Alrighty, good evening everyone. Welcome to church. Can I get you to grab your hymnals
and turn to hymn number 56. Turn to hymn number 56 when we all get to heaven. Hymn number
56.
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory.
When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory.
Let us be true and faithful, trust things that are near and dear.
Just one glimpse and we'll be glory, we'll come towards the light of day.
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory.
Onward to the fight before us to give in, to give we hope. To the holy gates of the low earth we shall tread the streets of God.
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory.
Amen.
Alrighty, can I get you to turn to hymn number 27. Hymn number 27, The Old Rugged Cross.
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the end of our suffering and shame.
In our land our old cross, in the dearest and best, for a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attention for me.
For the dear and old God left his glory above, to bear into dark hell the rain.
So I cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.
In the old rugged cross, stained with glass so divine, the world is as empty as the sea.
But on the old cross, Jesus suffered in life, to pardon and sanctify me.
So I cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.
To the old rugged cross, I will ever be true, his shame in his most gladly name.
May he call me someday, till I long far away, may his glory forever I'll share.
So I cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.
Thank you for reading. Can I get you to turn to hymn number 75?
Hymn number 75 on Jordan's Stormy Banks. Hymn number 75.
I am bound for the promised land. I am bound for the promised land.
Oh who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
For all those white extended plains, such wine eternal gain,
live on the sun forever rent, a ecstatic light of grain.
I am bound for the promised land. I am bound for the promised land.
Oh who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
For all those white extended plains, such wine eternal gain,
live on the sun forever rent, a ecstatic light of grain.
I am bound for the promised land. I am bound for the promised land.
Oh who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
For me shall I reach that happy place, and be forever blest.
Great shall I see my Father's place, and in His closer place.
I am bound for the promised land. I am bound for the promised land.
Oh who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
Alrighty, good singing. Time for the bobble reading now. Can I get you to turn in your bobbles to Nehemiah chapter 7?
Nehemiah chapter 7, and I'll get Matthias to come up and do the bobble reading.
Nehemiah chapter 7.
Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters, and the singers, and the Levites were appointed,
that I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot,
and while they stand by, let them shut the doors and bar them, and appoint watchers of the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
Now the city was large and grey, but the people were few therein, and their houses were not builded,
and my God put it into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy,
and I found to register the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein.
There are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away,
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah,
every one unto his city, who came with Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Ramiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan,
Mispereth, Bigvai, Nahum, Bana, the number I say of the men of the people of Israel was this,
the children of Parosh, two thousand and hundred seventy and two, the children of Sheftiah, three hundred seventy and two,
the children of Ara, six hundred fifty and two, the children of Pahath, Moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen,
the children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four, the children of Zatu, eight hundred forty and five,
the children of Zechai, seven hundred and three score, the children of Bunai, six hundred forty and eight,
the children of Bibi, six hundred twenty and eight, the children of Asghed, two thousand three hundred twenty and two,
the children of Adonikim, six hundred three score and seven, the children of Bigvai, two thousand three score and seven,
the children of Adon, six hundred fifty and five, the children of Attah of Hezekiah, ninety and eight,
the children of Hashim, three hundred twenty and eight, the children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four,
the children of Harith, one hundred and twelve, the children of Gibeon, ninety and five, the men of Bethlehem and Netiphah, one hundred four score and eight,
the men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty and eight, the men of Beth, Asmereth, four and two, forty and two,
the men of Kerjath, Jerim, Siraphir and Beroth, seven hundred forty and three, the men of Rama and Geba, six hundred twenty and one,
the men of Michmas, one hundred twenty and two, the men of Bethel of Aye, one hundred twenty and three,
the men of other Nebo, fifty and two, the children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty and four,
the children of Harim, three hundred twenty, the children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five,
The children of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 720 in one.
The children of Sina, 3930.
The priests, the children of Jediah, of their house of Jeshua, 970 in three.
The children of Imah, 1050 in two.
The children of Pashur, 1240 in seven.
The children of Harim, 1017.
The Levites, the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Harava, 70 in four.
The Functionaries, the children of Asaph, 140 in eight.
The Porters, the children of Shalom, the children of Adah, the children of Ta woman, the children of Ahub, children of Hatita, children of Sh thermai, 130 in eight.
The Nethinims, the children of Zeha, the children of Hashapha, the children of Taboa, Taboth,
the children of Keros, the children of Siah, the children of Padon, the children of Lebana,
the children of Hagaba, the children of Shammai, the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel,
the children of Geha, the children of Rhea, the children of Rezin, the children of Nicodah,
the children of Ghazim, the children of Uzzah, the children of Fazir, the children of Besai,
the children of Menunim, the children of Nefesen, the children of Bak, the children of Hakkufa,
the children of Haho, the children of Balith, the children of Mehida, the children of Hashah,
the children of Bakos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tama, the children of Neziah,
the children of Hatipha, the children of Solomon's servants, the children of Sotai,
the children of Sophareth, the children of Peridah, the children of Jallah, the children of Darkon,
the children of Giddel, the children of Sheftiah, the children of Hatil, the children of Phocareth,
of Zebaim, the children of Ammon, all the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants
were three hundred and ninety and two. And these were they which went up from Telmila, Tel Harasha,
Cherub, Adon, and Imma, but they could not show their father's house nor their seed whether they
were of Israel. The children of Deliah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nicodah,
six hundred and forty and two, and of the priests, the children of Habbiah, the children of Kos,
the children of Barzillay, which took off the daughters of Barzillay, the Giladat's wife,
and was called after their name. These sought their register among those that were working
by genealogy, but it was not found. Therefore they were, as polluted, put from their priesthood.
And the Tirithathah said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things,
till they stood a priest with Urim and Thumin. The whole congregation therefore was forty and
two thousand three hundred and three school. Beside their men servants and their maid servants,
of whom were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven, and they had two hundred forty and
live, five singing men and singing women, their horses seven hundred thirty and six,
their mules two hundred forty and five, their camels four hundred thirty and five, six thousand
seven hundred and twenty asses, and some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work.
The Tirithathah get to treasure a thousand grams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty
priests garments, and some of the children of the fathers gave unto the treasure of the world
twenty thousand grams of gold, and two thousand two hundred pounds of silver. And that which the
rest of the people gave was twenty thousand grams of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver,
and three score and seven priests garments. So the priests and the Levites and the porters and
the singers and some of the people and the Nethenim in all Israel, dwelt in their cities,
and when the seventh month came the children of Israel were in their cities. Let's pray.
Dear Lord, please help everyone to learn from the sermon and for everyone to go home safely,
and Jesus I pray, Amen.
