Prayer: Jew vs Gentile Pt 1

0:01 All right, Psalm eighty three. Now, the original goals this morning was to go back to eschatology and work on the Dividic Covenant for the first hour. But as I continue to think about Psaw eighty three, then I decided, well, we got we gotta do some more work here, and we're gonna We're gonna add some things to this and hopefully we'll be beneficial. We took a little detour on Ssaw eighty three because we ran into a problem. All right, So before we do any review of Psaw eighty three is just remind ourselves and Saw eighty three, there are I think two or three verses that we can really identify that clearly this is uh out there praying is going on. Right. We see this first of all in verse one Ssaw eighty three, Verse one, do not keep silent, Oh God, do not hold your peace, and do not be still, Oh God. Right, clearly the psawmist is crying out to God, and clearly that is implying not only do they feel like God that has not been present, God is not doing anything, but they're obviously asking God to do what To not be silent, to not hold your peace, and not be still to be involved, to engage to do something. Can we all? Ever, when I think hopefully we can agree with that, right, he goes on and the psalmist goes on to say, in verse nine, deal with them, right, And the dealing with them is dealing with these enemies who have consulted together and have formed a confederacy against Israel. Correct. And then verse thirteen, Oh,

1:32 my God, make them like the whirling dust. So in all these verses we can clearly see Asaf, who's composed this psalm, is crying out to God for God to do what, to be involved, and to do something correct. Okay, so we know therefore this would meet the basic qualifications of a prayer. We know this is formed as a lamit, but there's clearly praying going on, asking God to do something. And I pointed out that anyone reading this should immediately be kind of confused by the prayer. I know nobody in churches think this way, but everyone should be bothered. And what should immediately come to our mind or should bother us or questions should form in our mind about this prayer? If you remember correctly, I said, well, this would be individuals praying to a God whom they cannot see, and that God whom they are praying to, at the bare minimum, knew these circumstances you're praying about was going to happen and did absolutely nothing to prevent them. At the very most, you are praying to a God whom you cannot see, who not only allowed the events to occur, who not only did nothing to prevent the events from occurring, but actually decreed them, and in his providence, is guiding and directing them. And if that is the case, then

3:05 what question would you ask, what then are you praying for? Right? What are you praying for If you're praying to the very God who allowed it, if you're praying to the very God who decreed it, then by praying it would make no sense to them pray to that God to do what, to change it, or to intervene in it. Says he's the one allowing it, or depending on your theology, even decreeing it. It would seem like you would be actually going against the very will of God whom you are praying to. Now, once you ever point that out, Christians get very defensive, they get very bothered. And this to me demonstrates I've stated this so many times, not only in our praying, but in so many aspects of Christianity.

3:55 Our Christianity and our praying is typically driven more by our our emotions, our feelings, our own personal ideas than it is our theology. Theology tends to be what by definition, it tends to be theoretical, right. In other words, we come to church, you sit in a pew, you learn theological concepts right, and everyone will do what I typically, I mean, unless they disagree with the theological concept. They will say amen to it, right. But then we walk right out the door, and before we even get home, we typically will demonstrate in our talking, thinking, desire, feeling, emotion that we in many cases live contrary to the theology which we claim right. And nobody likes to hear that, but it's just true, because it's very difficult not to allow all those things that make us up as people to be consistent with our theology. And I'm not even talking about like you know, oh well the Bible says be holy and we're not holy. I'm not even talking from a sin perspective. I'm just saying our thinking just like this in prayer, if we truly believe God decrees everything that comes to pass and he's guiding it from our providence. Then why are we praying for God to do something opposite of what is happening? That makes no sense from a theological perspective. And if you remember last time, I asked Ai to write a prayer and Ai was

5:26 able to write a prayer consistent with the theology. And I kept arguing, and I kept asking the question, why could Ai write a prayer that's so consistent with the theology because there's no emotion involved? Right, all Ai has to do is like, here's the theology. Okay, what prayer would be consistent with this theology? And it could do it perfectly because there's no emotions involved. And that's that's a good thing, because it stands as a shark, a sharp contrast to what us which very contradictory of it. So I kept thinking about this whole subject, So you know, what do we do? What do we do? So remember last week we spent a lot of time looking at how different philological perspectives should approach prayer. Right, does everybody remember this? All? Right? So we talked about the reformed calvinistic perspective and the reform Calvinistic perspective, How should that perspective approach prayer. Yeah, prayer is not a means to do what. In the reformed perspective, it's not asking God to change anything. Prayer. The purpose of prayer is for you to align yourself with what his will, to submit to his will, to acknowledge his will, not to change it. Now.

