The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lasser Bradley Jr. Mm-hmm. Dozen tumblers seem My great Redeemer's raised the glories of my government, the triumphs of this race. This is Sarah Bradley Jr., inviting you to stay tuned for the message of God's sovereign grace. Was lost without a Savior, my life as sinful as could be.
My Father sent his Son from glory, and Jesus paid the price for me. He paid the price for my burdens, His life He gave up on the tree. Oh, praise the Lord is my Savior, He paid the price, the price for me. He took His blood to make a ransom, His life He gave on Calvary, and there His precious heart was broken. He paid the price.
The price for me. He paid the price in all my burdens. His life he came upon the tree. Oh, praise the Lord is my Savior. He paid the price of price for me with cruel hands.
They killed my Savior, they nailed his body to the tree. The crown of thorns they placed upon him. He paid the price of price for me. He paid the price in all my burdens. His life behave upon the tree.
Oh, praise the Lord. Is my Savior, He paid the price, the price for me. Oh, how could I forget this Savior who gave Himself to set me free? I wish that I might better know Him and know He paid the price for me. He paid the price in all my burdens.
His life begined upon the tree. Oh, praise the Lord is my Savior, He paid the price, the price for me. Glad to have you with us for the broadcast today. I want to thank all of you who have taken time to write us and everyone who has helped to support the program, enabling us to stay on the air. If you want us to continue on your local station, it is particularly important that we hear from you and that you mention the call letters of the station when you write.
Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, box seventeen oh thirty seven, Cincinnati, Ohio, four five two one seven. And you can make a donation by going to our website. at BaptistBibleHour.org. There also you can read the Baptist Witness, and I think you'll be edified by the articles. Today we continue with the message, an altar built.
and we can see many lessons to be drawn from these Old Testament passages.
So not only was there A blood sacrifice offered. Which pointed to the coming of Jesus Christ when he would make the perfect sacrifice, so that all of those sacrifices that were required under the old covenant would no longer be necessary. But they also Offered a peace offering. As we think about the fact that the time came that those sacrifices of the old covenant were no longer necessary. We think about the fact that when Jesus died, At the time of his death, the veil of the temple was rent in twain.
That was a Tremendously big and strong veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies. Prior to that time, if anybody had gone behind that fail, other than the priest appointed to go. and going at the appointed time, and going with the proper garment, they would have been struck dead.
Somebody asked me one time, why would that be so severe? Why was that such an important thing?
Well, it was to make it known clearly that you can't just come into the presence of God on your own. by your own effort and in your own name. There must be an intercessor. And so it was necessary that it be the right person at the right time. And now, our intercessor, Jesus Christ, we come to Him by the new and living way, and we have access to the Father through Him.
But when Jesus died, that veil was ripped apart. And now any eye could see into that sacred place. Symbolizing the fact that all of those types and shadows of the Old Testament had served their purpose. And now the fulfillment had come, and Jesus Christ had accomplished his work. and accomplished the work of redemption by his sacrifice at the cross.
But not only, as we say, was there the blood sacrifice offered here at Mount Ebel, but there was also a peace offering. Deuteronomy chapter 27, verse 7. It says, And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God. The peace offering was an expression of thanksgiving. It was an expression to say We are grateful for what God has done for us.
Oh, the scriptures have so much to say about Thanksgiving. Over and over again, the theme is laid out before us in the Old Testament. Repeatedly in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul is talking about giving thanks.
So they offered this peace offering. an expression of thanksgiving for his blessings, and then they would eat. Of a part of that which was offered, some was given to the priests, and the people were able to eat some of it themselves, they would eat and rejoice. It was a happy event. It was a wonderful occasion.
to come for the offering of the sacrifice. Certainly, it was a joy to know that when this animal was slain and its blood was spilled out on the altar. That it was pointing to a time when ultimately the Lamb of God, the Messiah, would come and put away sin. It was a wonderful blessing. to know what was accomplished there.
But it was a wonderful blessing for them when they were able. by thanksgiving to express to God. how grateful they were for what he had done for them. Like he had brought them out of slavery. brought them through the wanderings of the wilderness, brought them into this new land, and had given them two important victories thus far.
It was a time of thanksgiving and an acknowledgment that they were making a commitment to serve him.
Now let's further observe the message. Joshua wrote the law. On the stones of the altar, as it had been commanded by Moses. Joshua chapter 8. Verse 32.
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. And all Israel and their elders and officers and their judges stood on this side of the ark. And on that side before the priests, The Levites which bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well as the stranger. as he that is born among them. half of them over against Mount Gerizim and half of them over against Mount Ebol.
As Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded before that they should bless the people of Israel.
Now, the law was always before God's people. God did not want them to forget it. The law was in the Ark of the Covenant. And when they crossed the River Jordan, You'll recall that the men who were carrying the ark had to stand. In the riverbed.
