Revelation: Witness, Judgment, and the Throne

The Sinful Cycle

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name: JW01189 🔗

Date: 2012-01-25

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Amos 2:4-5 to illustrate a recurring sinful cycle: despising God's law leads to disobedience, which leads to deceit, and ultimately to destruction. He emphasizes that while history is linear and directed by God, sinful patterns repeat due to man's rebellion. Judah's judgment serves as a warning that even those who profess to be God's people will face judgment if they despise His word. The only remedy is repentance and honoring God.

[John Weaver] Amos chapter two, verse four, thus said the Lord for three transgressions of Judah and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have despised the law of the Lord. They have not kept his commandments and their lies calls them to err after the, which their fathers have walked. But I will send a fire upon Judah and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] The message today is entitled the sinful cycle. And if Henry was here, he would try to tell me that refers to a bicycle that's gone bad. No, that's not what it refers to. The sinful cycle. History is linear and not cyclical. Let me explain what I mean by that. When I say history is linear, it means that it runs in a straight line. It is not just simply going around in huge circles, that's what I mean when I say it is not cyclical. When I say that history is linear, it not only means that it runs in a straight line, but that history had a definite beginning and it proceeds to a definite conclusion. God began history with the words, in the beginning, God, and He concludes history with these words out of Revelation 11 and verse 15, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever. Now, it is paganism that teaches that all history is cyclical. The pagans teach that we're just simply going around in one huge circle.

[John Weaver] Consequently, in the cyclical view of history, there is no meaning to life, there's no purpose to anything that happens In fact, according to the pagans, it is just simply luck, chance, fate, karma, or whatever you want to call it. We have to acknowledge that history is definitely linear. But at the same time, while we acknowledge that, we also have to acknowledge that history is proceeding to the predestinated and ordained in that God has purposed and ordained before the world ever began. But in that linear predestinated straight line, yes, there are circles as it proceeds to that definite conclusion. And the reason there are circles is not because history is cyclical, but simply because man keeps repeating the same sins over and over.

[John Weaver] Let me give you two quotes. One of them you will recognize, the other you will not. But the Scottish historian Alexander Tyler supposedly said this, a democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largest from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury. With the result, the democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy.

[John Weaver] Of course, that's exactly what's happening today. Now, consequently, because of that quote, the following quote is also attributed to Alexander Tyler, which shows the cycle From freedom to slavery. You have heard this one. Here's how it goes from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to Liberty, from Liberty to abundance, from abundance to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence and from dependence back into bondage. The quote indicates a cycle, but it is a cycle that is based upon man's sins, man's failures, man's disobediences, and man's rebellion.

[John Weaver] It is something that happens in the linear progress of history. A biblical illustration will help explain what I'm trying to talk about. If you would study the book of Judges, you would find that there is a definite cycle as they progressed in a linear line. For instance, first, there was freedom under God and His law.

[John Weaver] Second, there was sin and rebellion whereby they gave themselves over into idolatry. Thirdly, God raised up adversaries against them who persecuted them. And fourthly, They began to repent and cry to the Lord for help and mercy. And fifthly, God raised up a deliverer, God raised up a judge, and sent them and delivered his people.

[John Weaver] Now notice if you would, it is a cycle. You can study the book of Judges. And you see that over and over just about in every chapter in the Bible. But that does not mean that history is cyclical. It means it is still linear, but as men repeats these same sins over and over, they're heading to that definite, predestined, ordained end that God ordained, but they just keep repeating the same sins. Now, when you look in Amos chapter 2 verses 4 and 5, you see this sinful cycle.

[John Weaver] I will tell you what my points are right here. you're going to see, first of all, despisement, secondly, disobedience, thirdly, deceit, and fourthly, destruction. You're going to find that here is a sinful cycle. It begins with despisement. It leads to disobedience, which leads to deceit, which leads to destruction. So let's take these one at a time. Look, first of all, at verse 4, at their despisement. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Judah and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because, look, they have despised the law of the Lord." Now, may I remind you that Judah was supposed to be God's people.

