The Regret of the Nations

Mike is 7 11 through 17 is typically a passage that as a pastor just you wouldn't even think to go to a dispensary for used to churches where the pastor kind of highlights different scriptures and doesn't necessarily go through verse by verse through a passage it and yet all scripture is inspired with and all scripture is profitable and so we come to it and it had a hard time initially trying to figure out sort of a way to communicate this passage as well as to make it home and it's funny this past week that this passage reminded me of my freshman year of high school and my world history class with mr. Ross and I was teaching style was to write notes on this huge whiteboard, you know spend the whole in the whole length of the classroom and he would write notes in this tiny font, and he would expand lecture the whole time and he'd expect you to write it down every single thing. That he was saying it is as he did that you'd periodically ask a question and then point behind them cuz they had eyes in the back of his head and is assigned seating. So she had memorized snow by the first day where everybody sat so he knew where you were worried. Say your name Yuri, and then you ask it a question and they turn around and expect you to answer now. He also did this thing where he tended to pick people he knew or not paying attention. Now the thing is how did he know that when his back is turned it was uncanny, you know teaching ability and so as you might imagine he called me a lot. I don't know how he knew and this is a class I would sit there and I'm literally be holding my breath and seeing how long I can hold my breath and looking at the clock and go once one minute go in and a half and that's how I passed that time. I'll say okay, I'll say it now. It sounds like it's really bad student. I was but I'll say one of my groups this is not related out of the sermon but one of my greatest achievements in high school is actually that by the end of my freshman year you taking my yearbook during the final exam and I thought why is he taking my yearbook? I didn't have it out. You know, there's a punishment when your teacher takes it away, but he stuck it back under my desk and after the test open it up and there's this red star like the kind of give kids, you know, the little boy one red star and you just said most improved student and a signature and that was it is a submarine. That was like the highest praise. It's like the Medal of Honor for that class. So at least from me, but I do regret to this day that I did not take that class more seriously. Especially when I began to take my face more seriously as I got into the end of high school beginning of college it started Kurtz me as I cared more about what the scriptures say that world history wasn't just about dates and people and places and things that happen that have no relevance to me. I started to see history as the stage on which God was in folding this Plan of Redemption. It's where he demonstrates over and over again, even if there's no no Christian history involved for saying it when you look at the history of the nation's you seek, the constantly mankind is putting faith in people and personalities and movements and revolutions politics and power armies borders and yet We constantly fail to achieve peace or true Utopia or an end to violence and strife and oppression and Injustice. And if anything what you see when you look at world history so often I try to solve one problem and you create 10 others you try to top of one pick Tater and you create another even worse one from generation to generation Nation Rising falling. You see the patterns. They keep pulling us back to the truth of scripture even in the opening pages of the Bible for men desire to be like God and it's been cursed with the plague of death and that has its effect on every culture every society. So we see over and over again in world history that we are all sinners and we need a savior who Rescue & restore Humanity So if I ever taught a world history class at a bible college or seminary, I I think I would use Jeremiah chapter 1 verses 9 through 10 as sort of the theme verse you don't have to turn their but this is not only really kind of the theme verses of Jeremiah, but I think as Michael Patton argues, it's really the theme verse of all the prophets Jeremiah chapter 1 verses 9 through 10.

