WEBVTT
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Fear is an emotion
experienced by a man
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and beast.
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It can be a powerful
motivator to escape danger.
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We often see this in
nature films where impalas
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and other herd animals
flee from becoming a
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hungry lion's dinner.
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Caribou instinctively run
from wolf packs, sensing
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that it's not a good idea
to stick around to see
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what these
canines are up to.
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Fear also motivates us.
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We fear volcanic
eruptions.
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Those who aren't moved by fear may learn the danger too late.
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Such was the case when
Mount Vesuvius erupted on
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August 24, 79 A.D.,
spilling hot ash into the
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city of Pompeii and
turning those who failed
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to take warning into
statues depicting first
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century life in the
licentious Roman city.
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Who or what do you fear?
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Heights?
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Water?
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Public Speaking?
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Death?
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Or are you one who
claims to fear nothing?
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What about God?
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Do you fear Him?
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Should you fear Him?
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The answer may
surprise you.
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Stay with me and I'll give
you the answer straight from
01:11.504 --> 01:12.772
the pages of the Bible.
01:12.839 --> 01:19.312
♪
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A warm welcome to all of
you from all of us here at
01:22.816 --> 01:25.652
Tomorrow's World, where
we look to the God of the
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Bible for answers to
life's most important
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questions: What is man?
01:31.391 --> 01:33.359
What is the
purpose of life?
01:33.426 --> 01:34.828
Why death?
01:34.894 --> 01:36.930
And where is our
world headed today?
01:36.996 --> 01:40.133
On this program I'll be
discussing the important
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subject of fear, and
specifically: Should you
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fear God?
01:45.572 --> 01:47.707
There are many references
that speak of the fear of
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God in the Bible, but
what exactly does this
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expression mean?
01:53.313 --> 01:55.815
Psalm 111:10 tells us:
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The fear of the LORD is
the beginning of wisdom; A
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good understanding have
all those who do
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His commandments.
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His praise
endures forever.
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Note that the Psalmist
connects fearing God with
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understanding God's
commandments which results
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in giving praise to God.
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And Proverbs 1 and verse
7 explains that:
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The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of
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knowledge, but fools
despise wisdom and instruction.
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Note here that fearing
God is contrasted with the
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rejection of wisdom
and instruction.
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Clearly, the fear of
God is depicted as good.
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It's the very foundation
for true wisdom and knowledge.
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God calls those who
reject Him, who hate His
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commandments, and who
refuse to acknowledge his
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rule in their
lives, as fools.
02:48.134 --> 02:50.136
Note Psalm 53, verse 1:
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The fool has said in his
heart, "There is no God."
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They are corrupt, and have
done abominable iniquity;
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There is none
who does good.
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It should be obvious, even
from these few Scriptures,
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that fearing God has
something to do with how
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we behave, how we
conduct our lives.
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But what exactly does
it mean to fear God?
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We often hear people
soft-pedal the fear of God
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by saying it simply
means to respect Him.
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Now while fear involves
respect, we must not make
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the mistake of thinking
that fearing God is
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limited to a nebulous
"respect" for Him.
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The Bible, for very good
reasons, makes the contrast
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between fearing God
and fearing man.
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Notice Jesus' warning
found in Matthew 10:28:
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And do not fear those who
kill the body but cannot
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kill the soul.
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But rather fear Him who is
able to destroy both soul
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and body in hell.
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Yes, it is God who has the
power of life and death,
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and while it is natural to
fear men, it is God that
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we must fear the most.
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When called before the
council and threatened, we
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read how the apostles
reacted to the questioning
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that they were given in
Acts 5:29:
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But Peter and the other
apostles answered and
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said: "We ought to obey
God rather than men."
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Another example of having
right priorities is found
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in the book of Daniel,
where King Nebuchadnezzar
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had set up a giant statue
and commanded all his
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subjects to bow
down before it.
04:32.538 --> 04:37.110
The penalty for not doing
so was to be burned alive.
04:37.176 --> 04:40.747
Now what rational person would
not be fearful of such a threat?
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It's our nature to fear
getting too close to a
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fire, and for good reason.
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Probably all of us have
made that mistake at one time
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or another, and learned a painful lesson.
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Three associates of Daniel
refused to bow before the idol.
