(Last Day Unleavened Bread)

Fred R. Coulter—April 12, 2023

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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to the last day, the seventh day, of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

This day is a very important day, especially in the times that we are living in. So, the title of this message is All Things Are Possible with God or

  • Is anything too hard for God?
  • Is anything impossible for God?

That's the lesson that we are going to learn today. Especially with everything that's going on now, we need to understand how we need to look to God for everything!

So, we have the command in Lev. 23 concerning the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Leviticus 23:6: "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD. You must eat unleavened bread seven days." After sunset tonight you can have leaven.

Verse 7: "On the first day you shall have a Holy convocation. You shall not do any servile work therein."

Then all during the week there were offerings and sacrifices and things going on every day. So, at the temple different ones brought things on different days. You obviously couldn't do it all in one day, or all on the single days of the seven days of Unleavened Bread. It had to be parceled out throughout the whole time.

Verse 8: "But you shall offer a fire offering to the LORD seven days. In the seventh day is a Holy convocation. You shall do no servile work therein."

Today is the seventh day and we know that in taking up an offering that we also need to look at it as God blesses us, in thanksgiving and in serving God with all our heart, mind, soul and being.

He commands us here in Deut. 16, so let's just review that again.

Deuteronomy 16:16: "Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose… [today it's wherever the brethren meet together, God comes spiritual to be with us] …in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the LORD empty, every man… [everyone] …shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God, which He has given you" (vs 16-17)

That's the way it needs to be. We find in the New Testament that Paul writes that if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly. If you sow bountifully, you will reap bountifully!

We just need to realize that the blessings of God come over the time during the year as we stay close to God. There are many things that are blessings that are not monetary. One of the things that's important for us to do is to have the prayer and study and yieldedness to God so that we believe every word of God.

Not like Franklin Graham has been having with his nice little prayer and he holds up a Bible and says: 'We believe the Bible, the Word of God.' He's a liar!

  • he doesn't believe the Bible
  • he doesn't believe in the Sabbath
  • he doesn't believe in the Holy Days

Remember that Protestantism is only an extended form of Catholicism! Never forget that!

  • we will give because we're serving God
  • we will give because we love God with all our heart, mind, soul and being

We depend upon God for everything!

(pause for the offering)

When we come to the seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we have quite a history of what we need to cover. It also shows us—and this is why we have it every year—that we need to trust God! Trust God in the way that He wants us to trust Him!

The children of Israel had the Passover, the Night to be Much Observed and they were moving on their way out of Egypt. God told them that He was going to take them in a way that's going to be a little difficult, 'but I'm going to do it with some purpose!'

He didn't tell them everything, but that's the sum of what it was. Here is what God told Moses:

Exodus 14:1: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal Zephon. You shall camp before it by the sea'" (vs 1-2).

As we have explained, the whole column of the children of Israel was quite long, many miles long. They had counted over 600,000 people. That's a lot of people! You need to think about what a great crowd of people—with everything that they had, including the animals that they had—progressing down toward the Red Sea.

When they got there it was a narrow part of the Red Sea on the western shore with flat land right alongside the Red Sea, and it came back and mountains went up from there. So, they were literally trapped when they got to that place! God intended that to be so, to show the children of Israel what they need to do in their relationship with God.

Verse 3: "'For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, "They are trapped in the land; the wilderness has shut them in." And I will harden Pharaoh's heart that he will follow them. And I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, so that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.'" And they did so" (vs 3-4).

This tells us that there are two ways to know God:

  • that He is going to destroy everything that you have, like He did with the Egyptians

Think about all the plagues, and all the things and the killing of the firstborn of man and beast. All of that that took place in the land of Egypt.

  • that was so that they would know the Lord is God
  • God Almighty
  • God all powerful
  • God who knows everything

God wanted to finish the job to show the children of Israel—before they crossed the Red Sea and before they came to Mt. Sinai to get the Ten Commandments:

  • that God would lead them
  • that God would fight for them

Let's see what happened here:

The Egyptians decided to go; they took their chariots and all of the armed men that they could with their spears and shields and went down after the children of Israel,

Verse 9: "So, the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army. And they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. And when Pharaoh drew near…" (vs 9-10)

Think about the attitude that they had, and this is something that God wanted them to deal with at this point.

Verse 10: "And when Pharaoh drew near the children of Israel lifted up their eyes. And behold, the Egyptians marched after them. And they were very afraid…."

