1 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:04,600 It would be a wonderful day if the 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,240 Lord came for his own, and thank God 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,400 for that blessed and sure hope. 4 00:00:12,100 --> 00:00:14,140 And may every one of us who know 5 00:00:14,140 --> 00:00:17,040 the Lord live in the joy of that 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,460 blessed promise when the Saviour said, I will 7 00:00:21,460 --> 00:00:26,120 come again and receive you unto myself, that 8 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,800 where I am, there ye may be also. 9 00:00:31,460 --> 00:00:35,620 It will be much better to be there 10 00:00:35,620 --> 00:00:38,760 than even here. 11 00:00:39,660 --> 00:00:42,260 May God grant the hope will be real 12 00:00:42,260 --> 00:00:45,280 to our hearts and encourage us. 13 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,360 We turn to chapter thirteen today in the 14 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,220 book of Zechariah, reading the contents of this 15 00:00:52,220 --> 00:00:56,300 chapter, nine verses, where the Spirit of God 16 00:00:56,300 --> 00:00:59,860 writes, In that day there shall be a 17 00:00:59,860 --> 00:01:04,080 fountain opened to the house of David and 18 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,260 to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and 19 00:01:08,260 --> 00:01:09,580 for uncleanness. 20 00:01:09,580 --> 00:01:12,380 And it shall come to pass in that 21 00:01:12,380 --> 00:01:16,280 day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I 22 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,260 will cut off the names of the idols 23 00:01:18,260 --> 00:01:21,580 out of the land, and they shall no 24 00:01:21,580 --> 00:01:25,360 more be remembered, and also I will cause 25 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,060 the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass 26 00:01:30,060 --> 00:01:31,160 out of the land. 27 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:35,000 And it shall come to pass that when 28 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:39,040 any shall yet prophesy, then his father and 29 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,260 his mother that begat him shall say unto 30 00:01:41,260 --> 00:01:45,600 him, Thou shalt not live, for thou speakest 31 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,520 lies in the name of the Lord. 32 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,680 And his father and his mother that begat 33 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,620 him shall trust him true when he prophesieth. 34 00:01:54,620 --> 00:01:57,640 And it shall come to pass in that 35 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:02,380 day that the prophet shall be ashamed every 36 00:02:02,380 --> 00:02:05,840 one of his vision when he hath prophesied. 37 00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:09,020 Neither shall they wear a rough garment to 38 00:02:09,020 --> 00:02:12,620 deceive, but he shall say, I am no 39 00:02:12,620 --> 00:02:16,920 prophet, I am an husbandman, for man taught 40 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:18,860 me to keep cattle for my youth. 41 00:02:19,540 --> 00:02:22,580 One shall say unto him, What are these 42 00:02:22,580 --> 00:02:24,100 wounds in thine hands? 43 00:02:24,900 --> 00:02:28,160 Then he shall answer, Those with which I 44 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,940 was wounded in the house of my friends. 45 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:37,760 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the 46 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,240 man that is my fellow or my equal. 47 00:02:41,020 --> 00:02:44,780 Set the Lord of hosts, smite the shepherd, 48 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,400 and the sheep shall be scattered. 49 00:02:49,180 --> 00:02:53,080 And I will turn mine hand upon the 50 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:53,940 little ones. 51 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,360 And it shall come to pass that in 52 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,420 all the land set the Lord. 53 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,480 Two parts therein shall be cut off and 54 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,240 die, but the third shall be left therein. 55 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,000 And I will bring the third part through 56 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,600 the fire, and will refine them as silver 57 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,240 is refined, and will try them as gold 58 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:16,080 is tried. 59 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,220 They shall call on my name, and I 60 00:03:20,220 --> 00:03:21,280 will hear them. 61 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,020 I will say, It is my people, and 62 00:03:26,020 --> 00:03:33,640 they shall say, The Lord is my God. 63 00:03:33,640 --> 00:03:36,500 May God bless the reading and the hearing 64 00:03:36,500 --> 00:03:39,960 of his word, and by his Holy Spirit 65 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:44,400 may he direct our hearts and our minds 66 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,460 to the coming event when our blessed Lord 67 00:03:47,460 --> 00:03:51,600 Jesus will return in power and great glory. 68 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,900 We've had the joy of going thus far 69 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:58,300 through the prophecy the past week, and we 70 00:03:58,300 --> 00:04:00,620 have seen the divisions of that book which 71 00:04:00,620 --> 00:04:02,580 I would name briefly again. 72 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,860 Chapter 1 verses 1 through 6. 73 00:04:06,580 --> 00:04:10,480 The call of God for national repentance. 74 00:04:11,380 --> 00:04:14,580 A message through Zechariah to call the nation 75 00:04:14,580 --> 00:04:19,480 to repent, forsake their sins, and seek the 76 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:19,860 Lord. 77 00:04:19,860 --> 00:04:23,200 We found the second division in chapter 1 78 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,060 verse 7 going to the end of chapter 79 00:04:26,060 --> 00:04:26,700 6. 80 00:04:27,220 --> 00:04:30,300 A series of 8 visions given to the 81 00:04:30,300 --> 00:04:31,780 prophet in one night. 82 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:37,500 With consolatory as well as comforting words concerning 83 00:04:37,500 --> 00:04:40,060 the future of Jerusalem. 84 00:04:40,060 --> 00:04:44,820 For contrary, or in contrast I should say, 85 00:04:45,300 --> 00:04:50,990 to the prophecy of Haggai, the ministry of 86 00:04:50,990 --> 00:04:56,490 Zechariah relates particularly to the city of Jerusalem. 87 00:04:57,370 --> 00:05:01,670 Haggai's ministry pertained in particular to the house 88 00:05:01,670 --> 00:05:04,430 of the Lord, or the rebuilding of the 89 00:05:04,430 --> 00:05:04,870 temple. 