[John Weaver] It was there that we found the temple. It was there the Levitical priesthood did their work. It was there the law was to be taught. They despised the law of God. Can it be possible for God's people to despise his law. Is it also possible to despise God himself? We use a lot of euphemisms today. I hope you know what a euphemism is. It's when you use a light word to replace one that you and I would call heavy. For instance, most people don't talk about folks dying. They say they passed.

[John Weaver] Or they went on somewhere. You know, you don't want to say dead. And so, euphemistically speaking, you just use a light word. Here's what I'm talking about. Today, we use euphemisms to ameliorate our sins. For instance, instead of talking about adultery and fornication, we say, he's having an affair. See? Why don't you just say adultery? Why don't you just say fornication? Instead of calling it sodomy today, we call it being gay. Why don't you just call it what it is, sodomites. Instead of despising God's law today, we just refer to such people as independent thinkers.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you something. Euphemisms may work for us, but they do not work for God. Because God sees things as they really are and He calls things as they really are. And the Word of God teaches us very plainly that we either love Him or hate Him. We're either for Him or against Him. There is no in-between. So is it possible then to despise the name of God, the law of God, the Word of God, the judgments of God, yea, even to despise God Himself?

[John Weaver] Now in verse 4, when the Bible says, because they have despised the law of the Lord, the Hebrew word is ma'as, which means to despise, abhor, reject, and to become loathsome. So the law of God became loathsome to them. They didn't even want to think about it. They didn't even want to consider it. In fact, if you would hold Amos 2, but look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. And let me show you that God had warned against this very thing. Notice in the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26 and look if you would first at verse 15. Leviticus 26 verse 15. And if you shall despise my statutes, and if your soul abhor my judgments, so that you will not do all my commandments but that you break my covenant." Note if you would, he said, if you despise my statutes and your soul abhor, that is a strong word for hatred, if your soul hate my judgments. Skip down to verse 43 if you would, same chapter.

[John Weaver] The land also shall be left of them and shall enjoy her sabbaths while she lies desolate without them. and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes."

[John Weaver] Now someone's going to object and say, but pastor, I would not and I could not despise God or His word. I mean, I love the Lord. I love His word. I could never ever despise Him. I want to honor Him. Well, let me ask you a few questions. Have you ever put yourself ahead of God? Have you ever turned from His will to do your will? Have you known what the Word of God proclaimed on a subject and yet you ignored the plain teaching of the Word of God in order that you might do that which you wanted to do and have that which you wanted to have? And you know the answer to those questions Every answer is yes.

[John Weaver] Now let me explain to you and demonstrate the sinfulness and the ramifications of despising God and His law. And the way I'm going to illustrate that and demonstrate it is by you and I considering one of the greatest men of the Old Testament. And that is King David. Remember King David is known as the sweet psalmist of Israel. He was a man after God's own heart. He was a man who wrote most of the Psalms. He was a man who was known for his love and devotion to God. He was one who was chosen by God to be king and captain and leader of God's people. And you would think that such a man as David could never ever despise God or His law. Well, if you look in your Bibles very quickly to 2 Samuel chapter 12, 2 Samuel chapter 12, And when you get to 2 Samuel chapter 12, you understand that we're reading about where David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and had Uriah her husband killed with the sword of the children of Ammon.

[John Weaver] So let's begin reading there with verse 1, after David's sin. And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had brought up and nourished up, and it grew up together with him.

[John Weaver] And with his children, it did eat of his own meat and drank of his own cup, lay in his own bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. There came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die. He shall restore the Lamb fourfold because he did this thing and because he had no pity. Watch. And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man.

[John Weaver] Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel and delivered thee out of the hand of Saul. And I gave thee thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom. And I gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Attite with a sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart out of thine house, are you looking, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Attite to be thy wife. Isn't that interesting? You know what God said to David? You've not only despised my commandments, you've despised me.

[John Weaver] Now the Hebrew word for despise here is barzah, and literally it means to treat with contempt, disdain, to treat vilely, listen, to scorn as worthless and despicable. So notice if you would, it is when you treat God as being worthless and despicable. So what did David do? David despised God's commandments. And you've got to remember that God is the author of those commandments. That is God's law. He gave His law for our benefit, for our direction, to be our guide. And when we despise His word, we then despise God. So how then did David despise God? The answer is by despising His commandments.