6:50 You know, people who hold to some form of reform theology, listen to how they pray, they do not pray consistent with their theology, not anywhere close. I know too many people are reformed who when they ask for prayer requests, they want God to actually change. And I'm like, come, that's not reformed. That's not reformed in any way shape perform Okay, And as remember, John Calvin taught that prayer is a way for believers to submit to God's will and find solace in his sovereignty. And the reformed perspective, prayer serves primarily as a means for believers to align themselves with the sovereign will of God. Calvinists believe that God's will is immutable and that his plan is perfect and comprehensive. Therefore, prayer is not seen as a way to change God's mind or alter his plans. You're not trying to change his mind. You're not trying to alter his plan. You're simply submitting to it. And I think many people who hold to reform view they don't. I don't know if they even think of it that way, right, I mean, because I know they don't. So we had a great discussion about that. The second view was what there are many in perspect In this view, basically, prayer is seen to do what to seek God's intervention, guidance and comfort in the midst of suffering. The only problem with the Armenian prayer is it becomes it has its own struggles, does it not? What are some of the issues with the Armenian approach? Right, Well, if you believe

8:23 in free will, then why would you have God intervene? Because by intervening, he's by inevitably going to do what. He's changing something. Right, If someone's trying to do this and I'm asking God to intervene, then he's going after their free will. It just like if you can't change anything without altering everything. Right, And not only that, if God's if God is all worried about man's free will, his intervention is almost impossible because it's going to alter free will. And not only that, this begins to open up questions. We'll wait a minute, so is God decreeing it? Or is he not decreeing it he? Or is he not sovereign? And then this begins to create a whole host of issues. And Arminianism, not always, but logically tends to lead to wear open theism almost inevitably, not always, but because some people can hold a philological position that doesn't really make sense because they rarely take it to its logical conclusion. But open theism and open theism God doesn't know. And we talked, and we talked all about that.

9:28 We also talked about middle knowledge and a little bit of that, and that didn't really help. So we went through all of them, did we not? Okay? Now, by going through all of them, we were still We ended last week by looking at all of that, but we didn't really resolve a problem. So when I got ready to start thinking about the dividic Covenant and about some of that, for the first hour, I just like, well, we didn't really resolve the problem. So go back to Psalm eighty three and look again at the verses that speak about basically praying. We have at least three, right, We have the first one correct, The second one is what verse six? I believe nine? Okay? And the other one is what thirteen? Right? So those three verses, when it comes how how would you define their praying? And those three verses? How would you define the prayer? There?

10:29 It's clearly seeming to ask what it's specific, but it seeming to be asking for intervention? Right, It's not just submitting to God's will. It's asking God to what alter and change something? And for God to alter and change something, would he be respecting the free will of the nations who know he would be going against them? In fact, it's asking God to defy their will, to stop their will, to prevent their will from happening. So immediately we're like, well, wait a minute, how does this prayer fail into these different theologies? And I will argue it doesn't really fit in, does it? So then what do we do with it?

11:10 Anybody got to answer, I don't know if you have an answer. I think I have an answer. Now I'm gonna present my answer, you know how, I'm gonna present it more as a hypothesis. Right, None of those theologies. Does it doesn't fit the reformed perspective? Does it? In some ways it doesn't really fit the our many in perspective because you're going to violate someone's will? Are you not open theism? I guess it could kind of go with open theism. God didn't know this was going to happen. God, like you know, I guess you could kind of go with that direct. In other words, it's it has a specific way of thinking, and put it this way, saw many three would definitely go against the reform perspective. Would we agree? Definitely? Okay, So what do we do with Saw eighty three? So I'm going to put forth a hypotheses and you can tell me whether you agree or disagree. Right, So here's what I was thinking when we consider prayer and light of the Old Testament, where Psaw eighty three is found, Right, there is one major thing that I think governs and guides the way people prayed in the Old Testament. What do you think that major thing is that governs and guides the way many people prayed in the Old Testament? No, Now, I started this morning by

