WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:20.164 ♪ theme music ♪ 00:00:20.164 --> 00:00:22.029 (Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School, 00:00:22.029 --> 00:00:23.884 an in-depth, interactive study 00:00:23.884 --> 00:00:25.068 of the Word of God. 00:00:25.068 --> 00:00:26.686 Have you been enjoying this series 00:00:26.686 --> 00:00:29.156 on Bible Prophecies and Stories 00:00:29.156 --> 00:00:30.359 for the Last Days? 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:31.859 It's so relevant. 00:00:31.859 --> 00:00:33.627 And we're glad you joined us today 00:00:33.627 --> 00:00:34.792 as we're studying 00:00:34.792 --> 00:00:37.294 about Understanding Sacrifice. 00:00:37.294 --> 00:00:38.674 You say, "Derek, that doesn't 00:00:38.674 --> 00:00:39.672 sound very exciting." 00:00:39.672 --> 00:00:40.672 Well, you'll discover 00:00:40.672 --> 00:00:42.931 it's all about Jesus, and it 00:00:42.931 --> 00:00:45.086 will bless your life, so welcome 00:00:45.086 --> 00:00:46.201 to Hope Sabbath School. 00:00:46.201 --> 00:00:47.406 Welcome to the team, 00:00:47.406 --> 00:00:48.630 say, "Hi," to each other. 00:00:48.630 --> 00:00:49.931 We're glad you're all here, 00:00:49.931 --> 00:00:50.925 looking great today. 00:00:50.925 --> 00:00:52.394 And I'm excited because Puia's 00:00:52.394 --> 00:00:54.109 going to be leading our study today. 00:00:54.109 --> 00:00:55.640 Puia, we always are blessed 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:56.564 when you lead us. 00:00:56.564 --> 00:00:57.482 And let's see who's 00:00:57.482 --> 00:00:59.267 joining us remotely today. 00:00:59.267 --> 00:01:01.210 Rodney, great to have you with us today. 00:01:01.210 --> 00:01:02.376 We're glad you're here. 00:01:02.376 --> 00:01:04.923 Shaina, always good to have you with us. 00:01:04.923 --> 00:01:06.607 And, Alex, great to have you 00:01:06.607 --> 00:01:07.892 with us today. 00:01:07.892 --> 00:01:09.730 And we're glad that you are here, too, 00:01:09.730 --> 00:01:11.135 because you are part 00:01:11.135 --> 00:01:12.947 of our interactive study. 00:01:12.947 --> 00:01:15.167 I hope you brought your Bible with you, 00:01:15.167 --> 00:01:17.884 and we'll have a great study together. 00:01:17.884 --> 00:01:19.604 We're always happy to hear from you, 00:01:19.604 --> 00:01:21.108 our Hope Sabbath School family 00:01:21.108 --> 00:01:22.233 around the world. 00:01:22.233 --> 00:01:26.562 You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org, 00:01:26.562 --> 00:01:28.987 and I'm blessed when the emails come, 00:01:28.987 --> 00:01:30.299 and aren't you, team? 00:01:30.299 --> 00:01:32.767 And we get to hear how God is blessing 00:01:32.767 --> 00:01:33.776 around the world. 00:01:33.776 --> 00:01:35.270 Well, here is a note 00:01:35.270 --> 00:01:37.239 from one of our team members. 00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:39.506 Do you remember John from India, 00:01:39.506 --> 00:01:41.142 one of our team teachers? 00:01:41.142 --> 00:01:43.043 Well, John, thank you for writing to us. 00:01:43.043 --> 00:01:45.595 He writes, and he says, "It's John. 00:01:45.595 --> 00:01:46.631 I'm emailing you 00:01:46.631 --> 00:01:48.583 from the country of India. 00:01:48.583 --> 00:01:51.285 I hope this email finds you all well. 00:01:51.285 --> 00:01:54.939 I've been in India since August of 2024, 00:01:54.939 --> 00:01:58.800 and I've been preaching almost every week. 00:01:58.800 --> 00:02:01.645 As I'm going around to various churches, 00:02:01.645 --> 00:02:05.567 in almost every church, people talk to me about..."? 00:02:05.567 --> 00:02:10.121 (Derek, Team) "...Hope Sabbath School." 00:02:10.121 --> 00:02:11.555 (Derek) "This goes to show 00:02:11.555 --> 00:02:14.726 the global impact of Hope Sabbath School 00:02:14.726 --> 00:02:16.722 is felt in my home country 00:02:16.722 --> 00:02:18.149 of India." Amen? 00:02:18.149 --> 00:02:18.974 (Team) Amen. 00:02:18.974 --> 00:02:20.436 (Derek) Does anybody remember 00:02:20.436 --> 00:02:22.451 how many people live in India? 00:02:22.451 --> 00:02:23.651 (Joshua) Over a billion. 00:02:23.651 --> 00:02:25.303 (Derek) Yes, it's 1.4 billion. 00:02:25.303 --> 00:02:27.155 It is the most populated country 00:02:27.155 --> 00:02:28.390 on the planet. 00:02:28.390 --> 00:02:30.941 And he says, "Thank you 00:02:30.941 --> 00:02:32.806 for the opportunity to be part 00:02:32.806 --> 00:02:34.964 of Hope Sabbath School's ministry 00:02:34.964 --> 00:02:36.181 for Jesus Christ. 00:02:36.181 --> 00:02:38.130 God bless you all. Amen." 00:02:38.130 --> 00:02:38.905 (Team) Amen! 00:02:38.905 --> 00:02:40.785 (Derek) John, thanks for writing to us. 00:02:40.785 --> 00:02:43.603 We miss you, but we're excited to hear 00:02:43.603 --> 00:02:45.811 that God is blessing as you're sharing 00:02:45.811 --> 00:02:48.376 the good news about a God who loves 00:02:48.376 --> 00:02:52.012 with an immeasurable and unfailing love. 00:02:52.012 --> 00:02:55.784 Tiffo writes to us from Ethiopia, 00:02:55.784 --> 00:02:58.253 and Tiffo says, "Love and peace, 00:02:58.253 --> 00:02:59.966 Hope Sabbath School family." 00:02:59.966 --> 00:03:00.964 (Team) Hello. 00:03:00.964 --> 00:03:02.634 (Derek) Got the wave. 00:03:02.634 --> 00:03:04.118 "I'm blessed following 00:03:04.118 --> 00:03:06.520 your teaching every day. 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:08.722 Hopefully, many are blessed 00:03:08.722 --> 00:03:11.713 and understand there is only one way 00:03:11.713 --> 00:03:14.029 to come to God, and that is through Jesus. 00:03:14.029 --> 00:03:15.563 God bless you all." 00:03:15.563 --> 00:03:17.102 Well, Tiffo, thanks for writing 00:03:17.102 --> 00:03:18.807 to us from Ethiopia. 00:03:18.807 --> 00:03:21.484 We're glad that you're blessed as part 00:03:21.484 --> 00:03:24.474 of the Hope Sabbath School family. 00:03:24.474 --> 00:03:26.875 Here is a handwritten note 00:03:26.875 --> 00:03:30.929 from a donor couple in Tennessee 00:03:30.929 --> 00:03:33.531 in the United States, and, Donor Couple, 00:03:33.531 --> 00:03:34.983 you know, we don't read names, 00:03:34.983 --> 00:03:36.918 but you'll recognize your message, 00:03:36.918 --> 00:03:39.337 and I want to say thank you to you 00:03:39.337 --> 00:03:42.039 and to each of our donors. 00:03:42.039 --> 00:03:43.975 "My wife and I have been joining 00:03:43.975 --> 00:03:45.807 with Hope Sabbath School 00:03:45.807 --> 00:03:48.463 ever since the pandemic. 00:03:48.463 --> 00:03:50.831 We appreciate your method of teaching 00:03:50.831 --> 00:03:55.475 and the inclusion of all in your group." 00:03:55.475 --> 00:03:57.993 I guess that's diversity, right? 00:03:57.993 --> 00:04:00.830 "May God bless you all, with love," 00:04:00.830 --> 00:04:03.482 and a gift of a thousand dollars 00:04:03.482 --> 00:04:05.485 to bless the global ministry. 00:04:05.485 --> 00:04:08.372 I just want to say thank you, Tennessee, 00:04:08.372 --> 00:04:10.290 and thank you to each one of our donors. 00:04:10.290 --> 00:04:12.477 We are all part of a great miracle. 00:04:12.477 --> 00:04:14.977 You say, "Derek, how can I help?" 00:04:14.977 --> 00:04:18.815 Go to our website, hopetv.org/hopess, 00:04:18.815 --> 00:04:20.367 click on the Donate button, 00:04:20.367 --> 00:04:22.115 or get the address and write a note 00:04:22.115 --> 00:04:24.100 just like this donor couple did. 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:26.155 And thank you to each one of you. 00:04:26.155 --> 00:04:28.391 One last note, this was beautiful, 00:04:28.391 --> 00:04:31.844 from Samuel in Canada, and Samuel 00:04:31.844 --> 00:04:33.970 writes and says, "Hello, 00:04:33.970 --> 00:04:35.692 Hope Sabbath School family." 00:04:35.692 --> 00:04:37.083 (Team) Hello. 00:04:37.083 --> 00:04:38.795 (Derek) I actually like it when they 00:04:38.795 --> 00:04:40.743 do that because then we can wave. 00:04:40.743 --> 00:04:42.558 "We get a lot of inspiration 00:04:42.558 --> 00:04:44.842 from your teaching of the Word of God. 00:04:44.842 --> 00:04:46.017 We love everything 00:04:46.017 --> 00:04:47.560 about Hope Sabbath School, 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:48.796 from the songs, 00:04:48.796 --> 00:04:52.481 the interactive discussion, the diversity, 00:04:52.481 --> 00:04:53.470 and the inclusion 00:04:53.470 --> 00:04:55.634 of the worldwide community 00:04:55.634 --> 00:04:58.187 through reading our emails. 00:04:58.187 --> 00:05:00.056 What a blessing! 00:05:00.056 --> 00:05:01.625 Thank you, Hope Sabbath School, 00:05:01.625 --> 00:05:04.617 for enabling us to understand 00:05:04.617 --> 00:05:05.922 God's Word better." 00:05:05.922 --> 00:05:07.046 (Team) Amen. 00:05:07.046 --> 00:05:09.765 (Derek) "May God continue to bless you 00:05:09.765 --> 00:05:12.038 and your ministry, Samuel." 00:05:12.038 --> 00:05:14.152 Well, Samuel, thanks for taking the time 00:05:14.152 --> 00:05:16.138 to write to us; that's an encouragement, 00:05:16.138 --> 00:05:18.625 and that's really why we do this, 00:05:18.625 --> 00:05:21.310 so people can understand the Word of God 00:05:21.310 --> 00:05:24.647 and realize that God loves us so much. 00:05:24.647 --> 00:05:27.706 And as Puia leads us in our study today, 00:05:27.706 --> 00:05:28.769 we'll discover that. 00:05:28.769 --> 00:05:30.920 But, before we sing our theme song, 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:33.423 I want to remind you about that free gift, 00:05:33.423 --> 00:05:36.326 because as we study about Bible Prophecies 00:05:36.326 --> 00:05:38.377 and Stories for the Last Days, 00:05:38.377 --> 00:05:39.596 we'll realize that we 00:05:39.596 --> 00:05:42.014 need supernatural protection. 