An Abundant Life

Welcome, once again, it's good to see you all. Today we're going to talk about an abundant life. Because we've been studying the sign of the Son of man, and we review this very often, that you can become familiar with the different points in the sign.

We've been following the course of this comet, which is called the comet K2 for short. From the time of the beginning of the sign of the Son of man, we have the time of the Exodus from Egypt, corresponds to that time.

Then the baptism in the Red Sea. Then – what was this point? – Pentecost, the going up to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments for the first time, and then we had Yom Kippur.

That was when Moses went back up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, again, because they had broken the Ten Commandments in the first time, when they built the or made the golden calf.

Last time we talked especially about these two points, looking at how the law was given at Sinai. Then their sins were forgiven, and this represents the law being written in our hearts. We recognized Christ in the first table of stones.

The first tables of stone, because they were cut out of the stone by God, and given to Moses complete, just as Christ was the Son of God. Whereas the second time, Moses had to carve out the stone himself.

But God wrote, with His own finger still in that same stone, the Ten Commandments. It represents our sinful flesh, our humanity, but still with the law of God written with His finger, but in our hearts.

I want you to see that contrast again today, and we're going to make this practical. At least that's my goal. I want you to have a practical understanding of what this actually looks like. How do we live with the heart written, with the law written in our hearts?

Let's look at Exodus chapter 19 and verse 8. Now, this is when they're preparing for God to come down on the mountain. With all of the thundering, and lightning, and fire, and smoke, and the trumpet sound, God thundered out the Ten Commandments.

They were preparing for that, and Moses had gathered the people together, and told them everything that God had commanded him. Then the people answered. Exodus 19 verse 8, And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.

And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. The people made an agreement with God, and they said: Okay, no problem, you've given us your law, your Ten Commandments, and all of the other laws as well.

They said, yes, everything you've said, we will do it. Excellent. Did they? It sounds great, but did they do it? This was the first time when Moses went up the mountain, and he was there for how long? Forty days. Forty days.

Quite a while, at least by our standards, to be gone for more than a month. Then they said, well, we don't know. What happened to Moses, and what did they do? Did they do all that the Lord has spoken? No. They broke the law.

You know the story. Then, looking back at the sign, that was the story connected with this point in the sign as we've explained before. Then came Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment. Now this was a special day for Israel.

Yes, it was a day of judgment, but it was more than that. It was a day of atonement. Atonement means bringing us into union in this context with God. There's a verse in Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 18, and this was applicable to that day.

He's referring to the things that happened on that day. He says: Come now, let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. White wool.

What makes something red? What is red connected with, especially for the ancient people? Blood. Blood, exactly. Why would one's sins be red? What do sins have to do with blood? A sacrifice is needed.

Well, they called for a sacrifice, and the reason is because all sin leads to death. It leads to blood being lost. That's why the sins are red, because you have blood on you through sin. When we sin, we have our blood, our own blood on us. We're guilty, in other words.

Just like in the garden of Eden, God said, in the day that you eat the fruit, we could say in the day that you sin, you will die. So, sin always comes with death. Paul says in Romans, the wages of sin is death.

But on Yom Kippur, it was a day of cleansing. Though your sins be as scarlet, though they are red, they will be white. What does white represent? Righteousness, purity, holiness, those divine characteristics that come from God.

They shall be like wool, interesting comparison, where does wool come from? Sheep, and of course, Jesus was identified as the Lamb of God, from Him we get the wool. This is what was represented on Yom Kippur.

That's why it was a good day for Israel, because their sins would be cleansed on that day. That day was all about going in and cleansing everything in the sanctuary from all of that blood where the sin had been transferred.

Every time somebody would confess their sins, the animal would be slain, the blood would be carried into the temple, into the tabernacle. Then on this day, they would clean it all up, essentially, in the ceremonial way.

Jesus said in John chapter 10 and verse 10 – He gave us a contrast. He said: the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus came to take away our sin, and to give us life, and that we might have it, have that life more abundantly. What does that mean? Well, I think it's relatively straightforward, but we will see an example of that as we continue.

But just briefly, last week we talked about this representing a certain group of people. What group was that? Who did we say has the law written in their hearts? Christians. Christians, yes.

The 144,000 especially are the ones who keep the commandments of God, and they have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We saw last week how in ten constellations of the sign, there's a pattern of the Ten Commandments.

The first table with the first four commandments, and then the second table with the other six commandments. We saw how the symbolism of these different constellations all points to different aspects that are in harmony with the specific commandments that fit that pattern.

