WEBVTT 00:00.690 --> 00:05.450 Man second Kings chapter number 21 we finished up with the life of Hezekiah and 00:06.070 --> 00:08.010 Hezekiah was one of those really rare 00:08.010 --> 00:14.270 Super godly kings that did all the right things and so he was dedicated a few different chapters 00:14.270 --> 00:21.450 We saw everything with him, but unfortunately although Hezekiah was the greatest king in the history of Judah 00:21.450 --> 00:25.470 No one before him no one after him was as great of a king 00:25.470 --> 00:30.870 His son ends up just being super wicked in the sight of God and that is his son 00:31.470 --> 00:34.350 Manassee now look at verse number one there of chapter 21 00:34.350 --> 00:34.790 it says 00:35.370 --> 00:38.590 Manassee was 12 years old when he began to reign and 00:38.590 --> 00:45.430 Reigned 50 and 5 years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Hepsiba and he did that which was evil in the side of 00:45.430 --> 00:51.670 The Lord after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel 00:51.670 --> 00:58.010 And then it's gonna go on to just catalog all of the wickedness of this guy and he's reigning for 55 years 00:58.010 --> 01:00.790 So he's able to do a lot of damage 01:00.790 --> 01:06.930 To the work of God the temple of God the people of God and just really just destroy everything 01:07.690 --> 01:12.630 But at the same time we need to understand is that a 12-year-old boy is 01:12.630 --> 01:16.590 Probably not a very powerful person when he first takes power 01:16.590 --> 01:20.750 and if you remember we had a story many chapters ago of 01:20.750 --> 01:24.090 Joash and Joash began to reign when he was eight years old 01:24.090 --> 01:27.730 But who was really in charge who was really pulling the strings? 01:27.830 --> 01:33.250 It was Jehoiad of the high priest and Jehoiad of the high priest was a great man of God a 01:33.250 --> 01:36.690 Powerful leader and so because he was in charge 01:36.690 --> 01:38.970 Even though you put an eight-year-old on the throne 01:38.970 --> 01:43.210 Everything actually went really well and as Joash got older 01:43.210 --> 01:47.270 He had Jehoiad of shepherding him through teenage years adult years 01:47.270 --> 01:50.030 Jehoiad had a lot of power and 01:50.030 --> 01:55.090 Everything was great until Jehoiad died and then of course Joash ended up 01:55.090 --> 01:59.790 You know getting into sin and murder and becoming a bad person in the end 01:59.790 --> 02:06.890 But as long as Jehoiad was around he was doing great. So obviously here. We either have a 02:06.890 --> 02:09.490 No one is really shepherding 02:09.490 --> 02:13.950 Manasseh here and guiding him and running things. That's very unlikely 02:13.950 --> 02:19.600 be the people who are shepherding him and guiding him are bad people and 02:20.250 --> 02:24.070 so in order for a 12 year old to just take the nation from 02:24.070 --> 02:29.370 Totally serving God and loving God and following God to following the devil 02:30.010 --> 02:33.750 Obviously the people are complicit in this. They're obviously going along with it 02:33.750 --> 02:37.770 I don't think a 12 year old just came and screwed everything up by himself 02:37.770 --> 02:44.970 Okay, and in many ways the leaders can be a reflection of the people that they're ruling over 02:44.970 --> 02:49.530 And that's especially true in our country where we have this Democratic Republic 02:49.530 --> 02:54.650 Where we elect people, you know if we look at our leaders and their trash 02:54.650 --> 02:56.450 It's really because you know 02:56.450 --> 03:01.270 it's a reflection of the moral decay of our country that we just elect 03:01.270 --> 03:05.590 Adulterers and sodomites and just wicked people 03:05.590 --> 03:12.970 Covetches, whatever and so yeah Manasseh's 12 years old and no 12 year old is 03:12.970 --> 03:17.290 Capable of running their own life let alone running a nation 03:17.290 --> 03:22.610 Okay, like how many 12 year olds do you know who have moved out and they're living on their own 03:22.610 --> 03:27.850 They have an apartment. They have a career. They they're homeowners. It doesn't it literally doesn't exist 03:28.570 --> 03:33.890 No 12 year old is capable now a lot of 12 year olds think that they're capable of that and 03:33.890 --> 03:37.350 14 year olds and 15 year olds, but I also don't know of any 14 year olds 03:37.350 --> 03:43.110 You know running their own households and doing their own thing and so this 12 year old he's put in power 03:43.110 --> 03:48.010 He's probably under some really dark influences bad influences 03:48.010 --> 03:52.930 So instead of following in the footsteps of his father has a kia who's a great man of God 03:52.930 --> 03:57.050 He ends up going down this evil dark path look at verse number three 03:57.050 --> 04:02.670 It says for he built again the high places which has a kia his father had destroyed 04:02.670 --> 04:06.970 So he's basically just doing exactly the opposite of what his father has taught him and 04:08.450 --> 04:16.050 It says he reared up altars for bail and made a grove as did Ahab king of Israel and worshiped all the hosts of heaven and 04:16.050 --> 04:20.830 Serve them and he built altars in the house of the Lord of which the Lord had said in Jerusalem 04:20.830 --> 04:27.390 Well, I put my name there and he built altars for all the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord 04:27.390 --> 04:30.430 So if you look at the catalog of his sins 04:31.010 --> 04:36.670 It's really mainly just false religion. You know, it's just idols idolatry 04:38.310 --> 04:39.270 groves bail 04:40.610 --> 04:46.030 Images high places altars. It's really all but false religion and you say well, you know 04:46.030 --> 04:48.230 Does that really make him a bad guy and the answer is yes 04:48.230 --> 04:55.810 Because false religion is the most wicked thing that there is and you know, it's funny people have this attitude of like well 04:55.810 --> 05:02.230 You know, some of these Catholics are really good people and some of these Hindus are really good people and some of these 05:02.230 --> 05:03.430 Buddhists are really good people 05:03.430 --> 05:08.990 Where's the thing is that maybe in certain areas of their life they're doing good things and have morals and so forth 05:08.990 --> 05:16.250 But at the end of the day people who are involved in false religion are not good people because false religion is a wicked sin 05:17.690 --> 05:24.890 Like just by itself in and of itself just being Catholic is wicked just being a Buddhist is wicked 05:24.890 --> 05:32.210 Just being a Hindu is wicked and I understand that some people are just born and raised in these religions and they grow up that way 05:32.210 --> 05:36.950 But you know what at the end of the day at some point you have to decide 05:36.950 --> 05:42.470 Whether you're gonna continue to worship the false gods that our fathers worshiped on the other side of the flood 05:42.470 --> 05:45.570 Or whether you're gonna worship the Lord, but as for me in my house 05:45.570 --> 05:51.670 We will worship the Lord and so you make that decision for yourself every Buddhist every Hindu every Catholic 05:52.410 --> 06:00.630 Eventually is an adult and they know what's going on and they make a decision and they either stay with idolatry and wickedness and paganism or 06:00.630 --> 06:06.370 They get saved they turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God, okay? 06:06.710 --> 06:10.010 And so yeah, just idolatry by itself is wicked 06:10.830 --> 06:13.650 So you say oh, but they're such nice people. They're such good people 06:13.650 --> 06:16.370 Well, here's the thing Manasseh is wicked in the side of the Lord 06:16.370 --> 06:21.750 He did evil in the side of the Lord and what does that look like? It looks like graven images 06:22.370 --> 06:28.690 Molten images worshiping false gods false religion. That is the worst thing. I mean think about it 06:28.690 --> 06:31.170 You know, that's what sends people to hell more than anything 06:32.350 --> 06:33.890 Yeah, alcohols destructive 06:34.510 --> 06:39.810 Fornications destructive adulteries destructive drugs are destructive stealing is destructive 06:39.810 --> 06:48.590 But what is sending people to hell more than anything is lies about God false religion false doctrine false 06:48.590 --> 06:55.310 Profits that is really ultimately the worst thing and when God's looking down from heaven and saying this guy did good in the 06:55.310 --> 07:01.090 Side of the Lord or this I did evil in the side of the Lord. The main thing is what God is he worshiping? 