00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:10 John the Baptist and Repentance

01:22 The Importance of Studying All Four Gospels

02:51 Grant Horner's Bible Reading Plan

04:23 Ezra Chapter 4: Rebuilding the Temple

12:51 Theological Insights and Interpretations

16:08 Psalm 137: Lament and Vengeance

17:23 Difficult Questions and Faith

23:00 Conclusion and Prayer

Hey, everybody.

2

Welcome to Wednesday's edition

of the daily Bible podcast.

3

Wednesday, September 18th.

4

2024.

5

Yep.

6

And the year of our Lord.

7

That's what it is.

8

Yeah.

9

Yeah.

10

You're back in Matthew,

tonight with our students.

11

Yes.

12

We're going to pick up on

Matthew chapter three, the first.

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I think 12 verses we're going to

cover John the Baptist entry and

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what his, uh, well, his primary

message was basically repent.

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He has people that seem to

be responding positively.

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And then he has her Pharisees and

the Sadducees, and they're responding

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in a way that seems highly sus.

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And so John, the Baptist is not skilled,

but he Ohio he's got that mad Riz.

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And so it comes at him swinging.

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And the dude just breathe fire.

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Dude, if you bring that, if you, I quit.

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If you do that again, I quit I'm out.

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Cause you can't keep

doing this by yourself.

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Can't keep up with that.

25

Anyway.

26

So John's Bridget, we're going

to talk about repentance.

27

So that's, that's really the focus,

the emphasis repentance, what it looks

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like, what a false repentance looks

like, because you see that in the

29

Pharisees, they had the knowledge.

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Enough to fear God in some sense,

and yet they didn't respond properly.

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So we're going to talk

about false repentance.

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True repentance.

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And why it's so essential to a

right response to Jesus' ministry.

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That's so good.

35

That's so good.

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Especially for that age group.

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I know a lot of those kids have

spent a long time in the church.

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Not all of them, but I

know a lot of them have.

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And, uh, hearing a message

like that is super helpful.

40

Yeah.

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Okay, so we've got no gap.

42

We've been in John

right in on main pulpit.

43

You're in Matthew.

44

Now with the students, there's

four gospels, help us understand.

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Why is it helpful for

us to study all four?

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Why can't we just get like,

okay, this is my favorite gospel.

47

I'm gonna hang on to this one over here.

48

I really like, there's a, there's a

textbook that I picked up after seminary.

49

That was really helpful.

50

It was called four portraits.

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When Jesus, I think something like that.

52

Uh, which essentially is the thesis behind

the role that the gospels play, even

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though three of them are so not optics.

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Matthew, mark, and Luke.

55

Um, and they show a very

similar picture of Jesus.

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They all still present a

different image of Christ.

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And so I can imagine a picture with you.

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One of them's you mowing the

lawn in your backyard, the other

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ones you preaching in the pulpit.

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The other one is you hanging

out with the family at a, at a

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Dallas cowboy pre pre-season game.

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And the other one is you running

down the block, you know, off

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of Preston road or whatever.

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All of those are the same

pastor PJ, but they all show

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a very different side of you.

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And in the same way, the four gospels

present different sides of Jesus,

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even those overlapping material,

they present different sides of

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Jesus in that they're meant to per.

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Portray a theological truth.

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And they're each compatible and they're

each a, a composition that's meant to

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give you a better picture of the whole.

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So all of them equally

important and they're all.

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And in fact, the downside is we've

been talking about this Bible

74

reading plan is that there's not

enough time in my estimation.

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Oh, the new Testament.

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Um, I spend time in it myself,

but it'd be good for us as a

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church to spend time on it.

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So you should have all four.

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Uh, you should seek to master

them and have them master you.

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Yeah.

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I was talking to Amanda this week about,

uh, next year's Bible reading plan

82

and she, she brought up corners plan.

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Dr.

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Grant Hornet.

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Let's do that one.

86

Okay.

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What is grant Horner's plan?

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What are people are going to sign up?

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Not to do.

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So grant Horner's plane

is 10 chapters a day.

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And you're in, you're always in

the Psalms Proverbs, gospels,

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and acts every single day now.

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And then you also have.

