Covenant 09/13/2020

Will the title of my message this morning is Moses versus pharaoh, and we're continuing our series entitled forerunners of our faith is we take a look at the life of this man Moses a very familiar story too many of you a story that we capture in the early pages of scripture that makes it so clear that God loves his people that there are cries for help or not unheated and that he intervenes in their lives to deliver them in difficult circumstances as we studied over the course of the past several weeks. We've seen the hand of God on this unique group of people that he called to himself. And here in the story of Moses and the story of Israel. We begin to see that starving election. That's gracious purpose of God for a very specific people. We look back earlier in our studies at the story of the birth of Jacob and Esau and how we were told by God's word that even before the boys were born or had done anything good or bad. God loved and chose Jacob and cared for him and watched over him. And as the lens focuses in on the live of lives of these promised sons of Jacob Abraham of Isaac, even if Joseph Sovereign Grace of God that oversaw and mark their lives becomes even clearer After the flood of Noah, the nations were dispersed and the Tower of Babel last we saw all brought about a great shift and culture and language nations were formed in people's were set one against another as they no longer had the the solidarity of a common tongue and hear as human culture unfurls before our very eyes. We find the people of God the people of Israel in Shane's in the midst of the country of Egypt under the domineering some of the Pharaoh and his people and God will reach into this situation and redeem his people from these Egyptians. Powerful in Mighty way in why does God chose to redeem Israel simply because of his grace and mercy later in the scriptures. We learn from the Lord very lips that I did not choose you because you were greater or more numerous than the other nations. I simply chose you because I chose to show my grace and mercy to you. The story of Israel is the story of God's grace on a people that did not deserve it and it's a powerful story as well. See today of the mighty Deliverance that God brings did those to whom he shows his grace. We spent the past couple of weeks looking at the life of Moses and having a chance to to see the hand of God in his life. We saw how this young boy was born in a in a time of genocide when the Egyptian people were slaughtering the Egyptian sons and yet God provided a way for him to be safe to be rescued indeed to be raised in the very house to Pharaoh. We saw as Moses grew over the course of four decades into a man that is the emerge from the palace and saw the great abuse has that his fellow Hebrews were suffering at the hands of the Egyptian. He was overwhelmed. With anger and frustration and striking out his Vengeance. He murdered Egyptian slave master who was beating a Hebrew and buried his body in the sand. We learned that Pharaoh had discovered his actions. He fled Egypt for his life and spent 40 years in the wilderness of Midian until one day 80 years old. He saw Bush a flame in the distance that did not burn out and he went to see what this site was all about. And from that very Bush the Lord God Almighty spoke to him. He revealed his name to Moses as the Lord Yaweh. I am who I am and he called Moses to return to Egypt had to tell pharaoh to let God the people go. As we saw last week Moses to 80 years old was afraid of the tasks that God had set before him. I don't speak speak clearly and I won't be able to enter into Pharaoh's presents make these demands regardless of the signs and wonders that you set in my hand recalled the staff that God had Moses throw upon the ground and how it turned to his snake. How is hand turned leprous inside of his cloak and so Moses thought that he would be unable to do what God had called him to do and yet God responds Moses who makes them out and who gives you the ability to speak I will be with you and I will see to it that you the one I have called will be able to accomplish the purposes that I have set out for you. The story continues today as Moses and Aaron make their way to Faroe to deliver God's message to him turn with me to Exodus chapter 4 verse 18 and following and will pick up the story after God appeared to Moses there in the burning bush. This is what we're told Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, please. Let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive go in. Peace. And the Lord said to Moses in Midian. Go back to Egypt for all the men who were seeking your life are dead. So Moses took his wife and his sons and had to ride on a donkey and went back to the land of Egypt and Moses took the staff of God in his hand. I stop and think about that ride for Moses from Midian back to Egypt as we talked about last week Moses of all men was aware of the power and might of the nation of Egypt. He was aware of the the power and might of pharaoh and his court and he was Moses with his wife and his sons on the back of a donkey alone making their way back to Egypt to find his way in front of the most powerful man in the world and demand that he released his slave labor force immediately. I can only imagine what was racing through Moses is mine each step of the way. He would have replayed the encounter with God there in the pasture land of Midian. You might have fought like many of us do after encounter with the Lord did that really happen? Was that really what was going on that? I really hear a voice. Was it the voice of God did my staff really turn into a serpent or was I just imagining those things is fear of being inadequate and incapable of doing what God had called him to do must have been overwhelming on that return and yet God provided for Moses a companion his brother Aaron and his staff that were told here in verse 20 is referred to as not the staff of Moses, but the staff of God and it would be this very staff that God would use as a sign to Pharaoh that it was not the power of this man Moses, but the power of God himself Laid claim the lives of his people whom Pharaoh had enslaved verse 21 continues the story when you go back to Egypt seen that you do before Pharaoh all the Miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let my people go. Wait a minute. Did I just miss read that verse there in the Bible? It doesn't make a great deal of sense for God to call Moses to send him back to Egypt to demand the release of the Hebrews from Pharaoh. This Mighty Man and then to hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Pharaoh would not release God's people as God desired.

