The last chapter of Genesis, Genesis chapter 50. We have come to the end of Genesis for this series. This will probably be the last message in Genesis. I figure we will move on forward with Exodus. Genesis chapter 50, I'm gonna read the last few verses. I'm gonna begin in verse 22. If you don't know where Genesis is, it's the first book in the Bible. I had trouble the other day when Joe or Paul or somebody read a scripture, I never did find it. I said, finally start listening rather than trying to find it. I could not find it. Genesis chapter 50 verse 22. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt. He and his father's house. Joseph lived 110 years. And remember, Even Jacob acknowledged that his years were not near as what his forefathers were, but 110 years. And think about what a blessing this was to Joseph. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. That's amazing. Listen to me, God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. Joseph was a faithful, obedient servant of God. He was not without fault or sin. but he believed God. And he lived and walked before God with the ability that God gave him to live and walk before God. And in all that Joseph went through, and he went through a lot, yet here he is, as it goes on to say, bouncing these children, don't say it that way, but bouncing those children on his knees. The children also of Makar, the son of Manasseh, were brought up upon Joseph's knees. Joseph said unto his brethren, I die. And, and here's a statement, and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you. And ye shall carry my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him and put him in a coffin in Egypt. And there his body lay embalmed, just like many of the pharaohs were embalmed. Remember, this was reserved usually for the higher class, especially with the degree to which they embalmed the pharaohs. But Jacob's body is embalmed and lays there for just over 400 years in that box. And when God visited the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob carried his bones out of Egypt, buried him in the land of promise. Think of it. Genesis begins with life. And while we believe in the creation of all things, this whole universe, by the spoken word of God in the person of his son, Jesus Christ, I still do not know what that garden was like. Life. Life, teeming with life and everything was at peace. The lions and the bears and the little lambs, the bunny rabbits. I had a story I was gonna tell you about a sign, a penny saying, what was it, penny, go ahead and tell it to me. Tell us what it was. Jesus even loves all the little bunnies or something like that. No. is loved of Jesus. That's the world of Christianity that we live in today. Genesis begins with life, and I don't know what that was like, but Genesis ends with death. Genesis begins in a garden, a plush garden. It ends in a coffin in Egypt. How did it come to that? How did it come to that? Here's how it came to that. One prohibition. One rebellion. That's all it took. One prohibition, do not eat. When you eat, you'll die. And you will die in that day. The physical death we see of Joseph in this coffin embalmed is only indicative of the spiritual death that took place when that one prohibition was rebelled against by our Daddy Adam. The Apostle Paul put it this way, and you don't have to turn if you don't want to. In Romans chapter five, he put it this way, and you know this. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so that death passed, not is passing. Physical death is passing on us all. This death here has already passed on us all. And death by sin, so that death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. How did we sin? We sinned in Adam. Look what it also says, same chapter, verse 17, first part. For if by one man's offense, death reigned by one. Verse 18, first part. Therefore, as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all to condemnation. And that doesn't mean everybody's going to hell. That's condemned to death before God. condemned to spiritual death before God. Look at verse 19, the first part. For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. God did not ask us our opinion in this. God had established our daddy Adam as the federal head of the whole human race, and he acted upon our behalf. And when he obeyed and enjoyed God in the garden, we were obeying and enjoying God in the garden. But when he disobeyed in rebellion, Not through deception. Eve was deceived. Adam was not. And he stepped clearly into that rebellion. He plunged the whole posterity of the human race to be made sinners. That's how it came to that. That's how it came to that. But glory also says this in the latter part of chapter five, verse 19. Wherefore, as by one man's obedience. For as by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous. Not even imputed righteousness, although that comes very soon after we're made righteous. We're made righteous when God creates a spiritual heart within us. And I'm not gonna preach on that, but you look at the parable of the seed and the sower. The good word of God, the seed must be sown. But it only benefits where there's good ground. And that good ground is described by our Lord God himself as a good heart. And you and I don't have