Then we saw the promise that Jesus gave in Revelation 3,21, where Jesus said:. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

That's what we saw here. We have Jesus sitting on His throne. Like the Ark of the Covenant was the throne, a box with the mercy seat was actually a throne, and above that throne was the Shekinah glory, the glory of God that shined above the throne.

Jesus is sitting on His throne, and inside that throne was the Ten Commandments, and that's what we see there. Then we also see somebody sitting next to Him on His throne. We can relate that to this verse:

those who overcome, he will grant to sit with him on his throne. That's what we see here, sitting with Him on his throne. Those who overcome, those who have the law written in the heart. That was our scripture reading in Revelation chapter 14.

It is actually prophesied where this message would come from, and it's here in this passage. And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion. The lamb is Jesus, of course, and with him, and hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their forehead.

Some versions also include the Son's name as well. In the sign of the Son of man, we've talked about how this represents His name, the Alpha and the Omega, referring to Alnitak of Orion.

It's also even the name of the Father, if you extend the principle. The next star is the star that would correspond to the Father, and it's also an A. It starts with the letter A or Alpha in Greek, being Alnilam of Orion.

It's pointing to this sign being the name of the Father, and the name of the son. But continuing, it gives a description of the place on earth where this name is given. He says in verse two:

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: Now, where do you hear a voice of many waters and great thunder at the same time? What kind of a place are you visiting if you hear a lot of water and a great thunder?

A really big waterfall. A waterfall, exactly, a big waterfall, many waters. When the waters fall over in a waterfall, they make a loud thunderous sound. So, we know that it's pointing to a waterfall.

The question is, what waterfall? There are many waterfalls all throughout the world. What part of the world has a waterfall? It is not a small waterfall because this is a waterfall with many waters, and that's actually significant, many waters.

Who can tell me, maybe some of the locals know, what does Iguazu mean? What is the meaning of that name? Agua Grande. Agua Grande, many waters. There it is, right there in the Bible, many waters, referring to a waterfall because it has the voice of a great thunder.

Where is Iguazu Falls? Not too far from here. Many waters refer to quantity, not to the height of the waterfall. Yes, amen, that's a good point, because the many waters means a lot of water.

It doesn't mean a great height of water. That's not what this is talking, it's talking about the quantity. Of course, Iguazu Falls is right up there with the world's greatest waterfalls in terms of the quantity.

I think it is the world's largest waterfall in terms of the amount of water that is flowing over the Iguazu Falls. Therefore, it's called Iguazu, many waters, great waters. But that's not the only indication.

Let's continue the verse. And I heard – he heard first the voice of waters and the voice of great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: What does Paraguay have to do with harps? Do you know? Un arpa – a harp.

Yeah, that's the instrument, the harp, yes. I think they brought the harp from Spain to Paraguay. Yes. But it's also known in Paraguay. It is the national instrument of Paraguay, is the harp.

It's not just about the waterfalls, which are shared with Brazil and Bolivia. But originally they belonged to Paraguay, but it's also about the harpers harping with their harps. That refers to the harp being the national instrument of Paraguay.

This is a monument to the harp that was erected not long ago, this year, on May 28th, which was Pentecost. So, erected right at that time when the comets were crossing right there, right at Pentecost.

Because it's the national instrument of Paraguay, they built a monument for it, very large. It can be seen from the sky. You can see its form from the land, and also there's a river right there from which you can see it from the water.

It's also in Paraguay, where in 2013, they made the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest harp ensemble in the world. 400 and some harpers all harping together. The harpers harping with their harps. That happened in 2013.

It points directly to here, to this land, where – what would happen? Verse 3, they – who is they? It's referring to the 144,000 of verse 1. The 144,000 sung, as it were, a new song before the throne. Now this is symbolism. We'll see what that new song is in just a second.

They sung a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the elders. What's that a reference to? The four beasts and the elders, the 24 elders, that points to Orion. And no man could learn that song but the hundred forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

Let's read verse 4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits.

So, they're not the only redeemed, but they're the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. What is this harp and the song that the 144,000 play? It goes back to the Ten Commandments in the sign, that's the setting of these verses.

We saw how the name of God was written in their foreheads. Here's the name of God and His character. That's what the name symbolizes. One's name in the Bible symbolizes character, their character. The Ten Commandments represents God's character.

That's what we see in the sign. You can see our video from last week to learn about that correspondence. But then we have the rhinoceros or the unicorn, but in the Bible, a unicorn represents a means of rhinoceros and that represents the 144,000.