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Anyone who thinks that
Shadrach, Meshach, and
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Abed-Nego did not have a
natural fear of the king
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would be naïve.
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After all, Nebuchadnezzar
held the power of life and
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death over them and he gave
them this choice that we
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read of in Daniel 3:15:
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Now if you are ready at
the time you hear the
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sound of the horn, flute,
harp, lyre, and psaltery,
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in symphony with all kinds
of music, and you fall
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down and worship the image
which I have made, good!
05:30.196 --> 05:33.332
But if you do not
worship, you shall be cast
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immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
05:37.503 --> 05:42.442
And who is the god who
will deliver you from my hands?
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What would you have done
if you had been in their shoes?
05:45.978 --> 05:48.247
Remember, you know
the end of the story.
05:48.314 --> 05:50.216
They did not.
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While they feared the
king, they had a greater
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fear, and that was of God.
05:55.054 --> 05:57.356
Here is their
bold response to
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Nebuchadnezzar's challenge, beginning in verse 16:
06:00.860 --> 06:03.730
Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego answered and
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said to the king, "O
Nebuchadnezzar, we have no
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need to answer you
in this matter.
06:09.869 --> 06:13.406
If that is the case, our
God whom we serve is able
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to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and
06:16.375 --> 06:19.178
He will deliver us
from your hand, O king.
06:19.245 --> 06:23.249
But if not, let it be
known to you, O king, that
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we do not serve your gods,
nor will we worship the
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gold image which you have
set up."
06:29.789 --> 06:33.359
As I'm sure you can
imagine, this reply was
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not what the dictatorial
king expected.
06:36.195 --> 06:39.232
He was not used to anyone
defying a direct command
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from him.
06:40.733 --> 06:43.936
We read of his
rage in verse 19:
06:44.003 --> 06:47.039
Then Nebuchadnezzar was
full of fury, and the
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expression on his face
changed toward Shadrach,
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Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
06:51.477 --> 06:54.647
He spoke and commanded
that they heat the furnace
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seven times more than
it was usually heated.
06:57.750 --> 07:00.787
As any Bible student
knows, Nebuchadnezzar
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wasn't bluffing.
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The three young men were
thrown into the furnace,
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but God supernaturally
spared them.
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Do you believe
this, my friends?
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Do you realize that many
of today's clergy reject
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Biblical miracles such as
this, and even reject the
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resurrection of the One
they claim to worship?
07:20.706 --> 07:23.643
No wonder many mainstream
churches are teaching
07:23.709 --> 07:26.012
doctrines contrary
to the Bible.
07:26.078 --> 07:29.348
One doctrine some reject
is the law of God,
07:29.415 --> 07:32.018
claiming it no longer
needs to be kept.
07:32.084 --> 07:35.021
Yet, as we have seen,
Daniel and his three
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friends kept the law
against idolatry.
07:38.157 --> 07:41.794
They did so because they
feared God more than the
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most powerful man in
the world at that time.
07:44.664 --> 07:48.968
Our resource--The Ten
Commandments--explains in
07:49.035 --> 07:52.104
detail how different
our world would be, if
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everyone feared God and
kept His commandments.
07:55.541 --> 07:58.444
It goes beyond the letter
of these laws, and shows
07:58.511 --> 08:01.981
the spiritual intent of
them as Jesus demonstrated
08:02.048 --> 08:03.950
in His Sermon
on the Mount.
08:04.016 --> 08:06.986
Our resource--The Ten
Commandments--is a must
08:07.053 --> 08:10.556
read for anyone who
truly fears God, and is
08:10.623 --> 08:14.760
courageous enough to step
out in faith to truly obey God.
08:14.827 --> 08:18.531
So order your free copy of
The Ten Commandments, by
08:18.598 --> 08:20.466
calling the toll free
number shown on your
08:20.533 --> 08:25.872
screen, or going
to TWTV.org/TEN.
08:25.938 --> 08:29.141
And when I come back after
this short break, I'll
08:29.208 --> 08:33.980
show you why the fear of God is crucial for true believers.
08:34.046 --> 08:40.786
For today's free
offer call...
08:40.853 --> 08:46.826
Or go to...
