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Genesis 9-10 God's Promise to Noah 9:1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. So we have a similar command to Noah and his family to the one given to the first man… Gen. 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." But something has changed in the wording here… He tells Adam that he has dominion over the whole earth, why does God not tell Noah this? Well remember Adam handed over the “Title Deed” to the earth to Satan. Who Jesus calls the “ruler of this world” in John 12:31, John 14:30, and John 16:11. Paul says this about Satan, and man’s relationship with him…. P a g e | 2

Eph. 2:1-2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. You see every man is born as a child of wrath, born into that sin nature. Adam when he and Eve sinned against God’s Word, brought a curse to man, and handed over the rightful rule of this earth to Satan. And there is proof of this all around us. I sit and talk with Sof when I get home from work, and I noticed she tells me stories that never happened, and exaggerates her stories. I didn’t have to teach her how to lie, she was born knowing this. I will however have to work real hard to teach her to be honest, and truthful, because it goes against her very nature, and the ruler of this world would help every chance he gets. It is only by faith in Jesus can we be turned from a child of wrath to a child of God’s Grace. And this is why we see a change in the command to Noah from Adam. P a g e | 3

Man will now have to use fear to rule over the animal kingdom. The first creation, even through the Antediluvian age, it seems man lived in peace with the animal Kingdom, now it will be ruled with violence and terror. And in every culture we have the violence of hunting as the animal runs in fear, or the terrors of a butcher house, and the slaughter of many animals to fill the plates of man. "Did the horse know his own strength, and the weakness of the miserable wretch who unmercifully rides, drives, whips, goads, and oppresses him, would he not with one stroke of his hoof destroy his tyrant possessor? But while God hides these things from him he impresses his mind with the fear of his owner, so that . . . he is trained up for, and employed in, the most useful and important purposes." (Clarke) This was the New World Noah was coming into. And now we eat meat, it is necessary for a balanced meal. We will see in this new world there will be many changes, man will be required to eat protein, whereas Adam and the Antediluvians were only required to eat vegies… Gen 1:29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the P a g e | 4 earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Now Noah and his descendants will be in a much harsher environment, their diet will require different nutrients. So God gives a new command next, with very specific instructions. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. The protein is required to be eaten without the blood in it. Blood is the life, and is something sacred throughout scripture. For it is by blood that God will deal with our sins… 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. God would use the blood as a foreshadow of the ultimate blood sacrifice for man’s sin, and the ultimate conquering of the ruler of this world. Heb. 9:12-15 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. P a g e | 5

13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. You see the blood sacrifices of old were only a covering over the sin, called Atonement, it only was a picture of the sacrifice Christ would come to make, the Old Testament saints looked forward to this, they were held in ’s Bosom until Christ came. Christ’s Sacrifice was more than just a covering, more than an Atonement, it was a Propitiation, which means His Blood Sacrifice on the Cross was the only thing that could appease God’s Wrath. Not just cover our sins temporarily but through faith permanently take away our sins. You see this is why the blood was so sacred to God. We are not to eat it or drink it. P a g e | 6

Why do you think many pagan or satanic rituals require the drinking of blood, or mutilation to the point of blood being spilt? Why do you think Satan has so many kids cutting themselves to bleed? The devil is mocking the sanctity of blood. So God’s first command to Noah in this New World is to hold in high reverence the blood, the life of his creation. 5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. 6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. So this is interesting here, capital punishment is the foundation of government. Life for Life. This is the foundation of law and order. Well, this brings up an issue, where should a believer stand on the death penalty?

To see the strength of God’s command, notice He will even require a reckoning from every beast. God does not condone gratuitous killing of any kind. According to God’s command, when a man’s blood is shed, there must be an accounting for it, because in the image of God He made man. P a g e | 7

Because man is made in the image of God, his life is inherently precious and cannot be taken without giving account to God. By man his blood shall be shed means that because life is deemed so precious, when murder is committed, the death penalty is in order. The Bible also consistently teaches the punishment of the guilty is the role of human government (Romans 13:1-4) so as to be a restraint of man’s depravity, and the guilt of unpunished murder defiles a land (Numbers 35:31-34). As Luther said, "God establishes government and gives it the sword to hold wantonness in check, lest violence and other sins proceed without limit." (Boice) Guzik Prior to the flood, we had no official government, only order may have been the Patriarchal System of honoring the head of the family. But prior to the flood we saw chaos. There was no capital punishment, Cain was commanded to wonder the world as a vagabond for his punishment for the murder of Abel. But something new established here with Noah, there will be a new order, Law comes in, because without its restraints humanity becomes monsters at best. So the beginning of such restraints begins with capital punishment. You say that is kind of harsh? This is a day where people are demanding to lessen the punishment. Let’s let up on crime, our state leads the way in this liberal mindset. P a g e | 8

