Amen. All right, it's great to be here. A couple things I want to thank Pastor Joe
Jones for inviting me to come out and preach. I'm excited to be here. It's my
first time in Boise, Idaho, and I was gonna, is it okay if I divulge the secret?
Is that all right? Maybe not about the whole, can I tell everyone about the
whole Californians being in this church or not? I'll say that for later, right? I
won't say it. All right, well thank you so much for being here. Excited to be here
on a Friday night to preach. I want to give out some some gifts. I always say
that, but it's not a gift because you have to earn it, and so we all know how
that goes, and so I'm gonna, I'm gonna ask some Bible questions here, and it's only
gonna be about six questions or so, and whoever answers it can get a shirt, okay?
So first and foremost we got, we got a little kid's shirt I think here, and so
this is a contend for the faith, right? So who did Paul much evil? Pretty simple.
Who did Paul much evil? Name the person who did Paul much evil. It's pretty
simple, all right? Think about this. Yes, Alexander, all right. Round of applause.
Don't hate on the guy, all right? Round of applause, round of applause. All right, you didn't answer, so you know, I'm just kidding.
All right, we got another one here. It's a, it's a, it's a soul winner, okay? All
right? No one wants this one because it looks like the Lakers, all right? All
right. Who did Paul deliver unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme? So
you can, if you can name one of those guys, just a hint, yeah. Yes, you got it,
all right? You can name one of them. Alexander was the other guy, so, all right?
Round of applause for him as well. Don't hate on him, all right? Here's another one.
This one is also a soul winner, okay? Let's see here. Sons of Thunder, all right?
What's the name for the Sons of Thunder? Yes, yeah, there you go.
Bonerges, Boyajernes, there you go. You got it, all right? There you go. All right, let's
see what else we got here, and then we have, oh yeah, round of applause. Yeah,
that's right. I forgot about that. Good job. Created in Christ Jesus, this is a
good one, okay? Name two of the spiritual gifts in Romans 12. Romans chapter 12,
there's seven spiritual gifts. Name at least two of them, okay? Can we name one?
All right, yes, prophecy. Okay, that's one, all right? So you can, you can have that
one. So here you go. I'll give another shirt off. You can name another one. Who
can name another one? Yes, teaching. All right, good. You get a
generously content for the faith. There you go. How about a third one? Can anybody
name a third one? Third one? No? This one, you could get a First Works LA shirt. Name
a third one. Can anybody name a third spiritual gift? What is that? No? Romans
chapter 12. All right, we'll move on to the next one, okay? What church in
Revelation 2 permitted a woman to teach? You think of that one? What do you think?
Pastor Jones, you can answer if you want to. You can, you can win all these shirts
if you want. They don't have to get any of these, okay? What church in Revelation 2
permitted a woman to teach? Think about that for a minute. You got it.
Thyatira, all right? This, okay, all right, this one's pretty cool. This one, this one
holds a special place in my heart because it says, Marvel not, you know, it
says, Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you, and it has a bomb on the
front. I don't know what they're insinuating with that, whoever made this.
What church in Revelation chapter 3, you know, talk about the seven churches which
are in Asia, had a few names which did not defile their garments? Okay, which one
is that one? Sardis, you got it. There you go. All right, I'm gonna toss these out
because I'm out of questions. So this one is, Good Works, so let's, let's throw one
right there. Oh, all right, and then we got another one here that says, The
Fundamentalist, okay? Your pastor was part of this conference that was persecuted,
okay, if you remember that. They were shut down like three times. We literally had
the conference in two different states, all right? So you can have that one, ma'am,
and then we have another one here. This is a First Works here, buddy, you can have
that one because that's for kids, and then we got one last one here. What else
we got? We got a rod of iron. I should have, we should have done something with
this one. All right, let's, let's, let's think of another question here. All right.
Who's the best pastor? No, I'm just kidding. I'm just joking. Here, someone
catch right over there. Oh, gotta be watching. I'm just kidding. All right, well,
it's exciting to be here. I'm excited to be here. It's my first time, as I
mentioned, in Boise, Idaho, and so I'm looking forward to this evening, looking
forward to fellowshipping with you all, and so, Pastor Jones, again, thank you for
for the invitation, and so let's get started. Hebrews chapter 1, the title of
my sermon this evening is Supernatural, Supernatural. Look at Hebrews chapter 1
and verse number 1. It says, God, who had sundry times and in diverse manners,
spake and time pass unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom
also he made the world. And so, you know, when we think of the Bible, when we think
of God's Word, this book is a very supernatural book, right? You know, it's a
very special book. It's not like any other book that's in this world, you know.
It's not just a book. It's the book. It's the Word of God. It's the Bible, and when
we think about it, you know, the content is great, the stories are great, the
testimonies are great, but it's actually a supernatural book. Now, why do we say
that it's a supernatural book? Well, because of the fact that it has power,
right? You know, the Bible says that the Word of God is quick and powerful,
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of sunder
of soul and spirit, joints in the marrow. It's a discern of the thoughts of the
intents of the heart. No book can do that other than the Word of God, to the point
where it can bring you to tears, it can convict you of sin, it can tell you the
future, right? It can prophesy of those things which are to come. It's a
powerful book. It's a supernatural book. You know, the Bible says that all
Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It's profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction, and righteousness, that the man of God
may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. And so this is the only book
that it can equip you for life, right? It can equip you for life. It can teach you
everything there is to know about God. It can help you to be successful in the
Christian life. It is a very powerful, supernatural book. And in fact, the Bible
even says itself that it's filled with great and precious promises whereby we
may be partakers of his divine nature. You know, if we want to be like unto the
Lord, if we want to be Christ-like, this book is filled with great and precious
promises that we can obey and become godly. You understand? That's why the book
is supernatural. It's powerful. It's not like any other book on this earth. And
the reality is, is this, is that we're privileged to have the Bible. You know, we
are privileged not just to have the Bible for us today in English, but
we're just privileged to even have a canonized Bible, if you think about it.
