God Establishes Israel, Pt 4

Ronald Weinland

January 9, 2021

Today we’re going to complete the series entitled God Establishes Israel, with this being Part 4.

We’re going to pick up from where we left off last week by backing up just a little and reading those last few verses again in order to remind ourselves of the context, the story flow of what we were covering.

2 Samuel 6:12—Now, it was told king David, saying, The Eternal has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God. This was when the occasion happened that they went down to try to retrieve it, the ox stumbled, the ark started to fall over, Uzzah reached up to stop it from falling off, falling over, and God killed him right there on the spot.

There is so much throughout the Bible that if we have the right kind of mindset with God’s guidance, God’s spirit, we will understand the mercy, the love, the patience of God, and how He teaches us, how He molds and fashions us. There are things that happen sometimes that people can find fault with, as in that particular case, or other things in the Bible, like some other kind of destruction and the wars that, especially as Israel was being established, that they conquered so many peoples, and so forth, and we’ll read some of that even today.

It’s hard for the carnal mind, for the human mind sometimes to understand some of those things because we tend to think along physical terms. God doesn’t. God doesn’t think like we do, thank God. He teaches us how to think, how to understand, and to grasp things on a spiritual plane of what He’s doing and what He’s building and what He’s creating, which is about establishing Israel, but it’s a spiritual Israel.

Death, in that respect, for human beings is kind of irrelevant in the scheme of things because it’s just a matter of time. Someone dies? They don’t know it. Time passes and a resurrection takes place, and they have life again. We don’t tend to think that way.

God has everything in a vision, in a perspective, a predetermined plan of how it all fits together and time for Him is not like it is for us in any fashion or form. It’s hard for us to judge in those terms sometimes.

It’s easy to perhaps find fault or to judge God, which people have done over and over again through time, and even within the Church unwittingly so, by looking at certain things and feeling like, “Well, why would God do that? It just seems cruel.” A merciful God? Yes, very merciful, very patient.

But we have to understand things in the perspective of resurrections, in the perspective of God’s plan, in the perspective of the Great White Throne, as an example, and what that’s going to mean for mankind, and especially for those who are very young, even just barely born, that are going to be able to be reared at that particular time who aren’t going to have all the garbage in their minds that they’ve got to fight and conquer through a lifetime, and be able to receive then more freely, if they so choose, God’s revelation of truth, of what His word is.

That’s a beautiful thing. Everyone has a purpose at different times in the sense of God’s planning, in the sense of God’s timing and the last 6,000 years have been unique because God hasn’t been trying to convert the world like traditional Christianity believes. He hasn’t been trying. That’s why people go out and do the things they do sometimes, because it’s like God’s in this frenzy to try to save people, to try to bring people to Christ. The reality is, no, He’s not. It’d be a mighty weak God if we look at traditional Christianity and see what is going on in the world.

God is not like that at all. God has a purpose and a plan, and we’re so blessed to grasp and comprehend that. Very few have been worked with over 6,000 years. That’s why we should, in that respect, be that much more encouraged, that much more excited, that much more strengthened, if you will, by what we see, by what we know, and by what we understand that the world doesn’t have, to recognize the uniqueness of how blessed we really are.

This story has much to do with that then, of God establishing Israel. It’s a matter of perspective through God’s eyes. It’s a matter of learning and understanding things of judgment through God’s eyes, through the truth, through His word, not through our own. Because when self gets in the way, when carnality gets in the way, when “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” gets in the way, it muddles everything up, muddies everything up, makes everything a quagmire.

Only God frees us. Only God can free us from anything and everything, from the stuff we’re in right now in this world. It’s just getting worse and worse out there and people don’t realize, as a whole, what’s really happening.

There is a spirit world so stirred up out there and using technology right now, and I hope we’re not blind to that. Because it’s not just by chance. It’s not just something that human beings are doing on their own by selfishness. There are things the demonic world is doing pushing things, in a way using that as a tool because they know the nature of mankind.

Facebook. “Look at me!” We get into that garbage and that stupidity and we become trapped in it and it’s horrifying what it does to the mind of people, that that’s their lives. When they get into that that’s their social life. And social media, when you say social media, it’s not a good thing! None of it is good as far as the world is concerned and how it’s being used and what it does to young minds, and people who become imprisoned to that. There have never been generations before who have ever experienced anything like that! The world is experiencing it now full blown.

God’s allowing that for great purpose and great reason, that He gave technology at the end of 6,000 years for a great purpose, to show what we would do with it, to drive the point home of what we’re like. Because the first 5,900 years wasn’t enough to drive the point home, so God has given more to show what power – because there’s power in technology, there really is – and how mankind then will choose to use those things.

So again here, it was told to David how the house of Obed-edom was being blessed because of the ark. So, David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with gladness. So it was, when those baring the ark of the Eternal had gone six paces that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.

Learned a great lesson in that, what had happened, because he went back prepared this time. He knew. He understood what had happened before. Because he wasn’t happy with what happened with Uzzah and so he learned, received correction, and changed as a result of what was given to him and did things the right way. So much so that as they began to go forward, he was so moved and so excited, and planned this anyway, that this is what they did right there on the spot. Incredible.

Then David danced before the Eternal with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. A kind of apron, if you will. So, David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Eternal with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. It was a great celebration. They were rejoicing in what they were able to do because it meant a lot to them, obviously.

Incredible history here of what had taken place, and what had happened is they came into the promised land in the first place as they crossed the Jordan river and the water stopped up. Again, they were reminded of how God delivered them out of Egypt when they came across on the ground again not running raging waters and floods as there are at that time of year.

All these things that meant so much to them. Again, a reminder here of what it said in 1 Chronicles 15:1-2. I’ll just read that. And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, No one should carry the ark of God but the Levites. So, when they went back that’s what they were doing in the right way. Not on a cart, on an ox, but with the poles that ran through it and individuals then under those poles on all four corners, if you will, carrying it.

…because the Eternal… So, he’s looking to God again, keeping his eyes focused on God. You can’t drop that. You can’t let your eyes wander away from being focused on God and God’s purpose and God’s plan.

I want to be real candid with you. This time here that we’re going through scares me a little as far as the Church is concerned because we know human nature and we know what the tendency of human nature can be, to let up, to begin letting down. Because of not having fellowship on a regular basis, it’s very easy to get caught in the quagmire that’s out there, to watch some of that stuff that’s going on out there and begin to be pulled away from it. Because it is disheartening, it is discouraging, it’s painful, it hurts, and it’s scary if you really see it for what it is.

Because the Eternal chose them to carry the ark of God. We do thing God’s way; the way God says to do it and if self ever gets in the way then we’re going to have to learn some hard lessons the hard way. It’s just the way it’s always been. Our nature resists God and we have to be alert to that, on guard against that, and cry out and pray to God—fast!

…and to minister unto Him forever. It’s what we’re to do.

Going on in 2 Samuel 6:16—Now, the ark of the Eternal came into the city of David, or as it came in, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window, and saw David leaping and dancing before the Eternal; and she despised him in her heart. Now, there is quite a bit in this, and it’s been highly misunderstood by a lot of people in God’s Church as well, what’s taking place here.

Because some have basically zeroed in on certain words and said, well, he was dancing naked. No, he wasn’t. He had on an apron. Now, maybe it was flimsy, don’t know what was underneath that. Don’t need to know! But he was dancing. But he wasn’t stupid either and he was doing this before God Almighty.

The problem was with Michal and her attitude towards David. This just stirred that up that much more in her to where she hated him. She despised him. She wasn’t all that keen in coming back, to leave the husband that she had. That’s what it boils down to in large part. She wasn’t all that keen on what happened to her family, and so forth, and found fault with David because of that. There is more to the story here because of human nature. Hopefully, we can see human nature in this and what was taking place.

So, they brought the ark of the Eternal, set it up in its place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Eternal. So again, doing these things in a way that hadn’t been done for so long. They were so excited by this because there was that attachment, as it were, through the ark to God in their thinking. “He’s with us.”

God used that in that regard, in large part, obviously, because they were carnal, because they were physical, as a whole. God wasn’t calling a lot of people. David was being worked with, molded and fashioned, yes.

So, when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Eternal of hosts. Now, it says David did all this. Now, David was in charge of all this, and David gave command for various things to be done, but he had the Levites carry out their responsibilities. David wasn’t up there doing all this stuff himself. It’s amazing how people read things sometimes. We have to be careful.