08:46.893 --> 08:49.262
This clear and
straight-forward resource
08:49.328 --> 08:51.898
will help you understand
this vital truth--
08:51.964 --> 08:54.500
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
08:54.567 --> 08:57.803
If you're calling for the
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09:05.645 --> 09:08.180
and modern culture will
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09:11.284 --> 09:14.921
Call today and join
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Call now!
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Or go to...
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Welcome back.
09:35.775 --> 09:38.544
The topic of today's
Tomorrows World program is
09:38.611 --> 09:39.812
the Fear of God.
09:39.879 --> 09:41.347
What is it?
09:41.414 --> 09:43.115
Why is it important?
09:43.182 --> 09:46.585
And can you be resurrected to
eternal life without it?
09:46.652 --> 09:48.387
The late Dr. Roderick C.
09:48.454 --> 09:51.324
Meredith wrote the
following in a 2004
09:51.390 --> 09:55.194
Tomorrow's World article
titled, "The Fear of God":
09:55.261 --> 09:58.097
All professing-Christian
churches and ministers
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know Jesus' foundational
teaching of living by
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every word of God....
Why do they directly
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contradict this inspired
command....
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Why do they persist
in calling themselves
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"Christian," yet directly
contradict dozens of the
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clear teachings of
the very Founder
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of Christianity?
10:17.817 --> 10:19.151
Why?
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Frankly, they do this
because God seems "far
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off" to most of them.
10:23.856 --> 10:27.727
He is an unreal or vague
intellectual concept to
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many--including some who
are highly educated in the
10:31.130 --> 10:33.866
colleges and seminaries
of this world.
10:33.933 --> 10:38.170
Put simply, they do not
have what the Bible calls
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"the fear of God."
10:40.039 --> 10:44.076
Now, I must ask: Could
that be you, my friend?
10:44.143 --> 10:47.813
Note this passage from the
prophet Isaiah in the 66th
10:47.880 --> 10:52.218
chapter and in verse 2,
and ask yourself: Is this
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the way that I study
the word of God?
10:55.321 --> 10:58.624
But on this one will I
look: On him who is poor
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and of a contrite spirit,
and who trembles at My word.
11:03.429 --> 11:07.633
In other words we fear to
distort or take lightly
11:07.700 --> 11:09.168
what it says.
11:09.235 --> 11:11.804
Instead of trembling at
the word of God, the vast
11:11.871 --> 11:14.707
majority of so-called
Christians reason around
11:14.774 --> 11:17.843
clear and unambiguous
statements.
11:17.910 --> 11:20.579
When Jesus said He was
"Lord of the Sabbath,"
11:20.646 --> 11:23.582
they reason that He really
meant that it's okay to
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choose whichever
day we want to.
11:26.052 --> 11:29.155
When He said in Matthew 5:17:
11:29.221 --> 11:31.524
Do not think that I came
to destroy the Law
11:31.590 --> 11:32.458
or the Prophets.
11:32.525 --> 11:35.761
I did not come to
destroy but to fulfill.
11:35.828 --> 11:39.865
They reason that He kept the law
for us so that we don't have
11:39.932 --> 11:42.902
to--the Law and the
Prophets were nailed to
11:42.968 --> 11:44.437
the cross, they reason.
11:44.503 --> 11:48.741
And they effectively do the
exact opposite of what He said.
11:48.808 --> 11:51.844
Anyone who reads the
verses that follow should
11:51.911 --> 11:54.747
understand that, rather
than doing away with the
11:54.814 --> 11:59.351
law, Jesus raised it to a
higher standard, saying:
11:59.418 --> 12:02.121
You have heard that it was
said to those of old, "YOU
12:02.188 --> 12:05.791
SHALL NOT MURDER, and
whoever murders will be in
12:05.858 --> 12:08.994
danger of the judgment."
But I say to you that
12:09.061 --> 12:12.331
whoever is angry with his
brother without a cause
12:12.398 --> 12:15.167
shall be in danger
of the judgment.
12:15.234 --> 12:17.369
Not only did He say it
was wrong to harbor hatred
12:17.436 --> 12:19.205
toward another, but
12:19.271 --> 12:21.774
He went on to explain how
His servants would strive
12:21.841 --> 12:23.943
to keep the 7th
commandment to a
12:24.009 --> 12:25.311
higher standard:
12:25.377 --> 12:28.347
You have heard that it was
said to those of old, "You
12:28.414 --> 12:31.283
shall not commit
adultery." But I say to
12:31.350 --> 12:34.620
you that whoever looks at
a woman to lust for her
12:34.687 --> 12:38.324
has already committed
adultery with her in his heart.
