♪ theme music ♪
(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
an in-depth, interactive study
of the Word of God.
We are in the middle
of a very important series,
Bible Prophecies and Stories
for the Last Days.
If you've missed any, go to our website,
hopetv.org/hopess.
You can watch the past episodes there.
Or, go to our YouTube channel,
Hope Sabbath School, and watch them there.
Today, we're starting to examine
The Nations as a theme in Bible prophecy,
and we're glad you joined us.
Welcome to the team,
say, "Hi," to each other,
glad you're all here.
You're looking great today.
And we've got some remotes
joining us, too; let's see who's with us.
Gleny, great to have you back with us,
glad you're here.
Jorge, good to see you with us today.
And, Leeah, always good
to have you with us.
And we're glad that you're with us, too,
because you're part of the great miracle
called Hope Sabbath School
wherever you are, around the world.
Why don't you write to us today,
sshope@hopetv.org.
Or, you can leave a note
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Here's a note from Jane in Maine
in the United States of America.
She says, "Hi to everyone.
I love you all.
Thank you, Hope Sabbath School team."
Well, let's give Jane a wave, shall we? Thank you.
"I receive a great blessing watching
and studying with you every week.
I love the interactive study of the Bible.
May God continue to bless
each and every one who participates
in this study of the Word of God," and we say...?
(Derek, Team) Amen.
(Derek) Wherever you are around the world,
Jane, you're up there in Maine,
we're glad you're part
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Paulette writes from Jamaica.
Oh, we've got some Jamaican connections
on the team, "Greetings
to Hope Sabbath School," that's Paulette.
"I'm writing from Jamaica.
I must say, I enjoy
your interaction on the team,
and I learn a lot from the class.
Keep up the good work always.
I pray that God will use me
for His glory!" Amen?
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) You know, that's absolutely true.
We don't just want people
to admire something happening.
We're praying that this can be multiplied
in our lives and in your life
around the world.
Here's an unusual donor note.
Most of our donors come
from North America;
this donor comes from Australia.
And the donor writes, "Hello,
Hope Sabbath School team.
Thank you for continuing
to share Jesus..."
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) "...and sharing His Word and His love
in an unconditional, nonjudgmental way.
May this small gift continue to brighten
one or two corners of this globe
until Jesus comes."
Now, there must be some...
what do you call it...exchange fees
for transferring the funds
from the Australian dollar
to the U.S. dollar,
because a generous gift
of 196 dollars and 78 cents arrived.
And I want to thank you, Donor
in Australia (you know who you are)
for that generous gift
because we're a donor-supported ministry,
and thank you for being part
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and for each one of you.
Some of you who help once a month,
some of you help once a year,
whatever you do, we thank you.
You can go to our website,
hopetv.org/hopess, and say, "Lord,
let me be part of the miracle
of sharing Your love with the world."
One last note, from Rosemary in Arkansas
in the United States of America,
"Hello, Hope Sabbath School team."
Do you think they put that
so we can wave? I think so.
"I've learned so much
from watching your show.
I'm very grateful and blessed.
I love the Scripture songs
and often hum or sing them
throughout the day.
Thank you so much for everything you do
to reach the world and spread the gospel
and the love of Jesus."
Well, before we sing the song,
Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You,
I just want to say, years ago,
when my wife began to compose
Scripture songs with a prayer
that God's Word would be hidden
in the hearts of our two little boys,
she had no idea that it would impact
so many people, but isn't that
just what God does?
He just says, "You be faithful to Me
in your little sphere, and I'm going
to bless the world through you."
So, I hope you download those songs
because there's a free song each quarter,
a theme song; you can download it free.
And I hear people saying, "Oh,
I know all of your songs."
We were somewhere just last week,
and the person says,
"Let the Word of Christ..."
I said, "Oh, you learned
some Scripture songs - Praise God."
But while you're there at the website,
you can also download the free gift
for this series, because I was praying,
"God, is there a special gift?"
We're talking about Bible Prophecies
and Stories for the Last Days,
and I thought of a book
called Radical Protection.
I think it was offered years ago, but there are
so many new Hope Sabbath School members,
I said, "We need to offer that again"
because the prophet Daniel says
there's coming a time of trouble
such as never was, and we need
that supernatural protection
so we can face the future without fear.