You know, in times past, there's people throughout biblical history that did not
have a canonized book, right? They didn't have a canonized Bible. They had
portions of Scripture. You know, today we have 66 books placed into one book and
we can scour thousands of years worth of biblical history and learn that every
single day. You know, we can start in Genesis and end in Revelation. We can
start from the beginning of time and go all the way to the end of time and learn
things from God, from his Word. We can literally, in a sense, sit at the feet of
Jesus and hear his Word. We can do that which is most needful for our lives and
so it's a privilege to have the Word of God. But as I mentioned, that's not
always been the case for everyone, right? You know, there was a time, if you
think about it, even in the Old Testament, where people did not have the
canonized Bible because prophecy was still being fulfilled, the Word of God
was still being written, God was still giving the Word of God to prophets to
pen down through scribes, etc. And there was a time when God had to audibly give
the Word of God to people, right? He would give the Word of God to prophets,
the prophet would repeat it, the scribe would write it, and people would read it
over and over again in the temple, they would memorize it, etc. But as I mentioned
today, we have the voice of the shepherd here in the Bible. And as I mentioned, you
know, it's a supernatural book, but you know what? Even in the Old Testament, he
used supernatural means to communicate the Bible, okay? He used very miraculous
and supernatural. Now, when I say supernatural, what do I mean by that?
Well, supernatural is anything that exceeds the boundaries of natural law,
okay? You think of something that's extraordinary, means it's ordinary, but
it's extra ordinary, you know? It's natural, but it's supernatural. It's
God taking something that is very natural and exceeding its limits, okay?
Taking that natural and bypassing what it's capable of doing, this is how we
know that it's of God. This is how we know that it comes from the Lord, it's
from the mouth of God, etc. And God would, as I mentioned, would often speak to
prophets in the Old Testament audibly. He would come to different prophets and
kings and actually speak to them from heaven, but other times he just did it
with style, right? Wouldn't he just do it with style? And what I mean by that, he
would supernaturally, miraculously speak to people using natural means and making
them supernatural, okay? And that's what I believe the Bible's saying here when
it says in Hebrews chapter 1, God who at sundry times and in diverse
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. You see, God
likes variety, okay? He likes diversity. He likes not only to speak from heaven
in an audible voice, but sometimes he likes to use the natural world to speak
unto people and because of the fact that it can symbolize something, it can
figure something, a spiritual truth. Now, this isn't the sermon tonight, but I want
you to notice that it says God who at sundry times and in diverse manners
spake in time past, it doesn't say saved in time past, okay? He said, why is that
important? Well, because of the fact that today you have a group of people called
dispensationalists, more specifically hyper dispensationalists, that will use a
verse like this in Hebrews chapter 1 to say, well see, there you go, you know, God
who at sundry times and in diverse manners, he saved people differently at different
times. False! It says he spake in time past, not saved in time past. Salvation has
always been the same, Sam. Get it? Right? It's always been the same. It's never
changed. Whether in the Old Testament with David, he spake of the blessedness
upon the man to whom God impudeth righteousness, you know, without works. You
know, Abraham believed God and it was counted into him for righteousness. Well,
how about this? The fact that the Old Testament did not end until the
crucifixion of Christ. Prior to that, Jesus is speaking in John 3 16. For God so
loved the world, you know, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever
believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. What is that
telling us? That it's by faith and newsflash. That's in the Old Testament.
Okay? And so, you know, we never want to look at a verse like this and say, oh
man, this looks a little cryptic. He had a different way of saving? No, he had
a different way of speaking. It was a diverse manner of speaking. There's not
different ways of salvation. That's a false doctrine. Now, tonight I want to
look at this sundry manners, supernatural manners of revealing God's Word. Now go
with me if you went to Exodus chapter 3. Exodus chapter number 3, if you would.
