 Amen. Joshua chapter 5. So we're finally across the Jordan River in Joshua chapter 5. I've preached on, it's a short chapter here, I've preached already on most of the, about the first half of this chapter. So the sermon tonight is going to focus heavily on the last part of Joshua chapter 5, but we can go ahead and just step through verse by verse, even at the beginning of Joshua chapter 5 in verse number 1. So they've crossed the Jordan, God parted the rivers and everybody walked through and then the priests came out and the rivers came back down. Of course they set up a monument of 12 stones in the midst, in the middle of the river and then they set up a monument of the 12 stones that each man of the tribes of Israel took out of the river and they set that up in Gilgoth. Now in Joshua chapter 5 in verse number 1 the Bible says now they're in the promised land and it came to pass on all the kings of the Amorites which are on the side of the Jordan westward and all the kings of the Canaanites which were by the sea heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the children of Israel until we were passed over that their heart melted, melted neither was their spirit in them anymore because of the children of Israel. So basically what this is saying here that the westward people even beyond Jericho even all the way to the sea have now heard of this event and they are terrified of the children of Israel and we will get to the significance of that a little bit later but basically this is not something that has just gone unnoticed. Here the Israelites have come across the river and they're on their way to Jericho but everybody has heard of this at this point. Verse number 2 and the Lord said unto Joshua make these sharp knives and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. Meaning this is what we've talked about last week that basically or the week before basically the children were not circumcised as their parents were as they came out of Egypt and this is when that happens. This is God setting apart his people God you know showing that separation of his people it's symbolic of that and then in the next few verses in Joshua made him sharp knives and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins and this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise all the people that came out of Egypt that were males all the men of war died in the wilderness by the way after they came out of Egypt so of course they're all dead the people that came out of Egypt now all the people that came out were circumcised but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt them they had not circumcised for the children of Israel walked 40 years in the wilderness to all the people that were men of war which came out of Egypt were consumed because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord this was with the spies that were afraid and had no faith in God. We've talked about this. And tell him the Lord swear that he would not show them the land which the Lord swear unto their fathers that he would give us a land that floweth with milk and honey. And their children who he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised. So these are the children now, for they were uncircumcised and they had not circumcised them by the way in the wilderness, meaning verse number eight. And it came to pass when they had done circumcising all the people that they abode in their places in the camp till they were whole, till they were healed. And the Lord said unto Joshua, this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you where the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the 14th day of the month that even in the plains of Jericho. So here they are on the side. They're right next to Jericho in this place called Gilgal. They've all been circumcised. Gilgal is actually kind of a, it holds a special place in the Bible. Just a couple of interesting things turned to 1 Samuel chapter 13. 1 Samuel chapter 13. This is where Saul actually, Saul was actually told to go to Gilgal by Samuel. Gilgal holds a special religious significance to the children of Israel. When Saul the first king of Israel was crowned king, Samuel told him to go to Gilgal and that's actually where Saul ended up losing the kingdom. So we saw last week that Saul actually, he didn't destroy the army that he was supposed to destroy. He kept the livestock and things like that. But Saul actually lost the kingdom before that. But the Bible says that in 1 Samuel chapter 13, that that's where Saul actually really first upset the Lord where the Lord said, you're not gonna be the king. Look at 1 Samuel chapter 13 and verse number eight. The Bible says, and he tarried seven days according to the set time that Samuel had appointed, but Samuel came not to Gilgal. So here they are, they're waiting at Gilgal for Samuel so he can come and do the sacrifice and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, bring here a burnt offering to me and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. So the priest didn't show up and Saul just took things into his own hands and he just did the sacrifice himself. And then Samuel said in verse 11, what has thou done when he showed up? Saul said, because I saw that the people were scattered from me and that thou cannot come within the days appointed and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at McMash. Therefore I said, the Philistines will come down upon me to Gilgal and I have not made supplication unto the Lord. I forced myself therefore and offered a burnt offering. Verse 13. And Samuel said to Saul, thou hast done foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord, thy God, which he commanded thee. For now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue. And then he