Because when we face the future
with Jesus, we're not afraid.
So, go to our website, hopetv.org/hopess,
click on the Free Gift tab, and you can
download a free digital copy
of that valuable resource
and share it with your friends.
But, right now I'd like to hear you sing,
because we've learned a theme song
from Colossians 3:16.
And you say, "Derek, you
don't sound that good."
Well, sing with us, will you?
Let's all sing together and hide
the Word in our hearts,
Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You.
Let's sing it together.
♪ music ♪
(Derek) Let's pray together.
Father in Heaven, we believe this series
on Bible Prophecies and Stories
for the Last Days is very relevant
for our lives today.
And so, I pray the same Holy Spirit
who inspired the prophets,
the same Holy Spirit who protected
the Scriptures through the generations,
that same Holy Spirit Jesus promised
would lead us into all truth,
that that would happen
as we study Your Word today, not just here
but with our Hope Sabbath School family
around the world.
We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) Well, in this study
and the one to follow, we're going
to be studying the theme
of The Nations and how the nations
are part of Bible prophecy.
The first place the nations are mentioned
is in the book of Genesis,
and so we'll start there
in Genesis, chapter 10.
And actually it's related to chapter 11,
but let's start by looking in Genesis,
chapter 10, and, Mighty, I'm going
to ask you if you'd read for us
Genesis 10, the first five verses.
Now, there are some unusual names there,
but just say them the best you can
because we don't know
how to say them either, but Genesis,
chapter 10, verses 1 through 5.
(Mighty) I'll be reading
from the New American Standard Bible, and it says:
(Derek) Thank you so much.
Wow, what a great job
of reading those names, you know?
But the last words "into their nations,"
now, in order to understand -
and their languages -
there was actually only one language
until chapter 11, so really 10 and 11
are together, and now they're
forming into nations.
So, the question is, what happened
in Genesis, chapter 11, Zaria,
in verses 1 through 4, if you could read.
Let's see what happened in Genesis 11:1-4.
(Zaria) I'll be reading
from the New King James Version:
(Derek) So, here they are, and we know
that the judgment of God comes,
and languages are confused.
And now we just read in chapter 10
that they divide into nations.
So, was the forming into nations
an act of obedience
or an act of rebellion?
(Team Members) Rebellion.
(Team Members) No.
(Derek) Okay, how many said rebellion?
Two, three, two and a half, okay.
How many of you think
it was an act of obedience?
How many of you don't know?
How many of you would say
it could have been one or the other?
Because they were supposed to go
to the ends of the earth, right,
and subdue it; that was the assignment.
And presumably in that, they would be
living in harmony with the will of God.
Unfortunately, as the nations emerge,
we find a different spirit
from what God intended,
and we'll find a clue back in chapter 10.
Nicole, if you could read for us
in Genesis, chapter 10,
verses 8 through 12, and we find
a character mentioned,
by the name of Nimrod.
(Nicole) The New International Version
of Genesis 10, verses 8 through 12, says:
(Derek) What do you learn about Nimrod
from that short description?
Anybody. Yes, Puia.
(Puia) Derek, I think what stood out
for me here is the fact that Nimrod
is described as a mighty hunter
before the Lord, and it doesn't sound
like it is a compliment.
It sounds like he is
continuing the rebellion
against the governments of God.
(Derek) Anybody else, what impacted you? Travis?
(Travis) So, what I'm seeing here
from the nations (and Nimrod
is continuing this) is the same spirit
that was at Babel, "Let us make
a name for ourselves."
It continues with Nimrod,
and it continues to this day
with all of the nations,
nation against nation, always trying
to make a name for themselves,
be better and usurp the next nation.
(Derek) Yes, Jenner.
(Jenner) Important to note
is also verse 10,
and from the New American Standard Bible,
"The beginning of his kingdom
was Babel," which introduces us
to the next chapter, so negative language towards Nimrod the whole time.
(Derek) And of course, he will
end up also building Nineveh,
and we know the reputation that Nineveh
would have, too, right?
So, back to where this ambition came from.
You say it came from wanting to build
the Tower of Babel, but where is
the spirit of the nations coming from?
Well, let's go to a description
by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 14.
