Okay, we're in Genesis chapter 28 look down at your Bibles of verse 16
the Bible says here and Jacob awake out of his sleep and he said surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it
Not and he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place?
This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven
And what I want to preach on this morning is the house of God throughout history the house of God
Throughout
History and what I want to do this morning is show you where the house of God has been throughout the ages throughout history
We obviously know where it is today
But we want to know what's where was specifically in the Old Testament at the apex of Israel's history
During the time of judges during the time of Moses and even before the tabernacle was established in Israel
Where was the house of God and one of the reasons I want to preach this this morning
It's just to emphasize the importance of the house of God, you know
We're going into 2022 and we want to make sure that we as God's people emphasize the importance of being in God's house
Amen being in church making sure we have the spiritual discipline of coming to church hearing the preaching of God's Word
Being a doer of the word not a hearer only amen
Making sure that we're fellowshipping one with another that we're being equipped to preach the gospel that we're being sent out
Making sure that we put place an importance on the house of God and so I want to talk about that
This morning stay there in Genesis chapter 28. The first thing I want to mention here is that the house of God?
Obviously has other synonyms in the Bible right when we think of the house of God we can also say church
Which is what we call where we meet now. We call it a church is also congregation
We see that in Acts chapter 7 the Bible talking about the church in the wilderness
Hebrews 2 12 talks about in the midst of the church
Which is a quotation from Psalm 22 where it says in the midst of the congregation
So these are some of the synonyms that the Bible will use to describe the house of God
But let me also say this is that the house of God has always existed. Okay, it's always existed
This isn't something that was brand new in the New Testament words
It's like well, you know
The church was established in Matthew chapter 16 or the church was established in the book of Acts or something like that
No, it's always been you know
You have the temple in the Old Testament during the time of Solomon that was considered the house of God
Prior to the construction of the temple you had a tabernacle
There was more of a portable house of God that was considered the house of God there, but you know, the Bible also says in
Ephesians chapter 3 unto him be glory in the church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages
world without end
Amen now when it says in the church
this isn't referring to a universal church, you know, because a lot of people try to use that to try to claim that the
Universal Church exists because glory is gonna be in the church throughout all ages
But what this is referring to is it's actually referring to specifically the church at Ephesus
So glory shall be in the Church of Ephesus because Jesus Christ is the head of that church
But when it stays throughout all ages
We obviously know that it's not referring to the church at Ephesus because the church at Ephesus didn't exist for very long, right?
It was around for who knows how long but it's no longer here today
What this is referring to is the fact that?
Churches will have the glory of which is Jesus Christ over its head as long as they remain a church throughout all ages
There's always gonna be a church in existence that has Christ as its head because Christ is the glory of that church
not the
Magnificence of the building or the materials that they have or you know, how great the people look
No, the glory of the church is Jesus Christ
Who's the head of that church and there's always gonna be a church in existence who has Jesus Christ as its preeminent one
You understand?
But even prior to the establishment of the tabernacle with Moses, we still have the house of God somewhere look at Genesis 28
He says in verse 17 and he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place?
This is none other but the house of God now what he's specifically referring to according to the context of the chapter
He's referring to Bethel. Okay, Bethel was that location and Bethel literally means house of
God he said well, where's the building though? You know, where's the the four walls on the roof?
Well, there is no four walls on the roof
okay, because of the fact that the church of the the church or the house of God is
Basically based upon the people that meet there and the God who meets with them understand
Now hold your place there
We're gonna come back to Genesis 28 and big go to the book of Hebrews in the New Testament if you would
book of Hebrews in the New Testament
So we see that the house of God existed with Moses the house of God existed even with Jacob in Bethel
but we can even go further back than that and
See that we can go into eternity past and see that the house of God existed prior to even Jacob discovering Bethel
Okay, in fact the worldly sanctuary that Moses constructed in the book of Exodus under the the
Leadership of Moses was actually patterned after the heavenly sanctuary
Okay, look at Hebrews chapter number eight in verse number four. This is the house of God from eternity past
Look what it says in verse number four. It says for if he were on earth
He should not be a priest seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law
Who serve unto the example and shadow of
Heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle
For see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern
Showed to thee in the mount go to chapter number nine if you would chapter number nine
So in chapter eight, we see that the tabernacle was an example
It was a shadow of things to come but it was patterned after
Something that Moses had seen or that God revealed unto Moses that was from heaven look at Hebrews 9 verse 8
It says the Holy Ghost is signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest
While as the first tabernacle was yet standing which was a what?