The story of Moses and Pharaoh in the Lord's work in this moment of their Deliverance of his people brings about a very challenging course of events that we see unfold between the Lord infero time and time again, as you will see as Moses brings about plagues to break the back of pharaoh and bring him to Bow his need for the Lord and release God's people you hear the narrative reference the heart of pharaoh. Sometimes you'll hear it said that Pharaoh hardened his heart but many times you'll hear it said that God hardened Pharaoh's heart and hear the first time that it's reference that God hardened the heart of pharaoh to the Pharaoh would not let God's people go. I'm not sure that we read this kind of language in the series that we've been in these forerunners of the faith. We've not seen a great deal of a God's work in the heart of a man of God shaping the wheel of a man for his purposes. We did hear from Joseph. That's what you intended for. Evil. God has used for good Gods use of man's will for his purposes, but we're told hear what God tells Moses here is that God would hardened the heart of pharaoh for his purpose now stopping think at this point a new Pharaoh had a reason to power in Egypt the men who knew that you were a murder Moses. They are gone the ones who seek your life are no more you need not be concerned about that. Perhaps Moses's grandfather didn't share publicly what Moses had done had he done that when Moses return. I'm sure the warrant for his life. For the murder of that Egyptian slave master would have still been in effect. Perhaps Ferrell kept that private within the family of pharaoh and the men who were aware of it. We're gone this new Pharaoh did not know Moses and did not know what Moses had done perhaps he had heard of him, but he didn't know him personally and mind you before this Pharaoh even sees the face of Moses are free. Here is his first call to release God's people God has already told Moses. That I have hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he will not let my people go. Sometimes when we come to the pages of scripture we want scripture to say what we want to hear. We have a concept of who God is and what God can and cannot do and quite frankly. We will bring God to an account for our own concept of Justice. We will judge his actions and say to him you can ask these ways but you cannot act these ways because this is the concept of God that I have in my mind. That's never a profitable or Godly act to take as you come to the scriptures who do not worship idols crafted in our own image. It's a common the scriptures humbly submitting to what God's word says about who he is and asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand God's character his intentions in our lives and the way that he calls us to live and what we see here and one of the most significant conflicts that we've come across in the pages of scripture today, his ass ain't that surprises us with his wife and sons were making their way to Egypt to a desert on the back of a donkey. God has told Moses that he has hardened Pharaoh's heart so that Pharaoh will not let his people go Why would it be that God would do such a thing? We'll have to learn and listen as we move through the rest of this story. Lord said to Moses when you go back to Egypt see that you do before Pharaoh the Miracles that I put in your power verse 21, but I will harden his heart for the PeopleNet not let the people go then you shall say to Pharaoh verse 22 Israel is my first born son and I say to you let my son go that he may serve me if you refuse to let him go behold. I will kill your first born son. Now if I were to ask you guys to name the 10 signs or plagues that God brings upon Egypt in order right now. Let me call someone up right now. Come on up Jill Harper. I want you to name the 10 plagues that everyone know, I just right we probably would be difficult for us to name those 10 plagues but one of the flags that were very familiar with is what the most. List of those plague that's when the angel of death came up on Egypt and went through all the houses and struck down the firstborn and I bet you guys know the answer to that question. Which number plague was that? Was that the first plague or was Dempsey Jenna got it right in the end. Right? Good job. It was the last plague wasn't it and get do you notice that is God tells Moses what will unfold he reference is not the beginning of this conflict, but the very end. The Israel is my first born son pharaoh. And you shall let him go or I will strike down your first born in his place. God is Not unaware of the events of men that he's not unaware of how they transpired and he does not simply React to what we will do but he writes the pages of History the path is what God intends to come to pass but it's true we're of but that he is not ordained in the course of human Affairs. Does not react to the things that we do in surprise. He does not have multiple. If you do that all do that, that's not how the pages of history or scripted every day of ours is written in his book. He knows the events of man because he has ordained those events and yet at the same