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The rest of the Bible mixed

in around those readings.

95

Yeah.

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Um, Every day is 10 chapters.

97

Yeah.

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And at the pace that you and I go.

99

It'd be, it takes us four hours to do it.

100

It would for.

101

It was a day.

102

Yeah.

103

And it, you know what,

th the nice thing now.

104

So I did do that for a season.

105

Not for long, but I did do it

for a season and it was awesome.

106

I just, you know, you pick up a

lot more of what's common among

107

the, the, the biblical writers

when you're doing it that way.

108

And I did like a lot of the

repetition you're in the gospel.

109

You're in the new Testament,

the gospels every day.

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In the new Testament every day.

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Uh, acts is that people have asked him

why you did acts as opposed to Romans or

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some other Corpus of theological truth.

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And he brought up the point Horner.

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That being aware of our church's history.

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Helps us to be grounded in it and

to avoid some of the mistakes that

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were made in the early church.

117

Yeah.

118

It's a great plan.

119

It is a good plan, but I would

say it's a, it's a big bite.

120

It is.

121

You better have some good

chompers if you're gonna chomp

122

through that, that's fair.

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That's fair.

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All right.

125

Well, let's jump into our reading

for today as rhe four, five and six.

126

And then, uh, you thought we

were done with the Psalms.

127

But we're not, this might be the last one.

128

Yeah, I think it is.

129

I think it is because, I

mean, we're coming down the

130

homestretch of the old Testament.

131

All right.

132

That's busing.

133

All right.

134

As your chapter four, we got to do a

little bit of work here at the beginning

135

of Esther, chapter four, otherwise things.

136

Uh, they, they, they confuse

us pretty quickly here.

137

Uh, as your chapter four there's

adversaries that are going to show

138

up to the rebuilding of the temple.

139

And that's what we're

focused on right now.

140

And that's, what's important to

understand at the beginning of this

141

chapter, we're talking about the temple

rebuilding the temple, the temple.

142

We're talking about the temple

at the beginning of chapter four.

143

The enemies that show up in verse

two are the ancestors of the

144

Samaritans of the new Testament.

145

These are the people that resettled

the land after the conquest

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of the land, by the Assyrians.

147

These are the foreign nations that came in

and began to intermingle with some of the

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Israelites that were left after the exile.

149

And they produce the,

uh, the breed of, of the.

150

The.

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Jewish light.

152

Uh, not Jews at all, but the

Samaritan people, and those are

153

that's who we're looking at right now.

154

And they're opposing the

rebuilding of the temple here.

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And one of the reasons.

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Opposing the rebuilding of the

temple is they're worried that

157

this is going to centralize power.

158

This is a bunch of different nations

here, and they're enjoying this

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kind of melting pot where nobody

has more power than anybody else.

160

And there were the Jews

coming back or going to.

161

Uh, once again, make Israel the

dominant power on the scene.

162

So they're going to start to oppose them.

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And this comes all the way from

chapter four, verse one, all

164

the way down through verse five.

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The harassing the writing, these

letters, these charges, everything else.

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Then we jump to verse six

in verses six through 23.

167

This is where we have to do some

careful work here because the

168

author inserts a section that is

out of place chronologically, but

169

serves to reinforce the point of

the opposition facing the choose.

170

Uh, verse 24 all the way down to verse

24 is going to pick back up in the rain

171

of Derrius, which is last reference to in

verse five, but in verses six through 23.

172

We hear about how's awareness,

who was by the way, the king who

173

married Esther, and then after a.

174

How's awareness in verses seven

through 23 there's efforts to oppose

175

involving art exert sees his successor.

176

But now this is about rebuilding the

city itself because those two Kings,

177

they ruled and reigned in the four

hundreds in the fifth century BC.

178

And so the temple was completed

all the way back in five 15 BC.

179

So we're no longer

talking about the temple.

180

Whereas the chapter opened with

opposition to the temple and verses

181

six through 23, this is just general

opposition to the building of the city.

182

And he's jumped forward to the reigns

of these Persian Kings has awareness.

183

In art exert sees in the opposition there.

184

So it's a little without warning

here that he makes the shift.

