1 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” July 26, 2012 L T S

2 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Seen… This was seen today in a state government office –While I had heard of things like this, I had never actually seen one or met someone who would build such – that time is past now –Tonight’s lesson will introduce us to folks worshipping  with their actions but not their hearts –What you are about to see is sacrilegious and pure worship of another god, and it is disgusting for any person to be elevated to this level

3 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

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5 Obedience vs. Sacrifice “He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.” Isaiah 66:3

6 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice Why are these things, at one time commanded by God, now so offensive? –It was because they had chosen their own ways, the ways of their own wicked hearts, and not only their hands did but their souls delighted in their abominations –They were vicious and immoral in their conversations, they chose the way of sin rather than the way of God's commandments, and they took pleasure in that which was provoking to God

7 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith  : I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.” Isaiah 1:11-13

8 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice “Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” Isaiah 11:14-15

9 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?" says . "I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship Me, who asked you to parade through My courts with all your ceremony? Stop bringing Me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts Me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings.” Isaiah 1:11-13 (NLT)

10 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice “I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to Me. I cannot stand them! When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.” Isaiah 1:14-15 (NLT)

11 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice This third verse ends with God declaring “…they have chosen their own ways with Me and now I will choose my own ways with them.”

12 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice “But those who choose their own ways — delighting in their detestable sins — will not have their offerings accepted. When such people sacrifice a bull, it is no more acceptable than a human sacrifice. When they sacrifice a lamb, it's as though they had sacrificed a dog! When they bring an offering of grain, they might as well offer the blood of a pig. When they burn frankincense, it's as if they had blessed an idol.” Isaiah 66:3 (NLT)

13 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice Many commentaries point to this as being a time immediately after Yeshua’s accomplishment on the cross and, therefore, the continuing to make offerings is now abominable in the sight of Yehovah. Let’s see the truth

14 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice This is pointing to a time yet future (as you’ll see in later verses) This is pointing to a PEOPLE who do not know Yehovah as we will see clearly when we get to verse 5 This is talking about people worshipping with their actions while their hearts are yet far from God!

15 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Obedience vs. Sacrifice “He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6 “Wherefore  said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:” Isaiah 29:13

16 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.” Isaiah 66:4

17 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions “I will send them great trouble — all the things they feared. For when I called, they did not answer. When I spoke, they did not listen. They deliberately sinned before My very eyes and chose to do what they know I despise.” Isaiah 66:4 (NLT)

18 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions To aggravate their wickedness, they persisted in it despite the many calls from  to repent and reform –They turned a deaf ear to all the warnings of divine justice and all the offers of divine grace Not only is their calling reflected here, but earlier in Isaiah…

19 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions “Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.” Isaiah 65:12

20 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:” 2 nd Thessalonians 2:11

21 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

22 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

23 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions This is not the only time in Scripture (pointing to the end times) that  has warned us of His giving evil over to evil:

24 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

25 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions  will make their sin their punishment –They will be beaten with their own rod and hurried into ruin by their own delusions  will bring their fears upon them – He will bring upon them that which shall be a great terror to them, or that which they themselves have been afraid of and thought to escape by sinful actions This will make their lives miserable!

26 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions The bottom line is that  will allow them to have exactly what they want – a life without Him Imagine: the one thing in the universe that could make the God-man cry and sweat drops of blood was the thought of being without God the Father by his side But the book of Revelation tells us that man will never reach this point – he will always want to be his own ruler

27 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions The strange comparisons in Isaiah 66:3 indicate that the people’s religious sacrifices and offerings were only external ritual In their hearts the people were murderers, perverters of God’s dietary laws and idolaters

28 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions “Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;” Isaiah 65:4 “And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.” Leviticus 11:7

29 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions In reality they were going their own ways rather than the Lord’s way Therefore harsh judgment would come

30 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and  hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

31 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Delusions Fortune and Destiny were names of gods Israel worshiped in their attempts to know the future Food and drink were set before those idols to seek to please them Such people, God said, are doomed to die by the sword, for they refused to listen to Him and deliberately chose to go on sinning What more can we hope to learn from the past?

32 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Derision “Hear the word of , ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let  be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” Isaiah 66:5

33 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Derision Here you need to remember back to verse 2 when  said He would look “…to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” This is to comfort and encourage those who follow Him…to ensure them that they will not be involved in the judgments forthcoming In verse 4 we read of those who would not hear –If some will not hear, that means that some will

34 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Derision These statements by the brethren remind me of those who stood at the foot of the cross and taunted Yeshua: “Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.” Matthew 27:41-42

35 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Derision “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Messiah, the chosen of Elohim.” Luke 23:35

36 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Derision Finally, this is a picture of the rejection of Yeshua by the nation of Israel Pilate said: “Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?” John 18:35

37 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Derision And those that did this said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified’ They pretended conscience and a zeal for the honor of God and His people, and did it with all the formalities of devotion Yeshua explains this Himself:

38 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Derision “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth Elohim service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” John 16:1-3

39 Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”