time and this is hard for us to understand the scripture say that we are responsible for what we do and for how we ask that we are morally spot response. Spit God ordains the events of our lives in the events of history and yet we bare responsibility because we really act in the midst of God ordained plan of our own accord. And so tufaro would do that very thing. But God was not unaware of how these events would take place and his hand was not a part from the actions that would on. Earth 27. We continue to read a little bit of the story. The Lord said to Aaron now go into the Wilderness to meet Moses. So he went and met him at the Mountain of God and kissed him and greeted him and Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. That's you remember the story of Moses. We talked a little bit about one of Moses's siblings when he was born in his mother placed him into the river. You remember how Moses sister Miriam who was older than him ran down the banks of the river to see where the child ended up and then went to Pharaoh's daughter and encourage her to let her take Moses to his mother to raise him and then returning into Pharoah's daughters care. Well Moses Sister Miriam was one of his siblings. But Aaron was his other sibling Moses came from a family of 3, Miriam and Aaron and Moses Moses was the youngest Aaron was 3 years older and hear the Lord reunites Moses and Aaron in this path that he's laid before him even as Moses was afraid to stand before Pharaoh on his own God sendera, Aaron to walk alongside of him. Aaron would be One who the majority of the time would present God's words before Pharaoh. God would speak to Moses Moses with share with Aaron Aaron would articulate and call out what God had commanded.

Ben Moses and Aaron went verse 29 and gathering together all the Elders of the people of Israel apparently now they've arrived there in in in in Egypt are spoke all the words of the Lord which had which the Lord had spoken to Moses notice out. Aaron is the one Speaking here God provided for Moses to sense of inadequacy, even though God said Moses could have done it. He provided his brother to do it and end in did the signs in the side of the people. Let's read that again Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the side of the people quite often. What's your picture of these events is in your picture Moses doing a great majority of these things and you are and here is provided by God to step in and and provide leadership in the midst of this battle with pharaoh and the people believe referencing the Elders of Israel the leaders of the people of Israel and Egypt. And when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their Affliction they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Now the story of Moses and Pharaoh doesn't focus a great deal here. But let's focus for a moment for 400 years the people of Abraham the children of Abraham had been in Chains in Egypt speed heard the stories of God's faithfulness to their forefathers put in large part. I'm sure they thought themselves but we haven't experienced that in our own lives. Look at where we're at. Now. How do we end up here? And we'll know God sent Joseph to provide for this people and yet were in Chains. I can only imagine that the Egyptians other people in the midst of Egypt even some of the Jews themselves might have asked the question. Why do you continue to believe in this God who is abandoned you 2 Chainz he work all of your years until you die from there's no hope for you. There's no meaning in your life and yet you continue to put your face in this one for you've never seen act in your favor is if this was a mighty moment in the people of God has his own might or power, but it's God's representative to tell God's people that the Lord was going to act and set them free. How would they believe such a unbelievable claimed by the sign that God had provided head. So Aaron and Moses show the signs the miraculous signs that God has provided to to corroborate the claim that Moses was making and the people believe the elders believe and what did they do? They worship the Lord? Certainly Moses and Aaron shared with God had called him to do to go to Faroe and to seek their Deliverance. They Worship the Lord and I'm sure they encourage Moses and Pharaoh Moses and Aaron to go and get things don't exactly turn out I think is any of them would have expected go to our next chapter here verse one of the next chapter after word Moses. And Aaron Winston said to Pharaoh thus says the Lord for this is the first encounter of Moses with Pharaoh. Let my people go But they may hold the feast to me in the wilderness. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go. I do not know the Lord and mow over. I will not let Israel go. Then they said the god of the Hebrews has met with us, please. Let us go a three days journey into the Wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord Our God lest he fall upon us with past you lint or with the stored. Holy Moses his told Pharaoh that God has commanded his people to worship him to leave their service for a season and worship him. It doesn't seem that Moses at this point has told Pharaoh that he must release God's people in perpetuity, but for a season of worship to the Lord and yet Moses Farrow, his response is absolutely not I know nothing of this God and I certainly will not let this people go For sport, but the king of Egypt said to them Moses and Aaron. Why do you take your people away from their work get back to your burden and Pharaoh said behold the people of the land or noun mini speaking here of the Hebrews. Can you make them rest from their burdens that very same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their Foreman you shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks has in the past but then go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they make in the past you shall impose upon them still you shall by no means reduce it for their Idol. Therefore they cry, let us go and offer sacrifices to our God let Heaven your work be late on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words. We're told in the verses that follow that the people of Israel were commanded to keep up the qoutes of brick that was on their back but no straw would be provided. And so they had to go through Egypt to try to find straw themselves to produce the bricks that Pharaoh demanded and they failed miserably to do so, it was an impossible task and so Faro beat the Israelite taskmasters that supervisors informant of the jobs. He beat them mercilessly because they had not met the the quota that he had set before them and the Israelite foreman and supervisors were overwhelmed with the events that we're going on. I'm sure that Moses thought that since God was with him as he came in and spoke these words. God would mightily delivery Israel immediately from their bondage. Did God make a mistake? I thought I could just send Moses and speak the fair and everything would be fine. Certainly. Not what are we already been told that God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let God's people go cuz not a mistake or an accident. It was part of part of God's Sovereign plan. And after the foreman were beaten by Pharaoh's men and are on their way back from the palace as they registered a complaint. They met Moses and Aaron verse 22 or waiting for them as they came out from pharaoh, and they said to them The Lord look on you and judge because you have made a stink in the side of pharaoh in his service and to put a sword in their hand to kill us.

I'm sure Moses didn't expect that. This would be his experience. It's returned to the Lord and try it out verse 22 did Moses turn to the Lord and said never send me her since I came to Fair Oaks to speak in your name. He is done evil to this people and you have not delivered your people at all. Is God ever called you to a task in your life? In a clear way and You Begin that task and you don't experience the success that you would expect. I've experienced that in my life. And you look in wonder you begin to question. Did God really call me to this task are there ways in which I'm failing since this past is not being accomplished the way that I would hope and pray. Have you ever experienced that in your life. Have you ever grown disheartened called on the Lord is to go to why is it that you called me here, but we've not been fruitful or not. We've not been productive and whatever you're seeking to accomplished what's going on with certainly Moses asked this very question of the Lord. What are the things that we learn from? The wife of Moses is a great deal of honesty in the prayer that he brings to the Lord. You think it's beneficial to lie to God when you do things, you know when you're upset or hurting or overwhelmed, but you know, I should go to the Lord in prayer. You just put on a smiley face like everything's good to go. And you're fine. That's not the way the prayer should work. It's a Moses Wright Lane instructively for us calls on the name of the Lord openly and honestly, how can this be? How could you let this happen to these people? Why would you even bother sending me the one of the characteristics of Moses that will see throughout his life his dishonest prayer. It's on his conversation that he will have with the Lord. You know Moses is life is one of the first lives in which we get a glimpse into a prayer life with the Lord spoke with the Lord certainly at times Abraham Isaac and Jacob Joseph. I'm not even sure if I'm thinking out if we have prayers of Joseph record, I can't recall from that store. He says very Godly things but I'm trying to think what you prayed you interpret dreams, but he would Moses you have a conversations with God about the struggles that he faced about his discouragement about his pleasure about his anger in the situation about others even implores that God would show Mercy at times when God's people act out he intercedes for them. Switch over here that Moses comes before the Lord in in in that very way as he calls upon his name and yet the Lord does not leave Moses without an answer but responds verse one of the next chapter, but the Lord said to Moses now you shall see what I will do to Faroe and he will send them out and with a strong hand. He