WEBVTT 00:00:01.239 --> 00:00:04.500 Welcome to Journey from Jacob. From our first 00:00:04.500 --> 00:00:07.419 breath to our last heartbeat, we are all on a 00:00:07.419 --> 00:00:10.660 journey. Jacob was a biblical character whose 00:00:10.660 --> 00:00:14.140 journey is documented for our benefit. Like all 00:00:14.140 --> 00:00:16.579 of us, there were unforgettable moments along 00:00:16.579 --> 00:00:20.359 the way which required decisiveness. One of those 00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:24.140 decisions determined his destination. We will 00:00:24.140 --> 00:00:27.160 not only discuss Jacob's journey, but Israel's 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:31.399 as well, right up to date. May this podcast inspire 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:34.380 you to make choices along your way that will 00:00:34.380 --> 00:00:37.340 benefit others and guide you to the destination 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:59.460 we all long for. love the Word of God, growing 00:00:59.460 --> 00:01:03.119 in grace and desiring to serve Him more. It's 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:06.180 wonderful to serve Jesus. And it's also wonderful 00:01:06.180 --> 00:01:08.920 to know that we're part of a story that is huge, 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:12.719 that has preceded us for centuries, millennia. 00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:15.319 But yet this is the time in history where we 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:18.219 are here. And we play an important role. We play 00:01:18.219 --> 00:01:20.200 an extremely important role. And I think we have 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:23.319 to see ourselves in that role, in that light, 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:25.359 in the light of something that is eternal in 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:28.000 nature. because this is a story that we're a 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:30.760 part of. And in this time of life, I think it's 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:33.140 even more evident than ever before, certainly 00:01:33.140 --> 00:01:35.859 in my own life, where I've seen the grace of 00:01:35.859 --> 00:01:39.459 God operating mightily, but also this enemy, 00:01:39.659 --> 00:01:43.260 torrential outpouring of evil, like never before 00:01:43.260 --> 00:01:47.060 in my history, certainly, but I believe it's 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:50.700 also in the history of the world. It's going 00:01:50.700 --> 00:01:52.819 to end soon, and I'm not saying this is the end 00:01:52.819 --> 00:01:55.219 of the world. I'm not that kind of a guy. But 00:01:55.219 --> 00:01:57.680 it is going to end because Jesus predicted and 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:00.359 in the scriptures back this up all over and over 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:02.620 again. The prophets speak about it all over the 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:05.420 place. But this is not something to fear as a 00:02:05.420 --> 00:02:09.520 believer. And I truly feel saddened when I see 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.439 people in their faces and I can sense the fear 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:15.439 and the unrest because they have no hope. They 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:19.180 have no landing place. They have no anchor. And 00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:22.099 so the Bible is the anchor to our soul, the Word 00:02:22.099 --> 00:02:25.099 of God. And we have to be confident in that. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:27.180 And sometimes we have to fight for that confidence. 00:02:27.419 --> 00:02:30.060 And this is the story of Abraham. It was the 00:02:30.060 --> 00:02:32.879 story of Jacob that we read the portion of where 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:34.979 his identity was changed. But now we're into 00:02:34.979 --> 00:02:37.580 his grandfather, Abraham, who is the father of 00:02:37.580 --> 00:02:41.300 our faith. Interestingly enough, he's also considered 00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:45.740 the father of the faith of Islam as well. Which 00:02:45.740 --> 00:02:48.580 is, it couldn't be further from the truth. And 00:02:48.580 --> 00:02:51.120 yet, this is how well the enemy has sewn it up. 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:54.479 Islam is growing so quickly. I mean, it's just 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:57.620 outpacing every other world religion by miles, 00:02:57.620 --> 00:03:00.879 including Christianity. So we need to wake up, 00:03:01.180 --> 00:03:03.759 guys. Seriously wake up. And this portion of 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:07.000 scripture, I think, it will be a catalyst for 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:09.780 you to think and consider the road that's in 00:03:09.780 --> 00:03:13.199 front of you and be prepared for the future so 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:16.939 that you may prepare those around you, especially 00:03:16.939 --> 00:03:18.919 if you have children and grandchildren, but young 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:23.300 people as a whole. and I mean young up to 30s 00:03:23.300 --> 00:03:28.240 and even in 40s, because