Jeremiah 1:9, then Yahweh. Put out his hand and touched my mouth and you always said to me behold. I have put my words in your mouth. See I have set you this day over Nations and over kingdoms to pluck up and to break down to destroy and to overthrow to build and to plant. This morning. I think I want to communicate the world history culminates with the glory of God's people being revealed and the regret of the Nations being demonstrated that history class that I learned even though. I don't know if he's a Christian or not or what is Faith was but as he wrote all of those tiny notes about world history he was Giving us some notes about the Bible's history in about God's plan for history. Whether he knew that or not not like most prophecy. We do need to understand the context in the audience and the expectations of people who have heard these words. And so what we're going to do this morning is is is mainly to do that. It's a world history or our nation's history of the nation's to bring us to Micah 7 and understand it and understand how the people would have heard it and needed to hear it and then I'll try to draw some applications for us here, of course 2500 + years after Micah was written to me and Mike. Are you reading words that were written 2500 + years ago closer actually 2 higher number the best way I'm sorry 2300

Not a 2700 sorry cuz it's before Christ and after and you got to do the subtraction then you get a door. Anyway, the best way to understand the context audience's expectations of pretty much all the prophets and all the historical books of the Old Testament, which forms the majority of your Bible or large chunk of your Bible. It's best summed up in the abrahamic Mosaic and davidic Covenants. Threw it in my opinion very briefly and then we'll land in my cup but I think it's necessary to understand what is going on with the nation's this morning. So you want to go on this little trick you can turn back to Genesis 10 Mile course very early on in your Bibles 10 chapters in and at this point you've already had the flood. So you've already had wickedness spread over the Earth and God a righteous. God is a good God sees it and and he decides to destroy it. But in the midst of that he preserves Noah his wife his three sons and their wives in an ark now genesis10. The ark is settled they disembarked and you have this list of the generations of the sons of Noah and you have this refrain and verse 5 that occurs off the road chapter 10 from these peoples each they spread in their lands each with his own language by their Clans in their Nations and you see that in verse 22 see that verse 31. Let me see that again the sprays nations in verse 32. So in other words some would call this the table of the nation's or you could call the birth of the Nations. This is the first place where you see the mention of nations in the Bible. The next chapter chapter 11 actually feels in the details how it came to be that these nations spread out over the world because after all you would assume that no one understands our family they all spoke one language there one people one culture, but here in Genesis 10, you have them all disperse spread out and even have their own languages and Clans and a nation. So how did that happen one chapter 11 tells us know for us. Sometimes you read that anything will why isn't this in chronological order? Right? You think that the event of chapter 11 happened after the events of chapter 10, but in Hebrew thinking you don't necessarily need to write every single kind of literature in a chronological way if you ever seen a movie and it jumps into the middle of it like Mew you start the movie in you're in the middle of the story and then the rest of the the movie is kind of like filling in how you got to that point. In the beginning that you jumped in the middle of 2 and then all of a sudden that makes sense, right? That's sort of the thing that's happening. Here is Genesis tennis thing. She does all the nations spread out and then Genesis levels up and here's how it got there. Let me tell you the details about that. And so Genesis 11 is the Tower of Babel and I think most of you are familiar with what happened there. The people left the ark after I landed the beach and multiply and they collected together in one location. That would have been natural, right? You know, you you've had this very harrowing experience. We need to band together. They start building a city. They start building a nation that a Common Language and so they're living life. It's it's to be expected. Now one of the problems is that you'll see is it this is contrary to God's intent for mankind. What was what did God tell Adam and Eve to do to go forth? And multiply and exercise dominion over the Earth another word spread over the whole earth and exercise stewardship over it. What is the descendants of Noah, do they collected in one place? And then once they got things sort of settled into had this great idea. What should we do with our Unity here? What should we do with our, you know, this great nation of people I got it. We will build a tower so tall. We're going to replace got a short memory because this kind of wickedness is exactly the kind of thing that God flooded the Earth for you. I just thought of this maybe they wanted it really tall so that if God sent the flood, you know, they'll be helping this tall tower like you. Good luck trying to get us. I don't know that I've ever heard any commentator say