00:05:42.014 --> 00:05:45.123 "A time of trouble is coming," Daniel prophesied, 00:05:45.123 --> 00:05:46.992 "such as has never been." 00:05:46.992 --> 00:05:48.765 But, we don't need to be afraid 00:05:48.765 --> 00:05:51.386 if we know that we have a Savior 00:05:51.386 --> 00:05:53.626 who is also our strong Deliverer. 00:05:53.626 --> 00:05:55.211 So, I've got a resource for you 00:05:55.211 --> 00:05:55.932 in this series. 00:05:55.932 --> 00:05:57.631 It's called Radical Protection. 00:05:57.631 --> 00:05:59.565 You can just go to our website, 00:05:59.565 --> 00:06:03.152 hopetv.org/hopess, that's it, 00:06:03.152 --> 00:06:05.956 and click on the Free Gift tab, 00:06:05.956 --> 00:06:08.208 and you can download a digital copy. 00:06:08.208 --> 00:06:09.898 I know you'll be blessed. 00:06:09.898 --> 00:06:11.027 You can also download 00:06:11.027 --> 00:06:12.938 the theme song and the sheet music. 00:06:12.938 --> 00:06:14.647 I hope you've learned it already. 00:06:14.647 --> 00:06:17.790 It's from Colossians 3:16, "Let the word 00:06:17.790 --> 00:06:20.950 of Christ dwell in you richly 00:06:20.950 --> 00:06:22.622 in all wisdom, teaching 00:06:22.622 --> 00:06:24.407 and admonishing one another." 00:06:24.407 --> 00:06:26.575 That's what we're praying today, right? 00:06:26.575 --> 00:06:27.893 Let's sing together. 00:06:27.893 --> 00:06:41.440 ♪ music ♪ 00:08:57.758 --> 00:08:59.332 (Derek) Well, I'm looking forward 00:08:59.332 --> 00:09:00.523 to our study today, Puia. 00:09:00.523 --> 00:09:03.190 Thanks for leading us in prayer. 00:09:03.190 --> 00:09:05.057 (Puia) Let us pray. 00:09:05.057 --> 00:09:07.846 Heavenly Father, God, we thank You so much 00:09:07.846 --> 00:09:10.563 for this opportunity to open Your words 00:09:10.563 --> 00:09:12.098 and study them. 00:09:12.098 --> 00:09:13.966 We pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance 00:09:13.966 --> 00:09:17.653 for each one of us here as well as all 00:09:17.653 --> 00:09:19.339 the Hope Sabbath School members 00:09:19.339 --> 00:09:20.711 around the world. 00:09:20.711 --> 00:09:22.542 Please bless us today 00:09:22.542 --> 00:09:24.795 with spiritual insights so we may 00:09:24.795 --> 00:09:27.631 see You clearer, so we may understand 00:09:27.631 --> 00:09:29.306 Your love better. 00:09:29.306 --> 00:09:31.561 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen 00:09:31.561 --> 00:09:33.418 (Derek, Team) Amen. 00:09:33.418 --> 00:09:35.259 (Puia) As we begin, I want to come 00:09:35.259 --> 00:09:37.506 to our viewers online wherever you 00:09:37.506 --> 00:09:38.664 may be joining us from. 00:09:38.664 --> 00:09:40.939 Thank you for joining us once again, 00:09:40.939 --> 00:09:42.608 and today we're going to be looking 00:09:42.608 --> 00:09:44.746 at a very important study 00:09:44.746 --> 00:09:46.915 on Understanding Sacrifice. 00:09:46.915 --> 00:09:48.867 We're going to look at the Bible 00:09:48.867 --> 00:09:51.138 from Genesis, we're going to fly 00:09:51.138 --> 00:09:53.024 through to Revelation, and we'll look 00:09:53.024 --> 00:09:56.681 at themes of sacrifice, and this theme 00:09:56.681 --> 00:09:59.144 will help us understand God better, 00:09:59.144 --> 00:10:01.813 specifically His love for us 00:10:01.813 --> 00:10:03.541 through the Person of Jesus Christ. 00:10:03.541 --> 00:10:05.984 So, stay with us, go get your Bibles, 00:10:05.984 --> 00:10:07.635 open the Bible along with us 00:10:07.635 --> 00:10:09.664 as we read them; I am sure that you 00:10:09.664 --> 00:10:11.149 will be blessed today. 00:10:11.149 --> 00:10:13.293 So, thank you for joining us. 00:10:13.293 --> 00:10:15.220 Alright, friends, we are now 00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:17.658 on lesson number six in this series 00:10:17.658 --> 00:10:19.463 as we're looking at Bible Prophecies 00:10:19.463 --> 00:10:22.112 and Stories for the Last Days. 00:10:22.112 --> 00:10:23.391 Today, this is going to be 00:10:23.391 --> 00:10:25.248 a very important study. 00:10:25.248 --> 00:10:28.234 For some of us, it may be a lesson 00:10:28.234 --> 00:10:29.886 that we may have studied before, 00:10:29.886 --> 00:10:31.628 and maybe you say, "Oh, I understand 00:10:31.628 --> 00:10:34.408 everything there is to understand about sacrifice." 00:10:34.408 --> 00:10:35.603 Oh, wait a minute. 00:10:35.603 --> 00:10:37.076 You'll see more, that there is 00:10:37.076 --> 00:10:39.283 so much more from the Bible 00:10:39.283 --> 00:10:42.021 about sacrifice and how it points 00:10:42.021 --> 00:10:43.917 to the love of God. 00:10:43.917 --> 00:10:46.792 If we are to take away one lesson 00:10:46.792 --> 00:10:48.421 from today, I'm going to say this 00:10:48.421 --> 00:10:51.074 ahead of time, there is one simple point 00:10:51.074 --> 00:10:53.226 that we need to take away: It's Jesus. 00:10:53.226 --> 00:10:54.993 (Team) Amen. 00:10:54.993 --> 00:10:56.159 (Puia) Sacrifice, Jesus, 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:57.444 and His love for us. 00:10:57.444 --> 00:11:00.980 So, let us go to Leviticus 00:11:00.980 --> 00:11:02.622 to begin our study, and I am going 00:11:02.622 --> 00:11:05.321 to ask Scott if you can start our lesson 00:11:05.321 --> 00:11:07.056 by reading Leviticus, 00:11:07.056 --> 00:11:09.715 chapter 1, verses 1 to 4. 00:11:09.715 --> 00:11:12.145 (Scott) Alright, Leviticus 1:1-4 00:11:12.145 --> 00:11:14.791 in the English Standard Version: 00:11:49.291 --> 00:11:51.162 (Puia) So, we see here 00:11:51.162 --> 00:11:53.694 the clear instructions from God 00:11:53.694 --> 00:11:55.606 through Moses to the children of Israel, 00:11:55.606 --> 00:11:56.996 how they are to bring 00:11:56.996 --> 00:12:01.397 sacrifice before God, a burnt offering. 00:12:01.397 --> 00:12:03.200 But, is this the first place we see 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:05.138 in the Bible about sacrifice? 00:12:05.138 --> 00:12:05.989 (Team) No. 00:12:05.989 --> 00:12:07.437 (Puia) Anyone want to bring us 00:12:07.437 --> 00:12:08.682 to, maybe, the first book 00:12:08.682 --> 00:12:10.042 of the Bible? Nicole? 00:12:10.042 --> 00:12:11.298 (Nicole) Well, in Genesis, 00:12:11.298 --> 00:12:13.767 Abel brought a sacrifice to the Lord... 00:12:13.767 --> 00:12:15.347 (Puia) Can you read that for us? 00:12:15.347 --> 00:12:16.498 I think it's in Genesis, 00:12:16.498 --> 00:12:17.773 chapter 4, verse 4. 00:12:17.773 --> 00:12:19.262 Let's go back to the first book 00:12:19.262 --> 00:12:20.303 of the Bible and see 00:12:20.303 --> 00:12:24.024 where we see this sacrifice. 00:12:24.024 --> 00:12:25.174 (Nicole) So, Genesis 4:4 00:12:25.174 --> 00:12:27.712 in the New International Version says: 00:12:39.146 --> 00:12:43.942 (Puia) Okay, so we find here a sacrifice, 00:12:43.942 --> 00:12:45.376 even all the way from Genesis. 00:12:45.376 --> 00:12:49.048 In fact, from reading Genesis 4, 00:12:49.048 --> 00:12:50.500 we can understand that God 00:12:50.500 --> 00:12:53.135 probably already gave them instructions 00:12:53.135 --> 00:12:55.155 on how to do sacrifices 00:12:55.155 --> 00:12:56.922 all the way back in Genesis, 00:12:56.922 --> 00:12:59.108 from Adam and Eve, right? 00:12:59.108 --> 00:13:01.257 We also see throughout the Bible, like 00:13:01.257 --> 00:13:04.447 Noah sacrificing to God, right? 00:13:04.447 --> 00:13:08.109 We also see other examples - Abraham. 00:13:08.109 --> 00:13:09.868 Anyone else from Genesis? 00:13:09.868 --> 00:13:10.869 (Scott) Job. 00:13:10.869 --> 00:13:12.772 (Puia) Job, yes, around that time, too, 00:13:12.772 --> 00:13:14.691 the early patriarch. Yes, Shawn. 00:13:14.691 --> 00:13:16.722 (Shawn) There may even be a sacrifice 00:13:16.722 --> 00:13:19.008 alluded to in Genesis 3. 00:13:19.008 --> 00:13:22.082 If we go and look at Genesis 3:21, 00:13:22.082 --> 00:13:25.050 it tells us that God made, for Adam and Eve, 00:13:25.050 --> 00:13:26.806 skins for them to wear. 00:13:26.806 --> 00:13:28.347 The question comes, where did He 00:13:28.347 --> 00:13:29.790 get the skins from? 00:13:29.790 --> 00:13:32.332 So, already He has promised the Messiah 00:13:32.332 --> 00:13:34.977 coming, in Genesis 3:15, and now He 00:13:34.977 --> 00:13:37.739 may be alluding to the sacrificial system 00:13:37.739 --> 00:13:38.828 of how they're covered 00:13:38.828 --> 00:13:40.042 from their sin as well. 00:13:40.042 --> 00:13:43.032 (Puia) So, in other words, Shawn, 00:13:43.032 --> 00:13:44.803 what you're saying is the purpose 00:13:44.803 --> 00:13:46.870 of the sacrifice, all the way 00:13:46.870 --> 00:13:49.235 from the beginning of Genesis, 00:13:49.235 --> 00:13:51.839 was to cover or to atone 00:13:51.839 --> 00:13:53.862 for the sins, right? 00:13:53.862 --> 00:13:55.686 Anyone else want to add on that point? 