Amen. Thank you Matias. Alright, I feel really bad. Brother Hayden was desperate to read Nehemiah
chapter seven, so I think I'm going to invite him again, just come here and do a reading one
more time. Before I get into the sermon, just a couple of things I want to mention. So I was here
for a few days during the week and the area needs a lot of cleaning. There's a lot of clutter,
there's a lot of things that needs to be taken care of, and so I just want to let you guys know
that if you've got anything in this building that's kind of important to you, maybe you've left it
around, it's valuable, or you know you brought it from home and you've left it here for some
reason, please make sure you take it with you. I'm not going to throw anything out till after Sunday,
but you know use the time, at least till Sunday, if you've got anything just laying around that's
yours and you want it at home, please take it home, otherwise it's probably going to end up in
the tip. Okay, so just keeping that in mind, the mother's baby room from Sunday, we want that back
to be a mother's baby room. Okay, so I don't want any kids running in there, I don't want anyone in
there unless you're a mother or your baby, all right, and by baby I mean diaper wearing, nappy
wearing, okay, that kind of age. Let's save that, that's coming from this Sunday, let's leave that
as a mother baby room, and it's kind of filthy in there, like I had a look at the carpets as well,
as I really felt like a, I don't know, like a damp stench that's in there, I can't explain it really
well, so I'm going to get rid of all that carpet that's there, we're going to relay it with new,
I don't know, probably not carpet, but probably something that's easier to clean, and I've asked
brother Rob Cladnick if he can have a look at flooring for me in that area, so I just want to
get that place cleaned up, if there's anything in that room that doesn't apply for a baby, you know,
again if it's yours, please take it home, otherwise it's probably going to end up in the tip as well,
and you know, I'm not trying, I'm not, you know, there's just, there's a lot of things that build
up, and even if you have a look at some of the food items that was back there, their past dates,
I didn't tell you all the story, but there was one time when I came here, I don't know, I'm going to
do it all now, let's just get into the sermon, I won't go into it all now, but yeah, you know, if
there's food items in here, please if you bring any food, please take it with you, okay, don't leave
drinks or food laying around, because once it goes past due date, especially if it's milk, it's
horrible, okay, so please if you bring in food, either chuck it in the bin or take it back home
with you, so we just need some some general housekeeping, making sure we keep things clean,
keeping things clutter free, I mean we're going to start taking down these posters, we've got,
you know, I don't know, I've never seen a bird in here, but apparently there are birds that come in
here, and they sit on these little, what do you call them, picture frames, and they sit there,
and they do their business, so it's, you know, we just need to not create an environment where
we allow the wildlife to come in here, and make a house for themselves, all right, let's just get
to Nehemiah, please, Nehemiah chapter 7, verse number 5, Nehemiah chapter 7, verse number 5,
it says, and my God put into mine heart together the nobles and the rulers and the people,
they might be reckoned by genealogy, and I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up
at the first, and found written therein, found written therein, the title for the sermon this
evening is, will you be found written, will you be found written, what is this about, well we know
we've been going through the Nehemiah series, we know that he's been come, he's coming to Jerusalem
to rebuild the walls, and as we start this chapter, the walls are finished, the project is done,
and then we have a look at the next responsibility, or the next thing that Nehemiah does, and that is
to look at the people, number the people, and look at the families and the tribes they've come from,
so let's start there in verse number 1, Nehemiah 7 verse 1, now it came to pass when the wall was
built, hey praise God it's done, and had set up the doors, and the porters, now if you don't know
what a porter is, it's kind of, it's, you've got a word in Spanish for door, which is a puerta,
and that's the same Latin root word for a porter, it's someone that is sort of stands there at the
door, when we think about a church, we are, some churches have ushers, and the usher greets someone
that walks into the church building, and then you know tells them where they can sit, so to make
things you know organised, and that's the idea, a porter is kind of like an usher, their
responsibility is to make sure people coming in and out of the gates of the door there, you know
fulfilling their business, they know where to go, they're kind of that general help in that area,
so it says porters, and then it says, and the singers, and the Levites were appointed, and then
we've got verse number 2, it says that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hanani are the ruler of the
palace, charged over Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many, so Nehemiah
has finished the work, now he's given responsibility to other people, to take care of the walls, the
gates, he's moving on from that, he's done the job, he's moving away from taking the responsibility
for the walls and the gates, now one thing that I found interesting here, was the first name that
was mentioned in verse number 2, and I gave my brother Hanani, so this is kind of something that
I didn't realise earlier, if you just go back to Nehemiah chapter 1, go back to Nehemiah chapter 1,
and don't forget the reason why this project was so heavy on the heart of Nehemiah, it comes to
light a little bit further here, if we remember who Hanani was, he comes up in chapter number 1
verse number 2, it says that Hanani, then he says these words, one of my brethren, so that makes
sense, one of my brethren, and then we get to Nehemiah 7, it says that I gave my brother Hanani,
now one thing that went over my head when I went through preaching through chapter 1, is I just
assumed Hanani, the brethren, was just a fellow Jew, which is just some other Jew that's out there,
you know, they often refer to themselves as brothers in that sense, but when you look at
chapter 7, he makes it a point to call him my brother, okay, in comparison to the other people
that he talks about, and so we see that Hanani was an actual brother, you know, a blood related
brother of Nehemiah, not just another fellow Jew, and you might say well that makes sense,
Nehemiah is going to take care of his family, he's going to give, you know, his brother the
responsibility, you know, a high position to take care of the wolves, and no, no, but here's the
thing, he did not choose Hanani, because he's a fellow brother, that's not why he chose Hanani,
what we saw in verse number 2, it says for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many,
so when Nehemiah is trying to find someone to take responsibility to get a promotion, to have
a higher position, he finds a man that is faithful, and that fears God, and you know,
when it comes to, you know, appointing people into an office, say for this church to become a
deacon or to become a pastor, you know, what we're really looking for is not necessarily someone
that's part of my family, though that's what a lot of pastors do, okay, but we're looking for men
that are faithful, a man that fears God, you know, one day I would love to appoint a pastor
for blessed Baptist Church in Sydney, but what kind of man would that pastor be? Well the same
man that we see here, faithful man, a man that fears God above many, and you know what, if you
want to take on, have a greater responsibility, you want God to promote you in a higher position,
you must have these characteristics about yourself as well. Let's keep going there, verse number 3,
and I said unto them, let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot,
and while they stand by, let them shut the doors and bar them and appoint watches over the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, and everyone to be over against his house. So
Nehemiah gives instructions, so he's given the responsibility over, he says look, don't open
the gates until the sun is hot, in other words, until the sun has risen to a point where the days
warmed up, there's clear light, there's clear sunlight, then open the gates. Why would he say
that? Well as we keep going, not only that, he's also saying look, we've got to have watches,
and when we close the gates, we've got to bar them. Why? Because remember, they had enemies,
you know, some Ballet, Tobiah, some of the Samaritans, some of the other people, enemies,
and the idea there, look, let's not open the gates, because until the sun's up high, so we
can see clearly, alright, we don't want someone hiding in the shadows, you know, hiding, you know,
in certain areas where they may come and attack, no, we've got to be cautious, you know, when