goes on to say that he's chosen a man after his own heart, which was David. So, I mean, Gilgal has some significance, that's all I'm saying here. And they actually, it ended up being a place where Saul ended up losing the kingdom of Israel as the first king. Turn and look at verse number 11 of Joshua chapter five. So they kept the Passover and then something significant happens when they keep the Passover as well. It says they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes and parts corn in the self same day. Turn to Exodus chapter 13. So the significant thing here is, and if you're reading the Bible, you maybe have forgotten that at this point, God was still feeding them manna every single day. God was still providing for their daily sacrifice. God was still providing for their daily sustenance as he started doing in Exodus chapter 16. And this is the first time that they actually ate of the land that they were in. Look at Exodus 16 in verse 31. And the Bible says, And the house of Israel called the name thereof manna. And it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. So of course they were complaining that they were all going to die. It's like, what did you bring us out here just to die? And Moses said, This is the thing with the Lord command us. Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations, your families, that they may see the bread whereeth I have fed you in the wilderness when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. And Moses said, And Aaron take a pot and put an omer full of manna therein to lay it up before the Lord to be kept for your generations. As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the testimony to be kept. This is another monument, another memorial. And the children of Israel did eat manna 40 years until they came to the land inhabited, they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. So this is the point right here where they stopped eating manna and they started eating of the fruit of the land. Look at verse number 12 of Joshua chapter 5. So now they're eating, God is not providing the manna, they're eating of the land, they're moving into the land. And the Bible says in verse 12, And the manna ceased on the mile after they had eaten of the old corn of the land. Neither had the children of Israel manna anymore, but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. So a lot of these things up to this point I've mentioned in Joshua chapter 4, you know, the circumcision, God separating his people, the memorials that they set up in Gilgal, the significance of Gilgal. God wanting his people. It was a symbol as people came into the land of all these heathen. Not only was there going to be battles, but there's danger that they would mix with the people of the land. And God is showing that he wants them to be separate. Now we get into a very significant event in Joshua chapter 5, which is going to be the main focus of the sermon this evening. Look at verse number 13. Now something happens, something significant happens to Joshua here. And look at what the Bible says in verse 13. And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went unto him and said unto him, art thou for us or for our adversaries? So here Joshua sees a man standing there with his sword and he says, are you with us or against us? Basically is what he says to this man. Verse 14, and he said, Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord, am I now come? And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him, what saith my Lord unto his servant? So first of all, I'm not going to talk about this tonight, but did this guy really answer the question? He didn't really answer the question. You know, basically Joshua went up to this man and we're going to talk about for the next several minutes who this man was, and the Bible says that Joshua says, are you for us or for our adversaries? Are you for us or for our enemies? And he says, no. I'm the captain of the army of the Lord, basically is what he says. And I'm paraphrasing, but he says, I am the captain of the host, host meaning the army of the Lord, am I now come? So he basically says, you know, I mean, he says, listen, you don't understand. This is who I am. He doesn't say, I'm for you. He doesn't say, I'm against you. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him, what saith my Lord unto his servant? So look at verse 15. And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, loose thy shoe from off thy foot for the place wherein thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. So first of all, I want to look at who was this. And let me, before I get into this, I'm going to give you a case tonight for who this was. Now, one thing that I hope that you all understand about me and from the preaching over the last year and a half is I am very aware when the Bible says something and when it doesn't. And I am going to go and I'm going to show you a case for why I believe, why I believe who this is. But the Bible does not say, this is who this is. So that's very important that we realize that the Bible says specific things in specific places and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes you kind of have to piece things together and I hope I can do that for you this evening. But let me just say that a lot of people have different opinions about this, what I'm about to tell you. But I think I'm pretty clear on it and I'm going to show you why. But first of all, let's look at who this was. Let's look at the case of who this man was standing in front of Joshua. First of all, turn to Exodus chapter 3. A similar event happened with Moses. A very similar event happened with Moses. If you know anything about God from reading the Bible, God likes to do things the same way again and again. You'll see God repeat patterns again and again in the Bible. It would make sense that something that happened with Moses would also happen with Joshua, the man that God chose to replace Moses. Moses wasn't chosen by the people. He was chosen by God to lead the people after Moses was gone. So something happens to Moses we're going to look at and it's a very similar event and I'll point out those similarities for you. Another reason, by the way, you need to have a King James Bible because these words in the Bible that happen are very specific and it's important that we don't change the words of the Bible or it could end up meaning something very different. Look at Exodus chapter 3 in verse number 1. Now Moses, this is before, this is Moses getting called by the burning bush if you remember that. Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the backside of the desert and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. So Moses had left. He wasn't in Egypt. He was just kind of living life with his father-in-law kind of being a shepherd, a goat herder or whatever. He kept her a sheep herder. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame out of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked and behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed. So here he's seeing kind of a miracle. He sees this bush that's on fire but it's just a flame and it's not burning up the bush. He knows something significant has happened here and he says, and Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burned. He's like, I'm going to check this out a little bit further. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the bush. So God called unto him out of the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, here I am. And he said, draw not nigh hither. Put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place where on thou standeth is holy ground. Does that sound familiar? So basically the same thing that almost exactly the same thing that the man talking to Joshua said to Joshua was said to Moses by God himself. So God told Moses. He said, don't come any closer but take off your shoes because where you're standing is holy. And that's very similar to what the man standing in front of Joshua said to him. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God. So we see that God spoke out of the fire, out of the burning bush to Moses. And God, you know, turned to Exodus chapter 33. And Moses was afraid. Moses was afraid why? He was afraid because he knew this was God speaking to him and he was afraid to look at God. And it's interesting that God said, don't come any closer. You know, don't come any closer. And he was afraid to look at God because he knew that anybody that would look upon God would die. And look at Exodus chapter 33 in verse number 20. The same thing God says to Moses later on in his life. And he said, thou canst not see my face. This is God talking to Moses. For there shall no man see me and live. This is God the Father talking to Moses. And the Lord said, behold, there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a rock. And it shall come to pass while my glory passeth by that I will put thee in a cliff of the rock and I will cover thee with my hand while I pass by. And I will take away my hand and thou shall see my back parts, but my face shall not be seen. So this is God the Father talking to Moses saying, you can't look upon me or you'll die. Moses knew this back in Exodus chapter 3. This must have been something that was commonly known amongst people because Moses knew in Exodus chapter 3. He was worried about it then and he was right because God said, I'm going to walk by you and I'm going to allow you to see my back. He said. And he covered up Moses' face as he walked by and Moses saw the back of God but he couldn't see his face or he would die. So what do we know so far? We know that both the person in Exodus chapter 3 that talked to Moses out of the bush and the person that talked to Joshua in Joshua chapter 5 we know that they both said, take your shoes off because this is holy ground. And we know that the person that talked to Moses was God because the Bible tells us that that was God that spoke to him out of the fire, out of the burning bush. But we know that this could not be God the Father standing in front of Joshua. Why? Because no one can look at God the Father and live because you will die if you look at God the Father. So we know it wasn't God the Father. Look back at verse 14 of Joshua chapter 5. There's more evidence here. So this guy is God. I think we can come to that conclusion at this point that the pattern matches God. And he said in verse 14, he said, Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord, am I now come? And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship. So number one, there's more evidence that he is God because angels are not to be worshiped. And said unto him, what saith my Lord unto his servant? So first of all he called him Lord, capital L. But I mean just the fact that he did worship him and this man said I am captain of the host of the Lord. So we know that this guy is Deity. And we know that he's the captain of God's army and we know that he's not God the Father. Otherwise Joshua would be dead. But look, we'll talk about what he said here next week. But he just says I'm captain of the host of the Lord. So the question is, who is the captain of the host of the Lord? That's the question. Turn to Revelation chapter 19. Turn to Revelation chapter 19. Who is the captain of God's army? Is the question. His man is standing there. He is holding a sword. Joshua falls down to worship him. Falls down on his knees to worship him. And he says I'm captain of God's army. Look at Revelation chapter 19. And look at verse number 11. Revelation chapter 19 and verse number 11. This of course speaking about end times, the whole book of Revelation. And I saw heaven opened. And behold, a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness he doth judge and make war. You see that? He does what? He judges and he makes war. His eyes were as a flame of fire. And on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. And his name is called the word of God. Well we know who that is. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword. That with it he should smite the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Turn to Revelation chapter 17, just a couple of chapters back. So here we see this man, we know it's the word of God. We know who that is. But he's also called King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And he's the him that judges and makes war. Turn to Revelation 17, look at verse 14. Again, these shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lord and King of Kings. And they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6. So we see that he is Lord of Lord, King of Kings. He's the Lamb, he's the word of God. 1 Timothy chapter 6, look at verse 15. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse number 15. And the Bible says which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Revelation chapter 1, verse number 14. Revelation chapter 1 and verse number 14. And again, speaking of Jesus Christ again in Revelation chapter 1 and verse number 14, the Bible says his head and his hairs were like wool and white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire. The same as in Revelation chapter 19. The point is that Jesus Christ is going to lead God's army in Revelation. This is who we are talking about here. His feet were like undefined brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters. Now look at verse number 16 of Joshua chapter 5. Alright, verse 16 of Revelation chapter 1. And he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Joshua, I believe, it is pretty clear in the Bible was speaking to the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the captain of God's army. And that is who Joshua, this is an Old Testament with no appearance as there is others as well of Jesus Christ himself. Now look, why did God appear? Why did God appear to Joshua is the question. Well first of all, Joshua feared the Lord here. As soon as Joshua was standing in front of the Lord here he feared him. Everything that we see in Scripture about Jesus in his glorified state is a terrifying sight. Every single thing that you see about Jesus in Scripture in his glorified state after not in his state as a man on this earth is terrifying. So whatever this man looked like, and I'm not saying that this man, I don't know what he looked like, but whatever he looked like Joshua dropped to his knees. Whatever this man looked at. Look at Philippians chapter 2. And as a matter of fact just some more evidence here, some more evidence. Look at Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2. Here's some more evidence of who Joshua was talking to. Look at Philippians chapter 2 and look at verse number 5. The Bible says let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant. This is Jesus Christ. This is the word becoming flesh. This was Jesus upon this earth and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. Even the death of the cross wherefore God also mightily exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of all things in heaven, things in earth and things under the earth. So look, this is more evidence that this was Jesus Christ himself, is that Joshua, look was Joshua somebody that would be intimidated by, there's a reason we studied Joshua and the type of person he was. Do you think that this was just some big strong guy that Joshua would just be intimidated by some big strong guy with a sword? Joshua knew who this was and he hid his knees. And the Bible says in Philippians 2 that every knee shall bow to Jesus Christ. Look, even the most ardent atheist will bow to Jesus Christ. And look what the Bible says in verse number 10. It says every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in the earth. Every man on earth will bow to Jesus Christ. Every knee. Even the most, I mean look, even things under the earth, even the people in hell will bow to Jesus Christ. Look, every knee shall bow to Jesus Christ. Even the most radical scientist out there that you say that guy will never believe in Jesus. Even his knee will bow. Turn to Luke chapter 16. You say how is that possible? How could that happen? Turn to Luke chapter 16. I'll show you exactly how it's going to happen. Turn to Luke chapter 16. How in the world could even somebody who dies as an atheist goes to hell? How could they end up bowing before Jesus? Look at Luke chapter 16 in verse number 19. Look this idea, this person of Jesus that we see in the Bible is, I just want to get this across to you, every single time you read about Jesus in the Bible after he has left this earth is a very serious sight. He's leading an army. His eyes are flames of fire. His hair is white as wool. His vesture, his clothing is dipped in blood. I mean, that is a serious, serious situation. Now look, look at Luke chapter 16 in verse number 19. How in the world could every single knee bow? How could that be true in the Bible? Well, every word of the Bible is true. So I'll show you how that's going to happen. Here's verse 19. There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores. So we have a rich man and a poor man that is at the gate and he's sick and he's got sores. He's at the gate of this rich man. Verse 21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. That's heaven. The rich man also died and was buried. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeeth Abraham a far off and Lazarus in his bosom. So this rich man dies. This rich man in this story in the Bible of this rich man and this poor man this rich man dies and right away he wakes up in hell. Right away. He doesn't sleep for a year or a week or whatever or till the end of the world he right away lifts up his eyes and he's in torments in hell. And not only is he in hell but he's able to see heaven a far off. He's able to see heaven. Now guess who's in heaven? Guess who's in heaven? Jesus is in heaven. Okay now look. I don't know what you can see when you're in hell. I'm never going to know. But the point is this. Once you wake up no matter what you believed in this life if you didn't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you die you are going to wake up in hell. You're going to wake up in hell. And wait at that moment you're going to know you were wrong. And then and then when the end times come and all the things in Revelation play out turn to Revelation chapter 20 and then we have the thousand year reign of Christ because Christ is going to rule and reign and we're going to rule and reign with him by the way on this earth. Revelation chapter 20 and look at verse number 11. After that happens you say after the end times after that thousand years happens this is what's going to take place. So think of somebody who died yesterday and wasn't saved and woke up in hell. They're going to be in hell all the way up to this point right here. Look at verse number 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. Look, if you die unsaved if you die unsaved and you go to hell at some point you are going to be brought out of hell and you're going to be judged according to the works in your life. Look, I'm not going to be judged by my works. Thank God. If you're saved you're not going to be judged by your works. You're going to be rewarded by your works. And look if you have no works you're going to suffer loss but you're still saved. But you're going to be judged by your works. The Bible says in Revelation chapter 20. Look at verse number 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them. This is the people coming out of hell. And they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death and as soon as all those people are judged it's all thrown into the lake of fire. So look, imagine this picture. These people, these people have been in hell for a thousand years at least. If the millennial reign starts tomorrow which we know it's not going to these people will have been in hell at that point for a thousand years. Turn to John chapter 5. You say who's sitting on the throne? Turn to John chapter 5. Look at John chapter 5. They've been in hell for a thousand years and they get out. And now they're standing before the king, the ruler, the one who has the power to do whatever. And they know so. Look at John chapter 5 and verse number 22. For the father judges no man but have committed all judgment unto the son. Verse 27. Now verse 26. For as the father hath life in himself so hath he given to the son to hath life in himself and hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the son of man. So people will be brought out of hell momentarily to be judged by their works according to the books which is the Bible. They're not in the book of life. That book's not going to help them. They're going to be judged according to their works. Their works are going to be put up against the Bible itself against the law. They're going to stand before Jesus Christ and he's going to judge them. And you better believe after they've been in hell for a thousand years or more that they're going to bow down. They're going to be begging Jesus Christ. Every knee shall bow. Especially the ones that didn't believe them on this earth. Especially those knees. And look, here's the thing but at that point it will not matter. It doesn't say every knee shall bow and then everyone goes to heaven. It says every knee shall bow before Jesus just as Joshua did. So you say this is all very serious. I mean isn't this all very serious? I mean you say this is terrifying to think about this. We all know unsaved people. This is going to happen to them. It doesn't make me happy to say that. I mean I wish everybody would be saved. But I mean I'm glad I'm saved. I'm glad I'm covered in the blood of Christ. I mean this Jesus this judge of the universe is somebody you don't want to be on the wrong side of. But I want to tell you this evening as we look at who Jesus is and who was standing in front of Joshua that there's an agenda to change Jesus today. You think about this man that Joshua ran into. We know the kind of man that Joshua is. We see that Joshua falls on his face. But look, Joshua had a fear for the Lord. A genuine terrifying fear of God. Look, the men in the Bible the saved men in the Bible they were terrified of God. Turn to Psalm chapter 47. Turn to Psalm chapter 47. I mean you say, I think fear means respect. No, they were terrified of God. They were afraid of God. You should be afraid of God. You're like, but I'm saved. But you should fear the Lord. Saved men were terrified of God. In Psalm 47 verse 2 it says, for the Lord most high is terrible. He is a great king over all the earth. It doesn't mean terrible like bad. It means terrible like terrifying. That's what it means. It means terrifying. The Lord is terrifying. You want to be on the right side of the Lord. I mean that goes to why he didn't answer Joshua's question. Look, if you're on the right side of the Lord that's a great and wonderful thing. If you're not, it's terrible. Because the Lord is terrifying. But you know, here's the thing. This terrible fear of the Lord we see none of this today. Why is that? I mean, it didn't used to