We'll be continuing looking at, not ending necessarily, we'll be continuing looking at the final portion of our look into the disciples' prayer, or the Lord's prayer, and we're looking at, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, is what we're looking at today, forever. Amen. So why don't we start by once again reading Matthew chapter 6, verses 1 through 15, and then we're just going to focus on His glory forever. Amen. That's actually in the text. Matthew chapter 6, verse 1 says, Take heed that you also do not your arms before men to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou do'st thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou do'st alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father which is in secret, and thy father which seeded in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard, for they are but speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask him. After this manner, therefore, pray ye, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And Lord, we just pray that you would just add your blessing upon your word this morning, and we pray it in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, I titled this morning, The Glory of God Equals the Purpose of God. The age of narcissism narcissism in the church today. Yes, sadly, the church has become much focused on itself and each individual person as the center of attention in God's eyes. Yes, God did so love the world that he gave his only begotten son for each and every person there is. And that's an undisputable fact that Christ died for all. However, what's happened over the last 30, 40, 50 years and it's been progressing even more so, let me correct that, been regressing, not progressing, been regressing to a self-love and self-worth theology. See, narcissism basically is an unhealthy love of self. It's not a term you find in the Bible, it is a modern term that we use, but the Bible simply calls it sin. It's basically, that's what it is. But sin has now been changed into so many different problems, so many different behavioral situations, that it's no longer called sin. If we would look at each and every one of us, we all have problems. Amen? I know I do. We all carry the burden of sin. We all still have that, even in spite of being born again. We all do wrestle with those things in each of our individual lives. However, if we were to focus on each of those things, I used these words the other day in talking with somebody, I said, we'd be like a dog chasing its tail. We go around and around and around, taking care of each behavioral problem. That's why the church isn't a focus on individual needs. The church's focus should be on the glory of God. Now what does that mean? That means if focused on the glory of God, and what He came to do. See, that's the one thing we have in common. We all share in the same Messiah, the same Savior, the same God. And when we know Him through the eye of Scripture and how He's portrayed, we do much better than trying to rectify our own difficulties and sins with Him. The primary purpose, again, of the church is not to raise self-esteem and show how to have a better life today. Those are fruits of salvation many times. The purpose of the church is not to eradicate human trafficking, poverty, the AIDS epidemic, let Bono keep on working on that, he's doing a horrible job at it as well, the AIDS epidemic or any other social justice work. These are all good works that can be used by or used toward a goal in light of salvation, but now it's being changed to being the gospel, being the salvation of the world, And that is absolutely wrong. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 19. Now, we won't go there because we'll, like, spend all of the rest of the day in 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 through 6 lay out the gospel. Verses 7 through the later parts, I don't know exactly which way it ends, the most glorious passages in the entire scripture, which point out the resurrection body. See, we go from the hope of the gospel in verses one through six to the end, to the end of that hope, which is eternity. Now in the middle of that is 1 Corinthians 15, 19 that says, if in this life only, We have hope in Christ. We are all of men most miserable. See, the only way we can go through life is not to look at Jesus Christ as the hope to overcome addiction or as the hope to overcome poverty or epidemics. The only hope that we have resurrection body that we will have. I can't wait for that. That is the focus we have. Sometimes people actually do, I use the term, they do need to be knocked off their high horse. They need the scripture. If you're coming just to feel good to church, that's the wrong motive. Sometimes you need to feel dirty. You need to be made to feel like you are a sinner. but we're sinners saved by grace. So, when we proclaim and lift high the name of Jesus Christ and the glory of God, God's Word has that effect. What if it happened to the Holy Spirit? Well, He's either been elevated too high or been neglected totally, which we'll look at in a few moments. Remember, The, A quiet member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit of God, never, ever gives glory to himself. You won't find that. Men attribute the glory of different things to the Holy Spirit. I know I've said this enough before, but it always bears repeating. Whenever you see, and it used to be more common several years ago, Holy Ghost Revival! That's not the Holy Ghost, because the Holy Ghost will not put himself