12:38.390 --> 12:41.127
How is it that many
mainstream professing
12:41.193 --> 12:44.330
Christians, including
ministers, certainly not
12:44.396 --> 12:47.733
all, but many, believe
that the Ten Commandments
12:47.800 --> 12:49.602
no longer need to be kept?
12:49.668 --> 12:52.738
What is it about these
commandments that people
12:52.805 --> 12:54.106
find offensive?
12:54.173 --> 12:55.941
The late Dr. Roderick C.
12:56.008 --> 12:58.944
Meredith, my predecessor
in this Work of Tomorrow's
12:59.011 --> 13:02.414
World, authored a vitally
important resource
13:02.481 --> 13:04.984
titled--The Ten
Commandments.
13:05.050 --> 13:08.120
It is a must read for
anyone who professes to
13:08.187 --> 13:09.321
fear God.
13:09.388 --> 13:12.358
As shown in Jesus'
Sermon on the Mount, true
13:12.424 --> 13:15.294
Christians not only keep
the letter of the law, but
13:15.361 --> 13:18.731
they strive to keep the
spirit and intent of the law.
13:18.797 --> 13:22.234
Those "ten words" as they
are sometimes referred to,
13:22.301 --> 13:25.171
make up the greatest
code of law ever given to
13:25.237 --> 13:29.875
mankind, but the Jews of
Jesus' day only focused on
13:29.942 --> 13:31.710
the letter of the law.
13:31.777 --> 13:35.080
Jesus came and explained
the spirit, or intent of
13:35.147 --> 13:36.649
that great code.
13:36.715 --> 13:39.652
Our resource--The Ten
Commandments--explains the
13:39.718 --> 13:42.955
spirit of the law and
how Jesus kept it.
13:43.022 --> 13:49.361
Call, write, or go to our
website--TWTV.org/TEN to
13:49.428 --> 13:53.199
receive your free copy
of The Ten Commandments.
13:53.265 --> 13:55.734
You'll be happy you did so.
13:55.801 --> 13:58.237
And when I come back,
I'll explain further the
13:58.304 --> 14:01.941
meaning and importance
of fearing God.
14:02.007 --> 14:04.243
This clear and
straight-forward resource
14:04.310 --> 14:06.946
will help you understand
this vital truth--
14:07.012 --> 14:09.682
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
14:09.748 --> 14:10.816
Call now!
14:10.883 --> 14:17.022
Or go to...
14:17.089 --> 14:18.457
Welcome back.
14:18.524 --> 14:21.627
Today I am asking the
questions: What does it
14:21.694 --> 14:23.262
mean to fear God?
14:23.329 --> 14:24.930
Is it important?
14:24.997 --> 14:27.233
And will you be
saved without it?
14:27.299 --> 14:31.003
Dennis Prager makes this
insightful observation in
14:31.070 --> 14:34.039
the context of the
midwives who chose to go
14:34.106 --> 14:37.643
against Egypt's Pharaoh
by not drowning the Hebrew
14:37.710 --> 14:39.712
babies in the Nile River:
14:39.778 --> 14:43.382
People fear those who are
more powerful than they are.
14:43.449 --> 14:46.285
Therefore, the only way
not to fear powerful
14:46.352 --> 14:50.189
people is to fear
God.... Fear of God is a
14:50.256 --> 14:53.392
liberating emotion,
freeing one from a
14:53.459 --> 14:56.528
disabling fear of
evil, powerful people.
14:56.595 --> 14:59.598
This needs to be
emphasized because many
14:59.665 --> 15:04.637
people see fear of God as onerous rather than liberating.
15:04.703 --> 15:06.005
[He went on to say:]
15:06.071 --> 15:09.575
Those who feared God
saved Hebrew babies.
15:09.642 --> 15:13.612
Those who feared Pharaoh
helped drown Hebrew babies.
15:13.679 --> 15:16.148
Our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ,
15:16.215 --> 15:19.218
showed us the importance
of putting Him first in
15:19.285 --> 15:20.986
our lives above
all others.
15:21.053 --> 15:25.958
I have often said
Luke 14:26 is the most
15:26.025 --> 15:28.360
frightening scripture
in the Bible.