be like this. We see none of this today. Most of you in this room I think most all of you in this room are soul winners. Do you see fear of the Lord when you're out soul winning? Why are we not coming to the door of people's houses with a Bible in our hands saying would you like to know how to get to heaven and people not just dropping in front of us saying what must I do to be saved? Because this is a terrible situation that I'm in. But they don't because they have no fear of the Lord. But they should be asking that. They should be begging to know how to get out of this situation because they're on the wrong side of the Lord. The wrath of this terrible God is upon them. For some reason, lately I don't know between talking to the guys and talking to my kids and talking to my wife and my wife talking to the ladies of the church this idea of Sunday school has popped up like 17,000 times in the last five weeks. And you know what? Our children's church this idea has popped up and you know what? There is an agenda today, folks. There is an agenda to change Jesus. There is an agenda to cancel this fear of the Lord amongst the people. Amongst what people? All the people. Even the unsaved people of Jericho were afraid. They were afraid. Rahab said they just they faint because of you. They were afraid of the people and they were afraid of this God that it was with these people. They were terrified. They weren't saved. Look, Satan has an agenda today to take away this fear from the people and it's crept into churches. It's crept into churches. You know, we're like the only show in town that doesn't have Sunday school or children's church? It's kind of surprising for people to hear that. You know what I did? I actually looked up Sunday school lessons. I just looked up Sunday school lessons with Jesus. Look, I'll just what fear leads to salvation. Fear leads to salvation. It is a prerequisite. You can't take calculus until you know how to do algebra. You have to be really good at algebra before you can even start calculus. You have to take calculus one before you can take calculus two and two before three and three before four and all of this. Look, it's a prerequisite. You must be afraid of God before you can get saved. Every single saved person in this room had fear that they would go to hell. Had fear of the Lord. Now you asked me something. When you teach kids, and we talked about Jesus tonight, and you teach kids, kids, let's talk about Jesus. Go ahead and laugh because it's not Jesus. Kids, kids, let's talk about Jesus. I'm serious. These are like the first ones that popped up. You can do this all night long. Here's even a better one. Kids, remember when Jesus came into Jerusalem as a king and they were laying palm in front of him? I mean, are you kidding me? He's like sitting like side saddle, like a woman on a donkey that's like a third his size. I think it's making a joke of who Jesus is. I mean, what? I mean, do a bigger disservice to our children. I mean, just teach them Santa Claus. It's the same thing. Because that has nothing to do with who Jesus is. Nothing. It's turning the Bible into a cartoon. And they're like, they know what happens and everyone's like, I don't know why kids don't stay in church. It's because they realize they grow up and they're like, oh, remember when we used to go to that cartoon place and they taught us the cartoons. That's exactly what happens. I know people that that's happened to. That's why 80% of kids that grow up in the church don't end up staying in the church. Because they've been taught cartoon Jesus. You know what, when you grow up, you don't watch cartoons anymore. Even worldly kids. Turn to Proverbs chapter one. Fear leads to salvation. If you don't have it, you can't be saved. Turn to Proverbs chapter one. You say why? I'll show you why. Turn to Proverbs chapter one. Psalms and then the book of Proverbs. Psalms wait in the middle of your Bible and then the very next book over is Proverbs. Proverbs chapter one. Look at verse number seven. Verse number seven of Proverbs chapter one. The Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and destruction. So there's two things it says here. It says fear of the Lord is the beginning. Like knowledge can't start. There is no beginning to knowledge if you don't fear the Lord. You're not going to accept the gospel. You're not even going to start listening to the gospel unless you fear the Lord. I mean, why would you? It's not even logical. If you don't have any fear of the Lord, why would I have any interest in someone coming and talking to me about how to not be judged by this Lord and no fear in? It's logical. And then it says, look, if you don't have the fear of the Lord you're not going to want knowledge and by the way, fools despise wisdom and instruction. So if you don't have fear of the Lord, you're a fool. But here's the thing. This stuff, these cartoons what it is, it's brilliant. It's brilliant. It's a preemptive attack on the gospel is what it is. That's what Sunday school is. It's a preemptive attack on the gospel. What's dumbed down the Bible? What's made the Bible a joke? What's made the Bible a joke to kids so they grow up as an adult and they think back and look, they think back as adults on those lessons they were taught as children. I do that. You're looking at somebody who went to Sunday school. His whole life. And look, I was somebody who when I was a teenager was sitting there thinking like, it doesn't seem like this is a cartoon to me. I had a New King James Bible and I read that New King James Bible and I read those stories in that New King James Bible and even in that New King James Bible I sat there and I read those stories and I'm like it doesn't seem like this is a precious moments cartoon character right here. It