90 00:05:05,530 --> 00:05:09,930 But Zechariah goes further to bring before us 91 00:05:09,930 --> 00:05:15,850 the coming restoration and the prosperity of Jerusalem 92 00:05:15,850 --> 00:05:18,550 in the day that the Lord returns to 93 00:05:18,550 --> 00:05:19,030 the earth. 94 00:05:19,030 --> 00:05:23,690 The consummation of that second division was so 95 00:05:23,690 --> 00:05:27,990 blessedly typifying to us in the coronation of 96 00:05:27,990 --> 00:05:32,410 Joshua the high priest, the coming coronation of 97 00:05:32,410 --> 00:05:36,630 our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when he 98 00:05:36,630 --> 00:05:39,970 shall sit as a king and a priest 99 00:05:39,970 --> 00:05:41,890 upon his earthly throne. 100 00:05:41,890 --> 00:05:45,970 The third division of the chapters we found 101 00:05:45,970 --> 00:05:48,050 in chapters 7 and 8. 102 00:05:48,630 --> 00:05:51,030 A question that was brought to the prophet, 103 00:05:51,690 --> 00:05:54,390 and was answered by the Spirit of God, 104 00:05:54,890 --> 00:05:58,090 to tell that they would not have fasting, 105 00:05:58,650 --> 00:06:02,170 but in the ultimate end, when God's purposes 106 00:06:02,170 --> 00:06:05,650 would be fulfilled, there would be nothing but 107 00:06:05,650 --> 00:06:10,010 joy, gladness, and a time of feasting. 108 00:06:10,010 --> 00:06:13,890 Our last section that we've already commenced in, 109 00:06:14,430 --> 00:06:16,630 from chapter 12 to the end of this 110 00:06:16,630 --> 00:06:19,330 wonderful book, or chapter 9 rather, to the 111 00:06:19,330 --> 00:06:22,350 end of this book, consists of two great 112 00:06:22,350 --> 00:06:23,110 burdens. 113 00:06:23,950 --> 00:06:26,530 Whenever you read the word burden in relation 114 00:06:26,530 --> 00:06:31,930 to prophecy, it usually signifies a prophecy of 115 00:06:31,930 --> 00:06:33,590 a threatening character. 116 00:06:33,590 --> 00:06:37,970 We've already seen the first burden, bringing the 117 00:06:37,970 --> 00:06:40,730 children of Israel in the last conflict against 118 00:06:40,730 --> 00:06:45,670 the nations into ultimate victory, and also bringing 119 00:06:45,670 --> 00:06:48,450 them, as we saw in our preceding message, 120 00:06:48,830 --> 00:06:53,250 to the day of their reconciliation, to the 121 00:06:53,250 --> 00:06:55,790 great national day of atonement. 122 00:06:55,790 --> 00:06:58,590 Look with me in chapter 13, where we 123 00:06:58,590 --> 00:07:01,970 commence today, where we have the continuation of 124 00:07:01,970 --> 00:07:05,330 chapter 12, which brings before us in its 125 00:07:05,330 --> 00:07:09,670 confirmation the cleansing and the great day of 126 00:07:09,670 --> 00:07:12,550 atonement for the house of Israel. 127 00:07:12,550 --> 00:07:15,850 In that day there shall be a fountain 128 00:07:15,850 --> 00:07:18,710 open to the house of David, and to 129 00:07:18,710 --> 00:07:23,550 the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for 130 00:07:23,550 --> 00:07:24,690 uncleanness. 131 00:07:25,210 --> 00:07:29,530 We rejoice in the knowledge that fountain will 132 00:07:29,530 --> 00:07:33,310 be the fountain of cleansing blood, which they 133 00:07:33,310 --> 00:07:36,890 will acknowledge was shed upon the cross of 134 00:07:36,890 --> 00:07:41,750 Calvary, when the Messiah of Israel, rejected by 135 00:07:41,750 --> 00:07:46,330 his own, was crucified, and upon that cross, 136 00:07:46,830 --> 00:07:52,230 nevertheless, in the language of Isaiah 53, and 137 00:07:52,230 --> 00:07:57,370 may I still repeat, Isaiah 53 will be 138 00:07:57,370 --> 00:08:04,630 the national confession of repentance and conviction and 139 00:08:04,630 --> 00:08:10,090 acknowledgement that he was wounded for our transgressions, 140 00:08:10,670 --> 00:08:14,610 that he was bruised for our iniquities, that 141 00:08:14,610 --> 00:08:18,350 the chastisement of our peace was upon him 142 00:08:18,350 --> 00:08:21,450 that we by his stripes may be healed, 143 00:08:21,950 --> 00:08:25,010 and they will acknowledge all we like sheep 144 00:08:25,010 --> 00:08:26,030 have gone astray. 145 00:08:26,030 --> 00:08:30,410 We have turned everyone to his own way, 146 00:08:30,550 --> 00:08:35,770 yet Jehovah has laid on him the iniquity 147 00:08:35,770 --> 00:08:36,909 of us all. 148 00:08:37,270 --> 00:08:39,690 Beloved of the present day, it's the most 149 00:08:39,690 --> 00:08:43,210 difficult task to bring one of the earthly 150 00:08:43,210 --> 00:08:47,730 people of God to the acknowledging that Jesus 151 00:08:47,730 --> 00:08:52,030 the Son of God, dying on Calvary, was 152 00:08:52,030 --> 00:08:53,790 their own Messiah. 153 00:08:53,790 --> 00:08:57,630 But we thank God for those who do 154 00:08:57,630 --> 00:08:59,670 and have acknowledged him as such. 155 00:09:00,310 --> 00:09:04,510 But in that day, they will see the 156 00:09:04,510 --> 00:09:09,970 fountain, open for cleansing, that streamed from the 157 00:09:09,970 --> 00:09:12,350 pierced side of the Son of God. 158 00:09:12,350 --> 00:09:15,250 And in that day, to the house of 159 00:09:15,250 --> 00:09:19,830 David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the fountain 160 00:09:19,830 --> 00:09:22,970 of his precious blood will be for their 161 00:09:22,970 --> 00:09:26,970 sin and for their uncleanness. 162 00:09:27,490 --> 00:09:30,230 If you would desire, and I commend it 163 00:09:30,230 --> 00:09:33,610 to be done, read the twenty-third chapter 164 00:09:33,610 --> 00:09:36,530 of the book of Leviticus, and you may 165 00:09:36,530 --> 00:09:39,890 recall one of the great feasts, the annual 166 00:09:39,890 --> 00:09:43,430 feast of Jehovah, was the great day of 167 00:09:43,430 --> 00:09:44,790 atonement. 168 00:09:45,030 --> 00:09:49,370 When in repentance annually they were to come 169 00:09:49,370 --> 00:09:52,350 together for the forgiveness of the nation's sins. 170 00:09:53,490 --> 00:09:57,370 And beloved, how greater will be that national 171 00:09:57,370 --> 00:10:02,410 day when they see him whom they have 172 00:10:02,410 --> 00:10:07,950 pierced, and acknowledge he was wounded for their 173 00:10:07,950 --> 00:10:08,110 transgressions. 174 00:10:09,990 --> 00:10:14,030 And what a cleansing it will be for 175 00:10:14,030 --> 00:10:14,710 the nation. 176 00:10:15,610 --> 00:10:19,190 But may I insert a plea for any 177 00:10:19,190 --> 00:10:22,710 precious soul who may be with us today, 178 00:10:23,290 --> 00:10:27,250 not knowing that cleansing power of Christ and 179 00:10:27,250 --> 00:10:28,470 his precious blood. 180 00:10:29,090 --> 00:10:30,710 We would just say in the words of 181 00:10:30,710 --> 00:10:33,330 the good old hymn, have you been to 182 00:10:33,330 --> 00:10:35,230 Jesus for the cleansing power? 183 00:10:35,230 --> 00:10:38,270 Are you washed in the blood of the 184 00:10:38,270 --> 00:10:38,630 Lamb? 185 00:10:39,990 --> 00:10:42,270 And God grant that if you have never 186 00:10:42,270 --> 00:10:46,390 been washed in that precious blood, plunge in 187 00:10:46,390 --> 00:10:51,970 by faith today, and your soul will be 188 00:10:51,970 --> 00:10:52,970 cleansed. 189 00:10:53,010 --> 00:10:54,910 Hallelujah for such a Savior. 