 we're going to die. 34:20 "This is a crisis period," it says this, 34:23 "demands a man of firmness and decision 34:26 unflinching courage." 34:30 Is that what you want? 34:31 You want that for the leadership 34:33 of your country 34:34 even let alone right your faith. 34:37 We say we need somebody leading this country. 34:39 Somebody who's leading this that you know is firm, 34:42 somebody that can make a decision 34:44 they say at the drop of a hat. 34:47 Somebody that has unflinching courage, 34:49 they just go right ahead 34:50 whether it costs in their life or not. 34:51 They're just saying, "We're gonna go ahead." 34:54 We want that for our country, 34:55 but how much more we should want it 34:57 for the cause of Christ. 34:59 Leadership is so very important, 35:01 that's every one of us 35:03 can certainly be included in that. 35:04 You're looking for somebody 35:06 who will honor the God of heaven above every, 35:09 you know, personal thing that's out there. 35:13 That would honor God even if it costs in their life. 35:17 But the present leader, Aaron was not of that character. 35:21 Do you think God knew that? 35:23 But He still let him, still Moses came up, 35:25 Aaron was in charge, because he still was a decision 35:27 that had to be made. 35:29 God was still trying to get the attention of Aaron, 35:30 was He not? 35:32 Sure He was. 35:33 Because the way He was, was not in it. 35:35 We call in saving relationship. 35:37 There was something that need to be exposed. 35:38 Maybe you've had that happen in your own life. 35:42 He was not the way God wanted to be 35:45 because, notice, he was wavering. 35:47 If you ever met somebody that they always waver, 35:49 they don't know. 35:51 Well, we're not sure. 35:52 Well, it seems like. 35:55 That's the way that Aaron was. 35:58 And he was timid, 35:59 not saying anything's wrong with timid, 36:01 but you can read that. 36:05 At a crisis point, a critical moment 36:11 will only render them a more determined. 36:15 See, what happened, 36:17 because he didn't take a bold stand, 36:19 the people became what? 36:21 More determined to have their way. 36:23 You ever noticed that, 36:24 if you back off one thing of the church, 36:26 pretty soon there's something else 36:28 that comes in that's worse. 36:30 Maybe you've never been in those situations I have. 36:33 If you don't handle it the way God says to handle it, 36:37 it only gets what? 36:39 Worse. 36:41 And notice the people backhand was they came to the point 36:44 that where God says, you know what? 36:46 If they're not going to change, we're better off without them. 36:50 Well, pretty heavy duty, is it not? 36:55 Who's ever gonna be on God's side? 36:57 In the Word of God, you come over here, 36:58 and the others over here? 37:00 And if you continue to do what you're doing, 37:02 God's people, which was a Levi, do you remember that, 37:04 God appointed him to take their sword. 37:06 And He said, even he talking about their mate, 37:08 and even their own children, you had to take their life. 37:13 Now think about if you were in that situation, 37:17 would you honor God? 37:23 I mean, that's heavy duty, isn't it? 37:25 But God told him I saw you. 37:27 You're gonna have to do this. 37:30 Great Controversy 459 says this, 37:32 "What is the duty of the messenger of truth?" 37:36 What is the duty? 37:38 You should be a messenger of truth, 37:39 I should be a messenger of truth. 37:42 Nobody should mistake you or mistake me 37:45 to say that when they look at you, 37:47 and they say your name, 37:48 they should say they're a Sabbath keeper. 37:50 Hello. 37:52 They keep the seventh day Sabbath. 37:53 They believe in keeping them by the grace of God, 37:55 all the commandments. 37:58 See that should be said 38:00 that we're not waffled around enough that we said, 38:02 well, we do 38:04 but it doesn't really make any difference. 38:05 We're all trying to get to the same place. 38:08 God knows all those things. 38:09 But you know, He's talking about His people, 38:10 they will be known by those who keep the commandments of God, 38:13 and have the testimony of Jesus. 