1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi, faith listeners, welcome to the Bible Explained podcast, 2 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: and good morning. My name is Jen I am the 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: host of this podcast, and I am so excited that 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: you're here to share a delicious cup of coffee or 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: tea with me. We're going to be talking about Second 6 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: Chronicles twenty eight and discussing more about this evil king 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: a has and just the absolute terrible trauma he caused 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: for the people of Judah. We'll get into it in 9 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: just a minute. And of course, before I begin the episode, 10 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 1: here is a word or two from a sponsor. All right, 11 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: faith listeners, grab your Bibles and let's go ahead and 12 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: read Second Chronicles twenty eight one through fifteen. We talked 13 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: about the first portion one through for the other day, 14 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: but I will be reading that for you guys again 15 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: because context is important. So I'll be reading this as 16 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: always from the web. But of course, feel free to 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: grab the version of the Bible that you prefer this morning, 18 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: and once you have your Bible and your cup of coffee, 19 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 1: let's go ahead and give reverence to God's word together 20 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: as we read it. Second Chronicles twenty eight one through fifteen. 21 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, 22 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn't do 23 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: that which was right in Yahweh's eyes, like David his father. 24 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, 25 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: and also made molten images for the bales. Moreover, he 26 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinham, 27 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: and burned his children in the fire. According to the 28 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: abominations of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out. Before the 29 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: children of Israel, he sacrificed and burned incense in the 30 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: high places and on the hills and under every green tree. Therefore, 31 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 1: Yahweh has God delivered him into the hand of the 32 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: King of Syria. They struck him and carried away from 33 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: him a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. 34 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: He was also delivered into the hand of the king 35 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: of Syria, who struck him with a great slaughter. For Peka, 36 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: the son of Romalia killed in Judah one hundred and 37 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men, 38 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: because they had forsaken Yahweh, the god of their fathers. Zikri, 39 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Messiah the king's son Azrakam, 40 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: the ruler of the house, and Alkanah, who was next 41 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: to the king. The children of Israel carried away captives 42 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: of their brothers two hundred thousand women, sons and daughters, 43 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: and also took away much plunder from them, and brought 44 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: the plunder to Samaria. But a prophet of Yahweh was there, 45 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: whose name was odd, and he went out to meet 46 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 1: the army that came to Samaria. And he said to them, behold, 47 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 1: because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, 48 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: he has delivered them into your hand, and you have 49 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. 50 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: Now you intend to degrade the children of Judah and 51 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: Jerusalem as male and female slaves for yourselves. Aren't there 52 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh or God? 53 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: Now hear me, therefore, and send back the captives that 54 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: you have taken captive from your brothers, For the fierce 55 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: wrath of Yahweh is on you. Then some of the 56 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: heads of the children of Ephraim, Asriah the son of Jehonah, 57 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: Berachiah the son of Misham Jahiski of the son of Shaloum, 58 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: and Amasa, the son of Hadley, stood up against those 59 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: who came from the war, and said to them, you 60 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: must not bring the captives here, for you intend that 61 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: which will bring us a trespass against Yahweh, to add 62 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: to our sins and to our guilt, for our guilt 63 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: is great, and there's fierce wrath against Israel. So the 64 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 1: armed men left the captives and the plunder before the 65 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: princes and all the assembly. The men who have been 66 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, and 67 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: with the plunder, clothed all who were naked among them, 68 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: dressed them, gave them sandals, gave them something to eat 69 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of 70 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city 71 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria. 72 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: So now we get into the second half of this 73 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: story regarding King a Has. We talked on Monday about 74 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: how King a Has was honestly the worst king in 75 00:03:53,760 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: Israel's history, mainly because he introduced human sacrifice into Judah's culture, 76 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: and this was something that was not really done in Judah. 77 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: At this point. Now up in northern Israel, it was 78 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: a different story and they were already performing human sacrifices. 