Verse 19—Then he distributed among all the people… Did he do it personally? A lot of people there. No, he had the Levites and different ones do it whose job it was to do it. He gave the command. He gave the orders to do various things and they did it. They came from him.

Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both women and the men, giving to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion, most likely that of referring to the meat, in that respect, of that which was offered and so forth, and a cake of raisins. So, all the people departed, everyone to his house.

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, saying, How honorable… Now, she’s not saying this nicely, okay? How honorable the king of Israel was today, uncovering, or as the word is, “revealing.”

Now, this is where some people get to the point, “Oh, he was doing all this naked and revealing because of what it says and what follows here. No, it’s more of an attitude she had toward David, “Oh, how great you were showing off!” basically, is what she’s saying, “Showing yourself off before everyone.” That was her attitude. That was her spirit.

So again, uncovering himself in the eyes of the maids and servants. So, in other words, “Look what you were doing,” you know, “making yourself the focal point of everything, showing off before everyone.” Amazing. Jealous. Jealous-jealous-jealous. Envious. Worked things up in her own mind against him in the first place because of things that had happened that she didn’t agree with and didn’t like. So, this is what revealed her, her true spirit.

You know, there are things that happen in life that in time things come to the surface. Because when people have jealousies and envying, hatreds, dislikes, false judgment, eventually certain circumstances in life will come to the forefront and they come to the surface. By that time, they really stink. By the time a person acts upon those things and lets go because they’ve been holding back, oftentimes different events can cause those things to erupt. This caused it to erupt.

It went on, again here, uncovering or showing off himself today in the eyes of the maids and his servants, of his servants, as anyone who is vain reveals themselves! Shows off, makes themselves the focal point, the center of attraction here, trying to gain attention. Now, because that’s a thing that people do …and then put it on Facebook. “Oh, look at me!” Because we want to be the center of attraction. The carnal mind.

So again, this reveals a bitterness that she had, that she’d grown in concerning David. It revealed a growing jealousy and a resentment toward David’s attitude and spirit toward God. Favor that he had been receiving for a long, long time, things that had worked to his favor, if you will, above her own family’s favor, and these things were rotting in her being, in her heart. Truly were and they got the best of her over time.

So, David said to Michal… This is what it’s about, you see. That’s why God’s spirit has to lead and guide and direct our minds, to comprehend, understand things that take place and have taken place. We can see things and understand things in stories and things that are in the scriptures because of God’s spirit, because we see a larger story. We see truth. We grasp and understand more the mind of God and how God works with us. Others look at it physically and try to translate things physically and they get all messed up.

How blessed are we that we’re able to understand the spirit of things and grasp how God works on a spiritual plane with us, to understand what human beings are really like, what’s really at the core of our being, the selfishness that’s there that motivates us in everything we do (if you look at the world).

Now, we’re to be motivated and have a desire to be motivated by God’s spirit, to be strengthened by God’s spirit, to be encouraged by God’s spirit, by what we do in response to God because we’re praying to God because we have this relationship that we’re building because we recognize our hearts. We have the heart that’s after God’s own heart. That’s what we want. That’s what we’re striving for.

So, David said to Michal, It was the Eternal… It’s about God! We all have experiences like that, like we mentioned last Sabbath, whether it be situations of family, immediate family, close relatives, friends, speaking of the past, especially when we first come in or even of the present depending on situations when it comes to employment, our job, different ones around us, or other family members and so forth who don’t see this way and they don’t like this way. They don’t respect our life in the sense of what we’re striving to live. Instead, find fault with it and want to pick it apart or pick someone apart or anything they can find to pick apart because they loathe the truth. That’s what it boils down to because it seems so foreign to their carnal minds and that’s understandable.

That we’re called to become a part of the God Family? That’s insane to most people out there. That there is no heaven or hell that anyone’s going to? It seems insane to most people. And so, understandably so, people don’t like that. That’s what’s really at the heart and core of their thinking.

They don’t like those things, that we would say such things against what they hold dear to themselves. Christmas? Easter? No such thing? Oh, now you’re talking about a fight. Now you’re talking about a separation for sure of any kind of relationship because you’re just weird.

“You’re in a”—What word can I find? “—CULT!” So, that’s why they throw those words out. Because that’s all they can relate to. Yes, there are cults out there who are sick and distorted, demented, and so forth. But we’re not a cult.

So, he said, It was before the Eternal who chose me instead of your father. This is what this is about. He’s just telling it like it is. …and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Eternal, over Israel. “It’s God’s doings. It’s not my doings. My response is to the Great God, to the Eternal God. That’s what I’m doing. That’s what I was doing as we were bringing the ark into the city.”

Therefore, I will celebrate; better translation than “play music.” It’s about a celebration that they were having, rejoicing here of what they were able to do. Therefore, I will celebrate before the Eternal. “I’m going to do this before God. It’s not about trying to make a scene here and bring all the attention to me, that this is about me. It’s about God! It’s about my mind and my spirit.” He was a man after God’s own heart and so he’s just telling the truth of what was motivating him. “This is about God, a rejoicing before God, a celebrating before God for what He’s done. He’s establishing Israel.”

She didn’t see that. She didn’t grasp it.

I will even be more despised than this. Awkward translation. Better translated then, “undignified or vain” as it’s so often translated. It’s basically referring to some things that come out later in scripture, and so forth, that are written by, even by David. I will be even more despised. In other words, a willingness here.

He’s saying basically in his relationship with God he is willing to place himself out there for people to judge. And so, in the world, if you’re willing to stand for God that’s what this is talking about, a willingness. “I will allow myself to be even more despised by others if it means to honor God, to love God, to walk in this way of life. Bring it on! Because I follow the Eternal God!” That’s what he’s saying.

That’s us. That’s what we have to choose. And so, if the world doesn’t like that, doesn’t want that, and that’s our lot, we understand that. We understand they can’t help themselves and we don’t hold it against them. We don’t hate them. Incredible.

It’s more like saying, “I will make, or I am willing to make myself even more despised than this. I am willing to do that if it’s a matter of honoring God, if it’s a matter of dancing before God and celebrating before the Great God of the universe. Others find fault with that, if you find fault with that, Michal. But this is what I’m doing.”

And I will be base in my own sight. In other words, “I will abase myself, or humble myself.” This is about humility. “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about drawing attention to me and showing off. This is about desiring to humble myself before the Great God.”

But as for the maidservants, of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor. So, he really told it to her like it was. Inspired to do so, candidly, and for our learning as well. That’s why these things are here, for those whom God has called through time and will in time.

It’s a matter of understanding what it’s all about. It’s about a relationship with God and it’s about understanding that if people see your purpose and your intent, they’re going to respond positively to that. They’re going to grasp what you’re doing. They’re going to understand why you were celebrating out there, that the ark is coming in. That’s what they were doing, basically. “They were rejoicing as well because they understood what I was doing out there, Michal, but you didn’t.”

Then Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no children to the day of her death. It just ends the story there on that phase, on what took place, and just showing what bitterness can do.

But again, revealing here that with that mind of a heart to honor God, to look to God, we understand there are going to be bad things come our way. That’s a part of our calling. David understood that. There are going to be people who aren’t going to understand. They’re going to find fault. So be it. But God’s first.

2 Samuel 7:1—Now, it came to pass, when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Eternal had given him rest from all his enemies all around… So again, this is a part of a process of how God was blessing Israel, to the length and depth that He was.

Then the king said to Nathan the prophet, Look, I dwell in a house of cedar. He dwelt in this great place that was built for him, if you remember the story here going back and the king of Tyre. He’s saying, look how well I’m living, but the ark of God dwells in tents and curtains.

Then Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for the Eternal is with you. Nathan the prophet responded positively in all this and told David, yes, by all means, it’s a good thing.

But that night the word of the Eternal came to Nathan, saying, Go tell My servant David, Thus says the Eternal, Will you build a house for Me to dwell in? We know the story. How incredible that we grasp and understand what God was revealing and what it’s all about. Because God builds the house, the temple. He establishes our dwelling, us.

For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have walked about in a tent and in a tabernacle. He said, “I wasn’t dwelling there, but I walked about,” and basically, revealing Himself at different times to them and coming before them, and especially on the Day of Atonement as He did. We know those things that happened in the wilderness. And on it goes.