38:16 So what is the duty of the messenger of truth? 38:19 I mentioned just while ago, should we just say, 38:22 "Oh, well, you know, 38:24 since it's not, this is not very pleasing, 38:26 we'll just let it slide by, we're gonna evade this." 38:30 No, we must present the truth. 38:34 We must present the testimony of Jesus Christ. 38:39 We cannot neglect that 38:41 even as the reformers could not, 38:43 you remember them? 38:44 They did what? They stood for truth 38:46 and it cost them their very life, 38:48 regardless of circumstances. 38:51 So God requires us to be fearless 38:54 and present truth. 38:57 Now Paul said this in Acts, 20:27, 39:00 and I like this. 39:01 Now notice it, Acts 20:27, Paul said, 39:05 "For I have not shunned to," do what? 39:07 You remember this, 39:08 "To declare unto you all the counsel of God." 39:14 Did we get that? 39:17 Paul could boldly say, 39:19 "I have not shunned 39:21 to declare unto you all the counsel of God." 39:25 So somehow, we're sidetracking 39:27 and we're not getting into other issues 39:29 and different things that's very important. 39:31 Again, you know, what we take into our body, 39:32 what we put on our body, what we say, our influence, 39:35 all these different things like this, 39:36 rather than just 39:37 "Well, we go to church on Sabbath and da-da. 39:39 We don't eat unclean, da-da." 39:41 There's a lot more to the gospel 39:44 in preparing us to meet Jesus. 39:48 Paul did that because he worked for God. 39:52 He didn't work for me. 39:53 A lot of people were for men in the ministry 39:56 and they get a paycheck. 39:58 Are you still with me? Doesn't mean it's wrong. 39:59 I'm just saying. 40:02 And so they're afraid to offend 40:04 because they might be without a job. 40:06 Paul said he didn't have to, I'll make tents if I have to. 40:09 And he did. 40:11 That way I can declare the whole gospel. 40:14 Everything that the Word of God says 40:16 I can declare. 40:18 He had no fear of what men might do, 40:22 would do, could do to him. 40:25 He did not fear of offending anyone. 40:30 Aaron was afraid. 40:32 He didn't wanna offend anyone. 40:37 Remember, the Bible talks about that 40:39 by and by you remember, 40:40 when you present the truth by and by 40:41 that people become offended. 40:44 They become offended, oh, they don't want it. 40:45 They don't wanna hear it. 40:47 Paul was concerned about doing God's will 40:51 and giving a message of the hour. 40:52 Great Controversy, 394. 40:54 Notice what it says, it says, 40:56 "From his servants today, 40:58 God requires fearlessness in preaching the word." 41:04 Remember, we have to be careful of the golden calf 41:06 because I think it's been planted, 41:08 their roots is going down. 41:10 But we're so blind sometime we can't see what's going on. 41:13 And we think that somebody is just, 41:15 you know, conspiracy theory, it's really not happening, 41:17 in and among us we need to be careful. 41:20 God requires us to be what? 41:22 Fearless in preaching the Word, in carrying out its principles. 41:28 Present the people, notice, truths, 41:33 truths that will encourage us, 41:34 truths that will sustain us 41:36 through this hour that we're living in 41:38 and that will convert us and change us. 41:40 But I'm wondering if we're really ready for that. 41:43 Moses could have made, notice this, 41:45 Moses could have made the same statement, 41:47 as Paul did. 41:52 And that's in Acts 20:29. 41:54 Remember what Paul said, he said, 41:56 "I know after I depart, what's gonna come in?" 41:59 Yeah, Wolves gonna come in, and they're gonna do what? 42:02 They're gonna enter in among you, 42:04 not sparing the flock. 42:06 Sometimes that happens with ex-church members, 42:09 and sometimes people who are still on the books 42:12 as it were. 42:14 Friends, He said, 42:17 "After I leave, this what's going to happen." 42:20 So he was trying to stand for what 42:22 and give truth like we should be doing today. 