figure for the time then present and which were offered both gifts and
Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience go skip down to verse 23
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these
But the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these so what we see
What the physical tabernacle in the Old Testament is that that's where they would go to do the animal
Sacrifices on a daily basis on a yearly basis, but you know, it's impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins
Right, and so that tabernacle is simply a pattern of something that was in heaven
This is why when Jesus Christ died
What happened when he after he descended he ascended into heaven and he spread his own blood on the mercy seat of the tabernacle
Which is in heaven
That's the real tabernacle the tabernacle that was here on this earth
During the time of Moses was simply a figure there was a pattern it was
Patterned after that the the physical tabernacle or the spiritual tabernacle in heaven
Verse 24 for Christ is not into until holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true
But into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us over and over again. We see this figure pattern
The example what is that telling us? It's telling us that the house of God has always existed somewhere. Amen
Go back to Genesis chapter 28. So it existed in eternity past in heaven. Okay, it existed
During the time of Jacob look at Genesis 28
Look at verse number 11 of Genesis chapter 28
He says and he lighted upon a certain place and Terry there all night
Because the Sun was set and he took of the stones of that place and put them for pillows now
Why would you use stones for pillows? I have no idea. Okay. This is a tough guy
I guess and laid down in that place to sleep and
he dreamed and look what it says and behold a ladder set up up on the earth and
the top of it reached to heaven and behold the angels of God ascending and
Descending upon it now. This is a beautiful picture here
Okay, because in the New Testament Jesus Christ tells Nathaniel he says in John 1 15
You don't have to turn there verily verily. I say unto you here after you shall see the heaven open and the angels of God
Ascending and descending upon the Son of Man
So the vision that Jacob sees with the ladder
You know reaching unto heaven and the fact that you know
The angels of God are descending and ascending upon it. The ladder is actually referring to Jesus Christ
So he is that picture of that ladder now
Why does the Bible describe him as thus well because he's the way the truth in the life
And no man cometh unto the Father but by him the only way to get into access to heaven
The only way to have eternal life is through Jesus Christ you understand
You know, he's the way the truth in the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by him
He is the one that gives us access unto the Father
So he's the latter in Genesis chapter 28 and he reveals that in John chapter number one, but not only that, you know
Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man
So if we're gonna speak unto God or God is gonna speak unto us he does it through his son Jesus Christ, right?
The Bible talks about how in these last days he has spoken unto us by his son
So the way we communicate to God God the Father is through Jesus Christ himself
And in fact, let me reach you from Matthew chapter 18 and verse 17
It says and if he shall neglect to hear them, this is talk about Church discipline here
Tell it unto the church
Now if the church
Started in the book of Acts and you have a problem here because Jesus Christ is referring to the church
Here in Matthew chapter 18. He says tell it unto the church
But if you neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and as a publican
Barely I say unto you whatsoever
you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven and again I
Say unto you if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask
It shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven
Listen to this for two or three are gathered together in my name
There I am in the midst of them the Bible talks about so we can tie in what he's saying here
How Jesus Christ is present when two believers are gathered together
Understand so here's the thing is that the one of the reasons that Jacob referred to
Bethel as the house of God is because the presence of God was there. That's why it was a dreadful place to be
So, how does that help us today in 2022? Well, guess what God's here
Now he's not gonna come in an audible voice and there's not gonna be a bright light that shines and all these
Theatrics that we see in the Old Testament
But we know that he's here because of the fact that the Bible specifically tells us that when we're gathered together
There he is in the midst. Let me just let me just break the news to you
He's not in the midst of the Mormon tabernacle today
He's not in the midst of the Jehovah's Witnesses
Little cult there. He's nowhere near that. Okay, where is he?
He's in the house of God and the house of God today is the church. Okay is our church look at verse 17
So the house of God is where he comes to meet with his people
This is why we should place an importance on being in church
Because when we're coming to church, yeah, you want to come see your friends?
You want to come seeing the hymns you want to hear preaching of God's Word?
But you're coming to hear what God has to tell you. Amen
You're not coming for Pastor Mejia
You're not coming because of X Y & Z you should be in the house of God because this is where you meet with God
This is where you hear God's Word being preached. The Word of God is manifested through preaching
It's where God meets with you deals with your sin
Exhorts you to continue to go forward and you place an emphasis on being where God's presence is
Now obviously we understand that God is omnipresent
He's at all places at all times, but there is a sanctioned place
A
Designated place that he said he wants his people to meet because that's where he meets with them
that's what the Bible tells us not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is and
So much the more as you see the day approaching, you know, what we see today is we see people
Not necessarily just kind of not really emphasizing being in the house of God anymore
You know, it's a lot easier to just be on the internet and watch the preaching on the internet
And if my hair hurts, I'm just gonna stay home or you know
I just don't feel like it. I'm just feeling too lazy. I just worked too hard last night
I just did this and I did that
There's all types of reasons and excuses not to be in the house of God and God prophesied of that and said this
So much the more as you see the day approaching there are some people
Who forsake the assembling of their selves together as the manner of some is okay
Look at verse 17
So this is the house of God is where God comes to meet with his people
This is why it says in verse 17 and he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place?
Now, I don't know if that's what you think of our church here like this is a dreadful place
How dreadful but the reason he's saying that is because of the fact that God's presence is there
Okay, and the way we can relate it to today is this is that preaching can be dreadful
My preaching can be dreadful to your ears, you know, especially if we highlight your sin
I'm not saying we'll call you out by name
But I'm talking about if there's this particular sin that you're involved in and I'm preaching about it, you know, that's dreadful to you
Okay
He says this is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven
I want you to notice what he says in verse 18
he says and Jacob rose up early in the morning and
Took the stone that he had put for his pillows and set it up for a pillar and poured oil
upon it
So I don't think it's a coincidence that he calls this the house of God and all these elements are being mentioned here
Why because he takes the stone?