190 00:10:54,910 --> 00:10:57,510 But now as we go to verse two, 191 00:10:58,210 --> 00:11:00,830 there is not only a moral and spiritual 192 00:11:00,830 --> 00:11:04,290 cleansing from sin and defilement, but as we 193 00:11:04,290 --> 00:11:06,750 read in verse two, going down through verse 194 00:11:06,750 --> 00:11:10,450 six in particular, there will also be a 195 00:11:10,450 --> 00:11:12,010 purging of the land. 196 00:11:12,970 --> 00:11:15,550 There is not only iniquity and the sins 197 00:11:15,550 --> 00:11:18,770 of the people taken away, in that day 198 00:11:18,770 --> 00:11:21,870 of the godly remnant that will come through 199 00:11:21,870 --> 00:11:23,850 the fires of the great tribulation. 200 00:11:23,850 --> 00:11:27,090 There is to be a cleansing of the 201 00:11:27,090 --> 00:11:28,310 whole land. 202 00:11:28,970 --> 00:11:31,030 For as you note in the context of 203 00:11:31,030 --> 00:11:34,810 this section, the land must be and will 204 00:11:34,810 --> 00:11:39,750 be cleansed from all idolatry, as well as 205 00:11:39,750 --> 00:11:41,870 the ministry of false prophets. 206 00:11:41,870 --> 00:11:45,070 We have noted again and again in our 207 00:11:45,070 --> 00:11:48,310 study, that there has been the ministry of 208 00:11:48,310 --> 00:11:49,250 false prophets. 209 00:11:50,070 --> 00:11:53,670 We noted particularly in a recent study, that 210 00:11:53,670 --> 00:11:57,250 one of the greatest times of idolatry in 211 00:11:57,250 --> 00:12:00,430 Israel, as well as the greatest of all 212 00:12:00,430 --> 00:12:05,170 false prophets, will be when the wicked, false 213 00:12:05,170 --> 00:12:11,850 Messiah, the Antichrist, presents himself with his credentials. 214 00:12:11,850 --> 00:12:13,090 That are accepted. 215 00:12:13,690 --> 00:12:16,790 For the Savior said, I am come in 216 00:12:16,790 --> 00:12:20,230 my Father's name, and ye receive me not, 217 00:12:20,670 --> 00:12:23,410 but another will come in his own name, 218 00:12:24,250 --> 00:12:26,950 him ye will receive. 219 00:12:28,130 --> 00:12:32,550 And beloved, may I state again, the greatest 220 00:12:32,550 --> 00:12:38,170 time of idolatry, the greatest time of apostasy, 221 00:12:38,970 --> 00:12:42,190 in the history of Israel, is not in 222 00:12:42,190 --> 00:12:45,370 the past, it is in the future. 223 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,240 And take the solemnity of that truth to 224 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,540 your heart, and realize not only for Christendom, 225 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:58,580 not only for the failing days, of the 226 00:12:58,580 --> 00:13:03,300 Christian testimony, but for Israel, Judaism, as well 227 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:07,620 as Christianity, the greatest day of apostasy lies 228 00:13:07,620 --> 00:13:08,420 before the world. 229 00:13:09,420 --> 00:13:13,500 And for Israel in particular, when they receive 230 00:13:13,500 --> 00:13:17,040 the one who is the false Messiah, the 231 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,960 wicked shepherd, or the foolish shepherd. 232 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:24,080 But in the day of cleansing, the land 233 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:28,420 will be cleansed too, from every idolatrous practice, 234 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,580 and from every false prophet. 235 00:13:32,060 --> 00:13:34,200 Note the words as we read them quickly. 236 00:13:35,140 --> 00:13:38,020 The new testimony will be kept clean, for 237 00:13:38,020 --> 00:13:40,380 says the Lord, it shall come to pass 238 00:13:40,380 --> 00:13:43,020 in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, 239 00:13:43,340 --> 00:13:45,080 I will cut up the names of the 240 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:46,260 idols out of the land. 241 00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:49,900 They shall no more be remembered. 242 00:13:50,420 --> 00:13:52,060 Hallelujah for such a day. 243 00:13:52,980 --> 00:13:56,280 When the memory of the false shepherds, the 244 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,660 memory of the false prophets, the memory of 245 00:13:59,660 --> 00:14:05,040 the idolatrous practices, will never again be brought 246 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:05,880 to mind. 247 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:08,840 You know, when the Lord cleanses, he does 248 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,400 a good job, does he not? 249 00:14:11,380 --> 00:14:15,300 And then reads further, also I will cause 250 00:14:15,300 --> 00:14:19,660 the prophets and the unclean spirits to pass 251 00:14:19,660 --> 00:14:20,560 out of the land. 252 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,740 Do you remember the Lord Jesus saying about 253 00:14:23,740 --> 00:14:27,580 a man who had an evil spirit, and 254 00:14:27,580 --> 00:14:30,480 then when he was cleansed, the evil spirit 255 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:31,600 was taken out? 256 00:14:32,060 --> 00:14:35,780 And when those wicked spirits, taken out, found 257 00:14:35,780 --> 00:14:39,280 no place to go, they came back again. 258 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,760 And went into that cleansed land, and they 259 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,740 were worse than they had ever been before. 260 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:51,140 It was the parable that signified by the 261 00:14:51,140 --> 00:14:55,260 Lord Jesus, that Israel has been cleansed from 262 00:14:55,260 --> 00:15:00,100 idolatrous practice as a nation, since the days 263 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:01,800 of the Babylonian captivity. 264 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,720 But when the wicked spirits return to the 265 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,280 land in the days of the great tribulation, 266 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,840 the latter state of Israel in apostasy and 267 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,400 idolatry will be the greatest of all. 268 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,320 But says the Lord Jesus, the unclean spirits 269 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,680 I will cause to pass out. 270 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:25,440 Follow through. 271 00:15:26,260 --> 00:15:29,900 We have an hypothetical case presented to us 272 00:15:29,900 --> 00:15:31,520 in verse 3 as we go on. 273 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,040 For God declares how we will keep the 274 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:36,140 testimony clean. 275 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,120 It shall come to pass that when or 276 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:43,720 if any shall yet prophesy, then his father 277 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,660 and his mother that began him shall say 278 00:15:45,660 --> 00:15:49,500 unto him, thou shalt not live, for thou 279 00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:51,800 speakest lies in the name of the Lord. 280 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,400 And his father and his mother that began 281 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,300 him shall trust him through when he prophesieth. 