I know the criminal mindset very well, and I can’t say leniency is going to work for them. Their whole main protocol is exploitation of the weak, so we weaken the Law, which God gave to give order, I believe crime will go up. You give a criminal less consequences, they usually do more harm. More social programs are not going to help mans debased state. Now on the other hand, I know of many cases the Laws consequence led to humility, and some came to Christ in that humble state of mind. If there is no consequence for our actions, look out. So I would say watch out as you see our government releasing the unrepentant criminal into society. They will continue to exploit, and get away with all that society will allow. Isn’t it a crazy world we live, that the one who is doing harm, is now the victim. Oh it is not their fault the progressive preaches, they are this way because of the environment they were raised in. It is not fair; they did not get the same chances as others they claim. P a g e | 9

It is not fair; we live in the generation of “It’s not fair.” And no longer is man held responsible for his choices. Since our beloved California Republic voted Prop. 47 into law, releasing the so called “Victims” of our harsh judicial system, the Washington Post reported on that Robberies up 23 percent in San Francisco. Property theft up 11 percent in Los Angeles. Certain categories of crime rising 20 percent in Lake Tahoe, 36 percent in La Mirada, 22 percent in Chico and 68 percent in Desert Hot Springs. So time will tell the true effects on our society. But God in the beginning of this New World Noah walked into, made it pretty simple, Law needed to be in place, or the Antediluvian Chaos would reoccur. Now we go into the next command repeated from before… 7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it." And Man has done just that… from 8 people to over 7 billion 4500 years or so later. This shows how valuable God views human life. He wants His creation to have severe consequences for those who would take it, and He wants us to multiply. We are not in danger of over populating as the liberal would suggest. 29% of Earth is land mass. Of that 29% humans occupy less than 1% of that area. Of the remaining 28% about 40% is pure wilderness. 14% is true desert and 15% has desert like characteristics. 9% is Antarctica. Most of the remaining 22% are agricultural areas. P a g e | 10

8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 "And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."

This covenant is made with mankind (you and your descendants after you), and even with the animals (every living creature that is with you). God promises He will never again destroy all with a flood or cover the earth with a flood. God makes this promise, not because He believes He did something wrong or too harsh in the flood. But because He did things in the post-flood world to guarantee the exact evil conditions of the pre-flood world would never be precisely duplicated. These things included the imprisonment of the angels who sinned with human women (Jude 6) and shortening the life span of man. However, when things become similar to the days of Noah again (Matthew 24:37), God will destroy the earth again, but next time it will be by fire, not by flood. As Peter records for us in…

2 Peter 3:1-7 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of P a g e | 11 reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

So by the power of that same Word, no flood waters ever again will destroy the whole earth. And now the sign that will assure this Word. 12 And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to P a g e | 12 remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." 17 And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Because the blanket of water vapors had been broken up in the flood, and the water cycle of the earth changed after the flood, this may be the first occurrence of a rainbow. God used the rainbow as a sign to Noah and all generations that He would be faithful to His covenant. Every time we see a rainbow, we should be reminded of the faithfulness of God and every one of His promises. He even declares His covenant of peace with us is just as sure as His covenant with Noah and all generations. Guzik Now; we will have devastating floods, hurricanes, ice storms, snow storms, tropical storms, and they will wreak havoc on humanity, but they will end, and at the end of the storm, as the light refracts through the water particles we will see a covenant from God. It is saying this was bad, but it ended, it was not worldwide, I am true to my promises. I imagine as Noah came into this new world with storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions that every time he saw a rainbow, he rested in God’s promises. P a g e | 13

I imagine he lived in fear of God, and what God was capable of. I imagine like any other human he could have had PTSD, and every time there was a rain cloud overhead he wondered what would happen. And when that symbol of promise and hope came about Noah and his sons would plug along remembering this covenant with the Almighty. And today Satan has turned this promise from God into a symbol of perversion of God’s ordinances. The homosexual community could have used any other symbol, but they chose this symbol of hope, and Satan mocks God. Satan has made it a more common association with gay pride than a covenant with God. And Satan would stop at nothing to pervert God’s ordinances, as we normalize homosexual sin. And society raises this symbol of God in celebration of its rebellion towards God’s way, it is a sad state we are in.

