 Here we are Micah chapter 7 we're going to be looking at and concluding Micah by looking at chapter 7 so I'll read verses 1 and 2 and We'll get into our study tonight Micah chapter 7 verses 1 and 2 What was me? For I am like those who gather summer fruits like those who glean vintage grapes There is no cluster to eat of the first ripe fruit which my soul desires The faithful man has perished from the earth and there is no one upright among men They all lie and wait for blood every man hunts his brother with a net Okay, let's do a review, you know Let's remember what we've looked at and lead up to chapter 7 We know that God has just stated that the nation is in rebellion and God has just Stated that that Israel's judgment is justified and He had asked the question. He said what have I done to you? How have I worried you and he went on to say to them testify against me? He is saying if you have a complaint against me now is your opportunity to lodge it and that's why he said What have I done to you? How have I worried you? But he went on to Remind the nation of how gently and lovingly had he had delivered them from Egypt how he had referred to the their time in Egypt as Being a deliverance from a house of bondage He reminded them of how Moses and Aaron and Miriam had had been given to the nation Moses representing the law and Aaron representing the priesthood and Miriam representing Prophecy and and worship and he said I had given you these three and they were gifts to you to help you to have relationship with me and Still even though he had done that for them. They were still in rebellion against him He reminds them that while they were on their way to the land of promise that the people had actually sinned against him There was a false prophet and we looked at this false prophet last time we're together His name is Balaam and he was counseling a king by the name of Balec and the way he Counseled Balec in order to get the children of Israel to receive judgment from God is he counseled them to to Introduce to the Jewish men the pagan women of Moab Now it's interesting and I'll look at this with you and remind you of a few things in a moment But it's interesting that this man Balaam is actually mentioned three times in the New Testament Balaam this man found in Numbers 22 through 24 specifically is Mentioned in the New Testament also as a an object lesson as an example of what not to be So when you look at Balaam in the New Testament, you'll see him for example in 2nd Peter in chapter 2 verse 15 It says they have forsaken the right way and gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Bior And there here's his sin who loved the wages of unrighteousness Because the king had been promising Balaam a lot of money if you had only cursed the nation of Israel And so it's referred to by Peter as the wages of unrighteousness Then when you look in Jude the book of Jude verse 11 It says woe to them for they have gone in the way of Cain They have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit and Parished in the rebellion of Korah and so once again It's mentioned that he he was a greedy man who desired profit so Balaam was greedy and because of this he committed great sin and he led others into that also The third time that Balaam is mentioned in the New Testament is in Revelation chapter 2 and in Revelation 2 verse 14 It says I have a few things against you Because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam and here's the doctrine or the teaching who taught Balaak To put a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrifice the idols and to commit sexual immorality and so the sin is presented to us he was he taught error He was greedy and what he taught them to do was to have unlawful sexual intercourse You see Balaam knew that God was a righteous God and he knew that God would punish disobedience God had told him you cannot bring a curse against the ones whom I have not cursed and So when Balaam originally had approached Balaam and said I want you to bring a curse against the nation of Israel He had said no, I can't do that. I cannot curse those whom God is not cursed And that's when the argument began with Balaam saying to him I would have made you a very very rich man if you would only have done that which I'm telling you to do I'd have paid you handsomely to do this and so that greed the desire to be able to get the money drove this man on You see he knew that he couldn't bring a curse against Israel, but he also knew that Israel could bring judgment on herself And so his counsel was to introduce seduction because in doing so God would judge them himself You see God had forbidden Israel from marrying heathens In order that they might safeguard their relationship with him all the way in the book of Exodus in in chapter 34 verses 12 through 15 We read take heed to yourself lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you're going Lest there be a snare in your midst But you shall destroy their altars break down Break their sacred pillars cut down their wooden images for you shall worship no other God for the Lord whose name is jealous Is the jealous God? Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods and One of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice and You take of his daughters for your sons and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot With their gods so God all the way in the early portion of his deliverance of the nation of Israel giving of the law Was saying you are forbidden to have this kind of relationship with pagans He repeats it in in Deuteronomy in chapter 7 verses 2 and 3 where he says nor shall you make marriages with them with the pagans You shall not give your daughters to their son nor take their daughter for your son Why they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods So the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly So God had given them a warning and he had said do not have relationships with these pagan women and so Balaam knew that Though he could not curse the nation of Israel. He couldn't bring a curse against him He knew that God would judge them himself and thus he gave the advice to Baelic and said just bring out your hot chicks that's in the Hebrew and and Then God will judge them himself Now that's what Jesus is referring to in the book of Revelation when he's speaking there in chapter 2 That's what he's referring to when he speaks of putting a stumbling block in introducing idolatry and sexual immorality You see in the book of Numbers in chapter 25 verses 1 through 3 It reads Israel remained in acacia Grove and the people began to commit Harlatry with the women of Moab they invited the people to the sacrifices of the gods and the people ate and Bowed down to their gods So Israel was joined to be all a peor and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel And that's how they were able to be judged and that's how this prophet would make his financial profit so God said I Delivered you from bondage But you have had a bent towards rejection and rebellion throughout your history and So what are you to do? Well, you're to do justly you're to love mercy you're to walk humbly with me But they refused to do that instead they pillaged the poor They were greedy they practiced idolatry and God rightly was going to judge them for that God is a righteous judge and even as it says in Psalm 51 verse 4 against you You only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight that you may be found just when you speak and Blameless when you judge and so God was going to bring in as we have seen he's going to bring judgment against the nation of Israel So here in chapter 7 in this final chapter Micah is confessing that God is just in his judgment He's agreeing that God is accurate in his complaint against Israel But it causes him sorrow to have to say that notice how he says it in verse 1 of chapter 7 What was me? For I am like those who gather summer fruits like those who glean vintage grapes There is no cluster to eat of the first ripe fruit which my soul desires. He begins by saying What was me? I'm grieved. I'm grieved that I have to speak these things I'm overwhelmed because I have to give this message never Never failed to remember that when The full counsel of God goes out That sometimes the message is tough and sometimes the message Cuts to people's hearts. I have a very a very dear friend Rawl Reese and I can still remember how One of the Assistants one of his pastors was sharing with me how that he had seen rawl before rawl was going out to preach a Message he had seen rawl as he was shaking his head in the back saying I just don't want to say this I just don't want to have to teach this you know sometimes we have Courageous ministers who will stand up and speak the truth then it can be cutting in and People may think How easy it is for that person to say that but it isn't when you have to bring a word of correction Especially in the context of proclaiming the message of God It is never a pleasant thing to do. It's always the grievous thing to do It's always one of those things that causes you pain You know, I remember a long time ago one of my Bible professors in Bible college Was pointing out that that the best way to preach a message that is one of bringing judgment is with tears And that's the truth There there needs to be a sense of grieving along with those who are receiving the message and that's how he's beginning here Listen if a person giving a message grieves along with those who receive it, there's going to be a compassion and a mercy There's going to be a love There's going to be something there that is part of that Proclamation that will cause the people to know that the one who's speaking to them and the message being given to them is One of compassion and love and one that's Intended to draw people to a place of repentance and and that's how he's saying he's saying woe is me Woe is me. There's no joy in bringing this message and it tears him because it's speaking of severe judgment You'll see that he says I am in verse one. I'm like like those who gather summer fruits like those who gleaned vintage vintage grapes Now when he's speaking of that we need to remember that that grapebinds Represent the nation of Israel and you see that very clearly especially in Isaiah chapter 5 verses 1 through 7 So Micah is saying that he has looked for good fruit in the nation, but has found none The vine is simply not producing any fruit and it is ready for judgment in verse 2 He says the faithful man is perished from the earth There is no one upright among men They all lie and wait for blood every man hunts his brother with a net So the faithful man is perished. They've rejected God. They've rejected his word And so because they rejected God and rejected God's word Evil and violence becomes the norm and he says