282 00:15:58,700 --> 00:16:01,480 And it shall come to pass in that 283 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,440 day that the prophet shall be ashamed. 284 00:16:05,260 --> 00:16:07,780 Every one of his vision, when he hath 285 00:16:07,780 --> 00:16:11,540 prophesied, neither shall they wear a rough garment 286 00:16:11,540 --> 00:16:12,480 to deceive. 287 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:15,120 Let me say a word about that third 288 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,180 verse in particular, first of all. 289 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,440 For as you look at these words, one 290 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:26,020 can recognize this hypothetical case reminds us of 291 00:16:26,020 --> 00:16:29,980 the solemn words of Deuteronomy chapter 13, which 292 00:16:29,980 --> 00:16:32,480 you may read from verses 6 through 10. 293 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,540 And may I say, now listen to this 294 00:16:35,540 --> 00:16:36,640 divine principle. 295 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:42,160 In Deuteronomy chapter 13 and verses 6 through 296 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:47,520 10, God declared that his people were responsible 297 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,760 to be obedient to the revelation of his 298 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:51,720 divine truth. 299 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,300 And that even if one of their own 300 00:16:55,300 --> 00:17:00,780 children prophesied against the word of the Lord, 301 00:17:01,380 --> 00:17:02,960 they were to be put to death. 302 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:06,060 Now may I point out that in our 303 00:17:06,060 --> 00:17:10,660 book of Zechariah, in this verse, the truth 304 00:17:10,660 --> 00:17:15,619 of God will be supreme to the hearts 305 00:17:15,619 --> 00:17:18,500 of his people in that day, above their 306 00:17:18,500 --> 00:17:19,960 family relationship. 307 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,099 Now that's a searching fact. 308 00:17:25,619 --> 00:17:30,380 How many of us even today are willing 309 00:17:30,380 --> 00:17:35,560 to keep the truth of God, no matter 310 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:40,620 the compromise that may come from the dearest 311 00:17:40,620 --> 00:17:43,100 upon the earth to us. 312 00:17:44,990 --> 00:17:51,550 But in that day, in Israel's glory, God's 313 00:17:51,550 --> 00:17:56,850 truth will be more important to be obeyed 314 00:17:56,850 --> 00:18:02,050 than compromising with even their own children. 315 00:18:03,710 --> 00:18:06,950 And as Deuteronomy commands by the word of 316 00:18:06,950 --> 00:18:10,830 the Lord, such a false one should be 317 00:18:10,830 --> 00:18:11,450 put to death. 318 00:18:11,450 --> 00:18:14,830 Now this is an isopodical case if it 319 00:18:14,830 --> 00:18:17,550 ever appears in the millennial kingdom. 320 00:18:18,230 --> 00:18:21,210 It shall come to pass that prophet will 321 00:18:21,210 --> 00:18:22,090 be exposed. 322 00:18:22,870 --> 00:18:26,430 And as verse 4 declares, he may have 323 00:18:26,430 --> 00:18:32,590 the hypocritical garment of a prophet, outwardly wearing 324 00:18:32,590 --> 00:18:36,550 the rough garment to deceive, indicating that he 325 00:18:36,550 --> 00:18:38,750 professes to be a prophet of God. 326 00:18:38,750 --> 00:18:43,050 But then when challenged, he shall say, I'm 327 00:18:43,050 --> 00:18:45,830 not a prophet, I'm a husband man. 328 00:18:46,430 --> 00:18:49,210 Man taught me to keep cattle from my 329 00:18:49,210 --> 00:18:49,770 youth up. 330 00:18:49,890 --> 00:18:53,530 In other words, one will be so ashamed, 331 00:18:54,170 --> 00:18:59,910 he will seek immediately to evade the accusation 332 00:18:59,910 --> 00:19:03,850 and deny his outward profession. 333 00:19:05,030 --> 00:19:08,230 Now when you come to verse 6, I'd 334 00:19:08,230 --> 00:19:10,410 like to give you two particular lines of 335 00:19:10,410 --> 00:19:10,810 thought. 336 00:19:12,090 --> 00:19:14,270 For there is a division, there is a 337 00:19:14,270 --> 00:19:17,450 difference of opinion and conviction in the minds 338 00:19:17,450 --> 00:19:20,950 of not only rabbinical, but even Christian teachers 339 00:19:20,950 --> 00:19:23,390 regarding the setting of these words. 340 00:19:24,410 --> 00:19:28,190 In the grammatical context, they belong in relation 341 00:19:28,190 --> 00:19:30,070 to the false prophet. 342 00:19:30,950 --> 00:19:34,170 And they'll challenge him, saying, what are these 343 00:19:34,170 --> 00:19:35,750 wounds in thine hands? 344 00:19:35,810 --> 00:19:38,390 And he shall answer, those with which I 345 00:19:38,390 --> 00:19:40,350 was wounded in the house of my friends. 346 00:19:40,350 --> 00:19:43,970 Now let me give you a realistic case 347 00:19:43,970 --> 00:19:48,370 in the Old Testament of false prophets. 348 00:19:49,130 --> 00:19:54,550 You'll all remember the time when Elijah challenged 349 00:19:54,550 --> 00:19:56,070 the prophets of Baal. 350 00:19:57,090 --> 00:19:59,530 And you'll recall as they were to prove 351 00:19:59,530 --> 00:20:02,610 who was the living God, by fire coming 352 00:20:02,610 --> 00:20:06,690 down from above upon the sacrifice beneath and 353 00:20:06,690 --> 00:20:10,850 devouring it, the prophets of Baal prayed. 354 00:20:11,790 --> 00:20:15,330 They not only prayed, but as time went 355 00:20:15,330 --> 00:20:18,110 on and there was no answer, then in 356 00:20:18,110 --> 00:20:23,710 their frenzy they cut themselves with knives, to 357 00:20:23,710 --> 00:20:28,390 indicate the fervency of their petition in relation 358 00:20:28,390 --> 00:20:29,330 to their God. 359 00:20:30,210 --> 00:20:33,010 And it was often the custom of false 360 00:20:33,010 --> 00:20:37,610 prophets to thus manifest themselves in their fervor, 361 00:20:38,190 --> 00:20:40,870 and to thus cut themselves in their body. 362 00:20:41,570 --> 00:20:43,990 And if there is such a one in 363 00:20:43,990 --> 00:20:46,810 that coming day, he'll be challenged, what are 364 00:20:46,810 --> 00:20:47,610 those wounds? 365 00:20:48,770 --> 00:20:51,630 And he will answer, these which I received 366 00:20:51,630 --> 00:20:53,350 in the house of my friends. 367 00:20:53,850 --> 00:20:56,850 Perhaps he may have been chastised by his 368 00:20:56,850 --> 00:20:59,330 own parents in his youth as a result 369 00:20:59,330 --> 00:21:01,090 of his false ministry. 370 00:21:01,710 --> 00:21:04,550 Or he may have inflicted those wounds himself. 371 00:21:04,550 --> 00:21:09,210 Now that's one interpretation that is held by 372 00:21:09,210 --> 00:21:10,450 many good men. 373 00:21:11,090 --> 00:21:13,650 David Barron, one of the greatest Hebrew Christian 374 00:21:13,650 --> 00:21:16,850 Jews, as well as our brother Charles Feinberg, 375 00:21:17,150 --> 00:21:19,670 who teaches the book of Zechariah in a 376 00:21:19,670 --> 00:21:21,110 most blessed way too. 377 00:21:21,530 --> 00:21:22,590 And there have been others. 