this sense of anticipation 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:30.620 of something coming down and they know not what 00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:34.460 is rampant. So here we are back in Genesis chapter 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:38.460 15, and it opens up with God telling Abraham 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:42.020 not to be afraid, Abraham, fear not, Abraham, 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:46.659 for I am your shield and your exceedingly great 00:03:46.659 --> 00:03:50.240 reward. So I want to give you a little bit of 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:52.379 an episode that happened to me many, many years 00:03:52.379 --> 00:03:55.379 ago. And I had recently been saved. It was a 00:03:55.379 --> 00:04:01.259 New Year's Eve day. But I was asked by a customer 00:04:01.259 --> 00:04:04.060 if I could do a last minute project because they 00:04:04.060 --> 00:04:07.159 were having company even that weekend. And they 00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:10.000 wanted this woodwork done against their wall 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:13.259 and then put a coat of finish on it. So I agreed 00:04:13.259 --> 00:04:16.019 to it and it took me longer than I expected, 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:19.399 which is not unusual for me. And so when I got 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:22.680 the cedar wood on the walls and finished it, 00:04:22.779 --> 00:04:24.899 sanded it and everything, it was kind of a mess, 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:27.459 but it was freezing cold out. This is in New 00:04:27.459 --> 00:04:30.680 York, last day of the year. And I couldn't really 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:33.540 open the doors or windows because it would freeze 00:04:33.540 --> 00:04:36.259 them out of their house. So I kept doing the 00:04:36.259 --> 00:04:38.959 work, which I shouldn't have, without the exhaust 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:42.620 necessary. And I paid for it. The next morning 00:04:42.620 --> 00:04:45.860 I woke up, so it's New Year's Day. I woke up 00:04:45.860 --> 00:04:49.480 and I couldn't even walk. I got out of bed and 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:51.800 I started stumbling all over my house. I thought 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:54.120 I was going to get sick. So I went outside for 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:57.899 some fresh air, which was ice cold. And the next 00:04:57.899 --> 00:05:00.879 thing I know, I can't walk. I can't see. I'm 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:05.040 stumbling all over my yard. And I just couldn't 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:07.019 open my eyes because it kept getting worse if 00:05:07.019 --> 00:05:09.620 I opened my eyes. And so my first thought was, 00:05:09.660 --> 00:05:12.439 here it is. I'm a new believer. I'm telling all 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:14.600 my neighbors about Jesus. They can look out their 00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:20.579 window and see me stumbling across my yard right 00:05:20.579 --> 00:05:22.740 after New Year's Eve. So I was like, Oh God, 00:05:22.860 --> 00:05:24.759 get me home. I don't even know how to get home. 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:27.579 And I'm talking about my front yard. And I just 00:05:27.579 --> 00:05:30.220 turned around and I realized where I have to 00:05:30.220 --> 00:05:32.360 head to because I could not keep my eyes open. 00:05:32.660 --> 00:05:34.959 I get into the house. Next thing I know I'm being 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:37.120 taken to the hospital. I'm in the emergency room 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:39.000 and they admitted me and they didn't know what 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:42.600 was going on. my eyeballs were literally bouncing 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:46.459 out of my eyes. They could see them pulsing through 00:05:46.459 --> 00:05:49.519 my eyelids. So they put me in a room and they 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.399 put blinders over me so I wouldn't open my eyes. 00:05:52.540 --> 00:05:56.519 And then, you know, they leave and it's a holiday 00:05:56.519 --> 00:05:59.180 and so the staff is late and all. But here I 00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:02.160 am, like, not knowing what's going on. It was 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:04.980 very unusual for me. I'd never experienced this 00:06:04.980 --> 00:06:07.439 before, but my eyeballs were literally popping 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.779 out of my head. And then I hear this voice. It 00:06:09.779 --> 00:06:12.660 was internal. But the voice said the same thing 00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:16.560 that God said to Abraham. It was fear not. And 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:20.480 it was to me. Fear not for I am your shield and 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:23.560 your exceedingly great reward. That was it. And 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:26.980 then I just chilled out in bed. Things changed. 