79 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: But in Judah that was not very common. There probably 80 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: were people, like fringe peoples that were performing human sacrifices 81 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: that were possibly very secretive about it because this all 82 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: had to do with the worship of Malik. And we 83 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: do know that people in Judah did worship Malik even 84 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: before a Has introduced human sacrifice, So it is very 85 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,600 Speaker 1: possible that there were fringe groups in Judah that were 86 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: performing human sacrifices, but it was not mainstream, It was 87 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: not the norm, and A has brought all of this 88 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: absolute garbage in. And even worse, it was child human sacrifice, 89 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: but not just any child sacrifice, your own son or daughter. 90 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: And the reason being was because the people who worshiped 91 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: Malik believed that in order to have more children, they 92 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: needed to sacrifice their firstborn child at the hands of 93 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: Malik so that Molk would bless them with even more kids. Yes, 94 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: that is how stupid this was. I'm going to sacrifice 95 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: my only child so that in a few years I 96 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: can have even more kids. Like how absolutely asinine is 97 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: that thought process? So stupid, and yet this is what 98 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: a Has introduced into Judah's culture. That's what it says 99 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: in Second Kings, Chapter sixteen, verses one through four. It says, 100 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: in the seventeenth year of Pega, the son of Romolia, 101 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: a Has, the son of Jotham, king of Judah, began 102 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: to reign. AHAs was twenty years old when he began 103 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He 104 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 1: didn't do that which was right in Yahweh, his God's eyes, 105 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: like David his father. But he walked in the ways 106 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: of the kings of Israel, and even made his son 107 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: to pass through the fire according to the abominations of 108 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children 109 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: of Israel. He sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, 110 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 1: on the hills and under every green tree. So he 111 00:05:53,520 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: introduced such horrible idolatry into Judah that God was not 112 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: with him. I mean, God hated human sacrifice, absolutely hated it. 113 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: He actually told Jeremiah the Prophet, he said, this never 114 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: even entered my mind to do something so horrific as 115 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: to kill a child to worship a god God hated 116 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: human sacrifice because he loves people and every single person 117 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: is created in his image. It actually says in scripture 118 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: that God loved people so much he doesn't want anybody 119 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: to perish, but every single person to come to salvation. 120 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: He desires a relationship with his people, and when human 121 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: sacrifice takes place, that is somebody cutting that person's life 122 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: short when God ordained life for that individual. So it's 123 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: just a really, really sad thing. So going back to 124 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: Second Chronicles twenty eight, verse five, it says, therefore, because 125 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: a Has did all this, Yahweh, his God delivered him 126 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: into the hand of the King of Syria. They struck 127 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: him and carried away from him a great multitude of 128 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: captives and brought them to Damascus. He was also delay 129 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: into the hand of the King of Israel, who struck 130 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: him with a great slaughter. So going back to Second 131 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: King sixteen, it describes us a little bit more. In 132 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: verses five and six, it says, then raising the King 133 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: of Syria and Pega, the son of Romalia, King of Israel, 134 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged a Has, 135 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: but could not overcome him at that time, Raising the 136 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: King of Syria recovered Elath to Syria and drove the 137 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: Jews from Elath, and the Syrians came to Elath and 138 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: lived there to this day. So one of the marks 139 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: of being a bad king, other than introducing human sacrifice 140 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: into your culture, was actually losing land to foreign nations. 141 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: And it says right here that a Has lost a 142 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: lot of land actually because God was not on his side. 143 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: All of a sudden, AHAs Has tons of enemies coming 144 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: at him from every single direction. The Syrians were coming 145 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: at him, the Israelites were coming at him from the north, 146 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: and it says they struck him. But God still protected 147 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: a Has throughout all of this, because it says in 148 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: Tewod King sixteen that even though these two countries came 149 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: against a Has, they still could not overcome him. But 150 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: God was allowing a Has to experience this war because 151 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: he was trying to get the people of Judah to 152 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: return to him again. God took his hand of blessing 153 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: off of Judah because of the terrible sins that they 154 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: were committing, killing innocent little babies and children at the 155 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: hands of the god Moloch, not to mention all of 156 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 1: the other terrible practices