What sin does God hate most? And why is this? And what did Jesus have to say about this sin? And Moses, and Paul, and Peter, and James. And above all, how do we get free of this most hated sin?
Well, my friend, stay with us, listen, and learn. You're listening to Until He Comes, a blend of prophetic and practical biblical studies with Dr. Greg Hinnant, author of The Second Coming of Christ, His Appearing, His Return, Our Preparation. And now, author and teacher Greg Hinnan. Welcome to the broadcast, my friend.
Today's message is taken from my devotional book, Not by Brett Along. I have a question for you. And it's an important question, very important. I doubt you've ever been asked this question before, and you may never be asked it again. But he's very important to God.
Are you humbling yourself? The Bible calls us to humble ourselves in both the Old and the New Testaments. Moses was the first to summon us. Three times the lawgiver told the Israelites, who are our examples, that God led them through their wilderness test primarily to humble them. Listen to these excerpts from Deuteronomy eight.
Verses two, three and sixteen, The Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee, and He humbled thee and again, that He might humble thee. That's heavy emphasis. three times in one passage in sixteen verses God repeats his primary purpose was too humble. the Hebrew people in their test. And since they Are examples for us.
His purpose has not changed. This is a message to you. and to me Three early church leaders repeated Moses' call to humility, James, Peter and Paul. James, who presided over the Jerusalem church, exhorted us, humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, James four, verse ten. This reminds us that As we are going through our humility training now in this age, the The vision of God is set upon us.
His eyes are watching. We're doing so in the sight. of the Lorsa to day Realize that this situation you're in is from the Lord. Accept it. and give God a beautiful vision of you voluntarily humbling yourself.
The Apostle Peter added, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. The mighty hand of God represents His power. That's first Peter five, verse six. Do you want to come under God's power? If so, follow the instructions in this simple verse: that as we humble ourselves, We're coming more and more unto the power of God.
And his dynamic dunamis power will flow through our life, our testimony. Our ministry, our teaching, our preaching, our counseling.
So humble yourself, friend, just where God has put you. Today. You're not in those circumstances by accident, but by providence. The Apostle Paul also charged every man to not think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly. Romans twelve three.
Soberly means clearly, realistically, Without conceit or excessive self-esteem. Paul also charged affluent Christians to be not high-minded. 1 Timothy 6:17. You see, When we're blessed with exceptional material things and monies, it's so easy to think, well, I earned this because I worked hard or I'm a smart guy or I went to school or Whatever.
Well, that's true. But that's not the reason you've been blessed. It was because God enabled you to learn and to have skills and to have favor.
So, give him the credit. Don't be high-minded. The Church in Leo this year forgot this. And Jesus said they were boasting, We are rich and increased with goods, and we have need of nothing. That is, we don't even need you, Jesus.
Jesus was so disappointed. He said, I want to vomit when I think about your pride. Proverbs 6, 16 and 17 states, These six things does the Lord hate, yes, seven are an abomination to him, a proud look. A lying tongue, and so forth and so on. Friend, notice that the first item on God's most hated list is pride.
Prad For years, I've been telling congregations around the country in the different parts of the world That Pride. Is the worst sin and religious pride the worst form of it? Why? Because pride reminds God of Lucifer, who became Satan and the devil. and his rebellion before time That took one-third of the angels away from God because they sided with Lucifer in his rebellion.
And then all the tragic consequences that have befallen the human race because of Lucifer's intervention in the garden and his successful temptation of Adam and Eve.
So, when God sees pride in us, He sees Lucifer, and He has to turn away. He's revolted. Through James and Peter. God promises to oppose those who manifest pride. God resists the proud.
James 4, verse 6, and 1 Peter 5, 5. I don't want God resisting me. I'm sure you don't want. that either.
So, I'm going to walk in humility, and then I would say, you should do the same, and then God will be helping us, not resisting us. Through David the Lord vowed he will never live close to proud souls in time or in eternity. Him that hath a high look and a proud heart, I will not tolerate Psalm one oh one Verse five. This was an entrance psalm, and it spoke of the conditions. That The Hebrew people should adopt If they wished To worship God in His Holy place.
But Through the spirit of prophecy, it's telling us. What can of an attitude we should adopt if we want to be in God's presence forever. Jesus said, Without the humility of repentance, we won't even enter God's kingdom, much less live there forever. I tell you that unless you change and become like little children, you won't even enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew eighteen, verse three.