00:06:27.180 --> 00:06:29.959 I started to feel this confidence. that everything 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.120 was going to be okay. So why am I telling that? 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:35.600 Number one, it applies, directly applies to this 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.560 verse that we just read and this highlighted 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:42.500 chapter, chapter 15 of Genesis, because Abraham 00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:45.319 was afraid. Now, I know he wasn't afraid like 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:48.379 I was afraid. Mine was a very personal thing, 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:51.139 but his, he had just spoken truth to power and 00:06:51.139 --> 00:06:54.240 that power system was 100 % demonic, whether 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:58.319 it was literally or figuratively, satanically, 00:06:58.899 --> 00:07:03.139 Governed, it certainly was evil. He was encompassed 00:07:03.139 --> 00:07:06.259 by evil, and here it was night, and he's told 00:07:06.259 --> 00:07:09.860 by God Himself, not to be afraid. So he's with 00:07:09.860 --> 00:07:12.360 God, it's nighttime, and he's talking about this 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:14.300 covenant. God's talking to him about the covenant, 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:17.500 that he is going to be faithful to it, and he 00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:19.540 told him, go outside, look at the stars, count 00:07:19.540 --> 00:07:21.519 them if you can, of course you couldn't, but 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:24.360 this is God's promises to him. Now this is, I'm 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:26.379 going to read portions of this so you understand 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:29.339 exactly what he's talking about, because it's 00:07:29.339 --> 00:07:31.939 so important. It's so important today. This applies 00:07:31.939 --> 00:07:34.740 so much for the days we're living in. So the 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:37.639 word of the Lord came to him and he told him 00:07:37.639 --> 00:07:39.779 to look outside and when he saw the stars he 00:07:39.779 --> 00:07:43.600 says, so shall your offspring be. Now he's not 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:45.720 saying if you count the stars that's the number 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:48.399 you're going to have. It's just this innumerable 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:50.439 amount of offspring, but he still had no children. 00:07:50.699 --> 00:07:54.879 So he said to him that Abraham I am the Lord 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.939 who brought you out from Or of the Chaldeans, 00:07:58.220 --> 00:08:01.860 which is in modern day Iraq, it would be the 00:08:01.860 --> 00:08:05.019 Babylonian, it would be Babel, that area, it 00:08:05.019 --> 00:08:08.439 would be the Iraqis today. I have sworn to give 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:10.839 you this land to possess. So Abraham said, Oh 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:13.040 Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:16.560 it? And this is a startling moment where it's 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:19.149 very figurative. So he tells him to bring out 00:08:19.149 --> 00:08:22.189 some animals, a heifer three years old, a female 00:08:22.189 --> 00:08:24.810 goat. Now Abraham was an extremely wealthy man 00:08:24.810 --> 00:08:27.889 with a large flocks of all kinds of animals. 00:08:28.129 --> 00:08:30.529 And then a female goat three years old, a ram 00:08:30.529 --> 00:08:32.669 three years old, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon. 00:08:32.730 --> 00:08:35.330 By the way, three is always indicative of God 00:08:35.330 --> 00:08:37.370 up to something. And he brought them all these, 00:08:37.450 --> 00:08:40.110 cut them in half, and laid each half over and 00:08:40.110 --> 00:08:42.730 against each other. But he did not cut the birds 00:08:42.730 --> 00:08:45.399 in half. And when the birds of prey came down 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:48.299 on the carcass, Abram drove them away. Birds 00:08:48.299 --> 00:08:50.940 of prey. Now, I said this previously, but the 00:08:50.940 --> 00:08:54.559 birds of prey are indicative of demonic activity. 00:08:54.940 --> 00:08:57.259 And that's also, you know, this portions in scripture 00:08:57.259 --> 00:09:00.299 that bears that out. So then it's beginning to 00:09:00.299 --> 00:09:02.639 get dark, the sun was going down, a deep sleep 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:06.059 fell on Abram, and behold, dreadful and great 00:09:06.059 --> 00:09:08.750 darkness fell upon him. So it's not just being 00:09:08.750 --> 00:09:10.970 out in the night. We know the stars were already 00:09:10.970 --> 00:09:14.190 starting to come out, but this darkness was way 00:09:14.190 --> 00:09:16.830 beyond just the absence of light. It was something 00:09:16.830 --> 00:09:20.210 very dreadful and dark. And the Lord spoke to 00:09:20.210 --> 00:09:22.970 him and said, know for certain that your offspring 00:09:22.970 --> 00:09:26.070 will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, 00:09:26.429 --> 00:09:28.710 and they will be servants there, and they will 00:09:28.710 --> 00:09:32.090 be afflicted for 400 years. Now I just want to 00:09:32.090 --> 00:09:34.990 remind you what I just read that when Abram drove 00:09:34.990 --> 00:09:38.409 out the birds of prey, It says that a deep sleep 00:09:38.409 --> 00:09:41.490 fell upon him, and that's when this dreadful 00:09:41.490 --> 00:09:44.549 darkness, so in this sleep, he's in a sleep state, 00:09:44.970 --> 00:09:47.190 I'd imagine he thinks he's having a nightmare 00:09:47.190 --> 00:09:51.049 until the Lord speaks to him, but he's sleeping. 