Exodus chapter number 3, we're gonna look at different ways that God spoke to
people, spoke to people in the Old Testament. The natural world that he used
in a supernatural way to convey his Word, to communicate his Word unto the
prophets. Now let me make a pretty obvious disclaimer before we get into
Exodus chapter 3. We're gonna look at a couple of examples and let me just say
this, is that these occurrences will no longer happen, okay? You know, because you
have people today like, oh man, I saw 50-foot Jesus and, you know, it's like, get
off the shrooms, bud, okay? You need to get off the drugs, get off the
psychedelics, you know? And they're like, no man, I saw, I saw a burning bush too
and it wasn't consumed and I saw these things too and I saw an angel from
heaven. I saw Moroni, you know? Well, that doesn't exist anymore. You know, God
doesn't use diverse manners to speak anymore because of the fact that in
these last days he has spoken to us through his son and his son, his name is
the Word of God and guess what? We have the Word of God right here. And look, to
further prove this, Peter, who was there when God spake from heaven, who said, this
is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, he was a witness of that. And he
specifically said in 1 Peter, in 2 Peter chapter 1, excuse me, he specifically
said that he heard that voice from heaven when he was in the Holy Mount, but
then he said this, we also have a more sure word of prophecy where until you do
well that you take heed as into a light that shineth in a dark place until the
day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts. And then he says this, knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is given of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So the very man who was there when
he heard the voice of God audibly, even he says this, but just know this, we have
a more sure word of prophecy. What is he talking about? The word of God. He's
saying, look, the written word that I have is a more sure word of prophecy. Why is
he saying that? Well, because of the fact that obviously when he was there
listening to the voice of God saying, this is my son in whom I am
well pleased, that was kind of like a private session that he saw there
because not everyone heard that. But guess what? Everyone's heard this.
Everyone has the opportunity to hear God's word when they crack it open and
read Genesis, read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, read the epistles of Paul, etc.
And so today, you know, when people want to say, well, I, you know, I had a dream,
okay, and in this dream God spoke to me and he gave me extra biblical revelation
when they haven't even read through the Bible once. So how do you expect me to
believe that God's gonna violate his own principle that to whomsoever much is
given of him shall be much required or that he that is faithful and little
shall be faithful and much you haven't even read the Bible through yet God's
gonna give you some new biblical revelation false okay false prophet not
from God and so this is an obvious disclaimer you know we don't need these
miraculous occurrences anymore because the greatest miracles right before our
face it's the Bible now with that being said let's look at those natural
supernatural ways that God spake in time past and let's see how what what
they symbolize now the first one I want to go over is the burning bush this is a
pretty awesome story here okay now a bush pretty natural fire pretty natural
fire burning a bush pretty natural fire burning a bush but the bush not burning
or being consumed supernatural okay look at Exodus chapter 3 and verse
number 1 it says now Moses kept a flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest
of Midian and he led the flock to the backside of the desert and came to the
mountain of God even to Horeb and the angel of the Lord appeared into him in a
flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked and behold the bush burned
with fire and the bush was not consumed so he's just going about his day taking
care of his regular responsibilities and he's just going about his business and
God catches his attention using the supernatural occurrence right he
witnesses the supernatural occurrence where there's a bush in the desert it's
on fire it has a flame of fire but it's not consuming the bush itself the shrub
is still intact okay verse 3 and Moses said I will now turn aside and see this
great sight why the bush is not burnt you know he's just like let me
investigate this a little a little further am I seeing things here that
thing's been on fire for quite some time and it's not being consumed it's still
intact what's going on here okay verse 4 and when the Lord saw that he turned
aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the bush and said Moses
Moses and he said here am I and he said draw not neither put off thy shoes from
off thy feet from the place where on the stand is his holy ground moreover he
said I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of
Jacob and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God so what do we
see here we see that God comes to Moses he's about to prepare him to be the
deliverer of Israel Israel has been in bondage to Egypt and they've been crying
out unto the Lord because of their affliction because of their bondage and
God comes to Moses in a supernatural way and by the way he could have just came
in a cloud he could have just spoken audibly to him but he chose to use a
natural you know object a natural thing and make it supernatural why because it
drives the point that much the more okay now what are some things that we can
learn from this particular story well turn with him if we went to Hebrew
chapter number 10 Hebrews chapter number 10 if you would this was a supernatural
way that he spoke to Moses what is the significance of it well if you know when
you study this and you look at the different mentions of fire in the Bible
it's often in reference to God's holiness but it's also in reference to
his judgment okay which obviously they can go hand in hand you understand you
know and you say well how do you know that fire represents judgment well you
know hell right how about the lake of fire okay and in fact the lake of fire
and hell is a fire that burns an individual but does not consume them it
does not cause them to just burn up as some people would teach okay where they
say you know how can you go to hell you know you're gonna go to hell you know
how's it gonna die and all these things you're just like yeah I know that you're
finite Mike can't understand that but God can do it because he did it with the
bush he took a bush he lit it on fire and he did it did not disintegrate it
did not you know do away it wasn't consumed it was still intact because God
is able to do that and he was picturing his judgment because that's exactly what
hell is when people die and they're not saved they go to hell the Bible tells us
that the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever well how can that be
well because it's a supernatural place hell is a supernatural place created by
God where he has placed the element of fire burning something but yet not
consuming it now here's the thing is that fire represents judgment right we
obviously see that with hell those who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire for
example in the book of Jude but it's not just judgment for unsaved people fire
can be just judgment for saved people as well you know because God also judges