of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will not bring any glory to himself. A Holy Ghost explosion, Holy Ghost revival, all these different things are putting the glory not on God, but they're putting the glory and emphasis on myself. What will God do to me? What kind of power can I have? Can I possess these great miracle working powers? I'll give a simple answer, no, you can't. God has those, however, and they are part of his glory. The work of the Holy Spirit. Let's go over to John chapter 16. John chapter 16. Jesus addressing his disciples at the time. Let's go down to verse number, I'm just gonna go to five. Let's start with verse number 1. We'll just quickly go through 1-4 and then start with verse 5. And he said also unto his disciples, there was a certain rich man which had a steward, and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called them and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? For my Lord taketh away from me the stewardship. I cannot beg to beg, I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me in their houses. I'll keep on going. We'll find Christ in there somewhere. That was good. I think I'll go back. I like to let somebody keep on going. I'm like, yeah, let's see where he goes with this. All of a sudden you go, wait a minute, I'm up first. All right, John 16. Makes sense, because I wasn't recognizing either. I said, whoa, what's going on here? This doesn't look like John 16. Sorry. Man. First one. Now this makes sense. These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. He's talking. Remember, he's addressing to the disciples here. And this actually goes goes forward into our day as well. They shall put you out of the synagogues. Remember, think of this here, of the time when it was written. Yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. And, am I in the right place? Okay, good. And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me. And this happened with all of the disciples except for a ripe old age in confinement in Pat House. But these things have I told you that when the time shall come you will remember that I told you of them and these things I said not unto you at the beginning because I was with you. He says, I didn't tell you these, but now I'm leaving. I still didn't get the idea that Jesus was going to be crucified on their behalf. So verse number five, but now I go my way to him that sent me. And none of you asketh me, whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow, blinded, and they failed to listen to Jesus' teachings. He was always telling them that he was going to be going to his death. He was going to go to death, and he was going to go back to the Father. But now, verse number six, or verse seven, nevertheless, no matter what you believe, no matter what you think I am doing, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. It's a good thing that I'm gone. Why? For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him. Whenever you're talking, by the way, with a Jehovah's Witness or somebody, they think the Holy Spirit is a force. I'll tell you, that's a farce. What's it say about the Comforter? I will send him unto you. Him will come to you. And when He comes, He will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and judgment. See, there's the three main works of the Holy Spirit. Convict or reprove the world of sin. Convict the world in the error of righteousness. and he would reprove or convict the world in the area of judgment because Jesus defeated the prince of the world who now stands condemned. See, complete salvation, complete victory came through Jesus Christ. He defeated the prince of the power of the air, Satan, at the cross of Calvary, but he is still alive and well and living on planet Earth today. He's been defeated at the cross, he has a short time left in this world that he is running while Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, and that deceiver, Satan, will be cast out when Christ returns. But let's look and see what the scripture says here. Of sin? Because they believe not on me. Why does a person go He has rejected the only way to be rescued, because they believe not in Me. John 3, verse 18 says, the world is already condemned because they believe not in Me. The only hope we have, or that anybody have, is a hope in the finished work of Christ. That is a work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convinced the world of their sin. Yes, it is a word of the Spirit. He testifies of Christ, convicts the world of sin. Anybody who hears the message of the gospel, they're going to do a couple of things. Number one, they're going to hear it, they're going to walk away and say, that doesn't apply to me. Number two, they're going to go into conviction and they'll let it sit and they'll just get mad at God. Or number three, they will believe Nobody has believed the gospel without the work of the Holy Spirit convicting them of sin. But people nevertheless reject that message. We go on here. Of sin because they believe not on me, of righteousness because I go to my Father and you see me no more. enough his righteousness does not save a person his death and his blood or his death through his shed blood is what saves what of righteousness now that Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of the father the Holy Spirit confesses of his righteousness Jesus is no longer there on earth to show them that is the work of the Holy Spirit, it always leads you to Christ. Let me get even narrower. It'll always, He will always lead you to the Word of God, which