Until the whole body of people, the whole nation had crossed, and only then could they move on to the other side. In that ark of the covenant was the law of God. And then When they marched around Jericho, The priest carried the Ark of the Covenant. They led the parade as they marched around the city.
So, in the Ark of the Covenant was the law. The law was always then visible from the standpoint that the people knew it was in this ark. This sacred object, which represented the very presence of God with them.
Now The law is going to be written on the stones of this altar. These stones that were uncut, put in place according to the direction that had been given them.
Now the law is written on them. God obviously did not want his people to forget. If Noted a couple of things in that regard. First of all, about the stones that were set up. The stones that were set up at the crossing of Jordan, the stones that were set up When they conquered Ai, the stones that were set up when Achan had been put to death.
All of this was that the people might not forget.
Now It says I want the law to be written on the stones of the altar that the people will not forget.
Now Repetition is necessary and important. I can imagine when they got ready to read the law. That again Just knowing human nature.
Somebody might not have spoken it out loud, but thought it, or they might have said it in soft tones to somebody nearby, you mean we got to hear that again? Why do we have to stand there and listen to the law? I'm not watching it. But God said, I want you to hear it again.
So there may be times that you hear things at church. Joe I already knew that.
Well, that's good. But You have to be reminded some things that you already know. Might have slipped temporarily from your mind, and it needs to be refreshed. Second Peter chapter 1, verse 12. Peter says, Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them and be established in the present truth.
I'm going to put you in remembrance. You know these things. I've taught you. I've preached these things to you, and I'm going to put you in remembrance. I'm going to tell you one more time.
And so He read all the law in their hearing. Verse 34. And afterward, he read all the words of the law. The blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel.
With the women? And the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them. No. You know, we live in a society today where we're so time conscious. And we feel like we've got to be on our schedule.
And we know that generally We're going to conclude this Sunday morning service About 12 o'clock. But if I went on this morning And at 1230 I was still preaching. I'm sure I'd see some people looking at their watch and some putting it up to see if it'd stop what was going on here. I can't imagine that we're going on.
Somebody might be thinking, now we didn't have to hear all that today. We we we could have heard part of it some other time. But um Moses read the whole thing, or not Moses. Joshua read the whole thing. Joshua was commanded to read.
to the people. And so This congregation included the little ones. There's mention again of their attention to children. They didn't send the children off somewhere else. They were there to hear the reading of the law.
and the strangers. Those who were not born Israelites, but had become Israelites. It was necessary for the males to be circumcised if they were going to become a part of the national Israel. But those that were strangers among them, if they were going to live among them, they had to be acquainted with the law. They had to live by the same principles that the other people did.
And so. through the sacrifice that they made. They were saying to God. We Want to honor you. We want to serve and obey you.
And through the law, God is speaking to them. Christ. died to redeem its people from the penalty of the law. but not to exempt them from obedience. We were under the curse and we couldn't have removed it, but Jesus Christ removed it by his sacrificial death.
But he would have us to obey him. When we read about this event when there was the reading of the law, we think about another occasion as recorded in the book of Nehemiah. Chapter 8 said that Ezra read therein before the street that was before the water gate from morning until midday. Before the men and the women, and those that could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. I didn't do reject it, they didn't act bored about it, they were attentive to it.
Verse 6, and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, amen, with lifting up their hands, and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
So we find that these events of the reading of the law, which God required of them. were things with which the people were benefited. And rejoiced and praised God and said amen upon the hearing of it.
So here at this reading Half of the people Our own Mount Ebol and Half are on Mount Gerrism. There was a an area between the two mountains, a distance of about two miles. But it was like a natural amphitheater.
so that they could actually hear. When the law was read, both groups of people on these mountains across from one another could hear the reading of the law. Deuteronomy chapter 11 verse 26. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day.
and a curse if you will not obey the commandment of the Lord your God. But turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods which ye have not known. God's making it very clear. There are blessings for you when you obey. There are curses that are going to come to you when you disobey, when you go after other gods.
And that was one of the great sins that the people committed after they came into the land, that they were influenced. By some of those that they should have destroyed and didn't, and they began to worship false gods. Verse 29, and it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, thou shalt put the blessing upon Mount Gerizim and the curse upon Mount Ebal.
Now we see the response of the people. We have to assume that what Moses required. As laid out for us in the book of Deuteronomy, was indeed carried out. We know explicitly it does identify the fact that the altar was built And so we have to assume that as there was the reading, that the people responded like Moses said that they would. Deuteronomy chapter 27, verse 12.
There shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people. Then ye are come over Jordan, Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin. and these shall stand upon Mount Ebal to curse Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. Verse fourteen. And the Levites shall speak.
And say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image. An abomination unto the Lord. the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth in it a secret place. Get this. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
Well He said these men Reading the law. Speaking to the people, giving them the information they need to hear. would speak with a loud voice. They weren't intimidated. They weren't holding anything back.
This is what God's law says. You need to hear it. You need to believe it. And the people responded. with a loud voice and said, Amen.
