In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of holding fast to the word of God and keeping His commandments to avoid destruction. He encourages the listeners to acquire wisdom and understanding and not to turn away from the teachings of the Bible. The preacher warns of the consequences of rebellion against God, as described in the book of Jeremiah. He urges the people to proclaim the message of repentance and to seek refuge in God, as disaster and destruction are coming upon the land.

This is tape number 14 in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in the series in numerical order so that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of this series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of this series. That kind of helps to see where the remnant is when you went there. Had you ever read the Bible quite like we should do any while ago? It's telling what's going to happen to the harlots. Who do you think this book is written for? It's for the ones that fear God. Amen? Who's the one that fear God? Zion, the holy remnant. Amen? And so, this will tell you what's happening in the remnant. I mean, it'll tell you what's happening to the harlot, what's going to be happening around you, and what's going to be happening to you at the same time. When you see all these things, you're not supposed to be fearing. You're going to expect them. You're not going to walk in fear. But you cannot communicate these things unless there are people that repent and come to the Lord with the whole heart. Well, what does it say in 2nd Timothy 2? That they might repent and then they could they repent from their from their the harlotry, the doctrines that do not conform to godliness, and then they can come to the knowledge of the truth. And you can't understand this until you come to the knowledge of the truth of the word. And if you do busy with your farms and businesses and verse one thing another, you're not going to come to the knowledge of the word. Amen? You won't come to the marriage supper. I'm going to tell you what, you're right now in a marriage supper. Amen? And this is going to sanctify you and perfect you, so you and Jesus will be one, and that's marriage. Amen? When two become one. Praise God forevermore. And Jeremiah 1. Here's what he told Jeremiah. Now, you know the message that Jeremiah has is to the church, the harlot, which we're seeing today right now. And we said, here's what God told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1 verse 10. He said, see I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kings to pluck up and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant. Then he said to me, and then verse 13. Well, I'm going to go to verse 11. Let's go. And the word of the Lord came to me saying, what do you see Jeremiah? And he said, I see the rod of an almond tree. You know what he's saying? Was there a rod of an almond tree that was put in the ark? You know what that means? Authority. Amen? I'm giving you authority. Then the Lord said to me, you've seen well, for I'm watching over my word before me. And the word of the Lord came to me a second time saying, what do you see? And he said, I see a boiling pot facing away from the what? North. You know what that boiling pot is? That's a church full of false prophets. That's destroying the congregation. That's what a boiling pot is. Then the Lord said to me, when you, since you see that boiling pot facing from the north, then the Lord said to me, out of the north, we know the evil will break forth. That's the powers of darkness on all the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I'm going to call all the families of the kingdoms of the north. That's the powers of darkness. That's the flood, the sons of destruction, the worst of the families, declares the Lord, and they will come and they're going to set each one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. He's going to be against all his whitewashed walls around and be against all the cities, the churches of Judah. And I'm going to pronounce my judgments on them concerning all their lawlessness, wickedness, whereby they have forsaken me and our demons. They have worshipped the works of their own hands. Now gird up your loins and rise and speak to them all I command you, Jeremiah. Do not be dismayed before them, lest I be dismayed before you. Dismay you before them. Now behold, I've made you today as a fortified city, as a pillar of iron, as walls of bronze, against the whole land, to the king these kings of the church, to the princes, as a leadership as a priest, and to the people of the land. And they will fight against you, but they are not going to overcome you, because I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. Now brother, what a commission that is. Amen. Now, I want you to see that boiling pot here just a minute. I want you to turn to Ezekiel, hold your place and turn back to Ezekiel. You know what, we just might as well, well, let me just go ahead while they're in Jeremiah 2, and then I won't have to come back. We'll look at the boiling pot a little bit later, okay? All right, verse 2, chapter 2, verse 2. Go and proclaim in the ears of the church, Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the Lord, I remember concerning you the devotion of youth, the love you bear betrothed, you followed after me in the wilderness to a land not sown. And then we just go right on. Verse 4, hear the word of the Lord. And then verse 5, here's what God wants to know from the church today. What injustice did your fathers find in me, that they went far from me and walked after impotence? That's futility and lawlessness. And then we, we can look at verse 8, the priest did not know where is the Lord, and those that handle the law, that's today. They do not know me. The rulers also have transgressed laws against me. The prophets prophesied by idolatry, veils, and they walk after the things that do not profit. Verse 13, my people have committed two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water. Who is he? Jesus. To hew for themselves cisterns, that's religious systems, broken cisterns that can hold no water. And then we got to verse 15, the young lions have roared at him. That's the powers of darkness should turn loose. They roared loudly, and they have made this land a waste. His cities have been destroyed without spiritual inhabitants. And then we look there in verse 23, how can you say I am not defiled? I have not gone after idolatry, the veils. Look at your way in the valley, the world, and know what you've done. You're a swift young camel entangling her ways. And then verse 29, why you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me, declare the Lord. In vain I've struck your sons. They accept no chastening. Your curses have devoured your own preachers. Do you know that the way these word curses? You know, I've got impastors and deliverance and things like that and start calling these demons down to come in sickness and disease and curses of the congregations. Verse 30, in vain I've struck your son. They accepted no chastening. That your sword, your curse, has devoured your prophets like a destroying land. Well, let's go over to verse chapter 3 verse Let's go over to verse 3. I want to go on through some of this. Therefore the showers, that's a Holy Spirit, have been when it will help. Therefore, there's no early rain, spring rain, yet you had what kind of forehead? Can I tell you a harlot forehead is a mark of the beast and you refuse to be ashamed because that's the mind of Satan, the mind of Christ. Is to be have a pure heart. Amen. There you go. Then he says in verse 13, Only acknowledge your iniquity that you have transgressed the law. We get back to that every time. Against the Lord your God. And you hadn't obeyed his voice. Verse 14, return, O faithless son, declares the Lord. For I am a master to you and I'll take you one from a city. Now, this is what the Lord is doing. He's taken one from a city. He's taken two from a family. And I'm going to bring you to what? I'm going to bring you to Zion and then I'm going to give you shepherds after my own heart who will feed you on knowledge and understanding. Now, here is a very big verse and I want you to look at it. Now, Zion and Jerusalem, the truth there, when you're talking about two Jerusalems here, you're talking about a Jerusalem that's fallen away. It's not the real heavenly Jerusalem. Then you're talking about the true Jerusalem, which is Zion. That's a city from above. Amen. Amen. And you can pretty well tell which one you're talking about. Verse 17, at that time they will call Jerusalem the what? Can I tell you what? That's what Zion is going to be. The throne of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's where he's going to sit in judgment, brother. And he's going to separate the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25. And he's going to bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. And all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord. Nor shall they walk any more at the stubbornness of their evil heart. They're not going to do it. So here's what, let's look over in chapter 4. So here's what the Lord says. Verse 5. Declaring, Judah proclaim in Jerusalem and say, blow the trumpet in the land, cry aloud and say, assemble yourself and let us go into the fortified cities. Lift up your standard towards Zion, seek refuge. Do not stand still for I am bringing evil from the north and great destruction. Therefore the land, here comes the power of the darkness, has gone up from its thicket. And a destroyer of nations has set out. And he's going to make your land a waste. And when he makes it a waste, a waste land never bears any fruit or vegetation, does it? Your cities will be ruins without inhabitants. Verse 9. And it'll come about in that day, declares the Lord, that the heart of the king and the heart of the princes, that's the ones that's