But we're going through Isaiah chapter three, and we'll start with verse number five,
and the people shall be oppressed.
Title for the sermon tonight is the people shall be oppressed.
The people shall be oppressed.
As brother Jackson kind of prayed, you know, we need to be mindful of our nation.
And when you find that we as people are becoming,
when we as people become oppressed, we actually see the reason why that occurs.
And of course, being oppressed is being,
having your freedoms, having your liberties taken away from you,
being forced to do things that are against your will.
And so we see in this chapter what leads a nation to become oppressed.
It says and the people, essentially all the people,
become oppressed when a nation goes down this path.
But let's study verse number one.
For behold, the Lord of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem,
and from Judah the stay and the staff,
the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water.
I want you to notice in this verse that God is going to be taken away.
These are the bread, the water, the staff to stay away from Jerusalem, away from Judah,
meaning that God is taking away their prosperity,
taking away the prosperity of the land.
Now we're in Isaiah chapter three, so we're in the third chapter of Isaiah,
which will then correspond with the third book of the Bible, which is what?
Leviticus.
So what I want you to do, come with me to Leviticus 26.
Come with me to Leviticus 26.
As I said, we're going to be looking at where the parallels lie with other books of the Bible.
The third chapter of Isaiah corresponds with the third book of the Bible.
So Leviticus chapter 26 and verse number 21.
Leviticus 26 and verse number 21.
Now of course the book of Leviticus was given to Moses,
and Moses was used by God to take the children of Israel out of the land
to establish themselves as a nation under God, under the old covenant.
Of course the book of Leviticus is a book that God has gave to run the nation,
especially for the Levitical tribe, so they know what they are to teach.
They know how they are to guide a nation as the preachers of God's word,
and many times when it comes to the Old Testament commands,
God warns the nation if they turn away from God, if they don't follow God's ways,
that there's going to be discipline, there's going to be chastisement,
there's going to even be curses upon the land.
And if you look at Leviticus 26 verse number 21, it says,
And if you walk contrary to me, and will not hearken unto me,
I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
So we have this warning all the way back with Moses,
and I'm telling you that when God looks at Judah today,
or when God looks at Judah at the time of Isaiah,
they are walking away from him, they are not walking with him, right?
They are doing things contrary to God's ways.
And look what he says in verse number 26 as a warning.
And when I have broken the staff of your bread,
what did we see in Leviticus 3?
He says that he's going to take away the stay and the staff and the whole stay of bread.
And what does that mean?
When we see that statement being said about Judah,
what is God speaking about here in Leviticus 26?
He says 10 women shall bake your bread in one oven,
and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight,
and you shall eat and not be satisfied.
So saying, look, instead of every woman, every household having their own oven,
their own place to bake the most basic food source, which is bread,
there's going to be 10 people, 10 ladies, 10 women waiting in line just to use one oven.
So the prosperity is gone.
The ability to make bread is removed.
There's going to be less food on the land.
It says that when the bread is delivered in verse number 26,
it says again by weight.
And so you're not going to have, you know, generally speaking,
when people eat bread today, you eat as much as you're full,
as much as you're satisfied.
The idea of bread being given to you by weight is the idea of bread being rationed.
You're going to get this amount of weight of bread given.
That family is going to get that amount.
They're going to get that amount.
They're going to be given that amount.
And so it's talking about being like rationing the bread.
And so obviously there's a lack of food.
And then it says, and you shall eat and not be satisfied.
Again, speaking of hunger, okay.
So God is telling the nation, look, you're going to have a time of famine,
a time of hunger.
You're going to have this curse fall upon you if you walk away from me.
And that warning is given to us in Leviticus.
And we're seeing it play out here in the book of Isaiah.
So back to Isaiah chapter 3 verse number 2.
You can if you want, you can keep a finger in Leviticus.
We're going to come back two more times in the book of Leviticus to see some parallels.
But verse number 2.
Now generally speaking, when a nation is suffering, you know,
when it's lacking prosperity, it's often the poor that will suffer the most, okay.
And usually the wealthy and the well-to-do,
they usually are able to manage their situation.
But even the wealthy, even those that are of a higher social class
or standard are going to suffer during God's judgment upon this nation.
Because it says in verse number 2,
the mighty man, the man of war, the judge, and the prophet,
and the prudent, and the ancients, the captain of fifty,
and the honorable man, and the counselor,
and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
So these are people of a higher social standing, all right.
They might have also the higher education.
You think these are the well-to-do, the ones with, you know,
the white collar jobs and even the mighty men,
you know, certain people that are, you know, maybe sergeants and captains in the armies.
You know, even these people are going to suffer when God's judgment falls upon the land, okay.
And again, you know, when we look at Isaiah,
remember that we're talking about the judgment coming upon the southern kingdom.
And if you're with me when I was preaching through Jeremiah,
you know that took place under Babylonian captivity, okay.
And all the people were either wiped out.
If you went to war, if you went to fight against Babylonians,
you were destroyed, you were killed.
There were dead bodies literally all over the ground that could not be buried.
And the people in Jerusalem were suffering because they were under siege.
They couldn't go out, they couldn't go in.
They were lacking the food, they were suffering, they were hungry.
And obviously many people perished just out of hunger.
And so again, this warning from God is being given to Isaiah.
A hundred years, 150 years potentially before any of this even happened.
Verse number four.
Now we start to see how people become oppressed.
It says that I will give children to be their princes and babes shall rule over them.
God is saying look, and of course look at verse number five,
and the people shall be oppressed.
So why are people getting oppressed?
Because you've got children, you've got little babies
taking on positions of authority in the nation of Judah.
Okay, and look, and the reason God uses this language of children and babes
is obviously a little baby is not really the king of Judah.
Okay, but God's given us this illustration
because we know that children and babies are under the authority of their parents.
Shouldn't they be?
Like, you know, they've got an authority figure.
They've got mom and dad who are over them.
Right, children should learn to be obedient to their parents.
But as it is, you know, in the time of Isaiah,
and in the time today like it is in 22 and 23 in Australia,
there are parents that have been controlled by their children.
Right, where little babies have a tantrum.
Right, a tantrum, and parents can't control their children.
So you see parents running back and forth.
What does a child want?
Well, you know, and they're basically living their lives
at the whim of every child command or requirement, right?
Parents are afraid of their teenagers.
Parents are afraid of what their children will say or do to them.
And all of a sudden, the ones that have the authority are the children.
And guess what the parents are?
As it says, their parents are oppressed.
The parents can't live the life they desired.
They can't call the shots.
They can't live their lives how they want
because they've got little children.
They have never learned to be disciplined.
They don't know how to be corrected.
They don't know the difference between right and wrong.
They're so selfish and they run the household
and the parents have nothing to say.
You know, and I'm saying to you parents,
you need to instruct your children.
You need to direct your children.
And you know, sometimes when we see these passages
and look, some people may be offended as we go through this chapter.
I don't know.
But you need to remember that when things go so bad
that you as a believer, you stay balanced.
You stay in the balance of the scriptures, okay?
Because sometimes when things are so horrible,
it's like a pendulum that swings, right?
