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