that but it just occurred to me. Maybe they wanted it really tall just to avoid any more floods that the Lord might send the Lord told Noah. I'm not going to send a flood to judge the world again, but obviously their theology could use some work cuz here they are thinking that they could replace supplant remove God and put themselves up in his position of authority at this point gun could have wiped them out again. It wouldn't even be hard because they're all in one city. You don't even need to send a flood but this time he shows his grace got you as restrained. No one dies. No one's around does noark instead. God confuses their language in Genesis 11:7 and through this means that's very very gentle when you think about it in terms of violence in terms of flood zone does almost like a flip the switch and everyone suddenly speaking little variety of different languages. So they naturally Start to spread out with their own people groups. The people that can speak their own language are like well, we don't work with you. We're going to create our own culture and Society divided up they spread out and you see the spread that happens in Genesis 10 and you know that Genesis 11 the story of Babel sky like feeling in the back details of the story because how does Genesis 11 end right back with the descendants? So it's kind of like this little like Side Story the tells you how it came to be that all these nations were dispersed and created the world as we know it or else we would come to know it. Well, this is all significant again because we are witnessing here. The Bible's telling of the the birth of the nation's they came out of judgment the flood right back into judgment was Babel, but the grace of God spread some over the face of the Earth to multiply them in the way that God told Adam and Eve go for X exercise Dominion. So we see already the pattern of judgment salvation judgement again, but Grace God has a plan for the Nations rather than wipe them out God from here on has decided to use the Nations as this backdrop to show his power and His glory and his Justice and his mercy and when you get to the time of Moses my hundreds and hundreds of years later. This I'm sorry right after this in Genesis 12 you get to the call of Abraham. This is the first Covenant that's related to Nations is also called The abrahamic Covenant. There's no set up here all the sudden. Hey, there's this guy named Abraham or Abraham at the time. You don't know anything about him. He just shows up and out of nowhere. God seems to say to him. I am going to bless you. I'm going to make you you've just seen the birth of Nations. I'm now going to make you the father of a great nation that will be the nation. God would use to bless all the families of the world Genesis 11 to I'll make a view of great nation. I'll bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing I'll bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse and then you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed. Another words. God had a plan rather than Wipe Out the nation's that's so often rebelled against him. It'll go their own way. God was going to use one man and a nation that came out of this man to bless two rescuer Store redeem the nation's now when you go through all Genesis and you're basically tracking that promise of Abraham you track it through his son Isaac and then threw his son. Jacob was also known as Israel. You end up with Israel and his sons and their descendants enslaved in Egypt. See how this nation does supposed to come out of this father of a great nation Abraham and they're supposed to bless everybody. But where are they? They're only not only not a nation but they're enslaved to another Nation it it's not at all what God had designer ordained for Abraham and his children, but it's because of the promise to Abraham the god raised up a man by the name of Moses to rescue the descendants of Israel to take the people and put them in a land and become a nation. That is the story of Exodus is not just about let's say A, you know, the the Red Sea dividing and all the plagues and things it is a story about God working in the nation's even the nations of the world even a great nation who doesn't know who Egypt is there is one of the most storied Kingdom Of the whole earth and God is saying see this powerful Kim. Everybody knows I'm going to demonstrate my ability to save through them. So God rescues in The Exodus his people and he brings them into the promised land the place where God promised Abraham. This is where the nation will be the special Nation how God through Moses gave another coven another set of promises. And this is what we see in Exodus numbers Leviticus Deuteronomy. It's all the do's and don'ts that we think of when we think of the Bible, unfortunately we think of it that way but the Ten Commandments this is clean. This is unclean don't don't eat shellfish and don't be selfish. All that stuff is in there and those four bucks and the point of all these lost for Israel was to demonstrate God's holy character. You are going to be a special and great nation. But only if you follow my character Only If You Are Holy as I am Holy which becomes a refrain throughout the whole Bible you are set apart. That's what holy means. You're set apart from the other nations. Be like them. This is the promise in Deuteronomy, 26 18 through 19 again, you don't have to turn their but Deuteronomy 26 18 through 19. As you sort of a sum up.