Things get so bad, a pendulum swings one way
and then it swings back and it hits the balls.
The rest of the pendulum, again, swings
just as much the other direction if you know the idea, right?
But we need to remember to stay balanced
according to God's word
because sometimes when things get so bad,
we want to have a quick reaction, a quick solution.
And we might, when our children rebel,
when our children disobey,
and you know, we might get so angered
that we take it out on our little children
and we don't instruct them, we don't direct them,
we don't chastise them in a proper manner.
You can, as a parent, get so angry
where you chastise your child a little too tough, okay?
And it's not going to correct them.
It's just going to bring great fear
and maybe even hurt upon that child.
It can even be a mental pain, a mental suffering
that children can have under the abusive hands of a parent, okay?
You always need to remember, look, God has told us
we need to chastise our children.
The rod of correction is something that will drive foolishness
from the heart of a child, okay?
And it's right to apply those things
but you need to always remember to remain balanced, okay?
Because you'll find, again, when things go out of control,
you start to have a reaction
that is equally out of control trying to fix the solution
but as God's people, we must always be balanced.
Now, the idea, again, is that the tables have been turned.
Those that should be in subjection are calling the shots.
Hey, you know, when it comes to a church,
you know, I'm sorry to say, I don't know if I'm sorry,
but you know, the pastor has a rule in the house of the Lord, all right?
And this is the proper order of things.
You know, if you want to be oppressed at church,
let's just run it like a democracy.
Everyone chooses, everyone votes, you know,
and there are churches like this
where pastors are too afraid to call the shots
because of what could, you know,
Brother so-and-so who puts the most money into the church offering say, okay?
Or what we know, you know, how might I offend this person
if I preach this doctrine, I might lose half the church
and then the pastor's too afraid to teach what is true
because they've been controlled by the congregation.
There are churches like that,
controlled by a group of deacons or something like that, right?
And they can't call the shots.
They can't, their life is one of oppression.
They want to run things properly, you know,
they want to honor the Lord, they want to fear the Lord,
they want to do what is right and keep a clear conscience before God,
but what is everyone going to say?
What if I preach against the sodomites?
What if I preach about authority structures?
What if I preach against the governments of this world?
What are people going to say when people are afraid?
But this is what brings oppression
when there's an out of control society
where those that should be in subjection
are actually calling the shots.
And, you know, the other idea here
is where children are becoming princes,
you know, again, just back to a part,
because, you know, I can't control the government,
obviously I pass it to churches,
I'm mindful about how we operate as a church.
But this could be another situation
where you have an unqualified pastor,
right, who's a child as it were, right,
that they haven't proven themselves,
that they have not met the qualifications,
you know, and, you know, they might ordain themselves, all right?
Or they might be forced in a position to,
you know, others ordain them into a position,
but they're not ready for that.
And all that's going to happen is a hurt and destruction.
All that's going to happen is people
are going to walk away from the Lord,
people are going to walk away from going to church,
because you've had the wrong man leading that church, right?
It's like little children taking authority
when they should not have.
So, you know, we've got to be afraid,
you know, be mindful.
You know, we need to make sure that, you know,
especially, you know, as parents,
that we remember we've got the authority,
God's given us that authority over our children
and husbands are the head of the wife.
You know, we're going to look at that shortly,
but husbands, I know that's unpopular say today,
that's what the Bible teaches.
Husbands are the head of the wife
and we'll look at that passage a bit later on.
But verse number five, we see,
and the people shall be oppressed,
everyone by another and everyone by his neighbour.
So what's it saying here?
Your neighbour is oppressing you
and you're oppressing your neighbour.
People are turning against one another
when authority structures are not in place.
Again, if a pastor is not calling the shots in the church,
you know what's going to happen?
Brother so-and-so is going to be arguing
with other brother so-and-so,
sister so-and-so is going to be fighting
with sister so-and-so about how to run the church.
And you're not going to see eye to eye.
And that's, again, why you create these church splits.
Because people want to overthrow the authority,
and before you know it,
they just want to oppress one another.
Like, you know, the last thing I want
as a pastor is to oppress you.
All I want to do as your pastor
is to preach you God's word
and for you to have your eyes on Jesus
and to touch your hearts
and maybe give you some wisdom.
Maybe something that you can walk away and say,
Lord, I can make a change in my life
and be more like Jesus Christ
after this church service.
That's all I hope for.
I don't want to control your life.
I don't want to control your families.
But are there pastors that are like that?
Of course.
Of course there are pastors like that.
And I tell you now,
all it does, it causes oppression.
It strips away your liberties
when you allow someone to take authority
over your life in that manner.
Now, again, this idea of everyone by another,
everyone by his neighbor.
So it says, look,
and the child shall behave himself proudly
against the ancients
and the base against the honorable.
Okay, so you have young people
who do not honor older people, the ancients,
those that are of a, you know, of a later age.
And if we should always honor and respect
those that have lived longer than us,
those that have more experience than we do,
but of course, when you've got these
puffed up teenagers or children here,
they're not going to honor those
that have gone before them.
They're going to appreciate the suffering
and the hard work and the labor
that other people have gone before them
to give them what they have.
And today in this generation,
we've got people, you know,
what are we up to now?
Generation, I don't even know anymore.
Generation Z.
What are we?
I don't know anymore, right?
But we have young people
that just don't honor authority,
don't honor the generations
that have come before.
And instead of, you know,
fixing themselves,
instead of making themselves better people,
they feel like society owes them something
just because they live,
just because they survive,
just because they breathe air,
but they've never done anything
worthy of admiration.
All they can do is tear down
generations that have come before them.
And you've got also there
at the anniversary of five,
it says in the base against the honorable.
The base.
That's like the basic,
like the scum, right?
So you might think of in our society
who are the scum in our society
might be, you know,
drug addicts, right?
Drug dealers and prostitutes.
Well, these people
who are the scum society
are lifting themselves up
against the honorable, right?
The people that are trying
to do what is best,
the people that are trying
to do the best for the Lord,
trying to do best for society,
trying to work hard
and just be honorable
and honest in their daily,
you know, actions.
You've got the base people,
those that are of a lower level,
those that are the scum of the earth
looking down upon those
that are honorable.
You know, and when I get this idea
and I'm reminded again,
I'm sorry for bringing up
COVID so many times,
but what this verse reminds me,
neighbor against neighbor.
Again, why is neighbor against neighbor?
Because the authority is falling apart, right?
The leaders are not leading
how they ought to.
And what do we happen?
What happened in the great
state of New South Wales?
You know, when we had,
and look, I'm going to look,
what was the name?
What was our, our, our, our premiere?
Gladys, during the, during COVID.
Gladys, Gladys Berejeklian.
And look, it's amazing
because everybody prayed.
Oh, what a great premiere.
But then we find out later
that she's basically
under the servitude of a boyfriend.
Like, what is that?
Like, you know, she was,
you know, you know,
caving in and sending money
to things that her boyfriend,
politician wanted her to,
like, she's not a leader, right?
And we're going to look later on
that, you know,
when it comes to women leaders,
women are not called
to be in positions
of leadership over men.
This adds to the oppression, right?