Now, we're going to get into circumstances as we go down through time here, and there will be some things that we will be afraid of! But remember:

  • God is for you!
  • God is with you!

"…And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD" (v 10). Now lesson #1: When you get into a trial do not blame someone else! Do not blame God!

If God brings you through a trial or to a trial there is a purpose in it! We will see what that purpose is here, because this is important.

Verse 11: "And they said to Moses, 'Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness because there were no graves in Egypt?….'"

In other words, out here there isn't and room for graves, but back in Egypt there would have been room and we could have died there.

"…Why have you dealt this way with us to carry us forth out of Egypt?" (v 11).

Well, they forgot that before God sent Moses that they were crying and complaining that because they were slaves and Pharaoh had them killed, the firstborn of their children.

Isn't it amazing how people forget about their troubles and difficulties that they had before God called them? That's exactly what happened here! They forgot!

Verse 12: "Did we not tell you this word in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians?'"

  • Is the suffering with the circumstances of God better than a little pleasure and hard work in serving a master in Egypt?
  • Which do you choose?

"'….for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.'" That's the first thing we are to understand! Do not be afraid!

There are some people, because of different circumstances, who are afraid of almost everything! You have to come to God so you are not afraid. God says, 'Don't be afraid regardless of the circumstances.'

Verse 13: "And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not! Stand still… [meaning don't run off and do your own thing to try and solve it your way. You take it to God and you ask Him to help you.

  • you pray to Him
  • you look to Him

Ask Him to open the door, whatever is necessary for this to be done to help you! He will help you, because remember: All things are possible with God! Nothing is impossible with God!

"…'Fear not! Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today…"

There comes a day when God will deliver! That's why we need to stay close to God!

"…for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again!" (v 13). God will take care of it!

  • you may have to suffer a little bit
  • you may have to work quite a bit

But God will take care of it! God will intervene! WHEN we cry out to Him in prayer and yield to Him and find the answers within the Scriptures, THEN:

  • God will be with us
  • He will lead us
  • He will help us

Just like He did here! Look at the miracle that He did. Here on the one hand was the Red Sea, deep water.

  • How are all the people—including children and animals—going to cross the Red Sea?
  • Why did God bring us down here to this 'God forsaken' place?

They thought they were going to the 'Promised Land.'

Well, not quite so fast! It's just like conversion! WHEN you're first baptized everything goes nice and smooth, and THEN when you're a little stronger you have your trials and difficulties! Remember: What did Jesus say about the way to eternal life? Straight is the way and narrow is the gate, and difficult is the road that leads to Life, but broad is the way, and easy is the way until you're suffering your last; that's the way of the world!

Verse 14—this is what we all want, but this is going to be hard when it comes time when they are coming after Christians, and that's not too far down the road where they will be coming after you to behead you! That's what we find in the book of Rev., but we have the promise:

Verse 14: "The LORD shall fight for you…"

How is God going to fight for us at that time when we lose our head? The resurrection! Nothing is impossible for God!

"'…and you shall be still.' And the LORD said to Moses, 'Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward.'" (vs 14-15).

How are you going to go forward with all of that deep water ahead of them? God will provide the way!

Verse 16: "And you… [now here's quite a weapon; Moses had a staff that he walked with] …lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it…."

The rod didn't do it, but God did! But Moses had to have the faith to take the rod and lift it up and hold it over the sea.

"…And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And behold, I am about to harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. And I will get honor for Myself upon Pharaoh, and over all his army, over his chariots and over his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I will be glorified through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen" (vs 16-18).

They didn't expect this! God put a wall between the children of Israel and the Egyptians. On the side of the children of Israel it was light, on the Egyptians it was dark! So, the wind came and blew it dry all night. Then early in the morning just it was starting to get light they all crossed the Red Sea. That was the whole column, and got across the other side of the sea.

What did God do? He lifted that veil that was between the children of Israel and the Egyptians! The Egyptians looked at that and saw that the children of Israel got down through the Red Sea and got through the to the other side.

God hardened the heart of the Egyptians so they would go into the sea. What did God do? He took the wheels off the chariots!

Sidebar: Over in the Gulf of Aqaba on the other side of the Sinai Peninsula there are some chariots in the water away from the land. There are some people who think that's where they crossed the Red Sea. But that's not.

You have to read in The Christian Passover book to see it would have been impossible for them to get to that point on the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And those chariots have the wheels still on them!