his people the difference being this he never judges in a place called hell you
know the Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he
delighted in his way though he fall he shall not utterly be cast down for the
Lord upholdeth him with his hand the Bible says you know you can never fall
so deep into sin that God just takes away your salvation the Bible tells us
in Hebrew chapter number 10 that we are not of them that believe they fall away
into perdition but believe to the saving of the soul you know if any man
draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him the Bible says but here's the
thing when you draw back you backslide you get involved in sin you do things
that are not pleasing to the Lord you'll never go into perdition why because
you're eternally secure in the hand of the Father we don't believe that we'll
draw back into perdition but we believe to the saving of the soul but the
reality is this is that God can't judge your life God can rain fire upon your
life and destroy you if you wanted to destroy your life destroy your health
destroy your finances destroy your family if you you know buck the hand of
God and you're backslidden and you're just involved in sin you're just doing
things that are displeasing to God he can send that fire that burns but
doesn't consume you completely think about that now why does he doesn't he
allow us to be consumed well think about this if you remember the children
of Israel God was very displeased with the children of Israel various times
throughout Israel's history and specifically in the time of Jeremiah he
allowed them to be taken captive of the Babylonians okay you know the
Babylonians came and just destroyed their land and took people captive and
killed a bunch of people I mean he basically wreaked havoc right upon
Israel during that time and the book of Lamentations is a book of Jeremiah
lamenting over God's judgment upon his people and what is it what's what's one
of the things that he says there well obviously we see that Israel was
completely destroyed but he says this it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not
consumed for his mercies they fail not okay for his compassion's fail not so he
says it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed so that natural Bush
can almost represent a Christian sometimes you know Christian that is
involved in sin just as Israel was involved in sin and God can purge that
Christian God can purge that individual and judge them by allowing his wrath and
his fire to come upon them but here's the thing it is of the Lord's mercies
that we are not consumed you understand that sometimes we don't get what we
deserve even when we sin against God we live a life that's displeasing to him
he allows a little bit of judgment to come upon our lives honestly we don't
get everything that we truly deserve okay even as a child of God he why
because he shows his mercy his compassion as they fail not you know he
knows the perfect degree to turn that fire he knows how much he needs to turn
it up in order to get your attention to get you to repent to get you to
understand and to see your wicked ways and have you turn from them to live a
life that's pleasing unto the Lord and it's it's a it's a flame it's a fire
it's judgment it's wrath that comes upon you but it doesn't consume you you know
the Bible tells us there is no temptation taking but this is common to
man but God is faithful who will with that temptation make a way to escape and
he says this that ye may be able to what bear it and so we see that sometimes God
will allow fire to come upon our lives if we are living a life that's not
pleasing unto him but he has the fire at such a degree that even though we're
burning we're not consumed okay let's look at an example of that look at
Hebrews chapter number 10 Hebrews chapter number 10 the Bible says in
verse 24 let us consider one another to provoke and to love and to good works
not forsaken the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but
exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching this
is why I believe you should go to church every single service you know because we
should be in church so much the more amen as we see the day approaching verse
26 for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for
of judgment and fiery indignation you know people that are backslidden they're
having a good time sowing their wild oats out there people who are away from
God they're at a church they're not winning souls they're not living for the
Lord they may look on the outside as though they're enjoying their sin but
you know the reality is they're looking for judgment and fiery indignation
they're just like man God's he's gonna like whoop my butt sometime soon I know
it's coming that's what they're waiting for because they know it's true and it
says the fire a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation
which shall devour the adversaries so what is the same that same judgment that
God pours upon unsafe people that will actually devour them in hell you know
that's the science same fiery indignation he can pour upon an
individual in this lifetime I mean don't we say sometimes we're out so winning
you know we're not saying that if you sin that God won't do anything to you
but if you're saved he just won't send you to hell but he will chastise you
here on this earth that's what that's referring to look what it says in verse
28 he that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three
witnesses of how much sore punishment suppose he shall he be thought worthy
look what it says here who hath trodden under the foot the Son of God and at
counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy
thing and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace notice that it says
there that this individual who's just kind of like now whatever I'm just gonna
sin I'm gonna willfully sin I'm just gonna disobey God what are they doing he
is basically trotting underfoot the Son of God because he's counting it an
unholy thing now think about this what about Moses what did God say to Moses
out of the burning fire bush put off thy shoes from off thy feet from the
place where on the stand is this holy ground so in order for Moses to approach
unto the light which no man can approach thereunto he had to put off his shoes
from off his feet but because the place where he stood was holy ground now what
if Moses said nah I'm gonna keep these sandals just got him brand-new leather
cow skin we would say that he trot underfoot the commandments of God had
counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy
thing if God says the place where you're standing is holy ground and he persists
to stand on that ground with his sandals on with his feet shod he's counting it
an unholy thing for we know verse 30 him that hath said vengeance belongeth
unto me we like talking about the vengeance that God pours on the unsaved
you know like um and by the way I love talking about that okay so you know yeah
the treason files out there he's the byword in the proverb when it comes to
these things okay and you know what God strikes vengeance upon people like that
obviously as we saw within recent months but here he says for we know him that
hath said vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense say it the Lord it's
like hey man oh and again the Lord shall judge his people it's like oh you talk
about me he's like yes because God not only strikes vengeance upon the unsaved
for messing with the saved but you know what he also strikes vengeance upon his
