Has God Indeed Said - Part 5

2Pe 3:5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water

We will continue to look at what the 'scoffers' willfully forgot.

For the full text of this week's message and supplementary questions can be found on our website. 

Transcript

John Herbert  00:00
Five of our series has got indeed said this morning. And so let's just pause for a moment, pray once again about this word. And then we'll begin. Father, we just thank you so much for today, Lord, we as always we stand amazed at your grace and your mercy, the love that you extend to us, we just thank you for all that you continue to do. And we thank you that today for the privilege that you've given us once again, that we may go into your word, that from your scriptures, you a teach us truth, that truth which we may receive implanted within us that can produce the salvation of our soul. We thank you for it, we praise you for it. We thank you for everything that you may show us through your word today. In all things we give you praise in Jesus name, amen. All right, well, we begin place we began for the past weeks, of course, in Genesis chapter three, verse number one to start. Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden. And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die, then the serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die. Well, we have seen through Satan's actions in the garden, that the focus for his deception was the woman. And to bring this over into the anti type of the woman, we will find those who have the potential to become the bride of Christ, Christians from this dispensation. Satan knows full well that Christ is beyond his reach. But he also knows that if he can disqualify those who are called to the kingdom of the heavens, those pictures through the woman, then the head of the church, Christ cannot roll, replaying the events of the garden. God's purpose, though revealed from the beginning, cannot be stopped. But on an individual level, each one of us has the choice to make to wholeheartedly believe and act upon God's word, and to put to death, the old man in doing so. Or else to embrace the lie. There is no middle ground to tread with this. Jesus Himself said, You're either with me or you are against me. It's one or the other, no middle ground. And with a view to deception, the same question asked in the garden, only in a slightly different form, has continued to be asked within the church. Most now familiar Scriptures for us from Second Peter chapter three. Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder, that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets, and of the commandment of us, the Apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of is coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue, as they were, from the beginning of creation. to question the promise of the Lord's coming, is part of the corruption of the word of the kingdom, pictured for us by the woman who plays leaven in the three measures of meal, in the parable of the leaven, in Matthew chapter 13, verse 33. And we have seen that this is a deliberate attack on the central message of Scripture, and strikes at the very heart of God's foundational revelation to man seeking to destroy it. As we saw last time, the heavens and the earth were created perfectly, as recorded in Genesis chapter one, verse one, and that it was the result of the judgment of Satan's rebellion, that the heavens and the earth became formless and void, in swathe in darkness, with the earth covered with raging waters, recorded in Genesis chapter one, the first half of verse two. And this ruin of the material creation was then followed by a subsequent rest The aeration process that lasted for six days, followed by a seventh day of rest, providing an unchangeable process within an unalterable pattern, creation, ruin, restoration, rest. And right at the very beginning of Scripture here, you can see that challenge to God's word as God indeed said, For how many people look on what we see in chapter one of Genesis, and think this whole thing is talking about the creation of the earth, when in fact, we know it's talking about a creation of Ruin, and a restoration to be followed by rest. And if we don't see the restoration, if it's only ever seen in terms of being God's act of creation, from the beginning, everything then is then lost from that point onwards. Because if the earth is not restored, providing that foundational picture of six days of work, followed by a seventh day of rest, to bring about the restoration, then the same thing does not hold true when man is restored. And we know of course, that it must be. And we can see how easily the very simplest and most profound picture that we get at the beginning of Scripture can be done away with simply by asking that question, has God indeed said? And of course, the answer to the question is very simple. Or Yes, he hands. That's how it's laid out. That's how it's given to us. There is no problem really. So we had also seen last time that God restored the earth for the specific purpose of having his new creation, man, roll over it in the place of Satan. And we can see this again in Genesis 126. Then God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, let them have dominion, over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. I had them however, through the woman's deception became disqualified to roll before ever taking the sector of rulership, leaving the incumbent, Satan, as the ruler of this world. But all of this has been willfully forgotten by the scoffers. Second Peter three, five, for this fame willfully forget that by the word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water, and in the water. Genesis chapter one verse one, by which the world that then existed, perished, being flooded with water, Genesis one first half of verse two, but the heavens and the earth, which are now preserved by the same word, the restored Earth, Genesis to be on words are reserved for fire, until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Well, the scoffers had chosen to willfully forget God's intervention that brought judgment upon Satan's sin, leaving the creation ruined. And they had chosen to willfully forget God's restorative intervention, claiming that all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation, or the evidence of Scripture is that all things have clearly not continued as they were, and nor will they continue as they are. But the question continues to be asked, has God indeed said, and in asking this question, the scoffers had willfully forgotten, that God has set about the process of restoring his ruined creation, both mankind and the material creation, placed under a curse, a restoration that must follow the process of six days of work, followed by a seventh day of rest, and bringing us right back to