00:13:55.686 --> 00:13:57.043 (Derek) Puia, I think that's 00:13:57.043 --> 00:13:59.003 a really good point; this isn't something 00:13:59.003 --> 00:14:01.905 that people thought up. 00:14:01.905 --> 00:14:04.065 If it was, it would have been unfair 00:14:04.065 --> 00:14:07.345 of God to say, "I accept Abel's sacrifice, 00:14:07.345 --> 00:14:11.375 but I don't accept Cain's fruit offering." 00:14:11.375 --> 00:14:13.095 Clearly, God had explained 00:14:13.095 --> 00:14:15.947 not only what to do, but as Shawn 00:14:15.947 --> 00:14:19.997 pointed out, the significance, right, 00:14:19.997 --> 00:14:22.620 that it symbolized what God 00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:25.153 was going to do to provide salvation. 00:14:25.153 --> 00:14:29.210 (Puia) Right. Back in Leviticus 00:14:29.210 --> 00:14:33.084 where we read, Leviticus, chapter 1, 00:14:33.084 --> 00:14:34.940 that Scott read for us, there is 00:14:34.940 --> 00:14:36.731 a very interesting instruction 00:14:36.731 --> 00:14:40.998 that God gave to Moses in verse 4. 00:14:40.998 --> 00:14:42.933 God said, "He shall put his hand 00:14:42.933 --> 00:14:46.578 on the head of the burnt offering." 00:14:46.578 --> 00:14:48.701 What do you think that symbolizes 00:14:48.701 --> 00:14:50.523 when you put your hand on the animal 00:14:50.523 --> 00:14:53.218 that is about to be sacrificed? Scott. 00:14:53.218 --> 00:14:56.387 (Scott) There is a symbolic transference. 00:14:56.387 --> 00:14:59.825 The sinner's sin is now transferred 00:14:59.825 --> 00:15:02.193 to the sacrifice, just in the same way 00:15:02.193 --> 00:15:05.230 that Jesus bore our sins when He offered 00:15:05.230 --> 00:15:06.528 His life as a sacrifice. 00:15:06.528 --> 00:15:08.451 (Puia) Alright, so you are going ahead 00:15:08.451 --> 00:15:11.685 to the ultimate point of this sacrifice, 00:15:11.685 --> 00:15:13.548 but thank you for pointing that out. 00:15:13.548 --> 00:15:16.070 So, in other words, this animal, 00:15:16.070 --> 00:15:20.791 this innocent animal, died 00:15:20.791 --> 00:15:22.961 on behalf of the sinner. 00:15:22.961 --> 00:15:25.453 And so, as the sinner put his hands 00:15:25.453 --> 00:15:27.449 on the animal, symbolically the sin 00:15:27.449 --> 00:15:28.908 is transferred to that animal, 00:15:28.908 --> 00:15:31.039 and so the animal paid 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:33.875 for the sin of the sinner. 00:15:33.875 --> 00:15:37.616 So, there is a deep symbolic transference, 00:15:37.616 --> 00:15:42.230 symbolic sacrifice that we see from this. 00:15:42.230 --> 00:15:46.003 Now, let's jump all the way to 1 Kings, 00:15:46.003 --> 00:15:48.274 chapter 8, and let me request Sophia 00:15:48.274 --> 00:15:50.240 to read this for us, 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:54.203 1 Kings, chapter 8, verses 62 to 63, 00:15:54.203 --> 00:15:57.402 and let's look at the sacrifice 00:15:57.402 --> 00:15:59.567 in which King Solomon led out 00:15:59.567 --> 00:16:02.950 as they dedicate the new temple. 00:16:02.950 --> 00:16:04.306 (Sophia) And I'll be reading 00:16:04.306 --> 00:16:05.873 from the New King James Version: 00:16:27.361 --> 00:16:29.090 (Puia) Wow! How many animals? 00:16:29.090 --> 00:16:31.541 Twenty-two thousand bulls, 00:16:31.541 --> 00:16:36.142 and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep - that's a lot! 00:16:36.142 --> 00:16:37.711 (Joshua) That's a whole lot. 00:16:37.711 --> 00:16:39.282 (Puia) Joshua, that's a whole lot 00:16:39.282 --> 00:16:40.812 of animals, right, you just said 00:16:40.812 --> 00:16:42.111 that's a whole lot. 00:16:42.111 --> 00:16:45.064 For someone like me who became 00:16:45.064 --> 00:16:47.433 a vegetarian as a result 00:16:47.433 --> 00:16:50.956 of watching animals suffering, 00:16:50.956 --> 00:16:52.268 this number is a lot. 00:16:52.268 --> 00:16:54.223 I remember I was in college, 00:16:54.223 --> 00:16:56.449 and one of our professors in college 00:16:56.449 --> 00:16:58.072 showed us this documentary 00:16:58.072 --> 00:17:01.294 of how much the animal kingdom 00:17:01.294 --> 00:17:02.440 is suffering as a result 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:04.171 of human consumption. 00:17:04.171 --> 00:17:05.986 And after watching that documentary, 00:17:05.986 --> 00:17:08.790 I was moved; I was like, "I have 00:17:08.790 --> 00:17:10.427 to become a vegetarian." 00:17:10.427 --> 00:17:12.782 So, from college, I decided to stop 00:17:12.782 --> 00:17:15.161 eating animal meat. 00:17:15.161 --> 00:17:16.939 And as I am reading this, 00:17:16.939 --> 00:17:21.516 22,000 bulls, 120,000 sheep, 00:17:21.516 --> 00:17:23.958 how do you explain this? 00:17:23.958 --> 00:17:26.068 Or, what are your thoughts 00:17:26.068 --> 00:17:28.545 about this massive number of animals 00:17:28.545 --> 00:17:29.956 being sacrificed? Derek. 00:17:29.956 --> 00:17:33.507 (Derek) Puia, I struggle with this, 00:17:33.507 --> 00:17:36.365 because I don't see God asking 00:17:36.365 --> 00:17:39.782 for such a massive amount of slaughter. 00:17:39.782 --> 00:17:43.897 It makes me wonder if there is 00:17:43.897 --> 00:17:47.947 a misunderstanding coming, that more 00:17:47.947 --> 00:17:51.053 of them would be better. 00:17:51.053 --> 00:17:53.860 But, actually it's a symbol, 00:17:53.860 --> 00:17:57.270 so wouldn't a symbol 00:17:57.270 --> 00:18:00.974 of one be significant? 00:18:00.974 --> 00:18:03.827 I don't know; I struggle with that. 00:18:03.827 --> 00:18:06.189 It's like saying, "I'll confess my sin, 00:18:06.189 --> 00:18:08.915 but maybe if I did it 100 times 00:18:08.915 --> 00:18:11.661 over and over again, God would be 00:18:11.661 --> 00:18:13.703 more pleased with me." 00:18:13.703 --> 00:18:15.275 And that's not the character 00:18:15.275 --> 00:18:16.987 of God that we know. 00:18:16.987 --> 00:18:18.674 (Puia) We don't see any instruction 00:18:18.674 --> 00:18:23.959 from God for that massive number, right? Joshua? 00:18:23.959 --> 00:18:25.119 (Joshua) I mean, that's 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.568 a ridiculous amount. 00:18:26.568 --> 00:18:28.630 And I'm just thinking about it, 00:18:28.630 --> 00:18:30.526 because I once went to an event 00:18:30.526 --> 00:18:32.808 where there were 50,000 people there 00:18:32.808 --> 00:18:34.714 all at the same time, and it was 00:18:34.714 --> 00:18:38.391 just an amazing amount of people. 00:18:38.391 --> 00:18:42.418 So, I'm just here picturing 22,000 bulls 00:18:42.418 --> 00:18:45.117 and 120,000 sheep, and I'm thinking, 00:18:45.117 --> 00:18:47.079 how did they clean that up? 00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:49.304 And on top of that, I mean, Solomon 00:18:49.304 --> 00:18:51.135 was an extremely rich man, 00:18:51.135 --> 00:18:52.521 the richest who ever lived, 00:18:52.521 --> 00:18:56.337 so perhaps in his material wealth 00:18:56.337 --> 00:19:00.889 he wanted to reflect the level 00:19:00.889 --> 00:19:03.779 of spiritual sacrifice he could make. 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:04.979 (Puia) I see a few hands. 00:19:04.979 --> 00:19:06.662 Let me come to our remote, Rodney, 00:19:06.662 --> 00:19:09.415 Alex, then Zandile. 00:19:09.415 --> 00:19:11.135 (Rodney) Puia, I appreciate the fact 00:19:11.135 --> 00:19:12.481 that we are actually walking 00:19:12.481 --> 00:19:14.052 through the Scriptures 00:19:14.052 --> 00:19:17.424 on the sacrificial system, and Shawn 00:19:17.424 --> 00:19:19.808 brought us to a very important point 00:19:19.808 --> 00:19:22.927 from the very inception, which is, 00:19:22.927 --> 00:19:25.147 in Genesis 3, verse 15, it speaks 00:19:25.147 --> 00:19:27.986 to the fact (I'm just paraphrasing) that there is 00:19:27.986 --> 00:19:32.349 a deliberate and intentional connection 00:19:32.349 --> 00:19:37.283 between sin and sacrifice 00:19:37.283 --> 00:19:39.710 at ultimate delivery. 00:19:39.710 --> 00:19:41.756 In other words, Genesis 3:15 brings us 00:19:41.756 --> 00:19:44.816 to the point that says we have sinned, 00:19:44.816 --> 00:19:46.611 and there is a Messiah who is to come 00:19:46.611 --> 00:19:48.059 who is the ultimate sacrifice. 00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:49.297 So, here it is now, we are 00:19:49.297 --> 00:19:52.547 at, back to Joshua's point, 120,000 sheep 00:19:52.547 --> 00:19:53.942 and 22,000 bulls. 00:19:53.942 --> 00:19:56.670 I think the intent there is 00:19:56.670 --> 00:19:59.063 to really demonstrate the depth 00:19:59.063 --> 00:20:03.000 at which sin has taken us away from God. 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:07.084 And so, that chasm cannot be crossed 00:20:07.084 --> 00:20:10.177 by 120,00 sheep and 22,000 bulls. 00:20:10.177 --> 00:20:13.261 It had to be bridged 00:20:13.261 --> 00:20:15.470 by the Son of God Himself. 00:20:15.470 --> 00:20:17.109 And so, it brings to the fore 00:20:17.109 --> 00:20:20.591 the real gravity of sin and what it takes 00:20:20.591 --> 00:20:23.367 God to do for us to save us, 00:20:23.367 --> 00:20:25.193 ultimately, from sin. 00:20:25.193 --> 00:20:26.383 (Puia) Thank you, Rodney, 00:20:26.383 --> 00:20:27.976 for this point. Alex? 00:20:27.976 --> 00:20:29.541 (Alex) Yes, and all the comments 00:20:29.541 --> 00:20:33.233 are very [good] because God... 00:20:33.233 --> 00:20:34.926 That's a horrible sight to see, 00:20:34.926 --> 00:20:37.367 all those animals, just slaughtered, 00:20:37.367 --> 00:20:39.654 and that's exactly how God wants us 00:20:39.654 --> 00:20:41.573 to see this whole process. 