12:44 saying we were going to return back to our study on eschatology and look at what the dividic covenant. Right, So that was my that was that was your hint way before we got to the actual question. God's covenant or covenans was to me, I think the answer about how they prayed in the Old Testament because God made very specific promises in the covenants to whom Israel. All the prayers we read in the Old Testament that are prayers with people who believe in the True God, are prayers given by whom Jews who are connected to, obviously Israel, whom God made specific promises too. Right, So if God makes to think about this, if God makes a covenant with you and gives you, say fifteen specific promises, then it would be perfectly within God's sovereign will for you then to in your prayer ask God to do what he has already promised for you to do. Would you be going against his will? No? Would you be going against his providence? No? You would be simply reminding God of his promise, of his providence. And then you would say, God, now do what you have said you would do. That

14:15 is radically different than for us. So we're going to explore that concept. All right. Now, this again, what we're doing. I'm sorry, no other churches are going to be doing what we're about to do because I'm about to blow up the whole concept of prayer in a radical, radical way here. Okay, but that's okay, that's when there's no one left. You can do this, Okay, that's one of the good things. In any other church, I'd get fired before i even got done with this sermon. And you think I'm joking. You would not be allowed to do this. I've worrity, you know. Can you imagine me saying what I've said about prayer in any other church? Come on, you know what I'd be done. People would get up upset, that would walk out. I'd be so finished. But which makes me mad because Christianity never seems to be a world where you're allowed to think you're just It's a world where you're just totally to conform to whichever team you're on, and I can't. That's why I'll never fit in in the world of Christianity, because I hate that we have to be able to think right and any thinking person is like, oh wait a minute, you want me to pray to the God who allowed this to happen, did nothing to stop it, who decrete it and guided it?

15:33 And now you want me to pray to that God to change it. Do you not see the contradiction in your own work? But you can't point that out because people will get mad, people will get offended. I think we have to acknowledge the problem and then see you see if we can find an answer. And I think maybe we're stumbling upon something. So I started doing some work and here's some things that I put down. The way the Jews prayed in the Old Testament is indeed closely related to the fact that God made specific covenants with Israel. That is my hypothesis. The way the Jews pray in the Old Testament is closely related to the fact that God made specific covenants with Israel. Everybody got that, so immediately, what would that tell us? I cannot go to the Old Testament and take the way they prayed as an example or model for me because they are relying on specific premises not made to us. That this becomes now you see, remember when we talked in Eschatology that you know there's a major divide within christiandom, right, there's those in Christendom who takes the church and Israel,

17:05 and Israel basically has been replaced by the Church. Okay, and I reject that outright. If you keep the Church in Israel distinct, then this becomes really easy to follow. Right, Wait a minute, they pray in a way which I cannot pray because they're relying on covenant and promises that I cannot claim because those promises are not for us. Amen. All right, So, so my basic hypotheses is this, The Jews prayed in the Old Testament, and the way they prayed is related closely related to the fact that God made specific covenants with Israel. Please note I use the plural covenants because there were multiple covenants, were they not?

17:51 These covenants shaped their understanding of God, the relationship with Him, and the nature of their prayers. Can we agree with that? So all we need to do then when in a sense we need to look at the covenants, which, now see this is gonna this is kind of cool because now we're bringing back all of our study we just have been doing on the covenants, right, and on our study on eschatology. Remember we looked at the Abrahamic Covenant. Not only that, this brings even back in when we use the Schofield study Bible, and we looked at the dispensations. And remember we looked at the covenants. So this is adding layer upon layer of what we've already studied. Okay, this is the way I love to do things. Is previous study only lays the foundation for more study, and then we build and build upon it. Now, what we need to do is we need to understand the covenants, try to understand the specific promises, and then do what whenever you read a prayer in the Old Testament, you look to see how that prayer is directly related to what the covenants. And then you're like, well, clearly they could pray that way because that's not them going against God's will, that's them literally praying for God's will that he himself promised. Then we don't have any issue, do we. Now?

19:18 The only problem is we would have an issue because we can't pray that way, so we would have to look so then what could we pray for? That becomes a little bit more complicated, right, okay, and what we'll get into that. All right, So let's look at this. The first everyone knows the first Covenant, right, what's the first covenant? Okay, Well, we could go, well, let's okay, just to do that one. I was immediately going to go to the Abrahamic but we could go to the one made with Noah. Okay, well we could go with that one. Okay, that's in Genesis. What where would be the Noah Covenant if we're going to go with Noah? Yeah, if we're gonna go with that one, I didn't have.