that by nature. But when God creates that good heart, now it's ready for the seed to fall into. And it'll bring forth fruit. The good heart must come first. But a good heart without the seed ain't worth nothing. You see, the good heart without the seed ain't worth nothing. You see, as soon as death reigned, life himself visited in the garden. As soon as Adam and Eve had rebelled, and they realized they were naked, they began to sew together fig leaves. But even then, although they didn't really get it and couldn't really get it apart from the grace of God, even then they realized that wasn't enough. Because life came into that garden. It's called the voice of the Lord God. Now you know who that is, don't you? That's none other than Jesus Christ himself. And they hid themselves amongst the trees of the garden. But aren't they glad? Weren't they glad? I am glad life came and visited where death had begun to reign. In Genesis, you see it through the whole, it starts out, soon as death enters in and reigns, the life giver must visit. And you see that all throughout this, Abraham down there the Caldees what happens the life giver visits him, huh? Isaac and Jacob Jacob's brothers or Joseph's brothers Joseph Joseph's brothers the life giver must visit first But thank God visit he shall This was not a Decent wish by Joseph This was a prophecy given him by the Lord God Almighty, passed down, I am sure, from his daddy Abraham, granddaddy, great granddaddy Abraham, on down to Isaac, on down to Jacob, on down to Joseph himself. God will surely visit you. That's my text, my title, God Will Visit You. will surely visit you. While we see death reigning right here in the end of the book of beginnings, thank God there is the absolute, the absolute immutable promise of life giving visit from the life giver. And I thank God for that. Now let's consider four thoughts about this kind of visitation. And I'll be brief on this, but I want to explain what I mean when I say this kind of visitation. There are two kinds of visitation. But sometimes the same visitation has the both kind effects. When God rained down fire and brimstone on Solomon Gamara, that was a visitation from God. But it was a visitation in absolute judgment. But at the same time, God sent messengers down to Sodom and Gomorrah and bless God, drug Sodom out of that city. It was all one visitation, but it had two totally different effects for two different kinds of people. Somebody say, that ain't quite fair. It ain't about fairness, it's about grace. Had it been fair, God would have killed them all, including Lot and his daughters. He turned his wife into a pillar of salt. It ain't about fairness. God is more than fair. God is just. Now God is not unfair, but it's not about fairness with God. It's about absolute justice and mercy and justice being so satisfied that God can still be merciful and have mercy on people like you and I. Four things about this kind of visitation. Sometimes God may visit in just judgment. Sometimes he may visit just in mercy and grace. But let me tell you something, when the gospel's preached, it always has two effects. Always has two effects. It's either life to those who have life, and that's what it's talking about, or it's death to those that have death. Even when the gospel's preached, it just adds to somebody's condemnation. Because they refuse it and rebel against it and will not walk after it. But others, they hear it, and it's life and a life. So, let's consider four thoughts about this kind of visitation. My main thought here is on the positive part of it. It's my main thought here this morning. Number one, visitation by default demands need. Destitution. Bondage. The children of Israel didn't know it. They didn't feel as though they were in bondage. but bondage was coming down the pike. You read the second book of Moses called Exodus? As soon as the Pharaoh died that didn't know Joseph, things went downhill quick. And we'll save all of that for later. It went downhill quick. Their bondage, I know some folks don't like this, but this is who God is, their bondage was decreed. Far before they ever even existed. Visitation, by default, demands need and destitution and bondage, and you'll see that specifically stated in Exodus chapter one, verses eight through 11. Second, visitation is absent in today's preaching. Is it not? How many people, if you listen to people in general, preachers in general, how many of them do you hear them talking about God visiting them, unless it's he put a $50 bill in my pocketbook because I gave 10 to the church? That's not what God's talking about here. Now God may visit you with physical things, he may not, but that's not the point. God can visit you in mercy when you ain't got two dimes to rub together. And you may have a billion bucks and never see the mercy of God. Visitation is absent in today's preaching. Why? Here's why. Because men by nature are destitute, but men by nature don't know they're destitute. Men by nature are destitute, but men by nature cannot know they are destitute. They are so destitute that they think they're wealthy. They think they're wealthy. From pulpit to pew to the populace, there is no real need. Nobody's in bondage. Therefore, the message of visitation is not good news when they