Now, I realize some of you
have read this before -
James, maybe you could read it for us,
verses 12 to 14 -
but someone joining us
for Hope Sabbath School today
is hearing this for the very first time,
and it may be quite startling
because this is the testimony
of a fallen angel, one who was created,
Ezekiel says, in perfection,
but who rebelled against God.
And let's listen to the spirit
of this fallen angel as described
by the prophet Isaiah.
(James) And I'll be reading
from the New King James Version:
(Derek) And, Travis, you said
that same spirit is manifested today...
(Travis) Correct.
(Derek) ...with the nations wanting
to exercise dominion, to dominate
powers around them. Yes.
(Travis) I just want to say something
as we just read this.
It says, "you, who weakened the nations,"
it's associating an exaltation of self
to the weakening of a nation.
So, if we would glorify God,
we would have a powerful nation.
And if we would exalt ourselves,
the nation would get weak,
if I am reading that correctly.
(Derek) So, let's talk about what God
wanted to do with Abram.
That was his name originally, right,
and later he was called Abraham.
But Abram, He wanted to form him
into a nation, but a nation that was
very different from "the nations,"
which come out of Babel, okay?
So, let's go to Genesis, chapter 12.
Tendi, if you could read
the first three verses.
What do you see immediately
in this call to Abram to be a nation
that's so different from the attitude
that we read earlier
in the book of Genesis?
(Tendi) And I'll be reading
from the New King James Version: and it reads:
(Derek) Alright, so what's
the big difference?
What jumps out at you? Nicole?
(Nicole) Well, in this case,
God is offering the blessing.
It's not that Abram is taking them.
It's that He's offering them,
and He's saying, "Through Me
you will be blessed,"
instead of the other one, which is,
"I will ascend; I will
be better, I will, I will..."
(Derek) Okay, so there are
actually several things going on here.
One, instead of saying, "I will be great,"
"I will do this," it is God saying,
"I will do this for you,"
"I will do this for you," but also...?
(Travis) The earth...
(Derek) "The earth will be blessed
because of this nation that will
come forth from you."
Do you see the big difference
between that and what we
read earlier in the chapter?
Well, the prophet Moses
understood that as God's ideal.
Look in Deuteronomy.
Jenner, if you could read for us
in Deuteronomy, chapter 4,
verses 5 through 10.
(Jenner) Deuteronomy, chapter 4?
(Derek) Chapter 4, beginning with verse 5.
Moses understood God's ideal in the nation
that would be formed from Abram.
(Jenner) I will be reading
from the New American Standard Bible,
Deuteronomy 4, starting with verse 5:
(Derek) And you know that word "fear"
can be translated "to be afraid"
or "reverent," right, "Show reverence
toward Me," right,
if the relationship is right.
So, again, God says, "I'll bless you.
Others will be blessed through you,
but even more than that, when others see
the blessing of God," what? What?
(Zaria) They're attracted to it and want to learn...
(Derek) Make the "it" more specific. They're attracted to...?
...to learn more about God, right?! Jenner?
(Jenner) Very specifically, a personal God.
Verse 7 emphasizes a God that is so near,
and He always listens
whenever we call on Him.
(Derek) I'm going to talk
to some of our remotes here
because some reminders needed to go out.
And we've got three reminders in Isaiah
I'll give to Gleny and Leeah and Jorge.
Let's start with Gleny in Isaiah 42:6,
then we'll look at 49:6
and then 60, verse 3.
It sounds like lots of reminders
had to go out, "Don't forget
why you are a people."
Now, we're going to need that
in the last days as a church,
"Don't forget why I've called you," right?
Not so people will say, "I'm so great.
I have this and this and this,"
but that people would say,
"What a great God you serve."
Gleny, what's the reminder
in Isaiah 42, verse 6?
(Gleny) And I'll be reading
from the New King James Version, and it says:
(Derek) So, God's ideal then was
that they would be what, to the nations or the Gentiles?
(Derek, Team) A light.
(Derek) Let's look in 49, verse 6, Leeah,
Isaiah 49:6, and see how the prophet
reminds them of that mission.
(Leeah) In the English Standard Version, it reads:
(Derek) Ah, so it's not just some blessing
for Abraham and his descendants,
that is, the nation of Israel, but it is
to bless the entire world, right?
One last reference from Isaiah, Jorge,
in chapter 60 and verse 3.