people the save for trotting underfoot the Son of God and for counting that an
unholy thing so what does the burning fiery bush represent well we see that
God speaks to Moses out of that burning fiery bush to show him that he's gonna
deliver his people he's showing mercy to his people but the representation there
is that the fire is judgment and he's not gonna allow them to just be
completely consumed because of their wicked ways you know he's gonna deliver
them he's gonna save them he's going to be there for them so this is a
supernatural occurrence where the bush is burning but it's not being consumed
in like manner God will often judge his people and obviously look sometimes
there is a sin unto death right some people can sin to the point even
Christians where it's a sin unto death I do not say ye shall pray for it it's
like don't even share that prayer because that person is done you know
they're like the salt hath lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted it
is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the
foot of men the Bible tells us you know they're like the branch that has been
they basically are not abiding in the vine they're cast forth men gather them
and cast them into the what fire and they are burned doesn't mean they go to
hell doesn't mean they lose their salvation and means God's gonna judge
that individual okay and so the burning bush is a beautiful picture yes of
judgment but also of his mercies because of the fact that it is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed we don't get what we deserve often look at
Exodus chapter 19 if you will go to Exodus chapter 19 we talk about
supernatural occurrences here God speaking in a supernatural way we
obviously understand that when God spoke at any time in the Bible audibly it's a
supernatural thing but he would often kind of accentuate that by using natural
means to picture something to symbolize something he used the burning bush but
how about Mount Sinai okay mountains are natural fire natural lightning natural
smoke natural mixed together with God's Word supernatural and super scary it's a
terrifying sight I don't know I've seen some pretty crazy stuff in Hollywood
movies pretty producing pretty crazy stuff nothing like this folks this was
such a terrible sight that even the mountain was shaking when you're so
scary that you make inanimate objects fearful you're in a year you're amazing
how about what Jesus said look I'm not gonna tell them I'm paraphrasing him I'm
not gonna tell them to be quiet because if I do the stones would immediately cry
out it's an inanimate object he's like these have no life but that but I'm God
so they can't help a cry out and praise God if no one else does well you know
what the mountain you think of a mountain it's massive it's huge it's it
it's it's it seems very powerful I mean you just look at it just like whoa you
could be in awe of a mountain but even the mountain trembled at the voice of
God okay look at Exodus chapter 19 verse 9 obviously we understand that Mount
Sinai was the area was the mountain where God gave the Ten Commandments to
Moses okay and he had to give it to him twice because of the fact that the first
time he broke those tablets when he was mad at the children of Israel look at
verse number 9 says the Lord said unto Moses lo I come unto thee in a thick
cloud that the people may hear when I speak with thee and believe thee forever
it's like trust me if you don't believe in me they will after they hear me speak
okay and Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord and the Lord sent
unto Moses go into the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow and let
them wash their clothes and be ready against the third day for the third day
the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people into mount upon Mount
Sinai and thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about saying take heed to
yourselves that you go not up into the mount or touch the border of it whosoever
touch at the mount shall be surely put to death okay so this is scary enough as
it is because like first of all you're hearing God's voice with lightnings and
thunders and smoke and then by the way if you even come near and touch the
border you're dead there shall not a hand touch it but he shall surely be
stoned or shot through whether it be a beast or man so it's like keep your
cattle away from this area okay if you value your livestock make sure they
don't even approach into the mountain cuz I you know Peter would have like a
fit during this time like what what do they do they're just going through the
mountain God says I don't want anything touching the mountain it says whether a
beast or man it shall not live when the trumpet soundeth long they shall come up
to the mountain Moses went down from the mountains of the people and sanctified
the people and they washed their clothes so notice that they're sanctifying
themselves but they're still not even clean enough to even approach to the
mountain and he said unto the people be ready against the third day come not at
your wives who came to pass on the third day in the morning there were thunders
and lightnings and a thick cloud upon this amount and the voice of the trumpet
exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp trembled and Moses
brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God and they stood at the
nether part of the Mount and Mount Sinai was all together on a smoke because the
Lord descended upon it in a fire and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke
of a furnace and the whole Mount quaked greatly and when the voice of the
trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder Moses spake and God answered
him by a voice this is like traumatizing if you think about it aside from the
fact that it's a terrible sight it's terrible sound because there's a trumpet
blowing and it says that it's waxing louder and louder and then Moses speaks
the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai verse 20 on the top of the mount and the
Lord called Moses up to the mountain at the top of the mountain Moses went up
and the Lord said unto Moses go down charge the people lest they break
through unto the Lord to gaze and many of them perish go to chapter 20 look at
verse 18 of chapter 20 so this is a terrible sight but it's it's not just a
mountain it's a supernatural mountain it's not just lightning and smoke and
fire it's all supernatural God could have just said alright Moses just write
this down but he chose to use Mount Sinai and all the occurrences and the
supernatural things taking place there to symbolize something what is he
symbolizing well I believe and I believe you can prove this according to the New
Testament then Mount Sinai represents the Old Testament laws you know it
represents the Old Testament and in fact the New Testament can be represented as
Mount Zion okay where we can approach unto you see the Old Testament
represents Mount Sinai because of the fact that no one can keep the law and
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God there's none that do with
good no not one there's not a just man upon earth to do with good and sin if
not doesn't matter how much you wash yourself and sanctify yourself you
approach into that mountain you will die no one can say well I haven't come at my
wife I'm sanctified I'm clean I have no sin because the moment they breach that
boundary the moment they touch that mouth they're dead they're shot through
they're dead in like manner no individual can keep the commandments of