185

And then even in verse 24, again,

still without warning, we're back at

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verse five, talking about Derrius and

talking about opposition to the temple.

187

So chapter four is a little bit

of a different, difficult one

188

to, to wrap our minds around.

189

Why would he do that?

190

Uh, again, I, the studies that I did

in prep for this kind of said, this

191

was, it seems to be that he was really

pointing to the opposition, that they

192

were encountering, that, that people

didn't want the resettling of the land.

193

They, the nations didn't

want this to happen.

194

And, you know, ultimately pointed to God's

faithfulness to the fact that it does

195

happen in spite of the opposition to it.

196

So he's trying to make it

the MADEC point for us.

197

And it's our job as the reader

to discern when he's making

198

these movements in the text.

199

As a really, really important

thing that you just brought up.

200

And I, and I hope whoever's

listening really caught that because

201

this does sometimes can happen

as we're reading through texts.

202

And, and I think the point

that we're supposed to take

203

away is exactly what you said.

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Doing God's work is hard work.

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Doing God's work is

going to be opposed work.

206

You should not expect that your

Christian life is going to be easy.

207

And this is exactly what God says

through the pen of the apostle Paul.

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He says those who desired

to live a godly life.

209

Uh, should expect persecution.

210

Uh, and granted our persecution

it's pretty mild, minimal,

211

even somewhat arguments.

212

Hey, it's not even

technically persecution.

213

Uh, but I think the point remains

for those who want to do God's

214

work, it's going to be hard work.

215

You should expect it to push back

in there for there to be opposition,

216

whether it's people or whether it's

spiritual, there's going to be opposition.

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The fact that you open your Bible

to read, and hopefully you're gonna

218

spend some time praying today.

219

You should expect it to be hard.

220

That's okay.

221

God's going to do what he's

going to do through it.

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And he's going to use your perseverance.

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As something that brings in Gloria

as it does here and this chapter.

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Yeah.

225

Yeah.

226

Well, when it does come back to verse

24, it is about the ongoing work

227

of the temple and the expectation

that it should continue there.

228

Uh, we get into chapter five,

then verses one through five.

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Uh, apparently bolstered by the prophetic

work of Haggai and Zechariah now.

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This is important to note because tomorrow

you're going to be in the book of Haggai.

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We're not going to keep going and

Esther, or in Ezra tomorrow, we're

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going to be jumping to high ticket, bud.

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And then after high guy to Zachariah,

because those two men prophesied

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right at this same time during

the life in history of Israel.

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So chronological plan.

236

Coming into play here again for us.

237

Uh, but bolstered by the prophetic work

of those two men Haggai and Zechariah.

238

And what we'll find is, is hat guy

focuses on really kind of getting

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them to jumpstart the temple.

240

Whereas Zechariah really kind of goes

out more after their spiritual state.

241

Not that Haggai was

unconcerned with that, but.

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Uh, Zechariah was more concerned with,

with the spiritual state and called a

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repentance, but bolstered by all, that is

a rubber belt resumed work on the temple.

244

And when this is discovered their enemies

turn to, to Derrius again, to intervene

245

and they appeal to the king and they

say, Hey, look, this is what's gone on.

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Well, Derrius does this search.

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And in searching finds that yeah, under

king Cyrus, they were allowed to return.

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And so Darious the plan kind of backfires

on them because Derrius says, uh, Nope.

249

I guess what they're going to keep going.

250

Chapter six, they're going to keep going.

251

Oh.

252

And by the way, you're

also going to fund this.

253

You're going to pay for all this.

254

I liked Darious.

255

Yeah.

256

I like when he says in

verse six, keep away.

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Like, I just stood out to you.

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They get so funny.

259

These guys are trying to oppose God's work

and Darious, their king says keep away.

260

Yeah.

261

Keep away and let the

work on the house of God.

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Uh, let, let them let the work

on this house of God alone.

263

Let it alone is what he's saying.

264

Yeah.

265

Yeah.

266

And yeah, just got a sense of

humor going, you know what?

267

I'm going to fund you, and I'm going

to fund you through your enemies

268

through those that are opposing you.

269

Uh, verses 13 through 18 that

the temple has completed.