highlights the work of God today. Of judgment, because the Prince of this world is judged. See, Satan will have his day. He had his day in court. He was deemed defeated at the cross of Calvary. He's been on that death row since then till now. He's been waiting. What's it called when you're waiting for your, when you're sitting in between your time of judgment and the time to actually go and be judged? A stay of execution. Satan has a stay of execution right now, and he's loose. And he is in command of all of the governments in this world today, as the prince of the power of the air. As the Antichrist, he will be the god of all forces. That Antichrist, working with the power of Satan, will deceive many into believing I like this. A-B-C. Anything but Christ. That's the work of the Antichrist. Believe anything but the work of Christ. So that's what he's done. The Holy Spirit's work is of incredible importance, but it always testifies of the Father and the Son. Does the Holy Spirit emphasize himself? Only through the Holy Spirit can the individual be brought to repentance. See, you have to hear and believe, and repentance comes through that work. Now, repentance is a change of mind. All of us had beliefs that were contrary say, look, I'm going to quit doing it my way, and I'm going to believe the gospel. Only the Spirit can do that. It's the only thing that can bring a person to repentance, leading to faith. None of our good works, none of our self-esteem, none of our programs can do that same thing. Our status with God has been made complete through the work of Christ and emphasized by the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit also enables us through Christ's righteousness to follow Christ, to live out the Christian life. That's the work of the Holy Spirit in a nutshell. He's not here to elevate himself Turn down to John 16, just look at verse, let's read it, I was gonna go to verse 16 and verse 13, but let's, yeah, I'm right there anyways. Verse number 12 says, I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. So he gives the disciples a way out. How be it? When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to come." I am so glad the Holy Spirit took those apostles, took those disciples, and He moved them inspire them to write what we have today in our Bible. He's no longer inspiring people to do so, but we can trust completely in the words that they have left. So this was fulfilled. Verse number 14, he shall glorify me. Who does the Holy Spirit glorify? Jesus. Who are we to glorify? and we have the Holy Spirit of God to bring Jesus into our minds. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. All things of the Father hath are mine, therefore said I, that he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you. Praise the Lord for God's inspiration. to those that he left behind there. He left them with hope, left them with the comforter, and that comforter is still alive and well today, doing the work of glorifying Christ. So what is? We've seen the work of the Holy Spirit, and that central is testifying of Christ. One more thing, the mark of the work of the Holy Spirit is made central and glorified. So a spirit-filled ministry isn't one that is hooping and hollering and barking and laying on the floor and having dreams and visions and all these other things. A spirit-filled ministry is one that makes Christ central. I love saying glory to his name. That's who all the glory goes to, is Christ. What, then, is the definition of the glory of God? Well, I can simply state it, it's that God gets the glory. Well, that's redundant, isn't it? Circular logic, but it's true. The glory of God is what God possesses in His own right. See, God receives nothing from anyone. He's self-existent. He is supreme. He has all of his own attributes that will not change. The glory of God never changes. In the Old Testament, the glory of God was visible. In nature, it still is visible in nature as well. Psalm 19, what? The heavens declare the glory of God. You know, I had a moment yesterday where I thought of that verse. You know, yesterday, the first part of the day was incredibly dark and bleak. And then all of a sudden, the sun shone like so bright that my eyes were hurting. See, that's what the glory of God is like in nature. Heavens declare the glory of God. I've tried to count the stars. I can't do it. There's so many and so glorious. I've flown, I've never been there, but I've flown over the Grand Canyon and it's amazing to see this handiwork of God that cannot be created. So it's visible to all. Nobody can deny the glory and the handiwork of God and creation. I saw somebody on the web took pictures of the sunsets at different days. That's so much better than a Van Gogh painting or Rembrandt or any of the other artists. God's glory is displayed, but God's glory cannot bring salvation, but it will bring a person to the knowledge of him. Then it's the Holy Spirit's job to take that knowledge of God and convict them of their sin. The heavens are invisible. a visible manifestation of God's presence. They are his glory. Try to duplicate what God has done. Try it. I don't think he can do it. I think the best artist in the world there is, and what they call art today, I don't know how they can call it art, can't duplicate the glory of God. And then there was glory that was manifest to Israel. There was, when he was on Mount Sinai, remember, Mount Sinai, there was the bringing in of the law. There were angels. The mountains smoked. If a person even went near the mount, they were fried to