(Jorge) Isaiah 60, verse 3,
I'll be reading
from the New King James Version, it says:
(Derek) I want to thank you, Jorge.
One of the things we have to remember,
then, is when they "come to your light,"
what do we need to do?
(Nicole) Reflect them up.
(Derek) We need to deflect that praise,
right, to the Light of the world.
Gleny, I see your hand.
(Gleny) And I was just quickly trying
to think of what makes this nation
a light to the world, and I think
it's the distinct principles it runs on.
Like, for instance, when you
look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs,
you start with food, shelter,
all of those things.
But here, the kingdom of God
focuses on seeking Him first,
and that's the way you get
all of your needs met.
So, I'm imagining all the nations
seeing this kingdom that follows
under this principle of a God who says,
"Look at Me, and you will get
all of your deepest desires met,"
rather than the other way around.
(Derek) Thank you for pointing that out.
That's deep thought right there.
And it ties into my question,
and that is, what's the difference,
just from our initial study
between the nations,
which actually reflect the character
of the fallen angel once called Lucifer,
and the nation that God
calls out of Abraham?
And certainly we'll find later
He desires to be manifest in His church.
What's the big difference? Yes, Zaria?
(Zaria) I would say the difference
is the world decided to follow
after their own will, their own desires,
worshiping other gods and other idols,
and that's why they were led astray often,
doing so many different things.
They got sick, whereas God's nation,
we follow His Word and His light
and His direction.
(Derek) One following
their own will and leading
to the gods of this world
(Leeah, I see your hand),
the other following God.
What difference do you see, Leeah,
between the nations
and the special nation God calls out?
(Leeah) There seems to be an element
of peace that comes when you surrender
to God and His will for your life,
whether that be as a nation
or as an individual.
It's so much more difficult
to live by your own standards
and try to be your own leader
or your own god as opposed to surrendering
to the will of God.
He provides so much more peace,
and your life is laid out
so much, not necessarily easier,
but there is just so much peace
when God is in control.
(Derek) It seems through history
(thank you, Leeah) that the nations
are built by violence; that's history.
The nation that God's calling,
He desires it to be built by love, right?
Love for Him and love for the community.
It's a drastic difference.
And some skeptics might say,
"That other nation you're talking about,
[it] isn't even possible
to have a nation like that."
It's only the survival
of the fittest, right?
That's the only way it will happen,
but we'll see that God
does have a plan. Puia?
(Puia) Derek, I think it's
very interesting to note
that as we contrast and compare
the nations around the world
and the nation that God
was raising up through Abraham,
I think the key difference is
how God reveals Himself closely
with that nation through Abraham.
Although we see a lot of conquering
and violence in the other nations,
I think we have to qualify
that even in those nations
there is that battle between the forces
of good and evil.
But what sets [apart] the nation
through Abraham is that God
had given them that special revelation.
And I think Jenner pointed out,
God is very near to them.
And I want to piggyback
on what Leeah said earlier, when you have
that special revelation from God,
you get to enjoy peace
that the other nations
probably did not get to enjoy.
(Derek) Okay, I've got lots of hands,
Mighty and Jorge.
(Mighty) Going off of what Puia is saying,
he just sparked something
in my mind there, and I'm also recalling
that last week's lesson is
coming into play here as well,
is that we are in a marriage with Christ.
We are in a marriage with Jesus.
And I remember one of the verses we read
was Revelation, chapter 19, verse 7:
We are that bride, and how are we
making ourselves ready for Christ to come?
So, we have to absorb that light
that we have from God and that wisdom
and understanding and display
that character that Christ is looking for.
[Make] herself ready
by displaying that character
that Jesus is looking for,
that wisdom and understanding
of His will, and displaying it
to the nations, so they can be blessed
and others can come into our nation
and make themselves ready
for Christ to come.
(Derek) And I think to be fair,
and, Jorge, I'm coming to your point,
the way we make ourselves ready
is to allow God to make us ready.
In other words, it is God
who is shaping this nation, right,
rather than, "We will," "I will,"
"I will," "I will," right,
which is very self-focused.
Now, we have a choice to make,
but that choice is to draw close to God
who can make us a new creation.
It's a different kind
of nation, for sure. Jorge.
(Jorge) Yes, I'm reminded of a portion
as well from last week's lesson
where Abraham told Eliezer, "No,
don't go back to where I came from
to get a wife for my son."