Lord's over God's heritage. I want you to mark her down in your little book. Brother, when all this stuff starts coming and they're going to, all this hell falls on them, their hearts will fail. And the priests will be appalled and the prophets are going to be astounded. So here's what he's saying to the harlot right now. This is what Jeremiah said. Then I said, ah, verse 10. Ah, Lord God, surely thou hast utterly deceived this people, this false church. You've deceived them. And to Jerusalem, he said in Jerusalem, saying, you make them think they're going to have peace, whereas a curse, a sword is touching the throat. In that time it will be said to this people, to Jerusalem, a scorching wind, there's that scorching wind, that's the fire, will come from the bare heights in the wilderness in the direction of the daughter of my people, not to win and it's not to cleanse. It's not that kind of a wind that's going to purify you. It's a wind too strong for this. Verse 12, it's a wind that's going to crush you and kill you. Will come at my command. Now, I will also pronounce judgment against them. Behold, he goes up like clouds, his chariots like whirlwind, the horses are swept through. Woe to us, we are ruined. Now, here's what God is saying to the church today. Verse 14, the harlot church, wash your heart from evil, lawlessness, Jerusalem, that you may be purified, sanctified, be saved. Amen. Save my wrath of God. How long will your wicked thoughts lodge within you? Look at me, folks. You know the reason that wicked thoughts lodge within us is because our hearts still love evil instead of loving the Lord. Amen. Now, that's exactly why. All right. Verse 16, report it to the nations now, proclaim it over Jerusalem. Besiegers come from a far country and lift their voice against the cities of Judah. We look in 17, like watchmen of the field, they're against her round about because she's rebelled against me, declares the Lord. Your ways and your deeds, there it is, a righteous judgment of God. It brought these things to you. This is your evil. How bitter. And we look in verse 19. My soul, my soul, I'm in anguish. Oh, my heart, my heart is pounding in me, but I cannot be silent because you've heard, oh, my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the warning, the alarm of war. Here it is, 20. Disaster on disaster it proclaimed. There's rumor on rumor. We already read it. For the whole land is devastated. Suddenly, my tents are devastated, my curtains in an instance. How long must I keep seeing the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet, for my people are foolish. They know me not. They're stupid children. They have no spiritual understanding. They're shrewd to do evil, lawlessness, but to do good, they do not know. And then we look in verse 30. And you, oh, desolate one, what are you going to do? Although you dress in scarlet, you're going to look good to the world. Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold, although you enlarge your eyes. See, the world out there likes to decorate themselves with all the things that are going to make them look good on the outside. In vain, you're going to make yourself beautiful. Your lovers, that's the powers of darkness, despise you. They seek your life. For I hear her to cry as a woman in what? Labor. In other words, that's judgment on her. Birth pains are on her. The anguish of this one giving birth to her first child. The cry of the daughter of Zion. They're gasping for breath. Now, there's the garden without water. Stretching out her hands, saying, oh, woe is me, for I faint before the murderers, which is the powers of darkness. Amen. Now, we see the boiling pot coming from the north. Let's look in Ezekiel. Turn to Ezekiel, verse 11. Okay? And then I'm going to come back to this. We'll see something about the boiling pot. Ezekiel. Ezekiel 11, verse 2. And he may have said, son of man, now I want you to know, this is who Ezekiel is writing his same word to. And he said to me, son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, lawlessness. We're talking about the elders. And they give evil advice, which is false teaching in this city. Who say as not the time near, we need to start building houses for ourselves. We need to start building palaces. In other words, while the house of God lies desolate. Here we build all of these buildings, things that you can see within palaces, while the house of God lies desolate. He said, isn't it time for us to do some building? And he said, this church, this city is a pot. And we're the flesh. Look at verse 7. Therefore thus says the Lord. Let's read 6. You have multiplied your slain. In other words, you shed blood in this city, filling its street with them. Therefore thus says the Lord. God, your slain, when you have, which you have laid in the midst of the city, are the flesh and the city is a what? Pot. So today, a church that teaches falsely is a pot. And in the flesh is a city and a pot. And of course, that's where the powers of darkness are destroying. And we look in verse 9. And I shall bring you out of the midst of the city, and I'm going to deliver you into the hands of strangers, the powers of darkness, and execute judgments against you. And you're going to fall by the curse. And we look in verse 12. Thus you will know that I am the Lord, for you have not walked in My statutes, nor have you executed My ordinances. Now, if you hold your place right there, I would like for you to turn over to the right to Micah. Turn over to the right to Micah. Micah is right after Jonah. Everybody knows where Nahum is. It's between, it's right before Nahum and Abakar. Now, now turn to Micah 3. Verse 1. And I said, Here are now heads of Jacob and rulers of this false church, house of Israel. Is it not for you to know justice? And we're talking about righteousness too. Verse 2. You who hate good, and you love lawlessness, the works of the flesh, evil. Who tear off their skin from them, that's a congregation, and their flesh from their bones. Who eat the flesh of My people, you strip off their skins from them, you break their bones and chop them up as for the pot, and meat in a kettle. Then they will cry out to the Lord, but He'll not answer them. Instead, He's going to hide His face from them at that time, because they have practiced lawlessness, evil deeds. Thus says the Lord concerning these prophets, who lead My people astray when they have something to bite with their teeth. What do they bite with their teeth? A piece of gold, money. And they cry peace, but against Him who puts no gold in their mouth, they declare holy war. Therefore, it's going to be night for you without vision. It's night, spiritual darkness. You're not going to have a vision from the Lord. And darkness for you without divination. The sun is going to go down on the prophets. That means spiritual darkness will move in. The day will become dark over them. There's midnight. The seers will be ashamed. Diviners will be embarrassed. Indeed, they're all going to cover their mouth, because there's no answer from God. On the other hand, I'm filled with power with the Spirit of the Lord and with the justice and courage to make known to Jacob his rebellious acts, even to Israel his sin. Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel. Here's what God says. Who abhor justice and twist everything it's straight. Who think you're building Zion with bloodshed, transgressions, and Jerusalem with violent injustice. Her leaders are pronouncing judgment for a bribe. In other words, for a position or a name or reputation or salary or whatever, approval of man. Her priests are instructing for a price, selfish ambition. Her prophets are preaching for money. Yet they lean on the Lord saying, it's not the Lord in their midst. Calamity will not come on us. Peace and safety. Therefore, on account of you, Zion is going to be plowed as a field. It's going to be tore up. Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins. And the mountain of the temple will become high places of the forest. Now look at me in chapter 4. And we begin in verse 1. And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord, that's Zion, will be established as the chief of the mountains. That's going to be the only one that's going to be exalted. It will be raised up above the hills. And the people are going to what? They're going to stream to it. And many nations will come, come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob. And he may teach us about his ways. That we may walk in righteousness his paths. And from what? Zion is going to come what? I'm telling you, the law has been lost and rejected. And people is getting ready. And they are not forgetting the law. And they're preaching the law right now. And of course, we know the gospel instinctively. We instinctively fulfill the law. But we know or understand no judgment of God. And we'll say no calamity can come on earth unless we understand the judgment of God who commands us to love the Lord with all our heart and our neighbor as ourself. Amen? Because until you receive that law, then you don't even understand the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen? Okay. Now, verse 6. In that day, when you say in that day, you're talking about now, declares the Lord, I'll assemble the lame. Haven't we run into that before? I'm going to gather the outcast. You know, when all of the people were too, religious people were too busy. They had their farm. They had their oxen. They had their land. They had their family. And they couldn't come to marriage to the Lamb. He said, I'm going to assemble the lame. I'm going to gather the outcast, even those whom I've afflicted. And I'm going to make the lame a what? The lame is going to be a remnant. And the outcast a what? I'm going to tell you, the remnant is going to be strong. And the Lord will reign over them. Where are they all going to go to? Mount Zion. Mount Zion. And that's where the Lord is going to what? That's where the King is going to be in Mount Zion. Now, you look in chapter 5. And go to verse 10. And it will be in that day, declares the Lord, that I'll cut off your horses from among. The horses are all the strong flesh men that have others following them. I'll destroy your chariots. That's your carts. I will also cut off the cities of your land. That's the mothers that gave birth to you. I'll tear down all your fortifications. I'll cut off all your sorceries from the land. Verse 13. I'll cut off your carved image and your sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the works of your hands. I'll root out your idols, your asheum from among you. And destroy your cities. I'll execute vengeance and anger and wrath on the nations which have not obeyed. Amen. Now, we're back in Ezekiel 11. And see, he was talking there about the church, the harlot church, and the false teaching in it. Going to be a pot. And they're destroyed. And the slain are fallen within it. And then he says in verse 17. 