But it says that their wheels came off and they drug in the mud! When that happened:

Verse 25: "And He loosened their chariot wheels, and made them go heavily, so that the Egyptians said, 'Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.'"

Now they're all down there and thought they were going to get across and get the Israelites and bring them back and make them slaves again. But that didn't happen, because God had other things in mind!

Verse 26: "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.' And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea. And the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared. And the Egyptians tried to flee from it…. [but they couldn't get away from it] …And the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. There did not remain so much as one of them" (vs 26-28).

Verse 29: "But the children of Israel walked upon dry land…"

There we have some lessons! They were all happy and joyous! They were singing, praising God, dancing and it was a really big celebration.

Well, three days later they came to Marah. The waters there were bitter. Again, they complained to Moses. A good lesson to learn: If you have difficulties and problems don't be complaining that other people are causing them! Go to God and ask Him to help you; He will!

When Moses came to God and said, 'what will I do, they're all mad at me? The water is bitter!' God said to take this tree over here and put it in the water, and that will make it sweet. So they did and they had water.

Then the children of Israel had problems and difficulties until they got to Mt Sinai where God gave the Ten Commandments. These are the greatest commandments of all, for all time, for all people. God wanted to use the children of Israel to help bring His Word to the rest of the nations of the world. But they failed!

Now then, we have the Church, and let's look at it on an individual basis and on a collective basis, that all things are possible with God!

All of these Scriptures are for our instruction, our learning and how we develop the character of God! We cannot develop the character of God until we put our trust in God in everything He has and does so He can help us.

Psalm 57:1: "Be gracious unto me, O God, be gracious unto me; for my soul trusts in You…"

There it is! How do we know we trust in God? When we have difficulties and problems and we ask for God's solution! If everything went smooth where you didn't have to depend on anything at all, and God did everything for you, and everything came out lovely and 'hunky-dory' all the time:

  • Would you develop any character?
  • Would you develop trust?

"…yea, in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge until these great troubles pass by" (v 1). You come to God and look to Him!

Remember, all things are possible with God, and nothing is impossible for God!

Verse 2: "I will cry to God Most High…" Why? Why take it in prayer? Sometimes you look at the circumstances that they are so bad that it may seem like it's kind of a futile thing to go to God to pray!

But it's not! You go to God, you pray about it, and you keep asking, be diligent, keep asking, be diligent until God provides the answer, or the way of escape, whatever it will be for you. But notice:

"…to God Who fulfills His purpose for me" (v 2).

  • What is God's purpose for each one of us? To be in the Kingdom of God!
  • How do we get there? By God's Spirit, using God's Spirit:
    • to grow and overcome
    • grow in grace and knowledge
    • learn by the things that we go through

Verse 3: "He shall send from heaven and save me; He rebukes him who would swallow me up. Selah…."

I've sent that happen in our struggles for the Truth during the many years being in the Church of God.

"…God shall send forth His mercy and His Truth" (v 3). That's how God is going to do it!

Prov. 3[transcriber's correction] gives us a lot of instruction and knowledge for any of the trials that we go through trusting in God! That's what the children of Israel had to do when He parted the Red Sea and Moses said, 'Go to the other side.'

Proverbs 3:1: "My son…"

What are we called in the New Testament? The children of God, and to be the sons/daughters of Almighty God (2-Cor. 7:1). That's the whole purpose, and everything that we do has to be focused on that, because that's the only way that God is going to fulfill His purpose for each one of us.

Think about that! God has a purpose for each one of us, every single one.

"…do not forget My Law, but let your heart keep my commandments" (v 1).

Where does it say that we need to have the commandments of God written in our heart and mind? Hebrews 10!

Verse 2: "For they shall add length of days, and long life, and peace, to you. Do not let mercy and Truth forsake you…" (vs 2-3).

You know the parable in Matt. 18 where this lord/master[transcriber's correction] forgave this one man who owed 10,000 talents to his debtor and couldn't pay it, and he was forgiven. Mercy! Great mercy!

Then he turned around and went out and came to a fellow worker who owed him 50 talents, not 10,000, and he said, 'Have patience with me, wait and I'll pay it.' But the he wouldn't do it. So, he was thrown in prison and the word came back to the lord and said, 'Look at what he's done to his fellow servants.

God said, 'If you despise My mercy and My grace I'm going to come punish you.' That's exactly what he did in the Matt. 18 (go look it up).

God says of the commandments of God: "…bind them around your neck; write them upon the tablet of your heart" (v 3). Doesn't that agree with Heb. 10:16?

