WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:07.480 practical ways. 4 00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:14.560 Hey, everybody, this is gonna be a good one. 5 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:18.800 It is everyone that we film every time we say hi, 6 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:20.839 good morning. It's always going to be a good one. 7 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:23.280 It is. It's going to be a good one today. 8 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:28.480 Well today, what's your name? But what's my name? 9 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:29.239 What's your name? 10 00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:35.240 I'm Chris. Yeah, we are the Bible Guys. So we're 11 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:37.840 going to launch right into a segment that we don't 12 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:38.640 do very often. 13 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:41.880 Actually, no, we're barely qualified for this one. 14 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:44.960 Yes, but it's called stump the pastor the right, And 15 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:49.520 so we're barely qualified because most of the time, not always, 16 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:52.520 but most of the time when it passed. When when 17 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:55.399 it's a stump the pastor question, the answer sometimes is 18 00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:59.960 like we don't know, right, because that's why there's debate, yeah, 19 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:03.799 for the last two thousand years about certain questions. So 20 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:05.439 this is a very common question. 21 00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:08.799 This one is less of that we don't know. 22 00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:11.840 Yes, it's less of that. That's why I said sometimes yes, right. 23 00:01:12.359 --> 00:01:16.280 So Anna g wrote Anna and wrote in this and 24 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:20.120 here's what it is. If Jesus is the only way 25 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:23.480 to salvation. What happens to those who have never heard 26 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:25.000 of him? 27 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:26.000 I think that's a good question. 28 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:28.799 The doll you want to give a shot? 29 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:30.480 Yeah, yeah, so. 30 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.799 One, Anna, thank you for asking that question. I think 31 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:38.159 it's it's an not the most important question in the world, 32 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:43.280 but a very important question. And so here's the premise. 33 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:48.000 Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation. 34 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:51.959 As Anna rightly states, Jesus says in John fourteen six, 35 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:54.319 I am the Way, the Truth, and the life. No 36 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:57.879 one comes to the Father except through me. And he 37 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:00.319 really lays it down right there, He lays down the autlet. 38 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:02.040 There he draws a line in the sand right there, Oh, 39 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:02.719 for sure, right. 40 00:02:03.239 --> 00:02:04.560 And C. S. 41 00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:07.480 Lewis is famous for talking about either he's a liar, 42 00:02:07.560 --> 00:02:10.080 a lunatic, or a lord. There right, he doesn't leave 43 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:12.800 any anything to doubt either either he is who he 44 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:13.919 is or he's not right. 45 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:17.360 Right, And it's too sort of combat the people who say, oh, 46 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:19.319 he was just nothing more than a good moral teacher, 47 00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:19.759 that's right. 48 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:20.159 And C. S. 49 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:22.840 Lewis says, you cannot say that, right because it's just 50 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:25.240 a good guy. Right, because of the things that he 51 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:28.039 claimed right. So if what he said was false, he's 52 00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:31.680 a lunatic. If what he said was true, he's lord, right, 53 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:33.960 or he's a really bad liar, which makes him not 54 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:34.719 a good multituse. 55 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:34.919 Right. 56 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:37.039 There are a lot of people in secular society who 57 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:39.439 would view Jesus like they would view Confucius. He said 58 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:41.479 some really good things, right, Maybe could apply some of 59 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:44.560 those things to our life, right, Right. It doesn't really 60 00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:47.479 matter what his life was like or who he really was. 61 00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:49.759 It doesn't even matter if he actually said the things 62 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:50.159 he said. 63 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:51.479 They're good words. 64 00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:53.120 You should turn the other cheek, and you should treat 65 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:54.560 people the way you want to be treated, right, And 66 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:55.599 that's how people would view there. 67 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:58.280 In some faiths believe that Jesus was a prophet, but 68 00:02:58.360 --> 00:02:59.719 not they deny his dealy. 69 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:04.319 So Jesus did not give us permission. On multiple occasions 70 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:06.159 he says things like this, there's no way to the 71 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:09.879 Father except through me, and so Christians would say that 72 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:13.080 the only way to Heaven is through Jesus. So then 73 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:17.879 the main question, quite honestly, Anna, is what have you 74 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:18.639 done with Jesus? 