00:09:51.470 --> 00:09:54.370 And he had already set up this sacrifices to 00:09:54.370 --> 00:09:56.929 take place, but then God puts him to sleep, and 00:09:56.929 --> 00:09:59.909 he tells him that his offspring, now this is 00:09:59.909 --> 00:10:02.929 in context to telling him, Abraham, you're going 00:10:02.929 --> 00:10:04.429 to have descendants like you wouldn't believe, 00:10:04.470 --> 00:10:07.090 you're going to be... wealthy, not beyond your 00:10:07.090 --> 00:10:09.970 means. You can be wealthy with children, descendants, 00:10:10.309 --> 00:10:14.129 grandchildren, and possessions of land, you know, 00:10:14.289 --> 00:10:17.210 great portion of land. But then he tells him, 00:10:17.330 --> 00:10:19.649 know for certain that your offspring, now that's 00:10:19.649 --> 00:10:22.590 Zerah again, will be sojourners. They'll be traveling 00:10:22.590 --> 00:10:25.350 through a land that is not their own, but there 00:10:25.350 --> 00:10:28.029 will be slaves there, slaves. And they'll be 00:10:28.029 --> 00:10:31.649 afflicted there for four centuries. I mean, that 00:10:31.649 --> 00:10:35.190 doesn't sound too comforting to me, that your 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.919 Given all these promises and every good gift 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:39.960 comes from the God, from the Father of Lights, 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:42.460 in whom there is no turning. But yet this doesn't 00:10:42.460 --> 00:10:44.659 sound very good. And it doesn't sound like a 00:10:44.659 --> 00:10:46.379 gift. You're going to give me descendants and 00:10:46.379 --> 00:10:47.860 they're going to go into slavery? What is that 00:10:47.860 --> 00:10:50.340 about? Well, he doesn't know. And he's not explained 00:10:50.340 --> 00:10:52.720 anything. But there's something about Abraham 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:56.559 that is so remarkable, is that he believed God 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.460 and it was accredited to him as righteousness. 00:10:59.940 --> 00:11:02.299 And we spoke about this earlier, but this is 00:11:02.299 --> 00:11:04.860 a book of faith, as you know. But it's one thing 00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:08.120 to know it, you know, academically, but it's 00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:10.580 another thing to experience it. And this is what 00:11:10.580 --> 00:11:13.720 Abraham did. He was obviously an incredibly gifted 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:17.500 man. He was strong, he was military minded, and 00:11:17.500 --> 00:11:20.759 he was gentle and kind. And I can imagine his 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.139 neighbors loved having him nearby, because he 00:11:23.139 --> 00:11:25.220 was a blessing to them. And that's what it comes 00:11:25.220 --> 00:11:28.049 down to. So he says to him, as for you, you shall 00:11:28.049 --> 00:11:30.570 go to your fathers in peace and you'll be buried 00:11:30.570 --> 00:11:33.169 in a good old age, which he was. But his descendants, 00:11:33.230 --> 00:11:37.190 which we may or may not get to in depth, went 00:11:37.190 --> 00:11:40.269 into slavery through Jacob and his twelve sons 00:11:40.269 --> 00:11:44.169 went into slavery. So without knowing the future, 00:11:44.509 --> 00:11:47.549 he's just trusting God for the Presence. And 00:11:47.549 --> 00:11:51.129 though he's told by God immediately afterwards, 00:11:51.129 --> 00:11:53.730 he said that they shall come back here in the 00:11:53.730 --> 00:11:56.299 fourth generation. But here's his reason. for 00:11:56.299 --> 00:12:00.220 the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." 00:12:00.220 --> 00:12:02.740 Now what is that about? What would the Amorites 00:12:02.740 --> 00:12:05.580 have anything to do with Abraham? It doesn't. 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:08.159 I mean, yeah, they were in the land, they hassled 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:10.519 him, they harassed him, but we don't see him 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:12.919 warring against them. Like later we will see 00:12:12.919 --> 00:12:15.600 Joshua, and they will harass in David's time 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:19.500 as well. So they became great enemies of Israel, 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:23.120 but God gave them four centuries to repent. And 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:25.639 that's how he is. See, he says in the beginning 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:27.960 he told Moses, when Moses wanted to know his 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:30.980 nature, he says, hey, look, I'm full of mercy 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:34.220 and long -suffering. And this is his proof here 00:12:34.220 --> 00:12:36.759 that this wicked nation, even though they're 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:39.899 so wicked, and we might not like this idea, but 00:12:39.899 --> 00:12:42.799 that he gave him a long period of time for him 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:45.379 and his children, for the Amorite King. and his 00:12:45.379 --> 00:12:47.559 children, children's children, to get it right. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:50.519 And they didn't. And God judged them after the 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:53.000 Israelites came out of slavery, was the time 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:55.539 where they were judged, and the beginning of 00:12:55.539 --> 00:12:58.980 their judgment, and soon to be wiped out as a 00:12:58.980 --> 00:13:02.919 people. So when the sun had gone down and it 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:06.320 was dark, that's when, behold, a smoking fire 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:09.179 pot and a flaming torch passed between these 00:13:09.179 --> 00:13:12.509 pieces. So Abraham seeing these things, But he's 00:13:12.509 --> 00:13:14.590 still sleeping. He has nothing to do with it. 00:13:14.610 --> 00:13:17.190 But God is cutting covenant with him. Because 00:13:17.190 --> 00:13:19.169 that's how they did it in those days. They'd 00:13:19.169 --> 00:13:20.909 lay out the covenant. You probably know this. 00:13:21.210 --> 00:13:25.129 They cut the pieces up and then each member of 00:13:25.129 --> 00:13:27.549 the covenant, that two members you make a covenant 00:13:27.549 --> 00:13:30.210 with is between two people or two groups, would 00:13:30.210 --> 00:13:34.230 walk through these sacrifices and in recognition 00:13:34.230 --> 00:13:38.529 that I will be like these sacrifices if I fail 00:13:38.529 --> 00:13:42.360 to keep my part, my promise. in this covenant 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:45.100 relationship. But God knew that Abraham couldn't 00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:48.759 do that because he's not God. He's not capable 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:51.679 of making that kind of a promise. So God put 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:54.700 him to sleep, made a covenant as if he was in 00:13:54.700 --> 00:13:57.460 full agreement and he could keep that covenant 00:13:57.460 --> 00:14:00.879 and walk. He didn't literally walk in it. This 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:05.299 burning pot, smoking fire and flaming torch passed 00:14:05.299 --> 00:14:09.480 between the pieces. So it's not God in visibly 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:13.379 but representative by this torch and a smoking 00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:16.360 fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:20.259 pieces on that day because of what happened that 00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:23.279 God alone initiated and would be the keeper of 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:26.259 this covenant he who keeps Israel will neither 00:14:26.259 --> 00:14:29.259 slumber or sleep and God never slept in the centuries 00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:31.740 in which he's been keeping Israel and he says 00:14:31.740 --> 00:14:34.620 to Abraham to your offspring I give this land 00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:37.990 from the river of Egypt to the great river, the 00:14:37.990 --> 00:14:41.210 river Euphrates. It's a lot of land. So God gave 00:14:41.210 --> 00:14:44.190 this to Abram, cut covenant with him, which he 00:14:44.190 --> 00:14:47.889 cannot break. Hebrews 6 talks about by two things. 00:14:48.549 --> 00:14:51.409 God swore his promise and his oath. He swore 00:14:51.409 --> 00:14:54.909 by that he would keep this covenant, the Abrahamic 00:14:54.909 --> 00:14:57.690 covenant. Hebrews chapter 6, very rarely taught, 00:14:58.009 --> 00:15:00.159 but this is what he's referring to. And he gives 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:02.399 him this land and he tells him about all these 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.899 Canaanite tribal people that now live there. 00:15:04.940 --> 00:15:06.580 They're going to be gone. This is going to be 00:15:06.580 --> 00:15:09.279 yours and your people forever, as long as there's 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:12.279 stars in the sky. So, what are we talking about 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:15.580 here? Well, we're talking about what is applicable 00:15:15.580 --> 00:15:18.779 to today, because if you haven't been around 00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:21.879 lately, there's been chanting going on since 00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:26.960 October 8th. October 8th is the day after this 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:30.710 incredibly brutal assault. on the people of Israel 00:15:30.710 --> 00:15:35.950 began and has yet to end. So it's the war of 00:15:35.950 --> 00:15:38.850 all wars for Israel in modern times. Nothing 00:15:38.850 --> 00:15:41.990 like it since the Holocaust. And when you start 00:15:41.990 --> 00:15:44.830 to hear, and I'm not recommending that you really 00:15:44.830 --> 00:15:47.149 research this, but when you start to hear, if 00:15:47.149 --> 00:15:50.769 you do, the stories of the survivors from this 00:15:50.769 --> 00:15:54.529 assault on October 7th, it is beyond barbaric. 