a crisp. That was the glory of God. The glory of God filled the tabernacle, a unique event, when God to the people who were assembled. By the glory of God, God consecrated that temple with His presence. Isaiah 6, we won't go there for time, but it was Isaiah seeing this great vision of the glory of God filling the temple. It was there. The Ezekiel, God The glory of God is shown throughout as well. Throughout the Old Testament, the glory of God is God making his presence and nearness visible to his own. See, Israel got to see the glory of God in the Passover. They got to see a picture of the glory of God in the crossing of the Red Sea. They got to see the glory of God in the tabernacle, in being followed by a cloud during the day, and fire by night. These are all manifestations of the presence of God to Israel. In the New Testament, we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus. 2 Corinthians chapter number 4. We looked at a couple of verses here dealing with the kingdom of God being the God of this world blinding people's eyes. Let's start there, verse number three. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. They've rejected the word of the Holy Spirit and don't believe the gospel. Lest the light of the glorious gospel of God should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency and the power may be of God and not us. See, we see the face of Jesus. We beheld his glory. How can we see the face of Jesus today? I don't believe it would be any kind of apparition where Jesus suddenly shows up someplace, as many report. But we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. through the inspired Word of God. When we see Christ, when we see Him, for the glorious One He is, we see His face, we know who He is, we have fellowship with Him, and we get to know Him through the Word of God. Couple things about the glory of God in practice. First Corinthians 10, 31, you don't have to go there. I'm just gonna pick through a couple verses here. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. What's the whatsoever? I guess it's whatsoever. Whatever you do, think of the glory of God through it. It's because of God's providence, God's provision for us that we have things that we have today. Do it for the glory of God. The word glory, it's the Greek word is doxa. Do you ever hear a doxology? It's a song or a hymn talking about God's glory. And it's the basis of our text here in Matthew chapter six, in these last verses, the prayer. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever, amen. It's a doxology pointing to the glory of God. It's a dignity, honor, praise, or worship. everything because of that glory. Praise Him for what He's done on your behalf. Another couple of places, Romans 3, 23, we all know that. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That glory of God is God's high standing and the honor He deserves for being God. All have sinned. Yes, some great Christians even fall short of the glory of God. We always use that in evangelism, but Romans 3 is even talking about everybody has been impacted by the sin nature. Even Christians, yes, believe it or not, Christians do sin. Should've gotten a big amen in there. Christians do sin. This whole thing about Christians being sinless, Well, I don't know where they get that from, because we all do. Just look in the mirror and you can see the effects of sin. It runs rampant, but there is only one cure for that sin, and it is the blood of Jesus Christ. The gift, Romans 3.23, Romans 6.23, we know it well, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Whenever we look at eternal life as something that we earn or have to strive for, we lose hope. The gospel is all about the glory of God. Philippians 2, 11, every knee shall bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. It's for His glory. Once again, going right with the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only one that can inspire you to name the name of Jesus Christ, to believe the gospel, and that's the glory or honor and praise of God the Father. The Old Testament, now here's where it gets kind of dicey. The Old Testament, all the words for glory, it's, Literally, the word is wheat. It's a weight of glory, but it's never used in that sense in the Old Testament. In all the uses of the word glory or kabod, it's used figuratively dealing with splendor or the gloriousness of the temple is copiousness. God is specific about his directions for his righteousness. So this glory, it's often used in, as we said, a narcissistic way. I have heard so many people saying that the glory of God, it's a weight upon you, that weight will knock you down. It's so heavy. That's not the way. Again, the literal word means wait, but it's never used in that sense. And one of the areas it's used, let's go over to 2 Chronicles chapter 5. 2 Chronicles chapter 5. This is one of these one-time events, historical events, where God showed his glory. This is the dedication of Solomon's temple. Remember, the one-time event, the given the law of Sinai, the one-time event, the crossing of the Red Sea. Then we go further on, the one-time event of the day of Pentecost in the New Testament. It cannot be repeated, because God's glory, I'll use a word I just used. today would have to take place the very same exact way it was done then. Therefore, it was a one-time unique event in the birthing of the Church, a wonderful occasion. The dedication of the temple in 2 Chronicles 5 as well as 1 Kings 8. Let's look at it for a second. We want to look specifically down at verse number 14. So let's start at verse 13. No, let's go to verse 1. We've got to do it. Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated, and the silver and the gold and all the instruments could be among the treasures of the house of God. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark, and they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered from altitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, unto the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. And I did a pretty neat thing on Wednesday about the angels, even at the tomb of Jesus Christ, and how the cherubim, Ezekiel, Isaiah, King Hezekiah, even address God as the God who dwells between the cherubim. And there were the two angels when Christ was resurrected, seated at one end of the place where Christ laid. was shed, the priest would sprinkle the blood of that covenant, a definite shadow and type of Jesus Christ. For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark, and the staves therefore above, and they drew out the staves. The staves were how they carried it, with the holes on the side, in specific fashion. If you dared have a stave in the wrong place, because he was dealing with his glory, his copious measures as a pattern for things to come which would be Christ. I'm getting ahead of myself. Verse number 10 says, there was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the were sanctified and did not then wait by course. Also the Levites, which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jebuthan, with their sons and their brethren being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them 120 priests sounding with trumpets." Think of that, 120 trumpers. all assembled in white with their instruments to praise God for the building of the temple here. Verse number 13, and it came to pass as the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one sound. Now, think ahead to 1 Corinthians chapter 14. I'll leave it at that. Of trumpets and life-giving sounds and heaven o'er the voice, they were all in one accord. one message the trumpeters will know as well. To make one sound to be heard and praising and thanking the Lord and when they lifted up their voice and the trumpets and symbols and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. And then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord." See, that's a physical cloud that came in, the same cloud that followed the Israelites in the wilderness. By day, the same fire, a pillar of fire that followed Him by night, that cloud was now a real cloud where the glory of God dwelt. He protected them with that cloud, and here He was, that cloud of glory in the house of God. For He is good, for His mercy endureth forever, that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God." That is not a proof text for being slain in the spirit, which is very narcissistic. I can't get the word. Narcissistic? Never mind. It's self-gratifying. They could not stand because they had no purpose now. The real presence of God was there. They couldn't go up and offer sacrifices now after the cloud was there because the very person that was sacrificing there was making his glory known. So that the priest could not stand to minister by reason. of the cloud for the glory of the Lord and fill the house of God. A real cloud, the real presence of God there with the Israelites in that temple that was made. That's another thing that cannot be duplicated in our day and age, but people will have different variations of how you can feel the glory of God. And usually there's a dollar attached to it too. give you 10 lessons on how to have the glory of God in your life. It's just an offering of a $6.66, Isaiah 666 offering. That's not a real one, I made that one up, that kind of makes sense. The glory of God today is in the face of Jesus Christ. Yes, we can We do every day when the sun comes up, the moon comes out, but we experience it in Christ. God is fully satisfied, not with the offerings in the Old Testament anymore, but He's fully satisfied with the sacrifice of Christ. His glory He will not give to another. His death and burial and resurrection is the most wonderful, glorious thing that has ever happened in this world because it purchased our salvation. That's where we look to. Barnes and his In his notes, I wrote this down, as in the case of Moses in Exodus 40, 35. So now the glory of the Lord, the manifestation of the divine presence, which the cloud usually veiled, shone forth from it with such brilliancy that mortal man could not bear the sight. We know in Exodus 40, Moses went up to the mountain, and he received the Ten Commandments. And when he came down, What happened? His face shone. His face shone with the glory of God. He had to put a veil over his face because people could not even look to it. That's what happens with God. That's what happens, but Jesus Christ has taken that veil away. Where the law is, where Moses is read, there's still that veil. but it's been lifted by Jesus Christ. We have full access to the Father through Jesus Christ. The only way, this is a quote of mine that just came up while I was writing this morning, the only way we can truly have a full view of the glory of God today is to have an unclouded view of the Holy Scriptures. He makes it clear through his words. through his word. Now, the glory of God will ultimately be literally fulfilled on the earth when the new covenant is ushered in. Yes, we are not in the new covenant today. It will be for Israel. Israel partakes in those covenants. We have it even better as we have salvation through Christ alone. They will too as well. There's no other way of salvation but through believing on the gospel alone. But, one day, it will go... I'm not going to read all of Jeremiah 31. 