hear it. It's an insult. What do you mean I need to be visited by God? God ought to be glad that I would visit him. Don't some of them talk like that today? God ought to be just glad, just thrilled to his soul that I'd walk an aisle for him and I'd pray the prayer. Is that not the way some, not all, but is that not the way some men present it today? God is so fortunate to have people still coming to him. You see, our depravity, is not only seen in the bars and the brothels. It is seen in the bars and the brothels. But our depravity is seen in our total inability to perceive our own bondage and corruption and destitution and need. And God's got to open your eyes and your ears and your heart to even that part of it. You see, if you begin to read the book of Exodus, you'll find out that the children of Israel didn't begin to cry out right at first. because they had to really find out and taste what bondage really is. And the more they cried, the worse the bondage got. So from pulpit to pew to the populace, there's no real need today, and I understand that. Don't be angry with people when they don't want to hear the gospel, why? Because they're not ready for the gospel. But God says preach it to them anyway. Isn't that what he says? Preach it to them anyway, because we don't know when it will be ready. Another point here on number two. Very few declare their own bondage, do they? You remember what the old Jews said? He said, Christ said, if you see the sun, you believe the sun, if the sun sets you free, you'll be free indeed. They said, what you talking about free? We're Abraham's children. We've never been in bondage to any man. They didn't mind the thought of freedom. They just didn't think they needed freedom. They were already free, but the natural man will lie to himself because they were under Roman bondage at the time. We've never been in bondage to any man. No, you're in bondage to yourself. You're in bondage to your own evil, wicked heart, and you can't do nothing about it because you really don't even perceive it till God opens your eyes. But then there's another kind of person. And here's one, he was called an apostle. He was a writer of inspired scripture, and he says, oh wretched man that I am. He said the will is present with me. Men talk about free will. He said I've got the will, but I don't have the power to do. But how to perform that which is good, I find not. That's an indictment against so-called free will. My will can be there, but I'm still in bondage to what I am. The will don't change anything. The will has to be changed. A new will has to be given. But this man, he said, oh wretched man that I am, and he had the right answer. Who? He started with who? who shall deliver me, not what. It's never a what. The life giver must visit before bondage is ever released. Here's the third thing. Visitation comes by God's sovereign, predetermined purpose. I'm not gonna read it. It was already decreed by God. That had been decreed before the world began. But it was decreed by God in open declaration when he showed it to Abraham in Genesis 15, verses six through 14. Your seed's gonna go down into a land that's not theirs. And they're gonna be in bondage there for 400 years. And it terrified Abraham in this dream that he had. But God just said, this is the way it's gonna be. But they won't stay that way. They won't stay there. Folks, our God is in absolute sovereign control of all this whole mess. Even death is in his hands. I make a life, I kill. That's what God says. Number four, and I'll spend most of my time on this one. is him who visits. God himself must be him who visits. In purpose, in power, in blood, and in gospel revelation, all. Purpose, power, blood, and gospel revelation, and I will deal mostly with the last three. First of all, concerning purpose, he does not offer visitation. He decreed it. And then bless God at his ordained time, he does it. That's just the way it is. And I'm glad it's that way. I know most folks that claim to be Christians say, I don't understand what you're talking about. Then you evidently don't have even an inkling of understanding who God is. But if God ever visits you, then that inkling of understanding will all of a sudden be emboldened to say, wait a minute, somebody's visited me. Somebody's visited me. Things are different than they were before. So God is he who visits. He doesn't offer visitation, he decrees it. God will, S-U-R-E-L-Y. Isn't that what it says? God will surely visit. And when you find yourself in bondage, and you can't get out, you think those bunch of Hebrews down there in Egypt could have overthrew Pharaoh? He'd have wiped them out in a heartbeat and wouldn't have been a judge to stand against him because he was the monarch of that country. He even tried it. Huh? Right? But God didn't just fool his purpose. God was executing his sovereign purpose in it all. God doesn't offer it, he decrees it. And God visits in power. Start reading the book of Exodus. When God visits, he visits in power. He brought 10 plagues upon Egypt. It began as plagues against everybody. Then all of a sudden God says, I'm gonna make a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites. I'm gonna show that I choose who I want. And he didn't bring 10 judgments, 10 plagues