00:20:41.573 --> 00:20:45.283 The sin issue is not a beautiful sight, 00:20:45.283 --> 00:20:47.326 but by the grace of God, He will 00:20:47.326 --> 00:20:48.934 deliver us from it. 00:20:48.934 --> 00:20:50.902 (Puia) Okay. Zandile? 00:20:50.902 --> 00:20:51.874 (Zandile) I'm coming 00:20:51.874 --> 00:20:53.083 from a different angle. 00:20:53.083 --> 00:20:54.615 When I was going through it, 00:20:54.615 --> 00:20:55.983 I saw the willingness 00:20:55.983 --> 00:20:57.808 of the people to give. 00:20:57.808 --> 00:20:59.741 To me, it spoke to the gratitude 00:20:59.741 --> 00:21:00.802 of human beings. 00:21:00.802 --> 00:21:03.343 They were fully blessed by God 00:21:03.343 --> 00:21:06.327 for them to give such a huge number 00:21:06.327 --> 00:21:08.436 of sacrifices, and God accepts 00:21:08.436 --> 00:21:09.999 their sacrifices anyway. 00:21:09.999 --> 00:21:13.257 So, it was more like, "Are we willing to give God as much as... 00:21:13.257 --> 00:21:15.070 (Derek) I stand corrected. 00:21:15.070 --> 00:21:17.392 It may be it was exactly what God 00:21:17.392 --> 00:21:19.225 wanted to happen, and it does show 00:21:19.225 --> 00:21:23.724 the gravity of sin and the appreciation. 00:21:23.724 --> 00:21:25.864 I'll have to ask when we 00:21:25.864 --> 00:21:28.134 get to Heaven, on that one. 00:21:28.134 --> 00:21:29.331 (Puia) This is the beauty 00:21:29.331 --> 00:21:30.582 of this discussion, right; 00:21:30.582 --> 00:21:32.475 it's in-depth, interactive, because we 00:21:32.475 --> 00:21:33.996 may have different perspectives, 00:21:33.996 --> 00:21:35.333 and hearing different angles 00:21:35.333 --> 00:21:37.070 gives us a bigger picture. 00:21:37.070 --> 00:21:38.948 And as I was reading this, 00:21:38.948 --> 00:21:42.229 I remembered that in another place, 00:21:42.229 --> 00:21:45.370 in 2 Chronicles, chapter 7, 00:21:45.370 --> 00:21:48.138 this same story is described, 00:21:48.138 --> 00:21:49.822 but in 2 Chronicles we are told 00:21:49.822 --> 00:21:53.005 that as Solomon prayed to God 00:21:53.005 --> 00:21:54.404 in dedication of the temple, 00:21:54.404 --> 00:21:55.982 the new temple that was built, 00:21:55.982 --> 00:21:58.345 God filled the whole temple 00:21:58.345 --> 00:22:00.150 with His presence, right, 00:22:00.150 --> 00:22:02.995 that the priests could not enter 00:22:02.995 --> 00:22:05.255 the temple because the presence 00:22:05.255 --> 00:22:08.924 of God was so huge. 00:22:08.924 --> 00:22:10.577 And so, we saw that God 00:22:10.577 --> 00:22:13.510 accepted the sacrifice. 00:22:13.510 --> 00:22:17.025 But still, even without that big number, 00:22:17.025 --> 00:22:19.148 if you think about it, every day, 00:22:19.148 --> 00:22:21.016 sacrificing an animal every day, 00:22:21.016 --> 00:22:23.012 think about the number of animals 00:22:23.012 --> 00:22:25.459 that were sacrificed on a regular basis. 00:22:25.459 --> 00:22:27.614 It still is a huge number, 00:22:27.614 --> 00:22:29.566 and what I learned for myself personally 00:22:29.566 --> 00:22:32.227 from this was that it was so unfair 00:22:32.227 --> 00:22:35.036 for that animal, and it was so unjust 00:22:35.036 --> 00:22:36.002 for that animal. 00:22:36.002 --> 00:22:37.638 What did that animal do, what did 00:22:37.638 --> 00:22:39.411 that lamb do, what did that sheep do, 00:22:39.411 --> 00:22:40.667 what did that bull do 00:22:40.667 --> 00:22:45.144 to deserve that death? Nothing, right? 00:22:45.144 --> 00:22:48.231 Naturally, there was the lesson there, 00:22:48.231 --> 00:22:50.290 because it was pointing forward. 00:22:50.290 --> 00:22:52.169 God was trying to teach them 00:22:52.169 --> 00:22:55.804 that there is going to come a Savior 00:22:55.804 --> 00:22:57.694 who is just, who is loving, 00:22:57.694 --> 00:23:00.780 who doesn't deserve to die. 00:23:00.780 --> 00:23:02.338 And yet, He is going to die 00:23:02.338 --> 00:23:03.946 on behalf of sinners. 00:23:03.946 --> 00:23:06.225 This was all pointing forward. 00:23:06.225 --> 00:23:09.137 So, someone may be watching today 00:23:09.137 --> 00:23:11.178 and may be saying, "When I look 00:23:11.178 --> 00:23:12.710 at the Old Testament, when I see 00:23:12.710 --> 00:23:15.949 all these sacrifices, this is so unfair, 00:23:15.949 --> 00:23:17.454 this is so cruel!" 00:23:17.454 --> 00:23:18.933 Well, my friend, that may be 00:23:18.933 --> 00:23:20.573 the lesson we need to learn, 00:23:20.573 --> 00:23:22.425 that the death of Jesus that was 00:23:22.425 --> 00:23:25.702 foreshadowed by this death of animals 00:23:25.702 --> 00:23:28.039 tells us that the death of Christ 00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:29.514 in other words is so cruel, 00:23:29.514 --> 00:23:31.420 that this is what sin does. 00:23:31.420 --> 00:23:33.603 This is the price for dying 00:23:33.603 --> 00:23:35.964 on behalf of the sinner. 00:23:35.964 --> 00:23:38.243 Let's continue our study. 00:23:38.243 --> 00:23:41.453 Now, this time let's go to Isaiah, 00:23:41.453 --> 00:23:45.264 chapter 1, verses 10 to 11, and let me 00:23:45.264 --> 00:23:48.350 request Stephanie to read this for us, 00:23:48.350 --> 00:23:51.364 Isaiah, chapter 1, verses 10 to 11, 00:23:51.364 --> 00:23:53.789 and let's see how God responds 00:23:53.789 --> 00:23:56.535 to the peoples' sacrifice by this time. 00:23:56.535 --> 00:23:58.036 (Stephanie) And I'll be reading 00:23:58.036 --> 00:23:59.572 from the New King James Version: 00:24:24.820 --> 00:24:26.215 (Puia) What can we learn 00:24:26.215 --> 00:24:29.958 from this clear Word of God, Scott? 00:24:29.958 --> 00:24:31.639 (Scott) This shows that the point 00:24:31.639 --> 00:24:34.980 of sacrifices was never the sacrifice. 00:24:34.980 --> 00:24:38.135 The point was what was going on behind it. 00:24:38.135 --> 00:24:41.179 And so, you can kill all 00:24:41.179 --> 00:24:43.554 the cattle you want, but if your heart 00:24:43.554 --> 00:24:46.537 is not affected by it, if it doesn't 00:24:46.537 --> 00:24:48.860 change your life, then it's done nothing. 00:24:48.860 --> 00:24:53.265 Yeah, Jesus died, not just so we can say, 00:24:53.265 --> 00:24:54.805 "Oh, yeah, He died," but He died 00:24:54.805 --> 00:24:57.160 because He wants to change our lives. 00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:59.069 (Puia) Okay, Kylynda. 00:24:59.069 --> 00:25:01.072 (Kylynda) I was thinking this is an example 00:25:01.072 --> 00:25:04.017 of how it's easy to commodify 00:25:04.017 --> 00:25:06.381 salvation and God, you know. 00:25:06.381 --> 00:25:08.492 Kind of a modern example, we think, 00:25:08.492 --> 00:25:10.915 "Well, if I just give this money," 00:25:10.915 --> 00:25:13.545 "If I just donate this item," 00:25:13.545 --> 00:25:15.981 "If I just purchase this for the church, 00:25:15.981 --> 00:25:19.050 well, then I'm in a right space with God." 00:25:19.050 --> 00:25:21.185 And we see this throughout history, 00:25:21.185 --> 00:25:23.904 and I think for some Israelites, maybe it 00:25:23.904 --> 00:25:26.473 had become rote, "Okay, well, here's 00:25:26.473 --> 00:25:28.442 this sheep; alright, I'll go 00:25:28.442 --> 00:25:30.714 to my temple visit and give up the sheep, 00:25:30.714 --> 00:25:32.988 and we're good." 00:25:32.988 --> 00:25:37.628 But, God is a God of immeasurable wealth. 00:25:37.628 --> 00:25:41.532 Anything that we give is nothing, right? 00:25:41.532 --> 00:25:44.615 And so, when we actually give something 00:25:44.615 --> 00:25:46.423 like the Israelites were required to, 00:25:46.423 --> 00:25:48.310 a sacrifice - which, God 00:25:48.310 --> 00:25:50.388 doesn't love bloodshed - and they're 00:25:50.388 --> 00:25:53.183 doing it without a change of heart, 00:25:53.183 --> 00:25:54.396 that's a dangerous space. 00:25:54.396 --> 00:25:56.368 (Puia) Thank you for pointing it out. 00:25:56.368 --> 00:25:59.357 I think it's very easy even for us today 00:25:59.357 --> 00:26:02.173 to look at our relationship with God 00:26:02.173 --> 00:26:04.595 through that lens of religious traditions 00:26:04.595 --> 00:26:06.440 and kind of like a checklist... 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.217 (Derek) Rituals. 00:26:07.217 --> 00:26:08.302 (Puia) Right, rituals, 00:26:08.302 --> 00:26:10.229 and just a checklist, "Okay, let me 00:26:10.229 --> 00:26:11.950 check this box: I've done this, 00:26:11.950 --> 00:26:13.513 I've done that, I've done that" 00:26:13.513 --> 00:26:15.925 without trying to understand 00:26:15.925 --> 00:26:18.861 what God is trying to teach us internally. 00:26:18.861 --> 00:26:21.128 Derek, you mentioned the sacrifice 00:26:21.128 --> 00:26:22.680 that God accepted 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:25.846 between Abel and Cain, right? 00:26:25.846 --> 00:26:28.554 God accepted the sacrifice of Abel 00:26:28.554 --> 00:26:32.523 but rejected Cain, why was that? Nicole. 00:26:32.523 --> 00:26:34.252 (Nicole) It's a heart issue 00:26:34.252 --> 00:26:35.642 as it's been said before. 