Verse 4: "And so you shall find favor… [which is grace] …and good understanding in the sight of God and man."

That's what we need. Why? Because God has called us to rule the world! We need to keep that in mind. God wants us:

  • to learn
  • to think
  • to think with His Word
  • to think with His commandments
  • to be led by His Spirit

As God fulfills His purpose for us, as we get closer to the end of our lives, etc., etc.

Now v 5 is the key and what we do. Tie this together with the commandment of loving God. We're to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and being!

Verse 5: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart…"

Put everything in God's hands, because He's working out His purpose for you, and we are all going to suffer difficult times. But God is there to help us, because we trust Him!

"…and lean not to your own understanding" (v 5).

Don't think you're going to find a way out of it, because you're smart, or you have this or that. Remember, He can take it all away!

Verse 6: "In all your ways acknowledge Him…"—everything that there is; there's nothing you can do without God! Why? Because:

  • He gives you life
  • He gives you understanding
  • He gives you a brain to think with
  • He gives you a mind, because have the spirit of man and the Spirit of God

So, trust in Him and acknowledge Him in all your ways!

Verse 7: "Do not be wise in your own eyes…"

That's what happens to the world, and it has happened to the Church. They got wise in their own eyes, and they wanted to become more like the world, and look what that led to.

"…fear the LORD and depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones" (vs 7-8).

So, it affects everything that you do as a human being. That's how we are to trust God!

Now let's see that God will help us, God is with us, how God will work all of these things out. It's interesting that we find a great deal of these. In fact, most of what we're going to cover today will be in the Old Testament.

Think about how much the Protestants and Catholics miss when they say that you don't need to study the Old Testament, that has all been fulfilled. Really?

All of these Psalms have meaning for us. So, when you read and study the Psalms put yourself in the position that it is you. That was written for us. If you have difficulties and trials, and you will have things come upon you that you think you cannot bear. What do you do? You cry out to God this way:

Psalm 12:1: "Help, O LORD, for the Godly man ceases; for the faithful disappear from among the children of men. They speak falsehood each one with his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak" (vs 1-2).

Nothing describes today's society better than that! Everything is a lie:

  • in government
  • in business
  • in religion
  • in relations with each other

Verse 3: "The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things, who have said, 'With our tongue we shall prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?'" (vs 3-4). No, you don't do that!

Verse 5: "'For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, I will now arise,' says the LORD. 'I will set him in safety from him who puffs at him.'"

In other words, God is going to wait until you come to Him, you pray to Him and you really mean it with all your heart, mind, soul and being. Then He will answer:

  • He will send angels
  • He will send relief
  • He will intervene and heal
  • He will see you faithfully into the grave

Whatever it may be! Here's why:

Verse 6: "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O LORD; You shall preserve them from this generation forever.  The wicked walk on every side…" (vs 6-8). But that doesn't present a problem for God!

Never give up on God! He wants us to come to that point that we trust Him in everything that there is. Notice what He will do:

Psalm 18:1: "I love You, O LORD, my strength."

That's why loving God is so important. God is our strength!

  • God's Spirit in us
  • His Word in us
  • His Truth in us

That's our strength!

Verse 2: "The LORD is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my Rock in Whom I take refuge; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. I will call on the LORD…" (vs 2-3).

That's how! That's what this day pictures! That we put our complete trust and our belief, reliance and everything on God to deliver us, whatever the circumstances are!

Verse 3: "I will call on the LORD, Who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies."

Think about this: remember the account Dan. 3 about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and how that Nebuchadnezzar made this great idol and everyone was supposed to bow down to it and worship it! But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn't do it. Nebuchadnezzar came to them and told them to do or he would cast them into the fire.

Well, they had natural gas seeping out of the ground in Babylon, so they did have hot furnaces. They were thrown into the furnace, because they told Nebuchadnezzar they would not down to this idol regardless of what 'you say or do.'

He threw them in the furnace, and when Nebuchadnezzar looked and saw, instead of three, there were four. Apparently God or an angel was in there to protect them!

Then remember the case of Daniel when he was thrown into the lion's den and nothing happened to him. I don't know what happened, but it was kind of like the lion's came up to Daniel and purring and he was petting them. Darius let them out!

God puts us in those circumstances so that we will trust in Him! This is the way it is when we pray to God:

  • we praise Him
  • we thank Him
  • we love Him
  • we trust Him

Those are greatest spiritual weapons that we have. Here's the promise:

Psalm 4:1: "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness. You gave me relief when I was in distress; be gracious to me, and hear my prayer." Isn't that it?