there's daylight, then we open the gates, so we can see, we have watchmen, we can see what's
clearly happening, you know, if any enemies are trying to attack us, you know, we've got
the light to help us identify our enemies, and I love that parallel there as well, you know,
if we're seeking to protect our testimony, we're seeking to protect our family, the people that God
has given us responsibility over, then we must remain in the light, the light of course is Jesus
Christ, the light of God's Word, that's going to be the greatest opportunity that you have to be
watchmen, to be careful of the things that infest your family, infest your own personal life,
things that might be of the darkness, things that might be of the enemy, we want to make sure that
we're in the light of God's Word, and that will give us a clear vision as to what may harm us,
and protect us from that kind of evil, let's keep going there, verse number four, now the city was
large and great, of course the whole war's been completed, but the people were few therein, okay,
so they haven't built up the population in Jerusalem as it had in the past, and then it says
and the houses were not, sorry, and the houses were not built, so yeah, the walls are built, the temple
is built, I'm sure some houses, some level of buildings are built, but not all the houses are
built there in Jerusalem, don't forget that many of these people that were building the walls were
actually from different regions, okay, they were living in places outside of Jerusalem, then they
were called into Jerusalem to help with the work, it says there in verse number five, and my God put
into my heart to gather together the nobles and the rulers and the people, so it doesn't matter,
a noble is someone that of course had a prominent position, maybe a man that's wealthy, the rulers,
the people, because everybody, you know, whether you had a high social status, whether you have a
low social status, whether you're richer, whether you're poorer, God says look God's put it in my
heart to gather these people that they might be reckoned by genealogy and I found a register of
the genealogy of them which came up at the first and found written therein, and so he wants to look
at the genealogy, he wants to make sure that the people that are here are actually legitimate
residents of this area, that they legitimately come from Israelite families and they should be
here, that's what he's trying to accomplish, he's trying to numb and figure out is everybody in this
place in Jerusalem, in Judah, are they meant to be here or are they not meant to be here, and of
course he goes and gets the genealogy, now when he says that he found the book of the genealogy,
it says found a registered genealogy of them which came up at the first, now just a quick summary,
the first time or the first wave of people that came out of Babylon was with Zerubbabel, which
we read about in the book of Ezra, then we had a second wave that came with Ezra himself and then
with Nehemiah, it's a third wave and so when he says came up with the first, he's talking about
genealogies, records that are written all the way back to Zerubbabel's time, now as we're learning
the historical understanding of what's taking place in Nehemiah 7, of course we want to pull
out the spiritual lessons that we can out of here, okay, now obviously in the New
Testament our physical genealogy means nothing, in fact we're instructed to not give in to the
endless genealogies, not to waste our time with that kind of stuff right, you know worrying about
you know what is your family lineage and how far does your genealogy go, you know what is
your exact race and what is your exact position, you know we shouldn't be caught up and think you
know that there is some importance when it comes to you know our family line, anything like that,
but we want to take a spiritual lesson out of this and the lesson I want to take out of this Brethren
is I'll quickly read to you from Revelation 21 27, which reads and this is about the
creation of the new heaven and the new earth, it says, and there shall be in no wise enter
into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever work of abomination or make of a lie, but they
which are written in the Lamb's book of life, and so brethren we do have a book that we want our
names to be definitely written in, we don't want our names to be removed out of this book, okay,
and so what I want to look at as we go through this chapter, yes learn the history but then apply
it to this idea of a spiritual lineage, you know having our name written in the Lamb's book of life,
that's what we need, we need to have our names there in order to enter into those new heavens
and the new earth to be saved and of course we know that comes down to being in Christ Jesus,
alright let's keep going there verse number six, these are the children of the province that went
up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon had carried away and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah everyone unto his city,
look at verse number seven, who came with Zerubbabel, remember I told you the first wave that
came out of Babylon was with Zerubbabel, okay, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Ramiah, Nahamani,
Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpahath, Bigvai, Nehem, Bena, the number I say of the men of the people
of Israel was this, okay, so I want to just, I just want to show you, I really want this to be
clear in your mind because I think when you understand these three waves then your study
in Ezra and Nehemiah makes a lot more sense because a lot of it can look, seem very similar
but it's just different waves, different groups of people that are coming in, so I want to notice
that Zerubbabel is first mentioned, the first wave, now go to Ezra which is just a previous
book and I won't take you long to turn there, turn to Ezra chapter 7, turn to Ezra chapter 7
and verse number 6, Ezra chapter 7 and verse number 6, it says this Ezra went up from Babylon
and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given and the
king granted him all his requests according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him and there went
up some of the children of Israel and of the priests and of the Levites and of the singers
and of the porters and the nephronyms unto Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the
king, alright so you can see that's the second wave, the second wave king Artaxerxes allowing
them to return back out of Babylon and into Jerusalem, alright so when you compare and maybe
you want to do this because you're there in Ezra, look at Ezra chapter 2 very quickly, look at Ezra
chapter 2, Ezra chapter 2 and Nehemiah chapter 7 are very very similar if you have a look at it,
they're long chapters and a long genealogy and many of the families that you see there in Ezra
chapter 2 are also families that you read about in Nehemiah chapter 7 okay and yes it's playing
off the same records of genealogy that have been recorded there in Ezra chapter number 2 okay but
there are some differences and I'm just pointing out, I'm not going to point out all the differences
here, it's going to take time but there are some differences and this is again where people try to
say there are contradictions in the Bible, you know if you compare the genealogy there in Ezra
chapter 2 and in Nehemiah chapter 7 they're different, there are some differences, some
families have different numbers, how can it be, how can God get it all wrong but don't forget
there's three waves okay, now when Nehemiah is starting to look at the register once again with
all the family names it's almost a hundred years since Ezra chapter 2 okay so obviously within the
space of a hundred years you're going to have many of the same families okay and let's say you know
families may have moved out of there where they're no longer on the land you know obviously family
numbers change and so there's you know there are changes of numbers but you know even though they've
been there for almost a hundred years Jerusalem is still not very filled okay it's still quite a
lower number in comparison to the years before the captivity and so people that say well there's a
contradiction there's been almost a hundred years there I mean how much does population change and
how do families change over a hundred years you're looking at you know at least four generations of
changes that took place so if you ever hear that Brevin it's nonsense and just remind yourself that
there are three great waves you know many years that are passing through these books between Ezra
then you won't fool with that kind of trick that people use all right let's keep going there then
it says in verse number eight now we're going through the genial the genealogies here and I
know it can be a little bit tiresome to go through it all you know name by name but this this
genealogy this record that we have here is split into three groups okay it's split into three groups
and I think understanding the three groups really teaches us a great lesson so let's
start there in verse number eight the children of Parosh two thousand and hundred seventy and two