20:02 I wouldn't even thinking that when I'm glad someone mentioned it. That's why I like you guys participating, because see, I would have just completely ignored that one. When we think of the covenant he made with Noah, what are the specific elements of it? If you're at eleven, you're way past Noah? Right, Yes, the tower eleven is the tower? Right? Doesn't he make the covenant when they come off the arc, which would be what eight? I think this? I think it's eight. I'm just going for memory. I could be wrong, alright, Oh chapter nine? Okay, So I was wrong? Okay? With specific promises does he make in chapter nine? See if you can find it. The primary part of the covenant is what again? Okay? So the primary part of that

21:35 covenant is never going to flood the world again, and the rainbow is a sign of that covenant, right, so according to that covenant. In fact, that covenant kind of goes beyond just Noah, right. In fact, it says it's made with what I think you just read it, all of mankind. Right. So if it starts raining, right, if it starts raining and raining and raining and raining, my prayer could be like, Lord, don't let it flood the earth according to your will. And we know it won't. So in some ways we don't even need to pray here, I don't even pray for God not to But if I've prayed, God, don't allow this to flood the world, I'm praying perfectly in accordance with what his will. Because the covenant and that one could go beyond just Israel, can we agree, all right?

22:25 So so but you see how that would work. Now, on one end, I don't need to pray because God's was said it wouldn't do it, so I don't even need to pray. But if I wanted to pray, if I prayed, Hey, God, it's raining and it's raining, and it's training and it's raining, don't let this flood the world according to your will? Then that's perfectly acceptable because it's it's clearly a prayer in accordance with God's sovereign will. Or I could say I could pray this way, Lord, I thank you did, even though it's flooding here. I know you're not going to flood the world because you made the promise in Genesis chapter nine. Right, Does that make sense? You see how the prayer would be in accordance with that. I cannot pray what. I can't pray God don't flood here because there's no promise that he won't flood here. I could ask God to intervene and stop said flood. But then when now we're right back to what his sovereignty, his immutable will, his decree and his providence right agreed, Because I mean, they are Christians out there who claim, you know that, hey, there's a hurricane.

23:35 They can go out there and I rebuke this hurricane in the name of Jesus. And it doesn't work. It doesn't work, right, It doesn't work because they try to claim they have the same authority of Jesus, and that just gets ridiculous. And that's usually in the charismatic world. So now that at the same time that's troubling, is it not? Because how many times do we hear of a storm that hits that will kill these people, and these people may be a living three blocks away, their lives are completely spared. That makes no sense to me, right, I mean, we're standing in a building where a tornado rip the roof off this building. None of the other churches around here were judged. Now, some people in their superstition will say, well, your church is cursed by God. Right, that's how some people would look at it. Okay, but why I mean, I ultimately it turned into a good thing.

24:26 But the point is is that's just the way it works. Right now, you have to accept God's will in it. But according to that covenant, you could see how praying would work. Right now, we'll go ahead and go to the next covenant, the one I was going for, which is the Abrahamic. I think this is the big one. And the reason this one is the big one, the no covenant seems to be for everyone on earth. The Abrahamic Covenant now becomes very focused on whom Israel. Okay, this is where I think the rest of the praying of the Old Testament's going to come into pl right, where is the Abrahamic Covenant found we have in Genesis twelve, Genesis fifteen, in Genesis seventeen, or all elements where it stated kind of restated, kind of maybe expanded a little bit. Right.

25:18 Remember we went into great detail about the Abrahamic Covenant. Right. We broke all the parts down of the Abrahamic Covenant. Does everybody remember that? In fact, I can go back to our Yeah, I'm not going to go back to every element of it. I mean I could break them all down here. All the promises. Remember, we had personal promises to Abraham, we had universal promises, and we had national promises. Right, everybody remember that? Okay, But some of the major issues here was some of the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant was land. We remember, we cannot forget that, right, Descendants and blessings, correct, all right? And then and it established Israel as God's chosen people. So anytime Israel was facing difficulty, they could ask God to intervene on the basis of what we are God's chosen people. God, you said you would bless us. You said that a great nation would arise from us from Abraham. That we are that nation. So if God is going to bring you up.