07:02.110 --> 07:08.110 Is he doing idolatry, you know, or is he loving the Lord? That's really the ultimate test 07:08.630 --> 07:15.530 So we don't want to downplay the wickedness of idolatry and I know I preached a whole sermon about idolatry just a few days ago 07:16.130 --> 07:20.090 And we don't want to downplay the wickedness of false religion and false doctrine 07:20.930 --> 07:27.990 Ultimately, it will lead to other crimes that are easier to recognize for the average person like for example 07:27.990 --> 07:28.950 Look at the next verse 07:29.730 --> 07:34.330 It says in verse number six he made his son pass through the fire and 07:34.890 --> 07:40.170 Observed times and used enchantments and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards 07:40.170 --> 07:44.010 He wrought much wickedness in the side of the Lord to provoke him to anger and again 07:44.010 --> 07:49.390 We look at the list of wickedness. It says that he basically sent his children through the fire 07:49.390 --> 07:54.710 So he's murdering his children. Yes, but really he's doing it in service to a false God 07:55.290 --> 07:57.830 and then when we look at all the magic and 07:57.830 --> 08:04.250 Witchcraft and sorcery and enchantments. Isn't that also religion? Isn't that also false religion? 08:04.330 --> 08:08.970 It's just all of it is really in the same category and it ends up 08:08.970 --> 08:16.050 Yeah, causing him to end up murdering his own children making his sons to pass through the fire and 08:16.870 --> 08:21.410 Then it says in verse 7 he set up a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house 08:22.250 --> 08:28.030 Of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son in this house and in Jerusalem 08:28.030 --> 08:30.590 Which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel 08:30.590 --> 08:34.290 Well, I put my name forever and on and on it goes and 08:35.030 --> 08:38.530 It's really just idolatry and then it you jumped down to verse 11 08:38.530 --> 08:45.750 It says because Manassee king of Judah had done these abominations and it done wickedly above all that the Amorites did 08:45.750 --> 08:50.130 Which were before him and has made Judah also to sin with his idols 08:50.130 --> 08:52.190 Therefore thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel 08:52.190 --> 08:59.710 I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah that whosoever hearth of it both his ears shall tingle 08:59.710 --> 09:06.650 Looks to me like God brings severe judgment severe punishment on false religion false doctrine 09:07.370 --> 09:12.010 Idolatry false gods. These are big big things now ultimately 09:12.010 --> 09:18.650 Any sin if you think about it tends toward death because the other thing that's going to be brought up later 09:18.650 --> 09:25.930 Is that not only did Manassee worship false gods, but he also filled Jerusalem with innocent blood and 09:26.490 --> 09:29.650 The Bible doesn't necessarily go into detail about exactly 09:29.650 --> 09:35.490 How or in what way he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood or shed innocent blood 09:35.490 --> 09:37.110 But if you stop and think about it 09:37.110 --> 09:44.130 Ultimately sin when it is finished bring it forth death right when lust has conceived it bring it forth sin and 09:44.130 --> 09:45.810 Sin when it is finished bring forth death 09:45.810 --> 09:49.670 Just stop and think about all the sins if you have if you have false religion here 09:49.670 --> 09:54.950 It brought forth death because they did human sacrifices. They made their sons to pass through the fire 09:56.030 --> 10:00.550 But even if you put that aside if somebody is a member of a false religion 10:01.030 --> 10:02.970 Then that means that they're not saved 10:03.530 --> 10:07.370 You know because it's replacing the true God in their life 10:07.370 --> 10:10.670 So if they're a Buddhist that means they're not a Christian if they're a Hindu 10:10.670 --> 10:15.510 They're not a Christian if they're a Roman Catholic. They're not a saved Christian 10:15.510 --> 10:20.350 They're a pagan idolater and what that means is that they're not indwelled by the Holy Spirit 10:21.050 --> 10:24.550 And if you're not saved then that means you don't have the new man 10:25.070 --> 10:30.790 You don't have the Holy Spirit and the Bible says they that are in the flesh cannot please God 10:30.790 --> 10:37.490 The carnal mind is enmity against God and it cannot be brought into subjection of the laws of God 10:37.990 --> 10:41.010 So therefore people that are unsaved 10:41.010 --> 10:44.110 They don't even have the Holy Spirit and the new man 10:44.110 --> 10:51.770 Giving them the power to live that victorious Christian life and overcome sin and get the victory over sin in their life 10:51.770 --> 10:56.070 So in places where false religion abounds you're gonna have more 10:56.070 --> 11:02.990 Stealing you're gonna have more killing adultery all those things and stop and think about if we go down through those big commandments 11:03.610 --> 11:04.050 Okay 11:04.910 --> 11:09.670 Killing obviously that leads to bloodshed because that's what it is, but even just adultery 11:09.670 --> 11:12.670 You know adultery ends with people dying 11:13.210 --> 11:17.970 Because if you go out and commit adultery a lot of times people commit murder 11:17.970 --> 11:22.750 To avenge those things and the Bible says jealousy is the rage of a man 11:22.750 --> 11:26.270 And you can give him any gifts and it's not gonna calm him down 11:26.270 --> 11:30.290 You know people will murder over adultery 11:30.290 --> 11:37.290 You know and that's just a fact first of all the Bible puts the death penalty on adultery in the first place in Leviticus 11:37.290 --> 11:43.970 2010 but even if it's not a government sanctioned death penalty a lot of people will just just kill someone 11:43.970 --> 11:46.530 Because they're so upset about the adultery 11:46.530 --> 11:53.630 But not only that adultery leads to death because of the fact that children who are conceived through adultery are often going to be 11:53.630 --> 11:59.690 Aborted because the abortion is gonna be used to cover up the crime and to cover up the adultery that has taken place 11:59.690 --> 12:01.530 And then if we just think about fornication 12:02.010 --> 12:04.850 Unmarried people just going out and sleeping around well 12:04.850 --> 12:09.870 Then that's gonna lead to abortion as well because they're gonna end up saying hey, I'm not ready for this 12:09.870 --> 12:11.210 I'm not married. I don't you know 12:11.210 --> 12:16.930 I don't know what I'm gonna do and then they end up aborting that baby and that is murder that is shedding innocent blood 12:16.930 --> 12:20.970 What about thou shalt not steal, you know, is that gonna lead toward bloodshed? 12:21.090 --> 12:24.970 Well, how many times has a robbery gone wrong and people get killed? 12:25.270 --> 12:31.290 I mean it's very possible that if you decide that you're gonna become a thief and just start stealing and have a life of crime 12:31.290 --> 12:34.410 That eventually you're just gonna rob the wrong house 12:34.410 --> 12:38.970 You're gonna rob the wrong guy and a lot of people will just gun you down just for stealing 12:38.970 --> 12:42.210 Whether that's right or wrong. That's what some people are gonna do 12:42.970 --> 12:46.610 You're robbing them. They're gonna shoot you you break into somebody's house in the middle of the night 12:46.610 --> 12:52.710 You just expect to get shot if they're home because the Bible even sanctions that because if you're the homeowner 12:52.710 --> 12:55.450 And somebody's breaking into your house in the middle like you don't know why they're there 12:55.450 --> 13:00.570 You don't know how many people there are you don't know what their intentions are if somebody broken in my house in the middle 13:00.570 --> 13:00.990 of the night 13:01.410 --> 13:07.290 I'm gonna blow them away and ask questions later because you don't know and the Bible sanctions that if it happens at night 13:07.790 --> 13:12.830 That's appropriate in the daytime. It's another story. You're gonna try to find a peaceful solution 13:12.830 --> 13:16.490 But either way whether it's right or wrong 13:17.990 --> 13:23.490 Homeowners property owners car owners. You try to jack the wrong car. You try to break into the wrong house 13:23.490 --> 13:26.950 You know you're very likely to get shot or you might just get shot by the police 13:27.490 --> 13:30.790 Maybe the police will shoot you maybe that you reach into your pocket 13:30.790 --> 13:37.270 And they don't know what you're reaching for and they blow you away not only that the thieves themselves often end up committing violence 13:37.290 --> 13:41.710 Because they break into the house the store the bank and they end up killing someone 13:42.270 --> 13:44.410 Maybe by accident maybe on purpose 13:44.410 --> 13:51.710 But the bible talks about a proverb chapter one that criminals who steal it says that they take away the lives of the owners 13:51.710 --> 13:56.290 They're up so is everyone that is greedy of