so when we're looking at the children of Parosh we're obviously talking a family line aren't we
okay so the children the two thousand one hundred and seventy two all come from a man that was known
as Parosh makes sense okay it's like the family name like now we use surnames right we might say
the family of Sepulveda you know hopefully one day yeah to be two thousand one hundred seventy
two or something along those lines who knows okay but we're at the beginning of this genealogy this
record it's we're looking at the family line that's why I keep saying the children verse
number nine the children of Shepataiah three hundred seventy and two the children of Ara six
hundred fifty and two the children of Pahath Moab of the children of Joshua and Joab two thousand
eight hundred and eighteen the children of Elam a thousand two hundred fifty and four the children
of Zatu eight hundred forty and five the children of Zachi seven hundred and three
school the choose behaviour six hundred forty and eight the children of Bedai six hundred twenty
and eighth the tune of Asghat two hundred three sorry two thousand three hundred twenty and two
the children of Adonakaim six hundred preschool and seven the tune of big TV i 2003 negligible
7, the children of Aiden, 650 and 5, the children of Ater of Hezekiah, 90 and 8, the children
of Hashim, 320 and 8, the children of Bezai, 320 and 4, the children of Harith and 112,
the children of Gibeon, 90 and 5. So what we have there from verses 8 to 25, the children
of, the children of, the children of, the family line. Alright, so we understand that's
taking place as they're looking at the genealogies, they're looking at the records and brethren
in order for you to have your name in the book of life, when God creates that heaven
earth for your name to be, to stand there in the book of life, you must be part of that
family line as well. Okay, what family line? Obviously the family line of our Lord God.
Can I get you to please keep your, keep your finger there and turn to Romans chapter 8.
Please turn to Romans chapter 8 please. Keep your finger there and let's turn to Romans
chapter 8. The family line is important, okay. The family line is important and when we think
about the Lord God that we worship, you know, I'll just quickly read to you from 2 John
3 which reads, Grace be to you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus
Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love. You see, family is important to God.
Even within His nature, there is a family relationship between Father and Son. God the
Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Family is important. In order for you to have
your name written in the Lamb's book of life, when God creates a new heaven and a new earth,
you must be part of that same family. Jesus Christ says in Matthew 11 27, all things are
delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth
any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. Remember
in order for us to be part of the family of God, we must be in the Son, we must have believed
in the Son and the Son then reveals the Father to us. The Father. Not just the Father of
Jesus but our Father. We can call God Father as well. Look at Romans 8 15. Romans 8 15
It says, for ye have not received the spirit of bondage, again to fear, but ye have received
the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father. Reverend, isn't it amazing that we
can cry to God and call Him Father? Say Father, help me. In order for us to call Him Father
that means we're part of the family. Isn't that amazing? That we can be part of the family
of God. We can call God our Father. It keeps going there. It says in verse 16, the spirit
itself beareth witness against our spirit that we are the children of God. Amen. We're
the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. Not only can
we call God our Father, but we are His children. Isn't that amazing? You know, one of the
misunderstandings that a lot of people have with the Bible and Christianity, and I see
this a lot when I go through this, is that generally the unsaved world, they think everybody
is a child of God. But it's not. Not everybody is a child of God. Now we're all children
to some extent. We celebrated Mother's Day recently. You're all a child of your mother
and your father, but not everybody is a child of God. This is why we have that famous passage
in John 1-12. But as many as received Him, speaking about Jesus, to them gave Him power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. Then it says, which were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
God. You see, once you have received Christ, you've believed in the name of Christ. You've
accepted Him as Savior. You've been born again. You've been born in accordance to
God. Born of God, the new man that indwells this flesh. Praise God. And one day, we're
going to receive that adoption. When we talk about the adoption, we're talking about,
because there's two elements of the Christian life that you need to just grasp. Number one,
your birth. You're born again. That is the spirit man, the new man that's within us.
That has been born of God. But there's an adoption that's going to take place. And
the Bible speaks of the adoption, it's talking about the change of this physical body into
the body like unto Christ. We're going to adopt a new body, okay? So not only are we
born, but we're also adopted into the family of God. That adoption is still something to
take place in the near future. Or maybe not near future. But, you know, I guess in comparison,
you know, some of us live by seven years of life, it could be near in comparison to, you
know, how long this world has been going. So we want to be part of this family line.
You know what? And if you're saved, you are in that genealogy. You are recorded in
the Lamb's Book of Life. Now one thing I'll just say very quickly, which is kind of outside
of the scope of a little bit of the sermon, but one thing that we see in the Bible when
it comes to the Lamb's Book of Life, you don't see anywhere in the Bible where your
name is actually written down in that book. Rather what we see in the Bible are names
being removed out of that book, or the part where the name is removed from that book.
Obviously, if someone dies without Jesus, their name is taken out of the Book of Life.
Obviously, if someone becomes a reprobate, their name, their part is taken out of the
Book of Life. And I think that's really interesting, because when we consider that
all names start in the Book of Life, this reinforces the fact that Christ's sacrifice
was for all. That salvation is available to everybody who would believe in Jesus Christ.
And so, in the Lamb's Book of Life, it's got enough space for every single human being
that's ever lived. But your name stays there if you have believed on Christ. If you haven't
believed on Christ, you become a reprobate, or you die in your sins without the Lord,
then your name, your part gets taken out of that book. And of course, we want to make
sure that names remain there in the Book of Life. This is the moment that you believe
on Christ, and it will never be blotted out. You know, Jesus Christ promises us that if
you have overcome, that is you've believed on Christ as the Son of God, you've trusted
Him, that your name will never be blotted out of the Book of Life. You know, we teach
eternal security, once saved, always saved. So brethren, you know, as we look at this
historical view of the genealogy, the records, the importance of being part of the right
family, we need to be part of the right family, the family of God. Praise God for a church
that has actually trusted Christ. And you know, this means that you guys, you know,
again, I've said this so many times, but when I look at this church, I just think about
how important you are. You know, when I've got the heart to preach and get behind this
pulpit, and the study necessary, I just think, man, God, these are so important. These are
your children. This is the family of God. You know, and these families, these people
that come to church, they're your family. You know, and I love to think about it in
that sense. They were all children of God, and so you're so important in the eyes of
the Lord. So we've got to be part of the right family line. Let's go back to Nehemiah
chapter 7, Nehemiah chapter 7, verse number 26. Now, of course, the record continues here,
but instead of it being broken down by family, now it's broken down by location, or place
of residence. Or, rather, where, so before the captivity, before the Babylonian captivity,
where the families, what towns, what cities the families resided in. You know, what lands
belonged to certain families. So now, instead of family, we're looking at location, or place
of residence. Because notice in verse number 26, it doesn't say the children of anymore,
right, so children of, children of, children of, children of, leading up to, all up to
verse number 26. When we get to verse number 26, it says, the men of Bethlehem, we know
Bethlehem is a city, okay, so it's location now. The men of Bethlehem and Netepah, and
a hundred four square and eight. The men of Anathoth, and a hundred twenty and eight.