00:26:35.642 --> 00:26:36.936 I think that the Lord wants 00:26:36.936 --> 00:26:38.047 a relationship with us. 00:26:38.047 --> 00:26:39.417 He wants to be in our hearts 00:26:39.417 --> 00:26:40.867 and not just in our behaviors. 00:26:40.867 --> 00:26:42.547 And so, we have to get to the place 00:26:42.547 --> 00:26:43.925 where our hearts are with Him 00:26:43.925 --> 00:26:46.014 and not just what we're doing 00:26:46.014 --> 00:26:47.455 that shows who He is. 00:26:47.455 --> 00:26:49.084 (Puia) That's right. Rodney. 00:26:49.084 --> 00:26:50.404 And after Rodney's comment, 00:26:50.404 --> 00:26:53.904 I want to ask Shawn to get ready 00:26:53.904 --> 00:26:57.322 with Hebrews, chapter 10, verses 1 to 4. 00:26:57.322 --> 00:26:58.826 Rodney, your comment, please. 00:26:58.826 --> 00:27:00.789 (Rodney) Puia, may I read Isaiah, 00:27:00.789 --> 00:27:02.503 chapter 1, a little bit further down 00:27:02.503 --> 00:27:04.890 in that very same chapter, to indicate 00:27:04.890 --> 00:27:07.565 what God was truly interested in, 00:27:07.565 --> 00:27:09.032 Isaiah, chapter 1... 00:27:09.032 --> 00:27:09.972 (Puia) Okay. 00:27:09.972 --> 00:27:11.993 (Rodney) ...verses 16 to 18. 00:27:11.993 --> 00:27:14.762 (Puia) Give us some time to find that... 00:27:14.762 --> 00:27:16.578 (Rodney) And while we're reading that, 00:27:16.578 --> 00:27:18.714 as we said earlier, Israel had gotten 00:27:18.714 --> 00:27:20.059 to the point now, when this 00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:22.388 just became like a ritual, 00:27:22.388 --> 00:27:24.536 it's like what we do day in and day out, 00:27:24.536 --> 00:27:27.122 it really lost its meaning 00:27:27.122 --> 00:27:29.958 in pointing people towards Jesus 00:27:29.958 --> 00:27:30.885 who was going to be 00:27:30.885 --> 00:27:32.301 the ultimate Sacrifice 00:27:32.301 --> 00:27:33.665 for all of our sins. 00:27:33.665 --> 00:27:35.691 And here is what God is now interested in, 00:27:35.691 --> 00:27:38.500 Isaiah 1, verses 16 to 18, and I'm reading 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:41.599 from the New King James Version, it says: 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:05.897 Then verse 18, and I love it; it says: 00:28:21.688 --> 00:28:22.891 (Puia) Thank you, Rodney, 00:28:22.891 --> 00:28:24.088 for pointing that out. 00:28:24.088 --> 00:28:25.621 I think this connects very well 00:28:25.621 --> 00:28:27.098 with the next verse that Shawn 00:28:27.098 --> 00:28:28.831 will be reading for us from Hebrews, 00:28:28.831 --> 00:28:30.439 chapter 10, verses 1 to 4. 00:28:30.439 --> 00:28:31.834 (Shawn) Yes, I'll be reading 00:28:31.834 --> 00:28:37.206 Hebrews 10:1-4 from the English Standard Version. 00:28:37.206 --> 00:28:39.057 Hebrews 10, verse 1: 00:29:28.148 --> 00:29:29.978 (Puia) Okay, so from that text, 00:29:29.978 --> 00:29:31.727 it's very clear that the blood 00:29:31.727 --> 00:29:32.839 of the animal itself 00:29:32.839 --> 00:29:36.509 cannot take away the sin. 00:29:36.509 --> 00:29:39.548 So, what was God trying to teach them? 00:29:39.548 --> 00:29:41.855 I think in verse 1 it hinted that, right? 00:29:41.855 --> 00:29:43.352 There's that word; I don't know 00:29:43.352 --> 00:29:45.158 about your version, but in my version, 00:29:45.158 --> 00:29:46.871 the New King James Version, it says, 00:29:46.871 --> 00:29:49.729 "a shadow of the good things to come," 00:29:49.729 --> 00:29:53.600 so all the sacrifices were 00:29:53.600 --> 00:29:56.993 just a shadow of a greater thing 00:29:56.993 --> 00:29:58.173 that was to come. 00:29:58.173 --> 00:29:59.520 As we have hinted at before, 00:29:59.520 --> 00:30:02.724 it was pointing forward to something 00:30:02.724 --> 00:30:04.529 that was real. Scott. 00:30:04.529 --> 00:30:06.380 (Scott) One of the major themes 00:30:06.380 --> 00:30:08.432 in the book of Hebrews is 00:30:08.432 --> 00:30:11.385 how Jesus is better, right? 00:30:11.385 --> 00:30:14.388 And so, Jesus is a better sacrifice, 00:30:14.388 --> 00:30:16.127 there's a better priesthood, 00:30:16.127 --> 00:30:17.332 better all these things. 00:30:17.332 --> 00:30:20.027 But in this case, the animal sacrifices 00:30:20.027 --> 00:30:21.812 pointed to a better sacrifice, 00:30:21.812 --> 00:30:22.835 that of Jesus. 00:30:22.835 --> 00:30:24.232 A sacrifice of animals, 00:30:24.232 --> 00:30:25.918 that couldn't take away sins, 00:30:25.918 --> 00:30:27.393 but Jesus' death on the cross 00:30:27.393 --> 00:30:28.443 does have that ability 00:30:28.443 --> 00:30:29.764 to take away sins. 00:30:29.764 --> 00:30:32.476 (Puia) Right, so if we put ourselves 00:30:32.476 --> 00:30:34.292 in the shoes of the people living 00:30:34.292 --> 00:30:36.709 before the time of Jesus, 00:30:36.709 --> 00:30:38.919 they were looking forward to this event 00:30:38.919 --> 00:30:41.948 of the coming of the Messiah, a Savior. 00:30:41.948 --> 00:30:45.983 And by participating in that sacrifice, 00:30:45.983 --> 00:30:50.467 they were receiving the gift of salvation 00:30:50.467 --> 00:30:53.543 and the forgiveness of sin in advance 00:30:53.543 --> 00:30:56.560 in symbolic traditions. 00:30:56.560 --> 00:30:59.333 It's almost like when you buy 00:30:59.333 --> 00:31:01.423 a ticket before traveling. 00:31:01.423 --> 00:31:02.887 Let's say you purchase 00:31:02.887 --> 00:31:05.256 a plane ticket to travel somewhere, 00:31:05.256 --> 00:31:07.582 and you have been given that ticket 00:31:07.582 --> 00:31:08.438 through your email 00:31:08.438 --> 00:31:10.561 or through your cell phone. 00:31:10.561 --> 00:31:11.986 By looking at that ticket, 00:31:11.986 --> 00:31:14.449 you are able to see... 00:31:14.449 --> 00:31:17.051 The ticket is like a symbol 00:31:17.051 --> 00:31:18.919 of the journey to come. 00:31:18.919 --> 00:31:21.104 And then once you are on the plane 00:31:21.104 --> 00:31:23.574 actually traveling, the plane ticket 00:31:23.574 --> 00:31:26.087 had served its purpose, right? 00:31:26.087 --> 00:31:29.415 So, all the sacrifices of the animals 00:31:29.415 --> 00:31:31.317 were just symbolic representations 00:31:31.317 --> 00:31:34.968 of the actual event that was to come. 00:31:34.968 --> 00:31:37.772 And when that did come, the sacrifices 00:31:37.772 --> 00:31:40.054 would have met their end, right? 00:31:40.054 --> 00:31:42.360 They would have served their purpose. 00:31:42.360 --> 00:31:45.238 Now, let's go back to Exodus and see 00:31:45.238 --> 00:31:47.508 this even clearer about how it was 00:31:47.508 --> 00:31:49.496 pointing forward to the coming 00:31:49.496 --> 00:31:50.634 of the Messiah. 00:31:50.634 --> 00:31:52.043 Let me request Shaina to read 00:31:52.043 --> 00:31:54.690 for us Exodus, chapter 12. 00:31:54.690 --> 00:31:57.641 If you can read for us verses 1 to 8, 00:31:57.641 --> 00:32:01.621 verses 1 to 8 of Exodus 12, please. 00:32:01.621 --> 00:32:03.296 (Shaina) Sure, and I'll be reading 00:32:03.296 --> 00:32:05.362 from the New King James Version: 00:33:25.735 --> 00:33:27.816 (Puia) Thank you for reading that. 00:33:27.816 --> 00:33:32.367 So, we see this symbolic representation 00:33:32.367 --> 00:33:34.236 of the coming event once again, 00:33:34.236 --> 00:33:36.058 but at this time they were 00:33:36.058 --> 00:33:38.187 still in Egypt as slaves, right? 00:33:38.187 --> 00:33:40.326 They were still slaves, and God was 00:33:40.326 --> 00:33:41.467 just about to bring them 00:33:41.467 --> 00:33:43.020 out of their slavery. 00:33:43.020 --> 00:33:44.865 So as they sacrificed this animal, 00:33:44.865 --> 00:33:46.513 a lamb without blemish, 00:33:46.513 --> 00:33:47.801 they were to take the blood 00:33:47.801 --> 00:33:49.663 and put it on the doorpost, 00:33:49.663 --> 00:33:51.898 and God was saying 00:33:51.898 --> 00:33:53.324 something was about to happen. 00:33:53.324 --> 00:33:54.798 Let's continue; Shaina, can you 00:33:54.798 --> 00:33:56.851 take us to verses 12 and 13? 00:33:56.851 --> 00:33:58.956 Let's just conclude this part of the story 00:33:58.956 --> 00:34:02.226 in verses 12 and 13 of Exodus 12. 00:34:02.226 --> 00:34:03.954 (Shaina) Sure, and I will be reading 00:34:03.954 --> 00:34:06.056 from the New King James Version: 00:34:38.781 --> 00:34:40.473 (Puia) Okay, so God is saying, 00:34:40.473 --> 00:34:43.797 "I will pass over the house 00:34:43.797 --> 00:34:47.690 wherever there is blood on the door." 00:34:47.690 --> 00:34:49.409 What important insight is God 00:34:49.409 --> 00:34:51.829 trying to teach them here? Shawn. 00:34:51.829 --> 00:34:54.504 (Shawn) What I love about this passage 00:34:54.504 --> 00:34:56.142 is that it just shows how powerful 00:34:56.142 --> 00:34:58.268 our salvation really is. 00:34:58.268 --> 00:34:59.736 And what strikes me is that, 00:34:59.736 --> 00:35:02.591 as God passed through, He did not ask 00:35:02.591 --> 00:35:04.732 who was inside, He did not ask 00:35:04.732 --> 00:35:06.793 what they did, He did not ask 00:35:06.793 --> 00:35:08.789 for a recounting of their wrongs. 