Then he added that the humblest here will be the greatest There Whosoever shall humble himself. As this little child? the same is greatest in the kingdom. of heaven Matthew eighteen verse four four. You see little children do not have excessive sexual Self-esteem.
On three separate occasions in his ministry, Jesus taught, Whoso shall exalt himself, shall be abased. And he that shall humble himself shall be Exalted. This powerful and universal proverb is found in Matthew 23, 12. Luke fourteen eleven And Luke 18. 14.
Jesus was saying that God demotes Self-promoters. and promotes self-effacers. His repetition reveals That his calls to humility were a primary theme in his teaching. Everywhere Jesus went, he spoke about pride versus humility. That's why the gospel writers were inspired to give us three separate occasions when Jesus was teaching on pride and humility.
Jesus also set the greatest example. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:8. As a man, he humbled himself. and became obedient unto death. the death of the cross, that humiliating death on the cross.
We could paraphrase this, Jesus humbled himself by Becoming. Obedient. or Jesus humbled himself, as far as he went in obedience, and we know he went all the way. Or Jesus humble himself, as long as he was obedient.
So obedience humbles us. It is the primary way. That we humble ourselves because every time you obey God, you come under His sovereignty. Paul urged us to follow Jesus' example. Let this mind be in you, this attitude, which was in Christ Jesus, is Philippians two verse five.
So after telling us about Christ's humiliation in his kenosis, in his self emptying, he tells us to follow his example. Paul also told us to do nothing in competitive pride, but everything in lowliness of mind, esteeming others better than ourselves. Philippians two, verse three. Since all these warnings are in our Bible, my friend, they are obviously addressed to Christians. This proves that though saved by grace, we still have to deal with our old nature's pride.
We have to mortify it. Through obedience and other means, which we will discuss in a moment.
So, the next question. is before us How? How do we humble ourselves? It does us no good whatsoever to merely learn that pride is evil, humility is good. and God's Word commands us to humble ourselves.
if we don't know how to do it. Clearly. Practically. Effectively.
Well, we humble ourselves by doing the following: submissively obeying God's word, call. or guidance. As I just said earlier, every time I obey God, I'm coming under his sovereignty. I'm putting God up and myself down. That's the proper relationship.
What is disobedience to? Just the opposite. I put myself and my will above God, and I put down the sovereignty of God in my life. By thinking soberly and not too highly of ourselves, we humble ourselves, as we mentioned earlier. By thinking clearly.
in rejecting all thoughts of conceit So, when you have thoughts that come to your mind, imaginations, and you're seeing yourself in some. higher place than God has put you. Reject those thoughts.
Now, that would be different if God gives you a vision and a dream of higher service. But even that, my friend, the way there. is by going in humility and the path God has chosen.
Some have said the way up is down. Refusing to prejudge, scorn or condemn others helps humble us because when I prejudge someone, I make a snap judgment. or I'm scornful toward people or I condemn them. I'm putting myself up as the judge in a superior position. And I'm putting them.
Yeah. Fully accepting humble circumstances will humble us. Zachariah 14 says, who is despised the day of small things?
So, are you in a day of small things where everything is small, and small numbers, and small situations, and you get noticed very uh very infrequently Well then, friend, go on in devotion with Christ and faithfulness to his calling on your life, and you will grow more humble We grow by not despising but embracing God's chastening, which is his corrective discipline. Hebrews twelve, five and six. tells us is vital to React properly to the discipline of God. My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged. When you are rebuked by him.
So don't rebel. Say I hate this. Or don't be discouraged and say, Well, I can never change, I can never be mature as a Christian, I quit. And then he tells us why we should not react these ways. For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and he scourges every son whom he receives.
So, Don't rebel because it's a sign that He loves you. He's receiving you into the family, not tossing you out. We humble ourselves by receiving godly leaders' teaching, counsel, and correction. when we're teachable and correctable instead of stubborn and mulish We are growing in humility. deferring to others' needs and, when possible, their wishes.
We also discussed this earlier. when we read Philippians two. In lowliness of mind we should let others. have their way. And let them go first.
handling problems by prayerfully relying on God instead of relying on ourselves and worrying After 1 Peter 5:6 tells us to humble ourselves unto the mighty hand of God, the next verse tells us. Casting all your care. Upon Him, for He cares for you.