So these are all towns and all cities that you read about in your Bible, okay. The men
of Bethaz, Mavith, forty and two. The men of Kerjafjirim, Cheparah, and Beroth, seven
hundred forty and three. The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one. The
men of Mykmas, and a hundred and twenty and two. The men of Bethel, and Ai, and a hundred
twenty and three. The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two. The children of the other Elam,
a thousand two hundred fifty and four. The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. The children of Lot, Hadid, and
Ono, seven hundred twenty and one. The children of Sena, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
So notice the next thing that's important. Not only, you know, when you're saved you
make up that family line, but something else that's important is our location. Our location.
What is our spiritual location? What is that spiritual location? And you know, we've been
preaching a lot of sermons about this recently, but I'll get you to turn to John chapter
eighteen please. Turn to John chapter number eighteen. John chapter eighteen please. John
chapter eighteen. And the other thing that we need to understand in our spiritual life,
not only are we saved, we're children of God, but we have to reside on this earth. We live
here on the sunshine coast or in other places if you're travelling. Okay, we do have a location
on this earth, but don't forget that our hearts and minds are on another location.
On the kingdom of God. Okay, that's where our heart ought to be. Remember we're ambassadors,
we're sojourners, we're just passing through, you know, we're not here to establish a kingdom
for ourselves on this earth. We're focused on the kingdom which comes from the Lord.
But it says there in John eighteen verse thirty six, I love these words from Jesus. It's when
he was arrested, brought before Pilate, in John eighteen thirty six, it says, Jesus answered,
my kingdom is not of this world. Reverend, this is our Lord Jesus Christ speaking. This
is the one who has saved us, who has given his life for us. He says, my kingdom is not
of this world. You know, as Christians we need to remind ourselves of this. Okay, that
our kingdom is not of this world. You know, we should not give all of ourselves to just
trying to amass a place, you know, a portfolio, a great kingdom for us on this earth. You
know, I've said it so many times, it's all going to burn, isn't it? Why do we want a
place in this wicked kingdom of this earth? No, I'm looking forward to the kingdom of
Christ. Okay, let's keep going. What does it say? It says, if my kingdom were of this
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But
now is my kingdom not from hence. That word hence is like from here. My kingdom is not
from here. You say, hold on, isn't Jesus Christ coming back one day, and he's going
to rule over this earth? Yes, he's going to rule over this earth. But his kingdom is
not from this earth. His kingdom is a kingdom of heaven. Okay, and he's going to bring
that power, that authority from heaven upon this earth, and all the kings of this earth
are going to be humbled before the Lord Jesus Christ. Okay, Christ's kingdom is a heavenly
kingdom. It's a spiritual kingdom. Hey, that is our place of residence. Can you please
go to John 14, since you're in John, turn to John 14, verse number 2. John 14 and verse
number 2. John 14, verse number 2, Jesus Christ says, in my Father's house are many mansions.
If it were not so, I would have told you, I love this, I go to prepare a place for you.
Amen. God, Jesus Christ is preparing a place for us right now. And I like to think about
the fact that Jesus Christ was a carpenter on this earth, right? He got into that family
business, you know, until he got into the ministry, that was his trade, that's what
he practiced. And now he's taking those same skills, I suppose, you know, and he's
preparing mansions for us in heaven. Hey, that's our place of residence. That's our
home. I'm excited for the mansions in heaven. I'm excited to live there in the presence
of God. And we know that one day, Christ, or the Lord God's going to bring down heavenly
Jerusalem, this great city upon this earth. He keeps going there in verse number 3. And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that
where I am, there ye may be also. Brethren, what is your place of residence? You know,
where is home to you? You know, when you think about driving home, yes, we have a place,
but don't forget, we're just sojourners, we're just passing through. Yes, thank God
that we've got a tabernacle to go to a place to rest our head, you know, a roof to cover
our heads from this rain. But really, our heart's desire should be to remember our
home in heaven. We've got a home in heaven. We've got a place that Jesus Christ has
prepared. You know, it's not going to be some shonky work. Man, I'm looking at the
new developments. I lived in Beringa for a while. Boy, those new developments, those
houses, they're built so quickly, low quality. Okay, no, no, no. The place that Jesus Christ
prepared for us, highest quality materials you can possibly find. Okay, our streets of
gold, you know, it's going to be a wonderful place, a place where things do not break down,
a house that will last forever. Can you please now turn to, what can I get, go to Hebrews,
go to Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11, verse number 8. Hebrews 11, I've been looking at this
passage a lot, haven't I? Hebrews 11, verse number 8. Hebrews 11, verse number 8. So we
see what Jesus Christ has to say. He's not interested in some kingdom on this earth.
He knows how wicked this place can be. You know, he says my kingdom is from heaven. And
then he tells us that he goes to prepare a place for us. And he's going to come back
and take us to that place. But don't forget, our spiritual forefathers there, in Hebrews
11, verse 8. By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should
after receive for an inheritance, obeyed and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith, he sojourned the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles,
that's basically intense, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
For he looked for a city which have foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hey, Abraham,
yeah, you know what, you had this land of promise, yeah, okay, I'm happy to live in
a tabernacle. He wasn't interested in building his kingdom there on that earth. Hey, his
heart was on the city of God, whose builder and maker is God. Jesus Christ says he goes
to prepare a place for us. You know what, the same heart that Abraham has, to go to
his home, you know, we ought to have that same heart as well. What is our place of residence?