00:35:08.789 --> 00:35:10.978 All He looked for was if the blood 00:35:10.978 --> 00:35:12.850 of the lamb was on the door. 00:35:12.850 --> 00:35:15.535 And if the blood of the lamb covered them, 00:35:15.535 --> 00:35:17.904 it was enough for Him to pass over. 00:35:17.904 --> 00:35:20.423 And that's what Jesus does for us as well. 00:35:20.423 --> 00:35:22.182 As Scott was alluding to earlier 00:35:22.182 --> 00:35:24.794 with the transfer of the sacrifice, 00:35:24.794 --> 00:35:26.652 when we have accepted Jesus, 00:35:26.652 --> 00:35:29.048 His life covers ours. 00:35:29.048 --> 00:35:30.783 His character is counted as if it 00:35:30.783 --> 00:35:33.003 was our own, and God looks at you 00:35:33.003 --> 00:35:34.711 as if you have never sinned, 00:35:34.711 --> 00:35:35.695 and you experience 00:35:35.695 --> 00:35:37.627 that great Passover in your life. 00:35:37.627 --> 00:35:39.779 (Puia) That is beautiful. 00:35:39.779 --> 00:35:42.574 In fact, if we had time, and I wish 00:35:42.574 --> 00:35:43.490 we could read more, 00:35:43.490 --> 00:35:45.655 it's a very interesting story. 00:35:45.655 --> 00:35:47.691 God even instructed them that they 00:35:47.691 --> 00:35:50.480 were to celebrate this every single year 00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:52.907 moving forward, right, as a remembrance 00:35:52.907 --> 00:35:54.645 of how God delivered them 00:35:54.645 --> 00:35:56.902 out of Egypt from slavery. 00:35:56.902 --> 00:35:58.181 And so, this was to become 00:35:58.181 --> 00:36:00.266 a memorial every year. 00:36:00.266 --> 00:36:03.017 And as we fast forward, Rodney, 00:36:03.017 --> 00:36:04.467 can I ask you to take us 00:36:04.467 --> 00:36:09.609 to Matthew 26, verses 17 to 18, 00:36:09.609 --> 00:36:12.635 and let's see what Jesus does 00:36:12.635 --> 00:36:15.979 on this Passover celebration 00:36:15.979 --> 00:36:18.164 when Jesus was here on Earth, 00:36:18.164 --> 00:36:20.149 moving forward to Matthew 26, 00:36:20.149 --> 00:36:22.732 verses 17 and 18, please. 00:36:22.732 --> 00:36:23.890 (Rodney) And I'm reading 00:36:23.890 --> 00:36:25.490 from the New King James Version: 00:36:52.606 --> 00:36:54.808 (Puia) And can you quickly take us also 00:36:54.808 --> 00:36:56.787 to verses 26 to 30 00:36:56.787 --> 00:36:59.667 of the same chapter, Matthew 26. 00:36:59.667 --> 00:37:00.741 (Rodney) Still reading 00:37:00.741 --> 00:37:02.319 from the New King James Version: 00:37:49.457 --> 00:37:52.525 (Puia) Okay, so Jesus was here on Earth, 00:37:52.525 --> 00:37:56.404 and it was the Passover celebration time 00:37:56.404 --> 00:38:00.558 of that year, and Jesus instituted 00:38:00.558 --> 00:38:02.336 basically a new institution 00:38:02.336 --> 00:38:05.800 but based on the same principle. 00:38:05.800 --> 00:38:07.547 What is Jesus trying to teach 00:38:07.547 --> 00:38:09.950 His disciples through this institution 00:38:09.950 --> 00:38:12.012 of the Lord's Supper 00:38:12.012 --> 00:38:15.838 on Passover celebration time? 00:38:15.838 --> 00:38:19.194 Anyone? Okay, I see Shaina 00:38:19.194 --> 00:38:22.988 and Rodney, yes. 00:38:22.988 --> 00:38:24.920 (Shaina) So, ultimately Jesus was trying 00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:28.061 to show them that these symbols, 00:38:28.061 --> 00:38:31.514 these processes that the Jewish nation 00:38:31.514 --> 00:38:33.843 had been practicing for these centuries 00:38:33.843 --> 00:38:35.311 at this point, 00:38:35.311 --> 00:38:38.424 He was coming to finally fulfill it 00:38:38.424 --> 00:38:40.739 and ultimately put an end to this system 00:38:40.739 --> 00:38:43.743 because He is the ultimate Lamb. 00:38:43.743 --> 00:38:45.856 He is the Passover, 00:38:45.856 --> 00:38:49.012 the initial Passover Lamb, 00:38:49.012 --> 00:38:50.094 that was sacrificed 00:38:50.094 --> 00:38:52.885 whose blood covered households. 00:38:52.885 --> 00:38:54.658 Now, His blood would cover 00:38:54.658 --> 00:38:55.834 the entire world. 00:38:55.834 --> 00:38:58.536 And so, He was demonstrating it. 00:38:58.536 --> 00:39:02.699 It's so...I don't know, it's so important 00:39:02.699 --> 00:39:04.365 that He did it at the exact time 00:39:04.365 --> 00:39:09.180 that that first Passover happened, too. 00:39:09.180 --> 00:39:10.848 (Puia) Right, in other words, Jesus 00:39:10.848 --> 00:39:12.880 was confirming to everyone that, "Hey, 00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:15.062 it's Me, it's about Me. 00:39:15.062 --> 00:39:16.354 All the sacrifices, 00:39:16.354 --> 00:39:18.616 especially the Passover celebration 00:39:18.616 --> 00:39:20.791 was pointing forward to this event 00:39:20.791 --> 00:39:22.250 that I am about to go through. 00:39:22.250 --> 00:39:24.416 I am the sacrifice," right? 00:39:24.416 --> 00:39:26.874 Rodney, you have a comment, please. 00:39:26.874 --> 00:39:29.613 (Rodney) I love what Shaina just said. 00:39:29.613 --> 00:39:32.253 I really see a pattern happening here 00:39:32.253 --> 00:39:34.665 from back in Israel's time 00:39:34.665 --> 00:39:37.267 where you had the 400-plus years 00:39:37.267 --> 00:39:41.356 of slavery, then you had the sacrifice, 00:39:41.356 --> 00:39:43.625 and then a miraculous (we call 00:39:43.625 --> 00:39:48.136 it Passover) delivery of God's people. 00:39:48.136 --> 00:39:50.931 But, here it is now, we fast forward 00:39:50.931 --> 00:39:52.486 many generations later, Jesus is 00:39:52.486 --> 00:39:54.091 now saying, back to what you 00:39:54.091 --> 00:39:56.019 just said, Puia, "I am 00:39:56.019 --> 00:39:57.985 that Passover Lamb; I am the One." 00:39:57.985 --> 00:40:01.995 So, we see sin ravaging the world 00:40:01.995 --> 00:40:03.293 all the way from Adam, 00:40:03.293 --> 00:40:04.860 generations after generations, 00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:06.917 all the way to Jesus' time. 00:40:06.917 --> 00:40:08.532 Following the sequence, 00:40:08.532 --> 00:40:12.489 Jesus now dies as that Passover Lamb, 00:40:12.489 --> 00:40:13.888 and then there is going to be 00:40:13.888 --> 00:40:15.433 an ultimate deliverance 00:40:15.433 --> 00:40:16.822 of God's people to come. 00:40:16.822 --> 00:40:18.758 And here we are living in that time 00:40:18.758 --> 00:40:21.054 just before the ultimate deliverance. 00:40:21.054 --> 00:40:23.263 So, it is clear that Jesus was 00:40:23.263 --> 00:40:25.265 really telling the disciples and all of us 00:40:25.265 --> 00:40:27.739 that He was fulfilling this Passover Lamb, 00:40:27.739 --> 00:40:29.456 and then the deliverance is to come, 00:40:29.456 --> 00:40:31.172 which is the Second Coming of Jesus. 00:40:31.172 --> 00:40:32.740 (Puia) Thank you, that's amazing. 00:40:32.740 --> 00:40:37.278 So, most of us here and maybe our viewers 00:40:37.278 --> 00:40:38.929 from home, too, we may say, 00:40:38.929 --> 00:40:41.848 "Well, I wasn't there in Exodus. 00:40:41.848 --> 00:40:43.477 You know, I wasn't there in Egypt. 00:40:43.477 --> 00:40:45.019 I don't feel like I am a part 00:40:45.019 --> 00:40:46.614 of that Passover celebration." 00:40:46.614 --> 00:40:48.479 But, guess what, by Jesus' institution, 00:40:48.479 --> 00:40:51.051 this Lord's Supper, we are 00:40:51.051 --> 00:40:52.430 now a part of it! 00:40:52.430 --> 00:40:55.095 Jesus is inviting everyone of us 00:40:55.095 --> 00:40:57.850 to celebrate the deliverance that God 00:40:57.850 --> 00:41:01.367 has provided for us, not from Egypt 00:41:01.367 --> 00:41:04.520 but the deliverance from sin, right, 00:41:04.520 --> 00:41:06.556 by Jesus dying on the cross 00:41:06.556 --> 00:41:08.323 as the sacrificial Lamb, 00:41:08.323 --> 00:41:09.624 the Passover Lamb. 00:41:09.624 --> 00:41:11.155 In fact, we don't have the time 00:41:11.155 --> 00:41:16.256 to read this, but in the New Testament, 00:41:16.256 --> 00:41:18.015 Paul, in 1 Corinthians, chapter 5, 00:41:18.015 --> 00:41:20.317 verse 7, calls Jesus as "Christ, 00:41:20.317 --> 00:41:22.729 our Passover Lamb." 00:41:22.729 --> 00:41:24.764 So, by accepting Jesus 00:41:24.764 --> 00:41:29.021 as our Passover Lamb, we can proclaim 00:41:29.021 --> 00:41:31.588 the deliverance that God has provided 00:41:31.588 --> 00:41:35.269 for us from Satan's control, from sin. 00:41:35.269 --> 00:41:36.584 From the bondage of sin, 00:41:36.584 --> 00:41:37.841 from the slavery of sin, 00:41:37.841 --> 00:41:40.560 from the condemnation of sin, 00:41:40.560 --> 00:41:42.967 Christ has delivered us. 00:41:42.967 --> 00:41:44.668 That's a beautiful concept. 00:41:44.668 --> 00:41:48.915 Now, testimony time, this institution 00:41:48.915 --> 00:41:50.774 that Jesus instituted 00:41:50.774 --> 00:41:54.020 just before He was arrested and crucified, 00:41:54.020 --> 00:41:56.313 that Passover time that year, 00:41:56.313 --> 00:41:57.860 Jesus taught His disciples, 00:41:57.860 --> 00:41:59.600 "Do this in remembrance of Me," 00:41:59.600 --> 00:42:01.117 washing His disciples' feet 00:42:01.117 --> 00:42:03.028 and giving them bread 00:42:03.028 --> 00:42:04.858 and the grape juice, the wine, 00:42:04.858 --> 00:42:06.189 to remember Him. 00:42:06.189 --> 00:42:07.859 So, the Christian church tradition 00:42:07.859 --> 00:42:12.440 has been to celebrate this every so often. 