[John Weaver] He refused to obey Him. He did that which He wanted instead of that which God wanted. He did that which He willed instead of that which God willed. Consequently, God told David, Thou hast despised Me.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you how this develops in Scripture. Turn, if you would, to 2 Chronicles chapter 36. 2 Chronicles 36. We live in a land that despises the law of God. We live in a land where churches And Christian people despised the law of God. Notice 2 Chronicles 36 beginning there with verse 15. Look what the Bible says. 2 Chronicles 36 verse 15. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by His messengers, rising up in times and sending, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling places. Before we read verse 16, look at verse 15 again. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by His messengers. Who would the messengers be? The prophets, the preachers. Plural. Sent to them by His messengers, rising up in times and sending, because He had compassion on His people, known as dwelling places. Now look what the people did. Verse 16. But they mocked the messengers of God. Messengers is again plural, is it not? He sent them plenty of prophets.

[John Weaver] Now watch verse 16. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against His people, till there was no remedy. Now if you look in verse 16 again, they mocked the messengers of God, that's plural, and what's the next? And despised, what's the next word? His words. Is His singular or plural? It's singular. Whose words were the messengers carrying? God's. So the prophets were just preaching the word of God, and thus they mocked the messengers of the prophets of God and despised His, that is, God's words. In other words, when you despise the preached word of God, you are in essence despising God who gave that word. Do you remember in 1 Samuel chapter 8, when Israel was demanding a king, when the Lord God was their king, God told Samuel, as Samuel prayed to the Lord, the Lord said to Samuel, hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee, For they have not rejected thee,

[John Weaver] but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. So the Lord said to Samuel, this is a personal rejection of Me. But if you skip down to verse 8, God also says this to Samuel, He says, According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me, so do they also to thee.

[John Weaver] Now let me put things together for you. When people forsake the Word of God, they forsake the people or the preachers who preach the Word of God. When you forsake the preacher who preaches the Word of God, you're guilty of forsaking the Word of God. And when you're guilty of forsaking the Word of God, you're equally guilty of forsaking the One who gave the Law of God. Let me change the word. When you despise the preachers of God, you're despising the Word of God. When you despise the Word of God, you're despising the God who gave the Word. Thus, God charged Judah and Jerusalem with despisement of His Word, thus despising God Himself. Let me tell you, the despisement of God and the despisement of His Word is not a light and trifling sin. It is a monstrous sin. Everyone ought to dread it as a monstrous thing because we cannot despise the law of God without insulting God because we're insulting His holiness and His majesty and His greatness. When we despise the law of God, in essence, we despise God Himself.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to Amos 2. Look at verse 4. I want you to see the next step in this cycle. Look at Amos 2 and verse 4. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Judah and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, Here's the first step. Because they have despised the law of God. Now here's the second step in the cycle.

[John Weaver] And have not kept his commandments. Disobedience. Listen to me. Despisement always leads to disobedience. And it's important that you underline this concept in your mind. Despisement always always leads to disobedience. If we did not despise the Word of God, we would obey it. It is when we treat the Word of God contemptuously, when we treat it with disdain and disregard, when we do not believe it, therefore, we quickly, easily, and readily disobey it. In Romans chapter, not Romans, I'm sorry, but in Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 30, God says this concerning the people.

[John Weaver] He said, they would have none of my counsel. They despised all of my reproof. So what is the charge? They would not listen to me. They despised God's counsel. They would not have his reproof. Thus, verses 31 and 32 says this, Therefore, they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of the fool shall destroy them."

[John Weaver] Now what did God say? They wouldn't listen to me. So what did they do? They disobeyed. Despisement always leads to disobedience. Anytime you despise the Word of God, you always turn to your own devices. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 5. Let me show you. I'm going to ask you a question and I'm going to answer it for you from the Bible. Look in Proverbs chapter 5. It's important that you see this because I'm trying to show you that whenever you despise the law of God, it always leads to disobedience. If I were to ask you, why is it that adultery and fornication abound. Why is it everywhere you turn there are sexual perversions? Just try to find a TV show today that does not promote fornication, sodomy, bestiality, transsexuals, voyeurism. It's everywhere you turn. Why? Well, look in Proverbs 5 and notice verse 12. and say, how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof? Now to understand verse 12, let's go back to verse 1.