You know what, it's wherever God is, wherever my Lord is, that's where we should desire
to be. Drop down to verse number 16. But now they desire a better country, that is and
heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he have prepared
for them a city. Remember, I go to prepare a place for you, you have prepared for them
a city. And so as best as I understand it, when the new heavens, when the new, sorry,
when New Jerusalem descends, that's probably where our mansions are going to be. Okay,
it's a city, it's a huge city, okay, it's got the throne of God. But I'm pretty confident,
based on just looking at the other passages, that our mansions, our place of residence
will also be within that city. Can you please go to Hebrews 12, next chapter across. Hebrews
chapter 12, verse number 22. Hebrews 12 and verse number 22. It says by year come unto
Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable
company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written
in heaven. Hey, isn't that what we want? To be written in heaven? Our genealogy in heaven?
Absolutely, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits
of just men made perfect. And so brethren, as we go through that genealogy, you know
what, yes, learn the history behind it, but also take the spiritual lesson. We want to
be written and found in those books. We want to have, hey, you know, we get to heaven,
and we go, okay, Jesus, I made it here, okay, here's your address. You know, yeah, your
name's been found, written in the last book of life, you know, here's your street, here's
your mansion, here's your home, go and enjoy it. Yeah, I can't wait for that. I can't wait
for that. Hopefully, we're not too far from each other. You know, hopefully, you know,
we're kind of neighbours, right, hopefully, you know, we see each other. Maybe it'd be
wonderful to have, you know, a next door neighbour like a Moses or something, right, a next door
neighbour like a King David. I don't know, I feel like these guys are going to get like
really prominent positions. But hey, that would be exciting, right, that we can read
about some of these wonderful people in the Bible, and know that they're going to be residing
in the same city as us. You know, the Bible says in Ephesians 2, I'll just read it to
you, Ephesians 2 11, wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh, made
by hands, that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth
of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God
in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh
or near by the blood of Christ. Reverend, you know, our physical forefathers, you know,
many, of course, were not saved. Maybe your whole family line, you can't even, you know,
you can't even pinpoint in your family line where someone was saved. Maybe, you know,
you started that, you know, that salvation, people of God, you know, finally in your family
line. But you know what, sometimes people find attachment to their physical genealogy,
okay. But we need to remind ourselves that, you know, you know, God has something more
special in plan for us. You know, our family are the people of God. Yes, when it comes
to the nation, the Commonwealth of Israel, yes, we were, at one point, our family line
far off from that truth. Yes, once, you know, our family line, they did not know the Lord
God as Saviour, right, and they were not part of that truth. But now in the New Testament
times, you've been saved, you've been brought nigh, you've been brought near to that Commonwealth
of Israel, to this spiritual nation, by the blood of Jesus Christ. And then it says in
verse number 19, Now therefore ye are no more strangers than foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints, and of the household of God. Yes, fellow citizens with the saints, the
saints are referring to, like the Moses's, right, the Samson's, you know, the Abraham's,
the people that we think about in the Bible, who did great things for God, we become fellow
saints with them, yeah, sorry, fellow citizens with them, but then it says, and of the household
of God. Hey, not just a citizen, but family, we're part of the household of God. Amazing,
the privilege that we have, to be called part of the family, to be part of the Commonwealth
of Israel. I'm not talking about our land there in the Middle East, I'm talking about
the Israel of God, I'm talking about New Jerusalem, I'm talking about the new heavens and new
earth. Hey, we get to participate in these great promises that God has given us. Back
to Nehemiah 7, verse number 39 now, Nehemiah 7, verse number 39. The record, the genealogy
continues here. And so we've looked at the family line, then we've looked at the place
of residence or location, and now we're looking at a breakdown of families by office or by
priesthood. I'm going to tie it into priesthood more than anything else, but when you look
at verse number 39, it says, the priests, and now we look at the families of the priests,
the children of Jedhahiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three, the
children of Imah, a thousand fifty and two, the children of Pasha, a thousand two hundred
forty and seven, the children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen, then it says the Levites.
So don't forget, not all the Levites were priests, you have to be part of the family
line that came from Aaron's line and his children. If you were part of that line, you could be
a priest. But then there were other Levites who were serving in the house of God, or serving
in the service of God, but they did not have the positions of priests. But we're still
looking at the office there. It says the children of Jeshua, of Cadmiel, and the children of
Hodivar, seventy and four, the singers, so now there are certain Levites that were actually
appointed to sing, okay, the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight, the porters, like
I told you they were like ushers, the children of Shalom, the children of Eita, the children
of Talman, the children of Aqab, the children of Hatitha, the children of Shobai, and hundred
thirty and eight, the Nethinims. Now the Nethinims, it's kind of hard to wrap your head who these
were, but as best as I understand it, the Nethinims were, they weren't Levites, they
were Israelites of other tribes, but they were appointed by the Levites, kind of employed
by the Levites, to help to serve in the household of God, in the temple of God, okay. I mean
I'm not sure exactly what led to the need for Nethinims, but we can see that Nethinims
here have this office, they're serving in the temple of God under the authority of the
Levites. But it says the Nethinims, the children of Zihar, the children of Hashapah, the children
of Tabaoth, the children of Keros, the children of Siah, the children of Padon, the children
of Labanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Shammai, the children of Hanen, the children
of Giddel, the children of Gehah, the children of Reahiah, the children of Rezin, the children
of Nekodah, the children of Gezen, the children of Uzzah, the children of Passiah, the children
of Beizai, the children of Myunim, the children of Nefesim, I can't pronounce that one, the
children of Bakbak, the children of Hakkuba, the children of Hahu, the children of Bazleth,
the children of Mehida, the children of Hashah, the children of Bakos, the children of Sisera,
the children of Taimah, the children of Nezahiah, the children of Hatiphah, the children of
Solomon's servants, the children of Sothai, the children of Soferah, the children of Peridah,
the children of Jeialah, the children of Dachon, the children of Giddel, the children of Shephartiah,
the children of Hatil, the children of Pochetheth of Zebayim, the children of Amon, all the
Nefenans, and the children of Solomon's servants were 392. So what else did we learn here? We're
seeing the lineage of those that are serving in the temple of God. We started with the priesthood,
the priesthood. So brethren, once you're saved, not only are you part of the family of God,
not only do you have a heavenly residence in the kingdom of God, but you're also, you also take
them off us, don't you? You also are now a priest of the New Testament, okay? The priesthood of the
New Testament. I should have told you to stay in the Hebrews, but if you can, please go. Actually,
you know what? Let's go somewhere else. Can you please go to Revelation chapter 1? Go to Revelation
chapter 1 for me, please. Go to Revelation chapter 1, verse number 5. Now, of course, in the New
Testament, we no longer have the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament, okay? In the
New Testament, Jesus Christ has become our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, alright?