will drive them out of this land was in the God is doing here. He's telling Moses that he will not be able to accomplish his purposes that Moses need not fear regardless of what he sees that ultimately Pharaoh will bow his knee to the Lord. And I think all this does for Moses is challenged him to endure the circumstances that he will face that hit the indoors than God ultimately will prove faithful. And so we too must endure when God calls us to a task that we Face hardships are difficulties or can't understand the things that are taking place. We must endure and recognize that God will accomplish what he intends he goes on from there God spoke to Moses first to and said to him. I am the Lord appeared to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob has God almighty. Elohim by the name of the Lord Yahweh. I did not make myself known to them course. He had made himself known to Moses and Israel now at this time, I also establish my Covenant with them to give them the land of cadence the land in which they lived as sojourners moreover. I've heard the groaning of the people of Israel in the Egyptians hold as slaves. And I remember my Covenant stay there for the people of Israel. I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians and I will deliver You From Slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people and I will be your God and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who is brought you out from under the burden of the Egyptians.

What a remarkable promise did God makes hear the Israelite people for the Hebrews. It's based upon God's grace and mercy his Sovereign decision to call them his own and because he's called them his own of his own accord. He pours himself out for them and he stands with them regardless of where they stand or what they do any faces in fights their enemies in their stead when the time is right. We remember from a few weeks ago looking at God's conversation with Abraham even this. Of slavery for centuries and Israel's experience was not unknown to God. He shared it with Abraham and told him one day your children will be slaves in the land. That is not their own for 400 years. How does God knows these things because he ordains the events of human history and they come about in his time and it is his time to redeem his people from this Godless leader until he does that very thing verse 10 to the Lord said to Moses go in tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land. But Moses said to the Lord behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me how then shall Ferrell listen to me for I am of uncircumcised lips. What does that mean again reference that his inability to speak clearly. There's no way that my rhetoric will convince pharaoh to do these things. I look like a fool before him. Think the Apostle Paul is he tells us that it's our very weaknesses that the Lord uses to demonstrate his mind. He doesn't need your strength. He needs your heart and your willingness to do what he called you to do and if he will use you which she will if he's called you he will use you as he intends. Regardless of your weaknesses, but he will use your very weakness is the underscore his own might and Glory you don't need to be powerful is a Christian server powerful God you simply need to be faithful and humbled to accomplish the tasks that he's called you to do and he's the one who will bring about the success and victory but the Lord verse 13 spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave him the charge about the people of Israel in about Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. We'll take a look here at the first plague is we kind of wrap up this particular section of pharaohs life and I'm going to draw out a true that you may know or you may not know I'm as we take a look at this conflict that emerges.

Lord said to Moses. See I've made you like a god to pharaoh and your brother are in shall be your profit. You shall speak all that. I command you and your brother Aaron shall tell pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land who's going to tell Pharaoh that Erin's going to tell Pharaoh that but I will harden Pharaoh's heart. You noticed that language again. That's the second time that God has indicated. It's not that he'll soften Pharaoh's heart, but that he will pardon it and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then. I will lay my hand on my hosts my people the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment for 7. Now Moses with 80 years old and Aaron 83 years old when they spoke to pharaoh. Take a look at this one interaction here as we close that we were going to highlight some of the issues that are going on and we'll see in in in the week ahead. We're told him first state that didn't board. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron when Pharaoh says to you prove yourself by working a miracle. You shall stay to Aaron take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, but it may become a serpent. So Moses and Aaron went to pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded now. Let's look at that again. What did the Lord command?