42:24 Patriarchs and Prophets, 3:17 says, 42:26 "And there are still pliant Aarons." 42:29 What does that mean? 42:31 Aaron was one who could be under pressure, 42:33 he could be bent. 42:38 See, God's not looking for us today. 42:40 He's looking for people that cannot be bent 42:42 by the grace of God. Why? 42:43 Because you have God as your Lord 42:45 and Savior and power. 42:46 And He said, "You give the truth," remember? 42:50 And notice how this reads, 42:51 "There are still pliant Aaron's, 42:53 who while holding positions of authority in the church, 42:58 will yield to the desire of the unconsecrated, 43:02 thus encourage them in sin." 43:06 Maybe none of you have been involved in that. 43:08 I've seen it take place. 43:10 They just don't want, 43:12 they said does not cause any waves. 43:13 You heard that one, let's not cause any problems. 43:17 How does God look at it? 43:19 We've read one unfaithful act leads to what? 43:22 To another act. 43:24 Five Testimonies, 540 says this, 43:27 "One sin leads to the second 43:28 and the second prepares the way for the what? 43:31 For the third and so on." 43:34 If we serve, notice this, 43:35 one single inch from duty, 43:39 we are in danger of following a course of sin 43:44 that will end in perdition. 43:45 Did you get that? 43:46 Just a little something over, 43:48 just a little bit over here in person. 43:49 So it's very important 43:50 that we have an understanding of what is truth, 43:52 the last day message to give to the world 43:54 that we all less to agree, how can we walk together? 43:58 You know, how can we have a church, 43:59 we have people disagreeing 44:01 and everybody thinking all different so and so on. 44:03 That's why we encourage people 44:04 sit down and study the Word of God together 44:07 and see where you stand on issues. 44:10 So that we can harmonize together, 44:12 so that we can work together. 44:15 There's hope, my brothers and sisters today, 44:18 there's hope. 44:19 And that's only comes about 44:21 by binding ourselves to Jesus Christ. 44:23 Isn't that wonderful we can do that? 44:25 Exerting every energy 44:27 to attain to the perfection of character. 44:30 Whose character is that? 44:32 Jesus, Review and Herald, 6-10-1890. 44:35 Review and Herald. 44:39 6-10-1890 says this, you know this well. 44:42 It says, 44:43 "Unless the moral image of God is seen in man, 44:47 he can never enter the gates of God 44:49 as a conqueror." 44:52 I think Scripture is clear on that, 44:54 Spirit of Prophecy is clear on that 44:56 unless the what? 44:57 The moral image, come on somebody, 44:59 unless the moral what? 45:01 Image of God, 45:03 oh my, is seen in man, he can never enter, 45:06 "Oh, I wanna go to heaven, 45:08 I'm gonna be in heaven." Really? 45:11 Unless that moral image of Christ 45:13 is seen in you and seen in me, 45:16 we will never enter 45:17 into the gates of the city of God. 45:20 And if we look in the mirror right now, 45:21 we see probably a lot of things that need to be changed. 45:24 Maybe you don't, I do. 45:27 Is it really image of Christ, 45:28 the real image of Christ really seen through you? 45:30 Are you conducting yourself the way that Jesus did 45:32 while He walked this earth? 45:35 Am I? 45:36 And then if we say, "No, I'm really not, " 45:38 then you're not in the relationship, 45:40 and I'm not in relationship that I need to be. 45:43 I want to be straight, I want to be plain. 45:46 It either is truth or it's not truth. 45:49 Matthew 5:48, 45:51 "Be ye perfect as a Father 45:52 which art in heaven is perfect." 45:53 Lord have mercy. 46:01 Unless the moral image, God is seen in man, 46:05 he can never enter in the gates as a conqueror. 46:07 Wow! 46:10 The golden calf, I'm convinced is all around us. 46:17 Very few of us understand how dangerous it is. 46:22 Isaiah Chapter 55, said, 46:23 "We need to seek the Lord while He may be found," 46:25 isn't it right? 46:26 "Call upon Him." 46:28 He's withdrawing His Spirit. 