00:42:12.440 --> 00:42:13.691 Testimony time, has anyone 00:42:13.691 --> 00:42:18.392 had an experience where the celebration 00:42:18.392 --> 00:42:20.554 of the Lord's Supper touched you 00:42:20.554 --> 00:42:22.039 in a special way? 00:42:22.039 --> 00:42:24.057 Alex, I see your hand. 00:42:24.057 --> 00:42:26.794 (Alex) I can remember one, specifically, 00:42:26.794 --> 00:42:28.608 or I have been doing this recently 00:42:28.608 --> 00:42:31.833 whenever we partake of the bread 00:42:31.833 --> 00:42:34.401 and the wine, I picture myself 00:42:34.401 --> 00:42:36.211 as if I was a part of the 12 00:42:36.211 --> 00:42:37.788 right then and there 00:42:37.788 --> 00:42:38.966 and hearing Jesus' words 00:42:38.966 --> 00:42:41.125 and even experiencing my feet 00:42:41.125 --> 00:42:43.644 being washed by the Savior. 00:42:43.644 --> 00:42:45.262 And that always touches me 00:42:45.262 --> 00:42:46.737 whenever I just think of Jesus 00:42:46.737 --> 00:42:49.199 actually being there with me 00:42:49.199 --> 00:42:50.490 doing the service, 00:42:50.490 --> 00:42:52.673 and not only just washing my feet 00:42:52.673 --> 00:42:55.124 but asking me to allow Him 00:42:55.124 --> 00:42:57.060 to wash my heart, too. 00:42:57.060 --> 00:42:58.676 (Puia) Thank you for sharing that. 00:42:58.676 --> 00:43:02.346 I once read a story where this one church 00:43:02.346 --> 00:43:04.514 was celebrating the Lord's Supper, 00:43:04.514 --> 00:43:07.931 and as the pastor and the elders prayed 00:43:07.931 --> 00:43:10.138 over the bread and the grape juice, 00:43:10.138 --> 00:43:12.522 and they started distributing to the members, 00:43:12.522 --> 00:43:14.474 there was this young lady who was sitting 00:43:14.474 --> 00:43:15.637 in one of the pews. 00:43:15.637 --> 00:43:17.685 As the deacon came towards her, 00:43:17.685 --> 00:43:20.921 she felt unworthy to participate, 00:43:20.921 --> 00:43:22.786 so she told the deacon, "I'm not worthy 00:43:22.786 --> 00:43:25.122 to take this; I can't take this. 00:43:25.122 --> 00:43:26.941 I'm too sinful." 00:43:26.941 --> 00:43:28.592 So, the deacon whispered to her, 00:43:28.592 --> 00:43:29.716 "Young lady, take it. 00:43:29.716 --> 00:43:32.432 It's for sinners." 00:43:32.432 --> 00:43:34.289 It's for you; it's for me! 00:43:34.289 --> 00:43:40.493 This is a beautiful symbolic institution 00:43:40.493 --> 00:43:42.837 that Jesus has instituted for us 00:43:42.837 --> 00:43:46.068 to participate in, for sinners like us 00:43:46.068 --> 00:43:48.171 who can be washed clean once again. 00:43:48.171 --> 00:43:49.826 Nicole, your comment. 00:43:49.826 --> 00:43:51.731 (Nicole) I was going to say that I think 00:43:51.731 --> 00:43:53.112 it was very meaningful for me 00:43:53.112 --> 00:43:55.019 when I could share it with my daughters. 00:43:55.019 --> 00:43:56.876 When they were old enough to understand 00:43:56.876 --> 00:43:58.445 the sacrifice that Jesus has made 00:43:58.445 --> 00:44:01.318 and what it means to partake 00:44:01.318 --> 00:44:03.370 in the supper I think it was very meaningful 00:44:03.370 --> 00:44:05.275 to me to be able to wash their feet 00:44:05.275 --> 00:44:06.432 and have them wash mine. 00:44:06.432 --> 00:44:07.644 That was something that I 00:44:07.644 --> 00:44:09.718 can always remember. 00:44:09.718 --> 00:44:11.725 (Puia) That's beautiful. 00:44:11.725 --> 00:44:13.426 I wish we had the time to stay here 00:44:13.426 --> 00:44:15.516 a little longer, but time is running out, 00:44:15.516 --> 00:44:16.941 so we have to move 00:44:16.941 --> 00:44:18.591 to the next part of our study. 00:44:18.591 --> 00:44:21.167 Now, this plan of God's 00:44:21.167 --> 00:44:23.340 to save us from sin, 00:44:23.340 --> 00:44:24.399 according to the Bible 00:44:24.399 --> 00:44:26.263 is not an afterthought. 00:44:26.263 --> 00:44:28.999 This was already in place by God, 00:44:28.999 --> 00:44:31.261 and we find this in Revelation 13, 00:44:31.261 --> 00:44:33.747 verse 8, and let me request Kylynda 00:44:33.747 --> 00:44:37.507 to take us there, revelation 13, verse 8. 00:44:37.507 --> 00:44:39.169 And let's see how the Lamb 00:44:39.169 --> 00:44:41.248 is described here. 00:44:41.248 --> 00:44:42.462 (Kylynda) I'll be reading 00:44:42.462 --> 00:44:44.030 from the New King James Version: 00:44:54.731 --> 00:44:55.949 (Puia) "The Lamb slain 00:44:55.949 --> 00:44:57.820 from the foundation of the world." 00:44:57.820 --> 00:44:59.915 Sophia, can you take us to 1 Peter, 00:44:59.915 --> 00:45:03.555 chapter 1, verses 18 to 21, 00:45:03.555 --> 00:45:05.565 1 Peter 1, verses 18 to 21. 00:45:05.565 --> 00:45:07.645 Let's look at this same principle 00:45:07.645 --> 00:45:10.696 of the Lamb that was slain 00:45:10.696 --> 00:45:12.264 from the foundation of the world. 00:45:12.264 --> 00:45:13.599 How does Peter [describe it] 00:45:13.599 --> 00:45:17.838 in chapter 1, verses 18 to 21? 00:45:17.838 --> 00:45:19.187 (Sophia) And I'll be reading 00:45:19.187 --> 00:45:20.760 from the New King James Version: 00:45:54.046 --> 00:45:55.646 (Team, Puia) Amen. 00:45:55.646 --> 00:45:57.142 (Puia) So, can anyone comment 00:45:57.142 --> 00:46:00.230 on this idea that the Lamb of God, 00:46:00.230 --> 00:46:02.073 the Lamb that was slain 00:46:02.073 --> 00:46:04.342 even before the foundation of the world? 00:46:04.342 --> 00:46:05.914 In other words, it seems that God 00:46:05.914 --> 00:46:08.993 already had this plan in place. Scott? 00:46:08.993 --> 00:46:10.410 (Scott) That's just what I 00:46:10.410 --> 00:46:11.222 was going to say. 00:46:11.222 --> 00:46:12.696 God wasn't caught by surprise. 00:46:12.696 --> 00:46:14.446 When God created us, He knew 00:46:14.446 --> 00:46:15.740 because He knew the future. 00:46:15.740 --> 00:46:17.401 He knew that sin would come. 00:46:17.401 --> 00:46:19.738 And so He already had a plan. 00:46:19.738 --> 00:46:22.050 When we studied in the beginning 00:46:22.050 --> 00:46:24.809 of our study about the sacrificial system, 00:46:24.809 --> 00:46:26.554 we're just seeing God's plan 00:46:26.554 --> 00:46:28.002 that He was working 00:46:28.002 --> 00:46:30.435 to build that teaching, that lesson, 00:46:30.435 --> 00:46:33.647 for us, so we come in our day, and we see, 00:46:33.647 --> 00:46:36.009 wow, I mean, God knew about that. 00:46:36.009 --> 00:46:37.616 And in fact, nothing that happens 00:46:37.616 --> 00:46:39.780 in my life is a surprise to God. 00:46:39.780 --> 00:46:42.711 God doesn't get taken by surprise. 00:46:42.711 --> 00:46:44.477 (Puia) From the very beginning, 00:46:44.477 --> 00:46:46.933 or even before God created the world, 00:46:46.933 --> 00:46:50.300 Christ had covenanted Himself 00:46:50.300 --> 00:46:55.778 to love us even to the point of death. 00:46:55.778 --> 00:46:59.586 He loves us so very, very much. 00:46:59.586 --> 00:47:01.240 You may be watching today, friend, 00:47:01.240 --> 00:47:02.858 and wondering, "Does God 00:47:02.858 --> 00:47:04.383 really care about me?" 00:47:04.383 --> 00:47:06.966 "Is God really love?" 00:47:06.966 --> 00:47:08.846 "Can I really trust that God loves me?" 00:47:08.846 --> 00:47:10.474 Or maybe you are doubting 00:47:10.474 --> 00:47:12.057 about God's character. 00:47:12.057 --> 00:47:13.593 I want to invite you to reflect 00:47:13.593 --> 00:47:16.745 on these verses that tell us that God, 00:47:16.745 --> 00:47:18.176 in Jesus Christ, had 00:47:18.176 --> 00:47:20.339 covenanted Himself to love us. 00:47:20.339 --> 00:47:22.487 Even before the foundation of the world, 00:47:22.487 --> 00:47:24.154 God knew you. 00:47:24.154 --> 00:47:25.482 Even before you were formed 00:47:25.482 --> 00:47:27.747 in your mother's womb, He loved you. 00:47:27.747 --> 00:47:29.625 So, whenever we have this problem 00:47:29.625 --> 00:47:32.311 of trying to understand God's character, 00:47:32.311 --> 00:47:34.465 it is always helpful to look at God 00:47:34.465 --> 00:47:36.399 through the lens of Jesus. 00:47:36.399 --> 00:47:37.780 When we look at Jesus, we see 00:47:37.780 --> 00:47:39.708 a God who loves us so much., 00:47:39.708 --> 00:47:42.374 So, don't give up; hold onto Jesus. 00:47:42.374 --> 00:47:45.421 Now, let's move on to the next couple 00:47:45.421 --> 00:47:47.017 of verses here; let's go 00:47:47.017 --> 00:47:48.815 to Isaiah, chapter 53. 00:47:48.815 --> 00:47:51.348 And can I ask Stephanie to read for us 00:47:51.348 --> 00:47:53.487 Isaiah 53, verses 3 to 7, 00:47:53.487 --> 00:47:55.134 and look at the prophecies 00:47:55.134 --> 00:47:57.369 that Isaiah gave ahead of time 00:47:57.369 --> 00:47:59.355 about the Messiah who was to come, 00:47:59.355 --> 00:48:00.834 specifically in the context 00:48:00.834 --> 00:48:03.269 of this idea of a sacrifice. 00:48:03.269 --> 00:48:05.200 (Stephanie) Alright, and I'll be reading 00:48:05.200 --> 00:48:06.869 from the New King James Version: 00:49:13.625 --> 00:49:17.312 (Puia) Wow. Verse 7 specifically, 00:49:17.312 --> 00:49:20.282 "He was oppressed and He was afflicted... 00:49:20.282 --> 00:49:23.476 He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, 00:49:23.476 --> 00:49:27.380 and as a sheep before its shearers is silent." 00:49:27.380 --> 00:49:29.769 This concept of sacrifice 00:49:29.769 --> 00:49:32.049 is clearly seen in this prophecy of the Messiah. 00:49:32.049 --> 00:49:33.402 Sophia, you have a comment? 00:49:33.402 --> 00:49:34.993 (Sophia) I think it's so powerful 00:49:34.993 --> 00:49:36.625 that He deemed us so important 00:49:36.625 --> 00:49:37.884 not even to make a sound 00:49:37.884 --> 00:49:39.302 with His suffering. 00:49:39.302 --> 00:49:41.368 You know, no complaint, nothing. 