270

Uh, verse 14 there, the art exert

CS is here mentioned even though

271

he ruled after these events.

272

But again, I think he's likely

included because he would be

273

helpful in the ultimate completion

of the walls of the city.

274

Again, thematically just God's

faithfulness in, not just

275

here, but, but the whole thing.

276

Uh, the, the temple, the

walls, the city, everything.

277

And so our Xerxes appears here

even though he rules after

278

the completion of the temple.

279

Uh, it's, he's listed here in, in

concert with everything else that got it

280

done, but the Temple's finished there.

281

Uh, verses 19 through 22, after

the completion of the temple, they

282

celebrate the Passover, which is

again, pretty cool that that's the

283

first thing that they get to celebrate

at the completion of the temple.

284

Super cool.

285

Now here's an important thing,

because earlier I said something

286

about the 70 years, this is another

time where someone's going to say

287

this is when the 70 years finishes.

288

Okay.

289

Policemen at the temple of it.

290

Well, the complete right, the

completion of the temple and this

291

also corresponds pretty rough and

dirty, pretty closely to 5 86.

292

In the, in, in the ransacking of

Jerusalem, this is when they had

293

that massive upheaval, Nebuchadnezzar

swoops in overcomes them.

294

They, their, their left defense lists.

295

Now.

296

So we had multiple deportations

beginning and maybe 6 0 5 is earliest

297

609 potentially, but 6 0 5, most

people would agree with 6 0 5.

298

I mean 5 86 is the big one.

299

So if you add 70 to 5 86, it's going

to bring me about 5 15, 5 16, which

300

is exactly where this finishes here.

301

And that's where some theologians

are going to draw the line and say,

302

this is where the 70 years ends.

303

And that's fair.

304

I think this is a really good spot to say.

305

Yeah, that would make sense.

306

Yeah, it would be fitting traditionally.

307

That's where I've camped out.

308

I think it's a strong one.

309

It's a very strong one.

310

Yeah.

311

Uh, so they celebrate the Passover

and, uh, and this is going to

312

be a Passover that's, that's

joyful, but, but there's also, it.

313

It's interesting that you don't

note here, you know, And there was

314

no Passover like this that had been

celebrated since, cause you could say

315

at least for seven years, Seven years.

316

This is the best Passover

in 17 years, 70 years.

317

Uh, but I think it goes with the response

of the elders when they see the temple.

318

And there's the morning that

comes there because of their

319

saying, man, this is not the same.

320

It was probably a little

bit of that here, too.

321

Even with the celebration of the

Passover, just remembering going, this

322

is, this is not the same as it was.

323

Uh, it was a rubber bell is effectively

that the Davidic representative

324

of though he's not the king.

325

Uh, he's, he's not a king right now, but.

326

So they don't really have the king.

327

They don't really have the same.

328

The same atmosphere, the same

environment that they once enjoyed.

329

And this is not the glory days of

Solomon all over again, which is what

330

they were really hoping it would be.

331

And it goes to show us again, that

so many of the promises about the

332

return from exile, with all the

language about how joyful and.

333

Celebratory and powerful it was going

to be, and what God was going to do, and

334

in the Messiah was going to be raining.

335

Look, we know it couldn't

have been this returned from

336

exile because he's not there.

337

And this isn't that scene.

338

And so that must be pointing to a future.

339

Uh, a future reality of that, which

is we're still waiting for that.

340

And so it was Israel still waiting

for that right now, which is going

341

to be the future millennial kingdom.

342

Yeah.

343

Some people are going to push back on

you PPG and say, or us and say, look.

344

They weren't strictly literal prophecies.

345

They were meant to convey

a deeper spiritual reality.

346

Remind us again, why we don't buy that.

347

Uh, it talks about it

a little bit on Sunday.

348

W.

349

One of the things that we

approach in our interpretation

350

of the scriptures is a literal

grammatical historical hermeneutic.

351

And so we're not going to impress upon a

text, a, a metaphorical or allegorical,

352

meaning if the text doesn't call for

a metaphorical or allegorical meaning.

353

And as we've pointed out so many

times in those texts, I mean the

354

detail and the precision and the.

355

Uh, th th the depiction of the,

the future reign of Christ ease.