Wherever I have walked about with all the children of Israel have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?

Now, therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, Thus says the Eternal of hosts, I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. David understood how God had worked with him and what he had lived through in his life as a shepherd and some of the things he’d gone through. He saw his part in it and what God was doing with him.

Verse 9—I have been with you wherever you have gone. Clearly showing again here that only God is the one who establishes, him and Israel in this case, and making that very clear to David. Wherever you have gone, I have been with you, and have cut off all your enemies from before you and have made you a great name. So again here, David was able to relate to that.

Now, we go through a process and we understand what’s coming later, and our faith is in those things, and our hope, and we’re encouraged, though, by the process. This is a part of what David was understanding at this time, the process of what God had gone through to establish him as the king over Israel. That was a physical plane.

Ours is a spiritual one that takes all of our lives and we happen to live at a very unique time, one of the most unique times in all of history of mankind, candidly, just before the establishment of God’s Kingdom.

…and have made you a great name, like the name of great men who are on the earth. That’s why the king of Tyre respected and saw what was taking place. Not stupid but understanding a favor that David had, stories about the mind of David or the ways of David, if you will, how he treated others and so forth. These things were passed around. Some loathed it, some hated it and saw him as an enemy. The king of Tyre didn’t.

Moreover, I will appoint, meaning “to set, place, or make” a place. It’s a word in Hebrew that means “a standing place” for My people Israel, and will plant them… David had no comprehension of everything that God was telling him here. He wasn’t there. The things he did receive later on and the prophesies he was given to write and the things that were inspired to be in the Psalms (because God calls him a prophet), and the things that were there as well, again, incredible, the process here of what he went through and how God worked with him.

But still, though God was working with him he still didn’t grasp and understand all that was ahead. He was limited in his ability in those things but had hope in those things because he did come to understand more fully about a Messiah as time went along. That’s what all had looked to through time, in that respect, that God would establish a Kingdom, His Kingdom, not just a physical one. Well, they looked at it physically in many ways, but again, they knew it was going to be over everyone on the earth.

…for My people Israel, and I will plant them, that they may dwell (abide) in a place of their own. Incredible, to know what we understand now. I think of that split sermon. It’s been while back. But “grow where you’re planted,” that Jim Jamieson gave. Anyway, that comes to my mind when I see things like this and think, yeah, that’s exactly what we’re supposed to do. Wherever God is working with us, in whatever situation God has called us in in life, jobs, families, that’s where we are and we’re to make, we’re to respond to God and what God is doing in our lives and seek to grow spiritually. It’s a beautiful thing.

This is a lot of what is being established here, what is being talked about. And I will plant them that they may dwell (abide) in a place of their own. So, very uniquely so, especially for us when we understand the Church and each individual, that we have this opportunity in a relationship with God to dwell in God and His Son, and they’re able to dwell in us, and to have this stand on our own. Because it’s about each one of us and our relationship with God.

But then we, too, understand that we have this Body and a fellowship that’s unique to us and all are doing the same thing. Yet it’s all about establishing Israel and the process God is going through to accomplish that.

Again here, And I will appoint (set, place, make a place, a standing place) for My people Israel, and will plant them that they may dwell (abide) in a place of their own and be moved, “shaken” as the word is, no more. Beautiful!

As we respond to God, learning to put God first, we can remain there, we can remain in that dwelling, we can remain in the Body of Christ, we can remain in the Church of God – if we have that heart that has a desire toward God with all of our being, putting God first in our life and responding to God’s word as He reveals it to us and striving to live by it and building upon that relationship. So, this is all a part of that.

Nor shall the children of unrighteousness oppress them anymore, as before, since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. He goes back and gives all this history. Look at the history of 6,000 years, all that mankind has gone through. I think of when it talks about Lot and he vexed his righteous soul day by day.

I think of this time that we’re in right now, and if we’re not able to do that something is wrong with us. If we can’t look at this world and hurt for it? Anywhere you look you want it to be saved, you want it to be able to be freed from it because it’s hideous and it’s getting worse.

And young people who are growing up, they’re becoming imprisoned to, slave to things that other human beings have never been slave to. And because of that so many are so messed up, royally so, horribly so, horrifyingly so. The sickness of this world, I’ll tell you what, as each day goes by it’s just getting worse and worse. It’s scary. It hurts.

Because we know it can happen at any time. You want to talk about a time that someone might want to take advantage of our weakness, this is the pinnacle of it right now. We’re at the pinnacle right now in these next couple of weeks. Transitions in power, fighting, who’s going to have this? Think, “Let’s take it down. Let’s do it now.” That’s scary, it really is, when you understand the mindset of certain peoples in the world and understanding prophecy and where we are.

So again, God’s going back and giving this history.

Also, the Eternal tells you that He will make of or from, if you will, you a house. So, it’s a spiritual thing. It’s a spiritual building that God has focused upon, and it’s a spiritual Israel that this is all about. The physical gives us examples of things. We’re inspired by different stories when we see what God is doing and the mindset that’s there and the response of people and what our response is supposed to be and be able to make comparisons of things and seeing like it was for the military that God gave power and strength, mighty power and strength to establish a physical Israel.

Yet it’s so hard for us sometimes to grasp we have far more power and strength in a small group that we have right now in the world than they ever had. We truly do. Sometimes it’s hard for us to grasp that and to grasp the depth of that and what that means.

When your days are fulfilled, and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. Incredible! It wasn’t about Solomon. Not at all. Though on a physical type that was going to take place, it’s not about him. He shall build a house for My name—Awesome!— and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Solomon’s wasn’t that long. Think, well, what about the lineage? It’s not what it’s about. It’s about a spiritual Israel. It’s about what God is establishing through the Christ, the Messiah, the one anointed to reign to be King.

I will be his Father, and he shall be My Son. Now, because people only understand when they translate some things, things on a physical plane, and more likely in this case, obviously, are thinking about Solomon or whatever (but it’s physical).

Then it goes on to say in a lot of translations, “If he commits iniquity…” That’s not what was being said at all! It’s not what was being said at all about the one that God is going to establish to be King, the one through whom He’s going to establish His House.

Basically, it’s saying. For committing iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the blows of the sons of men. That’s why he was beaten like he was! That’s why he was put on a pole like he was! That’s why blood dripped down from his stomach until he died! Because of iniquity! Ours! Mankind’s! That’s what it’s saying. But people read this physically as a physical story and they don’t grasp and comprehend at all what is being spoken of. It’s speaking of Joshua the Christ.

My mercy shall not depart from him, because of sin. Because of sin? It’s because of the sin of mankind, because of our sins and the place he was to be our Passover.

It goes on to say, My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took from Saul, whom I removed from before you. This is what it’s talking about.

So again here, there have been physical things that have happened through time but there’s coming a time that’s different. This is what He’s focusing him on. This is what He’s telling David. But again, David could only understand this to a point and didn’t grasp the fullness of what God was saying.

Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. So, yes, there is a physical lineage, but it’s about one within that lineage that’s important. It’s about one. Because it’s not about physical nations, in that respect. It’s not about physical Israel. It is about a throne that God is establishing. He doesn’t have to have physical nations and physical leaders to accomplish and do it because Christ, from the time he was resurrected received that honor, received that as being our High Priest, and made King though he isn’t reigning yet in that Kingdom on the earth over all mankind. But he’s reigning within the Church.

Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Forever? It’s about what Joshua the Christ is going to do in establishing the Kingdom of God and what’s going to happen in the next 1,100 years. And then what’s remaining? Elohim for all time. Life everlasting. That’s what it’s talking about. Israel established.

According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to God.

Then king David went in, and sat before the Eternal, and said, Who am I, O Lord Eternal? And what is my house that you have brought me this far? Now, David had a humble spirit. He didn’t elevate himself. He wasn’t puffed up in any fashion or form though God made him king over all these people, over a nation. He didn’t let it go to his head. He remained a very humble individual, and truly saw him in this light.

I think of Herbert Armstrong talking about how he saw himself as a burned out, as it were, a rusted-out wreck. Where I grew up, in that area, every once in a while, you’d go into an area and you’d see in this ravine an old car, and old pick-up rusted out. That’s what he was talking about. “This is what I am. I see myself that way! What value?” That’s why it’s down in the ravine. That’s why it’s rusting out. Because nobody is using it; it has no use. What good is it?