the faithful man is nowhere to be found There's not a single upright man anywhere in the land Sin is so permeated the nation that goodness no longer can be discovered think about that for a moment Evil has so penetrated the nation of Israel That no matter where you look you can't find a single good person It has so permeated. It has become so much the norm. It has become so normal That anybody who would speak against it Will be looked at as being out of touch with reality It is so normal to be evil That Micah says I can't find an upright man anywhere There's none to be found That reminds me of Ezekiel chapter 22 verses 29 and 30 Where it says the people of the land have used oppressions committed robbery mistreated the poor and needy They wrongfully oppressed the stranger and God says so I sought for a man among them Who would make a wall stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land that I should not destroy it But I found none There wasn't anybody who would stand up Remember this it's just so basic, but let me say it like this I've said this in different ways over the over the years, but Any dead fish Can go with the flow of the river It takes a live fish to go against it And what the Lord is looking for Is for someone to stand up to stand in the gap He still is by the way the eyes of the Lord are still running to and fro throughout the land looking for one man Who's heart is completely his And God has determined that he can use that man, but as Micah is looking around here. He says I don't see one I don't see one. I don't sing as see a single person the faithful man is perished from the earth There's no one upright among them not a single good person not a single righteous man Not one person who's actually living for the Lord He says in verse three That they may successfully do evil with both hands the prince asks for gifts The judge seeks a bribe and the great man utters his evil desire So they scheme together They're not satisfied doing evil halfway They are completely given over to it. That's what it means in verse three verse one verse three Where it says that they may successfully do evil with both hands They're not willing to do evil. It's kind of like if I went to the store and I was stealing I wouldn't be content just using one hand to steal. I'm using both hands I'm fully committed and that's the picture that is giving giving here that they May successfully do evil with both hands and it speaks of the prince asking for gifts and a judge seeking a bribe And the great man uttering evil desire and they're scheming together the creating a An atmosphere where this is acceptable. We can look at that for just a moment I want you to see how they're doing evil for personal profit They're selling out government And justice because of their greed And then notice how it says the great man utters his evil desire So they scheme together now when it says the great that word great in the original language in hebrew can speak of an elder That is also spoken of someone who's important or who is distinguished So the elder the important or distinguished man Utters his evil desire the word utters means he makes pronouncements So this important man is making pronouncements is what he's saying Public opinion has been formed But not by righteous people But by the popular people They work with the government they work with the judges They're influencing the way of thinking of the nation Now when you're reading your bible, you may be thinking man, this book was written thousands of years ago Those things may have been so then but they're not so now Or are they or are they When it speaks of a prince asking for gifts, that's government When it speaks of the judge seeking a bribe That's the law When it speaks concerning The elder the great man uttering that's the philosopher And so what you have is you have an atmosphere That makes evil acceptable Because it is promoted by those who are regarded as the greatest and most intellectual Today we see that in our public universities We see that through many of the authors who write the things that they do We know that our society is influenced by our songwriters and poets And we know that people will make decisions based on what celebrities tell them is truth So is it possible That we are the same kind of people just removed by a few Several centuries and the answer is of course Human nature is the same now as it was then When you get away from The truth of the word of god And begin and begin to create your own philosophies and ways of thinking that do not regard or have fear of god in them You ultimately are going to create a system that rejects him and is polluted and condemned by god. That's a fact That's just a fact and that's what we have today Often in our in our society and there are books written about this. I'm just kind of touching on this briefly Often in our society today, and we know this biblical morality is ridiculed And what was at one time known to be immorality? Is now simply called love And that's what's taken place And people People have in general Not every person but many people in general Have a disregard For things that are right Even in the simplest things I mean you can see through the general lack of courtesies that this society has to this day We we have a lack of courtesy. Nobody here would argue against that. I don't think if you do you're discourteous no Nobody would would argue that people have