378 00:21:22,590 --> 00:21:26,670 But all acknowledge, whether they follow that teaching 379 00:21:26,670 --> 00:21:30,310 or not, they acknowledge it is a very 380 00:21:30,310 --> 00:21:36,970 abrupt change, transition, if you're going to separate 381 00:21:36,970 --> 00:21:39,310 it from the context that precedes it. 382 00:21:39,970 --> 00:21:42,490 But then on the other hand, the other 383 00:21:42,490 --> 00:21:45,930 teaching is worthy of emphasizing too. 384 00:21:45,930 --> 00:21:48,170 For I'm sure that all of us have 385 00:21:48,170 --> 00:21:51,770 heard again and again, and perhaps ourselves may 386 00:21:51,770 --> 00:21:55,290 have quoted, that the words would remind us 387 00:21:55,290 --> 00:21:58,330 of the good shepherd, our Lord Jesus. 388 00:21:58,970 --> 00:22:01,630 And we do find, though there is a 389 00:22:01,630 --> 00:22:03,630 break in the context at the end of 390 00:22:03,630 --> 00:22:07,650 verse 6, we do find that great shepherd 391 00:22:07,650 --> 00:22:10,790 comes before us, as we shall see in 392 00:22:10,790 --> 00:22:12,510 verse 7 particularly. 393 00:22:12,510 --> 00:22:16,310 And surely we can and do and would 394 00:22:16,310 --> 00:22:21,170 acknowledge the true shepherd was the smitten shepherd. 395 00:22:21,630 --> 00:22:23,310 He also was wounded. 396 00:22:24,310 --> 00:22:27,810 Yea, he was even smitten unto death in 397 00:22:27,810 --> 00:22:29,730 the house of his friend. 398 00:22:30,470 --> 00:22:33,590 He came unto his own, and his own 399 00:22:33,590 --> 00:22:35,110 received him not. 400 00:22:35,110 --> 00:22:40,070 And thus we do acknowledge that if the 401 00:22:40,070 --> 00:22:42,930 words apply to him, they are true of 402 00:22:42,930 --> 00:22:48,930 him who was wounded in the house of 403 00:22:48,930 --> 00:22:49,950 his own friend. 404 00:22:50,710 --> 00:22:55,310 But the next verse brings before us, in 405 00:22:55,310 --> 00:22:59,870 contrast to the false shepherd, the true shepherd. 406 00:23:00,610 --> 00:23:03,110 Now beloved, may I point out something. 407 00:23:04,110 --> 00:23:06,850 And this is a precious corroboration of the 408 00:23:06,850 --> 00:23:08,510 great teaching of God's truth. 409 00:23:09,590 --> 00:23:13,510 We saw in chapter 12, that there will 410 00:23:13,510 --> 00:23:15,910 be a vision of that one whom they 411 00:23:15,910 --> 00:23:18,110 have pierced when they see him face to 412 00:23:18,110 --> 00:23:23,970 face, that will convince them that they pierced 413 00:23:23,970 --> 00:23:24,250 him. 414 00:23:24,250 --> 00:23:27,150 As we read in chapter 12, remember the 415 00:23:27,150 --> 00:23:33,030 words, they shall look upon me whom they 416 00:23:33,030 --> 00:23:35,670 have pierced. 417 00:23:36,270 --> 00:23:38,590 May I pause for a moment of reflection 418 00:23:38,590 --> 00:23:39,250 with you. 419 00:23:40,950 --> 00:23:43,850 My beloved friend, you and I who belong 420 00:23:43,850 --> 00:23:45,590 to the Lord, and you who may not 421 00:23:45,590 --> 00:23:49,890 belong to the Lord, your sins and mine 422 00:23:49,890 --> 00:23:53,350 pierced that blessed one upon the cross of 423 00:23:53,350 --> 00:23:54,090 Calvary. 424 00:23:54,090 --> 00:23:58,170 As you and I can and do acknowledge, 425 00:23:59,130 --> 00:24:03,390 my sins were laid on him. 426 00:24:04,250 --> 00:24:08,510 Jesus bore them on the tree, and our 427 00:24:08,510 --> 00:24:12,990 sins pierced the blessed Son of God. 428 00:24:12,990 --> 00:24:17,930 And beloved, it's a wonderful sign, wonderful truth, 429 00:24:18,410 --> 00:24:22,130 when the heart finds and the soul has 430 00:24:22,130 --> 00:24:25,210 revealed to it that on that cross he 431 00:24:25,210 --> 00:24:27,850 was, let me quote Isaiah 53 verse 5 432 00:24:27,850 --> 00:24:31,150 and 6, verse 5 particularly, in this respect, 433 00:24:31,570 --> 00:24:35,550 he was wounded for my transgression. 434 00:24:35,550 --> 00:24:40,430 He was bruised for my iniquities. 435 00:24:41,270 --> 00:24:45,210 The chastisement of my feet was upon him, 436 00:24:45,590 --> 00:24:50,170 and with his stripes I am healed. 437 00:24:50,790 --> 00:24:55,010 And there is a poor, guilty, undeserving sinner. 438 00:24:55,010 --> 00:25:01,710 The believing sinner can acknowledge, my sins were 439 00:25:01,710 --> 00:25:04,150 borne in his own body there. 440 00:25:04,890 --> 00:25:08,570 And my beloved, that's one of the most 441 00:25:08,570 --> 00:25:13,510 wonderful looks that the soul ever receives in 442 00:25:13,510 --> 00:25:14,410 its history. 443 00:25:14,410 --> 00:25:17,930 When the soul looks to see the Lord 444 00:25:17,930 --> 00:25:22,270 Jesus, and says he loved me, and he 445 00:25:22,270 --> 00:25:25,950 gave himself for me. 446 00:25:26,810 --> 00:25:31,470 And acknowledges, my sins were laid upon him. 447 00:25:32,270 --> 00:25:34,990 Jesus bore them on the tree. 448 00:25:35,690 --> 00:25:38,950 God who knew them laid them on him, 449 00:25:39,450 --> 00:25:42,150 and believing, I'm free. 450 00:25:42,150 --> 00:25:45,490 May I pose again and ask to the 451 00:25:45,490 --> 00:25:50,610 conscience, have you looked upon him whom your 452 00:25:50,610 --> 00:25:52,570 sins have pierced? 453 00:25:53,090 --> 00:25:56,350 For as the poet wrote, there is life 454 00:25:56,350 --> 00:25:58,970 in a look at the crucified one. 455 00:25:59,450 --> 00:26:02,510 There is life at this moment for thee. 456 00:26:03,110 --> 00:26:06,970 Then look sinner, look unto him who was 457 00:26:06,970 --> 00:26:09,130 nailed to the tree. 458 00:26:09,130 --> 00:26:11,190 What a look! 459 00:26:11,850 --> 00:26:15,510 My mind goes back to the boyhood days, 460 00:26:15,890 --> 00:26:18,910 when as a poor sinner, if I could 461 00:26:18,910 --> 00:26:22,230 take you to the spot where I knelt, 462 00:26:22,590 --> 00:26:25,630 and for the first time I saw him 463 00:26:25,630 --> 00:26:28,310 on that tree for my own sins. 464 00:26:29,190 --> 00:26:32,230 Blessed moment, blessed moment. 465 00:26:33,050 --> 00:26:34,930 But oh may I point out to you 466 00:26:34,930 --> 00:26:38,570 in our thirteenth chapter, the great truth of 467 00:26:38,570 --> 00:26:39,350 verse seven. 468 00:26:39,990 --> 00:26:42,030 For in this great truth of the seventh 469 00:26:42,030 --> 00:26:46,450 verse, we have something even of a different 470 00:26:46,450 --> 00:26:48,750 character presented to us. 471 00:26:48,750 --> 00:26:52,150 And that is not that my sins were 472 00:26:52,150 --> 00:26:56,890 laid upon him, but that even his God, 473 00:26:57,370 --> 00:27:02,090 and our God, smote him, the one who 474 00:27:02,090 --> 00:27:03,150 was the true shepherd. 475 00:27:03,690 --> 00:27:04,630 Note the words. 476 00:27:05,070 --> 00:27:11,570 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the 477 00:27:11,570 --> 00:27:14,130 man that is my fellow or equal. 478 00:27:14,130 --> 00:27:18,570 Set the Lord apostle, smite the shepherd, and 479 00:27:18,570 --> 00:27:21,430 the sheep will be scattered, and I will 480 00:27:21,430 --> 00:27:25,210 turn mine hand upon the little ones. 481 00:27:25,210 --> 00:27:29,330 O beloved, may I say, O may I 482 00:27:29,330 --> 00:27:32,070 say, and this is a truth beyond our 483 00:27:32,070 --> 00:27:32,990 comprehension. 