The only good is God and what we have and what’s being transformed in the mind. Awesome! That’s how he saw himself, speaking of Herbert Armstrong, speaking of David, speaking of all of us as we grow. We learn those things. We grow in those things. That’s the heart and the mind we want to have. That’s why I’ve seen so many go by the wayside because they become elevated by what they’re doing.

Frankly, a majority of the ministry through Laodicea, elevated, thinking, getting lifted up. Then it went down through the Church as well, whatever it was that people had. People can get elevated over the stupidest, of smallest of things in life. Who brings the cookies? Anyway. Sad. Really is.

So again, this attitude of David, “And what is my house that You have brought me this far?” Do you ever look at yourself that way when you pray? “What am I? How can you use this?” Then we go back to understanding our calling and just thankful for it. Because we know what we are.

We should know what we are, who we are. We’re so puny. We have nothing without God, nothing, absolutely nothing of value. Nothing! If God’s not in it, what do we have? Nothing! A short space of time to live. Mine’s getting shorter and shorter all the time. I know that. Short space of time to live. What is God going to do in that length of time? I don’t know. For your sakes, for the Church’s sake I hope that it’s within that period of time. If not, it’s not going to be pleasant because I know what happens.

So, we should be able to see those things. Where are we in time?

“You have brought me this far.” Does every person in God’s Church see themselves that way? “I am here because of You and only because of You. My nature has resisted You at different times in my life, and yet You’ve corrected me, You’ve helped me to see what I need to change. You’ve blessed me in that.” Then we have our part in that. We understand that. We have to respond to those things, and we have to pray about those things. That’s where choices come in.

But to be able to continue going forward and fight this battle, this fight? God’s the one doing it. But we have to do what we can, like Herbert Armstrong talked about. I can’t help but think what he said again. We have to work with all our might as if we’re doing it all, knowing full well He’s doing it. God’s doing it. God’s doing the overwhelming majority. We have certain choices along the way, and we have to do our part and we have to respond.

If we don’t respond to those things, seeking to obey God, seeking to conquer and overcome self, fighting against what is ever resisting God, fighting on those numbers one, two, and three things in our life, that they’re so strong in our minds that whenever they crop up in any fashion or form, we spot them quickly. As we grow, we spot them more quickly and repent more quickly. Or we let them conquer us, as happened to so many people, hundreds and hundreds and thousands of people before us.

It goes on to say, You have brought me this far, “You, God, You’re the one,” and yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord Eternal. God can do it. It’s big in our eyes because the battle is huge. Sometimes we can become weary in it. Truly.

You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man? In other words, it’s like saying, “You have spoken this house is going to continue on.” This was mindboggling to David in what he was hearing. It’s like, “How is this possible?” He didn’t understand it. He didn’t know what was going to transpire.

He said, “Can this happen with man? Can man accomplish such a thing?” Because he understood people make choices. He was surrounded by people who made all kinds of choices that were horrible.

Verse 20—Now, what more can David say to You? For You, Lord Eternal, know Your servant. He knows us inside and out and we should know that. We should understand that. The more we grasp that the more we grasp the mercy and the patience of God. Who are we? What are we? Well, we’re God’s children. That’s our hope. We have God’s spirit dwelling within us and that’s our strength and our hope. We have choices then to fight for that or not. So, what is worth the fight?

For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. What about us? Think about what God has given to us to know more than any people who have ever lived before us. More than anyone, save Joshua, more than anyone who has lived before us. Far, far more. Not because of our being special and better than them. On the contrary. In so many cases, far, far worse.

But God is merciful and patient, and we see what God is doing in our lives. We see our weaknesses and our lack of strength. We recognize the real strength comes from God Almighty, from His truth, from His word. We recognize that God is doing the construction, God is doing the building and we have great opportunity in this.

“You have done all these things to make Your servant to know these things.” Awesome!

Therefore, You are great, O Lord Eternal, for there is none like You, nor God except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. Who is like your people, like Israel? So, we should think of the Church. Who is like the Church? No one. Especially at a time like this when there are so many who are scattered, who are lost, in that respect. They’re lost at this point in time until they’re awakened from a spiritual sleep, whenever that comes in their life. Only God can do that, only God can awaken someone out of a spiritual sluggishness and sleep.

To recognize then how blessed we are if we recognize how God has worked with us or called us out since the Church fell asleep.

Who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people? Do we grasp what God has done through time, molding and fashioning only 144,000 in 6,000 years? Now, a transition in time that is unique because others have opportunity because they’re going to be able to live on into a new age? God has done this.

The one nation on earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people. We are that nation in embryo. To make for Himself a name. A family, Elohim. …and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds, for Your land, before Your people, whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations and their gods? Awesome!

He was seeing things on a physical plane, but we can see them on a spiritual one, what God has redeemed us from, what He’s saved us from. You think of the bondage people are in out there? They can’t help, people who believe in Christmas, people who believe in Easter, people who believe in some fat dude, statue lying on its side, big, fat statue, body, fat body showing, and they worship that and have different ideas or whatever it might be, or some elephant that’s in a picture here in the globe. It’s like, “Oh, yeah, what satellite has shown that thing?” Anyway. Crazy things out there that people believe, have ideas of that have been passed through time and don’t discard them.

How blessed are we that we don’t have that clouded eyesight? Not just clouded, it’s just blind; can’t see. We can see. Sometimes we just can’t grasp how blessed we are, the power, the might, the strength that is far more than thousands and millions in an army because it’s God Almighty, His power and His strength and His purpose. Nothing can get in way of that.

…to make for Himself a name, and do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land, before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? So, we see that spiritually. We grasp that.

For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever. So, we have that opportunity. Because that, spiritually, is what Elohim is all about. And You, Eternal, have become their God. Now, O Eternal God, the word which You have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, establish it forever. It’s like “amen.”

“It sounds more than good. This is more than I can comprehend, Your mercy, Your patience, Your purpose.” And yet what David saw was so puny at that point. It really was. He came to see far more things later on, and still didn’t see things on a plane that happened just a few hundred years later that began to be revealed. He didn’t understand those things.

But even Joshua quoted, the apostles quoted and have written about things that David wrote that David didn’t understand, didn’t see but was inspired to write them.

Verse 26—So, let Your name be magnified forever, saying, The Eternal of hosts is the God over Israel. And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. Again, it’s going to be through Joshua. That’s going to happen. But he didn’t grasp that. For You, O Eternal of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, I will build You a house. Now, O Lord Eternal, You are God, and Your words are true.

There isn’t anything in this world that’s very true, is it? Can we get a straight fact? Can your mind not be manipulated and controlled by people out there who are seeking to do that? I hope you see the dangers of our modern media technology because there is power behind it and it’s spirit. It’s not from God. It’s running rampant right now, powerfully so. It is, the more you see it, the scarier it really is. It truly is. God’s allowing these things to bring things to a head in this age at this time for a great purpose.

Now, O Lord Eternal, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now, therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord Eternal, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.

Well, it was going to be because God’s word is true. And what God had purposed in calling David in the first place and what God was going to do later on, David had no idea that one day out of his lineage a Son of God would be born, the very Son of God would be born who was to become our Passover, to become the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One to reign in His Kingdom. David didn’t grasp those things.

Anyway, this story of David’s life continues on as God gave Him favor to conquer other nations around him and was able to bring much wealth out of those countries. Some incredible stories as you go through there and see some of the things that are written, the kinds of things that took place as far as the favor that God gave to him in destroying certain nations. In certain cases there, talking about putting out a line, a rope to separate two-thirds and one-third and killed all the two-thirds. Everyone – man, woman, and child.

People can look at that and think, what a horrifying thing! Because they don’t understand God. They don’t understand God’s mercy and God’s patience and God’s purpose in human life, that the first 6,000 years is not what it’s all about save for the calling of 144,000. That’s, basically, what it’s all about, to redeem, to call out of that a government that’s going to work to rule the earth under His Son. Awesome!

Then God begins through the Millennium in a very powerful way, and the Great White Throne to do that matter of salvation and saving of mankind and drawing others into then the family, to give training and guidance and direction to. But the first 6,000 years wasn’t about saving human life. It’s not owed to us. We don’t deserve it. But what a blessing that so many have lived through so many periods of time and having an opportunity in a Great White Throne to learn what it was all about, why they suffered.