lost a sense of Of just general courtesies to people. I mean you'll stand in line and there'll be people who will push in front of you I mean these these These sales that go on and they what do they call them black? What are they black black friday? I wouldn't go out there man. You know without an armed guard I mean you see them fighting over over things You know that and some of you some of you have come to church on sunday with black eyes. I know where you were But you see that and and it happens throughout the christmas holiday season, right? I mean people getting mad and uptight and cussing people out because they're buying their christmas gifts And it doesn't make sense to me at all And so I mean it isn't hard to begin to make a case for discurricy in this in The united states It isn't hard to make a case for people Not having a sense of propriety or decency. That's not hard at all I I find it interesting to see what takes place and and the convoluted the convoluted methodologies in terms of of Thinking this is right and this is wrong even recently As just a contemporary example even recently All of us who watch the news read the newspaper or somehow gains You know news through various sources all of us know that This particular play hamilton all of us heard of what took place When the vice president delect mike pence went in with his family or whatever to go and see a play He's an american. He has the right to go and see a play i would assume And yet you have to have the guy What's his name brandon victor dixon? Who is playing the part of vice president erin burr? You have him standing on the lip of the stage lecturing the vice president elect concerning his fear and the fear of many people and all and And that's improper. That just flat out improper. That is just wrong. Yes. We live in the united states And yes, we have a right to our own opinions But we also need to know that there is a time and place for everything And that man deserves his time off and if it were Somebody else who was there if it was the shoe was on another foot and it was a democrat I'd be still saying the same kind of thing. It's the wrong thing to do You just don't do that. It's improper to do something like that But the lecture was one based on ethics and morality And he was lecturing him on ethics and morality And yet, you know, this is this is the era that we live in people say well, listen if brandon victor Dixon is concerned about ethics and morality Then why is it that he was tweeting things that were sexual racism and and uh against uh Why against women? Why did he do that and nobody said anything about that? And so what happens today, which he did and it seems to define his tweets All you need to do is look up his name and uh the almighty google will will lead you there Brandon victor dixon and look up his tweets and i'm not asking you to do that. I'm just telling you that's what I did And uh, they're they're they're terrible. They're dirty Nobody's saying anything about that though, right? Nobody says anything about that. Why why isn't anybody saying anything because what he said flows With the contemporary way of thinking that's why and people accept that He says I have nothing to apologize for And there are people who agree with him And so when this is being said listen again That they may successfully do evil with both hands the prince asks for gifts the judge seeks a bribe Great man utters the evil desire they scheme together the creating an atmosphere with this kind of behavior Is appropriate and acceptable He says in verse four the best of them is like a briar The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge The day of your watchman and your punishment comes Now shall be their perplexity so The best of them the best writers the best leaders best philosophers He says are like briars and thorns in other words you need to avoid them because they'll injure you He is saying they provide nothing of eternal value And you should not allow them to influence your life He goes on to say the day of your watchman and your punishment comes in other words judgment is coming And you will be confused When it actually takes you you're not expecting it But it will take you judgment is coming In verse five do not trust in a friend Do not put your confidence in a companion Guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom for son dishonors father daughter rises against her mother daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law And man's enemies are the men of his own house Do not trust in a friend don't put your confidence in a companion guard the doors of your lips your mouth So that's a warning to be discerning In the midst of evil times There are those who pretend to be friends, but they can't be trusted There are some who pretend to be your helper or your guide Whether it be a judge a politician or even a relative, but they really aren't there to help you So he's saying be careful who you confide in Even with your own wife who may betray you And that's why I don't tell marie anything He says for son dishonors father daughter rises against her mother daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law Even close family ties have no guarantee that there is genuine love and faithless to be found Now what's interesting When he speaks in this way and he's saying guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom and all In his day if you said something