75 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:19.680 That would be the first question. 76 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:23.199 So have you responded to the fact that Jesus paid 77 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:26.120 the price for your sins and my sins. That God 78 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:29.360 himself became a man in the person of Jesus and 79 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:31.080 paid the price that you and I could not afford 80 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:34.280 to pay. And that salvation is by grace. Through faith 81 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:37.439 you accept Christ as your personal savior, he forgives your 82 00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:41.520 sins and he gives you eternal life John Ty sixteen. 83 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:44.599 Because this question could have been asked by somebody who's 84 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:47.840 a Christian who wonders, but I could also be asked 85 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:50.639 by a person who is wondering about christian. 86 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.120 So the first question is that what have you responded 87 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:57.400 to Jesus. But at the root of this question, I 88 00:03:57.439 --> 00:03:59.719 think it's a beautiful Most of the time, I think 89 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:02.520 the behind a question like this is very beautiful. Concerned 90 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:05.159 for the people who've never heard yes. First of all, 91 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:08.719 that's why Jesus told every single one of his followers, 92 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:11.719 I want you, not somebody else. I want you to 93 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:15.319 go everywhere and tell everyone. It's one of the reasons 94 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:17.240 why you and I work with organizations that are trying 95 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:18.759 to get a church in every village everywhere. 96 00:04:18.839 --> 00:04:19.000 Right. 97 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:22.199 We work with the Timothy Initiative other organizations because we 98 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:26.560 want to get the Gospel to every group of people possible. 99 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.800 Every specifically focusing on unreached people groups. 100 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:34.240 That's correct, And so Jesus gave the command to every 101 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:40.800 Christian go and tell everybody. And quite honestly, for forty 102 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:43.720 three percent of the planet doesn't have access to another Christian, 103 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:46.959 they don't even know another Christian. Ninety three percent of 104 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:50.759 the planet can get a Coca Cola today. So my 105 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:53.879 friend David Noams says, often in one hundred and fifty years, 106 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:56.959 Coca Cola did, for the love of money what Christians 107 00:04:57.000 --> 00:04:58.680 have not done in two thousand years for the love 108 00:04:58.720 --> 00:04:59.199 of God. 109 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:01.959 Right, that's really powerful. 110 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:04.639 Now nobody's killing you for bringing a coke into the village, 111 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:08.399 So there's that, right. But still we've had a long 112 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:10.199 time to work at this. But what's happened is the 113 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:14.480 church has gotten distracted and we've become convinced for over 114 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:19.040 a thousand years that the clergy is supposed to take 115 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:22.920 the gospel and that the people aren't. And so that'd 116 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:24.360 be part of it. So I think you have a 117 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:27.120 beautiful heart asking what happens to people, I haven't heard one. 118 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:28.920 We got to go tell them, We've got to leverage 119 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:31.199 our resources. We've got to use our money. We've got 120 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:34.759 to go and tell them ourselves, we've got to tell everybody. 121 00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:37.639 But then the root of this. 122 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:42.600 Sometimes there's a temptation to say, how dare God right? 123 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:43.720 Yeah? 124 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.759 Setting up a system that doesn't seem like it's. 125 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:46.600 Fair, right, right. 126 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:50.160 And so here's a couple of things. Here's what I know. 127 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:54.680 God will do the right thing because God is good. 128 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:58.680 God is completely good. He's not somewhat good, and he's 129 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:01.120 not just good to some people. Well, God is good 130 00:06:01.800 --> 00:06:05.680 and God will do the right thing. The second thing 131 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:07.240 that I came to a conclusion because I struggled with 132 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:09.480 this question for a long time. The second conclusion I 133 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:14.680 came to is my morality or sense of morality is 134 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:16.399 not superior to God's right. 135 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:20.240 Right, Well, Isaiah says, my ways are higher than your ways, 136 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:21.680 my thoughts a higher than your thoughts. 