gain that take it away the life of the owners. They're up 13:57.730 --> 14:02.850 Okay, so thou shall not kill leads to death thou shall not commit adultery leads to death 14:02.850 --> 14:06.570 Thou shall not steal leads to death thou shall not bear false witness leads to death 14:07.290 --> 14:11.850 Because you know what there are guys who get falsely accused of rape or something and then they go kill themselves 14:12.330 --> 14:15.350 Or women who get falsely accused of something and they go kill themselves 14:15.930 --> 14:19.230 People get upset or they kill the people that are making the false accusations 14:19.750 --> 14:23.890 You know it could cause people also to be wrongfully convicted look at naboth 14:24.450 --> 14:31.350 Two false witnesses arose and bore false witness against naboth and he was wrongfully executed for a crime that he didn't commit 14:32.190 --> 14:36.430 And so bearing false witness can definitely lead to death in more ways than one 14:36.430 --> 14:42.910 Thou shalt not covet definitely leads to death because what does the bible say from whence come wars and fighting among you? 14:43.450 --> 14:45.390 Come they not hence even from your lusts 14:46.190 --> 14:52.830 That war in your members and by the way the word lust is used interchangeably in the bible with the word covetousness 14:52.830 --> 14:58.570 You know paul said i had not known lust but that the scripture had said thou shalt not covet 14:59.070 --> 15:05.290 And so from whence come wars and fighting among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members 15:05.290 --> 15:10.210 You lust and desire to have you kill and and he says you fight in war 15:10.210 --> 15:14.850 You have not because you ask not where do wars come from where do fighting come from 15:14.850 --> 15:20.490 Why are we constantly going to war all over the world and and there's always war going on? 15:20.710 --> 15:22.410 You know it's really covetousness 15:22.410 --> 15:30.370 One nation wants the resources or the land or whatever that belongs to someone else and so they end up taking it away 15:31.870 --> 15:35.790 You know people are greedy and they want things that don't belong to them 15:35.790 --> 15:43.890 You know and you even just look at our nation's history and you know, england basically wants to take taxes and things 15:43.890 --> 15:49.930 They just want to drain wealth and money and resources from the american colonies 15:49.930 --> 15:55.930 And finally the american colonies are saying no we want to keep our own money our own resources and everything 15:55.930 --> 16:00.290 We don't want to be drained by this mothership over, you know 16:00.290 --> 16:06.610 Another ocean away. We'd rather just you know prosper on our own here and not send you a bunch of money for nothing 16:06.610 --> 16:08.690 And so you know england's getting greedy 16:08.690 --> 16:10.050 They have all these colonies 16:10.050 --> 16:16.110 They want to suck up all the wealth and resources and everything and eventually it leads to a bloody conflict between 16:16.110 --> 16:19.950 The american colonists and england. We could just go to all the wars 16:19.950 --> 16:24.150 Where do wars and fighting come from from whence come wars and fighting is among you 16:24.150 --> 16:30.110 They come from the lust of the human being right the lust that war and our members 16:30.110 --> 16:34.710 And so thou shalt not covet pretty much leads to every war that's ever been fought 16:34.710 --> 16:37.410 And you say well, I thought that was the jews that were responsible for all the wars 16:37.410 --> 16:42.670 Well, here's the thing the jews are some greedy bastards, aren't they you know, and they're all into the love of money 16:43.690 --> 16:46.710 So even if you want to look at it that way and just say oh, you know 16:46.710 --> 16:50.410 You just have that button and everything's the jews that you want to blame for everything 16:50.410 --> 16:53.710 Even then it still goes back to covetousness and the love of money 16:54.250 --> 16:56.510 Because the love of money is the root of all evil 16:57.050 --> 17:01.690 But at the end of the day even wars that have nothing to do with the jews or anything like that 17:01.690 --> 17:03.830 You know, somebody is coveting something 17:04.730 --> 17:07.610 Somebody is being greedy about something follow the money 17:08.130 --> 17:14.830 The military industrial complex is another way that you could approach it and look at it and see where people are 17:14.830 --> 17:20.770 Financially benefiting and profiteering from warfare. That's why it happens 17:20.770 --> 17:26.150 And so look, it doesn't matter which of the commandments of god you're breaking whether it's your fornicating 17:26.150 --> 17:27.450 democratic adultery 17:28.190 --> 17:28.590 gambling 17:29.390 --> 17:29.750 stealing 17:30.510 --> 17:35.050 Whatever go down the list of every immoral activity you can think of drugs 17:35.050 --> 17:37.850 I wanted does anyone die from drugs? 17:39.470 --> 17:42.090 People die because they overdose on drugs 17:42.090 --> 17:45.530 People die because of a drug deal gone bad 17:45.530 --> 17:52.390 People die because of the violence of the whole underworld of the black market of getting and selling drugs 17:52.390 --> 17:57.730 I mean, look all of the sins you can name whether it's stealing covetousness 17:57.730 --> 18:03.790 Fornication you say hey, I'm not hurting anybody. Look when lust has conceived it bring it forth sin 18:03.790 --> 18:06.770 And sin when it is finished bring it forth death 18:07.510 --> 18:11.970 False religion is indirectly going to also bring death 18:12.090 --> 18:16.070 Because of the fact that it's going to bring a sinful population 18:16.830 --> 18:21.830 See bible believing christianity is teaching people to follow the laws of god 18:21.830 --> 18:28.930 Which is going to be to avoid all the bloodshed and death that comes with breaking god's laws and also getting someone saved 18:28.930 --> 18:34.670 What are we doing when we get someone saved? We're getting that person transformed into a new creature in christ 18:35.310 --> 18:38.090 And we're getting the holy spirit to move into that art 18:38.730 --> 18:45.430 So are they going to be a better person or a worse person as a result of the transforming power of salvation? 18:45.890 --> 18:48.370 And the holy ghost moving in think about it 18:49.090 --> 18:53.250 The best thing we could do for our society is get as many people saved as we can 18:54.010 --> 18:58.530 And then to teach them to observe all things whatsoever christ commanded us 18:59.210 --> 19:03.550 Because sin brings death that is what the bible says 19:04.090 --> 19:07.590 Lust conceives and brings forth sin and then sin when it is finished 19:08.090 --> 19:09.450 Bring it forth death 19:10.170 --> 19:16.850 And we could just go on and on any example you want bring up all the sins you want and see how these things 19:17.370 --> 19:20.290 Feed into each other until death is the result 19:20.990 --> 19:26.330 So this is what manasseh is guilty of he's considered one of the worst kings of all time 19:26.330 --> 19:30.510 Super evil and you know when we think of somebody who's worshiping satan 19:30.510 --> 19:33.410 And doing witchcraft and sorcery 19:33.410 --> 19:39.650 And uh, you know aborting their children and stuff, you know, we would consider that a pretty bad person, right? 19:40.550 --> 19:44.010 But here's the thing is that we don't have to turn there for sake of time 19:44.010 --> 19:46.950 But in first chronicles chapter number 33 19:47.590 --> 19:49.450 There's a parallel passage of this 19:49.970 --> 19:55.870 And in that parallel passage it actually talks about the fact that manasseh eventually later in life 19:55.870 --> 19:58.310 He actually does get saved 19:58.310 --> 20:04.250 And get right with god and try to undo the damage that he did not that's not recorded here 20:04.250 --> 20:09.490 In second kings, but it is recorded in the account over in second chronicles chapter 33 20:10.430 --> 20:13.610 And it talks about how god punishes him for all this wickedness 20:14.120 --> 20:18.990 But remember he reigned for 55 years. Okay, so he does all this damage 20:18.990 --> 20:24.090 But then toward the end he ends up being abducted by the king of assyria 20:24.650 --> 20:29.810 And put in babelon and he's there and while he's imprisoned in babelon 20:29.810 --> 20:31.610 He decides, you know what? 20:32.010 --> 20:37.070 This is happening to me because i'm a wicked person and because i'm not following the lord 20:37.070 --> 20:38.130 I'm worshiping false gods 20:38.130 --> 20:43.030 So he actually cries out to the lord praise the lord and the lord delivers him 20:43.030 --> 20:47.250 And then it says at that point then he knows, okay, the lord's the true god 20:47.250 --> 20:52.710 So then he comes home and actually straightens