against an official you could be turned in by your own family That's why ecclesiastes 10 verse 20 says do not revile the king even in your thoughts Or curse the rich in your bedroom Because a bird in the sky may carry your words And a bird on the wing may report what you say so be careful guard the lips guard your mouth He says in verse 6 because the son dishonors his father and the daughter dishonors her mother Now this was taking place in micah's day But it also remember with me takes place in the latter days Remember in math through 10 verses 34 through 36 How jesus said you not think that I come to bring peace on earth I didn't come to bring peace but a sword for I have come To set a man against his father a daughter against her mother Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man's enemies will be those of his own household And so what was taking place during the time of micah is something that also takes place later Therefore verse 7 I will look to the lord I will wait for the god of my salvation and I love this my god will hear me My god will hear me With all of this going on with all of this treachery with being able to put confidence in man With me not even being able to even trust my wife in such a circumstance that micah's warning the people about There is somebody that I can trust There is somebody that is trustworthy And the answer to that is I can trust my god So instead of losing hope My hope is more concentrated on the one that I can trust Remember this always and I don't think I have to tell you this you already know this but man does let us down That's just a fact no matter how No matter how much effort you make in being a great person No matter how you died yourself on a daily basis no matter if you get up in the morning You say god help me I want to be a good person today You have opportunity and we'll see this a little clearer in just a moment But you have opportunity throughout your day to fail And I cannot tell you you know over the years of how many people I have hurt And maybe there's some in this room that I have hurt without intending of course, but but I know I have I know I have and if not in ministry of course in life Whether it be hurting a mom my mom or my dad or brother or sister Or a friend You don't want to it's not like you wake up in the morning and you say let's see who can I hurt the most today? Who loves me the most? Okay, then I'll do this. You don't do that most of us don't And so even in ministry You know people can look at their pastor And they can love their pastor and and they can and and and and all but the pastor can The pastor can fail because because men men do because men fail Men can disappoint Even the most loving even the most caring can sometimes Not be kind or say something that may hurt Even if they don't intend to It can slip out and it can hurt and people can get disappointed and people can get Emotionally wrought over that and And they think I thought you love me. I thought you cared. How could you? You know, I I don't think that I'm here trying to make any excuses for any behavior that I've ever had But I will tell you this I do know that I fail But I'm not alone in this room We all do We all have Not because we wanted to Not because we tried to well, perhaps sometimes you did want to sometimes we did try to But not by habit not by peripheral desire And so a long time ago A long time ago I came to realize I came to realize that That I can't put full confidence in a human being As if they're god because they're not There's only one that I can put full confidence in and that's That is god That is god and so You know my pastor was chuck smith And pastor chile, I knew pastor chuck for a long long time And in the last several years of his life I served with him on on a board Served with him on a council. I taught in front of him Many many many times. I don't know how many times I taught in front of my pastor I traveled with him to israel traveled with him on this in the Mediterranean I did conferences with him in europe Conferences with him in anaheim just various places in the east coast. I mean I was with my pastor a lot And and and there were times you know that that that he may not been as as talkative As as I would have liked him to have been and and even made me feel awkward I can still remember sitting at a table with him We were on a cruise and he had asked me and our church and to go to alaska and we did We went on alaska cruise with him and several other pastors and And we're there and I was at the table with him and pastor chuck was seated right next to me and And i'm just kind of sitting next to him and this my pastor and I love him and uh And I had been told you know that this was many years ago And I had been told you know chuck if he doesn't feel like talking he won't talk I said oh whatever and I was sitting next to him And I turned to him and I started to speak to him and he looked at me said a couple words then when Went about eating his dessert And I just kind of sat there very awkwardly thinking well the man didn't want to talk to me at all You know I wish I was a blueberry pie. He'd be talking to me You know You know that that's what happens So when you when you when you put somebody on a pedestal be very careful because the higher they go up the farther they will fall Just look at them as human beings Look at them as just normal people. Look at me that way Uh, this sounds so self-serving, you