So many who died in horrible ways. The last thing they remember, some of these wars that were fought. They were nasty. Get chewed up by some of the things they had back then? Still going on today though. When it’s gone out of your mind because you’re dead, you don’t know it. You’re not suffering any longer. God allows those things in human life because there is no other way to create Elohim. Awesome.

It goes on and tells the story of different accounts of the mistakes and things that David had to go through to learn. We can relate to that in seeing certain things that we do in our lives, of mistakes, of sins, of our own nature that we don’t understand, of our own minds that we don’t understand until something comes to the surface and then we’re able to see something in ourselves that we couldn’t see before.

Just like what happened to David. I think of the one occasion when Nathan came and told him a story and David got so worked up and Nathan said, “You are that man!” Incredible. It’s so hard for us to see ourselves for what we are. But God will reveal that and then we have the choice to repent and to fight.

We see over and over again here in this story about a man after God’s own heart. Awesome! In this story we have focused on God, that it’s God who establishes Israel, the Israel of old and the greater Israel, what this is all about, what the purpose is.

I want to read some things again, as we’re getting close to the end of this sermon today, in the news. It’s incredible what’s taking place. What really struck me in an amazing way today, in going through some things over last night thinking about some of this, is there is such control even of news today. There really is. We’re being spoon fed. Spoon fed by governments. Spoon fed by large tech companies. They have means to put certain news.

Even if you do a word search because you’re looking for something and something comes up and it’s not what you want, it’s not what you’re looking for and you know that. You have to dig deeper and deeper and try to get a little more innovative.

There’s a being behind all that. We’re not smart enough as human beings to figure all this out. It’s difficult for us to grasp and comprehend what’s in front of us and what’s taking place.

I want to read just a few things over the last couple of weeks here. I’m just going to read various headlines here. Again, these things are good for us to go through some of this, to look at a picture of something that’s taking place and keep a grasp on what’s happening in the world around us. Understand these things aren’t happening by accident. Things are speeding up in that regard. They truly are, in a very powerful way. The more they do it’s encouraging in one respect, but it’s not on the other.

This week, candidly, sitting on that front row, I’ve been squirming. I have been, truly. Made a comment last Sabbath about being up in the back row. I’d rather watch it from a distance. But we don’t have that ability or opportunity, if you want to call it an opportunity. Because we’re supposed to be on the front because we see, know, see spiritually and grasp things on a spiritual plane of what’s taking place in the world.

And so, it’s greater in our sight, in that respect, that the world is blind to so much. You hear different comments that people make, and sometimes there is a bit of sense, but so often there isn’t because it’s muddled in opinion. Then people go off on different tangents. None of it’s coming together. It’s getting more and more divisive.

There is a spirit at work out there in the world to do just that. There is a purpose in why this nation is being made a laughingstock of the world. Scary to a lot of the world, too, because there are a lot of leaders and a lot of people who don’t want to see democracy attacked in the sense of one that has been portraying democracy as the main form of government for mankind. That’s a real threat to them and they are hurt by what they see, yet they loathe what they see, too. They have this paradox, this thing that they’re trying to deal with in their thinking, in their mind, how to deal with all of this.

This is where the world is right now, what to do about it, how to deal with it. Maybe the next administration? You know, it boggles my mind how people over time continue to vote and go swing back and forth. “Well, they’ll solve it!” “Well, the didn’t do it so they’ll do it!” “Well, they didn’t do it, so they’ll do it.” “They didn’t do it so…” After a while you can’t remember anyway. You don’t remember what they didn’t do, but someone else surely is going to be able to do a little bit better job and they’re getting too much power and so because of that they’re not doing what they’re supposed to be doing. It just doesn’t work.

What an awesome thing that God’s revealing to the world at the end. Of the greatest form of manmade government, if you will, mankind’s government, that the world has ever truly known in that respect, supposedly, yet we see what’s happening. It’s scary. With technology and things taking place out there, because of human nature, can’t work. Can’t work.

“U.S. Bolsters support for Taiwan and Tibet, angering China”[1] (Reuters). “China has watched with growing alarm as the United States has stepped up its backing for Chinese-claimed Taiwan and its criticism of Beijing’s rule in remote Tibet, further straining a relationship under intense pressure over trade, human rights and other issues.”

Now, there are so many issues right now with China it’s not even funny. Most are willingly blind to it and willing to sweep it away, “We can talk, can’t we? We can sit down, and we can talk these issues over and we can get some things back to a kind of norm. (Because it’s really been screwed up the past four years!) So, we can go back to what we had before and surely, they’ll come back to the table and we can work on some of this together. Surely, we can reason together?” But that’s how we are as human beings, blind, blind, blind, foolish.

There is a purpose why this nation is going through what it is. God is showing to the world the greatest nation, the most powerful nation the world has ever known cannot govern itself when He takes His blessings away. And He has taken His blessings away, and did some time ago. Awesome, to understand that. Been on our own for quite some time. God made this nation great. Truly did.

Then on Wednesday: “2020: Accelerating Towards the European Superstate.”[2] “The year 2020 has seen significant changes and further centralization of power in the European Union.” Kind of interesting when you see things like this, because you realize, hmm, they’re being pushed into a position where they have to respond and do something to make them a little bit stronger. But still like the clay. They’re still going to be like the clay.

“There appear to be three major causes for this: 1. British withdrawal from the EU which occurred on February 1, 2020. 2. The coronavirus crisis, whose lockdowns have inflicted tremendous damage on the European economy, particularly in southern Europe, annihilating in mere months years worth of effort to put government finances on a sustainable footing.”

This is pushing certain nations into a corner to react and respond, to themselves become stronger even if it means the others are not going to be a part of it. They’re not stupid. They want to save what they have. They don’t want to see it destroyed. And right now, they see a threat.

Another one here, a third, “A more proactive European policy on the part of Germany.”

Anyway, same old story. We know it, we’ve seen it, and God gave that to Herbert Armstrong to see and what to focus upon.

Another one here: “Since the Second World War, the pace of European integration has always been set by the Franco-German engine. This remains the case, even as France has become the decidedly weaker partner.” Just prophetic things. Just, they’re there on the plate.

“Australian Lawmaker Predicts War Between US & China In ‘Three To Five Years’”[3] You know, to even be talking in those terms because they’re a little closer, they feel more threatened because of what’s taking place in that part of the world. They are concerned about their security, obviously so. They see a relationship that has so soured and so bad and they know and are able to admit certain things about China that even here people aren’t able to do.

Some see the threat. But to get people to be united in thought? They can’t do it because this isn’t our time and God is not giving favor. God is not giving sound mind to anyone. That’s why things are so messed up out there. Who has the answer? No one.

That’s why I’ve tried to say over and over again, do not take sides by what is fed to you on a platter. Because people in God’s Church have been doing that to one degree or another. You have to be ever so careful to understand.

The truth is here in this book and nowhere else. We wait on God’s Kingdom.

“B-52s fly over Persian Gulf as 'complex attacks' from Iran feared, US ready to thwart.”[4] And so this back-and-forth thing of people talking about, well, is he going to go in and attack Iran with Israel before he leaves office? There have been denials of all these things. Then back and forth and very real stuff.

“2020 Ends With Around 20 Million Americans Still On Jobless Benefits.”[5] “The total number of Americans on government unemployment benefits ended 2020 just below 20 million. 2019 ended with just 2 million on jobless claims...” It’s like, well, we can just get together and agree in congress and pass more, more money.

Where does it come from? Where is all this stuff coming from? Who is going to end up paying for this? How is it going to be taken care of? It’s like there’s no end to the big basket out here. Absolute blindness and foolishness of things that are taking place.

And by this perverted optimism that people have to stir up and work on they have to think in a certain way to keep things going. They give into it and ignore the other things that are out here because they don’t have answers for it. There are no answers for it.

Paying the piper is coming. When’s it going to happen? So, different ones? What kind of reset? How? More and more the talk out here about bitcoin and all the different currencies like that that are like that out here and money pouring into those madly right now because there is this talk and feeling that banks are about to go down the tubes. And they are.

We know what’s going to happen. That’s why God says, “They’ll throw their gold out in the street.” Because it doesn’t buy anything. It comes to a point in time where the most important thing is going to be food. It really is.