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Noah and His Sons 18 Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated. 20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.

This is the first mention of drunkenness in the Bible. Some have thought it was only after the flood that manmade (or was able to make) intoxicating drink.

Noah’s own sinful and shameful actions show the foolishness of drunkenness.

The Proverbs say, Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise . . .. Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. (Proverbs 20:1, 23:29-33) Some will try to teach this section, and make excuses for Noah. You see we like to exalt our biblical heroes, and we often fail to understand the humanity behind these men. Yes, they are mighty men of faith, but it was only their faith in God that made them of anything renown. P a g e | 15

The Bible, when looked at accurately shows us the failure of man, and the power of God to save man in his debased mindset. Noah, had issues, that cannot be disputed or cleaned up to give us a cute bible story for the kids. Think of what this man just went through. The devastation, the reality he lived with. That all of humanity and anything with breath in its nostrils was just wiped out violently. Maybe if he preached differently, maybe he could have helped some. Maybe if he just pleaded with God, more people would have been saved. All those familiar faces swept away in God’s pure and holy wrath. For any man to try to live with this would be too much. I think of our war heroes, in particular my father-in- law. Who explained to me when he was 18 years old, he was really an innocent, sheltered kid, from Ohio. Lived a normal childhood, with normal friends, a loving family. P a g e | 16

When he turned 18 years old, the government drafted him into the military. They took all that innocence of a normal childhood, and trained him to kill an enemy, and sent him to a foreign land filled with chaos, death, and torment. The only escape he as a man could find, was in the bottle of Night Train. For years his only comfort from that torment he was forced to endure was through a bottle, and for those moments of a drunken stooper he forgot, and found relief from his memories and agony. It was not until he met Jesus Christ was he freed from that addiction. Noah I believe, finds his escape in the same way. It is a new harsh environment, all different, and incredibly fearful. He escapes to a drunken stooper. And the false warmth of the fermented fruit causes him to undress to escape the heat. Next verse… 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the P a g e | 17 nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness. 24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said: "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren." 26 And he said: "Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant. 27 May God enlarge Japheth, And may he dwell in the tents of Shem; And may Canaan be his servant."

It may be Noah was abused sexually by one of his sons or relatives. The phrase became uncovered, and the idea of nakedness, are sometimes associated with sexual relations (Leviticus 18:6-20). Which reads like this… Lev 18:6 'None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the LORD . Others think Ham’s only sin here was in seeing Noah’s drunken, uncovered state, and making fun of him, mocking him as a father and as a man of God. The Hebrew literally says Ham "told with delight" what he had seen in his father’s tent. His heart was intent on mocking his father and undermining his authority as a man of God. We see the severity to dishonoring our parents or even those God places in positions of headship. P a g e | 18

We are told in scripture a sign of the last days is disobedient children. This new generation is really one of the most disrespectful generation. Really they have been spoiled, entitled, and they tend to believe everything is owed to them. But the Word of God shows us the severity of dishonoring your parents and authority. We have people groups appealing to violence to get their voice heard or own president applauding this behavior. Look at the political arena right now, it is a show of contempt and even pandemonium. There is no respecter of authority in today’s culture. They are empowered by their professors and popular culture, with a false sense of knowledge and yet they have no life experience to gauge this enabled mindset.

They exalt themselves as Elihu in Job

Job 32:1-10 So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. 3 Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. P a g e | 19

4 Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.* 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused. 6 So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: "I am young in years, and you are very old; Therefore I was afraid, And dared not declare my opinion to you. 7 I said, 'Age should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.' 8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. 9 Great men are not always wise, Nor do the aged always understand justice. 10 "Therefore I say, 'Listen to me, I also will declare my opinion.' And that is about as far as I get with that kid. And this generation has the mindset of Elihu, who God doesn’t even address at the end of this book. Isn’t interesting that God tells the older men to go repent. But this young man never got that offer, maybe his pride was too much for even God to break through. He had a to say, some of it very good, but in his pride and arrogance he gets dismissed, he messages to me voided out. You see the youngster has not made the humiliating mistakes of their predecessors. The wise have been down the road of humiliation before, it gives them a better grip on knowledge. You see knowledge not balanced with experience produces the pride of Lucifer. P a g e | 20

It is our experience in this cruel and harsh world that keeps our knowledge in a humble place before God. So you young person in here tonight, listen to the wisdom of the older generation, who has walked before you, honor them. Don’t buy into this philosophy of Ham, and mock and ridicule those God has put in your life to help instruct. It comes with great consequences. So we see Whatever was done to Noah, it seems it must have been more than one of his sons or grandsons seeing his nudity.