They have their father's name, the law, His Ten Commandments written in their foreheads. What is the song? Well, there is a verse in the Bible, Psalm 33, verse 2. David says: Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

Interesting. He's talking about playing music, singing a song using a harp, which the psaltery is just another name for a harp. Psalm 144, verse 9, I will sing a new song unto thee. This is referring directly to what we see in Revelation.

They sung a new song. Only the 144,000 could learn that song. They sing it upon a psaltery, which is a harp. It's a hand harp. In the ancient times, they didn't have the harp, big one like we use today, but it was just a handheld harp. We'll see a picture of that in a moment.

It's an instrument of ten strings. On that instrument, they would sing praises to God. When we connect that with the sign and we see that there are Ten Commandments, and we want to connect that to a harp. But again, not this kind of a harp, but this kind.

I've merged this with the sign on its side. This is the handheld harp of ten strings that David was talking about. You can see it has the same basic shape of the bottom half of the sign in this orientation, because that's where the Ten Commandments are represented in the sign.

This harp of ten strings is directly connected to the Ten Commandments. Playing praises to God by keeping the Ten Commandments. Learning that song of keeping the commandments.

But not keeping the commandments according to what ancient Israel said, all that the Lord has spoken, we will do. That's not how they played the song. But they learned the song, which is described in Revelation 12.

In the end, it talks about the war between the dragon and the woman. And the dragon went to make war with the remnants of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of who? Of Jesus Christ.

He is the one that makes it possible, because He writes the law in the heart. It's his testimony. It's his writing. Yes. The fish not only depicts the harp, but also the easy yoke of Jesus. Amen.

I think that's very nice. We have the rhinoceros there, which we looked at last week in the book of Job. How God challenges Job and says, hey, can you make the rhinoceros plow your fields for you? You're connecting that with this as the yoke.

Just like we talked about last week, being under Christ's yoke. His yoke is easy. His burden is light, because He does all the heavy lifting. We just kind of walk along with him. Notice again in Revelation, the same passage there.

Revelation 14,4. they follow the lamb wherever he goeth. That means they're yoked together with Jesus, with the lamb. Amen. Thank you for that thought. Again, in the sign, we have this contrast between the law that the people said, all you have said, we will do.

But they didn't do it, because they were trying to do it in their own strength. Without Christ, they committed to keeping the law, but they didn't have Christ. It naturally failed and very quickly. But at Yom Kippur, it was a different situation.

It represented this case today, the 144,000, the last generation, who do have the law written in the hearts. What does that look like? Now, there's one place, surely more, but there's one place that I want to look at today that illustrates this principle.

It's a character in the Bible that we're familiar with. In the book of Job, we have his story. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil.

Job has a good report, and it describes his situation. Then it also describes how he would intercede. It was so when the days – this is verse five – when the days of their feasting, that is in verse four, his sons, they would feast in their houses, everyone in his day.

That's referring to his birthday. Everyone in their birthday, they would feast in their houses. They called their sisters to eat and drink with them. But Job was concerned. He sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all.

Job, we would say in our modern terms he prayed for them. He interceded with God for them. And why? Because: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned. Maybe they sinned and they cursed God in their hearts. And thus Job did continually.

So, he was always interceding. And who was he interceding for? His family. He was interceding for his family, for his children. Yes. In case they would have sinned, he wanted to protect them. Job was a noble person.

But then, in verse 6, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan, an accuser, came also among them. The LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?

God is proud of Job. And He says, hey, look, here's an example of somebody that is almighty. He is speaking to Satan here. You don't have him in your grasp. He's almighty. He fears God and shuns evil.

In verse 9, then Satan answered and said, oh, really? Does Job fear God for naught? Is it for nothing that Job fears you? Have you not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?

Hast thou blessed the work of his hands, and his substance? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and then you'll see his true colors.

Then he will curse you to your face. The Lord said, okay, all that he hath is in thy power, but upon himself, put forth not thine hand, put not forth thine hand. What happened? You know the story.

All this calamity suddenly came upon Job. One after the other in the same day, all of that he had, including his sons and his daughters were gone. They died. All his cattle were taken away. All his wealth was gone in a moment.

What did Job do? Verse 20, chapter 1, verse 20. Then Job arose, rent his mantle, shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped. And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither:

the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. Not a bad response. In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Job passed the test. Very good. But that wasn't the only test.