things out, you know gets rid of altars and things 20:52.710 --> 20:55.050 But it's it's it's like it's already kind of just too late 20:55.050 --> 21:00.770 Like apparently it didn't make that big of an impact since second kings doesn't even feel the need 21:00.770 --> 21:04.170 To even tell us that part of the story and then his next son 21:04.170 --> 21:07.430 Or the next king who is his son is going to be so wicked anyway 21:07.990 --> 21:12.470 He he pretty much just continues all the same trash of manassi his father anyway 21:13.030 --> 21:15.770 And so it's good that manassi 21:16.310 --> 21:21.510 Got saved and got right in the end and i believe of course that he's going to be in heaven and we'll see him in heaven 21:21.510 --> 21:25.850 That's good for him personally, but he'd already kind of done so much damage at that point 21:26.450 --> 21:28.530 That it really ruined the nation 21:29.790 --> 21:34.230 But the reason i bring it up is to show you that god can save some really wicked people 21:34.990 --> 21:40.950 So we don't want to just assume that somebody's a reprobate just because they do something really bad 21:40.950 --> 21:46.070 Okay, because the bible does describe the fact that there are some people who are 21:46.770 --> 21:50.750 Reprobate and what does the word reprobate mean? It simply means rejected. Okay 21:50.750 --> 21:56.410 That's what it means on a basic level of just the english word reprobate means rejected 21:56.990 --> 22:03.770 Jeremiah says it this way reprobate silver shall men call them because the lord has rejected them 22:03.770 --> 22:09.930 Okay, and so in romans 1 it describes that downward spiral and it talks about people that 22:09.930 --> 22:13.830 They didn't even want to retain god and their knowledge. There's such haters of god 22:13.830 --> 22:17.070 They don't even want to think about god or even remember that he exists 22:17.070 --> 22:19.730 And even as they did not want to retain god and their knowledge 22:19.730 --> 22:23.930 God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient 22:23.930 --> 22:27.890 And it says three times in romans 1 god gave them up god gave them over 22:27.890 --> 22:34.150 God gave them up and so the idea is that there are people who god is done with these people 22:34.750 --> 22:38.890 They have ultimately rejected him and he ultimately rejects them 22:39.470 --> 22:42.870 And a lot of people when you preach about this they get uncomfortable with that doctrine and they're 22:43.610 --> 22:50.550 Kind of having this mentality that it's never too late for anyone and as long as anybody's breathing air they could still be saved 22:51.190 --> 22:57.110 However, if we stop and think about that it doesn't match what the bible teaches because we know for a fact 22:57.110 --> 23:02.070 That if anybody receives the mark of the beast in the end times that they can never be saved after that 23:02.070 --> 23:03.910 That they're totally done at that point 23:03.910 --> 23:10.990 We also know for a fact that the bible says that anybody who adds to or removes from god's word intentionally corrupting the bible 23:11.610 --> 23:15.450 What's that curse? It's like the last three four verses of the bible 23:15.450 --> 23:20.950 Revelation 22 verses 18 and 19 and what does it say, you know if you add to these things 23:20.950 --> 23:23.710 I'm going to add to you all the plagues of the book of revelation 23:23.710 --> 23:28.370 And if you take away from these things i'm going to take away your part out of the book of life 23:28.370 --> 23:31.090 And out of the holy city and from the things that are written in this book 23:31.090 --> 23:34.930 Meaning that you will lose your opportunity to ever get saved 23:34.930 --> 23:37.150 Obviously, it's not talking about losing your salvation 23:37.150 --> 23:43.130 No one can ever lose their salvation for any reason ever you have eternal life your sealed into the day of redemption 23:43.130 --> 23:46.370 But what it's talking about is your part 23:46.370 --> 23:52.090 He'll take away your part out of the book of life and out of the holy city the place where your name even could go is gone 23:52.710 --> 23:54.290 You know your part is gone 23:54.290 --> 23:58.830 You're done your toast if you delete from god's word 23:58.830 --> 24:04.490 You are eternally damned. It doesn't matter if you live another 10 15 20 30 years on this earth 24:04.490 --> 24:08.170 It's too late for you or how about this? What about people who blaspheme the holy ghost? 24:08.610 --> 24:14.970 You know jesus said to the people that blaspheme the holy ghost he said that all manner of sins 24:15.950 --> 24:18.250 And and blasphemies will be forgiven unto men 24:18.250 --> 24:23.350 He said look people are going to be forgiven for all kinds of sins and blasphemies 24:23.350 --> 24:25.790 But the blasphemy against the holy ghost 24:25.790 --> 24:26.810 He said 24:27.510 --> 24:32.870 No one will be forgiven for the blasphemy against the holy ghost neither in this world neither in the world to come 24:32.870 --> 24:37.530 I mean that seems like a pretty clear statement that once you blaspheme the holy ghost you could never be saved 24:38.590 --> 24:43.390 And again, we're not talking about saved people losing their salvation because here's the thing 24:43.390 --> 24:46.230 No saved person will ever blaspheme the holy ghost 24:46.230 --> 24:49.470 No saved person has ever or will ever blaspheme the holy ghost 24:49.470 --> 24:55.330 Get the context of the story 100 of the people that jesus we're talking about were people who never believed in him 24:55.330 --> 25:00.250 it's talking about Pharisees and scribes and people that were 25:00.910 --> 25:07.510 Antithetical toward him and john the baptist and just they were just totally against the word of god from the beginning 25:08.070 --> 25:10.150 There is no such thing as losing your salvation 25:10.730 --> 25:13.850 Because a lot of people will be like well if you blaspheme the holy ghost you lose your salvation 25:13.850 --> 25:18.370 No, because here's the no saved person is ever going to blaspheme the holy ghost 25:18.870 --> 25:23.130 No man speaking by the spirit of god called jesus christ accursed the bible says okay 25:23.130 --> 25:26.630 And so the point is that these unsaved people 25:26.630 --> 25:32.790 Can cross a line with god to where they lose the opportunity to ever get saved so 25:33.490 --> 25:38.370 And if you would go to john chapter 12 so that we can see this john chapter number 12 25:38.850 --> 25:43.150 Because i want you to see that this is spelled out in the bible, okay 25:45.210 --> 25:51.390 But i'm not even going to turn to the blasphemy against the holy ghost passages because i think you guys are all pretty familiar with that 25:51.390 --> 25:52.670 You know, it's pretty famous stuff 25:53.290 --> 25:59.270 When jesus says if you blaspheme the holy ghost you will never be forgiven not in this world and not in the world to come 25:59.270 --> 26:01.230 I don't see how you can get any clearer 26:01.650 --> 26:03.610 That there is such thing as a reprobate 26:04.350 --> 26:09.350 Then that verse i mean how can you read that verse and say oh no such thing as a reprobate anybody can be saved 26:09.350 --> 26:10.130 It's like come on 26:10.550 --> 26:12.810 If you blaspheme the holy ghost, you're done 26:13.270 --> 26:18.930 If you add to or remove from god's word, you're done in the end times if you receive the mark of the beast 26:18.930 --> 26:19.810 You're done 26:20.410 --> 26:23.470 This is what the bible clearly spells out 26:26.130 --> 26:26.610 Now 26:27.390 --> 26:32.290 People will say this they'll say well are you saying that if that person believes in jesus they won't be saved 26:32.290 --> 26:36.610 Absolutely not because everyone who believes in jesus will be saved 26:37.230 --> 26:41.830 So what does it mean when we say these people will never be saved? They can never be saved 26:41.830 --> 26:47.230 They have no hope of salvation. Here's what it looks like look down in your bible at john chapter 12 26:47.810 --> 26:48.070 verse 26:48.070 --> 26:53.150 37 it says but though he had done so many miracles before them 26:53.830 --> 26:56.470 John 12 37 yet, they believed him not 26:56.470 --> 27:01.210 They believe not on him that the saying of his eye as the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake 27:01.210 --> 27:06.010 Lord who had believed our report and to whom at the arm of the lord been revealed watch this 27:06.750 --> 27:08.430 Therefore they could 27:09.110 --> 27:15.250 Not believe now. This is what it looks like people are incapable of believing on christ 27:16.050 --> 27:21.070 That's why they can't be saved. It's not that if they believed he wouldn't save them. Look 27:21.690 --> 27:24.630 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord shall be saved 27:25.450 --> 27:29.150 It's the problem is that they don't believe in him 27:29.150 --> 27:31.470 They can't believe in him 27:31.470 --> 27:36.130 And therefore they can't call on him because how so they call on him and they've not believed 27:36.690 --> 27:40.390 Look what the bible says it says therefore they could not believe 27:41.150 --> 27:44.810 Now why couldn't they believe the bible is going to explain why they couldn't believe 27:45.250 --> 27:51.670 It says in verse 40 because that his eyes said again, he has blinded their eyes. Who's the he there? 