Some of the promises of this Mosaic will call the Mosaic Covenant 26 verses 18 through 19. Yahweh has to clear today that you are a people for his treasured possession as he has promised you and that you are to keep all his Commandments and he will set you and pray and inflamed and an honor High Above All Nations that he has made and that you shall be a people holy to Yahweh your God as he promised that sums it up very, well you I'm not giving you all these rules and laws to govern your lives and micromanage you it is so that you will be like me and you will be a nation Above All the Other Nations so that you can be in The Possession position like was promised Abraham to bless all the families of the world. That sounds wonderful, but God also give consequences for breaking the Covenant as we've mentioned a few times over the past few weeks and Deuteronomy 4 27 God gives this warning. Watch it is a prophecy itself. And Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples and you will be left few in number among the nations were Yahweh will drive you. Another Caesar has a consequence for disobedience is you'll know you messed up when your numbers are small your nation is dispersed and all the other nations have taken you over and your scattered amongst and that's how you know that you have not done what I have command. In other words. If you're an Israelite in the Old Testament the course of world history the history of the Nations. Isn't just boring news or a dumb class that you have to hold your breath through its intimately connected with God's covenant and promise. So what happened between them and Egypt Egypt is not like some rinky-dink Nation or country what happened? There wasn't just like a note in on. Mr. Rachis wall. It is something that had to do with a very purpose and plan of God his Holiness his redeeming power his judgment all these things. What's the people enter into the land in Deuteronomy written just about when they're going to step foot into the land they go forth and they conquer of the Nations that are there that have done so wickedly these are people who murder their children and I do all kinds of immorality what happens once they finally enter the land and possessive. Will they follow the foreign gods of the people that they just me and God use them to judge. They start doing what's right in their own eyes and read the Book of Judges. That's the refrain and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. It's just like the Tower of Babel. It's just like the days of Noah Before the Flood and if you're reading judges you are supposed to think how is this nation going to bust all the other nations when they're no different than them. They're just as horrible as them they do all the same kinds of evil and wicked things as them. How would they ever going to be a nation of people that is set apart and holy and there's this again judgment and also Grace God sends judges. That's why the Book of Judges name judges. He sends these judges to rescue his people over and over again. But what does it mean if you need multiple judges you keep messing up you keep falling into sin. There's a cycle in the Book of Judges where things are good. Everybody is worshipping God and then they get complacent. They start looking the other Idols, you know, this is kind of boring being an Israelite falling Lord, you know, but, you know, they're living the exciting life they go over there and they start falling the sin and Corruption or Society collapses. Another Nation seize their weakness will conquer them and it's a judgment from God and then after they are in oppression and after they are in poverty and persecution to fly. How do you say God help us? God has graciously send a judge to rescue them. But this happens over and over and over again. It's a problem that they constantly need a judge to come and leave them for my Dollar Tree rescue them from their enemies. Now, it's funny because Israel also seems to be very frustrated by their dependence on God to be their Savior and judge as well. So they finally asked and 1st Samuel chapter 8 verse 5

They asked the last judge end up being the last judge of Israel Samuel. They said to him you are old and your son's not walk in your ways no point for us a king to judge us like all the nations world history Israel sees all the other nations of the world and you can name this is historical. These are historical events is happening around 100 or 1000 BC. They're looking at all these other nations. They have Kings they seem to be doing okay, you know, you're not very good. We need a king so that there can be a dynasty cuz your sons are the judges would die and sometimes there be no judge for a while. We need a king. We need a dynasty this this man should should help us and judges nothing about this again the very distinctive of the nation of Israel at this point. Is it God's the only one willing and able to lead and save them over and over again? Egypt to entering the promised land to the time of the judges are special exactly because God keeps preserving them even through judgment. And now they want to be like they're they're very explicit. We want to be like the other nations. We want a king and you should feel insulted for God because who is there King? God is our King. He's demonstrated that over and over again. Why do you even want to be like the other nations? Why are you even pulled them persuaded that way in your hearts? You're supposed to be above them. You're supposed to have no King, but God you're supposed to obey him and be a blessing in a light and an example to all these other nations. But God tell Samuel. Let them do it. They don't even know what they're asking for, but I know what I'm doing because God has a plan and purpose for world history. And for the Nations he's going to glorify himself. Yes, you will through this nation and blessed many other nations and he's going to do it through a king.