Chapter 2, there's another test. Again there was a day when the sons of God came, same situation. Again, in verse 3, the LORD said to Satan, hey, have you considered my servant Job? He's my servant, Job, that there's none like him in all the earth.

Perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity. He holdeth fast his integrity. Pay attention to that. Although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. But Satan is not satisfied.

He comes back. He's the accuser. That's what Satan means, the accuser. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. You still protected him. You still told me I can't touch his life, his body, his flesh.

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bones and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face. God said, all right, have it your way, but save his life. So, Satan smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to his crown. He used his wife in verse nine.

His wife said to him: do you still retain your integrity? Curse God, and die. Wow. But Job said unto her: Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?

Job is answering well. And it says: In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Job, so far, is doing very well. Then Job's three friends come. They sat down with Job upon the ground seven days and seven nights. Just being there with him in his grief.

Now, the story continues in chapter three, verse one. After this opened Job his mouth. You notice what it said previously. In all this, Job did not sin, how? Where did it go? He did not sin with his lips. He didn't sin with his lips.

Now, in verse three, chapter three, verse one. After this opened Job his lips – his mouth. What did he do? He cursed his day, that is, his birthday. Job spake, and said, Let the day perish wherein I was born.

Now we go into a long dialogue between Job and his three friends. If you were to summarize it, Job is complaining about his circumstances. He's saying, hey, I did everything right. I hold on to my integrity, but yet I'm afflicted. This isn't right.

Why is this happening? Look in Job, chapter 27, in verse five. He's having this dialogue with his friends because his friends have a different position. Job says, I've done right, but God is doing me wrong.

I don't deserve this because I've done right. His friends say, no, Job, you're not doing right. Because God only does that to people who do wrong. He only brings that kind of punishment to those who do wrong.

Job says, in verse four of chapter 27: My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. He's confident in what he's saying. God forbid that I should justify you. He's saying, no, it's not that I did wrong because that was their argument.

They were saying, you've sinned somewhere. You just need to acknowledge it. You need to recognize your sin. Job said, where is it? Where is my sin? He said, God forbid that I should justify you:

till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me. Job held on to his integrity. Was Job innocent? According to God, yes, because He said Job was righteous. God said that he was perfect and righteous and feared God, eschewed evil.

First it said in all this, Job sinned not. Then the second time, it said he sinned not with his lips. Then it said he opened his mouth and he cursed. He cursed, right? Cursing his birthday is not cursing God. He didn't curse God, but he cursed his birthday.

But the birthday was created by God. Amen. That's a good point. Who gave him life? Who gave Job life? It was God. He didn't directly curse God. But if you curse the day that you were born, because you were born then, he's cursing what God did.

He's cursing the life that God gave. That's indirectly cursing God. But it's not what Satan said. Satan said, he will curse you how? To your face. Through your face. Exactly. He didn't curse God to His face, but indirectly he did curse God.

Because God, especially in this story, God takes responsibility for all of this evil that comes to Job. But Job does have a problem. In the whole dialogue, through the whole book of Job, he is expressing his complaints to God.

He's complaining and complaining. I did right, and God did me wrong. He is basically saying, he even says directly, yeah, I want to speak with God. I want to make my case before God, because there's injustice being done.

He has a fourth friend. His three friends don't get it. But he has a fourth friend who understands. In Job chapter 32: These three men ceased to answer Job. Why? Because he was righteous in his own eyes.

He didn't see anything wrong in himself. They were saying, there is something. They held to their story. There's something wrong with you, Job. But they couldn't identify it. Then was kindled, in verse two, the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel.

Against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. He said, I am right. I've done good things in my life and God is wrong, because I'm being judged wrongly.

Also against his three friends was Elihu's wrath kindled, because they found no answer. This is an important point. They found no answer. Yet had condemned Job. So, if we can't answer something, we shouldn't condemn, because you're assuming then that you are correct in your understanding.

That's a theme in this book. It's about understanding the truth of this situation. It's a book of judgment, discerning what the true reality is. Up to this point, in the whole conversation of Job with his three friends, he's complaining and complaining and complaining.

How does Elihu answer? Elihu, after explaining his case and why he's speaking now, because he's a young man and he had great respect for the older people who were in conversation. He waited, but they had no answer.

Then he says, OK, then I'll speak now. And he begins talking about God. He starts more or less around in chapter 33 in verse 15 or 14. Around in this area. This is a key verse. In verse 12, Job 33, verse 12.

Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. This is more or less a summary of Elihu's argument. He still doesn't have an answer that's very satisfying. But he says, you're not just because God is greater than man.