15:28.427 --> 15:31.130
Because it separates the
pretenders from the true
15:31.196 --> 15:33.132
followers of Christ:
15:33.198 --> 15:36.502
If anyone comes to Me and
does not hate his father
15:36.568 --> 15:39.938
and mother, wife and
children, brothers and
15:40.005 --> 15:46.045
sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
15:46.111 --> 15:49.581
We understand from many
passages that we are not
15:49.648 --> 15:54.153
to "hate," as is commonly
understood today by that word.
15:54.219 --> 15:57.423
We can show that from many
scriptures, but it should
15:57.489 --> 16:00.459
be obvious to anyone with
an open mind and common
16:00.526 --> 16:03.829
sense that what Jesus was
saying was that we are to
16:03.896 --> 16:06.765
put Him first
above all others.
16:06.832 --> 16:09.935
He gives as examples,
those who are closest to
16:10.002 --> 16:13.706
us--such as family and
even our own life.
16:13.772 --> 16:16.742
Yet, how many put
family, friends, business
16:16.809 --> 16:20.379
associates, neighbors,
this world in general, and
16:20.446 --> 16:23.882
yes, even the fear of
death, before Christ?
16:23.949 --> 16:25.651
Let me give you
a simple example.
16:25.718 --> 16:29.788
It's an easy task to show
from the Bible that Jesus,
16:29.855 --> 16:33.992
His apostles, and first
century Christians all set
16:34.059 --> 16:36.795
aside the seventh day
Sabbath as the day of rest
16:36.862 --> 16:40.366
and worship, but for the
sake of time, I'll only
16:40.432 --> 16:41.834
mention two.
16:41.900 --> 16:46.672
The first one is found
in Luke 4:16:
16:46.739 --> 16:50.709
So He [that is Jesus] came to
Nazareth, where He had
16:50.776 --> 16:52.277
been brought up.
16:52.344 --> 16:55.180
And as His custom was, He
went into the synagogue on
16:55.247 --> 16:58.584
the Sabbath day, and
stood up to read.
16:58.650 --> 17:03.122
The second is found in
Acts 13 where the Apostles
17:03.188 --> 17:06.692
Paul and Barnabas came
to Antioch in Pisidia and
17:06.759 --> 17:08.827
they went into the
Synagogue on the Sabbath day.
17:08.894 --> 17:12.631
Both Jews and Gentiles
were present,
17:12.698 --> 17:15.267
as we read in verse 42:
17:15.334 --> 17:18.070
So when the Jews went
out of the synagogue, the
17:18.137 --> 17:20.739
Gentiles begged that these
words might be preached to
17:20.806 --> 17:23.075
them the next Sabbath.
17:23.142 --> 17:25.711
This would have been a
perfect time for Paul to
17:25.778 --> 17:29.181
explain that the Sabbath
was replaced by Sunday and
17:29.248 --> 17:32.885
they could simply meet the next day, but neither Paul nor
17:32.951 --> 17:35.254
Barnabas did so.
17:35.320 --> 17:38.323
Now let's continue
beginning in verse 43:
17:38.390 --> 17:42.027
Now when the congregation
had broken up, many of the
17:42.094 --> 17:44.696
Jews and devout proselytes
followed Paul and
17:44.763 --> 17:47.766
Barnabas, who, speaking
to them, persuaded them to
17:47.833 --> 17:50.436
continue in the
grace of God.
17:50.502 --> 17:53.539
On the next Sabbath
almost the whole city came
17:53.605 --> 17:56.642
together to hear
the word of God.
17:56.708 --> 17:59.545
Scripture after scripture
demonstrates that it was
17:59.611 --> 18:02.848
the seventh day Sabbath
that was kept by Jesus and
18:02.915 --> 18:04.817
the first century Church.
18:04.883 --> 18:07.953
It's equally easy to
prove from history that
18:08.020 --> 18:11.423
the change to Sunday came,
not from the Bible, but
18:11.490 --> 18:14.793
from Emperor Constantine
in the 4th century A.D.
18:14.860 --> 18:18.030
The record is abundantly
clear to anyone with an
18:18.096 --> 18:19.364
open mind.