When Noah awoke, he knew what his younger son had done to him. This explains the strength of the curse.

If Ham is the one who sinned against Noah, why is Canaan, Ham’s son, cursed?

Perhaps Canaan was also involved in this sin against Noah in a way not mentioned in the text.

Or perhaps the strongest punishment against Ham would be to for Noah to reveal prophetically what would happen to his son Canaan.

In earlier generations, prejudiced people regarded the descendants of Canaan as from Africa, and they used the curse on Canaan to justify slavery.

But African people did not come from Canaan. Canaan was the father of the near-eastern peoples, most of who were conquered by Joshua when Israel took the Promised Land. Guzik Now I personally find it interesting, that Ham was the one too rebel first, to fall prey to Satan’s early schemes in this New World. This goes back to our discussion on the Nephilim, remember God imprisoned those angels that sinned. Jude 6-7 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in P a g e | 21 everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. We see the severity of what these angels did with woman, God wiped out the tainted bloodline, and imprisoned the angels who committed these acts. But we see giants again in the Land of Canaan, how could that be if God wiped them out? It would seem that the bloodline through Ham might be corrupt. And we see God’s relentless Judgment on the nations that descended from Canaan. This curse carries on to the days of Joshua. 28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29 So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died. Nations Descended from Noah(1 Chron. 1:5-27) 10:1 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood. P a g e | 22

2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. 6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were and Dedan. 8 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord." 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city).

One son of Cush worthy of note is Nimrod. He was a mighty one on the earth, but not in a good way. He ruled over Babel, which was the first organized rebellion of humans against God. The name Nimrod itself means, "let us rebel." In this context, the phrase Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord is not an accurate description. P a g e | 23

The idea is that Nimrod was an offense before the face of God. "This is not talking about Nimrod’s ability to hunt wild game. He was not a hunter of animals. He was a hunter of men - a warrior. It was through his ability to fight and kill and rule ruthlessly that his kingdom of the Euphrates valley city states was consolidated." (Boice) A Jerusalem Targum or paraphrase says: "He was powerful in hunting and in wickedness before the Lord, for he was a hunter of the sons of men, and he said to them, ‘Depart from the judgment of the Lord, and adhere to the judgment of Nimrod!’ Therefore it is said: ‘As Nimrod the strong one, strong in hunting, and in wickedness before the Lord.’" Ginzberg here is a quote from a Jewish legend: "The great success that attended all of Nimrod’s undertakings produced a sinister effect.Men no longer trusted in God, but rather in their own prowess and ability, an attitude to which Nimrod tried to convert the whole world." Adam Clarke says this "Hence it is likely that Nimrod, having acquired power, used it in tyranny and oppression; and by rapine and violence founded the domination which was the first distinguished by the name of a kingdom on the face of the earth. How many kingdoms have been founded in the same way, in various ages and nations from that time to the present! From the Nimrods of the earth, God deliver the world!" (Clarke) Guzik Chuck Smith has some interesting things to say about this Nimrod.

I will read directly from him… Chuck says it so well… Nimrod had a wife whose name was Synaramis and she became known as "The Queen of Heaven." She had a son which she claimed to be virgin born and she named him Tamooz. He was being groomed to be the center of worship. One day while hunting, a wild boar gored him; he lay dead for three days and when he was found he revived. They celebrated P a g e | 24 his birth on the 25th of December. They would burn a Yule log on the fire until it was completely consumed, but in the morning a tree would appear, brightly decorated, in the home. It was an evergreen tree which was a symbol of perpetuated life. To celebrate his resurrection from being gored by the boar, they began to decorate eggs and to have a gay celebration in the Springtime which later became known as Ashtar, the Greek for Synaramis. The egg, again, is a symbol of continued life. We are shocked as we realize that these celebrations resemble very strongly those holidays that we hold year after year. The shocking thing is that we have no biblical base for our celebrations, but there is a very strong pagan base. We find that Satan established his counterfeit very early in the history of man there in Babylon and that is why Babylon has become synonymous with the false religious system in scripture typology. We realize that these Babylonian practices have become inculcated deeply within the structure of the church. The church has carried and promoted these practices. When Jesus addresses the church of Pergamos in Revelation; he declares his displeasure with some of the practices of the church. When he gets to Thyratira, who has fully incorporated these practices, Jesus comes down heavy upon them. It was during the period of Constantine that the church became the state religion; but, he sought to bring the pagan practices along with it and so, created the marriage of paganism and Christianity. Constantine took the practice of "Saturnalia" and incorporated it with the Christian calendar, calling it Christmas and celebrating the birth of Christ. This is what brought Babylon into the church. When Jesus speaks to the church of Sardis His complaint was they didn't pull completely away from the Babylonian practices. "...I have not found thy works perfect before God." (Rev.3:2b). Yes, you've pulled out of a system deeply steeped in Babylonian practices, but you didn't come all the way out. The Lord comes down heavy, in Chapter (17) of Revelation, on the Babylonian System that has invaded the church and he speaks of God's coming judgment against this system.