When you've got a wife
calling the shots over her husband,
look, it's going to destroy the marriage.
It's going to hurt the marriage.
It leads to divorce.
And look, and again,
what we see here,
it's the people are oppressed.
You know, when the wife
is in charge of the husband,
the husband's oppressed.
And look, and the wife is not happy,
because God's created her
to be submissive to a leader,
whether that leader is a father
or that leader is a husband.
That's her natural position.
And when she absorbs authority
over the man,
when she lifts herself up,
look, she's going to be depressed.
She's not going to be happy.
And yeah,
the husband's not going to be happy.
The father's not going to be happy
in that situation.
But what happened?
You had Gladys Berejiklian,
I can't even say her name,
all right?
Calling the shots during COVID.
And what happened to this great state?
Neighbour against neighbour,
vaccinated against unvaccinated, right?
I mean, most of my church,
I believe, are unvaccinated.
But even I was here,
we were much,
oh, the vaccinators,
they're such sheeple.
Why do they just go along
with the narrative?
Why are you getting mad at your neighbour?
They're being put in a corner
to either take that jab
or lose their work
and lose their ability
to provide for their family.
They've been put in a bad place
and then you've got the unvaccinated
or the vaccinated against the,
ah, they're so selfish,
they're not getting vaccinated.
Don't know how serious
the situation is.
And you've got neighbouring,
I've never had that attitude.
I had church members say,
pastor, I know I shouldn't take it,
but I've taken it
because I have to provide it.
Look, I don't care,
you don't have to tell me.
I'm not some priest
that you've confessed your sins to
or something like that, right?
You serve the Lord,
this body's going to die,
it's going to perish,
it's going to the grave,
it's not going to heaven with you.
So what's the big deal?
I mean,
God is more concerned
about the sins that come from your heart,
that come from within your heart,
okay,
than what is put into your body.
You know that story of Jesus Christ.
But that's what happens
when you've got poor leadership.
Instead of the people
turning around and saying,
hey, Gladys,
you're doing a horrible job
here in our state.
You've got neighbour against neighbour,
vaccinated against unvaccinated,
completely losing sight
of what's happening to our state,
what's happening to our nation.
So what about a prime minister
who was a man,
yeah, he was a Pentecostal,
charismatic man.
What do you expect?
And what about a prime minister today?
He couldn't even keep his first marriage.
His wife left him.
Think about that.
He's meant to be the head of his wife.
And his wife said,
ah, you're not a good leader,
and I can't even submit
under your leadership.
But somehow the entire nation
wants to submit
under the leadership of this man.
That's crazy.
I mean,
a pastor's qualification
is to be the husband of one wife
having faithful children,
okay.
I mean,
if that's the qualification for a pastor,
how much more are the qualifications
for a man who's leading the nation
and his wife doesn't want to be with him?
And now I don't want him
as a prime minister.
Man, you can't even take care of one woman.
All right.
I mean,
but this is the leadership that we have
because Australia is going down a bad path,
right.
I mean,
we read about Israel going down a bad path,
and that's horrible,
but we need to take the lessons here
and look at our nation
and see what's happening.
And look,
I can't change our government.
That's in God's hands.
But what I can do as a pastor
is at least preach God's Word
to how God feels about a situation
and then it's up to you
to see how you're going to live your life
according to God's ways.
Because we're going to see later in this chapter
that even in a deteriorating nation
like Australia is,
if you do what is right,
God's going to look after you.
We'll soon see this in this chapter,
okay.
But verse number six,
it says,
when a man shall take hold of his brother
of the house of his father,
thou hast clothing,
be thou our ruler,
and let this ruin be under thine hand.
So,
things are so bad
that people don't even have clothes.
That's how bad God's judgment
is going to fall upon this nation.
Whether it's just like
we saw lack of food,
there's going to be a lack of clothes.
And when they see a man
who just has clothes on,
they're going to say,
look,
you should run the nation.
Like,
what qualifications do I have?
I don't know,
but you've got clothes.
You're doing better than most people.
Maybe you need to run the place.
How does he respond?
He says in verse number seven,
in that day shall he swear,
saying,
I would not be an healer.
Because look,
I can't heal the nation.
For in my house is neither bread nor clothing,
make me not a ruler of the people.
Because look,
I'm not that well off like you think I am.
I'm not doing that great either.
This is all I've got.
This one shirt,
this one pair of pants,
this one jacket is all I've got.
Don't make me the ruler of this people.
Again,
out of desperation,
any ruler will do.
Out of desperation,
oh,
that man couldn't keep his wife?
Any ruler will do.
Who cares?
Right?
Oh,
you know,
women are not a soap authority over the man.
Any ruler will do.
Glad it's very clear.
And who's our female prime minister?
Gillard.
You know,
anything will do when we're desperate.
But they're unqualified.
And look,
again,
what lessons can we take out of this?
Let's say I passed away tonight,
okay,
and this church had no pastor.
What can happen?
What can happen sometimes amongst churches
is,
all right,
well,
who's the most righteous?
Right?
Who's got the clothing on?
Who looks like they could make them the best pastor?
Let's just make you the pastor.
Let's just lay our hands on you as a congregation
and make you the pastor
and not go through the proper procedures.
Not looking at the qualifications.
Not letting a pastor or a day in the past
when churches are starting churches.
People sometimes just out of desperation
just do what is wrong,
even when they are,
even when they have the right intentions.
But I'm trying to show you,
you know,
you're better off in a situation like that
where we say,
look,
we just don't have a man at the moment,
is be patient.
The Lord knows.
Like the Lord knows we need leadership.
We need to make sure
that we put the right leader in place.
Verse number eight.
It says,
For Jerusalem is ruined
and Judah is fallen.
Now,
is Judah actually fallen at this stage?
No.
That's speaking about the Babylonian captivity to come.
The destruction of the city.
But again,
when God speaks prophetically,
many times he speaks in the past tense.
And the reason for this,
it's a full-gone conclusion.
Even though God has given them a warning for Isaiah,
he's given them many generations to get right,
he gives them the chance,
God knows ahead of time,
it's ruined.
It's not going to change.
And that's why you've got this prophecy
in the past tense.
It says,
Because their tongue
and their doings are against the Lord
and provoke the eyes of his glory.
So that's why.
That's why it's ruined.
Because their tongues and their doings,
what they do is against the Lord.
And brethren,
as our nation continues to turn their eyes
and their doings against the Lord,
this nation is going to continue to deteriorate.
It's going to be worse for our children
than it is for us.
And it's going to be worse for our grandchildren
and then our great grandchildren
as the generations go by.
This is just how God judges the nation.
If he sees the people far from him,
then it's guaranteed destruction for the nation.
Guaranteed poverty.
Guaranteed economic collapse.
You know?
But look, again, as God's people,
we need to be careful.
Let's not just go down this toilet
with the rest of them.
Let's stay righteous.
Let's continue meeting in church.
Let's continue reading our Bibles.
Let's continue winning souls.
Because it's usually at times of desperation
when people are more receptive.
Right?
Like when people are doing well in life.
You know, when people have plenty of money
in their bank accounts.
That's not the time when they're searching the Lord.