11 and 17. Here's what he, he's talking to the remnant now. Therefore say thus, saith the Lord God. I shall gather you from the peoples, and I'm going to assemble you out of the countries. It's going to be one from a city and two from a family, among which you have been scattered. And I'm going to give you the land of Israel. Now, that's Zion. Now, how, look at me, folks. How is he going to bring one from a city and two from a family? Because, folks, you have no control over who people has a heart for God. And if they have a heart for God, brother, they're going to come. And I'm going to tell you that the Lord has a lamp and he's going to find them. And he knows who they are. And you and I can't take our carts and build some carts and make it work. We want this and this is going to happen. We are, hey folks, look at me. Let's decide to not make, since we have that grace, let's decide to not make people our enemy that don't happen to know what we know. Because I'm going to tell you what. You're going to have, if you do, you're going to have just as many demons on you as they do. It's only when you enter into a rest and peace and walk in love that you're going to know any measure of freedom. And you have to be willing for God to use you and you go into one of the most impossible places there ever was. In your mind, you can't see how this will work. You know, the Lord showed me something the other day. We have a pine tree down there where we live in Palestine. Trees, there's some kind of disease on the trees and some of the pine trees. And this big pine tree, all the limbs had fallen off of it. And I walked down, I go walking right by that tree and I just had this compulsion to go over and push that tree down. And you know, I started and you know, that's the Lord trying to tell me to push that thing down. And I said, well, he's teaching me some things. And I started over at that thing and then I looked at it. I said, dear me, where am I going with that thing, it's that big around, see. And I, you know, and I stepped that way and then I just, I started, go push it down. And you know, I stood there and looked at that thing again. And you know, I said, well, you know, I mean, what is this I go over and push that tree down. And it was so strong, go push it down. And I start over again and I look at that thing, how big that tree is and everything. And I said, you know, I thought, this is ridiculous. And so I walk on. And I come back by, I'm a walker, come back by, push the tree down. And I look at that big tree. And you know, what's the matter with me. And the next day I walk by this thing and that thing happens. And you know what happened to that tree. Every time I've gone by it, you know, the Lord's trying to tell me to go over and push it down. I didn't push that tree down. And that tree fell against my chain link fence and just tore the whole thing down there. And when I went down there and saw that, I thought, dear me, I could have, you know, you know what was holding that thing when it fell there. That thing didn't have any foundation. And it was about that much holding that. And I could push that tree anywhere I wanted it to go. And I didn't listen. You see what I mean. I couldn't believe it. I said, going by what I saw with my eyes. And after that thing got pushed over, I'm telling you, just a little bitty part in the middle. Everything else had rotted around. That thing as high as this building right here. And it wouldn't have got on my chain link fence. Our chain link fence. Oh, dear me. So don't look at how big the pine trees are, brother. You go on in there. You know, I learned a big thing. I don't know what would have been best for me to go over and the thing had got pushed over or that I didn't do it. And it tore the chain link fence down. I don't know which is best. But I learned something. You let him try to tell me something like that again. That's how we learn at school. Ezekiel 11, verse 17, Therefore say thus, says the Lord, I shall gather you from the people that assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I shall give you the land of Israel. When they come there, they will remove all their testable things and all its abomination from it. You know who he's talking to, don't you? That's us. Verse 19, And I'm going to give them one heart, and I shall put a new spirit within them, and I shall take the heart of stone. That's a heart of lawlessness. That hardened heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh. Now look here, folks. How can we be one heart? You and I can only be one heart one way. To love the Lord with all our heart. We'll never be one heart and one purpose and that's exactly what being one heart is. Amen? Now, Verse 20, That they may welcome my statutes and keep my ordinances and do them. Then they will be my people and I shall be their God. But as for those whose hearts go out to their detestable things and abomination, I'll bring their conduct down on their heads. Amen? Now chapter, I'll tell you what I would like to do. Let's look in Zechariah. Zechariah 8, right before Matthew. A little ways. Zechariah 8, Verse 2, Thus says the Lord of hosts, I am exceedingly jealous for what? Let me say it again. The Lord says, I am exceedingly jealous for Zion. That's his holy remnant. Yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her. Thus says the Lord, I will return to what? Did he say when he returns and comes back he's going to come where? Is that what the first verse in Revelation 14, he's going to come to Zion? I'll return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. That's where his throne is going to be. Then Jerusalem will be called the city of truth and the mountain of the Lord of hosts and it will be called what? The holy mountain. Now look in verse 7. Thus says the Lord of hosts, Behold, I'm going to save my people from the land of the east and from the land of the west. And I'll bring them back, the remnant, and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem and they will be my people and I'll be their God in truth and what? That is how they're going to walk. Thus says the Lord of hosts, Let your hands be strong, you who are listening. When? One more time. Your hands, let them be strong, you who are listening. When? In these very days wherein, to these words from the mouth of, listening in these days, to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord, of the Lord's hosts, was laid to the end that the temple must be built. And that's what's happening now. Brother, we're laying a foundation and as we deal with holiness and righteousness in here, as we deal with holiness and righteousness, there is going to be a wall come around us. That is called a hedge. When we start dealing with holiness and righteousness, there's a hedge going to come around us. And if you hold your place and back up to Zechariah 2, and you will see, the wall that's going to be there, it's not really going to be a wall, it's going to be a hedge there. And we see in verse 4, And said to him, Run, speak to the young man, saying, Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls, because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. For I declares the Lord Jesus Christ, I'll be a wall of fire around her, and I'll be the glory in her midst. Amen? Let's go ahead and look in verse 7. Hosann, escape! You're living with the daughter of Babylon. Amen? Now we're back over there. Now we see there in the last part of 9, that the foundation of the house of the Lord of Hosts was laid to the end, that the temple might be built, and that's what we're looking at now. Amen? Now in verse 10, For before these days, there was no wage for man or any wage for animals, and for him who went out or came in, there was no peace because of his enemies. And that's the way we've been walking, isn't it? And I said, All men one against another, and when you turn to powers of darkness, they just fill their minds to turn one man against another. Amen? But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days. Now when the powers of darkness move in there, everybody is biting and devouring one another. Amen? But the remnant are not going to be treated this way. Verse 12, For there will be peace for the seed, the vine is going to yield its fruit of righteousness, the land is going to yield its produce, and the heavens were going to give their due, and I'm going to cause the remnant of this people to inherit all of these things. Is that jumping up and downward? Verse 13, It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, you were, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you from the wrath of God, that you may now, what are you going to become? You're going to become a blessing because you're going to be bearing the fruit of righteousness and the fruit of light righteousness, that you become a tree of life. And that's how you become, what you're going to become in the end. Do not fear, but let your hands be, what? You're going to let them be strong. Now let's look at verse 16. These are the things which you should do. Speak truth one to another, judge with truth, don't judge from the flesh, and judgment for peace in your gates. Look at verse 17. Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury, for all these are what I hate, declares the Lord. Now you know exactly what he's talking to us today. Now look at verse 23. Thus says the Lord of hosts, in those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew Christian when all this destruction is starting, saying, let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Are you seeing that? Now, I think we need to look at something in Zephaniah. Okay? Turn to Zephaniah, back about chapter 2, a couple of chapters. Zephaniah, let's look in verse 7. Be silent before the Lord God, for the day of the Lord is near, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice. Now, who's the sacrifice? You know what this is called now. I want you to remember this. This sacrifice you saw, look at me, this sacrifice you saw in Revelation 19. We saw the ones that get ready to meet the bridegroom, they're the ones that purify their heart and remove lawlessness. Is that right? And we also saw that God has a supper there, and it's a sacrifice. And this is sacrifice for His army, and the ones that are going to be in this supper are the ones who do not get ready, who do not come to the marriage supper of their Lamb. Amen? And that's what you're talking about. And the guests at this supper are going to be His instruments of indignation, which we saw in Isaiah 13, which is His army. And He's going to let them eat the flesh of kings and commanders. Are you hearing what I'm saying? So this is what you're reading about in the day of the Lord. They're the flood. Be silent, verse 7, before the Lord God, for the day of the Lord is near, for He has prepared a sacrifice, has consecrated His guests, He's put them aside. Then it'll come about on the day of the Lord's sacrifice, then I'm going to punish the princes, that's His leaders, fleshly leaders, and the king's sons, that's Satan's sons, and all who clothe themselves with foreign garments. Look in verse 6. And those who turn back from following the Lord, they've fallen away, and those who have not sought the Lord are even inquired of Him. Amen? Verse 12, and it'll come about at that time that I'm going to search Jerusalem with lamps. That's the Word of God. I'm going to punish the men who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their heart, who say in their heart, the Lord will not do good or evil. That's a foolish virgins. Moreover, their wealth will become plunder. Their houses are going to become desolate. We look in verse 14. Near is a great day of the Lord, near and coming very quickly. Listen, the day of the Lord, in it the warrior cries out bitterly. Now the day of the Lord, and we know the war, is Jesus going to come with a shout? Warrior bringing his army. It's a day of wrath is that day. Now that's the day we're living in now. It's a day of wrath from God. It's a day of trouble and distress as these instruments of indignation are turned loose. It's a day of destruction and desolation as these sons of destruction are turned loose. It's a day of darkness, spiritual darkness, and even gloom. Folks, you've walked in darkness, but have you ever walked in gloom? When you walk in gloom, you can't see nothing. Amen? And that's where, it's a day of clouds and thick darkness. And who is this army coming against? It's a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and the what? All the high corner towers. And I'll bring distress on men so that they're going to walk like the blind. In other words, in spiritual darkness, spiritually blind. Because why? They have sinned against the Lord. Amen? A broken covenant. And their blood will be poured out like dust. Their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor gold is going to be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath. And all the earth will be devoured by this army. In the fire, they are the fire of his jealousy. For he'll make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, to all the inhabitants of the earth. And the Lord says, chapter 2, verse 1, gather yourself together. Yes, gather, O nation, without shame. We saw them over in Jeremiah 6, verse 8. I mean 6 in chapter 8. Before the decree, that's just judgment, takes effect, you better gather yourself. And it passes like chap before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you. Before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have carried out his ordinances. Seek what? Righteousness. Seek what? Humility. Perhaps you'll be what? You'll have this hedge around you in the day of the Lord's anger. Now we see Babylon in verse 15. This is the exultant city, which dwells securely in a false assurance today. Who says I am, and there's no heart there. I am, and there's no one besides me. Selfishness. How she has become a desolation. She's a resting place and a dwelling place for demons, beasts. Everyone who pites his fire will hiss and wave his hand in contempt. Is that happening today? Chapter 3, verse 1. Woe to her who is rebellious and defiles the tyrannical city. She's defiled. Do you see the defilement? She's rebellious and defiled. We saw that. The tyrannical city. She heeds no voice. She accepts no instruction. Amen. She did not trust in the Lord and she did not draw near to her God. See, if you draw near to God, what's He going to do? He'll draw near to you and then you can learn to love Him with all your heart. Verse 4. Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done what? Violence to what? They perverted the law. Verse 6. I've cut off nations. Their corner towers are in spiritual ruins. I have made their streets desolate, no fruit, no water, no word, with no spiritual one passing by. Their cities are laid waste. And when your city is laid waste by these clouds and suns of destruction, when a land is laid waste, it doesn't grow any vegetation. They're without a spiritual man, without an inhabitant. I said, surely you're going to fear me, except instruction, so her dwelling's not going to be, the branches not going to be cut off and destroyed, the temple. According to all that I've appointed concern to her, but she's eager to corrupt her deeds in lawlessness. Therefore, verse 8. Wait for me, declares the Lord, for the day of the Lord, when I what? When I rise up, and that's what the Lord says all over to the prey. Indeed, my decision is to gather this army, as instruments of indignation, the sun of destruction, the flood, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them what? There it is, the flood, the army, the instruments of this indignation. All my burning anger for all the earth will be devoured by the fire of my zeal. And then we're going to look at the remnant. For then, I will give to the people purified lips. Now, you look here when you're reading right there, folks. Now, let's just say you were in Babylon. And all of a sudden you're reading, and so he's going to pour out his indignation, and all my burning anger, and all the earth is going to be devoured by the fire of my zeal. For then I'm going to give the people purified lips. Then you would think he's still talking to the same people, doesn't you? Huh? Then you think, well, all is well, peace and safety. Although we're doing these things now, we're going to have purified lips someday. No, he's talking to the remnant right here. You see how it changes back and forth. For then I will give to the peoples, that's the people in Zion, purified lips, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and are going to serve him shoulder to shoulder. In other words, the ones that serve the Lord are not going to have any division. And you just write it there. No division. Verse 11, In that day you will feel no shame because of your deeds of which you have rebelled against me. For then I'm going to remove from your midst your what? Proud, exulting ones. You remember we saw that in Matthew 13, and about, you know, over there about 49, whatever. And you will never again be haughty and proud on my holy mountain. So God's going to destroy all the ones that's high and lifted up, and only the Lord is going to be exalted in that day. Verse 12, But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people. That's a remnant. That's the one that's going to survive. That's the escaped remnant. And they will take refuge in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong. They will tell no lies. No will of deceitful tongue, double-mindedness, be found in their mouth. For they shall feed on the word of God, and then they're going to lie down in peace. Amen? Because the word of God, it cleanses their hearts. Amen? From lawlessness, and no one's going to make them tremble. They're not going to walk in fear. They're going to walk in peace and blessings of covenant. Amen? Verse 14, Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion. Shout in triumph, O Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away his judgments against you. He's cleared away your enemies. And the what? The King of Israel. The King of Israel. Is where? The midst. He's right in your midst. You'll fear disaster no more. In that day it will be said to Jerusalem, Do not be afraid. What? Of Zion. Of Zion. Don't be afraid. Do not let your hands fall limp. The Lord your God is where? In the midst. In the midst of Zion. Amen? A victorious warrior. He will exult with you, over you with joy. He will be quiet in his love. He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. I'll gather those who grieve about the harlot church today. The appointed feast. That's the one that's going to come to them when they're grieving about what's happening, what's called church today. Now verse 19, Behold, I'm going to deal at that time with all your