18:19.431 --> 18:22.267
So why are there so
relatively few willing to
18:22.334 --> 18:26.171
follow Christ's example,
and instead follow pagan
18:26.238 --> 18:30.042
tradition by choosing the
day set aside by a heathen
18:30.108 --> 18:32.044
Roman Emperor?
18:32.110 --> 18:34.746
Note this quote from
Eerdmans' Handbook to the
18:34.813 --> 18:36.715
History of Christianity:
18:36.782 --> 18:39.518
It is important to
understand Constantine's
18:39.585 --> 18:43.422
previous religion, the
worship of the Unconquered
18:43.489 --> 18:48.293
Sun.... When in 321
Constantine made the first
18:48.360 --> 18:51.396
day of the week a
holiday, he called it "the
18:51.463 --> 18:55.367
venerable day of the Sun"
(Sunday).... The Christian
18:55.434 --> 18:58.804
church took over many
pagan ideas and images.
18:58.871 --> 19:00.873
From sun-worship,
for example came the
19:00.939 --> 19:04.109
celebration of Christ's
birth on the twenty-fifth
19:04.176 --> 19:07.513
of December, the
birthday of the Sun.
19:07.579 --> 19:11.717
Sadly, many would rather
follow Constantine than Christ.
19:11.783 --> 19:13.085
Why?
19:13.151 --> 19:15.654
Is it not because
they reason around the
19:15.721 --> 19:18.557
Scriptures, thereby not
going against family,
19:18.624 --> 19:21.059
friends, and
society in general?
19:21.126 --> 19:23.428
Who is it that they fear?
19:23.495 --> 19:26.231
God or men?
19:26.298 --> 19:28.700
What about you, my
dear friends?
19:28.767 --> 19:32.237
Our free resource--The Ten
Commandments--explains the
19:32.304 --> 19:35.440
spiritual intent of all
ten of the commandments,
19:35.507 --> 19:37.276
not just eight or nine.
19:37.342 --> 19:38.977
As Dr. Roderick C.
19:39.044 --> 19:41.980
Meredith wrote in his
introduction to this resource:
19:42.047 --> 19:45.284
Even secular scholars
recognize that the very
19:45.350 --> 19:48.453
first Christians based
their lives on following
19:48.520 --> 19:52.324
the great spiritual law of
God--the Ten Commandments.
19:52.391 --> 19:55.227
When they said, "The
Lord Jesus Christ," they
19:55.294 --> 19:59.064
recognized that the word
"Lord" means "Boss"--the
19:59.131 --> 20:00.632
One you should obey!
20:00.699 --> 20:03.602
Jesus reminded them again
and again of this vital
20:03.669 --> 20:08.840
relationship, as in Luke
6:46: "But why do you call
20:08.907 --> 20:13.512
Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not
do the things which I say?"
20:13.579 --> 20:17.316
This vital resource can be
yours free for the asking.
20:17.382 --> 20:19.885
It is a must read for
anyone who professes to
20:19.952 --> 20:21.219
fear God.
20:21.286 --> 20:24.523
Our resource--The Ten
Commandments--explains the
20:24.590 --> 20:27.993
spirit of the law and
how Jesus kept it.
20:28.060 --> 20:29.928
Just call the toll free
number shown on your
20:29.995 --> 20:36.234
screen, or go to
TWTV.org/TEN to receive
20:36.301 --> 20:39.137
your free copy of
The Ten Commandments.
20:39.204 --> 20:40.572
It's just that easy.
20:40.639 --> 20:44.009
And when I come back, I'll
show you two ways to fear
20:44.076 --> 20:48.380
God, and you won't
like the second way.
20:48.447 --> 20:55.153
For today's free
offer call...
20:55.220 --> 21:01.226
Or go to...
21:01.293 --> 21:03.595
This clear and
straight-forward resource
21:03.662 --> 21:06.264
will help you understand
this vital truth--
21:06.331 --> 21:09.334
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
21:09.401 --> 21:12.237
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
21:12.304 --> 21:14.906
receive a free annual
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21:14.973 --> 21:16.541
World magazine.
21:16.608 --> 21:20.012
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
21:20.078 --> 21:22.748
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
21:22.814 --> 21:26.418
your world from a
biblical perspective.
21:26.485 --> 21:29.488
Call today and join
millions around the world
21:29.554 --> 21:31.990
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
21:32.057 --> 21:37.863
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
21:37.929 --> 21:39.131
Call now!