46:30 And I wanna add this 46:32 before we go on in the last 10 minutes 46:33 or less we have here. 46:35 Testimonies to Ministers, 110 says this, 46:37 "If a brother, " 46:38 now notice this, 46:40 and if I hear it here, right? 46:44 Then I am gonna talk about it. 46:46 If you see things here's not right, 46:48 we need to talk about 46:49 sit down and study the Word of God. 46:51 Because we're either teaching truth 46:53 or teaching error. 46:55 If a brother is teaching error, 46:58 those who are in responsible positions 47:00 ought to know it. 47:02 What? 47:04 They ought to know it, if notice this, 47:06 "If they're teaching the truth 47:08 they ought to take their stand on His side." 47:10 If a brother is teaching the truth, 47:12 what do you do? 47:13 You take a stand beside them and say that's truth. 47:17 Not way back somewhere over here 47:18 or way over here somewhere, 47:19 you stand side by side and say, 47:21 this is what we believe is truth. 47:22 Whether they be few or whether they be many. 47:25 It's not about all the churches, 47:27 big, oh, lot of the people are here. 47:29 No, are we right with God? 47:34 All who's being taught among us, 47:37 notice, all know what is being taught among us. 47:40 For if, notice this, 47:41 it is truth, we need to know it. 47:46 I say again, 47:48 if it's truth, we need to know it. 47:51 I say again, 47:52 if it's true, we need to know it. 47:55 I say it again, 47:56 if it's truth we what? 47:57 If it's truth, we need to know it. 48:01 See, this is what we did. 48:02 We're talking about here, like, you know, 48:03 like we're shunning what is truth. 48:05 We're not shunning truth. 48:06 If it's truth, I wanna know it. 48:07 I've said it 1000 times before and I'll keep saying again, 48:10 I don't care if the pope gives it. 48:11 If it's truth, I'll take it. 48:14 Well. 48:17 See what I mean? 48:19 Yeah. 48:21 Anything that anyone says 48:23 if you compare it with the Word of God 48:25 and its truth, 48:26 I'm buying into it. Why? 48:27 Because I need to know it. 48:29 I need to know what truth is. 48:34 Truth is what sanctifies, is it not? 48:41 Let's go over something just real quick. 48:42 You remember the Lord said, 48:44 now this is kind of like beginning going over 48:45 and blue right to the end of where we started here. 48:48 We begin at the beginning here. 48:49 The Lord said to Moses, Exodus 19, 48:51 we won't be able to read it, 9 and 10. 48:54 You know, Lord said what? 48:55 Something's gonna happen. Something big is gonna happen. 48:57 Lord want to give the Ten Commandments, 48:59 did He not? 49:00 The Lord is gonna be showing up in camp. 49:03 I wonder how we would act today 49:04 if we knew that the Lord was gonna show up here. 49:09 Yeah, well see, my whole point is what? 49:12 If we don't think that He's come? 49:13 If we don't think that He's here? 49:15 Why are we here? 49:16 I thoroughly believe 49:17 He's gonna show up as faith right, is exercise, 49:21 that Jesus is here 49:22 as through the Holy Spirit here with us right now. 49:25 If not, there's no conviction, 49:26 there's nothing going to happen. 49:27 There's never going to be any changes, 49:29 up here wasting our time. 49:30 Why do that? 49:32 I believe by the grace of God, the Spirit of God will be here. 49:37 And He said, we've mentioned 49:39 two or three are gathered together, 49:40 He said, "I will be there." 49:42 God said, 49:43 "I'm gonna make a covenant with My people, " 49:44 that he's talking about that, 49:46 listen, covenant made with Israel 49:47 is the same covenant binding today with us. 49:50 Made a covenant agreement with Israel. 49:52 He said, 49:53 "I'll be your provider. I'll be your protector." 49:56 See how wonderful it is. 49:58 That makes me wanna jump over a pew. 50:01 He said, "I'll be your provider, " 50:02 it's not the government's gonna be your provider. 50:05 It's not your job, 50:06 that's gonna be your provider. Right? 50:08 God said, 50:10 "I'll be your provider, I'll be your protector, 50:12 I'm gonna take care of you of your surrounding nations 50:14 that's gonna try to take advantage of My people, 50:16 they'll never do it. 50:18 This is a covenant I'm gonna make." 50:19 And here's what He said, 50:21 "All you have to do is obey my voice." 