00:15:54.610 --> 00:15:57.350 It is like... There's no category where you can 00:15:57.350 --> 00:15:59.529 put these people for the things that they did 00:15:59.529 --> 00:16:02.389 to the hostages, not just on that day when they 00:16:02.389 --> 00:16:05.169 captured them and brought them to Gaza, throughout 00:16:05.169 --> 00:16:07.889 that whole period of the two -year experience 00:16:07.889 --> 00:16:11.269 before they were finally released. It's just 00:16:11.269 --> 00:16:15.470 unreal and it's painful to know about. I've been 00:16:15.470 --> 00:16:20.370 in the home, not the home that during the assault, 00:16:20.629 --> 00:16:22.509 but a new home, another home, very small one, 00:16:22.529 --> 00:16:25.950 that was provided for this woman. who was in 00:16:25.950 --> 00:16:29.830 a kibbutz that was invaded by Hamas terrorists. 00:16:30.230 --> 00:16:33.090 She and her husband lived through it. Anyway, 00:16:33.250 --> 00:16:35.950 I was with her, and another friend of mine, and 00:16:35.950 --> 00:16:39.110 interviewed her, and she survived. But just to 00:16:39.110 --> 00:16:41.889 hear her talking, she's a believer. She obviously 00:16:41.889 --> 00:16:44.350 had a different kind of perspective, but she 00:16:44.350 --> 00:16:46.649 was not captured, nor was her husband, nor was 00:16:46.649 --> 00:16:50.210 her two sons, and they were all safe, which was 00:16:50.210 --> 00:16:53.299 kind of rare. And yet to hear her story, it just 00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:56.179 made everything so real that when I do hear other 00:16:56.179 --> 00:16:59.039 stories, I can picture it happening because she 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:01.399 was so vivid in her description of where they 00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:03.779 lived and what happened, their voices and such. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:06.759 And having her neighbors when they came out and 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:10.700 seeing the carnage, it's just, it's just, I hate 00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:13.359 to think about it, honestly. But this is the 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:17.460 enemy. These are the descendants of the, not 00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:20.529 literally, the spiritual descendants of the enemies 00:17:20.529 --> 00:17:24.049 of God that trampled on the land of Israel for 00:17:24.049 --> 00:17:26.269 centuries. Now, that might sound cruel to you. 00:17:26.369 --> 00:17:28.690 Well, why should the people today be blamed for 00:17:28.690 --> 00:17:31.009 what happened yesterday? And I'm not blaming 00:17:31.009 --> 00:17:33.470 all the people. I'm not blaming children for 00:17:33.470 --> 00:17:37.349 being alive. But the cruelty behind it has to 00:17:37.349 --> 00:17:39.349 have a reason for it. This is what I'm trying 00:17:39.349 --> 00:17:42.910 to get to. It has to have a reason for why two 00:17:42.910 --> 00:17:47.220 terrorists would gun down families. in Sydney, 00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:50.700 Australia over the Hanukkah festival that they've 00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:54.220 been doing for years at this beach as a custom, 00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:56.140 because that's where they lived. This was their 00:17:56.140 --> 00:17:58.519 land. They were Australians, but they were also 00:17:58.519 --> 00:18:02.539 Jews. And this is what's the problem. The enemy 00:18:02.539 --> 00:18:06.279 cannot live with the notion that the Jews are 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:09.660 still here, that God has kept his promise for 00:18:09.660 --> 00:18:12.920 this long to keep them. He can't stand the thought 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:14.980 of it and he's done everything to destroy them. 00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:17.240 But that's not all. That's not the only reason. 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:21.420 Because Ephesians 2 speaks to us that God has 00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:25.119 created one new man out of the two, meaning two 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.480 people groups that were at odds with each other 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:30.299 and hostility towards one another. He broke it 00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:32.819 at the cross so that the two could become one. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:36.059 When that happens, it becomes a witness of them. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.279 manifold wisdom of God to the forces of darkness 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:42.619 in spiritual places, demonic forces led by Satan. 