So you have this chain God promised Abraham a nation that would bless all the people got told that Nation through Moses that they would be a special Nation if they walked in obedience when they couldn't do it God sent the special judges to rescue them over and over again, but ultimately you see what you see out in the world when you look at the news people's hearts are twisted and wicked the fall into sin and fall into temptation the Lord by power the Lord by money and false promises that get lured by Fame. That happened in Israel. They kept falling generation after generation in the Sin and the Judgment. So finally when the people ask for a king to be there protector and judge and savior. They almost got it it in a way. They understand we need someone. To lead us as one of us to show us the way that we ought to live. Who can do this forever and ever? And in their minds that isn't just you know God who who sits enthroned above but you know right here right now, they almost get it. They don't they don't even know that they are even in this fulfilling God's plan for the Nations. Turn the king ass or the people after the king God allows it cuz he has to go. He's a goal and a purpose for world history in the nation's he gives another Covenant promise and 2nd Samuel 7 2nd Samuel 7.

Identify this man after his own heart whose name is David and you read about him and 1st Samuel. Any promises hymn?

If you will have a house and a verse 11 of 2nd Samuel 7 when your days are fulfilled and you lie lie down with your father up your Offspring after you come from your body and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the Throne of his kingdom forever. I'll beat him a father and he shall be to me a son when he commits iniquity. I will discipline him with the rod of men with the stripes of the sons of men but my steadfast love will not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I put away from before you and your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me your throne shall be established for ever. God says I know this whole plan for the Israelites to be my special Nation thing is not working out. They see it. I see it doesn't need to be an elephant in the room. I understand. What this nation needs is a king a chick who has a man, but who also can sit on a throne forever? Who then must be God? Someone from among you someone who is Flash but also who has the right to rule because he's also perfect in his judgment. That sounds amazing. That sounds like a great deal. That sounds like something really to be hopeful for especially as an Israelite. Yeah, it's that sound tremendous. But if you ever read the books of kings and Chronicles that time. After David was not much different from the days of Noah or the days of the judges had the same cycle sin judgment restoration over and over again. He see nations of the world like the Assyrians the Babylonians the Persians Egyptians coming in and out of world history to be the instrument of God's judgement others. Again. This is not like me talking about some events and some tribe where no one's ever heard of what I'm saying in the Bible saying that events of world history and interactions of nations of the world are part of God's plan to show us something to tell us something of his character and his nature and the profits with all of this in mind cuz they knew all the stuff, you know better than I did and could explain it. Probably better than I just did now. Do that in mind they would prophesy to the people fulfillment of the abrahamic Covenant hasn't come the promise of restoration and being a special. Holy nation from the Mosaic Covenant haven't happened and we're still waiting on this eternal rule of a davidic son is still hidden from us. None of his sons. Even in the days of Micah had yet to prove himself as the one worthy to sit on internal throne, but all the prophets had this hope that day will come no matter how dark no matter no matter how Bleak no matter how badly we have sinned no matter how many nations are against us. No matter how scattered we are amongst the people this day is going to come. And that's what's behind Micah 7 all of that would have been in the mind of a faithful Israelite is certainly in the mind of Micah when he said said this so we kind of Micah chapter 7 verses 11 through 13.