Right, and that's basically what he makes for a pillar
Well the stone which the builders rejected the same has become the head of the corner
The Bible says referring to Jesus Christ and the Bible tells us thou art Peter and upon this rock. I will build my church
You see Jesus Christ is the rock. He's the foundation of our church
He's you know, the person that we base our religion off of understand. He is the Word of God
You understand, you know, it's funny
I've been making these uh, this this content about Catholics recently because it's the it's caught a lot of attention from Catholics and
I made a you know
pastor me here reads mean comments little thing and I did it about Catholics because they left me a bunch of mean comments and
One of them literally said well, they got the Bible as the basis of their beliefs
Protestant era 101 and it's like oh, sorry that I make the Word of God
my foundation for my beliefs
Not some dude in a dress
In fact, I'm not sorry about that I'm being facetious here
Okay, but he's like mocking me because the Word of God is my foundation
It's the basis for my beliefs because Jesus Christ is the preeminent one who gave you the authority to say these things
Well, Jesus did
So there you go
No, who are you sent for? I was sent out of a church that was also sent out of another church
I was ordained by a pastor and
because I was ordained that is God sanctioning me to become a pastor and to preach God's Word and
And yeah to reprobate people or whatever
So he takes that stone well that stone is figurative of Jesus Christ
You know, we don't want to build first works Baptist Church on the sand
Because if it's built on the sand the storms will come the winds will blow blow and just knock our church down
Spiritually speaking people scatter people will not be grounded in God's Word. No, we want to build it upon Jesus Christ himself
Who's the foundation the strong foundation that we need? Okay, but not only that he says there
He says that he takes the stone that he had put for his pillows and set it up for a pillar
What does the Bible tell us about the house of God in the New Testament?
He tells us in 1st Timothy chapter 3 verse 15
But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how the oddest to behave thyself in the house of God
Which is the Church of the Living God listen to this the pillar and ground of truth
The pillar and ground of truth the church our church should be an epicenter of spiritual information
So when the world wants to know, you know, some crazy stuff is happening on the world and Christians want to know
What is God's mind all this they should come to the house of God?
and it was like this in times past when you know if some political leader was out there or or
Some something wicked was taking place out in the world
They would come to the house of God to see what the preacher had to say about it because the preacher was preaching from God's
work
The pastor was showing the mind of Christ
You know
But instead we have all these fringe people out there that claim to know the Word of God these political leaders out there
Don't go to a politician for the answers folks
Because you're gonna get like ten different answers from the same person
From the same politician, especially if you ask Biden
Sometimes you won't even get an answer
Or you'll get an answer to a question. You never asked
Or you'll just get silenced for like three minutes
You'll get a brain fart
Which he seems to have a lot of that
but it says here that you know, the house of God is the pillar and ground of
Truth. Okay. So the house of God is based upon the truth now. I love coming to church to fellowship
I love coming to church to to see the brethren and sing the songs
But at the end of the day we come here because we want the truth
Okay, we want the truth about our character. We want the truth about our sin
We want the truth about the condition of our of our country of our state of our nation of our world
We want the truth about you know, the the the souls that are going to hell
We want truth and we can handle the truth. Amen
So
We see a lot of
Parallels there. He says he took he took the stone
That he put for his pillow and he set it up for a pillar by the way
One of the reasons he took the stone and laid it for a pillow is because he's resting on the rock
Amen
You know cast your care upon him for he cared for you
His yoke is easy and his burden is light we come to the house of God for some rest
Sometimes we come to the stone the rock of our salvation for comfort and and and and rest and to be
Exhorted and to be energized to do the work of the Lord to continue it
He says he took the stone for his pillows set it up for a pillar and look what it says and poured oil
Upon it now in the Old Testament when the Prophet would pour oil upon an individual
He's basically deputizing or sanctioning that person's that said you are my anointed one
Okay, I'm basically deputizing you I'm placing my
Approval my blessing that you are gonna be the king of Israel or of Judah. Okay
Well, the church or churches have the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon it
Okay, it's where the power comes from. Amen
You know the Bible talks about being filled with the Spirit and you know
There's a lot of churches out there that can call themselves the church
But they don't have the anointing of God's Word. They don't have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. There's no power there
It's as dead as last year's Christmas tree. Okay, it's dead. It's not going anywhere. There's no power in the preaching
There's no power in the soul winning. There's not thousands of people getting saved
There's not baptisms taking place. Why because they don't have the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon their life
You see we have the anointing not because I'm a great leader not because I'm a great preacher
Not because you're a great church member, but because it's been sanctioned by God that this church should have the anointing of God's Spirit
Okay, and it's available to us
The power is available to us. Okay, that's why we saw over a thousand people saved
That's what we're gonna see thousands of people saved even thereafter. Okay, that's what we're gonna see more baptisms as the years go by
Why because the anointing of the Holy Spirit is upon our church is upon our people not just for the preaching but just for godly
Living as well. Okay, and
So we see that there now go with me if you would to first Samuel chapter number four first Samuel chapter number four
By the way, even prior or excuse me after the house of God was in Bethel
We know that the children of Israel go into the wilderness and yet the pillar is not taken away
Right, because what do we see that?