It's usually when God has to humble a people
where people are willing to go,
Lord, I need your help.
And that's when we need people
like the church here,
Blessed of Baptist Church,
and other good churches
that preach the right gospel.
That's when we need them to go out, you know,
and reach the hearts of people
that are in desperation.
But verse number nine,
it says,
The show of their countenance
doth witness against them,
and they declare,
this is crazy,
they declare their sin as Sodom.
They hide it not.
Woe unto their soul,
for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
So we see, look,
the nation,
they've lost the shame of their sin
and all their sin is on show.
What we learn about Sodom
is that Sodom,
they just let their sin go on show.
We know the great sin of Sodom
was sodomy, homosexuality, right?
Today, I mean,
for the life of me,
never would have imagined
there'd be an alphabet community,
LGBT,
and I don't know what the other letters are,
community, right?
With, you know,
in my, when I was a kid,
and I feel like I wasn't even a kid
that long ago, right?
Faggots were mocked, right?
I mean,
if you were caught a faggot,
right, like,
you're just claiming,
like you're saying
the worst thing about somebody,
like, yeah, it's like,
it's so,
you say like,
that's the most horrible thing
that I can call you,
right?
But now,
instead of,
you know,
these sodomites being in the closet,
they've come out of the closets.
It's on show, right?
It says they declare their sin as Sodom.
They hide it not.
And here in Sydney,
what again,
the LGBT,
gay, lesbian Mardi Gras,
you know,
people march in the streets,
you know,
doing their celebration,
showing how wicked
and how filthy they are.
There is no shame.
And then you've got
the rest of Sydney celebrating,
oh wow,
you know,
you're so brave,
you're so bold,
well done.
Look,
it's,
God hates it.
Look,
I don't know.
Look,
Judah had 100 and something years,
all right,
160 years,
let's say,
let's give him the maximum time.
I don't know.
I mean,
I'm not going to be in 160 years,
but
I wouldn't be surprised if this country
is not standing the way that it is now.
Look,
we have a lot of blessings on this land,
but the sin is on show.
You know,
brethren,
this also tells us that,
you know,
because we sin.
We sin,
we're sinners,
we make mistakes.
And just be a reminder,
just how much God hates it
when you sin
and you're just prideful about it.
You know,
again,
just a reminder,
brethren,
when you do wrong,
you go to the Lord,
say,
Lord, I'm sorry.
A lot of confesses sin to you.
Again,
I just want to keep telling you that,
okay?
Because I want you to be
walking with the Lord
every day of your life.
I don't want you to become so prideful
and so hardened at your sin
that you can't go to the Lord.
And brethren,
look,
God will chastise you.
You can't lose your salvation,
praise God.
All your sins have been paid for
in Jesus Christ.
Once again,
you can lose your fellowship.
You can lose your walk
with our Lord Jesus Christ.
So brethren,
the same,
okay,
we can say something about
the wickedness of a nation,
but again,
let's take the lessons
and apply it to us.
Let's not hide our sins.
Lord, when I've sinned,
Lord, I have,
I'm sorry.
You know,
I'm sorry,
Lord, I'm coming to you.
Forgive me.
You know,
help me to walk righteously.
Help me not to have
a prideful attitude.
Verse number 10, please.
Now this is the part,
okay,
this is the part where you might think,
man,
I'm living in Sydney,
LGBT.
I mean,
just a situation we heard
from Tim before service.
Like if they were hiding,
we would not even know that story.
I mean,
it's just,
they're publicly showing,
you know,
their pride against God.
That's why,
that's why it's called
gay pride,
because they're proud
against the Lord God.
But you should be
verse number 10 in this story.
Say ye to the righteous,
that it shall be well with him,
for they shall eat the fruits
of their doings.
Okay,
so look,
if you're righteous,
and you are righteous positionally,
but if you live a life
that pleases the Lord,
you know,
you live a whole life,
even when this nation
is going down the toilet,
literally,
okay,
you know,
you can still stand,
and God sees the righteous.
God will reward you
for the good things that you do.
So don't give up,
don't give up,
all right,
like,
don't be like,
ah,
pastor,
it's going one direction,
and what's the point of me
living righteously,
because God sees your righteousness.
God sees your acts.
You know that Christ is going to reward us
when he returns,
with eternal promises,
with eternal treasures in heaven.
So just continue,
continue walking with him,
don't give up.
So the righteous,
it'll be well with him,
but,
verse number 11,
woe unto the wicked,
it shall be ill with him,
for the reward of his hands
shall be given him.
Now,
we do see this play out,
keep your finger there,
and come with me to Jeremiah 38,
come with me to Jeremiah 38,
we're going to look at King Zedekiah,
so when Judah was finally defeated
by the Babylonians,
he was King Zedekiah,
he's the last king
before the captivity,
and Jeremiah preaches to Zedekiah,
King Zedekiah,
in Jeremiah 38,
Jeremiah 38,
and verse number 17,
Jeremiah 38,
and verse number 17,
I just want you to see
how this is applicable
to King Zedekiah,
and of course it's applicable to us,
right?
We want to be,
we want to make sure
the Lord blesses our lives,
again, by doing righteously,
even when our nation
is doing what is wicked.
But in Jeremiah 38, 17,
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah,
Thus saith the Lord,
the God of hosts,
the God of Israel,
if thou will assuredly go forth
unto the king of Babylon's princes,
then thy soul shall live,
and this city
shall not be burned with fire,
and thou shall live
and thine house.
He says to King Zedekiah,
Zedekiah look,
just surrender to Nebuchadnezzar,
just surrender to,
it's the wrath of God,
it's the judgment of God,
okay?
You're not really giving yourself,
you're not humbling yourself
as it were
to a foreign nation
by surrendering,
you're humbling yourself
before God,
and things will go well with you,
he says, right?
Thou shall live in thine house,
your whole family will do well,
Zedekiah,
if you just surrender.
Verse 118,
but if thou will not go forth
to the king of Babylon's princes,
then shall this city be given
into the hand of the Chaldeans,
and they shall burn it with fire,
and thou shall not escape
out of their hand.
And look at verse 119,
he says,
and Zedekiah the king
said unto Jeremiah,
I am afraid of the Jews,
that are fallen to the Chaldeans,
lest they deliver me into their hand
and they mock me.
Look,
it's going to go well with you
if you do what is right,
Zedekiah,
just surrender,
it's God's judgment,
but if you rebel,
okay,
you go up against the Babylonians,
right,
which is God's judgment again,
look,
it's not going to go well for you,
he says,
look,
I'm afraid,
I'm afraid of the Jews,
Brethren,
why is it that sometimes
we don't do righteously?
Because we're afraid of being mocked,
right,
we're afraid,
what are people going to say about me?
What,
you went to church on a Thursday night?
Don't you know the state of origin was on?
I don't know,
I don't know when,
I don't know when it's on,
but it's normally on a Thursday,
isn't it?
Right,
it went,
I don't know,
see,
that's how little I know,
right,
my church,
you go to church,
you give 10 percent,
you give your tithe,
so the house,
what is wrong with you?