26:37 Then you can pray prayers of protection, of preservation, of provision because God made specific promises to them, And you can pray that God will defeat your enemies because Israel cannot be ultimately defeated, because ultimately they will end up where and a land which God had promised them. Do you see how greatly that would impact the praying. I think SAW eighty three is very much related to that. We'll look at it in greater detail, all right. Can everybody see that? Because immediately the Abrahamic Covenant established them as a special people, different from all the other nations, with specific promises, so they can pray in a way that I cannot necessarily pray because some of those promises.

27:26 Let's make this very clear, with the Abrahamic Covenant, many of those promises are not just spiritual, they are what material practical. Yes, because this is why we made a major distinction here. He's talking about physical land, a physical nation. So everybody, if you make it a spiritual nation, and if you make the land spiritual, then you turn into all the promises of spiritual well, that would mean they're praying too. In many cases, they're praying as what very materialistic and physical? Is it not? Well, that would destroy their praying as being in accordance with God's will. But if it's real land and real physical blessing, then they can pray that and be in accordance with God's will.

28:16 You see why all of this is You see when you start changing just a part of it? Do you see how your theology then destroys everything. When I had arguments with people here over this subject, it drove me crazy because I'm like, how are you going to destroy these promises to Israel and turn Israel to a spiritual Israel? You are doing unspeakable damage to your hermoneutics. But I couldn't get people to listen to me, and it just but you can see what would happen right at this is a physical nation with physical promises, then the prayers can be about physical things and still be in accordance with God's will. Well, so that's very important. Right, So there's the Abrahamic Covenant. How about the Mosaic Covenant? All right?

29:08 We have Exodus nineteen to twenty four. Exodus nineteen to twenty four, These promises lay out a lot of what blessings for obedience, things about the law, and it defines the relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing obedience and worship. So the praying could go something like this, Lord, you promised, if we do this, you will do this. And many of those promises God gives Israel and accordance to their obedience or disobedience are what kind of promises? Again, they're very physical and materialistic, right, What does he promise them in many of these issues. Go to Lake is it Deuteronomy twenty eight eight and following. Remember we talked about this in great detail. Sometimes this is not just the Sometimes this is called the Land Covenant or sometimes the I think usually Land Covenant's the typical title. There's a couple other titles, but go to like starting in Deuteronomy twenty eight. Okay, we could go all the way back to twenty six. All right, look at chapter twenty eight, verse one. Now it shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to

30:39 observe carefully all his commandments, which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth, and all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you because you obey the voice of the Lord. You're ready for all these blessings. Tell me if these are spiritual or physical? First one, okay, well, what is it? Verse three? You should be blessed in the city, blessed in the country. Next, the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground, the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle, the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall your basket and your kneading bowl.

31:25 Blessed shall be when you come in, blessed shall be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be everybody see that verse seven, and want everyone to say it out loud, defeated before your face. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. Now you see where even the prayer of Psaw eighty three sounds very in accordance to what these blessings. Does everyone see that you can't make these blessed thing spiritual, make them about the church. This has nothing to do with the church. Does everyone understand that these promises have nothing to do with you.

32:09 You cannot claim them, you cannot pray them. They have nothing to do with you. What does this have to do with the nation of Israel? So then what what can they What would your prayer sound like according to these promises? Right? Yeah, I'm saying if in the Old Testament that you when you read their prayers, do they not pray for provision? Do they not pray for provision? Do they not pray for protection? Do they do they not pray for the defeat of their enemies? And all of it's based off what covenant promises God gave to them.

32:54 So are they then going against God's will? No? Are they going against God's eternal decree? No? Are they going against his providence? No? What for the Israelite? What is the difficulty for them? For the Israelite? What is the difficulty for them when they face circumstances? So this is how we remember how we've been talked to in Psaw eighty three that saw MATI three is a good example of people who believe in a God and whom they cannot see while living in the midst of circumstances which they can see, which calls in a question the existence of the God whom they cannot see. For the Jew, it would be written different for the Jew. You're believing in a God in whom you cannot see, living in circumstances that seem to call into question the very promises the God whom you cannot see made to you. So now all you have to do in your prayer is what God we need you to do? Now, what you said you would do. Then, Oh, there's promises galore made to Israel. Oh that's why you have to keep Israel in the church. Absolutely distinct. I cannot tell I will.