So clearly, Peter is telling us how to humble ourselves under God's hand by casting all, not part, but all, your anxieties, stresses, perplexities, and needs on Him through the prayer of faith. Freely receiving help from other people when offered also humbles us. Pride doesn't want to receive help. from people or God, I'll do it myself. Thank you.
But humility learns to receive help. We all need help, whether we admit it or not.
So the Lord will have people help you, and you should receive that help. And in doing so, you are humbling yourself. Confessing our sins and faults to God as commanded in first John 1:9. This humbles us, and confessing our sins one to another. as called for in James five sixteen, And being reconciled to those we have wronged, as Jesus instructed in Matthew 5:23 and 24, these things humble us.
Thanking God profusely for every day and every blessing. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, In everything give thanks, because this is the will of God. By acknowledging Him in everything and His goodness, We're putting God up and exalting Him, and we are being humbled. waiting patiently for God's guidance, help. Or deliverance.
We all want God's help immediately, but He will have you wait His time and way, and as you do that, You are unconsciously growing in humility. By quietly accepting crosses of rejection or reproach for Jesus' sake.
Some of these are shameful abuses and attacks And uh Put down by evil people, learn to accept them for Jesus' sake and go right on in your devotion and duty. Don't retaliate, and you'll grow in. the humility of Christ Rejoicing with those who are blessed rather than envying them. You see where there's pride, there's envy. And Where there's humility.
there is going to be rejoicing with others when they are blessed All these biblical means lead to one spiritual end, Christ-like humility. as we follow these simple biblical instructions I've just given you. The Holy Spirit will gradually transform even the haughtiest Christian. Into a humble Christian.
So friend, today. I have another question. Are you willing to humble yourself? By following these simple instructions, the This will cost you nothing. Only one thing, your pride.
But after hearing this teaching, you should want to pay that price. You should want to be free and separated from The pride of your own nature. Remember, our pride reminds God of his ancient nemesis, Lucifer. And God tossed him out of heaven. By doing so, God set an example for the ages.
He's not taking anyone with pride into his heavenly kingdom. Anyone, and that's faith. Final. If God accepted even one proud person into heaven, he would have to apologize to Satan for expelling him. In closing, This is the choice before us.
Either we humble ourselves Or God will humble us. If you humble yourself, God will in His time and way, as He chooses, lift you up. At some point in this life, as he did Joseph, You see, in Genesis forty, Joseph endured a season of service in the lowest place. He was in prison. And in Genesis 41, we see Joseph raised to higher service and great fruitfulness.
Now, that's a pattern for us. I heard this saying many years ago. It is this. For every genesis forty. This Genesis forty one that follows.
Meaning every season of humbling trials is followed By a season of higher, more fruitful, surface Think about that, my friend. For every Genesis forty in your life, And you may be there right now. there is a Genesis forty one that follows. God wants you to finish your humility training so that He can raise you to a higher, more fruitful service. for him.
So be wise, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. If you want an excellent book on this, I recommend Dr. Judson Kornwall's book. Forbidden Glory, Portraits of Pride. This month, for a gift of any amount, we are offering one of Dr.
Hennant's three devotionals, Water from the Rock, which offers 122 spiritually rich biblical messages designed to refresh your heart, strengthen you in your daily trials, and help satisfy and increase your thirst. For more of Jesus. For a gift of $60 or more, we'll send you the complete four-volume hidden end times prophecy collection: the second coming of Christ, the tribulation story, revelation notes. A verse-by-verse commentary on Revelation. And the Day of the Lord commentary, which interprets all Old Testament prophecies and foreshadowings of the end times.
You may give your gift today by visiting the donation page at greghinnantministries.org or sending your checks to Greg Hinnant Ministries, P.O. Box 788. High Point, North Carolina, 27260, or by calling, 336-882-1645. And if you are a Logos Bible Software user, you may purchase The Second Coming of Christ, The Day of the Lord Commentary, and Revelation Notes from the Logos Online Bookstore.
Now, again, Dr. Hinnant. And now it's time for some QA. Ron from High Point, North Carolina asks, Can you interpret current events happening in the Middle East that relate to Israel in the scope of end times Bible prophecy? Yes, Ron, we can.
The establishment of the modern state of Israel in May 1948 is the single most significant biblical sign of Jesus' approaching return. Why is this? because it made possible the fulfillment of all God's Old Testament promises to restore the Jews to the land that He gave them. It also made possible the fulfillment Of all the prophecies of Israel's end times, specifically. The tribulation period.