Right,
what,
you haven't,
you're still in your first marriage
after 20,
30 years,
what's,
you know,
but you know,
that's the world,
the world mocks righteousness,
and look,
if you're not strong with the Lord,
if you're not walking faithfully with him,
you will give in to peer pressure,
you will be afraid of being mocked,
of what the Jews,
or what the people have to say about you,
well,
I've been there,
I'm not,
I'm not here saying,
look,
I'm a pastor,
I've always stood up for the Lord,
I know growing up in life,
I was mocked,
I felt peer pressure,
and I had to give in,
and I know I displeased the Lord,
okay,
like it happens,
and again,
we can say,
oh,
Zedekiah,
Jews,
yeah,
but it's we,
we have gone through this,
you know,
we're going to feel those pressures in life,
do I do righteously,
or do I do wickedly,
you're still there in Jeremiah 38,
verse number 20,
but Jeremiah said,
they shall not deliver thee,
obey I beseech thee,
the voice of the Lord,
which I speak unto thee,
so it shall be well unto thee,
and thy soul shall live,
Zedekiah,
this is going to save your life,
things are going to go well with you in Babylon,
if you just surrender,
if you just do what is right,
if you just obey God's word,
and brethren,
it's the same God that we worship,
the same God that's in our midst right now,
is the same God that says to us,
obey me,
and it'll be well with you,
even in a wicked scenario,
even when the government's falling apart,
even when there's a foreign power,
and you're losing your liberties,
and you're losing your freedoms,
and you're feeling oppressed,
you know what,
nothing should change in our lives,
we should continue to just obey the Lord,
and God's promise is it'll be well with you.
Now, to keep long story short,
Zedekiah doesn't obey the Lord,
he doesn't surrender to the Babylonians,
and very quickly,
his children are taken before him,
they kill all his children,
in front of him,
they see,
he sees the Babylonian Chaldeans
kill all his children,
and then they blind his eyes.
So the last thing that he ever saw
was a slaughter of his children,
then he's taken into Babylonian,
thrown in prison,
eventually dies.
But God told him,
look,
things can go well for you and your family,
if you just obey God's word.
Okay, so again,
Isaiah's already ahead of the time,
telling him,
guys, come on,
just obey God,
just do what is right.
And what about Jeremiah?
Jeremiah was one that was arrested,
if you may recall the story,
temporarily,
okay,
because they,
you know,
obviously soldiers don't know
exactly who Jeremiah is,
they arrest him,
you know,
they put chains on him,
they start to lead him into captivity,
then he gets let free,
okay,
because he served the Lord,
he did righteously,
and he was given the option,
hey Jeremiah,
you get a choice,
hey,
come to Babylon,
things,
you know,
will take care of you in Babylon,
you know,
things,
you'll have everything you need in Babylon,
or if you rather stay here in the land,
we'll pay you,
we'll give you money,
Jeremiah,
like from the hand of the Babylonians.
It went well for Jeremiah,
but it didn't go well for Zedekiah,
and look,
we need to be the Jeremiah's,
we need to be the righteous,
even when our nation is so wicked,
and they don't hide the sin,
you know,
they're open about the sin,
the sin of Sodom.
Back to Isaiah 3,
verse number 12.
It says,
as for my people,
that's the Jews,
children are the oppressors,
which we saw,
and women rule over them.
Husbands,
you need to take charge of your family,
okay,
and again,
you know,
talk about the pendulum swing,
okay,
because we see such a destruction
of the family home,
and we see women wanting to take authority
over their husbands,
sometimes,
again,
as God's people,
I don't maintain everybody,
but I've seen,
I've heard these things,
where people are disrespectful toward women,
like, you know,
amongst church,
amongst God's people,
okay,
and treat women like they're rubbish,
and that's wrong.
That's like the pendulum's gone too much,
so it's swung back,
and you're now swinging the other way,
and you think women are just,
they should just be barefoot,
naked in the kitchen,
or something like that.
Look,
I've managed large teams,
lots of employees,
and before I made any strong decision,
you know who I spoke to?
My subordinates.
Hey team,
what do you think?
If we go this way,
if we do this,
if we do that,
what are your thoughts?
Okay,
you need to get feedback,
and husbands,
look,
you're leaders,
okay,
at the end of the day,
you're making the decision,
but you're making a decision
that's best for your wife,
and for your children,
for your family,
okay,
it's not like,
oh, I'm the leader,
so I don't care what you have to say,
okay,
you just sit there in the kitchen,
and cook me a meal,
while I just make all this,
look,
you need to talk,
you need to communicate,
but at the same time,
you end up calling the shot,
and look,
if you involve those that are under you
in your decision making,
not that they're making the decision for you,
but you're listening to their concerns,
they may have seen things
that you don't see,
okay,
and you involve them in the process,
they're going to feel like,
oh,
this is a good leader,
he does care for me,
it's not just what he wants,
he cares for the wife,
he cares for the children,
so I'm willing to be submissive under him.
Yeah,
true.
But sometimes men can go the other way,
and treat women like rubbish,
and I've heard it in this church,
so be careful what you say,
okay,
like women ought to be respected,
but I'm saying men,
you've got authority,
you call the shots,
you know,
and the whole problem with the feminist movement,
is they've made this idea that it's men versus women,
okay,
and it all started with women wanting to vote,
doesn't sound bad,
doesn't sound horrible,
it doesn't sound horrible,
but the reason the man could vote,
was because his vote was on behalf of his entire family,
this is not the vote of an individual,
this is the vote of my family,
this vote is what's best for me,
best for my wife,
best for my children,
because husbands and wife are one flesh,
but then the feminist movement said,
oh no,
women have been disrespected,
let's let them vote,
let's divide the one flesh into two,
and before you know it,
we are where we are today,
where a man can't work a single income,
pay a house,
okay,
because you're competing with twice as many in the population,
women at work,
okay,
instead of taking care of their families,
instead of taking care of their own,
greater income,
less resources,
the supply and demand ratios are out,
now you do need two adults working on a job,
to just afford the basic necessities of a house,
it all starts with,
oh women should vote,
okay,
well now you're dividing the family,
okay,
it wasn't about men versus women,
never was that,
we're a team,
we're one flesh,
that's how God created it to be,
man to lead,
women to be submissive,
it's not good for a man to be alone,
a man can't really function very well without a woman,
we're a team,
we work together,
what's going to be best for your husband,
is going to be best for you wife,
and now you got women,
glad he's very jickling,
whatever,
oh what a strong woman in politics,
no she's not,
once everything came out,
you could see that she was under the authority of a boyfriend,
and she's trying to rule over this state,
you know,
because why,
why is that,
because it is within a woman's natural,
chemistry,
to want to be led by a man,
and that's where you're going to be happiest ladies,
you know,
this feminist movement is nothing but corruption,
you know,
corruption against God's ways,
so I'm a feminist,
then you hate the Lord,
you hate his word,
you don't like how God set things up,
you don't like how God created things,
you know,
often the feminist movement talk about,
oh but look at the women in the Middle East,
how they're being treated,
they're being oppressed in the Middle East,
okay,
but they're not in the Middle East,
protesting are they,
they're protesting in western countries,
that have had Christian values,
and now you've seen the destruction of families,
destruction of homes,
children growing up without their dads,
single parents,
and then the government with their social,
what's it called,
the money,
the doll,
center link with a social aid,
you know,
we can't even afford looking after all these people,
you know,
all these,
there's not enough homes for those that are downtrodden,
because there's some,
look,
because a family in one house makes sense,
you've got a husband, wife, and children,
but now you've got single,
you've got those families broken up into pieces everywhere,
all needing a place to stay,
and then there's always a wonder,
oh why don't we have enough houses in Australia,
why is the affordability so difficult,
it's because if people just stay together as families,
marriages stay together,
you wouldn't need as many homes,
okay,
and they'd be more affordable,
and if the men are the ones working and laboring hard,
then you won't be competing with double the employees out there,
double the income,
where you have to then,
you know,
basically mortgage out your life to afford a house.