that went into other forms of idolatry, 157 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: you know, the sex cults and the human feces worship 158 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: that went with bail worship. I've talked about that many 159 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 1: times before because I am just appholled at that. I 160 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: am so disgusted by that that I also have to 161 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: discuss all of you guys every single time I talk 162 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: about it. But I mean, there is a lot of 163 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: really gross things that went into the worship of them, 164 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: these idols. God was sickened by all of it, so 165 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: he took his hand of blessing off of Judah. And 166 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 1: these people are coming in, even the Israelites up north, 167 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: the brothers of the Judaites are coming into Judah and 168 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: taking it. So going back to Second Chronicles twenty eight, 169 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: it talks about this story right here. It says, starting 170 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: in verse six, Peka, the son of Ramalia, killed in 171 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: Judah one hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all 172 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: of them valiant men, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the 173 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: god of their fathers. Now. Peca, the son of Ramalia, 174 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: you may or may not remember, was the king in 175 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: Israel at this time, and he was one of the 176 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: last kings in Israel's history. He may have been the 177 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 1: last one. I think there was one more after Peka, 178 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: but pretty much Peco was one of the last kings 179 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: because Assyria went into Israel and pretty much demolished it 180 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: right after Peko was the king, So Israel only had 181 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: a few years left before Assyria came in and completely 182 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: took it for themselves and drove all of the Jews 183 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: out out of Israel and brought their own people in. 184 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: So Israel was not doing very well up north, which 185 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: shows how bad Judah was doing that they actually allowed 186 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,199 Speaker 1: the Israelites to come in and defeat them. To this capacity, 187 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: Israel was on the brink of destruction, and yet they're 188 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,679 Speaker 1: going into Judah and attacking and killing one hundred and 189 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: twenty thousand men in one day. It says all of 190 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: these men that they killed were valiant men, so that 191 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: means like warriors, trained people for war, and this all happened, 192 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: it says because they had forsaken Yahweh, the god of 193 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: their fathers. Then it mentions this man named Zikri, who 194 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: was a mighty man of Ephriam up north in Israel, 195 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: who killed Messiah the King's son Azrakam, the ruler of 196 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: the house, and al Kana who was next to the king, 197 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: So they got very close to the king and they 198 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,959 Speaker 1: were probably trying to kill AHAs, but God still protected 199 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: a Has and still protected Judah throughout all of this. Now, 200 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: it is interesting to note that it says they killed Messiah, 201 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: the king's son. I would guess that probably Massaiah was 202 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: the first born and he was next in line for 203 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: the throne after a Has died. But for whatever reason, 204 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,439 Speaker 1: Massaiah was not meant to be the next king. Hezekiah 205 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: was meant to be the next king, even though he 206 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 1: likely was not the firstborn child. God chose Hezekiah to 207 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: be the next king after a Has died because Hezekiah 208 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: was one of the best kings in Israel's history and 209 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: he pretty much undid everything his father a Has had done. 210 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: But we'll get into Hezekiah's story on a later date. 211 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 1: So Massaiah was killed, Azrakam was killed, and also Elkana, 212 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: who was next to the king, was killed. So some 213 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,839 Speaker 1: of a Has, his best friends, and his son were 214 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: all killed by this guy named Zikri who lived up 215 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: north in Israel. It says the children of Israel carried 216 00:11:55,679 --> 00:12:00,079 Speaker 1: away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand women, sons, 217 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: and daughters, and also took away much plunder from them 218 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,599 Speaker 1: and brought the plunder to Samaria. So not only do 219 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: the Israelites slaughter one hundred and twenty thousand men in 220 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: one day, but they take all of the widows and 221 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: the mothers, and the wives, and the children and the 222 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: daughters of these people. They take them captive and carry 223 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,439 Speaker 1: them away to Samaria. Now, I do want to mention 224 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: something here. A lot of times when we see the 225 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: language in the Old Testament, it often depicts the masculine. 226 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: So it says right here, the Israelites carried away captive 227 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: of their brothers two hundred thousand women. So that shows 228 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: right there that the word brothers does not always mean 229 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: a male brother. A lot of times the word brothers 230 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: just is talking about brothers and sisters as a whole. 