34:13 I think I will go so far to say that the minute you bring in the Church and Israel and combine them, your entire hermeneutical system is ridiculous, foolish, idiotic, dumb, and a waste the time, you've destroyed everything. And I know that that will offend every reform person in every Presbyterian, But I don't care. It doesn't make any sense. The minute I keep them separate, what can I do? Hey, you see how they're praying, Well, somebody say, well, that doesn't sound like that they're trusting in the sovereignty of God. That doesn't you know, it does, because they are literally praying in accordance with the exact promises made by God to whom to them We can't claim those promises any way, shape or form. Can we no way? Because if we could, we would have a lot of questions about, well, why doesn't God do what he said he would do? But for Israel? Now, Israel sometimes face that same dilemma, but we have clear examples where they pray and then God steps in and what dramatic ways the entire Book of Judges.

35:21 Do we not see it over and over and over. They do horrible things, do they not? They repent, they cry out to God, and then God steps in and does all of these kinds of things. He defeats their enemies in supernatural ways. They have blessing, do they not? Then their crops grow, they have peace, they have provision. And we see that cycle played out over and that cycle simply demonstrates what exactly what God said would in Deuteronomy twenty eight, twenty nine and thirty. Does everybody understand that? That's why go to Joshua. Oh, I'm getting ready to tick off the whole world. Okay, I already did this on the podcast and it did not go overwhelm. All right, Joshua chapter one, we even sing it here. Joshua one, tell me when you're there, you should be able to sing it. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth. This book of the law would refer to what the Mosaic law. You could argue the first five books the pentitook right, but definitely that would include Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Oh, now, look at what says. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth. But

36:52 you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success, ladies and gentlemen. That is a promise directly to whom Israel based off what Deuteronomy twenty eight. Everyone takes it and makes it about us. No, that's for them, Hey, you take and it's all based on them doing what obeying everything in the law. Now we know what happens. Do they obey it? No? You know why? No one can. They can't. We can't. So then how do we get good success? Not in our obedience of the law, but in Christ obeying the law.

37:43 And our good success is not good success carried out in a materialistic way, which is the success that's being promised for them. Our success would be spiritually because we're in Christ. But everyone takes this and says, hey, this is the way Church has handled Joshua is insane. You cannot read Joshua one to eight and remove it from Deuteronomy twenty eight. That literally is what this is based off of. Who is Joshua talking to Look at verse two, Moses, my servant is Dad. This is God speaking. Now. Therefore, a rise go over the Jordan, you and all this people to the land which I am giving to them, the children of Israel, every place at the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you. This is a promise to Israel. I am so sick and tired of pastors not even understanding. And this is reading comprehension.

38:47 You don't need seminary, you don't need theological education. You just need to learn how to read well. When we read the Mosaic promises, we can see why Israel can pray in a way radically different than the way we can pray. And the way they pray is not in contradiction to anything because they are praying. You could even go so far to say their prayer is not only consistent with God's eternal decree and providence, but we know that the reason it's in accordance with God's eternal decree and providence is because God revealed that decree in providence directly to whom Israel they're praying, and accordance to God's revealed will. We can't run back there and claim that, right.

39:36 So the first covenant is the Abrahamic Covenant. The second is the Mosaic Covenant, and I expended it to what some would call the land Covenant to Deuteronomy. Right. The third one the Dividic Covenant Second Samuel chapter seven, Second Samuel chapter seven, which we've been working on in our study on eschatology. We need to go go back to what are the promises and the Davidic Covenant. What are some of the promises in the Davidic Covenant, A perpetual dynasty through davidict David's lenage, Right, everybody got that, and it points to the future Messiah and God's eternal kingdom. Right.

40:30 So this is so their praying here, we'd have to deal with who's the king, what the king will do? And a look towards a future king, and many of those promises of that king points to the millennial kingdom. Many would say, all right, so once again there's the DAVIDI, and we could get into more. Now. The next one is where things get really confusing. What's the next Covenant? We got the Abrahamic, We've got the Mosaic, We've got the Dividic. Oh, we got the New This is where things get all convoluted and confused, does it not? What are the two major passages that speak of the New Covenant?

41:20 No Ezekiel and no. Ask Jeremiah, right, Jeremiah, everybody knows Jeremiah thirty one to what thirty one? Verses thirty one to thirty four. And then where is it in Ezekiel? See if you can find where it is in Ezekiel? Because the Ezequel one is probably more important in some ways than the Jeremiah one because the language used. See if you can find the one in Ezekiel Ezquel thirty six. All right, okay, so go to Ezequel.