We just talked about last week about the enemy not rejoicing over Israel because their day is coming and we start to talk about this day the future day of world history and of the nation's begins a day for the building of your walls and that day the brown the boundary Shelby for extended and that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt in from Egypt to the River from sea to Sea in from Mountain to Mountain, but the Earth will be desolate because of its inhabitants for the fruit of their deeds other words world history is going to record Israel's return as the nation God intended them not Israel as a nation. It was wiped off the map after the Assyrian and Babylonian Conquest. We mention that over and over again, but Mike is preaching into that time where it's going to come it has come for the northern kingdom. Israel and it will come for the southern Kingdom and when it does come Israel functionally speaking speaking is going to be wiped off the map as an independent nation that we know get to the other prophets another prophetic history. Like some of them were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city rebuild the Temple but they were still under the thumb of the Persians and who came onto the world scene of Nations. They were all affected by after the Persians the Greeks who came after the Greeks or the Romans are these are these are nations that form the history of the world and they were used as instruments of God. Demonstrate his power is judgement is justice is Grace. They never even in time of Jesus for an independent nation. Basically after the days of Micah shortly after the days of Micah. They would be wiped off the map as a nation who is in any way shape or form governed by King of David and striving to be as people of God. During all that time. These words were never fulfilled a day for the building of your walls and that day the boundary Shelby farc stand. In fact, there are boundaries were governed and decided by the Romans and the Greeks and the Persians. They decided the boundaries not like their boundaries there were growing as a nation but in that day Their boundaries will be extended. Another is our nation will have no enemies they can go as far as they like and it says in that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt and the syrians they don't exist anymore. But this is a way of saying the enemies of Israel. They will actually come to is real. To be blessed by them just like was promised to Abraham. They represent million of the enemy Gentile Nations this often fought against them would come to do some to wage war in this day. They'll be coming to be blessed. They'll be coming to be healed in to Worship the Lord actually at the river this mention here from Egypt to the river actually the Euphrates river, which is one of the boundaries that God told Abraham, they are the promised land that you will dwell in. What are the boundaries is the river the Great River the river Euphrates and it sort of the Northeast boundary of the land and Egypt was on its Southwest border of the promised land. So it's saying in this day you will be in the nation as a whole or in the land as a whole Nations. Play the word Michael was affirming that there hope still needed to be the God would actually give them all that he'd promise through Abraham through Moses today and it would be at the time when the nations of the world would be judged by God Earth will be desolate why natural disaster War famine know as a fruit of their deeds. In other words, they will have earned judgment from God upon themselves. And that's why it'll seem so Barren from sea to see if amount amount is basically saying from like we safe from sea to shining sea, I just hang in all the land. It will have no enemies because they they will have received finally the Judgment for their sins. And is Mika's reminding them of that or go through my clothes reminding them Monday world history will see Israel back on the map because of his grace and the nations of the world will be wifed are wiped off because of his Justice and this is it hasn't happened yet. I know Israel and this was a miracle was put back on the map as a nation in 1948 tremendous thing never in the history of the nations of the world has a country been scattered destroyed and Scattered your cat your capital in a trampled. And then resurrected again after thousands of years. It just has never happened only in Israel, but they are not wanting they don't have the borders that are described here and they are not a beacon to the nations of trust in Yahweh. They're not this nation yet. They're basically secular Nation now, but it's significant. did they haven't existed as an independent nation since after just after the days of Micah and now They're back on the map, but they are not back on the map as God intends to see at. Verse 14 through 15. We see that world history is going to record God's miraculous shepherding of Israel at that time Shepherd your people with your staff the flock of your inheritance who dwell alone in the forest in the midst of a garden land let them graze and but Sean and Gilead as in the days of old as in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things on the picture here is a flock just barely making a living poor sheep. They're trying to graze in a forest picking off in a pine in a pine tree needles when there is actually very Lush land in front of them, but it's inhabited by the enemy's enemy Nations that they can't go there. They can't enjoy the the the The fruit of the land in the grass because they're in this place where they're just another isolated and alone instead of partly. They