  • God will hear
  • God will answer

Think about this; all of this is found in the Psalms! This is why we need every word of God!

(break@43:15)

Psa. 37 is quite a Psalm, and it's almost worth one single message. We'll cover the first nine verses, but I want you to read the whole thing, and read that in connection with Psa. 34, as well.

Psalm 37:1: "Do not fret yourself… [don't get frustrated over anything] …because of evildoers, and do not be envious against the workers of iniquity"—which seems like they have everything!

  • Why am I going through all these trials?
  • Why am I going through all these difficulties?

Remember this:

Verse 2: "For they shall soon be cut down like the grass; and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good…" (vs 2-3).

There it is again, always trusting in God. We learn to trust in God when difficulties come!

"…dwell in the land and cherish faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD…" (vs 3-4).

  • thank God for His goodness
  • thank God for His mercy
  • thank God for His grace
  • thank God for His love
  • thank God for His pardoning of our sins
  • thank God that we can come to Him, having the tremendous blessing of coming to God directly

That's what's so important!

Don't let these difficulties come upon you to take you down, but when they come upon you let them be stepping stones to build character that will last you through all eternity!

Verse 4: "Delight yourself in the LORD and He shall give you the desires of your heart."

If you thirst for God you want His way and you will be fulfilled. When is the fulfillment going to come? At the resurrection! That's the key!

Verse 5: "Commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass."

It will happen! That's the whole thing for the seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Verse 6: And He shall bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your judgment like the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him…" (vs 6-7).

Don't be like the children of Israel when the first difficulty came along and they started complaining to Moses, wailing to God:

Oh, it would have been better if we would have died in Egypt

No! Not so! Notice what else we are to do:

"…do not fret yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of him who carries out wicked schemes" (v 8).

Don't look at the world and the prosperity that they have in the world and the success that they have in the world. That is from Satan! That is all going to go away—POOF!—one of these days, and where will they be?

Verse 8: "Cease from anger…"

Don't be mad, don't be angry, don't get upset because you're going through a trial regardless of how difficult it is for you.

"…and forsake wrath; do not fret yourself, it leads only to evil" (v 8).

Don't be frustrated in the things that come along. Don't be accusing God or other people that everything is their fault. NO! You look to God and ask God:

  • to help you
  • to forgive you
  • to bless you
  • to guide you

Verse 9: "For evildoers shall be cut off… [eventually they will be] …but those who wait upon the LORD… [to help and deliver them] …they shall inherit the earth."

Think about what that's like. Study the whole thing here and it talks about inheriting the earth. That's a wonderful and tremendous thing that we have! We're going to inherit it in:

  • God's Way
  • God's Righteousness

The lesson here in Psa. 35 is that you ask God to fight your battles for you.

  • Can God take care of it better than you?
  • Does He have more understanding than you?
  • Does He know the heart and mind of the person, or the circumstances that you're confronted with?

Psalm 35:1: "Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help" (vs 1-2). Yes, God will!

Verse 3: "Also draw out the spear and the lance against those who pursue me; say to my soul, 'I am your salvation.' Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion, those who seek after my soul; let them be turned back and humiliated, those who devise evil against me. Let them be as chaff before the wind; and let the angel of the LORD drive them away. Let their way be dark and slippery; and let the angel of the LORD pursue them; for without cause they have hidden their net for me; without cause they have dug a pit for my soul" (vs 3-7).

Apply that to Christ; look at what He went through. Read the Gospels, almost from the first day of preaching the Gospel they sought to kill Him!

We're going to find out that God is our Helper, and we can count on it! Notice what trouble David was in; he was close to death! I don't know how many times David came close to dying, but you read some of these Psalms and it looks like there were a number of times when he was just hanging on a thread between life and death, but God intervened for him!

Psalm 30:1: "I will praise You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up and have not allowed my foes to rejoice over me." Think about that!

Whatever you problems and difficulties are, whoever is against you, don't worry about it, trust in God and He'll take care of it!

Verse 2: "O LORD my God, I cried to You, and You have healed me."

Think about that in relationship to you being healed because you're sick. Speaking of healing:

Sidebar: We must take care of our bodies! God gave us that responsibility. He's given us everything we need to do it. One of the things that is important in Psa. 104:14[transcriber's correction] is that God has given herbs for the service of man.