oppressors. I'll save the lame. I'm going to gather the outcasts. Do you see this over and over? That's exactly what we saw over in John 8, I mean Matthew 22 and Luke 14. And I'm going to turn their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time, I'm going to bring you into the ark. Even that time when I gather you together, Indeed, I'm going to give you renown and praise among all the people of the earth when I restore your fortunes right before your eyes, says the Lord. Is that a little encouraging? You know what? I think, let's go over to Joel. Turn back to Joel there just a little bit. And we need to look at it before we... Joel. Joel 1 verse 2. Now Joel is right after Hosea. And right before Amos. After Hosea and before Amos. Chapter 1 verse 2. Hear this, O elders, and listen, all inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this happened in your days or in your father's days? Verse 4. Now he's talking about the last days. This is a flood. This is what we're reading about, about the prophets would tell about these days. It's from Samuel Longren. Now verse 4. Here's the locusts again. What the gnawing locusts have left, the swarming locusts have eaten. What the swarming locusts have left, the creeping locusts have eaten. What the creeping locusts have left, the stripping locusts have eaten. Awake, drunkards who are stumbling in spiritual darkness, and weep. And wail, all you wine drinkers, on account of sweet wine. It's the word of God. It's cut off from your mouth. It's a famine of the word. For a nation, here's the army, has invaded my land. It's mighty and without number. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion and its fangs of a lioness. There's your flood and suns of destruction. It's going to make my vine a waste place. In other words, you'll never bear the fruit of the Lord. And my fig tree is splinters. It has stripped them bare and cast them away. The branches have become white. Verse 8. Wail like a virgin girded with sackcloth. And what are you going to be wailing for? You're going to be wailing for what? The bridegroom of her youth. And that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 10. The field is ruined. That's her land. The land mourns because of the curse. The grain is ruined. There's no fruit of love. The new wine dries up. There's no word. Ever learning and able to see is a famine. The pressure fails. There's no anointing. And that's just... Let's read in verse 12. The vine dries up and the what? Fig tree fails. I'll remind you something about that fig tree. You remember Matthew 24 in the last days when you see the fig tree starting to put out its leaves? See, when you see the fig tree, it's a remnant that's building this foundation right now. And then when you start seeing these leaves come out right before the blossom and the fruit comes out, then you can know that this generation is not going to pass away. It's all fulfilled. Now, you know this is what we're moving into fast right now. Amen? Amen. Okay. And the pomegranate, the palm, also the apple tree. All the trees of the field dry up. Indeed, rejoicing dries up gladness and joy. Amen? Now, verse 14. Consecrate a fast. Isaiah 58. I really recommend you read that real close. Proclaim a solemn assembly. Gather the elders of all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the what? Lord. Alas for the day, for the day of the Lord is near. It's here, folks. It'll come as destruction from the Almighty. Has not spiritual food been cut off before your eyes? Now, watch here. Has not gladness, has not joy been cut off from the house of God? Amen? All right. What's happening? The word of God, then the seeds shrivel on the clods, which hardened hearts. The storehouses are desolate, and the barns are torn down, for the grain is dried up. It's no fruit. Verse 19. To thee, O Lord, I cry, for fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. That's a place where you feed and eat. The flame has burned up all the trees of the field. We saw that in Psalm 74. That's what the fire and the powers of darkness and destruction and flood is doing. Chapter 2, verse 1. Blow a trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm on my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. Surely it is near. It's a day of spiritual darkness and gloom. A day of clouds. That's when the clouds will come. We saw that in the last verse of Isaiah 5. And when I was telling you about when the clouds and thick darkness come, then the moon and the sun doesn't give their light. As the dawn is spread out over the mountains, it's spiritual darkness, midnight. So there is a great and mighty people. There's never been anything like it, and there will be again after it to the years of many generations. A fire consumes before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and then when they move, these powers of darkness move in. It's a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing at all escapes them. Look at verse 6. Before them the people are in anguish. All faces turn pale, but with sickness and plagues. They run like mighty wind. They climb up these whitewashed walls like soldiers. They each march in line. They do not deviate from their path. They do not crowd each other. They march everyone in his path. When they burst through the defenses, they do not break ranks. They rush on a church city. They run on these whitewashed walls, these army of demons. They climb into the houses. You saw the houses over in Matthew 24, 42, and 43. They enter through the window like a what? Thief. But if they'd been on alert, they wouldn't have allowed their house to be broken into. Amen? Before them the land what? You see, they come to shake the foundation. This is a spiritual earthquake. Do you see it? The heavens tremble, and the sun and moon grow what? Dark, because they're a cloud. And when they move in on you, you can't see the sun, the light, and the moon from a church. Amen? And the stars lose their brightness because the people are walking in lawlessness. They are not a light like the divine nature. And the Lord utters his voice before his army. Surely his camp is very great, for strong is he. His powers are darkness, who carry out his word, judgments, and curses. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome. Who can endure it, yet even now, declares the Lord, return to me with what? All your heart. All your heart. Isn't that with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Is that exactly what I told you the only way restoration could come was in Deuteronomy 30? You have to return to the Lord with all your heart, or there's no restoration. Amen? Verse 13. Win your heart and not your garments, and return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness, and relenting of evil. Verse 15. Blow a trumpet in Zion. Consecrate a fash. Proclaim a solemn assent. Gather the people. And what does it say? I can't hear you. Sanctify the congregation. And what is sanctified? What's going to be the result of sanctifying the congregation? They can be saved from this army, flood, and fire. They can be saved from the wrath of God. Amen? Isn't that interesting? Assemble the elders. Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the who? The voice of the bridegroom has been gone, hasn't it? But then when you repent and return to the Lord with all your heart, then the bridegroom is going to come out of this room and the bride out of her bridal chamber. Now, I want you to know there's no voice of the bride or the bridegroom in Babylon, but when you get into Zion and you repent and come to the Lord with all your heart, the bridegroom comes out of this room and the bride out of her bridal chamber. Glory be to God. Amen? Let the priest, the Lord's minister, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, what are the pastor supposed to be saying and the priest supposed to be saying? They're supposed to be praying, to spare thy people, O Lord, and do not make thine inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they among the nations say, where is their God? Verse 18, Then the Lord will be zealous for his land, and I'll have pity on his people, and the Lord will answer and say to his people, Behold, I'm going to bring you the grain, here's what he's bringing us. If you repent, he's going to bring you the fruit of love, righteousness. He's going to bring you the new wine, which is the word of God. He's going to bring you the oil, which is the Spirit. Amen? And then the next thing he's going to do, in verse 20, and then I'm going to remove that northern army away from you, Zion. All the powers of darkness are going to be removed from you. I've said they're going to be removed from you. And I'm going to drive them into a parched and desolate land. And look at verse 21, Do not fear, O land. Rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has done great things. Do not fear, beast of field, for the pastures of the wilderness have turned green. Here it is. For the tree has borne its fruit, now watch this, and the fig tree and the vine have yielded in full. Do you see the fig tree yielding in full? Now let's stop here and examine this right here. Folks, when you start seeing the fig tree start to bear leaves, then they're fixing to do, they're in the midst of doing this thing right here. Repenting, coming to the Lord with all their heart, and they're going to bear their fruit in full. Now folks, that's exactly what I mean, the coming of the Lord is right now. Are you hearing what I'm saying? So don't think it's far off. You walk in the light while you've got the light, so that darkness does not overtake you. Amen? Huh? Now in verse 23, So rejoice, O sons of Zion, and be glad in the Lord your God, for He has given you the early rain, and for your vindication He's poured down for you, He's poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain, and that's what's part of the blessings. And the threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with