dare not go into this Garden land, but when the shepherd comes with a staff he will leave them there to Grey's and Bichon and Gillian now that means nothing to you probably but Sean and Gilead, what does that even mean? Well. We're places that were very fruitful and Green Pastures by safe. Perfect for sheep grazing. So it became sort of a phrase especially when you read the Old Testament if you see what Sean a gillion it's it's it's referring nothing to say to is referring to a place but it's referring to what that place represent the sky the way we used it from Silicon Valley right now. There's a there's actual place right that the week that refers to but we say Silicon Valley kind of our magic a place of technological advance. Anywhere a lot of you know, a lot of data is collected about you and sold to the highest bidder being cynical but you know what? I mean he has for you. That's what that that is or San Jose. You're not using this way just to describe the place but what that place represents or some people even Orange County to think of it that way that you know that you can mention Orange County and parts of this nation and they might not be able to point to it on the map. But they know it's a place where people you know, they're all Beach Bums or they're all you know, rich or you know, whatever and wear flip-flops on Sundays Church in because the weather is always nice, right they got a conception of it the same thing. It just will not familiar with it. We're just familiar with our own in a place terms, but Sean and Gilly Edwards or these places of prosperity and and richness and in the fat of the land. Mike is saying you will be there you will once again have that as your inheritance you will one day be in that place of prosperity and not worrying about your enemies and it says for them or do you know the days when you come out of as in the days when he came out of the land of Egypt, I will show marvelous things another as God is going to be there leading and guiding and protecting them himself demonstrating his power and authority. He will be there to Shepherd and guide and leave them. Lenny says lastly that world history is going to record the regret of the Nations who came against Yahweh UC shame and shock and disbelief the nation shall see and be ashamed of all their might they shall lay their hands on their mouths their ears Shelby death the Salt Lick the dust like a serpent like a crawling things of the earth. They shall come trembling out of their stronghold. They shall turn and Dread to Yahweh Our God and they shall be in Fairview the nation. That's the shame here of their might what does that mean? It it's it's that they they came to a gunfight with a peashooter. You know, they they they try to go up against a heavyweight boxer like me. No training you no, no no muscles. It's they're going to think that because they have all these nuclear weapons and tanks and guns that they could somehow defeat God but they're going to be ashamed despite all their might they cannot overcome Yahoo mail delivered to send it as an expression of shock and disabilities their their ears shall be deaf. And I think the ideas here is like, you know, they're putting their hands over their ears. Like I don't and I can't believe that I want to see you don't want to hear it. This is this is awful this terrible. Easy language, even the goes back to the first Judgment of Satan when he has some kind of majestic being was condemned to lick the dust and crawl around as a serpent. So you see the fate of the Nations is the same that they will also one day be left in the dust shaken out of their fortresses like a cockroach. Trembling out of their strongholds last phrase of course has keys. Why will they have this dread of God? It is because of how God is going to treat his Nation. It is how world history is going to record how he is going to rescue and save the people of God not this specifically again, Mike his audience. We would have understood as Israelites as a Jewish people this applies to me and these are future events that I misplaced my hope in to be talked about that. We talked about the millennial Kingdom end times and all that. I think earlier in Micah But what is this have to do with us now? What can we take away from this which is a very I hope you see hopefield passage. If you were an Israeli about to face impending do that. This would be your hope for the fact that this still hasn't happened yet in his future to us. What do we take away from this? Well, I think we definitely want to trust and believe that God is orchestrating the nation's even now to fulfill his promises get Daniel chapter 2 verses 20 through 21. Daniel says blessed be the name of God forever and ever to whom belong wisdom and might he changes times and Seasons. He removes Kings and sets up Kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding he reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells of him to you. Oh god of my fathers I give things. And praised were you giving me wisdom and might and now made known to me what we asked of you we have made known to us the Kings matter other is this is where Dana is about to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream, but he's saying Daniel understood that as an exile in Babylon his obligation at that moment was to trust that God was raising up removing Kings and Nations and he was there. As someone who would testify and believe and trust the Lord in these things and with whatever opportunity he had and he had an opportunity to serve the King Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon that conquered and subdued Daniels people. He