[John Weaver] My son, attend unto my wisdom and bow thine ear to my understanding, that thou mayest regard discretion, that thy lips may keep knowledge. Now look what he says, for the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil, But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps take on in hell. Lest thou ponder the path of her life, her ways are movable, thou canst not know them. Hear me now, therefore, you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, don't come near her. Come not nigh the door of her house, lest thou give thine honor unto others, and thy years unto the cruel, lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labors be in the house of a stranger. And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How?

[John Weaver] have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof." What is the instruction? What is the reproof that's being despised? It's God's law. It's God's law in the teaching of thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not covet. It's God's law forbidding fornication. And yet, you look around and you find all this disobedience. Why? because God's law is despised.

[John Weaver] Now let me put it to you the way David and Paul did. David said it like this in Psalm 36 and verse 1. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, there is no fear of God before their eyes. Paul said it in Romans 3 and verse 18 very simply. There is no fear of God before their eyes. They despise God. They despise His Word. They don't fear Him. Therefore they disobey Him." Now, why do men despise the Word of God? Why do men despise God? Let me answer that. Look back in your Bibles to Psalm 10. Psalm 10. I want to show you what it takes to despise God and His Word. Look in Psalm 10. Let's begin reading there with verse 2. Psalm 10 verse 2. Watch. Psalm 10 verse 2. I want to point out certain verses as we read this. Psalm 10 verse 2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor.

[John Weaver] Let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth his heart's desire and blessed the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth or hateth. Now watch. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all of his thoughts.

[John Weaver] Now look, his ways are always grievous. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight. As for all of his enemies, he puffeth at them.

[John Weaver] Now this is the wicked man. The wicked man's ways are always grievous. God's judgments are far above out of his sight. And for all of it, the wicked man's enemies, he puffeth at them. Watch verse 6. He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved. I shall never be in adversity. Continue now. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud. Under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

[John Weaver] He sitteth in the lurking places, the villages. In the secret places doth he murder the innocent. His eyes are privily set against the poor. How can people do these things? Here's Al. Watch now, he lieth and wait, secretly as a lion in his den he lieth and wait to catch the poor. He doth catch the poor when he draweth him in his net. He croucheth and humbled himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." Here it is.

[John Weaver] He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten. He hideth his face. He will never see it. Arise, O Lord, O God, lift up thine hand, forget not the humble. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? Why does he despise God? He has said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Thou hast seen it, for Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thine hand. The poor committed themselves unto Thee, Thou art the helper of the fatherless. Notice, if you would, the attitude of the wicked. God doesn't see this. God doesn't care. And if He cares, and if He does see it, so what? He'll never require it.

[John Weaver] He won't bring us to justice. In other words, to the wicked, God is a non-person. He doesn't exist. Or if He does exist, He's a poor, helpless, impotent being that can do nothing. Therefore, the Ten Commandments to them is nothing more than ten suggestions, which they may easily, quickly, and readily forget and disobey. Because you despise God and His Law, you always disobey. Despisement always leads to disobedience.

[John Weaver] Go back in your Bibles. to Amos chapter 2. I want you to see the third step in this sinful cycle. Notice Amos 2 and verse 4. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Judah and for four. I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have despised the law of the Lord. That's the first step. And have not kept his commandments disobedience. That's the second step. Here's the third.

[John Weaver] And their lies have caused them to err after which their fathers have walked That is their deceit. Their lies cause them to err after which their fathers had walked.

[John Weaver] Now, 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 11 speaks of the wicked believing a lie. Do you understand that when you refuse to believe the truth, the only thing left is a lie. If you will not believe the truth, you will believe a lie.

[John Weaver] Now, when the Bible, in Amos 2 and verse 4, says their lies cause them to err, the lies here would either refer, number one, to their idols, or number two, to their own delusional thinking, or to both. But when you read the latter part of verse 4, after which their fathers have walked, you would tend to think that it would refer to their idols, because idols in the Bible are often times called lies. But may I point out that lying vanities cause you to think delusionally. In other words, you don't think in reality. If you would hold Amos 2, but look back in Psalm 115. I love this passage. Psalm 115, and let's begin at verse 4. And we're going to read about some of these idols or some of these lies that are nothing more than deceit. Psalm 115 verse 4. Psalm 115 verse 4. Are you ready? Watch. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. Now what about these idols? Maybe silver, maybe gold. But look at verse 5, they have mouths, but they speak not.