There's a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night before the people leading them in the wilderness
So the truth does not, you know leave, you know, it's subject to change locations, but the pillar is always there
See there's a time when first works Baptist Church. We had a pillar in omonte
But you know what just as the tabernacle of the Old Testament could be relocated and moved and it was movable
You know in like man, or so are we amen?
We're kind of like nomads in this world
Okay, and now we just kind of move those pillars and we put it right here
Amen, and I'm not talking about these things right here
But now the pillar and ground of truth is in Anaheim Hills
The pillar and ground of truth is in Orange County
You know
Pillar and ground of truth is just further south in California. Amen. And let me just say this the pillar can move again folks
Man
Are we moving again?
Well, I don't decide when we move, you know
Sometimes we have to move though and it sometimes we actually, you know live out the Bible and stuff, you know
Sometimes the Bible actually is real, you know
Well, we have to dust off our feet and move to different places maybe because of persecution and that helps us as God's people
To not put our stakes so down deep into this world
Recognizing this world is not our home. We're pilgrims strangers and pilgrims in this world and it's always subject to change now
We're gonna stay in California though
We're probably staying in Southern California for sure. Okay, but we might move across the street. I don't know just never know. Okay, and
All right. What do I have you turn first Sammy chapter number four
Let me continue reading here in Genesis 28 in verse 29
He says and he called the name of that place Bethel
But the name of that city was called Luz at the first and he says in verse 22 in this stone
Which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house and of all that thou shalt give me
I will surely give the tenth unto thee so we see God's house being in Bethel in the time in the days of Jacob
But we also see that the house of God becomes the tabernacle as I mentioned right because then you know God
Delivers the children of Israel from the house of bondage of Egypt and places them into the house of God
Okay, and then he instructs, you know, he instructs
Moses on how to construct the tabernacle and how that was supposed to be movable and portable
Because of the fact that they were going through the wilderness making their way to Canaan
Canaan land
So the house of God after it was moved throughout the wilderness and they would pitch it and then take take it down and move
it again
Ultimately when they reached Canaan land once again, it became relocated to Shiloh
Okay, a lot of debate where Shiloh is, you know, you look at different maps
But the maps are based off of like biblical statements, you understand
So it is possible
That Shiloh because when you look at a map you see that Shiloh is actually north of Bethel
Basically in the same region. Okay, but it is possible that Shiloh is Bethel or at least it's just you know
In very close proximity to Bethel, okay
But we see that we see that the house of God is relocated to Shiloh
And in fact, let me read you a couple verses here before we get into first Samuel
Joshua 18 verse 1 says in the whole congregation of the children of Israel
Assembled together at Shiloh and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there and the land was subdued before them
Verse 30 says this and they set them up Micah's graven image, which he had made all the time that the house of God
Was in Shiloh now what happens to?
The house of God when it's in Shiloh
Well, it's there during the time of Joshua's there during the time of judges and even into going into you know
Eli and and Samuel, right
Now I don't want to steal my thunder for first Samuel chapter number four, but we're gonna briefly go over this what happens. Well
Eli has some pretty wicked sons preached about that on Thursday, right the sons of Belial and
They brought reproach upon the house of God because they were desecrating the offerings. They were just wicked people
They were fornicating with the women that assembled outside of the house of God and Eli was not restraining his sons
He was not disciplining them. He himself had some pretty grievous sins as far as gluttony is concerned
I mean, he was not an example of a leader and
Obviously during this time Samuel still a little child
He's being trained and God's hands upon him. And of course, he's gonna end up being the last of the judges
But you know God has basically had it
with Israel
Okay, and because of Eli and his sons
So look what it says in verse 19 what happens Bible says in his daughter-in-law
Phinehas his wife was with child near to be delivered and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken and
That her father-in-law and her husband were dead. She bowed herself and travailed for her pains came upon her so God
Pronounces judgment upon Israel and he wants to slay Hophni and Phinehas. He wants to kill them
by the hand of the Philistines
But not only that he's not only gonna cause him to die
But he's also gonna cause the ark of the Covenant to be moved from the house of God
That's in Shiloh and taken from them
It says in verse 20 and about the time of her death the woman that stood by her said unto her fear
Not for thou has borne a son
But she answered not neither. Did she regard it and she named the child
Ichabod by the way, never name your son
Ichabod
Why saying the glory is departed from Israel?