137 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:25.279 Right, And so I know that God is completely good, 138 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:28.439 that God will only do the right thing, and that 139 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:31.720 my morality is not higher than his morality. So in 140 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:34.480 the meantime, he's given me a mission, and he's given 141 00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:37.639 you a mission. And we've got to go tell everybody everywhere. 142 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:41.319 And there's nothing more important in the world than us 143 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:44.560 knowing Jesus than us bringing our friends and family to 144 00:06:44.680 --> 00:06:47.519 Jesus and then us going and getting everybody else that's 145 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:48.639 not yet know Jesus. 146 00:06:49.399 --> 00:06:52.560 Right, Is that a sufficient answer to you? Uh? 147 00:06:53.560 --> 00:07:00.240 Honestly, I don't think. I don't think you answered this 148 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:03.800 specific hypothetical. I think what you did was say, we 149 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:04.480 trust God. 150 00:07:04.759 --> 00:07:05.759 Yes, that's what you said. 151 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:10.000 But like the hypothetical of somebody who's on an island, 152 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:14.040 for instance, and then let's just say, and it probably 153 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:17.079 has been true where somebody is on an island and 154 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:21.000 they didn't hear the gospel and they die, what happens 155 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:23.360 to them? And what I thought I heard you say was, Hey, 156 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:26.399 God's going to do the right thing, which means you're 157 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:29.199 assuming that He's not going to hold them accountable and 158 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:32.240 pay the price for rejecting God like others. 159 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:33.279 No, I didn't say that. 160 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:36.879 Well, I know, but it's sort of in the assumption 161 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:40.000 of saying because there are people are. 162 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:43.639 Hearing, yeah, I think that the question is trying to 163 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:47.040 determine their final destination, and God will determine their final destination, 164 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.480 so my opinion about it doesn't matter. 165 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:51.639 Okay, So then it's a I don't know, Well, I. 166 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:54.240 Think theologically, there are there are theologians all across the 167 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.319 board as to what the answer is on that. At first, 168 00:07:56.360 --> 00:07:58.519 I know what my opinion is, Yes, right, I believe 169 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:01.279 that people who die without Christ going hell. That's what 170 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:03.439 I believe. So if that's what you're going, But it 171 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:05.680 doesn't matter what I believe about it. What I know 172 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:07.959 is that God will do the right thing because I 173 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.639 know the character of God. Here's what I know. There 174 00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:14.680 are no Christian theologians that question whether or not God 175 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:19.399 is good, right, there are no Christian theologians that question 176 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:22.600 whether or not God does the right thing. And there's 177 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:25.600 no Christian theologians that question whether or not humans morality 178 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:29.199 is higher than God's morality. But there are Christian theologians 179 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:31.680 who question what happens to the person who dies without 180 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:32.559 ever hearing the Gospel? 181 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:33.879 Right? Right? 182 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:35.759 And So I'll say I think that there's a little 183 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:38.120 bit of a I'm content to go. I know what 184 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.399 I believe, but I'm willing to leave it up to God, 185 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:41.480 right right. 186 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:45.799 Yeah, So I'll attempt to also give it a quick shot. 187 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:48.159 I know we don't have much more time here on this, 188 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.840 but you know that when the Bible talks about how 189 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:57.360 God will draw people to himself through his own creation. Right. So, 190 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:00.440 and the funny thing is is we all know that 191 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:03.759 Christianity is an event that is grounded in history, which 192 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.240 is very different than sitting on a desert island, for instance, 193 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:10.080 and looking up at the clouds and the sun and 194 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:13.360 you know, drawing a conclusion that there must be a creator, 195 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.399 right like, we could do that through nature. We can 196 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:18.399 we can be drawn to the fact that there is 197 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:18.799 a gain. 198 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:21.559 Native peoples all around the world with no outside access 199 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:25.519 usually only have two religions. They either worship the creator 200 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:29.480 of everything that exists, creation or they worship the creation. Hey, 201 00:09:29.480 --> 00:09:32.679 we worship those rocks, those bears, those yess. 202 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:37.120 Or the sun or whatever. And but Christianity is an event, 203 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:40.320 and an event is grounded in history. And the only 204 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:43.080 