356

Anything, but metaphorical, it really

does seem to convey that this is going to

357

be a literal reign, a literal kingdom, a

literal place, a little city, a literal

358

dimensions of these temples, like

Ezekiel's temple and everything else.

359

And so it it's out of keeping with our

approach to how we should understand

360

the scripture for us to imply.

361

Or to apply rather a metaphorical or

allegorical interpretation on something

362

that doesn't call for it naturally in

the text, you added a word that I think

363

most people tend not to utilize when

they're trying to describe the approach

364

that we tend to have towards scripture.

365

And it's the word literal.

366

Um, you use the word literal talk,

talk to us about when you say that

367

word literal and we're looking at

poetry or apocalyptic literature

368

or things that are clearly meant to

convey something non-literal yeah.

369

What do you try to

communicate with that word?

370

Literally it's we're after the plain

straightforward sense of the text.

371

So if it's a poetic, straightforward

sense of the text, you're

372

going to read it poetic.

373

Right?

374

The genre can inform that genre

dictates how we understand it.

375

Exactly.

376

So when we say literal, we're not saying

everything scripture says is fully

377

literal and our job is to just believe it.

378

When the, when the Bible talks and

song of Solomon, you know, she has

379

a flock of goats for hair, or, you

know, Pomegranates on our cheeks.

380

We're not saying, oh, she really

has pomegranates on her cheeks

381

and it must smell really good.

382

Uh, yeah, we take it.

383

We take the, the, the

genre as a very strong.

384

Implication for how we

understand the text.

385

And we, we seek to understand the text.

386

Absolutely.

387

Whatever it suggests to us.

388

Right?

389

Like when it's talking about the

forehead leper in Daniel with that

390

being Greece, we're not saying

that Greece was literally for.

391

We're saying we believe it.

392

Absolutely.

393

It's conveying something

symbolic and that's clear.

394

And to someone's point to push back,

they'll say, well, isn't that kind

395

of the way that we tend to have,

like, there's a lot of scripture

396

where it's meant to convey something

deeper, a deeper and more meaningful

397

than what's immediately evident.

398

And we said, well, yeah, of course that

that's not the case that we, that's

399

not the, that doesn't demand that we do

that for every text in the scripture.

400

Right.

401

Right.

402

Because even in, like in Daniel there

that the text helps us understand

403

what it's meant by, because he goes

on to talk about, these are Kings.

404

These are any explains that for us, right.

405

If the text is not calling

for the allegorical.

406

If the text is calling for an

allegorical or metaphorical

407

interpretation, then we do it.

408

We follow the text, right?

409

But if we're reading something and it's

left to us to say, well, let's unders

410

let's, let's postulate about what

the spiritual temple is going to be.

411

That is equally as seen here.

412

And what does that mean for us?

413

I mean, we're, we're on

run on unsafe ground there.

414

Um, because we're having to trust

our own wisdom and discernment to

415

be able to, to connect the dots.

416

And make that spiritual application,

whereas when the text does it, sure.

417

Let's do that.

418

But when the text doesn't do that,

we're going to go and say, okay,

419

let's, let's pursue that literal

grammatical historical approach.

420

And that's really good.

421

It's we take the Bible for what

it says about itself, and that's

422

often that's not always easy.

423

So we're going to admit that there's a

challenge there, but we always strict

424

seek to let the Bible speak for itself.

425

We should sing a song about that.

426

That's a great idea.

427

Yeah.

428

I think there's one out there.

429

Uh, all right, so I'm 1 37 then.

430

Someone 37, uh, is a Psalm that was

written during captivity, looking forward

431

to the Lord, taking vengeance on Babylon.

432

Um, so I think that's why

it, if it's here for us.

433

Uh, by the waters of Babylon

there, we sat down a web.

434

That's how the song opens.

435

So, is this a song?

436

Yes, but by a secular.

437

Okay.

438

Nevermind.

439

So don't say it.

440

I don't know what else, as

long as I just know that part.

441

They sing this song by

the rivers of Babylon.

442

Yeah.

443

No.

444

Okay.

445

Yeah, well, they're weeping.

446

They're lamenting, and yet

they're looking forward to.