There are a lot of things today that we can use in the way of herbs and supplements and vitamins to take care of ourselves. Not be like the world and sit around and eat all the rotten food that they have, drink all the rotten drinks that they drink and then think we're going to be exempt from the troubles that they have.

That's why there's so much diabetes, sickness and everything. There are a lot of us who come to the point that we need healing from God. But also, we need to take care of ourselves, taking care of our bodies and mind in a way that's pleasing to God!

Verse 3: "O LORD, You have brought up my soul from the grave; You have kept me alive, so that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praises to the LORD… [look to him] …O you saints of His, and give thanks to His Holy name, for His anger is only for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime…." (vs 3-5).

The trials are there, but they go away, but God's grace and favor for us is for a lifetime!

"…Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. And in my prosperity I said, 'I shall never be moved.' O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried to You, O LORD; and I made supplication to the LORD" (vs 5-8).

Crying out to God for His intervention, and He heard and came and brought David back.

When you stop and think of all the things that David went through and are recorded in the Word of God for us, they're for us so that we can have:

  • hope
  • faith
  • trust

So that all of these things come to us the way that God wants! It's through the Word of God, and remember what Jesus said: The words of God, they are Spirit and they are Life!

Psalm 54:1: "Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might."

You don't go get vindication for yourself; God will take care of it! When it happens, that's good, but don't get all lifted up and vain about how much God has done for you, because: The vanity of self will takeover and that will begin replacing trusting in God!

  • be thankful
  • be grateful
  • look to God for all things

Verse 2: "Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth, for strangers have risen up against me, and violent men seek after my soul; they have not set God before them. Selah" (vs 2-3).

That applies directly to Jesus Christ, as well. Isn't that something? Think about what David went through in writing these Psalms. When I study them, read them, go over them again and again, I am struck by how much David went through things that were a foretype of what would happen to Jesus Christ when He was here on the earth. Quite an amazing thing, really!

Verse 4: "Behold, God is my helper; the LORD is with those who uphold my soul. He shall reward evil to my enemies. Destroy them in Your faithfulness. I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good, for He has delivered me out of all trouble… [each and every one] …and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies" (vs 4-7).

God will take care of it! I can tell you that when we were at our desperate point in trying to serve God and the people of God, God intervened to take someone who was trying to takeover. He took care of him and he died of a heart attack when he was young. So, just remember that God will fight for you; He will take care of it!

Remember that the apostles only had the Old Testament to preach the Gospel. Their writings came later as God inspired them to write, so that we could have the New Testament. But they preached from the Old Testament.

Isaiah 41:8: "But you, Israel…" Put your name there!

  • Aren't we all servants of God?
  • Aren't we all going help rule during the Millennium under Christ? Yes!

That's why all of these things are so important!

"…are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, My friend" (v 8).

It says in Gal. 3 that IF are Christ's, THEN you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise!

How far back do these promises go through the history of the Bible and the lives of the patriarchs? Thousands of years! But it's all coming together the way that God wants it to. It's all going to be taken care of the way that God is going to do it.

Verse 9: "Whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called you from its uttermost parts. And I said to you, 'You are My servant; I have chosen you, and have not cast you away.'"

God's purpose! We read that God will fulfill His purpose for us!

Verse 10: "Do not fear; for I am with you…"

Think about this: We know in John 14 that Jesus said,

IF we keep His Word that He will love us, the Father will love us. WE—the Father and the Son—will make OUR dwelling place or abode with them through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Think about what we have within us with the Holy Spirit when we call out to God, having direct access to God by His grace and mercy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!

Verse 10: "Do not fear; for I am with you be not dismayed… [don't be discouraged] …for I am your God. I will strengthen you…" These are promises of God!

  • Are His promises sure?
  • Are they true?
  • Will they happen?
  • Will they come to pass?

Yes, indeed!

"…yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness" (v 10).

Verse 13: "For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you.'"

Isn't that what He told the children of Israel alongside the Red Sea? Fear not, for I will fight for you! Yes, it's the same thing!

Verse 14: "'Do not fear, you worm Jacob and men of Israel; I will help you'…"

  • think on those words
  • pray on those words
  • keep them in you heart and mind
  • claim the promises of God

You don't go to God and demand them. You go to God and say:

Lord, You have promised this, please fulfill Your Word to Me in the way the You desire! Give me grace and favor, and help me in these trials and difficulties.

"…says the LORD and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" (v 14). That's quite a thing!