231 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: And you'll see this a lot in the New Testament 232 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: as well, when Paul in his letters calls his friends brothers, 233 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 1: even though he's talking to the church in general, the 234 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: females in the congregation as well. So that's important to 235 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: note that just because we see the word brothers in scripture, 236 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: that doesn't just mean that scripture is only referring to 237 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 1: the men. It's often referring to the congregation or the 238 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: nation as a whole. So it says they carried away 239 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: two hundred thousand women, sons and daughters, and also took 240 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: away much plunder from them and brought the plunder to Samaria. Now, 241 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: this was not good conditions that these poor Judite women 242 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 1: and children were traveling under, because we find out later 243 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: in this story that many of them were naked. That 244 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: these men of Israel were so cruel that they actually 245 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,680 Speaker 1: stripped them of their clothing, like, took every single thing 246 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: that they had off of their backs. Can you imagine 247 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: as a woman traveling naked on foot with your children 248 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: possibly naked next to you, and trying to protect yourself 249 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: and your children from harm at the same time. This 250 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: is terrible with these Israelites did not even to a 251 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 1: foreign nation, which would have been bad enough, but to 252 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 1: their own brothers, their own brothers and sisters. You know, 253 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: the tribe of Judah was still part of the twelve 254 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 1: tribes of Israel. You know, even though the rest of 255 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: the tribes broke off from the Tribe of Judah, they 256 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: were all Jewish people. They were all Israelites. And yet 257 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: this is how the people of Israel are treating their neighbors, 258 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: their brothers down south in Judah. Just absolutely terrible. You know, 259 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: this would be like having a civil war in your 260 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: country where the people from the north just mistreat and 261 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: abuse of the people in the south, even though you're 262 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: all one country, all one nation. They bring all of 263 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: these people and the children and the women and the 264 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: plunder to Samaria, which was the capital city of Israel. 265 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: But a prophet of Yahweh, it says in verse nine, 266 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: was there and his name was Odd, and he went 267 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: out to meet the army that came to Samaria. Yeah, 268 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: so this brave prophet, I believe he's only mentioned once 269 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: in scripture, but his name is Odd and he goes 270 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: specifically to meet these Israelite people that brought these fugitives 271 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: from Judah. And he boldly says to them, because Yahweh, 272 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he 273 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain 274 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. 275 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: So that shows right there that God does take his 276 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: hand of blessing off of people because he's trying to 277 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: teach them a lesson, and a lot of times, especially 278 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: in the Old Testament, this was foreign nations going to 279 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 1: war against God's people, and God would allow that to 280 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: happen because of the immense amount of sin and corruption 281 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: and just terrible things that were going on in Judah 282 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: and Israel at this time. But God will also judge 283 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: the nation that goes into Israel if they are extraordinarily cruel. 284 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: For example, the Israelites here were extremely cruel to their 285 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: fellow brothers. And that's what Oded says. He's like, God 286 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: allowed you to go into Judah because He was angry 287 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: with Judah. But now God is angry with you because 288 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: you have slain them in a rage which has reached 289 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: up to Heaven. Your own brothers, you did this too, 290 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: he says. Now you intend to degrade the children of 291 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: Judah and Jerusalem as male and female slaves for yourselves. 292 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: Aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against 293 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: Yahweh or God? He says in verse eleven. Now hear me, therefore, 294 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: and send back the captives that you have taken captive 295 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: from your brothers, for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is 296 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: on you. So there you go. Even though God took 297 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: his hand of blessing off of Judah for their immense sins, 298 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: israel had no right to go above and beyond with 299 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: their cruelty the way they did. And so now God 300 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: is going to judge the Israelites, and his fierce anger 301 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: was on them, especially because it was against God's law 302 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: for an Israelite to enslave another Israelite. That's what it 303 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: says in Leviticus twenty five, verses thirty nine through forty three. 304 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 1: This is from the NIV version. It says, if any 305 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, 306 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: do not make them work as slaves. They are to 307 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 1: be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you. 308 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: They are to work for you until the year of Jubilee. 