way for an event to be shared or to be 205 00:09:43.159 --> 00:09:46.480 to be known is for it to be shared. So 206 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:49.240 so I'm going to say the same thing that you said, 207 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:54.799 only maybe more specifically to the hypothetical. I believe that 208 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:57.919 if there have been, which I know there have been 209 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:00.840 people who have you know, grown up on some remote 210 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.879 islands somewhere, have never heard the gospel, lived a life 211 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:06.960 and then died. I believe that is true that that 212 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:11.159 person has existed. I believe what the Bible does say 213 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:13.679 that a person could be drawn to him through creation, 214 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:17.679 and they definitely you know, didn't get the chance to 215 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:22.639 hear the event of Christianity grounded in history. So I'd 216 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:25.200 have to believe that God holds them accountable for the 217 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:32.399 knowledge that they have. So I and it's that goodness 218 00:10:32.440 --> 00:10:33.360 part that you're talking about. 219 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:36.120 Yeah, that's a good point that He's going to hold 220 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:39.639 them accountable for what they for because even the book 221 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:42.159 Roman says that creation leaves them without an excuse. 222 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:43.960 Yes, right, but if. 223 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:45.720 Nobody ever told them about Jesus, they would never even 224 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:46.559 know the name of Jesus. 225 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:50.000 Right, And a person who rejects Jesus is different than 226 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.159 a person who lives their entire life and never had 227 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:56.159 the chance to understand fully about God's love through Jesus. 228 00:10:56.600 --> 00:11:01.679 So I think that God's goodness will hold us accountable 229 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:05.600 for the knowledge that we have. And you know, even 230 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:09.519 when Jesus left, if it were if it were such 231 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:12.080 an issue, you know, like oh no, you know, if 232 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:13.759 they don't hear, they're all going to go, They're all 233 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:15.799 gonna you know, they're all gonna just waste away and 234 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:17.919 burn for no reason at all, you know, without having 235 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:21.039 ever learned or heard about God's love for them through Jesus. 236 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:23.600 I then Jesus wouldn't have set up the system that 237 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:26.600 he set up. And everything you said at the beginning, 238 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:30.000 everything you said, is absolutely true. It's the reason why 239 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:32.879 he gave us the mission. It's the great commission, right, 240 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:35.399 we were supposed to be on mission to tell people 241 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:39.000 about God's love. And in Jesus does claim he's the 242 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:42.799 only way to God through him. And I always say 243 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:45.720 when we talk about Christianity that Christianity is the only 244 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:49.039 fair religion, although people may think opposite, they think, oh, 245 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:51.639 it's the only unfair, narrow minded religion because it's only 246 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:54.919 through Jesus. And I always say, no, no, no, because only 247 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:58.919 in Christianity everyone is invited to get to Heaven. Everyone 248 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:02.120 gets in the exact same way, which is not true 249 00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:05.480 for other religions. And then everyone can meet the requirements 250 00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:09.840 and so and that is, you know, that is God's system. 251 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.080 So so to be clear, both of us are saying, 252 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:16.559 we believe somebody dies without Christ, they spend eternity apart 253 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:17.039 from Christ. 254 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.679 I believe, right, I believe if they reject the knowledge 255 00:12:19.720 --> 00:12:20.600 of it, yes. 256 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:21.559 So then. 257 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:27.159 That's why he gave us the mission. So then we 258 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:31.840 kind of step back from the legalism of that statement 259 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:33.919 and say, we know God will do the right thing, 260 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:37.679 and we acknowledge the fact that there are differences among theologians, 261 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:40.159 and and people on both sides will call each other 262 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:43.559 heretics along along these lines, right, and so we're waiting 263 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:44.120 into an issue. 264 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:44.799 But here's what I know. 265 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.480 God loves everybody. He wants everybody to come to repentance 266 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:51.200 and nobody to perish, which is so the way to 267 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:53.799 not perish is to come to repentance. So it's our 268 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:57.080 goal and our mission. There's nothing more important in life 269 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.919 than to get to bring people to Jesus. 