We acknowledge the truth of it. We've heard it. And we're going to obey it. Verse 17. Cursed is he that removeth his neighbor's landmark.
And all the people shall say, Amen. Verse 26. Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them, and all the people shall say, Amen. There are 12 curses in that list.
Now, there are others found in a variety of places in the Old Testament, but there are 12 there in that particular list. In each case, The people have acknowledged this is what the law of God says. We acknowledge it. We are committing ourselves to obey it. They said, amen.
What about believers today? People sometimes struggle with this whole issue about the law.
So I'm just glad that We're not under law. We're under grace.
Well, it's true that we're not under the curse of the law. We're not being condemned by it because Jesus Christ took that curse upon himself. But We have the law. written in our heart. 2 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 3.
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink. But with the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.
So, as they wrote the law on these stones that had been plastered. The people could see it. It was legible. It was easy for them to observe it. Yes, they were under the curse of it, under law service.
We are. By the grace of God, delivered from the curse of where in Christ as our Savior. But The law is written upon our heart. In other words, one of the evidences of salvation is a desire and an inclination to obey God. People sometimes say, Well, if I believed in that doctrine that once you have salvation, you have it on and on, you can't lose it, I'd just live any old way.
Well, they don't understand how this salvation works. Because when a person becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus, there is a new interest, new desire. Yes, there's still a battle. The Apostle Paul said, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But now there's a new direction for this person.
who is a new creature in Christ Jesus.
So the law is written upon your heart. Paul. Speaks in Romans chapter 3, verse 31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid.
Yeah, we establish it. Do we say it doesn't make any difference how I live? Since I've been redeemed from the curse of the law. It doesn't make any difference. There are some that speak that way in this day and time.
They say, well, it's all under the blood, it's all under the blood. Like it doesn't really make that much difference how you live. But it says we establish it. Romans 7, 22. Paul is talking about his conflict with the flesh.
It says, for I delight in the law of God after the inner man. While I do wrestle with the fact that I've got an old human nature, and sometimes I'm doing the things I didn't want to do, and failing to do the things that I did want to do and should have done. But I delight in the law of God. I don't reject it. I don't despise it.
I delight in it. after the innerman. And Romans chapter 8, verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemns sin in the flesh. that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And so not only was there something done for us when Jesus laid down his life, something is done in us when we're born of the Holy Spirit, the law is written in our heart. We desire to fulfill it to the glory of God. Certainly all of the ceremonial laws that serve their purpose are not things that are to be followed and enacted today, but the basic moral principles of the law of God stand intact.
And we therefore Walk in the Spirit, depending upon his power to overcome the weaknesses and temptations of the flesh. One important lesson to draw from this portion of Scripture. We need to respect. the whole counsel of God. Verse 35 in this chapter Eight says, there was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua read not before the congregation.
We must not ignore Portions of scripture Because they're convicting Because they make us uncomfortable. Because it doesn't seem to fit what we have already established in our mind as to what we believe and where we want to stand. We are to receive all scripture as given by the inspiration of God. All scriptures profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness. It preached the whole counsel of God.
So there are going to be times that you'll hear something preached that you say, boy, that just suits me. I love that. I like that. And there are going to be some times you'll hear something preached and say, That's convicting. I don't feel comfortable with that.
Well, some portions of Scripture were not designed to make you feel comfortable. There are great portions of scripture that are deeply convicting. And the idea is to bring us to repentance that there might be a change and that we live to the honor and glory of God. We must not Get to the place that we Just want to think only about what was done for us by grace. That's a wonderful theme.
I love emphasizing it. I love preaching the marvelous truth of the grace of God, that He rescues, saves, redeems fallen, ruined sinners, and it's all by grace and not by works. Christ redeem us from the curse of the law. We love to hear about it. But We must also receive that portion of Scripture which tells us what is expected of us.
Not to add to our salvation, not to earn a home in heaven. But If we truly love Jesus Christ. We will want to obey him. Jesus said in John 14 in the 15th verse: If ye love me, keep my commandments. That's not legalism.
Actual love. If you love Jesus. You want to obey him. You want to do what he says. Surely then As we look at this Old Testament account, We find it full of gospel truth that's of great value to us today.
May we pray, Lord, strengthen my faith. Help me to grow in grace. Help me to be more diligent in the study of the word. More faithful in prayer. To be vitally concerned about keeping the commandments of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that it might be demonstrated that I love Him, that I'm letting my light shine, that will be.
A blushing. an inspiration to others. How wonderful to know. At Jesus Christ Remove the curse. from those who ultimately are believers in him.
that could have been removed. No other way. No other name given under heaven. whereby we must be saved. Bye.
There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from in mangroves veins. And sin is plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilt. How good to be reminded again that our hope of eternal life. is through Jesus Christ. Our sins being put away by his sacrificial death.
We praise our Savior and thank Him. for his wonderful grace. I hope you will write us, and until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. Dear God The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder Leser Bradley Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217.
That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. No more be saved to sin no more till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more says.