[John Weaver] Eyes have they, but they see not. They have ears, but they hear not. Noses have they, but they smell not. They have hands, but they handle not. Feet have they, but they walk not. Neither speak they through their throat.

[John Weaver] Now watch, they that make them are likened to them. So is everyone that trusteth in them.

[John Weaver] Now if an idol is a dumb, thing that can't speak, that can't see, that can't hear, that can't handle, that can't walk, that can't move, if he's dumb and dead, what does he say? They that make them are likened to them, so is everyone that trusteth in them. They're deluded. They're deceived. Despisement leads to disobedience. Disobedience leads to deceit. Stop and think about this. They would have never been deceived by these idols, had they not first despised God and His law, and secondly disobeyed God. If they had not despised God, if they had not disobeyed God, they would know, they would understand. But just like disobedience follows despisement, so likewise deceit follows disobedience. They're deceived. Here it is. You either hate God or you love Him. You either hate His law or you abhor His law.

[John Weaver] There is no in-between. When one rejects God and rejects His Word, he will always choose his own lie, and his own lie will always deceive him. Our Lord said it very plainly in Matthew 6 and verse 24. He said, No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, are you listening, and despise. the other. Let me give you a quote from John Calvin on verse 4. Listen.

[John Weaver] As soon then as men swear from God's word, they involve themselves in many delusions and cannot but go astray, and this is deserving of special notice. We indeed see how much wisdom the world claims for itself For as soon as we invent anything, we're greatly delighted with it. And the ape, according to the old proverb, is pleased with his own offspring. But this vice especially prevails when by our devices we corrupt and adulterate the worship of God. Hence the prophet, he declares that whatever is added to God's word and whatever men invent in their own brains is a lie.

[John Weaver] All this, he says, is nothing but an imposture. That's why we see all of these stupid, spurious signs in front of church buildings. Like the one I told you about, God loves you, have a safe and happy trick or treat. Or the one I told you about last week, hang out with Jesus, He hung out for you. How? How? Can people be so flippant? How can they be so ignorant? Because they've despised the Law of God, they've disobeyed, and now they're deceived by their own inventions and their own delusions. Isaiah 30 and verse 12, the Word of God says this, Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because you despise this Word, and trust in oppression and perverseness and stay there on. In other words, you despise God's word and you trust in your own perverseness and you stay with it.

[John Weaver] Look at Ezekiel chapter 20. I want you to see these two. Look at Ezekiel chapter 20. I'm just showing you how that despisement leads to disobedience. Disobedience always leads to deceit. Notice in Ezekiel chapter 20 and verse 16. Ezekiel 20, verse 16. Look what he says. Ezekiel 20, verse 16. It cannot get any plainer than this. Ezekiel 20, verse 16. Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths, for their heart went after their idols. Skip down to verse 24 in Ezekiel chapter 20. Ezekiel 20 verse 24. Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their father's idols. What is God saying? God is saying that deceit follows disobedience, and disobedience follows despisement.

[John Weaver] When you despise, you disobey. When you disobey, you become deceived. Here's the last step in the cycle, if you'll go back to Amos 2 and look at verse 5. And I want you to see this. God says, but I will send a fire upon Judah and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. That is their destruction. Now, let's go back to verse four. Look what God says. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Judah and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof. Now, if I were to take time, to take you through the first several chapters of Amos, you would see an amazing thing. In fact, let me just refer you back to verse one of Amos chapter two. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof. Whoa, what? Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for four. Now skip down to verse four. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof."