This is what the Lord said to Moses. You shall tell Aaron to take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh. Who's going to cast the staff down Moses or Aaron? What's the answer? Aaron is the one that's going to cast the staff down. Now that might not be what you expect because who was the one that had a staff in the front of the burning bush and cast it down and it turned into a serpent. Who did that Moses did that so you would expect that steers Moses Dance Before Barrel Moses would be the one that would throw down this Rod of God, it would turn into a serpent but that's not what God commands He commands are in to stand before pharaoh and throw his staff to the ground and when he does it will become a and your Bible says what they're

Set snake or serpent. That's actually not the Hebrew word next batches. The Hebrew word for snake hand in is the Hebrew word used here and actually means crocodile. and that's a significant truth is we go on from there the most just as the Lord commanded hair and cast down his staff before pharaoh and his servant and it became a your Bible says serpent, but it says Tan in which means crocodile or small water creature then Pharaoh summon the wise men and The Sorcerer's of Egypt also did the Same by their secret arts and they became Canon or crocodile not necessarily serpent, but Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs still heart was hardened and he would not listen to them as the Lord had said the events that follow or a challenging list a battle between the Sovereign rulers of the world the king of kings in the Lord of lords, the one who made the heavens and the earth and the most powerful Sovereign who walked on the face of the land not simply a man in the side of the Egyptians, but a God man a mediator between the Egyptian Pantheon and his people And God would come face-to-face with that Sovereign one and he would crush him to redeem his people from the chains that they were under. Now what we'll see next week as we open up the balance of Moses the story and the Deliverance of Egypt is that the plague that will come or not simply parlor tricks that God provided to demonstrate his power, but their direct acts of aggression against the very gods that the Egyptians worshipped. One of the first Gods was this crocodile God it was demonstrated even here in the first sign has Aaron threw down his staff and this crocodile emerged one of these greatest of Egyptian gods appeared before their very eyes. His name was so back. He was understood to be the god of the Nile and he was depicted in different statues with them as a man with a crocodile head. And so this first image is an image in which God brings about a miraculous sign that references his power over this singular God of Egypt in in the plagues that file from the Nile to the frogs and lice the knots in the spoil the Hell in the Locust will see one by one God pick off the different Patron gods of the Egyptian Pantheon. To make what point that he alone is the lord of the Heaven and the Earth. What clothes with this verse that sums up the battle that will see take place next week. It's found in Exodus chapter 12 verse 12. And this is what God said to Moses about what he was up to there in Egypt. I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will Smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt both man and Beast and against all the gods of Egypt. I will execute judgment for I am the Lord This is a remarkable story. It's a challenging story. We got to remember it in the context of the stories that we read so far all of these men are the descendants of Noah. All of these men are the descendants of Adam. And yet God has called the few from that great numerous mass of people to whom he has shown his grace and mercy. Eddie is mark them as their own not because of anything that they've done of Their Own Strength or might but simply because of his own graciousness and Sovereign mercy and in this Mighty Act of Deliverance, he is demonstrated to them his love for them and his concern for them. And that's what we see in the weeks ahead. He uses this Deliverance that the world has never forgotten is an image of a much mightier Deliverance that will come in the person of his son Jesus the Christ. What's closed in a word of prayer today gracious and holy God? As we look back through the pages of the scriptures. We see evidence.

We see evidence of our God and his great love for his people. We see the reality Lord that there is nothing that stands against us that you cannot overcome. Should you choose to do that? We see the reality in the story like this that we need not fear even in the face of our oppressors because you were greater. In every circumstance your purpose is come about as long as we serve and seek your will then you accomplish that will in the course of Our Lives. We look at this man Moses who you called to such a remarkable calling we look at is fear and his concern is honest prayer. We asked Lord that we might have that same honesty as we come before you and that same faithfulness to serve you. Where did we go this day end of the nation in which you have placed us into the relationships in which you have set us or help us to remember that we are beloved by you that we are your people whether we're in Chains or out of chains weather. We experience success or great hardship, and we need never forget that we are marked by your Covenant of Grace to the death and resurrection of your son Jesus Christ. And that we are your people and that you are our God. We pray all these things in Jesus. Mighty name. Amen. But standing clothes are time of worship this morning with our final song Revelation Song.