the Word and oil, and that's what we're beginning to start seeing, the grain and the oil and the wine. That's the fruit of love. The new wine is the Word of God, and the oil is the Spirit of God that's going to come on us. Then I'm going to make up for you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust, the gnawing locust, my great army which I sent among you. And you shall have plenty to eat and be satisfied. And praise the name of the Lord your God. Look in verse 27, Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Zion, I am in the midst of Israel, I am in the midst of Judah, I am in the midst of this remnant, that I am the Lord your God, and there is no other people, and my people will never be put to shame. After this I'm going to pour out my Spirit on all mankind. Amen? Now we look at this Day of the Lord over there in verse 32. Well, let's just look in verse 31. The sun will be turned into darkness, the moon into blood before the great and awesome Day of the Lord comes, and it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be what? He's going to be a escaped remnant. Now, you just don't say words. You're going to call on Him with all your heart. For on Mount Zion, and we know what's in Zion, there are the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and there the congregation has been sanctified. Is that right? And in Jerusalem, there will be those who escape, there will be the escaped remnant. Do you see it? As the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls. Now in chapter 3, For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I'll gather all the nations, and I'm going to bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I'm going to enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and inheritance Israel. Isn't that right? Whom they have scattered among the nations, and here's what they've done. They have divided up My land, in other words, and cast lots for My people. In other words, this is what flesh has done today. Selfish ambition has taken the people of God and building selfish ambition in names and reputations. There are people that have not repented. They've divided up the inheritance of God, taken His people and His inheritance for their own glory. Now you see there in verse 5, Since you have taken My silver, My money, and My gold, and brought My precious treasures to your temples, using the Word of God, and sold the sons of Judah, you sold My people, My inheritance, the people of God, and Jerusalem, you sold them to the world out there. You delivered them, you took the Bible, and delivered them to be worldly. Amen? In order to remove them far from their territory, which is holiness and righteousness, behold, I'm about going to rouse them from the place where you have sold them, and I'm going to return your recompense on your head. Amen? Now chapter 9, I mean verse 9, Proclaim this among the nations, prepare a war, here comes the army. Rouse the mighty men, that's the army, that's the sons of destruction. Let all the soldiers, that's the armies of Jesus, they're going to draw near and let them come up. And here's what, we look in verse 12, Let the nations be aroused and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and there I'm going to set the judge. All the surrounding nations, put in the sickle for the harvest is right. Now have we already saw this in Matthew 13 and Revelation 14? Two of you have, haven't you? I'm about to fall over this chair right here. Do you see what I'm talking about or not? See if you don't see it, I'm going to go back and stop for you to see it. Do you remember, that's the sickle. Now this, what are you going to do? Put them in a wine press? And how do you put them in a wine press? Turn loose this army, this flood of destruction. Amen? And he's going to put in the sickle for the harvest is right. And what is the first thing he's going to do? He's going to destroy. All stumbling blocks, all terrors, all those who commit lawlessness, are going to be destroyed. Is that what we saw in Matthew 13? And they're going to be weeping and gnashing their teeth, and then the righteous are going to shine forth like lights. Is that correct? Now let's see what happens there. And the nation be around to come up the valley of Jehoshaphat, and there I'm going to set the judge. All the surrounding nations, put in the sickle for the harvest, come tread for the what? Wine press is full. We saw that in Lamentations. The vats overflow with lawlessness, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near, in the valley of decision. And here are the clouds. That's the powers of darkness. They move in to, they are the wine press. The sun and the moon grow what? Dark sea is no spiritual, it's all spiritual darkness. And the stars do what? They lose their brightness because of lawlessness. And the Lord roars, where is He roaring from? Zion. That's where His throne is. He utters His voice from Jerusalem. And the heavens and the earth tremble, as the foundation is shaking. That's once again your spiritual earthquake. And the Lord is a refuge to who? His people. And He's a stronghold to who else? The sons of Israel. Then you're going to know that I'm the Lord, your God. I dwell in Zion, my holy mountain. So Jerusalem is going to be holy, and the powers of darkness, the strangers, are going to pass through it, no more. Verse 21. Let me look at verse 19. Egypt will come a waste, that's the people of the world. Edom. You know who that is? Edom is a descendant of Esau. That's all flesh, you're going to become desolate wilderness. Because of the violence done to the sons of Judah, that's a remnant. In whose land they have shed innocent blood, verse 21, and I'll avenge their blood, which I have not avenged, for the Lord, where is He going to dwell? He's going to dwell in Zion, isn't He? Praise God forevermore. Now, you know, I think it's really important that we just see this walk, that we're supposed to be walking in, in relation to the harlot. And this, I want you to turn with me to Proverbs 1, please. Turn back to Proverbs 1, and let's just look at the walk here, just for a moment before we... Proverbs 1. Here's going to be your walk today. You're going to have to understand the wisdom of God. You're going to have to have understanding. And we know Jesus is wisdom, and it's the wisdom of God. Proverbs 1, verse 2, To know wisdom and instruction. To discern the sayings of understanding. That's the Word of God. You've got to be able to discern them. To receive instruction in wise behavior, which is walking in obedience and righteousness. Righteousness, justice, and equity. That's the way you're supposed to walk, you and I. Verse 5, A wise man is going to hear an increasing learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel. Now, let me ask you something. Has the fear of the Lord come on to you slightly since we've been in this meeting? Okay, now that's spiritual understanding right there. Because look in verse 7. The fear of the Lord is a beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Verse 10, My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. Verse 15, My son, do not walk in a way with them. Keep your feet from their path. Verse 16, For their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed blood, to use and exploit other people. Verse 18, But they lie and wait for their own blood. See, that's a righteous judgment of God, and that's God's law today. When you go do something to someone else, brother, the righteous judgment of God has got you in chains right then and there. And when people lie and wait, they lie, verse 18, watch this, they lie and wait for their own blood. They ambush their own lives. That's a righteous judgment. That's the law of God today on this earth. Now folks, do you like that law? Isn't that good? Now that's the law in effect. So there are the ways of everyone who gains by violence. It takes away the life of what? Its possessors. So the wisdom of God, it shouts in the streets. She lifts her voice in the square at the head of the noisy street. She cries out the entrance of gates. Verse 22, How long, O naive ones, will you love simplicity and the scoffers who really don't have spiritual understanding or delighting themselves in scoffing. They put their trust in men. And the foolish men, the fools, foolish virgins, they hate knowledge. And my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. And here's what the Lord says, Turn to My reproof and discipline. If you'll do this, I'll pour out My Spirit on you. And if you'll turn this reproof and discipline, I'll make My words known to you. Because I called and you refused to walk in righteousness. I'm just adding things that we've already known and studied as we go along to just kind of help you. Amen? Because I called and you refused to walk in righteousness, I stretched out My hand, and no one paid attention, which we saw over in Isaiah 5 and 6. And you'd elected My counsel. You didn't want to counsel the Lord to His discipline. You did not want My reproof. You remember Hebrews 12, verse 8, it said, If you are without discipline, which the sons of gods are partakers, then your illegitimate children and false sons, and then it lowers a hedge for the curses and all the powers of darkness to come on you. He said, If you'll neglect this, verse 26, I will even laugh at your calamity. I'll mock when you're dread. Here comes the curse, the powers of darkness when it comes. And when your dread comes like a storm, and that's what they are, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, that's a curse. When distress and anguish come on you, then they will call on Me, and I will not answer. They will seek Me diligently, but they'll not find Me, because they hated the knowledge of God. Amen? And did not choose the fear of the Lord. You know when you say some Scripture that caused somebody to fear God, do you know they get offended? Hey, that's not the God