the foundation once again, second, Peter three, eight. But Beloved, do not forget this one thing. You're starting to forget this stop it is what he's saying to them here. You used to know this, but it's slipping your mind. Stop it. Don't forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day, is as 1000 years and 1000 years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish. that all should come to repentance. And we're dealing there with those already eternally saved, of course, because repentance is not possible, until we are already eternally saved. Because if you had to repent, to be saved, it would become a work. And we know that it is by grace through faith, and not of works. So then there will be 6000 years of work, bringing about the restoration of that, which was ruined in Genesis chapter three, followed by a seventh day of rest, the millennial kingdom of Christ. And with respect to that rest of the writer of Hebrews wrote this in Hebrews chapter four, verse one, therefore, since the promise remains of entering his rest, that asphere, this, any of you seem to have come short of it, and down into verse nine, there remains therefore a rest for the people of God. And then biblical prophecy will also take us beyond the seventh day, to show us God's Final intervention with respect to the heavens and the earth, which now are first Corinthians 1524. Then comes the end, the end of the seventh day, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power, for he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed, is death. So at the conclusion of the seventh day, God the Son will deliver the kingdom to God the Father, having put an end to all authority, and role and power, Psalm two nine, you shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall dash them to pieces, like a potter's vessel. And at this point, death and the place of death are destroyed. Revelation 2014, then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. And if we remember, of course, that death is always the consequence of sin, as we can see from Romans 623, for the wages of sin is death. So the destruction of death denotes the total eradication of sin. The heavens and the earth that are now which have come out of the restoration in Genesis chapter one in the second half of verse two onwards, is reserved for fire at the end of the seventh day. Continuing in Second Peter chapter three, verse number 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervor and heat, both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons or you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening literal translation to wait for eagerly, the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. At this point, then, there will be a new beginning, marking the start of the day of God, the first of the endless ages, that we have come to call eternity. Second, Peter 313. Nevertheless, according to His promise, sorry, nevertheless, we according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells on revelation 21 one. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth. What are they done? They had passed away, and there was no more see. Not only do the scoffers willfully forget God's interventions recorded in biblical history in relation to the heavens and the earth of old, but they also forget biblical prophecy concerning the heavens and the earth, which are now and both biblical history and biblical prophecy are certain. So why is the present world then destined for fire? On the simple answer is found at the beginning of the foundation. That Just look at the review of this in Genesis chapter two. Thus the heavens and the earth and all the hosts of them were finished. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done, then God bless the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it, he rested from all his work, which God had created and made, say, at the beginning of the foundation, God had established that there is a specific timeframe in which he would complete his dealings with the restored Earth, and mankind, there will be six days, followed by a seventh day. And it is only in relation to these days, that time exists, as we know it. At the end of these seven days, God will have completed his dealings with mankind, and with the material creation placed under a curse, and all things will have been brought to conclusion, with all human beings, both saved and unsaved, having been judged, allowing for the sin to be eradicated for all time. And of course, that final judgment of all the unsaved recorded for us in Revelation chapter 20. Then I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven, what are they done, they fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great standing before God, and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books, the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged each one according to his works, then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, and anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. So all things having been brought to their conclusion, with God's dealings with the earth and its occupants complete, we will enter a totally new era, the day of God, the first of the endless ages of what we call eternity, what scripture calls the ages of the ages. And this marks a new beginning, separate from all that has gone before. And Isaiah prophesied about this, Isaiah 6574, Behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, or come to mind. And it is because of this completely new beginning with God, the Father and God, the son residing on the New Earth, with all the Eternally redeemed with universal rule now in view, that there is a complete separation from that which has gone before with the events of the seven days, and the places the heavens and the earth, where they were enacted, no longer being remembered, or coming to mind. And I think sometimes as we think about these endless ages, that we think about this as a continuation of time, it isn't. Time is done at the end of the seventh day, we'll be well aware of the fact that God transcends time, time only exists as a construct, to help us know where we are in terms of the seven days that he's given to us. Once that seven days is completed, time as we know it, and the passage of time, as we understand it, will no longer exist. We think we're going to wake up in the mornings do whatever we do, and it'll be nighttime, when we get up, there'll be a calendar and be ticking off the days. No, not like that at all. There will be no consciousness of time, there will be no delineation of time. But we will be in an entirely new era, where all things are completely different from everything that has gone before it. And this is why we must have that new heavens and new earth. This is why this earth and the heavens associated with it, and all the works in it must be destroyed