What does all this mean for the church, well there are many schools of thought. This morning Sofia asked me about an egg she got for Easter, I told her that has nothing to do with Easter. And explained what Easter is. P a g e | 25

Some think the church should banish all symbols of paganism in the church, they make a compelling argument. Some say that Christ’s whole mission was redeeming what Satan meant for evil, and claiming it for Christ, they too make a compelling argument. Where do I stand personally? I say yes to both ideas. I really don’t think those pagan symbols should be in the corporate church setting, but in your home, you do as you wish. The reason I don’t want the symbols in this building is because of the weaker brothers conscious, if he is stumbled by a Christmas tree, then those who are more mature in the faith don’t mind going without for the sake of our brothers conscious. At your home, redeeming those images and making wonderful family traditions centered on Jesus’ birth and resurrection well, that is your thing, but let each of us be so convinced in his or her mind. Study these things for sure, know why they are there. The history is important. I have been on many crusades to set the holidays right, and ban all idolatry from the homes of Christians. P a g e | 26

But I soon found out people love their Santa Claus, and Easter Bunny’s. I have really made people mad, when I say things like, you are teaching your kids it is okay to lie, as long as it is good. So parents for generations have lied to their kids about this fat man coming through the chimney and leaving presents. And eating cookies. But don’t worry I won’t mention here, I don’t want to ruin anybody’s traditions. So there you have it… 13 Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim). 15 Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; 16 the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; 17 the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; 18 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations. P a g e | 27

21 And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of , the brother of Japheth the elder. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arphaxad begot Salah, and Salah begot Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was , for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was . 26 Joktan begot Almodad, Sheleph, , Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31 These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations. 32 These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. Now if you are interested in where these nations are today, and the people groups they represent I can refer you to Henry Morris, who does a great explanation of this table of nations. It is really a fascinating study, but from here we will follow the Semites or the line of Shem, they historically P a g e | 28 are those who are found in the middle east, who took to religious motivations. And of course many of our monotheistic religions today stem from his line, even the Messianic Lineage and True religion will come through his line. So again we are looking for times like the days of Noah, wicked times, times of rebellion, times that God’s Word is held below man’s knowledge, and I believe we are seeing those days. The pride of man is higher than the tallest mountain, man believes his knowledge is deeper than the Grand Canyon. Man is more educated, more humanistic, and less God fearing. We are in a dangerous state of mind, when we believe this culture and world more than the scriptures given to us by the Almighty. We let professors, teachers, celebrities, news outlets, cult gurus, parents and pastors dictate what we believe. And when it contradicts God’s Word, we choose our own belief. We are living in the days like the days of Noah. P a g e | 29

It is time to humble ourselves, it is time to repent of our ways, it is time to turn back to God, and His Word. I believe we will see a great humbling soon. And in this great humbling, man will be searching for answers, we have those answers. We know our God, what He is capable of, the judgment that is coming, and in His great love for all men, the way He made possible for us to come. He provided salvation for all who would believe, not just a select few, but any who would call on the God of Noah, the God of Abraham, the God of and Jacob. This is our God; we know the way. I had a dialogue with a Mormon friend yesterday who was hoping that all devout beliefs would lead to heaven. He was claiming the Mercy of God will extend to all humanity no matter what they call their god. I tried to explain to him, that God was so loving He provided THE WAY, you see He is God, He creates salvation, not man. And in His Mercy He provided His Son. He made the message simple, it is not some mystery you have to go searching for; that is man complicating it all. P a g e | 30

God made a way, through His Son, for all man to come through, there is room for many more. Just like Noah had a lot of room on his boat, and nobody believed it could be that easy. Today the message of the Gospel is simple, all are welcome to come, you do not need a special revelation, or do any special ceremonies, that is man building on the system of religious Babylon, man reaching to God. True Christianity is God coming to man, it has to be that way, and thank God He came to us. Aren’t you glad? Mankind is in a perilous point in history. God’s Gospel is the answer, nothing else.