[John Weaver] Let me ask you, were the Moabites the people of God? No. No. Skip down to verse 6. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof." Well, now wait a minute. Was it Israel? And especially the southern tribes? Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem? The people of God? Isn't it amazing that the same formula that God pronounces against the heathen nations, He also uses against His own people. If His people transgress and act like the heathen, they will be judged like the heathen. So for three transgressions and for four, God said, I'm not going to turn away the punishment of Judah. I'm not going to turn away the punishment of Jerusalem. No, no, no. He said, I'll send a fire upon Judah, and I'll devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] Now, whole name is two, but look back to Isaiah. Isaiah, first of the major prophets. Isaiah chapter 5, if you would. Isaiah chapter 5, and look, if you would please, at verse 24. Isaiah 5, verse 24. We're talking about their destruction now. Isaiah 5 verse 24. God says, therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness and their blossom shall grow up as a dust because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Hmm.

[John Weaver] Let me put this in New Testament language. You don't have to turn there, I'm sure you can quote it. 1 Peter 4 and verse 17, For the time has come that judgment first begin, where? At the house of God. And if it first begin with us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel? The point I'm trying to make is this. God is not going to allow any people to escape who despise Him and His law and who disobey Him. They will always go into deceit and their deceit will always bring them into judgment.

[John Weaver] Now let me give you a couple of principles. There are several principles of judgment that are clearly taught in the New Testament. The first one is found in Romans 2 in verse 12. Listen to what God says. For as many as have sinned without the law shall perish without law. And as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. No sinner will escape God's righteous judgment. You say, well what about some of those people over darkest Africa that have never heard the law of God? That's fine. They've never heard the law of God. They're still going to be judged. If they've sinned without law, they're going to be judged without law. They're going to be judged. Well, what about us who have the law? Well, we're going to be judged in the law. No one is going to escape the righteous judgment of God. Sinners have the responsibility to seek God and seek His law. They do not. They will not.

[John Weaver] That just adds to their condemnation. That just simply adds to their judgment. But those who have the law and those who refuse to hear and heed and obey the law shall be also punished in the law. They shall not escape either.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to Luke chapter 12. I want you to see this next principle. That one is very easily understood and this one is easily understood as well. But I want you to see it in Luke chapter 12 verses 47 and 48. For our Lord is talking about a servant. In fact, He gives an illustration of two servants. I want you to watch this. Luke chapter 12, verse 47. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Here we go. Luke 12, verse 47. And that servant who knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes.

[John Weaver] For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required, and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more." Now isn't that interesting? Our Lord said, he that knew his Lord's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. He who did not know the Lord's will and did wrong, he shall be beaten with fewer stripes. And then he says this, of whom much is given, much is required. You know what he's saying?

[John Weaver] Let me explain it to you. The greater the responsibility, the greater the culpability. That is, the more light, the more knowledge, the more opportunity, the more responsibilities that we have, the greater our condemnation.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you, let's take a pagan nation, and I'm using this just as an illustration. Let's take a pagan nation, say, China. China has never been Christian. Certainly, there have been some Christian missionaries there, and certainly the gospel has been taught over there, and probably there are some believers over there, but I'm just pointing out as a nation. They've never had the law of God. They've never had the truth of God as a nation.

[John Weaver] If they do wrong, what's going to happen? God's going to judge them. God's going to destroy them. But here we are in this country, built upon the foundation of the Word of God, churches on every corner, thousands of Bibles everywhere. In fact, the average home has four or five Bibles. It doesn't mean people read them, but they have them. Do we have greater opportunities? Do we have greater responsibility? Yes! What's that mean? It means when God whips the living daylights out of us, He's going to give us more stripes. Because to whomever you give more, you expect more. To whomever you give more, you expect more. The greater the responsibility, the greater the culpability.

[John Weaver] Let me say it another way. Knowledge compounds responsibility. The principle is clear. The greater the responsibility, the greater the culpability. When one has truth, and he deliberately turns from that truth, or refuses to obey that truth, the greater is his sin. That's why the Bible says in James 4 and verse 17, Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not to him, it is sin.

[John Weaver] Now, look back in Amos chapter 2. Go back there. Look what God says. Amos 2. Notice verse 4, God says, Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because they have despised the law of the Lord, they have not kept his commandments, disobedience, their lies have caused them their deceit. Here's the instruction, verse 5, But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. Now my question is this, did God send a fire upon Judah? Did God devour the palaces of Jerusalem? All one has to do basically is ask a simple question, where are they today?