21:39.197 --> 21:48.507
Or go to...
21:48.573 --> 21:51.176
Before the break I said
that I would show you two
21:51.243 --> 21:53.645
ways to fear God.
21:53.712 --> 21:56.915
The first way is to
voluntarily and humbly submit
21:56.982 --> 22:00.252
our will to our Creator
by putting Him first in
22:00.318 --> 22:04.356
our lives--not only with
our words, but also with our
22:04.423 --> 22:07.459
actions. That's the best way.
22:07.526 --> 22:10.962
But you will not like
the second way.
22:11.029 --> 22:13.565
God spoke to Israel
through His prophet Amos
22:13.632 --> 22:16.134
and showed how He tried
to get their attention
22:16.201 --> 22:20.572
through weather upsets,
plagues, war, and more.
22:20.639 --> 22:22.274
But they were stubborn.
22:22.340 --> 22:24.409
They refused to
accept the message.
22:24.476 --> 22:29.247
Amos 4 explains, and let's
begin in verse 11:
22:29.314 --> 22:32.984
"I overthrew some of you,
As God overthrew Sodom and
22:33.051 --> 22:36.054
Gomorrah, And you were
like a firebrand plucked
22:36.121 --> 22:39.725
from the burning; Yet you
have not returned to Me,"
22:39.791 --> 22:40.859
Says the LORD.
22:40.926 --> 22:45.030
"Therefore thus will I do
to you, O Israel; Because
22:45.097 --> 22:49.101
I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God,
22:49.167 --> 22:50.736
O Israel!
22:50.802 --> 22:54.372
For behold, He who forms
mountains, And creates the
22:54.439 --> 22:58.610
wind, Who declares to man
what his thought is, And
22:58.677 --> 23:01.146
makes the morning
darkness, Who treads the
23:01.213 --> 23:04.116
high places of the
earth--The LORD God of
23:04.182 --> 23:05.784
hosts is His name."
23:05.851 --> 23:08.987
God will get
mankind's attention.
23:09.054 --> 23:13.625
Jesus is very different
from the way many see Him.
23:13.692 --> 23:16.795
Yes, He is loving,
patient, and caring,
23:16.862 --> 23:19.998
and He gave His life for us;
but He will not put
23:20.065 --> 23:23.335
up with rebellion and
disrespect forever.
23:23.401 --> 23:27.506
Have we not read what is ahead for unrepentant humanity?
23:27.572 --> 23:30.408
Students of the Bible are
familiar with what are
23:30.475 --> 23:33.545
called the four horsemen
of the Apocalypse, but
23:33.612 --> 23:35.013
notice what follows.
23:35.080 --> 23:38.450
The next event is a future
martyrdom of some of God's
23:38.517 --> 23:41.787
people, followed by
terrifying signs in the
23:41.853 --> 23:43.955
heavens and on the earth.
23:44.022 --> 23:47.125
Here will be the effect of
those signs on rebellious
23:47.192 --> 23:50.829
mankind, as we read in Revelation 6,
23:50.896 --> 23:53.231
beginning in verse 15:
23:53.298 --> 23:56.134
And the kings of the
earth, the great men, the
23:56.201 --> 23:59.604
rich men, the commanders,
the mighty men, every
23:59.671 --> 24:02.874
slave and every free man,
hid themselves in the
24:02.941 --> 24:05.677
caves and in the rocks of
the mountains, and said to
24:05.744 --> 24:09.314
the mountains and rocks,
"Fall on us and hide us
24:09.381 --> 24:12.250
from the face of Him who
sits on the throne and
24:12.317 --> 24:14.920
from the wrath
of the Lamb!
24:14.986 --> 24:18.190
For the great day of His
wrath has come, and who is
24:18.256 --> 24:19.891
able to stand?"
24:19.958 --> 24:23.328
Now that's a side of the
Son of God that most fail
24:23.395 --> 24:25.130
to recognize.
24:25.197 --> 24:29.401
Yes, the Day of the Lord, the day of Christ's wrath is coming.
24:29.467 --> 24:32.904
This day is also spoken
of in the book of Isaiah.
24:32.971 --> 24:36.341
Notice how arrogant
mankind will learn to fear
24:36.408 --> 24:38.476
God the hard way.