50:24 Because He's getting ready to give them what? 50:25 His voice in the law, the Ten Commandment law. 50:29 This is where He's gonna itemize 50:30 as it were down, 50:32 just obey my voice. 50:33 And all the people said what? 50:37 Good, whatever you say, that's what we'll do. 50:39 That's basically what the people say today. 50:41 And that's, I better be careful. 50:44 That's what people say today. 50:45 But a lot of time we never do it. 50:46 We just say what? 50:48 Whatever he says, if it's his word, 50:49 that's what we wanna do, 50:50 but we fail to follow through with it. 50:53 And that's exactly what Israel did. 50:56 They made that solemn agreement. 50:59 It was broken 51:00 in just a matter of a few short days, 51:02 few short weeks. 51:05 A warning was given there by God. 51:07 He said, 51:08 "Look, I'm gonna come down on the third day." 51:11 And notice what He said, 51:13 "I'm gonna come down." 51:14 What if God see, what if God said that? 51:15 I believe He said, 51:17 I'm gonna come down on the seventh day, 51:19 I'm gonna come down on the seventh day, 51:21 and I'm gonna fellowship 51:22 with this little group right here, 51:24 or that little group over there. 51:26 How would you react? 51:27 Would you come in here 51:29 with all the things of the world on your mind? 51:30 Would you come in here humbly and crawling in here, 51:32 maybe spending some time in prayer? 51:35 Getting yourself ready, 51:36 because you knew if you were not ready, 51:37 you wouldn't live very long. 51:40 Now with that said, we don't, 51:42 evidently we don't really expect that 51:43 that His presence will be here strongly. 51:46 Because what are we really doing 51:47 what it says in His Word? 51:54 Covenant was broken. 51:56 We need to get ready. Quickly. 51:57 We'll make couple points here I think so very important. 52:00 Remember, He said three days? 52:02 Why three days? Hello? 52:05 Why three day? 52:06 Couldn't God said, 52:07 "In an hour, I'm gonna be here. 52:09 He's turning the rope around the mountain. 52:10 Remember, nobody touched him out. 52:11 If you did, you die. 52:13 The Holy Spirit, what do you say here? 52:14 Remember three days was simply for this, Carlos. 52:16 Think about with me. 52:18 It was time for them to prepare. 52:22 It was time for them to be praying, right? 52:25 Seeking the Lord asking for forgiveness of sin. 52:28 Because He was telling him how holy He is. 52:30 And if anyone touched that mount, 52:32 they would die. 52:33 And He told him, He said get those. 52:34 I'm gonna say it paraphrase if you don't mind, 52:36 "Get those dirty clothes off of yourself." 52:39 Right? 52:40 "Wash your clothes, get out of the field." 52:41 What's He saying? 52:43 Not only you wash the outside and cleanse the outside, 52:45 but He's talking about cleanse the inside 52:47 because I'm coming down. 52:50 And so that caring time was the time of preparation. 52:56 So it is right now. 52:59 We should devote ourselves to fasting 53:01 and prayer and humiliation. 53:03 It's the tearing time. 53:05 You remember 1844 quickly? 53:07 1844 was what? 53:08 He didn't come when they thought 53:10 and the way He was gonna come at that point in time. 53:11 What happened to the majority of the people 53:13 during the waiting time? 53:15 They left. 53:17 Just exactly what's happening when the tearing time, 53:19 the waiting time, 53:20 and people are getting discouraged 53:21 and they're leaving and saying, 53:23 "Oh we don't care." 53:25 Third day God showed up in a great majesty, 53:28 He spoke the law. 53:29 And He said, 53:30 "If you just obey it, 53:32 you'll be a peculiar people to me." 53:34 He spoke through thunder. 53:36 And He spoke through lightning and through fire, 53:38 a display of glory and power 53:40 that had never been seen before on the earth. 53:43 He said, "I'm the creator of heaven and of earth." 53:46 And He was gonna show them 53:47 something that they would never forget. 