447

What we've seen happen, which is

the vengeance of God poured out upon

448

his enemies and the people restored.

449

And so this is a Psalm lamenting

looking forward to that.

450

And we have now seen the reality of that.

451

Okay.

452

Let's get to the good part.

453

Okay.

454

The part that everyone's going to be

like, but tell me about this part.

455

Okay.

456

Tell me about verses eight and nine.

457

I'm offended.

458

Just reading it.

459

Okay.

460

Oh, daughter of Babylon

doomed to be destroyed.

461

Bless it.

462

Shall he be whoever pays you

with what you have done to us?

463

Bless it.

464

Shall he be who takes your little

ones and dashes them against the rock?

465

That's sounds pretty hard to read hard,

to see loving your enemies in that.

466

What do Christians do with this?

467

Yeah.

468

Um, this, this is one of

the, the more difficult.

469

Components of our faith is to

trust in the justice of God.

470

When the justice of

God seems unjust to us.

471

Um, and there are accusations about

DOD being, you know, The God of,

472

of genocide when he's commanded

the people to go in and destroy

473

these nations and drive them out.

474

I mean, we've, we've kind of

dealt with this in the past, but.

475

Um, God is a God of justice.

476

And there's a measure to which we

have to, to be like job and say,

477

okay, I'm gonna lay my hand over

my mouth and speak no further.

478

I've spoken all.

479

I'm going to say at this point,

I'm going to trust you because.

480

You're God and I'm not.

481

Um, and this is, this is undoubtedly

an immensely difficult text, and I

482

read this and apparent of younger ones.

483

And.

484

And you as well.

485

And so many people that listen to

this or grand babies or anything else

486

like that, you think this is horrible.

487

This is awful.

488

Um, And again, I would

go back to something that

489

we've talked about recently.

490

I think.

491

Part of what that reveals is a low

estimation of the gravity of sin.

492

That we possess, uh,

and the holiness of God.

493

Um, and that's, that's the only

kind of beginning fringes of

494

logic that I can get to with this.

495

Is that I just don't appreciate

that the weightiness of sin fully

496

enough in the holiness of God.

497

Amen to that.

498

And one of the things that we're also

blind to is the historical context that

499

took place during the siege of Jerusalem.

500

So notice that the notice that what he's

praying here is, or what he's celebrating

501

his blessed shall be he who repays you.

502

And does what you've done to us.

503

Right?

504

So, So there, there, there,

this is a posture of man.

505

I really hope God justly repays

you for the atrocities that you

506

committed against us Jerusalem.

507

So you're reading this and, and you're,

you're bristling probably because you

508

think all this is awful, but let's not

forget the historical context we're in

509

this takes place in Jerusalem suffering.

510

The kind of the siege was one thing.

511

But also when they finally breached a

gates and they breached a city, what

512

that meant for them, that was a big deal.

513

And the things that happened.

514

Uh, king NAB and his people allowed to

have happen was it was pretty gnarly.

515

This is not, they're not saying,

Hey, I want God to do something

516

to you that you didn't do to us.

517

Right.

518

So notice verse nine, blessed

shall be who takes your little ones

519

in dashes and against the rock.

520

This is essentially then them

saying, this is what you did to us.

521

You slaughtered a little ones and

granted, they took a part in that

522

too, because when they disobeyed God,

they start to eat their little ones.

523

Yeah.

524

Uh, but this is a, put

this in the context.

525

Don't forget what happened.

526

Don't forget what's taking place

or they're asking for justice

527

and they're not saying that

they're going to do it themselves.

528

Blessed would be the one who does it.

529

And bless it'd be best to be

the one who judges you for this.

530

And so they're calling down a curse.

531

We call this an imprecation.

532

It's not easy.

533

Doesn't make it much easier, but

it does at least provide some

534

context where this takes place.

535

Yeah.

536

That.

537

Yeah, and this probably creates

other questions as well.

538

Yeah.

539

Even, you know, Sunday during child

dedications, we had one family up there

540

that super sweet little girl who said,

I have a couple of sisters that are

541

with Jesus because, you know, mommy

had a couple of miscarriages and.

542

I think, you know, her out of

the lips of, of babes, right?