And it reminds me of how we read earlier
in the lesson that God asked Abraham
to come out of his country or his nation
so that He can establish him
as a new nation.
And that dynamic between coming
out of something so God can teach us
something new and use that
for something even greater is a lesson
we see throughout Scripture
with Moses coming out of Egypt
and being taught, John the Baptist
going out to the wilderness
and being taught.
We see these parallels a lot.
I'm reminded of a situation
where I was in a cave;
it was completely dark,
and the guide that was
leading us had a lighter.
He lights the lighter,
and instinctively everybody
just kind of got closer to him
because they could see where the light was
and without it, it was pitch black.
And I'm reminded of this verse here
in Isaiah when it says that everyone
will come to your light.
The kings will come
to the [brightness of your rising].
And when I think about the difference
between these nations, God is giving
a light that no one else has.
It's a darkness in the other nations,
and so it is instinctively attractive
when they come to you,
and kings and all these other magistrates
will come to you even as you're
rising as a kingdom.
And so, there's an attraction
that God is using us
through our light.
(Derek) So, here's the question,
how well did Israel do?
And maybe there's not a simple answer.
Maybe there were times they did well,
but what would you say, big picture?
How did they do as a light
to the Gentiles, to the world? Anybody?
(Jenner) They didn't do well.
(Derek) They didn't
do well, you would say.
(James) Rejected the light.
(Derek) Rejected...I mean, there were
some good men and women, right?
But you're saying, overall?
(Jenner) Overall, it...
(Derek) You'd say the nation...
I mean, think of King Josiah; he was
awesome, but then someone else would...
Up and down or mainly down? Travis?
(Travis) It's interesting,
at the burning bush, God refers
to the children of Israel as "My son,"
"My son, the children of Israel."
Jesus gets baptized, and He said, "This is
My Son in whom I am well pleased."
What we are finding out is
that the children of Israel
really didn't please Him
in everything that they did.
And I praise God because, if we keep going
as we will through the prophecies,
or studying these stories
of the prophecies, we'll find out that God
does eventually finish the work
through His people, you know?
And I think that's something
to look forward to.
(Derek) So, I'm going to ask Gleny
if you'd read for us
from 1 Samuel 8, verses 4 and 5,
because you're saying they're not doing
that well, and in the midst of that,
certainly, you read the book of Judges,
and there's a theme over and over,
"And they did what was right
in their own eyes," "They did
what was right in their own eyes,"
rather than in the sight of God.
And now, Gleny, if you'll read,
they make another mistake
in 1 Samuel 8, verses 4 and 5.
(Gleny) And I'll be reading
from the New King James Version, and it says:
(Derek) Why did they want a king
like the nations?
We know the characteristic
of "the nations," right,
in terms of what we've been shown
in the book of Genesis.
Why did they want a king like the nations?
Look at one verse in the warning
that Samuel gives in 1 Samuel 8, verse 15.
Nicole, could you read
1 Samuel 8, verse 15?
(Nicole) Sure, New International Version says:
(Derek) Yup, you're right.
(Derek) Does something there sound
like a little bit off?
What does it sound like?
(Travis) Like the king is stealing
the tithe that belongs to God.
(Derek) It sounds
like, instead of a theocracy
where God is King, right,
and honoring God as the source
of all blessing, they were to return a...?
(Derek, Team) ...tithe.
(Derek) Now, they're giving a tithe
to a human person.
Now, I'm not saying they didn't continue
to return a tithe
to the temple; I don't know.
But it's kind of interesting
that it's the same.
It's almost like a switch, isn't it?
So again, help me, someone.
Gleny and Jorge, I see your hands raised.
Why would they want a king
if God has called them, and in a sense
He is their King?
Zaria, too, okay, let's start with Gleny.
(Gleny) I think the whole theme
of where we see humans err
ever since the Garden of Eden
is when we lack trust in God
and His methods and lean
on our own understanding.
So, there's this idea of we know better;
we think we know better,
and let's go with that.
(Derek) Alright, let's see who else.
Jorge, you had your hand raised.
(Jorge) Yes, in verse 5
of that same passage that we just read,
we kind of see a little bit of the answer
to your question where it says, "Look, you
are old, and your sons
don't walk in your ways."