42:05 Thirty six first, because the Jeremiah one we're much more familiar with. Now when you get to the Ezekiel one, Ezequel thirty six, I got to get there. I apologize I wasn't turning. Then I'm like, well, I'd better go to this one. I like you how to do most of the work when I can, but this one we may have to do some work together here thirty six. All right, what verse do we think we should start in? Well, we could in some ways, we could go all the way back to verse one, right, just so that we get some basic concepts here, just so that you can see this. All right, look at verse one, and you son, a man prophesied to the mountains of Israel, and say, Oh, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord, Thus says the Lord God. Because the enemy has said of you, Aha, the ancient heights have become our possessions. Therefore prophesy and say, thus says the Lord God, because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you are taken up by the lips of talkers and slandered by the people. Therefore, O, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord, your God, Thus says the Lord God. To the mountains, to the hills, to the rivers, to the valleys, the desolate waste in the cities have

43:35 become forsaken, which became a plunder and a mockery to the rest of the nations all around. Therefore, thus says the Lord God. Surely I have spoken and my burning jealousy against the rest of the nations, and against all edom who gave my land to themselves as a possession with wholeheartedly joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder it. Open country. Therefore prophesied concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains of the hills, the rivers of the valleys, Thus says the Lord God. Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and my fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, I have raised my hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you shall bear their own shame. But you owe mountain of Israel, you shall become shoot. You shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they are about to come now immediately. This is a promise, ultimately, for what the renewal and the restoration of Israel. This has nothing to do with America. This has nothing to do with the Church. This is with the nation of Israel.

44:44 Are there not specific promises? As you go in here? Right? I will multiply men upon you. All the houses of Israel and the cities shall be inhabited, and the ruins rebuilt. I will multiply upon you. Men and beasts. They shall increase and bear. I will make your inhabitants in you. And then you're beginning. Does he not go through all of this stuff? My people Israel? They shall take possession of you and shall be their inheritance. No more shall you bereave them of children? That says the Lord God. Because they say, does he not go through all? I mean? Isn't there not like countless things being promised in here? Yes? Okay, you see I don't even know. I mean, we could just make a list of all the things here right, see how far? Okay? Look at verse twenty five. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you. Who's the you?

45:42 Is that you? Is that the church? This is Israel? And you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all filthiness and from all your idol. Now stop right there, immediately we know we're reading something that's this is not Make this make it very clear. This is not what being described here. Is not an imputed righteousness. This is not describing a positional standing. What is this describing? Very practical righteousness. He's going to remove all your idols. That is not some imputed that's an actual, practical, played out righteousness in real time. All idolatry is going to be gone.

46:32 Do you see that? What versus that? That's twenty five I will give you a ladies and gentlemen, that is not you, That is not you, that is not you. Nor I would lose my job, and almost every church, I would lose my job right there. I'd be done. But I will not back down on that. I will not back down. That has nothing to do with you. That is dealing with Israel. They're going to get a new heart. This is not a positional standing. This is a practical reality. And what is the result of this new heart? Y'all keep reading? What is the result of this new heart? What happens my spirit in you? Yeah, what's going to happen as a result of this new heart?

47:37 They're gonna be obedient perfectly? Does it seem to describe it's gonna be an end perfect obedience. No, keep reading and tell me how perfect it sounds. You're gonna live in the land. This is honor complete transformation. If you don't believe me, you can take the sermons two point zero app today where there are millions of sermons, and you can just start looking up every random sermon you can find on this passage in Ezekiel. Every single one of them will preach it to be about whom us and that this is what happens to you in salvation.

48:24 You can call your friends, you know, family, you know who goes to church, ask them about this passage. They will apply it to themselves and they will say, this is what happened in their salvation. They are liars. They are absolute life. That did not happen to them in salvation. If it did, they should be what perfect? No, And so guess what now, when you have this kind of promise, what can Israel pray for this to happen? Now? When do we think this is going to happen? Because what will be the key to knowing when this happens? When Israel is back where in the land and God is dwelling in the midst of them, has that happened no, so when would this be occurring in the millennial kingdom.