Thursday: “Pentagon Orders Aircraft Carrier Out Of Gulf In Potential Iran De-Escalation.”[6] Interesting stories sometimes, you read certain things. “Sending the aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, home to the U.S. West Coast would seem at odds with the idea that a show of force is needed to deter Iran. This might reflect a split within the defense establishment on whether Iran poses a heightened threat to strike in the waning days of the Trump administration."

So, there’s been this thing going back and forth of a concern about what’s going to happen here at this time. And so, here goes the Nimitz, so it looks like maybe that’s not a concern now. Interesting.

Then on last Sabbath: “Proposed House Rules Seek To Erase…” I’m just reading all kinds of things here just showing the insanity that’s out there. “Proposed House Rules Seek To Erase Gendered-Terms Such As 'Father', 'Mother', 'Son', & 'Daughter.'”[7] “Leaders in the House of Representatives announced on Friday a rules package for the 117th Congress that includes a proposal to use “gender-inclusive language” and eliminate gendered terms such as “‘father, mother, son, daughter,” and more.”

“Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern (D-Mass.) announced on Friday that the rules package includes changes that would “honor all gender identities by changing pronouns and familial relationships in the House rules to be gender neutral.”

“Terms to be struck from clause 8(c)(3) of rule XXIII, the House’s Code of Official Conduct, as outlined in the proposed rules (pdf), include “father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half sister, grandson, [and] granddaughter.”

Such terms would be replaced with “parent, child, sibling, parent’s sibling, first cousin, sibling’s child, spouse, parent-in-law, child-in-law, sibling-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, stepsibling, half-sibling, [and] grandchild.” Now, I’m too old to deal with this.

“According to the proposed rules, ‘seamen’ would be replaced with ‘seafarers,’ and ‘Chairman’ would be replaced with ‘Chair’ in Rule X of the House.”

It just shows the insanity. And how does a world respect the most powerful (supposedly) nation on earth? It’s gone down the tubes. There is another part of the world that’s gaining in power to where they’re passing in every form of military. They have aircraft now that they’re talking about that’s so far surpassed ours it’s not even funny. What are they doing, I wonder? What does all this mean? Hmm.

Monday: “Germany Leads Europe Into New Wave Of Lockdowns As COVID Numbers Surge.”[8] “As Germany prepares to extend a nationwide lockdown until the end of January, other governments in Europe are considering taking similar steps to prolong or strengthen restrictions on movement and businesses.”

It just gets worse and worse and worse. And things can’t open up? That’s why I mentioned here in the beginning about trying to restart some trips. May not get off the ground at all because we may have a huge lockdown. Who knows what’s coming? We don’t know what’s coming or what’s coming next with COVID or something else that’s going to happen on the world scene.

“U.K. warns of more lockdown measures as country fights new strain of coronavirus.”[9]

Another one here: “Iran seizes a South Korean ship after the USS Nimitz does a U-turn.”[10] “…the US military reversed itself and ordered the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to remain in the region.” People are playing with fire out there. One day in God’s timing it all comes to a head. But we won’t be ready, speaking of this country. We’ll be in a very weak state.

That’s why this time concerns me more than any time that I’ve ever seen as far as the Church is concerned, as far as the world is concerned.

Because this is the time of obvious weakness. Who has the power? Who’s going to wield the power? Who’s going to do this? Who’s going to do that? And especially at a transition, who’s going to know what their job is and who’s going to know who to answer to, and on and on it goes. Because that presents it’s own weakness.

“China’s New Defense Law Gives Military More Control of War Powers.”[11] “The new law could allow China’s PLA to deploy more quickly to confront the US, whose warships are frequently sailing in waters near China’s coast.” At some time, it’s just going to happen; they’re going to do what they feel compelled to do. But they’re going to do it in a way that it happens so swiftly, at a time of the greatest weakness. Because greater weakness is going to be brought on this country.

“Capitol Hill Staffers Ordered To Evacuate After Protesters Breach Security.”[12] Who would have thought something like that could have happened?

“Bomb threat causes 2 brief Capitol building evacuations as DC protests erupt during electoral count.”[13]

“Trumps mob causes chaos across the country.”[14] “MAGA protestors surround Texas, California, Michigan, Georgia, Oregon, and Kansas State Capitals.”

Thursday: “DC mayor extends the emergency order until after inauguration day as police confirm four fatalities amid US Capital unrest.”[15]

And so, the world is looking at this. They’re looking at what’s happening.

“'Western Democracy is Weak and Fragile', Iranian President Says on US Capitol Chaos.”[16]

So, different countries. Can we help but grasp and understand why the world looks at us the way they do? We are a laughingstock. The things I’ve read here about all these crazy rules, how do you think other nations look at us? They look up to? On the contrary. Minds are being molded and fashioned that somebody has to do something because we’re going down the tubes.

The primary thing is this, because everybody’s in the same kind of boat when it comes to what’s happening because of COVID, forcing an economic showdown in the world. That’s what we’re coming to. So again, certain ones are going to respond at some point in time.

We’re to be on guard. We’re to be alert, to be ready. That’s why I’m very sobered. I really am. I don’t how else to put it. Other morning woke up and it’s like this incredible weight that’s upon us because of what we see and where we can potentially be and what could potentially be before us. Because, literally, it can happen this week, next week. I mean, that’s how close things could be. We don’t know. But at some point, it’s going to happen like that in the world. And when it does it’s going to wallop the tar out of us.

But we understand a vision that we have to have and what we’re going to have. That’s looking forward. We’re going to come through this, we grasp what’s taking place, and so be it, bring it on, get it over with so that Your Kingdom can come. Because the world has to be humbled and the world is so far from that.

I saw one individual being interviewed last night and he’s scared. He is genuinely scared. To see certain leaders talk with reason because they see these things, of what they’re doing and what’s happening, and the kind of division that’s taking place? They are genuinely, deeply concerned because they see a threat. They understand how nations are looking at this and you can tell it hurt them because they know there is no answer.

That’s what people have to come to. Not just one or two here and there, but far more people have to come to that point where they are convicted of something in their vision no one has answers, no one can agree. Who can get us out of this? Who can make this right?

“House Judiciary Democrats Call On Pence To Invoke 25th Amendment, Remove Trump From Office.”[17]

Insane things that are taking place. Crazy things. People aren’t thinking right. The lack of soundness when that building was stormed? Please understand there were demonic beings involved. People did things that if you’d told them a week before what they were going to do, they would have thought you were just nuttier than a fruitcake. “You are nuts! I would never, never dream of doing something like that.” But those beings have power to stir up in a very powerful way, and we, especially those who have gone through the Apostasy, should know that. Because some of us sat in services and in one single day… I remember the wave that went through Toledo from the back of the hall to the front and the power that was there in changing people’s attitudes and people responding to it and saying, “Hallelujah! Praise God!” and things of that nature through the audience. What did it do to me? Sent chills up and down my spine because I knew what was happening. The man that was talking up there, I knew that it wasn’t him. Sad.

Demonic beings and their power when you disobey, when you don’t live God’s way of life? And when it’s God’s time and He allows those being to go out? He’s allowing those beings to go out to the four corners of the earth. That means all the earth. It’s already happening. Those spirit beings are being given greater power. This is more of their time than ever before. Truly. They’ve been held back for a long time, especially since World War II. Now, they’re getting power again, very powerfully so.

So much of their power is through technology. There are people who are controlling what’s going on out there. But they don’t understand what they’re doing. They’re puppets and they don’t even know it.

“World leaders Boris Johnson, Justin Trudeau and [others] condemn ‘shocking’ and ‘disgraceful scenes’ at U.S. Capitol.”[18] It’s a threat to them. They don’t want to see this. What does that mean to them? If this doesn’t make it, what does that mean for them when people are not at rest, when people are tired of being locked down, when people are tired of the government controlling them and their businesses are going to pot, and they can’t open stores and their life savings is gone? Who’s going to bring them out of this? Who is going to bail them out? Where does a tree no longer have the money you can pull off of it? Incredible. It’s coming to a head. It’s coming to a head.

“World's Top Economies Brace For $13 Trillion Debt Maturity Vortex”.[19] “To kick off the New Year, the world's largest economies face a massive global debt overhang due to the coronavirus-downturn; some $13 trillion in debt is coming due and will need to be refinanced in an ultra-low rate environment.”