309 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: Then they and their children are to be released, and 310 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: they will go back to their own clans and to 311 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 1: the property of their ancestors. Because the Israelites are my 312 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: servants whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not 313 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 1: be sold as slaves. Do not rule over them ruthlessly, 314 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 1: but fear your God. So there you go. The Israelites 315 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: were not to be sold as slaves. Because they were 316 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: the servants of God, is what God says. So he says, 317 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: you better treat my servants with respect. And so Oded 318 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: comes to them very bravely, I might add, and says 319 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: to them, you need to not do this, otherwise God's 320 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: fierce wrath is on you. And actually the Israelites listen. 321 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: It says, some of the leaders of the children of 322 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: Ephriam ended up listening to Oded the prophet. And this 323 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 1: is very rare where we see somebody actually listening to 324 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:16,159 Speaker 1: a prophet. Usually they try to kill the prophet or 325 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: degrade them in some way. But actually the heads of 326 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: the children of Ephriam listened to Oded the prophet. That's 327 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: what it says in verse twelve of Second Chronicles twenty eight. 328 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: Then some of the heads of the children of Ephriam, 329 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: as Ariah the son of Johonan, Beverrakiah the son of mischelamth, 330 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: Jehiskia the son of Shalum, and Amasa the son of Hadley, 331 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: stood up against those who came from the war and 332 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: said to them, you must not bring in the captives here, 333 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: for you intend that which will bring on us a 334 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 1: trespass against Yahweh. To add to our sins and to 335 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: our guilt, for our guilt is great, and there's fierce 336 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: wrath against Israel. So for whatever reason, these leaders of 337 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: the tribe of Ephriam ended up actually feeling some guilt 338 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: over what the Israelites had done to the people of Judah. 339 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: Maybe they felt guilty because of all of the men 340 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: they had killed that day. Maybe they felt guilty because 341 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 1: they saw the poor state of these captives from Judah, 342 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: the women and the mothers and the children crying over 343 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: the loss of their husbands and sons and fathers. Maybe 344 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: other things that the Israelites had done made them feel guilty, 345 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: and they knew that God was already angry with Israel. 346 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: We don't know exactly why these men ended up listening 347 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: to the words of Oded, but they did. It says 348 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: that the armed men left the captives and the plunder 349 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 1: before the princes and all the assembly. The men who 350 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: had been mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, 351 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: and with the plunder, clothed all those who were naked 352 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 1: among them, dressed to them, gave them sandals, gave them 353 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 1: something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all 354 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: the feeble of them on donkeys and brought them to Jericho, 355 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: the city of palm trees, to their brothers, and then 356 00:19:56,359 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 1: they returned to Samaria. So that's kind of a happy ending, 357 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: I suppose, to a very sad story. These captives were 358 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: allowed to go back home. They were not sold as 359 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: sex slaves or any other slave in Israel. Instead, these 360 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: men actually took care of these women and children and 361 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: clothed them and fed them from the plunder and took 362 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: them home. It says they took them back to Jericho, 363 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 1: which would have been on the northern border of Judah, 364 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: and they also cared for the sick that were among 365 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: the captives as well. So somewhat of a I guess, 366 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: kind of happy conclusion to a very sad story. Now, granted, 367 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: these women, probably their husbands had been killed, probably their 368 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: sons had been killed, so it still was a very 369 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: sad state of events. But God was protecting the Judaites, 370 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: and you can kind of see that through this story 371 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: that God was not done with Judah yet, that even 372 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: though Judah had sinned so greatly by sacrificing their babies 373 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 1: at the hands of this god molik Yahweh, still loved 374 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: his people and he was still protecting them throughout all 375 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 1: of this terrible stuff that they were honestly inflicting on themselves. 