God perfectly why because the commandment what does it do it slays you
according to Romans chapter number seven okay no individual could keep the
commandments to be saved the Bible says therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law the law is there to show you
that you're gonna die the laws there to show you that even though you've
sanctified yourself you haven't come at your wife you have pure motives and you
can clean yourself as much as you want doesn't matter what you do you approach
them to that mount you touch that boundary you're dead because the law
was never meant to save anyone Pentecostals the law was never meant to
save anyone Mormons the law was never meant to save anyone any church out
there that teaches you have to keep God's laws in order to be saved seven
day Adventists a bunch of hypocrites you guys believe in the Sabbath you know I
want to go into their little congregation on the Sabbath one day and
say where are the sacrifices at where's this I'm here for the barbecue you guys
don't do the sacrifices because if you're gonna keep the Sabbath you got to
do the sacrifices if you're gonna do you keep the Sabbath you got to do all the
washings that the the meats drinks and diverse washings and carnal ordinances
it's nonsense folks look at verse 17 or excuse me verse 18 of Exodus 20 it says
and all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the
trumpet and the mountain smoking and when the people saw it they were moved
and stood afar off and they said unto Moses speak thou with us and we will
hear but let not God speak with us lest we die he's like how about God talks to
you and then you just tell us what God wants because I feel like if he talks to
me I'm gonna die okay now this is a lot different for what you know these non
denied churches teach right like oh we just want God speaking to us you won't
even survive you die I just want God to just speak to my heart and I just want
him to just talk to me you would die you would tremble and die and the reason
they say this because they think God is just this this you know you know he
thinks he's some sort of like faggot II looking guy with long hair and a dress
and he's just like so nice and folks he's a terrible God his voice makes
mountains quake you know when he comes down he can't just come down normally
there's smoke and fire and lightnings that come about smoke comes he comes in
I mean forget the red carpet he brings red fire he can't be in anyone's
presence without people falling at his feet is dead he has to like bring him
back to life when they fall at his feet is dead because he's so terrible as in
his voice okay I mean you got to bypass the trumpet sound first okay now go to
Hebrews chapter number 12 if you would Hebrews chapter number 12 so I believe
he uses this natural thing of a mountain the lightnings of smoke to represent the
fact that people who try to keep God's commandments because that is where God's
commandments were given the Ten Commandments specifically those were
given there to show people the Bible tells us that it's a schoolmaster to
bring us unto Christ you know we come to the laws of God the laws of God slay us
and they help us to realize we need a Savior we need to be saved I cannot keep
God's commandments my righteousness or as filthy rags in the eyes of God
doesn't matter how much I wash myself I can never say I've made my heart pure
clean I need the righteousness of Jesus Christ I need the imputation of Jesus
Christ righteousness that's why the Bible tells us that he had made them to
be sin who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him why
because we can never climb that mountain we can never climb the mounts of Mount
Sinai we can never make it to the top we can't even make it to the past the
boundary you know what that's exactly how it is what God's commandments you
know and it's so ridiculous that you have people out there that think oh no
you have to keep the Ten Commandments in order to be saved and you first of all
do you know there's more than Ten Commandments in the Bible and you know
what the first commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all that heart soul
mind and strength so are you trying to tell me that you love God 24-7 perfectly
all the time liar two sins right there two commandment you just broke
presumptuous people who think that they can keep God's laws and God's
commandments and I guarantee you there's someone in Israel who said you know I
think I'm clean I think I can go and go you know past that border there and what
had happened he got shot through got shot through got stone or even if the
stones didn't him in the air is gonna hit him soon as you touch that mount God
hit him no one can reach the top of Mount Sinai but Moses and who is Moses a
picture of Jesus Christ because he's the only one who was able to keep God's
commandments perfectly okay and bring the command he had to come down to the
people just as Jesus Christ had to come to us we couldn't go to him you stand
look at Hebrew chapter 12 and verse number 18 says for a year not coming to
the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor into blackness and
darkness and tempest and the sound of a trumpet the voice of words which voice
they that heard and treated the word should not be spoken to them anymore for
they could not endure that which is commanded I mean can anyone endure
what's what's commanded can we really say man I mean I think I can attempt to
keep all of God's commandments no we can't endure it it's too many
commandments to be laws were imperfect he says they could not endure that which
is commanded and if so much as a beast touched the mountain it shall be stone
or thrust through with a dart and so terrible was the site that Moses said I
exceedingly fear and quake so it's so terrible that most I mean you think it
was scary for the people who are in another part of the mountain about
Moses who actually went up the mountain he's like I exceedingly fear and quake
verse 22 but ye are common to the Mount Zion and then to the city of the living
God the heavenly Jerusalem into an innumerable company of angels so who's
the one who brought us to that mountain Jesus that's why even though people
couldn't surpass the boundaries of Mount Sinai Jesus because of his blood because
we're saved we can come boldly unto the throne of grace to obtain mercy to help
in the time of need the Bible says you know now we can just when we die we go
to heaven we go to Mount Zion not because of anything that we have done
not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he
saved us by the washing renewing and regeneration of the Holy Ghost and so we
see that there so I believe Mount Sinai represents that Old Testament because it
was a as the Bible says in second Corinthians chapter 3 its administration
of death it's never meant to save anyone it's meant to slay you and help you to
recognize you need a Savior thereby placing your faith in Jesus and being
quickened together with him the Bible tells us okay now go to Exodus chapter
13 if you would Exodus chapter 13 we're talking about supernatural things that
are supernatural the burning bush supernatural Mount Sinai supernatural
natural things that God took to another level to speak unto people and to
express a spiritual truth what's another supernatural occurrence in the Bible well
how about the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire okay clouds natural fire
natural pillar of cloud you know by day pillar of fire by night supernatural
look at Exodus 13 verse 21 says the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a
cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light
to go by day and night he took not away the pillar of cloud by day nor the
pillar of fire by night from before the people you're in Exodus chapter 13 go to
chapter 14 in verse 18 so what do we see here God is taking care of his people
and look this is one of the reasons we should never worry about whether God's
gonna take care of us or not because if he has to bring a pillar of fire and a
pillar of cloud he'll do it and if he can do something as supernatural as a
pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire he can work miracles in our lives and
provide for us and protect us and do whatever is necessary to help us to
fulfill his will okay you know where we live in the state of California where
there's a bunch of Egyptians and you know sodomites and whatnot and you
would think man it's impossible to serve the Lord there but you know it's not
impossible you know what God still provides for us he still protects us
even through the church bombing and everything that took place God looked
out for us God's gonna judge those people and he provided for us you know
he prepared a table before our enemies in the presence of our enemies why
because God can do that okay look Exodus 14 verse 18 that the Egyptians shall
know that I am the Lord when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh and upon
his chariots and upon his horsemen well it's a good principle there either you
honor him or he'll take the honor by force an angel of God when which went
before the camp of Israel removed and went behind them and the pillar of cloud
went from before their face and stood behind them and it came to a cave
between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel and it was a cloud
and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these so that the one came
not near the other all the night and Moses stretched out his hand over the
sea and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that
night and made the sea dry land and the waters were divided now skip down to
verse number 24 it came to pass that in the morning watch the Lord looked into
the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud and
troubled the host of the Egyptians now this is a pretty this is pretty amazing
here but let's see what what is it that it signifies what is it that it
symbolizes here well think about this you know the children of Israel in the
Old Testament were known as what the what in the wilderness church they're
known as the church in the wilderness the church which was held up and led by
the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire well the New Testament says that
the house of God is the church of the Living God which is the what the pillar
and ground of truth so just as God led them in the Old Testament by a pillar of
cloud and a pillar of fire and that was the church in the wilderness one like
manner we are the pillar and ground of truth not necessarily us but God's
pillar of cloud and pillar of fire you know we are that epicenter of truth this
is an epicenter of truth in the city of Boise in Idaho you know this is where
the truth is being proclaimed etc but here's the thing think about the pillar
of cloud what is the what was the pillar of cloud doing to the children of Israel
it was overshadowing them it was covering them well you know the Old
Testament what is the Old Testament it's like a pillar of cloud why because of
the fact that it was a shadow of things to come it overshadowed a lot of the
truths that were revealed by fire in the New Testament see that pillar of fire is
that enlightening the Enlightenment that God gave us you know where the mead
strings diverse washings the cardinal ordinances are revealed to us what they
actually mean go to Colossians chapter number two if you would Colossians
chapter number two talk about supernatural occurrences and you know
what often when I when I study a subject like this I stand in all of all of the
layers of the Bible has just layer after layer of biblical truths of symbolism
and I realized the more I know the more I really don't know because there's so
many layers of truth so many layers of symbolism so many things that God wants
to teach us in the Bible look at Colossians chapter number two it says in
verse number 14 blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was
against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his
cross and having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them open
openly triumphing over them in it so what is he saying here when he talks
about those ordinances these are these Old Testament ordinances that were there
were put forth that were given to the children of Israel in the Old Testament
when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross they put the nail in his hands the
nail in his feet the crown of thorns upon his head and the crucified him on
the cross he became the culmination of those ordinances he made a show of those
ordinances openly so when he was crucified you know what he was the Lamb
of God who should take away the sins of the world okay and so all of those Old
Testament ordinances were fulfilled when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross
and so he says in verse 16 let no man therefore judge you in me amen or in
drink or in respect of a holy day seven-day Adventist or of the new moon or
of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of
Christ so in like manner you have the Old Testament children of Israel being
led by the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire but the body of people
they were God's chosen people when like manner today you know today we have the
shadow of things to come they were fulfilled in Jesus Christ but the body
the churches are of Christ okay and we see that they're being fulfilled and so
pillar of cloud or a cloud natural pillar of cloud leading you by day
supernatural fire natural pillar of fire keeping you warm leading you throughout
the night supernatural God using these things in order to convey a specific
message now let me skip a couple things here go with you if you would to first
Corinthians chapter 14 first Corinthians chapter 14 and here's my
last point we're talking about God taking that which is natural and
modifying it in order for it to exceed its limitations to make it supernatural
why does he do that to convey a message to teach something not only to give the
Word of God into the prophets to the Kings but to have a spiritual truth
behind it okay and let me give you the best one this one this one right here is
the best one okay it is the best one that exists to this day okay because God
is still doing this maybe not at the level that we see with Mount Sinai or
the burning bush or even you know God talking to Elijah through the whirlwind
or I'm sorry job through the whirlwind and he's speaking to Elijah to the still
small voice you know he's speaking all day we often think that I would love to
have been there for that that's that would have just been awesome but I
submit to you that the way he's doing it today is way better because he's still
taking that which is natural and making it supernatural look what it says in 1
Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 but the natural man receiveth not the things of
the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know
them for they are because they are spiritually discerned so when it says
the natural man it's referring to the fleshly man the unsaved man so someone