The Battle of Armageddon. and the millennium, Israel's long awaited day of the Lord. all of which were spoken of by the Old Testament prophets and confirmed by Jesus and the New Testament prophets. For Entime's prophecy to be fulfilled, the Jewish state simply had to be re-established in the ancient Jewish homeland.
Now, Satan knows this. And that's why he has instigated the unreasonably stubborn opposition the Zionist movement faced in reestablishing the Jewish state and all the bitter hostilities that have occurred. since its re-establishment. Satan can't destroy the Jewish state, but he is just driven to try.
So all opposition to the Jewish State is at base satanic. But even this fulfills Bible prophecy. You see, in Revelation twelve, the Apostle John gives us a spiritually rich allegory describing Israel's conflict with Satan in the upcoming tribulation period. Israel is depicted as a pregnant woman travailing in pain. and ready to give birth to a male child.
In front of the woman stands a great dragon, Satan, In the person of Antichrist, who is ready and eager to devour her man-child as soon as it is born. Verse 4.
Now this man child cannot be Christ, as some interpret, because neither Mary nor Joseph faced satanic persecution before Jesus' birth. No, not at all. That came two years later when King Herod was told another king of the Jews had been born in Bethlehem. It was then. That Herod ordered all male infants in Bethlehem under two years of age be slain.
Again, This occurred two years after Jesus' birth. not before his birth.
So the figurative man child of Revelation twelve Is not Jesus. But it is the 144,000 Jewish males who, after the shocking rapture of the church, will be suddenly converted to faith in Christ and commissioned to quickly spread his gospel through Israel and the world during the first half of the tribulation period.
So you see, in a sense, the nation has birthed. a man child remnant.
Now after they finish their mission Just after the midpoint, they will be caught up unto God, verse 5. And after Jesus returns to earth, They will rule all nations with a rod of iron. That speaks of them sharing Jesus' worldwide administration for a thousand years. Also note that in Revelation 12, after the male child is caught up unto God, the woman is forced to flee into the wilderness. where a prepared place awaits her in which she is fed and protected from the dragon's wrath for a time times and half a time or three and a half years.
Now, after Jesus was called up unto God in the ascension, Mary was not driven into a hiding place anywhere to be fed and protected from a persecutor. No, not at all. Rather, she was taken in by the Apostle John and lived the rest of her life in peace.
So, this also shows us that the woman John described allegorically in Revelation 12 simply cannot be married, nor can the man child. Be Jesus.
Furthermore, in John's allegory, which describes not the past but the future, specifically the tribulation period, the dragon is standing in front of the woman before she delivers her child. This represents Satan's fierce, stubborn resistance of the modern state of Israel before it was established in nineteen forty eight, and since that time, Since Israel has not yet produced the 144,000, which will be reborn during the tribulation period.
So, this dogged satanic resistance will continue until finally, at the midpoint of the tribulation, The beast, Antichrist, suddenly attacks and defeats Israel's military. subjugates the nation and either kills or enslaves all its people.
So when Christ returns, he does so to overthrow the Beast's brief three point five year reign of terror and liberate all the Jewish captives, many of whom, by this time, will have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior during the Great Tribulation crisis.
So this explains why Israel's resistance today is so fierce unreasonable and unrelenting. Whether it is Hamas or Hezbollah or the Houthis or some other Islamic terrorist group. or whether it is the misinformed college students on American campuses. or whether it's the UN resolutions condemning everything that Israel does, The real spiritual explanation behind the growing current antisemitism is this. The dragon, Satan, is standing in front of the woman, Israel, who is pregnant soon to give birth to a specially fruitful group Of young Jewish evangelist soon after the shocking rapture of the church.
Email us your biblical questions today online at info at greghennettministries.org or call us at 336-882-1645 or send your letters to Greg Hennett Ministries P.O. Box 788, Pine Point, North Carolina, 27260. We are so glad you tuned into the broadcast. In our next episode, we will present another message from one of my three devotionals to strengthen your faith, increase your devotional fire, and stir inspired obedience to Christ. Specifically, we will discuss losing our spiritual focus and how to regain it.
Be sure you don't miss it. and invite a friend to listen with you. If this message has blessed you, tell your friends and please consider helping us stay on the air by sending your tax-deductible donation to Greg Hennett Ministries. Also, remember, you may download the Until He Comes podcast from your preferred podcast app. May you walk closely with Christ and trust and obey Him in your daily tests of faith and patience until He Comes.
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