49:17 That's the only place to put it. They're praying, then, can sound really really, really really different. But Christians want to make this about us. That's real and COMPREHENSI mean, there's no question this is about Israel, is it not. We started reading in verse one, and you, son of Man, prophesite to the mountains of thirty six one Israel and say, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. How many times is Israel mentioned in that passage over and over and over and over again. And we have the adas to walk to that passage and kick Israel out and insert ourselves. That is arrogance, that's narcissism. That is I blame the public schools. And obviously kids who are homeschooled and go to Christian schools can't read them passage any better. Pastors who go to seminary can't read it any better. This is basic reading comprehension. I would love to take a class full of people who've never read the Bible, who've never been influenced by theology, hand them Ezekiel thirty six and say tell me who this is about? Any person who can read would tell me that's about whom. They wouldn't say, that's the church. Nobody, any the original recipients wouldn't say, oh, this is this is not for us. This is the church that's ridiculous, has nothing to do with us. I know, oh, man,

50:53 I would get fired from every church in America, but I don't care. I don't like if getting fired from Christianity is reading comprehension that I don't belong in Christianity. And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit with you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statues, and you will keep my judgments and do them. This is not a positional righteousness. This is a full blown, what complete transformation, which is what preachers do and say is what happens to you at salvation. And you know what that leads to. You have to either live pretending that you're better than you are, or you end up like Martin Luther and you start slowly losing your mind.

51:47 That's why that's why Luther was going crazy. I don't know why every Christian doesn't go crazy. Luther went crazy because he was like, well, wait a minute, what is wrong with me? I go to confession, I confess, I walk out, and what do I do? I said? And I go back, and the priests were like, dude, give it up. You're taking it too serious. I will say, all the friends you know who go to church, they don't take it serious, because if they took it seriously'd be like, wait a minute. I have a new heart and I'm supposed to walk in his I don't love God with all my heart body. Remember Luther's famous quote, love God? Sometimes I hate God. You're not supposed to say that, Luther. You say that around religious people and tell me what happens. Hey, so, how are you doing right now in your Christal life? I hate God. You're not a believer because MacArthur said so, because I hold the lordship. Well, you know, I don't care what MacArthur said because he's not God. You're not allowed to say that, are you. No, you can't go against the pope a product.

53:02 But I'm not going to bow to the pope of Protestantism, just like I don't bow to the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, because the text of scripture here is promising something that none of us have ever experienced it. We experience it positionally, Israel will experience it practically. So therefore their praying can sound very, very different than ours. Correct? What else does he go on to say, here, we're gonna run out of time. Yeah, we're out of time.

53:45 You will keep my judgments, please and do them. Just note everything in verse twenty seven. That's not like some partial obedience you'll slowly start getting better. That describes an immediate, total transformation that happens what instantaneously? This is not progressive sanctification, none of that. All of that is ridiculous. This is total practical transformation. Then, and please, how do I know what's going How do I know what the key spine is for this? If I can't tell how they're acting, what do I know is the key sign when this is going to happen? What's the very next word in verse twenty eight. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your father's, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all uncleanliness. Will I will call for the grain and multiply it and bring no famine upon you.

54:38 I will multiply the fruit of your trees, the increase of your fills, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways? Or how do I know what to look for when they are dwelling in the land. That's the key phrase there, right, Well, did that happen to them when they came out of Babylonian captivity? No, it did not. The Norths never came out of Assyrian captivity, So then this has never occurred. How dare we, though, go and say, Israel, you're done. This is us, it's not us. That's not describing us. That means this has never been fulfilled. So Israel they can pray in a way that I can't pray that because for me, that's not going to happen on earth. That's what if I'm going to take that, that would describe me in my glorification.

55:41 But here we don't have a promise of transformation practically. We have a promise of transformation positionally. Does that make sense? So this would greatly impact the way they pray. I couldn't pray anything like this, I can only pray and God and my glorification, all of that, I will be completely transformed, because what will happen in my glorification, I will no longer have a sinful nature. Right, it's completely removed. Does that make sense? All right, We're gonna have to stop there. But you see where we're going with this.

56:24 I'm trying to demonstrate that based off what God gave them, they're praying could sound so different than us. You know how we pray. We pray like we're Old Testament Jews and we're not, so then how should we pray? Well, we'll go through more through this, but we'll stop for now. Lor God, we come before you, Lord. We asked forgiveness for how we have prayed as your nation of Israel when we are not, and how we've claimed promises that are not for us, and how we've placed a burden on people to live as described here in Ezekiel, which they cannot live like that because that has not occurred.

57:08 Forgive us for all the abuse we've done to your word and the undue pressure that we have placed on people that has led to great emotional distress. And we asked this in Jesus name, and God's people said