Where was I?
Verse number 12,
as for my people,
children are their oppressors,
and women rule over them,
that's not a positive attribute,
just in case,
oh that's a good thing,
no no no,
children are their oppressors,
and women rule over them,
oh my people,
they will lead thee,
so they which lead thee,
cause thee to err,
cause thee to make errors,
and destroy the way of thy paths,
this is why you've got,
come with me,
keep your finger there,
come with me to 1 Corinthians,
come with me to 1 Corinthians 11,
1 Corinthians 11,
I'll read to you from 1 Timothy 2 12,
that says,
but I suffer a woman not to teach,
nor,
it says this,
nor to assert authority over the man,
but to be in silence,
okay,
so that's the context of church of course,
but we're seeing the proper order of things,
nor to assert authority,
women are not to have authority over the man,
okay,
come with me to 1 Corinthians 11,
verse 3,
and if ladies,
if this is making you uncomfortable,
I hope it's not making you uncomfortable,
I hope you're like,
yeah that's awesome pastor,
that's God's word,
I love it,
I hope that's your attitude,
but see,
sometimes,
this has come from the media,
this has come from entertainment and Hollywood,
and those that hate God,
they've taken this view,
well if you're submissive to a man,
then you're less than a man,
like you're not worthy,
you're not equal,
look a woman is as equal to a man as anything else,
it's just that we have different roles,
we have different authority structures,
we have different levels,
is Jesus not equal to his father?
We believe in the trinity don't we,
one God, three persons,
is Jesus not as holy as his father?
Jesus is equal to the father and the holy spirit's equal,
that's why the trinity,
co-equal in glory,
is a term that is used to describe the trinity,
but does one have authority over the other?
Of course,
Jesus says,
not my will,
but thy will be,
thy will be done,
Jesus was submissive,
so why can't wives be submissive to their husbands?
It's not like you're something less,
you're equal,
you're equal to the man,
it's just that there are different structures,
different authorities,
you're there in first Corinthians 11,
look at verse number three,
first Corinthians 11 three,
but I would have you know,
that the head of every man is Christ,
a man in subjection,
men are in subjection to Christ,
it says,
and the head of the woman is the man,
oh I can't believe it,
well men are in subjection to Christ,
we're all in subjection to somebody,
and if you can't be in subjection to a man,
well look what it says about Jesus,
it says,
and the head of Christ is God,
that's the final word,
that's the father,
who's the head of Jesus?
The father,
so Jesus can be submissive to God,
so why can't wives be submissive to their husbands?
Jesus has come and set us an example
when he walked this earth,
and men and husbands,
you're submissive to Christ,
I know you have authority in your home,
but if you don't treat your wife properly,
if you don't raise your kids properly,
you're answerable to Jesus,
and wives,
if your husbands don't treat you properly,
if they don't love you the way they ought to,
you go to his boss,
you say dear Jesus,
I'm going to be submissive to my husband,
but you're the head over him,
and he's not treating me the way that he ought to,
can you please fix him,
I'm leaving it to you because you're in charge Jesus,
we're all submissive to somebody,
but when you break that chain of authority,
that's when a nation collapses,
that's when churches collapse,
that's when any institution collapse,
when you break the authority,
like if you're the boss,
if you're running a business,
you're taking out the loans,
you're taking all the risks,
and then the employees start bossing you around,
that company is going to collapse,
right, I mean that's just how it is,
God's got authority structures,
and the right thing to do is honor
what God put in his word,
you want to have the happiest marriage,
happiest family life,
just do things God's way,
men don't be afraid,
be leaders,
and look are you going to make mistakes,
yes you will,
because we're human beings,
and when you make a mistake,
don't blame your wife like Adam,
is that what happened,
God came to Adam,
oh I was the wife that you gave me,
he goes to the wife,
oh I was the devil that made me do it,
oh look men,
if you're a leader,
you take accountability for what you do right,
and even for what you do wrong,
and when you mess up,
you say yep I messed up,
and one thing I found,
when you're an authority,
you can be afraid to say guys are messed up,
but when you do that in authority,
it's a show of humility,
and people honor that,
it's like well okay you messed up,
let's do it right next time,
all right we made a mistake,
all right let's just do it the right way,
all right dad you made the wrong call
in that situation,
let's just do the right thing now,
and people get behind you,
when you're willing to just be humble,
and say yeah you know what,
I was trying to do what is right,
but I made a mistake,
sorry guys,
back to Isaiah 3 verse number 13,
the Lord standeth up to plead,
and standeth to judge the people,
so God is pleading to the people,
hey get right with me,
through the prophet Isaiah,
but he's also the judge,
if you don't get right with me,
I'm going to judge you for your wicked acts,
verse number 14,
the Lord will enter into judgment,
with the ancients of his people,
and the princes thereof,
for you have eaten up the vineyard,
the spoil of the poor is in your houses,
what mean you that you beat my people to pieces,
and grind the faces of the poor,
sayeth the Lord God of hosts,
now what are you speaking about here,
this is why we see another parallel
with the book of Leviticus,
keep your finger there,
come with me to Leviticus 19,
Leviticus 19,
so what we see in these verses,
was how God was judging them,
because of how they treated the poor in the land,
he says look you've eaten up the vineyard,
what does that mean,
like we know they're farmers,
and I guess they're growing grapes,
and what have you,
and they're being judged
for eating up the vineyard,
and that's what it says,
why do you grind the faces of the poor,
because God had a plan for the poor on the land,
and you read about here,
Leviticus 19 verse 9,
and when you reap the harvest of your land,
thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field,
neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest,
God says look when you plant a vineyard,
whatever you've got on your field,
whatever you've got on your land,
and you go and you reap,
don't reap every single corner,
leave them alone,
just reap what's in the inside,
and anything that falls,
anything that you miss,
like the gleaning,
just know thou shalt not gather the gleanings,
just leave it,
leave it all there,
take the majority,
take what is easy,
you don't have to go to all the edges,
and take everything,
and anything that falls on the ground,
just leave it as it is,
so God is still saying look as the worker,
you've worked hard,
you've labored,
take basically the most of it for yourself,
but leave some of it there,
why should you leave some of it there?
Because in verse number 10 he says,
and thou shalt not glean thine vineyard,
neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard,
thou shalt leave them,
why?
For the poor and stranger,
I am the Lord your God.