33 was excellent though. Last week, pointing to God's rule on this earth that will come. Jeremiah 31. Stop me from going to verse one, please. Yeah, no. Let's go to verse 27. Behold, stop right there. Behold, take notice. The days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast, and it shall come to pass that like eyes have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to throw down and to destroy and to afflict, so will I watch over them to build and to cast off into Assyrian captivity and Judah was cast off into the Chaldeans. And he's saying one day both Israel and Judah will be united together as I have sown them in the nations around the world, which is still happening today, I will bring them back together. I've watched my remnant of Israel and Judah and I'm gonna bring them back. In those days, verse number 29, In those days they shall say no more. The fathers have eaten the sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge." In other words, they'll have food, they'll have enough to eat, their crops will be fine. Verse 31, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, See, who is the new covenant for? It's for Israel and Judah. It'll be for the true united kingdom. Once again, they'll be back together. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break, although I was a husband unto them, save the Lord. So they broke the Mosaic covenant. They have broken it. Because the law, the Mosaic law, was a conditional covenant. We see that in the end of Deuteronomy 28, 29, and 30. If Israel had followed that, the law, the Mosaic law, God would have rewarded them with the promises of the Abrahamic covenant. But they blew it. That's an easy way of putting it. They turned away and forever they forsook the Lord their God. So hence, Jesus Christ came to make full restitution for their sin. And what happened then? He was rejected. But yet, this is all still on the table. When Israel comes to Christ, they will receive, the remnant of Israel will receive Christ because, praise the Lord, they will be provoked In Romans chapter 9, they'll be provoked to jealousy by the salvation of the Gentiles. How could such dogs like us have salvation? Oh, by God's glory, he brought it. He knew his people would reject, so he gave salvation to the Gentiles. I like the end of verse number 32. Although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord, But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord. Imagine that, won't have to have evangelism or anything. Everybody will know the will of God in this kingdom age that's coming. For they shall all know me, for the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinance of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar. The Lord of hosts is his name. If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also me forever." So we see he repeated that in Jeremiah 33 as well. Thus saith the Lord, if heaven above can be measured and the foundation of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all they have done, saith the Lord. Well, try measuring the heavens and the foundation of the earth. Try doing it. It can't be done because God alone knows that and keeps that Behold the day, verse 38, I'll finish this chapter. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord, from the tower of Hananiel unto the gate of the corner, and the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Garib, and shall compass about to Goath, and the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east shall be holy, Unto the Lord it shall not be plucked up nor thrown down any more forever. So we see the tribulation days, we'll have this great battle in the Valley of Armageddon. There'll be people killed throughout. We have the picture in the book of Revelation of the blood being up to the bridles of the horses. But yet that will not be remembered anymore because there is a new, not the new Jerusalem in this case, but there is the kingdom that will be established forever. One more place, Hosea chapter two. Hosea chapter two. Hosea dealt primarily with the captivity of Israel rather than Judah. I love the book of Isaiah. It types in it. God, for a time, literally, He's the only one that had this permission because He's God. He literally made a decree and He divorced His people, Israel, but He's going to take them back. That's what Jeremiah 31 just said. Verses 1 through 13 deal with their idolatry and the judgments that he's bringing to the land, the land and the people. We'll pick it up in verse 14. There's some exercising controls I want to finish up in two minutes. Therefore, behold, I will lure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her. I believe that has its ramifications taking place midway through the tribulation period at Revelation chapter 12. He's going to bring them back into a protected area in an area which is now Judah, not Judah, Jordan, the area of Jordan. The city of Petra is there. There, the area of Basra will be known in the book of desolate today but one day these millions of Jews will be brought back there and protected during the second half of the tribulation period that's that might be going a little too far here but so I'll speak comfortably under her and I will give her vineyards from thence and and the Valley of Acre for a door of hope. The Valley of Acre was at one