53:51 Maybe we need to see something we're not gonna forget, 53:54 the important and the permanency 53:57 of the Ten Commandment law. 54:00 God presented His law. 54:03 And they realized as never before 54:06 the offensive character of sin. 54:10 You know, as we close, 54:11 we need to think in terms of some points here, 54:13 we don't have time to go into. 54:15 But God wants to show His character. 54:18 But notice, even in Moses, 54:19 remember Moses went up on the mound quickly. 54:21 He went up on the mount, you remember? 54:23 But notice it was six days that he waited, 54:27 the cloud was still there. 54:29 He went up there and Joshua went with him 54:30 but he didn't go all the way up. 54:32 He waited down and they waited for six days 54:35 before God would speak to Moses. 54:37 He said I will speak face to face with you. 54:39 Notice what he did? 54:40 For six days, Moses heard nothing from God. 54:44 But he was diligently in seeking God's face, 54:47 confessing his sin, 54:48 getting yourself right 54:49 just like we should be doing right now 54:51 before the coming of Jesus. 54:52 Think about it. 54:53 But notice this, 54:55 but on the seventh day God showed up. 54:56 And I said the seventh day. Did you get it? 54:58 Six days was waiting and preparing, 55:00 on the seventh day Sabbath, 55:02 God showed up and said, "Come on up here." 55:05 Same way He'll do to you and to me today. 55:09 We need to behold the glory of the Lord. 55:13 Hello and welcome, back friends. 55:16 I don't know about you 55:18 but I have never before understood 55:20 the many spiritual lessons to be learned 55:23 from the story of the golden calf. 55:25 We have looked at lessons, 55:27 reproof and warnings as drawn from the lives 55:30 and tragic ending of the 3, 000 souls 55:34 who failed to repent 55:36 of this botchery of heathen worship. 55:39 We also have gleaned lessons from the mediation of Moses, 55:42 as he stood between the people and the mighty God of heaven. 55:47 Our prayer is that 55:48 these lessons will drive each of us 55:51 to the side of the Lord, 55:53 with a much closer and unwavering faith 55:55 than any of us have ever before experience. 55:58 We indeed have much to pray about. 56:01 And surely, we can now discern 56:03 why God asked for our whole heart. 56:07 Without submitting 56:09 and committing our whole hearts to God, 56:11 He cannot protect us 56:12 from the enemies or lures of sin. 56:15 It's the parts of our hearts 56:18 that we try to hold back from God 56:20 that will lead us right back into Egypt. 56:24 Friends, we hope that 56:25 you will make the effort right now to contact us here 56:29 and order this two part series again, 56:31 entitled "The Golden Calf." 56:33 We are making it available to you for a love gift 56:36 of just $15 or more, 56:38 but it's not over just there. 56:40 We're also offering you a free book that is entitled, 56:44 "Patriarchs and Prophets." 56:46 And in this book, 56:47 you will be able to read more 56:49 about the story of the golden calf. 56:51 So for either the two part series 56:53 or the free book, 56:55 won't you contact us today, 56:57 here in the United States at 618-942-5044, 57:02 that's Central Time, 57:03 or you may write to us at Behold the Lamb Ministries, 57:07 PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948. 57:12 You may also email us at 57:15 contact @beholdthelambministries.com 57:18 or visit us on our website at beholdthelambministries.com. 57:22 I would also like to encourage each of you 57:25 to visit our Behold the Lamb Ministries 57:27 YouTube channel 57:28 for many more important messages 57:31 that we try to update on a weekly basis. 57:34 And we also enjoy it 57:35 if you would just subscribe and share these messages 57:38 with your friends and your families. 57:40 And you're also invited to join us 57:42 on Behold the Lamb Ministries Facebook page 57:45 and become one of our friends. 57:47 So until next time, 57:48 our precious Lord continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2021-03-04