See this is how God dealt with
the poor,
okay,
so you know if you worked hard,
you labored,
you had vineyard,
you had possessions,
praise God,
you're blessed on the land,
but God wanted you to also be mindful of the poor,
I'm not going to take everything off my land,
just in case a poor person walks by and they're hungry,
they can eat of my vineyard,
just in case a stranger,
someone from another land is passing through,
and they get hungry,
we don't want these people to just drop dead,
and be begging and to lose their lives on this situation,
God said let's make sure we take care of those that are in need,
and that was God's way,
so it's about caring for the poor,
but what do we see Isaiah 3,
they don't care,
they've eaten up the vineyard,
they've taken it all for themselves,
they don't care about the poor,
and of course when God sees this attitude,
this behavior,
his right to judge them.
Back to Isaiah 3 verse 16,
Moreover the Lord saith,
because the daughters of Zion,
these are the women,
well this makes sense,
because the women are ruling over the men in this situation,
it says are haughty,
that means they're lifted up prideful,
they walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go,
and making a tinkling with their feet,
okay so they wanted these women,
they want to be the boss,
these are the wives,
they want to be in charge of their husbands,
these are the daughters,
they want to command their parents,
and they're walking around tinkling with their feet,
so as they walk there's a little sound,
I guess they've got like an ankle bracelet,
maybe with bells on it or something,
as they walk you hear them walking in the streets,
but they're prideful,
God has seen the women of the land,
they are full of pride.
I mean it's not a coincidence
that we're seeing prideful women,
and the sodomites,
in Australia,
right,
and in the land,
okay,
it shows us how far gone we are as a nation,
and then it says verse number 17,
oh God must love that,
equality,
you know whatever it is,
women's rights,
God must love it,
well it says,
therefore the Lord will smite with a scab
the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
God's going to hit them over the head,
and leave a scab,
and the Lord will discover their secret parts,
secret parts will make their private parts,
so they're all,
you soon see they're all dressed,
they look fancy,
they're all dressed up,
they've got makeup,
and all this jewelry and stuff that's on them,
but God is showing them,
look,
you're whores,
like whoredom has filled the land,
you think you're pretty on the outside,
but God is showing,
look,
he's essentially publicly shaming them
for their fornication,
adultery,
and whoredoms,
okay,
and then God speaks about him like this,
in verse number 18,
in that day,
the Lord will take away the bravery
of their tinkling ornaments,
that day is, of course,
when they fall in the hands of the Babylonians,
about their feet,
and their call,
some of these things,
I don't know,
and their calls,
I looked this up,
apparently it's something you could wear in your head,
and the round tires,
like the myrd,
I don't know if these are like
massive earrings or something,
I'm not sure what these round tires are,
okay,
but God's going to like strip all this stuff away from them,
the chains,
and the bracelets,
and the mufflers,
isn't that on cars?
It must be some feature,
right,
something that got on,
the bonnets,
and the ornaments of the legs,
and the headbands,
and the tablets,
and the earrings,
the rings,
the nose jewel,
they got nose rings as well,
so all these women,
they're all dressed up,
it's crazy,
because the land is suffering,
like,
there's an economy,
there's an economic collapse,
food is getting less,
even remember clothes,
like you got clothes,
but all these women,
they go shopping,
right,
they've got all their things,
they spent all their money,
instead of spending their money on the necessities of life,
they spent all their money on dressing themselves,
looking fancy,
and some of these things aren't sinful in and of themselves,
you need to understand,
obviously having something nice to wear,
wearing some jewelry,
those are horrible things,
but what God is pointing out,
you want to look great on the outside,
but you're horrible within,
you're horrible prideful people,
rebellious people,
verse 122,
the changeable suits of apparel,
they've got multiple,
you know,
garments in their wardrobes,
and the mantels,
and the wimples,
I don't know,
and the crisp,
crisp in pins,
I think that's something for the hair,
the glasses,
that's mirrors by the way,
so they're looking at themselves,
oh, you know,
I'm looking nice,
the mirrors,
the glasses,
and the fine linen,
and the hoods,
and the veils,
and it shall come to pass,
that instead of sweet smell,
so they've got perfume on,
instead of sweet smell,
there shall be stink,
look,
you're not going to look this nice,
once Babylon takes you over,
you're not going to be this dressed up,
you're not going to smell nice,
you're not going to have this public display anymore,
people are going to smell your stench,
and instead of a girdle,
a rinse,
you're going to have ripped clothes,
instead of a belt,
and instead of well-set hair boldness,
you're going to lose your hair,
and instead of a stomach oaf,
grinding a grain of sackcloth,
I'm not sure,
and burning instead of beauty,
look,
if someone knows what these things are,
let me know later on,
okay,
I tried my best to figure some of these out,
now,
keep your finger there,
come with me to 1 Peter chapter 3,
1 Peter chapter 3,
verse number 1,
1 Peter chapter 3,
verse number 1,
so as you're tuned there,
these rebellious women,
okay,
they're out shopping,
they're spending all the money on jewelry,
clothing,
to look fancy,
I guess what they really needed is more ovens,
because you've got 10 women trying to use one oven,
and they spend it on all their fancy shoes,
and fancy clothing,
fancy hairdos,
again,
is there anything wrong with those things in of themselves,
I don't want,
I don't want to send the wrong message here,
okay,
like,
I'll give you an example,
say why,
sometimes within the independent fundamental Baptist movement,
we can become so strict on man's traditions,
I'll give you one example,
I want to be careful,
because I don't want to,
they could be listening,
I don't want to make them feel horrible,
but there was a parent that didn't want their daughter to wear earrings at all,
no earrings,
why,
God doesn't like earrings,
and I was a Sunday school teacher,
and I went for a passage where,
God is speaking how he beautified Israel,
the nations,
and he uses illustrative language of how he clothed,
you know,
how a woman gets clothed,
and he says,
you know,
I put earrings into your ears,
and God is saying that about the nation,
like it's,
of course,
again,
it's an illustration,
God didn't actually put earrings on Israel,
but the point is,
it's a positive attribute,
right,
and then this girl is like,
but hold on,
my parents said that earrings are wrong,
earrings are bad,
and I was like,
oh no,
what do I do?