know, but I have had people in this church who actually shake when they're talking to me That's a fact That that's a fact that their hands are shaking and I'll say why are you Why are you doing that? I don't know. I've never talked to you before and I said, you know what? Ain't no biggie Ain't no biggie You know, please don't I have people apologize to me. I'll be in a restaurant. They'll come up and apologize. Excuse me I'm sorry to bother you pastor. I go to your church And I'll say that doesn't bother me at all And I'm glad you do and you're not bothering me now I have people who walk up to me and they'll say things like I I'm sorry to take your time And I always say the same thing you don't take my time. I give my time It's okay. That's what I'm here for But I can disappoint And I do and I have and I will in the future That's not some excuse to be a jerk next sunday It's just a fact It's just a fact But there is one person And and that's like oh how spiritual but it's true Who will never Disappoint That's the lord and I really really believe that yes, amen In psalm 56 verse 11 Psalm 56 11 in god I have put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 118 verse 6 the lord is on my side. I will not fear. What can man do to me? Hebrews 13 6 We may boldly say the lord is my helper. I will not fear What can man do to me? So I will look to the lord. I will wait for the god of my salvation my god. He says Will hear me my lord will be with me no matter what he goes on in verse 8 Do not rejoice over me my enemy when I fall I will arise When I sit in darkness the lord will be a light to me I will bear the indignation of the lord because I have sinned against him until he pleads my case and executes justice for me He will bring me forth to the light. I will see his righteousness Then she who is my enemy will see and shame will cover her who said to me. Where's the lord your god My eyes will see her now. She will be trampled down like mire In the streets So do not rejoice over me my enemy when I fall now. I'm not faultless I will fail at times But god will raise me up It says in proverbs 24 16 though a righteous man falls seven times he rises again But the wicked are brought down by calamity He's saying I sit in darkness. I may find myself unable to navigate my way But god will light up my path before me like it says in psalm 18 28 You will light my lamp the lord my god will enlighten my darkness That's a fact. We are not faultless. We do fail, but though I fall seven times god raises me up We need to remember that I I encourage people About this quite often. I I believe so strongly in the grace of god and the restoring power of god I believe that god is a god who gives you not a second chance or a third chance He gives you chance after chance after chance after chance You know because we fail and we fail and we fail and we fail and that is not permission to continue to fail It's just an awareness of my frailty. I am made of dust I am frail and I have a sin nature But my god loves me and my god loves you too And isn't that good that to me is an amazing thing how god loves us It really is So yeah, you're walking and it can be dark, but god lights your path You seek him he says in verse nine. I'll bear the indignation of the lord Because I've sinned against him, but he pleads my case Again, my guy identifies with the people And as one who identifies with the people he confesses his sins as well as the shortcomings You see the nation's being judged He's enduring the judgment of god along with them He hadn't sinned in the way that they had But he lives under the same conditions that they do One of the things when I was uh, I was a freshman in bible college and My professor was teaching us their biola. He was teaching us the book of daniel and he got to chapter nine And one of the lessons I learned as a freshman in bible college That I've kept with me my whole life and this is something that perhaps Some of you might want to remember too Because this I've I've had this in my heart for 43 years Since I was 23 when daniel In chapter nine began to pray. He had been reading the book of Jeremiah And as he read the book of Jeremiah He discovered that god had stated he was going to judge the nation of israel for 70 years And as daniel was reading chapter, you know as daniel was reading that it's recording in chapter nine That daniel began to pray and said god We have sinned When you read the book of daniel One of the unique features about the book of daniel Is though he is a man whose sins all have sinned fall short of the glory of god He was not a perfect man But when you read the book of daniel, I encourage you to read the book of daniel powerful book But when you read the book of daniel You will notice that nowhere throughout the entire book Is that ever stated? That he sinned it's not it there's not a sin that is mentioned that's attributed to daniel through the whole book Not a single time doesn't say daniel lied daniel stole daniel nothing And yet He says we have sinned and my professor said this He said for those of you who want to be used by god Always identify with the people that you minister to You're no better than they You're you're in need of god's grace as much as they And never put yourself Above the people. I've never forgotten that I've never forgotten that One of the one of the things that can cause me to stumble Is when I hear a preacher say when are you guys