Isa. 43—let's see what God tells us here; let's see what God will do and how He will carry it out.

Isaiah 43:1: "But now, thus says the LORD Who created you, O Jacob, and He Who formed you, O Israel… [remember that we're the creation of God physically and spiritual; He's creating in us now] …'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.'"

  • Do we not belong to God, God the Father?
  • What did Jesus say about the name that He would give to us?
  • the name of the Father
  • the name of New Jerusalem
  • Jesus' name
  • a new name for us at the resurrection

Think about that!

Verse 2: "When you pass through the waters I will be with you … [God is with us in every trouble and difficulty] …and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire… [as it was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego] …you shall not be burned; nor shall the flame kindle on you,  for I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you" (vs 2-3).

Sometimes we just forget about what God is doing because we get so wrapped up in the circumstances that are surrounding us. We need to look to God! Notice what God says here:

Verse 4: "Since you are precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore, I will give men for you, and people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the East, and gather you from the West" (vs 4-5).

Isn't that what it's going to be for the resurrection? Yes, it is! Then we have God's work that He's going to do to start the Millennium to bring all the children of Israel back to where they belong.

Verse 11: "I, even I, am the LORD; and besides Me there is no savior."

The One Who was the Lord God of the Old Testament became the Savior of the New Testament.

Verse 12: "'I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange god among you; therefore, you are My witnesses,' says the LORD, 'that I am God.'"

That's the way it needs to be with us, that we present a witness, a testimony, the Truth—whether delivered by message from the Bible or written in a book, whatever it may be.

Verse 13: "Yea, before the day was, I am He; and no one delivers out of My hand; I will work, and who can reverse it?"

That's how we have strong confidence in God! That's why we do the things that we do, and know what God wants to do with us.

Verse 14: "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, 'For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all of them as fugitives, and the Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.' Thus says the LORD, Who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters; Who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinguished, they are snuffed out like a wick" (vs 14-17).

Here in Jer. 32 is what we are dealing with. Baruch was the scribe for Jeremiah. He got discouraged and told God this. Take this as encouragement for yourself in whatever trial or difficulty you find yourself in.

Jeremiah 32:17: "Ah, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm. Nothing is too great for You. You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is His name" (vs 17-18).

Notice how Baruch approached God. That's a good way to do it!

Verse 19: "Great in counsel and mighty in work; for Your eyes are open on all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings." That's amazing! That's New Testament doctrine!

Think of all the things that the patriarchs had to go through. In this case Abraham; God promised him when he was 85-years-old that he would have a child. But God didn't fulfill the promise until Abraham was a 100-years-old. Then God tested him, and this is an example for us, to trust in God!

Now, so that we understand where God is coming from and how He's working out these things for us:

Hebrews 6:10: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labor of love by which you have showed honor to His name, in that you have served the saints and are continuing to serve them. But we earnestly desire that every one of you be demonstrating the same diligence, unto the full assurance of the hope until the end" (vs 10-11). We have to be faithful to the end!

Verse 12: "So that you do not become lazy, but that you be imitators of those who through faith and steadfast endurance inherit the promises. For God, after promising Abraham, swore by Himself, since He could swear by none greater…" (v 12-13).

Here's what God told Abraham, and he only saw part of it. Think about what Abraham is going to see when he's resurrected and all that God has done.

Verse 14: "Surely in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply you."

Verse 15: "Now, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." The promise came, but it wasn't fulfilled. It I fulfilled in God's Plan all the way down.

Verse 16: "For indeed, men swear by the greater, and confirmation by an oath puts an end to all disputes between them. In this way God, desiring more abundantly to show the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of His own purpose, confirmed it by an oath" (vs 16-17).

  • God is not going to change
  • God is not going to move away from it
  • God is going to help you
  • God is going to be with you
  • God is going to give you relief
  • God is going to grant you grace and favor, whatever needs to be

Verse 18: "So that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie…"

God will not lie! All the promises are true, everything He has said will happen!

  • to help you
  • to intervene for you

In every way!

"…we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to lay hold on the hope that has been set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul…" (vs 18-19).

Christ is the One Who has entered into the Holy of Holies for us!

Heb. 13 is a great, great, great promise that Jesus gave. When you look at it in the Greek, there are five nots: I will not, not, not, not, never that apply to Jesus helping us in everything that we do.