I was like,
well,
you know,
you can see this is an illustration,
but you as a child,
you need to obey your parents,
that's what the Lord wants,
you know,
but that girl later on grew up,
and rebelled against her parents,
you know,
because it wasn't just the ear,
it was many things,
that she felt she was following the Bible,
or God's ways,
but it was just a bad teaching,
or bad interpretation of the parents,
became so rebellious,
and now,
I won't even go into her life,
but she would describe the woman
that we're reading about here in Isaiah 3,
you know,
and so just,
again,
that pendulum swing,
we got to be balanced as God's people,
okay,
you don't want to become so strict,
then now you're living like,
like you're addressing your daughters,
like Muslim women,
Islamic women,
or you know,
they look like,
Amish,
or Mennonite ladies,
and they can't have colors,
because that might be,
you know,
to appeal into the eye,
or something like that,
we have to be careful to be balanced,
in everything,
brethren,
in everything in our lives,
but first Peter chapter three,
verse number one,
first Peter chapter three,
verse number one,
likewise you wives,
be in subjection to your own husbands,
that's what the Bible says,
you know,
that's God's word,
that if any obey not the word,
they also may without the word,
be won by the conversation of the wives,
while they behold your chaste conversation,
coupled with fear,
and verse number three,
is what I wanted to show you,
who's adorning,
so this is how you should adorn yourself,
let it not be that outward adorning,
of plating the hair,
and of wearing of gold,
or of putting on of apparel,
so you see that all wearing of gold,
they're like,
say don't wear jewelry,
okay,
but then it says,
or put on the apparel,
so it's saying also don't put on clothes,
no,
it's saying these are not the things
that your life ought to be about,
you should not think of yourself as something
based on what is on the outward,
but based on what is on the inward,
that's what it says in verse number four,
but let it be the hidden man of the heart,
in that which is not corruptible,
even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight of God,
of great price,
ladies have it a meek and quiet spirit,
being in subjection to your husbands,
God says that's great price,
girls that's valuable,
that's rare,
that's special,
then he says in verse number five,
for after this manner,
in the old time,
the holy women also,
who trusted in God,
adorn themselves,
how they adorn themselves,
being in subjection unto their own husbands,
oh she adorned herself,
oh what was she wearing,
no, no, no,
she adorned herself
by being submissive to her husband,
that's what made her beautiful,
she was not rebellious,
she was not an Isaiah to the free woman,
she was not trying to run the government,
she was not trying to cause oppression,
these women of the old time,
the holy women of old,
Sarah, et cetera,
these women,
they were exceptional women,
because they were subjection,
under subjection to their husbands,
and look for ladies,
it's not that hard to be seen by God
as something so precious and so valuable,
if you say you know what,
I'm just going to submit myself to my husband,
you know what,
I'm going to be his help,
I'm going to encourage,
I'm not going to shut him down,
I'm not going to get around my friends
and start criticizing my husband,
I'm sure you've got plenty of things
to criticize your husband about,
and I'm sure your husband has plenty of things
to criticize you about,
okay,
but we should love one another,
we're one flesh,
you say bad things about your husband,
that looks bad on you,
because you're one flesh,
and husbands,
you talk bad about your wives to your friends,
that looks bad on you,
because you're the leader,
you're in charge,
you can't be like,
oh but my wife,
you're the leader,
you're in charge of that,
Isaiah 3 please,
25,
Isaiah 3 25,
thy men shall fall by the sword,
and thy mighty in the war,
that's the war against the Babylonians,
we know that happens,
and her gates shall lament and mourn,
and she being desolate,
shall sit upon the ground,
so now God's transferred the idea of these women,
these rebellious women,
he's now likening the entire city
as this rebellious woman,
that's what it says,
and her gates,
the gates of Jerusalem,
shall lament and mourn,
they were destroyed,
the walls were destroyed,
the city was destroyed,
and she being desolate,
speaking about the city of Jerusalem,
shall sit upon the ground,
okay,
now last reference,
come back with me to Leviticus chapter 26,
Leviticus chapter 26,
we read from it not long ago,
Leviticus 26,
we read verse,
did we read it?
I'm sure we did.
Oh yeah,
we read verses 21 and 26,
but just to continue then,
Leviticus 26 31,
God again showing how if they disobey the law,
they don't walk in his ways,
the destruction that's going to fall upon them,
in verse number 31,
Leviticus 26 31,
and oh make your cities waste,
and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation,
and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours,
remember we saw that before,
where they smelt nice,
but now they stink,
God's not going to smell that sweetness anymore,
and their sanctuaries are brought to desolation,
all right,
that's what we saw about in verse number 26 of Isaiah 3,
and she being desolate,
shall sit upon the ground,
verse number 32,
Leviticus 26 32,
and I will bring the land into desolation,
and your enemies which dwell therein,
shall be astonished at it,
like people are going to be like,
wow this nation of God got destroyed,
like what,
how bad could they have gotten,
where God would judge them and destroy them,
verse number 33,
and I will scatter you among the heathen,
and withdraw out a sword after you,
and your land shall be desolate,
and your cities waste,
look and I will scatter you among the heathen,
they were taken into captivity by the Babylonians,
they were scattered,
don't tell me Israel today deserves that land,
they're far from the Lord,
they hate Jesus Christ,
the right thing for them is to be scattered among the heathen,
which they were,
and which they still are,
most Jews don't want to live in Israel,
because it's a place of desolation,
like this Zionist movement,
oh that's their land,
the Jews,
they don't walk with the Lord,
look if they love the Lord,
if they serve Jesus Christ,
you might have a point,
but then that's God's business to give them the land,
it's not the UN's business to give them the land,
it's not the British Empire's business to give them the land,
it's not the President of the United States to give them that land,
that's God's business,
but look if Israel are not walking the Lord,
they should be scattered amongst the heathen,
I'm not, I'm an anti-Zionist,
I'm against it,
I'm not saying they should be wiped out and destroyed and killed,
they should be saved,
okay but that's not their land,
as long as they're not right with God that's not their land,
verse number 34,
and then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths,
now very quickly,
we know that when Jeremiah,
in Jeremiah's time when they were taken to captivity,
God said the reason it's 70 years,
is because your land lost 70 years of Sabbath,
every seventh year the land was to be left alone to recover,
to be given a time of rest,
God's time already ahead of time in Leviticus,
the reason you're going to lose your land is because it needs a Sabbath,
it needs to be rested,
because if you keep farming it uses all the nutrients,
and then what you're producing is of a low quality,
God has had time,
you need to give the land time to rest and recover,
so the nutrients can flow back in,
right so the dead,
not dead but the rotten apples and whatever,
grapes and whatever else,
is bringing nutrients back into the land,
I mean God's way is always perfect,
but because of greed,
let's say I don't want to give it a time of rest,
we need to maximize our profits,
let's just keep farming,
I'll read verse number 34 again,
then shall the land enjoy its Sabbath,
as long as it life desolate,
and ye be in your enemy's land,
yep in Babylon,
even then shall the land rest and enjoy its Sabbath,
as long as it life desolate it shall rest,
because it did not rest in your Sabbath,
when you dwell upon it,
okay it did not rest in your Sabbath,
now this is what's really interesting about the land today,
we know what the Sabbath represented don't we,
Sabbath represents rest,
a rest from works,
and it was a picture of our salvation,
that we are saved by faith not by works,
we rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ,
Jesus is our Sabbath,
so look as long as the Jews today,
don't respect and honor and love,
and saved by the right Sabbath,
Jesus Christ,
that land does not belong to them,
they should not be on that land,
it's not for them,
and then we wonder why they fight,
why is there so much turmoil,
well that's why,
because they keep disobeying the Lord,
and look I'm not happy people are getting killed,
I'm not rejoicing over that,
but you need to understand that's a consequence,
of a nation turning against the Lord,
and as we see Australia turning against the Lord,
what we saw earlier,
we as a righteous,
just do what is right,
God's going to reward you,
God's going to take care of you,
okay don't give up,
you keep walking faithfully the Lord,
all right let's pray.