So, we are seeing that essentially
the spiritual leadership
or the spiritual head
of Israel is lacking, and there is
no one to turn to, and so they are
starting to look for somebody else.
And we see a similar example
that took place with Moses;
when He appeared to delay,
they started looking elsewhere.
And so, perhaps one of the reasons is
because the leadership started
[turning] their view [from] God, and so it
caused a downstream effect to the people.
(Derek) That's a powerful insight.
If the appointed leaders of God
had been faithful, it might have prevented
or averted turning
towards a human king. Tendi?
(Tendi) So, in 1 Samuel 8, verse 7,
the Lord tells Samuel
that they rejected Him,
that's why they wanted to appoint a king.
(Derek) Let's look at his warning.
If someone would read that for us.
Puia, would you read 1 Samuel 8,
verses 10 through 18?
This is the same Samuel
who, as a little boy, when nobody else
was listening to God, heard the Lord
call him, "Samuel, Samuel," right?
Now, he's an old man.
He's been a faithful prophet of God
through the years.
Let's hear his warning.
(Puia) Sure, and I'll be reading
from the New King James Version,
1 Samuel, chapter 8, verses 10 to 18:
(Derek) It sounds
like a fairly serious warning,
but, James, how do they respond, verses 19
and 20 of the same chapter of 1 Samuel 8?
(James) The New King James Version says:
(Derek) What?! Nicole?
(Nicole) That's it; they did not
want to be a separate and special people.
They wanted to be like everyone else.
I think we have that problem today,
that the Lord calls us to be apart
and separate and to be His chosen people,
but we choose to be like everyone else
because we don't want to stand out.
We don't want anyone to notice us
to be different than they are,
and I think that was Israel's problem.
They wanted to be like everyone else around them.
(Derek) I was startled.
I don't know if you caught this
(and then I see some hands raised),
"And [our king] will
go out...and fight our battles"?
(Jenner) That's correct, like conquering.
(Derek) Oh, certainly the conquering,
but, like, really, they're thinking
this one person is going
to go out and fight their battles
when before, the Lord had said,
"I will go before you," right?
Like at Jericho, "I will go before you." Like when...
(Jenner) Opening of the Red Sea.
(Derek) ...He opens the sea,
"I will go before you,"
and now you're going to send a person?
Something is wrong
with their thinking, right? Travis?
(Travis) That danger, Derek,
is still even to this day.
I have been reading lots
of books on history,
and there were many religious groups
who lobbied to have Hitler put into place.
He was a vegetarian, he didn't drink,
and he looked out for the welfare.
And just a few short years later,
we see, I mean, just recent history,
we see what happened.
And the psalmist said, "Don't
put your trust in a prince,
or the son of man,
where there is no [help].
Because the very day they die,
their plans perish."
But God always fought battles
for the children of Israel,
and you're right, for them to want
a man now to fight their battles
just seems crazy!
(Derek) So, here's the question:
Why did God grant their request?
Because didn't God tell Samuel
to anoint someone who is taller
than anybody else, and handsome?
The kind of one that, if he was
in a popularity contest, they would say,
"Why don't you vote for Saul?"
And we all know how that turned out.
Well, maybe we don't, but you can read
about King Saul, and it's
a sad, sad story.
Why did God allow that and even direct
the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul?
I think he was son of Kish, wasn't he?
Why did He direct to have him
anointed as king?
Zaria, what do you think?
(Zaria) I would say it's because He
wanted us to have our will.
He's not going to always just allow us
to do what He wants, right?
He's going to allow us to have our will
and what we desire just so we
can learn from it.
Even in our own lives right now,
sometimes my flesh chooses
something else, and then I learn
from that experience,
and I go back to God.
And we can see this trend throughout time.
They sin, and then they cry out to God,
and then He saves them.
They sin again...it just goes
in circles over and over again.
But we learned from now,
all the prophets, what they wrote,
that we now need to trust in God.
So, it's been a lesson for them and for us.
(Derek) So, you would say, and I see
some other hands that are twitching here,
but you would say that God,
if we are persistent,
will grant us what we demand
even if it is not His will - is that true?
(Team) Yes.
(Derek) That God will grant us
what we demand even if it is not His will?
Puia, we need your help.
(Puia) I think that is true
to a certain degree, because time
and time again, what we see in the Bible
is that God does not always get
what He wants personally
because He gives us the freedom to choose,
and love by definition
cannot be forced, right?
God cannot force a relationship
between Him and us.
And so, it does appear that way,
that God would grant certain things,
even if it is not His best plan.
But the good news, of course,
is that even when we make those decisions
that are not in His best plan,
God always continues to pursue us
to bring us back through those lessons
that we learn from those mistakes.
(Derek) Let's take a look at one example,
and, Jorge, I'm going to ask you to read
Romans 1 for us, please, verses 22 to 25,
which I believe would support
what Zaria and Puia have just said.
Now, I don't think God does that
with any kind of joy in His heart.
I don't think He does that going,
"Well, you're going to really mess up,
and you deserve it," kind of attitude.
But, if we persist in demanding something,
God will allow that to happen.
Let's see, Jorge, Romans 1:22-25.
(Jorge) Romans 1:22-25, I'll be reading
from the New King James Version, it says:
(Derek) What was the expression there, God did what?
(Team) Gave them up.
(Derek) He gave them up.
Now, please, that's not the same
as "gave up on them," right,
because He will pursue us
with an immeasurable and unfailing love
until our final breath.
But giving them up means what?
(Travis) Let them have their way.
(Derek) Let them have their way.
And of course, history tells us
what happened to the nation.
Now, in the closing section, we want
to look at how, just as He desired
the nation bringing up through Abraham
to be different, He wants His church
to be radically different
from the nations.
But earlier Nicole said we could fall
into the same trap.
But let's look at what Jesus has to say.
Leeah, if you could take us to Matthew,
chapter 20, I think this is
a really important passage,
Matthew 20, verses 25 through 28,
because really, if you are of faith,
Scripture says, you're Abraham's seed.
So, the people of God
post the coming of Jesus
are His church, right?
And He desires His church,
would you say then,
to be a light to the world?
(Team) Yes.
(Derek) And He desires His church
not to have the attitude of the nations.
Let's see, Leeah, what counsel Jesus gave.
(Leeah) Alright, Matthew,
chapter 20, verses 25 to 28,
the English Standard Version says:
(Derek) So, we could, in the place
of "the Gentiles," put "the nations,"
right, "lord it over each other,
but it shall not be that way among you.
But you should be a servant,"
and, of course, even Jesus,
the Son of Man, was a servant.
Look at the history
of the Christian church.
Let's start at the very beginning
in the book of Acts.
Where do you see
the character of a loving God revealed
in the character
of the early Christian church,
the new nation?
Where do you see it manifested?
From your reading, what do you know?
(Travis) In Acts, chapter [2], it says
they shared with one another
so that none had more than the other.
(Derek) Yes, Acts 2 and Acts 4 also.
It says that they held everything in common. Jenner?
(Jenner) Yes, "with gladness
and simplicity of heart."
(Derek) They ate together
"with gladness and simplicity of heart."
And if there was a need,
people like Barnabas sold a piece of land,
brought [the money] to the Apostles' feet.
It's very much, what?
What is it a reflection of?
(Derek, Team) The character of God.
(Derek) Right? That's the picture
of the early church.
But if you do a scan
through church history
through the centuries, where do you see
this kingly power start
to manifest itself?
Anybody a student of church history? Puia.
(Puia) So, when we look back
in church history, we see
that probably around the fourth century especially,
the church began to court
the power of the state,
and eventually there was a combination,
a union, between the church and the state.
And as a result, the church was
corrupted with power, a desire
to act like a king.
And the church in turn persecuted
a lot of God's own people.
And the darkest chapters
of Christian history is filled
with the church persecuting God's people
through the power of the state.
(Derek) We're going to study about that
in our next program
because that is exactly what happens.
And instead of the light of God
shining in the people of God,
drawing others to the church of God,
they use violence to try
to force people, which was not
the character of God at all.
That's actually the character
of the fallen angel, right?
So, how do we avoid falling into the trap
of using the methods of the nations
and staying as God wants His church to be,
a light to the world?
How do we avoid that trap?
(Travis) Humble ourselves.
(Derek) Okay, Travis, talk to me about that.
What did you say?
(Travis) Humble ourselves before God.
(Derek) Especially if He puts you
in a position of leadership, right?