But not only is Jesus Christ our High Priest, but we too have been given this priesthood office. It
says in Revelation 1.5, Revelation 1.5, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the
last, sorry, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, and to
him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and have made us kings and priests
unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. So Brethren, if
you've been washed in the blood of the Lamb, you've been made kings and priests, you've been given a
special office to serve God when Christ comes back in the millennium reign, but also in the new
heavens and the new earth, we've been given positions to serve the Lord God for all eternity.
The Bible also says in 1 Peter 2.9, but ye are a chosen generation. Amen. Hey, we're part of a
family. Then it says, a royal priesthood. Amen. We have an office and holy nation. Yes, we're part of
a spiritual nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have
called you out of darkness into his marvelous lights, which in time past were not a people,
but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Brethren, isn't that wonderful? You're a chosen generation. Hey, you're part of the family,
a royal priesthood. You have the office and holy nation. You've got a place of residence. Okay,
it all pops up right there as we look at the genealogy there as we're going from the MI7.
I don't think it's a coincidence that the genealogy is broken down this way. Family,
residence, priesthood or office, if you want to look at it that way. We get to fulfill every part
of this breakdown of the genealogy, from a spiritual standpoint, of course. Let's keep
going there. Nehemiah 7 verse number 61. Nehemiah 7 verse number 61. And these were they which went
up also from Tel-Mila, Tel-Harishath, Cherub, Adon and Imna. Now the next verse, please pay
attention to the next verse. It says, but they, so these people, but they could not show their
father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel. So now we have these other people that
are there. They can't prove, they can't show Nehemiah that our name is in this record of
genealogies. They can't prove that they're descendants of Israel. Let's keep going there.
Verse number 62. The children of Deliah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nechara,
six hundred forty and two, and of the priests. So even some priests, look at this, the children of
Habbaiya, the children of Kos, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of
Barzillai, I don't know, the Gileadites to wife, and was called after their name. Look at this.
These sorts, all these people that we just read about, these saw their register among those that
were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found. Therefore were they, as polluted, put from the
priesthood. You see, there were certain Levites, there were certain priests, and look, they knew
that their lineage, they are rightfully priests, but because they were not found in the book of
the genealogies, they were put away like polluted, from the priesthood. So look, we can't prove,
maybe you are, but we can't prove that you are part of this family line, that you are part of
this genealogy, and so they were put away. This is the same thing that happens when someone does
not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Their name is blotted out of the book of life, and brethren,
if they cannot prove their name in that book, of course they're going to be cast into the lake of
fire, for not receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour. Now what's quite interesting about this, is the
fact that, if you look at verse 63 again, we don't know all the reasons why their names were not in
the book, in the genealogy, but we do have one family, as to why they're not in that genealogy.
Let's look at verse 63 again, and of the priests, the children of Habbiah, the children of Chos,
the children of Barisilai, which took one of the daughters of Barisilai, the Gileadites to wife,
and was called after their name. So what happened here? Now normally, when we get married,
our wife, the wife takes the name of the man, right? My wife was Christina Rodriguez before
we got married, and then became Christina Sepulveda. She took the husband's name,
all right? You know, even when the Lord God looked at Adam and Eve, the Bible says he called
them Adam, okay? Eve had the name of her husband as well, all right? Now for some reason, and I kind
of, I think I know the reason why, for some reason this man, who took one of the daughters of
Barisilai to wife, and was called after their name, for some reason this man took his wife's
maiden name for himself, and he's one of the priests, he's one of the Levites, okay? And by
doing this, down the family lineage, it messed up the records of genealogy, okay? Because when you
look at the records of genealogy in the Bible, it's following the father's line. So he's put away his
father's name, and he's taken on his wife's maiden name, okay? And now he's not in the Book of Life,
or he's not in the genealogy. How can we apply this to the spiritual lesson? Well, the Bible says
in Acts 4 12,
What name is that? The name of Jesus Christ. I've already read it to you,
Brethren, salvation is by believing, yes, in the death bearing resurrection,
but the death bearing resurrection of Jesus Christ, right? Not some Yeshua, not some foreign
name that's not recorded in the Bible. Salvation, you know what? If someone says, well, I know I'm
saved because I believe some guy called Jack died for me on the cross. Well, you're not saved then,
because you can only be saved by having the right name applied to you, the name of Jesus Christ,
okay? And so be careful of, you know, the Hebrew roots movement. They try to take you away from the
right name, away from the name of Jesus. They give you some foreign standing name, Yeshua,
it's not even the Bible. It's not in your King James Bible. The New Testament was written in
Greek. That name's not in the Greek New Testament. Why go some foreign standing name that's not even
in the Bible? Hey, you know what? They're trying, these Hebrew roots movement people, they're trying
to pull you away from the name of Jesus, the name that saves. And look, the lesson we see here,
this guy took his wife's maiden name, has the wrong name and is not found in the genealogy.
You know, we can't prove it. You've messed up the line. Now look, this guy Barazilai,
you know, the Gileadites, the reason for this is that, you know, the fact that it's called
the Gileadites means that he lived in Gilead. And that region was allocated to the tribes of Gad,
Reuben and Manasseh. Alright, so he's meant to be a priest. He's meant to have a Levite standing
name. But now, down the family line, it's all progressed. And, you know, he's been seen as
maybe you're from Gad, or maybe you're from Reuben, or maybe you're from Manasseh,
we can't even prove that you're a Levite. You know, we can't, if we can't prove you're a Levite,
we definitely can't prove you're a priest. And so you got to be taken out. You know,
you can't serve as a priest. You know, you've polluted it as it were. And we've got to treat
you as someone that has been polluted out of the system. And that's what took place.
Now this Barazilai, this is what I think happened. He's a good man. You know, we read about him
back in the times of David, King David, and he was a really good friend. You know, he really
helped David in the time, King David in a time of need. And so he had really, he had a really,
I guess, a really good reputation of his name. And then this priest marries one of the daughters
and goes, well, I want to have that same name, that same reputation. Right. But then he's messed
it up for his children down the line, where they can't be seen or recorded there in the record of
genealogy. And again, brethren, we need to remember that salvation is by the name of Christ alone.
Don't let anyone pull you away and say, well, maybe, you know, by the name of Buddha,
or the name of Muhammad. No, no, you know what, we stick to the name of Jesus Christ,
the one that saves. That assures us that our name we found written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Nehemiah 7, verse number 65, Nehemiah 765.
And the Tershotha said unto them, the Tershotha, I believe, is like somebody in authority,
because they're not found in the book. They're not found in the genealogy.