27:52.890 --> 27:58.730 God so why couldn't they believe they couldn't believe because god blinded their eyes. Everybody see that 27:59.310 --> 28:00.810 It says they could not believe 28:01.490 --> 28:01.790 because 28:02.390 --> 28:04.170 He had blinded their eyes 28:04.170 --> 28:08.310 And hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes 28:08.310 --> 28:12.370 Nor understand with their heart and be converted and i should heal them 28:12.370 --> 28:15.430 So the bible is crystal clear here that these people 28:15.430 --> 28:22.590 They they didn't believe in him. They saw the great works that he did. They still didn't believe in him and ultimately 28:23.190 --> 28:23.670 God 28:24.350 --> 28:30.830 Blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so that they could not believe they were unable to believe 28:30.830 --> 28:33.410 That's why they can never be saved because they can't believe 28:33.410 --> 28:37.970 I mean think about it if you hate god so much that you don't even want to retain god in your knowledge 28:38.870 --> 28:40.690 Does it sound like you're ever going to be saved? 28:42.010 --> 28:45.790 If if if it then turns around and says well even as they didn't want to retain god in their knowledge 28:45.790 --> 28:51.310 God gave them over to reprobate god hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes. I mean these people are done 28:52.630 --> 28:58.610 Okay, that is what we call the reprobate doctrine that there are people for whom it is too late 28:59.530 --> 28:59.930 also 29:00.450 --> 29:06.270 This explains some of the phenomena that we see in our world where we see people doing sick 29:06.270 --> 29:07.130 gross 29:07.910 --> 29:14.370 Weird horrific things and you're thinking yourself like how could any human being do these things or why would any person do these things? 29:14.910 --> 29:22.230 Because they're not normal temptations that we all did we all deal with temptations to steal to lie to cheat 29:22.230 --> 29:25.870 To fornicate to commit adultery those that you know as you're going through life 29:25.870 --> 29:32.250 You're tempted by those things, but then it's like these weird gross horrible wicked things 29:32.250 --> 29:38.190 Whether it's you know, homo stuff or just other just perverted stuff and it's like how did they get this way? 29:38.610 --> 29:42.690 Well, the the bible explains that they are given over to vile affections 29:42.690 --> 29:46.690 And that the reprobate is given over to the lusts of their own heart 29:46.690 --> 29:53.750 Given over to vile affections and that they are just darkened and hardened and just given over 29:54.290 --> 30:00.870 And then it makes sense and then you understand that so we understand that there are reprobates out there 30:00.870 --> 30:04.310 And when we see men burning and lust toward other men 30:05.210 --> 30:08.850 Women burning and lust for other women as it says in romans one that is a symptom 30:09.390 --> 30:15.630 Of the reprobate because normal people don't feel that way and there's no temptation taking you but such as is common to man 30:16.330 --> 30:17.450 That's not common to man 30:18.040 --> 30:21.710 That is a symptom or an evidence of the reprobate mind 30:21.710 --> 30:25.450 Okay, and so when we see that we could look at that person and say 30:25.450 --> 30:30.410 Yeah, this guy's a reprobate because he's over here burning and lust toward other dudes 30:30.410 --> 30:34.850 Okay, but here's the thing that doesn't mean that we just look at a super sinful person 30:35.430 --> 30:36.930 And assume that they're a reprobate 30:37.490 --> 30:38.590 Does everybody see the difference? 30:39.210 --> 30:46.390 Because here's the thing if i'm looking at someone like a jeffrey daumer or something right and you got these these horrible 30:47.230 --> 30:51.650 gross evil serial killer like you know homo 30:52.410 --> 30:59.170 Whatever rapist pedophile these weirdos, you know you look at that stuff and when you see those unnatural affections 30:59.830 --> 31:03.570 You know that's evidence like this guy's been given over to the reprobate mind 31:04.100 --> 31:09.390 This guy's given over to vile affections. This guy's given over to that which is not convenient 31:10.120 --> 31:15.750 This guy has been given over to the lust of his own heart to do these things that are not normal or natural 31:16.530 --> 31:18.690 Not the normal sins that we all deal with 31:19.250 --> 31:19.630 Okay 31:20.360 --> 31:26.190 But here's the thing we don't want to just look at somebody who's super sinful with conventional sins 31:26.850 --> 31:28.910 And think oh this guy can never be saved 31:29.890 --> 31:32.110 Because here's the thing manassee 31:32.550 --> 31:40.450 Is a super wicked guy just totally worshiping satan and just demonic witchcraft 31:40.990 --> 31:42.110 murder everything 31:42.870 --> 31:43.550 But 31:44.290 --> 31:45.410 He's not a sodomite 31:46.310 --> 31:48.930 He's not a reprobate and he ends up getting saved 31:49.710 --> 31:52.810 So, you know, I've seen some pretty rough people get saved 31:53.690 --> 31:56.090 You know, I remember one time when I was younger 31:57.150 --> 32:03.950 I heard a preacher kind of challenging us in a sermon and he was challenging us about getting the hard cases saved 32:03.950 --> 32:10.690 You know and and and how like, you know, we got to get the hard cases saved and and not to think that god doesn't have the power 32:11.150 --> 32:18.290 To save the really hard cases and he talked about just targeting these hard cases with prayer and just praying and fasting 32:18.850 --> 32:21.370 And then preaching the gospel to those people and getting them saved 32:21.370 --> 32:25.190 And everything so I was kind of inspired by this. So I decided I was going to try it 32:25.810 --> 32:30.790 And so I picked a person in my life who I thought was one of the least likely people to get saved 32:30.790 --> 32:35.710 Right, so I picked a guy that I felt like this guy's super wicked 32:36.250 --> 32:38.890 Super sinful and I would love to see this guy get saved 32:39.430 --> 32:42.110 You know because he was someone that was in my sphere 32:42.110 --> 32:48.050 And so I was like, you know what I want to experiment and try out what this preacher is saying and you know 32:48.050 --> 32:49.770 See if see if it'll work 32:50.270 --> 32:55.490 Put it to the test and so I picked a guy that was just kind of just a raunchy 32:55.490 --> 33:01.150 Guy just a lot of just just total trash coming out of his mouth all the time 33:01.150 --> 33:03.990 Wicked sinful guy unsavory guy 33:04.550 --> 33:07.450 And you know because I just thought this guy's never going to get saved 33:08.030 --> 33:09.750 So this is the perfect test right 33:10.290 --> 33:13.510 But he wasn't obviously wasn't like a reprobate or anything, you know 33:14.150 --> 33:18.130 So I started praying for this guy and I mean I was I was spending like hours 33:18.670 --> 33:21.810 In prayer and I even asked the pastor I asked this guy 33:21.810 --> 33:26.730 I said, you know, how do you pray for someone for hours because I'm you know, I don't want to chant 33:26.730 --> 33:28.690 I don't want to use vain repetitions 33:28.690 --> 33:31.970 And so he kind of gave me a little practical help 33:31.970 --> 33:39.590 And he said here's what I'll do and he gave me like lists of stuff to pray like, you know pray for god to like 33:40.210 --> 33:46.030 Take everything out of the way that's preventing this person from getting saved because ultimately god can't make people get saved 33:46.610 --> 33:50.210 Because it's their own choice to get saved. It's their own free will 33:50.210 --> 33:54.630 So how do you pray for someone to get saved, you know, so he had a big list though 33:54.630 --> 33:57.710 This guy had thought things through, you know, and he had this big long list 33:58.630 --> 34:03.070 His name was uh, he's not I don't think he's around anymore. He's a very old man now 34:03.070 --> 34:08.190 I don't think he's still pastor. His name was pastor greg bowser. This was in california 34:08.750 --> 34:10.730 And um, I think he's retired now 34:10.730 --> 34:18.110 But he had this big list of all these different things just just praying that god would just wake him up in the middle of the night 34:18.110 --> 34:20.710 And then they would