time a very fruitful land. It's there where Jezebel was slain. It became a valley of bloodshed, but now it would be the door of hope open. It would once again be a fertile land with And I will give her vineyards from thence in the valley of Achor for a door of hope, and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt." Going right back to the beacon from there. And it shall be in that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi, and shalt call me no more Balaam. In other words, they would be a daughter or a son and no longer cast off. I can't think of the actual literal names at the moment, for I'm drawing a blank. For I will take away the names of Balaam out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. and in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth and I will make them to lie down safely. Notice this covenant here, a new covenant. When Christ comes in the kingdom, remember Wolf will dwell with the lamb, young children will be able to play with snakes, et cetera, this covenant will be fulfilled. A new covenant here is being spoken of. Let me finish off this text here. And I will betroth thee unto me forever. Yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness. and thou shalt know the Lord, and it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel. That's who I was thinking, Jezreel was the one that killed Jezebel, et cetera, but he went too far and killed more people than he was supposed to kill, so that land went under the curse of God. And I will sow her unto me in the earth, and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy. And I will say to them which were not my people, thou art my people, and they shall say, thou art my God." Again, looking forward to the new covenant which will take place. Chapter 3, just five verses. Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love flavons of wine. Remember at the beginning of Hosea, God told him to marry Gomer. She was a wife of adultery. He married her. They had their illegitimate children that would commit sin and bring a reproach on the Lord. The Lord would bring his judgment upon them. Now he's saying, he's reflecting back, told you to go and marry her. This shows the love of God for his people. No matter how unfaithful they were, however many times they were to be judged, he would prove himself to be faithful and redeem her. Look at verse number two. This should sound almost familiar. So I bought her to me for 15 pieces of silver, and for a homer of barley and a half homer of barley. And I said unto her, thou shalt abide for me many days, thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim. Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. They'll seek David, their king. Well, David's long dead by then. David's pushing up the daisies. He's no longer around. But they'll seek David, their king. This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ ruling in the throne of David. See, God is so good. You see how he has taken all of the sins of his people and used it for his glory. He gets the upper hand. He promised those covenants, those unconditional covenants, the Abrahamic, the Davidic, and new covenants. Those will not go broken. God is not a liar. He will keep those. They took the glory of God and gave the glory to others. You see here, their land was cursed. Their crops were cursed. They were taking what God created. He created all the crops for them, and what did they do? They took the barley, the wheat, and all those things, and they worshiped Baal with them. Imagine taking what God worshiping another God. That's what Israel did. But yet, God is faithful. And that's the message of His glory. His glory He will give to no other. You can try to give the glory to self, you can try to give the glory to some other thing, but God is not going to have that. He will have His way ultimately. And His way will be shown visibly Not in the here and now, but in the literal kingdom of God when that new covenant is established. Are we looking for that day? Are we looking for that time where we will see that take place? I'm glad. I plan on being there. Anybody else plan on being there with the Lord in the kingdom of God? I don't know what I'll do there. I don't know if they'll need the post office in the kingdom. I always heard that before I'd rather be a janitor in the house of God than to be a king of this world. Whatever it is, may our eyes and our ears and all that we do focus on the glory of God. May we never look to ourselves as being the goal or the focus of that glory. I remember an old song, it was a Keith Green song. It was, bless me Lord, bless me Lord, that's all I ever hear. No one aches, no one sheds a tear. But he cries, he weeps, he bleeds, and he cares for our needs. But we're asleep in the light. I think I skipped a bunch of it, but you know the idea. It's all about us. Tragically, we see it all around. What can we do? What will God do for me? I know what He did for you 2,000 years ago. He hung on a cross and purchased salvation. That would give the utmost glory to God to believe that message and to trust Him. Not just for this life, you'll be miserable because you cannot ever, you'll never. I can't think of words. In the church, we need to trust Him. We need to look to Him and His glory alone and not for us. And then God will take care of it. There's another old Keith Green song, He'll take care of the rest. I'm thinking of these old songs all of a sudden. He'll take care of the rest. Just look to Him, trust and believe in faith and He'll take care of it. Amen.