that we know. I've seen people of age, you know, and I was in a place one time when they had some fellow interviewing him there, and I just don't want you to know I don't spend my time in television, but I happened to be in a situation where they were interviewing a person with AIDS. And they were interviewing him, and he said, You don't think God had anything? He'd just been saved, and he said, Not the God I know. And boy, it just really hurt, because he didn't have the wisdom right here to understand that. Amen? When your dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you, then they'll call on Me. I'll not answer. They'll seek Me diligently, but they'll not find Me, because they've hated knowledge, and they did not choose the fear of the Lord. That's it. That's a harlot. They will not accept My counsel. They spurned all My reproof, discipline, so they shall eat the fruit of their own ways. Now, let me show you how to eat the fruit of your own ways. Look at me. Put one of them up there, brother. Here's the fruit of your way. Now, here's the heart. And what comes out of your mouth shows what's got your heart. Now, when slander, sarcasm, bitterness, rebellion, criticism, hatred, unforgiveness, these things, this kind of fruit comes out of your mouth, you're going to have to eat judgment. And the powers of darkness attach themselves to these things. That's a righteous judgment of God. Now, put the other one up there, brother. But then when you have this kind of fruit come out of your mouth, that shows a heart that really loves God and loves your neighbor. And when you have love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, gentleness, meekness, tenderness, when this fruit comes out of your mouth, then the blessings of God pour out of heaven on you. And once again, you're eating the fruit of your ways. That's a righteous judgment of God. So whenever anyone exploits and misuses someone else in this world, bang, judgment comes on him, and he sets an ambush for his own life. And by his own schemes, by his own walk, he falls into a trap and a snare. Amen? So that's the law of God today, and that's the purpose of the demons, the powers of darkness, and the purposes of God's justice and righteousness and law today. Isn't that good? Do you see it? So we've been taught that the law is something ugly. Amen? It has nothing to do with love. I'll tell you, the whole law is love. That's what the law is about. And it's not for those who walk unrighteous, but it's righteous, which is love. But it's to bring judgment about those who want to walk in selfish and exploit and hurt other people and not honor God. Amen? All right? Now, verse 31. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices. You ought to see the way I used to handle that word. Verse 32. For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them. I've learned a lot of words. You read the Bible straight for about six years, and you have to learn some of them. You know it. For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them. There's curses. And the complacence of fools, that's a false security, shall destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely, and he shall be at ease because there's going to be a hedge around him from the dread of evil. Amen? Now, chapter 2, verse 1. Do you ever see anything so plain? Now, when you read this, you can just see just exactly where we're walking, right? Tell me, who would ever have thought it would be in Proverbs? You never know where God's going to put something, do you? Chapter 2, verse 1. My son, if you receive my sayings and treasure my what? My holy commandments within you, and you make your ears attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding. You know, by the way, that a commandment is supposed to be written on our hearts. Isn't that right? For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding, if your secret is silver, that's with all your heart, if your seat's for her as for hidden treasures, Amen? Then you're going to discern the fear of the Lord. You'll understand the fear of God. And you're going to discover the knowledge of God. Let me show you something. I want you just to hold your place, and I want to show you something about the fear of God, okay? Turn back to Psalm 34. Psalm 34. Psalm 34. Verse 7. The angel of the Lord encounters around those who what? Fear Him. Now, fear Him is the one that's inheriting salvation, and He rescues them. That's who the angels are serving, right? Verse 11. 34, verse 11. Come, you children, listen to me, and I'll teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is a man who desires life and loves length of days, not being destroyed, that he may see good? Here is the fear of the Lord. Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil lawlessness, and do good, which is walk in love. Seek peace with all men, and pursue it. Because the eyes of the Lord, that's the Spirit of God, are toward who? The ones that walk in righteousness, who do not speak evil or deceit. And His ears are open to their cries, that's the ones whose prayers He answers. But to face the Lord against evildoers who commit lawlessness, and He cuts off the memory of them from the earth, their branches are destroyed in judgment. The righteous will cry, who do not speak evil, but pursue peace. The righteous cry, and the Lord's going to hear, and He's going to deliver them out of how many of their troubles? He'll deliver out of all of them. Every one of me is going to deliver you if you fear God, and see if you fear God, you know. Let me just share again, because we've seen a lot of new people here. Now let me tell you something. Walking in the fear of God, nowadays I get into conversations with people, and all of a sudden I see that we're getting into slander, or we're getting into gossip. You can discuss things without getting into those things. Immediately, fear comes on me, the fear of God. And see, I have peace right now, and I'm having more peace. But once my mouth gets into conversation like this, and all of a sudden I can walk out of that room, and there's pressure and stuff in my head, and things are different. Amen? Sometimes I forget, and there's just something I jump on, and I don't take the thought captive, and then I have to go do a lot of praying to get that peace back. And that's the fear of God right there, because see, walking in peace and fellowship with the Lord is the greatest thing that ever happened to a human being. That's what you were made for, to love God and fellowship with Him. Amen? Now, we're talking about the walk now. See, this is kind of helping. Boy, I tell you what, there's so much there. You know, I really wish we had one more day. But see, what we're trying to share here is the things that will help you to understand what's going on and what's supposed to be happening to you. And the way we're dealing with the walk, the things so that you know, when you know what's right, you have confidence. Isn't that right? And see, this is washing you right now. And there's going to be a lot more stuff coming off of you after a while. And I want to remind you again, nobody's going to leave here in bondage. Amen? That has a repentant heart. We're going to sit here. Now, I want you to pass. I want you to remind a few people, God, I want you to be here. Now, I'm going to tell you what, folks, there's ways to cut these things short and shut these meetings down and take up offerings and run the motel and all this kind of stuff. Brother, we're at a time right now we're going to love and help one another. That's how the blessings come on us. Amen? Y'all be real, real sensitive here about coming down here to him because there's some precious, precious, precious little old sheep in here right now. And brother, I'll just tell you what, I just can't do it all. And neither can the ones that's here with us. There won't be enough of us. There's some people here that's going to need some help and encouragement. There's anointing right here now, I want to tell you. And it's not for personalities. It's for this remnant right here. And you're going to see, I don't care, you're going to see some things happen here. Amen? Now, let's not let somebody come here and sit here for four days in the Word and then leave here with any kind of bondage on them. Amen? Isn't that right, James? Praise God. Now, verse 5. Then you're going to discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth, that means the Word of God, comes knowledge and understanding. He stores up wisdom for the upright. That's the one that walks in righteousness. He is a shield and He's a hedge to those who walk foul in integrity, which is righteousness. Is everybody with me right now? Proverbs 2. Huh? Oh, you lost again? Turn back to Proverbs 2. I didn't think I was getting much response. I can tell when you're just about to assume you've gone to sleep or something. I don't know when to take authority or quit. Proverbs 2, verse 5. And I mean it. Now, you precious people, I'll tell you what's the truth, boy. I just see the love of God. Oh, boy. We'll read it again. Verse 5. Then you'll discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. How's a harlot being destroyed? Because of lack of what? Knowledge. And if you don't have the fear of God, you don't even have the knowledge of God. Because to have the knowledge of God is to know that you better fear God. Amen? And if you fear a man, you'll never know the knowledge of God. Never. Verse 6. I'll tell you what, just as hard as I can, boy, I'll tell you what, ever since I've learned anything, I've watched things as a brand new Christian. I have tried to drive people just as hard as I could away from men because I knew there was something bad and wrong with that. To put your confidence in flesh and men. A man can just know so much. He doesn't know everything. Amen? For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth, the Word of God comes, knowledge and