going to get it? When are you going to get it? My mama used to say that to me She'd say when are they going to get it david? And I would smile at my mama and I'd say as soon as I do I said the fact is mama We never really do get it and when we finally do we say I finally got you die You don't even get to finish your sentence None of us None of us is any better than anybody else in this room None of us we all sin and fall short of the glory of god We all need his grace And if you're going to be used by god You need to identify with the people that you minister to You can't put yourself above them Because you're just as much in need of god as they are And when you understand that When you understand that god can use you But if we have this attitude like That is so basic when you're going to figure that one out There's no humility in your heart There's no identification with the people And so Micah is simply identifying with the people and making it very clear that he too is a sinner in need of the grace of god now He pleads, you know, he says until he pleads my case and executes justice for me and that he will bring me forth to the light Well, ultimately in their day assyria the nation of assyria came and took them captive But ultimately Micah did enjoy the light of god's freedom and he did walk freely In him in verse 10 when it says she who is my enemy will see and shame will cover her Who said to me whereas the lord or god my eyes will see her She will be trampled down like mire in the street When the nation was taken captive the enemies taunted them asked, where is your god? Well, god is still god even when he seems to be distant God is with us and god does triumph over his enemies like it says in psalm chapter two Verses one through six where the psalmist said, why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with feudal plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle the rulers plot together against the lord and against his anointed one Let us break their chains. They cry free ourselves from this slavery But the one who rules in heaven laughs the lord scoffs at them Then in anger he rebukes them terrifying them with his fierce fury for the lord declares I have placed my chosen king on the throne in jerusalem my holy city god is with us And he does triumph over his enemies In verse 11 the day when your walls are to be built in that day the decree shall go far and wide In that day they shall come to you from asyria to the fortified cities from the fortress to the river from sea to sea And mountain to mountain Yet the land shall be desolate because of those who dwell in it And for the fruit Of their deeds. So this is a picture of the distant future when they're once again in their land It's also a picture of when messiah ultimately will rule and reign And we've already seen that the people will stream in to worship the lord But the time is yet in the future So for some time the land will be desolate It will be desolate because of their sin In verse 14 shepherd your people with your staff The flock of your heritage who dwells Solidarily in a woodland in the midst of carmel let them feed in bishan and gilead as in days of old As in the days when you came out of the land of egypt, I will show them marvelous things So mica begins to pray that the lord will care for the people that he will feed them and that he Will nurture them Notice how verse 15 speaks of the days when you came out of the land of egypt I will show marvelous things He's he's just mentioning the fact that god delivered the people powerfully with miracles and once again god is going to reveal his power And finally in verse 16 following the nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might They shall put their hand over their mouth their ears shall be deaf They shall lick the dust like a serpent they shall crawl from the holes like snakes of the earth They shall be afraid of the lord our god and shall fear because of you Who is god like you? Pardoning iniquity passing over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He does not retain his anger forever Because he delights in mercy He will again have compassion on us And will subdue our iniquities You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea You will give truth to jacob mercy to abraham Which you have sworn to your to our fathers from days of lulled and so we roll to a conclusion with a couple of things In verses 16 and 17 when god brings them back in the last days The world will be amazed is what he's saying and will realize their own weakness But when he goes into verses 18 through 20 and i want to close with this This is so beautiful and so powerful. Who is a god like you? Who is a god like you? Pardoning iniquity passing over the transgression of the remnant. Who is a god like you? let's let's Remember something Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy. He saved us By the washing of regeneration by the renewing of the holy spirit Is by grace that you're saved through faith and not out of yourselves. It's a gift to god Not by works lest any man should boast Who is a god like you? What set me free and i'll close with almost not a testimony, but just an observance An observation what set me free What set me free From a religious mentality that i had to work for my own salvation To a free mentality that My works didn't add anything to my salvation The gospel of jesus christ That presents to you and