Now think about that because the Bible says that glory shall be in the church right throughout all ages and who's the glory Jesus
Well here he says the glory is departed from Israel. What does that mean? God's presence is removed
God is no longer with Israel during this time. Okay
because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband and she said the glory is departed from Israel for the
ark of God is
Taken the Bible says now think about this, you know if you because in chapter 4 and in chapter 3
What we see is that the lamp of God is continuously burning in the house of God
Okay, and the Bible talks about her before the lamp of God went out, you know
It talks about the condition during that time. Well that lamp was supposed to continuously burn in the house of God
But then we see what happens it actually goes out
Okay, and it's signifying the fact that the glory has departed well in Revelation chapter 2
We see that the churches are referred to what as candlesticks and he tells the candlesticks, you know
For example, the Ephesian Church repent or I will come and remove thy candlestick
So what is that showing us? It shows us that the house of God can actually cease being a house of God at one point
Now in the Old Testament, it's just like the lamp of God goes out and in the New Testament we don't have lamps in here
It's a spiritual candle, right? It's a symbolic candle and God says that candle can go out
But when does it go out when we cease making Jesus Christ important in obeying his commands and cease being a church
So it's removed. The ark of God is removed go to go with me if you would to 1st Kings chapter 12 1st Kings chapter number 12
Now it's eventually, you know, ultimately it was good that
The Ark of the Covenant was removed from Shiloh from Bethel, which is the house of God. Okay, it was supposed to be there
You know, it's good because it's Bethel. It's the house of God
That's where Jacob met with him and and it was in Shiloh for an extended period of time
But it's good that it was removed because of the fact that ultimately God wanted the house of God to be where in Jerusalem
That's ultimately where he wanted the house of God to be
Okay
In fact 1st Kings 11 36 says unto his son will I give one tribe that David my servant may have a light
All the way before me in Jerusalem the city which I have chosen me to put my name there
Okay, so he wanted his name to be there. And of course his name is associated with the house of God
So what do we see the house of God in Bethel? What do we see the house of God in the wilderness?
What do we see the house of God coming back to Bethel specifically Shiloh, what do we see Shiloh's Ichabod?
He destroyed it. He sent the Philistines upon it removed the Ark of the Covenant
Ultimately, what do we see the house of God being instituted in Jerusalem? Okay
Now look at first Kings chapter 12 what's going on during this time
Well, if you remember you have a divided Kingdom, right?
Israel is divided between the northern and the southern kingdom
Of course Israel is that northern kingdom Judah is that southern kingdom?
Israel is that kingdom that just kind of you know, they get into idolatry and they come they forsake the Lord and
Jeroboam is over that northern kingdom. Okay, he's over that northern kingdom and
He gets pretty desperate because he doesn't want people
To go into Judah to where the house of God is the real house of God, right, which is in Jerusalem
So what does he do? He tries to create this substitute house of God
Look at verse 26 and Jeroboam said in his heart now shall the kingdom return to the house of David
So he's more concerned with his reputation
Than he is actually doing what God said
Verse 27 if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem
Then shall the heart of this people turn again into their Lord. Oh, man, that would be bad
Even it's a rare boom King of Judah and they shall kill me and go against a rare boom King of Judah
where upon the king took counsel look what it says and made two calves of gold and
Said unto them it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem
behold thy gods Oh Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and
He set the one look what it says in Bethel and the other he put in damn
Now, let me point out a couple things here first and foremost. So he's creating convenience for the people
Yeah, you don't have to go to Jerusalem to worship the Lord
You don't have to go to Jerusalem to do the sacrifices. You can do it in Bethel
You can do it in Bethel you can do it in Dan now
Obviously during this time Bethel and Dan have become like basically a den of iniquity
because they're just a den of idolatry and
Dan obviously was the first tribe if you studied the book of Judges that was really given over to idolatry. Okay, and
Bethel
Shiloh
Bethel is no longer the place where the glory of God is the glory of God has departed from Bethel and Shiloh, okay
So he sets one up in Bethel and he puts the other in Dan and he encourages the people to worship the Lord in
Bethel and Dan instead of going to the house of God
Okay, verse 30 and this became a sin for the people went to worship before the one even unto Dan and he made a
House of high places look what it says and made priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi
so this
Fake house of God is not in its proper place
There's a bunch of sin taking place in idolatry, but even aside from that the people are not qualified
to run the house of God
He's just putting like a it's a warm body. Oh, come on in you can be a priest unto me then, right?
He says he makes priests of the lowest people
Which were not of the sons of Levi people who had no business in the house of God doing the office of the priest
He's putting them in the house of God to fulfill the office of a priest
it says in verse 32 and
Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month on the 15th day of the month
Like unto the feast that is in Judah and he offered upon the altar
So did he in Bethel sacrifice him into the calf that he had made and he placed in Bethel the priest of the high places
Which he had made so he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the 15th day of the eighth month
even in the month which he had devised of his own heart and
Ordained a feast into the children of Israel and he offered upon the altar and burned incense. Okay, so I
Let's do some brainstorming here. All right, everyone wake up
Okay, we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna do some brainstorming
now
Jeroboam
Has the house of God he made a house of God in Bethel and in Dan. Where is the true house of God?
Jerusalem, okay. What does Bethel mean?
House of God is Bethel the house of God
No
so
Bethel now the name means house of God
But the house of God is not there
So finish the sentence for me thou hast a name that thou
and are dead
So what we see here is this fake congregation this fake house of God
this fake church in
Bethel and in Dan
Trying to take the place of the true house of God
Now here's the thing Sardis in Revelation chapter 3 they were actually ahead of Bethel
Because they said, you know, Jesus told Sardis and basically told them like hey
You know, you can just strengthen the things which remain which are ready to die
He's kind of giving them a second chance the glory of God are already departed from Bethel
It's gone
The glory of the Lord is in Jerusalem. That's where he sanctioned it. But you know what? What is Jeroboam doing?
Well, we have Bethel which means the house of God
So we can cause people to come here now, how do we apply that to today?