484 00:27:34,030 --> 00:27:36,030 May I say, though you and I are 485 00:27:36,030 --> 00:27:39,210 guilty, and though Israel as a nation was 486 00:27:39,210 --> 00:27:43,570 guilty of slaying their Messiah, it was overruled 487 00:27:43,570 --> 00:27:47,450 as an act of God who smote the 488 00:27:47,450 --> 00:27:48,630 true shepherd himself. 489 00:27:50,650 --> 00:27:53,670 Some of the deepest words to my soul, 490 00:27:54,230 --> 00:27:58,370 incomprehensible to my mind, they're found in that 491 00:27:58,370 --> 00:28:00,910 fifty-third chapter of Isaiah in verse ten. 492 00:28:01,590 --> 00:28:05,170 Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him. 493 00:28:07,430 --> 00:28:11,370 My beloved, I cannot fathom the depth of 494 00:28:11,370 --> 00:28:12,590 meaning in those words. 495 00:28:13,370 --> 00:28:16,550 That the very heart of the Father, the 496 00:28:16,550 --> 00:28:20,750 very heart of the Eternal God, found pleasure 497 00:28:20,750 --> 00:28:23,770 in bruising his own son. 498 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:37,080 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the 499 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,540 man that is my fellow. 500 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,400 And we would turn away from all the 501 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:48,540 claims of false shepherds, and would see the 502 00:28:48,540 --> 00:28:53,240 acknowledgement of the God of glory, that the 503 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,420 true shepherd was the one who was his 504 00:28:56,420 --> 00:28:56,780 equal. 505 00:28:57,660 --> 00:28:59,920 May I point out that you have the 506 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:03,220 humanity, and you have the deity of the 507 00:29:03,220 --> 00:29:07,080 Lord Jesus Christ declared in those two expressions. 508 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:17,220 My shepherd, my equal, wonder of wonders, God 509 00:29:17,220 --> 00:29:21,200 in his sovereign act of love divine, and 510 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:25,500 in the purpose of his determined heart, gave 511 00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:28,160 the one who was the darling of his 512 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:32,200 bosom, and he was smitten. 513 00:29:33,460 --> 00:29:36,360 My beloved, may I say as you contemplate 514 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,420 with me for a moment, that sword of 515 00:29:39,420 --> 00:29:43,380 justice with its flaming, that flaming sword in 516 00:29:43,380 --> 00:29:47,000 the garden of Eden, that bought the way 517 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:50,680 to the tree of life, and drove man 518 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,660 out of that garden of blessing. 519 00:29:53,580 --> 00:29:58,560 There was no one who ever braved the 520 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:02,860 judgment of that sword, until that blessed Eternal 521 00:30:02,860 --> 00:30:05,540 Son of God came down from the glory, 522 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,860 and in that body of humanity said, I 523 00:30:09,860 --> 00:30:13,080 am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth 524 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:14,600 his life for his sheep. 525 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:18,960 And as the good shepherd, he faced the 526 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:23,080 sword of judgment from the God of glory 527 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,600 above, for you and for me. 528 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:27,540 Smite the shepherd. 529 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:32,720 And as you read Matthew 26, how verily 530 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:36,040 the Lord tells of it taking place, as 531 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:37,880 they came and took him away from the 532 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,820 garden, and would have taken his sheep. 533 00:30:40,820 --> 00:30:45,160 And he pleaded for them to be kept 534 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:49,880 and to be saved, and he went forth 535 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:54,400 to meet the sword of divine justice on 536 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:55,600 the behalf of the sheep. 537 00:30:56,620 --> 00:31:03,310 O beloved, that smitten shepherd, O thank God 538 00:31:03,310 --> 00:31:07,230 for the precious truth, when blood from a 539 00:31:07,230 --> 00:31:11,630 victim must flow, this shepherd in pity was 540 00:31:11,630 --> 00:31:14,750 led to stand between us and the foe, 541 00:31:15,030 --> 00:31:18,990 and he willingly died in my stead. 542 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,960 And what love to your heart and mine, 543 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:29,860 that that shepherd went himself to bear the 544 00:31:29,860 --> 00:31:33,820 stroke of justice, which was aimed at you 545 00:31:33,820 --> 00:31:34,380 and me. 546 00:31:35,820 --> 00:31:37,980 Hallelujah, what a Saviour. 547 00:31:40,830 --> 00:31:46,750 I cannot fathom how God could and did 548 00:31:46,750 --> 00:31:50,410 smite the man that was his equal. 549 00:31:50,410 --> 00:31:54,770 Now, may I say this as I quote 550 00:31:54,770 --> 00:31:55,850 the words of another? 551 00:31:57,050 --> 00:32:01,190 There is that about the life and about 552 00:32:01,190 --> 00:32:06,440 the death of the Son of God, that 553 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,900 only God the Father is able to comprehend. 554 00:32:10,900 --> 00:32:14,840 And all that we can do is to 555 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:19,500 take our shoes from our feet in adoring 556 00:32:19,500 --> 00:32:26,700 wonder and worship, making no attempt to penetrate 557 00:32:26,700 --> 00:32:32,700 what is impenetrable, to define what is indefinable, 558 00:32:32,700 --> 00:32:39,020 or to comprehend what is incomprehensible to human 559 00:32:39,020 --> 00:32:41,000 creature mind. 560 00:32:44,260 --> 00:32:50,440 Beloved, worship alone can flow from the heart 561 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:58,120 that recognizes who the person was that died 562 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:01,120 on that cross to save you and me. 563 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:09,660 God's shepherd, God's equal, I and my Father 564 00:33:09,660 --> 00:33:13,600 are one, and it was He who was. 565 00:33:16,730 --> 00:33:22,970 And beloved, know, know what followed, and smite 566 00:33:22,970 --> 00:33:25,790 the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, 567 00:33:26,730 --> 00:33:29,210 and I will turn mine hand upon the 568 00:33:29,210 --> 00:33:29,790 little one. 569 00:33:30,790 --> 00:33:33,290 There's two applications we give. 570 00:33:34,310 --> 00:33:36,910 There is no question in relation to the 571 00:33:36,910 --> 00:33:38,770 context pertaining to Israel. 