00:49:41.368 --> 00:49:42.973 (Puia) Right, this is a prophecy, 00:49:42.973 --> 00:49:44.723 by the way; Isaiah was prophesying 00:49:44.723 --> 00:49:46.293 that when the Messiah comes... 00:49:46.293 --> 00:49:47.993 In other words, the Messiah is 00:49:47.993 --> 00:49:49.490 going to be like a lamb that is 00:49:49.490 --> 00:49:51.764 led to be slaughtered for the sins 00:49:51.764 --> 00:49:53.833 of all of us, and He is not 00:49:53.833 --> 00:49:55.384 going to complain. 00:49:55.384 --> 00:49:57.013 He is not going to open His mouth 00:49:57.013 --> 00:49:58.857 and say, "Oh, I don't want to do this. 00:49:58.857 --> 00:50:01.189 I don't want to be crucified." 00:50:01.189 --> 00:50:02.808 He is going to suffer 00:50:02.808 --> 00:50:04.640 for the sake of the sins of the world. 00:50:04.640 --> 00:50:06.859 Now, probably people in the time 00:50:06.859 --> 00:50:08.577 of Isaiah, as we read earlier, 00:50:08.577 --> 00:50:10.637 were sacrificing and killing animals, 00:50:10.637 --> 00:50:12.508 but many of them probably were 00:50:12.508 --> 00:50:15.483 doing that just as a ritual. 00:50:15.483 --> 00:50:16.978 Probably some of them had lost 00:50:16.978 --> 00:50:20.590 the concept of sacrificial death 00:50:20.590 --> 00:50:22.375 that God was trying to teach them. 00:50:22.375 --> 00:50:24.229 But now, fast forward to the time 00:50:24.229 --> 00:50:27.533 that Jesus actually showed up. 00:50:27.533 --> 00:50:30.936 How does John help us connect the dots 00:50:30.936 --> 00:50:32.424 of all these prophecies 00:50:32.424 --> 00:50:33.893 from the Hebrew Scripture 00:50:33.893 --> 00:50:35.053 to this Person of Jesus? 00:50:35.053 --> 00:50:37.043 Let's go to John, chapter 1, 00:50:37.043 --> 00:50:39.298 verses 29 to 36, and let me ask 00:50:39.298 --> 00:50:40.650 Zandile to read for us, 00:50:40.650 --> 00:50:43.749 John, chapter 1, verses 29 to 36. 00:50:43.749 --> 00:50:45.145 (Zandile) And I'll be reading 00:50:45.145 --> 00:50:47.882 from the New King James Version, 29: 00:51:54.042 --> 00:51:56.725 (Puia) Beautiful. There is no doubt 00:51:56.725 --> 00:51:59.475 in the mind of John the Baptist. 00:51:59.475 --> 00:52:01.474 He said, "I saw the Spirit descending 00:52:01.474 --> 00:52:03.002 upon Him, and I am testifying 00:52:03.002 --> 00:52:05.362 that this is the Son of God, 00:52:05.362 --> 00:52:10.766 and this is the Lamb of God who takes away..."? 00:52:10.766 --> 00:52:12.362 (Team) "...the sin of the world." 00:52:12.362 --> 00:52:13.915 (Puia) In other words, John is 00:52:13.915 --> 00:52:15.412 basically telling all of us 00:52:15.412 --> 00:52:17.489 and all of the readers today 00:52:17.489 --> 00:52:22.424 that all the prophecies from Genesis, 00:52:22.424 --> 00:52:25.161 that all the animal sacrifices, 00:52:25.161 --> 00:52:26.913 all the bulls that were sacrificed, 00:52:26.913 --> 00:52:28.698 all the lambs that were killed 00:52:28.698 --> 00:52:31.230 for sacrificial atonement, 00:52:31.230 --> 00:52:35.100 were pointing forward to this one Person, 00:52:35.100 --> 00:52:36.396 and His name is Jesus. 00:52:36.396 --> 00:52:38.721 And He is pointing to the Person of Jesus 00:52:38.721 --> 00:52:40.250 and saying, "Behold! 00:52:40.250 --> 00:52:43.500 Here is the Lamb of God 00:52:43.500 --> 00:52:44.757 who is going to take away 00:52:44.757 --> 00:52:46.853 the sin of the world." 00:52:46.853 --> 00:52:47.987 This is beautiful. 00:52:47.987 --> 00:52:49.725 In the Person of Jesus, 00:52:49.725 --> 00:52:53.456 the entire prophecies are fulfilled. 00:52:53.456 --> 00:52:54.700 (Derek) And I think, Puia, 00:52:54.700 --> 00:52:56.318 it's really important, that wasn't 00:52:56.318 --> 00:52:57.848 just John the Baptist's opinion. 00:52:57.848 --> 00:53:00.283 He said, "The Spirit told me, 00:53:00.283 --> 00:53:03.286 'When you see this, that's the One,'" 00:53:03.286 --> 00:53:05.572 and then he says, "I have seen 00:53:05.572 --> 00:53:07.488 and testified that this is," 00:53:07.488 --> 00:53:09.636 not, "I think it is," 00:53:09.636 --> 00:53:11.474 but, "This is the Son of God." 00:53:11.474 --> 00:53:13.063 (Puia) Amen. Beautiful. 00:53:13.063 --> 00:53:15.428 Let's go to Revelation, towards the end 00:53:15.428 --> 00:53:16.735 now, Revelation, chapter 4, 00:53:16.735 --> 00:53:19.276 verses 8 to 11, and I want to request 00:53:19.276 --> 00:53:20.623 Joshua to read for us, 00:53:20.623 --> 00:53:22.789 Revelation 4, verses 8 to 11. 00:53:22.789 --> 00:53:24.731 And let's see what the Apostle John 00:53:24.731 --> 00:53:27.356 has to say about this Lamb of God. 00:53:27.356 --> 00:53:28.727 (Joshua) And I'll be reading 00:53:28.727 --> 00:53:30.702 from the New King James Version. 00:53:30.702 --> 00:53:32.053 The Bible says: 00:54:23.375 --> 00:54:24.514 (Puia) Amen. Thank you 00:54:24.514 --> 00:54:25.725 for reading that, Joshua. 00:54:25.725 --> 00:54:28.351 So, in Revelation, fast forward, 00:54:28.351 --> 00:54:29.870 John the Apostle is seeing 00:54:29.870 --> 00:54:31.668 this vision of Heaven. 00:54:31.668 --> 00:54:34.192 In Heaven, the four living creatures, 00:54:34.192 --> 00:54:36.204 the twenty-four elders, and everyone 00:54:36.204 --> 00:54:39.833 is bowing before this Lamb! 00:54:39.833 --> 00:54:43.786 And He is given the honor and the glory 00:54:43.786 --> 00:54:46.576 because He created everything. 00:54:46.576 --> 00:54:48.191 Let's read one other verse, 00:54:48.191 --> 00:54:50.914 the next chapter, Revelation, chapter 5, 00:54:50.914 --> 00:54:52.822 verses 1 to 7; Kylynda, can you 00:54:52.822 --> 00:54:54.051 read that for us, please, 00:54:54.051 --> 00:54:56.006 Revelation 5:1-7. 00:54:56.006 --> 00:54:58.275 (Kylynda) From the New King James Version: 00:56:02.949 --> 00:56:04.557 (Puia) Amen. Thank you, Kylynda, 00:56:04.557 --> 00:56:06.266 for reading that. 00:56:06.266 --> 00:56:08.044 Dear friend, thank you for joining us 00:56:08.044 --> 00:56:09.639 today once again. 00:56:09.639 --> 00:56:11.789 As we see in this prophecy 00:56:11.789 --> 00:56:14.717 that John foresaw about the future, 00:56:14.717 --> 00:56:17.413 the heavenly throne, on the throne 00:56:17.413 --> 00:56:19.313 of the entire universe is sitting 00:56:19.313 --> 00:56:22.782 this Lamb of God, and He is worthy. 00:56:22.782 --> 00:56:24.944 You may be weeping; I may be weeping today 00:56:24.944 --> 00:56:26.580 because of our struggles 00:56:26.580 --> 00:56:27.985 and maybe because of sin, 00:56:27.985 --> 00:56:30.149 but according to John, "Don't weep. 00:56:30.149 --> 00:56:31.816 There is the Lamb, the Lamb of God, 00:56:31.816 --> 00:56:33.580 who takes away the sin of the world." 00:56:33.580 --> 00:56:35.048 And one day the promise is 00:56:35.048 --> 00:56:36.942 that this Lamb of God is going 00:56:36.942 --> 00:56:38.858 to come again to redeem us, 00:56:38.858 --> 00:56:40.847 and you can be a part of it 00:56:40.847 --> 00:56:43.099 if you accept the sacrifice 00:56:43.099 --> 00:56:44.982 of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. 00:56:44.982 --> 00:56:47.324 And we will join the heavenly angels, 00:56:47.324 --> 00:56:48.514 the four living creatures 00:56:48.514 --> 00:56:50.787 and the twenty-four elders, and one day 00:56:50.787 --> 00:56:53.406 we'll get to worship the Lamb of God 00:56:53.406 --> 00:56:56.359 and sing, "Holy, holy, holy." 00:56:56.359 --> 00:56:57.527 What a beautiful sight 00:56:57.527 --> 00:56:58.528 that will be, Derek. 00:56:58.528 --> 00:57:00.063 (Derek) Thank you so much. 00:57:00.063 --> 00:57:01.615 What a great study, and, yes, 00:57:01.615 --> 00:57:03.161 I've thought about that, too, 00:57:03.161 --> 00:57:06.430 "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain," 00:57:06.430 --> 00:57:09.005 not only the angels, but we can say that 00:57:09.005 --> 00:57:11.669 if we've accepted, or to use 00:57:11.669 --> 00:57:13.952 the image of Passover, put the blood 00:57:13.952 --> 00:57:17.341 over our doorposts, over our lives, 00:57:17.341 --> 00:57:19.794 we can rejoice in His salvation. 00:57:19.794 --> 00:57:21.539 Let's pray together. 00:57:21.539 --> 00:57:23.120 Father in Heaven, we thank You 00:57:23.120 --> 00:57:25.440 for helping us to understand that all 00:57:25.440 --> 00:57:28.018 of the sacrifices pointed to Jesus, 00:57:28.018 --> 00:57:29.508 and all You want from us 00:57:29.508 --> 00:57:32.356 is the sacrifice of our hearts, 00:57:32.356 --> 00:57:34.492 accepting what Jesus, the Lamb of God, 00:57:34.492 --> 00:57:36.010 has done for us. 00:57:36.010 --> 00:57:39.324 May we do that today and every day. 00:57:39.324 --> 00:57:42.053 We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:57:42.053 --> 00:57:42.971 (Team) Amen. 00:57:42.971 --> 00:57:45.481 (Derek) Thank you for joining us for our study. 00:57:45.481 --> 00:57:47.692 We're learning, from Bible prophecies 00:57:47.692 --> 00:57:50.642 and stories, lessons that will help us 00:57:50.642 --> 00:57:52.959 not only to prepare but to rejoice 00:57:52.959 --> 00:57:54.512 in the last days 00:57:54.512 --> 00:57:56.498 because of our Savior Jesus. 00:57:56.498 --> 00:57:59.100 Don't keep that message to yourself. 00:57:59.100 --> 00:58:00.314 Go out and be a blessing 00:58:00.314 --> 00:58:01.705 to those around you. 00:58:01.705 --> 00:58:25.476 ♪ theme music ♪