upon Egypt to soften Pharaoh up. He brought 10 plagues upon Egypt so that Pharaoh and God would both do some hardening. And Pharaoh was the sole object of the hardening. Pharaoh hardened his own heart, and sometimes it just says his heart was hardened. We're not told where it come from, and then sometimes we're told God hardened Pharaoh's heart. And God did it all to drown Pharaoh in the Red Sea and say, see, I'm God. But who was that really revealed to? Only the people that were on the other side of that Red Sea when the waters flooded back in and killed them all, except for the people on the other side. You see, God, when he visits, he will visit in power. And he will either visit to judge all, no, he will visit to judge all. Either directly or in mercy through a substitute. See the 10th plague. See the 10th plague? The Passover lamb? There was a firstborn slain in every house. Wasn't it? Either the firstborn was directly slain by God when God passed through the land, or a firstborn was slain on behalf of, a firstborn lamb was slain on behalf of a group of people in this little servant hut. Death reigned in every house. The death of a firstborn happened in every house. See, God demands blood through death. Think about it, it's the third thing here in the number four. God visits in mercy only because of the blood. It says, God said, I will pass through, and when I see the blood, When I see the blood, I will pass over you. Wait a minute, maybe that person in that house wasn't thinking the right thoughts. I guarantee you on all too many times, they probably weren't thinking the right thoughts. I live in one of those little old hovels and I'm not talking about my home made of stick and wood, I'm talking about right in here. God help me, I rarely ever think the right way all the time. Even when I think about God, Joe, and I pour out my heart to Him in prayer, I find my mind wandering on God-awful things. No, God said, when I see the blood, and it's on the two sides of the door, and if you're in that house, God said, I will pass over you. I wanna be in that house, don't you? I wanna be in that, but think about when you see the blood. He said, when I see the blood. But how do I know I'm in one of those protected houses? Because you're in there feasting on the same lamb whose blood's out there God's looking at. Can you feast on that lamb? That's all I'm asking. Can you feast? Are you feasting? Will you feast on that lamb? Bless God if you're in that house and you're hearing the wails and the cries of all in Egypt who did not have the blood of that first born lamb on that day. You know that terror begin to seize the souls. Is the blood enough? It is, because God said so. And let me tell you, if I'm in there and I'm the one, I'm hearing the wails. As God moved through, you could hear the wails, no doubt, moving through. There's the man. His blood's on that tour post. I'm gonna eat it. Yes, sir. And like it. Yes, sir. You may, no. You will eat it with bitter herbs. that lets you know that even when you're in that house, you will be thinking the wrong thing and doing the wrong thing sometimes. But bless God, thank God I feast upon the lamb. He gave the lamb for me to feast on, for you to feast on. If you're in the house, the blood's for him. The blood's for him so that he can still be a just God and a savior at the same time. because the Israelites deserve death themselves just like the Egyptians. They were no different by nature than the Egyptians. We just come through the last chapters of Genesis. That's the third thing. God visits in mercy only because of the blood. And thank God this book says Christ is our Passover. Sacrificed for us. Here's the fourth thing under number four. That is God is the one who visits. Here's the fourth thing. When God visits, he also has ordained means. That is gospel revelation. Before God ever actually delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Now he could have just come down and wiped out the Egyptians. The Israelites could have went over and picked up whatever they needed and headed up north. Now could he not? Could he not? But he didn't do that. He sends a man named Moses and said, go tell him I am sent you. I've seen your bondage and I've already visited you. Although their experience deliverance wasn't fully felt yet. Why were they delivered? Because God had said so before the world began. You know what Moses said, this is amazing to me. I don't want to go into all that too much detail. We'll get there God willing later. Moses says, but God, I can't talk well. and he had some kind of speech impediment evidently. I can't talk well, and God, he kept going on with this, and God got angry with him. That's what the book says. He said, all right, you got a brother named Aaron. Oh, by the way, he's already on his way over here. I've already moved him. He's coming this way, and he'll be glad to see you. Isn't that amazing? God knew Moses was gonna complain and bellyache. He said, all right, go ahead. I've already taken care of things for you. He's coming, and listen, you're gonna tell him what I tell you, and then he'll tell Pharaoh what I've told you to tell Pharaoh and the people. Go in and announce, deliverance is coming. Deliverance is coming, and here's the amazing thing. He