just have these verses stuck in their head 34:20.710 --> 34:24.910 And just whatever bible verses you give them that they'll just won't be able to get out of their head 34:24.910 --> 34:29.010 Won't be able to forget it just bring just just praying for their circumstances 34:29.770 --> 34:32.370 To to be such that they would be receptive 34:32.950 --> 34:37.790 And that you know praying that you'll get good opportunities to preach to them that they'll listen 34:38.350 --> 34:41.070 That distractions will be removed whatever it is that's 34:41.070 --> 34:43.910 Preventing them from being saved that god would take it out of the way 34:44.510 --> 34:51.730 Whatever's confusing them that god would help clear it up for them and that bring people into their life myself included that 34:51.730 --> 34:54.950 You know, so he had a big long list. He had he had sat down and thought about this 34:54.950 --> 34:57.910 All the different ways that you could spend an hour 34:58.450 --> 35:02.630 Praying for someone to get saved without just chanting like some kind of a pagan 35:03.770 --> 35:05.070 Catholic orthodox whatever 35:05.070 --> 35:08.850 You know just rocking back and forth artistically chanting or something, you know 35:08.850 --> 35:14.630 But actually really pray from your heart to god. And so, you know, I I just said, okay 35:14.630 --> 35:18.570 I'm going to do this. So, you know, I was just going down the list. I was making my own list 35:18.570 --> 35:21.750 I was using his list and I'm just praying all this stuff 35:21.750 --> 35:27.030 And I prayed and I fasted and I worked on this and then I went and preached the gospel to this guy 35:27.030 --> 35:29.590 So I went and and knocked on his door 35:30.410 --> 35:32.570 You know on a certain night and just 35:33.410 --> 35:36.770 Didn't really take no for an answer because I you know, I've put a lot of prayer into this 35:37.270 --> 35:38.430 Bro's gonna listen, you know 35:38.890 --> 35:41.490 And so I didn't really take no for an answer 35:41.490 --> 35:45.050 I preached the gospel to him and while I was preaching the gospel to him 35:45.050 --> 35:46.410 He was kind of 35:47.210 --> 35:53.430 Laughing about it and not really taking it seriously kind of blowing me off and I kind of felt like I was wasting my time 35:54.450 --> 35:58.490 And I even wondered if he was a little under the influence of alcohol, you know while I was preaching to him 35:58.490 --> 36:04.010 But it was just it just seemed like it was just bouncing right off him like he's just not getting it 36:04.970 --> 36:09.150 And so I just it was just like okay, whatever, but I'm you know, I'm still doing it 36:09.150 --> 36:11.970 So I preached to him. I felt like it went nowhere 36:11.970 --> 36:14.970 But then like a day or two later. I'm still praying 36:15.430 --> 36:18.210 Haven't lost faith in the program and then 36:18.950 --> 36:20.210 You know, I hear 36:20.690 --> 36:26.830 From his wife that basically he had told her a bunch of the stuff that I had said to him on the doorstep 36:26.830 --> 36:30.290 And that he's quoting it to her and that he remember so I was like wow 36:30.290 --> 36:32.390 I thought nothing was getting through 36:32.790 --> 36:37.590 But then days later he's still talking about it and he's bringing up specific things that I said 36:37.590 --> 36:40.050 So I was like, well, that was one of the things that I was praying for, you know 36:40.050 --> 36:42.070 That this stuff would just be stuck in his head 36:42.690 --> 36:48.450 You know, and so then I ended up I don't know a few days after that or however long after that 36:48.450 --> 36:50.670 You know, I ended up going to his house again 36:50.670 --> 36:55.390 And preaching the gospel to him a second time and the second time it was like a totally different situation 36:55.950 --> 37:00.190 You know, it's like we sat down. I preached in the gospel. He was super interested 37:00.830 --> 37:04.550 He's asking questions. He's engaged in the conversation 37:05.190 --> 37:09.550 And he ultimately, you know, right then and there on the second attempt got saved 37:10.470 --> 37:15.570 So I was kind of blown away that it actually worked, you know, because this was a hard case 37:15.570 --> 37:20.470 You know, he even ended up coming to church like the next weekend and getting baptized 37:21.250 --> 37:27.570 You know and and fast forward this and by the way, this happened, you know, a few decades ago 37:28.770 --> 37:31.310 And this guy is still in church 37:31.310 --> 37:35.910 You know and so and a lot of his family members ended up getting saved 37:36.590 --> 37:38.690 as a chain reaction from that 37:39.330 --> 37:42.470 Because you know, you get one person saved and then it's like, you know 37:42.470 --> 37:46.450 Brothers getting saved moms getting saved other people in their life getting saved 37:47.050 --> 37:52.550 You know, so the reason I bring that up is that we don't want to just look at someone who's a super wicked person 37:53.070 --> 37:57.410 And assume that they're a reprobate and just think like, oh, this guy will never get saved 37:58.350 --> 38:01.410 Because some of those hard cases can be saved 38:01.410 --> 38:04.450 Also, when I would go back and visit 38:04.930 --> 38:10.910 Uh faith baptist church in canoga park, which is where my grandpa used to go to church many many moons ago 38:11.450 --> 38:15.550 And everybody who knew my grandpa from that generation. This is what they all said 38:15.550 --> 38:22.210 They said, oh man your grandpa was such a great soul winner and he was really good at winning the hard cases 38:22.910 --> 38:25.330 You know women with unsaved husbands 38:25.970 --> 38:28.870 The hard cases and it seemed like they were never going to get saved 38:28.870 --> 38:34.370 Your grandpa got those guys saved he'd go over there and preach to them and get them saved 38:34.370 --> 38:39.570 You know what getting the hard cases saved with god all things are possible 38:40.170 --> 38:42.970 And so yeah manassi can get saved 38:42.970 --> 38:51.910 The hard cases can get saved people who are into satanism and witchcraft people have committed murder can be saved 38:52.410 --> 38:55.950 So don't just give up on it and don't just assume 38:56.450 --> 38:59.470 Oh, this guy's really wicked must be a reprobate, you know 38:59.470 --> 39:04.930 Because there's a big difference between being some kind of a weird sick evil pervert 39:04.930 --> 39:08.770 Who's showing all this evidence that they're a reprobate based on romans one 39:09.530 --> 39:11.910 Versus just a guy who's super sinful 39:12.650 --> 39:17.550 But it's nothing unconventional. It's not you know, it's just these bros just violating the tank commandments 39:18.330 --> 39:20.330 All day long all of them, you know 39:21.690 --> 39:23.430 So I hope that that 39:24.010 --> 39:31.030 Makes a distinction for you so that you don't start getting the wrong idea that just bad people can't be saved because you know what 39:31.030 --> 39:36.670 Bad people can be saved. I mean if you think about it prostitutes are some pretty rough people 39:37.230 --> 39:40.850 They're committing a lot of sin. It's just a continual 39:41.390 --> 39:43.190 process of fornication 39:43.710 --> 39:44.430 adultery 39:44.880 --> 39:45.250 alcohol 39:46.010 --> 39:52.390 Drugs, I mean they're living a very extremely sinful life. Yet. We see Jesus Christ getting the prostitute saved 39:53.480 --> 39:54.810 The publicans and the sinners 39:55.620 --> 39:58.950 The harlots we're getting saved the tax collectors 39:59.620 --> 40:03.470 The prostitutes the just the dregs of society 40:03.470 --> 40:08.950 And jesus and the apostle are getting them saved and then we have an example of menassee getting saved and so 40:09.930 --> 40:14.830 Being high on sin and maxed out on sin does not make one 40:15.270 --> 40:18.190 Ineligible for the gospel and when you're out soulening and preaching the gospel 40:18.190 --> 40:21.870 So sometimes you'll run into people that just say I could never be saved because I've just done too many bad things 40:22.710 --> 40:26.310 I've just committed too many horrific sins and we're always telling those people 40:26.310 --> 40:28.190 It doesn't matter what you've done 40:29.190 --> 40:32.590 Because whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord shall be saved 40:33.470 --> 40:39.850 There is not anyone who would believe on jesus and ask him to be their savior where he's going to tell them no 40:40.350 --> 40:43.650 Jesus said him that coming to me. I will in no wise cast out 40:44.510 --> 40:46.150 Jesus will never reject 40:46.890 --> 40:52.290 Even the foulest vilest most wicked person who believes on him and comes to him now 40:52.290 --> 40:54.390 Obviously, we know. Yeah, there's a reprobate doctrine 40:54.390 --> 40:57.410 We do know there's some people that they can't believe in him 40:57.410 --> 40:58.650 They can't come to him 40:58.650 --> 41:03.170 They can't call upon him because they can't even believe in him because they're darken and hardened and they're done 41:03.170 --> 41:07.030 And they're toast but anybody who can believe can be saved 41:08.490 --> 41:12.870 And also I'll run into people sometimes who are worried that they are a reprobate, you know 41:12.870 --> 41:16.070 You ever run into these people and they're like, I'm scared that I'm a reprobate 41:16.890 --> 41:20.030 But I always just ask those people. Well, do you hate god? 41:20.930 --> 41:25.850 No, well, then you're not a reprobate. I mean, it's it's a really simple reprobate test 41:26.370 --> 41:29.170 If you want to just check yourself and make sure you're not a reprobate 41:29.170 --> 41:30.650 Do you hate the lord? 41:31.130 --> 41:32.990 Do you not want to retain god in your knowledge? 