Well, you know, there's a lot of places out there. They call themselves a Baptist
There's a lot of congregations out there that call themselves a church
There's a lot of congregations out there. They claim to believe the Bible. They have a name that they're living but they're actually dead
Why because they've already forsaken the right ways of the Lord the candles that has already gone out
The lamp has been put out in obscurity
They don't have the power of God in their lives and God has not sanctioned that place to be the house of God
How about the like the Lutherans?
Well, they literally have trannies preaching the Bible not even preaching the Bible having story time in drag
Folks they can call themselves a church all they want
That's not a church
They can call oh, but we have Bethel on our name. So what?
It's a house of bondage
It's not a true house of God having a name doesn't do anything for you. If you don't have God backing you up
Okay, but even then how about just Baptist churches in general, you know, there's we're the first Baptist Church
We're like the first church in this city
You know because Bethel was like the first one
Bethel's were you know on this earth where the house of God was first instituted was in Bethel, but you know what?
It's no longer the house of God, even though the name means house of God
So go to the first Baptist Church of whatever I guarantee you a lot of those churches
Especially if they're like over a hundred years old or so, they're probably teaching some false doctrine
That's probably more than likely what's taking place so just because you have Baptist on your name of the church, you know
What's your salvation doctrine?
Because if you're teaching a works based salvation if you're saying you have to repent of your sins to be saved
You have to do X Y & Z you have to do this you have to do that
Oh, oh, so what you're telling me is that the glory of God is departed
Also, what you're telling me is that your Ichabod Baptist Church
Right
It's Ichabod Baptist Church. I don't know pastor, you know, they got a lot of activity in there
I see people going in people coming out
There's a lot of people at the cemetery, too
The cemetery is packed with people
All dead
Doesn't mean anything
It doesn't mean a thing. How about these just these mega churches out there, right?
These mega churches, you know, whether it's Mariners Church
Which is by my house, you know
Greg Laurie
Who else who's another what who dream center? Oh, man
Filthy dreamers, you know that dream center. That's the one in LA, right?
How can you say that about that because of the fact that even though they have a name that they're living they're actually dead folks
How dare you pass judgment? I dare to pass judgment. Yes
Absolutely
Because this is not here on accident folks
What it's showing us is that there's a bunch of fraudulent phony congregations out there
They claim to believe in the Bible, you know
They claim to have Baptist or they have Church or there of Jesus and all these other things
But when you look at the Bible that they use it's not a King James
They use some NIV or ESV some modern perversion of the Word of God, you know
Their salvation doctrines off they don't believe in the Trinity or they don't go soul-winning. I mean you can meet together all you want
You can ordain by the way, a lot of these places are doing some of the lowest people
Get a lot of unqualified people to run those churches
You can call it a church. You can get a large following
You can get a lot of people to come to that building and have all kinds of activities
And all types of Sunday school classes and and preach sermons. It doesn't mean it's the house of God
Because the house of God is in Jerusalem
So you're not going to change the mind of God and say, you know
There's a church that's actually meeting in our old building in Omani
And I use that term very loosely
Because it's not a church
You say what do they believe? I honestly don't know because we went on their website and they believe so many crazy things
So many wild things how many you've seen the building already what color is it that's as wild as their beliefs are
When you look at the buildings like well this thing looks crazy. Well, that's like their beliefs
It's like some African church or something right some African cult
Who believes a false?
Gospel, they teach false doctrine
Yeah, but it's this church and they're not against sodomites. Well, there you go
There you go
Red flag right there folks
How is the church able to meet in Omani now?
like a real church
Explain that to me
Hey
Explain to me how an independent fundamental Baptist Church can still meet in Omani if they're really preaching the Word of God
Because there's some independent fundamental Baptist churches in there. There's like two I think or something, right?
Tell me how do you do it?
How did that get on you for preaching God's Word maybe it's because you're not preaching God's Word
Yeah, I mean folks. Let me just share this real quick. I
Remember during that whole protest
or prior to the protests when we're getting death threats and people are contacting us and they said they're gonna burn our building down and
You know, they're harassing us. They're doxing my address and putting my address online all these things. I remember there is a barbershop
In Oman to you guys remember the bar the famous barbershop who remembers the famous barbershop
Okay, there's a there's a sodomite that went into that barbershop
For a haircut
Seemed pretty legit so far, right and you know, the guy's about to cut his hair or whatever and he's just like, you know
How's the barbers just making small talk and he's like, how's your weekend? He's like, oh good. I got married
He's like, oh cool. He's like who's the lucky lady? He's like, it's actually a man and
The barber took a step back grabbed the scissors and just chopped his hair and said you're done
I
Fell in love with that barbershop
I'm like, why can't we get like churches to be like you?
Why isn't it like a barbershop has more guts than a lot of churches?