sees an opportunity to show him. Let me show you what my God is like he's the kind of guy that even knows your dreams and thoughts and is going to go on and I think Nebuchadnezzar actually through Daniels Ministries going to become a true follower of Yahweh in the same way here. We are Exiles here on Earth and we see Nations rising and falling. What are we supposed to do? I think like Daniel we bless the name of the Lord we give thanks and praise him and then we asking for wisdom and might to see how we can be a demonstration. The Nations that we live in and represent of let me show you who my God is let me show you what he does for his people how he protects and strengthens them. another takeaway need to learn or we need to really believe that world history. Is driving towards Christ, of course, most people here that Jewish people. How is it that these promises of this guy are also hopes of our heart? Demonstrations of the god that we believe in and love world history is driving towards Christ. You know, how I know that We live in the year 2020. What is that number 20/20 represent? When did we start counting that year? birth of Christ what nation of the world is not affected by the fact that it is the year 2020 in a maybe some backwards Nation that's never seen, you know the light of day but everybody else in the Known World. They even operate off of the fact that history drives towards Christ amazing credible. Thought how many nations are affected by Christmas. Most of them even if you don't say, you know, if you can if you're Pagan Nation, you're probably still invested in how other nations tree Christmas either monetarily or otherwise, I mean Christmas has an impact the birth of Christ as an impact. I would say even on all the nations of the world right now and that incredible thoughts and that's the way it is supposed to be that is how we understand the world the world history is driving towards Christ and in the days of my car they drove towards his first coming. And we see that in places like beautiful promises like Isaiah chapter 9 which we often go through this year.

In the former time you brought into contempt the land of zebulun and land of naphtali. But then the ladder time he has made glorious the way of the sea the land beyond the Jordan Galilee of the nation's the people have walked in darkness have seen a great light those who dwell in the land of deep Darkness on them as light Shone you have multiplied the nation you have increased its Joy. They were Joyce before you as with joy at the Harvest as they are glad when they divide the spoil put the Yoke of his burden and a staff for shoulder the rod of the oppressor you have broken as on the day of Midian for reboot of the tramping Warrior and battletome old and every garment rolled and blood will be burned as fuel for the fire for to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name Shall be Called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace of the increase of his Government enough peace, there will be no end on the throne of David andover's Kingdom to establish to uphold it with Justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The Zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this. Human history was driving towards the first coming of Christ and the days of Micah the orchestration of Nations who needed to be on the world scene at the time the Romans what language is the New Testament written in Greek? The history of the world is history of Christ and now after 20 20 after Christ. Oh, by the way, you know, it's people calculate. It's likely that Jesus was born a few years before Christ. So that that's an unfortunate miscalculation it was made but just so you know, we're going to someone's going to be technical about that later. I know but but follow the train of thought here now here after Christ where is world history driving towards the second coming of Christ when these things and Micah and all the prophets will come to be when God will establish his kingdom and his rule over all the nations and those Nations who did not turn to trust him those people who did not Place their faith in that Messiah that King who came not to rule in his first coming but it died in a second coming they were the ones that will be left desolate and destroyed. Saving as we look ahead and behind at how Christ drives world history this morning. There's a pattern in humanity that we all fall into sin. Let's send judgment. If you're not a Christian here this morning, if you're not someone who can look to these promises and say they can hear mine I participate in these this is the guy that I love God is calling to you put your faith in the one the only King who ever died and rose again for his people Jesus Christ. You are Christian. I think this is really amazing stuff. I know you're not his real we're not his real church is not his real but to see what he will do to see the things. He's bought them through and his faithfulness them. It should make that thing for that. Same God is faithful to me. He sees me fall and stumble and he will raise me up again. We have much hope to find in these words. Heavenly father. Thank you. I think you just for at least for me another reminder of the things you have done. I thought your word the promises you have kept and the reminder of the promises you will keep world history is not some arbitrary thing just like galaxies or molecules bouncing around but they are moving in an orchestrated way from filling your purposes. May we be patient trusting may we be hopeful and this time when maybe it seems like so many things are out of our control help us again to remember no