Why does thou strive against him? He rebukes Job. He says, look, God is greater than you are. He talks about God's works. He directs him to see the things in nature. From the stars in heaven. From the clouds, how things work in nature. He directs him to God's works.

He contrasts that with Job and his ignorance. You don't know. You don't know what, how the things work in the world. You don't know how the clouds form or how the many different things in nature operate. You don't know. That was his point.

God is greater than man. And because God is greater than man, you're not just to say you're right, God is wrong for allowing something to happen to you. Now, after Elihu explains his argument. Then in Job chapter 38, the Lord weighs in Himself.

It describes Elihu is continuing and you can almost sense that he's describing the environment around him. He starts talking about the dark clouds and it's like this storm is developing. Then in Job chapter 38, there's the Lord answering Job out of the whirlwind.

This whirlwind had formed and God Himself speaks to Job and He said: Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Does God have something against Job? This time He does.

This time He is questioning Job. Who are you? Who is this that is darkening counsel? What does it mean to darken counsel? That means you're clouding good judgment by words without knowledge. You don't understand.

You're saying things, but you don't understand what is really happening. Now God challenges him. He says: Gird up your loins like a man; I will demand of thee, and you answer me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare if you have understanding.

He continues in the same line, just like Elihu did. Finally, Job answers, sort of. After God says in Job chapter 40 and verse 2, God says: Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. So, now Job is on the hot seat.

Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once I have spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. Job realizes, OK, I'm stuck. I can't answer.

But God's not satisfied with that. Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, again and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

He continues a little bit longer making similar arguments until in Job chapter 42, Job answers again. And he said, I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? He's repeating God's question. Now he's answering. Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Now he's again, he's repeating God. He's saying, OK, you said you will speak and ask me and you want me to answer you. Here's his answer.

Verse five. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. This is the summary of Job's response. I abhor myself and repent.

He repented. Then God was satisfied. And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends:

for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Now that's interesting. The three friends of Job are rebuked now by the Lord because they have not spoken what was right.

But then He says, you haven't spoken what was right like my servant Job has. My servant Job spoke what was right. If that makes you scratch your head, you're probably in good company.

What is God referring to? That Job spoke what was right. Because he repented. Because he repented. Exactly that. He recognized his sin. He recognized his condition and he abhorred himself and he repented.

That is the part that Job spoke right. It wasn't all his complaining throughout the book, in his conversation with his three friends. That's not what God is referring to. He's referring to his repentance. He is rebuking the friends. Why? They didn't repent.

There's no word that the friends said anything. They stopped because Job was righteous in his own eyes. But when the Lord spoke, they didn't repent like Job did. What did God tell Job? He's telling his three friends to go to Job with this offering.

Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that he have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. He reiterates that and He makes them go with an offering and Job intercedes for who?

For his friends who came from different parts. Now contrast that with the beginning of the story. Who was Job praying for in the beginning? He was praying for his sons, for his family. Now he's praying for other people, his friends.

His friends each came from their own place, their own nation far away. His intercession now went outside of his family, his local unit. Now he is praying for others throughout the world. God says, him will I accept.

Why? Can you answer? Because of repentance. Because he repented. Exactly. That is the story that we see in the sign of the Son of man. It's the story of repentance. Job had his faults. It is important to understand, he held on to his integrity.

That doesn't mean he was flawless. Doesn't mean he didn't make mistakes. But he held on to his integrity. How would we express that in a different way? His conscience was clear. He lived in a way that he had a clean conscience.

Part of having a clean conscience is when we're confronted with who we are. Like Israel was confronted with the golden calf. Moses coming down and saying, you broke this. Now he ground the golden calf into powder and put it in the water and made them drink it.

They were confronted with that. When they repented, God forgave them. Yes. Yom Kippur was a day of intercession of the High Priest. The law was written in the heart. Yes, when the law is written in the flesh.

It's at the point of Yom Kippur, which you're saying points to that day when the High Priest would minister and cleanse the sanctuary from. Make intercession like Job. Yes, he went into the most holy place and he interceded in that place of incense.

Remember we talked about a couple of weeks ago, there was a cloud of incense when he would go there. That's the incense that represents prayer. It represents that intercession that he went before God and he interceded.

Who did he intercede for? For his family? Or for all of Israel? That's even symbolic for today where Israel is not the literal nation or a little royal bloodline, but Israel represents all of God's people throughout the world.