who is not saved is only a natural man now make no mistake about it we are
natural people still why because we have this flesh and this flesh is not saved
we're waiting to wit the redemptions of our body so right now we have the Holy
Spirit of God willing within us he's the earnest of our inheritance unto the
redemption of the purchase possession unto the praise of his glory we're
waiting for that resurrection the rapture where our ink our corruptible
bodies shall be shall put on incorruption right so right now we are a
natural being in the sense that our flesh is natural but hold on a second
when we got saved we became supernatural because now there's something that
exceeds the limitations of this flesh and what is that the spirit we have now
become superheroes supernatural people right go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 4
he said well how are you gonna how are you trying to tie this in with this
sermon because we're talking about you know God in sundry times and in diverse
manners speaking unto people well he's still speaking today how is he doing it
through the natural man who is supernatural because he's saved because
we're preaching God's Word now does he use the Bible absolutely you know faith
cometh by hearing hearing by the Word of God but let me just news flash we have
to preach it right we don't go to people at the door and knock on the door
and said just like oh thanks I got it's free you know we open up the Bible and
we preach to them Christ and him crucified look at the Bible says in 2nd
Corinthians chapter 4 verse number 3 but if our gospel be hid it is hit to
them that are lost in whom the God of this world had blinded the minds of them
which believed not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the
image of God should shine unto them for he preached not ourselves but Christ
Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake for God who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ
and look what it says in verse 7 but we have this treasure in earthen vessels
that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us so you know what
God is still using supernatural means to proclaim his word and what natural
things he used in today us he's using men and women who nothing great about us
our flesh is corruptible but because we have the Spirit of God dwelling within
us we have something supernatural that dwells within us we have the Spirit of
God we have the new man within us therefore we can open our mouths boldly
to make known the mysteries of the gospel we can preach the Word of God we
can get people saved we can reform the minds of other Christians to see it
God's way so God is still doing supernatural things with just regular
natural people but here's the thing if our gospel be hit is hit to them though
that are lost and he says in verse 6 for God who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness what is he saying there well this flesh is like darkness and what is
he doing he's commanding the light that's within us to shine out of that
that's why he tells us let your life so shine before men that they may see your
good works and glorify your father which is in heaven you know men don't light a
candle and put it under a bushel we in order to be used supernaturally we have
to go out there and preach the Word of God we have to preach the gospel we have
to ask God to fill us with his power and spirit because you know what God is
still revealing his word not new revelation maybe a new revelation to
someone who just doesn't know the Bible but he's still revealing God's Word to
people today and he's still using natural things like human beings to do
it and you know what though he's still doing it by a supernatural way though
because he turns every single Christian into another man he turned Saul into
another man he turned Paul into another man he turned Peter into another man he
turned you know James and John into the sons of Thunder he turned Saul into Paul
he turned these individuals into supernatural beings who were able to go
out and proclaim God's Word and make manifest the Word of God by supernatural
means go to Titus chapter 1 and this is the last verse that's why you know
there's this whole teaching that oh you know people need they only need the
Bible to be saved they don't need soul winners such a such a stupid teaching in
my opinion okay because it downplays the importance of the earth and vessel and
the earth and vessel is important folks you know God needs us to go out and
preach the Word of God and you know people have said this well well you know
the the guy who was in hell Luke chapter 16 the rich man you know he told he
asked he asked Abraham to send someone into his brothers you know who were so
they wouldn't come to this place and the response to Abraham gave he said well
they have Moses and the prophets Moses the prophets is the Word of God so there
you go all they have to do is read the Word of God and then they'll get it but
you know what Acts chapter 15 debunks that it says accept chapter 15 verse 19
verse 21 for Moses of all time hath in every city them that preach him so when
it says they have Moses and the prophets what he's saying is this they have people
who actually preach Moses and the prophets okay do not discount the human
element of preaching God's Word look what Titus chapter 1 verse number 1 says
Paul a servant of God an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of
God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness in
hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world
began but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching which is
committed unto me according to the commandment of God our savior so how is
he manifesting his word today it's not through a burning bush it's not through
Mount Sinai it's not through the whirlwind it's not through the still
small voice it's not through the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire who is it
through earthen vessels like you and I so the application for you and for me
today is this are you being supernatural or are you still acting like a natural
person are you allowing God to make you supernatural by using you as a vessel
unto honor me for the master's use or are you a vessel unto dishonor just
not you're just like well you know I'm not really into the soul winning thing
I'm not really into preaching God's Word you know I'm not really into those
things well then you're not a supernatural person then or you're not
acting like a supernatural person I don't know about you but I want to be
supernatural ever since I was a kid I wanted to be like a superhero got my
wish because the real superheroes are the soul winners amen the real
superheroes are those who are actually pulling people out of the fire that's
pretty much it let's bow our heads in our word of prayer father we thank you
so much for your word and thank you for the exciting content in the Bible all
the supernatural occurrences that you place in the Word of God the Bible is
definitely not a boring book to read so much excitement in it and so many
layers of truth and symbolism that we can learn Lord but more importantly Lord
help us to realize that although you did some pretty amazing supernatural
miracles in the Bible you're still doing the greatest miracle today and that's
saving people from hell using regular people you know maybe unwise or foolish
people but people who are just wanting to serve you wanting to be filled with
the spirit wanting to get other people saved I pray God that you'd help us to
be supernatural and in Jesus name we pray amen