That they should not eat of the most holy things, because remember, only the priests and Levites
could eat from the temple. Well, this family now they can't eat of it, because we can't prove
you're a Levite. Till, so there is a time you can, till there stood up a priest with Urim and
Thummim. Now, I wish I could explain this to you. I don't know it all that well. Now,
Urim and Thummim, I'm not even sure what it is. But when we read about the garments of Aaron,
and you know, he had a breastplate, he thought the breastplate of judgment. And when you read
about that breastplate of judgment, I think it's in the book of Exodus. It mentions that on that
plate is Urim and Thummim. I'm not sure if those are certain stones, certain metals. I don't really
know. Okay. But the point is that the one that wears this, this priest, it's not just a regular
priest, but it's a high priest. Okay. A high priest like Aaron. So potentially what is being
said here is you cannot participate of the, you know, the sacrifices, the holy things that are
in the temple until the high priests or a high priest gives you permission to do so. That's what
I think is being read there. But it's a bit challenging that verse number 65 there. Let's get
going there. Verse number 66. The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred
and three score. Beside their manservants and their maidservants to whom there was seven thousand
three hundred thirty and seven. And they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing
women, their horses seven hundred thirty and six, their mules two hundred forty and five,
their camels four hundred thirty and five, six thousand seven hundred twenty asses.
And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work and Tersh Shethar gave to a treasure
of treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priest garments,
and some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand
drams of gold and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver and that which the rest of the
people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand pound of silver and three score and
seven priest garments. So the priests and the Levites and the porters and the singers and some
of the people and the Nethanims and all Israel dwelt in their cities and when the seventh month
came the children of Israel were in their cities. Alright let's go to one more passage. Let's go to
Revelation 21 please. Let's go back to Revelation chapter 21. So the end of Nehemiah chapter 7 is
just the fact that once they've broken looked at all the family lines and they're all kind of
given very generously to the house of God making sure that all the priests, all the Levites,
anyone serving, the ushers, the singers, anyone that has a full-time position is being taken
care of, their needs being taken care of. Now let's end with Revelation 21 verse 1.
Revelation 21 verse 1 and reminding ourselves of this wonderful future to come
and we need to remember this is a real future. This is going to happen. Okay we don't just preach
about end time events. We don't just preach about eternity just to feel good about ourselves.
Like you know the world is wicked but don't worry there's a wonderful future to be had.
There really is. Like it truly is. Alright I mean this place is going to change alright
and for those of us that have trusted Christ whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life
we have this wonderful future. In Revelation 21 verse 1 and I saw a new heaven and a new earth
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea and I John
saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband. Brethren this is our place of residence. This is where we're going
to live. This wonderful city. Verse number three and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying
behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people
and God himself shall be with them and be their God. Amazing. God's tabernacle is going to be
with men. Men whose names are found written in the Lamb's Book of Life. What does that mean?
That means when you walk out of your mansion in the morning, I don't know what it's, I don't know.
There's not going to be any night so I don't think there's going to be any sleep but anyway
when you walk out of your house you're going to see God. Alright I mean I'm not just saying from
your spiritual I'm saying you're going to physically see God dwell with all of us.
I mean God's going to be on his throne. God's going to walk the streets.
We're probably going to walk out of our house and there's God walking down the street. We're
going to have a chat with him. I mean this is real. We're going to be in the presence of our
Lord God. It's amazing. It blows me away. You know what I mean this isn't just some fairy tale you
know make you feel better because the world is wicked. We are truly going to be living with our
Lord God. What a wonderful future. It says in verse number four and God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall
there be any more pain for the former things that passed away. Are you ready for that? To live in
that new city for God himself to come to you and wipe your tears away to touch your face and tell
you there's nothing more to be crying about. There's nothing more to be depressed about.
There's going to be no more pain. We live in a place of pleasure of prosperity of freedom
of freedom from from from the wicked world freedom from this wicked flesh in the presence of our Lord
God forever and if you want that future for you your name needs to be found in the Lamb's Book of
Life. You need to be in the right genealogy. Hey not only a family of God by believing in Jesus but
you're going to have a place of residence. You're going to have an office. You're going to have a job
to do okay. We're not just going to be there you know holding hands around a campfire you know
singing kumbaya. We've got offices. We've got jobs. We've got responsibilities in this new heaven and
this new earth. We've got positions of authority and you know what if you want to have a higher
position of authority you want to have a higher office then this is the time to work toward it
right now okay. To work toward it right now. How we serve the Lord God. How we live our lives. How
we preach the gospel. How we change our lives from following a wicked world and following the flesh
to serving the Lord and trying to live a life that pleases him. A holy life. Raising our family to
love the Lord. Raising our children to love the Lord. These are all things that we can do to
improve our position in the kingdom to come. So brethren this is a real future. This is truly
going to be wonderful. You know what and all we have to do. All we have to do to receive all this
is to trust Jesus Christ the Savior. That's it. Easy believeism. Christ has done all the hard work.
God has opened the doors. God is the one that gives us the new life. Being born again of the
spirit and what a wonderful future we have. Okay let's pray. Heavenly Father Lord I want to thank
you for your word Nehemiah chapter seven Lord the genealogy. Hard chapter to preach through Lord but
I thank you that we can pull out the spiritual truths found in here Lord. God I thank you that
our names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Lord I thank you that we're saved and our name
will never be blotted out and Lord I just ask Lord that you would bring this to our remembrance.
This wonderful future with you for all eternity. Lord looking forward to the time that
instead of just closing my eyes and speaking to you Lord that I can have my eyes wide open Lord
and just seeing you face to face and Lord having my tears wiped away. All the pain gone Lord that
came from the past and Lord I pray that we would remember our place of residence. Lord that we would
not build our kingdom upon this earth. That we would be seeking the wonderful kingdom to come.
Lord the reign of Christ and the new heavens the new earth to come. Lord I thank you that
Jesus Christ is preparing a place for us right now. Lord we're looking forward to the time that
we can be with him for all eternity. We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright brethren please
take your hymnals and let's turn to hymn number 221. Hymn number 221. 221. And we're singing
a child of the king. 221. A child of the king.
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold. His coffers are full, he has ventures untold.
I'm a child of the king. A child of the king. With Jesus my sacred. I'm a child of the king.
My father's own son. The savior again. Was wandered on earth as the chorus of men.
But now he is pleading. How hardened on high. That we may be his. When he comes by and by.
I'm a child of the king. A child of the king. With Jesus my savior. I'm a child of the king.
I once was and now. A stranger on earth. A sinner by choice and an alien I heard.
A hymen on the earth. My name's written down. Then into the mountain. A cold hand on the ground.
I'm a child of the king. A child of the king. With Jesus my savior. I'm a child of the king.
A tender heart. Each one should I give. They're building a palace for me over there.
No exile from home. Yet still I may sing. All glory to God. I'm a child of the king.
I'm a child of the king. A child of the king. With Jesus my savior. I'm a child of the king.
Thank you for watching!