270 00:12:59.000 --> 00:12:59.919 And it's the greatest reward. 271 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:03.919 So thank you so much, Anna for asking that question. 272 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:06.200 And this is the longest we've ever taken to answer 273 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:08.399 a question, I. 274 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:09.279 Think, so and uh. 275 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:11.039 And and by the way, if you're wondering why Jesus 276 00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:13.639 hasn't come back again, he says, the reason why is 277 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:16.320 because he's not willing that any should perish. Yeah, so 278 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:17.399 he cherries for that reason. 279 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:20.240 Okay, let me, let me Uh, pivot here because we 280 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:24.440 just have a few more minutes and uh kind of 281 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:27.120 catch you up because we're going to skip a couple pages. 282 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:30.600 You remember, Abner was Saul's general. 283 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:35.759 Yes, when Saul died, Abner decides to back Ishbushev, which 284 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:37.759 was the last living son or one of the last 285 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:42.000 living sons of Saul. And this lasts for about seven 286 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:44.120 years that that David is not the king of the 287 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:48.200 entire unified Israel, just of Judah. And they're kind of 288 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:51.279 squaring off back and forth. There's some battles and some 289 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:53.960 some some of these things, but for the most part, 290 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:57.919 David has been avoiding some things. Well, Abner, David had 291 00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:02.200 three guys that are pretty tough guys. These guys are 292 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:06.840 just really really great. They're brothers actually, And so you 293 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:10.720 have Joe ab and then you have what is Joe 294 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:16.360 AB's brother's name? Uh you off, yep, yep, let me 295 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:23.360 find it here. Abner winds up killing Joe AB's brother. 296 00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:27.360 Let me just tell you that. So Abner kills Joe 297 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:29.919 AB's younger brother, Assah Hell. 298 00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:31.200 That's it. 299 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:35.679 So he kills Assahell. And then Abashi is one of 300 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:38.559 David's mighty men. Joe ab is one of David's generals, 301 00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:43.799 and then they Abner kills Assahal. So then Joe ab decides, 302 00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:46.840 whatever it takes, I'm gonna kill Abner. So Joe ab 303 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:48.759 is out with a bunch of guys. Uh, they're fighting 304 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:54.200 a battle. Abner abdicates from ishboshek If accuses Abner of 305 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:57.080 having an affair with one of Saul's concubines and it 306 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:59.559 makes him mad, and so Abner leaves. 307 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:01.799 It goes out, dare you am I a dog? Right? 308 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.679 How dare you think I did that? So he comes 309 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:06.759 to David and says, David, I'm leaving ishbel chef, and 310 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:07.679 I'm going to back your play. 311 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:09.039 David's this town has. 312 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:12.519 A feast with him with his enemy, right, and they 313 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:13.960 have a meal and he goes, okay, you know what. 314 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:16.240 The one who advocated that David should not be king. 315 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:18.799 Yeah, and threatened and was hunting him to killing him, Right, 316 00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:22.519 David is a gentleman, and he goes, okay, hey, white flag, 317 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:25.240 I'm going to honor the rules of war. And so 318 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:27.360 they sit down. They have a conversation and David goes, listen, 319 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:28.200 I'm not gonna hunt you down. 320 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:30.080 I'm not going to kill you. Just go be safe. 321 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:31.120 Joya. 322 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.799 Ab comes back and goes, what the heck? Right? 323 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:36.279 He comes returns back from this great victory, and he goes, 324 00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:40.519 what are you doing, David? And he hunts Abner down 325 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:42.240 and kills him. 326 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:42.480 Right. 327 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:46.320 Yeah, So so then here's what it says in the 328 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.279 second time Samuel, chapter three. It's verse thirty one says, 329 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:50.759 then David said the joy ab and all those who 330 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:53.759 were with him, tear your clothes and put on burlap, 331 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:56.480 mourn for Abner. And King David himself walked behind the 332 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.960 procession to the grave, and they buried Abner, and hebron 333 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:01.399 and the king and all the people wept at his graveside. 