because that time is over. It's done. It's finished, and we won't bring it to mind anymore. Can you imagine that? No, we can't because we still got a sin nature. Because of that our old man keeps thinking in terms of time and everything else, we can't begin to imagine what this will be like when we get into that day of God, because we only have a finite mind at the present time. And how are we to comprehend that which is expressed and set in place, by an infinite mind, but we can praise the name of the Lord for what the Scripture tells us anyway. So we'll go back to the scoffers for a moment of things that they have forgotten. Excuse me, and we're going to Genesis chapter five, verse one. This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in the likeness of God, he created the male and female and bless them, and call them mankind. In the day they were created. And Adam lived 130 years and be God, a son in his own likeness, after his image and named him, Seth. Will the fifth chapter of Genesis begins with a genealogy covering 10 generations from Adam, through the lineage of Seth. And within this genealogy, there are only two persons who are singled out for additional commentary, Genesis 521 he knock lived 65 years and be got Methuselah. After he got Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were 365 years, and he not walked with God, and he was not for God talking. Or the name Enoch is derived from a Hebrew word meaning to discipline, or to train up. And because of the anti tight, this might bring to our mind, the child training of the Lord, with Genesis 528, lemak, lived 182 years and had a son, and he called his name Noah, saying, this one will comfort us concerning our work, and the toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord had cursed. On the name Noah, is the Hebrew word for rest, which will inevitably draw us to the seventh day, the day of rest, that which is to follow, which is pictured through the flood, the tribulation. And we know it's not an insignificant fact that Enoch is the seventh generation from Adam. And now the 10th, as seven and 10, are numbers of completion. So we can see then through this, that after a complete period of time, one man Enoch, was removed from the earth alive and taken into heaven. And after another complete period of time, one man and his family Nala, remaining on the earth, were kept safely through a worldwide destruction caused by a flood. Similar to that we find described in Genesis chapter one, verse two. Now keeping all of these things in mind, let's now go and look at Luke 1726. And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man, as it was in the days of Noah, preceding the flood, where one man was taking a live into heaven. So it will also be in the days of the Son of Man, proceeding the tribulation, where one man, but one new man in Christ, both those alive at the time, and the resurrected, will be taken into heaven for judgment, as it was in the days of Noah, where one man and his family were preserved safely through a time of worldwide destruction, by divine intervention. So it will also be in the days of the Son of Man, with the creation in Jacob and his family, the nation of Israel, will be preserved safely through the Great Tribulation, by divine intervention. And it is this seventh generation Enoch, who provides the type for the one new man in Christ, being taken from the earth, into the Lord's day in the heavens, and he not walked with God and he was not for God took him. And it's interesting to note that there's only one prophecy recorded in the scriptures given by Enoch, which is found in the book of Jude. And as we know, the book of Jude is a book that deals with apostate Christians. the very ones who deny the event for which he not provides the foundation on time. Jude 114. Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam prophesied about these men also saying, Behold, the Lord comes with 10 1000s of his saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way. And of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. You know, people get hooked up there, because we're talking about ungodly sinners, not realizing we're dealing with Christians, can Christians be an ungodly sinner? Or you bet your life they can? Absolutely. And that which these ungodly sinners have spoken against him, we can find represented in those questions. Has God indeed said, Where is the promise of His coming. And there's one other thing that we should note from the Scripture with regards to Enoch, we'll go to Hebrews 11 chapter, verse number five, by faith, Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found because God had taken him. For before he was taken, he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith, it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seeking. So we can see here then that he not acted by faith. And because of the context in the book of Hebrews, this was faith to the saving of the soul. And this pleased God, we could learn something right there, couldn't we. And the faith that he exercised, was in believing that God is God, and therefore should be taken at his word, and that God is a rewarder. Remember the reward of the inheritance of those who diligently seek Him. And such must be the testimony for all who would find themselves in the anti type of enough. And they now are now over 600 years old when the floodwaters were on the earth. Or Noah was 600 years old, a number corresponding to the 6000 year of man's day, when he passed through the flood, providing the type of the picture for Israel passing through the tribulation, during the final seven years of man's day. And that scene through Enoch, and Noah corresponds exactly with the six days of work, and the seventh day of rest, presented in Genesis chapter one, the foundational framework on which all of scriptures rest, the very thing that the scoffers have willfully forgotten. And what we have seen through Enoch being taken before the worldwide flood of Noah's day, is the foundational type, for the timing of the resurrection rapture of the church. And if we compare Scripture with Scripture here a little and they are a little, we can begin to build the complete picture that comes from this will remember that Joseph as a type, as a picture of Christ, had his name changed. Genesis 4145, and Pharaoh called Joseph's name zaf Nath purnia, meaning Savior of the world, and he gave him as a wife as the daughter of potty Farah Prince priest of on. So Joseph, then, having become the Savior of the world, took a Gentile bride before the years of famine, during which he dealt with his brothers will remember that Moses as a type as a picture of Christ, was rejected by his brethren when he first made Himself known to them. And before he returned a second time to deliver them from the bondage of Egypt, he took a Gentile bride. Isaac, as