understanding. Amen? He stores up sound wisdom, and who's He going to give His sound wisdom to? The ones that walk in righteousness. And He's all going to be a shield and a hedge. Is that right? To those who walk how? In integrity, which is holiness. That's a highway of holiness. Amen? So He guards the path of what? Justice. Those that walk in justice and righteousness, He's guarding their path. Is that right? And He preserves the ways of who? Godly ones. Isn't that right? They receive the blessings and the covenant peace. Right? Then you're going to discern righteousness and justice. Are we beginning to discern that right now? And equity in every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart. Now, that's the wisdom of God that's going to come in your heart. And the knowledge is going to be pleasant to your soul, the knowledge of God. Discretion will guard you. Understanding will watch over you. And it's going to deliver you from the way of evil, which is lawlessness. Now, watch very closely, and let's slow down. And this understanding is going to keep you from the man, the false teacher, who speaks perverse things. This understanding and wisdom, all of these things are going to keep you from those who start out and then leave the paths of uprightness, who no longer walk in righteousness, to walk in the ways of darkness, which is lawlessness. It's going to guard you against these people. This understanding and wisdom is going to guard you from those, verse 14, who delight in doing evil, lawlessness, and rejoice in the perversity of evil. This understanding and wisdom is going to guard you from those whose paths are crooked, they're not straight, and whose ways are devious in their ways. This wisdom of God and understanding is going to deliver you from the strange woman, that's a harlot, from the adulteress who flatters you with these fleshly words, so she can boast in your flesh. This wisdom, the godly wisdom and understanding, verse 17, is going to deliver you from the ones who leave the companion of their youth, the Lord Jesus Christ, and forget the covenant of their God. For this harlot, this adulteress, her house sinks down to death, and her tracks, the way she's walking, leads to the dead. None who go to this harlot church return again, nor do they reach the path of life. Blessings. So you'll walk in the way of good men, and you're going to keep to the path of who? Walking righteous. Did you ever see anything so clear and plain, folks? For the upright, that's the righteous, are going to live in the land. The land is a promised land, the land of milk and honey. And the blameless are going to remain in it, and that's the bride that Jesus is coming for. But the wicked, the ones that walk in lawlessness, are going to be destroyed and cut off from the land. And the treacherous will be uprooted from it. Amen? Now chapter 3, verse 1, My son, do not forget My teachings, but let your heart keep My commandments. Are we supposed to keep the commandments of God? We keep the commandments of God by walking in covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you're doing this, if you're walking in covenant with Jesus, then verse 2, For the length of days and the years of life and peace, they're going to add to you. That's the blessings of covenant right there. But if you're not walking in covenant, you're walking in lawlessness, in which case the judgment of God's law is destroying you with anger and wrath. Is that right? Does everybody see that? Amen. Now see, we just read straight on through, and there it is. We've got a letter from heaven. Verse 3, Do not let kindness and truth leave you. Bind them around your neck and write them on the tablet of your heart so you'll find favor, which is blessings and good repute in the sight of God and man, which only the Lord can bring. Trust in the Lord with how much of your heart. We're going to return to the Lord with all your heart, and you're not going to lean on your fleshly understanding, and you're not going to lean on somebody else's fleshly understanding. Your confidence is not in man, it's in God. Is that right? Verse 6, In all your ways acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will... What will He do? He'll make your path straight, walking in righteousness and holiness. Faithful is He that called you, and He'll bring it to pass. Do not be wise in your own fleshly eyes, but fear the Lord's judgment, and do what? Turn away from evil, and if you do this, it's going to be healing to your body. That's the blessings of God, and healing comes through the blessings, and it's going to be refreshment to your bones. I'll take that. Amen? Now, verse 11, My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord and be an illegitimate child, or loathe His reproof. For whom the Lord loves, as we've also seen in Hebrews 12, 6-8, whom He loves, He reproves, even as a father the son in whom he delights. How blessed is a man who defines the wisdom of God, and a man who gains spiritual understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and is gained more than the gold and silver of this world. She is more precious in jewels than nothing you can desire in your heart compares with her. Glory be to God. Isn't that sweet? Chapter 4, verse 4. Are you seeing the walk here, folks? Now, verse 4, Then He taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast My words, keep My commandments. And what? So you're not going to be destroyed. That means walking wholeness and righteousness. Now, verse 5, Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, do not forget nor turn away from the words of My mouth. Don't turn away from the Word of God. Amen? Verse 10, Hear, my son, accept My sayings. The gospel and the years of your life are going to be what? Many, because the curses will not be on you. Is that correct? Now look in verse 12, When you walk, your steps will not be impeded. In other words, you're not going to stumble in spiritual darkness. And if you run, you're not going to stumble. Verse 13, Take hold of instruction, obey God, do not let go, guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, the ones that are adulterous, or the ones who walk in lawlessness, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Now folks, I want to tell you something right now. I want to stop and tell you something. We've been programmed that this is some hard and difficult thing to do. I'll tell you one of the hard and difficult things about it is the influence of people around you that have no desire to walk in these things. But then, if you have the fellowship of those who want to walk in these things, then you have a love instead of condemnation to encourage you. And you'll see things that they've learned, and we'll learn from one another. But see, we're at the front end of something, and we've been so lied to and programmed to look at this Scripture of righteousness and holiness as being some big difficult thing. When all it is, it's the simplest in purity, a devotion to Christ, just loving the Lord, and just seeing how many things during the day that He just does to just show you and encourage you and bless you. But when we see this, this is why it's so offensive in the harlot church today, because they look at it through the eyes of a doctrine, and since their hearts really don't love God, then they are offended, because this comes against the very life of their heart, which loves idols. Amen? So, I want you to understand something. It's going to become easier and easier. Now, that doesn't mean you're not going to go through some fire and everything, but as long as we have an understanding about it, and as long as we're walking in a measure of peace, you'll walk through some fire, and then some Lord's going to give you some peace and encouragement and say, I like what you're doing. And pretty soon you'll hear words and things coming out of your heart, and you'll say, I've noticed some things in my heart in the last week which makes me know that something's changed about my heart. And I like for people to come up and tell me, you know, that you're different. That's encouragement. I'd rather hear somebody say, you know, that I've changed or something. And see, when people come up and tell me, and say I look ten years younger than I did the last time, it's because some old frogs are gone, right? See, when you get that stuff, You know, there's a fellow here just as precious that I got to pray with back there a while ago. And I saw him earlier in this meeting, and I could see stuff was all over him. I can't go to everybody that I see here, you know, that sees stuff all over me. It would be worse for the word. But see, I knew he had a love for the Lord, and I knew it would be easy for him to be free, and this is why I want others to be sensitive right here, because this is the reason I would like to, if the Lord just gives us a freedom. I don't want to get a bunch of plans, but the Lord's going to put us in some kind of setting where we can just spend days with each other and know one another and love one another. Some of you pastors and leaders of some fellowships can go over and some is not as far along as you are. The things you've gone to, and you can go over here and teach each other. Now, this is what I'd like to see happen right here. And no one has their hand on anything that God is doing. You know what I mean? And we just have love. And see, as this love grows, it's going to be pretty obvious if you've got someone among you. You're not going to be able to hide it if your motivation is not loving the Lord with all your heart. You're going to be exposed when you open your mouth. Amen? You're not going to hide it very long. The wolf days are going to be over. And I want to tell you something. There's a stripping taking place with us right now. And some of them are further along than others, and I hope the ones that's been stripped a little more than others don't get into spiritual pride.