Now look, I wouldn't recommend for people to for you to do that. Okay, I'm not gonna I'm not even gonna
I don't even want to like be like 10 feet
near a sodomite, okay
I'm not gonna touch any sodomites hair or something. It's not my interest
What I'm saying is, you know that guy could care less but you know
There's independent fundamental Baptist churches in Omani who will refuse to talk about the sodomites for fear of them, especially now. I
Remember when my pastor friend said this the only unfortunate thing about your church getting bombed is that now for sure
No Baptist churches will ever preach against the sodomites
Like before if they're like straddling the fence like yeah, maybe maybe I'll say gay in this sermon or something, you know
Maybe I'll just talk about against gay marriage or something like that
Now they're for sure not going to because they don't want to get bombed
Yeah cowards
But what I'm saying is this is that you know
Just because they say they believe the Word of God
Just because they say they believe all these things or have the the church on their name Baptist her name Christian. It doesn't mean it's true
Because we see here an example of even though the fact they were in Bethel which is called the house of God
I mean it gave them credibility, you know, I'm sure he's like why go over there
Why don't you come to the house of God? This is Bethel. It's called the house of God
Okay
But it wasn't the house of God and so go to Jeremiah chapter 26 if you would Jeremiah chapter 26
If you're new here you're getting the full experience amen
So where do we see the house of God so far we see it in Bethel
We see it in eternity's past we see it in Bethel and then it's in the wilderness
Then it then it comes back to Bethel. It's in Shiloh. It's removed from Shiloh
It's placed in Jerusalem, but guess what? It doesn't finish in Jerusalem, though
Because guess what Jerusalem is not a place where the house of God is today
Right and in fact
It's actually referred to by God as Sodom and Gomorrah
He says which is spiritually Sodom and Gomorrah
Look at Jeremiah 26 verse 4. It says Jeremiah is preaching here
This is about Jeremiah says verse 4 and thou shall say unto them thus saith the Lord if you will not hearken to me
To walk in my law which I have set before you
To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets which I sent unto you both rising up early and sending them
But you have not hearken then will I make this house?
Like Shiloh
So everyone knew what he was talking about
Because Jerusalem was just like we're the real house of God not Shiloh not Bethel and God's like well if you don't get right
I'm gonna make you like Shiloh
And will make this city a curse to all nations of the earth well that for sure happened
Already fulfilled
So we obviously know where the you know what happened after that
Verse 7 so the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord
So Jeremiah's got some guts man
This guy has some guts. He's saying this in the house of the Lord and the prophets and the people heard
Just keep in mind folks
You know, obviously there's prophets in those days who were right with God
But there's a bunch of them even though they're of the Lord. They were not as bold as these prophets as Jeremiah
You know because there's seven thousand prophets who have not bowed the knee to Baal, but just remember those seven thousand were hiding
Just keep that in mind
Okay, because it's like if you're to really put it on a spectrum you would have like unsaved false prophets, but then you have saved
Prophets, but they're not they agree with you, but they're not really outspoken
And then you have like two or three that are like Elijah, okay, like Jeremiah or something, okay?
But that's just how it is
That's just how it is. I mean there's tons of pastors and tons of churches that actually
Agree with us but will not support us openly
They won't support us openly
You know now there's a lot of churches. They will support us openly
You know my sending pastor, Pastor Stephen L. Anderson is very open about it. My friend in Northern California, Pastor Roger Jimenez
supports us very openly
My friends my close friends are not ashamed of me at all
This is like a badge of honor for us. Okay
But there's other churches just like I'm praying for you. I agree with you, but they're not going to actually get up on Sunday morning
And preach this sermon, okay
So he's preaching this in the house of the Lord verse 8
Now it came to pass when Jeremiah had an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people
That the priests and the prophets and all the people took him saying thou shall surely die
Like we're gonna just kill you you you're saying we're gonna be like Shiloh
You're gonna die
You're dead
Verse 9 why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord saying
This house shall be like Shiloh and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant
And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. I'll tell you why because God told him to say it
Why ask why when you know that God is the one who told him to say these things
It blows my mind folks
when so-called saved people
Get on me for just preaching the Bible. I can literally
Only to only quote verses and they're just like, oh you got a bad spirit
Just just for quoting a verse
I made a video on on on instagram where literally i'm mute like i'm not even saying anything
And it was a video called verses that your pastor will probably never preach from
And all I did was put verses on the screen
Controversial verses on the screen and people are like, oh this is bad. Oh, you got a bad spirit. Oh, you're taking it out of context
I didn't talk
I didn't say anything. I just put the verses on the screen
It's God's word
Oh that's out of context I didn't even give context all I did was put the verse on there
It's the it's literally the text
And you know, i'm sure a lot of these people are not saved but I guarantee you some of them are
And it bothers them
Why because soft christians will always be bothered by hard truths
Snowflake christians exist folks
Even as they're listening to my voice right now say what i'm saying. It's rubbing them the wrong way because they hate it
It rubs them the wrong way it gets them upset they start cringing a little bit because they don't like the hard truth
Well, sorry, you're not the one ordaining me to go and preach the word of god
God has told us to speak as to speak this way and to proclaim his truth in spite of how offensive it may be
You're not the meter of how offensive I should be
Go to first peter chapter 2
So then, you know, it's no longer in jerusalem
House of god has left jerusalem. It's no longer there. The bible says that
Jerusalem is like Sodom and Gomorrah spiritually Sodom and Gomorrah he says okay
So don't worry about like, you know, you have all these archeology biblical archaeologists. Let's look for the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah
Where this amazing event took place just go to jerusalem
God already relocated he said it's in jerusalem
Look at this brimstone. This was obviously burnt and destroyed and all it's in the water in the sea and all the no
You don't you're looking all in the wrong places
I'll find it for you
Jerusalem
That's what the bible says
Jesus literally said that that it's spiritually Sodom and Gomorrah
So you can save thousands of dollars with your ex, you know, excavating machines and submarines that go into the ocean and
Looking for all these ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah, you don't have to do all that
You can literally go there today and there's people there today. They're sodomized there today
And god said it so guess what the house of god is not in israel
So there's no reason to make a pilgrimage there
To go check it out
Now obviously like deep down inside. I would want to go there just to see where the lord was
On this earth, right? It's kind of cool to think about that like where he walked the sea of galley and all these things
But at the end of the day, i'll just go visit it during the millennial reigns probably it's nicer there
anyways during that time
And there's no sodomites allowed
during that time either so
It's better to be there. So it was in jerusalem. Jerusalem became a curse unto all nations
And now the house of god is here
Now here's the difference is that in times past the the house of god was in one centralized location
It could be moved but it was like one tabernacle one temple, right?