334 00:16:01.799 --> 00:16:04.440 Then the King saying this funeral song for Abner. Should 335 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:07.320 Abner have died as fools die, Your hands were not bound, 336 00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:09.799 your feet were not chained. No, you were murdered, the 337 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:12.960 victim of a wicked plot. All the people wept again 338 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:15.440 for Abner. And David had refused to eat anything on 339 00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:18.279 the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him 340 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:20.039 to eat, But David had made a vow saying, may 341 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:21.639 God strike me and even kill me if I eat 342 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:25.799 anything before sundown. This pleased the people very much. In fact, 343 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.879 everything the king did pleased them. So everyone in Judah 344 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:32.600 and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for 345 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.360 Abner's murder. Then King David said to his officials, don't 346 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:40.000 you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel? 347 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:42.639 And even though I'm the anointed king, these two sons 348 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:45.559 of Zariyah, joe Ab and Abishai are too strong for 349 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:49.000 me to control. So may the Lord repay these evil 350 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:54.120 men for their evil deeds. So it's pretty hardcore, yeah, 351 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:57.679 Then it goes on and they go and they kill 352 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:02.720 two guys, two brothers, Bahanna and Rekkib, who were captains 353 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:08.359 of Ishba Chef's party rating parties. They wind up coming 354 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:12.039 in and they're fighting. Saul's son Jonathan had another son 355 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:16.200 named is Or Aphibischef and who was crippled. There's all 356 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:18.599 these things that are going on, right, So then these 357 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.200 two guys come into Ishba Chef's house and to take 358 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:26.480 a rest, the doorkeepers there sifting weight, become sleepy, and 359 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:29.000 so these guys slip past her. They go into the house, 360 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.039 find is sleeping in his bed and they kill him. 361 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:31.480 Yep. 362 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:36.319 So then now Ischath is gone. So literally, in just 363 00:17:36.359 --> 00:17:39.480 a couple of days, Abner is dead and is Chef 364 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:44.079 is dead. The people come, Ray, Keb and Bahana come 365 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:47.319 to David. See they see it going down. Abner's gone. 366 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:50.720 Is a weak guy we're going to kill and. 367 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:52.160 Then we're gonna get David that like us. 368 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:55.680 So they come to David and David goes, what are 369 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:56.519 you talking about? 370 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:58.119 When somebody just came and gave. 371 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:01.240 Me a message that Saul was dead, anointed one of God. 372 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:02.359 I killed him. 373 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:04.519 He executed the guy who gave him the bad news. 374 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:07.799 And he said, and you guys murdered Ishbaschev. And he 375 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:10.519 executes those two guys too, And he said, don't you 376 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:14.599 understand we don't act that way, right? He said, I've 377 00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:18.599 held off for a decade, not stealing the throne because 378 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:20.359 I was waiting for God to give it to me, 379 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:22.039 and you guys took it in your own hands and 380 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:26.319 killed him. David protected himself, David defended himself. But David 381 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:28.160 did not go on the offense to wipe out his 382 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.440 enemies like that. These two men that he felt like 383 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:32.880 were men of God. And so I think that there 384 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:35.920 is something extraordinary that we can learn here where David 385 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:39.559 respected even his enemies. He respected Abner as a great 386 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:42.519 warrior and grieved over him, and the people loved David 387 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.480 because David had respect for his enemies. 388 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:47.000 Yeah, and you know, this being an election year with 389 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:51.319 you know, debates happening, and you know, everybody just sort 390 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:53.920 of saying good gosh. In fact, I just mentioned to 391 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:57.680 you just by a happenstance, yes, that I remembered a 392 00:18:58.039 --> 00:19:02.519 scene back when and Obama was running events against McCain 393 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.519 and there was this you know, this is quite a 394 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:08.759 while back, right, so back when people acted like it 395 00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:10.799 ladies and gentlemen, and and. 396 00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:12.039 I releast that's the way we remember it. 397 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:15.559 Well yeah, sure, sure, well it seemed bad back then, 398 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:17.119 but compared to now. 399 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.240 Yeah, we've gotten way worse. 400 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:21.039 We've gotten way worse. But I remember this one scene 401 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:23.559