presents to me A gracious loving And forgiving god On the face of the earth if you were to look at the way gods are on the face of the earth to this day All you need to do is look at some of the religions of the earth today and see what kinds of people are following These gods the ones who murder children and murder other scruzify people and And that shows you something of the god that they worship because what you worship you become like That's why jesus said That love was the mark of a believer Because god so loved the world that he gave That's why jesus would say greater love has no man than this than a man laid down his life for his friends That's why jesus would say god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son That's why the bible in the new testament is so powerful because it reveals to us that there's not a single thing I can do to save myself. So who is a god like you? Who's a god like you? When I finally realized that I couldn't save myself, but but there's one who I'm still amazed that that that would actually say And in his word he does god so loved the world that includes me. He is saying I love you Do you? Here's where the problem is for a lot of people. Do you do you know he loves you? Do you know he loves you? Do you know that? I can't say that with enough passion Because I know a lot of christians who are still trying to make god love him. Let me tell you he loves you He loves you now. He didn't like some of the dumb things you do. It's called sin He sent his son to die to set you free from his killing you But he loves you He loves you My kids taught me something of the love of god in this way Even though they did some dumb things and they still can And even though my grandbabies can do some things that Oh Can get me a little bothered I have never stopped loving them And I want to bless them And i'm an evil father and an evil grandfather And if I then be an evil know how to give good gifts to my children how much more so Well, my heavenly father give the spirit to me if I but ask God Is a god That is unique Listen if you if you just followed The evolutionary mentality that the united states is ingrained with And you began to think in terms of the survival of the fittest and you began to ask yourself If you were to look just at that life in general Is there is there not a principle that the smaller is preyed on by the greater and indeed it is There is something like that the small fish is just hanging around the bigger fish comes and eats it The big fish burps and starts to Float away and then the bigger fish comes and eats that and that's the way it works And then some guy throws in and he pulls out that fish and eats that And that's the way it is If you're walking in the jungle and a bear comes and you've got no gun in no way you're dead Because The bigger is going to destroy the lesser. That's life. We know that go swimming with some sharks and then argue with me That's just a fact The more powerful prays on the weaker right So the god I worship is the god of all power Logic tells me that he'd have to destroy me because he's the greater. I'm the weaker and what is mind boggling Is this powerful all powerful god instead of destroying me loves me And saved me That's amazing Amen, amen That say we don't get it What kind of god do you worship? Who is a god like you? No wonder mike is speaking like that all this judgment all this But you are a righteous god and you will deliver us and who is like you pardoning iniquity You take my sin and you drop it in the deepest part of the sea. You put a a sign no fishing It's not going to be brought up again Imagine that It's all under the blood of jesus christ All under the blood When you when you got saved The blood of jesus christ god's son cleansed you from all sin Even the sin that you have a tough time forgiving yourself for and if you can if you can accept that You are born again Your life changes Your life changes This is scripture psalm 103 verse 12 as far as the east is from the west so far as he removed our transgressions from us I love that and I say this often as far as the east is from the west you have a globe Start in the center and go West And you will always go west But if you go from the center and you go north eventually you'll go south So god didn't say as far as the north is from the south He said as far as the east is from the west Why because the east and the west will never reconnect It never reconnects Your sin is that far away from you And that's why the amazing promise if anyone is in christ he's a new creation Yes, that's why it's so amazing You're born again brand new Not just Rebuilt But in christ You're born again And you are loved and you are forgiven and that's why I just I just thank god who is a god like you pardoning iniquity passing over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He does not retain his anger forever because he delights in mercy He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities And then he finally says and you will give truth to jacob mercy to abraham Which you have sworn to our fathers from days of old your promises to jacob and abraham are sure And you will keep your word to us And that is why it is so important for us to know god's word Because his promises are there That we can hold fast to and he's saying I will keep my word I have taken you from The gutter most And i've loved you to the uttermost And that's what the lord does