41:33.230 --> 41:37.030 But they'll think to themselves. Oh, you know, I said something really blasphemous and I'm scared 41:37.030 --> 41:39.730 I'm out of accidentally blasphemed the holy ghost or whatever in there 41:39.730 --> 41:44.350 They're nervous and worried that somehow they accidentally committed the unpardonable sin 41:44.350 --> 41:50.830 But here's the thing the fact that you love Jesus christ proves that you're not a reprobate because reprobates don't love god 41:50.830 --> 41:54.230 They might pretend to but you know yourself 41:54.850 --> 41:57.990 So yeah, could a reprobate pretend to be 41:57.990 --> 42:02.470 You know loving christ or believing in christ or you know wanting to hear the word of god 42:02.470 --> 42:06.890 Yeah, of course they can pretend and they do pretend because they want to infiltrate churches 42:07.410 --> 42:14.830 The Judas Iscariots want to infiltrate churches for a variety of reasons and infiltrate every aspect of society 42:14.830 --> 42:18.690 But you know yourself, don't you? I mean you can look in your own heart and know 42:18.690 --> 42:22.670 Do I hate the lord and not want to retain god in my knowledge? 42:22.670 --> 42:28.970 And the answer is that if you love the lord, you can't be a reprobate. It's impossible because reprobates don't love god 42:29.630 --> 42:33.090 It's that simple, you know, and so you don't want to have that irrational fear 42:33.090 --> 42:37.190 You just want to believe on christ and if you believe in christ and call upon him 42:37.710 --> 42:42.730 He's going to save you the fact that you're believing and calling proves that you're not a reprobate 42:43.450 --> 42:47.670 That's the proof that you're not a reprobate because the reprobate is unable to believe 42:48.450 --> 42:53.590 They could pretend but they can't actually believe in their heart. So let's wrap up here in 42:54.430 --> 43:01.510 Second Kings chapter 21 if you do want to read up on manassi's conversion. It's over in second chronicles chapter 33 43:02.190 --> 43:08.030 But the bible says in verse number 16 moreover manassi shed innocent blood very much 43:08.030 --> 43:10.850 Till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another 43:11.570 --> 43:12.690 Beside his sin 43:12.690 --> 43:16.770 Wherewith he may do to the sin and doing that which was evil on the side of the lord 43:16.770 --> 43:22.430 So the big doing evil on the side of the lord was false religion all of it. That's what it listed 43:23.090 --> 43:24.850 It all had to do with idols 43:25.950 --> 43:26.430 groves 43:27.050 --> 43:28.250 statues images 43:30.170 --> 43:32.790 Alters witchcraft everything was false religion 43:32.790 --> 43:36.870 But then in addition to that on top of that it says he shed innocent blood 43:36.870 --> 43:43.850 The details aren't given. Is that abortion? Is that infanticide? Is that just violence? 43:44.930 --> 43:49.310 Who knows but as I illustrated earlier in the sermon all sin 43:49.750 --> 43:51.350 ultimately leads to death 43:51.990 --> 43:57.750 And the more de-christianized and godless we become in america. We should expect crime to increase 43:58.530 --> 44:01.850 We should expect violence to increase as a result 44:03.330 --> 44:06.890 And so it says in verse number 17 now the rest of the acts of manassa 44:06.890 --> 44:13.150 And all that he did and his sin that he sinned are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of juda 44:13.150 --> 44:19.530 And of course, it's interesting that this author of scripture does not bring up his conversion at all 44:19.530 --> 44:25.510 okay, so that right there is kind of interesting in and of itself because 44:26.530 --> 44:30.290 I find it hard to believe that this author is unaware of his conversion 44:30.290 --> 44:35.730 Now obviously we know all scripture is given by inspiration of god and that god is ultimately the author of the bible 44:35.730 --> 44:38.830 But he did use human beings to write the bible 44:38.830 --> 44:43.250 And so there's you know, holy men of god that spake as they were moved by the holy ghost 44:43.250 --> 44:46.670 And so there's a human element to the bible and a divine element 44:46.670 --> 44:49.770 So the the personalities of the authors come through 44:50.340 --> 44:55.250 Like if we're reading paul's epistle versus peters epistle, we can tell the difference because they have different personality 44:55.250 --> 44:57.370 james has a different personality than john 44:57.370 --> 44:58.010 Okay 44:58.690 --> 45:02.910 And so there's a human authorship and then there's also the divine authorship 45:02.910 --> 45:08.890 The important thing to know is that every word of god is pure and that everything in the bible is correct 45:08.890 --> 45:14.730 There's nothing wrong in the bible. Everything is true. Everything is right and it's 45:15.430 --> 45:19.730 Divine and human just like jesus is a hundred percent god a hundred percent man 45:19.730 --> 45:25.750 So is the bible a hundred percent the work of human authorship and a hundred percent divinely authored 45:25.750 --> 45:29.930 Is the same way, you know, because holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy ghost 45:29.930 --> 45:35.250 I do not believe personally and some people believe this and i'm not saying that they're bad or that it's heretical 45:35.250 --> 45:40.370 But there are people who believe what's called divine like a divine dictation 45:40.370 --> 45:44.630 type of a thing or mechanical dictation where they'll believe that 45:44.630 --> 45:51.110 You know god mechanically dictated the entire bible versus what we believe is more like organic inspiration 45:51.110 --> 45:55.170 Where it's a basically a combination of the human author 45:55.170 --> 46:01.070 Through the divine power the holy spirit and so forth that comes together to give us the perfect word of god 46:01.070 --> 46:04.690 Which is which is obviously amazing that god could use 46:04.690 --> 46:10.850 At least 40 different authors probably more than that, but a minimum of 40 authors to write the bible 46:11.890 --> 46:13.810 Over the course of 1600 years 46:13.810 --> 46:19.610 40 different people wrote the bible and it still all works together as one whole it's amazing 46:19.610 --> 46:26.550 And mechanically dictating it wouldn't be as amazing as actually working through the lives and hearts of those men 46:26.550 --> 46:29.490 That they would write it actually from their own heart in many cases 46:30.070 --> 46:33.170 As they're moved by the holy ghost. It's it's truly remarkable 46:33.810 --> 46:36.350 And so that's kind of a subject in and of itself 46:36.350 --> 46:42.270 But the point is with all that being said is that it seems that the author here 46:43.050 --> 46:47.010 Whether you're thinking of the human author or the divine author god 46:47.530 --> 46:54.030 The author here has made a decision to not include manasas conversion, right? 46:55.750 --> 47:01.270 Because any way you slice it no matter what you believe about the finer points of the inspiration of the bible 47:01.810 --> 47:04.770 The author has chosen to leave that out 47:05.450 --> 47:12.050 And I think that there's something that we could learn from that because it goes to show you that if you just spend decades of your life 47:12.690 --> 47:16.550 Being wicked and stupid you might do so much damage 47:17.590 --> 47:20.850 That the little good that you do just doesn't even 47:22.210 --> 47:24.690 Come up in the story, you know, right? 