“The largest government debt refinancing will be in the US, with $7.7 trillion of debt coming due, followed by Japan with $2.9 trillion. China has $577 billion coming due…” Not so bad. “Italy has $433 billion, followed by France's $348 billion. Germany has $325 billion.”

Who is going to pick it all up? The pot’s empty. The pot’s empty.

“Peter Schiff,” not the one you normally hear about, “Exposes America’s Dysfunctional Economy.”[20] He’s a well-known economist, commentator, and stockbroker. “Peter said ultimately, he thinks we will see a major macroeconomic transition as the world moves away from the dollar as the reserve currency.”

Nations are sick and tired of this controlling them. They really are. And with all that’s happening now, that’s just emboldened them. Like “Who do they think they are?”

This bank system that has the control of the world, SWIFT and so forth, some of these? They are sick and tired of it and they’ve already started trading in other things now. It’s all about control, this nation having the control, the Petro-dollar thing, and on and on it goes.

I can understand their frustrations, and I understand why they’re doing the things they do. I understand why nations will want to say, “Enough is enough! This is the time. This is the time to change everything. We have to do it!”

I didn’t think I’d ever see this day like this. It wasn’t real, in that respect. It was like, I believe it’s going to happen, but how? What will bring it to pass?

Went on to say, “The dollar is going to collapse and that is going to turn the world upside down, because now Americans can’t live beyond their means anymore. Americans can only consume if they produce. Americans can only borrow if they save.” Basic rules of economics is down the toilet out there. It really is! That can only go on so long and it’s only being held together by God’s timing. God’s in control of the timing of it all.

“And our dysfunctional economy is so screwed up now from all these years of having the benefit of being the issuer of the reserve currency that we’re no longer going to be able to function in a different world where we have to pull our own weight.”

That’s what it’s coming down to. Can’t do it.

“China Mocks ‘Beautiful Sight’ Of Capitol In Chaos, Blasts US 'Double Standard' On Hong Kong.”[21] That’s how they look at it. I can understand that mindset, looking up there and saying, “Look at them talk! Look at them tell us how we need to run our government and what we need to do and how we’re dealing with Taiwan, how we’re dealing with Tibet, how we’re dealing with this China Sea, the South China Sea, Hong Kong,” whatever it is, all these. “And they’re telling us how to do things?”

They already hate that with all their being. That’s why their military is so great right now, because they have a plan and it’s to conquer this nation. That’s what it’s about. It wants to be number one. It wants to do. It wants to control. That’s just human nature.

“World Leaders Offer Mixed Reactions After Mayhem at US Capitol.”[22] It just makes you sick. “‘What happened today in Washington, D.C., is not America,’ French President Emmanuel Macron said in a video message on Twitter late Wednesday.” Better be careful of what he says. “‘We believe in the strength of our democracies.  We believe in the strength of American democracy.’”

“… Shariman Lockman, a senior foreign policy and security studies analyst with the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia, told VOA the riot ‘doesn’t put America in the best light.’ It just compounds negative thoughts that people already have about America. You know, you can't get COVID right and you can't get your elections right.’”

In some ways it’s awesome to me that God is allowing the world to have to come face to face with the reality we can’t govern ourselves. There is no way out of this. We can’t salvage this.

“You [the U.S. government] keep telling us how to organize ourselves, but you can't organize yourselves right.” That’s how nations look. That’s what they’re seeing.

“World leaders condemn riot at US Capitol building.”[23] “Russian President Vladimir Putin — who has consistently rejected American ‘unilateralism’ as the world’s global power — made no statement on last night’s chaotic events, but his lawmakers did not hold back.” Hmm.

“Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the Russian upper house foreign affairs committee, said the storming signaled the derailment of American democracy. ‘The celebration of democracy is over. Alas, this is rock bottom, I say this without a hint of gloating,’ Kosachev wrote on Facebook Thursday. ‘America no longer defines the course, and therefore has lost all right to set it. And even more so to impose it on others,’ Kosachev said.”

They are really sick and tired of this. They are sick and tired of being manipulated, the countries are, and they’re ready to go to war over it. They are.

Going on: “Many, including top diplomats and leaders in Iceland, France, Austria, Poland, Ecuador, Colombia and Scotland among others, reminded the US of its role as a model of democracy in the world, and expressed disbelief at the breach of the US Capitol — the first time that the building had been overrun since a British attack during the War of 1812, according to Samuel Holliday, director of scholarship and operations with the US Capitol Historical Society.”

Sad. Sad to see it happen, but it’s needful because it has to take place.

Friday, yesterday: “France's foie gras…”[24] It’s ducks, ducks that are fed with a tube. Anyway, it’s a big thing. They’re the best of eating, supposedly, in the world, gourmet ducks. “…producers forced to conduct mass duck cull as bird flu rips through poultry population” “The ‘highly pathogenic’ H5N8 virus first emerged on the French island of Corsica in November and infected the mainland in December, Agence France-Presse reports. With over 124 outbreaks reported to date, the Ministry of Agriculture said about 350,000 ducks have been culled since Christmas Eve. Now, about 400,000 more birds are set to be slaughtered.”

“India and Senegal outbreaks.” [25] “In Japan in December it is reported that the number of chickens culled due to the bird flu outbreak numbered 2.36 million, which exceeded the previous record of 1.83 million slaughtered in the year beginning April 2010.”

Anyway, it just goes on and on and on, onslaught after onslaught in different places in the world. There is no end to it. Its just going to increase.

Last one I’m going to read today: “Twitter has permanently suspended President Donald Trump’s account as of yesterday citing the risk of further incitement of violence.”[26] “His account had 88 million followers.” Hmm. Then a ban from Facebook, I believe it was, I heard today too, and several other sources. Many other people are being cut off and banned.

I think of the Church, when different ones were banned. You know what happens when people begin to be banned, it’s because it’s a threat and they don’t want that. They want to have control, and it’s oppressive. Anyway, it’s happened many times throughout human history where people have tried to squelch the voice of others and when people have done that it hasn’t gone too well. But there are powers that work today that ought to be a little scary, really.

May come a time when we can’t even do this. Could happen any time just because someone doesn’t like what’s being said. There’s a being out there that doesn’t like what’s being said, so that’s in God’s hands as to the timing of such things, obviously.

But the point being in all this is this world is so stirred up spiritually on a spiritual plane, demonic spirits, Satan and what he’s doing. Things are speeding up, they truly are, and we need to be on guard more than ever before in our lives. Been hearing that for quite a while, the last couple of years, preparing us for what’s ahead of us.

Romans 8:26. Something to hold on to through whatever comes whenever it comes. There’ll be one Sabbath when we won’t have another Sabbath. It’s going to happen. There will come a time when we will have a Sabbath meeting, and the next one we will not have. People will be on their own. When is that? Could be next week. Could be the week after that. We don’t know. That’s why we have to be on guard, have to be on our toes spiritually.

Romans 8:26—Likewise, the spirit also helps in our weaknesses, for we do not know what we should pray for as we need or should. That’s the way I felt the other day. Want so much for that Kingdom to be established to save mankind, to save the squalor, the hurt, the suffering in this world, the poverty. It’s horrible how in an age like this that there is such a discrepancy still in the world and only God can solve that.

So again, there are times when you can pray to God and what do you say at times? There are times when you don’t know what to say, truly and it’s just a time that you say whatever you can to God, not knowing what to say but it’s inside. God hears it. He knows. He knows exactly what’s inside of us. He knows exactly what we’re feeling, what we’re going through. It’s kind of like the thing of Lot vexing his righteous soul. You see certain things and it gets to a point where it’s really discouraging and frustrating. It’s horrifying to watch. That’s why I don’t like the front row. Don’t like it one little bit. Because we see powerfully so, we truly do.

But the spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings, in other words as we grown within our self. So, we’re going to have times like that, and if you haven’t experienced it, you will, and it’s going to increase. …which cannot be uttered. Because it comes to a point, what words can you use? You grapple for the words.

Now, He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the spirit is. God knows what’s in us, where we are, what we’re thinking. Knows that our hope is in Him intervening and saving this world from what it is, and knowing what it has to go through to get where we’re going.