572 00:33:39,470 --> 00:33:44,290 When the shepherd was smitten, the sheep of 573 00:33:44,290 --> 00:33:45,810 Israel became scattered. 574 00:33:46,770 --> 00:33:48,430 But there was a handful. 575 00:33:49,550 --> 00:33:53,030 I will turn mine hands upon the little 576 00:33:53,030 --> 00:33:57,740 one, and now for the nucleus of that 577 00:33:57,740 --> 00:34:02,900 little company of disciples, the blessed Lord sent 578 00:34:02,900 --> 00:34:06,140 the message of redeeming grace and the gospel 579 00:34:06,140 --> 00:34:10,300 of His salvation to gather and bring into 580 00:34:10,300 --> 00:34:12,679 the flock those that were not even of 581 00:34:12,679 --> 00:34:16,159 Israel, to bring them to itself. 582 00:34:16,159 --> 00:34:19,320 But the day is coming, as the context 583 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:23,679 declares and as our study has indicated, when 584 00:34:23,679 --> 00:34:25,980 He will gather the sheep again. 585 00:34:26,460 --> 00:34:28,600 May I point out this precious truth? 586 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:32,480 If you will trace the resurrection day, the 587 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:36,880 first resurrection day, and its ministry, the ministry 588 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,880 of the Lord Jesus in that day, the 589 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:43,440 sheep had been scattered, the handful of disciples 590 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:45,360 had been scattered and fled. 591 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:49,600 But the ministry of our Lord Jesus that 592 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:53,400 first resurrection day was to bring them back 593 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:54,040 together. 594 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:57,940 And He sought Peter, He found Mary, He 595 00:34:57,940 --> 00:35:00,780 found the two walking away from Jerusalem to 596 00:35:00,780 --> 00:35:01,380 Emmaus. 597 00:35:01,380 --> 00:35:05,560 And through that day He ministered until at 598 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,000 the end of the day, in Luke 24, 599 00:35:08,260 --> 00:35:11,320 in John 20, He had them gathered in 600 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:14,060 the upper rooms, and He came into their 601 00:35:14,060 --> 00:35:16,320 midst and He showed them His hands and 602 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:17,120 His side. 603 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:20,980 Then were the disciples glad when they saw 604 00:35:20,980 --> 00:35:21,720 the Lord. 605 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,980 Our risen Lord has been gathering His sheep, 606 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:29,080 praise be to His name, and over the 607 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:33,060 world He has gathered His own and brought 608 00:35:33,060 --> 00:35:35,860 them to Himself by His redeeming grace. 609 00:35:35,860 --> 00:35:40,200 In relation to Israel, thank God the burden 610 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:42,780 of the prophecy is that He will bring 611 00:35:42,780 --> 00:35:44,560 back the scattered sheep. 612 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:46,600 But notice we read the last two verses. 613 00:35:47,700 --> 00:35:51,320 Not all of Israel individually will be saved, 614 00:35:51,460 --> 00:35:52,400 but note the words. 615 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,260 It shall come to pass that in all 616 00:35:55,260 --> 00:35:58,900 the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein 617 00:35:58,900 --> 00:36:01,020 shall be cut off and die, but the 618 00:36:01,020 --> 00:36:03,060 third shall be left therein. 619 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,820 And I will bring the third part through 620 00:36:06,820 --> 00:36:10,100 the fire, and will refine them as silver 621 00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:13,840 is refined, and will try them as gold 622 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:14,620 is tried. 623 00:36:14,620 --> 00:36:17,520 They shall call on my name, and I 624 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:19,860 will hear them, I will say, It is 625 00:36:19,860 --> 00:36:22,880 my people, and they shall say, The Lord 626 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:24,380 is my God. 627 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,400 Now may I repeat what we have stated 628 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:27,960 before? 629 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,520 There will be a spared remnant. 630 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:37,260 There will be a spared remnant that in 631 00:36:37,260 --> 00:36:40,380 that day of His return will be brought 632 00:36:40,380 --> 00:36:43,680 back into the land through the refining of 633 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:47,180 the great judgment time of the tribulation, and 634 00:36:47,180 --> 00:36:51,120 brought to be gathered together in that blessed 635 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:53,160 day of our Lord's return. 636 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:57,180 They go through the fiery furnace of testing, 637 00:36:58,500 --> 00:37:03,000 but that remnant will be brought through the 638 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:03,500 fire. 639 00:37:04,580 --> 00:37:06,620 May I say there are three purposes for 640 00:37:06,620 --> 00:37:07,700 the great tribulation? 641 00:37:08,500 --> 00:37:11,940 First of all, in relation to Israel, there 642 00:37:11,940 --> 00:37:17,600 is the purpose of refining and purifying that 643 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,560 nation that the Lord will have a godly 644 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,140 remnant as the nucleus of the nation. 645 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:29,460 Second, the Lord will also, according to Matthew 646 00:37:29,460 --> 00:37:33,440 25, 31 through 46, and according to Revelation 647 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:36,940 7, He will have a spared company of 648 00:37:36,940 --> 00:37:41,680 Gentiles, blessed be His name, even in that 649 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:44,760 particular day of trouble, that they too may 650 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:48,020 enter into the millennial kingdom as the blessed 651 00:37:48,020 --> 00:37:48,740 of the nation. 652 00:37:49,540 --> 00:37:53,540 The third reason for the great tribulation, and 653 00:37:53,540 --> 00:37:56,280 this is the most solemn, it will be 654 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:59,120 the time when the ungodly will be punished, 655 00:37:59,780 --> 00:38:02,800 and the godlessness of the earth, the iniquity 656 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:05,700 of the world, and the godlessness of the 657 00:38:05,700 --> 00:38:08,660 nations will be judged, and all the ungodly 658 00:38:08,660 --> 00:38:09,280 will perish. 