24:38.543 --> 24:43.415
Turn to Isaiah 2 and
we'll begin reading in verse 10:
24:43.481 --> 24:46.318
Enter into the rock, and
hide in the dust, From the
24:46.384 --> 24:49.888
terror of the LORD And
the glory of His majesty.
24:49.955 --> 24:53.592
The lofty looks of man
shall be humbled, The
24:53.658 --> 24:57.529
haughtiness of men shall
be bowed down, And the
24:57.596 --> 25:00.432
LORD alone shall be
exalted in that day.
25:00.498 --> 25:03.301
For the day of the LORD
of hosts Shall come upon
25:03.368 --> 25:07.005
everything proud and
lofty, Upon everything
25:07.072 --> 25:10.275
lifted up--And it
shall be brought low.
25:10.342 --> 25:14.312
The loftiness of man shall
be bowed down, And the
25:14.379 --> 25:17.115
haughtiness of men
shall be brought low.
25:17.182 --> 25:20.151
They shall go into the
holes of the rocks, And
25:20.218 --> 25:23.321
into the caves of the
earth, From the terror of
25:23.388 --> 25:26.324
the LORD And the glory
of His majesty, When He
25:26.391 --> 25:29.227
arises to shake
the earth mightily.
25:29.294 --> 25:32.964
Maybe the best way to
understand the fear of God
25:33.031 --> 25:36.201
is to understand the
relationship of a father
25:36.268 --> 25:37.769
and his son.
25:37.836 --> 25:40.238
Respect and fear
go together.
25:40.305 --> 25:44.075
When a son respects his
father, he obeys the rules
25:44.142 --> 25:48.046
of the house, he feels
safe and comfortable, he
25:48.113 --> 25:51.416
understands his father's
love, he communicates
25:51.483 --> 25:54.753
freely with his father,
and even asks favors
25:54.819 --> 25:57.122
from him from time to time.
25:57.188 --> 26:00.158
But, if he flagrantly
breaks his father's rules,
26:00.225 --> 26:02.961
becomes arrogant and
forgets whose house it is,
26:03.028 --> 26:06.131
he may very well have
reason for a different
26:06.197 --> 26:08.300
kind of fear.
26:08.366 --> 26:10.936
This is good, as children
don't always know what is
26:11.002 --> 26:12.370
best for them.
26:12.437 --> 26:14.873
It's important for
children to both respect,
26:14.940 --> 26:17.509
and at times, fear
their parents.
26:17.575 --> 26:20.912
That can keep them from
a whole lot of trouble.
26:20.979 --> 26:24.883
God has given us the rules
of the house--ten easy to
26:24.950 --> 26:27.585
understand, but
not always easy to
26:27.652 --> 26:29.721
keep--commandments.
26:29.788 --> 26:32.624
If you'd like to learn
more about the spirit and intent
26:32.691 --> 26:36.628
of these rules, which are given to keep you safe and secure,
26:36.695 --> 26:38.563
be sure to call, write, or
26:38.630 --> 26:41.833
go to our website to
receive your free copy of
26:41.900 --> 26:44.002
The Ten Commandments.
26:44.069 --> 26:46.871
And be sure to come back
next week, and every week,
26:46.938 --> 26:50.075
as Richard Ames, Wallace
Smith, Rod McNair, and I
26:50.141 --> 26:54.012
bring you more truth from
the pages of the Bible.
26:54.079 --> 27:00.952
For today's free
offer call...
27:01.019 --> 27:05.490
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27:05.557 --> 27:08.293
Call today and join
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27:08.360 --> 27:11.096
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
27:11.162 --> 27:15.367
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
27:15.433 --> 27:16.901
♪
27:16.968 --> 27:18.837
The preceding program is
27:18.903 --> 27:23.641
produced by the
Living Church of God.
27:24.042 --> 27:26.678
Do you have the feeling
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27:26.745 --> 27:30.749
wrong direction--a
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27:34.586 --> 27:36.121
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27:39.124 --> 27:41.459
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And it just brings a
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27:44.262 --> 27:46.064
really need in this time.
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Tomorrow's World magazine
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27:48.700 --> 27:51.202
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27:51.269 --> 27:53.838
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27:53.905 --> 27:55.407
It helps me be
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