…because it makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. It’s God’s will. It’s God’s purpose. His power is mighty within us, if we could recognize it and understand it. Because we’re begotten with His holy spirit – so precious. Few on the earth have ever experienced it.

Now, we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. What a way to round off the series that we’ve been going through, the last couple of ones, a man after God’s own heart, a desire to place God first, a desire to be in the fight and to fight for and desire to fight against this and to fight against everything in the world that’s pressing on us.

Don’t know if you feel the same things. I’m sure at times where you just feel this pressure. There is a magnified pressure out there. Well, a lot of that is a spirit world. They’re pressing at you as well, they truly are. And your strength and power is in God and the truth of God, the knowledge of where we are in time and what’s in front of us and why it has to come to pass, and knowing that God is there to bring us through it.

“Work together for good to those who love God.” So, it’s our choice. Loving God means seeking to put God first, means fighting against resisting God, means fighting against the weaknesses that we have in our one, twos, and threes.

Now, we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. What an awesome thing, to understand our calling, like we’ve talk about of recent time.

For whom He foreknew, He also (says predestined) but predetermined to be conformed to the image of His Son. What an awesome thing that we understand what this is all about, that we grasp and comprehend that God has a plan and through time there are those that God has called, has a purpose in calling different ones, foreknew different ones that were going to be called, as an example, within the Church, or the last 144,000 who have been called over time amongst many others.

Because many have been called, especially within the Church, and very few have come through that. Very few! That’s awesome to understand. Because it’s a fight. It’s a battle. And yet if our heart is right, that we’re willing to go through… Because it’s not easy. It’s really hard. Because you have to be willing to so humble yourself that you’re willing to take any oppression from anyone else. There’s a lot out there from a demonic world, to that which Satan is the god of toward God’s own people. God is our strength.

…to be conformed to the image of His Son… What an awesome thing that that same mind can be in us, that we can continue to fight and become more at one with God, to know the truth, to be strengthened in it, to know that’s our power, to be encouraged by that, to recognize how incredibly blessed we really are and the power that we really have all around us.

…that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined or predetermined, them He also called. So, it doesn’t mean individually. It means that God has a plan to fulfill certain roles and purposes and so He draws certain ones to fulfill those things at different times throughout life. We’re so blessed to be a part of that.

And so, those whom He called (predetermined), them He also called in order to accomplish that. He called us to fit into that, to fit into that process. How blessed are we to be in that process of the first with whom God is working?

…of whom He called, them He also justified. Through our Passover. And whom He justified, them He also glorified. We are glorified. We have the spirit of Almighty God dwelling within us. We have understanding and ability to see things that no one else can. Not to be taken haughtily and in pride but in humility and thankfulness and gratitude toward God. But knowing the power that’s been given to us. Awesome! Because it hasn’t been given to the world yet.

What shall we say of these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? What do we fear? It’s fearful times we live in, but we don’t have to fear. It’s a discouraging time we live in. It hurts. It presses down. There is pain involved. There is mental anguish involved.

God is our strength though. If God is for us, who can be against us? You’re going to need this. You’re going to need this in the times ahead of you, to be confident in these things, to be bold in these things, to know your God, to know who your God is and that there you rest your hope, your desire, your confidence, your boldness.

He who did not spare His own Son… Not easy but go through a lot of hurt, a lot of pain, a lot of suffering. And people are going to die. There are going to be those among the 144,000 who are going to die. It’s just a reality. …but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? So, we know what we’ve been given. Awesome, what’s before us.

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? I love this because it reminds us of our responsibility as well. Because we’re all God’s elect. We’ve all been called and selected by God to be chosen by Him, to be given of the impregnation of His spirit. We have to be ever so careful in matters that we judge and say and think toward anyone who is God’s, truly. We are family, very powerfully so.

Who shall bring a charge…? Even on the outside and in the world, who? Whatever they do, even the strongest things they could do is take one’s life. But they don’t take your life. It’s in God’s hands. That’s a reality.

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is it who condemns, or judges against? It is Christ who died, and furthermore, has also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. What an incredible thing to understand. That war, that battle, that’s the one being won.

Verse 35—Who shall separate us from the love (agape) of Christ? His love for every one of us. We are part of the Body of Christ. He gave his life for each one of us to fit into the beginning of God’s plan.

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? It’s going to get nasty out there and all of these things are going to come to pass in front of us, in ways that we can’t really see and understand right now. And that’s good.

As it is written, For Your sake we are killed all day long. A willingness to go through that, whatever it is as far as the world is concerned. Because we don’t belong to the world, we belong to God.

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. We’re God’s. God has a purpose. So be it.

Yet all these things we are more than conquerors. I love this word here because it’s a compound word that brings in this matter of overcoming. Because the word “conquer,” in so many places, is the word “overcoming.” They’re interchangeable in the sense of understanding. Overcoming is a matter of conquering. It’s a matter of conquering self, conquering that which is around us in the world because of God, because of God’s spirit.

But this is a word that means far beyond conquerors. God has given us so much more. There is so much more beyond that. Yes, we’re going to conquer as we continue to fight for this way of life, to have that kind of confidence.

…through Him who loved us. We can’t do it. That’s why we have to be close to God. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come (Takes up quite a bit, doesn’t it?), nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the agape of God… Sometimes it’s difficult for us to grasp the love that God has for us. Our Father; it’s truly powerful. From the love of God which is in Christ Joshua our Lord.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/BigStory12/idUSKBN2920JZ

[2] https://www.europereloaded.com/2020-accelerating-towards-the-european-superstate/

[3] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/australian-lawmaker-predicts-war-between-us-china-three-five-years

[4] https://www.foxnews.com/politics/b-52s-persian-gulf-iran-attacks-feared-us-ready-to-thwart

[5] https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/2020-ends-around-20-million-americans-still-jobless-benefits

[6] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pentagon-orders-aircraft-carrier-out-gulf-possible-iran-de-escalation

[7] https://www.zerohedge.com/political/proposed-house-rules-seek-erase-gendered-terms-such-father-mother-son-daughter

[8] https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/germany-leads-europe-new-wave-lockdowns-covid-numbers-surge

[9] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-covid-strain-uk-more-lockdown-measures-warning/

[10] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/iran-seizes-a-south-korean-ship-after-the-uss-nimitz-does-a-u-turn/ar-BB1csZVB

[11] https://news.antiwar.com/2021/01/04/chinas-new-defense-law-gives-military-more-control-of-war-powers/

[12] https://www.nationandstate.com/2021/01/06/capitol-hill-staffers-ordered-to-evacuate-after-protesters-breach-security/

[13] https://foxbangor.com/national-news/bomb-threat-causes-2-brief-capitol-building-evacuations-as-dc-protests-erupt-during-electoral-count/

[14] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trumps-mob-causes-chaos-nationwide-as-madness-from-dc-spreads/ss-BB1cyttO

[15] https://www.rt.com/usa/511755-dc-capitol-police-fatalities/

[16] https://sputniknews.com/world/202101071081687123-western-democracy-is-weak-and-fragile-iranian-president-says-on-us-capitol-chaos/

[17] https://dailycaller.com/2021/01/07/house-judiciary-democrats-pence-25th-amendment-remove-trump/

[18] https://www.marketwatch.com/story/world-leaders-boris-johnson-justin-trudeau-and-others-condemn-shocking-and-disgraceful-scenes-at-us-capitol-2021-01-06

[19] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/worlds-biggest-economies-prepare-13-trillion-debt-maturity-wall

[20] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/peter-schiff-exposes-americas-dysfunctional-economy

[21] https://www.zerohedge.com/political/china-mocks-beautiful-sight-capitol-chaos-blasts-us-double-standard-hong-kong

[22] https://www.voanews.com/usa/world-leaders-offer-mixed-reactions-after-mayhem-us-capitol

[23] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/world-leaders-condemn-riot-at-us-capitol-building/ar-BB1cxa29

[24] https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/france-conducts-mass-duck-cull-bird-flu-foie-gras or https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/06/at-least-200-000-ducks-culled-in-france-amid-bird-flu-outbreak

[25] https://www.thepoultrysite.com/news/2020/12/japans-bird-flu-outbreak-worsens-amid-mass-poultry-culling

[26] https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/09/twitter-permanently-suspends-donald-trump-s-account-to-stop-further-incitement-of-violence