659 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:12,580 May I add, my beloved, the solemn fact, 660 00:38:13,260 --> 00:38:17,640 when the great tribulation is finished, there will 661 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,420 not be left alive on the earth one 662 00:38:20,420 --> 00:38:22,220 ungodly person. 663 00:38:23,500 --> 00:38:26,100 Now, if you read your scriptures, covering it, 664 00:38:26,220 --> 00:38:28,440 whether in Matthew, whether in the Revelation, another 665 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:32,220 contemporary, even New Testament scriptures, you'll come to 666 00:38:32,220 --> 00:38:33,000 that conclusion. 667 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:37,460 But the Lord's desire and intention is a 668 00:38:37,460 --> 00:38:41,440 remnant for Israel, a saved remnant out of 669 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:44,720 the nation, and the judgment of destruction for 670 00:38:44,720 --> 00:38:45,280 the rest. 671 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:50,020 May I say humbly, I gratefully acknowledge that 672 00:38:50,020 --> 00:38:53,580 my salvation will take me out of this 673 00:38:53,580 --> 00:38:57,320 world before that awful day comes, by the 674 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:58,880 way of the rapture. 675 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:01,860 But note, I want to denote in closing, 676 00:39:02,860 --> 00:39:05,200 what the divine fruit is going to be 677 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:07,180 in that remnant to come. 678 00:39:07,300 --> 00:39:10,020 Verse nine, I will bring the third part 679 00:39:10,020 --> 00:39:10,640 through the five. 680 00:39:10,860 --> 00:39:14,100 Now, I cannot literally dogmatize on a third 681 00:39:14,100 --> 00:39:17,760 coming through, for if you will read Isaiah 682 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:22,020 six, you will find Isaiah speaking of only 683 00:39:22,020 --> 00:39:22,620 a tenth. 684 00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:27,840 But one thing is sure, a small remnant, 685 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:30,680 a fraction of them will be the nucleus 686 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:32,420 in that blessed day. 687 00:39:32,740 --> 00:39:34,280 But now I want you to see the 688 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:36,920 fruit that will be produced in that remnant. 689 00:39:37,460 --> 00:39:39,660 At the end of verse nine, the last 690 00:39:39,660 --> 00:39:44,760 part, first, they shall call upon my name. 691 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:47,800 Did you ever read Psalm 50, verse 15, 692 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:49,260 wonderful promise? 693 00:39:50,020 --> 00:39:53,060 When the Lord said through the psalmist, call 694 00:39:53,060 --> 00:39:55,340 upon me in the day of trouble, and 695 00:39:55,340 --> 00:39:57,800 I will answer thee, and thou shalt glorify 696 00:39:57,800 --> 00:39:58,260 me. 697 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,620 And in that day there will be a 698 00:40:01,620 --> 00:40:03,660 number that will call upon his name. 699 00:40:04,060 --> 00:40:06,300 And then second, he says, I will hear 700 00:40:06,300 --> 00:40:08,220 them, I will answer them. 701 00:40:08,220 --> 00:40:13,040 And third, I will say, it is my 702 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:13,660 people. 703 00:40:14,420 --> 00:40:16,180 God will acknowledge them. 704 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:21,100 And fourth, they shall say, Jehovah is my 705 00:40:21,100 --> 00:40:21,740 God. 706 00:40:22,620 --> 00:40:25,000 O my beloved one, the day that will 707 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:30,020 be when the godly remnant will not acknowledge 708 00:40:30,020 --> 00:40:34,940 their Jehovah, and he will acknowledge his people. 709 00:40:34,940 --> 00:40:40,040 May I close by asking, beloved friend, do 710 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:41,320 you belong to him? 711 00:40:42,260 --> 00:40:46,220 The joy of being able to say, my 712 00:40:46,220 --> 00:40:51,520 Lord, my God, I am his, I am 713 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:55,800 his forever, through the wounds of the one 714 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:59,020 who died on Calvary for my soul. 715 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:00,200 Shall we pray? 716 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:05,800 Blessed Father, we thank thee for that one 717 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:09,500 who out of the fullness of that glorious 718 00:41:09,500 --> 00:41:14,020 presence of God came down to the earth, 719 00:41:14,900 --> 00:41:18,460 and in the darkness of this scene, born 720 00:41:18,460 --> 00:41:23,800 of a woman, glorified thee in every thought, 721 00:41:23,980 --> 00:41:27,360 in every word, in every deed of his 722 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:27,900 life. 723 00:41:28,940 --> 00:41:34,280 Sinless, holy, and pure, he glorified thee below, 724 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:38,900 but he glorified thee in a greater way, 725 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:42,880 and magnified thy love in all of its 726 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:48,620 fullness, when he permitted himself to be smitten 727 00:41:48,620 --> 00:41:51,760 upon that tree of Calvary. 728 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:58,200 And the sword of justice against sin pierced 729 00:41:58,200 --> 00:41:59,560 his own soul. 730 00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:04,660 Surely we acknowledge as thou hast written, yet 731 00:42:04,660 --> 00:42:08,520 it pleased Jehovah to bruise him, when thou 732 00:42:08,520 --> 00:42:11,900 shalt make his soul an offering for sin. 733 00:42:11,900 --> 00:42:15,600 He shall see his seed, he shall prolong 734 00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:20,160 his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall 735 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:22,060 prosper in his hands. 736 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:25,820 We that know him would say this moment, 737 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:31,320 thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. 738 00:42:31,320 --> 00:42:35,220 Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. 739 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:39,260 Thank you, Lord, for giving to me thy 740 00:42:39,260 --> 00:42:44,480 great salvation, so rich, so free. 741 00:42:45,020 --> 00:42:48,940 Our prayer as we close, Father, it is 742 00:42:48,940 --> 00:42:53,260 that someone who has never seen that Savior, 743 00:42:53,900 --> 00:42:57,680 pierced for their sins, will at this moment 744 00:42:57,680 --> 00:43:02,380 look to him and acknowledge he loved me, 745 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:06,700 and he gave himself for me. 746 00:43:07,340 --> 00:43:10,460 We ask it in our Savior's name, for 747 00:43:10,460 --> 00:43:11,340 his glory. 748 00:43:12,500 --> 00:43:12,740 Amen.