said to Moses, Aaron will be your mouth. An amazing statement next, and I will be as God, or you will be as God to Aaron. Now hear me now, when God sends a gospel preacher who is actually preaching the gospel now, not just Bible facts, but actually preaching Jesus Christ, you are hearing God Almighty speak. We're hearing God Almighty speak. So as I said, when God visits, he's ordained means, and that's gospel revelation. He did it in Egypt. Go down and announce it's coming. Now there's a lot more we could deal with on that, but I want you to listen now, and if you wish to, turn to Job. I seen this the other day, and it just blessed my soul. Turn to Job chapter 33, and I will try to move through this quickly. Job chapter 33. I want us to listen to an ancient, poetic account of gospel conversion. From Job chapter 33, verses 10 through 26. And this is Elihu. You don't read much of Elihu right to the end of the book. And anyway, that don't matter. Let's just get to Elihu's words, at least a certain portion of verse 10 of chapter 33. He's speaking of God. Behold, he findeth occasions against me, and he always can if he would. He always can if, well I'm a Christian now, I don't do what I used to do. You're old hearted and you're still wicked and evil and rebellious. And you're prone to every other sin under the face of God Almighty's son standing out there in that universe. Behold, he findeth occasions against me. He counteth me for his enemy. and he has the right to if he so desires to. Because by nature, that's what I am. At my best state, at my best state, I am altogether vanity. Not even at my worst state. Oh, if God would just show some people this. Look, he putteth my feet in the stocks, and marketh all my paths. In other words, God Almighty got me right where he wants me. You see it? He got me right where he wants me. Look, behold in this thou art not just. I will answer thee that God is greater than man. That's not just great in state, though that is absolutely true, but he's greater than man in power. both right and might. Look, is greater than man. Why dost thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters. He knew God Almighty was absolutely sovereign. Does he not? The way God does things is right because God did it. That makes it right if God did it. And if it happens, God Almighty meant it for good. Look, let's go on. For God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not. And he never can unless something changes in man. Now let's go on. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed, then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth, sealeth, their instruction. You see, once your ears are open, now you're ready. And he'll do that even when you go to bed at night once God Almighty visits you. You will dream about things you never thought you'd dream about before. Now you'll still dream about some of the old, evil, corrupt things. You'll wake up in the middle of the night, God Almighty, who he is and who you are will be on your mind and you can't get away from it. That's what he's talking about. Now, I know most people want to see visions in their bed, so they say, well, here's what God told me. I don't care what this book says. Now, am I telling you the truth or not? That's not what Elihu's talking about here. He's talking about God Almighty's hedged you in, put your feet in stocks. He got you locked up. You're in what? Bondage. Bondage. Who do you think was in control of Pharaoh? Ah, come on now. Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, or you could just say purpose, because it ain't whether it's my purpose or your purpose, our purposes are faulty at best. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man. He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword. When you think God's gonna kill me today, God has the right to slay me today. I don't deserve anything from God but the pit. Yet God holds it back. You see what he says? He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain. It hurts deep down inside. It's that proverbial itch that you cannot scratch and make go away. So that his life of wharf bread and his soul dainty meat. What is more pleasant than being hungry? Having this need and being destitute, just sitting down and having a really good meal. But when God Almighty visits, the first thing that happens, even eating a pleasant meal, just brings no hope. And somebody says, that's kind of odd language. He's using poetic language to describe the spiritual turmoil of the bondage deep down in our soul when God Almighty first opens your eyes to see what you are before him. His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. What's he talking about? Everything about me is revealed, even on the deep down inside. Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. If, oh, what a glorious if. I told you, God ordained the means of gospel declaration, gospel revelation. If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, and there ain't very many of them. Oh, there's a lot that claim to be. He said one in a thousand. One in a thousand. Watch TV, you'll probably see that's about right if you had time to sit down and count them. One in a thousand. Look, to show unto man, what? Not man's righteousness, God's righteousness. Then, then and only after then, what? The interpreter comes. The messenger. This is Elihu way back yonder in Job's time. I thought these people didn't know much about God other than killing a few lambs. No, Elihu had been through this. Elihu knew what, he was speaking by experience. Go back and look where Elihu starts, chapter 32. Then he is gracious unto him and saith, deliver him from going down to the pit. Why? I have found a ransom. There's the blood. There's the blood. I have found a ransom. His flesh, you know what happens when you finally see? God tells you this, I got a ransom for you. You don't have to pay a dime. Not even two little pennies. His flesh shall be fresher than a child's. That doesn't mean all of a sudden his body's gonna get young again. It's talking about the hope that arises inside a man's soul when God reveals to him the person and work of Jesus Christ the Lord. His flesh shall be fresher than a child's. He shall return to the days of his youth. He shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him. And he shall see his face with joy. And you know the only place you're gonna see the face of God? That's in the person of Jesus Christ. Second Corinthians chapter four tells us that. For he will render unto man, not man's righteousness, but God will render unto man God's righteousness. Paul put it this way. Abraham believed God. He believed that what God had promised, he's able to perform. And it was imputed to him for righteousness. Faith honors God. God likes faith. He said to whom it shall be imputed. to us if we believe. That's it, yep, just feast on that lamb. Just believe. Just believe. And yet, God still visits this way today. He told the Thessalonians, I'm bound to give thanks for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, chosen you to it. through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. And sanctification of the Spirit must come first. And then belief of the truth, he says, where unto? He what? Called you by our gospel. So hear me now. When God visits men and women, they do not find deliverance by academic study. It's not, I'm gonna figure all this out. I'm not telling you not to study God's word. Don't you get me wrong. I'd pour your heart, mind, and soul into the study of God's Word. But that's not how you experience deliverance. It's God Almighty sending a messenger to you and saying, deliverance is wrought. It's done. Christ did it 2,000 years ago and God purposed that before the world began. It's done. What God's promised, He's able to perform. Can you feast on that? Can you just eat it? I take that in. I hate it. You see, when God visits, men and women are delivered by gospel declaration in power and truth. And power is not how strongly a man forcibly preaches the gospel. No, the power is the power of God Almighty. And he just takes words coming out of lips of clay from this old sinner, and he declares through that messenger his truth, and it'll set you free. if he's visiting you in mercy. So I'll sum it up with this. Any bondage here this morning? I said any bondage. You see, this gospel's not just good to start out with. You must start out with this gospel. But it's what's gonna get you through to the end. This same gospel. We don't believe the gospel and then go on to greater things. There is nothing greater than the message of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Nothing greater. You all talk about walk, Jesus Christ is always the center of it. Husband loves your wife, wife reverence your husband. Now what's the example of that? Jesus Christ and the church. You wanna see how to walk in this world? Look at Jesus Christ. Right? Somebody said, we all preach Jesus too much. You can't preach Jesus too much. No, never, never, never, never, never. We all exalt God too high. No, he's greater than man. He's greater than man. And remember, the lesser is always blessed to the greater. The greater. Any bondage here? Any bondage? Seek out Christ preached. That's what I tell you to do. Seek out Christ preached. And that's the only way you're gonna really say, you say, I'm free. Yeah, the Egyptians may be hunting pursuit, but even then, God will move back behind you. In the pillar of cloud by day, in the pillar of fire by night, and he'll keep the Egyptians just exactly far enough away from you for his own purpose and design. And he says, I'll be your rear reward, re-reward. That means your rear guard. Because I can't watch my back. I can't. If I watch my back, I am turning my face toward my back. You understand? And Mason, that begins the way I start to go. And we don't want to go back. Keep your eyes on Christ. Keep your eyes on Christ. What if he moves away? Keep your eyes on Christ. It's in this book right here. He'll take care of what's behind you. He'll take care of what's behind you. And you know what? In this whole study of the book of Genesis, we find out, Joe, he's all the way around me. Even when the enemy assaults me right to my face and sticks me with his sword, it will not hurt me. Because it's meant for what? Good. It don't say it might not be painful, but it won't hurt you. We're talking about real bonafide hurt. Oh. God help us. Father, bless these words. May they be to your son's honor and glory. Amen. Let's stand and sing number 38.