Now the difference is this is that now the house of god is made up of just multiple churches
Like this is the house of god right here
And even our beloved brethren who don't necessarily support us or are a little soft on certain truths. That's the house of god, too
That's still the house of god
People are still growing there. They're still learning the bible there. They're still soul winning there
They don't have to be to our specific level to be the house of god. We're not the standard
But what the house of god is you understand?
And so the house of god still exists today and I would even go as far as to say this
The house of god is in some churches that are not baptists
Sometimes they're just churches
Now I don't recommend churches like that, but I guarantee you they're out there where they're actually preaching the word of god
They're using the king james i'm sure it's very rare
But it's out there. I mean, I remember when we first went to belize brother milan and I
Brother milan kinesovich. We're on the airplane and and I don't know if we're I think we're coming back from belize
And a flight attendant who's a male
He's a male flight attendant, but you know, he came he's just like
Are you guys like christians or something?
And we're like, yeah, we're christians
Like oh cool. Where you guys going? We're like, oh, we're coming back from a mission strip to belize
And he's like no way
He was like all bro'd out
He's like no way bro. He's like dude. I just came back from a mission strip
I was like, okay, you know because when you hear that it's like all right, you know
What'd you go do build a well or something, you know?
What'd you do like feed the poor, you know?
It's like, you know, but then he was just like dude we got like 56 people saved there
Because people you know, not everyone talks that way
Yeah
That's that's particular lingo right there of a soul winner
He's a we got like 56 people saved there. We got people saved
Because a lot of people they don't like that terminology like oh you didn't save anyone
God saved them
Yeah, I know but i'm like the one who gave him the gospel and so god actually gives me some credit too
Because if it was only god saving them that I would get no rewards
Think about that, you know rewards are based off of things that we do
And we get rewarded for getting people saved
So if we do not partake in the salvation of anyone by, you know
Giving them the gospel if god doesn't give us any credit that we should get no reward
But the reason we get reward is because we actually have a part in that
But he said that he was just like dude. Yeah, we got like 56 people saved. It's awesome
Yeah, I think he was from like northern california or something like that
But he said the name of the church and it was not a baptist church
You know, but what i'm saying is, you know, that guy probably goes to the house of god
Amen
But I will say, you know, you should go to a baptist church though for sure
It's the best kind look at first peter two verse four. It says to whom coming
As into a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of god and precious
Ye, also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices
Acceptable to god by jesus christ. So we are the spiritual house
We are the house of god and it's important that in 2022 we emphasize the fact that it's not this
It's not the walls that makes up the church
It's the people that make up the church
It's the preaching that makes up the church. It's the beliefs that makes up the church
Now do we want a nice building? Yeah, of course
But can we operate without a nice building? Yeah, we did it for like two months
Under a tabernacle
We still went soul winning the word of god was still preached offerings were still taken
I mean we still operated basically
We did the same exact thing that we would do just in a different location
Why because we the people are the house of god?
And so take this sermon and take it as a reminder of how precious and important the house of god really is
Don't undermine the importance of being in god's house and let me say this don't undermine the importance of being in a real house of god
Yes
Do not undermine the importance of that
Do not take it for granted
Place an emphasis in your christian life and say, you know in 2022 i'm going to buckle down in my church attendance way more
Because this is the house of god
This is where I come to worship. This is where I come to hear god's word being preached
This is where I come to be equipped to go and preach the gospel to be a light into a dying world out there
This is the house of god. This is our bethel
Amen
Let's pray father. We thank you so much for your word. We're so thankful for church for the house of god that has always existed
And god forbid if this if this house of god that we're in today were to go astray in the future
For whatever reason we know that the work of god will continue whether here or somewhere else
And uh, we're so thankful for for that perpetuity there lord. I pray god that you'd help us to to keep this
Operation going all the days of our lives lord and and help us to do all that we can
To train the next generation to to carry the torch
And I pray lord that you bless our church. Thank you so much for an awesome year. Thank you for making our lives exciting
Thank you for blessing us with so many salvations lord baptisms more church members
more influence lord
and
More love and I pray that lord you continue to bless us as the years come and the persecutions come
That you'd help us to be ready for it lord that you would be honored and glorified through our lives