[John Weaver] If you want a specific answer, the answer is yes. He sent Nebuchadnezzar against Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC and destroyed them. Listen to Jeremiah 52. Let me just read it. Verses 12 through 14. Here's what the scripture says. Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuchadnezzar, or came Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came Nebuchadnezzaradan, captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon into Jerusalem, and burned the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans that were with the captain of the guard break down the walls of Jerusalem round about. That was 586.

[John Weaver] What did he do in 70 AD? He sent the Romans. Where's the temple? It was destroyed. I want you to take notice of something. Look back in Amos 2 and verse 5. Look at it now. But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem." I want you to take note of the fact that this is speaking of Jerusalem, the chief city of Judah's kingdom, the city of God, where the temple of God was located, where the seats of justice were to be, the very place that God's law was to go forth and to rule is now destroyed.

[John Weaver] Let me say this again. Listen carefully. Judah's position as a God-fearing nation and as a nation that professed to be God's people did not hinder, thwart, or deter the judgment of God. Jerusalem was destroyed for its sins, just like Babylon, just like Moab, just like Edom. You know the big objection I hear when you talk about judgment of God falling on America? Ah, but we're a Christian nation. Oh?

[John Weaver] Let me tell you something. If God destroyed you in Jerusalem, He's not going to hold back when it comes to America. If God destroyed Babylon and Assyria, He's not going to hold back when it comes to America, because we're just as pagan and just as heathenistic as those nations. We despise the law of God. We've disobeyed the law of God. We've held to deceit. And the only thing left is destruction. Now, the only difference Between God's dealing with the heathen nations and God dealing with His own people is this. When God deals with His own people, He always leaves a remnant. There's always a minority. There's always an elect. God will totally destroy the heathens. But He never totally destroys His own people.

[John Weaver] That's why the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 9 in verse 29, Quoting Isaiah, he said, and as Isaiah said before, except the Lord of the Sabbath had left us a seed or remnant, we should have been made as Sodom and Gomorrah. God was merciful and God left a remnant.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you, here's the sinful cycle that is repeated over and over. There was despisement, there was disobedience, deceit and destruction. Think of it like this, there's despisement, led to their disobedience. Their disobedience led to their deceit. Their deceit led to their destruction. I don't care where you turn in the Bible, you'll find it. I don't care where you turn in history, you'll find it.

[John Weaver] All these go hand in hand. And let me tell you, destruction without grace only leads to more despisement. It means you're hardened in your sins. Like those men in Revelation chapter 9, when God judged them, what did the Bible say? Yet they repented not of their fornication, their adulteries and sorceries. They were just hardened in their rebellion and in their sins. Now let me make just two applications.

[John Weaver] The first one is this. If you and I are going to break the sinful cycle, and you can break that cycle not only in your life, but in the life of your family, church, state, nation, but if we're going to break the sinful cycle, we must repent and learn to honor and obey God as He clearly demands in His Word. Let me tell you what 1 Samuel 2 and verse 30 says, one of my favorite verses. God says, Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me forever. But now the Lord saith, Be it far from me, listen now, for them that honor me will I honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. What did God say? Them that honor me will I honor. If you want to be honored by God, you must honor God. But if you want to despise God, God says you're going to be despised, you're going to be lightly esteemed. God will not think well of you.

[John Weaver] He will not think well of any nation, any country, any church, any people who despise Him and His Word. The second application is this. and I'm using this language purposefully, you'll understand it. If we do not repent, we cannot expect the most favored nation status with God. He will judge and destroy America just as easily and quickly as He judges and destroys any other heathen nation. There is quite a difference between a people who profess to be God's people in name only and those who profess to be His people and obey Him. It does no good to say, but we're a Christian nation, we're a Christian people. God does not honor an empty, meaningless, worthless profession. If we're His people, what is the evidence that we're His people? We honor Him. We obey Him. If we're not His people, what is the evidence that we're not His people? We despise Him. We disobey Him.

[John Weaver] We hold our own deceits. And we end up in destruction. A sinful cycle can only be broken with repentance and obedience. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace and your mercy. We pray that you would indeed help us, build us up in the most holy faith. Give us wisdom, dear Lord, to know how to obey thee and how to honor thee, how to exalt thee. Grant us repentance, we pray. Move in our hearts. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.