seems more serious than what's happening. You know what I mean? How can you miss that if you're wanting to know what the truth is? Look, you will have no you will not fear the Lord. You will have no interest in wisdom and instruction and look and there you have no chance at salvation. There can be no salvation without the fear of the word. Turn to Proverbs chapter 14. Look, isn't that what we see today? Isn't that why we go to the door and these people we see these people with this attitude like you're not teaching me anything buddy. Don't we see that? Don't we see that especially people that go to churches? They say, no, no, no. I mean that is unsaved as somebody who's never been in a church before. More unsaved because they got all this pride and they sit there and they have this attitude you're not teaching me anything buddy. Look at Proverbs 14 verse 27. You say, I don't know. Are you really saying that you have to have the fear of the Lord to be saved? Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. Look at Proverbs 14 27. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death. Proverbs 20 or Psalm 25 14. I'll just read it for you. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will show them his covenant. Look, the fear of the Lord is the fountain of life because it leads you to the gospel and look everyone who has gotten saved has believed the gospel had this and it's Satan's agenda to take it away from people before it gets to this point where somebody they want that fear of the Lord taken away it's a preemptive attack before we even get to the door. I mean it's smart, it's a smart game he's playing. Look, it's through Sunday school, it's through this liberal Christianity not only do they teach it in Sunday school, now they're teaching this joke Jesus to the adults too and the adults are like oh and then the sermons and the preaching it matches cartoon Jesus they're creating a fake God a cartoon God, that's what they're doing. It's why they also have false Gospels because I mean they don't need it anyway none of the people would believe it in the first place because you believe a cartoon God and you have no fear of the Lord you're not going to believe the gospel look it's sending people to hell it's very serious don't let people tell you oh why don't you have Sunday school sending people to hell that's why think of science just explaining away God all these people that spend their whole life just explaining away God you think there's fear of God there I mean what in the world you sit here and you listen to these scientists and you listen to these super smart people amongst us and I hear them talking I'm afraid for them I mean you hear them say things and I'm afraid for them if you don't believe in God why would you be insulting to God why would you be insulting to something you don't believe in but they're just insulting to God they're insulting to God's people look here's Stephen Hawking's final words he wrote a book that was published after his death by his family you want me to define irony for you I'll do it here in a second but look here's his final words via a book that was published after his death on this earth there is no God no one directs the universe that was the conclusion of celebrated physicist Stephen Hawking whose final book was published after his death and it was completed after his family and it presents answers to the questions that Hawking said he received most during his time on earth and his biggest one was there is no God no one directs the universe now the irony is that at the publishing of those words he believed in Jesus when that book was published Stephen Hawking believed in Jesus and he believed in Jesus he believes in Jesus now he's already changed his mind turn to Psalm chapter 147 he never even knew you know what he never even knew I mean I listen to videos of him giving speeches and lectures and I'm just shocked that people can listen to this he didn't even know how many stars were in the galaxy you say well who would know that well I mean he claimed to be so smart he estimated the stars in the galaxy were between 1 billion and 300 billion well you know what sign me up for that job well I can miss by 299 billion and people still worship me and come speak for them he had no clue how many stars were in the galaxy he had no clue about what created the galaxy all he had was stupid theories that I mean it shocks me that a 5 year old will listen to to be honest look at Psalm chapter 147 here's the God that maybe he should have listened to the God that he insulted so much because God seems to know look at Psalm 147 in verse number 4 it says he telleth the number of the stars the Bible says that God knows how many stars there are he was trying to Stephen Hawking was trying to estimate the number of stars in one galaxy in our galaxy there's nobody knows how many galaxies are out there they can't even tell you how many galaxies are out there that contain billions or whatever however many million stars but God knows it says he telleth the number of the stars and he calleth them all by their names he not only knows how many there are he named them all but there is no God no one directs the universe look every knee shall bow Joshua stood before Jesus Christ and he bowed his knee and he bowed down to Jesus and even the most ardent atheist even the most wicked reprobate will do the same at some point but look the devil has an agenda today the devil knows this and the devil wants, Satan wants as many people as possible to bow that knee at that great white throne he knows exactly what's going to happen he's trying to drag as many people as he can with him because he's going to the same place and he knows it every knee will bow, let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer