- Sermon delivered by Pastor Joseph Prince
Sermon Notes (Note: These are personal notes and not a transcription of the sermon.)
I.
The
Year of Jubilee
Welcome to The year of Jubilee!
In 1917, British General Edmund Allenby, who
believed in Bible Prophecy, marched into Jerusalem with his army force and
liberated Jerusalem without a shot. The Ottoman Empire in Jerusalem ended after
400 years of ruling. Before that, there were other gentiles that conquered the
land of Israel. Allenby walked into Jerusalem rather than riding a horse as a
sign of respect for the holy city.
Jesus came during
the times of Romans.
God meant to rule
the Earth through Israel. However, Israel sinned against God and committed
idolatry. Though Israel sinned, they have never stopped offering their
sacrifices. The blood of the sacrifice atoned or covered their sins. It never
took away their sins till Jesus came and took away the sins of the world. All
our sins today have been remitted by the blood of Jesus. It’s not covered over.
1917 was actually a time when the army liberated Jerusalem,
and the call went out for the Jews to return. However, many didn’t return as
they were wealthy and comfortable with their lives. If they did return, there would
be no holocaust.
The eleventh hour generation- you and I, are the most
blessed and privileged generation, as compared to all the generations. Allenby entered
Jerusalem in 1917. World War 1 was ended, and the armistice was signed on 11
November, exactly eleventh month in November, at 11am of 1918. It was as if God was saying— the whole world is
entering into the 11th hour, shortly before Jesus will return again.
Jubilee happens every 50 years. The call was made in
1917 for the Jews to return but they did not return. Another call was made 50
years later, in 1967. In 1967, the 6-day war liberated Jerusalem. Jerusalem
came back under Jews in a 6-day war, after 2000 years.
It is believed that anti-Christ will be from a revived
Roman Empire (most likely Europe) of 10 nations.
50 years after 1967, it’s 2017.
In 1967, the year did not start good for Israel. They
were against all odds to win the war.
God was repeating history and gave them the victory.
In 1967, Israel was surrounded by enemies first. Do you feel that you started this year surrounded by attacks from all around? Do you feel that one problem has not been resolved, and yet another problem has started? Do you feel that you have been surrounded by difficulties or challenges, which could have already started towards the end of last year, and you commence the new year with all these odds around you?
This was how the year began in 1967.
However, the sound of trumpet/Jubilee is going to be heard in your life!
Leviticus 25: 9-10
Then you shall cause the trumpet of the
Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement
you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land. And you shall
consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to
all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall
return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family.
On the Day of Atonement, blood was bled. Without the
shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. When Jesus died, we are
liberated. When Jesus died at 3pm, when the temple was offering the sacrifice
of lamb, the trumpet sounded.
On the 50th year, the Jubilee year, every debt is cancelled, the land is restored to the original
owners, and every slave is set free. In the deeper sense, Jubilee is a visual aid, a dress rehearsal to learn
about Jesus’s work in our life, in liberating us.
This is the year when free favours of God profusely abound
though the year may start with difficulties!
II.
Rapture
God delivers us by giving us the wisdom to handle the
problem or remove the problem for us.
The Rapture will happen very soon. We are about to get
out of here, out of trouble. Nobody
has seen Jerusalem reverting back to its original owners, which happened after
2000 years. No one knows the day or the hour of Rapture.
It’s true that nobody knows the date that Rapture will
happen. It’s true that the Bible said that no man knows the day or time of
Rapture. However, the Bible does say we do know the season of Rapture.
In the end time, the focus will go back to Israel
again. There will be Rapture. God’s people will be taken out from this world
before 7 years of tribulation. There might be a nuclear war, as the Bible said
that one-third of the world population will be killed, but we won’t be here.
Rapture is not the second coming of Christ.
Rapture is coming. The bridegroom (Jesus) is coming to
snatch away His bride (believer). The bride does not know the exact time and
day, but she knows the season, so that she will be dressed up and be ready for the bridegroom.
Rapture is nothing more than the believers receiving
the final possession that Jesus died to give us— a new body. We have a new body
like the body that Jesus had when he rose from the dead. The body will not be subjected to diseases
and we will never grow old, and we will be forever young! We will travel at the
speed of light, and we can never die.
III.
Battle
of the Ages
Hebrews 2:14-16
Inasmuch then as the children have
partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that
through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the
devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give
aid to the seed of Abraham.
We are caught in the battle of the ages.
When people fear, there is one fear, and this fear is
the mother of all fears: Death. For instance, people do not have the fear of
flying but the fear of dying. They are afraid that the plane might crash. When the
doctor says that you have to go through a surgery, you are not fearful of the
surgery but fearful of death. A lot of fears can be traced back to the fear of
death. With the fear of death, all our lifetime is subjected to bondage. When we
are free from the fear of death, we are free from the very thing that might
cause you to be of bondage to all your lifetime.
The Bible said that Jesus destroyed the devil that has the
power of death. Why did the devil have the power of death? Where did the devil get
this power from? The devil is still around. In what ways did Jesus destroy him?
“For indeed He does not give aid to
angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”- If you believe in Christ, you are the seed of
Abraham.
Jesus took on human flesh. He came into the virgin
womb, and became a real man. He clothed Himself with humanity, and has an eternity
walk into time.
God stepped into time, and that was battle of the
ages.
Jesus took on human flesh, so that he can die. He came
to die, so that through Him, He destroyed the power of death of the devil. All
the fears that man has can be traced back to the fear of death.
Deep down in man’s spirit is the fear of afterlife— where
do you go from there?
Jesus came, so that He could release those who through
fear of death subject all their lifetime to bondage. As a believer, we
should not be afraid of death. Death doesn’t exist for us anymore. Death has
been conquered by Jesus. He rose from the dead bodily, and the scripture’s
attitude for the Christians is to look forward to Rapture, not death. We will
be the end-time generation, the eleventh-hour generation.
We are caught in the battle of the ages. Men were
created much later. Long before men existed, God created angels with governance
and hierarchies. Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer were the top three angels, which
were the highest of all angels. In the
beginning there was no evil spirit. God did not create a devil. God created angels.
When God created man, there were angels. There were
different levels/hierarchies but the very highest of all is known as cherubim
(we call it cherub).
Cupid is a nice name for the cherubim. We imagine they
are babies who look cute, with wings. But they do not look like that.
There is war in heaven.
Originally, Satan is not Satan. Satan is Lucifer:
Isaiah 14:12-15
"How you are fallen from heaven, O
Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who
weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of
God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of
the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the
Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of
the Pit.
When God created for men to live on Earth, God had never planned for men to die. God did not plan for men to have diseases or grow old. The wages of sin is death. God has never made the world full of disease, lack of harmony or full of chaos. All the problems of the nations of the world are not from God.
When Lucifer fell, anything evil comes from the devil.
Lucifer went beyond and said, “I will be like God”, and “I
will exalt
my throne above the stars of God”; I will also sit on the mount of
the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” God said the devil
should be brought down to Shoel (hell).
Hell is a place of darkness, and over there, you hear
screaming.
Ezekiel 28:14-15
"You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and
forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the
day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.
"You were the anointed cherub who covers" referred to
Lucifer. God was talking to the devil himself.
Lucifer will not accept that he has fallen. He was
created with anointing. He was the anointed cherub. He has the gift and
anointing to defend God’s righteousness. He points man to righteousness till
today. He will still come to you today and say, “Do you know you have broken
God’s law?”, “Do you know you are a sinner in God’s eyes”, or “Do you know you
receive nothing but judgement from God?” He glorifies morality, he glorifies
human work and human doings, but you don’t hear the name “Jesus”.
“Walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones." - I
am walking to see if there are any unrighteous ones.
Thus, he is looking for anyone falling short of righteousness. He slandered God, and made one third of the angels to follow him. These angels become the demons, who specialise in different evil doings such as exalting illnesses.
Exodus 25:20
And the cherubim shall
stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and
they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the
mercy seat.
Originally there were three highest angels in the
beginning. The two who cover the mercy seat are Michael and Gabriel. Lucifer,
the third angel, has fallen.
At the empty tomb, Mary saw two angels. Pastor
believed they were Michael and Gabriel, two of the highest angels that she saw
in this special occasion.
All the angels worship God, and what is their
function?
Covering the mercy seat, which is the throne of God.
It’s the mobile throne of the Lord. Angels are real. God said He will send
angels to look after you.
The angels are guardians of the throne, they are
guardians of righteousness.
They were created to represent/guard righteousness.
The arch of covenant is the visual aid for the real
throne in heaven. God made cherubim as representation of his
righteousness/holiness.
Jesus talked about two people who went down to the
temple.
The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself:
Luke 18:11-12
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank
You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
Another guy, a tax collector,
asked God to be merciful to him:
Luke 18:13
And the tax collector,
standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his
breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me
a sinner!'
Satan himself is transformed into angel of light. He
becomes a defender of righteousness/holiness.
Genesis 3:24
So He drove out the
man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming
sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
This was the first mention of
sword, which referred to the execution of judgement. The last mention of sword
was when Jesus shifted the sword towards his heart.
In Job chapter one- it’s about all the angels presented
themselves before God, and Satan came:
Job 1:7-8
And the Lord said to
Satan, "From where do you come?"
So Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and fro on the earth,
and from walking back and forth on it."
Then
the Lord said to Satan, "Have you
considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a
blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"
Satan means
adversary. When God asked, “From where do you come from”, God knew the
answer. However, God always asked for the benefit of the one he was asking.
“from walking back and forth on it”-
Satan said he is doing what he has always been doing. He is a guardian of your
righteousness. He is like saying, "I am checking to see who is righteous, and who is not." He
refused to accept his fall. He still believes that he is a guardian of
holiness, but in his heart, he still believes that one day, he will take the
throne of God.
Thus,
God asked him, “Have you considered My
servant Job?” God knew that his eyes were on Job
already.
Job went about telling people things he had done, and
he was being self-righteous.
After Satan was cast out of the Heaven, he came to
Earth.
Hebrews 2:14-16
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and
blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might
destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all
their lifetime subject to bondage.
For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does
give aid to the seed of Abraham.
God wants us to be freed from the fear of death.
One of the reasons why God made man from the dust is to
keep man always humble.
God made men a little lower than the angels but God
loves us more.
People who are dead spiritually may not even fear
death.
People who are enlightened about God are in fact
people who fear death. They know there is a life after death. This passage is
referring to people of God.
God hates death. There is no death in God’s plan
for men.
Angel is a created creature. It is familiar with your spirit/life/habits.
Devil seldom points you to something you never did. Devil normally points to you about something you have actually
done and this is how devil succeeds.
Psalm 89:14
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and
truth go before Your face.
God’s throne is established by righteousness and
justice.
“the foundation of your throne”- If God can ever do
something unrighteous, the devil has it.
Devil is attacking the foundations, even when there is
mercy at heart. When God places Adam on Earth, the devil knows that God loves
man as God makes man in his image, and the devil is jealous too. The devil
wants God, with His love for men, to compromise the foundation of justice.
However, God cannot exercise love at the expense of righteousness. God cannot
exercise mercy at the expense of mercy.
The devil has the power of death and the power has been
destroyed. Thus, for believers, we don’t have to be afraid, as Jesus has
destroyed him.
“Anointed cherub”- Lucifer was the guardian of
the throne, and yet he has evil intention, which is to take God’s throne, to be
God.
IV.
Conclusion
The sermon was concluded with two stories.
The first story is from the Old Testament. It is the
story of Daniel.
Daniel 6:7-16
All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the
counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute
and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty
days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing,
so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which does not alter." Therefore
King Darius signed the written decree. Now when
Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room,
with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times
that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since
early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel
praying and making supplication before his God. And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the
king's decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions
any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the
den of lions?" The king answered and said, "The thing is true,
according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter." So they answered and said before the king, "That
Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for
you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition
three times a day." And the
king, when he heard these words, was
greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver
him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king, and said to the king,
"Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree
or statute which the king establishes may be changed." So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and
cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel,
"Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
All the governors of the kingdom referred to three governors, including Daniel.
The king tenderly loved Daniel. Daniel had an
excellent spirit. The other two governors and other princes were jealous as Daniel
rose to the rank.
They tried to find fault in him, and found one fault—
he worshipped God.
They went to the king and present to him that “whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days [except the king]
shall be cast into the den of lions.
The king even thought that Daniel was behind this too.
When Daniel knelt down on his knees three times that day, prayed and gave
thanks before his God, the king at his throne had no ability to carry out what he wanted though he was greatly displeased with himself.
Once the king put his seal on it, he could not change
it. It’s a case of being powerless against the law.
The king said to Daniel, "Your
God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
It’s a human law, a wicked law targeted at a good man,
and yet the king was powerless.
God’s heart is mercy, and his throne is righteous.
The Devil knew God loves man when God made Adam and
Eve. Devil attacks the love of God to men. The devil thus tempted men to eat
from the only tree that God asked men not to eat from. The main purpose of Satan was
however, not to attack men, but to attack God.
When people see the reality of God, they see the
reality of the spiritual world. Spirit is forever.
Devil was trying to say, “I have been called to guard
your throne. How can you be merciful to men, when men sin?”
If God is powerless to save those he loves, what good
is his throne?
A king who is supreme is a king who can carry out what
his heart desires.
In Daniel’s case, Daniel was not guilty.
In another story, Jesus was tested on
how He would handle the situation of one who has committed adultery by teachers
of laws and the Pharisees:
John 8:3-8
Then the scribes and Pharisees
brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the
midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in
the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned.
But what do You say?" This
they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He
did not hear. So when they
continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him
throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on
the ground.
As Jesus was writing
on the ground, His fingers touched the stones. If Jesus were to say “Don’t
stone her”, he was not keeping Moses’s laws
However, if
He were to say stone her, He would not be demonstrating His grace.
He could
stone her but he would not. Jesus did not compromise his righteousness with His
answer.
The sinner
was eventually left alone with the saviour. He said to the lady:
"Neither
do I condemn you; go and sin no more." (John 8:11)
In this story, this woman is guilty (it’s a just and
holy law). However, there is also a dilemma presented.
In Daniel’s case, a wicked law against a godly man was
presented.
In the second story, the woman was outwardly guilty. If
the Pharisees really care about the law, they did not have to bring
the woman to Jesus. The whole thing was targeted at Jesus.
The king in the story of Daniel adhered to the
righteousness of the law.
Sometimes as a leader, we have to do justice to save
the rest. In our hearts, we love mercy.
Lucifer is aiming towards God.
Jesus stood down and wrote on the stony ground.
Jesus’s finger was on the stone. This reminded the Pharisees that He was the
one who gave Moses the law. Now, grace and truth must come. Here, He revealed
His heart, while the Old Testament revealed His hand.
The law is righteous, unbending and inflexibly
righteous, only grace can save us.
If He were to say “Don’t stone her”, the people would
question the righteousness of the law.
If He were to say “stone her”, the people would ask
where the mercy is.
He
who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.- Jesus was the
only one who is without sin. However, He did not cast a stone.
One by one, the accusers all left.
Jesus asked the woman, “Where are those accusers?” and
told her, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.”
First, there is no condemnation, and then the sinners
have the power to go and sin no more.
Sin - falling short of God’s glory.
Jesus freed the woman, however, sin is still the sin.
Romans 3:24-26
being justified freely
by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as
a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness,
because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously
committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He
might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
How could Jesus “pass over” the sin of the woman? He
was going to pay for it at the cross.
He paid for the woman’s sins, He paid for all our sins
at the cross.
John 8:11-12
She said, "No
one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and
sin no more." Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of
the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of
life."
“Then Jesus spoke to them again”- Before Jesus went to
speak to them again, there was no one there. Thus, it showed that he walked out
to the accusers.
"I
am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but
have the light of life."
God’s light reveals how prefect Jesus’s work is in
redeeming our sins. So perfectly is God’s justice satisfied that the devil has
no word of protest. The cross silent him.
God’s throne is held by mercy and righteousness.
Supposedly one is guilty of a crime and in prison. The
prosecuting attorney comes to tell him that he cannot wait to prosecute him to
death sentence. The man, who is fearful of death, lives in constant fear of
death and bondage. The prosecuting attorney has the power and he does it
legally.
Then one day, a well-known man of integrity and good
character comes and says he is the sacrifice, and if you accept it, you are
free. This man is hung, and the crime is paid.
The prosecuting attorney meets the man again. He says,
“I am not going to let you go”. However, now the prosecuting attorney is
deprived of power. He is destroyed. The man is free and does not need to be
afraid under his threatening words.
We are grateful to the one who gave His life for us.
If I accuse someone of committing murder, I am after
his death. If it’s found out that this guy is innocent, I am guilty.
Devil uses righteousness, and pretends to hold God’s
holiness.
Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed
against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their
righteousness is from Me," Says the Lord.
When Jesus died, God’s justice was fully met.
The greatest thing we can do is to say, “I am the righteousness
of God in Christ”. We glorify God, honour Jesus and see His finished work.
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