When you stand up to teach the class,
it's like, "Lord, hide me behind You,"
right? Yes, James?
(James) When we recognize that we are
part of a royal priesthood,
a chosen nation, in God we know
that the Great Commission
of going into all the world is not
that of Nimrod or of Satan,
which was meant for conquering,
but rather to conquer hearts.
I use that word loosely, to convert hearts
to Jesus so that we can live
in harmony and interdependence.
That's what I see in the book of Acts,
people living communally
with interdependence and living for God.
(Derek) You know, the text that you
quoted there, "You are
a chosen generation," 1 Peter 2:9,
"a royal priesthood, a holy..."?
(Team) "...nation."
(Derek) Ah! There's the word.
You've got the nations, but you are
a holy nation, but back to something
Nicole said earlier,
"His own special people," peculiar.
(Jenner) God's own possession.
(Derek) Yeah, God's own possession,
but hear the last part,
"That you may proclaim [your praises]."
(Team) No!
(Derek) "Is not this great Babylon
that I have built," no, no,
Or, "Is not this great church...," or, no.
"That you may declare the praises of..."?
(Derek, Team) "...Him..."
(Derek) "...who called you out of..."?
(Derek, Team) "...darkness..."
(Derek) "...into.."?
(Team) "...His marvelous light."
(Derek) Oh, man, that's God's ideal.
Jorge, talk to me about that,
because that is so different
from the kingdoms of the world.
(Jorge) Yes, and I think, to answer
your question, how can we not fall
into that same trap, is by remembering
that He is the vine, we are the branches.
And we need to stay abiding
in Him constantly.
And He will keep us from ourselves
and going into a place that would cause us
to deter from where He
would have us to be.
(Derek) We are not more loved by God
than any in the nations; is that right?
God loves all of His children
in the same way, but He wants us
to go out as servants to the nations
to share the light of God with them.
So, I want, in the few minutes
that's closing, remotes, be ready, too,
to share a time when God
sent you out to the nations.
It's one thing to just stay at home
and try to stay out of trouble,
but God sends us out to the nations
to be a witness.
Anybody have a time you want to share
when God did that for you? Yes, Puia.
(Puia) I actually want to answer
in a slightly different way.
I'm so thankful for the missionaries
who came to my land, to my ancestors,
to Mizoram and Burma,
to tells us about this light,
and becoming a light to the Gentiles.
And as a result of those missionaries,
we came to learn, I came to learn
this message about Jesus.
I'm so thankful for missionaries.
(Derek) Has God sent you out
at any time to the nations, too?
(Puia) Yes, I have.
I have traveled, and I have preached,
and it's a result
of one person stepping out,
and the ripple effects continue.
(Derek) Now, Jorge, I know
you're about to go to the Philippines.
What motivated you to sacrifice the time
and the resources to go out
on that mission to the nations?
(Jorge) Yes, we had Henry Suluvale, a gentleman
who came by and did a vespers, as it were,
on a mission trip that he did
in Papua New Guinea.
And he gave, I guess, a little exposé
of his experience and the thousands
and thousands of people
that were baptized as a result.
And there was a small group of us there,
and, well, we were listening
to his experience and how people
were moved, the different works
that were needed,
the needs that were there,
and he expressed how they were going
to do a mission trip in the Philippines.
We jumped at the opportunity
as we understood that God was leading us
to say, "We have the time, we have
the health, we have the resources;
let's give them to the Lord while we can."
And so, we're heading over there to do it.
(Derek) And I want to hear
in an upcoming program, Jorge,
what happens, okay?
So, you take some notes.
We may not all go to Palawan,
We may not all go to Mizoram
because we don't speak the Mizo language,
or we don't speak Burmese,
but God has a mission for each one of us.
He wants us not to attract attention
to ourselves but to let the light of Jesus
shine through us to the nations
because He loves all of His children.
Will you accept that challenge?
By the way, that's a lesson
for the last days of this earth's history.
Let's pray together.
Father in Heaven, that You would call us
to bring a life-changing message
to the nations is quite remarkable.
But thank You that those
You call You enable.
And may Your presence be with us as we go.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) Friend, whether you go
to your neighbor or across the world,
take the light of Jesus
to dispel the darkness.
Be a blessing to those around you.
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