Everyone who identifies themselves with Him and who would join with Israel. So, it's spiritual Israel. They are whom we should pray for. What does Job tell us about that? Says, He will hear, God will hear. He will hearken to Job who prays for his friends.

My servant Job shall pray for you into the most holy place with the incense, praying for his friends, for God's people throughout the world. For Job will I accept. If he didn't do that, the rest would not be saved.

Because God would deal with them according to their folly. That's not where we want to be. We don't want anyone to be in that position. So, we pray for them. That is our role as the 144,000 is to pray, to intercede for others.

That they who don't repent, they don't do like Job, they don't say what is right. They don't repent in their heart. He prays with them. What is the modern equivalent? What's the reality that corresponds to that prayer?

That's the prayer that the 144,000 make that is an intercession for His people. That says, give them more time to bring their lives in order. That prayer was made in 2016, right here on these grounds, just off the hill.

That's a whole new subject. It fulfills a different prophecy, but it's not just our prayer. I don't want to give that impression. Because the Bible says it's the prayers of all saints in Revelation chapter eight. But they're represented.

All of those prayers of God's people are represented in the prayer that was made here for more time, which is part of that song. Therefore, it's part of what comes out of this land of Paraguay. It has to do with what we read in Revelation 14.

I want you to notice, this is the contrast between Israel who said, all that the Lord has said, we will do. We're going to do it. Now look at the 144,000. These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever he goes.

They don't do anything. They just follow the Lamb. Imagine a lamb walking around, and they're just following the lamb. That is doing something. Yeah, doing something. But have you ever traveled somewhere with a friend, and you're in the passenger seat?

Your friend is driving along, and you get to the end, you get to your destination. Then maybe on the way back, they say, okay, now you drive back. It's a new place. Then you're like, oh, I wasn't paying attention. You may not be able, just because you got there.

It doesn't mean that you could get yourself there. That's how it is when you're in the, at least for me, when I'm in the passenger seat and somebody else is driving. I'm relaxed. You take me there. You know how to get there. It's all fine.

I'm just following. That's how it is. When we follow the lamb, He doesn't say where the lamb is going. It just says wherever he goes, they follow. He turns right, you go right. He turns left, you go left.

Following Him means also, to go through hard things sometimes. Yes, so we follow. Then at every point when the lamb leads us to a situation, maybe it's a difficult situation, but we follow Him. We have that choice at every point to either follow Him or go our own way.

But when we follow Him, that's keeping a clean conscience. Because it's in our mind where we make those decisions, where we follow the lamb. It's on the little details of everyday life where we follow the lamb.

We know to do right. We follow the lamb if we do it. But if we ignore that, that voice that says, go right, go left, do this, do that, whatever it is. When we see the lamb going and then we want to go somewhere else, then we're not following the lamb

Then we don't have a clean conscience. Then we have to repent. But we can still follow the course of Job. We can still have that clean conscience once we repent. The problem is when we willfully depart from Christ.

And we say, but I don't want to go that way and I will go this way. Then we no longer have a clean conscience. Okay, gone over time, but that's the lesson of the 144,000 contrasted where Israel said, whatever you said, we will do.

They will go in their own strength to do it, but they fell flat on their face. But following the lamb, it's effortless. They just watch. It's beautiful because: This is why it's not really doing, because the doing is when we go our own way. Then we do, but we're actually undoing.

We're letting go when we go, when we follow Christ. We let our will go. We stop doing our will and we just say, okay, Lord, I follow you. That's why it's not doing, but following. That's the role of the 144,000 in these last moments of history.

With that, stand up and let's have a word of prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love, for your patience with us. You teach us through life's experiences and you show us that no matter how terrible our circumstances, it is not honoring for you to complain, but to accept all things as from you, like Job originally did.

When we're tempted to complain about our circumstances and how hard life is, and how it might seem to contradict our understanding, what we expect life to give, then we can look at your works.

We can look up and see your heavenly works and your might and power that can only come from the Almighty, from Him who knows the end from the beginning. We can trust every detail of our lives to you and know that you will care for us as your children and as a loving father.

So, we give you our praise, accepting both the good from your hands and the evil, trusting you that in all things, your name will be justified and cleared in the end. In the end, we will understand that it was the best way, according to your knowledge of the end from the beginning.

So, we praise you. We thank you for all that you allow to come into our lives and we seek your honor as we follow you. We recommit our lives to you, to walk in your ways, to forsake our own course and surrender with repentance to you that we may be clean before you and walk with your law written in our hearts.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, the wounded one of Orion. Amen. Thank you and we will see you again next week.