47:25.390 --> 47:29.390 And so it's kind of a cautionary tale that you know some people in the bible 47:29.390 --> 47:36.090 They did a mix of good and bad and the bad outweighs the good so much. They're just only known for the bad 47:36.970 --> 47:41.430 And I think sol is a character like that because even though sol did some great things for god 47:41.430 --> 47:45.570 When we think of sol we virtually never think about the great things that he did for god 47:45.570 --> 47:50.010 We're virtually always thinking of him as the villain who is chasing after david 47:50.560 --> 47:52.150 And when we think of david 47:52.150 --> 47:58.050 Even though david did some really bad stuff because david committed adultery with basheba and murdered uriah 47:58.540 --> 48:03.830 The first thing that comes to mind when we think of david is not oh, he's this murderous adulterer 48:04.300 --> 48:06.430 The first thing that we think of is david and goliath 48:07.050 --> 48:12.650 You know and we're thinking of him as the king of israel who reigned for 40 years 48:13.250 --> 48:16.230 In the heyday of israel's glory 48:16.230 --> 48:23.610 We think of him as that guy who you know is prefiguring jesus christ. We think about as the author of the book of sol's 48:24.150 --> 48:29.870 You know and we think of all these good things and so therefore how many people here tonight are named david 48:29.870 --> 48:36.070 Any davids out there tonight? Yeah, so we got a few davids, but but here's the thing david's a super popular name 48:36.990 --> 48:38.290 sol not so much 48:39.090 --> 48:45.450 You know when we think of sol we think of like maybe some skeevy payday loan kind of a guy or something, you know 48:47.370 --> 48:54.310 But the point is that or slow mo is what we would call him actually because that's that's actually how you say 48:55.070 --> 48:58.870 Or no, no, that's solomon. Sorry slow mo is solomon. That's also a popular name 48:58.870 --> 49:04.910 So I think they do call people sol right the jews do have people named sol. You know. Yeah, they do 49:05.950 --> 49:07.490 anyway, the point is 49:08.690 --> 49:11.150 sol goes down in history as a bad guy 49:12.450 --> 49:12.890 manassi 49:13.450 --> 49:15.170 Goes down in history as a bad guy 49:16.050 --> 49:19.310 david goes down in history as a good guy the point is that you know 49:19.310 --> 49:24.450 You can do such terrible rotten things that it's hard to ever live it down 49:25.350 --> 49:29.550 And so yeah, god's the god of a second chance and god did hear manassi's prayer 49:29.550 --> 49:34.810 And god did deliver him from the prison cell and god did allow him to come back to jerusalem 49:34.810 --> 49:40.010 And he did a bunch of great works for god once he got back and he actually was able to build things in the city 49:41.090 --> 49:43.690 Take down altars to false gods and do good things 49:43.690 --> 49:45.130 But at the end of the day 49:45.710 --> 49:49.950 It was kind of a drop of water on a hot stove compared to all the bad stuff that he did 49:49.950 --> 49:53.050 So that the author of second kings is just like man 49:53.550 --> 49:59.410 I'm this is the reader's digest condensed version anyway, so i'm not bringing it up because obviously this is extremely condensed 50:00.290 --> 50:01.990 You know because we're we're getting like 50:02.630 --> 50:04.630 55 years in less than a chapter 50:05.310 --> 50:08.290 So it's very condensed and the author just decided 50:08.790 --> 50:10.150 You know, i'm not even gonna bring that up 50:10.150 --> 50:13.090 I don't think it's really that important to the story because his son 50:13.090 --> 50:18.990 Just continued all the idolatrous trash after him aamon the next king because we see that at the end of the chapter 50:18.990 --> 50:24.370 It says in verse number 19 aamon was 22 years old when he began to reign 50:24.370 --> 50:27.170 He ran two years in jerusalem look at verse 20 50:27.170 --> 50:31.850 He did that which was evil in the side of the lord as his father manassi did 50:31.990 --> 50:35.550 He walked in all the ways that his father walked in 50:36.010 --> 50:41.390 And served the idols that his father served notice the continual bringing up of dad 50:42.070 --> 50:49.070 Right. He did the sins that dad did he worshiped the exact idols that dad did so he's blaming the author is blaming 50:50.810 --> 50:55.630 Manassi for what aamon did because he's the one who brought in all this idolatry for so many decades 50:56.310 --> 50:59.130 And then his son aamon just continues it 50:59.730 --> 51:02.450 And after two years the bible says that aamons 51:03.870 --> 51:10.150 People conspired against him it says in verse 23 the servants of aamon conspired against him and slew the king in his own house 51:10.770 --> 51:15.890 And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king aamon and the people of the land made 51:15.890 --> 51:17.870 Josiah his son king and his dead so 51:18.490 --> 51:25.190 Thankfully after manassi's 55 year wicked reign and then two years of aamon's wickedness 51:25.190 --> 51:28.990 Now we're going to get to josiah who's kind of another hezekiah 51:29.510 --> 51:33.290 Another great character that's going to do great things and bring revival 51:33.850 --> 51:37.750 And so again we can see how you could have a super wicked dad 51:37.750 --> 51:39.470 And a super wicked grandfather 51:40.030 --> 51:45.290 And you could still be a josiah and you could still be a great man of god and do something great for god 51:45.290 --> 51:47.570 And then we also see that manassi 51:47.570 --> 51:54.390 Even though he was super wicked. He's a hard case could still get saved. And so therefore we should sometimes 51:55.190 --> 51:59.810 You know have the faith to say okay, i'm going to try to get that hard case saved 51:59.810 --> 52:01.830 And and by the way when you're out soul winning 52:02.390 --> 52:05.490 You know you should try to give the gospel to whomever you can 52:05.910 --> 52:11.370 Because i mean i i can't count how many times i've looked at somebody and thought like oh man this guy's not going to get saved 52:11.850 --> 52:13.630 Because he just looked like some mean 52:14.050 --> 52:19.150 Maybe just kind of like a mean biker guy or something. He just looks like a really rough scary person 52:19.670 --> 52:23.730 Or some kind of a gang banger or something and then you walk up to him and then they get saved 52:25.190 --> 52:29.050 And then other people you're like oh, this is going to be the most receptive person ever and they're not 52:29.830 --> 52:31.130 You can't predict 52:31.910 --> 52:35.030 You never know and sometimes people will shock you 52:35.030 --> 52:38.870 And by the way even when it comes to people that you think are a homo 52:38.870 --> 52:42.010 Sometimes people are just effeminate and they're not even a homo 52:42.010 --> 52:46.010 You know and sometimes people will just have like a rainbow sticker 52:46.530 --> 52:51.390 On their thermos or whatever and they're just like an ally or whatever. They're they're not even a homo 52:51.950 --> 52:56.750 So again like i've said this before if i'm 99 sure someone's a sodomite 52:56.750 --> 52:59.290 I'll just give them the gospel for the one percent chance that they're not 53:00.110 --> 53:04.890 You know just because like you don't always want to judge a book by its cover because i've walked up to a house before 53:05.390 --> 53:07.310 With like car in the driveway 53:07.950 --> 53:09.570 sodomite sticker on the car 53:10.090 --> 53:14.830 Knocked the door the woman that came to the door looked like a a lesbian on first glance 53:14.830 --> 53:18.070 But then you talked to her she's not a lesbian and she ends up getting saved 53:18.070 --> 53:19.530 So you don't want to just assume 53:20.090 --> 53:24.390 And jump to conclusions about people. Yes, the reprobates are out there 53:24.390 --> 53:29.270 Yes, some people just will flat out make it clear to you that they're a reprobate 53:29.270 --> 53:34.770 And yeah, you don't want to cast your pearls before swine, but you know you want to at least 53:35.490 --> 53:41.150 Give the benefit of the doubt when you can and realize that there are some really bad people who could still get saved 53:41.910 --> 53:46.210 And that god's grace is sufficient for whatever sense and what did it say? 53:46.210 --> 53:53.310 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men other than the blasphemy of the holy ghost any sin could potentially be forgiving 53:53.870 --> 53:55.430 If they believe and call 53:55.970 --> 54:02.210 And so we should get the people saved and not just only think that only the nice people are going to get saved 54:02.210 --> 54:04.530 Well, some really bad people can get saved too 54:04.530 --> 54:08.150 And even in the parable where he's sitting about to invite people to the wedding feast 54:08.150 --> 54:10.330 He says go call the good and the bad 54:10.830 --> 54:14.670 Right preach the gospel to the good people and preach the gospel to the bad people 54:15.110 --> 54:18.070 Get every you know preach to everybody you can let's bards in our word of prayer 54:18.870 --> 54:21.070 Father, we thank you for your word lord 54:21.070 --> 54:23.870 We thank you for the story of manassee and what we can learn from it lord 54:24.370 --> 54:27.390 Bless us now as we go our separate ways and in Jesus name we pray amen