543

I mean, I think there's

there's truth there.

544

I think that God does have that,

that place where he preserves and

545

protects the life of the innocent and.

546

What gets difficult is for us

to define who was innocent.

547

Yeah.

548

When you look at this and you think

of, of infants being ripped out

549

of the arms of Babylonian mothers

and smashed against the rocks.

550

I don't think God's attitude towards

those infants would be different than his

551

attitudes towards the infants anywhere.

552

I, I think there's reason to

believe that there with him.

553

And that's, that's an even more difficult

concept to try to wrap our minds

554

around is, is that he could love them.

555

With an eternally redeeming love and

yet see them meet such a horrific end.

556

And also that they never

bowed the knee to Jesus.

557

As well, and they never

about the need to Jesus.

558

That would be, and we would argue in that

context, they never about the need anyone.

559

Right.

560

Because they didn't have

the capacity to sure.

561

And that's one of the reasons why

we, we believe that there is hope

562

for the unborn or hope for the

stillborn or hope for the, you know,

563

the, the invalid infant or the yeah.

564

Before they're capable of.

565

Choosing to, to, to believe in

Christ, repent from their sins.

566

If they don't have the capacity to

do that, we believe that God provides

567

a dispensation of grace for them.

568

To be able to, to be with him.

569

So they would be considered

categorically innocent, even though

570

they're not absolutely correct.

571

Yeah.

572

They're not innocent because they're

in Adam, but they're categorically

573

innocent because they don't have a way

to like you and I do to choose sin.

574

And consequently to choose rebellion

and then to justly suffer under the

575

rapid God in, in even to think about

it broader, I think the doctrine of

576

God's election has room to include those

that are in that category to say that

577

those are the ones that God elected.

578

You know, from before the foundations

of the earth, knowing that they wouldn't

579

live to be able to make a decision one

way or the other for, or against Christ.

580

So I guess that the challenge

then if we're going to carve out

581

that slice of exception, As if

God, it creates exceptions here.

582

Why not?

583

Exceptions everywhere.

584

Yeah, because eventually you do become.

585

Culpable you do become culpable.

586

And that's the, the, the biggest argument

against this position that we've been

587

arguing for here is, is where's that line.

588

And it's going to be subjective, right?

589

That's why scripture, doesn't give you

an age of accountability that says, okay.

590

For all those six years

old up there accountable.

591

Yeah.

592

Um, That's not their kids or are

we were talking about this before

593

we hit record on the podcast.

594

Every kid is a wild card.

595

Kids are different.

596

Yeah.

597

And, uh, and that, that accountability

can come at different ages.

598

I think.

599

Yeah, the most important thing for us

as parents y'all in one of the things

600

that I continually tell my kids is

there is no age limit to salvation.

601

Um, we want to be careful not to give

any one, a false sense of security

602

in believing in Christ, but it's

good for us as parents to put the

603

gospel before our children from a

very young age and to remind them

604

there's no age limits of salvation.

605

Um, Jesus committed faith like a child.

606

So, uh, that's, that's something

that we can hang on to and

607

pursue as, uh, as moms and dads.

608

And then that's a good word.

609

All right, guys, let me pray.

610

And then we'll be done with this episode.

611

Got such difficult things,

even think it through.

612

Um, The Babylonians and these,

these children, and it, it does, uh,

613

Still feel difficult for us to, to

comprehend how this could be something

614

that is, uh, is part of your plan.

615

And yet we read it as part of your plan.

616

And our job is to submit ourselves to the

authority of scripture, not scripture to

617

the authority of our wisdom in judgment.

618

So help us do.

619

To sit in difficult texts and increase

our faith in the midst of that.

620

Uh, and help us to understand more

about your character and even to

621

walk away saying, wow, I have a,

even much better appreciation for

622

the wickedness and evil of sin.

623

And I want to hate it even more with,

with my life as I move on from here.

624

So God, we need you to be

able to do that though.

625

And so we ask this and

pray this in Jesus name.

626

Amen.

627

Amen.

628

Are y'all keeping your Bibles

and tune in again tomorrow for

629

another episode of the daily Bible

podcast, hopefully a shorter one.

630

Bye.