376 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: God protected King a Has at the beginning here where 377 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,479 Speaker 1: it says that the Israelites were not able to fully 378 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 1: overcome Judah or a Has, even the king of Syria 379 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 1: was not strong enough to overtake Judah. And then these 380 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: captives actually were able to go home. And it does 381 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: mention that the plunder was left with the captives as well, 382 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 1: so that means that the captives didn't really lose their 383 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: belongings either, they were able to take them with them, 384 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 1: and that shows that in spite of these people's sins, 385 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: God was still loving and caring for them and protecting 386 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: them all along. All righty, faithful listeners, I have a 387 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: few more things I'd like to say about the conclusion 388 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,120 Speaker 1: to this story, but before I do, here's a word 389 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: from a sponsor. So the thing I'd like to conclude 390 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 1: with is that God God treats us the same way. 391 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: There's a verse I think in Hebrews that talks about 392 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: the punishment of God. And we're actually going to get 393 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,360 Speaker 1: into the Book of Hebrews very soon here, because the 394 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 1: Book of phi Lemen which we're in right now, is 395 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: very very tiny. It's only one chapter long, so we 396 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 1: won't be in the Book of Philemen for very long. 397 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 1: We are moving into the Book of Hebrews very quickly, 398 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: in just a couple days here. But the Book of 399 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: Hebrews talks about the punishment of God for some time, 400 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: and it talks about how the punishment of God is 401 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: actually good because it brings us back to a relationship 402 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: with Him, and even though punishment is very hard at 403 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: the time, God punishes the people that he loves, and 404 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 1: the Book of Hebrews gives the example of how a 405 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: father punishes the child that he loves. You know, a 406 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 1: lot of the people listening to this episode are parents, 407 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: and I'm sure that all of you understand you treat 408 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: your child differently than you treat somebody else's child. You know. 409 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: When I was a kid, I remember my mom watched 410 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 1: somebody from our church their kids for a whole week 411 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 1: while these people were out of town. And my mom 412 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: never really disciplined those kids once, but she often disciplined 413 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 1: me physically, Like even when those kids were in the 414 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: house and we all did something bad together, I was 415 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: the one that got disciplined, and the other three did 416 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: not get disciplined during that time. And that's because my 417 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: mom cared about me enough to punish me and discipline 418 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: me so that I grow up to be an adult 419 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 1: that people enjoy being around. But my mom couldn't do 420 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: that with other people's kids because those weren't her kids. 421 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: Just as somebody cares enough to discipline their own child 422 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: because that's their child, that's the one they care about. 423 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 1: That's how God feels about the people that he disciplines. 424 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 1: It actually says in scripture that if you don't receive 425 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: any discipline from God, you're not actually a child of his, 426 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: and that's something to be upset about, not happy about. 427 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: So the discipline of God is good because it proves 428 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: God's love for you. Just as a parent loves a 429 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: child so much that they're willing to discipline him even 430 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: when it's no fun. That is how the father feels 431 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,439 Speaker 1: about us. So God's discipline, even though it is no 432 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: fun in the moment, even though it is harsh in 433 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,879 Speaker 1: the moment, it's a good thing in the long run. 434 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: And that's what God is proving right here in this 435 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: story that he disciplined the people of Judah because they 436 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 1: were his people, because he loved them, and he wanted 437 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 1: them to be on the right track with him once again. 438 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:31,160 Speaker 1: And that's the same thing that God does with each 439 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 1: of us as well. Well. Faithful listeners, I hope you 440 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: have a fantastic and wonderful rest of your day. I'll 441 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 1: see you guys tomorrow for part two of phi Lemen, 442 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: where we'll talk more about the dynamics between a slave 443 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: and a master back in the days of Paul, and 444 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: also why the Book of phi Lemen is actually in 445 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,679 Speaker 1: scripture as well why it's been canonized. So just kind 446 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: of some interesting history I'll present for you guys tomorrow 447 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: on the podcast. So I hope you guys tune in 448 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 1: six am or whenever you choose to wake up and 449 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: listen until tomorrow. Happy listening, and God bless. I just 450 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 1: want to take a second to thank the team at 451 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: Life Audio for their partnership with me on the Bible 452 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,640 Speaker 1: Explain podcast. In fact, if you go to lifeaudio dot 453 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 1: com you will find dozens of other faith centered podcasts 454 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: in their network. They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, 455 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: and more.