a type of Christ, married Rebecca from his family, before Abraham married cateura, who then became fruitful, and lat, as a type of the unfaithful Christian was taken out of the cities of the plane. Prior to their destruction, and roof, a type of the faithful Christian was revealed on Boaz, his threshing floor before Boaz, redeemed the inherent writtens for her, as she had previously requested of him. And in the book of the revelation, the bride of Christ is revealed through judgment in chapters two and three, following the resurrection rapture of the church scene in chapter one, before the scroll is opened at the beginning of chapter six, which begins the tribulation, the redemption of the inheritance, and the scoffers have willfully forgotten all of this. And when goodness when he coped, start stacking this up one thing onto another, I mean, how could there be any confusion as to what's going on my goodness. And in the same way, Noah and his family, passing safely through a worldwide flood, provides the foundational type for Israel being delivered from the hands of antichrist out of the Great Tribulation. And if we again compare Scripture with Scripture here a little in there a little, we can begin to build the complete creature that comes from this foundation. We see that Joseph's brothers were delivered from the time of famine, by Joseph's intervention, and they were then blessed. Israel was delivered from the brickyards of Egypt, where Moses sent by God returned a second time to take them to the land of promise. And Jonah, another type of Israel, following repentance was delivered from the sea. To take God's Word to Nineveh. an ester through mordekaiser intervention delivered the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of Haman, and these 10 songs. And again, if you just stack it up one upon another upon another, it becomes so obvious. And then in conjunction with all this topology, we can add this from Exodus 31. Speak also to the children of Israel saying, surely my Sabbath you shall keep for it as a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you, you shall keep my Sabbath therefore, for it is holy to you, everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death. For whoever does any work on it. That person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. We're going right back to the foundation in Genesis once again, aren't we six days and seven days, whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever. For in six days, the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. Well, the Sabbath, the seventh day was a sign established between God and the children of Israel forever. It was a sign which drew from the six days of work, and the seventh day of rest in Genesis chapter two, and prophetically pointed forward to the day of rest yet future, the seventh day, the millennial kingdom. As Israel kept the Sabbath, they acknowledge God's established pattern for restoring a ruined creation, six days of work, followed by a seventh day of rest, the pattern established in Genesis chapter one and chapter two, and now apply to God's presence, restoration work, and future rest. And any individual Jews failure to keep the Sabbath could only be looked upon as a rejection of this truth, with dire consequences for those who did so. Numbers 1532. Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day, and those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation, they put him under guard because it had not been explained what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, the man must surely be put to death, or the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp. So as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp, and stoned him with stones and he died and if we bring the type surrounding the individual Jew Failing to keep the Sabbath, and thereby rejecting that which God has said concerning the six days of work, followed by that seventh day of rest. If we bring that over into a Christian context, we will come to those Christians who rejected that which scripture has to say about the coming day of rest. Where is the promise of is coming. We come to the scoffers and the mockers that claim the all things continue without interruption from the creation of the heavens and earth. And of course, with the same dire consequences awaiting them, as those who have followed their destructive doctrine. We know with absolute certainty, that the present six days of work will be brought to a completion. And these days will be followed by a seventh day of rest. a day when the promises made to Abraham, who was the 10th generation from Noah through the line of Shen will be realized in their entirety, both through his physical and his spiritual descendants through Isaac and Jacob. And we may also be certain of an absolute new beginning, signified by the eighth day, the day of God, when there will be a new heaven, and a new earth, in which righteousness well, Revelation 21. Now I saw a new heaven, and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more See, then I john saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away than he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, right, for these words, are true and faithful. Well, in the verses that we read from Second Peter, chapter three, just a bit earlier this morning, Peter asked a question that can be applied in relation to all that we have been studying today. Peter asked, therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct in godliness? Looking for and hastening to await eagerly for the coming of the day of God? And this is the question, we shall end by asking ourselves this morning. does what we have believed, and the way that we have organized our lives, demonstrate that we have taken God at His Word? Or do our actions suggest that we've already begun to forget the promise of is coming? Well, if we remain, and if the Lord is willing, and if we've all prayed enough, we will continue next time. So please let stand. And let's pray over this word this morning. He was me. I'm just you. Yeah, let's pray. Father, we just thank you for this morning. We just praise you and bless you for all that you've shown us how we look long for and look for this wonderful seventh day that is coming. We thank you for your preparation in us and through us that we should be ready for that day. And Lord Howe, we eagerly wait also for the coming of the day of God, for the first of those ages that will stretch out endlessly. We thank you for it and we bless you for it. And we pray, Lord, that nothing we have heard today. Nothing that you have shown us from your scriptures will be taken from us, but that we will keep it and guarded in our heart that we might not sin against you. In everything. We praise you and thank you. In Jesus name, amen.


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