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:46.279 This is the witness when the Jewish and Gentile 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:49.640 believers serve as one. It is the greatest threat 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:52.720 to the enemy, and he knows he has to keep that 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:54.880 from happening. He didn't do well in the first 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:58.059 century, and that's how the Church burst into 00:18:58.059 --> 00:19:02.440 action, because it was a Jewish and Gentile coalition 00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:05.369 going into all of Asia. By the middle of the 00:19:05.369 --> 00:19:08.890 book of Acts it says that all of Asia had been 00:19:08.890 --> 00:19:11.470 reached with the gospel. That's like unheard 00:19:11.470 --> 00:19:13.970 of. Nothing in modern history can compare to 00:19:13.970 --> 00:19:16.390 it, even with all our technology. How did this 00:19:16.390 --> 00:19:19.000 happen? It happened supernaturally, but it happened 00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:21.480 because it was empowered by God because it was 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:24.259 according to His eternal purpose that the Jews 00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:27.559 and the Gentiles would join forces against the 00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:30.420 work of the enemy. The enemy has been at large 00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:33.380 throughout the land since October 7th like no 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:35.880 bear before. He's taken the mask off, he's shown 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.880 himself for who he is, and nevertheless he's 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:42.900 gained such an incredible following. Now I'm 00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:45.240 talking about this following with Hamas, but... 00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:47.599 The head of this whole thing is the snake, the 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:50.180 serpent in the garden, who is the one who birthed 00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:53.140 hostility against the seed of the woman. Which 00:19:53.140 --> 00:19:56.339 if you're a Christian, spiritually, you are part 00:19:56.339 --> 00:19:58.920 of that seed. And you should be concerned to 00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:02.559 the utmost about your brothers and sisters who 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.900 are suffering because they're also the natural 00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:08.119 seed. If he can get rid of one or the other, 00:20:08.220 --> 00:20:11.160 the Jews or the Gentiles, he knows that he is 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:13.960 safe. As long as he separates them, he is safe, 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:16.349 and he's been safe. for close to two thousand 00:20:16.349 --> 00:20:19.630 years, because it's been such a limited response 00:20:19.630 --> 00:20:23.710 of this oneness that it seems like he's invisible, 00:20:23.950 --> 00:20:27.190 gone forever, but he's not. I know as people 00:20:27.190 --> 00:20:30.069 like you, if you're a Gentile Christian and believer 00:20:30.069 --> 00:20:32.029 and you've come this far to listen to this kind 00:20:32.029 --> 00:20:34.250 of a podcast, that you have an interest that 00:20:34.250 --> 00:20:37.450 is very rare and unique, but it has to be encouraged. 00:20:37.660 --> 00:20:41.180 It has to be fed, nourished, and this is what 00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:43.619 Comfort My People is here for, to nurture this 00:20:43.619 --> 00:20:46.500 kind of a relationship that true believers, and 00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:48.859 I'm not trying to say we're the only ones, but 00:20:48.859 --> 00:20:51.680 true believers, both from the Jewish and Gentile 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.720 side, would merge and come against the forces 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:58.099 of darkness. That's our purpose. That is God's 00:20:58.099 --> 00:21:00.759 eternal purpose, that we would take the helm 00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:03.019 and bring the Gospel into the nations. And it's 00:21:03.019 --> 00:21:05.460 going to happen. It will happen, because God 00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:07.849 said it will. But don't you want to be on the 00:21:07.849 --> 00:21:10.309 side where you are part of the solution and no 00:21:10.309 --> 00:21:14.289 longer part of the audience, participants? So, 00:21:14.589 --> 00:21:16.609 we're not just here to cheer them on, but we 00:21:16.609 --> 00:21:19.289 are here to let them know, I'm talking about 00:21:19.289 --> 00:21:22.190 Jewish believers, especially in Israel, let them 00:21:22.190 --> 00:21:25.009 know that we are with you. The voice of the Church 00:21:25.009 --> 00:21:27.849 has been relatively silent since October 7th. 00:21:27.849 --> 00:21:30.390 And the chants, just listen to this for a minute, 00:21:30.509 --> 00:21:33.450 the chants are from the river to the sea. Palestine 00:21:33.450 --> 00:21:38.160 must be free. and into chanting the second chapter 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:42.779 in their play -acting was global antifada must 00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:46.480 be raised up to the level of complete takeover. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:50.619 Global antifada means conquering the entire world 00:21:50.619 --> 00:21:53.900 with Islam. And if you want to know what that'll 00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:56.640 look like, start listening to some of these videos 00:21:56.640 --> 00:22:00.619 of hostages that were taken captive and now they're 00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:03.460 telling their stories. It's gripping. But it's 00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:06.759 very, very difficult to even listen to. I don't 00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:09.420 want to end on this note, because from there, 00:22:09.559 --> 00:22:12.240 you know, we're talking about God, and God is 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:15.779 full of mercy. And He doesn't want... it's not 00:22:15.779 --> 00:22:18.440 His will that people would perish. It's His will 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:20.380 that all would be saved and come to the knowledge 00:22:20.380 --> 00:22:23.420 of the Truth that would free them. But it comes 00:22:23.420 --> 00:22:27.240 with a cost. For Him, you know, we say these 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:30.460 things, the joy of the Lord is my strength, but... 00:22:30.140 --> 00:22:32.680 It'll take you through the hardest of times if 00:22:32.680 --> 00:22:35.619 it's real. We can't manufacture this just by 00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:38.859 singing certain songs. We must live it out. And 00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:41.720 it's a courageous step like Abraham. He spoke 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:45.200 truth to darkness, to evil, to power. And it 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:48.359 caused him to be afraid. But see, what happened 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:50.940 is what we have to focus on. Not the night and 00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:54.200 the darkness and the dreaded fear, but that God 00:22:54.200 --> 00:22:57.619 shows up in the midst of us and tells us in that 00:22:57.619 --> 00:23:00.940 condition to fear not. For I am your shield, 00:23:01.140 --> 00:23:04.079 an exceedingly great reward. That is the path 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:08.240 that the righteous take, and in and through Yeshua 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.140 HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah. It's not just 00:23:11.140 --> 00:23:13.599 that I've read the story and I know in the end 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:16.319 we win. No, I know what it's like day by day 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.000 that God promised as the Good Shepherd that He 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:21.980 would be with us. And that's how we can face 00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:25.230 the enemy. May this lead you to a more dedicated 00:23:25.230 --> 00:23:28.950 experience with the Lord that will satisfy you 00:23:28.950 --> 00:23:31.309 to the deepest. And let me just say this too, 00:23:31.309 --> 00:23:34.309 if you think that this is of any value, we do 00:23:34.309 --> 00:23:37.410 need, and it's not that we need this, but we 00:23:37.410 --> 00:23:39.289 would hope that you would say, you know what? 00:23:39.490 --> 00:23:41.849 I want others to hear this. I want others to 00:23:41.849 --> 00:23:43.730 experience this. I want to talk to people who 00:23:43.730 --> 00:23:47.089 are like -minded. So just like this, subscribe 00:23:47.089 --> 00:23:48.710 to this, and all the things that you know you're 00:23:48.710 --> 00:23:50.589 supposed to do in order for a population to grow. 00:23:50.730 --> 00:23:53.480 We're not looking for growth. But we do support 00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:55.940 ministries in Israel. I mean, our goal is not 00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:58.559 growth. Our goal is to support our brothers and 00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:00.920 sisters in Israel who are on the front lines 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:04.539 serving the Lord in the most difficult of situations 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:09.180 and have been for the entire season of this horrific 00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:12.319 war. That we could support them, they could continue 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.539 doing it, they continue passing out literature 00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:17.509 and now Bibles for the first time. So many things 00:24:17.509 --> 00:24:20.710 that they're doing that goes unnoticed and they're 00:24:20.710 --> 00:24:22.869 not looking for attention, but we want to serve 00:24:22.869 --> 00:24:25.269 them as best we can. And we have more to speak 00:24:25.269 --> 00:24:27.329 about that and hopefully you'll stick with us. 00:24:27.529 --> 00:24:29.589 And may the joy of the Lord be your strength 00:24:29.589 --> 00:24:32.369 in ways you never dreamed of. Shalom, shalom. 00:24:33.529 --> 00:24:36.049 We bless you for taking the time to consider 00:24:36.049 --> 00:24:38.910 this message. May it cause you to be fruitful 00:24:38.910 --> 00:24:41.730 and effective and lead others along the way with 00:24:41.730 --> 00:24:45.559 confidence and determination. Check out our website 00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:48.799 at comfortmypeople .com to become better informed 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:51.759 and equipped to restore righteousness to the 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:55.359 people of Israel, America, and beyond. Please 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:57.920 consider sharing this and visit us on social 00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:00.480 media. Shalom and blessings.