Here's a promise direct from Jesus Christ, Who is the Head of the Church, Who—through God the Father and Jesus Christ together—have given the Spirit of God to be with us in our heart and mind.

Hebrews 13:5: "Do not allow the love of money to influence your behavior, but be satisfied with what you have; for He has said… [claim this promise]: …'In no way will I ever leave you; no, I will never forsake you in any way.'" That's quite a statement! That's why all things are possible with God!

Verse 6: "So then, let us boldly say, 'The Lord is my Helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'"

That's the attitude that we need to have! When that happens, let's see how that works out; this is here for us:

  • to have faith
  • to have hope
  • to have strength

Rom. 8:28 gives us great understanding for the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. God will help us in all circumstances.

  • He will fulfill His purpose for us
  • He will fight our battles for us
  • He will grant us relief and help in times of trouble, straits and difficulties so that we get through

Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things… [everything that we go through] …work together for good… [even though it looks very bad at the beginning] …to those who love God… [that's what it's all about, loving God] …to those who are called according to His purpose."

There it is, He will fulfill His purpose for us!

Verse 29: "Because those whom He did foreknow He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His own Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren."

Think about the predestination of us is to be: resurrected from the dead:

  • to have a spirit body and mind
  • to understand the Word of God
  • to see all the saints of God
  • to see all the patriarchs of God
  • to come back the earth with Christ and rule the earth
  • to end all the
    • sorrow
    • wretchedness
    • misery
    • satanism
    • war and death

Verse 29: "Because those whom He did foreknow… [before the resurrection] …He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His own Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren. Now, whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (vs 29-30)—by having God's Spirit now and at the resurrection to be a spirit son or daughter of God!

Verse 31: "What then shall we say to these things?…." Think about it all:

  • everything that we have covered in this message
  • everything that we go through in our lives every day, every week, every Sabbath, every year

"…If God is for us… [which He is; He's promised and declared that He is] …who can be against us? He Who did not spare even His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how shall He not also grant us all things together with Him?" (vs 31-32). To be heir of all things!

Verse 33: "Who shall bring an accusation against the elect of God?… [Satan may try to do it, but that means nothing! No one can] …God is the One Who justifies. Who is the one that condemns? It is Christ Who died, but rather, Who is raised again, Who is even now at the right hand of God, and Who is also making intercession for us" (vs 33-34).

Think about what that one verse says. Christ is there at the right hand of God making intercession for us in all our troubles and difficulties.

Verse 35: "What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation… [NO!] …or distress… [NO!] …or persecution… [NO!] …or famine… [NO!] …or nakedness… [NO!] …or danger, or sword?… [it doesn't matter] …Accordingly, it is written, 'For Your sake … [the day is coming] …we are killed all the day long; we are reckoned as sheep for the slaughter'" (vs 35-36).

  • How do we look at this?
  • What is our attitude toward this?
  • it's going to be difficult
  • it's going to be bloody
  • it's going to be gruesome

Verse 37: "But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us."

Here's the whole purpose of this day, and this is the persuasion that we need to have on this last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in loving God and trusting Him for all things. So, Paul writes:

Verse 38: "For I am persuaded…"

Think about all the things that he went through, all the troubles that he had (2-Cor. 11). All that Paul suffered!

"…that neither death… [he faced that many times] …nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vs 38-39). God says that He will:

  • fight for us
  • bless us
  • heal us
  • hear us
  • answer our prayers

This is the meaning of the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Stand still and see the salvation of God!

Scriptural References:

  • Leviticus 23:6-8
  • Deuteronomy 16:16-17
  • Exodus 14:1-4, 9-18, 25-29
  • Psalm 57:1-3
  • Proverbs 3:1-8
  • Psalm 12:1-8
  • Psalm 18:1-3
  • Psalm 4:1
  • Psalm 37:1-9
  • Psalm 35:1-7
  • Psalm 30:1-8
  • Psalm 54:1-7
  • Isaiah 4:8-10, 13-14
  • Isaiah 43:1-5, 11-17
  • Jeremiah 32:17-19
  • Hebrews 6:10-19
  • Hebrews 13:5-6
  • Romans 8:28-39

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

  • 2-Corinthians 7:1
  • Hebrews 10
  • Matthew 18
  • Hebrews 10:16
  • Daniel 3
  • Psalm 34
  • Psalm 104:14
  • Galatians 3
  • John 14
  • 2 Corinthians 11

Also referenced: Book:
            The Christian Passover by Fred R. Coulter

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 3/19/23

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